USA > Iowa > Allamakee County > History of Winneshiek and Allamakee counties, Iowa > Part 30
USA > Iowa > Winneshiek County > History of Winneshiek and Allamakee counties, Iowa > Part 30
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The goodness of God marks the scenes passed in review to-day. We should rejoice together in the continued thrift of our town. A railroad we expect, of course, in due time; but if disappointed in this let us remember our water powers and our manufactures, with other elements of growth peculiar to us. These let us in all ways encourage. All thanks here to the enterprise of our me- chanics. Then we have much brain power to be developed. Go
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stand in our new school building and behold the process there daily going on of fusing nationalities in the crucible of intelli- gence and mental culture. Let facilities there be added for in- structions in the classics, the higher mathematics; for every- thing lower than the college, drawing into it the patronage of the country, while it gives increased advantages to our own children, and more will come from this to give us prosperity and character than one would at first suppose. Our cemetery I would be glad to see the property of an association, and not a private individual, and better improved as it should be. Also a monument upon the court house square, or some other place, to the deceased soldiers of the county, as in every county there ought to be, and then with other things attended to that would naturally follow I would like to meet you, if God will, on other thanksgiving occasions, with humble thankfulness to our heav- enly Father, with social life, friendly feeling, intelligence, vir- tue, and piety growing among us, with continued blessings of God from year to year.
By us precedents are being set, and customs established. We stand at the head of influences whose flow is to be as permanent as the river and the hills that enter into the beautiful scenery of our home. Let us be faithful to our trust.
LATER HISTORY.
Before proceeding with the sketch of Decorah and events fol- lowing those described in the discourse of Mr. Adams, it will be well to locate some of the buildings mentioned by him.
The "Howell House" is the old frame building on the southi- east corner of Water and Court sts., recently occupied as a tin shop in connection with the adjoining tin shop on Water street.
Mr. Goddard now has a pleasant home on the slightly elevated plateau south of the C., M. & St. P. Ry. depot, where are the fine residences and grounds of Hon. T. W. Burdick, and Conduc- tor L. L. Cadwell, as well as those of Geo. Pennington, A. Tracy, P. A. Whalen, D. N. Hawley, Geo. Q. Gardner, Conductor J. W. Hogan, and others.
The opposite corner on the same side of Water street, men- tioned as the residence of Horace S. Weiser, has just become the home of Dr. C. W. Amy, a brother of Mrs. Weiser, and his wife, Dr. Harriet Bottsford Amy. Mr. Weiser commenced his new resi- dence on the southeast corner of Broadway and Grove streets, and diagonally opposite the elegant house and grounds of Judge E. E. Cooley, in the spring of 1872, and completed it in 1873. It is now occupied by his widow, Mrs. H. S. Weiser and family.
The "Old Norwegian College buildings-occupied by them as a school and college before the building of the Norwegian Lutheran College-were what is now the St. Cloud Hotel, on the north- west corner of Main and Winnebago streets, and the residence
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HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
just west of it on Main street, recently occupied by C. W. Bur- dick. The St. Cloud hotel has since been enlarged by a fourth story, counting the basement, in which is the dining room, kitchen, etc. O. T. Hamre is its present landlord.
"The Decorah House" was the large frame building standing on the southeast corner of Water and Washington streets and now occupied by several small branches of business.
The "Central House" was a stone building which occupied the site where now stands Dakyn's livery stable, on the southwest corner of Washington and Main streets.
The house spoken of as occupied by Dr. Bolles, stood over on the flat beyond the present Decorah public school building.
"Cruson's Hollow" is the valley across the river through which flows the stream from the springs in A. C. Ferren's place, Cru- son's notorious place being this side of Ferren's, near the site of the old brick yard.
The first school house, built in 1854, has given place to the present three-story brick building on the northwest corner of Winnebago and Vernon streets, built in the season of 1866, and so far completed that year, that the lower floor was occupied, the other floors being furnished and occupied soon afterward.
The oldest horse mentioned-"Dandy,"-the property of Mr. H. S. Weiser, was carefully cared for by Mrs. Weiser till it died in January, 1880.
The Winneshiek House, built in 1854 by Wm. Day, whose death August 7, 1860, leaving a widow who is still living, more partic- . ularly referred to in the chapter on County Chronology, has al- ways been a prominent and popular hotel, and its fame has extend- ed to other parts of the country. It was greatly enlarged and im- proved in the latter part of 1876 and early in 1877 magnificently furnished and re-opened Wednesday, April 18, 1877; Seibert's St. Paul band furnishing music for the occasion. Its handsome front looks down Washington Street, and its location is still a promi- nent and convenient one. Present landlord, A. J. McClaskey.
