USA > Iowa > Buena Vista County > Past and present of Buena Vista County, Iowa > Part 11
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What concerned the pioneers more than state or national issues was the distribution of the few county and township offices that were at the disposal of the people. not so much for the salaries attached. as they were meager. but for the importance it added to the citizen's standing in the community and his ability to "get in" on the numerous contracts that were let for internal im- provements, such as bridge building. road making and swamp land contracts.
Therefore, in our new county party lines were loose or were not ro- garded at all. Thus. Abner Bell. although a democrat of the old school when he came, soon allied himself with the republicans in county affairs and stayed by that organization as long as he took an active part in county matters.
About the year 1870 the republicans perfected a crude organization by the election of a county committee with a chairman. In the election of 1867 the republicans carried the county. although the party lines were not closely drawn. But with the infusion of new blood in the late sixties and early seventies the partisan feeling that was raging on the outside permeated the county and the republicans, being in the majority, organized.
Two years later we read in The Pilot, which was a strong republican organ. and which waved the "bloody shirt" in the face of the despised politieal foe. that the organization was as follows :
"Republican County Central Committee: Barnes, O. Il. Dahl, chairman ; Storm Lake. W. L. Vestal; Coon, M. D. Watkins: Brooke. John Burr; Elk, M. A. Packard; Fairfield. George Herrick ; Nokomis, JJ. L. Wilson ; Maple Valley. L. Gustine ; Poland. A. A. Fancher : Emma. J. G. Wilson."
There is nothing to show in the files of the newspapers that the democrats at that time had an organization, but there were strong, old line party men here. as may be seen by the sizzling replies printed in the Pilot to red hot editorials published in the same newspaper.
Later in the '70s the Grange movement took an active part in county polities, and this was followed by uprisings by the "Outs" against the "Ins." where bitter rancor and violent denunciation took the place of sober judgment and argument. Third party movements also made themselves known. such as the Green Back, the Populists. the Farmers' Alliance and the Prohibitionists.
The Farmers' Alliance had a longer life than any other third party move- ment as it was the ontgrowth of the Grange. This was recruited from the farmers, and numerous pienies were held in groves during the summer, and in school houses. in "Harmony Hall." in Grant township and in the various towns for a period of many years. It may be said here that many of the reforms advanced then by the Alliance and afterward by the Populists wore later taken up by the old parties and by them crystallized into laws.
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The parties all had county organizations in the '80s and '90s. The head was the county chairman and every township was represented by a committee- man, selected at a caneus held in the precinct. The county committee selected one of its number as chairman. Of those who have served in this capacity may be found the names of nearly all the men who have later become prominent. such as G. S. Robinson. Lot Thomas. F. HI. Helsell. T. D. Higgs, II. L. Pierce. A. D. Bailie. A. C. Smith, and names not so well known.
The system of caucus and delegate conventions obtained until 1899 when a movement was started for a county primary, under a state law which permitted any party in any county to adopt a primary system of making nominations. This proved a way out of a predicament, and the republican organization adopted it. It was continued until 1908 when all parties were required, by a direct primary law, to make nominations in that way for all offices.
Men took their polities seriously two decades ago. At every national campaign clubs would be organized, which would be designated by articles of wearing apparel. and huge badges. We read of Grant and Greeley clubs, of Hayes and Tilden clubs. of the "Plumed Knights" who supported Blaine and of Cleveland clubs, of the Grandpa's Hat clubs who supported Harrison, all of whom were decked in fantastic attire to designate on which side they were hurrahing. Drill masters would sweat and fume while drilling their cohorts in all sorts of impossible evolutions. the common marchers being gaily capari- soned in oil cloth capes and Haring chapeaus, bearing flambeaux for night parades. Men cannot be induced to do such things now. The voter is not stirred by martial music and fervid oratory. but in the quiet of his home, with his newspaper and magazine in hand. he studies these questions of government out for himself. And this is perhaps the better way.
TORNADOES.
