USA > Iowa > Wright County > History of Wright County, Iowa, its peoples, industries and institutions > Part 31
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"From 1863 to 1866, the settlement was gradual but not rapid. Im- provements were made of all kinds, as fast as the resources of the country would permit. In 1866, J. R. Middleton burned the first brick kiln, which met a very urgent demand for building material.
"In October, 1867, the county was visited with grasshoppers, the first time since the settlement of the country. They partially destroyed the oat crop as far east as Eagle creek and the wheat was also injured and the gardens pretty badly eaten up. They departed in July, 1868. The county was again visited by grasshoppers in 1873, but the number was not so great and little damage was done.
"The first apples grown in the township were by O. A. Allen and J. R. Middleton, in 1865.
"The township was divided in 1868, township 90, range 25, becoming an independent township, being named Woodstock.
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"The experiment in sheep raising was made by the citizens of this (Troy) township between 1864 and 1868. Large numbers of sheep were brought into the township. The experiment was a failure, however. Large numbers of the sheep died or were destroyed by wolves and the few remain- ing ones disposed of at reduced rates.
"About the year, 1870, a railroad was projected to pass through the township. The citizens were urged to vote a five-per-cent. tax upon all the taxable property to aid the company in building the road. A majority of the voters favored the project. The road was graded, bridges built during 1872, but owing to the failure of the company to procure necessary means to finish the road it is rapidly washing down and becoming useless. [De- cember, 1876.]
A HOPEFUL VIEW.
"The more recent history of this township has been a scene of constant prosperity and development. The cabins and shanties of early days are passing away and are being supplemented with comfortable frame and brick buildings. School houses have been erected, there being five in the town- ship now. As we look out over these prairies where but a few years ago the wind carried the snow furiously and unhindered, we now see farm houses nestling amid groves that furnish ample protection from heat and cold. And where we behold our growing fields yielding abundant harvests, the result of a better knowledge of the needs of the soil and better improved machinery with which to work; and as our numbers increase, thus affording better social privileges, brethren we are glad to say that we believe the hard times of Troy township are over. *
"Peace and good will have ever been the ruling temper of the people. There have been but three, or four at the most, criminal prosecutions during the twenty-two years of the township's history.
"The people have been remarkably free from those vexations that so paralyze all, on account of action, and hinder every public enterprise intended for the public good.
"The greatest quantity of grain raised any one season in this township was raised by J. D. Sells, a settler of 1856. O. C. Allen, a settler of 1855, raised thirty-six bushels of wheat per acre. H. Middleton raised ninety bushels of corn and B. S. Haviland ninety bushels of oats per acre."
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THE VILLAGE OF NUEL.
Nuel is the only village within Troy township. It is in section 7, and was platted as a railroad station a few years since. There is now a grain warehouse and lumber and coal are kept for sale there. It is near the county line.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
VERNON TOWNSIIIP.
Vernon township is the extreme southeastern township in Wright county, and as now constituted, comprises congressional township 90, range 23, west. It is bounded on the east by Franklin county, on the south by Hamilton county, on the west by Wall Lake township, Wright county, on the north by Blaine township and contains thirty-six full sections. The lowa river touches the eastern part of sections 1, 12 and 13, a small tribu- tary running from the central and western portion of the township. Ver- non township was at one time embraced in what is now Wall Lake town- ship, and was one of the original precincts of this county. Its soil is. without question, among the most fertile in all this section of lowa. Nature has dealt with this township very bountifully and adorned it with great beauty. The banks of the lowa river were originally, and to quite an extent at the present day, covered with fine groves of excellent timber. According to the statements made by the state geologist a half century ago, this town- ship contained about fifty acres of the most superior peat in the world. averaging from six to eight feet in depth, which, at one time, was considered a veritable mine of wealth for fuel purposes, but of later years, with better transportation facilities, and the growth of timber, here and there over the prairies, is not considered in reckoning the value of the resources of the township, as it once was.
SETTLEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT.
