The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 56

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 56

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420

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

and spiritual interests of the commu-

On August 12, '96 he married Sarah nity. He was not only a regular at- Connelly, of Ogden, and she died Dec. tendant of the services at the church 8, 1898 in her 26th year, leaving two and Sunday school, but also at the children, Eleanor and Joseph.

mid-week service whenever it was pos- sible. He was an humble Hersom Samuel Thomas (b. Feb. and 11, 1849) owner and occupant of the s ± thorough student of the Bible and se ¿ section 30, Cedar township since was never happier than when commu- October 26, 1871, is the son of Samuel nicating its sacred truths to others. and Margaret Hersom, and a native of He was chosen superintendent of the Mercer county, Ill. April 4, 1868, he union Sunday school in Fonda, the married Lucinda Littrell, and after next year after his arrival. During three years located on the homestead subsequent years he was either a su- for which he made the entry the next perintendent, a teacher, or both. day after his arrival. Coming to this When the Presbyterian Sunday school section empty handed none felt the was organized June 20, 1886 he became hard times during the 70's more than a teacher in it, and on January 1, 1894 he, or put forth a more plucky endeav- superintendent also and, serving in or to hold the homestead through this two fold capacity until the time them. In later years he has made of his removal, was absent only purchases of adjoining tracts of land three Sabbaths in a period of twelve and is now the happy owner of a good years. On March 18, 1888, he was farm of 360 acres, on which he has elected an elder of the church and erected good improvements. His

rendered efficient service in that capa- buildings, grove and orchard happen- city until his removal, a period of ten ed to be in the destructive path of the years. When his uniform punctuali- tornado of 1893 and were completely ty, faithfulness and efficiency, extend- destroyed. His family were greatly ing over a period of twenty years, are frightened but, with the exception of recalled, it is readily perceived that a few scratches, escaped uninjured. the service he rendered in this respect In December 1898, his wife successful- is without a rival in this community. ly sustained the removal of a tumor

Healy William H. (b. 1850), the old- that weighed 56 pounds. He was a est resident attorney of Fonda, is a trustee of the township in 1878, and native of Ireland. His father was a '97-1900; president of the school board public school teacher, and died when in 1878, and secretary of it in 1879 and he was twelve years of age. In 1875 '83-85.

he came to America, and located first

His family consists of eight child- in Clinton county, Iowa, where he ren. Harry S. married Rose Pomeroy, read law. In 1884 he located in Sac lives near the old home and has a City, and was admitted to the bar. In family of three children, Lee, Hazel the spring of 1885 he came to Fonda, and Richard; William E. married and has since been engaged in the Laura Larson, and has two children, practice of law, the sale of real estate Glenn and Roy; Effie married Marion and as an agent for some of the best Hersom, lives in Ringgold county, and insurance companies and loan agen- has three children; Lily M., Daisy a cies. He was post master from Sep, 1, teacher, George, Josephine and Lewis '96 to February 7, '98. By reason of are at home.

his general good nature, or uniform- Hersom Sylvainus (b. July 10,1842), ly sunny disposition, his familiar an elder brother of Samuel T., is a friends often call him "Colonel" native of Maine, and coming to Poca- Healy. hontas county, May, 20, 1871, on Oct.

MR. AND MRS. SAMUEL T. HERSOM, FONDA.

MR. AND MRS. JOHN P. MULLEN, FONDA.

Maud. RESIDENCE OF GEO. E. HUGHES, FONDA,

Phoebe.

Madge.

¿Gęo. E, Mrs. Hughes.

421

CEDAR TOWNSHIP.

23rd following entered as a homestead His father, who died September 7, the w } sw } section 32, Cedar town- 1894, came to Fonda, in 1871, and es- ship, which he continued to hold and tablished a general store. He came most of the time occupied until 1892 in the fall of 1874, and after his mar- when he moved to Williams township, riage September 2, 1874, to Anna Gad- and in 1899 to Armstrong, Nebraska. mer, of Fonda, a lady of German de- He grew to manhood in Mercer Co., scent, he became a partner with his Ill., where in 1863, he enlisted as a father in the mercantile business of member of Co. K. 107th, Ill. Infantry. He belonged to the 20th, Army Corps from Nashville to the Sea, and then which later he was the sole proprietor. His wife discovered such un- under Hooker, marched with Sherman usual business ability that she was very soon able to assume the entire to Richmond. He was honorably dis- management of the store; and he charged at Louisville, after two years never refers to her without a gleam of and eleven months of service.

