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OENEALOOV COL-UECTION
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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
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3 1833 00829 5013
D. A. W. PERKINS.
HISTORY OF
• O'BRIEN COUNTY, lOWfl
FROM ITS ORGANIZATION TO THE PRESENT TIME
BY D. A. W. PERKINS.
TO THE OLD SETTLERS OF O'BRIEN COUNTY,
WITH WHOn THE WRITER HAS, FOR A QUARTER CENTURY,
BORNE THE BURDEN
AND HEAT OF THE DAY, AND SHARED
LIFE'S ALTERNATE EXPERIENCES OF JOY AND SORROW,
THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY
DEDICATED.
1132165
PREFACE.
It is thirty-six ^^ears since O'Brien County was organized,
and twenty-five years, since the writer of these pages became
^ a resident. It was thought best to write its history, for, as the
years go on apace, much that pertains to its early settlement
)i will be lost to oblivion, unless rescued, before all of its earl}'
settlers pass on to the silent majority.
Compared with most of the counties of Iowa, O'Brien is,
jv after all, still young m the years of its organization, for, as a
matter of municipal or governmental history, it is not a long
\ stretch of time, since there was broken the first furrow of its
r^ soil, and since the smoke from its first cabin, curled to the as-
V tonished clouds.
J^ . There is herein, no attempt at literary proficiency or dis-
/ tinction. It is only a desire to tell the simple unvarnished tale;
^ to write such facts as shall constitute a record of what has
\^ gone before, and up to the present date, from which point
some future historian may continue the history, when we, who
were active participants in its early struggles, shall have
passed away.
THE NAME.
In 1850, the Iowa State Legislature appointed a committee,
for the purpose of giving names to fifty of its counties. This
committee in its various selections, desirous of honoring the
patriots of Ireland, named some of its counties afier these,
among which is Emmett county, after Robert Em.mett, and
Mitchell county, after John Mitchell.
O'Brien county was named after William Smith O'Brien,
who was born in 1803, and died in 1864. He was the co-
temporary, and the coadjutor of Daniel O'Connell. He was a
man of marked ability, and eminent and loyal, in his devotion
to his native country. The prefix O is patronymic, as O'Brien,
is significant as a descendant of Brien. The name of the
county has a classical sound, and in connection with its origin,
and the brave spirit of its namesake, is well bestowed.
LAWS PERTAINING TO ITS ORGANIZATION.
Section 27 of Chapter 9 of the laws of the Third General
Assembly, created a new county called Wahkaw, which is the
present county of Woodbur3^
Chapter 8 of the laws of the Fourth General Assembly, ap-
proved January 12, 1853, entitled, "An Act Organizing Cer-
tain Counties Therein Named," provides for the organization
of the County of Wahkaw, and the holding of a special elec-
tion for that purpose.
And Section 14 of said Chapter reads as follows:
" Section 14. That for revenue, election and judicial
purposes the counties of Ida, Sac, Buena Vista, Cherokee,
Plymouth, Sioux, O'Brien, Clay, Dickinson, Osceola and Bun-
comb, are hereby attached to Wahkaw, and the election for
said county shall be held at Sargeant's Bluff, and as many
HISTORY OF OBRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 7
Other places as the organizing sheriff may designate in his
notice of election."
Thomas L. Griffey was organizing sheriff of the county of
Wahkaw.
Chapter 12 of the laws of the Fourth General Assembly,
approved January 12, 1853, entitled, "An Act in Relation to
New Counties," provides the manner in which citizens of an
unorganized county may secure the organization of their
county, by application to the county judge of the county, to
which such organized county is attached, and also provides
for establishing the county seat, notice of election, canvass of
returns and qnalifications of officers elected.
And Section 5 of said Chapter provides, that the name of
the county of Wahkaw shall be changed to Woodbury.
Under these provisions of law, a petition was signed by the
legal voters of O'Brien county. The petition was duly pre-
sented to the county judge of Woodbury county, and the fol-
lowing order made:
County Court,
Woodbury Co., Iowa,
January 25th, i860.
Whereas, a petition has been presented to this court, signed
by Hannibal Waterman and seven other citizens of O'Brien
county, Iowa, and J. C. Furber having made oath that the sig-
natures to said petition, are a majority of the legal voters of
said county, and
Whereas, the said petitioners ask that the said O'Brien
county may be organized in accordance with the provisions of
law upon the subject.
Now, therefore, I, John P. Allison, county judge of Wood-
bury county, in the state of Iowa, do hereby order,
First: That the county of O'Brien, in the state of Iowa,
be, and the same is hereby organized,from and after the twenty-
fifth day of January, A. D. i860.
Second: That an election be held in O'Brien county, and
state aforesaid, at the dwelling house of Hannibal Waterman,
8 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
on Monday, the sixth day of February, A. D. i860, for the
purpose of electing county officers, and that J. C. Furber act
as one of the judges of said election.
Third: It is ordered that J. C. Furber act as organizing
sheriff, and that he post notices in three of the most public
places in said O'Brien county, stating the time and place of
holding said election, at least ten days prior to the election
aforesaid, and make due return of his doings to this court.
John P. Allison,
County Judge.
This order resulted in the appointment of J. C. Furber as
organizing sheriff, and an election was ordered to be held at
the house of Hannibal Waterman, on the sixth day of Feb-
ruary, i860, at which time certain officers were elected to hold
until the next general election, and this completed the county's
organization.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY.
CHAPTER I.
History is always interesting. While the great world at the
present time, in its never ceasing and restless struggle, has
little to do, but to bend its nervous energies in the various ave-
nues of business, and to gratify ambition, still, in the human
heart there is a love for that which has gone before. There is
a longing for the ever varied and shifting scenes, which with
their actors have made up the drama of life, but upon whose
exit the curtain has long since dropped, and the lights extin-
guished. Into that realm of events which constitutes the neg-
lected and seemingly forgotten past, the mind of man enters
with pecuHar fascinatian, and we ponder them with absorbing
interest.
It is not that alone that is interesting, which makes up the
history of the great world itself, in its different ages, and its
various climes.
The history of our experiences, and the experiences of those
around us, which have come under our own observation, are
equally cherished, for these invite the heart into other fields of
fond recollection and affection, and more especially, when one
after another of the actors with whom each are a part, are
dropping from the ranks, and passing out through that mys-
terious valley, which we call the shadow of death.
There ought to be the strongest ties of feeling between the
old settlers of a country, who have remained with it, and borne
the burden and heat of the day, and there is. By reason of
the weakness of human nature, there may be sometimes a hos-
10 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
tile feeling over some petty and insignificant affair between,
neighbors, but, as a rule, the surviving settlers of a new coun-
try, whose experiences run back quarter of a century, are at-
tached to each other; it would be unnatural to be otherwise.
Age may bring upon us its infirmities; it may palsy the limbs,
and gather the crows' feet insidiously about the eyebrows, but
as long as the faculties remain, we shall ever retain a feeling
of fond recollection of the scenes and incidents of other days,
and of those who shared with us its experiences, its joys, and
sorrows. And then again, people who bear the same misfor-
tunes together, become united in each others' interest, and are
bound together.
Every new county has to wrestle in the throes of doubt and
difficulty. The incoming population are generally of moderate
means, and come for the purpose of building a home, and ac-
quiring a competence. The first acts of settlement are liable
to absorb the little that was brought with them, and for a time,
it is a struggle with hardship, and sometimes for the necessa-
ries of life.
In the spring of 1856, O'Brien county was wdthou*: a settler.
Its fair and fertile prairie land, was not disturbed with cultiva-
tion. It was the home of the Indian, though none of this
dusky tribe had their habitation within its borders, still, it was
theirs on which to roam at their own sweet will, but under
certain restrictions by the government. Hannibal H. Waterman,
with his wife, Hannah H., and one child, Emily A., left their
former residence in Bremer county, this state, to go further
west, and on July following, landed in O'Brien county with
two yoke of oxen, and their household goods.
The government land had not yet been surveyed, so that
Mr. Waterman exercised his right as a squatter, and followed
up with a filing afterwards, when the government land office
was opened at Sioux City. The quarter section upon which
he filed, was the northeast quarter of section 22, township 94,
range 39, now Waterman civil township.
Mr. Waterman's first residence was constructed of logs.
HISTORY OP 0'nRI£N COUNTY, IOWA." 11
which he obtained from the Sioux river, and was 18x22 feet,
still upon the claim, but is rapidly falling into decay. The
family lived in this first structure until i860, when they had
erected and occupied one more commodious than the first, and
continued to occupy this, until 1887, when in April of that
year it was burned.
In May, 1857, there was born to Mr. and Mrs. Waterman
their daughter Anna, and she was the first white child born
in the county. Mr. and Mrs. Waterman still live in the
county. Anna, some years ago, married D. W. Kenyon. In
1888 they moved to Woodbine, Iowa, when Anna died on the
i6th day of December, 1889.
The winter following Mr. Waterman's adventure mto
O'Brien county, was lonesome indeed. Far from settlement,
and seemingly far from civilization. They lived through the
weary and lengthening days of win-
ter with nothing to cheer them, or
to break the monotony of life, save
the thought that spring-time was
coming, and soon again, their eyes
would be gladdened with the sight
of green grass, and the beautiful
prairie flower, and this gave them a
heart of sunshine, even amid the
snows of winter. Mr. Waterman
had with him a hired man having '-^
only one arm, so that as far as he
was concerned, might be considered
single handed. Just at the approach
of winter, the hired man was started with the oxen on a mis-
sion to Ft. Dodge, for 500 pounds of flour and 200 pounds of
meal. He returned within a reasonal)le time for the journey,
but was unable to obtain only a few hundred pounds of flour.
In December following, the necessities of the household re-
quired further supplies, and the hired man with the oxen, were
again started out. This time he went to Shelby county, sev-
12 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
enty-five miles distant, and his trip was disastrous indeed.
The winter of 1856-7 was a hard one, and under certain cir-
cumstances, and in a new country, one's experiences often
seem beyond human endurance. The hired man with the
oxen, upon attempting to return, were snow-bound in Sac
county at the home of a farmer, and the poor fellow seemed
to have little else to do, but to explore the snow drifts for
buried corn raised the year before, and this he did effectually
enough while he was there, to keep the four oxen alive. The
farmer had an eye to business, and was like many another
shark which has preyed upon the misfortunes of others, and
has robbed the poor in distress. He demanded one yoke of
oxen for the feed, and the hired man left the oxen there and
walked home. The oxen when they got to Mr. Waterman's,
were illy fitted to go into the work of the season, but they
arrived home in the spring of 1857, with the little meagre sup-
ply of flour and meal.
The Indians at this time were not supposed to be trouble-
some. They roamed freely, however, over the stretch of
country extending west and north into Minnesota, and no doubt
then realized that civilization, if such it is, was pushing them on
towards the setting sun. These Indians, in bands of five to
twenty, often visited at the Waterman habitation, and their first
visit, was the following Sunday after the arrival of Mr. Water-
man and his family. Their visits were always friendly; they
offered no insult, gave no offense; but an Indian can be friendly,
even when the heart of the treacherous savage is filled with
intended outrage. In the spring of 1857, a band of about sixty
Indians, roaming south from Minnesota, had captured and
killed a large number of elk near Smithland, in Woodbury
county. The settlers took their guns, and from some false
report, the Indians became frightened away, leaving the elk
and everything else behind them, and started on their way to
Minnesota; the Waterman settlement lay direct in the path of
their journey. The Smithland treatment had aroused all their
natural proclivities to do evil. They were angered, and the
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
13
anger of an Indian meant hostility to the whites. It is a won-
der, that when they reached the Waterman household, that
they did not, in cold blood and cruelty, murder the entire
family, and leave their scarred and scalped bodies lying in
blood at their own hearthstone. The settlers near Smithland
were blamed for this Indian trouble,
as it was generally believed that
they made a pretext for takmg the
guns, and the elk from the Indians.
On their way back they stopped at
Mr. Waterman's place, and seven
of these swarthy fellows entered
the house. They had been there
before in friendly intercourse, but
now, they were bent upon mischief.
They appropriated the loose prop-
erty around, consisting of some car-
penter's tools, compass, and even
Mr. Waterman's white shirt. They
murmured their feelings of discontent in the jargon of their na-
tive tongue, and the climax of their Indian wickedness seemed
to be reached, when three of them leveled their guns upon Mr.
Waterman, and fired. He was not harmed, however, as the
firearms contained only powder. The firing was the result of
some resistance shown by Mr. Waterman to their depredations,
and, as it finally turned out, there was no intention to kill,
there was only a desire to steal from the house, and at the
same time to frighten the inmates.
The massacre at Spirit Lake, has long since, become a thrill-
ing part of the history of Northwest Iowa. After leaving Mr.
Waterman's house, this band committed some depredations at
Peterson, in Clay county, and they were a part of the atrocious
gang, which murdered and pillaged on the banks of West
Okoboji.
The eastern part of the county is much broken with hills
and deep gulches; this is so along the Sioux river and the
HANNAH H. WATERMAN.
14 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Waterman creek, so that an incoming settler who came along,
would be most likely to settle where Mr. Waterman did, where
fuel was plenty and water accessible, and where there was
much shelter, compared with the bleak and unprotected prairie
further west.
There soon followed another settler in O'Brien county, who
was Fred Fieldman, but better, and generally known as '^ Dutch
Fred."
The writer knew him well, and his peculiar originality was
certainly a study. He claimed to have deserted from the army
of King William, and felt that his seclusion here, was a matter
of safety from the wrath of the Emperor. After the organiz-
ation of the county, he often remarked, "They all hold office
but me, and I am de peeples." In 1873, poor Dutch Fred was
taken sick. He was living alone, but when his condition was
known to the few around him, he was tenderly cared for. He
absolutely refused to have a physician, and insisted, that his
time had come, that he was bound to die anyhow, and he did
die, and was buried on his claim in Waterman township,
where a lonely grave contains all that was mortal of Dutch
Fred. He settled and filed upon the north-east quarter of
34-94-39, the same township with Mr. Waterman.
The next real settlers were Daniel W. Inman, and his brother
Chester W. They came in the spring of 1868; several others
came that summer, and some in the fall. W. H. Baker came
in the spring of 1869.
C. W. Inman married Kate Baker, a 'daughter of W. H.
Baker. D. W. Inman moved from the county to Oregon sev-
eral years ago. C. W, Inman died in 1894. His life was
cruelly taken by a neighbor, who was convicted of manslaugh-
ter, and sent to the penitentiary two years. Major Inman went
into the army of the rebellion a private soldier, and by every
grade to that of Major. At the last battle of the war, Ben-
tonsville, he commanded the advance picket line of his own,
and another regiment, under one of the most terriffic fires of
musketry on record, and performed his difficult and hazardous
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 15
duty with such unflinching bravery, as to command encomi-
ums from Gen. Logan.
Major Inman was like all the rest of us, he had his failings,
but was not without his virtues. He had a kind heart and a
sympathetic nature. The needy and
the unfortunate, never left his door
empty handed, when he was able to
relieve them, and the highest of all
religious virtues were indicated,
when the Nazarene said to the young
man, "One thing thou lackest, sell
what thou hast and give to the poor."
Mrs. Kate Inman, wife of the Major,
resides in Primghar, with her family,
a woman of matronly and refinedi
character, and highly respected.
H. F. Smith, known by the old
settlers, and still, known as Hank an^Tw^rman.
Smith, came here when a boy from Illinois February 22,
1868, and landed in old O'Brien. He saw all the glories
of this primitive village in its early days, when Murry, Crego
and the rest of them, were active and flourishing.
Then, O'Brien had been deserted by Moses Lewis and ihe
Tiffy gang, and among those then there, and about there,
were the Inman brothers, R. B. Crego, H. H. Waterman,
A. Murry, and Andrew Brown, a school teacher.
Mr. Smith was not of age then, and could not take a claim
until several years after, so that he worked at various employ-
ments principally with a team. In that same year there also
came E. T. Parker, but he is hardly known by this name, as
we universally call him Ed, and we mention him now in con-
nection with Hank Smith, as they were about the same age,
and were the livliest lads in the village. Ed. and his brother
H. F. came together, drove across the state with a horse and
buggy, but walked most of the way on account of the roads,
and the load they had.
16 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Mr. Parker came for the purpose of trapping, and knew of
the country from his uncle W. H. Baker, who had previously
come here in the spring of the same year. Soon after Mr.
Parker's arrival, he traded the horse and buggy in on a span
of mules, and if ever there is any period in the life of a young
man, it is when he becomes the owner of a pair of mules.
Hank Smith and Ed. Parker were soon in partnership.
Hank had a span of horses, so that between them, they were
well equipped for teaming, and there was much of it to do.
They really built the first bridge in the county, though thous-
ands of dollars in warrants previous to that, had been issued,
which never saw the light of day. The bridge was over a
run, east of old O'Brien, and not far from the village.
They cut the native timber, made it into the proper length
of logs, of which there were four, stretched across the run on
proper rests, and on these, were placed five cross pieces.
They then hauled logs to Peterson mill, which were sawed
into planks, and with these in place, and the grading com-
pleted, the bridge was done, and it was a good job. The
boys were two days building it, and got $2 a day each, so
that between them they earned $8, but this bridge cost the
county $500, as this amount in warrants was issued to the
contractor.
In January, 1869, Major Inman and W. H. Baker drove to
Sioux City, for a load of merchandise. They had two teams
hitched to a sled, but on their return, the snow was so deep,
and the weather so bad, they left part of their load on the
prairie, and owing to the difficulty of handling two teams in
the snow, turned one loose, which strayed from them, was
not found for six weeks, and then both horses were nearly
dead. After their return to old O'Brien, they sent Ed. Parker
and Hank Smith, with Parker's mules hitched to a sled, after
the goods left on the prairie. The boys left old O'Brien in
the morning, stopped at Cherokee over night, and the next
morning started for the deserted goods which were left at
whiskey slough, certainly a significant name, but in these days
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
17
of advanced settlement and prohibition, has been entirely lost
sight of. They distinctly remember the quantity and quality
of the grub they had, when they left Cherokee. It consisted
of some coffee, sugar, frozen bread, some parboiled spare
ribs, and a bottle of red jacket bitters, quite a lay out for
pioneers. They found the goods, loaded them up, made a
fire with a handful of wood
they had taken along, and
about sun down, started back.
The weather was bad, the
cold intense, and the snow
deep.
They had to do considerable
shoveling all the time to get
through the snow; night was
settling over them in its dark-
ness; not a house anywhere
near, and the snow sifting into
their clothing, and blowing
about them. The mules had
given out, and Ed. Parker said to Hank, he thought their time
had come at last, and the chances were exceedingly slim for any
further joyous season of hilarity, in the jungles of old O'Brien.
They stopped, because they could go no further, unhitched the
mules and tied them to the sled. There was no place to sleep,
and nothing in sight but a ceaseless tramp; the best they could
do, was to keep from freezing to death.
Soon, Hank had the shovel digging a hole in the huge snow
bank, and Ed. wanted to know what that was for, and was
told, as death stared them in the face, he might as well dig the
grave for their burial. He dug a hole large enough for them
to crawl into and he down, which they did, and with a rubber
blanket, robes and fur coats, they were warm and comfortable,
slept soundly until morning, awoke all right, and after break-
fast, and under a clear sky, started home and finally reached
there safely. When they found the deserted goods, there
VMES BICKNELL.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
19
were nine bottles of brandy bitters, which Baker was anxious
to have them return with, as the settlement was out of stimu-
lants, and none near by. When they did return, Baker made
for the sled for his bitters, but all there was left of the nine
bottles was half a bottle, and this made Baker so mad he shied
the bottle at Hank and Ed, but both had an eye on him, and
dodged the bottle.
INDIAN STEALTH.
Soon after Ed. Parker arrived at old O'Brien, he took his
gun and wandered out through the timber, to see what he
could kill. When about a mile north of the Baker residence,
he scared up a deer not far away, and with his rifle killed it.
The deer run quite a ways, leaving the snow with a trail of
blood, and at last it fell. Ed. was following it, and when he
was off a ways, the deer lying on the ground, he still blazed
away with his rifle; this being his first deer, he did not pro-
pose to have any doubt left of its being dead. Then, in his
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 21
youthful enthusiasm and excitement over kilHng the deer, he
started on the run for Baker's house, took a straight line
through the brush and among stumps, and when he reached
the Baker fence he did not even turn aside for a gate, but went
straight ahead, leaping the fence, even with the gate open
close to him. Out of breath, he managed to shout his won-
derful achievement in killing a deer, and the rest of the party
went out and brought it in.
INDIAN ATTACK UPON MR. WATERMAN.
An earlier settler than Smith or Parker, was S. B. Hurlbert,
who was called Gov. Hurlbert. He came with his wife in
1866. Mrs. Hurlbert was the first white woman who lived
on the west side of the Sioux river, in the county. Mr. Hurl-
bert built a trapper's fort at the mouth of Hurlbert Creek, and
at first put in his time trapping He was elected sheriff in the
fall of 1869. Mr. Hutlbert was a thoroughly frontier man,
having lived in Wright county, Iowa, at an early day, when
the family went seventy miles to mill. ' He now resides in
Alluvia, Texas, engaged in photographing.
22
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
The old Major Inman house on the Waterman was burned
in March, 1897. The house was first started in the fall of
1869, and several years after, there was put to it a large addi-
tion. The first story was built of stone, the rest was frame.
The lumber in the first house was hauled from Fort Dodge.
The|farm is known as the "Cedar Cliff Farm", and is now
owned by Peck, Artherholt & Ingham, and is on Section 26,
in Waterman township. On this same section Gov. Hul-
bert built a log house in 1867, and sold the claim afterwards
to Major Inman.
Among the others in 1868 who came to the county were A.
B. Husted, Gus Baker, Charley Hill and John Patchen. W.
H. Baker and Gus Baker died several years ago; H. F. Parker
is at Cripple Creek, Colorado; Charley Hill is dead; John
^■"" ^ Patchen moved awaj^,
/^ .\ while A. B. Husted still
/ *^ t ^^^''^^ °" ^^^ original claim.
I ^Sw '^m^ "*>- Hank Smith resides at
Primghar, and Ed. Par-
ker at Sanborn. Of the
settlers of 1868 there are
onl}^ four left in the county
— H. F. Smith, E. T. Par-
ker, A. B. Husted and
Mrs. C. W. Inman, and of
any previous to that time,
only Mr. Waterman and
his family.
In 1869 there were sev-
joiiN w. KFLLEY. cral morc came to the
county, than did in 1868. In 1869 there were Horace Gilbert,
D. B. Harmon, Ezra McOmber, W. H. Wager, Joseph Row-
land, A. J. Edwards, Charles Chandler, Obadiah Higbe, Oli-
ver Evans, Jack HoUiday, Archie McDonald, Hoel Gibbs, R. G.
Allen, Hiram Wiard, Sol Wiard, Squire Mack, S. J. Jorden,
Wm. Baldwin, Mike O'Neil, George Youde, David Finster,
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 23
J. G. Arbuckle, A. J. Allen, Ed. Nisson, Thomas McBath,
W.C.Green, McCallen Green,Jake Wagoner and Cal Wagoner.
Some of these are mentioned elsewhere. A. J. Edwards, who
came in 1869, was well known in his day all over the county.
He was auditor during the gopher scalp period, was a kind-
hearted man, and a good neighbor. He left the county some
years ago, and died afterwards. Captain came out in the
summer, did some break-
ing, put up some hay and
built' a house, then win-
tered elsewhere, returning
with his family in the
spring of 1870. He used
to tell a story on himself.
Said that when they came
out in the spring of 1870,
they arrived with teams at
his claiiij about dark. A
little after dark while
walking around the hay
stacks, where hay was
scattered on the ground
considerably, he stepped on something which seemed to
make a jump, and apparently for captain, which impressed
him with the idea, that some sptcies of animal was hidden
under the hay, and that there was nothing to do but retreat
for safety. Captain went to the house, and soon the entire
familv were out with broomsticks, and all sorts of weapons
belaboring the hidden animal, which continued to spring
at every stroke. They finally gave it up, and went into
the house. When morning came, and daylight shed its bright-
ness upon the scene of the conflict, and the hay was cleared
off in order to discover the character of the animal they had
fought, it was found to be a horse collar, which would bound
at every stroke, and the collar was just about ruined with the
beating. Of others named as settlers in 1869, Horace Gilbert
E. T. PARKER.
24
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
resides in Minnesota; D. B. Harmon on the original claim;
Ezra McOmber at Calumet; William Wager still resides in
the county; Joseph Rowland died some years ago; J. W.
Kelley lives in Sanborn; Charles Chandler in Kansas; Obediah
Higbe is dead; Oliver Evans is still in the county; so is Archie
McDonald, living at Hartley; Hoel Gibbs resides in Wood-
bury county; R. G. Allen at Hartley; Sol Wiard at the Pacitic
coast; Squire Mack at Spencer, Iowa, and S. J. Jorden on the
original claim; Finster is away; Ed. Nisson left for some other
part of the country and has not been heard from since; W. C.
Green is at Sanborn, while Mike O'Neil and Hiram Wiard
died several years ago.
The first school house built in the county was in the fall of
1869, of brick, in Grant township, and Mrs. D. W. Inman was
the first teacher in Grant township. The first election in Grant
township was in the fall of 1869, at Joe Rowland's house.
The first death in Grant township was Cassa Flathers, in
the fall of 1869. The first chimney built in the county, was
built for W. H. Baker, on what is now the county poor farm.
The brick was
hauled from Cher-
okee, and the chim-
ney built by Ed.
Parker and Hank
Smith. Hank was
a mason by trade,
and Ed. wanted to
learn it, so Hank
started him out to
practice on this
chimney. He com-
menced with it, to
reach a hole in the
roof, which was
several feet, diagonall}'. Hank was away when he built it,
and says, that when be got back the chimney had traveled
C. W. INMAN.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 25
every point of the compass. Another party who came in 1869
was William Slack. He died several years ago. His son,
Charles, lives on the original homestead. A. B. Husted was
the first carpenter in the county, and made the first coffin, for
some woman just over the line in Clay county. The first
threshing machine in the county was owned by Archibald
Murry, which was hauled from Dennison, Crawford county.
It was a Chicago Pitts machine, was brought up in the fall of
1867, started to work in March, 1868, and was run by Gus
Baker, David Watts and Hank Smith. They threshed for
Cherokee, Buena Vista and O'Brien counties, for stacks of
grain then were few and far between.
After the original log court house, there was built another
in 1870, frame, 14x16, which cost several thousand dollars.
The records, what few there
were, were moved into it,
but were moved out soon
after, as Dan Inman needed
a place to live, and the court
house was vacated to him for
that purpose. This building
was burned next year, and
soon after, a similar building
was erected, at a cost of sev-
eral thousand dollars more,
which was used until the
county seat was moved to
Primghar, then the building
*» ' ° W. C. GKEEN.
was sold to H. A. Shade for a
residence. In 1868 H. J. Rice, W. H. Baker and Hank Smith
went to Lyon county, at Doon, and built a residence for Rice.
This was the first house built in Lyon county, and the intention
then was to organize the county, but Hank and Baker returned
and left Rice there. Rice, at the time of going up, lived at
Peterson. In the summer of 1868 and the winter following,
Lafayette Knight taught school at Old O'Brien, and the spring
26
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
after, followed Rice at Doon. When Smith and Baker were
returning from building the log house at Doon, they saw a
large herd of elk, which they estimated at 300 head, about
where Sheldon now is, but they soon scampered away.
When the first school houses were built. Hank Smith and
Ed. Parker gathered
the lime stones from
the bluff, burned them
into lime for use, and
laid the brick.
The first celebration
of Fourth of July in the
county, was at the In-
man school house, in
Grant township, in
1868. There were
thirty there; had exer-
cises and dinner, and a
dance in the evening.
Rev. Clifton made a
speech.
Dan Inman was the first blacksmith in the county, and R.
B. Crego the first shoemaker. Dan opened up on his claim,
and Crego cobbled in old O'Brien. When Peg-leg Allen
and J. G. Arbuckle came in the fall of 1869, Crego surren-
dered the cobbling business to them.
THE FIRST COURT HOUSE.
The first court house in the county was built of logs on Mr.
Waterman's claim, and remained there something over a year.
It was built by virtue of a contract made with J. W. Bosler,
and was to be eighteen feet square, but was shy a few feet
on each side, so that its real dimensions was about 14 by 20.
Instead of being used for a court house while on Mr. Water-
man's claim, it was used by Moses Lewis as a residence, but a
court house was not needed much, as they carried the various
departments of the county business, around in their pockets.
B. F. M COKMACK.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 27
They tried to purchase of Mr. Waterman forty acres of
land for county purposes, but at that time, he wanted the
scene of their manipulations as far away as possible. The
Moses Lewis spoken of, became weary of life some years
ago, and committed suicide at Fort Dodge.
Land for county seat purposes was finally purchased of
H. C. Tiffy, and upon the completion of this purchase, and
the location of the county seat, old O'Brien was brought into
existence as a village. The old log court house was moved
to the new location, for the county of O'Brien wanted all of
its belongings together, but when it was set up again, it was
used as a school house,
and for a residence, after-
wards by R. G. Allen and
Bostwick for a blacksmith
shop, and finally by W. C.
Green as a stable. We
call this building a court
house, because that was
the name given to it, by
the parties who made the
contract to build it, but
after all it was a curiosity,
and a sacrilegious travesty
upon jurisprudence. It
was erected not for use,
F. L. HF.RRICK.
because nobody could use
it for the purpose for which it was supposed to be intended, it
was erected, in order that a large number of warrants could be
issued in pay for it, and these warrants went into the general
pool of the gang. A court house implies a good deal. Gen-
erally, that emblem of justice, a Winded female holding in
equipoise the scales of justice, stands prominently elevated,
and at the fore, to tell the people, that here the wrongs of this
wicked world are righted, and there is given unto Ca2sar the
things that are Cassar's, and that justice is dispensed with im-
partial hand.
4jM
28
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA,
Here was a pile of logs cut from the banks of the Little
Sioux, notched, placed together in the form and shape of a
building, and the Temple of justice was complete. About it,
and on all sides of it, were
the consultations and man-
ipulations of men, in devis-
ing the various methods of
theft, the means of perpe-
trating robbery and plun-
der, while within, if it had
been a court house in fact,
the emblem would be truer
to the conditions, if that
blinded female was weep-
ing in shame, and her at-
titude that of a devotee at
the throne of justice,
JAMES BKosH. whosc hcart was crushed
with remorse. Never, within the walls of this illy constructed
structure was kept the records of the county, never was court
held there, and not the sound of a voice of any advocate ever
echoed among its rafters. Court houses were not needed,
the elements of wickedness were averse to them, the county
records were the warrant books, and the only business of the
count}^ officials, was to fill up the blanks and detach them for
use.
There were still more settlers in 1870, and in 187 1, and on,
they came in large numbers. One of the earliest was E. W.
McOmber, who came in March, 1869. He selected as a claim,
the south half of the southeast quarter of section 12, in Water-
man township. Mr. McOmber started from Rockford, Illi-
nois, with only an idea of going west, for he had heard of the
advice of the lamented Horace. He started with a team and
wagon, containing provisions and household goods, with a man
by the name of Hobart as a companion. The roads were so
bad that he left his load at Iowa Falls, to wait there, until the
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
29
Illinois Central R. R. was completed further on. When he got
to Ft. Dodge he left his wagon and got a lighter vehicle, and
with Hobart drove to Mr. Waterman's place.
Mr. Waterman helped them to make a selection, which they
both did as squatters, and then returned to Ft. Dodge. This
was in the spring of the year when the creeks were overflowed,
and when they were obliged to travel across the country, un-
inhabited and without bridges. The first night on their return,
they traveled most of the night, and coming to a stream of
water, they knew not which way to go, and so halted for the
night with nothing to eat, and nothing for their horses. To
keep warm, they kept up a ceaseless tramp, and when morn-
ing came they found themselves on the bank of quite a body of
water, a settler's shack on the opposite side, and seemingly no
way of crossing. It was near enough to the opposite side for
voices to be heard, and they opened up communication with a
settler across the water.
He told them the water
was forty feet deep, but
encouraged their cross-
ing, so in they went, and
having a team that was
used to swimming, they
were soon across. Thev
were quite hungry, hav-
ing been without any-
thing to eat since the
morning before, and at
this shack, when they
reached it, nothing could
be had. They drove on
some little distance fur-
ther to another shack,
where some corn was found, with which the horses were fed.
The woman of the house was waiting for the men folks to re-
turn from Ft. Dodge with provisions, so that this habitation was
ED. C. BROWN.
30
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
without food; still, their condition was so desperately a hungry
one, that she gathered together a few scraps of bread, made a
compound of the last remnants of tea and coffee, and sat them
down to the feast. There are times when a hungry man can
eat most anything, but this was too much for McOmber and
Hobart; they tried, but an empty stomach was not calculated
for food like that, so they waited a while, and the supply from
Ft. Dodge soon arrived. We mention this as a fair sample of
the uncertainty of meals, in traveling any part of this new
country at that time. The settlers were too poor to lay in a
large supply, and when
the little was exhausted,
the weather in winter
and spring, and the
overflowed creeks with-
out bridges, made it
very uncertain when the
settler would return,
who went for more. If
every detail of incon-
venience, and sometimes
suffering, which the
early settlers of O'Brien
experienced, were fully
known, we should all
wonder how they survived them. But a settler or a pioneer,
who starts out to make for himself a home in a new country,
is filled with a peculiar ambition; one that leads all the forces
of his nature to the point of surmounting every difficulty. He
cares not for cold or hunger. He can cross the most trouble-
some waste of water, sleep soundly on the hard, damp ground,
scale a cHff, stand the worst of weather, and endure them all
gracefully as long as the El Dorado is ahead of him, and he is
fighting the battle with a determination to win. Mr. Mc-
Omber's wife came in the summer of 1869, and before the fall
of that year they were comfortably housed in a shack on the
claim.
HUSTED.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
31
The next year Mr. McOmber, upon some breaking done in
1869, raised a small patch of wheat, which yielded twenty-two
bushels to the acre. Mr. McOmber's brother George, came
and settled near E. W. in the spring of 1870.
There was then between old O'Brien and Fort Dodge, what
was called the twenty mile slough, and this was always diffi-
cult to cross. They who traveled it, if it was convenient, went
together, several teams of them, carried a rope, and when a
stream of water was reached, would first swim the horses,
then with the rope fastened to the wagons, would pull one
over at a time. On every trip to Fort Dodge this method of
crossing was used. When these parties landed in old O'Brien,
they stopped at the hotel then kept by C. W. Inman. At the
time of this arrival, old O'Brien was of but a few houses, not
over six, one of which was the log court house. There were
two residences besides the hotel, occupied by two different
parties, A. Murry and R. B. Crego. J. W. Kelly settled
upon the southeast quarter of section 22 in Waterman town-
ship. He first lived in a tent
with his family, until he had
obtained lumber for a build-
ing, which was not long after-
wards. The lumber was ob-
tained from the Peterson saw
mill, and cost Mr. Kelly $4S
per thousand, the house was
16 by 22. In May, 1869,
Mr. Kelly, with Joseph Row-
land and A. J. Edwards, went
to Sioux City to file on their
respective claims. Sioux
City then had no railroad,
and of course the trip had to
be made with team. They started from
was a long drive with streams to cross
much of the way unmarked with any traveled
M'CLELLAN.
old O'Brien, which
without bridges, and
road. When
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
they drove over the territory which now comprises the thrifty
and promising city of Le Mars, some parties there in advance
of the incoming railroad, were just putting up the frame of
Le Mars' first building. While stopping to chat with the
workmen upon this unpretentious structure, some fellow drove
along with a covered wagon, making his exodus from the
country, and who was evi-
dently filled with deep dis-
gust, for he remarked, " that
he wouldn't give five dollars
for an entire section," and
that the act of building was
but the scheme of a land
shark, who was trying to
rope in the tenderfeet from
the east.
When Sioux City was
reached, they stopped at the
"Mountaineer House, "which
long since retired from busi-
ness as a Sioux City hostelry.
Their papers were made out by T. J. Stone, and the
clerk of the office, James Sloan, gave them very courteous
treatment. They well remembered, however, that every-
thing the}' got was paid for, and when they left for home,
had finished their business, and had gone the rounds of this
crude metropolis in those early days, they concluded that
Sioux City had sized their pile, for they had naught but
empty pocket books.
At the same time Mr. McOmber came to the county, there
came also Mr. Kelly, Joseph Rowland and A. J. Edwards, the
parties just mentioned. Mr. Kelly had an outfit of his own,
and had drove through from Joliet, Illinois. His wife came
with him and two daughters, Anna and Mary. He met Mr.
Rowland and Capt. Edwards at Ft. Dodge, and these two new
settlers rode up with him.
E. C. FOSKETT.
HISTORY OF OBRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 33
This was in April, 1869, and on the 29th of that month they
arrived at old O'Brien. C. W. Inman also came along from
Ft. Dodge with them, as he was there after supplies.
The filing made by Mr. Kelly on the Sioux City trip before
mentioned, was made May 5th, 1869, and was the first home-
stead filing made in the county; there had been some filings
of preemptions. Mr. Kelly broke five acres the year of 1869,
and rented five acres that year belonging to a man by the
name of Gibbs. He was to pay $5 an acre as rent, but it
raised so little that he offered the crop for the rent, which
was refused. Mr. Rowland settled on the southwest of 24 and
Capt. Edwards on the northeast of 4.
1132165
CHAPTER 11.
It might be well enough at this point, to say something
concerning the early administration of the couiity, as Mr.
Kelly, previously mentioned, cuts somewhat of a figure in its
affairs. In the winter of
1859, some parties in Sioux
City, intending first to or-
ganize the county, and
then to plunder it, made
their way to the home of
Mr. Waterman, looking
for the proper location
upon which to establish
their headquarrters, and
afterwards the county seat.
Other parties from Ft.
Dodge, hearing of this in-
tended invasion, went
themselves to the scene of
operations, intent upon the
same thing. For a brief period there was some conflict be-
tween them, until peace was declared, for it is said. when
rogues fall out, then honest people get their dues. A coterie
of delectable thieves was soon made up from these pilgrims
from the two cities mentioned. The early lecords of the
county, copied and inserted in another part of this book, do
36
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
not contain half of their villainous transactions. There may
have been other records, but if so they are not to be found.
Every conceivable device of expenditure^ known to a prolific
mind, vi^as introduced into their transactions. The writer hes-
itates in the mention
of names, as this book
might fall into the
hands of some hon-
orable descedant, up-
on whose cheek we
have no wish to cause
a blush for that, for
which they are in no
w^ay to blame. The
names, however, of
these early organiz-
ers, are found among
the names of those
mentioned in the rec-
ords elsewhere in-
serted, and most of
them have long since gone to their final rest. Two of these
organizers, Murry and Lewis, had a hand in the orgaization
of Sioux county, as will be seen in the following from the pen
of another:
" Before any court house was built, and before there was
any habitation in the county, a county government was effected
under the shade of a cottonwood tree, by those enterprising
characters in northwestern Iowa, Arch Murry and Mose
Lewis, assisted by lesser lights, and before the sun went down,
an appropriation of $25,000 had been made, for the purpose of
building a bridge across the Sioux river. Arch Murry was
delegated to go to Chicago to negotiate the sale of warrants.
He sold to the Lombards, Chicago bankers at that time.
There was no reasonable limit to Murry's enterprise, and after
he sold the warrants to Lombard, he entered into a contract to
PATRICK CARROLL.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
37
W lO
cent,
ly re-
earn
convert them into bonds for the firm, the bonds to dra
per cent interest, while the warrants only drew 6 per
For this he was to get a round fee as attorney. He on
quired time enough to get the bonds printed in order to
his fee, and appearing at the
bank with the bonds prop-
erly executed, he turned
them over and secured the
warrants, which he was to
return for cancellation at the
county seat, under the Cot-
tonwood on the banks of the
Sioux. Archie did not de-
sire to return to the wild
west so soon, after his splen-
did success as a financier,
and took in the sights of the
town for a few days. Dur- °- ®- "a^mon.
ing the time, he heard of other capitalists anxious to invest in
western securities, and taking the warrants which he had pre-
viously sold to the Lombards, arid which at their expense he
had converted into bonds, he negotiated another sale of them,
but before the money was paid over it leaked out, that they
were the same that had been previously sold, and Archie was
lodged in jail. But he soon got out and returned to north-
western Iowa, which he pronounced the best country for legit-
imate speculation he had ever struck."
From the time of the complete organization of the county
up to 1869, there had been issued about $200,000 in warrants,
$162,000 of which had been placed in judgments in five sepa-
rate suits, and nothing to show for it, save the few books in
which the records were kept. A large area of land was ap-
propriated for a bridge, as will be seen by the records, but the
bridge never materialized, except that it comes by tradition,
that the contractor in the winter time laid some boards across
the Little Sioux on the ice, upon which the gang triumphantly
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
marched as proof of its building, and to enable the proper
committee to duly report its completion. County warrants
were accessible whenever they were needed, and we all may
be sure that the ne-
cessities of the gang
were very great. These
methods of running the
county were continued
without interruption un-
til 1870, for there seem-
ed to be no one to stand
in the way, except Mr.
Waterman, and a lew
more, and they were
powerless. At the elec-
tion of the supervisors
in 1869, there were
elected John W. Kelly,
Hannibal Waterman
and O. Higbe, an oasis of honesty in a desert of theft. Mr.
Kelly at once took up the cudgel of reform. His real senti-
ments were not known when he was elected, and the battle of
this valiant warrior, upon the citadel of a corrupt county organi-
zation, was not only surprising but startling, to those who had
feasted upon this banquet of plunder. As stated, there were
judgments rendered outside the county to the amount of
i^ 1 62, 000.
