USA > Iowa > Sac County > History of Sac County, Iowa > Part 9
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Dr. ( Miss) Arnot located in Nemaha about 1908, remained two years and returned to Chicago.
Dr. George W. Behrens, of Nemaha, this county, was born October 16, 1883, in Chicago, Illinois, eldest son of Henry A. and Nathalie Behrens, both natives of Cook county (Chicago), Illinois. The Doctor's early education was obtained in the Chicago public schools. He was a member of the Ban- croft school and class of 1902, Northwest Division high school. He then entered Valparaiso University (Indiana) as a medical student in 1904, and after one year's preparation entered the medical department of that univer- sity, receiving the degree of Doctor of Medicine in May, 1909. He received an appointment on the house staff of physicians at St. Anne's Hospital, Chicago, December, 1909. served there one year and received a St. Anne's Hospital diploma, dated December, 1910. He then engaged in the general practice in Chicago, coming to lowa November 17, 1911, locating at Nemaha, Sac county. He was married to Rose Ellen Panzer, of Chicago, November 1, 1911.
Dr. L. H. Jones, practicing at Wall Lake, lowa, is the son of James H. Jones and Ortha A. ( MeFall) Jones. He was born in Plattsville, Wisconsin, March 28, 1870, and came to lowa with his parents in 1878, settling on a farm near Odebolt, Sac county. He graduated from the Odebolt high school
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in 1889, and later attended the Upper Iowa University at Fayette, Iowa, graduating from the State University in 1804. He located at Wall Lake the year of his graduation, and has built up a lucrative practice at that place. He is a member of American Medical Association, Iowa State Medical Associa- tion, Missouri Valley Medical Association and American Railway Surgeons' Association, and is the surgeon for the Chicago & Northwestern and Illinois Central railway companies.
THE TRANSIENTS.
This is an account of the physicians of Sac county whose stay has been brief. Of the physicians who have located in Sac county at various times in its history have remained for a variable time and then have sought other fields, the following list, while possibly not complete, includes all of whom there is any satisfactory record.
Dr. Lewis F. Akers practiced in Sac City for a time, registering August 15, 1887.
Dr. Frank S. Johnson located at Odebolt May 25, 1887, where he was engaged in practice ten years or more, removing thence to. Sioux City.
Dr. George D. Sitzer registered at Sac City June 30, 1887, remaining perhaps three or four years.
Dr. Birt C. Dunkelburg located at Schaller May 31, 1889, and remained eight or ten years.
Dr. C. E. Maker located in Sac City about 1900, and after two or three years removed to Sibley, Iowa ; later he retired from practice, returned to Sac City, engaged in farming a number of years, and then removed to Grimes, Iowa, where he resumed practice.
Dr. Hubert D. Mereness, who studied medicine in Sac City, graduating from the medical department of the Iowa State University about 1898, lo- cated at Sac City, but remained only a short time, removing to Carnarvon, where he remained one year or possibly longer, and then moved to some northwestern Iowa town.
Dr. James F. Presnell located at Lake View August 21, 1894, remaining from three to four years, and then received an appointment in the medical service of the United States government.
Dr. Bigelow P. Blackstone located in Sac City March 9, 1900, forming a partnership with Dr. C. B. Adams, remaining two or three years, when he removed to some town in northern Iowa. He later returned to Sac City,
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practiced with Doctor Adams for about three years and then removed to Montana.
Dr. William C. Duncan located in Sac City November 24, 1903, being associated for a time with Doctor Adams; he remained about two years.
Dr. Thomas Farquhar located at Early December 29, 1886, where he remained in active practice about fifteen years, then retiring from practice. being succeeded by his son. He removed to Montana, where he died in 1913.
PRESENT PHYSICIANS OF THE COUNTY.
In addition to what Dr. Z. Fuller has written concerning the medical profession in this county, the following should be added. Here will be found a list of the doctors now in active practice :
Drs. Z. Fuller, Guy H. Swearengen, William H. Townsend, Charles B. Adams, William J. K. Findley, Sac City : Arthur S. Hayden, L. H. Jones, Wall Lake; John Christianson Iwerson. J. W. Graham, Early ; Frank H. Mc- Cray, T. J. Andre, Schaller; Richard C. Sebern, Raymond C. Schaller. E. Thomas Crane. August Groman, Odebolt ; Fred Leroy Blair, Lytton ; George WV. Behrens, Nemaha ; also the osteopath physicians, Loren Green, Sac City, and possibly a few not identified with regular schools of medicine.
