USA > Iowa > Monona County > History of Monona County, Iowa; containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county > Part 23
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William H. Case, a leading citizen of the town- ship, came to Monona County with his father, Francis C. Case, in 1853. He came to Belvidere Township in 1882, and settled on section 36, where he now lives.
Olaf Leff also made a settlement in Belvidere in the spring of 1882, and is still a resident.
FIRST EVENTS.
The first death in what is now Belvidere was that of Philip Ashton, who was frozen to death while trying to reach the village of Ashton, during the winter of 1852-3. Mrs. W. Brooks was the first to die a natural death, her demise taking place in the winter of 1856-7.
The first marriage was that of Ivan Lytle and Nancy E. Younger, which took place Jan. 11. 1856.
The first school was taught by G. Goodenough, in the fall of 1857.
ORGANIC.
At a meeting of the county court, that then took the place of the board of supervisors in the County Government in that day, held in Jannary, 1856, it was ordered that townships 82, 83 and 84, ranges 43 and 44, be organized in one eivil town- ship under the name of Belvidere. This was evi- dently done, and as thus constituted remained until the spring election of 1857, when town 84, range 11, was detached to form a new township.
On the 5th of October, 1857, in the county court, Ilon. C. E. Whiting, County Judge, presid- ing, a general re-organization of the various towns of the county, took place. Belvidere had her boundaries changed so that it then was made to em-
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brace all of township 83, ranges 42 and 43; see- tions 25, 26, 35 and 36, of town 84, range 44; the south two tiers of sections of town 84, ranges 42 and 43; and the east half and sections 4, 9, 16, and 2I, of township 83, range 44.
Changes took place from time to time in its boundaries. more or less nnimportant between that period and April 3. 1866, when the county was again subdivided. Under this the town of Belvi- dere was made to consist of all of township 83. range 43, and sections 1, 2, 3. 10, 11, 12. 13, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 34, 35 and 36, and the east half of seetions 4, and 9., of town 83, range 44. At the time of this organization the board ordered the election to take place at school- house No. 1, and appointed C. C. Bisbee and John Wood judges of election, and W. A. Dorward and Thomas J. Bryson, clerks. In June of the next year town 83. 43, was detached to form a new township and subsequently the other territory in Congressional Township 83, range 44, was added to Belvidere which then took its present form.
THE VILLAGE OF BELVIDERE.
On the 19th of May. 1857. Samuel Scott, then County Surveyor, laid out and platted a town site on the south half of section 11, and the north half of section 14, to which was given the name of Bel- videre, hy Judge Craig. George Bacon and Hugh Lytle were the proprietors and they went to work with a will to build up a town but met with no success.
George Bacon immediately opened a general merchandise store, which was quite extensive for that day, and did considerable business. Previous to this Brainerd of Magnolia had had a small branch store at this point and the two were in opera- tion at the same time.
N. C. Wyatt opened a law office, John Craig, a justice office, and Dr. John Hazlett an office for the practice of medicine.
A blacksmith shop and some dozen or fiftech dwellings and a school-house completed the little settlement. About the time of the laying out of the village the postoffice of Belvidere was estab- lished with Hugh Lytle as Postmaster, and contin ued in that office until the hopes of the founders of
the town had withered and the place ceased to grow.
A steam saw-mill was erected on Beaver Creek, near the village on section il, and run for some years.
In the summer of 1861, a movement was put on foot to remove the seat of justice of Monona County, from Onawa to the village of Belvidere, and a numerously signed petition presented to the county board praying that the question be sub- mitted to the legal voters of the county. The prayer was granted, and at the general election held Oct. 8, 1861, the qualified electors of the county to the number of 104, gave their assent to the location of the county seat at Belvidere, but 119 were in favor of retaining it at Onawa.
From this time onward the village seemed to go down. The mill machinery was taken to Pike's Peak; the stores after a time were closed, and even the post-ottice removed. C. C. Bisbee who suc- ceeded Mr. Lytle, as Postmaster, took the office to his residence on the north part of section 11, and held it for years. He was succeeded by Addison Dimmick, W. A. Dorward, S. C. Hoadley, O. M. Morse and G. S. Bisbee. On the laying out of the village of Turin, the post-office was moved to that place.
VILLAGE OF TURIN.
