USA > Iowa > Hancock County > History of Winnebago County and Hancock County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 33
USA > Iowa > Winnebago County > History of Winnebago County and Hancock County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 33
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35
330
WINNEBAGO AND HANCOCK COUNTIES
An attorney named B. F. Westover came to Britt in August, 1882 and practiced for a short time, then disappeared.
A. C. Ripley came to Hancock County soon after his admittance to the bar in 1877. Ripley was a native of Ohio and received a splendid education in his youth. He was elected county superintendent of schools in Hancock in 1880. Mr. Ripley practiced in the county until 1907, then retired from active work and is now living at Long Beach, California.
William E. Bradford was born September 30, 1857 in Dyer County, Tennessee. In 1861 his parents removed to Marshall County, Iowa, and after a short residence there removed to Tama County, this state, where his father, Theodoric F. Bradford, was a prominent lawyer and at one time probate judge of that county. William remained there until 1877, when he went to Marshalltown, Iowa, and became engaged in teaching school, also studying law under H. E. J. Boardman. In 1879 he went to Hampton and was admitted to the bar in March, 1880. He practiced there under the direction of Kellam, King & Henley until July, 1880, at which time he located in Britt, where he became prom- inent as an active figure in the county seat troubles in the early 1900s.
Joseph G. Strong was born in Erie County, New York, October 2, 1843. He came to Johnson County, Iowa, after studying law in the East, in 1861. He enlisted from Iowa City in 1862, in the Twenty- Eighth Iowa Volunteer Infantry and became adjutant of the regiment. In the fall of 1865 he was admitted to the bar at Iowa City and became a partner of Judge W. E. Miller, of Iowa County. He located then in Tama County, after dissolving the partnership, and there remained for fifteen years. He came to Britt in 1880 and engaged in the practice of law, also newspaper editing.
Joseph Osborne, a native of Wisconsin, located in Britt in June, 1881, and organized the banking and law firm of Taylor & Osborne.
O. K. Hoyt came to Britt in November, 1880. Formerly he had been engaged in the practice of law at New Hampton, Chickasaw County. He remained here but ten months.
James M. Elder, although admitted to the bar at the first term of the circuit court, never practiced a great deal, but was an able man in the profession.
The first attorneys to locate in Garner were Bush & Bush, closely followed by H. N. Brockway and A. C. Ripley. Henry H. Bush came to Hancock County in 1870 from Illinois. For a period of fifteen years Mr. Bush was prominently identified with the legal practice in the county, practicing in partnership with J. E. Wichman from 1884 to 1891.
J. E. Wichman, the present representative of Hancock County in the 37th General Assembly, came to the county in 1879 and to Garner
331
WINNEBAGO AND HANCOCK COUNTIES
in 1882. He was admitted to the bar in 1884. Mr. Wichman practiced with H. H. Bush until 1888, then alone until 1912, then in partnership with Q. C. Hastings, the present county attorney.
John A. Senneff was another of Hancock County's foremost law- yers, coming here in 1898, locating at Britt. Mr. Senneff is now prac- ticing at Mason City, Iowa.
THE PRESENT BAR
The present members of the bar in Hancock County are: F. E. Blackstone, Garner; Frank Senneff, Britt; John Hammill, Britt; J. E. Wichman, Garner; W. H. Ramsay, Garner; C. R. Wood, Corwith; and Irving C. Hastings, Garner.
DISTRICT COURT
When Hancock County was organized it was placed in the then newly formed Eleventh Judicial District, of which John Porter was then judge. This was formed in conformity with the new state con- stitution, just adopted, and under which the office of prosecuting attor- ney for each county was abolished and a district attorney for a judiical district was elected.
THE DISTRICT JUDGE
The first term of this court ever held in Hancock County was convened on May 24, 1860, at Upper Grove, Hon. John Porter, judge of the Eleventh District, presiding. There were present besides the judge,, Daniel D. Chase, special prosecuting attorney; Charles M. Church, sheriff, and C. D. Pritchard, clerk. The first business trans- acted by this court was the admission of C. D. Pritchard and H. N. Brockway to practice as lawyers. These men applied in person to the court and were admitted on recommendation of the examining com- mittee.
The first case upon the docket which came up for adjudication was that of J. W. Woods vs. W. C. Gilpin. This was an action upon a promissory note, brought up on appeal from a justice's court. H. L. Hoffman and Daniel D. Chase appeared for the plaintiff and W. C. Stanberry for the defendant. The decision of the lower court was reversed and judgment given for the plaintiff. But few other cases came up before the court, most of them being either settled or continued by consent of the parties.
