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 53

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 53

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).

Edith Blanchard, J. M. Comstock, Mrs. J. M. Comstock, E. H. Clarke, G. L. Adams, P. L. Slagle, F. McCall, J. H. Mathers, T. Leggett, Harvey Ingham, D. W. Burlingame, Belle Adams, N. A. Bush- nell and A. M. Horton. The first officers chosen to preside over the deliberations of the lodge were the following named:

J. M. Comstock, W. C. T .; Mrs. J. M. Comstock, W. V. T .; Rev. H. B. Butler, W. Chap .; Prof. N. A. Bushnell, W. S .; Addie Hawkins, W. A. S .; James Patter- son, W. F. S .; Annie Ingham, W. T .; L. D. Setchell, W. M .; Belle Winton, W. D. M .; Ada Smith, W. G .; Eugene Clark, W. O. G .; Mrs. Winton, W. R. H. S .; Belle Adams, W. L. H. S .; Prof. Barclay, P. W. C. T. The lodge has a prosperous career, and has done excellent work in the community. It has never suspended nor missed a meeting, on account of lack of interest, and has had a membership at times of 200. The outside tem- perance movement has detracted some- what from the interest and the member- ship has fallen off lately, but is again on the increase. The lodge meets at Starr's hall, and has as fine a meeting place as any in the State. The membership at the beginning of the last quarter, Nov 1, 1883, was eighty-seven. The present offi- cers are as follows: J. M. Comstock, W. C. T .; Mrs. J. M. Comstock, W. V. T .; Josie Pettibone, W. R. S .; Edward Rist, W. A. S .; Wallace Nichols, W. F. S .; Lutie Wallace, W. T .; Will Hart, W. M .; D. H. Hutchins, W. Chap .; Josie Com- stock, guard; Bert Ward, sentinel; Helen Weaver, W. D. M .; Jennie Pettibone, R. H. S .; Jessie Smith, L. H. S .; D. S. Ford and Kate Burnard, censors.

Google

421

HISTORY OF KOSSUTH COUNTY.

During the summer of 1876, six ladies met together and organized a reading club under the name of the Monday club. These ladies were the following named: Mrs. G. H. Woodworth, Mrs. M. W. Stough, Mrs. J. J. Wilson, Mrs. Dr. Colby, Mrs. H. Kenyon and Miss M. L. Leggett. In the fall of that same year, this was re- organized as a literary club under the same name, and under the present consti- tution. The first officers were: Mrs. M. W. Stough, president; Miss M. L. Leg- gett, secretary; Mrs. G. H. Woodworth, treasurer; Miss C. T. Dodd, librarian. It now received new accessions to its list of membership, and instituted the present circulating library. The first books pur- chased as a foundation to the library, was at an expenditure of $7.65, and was com- posed of the following volumes: Ten great Religions, Harriet Martineau and Literature of the Age of Elizabeth. The society has now some fifteen members en- rolled and is at present officered as fol- lows: Mrs. G. H. Woodworth, president; Mrs. J. R. Jones, secretary; Mrs. H. C. McCoy, treasurer, and Miss C. T. Dodd, librarian. The following is an abstract from the report of the librarian for the term commencing Feb. 1, 1882, and end- ing Aug. 31, 1883:

Number of volumes received from former librarian 254

Number added during term 176

Number lost 1

Total number in library at present. 429 Number of volumes taken out during term 2, 363 Of which were works of fiction. 2,120

History 51

Biography 46

Science 42

Travels 19

Miscellaneous. 85

Amount received from rental of books. . $138 96

Algona shared in the general excite- ment which spread so generally over this section of the State, in reference to the 80-called "disadvantage" under which the farmers were placed. The plan proposed seemed feasible; a great saving was prom- ised, by enabling the farmers to pocket the earnings of the "middle men," and consequently realize better prices for their products. Amid considerable eu- thusiasm, Algona Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry, was organized in June, 1873, with the following charter members: H. P. Hatch and wife, C. E. Holmes and wife, O. C. Burtis and wife, W. A. Love, Philip Crose, H. Schenck and wife, V. S. Thompson and wife, J. Dunton and wife, E. W. Dunton, Joseph Mathers and wife, A. A. Call and wife, J. E. Blackford and wife, C. W. Goddard and wife, H. Robe, A. J. Jones and wife, J. J. Stentz, S. C. Dunton, J. Wallace, S. Reed, A. A. Brun- son and wife, Stephen Sherwood and A. Hinton.