Vernon township was not settled until after the Civil War, to speak in a true "first settlement" sense. From interviews with that rugged pio- neer, David H. Pepper, and others, it is learned that the settlement was made about as follows: When Mr. Pepper entered the township to become a permanent resident, in the spring of 1869, he found that others had preceded him. D. N. Inman, who was a member of the board of county supervisors for seven years, had large tracts of land in Vernon township. His first wife sickened and died and he remarried, but fortune seemed not to continue to smile upon his efforts, in a business sense, and he lost much
E
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of his landed estate. Later, he removed to one of the Southern states, where he was living at last accounts.
.C. P. Sheldon was another very early settler who cast his lot with the pioneer band, about the close of the Civil War. He died in 1912. He was an influential citizen and was well liked by all. Others who came in about that date were William and T. H. Smith, J. M. Rice, now living retired at Dows, who came in 1869, he being one of the early homesteaders. Through some oversight in the numbers of his land at the land office, he settled on the wrong piece and had, after building and making his improve- ments, to remove the buildings to the proper location in the section, all of which caused him considerable loss of time and money. But with a true, stout heart he went to work and commenced all over, finally gaining for himself and family a desirable home. About the period last mentioned, H. B. Peterson also located in Vernon township. With the passage of years he came to be a highly successful farmer.
David H. Pepper first came to Vernon township from Wisconsin, in 1867, and purchased some land-the southwest quarter of section 13, as well as the southeast quarter of section 14, which he still holds; also a quarter-section in section 27. He paid five dollars per acre for one "quar- ter" and six dollars for one of his eighties. He became a potent factor in the upbuilding of his township and the county generally. In 1884 he was elected by many hundred majority, to the office of county supervisor, in which office he proved the right man in the right place. He was ever true to his convictions, and could not and would not be turned aside from honor and integrity, by bribery or other inducements. He preferred to be honorable with his fellow taxpayers rather than to continue in office. He served the county well as an official and was one of the township officers more than ten years. In going to Fort Dodge to secure some of his land he went from near Otisville ( Dows) to Grant ( now Clarion) and only discovered three houses on the way. While at Clarion he met two county officers, R. K. Eastman and George A. Mckay, who told him of the proper man, or firm, to see in Fort Dodge from whom to procure his land, and he was started out on the way, which was but a mere trail or trace, over the prairie grass, in a diagonal direction toward where the city of Eagle Grove now stands. The way was marked here and there on the ridges by a white cloth attached high up on poles, as a landmark for the weary traveler, as he wended his way southeastward. No trees were to be seen on all this lonely journey to the Boone river. It is not cause for wonder that Mr.
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Pepper, in relating this instance not long since, said : "There has been a vast change in this country since I first called it home."
TOWNSHIP SETTLED SLOWLY.
In 1869 there were two school houses within this township, showing that there must have been about two dozen families with school-age chil- dren. Immigration was then coming in slowly, year by year. In 1868, it was predicted that it would not be many years before the vacant land of this township would all be taken by actual settlers, and thus it was. From 1869 on, additional settlers included A. M. Peterson, John Rech, Paul and Ole Anderson, A. C. Fuller, Luther Hammond, A. B. Wallace, Fred Beisner and Fred Gode. Another early settler, who should not be forgotten in making this record, was John Rech, who reached Iowa Falls, where he remained two years, on account of his wife's illness, then located in Vernon township, in 1869, taking eighty acres of land in section 13. He died many years ago. When Mr. Pepper, above referred to, located there only three houses were between his place and Dows. Many more early settlers of this township naturally find a place in the biographical section of this work.
The southwestern portion of the township was the last to be settled. It was looked upon by the Yankee immigrants as being almost worthless as a farming district, on account of its being more swampy and low in its character, although all admitted that it was a rich soil, if only the water could be drained from its surface. But the German people saw it in a differ- ent light, and purchased, for a very low price, many sections of this wet, flat prairie, and as soon as they were able, commenced to tile-drain and ditch it out, and in a few years had practically reclaimed that part of the township, making it today a territory noted for its great fertility and value. It took the sturdy German folk to bring this all about, by toil and self- denial. He who travels through this section of the county today, viewing the well-tilled farms, the large modern barns, and handsome farm houses, would scarce believe that fewer than thirty years ago this was the "wet wilderness" of Wright county.