The second term of the district court was held in May, 1861, at the same place, there being present Hon. John Porter, judge; D. D. Chase,
332
WINNEBAGO AND HANCOCK COUNTIES
prosecuting attorney; C. D. Pritchard, clerk; and Charles M. Church, sheriff. The first business transacted was the return of the venire of grand jurors, namely: Anson Avery, Jacob Ward, Richard Colburn, James C. Bonar, B. F. Denslow, Joseph Barth, Charles Lutz, George Stoskopf, F. M. Colburn, A. Baker, Douglas Magill, Malcolm Magill, Orick Church, Edward Thorpe and George Savogue. The court appointed Jacob Ward as foreman and swore in the whole number. With these preliminaries the jury retired for deliberation under the lead of C. Church, bailiff.
Some trouble having arisen in a settlement with Charles Church, he sued the county of Hancock at this term of court for the sum of one dollar. ' Judgment was given in his favor. There were present at this term of court the following lawyers: W. C. Stanberry, M. P. Rose- crans, H. N. Brockway, C. D. Pritchard, D. D. Chase, James Crow, James W. Wood of Hardin County, and Henry L. Huff, also of Hardin.
The regular May term, 1862, was opened upon the 29th day of that month, Judge John Porter presiding. The first criminal case in Han- cock County was upon the docket of this court. It was a case against Charles and G. Gilpin and Stephen Gillespie, for aggravated assault upon the person of H. N. Brockway. This case was continued along from term to term and was settled, according to the record, by a plea of guilty and the payment of a $5 fine.
The next term was held in May, 1863, and was presided over by John Porter, judge of the Eleventh District; C. C. Doolittle was clerk and John Maben was sheriff. But little business was up at this short session.
At the May term of 1864, for only one term was held each year then, Judge Porter was on the bench; Charles C. Doolittle, elerk, and John Maben, sheriff. A number of suits came up at this term and, with one exception, were without interest to the general reader: this exception was the case of Hancock County against William Aldrich. This was an action to recover the amount of a doctor's bill. It seems that a son of Mr. Aldrich had crushed his hand badly in a cane mill and the old gentleman was endeavoring to heal up the broken bones and bruised flesh with raw sorghum molasses, until it was almost in a state of gangrene. The town trustees, learning of it, ordered a doctor to attend to it and out of this grew the suit. After a trial before a jury, that body could not come to an understanding, and on reporting the fact of their disagreement to the court, they were discharged and the case allowed to lay over from court to court, until it was taken by change of venue to Winnebago County, where judgment was rendered for the county.
On July 4, 1864 the Twelfth Judicial District was created and com-
333
WINNEBAGO AND HANCOCK COUNTIES
prised the counties of Worth, Winnebago, Mitchell, Hancock, Floyd, Cerro Gordo, Butler and Bremer. The counties, however, held to their old districts for court purposes until January 1865. At the election on the 8th of November, 1864, William B. Fairfield was elected district judge and John E. Burke, of Waverly, district attorney. Judge Fair- field was reelected in 1868 and I. W. Card was chosen district attorney. In 1870 Judge Fairfield resigned and George W. Ruddick of Bremer County was elected to fill the vacancy.
In 1888 John C. Sherwin came to the bench. C. H. Kelley was elected to the position in 1898 and in 1900 C. P. Smith was elected to fill a vacancy. . Kelley was reelected in 1902. J. F. Clyde was chosen for the position in 1904. The present judges of the Twelfth Judicial District are: C. H. Kelley, Joseph J. Clark and M. F. Edwards. A complete list of the district court judges may be summed up as follows : P. W. Burr, 1893-6; Joseph J. Clark, 1908, -; John B. Cleland, 1887-8; J. F. Clyde, 1897-1912; M. F. Edwards, 1913, -; W. B. Fairfield, 1865- 70; C. H. Kelley, 1898, -; M. F. Moore, 1857-8; G. W. Ruddick, 1870-92; J. C. Sherwin, 1888-99; C. P. Smith, 1900-08; H. N. Brockway, 1869-72; R. G. Reiniger, 1870-84. Brockway, Reiniger and Cleland were circuit judges.
THE CIRCUIT COURT
By an act of the General Assembly, passed and approved April 3, 1868, courts of this description were established in Iowa, and each judi- cial district was divided into two circuits, in each of which, at the general election in November, 1868, and every four years thereafter, it was provided that a circuit judge should be elected. Four terms of court were provided, per year, in each county in the circuit. By this act the office of county judge was abolished and all business pertaining to that office was transferred to the circuit court, which was to have concurrent jurisdiction with the district court in all civil actions at law, and exclusive jurisdiction of all appeals, and writs of error from justices' courts, mayors' courts and all other inferior tribunals, either in civil or criminal cases. Hancock County, together with others, made a circuit of the Twelfth Judicial District.
