The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 28

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 28

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The chief hunting amusement of the Indians consisted in the chase of the buffalo which was almost invariably done on horseback with bow and ar- row. Mounted on his little wild horse, which had also been caught on the prairies and trained for the chase, without bit or bridle the Indian dash- ed off at a full speed for the herd, and when alongside his game, sent his deadly arrows to their hearts from the back of his pony.

And now the morning sun ascends the sky, The armed hunters after the buffalo hie. -VIRGIL.

On August 20, 1863, the last buffalo seen in Pocahontas county was chased and killed by W. H. Hait assisted by Orlando Slosson, Robinson Gordon and Abiel Stickney.

Mr. Hait hurriedly partook of some breakfast and then began to prepare for the chase by summoning to his as- sistance the men named above. Three things were needed-fleet horses, good weapons and ammunition. In the court house there were some old Springfield army muskets, but there was no ammunition suited for them. The only ammunition available was in the form of some little cartridges for a small (No. 32) revolver owned by Mr. Hait. As it was deemed advisa- ble that each man should have a load- ed weapon, the muskets were loaded as best they could be with that kind of ammunition, and while Mr. Hait took his revolver, each of his assist- ants was armed with a musket. Un- fortunately suitable horses were as scarce as the weapons, there being but one horse available that could run as fast as a buffalo. Happily this one belonged to Mr. Hait, and he mounted it while the others took such as they could get. Thus equipped. "They to the buffalo's pursuit,

With spurring put their horses to it; And, till all four were out of wind And their game captured, never looked behind. "*

As the buffalo was capering with

Mrs. Charles Jarvis, whose husband manifest enjoyment, they did not plan that year was running Mr. Hait's to flank or surround him, but started sawmill and with her living in his off in high glee expecting to give him home, and now a resident of Bradgate, a general broadside that would lay *George Catlin, in North American Indians. * Hudibras.

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PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

him low; but when they had proceeded oppressive heat by running in a west- a short distance the buffalo perceived erly direction to the center of a large them and avoided the broadside by slough. All the men now realized the quitting his capering, turning tail danger connected with their under- and speeding away in a northwesterly taking. The retreat of the buffalo direction. The chase was now begun was a source of great relief, affording with all possible earnestness, each them time to reload their weapons hunter urging his steed to make his and give their exhausted steeds a few utmost speed.

moments of greatly needed rest.

Mr. Hait, who was riding a horse The battle after this point took the bred in Kentucky and one of the fleet- form of a series of skirmishes in as est ever brought to this county, was many as four or five different sloughs, soon a considerable distance ahead of each one being some distance further the others, and it became apparent westward. In these skirmishes in that his steed was the only one in the the sloughs, the men would go as near lot that could run as fast as the buf- to the buffalo as they could safely falo. After a chase of two miles or with their horses and firing at him he more he overtook the buffalo and gal- would charge upon them, compel them loping by his side, at the distance of to retreat and then seek refuge in one rod, he fired in quick succession as another one further west.

many shots as he could from his little

revolver, aiming at the heart of the and weary to charge upon his pursuers brute.

When the third wound had been in- outright, they drove him back about flicted the buffalo became enraged and, charging furiously at the steed of his pursuer, compelled Mr. Hait to beat a hasty retreat. This retreat took the form of a semi-circle, and the buffalo followed Mr. Hait until his companions arrived, when each of them fired a shot as he had oppor- tunity. About the only effect of these shots was to lead the buffalo to attack each man as he inflicted a wound. One of the men in his effort

Mr. Hait and two of the men now to avoid the charge of the buffalo, returned home for a team and left dropped and lost his musket in the Oscar Slosson to guard their game and grass.

