History of Kossuth, Hancock, and Winnebago counties, Iowa; together with sketches of their cities, villages, and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 48

Author:
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield IL : Union Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 950

USA > Iowa > Kossuth County > History of Kossuth, Hancock, and Winnebago counties, Iowa; together with sketches of their cities, villages, and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 48
USA > Iowa > Winnebago County > History of Kossuth, Hancock, and Winnebago counties, Iowa; together with sketches of their cities, villages, and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 48
USA > Iowa > Hancock County > History of Kossuth, Hancock, and Winnebago counties, Iowa; together with sketches of their cities, villages, and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 48

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).

372

HISTORY OF KOSSUTHI COUNTY.

The first frame school house was built in 1860, on seetion 24, and was the first frame one in the county.

The first school house in sub-district No. 8, was built of sod by the neighbors, on sections 17, 96 and 29, during the year 1866. The first teacher was Joseph Mar- tin, who presided over the destinies of this primitive academy three terms. For seats, teacher and scholars had slabs from the saw-mill, and desks were con- spienous by their entire absence. The first year there were but the children of two families that attended, the Burts and McArthur's.

The school house in district No. 4 was erected in 1883, at a cost of $643.

That in district No. 11 was erected about three years prior to this, in t880, and cost about $450. The first sub-direc- tor, of this sub-district was Thomas Han- nah.

The present township officers are as fol- lows: F. C. Wilson, W. F. Hofins and C. Rickard, trustees; B. F. Reed, clerk; G. N. Ames, assessor; A. E. Wheelock and E. HI. Clarke, justices.

CITY OF ALGONA.

This beautiful and enterprising city originated less than thirty years ago, when the beautiful country around the head waters of the Upper Des Moines river was just beginning to attract the attention of those in search of homes, and the surroundings were as free and wild as the time when the stars of the morning sang anthems of joy at nature's dawn. The changes from the primitive to the developed state have been constant and rapid. It has been one continual change from the moment of its projec-

tion, until Algona of to-day stands forth one of the bright jewels in the diadem of a noble State. While there may have been nothing really remarkable in the de- velopment of the past, or nothing pecu- liarly striking in the present, still there is much that cannot fail to be of interest to those who have been closely connected and identified with the city in all the various changes that have occurred from year to year. To those who have watched its progress from its earliest origin-when Kossuth county was a wilderness-until the present time, the accomplishment of by-gone days would seem now like a her- culean task, but are in reality the sure and legitimate results of an advanced state of civilization. Endowed with many natural advantages, aided by the strong arm of enterprising husbandry, Kossuth county has assumed a position among the best and wealthier of her sister counties throughout the State; and Algona, as the first town within her bonndaries, has kept pace with the improvements and advance- ment.

Algona is situated in a beautiful loop or bend of the East Fork of the Des Moines river, in the northeastern corner of township 95 north, range 29 west, and is about 160 miles from the Mississppi river at the nearest point of landing. Two lines of railroad pass it, connecting it with the markets of the world. These are the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul (Iowa and Dakota division) and the Chi- cago & Northwestern, the former from east to west, and the latter from north to south, and afford excellent facilities for marketing. The city is surrounded by some of the finest and most productive

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HISTORY OF KOSSUTH COUNTY.

agricultural and stock raising lands in the State, which is a guarantee of a perma- nent and ever increasing trade.

There are many fine and substantial brick buildings to be seen upon the busi- ness thoroughfares, and many costly and elegant dwellings in the part of town de- voted to residences. Many of these lat- ter are worthy of more than a passing mention, being more than ordinarily beau- tiful. An abundance of shade trees adorn the streets, which in summer add greatly to the handsome appearance of the place. The location is exceedingly healthy, being high and dry. The in- habitants are of a class possessing rare intelligence and culture, and the society is of the most refined and desirable char- acter.

The various town plats of Algona were filed for record as follows :

Algona proper, filed for record,by Asa C. Call, upon the 2d of December, 1856.

Call's addition, on the 11th of Septem- ber, 1871, by Asa C. and Ambrose A. Call, Henry and Anthony Durant and John Heckart.

Ingham's addition, by W. 11. Ingham, on the 22d of November, 1881.

Call & Smart's addition, by Asa C. Call, J. J. Smart and S. L. Witter, Aug. 4, 1882.

Call's third addition, by A. C. Call, Nov. 1, 1883.

