History of Kossuth and Humbolt 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 103

Author:
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Union Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 898

USA > Iowa > Humboldt County > History of Kossuth and Humbolt 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 103

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).

Rev. Ole A. Sauer is a resident of Nor- way township, living on section 28. He is a native of Norway, born March 2, 1844. When eighteen years old he became a student of Gjertsens Latin School, at Krishania, Norway, attending until 1866, in which year he came to America and locating at St. Louis, Mo., attended the Theological Lutheran Concordia Seminary of that city for about three years. In 1869 he went to Wisconsin, where on the 2d day of September he was ordained a minister of the Lutheran Church, and ac- cepted his first charge Sept. 26, 1869, in Story Co., Iowa, preaching there until 1872. He then took charge of a mission, which at first consisted of small settle- ments in Humboldt, Webster, Buena Vista, Clay, Kossuth, Franklin and Wright

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counties, altogether fifteen congregations. He preached in these counties until 1876, when his charge was reduced to Humboldt, Webster, Franklin, Wright and Kossuth counties. Next year, 1877, his charge was again reduced to three congregations in Humboldt and Webster counties, for which he continued to preach until Jan- mary, 1883, when he, on account of poor health, resigned with intention to take up the preaching again in case his health should be improved. He has at present settled on his farm on section 28, where he has 120 acres of well improved land. He was married Jan. 8, 1871, to Mary Krohn, a native of Norway. They have five children now living -- Ambrosius, Carl Ignatius, Heman O., Rudolf Julius, and Lorens Antonius.

The Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church, belonging to the Hanges Synod, was instituted at a meeting held in the house of Ole Halgrims,in June, 1872. Rev. Mr. Aaserod presided at this meeting, preaching the first sermon, and baptizing four Danish children. Prior to this,in May, he baptized Cornelins Halgrims, who was the first child born in the township. In the latter part of October, Rev. F. H. Carlson, of Fayette county, came to this locality and organized the above congre- gation, with some nine families. The first death that occurred in this little flock was Barje, a child of Asbjorn Jacobson. Rev. H. Hendrickson is the present pastor, and has been with them eight years min- istering to the spiritual wants of the Church, Twenty-five families now sup- port the congregation and make up the membership.

Norway township lay for years without a white inhabitant, being considered by all as the poorest land in the county. But these Norwegian emigrants, many of them with no wealth but youth, and strength and health, came here and by indefatiga- ble exextions have made it, one of the best in Humboldt county. At the census of 1880, notwithstanding its late settlement, it had a population of 512, of which only fifty-three were voters. Its school facili- ties are excellent, there being now seven of these institutions of learning in opera- tion, and each have an enrollment of about thirty-five pupils. Only good teachers are employed, and as a result the children advance rapidly.

Ezekiel T'. Malvick is a native of Nor- way, born Sept. 12, 1847. He grew to manhood and obtained an education in his native country, where he engaged in the mercantile business, until 1866. In that year he came to 'America; his desti- nation being Lansing, Iowa. He did not remain there a very long time, but went to Winona, Minn., where he entered the First State Normal School,from which he graduated with a teacher's diploma. He then taught in that State two years, and attended school one year, after which he went to Colfax Co., Neb., and studied law in the office of Hon. Reuben Butler; also engaged in teaching till 1872. He re- turned that year to Minnesota and taught school two terms in Winona county, then engaged in the drug business at Austin, in the same State, which he continued one year, was then in the dry goods bust- mess at Grand Meadows, Minn., a short time, then returned to Winona and at- tended the High School one winter. In

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the year 1875 he went to Minneapolis and was, for a time, professor in the Augsburg Seminary. He then came to Webster Co., Iowa, and resided until the spring of 1881, when he came to this county and settled upon his present farm, which farm consists of 120 acres. He was married March 4, 1877, to Carrie Ereckson, of Nor- way. They have two children-Emma C. and Edwin C.

Wade HI. Brown is a native of New York, born in Millsboro, Essex county, Oct. 11, 1822. He was there reared, receiving a good common school education. In 1849 he went to the State of Connecticut, re- maining one year, being engaged in rail- roading the greater portion of the time. While in Bridgeport he often saw P. T. Barnum and Tom Thumb, who had just returned from Europe. In June, 1850, Mr. Brown engaged to work for a man named Smith, a railroad contractor. Af- ter completing the track laying he was employed by the company as foreman of repairs. In June, 1852, he went Kosciusko Co., Ind., where he cleared a farm out of the heavy timber land, and followed farm- ing in that place until 1870. He then sold out and came to Humboldt county. He located in Dakota City and farmed for six years, then removed to Norway town- ship, where he still resides. On the 6th of October, 1851, he was united in mar- riage with Rosanna Leedy, of Jefferson township, Richland Co., Ohio. They have five children-Sarah L., Lizzie M., Wil- liam O., Arial C. and John L.

