The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 90

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 90

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Hoefing, Dietrick, owner and oc- Webber and their family consisted of

to Germany and in February, 1871, he

669

LIZARD TOWNSHIP.

eight children, Dietrick; Annie, who timber along the North branch of in 1894, married Wm. Shroeder and Lizard creek. lives on sec. 13, Bellville township; His family consisted of nine chil- Henry, Mary, Frederic, Frank and dren: Nettie.

Henry (b. 1856), in 1889 married Agnes McKee and is now engaged in

Klingbeil, Gustave, came from Wisconsin in 1867, with Julius Sell the drug business at Anselmo, Neb. and located on sec. 6. He is now the

Charles Joseph (b. May 6, 1858), the owner of 160 acres that are well im- first boy born in Pocahontas county, proved and he has raised a large after graduating from college at Ke- family.

okuk, and in 1892 from the Rush Med-

Johnson, John H., who in 1866, ical Institute, Chicago, has since been located on sec. 10, and served as Jus- engaged in the practice of medicine at Burlington.

tice from 1867 to 1874, had a good team and did a great deal of breaking for Annie married Maurice Shine, lives the other settlers in Lizard and some on sec. 18, Lake township, and has of the neighboring townships. He is three children.

now living at Fort Dodge.

Michael is owner of a farm of 120 Johnson, Daniel and Isaac W., acres near the old home. who in 1866, located on sec. 10, were Mary married John Karnes, lives at Charles, Mary and Rhoda. brothers. Isaac died some years ago the old home and has three children, and Daniel is now the owner and oc- cupant of a fine farm of 160 acres on sec. 16.

Susanna married Daniel O'Hearn, occupies a farm of 120 acres at Clare, Joseph and Homer.

Kelley Charles, (b. 1817, d. 1890,- and has three children, Martha, p. 157) one of the most persevering and successful of the early pioneers Rhoda married Michael Keenan, a blacksmith, lives at Fort Dodge and of Lizard township, was a native of Ireland. Locating on sec. 12 in 1856, has two children, Veronica and Rob- he improved his claim and occupied it ert. until his decease in 1890-a period of Martha, a dressmaker, lives at Fort Dodge, and John, the youngest, man- ages the home farm. 34 years. He was a man of noble im- pulses and possessed considerable na- tive shrewdness. He added acre to acre in the early days when land was Anna, Mary, Susanna, Martha and Henry spent more or less time teach- ing school. Edward, the fifth, died in childhood, and James E. died at 17, in 1885. cheap and ranked second among the early pioneers in the number of acres possessed. He was a devout member of the Catholic church, an enthusias- tic leader among the democrats and Kenning Charles, a resident of sec. 29, from 1870 to 1877, was a native of Germany, where he married Mary Shroeder. Coming to America he located first in Wisconsin and re- mained there until 1870. He was very successful in raising stock and his farm of 160 acres was very soon in- creased to 240 acres. He is now a res- ident of Manson. very nearly secured the erection of the first court house on his own farm. He raised a large and intelligent fam- ily of sons and daughters, to all of whom he afforded the opportunity of receiving a good education. His wife (b. 1834), who is still in the enjoyment of good health, and several of the younger members of the family still occupy the substantial log house built in 1856 in a beautiful grove of native

His family consisted of five children: Augusta married Rudolph Kelsow

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PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

a native of Germany. They occupy a farm of 200 acres on sections 19 and 30, lives in Wisconsin.

and have four children, Martha, Otto, Miller David, superintendent 1870- John and William. Martha married 71, in 1865 secured a homestead of 80 Frederic Weigert, owner and occu- acres on sec. 14, which he occupied pant of 160 acres in Bellville town- until 1889, when he moved to Washı- ship.

ington township and soon afterward John, who is engaged in the hard- to Oregon. He was a good teacher, ware business at Manson, married served as superintendent and also as Elizabeth Herbert and has a family of a member of the board of county su- seven children.

William is at home.

Frederic J. has been engaged in the Buchanan county and she died there. hardware business at Fonda since Josephine Russell, his second wife 1893 in partnership with A. L. Rob- died before he left the homestead,and erts. In 1896 he married Lulu Ellis he afterward married Mrs. Willey, and has two children, Grace and Ma- bel.

Rudolph is engaged in the real es- tate business in Texas.

Elizabeth married John Condon and

pervisors. He married a sister of George Spragg during his residence in

who had two children by her first husband.

McDermott Bernard, who in 1868 came to sec. 14, about 1876, moved to Lake township and in 1885 to Ne- braska.

