USA > Iowa > Winneshiek County > Past and present of Winneshiek county, Iowa; a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 16
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TIIE COURTHOUSE
We must begin in 1857, when, after a loan of $6,000 had been voted, to be collected with the taxes of 1857 and 1858, the construction of the Winneshick County Courthouse was commenced. Alexander's History tells of the building of the courthouse and jail in the following paragraphs :
"The courthouse was completed in 1857, a tax having been voted in 1856. The courts previous to that time were sometimes held in rented rooms-though for a while at first in the log house of William Day, and afterwards in Newell's Hall. The cost of the courthouse buildings, including the jail in the basement. was about $18.000. The land for the grounds was donated by William Day and William Painter, and occupies one square, being bounded on the north by Main street, on the east by Winnebago street, on the south by Broadway, and on the west by Court street. The courthouse building has a basement of stone in which were originally the jail and sheriff's residence, and above this two stories of brick ; the courtroom occupying the upper floor and the county offices the remainder of the building. After the erection of the new jail the basement was given up to the Recorder's office with a large fireproof vault, the Clerk's office with also a fireproof vault, and the office of the County Surveyor. The offices of the County Treasurer, Auditor. Sheriff, and County Superintendent are now on the floor above. The courtroom is on the upper floor as originally constructed. In the fall of 1876 a county tax of $12,000, to be divided between 1877 and 1878, was voted for the erection of a new jail. The jail was commenced and completed in 1878. The cost of buildings, with cells, etc .. was $11, 114.25. The courthouse was, for that time, a magnificent building, and is still respectable looking, though a little ancient. Its position is commanding, overlooking the city and surrounding valley, and will some of these days, no doubt, be the site of an imposing edifice."
Alexander little realized how faithfully the prediction in the foregoing para- graph would be carried out. It became evident along in the 'gos, to those who were best informed, that every office in the courthouse was cramped for room. Many of the most valuable records and documents were without any protection from fire save what might be accorded by the Decorah Fire Department, but it was difficult to bring home to the people the gravity of the situation. The proposi- tion to issue bonds for a new building was discussed for some time, and in 1808 the matter was put to vote with the result that it was overwhelmingly defeated. In 1902 the Board of Supervisors again ordered a vote taken, result- ing in a handsome majority for a bond issue of $75.000. In March, 1903, the old building was abandoned and torn down, and work on the new structure com- menced. It became evident before the work had progressed far that a larger sum would be required and the tax payers voted an additional $50,000. Probably $25,000 to $35,000 was subsequently spent, but the result is a building that will
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outlive many generations, both in its substantial beauty and its ample proportions. While there was some feeling at the time over the expenditure of such a large amount, today the wisdom of building for the future is not questioned. The building was occupied in the fall of 1905. The first floor or basement provides quarters for the Superintendent of Schools, the County Engineer, the janitor, and ample storage space. One room is also assigned to the Superintendent as an examination room. This room is also used by the Decorah Public Library. On the main floor are the offices of the Auditor, Treasurer, Clerk, Sheriff, Recorder and Board of Supervisors. The third floor contains two courtrooms, the County Attorney's office, private offices for the judges, consulting rooms, rooms for witnesses and jurors. All the offices are equipped with ample vault room, and the building is lighted by a private electric light plant installed in the boiler house. Gas is also piped into the building.
THE COUNTY FARM AND HOME
In 1866 the necessity for a county farm and home, to provide shelter for indigent people, became apparent, and a tract of sixty acres was purchased at Freeport. This has been enlarged by several subsequent purchases and now contains 220 acres. The buildings are all substantial and include a separate structure for incurable insane patients. Every comfort consistent with reason- able expenditure is afforded the inmates of the home, and precautions for their safety have been provided. The structures are steam-heated and electric-lighted. C. A. Funke is the steward at present.
