USA > Iowa > Allamakee County > History of Winneshiek and Allamakee counties, Iowa > Part 32
USA > Iowa > Winneshiek County > History of Winneshiek and Allamakee counties, Iowa > Part 32
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HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
is continued by Hoyt & Hinman. The Weiser, Montgomery & Rudolph and Solberg's drug stores still compound medicines, while J. J. Klopp's drug store has been here long enough to be almost an "old residenter."
Among prominent business men and firms of olden time Dr. J. M. Green, A. Howell, D. B. Ellsworth, Daniel Lawrence, R. F. Gibson, Henry Heivly, and C. E. Dickerman have residences on Upper Broadway, and S. W. Matteson, J. G. Morse and B. B. Green in that neighborhood. But we forbear further personal mention at this place. Names of old residents come up so rapidly, as do those of prominent firms now doing business here. Decorah has her share of professional men, and of more than average abili- ty. As biographies of prominent men of this city are to appear later in this volume, we leave further personal mention to the writers of those sketches.
A quite prominent and successful institution in its day was the Mississippi Valley Insurance Company, located at Decorah. H. S. Weiser was its first president and after him Leonard Standring. J. C. Strong was secretary, and managed the business during most of its life, and to its close. It was organized in 1864, and closed up its business early in 1875. It was a fire and lightning insurance company, and paid all its losses promptly. When it went out of business it cancelled and paid back premiums, and paid to stockholders a dividend of 25 per cent.
WEST DECORAH.
West Decorah is properly a part of Decorah, and only separated from it by the river, over which are fine bridges, the whole form- ing a beautiful city of about four thousand inhabitants. Yet, West Decorah, which has some five hundred inhabitants is incor- porated as a town. It is the site of Luther College, and the homes of several prominent Decorah business men. Among these residences are the elegant home of J. J. Marsh, an extensive deal- er in agricultural machinery, and C. W. Burdick, of the real es- tate and abstract office. It was incorporated in 1879. The follow- ing are its present officers:
Mayor, G. W. G. Sawyer; Councilmen, C. W. Burdick, Fred Hencke, J. J. Marsh, J. H. Mackenstadt, N. P. Chase, Oren Hall; Treasurer, J. Bandeau; Recorder, J. Fannon; Marshal, Frank Betts.
The prominent store is that of Fred Hencke, who also has an extensive pop manufactory. Dan. Shaw is principal of its public schools.
FREEPORT.
This little village, so prominent in the county seat contest, des- cribed in County History, is on the Upper Iowa River in the east- ern part of Decorah township, about two miles from Decorah in
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HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
a straight line, and three miles by road. It is on the grade of the proposed railroad extension from Waukon to Decorah, and on the daily stage route between these two places. It has a new Methodist Church with regular services, the paper mill of J. R. Booth, a postoffice and store kept by A. A. Snyder, and the county poor house and farm. It has also several other small business enterprises, and a population of about 150. When Freeport finally lost all hope of securing the county seat, most of Freeport's business came to Decorah, and soon after the families of the Burdicks, the Fannons, and B. O. Dahly, and others. It was a good site for a town, being in a broad and fertile valley, and having a good water power.
PRINTING ESTABLISHMENTS.