The following were elected the first of- ficers of the lodge: J. E. Blackford, master; Horace Schenck, overseer; H. P. Hatch, lecture; J. Dunton, steward; A. A. Brunson, assistant steward; S. C. Dunton, treasurer; William Love, gate keeper.

The farmers now congratulated them- selves on having perfected an organiza- tion, which would meet their wants and save them money. This Grange was snc- cessfully managed for years, and proved quite a saving in many instances to many of its patrons. A store building was erected and is yet in existence, under the management of J. E. Blackford. The or-

Di zedby !Google

422

HISTORY OF KOSSUTH COUNTY.

ganization numbered, at one time, over 100 persons, but it has ceased to exist.

ALGONA COLLEGE.

This now abandoned enterprise, originat- ed at a meeting held at the Bank of Ingham & Smith, on the 31st day of December, 1870. At that time an organization was formed, subscriptions started and officers elected, and the college initiated. The first officers were as follows: Dr. S. G. A. Read, president; J. E. Stacy vice- president; Lewis H. Smith, treasurer; W. H. Ingham, secretary. An executive committee consisting of J. E. Stacy and D. H. Hutchins was also chosen. The subscriptions on the day of the meeting amounted to $3,110. Steps were imme- diately taken and the building put up and a corps of instructors placed in charge, and the college started with every hope of success. But, alas! Contentions arose and the matter, after running for some years, was allowed to die out and thus passed away from Algona one of her brightest and best institutions. A strong effort was made at one time to place this educa- tional enterprise under the fostering wing of the M. E. conference, but local and other jealousies, defeated the measure. The building was, and is, a frame edifice, 40x66 feet in size, and is yet in a good state of repair. This was erected at a cost of 84,497, and on the opening of the same, some ninety scholars were enrolled. The first professor who had charge of the college was L. C. Woodford, who came to Kossuth county some time previous to initiate a religious revival, and was called to the principal chair in the newly created college. Helen M. Wooster was his assis- tant. A sketch of this estimable lady

will be found in the chapter devoted to the educational interests of the county, under the head of county superintendents of common schools, a position she so ably filled at one period. In July, 1872, Prof. O. II. Baker became the principal of the college, with Miss Wooster and Mrs. Baker as assistants. In 1874,A. L. Day was one of the assistants and N. A .. Bushmell in 1875. W. F. Barclay was the next president of the faculty, taking his place in 1875, and in 1876 Miss E. M. Ray was made assistant tutor. He was succeeded by D. W. Ford and he by A. G. Neff, in 1879. In 1880, Miss L. S. Tallman had charge. With this year closed the career of what might have been one of the lead- ing educational institutions of the State.

D. W. King was born Aug. 31, 1830, in Herkimer Co., N. Y. In the fall of 1854 he moved to Polk Co., Iowa, and the fol- lowing spring came to Kossuth county, when he bought the claim on which he has since lived, paying a man by the name of Yetchel $100 for a quarter section of section 13, township 95, range 29. Hle now owns 490 acres of land in a high state of cultivation, raising grain, and deal- ing in all kinds of stock except sheep. He was married in December, 1859, to Lydia Hall, born in New York. They have eight children- William Hall, Belle, Grant, David P., Lydia May, Arthur A., Walter S., and Fred M. Mrs King and Belle are members of the Congregational Church. Mr. King has held the offices of town- ship clerk and county supervisor. In pol- itics he is a republican.