Mr. Kelly went to Sioux City and employed Colonel H. B,
Wilson, a lawyer then in practice there, but long since dead,
to appear in the proper court and move that these judgments
be set aside, upon the ground of fraud and irregularity in
obtaining them. The proceedings instituted by Colonel Wil-
son were prosecuted to a final success, and during the progress
of the suit, and before its final termination, Mr. Kelly was
offered one-half the amount to let up in the prosecution of the
suit. He indignantly refused. Mr. Kelly, before he finally
MRS. M. G. M'CLtLl.AN.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
39
/
■i
got through with this war of his own, was completely wore
out, as the sympathizers of the gang so much outnumbered
the disciples of his own faith. He finally quit, except his con-
tinued advocacy along the line of his previous action. In the
fall of 1870 there was another election, but neither of the
board of 1870 were elected. They retired from office seem-
ingly without honors. As the county was then beginning to
be settled, each year found new recruits in the growing ranks
of reform, until the time came, when the affairs of O'Brien
county were honestly administered.
In order that the organization of the county might be per-
fected, it required an election to vote for officers, which was
held at Mr. Waterman's house February 6, i860. There was
not needed the security of the ballot box, so that an ordinary
hat answered every pur- ^,-- ;~'^ .
pose in which to cast the
ballot. There were seven
votes cast, and only five of
them could have been
legitimately cast had there
been opposition, and per-
haps not more than four,
as it was claimed at the
time, that one voter lived
in Woodbury county, one
in Clay, and one in Buena
Vista. This sacrilegious
abuse of the bulwark of
American institutions so
called, was entered into by these organizers with a feeling of
triumph. The log court house heretofore mentioned, was,
after this election built near Mr. Waterman's house which is
mentioned in the records, as the temporary house built by
A. Murry for the county judge. Mr. Waterman was elected
to three offices, that of treasurer, recorder and superintendent
of schools. This was done in order that he might be taken
mi^
MRS. JOHN CHRYSLER.
40 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
into the fold, and become a member of the gang in spirit, as
well as name. But Mr. Waterman would n't affiliate, his con-
sciencious principles of right, would not endorse the acts of the
administration, so that he was forced into resignation, and did
resign the offices December ii, i860.
These original county organizers, were also a part of the
early history of Clay county, and of Buena Vista.
The county seat of Clay county was established at Peterson,
three miles distant from the county seat of O'Brien, and that
of Buena Vista at Sioux
Rapids, twelve miles away,
so that the manipulations in
each, could be readily at-
tended to.
When any contract was
desired whereby funds could
be raised, it was made in
something of this order by
the board of supervisors:
" Whereas, the board is
satisfied that the bridges will
be built, therefore resolved
that warrants issue."
JOHN CHRYSLER. The four years following
the organization, created largely the debt of the county, at
about the end of which time, warrants were worth only twenty-
five cents on the dollar, so that purchases by the county were
obliged to have their prices multiplied by four. This depre-
ciation continued until 1868, when they raised slightly, in 1877
were worth forty cents, and not long after were at par. In
1877 an organization was started in the county for the purpose
of repudiating this old debt. The question became a subject
of much discussion, and the organization in favor of repudia-
tion, was called tne " Tax Payers' Association."
Some of the principal movers in it were A. P. Powers,
W. H. Woods, Ralph Dodge, W. S. Hitchings, T. J. Steele,
C. W. Inman and Joseph Rowland.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
41
Many of the best men in the county, and whose honesty has
never been questioned, took an opposite view of that of the
association.
They felt, that under all the circumstances of prospective
litigation, and for the credit of the county, that it would be
better to pay than to
repudiate, although
corruptly contracted.
Some of these men
were: William Oli-
ver, J. H. Wolf,
Thomas Holmes, T.
J. Alexander, J. L.
E. Peck, Wm. N.
Strong, Frank Derby
and Mart Shea.
The result of it
was, that the board
unanimously rebond-
ed all of the debt, on
the 4th day of Jan-
uary, 1881 at seven per cent interest. Soon after this, there
was paid on this debt $30,000. In 1886 the balance of the
debt was rebonded at five per cent interest. It was after-
wards conceded that the county acted in this matter, with a
sense of honor, and was just to itself, although its early offi-
cials had perpetrated an injustice.
BYRON DONAVON.
CHAPTER III.
Some of the readers of these pages, may not know the
method of taking government land, upon which the settlers at
that time located.
Upon this land originally, the Indians had a right, but all of
their title was extinguished by the goveinment. During the
administration of Abraham Lincoln, this vast area of land was
thrown open to settlement, upon which there could be filed
homesteads, pre-emptions or tree claims.
The pre-emption laws were changed by congress several
times, but substantially it required a settlement and residence
upon the land for a certain
period, when the pre-emp-
tor could make final proof,
and obtain title from the
government, by paying
$1.25 per acre.
The homestead laws, re-
quired live years' resi-
dence upon the land in
order to obtain title, but
the law was afterward
changed, permitting the
homesteader to make final
proof, upon payment of
$1.25 per acre. h. p. holyoke.
The law required strictly, that the settler should have his
home on the claim, it must be his residence, so that the first
act on the part of the settler was to establish his residence.
This was done sometimes by building a house, no matter how
44
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
0mm
unpretentious; it might be done by starting a cellar, or run-
ning the lines, it must be something, to show that possession
had been taken. So that it will be seen, that these incoming
settlers selected a quarter or an eighty where they desired,
made some show of improvement, then made their filing at
the land office.
People coming to a new country are generally without
means, and the first settlers of O'Brien, were no exception
to the rule.
Any kind of a habitation would do on the start, unless the
settler was able to build extensively. Very many were
naught but a shack or shanty, and this would seem to be ex-
clusively a western institu-
tion, at any rate it was the
settler's castle, and a shack
was generally 8 by lo with
a shed roof, and tar paper
covering. If any one
doubted the continuous
residence, the shack was
pointed out, as the mute
but convincing evidence of
settlement. A stove pipe
also projected through the
roof, and this useful orna-
ment would remove all
doubt of the settler's good
faith. Occasionally, when
some shack was too long neglected, some mischievous or ma-
licious fellow would appropriate it to his own use, and the
settler if he returned, would find his evidence .of settlement
removed.
But among settlers it was regarded, if the claim was taken
in good faith, as the sacred habitation, the legal improvement
of him who placed it there, and it was not well either to
molest or^disturb it.
W. E. WELCH.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 45
Ofttimes the habitation consisted of a sod shanty, and some-
times a dug out, which was an excavation In the ground, a
hole large enough to live in, covered to shed the rain. As
the settler prospered, and as
he possessed thrift and econ-
omy, he would " catch on,"
and his pioneer structure
would be succeeded by some-
thing more commodious. If
a claim was too long neglect-
ed, it would often be taken by
another, jumped as we called
it, but jumping claims was a
disreputable, and sometimes
a serious business, unless the
settler had entirely neglected
his duty, and paid no atten-
tion to the requirements of
the law. One shack 8 by 10 with a gable roof, was used to
prove up three different claims in Floyd township, and which
afterwards was moved into Sheldon, and '-.vhen the town
started, used for a meat market. If the settler was in time to
do breaking that season, he generally did what he could, and
often put in corn on the sod which sometimes would be a
good yield.
These early and unpretentious habitations of the first set-
tlers, have entirely disappeared, and the places that once knew
them, will know them no more forever.
" Good-by, old shack; time's relentless rigor
Has ground you up at last to shapeless dust;
But faithfully have you performed your trust,
And sheltered manly worth, and moral vigor."
As will be seen, the first legitimate settlers in O'Brien
county after Mr. Waterman, were D. W. Inman and his
brother Chester W.; Archibald Murry and some other of the
organizers cultivated a little patch of ground near town, in
M'ANDREW.
46
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
m^'
order to convey the idea, that they were tillers of the soil; yet
Archibald Murry must be called a settler as he held land, and
died here.
In 1869 there came W. H. Woods, Ed. Nissen, L. A.
Worth and George Bell. W. H. Woods was permanent
— - after he came here, and
, ^.^_- settled upon his claim in
"^ locatinor new comers. He
was a surveyor, could tind
the lines of sections, and
was quite useful to those
seeking a home. His wife,
Roma W., is a lady of re-
finement and education,
and a very clever and
scholarly writer. She has
taken very prominent part
in the affairs of the county,
and in whatever would
tend to better society. She
was the prime mover in the establishment, and the progress
of the Baker library at Sutherland.
Her son, H. C, commonly called " Bub," was known to all
the settlers twenty years ago. He was a bright fellow, and
when a little past his majority, was elected justice of the peace
at Sanborn. He died a few years ago, and left many friends
here, who sincerely shared the sorrow of his death, with his
afflicted parents.
Aside from the early organizers, and Mr. Waterman and his
family, the real first settlements of the county were in 1870,
187 1 and 1872, they were
" The first low wash of waves,
Where soon would roll a human sea."
The people of Iowa, and other sections of the country,
began to know that the government was contributing to those
who cared to take it, the finest of agricultural land. B. F.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 47
McCormack came to the county in April, 1870, from Illinois.
He brought his family, consisting of his wife and one child,
his boy Frank, but left them at Iowa Falls which was then as
far as the Illinois Central had built. B. F. himself, then took
a construction train as far
as Pomero}'. He walked
to Cherokee, where he
met Wm. Baldwin and
David Fanning, who were
loading lumber for the pur-
pose of building a ferry
boat for use in crossing
the Little Sioux River.
After a conversation with
them, he concluded to go
with them to old O'Brien,
which he did. The road
up was almost impassable
in places, and much trou- ^~" '
ble was had getting across
the sloughs, and having no " grub," at one place they got
some stale bread and raw pork. At 10 o'clock at night they
arrived at old O'Brien, where Mr. McCormack put up at the
only hotel, which was then kept by R. B. Crego. This hotel
building heretofore mentioned as kept by C. W. Inman, was
built by Mr. Inman in the spring of 1869, the lumber was
hauled from Dennison in Crawford county, and cost $5,300
which could now be built for $1,500.
Soon after Mr. McCormack got there, he was ushered into
the treasurer's office, in charge of J. R. Pumphry, deputy to
R. B. Crego.
It was up-stairs in the Crego hotel, in a fair sized room.
An early settler, Allen, (called at that time " peg leg Allen,"
he having but one leg,) had a cobbler's bench in one corner,
while Pumphry presided over the finances of the county in an-
other part of the room, the intervening space occupied by loaf-
48
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
ers, and the room filled with tobacco smoke from an array of cob
pipes.
Mr. McCormack being a practical surveyor, at once went to
work, and about a month after his arrival, went to Fort
Dodge for his family.
Upon his return, he moved into a house in old O'Brien be-
longing to R. B. Crego and occupied by Mr. Parsons, his
wife and one daughter. Mr. Parsons and wufe now reside in
Cahfornia, being over ninety years of age; the daughter mar-
ried George Youde some years ago.
The summer of 1870, Major Inman secured the contract to
build four school houses. He had a large number of men
employed, who were useful as voters at the election that fall.
Ed. Parker was foreman of Inman's men. That summer,
there were settlers only
in Waterman, Grant and
Liberty townships. Henry
Miller towards fall took a
claim in Center township.
The first convention for
the nomination of officers,
was held in the fall of
1870. It was a mass con-
vention and was free from
politics; it was only a
strife between factions.
Capt. A. J, Edwards and
A. Murry, were contest-
W. W. JOHNSON. , f . 1 • . • r
ants tor the nommation 01
auditor, which resulted in favor of Murry. Hi Parker secured
the nomination for clerk of court, and C. W. Inman as super-
visor against J. W. Kelly. There were nominated at this con-
vention for supervisors, B. F. McCormack, McAUen, Green,
and Joel Gibbs. This convention was held in the school house
at old O'Brien — A. J. Edwards was chairman, and J. R.
Pumphry, secretary.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
49
An independent ticket was put in the field, and there were
127 votes cast. Against those who were finally elected, there
was a petition signed by ninety of the voters who opposed
them, but the manipulations in politics know no bounds, there
was some inducement, by which enough of a part of that
ninety was secured, to finally elect.
In the year 1870, the law in regard to electing members of
the board was changed, so that they were no longer elected
bj' the county at large.
In the fall of 1870, when McCormack, Field and Inman
were elected, they drew cuts to decide the length of term.
Three slips of paper of different length were put into a closed
book; McCormack drew first and drew the longest, which
meant a term of three years. Inman drew the next longest,
which meant a term of two years, while Field was left with
the shortest slip, which was a term of one year.
In 1871, B. F. McCormack and J. R. Pumphry conceived
the idea of a news-
paper for old O'Bri-
en, and acting upon
this, established one.
The matter was pre-
pared in old O'Brien,
sent to Robert Buch-
anan in Cherokee,
publisher of the
"Times," printed and
returned for distribu-
tion. Mr. Pumphry
was proprietor of the
paper, yvith McCor-
mack as editor and
manager,who receiv-
ed two-thirds of the
profit as his compensation. The paper was called the "O'Brien
Pioneer," and the Pioneer family was not always at peace. Mc-
JAMES ROBERTS.
50
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
CLAUDIUS TIFFT.
Cormack, in his slashy comments of some of Pumphry's friends,
offended the proprietor. In the fall of 1872, L. B. Raymond,
now of Franklin, Iowa, and one of the prominent men of the
^ state, negotiated for this
/ paper, put in an office
at old O'Brien where
the paper could be
printed at home, and
placed it in charge of
A. H.Willits, who after-
wards purchased it. In
the fall of 187 1, R. B.
Crego, who was then
treasurer of the county,
went to Sioux City to
sell some horses. The
snares of the metropolis
were too many and en-
ticing for Crego. He indulged too much in the wayward vices
of the city, and remained away so long that he was finally de-
posed, and his deputy, J. R. Pumphry, was appointed in his
place. Crego, upon his return, raised the question of his right
to the office in the courts, but was defeated. He was short
in his funds $4,000, but afterwards made it good. Mr. Mc-
Cormack is now publisher of the Sanborn Sun, Mr. Crego
is in Oregon, and J. R. Pumphry is in the real estate business.
THE FERRY BOAT.
If there is one thing more than another that should go down
in history, and should float over the memories of old settlers
and be transmitted to their descendants, it is the ferry boat
which navigated the Little Sioux in 1869. You can imagine
a group of "land lubbers," not one of whom ever, in the ver-
nacular of the sea, went "before the mast," discussing the
building of this boat, its size, capacity, and particularly its
shape. There were J. W. Kelly, Maj. Inman, Hank Smith,
Ed Parker, B. F. McCormack, W. C. Green, and several
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
51
Others who had a hand in the architecture of the ferry boat, and
their various ideas were debated, until all the plans and speci-
fications of its building, were finally decided upon. The boat
as at last constructed was twelve feet by twenty, its deck was
level, its sides were straight up and down, but the ends sloped,
or, rather, to fully express it, the bottom was five feet shorter
than the deck.
It was built on the bank of the river, of lumber hauled
from Cherokee, and much interest was manifested as the work
progressed from day to day. When the boat was completed,
the next thing was the launching. It has been the custom
from time immemorial, when some splendid specimen of nau-
tical skill, some sovereign of the seas, was to be launched, that
a bottle of wine was suspended from the bows, and at the
right time, a young lady selected for the occasion, would break
the bottle and spill the
wine. We know not
where the custom origi-
nated, but it still exists.
This custom in the details
of its usual observance was
dispensed with, and if there
had been wine, it might be
safe to say that it would
not have been wasted on
the prairie. The usual
beverage of the locality,
vinegar bitters, was used
as a matter of auxilliary
enthusiasm for the occasion, and the eyes of the gathered few
were delighted, when the ferry boat bade farewell to the land,
and sat like a swan upon the beautiful waters bf the Sioux. The
next thing was a name, and several were suggested. Ed. Parker
thought the " Sleeping Beauty" would be nice; McCormack
suggested the " O'Brien Belle," and Clark Green the " Dar-
Hng Prairie Flower," while John Kelly thought it ought to be
K. C. TlFFl
52
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
something more rugged, and he suggested the "Leviathan;"
and we presume if it had been a few years later, it would have
been named the " Grasshopper." As it was, they finally com-
promised on "Jennie Whipple," which we understand was the
name of some comely maiden of Waterman township, the
daughter of a settler.
The means of propell-
ing the boat back and
forth, were by taking
hold of a tightly-stretch-
ed rope, which was
fastened on each side of
the river. When a team
and wagon were to
cross, the team was
taken over first, the
boat then returned, and
took the wagon over.
Once when a yoke of
oxen was being ferried
across, and when the
boat was in the middle
of the river, the oxen moved forward enough to tip the boat
down at one end, which caused the oxen to slide into the river.
At another time, when the wind was blowing unusually strong,
the boat was lifted considerably on the windward side, and
dumped several head of cattle in the stream. The Jennie
Whipple served her time, and at last outlived the days of her
usefulness, and was finally used as a support for a pontoon
bridge, then thrown aside, and is now no more.
The ferry was used until 1871, when Mr. Kelly was em-
ployed to make a pontoon bridge, which he did by using the
ferry boat and building over that. This bridge was used
until 1872, when the iron bridge still used, was put up by the
Ohio Bridge Company, of Cleveland. The Little Sioux which
this bridge crosses, was quite a stream in early days, and is
ENOCH PHILBY.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
53
something of a stream yet. The bridge is 325 feet long, the
main part being 85 feet. Several spans have since been pat
in where others washed out. The bridge building of the
county was done after this, mostly by Adam Toberman, an
old homesteader and a practical mechanic. His son, J. D.
Toberman, one of the best men in the county, now has charge
(EalDtNCE OF EXOCIl PIULE
of the bridges in the county. This bridge went out in the
spring of 1897, but was soon replaced.
H. A. Sage was one of the earliest settlers of old O'Brien.
Mr. Sage was a prominent citizen of the county, very much
respected by his fellow citizens. He was living at Sutherland
54
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
of late years, was a justice of the peace, and died there in
1895.
The first store in O'Brien county, was started in old
O'Brien, the county seat, by W. C. Green, in October, 1869.
Mr. Green, and he was then as he is now, called " Clark,"
came to the county in 1869, and landed at the county seat on
the 2 2d day of August. Dennison, in Crawford county, was
then the nearest railroad station, and at that point he met
Archibald Murry, who was soon to return to old O'Brien,
and he induced Clark to go along with him. They drove up
with a span of mules
and an ordinary farm
wagon, and had along'
with them a railroad
contractor, by the name
of Martin. This man
Martin had with him
$7,000 in currency, and
being a stranger to the
other two, manifested
some nervousness for
fear that in some mys-
terious manner, his
money might take
wings and fly away.
But neither Clark nor
Murry knew he had it. When this traveling trio got to the
Maple river at Mapleton, the river was impassible, as there
was no bridge, and the river high. There was no house
near, so they camped out in a wheat field, and slept on the
wheat shocks. The second day Murry was taken sick, and
as there was no doctor to diagnose the case, nor remedies to
apply, Clark began to rack his brain for a remembrance of
something his mother did for him in the days of his youth,
but at last, having nothing to give the patient, but some stimu-
lant from the Denison drug store, and an encouragement on
FRANK FKISBIE.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
55
the order of faith healing, he freely administered these, and
Murry pulled through.
After the river had fallen, a small dugout, with a wire
stretched across the river with which to propel it, was used
as a species of navigation in order to get to the other side.
Clark Green, Murry and the railroad contractor got safely
aboard, with a rope hitched to the mules with the wagon, in
order to swim the mules over
after them. These ambitious
navigators were fearful that
something would happen,
and the railroad contractor
was particularly nervous, for
to be drowned with $7,000
in one's pocket would surely
be fearful to contemplate.
Just before they reached the
opposite bank sure enough,
over they went, and each one
was soon floundering in the
water. Martin swam to a
tree on the edge and chmbed
even to the top; Clark Green
soon reached some boughs
and pulled himself out, while
poor, sick, but convalescent
Murry at last crawled out
upon the bank. The mules
and wagon were soon got over,
clothes and pursued their journey.
L. C. Green, a brother of Clark, and who now lives in Lake
Park in Dickinson county, came to the county soon after the
ferry boat episode, and did the teaming in hauling from Den-
nison Clark's stock of goods shipped from Chicago, with
which he opened the first store. He first opened in an addi-
tion to Murry's residence, and in the spring of 1870, erected
a building with native lumber from the Peterson saw mill.
md the boys dried their
56
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
The first postmaster at old O'Brien was C. W. Inman,
with J. R. Pumphrey as deputy. Clark succeeded Mr. In-
man in 1870. Mr. Green's store was the general rendezvous
as long as it remained in old O'Brien. The gathered few
would sit around on the ends of barrels, smoking clay pipes,
and if we had a record of their sayings and the stories told, it
would be an entertainment of itself.
This was not in the days of prohibition, and, of course, this
gathered coterie of early settlers had the legal right to soar
into the realms of imagination, through the aid and influence
of a bowl of the ardent.
Archibald Murry, at that
time and for some years
previous, was to old O'Bri-
en, what Joan of Arc was
to France, she was France,
and Murry was old
O'Brien.
Clark Green removed
to Primghar upon the re-
moval of the county seat,
and afterwards to San-
born, where he now re-
sides and is in the dry
J. F. STONE. goods business. He is re-
membered by the old settlers as one who was ever ready to
lend a helping hand, and too much for his own good, trusted
out his merchandise, signed bonds, and helped those who
needed help, and the word selfishness was unknown to him.
Although these early O'Brienites were somewhat ungodly
at times, yet not long after the starting of the town, they had
religious opportunities and a chance to hear the gospel
preached, such preaching as it was. The preacher, however,
was soon taken into the " ring," which must have dampened
his ardor in presenting the doctrine of Christ's sermon on the
Mount. The writer knew one preacher who, in later years,
HISTORY OF OBRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 57
and after the western part of the county began to be settled,
would come up among us with tales and stories of boodle, then
return and take his share with the rest.
The first established minister in old O'Brien was Rev. Sey-
mour Snyder, but his charge extended from Peterson into
Minnesota. He was a Methodist, and claimed then to be
preaching in two states and seven counties. Along with his
bible he carried a rifle, and could not only preach, but could
shoot.
BELL ODD FELLOW BLOCK, PRIMGHAR.
CHAPTER IV.
In 1867, Rev. W. W. Mallory became the pastor; in 1868,
Rev. Thos. Whitely; and in 1869, Rev. C. W-. Clifton. Rev.
Clifton stated, that in one year he traveled three hundred miles,
and preached over one hundred sermons. H. H. Waterman,
a man of consistent Christian life and practical piety, was
licensed to preach in those
early years, as was also R. B.
Crego, but Brother Crego
fell from grace so much, and
so often from the true line of
piety and soberness, that he
was compelled to withdraw.
The first sermon ever
preached in the county, was
by Rev. James Bicknell, who
still resides at Peterson. The
first church ever built in the
county, was on section thirty-
three in Center township,
which was built in the spring
of 1 87 1. It was constructed
out of the pure virgin sods
of the prairie, upon which
had shone the gentle rays of
the sun, for so many years.
The homesteaders had what we called a " bee," and with their
breaking plows turned out a large quantity of tough slough
sods, which was soon formed into a. structure for religious
purposes.
1
Pp7 *
?
J. J. HARTENBOWEK.
60
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
On the 4th of July of that year, a celebration was held in
this church building. The outside world was full of glory and
enthusiasm, the air filed with noise and pyrotechnics, and the
voices of American orators were sounding the distinguished
valor and heroism of our cannonized ancestors, but this little
band of county settlers met together with a Quaker quietness,
comparatively speaking. They had their lunch baskets and
were socialh- agreeable, but the cannon, the firecracker and
the fireworks were conspicuously absent. That evening all
hands went to Capt. R. C. Tifft's residence, and wound up
the day with a jolly dance.
Rev. Clifton was the first preacher in this sod church. In
1871, there was quite an Indian scare, which was started from
an alarm made by Mrs. Fenton, living in Grant township, and
when a woman starts out with a hue and cry, the populace of
course are excited with fear of
coming danger and disaster.
She saw out on the distant
prairie,something which she be-
lieved to be a band of Indians,
but which finally turned out to
be a drove of cattle. It was
enough however, that her im-
agination pictured nothing but
a horde of savages bent upon a
slaughter of the settlement, and
whose tomahawks and scalp-
ing knives were ready for
their victims. She flew about
the neighborhood, and the alarm
J. T. STEARNS. shc startcd became general.
All hastily hitched up their teams of horses and oxen, loaded
in their household goods and their families, and there was a
general exodus from the prairie, to the town of old O'Brien.
This town for a while constituted a fort for protection against
the coming invasion, and the town bristled with shot guns,
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
61
and was numerous with warriors, but there was no Napoleon.
Major Inman was made commander-in-chief, but owing to the
nervous condition of these raw recruits, it was difficult to get
them in a Hne of action, and to brace them up with sufficient
bravery for the onslaught. Ed Parker and Lem Green de-
clared, that while they had no wife of their own, still they
would die in the last ditch for some other man's, they
didn't propose to stand around and see the women and children
slaughtered before their very eyes, no matter what fate
might be awaiting them. Clark Green's store was the
headquarters, and of course
Clark had to guard his stock,
and at the same time, the
gathered families of the set-
tlers B. F. McCormack, Ed
Parker, Hank Smith and C.
Boyles were detailed as pick-
ets. Jack Brock and Lem
Green as scouts, and while
history does not name the
commissary, yet whoever he
was, there was soon pro-
vided an abundance of vine-
gar bitters, a beverage
known to the trade then, but it is a matter of record, that the
campaign lasted as long as the bitters did, and when that was
exhausted, these county seat patriots retired from military
duty, and the fort was evacuated. It is a matter of fact,
however, that the parties before mentioned, with J. W. Kelly,
Jos. Rowland, H. Fenton, Horace Gilbert, Gus Baker and
Orrin Goweri, advanced into Grant township, and towards the
supposed Indians, until it was discovered, that the fright was
caused only by harmless cattle — which D. C. Chapman, now
a resident of Primghar, had brought into the country.
During a few of these early winters, some of the single men
who were holding down claims, made a sort of headquarters
FRED. FKISBIE.
62
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
in the bluffs on the Little Sioux. There was plenty of timber
for firewood, and this was the most important consideration.
As Jake Wagner was one of the moving spirits in this seclu-
sion, and as he had the nick name of Larrapy, the spot was
designated as Larrapyville. They chopped some in the
winter, and hauled to homesteaders, thereby getting some
cash, and then the camp became a general stopping place for
settlers who made trips to the Little Sioux for fuel. At the
time of the arrival of the
county organizers, it was
just before the war of the
rebellion, and when the
mutterings of treason were
in the air. Mr. Water-
man, a devoted patriot, did
not like some of the gang,
on account of their being
rebel sympathizers. Tifft,
Bosler and Furber were
rebels, and they were
among the Iteading spirits.
The days of old O'Brien
were long since numbered,
lu 1873, when the grow-
ing necessities of the county demanded it, the county seat
was moved to Primghar, its present location. There is noth-
ing left at the old spot as a reminder that it was once a village,
or a county capitol, or the scene of a gang of financial spec-
ulators, who piled up a county debt which the county wrestled
with in after years, and not all of which has yet been paid.
Nothing of the town is left but its memories, and even these
will fade, as one after another of the participants in its early
experiences, are laid away in the cemetery.
On the southwest quarter of section 4, in Grant township,
lives Alfred B. Husted and his family. The writer called there
recently, and was greeted with much hospitality. Mr. Hus-
AC CLEMENTS.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 68
ted, with his matronly wife and family, have lived on this claim
since the spring of 1869, although he came to the county in
1868, from Sac county, Iowa, and is one of the four mentioned
as being the only settlers of 1868 still residing in the county.
Mr. Husted worked a while at old O'Brien for Maj. In man,
and built his house on the claim at odd times without making
a regular job of it. He was the first carpenter in the county,
worked on Teabout's store when Sanborn started, and also
built the first school house in that town.
There were only eleven voters when Mr. Husted came. He
believes that Crego was a good man at heart, and more sinned
against than sinning. When Mr. Husted first came to the
county he came for the ^^sm--'
purpose of finishing the
building of old O'Brien
hotel, built by Maj. In-
man. In the same town-
ship of Grant, D. B. Har-
mon settled in the spring
of 1869, on the southeast
quarter of section 36. He
came from Wisconsin, and
while there, had written
to several points in Iowa,
as to soil, prospects, etc.,
of the country, and receiv-
ing a favorable answer
from Ft. Dodge, left his
Wisconsin home for that point, and arrived there in April.
He stopped at the Iowa House, kept by Moses Lewis of old
O'Brien fame. In coming, he walked from Iowa Falls to
Webster City, and rode with a farmer from that point to his
destination. Mr. Harmon came to old O'Brien under a promise
of work at $4.00 per day, but the promisee never fulfilled his
obligation; but Harmon was young and full of life and activity,
as he is yet. On the road out, he met Horace Gilbert, Wil-
JOHN B. PERKINS
64
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
liam Wager, and some others. After Mr. Harmon had con-
cluded to settle, he sent for his wife, who arrived at Ft.
Dodge the latter part of May. He bought a yoke of oxen
there, borrowed a wagon, and with some provisions, they
started for their O'Brien county home.
While crossing " Hell Slough," which was one of the names
for the "Twenty Mile Slough" elsewhere mentioned, and
when the water was up to the wagon box, the ox yoke broke
in two. Here was a dilemma indeed, no way out of the dif-
ficulty but to get into the water, aud get the outfit on dry land,
which happened to be but a short distance away. The first
thing he did was to take his wife on his shoulders, and carry
her safely to land, with the water up to his waist, and he first
cautioned her that she must not laugh on the journey, if she
did, he would be laughing too over such a ludicrous predica-
ment, and then she would surely be dropped into the water,
and into " Hell Slough " at that. We may be assured, that
Mrs. Harmon avoided even a grin. He then carried the
wagon in its different pieces safely ashore, fixed up the yoke,
and went on. That sum-
mer they lived in a tent on
the claim, put up a sod
shanty in the fall, and a
farm house afterward. Mr.
Harmon broke twenty
acres the first summer,
put it into crop the next
year, but broke too deep,
and this with too much
rain that season, was the
cause of but small returns.
With limited means, and
nothing raised, Harmon
had a hard time of it, his
wife worked out at old O'Brien to earn the necessaries of
life. A young school teacher, fresh from her girlhood home,
BUTTERFIELD.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
65
upon the bleak and unsettled prairie of O'Brien without
means, and for the first time in her life obliged to work
for others in the kitchen, it would seem to be a cause of
discouragement and regret, but not so with the young couple,
they had the grit and determination to succeed some time, and
the elegant mansion, and extensive barns surrounded with thrifty
forest trees, upon that same quarter section where the Har-
mon's still reside, prove that all their efforts and early strug-
gles, have been fully rewarded. Adjoining Mr. Harmon's
claim on the west, is the farm of William Wager, who also
came to the county in 1869.
What is now an addition to the main part of his house, was
built at that early day. It is of brick, and cost Mr. Wager
$400, which was double what it ought to. Mr. Wager's
house as it now stands, will be seen with the brick addition.
He came from Canada, and
like Mr. Harmon, had for a
while quite a struggle to pull
through, but is all right now,
and with much fatherly in-
terest, has helped the boys
in getting a start in South
Dakota. Another old settler
north of Mr. Harmon is Mr.
McBath who also came in
1869, and has weathered it
through into clear sailing,
and under better skies. On
section thirty, also in Grant,
Mr. Frank Martin settled
later than those above men-
tioned. He came to Peterson in 187 1, and settled on his
claim in 1872, where he still lives in comfortable circum-
stances, with his wife and a group of healthy children.
Further northwest of Mr. Martin, is an old settler of 1870,
J. S. Brosh, who settled and filed upon the west half of the
BL'TTEK FIELD.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
southeast quarter of section fourteen in Highland township,
and still lives on the original claim. He hauled logs to Peter-
son, had them sawed into lumber, and used the lumber in
building, in the spring of 187 1. Mr. Brosh came from John-
^^ll^^^^ son county, Iowa, and by
^^HHPft^' i'€:ason of some Johnson
^^' county neighbors who were
\ here, he came up. He drove
through with a span of black
mules, worked them on the
farm until 1881, when the
mules were killed by light-
ning. They were in the shed
which Mr, Brosh had just
left, and was near his wife
out of doors, between the
house and the shed, when
the stroke came. His wife
died about a year after that,
and as Mr. Brosh believes,
from the effect of the same stroke of lightning that killed the
mules, as she was ill from that time. Mr. Brosh has a fine
farm and is comfortably fixed.
In the month of February, 1870, Ed C. Brown left the state
of Michigan, his former home, to come to O'Brien county.
Along with him came Henry and Horace Hoagland, from the
same state. Mr. Brown's father lived in Michigan, and a hired
man in his employ had previously come to this county, and re-
ported back in glowing terms its prospects and opportunities,
which was enough to start the young and adventurous Brown
toward the jungles of O'Brien county. The three parties
above named, after reaching Chicago bought tickets from
there to Dubuque, and reaching this point, asked of an agent
of the Illinois Central for tickets to Cherokee. They were
told by the agent that there was no such town on the line, so
it seems that this promising city then, had neither a location nor
STEPHEN S. BRADLEY.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
67
a name. They then bought tickets to Farley and from there
to Ft. Dodge, and from this point drove across the country to
old O'Brien. Horace Hoagland bought a half section of land,
and Henry bought out the claim of a settler. Mr. Brown filed on
section 30, in Waterman township, and soon after this, returned
to Michigan for his family, and in Maj' following, was a
full-fledged homesteader. Mr. Brown went through all the
hardships of pioneer life, and while he may now enjoy a season
of prosperity, there was a time, along with the rest of us, when
poverty and misfortune stared him in the face, and he too was
trying to solve the problem of how to live without an income.
FIRST HOTEL BUILDING IN PRIMGHAR.
He got a yoke of oxen, went to work breaking, and in 187 1
had in a crop. After getting in his seed for a wheat crop,
W. H. Fuller, a not distant neighbor, went over to borrow
Brown's harrow. This was nine o'clock in the morning when
Fuller got there; Brown was still in bed, but got up when
Fuller made his appearance. Fuller made known his wants,
68
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
lEU. WULK.
and Brown, a picture of despair on his countenance, said in re-
ply, that he could have the harrow and anything else he wanted ;
indeed, the claim itself he would turn over, if Fuller would
take it. Fuller asked why this condition of discouragement
and generosity, and was told by Brown, that everything in the
world had lost its charm for him, as the spotted ox had laid
down and died. At first view, a
settler trying to farm and raise crops,
and left with only one ox, and no
money to buy another, seems to be
a catastrophe that would unbalance
most anybody, but Brown was not
made of that kind of stuff that
would surrender, even with only one
ox to work with, for there is always
a way, and Mr. Brown found it, as
he soon had another yoke, and the
work went on. He wrestled, however, and on through the
grasshopper period, but finally left the farm and went into the
banking business in Sheldon, and is now one of the directors
and cashier of the Bank of Sheldon.
Among other earlier settlers in Waterman township, were
John G. Arbuckle on section 2; Frank Arbuckle on the same
section; Albert Burnside on section 18; A. Cook on section 2;
J. R. Finster on section 14; J. S. Finster on section 14; C. E.
Hill on section 12; J. H. Skillen on section 4; Michael
Sweeney on section 14; Silas Steel on section 18; John and
R. W. Weal on section 6; and Geo. Youde on section 32.
There were but four original entries of government land in
Dale township, and these confined to one section, section 6;
A. J. Carman, on the southeast quarter; P. T. Shriner, on the
southwest; S. E. Peck, on the northwest; and H. E. Wilbur,
on the northeast.
Another bank cashier, of the Farmers' Bank of Paullina,
Stephen Harris, landed in O'Brien county in 1869. He had
left the old Bay state, bringing with him in appearance and
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 69
speech the characteristics of a genuine Yankee, which he was.
He started for Omaha, intending to buy land there, but as
some hitch prevented the purchase, he heard that in north-
western Iowa one could acquire land by settlement, and be-
come the owner of one hundred and sixty acres, simply by
living on it. Such an opportunity as that, when young Harris
heard of it, lifted him into the skies of joyful enthusiasm, and
he immediately started for the Sioux City Land Office, to find
out sure if this might be true. Land then in Massachusetts
was high, full of stumps and stones, and no great prospects
for either riches or glory upon its worn out soil. Here was a
large tract of rich fertile soil, capable of great productions,
and all for nothing. When he reached the Sioux City Land
Office, he found that he liad been correctly informed, and that
the virgin prairie of O'Brien awaited his coming. Mr. Hiram
Wiard and his son Sol were in the land office when Mr. Har-
ris arrived, and hearing
the inquiries he made,
they took charge of him,
and brought him to
O'Brien with ihem, and
soon after his arrival,
through the aid of D.W.
Inman, he selected the
southwest quarter of
section i8 in Grant
township. In the fall,
Mr. Harris built a sod
shack, making a thatch-
ed roof, and the follow-
ing winter lived in Cher-
okee, leaving the shack
in charge of W. W.
Barnes, who with his
family occupied it. In the January following, from the stove
pipe, the wood work inside caught fire, and the Barnes family
10
rilSTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, lOWA.
being unable to extinguish the flames as there was but little
water, the entire contents of the shack burned, including Mr.
Harris' best suit of clothes, his library and some furniture.
The next spring he built a frame house with lumber from the,
Peterson mill at i|J45 per thousand. The lumber was green
when the house was buih, which made a snug tight building,
but after the hot summer winds of O'Brien had swept over
the prairie, and had got through shrinking the lumber, the
cracks were about as wide as the boards, and the house was
built over again. Mr. Harris has lived in the county contin-
uously since that time, has held several important county
offices, and now resides in Paullina interested in the Farmers'
Bank. A son Charles is a newspaper man, of much ability as
a writer.
Another old settler, R. G. Allen, reached old O'Brien in
November, 1869. He
came here upon his
judgment as to the
quality of land after
reaching Storm
Lake. There came
with him,Sam Renny
who was twenty-two
years old, and weigh-
ed near three hun-
dred pounds; they
called him Allen's
infant. Mr. Allen
brought eight head
of horses, a lumber
wagon and a buggy.
He lived in old
O'Brien awhile, hauling merchandise from several different
points. Fort Dodge, Denison, Minnesota and other points.
The next spring he bought out a blacksmith shop, going
into business with Bostwick who was a wagonmaker; the vice
BENJ. JONES.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
71
Mr. Alien used then, is used now by Peter Sitler in Hartley.
He next bought a claim, the south half of the southeast quar-
ter of section 4, in Grant township, and in the spring of 1871
brought his family from Wisconsin, built a house in June, and
lived on the claim. He continued to live on the claim until
1878, when he moved ^ ,^
to Primghar and
opened a blacksmith
shop, run that for a
year, then moved
back on the farm and
remained there until
1883, when he moved
to Hartley where he
still resides.
Mr. Allen has held
several offices, one of
which is justice of the
peace, which he has
held in Hartley for
ten years, and has
himself as a practi-
tioner wrestled the ''"*s- '^'^^J- j^''^'=«-
lawyers around in the trial of cases before other justice courts.
The only colored settler O'Brien county has had, was Ben
F. Epperson, who in 1871 settled on the southeast quarter of
section eight in Grant township. Ben was not quite as black
as the ace of spades, but still was a negro, and although his
skin was black, his heart was while in the sense of manly
purity and virtue. Ben Epperson, was a man of good hard
sense, an honest man, and was very much respected. He left
here several years ago, and now resides in Nebraska.
J. K. McAndrew was in this part of the country several
times in 1869, as he had relations in Cherokee county. In the
spring of 1870, he drove up to O'Brien with his brother-in-law
from Aurelia, selected, settled and filed upon the southwest
72
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
quarter of section 30 in Grant township. Mc. first built a sod
shack, worked hard in getting the sod ready for building, and
with a desire to do something nice in the way of sod shack
architecture, he took considerable pains, and its building was
like that uf Solomon's Temple, in the sense, that there was not
the sound of an axe, hammer or saw. When he got the walls
built and the roof about completed, he walked away from it
for inspection, and in order that his eye might be delighted
with the beauty and success of his handiwork.
Just as he had taken in the structure wi':h a full view, the
whole business fell in together, and the building so beautiful to
behold a few moments before, was a mass of ruin — nothing
but a pile of sods. This did not discourage him, so he rebuilt the
shack and lived in it that summer while he was breaking. He
had picked up a wide board some fellow had dropped on the
road^ and for a while, this constituted the roof and his onl}-^ pro-
tection against rain.
Mr.McAndrew lived
on this claim, but was
away more or less,
for eight years; mar-
ried after two years'
wrestling with pots
and kettles as a bach-
elor, built himself
then a frame house
to live in, and moved
to Hartley in 1877.
Mr.McAndrew went
through the usual
hardships, burnt hay
for two years, had to
be dunned now and
then like the rest of us, but is now prosperous in business, and
a man known to be honest and highy conscientious. He is fur-
ther mentioned in a separate chapter on Hartley. A settler liv-
MAKY DONAVON.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
78
ing not far from Mr. McAndrew by the name of Harrager, had
given a chattel mortgage on his only cow. When the note be-
came due, Sheriff Nissen went with the mortgage while Har-
rager was away, to get the cow and foreclose, but just as he
was about to drive her away, Mrs. Harrager appeared with an
axe and got after the sheriff, who let go the cow and ran for
tKSIDENCl
JF P. K. UAII.EV, PKIMGHAK.
his life, for the woman told him, that all they lived on was the
milk of the cow, and anyone who undertook to drive her away
she would kill him right there. Nissen nor anyone else under-
took afterward to foreclose the mortgage.
Archibald McDonald came from Grundy county, Iowa, to
O'Brien in 1869. He and his good wife had crossed the ocean
from Scotland some years before. Mrs. McDonald is from
74
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
JOSEPH SHINSKI.
the same parish where Robert Burns lived, and one can see
that she is possessed of that rugged integrity and good sense,
which is a characteristic of the Scotch people. Her husband,
Archibald, also is a true
Scotchman to the manor
born, and their home is a
model of domestic peace.
