USA > Iowa > O'Brien County > History of O'Brien County, Iowa, from its organization to the present time > Part 24
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HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
the hanging would be complete. So thus Sydney departed; shook the dust of the city from his feet. He went to a city called Sioux City in those days, and peddled pies for awhile, and tradition tells no story of him since. And behold, there was no other individual hung in the city from that day to this, although there were many who, no doubt deserved it.
BOOK II.
CHAPTER I.
And it came to pass that the children of the great city of Sheldon at that time, and soon after the exodus of Sydney, said among themselves, let us incorporate; we need a mayor to sit in judgment upon stray hogs and refractory humans. Lo, we have lived these many days, have been astray without municipal protection and municipal authority; and there were some who opposed, who said, " we shall be burdened with taxation, and the machinery of local government will plunge us into innumerable difficulties." But the opposers were few in numbers, and majorities ruled in those days for the people lived under a republic. So the great commissioner, appointed under the seal of O'Brien county, called a meeting, and the people cast their ballots, and enough voted for it to carry it successfully.
CHAPTER II.
Now there were other difficulties arose, new problems stared the people in the face. We must now have a mayor and aldermen, called in those days trustees, and also a recorder. Who shall they be, and upon whom shall we shower the dis- tinguished honor? Now, verily the people at that time were like unto the present day, inasmuch as they differed upon various questions, wrangled over politics asjwe do now. Every election caused considerable excitement, many words were wasted, and fortunate was the campaign if no blood was spilled, and there was at that time one Cæsar, whose surname was Elliott. Now Cæsar had many friends, who desired that he should be elected to the great office of mayor. And there
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HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
was also one Hub whose surname was Wyman, and Hub also had many friends. It was doubtful for some time which would outnumber the other. Both were good men, and the children were excited in their differences of opinion. The election was called to be held in the store of one J. M. whose surname was Stevenson, and there was provided a ballot box, and so few ballots were to be cast, that a ballot box was constructed out of a cigar box, the contents of which had long since vanished in smoke. A hole was made in the cover, and the ballots of
LOUIS PETERSON.
the voters were therein deposited. Each side entered the contest determined to outdo the other, but soon the polls were closed and Hub was declared elected. And there was elected a scribe, called in those early days, one L. F. whose surname was Bennett. L. F. was a man of good repute; he kept a
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HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
store, and like other merchants of that day dealt in chattel mortgages, on wagons and other truck. He also often wore noseglasses similar to those worn by one Calvin whose sur- name is Hook. And there was also elected to the office of trustee one George whose surname was Boutelle. Now George was a good officer; he was a partner in business with one Benjamin whose surname was McCormack, and known as a democrat and a county supervisor. There was also elected one J. M whose surname was Stevenson, J. M. was a dealer in flax and farmers' notes. There was also one S. W. whose surname was Harrington and one James whose sur- name was Wykoff, a dealer in lumber and mechanic liens, and one Charley whose surname was Allen, a lawyer and musician. Now these constituted the great council of the city, and they elected as marshal one George whose surname was Hill, and they instructed George to go about the city, enforce its laws, and gobble each and every one who would not yield complete submission. And they built a dwelling house for offenders, gave George the keys thereof, and called it a calaboose. George did go about and do as he was bidden; he constructed a pound, captured every stray cow or hog caught loafing around the city. Sheet iron chimneys no longer decorated the dwellings of the people and a grade of soberness was estab- lished, so that the exact number of glasses of beer one could or ought to take, and not get tight, were known to a moral certainty. In short Sheldon was a city in every sense of the word. Much more of its history and progress will be recorded hereafter."
FIRST WEDDING.
