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 94
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those who were about to take them: "No, gentlemen, I must have two sacks, as I have the largest family." While this scene was transpiring some were laugh- ing, some were weeping, and all were rejoicing. Thus provided, the men re- turned the following Monday and carried on the work with a will, so that on the next Saturday the water was turned into the race, as already related. With the mill again in operation the steady growth of the town was assured, and the payment of what still remained due the workmen provided for. In the summer of 1872 the union of the two towns under one name was much discussed, and led to a move- ment for changing the name of Spring- vale to Humboldt. A petition was circu- lated and signed asking such change, Mr. Taft taking an active part in favor of the same. The following is what he said of the movement, as published in the Spring- vale Republican of Oct. 4, 1872 :
"Onr citizens are aware that the ques- tion of changing the name of our town from Springvale to Humboldt has been much discussed for a few days, and that a petition, asking the board of supervisors to make such change, has been circulated and numerously signed. A step of such significance properly calls for an explana- tion from those who favor it, especially as the name we now have is most beautiful and appropriate, besides being very widely known abroad. As the proprietor of the town, I have consented to the change with a reluctance and regret which my pen fails to express, and feel called upon both in respect to my own feelings, as also, to those who disapprove of it, to state briefly the principal reasons which have impelled
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me to give my sanction to the change con- templated (or I might say made, since more than three-fourths of the voters of the town have approved it, by signing the petition).
"Ist. The desirableness of having but a single town between the two rivers (which are less than two miles apart,) taken in connection with the very natural reluctance of an older and rival town to alone give up its name and accept ours, has had much weight with me, since by chang- ing the name to one acceptable to all, we remove so far as we are concerned the last obstacle to union.
"2d. The history of all successful col- leges shows that a noble institution of learning, in the course of a few years, be- comes more important in name, than the town where located. Instance, Michigan L'niversity is more widely known than Ann Arbor; Antioch than Yellow Springs; Harvard than Cambridge. With these facts before me, I consent to the retiring of the beautiful name of Springvale at the time when its praises are on the lips of all. to give place to a name made noble by the glory shed upon it by the great man who bore it, and to be made still more glorious in each succeeding age by the influence for good which the college now bearing it shall exert.
"Lastly, I frankly admit that in remem- brance of the course pursued touching the court house question, by a large number of the citizens of the place, last spring, I hardly dared to trust the name of our town to the keeping of those who know little or nothing of the sacred associa- tions which gather around it in the mem- ory of those by whom it was given in
the midst of the exhausting toil, harass- ing want and painful watching, which waits upon the life of pioneers, lest that while far away gathering new laurels with which to crown it, I should come home to find it had been rudely thrust aside. So with a lover's tenderness I say to the beautiful name, first spoken by my cherished wife, sleep sweetly in memory, while Humboldt College shall be your imperishable monument."
Humboldt, (at that time called Spring- vale) was incorporated on the 13th of July, 1869. The especial reasons for this action of the town is given in the True Democrat of June 25, of that year, from which the following is taken:
"While several advantages will accrue to us from incorporation, no earnest friend of the movement will deny or disguise the fact, that it will enable the people to protect our beautiful and growing town from the nuisance of a lager beer saloon. The beer and whisky selling, under the disgrace of which we now suffer, was commenced against the solemn protest of more than three-fourths of the residents, and has been prosecuted in a manner and spirit so entirely regardless of the feelings of the better class of society, as to make its continuance unbearable to all who would promote good morals."
The election for town officers took place on the 16th of August, 1869, and re- sulted in the choice of the following gen- tlemen: John Dickey, mayor; B. H. Hark- ness, recorder; T. T. Rogers, D. A. Martin, D. P. Russell, S. H. Taft and John John- ston, councilmen.
The present officers of the town are as follows: S. H. Brewer, mayor; C. Phelps,
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recorder; and a council composed of John Means, L. Baker, O. F. Avery, O. M. Marsh, C. A. Wright and HI. McKenstry. George Shellenberger is treasurer, and John Ratcliff marshal and street com- missioner.
