USA > Iowa > Pocahontas County > The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 65
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484
PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.
Barker, '93-98; Sylvester Smith, '99; sisting of railway officials, platted the; Robert Hunter, 1900. town of Rubens .*
SCHOOL OFFICERS.
On May 21, Clinton township voted
The officers of the school board a 5 per cent tax in aid of the Des
have been as follows:
Moines & Fort Dodge R. R., on Aug.
PRESIDENTS: Joseph Clason, 1869- 23, 1881, the right-of-way was secured 70, '73; E. L. Brown, '71; A. H. Mal- and the track was laid to Rolfe Junc. colm, '72; Sewell Van Alstine, '74; E. tion about June 1, 1882.+
D. Seely, Tra Scranton,, '76-77, '82-83;
On Sept. 8, 1881, Wm. D. McEwen, Alfred Baker, '78-79; C. Beacock, J. a practical surveyor, and county treas- M. Bush, '81, 84-85; A. R. Doxsee, '86- urer at that time, on the S} NE} and 87. I. C. Brubaker, '88, '91-92; S. Gish, '88; Axel Gad, '89, '93; Wm. C. Kenne- dy, '90; P. J. Canon, '94; B. C. Vot- lucka, '95-1900. W+ SEł of section 5, Clinton town- ship, at the junction of these two rail- roads surveyed and platted the town of Rolfe. This survey was filed for SECRETARIES: P. C. Harder, 1869- 72; P. H. Bendixen, '73-77, '80-95; M. F. Seely, '78-79; H. W. Harris, '96 1900. record Sept. 19, 1881, by the North- western Land, Co., of which J. J. Bruce was president and A. O. Gar- lock, secretary. The original plat TREASUREKS: D. W. Hunt, 1869-71; contained 17 blocks, lacking only three B. Messenger, '72-73; A. H. Malcolm, blocks at the southwest corner of be- '73-81; W. C. Kennedy, '82-83; H. A. ing a complete rectangle, extending Lind, 84; Julius White, '85-1900.
eastward from the railroad five blocks
The directors in the several districts and south four blocks.
for the year 1900 were: No. 1-J. E. The streets running north and Schmaing; 2-W. C. Kennedy; 3-L. B. south from the west side eastward Hersom; 4-P. J. Condon; 5-Niels were named Des Moines avenue (100) Peterson; 6-Sewell Van Alstine; 7- feet), Garfield street (80 feet), Grant, Benjamin Behrendsen; 8-B. C. Vot- (66) and Lincoln (66). The principal lucka.
ROLFE.
"I live for those who love me, Whose hearts are kind and true; For the heaven that shines above me And waits my coming, too;
For human ties that bind me, For tasks by God assigned me And the good that I can do."
street running east on the south was. called Broad (100 feet) and the ones. north of it, Walnut (66 feet) and Elm streets.
This is a very pretty site for a town, one that possesses natural advantages that combine to make it desirable both as a commercial and residence
The history of Rolfe begins with center. Its location is 107 miles north- the month of May, 1881, when the west of Des Moines.
survey of the Des Moines & Fort
As soon as the survey was complet- Dodge R. R. crossed that of the Tole- ed lots were purchased by Geo. W. do & Northwestern. The survey of Horton, merchant and postmaster at the latter railroad was made in De- Old Rolfe, who, in the fall of 1881, cember, 1880, and the right-of-way in built the first store building, a two- Clinton was given in April, 1881. On story frame, on the northwest corner Jan. 10, 1882, this track was laid to of Broad and Garfield, known as the Rolfe Junction, the grading having National Bank building. Other pur- been completed five days previous. A chasers were Jas. Parks, of Po whatan, depot was soon afterward built, two who erected the first dwelling house, miles further west, where, oh Jan. 27, Messrs. Kelley and Foley; of Manson, 1882, the Western Town Lot, Co., con- PPozo 208. +Page 990
C. H. TOLLEFSRUDE, ROLFE. COUNTY AUDITOR, 1882-85.
MRS. C. H. TOLLEFSRUDE.
COL. JOHN B. KENT, ROLFE. MEMBER IOWA NATIONAL GUARD, 1884-85.