pride in his eye, for he attributes a

In 1865 he married Elizabeth Jack- large measure of his success to her son and after her death, or in 1877, counsel and executive ability. In 1888 Etta Henthorne who has been an in- he began to invest in land; in January valid nearly twenty years. They 1893, he sold his stock of goods and have one child, Frank, who is at store, and erected a comfortable resi- home, and she had one, Charles, three dence. In 1894 he resumed the mer- years older, by her first husband. cantile business taking J. P. Stein-

Hughes George Edward (b.June 26, fort in 1895 into a partnership that 1854,) for many years a prosperous lasted three years. Since that time he merchant of Fonda, is a native of has been engaged in the real estate Boone Co. Ill., and the son of Samuel and loan business. and Phoebe (Johnson) Hughes, with For many years he has been widely known as one of the best marksmen in Iowa. On June 1, 1893, at Clear Lake, he won the State trophy, con- sisting of a beautifully engraved, gold lined, silver cup, for which he had been a contestant for several years. It was won and held by him on this occasion jointly with Mr. Budd, of Des Moines on a tie, both having made a straight score. He engaged in shoot- ing as he did in business, to win;and at different times he has won the various trophies and individual medals in this state. whom at six years of age, he came to Jones County, Iowa. He received a limited education in the public school but a thorough training in the practi- cal affairs of life from his father, who was both a successful farmer and mer- chant. His early instinct for busi- ness is illustrated by the following in- cidents that occurred in his boyhood. He was disposed to be industrious and careful of his earnings. When the latter amounted to one dollar he was ready for business. After a few small exchanges he gained possession of a shot gun that was soon afterwards ex- changed for a buggy. He traded the buggy for two calves. These were He has one daughter, Madge, now in her twelfth year. Two children, Bertha and Maude, are dead; the for- mer dying in infancy, the latter, a beautiful and accomplished young lady, in her 20th year, May 3, 1896. kept until they were three years old when they were traded for a horse. A little later instead of the horse he had a lot of other animals and farm im- plements. These were sold and the His mother still lives with him. money thus realized formed the nu- cleus of the comfortable fortune he has since accumulated.

Ibson Peter G. (b. Nov. 3,1849), the first resident of Fonda, was a native

422

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

of Norway and a blacksmith. In 1869 family of nine children, came one at Webster City he found employment month after his arrival, and they liv- as a smith for the bridge builders of ed that summer in the school house the Dubuque & Sioux City railroad, and moved his shop to suit the move- ments of the gang. In February 1870, first built in the McCartan district, which he bought for that purpose. In the fall of that year he built a house, when they commenced the construc- 16x28 two stories that was enlarged to tion of the bridge across the Cedar, he its present size in 1893.

located his shop south of the grade on

He came to America alone in Sept. the present site of the city water- 1847, and locating at West Point, N. works. This was the first building on

Y., found employment on the rail- section 27, in the center of which road. November19, 1848, he married Fonda is located. Inasmuch as the Catherine Lynch, a native also of railroad was completed about the Ireland, and the next year, moved to time this bridge was done and the St. Louis, stopping a few months at patronage of the settlers gave him Cincinnati and Rockford on the way. constant employment, he decided to Three years later he moved to Dubu- remain at this place, and in the fall que and the next year to Jackson Co., of 1871 built a larger shop south of Iowa, where he bought a farm of 100 second street near the Ellis residence. acres and occupied it twenty years, or Two years later this building was until the time of his settlement in moved to the northeast corner of Main this county.

and Second streets, where for many He acquired such facility in the use years he enjoyed the reputation of be- of tools and such knowledge of build- ing that he and his two sons were At this time his two brothers, Ed- able to build his house in the fall of 1873. He has been very successful in raising vegetables and during the last ing the best workman in this section. ward and Charles, arrived and joined him in the same shop. Edward is still engaged in the business having fourteen years of his residence on the a shop of his own in the Busby addi- farm raised them for the local market. tion to Fonda and Charles is an en-

He has never used tobacco, and has

gineer in the yards of the Milwaukee been a total abstainer since 1839. He railroad. In 1890 Peter moved his has never seen the face of a mortgage shop one block further west and con- and has never given his note to any tinued to work at his trade until 1896. man in Pocahontas county, except on He was a superior workman and kept one occasion. He has been a trustee his shop supplied with the best avail- of the township eight years, 1883-90. able machinery.

His family consists of nine children,

On November 25, 1875, he married as follows: 1. Michael J. (b. Feb. 2, Frances L. Buswell, who died August 1851), owner and occupant of a farm 7, 1891, in her 33d year, leaving two of 240 acres on section 35, Dover town- children, Clara and Andrew, both in ship, on November 19, '76, married their teens.