The county has been visited by several severe windstorms during its history. the first of which occurred on Easter Sunday, in 1877. This storm seemed to have its inception in Sac county, west of Schaller. and entered the county east of the Foster Griffith place. In Sac county an old lady met her death. In this county the home of a Mr. Breech was wrecked, while he was killed and his wife severely injured. The family and a neighbor's family were seated in the house, looking over garden seed which they expected to plant, and did not notice the approach of the storm. The first premonition of its approach was when the house began to leave its foundation. From the Breech place the storm took a northeasterly direction and struck the Perrine place, now Phil Baumann's farm, where the owner had built a fine set of substantial buildings, perhaps the best in the county. These were reduced to kindling wood. The stable was lifted in the air, but several horses tied to a manger which was not attached to the barn were left standing unhurt. Near Storm Lake the King house was blown to pieces and members of the family injured. The town of Storm Lake was not hit. but narrowly escaped.
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On Sunday. June 14, 1885, another storm appeared in the county but no human lives were lost. The tornado on that occasion destroyed much property and killed a great deal of stock. It was especially severe in the north part of the county.
On Thursday, July 6, 1893, what was afterward known as the "Pomeroy tornado" passed over the county. coming from the west and entering Buena Vista county on the line between Maple Valley and Nokomis townships. At the Wadsworth place Bernard Johannesen was standing in the stable door, when the storm struck the fine new barn, and the young man was thrown against a tree and life was erushed out of him. death coming that same night. At the T. J. Wall home Edwin Wall had his leg so badly mangled that amputation was afterward found necessary. At the JJacob Brecher farm in Hayes town- ship, southeast of Alta, Mr. Brecher was killed. a large splinter of wood being driven through his neck. One mile east W. R. Clemons, an aged man was so severely injured that death ensued shortly afterward. and at the C. N. Totman place, further east. Mr. Totman was killed while assisting his family to find a place of refuge. Many buildings were totally destroyed in this storm and
much stock was killed. The fury of the wind carried heavy pieces of machinery up in the air for hundreds of feet. At one place a stick of wood was driven into a tree so solidly that a man could suspend himself from it. Chickens were stripped of feathers. trees were torn up by the roots and twisted off, and in the track of the storm thousands of splinters were driven into the ground so that the path looked like a field where splinters were being raised. In Alta and Storm bake a furious hail storm which accompanied the storm broke all the windows on the west side of the houses, and lightning struck in several places.
The storm passed over the lake and in Providence and Newell townships more buildings were blown down, but no fatalities were reported. At the town of Pomeroy, in Calhoun county. sixty deaths and many injured persons were found after the storm.
The loss of property was great and a fund was raised which was distributed to the needy ones. Some were assisted in rebuilding and others were cared for until they had homes to go to. At Pomeroy a fund raised all over the state was expended in caring for the needy ones.
There have been several minor storms since then, but none approaching the severity of the three described.
THE BLIZZARDS.
The word "blizzard" was coined by a newspaper man at Estherville to portray the fury of the great winter storms that onee swept over the prairies of northwest Iowa. . What old settler does not remember them? There was nothing to impede the whirling. driving snow and nothing more terrible could be imagined, unless it might be the tornado that came during the summer months.
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A blizzard of the old kind usually lasted three days. A fall of snow would come on the first day. accompanied by high wind. and the drifts would begin to mount high. On the second day the temperature would fall and the wind would rise still higher. The snow, by continued blowing and cold weather, would become as fine as flour and would penetrate every crevice of the unprotected houses and outbuildings, seeking sheltered places. and drifting. drifting. everywhere. Unhappy the fate of a man caught in this hurricane of flying snow and icy wind. as he would soon lose his way and succumb to the cokl.
The first storm of which there is any record came on the 14th of March. 1870, and was for years remembered as the great blizzard. There had been storms before that. many of them every winter, but the one in the spring of 1870 came at a time not expected. On Monday morning it made its appearance and for three days the snow fell and blew as it had never before come in the memory of the oldest inhabitant. There were no losses of life in this county as the storm came early in the day before many had left their homes. In Clay county a man and boy went for wood at Gillette's Grove and were lost. Other fatalities were reported from all parts of the northwest.
