USA > Iowa > Sac County > History of Sac County, Iowa > Part 23
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"In regard to the description of the lake, it should be stated that when
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the land was surveyed by the government, they meandered twelve hundred and eighty acres out for the water, which makes it two and a half miles in length from east to west, by about one mile in width in the widest place. There are two islands, one having a hundred and twenty acres, while the other is but a small tract of but a few acres, generally known by hunters as 'Gun-shot Hill." The fractional parts of forties adjoining the lake are called government lots. Armstrong's Second Addition is government lot No. 5 : Hugo Westerman's is lot No. 6 and Denison Beach, a part of which is now a summer resort. Lakewood is Lot No. 7. which is the principal one, having some fifty cottages, a large hotel, a skating rink. bowling alley, a dance hall, toboggan-slide, with many pleasure boats, bath houses, etc. This resort was started by J. H. Graves, and by him conducted a few years : he then sold the farm, the resort and grounds to Mr. Trinkel, for about nineteen dollars per acre. He sold to Hugo Westerman the resort grounds for nine thousand dollars and he, in turn, sold to Chris Larson for twenty thousand dollars and only recently he has sold it for fifty thousand dollars to .\. B. Weiland and Brothers, who took possession last spring ( 1913) and they have since conducted it.
"John Provost has also been selling lots and building cottages on the larger of the two islands for a number of years. About twenty of these build- ings are now occupied during the summer and autumn months. Louis Lar- son, as he is known, has two gasoline boats for carrying passengers, and there are also a half dozen smaller craft, with a small sail boat line, all of which afford great pleasure to the summer visitors."
BUSINESS INTERESTS.
The first settlement was made here by Robert Throssel and son in the spring of 1867. They were followed by Joseph Parkinson, Noah Borah, William Johnston, Thomas Waddicor and George Trainer, who settled at the east and south of the lake. In 1869 came in W. A. Robinson, locating on a farm three miles from the present town site. The town was laid out by J. C. Fletcher in 1880. The town was named for him, but later changed to Lake View. The first house on the town site was removed from Wall Lake by W. H. Robinson, in the autumn of 1880. J. C. Fletcher and Harry See- vers opened the first store at Fletcher. Then followed C. E. Gard and A. J. Thompson. The first elevator was erected by W. H. Robinson in 1881. The first hardware store was opened by J. P. Therkelson in 1881. The rail- road (the Northwestern ) was completed to this point in the fall of 1880.
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The first hotel, the Lake House, was opened by W. H. Robinson in 1880. H. L. Briggs started the first lumber yard here. The first postmaster and those who succeeded him to date were W. H. Robinson, in December, 1880: William H. Mong, September 3. 1886 ( name changed to Lake View Novem- ber 28, 1887) ; William H. Mong, November 28, 1887: William M. Hamil- ton, August 8, 1889: William H. Mong, July 19, 1893; F. H. Clark, June 15, 1897, and who is still serving.
The first society to hold religious services was the Baptist denomination, with Rev. W. N. McKendrick as pastor. The first school was held in 1881 with Miss Anna Searle as teacher. There was no school building at that date, but private rooms were secured.
The business interests in Lake View in the month of January, 1914, were as follows :
General Stores-J. P. Wells, People's Store and the Miesel store.
Lumber-Lake View Lumber Company.
Blacksmithing-Hans Olson.
Barbers-Ellis Bros. and E. Mason.
Drugs-Mr. Duerr.
Photographer-E. L. Maxwell.
Newspaper-The Resort, by Edwin McSheehy.
Dray Line-F. N. Dunham.
Livery-Charles Mohn.
Grain and Seeds-Updike Grain Company.
Dentist-Molsberry Bros.
Physicians and Surgeons -- Dr. E. E. Speaker.
Painter-Milton Olson.
Lake View Creamery.
Tailor and Cleaner-J. B. Lohr.
Automobile garages-Armstrong & Dean and Spencer & Son, and the Lake View Auto Company.
The population is about seven hundred. The school house consists of an eight-room, well equipped structure. The town is supplied with an ex- cellent water works system and has a high steel tower and tank. There are numerous large ice houses here where immense amounts of the finest lake ice in the state are stored and shipped far and near. In the season of 1910, five hundred cars were shipped. Much is used by the railroad company for drinking and refrigerating purposes along the extensive system. At one time large quantities of gravel and sand were removed from the earth at this
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point by steam shovels and the road bed of the railroad far to the west was made first class by its use, but the holes left make an unsightly place today, in the very heart of the town.
