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 86
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FIRST THINGS.
The first birth within the township was that of Minnie G. Avery, who was born upon the 21st of July, 1866.
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About the Ist of January, 1862, Minnie, the daughter of Charles Sherman, was born, but as the house stood just over the line, in Wacousta, it is doubtful whether Miss Sherman can claim to have been born in Avery township.
The first death in the township was Mrs. Charles Sherman, in December, 1863. Her remains were buried in Wa- cousta cemetery, near Mr. Coffin's.
The pioneer marriage was that of Charles Sherman to Sylvia Ingham, a daughter of a Fort Dodge clergyman, which took place in November, 1864. They were married at Fort Dodge, al- though he was a resident of Avery town- ship.
The first corn was planted and the first wheat was sown by O. F. Avery.
The first school was taught by Mrs. Ellen Ryder, in 1864.
The first school house was a temporary one, erected in 1864, by O. F. Avery, at a cost of $35. A. Adams was the first teacher here.
The first bridge in the township was built by Mr. Avery, in 1861.
The first log cabin was built by Fenton in 1857, in which he lived for a short time. He left here and went to Fort Dodge.
The first frame building was erected by D. W. Ryder, the stock man, in 1863.
Avery township was organized in 1873, the election for the first officers taking place at the general election in the fall of that year. The following is a list of those
chosen: Charles James, Moses Adams and George W. Dodson, trustees; D. K. Blood, clerk; Orlando Goddin, assessor; O. F. Avery, justice.
The postoffice was established in 1864, and O. F. Avery was appointed the first postmaster. It was first called Humboldt, afterwards Park Grove.
In February, 1883, the Baptists of this township withdrew from the Rutland Church, of that denomination, and organ- ized a Church at home. The new institu- tion is still under the charge of Rev. R. Persons, of the Rutland Church, who meets his little flock in Avery as often as convenient and provides for their spiritual wants. The Church at its commencement had some twenty-two members, and is in- creasing in interest and numbers.
There is also a Methodist class here, presided over by Rev. Mr. Flint, of the Rutland circuit, and which bids fair to organize as a Church society at no distant day.
That the children may not be forgotten a union Sabbath school has been instituted, which runs the year around. The work- ers in this portion of the Lord's vineyard grow not weary of winter's cold, nor faint with the heat of summer, and they have their reward in having a fine, interesting school. J. S. Vanhorn and Minnie Moe are the most prominent in this work, al- though they have most excellent assist- ants.
The Good Templar's Lodge of Avery was organized in January, 1881, with some twenty-two charter members. It has been very successful and prosperous, and the meetings held at school house No. 1 are largely attended. The following is a
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list of the first officers: J. L. Van Horn, W. C. T .; Mrs. C. N. King, W. V. T .; C. Bowen, W. S .; James F. Moe, W. T .; C. N. King, W. M .; T. H. Merchant, W. F. S. BRADGATE.
This village, which is located upon the Toledo branch of the Chicago & North- western Railroad, was laid out by the Western Town Lot Company in the win- ter of 1881-2, and the plat filed for record on the 7th of March, 1882.
The first store was opened prior to the platting of the village, by C. N. King, in the fall of 1876. This he operated until the spring of 1883 when he closed it out.
The present general merchandise busi- ness is represented by Lyman Booth.
The building now owned by E. C. Colby was built by J. S. Langloss, in 1881, who rented it to Lyman Booth.
J. H. Queal & Co. opened a lumber yard and operated it for about a year, when they abandoned the enterprise and shipped the stock to Paulina. This busi- ness is represented at present by Hollis & Co., who commenced here in August, 1883. They are also large dealers in all kinds of stock, coal and produce, and are among the enterprising men of the place.
The first blacksmith shop was put up by P. H. Mead, in October, 1883. HIe came here from New Hartford, Butler county.
In the summer of 1863 there was a great scare throughout all this part of the county. It seems that a party of Indians, in all their savage panoply of war paint, came into Avery and encamped in the grove. There were forty-nine red men in all, and their mission was not peaceful. One of them went to the house of Mr.