The following is the first ordinance passed by the council of the town of Hum- boldt:
"Be it ordained by the town council of the town of Springvale, that any person who shall be guilty of keeping or main- taining, or knowingly own or be inter- ested, as proprietor, of any billiard saloon within the corporation, shall, on convic- tion, be found in sum not less than $50, nor more than $100, and in the further sum of $10 for every twenty-four hours, the said house shall be continued after the first conviction, or after any such person shall be ordered by any members of the town council of the town of Springvale to restrain, suppress or discountenance the same."
Since that time there has never been a billiard table or a saloon in the place.
RELIGIOUS.
The Christian Union, or what is now more generally known as Unity Church, commenced religions worship shortly after the arrival of Mr. Taft's colony, on May 31, 1863. The first place of worship was called the town hall, or court house, now used by the Catholics as a church. When this was no longer available the meet- ings were held in the old stone house, standing where Mr. Bemis' house now stands, afterwards in a school house lo- cated a mile and a half northwest of Hum- boldt, in the southeast corner of what is now Union Cemetery.
In the autumn of 1865, Mr. Taft com- menced the erection of a stone building for a store, on Sumner avenne, but had only completed the walls of the first story when the cold weather set in. Early in the spring, before mason work could be commenced, he put on the second story of wood, sheeting up on the outside of the studding with natural lumber, sawed at his mill. This was called Union hall. Seats were extemporized of blocks of wood, boards and slabs, and here the Church and Sabbath school held their meetings from April 22, 1866, to the autumn of 1869, when the hall was needed as an office and work room for the Springvale Republican, and the Society thereafter worshipped in the school house, until the summer of 1880 when it moved for the fifth time, and met in its own beautiful home, where regular services are held every Sabbath. Unity Church was dedicated on the 1st day of July, 1880, on which occasion the Iowa Association of Unitarians, and other In- dependent Churches, held their annual meeting in Humboldt, and took part in the exercises. The dedication was par- ticipated in by the whole congregation, repeating, in concert, the following ser- vice:
We dedicate this House to the worship of the One true God, our Heavenly Father, who is above all, and through all, and in us all.
We dedicate this House to a rational religion, to sincere prayer. to pure worship, to a free and joyous piety, without formalism or superstition.
We dedicate this House to free and earnest thought; to fearless study of the Truth; to an ever increasing Insight; to an. ever advancing Knowledge.
We dedicate this House to the culture of the Soul; to all that purifies the Spirit in man, and
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increases his faith in the possibilities of Life, both here and hereafter.
We dedicate this House to the loving service of Humanity; to the up-building of personal character, and the practice of Christian virtues.
We dedicate this House to the welfare of the community in which we live, to love of Country, and to the universal Brotherhood of Man.
We dedicate this House to the service of the Church Universal, to Christian Union, and to the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
We reverently ask the blessing of God upon this work of our hands; remembering that "ex- cept the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it."
-On the evening previous to the dedica- tory services, Mary A. Safford was or- dained to the work of the ministry, and was soon after called to become the pas- tor of the Church, and commenced preach- ing in September following and retains her relation to the Church to the present time.
The Church never imposed any creed test as a condition of membership, but in- vited all believers in Christ to co-operation and fellowship, holding that the obliga- tion of Christians of any given place to unite together in worship and religious works existed by Divine appointment in- dependent of any and all covenants. On the 8th of December, 1874, it adopted articles of association, the following ex- tracts from which indicate the purpose and character of the Church at the time.
ARTICLE 1. We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, recognizing the im- portance of the culture of our religious and moral natures to our individual well- being, as also to the good of all being, do associate ourselves together, as a religious society, for the study and practice of
Christianity, as taught and illustrated by Christ.
ART. 4. All persons in sympathy with the object of the society are invited to fellowship and co-operation, and may be- come members by giving their names for enrollment on the records of the society.
ART. 5. Parents may enroll or cause to be enrolled the names of their young children as members, in what shall be known as the juvenile list; but such chil- dren shall not be held as active members before attaining the age of sixteen years, nor until by their own approval their names have been transferred to the list of active or adult members.
ART. 8. The government of the society shall be vested in its active or adult mem- bers, who shall have power to do all and whatsoever acts may be necessary for its perpetuity and usefulness, but no act of legislation or discipline shall be deemed necessary, pertaining to the beliefs of any who evidence a desire and purpose to lead Christian lives.