Mr. McDonald and W. F.
Fuller came together,
drove to old O'Brien, got
some information from
Murry, and then went out
to select their land. Mr.
McDonald selected and
filed on the southeast
quarter of section 36, in
Center township, went
back to Grundy to har-
vest his crops there, returned and cut some of the timber along
the Little Sioux the following winter, hauled it to Peterson's
mill, and when sawed into boards built a house on his claim in
May, 1870. Mr. McDonald and his famil}^ lived on the claim
until 1892, when they moved to Hartley. One son, Archibald
A., is away seeking an education with money earned himself,
and is spoken of as a very promising young man, who will
make his mark in the future.
A neighbor of Mr. McDonald by the name of Fitzmire
settled in Center about the same time McDonald did, but he
died soon after from a wound he received in the army. He
had entered the ranks of the Union forces, fought during the
war of the rebellion, but towards its close was seriously
wounded; soon after he came to O'Brien county, accepted the
gift of a quarter section of land from the government he had
faithfully served, and then was mustered out by the grim
reaper soon after his settlement. His widow and two sons,
John and Henry, still live in Center township.
MtsTORY.OP O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 75
R. M. Boyd, familiarly called " Dick," came to the county
from Linn county, Iowa, in the spring of 1871, and settled on
the southwest quarter of section 14 in Grant township. He
fought with all the rest of us through the grasshopper period,
trying to live without crops, but Dick was considerable of a
rustler as he is now, and can stand as much grief and misfort-
une as any man living. He moved to Sanborn some years
ago, has been marshal of that city, and during the last session
of the legislature has been one of the doorkeepers of the
house. Himself and family are among the respected people
of Sanborn.
Through the influence of Mr. Boyd, upon his return to Linn
county, Mr. James Magee, then living also in Linn county,
came in 1871, and settled on
the south half of the south-
east quarter on section 10.
Both Mr. Boyd and Magee
have remained continuously
in the county since, and have
raised their children here.
R. H. Magee, a son of James,
has an elegant farm two
miles north of Sanborn;
Francis, a daughter, married
Mr. A. Boyer, a thrifty
farmer east of Sheldon;
George lives in Franklin
township; Miss Alma teaches
in the Sanborn public schools ;
Eliza married Frank Kelsey; Wieford lives at home, and
Charles lives at Sutherland.
Among other of the early settlers of Grant township, were
Curtis Boyles on section 23, A. G. Boyles on section 24, Wil-
liam W. Barnes, who now resides in Sibley, on section 30,
H: M. Crosby on section 2. John H. Covey, who was a
preacher and for whom the Covey church was named, settled
JITRGKN RENKEN.
76
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
in 187 1 on the northwest of section 8. William A. Compton
on the southeast of section 12, Charles Chandler on section
23, N. L. Chesley on section 34 and Geo. Edwards, a son of
A. J., on section 24. Charles Fenton and H. G, Fenton both
located on section 2 in Grant in 1870. J. C. Farley the same
year on section 6, N. F. Flathers on section 26 in 1869.
Reuben Gross settled on section 4 in 1870, Iloel Gibbs on
section 22, H. B. Gilbert on section 36, H. G. Hammond on
section 2 that same year,
1870. P. A. Hulbert
on section 20 and L. E.
Head on section 22, set-
tled in 187 1. S.J.Jor-
dan located on the north-
west of section 32 in
Grant in 1871, William
Kelsey on section 34
in 1872. John Loder,
1870, on section 36. In
1871, John McCandless
and C. R. McCandless
settled on section 18;
JAMES WYKOFF. that Same year Squire
Mack on section 30. In 187 1, also F. W. Martin on section 30,
William Newell on section 34, James Phillipps on section 18,
James Patterson on section 20, N. Remington on section 28,
Joseph Sharer on section 2. In 1872, O. A. Sutton, siill re-
siding in the township, settled on section 14, C. M. Stevenson
on section 4, O. A. Streeter also on section 4, E. R. Smith on
section 8, David Streeter on section 12, and E. R, Streeter.
In 1870, Frank Vaughn settled on section 8, William Wilson
on section 6, Ira Waterman on section 10, Hiram and Sol
Wiard on section 30, and William Weal on section 32.
CHAPTER V.
In 1870, there was quite a flutter among some of the home-
steaders, on account of an attempted fraud to deprive them of
their lands.
United States land offices were often used by unscrupulous
persons, when they could bt" so used, to perpetrate an injustice.
Certain lands in Liberty and Waterman townships were
within the minimum limits of the Milwaukee Railroad land
grant, and subject to entry only as double minimum of land,
that is, in eighty acre tracts.
In the spring of 1870, the route of the Milwaukee Railroad
was changed, so that these lands were placed outside the ten
mile limit, and subject to
entry in 160 acre tracts.
The settlers in Liberty and
Waterman had filed pre-
emptions, and when this
change was made, sixty
days notice was given in
some obscure paper, and
in the meantime the lands
were drawn from entry,
leaving such as had not
been filed upon, subject to
cash entry only. This
notice required all settlers
to file their homestead entries by July 4th, 1870, and an informal
notice of this was sent to all these parties, living on these lands.
Sixty-one of these settlers filed by July 4th. On the 5th day
CHKYSLKR.
78
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
of July, certain Sioux City parties offered to make cash entries
of these same lands, tendering their money at the land office
at Sioux City, which was rejected. These Sioux City parties
then appealed to the general land office at Washington, which
reversed the Sioux City land office, and cancelled the home-
stead entries of these settlers. Notice of this was sent to each
><^f'e/4
ALLEN CROSSAN.
one of them. Then the people got together, formed an asso-
ciation and elected J. C. DoHng president, and Ed. C. Brown
secretary, raised five dollars each among them, and sent Mr.
Doling and Mr. Brown to Sioux City to employ cojunsel.
The well known firm of able attorneys, Joy and Wright, of
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
79
Sioux City, were employed in behalf of the homesteaders, who
lost no time in moving upon congress to correct the wrong
that had been done, and restore these settlers to their right
to file.
Senators Wright and Harlan, of Iowa, and Jackson Orr,
of the lower house of congress, were appealed to, and all the
facts in the case set before them. George G. Wright, a man
of marked abihty, and as pure a man as ever graced the sen-
ate of the United States, and James Harlan, the same, saw at
once the great wrong that had been done, and they, with Mr.
Orr, brought the matter before congress by a special bill,
which was at once passed. This gave the relief required, and
these settlers were soon made happy, in the assurance that the
land could not be taken from ■ :^
them, and that this fraudulent
attempt to steal their claims, for
it was nothing less, unsuccessful.
That body of men comprising
these sixty-one settlers were
not only excited over this at-
tempt to steal their land, but
were desperate as well, and
many of them were old sold-
iers. It was believed at the
time, if any attempt had been
made to take these lands, that
somebody would have been
killed, for every man of them would have fought for his rights,
regarding every invader as an assassin and a plunderer.
The settlers seem to have been kept busy about that time,
watching out each one for his own individual interest as a
claimant, and individually and collectively, as citizens of the
county, against the manipulations of county seat officials.
There was also a plot to sell the school land at $1.25 per
acre. By the law at that time in force, in 1869, school lands
could be sold for $1.25 per acre, but the contemplation of the
F. M. M CORMACK.
80
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
law was, to get all that could be got out of them, as the pro-
ceeds went into the school funds in the interest of education,
and in selling thera, not only their present, but their prospec-
tive value was to be taken into consideration. The sale then
at $1.25 per acre was a job put up in the interest of individual
plunder, but was immediately checked, and upon the matter
being presented to Gov. Merrill, and to the Adjutant General
of the state, the gallant Attorney General, Henry O'Conner,
prepared and filed the required papers which caused an injunc-
tion to issue restraining the sale. Upon the strength of this
attempt to fritter away these lands, and the action which re-
sulted, the Thirteenth General Assembly of Iowa amended the
law, making the minimum price of sale at ^6 per acre, and
otherwise strengthening the law, in the interest of a proper dis-
posal of the school lands.
Warren Walker came to the county from Marshall county
in 187 1. He settled on the northwest quarter of section 6, in
Baker township. He did not
live on the claim very long, but
moved to Primghar when the
town started, in 1873. Went
into the land business, and was
admitted to the bar to practice
in 1874. Moved to Sanborn in
r88o, continued in the land
M^^ .^Hk^. '^"^ ^^^ business, and was also
^^^A^Il^^^^H^H^ engaged in the newspaper
-=- ^^^^^^^^^'^ business there, and moved to
REV. w. E. GLANviLLE. Des Molues itt 1 895. Mr.
Walker entered the army of the rebellion at the age of 14; he
was identified with the affairs of O'Brien county for over
twenty years, established telephone lines, was a member of
the board of supervisors, and was quite a prominent citizen of
the county during the years he lived here.
The first celebration in the town of old O'Brien was July
4th, 1872. L. S. Boughton was president. H. H. Water-
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 81
man Chaplain and B. F. McCormack read the Declaration of
Independence. Ira Brasheers delivered the oration, and a glee
club furnished the music. There was a picnic dinner, and
they had some amusements, horse racing, and a dance in the
evening.
A political convention held at Paine's store, July 27, 1872,
adjourned until August 10, 1872, because Highland township
had no delegates. The
delegates at that con- J^i^^^ \
vention were, Floyd ■ *
township, B. F. Luce
and D. A. W. Perkins;
Waterman township,
A. J. Edwards, J. R.
Pumphrey and Ed. A.
Nissen; Carroll town-
ship, Harley Day and
H. P. Holyoke; Sutter
township, E. Rinker
and D. W. Wellman;
Center, J. P. Blood;
Grant, C. W. Inman,
John Burroughs and j. g. chrysler.
Joseph Rowland; Liberty, I. L. Rerick, H. H. Webster, J. H.
Alexander and H. A. Hoagland. This convention met at the
time to which it was adjourned, August lOth, with the missing
Highland delegates consisting of H. C. West, C. F. Albright,
and WilUam Bascom. There was an effort made in the con-
vention to have it considered as a new convention, and as
having nothing to do with the one previously held, but the
scheme did not work.
W. E. Welch came from Jefferson county, New York, in
March, 1871, and as did many others met Archibald Murry
at Fort Dodge. Mr. Welch after being told about O'Brien
county, rode with Mr. Murry to Storm Lake, and remaining
there awhile went to old O'Brien, and stopped with Mr.
82
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Murry about two years. Murry secured the south half of
section 28 in Carroll township for Mr. Welch, which he built
upon in 1872, and lived on the place for awhile, then traded
this quarter for one in Baker township, upon which he resided
until 1885, and then moved to Sheldon where he now resides.
Mr. Welch was at one time a member of the board of super-
visors, and is one of the thrifty citizens of the county. He
acted for awhile under Sheriff Nissen as his deputy.
James Roberts, who came from Pennsylvania to Powshiek
county, Iowa, came up from Cherokee. He sought out W. H.
Woods, who located Mr, Roberts on the northeast of section
28 in Carroll township. Forbes Williamson had the claim
covered up, as we call it, by some filing, but Roberts paid
Williamson $28 to get rid
of him. He wintered in
Poweshiek county in the
winter of 1871-2, and in
Pennsylvania in the winter
of 1872-3. He broke one
hundred and twenty acres
on his quarter in 1875, and
in 1875 farmed this, except
about seventy acres that
he rented out. This being
the first year of the grass-
hoppers he saved only a
portion of his crop, but
Levi Allison, who had ten
acres of Roberts' land in
oats, did not harvest a bushel. The threshers that year in
Carroll charged $25 a day for threshing, without regard to the
yield. In the winter of 1873-4, ^^- Roberts cut wood in Powe-
shiek county. When he drove up in the spring of 1874 ^"<^ got
to the Day school house, he saw about forty men there, wear-
ing troubled and disconsolate faces, and Jim supposed that
some settler had died. Upon inquiry he found they were after
HOMER W. CONANT.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
83
relief, and there was much concern among them as to the
amount each was to get.
The onl}^ amusement the boys had in these times, was an
occasional dance in the house of some settler. The rooms be-
ing small, they could only dance one set at a time, but this was
got along with, and they were
happy anyway for a while.
At one of these dances,
George Mennig's, James
Roberts, who was from in-
fancy a Methodist, thought
he would join in, but he was
lame from a sprained ankle,
3^et he sailed into the merry
whirl of gaiety regardless of
unsound limbs, when some
one wanted to know what
was the matter with that
Methodist foot, which sort of
startled Roberts, and he quit james frisbie.
there and then, and has never danced since. Mr. Roberts
now owns a half section of O'Brien county land; he purchased
a residence in Sheldon and occupied it in December, 1896,
where he now lives, taking life easy.
W. C. Butterfield came to O'Brien county in '1870, having
heard of its fertile soil and free homes, and as this was his first
coming he was located by W. H. Woods on the southeast
quarter of section 4, in Carroll township. He came again in
1871, and moved up permanently with his family in the spring
of 1872. He hauled lumber from Cherokee and built his
house in the fall of 1871. He was one of the Durant, Cedar
county, crowd, having been engaged in the mercantile busi-
ness in Durant for several years. He afterward was in the
shoe business in Sheldon, and in 1873 being a practical shoe-
maker he did a large amount of cobbling for poor homestead-
ers, for which he never was paid, and indeed he never asked
84 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
for pay. Mr. Butterfield was a Vermont yankee, of a mild,
manly character, and of unbounded generosity of heart. He
died in 1895. His widow, Mary R. Butterfield, was an early
pioneer with him, and is a matronly woman of much refine-
ment and womanly tenderness. Charles F. Butterfield, a son
^^^ of W. C, came first in
^glpHH^ 1871, and settled on the
Jt^ ^^[ northeast of 4, in Carroll
flv 1 township. He worked
I^B J0tk i^ here breaking in the sum-
^T ifajir-TM" "^^^ ^^ 1871, wintered in
' J^^HMMfc Durant the following wm-
ter, and returned in the
spring of 1872. He made
the first track from where
Primghar now is to his
claim, which for a long
time was a regular travel-
ed road. C. F. is now en-
gaged in the shoe busi-
ness in Sheldon. Another
son of W. C. Butterfield, C. W., settled upon a claim in 1872.
He left the county for Montana some years ago and died there.
The youngest son, George M., was not old enough for filing
upon a claim. He taught school for a number of years, and
now is in the employ of the Government at the head of an
Indian school at the Rosebud agency.
J. J. Hartenbower now a Des Moines capitalist, settled on
section 34 on the southwest quarter in 1872. The first time
we saw "Jerry," was before Sheldon started, at Dan McKay's
house, when Ira Brasheers was preaching a Methodist ser-
mon. He was as poor as the rest of us in those early days,
but by tact as a financier has become well off.
W. H. Dorsey, a brother of Senator Dorsey of Star Route
fame, settled early on the southeast quarter of section 2.
Among other early settlers in Carroll township was J. R.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
85
Deacon on section 6, one of the best men that ever lived.
Gladney Ewers, who now resides in Minnesota, settled early
on section 32. L. G. Healey on section 14, who died a few
years ago at the Pacific Coast. B. Hutchinson, who settled
on section 24, and kept a store there until Sheldon started.
A. J. Brock settled on section 10. D. Barrett on section 24.
Nancy A. Bush on section 32. R. H. Cook on section 2. E.
L. Cook on section 2. Paul Casley on section 22. R. H.
Cook now resides in Dakota. E. L. Cook is dead, and Paul
Casley is a route agent in the west. Other settlers were John
Clements on section 28,
Robert Cowan on section
30, Harley Day on section
26, J. F. Frisbee on sec-
tion 14, Frank Frisbee on
section 14, E. S. Huber on
section 23, L,. A. Honber-
ger on section 34, M. H.
Hart on section 37, C. P.
Jones on section 18, T. M.
Lemaster on section 24,
Harvey Luce on section
30, and C. C. Miller on
section 4. D. N. McElwain
a brother to Mrs. W. C.
Butterfield, and father of ^'n-r. n. allen.
Mrs. C. F. Albright settled on section 4 in 1872, and died
several years ago in the county. " Uncle Nick " as he was
famiharly called, was a rugged, sturdy character, who was
thoroughly honest and kept the golden rule, to do untQ other
men as he would be done by.
Dan McKay settled on section 6, 187 1, resided here con-
tinuously until a few years ago when he moved to Tacoma.
His son George, who was but a small lad when he came here,
studied law with the writer at Sheldon, passed a very credit-
able examination upon his admission to the bar, and is now
HISTORY OF* O'BRIEN CoUnTY, IOWA.
one of the prominent lawyers of Tacoma, Washington. Mr.
McKay's house being near the town site of Sheldon, was used
before Sheldon started, for church services, and when Sheldon
started and before there was any hotel, H. C. Lane and some
others boarded with the McKay family, and this meant a
pleasant boarding place, for Mrs. McKay knows what is
genuine housekeeping and genuine hospitality. Mamie Mc-
Kay, a daughter, married George Piper, brother to F. T.
Piper. John Griffith who died a few years ago, settled on
section 2 and the original farm is still in the family. William
Moffitt settled early on section 20, Dan Moffitt on the same
^^^■j^^^ section, Frank Moffitt on sec-
^^^^^^^^^k and Erwin on
J^^^^HM^ tion 28. Dan Moffitt still lives
^^BKt/r^ ^B in the county, worried
j|H ifia»W through the grasshopper
Jffl| <t^^ f period with the rest of us,
-~ ^^ and is now squarely on his
i ^ ^^^^^ - feet. Erwin also made the
same struggle to pull through
and is now all right. John
W. Nelson settled early on
section 24, died a few years
ago on the same quarter.
His widow now resides in
Sheldon, with her son Glad-
ney. P. A. Nelson made an
orginal settlement on section 36, worked at his trade as a
mason several years at Sheldon, and died a few years ago
at Sutherland. Pete as he was familiarly called, was a
prince of good fellows, one of the best of men, and at his
death left a host of friends who sincerely mourned his de-
parture. His wife now resides with her family at Sheldon,
and is a woman who commands the highest respect.
William Renolds settled early on section 22 in Carroll, a
mason by trade and one of nature's noblemen. He died several
CALVIN R. HURD. — LOST IN THE BLIZZARD.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, lOWA.
87
GEORGE A. MILLER.
years ago at Sheldon. J. F. Stone settled early on section 8,
but left the farm several years ago, was in the furniture
business at Sheldon, and
after an absence of about
a year, has become again
a resident of that city.
Isaac Sprague an early
settler on section 34, now
resides at Sutherland.
John Stone on section 36
was an early settler. Isaac
Toothaker and C. W.
Toothaker settled early
on the west half of sec-
tion 12. Forbes Williams
on section 28, Henry
Whitemore on section 4,
and Louie and Nick Youn-
ger on section 30. C. D. Pottinger on section 16, Silas Poole on
section 26, and Mary Priest on section 14, were early settlers
in Carroll. Geo. W. Schee who has been prominent in the
county, settled on the southeast quarter of section 26, in 1872.
George Mennig, who lived in Davenport, Scott county,
came first to O'Brien county in 1869. Mr. L. A.Worth, also
from Davenport, and who was a member of the same com-
pany as Mr. Mennig during the war, had been in the county
the year previous, and by his advice Mr. Mennig came. He
first settled on a claim in Liberty township, filed a preemption
on this, returned to Davenport and came again in the spring
of 1870. Then he built a shack of sod and broke thirty acres,
and that year made final proof. Mr. Mennig brought his
family in the spring of 1870, and the winter of 1870-71 he
lived in the Burnside house in Waterman township. In the
fall of 1870 he filed a contest on the southeast of section 18 in
Carroll township, which being decided in his favor, he settled
on this quarter as a homesteader in April, 187 1. They lived
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
first in a tent, then built a house and occupied this until June.
Mr. Mennig still resides on the same quarter. He went
through all the county trials and tribulations, and in addition
to the grasshoppers, he lost all his crops by hail three different
seasons. Mr. Mennig was on the police force in Davenport
in 1866 and 1867, is now the owner of considerable property,
takes life easy, and is one of the best men in O'Brien county.
Along with Mr. Mennig in the spring of 187 1, came Claus
Klindt and family and C.
P. Jones and family. Mr.
Klindt settled on the north-
L^j,^.,.^^ f^ ^ east of section 18 in Car-
fmr> ^^^^ W roll township, and Mr.
Jones on the northwest of
the same section. They
both built houses, Mr.
Klindt a frame house and
Mr. Jones a log house.
This log house is still on
the claim, and in place of
it as a residence there has
been put up an elegant
building. Claus Klindt
was a peculiar man; he
seemed always to be kind
and pleasant with other people, but with his family there was
often trouble. He moved to Hyde county, South Dakota, in
1883, with his wife and one son, and a few years after that
committed suicide by shooting himself through the head. The
writer remembers in the winter of 1873, while living on his
homestead, on a cold and bitter night, someone outside was
caUing for help.
C. F. Butterfield who was in the house, and the writer,
went out and found the noise was made by Mr. Khndt who
was lost, and did not know where he was; he was also about
give out with the excessive cold. He had left home in the
ALFRED MORTON.
klStORY^OF O'BRIEN COUNtV, IOWA.
89
early evening on horse back to attend a grange meeting, and
when he was returning home had completely lost his bearings,
got turned around as men will after dark on the prairie, and
got lost. He was taken in and put to bed, but was all right
in the morning. C. P. Jones also went to Dakota the same
year with Mr. Klindt, and afterwards to the Pacific coast,
where he now resides. A nephew of Mr. Mennig's, S. L.
McCallum, while here
in 1896, was curious
enough over Jones' log
house, to make a picture ^^
frame out of the wood.
The writer came to
O'Brien county in the
fall of 1870, and having
boarded with the family
of W. C. Butterfield at
Durant, did, upon Mr.
Butterfield's return
from O'Brien county in
the summer of 1870,
catch some of the
pioneer spirit and enthusiasm with which Mr. Butterfield was
thoroughly imbued. I came up with Mr. Butterfield in Sep-
tember, 1870, and selected the southwest quarter of section
32 in Floyd township, and a part of which is now an addition
to Sheldon.
The first act was to build a shack which Mr. Butterfield
and myself erected in a day. It was 6 by 8, that is, the walls,
and we laid a few boards across the top for a roof. A piece
of an old horse blanket constituted the floor, and a window
frame with every light out, was inserted among the sods in
the south wall for a window, while a piece of board, laid up
against the building, where there was an aperture, we called
a door. In filing at the land oflSce it was required to state
that the building on the claim had a roof, a door, a floor and
O. M. BAKKE
00
HISTORY OF O'BRlfiN COUNTY, IOWA.
a window, and as the government at that time was not ex-
acting, and no one to cross question, this sod shack answered
the same purpose as would an elegant structure, with mansard
roof and bay window accompaniments. While we were
building the sod shack, Mr. Butterfield discovered some one
working on a claim about a mile away, in which he was inter-
ested, and was trying to hold for some relative soon to come
out. He discovered this towards night, and left the writer to
put on the finishing touches to this first habitation, while he
IKSIDENCK OF F. W. CRAM, SHELDON.
went to drive off the invaders he had discovered. The writer
then met Mr. Butterfield at supper time at his own claim
where a house had been built, but could get nothing out of
him as to the result of his visit. I learned afterwards that
when he had gone to investigate he found Geo. Klock and
E. F. Parkhurst. Klock was digging a hole in the ground
and was down about five feet throwing the dirt out, when Mr.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. gi
Butterfield arrived. Klock had a pair of overalls on held up
with a rope, a red shirt torn in places, and his face was cov-
ered with the prairie soil dust. Mr. Butterfield was a mild
mannered man, but when he saw this interference with a
claim he supposed was secure, his indignation knew no bounds,
and for him he opened up quite a fusilade of words at Klock,
and threatened everything he could think of. Klock stopped
shoveling, straightened up so that Mr. Butterfield could get a
square look at him, and the effect was terrible. Soon a volley
of words went back mingled with oaths, and Mr. Butterfield
was informed by Klock that he and Diligence would hold the
claim. Mr. Butterfield inquired who Diligence was, and was
informed that Diligence
stood up against the wag-
on, which was a shotgun.
Anyone who knows the
parties can see there was
nothing else for Mr. But-
terfield to do but go, and
this he did. Klock held
the claim and proved up
on it.
The writer returned to
Wilton, in Muscatine
county, where he was liv-
ing, after completing the
sod shack and filing in the
land office. In the spring
of 1872, with some others of Dubuque I returned, drove up
from Cherokee, and about the first of April landed on the claim
again. As we drove in sight of it we could see a building on
the claim, which had been placed there during the writer's
absence that winter.
Truly here was a dilemma, a difference in opinion as to who
had placed that building on the claim, whether he was a pigmy
or a giant, an innocent member of the Young Men's Christian
W. H. WEBBER.
92
HISTORY OF* O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Association, or a cow boy. Upon inquiring, however, in a few
days we learned it was a Methodist preacher with only one
arm. This, of course, settled the question of muscular su-
premacy, for we felt if we could not get away with a one-
armed preacher, he was entitled to that quarter section, with
the sod shack and its belongings thrown in. About two weeks
after that we went to Cherokee for provisions, and while at the
depot when the train came in from the east, the writer saw a
one-armed man get off the train. He had the garb of a
preacher, and the thought was, of course, here was the offen-
der and the cause of all our prospective trouble, and not even
his clerical position shall save him from a going over, and per-
haps a trouncing if he has the slightest inclination to talk back.
Some one knowing the circumstances and the parties, brought
the preacher and the writer face to face and introduced us.
The preacher at once, with-
out fear of man or God be-
fore his eyes, said, " So you
are on my claim, are you ?"
The gall of the fellow was
immensely audacious and for
a moment we were par-
alyzed, not with fear but sur-
prise. We recovered, how-
ever, enough to say we had
moved a building up against
his building and against its
door; that we had three Win-
chesters, four bowie knives,
an oak club with knots in it, and a bull dog, and that the first
attempt he made even to go on the claim he would be slaugh-
tered right there, and his miserable carcas thrown to the
prairie wolves. This was said with dramatic pose, and in such
a way that the preacher walked off, muttering to himself.
He did come around, however, in about two weeks and mildly
inquired if he would be permitted to haul his building away.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 93
and was mildly told that he could. He sold it to Ed. Bache,
in Floyd, where it still stands on Ed.'s claim.
The preacher was vanquished and peace restored. This was
Rev. Ira Brashers, who was pastor of the M. E. church at
Sheldon, and Sanborn afterwards, and was also postmaster at
Sanborn.
#' .^.^ip^B^^BHH|HH^^^|
h- ^
■Ml'llliiP
HH^^MH
P^ff^giPm, tiL«-i— 1.1'^ 1 '- ^ ■■■■■^■fe- J4" -ti^
HhB
KESIDENCK
H. C. I.ANE,
Patrick Carroll, an honest, well disposed and substantial
man, came to O'Brien county in the spring of 1870 from
Illinois. He started with two teams and wagons with his
entire family, a wife and eight children. They were three
weeks on the road from their home in Illinois, to Cherokee,
Iowa. They met several land agents in Cherokee, and in a
multitude of these, the land seeker remains for a while un-
settled in his convictions. One of them[;palmed off a obgus
94
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
claim upon a quarter section of O'Brien county land, for ten
dollars, and this much experience Mr. Corroll had to start
with. After remaining in Cherokee, they started north and
camped for the night at Nettleton's place, which is- remem-
bered by the early settlers. They were then bound for
Waterman, which Mr. Carroll had been told was quite a town,
and he drove on the next morning straining his eyes expecting
over the landscape to see church steeples and prominent build-
ings, and a metropolis of extensive proportions, not knowing
that "Waterman" consisted only of the humble and unpre-
tenious residence of Hannibal Waterman and his good wife
and children. When they got to Mill creek they met two
teams, with whose drivers they stopped to chat. Mr. Carroll
inquired where Waterman was, and the answer came from an
Irishman, who answered, that "A divil a bit of use was it for
him to be inquiring for a town, in a new country like thot,"
and this news induced Mr. Carroll to go back a ways to their
claim, which was done, Mr. Carroll then found a tire he had
lost from one of his wheels
that morning in Mill creek.
They camped at that claim
all night, and got some
water for themselves and
horses by digging for it.
The next day they got to
Wallace Rinker's shack
in Baker township, where
they found Austin Sutter
and Jonathan Egy. Austin
was just going breaking
with several yoke of oxen,
and upon Mr. Carroll's in-
quiry for land, he left the
oxen with James Carroll,
then a red headed boy of ten years, and located the Carroll
family on the south half of the southeast quarter of section 34,
If^WM
H. C. LANE.
HISTORY OF OBRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 95
in what is now Carroll township. Mr. Carroll then dug a well
and found water, took the covers off the wagons, and by this
established a habitation, and lived in that way until he had
completed a sod shack, which he moved into in September,
1870. The first thing soon after getting on the claim, was to
go to Cherokee after provisions which he did, and the next
thing was to trade horses, which he also did for a yoke of
oxen. One ox was a Texas steer, whose propensities for all
kinds of antics prevented his usefulness from being discovered,
CLARK HOL'SE,
SO that he was never yoked by them. Another ox fell into
the well and was drowned, so that one yoke of oxen only was
left to do the farming. They broke twenty acres that year,
and off of this the following season raised a good crop of
wheat. That fall Mr. Carroll worked on the railroad, grad-
ing, and from that on, continued as a farmer on his original
claim. Mr. Carroll's wife died there November 23d, 1883,
and Mr. Carroll died in March, 1896. The township was
96
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
named after Patrick Carroll, who it will be seen was its first
settler. Sarah, a daughter, married John O'Donnell a thrifty
farmer of Floyd township. Kate married George E. Bartlett,
Maggie, John and Thomas are still hving on the old home-
stead, and James who in-
herited the sturdy, manly
qualities of his father mar-
ried some years ago, and
they live on the south half
of the same quarter ad-
joining the old homestead.
H. C. Holyoke who after-
wards hved in Sheldon,
and whom we call Deacon,
took his claim in Carroll
township in the fall of
1870, and establishing his
residence there in the
spring of 1871. He bought
Frank Smith's claim which
was on section 34, and
paid for it by learning Smith's wife the art of photography,
so that Smith went to taking pictures, and Holyoke to raising
wheat for the grasshoppers. Mr. Holyoke was a very sincere
conscientious man of upright life, he died in Sheldon some
years ago.
The writer in preparing this book, has had occasion to drive
considerably over the county, and to one who drove these
prairies some twenty years ago, the scenery now, in compari-
son, is beautiful and magnificent. Where stood the sod house
and the usual 8 by 10 shack, there are now commodious and
tasty residences, and groves, whose trees, dressed in their
green and luxuriant foliage, add to the beauties of nature, and
mark the landscape with a fascinating and dignified splendor.
The settlers of those early days and particularly in the first
few years of grasshoppers were decidedly hard up. When
NELLIE JONFS.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 97
there was but little, if any income from crops, improvements
to be made, and the family to be clothed and provided for, it
was quite satisfactory if there was enough to eat. You would
sometimes see a settler with his head tied around with piece
of a gunny sack and very often in the winter time, this was
used for protecting the feet. Clothing was meager and
shabby, and corn meal with too many of them, was the prin-
ciple diet. But after all,
there was a feeling of con-
tentment and happiness, there
was no social distinction, all
were on a level, and all
struggling for the same end.
Their clouds of adversity had
silver linings of hope and
future promise, and some-
times the hard struggles of
life are happily borne, when
he who must endure them
knows, that he will finally
reach contentment and pros-
perity. But the poverty of
the settlers of O'Brien county
in those early days, was not the poverty of the squallid poor
of a large city, where the gilded carriage of Crcesus will dash
dust into the eyes of hunger, it was the poverty of misfortune,
it was unrequitted and unrewarded toil. It was where the
settler had worked without return for his labor, but in either
case the great world moves on with but little heed of its
troubles and misfortunes.
During the last two years of old O'Brien, and after the re-
moval of the county seat, there was something of a rush of set-
tlement to the county. Then, there could be seen the emi-
grant wagons, reaching out for northwestern Iowa. They
were called " prairie schooners," and a prairie schooner was,
after all, a peculiar institution. They navigated sometimes
7
PERCY HALL.
98 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
single and alone, at other times in numbers like a fleet of ves-
sels at sea. This mode of traveling, too, when the roads are
good and the party united and contented, is very enjoyable and
certainly very healthy. These emigrant wagons are now sel-
dom seen, and when they are they are bound for Dakota.
CHAPTER VI.
Up to 1873, the settlers of the county were able to get along:
Some crops were raised, and it was a living anyway with all,
and improvement and accumulation with some. But the dark
days of discouragement and misfortune came in the summer of
1873, the year of the removal of the county seat, and contin-
ued for several years, as will be seen in a chapter elsewhere
devoted to the grasshopper era. If ever men's souls were
tried in an effort to live, and if ever the heroism of men was
taxed to its utmost in the race of life, it was from 1873 to 1877
in O'Brien county.
There is much of individual heroism in common life that is
lost to history, and which is not blazoned among the distin-
guished deeds which make some men famous, and their names
immortal. Some military chieftain in the nick of time, and by
natural genius and adroitness as well as personal courage,
drives the enemy into general slaughter, and his government
with fulsome praise sends his name down the ages, and all
time has a hero fearless and undaunted. Sometimes the great-
est of all heroic acts are manifested by one in the humblest
walks of life, which find no recognition in the record of his-
tory, for it is only in the exalted stations of life that the names
of men glitter on the scroll of fame, and much that is the most
heroic of all heroism, dies with the hero. We have an old news-
paper which recites the conviction and execution of a negro
slave, in which case Henry Clay was the public prosecutor.
The negro was a faithful servant, and had not been accustomed
to the degredation of corporal chastisement. During a tem-
porary absence of his master, he was placed under the charge
100
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
of a young and passionate overseer, who for some slight Or
imaginary offense, lashed him cruelly with a horse whip, and
brought wicked blows about the head that were unmercifully
given.
The spirit of the slave was aroused, and, seizing a weapon
that was near him, he laid his overseer dead upon the spot.
Soon after, he was borne to a place of execution, and the
r. LANGLEY.
pride of character he there displayed, was worthy of a Roman
patriot. Being asked whether he was anxious that his life be
spared, and, answering under a feeling of the injustice that
had been done him, and under the fact that he was in bond-
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, lOWA.
101
age, he replied proudly and sternly : " No, I would not live a
day longer, unless in the enjoyment of liberty." The pages
of history might be searched from the beginning to the pres-
ent, and nothing in the notoriety of preserved events would
exceed this personal proudness and bravery of an obscure
slave, whose words are lost in the din of pyrotechnic language,
over names which were prominent with the people.
V. M. SMITH AND FAMILY.
Carrying the thought still further, one does not need to go
to a battle field, or to find tragedies in blood for the world's
greatest heroes. Many unknown in life, bearing their bur-
dens under difficulties and under depressing circumstances,
and under the crushing conditions of poverty and misfortune,
are heroes, and the women who toil with them are heroines.
The writer in the early seventies knew several families in
northwest Iowa who were without money, and without friends,
— for the world is cold and uncharitable to the borrower —
102
HISTORY OF* 0*BRlEN COUNTV, IOWA.
whose crops were an utter failure, and where existence was
continued by living on anything that was accessible, and whose
diet principally was corn ground in a coffee mill.
We, who are living in the present progress and prosperity
of O'Brien county, cannot realize the crushed and despondent
heart of many a mother, whose little ones, in the early days
of the county's history, were crying for bread, and where but
inch boards protected them from the severity of the winter,
huddled around the fire made by twisted hay, and whose only
hope was in a change, which the future, dark and doubtful,
would bring to them. These early settlers who were thus
battling against misfortunes of the country then, were heroes.
These early days were hard and trying to settlers who were
endeavoring to make a home here, and establish a farm on the
prairie. Most of them came without means, and depended
on their grit and muscle to pull through.
Those that brought money with them, and were reasonably
well fixed to start on, seemed to be the most unfortunate after
all, especially when
the grasshoppers
came, for the reason
that they did not hes-
itate to use their
means in building
good houses, and sur-
rounding themselves
with comforts and
conveniences, ex-
pecting an early re-
turn for their invest-
ments. But when the
pocketbook became
empty, and no crops
c. s. M'LAURv. as expected, and no
value to land, they were not only discouraged but disgusted,
and soon got out, while the fellows who started with nothing
MISTORY OF 0*BR1EN COUNTY, lOWA. 103
were more inclined to stay it through, still hoping to realize and
get return for their labor.
We can easily see how much grit and determination it took
to sta}'^ here several years, one after another, without a crop
at harvest time, and still stay another winter and burn hay and
take chances on enough to eat. Money could not be obtained
only on gilt-edged security at a rate of interest, from three to
eight per cent a month, and sometimes at ten. Man}^ a farm
and much live stock and farm
machinery of these early set-
tlers passed into the hands of
these money lenders; we can-
not say unjustly so, but as a
matter of business, because
the money was due, the deb-
tor unable to pay, and that
insatiable Shylock, the chattel
mortgage, seemed never to
be satisfied.
During the years above
mentioned, say 1871, 1872
and 1873 all the townships
became settled, or rather had (i"'!^
a settler, for they were not george f. colcord.
even then, numerous enough to be near neighbors; it was
only here and there a shack could be seen. In the year 1871
a few settlers came into the. western part of the county, and
from then on they kept coming.
Some few in Baker and Carroll in 1869 and 1870, but the
first in Floyd in 187 1. These did not increase much until the
Sioux City & St.' Paul railroad, now the Chicago, St. Paul,
Minneapolis & Omaha reached the townsite of Sheldon, which
was July 3, 1872. From then on the western part settled rap-
idly, and government claims were soon all taken. In 187 1 and
until July 1872, the settlers in the western part of the county,
did about all of their hauling from Cherokee, and some from
104 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Marcus, except in what is Caledonia, and these mostly at
LeMars. C. F. Butterfield, now of Sheldon, made the first
track from Mr. Albright's, near where Primghar now is, to
his claim near Sheldon, which is on section 4, in Carroll, and
this diagonal road straight northwest was soon a regular trav-
eled road. The home of C. F. Albright at that time was the
general stopping place for the Floyd and Carroll township
part of the county, and also of southern Osceola. The Al-
bright house was not a large one, it was one story and small
in size.
Sometimes if severe weather set in, what settlers happened
to be there were detained for a day or two, and Mr. Albright
and his wife were always pleasant and entertaining, and did
the best they could for the number that were there, and with
the conveniences they had.
The writer has seen the main room in the house at night,
entirely covered with sleepers lying closely together, each
with his own blankets, with
some supplied by the house.
They were generally tired
and sleepy, they might not
all have slept the sleep of
the just, but they slept the
sleep of a homesteader, and
if anyone should happen to
wake up in the midnight hour,
he would hear a discordant
variety of snoring which was
far from musical. These
trips made to Cherokee in
the summer time, or in
DAVID PALKN. Warm weather were very
pleasant, for the air was pure and the prairie beautiful, but
during the winter, across an unprotected prairie and danger
of blizzards, it was disagreeable indeed. Nothing but the
stout heart of an ambitious settler struggling to make a
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
105
home for himself and family, ever could have stood it, and
even with them sometimes it was almost beyond endurance.
A. J. Brock came to O'Brien county in 1870, and arriv-
ing at old O'Brien accepted a situation in the store of W.
C. Green as clerk, and as deputy postmaster. L. G. Healy
came the year following and settled in Carroll township, whose
daughter Mr. Brock married
in September, 1872. Jack
(for this was what Brock was
usually called), was after-
ward a partner in the store
with Mr. Green ; he left the
county in 1878 for Arkansas,
but a few years after return-
ed to Iowa.
Mart Shea, who was after-
wards sheriff, settled in
Highland township, on sec-
tion 10, in 187 1. Mr. Shea
now resides in Sioux City.
McAUen Green, father of
W. C. and Lem, came from
Illinois to O'Brien county in
1869, and settled on section '"''• ^- '^■^^man.
26 in Highland. He was elected recorder of deeds in 1870.
Harley Day also came to the county in 1871, and settled on
section 26 in Carroll township. He was afterwards a mem-
ber of the board of supervisors, and now resides at Sanborn.
C. F. Albright was the advanced pioneer for quite a number
from Durant, in Cedar county. Mr. Albright first came up in
in the fall of 1870, selected his own land, which was the north-
west of 6, in Highland township.
Through the aid of W. H. Woods, he also selected several
other quarters for different parties of his neighbors and friends,
in and about Durant. Mr. Albright then returned to Durant,
and in the spring of 187 1, himself, John Hardin, C. F. Butter-
106
HISTORY OF O^BRIEN COUNTY, lOWA.
field, Gus Herrick, Joe Kuehle and wife, M. Hosquin, com-
monly called " Frenchy," John Miller, Milton Gillispie, J. W.
Walter, Theodore Leomaster, Chas. Toothaker and Homer
Herrick, each one having a team of his own, left Durant about
the 25th of March of that year (1871) to drive through, and
arrived at W. H. Woods' about the ist of April, and at Prim-
ghar townsite a few days after. When they got to Mr.
Woods a blizzard set in, and they were kept three days, mak-
ing about sixteen persons in a small room, and twenty-four
horses in close quarters for a
stable. The boys laid down
and sat up alternately, and
put in the time as best they
could. After they reached
Primghar townsite and were
unhitching, a buggy drove
up with two strangers in it,
one of th*^m was an officer
from the Des Moines river
country, who said he had a
warrant for every man of
them. It seems that while
they were driving through
Humboldt county, they
passed a farm where there
were two goats feeding
around, and an axe sticking
in a log of wood. The first
wagon touched the axe handle, causing the axe to fall to the
ground. C. F. Albright, who was on foot, laid the axe over
the fence in the field. The goats were frightened a little,
and they wandered away, so that when the farmer returned and
had seen this procession of wagons going along the road, and
the axe and goats missing, he had every reason to beheve
that the high-handed outrage of larceny had been committed,
and that his axe and goats had been gobbled by these parties.