Mr. Hait having reloaded, and see- he was lying. ing the danger of his companions who were scarcely able to keep out of his way when pursued by the enraged brute, for the purpose of attracting him from them, again rode close by and fired another series of shots at his heart. This was the crisis or turning point in the battle with this buffalo. The buffalo did not now attack Mr. Hait as before but sought shelter from his pursuers and relief from the

At last the buffalo became too weak

and finding they could not kill him a half-mile when, exhausted and dy- ing, he lay down on that part of the SW} of section 24, Powhatan town- ship, that is now owned by Dora Strong. When he lay down Orlando Slosson ventured close to him and fired two more shots into him after which he soon expired. About three hours had been occupied in the chase, and the place where he fell was about five miles northwest of Old Rolfe.

enable them to find the place where The latter, however, became very dry, and going some dis- tance in search of a stream of running water, lost his bearing and was vainly trying to find the buffalo, now con- cealed from view at a distance by the tall grass of the prairie in the midst of which he was lying, when his com- panions returned with the team. By following his trail in the grass the buffalo was finally located.

This buffalo was a very large one and

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his weight was estimated at 1400 was believed to be a lone Indian was pounds. His horns were not very reported to have been seen passing long but were very strong, being fully down Pilot creek amid the timber in three inches in diameter at the base Clinton township. He was decked and each had seventeen rings. They with war-paint, had the ominous removed his hide and the hump of feathers in his cap and carried his gun lean meat on the top of his neck and in his hand. This report excited and shoulders. The latter was about the aroused all the settlers for many size of the drum of an old-fashioned miles around Old Rolfe, and they cook stove, weighed over one hundred deemed it expedient to take immedi- pounds, and being divided among the ate steps for their mutual protection. settlers who lived in the vicinity of The fact that the Indian disappeared as suddenly as he had made his ap-

Old Rolfe, furnished them a good, tender steak as long as they were able pearance, left the community in a state of bewilderment almost unen- to keep it in the hot weather.

This was the last buffalo known to durable.

have grazed on the prairies of this Scouting parties scoured the coun- county. This largest of American game, try for a short distance around, the like the Indian to whom he was the first evening, but did not discover any principal means of subsistence, is fast trace of the Indians. On the following passing away at the approach of civil- morning about sixty of the settlers of ized man. In the winter of 1881 and Pocahontas and Humboldt counties 1882 there were killed in this country assembled at a place in the southeast- 80,000 of these noble creatures. At ern part of Powhatan township, then this time there remains only a few known by the euphonious name of small herds of them and they are in Gandertown, and a council of war was the region of country drained by the held. It was finally decided to divide head waters of the Missouri river their number into two companies, one west of the Black Hills. In a very of which under the command of Oscar

few years the wild buffalo will F. Avery, should go west to Swan live only in books that contain his Lake, and the other under the leader- ship of Edward Hammond, should go south to Lizard lake. history and in pictures upon canvas. THE LAST INDIAN HUNT, JULY 13, 1864.

The first party, under O. F. Avery,

Among the many incidents of inter- est that happened to the early pio- started in a westerly direction but the neers of this county were those caused day being cloudy and dark, the tall by Indian scares. The Spirit Lake grass of the prairies trackless and the Massacre occurred in 1857 and the region traversed uninhabited, they greater one at New Ulm a few miles found it a difficult matter to keep the further north in 1862, and one is not right course. At three o'clock in the surprised at the statement that the afternoon they discovered they were at the southern extremity of Rush lake, which is about six miles north- east of Swan Lake. They arrived at the latter place about five o'clock. mere report of the red man advancing upon the defenceless and unprotected settlers always had a very disquieting effect; and when the report was com- municated by one who had a sight of This long and tedious ride, like oth- the real Indian dressed in war cos- er similar ones, was not lacking in its tume with feathers and gun, as was amusing features. Its tediousness the case in 1864, the effect was mag- was somewhat mellowed by listening ical.

to the many and various plans that

In the month of July, 1864, what some of the brave members of the

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PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

party proposed to execute in the event them to feel they had misinterpreted they had the good fortune to find the the deserted camp and that they were fiendish and brutal Sioux.

As they neared the timber that skirted the outlet at the southeast part of the lake they began to discover trails made by the passing and re- passing of Indian ponies along the lake; signs that told quite plainly that the much hated red man had occu- pied this locality, but just how long before that day it was impossible to tell.

