USA > Iowa > Kossuth County > History of Kossuth County, Iowa > Part 8
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We will now let Asa C. Call tell in his own language why he came to Kossuth : "I had for several years intended to found a new town, and all through my residence on the Pacific Coast I had that in view. I had explored the upper Mississippi and the west end of Lake Superior where Duluth now stands, and although some fine cities have grown up there since then, there was at that time no certainty of them, and a man without any great means had no right to presume upon railroads. I was determined to find a place where I could get fine lands, and as many other advantages as possible. At the site of Algona I found a tract of good land, with a fair supply of timber, some water power, and near the center of the county, and with those advantages, if I could not make and hold a county seat it was because I was not the right person. I made my first settlement in the county in July, 1854. At that time there was no settlement north of Fort Dodge, which was forty miles from us, and no one on the cast nearer than Clear Lake. I brought my wife to the new settlement on the 4th of November. In the same month William H. Ingham arrived. Some others had struck the place, but Mr Ingham and my brother, Ambrose, are the only ones who are in the county of those old settlers. During the winter of 1855 1 went back to Iowa City and got a bill through the legislature to enlarge the boundaries of the county and locate the county seat."
HON. AMBROSE A. CALL'S RECORD
The following address was delivered by Hon. Ambrose A. Call :
"In May, 1854, at Stillwater, Minnesota, I received a letter from my brother, Asa, apprising me of his return from California where he had been since 1850 and where he had accumulated a few thousand dollars, which he desired to invest in cheap lands He invited me to join him in a trip through the West, Iowa or Nebraska, to look for a desirable location. Although I had but little money, I had an abundant supply of good health and ambition and promptly accepted his invitation. I was not quite twenty-one years old at that time, my
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brother being my senior by eight years. Meeting in Illinois, we took a boat from Albany to Muscatine and went from there to lowa City by stage, there being no railroads in Iowa at that time. Asa selected a few quarter sections of land in Johnson county, which he entered, but he left the greater part of his money with Cook, Sargent and Downey, private bankers, to be loaned at two per cent per month. Money was quite plenty but speculation was running high and two per cent was considered cheap money. Everybody wanted to buy land.
"We decided to go farther west, beyond the settled portion of the state, where we could take our choice, buy land or start a town and boom our own, and immediately set out from lowa City, going as far as Marengo, some forty miles, by stage. From here we started up the river on foot, but had traveled only a few miles when we were overtaken by a wagon. The driver had been to Rock Island after some fixtures for a sawmill which he owned near Marietta, Marshall county, and was the late Samuel Reed, father to B. F. Reed and brothers. We rode with him a part of two days and he proved to be a genial and intelligent traveling companion. A few months later he brought his family up to Kossuth county. After Mr. Reed left us we again set out on foot and had walked some twelve or fifteen miles when a Quaker on horseback overtook us. We bought his outfit for $50,, and the horse proved a great help to us on our journey.
"Our trail took us through Hardin and Marshall counties across the west fork of the Iowa and Skunk rivers to the Boone where Webster City now stands. A man by the name of Brewer owned a claim here which he called New Castle. He proposed to make it a county seat, but later sold to Funk and the Wilsons. Our road from New Castle took us west to Homer. Here we found a cluster of eight or ten log cabins on a flat prairie, a straight path from door to door, proving the sociability of the housewives. The most noticeable object, however, was the head of old 'Two Fingers' or Sidominadotah, the Indian chief killed by Lott, which was stuck on a pole standing against the side of the hostelry, the black hair clotted with blood and the gruesome face turned towards the road. Whether this was to show the hospitality meted out to the guests or simply an outside decoration, I never learned.
