USA > Iowa > O'Brien County > Past and present of O'Brien and Osceola counties, Iowa, Vol. I > Part 38
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The first store was opened by S. W. Clark, whose stock, for a time, was kept at the depot, until his building could be removed from Primghar and made ready for his stock of merchandise.
It was in November, 1878. that a freight box-car was set out at San- born siding to be used as a depot until a better one could be provided. The first agent in charge was L. E. Whitman. W. Dunbar and he both resided in the depot together, for a time. Dunbar was the road master for this division of the Milwaukee road.
It was indeed a novel sight to behold one town, and the county seat at that, being transported to the site of another seven miles distant. The prairie was literally dotted with buildings going from Primghar to Sanborn, the new and rival town of Primghar. But, be it said, all this fuss was use- less, for as the years have rolled by it is seen that both places have a useful field and there is plenty of room for both towns, even if Sanborn did not get the county seat.
E. M. Brady, one of the early settlers, established himself in the hard-
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ware business at Sanborn before others had pre-empted the field. He served as a worthy member of the county board of supervisors for a number of years; was also a member of the Iowa Legislature from this district.
The first banking institution in Sanborn was started in January, 1879, by I. W. Daggett, who had for a time operated at Primghar. The first mail service between the two rival towns was established in February, 1879. L. C. Green having been appointed mail carrier, the mail was always on time, rain or shine, sleet or snow. Samuel Hibbs opened the first meat shop in Sanborn. He also moved his building from Primghar. The depot was used for a meeting house by those inclined toward religion and the better things of life.
The first warehouse in Sanborn was that of Teabout & Valleau. in February, 1879. Between Clark's store and the depot, a telephone (not elec- tric but vibratory) was placed in operation, the first in this county. Now there are hundreds of miles of modern improved telephones, and everyone can whisper their thoughts around the county at will !
The first celebration of Fourth of July at Sanborn occurred in 1879, when the procession marched to an improvised bowery. Allen Crossan read the Declaration of Independence and J. L. E. Peck, of Primghar, delivered the oration.
The first child born in Sanborn was in August, 1879, when a daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Hazeldine. The family soon removed from the town. The year 1879 was truly a busy one in the new town, the hotels and all stopping places being full and running over. The first issue of the San- born Pioneer was run off November 7, 1879. The earliest drug store was that opened by Dr. Charles Smith. David Algyer taught the first school in the place in the winter of 1879-80; he also taught music with much success.
The town of Sanborn was fortunate in being the end of a division on the great Milwaukee system of railroads. These divisions are about one hundred miles apart. It follows, therefore, that only one town in twenty or more in the state can be so selected. In result Sanborn has become the home and resi- dence center of a large number of expert railroad men and their families, engineers, conductors, train dispatchers, railway mail agents and their scores of railroad assistants.
It was in 1879 that Sanborn and Sheldon were both pulling hard for the county seat. In six months the town doubled its population. The Methodist church was built and the round-house of the railroad was opened for work. The first death chronicled in the young place was the youngest child of W.
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W. Barnes, named Minnie. In 1880 the "House of Lords," a saloon, was opened by Harry Sherman; 1880 saw a population of five hundred souls and business went forward at a rapid rate. In September, 1880, J. L. Green and William Harker opened a banking house. Mr. Harker died in 1895 and his widow still continued to conduct the bank and was its president, the only lady who held such position within the borders of the county.
MUNICIPAL, HISTORY.
In 1880 Sanborn saw the necessity of becoming an incorporated town. Upon a petition presented to the district court, Mart Shea, L. C. Green, S. W. Clark, A. G. Willits and Cal Broadstreet were appointed commissioners to call an election for voting upon the matter of incorporation, for and against the proposition. That election was held March 13, 1880, resulting in forty votes for and twenty-four against. The first town officers were elected April 3, the same year, and were as follows: Mayor, E. M. Brady ; recorder, Charles H. Perry ; councilmen, Mart Shea, S. W. Clark, L. C. Green, H. Algyer, W. F. Jones, Cal Broadstreet ; marshal and street commissioner, T. D. White; treasurer, Frank Patch.
