USA > Iowa > O'Brien County > Past and present of O'Brien and Osceola counties, Iowa, Vol. I > Part 22
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One day a terrible prairie fire swept up from the south. Fire guards were nothing and the wind lifted the burning tumble weeds high in the air and scattered them everywhere. Within an hour there remained only the last cabin that was built and wagon, around which were tied the horses. We were asleep when some one called "Hello." When the door was opened WV. E. Baldwin said, "I heard you were burned out today and I brought you half of my oats." On Saturday of that week several teams passed on the way to the timber, not an unusual sight. Mr. Baldwin said: "Don't say any- thing to Huse, but we are going to stop here." A hot supper awaited them. But Huse was utterly overcome when they unloaded those logs and timbers. The next day was Sunday and all but one came to put up a shelter for the horses (to put their horses in when they came visiting, they put it). These men were Ralph Dodge, W. E. Baldwin, Rice and John Weal, M. Wheeler. from Liberty township, Mr. Towbermann and Emanuel Kindig, who brought
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two teams that day because he did not like to work Sunday. Those splendid men, brother pioneers, God bless them.
In 1873 the Grange movement reached O'Brien county and nothing came more opportune. July 4, 1874, was celebrated in Waterman's grove. All the granges in O'Brien and Buena Vista counties were there, each with a beautiful banner. Miss Garretson made the address, Mrs. Baldwin read the Declaration, fine music was rendered, a good dinner had and everybody was happy. In Old O'Brien they had frequent dances, with Jake Wagoner to play the fiddle and keep time with his foot. Mrs. W. C. Green was a beau- tiful young matron, Aurelia Green, and Teresa and Gertrude, sisters, with Mrs. L. G. Healy and daughters, and Mrs. D. B. (Barney) Harmon and others made up quite a social set with the young men thereabouts.
GEN. N. B. BAKER LIBRARY.
The twice-a-week inail had arrived from Old O'Brien, letters had been read, and two of us were happy with new magazines. Mr. Woods, busy in the newspapers, suddenly exclaimed. "We must have a public library." "Who would support the library? Where would it be kept, etc., etc." "Why the people will come fifteen or twenty miles to get reading matter." "It can be done and it must be done." The boy smiled at us and we all resumed our reading. Ten days later Mr. Woods returned from Des Moines, where business matters had called him. He brought with him a constitution and by-laws for a library association and a huge box of books. He had gone to an old friend, Adjutant-General Baker, Governor Kirkwood's adjutant dur- ing the war, and up to the time of his death the best known man and best beloved man in Iowa. Together they worked out the plan to form an asso- ciation, limited to fifty members, the stock of same to be five hundred dollars and nonassessable and in shares of ten dollars each, the stock to remain in the hands of the subscriber, he to pay ten per cent. interest on it each year, one dollar a year, this to be used in the purchase of books only. The asso- ciation was formed and a few of the members appeared before a justice of the peace in Highland township and signed articles of incorporation of the N. B. Baker Library Association. The parties were W. H. Woods, Stephen Harris, J. C. Doling, Libbie Jolinson, Lydia Wheeler, W. E. Baldwin, Jennie Baldwin, Lydia A. Harris, Hannah Johnson and Roma W. Woods. The date of this was October 5, 1874, and before D. H. Wheeler, justice of the peace.
Gen. W. Duane Wilson, of Des Moines, who had been one of the found-
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ers of the Chicago Tribune and was at this time editing some paper in Des Moines, writing in reply to a letter, said: "The idea of your library is fine ; to prove my faith in it will send you a box of books from my own library." That box came and held eighty bound books and six hundred magazines, complete files of Harper's, Atlantic, Scribner's, etc. We .tied these together with shoe thread and made covers of paper sacks. How we all enjoyed those magazines. That first year but thirty-nine members paid the assess- ments, but we subscribed for eight magazines, Littell's Living Age at the head of the list, Harper's, Scribner's, etc., with St. Nicholas for the children. The rest of the money was put into books. We had library parties, which brought in a little money to pay expenses, and also meetings, with discussions and papers. The second year but twenty-six members were able to pay the interest or assessment. We left out Littell's Living Age, as too expensive. The third year but three were able to pay this assessment, though small, J. C. Doling and wife and Stephen Harris. The grasshoppers were here, but the books went out among the people, and were never more needed. Letters to friends brought boxes of books from Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Brewster, George WV. Ellis and others. The last thing General Wilson did before his fatal illness was to pack a large box of books and they were sent to us by his dear wife and daughter. We had to borrow that two dollars from the book fund to pay the freight. General Wilson was a man of fine literary ability and a "gentleman of the old school." He was an uncle of President Wilson. Mrs. Annie Price Dillon, another friend, sent books and fine pictures of her father, Hiram Price, the man who financed the sending of the First Iowa Regiment and of her husband, Judge John F. Dillon, of New York. Mrs. Dillon kept up her interest in the library until her tragic death in the sinking of the ship "La Borgaine" in July, 1896.
