The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 105

Author: Flickinger, Robert Elliott, b. 1846
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Fonda, Iowa, G. Sanborn
Number of Pages: 1058

USA > Iowa > Pocahontas County > The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 105

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she married Robert S. Frost, a vet- eran of the civil war, and located in Swan Lake township. She died at 72 in 1890. She was one of nature's noble - women whose heart beat in sympathy with the sorrows of mankind and her hand was ready to relieve them. She exerted an angelic influence and the ranged annually from $25,000 to $30,- world was made better by her humble 000 before the fire, has since increased to as high as $85,000 in a single year. and kind ministries.

John Pettit, a son, who in 1879 lo- cated on sec. 19, was a trustee of the handle poultry, but only on a small township in 1880-83, and R. S. Frost scale. In 1894 they secured the serv- was president of the school board '85- ices of Alva Marshall, an expert cap- 87 and 90. He was the last mail car- onizer, (p.763) as an experiment. Not rier on the route from Pocahontas to yet being familiar with the best meth- Sioux Rapids, 1880-82.

Hakes, Montague (b. 1858) senior member of the firm of Hakes Bros., Laurens, is a native of Jones county, Iowa, where he was raised on a farm. In 1880 he graduated from the scien- made no effort to secure any trade tific department of the State Agri- outside of Laurens and vicinity, and cultural College at Ames. During the they shipped annually about three next four years he was in the employ carloads of dressed fowls. of a railroad construction company Previous to 1897 their poultry trade and worked on the Oregon Short Line was managed as a sort of necessary in Idaho, the Denver, South Park & adjunct to their mercantile business. Pacific in Colorado, and the extension During that year, however, they de- of the B. C. R. & N. Ry. to Water- cided to greatly enlarge its scope, as a town, S. D.

In December 1884 he married Hat- tie L. Arnold of Marion, Iowa, and in January 1885 located at Laurens, where he has since been engaged as a dealer in general merchandise and poultry.

In the fall of 1885 they began to

ods of dressing and handling all kinds of poultry, they employed that year, to manage this part of the work, A. R. Loomas of Fort Dodge. During that and the next two years they

means of benefiting the farmers and for profit, and began to solicit patron- age in other communities. In 1900 they had extended their trade to all the towns on the C. & N. W. Ry. from Humboldt to Hawarden and to many of the new towns along the C. R. I. & P. railway. They built that year,

G. J. Hakes, his father, was first as- sociated with him in the business un- along the Northwestern track, a large

780

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

establishment for handling and dress- Herrick, Alpha (b. 1823; d. 1898), who in 1870 located just across the line in Buena Vista county, was a ing poultry, that has a storage capac- ity sufficient to hold twenty car loads of dressed poultry and sheds for many native of Allegany county, N. Y. At thousands of live fowls. Since 1897 an early age he moved with his par- they have dealt extensively during the ents to Massachusetts and at nineteen summer seasons in live poultry and located in Chautauqua county, N. Y. their annual shipments of this pro- Here in 1847 he married Ruth, daught- duct have ranged from fifteen to fifty er of Asa and Eliza Comstock. H car loads. Their poultry trade gives located in Houston county, Minn., in constant employment to ten men and 1858, in eastern Iowa in 1868, and on a to thirty-five during the busy periods homestead, just across the line in of the year. The value of the poultry Buena Vista county in 1870. The

product handled annually ranges now large grove he planted was the first one in a large section of the country from $75,000 to $100,000. These results serve to illustrate what may be and became a well known land mark. achieved by intelligent effort. The His commodious and comfortable enterprise of these men has made the home was famed far and wide for its town of Laurens the attractive center of the poultry trade in a large section of country. ever open portals, where the weary traveler always received a friendly greeting and cordial hospitality. He was an honest, honorable and con- scientious man, a thorough and suc cessful farmer. After a residence of twenty-five years on the farm Mr. and Mrs. Herrick moved to Laurens. He died at 75 in 1898 at Humboldt.

