The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 27

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 27

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Superintendent.

Surveyor.

Coroner.

County Attorney

1892 J. A. (rummer|Clel. Gilchrist 1893

H W. Bissell -

O. A. Pease

1894|J. A. Crummer Clel. Gilchrist

F. A. Malcolm

Frank Reyburn

F. L. Dinsmore

1895 64

1896|J. A. Crummer Clel. Gilchrist

F. A. Malcolm 66

Frank Reyburn

Wm. Hazlett

1898 John Ratcliff 1899 64

A. W. Davis

.. H. W. Bissell "

C. B. Lawrence

Wm. Hazlett

* Did not qualify.

+ Appointed.

# Died while in office.

sists of a senate and house of represent- years.

atives. The sessions of the General It will be perceived that during the Assembly are held biennially and con- past history of this county it has been vene in the capitol at Des Moines, on represented in the state senate by two the second Monday in January in each of its own citizens; Abram O. Garlock even-numbered year. Members of the in 1888-89, and Geo. W. Henderson, house of representatives must be 1894 to 1897. In the house it has been twenty-one years of age and are elect- represented by Robert Struthers, in ed for a term of two years. State sen- 1872 and 1873; James J. Bruce in 1886- ators must be twenty-five years of age 87; James Mercer, 1890-91, and M. E. and are elected for a term of four DeWolf, 1898-99.

F. L. Dinsmore

1897

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PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

IX 1

PIONEER PERIOD, 1855 TO1869-6THER IMPORTANT EVENTS

"As I sit in my home in the fire-light glow, Watching the shadows flit to and fro, My mind wanders back Over life's thorny track, To the bright golden days of long ago.

A feeling of sadness comes stealing along, And with it some strains of a dear old song, That calls from the shadowy past Visions of joy too sweet to last: How the years with their treasures roll swiftly along!"

PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, 1862 TO 1869.

HE first settlements in the southeast and northeast parts of the county previous to the year 1860, have already been noted; also the principal events of that and the previous years when the coun- ty was organized and the first court house built. All the proceedings of the county judges worthy of men- tion have also been noted and those of the board of supervisors during the year 1861.

NEWSPAPERS.

The Iowa Homestead, a weekly D. McEwen and J. J. Bruce were the farmers' journal, published in D.s proprietors. They received for this Moines in the early sixties by Mark work $237.00, and on Feb. 9, 1870, the Miller and later by G. Sprague, at $2.00 Journal was again selected to do the a year, was subscribed for by the county printing, including the pub- county board July 1, 1862; and this lication of the laws of the 13th Gen- subscription for the Homestead was eral Assembly that year.

continued until 1869. In 1870, the board subscribed for a copy of the Western Farm Journal and it was continued until 1877, when the custom of the board to subscribe for an agri- cultural paper seems to have been

abandoned.

The delinquent tax list, in 1862, was published by John F. Duncombe, at Fort Dodge for $130.00, and for sev- eral successive years by B F. Gue, at the same place.

In 1869, the county printing was done for the first time in a home pa- per by local parties. For that year the delinquent tax list, the proceed- ings of the board and the advertise- ments of the sale of the school lands of Des Moines, Clinton, Lizard and Powhatan townships, the only ones then organized, were printed in the Pocahontas Journal, of which Wm.

HONOR ROLL.

On June 6, 1863, by the appointment of

Edw. Hammond for Clinton Twp. Philip Russell Lizard

W. H. Hait

Des Moines "

215

PIONEER PERIOD.

an arrangement was made for the en- one pass it, a member of the compa- rollment of the militia of the county ny, Peter Bowers, was killed by falling which included all the able-bodied under the wheels in trying to board male citizens between the years of the train while in motion. With oth- eighteen and forty-five, who were not ers he had gone to get some ripe ap- exempt from military duty.

At their meeting held Jan. 2, 1865, the train was moving slowly from the the board agreed to pay a bounty of station when he returned.

$900 to each volunteer who would en-

At Washington the company found ter the army or navy of the United their tents, horses, bridles, saddles States, and the later records show and sabers awaiting them, and on De- cember 24th they passed to Annapo-

that Dennis Quigley and Thos. Quig- ley were recipients of this special lis, where they embarked on an old bounty. This volunteer bounty fund worn-out propeller-Pocahontas-and was raised by an assessment of four landed at Fortress Monroe. Here in mills on the dollar during the year of 1865. A soldiers' relief fund of two mills on the dollar had been raised for the benefit of those who had enlisted at the beginning of the war, namely:

A. H. Malcolm, Henry Cooper, Oscar Slosson, Henry Tilley, Chas. W. Jarvis, Hiram Evans, W. S. Fegles, John Gayler, Andrew Mills.