Lying on the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 9, Belvidere Township, lies the village of Turin. one of the youngest of the chil- dren of Monona County, it having been born in 1887. The railroad placed a station here in the fall of 1886. and the following summer a town-site was surveyed and platted by the Western Town Lot Company and the Maple Valley Railway Com- pany, on the northeast quarter of section 9, and the plat of this was filed for record August 27. 1887.
West Turin which is situated upon the east side of the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 9, was laid out by the Trinity Metho- dist Church Association and the plat filed for re- cord September 14, 1887.
The railroad company were the pioneers in the building line in the new village, erecting the depot and the agent's residence here during the summer, and close behind them eame Wolf Bros., who put
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up a small building and opened the first store in the place; they, also, were the builders of the sec- ond dwelling house. Their business venture did not prove a success and they discontinued the trade shortly after. II. G. Davis succeeded them in the fall or winter of 1887, but met with disaster the following spring.
The first general merchandise store was opened by R. T. Reese and George S. Bisbee, trading un- der the firm name of Reese & Bisbee, Sept. 1, 1887. On the 15th of December, 1888, Mr. Reese pur- chased the interest of his partner, who left for Cal- ifornia, and is now engaged in carrying that bus- iness alone.
The next to open up in that line was the firm of Perkins & Barnard, in the spring of 1888. They failed, however, the next spring, and closed out their business.
Horatio Rawlings opened a hardware store in the village in the same spring of 1888, and after run- ning it for a short time, elosed it out. In the same building Il. E. Colby & Co., established a general merchandise store, about the middle of June, 1889, and assumed a prominent position in the mercan- tile life of the little village.
The first and only hotel was erected by Levi Wilson, during the winter of 1888, who gave it the name of "Farmers' llotel," a name that it still re- tains. It was operated by Mr Wilson until June, 1889, when he leased it to Mrs. Alfred Edwards, the present proprietress.
The livery barn was erected in the spring of 1887, by F. M. Cork, who carried on business therein until December, 1888, when he sold out to Levi Wilson. The latter after running it until June, 1889, leased it to the present proprietor, J. Duff Butt.
The pioneer blacksmith in the village was Lon. Holbrook, who put up a smithy and erected his forge in the fall of 1886. In the spring of 1888, he left here and the building was torn down.
A second blacksmith shop was opened in the spring of 1887, by Jens Cleminson.
The lumber yard was established in the spring of 1887, by G. W. Cork, Ir., who operated it until the following fall when it was purchased by its present proprietors, the Bowman Lumber Co.
W. E. Roberts was the first station agent of the railroad at this point, coming bere in 1886, and still occupies that responsible position.
POST-OFFICE.
The Turin post-office is the successor of the old Belvidere one, and was brought to the village by George S. Bisbee, the Postmaster in the winter of 1887. That gentleman and his assistant. Miss Nel- lie Reese, continued to handle the mail until May 9, 1889, when Mr. Bisbee selling out his interest in the store left here for California, and W. E. Rob- erts, the station agent was appointed to fill the of- fice and is the present incumbent.
, SOCIETIES.
Hiawatha Assembly. No. 11,067, K. of L., a flourishing and popular secret organization, in the interest of the working men and producers of the country, has been established in Turin and has a fair membership.
RELIGIOUS.
Rev. Mr. Rice from Magnolia, was wont in an early day to come to Belvidere and hold religious services occasionally, which, although known as Methodist, were really Union, all sects of Chris- tians attending. Early in 1871 or 1872, a class was formed with George W. Cork, Sr., as Leader.
In 1886, after the station was put in at this point it was made a point on what is known as the Turin Circuit of theMethodist Episcopal Church. and J. L. Stanton made Class-Leader, and that gentleman still holds that position. The first Pas- tor in the village was Rev. I. A. Goodburn, who remained two years, having classes at Turin, Ashe, Star and Williams. Next came Rev. Edgar D. Fisher who had charge of Turin, Hiawatha, Wil- liams, Blencoe, Ashe and Center. No church edifice has yet been erected, services being held in the schoolhouse. The church numbers twenty-two full members and twenty probationers.
A Sabbath-school in connection with the church was established in December,, 1887. with W. E. Roberts as Superintendent, and has remained nn- der his fostering care ever since.