Peder Larsen is a native of Norway, born Jan. 11, 1853. His father being a farmer, he had to do his share of the farm work, but received a good education. In

1870 he emigrated to America, locating in Clayton Co., Iowa. He worked during the summer and attended school in the winter for three years, after which he came to this county and engaged in the stock business until 1880, when he located on his farm, which contains 200 acres. On the 2d of March, 1880, he was united in marriage with Mattie Kluge, born in Norway. They have two children-Lars Gunillins and Mardy Adillia. They are members of the Lutheran Church.

Ole Korslund was born in Norway, April 5, 1852, and is the son of Hans and Olea (Olson) Korslund. The family emi- grated to the United States in 1868, and settled in Iowa Co., Wis., where they lived upon a farm until 1872, then came to Webster Co., Iowa, from whence Ole came in 1874 to this county. His father came to the county and settled in 1873, and they worked together until 1879. In that year he located upon a farm on sec- tion 10, on which he lived two years. In the fall of 1881 he settled on his pres- ent farm, where he owns 188 acres of improved land. On Oct. 27, 1881, Annie F. Hansen became his wife. She is a na- tive of Iowa. They have one child- Minnie O. They are members of the Lutheran Church.

Hendrik Pederson is a native of Nor- way, born March 3, 1827, where he re- mained upon a farm until 1861, when he came to America, locating in Clinton Co., Iowa, remaining there, engaged in farm- ing, three years, when he removed to Benton county and lived until 1876, then came to this county, and the year follow- ing bought his present farm. He has 220 acres of land well improved. He was

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married April 22, 1861, to Caroline Olsou. They have had eleven children, six of whom are now living-Christopher Al- bert, born May 2, 1870; Magrathe Gjor- tine, born Nov. 1, 1872; Hans Olie, born May 3, 1875; Alette Marie, born April 26, 1878; Olena Bredina, born June 15, 1880; Clara Henriete, born Dee. 9, 1882. Mr. Pederson is a member of the Lutheran Church. He is at present sub-director.

Peder J. Lund is a native of Norway, born Sept. 18, 1855. In 1860 he came with his parents to Clinton Co., Iowa, where they lived four years, then removed to Benton county, same State, and re- mained until 1879, when they came to this county. Peder came in November, and located where he now lives, and owns 100 acres of land. He was married April 25, 1878, to Torkelanna Olson. Mr. Lund is a member of the Lutheran Church.

CHAPTER XXIX.

RUTLAND TOWNSHIP.

This sub-division of Humboldt county lies in the central tier of townships and is among the banner farming localities of northwestern Iowa. Delana township lies on the north; Grove on the east; Corinth on the south, and Avery on the west. It is a full congressional township of thirty- mix sections, embracing 'the territory of township 92, in range 29, and contains an area of 23,040 acres, a large portion of which is under cultivation.

The land in Rutland is mostly prairie of a rolling nature, and has a most excel- lent soil of great fertility, being admir- ably adapted for all kinds of farming and stock purposes. The West Fork of the Des Moines river traverses the south west- ern portion of the township, entering it on the west line of section 30, and gently flowing through that and sections 29, 28, 27 and 34, where it passes out of Rutland.

Along this stream, as elsewhere on its banks, large masses of stone crop out and considerable quarries have been de- veloped. But unlike the older Rutland, of the Green Mountain State, no granite formation forms its rock bed, but oolitic limestone, of the Kinderhook group.

The Chicago & Northwestern Railroad follows the course of the river valley through the township, thus bringing the great marts of the world almost to the very doors of the fortunate residents, making this a favored location to the home- seeker in the great west.

In the early part of 1856 William Burkholder, and his sons, came into the township from Ohio, and took up the whole of section 28, as homesteads, on which they built a cabin. They never resided in the township, and are now liv- ing in Fort Dodge.

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The first actual settlers appear to be Jonathan Hutchinson and H. A. Cramer, who came in the same year.

Johnathan Hutchinson located a home- stead upon section 34, where he made his home for a time. He was the first county judge of Humboldt county, under which head a slight sketch of him may be found.

