USA > Iowa > O'Brien County > History of O'Brien County, Iowa, from its organization to the present time > Part 10
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In a settled county with conveniences and neighbors, and
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no necessity for going abroad, a blizzard is but an ordinary snow storm, but in a new county, and on an unprotected prairie, a blizzard for those who are out in it, means a terrible hardship, and too often death. In January, 1872, one of the worst of these swept over Northwest Iowa. Not far from the O'Brien county line in Osceola county, quite a number perished in the blizzard of 1872. One fellow by the name of Nagg, leaving his family out of provisions, started with a hand sled for Rodgers store at Sibley for a supply. He left the store with a few needed and indispensible supplies, and started out for home, but after a few miles out, he was overtaken by the blizzard. He was a poor man and thinly clad for such weather, but with a thought for his loved ones he pressed on, until becoming numb and senseless from the cold, he lay down and died. The body was found in March. The unfortunate death of this early settler in our neighboring county, is but an experience which was the lot of many others, and the number of them, and the full extent of their suffering will never be known. There was a terrible blizzard in 1871, but owing to the few settlers in O'Brien county then, there was no loss of life.
Most every winter the settlers experienced a blizzard, and some of them were exceedingly severe. John Miller was over- taken with one in 1872 at Mill Creek. He was coming from the eastern part of the county with a load of flour, and finding that he could not reach home, he threw the flour out, and made somewhat of a lively race for awhile with his empty wagon, but soon the snow was too much for that, so he un- hitched and rode one horse leading the other, and when he got home was just about exhausted. In 1872 also, a young man by the name of Fred Beach, an acquaintance and friend of W. H. Woods, coming from Iowa city to visit Mr. Woods, and look the country over with a view of settlement, left old O'Brien on foot, and had along with him a pup dog sent to Mr. Woods by some friend, also had quite an amount of mail mat- ter for the settlers on section 8 in Waterman. He had taken the direction, but after starting out, followed the wrong creek,
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and found out his mistake, which caused his return to a house several miles back to inquire again for the road. He started again, and soon after he was on the road a few miles, a blizzard set in, and of course this bewilder- ed him, leaving him in doubt which way to go. No one will ever know the anxi- ety and suffering he experienced, for he never reached any habitation alive. Death came to his re- lief, and with naught but the drifting snow for his pillow, he breathed his life away upon the storm-swept prairie of O'Brien. P. R. BAILEY. When it became known that he had left old O'Brien for Mr. Woods', and had not reached there, the settlers turned out after the storm was over, to find him. He was found a few days after, frozen and his face buried in the snow. The dog had crawled in a coat pocket, and had died with his master.
In the January, 1888, blizzard, north of Paullina in Dale township, Mrs. Anderson, her ten year old son and her aged mother perished, and the bodies were found in the snow drifts about forty rods from the house. It was supposed they became frightened in the storm, and started for a neighbors, but becoming exhausted could go no further. The daughters' love for her mother showed itself, for, from appearances Mrs. Anderson had taken off her own wraps, and placed them about the old lady. About two miles from them in Carroll town- ship, Miss Bisland a school teacher and her sister, were caught on the prairie and perished, while their father and brother
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were found benumbed and nearly dead in a hay stack. South of Paullina Earnst Lustfelt living with F. G. Frothingham was at the barn milking when the storm struck, and feeling that it would be worse, started home, lost his way and spent the night in wandering around, but about three o'clock in the morning found a fence which he followed up, and landed at the house of M. T. Taylor two miles distant. When he arrived there, he was so overcome with the cold, that he was revived with difficulty. A few miles north of Sutherland a woman and her babe, attempting to cross the road to her brother's, sank exhausted in the snow and died.
I. L. Rerick, L. A. Douglass and H. Godfrey of Paullina, were caught in the storm going home from Primghar, lost their way and struggled with the storm until nearly exhausted. They found a fence at last which they followed, until Mr. Godfrey's house was reached. Sam Norland east of Paullina was caught out in the storm, but finding a straw stack dug a hole in and crawled into the hole, and thereby escaped death.