"At Homer we met a lawyer by the name of Burkley who told us of Fort Dodge, that from this time on the earth would revolve around Fort Dodge; how a syndicate of unprincipled political speculators with the backing of the administration had purchased a military reservation worth a half million dollars for a few hundred. This tale of woe did not have the desired effect upon us, however. We started at once for Fort Dodge, which place we reached the next forenoon. The only people I remember of meeting there were Major and J. B. Williams, C. C. Carpenter, Captain Miller and family, two brothers named Young and John M. Hefley, a discharged soldier. The second day after our arrival a company of surveyors returned from the north, having been robbed and driven out by the Indians. They gave a glowing description of this section of the country, thought there were 6,000 acres of timber in townships 94, 95 and 96, range 28 and 29. This was just the country we were looking for, so we hired an extra horse and wagon by putting up money to secure the owner in the safe return of the property, borrowed a gun and bought supplies. A young man by the name of William Smith volunteered to come with us, and against the remonstrances of Williams, Miller and Hefley, we started out coming up on
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the east side of the river. We spent our first night in Kossuth county July 9, 1854, some two miles southeast of Algona, on what is known as King's creek, after carefully investigating the surroundings and ascertaining to our satisfac- tion that the Indians had all left the country. This night, just before sundown, while we were on the bluff estimating the acreage of timber in sight along the Des Moines river, one of the most beautiful phenomena in nature occurred to us. It was an inverted mirage, a reflection of the whole grove appeared inverted in the sky. Its great beauty consisted in the fact that it was colored almost like the tints of the rainbow. We watched it almost with awe until it faded away. Had such a beautiful picture appeared in the sky to Moses when from the mountain top he viewed the promised land we certainly would have had several chapters more of bible history, but perhaps the mirage was not inverted when Moses lived.
"On the morning of the 10th of July we passed over the site of Algona and with a spade investigated the nature of the soil. We did not know at that time that all Iowa soil was good, and Asa remarked 'I think, Ambrose, this is the place we are looking for.' Crossing the river we camped again on the spot where the Indians had robbed the surveyors. From here I followed a trail to the river and marked on a large Walnut tree, 'Ambrose A. Call claims this grove. July 10, 1854.'
"We reached Fort Dodge on our return July 11, where our man Smith left us. Asa and I jogged on to Boonesborough. From that place there was a mail east carried on a buckboard, on which Asa took passage, promising to return. I remained several days purchasing my outfit, which consisted of a team of oxen, wagon, tools, camp fixtures, provisions and a gun. The gun I got of Judge McFarland, a big bored, light gun, just right for shooting big game from horse- back. On my return to Fort Dodge I found Wmn. Smith still there and by offering him extra inducements persuaded him to return to Kossuth county with me. We followed the trail up the east side of the river as far as the ford. Here we crossed the river and I hitched a log under the axle of the wagon to drag down the grass so that those who came after me could follow my trail. We reached the edge of the timber near where Senator Chubb's farm residence is located, two miles south of Algona, about the last of July and here we built our cabin. It was 14x16 feet and the logs were as large as two men could raise. Asa returned towards the last of August and remained a week or ten days assist- ing in marking out claims. He then went back to Jowa City and in the following November brought up his wife. My cabin had a door made of puncheons hewn from basswood logs, a one sash window 10x12, a chimney made of sticks, and mortar made of yellow clay ; the fireplace of boulders and the hearth of dirt. In those very early days we had no sod houses. Our cabins were all built of logs, just as our great grandfathers in the green mountain state built them, a little improvement on the cabin in which Abraham Lincoln learned to read his bible."
In a previously published report concerning their experiences in coming to the county, Mr. Call said that the next morning after their arrival they found where the Sioux that had robbed the surveyors and frightened them out of the county, had been encamped but a short time before. It was near where the old college building used to stand on the southern edge of Algona. Some tepee poles were still there as were also the rude racks on which the Indians had "jerked" their
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buffalo and elk meat. Then he went on to say: "There had been a large band of them; we estimated their number at one hundred men, but we afterward learned that our estimate was far too low, as they went as far east as Lime creek and created a great panic among the settlers as far south as Cedar Falls and Waterloo. The governor promptly ordered out the state militia to drive them back. Carriers were sent out, and volunteers to the number of some 200 gathered and confronted the Indians on Lime creek. Both parties fortified and made faces at each other for several days. Finally one old trader by the name of Hewitt volunteered to take a flag of truce into the Indian camp and try to find out what they wanted. The Sioux, after becoming satisfied that there were no Winnebagoes in the ranks of the whites, agreed to turn back. In their retreat toward the upper Missouri they crossed the Des Moines near the mouth of Buffalo Fork about the 10th of August, fortunately not discovering our cabin. Our party, the 10th of July, passed over the townsite of Algona, crossed the ri- r just above Blackford's grove, and took dinner on section 15 (Cresco) at th camp where the surveyors were robbed. We then went down the river on the west side, crossing Four Mile creek, and keeping well out on the prairie struck the old trail at the ford above the forks and reached Fort Dodge the second night."