The mayors have been in the order here named: 1880, E. M. Brady; 1881, A. J. Devine; 1882, Harley Day; 1883, F. Teabout: 1884, D. R. Phelps; 1885. A. McNaughton: 1886, W. D. Boies; 1887, W. H. Noyes; 1888, N. L. F. Peck: 1889. J. E. Drake: 1890, J. E. Drake; 1891, D. R. Phelps : 1892, W. C. Green : 1893, W. J. Francis ; 1894, W. J. Francis ; 1895, W. J. Francis; 1896, G. O. Wheeler ; 1897, W. J. Francis; J. A. Wilcox, 1900-04: B. M. Flint, 1904-10; J. H. Cannon, 1910-12; J. B. Stamp, 1912, resigned to become county auditor ; J. H. McNeill, 1912-14.
The 1913 town officers are: J. H. McNeill, mayor; Will A. Solon, clerk; J. A. Johnson, treasurer ; Fred Benham, marshal; J. H. Daley, E. A. Main, B. M. Flint, W. B. Cantrall, Samuel Omer, councilmen.
Sanborn has a good town hall and a public park covering a block and a half, planted out in 1890 to trees that now make a beautiful shade and wind break. Within this park stands the high water tower, which may be seen for a dozen or more miles around the town. Walks and rustic seats adorn and make useful this park, all of which bespeaks the intelligence and refine- ment of the place. The G. R. Healey private electric light plant affords the town ample illumination. This was installed in the nineties under a new franchise, the old company having gone out of business at that date.
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The town of Sanborn has ample water supply through its modern water work system, secured in 1896-97, by bonding for six thousand dollars. A deep well of large size was put down in Highland Park addition in 1912, when the old well had become inefficient for the demand. The old works were situated in Greene's addition. The present system affords fine water in abundance. There are about thirty-five fire plugs. A volunteer fire company looks well to the matter of providing safety to the town. Sanborn has a school house of eight main rooms and three class rooms, costing sixteen thousand dollars.
The Sanborn postoffice is of the third class; has three rural free deliver- ies and one star route extending out to outlying districts. During the admin- istration of Postmaster Boyd the safe was twice blown up by men. who were never captured. The loss was light and fell on the postmaster. The postmasters here have been: Ira Brashears, to 1884; D. R. Phelps, 1884 to 1888: Chauncey Owens, 1888-92; J. F. Kerburg, 1892-96; R. M. Boyd. 1896 to August 15, 1913 (seventeen years) ; E. L. Helmer, from Aug- tist 15. 1913, to present date.
Churches, lodges, schools, etc., are mentioned under separate chapters.
1913 BUSINESS DIRECTORY.
In years to come the following will be read with no little interest : Auto garages-Alexander Amelung, M. W. Cuppet. C. Hoffa. Attorney-T. Fillenwarth.
Banks (state and savings)-See Banking chapter.
Barber shops-J. J. Lowrey. G. S. Travaille, George Casely.
Bakery-J E. Wilson.
Blacksmith shop-George Smith.
Clothing, exclusive-Kelley & Donohue.
Cement block works-Anderson Lumber Company.
Cream station-Hanford's Produce Company and another corporation.
Drugs-J. W. Mckinley, E. C. Sprague & Company.
Dray lines-Heman Gibbs. L. E. Foote, David Pippenger, D. Bernier, Thomas Farnsworth.
Dentist-F. W. Farnsworth.
Elevator (grain)-The "Hunting" and "Western," Farmers' Co-opera- tive.
Furniture-H. J. Hennebach.
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General merchandise-E. A. Mayne, Ellenbrock & Bomgaar, Otto Kas. Groceries (exclusive)-Henry Addy, B. F. Pitts, Quillash Brothers. Hotels-"The Phoenix." the old Clark House ; also the Omer House.
Harness shop-J. W. Hill, E. A. Crandall.
Hardware-A. Hoeven, Haber & Wright, E. A. Crandall.
Implements-B. F. Flint, Dick DeGraff.
Jewelers-F. D. Gibbs.
Lumber dealers-Anderson Company, Farmers' Co-operative Company and Consumers' Independent Lumber Company.
Laundry-A Chinaman.
Meat market-B. W. Cantrall.
Millinery-Rose Steuch, D. Tennesen.
Newspapers-The Sanborn Pioncer.
Opera house-A company of citizens.
Photographs-J. D. Long. Panitorium-James Clark.
Pool halls-Garrett Jepma, Thomas Maroney.
Physicians-Drs. F. M. Horton, Ed. Rutterer, W. M. Kuyper.
Restaurants-Omer Hotel luncheon.
Stock dealers-F. L. Inman, O. D. Eaton.
Telephone-W. H. Barker system.
Tailors-Pirie & Anderson.