The first marriage in the city was in the first year of Shel- don's existence when a few had come together, strangers to each other, and each had started his business, in the promis- ing and prospective city. H. C. Lane, then a justice of the peace gave out word, that the first couple in town offering themselves to be united in marriage, he would perform the ceremony for nothing and give them a banquet. The an-
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HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
nouncement had not been long out when Tom DeLong and Samantha Jones informed the Squire they were ready. Jim Wykoff and Deacon Bradley were notified to make prepara- tion. Bro. Thomas Robinson boiled a ham, and Squire Lane then a bachelor, hunted up a ceremonial form to be used on the occasion. A room in the Sheldon hotel then just com- pleted, was named as the place for the event, and on the day fixed the few who were here then, dressed in their store clothes, gathered to celebrate the first marriage in the town. Deacon Bradley called the meeting to order, and announced, that as there was no clergyman present, prayer would be dis- pensed with, but at the close he would pronounce the bene- diction. Tom was re- quested to stand up along- side of the blushing Sa- mantha, who was back- ward and diffident, but was assured by the Dea- con that marriage was not a failure, and that she would be all right. When they were requested to join hands, Samantha in her excitement, seized the Deacon's, but the Deacon quietly placed it where it belonged, and Squire Lane DR. W. R. BROCK. proceeded with the usual ceremony that made them man and wife. The ceremony over, all kissed the bride, spent the evening in congratulations and ham sandwitches, and ad- journed. Tom and Samantha soon wandered away, from the land of grasshoppers, and they may be living with a family around them, or they may be dead, but at any rate, they were the first couple married in Sheldon.
In 1876, several meetings were held at Sheldon to organize what was called the Sheldon, Beloit and Dakota railroad com-
27
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HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
pany. Officers were elected, and the scheme attained some newspaper notoriety, but it resulted in nothing but wind, and its name and intentions soon passed away. Some people also then were moving for a grist mill, and quite a controversy was started in the " Mail," under the head of Grist Mill vs. Church. The church party however labored on, until suffi- cient funds were subscribed, and the contract was let to Joseph Walker for $1,338. The building was completed in Decem- ber, 1875, and was soon after dedicated.
Application was made for incorporation in March, 1875, and the following persons were appointed as commissioners to call an election for the purpose of voting for or against; D. R. Barınore, A. W. Husted, J. C. Elliott, J. A. Brown, and Benjamin Jones. The election was held April 19, 1875, but incorporation was defeated. In March, 1876, another move was made for incorporation, and other commissioners ap- pointed, who ordered an election to be held March 25, 1876. The result of the election was forty-nine in favor of in- corporation, and eleven against. Notice was then given that the first election for a mayor, recorder and five trustees, would be held at the office of J. Wykoff on the first day of May, 1876. There was considerable excitement over this first election, and while there was no bitterness, it still was an energetic contest. There were two candidates for mayor, H. B. Wyman and J. C. Elliott. Wyman received 46, a majority of 7 over Elliott. L. F. Bennett was elected recorder over Husted, and of the councilmen there were elected J. M. Stevenson, J. Wykoff, Scott Harrington, Geo. Boutelle, and Charley Allen. The first appointed officers of the town by the council, were marshal, George Hill; street commissioner, E. F. Parkhurst; treasurer, A. W. Husted; assessor, William Strong.
Many and varied were the entertainments in Sheldon at an early day, Deacon Bradly was not only deacon but con- stable; he passed the contribution box on Sunday, ; and served the processes of the justice on week days. Soon
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HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
after the saloon was opened, the proprietor who lived at Storm Lake made a visit to his family for a day. He left the key with one of the boys in order that his patrons might be accommodated in his absence; the new proprietor being of a generous spirit, and caring little for the conse- quences, opened up, and extended a general invitation for all to come in and partake, the result of which was that when Highly, (the owner), returned, not a cigar was left in the house, and not a drop of anything to drink, indeed, every chair, and every table in the house was smashed to smithereens. Imagine the astonishment of the proprietor when he returned, but as he was.a violator of the law himself, his mouth was closed; but he soon re- plenished and started in again with a new stock.
For many years Shel- don lad for one of its citi- zens a colored man by the name of John Brown. John was a jack-of-all- trades, was quick, smart and a money maker, though he had the reputed weakness of his race in G. A. GIBSON. taking that which did not belong to him. He had a white woman for a wife and a white son-in-law of much respectability. John died on Christmas eve, 1887, in Wisconsin, and the old Sheldon settlers were considerably attached to him.
