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 64
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at Cold Harbor, June 4, 1864, being hit in the forehead by a ball, leaving a scar. Being unable to join his regiment he was honorably discharged and returned home, and for two years was unable to do any work on account of the wound. In poli- tics he is a republican.
Whitman station, or depot, was built in September, 1881, by the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Company, and is at the junction of this road with the Min- neapolis & St. Louis road. The first agent appointed to this point was E. A. Adams, who was succeeded by Fred Babcock, and he by S. D. Drake, the present incumbent.
Rev. Richard Paul Budach, the present pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, of Whitman, Kossuth Co., Iowa, was born in Guben, Prussia, July 31, 1860, and is the son of J. G. and Anna E. Bndach, natives of Prussia. He came
with his parents to America in 1866. They settled in Chicago, where they now reside. The subject of this sketch, at the age of fourteen years, entered the University of Fort Wayne, Ind., and remained six years. In 1879 be entered the theological semi- nary at Springfield, Ill., to prepare for the ministry. He was ordained a minister of the gospel, Nov. 19, 1883, and soon after assumed the charge of his present Church. His congregation consists of about thirty families, who erected, in the fall of 1883, a neat and comfortable parsonage, which he at present occupies. The lot upon which it stands was donated to the Church by the Northwestern Railroad Company. Ilis congregation intends to erect a house of worship during the present year. He was married Jan. 13, 1884, to Helena Pil- grim, daughter of William and Wilhel- mina Pilgrim, of Chicago, Ill. She was born in Chicago, Sept. 6, 1863. Mr. Bu- dach votes the democratic ticket.
CHAPTER XXIII.
PORTLAND TOWNSHIP.
The sub division of Kossuth county which bears the name of Portland, con- tains all of congressional townships 96 and 97, range 28, and the four western tiers of sections in townships 98, 99 and 100, range 28. It is bounded on the north by the State of Minnesota, on the east by the townships of Wesley and Ramsey, on the south by Irvington township, and
west by Algona, Burt and Greenwood townships. Some of the finest portions of the county are included in its limits. Early settlers made claims within the boundaries of this township in the first years of the county's existence, and the lower part of the township is well peopled with as good a class of citizens as is to be found anywhere.
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The honor of being the pioneers of this township belongs to two among the earliest settlers in the county. In the win- ter of 1854-5 Robert Parrott and Lyman Craw took up claims in what is now Port- land. Mr. Parrott, who was one of na- ture's noblemen, an American, from Har- din county, located upon the northwest quarter of section 30, but shortly after- ward sold out his claim and returned to his old home in Hardin county. Lyman Craw located upon the northwest quarter of section 20.
Next to make a settlement was Henry Lindner, a native of Indiana, who laid claim to the land on section 8 at the mouth of the creek now called after him.
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Henry Hauzerman made a settlement in 1856. He was a miserly, penurious man, hard-working and industrious, and honesty itself. During the hard winter of 1856-7 he had the misfortune to freeze his feet, and he managed to get to the cabin of one of the settlers, where he at- tempted to thaw them out. A difference of opinion at once arose, he contending for hot water, they for cold, but being an obstinate German, he prevailed, and when he put them into the hot water the out- side thawed faster than the inner portion of the flesh, and they burst open. In this condition he managed to crawl to the de- serted cabin on the Parrott place, and re- fusing to have a physician or nurse (for that would cost money), tried to cure him- self. The settlers, large-hearted, as pio- neers ever are, would not let him suffer more than necessary, and were in the habit of going over to see him and help- ing him. He finally recovered so as to be
around, but he was lamed for life. He is now a resident of Cresco township.
The next settler in this locality was An- drew L. Seely, who came to Kossuth county in 1855, and settled in Portland township in 1857, where he still resides.
