USA > Iowa > O'Brien County > Past and present of O'Brien and Osceola counties, Iowa, Vol. I > Part 39
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FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The fire department is made up of a volunteer company and has done efficient work in several fires. It is provided with chemical engine, hooks and ladders, hose and other equipments.
ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT.
Hartley is specially proud of its excellent and up-to-date lighting system. This system was installed in 1908 and the first lights turned on February 10, 1909, all at a total cost of thirty-five thousand dollars. The meter system is in use here. The machinery producing the electric current consists of a one- hundred-and-ten-volt direct-current dynamo, one eighty-horse-power gas pro- ducing engine and one "50-60" Alamo oil producing engine, one thirty and one fifty kilowatt generator, with a one hundred and thirty-two cell storage battery. The streets are brightly illuminated, and the whole system is a suc- cess.
POSTOFFICE HISTORY.
The following is a list of the postmasters of Hartley: O. M. Shonk- wiler, 1878; J. S. Finster, 1879-85; R. A. Woodward, 1885-88; Frank Potts, 1888-90; Leonard Miller, 1890-93; S. A. Smith, 1893-98; J. E. Wheelock, 1898-14.
The board of education of the independent district of Hartley is as fol- lows: J. E. Wheelock, president; L. Cody, J. S. Messer, J. C. Joslin and William Lemke ; clerk, G. E. Knack ; treasurer, W. J. Davis.
THE SOLDIERS' MONUMENT.
The great pride, not only of O'Brien county, but of Hartley especially, is in its soldiers' monument, erected by Mr. and Mrs. George W. Schee in 1891. It was unveiled June 4, 1891, in dedication-day exercises, and an ex- tended program and reunion and memorial eulogized by Judge William Hutchinson, Doctor Hutchins and Thomas F. Ward, then an attorney of Primghar. It was truly made a county-wide occasion. For instance, Capt. Charles F. Albright led two hundred citizens from Primghar in a body. Like- sized companies came in procession from many townships and families came from every direction. The Milwaukee train alone brought five hundred from
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G.A.R. Monument
Hartley Sowa
A BEAUTIFUL MEMORIAL TO THE HONORED DEAD
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Sheldon and Sanborn. A fine military band from Hull led the processions. Old soldiers, Sons of Veterans, and Women's Relief Corps, with banners, badges and flags, called forth both enthusiasm and patriotism. The monu- ment itself, during the program, was surrounded by old soldiers, with guards pacing to and fro, guarding the emblems and symbols of the army and navy.
Each procession and train was met by committees and bands and escorted to the place assigned. The monument is white bronze, standing twenty- eight feet above ground in height. The figure or statue of a full-sized soldier. six feet four inches, stands at the top. Its weight, exclusive of foundation, is three thousand pounds, and cost two thousand six hundred dollars. It is seventy feet around the base, which required four car loads of stone, lime and cement to built it. The monument is ornamented on the several sides with medalions as follows: Bust of Grant, Lincoln and Logan. The names of all the members of the Hartley Grand Army of the Republic Post, giving the names of companies and regiments, are beautifully inscribed. Also the words "Presented to G. A. R. Post and Town of Hartley by Mr. and Mrs. George W. Schee," are inscribed. During the program. in addition to speeches named, Commander James S. Webster delivered the Proclamation of Peace as an impressive part of the services. The Sheldon Male Quartette rendered vocal music. Altogether it was one of the great occasions in O'Brien county.
BUSINESS DIRECTORY.
The following is a complete roster of the business interests of the town : Attorney-John T. Conn.
Agricultural Implements-Burns Brothers, E. B. Messer & Son.
Auto Garages-Messer & Johnson, Palmquist Auto Company.
Banks-Hartley State Bank, First National Bank, Farmers Savings Bank and German Savings Bank.
Bakery-Frank Vilunick.
Barber Shops-Smith Brothers, Ray Jones and David Orres.
Blacksmiths-A. Hopper & Son, Peter Lefferenson, Joseph Green.
Clothing-O. F. Olson, Eichner Brothers.
Cement Blocks-P. C. Ecklers & Son, George Rector.
Creamery-Hartley Creamery Company.
Drugs-T. L. McGuire, Coordes Drug & Jewelry Company.
Dentists -- S. F. Conn, Dr. Baker.
Dray Lines-Clifford Dray Line, John Adolph, Will Erbes, R. E. Miller.
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Furniture -- Berne & Broders, Lemke Brothers.