Orange Minkler was born Dec. 27, 1818, in Lake Co., Ohio, and reared on his fa- ther's farm, receiving his early education

Dig and by Google

423

HISTORY OF KOSSUTH COUNTY.

in the log cabins of his native State. He was married, Dec. 28, 1843, to Lydia A. Hill. They had six children, four are living-Josephine, wife of Viran Taylor ; Orvello E., who married Ida Fields; Geor- giana, wife of Michael Rutshaff; and Orange A., who married Katie Hanivan. Mrs. Minkler died in 1850, and in 1851 he married her sister, Betsey A. Hill. They had seven children-David Oratio, who married Lottie Olson ; Charles D .; Ella, wife of Richard Long; Mary, wife of Henry Long ; George L., Caroline and Florence. His second wife died in 1863, and July 14, 1867, he married Mary M. Connell of Mich- igan. They have four children-Addie E., Lewis Franklin, Mand and John W. In the fall of 1856, in company with George Barnes, Thomas Haynes, William Osborn and families, started in prairie schooners for Iowa, camping out on the road and cooking their own meals. They were four long, weary weeks in making this journey, there being at this time no road across the prairies or bridges across the streams. Mr. Minkler settled in Algona, there being but three or four log cabins in the place, and the people were compelled to go to Masqueton, on the C'edar river, for their flonr, there being no mill nearer. The country was a vast wilderness. In poli- tics, Mr. Minkler is a Jacksonian demo- crat, and has held several local offices of trust in the gifts of the people.

August Zahlten was born Jan. 12, 1817, in Prussia, and came to America in 1852, landing at New York. From there he went to Pennsylvania, where he lived sixteen months, and then went to Ohio where he stayed nine months. After this he moved to Humboldt Co., Iowa, remaining during

the winter of 1854, and on the 20th of May, 1855, he began to work for Judge A. C. Call, working for him all summer. Before coming to Kossuth county, he had located a claim in Humboldt county, but having little money, he sold his claim to Mr. Mc- Knight, and the same fall bought a claim of 160 acres on section 36, township 96, range 29, of Mr. Gates, occupied it one year, then sold out to James Rone, and bought 160 acres from Mr. Graw, paying for the claim $125. He has since lived here and followed farming. He has held a number of township offices, such as justice of the peace, township trustee, school director and road supervisor. He was married Jan. 7, 1857, to Margaret Riebhoff, a native of Hanover, Germany. They have four children - Mary, born Feb. 6, 1858; Theresa, born Nov. 18, 1860; Emma, born Jan. 9, 1863 ; Clara, born Dcc. 9, 1864. Mr. Zahlten and family are members of the Congregational Church at Algona. In 1862 he enlisted in a com- pany to defend the frontier of Iowa against the Indian outbreak in Minnesota, and served four months. Politically, he is a greenbacker.

Horace Schenck was born Feb. 12, 1822, in Oswego Co., N. Y. His father was born in Durham, Green Co., N. Y .; his mother was a native of Connecticut. Mr. Schenck lived in Oswego county until 1849, being engaged in farming and work- ing on a canal boat. He then went to Wisconsin, where he remained four years, after which he moved to Cook Co., Ill., remaining three years. He then came to Iowa and on June 4, 1856, settled on the southeast quarter of section 23, township 96, range 29, Algona township, where he

Din ed by Google

424

HISTORY OF KOSSUTH COUNTY.

now resides. Mr. Schenck is engaged in farming and stock raising and is one of the most enterprising farmers of Kossuth county. Ile was married in Onondago Co., N. Y., June 1, 1845, to Elizabeth Or- vis, a native of Vermont. They have had nine children, seven of whom are living- Mary Ann, Ordelia, Lydia, George, Silas, Myron and Fanny. Alfred and James are dead. Mr. Schenck has under culti- vation ninety acres of land. Mr. and Mrs. Schenck are members of the Grange.