The town of Fletcher was incorporated in September. 1887, and soon changed to the name of Lake View. At the election of that year to decide the matter of incorporation, there were forty votes cast for incorporation and none against it. Among the earlier mayors may be recalled the names of Messrs. L. F. Davis; R. Hiersche, 1890; R. M. Paine, 1891 ; James Park, 1892; E. C. F. Mohr, 1893; Platt Armstrong, 1894. Since its incorporation the place has had, for the most part, a good municipal government and today the improvements are in keeping with the towns of western Iowa in general.
SAC TOWNSHIP.
Sac is the extreme southeastern subdivision of Sac county and comprises all of congressional township 36, range 35 west. Calhoun county lies at the east, Coon Valley township to the north, Viola township to the west and Carroll county at the south. It was organized as one of the original town- ships in the county in 1856 and in 1880 it had been cut down in extent of its territory very greatly and at that date had only five hundred and eighty-one population. Its present population, according to the United States census returns for 1910, is one thousand one hundred and twenty-five, with Auburn and Grant City, the former having three hundred and ninety-nine and the latter having one hundred and sixty-two.
The early settlers here were nestled in along the timber lands found skirting the Coon river, in the neighborhood of Grant City, which had a settle- ment and a mill for corn grinding in the fifties, but was not platted until about 1863, and derived its name from that gallant soldier-statesman, U. S. Grant. The Coon makes a sharp horse-shoe curve in the northeastern por- tion of this township, and Grant City was platted on the north and eastern side of this big bend in the river, which afforded, at an early day. ample water power for good milling facilities The towns and villages of Sac township are& Auburn, Grant City and Ulmer, all of which are mentioned at length further on in this article. The Tama branch of the great North- western railroad system runs across Sac township, from east to west, almost directly along the central section line. The newly constructed Omaha and Fort Dodge branch of the Illinois Central railroad traverses the northwest corner of the township, coming in from the north on section 2 and leaving
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from section 18. The history of Grant City, Auburn and Ulmer will give the names of many who first settled this part of the county.
TOWN OF AUBURN.
Auburn is one of the three towns within Sac township, the others being Grant City, and Ulmer, a station on the Illinois Central railroad. Auburn is situated on sections 23 and 24, of township 86, range 35. It was platted July 31. 1886, by the Western Town Lot and Land Company. It is a station point on the Chicago & Northwestern line, the second station east from Wall Lake, and is on the east line of Sac county. It really caused the town of Grant City, a mile or so to the north and west, to go down. It was incor- porated as a town early in its history and has had for its mayors the follow- ing gentlemen: W. J. Dixon. G. M. Parker. P. R. Moseley. Otto Behrend. Otto Garnatz. A. Beck, P. J. Barry, and J. Simpson. Its officers in 1914 are : Mayor. J. Simpson : clerk. C. C. Basler : treasurer, Paul Ruckrow : marshal, W. D. Carroll; councilmen. W. H. Lesle, II. F. Garnatz, C. F. Brower. W. E. Comstock, M. Brooks. A private stock company operates, and has since about 1900, a gasoline gas lighting plant here, which provides lights for public and private use, as well as for street lighting purposes.
The present churches of the town are all mentioned in the Church chap- ter in this volume and consist of the Presbyterian, German Lutheran, Roman Catholic and Latter-Day Saints. The lodges include the Masonic, Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows and the various insurance orders (see Lodge chapter ).
The Auburn postoffice is a fourth class office and from it runs out two free rural delivery routes. Its postmasters have been M. Buehre, H. G. F. Muller. E. H. Merrell ( who held it eighteen years). E. Reardon, since Octo- ber, 1913.
This, like all railroad towns of these days, grew rapidly at first. Almost all branches of trade soon sprung up here, taking the trade and general busi- ness that had for years gone to Grant City. The business interests in Auburn at this date ( January, 1914) are in the hands of the following persons :
Agricultural Implements-E. Reardon.
Banking-Farmers and Merchants.
Barber Shops-C. F. Brower.
Brick and Drain Tile Works --- The Straight family. Blacksmith Shop-William Rettig.
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Dray Line-E. Basto.
Drugs-J. Kessler, C. C. Basler. Elevator-Howard & Barry. Furniture-T. J. Barry. Garage-Grey & Dahlquist. General Dealers-F. R. Brennan, Lee Jones.
Grocery-S. Mott. Hotel-The Auburn House, G. H. Bruning. Jeweler-S. Mott.
Lumber-W. T. Joyce Co. Livery-M. G. Golden.
