The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 97

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 97

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His family consisted of eight chil- and took charge of the store of Mc- dren. John P. and Mary A. are at Ewen & Bruce, when it was estab- home. Marjory, a teacher, in 1902 lished in the fall of 1870, while they married E. L. Wallace, formerly performed the duties of county au- principal of the Plover schools and ditor and treasurer. He remained in now manager of a lumber yard at the store until the spring of 1875, Schaller. Susan, a teacher, on the when, having bought 204 acres on sec- same day. April 16. 1901, married Fred tion 16, Swan Lake township, he gave C. Chinn, a grain buyer at Wiola. his attention to their improvement Philip Hamble, Henry, Elizabeth and and built thereon a house and barn. Robert Burns are at home.

Mueller, Jacob (b. 1854.) merchant, Strouse and bought the homestead of is a native of Switzerland, came to Henry Thomas, on the SW} Sec. 24, America and located in the eastern Powhatan.

That fall he sold this farm to Alfred

part of Iowa, where he engaged in the

October 6, 1875, he married Delilah, mercantile business. In 1888 he daughter of Philip Hamble, one of located at Plover, and since that date the pioneers of Washington town- has been a general merchant, member ship, and during the ensuing winter of the firm of Eggspuehler & Mueller. taught his last term of school in that In 1880 he married Bertha Myers, who township. In the spring of 1876 he died in 1881, leaving one child, Louis. located on his farm in Powhatan and In 1884 he married Minnie Herold and occupied it until the spring of 1882, their family consists of eight children, when he bought and moved upon 400 Matilda, Elizabeth, Charles, Regina, acres on section 26. He improved Jacob, Joseph, Lenora and Homer.

and occupied this farm until 1892, Northrop, Darius (b. 1829, d. 1889.) when he moved to his present farm on was a native of Vermont. At Buffalo, section 15, near Plover. He devoted N. Y., he married Euphemia Dart and considerable attention to raising fine soon afterwards moved to Fon du Lac, horses and, at the time of his sale in Wis. In 1881, with wife and four 1891, had 30 head of high-grade Nor- children, he located on the nw} sec. mans and English Shires. 17, Powhatan township. He improved

He is a man of excellent judgment, and occupied this farm until his death has always commanded the confidence in 1889. His wife died in 1884. His and esteem of all who know him, and family consisted of four children.

has rendered considerable public serv-

Charles, a carpenter, married Eliza- ice. He was chosen clerk of Pow- beth, daughter of Jacob and Lydia hatan as soon as he became a resident (Heathman) Strandberg, lives at of the township and has served twelve Plover and has two children, Pearl years in that capacity, ten as presi- and Alva.

dent of the school board and pine as a member of the board of county supervisors. He has been a trustee of the Plover Presbyterian church since its organization. He has manifest- ed considerable interest in the educa- Colo.

Theron D., a carpenter, married Lilly, only daughter of John and Sam- antha (Heathman) Conley and located in Plover, In 1901, with a family of six children, he moved to Hermosa,

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POWHATAN TOWNSHIP.

Clara, married Ed ward Mellick, one when he returned to Iowa and located of the pioneer merchants at Rolfe, on the Clinton farm, north of Have- where he died in 1884 leaving one lock, which he and his brother-in-law, daughter, Lulu. Clara afterward mar- J. C. Potter were the first to occupy. ried Albert Blanchard, a blacksmith, In 1885 he located on his present farm located at Plover and their family on the net sec. 14, Powhatan town- consists of six children, Roy, Charles, ship, which he has improved and in- Ada, Simeon, Carl and Ray. creased to 200 acres.