Maggie McCartan and has a family

Kearns Patrick (b. Ireland, March consisting of John, Katie, Marie, 17, 1818) in March 1873 became the Mary, Michael, James and Joseph owner and occupant of the ne } section twins, Maggie, Theresa, William and 2, Cedar township, and of eighty acres Alice. 2. Mary, on Nov. 19, '76, mar- more on the adjoining section (35) in ried John Kelly, lives on a farm near Dover township, all of which he im- Pocahontas, and has a family consist- proved and occupied until 1899, when ing of James, Patrick, Katie, Mary, he moved to Fonda. His wife and Eliza, John, Josie, Florence and Roy.

423

CEDAR TOWNSHIP.

3. John (b. 1855.), owner and occupant

Kelleher Thomas F., M. D., oldest of a farm of eighty acres in Dover son of John Kelleher, was born in the township, in 1882 married Mary Mur- city of Lawrence, Mass., in 1855. That ray and has four children, Patrick, year his parents moved to Boston and Jennie, Henry and Ray. 4. Julia, in 1877, married Michael Lynch .*

remained twelve years. In 1867 they 5. moved upon a farm near Iowa City. Margaret, in 1878, married William Here Thomas received his education, Kelly (a brother of John), the owner walking to Iowa city each day during and occupant of a farm of 160 acres on the fall and winter, and working on section 35, Dover township, until 1900, the farm during the summer. At the now a resident of South Dakota, and age of sixteen he taught his first term has a family of six children, John, of school at Iowa City and when nine- Francis, Thomas, Edward, Stephen teen took charge of the grammar and Albert. 6. Katie, a dress maker, department in the schools of Sidney, Bridget and Elizabeth, teachers, are Iowa. He began the study of medi- at home.

cine in 1875, in the office of Elmer F.

For some years past it has been his Clapp, professor of anatomy in the custom to have all his children and Iowa State University and received grandchildren, numbering 49, as- his diploma in 1878. After practicing semble at his home on the evening of medicine four years at Bevington, all saints' day or hallow e'en; and he Iowa, and one year in Des Moines, he has the happy faculty of making these located in Fonda. Here he became family re-unions occasions of great joy one of the leaders in the organization and gladness to the little folks.

of the democratic party in Pocahon-

Kelleher John (b. 1817, Ireland), tas county and in 1885, being nomin- the pioneer occupant of the w Sec. ated as the democratic candidate for 7, Cedar township, after his marriage the legislature in this district then in 1854 lived one year at Lawrence, composed of Pocahontas and Calhoun Mass., and twelve in Boston. He then counties, received 785 votes against located on a farm near Iowa City, and 445 in this county, lacking only & in 1884 in Cedar township, where he votes of being elected representative. died in 1888. He put fine improve- His popularity was due to his inde- ments on this farm, kept everything pendence in thought, tact for organi- in the best of order and his wife, Josie zation and enthusiasm as a leader. He and James continue to occupy it. was frank and honest in politics the

His family consisted of eight child- same as in business.

ren, all of whom are still living. In 1886 he married Annie Cunning- Thomas F., M. D. Des Moines, (see ham, of Patterson, Iowa, and return- below); Kate, who in 1892 married ed to Des Moines where he has since D. S. McCarville and liyes in Okla- been engaged in the practice of medi- homa; John, who in 1891 married cine. In 1895 he graduated from the Mary McCarville and lives at Marys- New York Post-graduate School and ville, Mo .; Elizabeth, who in 1890 mar- Hospital. He has a family of three ried M. W. Linnan, of Dover; Nellie, boys and two girls. -

who in 1893 married S. A. Dunn and

Kennedy Joseph (h. 1838), resident lives in Webster City; Denis M., who of Fonda and vicinity since 1874, is a graduated from the law department native of Tyrone, Ireland, where he of the Iowa State University in 1893 married and raised a family of seven and has since been engaged in the children. In 1874 he came to this practice of law at Pomeroy; Josie and country and located in Fonda, his James, who are at home.

* See Lynch.

424

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

brother William, in 1869, having had long acquaintance with the peo- settled on a homestead in Williams ple of this community, have learned township. In 1876 his wife and family how to work intelligently for the arrived and, after a residence of two accomplishment of results and are in years in Fonda, they moved to the business to stay. "No compromise Fairburn farm west of town. In 1880 with competitors and honest dealings he bought 240 acres on section 21, with all customers," are their busi- Cedar township, and began to improve ness principles. The large share of it. He also sought other employment the trade that has come to them has as his sons became able to look after been well merited and highly appre- the farm, and for five years, with a ciated.

one horse power, did the pumping of On Oct. 8, 1877 Joseph's wife died in the water for the I. C. R. R. at the her 48th year leaving a family of eight Fonda tank. In 1890 he bought the children. Thomas (b. 1862), a tele- nwł of the same section that increased graph operator 1882-93, a member of

his farm to 400 acres. In 1893 he the firm of J. Kennedy & Co., in 1897 bought the residence, elevator and became a member of the city council office of N. B. Post and moved to and in 1898 president of the Big Four Fonda.