The names and locations of these frugal Germans, who first invaded the locality are not at hand for the historian. These people made history, but were too busy to preserve it, and now nearly all of them have died or removed from the county, and their farms are occupied by later comers, who are now enjoying the fruits of the early toils and labors of these peo-
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ple. In general terms it may be stated that the Germans commenced to come into this township about 1875, and continued until all available land was taken by actual settlers. Among the first of these German pioneers was Fred Schroeder, who arrived about 1870, and who now lives at Ger- mania, in northern Iowa.
WITHOUT RAILROADS.
Unfortunately, Vernon township is without railroads or market points. Away back in the eighties and later there were plans for constructing rail- roads through this portion of Wright county, one of which lines was pro- posed to be constructed from Webster City to Hampton. The enterprise needed to be aided by local contributions and in some instances by a tax upon the various townships through the territory which it was to cover. The Germans would not consent to such aid, and bitterly opposed the meas- ures, one by one, as fast as they came up for agitation. They, with some of the Americans, looked upon it as a sharp Yankee trick. They argued that the company would certainly build without local aid. This railroad question made many bitter enemies, for the time being, and those who favored the tax were boycotted by others at the polls, when up for any county or township office. The result has been that no railroad was ever built through the township, and farmers in that section of Wright county have been compelled to draw the products of their farms for miles to mar- ket towns on railroad lines. Yet, notwithstanding this fact, the citizens of the community-German and American alike-have prospered, and today are among the most independent citizens of the county.
Though there are no towns or villages in Vernon township, the enter- prising towns of Dows, at the north, and Popejoy and Alden at the south and east, make the matter of markets and trading one of but little conse- quence to the farmers and stock-raisers, who, as a general rule, have for many years fed the products of their fields.
For an account of the township's educational interests the reader is referred to the educational chapter in this volume. Suffice to remark here that none but the best of public schools has ever satisfied the people of Vernon township. The highways have been cared for and improved, with the march of time, until there is today a good road on almost every section line within the township.
The population of Vernon township in 1860 was 28; in 1865 it was
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36; in 1870, 175: in 1875. 237; in 1880, 328; in 1890, 541 ; in 1900, 612; in 1910 it was reduced to 517. In 1874 there were forty-six voters.
ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWNSHIP.
In January, 1861, Vernon was made a separate township, and it included that territory now embraced in Wall Lake township, and extended as far north as the center of congressional township 91, ranges 23 and 24. taking in old Otisville (now Dows). In 1865 Wall Lake township was cut off into a separate precinct, and in 1883, when the townships of the county were made to conform to the congressional townships, that portion within township 91, range 23, was cut off and attached to what is now Blaine township. So the present township limits are confined to congres- sional township 90, range 23, west -- six miles square.
Dry Lake postoffice, in Vernon township, was established in June, 1871. The first postmaster. D. N. Inman, was appointed on June 8, that year, and he was succeeded by M. L. Stuart, June 2, 1881; George F. Trow- bridge, December 12, 1881, and A. B. Wallace, May 29, 1882. The office was discontinued on July 12, 1882.
CHAPTER XXXV.
WALL LAKE TOWNSHIP.
Wall Lake township was one of the original sub-divisions of Wright county, and until it was cut down to its present territory, was for years known in common parlance as "the state of Wall Lake." It was named for the lake within its borders, of which there has been so much written, read and talked about, and over which the state and citizens of the town- ship are now having so much litigation, on account of it being drained and cultivated. The township was originally a part of Vernon township, but in 1868 it was made a separate township and extended three miles to the north of its present limits, giving it eighteen more sections of land than it now contains. It lies to the south of Lincoln township, to the west of Vernon township, to the north of Hamilton county and to the east of Wool- stock township. It is really all of township 90, range 24 west. That sin- gular lake which gave to the township its name, is in the northeastern part of the township, and is included in sections 2, 3, 10, 11, 14 and 15. Buck creek, which is better known as a good-sized stream over in Hamilton county, takes its source from Wall lake. White Fox creek courses through the northwestern portion. The population of the township in 1867 was 72; in 1869 it was III; in 1870, 190; in 1873, 203; in 1875, 230; in 1880, 422 ; in 1890, 418; in 1900, 512 ; in 1910, 517 ; in 1915 it had fallen off to 443.