FLETCHER HOWARD.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, lOWA.
107
He immediately sought a justice of the peace, filed an informa-
tion, and a warrant was soon issued and placed in the hands
of an officer, who was on the road the next day, following
the fugitives.
As above stated, they were caught at Primghar town site,
and confronted with the charge of theft. Surely here was a
dilemma. Eight ambitious pioneers, former citizens of Cedar
county, and these highly respected, men whose honesty had
never been questioned, and who were striking out in this land
of promise innocent of any crime as unborn babes, here they
were listening to the reading of a warrant, in which John Doe,
Tom Roe, and other like names (meaning the boys, in ignor-
ance of their true names,) accused of the usual rigmarole of
offenses, that they did, on or about March 30, 1871, steal, take
and carry away two live goats and one axe, of the value of fifty
dollars, and against the peace
and dignity of the state of
Iowa. They listened to the
reading, but supreme in the
consciousness of innocence,
there was no fear nor tremb-
ling; indeed, Milt Gillespie
laughed outright, and the
officer was told, that he could
search, and that if he found
any of the property in the
crowd, they would return
and plead guilt}', but Milt
told him he thought Homer
Herrick had one of the goats
m his pocket, and Joe^Kuehle
had the other in his, and was not sure but what Charley
Albright was using the axe for a jack-knife. Search was
made, however, and of course none of the property found.
The officer and the farmer returned, and when they reached
the premises of the stolen property, there were the goats feed-
108 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
ing as usual, and the axe in plain sight. The O'Brien county
settlers were fully vindicated. This was not the only trouble,
however, they had in being under suspicion.
After starting and reaching West Liberty, near that town,
Walters got an armful of hay from a cattle rack near the
road, and for this by some impecunious farmer they were all
threatened with arrest, and while near Newton they were
afraid of horse thieves, so while camping for the night a part
of them were on guard, while the crthers were sleeping, and
then, some of the neighboring farmers thought it was a pre-
text to steal chickens. The boys arrived all right however at
O'Brien county, with their skirts and consciences clear of any
offense. Sometimes from a few roving and plundering gypsies
in covered wagons, the occupants of every other covered
wagon are supposed to be bent on plunder. These parties
were soon settled on their respective claims.
They all did some breaking that year, and the next year
put in crops, getting about forty bushels of oats, and eighteen
of wheat to the acre. C. F. Albright has held several county
offices, and now resides at Primghar. Mr. Husquin(Frenchy),
a few years ago sold his farm, and moved to the Pacific
coast. John Hardin did not remain here long, Walters is now
living in Kansas, Milt Gillespie in the grain and lumber
business at Sheldon. C. F. Butterfield is in the shoe business
at the same point. John Miller died many years ago. Gus
Herrick died in 1877. Joe Kuchle is at Hospers, Iowa.
At that time in 1870, and years following, the streams in
O'Brien county, now mostly dried up, had quite a volume of
water, and particularly in the spring they were troublesome
to cross. In the fore part of 1871 Isaac Toothaker loaded
his wagon with tools and grub, and started away from home
to do some breaking. He was obliged to cross the Floyd,
which at that time of the year, and owing to the rain, was
quite a stream. When he came to cross, he hesitated about
going, as the chances were a disaster in store for him; he
drove on however and headed for the opposite bank. When
HISTORY OF OBRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 109
in the middle of the stream the water floated the wagon box-
off, which was carried down, and the rapidly running water
seemed bent on taking it beyond recovery. Isaac landed with
his horses, left them standing on the bank, while he undressed,
laying his clothes on the wagon bed, and started down stream
for his floating outfit, which he found, and going in, hauled
the box sufficiently on the bank, to keep it there. He then
returned for his horses, but when he reached the spot where
he left them, he could find neither the horses nor his clothes,
and here sUre enough was an awkward dilemma.
He started for James Glenn's house a mile away, and
when he got as near the house as decency would permit, he
went through a series of motions and grimaces, and hollowed
at the top of his voice, which led Mr. Glenn to believe that a
wild Indian was there, with perhaps followers not far away.
Mr. Glenn advanced toward him, and when he found out the
situation, and that it was Toothaker, he rigged him up in a
suit of clothes. The horses
were found, and Isaac was
soon enabled to go on his
journey. These episodes
in crossing the Floyd were
numerous, and it is a won-
der, that somebody was
not drowned. Not long
after the foregoing, Isaac
Toothaker and James Mc-
Farland went to Marcus
with two yoke of oxen,
and a wagon, for a load
of coal. Upon their re-
turn with the coal, they struck the Floyd where there was
something of a ford in a diagonal course across the stream.
The oxen started in, but their preferences were to go straight
across, and this they did, and were soon in a heap at the oppo-
site shore. McFarland loosed the oxen from the wagon.
G. W. DOYLE.
110 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Toothaker got on the back of an ox on the front j/oke, and
finally managed to get them to the ford and across; the other
yoke after making many ineffectual attempts to climb the
bank, finally did, which left McFarland on the wagon, which
was covered with water. He had to swim ashore which he
did, and by means of ropes and chains, they finally dragged
the loaded wagon onto dry land.
In 1 87 1, Thos. Holmes came to O'Brien county from Jones
county, the place where a calf case ruined several litigants.
He came from England several years before that to CHnton
county, Iowa. Before coming to the U. S. land office at
Sioux City, he was informed that land here was all taken up.
But he met there one of the Garrell boys, who referred Mr.
Holmes to W. H. Woods. He was written to, and answer
came back that claims could be had. Mr. Holmes then went
to Cherokee, and there met Mr. Clark, and rode out with him
to his place.
After Mr. Holmes rode that distance in O'Brien county, he
was decidedly blue. It was sparsely settled, with only here
and there a sod shack, and by reason of the prairie grass being
burned over, there was an appearance of general desolation.
He decided to get out of the county, and started back for
Cherokee, when he met Mr. Stanley and Silas Pool return-
ing from Cherokee on foot. These two settlers persuaded
Mr. Holmes to return, which he did, stayed all night at
Paine's, and next morning hunted the ever indispensable Huse
Woods, who that day located Mr. Holmes on the southeast
of section 22, in Carroll township. He then brought his
family to Cherokee, w'here they remained until he built a
house, which upon its completion was occupied by his family.
Mr. Holmes remained in the township the following winter,
and has there resided continuously since. Mr. Holmes was
hailed out three times, and one year undertook to burn around
his grain stacks to keep them from the danger of the prairie
fire, but the fire started for protection got away from him, and
a calamity he was trying to avert, happened at once, for the
HISTORY OF OBRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. HI
very fire he started burned the grain stacks. Mr. Hohnes
came near perishing in the blizzard of 1871. Hurley Day was
teaching the school in that district where Mr. Holmes hnd two
children attending. The blizzard came up in school hours, and
it was felt by the Holmes family that the chidren would be
taken care of by the teacher, but toward night, while Mr.
Holmes was at the barn, the dog acted strangely and kept
running in the direction of the school house, barking, which
aroused a fear in the mind of Mr. Holmes that the children,
trying to get home, were lost in the snow.
This caused him to start out, and he managed to reach Mr.
Day's house, and found the children there. Necessity com-
pelled him to return, as his wife, if he did not, would then be
troubled in fear, that they were all lost. After leaving Mr.
Day's house, and half way
home, he lost the track.
He did not lose his head,
however, but stopped and
calculated the direction of
the house as to the wind,
and finally concluding it
blew directly from his
house, he turned around
and backed against it, and
" H. F. SMITH ANI> WIFE.
as there were no obstruc-
tions he calculated well, and soon brought up against the
house. Mr. Holmes was out in other blizzards, and had other
narrow escapes. He has filled important positions in the town-
ship and in the county, with all his official acts performed with
excellent judgment, and unswerving honesty.
As stated, A. F. Herrick and Homer Herrick, came out
with the Durant crowd in the spring of 187 1. They worked
breaking all summer, broke about 150 acres, and returned to
Durant at the close of the breaking season. In the fall of
that year, A. F. and his brother Frank drove up with a buggy,
and reached Carroll township about the middle of September.
112 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
When they drove through Manson there was a political gath-
ering, with much excitement, so that revolvers were drawn,
and it looked for a while as though there would be blood
shed. The boys wondered if that was the method of running
politics in this part of the country. M. G. McClellan and
E. V. Van Epps left Durant four days before the Herrick
boys did, who, as they were driving over the hill near old
O'Brien, saw McClellan and Van Epps driving in. Cornelia
Herrick, a sister of the Herrick boys came in 1872, and took
a claim; she lived afterwards in Sheldon and died there in
1895. Frank Herrick when he came, was not old enough to
take a claim, but one was held for him in a legitimate way,
which he did take after he became of age. This was the
southeast quarter of 12, in Carroll township. Frank has lived
in the county ever since that time, was in business at Prim-
ghar, an'd was elected to the office of county recorder in Nov-
ember, 1894, and to a second term in 1896, and is known as
a very competent and upright official. A. F. Hf rrick was a
careful, honest business man, of much industry and thrift, and
at the time of his death in 1877 was highly respected. Homer
Herrick now resides in Osceola county engaged in farming.
Parents of the Herrick boys came to the county several years
later. The motlier died a few years ago, and the father now
resides in Des Moines.
Geo. Klock came first to the county in 1869 from Cedar
Falls, and first to old O'Brien. He came with his two
brothers-in-law, David and Asa Harkness. Klock took a
claim, first on section 20, Grant township, and held it awhile,
and finally traded it for a horse and shot gun. He then set-
tled on the northeast of 8, Carroll township. This was in De-
cember, 1871.
In the fall of 187 i,E. F. Parkhurst came to the county, driv-
ing through from Rockford, Illinois. He stopped at Klock's
place while in Grant township, and they carrie up to Carroll
township together, in December of that year. Before they
came up, one of Parkhurst's horses had died, the other he
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 113
traded for a yoke of oxen. Mr. Parkhurst settled on the
northwest of section 8, in Carroll. Soon after each had estab-
lished a habitation on the claim, they drove down to the Water-
man for a load of wood each, Parkhurst with his oxen, and
Klock with the horses. Not long before reaching the west
side of the county, a blizzard set in. Klock drove on ahead,
and was about perished; when he reached Mr. Butterfield's
house on section 4, in Carroll, he got thawed out, and went
on home, finding his way with much difficulty. Parkhurst
poked along with his oxen, and finally reached M. G. McClel-
lan's place,']where he got ■-«*-
warmed up, and struck /^;
out for home. When he ^
reached the Klock shack
he was about give out, and
could not have gone any
further. The storm was
then raging furiously and
the eyes of the oxen were
blinded with sleet. Mr.
Parkhurst rested awhile,
and his own home being
near by, he soon after was
glad to get there. Mr.
Parkhurst told Klock, at john m-cand^k.^.
the time, that if he ever lived through the winter, he would
get out of the country. Mr. Klock has resided in the county
ever since, and now lives in Sheldon. Mr. Parkhurst went
into business at Sheldon in an early day, and was for many
years of the firm of Jones & Parkhurst. He moved to Salem,
Oregon, in 1886, where he now resides. He was elected to
the Iowa legislature, and served one term. Mr. Parkhurst is
a straight, square man, a jovial fellow and left many friends
in O'Brien county when he moved to Salem.
J. W. McFarland came to the county in the latter part of
May, 187 1. He came from Wilton in Muscatine county, and
114 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
here, on account of the Durant crowd, which town is not far
from Wilton. He was in doubt at first whether to come here,
or to go to Kansas, but the choice was well made.. He landed
at Cherokee and walked to the plantation of W. H. Woods,
lugging a large satchel considerable heavy, so that when he
reached Mr. Woods' place, he was about give out. The next
day he rode to Floyd township with C. W. Toothaker and
Rolla Cook, selected the north half of the northwest quarter
of section 34 in Floyd, made some improvement, did his filing
and returned to Wilton. He came up again in February,
1872, and when he reached his claim, some other fellow b}^
the name of Parks had built quite a large sod house, and a
barn of the same material, and was living there with his fam-
ily, in open defiance to McFarland and every one else. Mc-
Farland at once hauled lumber from Cherokee, built a habita-
tion of his own, occupied it, and was ready for business when
any question of the right of occupancy should come to an
issue. Parks and McFarland each went about the ordinary
routine of business, turning up their noses to one another
when they met, and silent with one another as to speech. At
last. Parks feeling that he had better surrender, did so, and
McFarland paid him $35 for the improvements. He then for
a while lived with the Herrick family that summer, keeping
house under wagon covers, with bows set up on piled sod.
One night they heard an unearthly noise, and the county
being new to them, they were somewhat startled. They got
up, took the gun and then hunted for ammunition, but could
find nothing but powder, so they loaded with nails, and prob-
ably in their excitement, up to the muzzle. They could see
nothing however, when they got outside the wagon covers,
and could hear nothing, so they went to bed again. A few
nights after, when McFarland was returning from his own
claim he got lost, and fearful of not being able to find the
Herrick claim, he hollowed at the top of his voice, which was
heard by the Herricks, and being unable to make McFarland
hear, got out the gun and fired; this he heard, and got in, in
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
115
safety, but Homer Herrick went over from the recoil of the
gun, loaded as it was with hardware. William McFarland,
father of James, came in 1872 and settled on the north half of
the southwest of section 2 in Carroll township. John Griffith
a brother-in-law, also came in 1872, as also did Mrs. Sutton.
John Griffith took the south half of the same quarter that Wil-
fiam McFarland did.
D. N. Merwin and C. W. Merwin were among the first
settlers. C. W. settled on the north half of the northwest of
section 10. The last named settler came in 1873, and his
brother D. N. came later. He bought the Isaac Toothaker
80. D. N. Merwin is still one of the substantial well to do
farmers of Carroll township. C. W. is engaged in manufac-
turinnf brooms at Sheldon.
ELLIOT, BRICK BLOCK, SHELDON.
W. H. Knepper came to the county, and settled in Baker
township in 1870, broke ten acres that summer and put
up the usual shack. He had just returned from Texas to his
home in Marshall county, where he had been with a team,
and not being very much in love with what he saw there, set-
tled in O'Brien. Returned to Marshall county during the
116 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
winter of 1870 and '71, and came back to O'Brien in the
spring of 1871, where he was during the summer, and brought
his family up in the spring of 1872, having built a residence in
1871. Mr. Knepper settled on the northwest quarter of sec-
tion 4, and still owns the claim, and resides in Baker township.
Capt. Wm. Pursell came from Winterset, Iowa, and settled
on the northeast quarter of section 4, in 1870. He left here
about 1878, and now resides in Minneapolis, Kansas.
In the spring of 1872, Robert Cowan located on the north-
east of 30, hved there about seven years, and now resides in
State Center, Iowa. Along when the Sutter family came to
the county, there came with them also J. W. Egy and his
brother J. S., J. W. settled on the west half of the southwest
of sanje section. J. W. now lives at Storm Lake.
Michael Kain, who still resides in Baker township, came in
the spring of 1872, and settled on the east half of the southeast
quarter of section 20.
Sarah Knepper, mother of W. H. came also from Marshall
county, Iowa, in 1872, and took the north half of the southwest
of section 4. Mrs. Knepper died in Marshall county in August
1878.
E. W. Rinker, who came with the Sutter family in 1870,
settled on the southwest quarter of section 2. He married a
daughter of Geo. Sutter. He died some years> ago.
W. H. Snook in 187 1, located on the east half of the north-
east quarter of section 8. He came from Poweshiek county
and lives in the east part of the county.
Geo. Benbow was an early settler in Baker on the north-
east quarter of section 18, and still resides on the same claim,
a thrifty and substantial farmer. Levi Dingley was another
early settler, on the southeast of section 6. Levi was quite a
local politician, and now resides in Montana.
On the southwest of section 8 Leonard Lambkin who was
an early settler, still resides. From the uncultivated prairie
he has made a beautiful farm, and is one of the substantial
men of the township.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 117
Henry Lemkuil settled early on the southeast of section 8,
and is still there with a very fine farm.
John Sheets who also came with the Sutters settled on the
south half of the northwest of section 14. He now resides in
Sioux City, having left here in 1885.
James Thomas now resides in Dallas, Texas, who came to
O'Brien county in i87i,and settled on the northwest quarter
of section 8. He lived in Sheldon awhile before his removal
to Texas.
W. W. REYNOLDS.
W. A. Welman, a son of D. W. came to Baker township at
the same time his father came, in 1871. He settled on the
east half of the northeast of section 12. Theodore Wells
came in 1872, and took the north half of southwest of section
20. He died several years ago.
118
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
John Weacamp came in 1872, and settled on the south half
of southwest of section 20. A few years ago he went to
Arkansas, having been lured there by an overdrawn picture
by land agents, but returned after a brief experience, and now
resides in Sioux county.
J. G. Wheeler came in 187 1, and settled on the east half of
southeast quarter of section 22. He now resides in Des
Moines. James Marston settled in Baker, on the southwest
quarter of section 6 in 1872. Several years ago, while work-
ing on the railroad section between Hospers and Sheldon, the
handcar upon which he was, was run into by an extra train,
injuring Mr. Marston
j^flJUIIlll^ ; severely. The com-
|r J^ pany settled with him
fciy^ 4g^H fo^ ^^^ damage; he
^^^B^flfHJ^^t "^^' resides at Shel-
don.
C. V. Van Epps
came from Durant,
Iowa, first in 1871,
in the fall, secured his
claim, and built a sta-
ble. M. G. McClel-
lan also secured his
claim at the same
time, and also built a
stable.
After making some
improvement on the
claim, they, with C.
W. Butterfield and his Uncle Oscar, went to Cherokee by
team, and from there on the train to Sioux City. While cross-
ing Mill Creek, just before driving into Cherokee, the mules
owned by Van Epps were bound to cross the Creek in spite of
all efforts to get them to ford, so in they went, and nothing but
the united efforts of all hanging on to the bed of the wagon,
HISTORY OFvO'BRlEN COUNTY, IOWA.
119
kept the box on. They got pretty much wet as it was. Mr.
Van Epps, as now, was called "Doc," which created the im-
pression that he was actually a physician.
In the spring of 1872, Frank Herrick was taken seriously
ill with the colic, and he sent his brotiier Homer over after
Doc. Van Epps, to come immediately. Doc. assumed the air
of a physician, and having been in the army, knew considera-
ble of the arts of amunition, told Homer to return at once and
give a dose of twenty chicken shot, which Homer did. One
cannot always account
for certain species of
remedies, which are
poured into the human
body in case of sickness,
but in this case it is
enough to say, that the
shot did the business,
and Frank was soon re-
stored to health. Not
long after this profes-
sional prescription, a
settler by the name of
Martin was unwell, and
having heard of Frank
Herrick's sickness and
recovery, he too called
upon Doc. Van Epps for advice and treatment. Doc. felt that
this remedy would not do in all cases, and that it would not
be professional to play the shot racket twice, so he prescribed
a pint of whiskey, and told Martin to take every drop of it.
This prescription was according to the patient's Hking, so he
followed the directions closely, only that he doubled the dose,
got gloriously drunk, and strange to say, the recovery in his
case, was quite as astonishing as the other, for Martin got well
also.
When Doc. came out in the spring of 1872, he at first occu-
120 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY.^IOWA.
pied the stable, as a stable and dwelling house. It was small,
but he had in it the mules, two cows and a lot of chickens, a
stove, a bed, and a large amount of family provisions, and lived
that way until he built a house that summer of 1872. His wife
came the following September. The settlers all about, knew
that span of mules, mouse-colored, with all the mule propensi-
ties fully developed. They are still in the county, owned by
some one in Carroll township, and are now nearly forty years
old. Doc. settled on the southeast of section 10, and still re-
sides in Sheldon.
Mr. McClellan died in 1889. He was an active, energetic
man, and was highly respected. He settled on the northeast
quarter of section 10. His wife, a pleasant and refined woman,
resides in Sheldon. She was a kind neighbor, and her
womanly qualities were well known to the early settlers.
Bert McClellan, a son of M. G., came through on the train
by way of Marcus in the spring of 1872. He was but a boy
then, and attended school after he came here. That following
winter while attending school at the Pottinger shack kept by
H. D. Wiard, they were caught there in that severe bhzzard
of January following. Mr. Wiard, his wife and fifteen pupils
were there all night, and the next day lived mostly on frozen
potatoes. Bert now lives on the old homestead, and is an en-
ergetic farmer and a good citizen.
The following, a few reminiscences of the McClellan neigh-
borhood in Carroll township, were contributed by Mrs. C. V.
Van Epps, a very graceful and interesting writer.
" The first death that occurred in the northwestern part of
O'Brien county, was the bright, sweet little five-year-old girl
of Mr. and Mrs. M. G. McClellan. This occurred on Christ-
mas morn 1872, from that dread disease diphtheria, after an
illness of only three days. After she had died, the first thought
of the two neighbors, who were there, was, how shall we bury
the child. There was not a coffin in the county, and no lum-
ber nearer than Cherokee or LeMars, but finally Le Roy
Hackett, a carpenter Hving three miles away, in Floyd town-
HISTORY OF^O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
121
ship, was thought of, and was consulted. He happened to
have some boards, which would do, and enough of these were
brought down and made into a box, which was made suitable for
a coffin. Mrs. Ben Hatchinson had brought fifteen yards of
bombazine with her, out of their store in Durant, intending to
make a dress of it. She contributed enough of this to cover
the coffin, and Mrs. Wiard and Mrs. Van Epps, nicely and
neatly with it trimmed the coffin, worked a wreath on the top
with white silk floss, and
worked the name ' Gracie,'
the name of the child, in the
center. Thus prepared for
burial, the little one was laid
away in the front yard of
the McClellan residence.
Some years after, the grave
was opened, and the body
removed to the cemetery;
there was not much deca;3%
and the name was still vis-
ible on the box. The next
death was the only son of
E. F. Parkhurst, who was
.taken sick with that same
dread disease, diphtheria.
This death occurred during
that terrible bfizzard of January, 1873,
Mrs. Van Epps were called upon again to
of wouk, in covering the coffin of little Frankie, off of the same
piece of dress goods, which was finally used, all of it, in other
cases, for the same purpose.
In that same year 1873, on January 14, Mr. and Mrs. Van
Epps' little daughter was also taken down with diptheria, and
the only doctor in this part of the county, who was a quack
named Wilhams, was consulted. The railroad through Sheldon
was blocked with snow, and there were no drugs to be had,
Mrs. Wiard and
do the same kind
122 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
so the doctor gave the child kerosene, a teaspoonful every
two hours, so that in all, there was given to her a pint, and
strange to say she lived. When the child was quite bad,
Mrs. Van Epps while stepping out of the door, with her eyes
blinded with tears, fell, breaking one of her limbs near the
knee. The same doctor was sent for, who came, and under-
took to treat the fracture, and used some of the shingles from
the roof of the house for splints, and knowing no better, he
placed the sharp edge of the shingle up, and as the limb
swelled, the shingle cut into the flesh. He remained all night
with his patient. Mrs. Van Epps was in such distress, she
kept telling him that it felt like a knife cutting her flesh,
but the doctor would reply, that it was all right, she was only
nervous, but would be soon easier. After the doctor went
away the next morning, Mr. Wiard and Mr. McClellan, feel-
ing that Mrs. Van Epps should be getting easier instead of
suffering more pain, and both having had some experience
in the army with broken limbs, went to work investigating
the trouble, and found that the trouble lay in the manner
that the shingles were used, so they put the thick edge up,
put the bandages on again, and she soon dropped to sleep,
and was easier. The doctor charged $35.00 for this bungling
operation. Mr. Van Epps had plenty of milk that winter,
while most of the settlers had none. Their cupboard sat
within six feet of the stove, but the milk would freeze solid
in the pan, so that Mrs. Van Epps would thaw it just enough
to remove from the pans, then breaking it, would tie up the
pieces in papers or cloth, and send it to the neighbors. I
think this was the first milk route started in O'Brien Qounty,
and certainly it was a new way of delivering milk.
The first school in the northwestern part of the county was
taught by Rev. Wiard in Carroll township, who lived on sec-
tion 10, one-half mile west of the Van Epps claim. He taught
in his house, which consisted of a room fourteen by sixteen
feet, with an addition ten by fourteen. The large room was
used for a parlor, kitchen and school room, and the addition
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
123
part for a bed room. This being the only school thereabout,
scholars came who lived nine miles away, and boarded with
the settlers. On the morning of that terrible blizzard in Jan-
uary, 1873, when it was bright and clear, there were enrolled
twenty-two pupils, ranging in age from 5 to 22 years. The
blizzard began about 10 o'clock and increased all through the
day, so that by 4 o'clock, the time school should be let out, it
was so dark that the lamps had to be hghted. Mrs. Wiard
prepared supper the best she could, from her meager supply
of food. They kept fire and sat up until about 11 o'clock
when they found the fuel was giving out, so the next question
was, how they should all go to bed, for there were only two
beds, and twenty-four
sleepers to occupy them.
But necessity is the mother
of invention, so they took
the two beds and made
one on the school room
floor, and made the bed as
large as possible by using
the wraps of the children.
Then Rev. and Mrs.Wiard
got in the middle of the
bed, and the girls were
put on Mrs. Waird's side
of the bed, and the boys
on that of Mr. Wiard. The
next morning when they
got up, the storm had not abated; it was bitter cold, and every
thing in the house was frozen. The breakfast consisted of frozen
potatoes made into soup, and under all the circumstances they
were glad to get this. It cleared off by night, so that most of
the children got home, and Mr. Wiard made his way to the
Van Epps ranch for something to eat for his family, and some
fuel with which to cook it."
Mrs. Van Epps well remembers another incident of those
SCOTT LOGAN.
124 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
terrible blizzards, when there were no trees nor fences, nor
anything as protection from the wind. It was the winter of
1880 and 1 88 1. •' The first blizzard of that winter commenced
on the 6th of October, lasted for nearly three days, and as the
farmers were not expecting winter to commence so early, it
caught them in a sad plight with potatoes in the ground,
corn in the field, and so much drifted snow it was impossible to
use teams in picking the corn. Most of the farmers then had
quite a start in stock, so they had to resort to all kinds of de-
vices to get out any corn for feed, but most of them used
small hand sleds with a box or a basket on the sled to hold the
corn, and they also had to use corn for fuel, as the railroads
were blockaded. During that winter Bert McClellan lived
three miles south of Sheldon on a farm he owned, joining D.
L. Ling. Bert's wife had a rag bee, and invited the McClel-
lan and Van Epps neighborhood to it. There were three sled
loads went, and as the roads were full of snow, they drove
around by Sheldon to get there. Towards noon it looked
storm like, and by 2 o'clock a blizzard had set in. As several
had children at home, we decided to return at once, and
arranged that the sleds were to start together, and keep
together so as to not get lost. We got to Sheldon all right,
but by that time it was quite dark, and after leaving Sheldon,
and going across the prairie to Klock's corner, we did get lost
and knew not where we were, for the horses seemed to be
going around in a circle. Women with little children were
stowed away in the bottom of the sleigh, and covered with
wraps, and I with Mr. Whitmore who was driving in our sled,
kept a look out for a light in some window. We let the horses
have their own way, and finally after wandering around came
up against old Mr. Whitmore's house, about 10 o'clock at
night. We were indeed happy, remained there all night, and
soon went to bed. In the morning when we got up, the snow
was drifted above all the doors and windows, so that to get out,
Mr. Pottinger, after opening the door stood on a table, and
witli a scoop shovel made a hole through the snow at the
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 125
top of the door then jumped through the hole, and soon had
the snow cleared away from the doors and windows. As
there was no fuel, nor any corn gathered from the field, we
waited until the men with a hand sled gathered some corn with
which to build a fire. They soon brought in this kind of fuel,
with which we cooked our breakfast. It cleared off through
the day, so that some of us got home, while others remained
there a week on account of the snow drifts."
Among the first settlers in Carroll township, was Abel Ap-
pleton, who still resides on the original claim, with an el-gant
house and otherwise substan-
tial improvements. He came
from Madison county, Iowa, in
1871, and settled on the north-
west quarter of section 36, with
his family. Their daughter
Lulu was the first child born in
the township, who a few years
ago married Will Bilsland, and
they also live in Carroll town-
ship. The Appleton home is
one of hospitality, and the
womanly graces of Mrs. Ap-
pleton are such, that a guest
always feels at ease. Mr. Ap-
pleton, familiarly called Abe, is one of the substantial men
of the township, and highly respected by all who know him.
William Yaner came to the county in the spring of 1871,
and settled in Floyd township. His wife died there some
years ago, and Mr. Yaner moved to Wisconsin and died there,
the date of his death we do not know. A son, William
Yaner, lives in LaCrosse, Wis.
One of the early settlers of Floyd was John W. Wilson,
who came from Marshall county. He had known J. F. Stone
who was already here, and by him was induced to come. He
drove up with his brother in a buggy, and arrived in O'Brien
REBECCA W. PERKINS.
126 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
county in November, 1871, selected his claim, did his filing in
the land office and returned. He then drove up again in the
spring of 1872, and did breaking on the claim that summer,
returned to do his harvesting in Marshall county, and come to
O'Brien county again in the fall. Sheldon had then started,
so that lumber could easily be had, with which he built a house
12 by 16. The following winter he was in Marshall county,
and returned again in the spring of 1873. Mr. Wilson has
been through all the hard times, has seen the grasshoppers
harvest his crops, and knows what it is to struggle with the
hardships of a new country. He has been in Floyd town-
ship since then continuously, and now resides with his family
in Sheldon. He has had experience with two new countries.
He came with his father's family to Madison county in 1849,
when the county was new, and when the nearest town was
Oskaloosa, seventy miles away. Soon after their arrival, the
family had the small pox, and were obliged to pull through
without a ph3'sician. Me says the hardships of pioneer life
were nothing, compared with those in his Madison county
home.
E. W. Bache came from Buchanan county to O'Brien
county, in May, 187 1. His coming here was from an ac-
quaintance and relationship with Z. P. Freeman, who had set-
tled in Highland township in 1870. There were with him Selye
Stewart and E. C. Brooks. They had originally intended to
settle near the Watermans, but not liking the country there,
they fell under the guardianship of W. H. Woods, and by his
direction came to Floyd township. Mr. Bache settled on the
northeast of 26, Stewart on section 24. They did a little
breaking, filed at the land office, and returned. While they
were on their way, near Parkersburg, Iowa, in July, they
came across Leroy Hackett, who had a team which was stuck
in the slough. They helped Mr. Hackett out of his difficulty,
and then gave him the number of a quarter section in Floyd
township, which they recommended to him as a desirable
claim. Mr. Hackett then drove up to this township and set-
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
127
tied on the southeast quarter of section 26. He built that
summer of 187 1, a frame shack and veneered it with sod, then
returned, and came back in the spring of 1872. Stewart,
Bache and Brooks returned to Floyd township in October
of that same year, 187 1, bringing their families, except Mr.
Bache, who was then a single man. These parties first occu-
pied the Hackett shack, while they hauled lumber from Cher-
okee for the Stewart house, which was built that fall, and upon
its completion was occupied by these parties, who lived there
during that winter. Mr.
Brooks built on his own
claim in the spring of 1872.
Mr. Bache purchased
Preacher Brasheer's
shack, moved it on to his
claim in the spring of 1872,
and used it for his dwelling
house. They broke that
year, 1872, and put in some
sod corn. B. F. Luce,
who was also a sort of
local preacher, came up
from the Waterman where
he had been holding down
a claim, and settled in Floyd
township on the northeast quarter of section 36, in the spring
of 1872. Mr. Stewart lives now in Sioux Falls, S. D.; Mr.
Bache still resides in Floyd township; Mr. Brooks in South
Dakota, and the present residence of Mr. Luce is not known
to the writer. Mr. Hackett, who is a carpenter by trade,
moved into Sheldon some years after, and now resides in
Tacoma, Washington.
JOHN METCALF.
CHAPTER VII,
John Hart came in 1871, and settled on the southeast quar-
ter of section 14. Mr. Hart lived here continuously until 1896,
when he moved to Missouri, where he now resides. Michael
Burns came in the spring of 1872, and settled on the southeast
of 14, also in Floyd township, and still owns the same quarter
section, but resides in Sheldon, taking life easy. C. W. Miller
came in 187 1, and settled on the northeast quarter of section
14. Mr. Miller moved into Ashton, where he was in business
for a while, and then moved away.
The writer remembers, in the spring of 1872, while driving
to Shaw's store in Osceola county with C. F. Butterfield, that
we came across Michael Burns and John Hart on Mr. Hart's
claim, where they were dressing a steer which they had just
butchered, and said they "were going to have something to
eat, anyhow." They kindly contributed part of the critter to
us, but the recollection of the writer is, that it was a piece of
the liver. These parties for fuel would go to the Rock river in
Sioux county, for wood, and sometimes to the Little Sioux.
Upon their returning from one of these excursions in the winter
of 1871-72, they drove by the house of Wm. Lyle, and while
passing, were hailed by Mr. Lyle, who informed them that he
had just got out of bed, and had been there for sixty-five
hours, compelled to do so in order to keep warm, as they
were out of fuel except a little which they would now and then
use in order to cook some pancakes, which they cooked, and
ate them in bed. The boys threw off a log, and left it at the
Lyle household.
130 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. '
J. W. Davis settled in Floyd township in 187 1, on the south-
east quarter of section 22, and some years after moved away
from the county. He was a blacksmith and had a shop on his
claim. Daniel Gress came to Floyd township in 1871, and
settled on the northeast quarter of section 2, and his son Wil-
liam on the southeast of 2. Mr. Gress lived in the township
for several years, fighting grasshoppers, and now resides in
Sanborn. Charles Whitsell on section 18, still resides in the
county. C. H. Lingenfelter on section 6, moved to Wiscon-
sin some years ago. Calvin Hook, the noted music teacher,
on the southwest of 36, now resides at Hull.
David Chrisman settled also in Floyd in 1871, on section 2,
on the southeast quarter. Mr. Chrisman now resides at San-
born.
John D. Butler and his son John H. Butler came to Floyd
Township first in 1871 and selected their claims. The first
named settled on the northeast of section 22, and the last
named, on the northwest of the same section. They wintered
near Cherokee, and returned in the spring of 1872, and both
built a sod shack. The first election held in Floyd township,
was held in John D. Butler's sod shack in the fall of 1872.
The writer remembers it as a low roof concern, without any
floor except the hard ground. John D. Butler died some years
ago, and his son John H. is in the draying business at Sioux
Falls, S. D., R. E. Osborn settled in Floyd township in the
spring of 1872, and built a good residence. The writer took
dinner at his house on that election day in 1872. Mr. Osborn
has resided continuously in the county since that time. He is
a good player on the fife, and has been brought out on several
occasions where martial music was wanted. He was wanted
in Sibley on an important occasion, and John Douglass was a
committee of one to procure his services, which was done by
telegram. Mr. Douglass had forgotten his name, but remem-
bered a tune he had heard Osborn play, called Nancy Dawson,
so Mr. Douglass wired to Sheldon to the operator, to send
Nancy Dawson up. The operator happened to be acquainted
HISTORY OF OBRIEN COUNTY, IOWA
131
with the facts, thereby easily knowing who was wanted, and
Mr. Osborn with his fife left on the next train.
The first caucus held in Floyd, was at Mr. Bache's shack a
short time prior to the election in the fall of 1872. Mr. Per-
kins was chairman, and Mr. Bache, secretary. There were
present at this caucus besides these two parties named, R.
E. Osborn, John D. and John H. Butler, and S. Stewart. The
transactions of the caucus are not remembered by the writer,
except that a central committee
was appointed, and township
officers nominated. When Mr.
Bache first came to the town-
ship, the impression got abroad
that Bache was a doctor, and
in the spring of 1872, Geo.
Klock went to Mr. Bache to
secure his attendance for treat-
ment for one of Klock's child-
ren, and was surprised when
Mr. Bache informed him, that
he was not a physician.
G. W. Copping settled on
the southwest quarter of sec-
tion 14, and E. J. Copping, his
brother, on the southwest quarter of section 24, both in the
spring of 1872. These parties were unable to stand the grass-
hoppers, and left the country some years ago.
C. H. Lingenfelter located in Floyd in 187 1, and settled on
the southeast of section 6 and returned to his former home in
Wisconsin in grasshopper time.
Timothy Donaghue settled on the southwest quarter of 36
in 187 1. He died several years ago, leaving a wife and sev-
eral children, who still reside on the same claim. Mr. Don-
aghue had been a school teacher before coming to the county,
and was a man respected very much by all who knew him.
E. R. Gregg in the spring of 1872 settled on the southeast
WILL WOLF.
132 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
quarter of section 24, and at the same time Eliza W. Gregg
settled on the northeast of the same section. Both of these
parties moved away from the county in the grasshopper days.
P. C. Hicks, a brother of A. B., elsewhere mentioned, set-
tled on the notheast of 4 in 1872. Mr. Hicks has lived in the
county continuously since then, and now resides at Sheldon.
C. W. Beach settled on the southeast of 36 in 1872. Mr.
Beach died several years ago. Lyman Kellogg located, in the
spring .of 1872, on the northwest of section 6, and after living
in the county several years returned to Wisconsm. In the
spring of 1872, Stephen Bull settled on the northeast quarter
of section 6. He died several years ago. H. H. Hawley set-
tled on the southwest quarter of section 22, in the spring of
1872. Mr. Hawley was a local preacher, and left the county
some years ago. On the northeast quarter of section 32, Robt.
J. Cliff settled in 1872, and left the county a few years after.
Also on the same quarter on the east half, J. M. Van Kirk set-
tled the same year. These two last named parties did not
settle, until the Sioux City & St. Paul R. R. reached the town-
site, when there was somewhat of a strife for land.
When Van Kirk took his claim, there were several parties
who wanted the same piece, and there were four of them
started for Sioux City at the same time. They reached Sioux
City on the same train, and there was nothing left by which
to decide the success of one of these claimants, but a foot
race, and this they all vigorously entered into, but Van Kirk
was the fleetest and entered the Land Office first, yelling at
the top of his voice " I want to file on the east half of the
northeast of 32 in 97, 42, and, mingled with the last of his
words, was a chorus of the same from the rest of them. The
Land Office thought that they were besieged with a bevy of
lunatics, but Van Kirk being the first in point of voice, was
recognized as the first in point of time, and his filing was
taken. Isaac M. White settled on the southeast quarter of
section 32 in 1872. Wm. Witsell on the southeast of 36 in
the same year. Mr. Witsell still resides in the county. On
HISTORY OFiO'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
133
the northeast of 28, John M. Wood settled in 1872, who now
resides in Sheldon. On the southwest of section 28, John F.
Walters in 1872, who died a few years after. Charles Witsell
on the northeast of section 18, who afterwards lived in Sheldon
and left the county some years ago. Edward Wells on the
southwest of section 4, he also left the county several years
ago. On the northwest of section 18, L. S. Stone settled in
1872. He planted a very nice grove which made rapid growth,
so that Stone's grove was known all over the country. Mr.
Stone left the county some years since. W. J. Anderson on
the northwest quarter of section 4, located in 1871. Mr.
Anderson left the county some time in the '70's. George H.
Brooks was on the northwest of section 24, and he ceased to
be a resident of the county some years ago.
Thomas Robinson was the first settler in Floyd, who came
in May, 1870, took his claim, the east half of the southwest of
section 30, broke three acres on it that summer, and put up a
sod shack. He wintered elsewhere the following winter, re-
turned in 1871, and cross plowed the three acres. He
brought his familyin 1871, and lived here continuously until the
time of his death in 1882.
Mr. Robinson was a man
of much thought, and origi-
nal in his ideas, was a clever
writer and could maintain
a position with good argu-
ment. He was a very con-
scientious man, and his aim
was to do right with every-
body. He had seven
children, David who lives
in Sheldon, Columbia who
also resides in Sheldon,
Lovie who married Mr. ^- "^^^^o^-
Blanchard, residing in Lyon county, Iowa, Mattie who married
Rev. Gates, and Lizzie who married and resided in Boyden,
134 HISTORY OF O'BRIENjI COUNTY, IOWA.
where she died in 1891. There were also two other sons,
George and Henry. George is the oldest, and resides in
Corning, Kansas; Henry was a Free Methodist preacher,
a conscientious Christian man, who died in 1884. Mrs. Robin-
son now lives in Shenandoa, Iowa. The Robinson family
were good neighbors, and were always considered very up-
right, honest people, the best of all recommendations. There
were really no actual settlers in Floyd in 1870, although
several came that year, and located claims and did their tiling.
Three of the Potter boys, sons of Warren Potter, came in
the fall of 1870, these were Lyman, William and John. They
drove through from Wisconsin with their own team, from
where the family were living, and landed in Cherokee, having
stopped awhile in Buena Vista county. They had some re-
lations in Cherokee who advised them to look O'Brien county
over, so that in the fall of 1870, with Mr. Sprague to guide
them, they landed in Floyd township, Lyman selected the
south half of the southwest quarter of section 8, and John F.
the south half of the same quarter. William was not old
enough to file. They returned after making selection, to
Cherokee, and from there to Sioux City and made filing in
the land office. In the spring of 1871, they returned, built
sod shacks, and became actual residents. Warren Potter,
father of the boys, came in the spring of 1871. Mr. Potter
settled on the south half of southeast quarter of section 8, and
Eugene, another son, on the north half of the same quarter.
In the year of 1872, the Potter boys raised some corn on the
land broken the year previous, which was a very fine crop.
In driving up from Cherokee they stopped at Capt. Tifft's
in Center township, to feed and eat their dinner. Water
was scarce, and Mrs. Tifft directed them down the run which
they followed for a long distance, but this afforded them but
little consolation, so far as water was concerned, and John
finally said it was nothing but a " dry run," which name has
clung to it ever since, for its now known by all of us as " Dry
Run." The Potter boys still live in the county, as also does
MISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, lOWA. 135
their a^ed father and mother. Warren Potter, the elder, and
his wife are very estimable people, and the boys are good
citizens.
