USA > Iowa > Wright County > History of Wright County, Iowa, its peoples, industries and institutions > Part 12
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"The young Indian, Josh, went to another camp, about seven miles distant, and reported. The Indians went to. Fort Dodge and told the sol- diers what had occurred. A party of whites made an investigation and found the little squaw still alive, but very weak from hunger and exposure. The Indians then demanded Lott, and promised that if the whites would turn him over to them that no further trouble would follow; but, in the meantime, Lott had escaped to California and the Indians were obliged to go away without having their revenge. This occurred in 1854, and three years later Josh was one of the leaders of the murderous redskins at Spirit Lake. Lott was killed in California by a company of miners whom he attempted to frighten away from their claims. Ile disguised as an Indian and led a band of squaws in attacking the mining camp, thinking that the miners would flee and that he could obtain their gold, but they promptly returned the fire of his band, killing him and a few of his followers."
To inform the reader of the excitement the Spirit Lake massacre caused in Wright and Hamilton counties, we quote from a sketch written by the late pioneer and reliable gentleman, Il. W. Montgomery, who arrived in this county in June, 1854, and went through the "Indian scare," hence he is the best of authority :
"On the night of April 7. 1857, ten or more wagons crossed the Boone just below Judge Hewett's farm. The frightened passengers in these wagons reported that the Indians were coming down the Des Moines, killing and scalping. They said they could hear them yelling and shooting. The news spread like wild-fire. I was in Boone township, laying the foundation for a pre-emption at that time. I got the word about noon, came home and, with my family, started for Webster City. At Goldfield I found about twenty men who had changed the school house ( first in the county) into a
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fort. I left my rifle with them and drove on toward Webster City with the women.
"As I was driving in the oak openings, one mile north from Downing's ford, on Eagle creek, I saw three mounted men with blankets drawn over their heads like Indians. They cantered toward us in single file and, as I had left my gun at Goldfield and my team was so jaded that I could not escape by flight, we thought we were all 'goners' sure.
"I could feel my hair lifting my old slouch hat, but none of us said one word. On came the wicked-looking riders until they were within a few feet of my wagon. They then suddenly halted and threw aside their blan- kets and we recognized three fool-hardy, reckless fellows who had taken this method of frightening others as well as our company. 1 felt able to whip the whole outfit when I found who they were, and told them what I thought of them and their conduct, in language that was easily understood. The next day they played the same game on James Gray and Sol Geson, who ran their horses twelve miles to Webster City and reported that they had been chased by the Indians. When Gray found that he had been deceived, he threw off his coat and would have given the white Indians the punishment they deserved, if the peace-loving people had not inter- fered.
"At Webster City, sentinels were kept out day and night. Word went to Boonesboro (now Boone ) that Webster City was burned and the settlers killed. \ party of men, about a hundred and fifty in number, marched from Boonesboro to Webster City. When the sentinels saw them coming they went into the town and reported the Indians coming. Nearly all of the settlers took refuge in the fort, but some fled to the settlements on Skunk river and a few never did return.
"In a few days the most of the settlers returned to their homes, but for weeks afterward all were heavily armed and our cabins were strengthened and doors securely fastened at night. Each man slept with weapons close at hand. I kept revolver, rifle, knife, ax and hoe near my bed each night for weeks afterward. The neighbors did no night visiting.
"All was excitement and anxiety until we learned that there were no hostile Indians in this part of the country, for at the same time that we were fleeing from the savages 'who had killed the Spirit Lake settlers, the red- skins were fleeing just as rapidly in the opposite direction-from Minne- sota to Dakota."
Another Indian scare occurred in the summer of 1863, at the date of
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the New Ulm ( Minnesota ), massacre, but the county was better settled then and order was soon restored by a detachment of cavalry and several infantry companies sent out by the government.
It was during the Spirit Lake difficulty that the people in the neigh- borhood of Belmond became alarmed and a company was formed, with Doctor Cutler as captain. \ hastily constructed sod fort was improvised on the heights overlooking the river from the west, for the protection of the people, as well as stock, in case of a long siege. Pickets were kept posted for a number of days, but finally the scare passed. For many years the "old mud fort" stood in mute evidence of one phase of pioneer life which was not soon forgotten by those who passed through it.
THE CIVIL WAR.
Wright county, when the Rebellion broke out, had but one hundred and sixty voters and three aliens, with only one hundred and fifty men subject to military duty within her borders. Yet, be it recorded, to the credit of these brave pioneers, that this county furnished fifty-three soldiers for the Union cause, men who at different times enlisted and were properly credited to the county. This was over one-third of the male population between eighteen and forty-five years of age. Besides these there were a number from Wright county who were credited to other places where they enrolled.
