The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 60

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

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resentative of well trained home tal- Returning to New York by way of ent, has already successfully per- the isthmus of Panama, on April 13, formed several difficult surgical opera- 1854, he married C. rdelia Kysor, of tions and is rapidly growing in favor Danville, and later that year moved as a skilful physician. He is the to a farm in La Fayette county, Wis. owner of a farm of eighty acres on In 1863, on account of a return of ill Sec. 24, Cedar township, and in 1896 health, he moved with a family of built a fine residence in Fonda. On seven children to Darlington, Wis., Sept. 15, 1896, he married Lillian where he resumed the practice of Higgs, of Storm Lake, and has two law. He was mayor of this city sev- children, Homer Higgs and Wayne. eral of the fourteen years of his resi-

Wood Alpheus Bowan Putnam (b. dence in it. Becoming again affected June 20,1824, d. Fonda Oct. 8,'87), was a with sciatic rheumatism, in March native of Batavia, N. Y. His father 1878, he located on the SE} Sec. 28, died when he was a child, leaving a Cedar township, Pocahontas county, family of three sons of whom he was Iowa, and resumed work on the farm. the oldest. One of his brothers in his Later he opened an office in Fond

448

PIONEERHISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

and resumed the practice of law.

from a small building and soon after- When the independent district of ward became affected with paralysis Fonda was organized March 9, 1880, in his limbs. After four years of in- he was chosen one of the three mem- tense suffering he died at Fonda Jan. bers of the first school board and con- 12, 1884. He served as a justice of the tinued to serve in that capacity until peace in Grant township two years, the time of his decease, Oct. 8, 1887, a 1878-80. His wife and daughter con- period of seven years. He was an ar- tinued to reside at Fonda until 1895, dent friend of the cause of education, when with her mother, Mrs. A. B. P. and took a leading part in promoting Wood, they moved to Cedar Falls, the interests of the Fonda schools. where Rena completed a four years' The erection of the first brick school course in the Iowa State Normal in building and the high standard of ex- 1898, graduated from its musical de- cellence attained at the same time in partment in March 1900, and is now the work of the schools were in a taking a two years' course in the Mu- great measure due to his interest and sical Observatory at Oberlin, Ohio. influence.

2-Lois Ann, a graduate of the

He was chosen a trustee and treas- Darlington high school and the first urer of the Fonda Presbyterian principal in the independent district church at the time of its organization of Fonda, 1880,and '83; married Alex- in 1886, and rendered efficient service ander F. Hubbell, (See Hubbell).

until the time of his death which oc-

County Bank, Fonda, since 1886, is a

3-Adelbert Sylvanus Wood, (b. Aug. curred the day before the building 25, 1858,) cashier of the Pocahontas was dedicated.

He looked upon the legal profession graduate of Darlington High School, as one of the most noble that can oc- learned telegraphy at Fonda, was cupy the attention of man, and en- operator at Parkersburg, Iowa, one deavored to adorn it by a true and year, 1881, agent of the I. C. R. R. at noble life. He was animated with an Fonda from June 15, 1882, to Sept. 15, absorbing desire to be useful rather 1884, then became bookkeeper in the than to accumulate wealth, and al- Pocahontas County Bank and two ways advised an amicable adjustment years later its cashier, In 1896 he of difficulties as preferable to the un- built one of the finest houses in Fonda certainties of a lawsuit. and is the owner of 600 acres of land

His family consisted of seven chil- in Pocahontas county. He was the dren, of whom Engenia, the firstborn, recorder of Fonda seven years, 1886-92, died in childhood at Fayette. and treasurer of the school funds nine