At one time a saloon keeper by the name of Sacket was arrested before Sam H. Ladd, justice of the peace, for a viola- tion of the law. For want of prosecution the case was dis- missed. Two young men, Frank Nash and T. J. Steele, then students at law in town, thought they would take up the
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HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
cudgel, and trot Sacket over the race of another prosecution. The case was set for a certain day and hour in the town hall, now the engine house. The justice was there, the students who were prosecuting, and the room full of spectators. The attorney for the defendant had secured the services of the negro John Brown, and had instructed him to get an old satchel, or valise, fill it with old almanacs and such like literature, and appear at a certain time, about when the trial would commence.
Defendant's attorney notified the court that he had an as- sociate, who would soon arrive, and the proceedings accord- ingly awaited his coming. Soon the door opened, and in marched the negro assistant; laying his satchel on the table, the flaps flew open, and the almanacs fell out on the table. Dan Mckay, who was then marshal, obtained a chair for Mr. Brown, and seated at the side of defendant's attorney, the two were busy looking over law books, and the papers in the case, and after about fifteen minutes occupied in this, defendant's attorney stated to the court, that he obtained the services of John Brown at considerable expense, begged the court's pardon for using so much time in acquainting Mr. Brown with the facts, but that they were now ready to proceed. The negro murmered something about the white trash on the other side, when the two law students grabbed their hats and fled with much precipitation from the court room.
The negro then arose and said to the court, " I move you sar that this ere case be set out, and absquatulated like dem lawers are " and the case was again dismissed.
In July, 1876, there was quite an Indian scare coming from Sioux County, where the report had reached them, that a part of the Sioux tribe were coming, and were pillaging and murder- ing as they went along. Sheldon hotels and private houses were filled with families who had fled their farms, and for about a week many were in fear of their lives. It turned out however that the fright grew out of the fact that a large num- ber of Indians had crossed Sioux county on their way to Pipe-
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HISTORY OF. O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
stone, where they made a yearly pilgrimage, and imagination and a natural fear of the red man had done the rest.
In January, 1877, Sheldon had a population of 350, and the Sheldon Mail at that time estimated the 1876 improve- ments of private parties at $8,950, and the improvements in the town in the way of sidewalks and other improve- ments at $10,000. In March, 1877, there was held Shel- don's second municipal election, with the following result :
Mayor H. B. Wyman
Councilmen G. H. Boutelle, Charley
Allen, A. B. Nash, D. A. W. Perkins and J. Wykoff
Recorder L. F. Bennett
Treasurer
H. B. Wyman
City Marshal
Geo. Hill
Street Commissioner E. F. Parkhurst
Sheldon seemed to grow in periodical strides, never was boomed in the western sense of booming towns, and did not
EARLY STREET SCENE, SHELDON.
seem to grow much except when the building era came along. Of course in the seventies the grasshoppers kept it back, but about every three years during the seventies, it would take a start whereby many buildings were erected, and its population increased. Since its early days and the first ten years of its growth it has increased steadily each year.
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HISTORY OF O'BRIEN) COUNTY, IOWA.
On December 11, 1893, the old Husted & Bushnell frame building standing where the Messer & Dean brick now stands, was burned. To the old settler it was something more than a mere conflagration. It seemed sort of a sacriligious de- struction; it stirred the memories of other days, and excited a feeling, akin to that which would stir the heart of a Budhist, should a hoard of vandals seize upon, and lay in waste his sacred temple. The old building in a commercial and a busi- ness sense, was not attractive, either in its appearance or in its architecture, and the new comers no doubt felt that it was no loss to the city, but to the early resident of Sheldon, it was an old friend, a landmark, one of the first structures, that at the time of its erection looked down upon only a few small and unpretentious buildings. The building was erected in 1873, and was put up jointly by Lyman Husted and B. E. Bushnell. The carpenter work was done by Le Roy Hacket and William Hecker, but the building was extended in length several years after it was first built. Mr. Husted, under the firm name of L. Husted & Son, opened up in the corner build- ing with a general stock of merchandise, and Mr. Bushnell in the east part a stock of hardware. Since then in its occupa- tion, it has undergone many changes, and its occupants are scattered into other parts of the country, while some have gone over the silent river. The room occupied in the second story of the west part of the building, was once used by B. F. McCormack as a justice's office, in which there was many a sharp legal contest, and spicy and prolonged trials.