MeCabe Patrick, an early pioneer that in 1856 located on sec. 24, was a native of Ireland. He improved and Nolan Christopher, still lives on sec. 3, where he located in 1869. enlarged his pre-emption to 160 acres. He occupied it until his death, and it Nolan Nicholas, who in 1869 came with his brother Christopher, and lo- cated on section 4, is still the owner and occupant of the old homestead which he has enlarged by the purchase is still in the possession of his wife (Dempsey) and family. He was an honest and upright man, and enjoyed the confidence of his fellow-citizens. He was one of the first trustees of of 80 additional acres. His wife died the township, and in 1862, becoming a few years ago. Their family con- a member of the second board, served four years as a county supervisor. sisted of four children, three sons and one daughter, Mary, who married more City. John lives at Manson.

His family consisted of seven chil- James Mulholland and lives at Gil- dren:

Annie married John Condon, a farm- er, who owns a large farm in Webster county, and has raised a large family.

Kate is in a Sisters' school at Du- buque.

Alice married Thomas Fitz, and lives on a farm in Jackson township.

Peter, owner of 160 acres, lives with his mother at the old home.

Margaret married Michael Fitz and located on a farm in Humboldt coun- ty, where she died about 1890.

'Niel John, (b. 1819) owner of a farm of 160 acres on sec. 7, was a na- tive of Ireland. Coming to America at thirteen, he located in Canada where he married Constance Godrey and remained until 1871. Then with a family of eight children he located on the homestead in Lizard township, which he improved with good build- ings. He died at 81 in 1900. His wife and nine children, Mary, Alice, Kate, Thomas, Annie, James, Eliza- beth, Lucy, Theresa and Joseph are

James J. married a daughter of living. Alice died at Fort Thomas Brennan, owns a farm of 80 Dodge in 1899. Annie married J. H. acres on sec. 24 and has three children. Caswell, a merchant and lives at

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LIZARD TOWNSHIP.

Grand Junction. Lizzie married in £ expenditures, abstains from Walter P. Ford and lives in Lizard the use of tobacco and intoxicants, township. Lizzie married and lives works late and early and combines in Chicago, The others are at the stock-raising and feeding with crop- old home. ping. In Manson he has built a large

"'Boyle Michael, (b. 1826; d. 1897), residence and one of the finest double resident of section 20, Lizard town- brick business blocks in the city. He ship, from 1876 to 1890, was a native of is a member of the Catholic church Ireland, the son of John and Mary and has been a republican since 1860. O'Boyle. He came to America in

His family consisted of seven chil- 1851, and in 1856 at Pottsville, Pa., dren, two of whom died in Ohio and

married Mary Thompson. Later he three others in the short space of six- located at Shenandoah, Pa., and in teen months after coming to Iowa, 1876 in Pocahontas county. He was a namely: Michael at 24, in 1889; Kate successful farmer and transformed the at 20, in 1890, and Maria at 28 in 1891. wild prairie on which he located, into Maria in 1886 married Henry Gorman a beautiful home. In 1890 he moved of Chicago, and left one son, Harry.

to Clare, where he died in 1897. He was an ardent democrat and a mem- ber of the Catholic church.

John, a teamster, is at home.

Bridget in 1882 married Joseph Price, a stock-dealer, and he died at Mary, Kittie, Nellie, Joseph, Rose

His family consisted of four chil- Manson in 1895, leaving six children, dren:

Thomas married Alice Dalton and and Maggie.

has been for many years the postmas- ter at Clare.

Julius John, who in 1868, located on the W} SW} Sec. 28, is a native of Kate married John Conlee, a mer- Germany, where he married Minnie Seeman. Coming to America he about fifteen in Clayton county, Iowa. Patrick died in 1881. His orchard of two acres planted

chant, and lives at Manson.

Mary married John Collins, a mer- lived several years in Wisconsin and chant, and lives at Gilmore City.

O'Shea Michael (b. 1822), who oc- about 1880 is now in fine bearing con- cupied the NE} Sec. 13, from 1864 to dition and one of the best in the 1895, is now a resident of Manson. township. He is a native of Ireland, came to His family consisted of three sons America in 1850 and lor tted in Cler- and three daughters:

mont county, Ohio, where he found Matilda married Joseph Breitenbach employment boating between that (p. 661) who died in 1878, leaving three place and New Orleans on the Ohio children, David, Hannah and Adam. and Mississippi rivers. In 1855 he Later she married August Miller, and married Catherine Carroll, (b. Ireland their family consists of seven sons, 1824) and engaged in farming and rail- Edward, John, Otto, August, Henry, roading until he settled in this coun- William and Erick.