Along in the nineties, when an attempt was made by Mr. Elder and others, to preserve the interesting annals of Wright county, Comrade .A. R. Ladd, of Clarion, still a resident attorney of that city, prepared a list of all men who served from Wright county in the Civil War, so far as he could find from military records, etc. The list is as follows :
THE THIRTY-SECOND REGIMENT, JOWA INFANTRY.
Linas Betts. September 6, 1862, Belmond; 1 .. II. Cutler, October 6, 1862, Belmond; Cephas Church, September 6, 1862, Belmond; William O. Dean, September 6, 1862. Liberty; James B. Dixon, September 6, 1862, Eagle Grove; James Duffy, September 6. 1862, Fryeburg; Henry Frank, Septem- ber 6, 1862, Luni: Charles II. Griffith, December 19, 1863, Eagle Grove; Mortimer Hiams, September 8, 1862, Fryeburg; Oliver M. Hess, September 8. 1862, I.mi: Joseph A. Kent, September 8, 1862, Fryeburg; James P. Kent. December 21, 1863. Eagle Grove; Robert T. Mack, September 6, 1862, Eagle Grove: Simeon Overacker, September 8, 1862, Belmond ;
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Cassius M. Overacker, September 8, 1862, Belmond; 1. A. Packard, Sep- tember 8, 1862, Luni; Charles Packard, September 8, 1862, Luni; Artemis C. Packard, September 8, 1862, Luni; C. H. Packard, September 8, 1862, Luni; Robert T. Rowen, September 8, 1862, Fryeburg: Adam Wasem, September 8, 1862, Eagle Grove; William Whited, January 11, 1864, Belmond.
SECOND REGIMENT, IOWA CAVALRY.
In this list the townships from which the men enlisted are not given in many instances, the address being simply given as Wright county: Talman Brasfield, September 9. 1861; William Beaver, December 7. 1863. Liberty; Charles C. Cutler, November, 1862; George L. Cutler, January 19, 1865, Belmond; Joseph T. Calder, January 1, 1864, Liberty: Jeptha Doty, January 1, 1864, Liberty: W. H. Dilworth, December 7. 1863, Troy: James K. Dixon, December 7. 1863, Eagle Grove: Jerome B. Gray, September (, 1861 : William W. Gates, September 9, 1861 ; James Gray, September (). 1861; Van B. Gray, September 9, 1861; Job Gilpin, September 9, 1861; Nelson L. Hull, September 9, 1861; John Haight, January 19, 1865, Bel- mond; Daniel Okeson, November 2, 1862; Henry Overacker, September 9, 1861; A. Patterson, Jr., September 9, 1861: George F. Packard, January 24. 1865. Boone; John A. Polmateer, December 16, 1863. Belmond; Will- iam Polmateer, December 16, 1863, Belmond; J. S. Pritchard, January 4. 1864. Belmond: George P. Wilt. December 30, 1863, Liberty ; Isaac Whited, September 9. 1861, Belmond.
NORTHERN BORDER BRIGADE.
The Northern Border Brigade was formed to protect the frontier set- tlements from threatened invasions by the Indians at the north, the savages having made several outbreaks during the Civil War period, including that at New Ulm, Jackson and Mankato, Minnesota, in the summer of 1862. The men serving from Wright county were as follow: George B. Bras- field, September 26, 1862, Goldfield; William IT. Griffin, September 26. 1862, Goldfield: Robert C. Oliver, September 26, 1862, Belmond; John Stryker. September 26, 1862, Bach Grove; Alexander Usher, September 26, 1862, Goldfield: Leonard Sells, September 26, 1862, Bach Grove.
After the close of the war, many soldiers settled in Wright and adjoin- 'ng counties. In 1890 there were still living one hundred and thirty pen- sioners, and there had been Give Grand Army of the Republic posts organ-
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ized in the county, as follows: General Lyon Post No. 133, at Clarion, organized February 25, 1883; Whited Post No. 247, at Belmond, organized December 7, 1883: Hartman Post No. 149, at Goldfield, organized March 19, 1883; William B. Griffith Post No. 465, at Eagle Grove, organized August 26, 1889; A. B. Wallace Post No. 488, at Dows, organized Febru- ary 21, 1801. Of these posts, all have gone down by reason of death and removals, except those at Eagle Grove, Clarion and Goldfield. An account of these posts will be found in the chapter relating to Lodges and Secret Organizations.