Feed Store- C. H. Bets, Farmers Elevator Company.
Grocers (exclusive )-Albert Tagge.
General Dealers-J. C. Keiffer & Company, Lemke Brothers, Herbert & 9
Davidson.
Hospitals-Dr. Callman's, Dr. Hand.
Hotels-Park Hotel, The George Hotel.
Hardware-O. E. Horst, H. L. Failing.
Harness Shops-L. C. Cody, August Feldhahn.
Jewelry-Knap & Jones, Coordes Drug & Jewelry Company.
Lumber-The Floete Lumber Company, The Superior Lumber Com- pany, Hartley Lumber Company.
Livery-Jap Burson, Hartley Livery Company, Swanson Brothers.
Meat Market-Ewaldt & Melvin.
Millinery-Frankie Kline.
Newspapers -- Hartley Journal, Hartley Sentinel, Crimson & Gold.
Physicians-Dr. F. J. Coleman, Dr. C. E. Phelps, Dr. J. B. Sherbon, Dr. C. W. Hand, Dr. J. W. Conaway.
Photographers-F. J. Janson. -
Rent Wants-W. R. Wagner, Clarence Hens, J. H. Ray.
Stockdealers-Burns Brothers, Peter Nelson, James Campbell.
Shoe Store-W. C. Vogel.
Veterinary Surgeon-Charles Johnson.
Wagon Shop-Charles Guenther, Hopper & Son.
Editors-Eugene Peck, of the Journal ; Claud A. Charles, of the Sentinel ; Clarence Peck, of Crimson and Gold, a school magazine published each school month.
Lodges-Masonic, Yeoman, Woodmen of the World.
Churches -- Methodist Episcopal, Presbyterian, three German churches, Christian Science, Roman Catholic and Seventh-day Adventist.
The churches, lodges, newspapers, banks, etc., will also be noted in the special chapters on those subjects.
MAYORS.
The mayors of the town have been as follows: E. B. Messer, 1888-89; Frank Kelley, 1890-91 ; L. Miller, 1892-94: W. B. Waldo. 1894; L. Miller, 1895; W. B. Waldo, 1896; E. Kelley, 1897-99: R. A. Woodward, 1899-04: O. K. McElhinney, 1904-05 : F. R. Lock, 1905-12 ; George Coleman, 1912-14.
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CARROLL, TOWNSHIP.
On April 1, 1872, the present townships of Carroll and Summit were set off from Liberty and called Carroll, the first election to be held in Ben Hutchin- son's store, on the southwest quarter of section 24. This store was conducted by Ben Hutchinson on the prairie during the earliest homesteading years prior to the coming of the railroad to Sheldon. This township was named in honor of Patrick Carroll, who homesteaded the south half of the southeast quarter of section 34 in the township, and who raised a large family.
This township is situated on the western line of the county, second from the northern line. The Sioux Falls branch of the Illinois Central railroad runs through the township from northwest to southeast. Its only station point is the thriving village of Archer, on section 24, about midway between Sheldon and Primghar. The Little Floyd river takes its rise in Franklin township and enters Carroll on section I and leaves it from section 7. The incorporation lines of Sheldon take in a portion of this township.
Travel where one may, it is difficult to find a more attractive agricultural district that can be seen in this portion of the county. The farms are all well improved, land is steadily increasing, is now nearing the two-hundred-dollar mark, and men of judgment declare the limit is not nearly reached yet. With good soil, good water, good markets, good schools, etc., it is no wonder that land commands such high figures. Where in all of Iowa's broad domain of excellent land could a farmer better his condition if he is fortunate enough to own one of these farms in Carroll township ?
In 1881 the township had a population of only three hundred and twenty- nine; in 1885, it had reached three hundred and ninety-six and the United States census books for 1910 gave it as having six hundred and twelve popula- tion. But the change in condition and values has been greater than the in- crease in population.
EARLY SETTLERS.
WV. E. Welch came from Jefferson county, New York, in March, 1871, and at Fort Dodge chanced to meet Archibald Murray, who induced him to accompany him to O'Brien county, and there he remained with Murray as a stopping place for the next two years. Murray secured the south half of section 28 for Welch. He built upon this land in 1872, lived there for a time, then traded for land in Baker township where he continued to reside until 1885, then settled in Sheldon. Welch was at one time a member of the
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board of county supervisors, and a thrifty citizen of this county. He was acting sheriff under Sheriff Nissen.
