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 92

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 92

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Thomas Steward is a native of Ireland, born Aug 17, 1810, and remained in his native country until twenty years old, when he came to this country locating in New Jersey opposite New York city, there following various occupations for ten years, when he removed to Buffalo, Erie Co., N. Y., and engaged in gardening eighteen years. In November, 1854, he came to this vicinity, locating on Lott's creek. In 1858 with his brother George

he went to Pike's Peak, remained six months and returned to Lott's creek. In 1863 he came to Grove township. He was married April 22, 1837, to Anne Mc- Entyre, a native of England. They have had twelve children, six of whom are now living-George W., Margaret, Henry K., Mary, Mercie and James. Mr. Steward is a member of the M. E. Church.

All of the congressional township known as 92, range 28, is included in Grove, which is in the central tier of townships, the second from the east line of the county. It is bounded on the north by Humboldt, on the east by Lake, south by Beaver and Dakota, and west by Rut- land. The East Fork of the Des Moines river enters it on the north line of section 4, and meandering with "many a crook and devious turn," it pursues its course through the entire township, and affords excellent water facilities. The surface is nearly all prairie except that the river bank is fringed with heavy timber. The soil is rich beyond measure, and the agriculturist reaps a rich reward for his labor in this favored spot.

The first birth in the township was that of Frank P. Bellows, the son of S. B. Bellows, born on the 6th of October, 1858. He is now living at or near Blunt, Dakota, where he has taken up a claim.

The second birth was that of Cyrus Cusey, who first saw the light on or about the 16th of November, 1858. Hle was the son of J. C. Cusey, and is living now with his parents at Lewisburg, Miami Co., Kansas.

The first marriage was that of Thomas J. Forbes, to Sarah Rebecca Cusey, on the 19th of November, 1858. The cere-

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mony was performed, at the residence of the parents of the bride, by W. F. Hand, a justice of the peace. This couple now live in Minnesota.

The first death was that of Harrison McHenry, in 1859. His remains were buried in the grove near the bank of the river.

The first justice of the peace was W. Fletcher Hand. This was prior to the present organization of the township.

The first school was taught by G. W. Mann, in the fall of 1858.

The township of Grove was organized in 1873, and at the election in October of that year, the following were chosen the first officers of the sub-division: John Dumphy, T. H. Cooper and John Fair- man, trustees; Carlos Combs, clerk; W. J. Coon, assessor. The latter held the office but a short time, when he resigned, and Frederick Webster was appointed to fill the vacancy. The present officers are the following named gentlemen: T. II. Cooper, John Kenline and W. E. Foster, trustees; L. J. Pier, assessor; S. B . Bel- lows, clerk; William Shove, justice.

As has been already stated, the first school was taught by George W.Maun, in 1858. This was in a frame house built of native lumber on section 4, and was 16x24 feet in dimensions. This is in district No. 2. A new school house was built about forty rods south of this old building in the fall of 1882, a fine frame structure, 18x26 feet, costing $600. Ada Miner is the present teacher.

The Bellows school house, on section 26, in sub-district No. 6, was built while this was a portion of the district township of Dakota.

The next was the Harvey school house, in district No. 3, which was originally built on section 8, but which now stands on section 6. This was put up in 1882. The present teacher is Matilda Miles.

In 1870 the Sherman school house, in district No 1, was built on section 14, at a cost of $1,100. It has since been re- moved to section 11. The first teacher was Maggie A. White. The building is a good substantial frame edifice, soine 18x28 feet in dimensions, and the school is presided over by Mrs. M. A. Sullivan, who has under her instruction eighteen bright-eyed children.

The Dumphy school house, sub-district No. 5, was built in 1864, on section 20. The first teacher was Mary E. Devine.

Buchholz school house, in district No. 8, was built in 1874, on section 30,at a cost of 8555. The first teacher was Emma Breh- mer, who taught here some three terms prior to the organization of the district, in the house of Mr. Buchholz. At present this school is under the control of Miss Cushman.

In 1882 the school house of district No 6 was built on section 23 at a cost of $550 for building and equipment. This structure is 18x26 feet, and was presided over at first by Viola Mann, and at the present by Maud Chapman.

District No. 7 was cut off from what is now No. 6 in 1882, and the scholars oc- cupy what was the old Bellows school house, which was moved from section 26 to section 34. Mrs. Henry Watkins is the present teacher.

