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 76
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 76
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 76
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Cold are the sleepers Wrapt in their shrouds- Pale are the weepers The battle has bowed; Softly they slumber. Our soldiers in death- While hearts without number Cry, with hushed breath- O God, are they dead !
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
Pale are the sleepers, Like marble they lie- Sad are the weepers, Tear-stained their eyes; Quiet they slumber. Soldiers entombed, While hearts without number, All shrouded in gloom, Cry-O, are they gone!
Calm are the sleepers, Taking their rest- Sad are the weepers, Joyless their breasts; Softly they slumber, Our soldiers to-day. While hearts without number Cry, only this way Can our battles be won !
Col. Shaw's brigade covered the retreat of the army to Grand 'Ecore, when the 32d regiment, after a movement up Red river to aid the fleet in escaping from imminent peril, went into encampment. It joined in the retreat down the Red river on the 21st, and frequently met light bodies of the enemy in skirmish. The retreat from Alexandria to the Mississippi was also harassed by the enemy, and considerable skirmishing took place at Bayou La Morge, Marksville and Bayou de Glaize, in both of which the regiments took part. Col. Shaw, in his report of the latter battle, says: "To Col. Gilbert, 27th lowa, Major Eberhart, of the 32d Iowa, Capt. Crane, of the 14th Iowa, and their commands, is due the safety of the army. tlad they failed to move into the position assigned them (although a difficult one, that of changing front under fire) with less celerity, or failed to hold it steadily after taking it, our left and rear would have been envel- oped by overwhelming numbers, and nothing could have saved us-not even the fighting qualities of the sixteenth army corps."
The regiment reached Memphis on the 10th of June, from there the command moved to Moscow, and thence to LaGrange
in the latter part of June. From this point it marched with Gen. Smith's forces on the Tupelo campaign. It returned to Memphis, and having encamped there about ten days, joined in the Oxford ex- pedition. The next active campaign in which the 32d took part was in Missouri in the pursuit of Price. It was a cam- paign of severe marching hut not of bat- tle. The regiment marched at least 650 miles, averaging twenty miles a day. It marched across the State and back again. Halting a few days at St. Louis, it moved to Cairo by steamer, arriving No- vember 27.
From here it moved to Nashville, which was soon after besieged by the rebel gen- eral, Hood. In the battle of Nashville, December 15 and 16, the 32d, fighting in Gen. Gilbert's brigade, was warmly en- gaged, and won great credit for daring, efficient behavior. It captured a battery of five guns, and many prisoners, and lost about twenty-five killed and wounded. With the pursuit of the defeated rebels, closed the campaigning of the regiment for the year 1864, in face of the enemy.
Early in 1865 the regiment marched to Clifton, Tenn., whence it moved by steamer to Eastport, Miss. Ity next and last campaign was that of Mobile, under Gen. E. R. S. Canby. It remained in Alabama some time after the fall of Mo- bile, and was mustered ont at. Clinton, Iowa, Aug. 24, 1865. Returning to Iowa, the 32d was in due time disbanded. the officers and men receiving every " here along the line of their journey the kind greetings and hearty welcome of a grate- ful people, whose hearts had been with them through all their hardships.
TWELFTH U. S. REGULAR INFANTRY. COMPANY C
J. H Beadle, G. A. Stiles.
Lorenzo Colburn, Alexander Decoyne,
B. F. Denslow.
THIRTEENTII U. S. REGULAR INFANTRY.
COMPANY H.
B. H Haskins, J. M. Ilaskins.
REGIMENT AND COMPANY UNKNOWN.
James Lachore, Mr. Langley.
Martin Parker.
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
CHAPTER X.
NATIONAL, STATE AND COUNTY REPRESENTATION.
The truly representative citizen of a Nation, State or county, is the public of- fice-holder. He stands in the relation of a representative of the people, and, as such, demands in his individual capacity the respect we owe to the people as a body. In this connection are presented sketches of many who have served Hancock county in official capacity. The sketches in some instances are short, and do not do full justice to those represented, but in no case is this the fault of the historian. The material was not accessible for more ex- tended notices.
CONGRESSIONAL.
On the organization of Hancock county it became a part of the 2d congressional dis- trict, which then embraced about half the State, and was represented in the Con- gressional Halls by William Vandever, of Dubuque, who being re-elected, served until March, 1862. Mr. Vandever is a native of Maryland, who came west in 1839, locating at Rock Island until 1851, when he went to Dubuque. While serv- ing his second term he abandoned his seat in Congress, and returning home, raised the 9th Iowa Infantry, going to the front as its colonel. He was made brigadier- general, and at the close of the war, bre- vetted major-general. Ile is now one of
the most prominent and respected men in the city of his adoption-Dubuque.