Veterinary surgeon-J. F. Wall.
Wagon repair shop-L. Leaver.
In 1884 Sanborn made improvements footing to the amount of twenty- five thousand five hundred dollars. Perhaps the best interest at Sanborn is the railroad division. Here in Sanborn the freight and passenger trains are made up; here the crews exchange places, one going out and the other coming in for a lay over. Here the round house and repair shops have always been located, and by reason of this much money has been annually paid out by the company. As a general rule railroad men are lavish and liberal in what they spend. Tens of thousands of passengers have stopped in transit at Sanborn and taken one or more meals. Here they have spent other money. Some of these have been induced to locate in the place and become citizens and good business men. There have been numerous passenger conductors who have made this their home for a period of more than a quarter of a century. Their runs have been made to the east and to the west. Among such capable men may be recalled E. Hoxsie, M. M. Burns and Charles E.
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Foote. The faces of these popular conductors have been seen by an almost countless number of persons, during their many years' run over the Mil- waukee system running in and out of Sanborn.
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
This library was organized in April, 1901. by the Twentieth Century Clubs of Sanborn. The ladies of this club secured donations of books and services as librarians. The first regular librarian elected was Miss Mayme Johnson. The building, most of the money of which was donated by Andrew Carnegie, was erected at a cost of four thousand eight hundred dollars, and it was dedicated May 22, 1912. It is located on Main street. The present number of volumes is about two thousand five hundred. The trustees are at present : Mrs. M. M. Burns, president ; Miss Zaidee McCullow, vice-presi- dent : Mrs. J. A. Johnson, secretary; J. H. Daly, treasurer ; Henry Kissler. Dr. F. W. Horton, Mrs. E. C. Sprague, Mrs. Earl Mayne. The various librarians have been Miss Z. McCullow, Miss Hannah Johnson, Miss Helen Foote, Miss Marguerite Kings, Miss Irene McNeill.
LINCOLN TOWNSHIP.
This township was formerly included in old Waterman township, but as the county grew in population it was necessary to sub-divide and hence we have what is now Lincoln township.
This township is situated in the north part of the county, between Hartley and Franklin townships. The old Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern railway (now the Rock Island route) runs diagonally through its northeastern portion, with a small hamlet for a station point, located on sec- tion 10, called Plessis, which is the only trading point in the township. The land here is not unlike the majority of that in northern O'Brien county, well adapted to general farming purposes ; is rich and increasing in value annually. Plenty of farms would sell today for one hundred and eighty-five dollars per acre, but few are to be had for sale. The owners do not conceive of a place where, if they continue in agricultural pursuits, they could duplicate the values, hence refuse to sell in most cases. The contrast with those early years, when homesteaders were discouraged and would have sold at a mere trifle, is indeed great. The main line of the great Milwaukee railroad system runs through the entire lower tier of sections, with the towns of Sanborn
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and Hartley on either side of the township a few miles, thus giving good markets.
The earliest settlers in Lincoln township were I. M. Silverthorn and family, who came in from Hardin county, Iowa, in 1870, locating on section 30. This family came two years before any other family appeared on the green glad solitude of the prairie township. They went through the grass- hopper period and one season Mr. Silverthorn had one hundred acres of land in wheat and harvested not a single bushel-the little winged pests had de- stroyed his entire crop, not even leaving him enough for his seed and bread. Subsequently he became a citizen of Hartley.
In 1881 this township had a population of twenty-three souls; in 1885 its population had increased to fifty-three, and its present population is about four hundred and eighty-five.
On section 36, in this township, Frank Teabout, as early as 1874, con- ducted a large ranch. In fact, it was his headquarters, from which he man- aged several large farms or ranches. Mr. Teabout was a brainy man and a practical business man and farmer, and a man of pronounced personality and a self-made man. He passed through the whole grasshopper scourge of 1874-79 in these large farming operations, and even with these setbacks made money and accumulated more land and became worth one hundred and fifty thousand dollars or thereabouts. He being thus forehanded even among impoverished conditions, enabled him to overcome that which blasted the hopes of many of the old homesteaders.
It was in this township where Major Chester W. Inman, once county treasurer, was killed in an altercation over a boundary line. It was over his death that the one and only murder trial ever in the county was had resulting in conviction.
FIDDLE STRING TOWNSHIP.