District Fair Association; Bessie,

Two business firms were then organ- Nov. 2, 1884 married William J., son ized, namely; J. Kennedy & Co., con- of Rev. Henry S. Redfield, then a sisting of himself and sons, dealers in dealer in stock and now proprietor of grain, stock and implements; and the Palace Meat Market, and has a Redfield, Kennedy & Co., consisting family of three children, five having of W. J. Redfield and J. Kennedy & died in childhood; John (b. 1866), a Co., dealers in stock and implements teacher, secretary of the city school only. In 1897 W. J. Redfield with- board and business manager of the drew from this firm and established firm of Kennedy Bros .; Sarah, Dec. 25, the Palace Meat Market, the finest 1890, married F. M. Hall, resides at in this or any neighboring town; and El Dorado, Kansas, and has four in 1898 Joseph Kennedy withdrew children; Alexander, in 1899 married from the first named firm and left as Myrtle Hardman and has one child; its successor, Kennedy Bros., consist- Mary Jane, Rachel, who died March ing of Thomas, John and Alexander; 21, 1892 in her 17th year, and Ina, a of whom, Thomas looks after the native of Pocahontas county.

Lemp John (b. March 3, 1835), who ness of the office and Alexander all entered his homestead on we swt Sec. matters relating to the care of the 18, Cedar township, Nov. 4, 1869, is a stock.

interests of the farm, John the busi-

native of Germany, came to America

In 1895, to increase their facilities in 1854, and, after spending one year for handling stock, they leased a in Pennsylvania and another one in tract of eighty acres south of the I. C. Ohio, located in Kent Co., Michigan, R. R. track. They feed principally where he found employment on a cattle and usually have from 150 to saw mill. Nov. 24, 1861 he married 200 head in process of preparation for Idda A. Bowers and in 1866 moved to the city market. In 1897, owing to Sac county, Iowa. During his first the ravages of cholera among the na- year on the homestead he broke about tive hogs, they imported a car load of forty acres of raw prairie and built razor backs from Arkansas, and the a house, hauling the lumber for it and the coal for fuel from Fort Dodge.

experiment proved a profitable one.

The firm of Kennedy Bros. have The next year he broke more prairie

425

CEDAR TOWNSHIP.

and planted a maple grove of ten character and his loss was deeply acres that with subsequent additions felt. continues to be one of the largest and

April 9, 1878 he married Jennie G.,

most beautiful, as well as oldest, daughter of Wm. Clark and Abigail in the township. By his industry, (Fitz-Henry, a resident of Fonda economy and good management he since 1890) Alexander (b. 1817, d. Fon- has met with good success on the da, 1892), who survives him with two farm. During the periods of hard children, Ernestine, who in 1899 mar- times, the grasshopper visitations, ried Frank W. Swearingen, Esq., a drought and prairie fires he suf- resident of Fonda 1895-99, mayor fered with his neighbors, but his well in 1897, and now resides in Mitchell- tilled farm, with its dairy and increas- ville; and Lucius, an assistant in the ing herds, enabled him to survive postoffice since Aug. 2, 1898. them. He planted fruit trees in the The name of this family appears early days and has enjoyed the pleas- among the first in the pioneer history ure of gathering some fine crops of of Iowa and his father was one of the small fruits, plums,apples, and in 1898 first to make a permanent settlement of peaches that measured seven at Dubuque, the first one in the inches. These were the first peaches state .* His father, Lucius, and uncle gathered in the township, and were James L. Langworthy, swimming raised on a tree that grew from the their horses by the side of their ca- pit of California fruit. By his subse- noe, crossed the Mississippi in June quent purchases the homestead of 80 1830 and stood on that river's western acres has been increased to a finely shore nearly three years before a per- improved farm of 260 acres,and in 1889 manent settlement had been made in there was erected upon it one of the any part of Iowa. In 1831, their finest farm houses in the township. brother Edward arrived, attracted by

His family has consisted of five the rich lead mines on the west side daughters, namely: Cora Belle, who of the river. After the founding of married Arthur Moulton, of Cedar the city of Dubuque these three township; Eliza Blanch, who married brothers established a banking house Adelbert Bailey and lives in Lyon Co., where their financial skill found

Minn ; Mary Etta, who married ample scope. Edward, who took the Ulyses S. Reed and lives at Varina; lead in matters of public interest, Anna Grace, who married George soon became an influential member of the city council, represented that dis- trict in the legislature and was a member of the first constitutional

Witcraft and lives in Dover township; and Millie, who married Lars Larson and occupies the home farm.