Montague Hakes was associated with Charles J. Bovee in the lumber and coal business at Laurens from 1892 to 1900. He was one of the first coun- cilmen at Laurens and served as a member of that body five years, 1890- 94. In 1891 he was the democratic

His family consisted of four sons nominee for representative from this and three daughters. Charles E., in 76th district.

His family consists of four children, Byron G. A., Karl M., Ledgard B., and Leland Paul.

1880 located in Washington township and is now a resident of Marathon. Frederic G. and Alonzo L. live at Humboldt. Nettie married J. E. Metcalf and lives at Storm Lake, Ida a teacher, married Eri D. Anderson, Laurens. Naomi, a teacher, who be- came the wife of Frank G. Thornton, and Florence E. are both dead.

Hakes, James R. (b. 1868) junior member of the firm of Hakes Bros., is a native of Jones county, Iowa, where he received a good common school ed- ucation. In May 1885 he located at Laurens and worked for his father in The golden wedding of Mr. and Mrs. the store until Jan. 1, 1890 when he Alpha Herrick was celebrated at the became his successor as a partner in home of their daughter, Mrs. Eri D. the store, since known as Hakes' Bros. Anderson, Laurens, Sept. 18, 1897. He was treasurer of the Laurens school board in 1896 and has been a member of the town council during the last four years, 1899-02.

Hughes, Jared (b. 1843), carpenter and mail carrier, Laurens, is a native of Ontario, Canada. In 1852 he came with his parents to Cedar county, where on Aug. 16, 1862, he enlisted as a member of Co. D. 33rd Iowa, and continued in the service until the

In 1889 he married Gertrude E. Iowa, and in 1861 to Marshall county, Arnold of Marion, Iowa, and has three children, James Russell L. Catherine M. and Nona Caroline.

781

SWAN LAKE TOWNSHIP

close of the war, serving under Gener- official member of the Christian als Grant and Sherman in the 14th church and served three years-Jan. 1 Army Corps, and passing through 1890 to May 31, 1893-under Harrison's Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, Ar- administration, as postmaster at kansas, Louisiana and Alabama. In Laurens. 1866 he married Mary C. Williams and In 1883, during his residence at Holstein, he married Mary C. Venard of Muscatine county, and his family consists of three children, Roy A., Milo L., and Coral Amanda. worked at carpentering. In 1880 he located on the Pease homestead on sec. 30, Swan Lake township, and oc- cupied it until 1888, when he became a resident of Laurens. He has made bee culture a subject of special study and in 1898 had a fine apiary contain- ing 48 colonies.

Stephen D. Johnson, his brother, who was associated with him in business became proprietor of the Adams Hotel and restaurant in 1901.

Kreul, Christian Fred (b. 1858) senior member of the firm of Kreul Bros., Laurens, is a native of Wiscon- sin, the son of J. F. and Margaret (Schmahlenberger) Kreul. In 1883 he married Emma Munns and continued to work at his trade as a blacksmith. In 1884 he came to Laurens and by the erection of a small blacksmith shop laid the foundation for the large establishment now occupied by the

Ross C. is a carpenter and Carl a Kreul Bros (p. 765). He is the owner telegraph operator. The others are of a fine residence at Laurens and has Leona, a Laurens graduate in 1899, taken an active part in the manage- Roy and Logan E.

Johnson, George T. (b. 1859) iner- chant, Laurens, is a native of Musca- tine county, Iowa, the son of Alexan- der and Nancy Ann Johnson, who were natives of Ireland and Indiana, respectively. He remained at home on the farm until he was of age and completed his education at Wilton Academy. In 1882 he went to Hol- stein, Ida county, and engaged in the lumber business. In 1886 he located at Laurens and engaged in the sale of general merchandise. He rebuilt after the great fire of 1898 and contin- ued in the mercantile business until the close of the year 1901,

ment of municipal affairs, having served eight years as a member of the town council and two years, 1898-99, as president of the board of education.