Soon after Sutherland was started (up to that time the library had been in the Woods cabin) it was moved to Sutherland and during the years had to be moved many times. The corresponding secretary went each Saturday to give out books. Grateful thanks are due to Bert Hamilton, L. J. Price, Mr. and Mrs. H. A. Sage and others for giving the room for the purpose and other kindnesses. With all its ups and downs, it has been of constant usefulness. A few years ago circumstances compelled the destruction of a good part of the circulating library : but that loss has been made good, and the library is doing fine work as a reference library. A permanent home, which sooner or later it will have, will place it in the forefront of the literary and educational activities of the town.
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This is the story of the pioneer library of northwestern Iowa. At its last election the following officers were elected: Charles Youde, president ; Sydney Hitchings, vice-president; T. B. Bark, treasurer; Augusta Bark, recording secretary, and Roma Wheeler Woods, corresponding secretary and librarian.
The new settlers who came to O'Brien county in the early seventies had two good, strong, influential friends in Congress who stood faithfully by them. Had it not been so it would have been even worse than it was. They were Senators George G. Wright, of Des Moines, and James Harlan, of Mount Pleasant, Iowa.
Petitions were sent to them. Some of the results were a new commis- sioner of the general land office in Washington, and a new register in the land office at Sioux City, who did what he could in the interests of the settlers. But the "boys" just across the hall, and who had made a claim on this and that piece of land, were too strongly entrenched and men had either to pay the toll or give up the land, as many of them did. But with all the annoying matters continually coming up to a man who was in the business of locating people on their claims who came to Mr. Woods, the pioneer life was nevertheless full of satisfactions.
The hue of the vast prairie, with its ever changing and mysterious beauty, gave a broadness to life. One saw men and women as they were, and learned to have a reverence for human nature in the rough or rather unfinished ways of what we call civilization. There was always something new to be learned and we reveled in the fine spirit of the people, their cour- age and endurance. There was always something to laugh about. A little incident comes to mind. One late afternoon in September, 1872, there ap- peared at the cabin door Mrs. Paul Casley and her mother from the extreme west side of the county. "Would Mr. Woods please go with them to O'Brien to see Esquire Sage?" "Certainly tomorrow." As we took the horse from the little wagon on the morrow, a visit to Mrs. Waterman was suggested for me. All went well. Mrs. Waterman, as usual, had a cup of coffee and a lunch ready. When the party returned from O'Brien and we were ready to leave, Mr. Woods suggested that he drive the horse down the hill, to which Mrs. Casley would not consent. They started, and we were about to start when a scream took us all out to the road. Mrs. Casley was in a great state of excitement, but where was the horse and wagon? Why, bless you, in the middle of the river. It seems that the old horse that had come so quietly behind us down the hills, fording the river and up the hill, concluded that if he had to go alone down that long, crooked and extremely rough hill-why,
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he wouldn't go. He made his stand, and Mrs. Casley, giving the lines to her mother, jumped out to head him off, when he bolted and went down that awful hill and to the middle of the river before he stopped. The old lady fell to the bottom of the little wagon, and the seat and quilts were strung all along the way. Mr. Woods waded out to the wagon, and the old lady said, "Now did you ever see the beat of that fool horse. I never was so bounced in my life and I just expected he'd just go right home that way and what would Casley say," laughing just at the thought of it. Finally we got started home, the old horse coming quietly behind us. When we reached the cabin, there was a good fire and the teakettle was singing and Dr. and Mrs. Butler, (his first wife), of Cherokee, were there. Doors were never locked, and people were expected to make themselves comfortable even to the extent of getting meals. Well, the old cabin rang with laughter that night. The next day Mrs. Casley left for home, declining company, as there was "neither hill nor river to cross the way." Another object of unfailing amusement was a jack, a quiet, trim little animal who seemed to have a horror of wetting his feet. The mail came to O'Brien twice a week and sometimes Jack was pressed into service. There was a clear, running stream, narrow but not deep, but Jack would stop and plant his forefeet and look at himself in the water, one ear forward, then both. He could not be induced to cross. No whip was allowed. The boy soon learned that a pan of corn on the other side would make him forget and hustle quickly across.