Various newspaper enterprises are mentioned in the previous pages of the history of the county. It would be difficult to give a complete record of the twenty-five that have had their existence in as many years, and we will not attempt to repeat it here; but briefly mention the printing establishments now in Decorah, and those of which they are the legitimate successors; and as the pub- lishers are, in virtue of their offices, the recorders in their history of the newspapers of the county, we give a few personal facts in regard to them as a convenience for future reference:
In 1856, one Tracy issued the prospectus of the Decorah Chroni- ele, and in due time that paper appeared. Judge M. V. Burdick was for a time its anonymous editor. Its successor is the present Decorah Republican. It has had the names of Chronicle, Gazette Republic and Republican, there being sometimes, in early days, suspensions of publication, with exchanges of names of proprietors. It was the Decorah Republic when purchased in 1860 by Wesley Bailey & Son, who came here from New York, where they had been thoroughly educated in the newspaper business. In March, 1866 the name was changed to Decorah Republican; the proprie- torship was also changed to A. K. Bailey & Bros., the father re- tiring, and now a resident of Decorah. A. K. Bailey, editor, is also postmaster, and his partner brother, A. S. Bailey, manager of the Western Union telegraph office, and assistant postmaster. Ansel K. Bailey was born at Wales, Erie Co., N. Y., Nov. 15, 1835. He removed to Utica, N. Y., in 1842, where he received a common school education. When between 12 and 13 years of age he entered his father's printing office. He gave his note for a newspaper office in Utica the day he became of age, and has been engaged in newspaper work ever since-a period of more than a quarter of a century. In March, 1860 he came to Decorah, having with his father bought the only newspaper office in the place, some two months before his removal. His father had been here in the September previous, and the purchase was made by correspondence. He was elected Treasurer of the county in 1863. and served one
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HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
term, from 1864 to 1865, declining a re-election. Four years later the appointment as postmaster was made by President Grant, which office he has held without contest ever since. Editorial and official position, and acquaintance with the people of the county, have made him a serviceable agent of his party, and more than half the time he has been the chairman of the Republi- can central committee serving in that capacity in each of the last four Presidential campaigns. In this position he has been subject to sharp criticism, which, however, has neither damaged his char- acter nor soured a temper that is usually equable and genial. His opponents have frequently been warm personal friends and the contests have usually ended with the close of a campaign. No one probably, has less desire than he to be a political boss. In social and religious life he has been active and prominent, and a useful and exemplary member of society.
For fifteen years he was superintendent of the Congregational Sabbath School, and is now serving the 18th and 19th years in that capacity. He was married at Utica, N. Y., in 1859, to Miss Sarah Higham. They have had five children, four of which are living. Their residence is on Vernon street, about one square west of the public school building. The Republican has steam power and a well-equipped job printing office, and occupies the second floor of the new postoffice building on Winnebago street. It recently showed its enterprise by printing a daily during the County Fair in Decorah.
A. S. Bailey, of the above paper and telegraph manager, has been the main stand-by of the popular Decorah Amateurs. He has decided dramatic ability, excelling especially in comedy. He was married several years ago at Cleveland, Ohio, to Miss Mary
The next oldest paper in Decorah is the present Decorah Jour- Wolcott, a deservedly popular favorite in Decorah society.
nal, counting it as identical with its legitimate predecessor. The Winneshiek Register was founded by G. W. Haislet in 1866; in No- vember the office was destroyed by fire. A new office was pur- chased on time, and in the spring of 1869 the paper was compelled to suspend. August 25, 1869, he re-issued his paper under the name of Register & Ventilator, afterwards dropping the first half of the name. Several years later W. N. Burdick became a part- ner with Haislet, and soon bought him out entirely, and in 1874 was sole proprietor, and changed the name Ventilator to Winne- shiek Register. In November, 1874, Mr. Burdick sold out to A. A. Aiken and Henry Woodruff. C. H. Fullerton soon after be- coming a member of the firm for a time. Mr. Burdick is now publisher ithe Postville Review. Early in February, 1875 the Saturday Bee was issued as an extra from the office of the Register, and during the February snow blockade, and on other special oc- casions-the Bee was issued daily, or as 'often as occurences de- manded. In the latter part of 1875 the Register establishment
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HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