Mr. Call in the columns of the Upper Des Moines Republican, December 3, 1902, threw further light on the general subject under consideration by the following statements :
"For two years prior to my coming to Kossuth county I spent most of my time on the upper Mississippi river around Fort Snelling and on the tributaries of the Saint Croix river; a part of the time among the Indians, Sioux and Chippewas ; and I learned a great deal of the Indian sign language and quite a few words both of Chippewa and Sioux. The sign language is identically the same with all tribes east of the Rocky mountains, but their word language is very different. In the same tribe each individual has his own pronunciation, A buffalo is a 'titonka,' or 'tionka,' or 'tetonka,' as you find your Indian. 'Titonka' also means a cow or ox or most anything big; a big white man is at once saluted as 'titonka wasecha,' so with an elk, he is an 'humpa,' or 'umpa,' or 'impah;' a moccasin or mitten or anything leather is also called 'umpah.' They have no written language to hold them to a uniform pronunciation, and besides have all manner of defects in their speech, with usually a lazy grunt at the end of every word."
CAPT. W. H. INGHAM'S REPORT
"I can hardly make a selection," said Capt. Ingham, "that will be more suitable for the hour (the semi-centennial celebration, September 29, 1904) and that will be more likely to be of interest than a report of the incidents occurring by the way when first coming to the county from Cedar Rapids in company with Mr. D. E. Stine in November, 1854, and so on until I became a permanent resident in the county in January, 1855. I had already seen a small section of the Des Moines river valley above Fort Dodge only a few months before, when traveling through the northwestern part of the state with a party of four on our way from Council Bluffs back to Cedar Rapids by way of Clear Lake. I was so favorably impressed at the time with its general appearance and with its
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excellent soil and timber and the great abundance of game that I decided to return soon after and look it over again, more, perhaps, for the purpose of finding out the extent of the timber lands and if there were any choice tracts still Jeft that were subject to cash or preemption entry, than for anything else. Being supplied with government data, showing the vacant lands and the entries already made near the river in Humboldt county, I was ready for a start. Mr. Stine, who wanted to find a good location of timber and prairie for a home, planned to go with me. About the middle of the month we were off on horse- back, well prepared to stay wherever we might choose or be obliged to stop.
"After a pleasant five days' journey we brought up in front of the old Wahkonsa House at Fort Dodge for the night. Fortunately, when making inquiry during the evening for some one well posted in land matters on the river above, Edward Mcknight came in from his cabin near the Forks, where he was living with Charles Bergh. We soon learned from him that the entered tracts as shown by our plats covered the greater part of the timber in the groves that we had expected to examine. When making further inquiries of him as to timber in other localities he mentioned the big woods in Kossuth county on the east branch as being the most desirable section of the country to go for the purpose of making claims as the lands were not yet on the market. A few settlers had already gone up and taken claims, as he had learned, but he presumed some very choice ones could still be found. Before parting for the night he invited us to go back with him in the morning and stop at their cabin, from which we could look over the timber in Humboldt county, or go on to Kossuth, as we might prefer. We arranged to do so and had a fine ride to the cabin the next morning, located between the Forks on the west branch at the lower end of the grove, just below Springvale. Here we met Charles Bergh for the first time and formed an acquaintance that lasted until he moved to California, many years afterwards. Their cabin was the only one in the county above the forks of the river and at the time the only one we saw anywhere within its limits, so that the residents of the county were not numerous, only four, as we were told. While at dinner I made inquiry as to game in the grove or not far away. Mr. Bergh said there were plenty of deer, but so far they had not been able to capture one. A hunting party was now planned for all to go out after dinner and be sure not to come back without something to show for it. It was very fortunate that within thirty minutes after leaving the cabin two fine deer come bounding nearby through the timber when a lucky shot brought one down. The cabin was soon supplied with plenty of choice meat for a most bountiful supper that Mr. Bergh knew so well how to prepare. During the evening we were highly entertained by Mr. McKnight's recitals of Shakespeare, that after- wards became quite famous, and his interesting experiences with the Indians about the Forks. The next morning we thought best to go on to Kossuth and when about to leave Mr. McKnight asked us to go with them and make a call on their two German neighbors, who were living on the cast branch a couple of miles away.