John Bartholomew was born in Broome Co., N. Y., Nov. 16, 1829. Ile was there reared to manhood and educated, spend-

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ing his early life in his present occupa- tion. In 1854 he came west, locating in Dubuque Co., Iowa, where he resided till 1864 In the spring of that year he came to Humboldt county, locating on section 33, in Vernon township, where he im- proved a farm and resided until 1870. Ile then removed to section 27, Lake town- ship, there living until the fall of 1876, when he removed to his present place in Grove township. He has 315 acres of land in this county, and is one of the most progressive and successful farmers. He has been twice married; first, to Cornelia La Grange, March 24, 1853, by whom he had four children-Frank J., Mary E., Robert F. and Charles L. His first wife died on Sept. 2, 1872. He was again married, Feb. 27, 1874, to Mrs. Lucy (Hyde) Hoteling, a widow and a native of New York. They have two children by this marriage-Gay R. and Eva L. Mrs. Bartholomew has one child by her former husband-Minnie E. Hoteling. Mr. Bartholomew was a member of the board of supervisors of 1879, and has held several important township offices.

J. W. Fairman, son of Adam H. and Ellen (Caniff) Fairman, was born April 16, 1840, in Lower Canada. His parents were natives of Duchess Co., N. Y. At the age of nineteen years, he went to Lewis Co., N. Y., where he lived until 1863. He then came to Dakota City, Iowa, and in 1864, enlisted in company L., of the 4th Iowa Cavalry, serving until 1865. In August of that year, he returned to Dakota City, and in November, 1867, lo- cated on his present farm, where he owns 160 acres of rich and well improved land. Ile was married Dec. 24, 1862, to Lucy

Butts, of Lewis Co., N. Y. They have two children-Ned and Fred. Mr. Fair- man is a member of the I. O. O. F., Tri- umph Lodge, No. 393.

George Buchholz is one of the most prominent men of Grove township. Ile was born in Hanover, Germany, June 16, 1825, where he was brought up and edu- cated. When nineteen years old he en- tered the army of that country and served seven years. In 1852 he came to America, residing in Hyde Park, Long Island Sound, where he followed ship carpenter- ing, and worked on the Washington mail ships for three years. Meanwhile he had returned to Germany and was discharged from the army. Returning to America, he located in Rock Island, Ill., remained there one year, then went to Coal Valley, Henry Co., Ill., where he worked at his trade nutil April, 1861. On April 30, 1864, he enlisted in company C, 9th Illinois Cavalry, under Gen. Hatch, and went on A. J. Smith's expedition to Tupelo, and was engaged in battles on the 14th and 15th of July, 1864. He was in the battles of Hurricane Creek, Aug. 13th; skirmish at Shoal Creek, Ala., Nov. 6th; skirmished daily until the 22d of November, when they were engaged in battle at Lawrence- burg; in the battle at Campbellville, on the 24th; at Franklin on the 29th; stormed the first three redoubts on the right of Smith's corps at Nashville, on Dec. 15th and 16th; followed Hood and skirmished daily with his rear guard until he crossed the Tennessee river; went into camp at Gravelly Springs, Ala., Jan. 14, 1865; went to Eastport, Miss., Feb. 10, 1865; went to Corinth, Miss., May 22d; went to Iuka, June 30th; left Iuka, July 4th and

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marched to Decatur, Ala., a distance of seventy-five miles, in five days; left Deea- tur, July 19th, for Montgomery; left Mont- gomery and went to Gainesville, Ala., and gathered up cotton from Ang. 22d to Sept. 29th; then went to Tuscaloosa and were employed as couriers from Tuscaloosa to Marion; received orders to be mustered out October 25th, and were mustered ont at Selma, Ala., Oct. 31, 1865, and returned to Illinois, remaining six months, when he removed to this county and lived upon the present site of the village of Livermore. In 1869 he settled on his present place, where he has fifty acres of good land. He was married in August, 1851, to Dora Schutye, a native of Germany. They have eight children living-August, William, Dora, Amelia, George, Henry, Mary and Emma. Mr. Buchholz is a member of the G. A. R., and 2d lieutenant of 1st Iowa National Guards. He has held al- most every office in the township, and is a member of the Evangelical Church.