The real founder of Algona, and the first settler on what is now the town site, was Asa C. Call. In the spring of 1854, he had just returned from the sunny shores of California, and feeling that in- vestments in real estate were on a surer foundation than in the placers and gulches

of that land of gold, looked around him for an eligible locality, to start a settle- ment and a town. While in Des Moines his attention was drawn to the waters of the Upper Des Moines river, where the land was of a wondrous fertility and where there was considerable of a grove. Starting out, as detailed in the chap- ter on the early settlement of the county, in company with his younger brother, Ambrose, he journeyed to the north. On their arrival here, they were immediately struck with the beauty of the location and its adaptability for the pur- pose then in view. They soon returned to civilization to make the necessary ar- rangements. On the 9th of July they re- turned and with them came the wife of the elder brother. Mrs. Call was the first white woman ever within the bounds of Kossuth county. Here she continued to dwell in peace, seeing her family and the town grow up around her. Seeing the county, that she had entered when no other woman was an inhabitant, fill up with settlers and take a prominent part in the bright sisterhood of counties of our noble young State. Here then she remained until Sunday May 14, 1876, when she was summoned by death, to eross the "dark river," and without a murmur she obeyed. Her death cast a gloom over the commu- nity, for her circle of friends comprised all that knew her, and they were legion.

The Call brothers did not settle imme- diately upon the present town site of Al- gona. Asa C. Call occupied a cabin upon the northeast quarter of section 14, in township 95, range 29, built by Ambrose A. Call. Here they remained until in March or April, when the elder brother

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HISTORY OF KOSSUTH COUNTY.

removed to the site of the present town, and founded the same. The town was shortly afterward surveyed and platted by Lewis H. Smith, county surveyor. This was during the summer of 1856. Three blocks were left for public parks, or . squares ; block 19 (public square) for a court house ; block 39 (Maple Park) to be ornamented by the town, and block 17 (College Square) for a college campus. This last was donated by J. W. Moore, it lying in his part of the town. Mr. Moore afterwards refuted his generosity, and sub-divided and sold it out in town lots.

Hon. Ambrose A. Call, in his interest- ing sketches of the early days of Algona, and Kossuth county, gives the following as the reasons for the names of the streets in the town :

"Lucas street was called after Col. E. Lucas, a property owner; Call street after Call, aresident; Kennedy after Kennedy, a resident, who helped on the survey; Jones street after Senator G. W. Jones, of Du. buque; Harlan street after Senator James Ilarlan; Moore street after J. W. Moore, resident; Dodge street after Senator A. C. Dodge; Thorington street after James Thorington, M. C .; Hall street after James E. Hall, a resident ; Williams street after Major W. W. Williams, a property owner; Blackford street after I. E. Blackford, resident; Smith street after Lewis II. Smith, resident; Lowe street after George A. Lowe, resident."

The next settler upon the site of the, as yet, incipient village, was Joseph W. Moore. He wasa native of Newark, Ohio, and came here from Cedar Rapids, where he had been a short time, in January or February, 1855. lle engaged in several

land speculations, and on the establish- ment of the postoffice, in 1856, was made postmaster. In 1863 he left Algona and moved to Brooklyn, N. Y., where he at present resides.

James L. Paine was also a settler of the same year, 1855, and is still a resident of the town.

Jacob Cummins settled at Algona dur- ing the year 1855. During the War of the Rebellion he was with the "brave boys in blue" from Kossuth county, in the Inrid front of battle. Hle is now a resi- dent of the State of Kansas, whither he moved some years ago.

· The next important settler to locate at the embryo town was Lewis Il. Smith, now one of the county's most prominent citizens, and the cashier of the Kossuth County Bank, at Algona.

John E. Blackford came to Algona in the summer of 1855. He brought his family with him and the birth of a daugh- ter, shortly after, in November, 1856, was heralded as the first within the limits of the town or township. Ella Algona Blackford, besides being the first child born in Algona, enjoys the distinction of having been the first "girl baby" in the county. Mr. Blackford is still a resident of Kossuth county, and is numbered among its most solid men.

Among the arrivals of 1856 were: Rev. Chauncey Taylor, John Heckart, Orange Minkler, J. E. Stacy, H. A. Henderson, Frank Hamson, Roderick M. Bessie, D. S. McComb, HI. F. Watson, Amos S. Col- lins, M. D., and others.

The first log cabin was built by Judge Asa C. Call, in the spring of 1855, as mentioned before. This was 16x20 feet,

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HISTORY OF KOSSUTH COUNTY. 379

with an addition 12x16 feet in size, one and a half stories high. The doors and sash for the windows were brought here by teams from Iowa City. The floor was of puncheons hewn from the native tim- ber and even the casings of doors and windows were of the same primitive manufacture. Other cottages of like fron- tier architecture soon gathered around. Settlers now kept coming in, slowly at first, but more rapidly as time progressed.