In 1873 a line in the Des Moines Register said that a bill had been pre- sented in Congress postponing the time for completion of the St. Paul & McGregor Railroad. In those days there were no telephones or autos, to annihilate time and space, but there were fleet young horses out in the shed. and a fleet young bay was soon started. A mass meeting was called, a re- monstrance drawn up and copies were sent all over the county. It was said that every voter in the county signed it. I recall the fact that the two longest lists of names brought in were by Joe Jordan and H. C. Woods (known as "Bub"). The bill was withdrawn.
The year 1873 will never be forgotten, by some of us at least, because of bank failures, factories closed, great armies of men out of work, and the great strike of railroad employees, etc. In O'Brien county, in addition, we had grasshoppers. Machinery had been purchased to put the broad acres under cultivation. Notes were coming due. Times looked dark indeed. Like a vessel looming up over the wild waste of water, bringing hope and succor to people stranded on an island, came the grange, with its banner of
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helpfulness and good cheer, and its promise of help for the farmers and settlers. promises which were nobly fulfilled. It seemed to take the minds of the people from their really serious condition and planted hope in their hearts. The meetings held in the school houses were helpful in many ways and delightful socially. There was a pleasant comradeship between the four granges in O'Brien county, and on July 4. 1874. a grange picnic was held in Mr. Waterman's grove of fine old trees. Clay county granges came with their banners, which, with our home banners and flags, made a strange display in that wildwood. Mrs. Jennie E. Baldwin read the Declaration of Independence. Miss Julia Garretson, of southern Iowa. gave a beautiful address. There was singing and dancing and games, and where there was dancing there was "Jake" Wagoner and his fiddle, keeping time with his foot. Mr. Wagoner is now a resident of Sutherland, has a fine family and many farms, etc.
In the fall of 1874 came the formation of the Gen. N. B. Baker Library. as stated, and "library parties" were all the rage. A favorable place to hold these parties was at the home of Major Chester W. Inman, there being a good dancing hall in the third story, large rooms in the second story and ample room. The young men from Primghar and the north part of the county used to come down. and attorney Charley Allen furnished the music. He was a fine violinist. The granges decided to have an evening at the home of the special agent, Adam Towberman, who had secured ten quarts of fresh oysters. and he invited "all of Primghar", as he said. There were about one hundred and twenty-five persons present and every available place that afforded a seat was occupied and yet there were many standing, when the host exclaimed, "Sit down, why don't you sit down, there's eighteen cheers in the house; just sit down". Eighteen chairs were more than any of the rest of us had to be sure.
In 1876 the promises for a fine crop were never excelled. All kinds of grain, corn, etc., were at their best. When the harvest of small grain had just begun, the grasshoppers swooped down upon us and destroyed every- thing. The corn stalks stood bare and the cattle turned into them were poisoned and died. Notes had been put into mortgages. Had the old Athenian custom of placing pillars at the corners of mortgaged lands been in vogue, the country would have looked like the cemetery it was of buried hopes and ambitions. The grasshoppers had deposited their eggs, and in the spring of 1877 they hatched out and remained with us until on many farms everything was destroyed. On our farm there was not a spear of grass left. The homesteads and pre-empted lands were becoming taxable, in-
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terest on notes and mortgages was becoming due. Then also the illegal debt upon the county loomed up larger than ever, as it was constantly in- creasing. Many of the settlers had to accept help from the state. The old members of the "Board of Einmigration" an organization among the home- steaders for mutual help, were still interested in the welfare of the people, of whom they were a part, and after many consultations decided to make another effort to defeat the illegal claims against the county. As a result they or- ganized the Taxpayers' Association. In another part of this history J. L. E. Peck has given a full and comprehensive account of the organization, of its work and final outcome. I may be allowed a few words as to the personnel of the leaders of this movement. They were earnest, loyal men, who felt that justice and right demanded that an effort at least should be made to relieve the people, of whom they were a part, of the fraudulent work under which they were living.