H. N. Brockway was elected the first circuit judge for this circuit and served from January 1, 1869 until January, 1873, when he was succeeded by Robert G. Reiniger.
The first term of circuit court for Hancock County was held at Con- cord, commencing January 11, 1869. H. N. Brockway presided as judge : J. H. Beadle was sheriff and L. B. Bailey clerk. The following was the venire of the petit jury summoned, all of whom appeared : Joseph M. Whitis, Richard Colburn, John Martin, E. H. Foster, John
334
WINNEBAGO AND HANCOCK COUNTIES
Melins, C. W. Rogers, John Christie Jr., Daniel Perry, J. J. Barker, Robert Elder, J. Q. Beadle, Cephas Church, Andrew Bolsinger, Mal- colm Magill and Edward Hughes. No business presenting itself the court after organizing, adjourned sine die.
Judge Reiniger was succeeded upon the circuit court bench in 1884 by Judge John B. Cleland. Judge Cleland served two years, when, the circuit court becoming too unwiedly, it was abolished by an act of the state legislature.
COUNTY ATTORNEYS
The first county attorney was J. E. Wichman, who served from 1886 until 1891. Following him have been : W. E. Bradford, 1891-95; C. R. Wood, 1895-99; J. E. Wichman, 1899-1903; John Hammill, 1903-7; W. H. Ramsay, 1907-11; C. R. Wood, 1911-15; I. C. Hastings, 1915, -.
THE COUNTY JUDGE
The office of county judge was created by an act of the General Assembly in 1857. It was proposed to make this the most important office in the county, as the judge, in connection with the county court, consisting of himself, the prosecuting attorney and the sheriff, trans- acted almost all the business now devolving upon the board of super- visors, auditor and clerk of the court.
M. P. Rosecrans was the first county judge, being unanimously elected to fill that position in June, 1858, at the time of the organization of the county, Judge Rosecrans' duties began with his election. He was reelected twice and served until January, 1866. Phineas Hayward succeeded Judge Rosecrans in the office of county judge in 1866 and served two years. G. W. Elder came next and served until the first of January, 1869, when the office was abolished.
COURT CLERKS
The office of clerk of the courts was in existence at the time of the organization of Hancock County. At the first election therein, June 28, 1858, George Louppe was elected clerk of the courts for Hancock County. His successors have been : C. D. Pritchard, 1861-3; Charles C. Doolittle, 1863-5; James M. Elder, 1865-9; L. B. Bailey, 1869-71; C. C. Doolittle, 1871-86; Isaac Sweigard, 1886-91; Wesley Aldridge, 1891-5; J. M. Coutts, 1895-1900; L. D. Womeldorf, 1900-2; F. C. Bush, 1902-7; W. F. Missman, 1907-11; J. W. Knadler, 1911-15; E. L. Stilson, 1915, -.
CHAPTER XI
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION
THE FIRST DOCTORS AND THEIR PRACTICES-HISTORY OF MEDICINE AND SURGERY-PIONEER REMEDIES-EARLY DOCTORS IN HANCOCK COUNTY- THE PRESENT PHYSICIANS IN THE COUNTY.
The practice of medicine or the custom of relieving and curing the ills of the genus homo is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, of the professions known to civilization. Healing has always been a neces- sity of the human family. It is reasonable to suppose that the first antidotes were derived from plant life-thus according to Nature the honor of being the greatest doctor of all, an honor which has never been disputed. From records it is learned that the practice of medicine is the oldest in China and India. The best authorities claim that the art had its beginning in China at the time of the Emperor Hwang Ti,
who ruled about 2687 B. C. Prior to the coming of Christian mission- aries to China that nation knew nothing of anatomy or blood circu- lation; their remedies consisted chiefly of vegetable and mineral concoctions, with a few medicines derived from animals. The Egyp- tians are given credit of having been the first people to reduce the practice of medicine to a system or profession. There the priests were the first physicians, but from old documents discovered in the land of the Nile it is evident that others practiced, and that they had specialists such as gynecologists, surgeons, veterinarians and even oculists. In the early life of the Hebrews disease was considered a natural punishment for sin and therefore beyond the power of man to cure. After the Egyptian captivity many of the healing methods learned from their captors were practiced among the Jews, though the priests regarded the custom as a dangerous one. Consequently, the physician never became a popular person in Palestine.
