USA > Iowa > Shelby County > Past and present of Shelby County, Iowa, Vol. 2 > Part 8
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38
SELF IMPROVEMENT CLUB.
In April, 1910, there was organized by a number of ladies of Lincoln township the "Self Improvement Club."
Its first members were Mesdames Blakely, Brockman. Christensen, Cus- ter, Carlson. Hansen, Martin, McKeig, Miller, Kevan. Kinsey, Olsen, Philson, Poole, Severns. Sorensen, Smith. Steele. Robinson and White, and the Misses Clara Blakely, Vinnie Brockman, Cora Hoskins. Laura Hoskins, Ella Hos- kins. Bertha Hoskins, Christy Jensen.
The first officers of the club were: President. Mrs. Blakely: secretary, Mrs. Anna Custer : treasurer, Mrs. Belle Stewart. The present officers of the club are: President, Agnes Alwill; vice-president. Nina Bartholomew ; secretary, Maud McKeig : treasurer, Priscilla Blakely : organist. Vinnie Brock- man ; recorder, Belle Stewart.
The present membership of the club is twenty-six. The objects of the club are to promote sociability among neighbors; to do all good possible with-
468
SHELBY COUNTY, IOWAA.
in the circle of the membership: and to learn different and better ways of performing the duties of the home and community. At cach meeting of the club a literary program is given and many of the papers presented are dis- cussed informally by the members of the club. The organization aims to send. and has frequently sent, money to the Orphans' ( Christian ) Home in Council Bluffs, and in cases of sickness in the neighborhood in which the members of the club reside a flower committee, appointed by the club, has sent flowers and the club in other ways has made itself helpful and useful to persons and families needing .help and sympathy in the neighborhood.
THIE WOMAN'S UNION.
One of the very useful and practical organizations of Shelby county women is the Woman's Union of Harlan, which was organized October 7. 1901. It has for its purpose the study of ways and means by which its members can better conduct and help in their homes, rear and train children and fulfill the countless duties that fall to women in the home and in the community in which they live.
The first officers of the organization were Mrs. T. II. Smith. president : Mrs. M. K. Campbell, vice-president ; Mrs. P. B. Brown, secretary, and Mrs. J. Turner, treasurer. The present officers of the Woman's Union are Mrs. T. H. Smith, president : Mrs. H. J. Garland, vice-president; Mrs. James Lauritzen, secretary, and Mrs. W. B. DeMar, treasurer. The union meets every other Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock. Among other useful accom- plishments, the Woman's Union is caring for the plants in the postoffice win- dow, and during the last summer the flowers on the Chicago Great Western depot grounds were in their charge. The organization has a very large membership in Harlan and its members take an active interest in the welfare of the union and in the good to be derived from it.
CHAPTER XXII.
ATIILETICS.
The young men of Shelby county, and in fact a good many of the older ones, have been fond of athletic games and sports from the very earliest days. During the seventies, and undoubtedly to some extent before that time, base- ball was the favorite sport, although foot racing, jumping and other sports were more or less indulged in. Nearly every town and village in the county and almost every rural community having enough young men to form a team had a baseball organization during the seventies, and to some extent in the eighties. There was particular rivalry between the "Unions," of Harlan, and the "Modocs," of Shelby.
The "Union" team in 1877 had as its captain George Wyland. Other members of the team were Yost, Harvey, O. P. Wyland, Hurless Askwith. Forest, Seth Wyland. Stanley, John Wyland and VanLoum. The team that year defeated Avoca by a score of eleven to six.
In 1877 the Shelby baseball team, the "Modocs," was composed of George Rink, captain, Brown. J. Rink, Lake. W. Rink, Fry, Crow, Askwith, Armstrong and Leigh. In this year Shelby defeated Walnut by a score of thirteen to eight.
In 1877 there were three games of baseball scheduled between the "Un- ion" baseball team of Harlan and "Modocs," of Shelby. The first game re- sulted three to one for the "Modocs" and the second twenty-two to fifteen for the "Modocs." thus rendering the third game unnecessary. The Modocs in that year also defeated Atlantic, seventeen to sixteen, and in 1878 defeated the Pastimes, of Council Bluffs, eleven to four.
Much county pride was taken in the "Modoc" baseball club. In Septem- ber, 1878, it proposed to play the Davenport ball club for the championship of the state, and in October Harlan citizens had made up a purse of about twenty-five dollars by way of encouraging arrangements for such a game and to assist the Shelby boys.
The Harlan "Unions" in 1877 won the third and last game from Avoca by a score of twenty-five to nine.