A. B. Hicks came in 1870, and settled on the southeast of
section 18, in Floyd. He started the first grove in the
township. He resided here for several years, then moved to
the Pacific coast, where he died. Ben Jensen settled on the
northwest of section 32 in 1870, put up a sod shack that sum-
mer, and hved here with his family until 1876, when he went
further west. Swan Peterson also came with Jensen, and set-
tled on the northwest of 32, and he also went west in 1876.
He had a shack partly of sod with frame addition. He was
an ingenious fellow, and the latter years of his residence here,
was at work on a machine with which he expected to discover
perpetual motion. When he went away he left the machine
behind him, and to the neighborhood, it was quite an affair,
with its complications of wheels and pulleys.
There were quite a number of settlers in 187 1. Among
them was a German by the name of John Meyers. He was
an intelligent and
industrious fellow,
and settled on the
east half of the
northeast quarter
of section 18.
When the grass-
hoppers came in |
1873, the poor fel-
low's heart was
broken, and he
was tired of life.
In October of that
year he committed
suicide. He stood up before a glass in his shack, and where
he could have full view of the act, placed the revolver at his
forehead and fired; his position as he fell indicated this. He
136 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
also, upon a wide board, had drawn the profile of a man, and
through the board, in the forehead of the profile, was found a
bullet hole, so that it was clearl}' deliberate; it was *' One more
unfortunate weary of breath." A coroner's jury was impan-
elled, with H. C. Lane acting as coroner, who held an inquest
at Meyer's shack, and decided the death as a case of suicide.
J. A. Brown located on the northeast quarter of section 8
in Flo3d township in 1871. He moved into Sheldon soon
after the town started, and was landlord of the Sheldon Hotel
for several years. He represented his district in the legisla-
ture for one term, and was a man quite prominent in the county.
He died in Sheldon, leaving his wife, who still resides in Shel-
don with her son. Mrs. Brown is a lady very much respected.
A. Bloom settled in Floyd township in 1872, also Seymour
Shryock, Mr. Carey, William Lyle and family, and Isaac
Clements and family, Mr. Bloom retired from a farmer life a
few years ago, and resides now at Ashton. Seymour Shryock
went farther west, as also did Mr. Carey. Isaac Clements
was elected county recorder, and has since resided in Prim-
ghar, where he is now engaged in the mercantile business.
Mr. Clements is widely known in the county, as a man of
honor and business integrity. William Lyle and family landed
in Floyd township in April, and went through that April bliz-
zard of 187 1, with the banks of the Floyd river for shelter,
under a wagon box cover, with a large family of children, one
an infant, and getting along with the inconveniences best they
could, they weathered it through, and came out alive. Mr.
Lyle and wife, their children, now men and women grown,
still reside in Floyd township. James Glenn came from
Powesheik county, Iowa, in 1871, and settled on the southeast
of section 34, in Floyd. He came permanently in the spring
of 1872, and in addition to his farming, had a blacksmith shop
on the claim before Sheldon started. Being a good mechanic,
his shop was very much appreciated and patronized, although
he had to do considerable trusting out. Sometimes there was
quite a gathering of homesteaders there, and as society was not
HISTORY, OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
137
fully established, there was of course not much gossip, but the
topic of conversation would be the glories of the county, and
the great future there was in store for them.
The first settler in Franklin township was William H.
Dummett, who settled there on the northwest quarter of
section 8, and is still living on the same quarter. He was the
only settler in the township, when J. H. Wolf formerly of the
Sanborn Pioneer became a resident of the township, in the
spring of 1873. Mr. Wolf was residing in Washington countv,
Pennsylvania, among the vine clad hills of the Quaker state,
and came to O'Brien county first in 1872 to look the county
over, and particularly to look at eight hundred acres of land in
Franklin township, owned by his father-in-law. He was
pleased beyond measure, and purchased a quarter section of
this 800 acres for it>4-00 per acre, a good price then. There
were only two quarters of Government land in Franklin town-
ship, the one taken by Mr. Dummett, and a quarter on section
34, taken by Ira Brasheers. Mr. Wolf brought his familv
here in T873, built a
house on the land, and
became a western farm-
er in every sense that
the word implies. Mr.
Wolf had been in the
printing business in for-
mer days, and the time
came when there was
an opening to mdulge
his newspaper ambi-
tion, which he did, by
the purchase of the San-
born Pioneer. He has
remained with the paper
ever since, and his ready
and facile pen has established his reputation as a newspaper
man, from the ground up. In 1896 Mr. Wolf purchased the
C. F. OWEN.
1S8 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Primghar Bell. He has recently leased the Pioneer and
removed to Primghar where he now has exclusive control of
that paper, assisted by his sons Fred and Will who are also
thorough newspaper men.
In 1 87 1 John Chrysler settled with his family on the north-
east quarter of section 8, in Liberty township. His daughter
Dana taught the first school in Liberty township, and another
daughter Manda also taught in the county several years.
His son A. B. Chrysler lived on the farm for several years,
was in business at Primghar and afterward at Hartley, has been
county superintendent of the county, and now resides at Lake
Park, in the newspaper business, and is also Postmaster.
Another son J. G. Chrysler who taught school in the county,
is now in the land business, also at Lake Park. A daughter
Nell now resides at Mason City.
Other early settlers, are J. C. Doling and Ralph Dodge,who
settled on 18, in Liberty township. Both of these men were
quite prominent in the county, and were always on the side of
the people. Mr. Doling was at one time treasurer of the
county, and still resides on the same quarter he originally set-
tled upon. Ralph Dodge was an active member of the board
of supervisors at one time, and now is in business at Paullina.
Another early settler in Liberty township, D. C. Fields,
settled on section 26, and is now in business at Calumet. Geo.
Nelson, who settled on section 12, still resides on the same
quarter; also, T. B. Nott, an early settler on 14, is still three.
Charles Peaker, who settled on 8, is now in business at Suth-
erland. I. L. Rerick, who settled on 28, resides in Paul-
lina. Among other early settlers in Liberty township were
Joseph Alexander, on 14; J. H. Alexander, on 34, and T. J.
Alexander, on 34. T.J. Alexander was treasurer of the county,
and was a man whose honesty never was questioned. D. R.
Barmore, on 24, was afterwards postmaster at Sheldon, and
now resides in Chicago. Aaron Brown, on 34, was promi-
nent in politics, and left the county some years ago. T. J.
Fields, at one time a member of the board of supervisors, set-
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
139
tied on section 26, and C. H. Fields on section 20. Other
settlers who entered land, were J. Bresee, on 12; L. C. Bough-
ton, on 14; J. N. Burroughs, on 20; W. M. Breyfogle, on 20;
W. M. Bunce, on 22 ; J, Cowan,
on 24; W. W. Campbell, on
30; Thomas Downing, on 18;
J. B. Davis, on 26; P. A. Em-
ery, on 10; David Harkness, on
2; J. C. Hillyer, on 6; H. E.
Hoagland, on 26; O. Higbee,
on 28; J. M. Hickman, on 20;
E. Hiatt, on 36; Horace Hoag-
land, on 36; J. B. Judd, on 6.
Nathan Miller, who settled on
section 4, and Joseph Manley,
on 7, died several years ago.
W. B. Morse, on 22; P.J.Nel-
son, on 18; Joel Rugg, on 4;
James Rogers, on io;T.Regby,
on 12; H. C. Sperry, on 2; W. J. Stewart, on 20; E. A. Scho-
field, on 36; N. S. Tobin, on 4; Daniel Tuttle, on 28; Sidney
Viers, on 28, were also original settlers. C. A. West, who
was a physician and practiced in the county several years, was
an original settler on the southwest of 2. Other original set-
tlers were W. H. Wiltse, on 4; M. D. Wheeler, on 8; H. C.
Wheeler, on 8; J. H. Wright, on 10; L. C. Washburne, on
28; H. H. Webster, on 32; H. Worden, on 34, and E. M.
Young, on 36.
w. o. wool
■lS"'''™l|lili^
RESIDENCE OF H. M. WALDSMITH, SHELDON.
CHAPTER VIII.
GRASSHOPPERS.
It might be well enough at this time, to diverge from the
general run of settlement, and say something of grasshoppers,
and other calamities.
O'Brien county, along with other portions of Northwestern
Iowa, was vexed with the grasshoppers. We call it the
grasshopper, because there was no other name then, among
the settlers, but the books gave it the name of " Rocky
Mountain Locust." The natural home of these insects was
on the barren table lands, along the eastern base of the Rocky
Mountains. There, they deposited their eggs every year. In
Wyoming Territory, Western Nebraska, Texas, the Indian
Territory and New Mexico, the broods were annually hatched.
In their native haunts they attained an enormous size, many
specimens being three inches in length. Scientific men, who
have studied the habits of grasshoppers, state, that each suc-
ceeding brood degenerates in size, and after three or four gen-
erations, the weaker are obliged to swarm and seek other
quarters, bemg driven out by the larger and stronger insects.
These exiles rise and go with the wind, keeping the direc-
tion in which they first start, stopping in their flight for sub-
sistence, and depositing eggs in a prolific manner during the
incubating season, which lasted from the middle of June to the
middle of September.
This region had been visited by grasshoppers before, but
not to excite a great deal of attention, for the reason that the
county was sparsely settled, and but a small area of land under
142 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
cultivation, and they came so late in the season, that small
grain was generally out of their reach, but extreme north-
western Iowa then was not settled, so that their ravages were
further east.
They came in June, 1873, about the 5th, and came without
warning and unheralded. They seemed to constitute a dark
black cloud, and sent out a roaring sound, which in itself was
an omen of disaster and destruction. The grain was then
much of it green, but some of it approaching maturity, so that
by cutting, it could be partially saved.
Where it could be cut, the settlers went to work, and it
seemed to be a strife between the grasshopper and the set-
tler, as to which would gather the larger harvest. Their
enormous appetites caused them to devour and destro}- rap-
idly, and this, along with their great vitality alarmed the set-
tlers, and the destruction going on was appalling.
Surely, the advent of the grasshoppers was a problem, and
it caused much discussion, as to whether the invasion was to
be continued, whether this was the last as well as the first
attack, or whether it was to continue indefinitely.
The grasshoppers had crossed the Missouri river, and com-
menced foraging in the bordering Iowa counties, and devoured
the crops as they went to a greater or less extent. Small
garden patches were saved, by industriously " shooing " them
off, and guarding the patch with vigilence. There was much
of a drouth the early part of this season, as no rain fell from
the first of May, to the middle of June.
Grain did not grow much, but the grasshoppers did, and
before the drouth ended, the crops were eaten and parched
beyond all hope of recovery. x\bout the middle of June how-
ever, considerable rain fell, and outside of the before men-
tioned counties, the prospect was generally favorable for good
crops. The young grasshoppers commenced to get wings
about the middle of June, and in a few days they began to
rise and fly. The prospect seemed good for a speedy riddance
from the pests. The perverse insects were waiting for an
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
143
easterly wind, but the wind blew from the southwest for nearly
three weeks, so they staid and visited, and eat, and continued
their ravages. Early in the spring of 1874, the ^gffs deposited
the season before, com-
menced hatching, and the soil
looked literally alive with in-
significant looking insects, a
quarter of an inch in length,
but of enormous eating qual-
ities. As if by instinct, their
movements were toward the
fields where tender shoots of
grain were making their
modest appearance. Some-
times, the first intimation the
farmer would have of what
was going on, would be from
noticing along one side of
h^ 1 1 ^ . C. A. BABCOCK.
IS gram field a narrow strip
where the grain was missing. At first, perhaps he would
attribute it to a "balk" in sowing, but each day it grew wider,
and a closer examination would reveal the presence of young
grasshoppers.
In the spring of 1874, there were grave doubts, whether to
sow any grain or not. Some settlers left the country at once,
disheartened and disgusted; they who remained toiled on.
Their ravages were the worst in 1874 ^"^ 1875, after that,
they did less damage each year, and a remnant of them re-
mained until 1879, but in 1880 there were none of them left.
During their ravages the question was well considered, as to
how to get rid of them, and what kind of warfare to make. All
sorts of suggestions and devices were made with reference to
the destruction of grasshoppers, during these years, and it was
much of a topic of discussion how to get rid of them. Judge
Oliver in a communication to the Sioux City Journal, said:
'* Farmers should not be discouraged. Crops, especially
144
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
wheat and corn, should be put in as early as possible, so as to
get a start while the hoppers are small. Late potatoes and
beans may be planted as late as is safe, so as not to get up be-
fore the hoppers are gone. Young trees and shrubs, may be
protected by a sack of thin cloth drawn over them, and tied at
the bottom. I desire to impress on the farmers, where the
eggs are unhatched, the absolute necessity of early seeding.
One week's difference in the time of seeding, may make all
the difference between a good crop and a failure."
The Sioux City Journal said : " The grasshoppers deposit
eggs at the roots of the grass in the latter part of the summer
or early autumn, The eggs hatch out early in the spring, and
during the months of April, May and June, according as the
season is early or late; they
are wingless, the sole power
of locomotion being the hop.
To destroy them, all that is
needed, is for each county,
town or district to organize
itself into a fire brigade,
throughout the district where
their eggs are known to be
deposited. This fire brigade
should see that the prairie
is not burned over in the fall,
and thus they will have the
grass for the next spring, to
be employed upon the pests
while they are yet hoppers,
the means of sure death. To apply it, let all agree upon a
certain day, say in April or May, or at any time when they
are sure all the hoppers are hatched, and none are yet winged.
All being ready, let every person, man, woman and boy, turn
out with torches and simultaneously fire the whole prairie,
and the work, if well done, will destroy the whole crop of
grasshoppers for that year, and none will be left to soar their
gossamer wings or lay eggs for another year."
E. E. HALL.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 145
As the grasshopper years went on, the people themselves,
scientific men, and even the halls of legislation were discussing
the important question, of how to drive the "hoppers" from
the country.
Many and varied were tlie experiments. They tried
smudging, burning the prairie, burning tar, digging ditches and
every conceivable thing that the ingenuity of man could sug-
gest, even to a huge trap in which to snare and catch them.
Minnesota offered a bounty of a certain amount per bushel for
them, and actually paid quite a sum, which helped the people
along, but the idea of delivering a crop of grasshoppers for a
consideration, strikes us now as bordering on the ridiculous.
These pests lasted about seven years, and the latter years of
the seven they were much less troublesome than the first.
The grasshopper business, too, had its humorous side, and
there was much wit grew out of it, and the eastern papers
made much fun of us, and not only that, but seriously charged
us with being a country liable to such things, and hence unfit
to live in. The county papers around in Northwestern Iowa,
would each claim, that the other county was the worst.
Some agricultural house printed a card bearing the picture
of a grasshopper sitting on a board fence, gazing at a wheat
field, and underneath the words': "In this s( wheat) by and
bye." The poet was also at work, and the following one of
the numerous productions :
Charge of the Grasshopper Brigade.
Half a league, half a league.
Half a league onward,
Right from the west they came,
More than six hundred —
Out from forest and glade;
" Charge for the corn ! they said,
Then for the fields they made —
More than six hundred.
Fields to the right of them.
Fields to the left of them ;
Fields in front of them,
Pillaged and plundered;
Naught could their numbers tell,
Down on the crop they fell.
Nor left a stalk or shell —
More than six hundred.
146 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Flashed all their red legs bare,
Flashed as they turned in air.
Robbing the farmers there.
Charging an orchard, while
All the world wondered!
Plunged in the smudge and smoke.
Right through the corn they broke,
Hopper and locust;
Peeled they the stalks all bare,
Shattered and sundered;
Then they went onward — but
More than six hundred.
Since these grasshoppers days, the old settlers can see what
they missed by the following, recently published:
" Some very important uses for grasshoppers have recently
been discovered. There would seem to be no reason why
they should not be applied to commercial advantage in the
event of a plague this year. Some years ago four quarts of
liquid, expressed from a half bushel of " hoppers " under a
cheese press, were shipped in a glass from Spirit Lake, Iowa,
to Prof. William K. Kedzie, of the Kansas State Agricultural
College. He made a complete analysis, and by distilling the
juice with sulphuric acid, obtained a colorless limpid solution
of formic acid. Now this acid is very valuable, having a
present market quotation of sixty cents an ounce. It is not
only employed in medicine to a considerable extent, but it is
also utilized in the laboratory to reduce salts of the noble
metals, gold and silver and platinum. Hitherto it has always
been extracted from red ants, but the possibility of getting it
in large quantities from grasshoppers, suggests a method for
employing these insects to an unlooked for advantage. An
interesting feature of the analysis was the discovery of a cer-
tain amount of copper in the liquid. This metal has been
found in the blood of other animals, particularly in that of the
horseshoe crab, which always furnishes a trace of it. It is not
suggested, however, that the grasshoppers would assay suffi-
cient amount of copper to the ton, to make it worth while to
smelt them.
A while ago, Prof. C. V. Ripley, United States entomologist,
sent a bushel of grasshoppers, freshly caught and scalded, to
HISTORY OF OBRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
147
Mr. Bonner, a St. Louis caterer. The latter made soup of
them, which was pronounced perfectly delicious by many
people who were afforded the opportunity of tasting it. It
closely resembles bisque. Mr. Bonnet declared, that he would
gladly have it on his bill of fare every day, if he could only
obtain the insects. His method of preparing the dish, as
described by himself, was to boil the hoppers over a brisk
fire, seasoning them with salt, pepper and grated nutmeg, and
occasionally stirring them. When sufficiently done, thev were
pounded in a morter with bread fried brown; then they were
replaced in the saucepan and thickened to a broth, which was
passed through a strainer before being served. Professor
Riley treated some friends of his on one occasion to a curry
of grasshoppers, and grass-
hopper croquettes, without
informing them as to the
nature of the banquet, but
an unlucky hind leg, dis-
covered in one of the cro-
quettes, revealed the se-
cret.
Owing to these grass-
hoppers, the people were
unable to meet their obli-
gations. It was easy for
a while to contract debts,
but there was no money
to pay them. Eastern cred-
itors waxed wroth over
notes given for farm machinery, long past due. Several of
these houses sent special agents here, who drove out among
the settlers, and were confronted with poverty, and saw only
a struggle for bread. One of these agents took back a photo-
graph of a homesteader, with his feet wrapped in gunny sack-
ing, and his general appearance in accordance with it.
The house understood the situation. Chattel mortgages
148 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
were given, sometimes upon everything the settler had on
earth, even to the baby clothes and the coffee mill.
At the Board of Supervisors meeting in September, 1876,
petitions were presented, asking that the taxes of a resident be
declared unvailable. This was beyond the power of the board
as a matter of law, but still a moral obligation was imposed
upon them, and soon after, the following resolution was passed :
Whereas, O'Brien county is as yet but sparsely settled
with an honest, intelligent and energetic class of inhabitants,
representing various portions of the older states of the union,
and are occupying and improving government lands under
and by virtue of the several Homestead Acts, and,
Whereas, for the past two or three years the country in
common with adjoining counties in Iowa, Minnesota, Dakota
and Nebraska, have been visited by the mountain locust or
grasshopper to such an extent, that the hard earned substance
of the people of this beautiful region has been wasted and con-
sumed, by the above named voracious insects, and,
Whereas, the entire population of a section of country in
the above states in the Northwest are now in needy circum-
stances, by reason of loss of crops. Therefore,
Resolved; that we, as said Board of Supervisors, hereby
respectfully ask our Representatives in Congress to introduce
such a bill as they may deem advisable, setting forth the con-
dition of the country, and the needs of the people, and praying
that Congress adopt such measures as may seem just and
equitable, and that a commissioner be appointed to visit the
Great Northwest for the purpose of collecting statistics in the
ravaged districts, and that such means be adopted as may
prove a speedy and permanent destruction of the hopper pest.
These taxes were most of them paid afterwards, but it gave
the settler time by way of postponement.
To show, as a sample of some of the notes the poor home-
steader was asked to sign during these grasshopper da^^s, the
following actually came under the writer's observation, but
was probably a burlesque:
HISTORY OF 0*BR1EN COtJNTY, foWA.
140
" after date, for value received
promise to pay or order dollars.
Without relief from appraisement, stay or exemption laws,
and in case suit is instituted for its collection, anything and
everything in my pos-
session can be levied
upon and sold, including
the last suit of clothes,
the school books and
the food of the children,
with the coffin or coffins
any of the family may
be buried in ; and in case
that after every article
is sold, and there re-
mains anything due on
the note, I agree that
the services of myself
and family shall be sold,
until the demands of
this note are satisfied.
And I further agree,
that in case suit is instituted for its collection, to pay reasona-
ble attorney's fees, together with board bills, hack hire, saloon
bills, and other miscellaneous expenses of himself and family
and near relatives while suit is pending. And I further agree,
to live on corn bread and sorghum molasses from date, until
the demands of this note are satisfied, with interest at the rate
of ten per cent, payable annually."
RELIEF.
Soon after the coming of the grasshoppers, there was raised
a hue and cry for rehef. The relief movement started in
Osceola county, at Sibley, from a division in some other soci-
ety pertaining to homesteaders.
The American peojple are not slow in pouring in their con-
tributions to some unfortunate portion of the country, which is
150 HISTORY OP O'BRIENJ COUNTY, IOWA.
suddenly stricken with some calamity, as the Chicago fire or
the Johnstown flood. It was a matter of much discussion at
the time, whether it were not better for the county, even as
poor as it was, to provide for such of the county as needed it,
rather than publish it to the world, that they were in a con-
dition of poverty and needed help. Such, however, as opposed
it at first, were swept away in the general current of clamor
to get it.
Too often in such matters of relief, the " cheeky" ones, less
deserving, get it, while the actually needy and modest appli-
cants, fail to get their share. Fraud, also, almost always en-
ters into its receipt and distribution, and in the case of O'Brien
county, while considerable money was sent by mail, no report
was ever made of receipts and disbursements, and if there was
no stealing, there surely was an opportunity.
The state senate of 1873-74, appointed a committee to visit
Northwestern Iowa with reference to legislative action, for
the purpose of securing a loan with which to buy seed grain.
December 3, 1874, Geo. D. Perkins, senator from Woodbury
county, and Samuel Fairall, senator from Johnson county, went
to Sibley and held a conference with the people. They exam-
ined the auditor's books, in order to ascertain the financial
condition of the county, and the feasibihty of the county issu-
ing warrants for the purchase of grain, and ascertained that
the count}^ could not obtain the supply needed from its own
resources.
These men expressed themselves, as wishing that the entire
general assembl}^ might be there, and see for themselves, and
promised that they would make an appeal for its sympathy,
and to its patriotism, for action in the matter. A bill was pre-
sented by Mr. Perkins, asking an appropriation of $105,000 for
the purchase of seed grain, and expenses of three commission-
ers to purchase and distribute; $5,000 out of the amount ap-
propriated, to be for expenses. Under this bill the money was
to be in the nature of a loan, which the parties were to pay
back.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, lOWA.
151
After discussion, a bill was agreed upon to donate, instead
of loan, $50,000 to the northwest counties, and this bill passed
both houses and became a law. Out of this donation O'Brien
county got its share. The Legislative Committee, Messers.
Brown and Tasker, arrived in Sheldon in March, 1874, and
" opened court." They were armed with blanks, requiring
the settler to state where
he lived, whether he
was owner or renter,
and how many acres he
had broken; also that
he had no seed, no
money to buy the seed
with, and that he would
use the seed for sowing.
They also required tes-
timony where one's
word was not consid-
ered good, and admon-
ished each and all, that
the penitentiary stared
them in the face, if they
swore falsely. This
legislative tribunal did
their work and went
home. On March 27,
1874, after the relief
business had undergone
its usual trials and vexations, and charges of fraud had gone
around, and considerable discontent and dissatisfaction, the
following instructions were issued by General Baker to com-
mittee:
" In the distribution of all supphes the utmost caution and
care must be exercised, and only the really needy must be
supplied, and they must be careful to save something on re-
serve for emergency, or in the case of sickness. In order to
lESIDENCE OF E. E. HALL, HARTLEY.
152 HISTORY OF 0*BR1EN COUNTY, IOWA.
conform to the above instructions, the committee will require
each appHcant for aid, to take and subscribe the following
oath:
« , Iowa, , 1874.
"I, do solemnly swear, so help me God,
that I have not flour or other provisions sufficient to last my
family one week, and that I have no means, on hand or at my
command, to procure subsistence for my family.
Soon after this, which was in March, 1874, the rehef busi-
ness was ended. On March 12, 1874, the State Committee
issued the following:
" Des Moines, March 12, 1874.
*' To the PubHc: The undersigned would state for the in-
formation of all concerned, that all supplies in our possession
for the northwestern settlers, will be distributed by April i,
1874.
There may be a small amount left on hand at that date, but
hardly worth consideration. The settlers and committee must
now act most cautiously, and govern themselves in accordance
with the existing condition of supplies. Any Grange, or other
benevolent people who have anything to forward, should do so
at once. All our advantages on railroad lines will probably
cease by the date above designated.
And here in conclusion, we wish to thank the railroads,
express companies and telegraph companies, for all the great
favors they have done the northwestern settlers, in forward-
ing the generous donations of our benevolent people.
N. B. Baker.
J. D. Whitman,
R. R. Harbour.
D. W. Prindle,
State Grange Committee.
After this, there was a meeting closing the matter up,
and concluding with sort of a love feast, with speeches by
Gen. Baker and others. Mr. Baker was manager-in-chief of
the relief campaign.
HISTORY OP O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
153
There was a county committee which had general charge of
the county, and also township committees, who attended in
detail to the distributions. Carloads of corn, flour, lumber,
merchandise, and leather for tapping boots, were shipped in.
Cast off clothing and old shoes, baby clothes, and all sorts of
conceivable articles were part of the relief goods.
There are men in O'Brien county today with comfortable
homes, and with plenty of this world's goods, who were eager
at that time to get
even a bushel of
corn, and Robert
J. Lynch in Sioux
count}' has the
names of several
such in his county,
whose distributing
point was at Shel-
don. There was
a great deal of
wrangling over the
goods,some charg-
ing favoritism on
the part of the committee, and others charging actual theft.
There was some stealing of the goods going on, and an
amusing incident in the theft of flour is told in a chapter on
courts. The relief campaign had its run, and after merchan-
dise stopped coming, the people lived during these grasshop-
pers times, not with luxuries, but with enough to eat, and
clothes to wear.
There was not only an era of grasshoppers and of relief,
but of chattel mortgages as well. An ingenius settler who
had gone down under a load of them, thus soliloquized at the
time:
" In the whole range of sacred and profane literature there
is nothing recorded which has such strong propensities as a
good healthy mortgage. A mortgage can be depended upon
OF E. G. TENNANT, I1.\KTLE\
154
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
to Stick closer than a brother. It has a mission to perform
which never lets up. Day after day, it has not the sH^htest
tendency to slumber, nor impair its vigor in the least. Night
and day, on the Sabbath, and in seasons of holiday without a
moments time for rest or recreation, that bitter offspring of its
existence, interest, goes
marching on. The seasons
may change, days run into
weeks, weeks into months,
months swallowed up into ad-
vancing years, but that mort-
gage stands up with sleepless
vigilance, and the interest a
perennial stream, running
ceaselessly on, like a huge
night mare eating out the
sleep of restless slumber.
The mortgage rears up its
gaunt and hungry front in
perpetual torment to the mis-
erable mortgagor, who is
It holds its poor victim with
not one hour of recreation, nor
a single moment to hide from its hideous presence. A genial
savage of mollifying aspect while the interest is paid, a very
devil of hopeless destruction when the payments fail. "
Even in grasshopper times, when crops were generally des-
troyed, there were cases where there was a large area of crops
in a body, that did not suffer so much. On the Sunny Side farm,
in Floyd township, managed by Gen. J. W. Bishop, there was
farming on a large scale. In 1875, Gen. Bishop, in order to
make it manifest that O'Brien county soil, with all its bad
notoriety, was profitable, published the following statement of
the jneld of 600 acres in Floyd township:
DK. U. T. srEWV
held within its pitiless clutch,
the relentless grasp of a giant.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 155
1875- Dr. Cr.
October. To plowing, @$ 1.50 per acre $ 900.00
March " 900 bu. of wheat, @90c 810.00
April " labor of men an teams seeding 593.00
August " 114 days' labor binding and shocking, @$3.oo
per day 342.00
" " 44 days' drying wheat in shocks, @$2.25 per
day - 99.00
" " 23 days' pitchers in stacking, @$2.25 5i-75
" " 26 days' stackers, @ $3.00 78.00
" " 46 days' team and driver, @$4.5o 207.00
September" 99 days' men in threshing, @$2.oo 198.00
" " 100 days' teams in threshing, @$3.5o 3';o.oo
" " 84 days' board machine men and teams,@$i. 00 84.00
" " pa}' threshing machine, iic, — 298 bu. @4>^c. 308.41
" " 87 days hauling wheat to station, ©$3.50 304. "jo
October " use and wear of harvesters, seeders, plows, etc.
estimated at S62.74
Interest computed at 10 per cent on money ex-
pended as above 211.60
Total expense of crop (@$9.oo per acre) $5,400.00
Yield, 11,298 bushels of wheat, machine measure, equal to
about 11,000 bushels cleaned wheat as weighed into ele-
vator, @8oc $8,800.00
Average receipts, $14.66 per acre.
BLIZZARDS.
Among other calamities of an early day were blizzards.
The word blizzard is of western origin, at any rate as to
permanent use. The eastern papers for awhile, were in doubt
what a blizzard was, although there was no doubt in the mind
of an O'Brien county settler. Often they came without warn-
ing. It can be imagined, with light snow upon the ground
say a foot or so, and then a howling northwest wind and the
mercury below zero, about what one would have to encounter.
This too, upon an unprotected prairie, settlers' shacks far
apart, and no shelter, and the blinding snow so thick, that one
could not see an object 10 feet away. People have been lost
in blizzards between their house and barn, only apart the
ordinary distance.
In a settled county with conveniences and neighbors, and
156 HISTORY or 0»BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
no necessity for going abroad, a blizzard is but an ordinary
snow storm, but in a new county, and on an unprotected
prairie, a blizzard for those who are out in it, means a terrible
hardship, and too often death. In January, 1872, one of the
worst of these swept over Northwest Iowa. Not far from
the O'Brien county line in Osceola county, quite a number
perished in the blizzard of 1872. One fellow by the name of
Nagg, leaving his family out of provisions, started with a hand
sled for Rodgers store at Sibley for a supply. He left the
store with a few needed and indispensible supplies, and started
out for home, but after a few miles out, he was overtaken b}^
the blizzard. He was a poor man and thinly clad for such
weather, but with a thought for his loved ones he pressed on,
until becoming numb and senseless from the cold, he lay down
and died. The body was found in March. The unfortunate
death of this early settler in our neighboring county, is but an
experience which was the lot of many others, and the number
of them, and the full extent of their suffenng will never be
known. There was a terrible blizzard in 1871, but owing to
the few settlers in O'Brien county then, there was no loss of life.
Most every winter the settlers experienced a blizzard, and
some of them were exceedingly severe. John Miller was over-
taken with one in 1872 at Mill Creek. He was coming from
the eastern part of the county with a load of flour, and finding
that he could not reach home, he threw the flour out, and
made somewhat of a lively race for awhile with his empty
wagon, but soon the snow was too much for that, so he un-
hitched and rode one horse leading the other, and when he
got home was just about exhausted. In 1872 also, a young
man by the name of Fred Beach, an acquaintance and friend
of W. H. Woods, coming from Iowa city to visit Mr. Woods,
and look the country over with a view of settlement, left old
O'Brien on foot, and had along with him a pup dog sent to Mr.
Woods by some friend, also had quite an amount of mail mat-
ter for the settlers on section 8 in Waterman. He had taken
the direction, but after starting out, followed the wrong creek,
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 157
and found out his mistake, which caused his return to a house
several miles back to inquire again for the road. He started
again, and soon after he was on the road a few miles, a
blizzard set in, and of
course this bewilder-
ed him, leaving him
in doubt which way
to go. No one will
ever know the anxi-
ety and suffering he
experienced, for he
never reached any
habitation alive.
Death came to his re-
lief, and with naught
but the drifting snow
for his pillow, he
breathed his life a way
upon the storm-swept =
• • C r\')-D ■ ^- "• BAILEY.
prairie ot U Brien.
When it became known that he had left old O'Brien for Mr.
Woods', and had not reached there, the settlers turned out after
the storm was over, to find him. He was found a few days
after, frozen and his face buried in the snow. The dog had
crawled in a coat pocket, and had died with his master.
In the January, 1888, blizzard, north of Paullina in Dale
township, Mrs. Anderson, her ten year old son and her aged
mother perished, and the bodies were found in the snow drifts
about forty rods from the house. It was supposed they
became frightened in the storm, and started for a neighbors,
but becoming exhausted could go no further. The daughters'
love for her mother showed itself, for, from appearances Mrs.
Anderson had taken off her own wraps, and placed them about
the old lady. About two miles from them in Carroll town-
ship, Miss Bisland a school teacher and her sister, were caught
on the prairie and perished, while their father and brother
158 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
were found benumbed and nearly dead in a hay stack. South
of Paullina Earnst Lustfelt living with F. G. Frothingham was
at the barn milking when the storm struck, and feeling that it
would be worse, started home, lost his way and spent the
night in wandering around, but about three o'clock in the
morning found a fence which he followed up, and landed at the
house of M. T. Taylor two miles distant. When he arrived
there, he was so overcome with the cold, that he was revived
with difficulty. A few miles north of Sutherland a woman
and her babe, attempting to cross the road to her brother's,
sank exhausted in the snow and died. ^
I. L. Rerick, L. A. Douglass and H. Godfrey of Paullina,
were caught in the storm going home from Primghar, lost
their way and struggled with the storm until nearly exhausted.
They found a fence at last which they followed, until Mr.
Godfrey's house was reached. Sam Norland east of Paullina
was caught out in the storm, but finding a straw stack dug a
hole in and crawled into the hole, and thereby escaped death.
The thermometer, which for some hours previous had been
twenty degrees above zero, began a swift decline, and at six
o'clock on the morning of Friday was from 36, to 40 below.
There had been such a heavy fall of snow, and it had been so
mild and warm, that a strong wind was all that was lacking to
precipitate a blizzard. This came with such suddenness and
such force, and it grew cold so rapidly, that a great many
people were caught out, who otherwise would have been
safely in doors.
No such storm had ever before been witnessed in this
region. It was brief in comparison with others, but vastly
more furious and destructive.
A recital of thrilling experiences of those who were lost in
the storm, but who survived the terrible ordeal, chills the
blood in ones veins. The agony endured by those lost and
perishing, must be imagined.
The details in such cases are sickening. In Baker town-
ship about eight miles south of Sheldon, Mrs. Kjarmoe and
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 159
Thomas Kjarmoe's wife, sister and child, perished, and on
Saturday their three bodies were frozen stiff in the snow,
forty rods from their residence. From appearances, these
three living alone, had became frightened at the fury of the
storm on Thursday night, and left their home for Mrs. Ander-
son's brothers.
When found, the old lady was sitting against a wire fence*
covered with her daughter's wraps, but which the angry blasts
had whipped to shreds.
A few rods from her daughter, she had sunk into a drift, and
falling over backward perished, while the little son rolled a few
feet further and was found curled up in death.
Calvin R. Hurd, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Hurd was lost
while returning from school to his home six miles northwest of
Sheldon. He was found within a few rods of Mr. Winslow's-
house, and had struggled against the storm until he finally
surrendered. He was
about eighteen years of
age, and was a bright, am-
bitious fellow anxious for
an education. His par-
ents now reside in Shel-
don.
E. B. Pike left Sheldon
for Hull with two horses
about four o'clock, and the
storm overtook him at the
railroad crossing, four
miles west of town. He
was lost, and wandered
about over the prairie un-
til towards morning, when
he came across a hay stack, where he tarried and industriously
pulled hay until morning, to keep up a circulation and save
his life. He was badly frost bitten, and that night's exper-
ience was frightful. His escape from death was wonderful.
FRANK PAICH.
160 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
He turned his horses adrift to look out for themselves, and
both animals were alive and well the next day, one of them
being dug out of a snow drift. Pike had on two overcoats,
or rather one overcoat and a rubber coat, and being an old
timer and stout, was able to pull through.
F. N. Derby, O'Brien's county treasurer, got lost on his
way home, distance about eighty rods from the court house,
and was out in the storm two hours. He finally caught a
glimpse of the light his wife had thoughtfully placed in the
window as a beacon, and reached his home. He was so
chilled and exhausted, that it was only the prompt use of stim-
ulants, and vigorous rubbing of his body and limbs, that he
was saved.
Some eight or ten miles south and east of Sheldon, occurred
one of the saddest cases in the whole Hst. Will Bisland a
squatter, had been to Primghar attending court. On his way
to the county seat in the morning, he stopped at his father's
home four miles from his own home, and left his sister and
housekeeper. Miss Jennie Bisland, who had accompanied her
brother that far, to spend the day with her parents and her
sister. Miss Matilda. Jennie was 25 years old, TiUie 22. On
his return from court at night, Will stopped at his father's,
and Tillie got aboard the sleigh with Jennie, intending to go
home with her and spend the night. Will started the team^
and after they had gone about two miles, about half the dis-
tance between the two homes, the storm struck them, and the
horses refused to face it. In attempting to turn around, the
team broke the sleigh tongue, and had to be detached. Will
and his two sisters started on foot to return to their father's.
After they had gone about a mile and a half, the girls had be-
come so exhausted in wading through the deep snow, that
they said they could not walk any further. Will suggested
that they ride the horses, but they didn't think they could, the
wind was blowing so furiously, and the snow drifted so badly,
the horses were unmanageable. Thereupon Will dug a hole
in a deep drift, told the girls to get into it, and remain until he
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 161
could go to the house and get help. He was sure he knew
where he was, and after removing his fur coat and wrapping
it around the young ladies, the plucky fellow hastened on
toward home. He lost his way, and after letting the horses
go, wandered about until the next morning, bringing up at
Barney Schnieder's in Carroll township, several miles from
where his father lived.
He said he was tempted
to surrender several
times, during his awful i^^ ^^^ ip.
*
experience, but the ||P ^w^
thought of the perilous ^ W
situation of his two sis-
ters, nerved and stimu-
lated him, so that he
was able to weather the
storm. His escape seems
to have been providen-
tial and miraculous, and
such heroism is seldom
exhibited. The Bis-
C. K. WEST.
land's were more than
doubly unfortunate. The old gentleman and his hired man
who had been out to do the chores about the barn, lost their
way in attempting to return to the house, and they too were
out all night.
PRAIRIE FIRE.
It seems queer to us now, but in October, 1879, ^ fearful
prairie fire swept a portion of Northwestern Iowa, and O'Brien
county suffered considerably. C. W. Inman lost over fifteen
hundred bushels of oats, and J. R. Pumphrey a fine grove of
trees. Several houses were burned, and hay and grain stacks,
principally in the eastern part of the county.
These prairie fires were extremely troublesome and danger-
ous every year, until the county became sufficiently settled, so
that there was no fear of them. Portions of Dakota are now
162 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
troubled, as we were in the early days. It was also a singular
fact, that settlers knew how easy it was for a prairie fire to get
started, and how difficult it was to prevent destruction of all
before it, unless preparation had been made in advance by
burning off around the premises, or by breaking, or plowing
the ground to prevent it. Still, with all the knowledge of the
danger, every year that the county was swept by the fire, there
would always be a certain number, unprepared and unprotec-
ted. There was a law, and is now, punishing even careless-
ness in setting fire to prairie grass, but this did not seem to go
very fai in protection. Sometimes in burning around stacks, as a
precautionary measure, the fire would get away, as in the case
of Thomas Holmes; or perhaps some smoker would care-
lessly distribute his fire; someone camping and cooking —
these along, sometimes with absolute maliciousness, were
the cause of much damage to settlers by prairie fire. It is
truthful]}^ said, that fire is a good servant but a bad master.
In addition to other calamities which have befallen O'Brien
county in early days, were also hail storms. In the latter part
of the 70's, a frightful hail storm swept over the country from
northeast to southwest. In that storm Harvey Luce lost
crops, the estimated value at that time of $1,200. Bert Mc-
Clellan lost sixty acres of flax, and Pat Carroll, Geo. Menning,
Robert Potter, C. Clindt, Enoch Philby, Levi Dingley, J. W.
Egy, A. W. Sutter, Wm. Pursel, Wm. Schneider, W. E.
Welch, F. A. Beers, Daniel Moffit were cleaned out com-
pletely. Window lights were smashed by the hundred. Hail-
stones of enormous size fell, and even in some places the grass
was cut. Thert. were other hail storms, but those of three
different years are remembered, when the resuh left consider-
able damage to settlers.
Every settler of the early days, remembers not only a battle
with the grasshoppers, but with mosquitoes as well. It is true,
they did not eat the crops, this was not in their line of business,
but the usual occupation of a mosquito was industriously fol-
lowed. In the proper season, when this pest gets in its work,
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
163
you would see the smoke from a smudge, intended to keep
them away, the family preferring to sit in the smoke rather
than be exposed to the repeated and annoying attacks of
mosquitoes. They would swarm all over a fellow, and the bat-
tle with the hands
was entirely inef-
fectual, for when
they came, they
conquered. The
mosquito was after
blood, and had its
size been in ac-
cordance with its
strength and ca-
pacity, not a set-
tler would have
survived to tell the
tale. He would
have stood no more
show for his life,
than a Spanish soldier in the wilds of Cuba, surrounded by a
regiment of insurgents. But the race seems to have died out,
not extinct, but its ranks thin and scattering, so that now in
their determined persistency of attack, there is no danger of
anyone being sacrificed.
CYCLONES.