Aside from about twenty acres of timber on the south shore of Wall lake the township was originally all prairie.
FIRST SETTLERS.
The first to become an actual settler in this part of Wright county was Elery P. Purcell, who as early as 1856, settled on the southeast border of the lake. But few, if indeed any others, arrived until midway in the Civil War period, about 1863, when a few more found their way into the township, to deprive the rugged pioneer settler of claiming the right to be "monarch of all he surveyed." In 1869-70 R. H. Foster, J. Mann and A. R. Nelson had made substantial improvement, each of these gentlemen then having
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splendid houses, for that day, and were in a fair way of soon becoming pros- perous. No newcomer thought of going into the interior or central part of Wright county, so long as land could be had at low figures nearer the Iowa or Boone rivers, where there was an abundance of timber; and the conse- quence was that so long as land could be obtained on the rivers named, or near to the valleys, the central portion of this county remained in its original state. It might be expected, however, that land so desirable as that lying along the banks of the Boone and Iowa rivers would not remain long unin- habited, and consequently we find that about 1862-63 land in the center of the county, hitherto unsought, began to attract considerable attention from parties looking up locations in the West. Wall Lake township began to receive its due proportion of newcomers and by about 1870, within three or five miles in each direction from the lake, was quite heavily settled. Nine families arrived in 1870, coming in the spring time.
There was one feature that was observable among the settlers on the prairie, and that was, that a great deal of time and attention was given to setting out groves of young trees, which in the course of a very few years, added greatly to the beauty of the county and no little to the comfort of those who set them out. During the years 1868-69-70, immigration to this township increased at a rapid rate. The nature of the soil was rich and fertile, and was well adapted to farming purposes of all kinds. The land, especially along the White Fox creek, was unexcelled in this or any other county in the state. There were three school houses in the township by 1870 and forty-five voters, which, according to the general average propor- tion of the population to each voter, would have given it a population of something over two hundred.
From the last named date, settlement increased very rapidly and here and there all over the township, which was then much larger than at present, might have been seen new farm operations, breaking up the virgin soil, plant- ing out groves and building fairly comfortable houses. But it took many years to develop the township to the point where the hardships of living were reduced to the minimum; as, for a number of years, the pioneers were far from markets and farther from any railroad lines. But perseverance finally accomplished the task and today one views hundreds of beautiful farm homes, with neat buildings, good fences and fruit trees and shade trees innumerable. Wall Lake township today is possessed of few of the char- acteristics that it presented forty years ago.
The old Purcell place, where the first settler located, was sold in 1871
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to Benjamin Birdsall, who removed from Alden, Hardin county, in 1874, permanently locating there. From time to time, he added to his landed estate until he possessed one thousand six hundred acres, constituting one of the finest stock farms in Wright county. Mr. Birdsall passed from earth on July 25, 1888, dying at his home at Wall Lake, at the age of seventy- eight years. (See biography.)
THE RUSH AFTER THE WAR.
Toward the close of the Civil War immigration began to pour in, attracted no doubt by the land still held by the government and which was open for homesteaders. R. H. Foster came in the spring of 1864 and made for himself one of the best farms in the county. Connected with his farm he conducted a dairy and kept more than thirty cows. In 1874 he raised nine hundred bushels of mangold-wurtzels for his stock. A man named Janies Monroe entered this township in the spring of 1864, built a small house and remained till the next spring. His daughter and himself herded a drove of cattle for Knight & Company, and one day when the father was absent the cattle stampeded and the daughter followed them ten miles on foot, then secured a horse and chased them to Clear lake and brought them back. In the spring of 1865 Monroe sold to John Gilbert. The same season came the Lords, T. J. Mann, Spencer Boynton, Ed Nichols and others. In 1866 came in A. R. Nelson, D. L. Mann and others.