1-Adele, a graduate of the Darling- years, 1887-95. On Sept. 2, 1884, he ton high school and a music teacher, married Mary Josephine, daughter of on Oct. 5, 1876, married William J. William and Abigail Alexander, and Curkeet, (b. July 6, 1846) who engaged his family consists of four children, in farming near Darlington two years Arthur Bowan, Lucian, Percy Eugene and then in March, 1878, with one and Delphine; Clark, the first-born, daughter, Rena, came to Pocahontas having died in childhood. county and located on a farm of 240 4-Cora Estelle married Dr. M. F.Pat- acres on Sec. 27, Grant township. He terson. (See page 434). was a native of Galena, Ill., attended 5-Affa died in 1881 at the age of nineteen, during a visit to Darlington with her sister Lois. the Normal school at Plattville, Wis., Wheaton college, Ill., read law at Darlington, Wis. and was admitted to the bar in 1875: In 1880, he fell

6-Abram Grosvenor Wood, (b. 1862) after spending one year at school in Valparaiso, Ind., graduated from the

449

CEDAR TOWNSHIP.

law department of the State Universi-

Wood John Martin, (b. Apr. 3, 1822, ty, Iowa City, in June, 1886, and that d. Cedar township, Jan. 13, 1900) was a same year commenced the practice of native of Warren county, N. Y .. law in Fonda with his father. He where in July 1854, he married Sarah was secretary of the Fonda school T. Tubbs. March 27, 1870, they lo- board three years, 1888-90, and mayor cated on a homestead, the E} SE} Sec. of the city 'two years, 1893-94. He 36, Cedar township, where he erected spent most of the years '91-92 in a first a sod house that was afterward tour through Wyoming, California replaced by an underground stone and other sections of the Pacific house in which he spent the remainder slope. In 1886 he married Emma Au- of his days. He raised a family of ten gusta Hull, and she died Sept. 30, children: Alice married Joseph Gat- 1888. In May, 1894, he married Jessie

ton and lives in Monona county; Mary Roberts, two years later moved to his Maria married Julian Adams, Fonda; farm of 240 acres on Sec. 33, Sherman George W. and Charles C .; Wilson township, and has a family of three married Mary Jenkins and lives in children, Abram, Cordelia and Mar- Williams township: Lydia married garet. Gus Eikhoff, Fonda; John Elmer and

When A. B. P. Wood came to Fon- Ezra Eugene; William married Emma da he purchased 2500 acres of land in Holyer, Fonda; and Oller F.

Cedar, Sherman and Grant townships

Woodin David Milo, (b. Nov. 13, and all of it is still owned by different 1837) resident of Fonda since 1892, in members of his family, except the farm on which he lived near Fonda. May, 1870, located a homestead of 80 acres on the N} NE} Sec. 24, Dover township and was the first to enter a

Wood George Washington, (b. Oct. 25, 1825) resident of Cedar township homestead in that township. He is a from 1869 to 1892, was a native of native of Erie county, N. Y., the son Warren county, N. Y. One of his of Amos and Harriet (Cobb) Woodin. uncles was a sea captain, and at fif- At theage of eighteen he moved to teen he became a sailor, first on Lake Indiana, where he found 'employment Champlain and later on a three-masted as a stage-driver. vessel on the Atlantic ocean. During

Soon after the first battle of Bull the civil war he belonged to the con- Run, July 21, 1861, he went to the ar- struction corps of the Army of the Tennessee, and passed through the states of Tennessee, Georgia and Ala- bama. He continued a sailor until the year 1868, a period of twenty-five years. On May 3, 1869, he located on a

my, became a teamster in the quartermaster's department of the Army of the Potomac, under McClel- lan, and so continued until the spring of 1863, when he located at Brodhead, Green county, Wis. On Jan. 4, 1864, homestead of 80 acres on the S} NE} he enlisted as a member of Co. K, 1st Sec. 36, Cedar township, this county, Wis. cavalry.

After his enlistment which he improved and occupied for a he belonged to the Army of the Cum- number of years. He then moved to Fonda, and in 1892 to Marathon.

He first married Sarah Reach, who died in Cedar township Dec. 24, 1879, bama and Georgia until the close of leaving one daughter, who married Nelson E. Bailey and now lives at Marathon. Later Mr. Wood married Mary Lovewell, and she died at Fonda Jan. 16, 1890.

berland and was constantly engaged in scouting and skirmishing in the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Ala- the war. He was honorably dis- charged at Prairie du Chien, Wis , May 26, 1865. having spent as a team- ster and soldier about four years in the army.