Mr. Adams mentions the Tremont House, burned in the winter of 1867. Early in 1876 the project of building an up-town hotel on the Tremont site was agitated. It resulted in the erection of the fine three-story hotel building, known as the Arlington, costing about $16,000. It was opened in grand style February 1, 1877, and did a good business for some time, but was closed on the leav- ing of landlord Dow, and is now used as a boarding-house, of the Decorah Institute.
One of the oldest but later hotels of Decorah was the Union House, on the south side of Water Street, below Washington Street, kept by Felix Curran, now a resident of Alexandra, Dakota. It was destroyed by fire on the night of November 28, 1879.
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HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
Besides the leading hotels, the Winneshiek House and the St. Cloud Hotel, Decorah, has the old popular farmer's hotel, the Stiles House, and several other smaller ones.
The cemetery mentioned by Mr. Smith, thanks to the enterprise of J. E. Simpson and others, has become a large and beautiful resting place for the dead. Situated on the elevated rolling grounds south of the city, partly covered with a grove of young trees, is well laid out and kept in good order. But the very few recent graves testify to the healthfulness of the city.
Mr. Adams refers to the solemn resurrection of the alleged re- mains of the Indian Chief Decorah, after which this city was named. This event, which took place August 4, 1859, and the second resurrection on the 6th of June, 1876, when the Court House grounds were graded in order to terrace them, are des- scribed at some length in a preceding chapter," relating to the Winnebago Indians. Judge M. V. Burdick asserts, however, that he has frequently seen the noted Indian chief since the time of such resurrection and re-interment. His name was Wachon-De- corah, and from him our neighboring town of Waukon also takes its name. He was more commonly known, however, as "one-eyed Decorah," from the fact of his having but one eye. Judge Bur- dick says that he must have been very old, as his form was much bent-a thing uncommon even with very aged indians, or squaws, who have seen many years of toil. He died, according to Judge Burdick, in the winter of 1880-81, on an island in the Mississippi River, above Lansing, near the Wisconsin shore.
The record of Decorah and her people in the war of the Rebel- lion is given in a previous chapter on the military history of the county. Her railroad history has also been given in that of the county and in the chronological history of events, and will be re- ferred to later in this volume so far as concerns the present. Many prominent events, including criminal trials, storms and floods, not recorded in county history, are noted in the chronological history of the county, and we will not repeat them here. But there are some things not specially noted that deserve a more extended men- tion than has been given them.
On the first Monday in April, 1857, a meeting was held to in- corporate Decorah as a village. Resulting from this an election was held on the 30th of June, 1857, when E. E. Cooley. was chosen President of the incorporated government. Decorah con- tinued as an incorporated town until 1871, the control of affairs being invested in a board of five aldermen or councilmen, elected from the town at large.
Among its executive officers following Mr. Cooley, we find, W. F. Coleman, elected Mayor in March, 1861; again in 1862, and re- peatedly elected to that office till 1870.
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HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
Early in 1871 Decorah was incorporated as a city of the second class and divided into four wards, represented in the city council by two aldermen or councilmen from each ward. At the election held March 6th, 1871, the following officers were elected:
Mayor, Charles F. Allen; Clerk, G. W. Patterson; Treasurer, E. I. Weiser; City Attorney, E. E. Cooley; Marshal, John T. Baker; Aldermen, G. O. Rusted, G. W. Adams, N. Burdick, John Greer, J. L. Pennington, A. D. Thomas, J. H. Montgomery, O. J. Clark.
We have had for Mayors since that time the following well- known residents of Decoralı, elected as follows: Frank E. Baker, in March, 1873; Wm. H. Valleau, in March, 1875; and twice re-elected, holding the office for three years. E. E. Cooley, elected in March, 1878 and again in 1879; Dr. H. C. Bulis, elected in March, 1880, and again in 1881; Wm. H. Valleau, elected in March, 1882, and present incumbent.
The following are the present officers (1882) of the Decorah city government: Mavor, Wm. H. Valleau; City Attorney, O. J. Clark; City Clerk, W. R. Toye; Treasurer, George Q. Gardner; Assessor, Cyrus Adams; Street Commissioner, A. W. Bonstell; Marshal, Ed Bean; Night Watchman, John Wilson.
