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 62

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 62
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 62
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 62

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).

The present board of the school dis- triet township is composed of the follow- ing named: President, C. J. Harvey; secretary, Z. C. Andruss; treasurer, Perry Burlingame; sub-directors, Perry Burlin- game, A. Lambke, R. Hodges, Michael Smith, Henry Curran, John Connors, Addison Fisher, C J. Harvey and Nelson Swizzer.

The first school in the township was tanght by Andalusia Cogley, in the sum- mer of 1857, in the town hall at Irving- ton, then just finished. This school only lasted for two weeks.

In 1858 William P. Davidson opened a school in the same place, and taught a full term.

The first regular school house built here was erected for a dwelling house, but in 1860 it was purchased and moved on to section 19, where it at present stands. This is called No. 2, the one called No. I was built in Irvington and hauled to its present location on see- tion 28.

There are at present five school houses in all, in the township, all of them fine buildings. Three of them are 20x36 feet, the others 18x30 feet and they were ereet- ed at a total cost of $600 a piece. Be it said to the credit of Irvington township, that the educational interests are the best managed of any locality in this section of country, employing only the best class of teachers and paying good salaries to the right people. This bears its fruit in a more intelligent class of young people, that are growing up in Irvington, and in the better condition of the schools gener- ally. During the year 1883 the following named were among the teachers in the township: Emma Johnson, A. A. Crose, Cora E. Morford, May Halgerson, Letitia Hodges, Dora Barker, Joseph Crose, Hattie Parsons, Ida M. Miller, Celestia Reed and James B. Reed.

In November, 1855, the little knot of settlers gathered together at the cabin of William Clark, to hold the first religious services ever held in Irvington. A Con- gregational divine by the name of Skin- ner, from the neighborhood of Des Moines, had come up here for that pur- pose and the service was held. No other meeting, for the same object in view, was held until in August, 1856, Rev. Chaun- cey Taylor, one of the most indefatigable laborers in the Lord's vineyard, came to Irvington from Algona, and preached several times. In 1859 services were held several times by Rev. Mr. Lawton, a Meth- odist Episcopal divine. He was followed by a Rev. Mr. Mallory, also a Method- ist, as this place had been made a point in a eirenit of that Church. He was sne- ceeded by a Rev. Mr. Billings, who lived

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HISTORY OF KOSSUTH COUNTY.

at Irvington. Mr. Billings removed from here about 1860 or 1861, going to Boones- boro, Boone county. Irvington after this had regular religions services until 1881, when they were discontinued, and the people go to Algona to attend Church.

The old town hall of Irvington, around whose hallowed walls cluster so many pleasing associations of by-gone days, and which so many in the community recall in the glamour that memory throws around their youth, was built in 1857. Being in want of a suitable place for public meet- ings, a joint stock subscription was raised, and with the proceeds the edifice was built. This was opened with a dance, and as that was the principal enjoyment of the period, many an old settler tells with infinite glee, how that the mini-ter who held forth to them had to hurry his sermon, that the young folks might enjoy an innocent dance. This building was for many years the general rendezvous for the whole township, and stood until 1881, then having become decrepid with age, it tumbled to the ground.

The Irvington Juvenile Band was or- ganized by the young people of that town, in 1868, and was the first cornet band within the limits of Kossuth county. The members were the sons of old and promi- nent citizens of that part of the county. The following is a list of the organizers as far as could be gathered from the memories of those concerned, and is be- lieved to be complete: B. F. Reed, leader; J. O. Holden, A. T. Reed, C. B. Holden, E. P. Crockett, Rolla Bush, Fulton Fill, J. W. Green and George Fisher. The band existed for several years, but as the members drifted away from their homes

to seek new ones farther west or south, the organization dissolved and bas not been revived to this day.

The present village of Irvington is of late origin, the railroad going near but not touching the old town site, hence the springing up of a new place. The Wes- tern Town Lot Company, laid out and platted this village in the fall of 1881, on the southeast quarter of section 29, and the northeast quarter of section 31. On this site, B. C. Minkler erected the first building, having it ready for occupancy by the 27th of May, 1882. In this he opened the first stock of goods and is to- day the most prominent merchant, dealing in general merchandise. The store build- ing that he erected was 18x28 feet, two stories bigh, and built of frame. He has since added a dwelling addition to it of the same size.