MRS. J. B. KENT
RESIDENTS OF ROLFE.
RESIDENCE OF C. H. TOLLEFSRUDE, ROLFE 1893.
485
CLINTON TOWNSHIP.
Lou Schoonmaker, Henry and Charles
BARBERS: J. L. Moore, Messinger Kelly, of Lizard, and Alexander Bar- M. P.) & Watopek (Henry), W. H. ker who, on Sept. 29, erected a barn Strickler. large enough for the accommodation BAZAAR: Frank H. Sherman. (See Gen'l. Merchants.) of twelve teams. The lumber for Hor- ton's store building was hauled from Humboldt and Dakota City, the ter- minus of the Toledo branch of the Northwestern at that time.
BLACKSMITHS: N. H. Williams, (es- tablished 1882) H. C. Holt, S. D. Stod- dard.
BUTTER MANUFACTURER: Rolfe Creamery, W. R. Rogers, Prop.
The postoffice was established April 1, 1882, under the name of Rolfe, with Henry Tilley as the first postmaster. BICYCLE SHOP: Archie M. White. CARPET WEAVERS: Mrs. B. Hanch- Previous to this date the name Ar- lington was often used to designate er, J. J. Handel. the place, but its use was dropped by CARPENTERS: W. A. Grove, A. W. request of the citizens the day the Ireland, Charles C. Seifert, Charles postoffice was established under the Johnson, John A. Baird, J. H. Wilson, name of the first county seat in Des C. C. Depew, Alex. Barker. Moines township. CONTRACTORS AND BUILDERS: Ed-
On Dec. 21, 1883, two years after it ward Wood, A. W. Ireland, W. A. was founded, the citizens by a vote de- Grove, J. A. Baird.
cided to incorporate. During those been transformed into an incorporat- ed town of 300 inhabitants that en-
joyed the advantages of two railroads, D. M. Palmer, Mgr .; J. P. Farmer.
three general and two hardware stores, one bank, one drug store, one church edifice and a school building with two rooms.
ROLFE IN 1900.
Mayor, M. Crahan.
ATTORNEYS: Robert Bruce, since Frank King.
1897; C. C. Delle, since 1886; S. H.
DRESSMAKERS: Mrs. Charles Peri- Kerr, since 1889. W. D. McEwen, since gal, Mrs. Wm. White, Mrs. A. A. 1870. Merrill, Miss Louisa Hayward, Camille
BANKS: State Savings Bank, incor- Paulson, Mrs. F. H. Symes.
porated Jan. 1, 1893, (established in 1886 as "Exchange Bank of Rolfe, " by John Spear, F. C. Walston. McEwen, Garlock & Grant; brick DRUGGISTS: Geo. W. Core, since building erected in 1889) W. D. Mc- 1882; Charles M. Webb, since 1889; Ewen, Pres .; A. O. Garlock, Vice- Charles H. Beam, since 1895.
Pres .; S. H. Kerr, Cash .; C. E. Fraser, Asst. Cash.
First National Bank, incorporated May 14, 1894, (established as "Bank of Rolfe" in 1882, by John Lee; building erected in 1881, the first one in the Crahan & Co., R. P. Brown, Mgr.
town) J. P. Farmer, Pres ; J. H. Charl- ton, Vice-Pres .; S. S. Reed, Cash .; J. J. L. Hall. K. Lemon, Asst. Cash.
CITY ENGINEER (water works): A.
CIVIL ENGINEER: Fred A. Malcolm.
CLOTHING: Kaufman Bros., 'Globe,'
CHOP-HOUSES: Mrs. W. F. Smith. (See restaurants. )
CHURCHES: M. E. (1884), Presbyte- rian (1888), Catholic, Baptist (1896), Danish Lutheran (1900).
DENTISTS: C. Wesley Siefkin, Dr.
DRAYMEN: Charles E. Matteson,
ELEVATORS: Northern Iowa Grain Co., M. C. Brown, Mgr .; Counselman & Co., H. M. Underwood, Mgr .; Joe White.