Many eminent lawyers had given their opinion as to the illegality of the debt and pointed the way for relief. Everything promised well, when the United States circuit court decided that a suit of that kind must be brought by the board of supervisors. This board had been appealed to, but had refused, so the matter had to be dropped.
We learned in those trying days how the motives of men could be mis- construed, their honesty influenced, and their names tossed about like a football. We learned, too, how men's enthusiasm died with a failing cause. and promises made considered null. But we also learned how loyal and faithful to a cause and to each other some men could be, and this last over- shadowed all the rest. The men who never faltered even to the payment of bills, which had been necessary to incur ( lawyers do not work without pay) : expenses had been kept at the minimum, but became heavy for a few men to shoulder. The men who met these claims like men were A. P. Powers, Ralph Dodge, Emanuel Kindig. Tom Steele, J. C. Doling, Stephen Harris, J. K. McAndrew, William E. Baldwin, W. H. Woods ( Huse), H. A. Sage, and Alex Peddie for the Jackson Land Company, and H. C. Woods. There were many others who paid the full amount they pledged, from one to ten dollars. I would like to give all their names if it were possible. They did an honorable part.
In the winter of 1880-1881 the snow was so deep that horses could not travel. There appeared at our door one afternoon, late, a man with a green veil over his face, a blanket rolled up on his back, and a tall staff in his hand. He asked if we could take him and his fourteen men for the night? "Had they any blankets?" "Yes." "Well, we will do the best we
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can for you." As the door closed after the man, my helper said. "What in the world are you going to give them to eat? There is hardly bread for one supper and nearly everything is out". Hot biscuits, hot doughnuts, fried bacon, baked beans and coffee for both meals seemed good to them. In the morning the leader asked what his bill was? Mr. Woods said, "The madam will tell you," as he turned to me. I said, as usual, "Oh, you are welcome to what you have had. I hope you will bring a railroad to us." He insisted upon paying, and the sensation of having money in my hands in exchange for meals can never be forgotten. I felt as if I was no longer a pioneer. I believe I have had the feeling that I was a "grafter." But there was something gone that belonged to the years behind. We had both felt that what we had we would share with whoever came. I think our neigh- bors all did the same thing. But the next time money was offered it was easier to take it. But I am left to feel that it was not often we broke over the good old way. The next year the Northwestern, or the Eagle Grove branch, ran through the farm and on the next section of land was built the town of Sutherland. ( It may be judged who those fourteen men were. )
I have exceeded the limits of my space allotted and have said nothing about the women who did so much toward the upbuilding of the county, for. after all. the homes are the foundation stones of the fabric of civilization. There was in the heart of each home a woman who was doing her part as she knew, as wife, mother and home maker. I can see them now, in their little places of shelter, making the most of what they had, encouraging and sustaining husbands and sons as they tried to meet and overcome the diffi- cult problems constantly met by those who were trying to make a home in a new country. How happy the women were when there was an occasional "gathering," and they came with their children, so neat and clean. There were no lines of social cleavage in those days, and there never ought to be.