In 1870 the settlement commenced in the southwest part of the town- ship, and soon Waterman postoffice was established, with B. F. Waterman as postmaster. L. B. Grout, A. Knapper and A. J. Chapman all had well- improved places early in the seventies.
FUEL A SERIOUS PROBLEM.
There has never been a town or village within the limits of Wall Lake township. The winter problem in that section of Wright county for many years was that of fuel. There being no timber in the township and the set- tlers being far distant from the Boone river coal fields, the task of procuring fuel was one not easily performed. In many cases the early homesteaders resorted to burning prairie grass, twisted from stacks of slough grass for that purpose, while still others found cheap and nearby fuel in the peat beds about the lake. But such conditions did not long continue. The planted groves have for years supplied much of the fire wood, while there, as every-
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where in the country, fencing has been done by the use of barbed wire, which came into general use about 1873.
Drainage has been going on in Wall Lake township until today the land is as available for general farm purposes, as any in the county. Large droves of cattle grazed over the prairies there every summer during the earlier years of settlement, while a large tonnage of hay was put in stacks for winter use. Among the most extensive stockmen of the township, at that early date, was Mr. Birdsall, already mentioned as having purchased the old Purcell farm. As a general rule, the farmers there, own their own lands and are a prosperous, contented people ; many of them owning and enjoying automobiles. The various educational and religious interests of the town- . ship are touched on in a general chapter on these topics presented elsewhere in this volume.
POSTOFFICES.
As constituted in 1875, Wall Lake township had a postoffice known as Empire, situated in section 26, township 91, range 23, in what is now Blaine" township: also another postoffice, styled Waterman, in section 29, township 24 of the same range, and in the territory still within Wall Lake. A stage line ran from Webster City, for many years supplying this township with mail. The postmasters who served at what was known as Empire post- office, then within Wall Lake township, were: R. H. Foster, appointed on June 11, 1868; John Delano, January 10, 1877, and A. R. Nelson, February 2, 1880. This office was discontinued on January 2. 1883.
Those serving at Waterman postoffice were: L. B. Grout, appointed on August 2, 1871; P. H. Morris, December 9. 1878; J. A. Robb, May 24, 1881 ; L. B. Grout. July 14, 1884; L. W. Hockman, December 29, 1884, and I. B. Grout, July 9. 1890. The office was discontinued on August 9. 1890.
WALL LAKE SUMMER RESORT.
A summer resort was opened at Wall lake, in June, 1910, at the cele- bration of which event it was estimated that from three to four thousand peole were present. "From early in the morning," said the Monitor, "strings of vehicles could be seen coming from all directions, and on some of the roads long lines of teams might have been seen and taken for a long funeral procession. Some came on foot, others on horseback, but for the most part in buggies or automobiles. A careful count placed the teams on (23)
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the ground at one thousand two hundred, while there were forty or more automobiles. There was plenty of music and plenty to cat, with a varied program of amusement concluding with a bowery dance." The celebration was on the occasion of County Supervisor Jamison, of Dows, having adver- tised the "opening" of his summer resort at the lake. Mr. Jamison lived at Dows and had recently erected a summer cottage on the south shore of the lake, and wished to celebrate the event. Everybody was welcome and everything was free, Mr. Jamison paying all bills of expenses for the day.
In speaking of this event, the Webster City Freeman referred to another celebration which took place at Wall lake forty years before-a union Sunday school picnic gotten up by the Sunday schools of Webster City and Cass township, Hamilton county-June 11, 1870. Then everybody went in lumber wagons, there not being a buggy in the party that wended its way over the vast prairie from Webster City to Wall lake. There were only three houses on the road, after leaving the old Bickford school house m Cass township, until the lake was reached. Neither were there any fences, so travel went "cross-country" fashion. Great has been the transformation since that little Sunday school picnic came from the sister county to spend the day on the shores of Wall lake. With the return of the spring and fall seasons, for many years, this was the camping ground for numerous hunters and trappers and as high as one thousand dollars annually was paid into the county treasury for hunting licenses by parties wishing to enjoy the sport in Wright county.
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