Minnie married August Barthold

ty. He experienced some disappoint- ments on the farm, but with the help and located in Calhoun county, where of his son John increased the original he died. Later she married August 80 to 400 acres before he left it in 1895. Haese and their family consists of By raising oxen and feeding stock- two children.

cattle he usually fed more grain than John B. married Bertha Miller, he raised. He believes success on the lives at Gilmore city and has a family farm can be achieved by any intelli- of three children, Lydia, William and gent person, who practices economy Matie.

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PIONEER HISTORY OF FOCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

Edward B. is engaged in the drug

Price, George, who in 1865 located business in South Dakota, and Henry on the W} SWI SEC. 24, was a native is at Gilmore City.

Redman Carl, in 1868 located on spent about forty years in America, section 6. In 1889 he met with a seri- locating first in Nova Scotia, then in ous accident while returning from Dane county, Wisconsin, in Lizard Manson, that resulted in his death a township, 1865 to 1875, then in few hours later. He left one son, Young county, Texas, where he died. Carl, who is still owner of the old homestead, and one daughter, Louisa, who became the wife of Gerd Elsen (p. 628). His wife died at the home of her daughter in Lake township, in 1892.

Renken Michael, owner of 360 acres on section 20, is a native of Germany, where he married Antrim Weber. He came in 1868, has been quite success- ful as a farmer and has improved his farm with neat and attractive build- ings.

His family consisted of five children: Anna, after her marriage located in California; Maria married John Jan- sen, a harness-maker, and lives at Manson; Henry married Hannah Saat- haf, lives on his father's farm and has two children; John and Frank are at home.

Anna and Ancke, in June, 1868, lo- cated on section 8, Arndt and Benja- min taking adjoining homesteads. Arndt died suddenly at 70, in the spring of 1869, while in the field for the cows. During that same year his three daughters became ill and died; he has resided.

Maria and Anna on the same day. His house was located on the line be- tween the two homesteads and his wife, while living with her son, se- cured his homestead. She died in 1882.

Benjamin married Mary Weber and is now the owner and occupant of both

of England where he married. He

Price, William Perry, (b. 1819), youngest son of George, came with his father to America in his child- hood, and in 1849, married Mary A. Wade, of Hamilton, Can. In 1855 he moved to a farm in Dane Co., Wis., where in 1861 he enlisted as a member of Co. G,11th Wis. Inf.and spent three years in the army during the Civil war. In 1865 he located on a home- stead of 80 acres, on the SW} SEC. 24, Lizard township, which he improved and occupied until 1875, when he went to Texas, but soon afterward located in Dent Co., Mo. In 1880 he returned to Lizard township, where in 1882, his wife and daughter, Charlotte, died during a scourge of malarial fever Accompanied by Joseph, his youngest son, he returned to Missouri, where he married again. His second wife died

Rost Arndt E., Mary Ann his wife, a few years ago and he is now at the and four children, Benjamin, Maria, home at his daughter, Mrs. J. J. Bruce, of Rolfe. It was just after the battle of Bull Run when the nation needed men, that he said, "take me." He has had the courage to express his convictions and his worth as a citizen has been recognized wherever

His family consisted of four sons and eight daughters, of whom Caro- line, the eldest, died at 11 in 1861, and IIenrietta, the young est, in infancy.

John W., a farmer, married Mary Holmes, lives near Rolfe and has two homesteads. He served as a trustee children. James HI., a butcher, mar- five years. A sister of his became the ried Nancy Hale, lives at Rolfe and wife of John C. Everwine, who in 1869 has two children. Robert G. married located and still lives on section 20. Winnifred Inman, daughter of an Her family consists of two sons and early settler of Des Moines township, one daughter.

and lives in the state of Washington.

673

LIZARD TOWNSHIP.

Joseph the youngest, settled on a farm in Camden Co., Mo. .

Margaret Ellen is a teacher of many years experience.

William P. (b. 1465) is manager of

Mary J. married James J. Bruce, (p. 509), Alice married Wm. E. Struth- the home farm. In his earlier years ers (p. 529), Maria married Harry he engaged in teaching, but now de- Ham, a farmer, and lives in Des votes his spare time to the insurance Moines township, Elizabeth C. mar- business. ried Niels Lilligaard, a farmer and Phillip F. (b. 1867) Mary Alice, a lives in Clinton township. Annie teacher and Lillian B. the youngest married Wm. Overmier (now deceas- are at home. ed) and lives at Valley Junction.