By the census of 1860, Iowa was enti- tled to six representatives in Congress, and Hancock county, on the re-distrieting of the State, in 1862, became a part of the 6th district. Its first representative from this district was Asahel W. Hubbard, of Sioux City. He was elected in the fall of 1862, and served as a member of the 38th Congress. He was re-elected to the 39thi and 40th Congresses. He was a native of Connecticut, and was born in 1817. He came to Iowa in 1857, locating at Sioux City. He had been in that place only about a year, when he was elected judge of the 4th judicial district. It is said of him, that he was a man of honor and in- tegrity and was all that his constituents asked.
Charles Pomeroy, of Fort Dodge, was the next representative in Congress from the 6th district. He was elected in 1868, and served in the 41st Congress, one term.
Jackson Orr, of Boonesboro, succeeded Mr. Pomeroy, in 1871, who represented this, the 6th district, at Washington, until the change in the district.
In 1870, it was found that the popula- tion of this State had so increased as to entitle it to some nine representatives in Congress. In the new re-apportionment,
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
Hancock county became a part of the 4th district. It was first represented by Henry O. Pratt, of Charles City, in the 43d Con- gress. Mr. Pratt was re-elected to the 44th and thus served until March, 1877. Mr. Pratt is a native of the State of Maine. Ile was admitted to the bar in Mason City, Cerro Gordo county, in June, 1862. During the war he enlisted, as a private, in com- pany B, 32d Iowa Infantry, but being in poor health, he was discharged in the early part of 1863. The following summer, while recuperating, he taught school in Worth county, this State. Ile, that fall, commenced the practice of law at Charles City. His record in Congress was credit- able, both to himself and to his constit- nency.
In 1878 N. C. Deering, of Osage, Mitch- ell county, was elected to represent the 4th district in the 45th Congress, and was re-elected by a full vote, to continue through the 46th and 47th Congresses. 1Ie was a prominent and influential member of the House while there, and retired with laurels, to his home in Osage, where he is engaged in looking after his property and in placing loans for Eastern capitalists.
In 1882, on the State being again re- districted, Hancock county was made a part of the new 10th district, and A. J. Ilolmes, of Boone, was elected its first representative for the 48th Congress, a position he yet holds. Mr. Holmes is noted for being one of the most astute lawyers in the district, and as an orator is fluent, logical and gentlemanly; no angry vituperation or harsh invective escapes him, but his great forte lies in his easy suavity.
MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
The 9th General Assemby convened at DesMoines, Jan. 13, 1862, and adjourned April 5, 1862. It also met in extra ses- sion September 3, and adjourned Sep- tember 11, of the same year. This was the first time that the county of Hancock had a distinctive representation, and was a component part of the 56th representa- tive district with J. E. Blackford as mem- ber of Assembly. At the same time Chauncey Gillett represented the district in the Senate.
The 10th General Assembly convened at DesMoines, Jan. 11, 1864,and adjourned March 29th, the same year. G. W. Howard represented this district in the Senate, and Lemuel Dwelle, one of the most prominent men of of Worth county, in the Lower House. Mr. Dwelle is one of the truly representative men of the county; coming west with small means, by industry and economy he has managed to amass considerable property, and an enviable reputation for integrity and ability.
The 11th General Assembly met at Des Moines, Jan. 8, 1866, and adjourned the 3d of the following April. G. W. Hart was still in the Senate. Hancock county, still a part of the 56th representative dis- triet, was fully represented by C. D. Pritchard.
The 12th General Assembly convened at DesMoines, in January, 1868. Hancock county, then a part of the 45th senatorial district, was represented by Theo. Hawley, who gave eminent satisfaction in that ca- pacity. The county, by the new distribu- tion, became a part of the 61st represent-
613
HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
ative district, and was represented by John B. Hunter.
'The 13th General Assembly met in sol- emn conclave at Des Moines, in January, 1870. Being a part of the 46th senator- ial district, this county was served but in- differently well by E. A. Hlowland, who could do nothing to please his constituen. cy. In the House, B. F. Ilartshorn rep- resented this district, which was then known as the 65th.