The terrible cyclone of June, 1882, got in its work at Paul-
lina. About two miles northwest of Paulhna, two of these
circling eddies of destruction uniied, and two seconds there-
after about the hour of 6:15, struck the ground a few rods
west of the M, E. church, hovering close to the earth until it
shattered the church edifice, and the residence of William
Hastings, which stood in a stones throw to the south and east
of the church, into fragments, strewing the ground with the
combined wreck of the two buildings for many rods in the
storm's course. Mr. Hastings noticed the approach of the
RESIDENCE OF R. A. WOODWARD, HARTLEY.
164 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Storm, and succeeded in urging his wife and little ones into
the cellar, but before he could follow them, was hurled with
the flying debris through the air a distance of a lOO feet,
alighting insensible near the houses occupied by W.J. Stewart,
W. H. Durham, Walter Scott and famiHes. Coming to his
senses in the midst of the strong gale that followed the tor-
nado, he dragged his wounded body to the east end of the
Stewart house, from where he was taken into shelter through
a window. At tirst, he was thought to be in a dying condition,
but medical aid being summoned, his wounds were dressed
and his spirits revived. Mr. Hastings' family escaped unhurt,
but suffered almost a complete loss of household furniture and
wearing apparel. One of the saddest features of the disaster
in this village, was the shocking injuries sustained by Walter
Scott, who had approached a window to observe the storm at
the north side of the Stewart house. A heavy piece of timber,
either from the church wreck, or from the demolished house
of Hastings', came crashing through the wall, striking Walter
on the head and hurling him senseless across the room, where
he lay dead, as it was supposed, over his infant child which
he held in his arms at the time of the catastrophe. But on
being picked up by W. H. Durham, who too had been struck
in the head and stunned by flying debris, it was discovered
that Walter was still breathing, though feebly, and his child
was unharmed. The surgeon found Walter's injuries to
consist of a fractured cheek bone with a bad depression,
and a fatally injured eye. At first his brain was thought to
be injured at its base, and his case pronounced a hopeless one,
but in the lapse of time, and with careful nursing, he gradually
improved.
The main whirl that swept away the church and Mr.
Hastings' dwelling, passed within twenty rods of the house
directly east of where the church stood, which was occupied
by the Times editor and family, scattering the church
timbers in the front yard, and spurs from the current taking
off half the roof of his house, causing the bricks of the upper
MiSTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, tOWA. l6y
portion of the chimney to crash through the ceiling, falling
in the sitting room within a few feet of its occupants. The
barn of Geo. Hakeman was also struck by a spur of the
"twister' and demoHshed. The carriage sheds attached to
the north of Frank Tifft's livery barn, were also struck and
carried away. A portion
of the roof of the resi-
dence of Mrs. W. A.
Acer, in the south part
of town chanced to be
in the track of the spur,
and was hurled to the
ground.
The M. E. parsonage
stable in the north part
of town, was badly
twisted. The strong
gale from the whirl ex-
tended some miles south
- B. T. WOODS.
oi town.
At Alex Davidson's place on Mill Creek, in Union town-
ship, the barn was demolished, and the dwelling taken from
the foundation. All the buildings on the farm of W. P.
Davis, with the exception of the dwelling, were destroyed,
including the fine barn, and cattle sheds, etc.
The large barn on the farm occupied by J. M. Thayer, on
section 12. in Dale township, was destroyed, and half of the
dwelling unroofed. The barn on the Harker & Green farm,
in Highland township, three miles southeast of town, was de-
molished. Just south of the Harker & Green place, Mr. Wai-
ting's new house was shattered to its foundation; its occu-
pants had taken refuge in a cave. The gale also extended
north of town, and an unoccupied house in Center township
was swept away. A lighter branch of the tornado took a more
southerly course from Primghar, going through the southeast-
ern sections of Highland township, on its way down there,
1(36 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
carrying away the house and barn of Stewart King. It then
struck the town of Sutherland doing damage there. In the
southeast part ot Paullina it blew down a barn, and killed ^
horse, then seemed to pass over the house of Thos. Rollins on
section 12, in Highland, where Mr. Rollins' house was twisted
from its foundation, and badly racked, giving Mrs. Rollins and
her children quite a scare and a shaking up. Mr. Rollins was
away from home at a neighbor's, but when the storm was ap-
proaching started home. While on the way he was overtaken,
thrown across the road into a willow hedge, and was consid-
erably scratched and bruised. The next trace of the storm
was on section 7 in Grant township, where the house and barn
of Fred Lemke were completely swept away. It is a most
singular thing that the Lemke family were not all killed, for
the house with the family in it, was rolled over and over, and
finally taken into the air again, and then dashed to the ground
in fragments. Robert Lemke, 4 years of age, received an ugly
wound in the face, and when the stable went to pieces, one
horse was badly crippled. Along the same route was the
Covey church in Grant township, which was badly racked.
On section 8 in the same township William Haver, his wife
and hired man were working in the garden setting out plants.
They did not notice the storm approaching, until it was nearly
upon them, then they started for the house. Before they
reached the house the roof was taken off, and the walls thrown
down, a flying timber striking Mrs. Haver killed her instantly.
On section 16 in Grant township James Hiatt had nearly com-
pleted a dwelling house for his family, which was completely
demolished. They were living in a tent, and when the storm
struck them, they were taken up in the air, and carried some
distance, but strange to say not one of them were seriously in-
jured.
James Janes living on section 21, lost his house and stable,
which were completely swept away, and the occupants of the
house thrown in different directions.
On section 10, Ed Shephard's stables were destroyed.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, lOWA.
167
On the same section James Frush lost his stables, and the
house was badly racked. Near Mr. Frush, John Dakin lost
his stables, and his house was taken from the foundation. On
section 21 Mr. Lackey's house was completely demolished,
and his barn nearly so. On section 21 Mr. William Seeley's
house was taken up by the cyclone and brought to the earth
twice before going to pieces.
All the family were in the
house and were carrit^d sev-
eral rods from its ruins, all in
different directions, but very
singular the only one seri-
ously hurt was Mr. Seeley.
He was soon after picked
up by the neighbors and sup-
posed to be dead, but was
only unconscious from the
shock and soon afterwards
recovered. The family lost
all their clothing and house-
hold goods. The house of
Walter Cooper on section 29,
was scattered over the prairie in fragments, the family had
taken refuge in a low strong granary which withstood the
storm.
Don C. Barray living on section 28, lost his barn complete-
ly, but the house was saved by being sheltered in a grove.
The De Mars family were not so fortunate in escaping.
Their ht)use standing on section 15, was crushed into frag-
ments completely. Miss Elese De Mars a young lady of 20
years of age was so badly injured, she died a few days after.
Mrs. De Mars' collar bone was broken, and her head and
chest badly lacerated. Eugene was seriously wounded in the
head, Sammy got an ugly wound in the side, Joseph Jr. was
hurt badly in the head, leg and arm, and Diiia got some
face wounds. On section 25 the house and barn of Thos
GEO. DIXON.
168
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN^ COUNTY, IOWA.
Jenkins were crushed. The family was not injured except
Mrs. Jenkins, and her collar bone was broken. An infant
of the family was carried over twenty rods, and deposited
in a shallow pool of water, but was not injured, only badly
frightened. On section 14 the storm took the barn of R. M.
Boyd, shattering it and driving many pieces of the wreck
deeply in the ground, but the dwelling house which stood in a
ravine, escaped by losing a portion of the roof and chimney.
On section 13 in Waterman township, the house of James
Jenkens was torn completely
to pieces. Mrs. Jenkens was
caught between a hot stove
and a barrel of lime, her body
was badly burned, and her
eyes burned nearly from their
sockets. The house and barn
of Oliver Marcott on section
13 in Waterman was swept
away, but the family escaped,
having taken refuge in a
cave. On the same section
the upper part of the house
of John De Tour was shatter-
ed in the upper story, and
about two-thirds of the barn
was torn into fragments,
leaving a few feet of the
c. E. ACHORN. building standing on the foun-
dation, showing the singular
antics of a tornado. On section 12 in Waterman township
Thos. Marcott lost his house and barn. George, a boy of five
years was so severely injured, that he died two days after.
Thomas received a dangerous gash in the head, and it is a
wonder in that case, that all were not killed. Mr. Marcot
also lost a roll of greenbacks to the value of six hundred
dollars.
History of o'brien county, iowa. leg
On section ii was the house of Anthon Boyer, a bache-
lor which was completely destroyed. He was at the house
of William Conrad on section 3, which was also destroyed,
and the inmates severely injured. Anthon had two ribs
broken, Mrs. Conrad's skull was fractured, and her shoulder
hurt, Lennie Conrad had his hip bone broken, Mattie her
arm broken, Lily was injured in the back, and Mr. Conrad
was injured in the face. In Grant township on section 7 the
house of Abram Opdyke was demolished, and Abram was
so badly crushed by a portion of the upper floor fallinjj
upon him, that he died the next day. In Omega township the
residence of Dr. Powers was destroyed, but as the family
took refuge in the cellar they escaped without injury. About
all of the houses destroyed were new buildings, and were
better than the average style of country residences then. The
storm was about three miles in width, and the older residents
did not suffer as much as the others, their places being pro-
tected by groves.
CHAPTER IX.
In order that we may not drift too far away ; from the
early days, we will now ^ive something of the county
records as they appear on the books.
What would be considered the first record of the county,
was written by H. C. Tiffy, one of the gang of organizers.
It was not kept as is usually done in a book prepared for
that purpose, but was written on foolscap paper, and then
fastened together with the usual office fastener. It was no
doubt intended for a record. Tiffy was elected clerk of the
board in 1861, so that we will first give the record made
by Tiffy on the foolscap paper.
October 20, i860, J. W. Bosler took the contract to
build a court house for recorder and treasurer, and (the
old proviso) not to be over 18 feet square.
A temporary office for county judge was built by A.
Murry, as is shown by his bill allowed for same. This was
the old log court house.
November 5, i860, the first county safe was purchased
of Bosler & Hedges for treasurer's office.
H. C. Tiffy built an office November 7, i860 for district
clerk in connection with the office built by Murry for re-
corder and treasurer.
In December, i860, H. H. Waterman resigned as treasurer
and recorder.
John H. Cofer was the first chairman of the board.
James W. Bosler followed Waterman as treasurer and re-
corder.
1-^2 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
On January i, 1861, Amos. S. Collins assessed the whole
of Waterman township, being then all the county, and was
the first assessor.
On January 3, 1861, the first levy was made to build the
first school house in the county.
In September, i860, J. S. Jenkins made a county map for
the county, he being the first surveyor.
The Records show that J. W. Bosler was the first attorney
in the county.
The county was detached from Woodbury, and E. C.
Hedges made copies of the Woodbury records, or so much
thereof as pertained to O'Brien county.
Archibald Murry built both the log court house, and the
"not over 18 foot square. "
The first tax list was published by Zebeck and Freiney.
John H. Cofer was made chairman for 1862, and also was
county judge for a term commencing January i, 1862.
On June i, 1862, James R. M. Cofer was appointed treas-
urer and recorder. On June i, 1862, G. Hoffman was ap-
pointed sheriff in place of A. Murry. There is no record of
how or when Murry got into the office.
On January i, 1863, Moses Lewis and Daniel Clark were
sworn in as supervisors, and H. C. Tiffey as district clerk.
On March 2, 1863, James R. Cofer resigned as treasurer
and recorder, and David Carroll was appointed.
On March 2, 1863, J. H. Cofer resigned as judge, and John
L. McFarland was appointed.
In March, 1864, H. C. Tiffey was clerk of the board of
supervisors.
On June 2, 1864, David Carroll resigned as treasurer and
recorder, and John L. McFarland appointed.
On September 5, 1864, Moses Lewis dug a well for the
court house.
On September 2, i86t, the county bought the southwest
quarter 36-94-39 of H. C. Tiffey for county purposes.
On March 29, 1861, Judge A. W. Hubbard appointed Sam-
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 173
uel Parkhurst of Cherokee county; Edward Smeltzer of Clay
county, and James Gleason of Buena Vista county, commis-
sioners to locate the county seat of O'Brien county, and on
August 28, 1861, the first two commissioners did so locate
same on southwest of northwest 36-94-39 bought of H. C.
Tiffey.
This paper, after Tiffey's administration; was not noticed,
until, during the time A. H. Willets was clerk of the court,
when the records were moved from old O'Brien the first
county seat, to Primghar,
in 1873. It was with some ^' ' ''\.
other loose papers in a
box, evidently not intended ^^
for preservation, but after ^^
the removal of the records, ^
and the box was overhaul- "^
ed, it was found. The
book records commence
with the preliminary steps
taken towards organization
and are as follows:
A petition from the legal
voters of O'Brien county,
State of Iowa, to the
county judge of Wood-
bury county praying for an organization; after due consider-
ation said petition was granted and J. C. Furber was ap-
pointed organizing sheriff, and an election ordered to be held
at the house of Hannibal Waterman, in O'Brien county on the
6th day of February, A. D. i860.
At an election held at the house of Hannibal Waterman in
'the county of O'Brien on the 6th day of February, A. D. i860,
J. C. Furber, H. Waterman and A. Murry acting as judges,
J. W. Bosler and James Gleason acting as clerks, the follow-
ing officers were elected to serve until the next general election :
WILLIAM HARKE
174 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
County Judge— J. C. Furber.
Treasurer and Recorder — Hannibal Waterman.
Clerk— A. Murry.
Sheriff- -L. McClellan.
County Surveyor — A. Murry.
Superintendent Common Schools — H. Waterman.
April 7th. A petition having been presented for a road
from Waterman to Sioux county line in a direction to mouth
Rock river, A. Murry was today appointed a commissioner
to locate said road. I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
April 7th. Bill oE Chas. E. Smeltzer to the amount of
twenty-seven dollars to purchase books for O'Brien county,
was presented and said bill being just and correct, an order
is hereby drawn for the said amount.
May 21, i860. I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Order No. 2.
April 7th. Bill of W. W. Mills & Co. to the amount of
one hundred and twenty-five dollars, was presented and
receipted by Chas. Smeltzer. Said bill is considered just and
order drawn for the said amount.
May 21, i860. I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Order No. 3.
April 7th. Bill of H. H. Waterman to the amount of three
dollars presented for services rendered in viewing road. Said
bill being just and correct, an order has been drawn for the
amount.
May 21, i860. I. C. EuRBER,
County Judge.
Order No. 4.
May 22, i860. Bill of H. H. Waterman for his salary as
treasurer and recorder for the quarter ending May 6, amount-
STORE BUILDING OF W. A. WASSON, SANBORN.
176 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
ing to twelve dollars and fifty cents. Said bill is allowed
and an order is hereby drawn for said amount.
I. C. FURBER,
County Judge.
Order No. 5.
May 22, i860. Bill of A. Murry for his salary as county
clerk for the quarter ending May 6, amounting to twelve
dollars and fifty cents. Said bill is allowed and an order is
hereby drawn for said amount.
I. C. FuRBER,
County Judge.
Order No. 6.
May 22, i860. Bill of I. C. Furber for his salary as county
judge for the quarter ending May 6, assigned to Wm. G.
Stewart, amounting to twelve dollars and fifty cents. Said
bill is allowed and an order is hereby drawn for said amount.
I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Order No. 7.
May 22, i860. Bill of H. H. Waterman for office rent,
was presented and allowed, and an order drawn for the
amount, twenty dollars.
I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Order No. 8.
May 22, i860. Bill of A. Murry for office rent was pre-
sented and allowed, and an order drawn for the amount,
twenty dollars.
I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Order No. 9.
May 22, i860. Bill of I. C. Furber for office rent was pre-
sented and allowed, and an order drawn for the amount,
twenty dollars.
I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
178 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Order No. lo.
May 22, i860. Bill of I. C. Furber, an organizing sheriff
of O'Brien county was presented and the same being just and
correct, and assigned to Wm. G. Stewart, an order is hereby
drawn for the amount, sixteen dollars.
I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Order No. ir.
July 30, i860. Bill of H. H. Waterman for viewing road
June 30th was presented, and being just and correct an order
was drawn for the amount of one dollar and ninety-two cents.
I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Order No. 13.
June 30th. Bills of I. C. Furber assigned to Wm. G. Stew-
art for services as organizing sheriff of O'Brien county were
presented, and being just and correct, orders are hereby
drawn for the amounts ($11.52 and $28.48,) amounting to
thirty dollars.
I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Order No. 14.
July II, i860. Bill of Wm. G. Stewart for use of team in
viewing road was presented, and the same being just and cor-
rect, an order is hereby drawn for the amount, six dollars.
I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Order No. 15.
July 17, i860. Bill of I. C. Furber salary and office rent,
assigned to A. Murry and Wm. G. Stewart, was presented,
and being just and correct, an order is hereby drawn for the
amount, twenty-five dollars and fifteen cents, also balance
on same account, six dollars and eighty-five cents.
I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
180 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Order No. i6.
July 17, i860. Amount $6.85. Balance of I. C. Furber
account, as salary and office rent assigned to Wm. G. Stewart,
amounting to six dollars and eighty-five cents, said bill is
hereby allowed and an order drawn for the above amount.
I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Order No. 17.
July 30, i860. Amount ipi. Bill of W, G. Stewart tor
copying tax list was presented, and being considered just and
correct, an order was drawn for the above amount.
I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Order No. 18.
10th of August, i860. Amount $12. Bill of A. Murry
was presented for salary for three months, including August
6th, i860, said bill being considered just and correct, an order
was drawn for the amount.
I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Order No. 19.
August II, i860. $32.00. Bill of H. H. Waterman was
presented for his salary and office rent, for the quarter ending
August 6, i860. Said bill being considered just and correct
an order is hereby drawn for the amount.
I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Order No. 20.
August II, i860. $20.00. Bill of A. Murry was presented
for balance of salary and office rent for the quarter ending
August 6, i860. Said bill allowed, and an order drawn for
the amount of twenty dollars.
I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Order No. 21.
August II, i860. $50.00. Bill of Wm. G. Stewart was
presented for his services for making out tax list for the year
182 WISTORY OF* O'BRIEN ';CoUNTY. IOWA.
of i860, and for transcribing delinquent tax list, and for com-
paring and arranging the same in proper form for the printer.
Said bill is allowed and an order drawn for the amount.
I. C. FURBER,
County Judge.
Order No. 22
August Ti, i860. $5.00. Bill of W. G. Stewart was pre-
sented for services locating and staking out a road to the
southwest corner of O'Brien county. Said bill is allowed and
an order drawn for the amount.
I. C. FuRBER,
County Judge.
Ordered that Wm. G. Stewart and A. Murry be appointed
as commissioners to locate a road from Waterman to the
Plymouth county line in a direction to Melboune, Plymouth
county.
I. C. FuRBER,
County Judge.
Order No. 23.
August i8th, i860. Amount $100. Bill of Ticbuch and
Franey was presented for printing blank receipts and order
book, and for other printing for O'Brien county, amounting to
one hundred dollars, said bill is allowed and an order drawn
for the amount. I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Orders Nos. 24 and 25.
August 30th. Amount $187. Bill of H. C. Tiffy was
presented amounting to one hundred and eighty-seven dol-
lars, for his services for transcribing records and delinquent
tax list from the Woodbury count}'^ books. This bill is allowed
and an order drawn for the amount.
I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Order No. 26.
September ist, i860. Amount $25. Bill of A. Murry
McKEEVER BLOCK, SHELDON.
184 HISTORY OF* O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
was presented for selecting swamp land order 26, amounting
to twenty-five dollars was drawn on act of said bill.
I. C. FURBER,
County Judge.
Order No. 27.
September ist, i860. Amount $20. Order No. 27 drawn
on the same act as order No. 26.
I. C. FuRBER,
County Judge.
Order No. 28.
September ist. Amount $8.50. Bill of S. P. Yoemans was
presented amounting to eight dollars and fifty cents, plats
for use of the officers of O'Brien county. Said bill is allowed
and an order drawn for the amount.
I. C. FuRBER,
County Judge.
Order No. 29.
September i, i860. $25.00. Bill of J. P. Allison was pre-
sented for comparing deed records of Woodbury, with the
O'Brien county abstract. Said bill is allowed and an order
drawn for the amount of twenty-five dollars.
I. C. FuRBER,
County Judge.
Order No. 30.
September ist. ^20. Bill of A. Murry for surveying road
and selecting swamp lands. Order No. 30, is drawn on said
act, amounting to twenty dollars.
I. C. FuRBER,
County Judge.
Order No. 31.
September 7, i860. $10.00. Bill of C. C. Smeltz^^r
amounting to ten dollars for express fees on, and for hauling
county books from Fort Dodge and from Sioux City. Said
bill is allowed and an order drawn for the amount.
I. C. FuRBER,
County Judge.
HOTEL GRAND, PRIMGIIAII.
186 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Report of A. Murry as commissioner to local roads from
Waterman to Sioux county line, and from Waterman to Ply-
mouth county line has this day been received and accepted,
and filed for record, the roads having been located as said re-
port shows.
I. C. FURBER,
County Judge.
Orders Nos. 32, 33, 34, 35.
Bill of Tiebach and Freney for printing dehnquent tax list
for the years 1858 and 1859. Said bill was properly sworn
to by one of said firm, and all of the forms of law have been
complied with, and believing said bill to be just and correct,
an order is hereb}^ drawn for the amount.
I. C. FuRBER,
County Judge.
It having been made apparent to the satisfaction of the
court, that there are no trustees in O'Brien township, the
court appoints William Barrie and A. Murry, judges, to be
held in said county on October 6, i860, who have appeared
and been duly sworn to fulfil said offices.
I. C. FuRBER,
County Judge.
Ordered, that William Barrie be allowed Ninety Dollars out
of the road fund levied by the county judge of Woodbury
county for the year 1858, and that the same be received by
the treasurer in the payment of said road tax, for repairing the
road between Waterman and Cherokee, and that a road or-
der be therefore issued for the same.
I. C. FuRBER,
County Judge.
Office of the County Judge, )
October 20th, i860. \
O'Brien county, by its judge, has this day entered into a
contract with J.W. Bosler to build an office at the county seat,
and to be of good material. Size not more than eighteen feet
RESIDENCE OF W. N .STRONG, SHELDON.
1S8 HISTORY OP 0*fiRiEN COUNTY, lOWA.
square, and to be finished by the ist of May, 1862, for which
he shall receive the sum of two thousand dollars, which amount
the court now issues on order on the treasurer.
I. C. FURBER,
County Judge.
No. 39. Bill of R. Smith for indexing deeds, amounting to
ten dollars.
Office of the County Judge,
October 23d, i860.
H. C. Tiffey has this day been awarded contracts as follows:
One to build a bridge over the east branch of Mill creek on
the road from Waterman to the Plymouth county line, for
which he is to receive the sum, of one hundred dollars; also,
to build a bridge over the west branch of Mill creek, on
new road, for which he shall receive the sum of five hun-
dred dollars. Also five hundred dollars to put the balance
of said road in a traveling condition, and the court being satis-
fied that said contracts will be complied with, an order for the
several amounts is hereby ordered issued.
I. C. FURBER,
County Judge.
Office of the County Judge,
• , October 30, i860.
The court has this day awarded a contract to Lewis McCoj'-,
for selecting the swamp lands of O'Brien county and properly
returning the same, which work is to be performed during the
year of 1861, for which he shall receive the sum of two
thousand dollars, and being satisfied that said McCoy will
perform said work, said amount is hereby ordered issued.
I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Office of the County Judge,
November i, i860.
Ordered, that the sum of two thousand dollars be allowed
from the county treasurer to J. W. Bosler, to pay for services
190 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
and expenses to Des Moines and Washington, as agent for the
county to prosecute the claim of the county for the swamp
lands, and order is hereby issued for that amount.
I. C. FURBER,
County Judge.
Office of the County Judge,
November i, i860.
Ordered, that the sum of $500.00 be allowed and paid to
Wm. Barrie, on building bridge on the road from Waterman
to Cherokee.
I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Office of the County Judge,
November i, i860.
Ordered, J. W. Bosler be allowed $300.00 for attorney
fees, attending to getting the back taxes from Woodbury
county.
I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Office of the County Judge,
November 30, i860.
Ordered, that H. C. Tiffey be allowed five hundred dol-
lars in addition to what he has received, for transcribing the
records from Woodbury county and that the same be paid.
I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Office of the County Judge, \
November 3, i860. \
Ordered, that A. Murry be allowed the sum of four hun-
dred dollars, for making out tax list for i860, and that the
same be paid.
I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Office of the County Judge,
November 3.
Ordered, that H. C. Tiffey be allowed the sum of two
]92 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
hundred dollars for making out a set of plats of the county,
and that an order be issued for the same.
I. C. FURBER,
County Judge.
Office of the County Judge, }
November 3, i860. (
Ordered, that J. W. Bosler be allowed the sum of two
hundred dollars for blank books furnished the county, and
that the same be paid.
I. C. FuRBER,
County Judge.
Office of the County Judge,
November 30, 1S60.
Oidered, that Hedges & Co. be allowed the sum of two
hundred dollars, for stationery furnished county officers, and
that the same be paid.
I. C. FuRBER,
County Judge.
Office of the County Judge, \
November 30, i860. (
Ordered, that A. Murry be allowed the sum of three
hundred dollars for wood furnished county officers, and that
same be allowed.
I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Office of the County Judge, }
November 30, i860. |
Ordered, that A. Murry and I. C. Furber, be allowed the
sum of three hundred dollars for building temporary office
for the county judge and district clerk, and that the same
be paid.
I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Office of the County Judge, }
November 5, i860. ^
Ordered, that A. Murry be allowed the sum of three
RESIDENCE OF W. W. JOHNSON, SANBORN.
194 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
hundred dollars to furnish desks for the county judge's
office, and the district clerk.
I. C, FURBER,
County Judge.
Office of the County Judge, )
November 5, i860. \
Ordered, that C. E. Hedges be allowed three hundred
dollars for transcribing tax list, and comparing records, and
that the same be paid.
I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Office of the County Judge, \
November 5, i860. \
Ordered, that Wm. G. Crantz be allowed the sum of nine
hundred dollars, for laying out and putting in traveling con-
dition a road from Waterman, to mouth of Rock river in Sioux
county, said road being built on the part of the county to the
O'Brien county line.
I. C. FuRBER,
County Judge.
Ordered, that A. Murry be appointed sheriff of this county.
I. C. FuRBER,
County Judge.
Office of the County Judge, \
November 5, i860, j^
Ordered, that Bosler and Hedges be allowed the sum of six
hundred dollars for a safe for the use of the county, said safe
being delivered in said county, the amount is ordered paid.
I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Office of the County Judge, )
November 5, i860, j
Ordered, that H. C. Tiffy be allowed the sum of fifteen
hundred dollars to build an office for the district clerk, at
'^
196 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
the county seat; said office to be built in connection with the
office of the treasurer and recorder.
J. C. FURBER,
County Judge.
Office of the County Judge,
November 6, i860.
Ordered, that A. Murry be allowed the sum of two
hundred dollars for clerk hire in the office of district clerk,
and the same be paid.
I. C. FuRBER,
Countv Judgt^.
Office of the County Judge, |
November 5, i860. (
Ordered, that H. C. Tiffey be allowed the sum of three
hundred dollars for making out delinquent tax list, and that
the same be paid.
I. C. Furber,
* County Judge.
Office of the County Judge, \
November 6, i860, j" .
Ordered, that Hedges and Compan}^ be allowed three
hundred dollars for stationery furnished district clerk, and
that the same be paid.
I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Office of the County Judge,
November 6, i860.
Ordered, I. C. Furber be allowed for lumber furnished the
county to repair the road from Waterman to Cherokee.
I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Office of the County Judge,
November 10, i860.
A petition having been presented by a sufficient number of
the voters of O'Brien county, desiring a division of said
county into two (2) townships, and the court being satisfied of
198 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN;; COUNTY, IOWA.
the necessity of such decision; it is therefore ordered that so
much of the county as is undivided in Congressional townships
Nos. 97-39, 97-4I5 97-42, also 96-39, 96-40, 96-41,96-42, also
95-41, 95-42, also 94-41, 94-42 be organized into a new town-
ship to be called O'Brien township, and that an election be
held at the house of A. Murry on the first of March, 1861,
and I hereby appoint Samuel Morrow, William Barrie and L.
McLelland as judges of election to conduct the first election,
in said township.
I. C. FURBER,
County Judge.
To the County ytid^'e of G' Brien County :
I herewith tender my resignation as treasurer and recorder
of said county, and desire the same to be accepted.
December 11, i860. H. H. Waterman.
Witness: H. C. Tiffey.
Office of County Judge,
December 11, i860.
The above resignation of H. H. Waterman as treasurer and
recorder, was accepted this iiih day of December, i860.
I. C. Furber,
County Judge.
Office of the County Judge, \
January i, 1861. (
Ordered, that A. Murry be allowed twenty dollars for
salary, and that an order be issued for the same.
A. Murry.
Office of the County Judge, \
January i, 1861. j
Ordered, that A. Murry be allowed three dollars as judge
of election, and an order be issued for the same.
A. Murry.
Bill of H. H. Waterman for salary and office, amounting to
forty-seven dollars.
December 12, i860. A. Murry,
County Judge.
200 HISTORY OF O'BRlENi COUNTY, IOWA.
Bill of A. S. Collins for $4.00 for bounty on swifts, order
issued for same.
A. MURRY,
County Judge.
Ordered, that I. C. Furber be allowed twenty dollars for
salary and office rent, and an order be issued for the same.
A. MuRRY,
County Judge.
January i, 1861.
Ordered, that H. C. Tiffey be allowed forty dollars for
making out tax list, and an order be issued for the same.
A. MuRRY,
County Judge.
Office of County Judge,
January i, 1861.
There bemg no school organization in our county, I have
this day in settling with the treasurer and recorder, secured
from him county orders in payment of school fund.
A. MuRRY,
County Judge.
January i, 1861.
I have this day sold to I. C. Furber a warrant on Woodbury
county amounting to $454.00, being paid by said county for
taxes collected after organization, and secured for same a like
amount of O'Brien to orders.
A. MuRRY,
County Judge.
Up to January 7, 1861, there is no book record, but on that
date the book record commences. All previous to this Jan-
uary 7, 1861, is on sheets of paper. It would be impossible
to copy all of these records, but we will give substantially what
Wc.s done at each meeting, during the reign of the boodler
gang, or up to the time the rapid settlement of the county com-
menced.
HISTORY OP O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
201
Meeting January 7? 1861. This must have been the first
meeting of the board of supervisors, as the record states that
fact, and starts out as follows : "At this regular meeting of the
board of supervisors held on this 7th day of January 1861. H.
C. Tiffey's bond as clerk of the board was accepted, and A. S.
Collins was appointed assessor."
The following bills were allowed: — A. S. Collins bounty on
wolf and swift scalps $14,00, C. C. Smeltzer making out poll
books $10,00, adjourned to January 8, 1861. At this meeting
nothing was done except
to allow Collins $2.00 for
swifts scalps. Adjourned
until the first Monday in
March, 1861.
At this meeting ColHns
was allowed $1.10 for wolf
scalp, George Bassett
$1.00 for services render-
ed, A. Murry for ' wolf
scalps $5.00. H.C.Tiffey
was impowered to draw
orders in payment of bills
presented for bounty, etc.
June 13, 1861. — At this
meeting four mills was
levied for county purposes,
three mills for road purposes, five mills for building school
house in Waterman, one mill for bridge purposes, two mills
for school contingent fund, and one mill for paying teachers.
Between meetings of the board there are orders made by the
clerk for payment of money in accordance with a resolution
passed at the March meeting, — in accordance with this June 14,
1861, Samuel Morrow was allowed $2.2 1^ for selecting swamp
lands.
Board met September 2, 1861, and allowed the following
bills:
202 HISTORY OF 0*BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Hedges & Co., stationery $ 200 00
I. C. Furber.office rent 300 00
J. H. Coffer, wood furnished offices .._ _ 500 00
J. H. Bosler, wood furnished offices 2tK> 00
J. H. Coffer, books furnised county 300 00
H. C. Tiffey, transcribing records 300 00
I. C. Furber, digging well for county 150 00
H. C. Tiffev, making out tax list 150 00
J. S. Jenkens, making map of county 200 00
C. E. Hedges, transcribing records 300 00
J. A. Gilbert, superintending swamp lands 500 00
H. C. Tiffey, office rent 300 00
A. Murry, office rent 300 00
H. C. Tiffey, salary r 5°° 00
I. C. Furber, salary 500 00
J. S. Jenkins, surveying roads 700 00
J. H. Coffer, salary 50 00
J. W. Bosler, making out delinquent tax list ..._ 250 00
A. Murry, building county building --- 2,coo 00
H. C. Tiffey, for forty acres of land 2,000 00
J. S. Jenkens, building bridges 8,000 00
Total $17,500 00
Then follows the appointment of Lemuel Parkhurst of
Cherokee county, Edward Smeltzer of Clay county, and James
Gleason of Buena Vista county, by Judge Hubbard as com-
missioners, to locate the county seat. Xhe order entered, as
made by the judge. Also the report of the commissioners,
who located it on the southwest quarter of northwest quarter
of section 36, township 94, range 39, and gave it the name of
O'Brien. The report is dated August 28, 1861. Then fol-
lows an order by the president and clerk of the board, for
an election to be held October 8, 1861, to vote for or against
bonding the count}' for $20,000. The election was held, and
the bonds issued accordingly. There were 17 for, and none
against. Then follows an order by the board for an election,
to ratify a contract with J. W. Bosler, to the effect, that Bosler
was to build a bridge across the Little Sioux, and in consider-
ation therefor the county was to deed Bosler all the swamp
lands in the county. This was also carried out October 8,
1 87 1. There was then allowed about $10,000 of various
RESIDENCE OF JOHN METCALF, PAU1.L1NA.
204 HtStORY OP 0*BRIEKi COUNTY, lOWA.
bills, $600 of which does not state what for. These orders
seem to be without date, and several meetings of the board
were held in regard to levies of taxes, and nothing of import-
ance seems have been transacted by the board until March,
1864. February 2, 1863, the board accepted Bosler's bridge.
The following appears upon the record under date of March
14, 1863, board of supervisors ordered on contract No i that
there be $2,000 issued to H. H. Waterman.
Ordered, on contract No. 2, that $1,000 be issued to H. H.
Waterman.
Ordered, on contract No. 3. that $1,000 be issued to H.
Waterman.
Ordered, on contract No. 4, that $2,000 be issued to
Daniel Clark.
Ordered, on contract No. 5, that $2,000 be issued to
Moses Lewis.
Ordered, on contract No. 6, that $2,000 be issued to
David Carroll.
H. H. Waterman,
Clerk Pro Tem.
Then follows an order to Mills & Co. for $164.50 for
books. The next meeting of the board was May 2, 1864,
and the following the entire entry of that meeting.
District Clerk's Office, [
May 2, 1864. \
The board of supervisors met this day, Moses Lewis, chair-
man, and in the absence of the regular clerk, L. Mackfarlane
was appointed clerk pro tem.
Ordered, that a warrant for one thousand dollars be drawn
in favor of G. A. Arnold.
Ordered, that warrant for one thousand dollars be drawn
in favor of W. D. Abrams and J. H. Walters, lawyers, for serv-
ices.
Ordered, that warrants for five hundred dollars each be
drawn in favor of Moses Lewis and Daniel Clark, for services
as supervisors and work done on bridges in county.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 205
Ordered, that a warrant for one thousand dollars be drawn
in favor of T. R. Smithers.
Adjourned to May ii, 1864.
John L. Mackfarlane,
Clerk, pro tern.
Then follows entries made May 11, 1864, as follows:
Warrants issued to J. L. Mackfarlane, salary county judge $500 00
Warrants issued to David Carroll, recorder 500 00
Warrants issued to H. C. Tiffey, asst. treasurer 500 00
Warrants issued to J. W. Bosler, attorney fees 500 00
Warrants issued to A. W. Murry, old account against the county 500 00
Warrants issued to Wm. Paine, old account against the county 500 00
The next meeting of any importance was held January 2,
1865. After allowing $8 to H. H. Waterman bounty on scalps,
and $11 to A. Murry for wild cats and fox scalps, it was voted
FIRST NATIONAL BANK, SANBORN, lOW/
by the board to issue $17,500 in warrants in order to meet the
requirements of the president's call for more men to serve in
military service of the United States. Jacob Kerchner was an
agent for the sale of the warrants, which were issued in one
thousand dollar and five hundred dollar warrants.
206 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
The board then allowed J. A. Kerchner $12.50, taking elec-
tion returns to Spirit Lake; $500 to R. M. Whipple & Co.,
without saying what for; Mrs. E. W. Holloway, $150 out of
the relief fund; $64 to Mills & Co.; $500 to A. Murry on
contracts Nos. 4, 5, 6, 7; $1,000 to Moses Lewis.
Next meeting of any importance was October 17, 1865. At
this meeting Jacob Kerchner, agent to sell military bounty
warrants, reported that he disposed of them at 20 cents on the
dollar, and had the proceeds, which he was ordered to pay
over to the treasurer, amounting to $3,500, as the result of
the sale of $17,500 in warrants. The following warrants
were then ordered to be issued:
Mills &Co., stationery $ 34-50
Hudson & Coy, legal services , 50.00
William Freney, publishing tax list 3S8.oo
C. C. Smeltzer, services to the county in i860 3,000.00
Jacob Kerchner, services selling bounty warrants 1,000.00
This last item, will be noticed, was for selling the bounty
warrants at 20 cents on the dollar, and it is further interesting
what became of the bounty money. The disposition of this
money is shown in the following entry in the minutes of that
same date, October 17, 1865: Ordered, that the bounty funds
in the hands of the treasurer be paid in equal amounts, (the
same amounting to $3,500), to William Paine, I. C. Furber
and A. Murry, they having enlisted and credited to the
county of O'Brien, and that warrants on the bounty fund call-
ing for $1,166.66 each, be issued to the above named persons.
The board then further allowed the following: H. C. Tiffey,
salary, $700; A. Murry, salary, $700; C. C. Smeltzer, as per
bill, if) 1, 000.
The next meeting, January ist, 1866, allowed John Moore,
salary county judge, $500; John Moore, assisting the treas-
urer, $500; John Moore, building four bridges, $1,000; H. C.
Tiffey, salary, $200; A. Murry, salary, $300; Asa Tyler,
building three bridges, $1,500. It will be remembered that
during this bridge building era, there was not a bridge in the
county. The board met again September 4, 1867, and voted
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 207
to call an election for a vote upon the proposition to issue
bonds for $8,000, to be used in building bridges across the
Little Sioux.
At this meeting "ihe following bills were allowed :
A Murry, salary $ x,i3o cxj
John Moore, salary 1,130 00
A. Murry, salary as Recorder 1,130 00
Mrs. Holloway, out of relief fund 229 78
H. C. Tiffey, building bridge 825 00
M. Lewis, building bridge 690 00
John Moore, building bridge 480 00
A. Murry, building bridge 60O 00
The next meeting Oct. 25, 1869, declared the vote for and
against the bonds of $8,000 as carried. At that meeting
allowed a few bills as follows:
R. B. Crego, services , $ 8 50
C. W. Inman, services 400
D. W. Inman, services as commissioner 5 50
Fred Fieldman, chain bearer 2 50
John Moore, for wood 150 00
John Moore, making out tax list 150 00
The next meeting November 23, 1867, shows that the board
accepted the bid of C. W. Inman of $6,000 for building a
bridge across the L-ittle Sioux. ^^ ,,
Mr. Inman presented plans ^^F^"**
and specifications which were ^H
adopted. The clerk of the ^V ji»^ ^
board was then ordered to issue ^^L *
warrants as the work progress- i*,- 3p jtfftL J
ed. It was then voted to ac- J*- •^^'
cept the proposition of D. W. ^■R^ -V.
Inman, to build bridges over J^^^B^^ J^
the Waterman creek for $2,000, "°^
and the clerk was ordered to
issue the warrants as the work
progressed. Plans andspecifi-
GEO. T. WELLMAN.
cations were filed by D. W . In-
man and adopted. It was then voted that the superintendent
of public works, R. B. Crego be directed to cause a good
208 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
and sufficient bridge to be built over Murry creek, and to
make his report to the clerk of the board as the work pro-
gressed, and that the clerk issue warrants in payment. Board
met again January 6, 1868. There was not much business
transacted at this meeting. Fred Fieldman (Dutch Fred)
was allowed $24 for boarding a pauper, three weeks at $8 a
week. Fred must have kept a first-class hotel. Moses Lewis
was allowed $30 for services as supervisor, and $120 for haul-
ing stationery and wood. D. W. Inman services as supervisor
$6 and $10 for assisting superintendent of public works. The
clerk of the board was allowed $75 as salary.
Board met January 18, 1868. R. B. Crego made report as
superintendent of public works, and upon his recommendation
there was allowed $569.84 for the furtherance of work on
Murry creek bridge. Bill of Mills & Co., $120.
Next meeting February i, C. W. Inman allowed $1,200
salary as Treasurer, R. B. Crego services on bridges, $50.
Wm. Freney, $398.76, printing tax list. The next meeting
was held on January 5, 1869. There were a few meetings
between, but not much business transacted. At this January
meeting, A. Murry salary, $50; A. Murry office rent, $150;
R. B. Crego, supervisor, $15; Mills & Co., $809.33.
This meeting passed the startling resolution, that A. Murry
be empowered to draw all warrants in payment of just claims
against the county. Also at a following meeting, that A. Mur-
ray be empowered to employ counsel to defend all suits against
the county. At a meeting held June 17, 1869, no business
was transacted except to allow G. Parsons attorney fees $100,
and A. Murry traveling expenses $100.