Pennsylvania sent forth one of her sons to become a pioneer in this township: this was in the person of Janies Roberts, who first located in Powe- shiek county and later came to Cherokee. He found there Mr. Woods of this county, who located him on section 28, Carroll township. Forbes Will- iamson had the claim covered up, as it was then called, but Roberts paid him twenty-eight dollars to get rid of him. He went back and wintered in Powe- shiek county in the winter of 1871-72, and in the winter following he was in Pennsylvania. In 1875 he broke out a hundred and twenty acres of his quarter section. and farmed the same, partly himself and partly rented to another. This was the first grasshopper year and he only saved a portion of his crop, which at first was very promising. Ten acres of his land had oats on it and not a bushel was harvested therefrom. Threshing machine men that year in Carroll township charged twenty-five dollars per day for threshing, without regard to the amount of grain yield. When he returned in the spring of 1874, at the Day school house he saw forty odd settlers gathered in a crowd, as he supposed one of the settlers had died, from the dejected look upon the faces of the men there assembled, but soon learned that they were there to receive their apportionment of a relief fund that had been raised and sent into the county to tide the settlers over another year. Mr. Roberts finally came through all right and owned a half section of land in 1897 and a residence in the town of Sheldon.
THE "PATHFINDER" OF O'BRIEN COUNTY.
William Huston Woods, better known as "Huse" Woods, referred to below as having located sundry homesteaders, and referred to in other places in this history as a surveyor, filled much of a needed niche with the old settler in thus getting located. Mr. Woods was the husband of Mrs. Roma W. Woods, who writes one chapter of this history in reminiscences of the early day. This explanation would not have been necessary twenty-five years ago. as then everybody knew him, but we now have seventeen thousand people. He himself homesteaded on the section adjoining the present town of Suther- land. In coming to the county many settlers first landed at Mr. Woods' claim to secure his services. Those in Carroll township, many of them, com- ing from down near Dubuque, Durant and other places, would make their first trip across the county thus piloted by him. These pilgrimages tramped down the prairie grass and did the first "road work" on the long angling road
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from Mr. Woods' place, via Primghar, through Carroll to Sheldon. It was quite indispensable to this settler, who was staking his little much and all to make a home, even though a shack, to know that he was on the right eighty acres of land. Much of this county being within the railroad limits under the grant of Congress, most of them only got eighty acres. A difference of eighty rods in a survey might mean the whole thing to him. They were dealing with Uncle Sam. an exacting individual. Mr. Woods was a highly educated man, a fine mathematician and an accurate surveyor. He had been a college chum of Col. William P. Hepburn, member of Congress from the eighth Iowa district. The old United States surveys were even then more than twenty years old, and the tall prairie grass shut out from view many of the government corners. They had to be "found." The prairie grass all looked alike. This sameness to so large an expanse made this item quite a problem. It is probably correct to say that Mr. Woods thus located a full half of the six hundred homesteaders, as likewise many settlers on the deeded townships. He understood the "pits and mounds," put on the treeless prairies by Uncle Sam's surveyors. His actual mileage in foot travel in the decade 1870-1880 would run into the many thousands in these surveys. He was a man much in politics, but never sought an office. He probably spent more actual time than any other half dozen men during the same years as leader in the organization of the Taxpayers' Association in earnest effort to defeat what all agreed was an unjust debt. One quite primitive, yet practical, method used by the early pioneers, and even by these surveyors in their trial efforts to find corners and lines was to tie a handkerchief to the spoke of the buggy or wagon, and count its revolutions as one drove along, first measuring the tire, to make the computation. Many land agents did this for years later on. The writer has thus counted these revolutions of wheels in the many thousands in single days to determine some corner. In these tedious surveys to find corners, the actual government corner was the main feature, and in these locations of early homesteaders Mr. Woods may be said to have been literally and in fact the "Pathfinder of O'Brien County."
Pioneer W. H. Woods also located W. C. Butterfield in 1870 on section 4 of Carroll township. He returned in 1871, proved up and brought his family on to become permanent settlers. He hauled lumber from Cherokee and erected a small. but comfortable, house in the fall of 1871. He had formerly been a merchant in Durant, Cedar county, Iowa. Later, he embarked in business in Sheldon. He was also a shoemaker and in 1873 "cobbled" many a pair of boots and shoes for homesteaders for which he was never paid a cent. and really never asked pay.
