History of Kossuth County, Iowa, Part 74

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 74

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for this article, enough has been reported to show the wonderful possibilities that are in the dairy business.

The government is doing for Kossuth county what it is not doing for any other county in the Union. It is maintaining an agent whose duty it is to assist the farmers in every way he can in an endeavor to make Kossuth the banner dairy county of the Union so that every other county in the United States will be encouraged to make as good a showing. E. B. Heaton, a dairy expert, was stationed here for two years, and since June, 1912, E. A. Ikenberry has held the position. At present the work is being confined to the vicinity of Algona, but will gradually be extended over the whole county if the experiment proves satisfactory to the government. He advises with reference to dairy sires, building of silos, testing cows, organizing a boys' dairy encampment. butter makers associations, etc. The system of grading cream and paying for it according to the quality was introduced by him, and as a result one farmer living on the north line of Irvington township received over $125 more than he would for his cream if it had not been graded. Judging from the work done by Mr. Ikenberry for the Algona creamery, it is very evident that every cream- ery company can afford to hire a man to work among the patrons in like manner. The Buttermakers' Association which was organized in the fall of 1912, by the election of L. P. Anderson of Algona for president; T. A. Clarke, deputy state dairy commissioner, vice president; and F. F. Lockwood of Wesley, sec- retary and treasurer, is another evidence of the progress along the line of but- termaking. Other members of the organization are Wm. Kessler, Lotts Creek ; A. J. Doleschal, Bancroft; M. J. Bobo, Algona; S. S. Hudson, Titonka; C. F. Bollig, Fenton; A. R. Wilder, Irvington; F. L. Holderman. St. Benedict ; W. H. Anderson, Fenton ; L. H. Larson, Sexton; Joel Blomster, Hobart ; J. H. Stubbs, Sioux City ; W. B. Quarton, Algona ; F. L. Odell, Des Moines, and E. A. Iken- berry, Algona.

The cream industry which has grown to large proportions, and which has proven to be of such great value to the farmers, had its day of small beginnings and its period of adversity. Down in Alabama lives the father of this industry, John Wallace, to whom belongs the credit of starting the first cheese factories and the first creameries in Kossuth. He became an enthusiast on the subject during the year 1874, while the whole country was suffering from the worst grasshopper scourge that has ever devastated this region. His mind being engrossed on the subject, he talked cheese factories to every man or crowd that would listen to him. At that time the people were too much discouraged on account of the loss of their crops, to readily entertain any proposition which would require an outlay of money.

John Wallace felt himself as poor as any of his neighbors, but he never wavered in his purpose to start a factory to consume the milk of the cows, and thus prove a benefit to the owners of the herds. Times being hard, he started an agitation which met with popular favor-that candidates for election to office should pledge themselves to devote a good share of their salaries. if elected, to promoting some kind of factories to benefit their constituents, With that kind of a pledge he was elected clerk of the courts that fall, and com- menced preparing to make good his word. He began his official career in Janu- ary, 1875, and began also to formulate plans for starting a factory. He bought

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a small outfit for cheese making and sent for Charley Barber to come west and take charge. This first manufacturing establishment of his enterprise was started out on Four Mile creek, three miles west of Algona. The next year the factory was moved two miles west and a half a mile south to his own farm. Three new factories were established also by him during the year, the first just east of N. A. Pine's home six miles east of town, the second, one mile south of Irvington, and the third in the Annis neighborhood north of town.

S. B. Reed, a brother-in-law to the proprietor, became the junior member of the firm of Wallace & Reed, or J. Wallace & Co. During the year 1876 the former's brother, Dugall Wallace, came to the county and worked in the factory as did also Clarence Chubb, who had come from Wisconsin for the purpose. That year they established a factory in the Dorweiler settlement, one in Lotts Creek township, another in Fenton and still another in the northwest corner of Humboldt county. For a couple of years, about that time, Dugall Wallace had an interest in the business of the firm of which he had become a member.

Wallace, White & Reed was the firm name in 1877, the second member being the superintendent of the whole string of factories; for he was a prac- tical cheese maker and had had much experience in that line. John Wallace, at the clerk's office, was a busy official in performing his clerical duties, and in engineering the finances of the factories.

He poured out his salary and much more in his endeavor to make the income exceed the expense account. He had ten factories running at one time while he was in the office, but the profits were not sufficiently large to justify main- taining them any longer. Thousands of dollars had been invested in the various equipments and buildings which had to be abandoned.