The members of the City Council, elected for two years, one being chosen each year from each ward, are:
1st Ward, H. Engerbertson, Geo. L. Wendling; 2d Ward, E. P. Johnson, Wm. Jennisch; 3d Ward, R. B. Tuttle, John Curtin; 4th Ward, James Alex Leonard, J. H. Baker.
In the chronological history of the county, several mentions are made of the Norwegian Lutheran College, erected on its large grounds, and commanding site in West Decorah, and its progress from commencement to completion. The college has thirty-two acres of rolling ground connected with it, and is an imposing edi- fice in the Norman-Gothic style of architecture, three stories in height, and costing $100,000. The main building and one wing were erected in 1865; the other wing, completing the original de- sign, in 1874. This college was at first opened at LaCrosse, Wis., in 1861, was transferred to Decorah in 1862, and occupied what is now the St. Cloud Hotel, till 1865, when it moved into its pres- ent building. It began with eleven students in LaCrosse, had thirty-two on its commencement in Decorah, and eighty on en- trance into its present building. Now it has an average of from
one hundred and fifty to two hundred students, often approaching the latter number. Its president is L. Larsen, an able and effi- cient one. It has nine professors which are selected from the ablest of the scholars and educators in Europe and America. The college and the cause of learning recently sustained a severe loss in the death of Prof. J. D. Jacobson, but in that case as in other vacancies, they are filled with the best men that can be found. The Norwegian Lutheran College is the representative institution of that nationality for this country and especially for the northwest.
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HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
Its pupils : are more particularly from Iowa,", Wisconsin and Minnesota. It is chiefly supported by contributions from Lutheran congregations. The college is not strictly theological -those who wish to study theology can be prepared in it to en- ter the Norwegian Lutheran Theological Seminary at Madison, Wisconsin, or Concord College, a German Theological school, at St. Louis, Mo. The course of study embraces a preparatory de- partment and a full college course. Thirty dollars per year is charged for tuition, and $70 for board; but aid is afforded to stu- dents not able to pay their way. The college has its literary so- cieties and a library of several thousand volumes. The college choir is a popular institution with the people of the city, as is also its orchestra and its excellent cornet band, which has fur- nished music on many public holidays and celebrations in De- corah.
The Decorah public school building has been previously re- ferred to in this chapter. It cost, exclusive of furniture, $20,000. It was thought to be ample for the educational wants of the city for years, but has become so crowded that additional room will have to be secured, as there are over 600 students enrolled this early in the school year; the enrollment last year was 688, and the number this year will probably be greater. This does not in- clude the West Decorah school. The school is divided into nine grades, ir which all the branches from the primary to the High School course are taught. A new and advantageous feature is the system of special teachers for a particular branch in the var- ious departments, thus securing the benefit of special fitness for instruction in each study taught, instead of one teacher giving in- struction in all the studies in his or her department. The school possesses appropriate apparatus. A special High School depart- ment was established a few years ago, and the first class, nine in number, graduated in the latter part of June, 1881, with credit to themselves and the school, as did the class which followed them this year-1882.
The following is the corps of teachers for the present school year, they all being so successful in their several departments as to be re-elected from the previous year:
H. L. Coffeen, Principal; 'Misses Lou Hughes, Julia Curran, Mary Helgerson, Ada Bulis, Eva Benedict, M. E. Riley, Emma Shipley, Emma Telford. Susie Duffin and Mrs. M. E. Jester. C. H. Valder, Teacher of Penmanship.
The Board of Education, which has management of the schools, is as follows: E. Cutler, President; Joseph Hutchinson, W. F. Coleman, Geo. Q. Gardner, B. Annundson, Edwin Klove.
In our chronological record will be seen mention of the Winne- shiek Normal Institute, with Sherman Page as principal. This in- stitution suspended during the war, Mr. Page taking a position in the army. It was afterward revived under his management for a
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time; but Pedagogue Page soon removed to Austin, Minn., where he became somewhat famous as Judge Page, in the bitter unre- lenting warfare which he waged on political and professional ene- mies in Austin and elsewhere. But its place is filled by the De- corah Institute, under the management of Prof. J. Breckenridge, his assistant, J. W. Rich, and an efficient corps of assistants. The Decorah Institute was established by Prof. Breckenridge in September, 1874. It occupies the building formerly used by the M. E. Church, and is situated on Broadway, south of the Court House. The Arlington House is used as a boarding house where students obtain board at actual cost, it being amply fitted for the purpose, as well as for rooms for many of the students. The De- corah Institute draws pupils from adjoining counties and States. There were over 250 in attendance last year, and the number this year will probably be larger, as at the commencement of the school year there are are over 150.