THE SAC COUNTY MEDICAL, SOCIETY.
A county society has been organized several times, the first being in the seventies, perhaps in 1878. But the number of physicians in the county were so few, and a sufficient interest was so difficult to maintain, that atter a few meetings had been held, with but small attendance and little enthusiasm, in- terest in the matter would soon wane, and the organization would quietly die. But following the reorganization of the American Medical Association, in 1903, when membership in state and national organizations was made obliga- tory on membership in the county society, the county society being the unit. the present society was organized.
A meeting was called for the purpose and the organization effected in the court house at Sac City September 29, 1903. At that meeting the following physicians were present : Thomas Farquhar and J. W. Graham, of Early : W. Y. Herrick, of Lytton ; F. H. McCray, of Schaller : A. T. Brenton, Z. Fuller. J. H. Stalford, W. J. Findley and W. H. Townsend, of Sac City. Dr. Thomas Farquhar was elected president ; Dr. Herrick, vice-president : F. (6)
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H. McCray, secretary, and Dr. Stalford, treasurer. Meetings were to be had quarterly.
Fairly regular and satisfactory meetings were held for a year or more. attendance being almost wholly by those present at organization, although considerable effort was made to secure attendance of all physicians in the county, social features being added for the purpose, but with little or no suc- cess. Meetings were later made semi-annual, still later they became irreg- ular, until during the last three years or so there have been only annual meetings, at irregular times, with hardly more done than was really necessary to maintain the organization.
This seems to be about the common experience with county medical societies, at least in Iowa. Sufficient interest cannot be maintained to keep up an active and efficient society with so few members or regular attendants ; meetings soon become monotonous when there are so few to prepare papers and take part in their discussion, with the result which seems inevitable. The fundamental fault seems to be lack of appreciation of the benefits possible from county societies ; the press of personal work and difficulty in getting away from the daily grind, doubtless has much to do with the matter. Pos- sibly plain indifference has no small part.
At the present time (1914) the officers and members of the Sac County Medical Society are as follows: President, J. C. Iwerson ; secretary, F. H. McCray, of Schaller ; treasurer, J. H. Stalford, Sac City; members, W. J. Findley, W. H. Townsend, Guy H. Swearingen and Z. Fuller, Sac City, and L. H. Jones, of Wall Lake.
CORN HARVESTING IN SAC COUNTY
CHAPTER VIII.
THE EVOLUTION OF AGRICULTURE IN SAC COUNTY.
By Orville Lee.
Webster defines evolution as the act of unfolding or unrolling; the process of growth or development. In treating this subject, I shall take occa- sion to note some of the beginnings, some of the first efforts and their results. I shall be privileged to record some splendid success that has attended these efforts and must needs tell of many failures that have come under my own observation, a few the results of my own labors, but many more those of the earlier pioneers in agriculture. I might here say that the earlier experiences of these pioneers was many times far from encouraging. However, there was always the one argument. "our land is good for something," that en- couraged the early comer to try again. The question always uppermost in the pioneer's mind was, What shall I raise that will help supply the family need ? When shall I plant, where shall I plant it, how shall I plant, as well as what shall I plant ? All of these questions must be largely answered by experiment.
What about corn? No one knew that corn would produce a crop here. and it took ten or fifteen years of experimenting before that fact had been established, and even then few, if any, believed that any but the smaller varieties could be depended upon. I believe that prior to about 1870 the fail- ures very much outnumbered the successes in corn culture. As an explanation for this result I might offer the following :
First, the soil seemed to lack the subdued character necessary for the proper development of the corn plant. It was the common belief that in order to have a corn crop the land must have been cultivated for a number of years. As I remember the early crops of corn, they would grow and grow, but very much of the time fail to ripen. This, at that time, was largely at- tributed to soil conditions. I can now see that the trouble may have been due to a number of causes. Seed was being introduced from many states. No one had thought of the damage that might be done from deep cultivation. In fact, no surface cultivators had been invented and prior to the year 1868 nothing but single and double-shovel cultivators had been used. No methods
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of drainage had been used or tried before this. The early stirring plow would only be called a makeshift at the present time. The gophers in the spring and the swarmns of blackbirds in the fall kept the farmer busy if his own corn crop was ever to materialize. These, together with the weed pest, which was ever present and must be fought with the implements then in use, made the pro- duction of a corn crop very uncertain.