EGG HOUSE AND COLD STORAGE:
FEED AND SEED: W. B. Saunders,
FURNITURE: C. P. Leithead & Sons
two years a wild prairie region had G. Albright, (also city marshal.)
486
PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.
(W. C. and A. E.) since 1886; McIntire Hawarden Div. C. & N-W. Ry., E. A. Bros , (W. P. and S. L.) Messinger.
GENERAL MERCHANTS: M. Crahan, MASONS AND PLASTERERS: E. Bux- since 1889; (sold in 1900 to J. P. Far- bom, Ed Wood, D. Wood. mer) D. Ferguson & Son, ( Ward) since MEAT MARKETS: "Palace, " J. H. 1891; Weible & Hauck, (August W. Price; "North Side," Jas. Cuff. and Valentine H.) since 1883; J. T. MILL: Rolfe Roller Mills, Patter- Lange. The "Bazaar," Frank H. son & Fouch, (G. A. & D.)
Sherman; the "Racket," E. E. Vest; the "Hub, " H. F. Mills.
GROCERS: Pollock Bros, (J. H. & G. R.) O. B. Fuller.
GRAIN DEALERS: M. C. Brown, Northern Iowa Grain Co .; H. M. Un- derwood, Counselman & Co .; Joe Wheeler, Miss Lucille Wheeler. White.
MUSIC TEACHERS: Mrs. W. P.
NEWSPAPERS: "The Reveille, " since
HARDWARE: A. R. Doxsee, & Bro., 1888, A. R. & Lottie Thornton; "Rolfe (J. L.) since 1896; A. B. Symes, since (twice a-week) Tribune," since 1897, 1883.
HARNESS SHOPS: Ed McMahon, since 1888; J. E. Gill.
PAINTERS: Kelts & Son, (Jas. &
HOTELS: "Tremont," George Wen- Phil B.) Ross Dennis, W. H. Shirk, gart, Prop .; "Oxford," Wm. Pauline, Henry Jensen.
Prop.
HOUSE MOVER: C. H. Roberts.
ICE: W. B. Saunders.
IMPLEMENTS: E. R. Wiswell, Joe White, Mgr .; J. E. Gill, H. C. Holt, A. B. Symes, John Albright,
INSURANCE: J. B. Kent, J. M. Smith, Robert Bruce, C. E. Fraser, S. H. Kerr, M. Whitman, John Albright, J. A. Whitaker, J. H. Campbell, W. P. Wheeler, Frank E. Jorgenson, S. S Reed, J. K. Lemon.
JEWELERS: J. White & Son, (C. J.) Jobn M. Lind.
JANITOR: (public school) E. J. Wheeler.
LAUNDRY: (Chinee) Hong Lee, Prop. LIVERYMEN: Peter Johnson, C. E. Stover.
LIVE STOCK: Weible & Yetter, (M. W. & Jacob Y.) J. E. Gill & Co., G. W. Rich & Co.
REAL ESTATE: J. B. Kent, John Albright, J. H. Campbell, F. E. Jor- genson, J. A. Whitaker, W. P. Wheel-
LUMBER AND COAL: C. A. Grant & er, Jas. Smith.
RESTAURANTS: Wm. Harris, M. W. Son, (J. T.) since 1892; J. & W. C. Shull, W. F. Smith, Mgr. Coal-J. E. Coffin, I. T. Hall, T. D. Challand, Gill.
Fox Bros., (James & Thos. J.) Mrs. W.
MAIL MESSENGER: Des Moines & F. Smith, (chop house.)
J. H. Lighter.
NURSE: Miss Anna M. Smith.
PASTORS: Rev. O. S. Bryan, M. E .; Rev. D. McKeogh, Catholic; Rev. N. H. Burdick, Presbyterian; Rev. F. O. Bump, Baptist; Rev. M. C. Jensen- Engholm, Danish Lutheran.
PHOTOGRAPHER: C. F. Garrison; building erected in 1886.)
POULTRY: F. C. Thomas, John L. Hall, M. C. Ransom, Charles Gruble. POSTMASTER: Marion Bruce.
PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS: W. W. Beam, since 1881; E. W. Wilson, E. R. Ames, (homeopath.)