WRIGHT COUNTY'S VETERAN ASSOCIATION.
There are few counties, if indeed any, in Towa where the organization and perpetuation of a Veterans' Association has been carried forward with the signal success that it has in Wright county, where the comrades have for years hell their annual reunions. The people generally have turned out well to enjoy the day and night with the old boys who wore the blue from '61 to '65. Campfires were lighted, good speakers were always provided, and both old and young looked forward to the meetings as among the best of the year.
CHAPTER XIL.
NEWSPAPERS OF THE COUNTY.
The power and convenience of the local newspaper were well known to the band of hardy pioneers who settled in Wright county in the early fifties. Wherever we have free speech. we have newspapers, hence very early in the county's history an attempt was made to establish and maintam a local news- paper. Prior to that time the Hamilton Frecinan, at Webster City, pub- lished by the late Hon. Charles Aldrich, printed the county tax list and was really the newspaper read by most of the settlers up and down the Boone valley, Eagle Creek and White Fox country. But this condition only con- tinued until 1861, when Wright county determined to have a paper of its own. The first paper here was the W'right County Free Press, published at Goldfield by C. D. Ingersoll. It thrived largely on the one hundred and ninety-two dollars paid it by the county for publishing its delinquent tax list. But one year was sufficient for the newspaper and it went down for lack of other support. For a number of years Wright county had to depend upon outside counties to publish its legal notices and tax lists. However, in January, 1868, the W'right County Register was started at Goldlfiekl. It was edited by Mrs. Mary Reed and was really successful as a news sheet. It was not regular in its publication, and does not seem to have been desig- nated a "county paper" by the board of supervisors. It was discontinued after about one year, when the material with which it had been printed was sold to Will F. Smith, then an employe of the Hamilton Freeman, who re- moved it to the new county seat, "Grant," in March, 1869, and there began the publication of the Wright County Monitor, the oldest of all continuous publications in Wright county today.
Of the general history of the Monitor, it may be said that Will F. Smith conducted it from its establishment, March 31, 1869, on material owned by John D. Hunter, then owner of the Webster City Freeman, who, in the winter of 1860-70, sold it to A. M. White. The latter was editor and proprietor until September 30, 1873, when it was bought by Gates & Hathaway. Frank Gates sold his interest to Hathaway, his partner, in Octo- ber, 1875, and he in turn sold it to J. C. Harwood, on February 1. 1879.
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Mr. Harwood ably conducted the paper alone until January 1, 1892, when he took his son, Burt, into the firm, which was styled Harwood & Son. Upon the death of the father, the son became sole owner of the business, and still conducts it. In form and size, the Monitor is a six-column, eight-page newspaper. It is run on a power press, and folded by a power foldling machine, electricity being the motive power. The office is a neat, one-story and basement brick building, erected a few years since, and which stands next to the new postoffice building. It is heated by hot water and is electric lighted throughout. Two job presses do the large amount of job work turned out from the Monitor office.
The Wright County Republican was established by B. Frank Knapp, in February, 1882, at Clarion. It was a five-column quarto, and within a few months was disposed of to C. M. White, who continued its publication until June, 1884, when it ceased to exist. Knapp went from Clarion to Eagle Grove and began the publishing of the Eagle Grove Clipper, the first num- ber appearing in the spring of 1883. It was a lively sheet while it had breath, but it survived less than a year, when the material was removed to Ireton, lowa.
The Belmond Mirror was founded in January, 1873, by G. G. Pritchard and A. M. Allen. This was Belmond's first newspaper. Pritchard soon sold his interest in the business to J. B. Stuart, who sold back to Pritchard again. The next year after starting the paper, Allen took the job press and a part of the type and left, when Pritchard sold the concern to E. A. Howland, then state senator from this district. Howland leased it to A. J. MeDonald, who soon became an associate with Kirk Whited, who was assistant editor. Not long afterward Whited purchased the office of Howland and assumed entire control. Only a few months passed before Whited sold back to How- land, who sold to Rev. J. E. Rowen. The latter managed it for a time, then sold to that well-known and most excellent local paragrapher, Frank Gates. Up to this date the paper had always been styled the Mirror, but Mr. Gates changed it to its present name, the Belmond Herald. He made many improvements in the makeup and style of the paper and enlarged it from a five to a six-columnin paper. Gates was at the helm for eight years, when, on September 18, 1884, he sold to S. A. Keeler. The paper has always been Republican in its politics. It remained in the hands of Mr. Keeler until 1897. when he sold to E. A. Pierce and he to the present proprietors, the Belmond Printing Company, after which the Towa Valley Press was con- solidated with it, since which time it has been known as the Herald-Press.