Michael J, Russell, (b. 1871) after

Russell, Phillip, (b. 1823, d. 1893, teaching several years, graduated at p. 160) was one of the most intelligent the Iowa college of law, Des Moines, and highly honored of the early pio- and in 1901, located in Manson, where neers of Lizard township and filled he has since been engaged in the the office of justice for eight years, practice of law. township clerk, sixteen, county super-

James P. (b. 1876) in 1895 married visor, two, and clerk of the district Minnie O'Connell, and occupies the court four, 1861-65. He discharged farm of his brother, John M., on Sec- his public duties with fidelity and tion 3. was a devout member of the Catholic church. He died at 70 in 1893, leaving a good heritage for his children.

Schoonmaker, Garrett, in 1865 located on the NJ SW} SEC. 4, where he established an inn, a store and a His family consisted of eight child- postoffice. His house was on the ren, all of whom are living, except government route from Ft. Dodge to

Thomas who died at 21, in 1895.

to Sioux Rapids, and at the time it John M. (b. 1861), owner of 160 acres on Sec. 3 and Clerk 1890-94, after teaching and farming a few years two sons, Alonzo and Luther located turned his attention to philosophical investigation and authorship. He was built, there was no other one be- tween it and the latter place. His on farms on Sec. 5. About 1884 all moved to the vicinity of Manson and furnished the author of this work later to Sac county, where Garrett most of the facts for the historical died about 1896.

sketch of Lizard township. In 1899

Schroeder, William, died about he went to Colorado City and two 1880 and his family still own and oc- years later to San Francisco, where he cupy the old home on Sec. 29.

is now carrying through the press a

Streckleberg, Henry, and his son corrected edition of a volume first Henry Streckleberg, Jr., in August, printed by the Ft. Dodge Post in 1868 secured the homestead claims of 1898, entitled, "The Seven Ages."*

Wm. B. and Chas. W. Lattin, on Sec. 14. A few years later Henry purchas-

*The Seven Ages, or a new system of science and theology, towit: "That the sun is the heaven of the solar system, the throne of omnipotence; that it is a stupendous cosmic shell of gold whose interior is the empyrean, and its exterior the hell of the solar system; that the earth had five moons, now all fallen but one, that the fall of the fourth sunk the ocean beds and upheaved the continents and mount- is the end of all degradation."

ains, and that the fall of the fifth at the end of time shall cause the end of the world; that the invisible atomic element of infinite space is the ashes of fallen angels, which became the source of all creation; that as Lucifer became the "old serpent," so sin transforms angels and men to serpents and the the undying serpent, em- blem of the punishment of the wicked,

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PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

ed Sec. 25, Bellville township, and and all of them are nicely protected commenced to raise wheat on a large by a beautiful grove. His orchard is scale. Owing to the excess of mois- one of the best in the township. The ture and the ravages of the grass- homestead of 80 acres has been in- hoppers this proved an unprofitable creased to 440 acres and in 1896 he venture. Henry Jr., still owns the added thereto some property in Man- farm on Sec. 14, now increased to 360 son that cost about $2000. acres and lives at Manson. He has served as a member and

Steinbrink, Carl, (b. 1838) one of secretary of the Boyd school board the most prominent of the Lizard ever since it became an independent settlers that came after the Civil war, district, in 1875. He served as a mem- is a native of Germany, the son of ber of the board of supervisors six John and Sabine (Bartold) Steinbrink. years, 1878-83. He has been a leading His mother died when he was three member oftheLizard Lutheran church years of age and his father when he since its organization. He has thus was eleven. April 29, 1866, during been prominently identified with the the Austria-Prussian war, he married development of the material, politi- Maria Kalsow (b. 1840). He was then cal, educational and religious interests a soldier in the Prussian army and of that highly favored section of the when in September that year, at the land of his adoption.

close of the war, he was mustered

He is one of nature's noblemen and out he had completed three years enjoys the reputation of being the of military service in the Prussian or largest man in the township, standing German army. Crossing the Atlantic six feet, two inches in height and he arrived at New York, October weighing 225 pounds. The high 28th, on his way to northwestern Iowa. Leaving his wife at Iowa Falls, the terminus of the railroad, he and esteem in which he is held, however, is due to the excellent qualities of character he has developed, the good Rudolph Kalsow, his brother-in-law, record he has made and the success he walked to the E} SW} SEC. 22, Lizard has achieved. His family consists of township, (p. 664), a distance of 75 three sons and three daughters.

Matilda M. (b. 1867), in 1887 married

miles. In making this trip they saw only one farm house between Alden William Onken, a native of Germany, and Webster City. During the years who owns and occupies 160 acres on that have passed since that date he Sec. 25, and has a family of four has witnessed a wonderful transforma- children, Henry, Maria, Elizabeth tion in this section of the country. and Martha.