ROLFE TELEPHONE CO ; W. P. Wheeler, Pres .; C. E. Fraser, Sec'y and Treas .; 115 subscribers; stock, $10,000.
RAILWAY AGENTS: H. D. Smith, C., R. I. & P. Ry .; L. A. Dash, C. & N-W. Ry.
MILLINERS: Mrs. J. A. Lemon, Mrs. Florence Utley, Miss Mae White. MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: R. B. Fish, McIntire Bros., (W. P. & S. L.) H. A. Lind.
487
CENTER TOWNSHIP.
ROLFE BOTTLING WORKS: C. M. '87-88, '98; W. F. Bright, '89; John Lee, '90-91; Wm. D. McEwen, '92-95; Ferdi- nand C. Thomas, '96-97; Robert
Webh, Mgr.
SADDLERY: (See Harness Shops.) SHOEMAKERS: A. J. Denend, J. H. Struthers, '98; (died in office) M. Cra- Hartman.
han, '99-1900.
TAILORS: J. M. McPetrie, Charles Josephson.
COUNCILMEN: F. H. Symes, '84-87, '90-92; V. Hauck, '84-86, '90-92; Wm. TELEPHONE OPERATORS: Miss Lulu Jarvis, '84, '87-89; M. Lathrop, '84-87; J. F. Ransom, M. W. Coffin, Charles H. Lamb, '84-86; C. P. Leithead, '84-87; Beam, (Ia. Tel. Co.)
M. W. Coffin, '85-91; C. A. Grant, '87- UNDERTAKERS: C. P. Leithead, W. - 89, '97-99; A. S. Mygatt, '88-92; M. P. McIntire.
Crahan, '88, '91-93, '96-98; Frank G. WAGON MAKERS: N. P. Jensen, S. Thornton, '88; D. D. Day, '89-90; E. P. D. Stoddard, H. C. Holt, N. H. Wil- Hammond, '89; J. H. Charlton, '91-92, liams.
'94-95, 1900; F. C. Thomas, '91, '99-1900;
WELL DRILLERS: J. H. Hancher, F. M. Flynn, '92; Ed McMahon, '93; Thos. Heather, (successor to N. F. J. H. Lighter, '93-97; Thomas Rogers, Russell.) '93-95; W. A. Grove, '94-95; J. A. Whit- VETERINARY SURGEON: H. Barnes. aker, '94-96; R. Chambers, '95-96; Chas. Johnson, '96, '98-1900; Frank King, '96- 98; H. D. Smith, '96-97; D. Fouch, '97- 99; A. B. Symes, '98-1900; W. F. Smith, '99.1900; Ward Ferguson, 1900.
At the first election held in Rolfe, the following persons were chosen as the first officers of the incorporation: Mayor, J. J. Bruce; councilmen, F. H. Symes and Wm. Jarvis, one year; RECORDERS: E. W. Duke, '84-86; J. L. Warden, '87-89; F. H. Plumb, '90; J. Lamb and M. Lathrop, two years; V. Hauck and C. P. Leithead, three J. H. Lighter, '91; E. R. Wiswell, '92- years; recorder, E. W. Duke; treasurer, 94; Marion Bruce, '95-96; August Wei- John Lee. The first meeting of the ble, '97-1900.
TREASURERS: John Lee, '84-88; J.
council was held March 19, 1884. At this meeting the council arranged J. McGrath, '89-90; S. S. Reed, '91-1900. for a sidewalk, and at the second one, The first addition to Rolfe was held March 24th, following, they de- made Aug. 26, 1884, by the Northwest- termined the boundaries of the incor- ern Land Co., south and east of the poration as including all of section 5, original plat. It included the north- 640 acres. On Dec. 1, 1884, they gave east fractional quarter and the N} the Toledo & Northwestern R. R. Co. SE} Sec. 5, and was platted by L. C. a strip of land thirty feet in width on Thornton, surveyor. On Sept. 11, Railroad street extending from the 1888, the second addition, consisting west side of Grant street to the east af blocks 10 and 11, north of 4 and 5 of original plat, was made by the Poca- line of section 5, for depot grounds and side-tracks; and the depot was hontas Land & Loan Co., W. D. Mc- then moved there from Rubens. On Ewen, president, and it was platted Feb. 2, 1882, D. D. Day was appointed by E. A. Caswell, surveyor. On May as the first assessor of the town, and 29, 1890, the third addition, consisting James Hall, marshal.
