USA > Iowa > Pocahontas County > The pioneer history of Pocahontas County, Iowa, from the time of its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 98
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twins, Frank, Nellie, Jacob and An-
In the spring of 1865 Henry, Daniel netta, twins, (both of whom are dead), and Joel Thomas and Jerry Young Henry and Basil, twins born in Hait's began to occupy their homesteads and built temporary cabin. cabins. In 1866 Margaret Ellen, in Bureau county Henry Thomas built the first log Ill., married Barney Hancher, see house in the township. This build- Hancher. She is now the only repre- ing was still in use in 1900 and a cut sentative of the Thomas family in of it may be seen in the frontispiece, this county. there erroneousiy credited to Ira
Daniel married Philena Foote and Strong. Mr. Thomas and family own- after a residence of twenty-five years ed it until 1875, when he sold it to in Powhatan in 1889 moved to Wash- Alex. McEwen. In 1882 it was bought ington. His family consisted of thirteen children, five of whom are by Thomas Merchant and soon after- ward successively by Joseph Egan and living.
Nils Nelson, whose father-in-law, Henry Luff occupied it from 1883 until his death in 1894. It is now owned by Dora, a granddaughter of and Colorado, where he now resides. Ira Strong.
Joel in 1878 located in Kossuth county, later successively in Winne- shiek county, Oklahoma, Washington
Joshua in 1864 came to Powhatan
In 1871 Mr. and Mrs. Henry Thomas and became owner of the nel sec. 25, and Jerry Young and family moved to (Wm. Stone homestead) but did not Ness county, Kansas, but in 1881 ac- occupy it. After three years resi- companied by Barney Hancher, Mr. dence near Fort Dodge he moved to and Mrs. Henry Thomas returned to Missouri where he died in 1881 leaving Powhatan township where he died a small family.
Sallie, who taught the first school wife, Susanna, in 1883, both at the in Powhatan, in 1865 married George, home of their son, Daniel. He par- son of Wm. B. Strong, and located in ticipated in the organization of the Washington, where he died.
Trites, Edward Ryland (b. 1855.) time served two years as a member of owner and occupant of a farm on sec. the board of county supervisors. When 19 from 1882 to 1901, is a native of the school board was organized in 1867 DeWitt, Iowa, the son of Job and he was chosen its first president and Harriet Turner Trites. In 1881 he married Francis Flora Holcomb and
treasurer.
His family consisted of six children. the next year located on the farm in
Lydia, in 1857 in Bureau county, Powhatan township, which he was Ill., married Jeremiah Young, who,
the first to occupy and improve. He in the fall of 1863, came to this improved it with good buildings and county with
a family of six embarked in raising pure bred cattle,
-
township and being elected at that before the end of that year and his
728
PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.
His wife died in 1864 leaving one .
including Shorthorns of the Motte and Rosawood families, Berkshire son, Emmet J. (b. 1864), who in 1889 hogs, Norman horses and Mammoth married Dora Kruse. He located first in Palo Alto county, but is now in Powhatan and has a family of six children, Ada, Bert, Oscar, Eunice, Carrie and John. bronze turkeys. In 1901 he moved to Cantril, Van Buren county. He has been a loyal republican, believes in prohibition, has taken an active part in local politics and filled several of the township offices including that of justice. His family consists of three children, Burness R., Job L. and Vivian Della.
In 1866 Mr. Whitney married Mary E. Kelley, of Greene county Wis., and her mother, Mrs. Mary M. Smith, has made her home with them since the death of her second husband Joel Smith.
Whitney, Alva Lewis (b.1826), Plover, is a native of Erie county, Pa. Old Abe, the War Eagle. At 17 he moved with his parents, who The famous bird, "Old Abe", ', was captured in 1861 on the Flambeau were of Scotch descent, to Walworth county, Wis., and three years later river by a Chippewa indian, who sold to Dane county, where in 1849 he it to a farmer, at Eagle Point, for a married Lucy Colby and engaged in bushel of corn.
