USA > Iowa > History of western Iowa, its settlement and growth. A comprehensive compilation of progressive events concerning the counties, cities, towns, and villages-biographical sketches of the pioneers and business men, with an authentic history of the state of Iowa > Part 60
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H. C. Wheeler, farmer and stock raiser, was born May 10th, 1835, at Hopkinton, N. H .; the following year moved with par- ents to Chicago, Ill. He there received his education and finished at the Academy of Warrensville. In 1854 he went to San Fran- cisco, Cal .; there engaged in the real estate business, and after two years returned to Chicago. He remained two years and again went to San Francisco. He became one of the first members of the San Francisco Stock Exchange and remained there until 1864. After spending one and one-half years traveling in Europe, he came to Sac county, Ia., and invested in real estate and com- menced extensive farming operations. He now owns a large tract of land adjoining Odebolt on three sides. Also one thousand acres in Plymouth county, and one thousand acres in Crawford county. In 1877 he donated the right of way, town site and $2,000 in cash to the railroad company. He laid out and owns two additions to the town of about one hundred acres. He resides in Wheeler township, three miles from the city; has three boarding houses on the farm, employs forty men and fifty teams. He has a herd of sixty head of Short Horn cattle and forty Clydesdale horses and colts, besides other stock. He has spent considerable time in making practical a steam plow for use on his farm; it in-
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cludes ten plows in a frame. Mr. Wheeler is one of the directors of the State Fair Association. He owns valuable property in Chicago.
John Wright, banker, came from Cedar county, Ia., to Sac county in 1872. He purchased 1,000 acres of land in partnership with his brother, N. Wright, and engaged in farming until Nov., 1878, at which time he opened the bank, having previously erected the bank block, the front room of which is occupied by the bank and contains a fire-proof vault and a Marvin safe, with an electric time-lock. The rear room is occupied by George & Coy, attorneys. Mr. Wright does an extensive loan business in partnership with C. E. George. He has recently erected, on the corner of Second and Maple streets, a brick block, containing two store rooms below and two offices in front on second floor, and fine opera hall in rear. This hall is well fitted with stage, scenery, dressing rooms and well lighted. He also owns other valuable city property.
Wheelock & Rehterger, dealers in agricultural implements, on corner of Second and Maple sts., handle McCormick's goods, also goods from all the leading firms, including Cook's buggies and carriages. R. U. Wheelock has been in the employ of the Mc- Cormick Co. for fifteen years, and is a man of extensive exper- ience with machinery. Mr. Rehterberger is by trade a black- smith, and owns a shop in the rear of warehouse, on Maple street, where he employs two men. He does a large business, making a specialty of wagon and buggy work.
Winchell & Webster are grain dealers and proprietors of the Star store. The grain business was established in Oct., 1879. They have three flax and wheat warehouses on First st., with capacity of forty thousand bushels. They shipped during the year 1881 three hundred cars of grain. They also own a coal yard. The store, which is situated on First and Second sts .- the building running through from one to the other-is two stories high; the first is occupied by dry goods, groceries, queensware and clothing, the second by boots, shoes, carpets and gentlemen's furnishing goods. They carry an average stock of $20,000, and employ three clerks and a book-keeper. Messrs. Winchell & Webster were formerly of Chicago; the former was there engaged in a wholesale house, and the latter in the coal trade.
John M. Zane, of the firm of Zane & Helsell, attorneys at law, was born in Cumberland county, N. J., Oct. 16th, 1845. He re- ceived his education at Bridgeton. At an early age he moved to Philadelphia, Pa .; during the rebellion he was for two years a member of the U. S. quartermaster's department. In Sept., 1866, he went to Springfield, III., there read law in the office of Hern- don & Zane. He taught school at intervals while reading law; in Feb., 1872, he moved to Jasper county, Ia., and in Dec., 1873, was admitted to the bar at Newton, under Judge L. C. Blanchard.