"Of course we accepted, and found when getting there that they were living in a dugout on the face of a high clay bluff, sloping down to the river below. Near the top of the bluff they had set a door and a frame with one pane of glass for light. These were the only materials used in its make-up. A fireplace was
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dug out at the farther end of the room with an opening up through and out for a chimney. Benches of clay on either side of the pathway from the door to the fireplace, some ten feet away, served as sleeping bunks, so that all in all it was a very cheaply made home and one that gave good protection to its occupants. Here we found August Zahlten and Christian Hackman, who made it their home during the following winter and spring, and then came to Kossuth county where they have been known so long and so well. Mr. Zahlten is still living (1904) at the age of eighty-seven on his farm a couple of miles above town in the full enjoyment of life and with the esteem of his many friends. Before parting with them at the dugout Mr. McKnight asked them to sing us a song. They went out in front of the door while the audience lined up in the pathway leading to the top of the bluff. As all of the people of Humboldt county were supposed to be present it became a very important affair. After singing 'Die Wacht Am Rhine' in fine voice and with great vigor, they received a genuine outburst of applause that made the old valley ring, probably for the first time in its history. This, followed by another-'Krambambuli'-with still greater energy and effect, worked the audience up in its weird surroundings on that bright, mild, November morning to a high pitch of excitement and brought out an enthusiasm that would have done credit to a more pretentious gathering. In the midst of good cheer we parted from our friends who had entertained us so nicely and then went on our way.
"During the day we noticed the more desirable timber tracts were usually located on the odd numbered sections that had already been granted to the Des Moines River Improvement Company and so were out of the market. Toward evening we came to the first evidence of any settlement in Kossuth county, it being an unfinished cabin in front of the old Edwards grove and occupied by Malachi Clark and family. When asking him if he could keep us for the night he replied the cabin was already well filled and then advised us to follow a trail nearby for about two miles, leading to the home of Mr. Call, who was 'well fixed to keep strangers.' This was our first introduction to the name of Mr. Call. When riding up in front of the cabin located on the edge of the grove on what is now a part of the Chubb Bros.' farm, expecting to meet another typical pioneer, we were quite surprised when we were met so politely by a well-dressed gentleman who asked us if we would not alight and stop with them over night. Nothing could have pleased us more than this kind reception after a long and tedious day's ride. As we learned afterward, we were the first persons from the outside world to call at their cabin after Mrs. Call's arrival several weeks before, which will in part explain the enthusiastic manner of our reception. During the evening we learned from Mr. Call that there was a large grove on the west side of the river, a few miles above, that was still unclaimed and that it probably would afford the best chance for Mr. Stine to secure a good claim. He then explained to us that his brother Ambrose was away on business else one of them would go with us and show us about. He finally, with Mrs. Call's consent, told us that he would go with us in the morning as far as Dick Parrot's, whose claim was about a mile away from the grove, and then turn us over to him to look after our wants. We were off quite early with Mr. Call in the lead on a well beaten Indian trail, near the present Chubb road. leading us down to the river ford and then to the Blackford grove. Here we
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left the trail and came up to the level of the prairie and stopped. While my attention was turned to a couple of deer that had been startled out from the plum thicket just east of the grove Mr. Call seemed to be earnestly looking away to the east; and then in his almost dramatic style said: 'Here is where my brother Ambrose and myself propose to build a city.' He evidently had in mind a large city, one that would not only take in the Algona of today, but perhaps a much greater Algona yet to be. Who can tell? Much to the relief of Mr. Stine, who could not see any inducement here for such people to remain, we now know what they were here for. After approving of the site chosen for a city, an hour's walk brought us to the Parrot cabin. He then told Mr. Parrot the object of our calling and asked him to look after our wants. Just before starting out for home he said that he felt it to be quite unsafe and even hazardous for Mrs. Call to be left alone at the cabin, as straggling Indians were apt to be prowling about at almost any time.
