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 84

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 84

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"After a careful consideration of the of- ficial reports, comments, and rejoinders which have appeared in the public prints, together with such personal examination and inquiry as we have been able to make, we are of the opinion that Mr. Taft has dealt honestly with the friends of Hum- boldt College, and we deem it but just to him, and to the Unitarians who furnished the bulk of the donations, to give this judgment to the public.

S. B. PHINNEY, HAPGOOD WRIGHT, C. H. WATERS, LEONARD A. JONES,

J. C. DELANO, MOSES TAFT, JOHN E. WILLIAMS, NATHANIEL SEAVER, JR."

The judgment of the eastern trustees was endorsed by the western members in the communication following:

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The undersigned, trustees of Humboldt College, having carefully read the forego- ing statement made by the eastern mem- bers of the board, relative to President Taft and Humboldt College, give to the same our unqualified endorsement.

J. N. PROUTY, I. L. WELCH, B. H. HARKNESS.

HUMBOLDT, Iowa, April 17, 1876.

Eastern members of the board of trus- tees of Humboldt College:

SIRS :- Familiar as I am with the facts pertaining to the inception, birth and ac- tual life of Humboldt College, and pain- fully conscious of the imperative demand for it, and realizing the almost super-hu- man efforts put forth by President Taft to secure it to the people of this vast re- gion in northwestern Iowa, I would em- phasize my hearty endorsement of your statement made April 12.

Yours most truly,

L. S. COFFIN. FORT DODGE, Iowa, April 17, 1876.

I fully endorse the views of the eastern members of the board of trustees as herein stated; and take pleasure in saying that from my knowledge of Mr. Taft, person- ally, and from the opportunity which I have had to be personally cognizant of the ardor, enthusiasm and spirit of self-sacri- fice which has characterized his efforts in behalf of Humboldt College, it affords me the highest gratification that the true men who have hitherto sympathized with this enterprise, seem so well to understand him and so fully to appreciate his work. Very respectfully, C. C. CARPENTER. WASHINGTON, D. C., April 15, 1876.

The earnest sympathy which leading men and scholars, both in Iowa and the east expressed in the enterprise, was full of promise to the school. The following extracts from published college docu- ments, indicates something of this sympa- thy:

"The undersigned take pleasure in recommending Mr. Taft as a gentleman of integrity and business capacity, enti- tling him to the fullest confidence of all who desire to promote the educational interests of the west.

ED. WRIGHT, C. C. CARPENTER, W. M. STONE, JOHN ELLIOT, A. S. KISSELL, SAMUEL MERRILL, B. F. GuE."

Of the institution the Rev. Dr. Morri- son, of Boston, who by appointment visit- ed Iowa in 1871, to investigate and report upon its character and claims, says:

" The conclusions to which I have come in regard to Humboldt College are these:

"The people who have the enterprise in hand are honest, competent and thor- oughly in earnest, and will carry it on wisely and economically if the necessary funds are provided.

" The location which they have chosen is peculiarly favorable to such an enter- prise. An unsectarian college established there, and liberally endowed, will for cen- turies have a great and important influ- ence through that whole region of almost boundless fertility."

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FROM REV. W. H. FURNESS, D. D. PHILADELPHIA, Jan., 1873.

MR. JOHN SHIPPEN:

My Dear Sir :- I have great pleasure in recommending to your kind regard, my friend, Rev. Mr. Taft, of Iowa, a man worthy of all confidence and respect. He is doing a work in which I am glad to help him in every way.

With best wishes and sincere respect, W. H. FURNESS.

FROM REV. EDWARD E. HALE.

BOSTON, Oct. 20, 1873.

It is a pleasure to me to commend to any friend of mine, Humboldt College and its excellent president, Rev. S. H. Taft, for three reasons:

First. That on the very frontier of the country, which will soon be the center of a large population, it establishes a Chris- tian school, which will be the Exeter Academy for that region.

Second. This plan would be idle but that a responsible board of trustees, con- sisting of men of character, well known in Iowa, is responsible for it.

Third. The president, in whom I place implicit confidence, is determined that it shall succeed, and had rather die than that it should fail.