The second member retiring from the firm in 1878, Wallace & Reed con- tinued the business alone for several years. They abandoned all the factories but four, and then centered all their energies in making these a success. One of the principal reasons why the factories at so many different points had to be abandoned was the lack of patronage caused by the growing sentiment of the farmers that it did not pay them to sell their milk and attempt to raise their calves on whey.

All the cheese that was manufactured was taken to the brick block at the Milwaukee depot and kept there until cured ready for market. As a force of workmen had to be maintained there, it caused Wallace & Reed to change their cheese factories into creameries and begin butter making where the curing had been done. In the fall of 1879 the first creamery was started, and was, of course, the ancestor of the nineteen descendants now in the county. Then began the system of sending out wagons to gather in the cream. The skimmers were important personages in those days. A. W. Sterzbach, O. B. Kuhn, C. W. Sarchett, Demster Ranks, Frank Harvey. Frank Osterbauer and A. L. Bowen's father were among those who made the regular trips for cream skimming. During the first year the creamery was in operation 2.500 pounds of butter were marketed.

Before the Wallace & Reed creamery had fairly started the Blossom broth- ers began making and dealing in butter, using one room of the same brick build- ing at the Milwaukee depot where the Wallace & Reed factory was located. About that time C. D. Pettibone, up in the central portion of town, began bu-

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ing and working over butter for the market. The Blossom Bros. sold to the Boardman Bros. in 1886 and C. H. Blossom became a member of the firm and local manager. The firm had factories at Whittemore and Emmetsburg as well as at Algona. By degrees these were abandoned. The old brick block at the depot, which the Boardmans had bought for $1,500, was demolished a couple of years ago. In the spring of 1883 Wallace & Reed established several skim- ming stations and put up a factory at Bancroft, and three years later built the building for their Algona factory where the present one stands. When Mr. Wallace decided to move South, the business was sold to the co-operative cream- ery company, and Mr. Reed went to selling creamery supplies which were later sold to the Spurbeck-Lambert Company.

An account of the rise in land values would form an appropriate close to this article, but that subject has been historically treated in a previous chapter, as has also the subject of the evolution of the pioneer ox cart into the modern automobile.

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CHAPTER XXVIII ALGONA AND HUMBOLDT TOWNSHIPS

Although the county was created in 1851 and organized in the fall of 1855, no civil townships were established until the spring of 1856. At that time the county extended twelve miles further south than it does now, and was fifty- three miles in length. Upon Asa C. Call, the county judge, devolved the duty of dividing the county into civil townships. The territory of the south twelve miles which had been taken from Humboldt county was named Humboldt township, and that now comprising Kossuth was called Algona township.

The Humboldt portion having been restored to the county from which it had been taken within a year after the township had been set off, its history during that period was so uneventful that a more extended notice is not nec- essary in connection with a history of Kossuth.

From the territory of Algona townhip the present twenty-eight civil town- ships, as shown on the map, have been made. In the fall of 1856 the townsite of Algona was surveyed, of course, on land in that township. By degrees all the territory surrounding the site was set off into other townships. Algona is still in Algona township and covers its entire acreage. The early history of the township as a whole has been treated in connection with the early-settlement history in preceding chapters, and its later history is reviewed in connection with the history of the several townships which had their births from the common mother.

Each township has a history that is peculiar to it alone-its birth, its organi- zation, its first settlers, its landmarks, its interesting events, its development and its actors who have made the township what it is today.

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ST. BENEDICT'S BUSINESS STREET

/1 14

MAIN STREET, GERMANIA, LOOKING NORTH

LOOKING NORTH ON MAIN STREET, LA VERNE

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CHAPTER XXIX

TOWNSHIP NINETY-FOUR

LU VERNE TOWNSHIP AND VILLAGE

The township of Lu Verne comprises the extreme southeastern congressional township of the county, and its territory lay within the neutral ground, staked off in 1832 to separate the Sioux from the Sacs and Foxes. In the early days of the county this territory was the lower grazing ground for deer and elk, though the number of the latter was comparatively small. Prairie creek, cutting through the western portion of the township as it does, made the bottom lands along its route favorite herding grounds for cattle for several years after the first settle- ments began to appear. Joe Walker has the honor for having been the first settler. It was during the year 1870 that he was living over in Illinois and traded some insignificant article for the southwest quarter of section 20, in 94-27 in Kossuth county. He and his cousin came to the Irvington community, and at first made their temporary headquarters at Kinsey Carlon's and then at Jacob Wright's where Joe met, wooed and won the daughter Melvina. They built a shack on the land, broke up several acres and started a grove. These were the first improvements in what is now Lu Verne township. Husband and wife lived there for several years before they disposed of the property. They are now running a hotel at Walnut Grove, Minnesota. The grove they set out is one of the most conspicuous in the township.