"For those true men who fought tolift Our country's banner high in air,

Wreaths of lilies we weave and bring Roses and star-eyed pansies fair."

During the war, Pocahontas county furnished eleven men, which was one-third of the able-bodied residents Gayler, trumpeter, and Sergeant A. of the county at the time. This was H. Malcolm, from Pocahontas county. her full quota and there was no need The company had been constantly en- of a resort to a draft.

Four of those named above, namely, A. H. Malcolm, Henry Cooper, Hiram Evans and Oscar Slosson enlisted at the same time-Sept. 2., 1861, at Fort Dodge-and became members of Co. A, 11th Pennsylvania Volunteers, un- der Captain Franklin A. Stratton, of Fort Dodge. This company went by stage to Cedar Falls, the nearest rail- road station, and in due season ar- rived at Dubuque where they were mustered in, September 21st, follow- ing.

ples from a tree near the railroad and

March, 1862, they witnessed the de- struction of the Congress and the grounding of the Minnesota by the rebel ram, "Merrimac," and its de- struction by the Monitor on the day following. Other places where the company was located were Norfolk, Suffolk, Gatesville, North Carolina; Windsor, Hanover Court House, York- town, Williamsburg, Gloucester and Petersburg. On September 20, 1864, only 37 of the 83 men comprising the company remained with it to be mus- tered out at Jones' Landing, and of this number were Henry Cooper, John

gaged doing scouting work in front of the rebel lines, and many had become victims of disease, died in rebel pris- ons or had fallen in conflicts with the enemy. Their return was via Bermu- da Hundred, Fortress Monroe (where they waited three days for their pay) and Baltimore.

FIRST TAX SALE.

The first instructions of the board to the assessors seem to have been given on Jan. 6, 1863, when the assess- ors of the three townships then or- ganized were directed to estimate the value of the taxable property of the county as follows:

On October 6th they were transport- ed via Chicago and Pittsburg to Wash- ington. At Newton Hamilton, Pa., Working oxen (pair) ... $25 00 to $50 00 where the train stopped to let another 3-yr-old steers. 12 00 " 18 00

216

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

Horses 15 00

Cows. 7 00 " 10 00 Real estate. 2 00 per acre

For the year 1864, this valuation was directed to be considerably higher, so that a pair of oxen should rate $40 to $80; 1-year-old steers, $6 to $10 each; horses. $15 to $100 each, and swine 50 cents to $1.50 a head. The land continued to be rated at $2.00 an acre until the last year of the period, (1869) when it was raised to $2.50 an acre.

The first sale of lands for the non- payment of taxes, seems to have oc- curred at the court house, May 15, 1862, under the direction of Michael Collins, county treasurer. At this sale a large number of lands were sold for delinquent taxes, and Pitt Cook was the principal purchaser. After the sale some doubts arose in regard to its legality, owing to the fact no warrant had been endorsed on the tax lists by the proper officers of the coun- ty to the treasurer, authorizing him to collect the taxes, and some of the previous owners threatened to com- mence legal proceedings against the treasurer of the county for the recov- ery of the lands. On March 3, 1863, the board of supervisors found it nec- essary to sign a bond of $10,000 to in- demnify the county treasurer before it was deemed advisable for him to dis- burse the funds received from this tax sale. Later, $62.08 was returned to Pitt Cook for lands erroneously sold, and to Caspar Rice were returned all funds received from him, with in- terest; and to Widow Washburn was restored the title to her lands, and in 1868 to E. G. Morgan, also.

HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES.

75 00 tion 24, Lizard township, westward to the Buena Vista county line.

The next year Jeremiah Young was appointed to locate the Des Moines river and Swan Lake road, commenc- ing at the northeast corner of the NW} Sec. 26, Des Moines township, and running west to intersect the Buena Vista county road as near Swan Lake as practicable. In the survey of this road Oscar I. Strong was assisted by Henry Thomas as car- rier. On the petition of Patrick Forey and others the Branch road was es- tablished extending from the Des Moines river to the north line of see- tion 1, Lizard township; thence to Lizard creek and thence on the near- est and most practicable route to the county road in Buena Vista county. This road was located by Henry Cooper and surveyed by O. I. Strong, assisted by Charles and Geo. W. Strong, chain carriers.

At the request of A. H. Malcolm and others, the same year a road was established, commencing at the north line of section 4, Des Moines town- ship, extending thence south to the quarter stake on the east line of sec- tion 28, thence east to the center of section 26, until it intersected the Des Moines river and Lizard road. A. H. Malcolm was appointed to view and locate this road and it was sur- veyed by Robert Struthers assisted by Oscar Slosson and Joseph Clason, chain carriers, and James Drown, axeman.