At the September, 1869, meeting it was voted to move the
court house to the center of the county square, and to plaster
and paint it. Nothing of importance was done until the meet-
ing October 17, 1869. The following bills were allowed:
N. T. Flathers, commissioner $ 2 50
D. W. Inman, surveyor 6 oo
D. W. Inman, on building Waterman bridge i,ooo oo
A. Murry, express charges on books 600 00
HISTORY OF OBRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
209
At an adjourned meeting in November, 1869, it was ordered
that the school land be sold at the appraised value of $1.50
and $1.75 per acre.
At the meeting December 31, 1869. R. B. Crego was al-
lowed $600 to build approaches to the Murry creek bridge;
C. W. Inman, $500 for furnishing office room and fire wood
for 1868 and 1869: C. W. Inman, salary, $1,000; A. Murry,
clerk of board, $150; A. Murry, office rent and fuel, $150.
January, 1870, the new board, O. Higbe, H. H. Waterman
and J. W. Kelley took charge, and their first meeting was Jan-
uary 3, 1870, with John Kelley as chairman. They did very
little business, passed
a few bills, and met
again February 8,
1870. The first act
of this meeting was
to instruct the treas-
urer not to pay any
bridge warrants for
bridges over the
Murry or Waterman
creeks.
They also fixed the
salary of treasurer
at ^1200, and audi-
tor the same. They
also instructed the
treasurer not to pay
money on judgments.
Their next meet-
ing was February 22,
1870. Some bills
were allowed, and it
was voted further on Murry
that the bonds issued for their
papers connected with them.
14
O. H. MONTZHEIMER.
and Waterman creek bridges,
building be repudiated, and all
It was also voted that A. Murry,
210 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
J. W. Kelley and Stephen Harris be appointed as a com-
mittee, to examine the records of O'Brien county. Also voted
that the treasurer be forbidden to pay any warrants on the
school houses. That R. B. Crego be let the job for building
ferry boat to be used across the Little Sioux. Voted that
$500.00 be paid O. C Treadway to get back the swamp
lands, and that this amount be deducted out of Murry's salar3^
June 6, 1870, Board met. It was voted that Mr. Kelley take
away ail the timber on the Waterman creek "that was framed
for bridges. The meetings of this board continued from time
to time, and they seemed to be hampered in some way, and
working against difficulties.
As stated elsewhere, these men were elected supposing they
would carry out the schemes of the gang which they would
not. Nearly every meeting since the last mentioned, they
wrestled over the Murry and Waterman creek bridges, first
ordering the frame lumber away, then considering the question
of building something there. At their last meeting they fired
a parting gun, by ordering the district attorney, to search the
records of the ex-treasurer, and prosecute him for all delin-
quency. Also empowered the auditor to draw out the pon-
toon on the Little Sioux, and secure the same. Notified the
treasurer not to receive any warrants on the repudiated list
until ordered by the board, paid H. A. Sage his services as
investigating committee, also bill of B. F. McCormick as in-
vestigating committee, and adjourned sine die. At the close
of this term of Higbe and Waterman they were succeeded by
B. F. McCormick, C. W. Inman, and T. J. Fields. It is not
necessary to follow the records further, although there was
much criticism of many acts of the board for a few years fol-
lowing.
The real debt of the county which constituted the fraudu-
lent era, was up to the election of H. H. Waterman, J. W.
Kelley and Higbe as supervisors who served in 1870. The
check then made was understood by what settlers there were
here, and particularly the settlers on the west side. At this
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
211
time warrants were worth from twenty-five to forty cents on
the dollar, so that everything legitimately required had to be
paid for double, or it couldn't be had.
The early records as mentioned and abbreviated, do not
contain all the warrants issued, as it will be remembered in the
records. A. Murry was authorized to issue warrants to pay
any just indebtedness, and all that he issued is not fully
known, only as it helped swell the aggregate which went
through the process of bonding as a county debt.
It will be noticed in the minutes of the board, that the
swamp lands of the county were conveyed to J. W. Bosler,
in consideration of bridge building. The land was con-
veyed, but the bridges never materialized. The real truth
is, that the county only
had 240 acres of swamp
land which were certified
to be such, but this J. W.
Bosler, who also achieved
notoriety in the " Star
Route " frauds, and was
one of the original gang,
conceived the thought,
that the county had a large
quantity of swamp land,
the title to which he could
acquire from the county
in consideration of the
bridge. The contract was
made between the county
and Bosler, whereby Bosler was to build a bridge across the
Little Sioux, and the county was to convey by quit claim deed
fift}^ thousand acres of swamp land. The deeds were executed
and went to record, and are now carried along on the abstract of
title to these lands, which are sometimes annoying to one who
does not fully understand it. There were settlers upon this
fraudulent and swamp land afterwards, who proved up and
W. J. DAVIS.
212 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
acquired title from the government, which is the true title.
After Bosler acquired his apparent title from the county, he
sold the land to different parties, and these grantees of Bosler
paid the taxes several years afterward, most of which was re-
funded by the county.
Since the fraud was ascertained by these innocent purchas-
ers from Bosler, they gave up all idea of claiming any owner-
ship of them, and would soon be forgotten by owners of the
land, but for the fact that the written record appears in the
abstract.
CHAPTER X.
We now return again to the general history of the county's
settlement.
In the winter of 1879, Baker township organized a local
congress, which attracted much attention. They discussed
all kinds of measures and passed quite a number of bills. A
bill was introduced for the erection of a light house at San-
born, so that the erring ones from Baker township, in a dark
night, could navigate in and out of the city. This bill was
passed. Another bill was passed, requiring the secretary of
the treasury to report how much money had been expended,
for repairs on the court house. Another bill also, requiring
the secretary of the interior to appoint ten civil engineers
to survey a canal from Sanborn to the Missouri river, and
report its probable cost. Enoch Philby, Charley Smith, and
many others in the township were members of this congress.
George Sutter settled in what is now Baker; he came in
the spring of 1870, and for a homesteader, and a first settler,
built quite an extensive residence. S. G., a son, came first in
1869 and secured the claims. George had several grown up
sons, who settled in the same township. George settled on
the southwest quarter of section 4, H. Sutter on the northeast
of section 14, D. Sutter on the northeast of section 10, and
Sam on the northeast of section 2. George Sutter died some
years ago. S. G. resides in Southwest City, Missouri, and
Austin at Storm Lake.
The next real settlers in Baker were John Wagner and his
brothers George and Wesley. They came in the early sum-
mer of 1870, and built a sod house on the center of section 22,
214 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
SO that it would stand equally on each quarter, enabling each
one to hold down his claim in that way. A cousin of theirs by
the name of Wilson, had the fourth quarter. These Wagners
were bright fellows, and one of them, John, was quite prom-
inent in the county.
Byron Donovan afterwards bought one of these Wagner
quarters, and long since, the sod shack was plowed under.
Byron Donovan with his brother James, came to Baker town-
ship in the summer of 1871. They came from the same county
(Iowa) that the Wagners came from, and were recommended
to come here by the Wagner boys. Jim and Byron drove up,
and having had permission from the Wagner boys, as they
were away, made their headquarters at the sod shanty. Byron
returned after a few weeks; during his stay they drove to
Sioux City, and filed on their claims in the land office. Byron
on the northeast quarter of section 20, and James on the
southwest of section 12. James remained from then on, while
Byron drove back to Iowa county, and returned in the spring
of 1872. A. J. Donovan, a brother of James and Byron, came
to Baker in 1872. He settled on the southeast of section 12,
and besides having a residence on his claim, he also had a
general store. This store was known all over the western
part of the county, and did quite a trade until Sheldon started.
The mother of these Donovan boys, with her daughter Lottie,
came soon after; they took claims in Baker, but sold them
without making final proof, upon their removal to Sheldon,
soon after the starting of the town.
Mrs. Donovan's claim was several miles from Byron's, and
one day Mr. Wheeler being at her place, and going to Byron's,
she sent by him some milk in a tin pail. Byron was very fond
of new milk, and had no cow. Wheeler started with the milk,
but when he reached his destination, instead of sweet milk,
there was butter; it had churned on the way. Mrs. Donovan,
a matronly woman and devoted to her children, died about a
year ago. Lottie married J. A. Brown, and she died several
years ago, A. J. died also several years ago.
tllSTORY OF O'BRIEN COtJNTY, IOWA, f j 215
Byron resides in Sheldon, and James at George in Lyon
county. During the building of the Illinois Central R. R.
James was a large grade contractor with this compan}^, was
afterwards mayor of the town of George.
A. H. Balcom settled on the southeast of section 12, in 1871,
he married a daughter of Mrs. Donovan, but he left the county
several years ago. The Garrells, Dan H. and John M., came
also 1871. Dan settled on the southeast of section 4, J. M.
left the county several years ago, and Dan recently.
John Wood and his brother Robert came to Baker in 187 1.
John settled on the northwest quarter of section 20, and Robert
on the south half of the same section. Robert came first in
June, and did some breaking. John came in November, and
batched with the
Wagner boys at their
sod shack for quite a
while, and until he
built on his own claim.
John Wood lived
on the same until re-
cently, when he
moved to Clayton
county. The writer
remembers when
John was a justice of
the peace at an early
day, and administer-
ed justice to all par-
ties with an impartial
hand. Robert left mrs. joseph s.-insk,.
the county several
years ago and resides in the eastern part of Iowa.
Among the other of these early settlers were Levi Allison,
now living in Lyon county.
D. W. Wellman in Baker township, resides on the original
claim, which is the northwest quarter of section 12. He set-
216 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN; COUNTY, IOWA.
tied there in the spring of 1872, although he made his selection,
and did his filing in 1871. He also came from Madison county.
Mr. Wellman was justice of the peace there for many years,
and the Sheldon lawyers have had many a lively tilt in Mr.
Wellman's court.
J. A. Smith, a Yankee direct from the State of Maine, ar-
rived in Fort Dodge in the spring of 1871. He had seen
some stray pamphlet in regard to Iowa, and something on
O'Brien county. When he arrived at Fort Dodge, he found
some parties there from old O'Brien, who of course directed
the steps of this pioneer, from the Pine Tree state, to the open
prairies of this fertile county. He settled on the west half of
the northeast quarter of section 18, in Carroll, bought him a
team, and something to farm with, built a house, and was a
full-fledged O'Brienite. His family were sent for, and they
arrived in the spring of 1872. Along with them came his
brother, Gilbert G. Smith, who settled on the east half of the
southeast quarter of section 6, and Levi Dingley, who settled
on the west half of the same quarter. C. B. Dingley came in
187 1, and took the northeast of section 6. Mrs. L. A. Hon-
berger came in 1871, and settled on the north half of the
southwest quarter of section 32, in Carroll. J. R. Smith now
resides in Hyde county, South Dakota, Gilbert in Sheldon,
and the Dingley's along the Northern Pacific R. R. in Mon-
tana. Mrs. Honberger died in Spokane Falls, Washington,
in 1889.
William Waters settled on the southeast of section 18. He
came from New York state, without any definite idea, of what
part of the west he was going. He landed at Fort Dodge,
and meeting Murry there, was induced to come to O'Brien
county, which he did, by way of Marcus, and by contest
secured his claim. He returned east, after his family set-
tled on his claim in July, 187 1. He bought a yoke of oxen to
start in with, hauled his lumber from Cherokee for a house,
and was soon a full-fledged homesteader of the county. Mr.
Waters is now a well-to-do resident of one of the suburbs of
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 2l7
Chicago, but still has an interest in O'Brien county, as one of
its land owners.
Surrounded by a grove of trees, on the northwest quarter
of section lo, in Baker township, is the residence of Enoch
Philby, who came from Madison county, Iowa, in 1870, then
a single man. He hauled lumber from Marcus, and first built
the usual shack; Hved in this
until Sheldon started, when
he bought lumber from H. C.
Lane, and erected a substan-
tial house. Continuously
from 187 1, Mr. Philby has
resided on this same quarter
section, and now with his
family takes life easy. In
1890, Mr. Philby donated a
spot on the northwest quarter
of the section for a Methodist
church, which was built that
year, the spire of which is
seen far over the prairie, so
that Enoch lives under the droppings of the sanctuary, but
whether he has Methodist tendencies or not we cannot say,
but w^e do know, if all men were as upright, as honest, and as
substantial as Enoch Philby, this world would be a paradise
of peace.
G. W. Doyle was an early settler in 1869. He came here
as other pioneers, hunting a home and settled on a part of
section 12 in Highland township. He hauled hmiber from
Denison, built a shanty, and lived on the claim until 1888,
when he moved to Primghar, where he now resides. There
came with him his children Mary, Josephine, John, William,
Grant and Ellen. John Richardson had settled in Highland
township previous to the arrival of Mr. Doyle. G. W. Doyle
has always been considered one of our best citizens, and a
most upright and tonscientious man. He was justice of the
MAUD E. SHINSKT.
218 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, lOWA.
peace for awhile, and has been prominently identified with the
township.
John Kane wdth his family settled in Center township in
187 1. John and his son Albert L, filed on an eighty each, on
the northwest quarter of section 34. A daughter Olive mar-
ried C. H. Murry now living on a farm near Primghar. John
Kane now lives in Primghar, and in 1895 celebrated his
golden wedding. Albert is in business at Primghar. The
family are enterprising and well to do.
In 187 1, in Highland township, as sort of a lone beacon upon
the prairie, stood a building, called Paine's store, which is else-
where spoken of as now standing in Sanborn, and which was
occupied by L. P. Paine with a small stock of groceries. The
oldest settlers remember it, as sort of an oasis upon the un-
broken prairie, where they could halt, and regale themselves
with a cracker or two, sandwitched with red herrings, or fill
their pipes from the public box, and if a fellow stood m with
the proprietor, he could get a snifter. At one time Jake Hill-
yer was clerk, who handed out a codfish, or a wash board,
with the dexterity of a veteran in the business, and with the
politeness of a woman. It was for a time, also, the usual
place for holding county conventions. The building as it now
stands in Sanborn is insignificent, but historic.
L. C. Green, and his father McAUen Green, settled on 26,
in Highland at an early day. McAllen Green died some years
ago, L. C. is now engaged in the banking business at Lake
Park. Samuel Hibbs on section 8, John Harrington on 20,
J. W. Hoyt on 22, Peter Hartman on 21, W.J. Hoare on 34,
William Jacobs on t8, William King on 8, Jacob Klema on 14,
Morris King on 22, E. Kinding on 21, Joseph Lefeber on 6,
Asher Lyon on 10, and Martha Lynch on 20, were early set-
tlers in Highland. Other early settlers in the township were
F. D. Mitchell, on section 2, Eli Plopper, on 21, Wiber Redd-
out on 6, B. F. Rolston on 10, John Richardson on 22, Horatio
Stanley on 2, W. J. Stanley on 2; also Ed Shea on 10, Ed.
Sanford on 30 and William M. Squire on 244
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
219
W. W.Johnson, mentioned elsewhere as a prominent citizen
of the county, settled on the northwest of 20, in Highland, at
an early day in 1871, and R. W. Johnson on the northwest of
32, in 1870. That year (1870), in the spring, came George
Johnson, father of W. W. Johnson, with another son, R. W.,
from Cedar county. George settled on the southeast of 32,
and two of the boys as above stated. He now resides at Paul-
hna, was known in the early days as a blunt, plain man, jovial
and reliable. W. W. Johnson is prominently identified with
the business interests of Sanborn, is one of the county com-
missioners, and a man
of judgment and in-
tegrity. The sons of
W. W. Johnson,
John, Frank and
Charles, promising
young men, are in
business with their
father at Sanborn.
James, another son
of George, resides at
Paullina, a tinner, and
Robert resides on
section 8, in High-
land township, en-
gaged in farming.
The^ Johnson boys
are all sturdy, sub-
stantial men.
W. A. Acer settled early on the southwest of section 6, in
Highland township. He was a very quiet conscientious man
and died several years ago at Primghar. His wife Henretta is
well known in the county, is very literary in her tastes and profi-
cient in music. She is now married to Hon. Daniel Campbell,
a noted politician.
In Highland township there are several of the early home-
MAKGARET M. SHINSKI.
220 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
steaders still residing in the township, and have passed through
all the hardships of early pioneers, but are now comfortably
fixed with nice farms. Among these is Geo. H. Hardin who
settled on the northwest quarter of 14, A. M. Cleghorn on the
northwest of 27, James Dewey on the northeast of 12, C.
Harrington on the southwest of 20, Paul Lagoo on the
southwest of 22, R. Salsbury on the southeast of 30, and
William G. Virgil on the southeast of 28. These old settlers
have seen Highland township from the town when the soil was
first broken for cultivation, to its present beautiful and attrac-
tive farms. Geo. Hakeman settled early also on the north-
west of 21. He left the farm some years ago, resided in
Paullina for awhile, and now resides in Sanborn. George is
a thorough going business man, and one whose integrity has
never been questioned.
Other early settlers in the township were D. F. Burk, on
section 4, Willard Bascom on 12, B. E. Borden on 30, John
Vaughn on 32, A. C. Bean on 34, W. E. Baldwin on 34, John
Culbertson on 4, J. K. Cassion on 14, and on the same section
E. Coffee. E. C. Dean was an early settler on the northeast
of 4, and who now resides in Primghar one of the best men in
the county. John Casey settled early on 32, Thomas Duley
on 2, Catrina Dobricka on 22, Z. P. Freeman on 2, Freeburg
House on 6, and E. F. Fanning on 18. James Eraser Sr.,
settled early on the northwest of 30, in Highland, and his son
James on a part of the same quarter.
James Jr., still resides in the county, now in Liberty town-
ship on the northwest quarter of section 8.
Claudius Tifft, now a resident of Sanborn, was one of the
early settlers of the county. He came from St. Paul in
October, 1871, as far as Windom, and from this point went
by stage to old O'Brien. There was then a stage line from
Windom to Cherokee, with several country offices on the
line. His brother Robert Tifft was then a settler in Center
township, and Claudius after reaching old O'Brien, inquired
of Clark Green where Robert lived. As C. F. Albright
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
221
was about leaving for his claim, Mr. Tifft rode as far as
Paine's store, but as the proprietor of this dispensary of canned
goods and codfish, was unable to keep our incoming settler
over night, Mr. Tifft started out in the darkness under the
direction of Mr. Paine, to go a mile north and a half mile
west. He went the mile north, and in going west, passed as
he supposed some stacks, but after going nearly a mile west,
concluded to return and sleep in one of the stacks. When he
reached what he supposed were the stacks, it being dark, it
turned out that they
were buildings on his
brother Robert's
claim. Robert was
not at home, being in
Cherokee, but he re-
turned the next morn-
ing. Mr. Tifft se-
lected and filed on the
northwest quarter of
section 2, in Center
township. After his
filing he returned to
St. Paul, came again
with his family in the spring of 1872, and lived there until
Sanborn started, when he moved to that town and has been
a resident there since. Claudius Tifft is a veteran of two wars.
Was in the regular army at the time of the Mexican war five
years, and took an active part in that struggle. Was also in
the war of the rebellion, and is surely entitled to all the
honors of a patriotic citizen.
An early settler in Center township, was D. C. Chapman,
who settled on a part of section 32, and now resides in Prim-
ghar.
Daniel Bysom with very fine improvements still lives on
section 30, in Center township, on the southwest quarter. He
was quite an early settler. Mr. Bysom is one of the prominent
FIRST HOTKX IN HARTLEY.
222 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
men, and is justice of the peace. Among the other early set-
tlers in Center was Ira Boat on section 6, Minor Blossom on
section 8 who still lives in the township, William H. Brown on
the same section who also still lives in the township. A. L.
Creamer settled on section 20 at an early day, also S. R.
Charlton on section 4, J. P. Blood on section 12, Joel Bresee
on section 26, S. C. Coleman on section 6, Charles Chandler
on section 32, David Culbertson on section 34, John and Fran-
cis Duffy on section 22. R. M. De Witt who settled on sec-
tion 30 in Center at an early day, now resides at Sanborn.
Oliver Evans settled on section 24 in 1869, and still resides in
the county, a substantial farmer and a prominent citizen.
Among other early settlers in Center, are John Evans on
section 24, Wilham Flood on section 22, Peter Farley on
section 22, J. R. H. Gibbs on section 4, Daniel Griffith on
section 8, H. A. Gardner on section 16, D. M. Gano on section
2, Samuel Alexander and Heman Gibbs on section 34, Mark
Hannon on section 10, J. E. Halliday on section 26. J. M.
Hicks settled early on section 36 and now resides at Suther-
land. D. Ingraham was an early settler on section 12, Robert
Jones on section 24, Abe Keepher on 6, Charles Moore on
section 6, John Murray on section 22, J. J. Miller on section
26, A. McClaren on section 30, and J. H. Morton on section
32. Fabian Matott settled early on section 10, Francis Matott
on the same section, J. M. Royer on section 20, WilHam
Robinson on section 22, and Thomas Scott and E. Scott on
section 28. In Center township also David Palen settled early
on section 12. Mr. Palen is well known in the county, was
in business for several years at Sanborn, and now resides at
Hartley. Geo. A. Sanford an early settler on section 6, J. A.
Smith on section 28, J. P. Skipworth on section 30, and Julia
Stevens on section 14.
Ezra, Charles and Erastus Smith, settled early on section
18, Robt. Sanford also settled early on the same section. Mr.
Sanford has Hved in the county since its early. settlement, and
in 1895 at Primghar was accidently killed by a fall. Among
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY. IOWA.
223
Other earlier settlers in Center township, and who still reside
in the county, are John Weist, who settled on section 26,
Byron Wooster on 22, Calvin Waggoner on 34, and Henry
D. Year on 26. These men are substantial farmers, and have
been in the county since their settlement. O. M. Whitman
settled early on 14, M. C. Wilkins on t8, and William Zeigler
on 36.
In July, 1870, E. C. Foskett landed in O'Brien county from
the state of Connecticut, that land of slandered reputation, as
to wooden nutmegs, and basswood hams. Foskett was raised
in Massachusetts, and in the days of his young and growing
manhood, listened to a
speech from Horace
Greely, that nestor of
American Journalism.
Horace portrayed the
advantages of the great
and growing west, which
induced young Foskett
to buckle on the armor
of an emigrant, and be-
come a pioneer, which
he did. He preempted
the southeast quarter of
section 20, in what is
now Center township,
and after final proof
took a homestead on
the northwest quarter
of section 32, in the same township. On this homestead he
has lived continuously since, has raised his family there, and
through the shades of hardships and adversity has reached
an era of prosperity, which he now enjoys. He is a thrifty,
well-to-do farmer, was the first clerk in Center township, has
been on the township board, or clerk since, and is a man you
can depend upon every hour of the day.
HARKINGTON.
224 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
At about the same time Mr. Foskett settled, there also set-
tled J. H. Ober, Hugh Scott, E. Scott and Thomas Scott,
elsewhere mentioned. Mr. Ober still resides in the county, at
Primghar, having kept hotel there for some time, he is now
however, out of the business. Thomas and Ephram Scott
moved from the county some years ago.
C. J. Clark, settled on the southwest quarter of section 20,
in Center township, in 1870. He came from Linn county here,
but originally from the state of Ohio. A son, George J.,
grown to manhood, in O'Brien county, has just retired as post-
master of Primghar, which office he held four years. Other
children reside in Primghar, Florence, Violet, Ruby and Ros-
zelle. C. J. Clark moved to Medford, Oregon, in 1889, where
he still resides; his wife died there in April, 1897.
CHAPTER XL
In 1873, a hue and cry was made that in the under soil of a
part of O'Brien county, there was a strata of coal. Men are
apt to believe that which they want to believe, and while many
took no stock in the coal find, there were others who argued
the point to a scientific certainty.
Why not coal here, as well as in other parts of the state, was
asked with the positive assurance that there was no answer,
only, that there was no reason why not. People in some parts
of the country gathered together, talked, argued and resolved,
and of course among such people there is always one at least,
who has lived in a coal country and worked in a mine, and with
the wisdom of Solomon and none of his secretiveness, gives the
significant squint of his eye and that facial expression which
simply says, that he knows all the indications of coal, and it is
right here.
The feeling in favor of coal was brought to bear upon the
board of supervisors, who did in January, 1874, offer a reward
of $1,000 to any one who would discover coal in any part of the
county. As this resolution has never been rescinded, it is in
order yet for anyone with the proper ambition and the tools to
work with, to go to work, and in addition to the wealth that
would pour in upon him, there would be no end to glory.
The coal fever did not abate; some actually went to work
investigating the bowels of the earth in O'Brien county, and
feeHng that every foot further of research in the hidden depths
of the soil, would bring about the discovery. The wind of en-
thusiasm, so as to speak, kept blowing in upon the board of su-
pervisors, and as such feverish questions are contagious, the
15
226 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
board did it at its June meeting in 1874, resolve again, that for
the purpose of encouraging the prospecting for coal in O'Brien
county, they would in behalf of said county, pay $25.00 per ton
for one hundred tons mined in the county, and delivered at the
court house within two years. This was certainly a very
generous offer, and it was felt by some, that before another
blizzard in the coming winter of 1874, ^^at there would be a
strife of speed as to who would get their hundred tons of coal
at the court house first, but the coal never materialized. The
coal question after repeated efforts, was soon lost sight of, and
now has passed into utter forgetfulness. The fuel question
however became one of importance during the few years fol-
lowing the year 1874, and especially during the first years of
the grasshoppers.
Money was scarce, fuel must be had, and if their were not
funds in the pocket book with which to buy coal, then some-
thing else must supply its place. If ever the mind of man is
proHfic with suggestions and theories, it is when necessity de-
mands it. In casting about for something that would take the
place of coal, there seemed to be nothing in sight but the prairie
grass which was produced right here from the soil, and es-
pecially in sloughs, up to six feet in height. This discovery of
available fuel at our very doors went over t'he country Hke wild
fire, and soon the horny hand of many a struggling homesteader
was straining its muscles twisting the prairie grass into a com-
pact form, so that it could be placed in the stove and answer
all the purposes of fuel.
The hay it was true, did considerable heating, but the twist-
ing and firing up took about all the time one man could spare,
and as women could not do the twisting, the head of the house-
hold had to practice, and perhaps improve upon the art with
devoted industry. Ingenious ones entered the field of invention
and the brain of many an ambitious settler was racked with
devices for twisting the "dod burned stuff" as Capt. Edwards
called it, until the patent office at Washington was crowded with
models, which each one furnishing them believed would revo-
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
227
lutionize the heating forces of the world. One fellow's inven-
tion consisted of two upright pieces of wood, of sufficient
height, manipulated the hay by hooks, and then a crank, which
carried a roller catching the hay and winding it, until it was a
solid stick of proper size for using.
This burning of hay for awhile was universal throughout the
county among the farmers, all using it with but few exceptions,
and these who were able to buy coal. One fellow who run for
office in 1875 was
nearly slaughtered
in his election, be-
cause he was
charged with be-
ing so "stuck up"
that he would not
burn hay. During
those winters the
shack with only
room enough to
live in it, would be
so filled with twist-
ed hay, the inmates
could hardly get
around them-
selves, and the stranger who entered it would see no room
for him. The first hay twister in the county was manufac-
tured by J. E. Daniels formerly of Paullina, but after him, in
devices and construction there was a multitude. But still, hay
placed in proper compact form and size, is not after all such
poor fuel, and when necessity demanded it, was an admirable
substitute for something better when it could not be had.
From the Primghar Bell office, there was issued an elabor-
ate Christmas edition at Christmas time in 1896, which con-
tained several letters from different parties, of much interest
to old settlers. We reprint one of these the first from F. T.
Piper of the Sheldon Mail, and the other from J. H. Wolf of
the Pioneer:
KiiSIDENCK OF W. A. ELLIOTT, HARTLEY.
2i8 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
" Cheerfully responding to the Bell's request for a short
contribution to its contents at this joyous Christmas time con-
cerning my recollections of the first Christmas dinner I ate in
O'Brien county, I am pleased to say at the outset that such
recollections as I have of that old time holiday are agreeable
ones, as most remembrances of the gladsome holiday season
usually are.
" If my memory serves me aright, I ate my first Christmas
dinner in O'Brien county in 1873. I had arrived in the county
some months previous. I was then in the employ of D. A. W.
Perkins who was at that time publishing The Mail.
" That was before Mr. Perkins had abandoned the life of
bachelor to become a benedict. He held forth in all his glory
on his homestead, now the place occupied by F. E. Wyman
and situated just within the extreme outer limits of the city,
east. He kept a 'batchelor's hall' and I became ' star boarder.'
" My friend Perkins did the cooking, but I assisted in other
housekeeping duties, and we got along sumptuously, though
the variety of the food was so limited and consisted of such a
monotonous sameness, that we occasionally dined out. For
Christmas day we arranged for an unusual spread. Mr. and
Mrs. W. C. Butterfield, the former of whom long since sank
to rest by his friends' wishes blest, were then living on their
homestead, now the Ed. McFarland place, in Carroll town-
ship. They were invited to join hands and provisions with
ours and did so. Mrs. Butterfield brightened the bachelonc
quarters with a display of snowy white table linen, and roasted
the first turkey that had ever been basted in our home. Mr.
Perkins cooked oysters, and saw to the baking of a mess of
beans. When the combined product of the several cooks was
served, it was a feast fit for the gods. There may have been
Christmas dinners in the county that year of more studied and
elaborate elegance, but there could have been none more
richly enjoyed.
"Aside from the edibles, all who were members of that
company enjoyed a day of rare sociability, such as is altogether
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COtJNTV, IOWA.
229
too rare in these later days when we should have evohited to
vastly greater social pleasures,
" Our guests were Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Butterfield, C. F.,
(' Cush,') and George Butterfield, and Miss Anna Butterfield.
Of this number death has since claimed two — Father Butter-
field and his eldest son, Gushing. George Butterfield, then
the youngest son, is now the head of a family of his own, and
is teaching the Indians at
Rosebud Agency in South
Dakota. The then Miss
Butterfield, is now the widow
of S. C. Nash, and resides
with her two children in
Sheldon. Charley Butter-
field and his now aged mother
reside in Sheldon.
" What a flood of happy
and unhappy recollections
the recounting of these few
reminiscences call out.
" There has been a mar-
velous shifting of scenes dur-
ing the twenty-three years
that have intervened between
those days of Auld Lang Syne and these. The countr}' has de-
veloped prosperously. Many who were pioneers have remained,
and now bask in the sunshine of the success that has followed
the trials and misfortunes of those former times. Others have
sought other localities." The following from J. H. Wolf:
" It is gratifying to have tarried here, and to have mingled
with those good people who were the beginners on these
broad and fertile acres.
" Old times were good times, and
Old friends are the best friends."
"A few words on Christmas, 1873, may not be amiss to your
readers:
JRCII, PKIMGHAR.
230 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
" Franklin township, now one of the most populous, and
rich, second to Floyd only, in fact, was one of the last to be
organized as a separate township, being attached to Floyd.
" Wm. H. Dummit, of section eight with his family, being
the first residents, locating as a homesteader on the northwest
of 8 in 1871 or 1872. The family had some sad experiences,
like most other frontier people. During the blizzard in Jan-
uary, 1873, ^ child died and was three days in the house after
death, the storm being too bad to venture out to inform the
neighbors. Mr. Dummit, by strict attention to business, in-
dustry and economy, has raised his family well, and now owns
a fine half section, 320 acres, paid for, and well improved and
well stocked. Such men always make farming pay.
"J. H. Wolf and family were the second to locate in the
township, settling on section 14, in April, 1873. Their near-
est neighbors were more than four miles away. The first
winter they lived on the farm, they were snowed in for eleven
weeks, from January 8th to March 28th, not seeing anyone,
the snow being too deep for travel. Mr. Wolf threshed their
first crop, several hundred bushels, with the flail, his wife
turning the fanning mill to clean it up.
" Rev. Ira Brashears, the same spring, that of 1873, had
some breaking done, built a shanty, and lived a short time on
the land now occupied by E. T. Parker, adjoining Sanborn.
And several hundred acres were broken up by, or for, a man
named Buck, on section 31. About the same time some land
was broken upon section 12, but not farmed, the land being
broken up on the wrong section. B. F. McCormack can tell
the particulars.
" Isaac Daniels broke land on section 14 in 1874, and built
a house and moved his family thereto soon after.
" Thomas Burns and family located on section 31, we think
in 1874 ^^ 1875, ^"d John Neese and Charles Sechman lo-
cated on sections 28 and 29 in 1876. In 1878 there were
voters enough, ten, to organize ihe township, which was done.
J. H. Wolf and Isaac Daniels were appointed to locate the
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
231
roads. The first election was held in the fall of 1878, at the
house on section 30, then occupied by Mr. Gavin, twenty-
one votes being cast, six or eight of them by men working
on the railroad, legal voters.
" The town of Sanborn was started in 1878, or early in
1879, and made a very rapid growth,"
H. C. Robeson settled early, in 1871, in Caledonia township,
and he was the first settler there. This township was not
government land that could be settled upon, but the settlers
there acquired title by purchase from the owners. Mr. Robe-
son is a graduate of Yale college, very much of a gentleman,
and did farming on quite a scale. He tired of this several
years ago and now resides at Marcus.
A few years after that Henry Herman, John Schweback,
Thomas Barry and others followed. Mr. Schwebach came in
1872, the next settler to Robeson. This township was mostly
settled by Germans who are
thrifty and progressive farmers,
and the township is one of the
most prosperous in the county.
In 1883 the people there united
together and on section 14, built
a German Lutheran church.
They acquired ten acres by pur-
chase for church and cemetery
ground, and erected a building
at a cost of $7,000. The build-
ing is used for a double purpose
of church and school, the school
being intended as a sort of a
preuminary to the public school,
and there are taught both English and German. There has
also been built a very fine parsonage, and a residence for the
German teacher. The German people believe in education,
and their native country is noted for the pride it takes in the
education of its children. This church is at what is called
232 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN ; COUNTY, IOWA.
Germantown, where also there is a creamery run by a stock
company, who also have a store there.
In Union township there is quiie a settlement of Norwegians,
and also in Dale. The first to settle here was O. S. and C.
R. West, accompanied by their mother and S. J. Norland, all
from Marshall county. They came in the spring of 1883,
located on section 13 about 2^ miles south of PaulHna.
In the fall of 1883, O. P. Tjossem and L. Goodmanson of
Marshall county, Seyert L. Tow, A. L. Tow, O. K. Tow and
H. Graden of Benton county, and J. P. Tjossem of Ida
county, purchased all of section 26 in Dale township. In the
spring of 1884, they located on the land, and at once com-
menced to make improvements of a temporar}^ character,
followed in the summer by neat and substantial dwellings. O.
P. Tjossem feeling confident that land in O'Brien county was
a good investment, added 160 acres to his domain, by the
purchase of the southwest quarter of section 24 in Dale.
Severt L. Tow also branched out by the addition of 80 acres
of section 35, to his farm. J. T. Johnson of Benton count}'
hearing his friends speak in glowing terms of O'Brien county,
concluded to come and see for himself, and the result was, that
he located on an eighty on section 30 in Highland township.
He was soon followed by J. P. Norland also of Benton
county, who purchased for his sons a 160 acres adjoining Mr.
Johnson's. Hardin county was represented in the person of
C. Thompson, who bought the southeast quarter of section 35
in Dale township in the fall of 1884, and commenced im-
provements in the spring of 1885. Mr. Thompson was ac-
companied by his cousin, Iver Goodmanson, who purchased
80 acres in the same section in August. There are others,
although not of the same nationality, who should be mentioned
by reason of their locality. Among them is Mr. Crosbie,
of Cedar county, formerly of Glasgow, Scotland. Having an
acquaintance with some of the Norwegians, he concluded to
make his residence here, and therefore bought a 160 acres of
improved land in section 24, Union township. Mr. Crosbie is
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. ' 233
a minister of the Society of Friends. Following him came
the Rockweel family from New York and eastern Iowa, con-
sisting of the parents, their five sons and son-in-law D. J.
Peckman. Several members of the family came in the spring
of 1885. The lands comprised in this settlement, lie mostly
in the immediate vicinity of PauUina, and are among the best
in the state.
Mr. Isaac Sprague came in the spring of 187 1, and settled
on the northwest of section 34, in Carroll. He sold out in
grasshopper times, becoming discouraged and disgusted, in
battling the pest, but has re-
mained in the county since,
now residing in Paullina.
Hugh Scott settled on the
northeast quarter of section
28, in Center township in
1870, and with his family
now resides in Sioux City.
He was a resident of Center
township for many years,
eleven of his children having
been born in that township.
Three of Mr. Scott's daugh-
ters, Mollie, Jeanne and Bes-
sie, have obtained a large
and enviable reputation as musicians. Mollie has given piano
recitals in most of the large cities of the United States.
Bessie as a violinist has toured the country successfully.
Jeanne has lately received flattering notices in the press,
among others the St. Louis Globe as follows:
*' The pianist, Miss Jeannie Scott, played the Liszt arrange-
ment of the ' Erl King ' with exquisite expression and with a
technique well nigh flawless. After four recalls she respond-
ed with Chopin's charming and dainty * Berceuse.' Miss
Scott received a beautiful bouquet at the close of her second
number,"
234
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
W. H, Eaton, now a prominent resident of Hartley, came
from Wisconsin in 1872, and located on a part of section 25,
in Lincoln township. He moved to Hartley in 1879.
I. M. Silverthorn came from Hardin county, Iowa, and set-
tled on section 30 in Lincoln township, in 1870. Himself and
famil}', were in that township for about two years in advance
of any others. Mr.
Silverthorn went
through the grass-
hopper period, and
in one year had 100
acres of wheat,
and did not harvest
a bushel. He now
resides in Hartley.
Julius G. Guen-
ther came to Cen-
ter township in an
early day, farmed
for a number of
years, moved from
there to Hartley
and died there not
a great while ago.
A son H. J. keeps
a shoe store in
Hartley. E. W.,
another son, runs
a blacksmith shop
at Calumet. Emil
is in the saloon bus-
WILLIAMS BROS.'
iness at Hartley.
In 1875, the population of the county was 2,349, '^"^ there
were 595 voters. There were 563 families, and 594 dwellings.
During that same year, there were 116 births, 26 deaths.
The number of acres of cultivated land were 33,626, and that
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 235
year there was harvested 157,526 bushels of wheat, 106,052
of corn, 1,281 of rye, 53,931 of oats and 200 bushels of buck-
wheat.
RESIDENCE OF I. N. DRAKE, HARTLEY.
The population in 1881, by townships, was as follows:
Baker township 202
Caledonia i77
Carroll 329
Center 359
Floyd, outside of Sheldon - . 368
Franklin 88
Grant 368
Hartley, including town . . 104
Highland 3^7
Liberty 35o
Lincoln .... 23
Summit 18
Waterman _ 145
Town of Sheldon 73^
Town of Sanborn . . 364
Town of Primghar ' — 143
2:;6 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY. IOWA.
By the census of 1885 there were 8,335 inhabitants in the
county, distributed in towns and townships as follows:
Baker township . . 394
Carroll . __. 396
Center 386
Caledonia 526
Dale .... ... . 223
Franklin .. 223
Floyd .. 471
Grant . 65 1
Highland 388
Hartley -. 281
Lincoln ... . 53
Liberty . 497
Omega .. 187
Sumit , -286
Union ... 206
Waterman . .. .... 221
Sheldon Town i ,036
Sanborn Town .. . 15143
Paullina Town 355
Sutherland Town . 416
Total 8,335
This population consisted of 4,451 males and 3,884 females.
There were 1,981 who where voters, 2,833 between the ages
of 5 and 21. and 1,581 liable to military duty. The population
of the county still increasing was in 1890, 13,039, its present
population is 15,609.
In 1887 the taxable property of the county was as follows:
Land $1,698,101
Town property 143,782
Personal property 346,753
Railroad property 225,252
Total $2,405,888
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 237
In the same year there was in the county.
Cattle — ...... J . . 16,000
Horses . . — 6,100
Mules 350
Sheep 5,000
Hogs 15,000
The Covey church on section 6 in Grant township, was
built in 1875. Rev. John Covey who was a homesteader in
the county, and a preacher of that denomination, obtained
from the extension fund of that church, the sum of $500.
The ground was donated by John Loder, and the balance of
the money necessary to build the church, was raised by the
settlers.
Mr. Henry D. Year, Fred and Michael Stueck, Julius Frei-
mark and others, in 1884, built the Saint Emanuel's Lutheran
German church in Center township, on section 26, at a cost of
about $1,000. Two acres
of ground were donated
by Mr. Year, and one acre f ^^Jk
by Mr. Stueck for church '^fiil 4B; 1V
and cemetery. ' -^ ' ^%
There are quite a num- l^B?*^
ber of settlers in Floyd ^^pp
township, who came in ^jjhMP'i/-
the seventies. Tim Don- ^- ^P
ahue, came in 1878 from
the state of Michigan.
He had been marshal of
the city there, and had
been deputy sheriff of the
county. Pat Kennedy -==,=.—
, Tl /I • 1 • • i'ARK PRATT.
came irom Michigan m
1872. He has worked hard during the years he has been
here, and raised but little during the grasshoppers. I remem-
ber one summer that Pat did some breaking, he worked his
horses without grain; he would turn them out to feed on
grass only.
238 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Charles M. Kenney is one of the early settlers of Floyd,
came here a small boy with his father J. L. Kenney, and if
Charley has the same attributes of manliness as the father has,
he cannot go far astray, and we think he has.
Patrick Sullivan with family came in 1878, as did also
James Beacom. Both of these have sons farming in the town-
ship.
Patrick Kelley has been here quite a number of years, and
is still farming. William Johnson was an early settler, and
by nature was a good man. His wife still resides in Floyd
township also a son Robert, farming.
Thomas Burns is quite an early settler in Carroll, coming
here in 1874, ^"^ ^^ ^^'^^^ farming the same piece of land he
broke up originally. He has several sons also who are farm-
ers, and it is quite a thrifty family.
CHAPTER XII.
