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 62
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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 conld 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 has 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 ont 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 high, 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 actnal duties of life. He graduated Jan. 13, 1875, at Bay- lies Commercial College, at Dubuque, Iowa. Ile was married July 4, 1876, to Katie Gilcrist, born at Halifax, 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 stock of dry goods, groceries, hats, caps, boots and shoes. Ile is now post- master in Irvington, justice of the peace,
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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 for a 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- ons.
Matthew H. 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. Hal- lock, of Southold. They have five chil- dren-J. Q. A., Stella E., Henry H .. George C. and Josie E. Dr. Hudson re- tired from practice eighteen years ago, and settled on a farm cast 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 Mercer Co., Penn., Dec. 16, 1849. In the spring of 1856 he came to Kossuth county, and located on section 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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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. He then went by rail to Parkersburg, where he took a boat for Leavenworth, Kan., and remained two months, when he went to Springfield, Il1., received his discharge and came back to Paw Paw Grove.
Zebina C. Andrusa 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. He 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. He 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. He resided in the home of his birth until he removed to Irvington, Kossuth county. He has re- sided in Irvington township ever since, with the exception of one year when he followed farming in Cresco township. He now re- sides on section 6, township 95, range 28. On Nov. 5, 1870, he was united in mar- riage with Josephine Hill, 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. He participated in the battle of Nashville. He was discharged from service in An- gust, 1865. Politically he is a republican.
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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: HI P. Hatch, S. B. Hatch, B. F. Peasley, M. Leach and A. Ilinton.
HI. P. Hatch 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. Ilinton 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. Hinton, 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; H. P. Hatch, treasurer; John Gætsch, S. L. Scott, R. Stevenson, A. Sawvel, J. Chris- chilles, A. Margraf and R. R. Chapman, directors.
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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 Helen 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 erected during the summer of 1881, at a cost of $700. This school was first taught that same fall by Alice Sherwood. The pret- 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 wax tanght for the first term by Hattie Acres. 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: H. 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. II. P. Hatch was commissioned postmistress and she kept it for two years, until 1875, when the office was diseon- 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 CHURCH.
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. Il. 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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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 symboilcai 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 congregation, ghali be examined, but also ali 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 doc- trines laid down in the Unahered 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, such a member shall forfeit all the rights as a member of said congregation, as well as all claims 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 effeer their retirement hy
removal and cease to act with sald Society. This article and resolution shall also be unchangeable and nnalterable 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 Behreus, Henry Legenhausen, Angust Zumach, Fred Pompe, Gottlib Bohn and E. H. 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 Intheran 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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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. H. W. Rabe, of Webster City, preaching, and Mr. H. 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 (Hirchert) Maass, were also natives of Germany. His mother died Oct. 4, 1875. His 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- lege,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.
WHITTEMORE.
The village of Whittemore was laid ont and platted by W. H. Ingham and Lewis 1l. 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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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. His store room, 20x62 feet, is well fitted up and attractive, and his trade ix respectably large and remunerative. He may be justly entitled one of the solid representative business men of the place.
Henry Munch is a native of Germany, born March 17, 1840. He lived in Ger- many thirteen years when he came to America and located in Astoria, N. Y., where he lived two years. He then re- moved to Grant Co., Wis., where he re- mained until 1861. He enlisted in com- pany E, 9th Wisconsin regiment, and served two years. lle was taken prisoner at Newtonia, Mo., and remained a prisoner till November, 1862, when he was paroled and
afterward discharged in March, 1863. He re-enlisted in company H, 44th Wisconsin regiment, and served till June, 1865. Re- turning to Wisconsin he engaged in hotel business for one year in Cassville. At the close of the year he removed to Ben- ton Co., Iowa, and was in the grocery business for three years. Removing to Luzerne, Iowa, he remained until 1869 when he removed to Emmetsburg, Iowa, where he remained until coming to Whitte- more. In 1869 he wasnnited in marriage with Mary B. Trottman, of Grant Co., Wis. Five children blessed this uniou- Susie K., Frederick E., John H., Sadie and George E. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., and while at Emmetsburg was chairman of the board of supervisors and was also one of the first aldermen of that place.
C. D. Creed established the first drug store in the village in February, 1878, but in June, 1879, having found a pur- chaser for the same, disposed of the busi- ness to Dr. J. M. Pride, who has con- tinned it to the present. The doctor car- ries a good stock and by close attention to business and a desire to please his numer- ous patrons, he has worked up an excel- lent trade, and has become one of the leading merchants of the place.
E. Chrischilles came to Whittemore in March, 1879, and established a saloon, which he ran until the following fall. He then opened a general merchandise store in the building he had just completed, and which he occupies at present. This edifice is 22x40 feet, and is well filled with goods of all descriptions and kinds, and the trade he does is large and lucra- tive.
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In February, 1879, Jacob Strandberg came to Whittemore and built part of the Grand Central Hotel, which he still runs. In 1881, William Amosestablished a store for the sale of general merchandise at this point, but as he had a store at West Bend, Palo Alto county, to which he gave his personal attention, he looked around for a manager. He employed Mr. Strand- berg, after giving him a trial, from May, 1882, a position which he yet fills.
The National House was rebuilt from a store building into a hotel, in the spring of 1880, and was run by C. D. Creed until June, 1883, when he closed out to Dr. A. F. Dailey, the enterprising dentist of the community, who makes a good landlord.
The hardware trade was initiated by J. M. Farley, in April, 1879, a business he follows at present.
The first harness making business was started by D. J. Cain, in May, 1881. He continued this trade only about six months, when his father, J. W. Cain, took it and has monopolized the business ever since.
Rev. Jesse W. Cain was born in Mont- gomery Co., Ind., Dec. 26, 1828. When six years of age he removed with his par- ents to Putnam Co., Ill. After a resi- dence there of nearly two years they re- moved to Bureau county, where Jesse was reared and learned the harness making trade. In 1869 Mr. Cain became a min- ister in the Free Methodist Church, being for the year following assigned to the Churches of Amboy and Ashton, Ill. He was then given a charge at De Witt, Clinton Co., Iowa, where he remained one year. For the following two years he had charge of a circuit near Cedar Rapids,
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