· Cora married Joseph D. Hilton. (See Hilton )

He has lived to see a wonderful development in this section of the

Pirie, James S , (b. 1855.) for many country in the last quarter of a cen-

years the popular livery inan at tury. In 1872, when he made his first Plover, is a native of Canada, where trip to northwest Iowa, crossing he spent his youth. In 1881, in Ben- several counties, there were but few ton county, Iowa, he married Jane R. houses and many of them were built Mitchell. In 1888 he located at Plover and, engaging in the livery busi- ness, continued until 1902. He has one daughter, Maggie Belle, who in

of sod. He traveled in a covered wagon, purchased baker's bread at the villages which were a long dis- tance apart, and supplemented the 1899 married Arthur Heathman and stock of provisions by shooting game. lives on a farm near Plover.

The mirage in the morning frequent-

William E. and George L. Pirie, his ly beckoned to cities, groves and beau- brothers, are also residents of this tiful lakes that appeared near the hori- county. William came with James in 1888, married Edna Barlow and is now living in Washington township.

zon, but which always vanished as the traveler advanced towards them. The Lone Tree, that stands eight George in 1892 married Clara Fessen- miles west of Spencer, could some- den and lives on his own farm in times be seen in the early morning at Powhatan.

a distance of three days journey, but

Shaw, Prentice Josiah (b. 1849) as the sun rose it disappeared, and secretary of the Pocahontas County then the next morning reappeared, Mutual Fire and Lightning Insurance apparently as far distant as on the Co., is a native of Niagara county, N.

previous morning. Lone Tree was for Y. In 1856 he moved with his parents many a year a land mark for surveyors to Greene county, Wis., where he re- and travelers. It may still be seen ceived a good common school educa- from passing trains in Lone Tree tion, spent two years in select schools township, Clay county, and looks very and then engaged in teaching. At 22 much as it did twenty-five years ago. in 1872 he came to O'Brien county,

He is proud to be a citizen of Iowa, Iowa, where he entered a homestead a state that ranks among the first in and remained five years, teaching and intellectual progress, and boasts, "a working on the farm. During the school house on every hilltop and no winter of 1875 he taught the village saloon in the valley;" and indulges school at Dayton, Wis , and in Novem- the hope she may continue to lead in ber that same year married Jennie A. the sisterhood of states, in the roll Marshall, who the next spring accom- call of commonwealths.

He served eight years as clerk of the

panied him to the homestead. In the fall of 1876, after receiving several township and has been secretary of the visits of the grasshoppers, he return- school board during the last 15 years. ed to Greene county, Wis, and re- He was the republican nominee for mained there until the spring of 1882, county auditor in 1889, and is an

722 PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

active worker . in the Methodist church.

In 1849 Joel Smith married Mary Marinda Pratt, widow of Joseph

He is an intelligent unassuming Kelley, who died in Wisconsin leaving farmer who has met with good suc- one daughter, Mary Emily, who be- cess on the farm and has made the came the wife of Alva L. Whitney. farmer's interests a life long study. (See Whitney). In 1879 Joel and wife He is one of the original founders of came with their son, Calvin, to Pow- the Pocahontas County Mutual Fire hatan and located on a farm of 80 and Lightning Association, (p. 502.) acres, which he occupied until h's has been a director of it since its death in 1890. Their family consisted organization in 1890 and has been its of three children of whom Eunice the efficient secretary and treasurer since youngest died at 16. October 19, 1897. Through this asso- Phoebe in 1868 married Squire E. Heathman, (see Heathman.) ciation he has helped to solve the problem of insurance for the farmers Calvin, a farmer, married Susan

of this county. He has manifested Spangler and lives now in Minnesota, great interest in the success of this and has a family of five children, organization and notes with a good William, Frank, Calvin, Ray and Roy. deal of pleasure its rapid growth Since the death of Joel, Mrs. Smith

since he became its secretary, the has lived with her daughter, Mrs. A. amount of assessable risks having in- L. Whitney at Plover. creased from $511,293, January 1, 1898 William Smith, the older son is still a resident of Powhatan and has raised to $1,830,000, September 1, 1902.