After Egypt, Greece was the first to have regular physicians. Chiron, the Centaur, is said to have been the first Greek to claim the power of healing the sick. His pupil, Æsculapius, founded a school of medicine, but after a time it degenerated into superstition and mysticism and its value was destroyed. Hippocrates, who was born about 460 B. C., was the first great Greek physician. He wrote treatises on hygiene, surgery and other topics, and classified diseases, but at the same time possessed no knowledge of anatomy to speak of. He has been correctly called the Father of Medicine.
335
336
WINNEBAGO AND HANCOCK COUNTIES
At the beginning of the Christian Era, Celsus, a Roman, became notable; he was of the Hippocratic school. Celsus was succeeded by Galen, who wrote over one hundred works, some on the subject of anatomy. The systematic study of anatomy did not begin, though, until the sixteenth century, when the first dissection was performed by Vesalius, an Italian physician and surgeon. After the discovery of the circulation of the blood by Harvey and the development of the science of chemistry, the science of medicine gained a great impetus. From this time it progresses rapidly, until it has reached the magnifi- cent plane upon which it now rests.
PIONEER REMEDIES
The pioneer family, under necessity of circumstances, was often compelled to have their own pharmacy in the cabin and to act as doctor to each other. This duty of diagnosis and treatment more often fell to the grandmother, with her expert knowledge of "yarbs." Blue pills, senna, quinine, bone-set tea, burdock or snake root bitters, decoctions of wild cherry and hickory bark, poultices and plasters, also Spanish Fly, were given. One pioner physican remarked that after the patient reached a convalescent stage, if indeed such a stage were ever reached, generous doses of castor oil were given to work out of the system the deleterious effects of the initial course of treatment. Blood- letting was also considered an efficient means of combating disease, the doctors believing that by letting a copious amount of the life-giving fluid from the veins, the tenement of the demon disease would thereby be destroyed. Permit a pioneer woman to state her views: "Of the pests we endured there were three in particular-the shakes, the Indians and the doctors." Duncan, in his "Reminiscences of the Medical Profession," says that "the first requisite was a generous supply of English calomel." To this were added jalap, aloes, Dover's Powder, castor oil and Peruvian bark. If a cruel cathartic, followed by blood-letting and a fly blister, did not improve the condition of the patient, the doctor "would look wise and trust to the sick man's rugged constitution to pull him through."
The old-fashioned doctor must be commended, even if his methods were crude. His knowledge and practice were restricted. Frequently he had no professional education to speak of, this training having been in a measure gained by an apprenticeship to some older physician. The pioneer doctors followed the tide of emigration to the great West and there built up their practice. In the face of biting winds, chilling rains, in the darkest hours of the night, the doctor made his visits; fording streams, crossing sloughs and pushing his way across the trackless
337
WINNEBAGO AND HANCOCK COUNTIES
prairie. The pioneers, in general, were in financial straits and his fees were small, generally in the form of flour, meat or corn, or whatever produce the settler could best afford to give. His method of locomo- tion was almost entirely by horseback, with a lantern to light the way. His pill-bags, consisting of two leather boxes joined by a strap, were slung over the saddle.
What would be this pioneer doctor's thoughts were he to see the complicated array of medical apparatus, the technique of the modern surgeon with his many operations a day, the use of serums and anti- toxins, and learn the theories of medical science as they are now? But even as his art would be considered primeval and practically useless, just so much did his labors and sacrifices pave the way for all these splendid wonders-without him they could not have been created.
EARLY PHYSICIANS IN HANCOCK COUNTY
For many years there was no physician in Hancock County, such services as were necessary being performed by doctors from Forest City or Belmond.
Dr. Charles L. Buffon settled at Upper Grove about 1859 and prac- tieed medicine to a small extent. He was a first-class practitioner, and was thoroughly educated. While here he also engaged in farming. He afterwards entered the service of the United States as a surgeon during the Civil War and made quite a reputation. He later located at Vinton, Benton County, and entered the practice.
In 1869 Doctor Stanley came into Hancock County and located at Concord. He came here from Wisconsin, where he had been in practice for several years. He stayed at this place about two years, then removed to Minnesota. He was a fine looking man, of commanding appearance, and was known as a careful and conscientious doctor. After leaving Concord he went to Clear Lake, but soon after left that place for the neighboring state of Wisconsin.
Among the other early physicians of Hancock County who were prominent in the affairs of this section of the state were: Drs. Z. C. Greene, R. G. Hamilton, H. W. Smith, H. F. Fort, Eugene MeNiel, Keller, Alleyne, A. M. Tuttle and A. J. Cole.