Those of our friends who have visited the college are much encouraged by the prospects there. EDWARD E. HALE. Minister Sonth Cong. Church, Boston. FROM REV. THOMAS HILL, D. D. PORTLAND, Nov. 12, 1873. PRESIDENT TAFT:

My Dear Sir :- The enclosed has been handed me for yon. I know not how much it contains, but however large the sum, I wish it was ten times as great, for

I feel sure that there is no opportunity now open to the friends of a liberal Chris- tian education for doing more useful work than in aiding your efforts to establish a college on a religious but unsectarian basis, in that garden of the world, the Upper Des Moines Valley; in a rapidly growing population; farther beyond An- tioch College than Antioch is beyond New York; and far enough beyond even the State University of Iowa to meet the wants of thousands who cannot come so far east to school as even to Iowa City.

Very truly your friend, THOMAS HILL.

"Tbe undersigned are persnaded that the institution which Mr. Taft represents stands in an important relation to the po- litical, moral and religious welfare of a large section of our common country. J. M. ATWOOD, WENDELL PHILLIPS, J. M. MANNING,

DIO LEWIS, R. C. WATERSTON, CHARLES LOWE, WM. LLOYD GARRISON."

ACTION TAKEN BY THE NATIONAL CONFER- ENCE OF LIBERAL CHRISTIAN CHURCHES, HELD IN NEW YORK, OCT. 19, 20 AND 21, 1870.

"Resolved, That this Conference recog- nizes in Humboldt College an important instrumentality for the promotion of lib- eral education and Christianity, and we hereby heartily recommend it to the prac- tical sympathy of all liberal Christians."

The number of students in attendance during the first term of the college was fifty, and the number steadily increased

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until there appeared in the catalogue for the second year the following summary:

Students in preparatory course 27 Students in partial course. 34

Students in English course. 50

Total. 111

The attendance during the third year was still larger. L'p to the close of the third year no tuition was charged, owing to the poverty of many who desired to attend. At the beginning of the fourth year a tuition of $5 a term was charged. This caused a falling off in the attendance.

The institution was in operation be- tween eight and nine years, during which time hundreds of young men and women, who could not have gone to school else- where, availed themselves of its advan- tages. That it has largely promoted the educational and social well being of society there can be no question.

In February, 1874, the county superin- tendent, A. D. Bicknell, in his report to · the State superintendent said: "Educa- tional interests have made great advance in this county within the last year, due chiefly to the establishment of Humboldt College, which secures to our teachers higher educational advantages. Many have availed themselves of its benefits, and their subsequent teaching has shown the effects of superior training."

In the report of the State superintend- ent of public instruction, made to the General Assembly of Iowa, for 1873 and 1874, on page 111, Humboldt College is referred to as greatly advancing the in- terests of education by the opportunity it

has given to the teachers to more thor- oughly qualify themselves for their work; and much satisfaction was expressed on account of the large number who had availed themselves of its advantages.

After devoting seven years to establish- ing and carrying forward the school, Mr. Taft withdrew from his chosen field of labor, impelled thereto partly by the press- ing claims of his financial interests, but chiefly by, what he considered, the un- reasoning and persistent opposition with which he had to contend in the east. The school continued as long as the funds pro- cured for it lasted, and then its doors were closed.

That the location of the school was well chosen, and that the promise of success for such an institution as Mr. Taft plan- ned was all he claimed, few, if any, will now question. But whether the suspend- ed work will be resumed and so carried forward as to realize the high hopes and aspirations of its builder, the future must decide.

The names of the several professors who have taught in the school are: D. B. Stone, Julius Stevens, John McLeod, F. L. Harvey, W. J. Lloyd, Leonard Brown, S. H. Taft, A. Earthman and Alice E. Tibbetts.

Much time and hard work has been given to the school by the trustees, for which no pecuniary consideration was asked or given. But J. N. Prouty, as trustee, member of the executive commit- tee and secretary, gave more time and hard work than all others.

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CHAPTER XVII.

REMINISCENCES OF PIONEER DAYS.

BY REV. B. H. TAFT.

A PIONEER DINNER.

In January, 1863, I left home early in the morning to look for trees of sufficient height to make the large long timbers for my grist mill. I had proceeded up the East Fork to the mouth of Lott's creek, which point I reached about 1 o'clock, and thought it time to take dinner. Knowing that a Mr. Palmer lived on the north side of the creek, about one and a half miles from the river, I turned my footsteps in that direction. Upon reach- ing the house and asking for dinner, Mrs. Palmer replied that they would give me such food as they were living on; remark- ing at the same time that Mr. Palmer had gone to mill, having been absent from home three days, but would return within two or three days if he had good luck. Upon being told that whatever they had would be acceptable, she ground some buckwheat in a coffee-mill and made some griddle cakes, which she put upon the ta- ble with some sorghum molasses, of which I ate heartily.