There were few settlers in Waterman township, outside of O'Brien, the Watermans on the banks of the Little Sioux. Mrs. Waterman is still living (in 1914) and is always a welcome guest in every house in Sutherland and vicinity. The Watermans, when they came to O'Brien county in July, 1856. brought with them a little daughter, nine months old, Emily, who in later years married Al McClaren, of Sioux City. She was the first white child to come into the county to live. In May, 1857, Anna was born, the first white child born in the county. Soon after a son was born to Charles Stephenson, the first white boy born in the county. The other children born to these first settlers were, a son born in January, 1859; another son born in June, 1860, but lived only a week; Orrin, born in 1861, died in 1871; Julia Etta,
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born in June, 1864, married H. W. Gleason and died in 1892, leaving a son ; Alta G. Waterman, born in 1866, married J. A. Mahar, and they have several children; Grant Waterman, born in October, 1869, died in 1870; Floy E. Waterman, born in 1872, married in 1899 to F. W. Conrad, and they have two sons; Belle Waterman, born March II, 1876, died in 1899; Blanch Waterman, twin sister of Belle, married H. W. Gleason in 1894, who has since died.
The above is only an outline of the life of a very noble type of woman. The mother of eleven children, living so many years in the most primitive way, was the kind of friend to the hundreds of people who made the Water- man cabin a stopping place for a short or longer time. Mrs. Waterman is in good health at the beginning of this year 1914.
Another remarkable pioneer woman was Mrs. Adam Towberman. Mr. Towberman had three sons by a former wife, and Mrs. Towberman had five children by a former husband, who died in the Civil War. Then there were four children by the new family, making twelve children in the family. She was always a quiet, self-possessed woman and a true mother to each of these twelve.
Another woman who did a great work in the early days in the county was Mrs. William E. Baldwin, or better known as Mrs. Jennie Baldwin. She was one of the first teachers after the new settlers came in. There are many men and women who owe much to Mrs. Baldwin for her interest in their education. She was a bright, witty woman, and she and her husband were our most frequent guests.
Another family who were among our best friends were Mr. and Mrs. Julius C. Doling ( the former once county treasurer ), with their family of eight children. Mrs. Doling was a devoted wife and mother. There were many others, but these were those who came most often at our place.
In Waterman township there are quite a number who still own and live on their original homestead claims, and some of them with many additional acres. Silas Steele and wife, splendid neighbors and friends, are among them. They and their large family are all settled and prosperous. Rice Weal still owns his original claim and much more, and lives in town. Mr. and Mrs. Michael Sweeney, in their old age. and their large family are all settled about them, mostly in Waterman. Mrs. Sweeney is a veritable queen in all the delightful gatherings in the township, a noble woman of high ideals. The Martins, Hills and Tripletts, three large families, are all settled in fine homes with autos. Waterman is a rich township, and I wish it were pos- sible to speak of each and every one in it.
CHAPTER XV.
REMINISCENCES.
By Mrs. C. V. VanEpps.
It has been my privilege to live in Carroll township, or near it (in town of Sheldon), for over forty-one years, and when requested to write up the history and give experiences as one of the earliest settlers, I gave reluctant consent and felt I was not equal to the task. When I look back and think and see of the changed conditions that have taken place in that time, it seems more of a dream than a reality, and in looking back, trying to recall some of the events of the early settlement period. I am at a loss to think of things that would be of interest in this historical book, but was to tell how I came to the township and who were the early settlers and some of the events which transpired at that time, and as some of these events come up in my mind I will try to write something which I hope may prove interesting.
When the writer came to the county, September 12, 1872, there were no railroads in the county and her husband met her at Marcus (which then consisted of just a shanty for a depot), with what you call a "prairie schooner" to drive across the country twenty-two miles to Carroll township to their claim. In all that ride there was nothing to be seen until you got to the Amos Sutter and Harley Day ranch-just a dug-out-and when the men saw the "schooner" they ran out waving their hands and hurrahing for the woman, as they were a sight in that part of the township then. As we drove on, a jack rabbit bobbed up on the prairie and stopped and looked, as much as to say, "Who are you, treading on my domain?" That was all the life seen on that twenty-two-mile drive. The first settler of Carroll township was Patrick Carroll, who came from Illinois and brought his wife and eight children with him in the spring of 1870, not knowing when he started just where he was going-only to find and make a home for himself and family. Northwest Iowa was about the limit and nearest place where government land could be found at that time. So Mr. Carroll headed for northwest Iowa and landed in Cherokee, when he began to enquire of the land-and he was referred to "Waterman," Mr. Carroll supposed it was a town and started to drive and kept watching over the prairie to see a city. After
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