As stated elsewhere, it was a point jealously guarded and contended for in those early politics and before the board of supervisors, that each old homestead township, like Carroll, should have an unsettled, or, as they were then called. a deeded township, like Lincoln, which it could hold and levy taxes for school and road purposes, and then expend it all in the old town- ship. Thus Hartley claimed Omega. Highland claimed Dale, and Floyd claimed Franklin. Now thus far they were contiguous territory in each case. Poor Carroll township stood out alone. It could not attach either Summit or Baker, because those townships considered themselves of enough importance
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to resent being owned by anybody, having enough settlers to preserve their own identity. But Lincoln had no settlers. Carroll could look across the prairie space of six miles and covet the uninhabited Lincoln, but how could she become contiguous? How could she leap across that six mile chasm? This scheme was evolved. The board of supervisors was induced to set off a row of forties like a fiddle string on the north side and clear across Summit. and then it called the whole thing Fiddle String and all Carroll, and Carroll township collected taxes for many years from the whole. The early settlers of Lincoln began to arrive and soon resented the idea of being called "one end of a fiddle string," and organized as Lincoln at the first opportunity, by snapping this fiddle string and telling Summit and Carroll to play their own tunes. This farce was much of a joke, even at the time, but it served a political reality, and in fact met the legal requirements of a township.
HARTLEY TOWNSHIP.
On October 14, 1878, a petition was filed to set off what is now Hartley township from Center. It was rejected at that session, but on June 2, 1879, it was again brought up and successfully set off and named Hartley, and the first election held at the house of J. M. Silverthorn.
TOWN OF HARTLEY.
The town of Hartley had its beginning with the coming of the Milwau- kee railroad in 1878, and was named after one of the surveyors and engineers who had participated for the road in its building. The first platted part of the town was made by W. A. Mickey, the father-in-law of Jacob H. Wolf, of the Bell, in the platting of Mickey's addition on August 8, 1879. It was one case where the addition was platted prior to the main town. Indeed, it is part of the main portion of the town today. In fact, buildings were started before the plattings of record. The census of 1910 gives the population of Hartley at one thousand one hundred and six.
The town was not incorporated until about ten years later. On April 2. 1888. James S. Webster, still a resident and prominent business man of the town, headed a petition with forty others directed to the district court, asking that all of section 32 in Hartley township be incorporated. On May 23, 1888. in a regular proceeding in open court before Hon. Scott M. Ladd, presiding judge, a hearing was had, and thereupon the court appointed James S. Webster, William S. Fuller, S. H. McMaster, E. B. Messer and R. G. Allen
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as the five court commissioners under the law to call an election to vote on the proposition whether it should be incorporated or not. This election was held July 2, 1888, three of the commissioners acting as judges of the election. There were eighty-seven votes cast, and the vote stood seventy-nine for in- corporation and eight against. At the first election for officers the following corps of officials were elected :
Mayor, E. B. Messer; recorder, W. H. Eaton; councilmen, Samuel Smith, L. C. Green, I. N. Drake, S. H. McMasters, L. Mosher and W. J. Lorshbough : marshal, J. M. Herron ; treasurer, WV. S. Fuller.
The town of Hartley has enjoyed and still enjoys an extent of trading territory not held by any other town in the county. The next east and west railroad to the north is very close to twenty miles away. The towns of Ocheyedan, Harris, Lake Park, Spirit Lake and Milford, the next nearest towns to the north and northeast, range from eighteen to thirty miles away. This has given Hartley an exceptionally large trading chance, and its business men have followed up this opportunity.
The mere statement of the fact that Hartley has three banks, with a savings bank as part of one of those institutions, and the only town outside of Sheldon having more than two banks and more than one railroad, simply evidences the result of this large trade territory.
Hartley is one among those towns whose business district is compact, its banks, stores, depots, elevators, lumber and other yards, hotels, etc., being all located on adjoining blocks.
Hartley, like other towns, in its school history has passed through first the primitive period, finally arriving at the up-to-date period in the highest sense. The very first school in the town was not held in a school building. but in the upper story of Finster & Fuller's store building, and was taught by O. M. Shonkwiler, who later on became a hustler in many lines, including actual farming on a large scale, and as a public man in various ways, includ- ing membership on the board of supervisors.
Hartley, however, was among the very early towns in the county to have a modern brick, up-to-date school structure. One unique feature of the Hartley school building is the fact that it has in the third story a magnificent auditorium, which is used by its citizens, not only in public school functions, but for general public audiences. Like all towns, it got along first with its one-story frame school building, then later with its two-story building, which in its time was built on large proportions and which later became frame resi- dences near town.