The 14th General Assembly convened at Des Moines, in January, 1872, and the 46th senatorial district was still represented by E. A. Howland. David Secor, of Forest City, represented the 66th representative district, a part of which was Hancock county. Mr. Secor is a real estate dealer and banker of the capital city of Winnebago county where he still resides. A full sketch of the gen- tleman appears in the history of Winne- bago county, in this volume.
The 15th General Assembly convened at Des Moines in January, 1874. Han- cock county, in 46th senatorial district, was still represented by E. Howland. David Secor still serving the 66th repre- sentative district in the Lower House.
The 16th General Assembly met at Des Moines in January, 1876, and Hancock, as part of the 69th representative district, was most ably served by one of this county's most capable men, H. II. Bush. In the Senate, Lemuel Dwelle, of Worth county, was the representative of this, the 46th senatorial district.
The 17th General Assembly convened in January, 1878. Lemuel Dwelle still represented this district in the Senate and A. C. Walker, also a prominent citi-
zen of Worth county, was a member of the House from this, the 77th representa- tive district. Mr. Walker is a large real estate owner and dealer in Northwood, and one of its most respected citizens. He ably fulfilled his duties in the legisla- tive halls and merited the thanks of his constituents.
The 18th General Assembly was con- vened at Des Moines, in January, 1880. In the Senate this district was represent- ed by F. M. Goodykoontz, one of the mein- bers of the bar of Cerro Gordo county. He only served out half the term for which he was elected, and then resigned on account of business interests. In the House, John Hill represented this dis- trict.
The 19th General Assembly met at DesMoines as usual, in January, 1882, and Hancock county was represented in the Senate by H. G. Parker, who had been elected to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. Goodykoontz. J. E. Anderson was the representative in the Lower House.
CIRCUIT JUDGE.
As has been stated, this office was crea- ted by an act of the General Assembly of the State of Iowa, April, 1868. The first circuit judge in this district was Harvey N. Brockway, of Concord, Hancock county, one of the first lawyers in the county, both as to point of time and ability. He was elected at the general election of 1868, and served upon the hench until January, 1873, when he was succeeded by R. G. Reiniger, the 'present incumbent. Mr. Brockway, although re- elected to serve for the four years, from January, 1872, saw fit to resign the ermine
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
to attend to his large business interests, much to the dissatisfaction of many of his friends and well-wishers.
COUNTY JUDGE.
As stated in connection with the chapter devoted to the "Courts of Hancock Coun- ty," this office was created by an aet of the General Assembly, in 1857. It was the most important office in the county, as the judge, in connection with the county court, consisting of himself, the prosecu- ting attorney and the sheriff, transacted almost all the business now devolving upon the board of supervisors, auditor, circuit court and elerk of the courts. Thus it will be seen that. this official, in those days, had large opportunity to earn the little pay there was attached to the. office.
M. 12. Rosecrans was the first county judge, being unanimously elected to fill that position in June, 1858, at the time of the organization of the county. Judge Roseeran's duties began with his election, and he assumed the judicial ermine and proceeded to perfect the organization of the county. He was re-elected twice and served until January, 1866. An able, well meaning and upright man, he con- ferred honor upon the office with which he was dignified. Judge Roseerans was the first lawyer to locate in this county and has in later days continued in prae- tice in the adjoining county of Cerro Gordo, where he at present resides.
Phineas Haywood succeeded Mr. Rose- erans, assuming the official station in Jannary, 1866. He served in this capacity two years.
G. W. Elder was the successor of Mr. Haywood. He was elected at the Octo-
ber election, 1867, and served until the Ist of January, 1869, when the office was abolished, those duties remaining to that office since the creation of the board of supervisors, being delegated to the newly created county auditor, which office he held for one year, ex-officio. Mr. Elder is at present a resident of Hancock coun- ty, at Upper Grove.
COUNTY AUDITOR.
John Christie; Jr., has the honor of being the first county auditor elected. At the election in October, 1869, he was elected to fill that office, and upon the Ist of January, 1870, he assumed its duties. After serving his term of two years, he was three times re-elected, serving eon- seentively eight years, when he stepped down and out to give place to a successor.
J. W. Elder was elected to the office next, entering upon the official duties with the beginning of the year 1878. He served two years, going out of office the last of 1879.
M. L. Fuller succeeded Mr. Elder, serv- ing from January, 1880, to January, 1882. Mr. Fuller is still a resident of this county. A well educated, capable man, who has filled several official stations with credit to himself, he well merits the re- spect of all.