Valentine Zoelle was the second settler in the township. He came to the Irvington community in 1866 and after working for Samuel Reed in bridging and building the latter's barn on the Ridge, he made a deal and became the owner of 175 acres in section 31 which he occupied before any other settlers came to Lu Verne township. It was a fortunate purchase, because the town of Lu Verne was later built upon a portion of this tract, and because the two railway lines making a junction only a short distance away, left his land between the lines. No other settlers came until the town was laid out, then John Kingery located on the south part of section 30 and George Miller on the west half of 32.

The present flourishing town of Lu Verne began its existence and maintained its life only after combating obstacles that would have smothered it, had it not been for the character of the first citizens who came to make their home at that place. The Minneapolis & St. Louis road was built through the township from the northeast to southwest in the summer of 1880, but the company did not establish a depot between Corwith and Livermore. This line ran through Valentine Zoelle's farm, and left the township near the southwest corner of his premises.

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When the officials learned that the Northwestern road was soon to cross their track in that vicinity on its way northwesterly to Algona, they established a station just south of Zoelle's land in Humboldt county, which was called Vernon. The company then platted a town site on L. D. Lovell's land in that county, and called the place Vernon, Mr. Lovell having a joint interest in the site with the company. Preparations for putting up several buildings began to be made, but as some of these were designed to be for saloons, the sale of business lots was retarded.

George W. Hanna and B. B. Bliss came over from the southeast, looked over the situation and decided to start a movement for a new town on the Kossuth county side, only a few rods northeast of Vernon. They bought fifteen acres from Zoelle and platted nine blocks in November, 1880, and called the place Lu Verne. It was then neck and neck to see which would be finished first, their store build- ing, the saloon in Vernon or the Vernon depot. The Hanna & Bliss store was soon in operation and the ladies still tell how they had to wade through the corn stalks and tickle grass to do their shopping. F. H. Patton put up the next building in the spring following, which is still his residence. Around the walls of his cellar are to be still seen some of those stalks as a reminder of the early days of the town. In that building Mrs. Patton started the first millinery shop.

Hanna & Bliss put in a good stock of general merchandise and soon had a growing patronage. They sold lots at so low a figure that others were compelled to take notice of the fact. They were put on the anxious seat, however, during the first winter when the officials of the Northwestern road platted nine blocks for a town only half a mile away, and began preparing to build a station to be called Whitman. Between the fires of the Vernon boomers and those of Whit- man, the Lu Verne proprietors had just reason to fear annihilation.

The "four corners," as usual, had to be anchored to hold the town from slip- ping towards the other two places. The Hanna & Bliss building being on the northwest, Dr. Dunlap erected a drug store on the northeast, W. G. McNally a general store on the southwest and Hanna & Bliss a hardware store on the southeast which was run by R. W. Hanna. Gaylord C. Burtis also came to the rescue in 1881, established a lumber yard and began putting up buildings to rent. D. Park began in the same line as did also William Brummond, and all enjoyed a good patronage. Other business men who located during the year 1881 were C. E. Fisher, general merchandise; L. D. Lovell, harness; S. Finley, general merchandise; Werner Eggerth, furniture and contracting; and Fred Legler and J. W. Preston, blacksmiths. W. J. Godfrey, who owned the land just south of town in Humboldt county, put up a hotel during that same summer, and although it was not then in the town it answered every purpose and has been the only hotel the place has ever had. Besides these public buildings many residences had been built which, all told, gave the town a fine appearance before the end of the first year.

The first school in the township was taught in Lu Verne in the fall of 1881 by Mrs. Gaylord C. Burtis, in the front room of their first residence, which was a business house on the main street. The first school house in that township was also built in Lu Verne. This was a one-story building 28x44 feet, erected in 1882, and the teacher first doing service in the building was a man by the name of Howard. He was followed in turn by Alice Daggett of Wesley (now Mrs.