THE DECORAH POSTOFFICE
This building, which was completed in March, 1912, occupies the southeast cor- ner at the intersection of Main and Winnebago streets. It was constructed at a cost of about $65,000 and is generally conceded to be one of the handsomest of the federal buildings in Iowa. Its equipment is complete in every detail, the comfort of the employes being considered no less than the convenience of handling mail. The business of the Decorah postoffice for the past fiscal year was in round figures $28,000. Postmaster F. E. Biermann was one of President Wilson's first appointees in Iowa. Under him are Deputy Postmaster E. J. Powers and a corps of six clerks, four city carriers and eight rural carriers.
The foregoing comprise the only buildings in the county that come strictly under the head of public buildings. The Grand Opera House of Decorah, the Auditorium at Ossian, and the town hall at Castalia are also public buildings, but are owned by stock companies, as is the Winneshiek Hotel of today, but these are all more or less commercial enterprises.
CHAPTER XVII
GEOLOGY
Students of geology find in Winneshiek county some of the most interesting outcroppings and limestone formations of the middle states. Here one may find the lower sandstone, the lower beds of the Galina limestone or the lower Mag- nesian, but the Trenton limestone predominates and in it are imbedded fossils of odd and beautiful shape. At many points along the Upper Iowa river the banks rise in perpendicular bluffs faced with this rock for a height of one hundred feet or more. The glacial deposits have been clearly traced by geologists and their researches form an interesting volume. Here and there throughout the county may be found outcroppings of iron ore. but nothing to excite more than passing curiosity or warrant investigation.
TOPOGRAPHY
The late Samuel Calvin, state geologist, made a careful survey of this por- tion of Iowa. Its beauty was always an allurement to him and caused him to refer to it in a printed article as "The Switzerland of Iowa." The appellation is a most accurate one, for the topography of the counties of Allamakee, Clayton and Winneshiek is largely a succession of high hills, and, consequently, deep valleys. Winneshiek, while lacking nothing in the beauty that such topography suggests, is less objectionable from the standpoint of crop cultivation than her sister counties. The land is rolling, and along the rivers and small streams there is much of it that presents problems to the owners : still, as one gets back onto the highlands, broad prairies stretch out and present a most inviting scene. Whether it be valley, hillside or prairie, the soil is fertile. One of the reasons why the land in Winneshiek county has not advanced as rapidly in price as has some of the less rolling sections is because the prairie farmer does not appreciate the possibilities that here await him and is too timid to take a chance as a general rule.
CLIMATOLOGY
The climatic conditions of Northeastern Iowa (and that means Winneshiek county as well as others) are, in the main, admirable. There are seasons of
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extreme cold, when the mercury seeks the bulb and registers from 20° to 30° below zero; and, by the law of average, it can be expected that the summer months will supply the other extreme. I can say most truthfully that our expec- tations are seldom disappointed, for we have days when 90? to 100°, and occa- sionally higher temperatures, are recorded. But between these seasons there are long periods of the most delightful temperatures, with growing rains, glorious sunshine and clear atmosphere. The conditions for profitable crop culture and good health are here combined to a degree that leaves little to be desired.
CHAPTER XVIII
THE CHURCHES
It has often been said that "The sword follows the flag." The history of every nation seems to bear out this declaration. It is equally true that the mis- sionary is not far behind the sword and many times he is some distance in advance of the flag.
IOWA'S FIRST PREACHER
The records seem to indicate that long before the white man thought to . occupy this territory efforts were being made to Christianize the Indian. In 1842 Rev. David Lowery, who had been appointed agent for the Winnebago reserva- tion, began the erection of a mission school at Old Mission. He was subsequently transferred to Minnesota, and though the mission was continued under other management, history does not record that any material advancement was achieved in the cause of Christianity. However, it is worth while to perpetuate the fact that Reverend Lowery was probably Iowa's first preacher. He was a Kentuckian and a Cumberland Presbyterian.
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
The most trustworthy authorities available at this time give to the Catholic church credit for the erection of the first church edifice in Winneshiek county. At the risk of being accused of repetition we refer to the paragraph in Harrison Goddard's sketch of Washington township, written for Anderson & Goodwin's Atlas and republished in the chapter on towns and townships. Mr. Goddard says most of the settlers of 1849 were strict adherents of the Catholic faith; that they purchased lands and Indian huts, and that the largest of the huts was converted into a chapel, Father G. HI. Plathe being sent to minister unto them. In 1853. when this little church was destroyed by fire, a site was secured at Twin Springs. We refer the reader to Mr. Goddard's sketch for the full details, which will be found interesting.