While the leader of the party was searching intently for newly made signs of the presence of Indians and was about to enter the timber, he was surprised to find that the horses of a large number of the party had sudden- ly become very tired on arriving at a shooting distance of the timber, and

On realizing, with considerable refused to advance any nearer. The feeling of amusement, the new situ- only remaining horses, that retained ation of affairs, Mr. Avery and his vigor enough to carry their riders to companions again dismounted for a the timber with their leader, were short time to let their horses rest and those in charge of W. H. Hait, Fred feed. E. Metcalf and A. M. Adams, who is now editor of the Humboldt Independ- ent.

These four men proceeded cautious- ly through the narrow belt of timber and across the outlet of the lake. There they found, not the Indians they were looking for, but a deserted

soon going to be surrounded by a band of the treacherous and savage Sioux.

Hastily remounting their steeds and recrossing the belt of timber, they were surprised to find that none of the horses of their brave comrades were near at hand but at the distance of a mile or more were passing over the brow of a slight elevation, bear- ing their riders at a breakneck speed in the direction of Old Rolfe. At the distance of two miles some of them halted to investigate the cause of alarm, but of two of their number it is said, they were so badly frightened they were unable to check their horses until they were once more within sight of the old court house.

They then returned to Old Rolfe, where they arrived about eleven o'clock that night. Edward Ham- mond and his party, whose trip to Lizard lake had been without inci- dent save the disappointment in not finding some trace of Indians, had re- turned to this place, and about two hundred others, old and young, had place where seven tepees or Indian also gathered here from the surround- tents had been recently pitched and the campfire was still burning; and strewn promiscuously around it were the fresh remains of elk, deer and fish. A careful inspection led to the con- clusion that this camp had been de- serted about twenty-four hours before and they dismounted for the purpose of resting their tired limbs.

ing country for their better protec- tion from the Indians and to hear the news. About midnight O. F. Avery, Edward Hammond, Ora Harvey, A. M. Adams, W. H. Hait and their fam- ilies with an armament from the court house armory, consisting of a half dozen Harper's Ferry muskets of the patent of 1827, returned to Avery's Park Grove farm, located across the line in Humboldt county. The others also sought places of safety and rest for the night.

A few moments later Metcalf dis- covered a sand-hill crane a few rods distant and, thinking no harm would result, shot the bird; but before the echo of the gun had died away they Thus ended one of the most exciting were startled by the sound of horses incidents in the early history of Poca- galloping at a distance. This led hontas county. No event connected

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with the quiet life of the little vil- air." Although they do not soar so lage of Old Rolfe ever developed any- high as other fowls they make fouler thing like the intense and long sus- sores than any other and are so tame tained excitement of this memorable that they will eat out of your hand. 13th day of July, 1864. They are not very devout and yet Time hath wrought a wondr'us change, The painted warrior is no more; The pale intruders' herds now range Along the lake and river shore. they sing. As songsters they are a success, making some of the sweetest sounds ever heard. One was some- times constrained to lie awake all THE GRASS AND MOSQUITOES. night to listen to their strains even if

The grass of the prairies in these it was a confounded strain on the early days was very luxuriant. The sleeper. If any one did not like their prevalence of a large amount of sur- music and "got on his ear" about it, face water in the sloughs and ponds they were very accommodating and resulted in the luxuriant growth of pretty sure to light on his ear. One several varieties of tall grasses that naturally liked their music better than anything else about them. Many a time has an early settler, as great extent prevented the evapora- he lay upon his downy bed, listened to their charming music until he, too, would join their melody by shouting "Shoo fly!" and clap his hands together

1 was neither cut nor pastured, and in midsummer this growth of grass to a tion of the surface water. Illustra- tions of three kinds of native grasses appear in the frontispiece of this vol- ume. The samples of wild rye at the in the hope of capturing some of his left and of panic or upland prairie interesting little serenaders.

grass at the right were each three and one-half feet in height, and the sam- ple of fresh water cord or fine slough grass in the center, measured seven and one-half feet. Another variety known as coarse slough grass and also the iron weed, both grew to the height of seven to eight feet, so that a man riding horseback amid these tall grasses in the low places could knot them over his head and ride forth from under the knot.