The thermometer, which for some hours previous had been twenty degrees above zero, began a swift decline, and at six o'clock on the morning of Friday was from 36, to 40 below. There had been such a heavy fall of snow, and it had been so mild and warm, that a strong wind was all that was lacking to precipitate a blizzard. This came with such suddenness and such force, and it grew cold so rapidly, that a great many people were caught out, who otherwise would have been safely in doors.
No such storm had ever before been witnessed in this region. It was brief in comparison with others, but vastly more furious and destructive.
A recital of thrilling experiences of those who were lost in the storm, but who survived the terrible ordeal, chills the blood in ones veins. The agony endured by those lost and perishing, must be imagined.
The details in such cases are sickening. In Baker town- ship about eight miles south of Sheldon, Mrs. Kjarmoe and
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Thomas Kjarmoe's wife, sister and child, perished, and on Saturday their three bodies were frozen stiff in the snow, forty rods from their residence. From appearances, these three living alone, had became frightened at the fury of the storm on Thursday night, and left their home for Mrs. Ander- son's brothers.
When found, the old lady was sitting against a wire fence, covered with her daughter's wraps, but which the angry blasts had whipped to shreds.
A few rods from her daughter, she had sunk into a drift, and falling over backward perished, while the little son rolled a few feet further and was found curled up in death.
Calvin R. Hurd, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Hurd was lost while returning from school to his home six miles northwest of Sheldon. He was found within a few rods of Mr. Winslow's. house, and had struggled against the storm until he finally surrendered. He was about eighteen years of age, and was a bright, am- bitious fellow anxious for an education. His par- ents now reside in Shel- don.
E. B. Pike left Sheldon for Hull with two horses about four o'clock, and the storm overtook him at the railroad crossing, four miles west of town. He was lost, and wandered about over the prairie un- til towards morning, when FRANK PAICH. he came across a hay stack, where he tarried and industriously pulled hay until morning, to keep up a circulation and save his life. He was badly frost bitten, and that night's exper- ience was frightful. His escape from death was wonderful.
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He turned his horses adrift to look out for themselves, and both animals were alive and well the next day, one of them being dug out of a snow drift. Pike had on two overcoats, or rather one overcoat and a rubber coat, and being an old timer and stout, was able to pull through.
F. N. Derby, O'Brien's county treasurer, got lost on his way home, distance about eighty rods from the court house, and was out in the storm two hours. He finally caught a glimpse of the light his wife had thoughtfully placed in the window as a beacon, and reached his home. He was so chilled and exhausted, that it was only the prompt use of stim- ulants, and vigorous rubbing of his body and limbs, that he was saved.
Some eight or ten miles south and east of Sheldon, occurred . one of the saddest cases in the whole list. Will Bisland a squatter, had been to Primghar attending court. On his way to the county seat in the morning, he stopped at his father's home four miles from his own home, and left his sister and housekeeper, Miss Jennie Bisland, who had accompanied her brother that far, to spend the day with her parents and her sister, Miss Matilda. Jennie was 25 years old, Tillie 22. On his return from court at night, Will stopped at his father's, and Tillie got aboard the sleigh with Jennie, intending to go home with her and spend the night. Will started the team, and after they had gone about two miles, about half the dis- tance between the two homes, the storm struck them, and the horses refused to face it. In attempting to turn around, the team broke the sleigh tongue, and had to be detached. Will and his two sisters started on foot to return to their father's. After they had gone about a mile and a half, the girls had be- come so exhausted in wading through the deep snow, that they said they could not walk any further. Will suggested that they ride the horses, but they didn't think they could, the wind was blowing so furiously, and the snow drifted so badly, the horses were unmanageable. Thereupon Will dug a hole in a deep drift, told the girls to get into it, and remain until he
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could go to the house and get help. He was sure he knew where he was, and after removing his fur coat and wrapping it around the young ladies, the plucky fellow hastened on toward home. He lost his way, and after letting the horses go, wandered about until the next morning, bringing up at Barney Schnieder's in Carroll township, several miles from where his father lived. He said he was tempted to surrender several times, during his awful experience, but the thought of the perilous situation of his two sis- ters, nerved and stimu- lated him, so that he was able to weather the storm. His escape seems to have been providen- tial and miraculous, and such heroism is seldom- exhibited. The Bis- land's were more than C. R. WEST. doubly unfortunate. The old gentleman and his hired man who had been out to do the chores about the barn, lost their way in attempting to return to the house, and they too were out all night.