On March 25, 1875, a second great storm came in the afternoon. At first great flakes came floating down, but a rising wind and an increasing fall soon made it impossible to see far. During that storm Thomas Keating, a young man living in Maple Valley township. lost his life. He and his father had been to Storm Lake and found their way home. They found the well in the yard but could not see the house or barn. Unhitching the oxen they turned them loose. expecting that they would go to the barn, and followed them. But the cattle followed the wind and went away from the house, and the two men were com- pelled to wander around all night. In the morning the father could see the house only a few rods distant. but the boy was dead from exposure. The storm lasted for three days and it was almost two weeks until the body could be taken to Storm Lake for interment.
On January 2. 1885. came another great storm which. while not destructive of life, is nevertheless remembered as the great coal famine blizzard. The railroads were blockaded for more than ten days and when trains did get through there were eager people at every station waiting to get coal. It was doled out in small quantities but did not fill one-fourth the demand.
On January 12, 1888, came another storm that is well remembered. At Marathon John Olney, son of Richard Olney, and a companion rode to town during the early part of the storm. Their horses refused to face the wind and the boys dismounted and turned them loose. They found the railroad track and Olney followed it, as he supposed toward Marathon, but in fact went east. He was found next morning. frozen to death. His companion arrived safely at Marathon, but was unable to help his friend, and the people were not able to search for him until the following day.
Since that time the winters have not been so severe, but that blizzard con- ditions are yet possible was shown this past winter when real. old fashioned blizzard weather came in January. But the sweep of the wind and the speed of the flying snow can never attain their old time velocity because of the many groves and hedges that are now to be found in the county.
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OUR COUNTY FAIRS.
In the year 1873 some of the leading men in the south part of the county organized themselves into a body corporate and bought one hundred acres of land in the west part of Storm Lake for the purpose of holding a county fair. The society was incorporated March 3. 1873, under the name of The Buena Vista County Agricultural Society, with the following incorporators: J. A. Dean, Theoph Slutz. W. L. Vestal. L. J. Harvey, J. C. Spooner. George Struble, L. Gustine, E. I. Sutfin. S. W. Hobbs. W. Lownsberry, J. O. Strong, S. W. Young, J. B. Miller, Robert Cummings, H. Bennett and J. W. Ayers.
The officers elected at that time were J. C. Spooner, president; W. Lowns- berry, vice president ; J. A. Dean, treasurer and E. J. Sutfin, secretary.
The first fair was held September 23 and 24 of that year and was a success. County races were held. as well as other sports. The stock exhibit was not large, but the women brought ont their crazy quilts and needle work, supple- mented by kitchen and pantry stores, and a creditable exhibit was had. The reports published in the Pilot are enthusiastie.
The fair continued for five years when it was abandoned. Hard times and grasshoppers killed it, and although successive attempts were made to revive it, the track was plowed up and the grounds were returned to their original purpose of agricultural lands. The site was beautiful, overlooking the Lake. and would have been an attractive spot in time.
The second attempt was more snecessful. In 1886 the citizens in the vicinity of Alta determined to organize an agricultural fair and a provisional organization was effected in January of that year to canvass the country for stock. A meeting was set for the 2d day of April, at which time the canvassing committee reported that the necessary four hundred shares of stock had been subscribed, and the society, under the name of The Buena Vista County Agri- cultural Society was incorporated. George E. Hobbs had been president of the provisional organization and he was made president of the fair. M. Adams, who had some experience in similar organizations in the east was made vice president. The other officers were A. C. Binnie, treasurer and H. T. Saberson, secretary.
The directors were selected from the surrounding townships in order to interest farmers, and the first board consisted of E. W. Crowell and Charles Holtz of Maple Valley, William Miller of Hayes, Geo. A. Dalziel and A. A. Adams of Nokomis, C. P. Anderson of Elk and Read Kendall of Alta. It has always been the practice to select farmers for directors and in that way the interest of the farming community has been maintained.