Harvey, and as that gentleman's wife was alone, she became somewhat frightened and fled to her husband for protection. The settlers now became warned of the presence of this hody of savage foes, and determined to scout around to see what were the plans of the Indians. Gathering up their wives and little ones, they placed them for protection in the court house at Rolfe, and at the residence of O. F. Avery, and then started off "on the scout." Among this band, were, of course, many who, as they marched along, londly ex- plained what they would do if they came in contact with the savages. As time wore on and the cavalcade approached the timber near Lizzard lake, these vaporings grew less and less, and each man seemed determined to walk behind every body else. On coming close to the grove, and seeing the signs of Indians all abont, these brave men immediately beat a masterly retreat. But four men, and they the ones who had said the least, entered the tim- ber. Here they found a deserted camp and not an Indian near. Mr. Metcalf, seeing a white crane near by, raised his gun and shot it. Scarce had the explosion sounded upon the air, when the brave boys who had acted as the reserve, upon the outside of the grove, were seen to fall back with more regard to haste, than order. This war party proceeded from here into Nebraska, or Dakota, where they were cut off by a band of savages, with whom they had some feud.
Job Metcalf, son of Thomas and Han- nah (Belcher) Metcalf, was born Nov. 13, 1822, in Lincolnshire, England. When he was about six years old, his parents emi- grated to Canada, where they remained
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about fifteen years. He went from there to Daysville, Conn., and lived several years. He enlisted July 24, 1862, in com- pany H, of the 18th Connecticut, Volun- teer Infantry, and while in the service, participated in several important battles. In June, 1863, he was taken prisoner, and detained at Libby prison, a short time, then removed to Bell Island where he re- mained six or eight weeks. In the spring of 1866, he came to Humboldt county and bought 174 acres of land on section 17, of Avery township, which he lost, it be- ing railroad land. He has since purchased eighty acres on section 20, of the same township. He was married Sept. 4, 1871, to Harriet Thompson, daughter of John and Harriet Thompson. They have five children - Jessie, Millie, Bertie, Guy and Clyde. Mr. Metcalf is a member of the republican party.
George P. Brown was born in Stock- bridge, Mass., Jan. 23, 1830. In 1836 his parents moved to Rochester, N. Y., and remained about eight years. He then went to Fond du Lac Co., Wis., where he lived on a farm until the spring of 1870. At that date he came to Humboldt county and purchased a farm of 160 acres in Avery township, section 26, where he still resides. He is engaged in farming and stock raising; also breeding all leading strains of pure bred poultry. He was married Feb. 12, 1856, to Mary A. Heath- cote, daughter of Giles and Mary Heath- cote, and a native of England. They have had eight children, seven of whom are living-Emma L., Carrie M., Walter H., Giles H., Nelson G., George N. and Grace M. Their eldest son, Charles C., died Dec. 9, 1881, and is buried in the
Rutland cemetery. Emma L. was mar- ried Nov. 23, 1881, to Rev. James A. Mc- Glone, rector of St. Marks' Episcopal Church, in Milwaukee, Wis. Mrs. Brown is a member of the Episcopal Church. Mr. Brown belongs to the democratic party.
H. E. Stephens, a prominent farmer of Avery township, is the son of Perry and Harriet (Sloan) Stephens, born Oct. 13, 1842, in Kane Co., Ill. At the age of seventeen he attended school at Pompey Hill, Onondaga Co., N. Y., one year, then returned to Illinois and worked upon his father's farm until the war broke out. He then enlisted in company D, of the 15th Illinois regiment, in which he served three years, after which he re-enlisted in company F, 2d regiment of United States Veteran Volunteers, and served till the close of the war. He returned to Kane Co., Ill., and in company with his brother engaged in buying and selling stock. In June, 1867, he sold his farm, but con- tinued to buy grain and stock until Octo- ber of that year, when he went to Min- eral Point, Wis., and remained until February, 1868. He then went to Elgin, Ill., where he was in partnership with a Mr. Beckwith, continuing his former busi- ness, until March, 1869. In that year he went to Kossuth Co., Iowa, and settled upon some land which he had purchased two years previously. In 1874 he sold his farm and went to St. Joseph Co., Mich., and lived on his father's farm until Angust, 1875, when he returned to Kos- snth county and engaged in buying stock. In March, 1876, he came to Humboldt county and bought a farm on section 14, Avery township. It contains 300 acres of
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rich land. Mr. Stephens was married Dec. 4, 1873, to Lizzie A. Bates, of Oak- field, Genesee Co., N. Y. They have six children-Emma, Grace, Luther H., Perry, Mary Ann and Baby. Mrs. Stephens is a member of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Stephens has been director or secre-
tary of the school board since 1877. Ile also held the office of township clerk from 1881 to 1883. At present he is county supervisor from Avery township. He belongs to the republican party, and is one of the most popular and enterpris- ing citizens of the county.
CHAPTER XX.
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BEAVER TOWNSHIP.