This farmer sold it farming. In 1861 he enlisted as a to Mr. Willis, of Eva Claire, who pre- member of Co. E, 8th Wis. infantry sented it to the 8th regiment then and often carried the famous eagle forming. The bird was "sworn in" known as "Old Abe." At the end of at the camp at Madison by putting three years of constant service he around its neck, red, white and blue was mustered out, but two months ribbon, and the name "Old Abe" was later he re-enlisted as a member of given it in honor of President Lincoln. Co. K, 42d Wis. infantry and remain- lle always manifested great excite- ment during a battle by screaming when he was mustered out at Madi- and fluttering around the flag. The ed in the army until June 22, 1865,
son, Wis. He belonged to the western
enemy tried to shoot him many times department of the army, served un- and he was wounded at Corinth and der Gen. A. J. Smith and participated Vicksburg, but recovered. He head- in thirty-two battles and skirmishes, ed with his regiment the victorious including those at Corinth, Shiloh or
Pittsburg Landing, and Island No. 10. 1863. Sept. 26, 1864, when part of his
army that entered Vicksburg, July 4,
At the close of the war he returned regiment was mustered out, he was taken back to Wisconsin and formally
to the farm and in 1881 located on sec. 15, Powhatan township. He improv- presented to the Governor of the state ed and occupied this farm until 1892 having been present, it is said, at when he moved to Plover where he thirty-six battles and skirmishes, owns several valuable properties. He commencing at Frederictown, Mo., has been unwilling to be a candidate Oct. 21, 1861. After the war he was for even a township office but has an attraction at many gatherings, been a trustee of the Presbyterian such as fairs, soldiers reunions and church of Plover since its organi- patriotic assemblies, until 1881, when zation in 1888. Ile is a patriotic, con- he died and his stuffed body was scientious and upright citizen, who placed in the museum at Madison. stands ready to lend a helping hand There is a tradition to the effect to every movement that has for its that when LaFayette visited the object the moral advancement of the the tomb of Washington, a large eagle followed the course of the
community.
729
POWHATAN TOWNSHIP.
steamboat that carried him to Mount north side of the James river, where Vernon, and remained hovering in Wahunsan(p. 692) had established one the air, over the tomb, until famous visitor left it. the of his abodes. Powhatan was a re- markable man, a sort of a savage "In the blue of the sky, o'er the blue of the Napoleon, who had achieved his im-
river,
Like a banner of love salled the eagle's white wing;
Where the hero, in peace, lald his honors forever,
At the grave of the chlef, who was more than a king.
All a country's proud story soared light on the pinions
Of the sentinel bird, in that consummate hour,
And hailed, at the door of the Mystic Domin- ions,
A future unmeasured in splendor and power.
And well if the eagle's white wing, spreading wider,
Heralds peace, truth ard freedom in cove- nant bloom,
Till the Union's last children shall rally beside her,
Sincere as the pilgrim to Washington's tomb." -THERON BROWN.
Gandertown.
During the 70's this township ex- perienced several changes in its name, that have been mentioned. name, quite common among their neighbors for a few years in the early days, was "Gandertown." romance connected with the origin of this name has been variously given. This township has polled the largest According to one account, one of the number of prohibition votes of any in early settlers of this township owned the county, and the period of their the first gander in that section of greatest number was during the years the country, and this one was such a of 1892, 93, 94 and 95, when they num- fine as well as rare specimen, that it bered 33, 37. 25 and 25 respectively. It became the subject of general remark has always returned, however, a large and served to designate the locality. republican majority,
According to another account the early settler set a hen with 13 goose eggs. When they were hatched he was surprised to find that everyone of them was a gander, and this singular flock of so many ganders attracted considerable public attention.
Powhatan.
perial dignity and power by the force of his character and the superiority of his talents. The history of the tribes included in the Powhatan con- federacy ended with the treaty at Albany in 1684, but most of their names have been preserved in the names of streams and rivers in Mary- land and Virginia.
At the time this name was sug- gested old Rolfe was the county seat. The county bore the name of a prin- cess, the county seat the name of a prince, and it seemed appropriate to the citizens of this township that it should bear the name of a chief or king, inasmuch as they were then returning annually the largest repub- lican vote. Its citizens cast a solid republican vote from the time of its organization in 1866 until the fall of 1877, when six of 29 votes polled, were One cast for Elias Jesup, the prohibition candidate for governor. The first democratic votes were polled in 1878 The when 10 out of 34 were cast for the democratic nominees.