His family consists of five children: a family of eight children. Charles, a

Albert Josiah, in 1901, graduated farmer married Etta Randall and lives from the law department of Drake in Powhatan. Olive married Oliver University and is now located at Cor- Goodlatson,a farmer, and lives in Palo with, Iowa, where he is engaged in Alto county. Joel, Cora, Edith, Fred, the practice of law and the real estate Etta and Blanch are at home. business.

Smith, James S., Plover, is a na- George Schee, a farmer, graduated tive of Illinois, the son of Andrew from the business department of Smith. In 1869 he came with his Drake University and in 1902 married parents to Pocahontas county where Alma Rutledge of Des Moines.

Stella E., a Plover graduate in 1899, spent the next year in the seminary at Evansville, Wis.

Prentice F. and Lucy A. are at In 1881 he was appointed station home.

Smith, Joel (1811-1890.) was a native Plover. of Massachusetts, and at five came with Plover and served in that capacity until 1889. He has since been en-

his parents to Ohio, where he grew to manhood and in 1832 married Julia gaged in the real estate and insurance Dayton. Some years later he moved business. He built the first house in to Greene county, Wis. Here his wife Plover and owns a fine farm of 160 died leaving six children, Harris D., acres in that vicinity. He married Welton, Harriet, Sophia, William and Mary E. Hubel (p. 471) and has a fam- Merritt, all of whom married and ily of three children, William, James located in Wisconsin, except William, and Albert.

who with wife and three children in 1879 located in Powhatan township.

he grew to manhood on the farm and received his education in the public schools. In 1880 he engaged in the mercantile business at Pocahontas. agent at Fort Dodge and in 1883 at He was the first agent at

Stone, William (b. 1797; d. 1877.), who September_28, 1864 filed a claim

723

POWHATAN TOWNSHIP.

for the net sec. 25, Powhatan town- have either the ability or inclination ship, and died on it at 80 in 1877, was to write. She found a good and suffi- a brother of Mrs. John Barnes. He cient motive in the effort to trace the was a native of Bradford county, Pa., family history. Her father was the where he became a millwright and in fourth child of a hatter in Brooklyn, 1828 married Eliza Ann, (b. Feb. 27, Conn., where he received his educa- 1810 ) daughter of G. M. (1781-1865) tion, and later taught vocal music and Anna (Spaulding, 1786-1872) De- and public school. Her grand father Wolf, for whose father he had first emigrated from France at an early built a mill. After he married he date. Her mother was the oldest built a factory for making window daughter of Willard Spaulding, who, sash by machinery, but after a few on coming to this country, located years resumed his trade and located first in New Hampshire, but soon at Schoolcraft, and three years later afterward settled at Cavendish, at Sterling, Ill. Here he worked at Windsor county, Vt. He was a pio- his trade and his wife taught several neer in that region, a man of energy terms of school. At Elkhorn Grove, and at the time of his death at 70 was nearby, he secured a nice home and the owner of two well improved farms, occupied it twenty years, but always a grist mill, saw mill and a black- suffered from lung trouble. In 1864 smith shop. His family consisted of he came to Webster and in 1866 to eleven children, ten of whom survived Pocahontas county, where he had him. Her parents were married in previously secured a homestead which 1808, lived in Vermont, had a family he improved and occupied until his of thirteen children, two of whom decease at 80 in 1877.

with herself located in Iowa, namely Dr. De Wolf at Vail and C. H. De Wolf

In 1890 Mrs. Stone married Ingham Stone, a native of Pennsylvania, and at Denison. Her father was an elder a nephew of her first husband; and in the Presbyterian church and, after that which was most remarkable their removal to Pennsylvania, oc- about this wedding was the fact that casionally read a sermon, when the both of the contracting parties were minister was absent.