This action of the society was consid- ered irregular; and these articles were held as unsound by soine members of the Church, because failing to declare the en- tire Bible to be God's word, and because Unitarians and Universalists were equally invited with others to co-operation and fellowship. This dissatisfaction led to the withdrawal of a number of the original members of the Church. In the autunin of 1878, the pastor, Rev. Julius Stevens, suddenly resigned his connection with the Church and identified himself with the Congregationalists. At a meeting called to consider the pastor's action, his resigna- tion was accepted with but two dissenting
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votes, and Rev. S. H.Taft was unanimously invited to become the pastor, to which he agreed on consideration that the society should subscribe liberally for his services, and that such subscription should consti- tute the beginning of a fund with which to build a house of worship. Mr. Taft continued to preach for the society on these conditions for two years, and until the church was built and dedicated. In the autumn of 1879, when the stone for the foundation of the church had been drawn, it was found almost impossible to obtain masons to build the walls before cold weather set in. Under these circum- stances Mr. Taft and his son William put np the foundation, Mr. Taft laying all the dressed stone. After the studding were put up and sheeted, Mr. Taft employed D. G. Pinney to help lay out one pair of truss rafters, and then with the help of William and Mr. Seward, his hired man, put on the roof during the winter. There is a flourishing Sunday school in connec- tion with the Church, which was organ- ized on the 21st of June, 1863, by the election of C. A. Lorbeer, superintendent; M. D. Williams, Bible class teacher; S. C. Wickes, secretary and treasurer; N. S. Ames, librarian ; Mother Wickes was teacher of a class of young ladies; Theresa Lorbeer, teacher of intermediate class of girls; Mrs. M. A. Taft, teacher of a class of boys; and S. C. Wickes, teacher of pri- mary class. On April 7, 1867, the Sab- bath school was re-organized with the following officers; S. H. Taft, superintend- ent; J. M. Snyder, assistant superintend- ent; A. M. Adams, librarian; A. E. Aver- ill, assistant librarian ; S. C. Wickes, secretary and treasurer. Jan. 26, 1868,
the first Sunday school concert was held, which were continued monthly for years. At the present time the school numbers over 100 scholars, and has for its present superintendent, Mary E. White.
The following are the names of its sev- eral superintendents in the order of their service; C. A. Lorbeer, S. II. Taft, E. C. Miles, C. A. Lorbeer, C. W. Gardner, Mrs. M A. Taft, Emma White and Mary E. White. Unity Club is a literary society which holds its meeting in the church on Friday evenings. The following are the names of the pastors which have had charge of this society, and time of their pastorates: Rev. S. HI. Taft, from 1863 to 1868; Rev. E. C. Miles from 1868 to 1870. There was no settled pastor from 1870 to 1872 bat the following persons severally preached for the Church during the time; Rev. I. S. Coffin, Rev. George Foster, Rev. R. Smith, Rev. II. Rathbern, Rev. A. J. Cushing, Rev. J. Mason, Rev. Zimmer- man, Rev. C. J. Jones and Rev. James Gregg. Rev. Julius Stevens from 1872 to 1878; Rev. S. H. Taft, from 1878 to 1880; Rev. Mary A. Safford, 1880 to the present time.