POSTIN-DAY CONTEST, 1902.
At the general election held Nov. 4, 1902, R. E Postin and Geo. W. Day, candidates for the office of county auditor and both -from Powhatan township, received according to the official count 1445 and 1449 votes re- spectively, Geo. W. Day having a majority of 4 votes.
The name "Pow"-ha-tan' " signi- fies "Falls in a Stream," and was first Mr. Postin contested the right of applied to a small peninsula on the Mr. Day to the office on the following
730
PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.
pleas, namely: (1.) That the judges of Cedar, Center, Clinton and Lincoln townships failed to certify to the re- turns from those townships and there- fore made no returns to the auditor; (2.) that ten ballots in Powhatan, crossed in the Prohibition squares and in the one in front of Postin's name in the republican ticket, were not counted for him, there being no county candidates on the pro- hibition ticket; (3.) that a number of ballots in Clinton, Des Moines, Lake No. 1. and Lizard that were marked in the republican squares were count- ed for Day. (4.) Other irregularities were charged in regard to the returns from Grant, Lake No. 2 and Wash- ington townships.
The hearing of this case occurred at Pocahontas, Dec. 22, and 23, 1902. The contest board consisted of Charles Elsen, chairman of the board of super- visors; L. W. Chandler of Fonda, and T. F. Lynch Esq., of Pocahontas. Mr. Postin was represented by Wm. Hazlett and Hon. F. C. Gilchrist, at. torneys, and Mr. Day by Judge Ken- yon of Fort Dodge.
After some discussion it was agreed that the contest board should recount the ballots that had been cast for the county auditor in the townships named. The result appears in the following exhibit, which shows the changes that were made in the various townships, and it gave Mr. Day a majority of 8 votes.
Official Vote
Votes Changed
Recount
Postin
Day
Added
Rejected
Postin
Day
Bellville.
91
83
88
83
Cedar ..
165
172
1 164
172
Center
93
212
93
212
Colfax ..
70
35
70
35
Clinton
165
178
1 165
179
Des Moines
51
58
1
51
57
Dover ..
56
98
2 55
97
Grant. ....
67
60
3
68
62
50
5 58
47
Lake No. 2. 31
12
2
32 13
Lincoln .... 52
86
1 52
85
Lizard . 46 100
46
100
Marshall ... 69
36
1 68
36
Powhatan ...
87
97
5
91
98
Sherman ...
67 57
3
65 56
Swan Lake. 188
63
1
187 63
Washington 87
52
1
86
52
Total. ... 1445 1449 11 19 1439 1447 Day's majority. . 4 8
This was the fourth and, in view of the questions raised and interests in- volved it was the most important election contest ever held in Pocahon- tas county.
OTHER ELECTION CONTESTS.
The first instance of a contest over an election occurred at old Rolfe, February 2, 1864, between the can- didates for the office of county treas- urer and recorder, then filled by the same incumbent. The candidates for the position, Michael Collins and W. H. Hait, received on the home vote, October 13, 1863, 16 and 14 votes, and from the soldiers in the army, 2 and 3 votes, making, 18 and 17 votes, re- spectively. The court consisted of Fred A. Metcalf, county judge; John A. James, associate judge, and Philip Russell, clerk of the district court. Mr. Hait, the contestant, plead his own cause and John F. Duncombe ap- peared for Collins. A motion to dis- miss the case prevailed.
The second contest occurred also at old Rolfe, November 25, 1868, when Philip Russell contested with J. J. Bruce for the office of county super- visor from Lizard township. The latter at the previous general election had been accorded a majority of the votes, but his opponent deemed his bond insufficient. The court consist- ed of J. N. Harris, county judge, W. S. Fegles and Patrick Forey, and their decision was in favor of J. J. Bruce, the previous incumbent.
The third contest was held at Poca- hontas, November 23, 1877, and was between Joseph Breitenbach and
Lake No. 1. 60
731
POWHATAN TOWNSHIP.