WHEAT.
What was true of corn was largely true of the other cultivated crops. Wheat might be classed as an exception. For, while there was no standard variety of wheat that could be depended upon, and no special method of cul- tivation that had proved itself superior. yet the early crops of wheat were as a rule satisfactory. True, many times the yield was only nominal, yet as a whole the wheat crop showed good returns for the labor bestowed. Among the methods of cultivation the one which provided for the breaking of the soil in early spring as conditions would admit of, was the one that best results came from. As long as unbroken sod was available, a wheat crop could be fairly well depended upon.
OATS.
Oats were not a reliable crop. When sown on late breaking they usually made a fair crop, but when sown on okler ground that had been fall plowed. they very often lodged badly. When sown on corn stalk ground some good yields were secured. The crop of 1869 might be cited as being especially good. Many heavy yields were reported this year, and the grading of the Illinois Central railroad from Fort Dodge to Sioux City provided a good market for the crop.
BARLEY AND BUCKWHEAT.
These crops, with a small amount of rye, were sown about this time, all showing more or less merit as crop producers.
GARDEN TRUCK.
Potatoes and all kinds of garden truck did well from the very first. There were few, if any, insect pests to interfere with growth and the crops of potatoes, melons, turnips, cabbage and other garden crops were all that
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could be desired. In fact, everybody had all they could use and as there was no market for anything of this kind, no one worried about the yield.
POPCORN.
.A little popcorn has been grown ever since farming has been carried on. but not until about 1888 was there any thought of producing this crop in a commercial way. About this time, a farmer near Odebolt succeeded in pro- ducing a fine crop of popcorn from a small piece of ground, which soon led others to make experimental plantings. A few years demonstrated that Sac county soil was especially adapted to the production of the best quality of this cereal. Its production was found to be remunerative and so the industry has grown to be the greatest of the kind in the world. It has not been many years since the popcorn product of the whole world was not as large as that pro- duced in Sac county at the present time. Mr. Colton, C. J. Cook, August Reuber and H. C. Wheeler, of Odebolt, might be mentioned as among the pio- neers in this line.
LIVE STOCK.
So much for the cultivated crops ; what about stock raising in the early history of the county? Here was a land covered with the most luxuriant grasses, which would furnish unlimited pastures during the summer months and an abundance of hay for winter feeding, a condition ideal for the herds- man. Here was a wealth of natural resources that needed only to he gar- nered. Why, then, should any fail to reap the harvest? The reasons were many. First, none had money with which to buy the stock ; second, there were few cattle, horses or sheep to be bought anywhere in the country ; third, the markets, except for breeding stock, were far away and hard to reach. The new comers furnished a good market for what few horses and cows that were for sale. The horses were little fellows, scarcely ever weighing more than twelve hundred pounds, and the cows were of questionable breeding, but were usually good milkers and brought good prices.
SHEEP.
The early ventures in sheep husbandry proved a losing deal. Many sheep were sent to this county immediately after the war closed. While the prices were not high as compared with the former sheep products, yet the declining
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wool market, with the lack of knowledge of the business, resulted in heavy losses of flocks and made the venture a most unprofitable one.
HORSES.
While the horses that were first used were small, they were hardy and only wanted the infusion of some good blood to bring them up to the standard that would attract Eastern buyers. Among the first to secure some good sires might be mentioned Ed. Armstrong. T. B. Mansfield and S. T. Lewis. A. H. Hendrickson and D. H. Rowe organized a company of breeders at Sac City, while another similar company was started at Odebolt. Thomas Scott, of Early, and later D. Corsant & Sons were the leaders in draft horses. However, the change was a slow one and not until the early nineties were there any marketable horses ready to be shipped. These all found a ready market and the raising of standard bred horses has steadily grown to be one of the principal industries.