The church was incorporated as an association
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under the general laws of the State in 1887; the articles of incorporation being filed for record March 12. 1887, W. E. Roberts, being the firs President; D. W. Lotspeich, Secretary, and the third incorporator. Elmer Wolfe. The first Trus- tees were the following named: S. S. Dorward, Dr. J. H. Talboy, William Wolfe. G. W. Cork. Sr .. J. L. Stanton, W. E. Roberts, and D. W. Lotspeich. The present Trustees are: S. S. Dorward, W. E. Roberts, D. W. Lotspeich, J. L. Stanton and Dr. J. H. Talboy.
SCHOOL.
The first school on the site of the village was opened in a building that was erected by the dis. triet. in the summer of 1859. with Miss Cynthia Scofield as teacher. This historie building. having grown too small for the increasing population. it was sold and removed to R. T. Reese's farm, where it is still in use as a buggy house.
About 1881. the above building was replaced by the one in use at the present and in this Mr. Noble was the first teacher.
SIOUX TOWNSHIP.
CHAPTER XV.
NIE civil subdivision of Monona County that takes the name from the tribe of In- dians that once roamed these wilds, em- braces all of Congressional Township 82, range 11, west of the 5th principal meridian, and lies in the southern tier of townships in the county. It is bonnded on the north by Belvidere Township, on the east by that of Spring Valley, on the west by Sherman. while Harrison County forms its southern boundary. The river, Little Sioux, crosses it from north to south, slightly inelining to the westward in its course, entering the township at the north- west corner of section 3 and leaving it about the center of section 32. This stream with its afflu- ents and tributaries, forms its only drainage sys- tem. West of the river the land lies in the famous Missouri River bottoms, and the soil is the rich, dark, sandy loam so characteristic of that favored part of the State whose fertility is beyond compare. On the west bank of the river the land gently slopes up to the bluffs that stand like giant senti- nels to guard its course, and the land attains a rolling character. Here the soil, the warm, fecund, drift deposit, is susceptible of the highest culture, and produces, under the hands of the thrifty hus bandman, large and lucrative crops of all the co- reals and vegetables. Some of the lands in the more hilly portion are best fitted for pasturage and as such furnish sueeulent feed for numerous herds of cattle.
Along the course of the Little Sioux is fringed a heavy growth of native forest timber that mar-
shalled along its silvery banks, seems placed there like pickets to keep of the intruder-man-from the paradise beyond. The beauty of the river valley is entrancing. Cool, leafy bowers of sylvan shade hang over the mirror-like pools of the river, that dimples along, lingering lovingly in each sheltered spot, or playing in the broad sunlight in some grassy opening. The population is made up prin- cipally of Americans and natives of the three king- doms of Scandiavia-Sweden, Norway and Den- mark.
C. C. Perrin, one of the most honored pioneers of the county, made a settlement upon section 36. during the year 1854, and here, after performing faithfully all of life's duties, he peacefully passed away to his reward in April, 1889. Ilis family are still residents of this part of the county.
An old gentleman by the name of Nickerson made a settlement upon sections 10 and 15, during the year 1863, but a year or so later sold out his claim to Hamlin, and removed to Missouri where he died.
John S. Porter came to this township in the spring of 1855 and remained a resident until 1862, when he removed to Nebraska. In 1874 he re- turned to this county and lived here until 1888, when he removed to Oregon, where he now lives. John W. Porter, the well known citizen of the thriving village of Mapleton, is a son of this old pioneer.
Early in the year 1855, came Jesse Whitzel, who located near Mr. Porter. For a few years he here
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carried on farming and then removed across the line into Little Sioux Township, Harrison County, on section 5, where he died.
A pioneer who bore the name of Turley, made a claim to a piece of land on section 10, as early as 1856, and improved and opened up a farm. A few years later he gave it up and removed to the southern part of this State.
During the summer of 1864, a man by the name of Hamlin located upon a claim which he made on parts of seetions 10 and 15, and there remained but until the spring of the following year when he sold out his interest and removed to Missouri. Ed- ward Nickerson, who purchased this place, im- proved it and made it his residence until 1878, when he sold out and removed to Independence, Mo., where, the next fall, he was elected to fill the office of Clerk of the Court, and still fills that position.
Richard M. Mann made a settlement in this part of the county in 1867, with his family among whom were his sons, Richard O., now living ou section 15; and John T. a resident of section 10. The elder Mr. Mann, made his home among these people until called upon "to join the great major- ity," in September, 1874.