It will be perceived, that in this
Thomas L. Dean for the office of sher- iff of this county. At the previous county the official count, though close general election they were accorded has never been reversed. The con- 266 and 269 votes, respectively. The testant, whatever he may have gair- court consisted of Wm. Brownlee, chair- ed, has always had a "hard road to man of the board of county super- travel." visors; W. H. Hait and J. E. Pattee. A tie vote occurred October 8, 1867, Capt. J. O. Yeoman and Hudson & when Oscar Slosson and George Spragg Gould, attorneys, appeared for the each received 50 votes for sheriff. The principals. The court, by a majority matter was amicably decided October of one, decided in favor of Dean, the 26th following, by drawing cuts, and previous incumbent. Slosson received the office.
XXV.
SHERMAN TOWNSHIP.
You ask what land I love the best, The fairest state of all the West, Iowa, 'tis Iowa. From yonder Mississippi's stream, To where Missouri's waters gleam, O! fair it is as poets' dream, Iowa, O! Iowa.
See yonder fields of tasselled corn, Where plenty fills her golden horn, See how her wondrous prairies shine, To yonder sunsets' purpling line; O! happy land, O! land of mine, Iowa, O! Iowa.
-S. H. M. BYERS.
GENERAL FEATURES.
HERMAN township county and its surface throughout is (92-33) belonged to a beautiful prairie. Pocahontas, the Des Moines town- county seat, extends over part of sec. ship until Sept. 5, 36, and Ware was located on sec. 17, 1876, when it was near the center of the township, in 1900, when the C. R. I. & P. Ry. was built. The citizens of this township have now excellent railway facilities and occupy a section of country as attractive and beautiful, as that of attached to Wash- ington. April 5, 1880 it was estab- lished in its present form and named in honor of Gen. Wm. T. Sherman, the hero of the "March to the Sea. " "Hurrah! Hurrah! We bring the which Hamlin Garland wrote: jubilee!
"I love the prairies; they are mine, Hurrah! Hurrah! The flag that makes From zenith to horizon line; you free!
Clipping a world of sky and sod, So we sang the chorus from Atlanta Like the bended arm and wrist of God. to the sea,
I love their grasses; the skies When we were marching through Are larger, and my restless eyes Fasten on more of earth and air,
Georgia." It is located near the center of the Than sea shores furnish anywhere."
(732)
733
SHERMAN TOWNSHIP.
EARLY SETTLEMENT. In 1878 Joseph and Anthony Hudek The early settlement of Sherman located on 25 and John Kopriva on 36. township was coincident with that of They were followed by James W. Washington that joins it on the north. Carson and C. F. Alchon in 1879. In May 1870 the representatives of In 1880 A. J. Stover, W. B. Starkey several families in Dubuque county, and R. C. Jones arrived, and they namely, James C. Strong, Jason N. were followed by G. W. and J. W. Russell, a brother-in-law, and Jona- Mills, J. W. O'Brien and B. T. Griffith than L. Clark, wife and three chil- the next year. dren, came to this county, making
In 1882 there came Thomas Barn- the journey on wagons, and secured ingham and John H. Adams, and they farms, Strong and Clark in the south were followed the next year by Joseph row of sections in Washington and Bloudel, Boy C. Boyeson and C., L. Russell in the north row of Sherman. Flint. Each began to occupy and improve his own farm but during that season all lived together in the house built by Clark on sec. 3, Washington town- ship.
Those that followed soon after- wards were Hans Tychsen, Frank Stacy, Rev. C. W. Clifton, Prof. James C., Clel and Fred Gilchrist, J. H. Eno, A. M. Coville, Thomas M. Olson, A. J, Wonderlich, Martin L. and Jacob and others.
In 1871 Jason N. Russell built the first cabin in Sherman township on S. Stover, C. M. Doty, R. R. McCaslin
the net sec. 4, where during the pre- vious year he had done the first break- ing. He was then joined by his broth- er, Harvey S. Russell, who lived with him one and a half years. In 1872 Morah F. Russell, -another brother arrived with his wife and he erected that year on the sw} sec. 4, the first dwelling house. In 1873 the new residents were Maggie Hamble, the bride of Jason Russell, and Mr. and Mrs. John Sic, Bohemians, who built a sod shanty in the southeast part of the township.