absorbed the Independent (which was started by Ed. Wood and S. S. Haislet in the summer of 1874), the combined paper taking the name Independent-Register. In January, 1876, Mr. Aiken sold out' his interest, Henry Woodruff becoming editor and manager of the Bee, which continued without change till January, 1879, Ed. Wood taking the Independent Register, and soon dropping the word Register from the name. About the first of June, 1876, Mr. Wood sold out and gave place to J. F. Meagher, who, in the latter part of July, "stepped down and out," the present proprie- tors of the Decorah Journal becoming its purchaser, and its sub- scription list was united with that of the Bee. In January, 1879, the regular publication of the weekly Decora Journal commenced, it being virtually the successor of the old Register and Independent, and the Bee office soon dropped its separate character and became part of the Journal establishment. Henry Woodruff, the editor and publisher, was born at Vienna, Trumbull County, Ohio, Oc- tober 20, 1836. He learned the printer's trade, commencing at he age of 15, in the office of the Anti-Slavery Bugle, at Salem, Ohio, then a center of western abolitionists, of which the Bugle was the organ, Abby Kelley and S. C. Foster, Wm. Loyd Garrison, Parker Pillsbury, the Burleighs and the venerable and quaint colored female lecturer, Sojourner Truth, who is still living, often making that town their western headquarters, and lecturing there. He after- wards worked at his trade at Warren Ohio, and graduated at the High School there, having lived for a time at Talmadge, Ohio, and from there he went to Western Reserve College, at Hudson, Ohio, since removed to Cleveland and known as Western Reserve University, from which he graduated in 1865, being meanwhile four months in the Union army, and was married in Hudson, September 17, 1865, to Miss Cordelia Kilbourne. He lived for a short time at Geneseo, N. Y., and also at Cleveland, O., and in July, 1867, went to St. Paul, Minn., where he at once became ed- itorially connected with the Daily Press. He was one of the prize speakers and the poet of his class, but has since made no effort in the way of rhyming, except to accept the invitation in 1873, to deliver the Alumni poem at Western Reserve College commence- ment, at Hudson, in June, on the occasion of the late President Garfield's address to the college societies, and to twice read the an- nual poems before the Minnesota State Editorial Association. He remained at his editorial work at St. Paul, excepting an interval of a year and a half, as editor of a paper in Stilwater, until he came to Decorah with his family about December 1, 1874. Their residence is on the northwest corner of Broadway and Grove Streets. They have three children. The Journal office is now situated on the first floor of the brick building on the east side of Winnebago Street, near Main, vacated by the postoffice in 1881. It made arrangements some two years ago with the Luther College Publishing House, just across Main Street, to run its Cylinder
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Press by steam, and has since had its newspaper Press work done there. It has a job office, press, etc, in its own office, from which is also issued the monthly Home Journal. which has a large cir- culation.
The other English printing office in Decorah is that of the De- corah Pantagraph, successor to the Decorah Radical. Geo. W. Haislet, after leaving the Register office, went to Cresco, where he published a paper for a time, and in August, 1875, came back to Decorah and started another Ventilator, but soon suspended pub- lication and went to Dubuque, where he continued in the news- paper business. In the fall of 1876 he came back to Decorah, and on October 10th commenced the publication of the Decorah Radi- cal, which he continued till his death, March 6, 1881. The Radi- cal was continued by Mrs. Haislet, Judge M. V. Burdick conduc- ting it for a time. It was purchased April, 1882, by C. H. Craig, who changed its name to the Decorah Pantagraph, and is its present publisher. It does not run a job office and has its news- paper press work done at the Posten office which is near at hand. Mr. Craig was born in Albany, N. Y., November 20, 1856, and re- ceived his education in the public schools there. He came west to Sioux Falls, Dakota, in April, 1878; became connected with the newspapers, and remained there until he came to Decorah in April of the present year. He is at present unmarried, but the deserved- ly happy lot of a Benedict is predicted for him by his friends.
The Decorah Posten is the only Norwegian paper in Iowa. B. Annundsen, the publisher, came to Decorah in 1867 and started a printing office. He established the Posten in September, 1874; it was then a small four page sheet, 18x24 inches; subscription price 50c. a year. The first month the subscription list grew to 1,200. In 1875 the paper was enlarged to 22x32 inches, subscription price $1.10. In 1876 its size was 24x36; in 1877, 24x38; and in 1878 it was enlarged to its present size, 29x40, being in large four-page form; price, $1.10. Its present circulation is over 7,000. It is independent in all things and owns to be a purely literary and family newspaper. B. Annundsen, the persevering and energetic proprietor, was born at Skien, Norway, in 1844. He came to America in 1864, and to Decorah in 1867, as already stated. He has a family, and his residence is on east Main street.
The publishing house of the Norwegian Lutheran Synod has grown to be a very important one. Besides printing the several Norwegian newspapers and magazines, it does a large book-pub- lishing business and has complete book-binding and stereotyping departments. Its regular periodicals are the Kirketidende, a church weekly, and the Opbyggelsesblad, a church monthly, and Fer Hjemmet, a semi-monthly for the family. It is now engaged in printing from its stereotype plates a large edition of the New Testament in the Norwegian language. It is also extensively en- gaged in the publication of Norwegian religious and school books,
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HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
and has several presses and other machinery run by a powerful steam engine. The publishing establishment is on Main street, near Winnebago, and its retail department on the corner of Win- nebago and Main streets, next door to the Journal office. It em- ploys more than twenty hands, and its business is rapidly increas- ing, as it has for its field all parts of the United States where Nor- wegians have located. Its manager, J. L. Lee, who was born in Christiana, Norway, in 1835, was educated there, came to Amer- ica in 1852, and to Decorah in 1872. He became manager of the business in 1877, and to him its success is largely due. The resi- dence of Mr. Lee and family is in West Decorah.