On the first day of the fair at Harlan in 1877. the "Modocs" were de- feated by the Harlan "Union" team.
470
SHELBY COUNTY, IOW.I.
At a baseball game played in June, 1877. between two teams known as the "Paddywhackers." of Harlan, and the "Prussians," of Westphalia, the score of the former was eighty-three and that of the "Prussians" fourteen. all of which would indicate that the boys had an abundance of exercise running bases.
In 1878 Manteno had a baseball team and there was also a team in that vicinity known as the "Blue Ridgers." In 1879 Bowman's Grove had a baseball team that came to Harlan and defeated the Harlan club.
August 23, 1877. the Avoca second nine and the Harlan boys played a game of baseball on the fair grounds in Harlan, the Harlan boys winning by a score of eleven to six. On July 4. 1877, Shelby county players defeated the Avoca club at Avoca by a score of nine to four.
Even the young men of Westphalia township, then known as the "Col- ony," so early as June, 1877. were playing baseball with Harlan. the prize being a ball and bat to the winning team. In July. 1877, the Harlan club played the Polk township boys, the Harlan club winning the game.
Washington township boys had a good team known the the "Mos- quitoes."
The young men of Defiance, Earling. Panama and Portsmouth very early took to the game, and played it with skill and success. At Defiance there were such men as H. V. Yackey, Hulsebus. Graham, Kingsbury, Ho- bart and others; at Earling, H. W. Byers, the Ford boys. the Schleiers, and others developing great skill. so much so that Earling. during the eighties, had not only the best team in Shelby county, but one of the best teams in western Iowa, meeting defeat only at the hands of the wonderful Hastings, Nebraska team in August. 1886, and maintaining since that time a high stand- ard of proficiency in this truly American game. Among the well-known Harlan players might be named H. E. Swain, Dr. E. A. Moore, John P. Hertert, Yackey. Hulsebus and many others. Lately there has been a revival in the playing of the game, especially in the towns above named and in the town of Elk Horn.
Shelby had an excellent baseball team in 1896, composed of the follow- ing named persons: . Ed. Wood, Clyde Williams (afterwards greatly dis- tinguished as a football player on the State University of Iowa team, and later one of the best coaches in the Mississippi valley), Ed. Helm. George Murschl, Roy Linn. Charles Williams. Bert Clapp (now a well-known Har- lan banker), Watson Keeney and Nels Foster. Tom Leigh and Harry Clapp were managers.
The present active teams of the county are :
.
·
47I
SHELBY COUNTY, IOWA.
PANAMA BASEBALL TEAM.
The town of Panama had a very excellent baseball team this year. The members of it are as follows: Kelso, catcher ; Yackey, center field ; Nauroth. second base : Shelly, third base: Cowan, left field : Meters, first base : Kepler, right field : Manhart, short stop: Weise. pitcher : C. A. Case, manager ; Will- iam Mischo, captain ; J. Oppold, secretary and treasurer.
ELK HORN BASEBALL TEAM.
Peter Jorgensen, captain and pitcher ; Nels Jorgensen, catcher; Folmer Hansen, manager and first base; Martin Boose, second base: Peter Madsen, shortstop; Soren Nelson, third base: Alfred Hansen, left field : Alfred Peter- sen, center field; Storm Marquessen, right field, and Fred Clemmensen, utility.
PORTSMOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP BASEBALL TEAM.
The town of Portsmouth is justly proud of its present baseball team. which at the Shelby county fair of 1914 at Harlan, won the championship of the county in the tournament held at that time. The membership of the team is as follows: Ted Benning, shortstop: W. J. Herkenrath, center field ; Frank Ehrhardt, second base: John Rosenthal, first base and right field: Peter Clausen, catcher and first base: William Dahilhiemer, third base: Wil- fred Hainley, catcher : John Hickey, pitcher: Mike Sondag, left field; Mat Ohlinger, first base and right field: Charles Gallagher. manager.
THE EARLING GIANTS.
Earling has maintained a reputation for having a great baseball teanı from the earliest times. Her present team, captained by Will Langenfeld and managed by John H. Meaders, has a membership as follows: Joe Shim- eroski, catcher; William Donnelly and John H. Meaders, pitchers; Tony Heitman, first base; Joseph Stephany, second base; Will Langenfeld, third base; Frank Schell, shortstop; Joe Heese, left field; Henry Nauroth, center field: Fred Jacobs, right field; substitutes. Henry Langenfeld, center field; Fred Jacobs, right field.
01
472
SHELBY COUNTY, IOWA.