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Charles F. Butterfield, son of the Vermont Yankee Butterfield, located in Carroll township in 1871 on section 4. He broke up land the first season, wintered at Durant, Iowa, and returned the following spring. He made the first track through the wild prairie grass between where Primghar now stands and his place, and this trail was long used as a well traveled wagon road. Subsequently, he located in the shoe trade at Sheldon. His brother also claimed land here, remained a while, moved to Montana and died many years since. Another younger son became possessed of a good paying govern- ment position in the Rosebud Indian agency, being at the head of the Indian school.
J. J. Hartenbower, later a large capitalist in the city of Des Moines, settled on section 34 in 1872. He was desperately poor, but forged to the front and became a wealthy man of the state and later mayor of Des Moines, as likewise he had been mayor of Sheldon.
Another settler was W. H. Dorsey, brother of "Star Route" Senator Dorsey, who was an early settler on the southwest quarter of section 2.
Other pioneers in Carroll township were, J. R. Deacon, on section 6; Gladney Ewers, on section 32; L. G. Healey, long a deputy sheriff, on section 14, who later died on the Pacific coast; B. Hutchinson, on section 24, who kept a store there until Sheldon came into existence. Also A. J. Brock, on section 10; D. Barrett. on section 24; Nancy A. Bush, on section 32; R. H. Cook, on section 2; Paul Casely, on section 22; R. H. Cook, later of Dakota ; John Clements, on section 28: Robert Cowan, on section 30; Harley Day, on section 26; James B. Frisbee, on section 14; Frank Frisbee, on section 14: E. S. Huber, on section 23; L. A. Hornberger, on section 34; M. H. Hart, on section 27; C. P. Jones, on section 18; T. M. Lemaster, on section 24; Harvey Luce, section 30: C. C. Miller,section 4; D. N. Mclain, section 4. came in 1872, and died many years later. He was known as "Uncle Nick," and was a sturdy character and always lived by the Golden Rule. Dan Mc- Kay located on section 6, in 1871, many years a deputy sheriff and many years later removed to Tacoma. His son, who was trained and schooled in this county, is now a well-known attorney in Tacoma.
John Griffith settled on section 2, which land was kept in the family ever afterwards. William Moffitt settled on section 20, as did Dan Moffitt, while Frank located on section 22 and Erwin on section 28. John W. Nelson claimed a part of section 24, where he spent the remainder of his life. Peter A. Nelson made his original settlement on section 36, worked at the mason's trade in Sheldon and died in the nineties.
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William W. Reynolds settled on section 22 of Carroll township and later on was for many years a member of the board of supervisors; he was by trade a mason and a prince among his fellow men; he died at Sheldon. J. F. Stone located on section 8, and later became a furniture dealer in Sheldon. Henry Whitmore located on section 4 and Louie and Nick Younger on section 30; C. D. Pottinger settled on section 16; Silas Poole claimed a part of sec- tion 26, and Mary Priest was on section 14.
George W. Schee, who is prominent in the county and in this history, settled on the southwest quarter of section 26, in 1872.
George Mennig, from Davenport, Iowa, first located in Liberty town- ship in 1869 and the following year built a shack and broke up some of his claim. In the fall of 1870 he filed a contest on the southeast quarter of sec- tion 18 in Carroll township and was successful in his contest. He settled there in April, 1871. Three years hand running he lost his crops by grass- hoppers and dry weather, but steadily kept pressing onward.
Claus Klindt and family came in with Mr. Mennig in the spring of 1871, settling on the northeast quarter of section 18, Carroll township. C. P. Jones and family came in the same time with Klindt and located on the same section. Klindt was a peculiar man and later in Dakota committed suicide, it is said.
Thomas Holmes, homesteader on section 22, was an Englishman and cousin to John H. and William Archer and William Briggs. He was a mem- ber of the board of supervisors from Carroll for six years during the trying times in getting the county on a cash basis, and with Ezra M. Brady, George W. Schee and others, deserves much credit for that county financeering. M. F. McNutt has for some years been a later member of that body from Carroll, doing corresponding work, but belongs to the later and building period of the county, as likewise was E. H. McClellan, a member for some years. A. H. Herrick, Miss C. A. Herrick and Frank L. Herrick, for four years later on county recorder, all homesteaded on section 12. George N. Klock, long known as an eccentric and wit and now for years residing in Sheldon, settled on 8.