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Ramsay brothers really conduct the paper and have the sole management, making it one of Iowa's best local journals.
The Iowa Valley Press was established in 1895 by J. D. Baker, a farmer and prominent man of the locality. Two years later it was sold to S. A. Keller, then county auditor. He ran it a year and then sold to Baker, and he in turn to W. R. and W. C. Ramsay, in 1900. They ran it till June, 1914, when it was sold to the Belmond Printing Company, as above men- tioned.
Another paper here was the Democrat, which was started in 1884, but was short lived.
The Belmond Times was another paper that finally merged with the Herald.
The Eagle Grove Times was the first newspaper established at that city. city. It was founded by J. C. Prehm, editor, and A. A. Prehm, publisher, on July 7, 1881-the same year that the railroad was completed through the town to the north and west. The first sixteen numbers of the Times were printed at Toledo, Tama county, Iowa, and number 17, of November 17, 1881, was the first paper printed at Eagle Grove. In September, 1883, J. C. Prehm died, and immediately the paper was sold to Reid & Best, of Des Moines. In March, 1884, Mr. Reid and wife died, after which Best became discouraged and sold to L. H. Fisk, of Manchester, Iowa, who did not meet his payments, and the paper plant was sold at auction to Mrs. J. C. Prehm. Her daughter, Miss Kate Prehm, only seventeen years of age, became its editress. The issue of June 18, 1885, contains the valedictory of Miss Prehm, also the salutatory of the Packard boys-A. M. and W. D. Packard. The last named firm sold the property to Frank A. Gates, for- merly of the Belmond Herald, in January, 1887. Mr. Gates made it an eight-column paper and ran a most interesting, up-to-date paper. He con- tinned to conduct it until July, 1893, when he sold to David Hoyt, who, in company with his son-in-law, Mr. Schoff, continued the publication until it became the property of Hinman & Taylor, some time between 1893 and 1806. In April, 1896, Hinman & Taylor sold to P. C. Hayes & Son, and the paper was conducted by Ralph and Milo Hayes until July, 1902, when it became the property of Pearson & Springer. In 1903 Mr. Pearson retired from the firm and the paper was run by Springer & Mattingly, and later by Mr .. Springer. In September, 1898, the Times being under the ownership of P. C. Hayes & Son and the Boone Halley Gasette being under the own-
(10)
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ership of Frank A. Gates, the two papers were consolidated, Mr. Gates retir- ing. In July, 1902, P. C. Hayes & Son sold the Times-Gasette to Pearson & Springer. In 1903 Mr. Pearson retired and the paper was published by Springer & Mattingly, and, later, by Mr. Springer. In February, 1909, the paper was published by H. C. Hallock, and the present owners are II. C. Hallock & Son.
The evening Times was established in 1895 and was discontinued in 1906. It had been published in connection with the Times-Gasette.
. The Eagle Grove Telephone, established in 1881 by Mr. Crouch, was purchased in April. 1882, by C. A. Schaffter, and the name was changed to that of the Gazette. the paper being enlarged. It was owned by Schaffter & Son ( Eugene) until 1894, when it was sold to Frank A. Gates, who con- tinued its publication until it was consolidated with the Times.
It will be discovered that the first daily paper in Wright county was the Eagle Grove Times. Number 1, volume I, was issued on Monday, July 1, 1895. Under the present ownership the Times-Gasette was changed to an all-home print. The office is equipped with all modern machinery, incluid- ing a linograph, which was the first standard slug-casting machine installed in any Wright county office. Messrs. Hallock & Son contemplate the build- ing of a fire-proof building in the near future.
The Eagle Grove Eagle was established, March 1, 1895, by L. J. Butter- field, and sold to A. II. Barnes on April 24, 1896. On January 1, 1900, a half interest was sold to HI. B. Hallock, and on January 26, 1909, Hallock sold his interest to W. H. Barnes, since which time it has been conducted by A. 1. Barnes & Son. It is a six-column, ten-page paper, and is Repub- lican in its political faith. Its presses, all of up-to-date type, are operated by electric motors. The building is on Broadway and is the property of Barnes & Son. Since 1904 it has been one of Wright county's official papers. .A complete file of every issue is sacredly preserved. Messrs. Barnes & Son are "live wire" newspaper men, who understand the details of an up-to-date newspaper office and keep apace with all movements for the advancement of the town and county. The Eagle works for the upbuikling of Wright county, as well as of Eagle Grove city, and for this it is highly commended by a large patronage. Job work is also one of the specialties of the Eagle office, and is effected in good style and with dispatch.
