USA > Iowa > O'Brien County > Past and present of O'Brien and Osceola counties, Iowa, Vol. I > Part 36
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O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
PLATTING OF TOWNS AND ADDITIONS.
The following is a list of the plattings of the several towns and addi- tions thereto, with the names of persons platting same and dates thereof. It will not mean the dates of the first beginnings of the towns, as in some cases the actual plattings occurred after the towns were in fact started. This list will mean the record plattings, and will illustrate the dates and periods of the general growths and demands of the several towns for enlargements, as the towns have grown.
Sheldon.
Original town, January 3. 1873. by the Sioux City & St. Paul Railroad. First Addition, July 16, 1875, by the railroad.
Second Addition, September 26, 1879, by the railroad.
Third Addition, October 25, 1883, by the railroad.
Fourth Addition, September 11, 1883. by Frank H. Nash and Scott M. Ladd.
Fifth Addition, July 23, 1888, by O. M. Barrett and William H. Sleeper. Sixth Addition, May 29, 1893, by Henry C. Lane.
Seventh Addition, April 25. 1894, by Henry C. Lane.
Eighth Addition, March 25. 1904, by James Griffin.
Bishop's Addition, May 4, 1892, by J. W. Bishop.
Dean's Addition, August 11, 1896, by Stephen S. Dean.
Normal College Addition. May 29, 1893, by Henry C. Lane.
Drake's Outlots or Addition, November 15, 1894, by executors of Elias F. Drake.
Sunny Side Addition, July 17, 1895, by Angeline Donovan.
Phimghar.
Original town, November 8, 1872. by W. C. Green and James Roberts.
Brock & Stearns' Addition, May 24. 1876, by A. J. Brock and John T. Stearns.
Schee & Stearns' Addition, November 3, 1887, by Geo. W. Schee and John T. Stearns.
Shuck's Addition, May 3, 1887, by E. W. Shuck.
Shuck's Second Addition, December 30, 1887, by E. W. Shuck.
Peck & Shuck's Addition, August 17. 1887, by J. L. E. Peck and E. W. Shuck.
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Derby & Rowan's Addition, September 1, 1887, and January 28, 1888. by F. N. Derby and James Rowan.
Slocum, Turner & Armstrong's Addition, September 5, 1887, by George R. Slocum, Frank A. Turner and William S. Armstrong.
Sanborn.
Original town. December 18, 1878, by Jonathan A. Stocum and John Lawler.
Teabout's Addition. May 9, 1885, by J. L. Green and Frank Teabout.
Alexander's Addition, February 13, 1883, by T. J. Alexander.
Highland Park Addition, May 26, 1892, by M. M. Burns. G. H. Klein, E. J. Hatch and R. P. Edson.
Phelps' Addition. April 3, 1893, by D. R. Phelps.
Hartley.
Original town, January 15, 1881, by J. S. Finster and Horace E. Hoag- land.
Mickey's Addition, August 8, 1889, by W. A. Mickey.
Crossan's First Addition, October 22, 1886, by AAllen Crossan.
Crossan's Second Addition, September 22, 1887, by Allen Crossan.
Crossan's Third Addition, June 30, 1888, by Allen Crossan.
Woodward's Addition, December 17, 1887, by R. A. Woodward.
Brown's Addition, July 15. 1890, by W. L. and Isaac Brown.
Patch's Addition, September 7. 1895, by Frank Patch, F. A. Ahrens and J. H. Capecius.
Crossan's Park Addition, April 16. 1896, by Frank Patch.
Nelson's Addition, June 30. 1888, by Bertha Nelson.
Young's Addition, April 14, 1896, by M. J. Young.
Young's Pleasant Hill Addition, October 23, 1896, by M. J. Young.
Patton's Addition, March, 1914, by J. W. Patton.
Max.
Town or station of Max, April 21, 1900, by J. K. McAndrew.
Moneta.
Town of Moneta, May 17, 1901, by Charles H. Colby.
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O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
Plessis or Cyreno.
This town was first platted as Cyreno, by Gustav Wells, April 3, 1900, but owing to the fact that there was another town by that name in the state it was later changed.
Archer.
Town of Archer. February 10, 1888, by William Van Epps and Charles E. Mckinney.
Paullina.
Town of Paullina. December 31, 1881, by Western Town Lot Company. Harker & Greene's Addition, August 22, 1885, by William Harker and J. L. Greene.
Out Lots K. to S., June 6, 1899, by Western Town Lot Company.
Blocks 25 to 31. August 22, 1904.