A SKEPTICAL HELPER.

About the 1st of February, John John- ston drew the first load of timber for the mill, and unloaded it on the prairie where River Park now is. As the timbers were very heavy I helped him unload. When the last log was rolled off, Mr. Johnston

straightened up, and pointing to the tim- bers, said, "There, Mr. Taft, is the be ginning of your town;" and the laugh which followed his remark revealed the most utter skepticism regarding my whole enterprise.

AN UNLOOKED-FOR COMPLIMENT.

During the winter of 1863 I had cut a good many saw logs on the south bank of the East Fork, just below the McCauley Ford, and had them rolled off on the ice for the purpose of taking them to the saw mill above. They were left upon the ice until sufficient snow should fall to re- move them. While waiting, a sudden thaw set in, and it became necessary to remove the logs to the opposite bank without delay. Early one morning dur- ing this emergency I called on Barney Calahan, who had promised to help me with his team. But Mr. Calahan had as many reasons for not going as neighbor Scrapewell had for not lending his old mare; and for a short time it seemed as if all my solicitations and appeals would prove unavailing. At last, however, he consented, very reluctantly, to go. I at once commenced to help harness the team. After driving about three miles we came to the field of operation, and found from three to four inches of water on the ice. Nothing daunted, we commenced work in

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good earnest and succeeded in removing all but three of the logs before night. Both of us got thoroughly wet, and the horses broke through into the river twice, but on the whole we succeeded in our work remarkably well. On our way back to Mr. Calahan's residence, I spoke of our success in a cheerful manner, remarking to Mr. Calahan that I hoped he appre- ciated the reasons for my persistency in the morning. His reply was, "Oh, Mr. Taft, you did right; I don't blame you at all, for a mon engaged in such work as you are, must carry a dom hard face." I immediately changed the subject of con- versation.

UNINVITED COMPANY.

About the Ist of March, 1863, I drove up to E. Clark's, in Kossuth county, to get a load of potatoes, and returned by way of S. B. Bellow's, where I took on some fresh pork. It was after 9 o'clock in the evening when I left Mr. Bellow's, and it being very dark, I had to drive quite slow across the prairie. I had not gone more than a mile when I heard sundry barks, north and east of me. I soon be- came aware of the fact that the fresh pork was attracting the attention of wolves, which were following me. Judging from their bark that they were prairie wolves, I felt but little alarm. Still the music of sleigh bells or of a cornet band would have been much more pleasant. They fol- lowed me almost to Dakota City.

AN UNLOOKED FOR BAPTISM.

In the spring of 1865, I went back to New York to return with parties forming the colony. We traveled by rail to Ne- vada, thence across the prairie to Roe's Grove, by team. Before reaching the

place where we were to spend the night, darkness settled upon us. A lantern be- ing lit, I walked in advance of the team. The prairies were covered with water, in many places being quite deep. In one slough we had to cross, the water was running knee keep. Here, Christian Sny- der left the wagon and joined me, to ren- der what aid he could in leading the team. We were walking a little distance apart, feeling our way under the water with our feet, when I suddenly dropped into a well. I threw out my hands and reached the sides, but would have been trod- den under foot by the single horse which was being driven ahead of the double team, if Mr. Snyder had not seized me and helped me out; which feat I had barely accomplished when the horse stepped into the well. The double team made a sudden halt, when Mr. Snyder and my- self caught the horse by his head and drew him over on his side, so that he floated down below the well and struggled to his feet. The team and wagon passed safely below the opening. The lantern was bap- tized with me, but fortunately we were not far from our stopping place, and was able to make the rest of the journey with- ont further trouble. Not having a change of raiment, I passed my clothes ont the bed-room door, and the landlady had them dried nicely for me next morning.

AN ADVENTUROUS RIDE.