The Clipper was another Eagle Grove paper, established in April, 1883, by Hewett & Knapp, and was sold to the Times in January, 1884.
Woolstock has had two newspapers, the Review and the Herald. The
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former was sold to the Eagle Grove Times six months after it was estab- lished, and the latter, started by W. H. Gifford in 1884, ceased publication.
The Boone Valley Gazette, of Eagle Grove, was established in January, 1882, by C. A. Schaffter. It was changed from a five-column folio in 1884 to an eight-column paper, and in 1891, on account of increased patronage, was changed to a six-column journal of the quarto form. That year a cylinder press and steam power were added to the equipment of the office. From its establishment, the office was noted for the excellent and highly artistic quality of its job work. The senior Schaffter continued alone in the management of the paper until January 1, 1886, when his son, Eugene, was admitted to the business under the firm style of Schaffter & Son. The senior Schaffter died, and since then the paper has been in other hands. Eugene Schaffter, Jr., the son of the founder, is now a practicing attorney in Eagle Grove, and an able scholar and writer on various topics. The Times and Gasette were consolidated under Frank A. Gates.
The Goldfield Chronicle was founded by Hugh R. Smith, younger brother of Will F. Smith, founder of the Wright County Monitor. It was established at Goldfield in September, 1890, and was conducted by him until July 1, 1892, then bought by L. J. Butterfield, who conducted an independent local newspaper. The subscription price was one dollar and fifty cents per anntun. Other early owners of this paper were Messrs. Agard, Mitchell and Lyons. Mr. Agard was first to put in a power press, discarding the last hand-press of the "Washington" type used in Wright county. Mong in the nineties this paper was run by Miss Keith, in a very acceptable manner. Politically, it is a Republican journal. It is run by electric power, and is located over the Citizens State Bank.
The Dores Tribune was established by 1. C. Phifer, February 3, 1881, soon after the railroad reached the town and business started to develop in that portion of the county. It was a six-columnm quarto and was edited by C. C. Phifer. The first issue contained a graphic "write-up" of Dows and vicinity. It was a good paper, but, financially, it was a failure and went down in one year. Then Dows was paperless for another year, when the Dispatch was established by W. H. Millholland, its first issue being dated November 21, 1884. . \ year later the founder sold to E. E. Fisher and W. E. Fish, and two months later Fisher bought his partner out and con- tinued the publication of the paper until February, 1800, when it was sold to F. M. Linehan. The last named gentleman added new type, improved the job department and built himself a new office in the spring of 1801. It did not run long after that, and was succeeded by the Advocate.
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The Dows Advocate was established by H. J. Hayden in May, 1893. In 1894 he had a partner, the firm being known as Haydon & Wellumeyer. It was conducted by Fell & Rodgers from September, 1894, to June, 1895, when W. A. Monroe took it. The next change was that by which C. A. Zimmerman (estate ) obtained the property in October, 1904, and it was leased to the Dows Printing Company in November, 1913. It is still pub- lished under this title. When established, the Advocate was a six-column, four-page paper, but its present size is a six-column, eight to sixteen-page paper, all home print. It circulates in Wright and Franklin counties, chiefly. Politically, it is a Republican organ. It is a live local journal, aiding to build up Dows and community. Its editor is now F. D. Fillmore.
The Dores Register was established in the month of August, 1891, by Andrews & Nevin, the latter having personal charge and management of the paper. It was a five-column paper of the quarto form, published at Dows every Wednesday. The subscription price was one dollar-the first dollar publication in Wright county. In time it went the way of all things earthly.
The H'right County Democrat was founded by Walter Eller, in Deceni- ber, 1884. It started as a five-column quarto sheet and remained that size for four years, when a stock company was organized, as the Wright County Printing Company, additional material, including new presses, etc., was secured, and the paper was enlarged to a six-column quarto sheet. It was published every Wednesday. It was one of the official organs of the county, and the only Democratic newspaper within Wright county.
The Wright County Teacher was a monthly publication devoted to edu- cational matters. It was established in August. 1887, by J. R. MeCollum, who continued its publication until the summer of 1802, when G. T. Eld- ridge, superintendent of schools, became its editor. During the school years 1800 and ISot Prof. J. G. Grundy, of Eagle Grove, was associate editor. The subscription rate was fifty cents per year. It had a universal circulation among the teachers of Wright county.
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