B. C. Minkler was born Oct. 4, 1855, in Delaware Co., Iowa. When twelve years of age he removed with his father's fam- ily to Edgewood, Clayton Co., Iowa, where he lived until 1882. While at Edgewood he spent the most of his time educating himself for the actual duties of life. He graduated Jan. 13, 1875, at Bay- lies Commercial College, at Dubuque, Iowa. He was married July 4, 1876, to Katie Gilcrist, born at Ilalifax, Nova Scotia. They have one child-Pearl, born Jan. 30, 1878. In May, 1882, Mr. Minkler moved to Irvington, Kossuth Co., Iowa, and engaged in a general mercantile trade. He first erected a good store building two stories high, which he filled with a stoek of dry goods, groceries, hats, caps, boots and shoes. lle is now post- master in Irvington, justice of the peace,

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HISTORY OF KOSSUTH COUNTY.

and a notary public. Politically, Mr. Minkler is a republican.

David Blythe opened the first black- smith shop in the new town on the 20th of May, 1882, and is the present represent- ative of that craft.

J. Jacobs established the hardware busi- ness here on the 4th of June, 1883, and carries a good line of building hardware, barbed fence wire. In addition to this he deals in groceries and wooden-ware and wagon material.

There is also at this point one elevator owned and built by the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Company, and operated by Butler, Molstre, & Co.

The first postoffice at Irvington was es- tablished during the year 1857.

The next to the last postmaster was Dr. J. R. Armstrong, who gave up his com- mission and the office was run fora while by D. Chapman, and was finally discon- tinned in 1875. The present postoffice was established in July, 1882, and B. C. Minkler was the first, as he is the present postmaster. Mr. Minkler is a native of Delaware Co., Iowa, but passed most of his life in Clayton county, coming to Kossuth county but a short time before his appointment.

Prairie fires were very destructive to the new settlers previous to 1860, owing partially to the tall grass that surrounded them, and partially to their inexperience in protecting against it. It was no un- common thing for a settler to lose house, fence and grain by its ravages. But as the country gradually settled up, and the the pioneers learned the lesson of experi- rience, these became less and less danger- ous.

Matthew HI. Hudson, M. D., was born in the town of Southold, Suffolk Co., L. I., in 1818. He studied medicine and grad- uated from the Berkshire Medical College, in 1844, immediately commencing to practice in Brooklyn, N. Y. In the spring of 1846 he was married to Esther P. HIal- lock, of Sonthold. They have five chil- dren-J. Q. A., Stella E., Henry Il., George (. and Josie E. Dr. Hudson re- tired from practice eighteen years ago, and settled on a farm east of Algona, and turns his attention more especially, of late years, to stock raising and dairying. This farm has one of the oldest and finest cultivated groves in the county. Mrs. Hudson's ancestors, on both sides, were in the colony that made the first settle- ment in Southold, that being one of the first settled towns in New York.

Jesse W. Green was born in Mereer Co., Penn., Dec. 16, 1849. In the spring of 1856 he came to Kossuth county, and located on seetion 32, township 95, range 28, Irvington township. After residing on that place five years, he removed to Marshall Co., Iowa, remaining there one year he came back to Irvington township, and located on section 29, where he now resides. He was united in marriage Jan. 13, 1872, with Laura E. Crammend, a na- tive of New York State, born Oct. 3, 1852. This union has been blessed with four children-Eva, Francis, Rosa and Jose- phine. Mr. Green has 200 acres of land. Politically he is a republican.

N. A. Pine, a well known farmer of Irv- ington township, was born Feb. 4, 1831, in St. Lawrence Co., N. Y. In 1835 his parents removed to Ashtabula Co., Ohio. His parents afterwards removed to Paw

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HISTORY OF KOSSUTH COUNTY.

Paw Grove, Lee Co., Ill. In 1866 the subject of our sketch came to Kossuth . county, and located on section 2, town- ship 95, range 28, Irvington township. He has 160 acres of good land, and is one of the substantial farmers of the township. He was married Sept. 16, 1850, to Susan Gleason, born in New York, and they have had four children, two of whom are living-Myron W. and Carrie B. Ella L. and Eddie W. are deceased. Mr. Pine and his wife are members of the Baptist Church. He enlisted in March, 1865, in company K, 15th Illinois Volunteer In- fantry, and served eight months. After being mustered in at Dixon, he went to Chicago, and from there to New York city, where he took a steamer to More- head City, N. C. Going from there on foot through the swamps to Raleigh, N. C., he went from there to Richmond, Va., and then to Washington City, where he witnessed the grand review. Ile then went by rail to Parkersburg, where he took a boat for Leavenworth, Kan., and remained two months, when he went to Springfield, Ill., received his discharge and came back to Paw Paw Grove.