TRIALS AND PRIVATIONS.

The early settlers in a homestead country are usually not very rich in this world's goods, and their first years in the new country are invari- ably characterized by privation and hardship, especially if the promised railroad lags at an eastern terminus. The markets are at a great distance from home, the rivers and sloughs are unbridged and during a considerable portion of the year impassable, thus

The sloughs with their moisture forcing the pioneer to depend on his and luxuriant vegetation became own resources. breeding places for the mosquitoes, and from early spring until the first

In the spring of 1867 the streams were unusually high and the dam of frost of autumn their musical notes the mill at Fort Dodge, which was were heard. It was impossible to the nearest one accessible to the pio- milk the cows after sundown without neers of this county, was swept away. a smudge (a smoky fire) or a protection No flour could then be procured near- of mosquito bar over the face. It was er than Boonesboro, Nevada or Web- conceded by all who spoke of the mos- ster City, and it was impossible to quitoes that they were the "toughest reach these places for several weeks, and longest bill of fare the pioneer because nearly all the bridges were had to contend with."

also swept away.

The mosquito has been described as Very few of the settlers had any "the smallest fowl that navigates the great quantity of flour or meal on

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PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

hand for they had neither the room to a coarse meal by rubbing them over nor the receptacles for it, and long be- a rude grate made by punching holes fore the waters subsided so that the in the bottom of a tin pan; and when streams could be forded or the mills the grain became drier many an ear repaired the supply of these neces- was reduced by means of a jack-plane. saries of life in the northeast part of Wheat from the bin was often boiled the county was exhausted. The out- and eaten with a fair degree of thank- look was dark and discouraging. fulness, and hominy was made from Nearly all had grain of some kind in the corn in the crib. When coffee the crib or bin, but they had no means and tea could not be obtained or af- of converting it into meal or flour. forded, a substitute was found in a The settlers of Powhatan township, decoction made from corn and peas being the furthest from all sources of mixed together, roasted and ground. supply, were the worst off.

During this period many of them of boiled wheat, whole or cracked corn, lived on johnny-cake and hom- iny. The corn was converted into meal by running it through a coffee- for the sick and aged. An elderly mill. Unfortunately there were but two or three coffee-mills in the town- ship at this time and the settlers had to take their turns in grinding their little grists, each doing his own turn- ing.

The grinding of the flinty corn on the coffee-mill was a slow process and hard work. The mill had to be set so as to grind it coarsely the first time and when set closer the grist was run

This coarse, rough food, consisting agreed very well with the young and vigorous but it was not a suitable diet

lady, (Mrs. Lowrey) who had been in the settlement only a short time and was in poor health, failed rapidly when the supply of nourishing food was ex- hausted and, her immortal spirit passing to that land where there is neither hunger nor thirst, on the morning of May 15, 1867, she was buried at Old Rolfe the next day.

The year 1869 was also remarkable for an unusual rainfall. The heavy

through it a second time before it was rains of the spring filled all the sloughs, fine enough for use. The effort to ponds and streams. During the "keep the wolf from the door" by this months of July, August and Septem- means was declared by one to be a ber that year it rained about four real "ground-hog case," and one of days in each week and the streams the good ladies remarked that there were full of water all that year.

was always a "bear in the house" On March 27th that year, the mill- whenever her husband run the mill, dam at Fort Dodge was again swept which was three times a day. The away. Among the first to discover time required to grind a one-meal this fact were James J. Bruce, William grist for a family of four was three Price and Charles Kelley, of Lizard quarters of an hour, and the head of township, as they were returning the family was usually glad there were home from Fort Dodge. Knowing no more. The first flour, that was this event was not known in Fort brought into the Powhatan settle- Dodge they immediately returned to ment after the spring floods of 1867 that city and bought all the flour had subsided, was hauled on wagons available on that market at $7.00 a

from Iowa Falls to Humboldt and cost barrel. there $11.00 a hundred weight.