Daniel Moad, about 1869. settled upon section 15, and there made his home until 1871 or 1875, when he removed to Sherman Township.
Lorenzo D. Driggs, one of the earliest settlers of the county, removed to Sioux Township in 1872, and made a settlement on sections 32 and 33. Here he resided until called to cross the shining river to enter into his reward, Jan. 27, 1880. Lo- renzo, his son, still resides in this town, as does the widow.
George and A. J. Erb, in 1872, came to this part of the county from Franklin Township where their father settled at a very early day, and took up farms on sections 32 and 33. In 1878 they re- moved hence, selling their places to L. D. Driggs.
Joseph W. Lane, the son of the first Sheriff of Monona County, and one of the earliest settlers, moved into this township in the spring of 1872, where he has since made his home. In 1882, he moved to his present farm on section 31.
James R. Jepson, a native of Denmark, now &
resident of this township, settled in 1873, with his grandfather, on section 2 where he has since re- mained.
In the fall of 1875, William Townley settled in this town, on section 12, where he has remained ever since.
John Johnson located in this town in the fall of 1875 and here remains, on section 11, where he first " stuck his stakes."
John W. Wills, a veteran of the late War, came to Monona County in 1876, and settled on section 3, this township, where he has resided ever since.
Jesse J. Peek made a settlement in the town of Sioux in the spring of 1876, removing here from Harrison County. He remained here one year and then returned to his old home, but in February, 1880, came again to Monona County and settled on the farm in section 36, where he now lives. Mr. Peck was Sheriff of Harrison County for several years.
Rasmus Mikkleson came to the county in 1875, and in the following year settled on a portion of seetion 11, this town, where he now lives.
Alfred Hanscom, a settler in the county of 1857, came to this township in 1877, and died here May 29, 1887. This sons, George, Frank and Daniel, still make their home in this township.
Nels Johnson, a descendant of the bold vikings of Denmark, found a home in this part of Monona County, in 1877, and has remained in it ever since.
Peter Johnson, a brother of Nels, mentioned be- fore, came here in the spring of 1881, and is still a resident of the town.
In August, 1881, James M. Case came to this town and settled on section 23, where he has since made his home.
William S. Lonigan, now living on seetion 35, settled there in 1881.
In 1882, Lewis Woodward settled on section 35. where he is still residing.
William F. Williams came to this section of the county in the fall of 1883, and from that date has had a continuous residence.
John Washington Scherer made a settlement on seetion 34. this town, in the spring of 1884. and now has a fine farm of 200 aeres of land in this and Har- rison County.
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MONONA COUNTY.
The date of the settlement of Henry L. Gilmore was January, 1881.
George U. Hancom came to this township in 1886, from Lake, where he was born in 1860, and has been a resident ever since.
John J. Conyers, whose father settled in Spring Valley in 1863, came to Sioux Township in 1887 and located on his farm on sections 3 and 4, where be has remained.
Fred F. McCloud located here in February, 1888.
ORGANIC.
The town of Sioux, which up to that time, had formed parts of the two towns of Sherman and
Spring Valley, were,[ by order of the board of supervisors, passed at their session on the 1th of September, 1879, cut off and permitted to form a separate political subdivision of the county. The first election was held at the Moad Schoolhouse, Oc- tober 11, following the day of the general election.
The _Ingeman _Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church was incorporated under the general laws of Iowa in 1889, the articles of incorporation being placed with the county recorder for filing Oct. 31, 1889. Appended to this are the names of John Johnson, president; Nels Johnson, secretary, both of whom were elected to fill those offices Oet. 19, 1889.
M
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WILLOW TOWNSŁUP,
CHAPTER XVI.
W ILLOW, embracing all of Congressional Township 82 north, range 42 west lies in the extreme southwestern corner of Mo- nona County, and is bounded on the north by Soldier Township; on the east by Crawford County; on the south by Harrison County ; and on the west by Spring Valley Township. The surface, a con- stant succession of hills and valleys, is much diversified and is much more suitable for stock purposes than for agriculture, although the highly fertile valleys of its creeks and rivers are dotted with pleasant productive farms. The soil has the same general characteristics that mark this part of the State, and except on the hill tops is of the light mulatto colored bluff deposit. Much of the land is nncultivated being used as ranges for eattle.