Strong, Ira (b. 1811; d. 1871) one of

over eighty years of age. He died at 88 on Jan. 5, 1898. Mrs. Stone still the leading pioneers of Powhatan and lives on the old homestead which has a brother of Wm. B. Strong, was a been owned and occupied for some native of Allegany county, N. Y., years by her nephew, Frank C. De- where in 1834 he married Abigail Wolf, who is one of the township Cass (b. N. Y. 1816). In 1866 he came trustees (1901-02) and has a family of to Pocahontas county and secured a nine children. homestead of 160 acres on the nwł

Mrs. Eliza Ann DeWolf Stone is sec. 24, Powhatan township. Four of now in her 93rd year and is believed his sons, Oscar, Philander, Edwin to be the oldest person in Pocahontas and Charles also secured homesteads county. In February, March and the same year. He died at 60 in 1871 and his wife at 70 in 1887.

April 1900, when over 90 years of age she wrote three letters, that appeared

His wife was a teacher in her youth in the Rolfe Tribune, giving sketches and after the death of her husband of family history, and making an ap- resumed her favorite employment, peal to the young not to use tobacco taught several terms in the Strong or strong drink. Later she penned schoolhouse and thus earned the another long letter to the author of money that was used to erect a loving this book. Few persons of her years monument to his memory. Nearly

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PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

every member of the Strong families next year. Adelbert in 1902 married in their turn taught one or more Grace Dawes and lives on a farm near terms of school in this district.

Plover.

Ira Strong was an intelligent, up- Oscar (b. N. Y. 1844; d. 1885), county right man, and was the head of a fam- surveyor and superintendent, in 1866 ily, that exerted a strong influence in came with his father and secured as a Powhatan township and also in the county. They rendered many years of

homestead, 160 acres on sec. 23. He taught school in winter and worked official service in the township and on the farm in summer. In 1872 he five of the eleven officials furnished married Elizabeth L. daughter of the county by the citizens of this Rev. John E. Rowen and a few years township, were from this family, later located at Pocahontas. He namely, Ira, supervisor, 1869-70; Os- served as county surveyor in 1871 and car, recorder, '76-77; Geo. W., (son of superintendent from Jan. 1, 1874 to Wm. B.), in 1870 and Oscar I. in '71, June 1, 1875, when he resigned. In surveyors; Oscar I., superintendent in the fall of 1879 he was re-elected and '74, and '80-81.

served the next two years. He was

The only other family that can pre- county recorder 1876-77. He received sent a similar list in this county is a good education in the high school of that of Albert M. Thornton, an early Allegany county, N. Y., where he resident of Marshall township. It graduated in 1865. He manifested a was represented by Alonzo L. in 1883 genuine interest in the cause of edu- to '85 and Mary E. in '86, recorders; cation and filled the office of superin- Lucius C. surveyor '84-85; and Frank tendent with great credit to himself. G. auditor '93-96.

His family consisted of eight chil- bar in 1874. In the spring of 1876 he

dren:

He read law and was admitted to the went to California, but not liking scon afterward went to Washington,

Augusta married Milan Sharpe and that golden state, he returned and located in Humboldt county.

Orlando William married Eliza D. C., where he opened a law and Drown and located in Palo Alto claim office. Not meeting with the county. In 1877 he located on sec. 25, success he expected he returned to Powhatan township and occupied it this county. He possessed consider- until his death in 1885. He left a able energy and was highly esteemed family of two children, Etta and

for his manly character. He died in Dora. Etta married Chas. Sroufe 1885 at Pocahontas leaving two chil- and lives on her father's farm. Dora, dren, Irene, a teacher, and Rollin W. a teacher during the last ten years, The latter was for a number of years lives with her sister, Etta.

foreman of the Belmond Herald and Caroline married Samuel N., son of is now a reporter for the Pioneer Wm. B. Strong, during their resi- Press of St. Paul. Elizabeth later dence in New York. In the fall of married Editor Huntington of the 1865 he came to Pocahontas county, Belmond Herald and now lives in secured a homestead on sec. 15, Kansas.