We remember when Henry Shultz was tried there, for keeping open his place of business on Sunday. It was an energetic raid made upon the defendant Shultz, with the forces lead by Rev. Southworth. S. C. Nash was attorney for the prosecution and the writer for the defense. The case was tried three different times, the two first trials resulting in a disagreement of the jury, and at the third trial Shultz was acquitted. After the jury brought in a verdict of not guilty, Justice McCormack said to Mr. Shultz, " You have been
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HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
found not guilty by the jury, but I have my own opinion con- cerning your guilt, and all I have to say to you, is to go and sin no more." The attorney for defendant then arose with much gravity and said, " For fear your Honor may have been induced to make that remark under a feeling of self- righteousness, I desire to call your Honor's attention to another bible proposition, let him who is without sin cast the first stone."
There was a public hall in the Husted building known as Husted's hall, in which there has been many an interesting entertainment. It was used by several re- ligious denominations for public service be- fore there were any churches in town, when Deacon Brad- · ley was engaged in the highest useful- ness of his office, and passed the contribu- tion box. Here was where the grange meetings were held, at one of which Setlı Berray introduced a resolution to set apart GEO. HUDSON. certain ground in the newly laid out cemetery, for the burial of grangers. The resolution said, "Our members should keep themselves apart, from common humanity, even in their graves." Here is where Lane held his organ meetings, which came near dividing and distracting the settlement. Traveling troups were not plenty then in this part of the country, it was only a field for amateurs.
We remember when a young man came down from Worth- ington to deliver a humorous lecture on " The Dollar of Our
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HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Daddies." The hall was filled, as the advertising circular was such a flaming announcement, it attracted a large audience. The lecturer however, was a stupid, incompetent fellow, and the audience became disgusted. They threatened him with a night in the calaboose, with hanging, and every other dire calamity, until the poor fellow upon his knees begged that he might be allowed to depart in peace. He was finally escorted to the Sheldon House, and landed in his room, but he crept out soon after, and took a tie pass for home, no doubt feeling easier when he was outside of the boundaries of the townsite.
There was for several years held in Husted's hall, during one evening of each week, a very successful lyceum, the exercises of which were of very high order. Each night the hall was crowded, and people came for miles to attend this celebrated lyceum. The exercises consisted of music, a paper, essays, declamations and a debate, and occasionally Charley Allen would tune up his fiddle for a dance.
Important questions were discussed and settled, and some- times the debate became exciting and personal. All, with any capability for debate, took a hand in the discussion, though the disputants were named two on a side the week previous. Words of admonition and of calm philosophy fell from the lips of Bro. Thomas Robinson. Dr. Longshore would occa- sionally enter the arena with a dynamite of language that was terrific in its effect upon the opposition, and we remember when Barrett, Steve Nash, Geo. L. Mckay and Charley Stewart wrestled an entire evening over the Chinese question. The debates were spicy, argumentive and sentimental, and the entire exercises from first to last were attractive and enter- taining. The forces of thought played around the walls of the old structure like the whispering of a summer breeze, and seemed to linger after the footsteps of the last departing attendant had died down in the distance. Husted's hall was of a country character, low ceiling and hardly suited for the town when it advanced sufficiently to put on metropolitan airs. It was entirely dispensed with when White's block was erected,
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HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
and there was furnished an opera house, which we now use. But the old building, in accordance with the fate of all material things, has fallen, and only its ashes remain. In the place of it, has been erected an elegant structure of brick, and the old building fraught with so many memories and reminiscences, will soon be entirely forgotten.
Thus the old land marks fade away, and when the last old settler shall have reached that mile stone, which marks the end of life's journey, there will be but few of the earlier build- ings to be seen on the townsite.
Sheldon has sev- eral times suffered by fire, but the most disastrous was that which occurred July . . 2, 1888. The fire was discovered be- tween two and three o'clock in the morn- ing, and first broke out in the hay loft of W. W. CARR. a livery stable on the west side of Third avenue, and burned several buildings in the block. Its origin has never been fully known, but it was supposed to be the work of an incendiary. There was burned fifteen frame buildings, and the estimated loss was $20,000.