ORGANIZATION AND OFFICERS.
The first election was held Nov. 2, 1880, when Morah F. Russell, Aaron Smith and Thomas P. Clark were elec- ted trustees; Aaron Smith, clerk; J. W. Carson, a justice; and J. W. O'Brien, assessor.
The succession of officers has been as follows:
TRUSTEES: M. F. Russell, 1881-89, '93-94; Aaron Smith, 'Thos. P. Clark, '81-82; Anthony Hudek, '82-84; Jere-
This was the period when the grass- miah W. Barnes, J. W. Carson, '85, 92, hoppers drove many settlers from 98-1900; A. J. Stover, '86-98; Joseph their claims and new ones were de- Hudek,'86-88;Jason N. Russell, '89-91; terred from going to the frontier. Clel. Gilchrist, '90-92, 98; M. L. Stover, Those that had to locate in the north C. C. Bovee, '93-95; R. R. McCaslin, part of this township realized during '95-97; W. B. Starkey, '96-99; M. F. this period the disappointments and Russell, 1900-02.
1
the loneliness of living far out on the
CLERKS: Aaron Smith, 1881; J. W. prairie. In making the trips to Fon- Carson, '82-84, 93-94; John H. Adams, da, the nearest station and eighteen '85-90; Anthony Hudek, '91-92; Frank miles distant, the house of A. T. Stacy, '95-96, B. T. Griffith, '97-1902. Omtvedt was the first and usually the only one passed.
JUSTICES: J. W. Carson '81-82; J. W. O'Brien '83-88; A. Hudek, '86-89,
In 1875 Aaron Smith (b. N. Y. 1816.) '98-1900; A. J. Wonderlich, Boy C. located on 3, and Jeremiah Barnes Boyesen, C. F, Boekenoogen, O. M. Doty, Rev. C. W. Clifton, A. Em-
(b. Pa; 1814) on 8.
734
PIONEER HISTORY OF POCAHONTAS COUNTY, IOWA.
bree, James Speer, C. L. Flint, 90-91. pretty groves, consisting of larches,
ASSESSORS: J. W. O'Brien, '81-82; maples, box elders and evergreens, John H. Adams, '83-84; A. Hudek, '85- planted around them. In 1897 an ad- 88; C. L. Flint, '89-91; John M. L. Stover, Henry Bourret. Sic, dition of twenty feet was added to the center school house making it the largest rural school house in the
PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND OFFICERS. The first school house was built in county. 1877 on the nwł sec. 4, near the home of Philip Hamble, who lived across the line in Washington township, to which Sherman was then attached. The first teachers in it were Sarah Reamer (Hamerson), Samuel Smith, Hattie Drown and Mrs. Matilda Smith, the latter during the summer and winter of 1881 and summer of 1882.
The first record of the school board is of date March 21, 1881, when the first school board consisting of C. F. Alchon J. W. Carson and Aaron Smith met and organized by the election of C.F. Alchon, president; Jason N. Rus- sell, secretary; and Morah F. Russell, treasurer.
The second school house was built in the Hudek neighborhood, district No. 7, by T. L. Dean in 1882, and the first teachers in it were James W. Carson and Cora Jones.
In 1883 the third school house was built and the new teachers employed that year were Emma Pfeiffer, Lulu C. Blake (Hamble) and Elizabeth O'Brien.
During this and the next two years John W. O'Brien hauled three and one-half tons of coal to each of the school houses for $6 a ton.
In 1893 the last district, No. 3, was organized and supplied with a school house, and the pioneer building in the Hamble district was replaced by a new one located at the Center of the district, No. 2. The township then had nine districts and a good school house in each of them.
The succession of school officers has been as follows:
PRESIDENTS: C. F. Alchon, 1881; R. C. Jones, '82-85, 89; J. W. Carson, J. N. Russell, '87-88; J. M. Mills, J. H. Eno, A . M. Coville, M. L.Stover, '93-94; J. Marchbanks, W. B. Starkey, T. M. Olson, C. C. Bovee, J. M. Shull, '99- 1900; Peter Kemmer, '01-02.