SUCCESSION OF OFFICERS.
of blocks 12 to 22, west of the depot grounds of the D. M. & Ft. D. Ry.,
The succession of officers of the in- was made by the Pocahontas Land & corporated town of Rolfe has been as Loan Co., and on Aug. 18, 1890, the follows:
Kent addition, consisting of blocks 1 MAYORS: James J. Bruce, 1884; D. and 2, west of the D. M. & Ft. D. Ry., D. Day, W. C. Ralston, John B. Kent, and north of Elm street, was made by
488
PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.
John B. Kent. Aug. 14, 1893, the was 27 more than the number cast by fourth addition, comprising blocks 23 any other town in Pocahontas county. to 38 on section 5, was made by the THE CEMETERY. Pocahontas Land & Loan Co. The
The Clinton township cemetery, Lothian addition on the northeast, containing nine acres, is located on consists of a part of the S? SE} Sec. the southwest corner of section 4, one- 32, Des Moines township, and was half mile southeast of Rolfe. It is made by William M. Lothian. under the supervision and care of the NO SALOON. township trustees, who in 1890, made
On Dec. 1, 1884, the council passed arrangements with Henry Packman, an ordinance providing for the pay- of Eagle Grove, to plant a row of ev- ment of a license of $25.00 a month or ergreens around it and a few through $300 a year for the sale of pop, cider it.
These trees are now growing and other drinks not prohibited by nicely, they produce a very pleasing law. The tax on billiard tables was effect upon the landscape, are emi- fixed at $12.00 each a year, minors nently appropriate and invariably at- were prohibited from frequenting tract the attention and call forth the places where pool, billiards, cards or admiration of every observer. This other games of chance were played, city of the dead has become the last and it was made the duty of the mar- resting place of representatives of shal to arrest all minors found play- many of the pioneer families of the ing these games. These ordinances north part of this county, and during are still in force.
recent years a large number of beau- tiful monuments have been erected
The local land company that plat- ted the town, put forth a laudable en- to their memory.
RAILROAD AID.
deavor to found a city that would be free from the blighting presence of
A number of special elections were the liquor saloon, by inserting in all held in this township to vote aid in their deeds a clause the object of favor of railway projects. On June which was to prohibit the sale of in- 19, 1872, a 5 per cent tax was voted the toxicating liquors on the premises. Fort Dodge & Northwestern R. R. No provision has ever been made by Co. On Nov. 30, 1872, that project the town council for its establish- having been abandoned, this aid was ment, and it is a matter of local pride voted to the Iowa & Dakota R. R. Co. worthy of note that Rolfe has never This project was also abandoned and had a saloon. The fact has also been on May 21, 1881, this aid was voted noted that during the first eighteen years of its history not a business the Des Moines & Fort Dodge R. R. Co., who built the road from Tara to block or private residence was com- Ruthven and received it. On June 7, pletely destroyed by fire. By pro- 1887, at a special election held in tecting the youth of the town from Rolfe, another 5 per cent tax was the dissipating and demoralizing in- voted to aid in the construction of the fluences of the gaming table and sa- Sioux City & Northeastern R. R., pay- loon, a sober, clear-headed and indus- able when a continuous line of stand- trious citizenship has been developed ard gauge road should be completed and a good class of people has been at- from Sioux City to the southwest cor- tracted to the town and community, ner of section 7, Clinton township. so that the growth has been both sub- This project was abandoned after the stantial and rapid. At the general survey was completed.
On June 20, 1876, W. D. McEwen,
election in the fall of 1899, Rolfe took the lead by casting 412 votes, which editor of the Times, wrote as follows
JAS. J. BRUCE, ROLFE. COUNTY TREASURER, 1870-73. REPRESENTATIVE, 1886-87.
MRS.HENRY JARVIS
MRS.J.J. BRUCE.