Millinery-Miss Minnie Basler.
Meats-L. A. Sherman, J. A. Green.
Newspaper-The Record, by E. H. Merrell. Public Hall-Over Bank block.
Physicians-Drs. H. L. Fobes and P. J. Barry. Pool Hall-L. Reinhart.
Restaurants-Amos Rettig. Stock Dealers-W. H. Lesle.
Veterinary Surgeon-A. Beck. Variety Store-E. H. Merrell.
Wagon Repairs-William Rettig.
The chief industry of Auburn, at this date, is the brick and tile works, in which from forty to sixty men find employment the year round, in the manufacture of a very superior article of drain tile and building brick, with building blocks and other articles of the clay product. These works are supplied with the raw material from beds of clay, gravel and sand situated near Grant City, from which the material is taken by conveyor cars on a sys- tem of wire cables, for a distance of over a quarter of a mile and running over the Coon river valley and its winding stream. From the south side of the valley it is conveyed in steam cars pulled by a dummy steam engine to the works, proper, in Auburn. In the month of December, 1913, this company, composed of the three Straights, shipped one hundred and thirty-seven car loads of their products to various parts of the country. They are now far behind their orders.
In April, 1889, there was a creamery in operation at Auburn, of a very high type. It was the best constructed one in all western Iowa. In addition to receiving milk for the separators, it also collected cream from the sur- rounding country in large quantities.
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GRANT CITY.
This is one of the oldest places in the county, but has, by reason of the building of the railroads north and south of it, become a mere hamlet, almost gone into decline. It now has but one store, and that is operated by Mrs. H. F. Schultz. The postoffice was discontinued in December, 1912, and a num- ber of the citizens there get their mail daily over the rural free delivery from Auburn, by having their boxes placed in a long row in front of the old post- office and store building. This town has for its site one of the prettiest in the county, overlooking as it does the picturesque valley of the Coon river, skirted with a fine grove of native timber which naturally attracted the pio- neers. The water power at this point was utilized for many years in the way of a saw mill by George Wright, who also had a corn-cracker in connection, until he, in company with O. R. Jones, enlarged the mill and added a grist mill, which produced flour for many of the settlers in Crawford, Sac, Buena Vista. Calhoun and Greene counties. The mill dam was for many years a success and the water power excellent, but finally it gave way and steam power was installed instead. It was operated until about 1905 and then torn down. A part of the machinery found its way to Dakota and the building material was sold at home and converted into other buildings. The original machinery for this mill was brought from Fort Dodge over the trackless prairies and unbridged streams. This mill was originally built in 1856- the first in Sac county.
At one time Grant City was a busy mart, where came many pioneer men to do both milling and trading. There were at one time newspapers, a good hotel, three stores of general merchandise, excellent schools, and the best roller skating rink in the whole Northwest. In 1865 pioneer R. Ellis came there, where he still resides, and says when he came the town had a black- smith shop, run by William Impson, a hotel, a saw mill and many slab shanties and log cabins scattered here and there over the platting. The town was not incorporated until about 1904. This was brought about by the fact that the school laws of Iowa did not allow better school appropriations in such towns than it did in the common country districts, and the people here in Grant City were proud of their public schools and desired a larger appro- priation, so incorporated and hence are independent in school matters.
The churches of today are the Methodist Episcopal, served by the pastor from Lake City ; the Seventh-Day Adventists, which at one time was strong but on account of removals has been greatly reduced in its membership
1
ELEVATOR 0010011-7411
AN IMPORTANT LOCAL ENTERPRISE
ONE OF SAC COUNTY'S PROSPEROUS INDUSTRIES
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They, as well as the Methodists, have a good church building. The old Masonic lodge was removed to the railroad town, Auburn, when that town had become of sufficient size to support such a fraternity. The only order now at Grant City is the insurance order known as the American Yoeman.
Among the old mayors of Grant City may be named R. Ellis, S. H. Bates, William Shannon and George Higgins. The 1914 officers of the incorporation are : Mayor, James Birt : clerk, S. H. Bates ; treasurer, N. A. Impson.
Grant City is situated on sections 11 and 14, township 86, range 35. It is in the big bend-the horse-shoe-of the Coon river, and was platted in Civil-war times, and bid fair to become a rival of Sac City.
The old state atlas published by Andrus, in 1874. says of Grant City : "This is a village located on section 14, township 86, range 35, in the south- eastern part of Sac county. Its location is on the east bank of the North Raccoon river, in a grove of timber. There is also a good mill power on the river at this point. The village was laid out in 1863. It has a Baptist. Episcopal and Methodist church, several mills, and stores carrying general stocks of goods."