His family consists of four children, Albert A., Mattie L. Elgin A. and Mary C.

Kreul, Henry August (b. Wis. 1860) came to Laurens in 1885 and three years later became a partner with his brother Christian. He is an excellent workman and has contributed much to- ward effecting the enlargement and promoting the efficiency of their large smithing and manufacturing estab- lishment.

Kreul, George R. a younger broth-

He was a member of the Laurens town council from the time of its in- er of C. F. came to Laurens in 1888 corporation in 1890 until 1898 and has and learned the smithing trade with served many years ag a member of the his brothers, In 1895 he became a board of education. He has been an member of the firm of Winsor &

Feb. 1, 1902 he became the mail carrier on rural route No. 1, south of Laurens, at a salary of $500.

His family consisted of six children.

Ralph E., a pharmacist, after grad- uating from the chemical department of Highland Park College, Des Moines, in 1889 graduated from the College of Pharmacy, Chicago, and has since filled a position in Dr. Carroll's drug store, Laurens.

782

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

Kreul, blacksmiths, Laurens, and in cieving the official patronage of Poca- the fall of 1900 moved to Pacahontas hontas county, He endeavored to where he is still engaged in the smith- give to the paper a high moral tone and did not hesitate to rebuke local

ing business.

In the fall of 1894 he married Ros- evils with considerable severity. He strongly opposed the saloon, and on that issue was elected mayor of Lau- rens four successive terms.

anna F. Fuller, a teacher. She has been for several years the secretary of the Pocahontas County Sunday School Association.

In 1900 he entered the law depart- ment of the Iowa State University and, graduating from it in 1902, lo- cated at Apache, and in 1903 at Anadarko, Oklahoma, where he is now engaged in the practice of law.

Lange, Louie E. (b. 1861), founder and editor of the Pocahontas County Sun, 1885 to 1900, spent fifteen of the best years of his early life at Laurens. He came to the town when it was new and connected it with the read- In December 1885 he married Lillie Olive Jennings, a native of Illinois and then teaching school in Clay county. She died at 27 in 1890, having previously sustained the loss of two little children. ing public by establishing the Poca- hontas County Sun, (p. 768) May 15, 1885, Finding that the patronage at first was not sufficient to support the paper he taught the Laurens public school four years, 1886 to 1889: and McNee, William Alexander (b. 1861) cashier of the First National Bank, served as postmaster from Jan. 1, 1893. to Oct. 1, 1897. As a candidate for Laurens, is a native of Benton county the postoffice during the last adminis- where he received his early education tration of President Cleveland, . he in the public schools. Later he at- received the unanimous endorsement tended the academies at Vinton of the people and a cordial recog- and Blairstown. He left the farm nition on the part of those who stood at twenty-one and, becoming a tele- nearest the throne. In the fall of graph operator for the C. & N. W. 1895 he was elected a member of the Ry. Company, served as an agent board of county supervisors, but re- for that company at several of the signed after serving one year.

stations from. Tama to Hawarden on the Toledo and Northwestern Branch of their road. In 1887 he was trans- ferred to the station at Laurens. In 1889 he resigned this position in order that he might become an assistant in the bank then established of which he has been the cashier since its organi- zation as a national bank in 1891. He has served as clerk of Swan Lake township and treasurer of Laurens several years, and as the first recorder of Laurens thirteen years, 1890-1902.