Sutherland.
Original town, March 6, 1882, by Western Town Lot Company.
Freimark's Addition, May 6, 1882, by Julius Freimark.
Lutzell's Addition, May 13, 1882, by Nicholas Lutzell.
Bonath's Addition, July 6, 1882; by August Bonath.
Peck's Addition, April 13, 1883, by Horace Peck.
Town of Calumet.
Original town. November 12, 1887, by Western Town Lot Company. \V. B. Morse Addition, June 3, 1893, by W. B. Morse, Mary E. Stewart and George W. Louthan.
First Addition, January 20, 1900, by Western Town Lot Company.
W. M. Bunce First Addition, May 18, 1895, by W. M. Bunce.
\V. M. Bunce Second Addition, March 27, 1895, by W. M. Bunce. \V. M. Bunce Third Addition, December 3, 1906, by W. M. Bunce.
Woodstock or Gasa.
This town was first platted and named Woodstock and later changed to Gaza by reason of there being another town in the state by that name.
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O'BRIEN AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES, IOWA.
Germantown.
Germantown, June 10, 1901. by Fred Kluender, George Eggert and Edward Beerman.
TOWN PLATS OF THE COUNTY.
The following are the descriptions by section, township and range of the sundry town plats of O'Brien county from the earliest to the present date :
The first village platting was that which surveyor J. H. Davenport exe- cuted for what was known as "O'Brien," situated in the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 36, township 94. range 39, consisting of a forty-acre tract. It was dated August 23, 1861 (page 1 of book "A," Deed Records). The original description, as made of the town plat by County Surveyor Davenport, is written on a sheet of legal cap, which was pasted later to the first page of the county's deed record book, and it is a curiosity for several reasons. Among these may be mentioned the fact that the sur- veyor thoughtlessly stated in the record that the principal streets were to be fifty-four feet and thirteen inches in width, meaning of course fifty-five feet and one inch wide. The survey was made in August, 1861-the opening year of the great Civil War, and, strange to relate, the streets were named in many instances after men who became prominent in putting down the Rebellion, for example there was Lincoln street, Hooker street, Sherman street and Grant street.
The land on which O'Brien was platted was in what is known as Water- man civil township. It was sold to the county, or rather to John H. Irwin, Robert A. Queen and Samuel L. Berry, for five hundred dollars, by William M. Snow and wife, April 12, 1859.
This was the original town platting of O'Brien county, but was long since used for farming purposes, as the town site never developed into a real live town. However, it was the first county seat.
Primghar was platted November 8, 1872, on section 36, township 96, range 41. The names of the proprietors, as shown by record, were W. C. Green and wife and James Roberts.
Sheldon was platted January 3, 1873. on section 31, township 97, range 42, by the Sioux City & St. Paul Railroad Company.
Sanborn was platted January 8, 1879, on the west half of the northeast
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quarter and the east half of the northwest quarter of section 35, township 97, range 41, by J. A. Stocum and wife.
Hartley was platted April IS, 1881, on section 32, township 97, range 39. by E. N. Finster, J. S. Finster, Horace E. Hoogland and wife.
Paullina was platted January 20, 1882, on section 9, township 94, range 41, by the Western Town Lot Company.
Sutherland was platted March 21, 1882, on section 7, township 94, range 39, by the Western Town Lot Company.
Calumet was platted November 16, 1887, on section 22, township 94. range 40. by the Cherokee and Western Town Lot Company.
Gaza was platted as "Woodstock," April 18, 1888, on section 28, town- ship 95, range 40, by the Cherokee & Western Town Lot Company.
Archer was platted Angust 25, 1888, on section 24. township 96, range 42, by William Van Epps and wife, Charles E. Kinney and wife.
Max was platted July 11. 1899, on the northwest quarter of section 32, township 97. range 40, by the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Com- pany. This platting is within Lincoln township.
Germantown was platted June 10, 1901, on sections 22 and 23 of town- ship 94. range 42, by Edward D. Beerman.
Moneta was platted May 10, 1901, on sections 13 and 24, township 96, range 39.
Cyreno (later and now called Plessis) was platted August 15. 1901, on section 10, township 97. range 40, by Gustav and Lena Wills.
Ritter was platted as a station point on the Chicago, Minneapolis & St. Paul railroad, on section 5, of Floyd township. It is a new town and naturally has but little business importance at this date.
Plessis, a new town site, platted on the southeast of section 10, Lincoln township, is a station point on the Rock Island system, northwest from Hartley.