When the dealers later learned of the washout and found

Sometimes when the corn began to they could not get another supply of mature in the fall of the year, ears flour except by team from Webster that were soft enough were reduced City after the floods should subside,

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PIONEER PERIOD.

they created quite a row until they the northeastern part of the county, succeeded in buying back their own were low structures protected with a stocks at an advanced price. shed roof of common boards, and they

In the month of June following, a were called "shanties" or "cabins." little incident occurred in Lizard During the sixties, when the comb- township that illustrates the incon- roof covered with shingles came into venience of living in a country where use, they were called "log houses." the streams are unbridged. At the

On the prairie the first dwellings county convention that year Messrs. during the sixties and early seventies W. D. McEwen and James J. Bruce were usually constructed of the prai- were appointed delegates from this rie sod. The tough, virgin sod was county to attend the senatorial nom- turned with a breaking plow and cut inating convention. A couple of days into pieces of a suitable length that before the senatorial convention the were laid one upon the other to form former came on horseback to Lizard the outer walls of the structure, which township, where the latter was still were about eighteen inches in thick- making his home. The next morning ness and never more than one story they started on their trip to the con -- in height. Occasionally these sod vention, having only one horse be- houses were covered with a roof of tween them. When they came to the boards, but most frequently the roof Lizard, near the line between section was constructed of wood overlaid 29 and 30, it was bankfull and too deep with earth and sod.

for them both to ride across on the back of the same pony. The crossing was, however, successfully effected by one of them taking the pony and the clothing of the other while the latter swam across. The public spirit of these men, or their interest in the convention, was not dampened by the high water and their inconvenience was not an infrequent experience in the early days.

The "sod house" thus constructed, though not without its inconveniences, was nevertheless cool in summer, warm in winter and formed a cozy and quiet retreat in the time of storm. It was not, however, a very perma- nent structure and had to be rebuilt every one or two years. The frost in winter and dampness in the spring of the year seriously affected the walls, causing them to heave or spread, thus endangering the lives of the occu-

PIONEER DWELLINGS.

The dwelling places of most of the pants by the falling of the heavy roof.

settlers during this early period were A family in an adjoining county small, rude structures and were built (Palo Alto) was aroused from sleep either of logs in the vicinity of native by a crackling sound that came from timber, or of sod on the distant prai- the inner supports to the roof. They hastily arose and went

rie. The supply of oak timber along to the the Des Moines river suited for build- home of a neighbor for the remainder ing purposes was soon exhausted, and of the night. In the morning when although there was a market at Fort they returned they found their sod Dodge for groceries, provisions and house a mass of ruins. The walls had other supplies, the nearest places spread and the heavy roof had fallen where pine lumber and building ma- to the ground; had they remained the terial could be obtained were at entire family might have perished.

Boonesboro and Nevada, sixty to

When an excavation of two feet or eighty miles distant, and the price of more was made for the sod house it was exorbitant.

located on the slope of a little knoll,

The first log houses, especially in it was called a "dug-out." Sometimes

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PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

the only openings in a dug-out were service for many years. Mrs. Charles the door of entrance and the exit for Kelley and family, of Lizard township, the smoke in the comb of the roof.

are still living comfortably in one of In the center of the frontispiece the first log houses erected in this may be seen the cut of an improved, county. It is located on section 12, enlarged and substantial dwelling of was built of oak in 1856, and after this sort built and still occupied by forty-three years of constant use, John Woods and family, in the south- looks as though it would last as many eastern part of Cedar township. The more. first building on this site had a board "From cabins such as these Come our sturdy natures, roof and sides; and in 1882 it was re- built with walls of rock, a shingle Who give proud inspiration to a state, Who fight its battles and decide its fate, roof and an addition to the front of it. Who make its courts And shape its legislatures." This dwelling is located near the path traversed by several of the cyclones, that have visited this section, and its inmates have dwelt in safety and se- curity. On the morning after the cy- clone that came from the southwest on April 11, 1893, overturning all the buildings within three quarters of a mile of it, the writer found this home a veritable hospital, where four of the injured in other families were lying abed in one of its apartments and others were enjoying the hospitality of this home and family.

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The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 28

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