SECRETARIES: J. N. Russell, '81-83; B. T. Griffith, '84-86, 91-93; J. W. Car- son, '87-88; Clel Gilchrist, '89-90; Thomas M. Olson, R. R. McCaslin, '95-97; Anthony Hudek, '98 1902.
TREASURERS: Morah F. Russell, '81-86; J. W. O'Brien, '87-90; Morah F. Russell, '95-1902.
TEACHERS: Among the early teachers in this township were Sarah Reamer, Samuel Smith, Hattie Drown, Mrs. Matilda Smith, J. W. Carson, Cora Jones, Emma Pfeiffer, who was the first in district No. 3; Lulu C. Blake, Elizabeth and Stella O'Brien, Clara Gilson, Jennie Bishop, Lona Hawley, Louisa Bennett, Ida Crouse, Mary A. Dooley, Mrs. Mary L. Eigler, Fretta Winegarden, Susie Clark, who in 1887 was the first in No. 4; Lillie Rose, Martha and Mary Kelly, Mary Clifton, Carrie Blake, Mary Bolton, Peter Donahoe, who in 1889 was the first male teacher em- ployed; Addie Newton, Myra Russell, Louis T. and Mrs. Edith C. Button, Frank C. Rogers, Louisa and Edith Ludwig.
During each of the years, 1881 to 1884, the total enrollment of the
All the school houses in Sherman children in the township was 7, 12, township are provided with good 17 and 20, respectively; and the num- storm caves, flags and
flag-poles; ber of them that attended school . was and nearly all of them have 5, 11, 12 and 13, respectively.
735
SHERMAN TOWNSHIP.
INTERESTING EVENTS. at the end of every fifth mile a larger The first child born in Sherman, one, having on its other sides the then a part of Des Moines township arms of the Penn family in the days was Edith, daughter of Jason N. of Richard Penn and those of Lord Russell, whose birth occurred March Baltimore. 31, 1876. At the time of her marriage
May 14, 1893, a tornado that passed in 1899 she had attained the reputa- over Sherman, Grant and Lincoln tion of being the best teacher in the townships destroyed the house of G. W. township.
Madden on the sw≥ 18, the barn and
The first religious services were sheds of Frank Stacy on nw 32 and a held in the pioneer or Hamble school vacant house of Moody & Davy on the house, on the nwt of sec. 4, about same section. It occurred about 10 1877; and J. W. Carson, who came in o'clock p. m. and the darkness for a 1879, organized here the first Sunday short time was relieved by the appear- school.
ance of electrical sparks attended
The harvester was first used in with a snapping sound similar to the Sherman township in 1883, when Clel effect produced when the back of a Gilchrist and J. Flagler cut the crops cat is sometimes stroked in the dark. of Morah and Jason N. Russell and There was not very much rain but a others.
vivid electrical display and the wind whirled the material of the buildings
The first postoffice was established in the store of W. S. Cox at Ware in in every direction.
1900. During the early seventies mail was obtained once a week from Poca- hontas.
WARE.
Ware, located on the nw} sec. 17 and the set sec. 8, along the line of The largest crchard was planted on the Gowrie & Northwestern branch of the farm of Jason N. Russell on sec- the C. R. I. & P. Ry. is a thriving vil- tion 4. lage of 150 inhabitants. This is the
The finest corner markers in this newest town in the county and was county are found in this township, on named in honor of Francis L. Ware, sec. 32, and were placed there by F. of Chicago, who, owning 1480 acres in M. Robinson in 1888. These markers that vicinity, donated to the railroad are of dressed rock, six inches square company the usual right-of-way across at the top and show the number of the the net sec. 17, and additional ground adjoining sections. They were dress- for depot and sidetracks at that place. ed for but not used in building the The establishment of this town and station at Missouri Valley, where Palmer was the result of a railroad Robinson the owner of a farm on sec. passing through Pocahontas, the last 32 and who had the numbers cut on county seat in Iowa, to be thus con- them, was serving as ticket agent. nected with the outside world. It is
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