After the war he spent two years in

450

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

the gold mining district in Montana. working man, whose perseverance has Returning to Wisconsin, on Sept. 12, enabled him to overcome difficulties 1868, he married Laura Mickelson, a that proved insurmountable to many native of Norway, and located on a others. He did not spend his time farm. In May, 1870, he came to Po- hunting in the early days. but has cahontas county, Iowa, in a prairie stacked his own hay at night after schooner, located a homestead and helping his neighbors during the day. made the entry of it in Sioux City. During the first two winters he drew On Sept. 12th, following, having com- his coal from Fort Dodge and for sev- pleted his harvesting and threshing eral years afterward twisted hay and in Wisconsin, he started again in the used it for fuel, as did also some of his same way with his household goods neighbors. His noble wife has been a and few farming implements to occu- faithful helper to him. In the early py the homestead. He was accom- days she used to enjoy catching prai- panied by his wife until they arrived rie chickens by setting a number of at Webster City, where she remained steel traps around the patch of corn that winter, and by her brother New- and sprinkling a few grains around ton, who assisted in breaking the first them. A dozen chickens were occasion- land on his homestead, which was the ally caught in this way in a single day. third plot of ground plowed in Dover Two badgers were also caught. The portraits of both Mr. and Mrs. Wood- township.

The ensuing winter was spent in an in may be seen in this volume.

unoccupied cabin north of Webster Wright Rensselaer, (b. Nov. 18, City, and on May 12, 1871, Mr. and 1850) resident of Fonda and vicinity Mrs. Woodin began to reside in the since 1882, isa native of Lockport, Ill., first sod shanty in Dover township. the son of Rev. Robert Wright, (b. During the period of haying and har- Saratoga Springs, N. Y., 1812, d. York vesting that year he returned to the Neb., 1891) and Mary Granger (b. vicinity of the cabin, sixty miles east, Yorkshire, England, 1811, d. Fonda, for the purpose of obtaining some lu- Iowa, 1899) who were married in 1835

crative employment. During this at Pultneyville, N. Y. On Nov. 18, period of six weeks' absence Mrs. 1874 he married Luella E. Bonett and Woodin remained on the homestead located at West Brooklyn, Ill., where alone to take care of the stock, and he found employment as a railway many a night did she sleep in the agent until 1877, when he was assigned open wagon to which the horses and the station at Wedron, Ill., where he cow were tied. One of the pigs would remained five years. In the spring of be tied to a plow near by to prevent 1882 he bought and moved to the E} them from wandering away. Fre- SE Sec. 20, Cedar township, and quently the little prairie wolves, when the Wabash (now the C. M. & whose haunts were along the creek, in St. P.) R. R. was completed to Fonda packs of twenty or more would sur- he opened the station in a box-car round the premises, break the still- Dec. 18, following, and continued as ness of the night by their mournful its first agent until March, 1884. In howl for a chicken, and have to be 1887 he purchased the furniture stock driven away. He improved this of George Fairburn, and moved to homestead, added eighty acres to it Fonda, where he is still engaged in and occupied it until Feb., 1892, when the furniture business, in the manage- he built a house in Fonda and moved ment of which his wife has always to town. taken a personal interest. At Fonda He has been an industrions, hard- he was operator for the I. C. R. R.

451

CEDAR TOWNSHIP.

from May, 1889, to August, 1892, and ship occurred in January 1871. The for the C. M. & St. P. R. R. since Oct. contracting parties were William 1, 1899. He was justice of the peace of Cedar township six years, 1887-90, '97-98, and secretary of the Big Four Fair association three years, 1897-99. Richards, whose homestead was on the WĘ SE} Sec. 32, and a lady who re- sided in Buena Vista county, about six miles northwest; and the justice His family consists of one son, (an- other having died in infancy) Lew- ellyn R., (b. West Brooklyn, Ill., Mar. 22, 1876) a Fonda graduate in 1894. He was George Sanborn, who went out from Fonda on horseback to perform the ceremony. When he arrived at the home of the bride, where she acquired a knowledge of watchmak- and her friends were awaiting the ing and optics at Elgin, Ill., and has ceremony, he found the license was been the popular jeweler and optician for Pocahontas county, and they were at Fonda since 1897. On June 20, 1900, more than a mile west of the county he married Mabel, only daughter line. At his suggestion they and of J. R. and Lucy Johnson.