PRAIRIE FIRE.
It seems queer to us now, but in October, 1879, a fearful prairie fire swept a portion of Northwestern Iowa, and O'Brien county suffered considerably. C. W. Inman lost over fifteen hundred bushels of oats, and J. R. Pumphrey a fine grove of trees. Several houses were burned, and hay and grain stacks, principally in the eastern part of the county.
These prairie fires were extremely troublesome and danger- ous every year, until the county became sufficiently settled, so that there was no fear of them. Portions of Dakota are now
11
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troubled, as we were in the early days. It was also a singular fact, that settlers knew how easy it was for a prairie fire to get started, and how difficult it was to prevent destruction of all before it, unless preparation had been made in advance by burning off around the premises, or by breaking, or plowing the ground to prevent it. Still, with all the knowledge of the danger, every year that the county was swept by the fire, there would always be a certain number, unprepared and unprotec- ted. There was a law, and is now, punishing even careless- ness in setting fire to prairie grass, but this did not seem to go very far in protection. Sometimes in burning around stacks, as a precautionary measure, the fire would get away, as in the case of Thomas Holmes; or perhaps some smoker would care- lessly distribute his fire; someone camping and cooking- these along, sometimes with absolute maliciousness, were the cause of much damage to settlers by prairie fire. It is truthfully said, that fire is a good servant but a bad master.
In addition to other calamities which have befallen O'Brien county in early days, were also hail storms. In the latter part of the 70's, a frightful hail storm swept over the country from northeast to southwest. In that storm Harvey Luce lost crops, the estimated value at that time of $1,200. Bert Mc- Clellan lost sixty acres of flax, and Pat Carroll, Geo. Menning, Robert Potter, C. Clindt, Enoch Philby, Levi Dingley, J. W. Egy, A. W. Sutter, Wm. Pursel, Wm. Schneider, W. E. Welch, F. A. Beers, Daniel Moffit were cleaned out com- pletely. Window lights were smashed by the hundred. Hail- stones of enormous size fell, and even in some places the grass was cut. There were other hail storms, but those of three different years are remembered, when the result left consider- able damage to settlers.
Every settler of the early days, remembers not only a battle with the grasshoppers, but with mosquitoes as well. It is true, they did not eat the crops, this was not in their line of business, but the usual occupation of a mosquito was industriously fol- lowed. In the proper season, when this pest gets in its work,
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you would see the smoke from a smudge, intended to keep them away, the family preferring to sit in the smoke rather than be exposed to the repeated and annoying attacks of mosquitoes. They would swarm all over a fellow, and the bat- tle with the hands was entirely inef- - fectual, for when they came, they conquered. The mosquito was after blood, and had its size been in ac- cordance with its strength and ca- pacity, not a set- tler would have survived to tell the tale. He would have stood no more RESIDENCE OF R. A. WOODWARD, HARTLEY. show for his life, than a Spanish soldier in the wilds of Cuba, surrounded by a regiment of insurgents. But the race seems to have died out, not extinct, but its ranks thin and scattering, so that now in their determined persistency of attack. there is no danger of anyone being sacrificed.
CYCLONES.