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He began the practice of law at Prairie City. In 1874, on account of failing health, he went to Colorado and spent two years travel- ing in the Rocky Mountains; then returned to Prairie {City, Ia. He came to Odebolt in 1877 and opened a law office, and in July of the following year formed his present partnership.
WALL LAKE.
H. B. Allen, postmaster of the firm of Allen & Jacobs, dealers in hardware and agricultural implements, was born in Clinton coun- ty, N. Y., in 1835; moved to Elgin, Ill., in 1855, and engaged in farming. In 1860 moved to De Kalb county, Ill. He enlisted in the 95th Ill. Vol. Inft., served three years. He was with Gen. Grant in the Vicksburg campaign, and was wounded, losing a por- tion of his right hand; was discharged in July, 1865. In 1867 he came to Sac county, Ia., and engaged in farming. He moved to Wall Lake in the autumn of 1874, and established present busi- ness. He was appointed postmaster in May, 1881. Mr. Jacobs, formerly of Benton county, Ia., became a member of the firm in Jan., 1882. They carry a large and complete stock of hardware. The agricultural warehouse is on the corner of Main and First sts. They handle goods from all the leading manufactories.
George Burgan, grain dealer and manager of D. Wayne & Co.'s business at Wall Lake, was born in Wayne county, O., in 1845; moved with parents to Muscatine, Ia. In 1862 he enlisted in the 35th Ia. Vol. Inft .; was at the sieges of Vicksburg, Nashville, Pleasant Hill; was up the Red river with Gen. Banks. He was dis- charged in 1865, and returned to Iowa. In 1867 he located in Carroll county and engaged in farming until 1874, when he en- gaged in the grain business. Office and warehouse on First st. They shipped during the year 1881 one hundred cars of grain.
Frank Chandler, dealer in hats, caps, boots, shoes, clothing, furnishing goods and groceries, was born in Maquoketa, Ia., in Sept., 1849, there resided until 1870, then moved to Lyons, Ia., as agent for the Northern and Diamond Joe packet lines, and after two years, became book-keeper for the Clinton Chair Co., after which he traveled for S. G. McGill, and later for H. C. & C. Durand, wholesale grocers, with whom he remained five years, then located at Wall Lake. Employs two clerks.
W. L. Ehlers, bookkeeper for Wilcox Bros., lumber dealers, was born in Oskaloosa, Ia., in Feb., 1866. In 1872 he entered the State University, at Iowa City. In the winter of 1876 he took charge of the poultry packing establishment of Beem, Turner & Co .; remained with them two years and moved to Wall Lake; en- tered the employ of J. C. Fletcher, dealer in general merchandise. He engaged as above in 1879.
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HISTORY OF IOWA.
J. Elliott, proprietor of the Eureka House, came to Wall Lake in Feb., 1882, from Ames, where he had resided for twenty years. The hotel is on the corner of Main and First streets, is well fur- nished and a first-class house.
J. J. Fones & Sons, grain dealers, formerly of Chicago, Ill., where they were engaged in the livery business several years; came to Wall Lake, la., in Jan., 1881, and purchased the elevator and business of G. W. Pitcher. Elevator has capacity of ten thousand bushels, and employs two men. During the year 1881 they shipped two hundred cars of grain. The business is conducted by J. J. Fones, Jr .; office on 1st street.
E. L. Pierce, dealer in hardware, tinware, stoves, etc., was born in Linn county, Ia., in Oct., 1850; received education at Mt. Ver- non College, and engaged in farming until 1874, then moved to Cedar county and engaged in milling with Peet Bros. He remained there four years then moved to Wall Lake and engaged in present business in March, 1878. He makes specialties of Fuller, Warren & Co.'s stoves and the Glidden barbed wire.