FIRST DEATH.

John Klow, who was accidentally drowned while endeavoring to cross Cedar creek, at the fording north of the Catholic church, Fonda, during the great flood in August, 1869, is be- ered prairie and in the open air of mid-

lieved to have been the first white person who died in Cedar township. He was about twenty years of age and on the sled.

their friends got into their sleds and drove eastward until they arrived at a large haystack that stood on the NW} Sec. 6, Cedar township, where they found a slight refuge from the wintry wind. There on the snow cov- winter the ceremony was performed while the bridal pair stood together

had accompanied George Sanborn

This incident reminds one of the from Jefferson, Wis., that spring, as- Squire who united "for better or for sisting to drive the stock on the way. worse" two persons with this unique He found employment as a day libor- ceremony: er in the western part of the town- "Jim will you take Bet, Without any regret, ship and coming on foot to the Cedar found it bank-full from heavy rains To love and to cherish, that had fallen in the north part of And is laid under the sod, Till one of you perish the county. Having no other means So help you God?" of crossing the flooded stream he After the usual affirmative answer, he proceeded: asked leave to hold to the tail of a horse belonging to a man who crossed "Bet will you take Jim, it horseback, and when they were And cling to him, about the middle of the stream he Both out and in, lost his hold, possibly from cramp, Through thick and thin, Holding him to your heart, and was drowned. His body was re- Till death do you part?" covered soon afterward and buried on When her assent had been modestly the east bank of the creek on the given, he added: homestead of Abigail J. Howell, on SE} Sec. 28, now owned by Harvey Eaton.

FIRST WEDDING.

The first wedding in Cedar town-

"Through life's alternate joy and strife,

I now pronounce you man and wife; Let none other you asunder part. For better or for worse, now de- part. "

452

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

OLDEST PERSON.

McClellan, '87.92, Guy .S. Robinson, Jeremiah Herrington, Fonda, born 1900 -; recorder, R. D. Bollard, '91-98; in Ireland March 9, 1808 and now in sheriffs, T. J. Curtis, '72-73, Joseph his 93d year, is the oldest inhabitant Mallison, '80-81; superintendents, G. in Cedar township.

W. Hathaway, '72-73, J. P. Robinson, PUBLIC OFFICERS. '82-85, A. W. Davis, '98-99; surveyor,. Public officers have been elected Wm. Marshall, '73-83. Members of from Cedar township as follows: the Board of Supervisors, John A. representative, James Mercer, 1890-91; Hay, '71-72; Bernard McCartan, '74-76; auditors, A. O. Garlock, '74-81, T. F. Harvey W. Hay, '77-79; Wm. Bott, McCartan, '86-92; treasurers, J. N. '80-82, '86-88; James Mercer, '83-85.

XIV.

CENTER TOWNSHIP.

Almighty wisdom made the land Subject to man's disturbing hand, And left all for him to fill With works of his ambitious will. As ages slip away earth shows How need by satisfaction grows. And more and more its patient face Mirrors the driving human race. -E. S. MARTIN.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

ENTER township is a survey and plat of Pocahontas, on gently undulating section 31, of which an account has al- prairie drained by ready been given .*

the north branch of

Warrick Price was a banker, resid Lizard creek, which ing at Cleveland, Ohio, who had pur- flows through it in a chased from the Roger Locomotive southeasterly direction. The soil is Co., of New Jersey, a large amount of excellent, and tlie name of the town- land in the south part of that town- ship is derived from its central posi- ship, which that company had re- tion in the county.

ceived in payment for engines and

Its history begins with November other rolling stock furnished the Du- 4, 1870, when Warrick Price employed buque & Pacific R. R. Co. By reason

Fred Hess, of Fort Dodge, to make a See page 280.