The Decorah Business College, under the charge of John R. Slack, an experienced instructor and accountant, was established at about the same time and was conducted in connection with the Decorah Institute. It occupies the second floor of the brick build- ing on Water Street, opposite Stile's Hotel.
The Catholics have a parochial school in connection with their church here, and the initiatory steps have been taken and a part of the funds raised for the building of a Sisters School, which will become an important educational institution of Decorah.
The Norwegians also have a private school in the basement of the Norwegian Lutheran Church on Broadway with a good at- tendance.
In 1875 a select school for young children, embracing some of the features of the Kindergarten system, was established by Mrs. S. K. Everett in the basement of the Congregational Church, and met with gratifying success, and continued for several years. Her ill health caused the temporary suspension of the school, and it was taken up by others. Mrs. Everett in the spring of 1881 ac- cepting a position as a teacher in the Iowa College for the blind, at Vinton, to which she was re-elected at the end of the school year, and served to the present summer, when she declined re- appointment on account of poor health and needed rest. The childrens' school here is continued, however, Mrs. J. Breckenridge, capably filling the vacancy for the present.
In musical talent and culture Decorah stands high, and is well supplied with amateur artists on voice and instrument. The pres- ent summer has witnessed a revival in voice culture, through the work of Prof. E. C. Kilbourne, of Terre Haute, Ind., a higly suc- cessful teacher of vocal and instrumental music, whose time of late has been specially given to voice culture in which he has rare ability and success, and who came here for a summer vaca- tion. The opportunity was improved, however, by singers and
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students in music in Decorah and vicinity to take private lessons in voice culture, so that Prof. Kilbourne's time was fully occu- pied to the end of his vacation. A probably successful effort is being made to have him return next season and establish a sum- mer school in Decorah.
Decorah is well suppiied with churches. The largest is the Nor- wegian Lutheran Church on Broadway, adjoining the beautiful residence and grounds of Mrs. H. S. Weiser. It is built of brick, with stone trimmings, on a stone basement, and was erected in 1875-6, at a cost of $20,000. Rev. W. Brandt presides there very acceptably to a large congregation.
The Methodist Church which took the place of their old wood- en building-the first church building in Decorah-is a fine large brick structure, trimmed with stone, costing about $13,000, and was erected in 1860, and dedicated December 20th. It has had for its pastors men who have become prominent for eloquence and ability. Among them are Rev. H. W. Bennett, now of Du- buque, and in late years two young men, Rev. S. G. Smith, who is just finishing his third year as pastor of a prominent church in St. Paul, Minnesota, to become presiding elder there; and after him came Rev. F. E. Brush last year called to the leading M. E. Church of Davenport, Iowa. The pastor for the present year has been Rev. F. M. Robertson, an earnest preacher and worker.
The Congregational Church, on the southeast corner of Broad- way and Court streets, built of brick with a high stone basement, was erected in 1860, at a cost of about $6,000. Previous to its erection meetings were held at the Court House. The first regu- lar pastor was Rev. W. A. Keith, who was here about a year, and lived at Freeport. In 1857 Rev. Ephriam Adams succeeded him, and remained till 1872, when he was called to the position of State Agent for the Congregational Society in Iowa. He was fol- lowed by Rev. H. B. Woodworth, who became pastor in Septem- ber, 1872. He proved to be one of the ablest pulpit orators in the state, and his services were in demand on many public occasions. He was pastor of the church till the spring of 1882; except for about a year and a half's absence on account of ill-health, during which time Rev. J. F. Tainter, a young, but efficient and able worker occupied the pulpit; Mr. Tainter's services closing at the commencement of 1880. Mr. Woodworth gave in his final res- ignation early in 1882, and about the first of March went with his family, for the sake of his health, to a stock farm near Mt. Ver- non, Dakota, 18 miles beyond Mitchell. Not long after Mr. Woodworth's departure, Rev. A. Etheridge, of Marseilles, Ill., was engaged to preach for six months, and proved an earnest and faithful laborer for the cause of christianity. Rev. John Wil- lard, of Massachusetts. an able, eloquent aud earnest pulpit ora- tor, and zealous and effectual in church and social work, is occu- pying the pulpit at this writing, and has the hearty sympathy and
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co-operation of the people. [Since this chapter was written Rev. H. S. Church has been appointed pastor of the M. E. Church for the ensuing conference year, and J. W. Clinton is continued as presiding elder of the Decorah district.7
The Catholic Church, a substantial stone building on lower Broadway, cost about $7,000, and was erected in 1865. The cause of that church is efficiently served by the pastor, Rev. Father Garrahan.