In the spring of 1856, Major William W. Williams, of Fort Dodge, sent up a small stock of goods in charge of a man by the name of W. M. Koons, but almost immediately after his arrival, the stock was put in charge of IIenry F. Watson, who thus kept the first store in the county. Prior to this Charles Easton, an eccentric Englishman, who had come here in 1854, and put up a tent the other side of the woods to the south of the town, sold whisky and powder to the inhabitants, who wanted that kind of groceries. These two "merchants" and the itinerant ped- dlers, who first made their appearance in 1856, supplied all the simple wants of the pioneers. One of the old settlers says that "an odd genius visited ns peddling groceries, bacon and cats. He warranted his cats good mousers or no pay. Ile sold 'he-cats' for $1, and 'she-cats' at $1.50."

In 1856, a hotel was also erected, by llezekiah A. Henderson. This was a hewed log building, without any windows in the front, and was, to use the words of an early settler, "a most forlorn place." The hotel was known as the St. Nicholas Hotel, stood northeast of the court house. The hotel was afterwards bought by J. E. Stacy, who ran it for about four years.

The settlers having brought their patri- otism along with them resolved to cele- brate the 4th of July, 1856, in an appro- priate manner. A flag was improvised, a hickory pole raised on the public square, a pie-nie dinner in the grove back of Mr. lleckart's residence, speeches, toasts,songs and all accompaniments necessary for a well conducted celebration. About eighty persons were present at this celebration including nine young ladies, some of them just ont of their bibs and tucks-"a fine sprinkling," as Lewis H. Smith had it in a gallant response to a toast.

About this time Jesse Magoon set up the first blacksmith shop in Algona, but only operated it for a short time, when, the same year, he was succeeded by Oli- ver Benschotter one of the prominent men of the county at a later date, and at present one of its residents.

In December, 1855, Judge A. C. Call raised his mill. This was a substantial building, 37x45 feet, two stories high, lo- cated just sonth of Blackford's grove. It is thought that every man in the county attended the raising and lifted every pound that was in him. This mill was not started until the next summer. The engine was hauled from Warren, Ste- phenson Co., Ill. by Ambrose A. Call, with ten yoke of oxen. The mill was a fine edifice, much better than the country de- manded at the time. This was operated for several years and a great deal of lum- ber was sawed thereat. It was, however, destroyed by fire, years ago.

In the spring of 1856 a town hall was built in Algona. This was used for school and Church purposes, and for dances and other festal occasions. Speak-

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HISTORY OF KOSSUTH COUNTY.

ing of it, Ambrose A. Call relates the fol- lowing: "Rev. Chauncey Taylor, in his interesting articles published in The Up- per Des Moines some time since, stated the way in which the town hall was built -by shares of stock, and controlled by a stock vote. If Father Taylor was not the prime mover, (he said he was not) he was the most active member of the company, being its secretary and general business manager, and abrays carrying the key. Af- ter the district built a school house, Fa- ther Taylor bought in the stock of the company, and converted the building into a Congregational Church; thus not only giving his time and best energies, but also his money in building up the Church of which he was pastor. But I set out to tell how it happened that the boys dedicated the building with a dance. In those early days, when our facilities for social amusement were limited, and the crude and uncertain condition of our mail service failed to supply the current news and more solid reading, dances, hops, balls, and cotillion parties, and the like were indulged in whenever oppor- tunity offered. None were too aristo- cratic or dignified, and all 'took a hand' (or rather foot) unless, indeed, religions training or awkwardness forbid. The young people of Irvington had dedicated their new hall with a ball in which we all participated, the night of the 3d of July. The next day they all turned out to our celebration, and when they saw our new hall were anxious to try the floor. But knowing our man, we considered it a risky business trying to beguile the key from Father Taylor. 'I will tell yon,' says George, his sou, 'I heard father telling

the minister who stopped at our house abont the hall at breakfast, and am sure he will take him over to see it, I will watch and tell you when he unlocks the door.' And so it happened, that as Fa- ther Taylor was explaining the conven- ience of certain arrangements to the stranger, the room was filled, and not nn- til Unele Bullus struek up the 'Arkansas Traveler,' and shouted 'Manners your partners! did he fully comprehend the situation. 'Well,' says Father Taylor, I think I have engagements that will call me away, and I would like to lock the door now.' 'Never mind Mr. Taylor,' re- plied some one 'just leave the key, and we will lock the door when we go out,' and he left the key. It may not be out of place in justification of this procedure, to tell some tales ont of school; how, when Unele Bullus changed the music, Deacon Zahlten seized the daughter of our Baptist minister by the waist, and struck a gait that threatened destruction to our new ceiling; or how he was followed by brother Hackman with another comely daughter of a prominent Church member, in a style that would do credit to Fred- erick Willheim; but it must be remem- bered these things occurred years ago."