D. A. W. Perkins, editor, lawyer, politician and author of one of the first histories of O'Brien county, effected his settlement in Floyd township, and made his home at pioneer Butterfield's, before named, as being associated with the pioneer band of Carroll township. Mr. Perkins now resides at Highmore, South Dakota. He is a many-sided man and possessed of many manly traits of character, and in several ways a man of more than ordinary
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ability. He and a well-known Methodist minister had a claim contest which Mr. Perkins gives an account of in his old history of this county, which shows the condition of things here in the early seventies, also the make-up of the two men claiming the same land, under the homestead rights, hence we quote Mr. Perkins' account in full :
"The writer returned to Wilton, in Muscatine county, where he was living, after completing the sod shack and filing in the land office. In the spring of 1872, with some others of Dubuque, I returned, drove up from Cherokee, and about the first of April landed on the claim again. As we drove in sight of it we could see a building had been placed there during the winter in the writer's absence.
"Truly, here was a dilemma, a difference in opinion as to who had placed that building on the claim, whether he was a pigmy or a giant, an innocent member of the Young Men's Christian Association, or a cow-boy. Upon inquiring, however, in a few days we learned it was a Methodist preacher with only one arm. This, of course, settled the question of muscular supremacy, for we felt if we could not get away with a one-armed preacher, he was entitled to that quarter section, with the sod shack and its belongings thrown in. About two weeks after that we went down to Cherokee for pro- visions, and while at the depot when the train came in from the east, the writer saw a one-armed man get off the train. He had the garb of a preacher, and the thought was, of course, here was the offender and the cause of all our prospective trouble, and not even his clerical position shall save him from a going over, and perhaps a trouncing if he was the slightest inclined to talk back. Someone knowing the circumstances and the parties, brought the preacher and the writer face to face and introduced us. The preacher at once, without fear of man or God before his eyes. 'So you are on my claim, are you?' The gall of the fellow was immensely audacious and for a moment we were paralyzed. not with fear, but surprise. We recovered, however, enough to say we had moved a building up against his building and against his door : that we had three Winchesters, four bowie knives, an oak club with knots on it, and a bull-dog, and the first attempt he made even to go to his claim he would be slaughtered right there, and his miserable carcass thrown to the prairie wolves. This was said with dramatic pose, and in such a way that the preacher walked off, muttering to himself. He did come around. however, in about two weeks and mildly inquired if he would be permitted to haul his building away, and was mildly told that he could. He sold it to Ed. Bache, in Floyd township, where it still stands on Ed's claim.
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"The preacher was vanquished and peace was restored. This was Rev. Ira Brashers, who was pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church at Sheldon and Sanborn afterwards, and was also postmaster at Sanborn."
Having traced out the location and dates of many of the pioneers of Carroll township, it is now left to state something concerning the first actual settler within the limits of the township-Patrick Carroll, for whom the township was named, and rightfully, too. He came from Illinois in the spring of 1870, with two teams and wagons and with his entire family, a wife and eight children. They were three weeks enroute to Chrokee. Com- ing up from Cherokee, Mr. Carroll met a team whose driver was asked about where he would find the "town of Waterman," having been told that it was quite a good sized place. when, in fact, it consisted only of the humble habita- tion of Mr. and Mrs. Waterman, the first O'Brien county settlers. The reply came from the son of the Emerald Isle, quick and full of wit, "A divil a bit of use is it for ye's to be enquiring for a town in a new country like thot." Mr. Carroll soon found the Irishman was correct! He finally located on the southeast quarter of section 34, this township. He dug a well and with his covers from the wagons made a tent in which the family lived until he could do better. He traded his horses for oxen and with them broke his raw prairie land sufficient to raise a crop the following year. In the fall of the year he worked on the railroad grade and thus kept the wolf from the door. He finally succeeded and became well off. He died in March, 1896, his good wife having passed away on November 23, 1883. The township of Carroll, bearing his name, will ever be his monument to future readers of local annals. The one town in this township is very appropriately named Archer. John Archer for whom it is named, owns about four thousand acres immediately adjoining the town. He was the founder of and he has the chief business.in the place today.
We should also mention Robert T. Hayes, now deceased, who owned the plat just on the north of the town of Archer, where he resided until his death, and where his widow and six children now reside. He was an unique and original character, in that he had a very retentive memory and could repeat the history of his town and township and that part of the county in all its details and dates. William W. and John S. Bonderman, who also have re- sided upon and owned land immediately adjoining the town for many years on the south and west, have done much for both the town and township. Austin Watson and his son George, just east of the town, but in Summit township, have done far more than the usual part in building up Archer as
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