FOOT RACING.
The running of foot races, usually of about one hundred yards in length, was a favorite sport in early times. Shelby county has developed a number of fleet-footed runners of more than ordinary ability. H. B. Gish, familiarly known as "Hi," was unusually good in the dashes of fifty and one hundred yards. The contests participated in by the Baughn Hose Team and by earlier hose teams helped to develop many sprinters, who gave a good account of themselves on a number of occasions. Among these might be mentioned James Harford and "Doc" Pixley, of Irwin. Giles Bendon and Lew Oathout, of Cass township, Dr. E. A. (Gus) Moore and D. J. (Dave) Booth, and others, of Harlan. It is doubtful whether the county ever pro- duced a steadier or stronger runner at the distance of two hundred to three hundred yards than Doctor Moore, or a man of more native ability in the dashes of fifty to one hundred yards than Booth, although neither of these men ever trained as professionals or held themselves out as such. Shelby township produced a fleet sprinter named Atherton. B. Rhodes, of Greeley township, was a good runner at two to three hundred yards.
Wrestling in pioneer times was particularly indulged in, and each of the pioneer settlements, as a rule. had one or more young men whom it looked upon as its champions at this form of contest.
Among the miscellaneous games played were marbles, quoits { horseshoe ). "black man" and "dare-base." The game of "bull-pen" was also a favorite. Jacob Tague tells me that this game was played as follows: The boys en- gaged in the game put all of their hats into the center of a ring formed by them. One player then dropped a ball into one of the hats. The owner of this hat was then obliged to pick up the ball and thow it at the runner who had dropped it into the hat. If the runner was hit he in turn took the ball and dropped it into a hat and so on.
In the early days men were rather fond of horse-racing and particularly of running races.
The editor on February 3. 1876. said in the Herald: "Horse racing in town Sunday is not exactly the thing, as we do not like to have our serious meditations disturbed by being obliged to jump up and look out of the win- dow to see who wins."
A running race was advertised for January 27, 1877, at the fair grounds track by E. C. Swain, secretary. Admission to the grounds was fixed at the moderate sum of ten cents.
.
473
SIIELBY COUNTY, IOWA.
On July 2 and 4. 1881. purses amounting to one thousand two hundred dollars were offered for the winners at a race meet at Harlan, as follows:
SATURDAY, JULY 2.
Green horses-$50, $30, $20 $100
Running race, one-half mile-$50. $30, $20 100
2:50 lass-$125, $75, S50. 250
MONDAY, JULY 4.
Double team race (not restricted to one owner ), $50, $30, $20 $100
Pacing race-$75, $50. $25. 150
3:00 class-SIoo. $60. S40 200
Free for all-$150, $100, $50 300
There was an amount of dash and spirit in the local athletes and it ap- pears they ever stood ready to accommodate any outsider who desired amuse- ment. For instance, a Harlan paper of August 30, 1877. says: "One day last week a party of sports passed through Harlan with two or three race- horses, a strong man who pulled square drait, a light-footed boy who ran races, and, in fact, they declared they were in for any and all kinds of sport. Our fellows 'seen' them in everything desired. They passed on toward Denison poorer and. it is to be hoped, wiser men."
During the eighties roller skating was much in vogue. For the past twenty years or more little has been heard of it in the county. It has, how- ever, again come into fashion. In 1883-4 roller skating was very popular at Shelby. At Harlan about the same time a large brick skating rink was built on Market street, and here some of the present dignified citizens of Harlan involuntarily cut figures that this author dare not in all charity relate. Ice skating on the ponds and streams dates from the early days.
At least so early as March, 1873, the game of football was played. This was what has since been known as the association game, which was a purely kicking game. in which every man or boy had a chance to participate and take a kick at the ball. which was spherical in shape and not oblong, like the Rugby ball, which is now generally used., The Shelby County Record of March. 1873. refers to the results of this game in 1873: "The football team season has commenced. Saturday a devotee of the 'best game in the world' went home with a well executed map of Horseshoe Lake on his right cheek
474
SHELBY COUNTY, IOW.A.
and a mansard projection over his left eye. One of his ribs is on a strike and a quarter section of his shin bone is caved in." The game was played at this time on what is now the public square of Harlan and on places adja- cent thereto. As late as 1880 the game was being played on the public square. Many of the best known citizens of Harlan, such as O. P. Wyland and others. participated in this sport.