He was well qualified for the work of teaching and rendered acceptable and efficient service as postmaster and supervisor, but it was as editor of the Sun that he became most widely known, exerted the strongest influence and will be longest remem- bered. He was not discouraged in the day of small things, when a contem- porary jokingly suggested that an ap- propriate name for the paper would be "The Laurens Lantern, " because it was a little light that shined in a barn; and when after fifteen years he 1n 1899 he married Emma Wiss of Laurens and his family consists of one son, Lawrence W. relinquished it, he had the satisfac; tion of seeing it occupy a large sun- shiny office, supplied with a complete Metcalf, Abraham (b. 1843; d. modern printing equipment and re- 1902), was a native of Belmont county,

783

SWAN LAKE TOWNSHIP

O., and at seven came with his par- youngest, having died at fifteen, in ents to Illinois. At the outbreak of 1902. the civil war he enlisted in an Illinois regiment, but was soon afterwards transferred to Co. I. 8th Kansas, and served four years and four months.

In 1864, while home on a furlough, he married Martha Sturdivan of Illi- nois, and in 1870 located in Powe- shiek county, where he remained eight years. He then lived five years

in Missouri, five years in Nebraska, Grinnell and later completed a com- and 1888 located in Swan Lake town- ship, where he died at 58 in 1902. He was a member of the M. E. church and left a family of six children, Frank C., William B., Albert I., Net- tie E. (Mrs. Sparks), Charles S., and Mary P. (Mrs. Ashmore).

Murphey, Otto Maynard, (b. 1855.) general merchant, Laurens, is a native of Indiana. In his boyhood he moved with his parents to Des Moines, Iowa, where he grew to man- hood. He then located at Stuart, where he became a clerk in a store, and in 1880 married Mary E. Weils. He spent five years in the state of mer. Washington. In 1895 he located in son, Muriel.

Laurens, where he has since been en- gaged in the sale of general merchan- dise. He carries a large and varied assortment of goods and his store- room always presents a bright and an attractive appearance. He is a liber- al supporter of his home paper, by making generous use of its columns to announce to the public the arrival of new or special goods in anticipation of approaching seasons. He is a mem- ber of the city school board and an elder in the church of Christ. He has become widely and favorably known over the county by his active inter- est in the Pocahontas County Sunday School Association, having served as secretary of it one year and president of it two years.

Noah, Milton M., (b. 1861), mayor of Laurens in 1902, is a native of Rock Island county, Ill., the son of Peter and Mary A. (Sturdivan) Noah. In 1865 he moved with his parents to Poweshiek county, Iowa, and lived there the next twenty-two years. After receiving a good common school course he attended Iowa college at

mercial course at Iowa City. In 1887 he located at Laurens and was engaged as a dealer in stock and proprietor of a meat market until 1902 when he became a dealer in general merchan- dise. He has acquired the reputation of being a good judge of live stock and the possessor of many of the qualifications of a good business man. There has been accorded to him the honor of serving as president of the Lanrens school board six . years, 1893- 96 and 1901-02, and of serving as mayor of the city five years, 1896-99 and 1902.

In 1890 he married Emma M. Ham- She died in 1901 leaving one

Shoemaker, Jacob P. (b. 1855.), hardwareman, Laurens, is a native of Muncy, Pa. In 1866 he came with his parents to Cedar county, Iowa. In May, 1882, accompanied by his brother, H. P. Shoemaker, both single, . he came to Laurens, where they bought lots, built the fourth business house in the town and opened a hardware store. His brother in 1885 married Mattie Bellinger and in 1888 moved to Nebraska. In 1891 Mr. Shoemaker took in Eri D. Anderson as a partner, another building was erected on an adjoining lot and it was supplied with a stock of furniture. Both of these buildings and their stocks of goods were distroyed by the fire of 1898. Later that year they were replaced by

His family consists of two children, brick buildings and .Messrs. Shoe- Charles A. and Nellie; Francis, the maker & Anderson continued in the

784

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

furniture and hardware business un- was one of beautiful trust in God and til 1901 when E. D. Anderson with- she exemplified in a happy manner drew and the furniture business was the Christian graces of patience, kind- sold to T. D. Landon. The hardware ness and loye. store of Mr. J. P. Shoemaker is one of His family consisted of three chil- dren: the oldest business enterprises in Laurens and he carries a stock of goods so large and well assorted that every customer finds here just what he wants.