Zebina C. Andruss was born Feb. 7, 1843, in Ontario Co., N. Y. In the spring of 1864, he moved to Michigan, where he lived until the summer of 1867, when he returned to New York. In the fall of 1868 he came to Iowa, arriving at Irving-

ton in September of that year. In the fall of 1869, he settled on the southwest quarter of section 20, township 95, range 28, Irvington township, where he owns 180 acres of well improved land and is engaged in dairying and stock rais- ing. Ile was married March 24, 1863, to Amanda S. Armstrong, born June 27, 1837, in Steuben Co., N. Y. They have one child-S. Luella. Mr. Andruss and his wife are members of the Baptist Church at Algona. lle has been town- ship clerk eight years, and was re-elected to fill the term for 1884. He has also been secretary of the district township of Irvington twelve years.

Stephen Sharp, a native of Wisconsin, was born Sept. 30, 1842. Ile resided in the home of his birth until he removed to Irvington, Kossuth county. 1Ie has re- sided in Irvington township ever since, with the exception of one year when he followed farming in Cresco township. Ile now re- sides on section 6, township 95, range 28. On Nov. 5, 1870, he was united in mar- riage with Josephine Ilill, born in Ver- mont, Nov. 10, 1848. They have three children-Dora, Stephen J. and George A. Mr. Sharp enlisted in March, 1865, in com pany K, 45th Wisconsin Volunteer In- fantry, and served about six months. Ile participated in the battle of Nashville. lle was discharged from service in Au- gust, 1865. Politically he is a republican.

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HISTORY OF KOSSUTHI COUNTY.

CHAPTER XXI.

LOTT'S CREEK TOWNSHIP.

This township comprises all of con- gressional township 96 north, range 30 west, and all of sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, and the north half of sections 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18, of town- ship 95, range 30. It contains, therefore, fifty-one square miles, or 32,640 acres of land. It is bounded on the north by Fenton, on the east by Algona, on the south by Cresco townships, and on the west by Palo Alto county. The surface is nearly level, except in some places, where it takes on a more rolling character. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul rail- road crosses its most sonthern range of sections, and the important station of Whittemore is located within the limits of Lott's Creek.

The first settler in this portion of the county was G. Smith, who located upon the northeast quarter of section 10, Sept. 1, 1865.

In the spring of 1866 several other families moved in, among whom were: II P. Hatch, S. B. Hatch, B. F. Peasley, M. Leach and A. linton.

II. P. Hlatch located a claim on section 32, as did M. Leach.

S. B. Hatch settled upon a portion of section 9, and commenced to open up a farm.

B. F. Peasley made the choice of some land on section 5.

A. Hinton located upon section 29, where he lived some years, but is now a resident of Whittemore.

Charles Wilkins, in the spring of 1866, also made a settlement on section 22, in what is now called "Sod town." At the same time P'. Wilkins, Mrs. Taylor and her sons located upon the same section.

The first marriage in the township took place in October, 1869, and united II. L. Goodrich and Maria Wilkins. At the time of this marriage, however, this town- ship was a part of Algona.

The school district township of Lott's Creek was organized in 1874; and at the first election, held in March of that year, the following were elected the first board of directors: A. Ilinton, president; II. L. Goodrich, secretary; John Wallace, treas- urer; A. Hinton, A. Tintinger, Charles Wilkins and J. Brown, directors. At the present the school matters are in the hands of a board, who were elected in March, 1883, and which is composed of the following named: R. R. Chapman, president; A. Hinton, secretary; 1I. P. Hatch, treasurer; John Gætsch, S. L. Scott, R. Stevenson, A. Sawvel, J. Chris- chilles, A. Margraf and R. R. Chapman, directors.

HISTORY OF KOSSUTHI COUNTY. 499

When the township was set off from Algona, the schools in most instances were found to be organized and in run- ning order. These, under the old order of things, were known as districts 4, 5, 6 and 7, of Algona, but have been changed as follows: The school known before as No. 5 is now called the Hatch school, or No. 2, and was taught the summer of 1883 by Mrs. Edna Love; what was before No. 4, is now No. 1, or Gætsch school, and was last taught, by Nettie Mattison; No. 6 has become No. 3. or "Sod town" school, and was last presided over by Hattie Chase. No. 7 having become No. 4, is known as the Sawvel school house, and is presided over by IIelen Weaver. No. 6 school being in Whittemore it will be found mentioned in the account of that village further on. The school house in district No. 6, called the Pomp school, was ereeted during the summer of 1881, at a cost of $700. This school was first taught that same fall by Alice Sherwood. The pres- ent teacher is Hattie Chase.