Joseph Thompson was born April 13, 1831, in county Darry, Ireland, and came with his parents in 1839 to America, set- tling in Mercer Co., Penn. Learning the cabinet and chair trade he worked at it . until 1854, then went to Jackson Co., Iowa, and stopped there one year. He was married to Nancy J. Means, Dec. 23, 1855, came to Kossuth county, May 25, 1850. Ile was one of the first to build on the prairie, his residence being one and a half miles east of Algona. In 1864 Mr. Thomp- son went to Idaho with the great rush to the gold fields, remaining there four years. Returning to Kossuth Co., Iowa, in 1868, he sold his land east of Algona for $40 per acre and bought 160 acres on section 24, township 96, range 29, where he still re- sides. Mr. and Mrs Thompson have six children-Mamie A., who was married Ang. 29, 1877, to Joseph B. Hofins ; Car- rie N., who was married Jan. 1, 1884, to C. H. Blossom ; Henry J., Frank S., Jen- nie B. and Clifford I. Mr. Thompson has the reputation of being one of the most respectable and enterprising farmers in the county.

W. F. Hofius, one of the old settlers and well to do farmers of this county, was

born July 18, 1830, in Hickory township, Mercer Co., Penn. When twenty years of age, he went to Jackson Co., Iowa, remain- ing two years, then traveled over the State for one year, and returned to the old homestead, staying one year. Hle mar- ried Oct. 18, 1854, in Eastbrook, Lawrence Co., Penn., Mary A. Thompson, born May 16, 1835, in Ireland, and coming, when quite small, with her parents to America. They had seven children, four of whom are living-Charles B., William C., James S. and George. After his marriage he moved to Rock Island, followed farming and car- pentering five years, and in the spring of 1859 went to Marshall Co., Iowa, remain- ing through the summer. In the fall he came to Kossuth county, and laid a claim on the northwest quarter of' section 25, township 96, range 29, moved on the farm in the spring of 1862, and lived there one summer, when, during the Indian scare, he moved to Algona and the following spring went to live one and a half miles from town, on Joseph Thompson's place, in the first house ever built on the prairie in the county, now known as the Billings place. In 1863 he moved back to his claim, where he still resides. Mr. and Mrs. Hofius are members of the Baptist Church, and of the Grange. He has held several township offices.

James Henderson, Sr., was born Oct. 23, 1814, in Delaware Co., N. Y. He lived there forty years, then moved to Trumbull Co., Ohio, making this his home eight years. Going from there to Jack- son Co., Iowa, where he spent two years and a half, he then came to Algona, where he has since resided. Mr. Hender- son has probably done more than any

Wgi zed by Google

HISTORY OF KOSSUTH.COUNTY.

425

other man in the interests of the county, such as building bridges, school houses, churches, ete., and has been township trustee a number of terms. lle is a car- penter by trade, does job work, besides being engaged in farming. In politics he is a democrat.

Arthur J. Gilmour was born Jan. 10, 1819, in Scotland. When three years of age he came with his parents to America, who settled on a farm in St. Lawrence Co., N. Y. He was married March 16, 1845, to Mary C. Miller, also a native of Scotland, born in 1819. They have seven children-Catharine, Jennet, Arthur, Ixa- bell, Jane, Mary and Sarah E. In 1864 he came to Kossuth county, and took a home- stead on the southeast quarter of section 17, township 96, range 29, and has about 100 acres under cultivation. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church. In politics he is a republican.

Israel G. Schryver was born in Schenec- tady, N. Y., June 2, 1819. IIe lived with his parents until twenty-three years of age, and in 1842 emigrated to Illinois, lo- cating at Lockport, Will county. After eighteen months' residence there he went to McHenry county. In 1858 he emi- grated to Forestou, Howard Co., Iowa, where he remained until 1864, then eame to Kossuth county and took a homestead of eighty acres on section 11, township 96, range 29, Algona township. He afterwards purchased eighty acres on section 12. Mr. Schryver is a good farmer and influential citizen. He was married Oct. 5, 1859, to Mary Knapp, of Bedford, Westchester Co., N. Y., born March 22, 1835. Her parents moved to Woodstock, Mclleury Co., Ill., before her marriage. Mr. and

Mrs. Schryver have six children-Emma, Lizzie G., Charles W., Minnie L., Hattie A. and Annie I .. They are all single and living at home.