John Kenline came to Humboldt county in 1868, and in April, 1869, settled upon his present farm, where he owns sixty aeres of rich land. He was born in Ba- varia, Germany, May 31, 1842. When he was six years old, his parents emigrated to America and settled in Blair Co., Penn., where they lived seven years, then re- moved to Livingston Co., Ill., and lived two years upon a farm. They next re- moved to Grundy county, in the same State, where the subject of this sketch enlisted, Sept. 3, 1861, in company B, of the 12th Illinois Infantry, in which he served until Dec. 31, 1863, when he was honorably discharged. He then re-enlisted in the same company, and served until

July 10, 1865. At the close of the war he returned to Grundy county, and remained until 1868. He was married Feb. 22, 1866, to Susan E. Bull, of Pennsylvania. They have two children-George A. and Myron S. Mr. Kenline has held the office of township trustee, for the past six years, and is a member of the G. A. R.

Matthew I. Sample, tenth child, and seventh son of Samuel S. and Mar- garet Sample, natives of Pennsylvania, was born in Mercer county, of that State, May 12, 1835. He remained in his native State until 1857. In May of that year, he came to lowa, and was engaged in farm- ing, near Irvington, Kossuth county, until Aug. 22, 1862, when he enlisted in com- pany A, of the 32d Iowa Infantry. His company was one of the four which was sent to Cape Girardeau, Mo., where they remained until July, 1864. He was hon- orably discharged, Ang. 24, 1865, and re- turned to Kossuth county. In the spring of 1866, he removed to Greenwood Co., Kansas, and remained until May, 1869, when he came to this county and settled upon his present farm. He has 160 acres of well improved land. He was married Sept. 3, 1865, to Catharine M. Folsom, of Jefferson Co., N. Y. They have five chil- dren - Lonis L., Helen A., Lydia E., George C. and Walter HI. Mr. Sample is a member of the I. O. O. F. and the G. A. R., and for three years served as a meni- ber of the school board.

William Youngs is a native of Ogle Co., Ill., born May 18, 1857. When he was twelve years old he came with his step-father (James Van Houten) to Hum- boldt county .* In 1872 he returned to Ogle county, and remained until 1876, when he

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came back and lived here one year, then returned to his native county and con- tinued there until the fall of 1878 when he came again to this county, locating on his present place, where he has 200 acres of land. He was married Oct. 11, 1878, to Agnes O. Robinson, of Illinois. They have two children-Mary E. and William J., twins. Mr. Youngs is the present road supervisor.

Frederick Webster is a native of Eng- land, born May 24, 1847. When ten years old he came to America, locating in Lucas Co., Iowa, where he remained five years, thence he went to Jefferson county and lived five years, thence to Fond du Lac Co., Wis., and remained until the spring of 1870, when he came to this county, locating on the same section where he now lives, and has one half interest in 175 acres of well improved land. He was married Aug. 27, 1871, to Kate Hand, daughter of Solomon Hand, an old set- tler. They have three children-George N., Alfred O. and Robert A.

Jolin Hart is a native of Ireland, born Feb. 1, 1846. He was there reared till 1863, when he came to America, locating in Kendall Co., Ill., living there till 1871, when he removed to this county, working in Humboldt, and in the summer broke some of the land on his present place, finally settling on it in 1873. He has a

well improved farm of 160 acres. He was married July 21, 1881, to Maria Thomp- son, a native of Ireland. They have one child-David T.

Hiram Arnold, a native of Erie, Co., N. Y., was born April 4, 1825. He was reared and educated in his native county. In 1868 he went to Ripley, Chautauqua, Co., N. Y., where he lived five years, after which he came to this county and en- gaged in farming near Humboldt City, until 1879. Hle then located upon his present farm, at Arnold Station, where he has 135 acres of well improved land. He was married Sept. 20, 1851, to Laura A. Alger, a native of Erie Co., N. Y. They have had five children, two of whom are living-Eugene H. and Frank D.

S. L. Stevenson is a native of Fairfield, Ind., born June 22, 1835. In 1837 his parents removed to Boone Co., III., where they were among the early settlers, and here he grew to manhood and obtained his education. In 1832 he enlisted in company B, 95th Illinois Volunteer In- fantry, and served until September 1865. He then engaged in the stock business until 1878, when he came to Humboldt county, and settled npon the farm where he now lives, which contains eighty acres of good land. He was married Nov. 20, 1867, to Adelaide L. Smithi, of Pennsyl- vania. They have three children-Satyr J .. Clyde S. and Jessie E.

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CHAPTER XXV.

TOWN OF HUMBOLDT.