"From here it became an easy matter to find the grove with a stream, now known as Black Cat creek, dividing it in about two equal parts. We now made a thorough examination by riding about and through it, some three hundred acres of choice black walnut and burr oak timber. Mr. Stine was well pleased with his apparent good luck, and then took the first step to establish his right by going to a prominent tree at the edge of the grove and then plainly writing with a lead pencil where the bark had been blazed away, as follows: "This grove on section 24-96-29 is claimed by D. E. Stine of Cedar Rapids on this 25th day of November, 1854.' He now had the opportunity before him of becoming a much richer man than he was a few hours before. His right was unquestionable under pioneer rules for a reasonable length of time in which to make settlement. We now arranged with Mr. Parrot to see that the claim was kept good until March Ist, by which time Mr. Stine would be able to return and bring his family with him, at the same time telling him that if for any unseen cause he should fail to do so and perfect his claim that I would be likely to come back and take it for myself. With this well understood we left him and went back to the Call cabin.
"Mr. Call now asked us to look over the timber below before leaving, which we did on the next day as far down as the townsite of Irvington and then back, taking in Purcell creek and the groves on the east side. From this examination and from what we noticed on the river above we were well convinced that there was a sufficient quantity in the county to meet the wants of a large settlement. Having accomplished the object of our coming, we were ready the next morning, November 27th, to begin our homeward ride. Just as we were about to start Mrs. Call said to me : 'I wish you would give me your dog.' (a fine large setter) 'as he would be so much company for me and help me in passing away the time.' I told her I knew of no one to whom I would be more pleased to offer him, if we were to be separated, than to her, at the same time telling her that I thought her chance of getting him would be rather slim, as Mr. Bayliss of Council Bluffs only a few months before had made an offer of two hundred dollars for him and was then told that there was not money enough in Council Bluffs to buy him. We now, after taking leave of our friends and Mrs. Call's parting request to Mr. Stine to be sure and come back soon and bring his family, mounted our horses and were on our way.
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"When near the A. J. Jones farm in Cresco township our attention was called to a fine bunch of elk standing on a summit some distance away in a south- westerly direction. They held our attention closely as they made a pretty picture with their glistening coats and fine antlers in the bright morning sunshine. When about passing them by a mile or more away we decided to unload our surplus stuff at a section corner nearby and then try and capture one, or at least give them chase and so add interest to our trip. We knew full well with our tired- out horses and the poor equipments at hand that we stood but little chance, if any, in getting or even harming one in any way. When ready Mr. Stine bore around to the south, keeping a mile or more away, while I did the same at the north until we were opposite of each other. We now rode slowly toward them, keeping down closely on our horses so as not to get their attention. When I was not more than half a mile away they became alarmed and started off at a rapid pace in an easterly course and then bore off north and so around to the northwest. This gave me quite an advantage as I took the inner part of a large circle they were making and yet I could not lessen the distance between us. When passing by without any possible chance of getting any nearer I gave them a parting shot with the muzzle of my gun held well up and quite a distance in front all by guess, as a person might throw a stone, and then waited for the effect without the least hope of success. My surprise must be imagined when seeing the band quickly separate and then one of the largest tumbling to the ground. The ounce ball had done its work in knocking him down but he soon regained his feet and then took on after the band that was still in sight. He became weary after going three or four miles and then made a stop in some tall grass. My dog, Frank, in the meantime had taken no interest in the chase and appeared to be wondering why I should, with an animal not covered with feathers and that could not fly, and so followed on after us some twenty rods or more away. I now rode up carefully within shot range of the wounded elk. Frank for some reason had come through the tall grass unnoticed by me to the opposite side, and as fate would have it, just at the moment I fired he sprang at the throat of the elk, causing him to raise his head, and so was shot instead. The elk rallied and went on again while Frank came to me, well knowing what the result would be.
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