The terrible cyclone of June, 1882, got in its work at Paul- lina. About two miles northwest of Paullina, two of these circling eddies of destruction united, and two seconds there- after about the hour of 6:15, struck the ground a few rods west of the M. E. church, hovering close to the earth until it shattered the church edifice, and the residence of William Hastings, which stood in a stones throw to the south and east of the church, into fragments, strewing the ground with the combined wreck of the two buildings for many rods in the storm's course. Mr. Hastings noticed the approach of the
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storm, and succeeded in urging his wife and little ones into the cellar, but before he could follow them, was hurled with the flying debris through the air a distance of a 100 feet, alighting insensible near the houses occupied by W. J. Stewart, W. H. Durham, Walter Scott and families. Coming to his senses in the midst of the strong gale that followed the tor- nado, he dragged his wounded body to the east end of the Stewart house, from where he was taken into shelter through a window. At first, he was thought to be in a dying condition, but medical aid being summoned, his wounds were dressed and his spirits revived. Mr. Hastings' family escaped unhurt, but suffered almost a complete loss of household furniture and wearing apparel. One of the saddest features of the disaster in this village, was the shocking injuries sustained by Walter Scott, who had approached a window to observe the storm at the north side of the Stewart house. A heavy piece of timber, either from the church wreck, or from the demolished house of Hastings', came crashing through the wall, striking Walter on the head and hurling him senseless across the room, where he lay dead, as it was supposed, over his infant child which he held in his arms at the time of the catastrophe. But on being picked up by W. H. Durham, who too had been struck in the head and stunned by flying debris, it was discovered that Walter was still breathing, though feebly, and his child was unharmed. The surgeon found Walter's injuries to consist of a fractured cheek bone with a bad depression, and a fatally injured eye. At first his brain was thought to be injured at its base, and his case pronounced a hopeless one, but in the lapse of time, and with careful nursing, he gradually improved.
The main whirl that swept away the church and Mr. Hastings' dwelling, passed within twenty rods of the house directly east of where the church stood, which was occupied by the Times editor and family, scattering the church timbers in the front yard, and spurs from the current taking off half the roof of his house, causing the bricks of the upper
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portion of the chimney to crash through the ceiling, falling in the sitting room within a few feet of its occupants. The barn of Geo. Hakeman was also struck by a spur of the " twister' and demolished. The carriage sheds attached to the north of Frank Tifft's livery barn, were also struck and carried away. A portion of the roof of the resi- dence of Mrs. W. A. Acer, in the south part of town chanced to be in the track of the spur, and was hurled to the ground.
The M. E. parsonage stable in the north part of town, was badly twisted. The strong gale from the whirl ex- tended some miles south of town.
B. T. WOODS.
At Alex Davidson's place on Mill Creek, in Union town- ship, the barn was demolished, and the dwelling taken from the foundation. All the buildings on the farm of W. P. Davis, with the exception of the dwelling, were destroyed, including the fine barn, and cattle sheds, etc.
The large barn on the farm occupied by J. M. Thayer, on section 12, in Dale township, was destroyed, and half of the dwelling unroofed. The barn on the Harker & Green farm, in Highland township, three miles southeast of town, was de- molished. Just south of the Harker & Green place, Mr. Wal- ling's new house was shattered to its foundation; its occu- pants had taken refuge in a cave. The gale also extended north of town, and an unoccupied house in Center township was swept away. A lighter branch of the tornado took a more southerly course from Primghar, going through the southeast- ern sections of Highland township, on its way down there,
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carrying away the house and barn of Stewart King. It then struck the town of Sutherland doing damage there. In the southeast part of Paullina it blew down a barn, and killed a horse, then seemed to pass over the house of Thos. Rollins on section 12, in Highland, where Mr. Rollins' house was twisted from its foundation, and badly racked, giving Mrs. Rollins and her children quite a scare and a shaking up. Mr. Rollins was away from home at a neighbor's, but when the storm was ap- proaching started home. While on the way he was overtaken, thrown across the road into a willow hedge, and was consid- erably scratched and bruised. The next trace of the storm was on section 7 in Grant township. where the house and barn of Fred Lemke were completely swept away. It is a most singular thing that the Lemke family were not all killed, for the house with the family in it, was rolled over and over, and finally taken into the air again, and then dashed to the ground in fragments. Robert Lemke, 4 years of age, received an ugly wound in the face, and when the stable went to pieces, one horse was badly crippled. Along the same route was the Covey church in Grant township, which was badly racked. On section 8 in the same township William Haver, his wife and hired man were working in the garden setting out plants. They did not notice the storm approaching, until it was nearly upon them, then they started for the house. Before they reached the house the roof was taken off, and the walls thrown down, a flying timber striking Mrs. Haver killed her instantly. On section 16 in Grant township James Hiatt had nearly com- pleted a dwelling house for his family, which was completely demolished. They were living in a tent, and when the storm struck them, they were taken up in the air, and carried some distance, but strange to say not one of them were seriously in- jured.