Mary A. Safford was born in Quincy, Ill., Dec. 23, 1851. Her parents, Stephen F. and Louisa (Hunt) Safford, were both natives of New Hampshire; New Ipswich and Peterboro being their respective birth- places. When the subject of this sketch was about four years old, Mr. Safford and his family moved to Hamilton, Ill., where he died in 1860, leaving his wife with the care of six children, but beqneathing to her without conditions, all of his property, and expressing his entire confidence that
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she would wisely use what they had earned together. And most nobly did she dis- charge the responsibilities of her position, paying off all indebtedness against the estate, training her boys and girls to work, and giving to them all good educational advantages. As a child, Miss Safford was joyous and irrepressible; fond of reading and study, but entering heartily into the out-door sports of her brothers, and find- ing keen delight in the close contact with nature that life on a farm permitted. But as she grew older the gloomy Calvinistic theology that was taught her began to exert a depressing influence upon her life, and to destroy the instinctive faith of child- hood. All the strength of her nature re- belled against that view of God which makes him a revengeful tyrant, creating millions of human beings and dooming them to endless woe for the sake of His own glory. But having never heard a more reasonable faith proclaimed, she thought that she must believe what both head and heart rejected or else be lost forever. But one day while looking over the books in the library of her father, who as an active abolitionist and inde- pendent thinker, thoroughly enjoyed the manly words of Garrison, Parker and Channing, she found a volume by the lat- ter that was to her a bringer of light and peace. In words that bore with them the power of the truth, she now had voiced for her the views she had been taught to suppress as heretical. Henceforth the sun shone for her; and with the coming of light for herself, there came also the de- sire and purpose to share it with others. They too must know the joy of a reason- able, noble faith. As soon as practicable
she entered the Iowa State University, but was several times compelled to relin- quish her studies by reason of sickness. When about to enter the Meadville theo- logical school, she was called home by the severe illness of her sister, and was obliged to alter her plans in regard to study. While in Hamilton she was asked to occupy the pulpit of a society for which Rev. O. Clute had preached, and comply- ing with the request, soon was preaching regularly in two places. . Her ability and success were acknowledged by all, and in the spring of 1880 she was invited by the Iowa Unitarian Association to visit lowa. At the annual meeting of this association, held in Humboldt, June 29, she was or- dained, and called to occupy the pulpit of the Christian Union Society of that place. Beginning her work in September of that year, she divided her time between Hum- holdt and Algona for three years. Her labors from the first have been crowned with signal success, and she has won a high place as a logician and orator. Her helpful influence is by no means confined to the pulpit, but reaches out in many di- rections. Such has been her success in interesting the young people in religions work, that during the years she divided her time between Humboldt and Algona, the young people of the former place con- ducted regular religious services in her absence. The Unity Club, which has done and is doing much toward cultivating a healthful literary taste in the community, has always received her constant care. Miss Safford's influence for good is con- stantly widening, since she commands the love and confidence of all who make her acquaintance.
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Rev. Stephen H. Taft, one of the fore- most men of Humboldt county, was born in Volney, Oswego Co., N. Y., Sept. 14, 1825. He is of the sixth generation from Robert Taft, who came from England and settled in Mendon, Mass., in 1679. Robert Taft had a large family, five of whom were boys-Thomas, Robert, Daniel, Joseph and Benjamin. The subject of this sketch is a descendant of Benjamin. His grandfather, Nathaniel, settled in Richmond, N. H., where he reared a family of eleven children, of which num- ber, Stephen, the father of Stephen H., was the ninth. Stephen was married to Vienna Harris, of Richmond, in 1815. Her mother was a sister of Rev. Hovea Ballon, the celebrated Universalist preacher and scholar. Mr. Taft's ancestors from Ben- jamin down to his father were Quakers, his grandfather being a preacher. In 1820 Mr. Taft's parents moved to Richfield, Otsego Co., N. Y., and four years later to Volney, Oswego county, in the same State. Mr. Taft bought a farm in Richfield, which he lost by failure of title, after paying three-fourths of the purchase price. He consequently settled in Oswego county with very limited means. Buying a farm of sixty acres, on time, he built a log house in primitive style, with open dutch fire-place, chimney from the cham- ber floor up, of split sticks plastered with clay in which cut straw was mixed, with wooden crane supplied with pot-hooks and trammels, and which when not in use were swung ont under the crossbeams overhead. This house was the birth-place of the sub- ject of this sketch, and among his earliest recollections is that of lying on a trundle- bed, drawn from under the large bed, and