The vicinity of Erie postoffice on section 33, township 94, range 50, was platted as "South O'Brien," by John H. Roe and Frank E. and Emma E. Whitmore, April 15, 1872, on the northeast quarter of section 33, township 94, range 40. It never amounted to anything and was finally vacated by O. H. Montzheimer and wife (owners) in full of the original plat. It was legally vacated on April 30, 1892.
TOWN AND TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENTS.
The city and town governments in O'Brien county are managed and conducted by a mayor, a city council of five members, a treasurer, clerk or
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recorder, assessor. marshal, fire marshal, city physician, city solicitor and such other officials and committees as situations demand. The town council is in effect the legislative or law-making power in the passage of ordinances which become the laws of the town. This council becomes and organizes as the local board of health. It manages the revenues and finances of the town. The mayor is the executive officer, and as a court, in addition to enforcing the ordinances, has largely the jurisdiction of a justice of the peace, both in criminal and civil matters. The town may own or manage all needed public utilities. They are the city fathers.
TOWNSHIPS.
The townships are managed by a board of three trustees, a clerk. assessor and road supervisors. Each township has two and may under cer- tain conditions have four justices of the peace. This is in reality the people's court. It comes nearer in touch with the people than any other court. The justices may render judgments for one hundred dollars and by consent of parties up to three hundred dollars. A justice's jury consists of six jurors. Constables, two in each township, execute and serve the writs and notices of the court. The justice may perform the marriage ceremony, deals with estrays, may act as coroner in his absence, and perform sundry lesser duties. The trustees expend the township funds and oversee all road questions and act as fence viewers and determine questions arising by trespass of stock. make the township levies. and act as a township health board and other duties. The assessor makes the property assessments for the township. The road supervisors manage the road work. It is one peculiar feature of a township that it can neither sue nor be sued in the courts of Iowa. This becomes a protection to a township. It is so done for the reason that town- ships at best are indefinite in the perpetuation of their records. Indeed, this is true to such an extent that many townships do not at all times maintain a full set of officials and vacancies and resignations and removals are numer- ous.
FLOYD TOWNSHIP AND CITY OF SHELDON.
On April 1, 1872, what is now Floyd township was set apart from Liberty and what is now Franklin was detached from Center and the two called Floyd, and the first election was held at the house of John D. Butler. on the northwest quarter section 22. in the township. Floyd township was named after Sargent Floyd, who, in 1803, made the long voyage of dis-
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covery along with and as part of the Lewis and Clark expedition up the Mis- souri river to the Pacific coast. On the return trip this young soldier died of a fever on board a Missouri river transport and was buried in a lonely bluff near the river. Later his remains were removed to, and a fine monu- ment erected to his memory on, a sightly bluff just to the south of the city. The Floyd river was also named in his honor.
This is the extreme northwestern subdivision of O'Brien county. The Floyd river courses its way through the township from the northeast to the southwest. The Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Paul & Omaha railroad line ex- tends through the western portion of the territory, with station points at Sheldon and Ritter, while the Illinois Central (Sioux Falls and Cherokee division ) clips the southwestern corner at Sheldon. The Milwaukee railroad runs through the entire southern tier of sections.
This township had a population of five hundred and seventy-five in 1910. It has some of the finest land and best improvements to be seen in all northwestern Iowa. Sheldon, the largest town in the county, is noted for being full of the spirit of genuine modern enterprise and industry. It made a hard fight in years gone by for the county seat, but was foiled by the decision of the masses, who believed that the center of the county was the proper place for the seat of justice.
EARLY SETTLERS.
During 1871 the following persons came to Floyd township for the pur- pose of making permanent settlement. Commencing with John Hart, who settled on the southeast quarter of section 14. where he resided continually until 1896, then removed to Missouri.
J. W. Davis settled here in 1871, on the southeast quarter of section 22, but in a few years left for other parts, later settling in Missouri, where he died in 1911. He was a blacksmith and had a shop on his claim. Daniel Gress lived in this township a number of years and fought grasshoppers on the northeast quarter of section 2, while his son, William, located on the southeast quarter of the same section. The elder Gress finally retired in Sanborn. Charles Whitsell of section 18. C. H. Lingenfelter located on the southeast quarter of section 6, later removed to Wisconsin. Calvin Hook, noted music teacher, on the southwest of section 36, later moved to Hull, Iowa. David Chrisman settled in the township in 1871, on the north- west quarter of section 2 and later years lived in Sanborn. Others who added to the settlement in 1871 were John D. Butler and son, John H., who
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selected their claims. The former located on the northeast quarter of section 22 and the latter on the northwest quarter of the same section. They wintered near Cherokee and returned in the spring of 1872, and both built a sod shack. The first election in Floyd township was held in J. W. Davis's sod claim shack in the fall of that year.