In the early autumn of 1869, the politi- cal excitement ran high in the county, and three sets of delegates were appointed to attend the representative convention to be held at Yatesville, Calhoun county. One was called the Springvale delegation, one the Dakota delegation and one the Rut-

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land delegation, each claiming to be the regular delegation. To reach Yatesville by the shortest route, we had to drive across the country where there were no bridges; and to add to the difficulties of the situation, the water was very high. J. D. Springer rode with me in a light wagon. After fording a number of streams which nearly swam our horses, we came to one which was very deep and rapid, and the water so high above the banks we could not tell where the best crossing place was-the banks being quite abrupt. Up to this point we had boldly driven through all the creeks and sloughs; but here, we thought it prudent to panse and reconnoiter. Mr. Springer solved the dif- ficulty by giving me his clothes, and plunging into the rapid current to find the best place to cross. In the middle of the stream the water was over his head. Af- ter pointing out the best place for me to drive, he swam to the opposite shore. I drove in, keeping the horses headed up stream at an angle of about forty degrees, so as not to be swept down below the place of egress, and reached the opposite bank in safety. We soon reached our destination and felt fully compensated for our trouble by being recognized as the regular delegation.

THE GREAT STORMS OF 1866-7.

On the 13th of February, 1866, in com- pany with Messrs. Stone and Pearcy, I went down to Fort Dodge, driving on the river. The day was cloudy and quite warm, with no wind until about 5 o'clock iu the afternoon, when a gentle breeze set in from the northwest, and small round particles of snow began to fall. We left Fort Dodge just before dark, and made

our way homeward, unconscious of the fact that there was sweeping down upon ns one of the most fearful storms that had ever swept the prairies since they had been inhabited by the white man. Noth- ing appeared to awaken suspicion of dan- ger until we had come within half a mile of the McLean Ford, when a shrill cut- ting blast swept by, making music in the trees on the river bank. Then all was still for perhaps three minutes, when there came another, exceeding the first both in strength and duration; and with still less time intervening, came another, more Re- vere than its predecessor. Before we reached home it had become quite wild. The team, however, was put np without much difficulty, and I had entered the house, took off my overcoat and sat down by the fire when the storm broke forth with all its fury. Gust after gust of wind dashed against the house, causing it to creak and tremble like a vessel in a storm at sea. It seemed as if the old supersti- tion-that the prince of darkness con- trolled the storms-was becoming a reali- ty. All night and all the next day the storm raged with unabated fury. No one could safely go a single rod from the house, for the dashing, whirling wind and snow utterly blinded and confused who- ever ventured into it. To add to the ter- rors of the storm, the cold suddenly be- came intense. Great was the suffering caused by that storm. Many persons per- ished. A boy fourteen years of age, liv- ing in Dakota City, froze to death. Had the storm burst forth a few hours earlier, the loss of life must have been fearful to contemplate. One hour earlier and the writer would never have related, in this

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world, his experience in this great storm. I was not so fortunate in being sheltered from a similar storm which introduced the next winter to the pioneers of northern Iowa. On a warm and slightly cloudy morningin December, I ordered upthe team and democrat wagon to drive to the "Fort" with Mr. Lawler and Albert Pinney. The day being so warm I concluded to let my sons, Frederick and William, go with me. One eleven, and the other nine years of age. Just as we reached the "Fort" the wind sprang up from the north, and it began to snow, growing colder every moment. We concluded our business as quickly as possible and started home in the face of the increasing storm. On reaching Mr. Haverland's, I directed the men to get some straw from a stack, and putting it in the bottom of the wagon had the boys lay down, fastening over them a large oil-cloth, with which we protected loads of flour and grain from the storms. The snow cut our faces almost like shot, but by the men holding an umbrella close in front of my face, I was enabled to see to drive very well during daylight. Night came on and we were yet seven miles from home. It was only because of my familiarity with every rod of ground to be passed over that I could keep the road at all. The snow was forming drifts in places, which often cansed the horses to stumble. Realizing our increasing peril, I drove as I had never driven before. On we pressed, well aware that the breaking of a wheel or the laming of a horse would render our situation desperate in the extreme, since no friendly shelter was within reach. During the last mile of our ride we encountered drifts that were al-

most im passable. We finally reached home, but not without permanently dis- abling one of the horses. Our reaching home not only saved our lives, but also the lives of Mrs. Pinney and five children. Mr. Pinney lived in the upper part of the mill, and both he and his son, George, were sick with the fever. Mr. Pinney had been removed to Mrs. Wickes' to be cared for. Soon after dark, on that event- ful evening, Mrs. Pinney observed that the double door in the east end of the room showed signs of giving way, and she placed against it such things as she could to help break the force of the wind. Albert being with mne, there was no one to help her, so she was compelled to await his return. Little by little she saw the fastenings giving way before the increas- ing storm, and her suspense had become almost unbearable when she heard foot- steps on the stairs. Albert and Mr. Law- ler entered, but before she could tell them of the peril they had been in, the central fastening gave way, letting in the snow and wind, and extinguishing the light. The strength of the two men was taxed to its utmost before the door was closed and fastened. If the men had not re- turned at the time they did, the whole family must have perished.