Langworthy Oscar A. (b. March convention that met in Iowa City in 18, 1838), who died at Fonda Oct. 4, 1844. These brothers were natives of 1883, was a native of Dubuque.

In St. Lawrence Co., N. Y. Lucius H. February 1878 he came to Fonda and served in some of the early Indian engaged in the hardware and imple- wars, built the first frame house in ment business until the time of his Dubuque and was the first sheriff of death. He was appointed one of the Dubuque county.

commissioners to effect the incorpora-

Lynch Willlam (b. 1821), a pioneer tion of Fonda in 1879, and, at the of Cedar township, is a native of Ire- time of his decease, was serving his land. In 1847 he came alone to New third year as a member of the city York state and after a few months lo- council. He was a man highly re- cated at Montreal. where in 1852 he spected for his excellent traits of

*See page 57.

426

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

married Margaret Lawler. In 1855, Mackey John B. (b. 1823), a former he moved to Grant county, Wis., and resident of Fonda, was a native of after two years to Brownsville, the old- Washington county, Pa., and locat- est town on the Mississippi in Minne- ing at Coalrun, Washington county, sota south of St. Paul, where he sup- Ohio, married there Matilda Hall erintended the quarrying of rock for (b. 1826) in May 1851. Some years af- terward he moved to Boone county, Ill., in 1880 to Pomeroy, Iowa, and in its first warehouse. During the next two years he had charge of a ferry- boat that plied between Dubuque and 1884 to Fort Dodge. He owned and Dunleith, now East Dubuque. He then occupied the Smeaton home in Fonda engaged in farming in Dubuque and from Feb., 1892, until the fall of 1894, Jackson counties until April 1869, when he bought and moved to a ranch when, with his wife and four children, of 320 acres near Porterville, Tulare he located on the homestead-st nw} county, Cal. He was a highly res- sec. 2-Cedar township. By subse- pected citizen, and at Pomeroy, Fort quent purchases, his farm was in- Dodge and Fonda rendered efficient

creased to 240 acres. One of the first service as an elder of the Presbyterian schools in the township was taught church.

in his pioneer home by Mary A. Calli-

His family consisted of seven child- gan in the fall and winter of 1870. ren of whom three died young. His wife died in 1890. He sold the Charles H., a railroad engineer, mar- homestead soon afterward and has ried Laura Griswold, has a family of since resided with his oldest son on two children and lives at Belvidere, the adjoining section in Dover town- Ill. David S. in 1876 married Ella ship. He was a member of the Cedar Chamberlain in Tulare, county, Cal., township school board in 1873-74.

His family consisted of four child- a family of four children, John, Flor- ren: 1. Michael J., owner and oc- ence, Matilda and Relief. cupant of sw} sec. 35 Dover township. accompanied by two others he went In 1877 he was president of the Cedar to the northern part of Alaska to de- schoolboard. In 1882 he was chosen as velop a gold and silver mine in which the second secretary of the school he had obtained an interest. At the board of Dover township and has time set for their return, his twocom- held that office until the present time, panions, taking the ore obtained, a period of nearly nineteen years, He started homeward from the nearest was a trustee from 1880 to '85 and has port, while he traveled down the

and died there April 26, 1898, leaving In 1882

been township clerk since 1895. Oct. coast to the next one. At this port 25, 1878, he married Julia Kearns, a he received the sad intelligence that daughter, of Patrick, and she died the vessel carrying his two compan- July 7, 1898, leaving a family of eleven ions, together with its cargo and children, Margaret, William, Winni- all on board had been lost in a violent fred, Julia, Catherine, Anna, Michael, storm. He was thus compelled to re- John, Ellen, Patrick and Edward. 2. main and for two years was the only James, occupant of the sex sec. 34, white man among the Esquimaux in Dover township, married Bridget that arctic region. Relief B., married White and has two children, Mar- Grant Fox, located first at Lake City, garet and John. 3. Mary, married in 1895 moved to Tulare county, Cal. Matthew Byrne and resides at Fon- and now lives at Cherokee. Hattie da .* 4. William is a resident of Col- H., married Frank P. McKee, of Fon- orado.

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The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 56

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