Andrew L. Seely was born Dec. 15, 1829, in Columbia Co., Penn. When four months old his father died, leaving twelve children. When six or eight months old his mother removed to Lower Sandusky, from there to Richland Co., Ohio, where she died. Andrew was now nine years old, and went to live with Mr. Sweet, his wife being a cousin. At the end of six or seven months he went back to Rich- land county to live with his sister; was afterwards bound to John Sidell till four- teen years of age, but at the end of one year Mr. Sidell left him and went to Penn- sylvania. He then went to live with Mr. Hulsopple, and remained with him till fourteen, he promising to give him three months schooling and board and clothes. After this he worked for Mr. Hulsopple six months at $2.50 a month. He now went to Plymonth and served an appren- ticeship of five years as tailor with P. F. Burgoyne. Taking a trip to the southern part of Ohio, near Columbus, he went back to Plymouth, worked through the winter till spring, then went to visit his brothers in Illinois. Going to Freeport, he worked six months for Mr. Cannon, visited his brothers in the country some time, then went to Cedar Rapids and opened a tailor shop of his own. In 1855 he left there and came to Kossuth county, settling on Black Cat creek and building a cabin at mouth of the creek, on W. Il. Ingham's land, into which he moved Feb-
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ruary 17. In the fall of 1856 Mr. Ingham sold out and bought another claim. Mr. Seely moved with him, and staid with him till 1857. In the spring of 1855 Mr. Seely made a claim, joining the old town site, where the Northwestern depot and the Stacy farm are, which tract he sold for $450, and afterwards made a claim on Black Cat, on section 10 and section 15, half section. Here he partly built a cabin, sold out, removed and took a quarter sec- tion claim on Des Moines river, held it two or three years, entered it, built a cabin and lived on it six months. He was married May 30, 1861, to Alice E. Benschoter, born in Erie Co., Ohio. Mr. Seely took a homestead, joining his squat- ter's claim, built a log cabin, and moved in Nov. 21, 1864, living there till 1880, when he erected a new frame house, which he still occupies. It is situated on section 17, he owning eighty acres on the north- east quarter of this section, and also owns 241 acres on section 8. The Upper Des Moines and Plum creek run through his farm. When Mr. Seely first came here with Mr. Ingham, they were very carly pioneers, and spent their time trapping, and prospecting for better locations. Hav- ing killed a buffalo, and run 100 buffaloes into the creek, they named it Buffalo Fork. They also named Lindner's creek, and Plum creek, on account of the quan- tities of plums found here; also named Black Cat creek, that being a favorite creek of Mr. Ingham's in northern New York. In early days they traveled around visiting, with two yoke of cattle hitched to one wagon. Mr. Seely has five chil- dren-Grant C., Emma .C., Nettie E., James C. and Minnie 11. He has been school director. In politics he is neutral.
Abram Hill came into the township in 1857, purchased the claim of Hauzerman, and settled down to open up a farm. Here he resided until his death, in 1872 or 1873.
Edward Moll, also a settler of 1857, died while a resident of his place.
The Wheelock brothers, during 1857, made a claim, or claims, on the southwest quarter of section 26. They did not stay very long but left the country and have been lost sight of.
Joseph W. Moore now appeared upon the scene and taking up claims and pur- chasing others made quite a respectable place. Mr. Moore was a man of excellent education, and fitted to shine in every society, but his wife being opposed to frontier life, he sold out and went back east, and now lives in Brooklyn, N. Y., where he has attained a goodly share of wealth.
Dr. Amos S. Collins was another of the hardy argonauts of 1857.
William Wilson was another pioneer of the year 1857. He, however, soon sold out and went to Black Hawk county, where he is living at present-one of the wealthy farmers of that section of country.
Jacob Altwegg made a claim in Port- laud, in 1858, where he died.
Jacob Altwegg is a native of Switzer- land, born near Constance, March 4, 1836. He received his education in Constance. When twenty years of age, he came to the United States, and procured employ- ment as book-keeper in a machine shop in Philadelphia, Penn. He remained with this company one year, then went to Port Clinton, where he lived two or three months. He then spent one month in Del- aware Co., Iowa, and in 1858 came to Kos-
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suth Co., Iowa, pre-empting land on the northwest quarter of section 15, township 96, range 28. Ile has sixty acres under cultivation. Mr. Altwegg was married, Nov. 1, 1864, to Jennie, daughter of Alex- ander and Rosetta Brown. They have six children-Lonisa V., Anna R., John A., Mabel E., William H. and Ruth M. Mr. Altwegg is a republican. He is a member of the Dutch Reform Church.
Next, George and Willis Brown made their appearance, in 1858, and taking up claims, prepared to stay. But like others they soon tired of it and pulled up and left the county never to be heard of more.
Jerome Bleakman settled on section 8, during the year 1858. He was originally from Fulton Co., N. Y., and is engaged at present in getting out lumber for pianos in Ohio.
Jonathan Calender also settled in the township in 1858, as did William H. Ing- ham.
William B. Carey moved from Algona township into Portland about the same time.