Jessie F. (b. 1859) in 1882 married W. H. English, a traveling salesman, lives at Fremont, Neb., and has four chil- dren, Grace, Wallace, Nellie and Wil- lard.

Edwin H. (b. 1862) a harness maker, in 1886 married Bertha B. Burnett and located at Laurens, where he still works at his trade. He is the owner of several properties at Lau- rens and a farm of 80 acres in Dover township. He has two children, Vin- cent and Archie B.

Fred J. (b. 1870). also a harness sylvania and was married in 1848. In maker located at Pocahontas, where 1866 the family moved to Cedar coun- he acquired considerable promin- ty, Iowa, where her husband died in ence by serving several terms as a June 1900. Their family consisted of justice of the peace. He married Maggie, Ella, Jacob, Harry, Anna Bessie G. Wallace and has two chil- and Lizzie.

dren, Mabel and Verne.

Southworth, Joseph (b. 1832.), Laurens, is a native of new Jersey. In 1856 he came with his parents to Boden, North Dakota.

In 1902 Fred and family and his father, Joseph Southworth, moved to

Buchanan county, Iowa, where in 1858

Strouse, John, (b. 1803; d. 1886.) he married Augusta Hayes (b. 1834.), one of the early pioneers of Swan a native of New Brunswick, and en- Lake township, was a native of Penn- gaged in farming. In 1876 with a sylvania. In I826 at Terre Haute, family of three children, he came to Ind., he married Mary Reed (b. 1806; Pocahontas county and located on the d. 1881.) and locating on a farm lived Osborn homestead, on the net sec. 18, there until 1844, when he moved to Dover township. He improved and Milford, Iroquois county, III. In 1865. occupied this farm until 1888, when accompanied by his two sons, Al- he moved to Fonda and four years pheus and John B. and their families, later to Laurens. He has frequently

he moved to Drakesville, Davis coun- supported the candidates of the pro- ty Iowa. In the fall of 1875 he bought hibition party, but in recent years and located on 204 acres of land on has been a republican. He has been sec. 16, south and west of Swan Lake . a life-long worker in the M. E. church in Swan Lake township, on which and respect for his excellent judg- Alexander McEwen had erected new ment has enabled him to exert a buildings that spring. After a few potent influence in every community years he gave his farm to his son, Al- in which he has lived. The amiable pheus. In 1876 he built a new house companion of his wedded life died at near the residence of his son, John B. 00 in 1001 at Pocahontas. Hor life Strouse, with whom he had previously

Mr. Shoemaker is a republican and has rendered efficient service as a member of the town council a number of years. In 1883 he married Mollie S. Fisher, now occupies one of the good residences in Laurens and has one son, Horatio N.

His mother, Elizabeth P .. wife of Horatio N. Shoemaker died at his home, December 12, 1902, at the age of 76 years. She was a native of Penn-

785

SWAN LAKE TOWNSHIP.

lived, and occupied it until his decease nearest house being that of Samuel at 83 in 1886. In 1890 his wife moved Booth in Powhatan, thirteen miles to the home of her son, John B., at east. The trapper's hotel, which he Madrid and died there the next year first occupied as a dwelling place for at 85.

his family, had been built of logs 11x-

Strouse, John B. (b. 1837.), younger 12 feet and five feet high at the eaves. son of John Strouse, and first settler The roof was covered with clapboards of Swan Lake township, was a native and dirt, and the weeds grew upon it of Indiana. In 1863 he married four feet high. It had no windows, Cynthia J. Peed, at Milford, Ill., and the floor was the soil of Mother Earth remained there one year. He then and the entrance was closed with a moved to Davis county, Iowa. In blanket. On his return from Warren May 1869, accompanied by his brother- county he was pleasantly surprised to in-law, Isaac W. Peed, he set out in a find that, though others had enjoyed lumber wagon to find a home in the it during his absence, his provisions northwest territory. On June 14th had been left undisturbed and a note following he camped on the shores of was left on the table that read, "We Swan Lake. A beautiful skirting of are much obliged for the improve- timber, on the east and south banks ment, all is well."