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Hartley, like all the prairie towns, started under primitive conditions and then grew. For instance, in 1878, when the railroad was built, in the hustle to get things moving the road first used a box car as a depot, presided over by George Titus as the first railroad magnate or depot agent. Finster & Fuller, composed of those old settlers, J. S. Finster and William S. Fuller, ran the first store. Soon there after Pumphrey & Chrysler, made up of John R. Pumphrey and J. G. Chrysler, among the first merchants in Primghar, started the second store for Hartley. N. Plawson followed with a grocery and saloon, and Frank Matott and W. J. Guenther a saloon and billiard hall.
J. K. P. McAndrew opened up and was landlord of the first hotel, known as the Commercial House. It might be appropriate here to say that Mr. McAndrew was the godfather and responsible for the city of Max, just west of Hartley, where for years he ran an elevator. It was McAndrews, or Macks or Max. Later on Mr. McAndrew was for some years an efficient member of the board of supervisors. Indeed the town of Hartley and vicin- ity has furnished to the county sundry of its officials: O. M. Shonkwiler, John Sanders, H. J. Merry and now Peter Swenson, on the board of super- visors, John T. Conn, county attorney and county auditor, John W. Walters, clerk of the courts, and ex-Sheriff George Coleman, now a resident and tele- phone manager.
One odd incident occurred in the very first years, when the town was small and pioneers were few, bringing together both the preacher and saloon on an occasion which was neither a raid nor a camp meeting. In those earliest times the preacher did not always fare sumptuously, and was not always in- quired about. He was needy and appealed to a farmer. At Frank Matott's saloon the question arose and a good sized fund was raised and provided for, with Frank as treasurer of this aid society, under which management the preacher was provided with forty-five dollars per month.
Williams Brothers, of Primghar, built one of the early brick store build- ings of size and conducted a store for some time. David Gano combined a meat market and hardware store. H. J. Guenther shipped in a stock of boots and shoes all the way from New York and Milo Silverthorn started a livery, so the first people of the town could go either afoot or on horseback.
One of its quite early public buildings was its very ample hotel of south- ern seashore appearance and comfort, with its unusually large porches on two full sides. Indeed, this hotel was built in such large proportions that it has well served as the permanent, up-to-date hotel of the city and well known as the Park Hotel.
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It was a passing joke at the time in Hartley's first barber shop that its customers shaved themselves in turn. However, Claud Charles soon relieved this situation by installing a common bench for a barber's chair, which Claud straddled, with the victim lying on his back, as he proceeded with the surgi- cal operation, with his outfit consisting of a cake of Russian soap, a razor and the leg of a boot for a strap and hone.
Brick buildings followed these early conditions, as we now witness on its streets. On sundry improvements and situations see the chapters on Banks and Banking, the Press and the Churches and other incidental items mentioned in various parts of this history.
The township of Hartley was wholly what was known as a deeded township, with not a homestead claim in it. Its settlement was sparse and scarcely started until 1879 and 1880. It had no pioneers in the sense of the homesteaders in other townships. O. M. Shonkwiler was one of its very early real farmers residing on the land itself. Among other of the very early ones in the township were Frank Patch, E. T. Broders, I. N. Drake, C. H. Colby, Henry Krebs, Mary E. Colby, George W. Walter, Peter Swen- son, C. B. Olhausen, Paul Kahler. J. C. Mansmith, George W. Schee, Stephen R. Harris, J. D. Edmundson, William Steinbeck. I. M. Silverthorn. A. H. Bierkamp and others, who either resided on or owned or opened up the early farm lands.
Its present (1913) officials are : Mayor, George Coleman : clerk, H. T. Broders; treasurer, Freeman Patch; assessor, George Rector; councilmen, Ed. Burns, T. H. Burns, O. E. Horst. Julius Eichner and Earl Miller.
Since writing the above, this March, 1914, a new city administration was selected : E. G. Burns, mayor, and W. A. Simms, William Lemke, Peter Nelson, E. Krutzfeldt and H. J. Grotewohl, councilmen.
WATER WORKS.
Hartley established a system of water works in 1895 at a cost of five thousand five hundred dollars. It obtains its water supply from a large well two hundred feet deep, the water being first pumped to a tower tank one hundred and twenty-five feet in height. Like most other towns, Hartley has had some trying experiences, in her case with quicksand. In 1914 the town put down a second well. Its pumps are operated by an electric motor.
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