During the late eighties and early nineties. the Harlan high school played association football. During the eighties, also, Harlan had a town team that played this game. Among the members of the town team were W. T. Shepherd, Fred Blackstone and others. In the fall of 1896 the game of rugby football was introduced to the Harlan high schools boys and from that time until this, with the exception of a few years, the game has been played by them. During these years Harlan has won victories over many high schools, most of them located in cities much larger. Without disparagement of other successful teams which preceded it, the team of 1903 made an exceptionally fine record. The team that year was composed of the following players : Swift, Hansen, Nelson, Rogers, Croft, Smith, Hammer, Howard. Baer, Rob- inson, Cobb and Stanley. The schedule of the games played by this team in 1903, with scores, was as follows:
Harlan 15
Council Bluffs 6
Harlan
47
Council Bluffs
0
Harlan
6
Red Oak O
Harlan 6
Ida Grove
35
Harlan
6
Des Moines 23
Harlan
0
Ida Grove O
Harlan
23
Omaha
O
r
Harlan
29
Walnut
0
Harlan
45
Boone O
-
177
64
Among the famous college football players who received their intro- duction to the game in Harlan high school teams might be mentioned Thomas Burcham, who, for several years, was a famous member and captain of the Drake University football team, and his brother, John Burcham, the famous right halfback upon the Drake championship team of Iowa in the fall of 1909. Both of these boys were famous as punters and drop kickers. Thomas Burcham kicked a goal from the field in a game with Michigan University. the only score made by Drake. John Burcham won several games by suc-
475
SHELBY COUNTY, IOWA.
cessful drop kicks from the forty-seven yard line. They were also well known as track and field athletes. They are sons of John Burcham and grandsons of the pioneer. Jonas W. Chatburn.
Another high school alumnus, J. J. Louis, son of Capt. J. H. Louis, was especially distinguished as an athlete at the State University of Iowa, where, for several years, he was without a rival in the running high jump. He held the championship of the state for several years. At the Western Inter-Col- legiate Athletic meet at Chicago, in which all the great universities and col- leges of the middle West had entered their picked representatives, he tied with Powers, of Notre Dame University, in the high jump, at five feet eleven inches. In practice he had cleared six feet. He also won a special prize of a silver cup, offered to that member of his graduating class who had made the best record, both as athlete and student. Fred Cockerell, while a student at Ames, won third in the mile run at the state meet of Iowa colleges. James C. Byers won prizes in the dashes at the state high school meets. His broth- ers, Ed. Byers, Dow Byers and Mckinley Byers, have especially distinguished themselves in the Des Moines high school as football players, ranking with the very best in Iowa. Perry Mayne won third place in the mile run in one of the state high school meets. Fred Moore, son of Dr. E. B. Moore, played an unusually fine game on the State University football team at Iowa City. Lawrence Nelson was for some years a member of the strong football team at Ames. George Allen, of Harlan, played a strong game as fullback on the university team at Iowa City.
One of the most distinguished athletes which the county has produced was Clyde Williams, of Shelby. He entered the university at Iowa City and became one of the greatest quarterbacks in the whole country. being given credit for his remarkable work by the best national authorities on football. He learned the game in the town of Shelby, while a student in the high school. This high school took up the game a year or two following its introduction into the Harlan high school. The athletic editor of the Iowa Register and Leader on December 6, 1914, referred to Clyde Williams and the first foot- ball team at Shelby as follows:
"Clyde describes the Shelby aggregation when he was there as 'the darnest football team you ever saw.' He played halfback. They played the game in crude fashion, with even cruder implements, but they played it. noth- ing to the contrary withstanding.
"The 'suit' Clyde wore-and so did all the others-was a set of blue overalls and a corn-shucking jacket. They used a catcher's baseball mit for a football at first, but after a while they saved their Sunday school pennies
476
SHELBY COUNTY, IOWA.
and purchased a one dollar and ninety-eight cent football. In spite of these acute privations of apparel and baseball mits, that Shelby high school football team turned out men who in subsequent years helped to make football history in the Hawkeye state.
"From that Shelby high team the following lights appeared in college football: In 1898. 1899 and 1900 Ray Morton and Clyde played on the varsity backfield of the State University eleven: Chick and Bill Pomeroy played substitute: Bert Clapp played on the Iowa scrubs ; and Arthur Buckley played guard on the Ames 'varsity' team: Archie Scott played regular on the same Cyclone team, as fullback: Walter Stoltenberg played regular end at Iowa ; Roy and Fritz Buckley played on Iowa's team : Cliff Scott was Ames' captain and center in 1909. and a brother of the aforesaid Buckleys since has played at Iowa. Some gridders, all of them!"