Morris B. Chapin was born in Cattarau- gus Co., N. Y., July. 13, 1841. When quite young he removed with his parents to Rock Co., Wis., and afterwards to Fond du Laccounty, where they remained four years. They then went to Columbia county, and in 1862 to Faribault Co., Minn. In 1864 they came to Kossuth Co., Iowa, and settled on the southeast quar- ter of section 29, township 96, range 29, Algona township, and Morris settled on the northeast quarter of the same section. He now lives on the old homestead, hav- ing a half section of land, 125 acres of which is under cultivation. His father died in 1874 and his mother in 1875. Mr. Chapin enlisted, in 1864, in.the 11th Min- nesota Infantry, serving until the close of the war. He was married May 2, 1866, to Jane Henderson, born Oct. 25, 1847, in Trumbull Co., Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Cha- pin have five children-Carrie I., James J., Milo V., Alfie R. and Mamie E.

Rufus Walston was born Ang. 31, 1841, in St. Lawrence Co., N. Y. In 1861 he enlisted in the two years service in com- pany H, 16th New York Volunteer In- fantry, and participated in the battles of Fredericksburg, where he was wounded, being shot through the arm; Antietam, also was in the seven days battle before Richmond. In May, 1863, he was dis- charged. In the fall of 1865 he came to Algona, the county at that time being very sparsely settled. He carried the mail between Algona and Fort Dodge, when it took a man's nerve to cross the

Dinarco by Google

426

HISTORY OF KOSSUTH COUNTY.

wild prairies in the winter. In Septem- ber, 1866, he married Margaret E. Thomas, a daughter of Walter and Mary (Mc- Dougal) Thomas. They had four chil- dren, three of whom are living-James R., Frank C. and Minnie M. Mr. Wal- ston is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.

Thomas McArthur is a native of Scot- land. He came to America in 1851, after stopping in Pennsylvania and Ohio, went to Illinois, where he remained two. years. In 1865 he came to Kossuth county, took a homestead, and went back to Illinois for his family, removed them in wagons, taking eighteen days for the trip. After camping for a week at Blackford's bridge, they camped on section 18, Algona town- ship, taking the wagon beds off, they staked them down to the ground to keep them from being blown off by the wind. During these pioneer days they were obliged to cook over the fire; and to bake bread, dug clay, plastered it over a barrel, then burned the barrel out, and it was ready for use. Mr. McArthur had to go ten miles and cut logs, haul them to a saw-mill to have them made ready to build the first house, also went fifteen miles for cottonwood trees to set ont a grove. It took a whole week to go to mill. The first winter they lived in a house built of rough boards, walled around with sod, plastered inside with clay. The same winter he gut lost on the prairies, and froze his feet so badly, that he lost eight of his toes in one night. He now has 200 acres of fine land; sixty acres is under cultivation, but he is turning his attention mostly to raising fine cattle. He has good improvements on his farm, and

is one of the substantial men of the county. Ile was married in 1852 to Isabel Burt, born in 1830, in Scotland. They have eight children -Isabel, Mary T., Thomas J., Elizabeth G., Maggie A., Peter A., Lillie M. and Charles O. Mr .. McArthur is a member of the grange.

Thomas Burt, one of the early settlers and prosperous farmers of Kossuth county, was born in Scotland, Dec. 16, 1832. He came to America with his par- ents when eighteen years of age. They settled in Schuylkill Co., Penn., where he worked at mining. They removed to Sharon, and in 1861 he moved to Grundy Co., Ill., and followed mining while there until the year 1865, when he and his brother-in-law, Mr. McArthur, packed their goods and families into wagons and started for Kossuth Co., Iowa, where they arrived after three weeks' travel. He set- tled on the northeast quarter of section 18, township 96, range 29. Since then he has added eighty acres more to his place. Ile has under cultivation at present about 100 acres. Mr. Burt was married to Margaret Murray, who is also a native of Scotland, and came to America with her parents. They have six children-Isa- belle and Janett, twins; Sarah J., Mar- garet, Peter and William. Isabelle, Janett and Margaret are married. After arriving in Kossuth county, they camped out all summer and lived in their wagon box, which was staked to the ground to keep the wind from blowing it over. Ile was with Mr. McArthur the time they got lost and stuck in the snow drift, where Mr. McArthur so badly froze his feet as to lose eight of his toes. Politically, Mr. Burt is a republican.