The extent of the newspaper business in Decorah may be judged from the fact that during the three months ending with Septem- ber, 1882, the Decorah postoffice mailed 13,825 pounds of news- papers, or nearly seven tons, for which the government secured a revenue of $208.62.
PLEASURE RESORTS.
Decorah and its suburbs abound in charming, extended, and beautiful views, and romantic places of resort for the summer vis- tor; and within the limits of the township are many more. The wonderful Ice Cave, about half a mile north of the busines part of the city, has been mentioned in the opening part of this chapter. From the bluff above it, one of the finest views of Decorah can be had. About a half a mile west of it, a few rods up a romantic val- ley is "Spring Mill," where a large stream of water pours out of a cave in the bluff, about 100 feet high, while it is fully another hundred feet to the top of the overhanging bluff, from which a magnificent view of city and valley is gained. About half a mile east of Ice Cave, a romantic valley leads up to A. C. Ferren's grounds, where two large springs, clear and cold, make a favorite place for picnics, and the home of some beautiful trout, which Mr. Ferren has raised. Coming back to the bank of the river, a gradual ascent towards the east leads up to the top of the perpen- dicular, rocky bluff, from which is a beautiful view of the city and valley above, and the river below-lying apparently at your feet- the whole presenting an extraordinary picture. From Pleasant Hill, southeast of the city, and from the hill at the head of Washı- ington street, other fine views of city and valley can be had. About two miles south the immense spring or underground river, forming Trout Run, comes out from a mamoth rock at the foot of a bluff, winds around a grassy slope where stands the residence of Prof. Seevers, while in the foreground, tall, rocky pillars and per- pendicular bluffs overlook the beautiful valley for miles below. There are also delightful picnic grounds at Union Springs, near the scale factory, referred to in this chapter. Several large springs of pure cold water flow out from the bluff at all seasons of the year, while close at hand are grassy lawns and refreshing shade
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from the heat of summer. But there are delightful rambles in- side the limits of the city. Only a few rods from Upper Broad- way, just beyond the beautiful residence of Henry Paine, is the shady summit of the precipitous bluff overhanging the river and "dugway" road to Addicken mill and Union Springs. Here the eye takes in a view of West Decorah, Luther College, and the broad expanse of river and valley. And yet not half has been told. The eye of the rambler is greeted with continual surprise.
In speaking of places of resort it is convenient just here to re- fer to some noted ones in other parts of the county. A drive to Bluffton, about twelve miles northwest of Decorah, where immense rocky bluffs overlook the river, takes one through some of the wildest and most romantic scenery on the Upper Iowa River. In the southern part of Burr Oak township, a few miles from Bluff- ton, is the well-known "Cold Spring," where a stream of water sufficient to turn a mill flows from the mouth of a cave, under a towering bluff 100 feet high. In the cave is a lake about 100 feet long by forty feet wide, the top of the cave rising in a high arch as it recedes from the entrance. Again, about eight miles from Decorah, on a cross-road between the Waukon and Frankville roads, near the Peter Oleson flour mill, in Glenwood township, is another large cave. The entrance is low and narrow; and a boat and torch are necessary to explore the cave. Once in, there is plenty of room, aud water that will float a boat through a narrow channel that seems to be a quarter of a mile long, and further if one cares to go. In some places the ceiling is in plain sight and at others invisible in the darkness.
Another cave, as large as a good-sized mercantile salesroom, can be found on the Coleman farm, about six miles up the Iowa River. The caves and springs in this county on and near the Waukon road, are frequently visited by picnic parties from Wau- kon. There are other caves that might be mentioned. But we will close by saying that it will amply repay any one to visit the large and beautiful grounds of Col. J. W. Taylor, about six miles west of the city; where art has combined with nature to make nature look still more varied and beautiful, and where frequent surprises greet the eye as one drives through avenues lined with evergreens, succeeded by flowers, solitary woods; bright and velvety openings in the forest, and finally reaches the cozy, unique log cabin of the proprietor, beyond which a bridle path leads down past a precipitous bluff to the bed of a beautiful stream, where are abundant springs, grassy slopes and green fields beyond.