All of that portion of Humboldt county, | 1850, Augusta came to Iowa, locating in comprised in congressional township 91 northi, range 28 west, with the exception of section 6, is known as that of Beaver. It lies in the southern tier, and is bounded on the north by Grove, on the east by Norway, on the west by Corinth townships, and on the south by Webster county.
The party who had the honor of being the first settler in Beaver was Robert Marshall, who came in March, 1859, and located a claim upon section 33, where he remained for some years.
The second settler was A. P. Webber, who located npon section 32, in May, 1863, where he is living at present, the oldest inhabitant of the township, and one of the influential citizens.
Augustus P. Webber is the son of Lo- renzo and Sophia (Pease) Webber, and was born Oct. 6, 1832, in Hampden Co., Mass. In 1839, the family moved to Huron Co., Ohio, where they remained two and one-half years, and then removed to Steuben Co., Ind., from whence, in
Clayton county. He worked there, at farming, mining and various ocenpations until 1857, when starting out to make a home for himself he went to Chero- kee county, where he was a pioneer, and located upon a farm. During his resi- dence there, he was postmaster of Chero- kee, also one of the first trustees of that township, and drew the plans and specifi- cations for the first court house erected in that county. He also served as road com- missioner and located the first road from Cherokee to the junction of the Floyd river in Woodbury county. In 1858 he re- moved to Webster City, and lived there until May 17, 1833, at which date he came to Humboldt county and settled on the farm where he now resides. It contains 233 acres of good land, well watered by springs. He was married April 6, 1856, to Clarissa F. McCleland, a native of Pennsylvania. They have three children -Irilla M., Kendrick E. and Myron O. Mr. and Mrs. Webber are members of the
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Congregational Church. Mr. Webber has been school director or secretary of the school board, nearly every term since the organization of the district, also member of the board when the county was one . district. He was county supervisor in 1869, and is at present township trustee and justice of the peace. He is one of the most useful, as well as enterprising and popular citizens of the county.
In the fall of 1865, Peter De Smidt and K. W. P. Shroeder, followed and located upon section 20, where they still reside.
HI. J. Ketman was a sett'er of 1866, he taking a claim on section 20, where he still resides, one of the solid men of the county.
II. J. Ketman came to Humboldt county in 1866, on the 3d day of April, and set- tled on the farm where he now resides, which is called the Coon Grove, which contains 830 acres of good land, most of which is under cultivation. He was born in Holland July 31, 1831. In March, 1847, he emigrated with his parents to America, and settled in Sheboygan Co., Wis., where he lived until 1866. He was married Oct. 18, 1854, to Frances DeSmidt, born in Holland Oct. 14, 1835. She came to She- boygan county in August, 1848. Four- teen children have been born to them- Mary E., Abraham, John H., Adrian F., Lucy A., Martenns A., Henry W., Jennie E., Tony L., Peter E., Frances J., Herman J., Isaac J. and Susan E. Mr. Ketman is the present township assessor, and has been treasurer of the school board of his township for the past five years.
B. C. Parsons was the next to make his appearance, in the fall of 1865, when he took up a claim. Upon this he did not
settle until the 8th of April, 1866, how- ever. This was upon section 31, where he is still living.
The date of the settlement of George Armis was the spring of 1866. He filed a claim upon section 29, upon which he lived some years. He is now in the State of Nebraska.
George McClay came to Beaver town- ship in 1867. He is now a resident of Clay county, this State.
T. Driscoll and J. LaDuc came into Beaver township in 1864, and located claims upon section 20, where both lived for some years. Both are now gone.
In the spring of 1869 Gottfred Kirchhof and his three brothers settled in Beaver. They were all natives of the German Em- pire, all but the eldest being new-comers to this country. Gottfred, who had lived for a short time in Wisconsin previous to coming here, located upon section 24. William took up a claim on the same sec- tion. Erust settled upon section 13, while Gustave selected section 24 for the scene of his operations. They are all still living upon the farms thus opened by them, and are men of mark in the German settlement in this township.
Gottfred Kirchhof, a prosperous farmer of this county, was born June 15, 1837, in Germany. He came to America in 1865, locating at that time in Sheboygan Co., Wis. He lived there eighteen months, then moved to Waukegan, Ill., and remained about the same length of time, after which he returned to Germany, coming back in two months to Wisconsin, accompanied by his brothers. One week after their arrival there they came to this county, and settled npon the farm where
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he now lives, section 24, township 91, range 28. He owns 274 acres of rich and well improved land. Dec. 18, 1868, he was married to Augusta Flemmig, of Hum- boldt county. Eight children have been born to them-Johannes, Edward, Lonesa, Ernst, Rosa, Albert, Tona and Robert. Mr. Kirchhof is the present school direc- tor of his district.