The Episcopals have a beautiful little church building on Broad- way, between the residences of C. E. Dickerman and W. H. Val- leau. It was erected in 1876, at a cost of $5,000. Rector, Chas. A. Stroh; a zealous churchman and an earnest self-denying worker.
The Christian Church occupies the old M. E. church building, and has no regular pastor. A German Methodist Church also oc- cupies an up-stairs room on upper Water Street. It will erect a church on the southwest corner of Main and Grove Streets.
Decorah's banking institutions are established on a firm and re- liable basis, with abundant capital. They are as follows:
The First National Bank established in 1854, under the firm name of Easton, Cooley & Co. It was one of the few banks that weathered the financial crisis of 1857. In 1870 it was changed to the firm of Wth. L. Easton & Son, the latter being Jas. H. Easton. who is now president; and under the National Banking act of 1864, became the First National Bank of Decorah. Its officers are: President, Jas. H. Easton; Vice-President, A. Bradish; Cashier, T. M. Burdick; Assistant Cashier, Geo. Q. Gard- ner; Teller, E. R. Baker; Book-keeper, Joseph Operud; Messenger, Frank Cutler.
The Savings Bank of Decorah has its office in the same rooms with the First National Bank, and is in a prosperous condition. It was established in 1873. Its officers are: President, Jas. H. Easton; Vice-President, C. E. Dickerman; Cashier, T. W. Burdick.
The Winneshiek County Bank-Mrs. H. S. Weiser's-is the oldest bank in the State that has had a continuous existence under the same name. It was established in 1855 by the late Horace S. Weiser and Thomas J. Filbert, who died quite a number of years before him. This bank was one of the two in Decorah that safely passed through the crisis of 1857. It was continued by Mr. Wiser until his death, and since that time by Mrs. Weiser, and Strong & Williams, administrators of the estate. Mr. Weiser, whose deatlı occured July 19, 1875, was a [genial, public-spirited citizen, and did much to develop the resources of the county. His biography will be given with that of other Winneshiek County men in another part of this volume. The present officers of the bank are: President, J. C. Strong; Cashier, J. M. Williams; Teller and Book-keeper, E. N. Holway.
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There are several other private banking houses and brokers and real estate offices. S. W. Matteson's broker and loan office is in the Dickerman block on Winnebago Street. Mr. Dickerman has his office in the same building.
Henry Paine, whose beautiful home looks down upper Broad- way from the west, has a broker and insurance office in his build- ing on Washington Street, and is also a dealer in wagons, car- riages, etc.
Geo. Phelps, a former resident of Decorah, has this season set- tled here permanently, having purchased the spacious G. F. Fran- cis residence, and improved and fitted it up in an elegant manner; he has opened a handsome banking office on Winnebago street, next to the St. Cloud Hotel. F. R. Fulton, who has also impor- tant interests at Grand Forks and Grafton, Dakota, and who pur- chased the pleasant residence of H. B. Woodworth, has an office in the Phelps building. C. W. Burdick's real estate and abstract office is two doors north of the Phelps' office, being next door to the postoffice.
And speaking of postoffices, Decorah now boasts of one of the most handsome and convenient to be found in any town of its size, the building being erected especially for that purpose in the spring of 1881. It is of brick, two stories high, on the west side of Winnebago street, between Water and Main streets. Be- ing on the south side of a broad alley, it gives opportunity for re- ceiving and delivering mails at the rear door.
Going over the names of postmasters of Decorah, as they ap- pear in county chronology, after C. Day, "who carried the post- office in his pocket," we find the familiar ones of A. Kimball, E. E. Cooley, and Elisha Hurlburt, who died November 3, 1863, and was succeeded by John R. Slack, who was appointed February 4, 1864. During Mr. Slack's term of office the postoffice was moved into the then new brick building on the east side of Winnebago street, near Main. now occupied by the Journal office, and con- tinued to occupy those quarters till moved across the street to its present location in August, 1881. On the 7th of June, 1869, An- sel K. Bailey, editor of the Decorah Republican, was appointed postmaster, and continues in that position. It was under his ad- ministration that the present neat and commodious quarters were secured. C. W. Burdick consenting to erect a building and lease the lower floor to the Government for a moderate rent.
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