This town, which is the center of the commercial and social life of the county, lies upon section 1, township 91, range 21, and on the east bank of the West Fork of the DesMoines river, abont three miles above its confluence with the East Fork. Nature has indeed been prodigal of her gifts to this favored spot. Here on a level platean, through which meanders the the beautiful stream, whose thither bank is crowned by bluffs and the primeval forest, lies the town, within whose short life so many stirring events have occurred, with whose history we now have to do. This town was founded in 1863, by Rev. Stephen HI. Taft, who came here from New York State with that end in view. The annals of the early settlement of this town, the mill enterprise and others growing out of it are so intimately inter- woven that they will have to be treated of as a whole, in detail, rather than in separate and distinct particles of the up- growing of the town.

In September, 1862, Rev. S. HI. Taft, of Martinsburg, N. Y., visited the great west, looking for a desirable place to lo- cate and build up a settlement, in connec- tion with others from the same State who desired to move westward. He was ac- companied on his trip, by T. T. Rogers, of Port Leyden, N. Y. Finding in Hum-

boldt county such lands as they desired, together with water-power, building and lime stone, they concluded to make this their place of residence. But on examin- ation, it was found that the question of title to the land desired was in dispute, and these gentlemen, pursuing their in- vestigation, discovered that the Dubuque & Sioux City Railroad Company claimed it as within their grant. Mr. Taft, there- fore, contracted with Platt Smitlı, vice- president of that company for ten sections at $1.25 per acre., conveyance to be made, as soon as the lands should be certified, to the company. They then returned to their home in the east, to make due prep- arations for their western work.

In December following, Mr. Taft, who is really the father of the enterprise, came back to this locality, accompanied by John Fairman and wife, Mrs. Jane Walters and her two children, Milton and Eliza- beth, who came to be employed by Mr. Taft, the men to help get out timber and lumber for a flouring and saw mill, the women to keep house. There was an abandoned building that stood on section 7, township 91, range 28, one of the tracts purchased by Mr. Taft, and this was at once occupied as a residence. The edifice was 14x16 feet on the ground, with ten feet studding, made of native

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lumber, and covered with split shingles fastened to ribs or narrow boards. The winter was devoted to hewing timbers and getting logs hauled to a saw mill then situated upon the East Fork of the Des Moines river, some seven miles away. The few settlers scattered along the rivers took a lively interest in the mill enterprise many of them contributing ac- cording to their means, in work and timber. During the winter Mr. Taft learned from Platt Smith that the land, for which he had contracted, lay outside of the limit of the grant of that road, and suggested that they would fall to the Keokuk, Fort Des- Moines & Minnesota Railroad Company. In consequence of this, in March, Mr. Taft proceeded to Keokuk armed with two letters of introduction to the presi- dent of that company, one from Platt Smith and the other from Hon. Gerritt Smith of New York, on presenting which, and stating the object of this visit, the president informed him that he would call a meeting of the directors, at once, to consider his proposition. This latter was, that the company should sell him fifteen sections of land at government price, and he should put up a grist mill with not less than two run of bulirs; said improvements to cost not less than $3,000, and the purchaser to sell a large portion of the land at such reasonable prices as should conduce to the carly set- tlement of that region.

A meeting of the directors was hield on the 30th of March, in Judge Miller's office, and the projector of the plan appeared before them and made formal application for the lands. He stated that he had already made improvements on one sec-

tion of the land, under a contract with the Dubnque & Sioux City Road. The board appointed a committee, consisting of Judge Miller, Col. Leighton and Major Perry, to further confer with the applicant, and make a report the next day. At that time, the whole of Mr. Taft's proposition was agreed to, except that ten sections of land instead of fifteen was to be embraced in the contract. The committee report, as above, was accepted and the contract, on that basis. signed.

The last of April, Mr. Taft returned to New York, and in May came back with his family of six, and about forty-four others, reaching Dakota on the 17th. These, the earliest settlers, were as follows: Mrs. C. A. Wickes and her family of three; C. A. Lorbeer and family of five persons; Russell H. Norton and family of seven; John G. Lorbeer and family of five; O. W. Coney and family of seven; Sylvester W. Jones and wife; H. Bills, D. G. Pinney and family of ten; Balser Linstruth; Louis Lorbeer, Theresa Lor- beer, Fred. Herman, M. D. Williams, and David Abbey. Most of whom are still residents of the county.