Da zed by Google

HISTORY OF KOSSUTH COUNTY.

427

James H. Warren was born in Eden, Erie Co., N. Y., Sept. 4, 1820. From five to eleven years of age he attended the district school, which was the extent of his education. When fourteen years of age he removed with his parents to Cherry Valley, Ashtabula Co., Ohio, where his elder brother had gone the year previous to open up a farm in the heavy timber land in that portion of the State. James worked hard on the farm until 1845, when, with his widowed mother, two brothers and two sisters, he emi- grated to the territory of Wisconsin. He selected his home in Hurlbnd township, Dodge county, being an early settler there, and taking great interest in the de- velopment of the county. He was chosen town clerk at the first town meeting held, and from that time until the spring of 1859 was elected to fill some office every year. Mr. Warren was married Sept. 16, 1846, to Augusta B. Horton, then only fifteen years of age. This union has been blessed with three children-Eliza L., wife of Hugh Waterhouse, of Kossuth county; Robert B. and Edward H., both of whom are printers: Robert B. is pro- prietor and editor of the Upper Des Moines, office at Algona, and Edward H. is foreman of the same. From 1849 to 1866 Mr. Warren worked principally at the carpenter and millwright trades. In June, 1859, he removed to Arcadia, Trempealeau Co., Wis., remaining four years. While living there his home with all its contents was destroyed by fire, in- cluding his history of Dodge county, which was then in manuscript. He also had a choice and carefully selected library of over 400 volumes, a number of

which were then out of print and which he has never been able to replace. This fire was a loss of several thousand dol- lars to him. In March, 1862, he removed to Eau Claire, Wis., being employed iu the summer season as a millwright in the extensive mills of Daniel Shaw & Co., and in the winter in the pineries. In 1866 he sold his possessions in Eau Claire, built a flat boat of sufficient size to carry his family and goods down the Chippewa to the Mississippi, and thence to Dubuque, Iowa. There he sold his boat and traveled by rail from there to Iowa Falls, and came by wagons to Algona. Upon arriving at Algona Mr. Warren purchased for his son, Robert B., the Upper Des Moines office, for which he paid $600. Previous to that date Mr. Warren had never written more than two or three newspaper articles. He, however, threw his whole energies into the enterprise, and with the faithful labors of his son, who took charge of the mechanical de- partment, he succeeded in making an ex- cellent paper. He enlarged the paper from time to time, as necessity required. In 1872 he sold the old Washington press, it being the first press brought to Iowa, and replaced it with a $2,000 power press. He also procured a job press with all other necessary furniture. In 1875 Mr. Warren sold this office with fixtures and good will. In July, 1869, he was appointed postmaster, holding the office three years. Hle was a master Mason, a member of Prudence Lodge, No. 205. Mr. Warren was a charter member of Algona Lodge, No. 234, I. O. O. F., being a member of that order for nearly forty years.

Peter Martin and his wife, Sarah (Mur- ray) Martin, natives of Scotland, came to

Dig cod by Google

428

HISTORY OF KOSSUTH COUNTY.

America in 1855, and lived in Ohio and Pennsylvania, where he followed mining. He afterwards moved to Grundy Co., Ill., where he remained until 1866, when he came to Kossuth Co., Iowa, and took a homestead on section 8, township 96, range 29, of eighty acres and went to farming. He was married March 24, 1854, and died Feb. 8, 1874. His wife still car- ries on the farm. They had five children, four of whom are living-William, who married Francelia Hartwell; Jessie, wife of James Rabluff; Maggie, wife of Al- ford Hall, of Mason City, and Jemima. Mrs. Martin is a member of the Presby- terian Church.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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 53

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