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Frank Heal), Bessie Fisher, H. G. Dean, Clara Willey, Ed Lyons and W. E. Sammers. During the year 1886, a two-story building was erected joining the other at its southwest corner. In the upper story of that building E. C. Ander- son became the first principal, while Stella Call did service as primary teacher in the old building. The next year Principal E. C. Anderson and Maggie John- son were the teachers, but soon their hearts beat as one and they became husband and wife. G. F. Barslou and then C. W. Thompson were the principals during the school year of 1888-9, and Luella Wartman the primary.

The independent district was formed in 1889 and Principal S. C. Platt and Elsie Packard were installed as teachers, and both held their positions for two years, excepting the latter during the last term was succeeded by Elizabeth Mclaughlin. For the school year 1891-2 the teachers were Principal Miss Laughlin, Viola Mann and Miss Packard, the latter two being respectively the intermediate and primary instructors. It was that year also that the course of study was graded and a three years' high school course adopted. The first two of these held their position for three years, but Miss Packard was succeeded by Mary Sinclair in the spring term of 1893, and she in turn by Carrie Fletcher at the beginning of the year 1893-4. In June, 1894, the first commencement occurred, an event that is well remembered for its success. Principal E. W. Richards, Sadie Bennetto and Emma Bucholz did service during the following school year, and then Principal A. O. Christopher, Bertha Harrison and Mayme Johnson for the next two years.

During the year 1897 one more room was added to the school house by raising the old building another story. The four teachers employed . for the ensuing year were Principal R. M. Wyant, Emma Patton, Nellie Niver and Mayme Johnson.

In the beginning of the school year of 1898-9 W. E. Kyler became the head of the school and held that position for three years, until he went into the bank- ing business. During the first year he had the assistance of Laura Humphries and Misses Niver and Johnson. The next fall Miss Niver was succeeded by Ella Brummond. During the second and third terms of that year E. F. Eilert and Margaret Taylor took the places occupied respectively by Misses Humphries and Johnson. The teachers of the closing term of that year did service again in 1900-1 with the addition of Miss Nellie Niver, who was employed as second primary instructor.

Those who have been at the head of the school since Mr. Kyler's retirement are Mr. Burton, Spencer Giles, Ward Hannah, E. Fox, O. O. Vogenitz, David Blose and the present incumbent, G. H. Brinegar, who is teaching his third year at that place. On the last day of January, 1910, the frame school house com- pletely burned to the ground from some mysterious cause. The two story build- ing in the form of an L, with the tower in the inner angle, was a well-proportioned structure, having an attractive appearance, that would have served its purpose for years to come had it not been consumed by the fire.

During that year the board proceeded to erect the present beautiful and com- modious edifice at a cost, including the fixtures, of about $17,000. It is of brick and of symmetrical proportions, and well equipped, being steam heated and having all the modern conveniences. The present teachers who are under the control of Principal Brinegar are Ruby DeForest, assistant in the high school;

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Jennie Pettibone, grammar ; Mae Clouse, intermediate; Ada Searing, second pri- mary ; and Bertha E. Godfrey, first primary. The patrons report that the service rendered by this teaching force is perfectly satisfactory. At present C. H. Lichty is president of the board; V. E. Stephenson, secretary, and W. H. Raney, treas- urer.

Lu Verne had no home paper until the spring of 1883 when V. S. Ellis started the Kossuth County Review. He could have remained there and prospered had it not been for a friction that arose between him and the officials in the fall of 1887, when the town was incorporated. Having the only press, he demanded the full legal rates for publishing all the lengthy proceedings and refused to cut the rates an iota. Then the business men pulled their "ads" and refused to support his paper, thus freezing him out on the business. He then moved his press out of town, and the necessary notices for the incorporation were posted as the law allowed where there was no press to do the work.

For several months the town was without a paper and remained in that condition until January, 1890, when Platt & Lacey bought an entire new equip- ment and launched the Des Moines Valley News, Mr. Platt being the editor and manager. The new firm blew their trumpets long and loud and made quite a showing of prosperity. After a while J. J. Clark took hold of the helm but did not make it succeed very well, and then the paper came back on the hands of S. C. Platt alone. A few months later he sold to Charles Sinclair but he did not seem to make enough out of the enterprise to justify him in remaining any longer in the business. Hugh Smith was the next editor and proprietor and ran the paper until during the year 1895 when he sold to Hal. E. Rogers. After running the News for about seven years, he sold the plant to E. F. Kluckhohn who issued the paper for one year and then let the press come back on the hands of Mr. Rogers again.