TOWN OF ULMER.
This place is situated in section 8, township 86, range 35, on the Illinois Central railroad, from Fort Dodge to Omaha, and was platted November 21, 1900, by Carrie and W. T. Martin. It has made a fine growth in the few years of its existence. The postoffice here is a fourth class office, established in 1901. and has had these postmasters: Thomas W. Martin, from 1901 to 1908; Dr. E. W. Bookhart, 1908 to 1911 ; C. E. Barnes, present incumbent. The banking interests here are carried on by the Farmers Savings Bank. established in 1911. The only church society of the town is the Presby- terian church. The business of the place in January, 1914, was conducted as follows: Dry goods and groceries, Barnes & Son ; hardware and grocery. J. N. Hawks ; blacksmithing, Leo Flintje ; elevator, Farmers Grain Company, with L. M. Wicher, manager ; lumber, by the Joyce Lumber Company, with V. T. Butrick, manager ; stock dealers, L. M. Wicher & Company ; implement store, Hawks & Webster ; pool and lunch room, C. R. Cooley.
VIOLA TOWNSHIP.
On the southern line of the county, and second from the eastern, line, is the civil township of Viola, bounded on its north by Wall Lake township,
(16)
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on the east by Sac township, on the south by Carroll county, and on the west by Levey township. It comprises all of congressional township 86, range 36 west, hence is six miles square. The only town within its borders is Carnarvon, in section 22, which is a junction point of the Tama and Carroll branches of the Northwestern system. The Illinois Central line, from Omaha to Fort Dodge, runs through this township, following the central tier of sections from east to west. A small portion of the town of Wall Lake is within Viola township, as well as a small portion of Wall lake itself. the most of this pretty sheet of water, however, being confined to the limits of Wall Lake township. This subdivision of Sac county has its full share of railroads. The Northwestern system has three distinct branches in the town- ship, with stations at Carnarvon and Wall Lake, and an overhead crossing with the Illinois Central and Northwestern on section 15. There are many Germans in Viola township, and, for the most part, they are all prosperous, well educated and industrious farmers. The township has no timber except that planted and cultivated by the pioneers. There are three small creeks within its borders. Some of the land is rather low, but has mostly been re- claimed by ditching and tile drains. Corn is the chief crop.
Most all the first settlers have either removed from the county or died. Some are retired at the county seat and at Wall Lake and Lake View towns. Just what dates and the exact section on which these pioneers settled cannot now be well determined, but from an interview had recently with such men as J. W. Higgins and F. C. Jacobs, it is learned that the first settlement of this township was made by the following persons, with perhaps a few more, who might have been as early, or earlier. than some of these here named. Mr. Higgins came in 1887, but had lived at Wall Lake four years previous to that. He was a soldier in the Civil War, and was from Montgomery county, New York. He has accumulated considerable property. and has recently pur- chased much more in Clay county, this state. He has been one of the trus- tees of this township for a number of years. Mr. Jacobs, above mentioned, was born in Germany, but came here when young, and has taught school and been township assessor here a number of terms. He is well informed and is really what may be termed a scientific farmer, making a thorough study of the soils and of every grade of stock he handles. He loves to look in upon nature at every possible window, and glean that which may be of benefit to a progressive agriculturist. He raises thirty per cent. more per acre than his common farmer neighbors. all on account of his studying the conditions of ,
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soil and climate. He came in about twenty years ago and has seen great changes since engaging in farm life here.