Upon the ashes of this conflagration was erected substantial brick buildings, which are illustrated on another page of this book.
CHURCHES AND CHURCH SOCIETIES.
Sheldon is well supplied with religious denominations, and under our form of government, one can worship according to the dictates of his own conscience. The first church society
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HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
was the Methodist, which held services at the house of D. McKay before the town started, afterwards at the depot, now the freight depot of the C., St. P., M. & O. R. R. Co. Not long after the starting of the town, a church building was erected, and now they have a very comfortable, and commodi- ous building. The present pastor is Rev. A. S. Cochran.
The Congregational society was organized in 1872, at the house of M. G. McClellan, with only six members present. Rev. H. D. Wiard and wife, W. C. Butterfield and wife, and M. G. McClellan and wife. The church building was com- pleted in 1875, and the parsonage built in 1884. Rev. J. M. Cummings is the present pastor.
The Christian church was not an early organization in the city. They have no church building, but have already laid the foundation for one.
The Christian Science people meet regularly in a room in the Empire block.
The Baptist society was organized some years ago, and they erected a very neat church building. The present pastor is Rev. John Pierson.
W. E. Glanville who is among the illustrations in this book, was its pastor quite a number of years.
The Catholic church was organized at an early day, and now have a very commodious church building. Its present pastor is Rev. Father P. F. Farrelly, a very profound scholar, and a christian gentleman.
The Episcopal denomination have a church building here, but no services. The members of this denomination here are so few in number, that the burden of supporting it, is too much for the number.
There is considerable of liberal element in religion at Shel- don, which is represented by the Universalists and Unitarians. There has been Unitarian preaching in the city, and the Uni- versalists are now organizing a society.
The first band organized in Sheldon, was in March, 1876, composed of Charley Allen, J. M. Stevenson, D. R. Barmore,
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HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
G. H. Hardell, W. C. Butterfield, F. N. Derby, G. L. Mckay and F. T. Piper.
The first fire in Sheldon was a saloon building, owned by Mrs. Henry Schultz, in 1882. It was situated on Eleventh street.
Sheldon for a while had a very successful fair, it was a district fair of the four northwest counties, but several years ago the association went out of business. The first Sheldon business man who arrived on the train, was H. C. Lane who came July 9, 1872, and as elsewhere mentioned, at once es- tablished a lumber yard. Mr. Lane has been a prominent citizen of Sheldon now for these twenty-five years, and a very successful business man, and of unquestioned integrity.
Benj. Jones, also mentioned, has been here for a quarter century, and until a few years ago an active business man. He has been prominent in the county, and several times on the board of su- pervisors. He has now retired, and takes the world easy with plenty upon which to enjoy life's comforts and luxuries. His good wife has always been ready in sickness or distress, and her ministra- tions of sympathy and aid to the sick and unfortu- nate, go along with the history of the city. The daughter Maggie, a beau- FRANK T. PIPER. tiful girl, married Henry Egert several years ago, Nellie is one of the prominent teach- ers of our city school, who ranks high in her profession, and has the air of a lady of culture and refinement. Frank was born in Sheldon, and for him was named Franklin township.
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HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
He is now taking a medical course in Chicago, and before many years, we shall hear of Dr. Frank Jones. The family good sense and ambition is in him, with which to succeed.
F. T. Piper of the Mail, another old settler of Sheldon, and still with us, came as elsewhere mentioned in 1873, and by industry, economy and close attention to business, has made a complete success financially as a newspaper manager. He was first employed as a printer, but in due course of time became owner and proprietor.
H. B. Wyman, another old settler came also in 1873, and has been one of Sheldon's active business men ever since. Mr. Wyman has held several important offices, was our first mayor, was one term in the legislature, and has been a strong candidate for congress from this district.
James Wykoff, an old settler in Sheldon of 1872, com- menced business that year with a lumber yard, and remains with us yet, one of our substantial citizens.
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