HENRY JARVIS
=
ELLEN W. STRUTHERS MATHER FIRST CHILD-
MRS. W. C. KENNEDY.
MRS. L.E ENGLAND<
W.E. STRUTHERS
W.E. CAMPBELL .
MRS. W.E. CAMPBELL.
ROLFE, GILMORE CITY AND VICINITY.
489
CLINTON TOWNSHIP.
concerning this matter of railroad aid: C. Kennedy became his successor as
The McGregor & Missouri R. R. Co. superintendent, and he maintained the Sunday School at that place dur- ing the next five years. Later, the Danish Baptists secured the erection of a church building on the NE} Sec. 34.
At the first meeting of the trustees of Clinton township, held in April, 1861, the time was occupied in dis- cussing work on the roads and it was decided the wages per day should be for a man, $1.00; for one yoke of cat- tle fifty cents, and for two yoke of cattle, $1.00. The amount expended on the roads that year was $89.50.
It was in Clinton township that the following amusing incident, illustra- tive of the old-time way of thinking and too good to be lost, is said to have occurred:
As the time of the annual election
by shrewd men who have axes to drew near one of the few early settlers grind, and would have the grindstone turned by those who should hold the axe.
HISTORIC INCIDENTS.
The first child born in Clinton town- ship was Nettie Clason, whose birth occurred July 25, 1865.
The first marriage occurred in the log house of Joseph Clason, Dec. 25, 1869, when his daughter Sarah became the wife of George Heald, Rev. David S. McComb performing the ceremony.
went to his neighbor and inquired if he would not be willing to take the office of justice of the peace. The one whom he addressed was a deacon in the church and he asked that a reason- able amount of time be given him to consider a matter of so much import- ance. A few days later he was over- heard musing aloud or talking with himself over the matter and as fol- lows: "The people now call me ‘Dea- con X,' and that sounds well in the ears of the Lord. If I were elected justice of the peace they will call me 'Squire X,' and that will sound well
The first school house in Clinton township was built by W .D. McEwen and Henry Jarvis, carpenters, in 1865, on section 11, in the Malcolm district, in the ears of the people. I believe I and the first teacher in it was Edward had better take the office." Strong. Previous to this date many of the children in this township who
During December of 1881 the first religious services were held in Rolfe attended school, went to the brick by William C. Kennedy and Rev. L. school house in Des Moines township. C. Gray, of Fort Dodge. The former, Clinton was included in the Des Moines
as superintendent, secured the organ- school district until the end of 1868. ization of a Sunday school and it met
In 1881, the first religious services in the most convenient one of the were established in the township by new buildings in process of erection, the organization of a union Sunday he making the selection and cleaning. School in the Pilot Creek district, un- it for that purpose on the previous der Joseph Hatton, superintendent. Saturday evening. Mr. Gray held In 1883, when he moved to Rolfe, Wm. divine services at the same time and
a few years previous induced the citi- zens to vote aid in some of the town- ships to a paper railroad running from Fort Dodge in a northerly direction, ostensibly taking the place of the Des Moines Valley railroad. Circum- stances that occurred later led those citizens, who advocated this aid, to feel that in so doing they were the dupes of a designing corporation of men, whose sole object was to secure control of the local aid in those coun- ties in which lay the land grant of the McGregor & Missouri R. R. Co., ex- pecting thereby to crowd out legiti- mate projects and to save the above named company from paying tax on its grant. This experiment led them to feel that rushing into a railroad excitement was somewhat like inter- fering with the business end of a wasp. A natural consequence of an over-desire to have a railroad, often leads men to grasp at straws handled
490
PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.
place on alternate Sabbaths.
to the board of directors of Clinton In December 1881 the first public township in January, 1884, the Inde- school was established under Maggie pendent District of Rolfe was estab- Hall in a building that stood north of lished, embracing all the territory on the First National Bank building, and sections 5 and 6, the W} Sec. 4, N} for some months afterwards
this Sec. 7, N. ¿ Sec. 8, and NW} Sec. 9, in building was used for the Sunday Clinton (92-31) ,all of section 32, the S± Sec. 31 and W} Sec. 33 in Des Moines
school and church services. It is now used as a stable by Dr. W. W. Beam. (93-31) townships.