John Christie, Jr., the present county auditor, was again elected to fill this im- portant office at the election in the fall of 1881. He assumed the administration of the office with the incoming year 1882, and has faithfully discharged the duties thereof. At the election of October, 1883, he was re-elected to be his own suecessor.
John Christie, Jr., county auditor, and one of the early settlers of Hancock
615
HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
county, was born in Ontario, Canada, March 5, 1841. His parents, John and Agnes (Craik) Christie, were natives of Seotland, and emigrated to Canada. When seventeen years of age he went with his parents to Iowa Co., Wis .; and on June 10, 1861, he came to Hancock Co., Iowa. On the 18th day of August, 1862, he enlisted in company B, 32d lowa Vol- unteer Infantry. His regiment was en- gaged at Fort De Russy, Pleasant Hill, Tupelo, Old Town Creek, Nashville and other battles ; and he was mustered ont at Memphis, Tenn., in May, 1865. After the close of the war, Mr. Christie re- turned to this county. In 1867 he was married to Polly E. Robbins, a daughter of Daniel Robbins, and a native of New York State. Mr. and Mrs. Christie have five children-Florence L., Agnes E., Su- san, John S. and Mabel. In 1869 Mr. Christie was elected county auditor, hold- ing the office for eight consecutive years. In 1881, he was again elected to the office of county auditor, and re-elected in 1883. At the time of building the court house he was a member of the board of super- visors, and took an active interest in it. Mr. Christie is a Master Mason.
TREASURER AND RECORDER.
At the organization of the county, this was one of the officers chosen, and Reu- ben Church was unanimously elected to fill this dual office. lle at once as- sumed the duties thereof, July 1, 1858, and continued to fulfill the position to the eminent satisfaction of all. Ile was re-elected his own successor at each recurring election until January, 1862, when he stepped aside for a sneeessor.
He has since left this State and lives in Nebraska.
Jacob Ward was elected to these offices, and entered upon their duties, January, 1864. He served until the first of the year 1866. "Uncle Jake," as he was fa- miliarly called by nearly all, was one of the early settlers of Hancock county, a man of positive character, widely known and universally respected. It is re- ported of him that he was an active par- ticipant in all political and social life. Large hearted, generous and hospitable, he was just the man for a pioneer settlement. In the cyclone that devastated part of this county, in June, 1881, he was the un- happy victim, being killed in his own door- yard. An account of this storm may be found elsewhere, so it is needless to speak of it farther in this connection. Mr. Ward was an honored member of the Clear Lake Masonie Lodge, and under its anspices his funeral was conducted.
COUNTY TREASURER.
In October, 1865, 11. N. Brockway was elected county treasurer, and was the first to serve in that office after its separation from that of recorder. He went into office January, 1866. He was re-elected in October, 1867, and served, in all, three years, resigning the office to accept the position of judge of the circuit court, under which head a more extended notice of him may be found.
At the election that elevated Judge Broekway to the woolsack, John Maben was appointed to fill the vacaney caused by the resignation of the former. He was re-elected his own successor in 1869, 1871, 1873, 1875, 1877 and 1879, serving in this capacity thirteen years.
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
Thomas Hymer was the next incumbent of the office, assuming the reins of that department of the county government, January, 1882.
Thomas Ilymer is one of the prominent men of this county who deserves special mention in this work. He is a native of Grant Co., Wis., born May 14, 1828. Ilis parents, Adam and Mary (Kendall) Hymer, were old settlers of Grant Co., Wis. He was reared in his native county and when eighteen years of age, engaged in the lead smelting business, which he followed until 1877. He then came to Britt and engaged in the lumber business being the first lumber merchant in that city. At the time of his arrival in Britt he purchased a farm and was also engaged in farming. Hle disposed of his lumber business in 1879, and then turned his entire attention to farming. Ile has a good farm of 240 acres, and is quite an extensive dealer in Shorthorn cattle. He was elected county treasurer in 1881, which office he held till January 1884. Ile was married June 15, 1851, to Mary J. Uren ,a native of England. They have five children-Horace, Westly, Frank, Mack and Bessie. Mr. Hymer's father is a native of Scotland, and his mother of Pennsylvania.
In 1883 John Maben was again elected to the office of county treasurer and is the present inenmbent.