Sub-district No. 7 has a school called the Archer, the edifice of which was erected in the summer of 1882, and was taught for the first term by Hattie Aeres. School had been held in this place before this, however, by Fannie Calkins, but that was before the erection of any school house. This building cost about $700, and is at present under the charge of Vina Acres. A branch school is also taught at the house of J. Rawson, by Rena Thomp- son.

The township was organized Feb. 3, 1873, and the first election was held at the school house in what was then district No. 6. At that time there were elected the

following named: Il. L. Goodrich, clerk; A. A. Brunson, justice; Peter J. Walker and S. L. Scott, trustees; and J. DeGraw, constable. At present the board of trus- tees is composed of these gentlemen : J. M. Farley, F. Tietz and Adam Sawvel. James Archer is the township clerk.

In 1870, the Hatch postoffice was estab- lished, at the house of S. L. Scott, on sec- tion 32, that gentleman having been ap- pointed postmaster. After about three years, Mrs. 1I. P. Hatch was commissioned postmistress and she kept it for two years, until 1875, when the office was discon- tinued.

The following account of the organiza- tion and building up of the German Lutheran Church, on section 2, has been prepared for this history by the pastor, Rev. C. F. W. Maass.

GERMAN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN IMMAN- UEL CHURCHI.

A number of German Lutheran Chris- tians, who, in the course of time, settled themselves as farmers in Kossuth county, and for a number of years were served by the Rev. T. Merteus, located at Fort Dodge, and belonging to the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio and other States, in the year 1875 organized themselves into an Evangelical Lutheran Congregation and tendered Mr. E. II. Scheips, from the Theological Seminary at St. Louis; Mo., a call, and adopted the following constitution on the 6th of May of that year :

Resolved, That this congregation shall be called and known as The German Evangelical Lutheran Immanuel Congregation of the Unal- tered Augsburg Confession, in the county of Kossuth, State of Iowa.

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HISTORY OF KOSSUTHI COUNTY.

Resolved, That this congregation recognizes all the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments as the revealed word of God; and therefore, also, as the only rule and canon of our faith and life, and that it furthermore re- cognizes all the symbolical books of the Evan- gelical Lutheran Church, contained in the so- called "Books of Concord" of the year 1580, as that form and rule derived from the word of God according to which (because it is derived from the word of God), not only the doctrine to be preached and promulgated in this eengregation. shall be examined, but also all doctrined and religious controversies, that may arise in this congregation, shall be decided and adjudicated. The Symbolic Books herein referred are the fol- lowing: The three chief Symbols, the Apostoli- cal, Nicene and Athanasian, the Unaltered Augs- burg Confession of the year A. D., 1530, the Apologie of the same, the Schmalkald Articles, Luther's Smaller and Larger Catechism and the Formula of Concord.

Resolved, That the foregoing confession of faith shall be forever unchangeable and unal- terable.

Resolved, That if a schisma for doctrines sake should arise in this congregation (which God may mercifully prevent), the property of the congregation and all benefices thereof shall be- long to those members, who adhere to the doe- trines laid down in the Unaltered Augsburg Confession, and who accordingly require that the minister of this congregation be pledged to adhere to the doctrines of all the Symbolical books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, above enumerated, and thereby adjudicated; and furthermore, that if a member of said con- gregation should be excommunicated out of this society after ineffective application of ad- hortation, as commanded in the word of God, St. Matthew 18, 15-20, where the same are pos- sible, sneh a member shall forfeit all the rights as a member of said congregation, as well as all elaims on all property belonging to said congre- gation, as long as said member is not reinstated into said society, the same shall apply to those members of congregation, who voluntarily retire from said society or effect their retirement by

removal and cease to aet with said Society. This article and resolution shall also be unchangeable and unalterable forever.

N. B .- The above is only a part of the constitution.

The first members of the congregation were: Ferdinand Tietz, William Schmidt, John Schmidt, Frank Pompe, Christian Bierstedt, Christoph Bierstedt, William Meyer, Fred Stamer, William Dau, Fred Meyer, Henry Rambath, Henry Behrens, Henry Legenhansen, Angust Zumach, Fred Pompe, Gottlib Bohn and E. II. Scheips, minister.

On Sept. 26, 1875, the congregation re- solved to build a church, 24x36 feet, on section 2, and Sept. 9, 1877, they resolved to build a parsonage on the same place, 14x22 feet, one and a half stories high, with a ten foot addition. On Jan. 19, 1879, the congregation resolved to become a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Sy- nod of Missouri, Ohio and other States, and for this purpose, in the month of Au- gust, sent a deputy to the district Synod of Iowa, in session at Fort Dodge.