listening to his mother as she read aloud for the entertainment and instruction of the older children. Ata later date he used to go with his sisters and help to gather hemlock knots, with which to make a brigliter evening light for the family to work and read by. Mr. and Mrs. Taft reared a family of seven children, to whom they were able to give but very limited educational advantages so far as related to schools. Mrs. Taft was, how- ever, a great reader, historical and bio- graphical works being her favorite books, and by reading much to the children, awakened in them an interest in the af- fairs of society and the world, which proved of signal benefit to them in after life. It was her habit to read a book through twice before laying it aside. Of the seven children, Stephen H. was the fifth, and his aid was most welcome to his parents as soon as he was old enoughi to help provide the necessaries of life for the family. When sixteen years of age he hired out to work on a neighboring farın for six months at $10 per month, his wages being put into the general family fund. The next year he worked for the same wages, all of which was used as be- fore, except 84 which his father gave him to spend on a 4th of July pleasure excur- sion, but which, instead, he spent in books, buying with it a Bible, the lives of Washington and Franklin, and a cheap copy of Shakespeare. These books con- stituted the nucleus of his present large library. When eighteen years old he commenced teaching school winters at $10 per month, but soon won a reputation as a teacher, which enabled him to command good wages. When nineteen years of
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age he united with the Wesleyan Method- ists, by which Church he was licensed to preach the following year. In 1852 he was appointed a delegate to attend the free Democratic National Convention which met in Pittsburg on the 22d of September of that year. On the 22d of of February, 1853, Mr. Taft married Mary A. Burnham, of Madison, Madison Co., N. Y. About the time of his marriage the Christian Union movement, repre- sented by Gerritt Smith, Abram Pruyne, Myron Hawley and others, challenged Mr. Taft's attention, and, coming to be- lieve that sectarian divisions in the Church tended to promote bigotry and strife, he identified himself with that movement, since which time he has held the position of an independent preacher, responsible only to his own conscience and to God ax regards the religious doctrines he should teach. In 1854 he gathered an independ- ent Congregational society in Pierrepont Manor, Jefferson Co., N. Y., where he preached three years. Thence he moved to Martinsburg, Lewis county, where he spent five years of earnest, successful work as pastor of an independent Church. While laboring here his attention was especially drawn to the consideration of certain doctrines which he had been taught to hold as necessarily pertaining to the Christian religion-The deity of Christ, vicarious atonement and consequent sat- vation as a commercial transaction, im- puted righteousness, and the plenary in- spiration of the Bible. The result of this investigation was the rejection of these doctrines as opposed to the teachings of Christ, and an acceptance of the Sermon on the Mount as embracing all the essen-
tial truths of the gospel. This change in Mr. Taft's religious views had much in- fluence in giving direction to all his sub- sequent work. In the autumn of 1862 he visited the Des Moines valley and selected a location for a settlement, buying be- tween 6,000 and 7,000 acres of land, lo- cated in Humboldt Co., Iowa, to which place he moved in the spring of 1863, with a colony of about fifty persons. Here between the two branches of the Des Moines river, he laid out the town of Humboldt, (formerly Springvale), built a flouring and saw mill, a hotel, some stores and other buildings. In connection with this beginning of the town, he gathered a Christian Union Church, where all seek- ing to know and do God's will were in- vited to co-operation and fellowship, with- out regard to theological differences of opinion. In 1868 he resigned his pastorate and entered upon the work of founding an mnsectarian institution of learning. With such limited aid as the pioneers could give, and larger contributions from eastern friends, a substantial and beanti- ful stone edifice was erected, at a cost of over 840,000, and in September, 1872,Hum- boldt College was opened for the reception of students. The institution was in suc- cessful operation for nine years. In 1878 Mr. Taft resigned the presidency of the institution because of very persistent op- position which he encountered in the east at the hands of leading men, from whom he had expected sympathy and co- operation. The school continued so long as the funds raised by him lasted, and then its doors were closed. Mr. Taft identified himself with the abolition movement in early life, and was an active
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worker in the anti-slavery contest, and was always to be found in the front ranks of the opponents of slavery at the time when both Church and State were sub- servient to its bebests. He has ever been a total abstainer from all intoxicants, and an advocate of prohibition. In June, 1866, he commenced the publication of a weekly paper, known as the T'rue Democrat, which is now known as the Humboldt Kosmos. While taking an active part in political affairs, he has ever declined public offices, except that he was one of the republican presidential electors in 1868. His reason for keeping clear of political positions and obligations was that he could, by so doing, more successfully accomplish the work which it seemed best for him to do. Numerons addresses and sermons of Mr. Taft have been published, among which the sermon on the "Character and Death of John Brown," delivered on the occasion of his execution in 1859, an ad- dress on the "National Crisis," given in the autumn of 1861, and a sermon on the "Atonement," have challenged the most attention. Mr. Taft has passed through very severe financial experiences, result- ing partly from the depreciation of the values of real estate during the years be- tween 1873 and 1877, but more largely from losses by floods which three times swept out the dam to his mills. For Nev- eral years his embarrassments were con- sidered insurmountable by both friend and foe. To these trials, when most op- pressive, was added the still heavier bur- den which detraction imposes upon its victims. In the darkest hours of trial Mr. Taft maintained hope and cheerful- ness, and by untiring work and energy
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