To quote again from Mr. Call's con- tribution to the historie annals of the county :

"The settlers were favored with stated preaching by Elder Marks as early as the winter of 1855-6. The elder was a gen- erous, big-hearted apostle, who, like Peter and Paul, went out to lead sinners to re- pentance, without money and without price. He made no pretentious to a classical education, or oratorical powers,

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HISTORY OF KOSSUTHI COUNTY.

but simple physical endurance, a strong pair of lungs, and earnestness of purpose. Ile tried to practice what he preached. Ile chopped wood, turned grindstone, carried water, tended baby, end tried to make himself useful wherever he went. He distributed tracts and prayed with private families when desired. With the mereury twenty or thirty degrees below zero one enjoyed one of his hell-fire ser- mons as much as he would to read of Dr. Kane's exploits in the frozen seas in dog days. Ile talked right to the point. Ile prayed for the old bachelors who had to bake their own slap-jacks and mend their own garments, 'for,' says he, 'God knows their eabins are desolate enough. And for Judge Call, may the Lord put something else into his head besides building steam-mills and making timber elaims; 'for,' says he, 'my dear hearers, when you are wriggling over the mouth of hell you will think of what old Marks told you.' Ile was of a scientific turn, and sometimes startled us with the con; elusions of his investigations. At one time, while earnestly trying to impress some of his arguments upon his hearers, he said: 'Why, just a few days ago I read of the body of a woman whom her friends undertook to remove several years after death. Why, my hearers, they couldn't dewit; it had become ver battum, it had putrified, in plain English, my dear hearers, it had turned to stun, and weighed 600 pounds."

Nearly all of the historie items in relation to the first happenings in Algona, being the first in the county, have been treated of elsewhere, and it would be un-

necessary to repeat them in this connee- tion.

Algona was incorporated in 1872, and the first election for city officers was held upon the first Monday in March of that year. The primal officers were: Charles Birge, mayor; F. M. Taylor, recorder; W. H. Ingham, E. N. Weaver, D. Patter- son, J. G. Smith and J. J. Wilson, trustees; W. Stebbins, street commissioner; II. W. Walston, assessor; G. L. Galbraith, treasurer. A slight sketch of each of the more prominent of these officials is here- with appended:

Charles Birge was born in Whitewater, Wis., in 1845. Entered Wisconsin Uni- versity in 1860. Went into the army in 1864, before finishing his collegiate course. After leaving the army he entered a law school at Albany, N. Y., from whence he graduated, in the spring of 1866, at twenty years of age. Read law in Janesville, Wis., in the office of J. B. Cassidy, until 1867, when he cut loose from all extrane- ous assistance and began in earnest the serious task of "paddling his own canoe." Mr. Birge commeneed the practice of law in St. Louis, where he remained until 1870. He was married in December, 1868. Failing health warning him that a too elose application to business, coupled with life in the crowded eity, would in- evitably shorten his life, he reluctantly relinquished a lucrative practice in the Missouri metropolis, and sought a more bracing atmosphere in Iowa. This he found in Algona, where he arrived in April, 1870. In 1877 his health still failed him, and taking to his bed, he was compelled, although reluctantly, to render

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HISTORY OF KOSSUTH COUNTY.

up his soul and be buried in the cold ground.

F. M. Taylor is a native of Cattaraugus Co., N. Y. Was born in 1839. He re- moved to Illinois and taught school in that State; afterwards moved to Ocono- mowoe, Wis., where he studied law with E. Ilurlburt, Esq. After completing his studies he came to Algona, Iowa, and drove his stake in this village in May, 1869.

W. Il. Ingham is a native of Herkimer Co., N. Y. Is forty-four years of age. Mr. Ingham came into Kossuth county in 1854, and was, as all know, one of the pioneers in the settlement of northwest- ern Iowa. Very naturally, he is greatly interested in witnessing the growth and prosperity of this, the home of his early choice. Mr. Ingham is now in the bank- ing business, and is well and widely known for his business qualifications.