A PARTING WORD.
Decorah has good reason for pride in its large, handsome and substantial business blocks, as well as its beautiful residences. · Its court house, and handsome, substantial new jail, have been de-
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HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
scribed in the chapters of county history. The elevated portion of the court house grounds is very nearly in the center of the city; their beautiful terraced slopes at once attract attention, and from them the eye looks down on a beautiful city, spreading out across a broad valley, and the grand, encircling hills which surround and protect it. May it attain the growth that its natural advantages entitle it to, and the public spirit of its citizens make it quick to utilize and make the most of those advantages, and use all for the promotion of its natural, as well as moral and social welfare.
CHAPTER X.
Townships and Villages of the County; General Remarks; Rivers and Railroads; Shape and Size of County; Its Geology, Pro- ducts, and Resources; Healthy Climate; Rich Soil and Beautiful Scenery.
The general history of the settlement and development of Win- neshiek County, as well as its chronological history, has embraced to a great extent that of its several townships and villages, and in the biographical sketches toward the end of this volume. The history of Decorah has also been to a large extent that of the county at large. But there are many things that pertain speci- ally to the townships and villages, and separate mention of them will be of interest. As a matter of convenience, the townships are taken up by tiers, commencing with the northern tier, and the western township of that tier.
FREMONT TOWNSHIP AND THE VILLAGES OF KENDALLVILLE AND PLYMOUTH ROCK.
Fremont township is in the extreme northwest corner of the county. Positively who was the first settler is not decided. A. C. Hitchcock, afterwards deputy sheriff, and Wm. Finfield and wife came there in 1854. There were probably earlier settlers, for Rev. Ephraim Adams, in his Thanksgiving discourse, said that the siding for the Winneshiek House, which was built in 1854-5, was got out at what was known as Carter's Mill, at Plymouth Rock. Fremont township for several years belonged to Burr Oak precinct. In August, 1856, an election was ordered to es- tablish Fremont township, and was carried. The first township officers were:
Justice of the Peace, Joseph Eddy; Town Clerk, Wm. F. Das- kam; Constable, C. Parmalee; Trustees, DeWitt Brady, J. P. Johnson, D. E. Shelmadine.
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HISTORY OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY.
The population of the township by the census of 1880, was 692. There are two postoffices at two small villages in the township- Kendallville and Plymouth Rock.
The village of Kendallville, which by the census of 1880 con- tained 75 inhabitants, is on the southwest side of the Upper Iowa River, is two and a half miles from the west line, and three-quar- ters of a mile from the south line of the township. It was origi- nally called "Enterprise," and was located on the claim of Mr. Shelmadine. S. G. Kendall came to this county from Mississippi in 1860, commenced the erection of a flour mill and other im- provements, and started the mill in operation in 1862; the village from that time was called Kendallville, and the postoffice was changed to this place from Twin Springs, one mile north; the plat of Kendallville was recorded September 9th, 1874. George Potter was the first postmaster. The first store was kept by David Bennett. A Grange hall was built January, 1868, two stories high, 20x50 feet, is still conducted by the society of Pat- rons of Husbandry, and is one of the few lodges in the state in a flourishing condition. The mill passed from Mr. Kendall's hands to Mr. Lawler, of Prairie du Chien, and from him to John Mc- Hugh, of Cresco, who still owns it. Kendallville has two stores, one by J. L. Daskam, the postmaster, and one by R. Barnes; J. H. Stockman has a blacksmith shop. It is 21 miles from Decorah and eight from Cresco, with which it connects by a tri-weekly mail. The extensive Kendallville stock farm of John McHugh is located near here.
Plymouth Rock village and post office is within half-a-mile of the south line of Fremont township, and 12 miles from the east line. It was platted in September, 1855, and the plat recorded January 15, 1856. The siding for the Winneshiek House, built in 1854-5, was obtained from what was known as Carter's Mill, at Plymouth Rock. It has a population of about 30, and is about 19 miles from Decorah, and 10 from Cresco. It has a tri-weekly mail. G. V. Puntney, postmaster, runs the flour mill; L. Wan- less has a general store.
BURR OAK TOWNSHIP AND VILLAGE.
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