Besides the Twin Springs congregation there are large and flourishing churches in Fort Atkinson. Calmar, Ossian. and Spillville. The Decorah and Bluffton Vol. I-10
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congregations, while maintaining separate churches, are practically one parish with Rev. J. Hawe, assisted by Father Ranier, who was recently transferred from Marshalltown, at their head. The Decorah church was built in 1864 and occupied on October 22d. It cost about six thousand dollars. At the present time plans are maturing for the construction of a new church to cost $25.000, the old one having become too small. Plymouth Rock also has a church.
THE FIRST EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
Close upon the heels of the Catholics came the Lutherans. The settlement by Norwegians, which began in 1850 and grew and spread rapidly in the next eight or ten years, naturally invited ministers of their faith to come and be pioneers with them. Rev. N. Brandt, who subsequently became a professor at Luther College, was probably the first minister of the Norwegian Lutheran church of America to visit the county. He was located in Wisconsin at the time and was doing missionary work over a wide and constantly widening territory. Hle is credited with visiting this territory and holding services, and it is well known that in 1850 he performed the first marriage to take place in Madison township.
It was not until 1853 that the Norwegian Lutheran Synod of America was organized and the county acquired its first resident Lutheran pastor. In that year Rev. Vilhelm Koren, fresh from the University of Christiania, brought his bride to Washington Prairie (Springfield township) and established residence in a log cabin that was at once a home and a house of prayer. At the same time there was hospitality for the wayfarer who might be storm stayed or overtaken by darkness. While nominally he was pastor to the little colony that had settled on the prairie, his parish knew no limitations except the Mississippi river on the east. He was the only Norwegian Lutheran pastor west of the river and soon his charge became known as Little Iowa, and he would make long trips up into Minnesota as well as throughout this part of Iowa, ministering to the spiritual welfare of his countrymen. Reared in a home of refinement and true aristoc- racy, Reverend Koren was still democratic enough to welcome the hardships of the pioneer, and to meet and overcome obstacles that another would have shunned.
As the country became more thickly settled others came to join him in his religious work, congregations grew up here and there and churches were built, but Reverend Koren's labors were not curtailed. Recognizing in him a leader, he was made president of the Iowa district, later he became vice president of the Synod, and finally the presidency came to him both as a reward for and a heritage of his service. While he was performing his official duties he was also serving as pastor to the congregation that claimed him as their leader in 1853. For fifty-six years he delivered a Christmas sermon to his flock, using as his text the story of the coming of the Christ child. each year drawing from it a new message.
It was due to the foresight of Reverend Koren that Luther College came into possession of the beautiful grounds where her buildings are now located. Even before it was determined to move the college to Decorah he had paved the way to their acquisition, and the Synod has many times been thankful that among their numbers there was one whose judgment had been so wise and help- ful. Reverend Koren had a rare faculty with young men, and when he died in
REV. V. KOREN First resident Norwegian Lutheran clergyman west of Mississippi River,
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IQII no man could have been more truly mourned. His influence was not con- fined to his own nationality, but extended to all who knew him.
THE NORWEGIAN METHODISTS
Not all of the Norwegians were of Lutheran faith, however, For a number of years there were several small congregations of Norwegian Methodists, but by the time the younger generations began to take the place of the pioneers they had acquire-1 such facility in the English language that more and more they affiliated with the English churches, until the membership of the Norwegian congregations was completely absorbed.
THE UNITED LUTHERANS
Even among the Lutherans there was not a unanimous sentiment upon the matter of creed. Sixty years ago what was then known as the Hauge branch established a church on Washington Prairie, and through all the intervening years it has prospered and is today one of the strong congregations of the county.