C. F. Peck, dealer in general merchandise, was born in New London, Conn., in 1845; moved to Oneida, Ill., when thirteen years of age, and worked on a farm until Oct.,1863, then enlisted in the 8th Ill. Vol. Inft. and served until the close of the war. He re- turned to Ill. and remained three years; afterwards moved to Jef- ferson, Ia. He was engaged as carpenter until 1877, then engaged in mercantile business. He came to Wall Lake in 1880 and en- gaged in business as above; carries a fine stock of clothing, boots and shoes.
W. H. Peck, dealer in lumber, coal, lime, etc., was born in Onondaga county, N. Y., in 1854; received his education from tlie High School of Syracuse. In 1879 he moved to Sac county, Ia., and in the autumn of the same year purchased above business of H. J. Simpson. Office on Main street, near depot. He is assisted by F. M. Gregg.
C. L. Sherwood, agent for the Iowa Land company, was born in Berlin township, Delaware county, O., in June, 1817; remained there until 1854, and then moved to Clinton, Ia., where he en- gaged in farming. In 1873 he came to Sac county, purchased land in Clinton township, which he improved, and still owns, the farming being conducted by his sons. Mr. Sherwood was for several years postmaster at Wall Lake, also was postmaster in Clinton tp. before the office was abandoned. He became agent for the above company in 1873; office with W. H. Peck, lumber dealer. Mr. S. is one of the solid republicans of this county.
N. Wright, president of the bank of Wall Lake, was born in Cedar county, Ia., in 1846; resided there until the autumn of 1871, then purchased 320 acres of land in Sac county, on which he
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moved the spring following. He farmed until Feb., 1882, when he established the bank. Does a general banking business; this is the only established bank in Wall Lake. W. S. Bell, the cashier, is a gentleman of extensive experience in the banking business.
FLETCHER.
W. H. Ball, of the firm of W. H. Ball & Co., dealers in grain and seed, was born in Cedar county, Ia., in 1853. He was en- gaged in the grain business at Centerdale, Clinton county, for nine years. In 1880 came to Fletcher and was the first to locate busi- ness there.
D. C. Cook, M. D., of the firm of L. A. Chapman & Co., drug- gists, was born in N. Y. in May, 1850. He received preparatory education at Mt. Vernon, Ia., and graduated from the State Uni- versity at Iowa City in March, 1873: He commenced the practice of medicine at Calamus. In Aug., 1881, he moved to Fletcher and formed present partnership. They carry a complete line of drugs, paints, oils, toilet articles, etc.
Albert Davis, station agent and proprietor of the Lake House, came to Sac county in March, 1877, from Clinton county, Ia. He purchased land in Wall Lake township. At the time of the tornado of April 21st of same year, he was living in a portion of his barn, which was entirely destroyed together with his household goods, his family happily escaping unhurt. He afterwards built a house 20x30 feet in dimensions and had just got settled in it when it was entirely destroyed by the tornado of Oct. 15th, of same year. In Dec., 1881, he moved to Fletcher and built the hotel. He car- ries a stock of confectionery, cigars and fancy groceries.
J. C. Fletcher, founder of the new town of Fletcher, was born in Franklin, Ind., in 1849; the same year moved with parents to Os- kaloosa, Ia. He enlisted in 1864 in the 47th Ia. Inft., and served until the close of the war. He returned to Oskaloosa, and in 1873 moved to Sheffield where he engaged in business for two years, then moved to Wall Lake, where he engaged in the mercantile bus- iness. In Oct., 1880, he purchased the town site of Fletcher which he laid out in town lots and placed in the market, now it is a lively growing town and is situated near a beautiful lake. Mr. Fletcher formed a partnership in March, 1881, with H. W. Seevers, built a business house on Main street and engaged in the mercantile busi- ness. Mr. Seevers was born in Oskaloosa in 1859 and came to this place in the spring of 1880.
C. P. Hicks, of the firm of W. H. Ball & Co., was born in Phil- adelphia, Pa., in Oct., 1848. He graduated at the Bryant & Strat- ton College and was for several years in the employ of a commis- sion house in Philadelphia, as bookkeeper and entry clerk. He
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moved to Cedar county, Ia., in 1874; thence to Sac county in Mar., 1881, purchased land near Fletcher and engaged in present busi- ness. From Aug., 1881, to Feb., 1882, they shipped sixty cars of grain.