Of the men who comprised the first official roster Geo. E. Hobbs served as president for two years when he was succeeded by M. Adams, who has held the place ever since. Mr. Hobbs was placed on the board of directors where he is still serving. A. A. Adams and George A. Dalziel have served as directors almost continually since the organization of the fair.
The officers at the present time are M. Adams, president ; Geo. A. Dalziel, vice president ; C. H. Wegerslev. secretary and Samuel Parker, treasurer. The
VIEW OF STORM LAKE.
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directors are Geo. E. Ilobbs. F .N. Buckingham. L. Christensen, A. A. Adams, P. F. Kinne. Donald Hill and P. Morrissey.
The man who is entitled to the credit for building up the fair is C. E.
Cameron, who served for sixteen years as secretary. Mr. Cameron took pride in his work, and his indefatigable efforts, and daring departure from the beaten patlis of fair management, won the Buena Vista County Fair the name of being the best county fair in Iowa. The attendance has been phenomenal, and the satisfaction general. The training Mr. Cameron gained at the county fair and his connection with it brought him in contact with the State Fair officials and for more than ten years he served as a director from the eleventh district on the State Fair board. He then became vice president for four years and is now serving his third year as president. The Buena Vista county fair has been clean from its inception, and that. as well as honest dealing with the public. has brought it whatever of success it has attained.
The society's grounds comprise thirty acres situated east of the town of AAlta, where substantial buildings have been erected, and where a half mile race track is maintained.
MURDERS IN THE COUNTY.
The first murder in the county occurred in the year 1859, at Linn Grove. wherein one O. M. Barker killed a man by the name of Enoch Taylor. as the result of a quarrel over a timber elaim. Taylor settled on some land near the Grove, which was illegally claimed by Ambrose S. Mead. He was a quiet, industrious man, but incurred the ill will of Mead because he took the land wanted by the latter. It appears an opportunity was sought to involve Taylor in a quarrel with the Meads, and this presented itself one day when Mr. Mead. his son Ilarrison and a friend by the name of O. M. Barker went to the elaim of a neighbor, J. J. Bicknell, and attempted to haul away some rails. Bieknell had sold the rails to Taylor and when he (Taylor) saw his property being removed he interfered and attempted to stop the removal. Barker interfered threw off his coat, and seizing a revolver from the younger Mead, closed with Taylor. In the struggle the revolver was discharged and a moment later Taylor lay weltering in his own blood with three bullets in his body.
Barker made his escape but later was arrested at Spirit Lake and brought back for trial. After keeping him in the county for several days for a prelimi- nary hearing he was taken to the county jail at Sioux City and in the follow- ing October was placed on trial. He was found guilty and sentenced to the penitentiary at Fort Madison, but while the sheriff was taking him there he again made his escape and when next heard of was on the high seas, beyond the reach of pursuit. It was charged at the time that Barker had influential friends who bribed the official to let him escape, but this was never substantiated.
An idea of the cost of a criminal proceeding in that early day may be found in the bills which were allowed by the board of supervisors, growing out of this rase. The prosecution was conducted by Charles C. Smeltzer, a young attorney
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at Peterson, who appears to have been acting county attorney. while Orson Rice afterward district attorney. appeared for the defense. The bills include the following items :
To II. E. M. Smeltzer. for arrest of Barker $100 00
To Isaac Enders. for boarding Barker 19 15
To William Crozier. for guarding Barker 2 00
To F. J. Lambert. for keeping Barker in jail 90 00
To Lansing M. Lewis, for witness fees 25 00
To William Sluyter. witness fees 150 00
T. C. C. Smeltzer. witness fors 150 00
To C. C. Smeltzer. attorney foos 300 00
This murder caused intense excitement in the county and the proceedings. had at Sioux City. took a great many citizens to court while the trial was in progress.