Powhatan and began to occupy it the The following incident serves to next spring. His father also came illustrate Oscar's cleverness. In 1869 and lived with him. His wife died when William Brownlee and another in 1886 leaving a family of five chil- new settler passed from' the land dren, Alice, William, Emma, a teach- office at Fort Dodge to their claims er, Adelbert and Mary. Alice in 1893 in Bellville township, he happened to married Wilfred Palmer and died the be teaching or otherwise engaged in

725

POWHATAN TOWNSHIP.

Lizard township. They needed some- native of New York the son of Elisha one to locate their claims and called and Eunice Strong. In 1835 he mar- on him. He went with them to the ried Jane Davy in Allegany county, nearest corner stake with which he N. Y. and two years later she died was familiar. There he tied a hand- there leaving one son, William Wal- kerchief to the rim of one of the rear lace. In 1840 Mr. Strong married Fan- wheels of the lumber wagon on which nie (b. 1816), sister of Perry Nowlen, they were riding and, showing them an early settler of Des Moines town- the direction, counted its revolutions. ship. In 1865 they came to Pocahon- By this easy and novel method of tas county, Iowa, and in 1866 began measuring the distance, all the cor- the improvement of a homestead of ners of their homesteads were easily and quickly found.

160 acres on the set sec. 12, Powhatan township. He built a log house 16x28 Edwin J., a teacher, secured a feet, one and one-half stories high, homestead on sec. 23. He has spent a and for it the flooring. shingles and considerable time in travel and has finish lumber were hauled from discovered some genius for invention. Boone. He was then over 50 years of

Lucius Milton, a teacher and far- age and no longer enjoyed good health. mer, died in 1896 By reason of this fact the homestead

Philander (b. N. Y. 1836) is still was entered in the name of Fannie N. the owner and occupant of his father's Strong, his wife, and she superintend- homestead, on the nw} sec. 24. Dur- ed all the affairs of the family and ing recent years he has turned his farm. He died at 53 in 1866 and was attention to raising sheep and occas- buried at old Rolfe.

innally markets two carloads at a

He left a family of four children, time. He has adopted the plan or one by his first wife and three by the cropping his land for two years, then second, and all of them came with seeding and pasturing it the next him to Pocahontas county. two. There is usually not a weed left

William W., during his residence in on any tract occupied by the sheep New York, married Lovern Bradford. two years, and when it has been They remained in Pocahontas county but a short time and died later leav- ploughed and planted the growing crop has the advantage of a good ing one child who lives in the South. start. Better crops have been har- Samuel N. (b. N. Y. 1843), in the vested since this method of rotation spring of 1864 during their residence and treatment has been adopted. His in Allegany county, N. Y., married first wife, Eva Rowley, died in 1883

Jeaving a family of three children, next year he came with his parents to Frank, Charles and George. In 1885 Pocahontas county and entered a he married Clara Bavard and their homestead on the swt sec. 15, Powha- family consists of four children, Fred- tan township. After improving and eric, Florence M , Clarence and Mabel. occupying it a few years, he became

Caroline, daughter of Ira Strong. The

Charles Lemming (b. N. Y. 1851) the owner and occupant of his moth- married Phoebe J. Hayes and located er's homestead on sec. 12, which he on sec. 25. He kept hotel in Plover soon enlarged to 200 acres. He has five years 1886-91, and then, with a been a resident of the township thirty family of two children, Eugene and six years and has served several years Lemming, located on a homestead at as secretary of the school board. Cushing, Oklahoma. Caroline, his wife, died at 46 in 18-

Strong, William B. (b. 1813; d. 18- 86 leaving a family of five children. 66), a younger brother of Ira, was a Alice in 1893 married William Palmer

726

PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.