Rev. William N. McKendrick, undertaker and dealer in furniture was born in Edinburg, Scotland, in 1832; came to America with parents and located in N. Y. In 1847 he moved to Western N. Y. He attended the Baptist College, of Montreal, Canada, for three years, and entered the University in 1859. He was ordained in Michigan, Sept. 20th, 1875. He located at Mapleton, Ia., in 1879, and was pastor of the Baptist church there for two years. He resigned in Sept., 1881; came to Fletcher, purchased property and engaged in present business. He is pastor here and preaches every Sabbath at the school house.
Charles Potts, farmer and land agent, was born in Ross county, O., in 1832. He served during the war of the rebellion in the 28th Ill. Vol. Inft., was wounded at Jackson, Miss. He came to Sac county in 1871 and purchased land on the north shore of Wall Lake. He owns one hundred acres of well improved land one and one-half miles east of Fletcher. He is agent for non- resident lands in this vicinity, also for the Acme pulverizing har- row and clod crusher.
J. O. Rich, proprietor of the livery, feed and sale stables, was for- merly of Independence, Ia., where he was engaged as mason and plasterer for four years. In 1878 he moved to Sac county, pur- chased land in Wall Lake township, which he still owns. In Feb., 1882, he moved to Fletcher and erected a livery barn on Third st.
WV. A. Robinson, postmaster and hardware merchant, was born in Vt. in 1815. He moved to Stockbridge, Mass., when quite young; in 1856 moved to Mercer county, Ill., and engaged in farm- ing until 1869; then moved to Sac county, purchased land in Viola township, which he improved and still owns. He moved to Fletcher in Jan., 1882, and filled the office of postmaster, to which he was appointed in Dec., 1881. He erected building on Main st., which is occupied by postoffice and hardware stock. Mr. Robinson has filled many minor offices, was the first justice of the peace in Viola township. He has a notary public commission, and does a general collecting business, is agent for several insur- ance companies.
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HISTORY OF IOWA.
IDA COUNTY
Ida County is in the fourth tier of counties from the northern boundary of the state, and is the second east of the Missouri River. It contains 432 square miles or 276,480 acres. The Maple River runs through the county from northeast to southwest. Its principal branches are the Odebolt and Elk, flowing in from the east, and Battle Creek from the west. Soldier River flows west- ward through the southern tier of townships. There are many smaller streams draining the county in all parts. The valleys of the streams are unsurpassed in fertility, and Maple Valley is espec- ially noted for the beauty and fertility of its farming lands. Ma- ple River, in this county, furnishes several mill sites. The gen- eral character of the surface is undulating or rolling prairie, though no portion is too broken for cultivation. The soil in the valleys is a dark mould, in many places from three to six feet deep. The uplands contain more clay, and are well adapted to the raising of wheat and all the cereal crops. This, like other counties in this part of the state, has but a limited supply of timber. We have it on authority of the county surveyor that this county has only about 1,000 acres of natural timber, about one-half of this being in Ida Grove, which is situated on Maple River in about the cen- ter of the county. It is mostly oak, walnut, linn, elm and hick- ory. The white or soft maple skirts the borders of the streams in many places.
Among the wild fruits, the plum, grape, gooseberry and straw- berry are found. Stock-raising and dairying succeed well in this county, as it is unsurpassed for pasturage or hay. . The wild grass known as the blue-joint predominates in the valleys, and in many places the yield of hay is as high as four tons per acre. Fine well water is found in almost any locality by digging to a moderate depth, rarely exceeding twenty-five feet. No regularly stratified rock formations appear at the surface. The only rocks obtained in the county are the boulders. An abundance of material suit- able for the manufacture of brick is found in all parts of the county. The bluff deposit, which overspreads the entire county, has been successfully used for making brick of a good quality. The principal productions are wheat, oats, corn, rye and potatoes. All kinds of vegetables and root crops common to the latitude succeed well. The various kinds of small fruits are easily raised, as well as some varieties of cherries and apples.