H. A. Cramer, who came from Ohio, settled upon section 34, also, and having built him a cabin of logs, in primitive style, resided in it until the fall of 1858, when he removed to Fort Dodge. His son Lloyd, who was born here in July, 1857, was the first birth in the township.

During the same year, 1856, Wash- ington and Albert Clark, Thomas Reed and Ambrose Booth made settlements in the township.

Washington Clark, who had come to the county this year from Ohio, and who lingered for awhile in Dakota, located on 'section 36, where he lived for about two years, when he went back to his native State. During the late war, he, while in the service of the government, was cap- tured by the rebels and hung as a spy. Mr. Clark was the parent of the first child in the town of Dakota.

Albert Clark, his cousin, settled upon a part of the same section, but when Wash- ington removed, he grew dissatisfied, and after a little while emigrated to a warmer clime and now lives at Knoxville, in this State.

Thomas Reed, a native of Pennsylva- nia, took up a claim upon section 36. In 1859 he was seized with the mania for digging gold and went to Pike's Peak, Col., where he was killed.

Ambrose Booth, one of the early set- tlers, who first came to Kossuth county with W. H. Ingham, removed to Rutland in 1856, and settled down upon part of section 36. After about three years' stay he left the county, going to Fort Dodge. He was a native of England, and a well educated, shrewd Yankee.

Leander Chase, who had come to this county from Michigan, took up a claim on section 30, in the fall of 1856. He re- sided in the village of Dakota until 1858, however, but in the spring of that year, moved on to his farm where he remained about six months. When winter ap- proached he removed to Fort Dodge, where he continued to reside until he en- listed in the service of the government in the late War between the States, and ou being discharged, returned to his na- tive State.

In May of 1857, Patrick Sheridan, a native of the Emerald Isle, came to Rut- land from Cascade, Dubuque county, and settled upon section 20, taking up 160 acres, which he at ouce proceeded to make into a farm. Mr. Sheridan is still a resi- dent of the township, the oldest living representative of the noble band of pio- neers that opened up to civilization in Rutland township. He tells how that he often, in those early days during his first three years residence, passed several days and often weeks without exchanging words with any person.

Patrick Sheridan is the owner of a fine farm of 242 acres on section 20, Rutland township. He is the son of Patrick and Margaret (Welch) Sheridan, born in the parish of Easky, county Sligo, Ireland, March 23, 1830. In May, 1855, he came

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to America and located at Cascade, Du- buque Co., Iowa, where he remained one and a half years, then went to Minnesota, and spent three months upon a island in the Mississippi river, chopping wood and splitting rails, after which he returned to Cascade, ond one month later came to Humboldt county, and lived in Dokota City eleven months, then settled upon his present farm. Hle was married June 2, 1863, to Margaret L. Barton, danghter of James and Margaret (Beatty) Barton, of Cascade, Iowa. They have had eight children, seven of whom are living-Ella J., Mary E., John P., William J., David B., Sadie E. and Richard B. Maggie A., their second child, died at the age of fifteen years. Mr. and Mrs. Sheridan are members of the Baptist Church. Mrs. Sheridan was born in Ireland, in 1841, and came withi her parents to America in 1842. They located at Cascade, Iowa, in 1842, where her father died in 1852. Her mother still resides at that place. Mr. Sheridan's mother died in 1835 and his father in 1877. Politically, Mr. Sheridan is a republican. He has held the office of township trustee fifteen years in all, and eight years consecutively. He has been justice of the peace five years, and at pres- ent is township clerk and school director. He is the owner of a large herd of cattle, and is the only one of the first settlers of Rutland who live there at the present time.

Just two weeks before the advent of Mr. Sheridan, W. Calvin Beer came into the territory now known as Rutland from Ashland, Ohio, and purchasing a claim to 160 acres, on section 28, of the Burkhold- ers, proceeded to lay out a farm. He was

the first county assessor after the organi- zation of Humboldt. Ile lived here for about a year and a half, when he sold out and returned to Ohio, where he has since died.

The next to settle was William Sheri- dan, a native of Ireland, but who had been a resident of New York city. He located a claim of 160 acres on section 20, where he lived for eight months, when he returned to New York. He is now the pastor of a Baptist Church in Toledo, Ohio, but still is a land owner in Hum- boldt county, having some 200 acres on section 20.

George F. Cass, of Illinois, located upon section 36, in the early part of 1858, which he purchased of Washington Clark. Ile lived on this place a short time, when he removed to Dakota City, where he now resides.