C. W. Copping settled on the southwest quarter of section 14, while his brother. E. J., located on the southwest quarter of section 24, both coming in 1872. The grasshoppers made it so uncomfortable for these settlers that they finally left the county.
Other settlers of about the date of 1871-72 were Timothy Donaghue of section 36 (Mr. Donaghue in later years was a member of the State Legis- lature of Iowa) ; E. R. Gregg, in the spring of 1872 on the southeast quarter of section 24. Both he and Eliza W. Gregg moved away during the days of grasshoppers ; P. C. and A. W. Hicks settled on section 4 in 1872; the same year came C. W. Beach to the southeast quarter of section 36. Then fol- lowed Lyman Kellogg on section 6; H. H. Hawley on the southwest quarter of section 22; he was a local preacher and left the county many years since. Robert J. Cliff came in 1872, as did also J. M. Van Kirk. When Van Kirk took his claim several persons wanted the same land-four in all. They reached Sioux City on the same train and there was nothing left by which the claim could be decided, save a foot race, and this they all vigorously entered into, but Van Kirk was the fleetest and entered the land office first, yelling at the top of his voice, "I want to file on the east half of the northeast quarter of 32 in 97, 42," and mingled with the last of his words was a chorus of the same from the rest of them. He was given the land.
Isaac M. White settled on the southeast quarter of section 32 in 1872 and William Whitsell, the same year, claimed land in section 36. John M. Wood settled on section 28 in 1872, but later removed to Sheldon. John F. Walters claimed the southwest quarter of section 28, where he died a few years later. Edward Wells took the southwest quarter of section 4 and re- mained many years. In 1872 L. S. Stone claimed the northwest quarter of section 18. He at once planted out a very large, nice grove, which grew rapidly and was known far and near as Stone's Grove.
We come now to speak more especially of the first settler, who was Thomas Robinson, who came to the township in the month of May. 1870, and laid claim to the east half of the southwest quarter of section 30, 011 which he broke three acres that summer, and put up a shack in which to live. He wintered elsewhere the following season and returned in 1871, and cross- plowed the three acres. He brought his family in 1871 and he there resided
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until his death in 1882. He was a man of deep thought, a good writer and withal a very conscientious man. He had seven children, all well known in this county in later years.
Three of Warren Potter's sons came in the fall of 1870. These were Lyman, William and John Potter. They drove through from Wisconsin, landing in Cherokee, where they were advised by relatives to look over O'Brien county, so, with Mr. Sprague to pilot them, they finally landed in Floyd township. Lyman selected land in section 8, and John H. took the south half of the section. William was not yet old enough to file. They went to the land office at Sioux City and made their filings and the next spring returned. built shacks and became actual settlers. The father. Warren Pot- ter, came in the early spring of 1871, settling on the south half of the south- east quarter of section 8, and Eugene, another son, on the north half of the same quarter. The Potter hoys raised some corn on the land broken the year before.
A. B. Hicks came to the township in 1870, settling on the southeast of section 18. He started the first grove in Floyd township. After several years he removed to the Pacific coast, where a few years later he died. Ben Jensen settled the northwest of section 32 in 1870, built a typical sod house and remained there until 1876. then pushed on further west. Swan Peterson came with Jensen and claimed the northwest of section 32, and he also moved west in 1876. He was a man possessing an inventive turn of mind and was working on a perpetual motion machine which he hoped, of course, to make a fortune out of. He failed, as have all others who have tried the im- possible. The curious contraption of a machine, with its many wheels and pulleys, was left behind when he moved.
A goodly number of German settlers came to this township in 1870-71. John Meyers was among this class. He located on section 18. He was overtaken by the grasshopper plague in 1873 and, being discouraged and tired of life, finally ended all by taking his own life. He stood before a mirror and, placing a revolver to his head, committed the fatal deed.
J. A. Brown was another pioneer here; he came in 1871, claiming the northeast quarter of section 8. Later he was the well-known landlord of the Sheldon House. He died in Sheldon, respected by all.
Others of about that date-all certainly early in the seventies-were A. Bloom, Seymour Shrylock (northwest quarter of section 8), Carey, William Lyle, Isaac Clements (southwest quarter of 6), James Glenn and others whose names appear of record in the land office, also L. Hacket and B. F.