An abundance of running water and ample drainage facilities are afforded by the Willow, East and West Willow, Norway and Crow Creeks and their tributaries. By the census of 1885 it is shown that the population of the township was 476, about equally divided among Americans, Nor- wegians and Germans, all industrious and fairly prosperons. Owing to many circumstances the settlement of this town was delayed for some years after the other parts of the county, but when once it begun it filled up rapidly.
There is no town or post-office within its limits, most of the inhabitants depending on Dunlap, Harrison County, for a market.
The pioneer settlers here were of Norwegian
birth, frugal, industrious people, who have made both themselves and the town prosperous.
The first of these was Elling Thoreson, who came to Monona County in March, 1867, on a tour of inspection and returned to La Crosse County, Wis. In July of the same year he brought his family here and made a permanent settlement and is one of the citizens of to-day.
In August, 1867, James Severson settled on sec- tion 6. this township, among the first settlers, and one of the first Norwegians to locate here. Ile has remained ever since and is one of the leading citizens of the town. His son Cornelius is engaged in the mercantile business in the village of Ute.
Ole Severson made a settlement in December. 1869, on section 6. this township. where he has re- sided ever since.
Ole Engun, a resident at this time of Spring Valley, came to this county in 1871. and lived in Willow until 1877.
William Wininger made his appearance in what is Willow Township in the fall of 1871, the fall of the great Chicago fire, and settled where he now lives on seetion 15. At that time there was only about six families in the township, and three years later there were but nine voters.
David llull, now a resident of Dunlap, came to this part of the county and "pitehed his tent" in 1871. Here he opened up a farm and made his home until about 1881, when he removed to his present place of residence.
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E. N. Ilong, a native of Norway, in the autumn of 1873 found his way to this part of the county, and the following winter was employed in teaching a Norwegian school. In the spring he took up a claim and constructed a "dug-out" in which he lived, and not being in eireumstances to make mueh improvements, taught school for five years.
Frank Sehlensig made his settlement in the town- ship in April, 1875, and worked out for about four years. He is living here now on section 35, although for many years he has been a resident of Soldier.
Edwin J. Ilull came to this county and settled on a piece of rented land in December, 1877, and for three years in this town was engaged in earry- ing on that. In 1880 he purchased his present place on section 9, which he has greatly improved and bought the farm where he lives on section 16 in 1884.
Section 27 received a settler in the early spring of 1880, in the person of Frank A. Kessler, who has remained a resident there ever sinee.
About the same time E. A. Atherton made a settlement on the adjoining section, 26, and has there made his home to this day.
During the same season a settlement was made on section 14, by Thomas Cover, who resides there still. He came here from Keokuk County, this State, and is largely engaged in general stock- raising.
Olans O. Moen came to this county in 1879, and after working around for a year settled down in the town of Willow on a farm.
In June of the same year Charles Atherton pur- chased a farm in this town, and is still a resident of this locality.
Early in the spring of 1882 John A. Olsen and Peter Peterson bought a farm on section 17, and settled here. The former now lives on the place, having bought his partner's interest therein.
A. B. Felts settled on the farm where he now lives, on seetion 10, in the spring of 1883.
FIRST ITEMS.
The first schoolhouse was a "dug-out" located on section 6, which was constructed in the fall of 1869, and in this R. V. Ransome taught the first school the following winter.
The first religious services held in the Norwegian settlement were really held in Spring Valley Town- ship in the fall of 1870, at the residence of Il. E. Strand, by a Rev. Mr. Christianson.
The first frame schoolhouse was built in the fall of 1874, on seetion 15, and the first teacher therein was Miss Eliza Bailey, who presided over the youthful scholars in the winter term of 1874-75.
ORGANIZATION.
Willow Township, which up to that time from its first settlement had remained a part of the town of Spring Valley, was authorized by the county board of supervisors to organize as a separate and civil subdivision of the county at a meeting held by that body April 7, 1873, the first election to be held at the next general election, in the fall of that year.
CENTER TOWNSHIP.
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CHAPTER XVII.
HE subdivision of the county that bears the name of Center, embraces all of Congres- sional Township 84, range 43, except see- tions 30, 31, 32, 33 and the south half of section 29, which has been set off and added to Kennebee Township, in lieu of which Center Township has had added to it sections 1 and 2, the north half of 11, and the north half and southeast quarter of section 12, town 84, range 44, which give it an area of thirty-four and a quarter sections, or 21,920 acres.
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