John F. (b. 1869), Carl F. (b. 1872),

He, too, has been an ideal settler, selecting his homestead, occupying, Rudolph Otto, (born 1874), Augusta enlarging and improving it as the and Emma E. are at home.

years have passed. The sod shanty,

Stenson, William W. (b. 1828), 12x14 feet, occupied the first four who in 1865 located on the W} SE} years was then replaced by a story Sec. 14, is a native of Otsego Co., N. and a half log house, 16x20 feet, and Y., where in 1851 he married Sarah M. twenty two years later or in 1893, it Coller and located on a farm. In 1856 was replaced by the large frame man- he moved to Adams Co., Wis., and in sion he and his family have since en- 1865 to Pocahontas county. He im- joyed. In 1888 he built a large barn proved and occupied the homestead to take the place of the first improve- 28 years, and in 1893 moved to Manson. ments for the care of his stock. Other The first postoffice in Lizard township new buildings have since been erected (p. 659) was established at his home in

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LIZARD TOWNSHIP.

1868. He served three years, 1875-77, cluded three of his grand children, as a county supervisor of this county. Mary J., Josiah W. and Francis H.

His wife died at 48 in 1876. His Osborne, arrived, began to occupy family consisted of three children two Connor's homestead and built an- of whom died in childhood. Ida, the other sod house on the same section. second, in 1877 married Seymour Fer- These settlers on Sec. 8, were among rand, and, after a few years' residence the number of those who had to take in Calhoun county, in 1889 located on the lead in this county in erecting a farm on Sec. 9, Lizard township. sod houses and planting artificial They have one son, William, who groves. They experienced no difficul- graduated from the Manson High School in 1898.

ty in getting sod for their houses, which were used about one year, but

Van Valkenburg, A. H. who in as there were no tree peddlers in those 1867 secured a homestead on Sec 36 is days, they had to go many miles to ob- still the owner and occupant of it. tain the little trees or cuttings for the His sister who used to keep house for groves. him died a few years ago. lle has filled the offices of trustee, assessor and justice.

Wagner, Peter, who secured a homestead on Sec. 34, died about, 1877 and his wife, who was a sister of David Miller, afterwards married A. M. Carpenter.

Wallace, David (1805; d. 1885) an- cestor of the Wallace families of Liz- ard and Center townships was a native of Ireland, where he married Mary Bagdad. Both he and wife were of Scotch parentage and received their early training in the Established Church. In 1837, after the birth of their first two children, they came to America and located on a farm in Canada.

David Wallace in 1869 served as superintendent of the first Sunday school in Lizard township. It met in the Johnson school house on Sec. 4. His wife died at 66 in 1871 and was buried in the cemetery in Jackson township, south of Clare. In 1876 he accompanied Henry Shields and fam- ily to the State of Washington where he died at 80 in 1885, He was a tall, large and strong man. His family consisted of eight children:

Ellen in Canada married Frank Os- borne, who died in 1852, leaving three children; Mary J., Josiah W. and Frank H. She died in 1855. Their children found a home with their grand parents and in 1866 came with them to Lizard township. Mary be- came the wife of George Spragg and in 1869 located in Cedar township and twelve years later in Nebraska. Josi- ah married Ida, a sister of L. W. Moody and located at Pomeroy. Frank went to Washington.

In March 1866 his oldest son, John W. Wallace, Henry Shields,his broth- er-in-law, James Shields and James Connors came together to Lizard township and secured homesteads of 80 acres each on Sec. 8. They came by rail to Ackley and walked the re- maining distance. Each of the first Thomas H, in Canada married Char- lotte Carlisle and later located in Ft. Dodge, where she died in 1881 leaving three children. three men named built a sod house and began the work of improving their homesteads. Two months later David Wallace, a younger brother of John Eliza J. in Canada married Henry W., arrived, secured a homestead on Shields who, in March 1866, secured a the same section and built another homestead on Sec. 8, Lizard town- sod house. In October 1866 David ship. He improved and occupied this Wallace and family, which then in- homestead until 1876 when, accom-

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PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

panied by David Wallace, he moved farmer and succeeded well in his ef- to Washington. forts to transform the wilderness into

John W., Clerk of the Court, 1875-86. a cultivated and fruitful field. He was a member of the Catholic church, and a man "universally loved and

See page 479.

David (b. 1847: d. 1894) in 1870 mar- ried Rosa Dempsey, a native of Cana- respected."

da, and continued to live on the home-

His family consisted of seven child- stead in Lizard township until 1884, ren all of whom have grown up: Mary, when he moved to Washington where a teacher, Rose, Ann, Philip, Marga- he died in 1894 leaving four children; ret, William and Thomas. William, Ella, Maude and Dot.

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The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 90

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