The first authentic account of the early settlement of Ida coun- ty was that, in 1854, of Robert Townsley and Edward Smith, who
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built a cabin and raised a small crop of sod corn. During the same summer Samuel King settled about a mile further down the valley, and broke up a small farm. These, however, proved to be but transient settlers.
The first permanent settlement of whites in Ida County was made in Ida Grove, on Maple River, in 1856. The settlers were E. Comstock, from Michigan, and Judge John H. Morehead, whose family still resides at Ida Grove.
The county was organized in 1858. The first election was held at Ida Grove in August of that year, when the following officers were elected: John H. Moorehead, County Judge; J. S. Loveland, Treasurer and Recorder, and B. Warren, Clerk of the District Court. At this time the population of the county was only about forty persons. Since that the population has increased very rap- idly and in 1880 was 4,382. The county has settled very fast within the past two years and 5,500 may now be considered a low estimate of population. The present county officers are: Isaac Bunn, Clerk of the Courts; Wm. Jones, Auditor; F. W. Tibbetts, Treasurer; T. S. Snell, County Surveyor; E. L. Worcester, Re- corder; F. A. Eastman, Sheriff; Dr. A. T. Baker, Coroner; Mrs. A. H. Smith, Superintendent of Schools; J. G. Freeman, Chair- man; John Bunn, James Taylor, Board of Supervisors.
The first child born in Ida County was Ida Grove Smith, daugh- ter of Mr. and Mrs. E. Smith. The first death was a child of the same family. The remains were taken to Smithland, in Woodbury county, for interment. The first railroad, a branch of the Chicago & Northwestern, crossed into Ida County August 21st, 1877, and is now extended as far west as Mapleton, in Monona County. Ida County has fair prospects for another road through to Ida Grove soon -- the same one that passes through Sac City and Sac County.
IDA GROVE.
The county seat of Ida county was, previous to arrival of the railroad, in the fall of 1877, situated on the north side of the rail- road track and Odebolt River. After the appearance of the rail- road at this place, a new town sprang up on the south side of the river, which was christened Ida Grove. This town is now the county seat, and is located on the northeast quarter of section 15, township 87, range 40. The village commands a fine view of the beautiful valley of Maple River. It is about twenty-eight miles from Denison, Crawford county.
Upon one of the high ridges near the village there was formerly an extensive Indian encampment, where the remains of buffalo, elk, deer, and other game are still scattered over the surface, or half embedded in the soil. The course of a deeply worn Indian trail is said to have been a great highway for the natives, who only a few years ago occupied this portion of the State.
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The first postoffice established in the county was located at Ida, and for years this was the only one.
The old town of Ida was laid out in 1871 by S. W. Hobbs. The new town was laid out by the Blair Town and Lot Company in 1877, and is situated on the left bank of the Maple River, about five miles from the geographical center of the county. Isaac Bunn built the first house in Ida Grove. Selling that almost im- mediately, he erected the second, and still later the third house in the town. The first brick building was erected by Chaffee & Williams, in 1880, and isthe one in which the Pioneer . office is now located. Since then a number of massive brick structures have been erected, and the town is fast building up with large and substantial brick buildings.
The first child born in the town was Sarah, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Macomber.
The first store was opened by Engstrom & Smith as a hardware store.
The town was incorporated April 26th, 1878. H. A. Miller was elected the first Mayor, and J. W. Reed. Recorder. The first Trustees were: T. S. Snell, W. P. Evans, J. O. Engstrom, Calvin Bailey, and L. Tinkle. The present town officers are: Frank Burns, Mavor; Frank W. Shearer, Recorder; A. L. Houser. J. E. Jurgenson, J. H. Stough, Trustees, and R. Johnston, Assessor.