and located in Powhatan township, Winchester, Cedar Creek and Peters- but died at 26 in 1894, leaving one burg. He was at Burksville at the child, Wilbur. Emma, a teacher, in time of Lee's surrender. 1887 graduated from the normal de- His father and five of his seven partment of Highland Park college. brothers were soldiers in the civil war. William (b. 1873) is at home. Adel- Alfred who belonged to the 5th N. Y. bert (b. 1875) in 1902 married Grace died at Washington, D. C., Charles Dawes and lives on a farm near Plov- and Frank . who belonged to the 5th er. Mary lives at Rolfe. and 18th Wis. died soon after their In 1896 Samuel N. Strong married Eliza Van Natta, relict of Andrew Like. return, George who belonged to the 12th Wis. was captured at Lookout Mountain and confined one year in

George W. (b. N. Y. 1845) came to Libby prison. His father belonged to this county in 1865 and in 1866 mar- the 18th Wis., died soon after his ried Sallie, daughter of Henry Thom- return. as. After a residence of ten or more

Nelson, after the war, returned to years in Powhatan, he moved to Kan- the home in Wisconsin, where in 1867 sas and later to Oregon, where he he married Alice L. Fenton. In 1879 died leaving a family of four daught- he came and located on the set sec. 2, ers, who now live in the state of Powhatan township and engaged in Washington. He secured and oc- farming and blacksmithing. The

cupied the net sec. 14, as a homestead next year he located on sec. 17, where and was county surveyor during the he improved a farm of 80 acres and oc- year 1870. cupied it until 1893, when he moved

Elizabeth in 1867 married George to Plover where he has been successive- Van Natta, and located in Powhatan ly a miller, butcher and shoemaker.

township where she died at 27 in 1872, His family consisted of four chil- leaving two children, Jas. W., a resi- dren of whom Charles died at 13 in dent of Portland, Ore., and Cynthia, 1887. who married - -Keith and lives in Glenn married Leora Thompson and Colo. Mr. Van Natta soon after the lives near Rolfe. Jennie in 1896 mar- ried John Roberts and lives near death of his wife moved to Oregon.

Mrs. Catherine N. Strong in 1894, Plover. Don is at home.

accompanied by Mary Strong, her Thomas, Henry, one of the early niece, moved from the farm to Rolfe. pioneers of Pawhatan, was a native of She is 86 years of age and has been a Virginia and about the time of his member of the M. E. church 55 years. marriage located in Greene county,

Shaver, Nelson H. (b. 1844), far- O., where all of his children except mer, keeper of meat market, Plover, Joel were born and raised. In 1850 is a native of Lowville, N. Y. In 1858 he located in Logan county and later he moved with his parents to Tay- the same year in Bureau county, Ill., cheedah, Wis., where Feb. 13, 1864 he and about 1860 near Rochester, Minn. enlisted as a member of Co. I, 5th Nov. 25, 1863, accompanied by his Wis. and continued in the service family which consisted of sons, Daniel until July 19, 1865, when he was hon- and Joel, and daughter, Sallie, he orably discharged at Jeffersonville, came to Pocahontas county and loca- Ind., having served in the 6th Corps ted at old Rolfe. Here he met again of the Army of the Potomac under Barney Hancher and Jerry Young, Gen. Grant, and participated in 13 sons-in-law, who had come from battles including those at the Wilder- Bureau county, Ill., with their fam- ness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, ilies.

727

POWHATAN TOWNSHIP.

Sept. 26, 1864, through Barney Han- children and located first at old cher, he had filed a claim for a home- Rolfe and in 1864 on the nw} sec. 25, stead of 160 acres on the swt sec. 24, Powhatan. He improved and oc- Powhatan, Daniel and Joel similar cupied this farm until 1869, when he claims on 23 and Jerry Young on 25. moved to Nebraska and a few years Others that located claims on 25 the later to Ness county, Kansas. In 1879 same day were Wm. Stone, Samuel and making the journey with teams, he George Booth. Previous to this date moved to Washington and now resides Barney Hancher was the only one at Springdale. His family consisted that had filed a claim in this town- of eight children. Alva and Eva, ship.

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The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time, Part 97

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