In the beginning of 1859 James Eg- gers and his son-in-law, Ilurlburt Lake, moved on to a claim owned by them in Portland township, on section 19. Mr. Eggers had come to this county with a stock of goods, but with too large ideas. He dealt on too large a scale for a new country, and consequently went to pieces. He staid on this farm but a short time, when he started for the mountains, where he wandered around in search of wealth, and finally died of the small-pox some where in Colorado, not very long ago. Mr. Lake is now living in Oregon.
The first marriage in the township, united the destinies of Andrew L. Seely and Alice Benschoter, on the 30th of May, 1861.
The first birth was that of Harvey Ing. ham, now the senior editor of the Upper Des Moines, which occurred on the 8th of September, 1858.
The first death was a son of William B. Carey, who was accidentally killed by a gun shot, while hunting in the fall of 1862. lle was crawling through the grass, pulling his gun after him when the hammer catching in some weeds, exploded the charge which killed him instantly.
Since the two items above were written, it has been determined that the following is the first birth and death occurring in Portland township:
The first birth was a child by name of Lake.
The first death was that of a person named Roberts.
The first ground was broken by Lyman Craw, on the northwest quarter of section 20, in the spring of 1855. Mr. Craw also planted the first corn on the sod the same spring.
The first wheat was sown by William HI. Ingham, in the spring of 1858.
The first preaching was by James Eg- gers, who would take a text and expound the Word, if he never was ordained. This was in the fall of 1859, in his own house, on section 19.
'The first sermon by a regularly or- dained or commissioned minister, was de- livered by the Rev. Chauncey Taylor, at the residence of J. Dunton, on section 17, in the spring of 1864.
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The first frame house was built by James Eggers, in 1859. Mr. Ingham put up the second but a short time behind him.
The first postmaster in Portland town- ship was W. H. Ingham, now of Algona.
The first school house was built in 1859 or 1860, on section 30, but the name of the teacher has perished 'neath the weight of years.
The postoffice in Portland was estab- lished in 1859, with W. H. Ingham as postmaster. It was then removed to sec- tion 11, and Sylvanus Ricard made cus- todian of the mail. He was succeeded by Edward Moll, E. Tallman and John Cha- pin, the present incumbent.
The cemetery of Portland was laid out on section 21, township 97, range 28, in February, 1880, by a private corporation, and contains five acres. This is managed chiefly by a board of directors of whom John Chapin is chairman. The officers of the association are: J. II. Grover, presi- dent; E. S. Streeter, treasurer; R. E. Davison, secretary.
Portland township was organized as a civil township Oct. 13, 1869, by resolution of the board of county supervisors, and the first election took place at the Rice school house on section 17, on the 11th of October, 1870. At that time the first officers of the township were chosen, and are as follows: George W. Paine, James Holman and D. Rice, trustees ; Henry Smith, clerk; Edward S. Streeter, assessor; John Chapin and A. S. Gardner, justices. The first officers of the school board were elected at the same time and were : John W. Henry, president ; R. E. Davison, secretary; D. Rice, treasurer.
The present officers are the following named:
Peter Ferguson, L. Hohn and John Wood, trustees; Rodolph Jain, clerk; H. Gilbert, assessor; W. B. Carey and John Chapin, justices; James Whalley, consta- ble. E. P. Keith, president of school board; Rodolph Jain, secretary; D. Rice, treasurer.
The schools of Portland are in a most prosperons condition They are well attended and although there are eleven buildings they are all kept in most excel- lent repair. These structures are all frame and neat and tasty affairs. Schools were taught the last of 1883, by Mrs. Stoughton, Miss Sissen, Emma Seely, Thomas McDermott, Eva Jackson, Susie Gilbert, W. L. Nichols, Ida Swanson, Fan- nie Canlkens, Miss Fairbanks, Lizzie Hohn and Nellie Teeley.
We are indebted to Andreas' State Atlas of Iowa, for the facts in regard to the Indian fight which took place within the limits of Portland township, on sec- tion 8. In 1854, when the settlers first viewed this ground, they found the sod strewn with the skeletons of men and horses. These were all in a state of per- fect preservation, and the number and position of these silent witnesses of the dire affray verify the story here given.
INDIAN FIGHT.
"About wix miles above Algona, on the west side of the river, in April, 1852, a conflict took place between the Musqnaka band of the Sacs and Foxes and a band of Sionx Indians. The incidents of the fight were given to the early white set- tlers by William Burgort, a trapper, who subsequently lived at Northwood, Worth
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county. The Musquakas were under the leadership of a subordinate chief named Ko-Ko Wah, who went up with his party by way of Clear lake to what was then 'neutral ground.' At Clear lake they re- ceived information that the Sioux were encamped on the west side of the East Fork of the Des Moines river; Ko-Ko-wah, with sixty of his warrors, determined to attack them. They arrived in the night, and concealed themselves in the grove on the east side of the river about one mile above the Sioux encampment, where, unper- ceived, they learned the exact position of the enemy.