Before going east after the colonists, in April, Mr. Taft had secured for cultiva- tion by himself and his friends, most of the tillable lands in the vicinity, the Cramer, Snooks, McLean and Zulger farms.

Work was now re-commenced on the mill, and it probably would be as well to mention in this connection, that the first load of lumber, for this the pioneer building, was drawn to the site by John Johnston's team, in January, 1863, and piled up where the River Park is now located. The foundation of the mill, and

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a portion of the dam was put in during the summer and autumn of 1864.

G. W. Mitchell, of Fort Dodge aided by A. D. Bicknell, put up the walls of the mill. The piers and dam were completed during the winter of 1864-5, but before the head-gates were put in place a sudden rise in the river, in the last of February, sent the water rushing through the race with such force as to undermine the southwest corner of the wall. In January, A. P. Webber, of Humboldt, and S. Reed, of Kossuth county, went with teams to Marshalltown, for pine siding for the mill. They were overtaken by a furious storm and came near perishing. The ex- pense attendant upon this trip, added to the original price of the lumber made it cost $95 per thousand, when it reached Springvale, as Humboldt was then called.

As improvements of importance wert beginning to be made, there was a desire on the part of many, to perfect the title to the land with as little delay as possible, . but the railroad company had failed to extend their road, as provided in the State grant, and could not obtain the lands without further legislation. Under these circumstances, Mr. Taft asked of the Legislature the passage of an act, anthor- izing the governor to convey to him the lands, on the same conditions embraced in the contract with the railroad com- pany, he to pay the money into the State treasury for the benefit of the company, whenever it should become their dne.

This request was promptly granted by the passage of a joint resolution on the 26th of March, 1864, after which Gov. W. M. Stone entered into contract with Mr. Taft to convey the lands on the terms

heretofore named, Mr. Withrow, the com. pany's attorney, taking part in making the contract. A part of these lands were paid for and patented under Gov. Stone's administration, and the remainder under Gov. Samuel Merrill's. In the summer of 1864 the town was surveyed and platted, and the name Springvale given to it by Mrs. Taft, on account of the beautiful springs that bubble np from unknown depths all along the bank of the river.

The mill frame was also at the same time raised and inclosed, and the saw mill put in operation. An iron corn cracker was placed at the south end of the saw mill, and run from the same power. With this, thousands of bushels of corn and wheat were ground, as the settlers came from great distances to obtain meal and graham flour. Up to this time the mem- bers of the colony had depended chiefly for grinding on their large coffee mills, brought with them from the cast. When Mr. 'T'aft began his mill work he had, as a partner, Newton Northam, of Port Leyden, N. Y., but as he could not arrange to come west he sold his interest to D. G. Pinney and T. T. Rogers, who were thereafter associated with Mr. Taft in this important enterprise. In the autumn of 1864 Mr. Taft made preparations to put up a house, which was raised in the midst of rain and snow on the day when Abraham Lincoln was the second time chosen President. The building was 16x26 feet on the ground, one and a half stories high, and he moved into it the day before Christmas. It was sheeted with native Inmber outside and in, and filled between the studding with saw dust to keep out the cold. This building was

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made to accommodate a family of twenty- six for several months.

On the 14th of February, 1865, the mill was started, which event was soon after celebrated by a supper, to which more than 100 came to eat biscuit made of flour manufactured in Humboldt county. Toasts were drank in cold water and coffee, speeches were made, and cheers given in honor of the occasion.

The mill, containing three run of large buhrs, found constant employment from the start, for grists were brought from long distances, as there was no other mill north or west of it for hundreds of miles, if there were any at all. Twenty and even thirty teams could often be seen at a tinre in its vicinity. The importance wlrich attached to a grist mill in those early days can hardly be appreciated now, with railroad communications in all direc- tions; but the following letter, written for the True Democrat not long after the mill started, expresses thre feelings withr which the enterprise was then regarded:

"The undersigned, an old settler of this county, upon bringing a grist to the Springvale mill, and seeing the immense piles of bags of grain, both up stairs and down, was led to reflect upon the contrast between the present convenience of a grist mill in the county, and the time when there was none. This contrast is very strik- ing to every old settler, who, like myself, have frequently had to go forty miles to mill, and then often have to leave the grist and go a second time. Now I can go and return the same day. This mill, and the flourishing town which is build- ing up, is so altering the character of the county, that we old settlers seem to be in

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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 92

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