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Luce. Isaac Clements later on in years was county recorder four years and for many years since has been and now is a merchant in Primghar.
SHELDON.
Sheldon, the largest town in O'Brien county, had its commencement when the Milwaukee and Omaha lines, as now understood, reached the point where now stands the city, July 3, 1872, the surveyors having laid out the town the summer before. It was on this day that the construction train for the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha road reached Sheldon, soon passing on to the southwest towards its objective point, Sioux City. The town was really laid out by the land company of the Sioux City & St. Paul Railroad Company, and was named from Israel Sheldon, one of the stock- holders of the company, living in New York City. Soon after the first train car loads of lumber were hurried to the spot. A big Fourth of July celebra- tion had been planned for weeks, and settlers from all over Sioux and O'Brien counties were present to greet the first of railroads in the county. The day was cold and disagreeable, and men had to wear heavy coats and some had on overcoats. Each brought well-filled baskets of "dinner" and tables were constructed from planks borrowed from the construction crews. It was a great lay-out and all seemed happy and had their best appetites with them! No "funny business" such as fire-crackers and fire-works was to be seen, but music swelled the breeze. An organ had been secured and this was placed under a cover made by poles and horse blankets. The Declaration of Inde- pendence was read by C. S. Stewart, and an oration delivered by ex-Governor Miller of Minnesota. Thomas Robinson also delivered a telling speech. This was certainly the first celebration of any kind held in Sheldon. In these days of more radical opinions concerning temperance, it may sound strange, "perfectly awful," to have it stated that the first building in the town was the saloon erected by Highly, of Storm Lake. It stood on the west side of block No. 8 and was burned in 1895. The second building was by H. C. Lane for a lumber office. His yard was opened about July 10, 1872. S. S. Bradley followed with a second yard in a few days. The third to handle lumber was James Wycoff. The general store of W. A. Fife was completed later in July. Getting plenty of lumber, it was necessary to have a hardware store and this was soon supplied by B. E. Bushnell. The next building was the law office of D. A. W. Perkins, soon followed by the warehouse of Benj. Jones (he was later for six years a member of the board of supervisors and is still residing in Sheldon, honored and respected by all within the county
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for his many manly traits of character). His residence was soon erected. During the autumn of 1872 there were numerous buildings erected, including those built by the Sheldon Mail and H. C. Lane. George Colcord occupied the last named for his drug store: the same fall lawyer Perkins sold his building to A. J. Donavon, who started a shoe store and carried gentlemen's furnishings. He it was who advertised himself as a "Live Yankee from Boston." The first coal dealer was Benj. Jones. The first issue of the Sheldon Mail was pulled from the press January 1, 1873, and this paper has withstood the storms of the elements and political strife during all these forty years.
The first "Christmas tree" was planted Christmas eve, 1872, and it con- sisted of a four-inch-square pine stick with auger holes bored into its four sides, into which were inserted pins of wood and from these hung the various Christmas gifts, not costly, but showed the good will of Christmas-tide. The evening closed with a dance, the music of which was chiefly furnished by Linn Cook.
Of the churches and civic societies, other chapters will treat those in which the city of Sheldon is interested especially.
The first child born in Sheldon was Inez Wycoff, born July 11, 1873. The first school teacher was Columbia Robinson.
The first sermon preached in the town was by Elder Brasheers, in August, 1872, in the depot.
The first postmaster was A. J. Brock, appointed in July, 1872, who re- signed and was followed in January, 1873, by D. A. W. Perkins.
The first marriage in town was that of Tom De Long and Samantha Jones, the ceremonies being performed by H. C. Lane, and many an amusing incident took place at that pioneer wedding, mention of which may be made elsewhere in this volume. The date was January, 1873, in the first year's history of Sheldon.
SHELDON POSTOFFICE HISTORY.
Sheldon was provided with a postoffice in the summer of 1872, with A. J. Brock as its first postmaster. Since that date the following have served as postmasters : Andrew J. Brock, May 24, 1872; D. A. W. Perkins, Janu- ary 9, 1873 ; D. R. Barmore, May 25, 1874; E. C. Brown, February 17, 1882 : J. J. Hartenbower, May 27, 1885 ; R. E. Kearney, November 19, 1888; F. T. Piper. March 21. 1889: Robert E. Kearney, June 13, 1893; W. W. Reynolds. September 17, 1897: James C. Stewart, January 21, 1902 : Joe Morton, Janu-
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ary 30, 1906; A. W. Sleeper, December 14, 1908; Warren A. Edington, July 31, 1913.
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