"In the morning, after many of the Sioux warriors had gone away to hunt, Ko-Ko-wah and his men crossed over the river and attacked the Sioux, before they were prepared to make a successful resist ance. For a short time the conflict wa- desperate, but the advantage was all o. the side of the attacking party, and tin Sioux were completely vanquished. S.x- teen of them were killed, including some of their women and children. A number of their horses were also killed, and a boy fourteen years of age taken prisoner. The Musquakas lost four braves, among whom were Kear-Kurk and Pa-tak-a-py, both distinguished warriors. As the Mus- quakas rushed into the camp of the Sioux a squaw shot Pa-tak a-py in the hreast. He started to run away, and the same squaw, at a distance of twenty rods, shot him through the hody with an arrow, when he fell and expired. But few of the Sionx made their escape, and all their dead were left on the ground unburied. The Musquakas hastily buried their own dead, and with their prisoner, returned as
rapidly as possible to their home in Tama county, and when they arrived spent six or seven days and nights fortifying their village, and in the meantime burned their young Sioux prisoner."
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Among thie most enterprising, live, wide-awake farmers of Kossuth county, are the following, who reside in Portland township.
Oliver Benschoter was born Oct. 21,1816. In the latter part of 1817 his father removed to what is now Erie Co., Ohio, where he resided until death called him away to a better land. Oliver continued to live with his mother until 1833, when she too passed away into a better world. The subject of our sketch remained in Erie county until 1856, when he started west. Ile stopped in Delaware Co., Iowa, that winter, and in the spring of 1857 came to Kossuth county and located in Algopa. He immediately started a black- smith shop, being the pioneer blacksmith of the county. He ran his shop in Al- gona for several years. In 1861 he pre- empted the farm in Portland township, where he now lives, section 32, township 96, range 28. He has 160 acres of land, he also has twenty-four acres of timber on his place. He held the office of sheriff of Kossuth county from 1860 to 1866. In 1836 he was united in marriage with Martha Kemp, of Ohio. She was born in Vermont, in 1819. She died in 1859, leaving six children-William, Alice, Polly, George, Grant and Evaline. On Dec. 11, 1862, Mr. Benschoter was mar- ried to Sarah Crose, born in Indiana, June 30, 1841. By this union there were ten children-Frank, Nel and Nellie, twins,
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Jennie, Herbert, Olive, Louisa and George. One of Mr. Benschoter's sons enlisted during the War of the Rebellion and died at Little Rock, Ark., in 1863. Mr. Ben- schoter is a republican. He is truly a pioneer of Kossuth county, and is most highly respected by his fellow citizens and neighbors.
John A. Millis, a native of Warren Co., N. Y., is a son of John and Louis (Holmes) Millis, born April 4, 1823. When twenty- six years of age he removed to Sheboy- gan Co., Wis., and worked at the carpen- ter trade, which he had learned in Troy, N. Y. In 1858 he came to Kossuth county, locating in Algona, and worked at his trade for six years. He then pur- chased eighty acres of land on section 10, township 97, range 24, Portland town- ship. He also cwns eighty acres adjoin- ing this farm on the north. In 1874 he erected a nice house on his farm. He is engaged principally in stock raising. On the 9th of January, 1847, he was united in marriage to Elsie Vanzandt, of Al- bany Co., N. Y. They have had seven children, two of whom are living-My- ron H., married and living in Algona, where he works at his trade, that of car- penter; Lilly, who lives with her parents. Mr. Millis is a republican. They are mem- bers of the M. E. Church.
Thomas Gilbride was born April 11, 1831, in Ireland. Coming to America in 1856, he landed at New York, and in 1857 went to Algona, Kossuth Co., Iowa, where he lived two years, and pre-empted the land where he is now living, on section 29, township 06, range 28, owning 320 acres. For one year he kept house alone on section 19, making his own Johnnie
cakes. If he made more cakes than he could use up at one time, the timber squirrels were so plenty, they would come in through the cracks, and steal the John- nie cakes left, eating them as they sat on the limbs of the trees close by. He then moved to DeKalb Co., Ill., and worked for money to make a start, there being no money at this time in northwestern Iowa. In 1865 he returned to Kossuth county and took possession of his claim, went to farming in earnest, and is now one of the successful farmers of the county. He makes a specialty of stock raising, and takes his own stock to Chicago and Mil- waukee for market. Ile built him a cabin, and in 1869 married Ann Stokes, a native of Ireland. They have five children- Mamie, Libbie, William H. and James P., twins; and Aggie. Politically he is a re- publican.