In November, 1879, the pastor of the congregation received a call from Ohio, which he accepted. On March 8, 1880, in a brief session, the congregation resolved to send a call to Rev. C. F. W. Maass of Spirit Lake, Iowa. He accepted the call as a divine one. On Sunday, May 4, 1880, he was installed by Rev. E. Wiegner, pas- tor of St. Ansgar, Iowa. On April 3, 1881, the congregation determined to be- come incorporated as the Evangelical Lutheran Immanuel Congregation, by having their aforesaid constitution record- ed at Algona, the county seat. On June 24, 1882, the congregation met with a

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HISTORY OF KOSSUTH COUNTY.

great loss in the destruction of their church by a tornado. For the course of one and a quarter years services were now held in a public school house. During this time the congregation resolved to build a new church, 32x50 feet. The steeple to be eighty feet high. The church was to have an addition of 16x20 feet for a school room, the whole to cost $2,500. The plan was drawn by Rev. M. Stephan, of Waverly, Iowa. The contractors were Fred Wegener & Bro., members of the congregation. The foundation was laid on the 6th of May, 1883, Rev. II. W. Rabe, of Webster City, preaching, and Mr. II. F. Eggert, student of theology, reading the documents to be placed in the foundation stone. The pastor of the con- gregation laid the foundation in the name of the Holy Trinity.

The dedication of the new church took place Sept. 23, 1883. The Rev. E. Wieg- ner preaching in the German and Rev. C. Weber in the English language.

Service is held every Sunday in the new church in the German language; and the pastor of the congregation also teaches a parochial school, in which English and German are taught. Average of scholar- ship twenty-five. At present, Dec. 1, 1883, fifty families attend services. The parish consists of the congregations of Lott's Creek township, of Estherville, Emmett county, Emmetsburg, Palo Alto county, Whittemore, West Bend and Luverne, Kossuth county, Livermore and Humboldt, Humboldt county. The latter three con- gregations have lately, Nov. 18, 1883, re- ceived their own pastor, in the person of Rev. R. P. Budach, who has his residence at Whitman, Kossuth county. This con-

gregation consists of about twenty-five families, the majority of them coming from Bloomington and Geneseo, Ill.

In the whole former parochie, from the year 1875 to November, 1883, 263 children were baptized, eighteen couple were mar- ried and thirty-two persons buried.

Rev. C. F. W. Maass, pastor of the German Evangelical Lutheran Church, at Fenton, was born in Mecklenburg Strelits, Ger- many, July 2, 1854. His parents, Fred and Minnie (Hirehert) Maass, were also natives of Germany. His mother died Oct. 4, 1875. Ilis father makes his home with him. Mr. Maass was reared in his native land, and when seventeen years of age emigrated to America. He located, first, at Detroit, Mich., residing there un- til 1873. He then entered Concordia Col- 'ere,at Fort Wayne, Ind., being a student there until 1875. He then entered the Theological Seminary at Springfield, Ill., graduating therefrom, in 1878. Mr. Maass then took a trip to his native land, re- maining two months, then returning and taking a charge at Spirit Lake, Iowa. Ile ministered to the people there, of his faith, until May, 1880, when he took charge of his present congregation at Fenton. He was united in marriage April 24, 1879, with Anna Harte, a native of Watertown, Wis. Mr. and Mrs. Maass have two chil- dren-Rosa W. H. and Dora M. A.

WIIITTEMORE.

The village of Whittemore was laid out and platted by W. H. Ingham and Lewis II. Smith, of Algona, in the fall of 1878, when the railroad reached that point. The plat was not filed for record, however, un- til the 12th of April, 1879.

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HISTORY OF KOSSUTH COUNTY.

The first settler upon the town site was J. C. Foster, who located thereon in the fall of 1878, closely followed by Charles Camp and William Amos.

William Amos came to buy grain and manage the lumber business of J. J. Wil- son, of Algona, by whom he was employed.

The first building erected upon the site of the town of Whittemore, was the depot of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad. This was built in the fall of 1878, being completed during the month of October.

The first grain warehouse was erected in the fall of 1878, by J. J. Wilson, of Al- gona, and who was and is yet engaged largely in the purchase of the great cereals of this vicinity.

The pioneer store, in the line of general merchandise, was opened on the 22d of February, 1879, by H. Munch, in a build- ing that he had just built. He is still en- gaged in the same business, and carries a large and complete stock of all kinds of goods, that will invoice about $7,000. Ilis store room, 20x62 feet, is well fitted up and attractive, and his trade is respectably large and remunerative. He may be justly entitled one of the solid representative business men of the place.

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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 62

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