James Janes living on section 21, lost his house and stable, which were completely swept away, and the occupants of the house thrown in different directions.
On section 10, Ed Shephard's stables were destroyed.
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On the same section James Frush lost his stables, and the house was badly racked. Near Mr. Frush, John Dakin lost his stables, and his house was taken from the foundation. On section 21 Mr. Lackey's house was completely demolished, and his barn nearly so. On section 21 Mr. William Seeley's house was taken up by the cyclone and brought to the earth twice before going to pieces. All the family were in the house and were carried sev- eral rods from its ruins, all in different directions, but very singular the only one seri- ously hurt was Mr. Seeley. He was soon after picked up by the neighbors and sup- posed to be dead, but was only unconscious from the shock and soon afterwards recovered. The family lost all their clothing and house- hold goods. The house of Walter Cooper on section 29, GEO. DIXON. was scattered over the prairie in fragments, the family had taken refuge in a low strong granary which withstood the storm.
Don C. Barray living on section 28, lost his barn complete- ly, but the house was saved by being sheltered in a grove. The De Mars family were not so fortunate in escaping. Their house standing on section 15, was crushed into frag- ments completely. Miss Elese De Mars a young lady of 20 years of age was so badly injured, she died a few days after. Mrs. De Mars' collar bone was broken, and her head and chest badly lacerated. Eugene was seriously wounded in the head, Sammy got an ugly wound in the side, Joseph Jr. was hurt badly in the head, leg and arm, and Dina got some face wounds. On section 25 the house and barn of Thos
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Jenkins were crushed. The family was not injured except Mrs. Jenkins, and her collar bone was broken. An infant of the family was carried over twenty rods, and deposited in a shallow pool of water, but was not injured, only badly frightened. On section 14 the storm took the barn of R. M. Boyd, shattering it and driving many pieces of the wreck deeply in the ground, but the dwelling house which stood in a ravine, escaped by losing a portion of the roof and chimney. On section 13 in Waterman township, the house of James Jenkens was torn completely to pieces. Mrs. Jenkens was caught between a hot stove and a barrel of lime, her body was badly burned, and her eyes burned nearly from their sockets. The house and barn of Oliver Marcott on section 13 in Waterman was swept away, but the family escaped, having taken refuge in a cave. On the same section the upper part of the house of John De Tour was shatter- ed in the upper story, and about two-thirds of the barn was torn into fragments, leaving a few feet of the building standing on the foun- C. E. ACHORN. dation, showing the singular antics of a tornado. On section 12 in Waterman township Thos. Marcott lost his house and barn. George, a boy of five years was so severely injured, that he died two days after. Thomas received a dangerous gash in the head, and it is a wonder in that case, that all were not killed. Mr. Marcot also lost a roll of greenbacks to the value of six hundred dollars.
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On section II was the house of Anthon Boyer, a bache- lor which was completely destroyed. He was at the house of William Conrad on section 3, which was also destroyed, and the inmates severely injured. Anthon had two ribs broken, Mrs. Conrad's skull was fractured, and her shoulder hurt, Lennie Conrad had his hip bone broken, Mattie her arm broken, Lily was injured in the back, and Mr. Conrad was injured in the face. In Grant township on section 7 the house of Abram Opdyke was demolished, and Abram was so badly crushed by a portion of the upper floor falling upon him, that he died the next day. In Omega township the residence of Dr. Powers was destroyed, but as the family took refuge in the cellar they escaped without injury. About all of the houses destroyed were new buildings, and were better than the average style of country residences then. The storm was about three miles in width, and the older residents did not suffer as much as the others, their places being pro- tected by groves.
MEMBERS OF THE G. A. R., SHELDON.
CHAPTER IX.
In order that we may not drift too far away from the early days, we will now give something of the county records as they appear on the books.
What would be considered the first record of the county, was written by H. C. Tiffy, one of the gang of organizers. It was not kept as is usually done in a book prepared for that purpose, but was written on foolscap paper, and then fastened together with the usual office fastener. It was no doubt intended for a record. Tiffy was elected clerk of the board in 1861, so that we will first give the record made by Tiffy on the foolscap paper.
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