When pioneer Higgins came to the township he found here such men as Garrett Fischer, August Hanke, Patrick Quinn, Patrick Halpin, Robert Westcott. Joseph Parkinson, of section 2, who was among the very first. Also there were Henry Peters, John Spurrell, an Englishman, who still re- sides in the county, and has a son who is taking much care to study well the country in which he lives. This family located on section 6. John Spurrell was a trustee of Viola township for twenty-five years. Another pioneer was an old Mr. Hinken, and others were Leo Fix, Charles Frank, John Goeman. all very early, probably in the early seventies. Leander McCrea located where now stands the village of Carnarvon, and remained there until 1885 ; Charles Teeple, now deceased, was two miles northi and a half mile to the east of Carnarvon. Early in the eighties came in Herman and Frederick Voss, brothers. They were among the first to make permanent improve- ments, a mile or so east of Carnarvon, where they had three hundred and twenty acres of land. Both are long since deceased. Peter Rossman also had a half section on the south line of the township. He is deceased. "Tip" Dewey, now of Wall Lake town, owned a half section in the northwestern part of the township, and still owns the land. Michael Martin, deceased, settled very early in the northwestern part. Thomas Waddicor came in among the earliest settlers, in the seventies, and bought land in the north half of the township; he was a soldier in the Two Hundred and Second New York Regiment, and he died about 1908; his son. James Waddicor, now owns the old homestead farm, but resides in Schaller. Moses Lacy was here before 1886 in the northeast quarter of the township, but he now resides near Ames, Iowa. Another was George Van Dresser, who settled in the township at an early date on section 1; he went to Missouri about 1890. Jonas Walrod, in the northwestern part of this township, improved one of the early farms and later died and the land is now in the hands of strangers to the family. His son is a veterinary surgeon in Carnarvon at this date. Brunas Swartscup located in the south part of the township, as did his brother. John Preffer settled about the same time in the western portion, on section 7, where he lived until a few years ago, went South, returned and finally died. Theodore Kliskie arrived in the township about 1875, locating near Wall Lake. Henry Hoft came in and purchased land in the southwest portion. He now lives at Wall Lake ; he was a soldier with one of the Iowa regiments. His son now resides on the old Viola township homestead.
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Before 1886 came Jacob Ackerman, who located in the southeastern part of the township. The large Irish family of McCormicks settled in this town- ship among the pioneers of early date: sons of this family were Thomas, Peter and John. A. M. Robison, a Massachusetts Yankee, settled in the west half of the township early in the eighties. David Low settled in the southwestern portion, and now resides at Wall Lake, but still owns his land in Viola. Ellis Barthema was in the north part of the township before Mr. Higgins' arrival in 1887. He went to Texas, lost his property, including his excellent two hundred and forty-acre tract in this township. After this the settlement was too rapid to trace out the comings and goings.
Viola township was organized as a separate township in 1875, and derived its name from a town by that name in Illinois. Its present trustees are J. W. Higgins, Michael Rising and Ernest Walrod : its assessor is Louis Wilcox. Its population in 1910 was nine hundred and twenty-nine.
VILLAGE OF CARNARVON.
This, the only distinct platted village in Viola township, was laid out by George W. Pitcher, in section 22, township 86, range 36, on October 24. 1881. Its present population is about one hundred and fifty. It is a junction point of the Chicago & Northwestern railroad, where the Carroll branch leaves the Tama branch, and is something over four miles south and east from the town of Wall Lake. The first attempt at business here was the year the platting was effected, and it was a general merchandise store opened by Fishback & Pitcher, later owned solely by Mr. Pitcher, who also bought grain and had the first shipping facilities. In scanning the newspaper files the author finds that in December. 1888, the Sac Sun said of Carnarvon: "The new town in Viola township, Carnarvon, is getting to be quite a berg. . 1 good number of buildings are already up and enclosed and still more will be completed the coming winter. Mr. Pitcher, the leading man of the place, is using every effort to build up and make it a good town."
The postmasters of Carnarvon have been in the following order: Rob- ert Westgarth, Louis HIunefeld, J. J. Fishback, Harvey Daily, Mr. and Mrs. G. M. Seaman, who, between them, have had the office for the last ten years.
The business interests of Carnarvon, in the spring of 1914, were in the hands of the following persons :
General Dealers -- Benson & Company.
Hardware and Lumber-Farmers' Lumber Company, of Fort Dodge.
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Elevator and Live Stock -- A. J. Graham.
Garage-The Parson Auto Company.
Hotel-G. M. Seaman.
Blacksmithing-Joseph Reutter.
Cream Station-W. A. Seaman.
Veterinary Surgeon-Doctor Walrod.
Barber-A. E. Mason.
Pool Hall -- A. E. Mason.
JACKSON TOWNSHIP.
Jackson is the township in which Sac City, the county seat, is situated, and comprises congressional township 88, range 36 west, and is bounded on the north by Douglas and Delaware townships, on the east by Cedar town- ship, on the south by Wall Lake township and on the west by Boyer Valley township. It was in and near here that the first pioneer settlement was ef- fected in the early fifties, and, having been mentioned at length in the general chapter on early settlement, need not here be enlarged upon. It was here that Judge Eugene Criss located and ran the old stage station and a general store for the accommodation of a wide scope of country. He later con- structed a saw and grist mill. The Corys, the Tiberghiens, the Watts and Platts all found homes in the new country. It was in 1854, 1855 and 1856 when they arrived.
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