Rodolph Jain, son of Benjamin and Auna Jain, was born July 3, 1841, near Lake Geneva, Switzerland. When he was six years old his parents came to America, landing in New York, and going from there to Jefferson Co., N. Y., where they lived seven years on a farm. They then moved to Dane Co., Wis., making it their home ten years. From there Rodolph came to Kossuth Co., Iowa, and settled, taking a homestead in 1864 and working for some time in its vicinity. He was married Jan. 1, 1866, to Alice Chapel. They have four children-Charles F., Emma L., Eva L. and Harry. In politics he is a republican, is now township clerk, also secretary of the board of directors, and takes some interest in county affairs.
Moses L. Godden was born Feb. 26, 1843, in Wiltsshire, England. His parents emi-
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grated to America in 1852, settling in Will Co., Ill. They remained there about two years, when they removed to Iowa, locating in Monona, Clayton county. Af- ter remaining in the latter place twelve years, the subject of this sketch removed to Kossuth county, locating on the south- west quarter of section 6, township 96, range 28, then Algona township, now Portland, where he still resides. Mr. Godden was married, May 21, 1870, to Charlotte Hudson, a native of Ohio. They have six children-David, Carrie, Clark, Ida, Jacob and Charlotte. Mr. Godden is an enterprising young farmer and deals extensively in stock.
Henry A. Smith, son of William H. and Esther J. Smith, was born July 21, 1829, in Milford township, Knox Co., Ohio. He lived with his parents until Jan. 12, 1846, when he went to Pennsylvania, liv- ing two years in Crawford and Mercer counties, and learning the trade of a black- smith. He started home, and while at Wooster, Ohio, he enlisted in the 15th United States Infantry, and was sent im- mediately to Newport Barracks, Ky., to drill. The war with Mexico closing at this time his services were not needed, so he was discharged on Feb. 11, 1848, and arrived at his home on the 13th. He lived with his parents until Oct. 19, 1852, when he was married to Dorcas A., dangh- ter of David and Abigail L. Ash. He afterwards removed to Linn Co., Iowa ; remained there about one year, and re- moved to Dane Co., Wis., arriving there in April, 1855. He located in Primrose township, and lived there until May, 1861. He enlisted in the State service at Madi- son, Wis., and on June 11th, enlisted for
three years, in company H, 2d regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and was immediately sent to Washington, D. C. He participated in the battles of Black- burn's Ford, July 18, 1861; Bull Run, July 21, 1861, and the battles of the Rappa- hannock, on Ang. 21 to 27, inclusive, in 1862. Having contracted granulation of the eyelids, he was unfitted for active field duty, and was detailed on light duty un- til he received. his discharge, June 14, 1864. He arrived home on the 2d of July, remaining only a few days, when he came to Iowa to look up a location. In August, 1864, he entered as a homestead, the north- east quarter of section 27, township 97, range 28, Portland township. He imme- diately removed his family to their new home and where they have since resided. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have three children -William H., married and living in Hum- boldt, Iowa ; Walter H. and Esther O. Mr. Smith was a democrat before the war, was a republican after the war, and is now a greenbacker. He has been a member of the Grange ever since its organization in Portland township. Mr. Smith draws a pension of 830 per month. He has served four terms as township clerk, and one term as assessor. While living in Wisconsin, he was a member of the Free Will Baptist Church, but has not identified himself with any Church since coming to Iowa.
Daniel Rice was born Oct. 25, 1837, in Herkimer Co., N. Y., where he lived until 1857, and then started for California in June, by way of the Isthmus, being four weeks on the journey. He remained in California six years, farming and lum- bering, then returned by the same ronte
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to New York, and stayed one year at home. In January, 1864, he came west, settling on section 20, township 96, range 28, where he has since lived, owning 155 acres of fine land, raising grain and caring for all kinds of stock. Mr. Rice was county supervisor ten years, and is now township treasurer. Ile was married Sept. 19, 1863, to Sylvania Griffin, born in Herkimer Co., N. Y. They have five children-Clark, Lora, Forest, Minnie and Caroline. In politics, he is a republican.
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