The next murder of which there is any record occurred near Storm Lake in 1880. John Ford. a bachelor. lived a few miles north of town and one evening upon arriving home found a person stealing goods from his house. He never revealed the identity of the thief. but it was thought that he knew it. as three days later. when entering his barn after returning from Storm Lake. he was shot in the breast and killed. One Abe Shreves was arrested and tried for the murder. After a long hearing the jury failed to agree as the evidence was purely circumstantial. He was released. but promptly re-arrested and placed on trial again. His attorneys scoured a change of venne to Sac county on the ground that the defendant believed the people of this county were so prejudiced against him that he could not have a fair trial. The trial at Sac City resulted in an acquittal. He was then arrested on a charge of stealing, was convicted and given one and one-half years in the penitentiary. Shreves served his time. and when released was caught stealing in Sac county again. Later he went up into Emmett county and attempted to drive away one hundred head of cattle owned by A. W. and C. W. Garberson of Elk township which were pastured there, but was stopped. He then stole a team and made his escape. He was never caught. but some years later it was reported that he had been caught at his old tricks in the Black Hills, was arrested by a Vigilance Committee and lynched promptly upon conviction.
On the 16th of November, 1901, three men met their death at Albert City after a gun fight in the depot between a posse headed by the town marshal and three escaping bank robbers. During that fall several bank robberies occurred in northwest lowa. and on the night of Friday. November 15, the bank at Greenville, in Clay county, was entered and robbed, the safe being blown open. Several hundred dollars in curreney was taken away by the robbers, who made their escape from the town on a hand car taken from the M. & St. L. section house. They came south through Sioux Rapids, and after ditching the car left the railroad track and started on foot across the country toward the east. As soon as the robbery was discovered the next morning the news was telegraphed to officers all over the country. At Albert City C. J. Lodine was marshal and he received the notice and a telephonie description of the men who were sus- preted, some suspicious characters having been seen in the vicinity of Greenville
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the day before. During the afternoon three men entered the town from the west and proceeded to the station where they asked the agent the time of a south bound train. Marshal Lodine saw them come into the town and sauntered down to the station to look them over. They were seated quietly in the waiting room. and after inspecting them Lodine made his way up town and raised a posse to assist him in making the arrest. Ile was convinced the men were the escaping robbers, and so they proved to be. The posse demanded immediate surrender, which was refused, and a pistol battle ensued, in which the marshal. John Sundblad. a merchant. and one of the robbers were killed. Lodine was shot in the breast. Sundblad in the abdomen, and the robber was riddled with
bullets. The other two were arrested and taken to Storm Lake and placed on trial soon after. JJudge F. 11. IFelsell and county attorney Shultz appeared for the state and F. F. Faville and T. H. Chapman were appointed by the court to defend the prisoners. The first trial resulted in a verdict of guilty, and a sentence to death. This was reversed by the supreme court and a second trial followed soon after. again resulting in conviction and a sentence of life im- prisonment was imposed by Judge Bailie. The prisoners gave their names as Albert Phillips and William Brookes, the latter being white while Phillips was a negro. The identity of the dead robber was never established, and there is reason to believe that the two now in the penitentiary are not serving under their real names.
On July 18, 1904. Tollef Anderson at Linn Grove shot and killed his wife and then suicided. Anderson was addicted to liquor and when under its influence was irresponsible. It was in a drunken rage that this double tragedy took place.
OTHER CRIMES.
Like other counties Buena Vista has had its share of petty thefts and depredations, robberies and burglaries, but it may be said that these breaches of the law have not been numerous. Liquor violations have also been occasional but not numerous.
Since the enactment of the prohibitory amendment in 1882 there have been no saloons in the county and this has no doubt been instrumental in main- taining a better degree of morals than if liquor were sold openly.
NOMENCLATURE.
An interest always attaches to the origin of names of places and the naming of the various towns and townships of this county has a history that is peculiarly worthy of notice in a volume such as this. The name of the county. Buena Vista is taken from the Spanish and means "Beautiful View" or "Good View" and is believed to have come from the name of an important battle fought in the Mexiean war. although it may have been given by some traveler who saw and
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remembered its beautiful sweep of prairie. the lake in the sonth part and the wooded hills and winding river in the north part of the county. The facts are unknown. but the derivation from the Mexican battle is the accepted one.
Barnes township was named after Inther II. Barnes, an early settler who first laid out the town of Sioux Rapids and planned it to be a city of great importance.
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