John Maben settled in Hancock Co, Iowa, in 1855. Ile was a son of Benjamin and Diadama (Buell) Maben, and was born June 16, 1824, in Green Co., N. Y. His father was a soldier in the War of 1812. John was reared on his father's farm, receiving a limited education. When twenty-one years of age he left the
parental roof and started out in the world to battle for himself, going to Stephenson Co, Ill., then a sparsely settled county, and purchasing land from the government, near Yellow creek, and opening up a farm. In 1848 he returned to New York, where he was married to Zurviah HIunt. Ile then returned to Stephenson county. In April, 1851, Mrs. Maben died, leaving one child-Charles B., now one the enterpris- ing business men of Minneapolis, Minn., where he is engaged in the real estate business. Subsequently Mr. Maben mar- ried Mary A. Curran. Five . children blessed this union -- Jay D., John C., II. G., Mary D. and W. Eddie. In 1854 Mr. Maben sold his farm in Illinois and moved to lowa, spending the first winter in Ben- ton county, and in September, 1855, com- ing to Ilaneock county, where he has since resided. His first settlement in the county was on sections 12 and 13, Madison town- ship. He now resides at Garner, Concord township. In the fall of 1862 Mr. Maben was appointed sheriff to fill a vacancy, and in 1863 he received the election, at the same time being elected county super- visor, which office he held six years. In December, 1868, he was appointed treas-
nrer and elected recorder, and in 1879 was elected to the office of treasurer, which office he held until 1881, being thirteen consecutive years. In October, 1883, he was again elected treasurer. Mr. Maben has been prominently identified with Hancock county for a quarter of a century, and probably no one is better known by old and young alike than he.
Robert Elder, deputy county treasurer, was born in Clearfield Co., Penn., Feb. 23, 1838. In the spring of 1861 he went
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HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY.
to Belmond, Wright Co., Iowa, where his brother, J. M. Elder, had previously lo- cated. He remained there a short time, then returned to Pennsylvania, where he was married to Henrietta Bloom, daugh- ter of Isaac Bloom, of Clearfield county. In the spring of 1866 he came to llan- cock Co., Iowa, settling in Avery town- ship and engaging in farming. Ile came to Garner in 1870, building one of the first dwelling houses in the city. He was employed by the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Company as agent for this station. In 1872 Mr. Elder built the Fehly House. In 1881 he was appointed to his present position. Mr. Elder is a Master Mason, and a member of Bethel Lodge, No. 319, at Garner.
COUNTY RECORDER.
After the separation of the offices of treasurer and recorder, at the beginning of the year 1865, A. D. Hiams was elevat- ed to the office of recorder and held it two years. Lambert B. Bailey assumed the duties of this office Jan. 1, 1867, he having been elected at the previous elec- tion; he served two years, when he was called upon to hand over the office and records to John Maben, which he did the Ist of January, 1869. Mr. Maben served a term of two years, also, when he, too, retired, to enter upon the duties of county treasurer. At the election of 1871, L. B. Bailey was again elected to fill this most responsible position, which he has done to the infinite satisfaction of everybody. He has been re-elected at every succeed- ing election his own snecessor, and is the present incumbent.
L. B. Bailey, county recorder of Han- cock county, is a native of Licking Co.,
Ohio, where he was born Jan. 24, 1837. Ilis parents were John A. and Nancy (Washburn) Bailey, who emigrated from northern New York, in 1834, to Ohio. Here L. B. Bailey grew to manhood, re- ceiving an academic education. In 1859 he went to Douglas Co., Ill., where he was engaged in teaching school. In 1861 he went to Waupaca, Wis., where be still followed the same pursuit. In 1864 he came to Hancock Co., Iowa, and settled at what is known as Bailey's Grove, which took its name from the Bailey family, who were the first actual settlers at that place. In the fall of 1864 he returned to Wisconsin, where he was married to Miss F. A. Cain. Three children blessed this union-Charlie, Edwin and George. In the fall of 1866 he was elected recorder of this county. In 1868 he was elected as clerk of the district court. In 1869 he was appointed as county superintendent of schools to fill vacancy. In 1870 he was again elected to the office of recorder, which office he has since held. Mr. Bailey is a member of the Masonic frater- nity, Bethel Lodge, No. 319, Chapter at Mason City, No. 46, and . Antioch Com- mandery, No. 43.
CLERK OF THE COURTS.
This office was in existence at the time of the organization of Hancock county. At the first election therein, June 28, 1858, George Louppe was elected clerk of the courts for this county. He held this office until January, 1861, when he gave place for a successor. Mr. Louppe left Hancock county years ago, and now re- sides in Jasper county, this State.
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