The differences that arose among members of the Lutheran Synod some thirty years ago resulted in a division of congregations and the establishment of many new churches known as the United Lutherans. At the time it was feared that serious harm would surely follow, but the record of the years does not bear out that prediction. There may have been-undoubtedly was-a temporary strug- gle in which the financial side of the controversy loomed large, but where there is spiritual strength to weather such a storm there need be little fear of the ulti- mate outcome. It is a matter of much gratification to all concerned that today both the Synod and United Lutheran congregations of this county are stronger than ever before, and there can be seen a day not far distant when the differences of the past will have been forgiven and forgotten, and their members will again be marching under one standard.
THE METHODIST CHURCH
"The Methodist Episcopal church was introduced into Decorah. Iowa, when there were but three so-called houses here, viz: Mr. Day's, Mr. Painter's and that of Father and Mother Morse. It was at the house of the last named that Rev. Albert Bishop knocked one rainy evening in September, 1851. Mother Morse opened the door, and seeing a stranger dripping with rain, was accosted as follows: 'Does Brother Morse live here? I am a missionary seeking for the lost sheep of the house of Israel.' 'You have found them,' said she, 'this is the place, walk in.'"
The foregoing is a quotation from an historical sketch of the First Methodist Episcopal church of Decorah prepared by Rev. G. W. Brindle, one of its early pastors. The record goes on to state that the next day the first religious service was held in the Morse cabin, and during the week Elder Bishop remained here the church was organized with a class of four, consisting of Philip and Hannah Morse and E. A. Coger and wife. The missionary's circuit included Lansing, Monona, and all the intervening territory. He served for two years, being followed by
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Reverends L. S. Ashbaugh and H. S. Brunson in 1853, and by Rev. John Webb and Brother Davis in 1854. In 1855 Rev. E. E. Byam was appointed to serve the Decorah congregation and during his pastorate he raised funds and built the first church building the town had known. It was completed and dedicated in 1856. 1. 1 .. Couse, as clerk of the church, has in his possession the original subscription list. Alonzo Bradish is the only survivor among the list of contributors.
In the early 'zos this church had become too small and the congregation decided to build a larger one. The building was sold to the late Col. W. T. Baker and Edwin Farnsworth, who moved it onto lots directly south of the courthouse, where it served as the home of the Christian church. Later it was sold to John Breckenridge who converted in into a school building, though the Christian church continued to use it during the remainder of their short existence. The removal of this structure from its former location permitted the erection of the large brick building that has served the Decorah congregation since December 20, 1874. the date on which it was dedicated. Fire has twice damaged this building, and more recently it was damaged by wind and hail, but these have only served to test the faith and loyalty of its members, and in neither have they been found wanting.
Among the men who have served as pastor here the names of Rev. G. W. Brindle, Rev. F. E. Brush and Rev. S. G. Smith are frequently recalled. Of this trio Rev. Smith is the only survivor. For many years he has been the pastor and 'cading spirit of the People's church of St. Paul, Minnesota, and has gained an international reputation as a pulpit orator and worker along sociological lines.
The establishment of the church in Decorah was the entering wedge that was instrumental in its establishment in almost every center of importance in the county. As far back as forty years ago Freeport had its church building. Calmar, Ossian, Ridgeway, Burr Oak, Hesper, and Kendallville are served regu- larly, and Frankville occasionally. Ridgeway has a handsome little church built. a few years ago that is an ornament to the town.
The German Methodists also maintain services at Decorah. Canoe and in Lincoln township, owning church homes in each of these localities.
THE CONGREGATIONML. CHURCH
The Congregational church is now represented by one congregation-that at Decorah. Rev. A. M. Eastman came to Decorah only a few weeks after Elder Bishop in 1851, and established monthly meetings which were held in the log tavern of the Day family. In 1855 the church was organized, and Rev. W. A. Keith, living at Freeport, was the first pastor. He was succeeded by Rev. Ephraim Adams in 1857, services being held in the courthouse until November 17. 1861. when a church building, which had been under construction during 1860 and 1861. was dedicated.