In 1867, the Clinton road was estab- lished at the request of Daniel W. Hunt and others, and it was located by Samuel N. Harris; and the next year the Barrett and Boyd road was

The first three county roads have established in Lizard township. This already been noted. During the lat- road was located by R. L. Sherman, ter part of this pioneer period a num- and surveyed by D. C. Russell assisted ber of new roads were laid out, of by John Price, axeman. The Pow- which the principal ones were as fol- hatan and Lizard road was es- lows: On Nov. 6, 1865, Hugh Collins tablished the same year at the re- was appointed to view and locate a quest of Daniel Thomas and others. road from the northeast corner of sec- It was located by B. L. Inman and

ORA HARVEY, Clinton Twp. Co. Supervisor, 1861-1868

MRS. ORA HARVEY

DAVID SLOSSON, First Co. Judge, Mar. 15 to Dec. 31, 1859. Co. Sup'v'r, 1861, 63-67, 70-71, 74-79.

ROMEYN B. FISH, County Supervisor, 1872-73

Bruce & McEwen's Store

Brick School House 1861

OLD ROLFE.

VIEW OF THE DES MOINES RIVER VALLEY LOOKING SOUTH-EAST FROM OLD ROLFE COURT HOUSE SITE. The barn at the left is W. H. Hait's; the timber belt is along the river and the horizon line is over in Humboldt County. Chas. E. Fraser, a Pocahontas County boy, appears in his rig.

217

PIONEER PERIOD.

surveyed by O. I. Strong assisted by speedy erection of these public im- E. J. and D. Strong.

In 1866, Henry Cooper and others were let there was no money in the petitioned for a road extending from county treasury to pay for them. The the south line of section 4, Des Moines funds were provided by voting township, so as to intersect the Fort a special three-mill tax in November, Dodge and Spirit Lake road, and 1862, for the Des Moines river bridge thence west to the west line of Pow- and a two and one-half mill tax, on hatan township. This road was lo- September 5, 1863, for the two bridges cated and surveyed by Henry Cooper over the Lizard, that cost $1,396. The and it was known as the Coopertown whole number of votes polled at this road.

In 1869, the Depot road was estab- twenty-three of them were for the lished in Lizard township at the re- special levy.

quest of H. B. Vaughn, and it was lo- cated by E. V. Brown.

In 1862 arrangements were made for the erection of three important bridges-one over the Des Moines river, by W. H. Hait, and two over the Lizard, one by Charles Kelley and the other over the north fork by Mi- chael Morissey. The two latter were inspected by Robert Struthers, and his report, which was spread upon the records, shows the discriminating judgment and sterling integrity of that worthy pioneer. His report was as follows:

MILTON, Jan. 2, 1866. TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS:

GENTLEMEN-According to appoint- ment, I did visit on the 15th day of July, 1865, the two bridges built over the Lizard. I found the one built by Charles Kelly complete, but the other one was very imperfect both as re- gards material and workmanship.

ROBERT STRUTHERS.

On October 18, 1865, Messrs. Elijah D. Seeley, Charles Campbell and Wm. D. McEwen reported favorably on the completion of the bridge built over the Des Moines river by W. H. Hait.

The dates of these reports indicate that these public improvements moved slowly in those days. It was the pe-

provements. When these contracts

last election was twenty-four, and

During the sixties two other bridges were built, one by W. H. Hait, over Pilot creek in 1865, at a cost of $250; and one by Charles Kelley, over the Lizard, and inspected by W. H. Hait, Robert Struthers and Jas. McCaskey. In the last year of this period (1869) provision was made for the erection of a number of bridges. Thomas L. MacVey was appointed to view the ground and prepare the specifications for one where the Branch road crossed Pilot creek, near the home of D. W. Hunt, and another one over Beaver creek, where it is crossed by the line of section 27, Des Moines township. The latter was erected by Henry Jarvis, for $167.00. Andrew Jackson built one over the Big Slough on the Branch road and another one on the Swan Lake road where it crossed the Liz- ard, each of them costing $175.00. J. C. VanNatta built one over Beaver creek on the North Branch road for $255.00. Contracts were also made with Michael Wiese for the erection of two bridges over the Lizard, one on the Depot road for $445 and the other on the Barrett and Boyd road for $425.00.