Elihu Ransom and his brother, Amos, made a claim on section 34 in the spring of 1858. They left here the next year. Elihu returned after some years, and now lives on his farm on the above section.

Elihu Ransom was born in Bradford Co., Penn., May 12, 1829, and is the son of Henry and Hannah (Spencer) Ransom. The former died in 1858, the latter in 1841. When twenty-one years old Elihu went to Detroit, Mich., remained there a short time, and then engaged in teaming in different places in that State for two years. Hle then went to Kane Co., Ill., and one year later to St. Paul, Minn., and soon after went to work in the pineries, which he continued until 1857. In that year he went back to his old home in Pennsylvania, remained a short time, and then returned to the west. He first

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stopped in Burlington, Iowa, and soon after went to Fort Dodge, where he worked at blacksmithing one winter, thence to Humboldt county, where he pre-empted a quarter section of land in Corinth township, which he afterwards traded for 144 acres in Rutland township. He then went to Muscatine county and followed farming about two years, thence to Cedar county, and there engaged in farming and teaming until 1870, return- ing at that date to his farm in Rutland township, which is his residence at pres- ent. He was married June 20, 1867, to Diana Albright, and two children- Charlie and Esther, were born to them, both of whom are now deceased. Mrs. Ransom died in August, 1870, and was buried in Durant Cemetery, in Muscatine Co., Iowa. Mr. Ransom was again married Dec. 25, 1871, to Mrs. Mary E. (Martin) Thurber, daughter of John E. and Elizabeth R. (Davis) Martin, of Clayton Co., Iowa. By this union there was one child-Edwin A., who died June 7, 1879. Mrs. Ransom' had one daughter by her former marriage -Nellie E., who was married Dec. 17, 1882, to West Bull, of Corinth township. Mrs. Ransom is a member of the United Brethren Church. Her father was born March 18, 1818, in Amherst Co., Va .; her mother May 19, 1819, in Rockbridge Co., Va. They were married in 1838. The former now resides in Palo Alto Co., Iowa, the latter died at Charleston, W. Va.

The even numbered sections were brought in market June 14, 1858, and most of the settlers borrowed money to pay for their land and left here, thinking to earn money to redeem them, but none

of that class ever returned to the town- ship.

David Downer came here in the spring of 1858. IIe was a native of Vermont, and located on section 30. Here he re- mained for some little time, when he re- turned to the Green Mountain State.

Samuel Van Emmon, who came from Cincinnati about the same time, settled on section 30, and built a good hewed log cabin, and purchased over 1,000 acres of land at the government land sale in June, 1858. He did not bring his family with him, and he returned to his Ohio home, to visit them, and while there died.

Elam Shattuck settled upon section 27 in 1860, where he remained for some eight years. He was a native of Illinois, and from here, after a short stay in the town of Humboldt, went to California.

George Ellithorpe, in 1860,located upon section 29, where he resided until Novem- ber, 1862, when he died.

In March, 1860, the settlers had all left this township except N. S. Ames and P. H. Sheridan. Those that left and had their lands paid for did not care to return and finish the hardships of pioneer life, and those that had hired money at forty per cent. to pay for their farms did not come back, as times were hard every where.

In April, 1860, Walter Thomas moved with his family from Dakota on to section 34, and pre-empted land on section 35, where he afterwards lived.

About April, 1860, a proclamation was made that the odd numbered sections were open to settlers. These lands had been considered to belong to the Des

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Moines Valley Railroad Company. It would have been well for many of the settlers had this never been made, for the latter are suffering for it now.

William Murray came to Rutland in August, 1860, and made a claim on sec- tion 27, but lived for over a year with P. II. Sheridan. Giving up his claim here, he went over into Avery township, where he lived until the war broke ont, when he enlisted in the service of the government. At the close of the war he returned to Avery, where he now lives.

Edward Snook and J. A. Rowley came here from Illinois with their families and settled on section 35.

David Thomas came to this township with his father and settled upon section 35.

David Thomas,a prosperous farmer of of Rutland township, was born Jan. 29, 1840, and is the son of Walter and Mary Thomas, who, at the time of his birth, were residents of Washington Co., N. Y. At the age of fifteen years, he went to Dodge Co., Wis., and worked upon a farm four years. In 1860, he came to Humboldt county and located 160 acres on section 25, of Rutland township, upon which he lived until 1870, when, on ac- count of failing health, he moved to Hum- boldt. In 1879, he purchased ninety-two acres on section 35, where he has erected a neat two story frame house, and sub- stantial out-buildings. Mr. Thomas was married March 11, 1866, to Mrs. Sarah D (Simmons) Rowley, daughter of Charles and Jeanette (Winton) Simmons, of Rut- land township. They have two children -Marion and Myra: Mr. Thomas is a member of the republican party, and has

held the offices of township trustee, school director and councilman. He still owns forty acres of his old farm, and also a cul- tivated farm of 160 acres in Avery.