Ernst and Hermann Kirchhof were born in Germany. Ernst was born April 12, 1855, and Hermann was born March 17, 1860. They were reared in Germany till 1869, when they, with the family, came to America, Ernst coming to this county and Hermann remaining with his parents in Wisconsin for two months. He then, with his parents came to this county, lo- cating on section 24. In 1879 Ernst set- tied on his present place, and in 1881 Her- maun bought 120 acres of land north of Erust, and lives with him. Ernst has 160 acres. He was married Dec. 1, 1879, to Johanne Kuhnast, of Germany. They have two children-Emil and Minna. "They are members of the Lutheran Church.
FIRST ITEMS.
The first marriage in the township took place in 1857, and united Miss Evans to the partner of her choice. J. L. Lewis performed the ceremony. This was the first in the county. The next marriage was that which united in matrimony Charles H. Schultz and Mary E. Webber, on the 22d of October, 1865. The cere- mony was performed by the Rev. Mr. Boyington, of Fort Dodge.
The first birth was that of Valentine Driscoll.
The first death that occurred within the the limits of the township was in 1866. In that year Mrs. Vandrist, the mother of D. Vandrist, was called on to cross the dark river. ller remains were buried in the village of Dakota.
The pioneer school was taught by Ophe- lia Jinks, at the house of Robert Marshall, in the fall of 1865.
The first log house was erected by Robert Marshall, in the spring of 1859, and the first ground was broken, for ag- ricultural purposes, by the same person, during the summer of that year,
The first grain was sown by Mr. Mar- shall, in the year 1861. He planted some corn the year previously and raised a lit- tle crop.
Beaver township was organized in 1878, and at the general election, in the fall of that year, the following were chosen the first officers thereof : Kendrick Webber, F. Koppe and C. K. Johnson, trustees ; George Head, clerk: B. C. Parsons, assist- ant clerk. The following are the present officers of the township : F. Koppe, A. Webber and A. P. Webber, trustees ; George Head, clerk; and B. C. Parsons, assistant clerk.
As has been already stated, Ophelia Jinks taught the first school at the house of Robert Marshall, in the fall of 1865. This was in what now constitutes the sub-district No. 2, but was then the sub- district No. 6, of the county. The first regular school house was erected in this district, in 1868, and Sarah Seegar taught therein, the first term. Laura Maly, is the present preceptress. The building is located on section 32, and is a neat frame 18x26 feet. It was built by D. A. Rus-
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sell, and cost $900. This was the first school district organized in the township.
The second sub-district was what is now No. 1. In this the school house, which stands on section 20, was built in 1870, by C. Lorbeer. It is 18x26 feet in dimension, and cost 8900. The first school tanght in the district, however, antedates this a couple of years. It was held in a log-house built by the settlers on the farm of 'I'. Driscoll, in 1868, and Elias Parsons was the pio- neer teacher. The present teacher in the district is Viola Mann.
The school house in district No. 3 stands on section 34. It was built on section 28, in 1875, but in the spring of 1882 it was moved to its present location. It is 18x26 feet in size, a good substantial frame building, and was erected by C. Lorbeer. The first teacher was Irilla M. Webber.
In district No. 4, which was organized in 1881, the school house was erected the same year of organization. It stands on sec- tion 24, and was constructed by L. Larson, at a cost of 8600. The first teacher was Irilla M. Webber, and she is the present incumbent of that position.
The school building in district No. 5 was built in 1879, on section 23, and is a good frame edifice, 18x26 feet in size, and cost $600. It was built under contract by Lorbeer & Nopen, and the initial teacher was Rosa Norris. I. M. Harpster is the present pedagogue.
No. 6 was organized in 1882, and the school edifice was built the summer of the same year, on section 35. This is 18x24 feet in dimension, and cost in the neighborhood of $500. The first teacher was Delia Fleming.
The school house in district No. 7 was built in August, 1883, although the distriet was not organized until a month later. This structure, which is 18x26 feet in size, is located upon section 3, and cost about $475.
The first school directors of the district township of Beaver, were the following named gentlemen: P. DeSmidt, M. Hanna, C. Linn, William Flemmig, Charles Flem- mig, H. Busse, with A. P. Webber, as clerk. The present board is constituted as follows : H. J. Ketman, A. P. Webber, G. E. Severns, William Flemmig, G. Kirchhof and F. Koppe. G. E. Severns is the president of the board, A. P. Webber, clerk, and II. J. Ketman, treasurer.