GEORGE A. HEALD, COUNTY ATTORNEY, 1903-4.

DR. O. H. BARTHEL.

GUY S. ROBINSON, COUNTY TREASURER, 1900-05.

ULYSES S. VANCE, COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT, 1900-05.

POCAHONTAS.

J.HUDER.

W.L.MITCHELL

T.J. (ALLIGAN

O.F.CHRISTESON

T. F. Mº CARTAN

J.J. KELLEHER

LI ROBERT HUNTER

B.(. BUDOLFSON

R.R.MC CASLIN

POCAHONTAS AND VICINITY.

453

CENTER TOWNSHIP.

of its location in the center of the in height, lined and sheathed with county, he named the plat of the new flooring, had been erected by a land village, "Pocahontas Center, "and, in- company in the fall of 1870 and was first dulging the hope it would become the occupied by Albert Davy, who had a location of the county seat, he donat- family of six children. After one and ed to the county, in addition to its a half years he moved to Old Rolfe streets and avenues, a large square in and three years later to Dakota.

the center of the plat for a public park and court house. This square contains five and one-half acres and is only a half mile from the geographical center of the county.

There was not a resident, tree or sign of any improvement in the town- ship at the time this was done. The lines of settlement previous to this date had been northwestward along the Des Moines river in the east part of the county, and westward along the I. C. R. R. in the south part of it.

Warrick Price then employed Hess (Fred) & Behring, real estate agents at Fort Dodge, to look after and dis- pose of his lands in this county, and they, in the fall of 1871, erecting a small office with two rooms, south of the court house square, sent to Poca- hontas two young men whose names were Mare and Barian, to act as their local agents and show the lands to prospective purchasers. These men remained only until March, 1872, when as local land agents, they were suc- ceeded by Wenzel Hubel, of Fort Dodge, who purchased the office and ten acres of ground as a home for him- self, wife and four children-William, Mary, Annie and Cedora-and to him and his family has been accorded the honor of being the first permanent residents of Pocahontas. At the time of his arrival, B. F. Brown, wife and six children were occupying a building that stood south of the site of the stone bank. IFe owned no real

In May, 1871, William. A. Hubel be- came a temporary resident of Center township and engaged in breaking. At this date there was only one other building in Pocahontas besides the hotel and it was a blacksmith shop that stood on the site of the Garlock and McEwen home. It was in charge of a Swede, who remained only that year. In the spring of 1871, N. Kief- er, of Pomeroy, built a small store- room north of the blacksmith shop and during that year, it was managed by his daughter Mary, but the store was then discontinued and the building removed. The fourth building erect- ed was the real estate office occupied by Wenzel Hubel, which in the fall of 1872 was enlarged and he was appoint- ed the first postmaster in the new vil- lage. William A. Hubel, his son, car- ried the mail on horseback once a week from Pomeroy.

Bonifacio Erne, who located on sec- tion 17, early in the spring of 1871, was the first farmer and did the first breaking in the township. He was a German, had a wife, commenced in a sod shanty and remained on the farm about five years, when he moved to Pocahontas and the next year to a homestead in Grant township.

In 1872 three other farmers located in the township, namely, Frank Lan- ger, on section 19, later a resident of Dover, but now of Pocahontas; Joseph Stoulil, on section 21, but now on 19, estate, was engaged in hunting and and Joseph Stverak, on section 21, trapping, entertained travelers, espe- now in Dakota.

cially those passing on the old stage In 1873, among the additional fami- route from Fort Dodge to Sioux Rap- lies in the township were those of ids, and soon moved away. This hotel Frank Hronek' Sr., on the E} Sec. 19; building, 16x36, one and a half stories D. Berryman, on section 2; James Eral,

454

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

on section 27, and Fred Mott, who section 28; John Veterna and Joseph moved to Boone in 1880.