In 1867, the fourth member was riod of the war when public attention added to the board of supervisors, was directed to the scene of conflict, Nunda (now Powhatan) township be- and every available man had enlisted. ing represented. On June 6th, Galu- It was also the period of hard times sha Parsons, of Fort Dodge, was em- and there was not to be found either ployed as an attorney for the county the men or the money to secure the at a salary of $25.00 a year. The dis-

218

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

trict attorney at this time lived in ed the act allowing a county bounty Dickinson county. The first fees for on wolves, but before this act was services as constable seem to have passed, Wm. L. Clason and Richard been paid this year to Joseph Clason Chatfield each reported the capture of who received $1.00 for services ren- two wolves that day.

dered under the direction of the dis- coroners to receive compensation

On Jan. 4, 1869, the board agreed to trict court. The first of the county give a bounty of $3.00 each for wolves caught in this county. On the next seems to have been John H. Johnson, day, however, when it was known of Lizard township, who received that O. F. Avery, of Humboldt county, $16.90 for services in 1869. The salary but county superintendent in 1861, of the sheriff in 1864 was $20.00; in 1869 was in town with seventeen wolf it was raised to $50.00 and in 1870 to scalps, the board hastily rescinded its $100.00. The salary of the county su- action of the previous day and gave perintendent from 1868 to 1870 av- him a warrant for the state bounty at eraged $100.00 a year. The salary of $1.00 each. The other recipients of the double office of treasurer and re- the state bounty that year were Rich- corder in 1864 was $840; the next ard Chatfield, Wm. L. and Henry year these offices were separated, and Clason.

in 1870 the salary of the treasurer was fixed at $1000, and that of the auditor at $800.

WOLF BOUNTY.

UNITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

The first religious services held in Pocahontas county were conducted by Rev. David S. McComb, of Algona, who, visiting the northeast part of

On Nov. 15, 1864, the board agreed to give a bounty of $2.00 each for wolf this county in the spring of 1859, or- scalps in addition to the $1.00 provid- ed by the state. Those who were re- cipients of this wolf bounty in 1865,

ganized the Unity Presbyterian church with a membership consisting of the following persons: Mr. and Mrs. were Wm. Ilarris for one and Charles Robert Struthers, of Pocahontas coun- Kelley for two scalps. In 1866, Joseph ty; Mr. and Mrs. John McCormack, Sr., Clason received $21.00 for five scalps. Thomas and John McCormack, Jr., Some of these were timber and others Mr. and Mrs. Carter, Mr. and Mrs. were prairie wolves, and two of them Samuel McClellan, of Palo Alto coun- were claimed to be a cross between the timber and prairie wolf, and for these two he received $5.00 each.

ty; Mr. and Mrs. Seth G. Sharp and Mrs. Hannah Evans, of Humboldt county, and Mr. and Mrs. Edward

On Jan. 8, 1867, the board increased McNight. At the time of its organ- the bounty on wolves to $5.00 each, ization John McCormack, Sr., John and the recipients that year were McCormack, Jr., and S. G. Sharp were Joseph Clason, $25.00; David J. Bishop, appointed elders, and a little later $5.00; Richard Chatfield, $10.00 and Joseph Clason was added to their Samuel Bowman, $6.00 for six swifts. number. Others who served in this The swift was an animal having the capacity during the later years of this color and habits of a small fox, but organization were Robert Lothian, with a darker head, more slender form James Dean, Robert Struthers and and swifter movement. The prairie Robert Anderson.

wolf was a little larger and darker in

The services were held once in two color than the coyote and the timber weeks and at the homes of the settlers. wolf was about twice as large as the A frequent place of meeting was the prairie wolf.

cabin of Edward McNight, a settler

On Feb. 29, 1868, the board rescind- from Pennsylvania, who in 1856 had

219

PIONEER PERIOD.

erected a substantial log cabin in the Dubuque, Maquoketa and Delaware grove of natural timber near the county, in 1856 he located at Algona, county line on the eastward curve of then a mere hamlet, where he organ- the Des Moines river, now known as ized a church. In October, 1861, he McNight's Point. As soon as it was was elected county judge of Kossuth ready for occupancy in 1860, the court county for one year. He was the first house at Old Rolfe became the regu- moderator of the Presbytery of Fort lar place of meeting and later the Dodge, November 2, 1865. In 1868 he brick school house when it was com- located on a homestead in Palo Alto

REV. DAVID S. McCOMB,

The pioneer preacher of Pocahontas County. Pastor of Unity Presbyterian Church, Old Rolfe, 1859 to 1871.

pleted in 1861.