In 1883, when J. J. Bruce built the double two story frame building at the south end of Garfield street from the lumber of the old court house and later known as the Tremain House, the services were transferred to the the public hall over the store of Weible & Hauck in the north half of this building.
PUBLIC OFFICERS: The following persons have been elected or appoint- ed to serve as public officers from Clinton township: Sheriff, Edward P. Hammond; superintendents, Oscar F. Avery, Ora Harvey, J. H. Camp- bell; coroners, Edward P. Hammond, Joseph Clason, Dr. W. W. Beam, C. C. Delle, Esq .; surveyor, Fred A. Malcolm; clerks of the court, E. P. Hammond, A. H. Malcolm, F. H. Plumb; representative, James J.
Bruce; senator, George W. Henderson; county supervisors, Ora Harvey, A. H. Malcolm, J. J. Bruce, Robert Hunter
POSTMASTERS AT ROLFE.
Henry Tilley established the office April 1, 1882, and his successors have been James Hatton, D. D. Day, '86-90; George F. Spence, '90-97; Marion Bruce since July 1, 1897.
RAILWAY AGENTS.
C. & N. W. RY: At Rubens, T. C. Morbeck, '82-83; J. Z. Benson; at Rolfe, J. Z. Benson, '84-90; Frank M. Flynn, '90-91; J. Z. Benson, '91-92; C. H. Sla- gle, '92-93; George Staynor, '93-96; W. F. Smith, '96-99; J. G. Kahl, '99; A. B. Jones since Jan. 1, 1900.
C. R. I. & P. RY: E. S. Darling, 84; H. D. Smith since 1884.
INDEPENDENT DISTRICT OF ROLFE.
Since that time several additions have been made to this district. On Sept. 15, 1884, at the request of Henry Hayward, owner, NE} Sec. 8, Clinton; on Jan. 16, 1891, at the request of J. Denend, the NW + SW4 Sec. 4, Clin- ton, and on Sept. 16, 1895, at the re- quest of Thomas Heather, the SW} SW} Sec. 33, Des Moines township, were added.
On March 10, 1884, at the first meet- ing of the electors of the independent district, the first board of directors was elected as follows: James J. Bruce, Frederick H. Symes and M. W. Coffin. The board organized by the selection of M. W. Coffin for Pres .; James J. Bruce, Secy., and John Lee, Treas.
The succession of officers has been as follows:
PRESIDENTS: M. W. Coffin, 1884-85; F. H. Symes, '86; M. Lathrop, '87-90; J. J. Bruce, '91-92; W. F. Bright, '93- 94; F. C. Thomas, '95; John Ratcliff, '96; Wm. D. McEwen, '97; Michael Crahan, '98-99; W. W. Beam, M. D., 1900.
SECRETARIES: James J. Bruce, '84; M. Lathrop, '85; J. L. Warden, '86-92; J. H. Lighter, '93-96; A. L. Schultz, '96-97; H. D. Smith, '97-98; F. C. Thom- as, '99-1900.
TREASURERS: John Lee, '84-89; J. B. Kent, '90-99; W. P. Wheeler, 1900.
Others who have served as members '82- of the board are, C. A. Grant, '87-89; M. Weible, '89; H. A. Lind,: '89-90; G. W. Dickinson, '89-91; C. C. Delle, '89;
In response to a petition presented D. D. Day, '90-92; Geo. F. Spence, '90,
491
CLINTON TOWNSHIP.
'94-96; W. A. Grove, '90-92; A. O. Gar- Crahan; F. C. Thomas, Sec., and W. lock, '91; H. D. Smith, '91; W. F. P. Wheeler, Treas. Bright, '92-95; C. J. Doxsee, '92-93; PRINCIPALS: J. L. Warden, '84-85; John Ratcliff, '92-96; C. E. Gill, '93; L. M. Beebe and Amos Hoffman, in W. B. Sanders, '93-95; E. M. Wilcox, '86; A. W. Sargent, '87; Fred C. Gil- '93-94; S. S. Reed, '93-94; F. C. Thomas, christ, '88-89; J. L. Martin, '90; S. A.
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