Beaver township is one of the best in the county. The surface is of the usual rolling prairie formation, so common to this State, except that along the course of the river it becomes a little more broken, but not to such a degree as to destroy its value for agricultural purposes. The soil is the rich alluvial deposit of black loam that goes far toward making this noble State of Iowa world famous for fertility. The East Fork of the Des Moines river ruus through sections 7 and 18, and on 19 makes a confluence with the West Fork, and the main river from thence waters sections 31, 32, 33 and 34. Beaver creek, an affluent of the parent strea", traverses the entire township in a south- westerly course, and with the river, af- fords good water, for the purposes of stock raising. The inhabitants arc mostly of German extraction, or the product of that country, and a painstaking thrifty people. The Minneapolis & St. Louis, and Chicago & Northwestern 'Railroads
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traverse the township, the former throngh the southwestern corner, the latter from east to west almost on the centre. line. With such facilities, and the best of land, it requires but little foresight to see its glorious future.
Charles F. Flemmig is the son of Wil- liam F. Flemmig, who came to America from Germany in 1852. He settled in Wisconsin, where Charles was born, Oct. 12, 1852, in Sheboygan county. He was reared to agricultural pursuits and came with his father to Humboldt county in 1872. In 1876 he located upon his pres- ent farm, where he owns 220 acres of rich land. He was married Nov. 9, 1876, to Mary E. Ketman, daughter of HI. J. Ket- man, of this county. They have five children -- Amos H., Frances C., Cyrus W., Arthur A. and Jennie M.
Orrin Krouskup, a native of Chautauqua Co., N. Y., was born May 8, 1832. At the age of fifteen years he went to Loraine C'o., Ohio, where he lived four years, then went to ffenry Co., Ind., and remained six months, thence to Chicago. A month later, he went to Will Co., Ill., and was there engaged in trading horses. He en- listed in the 64th Illinois regiment, com- pany F, and was in the army eighteen months, when he was honorably dis. charged for disability. He then went to Chicago and engaged in the livery busi- ness until 1874, thence to Fort Dodge, Iowa, and in the spring of 1875 located on his present farm in this county. He owns 320 acres of land with good im- provements. He was married to Eliza- beth Ader April 20, 1864. She is a na- tive of Germany. He has been engaged
in the dairy business, but recently closed ont.
Frederick Koppe, a prominent citizen of Beaver township, was born in Ger- many Aug. 21, 1845. He remained in his native country until 1869. He served three years in the Prussian army and dur- ing the time participated in the war with Austria in 1866. On coming to America he first settled in Sheboygan Co., Wis., where he worked at the stone mnason's trade. In the spring of 1875 he came to his present farm in Humboldt county, which contains eighty acres of good land. He was married Dec. 1, 1871, to Johanna Ifeinrich, a native of Germany. They are members of the Lutheran Church. Mr. Koppe was township trustee from 1880 to 1883 and is at present school director.
Erick O. Skildon is a native of Nor- way, born in December, 1852. He was reared in Norway and farmed till 1867, when he came to America, locating in Wisconsin, and living in Lee Center for two years, when he moved to Kossuth Co., Iowa, working for P. Devine and others till 1875, when he came to the place which he now ocenpies. He has 200 acres of good land. He was married June 3, 1881, to Anna Christianson, of Wisconsin. They have one child-Bertha L.
John G. Lorbeer, one of the substantial farmers of Beaver township, came to the county with the colony. He is a brother of C. A. Lorbeer, and was born in Ger- many, Aug. 25, 1833. He came to America with the family in 1847, and was mar- ried in Lewis Co., N. Y., in 1856, to Emma M. Wickes, daughter of Rev. L. A. Wickes. They have had eight children, seven of whom are living-C. Ettie, wife
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of D. J. Gillett; Olney W., of California; John W., Lewis A., Hiram B., Paulina E. and Thomas L. Francis G., the eldest, died at the age of twenty-six years. Mr. Lorbeer came to the county a poor man, but by hard work and judicious management, he has accumulated a prop- erty that ranks him among the enthusias- tic fruit growers, and successful and well- to-do farmers of the county. He has 220 acres of land under a high state of culti- vation, and valued at 840 per acre, known as Eagle's Retreat Farm. Mr. and Mrs. Lorbeer are of the original number of those who first assembled as Christian worshipers in the place, still living out the principle of one Lord, one faith, one bap- tism; all such believers composing the Christian assembly of the place, being members one of another.
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