STOCK CATTLE.
About the year 1866 some drovers from Greene county found their way into Sac county and bought some cattle. They were for the most part four- year-old steers of the raw-boned, old-fashioned type. These were driven overland to the place of destination where they were fed. The first cattle fattened for the Chicago market were fed by Eugene Criss in 1871, and con- sisted of a car of work oxen that had been used by the settlers to break prairie. I remember this car of cattle as being big, fleshy fellows, and to me. a boy who had never seen such a sight, they looked "awful fat" as I saw them driven across the country to Newell, where they were shipped via Illinois Cen- tral railroad. This, I believe, marked the beginning of what has grown to be the great cattle feeding industry of today for Sac county. This venture of Mr. Criss was soon followed by others who sought to find a market for some of the corn crop which had now come to be a principal feature of the farming industry. Among other early feeders might be mentioned A. H. Hendrickson. M. S. Lee, J. O. and Asa Platt. A little later Allen and Stewart, of Marshall- town, fed a big bunch of heavy cattle on what was known as the Peck farm, in Douglass township, which was followed by a like operation by Miller and Chaney, of Newell. The latter used the feed yards on the old Hendrickson farm.
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HOG INDUSTRY.
The year 1871 and 1872 saw the beginning of what has grown to be the great hog business in a commercial way. During these years a number of droves of hogs were driven across country to Newell by different buyers. From Sac City to Newell took about three days and unless the weather con- ditions were favorable the losses were often heavy. Probably not necessarily so, but with the unexperienced help and sometimes too much "free spirits" many "fat backs" were left dead by the way. Prior to this time the general method had been to butcher the fat hogs during the winter and haul the dressed hogs to dealers in Cedar Falls or Des Moines. I well remember my father taking such a load on a bob-sled to Cedar Falls, during the winter of 1863. This load of dressed hogs brought one dollar and sixty-five cents per hundred weight. Among the things bought with this load of pork, I remem- ber was a wagon which cost one hundred dollars, and a full bolt of muslin which cost sixty cents a yard. Say, how proud we all were soon after with our new home-made shirts and underwear, while that new red wagon was looked upon at that time with as much admiration as the finest automobile would be today.
TAME GRASSES.
The spring of 1868 saw the first tame grasses sown in Sac county. Asa Platt had secured sufficient clover and timothy seed with which to sow forty acres and M. S. Lee had brought a full bag of common red clover seed from Indiana. The season proved a favorable one and the experiment proved a success. In the words of Mr. Platt: "Stock in Sac county land advanced one hundred per cent., when it had been demonstrated that clover could be raised here." While since that time there has never been a question as to the splendid possibilities of the crop, yet as late as 1875 there was scarcely more interest being taken in clover than is now shown in alfalfa.
CREAMERY.
About the year 1877 Washington Allen started the first creamery on his farm one mile north of Sac City. This seemed to supply a much needed want. The method was to gather the milk daily from the patrons during the sum- mer months and twice a week in the winter time. This necessitated a lot of hauling and, while it proved fairly successful, the conditions soon required
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that the milk be left on the farm, which resulted in the home skimming pro- cess. This plan continued in practice until the advent of the farm separator which soon supplemented the old methods. A good beginning was made in butter production by the establishment of the creamery and farmers over the county were encouraged to engage in the dairy business to the extent that creameries were soon in operation in the county. Yet we notice that the growth of this industry was not very great, for while the number of milk cows, as shown by the census of 1885. was 9,071, as late as 1905 this num- ber had only grown to be 13,240. There are a number of causes that have probably contributed to this, among which might be mentioned the introduc- tion of butterine and oleomargerine about the year 1885, which took twenty years of legislative activity to bring under proper regulations so that it would not come in direct competition with honest butter. Then there was the "acre craze" that has swept over the country which seemed to fill every farmer with a desire to cultivate (or partially cultivate ) the largest number of acres possible. Then there has been the easier farming methods, which required less help, whereby one man has been able to dispose of the crop through the feed yard, or by the direct market way, which would have required many more had it been fed to dairy cows.
ORCHARDING.