E. N. Weaver is a native of Summit Co., Ohio, where he was born in 1834. Is a carpenter by trade, and has the reputa- tion of being one of our most skillful artificers. He came to Algona in 1856, since which time he has been a resident of Kossuth county, with the exception of one year, when he resided in Waterloo.

John G. Smith was born in Boston, Mass., in 1840. Was well known as the proprietor of a garden near that city. ITe left Boston a number of years ago, for Algona, where his brother, Lewis ff. Smith, had preceded him, and was then in the land business. Mr. Smith, with his brother, embarked in the mercantile trade in our village, and has become an indispensable fixture here. ITis straightforward business habits are well known.

J. J. Wilson is a native of Onondago Co., N. Y. Was born in 1828. Has been in business in Pennsylvania, Indiana and Wisconsin. He came to Algona in Janu- ary, 1870, since which time he has carrred on a very extensive lumber trade. Mr. Wil- son is a wide awake, publie spirited man, and is known through this and neighbor- ing counties for his fair and upright deal- ing as a business man.

D. Patterson is a native of Liverpool, England, where he was born in 1837. His parents were Scotch people, and had resided in Liverpool but a short time prior to his birth. Ile came to this coun- try when but ten years of age, and resided in the "land of steady habits" until his majority, when he came "out west" to Rock Co., Wis., whenec he removed to Keokuk Co., Iowa, and from thence to Washington county. Was postmaster in Dutch Creek, Washington county, and afterwards in Cresswell, Keokuk county, in which latter place he was the pioneer merchant. He came into Algona in the fall of 1870, since which time he has been in the mercantile trade.

The first council meeting was held at the council chamber in Algona, on the 22d of April, and the following resolution was passed:

Resolved, By the town council of the in- corporated town of Algona, that a side- walk be and is hereby ordered built along the following streets :

Commencing at the southwest corner of State and Moore streets, running thence south on the west side of Moore street to the northwest corner of Moore and Me- Gregor streets, thence east along the north side of MeGregor street to the northwest

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HISTORY OF KOSSUTHI COUNTY.

corner of McGregor and Jones streets, thence sonth along the west side of Jones street to the southwest corner of Jones and Kennedy streets, thence west along the south side of Kennedy street to the northeast corner of Kennedy and Harlan streets, thence south along the east side of Harlan street to the south side of South street, also from east line of lot three (3) in block twenty-eight (28), run- ning east along the south side of State street to the southwest corner of State and Harlan streets, thenee south along the west side of Harlan street to northwest corner of Harlan and McGregor streets, also from northwest corner of Moore and McGregor streets, running thence south along west side of Moore street to south- west corner of Kennedy and Moore streets, thenee east along south side of Kennedy street to the southeast corner of Kennedy and Harlan streets.

Said sidewalk to be eight feet in width from east line of lot three (3) in block twenty-eight (28), on south side of State street, to the southeast corner of State and Harlan streets and built adjoining line of lots. The balance of said walk to be four feet wide, all to be constructed of two inch plank or oak one and a half inches thick, each plank not to exceed eight inches in width, with suitable sup- ports, and to be completed within sixty days after the 1st day of May, 1872, in accordance with the instructions of the street commissioner not inconsistent with this resolution.

At the same meeting the first ordinances of the city government were adopted, and are as follows:

Ordinance No. 1.

Be it ordained by the council of the In- corporated town of Algona, that the sub- ordinate officers of the council shall be a Treasurer, Marshal, Assessor and Street Commissioner. That said officers be elected by the couneil and hold their re- spective offices until their successors are elected and qualified, and hereafter, said officers shall be elected at the regular an- nual election for municipal officers for said town.

Sec. 2. The duty of the Treasurer shall be to receive all moneys belonging to said incorporated town, and shall pay the same ont upon vote of the council, upon orders signed by the Mayor and attested by the Recorder, with the corporate seal attached. Said Treasurer shall take and subscribe the same oath required of other officers of the corporation, and shall give bond with good security, to be approved by the council, in the sum of $2,000 for the faithful discharge of his duties.

Sec. 3. It shall be the duty of the Street Commissioner to take and subscribe the same oath and in the same respeets qualify the same as required of Road Su- pervisors in nnincorporated townships, to perform the same duties within the limits of said incorporated town as is required of Road Supervisors, for which he shall receive the same fee for his services as Road Supervisors, and said commissioner shall perform such other duties consistent with the nature of his office as said coun- eil may from time to time require.

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History of Kossuth, Hancock, and Winnebago counties, Iowa; together with sketches of their cities, villages, and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 48

Author: Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Springfield IL : Union Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 950

Author:
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield IL : Union Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 950