Marketan; and from Bohemia, Frank and Wenzel Vodreska. After this the

In Pocahontas Thomas J. Bilsky erected a building on the east side of settlement of the township progressed the street and established a grocery. quite rapidly, the Bohemians consti- Benjamin Brown also located there. tuting a large proportion of the popu- He was a great hunter, worked at car- lation and establishing Catholic serv- pentry occasionally and after two ices at Pocahontas in the spring of years moved to Estherville. Joseph 1875. Whilst the settlement of the Machovec also erected a building in township was retarded by the rav- Pocahontas and occupied it that year. ages of the grasshoppers in 1873-74 and The next year it was used for the first 1876-77, and its great distance from public school established there, under market over roads that had no bridges, Miss Hattie Barnes, of Powhatan, who it was encouraged by Warrick Price, continued to teach for several terms, who donated to every purchaser of 160 the first schoolhouse having been acres from him one lot in Pocahontas, built by William A. Hubel in the fall and of 320 acres, two lots. He also of 1874.

donated ample grounds for a school

In 1874, Joseph Nemick built the house site, a cemetery and the Catho- Center (later called the Bissell) House lic church. The increase in popula- tion and rise in the price of land were greatest during the period from 1885 to 1893.

and during the next ten years kept the first regular hotel in Pocahontas. John Bartak established a harness shop, Michael Bartosh located on section 29, and John Eral on section 23.

ORGANIZATION AND OFFICERS.

Center township was included in In 1875, a number of Bohemian fam- Des Moines until the date of its es- ilies from Winnishiek county located in the township, among whom were tablishment by the board of super- visors, September 8, 1874. The first those of Albert and Joseph Lukes, officers were elected on October 13, M. and T, Shimon, (on section 36) and 1874, and wereas follows: Joseph Sobereik. David (Deiderick) Stoulil, Joseph Stverak and Frank Brinkman located on section 24.

Joseph Hronek, trustees; Joseph Stverak,

In 1876 the court house was built at clerk; Joseph Nemick, justice of the Pocahontas and the county officials, peace, and George Mott, assessor, who consisting of W. D. McEwen, A. O. entered upon their duties Jan. 1, 1875. Garlock, J. W. Wallace and others, lo- The judges at this first election were cated there, the first two building a Frank Langer, Joseph Nemick and large double house. Louis Brodsky Joseph Stverak, and the clerks were engaged in the mercantile business as Wenzel Hubel and Fred Mott. the successor of T. J. Bilsky, and F. The succession of officers has been as follows: J. Payer located on section 28.

In 1877 a number of Bohemian fam- TRUSTEES: Joseph Stoulil, 1875-76, ilies from Chicago located in the '79; Joseph Stverak, 1875-79; Frank township, among whom were those of Hronek, 1875-76; David Brinkman, '77- Albert Jelenek, Charles Nemeck, (no 78; George Mott, '77-78, '80; John Vit- relative of Joseph) John Dives, Ignac erna, '79; John Eral, '80-83; Vit Payer, Votlucka and Frank Sernett. Peter Murphy located on section 7.

'80; John Divish, Frank Langer, '81; J. S. Smith, '81; O. C. Christopherson,

In 1878, another lot of Bohemian Thomas Shimon, '82; Anthony Sect- families came from Chicago, among lachka, '82; Charles T. Stein, '83-84; whom were those of Joseph Sinek, on Henry Schrader, '83-84, '95; John Hrc-

455

CENTER TOWNSHIP.

nek, '84-92; Geo. F. Spence, '85-89; the NE Cor. Sec. 23, and about the Samuel Powell, '85-91; Charles L. Gun- same time a permanent building was derson, '80-92 and '95-97; James Stoulil built in district No. 8. In 1887 the '92-94; T. E. Ferguson, '93-94; John school house in district No. 2 was Eral, '93-94; James W. Eral, '95-1900; built by W. A. Hubel, and in 1888 the W. C. Walkenhaur, '86-98; Martin one in district No. 4 by Joseph Mikesh. Paduska, '98-1900; Richard Grant, '99- 1900.

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The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 60

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