The first apples raised in Sac county were grown on a graft set in a wild crab tree by Eugene Criss in Sac City. This was about the year 1865. This achievement was followed by one of similar character by M. S. Lee on his Douglas township farm about two years later. While the apples grown were few and of very ordinary quality, yet this result encouraged the fruit-loving New Englander who had settled along the Coon river to plant some fruit trees. While many of the settlers planted a few, M. S. Lee was a leader in this line prior to 1871, when Washington Allen planted the first commercial orchard, it being a tract of ten acres, which was followed by a similar tract being planted by M. S. Lee in 1877. Mr. Lee's former plantings had com- prised about four acres and had proved that such varieties as the Red June, Yellow Transparent, Red Streak, Golden Russet, Perry Russet, Willow Twig. Wine Sap and some of the other old standard varieties could be depended upon to make a crop. I.ee had always insisted that this was to be a fruit country. In support of this claim he would site the fact that all along the creek were to be found abundance of wild apples. plums, cherries, grapes.
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gooseberries, currants and strawberries. So, disregarding the discourage- ments that were ever appearing, he kept steadily on, making use of the little knowledge he had gained by hard, actual experience until he lived to see apples in Sac county selling cheaper than potatoes. I have referred to knowl- edge gained by actual experience in horticulture lines. In fact there was no other source whereby one could gain a knowledge of what varieties were best to plant. Later, however, or about the year 1870, the Iowa Agricultural College, as it was then called, began to give out some suggestions that proved of great value to the fruit growers in later years. Hundreds of varieties were tested by this institution and only those that showed merit were recom- mended for planting. Mr. Allen made use of the information so furnished. which resulted in his making selections which proved very prolific. The Ben Davis, Jonathan, Wealthy, Tolman Sweet, Utter's Red, Dutchess, Whitney and a few others were included in his list. Since these orchards came into bearing there has never been a question as to whether apples could be grown successfully or not, but the question has been would it pay. Could a farmer afford to devote his time to fruit raising when labor spent in the production of corn and other farm crops brought such satisfactory results. What was true of apples was equally true of the other fruits.
The first planting of cherries consisted almost entirely of some variety of the Morrello family. The old English Morrello was the favorite. Ex- perience soon demonstrated that this was of no value for this locality. When the Richmond cherry was introduced the results proved more satisfactory. In fact, among the many good cherries that have been tried. I doubt whether there has been one that has given so good satisfaction. There seemed to be no question from the first but that plums would succeed, for here were found some of the most delicious wild plums with variety ranging in season from early August to late September.
The census of 1885 gives Sac county credit for 10,663 trees and 5,032 bushels of apples gathered, while in 1904 there were $36,000 worth of tree fruits harvested and $6,861 of other fruits.
SUMMARY.
Thus in a brief way I have tried to note some of the beginnings made in the bringing of Sac county out of the wild grass state to that of a county of beautiful homes and productive fields. The task has not been an easy one, but a final part in this great work has been a pleasant one. The consciousness
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that we were leaders, discoverers, proving our faith in the country by the works we were able to perform, has been an inspiration to push on to greater success.
But what of the future? Will the same measure of success attend the efforts of the coming generation as has rewarded those of the past? Yea, I verily believe they will and greater yet. And why not? A few things we have already learned and proven-many more are yet to be tried. I am aware that when comparison is made, the task of keeping pace with past achievements seems a gigantic one. But, with the improved farm equip- ments, the better dissemination of knowledge of farming operations, the agri- cultural press, experimental extension departments, with better machinery, improved seeds, drainage and better transportation facilities, I believe the coming years will see improvement equal to the best of the past. Sac county owes this to the great state of Iowa.
Along many lines we must do better than in the past. In 1880 there was raised in Sac county 1,931,335 bushels of corn from 52,649 acres, or an average of about thirty-six bushels per acre, while in 1905 we had only suc- ceeded in producing 1,692,590 bushels of corn from 120,083 acres, or an aver- age of about thirty-nine bushels per acre. Thus we see that it took twenty-five years to increase the average yield of corn three bushels per acre. Will the farmers of Sac county be content to do no better during the next quarter of a century, or will they insist that not only thirty-nine bushels average be pro- duced. but that not less than fifty bushels of corn be the average crop for the whole county ?
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