Jacob Murray, in December, 1861, came to this locality from his native land, Ire- land. He had hoped to meet here hix brother, William, but he was off to the war, so Jacob remained with Mr. Sheri- dan, helping him until April, 1864, when he moved on to his claim in Avery town- ship, and where he now lives with his brother, William.

In the summer of 1862, Rasmus John- son, a Norwegian, came here from Wis- consin, and made a claim on section 21, where he moved his family in the spring of 1864. He remained here several years and then sold out, and removed to Kan- sas, where he now lives.

FIRST THINGS.

The first birth in the township was that of Lloyd Cramer, born in July, 1857. The second was that of Nancy S. Amnes, the daughter of N. S. and Catharine Ames, born in March, 1858. The lady is at present engaged in teaching in a col- lege in Oregon.

The first death was that of Mrs. James Hinton, who was drowned in the river, in the spring of 1862. Her body was not found until the following winter, when it was buried in what is now Union Ceme- tery.

The second death was that of George Elithorpe, who died on the Ist of Novem- ber, 1862, and was interred in Union Cemetery, being the first burial in that "city of the dead."

The first marriage was that of Michael Boyle and Margaret Sheridan, the sister

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of Patrick Sheridan, who were united on the 15th of December, 1859.

The second marriage of a resident of the township was that of Patrick Sheri- dan to Margaret Barton, who were united on the 2d of Jnne, 1863, at Cascade, whither he had gone for his bride. Rev. John Bates performed the ceremony.

The third marriage was that of Joseph Davis and Diana Elithrope, which took place on the 1st of February, 1864, the rite being solemnized by Rev. S. H. Taft, of Humboldt.

The first religious exercises were held at the funeral of George Elithorpe, Nov. 2, 1862, by Rev. Billings, a Methodist clergyman from Kossuth county.

The next preaching was performed by Charles Atkinson, of Rutland township, at the residence of Patrick Sheridan in October, 1867.

The first school was tanght in the sum- mer of 1863, by Sarah C. Wickes, now Mrs. Bowen.

Rutland was organized in 1867, being at that time set off from Dakota town- ship, and was composed of what now constitutes this and Avery township. The first election was held at the general election in the fall of that year, when but thirty-nine votes in all were polled. The following named were elected the first township officers: H. G. Bicknell, super- visor; Patrick Sheridan, David Thomas and T. T. Rogers, trustees; W. O. Atkin- son, town clerk; Charles Simmons, assess- or; W. H. Locke and Moses Adams, jus- tices; Charles Sherman, constable.

The following constitutes the present officers of Rutland township: A. O. Skin- ner, Eli Tellier and J. C. Willey, trustees;

Patrick Sheridan, clerk; W. H. Sherman, assessor; W. H. Locke and Engene Tel lier,justices; Charles Sherman and Andrew Pavey, constables; F. Jacobs, George Beair, George DeGroote, William Mc- Collum and H. S. Marquis, road super- visors.

There are two cemeteries in the town. ship, Union and Rutland. The former of these was laid out in October, 1862, and had at that time about two acres. The first to be buried in this beautiful "God's Acre" was George Elithorpe, who was in- terred on the 2d of November, 1862. In 1882 the cemetery was enlarged to four- teen acrew, and is one of the most beanti- ful in this section of country. Rutland Cemetery was laid out by T. Ellwood Collins.

VILLAGE OF RUTLAND.

This embryo town was laid out in the fall of 1869, by H. G. Bicknell, the plat being filed for record on the 4th day of December, of that year. Mr. Bicknell came to Humboldt county, in 1862, from Beaver Dam, Wis., and took up a claim to 320 acres of land on section 29. He went from here to Webster City where he was engaged in running a hotel, but in 1867 he came back and settled on what is now the village plat. At one time he was the owner of 1,600 acres of land in this and the adjoining township of Avery. He laid out the village, which was to be the rival of Humboldt, in 1869. In Janu- ary, 1883, he removed, with his family, to New York city.

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History of Kossuth and Humbolt 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 103

Author: Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Union Publishing Company Number of Pages: 898

Author:
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Union Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 898