Hal. E. Rogers has his press in the building where the Wartmans had their general store and millinery for several years, in the early days of the town. What is more, he is the owner of the property. He does his work quietly with- out any flourishing of trumpets, and is making a financial success of his under- taking. His paper is crowded with live advertising matter and his orders for job work come as fast as he can attend to them. He is a hard worker and tends strictly to business and is succeeding as the result.

The Bank of Lu Verne, the first banking institution in the town, was started by Geo. W. Hanna in 1885, and since that time he has been the sole proprietor. During the five years in which he was interested in the store with B. B. Bliss, his mind was on outside speculations while his partner looked after the store. When the latter left in 1885 Mr. Hanna started his bank, and the store and building were sold to Henry Klindt. Since 1907 Will H. Raney has been the cashier and done most of the counter work. Will comes from good stock and has acquired a reputation for honesty and square dealing, as well as for being a substantial citizen of that town. As a financier Geo. W. Hanna ranks number one on the list of money makers in the county, his accumulations having reached the record-breaking mark. He lives in a palace for a home and spends much of his time out on his ranch, where he has more than 900 cattle that are being fatted for the market in his large pastures along the Prairie creek bottoms. He

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owns more acres than any other resident of the county as the result largely of his good judgment, years ago, as to what future land . values would be in the county.

The Lu Verne State Bank has an attractive home on the principal street, in a favorable location. The building is of brick and tasty in design. The business is controlled by a board of directors consisting of J. W. Sullivan of Algona, president; A. W. Eells, vice president ; W. E. Kyler, cashier; V. E. Stephenson and Fred Tiede. S. A. Niver is assistant cashier and a valuable addition to the working force. This bank in January, 1911, was organized on the foundation of the German Bank, which Hill & Peck had started in 1895 and which had for its cashier W. E. Kyler, after he had retired from the head of the Lu Verne schools. He and Mr. Hill reorganized the bank in 1911 with its present name and he has been the active manager since that time. The officers of this bank at the start had to work hard to gain a foothold, but now the institution under Mr. Kyler's good management has its full share of the banking business.

The Lutheran Evangelical Church has for its pastor Rev. J. D. Hesse, who took charge of the work in 1904. The property consists of the church edifice, built in 1887 at a cost of $1,800, a parsonage costing $900, and a parochial school building erected in 1908 at an expense of about $1,200. The teacher of the school is Adolph Pflueger. The church was organized in 1883 and the first pastor was Rev. R. P. Budah. Those active in establishing the church were Dan Musolf, Carl Lau, John Tiede, Jacob Wolf. F. W. Hinz, C. F. Hinz. Daniel Benke, Paul Wegner, Michael Beging and Carl Pergande. The present trustees are Fred Tiede, Chas. Lau and Max Meyer, and Ed Weisie is the secre- tary. Besides the two pastors above referred to, only two others have presided over the church. They were Rev. G. A. Lohr, who came in 1890 and Rev. G. Haar, who took charge in 1893. Rev. Hesse, the present pastor, is a diligent student and spends much time in his library. The Evangelical Church, which formerly had the word "German" in its title, has for its pastor Rev. J. M. Krafft. The church edifice was built in 1889 and the parsonage in 1896. The first pastor, Rev. G. Zellhoefer, who came in 1874, preached in district school- houses. He was followed in 1882 by Rev. Flegler and he in turn by Rev. Geo. Brandstetter. Other pastors since that time have been Rev. J. D. Schaible, Rev. Wm. Grobe, Rev. H. Raecker, Rev. F. W. Wievesick, Rev. J. W. Wienands and the present minister, Rev. Krafft. The present trustees are John Blumer. John Hauser and F. Fritzemeier. Geo. Merkle is the class leader, D. Marty the exhorter, Adam Weiner the Sunday school superintendent, Mrs. J. M. Krafft. president of the W. M. S., and Paul Blumer president of the young peoples' alliance. The church is in a flourishing condition and harmony prevails, as all are satisfied with the present pastor.

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History of Kossuth County, Iowa, Part 74

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