of Swan Lake made its shores an at- Having frequent occasion to share tractive resting place and favorite the hospitality of this humble log camping ground to those who journey- cabin with those who were constantly ed,east and west. Here he found a passing, later that season he erected a

little log cabin called Hotel," and he and Peed began to oc- "Trappers' frame house 14x16 feet and 6 feet high at the eaves. The frame lumber for cupy it, as it was vacant at that sea- this building was obtained from logs son of the year. Here they met two hauled from the banks of Swan Lake prospective settlers, Church and Col- to the mill at Sioux Rapids, and the lins, who went with Peed to the land other materials were hauled from

office at Sioux City, to secure their Fort Dodge. In this building he fur. claims while Strouse went to Fort nished hotel accommodations as good Dodge for provisions. When they re- as he could to the throngs of people turned from these long journeys it that were constantly passing east and was found that only two claims were west on the mail route to Sioux available. Peed secured a homestead Rapids. This humble hostelry was on sec. 14, Strouse the net sec. 16, located about midway between the which included the hotel, and the settlements along the Des Moines and other men left for the eastern part of Little Sioux rivers and as many as the state.

sixty wagons camped at the same time

A few days later Strouse left his in his grove.

July 5, 1872 his house and its con-

goods consisting of a cook stove, a table, some flour, meat and potatoes tents were entirely consumed by a fire in the hotel, and returned with Peed that originated from a defective flue. to Warren county. Returning with It was immediately replaced by a his family and other household goods larger and better one that was con- he arrived at his frontier home on the sumed by an incendiary fire in April east bank of Swan Lake, July 7, 1869, 1877, when he was on a trip to the and thus became the first settler in grist mill at Rutland. This fire oc- Swan Lake township. curred at midnight and consumed also

The entire country in that section his barn and other outbuildings.

was then an uninhabited waste, the

These repeated and serious losses

786

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

by fire and the slow progress of the Indianola. Ia., 1868), Frank (b. Dec. 31 settlement led him to seek an older 1870), the first child born in Swan Lake community, and in November that township, Noah M , Ann and Wilbur year he moved to Madrid, and in 1900 M. to Luther, Iowa.

Lee in 1887 graduated from the Eclectic Medical Institute in Cincin-

His family consisted of eight chil- nati, O., and has since been engaged dren, Lee (b. Ill., 1863), Mary (b. in the practice of medicine at Coving- Davis Co. Ia., 1865), John W. (b. Cal- ton, Ky. low, Mo., 1867), Montgomery C. (b ..

SAMUEL H. GILL.

DR. DAVID NOWLAN.

JAMES C. STRONG AND FAMILY, HAVELOCK. MARY E., ALVA A., JASON F., MYRTLE L., MRS. STRONG, MR. STRONG, WILLIAM A.

PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDING, HAVELOCK.

RESIDENCE OF SAMUEL H. GILL. HAVELOCK, (MRS. GILL IS ON THE STEPS.)

XXVII.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.

" 'Tis splendid to live so grandly, That long after you are gone, The things you did are remembered, And recounted under the sun; To live so bravely and so purely, That a nation stops on its way,

And once a year, with banner and drum, Keeps its thoughts of your natal day." -MARGARET E. SANGSTER.

Talent develops itself in solitude; character in the stream of life .- GOETHE.

GENERAL FEATURES.

one. These streams furnish a good supply of running water.

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The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 105

Author: Flickinger, Robert Elliott, b. 1846 Publication date: 1904 Publisher: Fonda, Iowa, G. Sanborn Number of Pages: 1058

Author: Flickinger, Robert Elliott, b. 1846
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: Fonda, Iowa, G. Sanborn
Number of Pages: 1058