A NARROW ESCAPE.

Among the several narrow escapes from drowning which attended my strng- gles with the water in times of floods, the following was the most exciting inci- dent: The water was running over the diking on the west side of the river, making it necessary to strengthen it. Many loads of stone had been taken across, but before the work was completed

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a storm of wind swept down the river with such force that crossing the river with a load of stone was impossible. I greatly desired to see how the dike was standing the pressure, and proposed to E. Belcher that we cross on the flat boat without a load. We pushed out with our poles, but soon became aware that we would be carried over the dam before we . could cross, as we were being swept down steam with fearful rapidity. To go over the dam was certain destruction; and our only chance for life was to get back to the side from which we started. Neither of us had to speak of the danger before us, for we could read it in each other's faces, as well as in the dark waters upon which we were riding. I stationed Mr. Belcher upon the upper end of the boat, while I took position at the other end, telling him to be sure and jump from the boat toward the shore, just before we reached the dam. We succeeded in reaching shore, but not without being thoroughly drenched from our jump into the river.

A CHILD'S JOY POETICALLY EXPRESSED.

About the 1st of December, 1864, Mrs. Taft was prostrated with typhoid fever, brought on by over-taxation and exposure. She was unconscious of what was going on around her within twenty-four hours after relinquishing work. The building we occupied was simply boarded and bat- tened; built of native lumber, and was so open that snow drifted in when the wind blew. We used to keep a piece of carpet under the bed, to draw out in the morning, so as not to stand in snow while dressing. In this dwelling lay Mrs. Taft, in a helpless and unconscious state for

about two weeks. I fastened a blanket over, and lung sheets around her bed to keep out the wind and snow. I also kept hot bricks in the bed and on her pillows to temper the atmosphere. But with all I could do, the water used to wet her lips with, would often become frozen. Who- ever watched over her had to have hot bricks to put their feet upon, and one to hold in their hands. After watching until greatly exhausted, I got Mrs. McLean to come and spend a night, and I retired about 9 o'clock. I had not been asleep an hour when the watcher called me, saying she could not endure the severity of the cold; nor was it strange, since the ther- mometer marked eighteen degrees below zero outside and the wind was blowing so hard as to cause the lamp to flare in any place it was put in the house. Every morning, on getting up, the boys would go to the bedside of their mother and look sadly into her unanswering eyes. One night, about two weeks from the ad- vent of her disease, I noticed favorable symptoms in the patient, as she seemed to rest and sleep quietly from about mid- night. Sidney, the youngest boy, not quite four years old, came down first that morning, and, as usual, went to the bed- side; pushing a chair against the bed, he crept up in to it so as to see his mother. I hastened to the bed to prevent him from disturbing the sleeper, when he turned toward me, with his face all aglow, exclaiming, "Papa, manima looks good at me." The fever had left the sufferer, and Mrs. Taft had regained consciousness and looked at the little watcher with a mother's tender love. That was a joyous morning to us all.

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The following is an incident in connec- tion with the college controversy:

In the autumn of 1876 I was called to pass through an experience so dark, that as I call it to mind it seems more like a fearful dream than a reality. I had for seven years devoted myself to a work which commended itself to the favor of many of the noblest men and women of the age; a work which had already confer- red priceless blessings upon many young men and women; and one to promote which I had counted no possible sacrifice too great. In the midst of this work, the able but mistaken minister of the Chris- tian Register, a journal read by nearly all of those who had extended to me sympa- thy and aid, set me forth before the world as a deceiver, who had taken advantage of the confidence and sympathy of Christian people to promote my own selfish ends; and acting upon the assumption that I was as unworthy as he had represented me to be, he concluded his mistaken and unjust arraignment and condemnation by saying that I had not a moral standing entitling me to any opportunity of mak-

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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 84

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