The Ida County Pioneer was the first paper published in Ida Grove. During the winter of 1872, Robert Wilkinson, Frank Burns, C. P. Lund, C. C. Brown, Geo. E. Johnson, H. H. Lund, M. G. Aldrich, R. H. Campbell, W. J. Wagoner, W. P. Evans, W. Wilkinson, James F. Wilkinson, C. Hathaway, Isaac Bunn and E. B. West, formed themselves into a stock company for the pur- pose of purchasing material and publishing a newspaper at Ida. The necessary money was raised, and W. P. Evans took charge of the publishing. The first number, then as now, was called the Ida County Pioneer, and the first issue was on Thursday, March 3d, 1872, from the upper story of the Court House. The paper was a six-column folio. Republican in politics and began with a circulation of 150. It was printed in long primer type, upon an old poster press, known among older Iowa journalists as "Old Mu- ley," the press upon which J. N. Dixon, the "blind editor," pub- lished his first paper, the Indianola Journal. It had also done service in the early days of Des Moines journalism on the Iowa Statesman and State Register. Immediately after the first sheet of the Pioneer was printed, it was taken by E. B. West, the County Au litor, down stairs and presented to the Board of Supervisors, who were then in session, and was made by them the official paper of the county. Within two or three months after the first issue of the paper, W. P. Evans purchased the shares of all the stock- holders and became sole proprietor. On the 27th day of Angust, 1874, Evans sold the Pioneer to C. B. Chaffee and George T. Wil-
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liams, who enlarged the paper to a seven-column folio. In the spring of 1876 Chaffee & Williams sold an "Amateur" press and purchased a large stock of job type and a new quarto-medium "Star" jobber, and in 1877 purchased a new Washington press. April 4th, 1878, the Pioneer was enlarged to an eight-column folio. In the spring of 1881, Chaffee & Williams sold the Pioneer to Theron Akin, who suppressed the paper. About the 1st of April, 1881, W. P. Evans re-established the Pioneer, purchasing a large office with four presses. The present proprietor continued the publication until December, 1881, when he leased it to Suiter & Simpson, two practical printers, who are the present editors. It is one of the official papers of the county, is a seven-column quarto and has a circulation of 1,200.
The Maple Valley Era is a Republican paper, and was started by L. Stanfield and C. N. Clark, August 22d, 1877. This paper was started as a five-column quarto, but October 18th. 1877, it was enlarged to an eight-column folio. March 22d, 1879, L. Stanfield sold his interest to the junior partner, C. N. Clark, who changed the day of publication from Wednesday to Friday. Mr. Clark then added to the office a quarto-medium Gordon jobber, and a new invoice of type. In March, 1880, the paper was again en- larged, this time to a nine-column folio. July 1st, 1881, the pub- lisher purchased a new power press, and enlarged the paper to a seven-column quarto. L. T. Chapin purchased a one-half interest in the E'ra January 1st, 1882, and it is now run under the firm name of Clark & Chapin. It is a Republican paper, and one of the official papers of the county. It has a circulation of 1,000 copies.
J. H. Moorehead was the first postmaster in Ida Grove, he hav- ing received his appointment in 1860. He was succeeded by W. P. Evans, who was appointed late in the year 1872. C. N. Clark is the present incumbent. It is a money-order office.
The first Court House of Ida County was built in the town of Ida in 1871, and was nearly completed before another building was begun on the town site. January 12th, 1877, the Court House was burned, together with most of the county records, and for three years afterwards the county offices were kept in small build- ings rented by the county. During the latter part of the year 1879, the present Court House was built on a contract by which the county had the privilege of renting or buying at certain figures. The Clerk removed to the new building in December, 1879, and the other officers followed in January. The upper story is used for court purposes, and the lower part for various county offices. The county purchased the building in 1880. The popula- tion of the town may now be estimated to be from 1,200 to 1,500, and it is fast increasing.
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