Dr. Z. C. Greene came to the village of Garner in 1875 and entered upon the practice of medicine. He was a young man from De Witt, Clinton County, and fresh from school. He was elected coroner during the year 1876. His stay in Hancock County, however, was not of long duration, for after a few years' service here he departed for other fields.
Dr. H. W. Smith, one of the prominent physicians, located at Garner in 1877, although long a resident of the county. He carried on a general drug business in connection with his practice.
I-22
338
WINNEBAGO AND HANCOCK COUNTIES
Dr. H. W. Smith was a native of Wisconsin and when twenty-two years of age located in Hancock County, after graduating from the Rush Medical College of Chicago.
Dr. H. F. Fort settled at the town of Britt in August, 1878. He was a native of New York, where he received his early education, later studying medicine with Dr. C. H. Bacon of Lockport, Illinois, then completing his studies in Chicago and Philadelphia. Doctor Fort was the first practitioner in the town of Britt.
Dr. R. G. Hamilton located at Garner in the year 1882 and began practice, later going into partnership with his son-Royal Graves Hamilton. Doctor Hamilton was born in Maine, began reading medi- cine in the office of Dr. Mark L. Cushing at Grand Detour, Illinois, then attended the Rush Medical College at Chicago. His son was a grad- uate of the same excellent school.
Dr. Eugene McNiel located at the village of Britt sometime in July, 1880, but was not long a resident of the county, as he left suddenly in October of the same year.
Doctor Keller, during the latter part of the year 1880, came to Britt from Forest City, with the intention of making this his permanent home, but after looking over the field he concluded that it was already crowded and pursued his course farther West. His stay here con- sumed about six weeks of time.
Doctor Alleyne, a physician from the West India Islands, located at Britt in 1880, but remained only a month, when he also moved west- ward, stopping at Wesley, Kossuth County.
Dr. A. M. Tuttle, a homeopathie physician, also made a short stay in the county. In 1881 he settled at Britt, where he acquired consider- able practice, but left this vicinity in June, 1883, for Chamberlain, Dakota, where he expected an even larger amount of business.
Dr. Hartley Haskett, an allopathic physician, located at the town of Corwith in April, 1881, and built up a fine practice. He was a native of Ohio and prior to the time of his appearance in Hancock County traveled extensively in search of a desirable location.
According to the State Gazetteer of Iowa, 1915-16, the following are the doctors now practicing in Hancock County: George Bemis, W. M. Brackett, J. E. Fraser, H. A. Richter, R. W. Schultz (osteopath) in Garner; J. A. Cole, T. A. Burke, B. F. Denny, C. O. Brewster, and Edwin A. Couper in Britt; Bushley & Fillmore in Corwith; A. L. Judd in Kanawha; George Zinn and W. F. Missman in Klemme; Joseph E. Marek in Goodell; and N. D. Ray in Woden. Mention is made in the history of the medical profession of Winnebago County of the medical society, of which both Winnebago and Hancock County physicians are members.
CHAPTER XII
MISCELLANEOUS
EARLY AGRICULTURE-EARLY FARM METHODS-A CYCLONE-DEATH OF JACOB WARD-THE HANCOCK COUNTY AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION, ITS ORGANIZA- TION-THE FIRST FAIR.
EARLY AGRICULTURE
In the chapter upon the early settlement of Hancock County, in this volume, there are census statistics of many years, those of the begin- ning and those of the present time, showing the marvelous growth of agriculture, the great increase in the amount of grain produced with each year's crop and the long strides which have been taken in the breeding and raising of live stock. The early farmer and his methods deserve a few words in commemoration as well as for informative purposes. He made possible the wonderful evolution of soil cultiva- tion. The farmer of today reaps the benefit of his genius. From the primitive harrow and rake, the farmer has conceived devices which were labor-saving and time-saving. The science of agriculture has consequently grown to such an extent that it requires a man of intelli- gence and ability to become successful; the mere planter and plower cannot cope with his educated neighbor who has not only attended the short course in agriculture at the state university, but has access to all the modern periodicals published upon the subjects relative to the farm.
One of the pioneers of Hancock County (name not available) in writing upon the hardships of the pioneers in this part of Iowa, said in part :
Shortly after our settlement here my father, with a good team of horses and an old-fashioned sod plow began to go out and turn the virgin soil preparatory to raising a crop. The plowman's necessary equipment for success were as follows: Plenty of patience, a whip, a plow file, a heavy hammer and a hunk of iron, to use as an anvil to cold hammer the plowshare occasionally; the file with which to put the finishing touch on; and the patience came into good play when he encountered a stone, a root, or some other obstacle that jerked the plow, plowman and all clear out of the furrow. There were also numerous snakes to contend with, the rattlesnake, the bull snake, the
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.