Reverend Adams was a man marked for a great service, both to the Decorah church and Congregationalism in Jowa. He was a member of the "Iowa Band." a company of fourteen young men who came to lowa in 1843 from Andover College. Of this company. F. I. Herriott of Drake University, in his article on "The Nativity of the Pioneers of Iowa," published in lowa Official Register of 1011-12 says: "In 1843 came the "lowa Band,' a little brotherhood of Andover missionaries and preachers, graduates of Amherst. Bowdoin, Dartmouth, Harvard,
REV. EPHRAIM ADAMS
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New York City University, Union College, the Universities of Vermont and Yale. It may be doubted if any other group of men has exerted a tithe of the beneficial influence upon the life of the state that was exerted by those earnest workers. The two oldest educational institutions in the State owe their inception and estab- lishment to the far-sighted plans and persistent self-sacrifice and promotion of Asa Turner and the lowa Band. It it not extravagant to presume that it was the emulation aroused by those apostles from New England that created the 'passion for education' among the pioneers of lowa, that resulted in the estab- lishment of the fifty academies, colleges and universities between 1838 and 1852. From this fact doubtless Iowa came to be known as the Massachusetts of the West.'
"The election of James W. Grimes, Governor of Iowa, in 1854, and the revolution in the political control of the state which that event signified, first attracted the attention of the nation to Iowa. Prior to that date Iowa was regarded with but little interest by the people of the northern states. She was looked upon as a solid democratic state and was grouped with Illinois and Indiana in the alignment of political parties in the contest over the extension of slavery. % "In the accomplishment of this political revolution, New England- ers, energized and led largely by members of the "Towa Band,' were conspicuous, if not the preponderant factors."
Reverend Adams remained with the Decorah church until 1872, when he resigned to take up missionary work, and until his health compelled him to cease his labors he was attached to the Iowa Home Missionary Society. Of that little band of fourteen he and Rev. William Salter of Burlington were the last sur- vivors. Reverend Adams and his wife, who was his efficient helper as well as beloved companion through a long and happy service, rest in Phelps cemetery, Decorah.
The Decorah church was subsequently served by Rev. H. B. Woodworth, for ten years. Rev. John Willard of Newtonville, Massachusetts, was called by the church in December, 1882, and assumed the pastorate early in 1883. For the past fifteen years or more Rev. Mahlon Willett has been pastor. Reverend Willett was a youth in the Congregational Sunday School when Reverend Adams was its pastor. After graduating from theological school he served an Illinois church for a short time, going from there to Texas, where he was pastor of the first White Congregational church in that state, and thence to California where he held long and successful pastorates in several parishes.
In 1895 a crisis faced the church. The building erected in 1860-61 had out- lived its expectancy. It was not merely an old structure-it was inadequate, and fears were entertained that it might fall, its walls having become badly cracked. Subsequent events proved these fears groundless, but the society decided the time had arrived when their steps must take one of two courses, and they chose the forward movement. A building committee was appointed and funds were solicited, resulting in the erection, at a cost of about sixteen thousand dollars, of the present edifice. The church was dedicated in February, 1896, and in many ways it is a model in its compactness, convertibility for large or small gatherings, comfort and beauty.
Two other Congregational churches were maintained at different times in the county. One at Burr Oak was ministered unto by Reverend Bent, father of
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George P. Bent. the Chicago piano maker, and a German church at Fort Atkinson for many years claimed Reverend Hess, father of Mrs. W. M. Strand of Decorah, as its pastor, but these churches were never strong and their congregations gradu- ally scattered.
THE EPISCOPM. CHURCH
Grace church is the only Episcopal organization in the county. Its existence traces back into the 'zos and for several years its services were held in the Con- gregational church, but in 1875 and 1876 the edifice on Broadway was built, and dedicated on March 14th. Its congregation has never been large, but its mem- bers have made up in faith what was lacking in numbers. Of its several rectors, Rev. F. J. Mynard, and Rev. Wellington MeVettie, the present incumbent, have been the most successful, and the church today is in a healthy and flourishing condition.
OTHER CHURCHES
The Friends and Presbyterians are cach represented by a congregation-the former at Hesper, where Rev. H. C. Carter is the pastor, and the latter at Frank- ville. At the time this sketch is being penned the Frankville church is without a pastor, but the society is maintained loyally.
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