Fred Buckley and Roy Buckley, of Shelby, played on the 1903 univer- sity team at Iowa City. During the same year Jesse Cook, of Shelby. played full back on the Highland Park College team at Des Moines.
THE HARLAN FIELD CLUB.
In 1911 the Harlan Field Club, at Harlan, was incorporated. with a capital of twenty thousand dollars. The purpose of the club is to provide and maintain for the use of its members a club house, golf links and tennis courts, and in general opportunities for healthful recreation and social in- tercourse, especially during the spring, summer and fall. The club has erected a splendid, well-appointed club house, has locker rooms and shower baths, is equipped with city water and electric lights and owns forty-one acres of superb blue grass land. Experts from the cities, such as Omaha and Chicago, have pronounced its nine-hole golf course and blue grass turf one of the best in the West with a little further development of its putting greens.
A special campaign has recently resulted in the sale of enough corporate stock to lift a balance of indebtedness resting on the club house. The first board of directors was L. F. Potter, O. P. Wyland, B. B. McPheeters. W. E. Cooper and E. S. White. L. F. Potter was the first president and B. B. McPheeters the first secretary. The present board of directors is A. C. Clapp, C. D. Booth, L. F. Potter. O. P. Wyland and E. S. White. The present membership of the club is about seventy-five, with prospects of many others being added, since this club has attractive plans for the coming year and since it affords virtually the only opportunity the city people have for
7
.
477
SHELBY COUNTY, IOWA.
outdoor physical development and recreation and is their only outdoor social center.
CLARENCE WIIISLER.
Two of the most famous wrestlers of the world at one time lived in Shelby county. During the late seventies the first of these two champions, Clarence Whisler, lived at Shelby and worked in that vicinity, part of the time in a meat market. He especially excelled in the style of wrestling known as the Graeco-Roman and before his death, which occurred at Mel- bourne, Australia, was regarded as a world's champion at that style of wrestling. A Shelby county paper of January 12, 1881, contains this ex- cerpt from a New York City paper having reference to Mr. Whisler :
"The second Graeco-Roman wrestling match between Edwin Bibby and Clarence Whisler, for two hundred and fifty dollars a side, took place at the American Institute building, Third avenue, this city, on the evening of December 21. ISSO, and attracted quite a large assemblage. The contest was one of science against strength, and the result was no more satisfactory than had been the previous meeting between the same parties. Bibby clearly demonstrated his superiority as a scientific wrestler (a fact which no one previously questioned ). but he found a man opposed to him whose quite exceptional muscular power defied his skill and lesser strength. The men struggled for nearly five hours without securing a fall, Whisler being unable. from lack of knowledge, to follow up an advantage which he once or twice obtained, and then they mutually agreed to call it a draw. The articles ex- pressly stated that such a termination should not be allowed, but it was ap- parent to all that the only way in which either contestant could win would be by tiring the other out, and as to accomplish that result additional hours of monotonous struggling would plainly be required, the spectators were not displeased because of the mutual agreement to call it 'quits.' These men should never come together again in a wrestling match under the same rules, where strength is capable of successfully placing at defiance the finest skill, and consequently prevents the really better man from gaining the reward which his exertions and attainments should secure for him. James Pilkington was judge for Whisler, Chris. Hoefler for Bibby, and William Child was the referee.
"Clarence Whisler is a Shelby county boy, and until recently worked in a meat market at Shelby. At present not a man in America has been able to throw hin to the ground, Graeco-Roman style of wrestling."
478
SHELBY COUNTY, IOWA.
FARMER BURNS.
Perhaps but few people of Shelby county know that the celebrated Farmer Burns once resided in Shelby county, where he wrestled. taught wrestling and excelled at "stick-pulling." His secretary, J. W. Elwood, of Omaha, Nebraska, writes me that Mr. Burns says he resided in Shelby county about one year. probably in the year 1888, at which time he worked on the celebrated one thousand-acre ranch of Major E. A. Collins in Shelby township and that he wrestled at Harlan and at various other towns in the county. in addition to teaching wrestling as above stated. Since his residence in Shelby county, as is well known, Mr. Burns became the world's champion middle-weight wrestler, and also the world's champion heavy-weight. He has been the best known wrestler of his time with the exception of Frank Gotch, whom he found on an Iowa farm and developed until Gotch in turn became a world's champion.
Among the early boys of pioneer days in Shelby county especially fond of wrestling, who participated in many a match. were Jacob Tague, of Harlan, and M. H. Poling, both formerly of Bowman's Grove, now of Har- lan, J. D. Maxwell, of Douglas township, and others.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.