county, one mile west of Rodman, Rev. David S. McComb ministered where he died June 12, 1888. As a to this congregation nearly thirteen minister he was always very prompt years, 1859 to 1871. He was a native in meeting his appointments. In of Washington county, Pa., a gradu- storm and wind as well as sunshine he ate of Jefferson college and Allegheny was seeking out the destitute and Theological seminary. He was or- bringing to them the tidings of the dained in 1841 and four years later gospel. So fearless was he in his work came to Iowa where he spent a life- that riding in a severe gale to meet long service in pioncer missionary one of his appointments, he lost the work. After pastorates in Oskaloosa, sight of one of his eyes. Of this pio-

220

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

neer preacher it may be said: the most formidable and frightful "This man never preached for money, looking animals in the world when ex- If he did he never got it; He had faults and many virtues, He was conscientious and devoted, Persevering and determined. cited to resistance; his long, shaggy mane hung in great profusion over his neck and shoulders and often ex- Long his name will be remembered." tended quite down to the ground. The cow was less in stature and less ferocious, but just about as wild and frightful in her appearance.

Other pastors who served this Unity church were Mr. Hugh McGuire, in 1872; Rev. Walter L. Lyons, three years, 1873 to 1875; Mr. F. F. Young, a In noting the large boulders in this student of Park college, two years, county a reference was made to the 1876 to 1878, and Lyman C. Gray, two supposed "buffalo wallow" at the base years, 1879 and 1880. At this date the of the one in Lincoln township. An new town of Rolfe was located in account of these old landmarks is now Clinton township, the place of meet- appropriate.

ing was changed and a new organiza- tion being effected known as the Sec- ond Presbyterian church of Rolfe, the former organization known as the Unity Presbyterian church, after an existence of twenty-one years, became obsolete.

THE LAST BUFFALO CHASE.

The buffalo, that noble specimen of the ox species, that once grazed in al- most countless numbers on these beautiful prairies, afforded the red man abundance of meat, and so much did he prefer it to all others while it was available, that deer, elk and other smaller kinds of game were left to sport upon the prairies undisturbed, unless their hides were needed for dress or tent coverings. The buffalo, or more properly speaking, the bison, is a noble animal and it once roamed over the vast prairies from the borders of Mexico on the south to Hudson's bay on the north. Their size was somewhat larger than that of common cattle and their flesh, which had a de- licious flavor resembling and equaling that of fat beef, furnished the sav- ages of these vast regions a wholesome and substantial element of food upon which they sometimes lived almost exclusively; while their hides, horns, hoofs and bones were utilized for clothing, tenting and the construction of bows, shields and ornaments. The male when fully grown, was one of

Like a "buffalo in his wallow," is an old adage that had a very signifi- cant meaning to those who have seen the male buffalo perform his ablutions, or rather cool his heated sides in the warmer weather by tumbling about in a mud puddle.

In the heat of summer these huge animals, that no doubt suffer great discomfort from the profusion of their long and shaggy hair, while grazing on the low grounds or sloughs on the prairies where there is a little stand- ing water upon the surface and the ground underneath is soft, lowered upon one knee will plunge first their horns and then their head, shoving out the earth and making an excava- tion in the ground into which the water filters from the surrounding surface and forms for them a cool and comfortable bathing place into which they plunge like a pig in the mire. Into this delightful laver the buffalo throws himself flat upon his side and forcing himself violently around, with his horns and huge hump on his shoul- ders he continues to plow up the ground by a rotary motion and sinks himself deeper and deeper by the con- stant enlargement of the place until he becomes nearly immersed.

"Oft in the full descending flood he tries,

To lose the scent and lave his burn- ing sides."

221

PIONEER PERIOD.

It is generally the leader of the herd was the first to see this one in the dis- that makes the wallow, and when he tance. On going to milk the cows at has cooled his sides in the water and the barn in the morning before break- mud mixed into a perfect mortar that fast she found them missing, and completely changes his color, he comes viewing the country around to see forth a walking mass of dripping, where they were, her eye fell on a black mortar-a hideous monster of strange looking object capering on a mud and ugliness too frightful and ec- little knoll on section 22, about one centric to describe.

and one-half miles northwest of the

One wallow served for a herd, and court house, that awakened her sur- when the leader came forth from it prise. Mr. Hait was in the court house at this time, and when he re- turned home for breakfast and his at- tention was called to it he recognized it as a buffalo.

another and another stood ready to enjoy this luxury until the entire herd had their turn, each adding a little to its size and carrying away an equal share of the dirty, black mortar. These wallows were often left fifteen to twenty feet in diameter and two feet deep; and when filled with vege- table deposits through the lapse of years they have yielded an unusual growth of grass and herbage in circu- lar form that has attracted the atten- tion of the traveler and awakened his curiosity .*

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The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 27

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