There was in O'Brien county in the seventies, a gopher
scalp period so to speak, when the county paid five cents each
for ever}^ gopher scalp, presented to the auditor. This some-
what helped to reduce the number of gophers, but more par-
ticularly was the means of grinding out county warrants for
the poor and destitute of the county, who would catch gophers,
if they could do nothing else. The gophers were a trouble-
some pest, they seemed to know exactly where every kernal of
corn was deposited in planting time, and were very industrious in
getting after it, still, there were ways of destroying them, and
each settler had an individual interest in reducing their num-
bers, and exterminating them if they could. But county
warrants were worth only forty cents on a dollar, and every
gopher scalp meant one gopher less. The writer was driving
to Primghar across the county in 1874, with James Wykoff,
and along with us was "Sam" a spotted dog known to the
settlers in and about Sheldon, as a dog of much intelligence.
On the way Sam caught a gopher, which we carried to the
county seat and presented it to Auditor Edwards, demanding
that warrant issue in the name of "Sam Perkins" which was
done in the usual form, and on the usually decorated paper
blank, called a warrant, and for five cents. We then present-
ed the warrant to the treasurer who cashed it, and the five
cents was soon in the hands of a butcher, and "Sam" was
enjoying his dinner of beef bones. Other counties in the state
had previously, and some then, were paying this bounty for
gopher scalps.
It was told at the time that Scott county paid five cents,
240
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
and the adjoining county Muscatine paid the same. The evi-
dence in Scott county of the slaughter, was the scalp, in Mus-
catine county the tail. One can imagine how easily the "kids"
of that day and generation, or of any other, would "catch on"
to the double compensation of utilizing the carcass of a gopher^
so that, the scalp would bring five cents in Scott county, and
the tail five cents in Muscatine county. This game was played
for awhile, until the county officers were on to the "racket,"
and soon the counties were alike in the required proof.
Gopher scalps in O'Brien county then were legal tender.
Ten gopher scalps would buy a certain amount of sugar, or
other groceries, and the trade especially recognized these
scalps as they did money in the purchase of goods. Capt.
Edwards was kept busy counting them, as they were brought
in all the time in large num-
bers. The cat tribe was in-
creased for the sole purpose
of hunting gophers, and the
prairie was covered with
children catching them, by
means of laying the loop of a
string around the gopher
hole, and then laying down a
little distance away, ready
to pull on the string, when
the head of the gopher ap-
peared at the surface. In
order to get the bounty, it
required the signature, and
the oath of the one present-
ing the scalps, which was
written on a blank printed for that purpose. We do not know
how it was, but it was understood at the time, that when the
auditor had made his inspection, he would throw out the scalps
at the rear of the office, and when this was done, other boys
took these, and again presented them, and got more warrants
BARMORE.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 241
on them. We are inclined to think this industry was practiced,
until Capt. Edwards found out what was going on, and after
that, they were burned in the stove. But the poverty of the
people then, owing to the grasshoppers was very much relieved
by the county warrants issued for gopher scalps, but the time
came when this bounty was taken off by the board of supervi-
sors, and the cutting off of this steady income and revenue was
felt by the rising generation of that period. That the people were
poor then, there is no question. There is on Uie records of
O'Brien county now, a chattel mortgage given to secure $25.
on the following household articles, one stove, one flat iron,
one wash board, one skimmer, one dish pan, and three lamp
chimneys. Who, in their comfort and ease now living in
O'Brien county, would raise a single objection to that part of
the county's debt, created by paying for gopher scalps.
COUNTY OFFICERS.
We will at this time give the names of all the county officers
from its first organization.
i860.
Recorder and Treasurer . H. H. Waterman
Sheriff ... .... L. McClellan
Surveyor A. Murry
Superintendent of Schools H. H. Waterman
County Judge - - J. C. Furber
1861.
Same officers as in i860 with the following exceptions:
Sheriff A. Murry
Superintendent of Schools - -J- J- Jenkins
1862.
Recorder and Treasurer J. R. M. Cofer
Sheriff G. Hoffman
Surveyor L. McClellan
Superintendent of Schools Geo. Hoffman
Clerk of Court H. C. Tiffey
County Judge , , . , , J. H, Cofer
10
242 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
1863.
Recorder and Treasurer J. R. M. Cofer
Sheriff G. Hoffman
Surveyor L. McClellan
Superintendent of Schools Moses Lewis
Clerk of Court H. C. Tiffey
County Judge John F. McFarland
Supervisors Moses Lewis and Daniel Clark
1864.
Recorder and Treasurer J. R. M. Cofer
Sheriff --G. Hoffman
Surveyor L. McClellan
Superintendent of Schools Moses Lewis
Clerk of Court H. C. Tiffey
County Judge . John F. McFarland
Supervisors Moses Lewis and Daniel Clark
1865.
Recorder and Treasurer A. Murry
Sheriff G.Hoffman
Surveyor . . . . L. McClellan
Superintendent of Schools Moses Lewis
Clerk of Court H. C. Tiffey
County Judge Moses Lewis
Supervisors Moses Lewis and Daniel Clark
1866.
Recorder and Treasurer A. Murry
Sheriff Chas. M. Stevenson
Surveyor L. McClellan
Superintendent of Schools Moses Lewis
Clerk of Court John Moore
County Judge . . Moses Lewis
Supervisors (to fill vacancy of Moses Lewis) R. B. Crego
Daniel Clark
1867.
Recorder and Treasurer A. Murry
Sheriff Chas. M. Stevenson
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. *J4:j
Surveyor . L. McClellan
Superintendent of Schools . Moses Lewis
Clerk of Court H. C. Tiffey
County Judge Moses Lewis
Supervisors Moses Lewis, D. W. Inman and R. B. Crego
1868.
Recorder and Treasurer . . C. W. Inman
Sheriff Chauncy Chessley
Surveyor L . . D. W. Inman
Superintendent of Schools Moses Lewis
Clerk of Court John Moore
County Judge A. Murry
Supervisors Moses Lewis and Daniel Clark
1869.
Recorder and Treasurer C. W. Inman
Sheriff S. B. Hurlburt
Superintendent of Schools . C. W. Inman
Clerk of Court John S. Stratton
County Judge A. Murry
Supervisors Wm. H. Baker and Moses Lewis
1870.
Recorder and Treasurer _ R. B. Crego, J. R. Pumphrey
Sheriff S. B. Hurlburt
Superintendent of Schools Stephen Harris
Clerk of Court John S. Stratton
County Judge *. A. Murr}'
Surveyor J. F. Schofield
Supervisors. ._ J. W. Kelly, H. H. Waterman and O. Higbee
1871.
Recorder McAUen Green
Treasurer J. R. Pumphrey
Sheriff G. A. McOmber
Surveyor J. F. Schofield
Clerk of Court Stephen Harris
Auditor A. Murry
Assessor . .John Arbuckle
Supervisors B. F. McCormack, C. W. Inman, T. J. Fields
m
'^
244 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
1872.
Recorder _ . McAllen Green
Treasurer J. R, Pumphrey
Sheriff Ed. A. Nissen
Superintendent of Schools Stephen Harris
Surveyor .A. J. Brock
Auditor A. J. Edwards
Clerk of Court . ._.. Stephen Harris
Supervisors . ..
_. .. -B. F. McFarland, C. W. Inman, and I. L. Rerrick
1873-
Recorder A.J, Brock
Treasurer . J. R. Pumphrey
Sheriff Ed. A. Nissen
Superintendent of Schools D. A. W. Perkins
Surveyor A.J. Brock
Auditor A. J. Edwards
Assessor . Jonathan Egy
Clerk of Courts A. H. Willets
Supervisors
Harley Day, B. F. McCormack and C. F. Albright
1874.
Recorder A. J. Brock
Treasurer J. R. Pumphrey
Sheriff Ed. A. Nissen
Superintendent of Schools J. A. Smith
Surveyor A. J. Brock
Auditor _ . . . . A.J. Edwards
Clerk of Court A. H. Willets
Supervisors Horace E.
Hoagland, Benjamin Jones, Warren Walker, John F.
Burrows, Harley Day, C, F. Albright, and J. M. Royer
1875-
Recorder A. J. Brock
Treasurer J. R. Pumphrey
Sheriff _,. Ed. A. Nissen
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 246
Superintendent of Schools . J- A. Smith
Surveyor . A. J. Brock
Auditor Geo. W. Schee
Clerk of Court A. H. Wiilets
Supervisors C. F. Alhright, J. M. Royer, Warren
Walker, Berij. Jones, Wm. E. Wtlch and John F . Burroughs
1876.
Recorder . A.J. Brock
Treasurer Stephen Harris
Sheriff Ed. A. Nissen
Superintendent of Schools A. B. Chrysler
Surveyor . . . A. J. Brock
Auditor Geo. W. Schee
Clerk of Court A. H. WiUets
Supervisors . . Benj. Jones, W. W. Johnson,
B. F. McCormack, John Royer, C. F. Albright,
Wm. E. Welch, Warren Walker and John F. Hoagland
1877.
Recorder ... . C. Longshore
Treasurer Stephen Harris
Sheriff Ed. A. Nissen
Superintendent of Schools A. B. Chrysler
Surveyor W. H. Riddell
Auditor Geo. W. Schee
Clerk of Court A. H. Willetts
Surpervisors . Joseph
Rowland, J. M. Royer, Ralph Dodge, Benj. Jones,
Wm. E. Welch, W. W. Johnson and B. F. McCormack
1878.
Recorder . . C. Longshore
Treasurer 'I • J- Alexander
Surveyor Ed. A. Smith
Sheriff Mart Shea
Superintendent of Schools .. Harley Day
Auditor . . Geo. W. Schee
Coroner .. H. L. Lanning
246 HISTORY OF 0*BRlEN; COUNTY, IOWA.
Clerk of Court A. H. Willets
Supervisors B. F, Mc-
Cormack, Ralph Dodge, Benj. Jones, W. W. John-
son, Joseph Rowland, Thos. Holmes, and J. M. Royer
1879.
Recorder J. Hinshaw
Treasurer T.J. Alexander
Sheriff Mart Shea
Surveyor Ed. A. Smith
Superintendent of Schools Harley Day
Auditor J. L. E. Peck
Clerk of Court... F. N. Derby
Coroner .-. Chas. Smith
Supervisors .
Thomas Holmes, Ralph Dodge, Joseph Rowland,
Wm. Oliver, E. Kindig, J. H. Wolf and E. M. Brady
1880.
Recorder J. Hinshaw
Treasurer T.J. Alexander
Sheriff Mart Shea
Surveyor CM. Griffith
Superintendent of Schools Harley Day
Auditor J. L. E. Peck
Clerk of Court - F.N. Derby
Coroner Chas Smith
Supervisors Thomas Holmes,
Ralph Dodge, J. H. Wolf, E. M. Brady and E. Kindig
1881.
Recorder Herbert Sprague
Treasurer . . . . T.J. Alexander
Sheriff Mart Shea
Surveyor C. M. Griffith
Superintendent of Schools Harley Day
Auditor J. L. E. Peck
Clerk of Court F. N. Derby
Coroner Chas Smith
mSTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 247
Supervisors Thos. Holmes,
Ralph Dodge, E. Kindig, E. M. Brady, and J. H. Wolf
1882.
Recorder . Herbert Sprague
Treasurer T. J. Alexander
Sheriff W. C. Green
Surveyor .. J. A. Smith
Superintendent of Schools .. D. Algyer
Auditor J. L. E. Peck
Clerk of Court W. N. Strong
Coroner Chas. Smith
Supervisors - . .Thos. Holmes, Ralph
Dodge, E, M. Brady, Geo. Hakeman, and J. L. Kinney
1883 same as in 1882.
1884.
Recorded Herbert Sprague
Treasurer F. N. Derby
Sheriff W. C. Green
Surveyor J. A. Smith
Superintendent of Schools D. Alg3'er
Auditor . . . T. J. Alexander
Clerk , ... F.A.Turner
Coroner Chas. Smith
Supervisors Ralph Dodge, E. M.
Brady, J. L. Kinney, Geo. Hakeman and D. M. Sheldon
1885.
Recorder . W. H. Noyes
Treasurer F. N. Derby
Sheriff . W. C. Green
Surveyor J. A. Smith
Superintendent of Schools D. Algyer
Auditor T. J. Alexander
Clerk of Court . . ..F. A. Turner
Coroner Chas. Smith
Supervisors D. M. Sheldon, Ralph Dodge, Henry
Hoerman, W. W. Reynolds and O. M. Shonkwiler
248 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
1886.
Recorder Isaac Clements
Treasurer F. N. Derby
Sheriff..-- W. C.Green
Surveyor J- A. Smith
Superintendent of Schools D. Algyer
Auditor T. J. Alexander
Coroner . . B. S. Southan
Attorney J- B. Dunn
Clerk of Court F. A. Turner
Supervisors. . D. M. Sheldon, J. W, Gaunt,
Henry Hoerman, W. W. Reynolds, O. M. Skonkwiler
1887.
Recorder Isaac Clements
Treasurer F. N. Derby
Sheriff W. C. Green
Surveyor - . J. A. Smith
Superintendent of Schools C. H. Crawford
Auditor C. H. Winterble
Clerk of Court F. A. Turner
Coroner L. F. Searles
Attorney J- B. Dunn
Supervisors W. W. Renolds, J. E. Wheelock, J. W. Gaunt
1888.
Recorder Isaac Clements
Treasurer . F. N. Derby
Sheriff W. C. Green
Surveyor J. A. Smith
Superintendent of Schools C. H. Crawford
Auditor C. H. Winterble
Coroner F. L. Searles
Supervisors.. _G. O. Wheeler, H. P. Scott, W. W. Reynolds
1889.
Recorder — Isaac Clements
Treasurer - Henry Rerrick
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 249
Sheriff W. A. Noyes
Surveyor . . J. A. Smith
Superintendent of Schools . Isabella Cowan
Auditor C. H. Winterble
Clerk of Court . J. W. Walter
Attorney -J. B, Dunn
Corner 1 . C. L. Gurney
Supervisors -J. A. Warner, W. W. Reynolds, J. E. Wheelock
1890.
Recorder Isaac Clements
Treasurer Henry Herrick
Sheriff W. H. Noyes
Superintendent of Schools Isabella Cowan
Auditor . C. H. Winterble
Clerk of Court J. W. Walters
Coroner D. Algyer
Attorney - J. B. Dunn
Supervisors Wm.
Oliver, H. P. Scott, G. O. Wheeler, W. W. Reynolds
1891.
Recorder. . . F. D. Mitchell
Treasurer Henry Rerrick
Sheriff W. H. Noyes
Surveyor . F. E. Wade
Superintendent of Schools Ella Seckerson
Auditor C. H. Winterble
Clerk of Court J. W. Walters
Coroner D. Algyer
Attorney J. B. Dunn
Supervisors J. Bowley,
C. Parker, Chas. Youder, Wm. Oliver, J. A. Warner
1892.
The officers of this year, the same as in 1891, except J. T.
Conn, county attorney, in place of J. B. Dunn, and some
change in supervisors.
250 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
1893.
Recorder F. D. Mitchell
Treasurer - Henry Rerick
Sheriff S. A. Carter
Surveyor . F. E. Wade
Superintendent of Schools Ella Seckerson
Auditor C. H. Winterble
Clerk of Court W. S. Armstrong
Coroner D. Algyer
County Attorney J. T. Conn
Supervisors John Bowley, E. T.
Parker, John Warnake, J. K. McAndrew, John Rhodes
1894.
Recorder F. L. Herrick
Treasurer Henry Rerick
Sheriff S. A. Carter
Surveyor . F. E. Wade
Superintendent of Schools Ella Seckerson
Auditor C. H. Winterble
Clerk of Court W. S. Armstrong
Coroner D. Algyer
Attorney J. T. Conn
Snpervisors John Warnake, Benj. Jones,
D. M. Sheldon, W. W. Johnson and J. K. McAndrew
1895.
The officers of this year, the same as in 1894, except J. T.
Conn, auditor, and D. A. W. Perkins, attorney.
1896.
Recorder . F. L. Herrick
Treasurer C. R. West
Sheriff S. A.Carter
Surveyor F. E. Wade
Superintendent of Schools - Ella Seckerson
Auditor J. T. Conn
Clerk of Court W. S. Armstrong
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 251
Coroner E. W. Parker
County Attorney . . D. A. W. Perkins
Supervisors Jones, Sheldon, McAndrew, and
Johnson. Warnake died, and was appointed
1897.
Recorder .. F. L. Herrick
Treasurer C. R. West
Sheriff S.A. Carter
Surveyor ^ F. E. Wade
Superintendent of Schools Ella Seckerson
Auditor J. T. Conn
Clerk of Court S.A. Martin
Coroner - E. W. Parker
County Attorney C. A. Babcock
Supervisors Benj. Jones, D. M. Sheldon,
Henry Appeldorn, J. K. McAndrcws, W. W. Johnson
CHAPTER XIII.
POLITICS.
The county has had its share of political maneuvers; politics
is an American industry. If a yankee should be cast away on
a desolate island, he would by nature, first divide the territory
into election precincts, and next, post notices for a caucus.
Running for an office seems to be a trade by itself, and they
who are professional politicians, must know all the devices,
that belong to the art of getting votes. Sometimes men are
elected upon their negative qualities, that is a successful party
often goes in, because he has been silent in speech, while his
wisdom consisted only in- looking wise. He has moved along
successfully in business, has had no ideas to express, conse-
quently has offended nobody. There is another class, who
shout themselves in, and play the reform dodge, as Joe Smith
has it. "Formally it was said: Not all who cry Lord: Lord:
shall enter the kingdom of heaven: so at the present day it is
not universally the case, that they who pump political wind
with the greatest persistency, and assume a rich pplitico —
satisfied look, have the best interests of the public at heart."
It is rare in these degenerate political days, that a man goes
into office upon his merits, but he gets there by reason of the
time and money expended in his behalf. Still the public will
brand a man with defeat, when it is thoroughly known that he
is unfitted. Some men are also natural vote getters, and there
are others, whose success seems to be a matter of destiny.
Daniel Webster was by nature an intellectual hero, he towered
above his fellows, as the oak towers above the sapling, but in
his struggle for the presidential prize he fought against fate
254 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
and fortune, while Grant took the tide at its flood, which bore
him onward to the g"oal, that was the height of Webster's
ambition. James G. Blaine, one of the purest men in public
life, and an intellectual giant, seemed fated to miss the mark,
while Cleveland easily gained it. As long as we are a Repub-
lic, there will be offices to be filled by the people, and plenty
of candidates vexing their bodily health and mental serenity,
by sleepness nights in an effort to secure them. There have
been many hard fought battles in the county, in political con-
ventions some bad blood stirred up, and estrangements be-
tween men that have lasted for years. In O'Brien county,
which has always had a republican majority, there has been
now and then a democrat elected to office, which passeth
political understanding, but still cannot be accounted for in no
other way, than either republican voters, were by political
tactics lured over into the camp of the enemy, or else these
same voters did not like their candidate, and under the author-
ity of a certain plank in the platform years ago, refused to
support him.
As there is a woman suffrage association in the county, as
well as in the entire state, Sister Woods of Sutherland may
see the time, when she and her gallant and heroic coadjutors,
will march triumphantly to the polls with the ballot, and the
right to cast it, and then of course, all political ills are done
away with.
Some years ago, C. C. Carpenter and Judge Pendleton of
Sioux City were candidates for congress before the conven-
tion at Cherokee. Carpenter had his agents here, active in
his behalf, and Pendleton was not lacking in strong support.
At the county convention to select delegates, the contention
was bitter and long drawn out, and finally resulted in two sets
of delegates, one for Carpenter and the other for Pendleton,
and of course both sets were there. A few from each dele-
gation were brought up before the convention, placed upon
the witness stand, and interrogated as to their right to repre-
sent the county, and after more or less filibustering, strange
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
255
to say, in the Carpenter convention, the Pendleton delegates
got in by one-sixth of a vote. It seems to be a custom by
adoption in the county to give a county officer two terms,
but the force of it we never could see, as the better rule would
be, if an officer was worthy and well qualified, and just the
man, continue him indefinitely, and if unfitted, and 'not the
man, turn him out after a single term. Any man who has no
other claim to an of-
fice, save that of be-
ing entitled to it by
heirship, is not the
man for the office,
and should give place
to another. I re-
member a candidate
for a county office
some years ago, sim-
ple enough to be-
lieve everything that
was told him, and who
stated to me before
election, that I would
be astonished at the immense majority he would receive. He
was snowed under unmercifully, and meeting him the next
day he said, " Perkins, there are five hundred d d liars in
O'Brien county." Under the Australian ballot system, polit-
ical maneuvering and manipulations at the polls, have been
done away with, and we seem to be reasonably free from that
species of fraud, which prevailed under the old system.
SQUATTER LAND.
There were 17,000 acres of land in O'Brien county, which
since 1884, have caused much contention and excessive litiga-
tion. These lands are located in Floyd, Carroll, Dale, Baker,
Highland and Center townships. They were set apart by
Congress in 1864, in order to encourage, and aid the building
of railroads, one from McGregor, Iowa, on west, and the
FIRST STORE IN HARTLEY.
256 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Other from the Minnesota state line to Sioux City, the
two roads to form a junction in O'Brien county. The road
first building through, was the Sioux City and St. Paul road,
which is now the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha,,
and when this road reached LeMars, it made a contract with
the Illinois Central, to use its track to Sioux City, and has not
yet built a track of its own to Sioux City. After this building
of the Sioux City and St. Paul road to LeMars, they made
proof at the land office at Sioux City, for the purpose of
obtaining title, at which the contention commenced as to their
right to all of these lands, and finally the matter got into the
civil courts, and at last between the two companies it was
submitted to arbitration, the decision in which was an equal
division of the lands. This decision, not being satisfactory to
the Sioux City and St. Paul Co. the matter was further
litigated, until a final decision was reached, which divided the
lands between the two companies. There would not have
been any trouble between the two companies, had it not been
for the junction, as each road was granted every alternate
section on each side, and by certain conditions, twenty miles
on each, but made no provision for the twenty miles square at
the junction point, so that these lands were designated as
overlapping lands, and were claimed by both companies. The
Sioux City and St. Paul R. R., was not built across O'Brien
county until 1872, eight years after the passage of the act,
and the Milwaukee did not build across the county, until
1878, fourteen years after the land grant act. During this
time of litigation between the two companies, there was con-
siderable murmuring, and a feeling of discontent on the part
of the people of O'Brien county, that the lands were withheld
from the market, a feeling that the lands should be sold, and
settled upon, and during the discussion it began to be pro-
claimed, that the Sioux City and St. Paul ;R. R. had not
earned its lands, and that this company's share of the land
was open to settlement. The talk culminated in settlement
and occupation, and a squatter war was soon inaugurated.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
257
Many parties had purchased lands, and for awhile the contro-
versy was active and bitter. Cases of forcible entry and
detainer were brought, and justice courts kept busy hearing
and deciding. Cases were appealed, and other actions of
ejectment were brought in the district court. There was no
contest over that part of the lands claimed by the Milwaukee
company, as the question arose solel}', over the question, that
the Sioux City and St. Paul company had not earned the lands.
We think that the first one to boldly make settlement, and do
the first act to antagonize the Sioux City and St. Paul com-
pany by occupation, was Dr. H. M. Hamblin, who went to
work breaking, and
erecting a house on
a piece of this dis-
puted land near Prim-
ghar.
He boldly main-
tained his right to it,
claimed that the com-
pany had not earned
it, and that he had as
much right to it as
did any settler upon
government land in
the county, fifteen
years before. He
made this move in
February, 1884, and
it was but the signal
for many others, for
nearly three hundred of them followed suit, and soon the
prairie was alive with active operations in taking this land,
and building upon it.
These settlements continued, the squatters formed an Asso-
ciation, employed lawyers, and were ready to fight, and did
fight at every stage of the proceedings. The contest was
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RESIDENCE OF M. E, COLBY, HARTLEY.
258 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
finally brought squarely at issue between the squatters and
the St. Paul and Sioux City Railroad Co. The case at last
reached the docket of the United States Supreme Court, a
court of the last resort.
This court decided in favor of the squatters, or rather de-
cided, that the Sioux City and St. Paul Railroad Co, had not
earned these lands, and hence, so far as the company and the
squatters were concerned, the company had no right to the
land. The United States land department, then took charge
of the lands, and prescribed the method of making final proof
before the land office at Des Moines, and then another battle
was precipitated. The purchasers from the Sioux City and
St. Paul Co., some by deed and others by contract, claimed
that by virtue of a law of congress, they could hold as inno-
cent purchasers, and while the company could not hold them
under the decision, its grantees who were innocent purchasers,
could. These cases, between the purchasers and the squat-
ters, have been tried in the land office at Des Momes, and the
register and receiver of that office, seem to hold, that one who
bought from the company, where there was a squatter in
possession, and occupancy at the time of the purchase, was
not an innocent purchaser, and on this branch of the case, he
held with the squatters. The cases have been appealed to
the land commissioner at Washington, and at this writing
have not been decided. After they are decided Ijy the com-
missioner, they are subject to further appeal to the secretary
of the interior, and even after his decision, fiable to go again
into the civil courts. The Squatters' Union, has certainly
done vafient battle, somewhat expensive it is true, but still, if
successful at last, the value of the land is such, that the out-
come will be profitable. The purchasers from the company,
have also fought at every turn with able counsel, and at the
price they are to pay, if successful, their investment will turn
out to be one of profit. At first some of the active partici-
pants in the behalf af the Squatters' Union were H. M. Ham-
blin, John Harkins, L. G. Gates, R. P. Jones and W. R.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
259
Powers. The suit as between the two companies was de-
cided in May, 1886, and in September of that year, the Gov-
ernor of Iowa caused to be patented to the Chicago, Milwau-
kee and St. Paul Railroad Co., thirty-eight thousand acres
of these lands, which settled that much of it. The company
previous to that time, had contracted its land to the Close
Bros., a real estate firm, had also sold to the Western Land
Co. After this patent was issued for these Milwaukee Com-
pany lands, the Western Land Company brought over one
hundred actions against the squatters, to recover posssessiou,
but the squatters fought back, and brought action to secure
right to their improvements.
After the suit was determined between the two companies,
the Western Land Company gave the squatters a preference
right of thirty days to purchase the lands, most of whom did,
and the lands are held by thrifty farmers without conten-
tion. The suit in
the United States
Supreme Court,
which finally set-
tled the question
between the Sioux-
City and St. Paul
R. R. was institut-
ed by act of Con-
gress, in order that
the question might
be settled, as to
whether the Sioux
City and St. Paul
R. R. was entitled
to the lands, or not.
Questions were raised also upon the line of proceeding, as to
whether these lands were taxable. The people of the county
contended, that these lands should have been taxed from 1873
and 1878 respectively from the building of the two roads. There
RESIDENCE OF J. M. YEOMANS, HARTLEY.
260 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
was however some understanding, and we think a contract by
way of compromise between the companies and the board of
supervisors, whereby the companies agreed to pay the taxes,
in 1884, and for succeeding years, and the board were to
cancel the claim for taxes prior to that year, which was done.
The following is substantially the record entries relating to
these lands. An act of Congress entitled: An act for a grant
of claims to the state of Iowa in alternate sections, to aid in
the construction of a railroad in said state. Approved May
12, 1864.
An act of the general assembly of the state of Iowa, ap-
proved April 20, 1866, entitled: An act to accept the grant
of land to the state of Iowa in alternate sections, to aid in the
construction of a railroad in said state.
An act of the general assembly of the state of Iowa, ap-
proved February 27, 1868, entitled, an act to resume all the
lands and rights conferred upon the McGregor Western Rail-
road company, by or under an act of congress, approved May
12, 1864.
An act of the general assembly of the state of Iowa, ap-
proved March 31, 1868, entitled, "an act making a grant of
land to the McGregor and Sioux City Railroad company, or
in case of their failure to accept the same, to the forty-third
parallel, and to execute the trust conferred by act of con-
gress entitled; an act for a grant of land to the state of Iowa,
in alternate sections, to aid in the construction of a railroad in
said state, approved May 12, 1864.
An act of the general assembly of the state of Iowa, ap-
proved March 15, 1876, entitled, "an act relating to the lands
heretofore granted to the McGregor and Missouri Railroad
company, resuming said lands, and regulating the same upon
new conditions to said company, and providing for forfeiture
thereof, and in case of such forfeiture, for the disposition to
be made of said lands.
An act of the general assembly of the state of Iowa, ap-
proved February 27, 1878, entitled an act in relation to the
History of o'brien county, iowa.
261
lands granted the state of Iowa in alternate sections, to aid in
the construction of a railroad in said state, approved May 13,
1864, and to impose upon the Chicago, Milwaukee and St.
Paul Railway company, the powers and the liabilities men-
tioned in chapter 4, title 10, code of Iowa.
A duly certified copy of map of location of route, filed by
the McGregor and Western Railroad company, August 30,
1864, in the general land office at Washington, D. C.
Duly certified copies of maps of location of route, filed by
the McGregor and Sioux City Raih-oad compan}- in the general
land office, at Washington, D. C, January 27, 1869, and the
second day of September, 1869, respectively.
There were letters from the commissioner of the general
land office bearing date May 13, 1868, to the governor of
Iowa to D. D. Shepard,
dated October 8, 1868,
and November 13, 1868,
respectively ; letter from
Russell Sage to the sec-
retary of the interior, bear-
ing date March 8, 1869,
and the reply of the secre-
tary thereto; also a copy
of final certificate of gov-
ernor of Iowa on comple-
tion of the Chicago, Mil-
waukee and St. Paul
R. R.
Patents from the United
States to the state of Iowa
for lands in controversy
in thissuit, with other lands, for the benefit of the Sioux City
and St. Paul Railroad Company, and other defendants. A
copy of which decree being filed in the recorder's office of
said O'Brien county, on the 25th day of May, 1886, and re-
corded in book 23 of deeds, at pages 197 to 214 inclusive.
262 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Orders of United States Circuit Court, confirming the report
of commissioners partitioning joint indemnity, and joint lands
between the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul R. R. Company,
recorded in the recorder's office of said O'Brien county, in
miscellaneous records, pages 244 to 253 inclusive.
Record of patent from the state of Iowa to the Chicago,
Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company for lands in question,
said patent being recorded in recorder's office of said O'Brien
county in book 33 of deeds, pages 480 to 484.
Deed from the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway
Company, of lands in question to the said Western Land
Company, recorded in recorder's office of O'Brien county in
book 23, pages 529 to 531. There were several comical
things grew out of the land office litigation, over these lands
at Des Moines. People from a distance had read about the
decision, which decided these lands to be open for settlement,
and a large number flocked at Des Moines and to O'Brien
county, in order to avail themselves of a government home-
stead. The land lawyers at Des Moines coined money from
these innocent seekers after land, charged them a good round
sum for selecting a quarter section for them, and attending to
their filing in the land office, and several fifings were on one
quarter. There were also some transfers of filing rights, and
the extent of these transactions between men over these
claims, will never fully be known.
It is enough to know, that the land agents at Des Moines
were well up in their job, and no land seeker was permitted
to depart. without leaving a portion of the contents of his
pocket book, in the palm of one of this indispensible frater-
nity. The writer, who was county attorney at the time, did,
by reason of his office, receive a large number of letters from
the east, making inquiries concerning these lands. Several
were from the extreme east, where the writers of them knew
nothing about the west, and had an idea as some eastern
people have, that we are sort of semi-civilized. One fellow
wanted to know how much timber it would cut to the acre,
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
263
and whether it would be safe to bring the old woman along.
Another inquired if the Indians were very troublesome, and
how far away to the nearest town, and still another wrote,
that he wanted to come, but his father said he would never
consent to his going, where there were neither schools nor
churches, and wanted to know if I thought sometime we
would have these. In all I got about twenty-five letters, and
many of them were on the above order.
There was considerable strife for awhile, between owners
and squatters, and a few personal encounters. Sometimes a
squatter shack would disappear in the night, or be found in
the road a total wreck, and sometimes, two fighting parties
would be plowing on the same quarter. But the land depart-
ment and the courts will finally settle all differences, though
it may be several years yet, but when finally settled, each side
as law abiding citizens will gracefully yield to the majesty of
the law.
COUNTY SEAT.
Since the removal of the county seat to Primghar, as usual
with all counties, there has been a desire on the part of other
towns to obtain it. Sheldon made
an effort in 1879. Notice was pub-
lished in the Sheldon Mail that peti-
tions would be circulated, and pre-
sented to the board.
Sanborn saw no reason why it had
not as good a right to enter the con-
test as Sheldon had, so Sanborn also
published in the Pioneer, a similar
notice. Primghar stirred itself with
remonstrances, and the fight was vig-
orous, if not bitter on both sides.
Sheldon had 532 names, which frightened Sanborn out, and
this town did not file its petition. The time was set for hear-
ing by the board, and the only question to be determined was,
J. WALDSMITH.
264 HISTORY OP O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
whether Sheldon had the required number of names, and
if so, whether the names of the remonstrators out-numbered
those of the petitioners. Not until the morning of the time
set for hearing, did the people of Primghar fully realize
the danger of defeat. Attorneys for Primghar occupied
the time of the first day, in arguing motions for time, and
the very time spent in arguing, answered the purposes of
the motion. In the meantime Primghar had every available
man and conveyance, out in the county soliciting names on the
remonstrance, the result of which was, that Sheldon was finally
defeated, and Primghar was once more at ease.
In 1882, Sanborn so to speak, lost its head. It did not for
the time being, see any use of trying to secure the county seat
by petitions, so concluded at the proper time, to march down
and bodily move it, from Primghar to Sanborn. It was a
beautiful moonlight night on the 23d of November, when
about one hundred men, with teams, timbers, and other
devices, reached Primghar about 12 o'clock at night.
Primghar was then but a small village, and many of its
citizens including its county officers, except J. L. E. Peck,
were at St. Paul upon an excursion; those not away were
slumbering peacefully in their beds. These county seat
raiders had the recorder's safe loaded, and started off for
Sanborn, the treasurer's safe was loaded on a wagon, as also
were nearly all the books and papers of the county. The
noise made by these Sanbornites, went out on the still air of
the night.
A few restless slumberers awoke, and soon the town was
astir. Excitement prevailed on all sides, but soon organization
was completed, and interference was made. They tackled
the means of transportation, pulling out linch pins, pulling nuts
off the wagons, cutting harness, and otherwise checking as
far as possible, the progress of the raiders. The board of super-
visors were soon on the scene, and as Primghar had sent for
recruits from the country, by daylight a great many men and
women were on the ground. As soon as possible after the
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
205
gathering of some of the crowd, a chain around the court
house square was taken off, and wound around the treasurer's
safe, then around a tree, thus anchoring this money receptacle
in safety. By lo o'clock of the next day, about five hundred
indignant farmers from around Primghar, were in Sanborn with
blood in their eye, and demanded the return of the records,
which had been deposited in a building at Sanborn. At this
stage of the proceeding, better counsel prevailed; there was
a meeting of the board, and auditor Peck with the citizens of
Sanborn talked the matter over. Sanborn did the manly act,
by expressions of apology and regret, averring that it was a
sort of impromptu matter, caused
by unwise enthusiasm, and the
affair had gone beyond what was
expected. It was stated, that they
were willing to return all the rec-
ords, and repair all damage caused
by the raid. This was done ac-
cording to promise. The new
wagon used to remove the treas-
urer's safe was still at Primghar,
and the men and women on their
way to Sanborn, expressed their
feeling, by attacking this wagon
and about demolishing it, then set
up the tongue, upon which a flag was soon afterwards placed,
which was floating in triumph, when the records were taken
back.
Thus ended the last attempt to remove the county seat, and
Primghar fully recovered its sudden and excited scare.
As usual upon such subjects, the poet got in his work, and
among others a Sanborn poet, who wrote as follows, which
appeared in the papers at that time.
266 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
What is it, that hustled the Primghar lads?
And stood nearly all of them onto their heads,
And made Col. Pumphrey come down with the scads.''
The County Seat!
What made them gather around in a bunch,
At Tifit's saloon for his free lunch,
And close it up with a bowl of punch?
The County Seat.
What made old "Samul" so short and sharp,
And on his land and his taxes harp,
And cause him so much to fret and carp?
The County Seat!
What made the County Dads so long
In session, when they to their farms belong,
And to swallow such camphor to make them strong?
The County Seat!
What made Clark Green get up on his ear?
And swear about Sheldon far and near,
With a string of adjectives swift and clear?
The County Seat !
What was it made such a busy sight,
And hustled all Primghar around in the night.
Working for life with main and might?
The County Seat !
What was it sent Sheldon boys away
To Primghar, and be there day after day.
And made things lively during their stay?
The County Seat!
What is it that wont let Primghar sleep?
But will keep her uneasy and make her weep;
Something she's got, but never can keep,
The County Seat!
What was it made Barrett so slow to tell,
That we worked so hard and worked so well.
But passed in our checks and gone to h — 1?
The County Seat !
The newspapers warred among themselves over the raid,
yet none but those of Sanborn seemed to justify, and these
more in a humorous way. There was an attempt to indict,
and strong efforts made, but the grand jury did not think
it best, at least they found no bill against anyone. At this
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 267
distance of fifteen years from the attempted removal, it seems
singular, and even to those who were in it, that such a thing
was ever thought of, but the feeling was, that the county was
so anxious to get it out of Primghar, that the voters would
acquiesce. It is wonderful that the matter went as tar as it did,
and nobody hurt, for in a more settled county than O'Brien
was at that time, there would have been a serious fight,
followed by bloodshed.
C. F. BUTTER FIKLD AND FAMILY
CHAPTER XIV.
COURTS AND COURT RECORDS.
The first court of record held in O'Brien county, was on the
9th day of June, 1862, and was held upon the following order
issued by Judge Hubbard.
State of Iowa, \
Fourth Judicial District. J
To the clerk of the District Court of O'Brien county :
You are hereby notified, that a term of the district court,
within and for said county, will be held commencing on the
• 9th day of June, 1862, and will continue in session two days if
the business requires it.
Given under my hand this 24th day of April, 1862.
A. W. Hubbard,
Judge 4th Judicial District of Iowa.
This court was held at the county seat at old O'Brien, in
accordance with this order, and adjourned the next day on
June 10.
Owing to the scarcity of lawyers, there must have been no
cause for litigation, as the proceedings were very limited.
The first judicial act of Judge Hubbard was to naturalize
Henry Golleckson, Kun de Stennerson, and Christian Johnson,
they were from Norway, and took the usual oath of allegiance,
to the best government on earth, and declared their attach-
ment to the principles of our Constitution.
The next case was an action upon account, wherein Collins,
Kellogg and Kerby, were plaintiffs, and Adolph Wehrmann
was defendant. Default was made, and judgment was ren-
dered for $449.
270 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
The next, and the last case, was Greely, Gale & Co.,
against Adolph Wehrmann, August Wehrmann and F. Wehr-
mann. This was an action to set aside a conveyance, being a
deed, made by Adolph and Augusta, to F. Wehrmann, of all
of section 29, all of section 33, and the west half of the south-
west quarter, and the west half of the southeast quarter of
section 19, also west half of southwest quarter of section 20.
All of the above in township 96, range 39, being now civil
township Omega.
Also the southeast quarter of section 20, in township 97,
range 41, now civil township Franklin, and the east half of
section 30, and the southeast quarter of section 19, in town-
ship 96, range 41, being now civil township Summit.
There was default in this case, the conveyance was set
aside, and the premises above described, were subjected to
the debt against F. Wehrmann, and decree entered accord-
ingly. This completed the business of the first term of dis-
trict court.
There seems to be no record of any term in O'Brien county
of a district court from this first term until November, 1870,
which was held by Judge Henry Ford. It seems singular
that there was no term of this court between 1862 and 1870,
but if there was such, the record of it has been dropped out of
existence. At this November term, the record is somewhat
incomplete. The first statement by the clerk is, that court
was to be convened on the 2d day of November, 1870, but
the judge not appearing, it was adjourned until the next day.
The next entry is, that court having adjourned from the first
to the second day, and from the second day to the third day,
it now convened on the 26th day of November, 1870, and
this day it seems was the first day of that term.
The attorneys who figured at this term were, Wilson &
Dry and O'Connell & Harley. There were a few judgments
rendered at this term, and no litigated cases. The next term
of the district court was held in June, 1871, Judge Henry
Ford presiding. The attorneys in attendance were Wilson
HON. CHARLES H. LEWIS.
272 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
& Dry, I. M. Pembefton, Eugene Covvles, Orson Rice, and
Geo. F. Haswell. This term was of only two days duration.
But one judgment was rendered, and this against the poor
oppressed county of O'Brien, one other case was continued,
and the third case was changed in venue to Cherokee county.
The next term was held December i, 1871, and at this
term is the first mention of a grand jury. The same Judge
Henry Ford presided, and C. H. Lewis was district attorney.
Mr. Lewis filed a motion, that the venire issued by the clerk
be set aside for certain irregularities, and that a jury be
drawn from the body of the county, which was done.
The fifteen grand jurors drawn were: Adam Towberman,
L. C. Washburn, Horace Gilbert, P. A. Hurlbert, W. A.
Acer, John Wood, Robert E. Wood, Ed. Parker, Gus Baker,
S. G. Sutter, Harley Day, Henry Smith, Wm. Welch, John
Brock, and Miles Allen. Adam Towberman was named as
foreman.
This grand jury reported the next day, that there was no
cause for indictment. There was no petit jury at this term,
and no business, except one judgment rendered. There is
no intention to pursue the records of this court, but the writer
thought that a review of some of the early judicial business
would be of interest. The next term of the district court was
held June 27, 1872 — Henry Ford, judge; C. H. Lewis,
district attorney; Stephen Harris, clerk, by A. H. Willets,
deputy; Ed. A. Nissen, sheriff. There were no trial cases,
but quite a number of judgments rendered. The regular
panel of grand jury was set aside on motion of Mr. Lewis
and a jury drawn from the body of the county, they were, W.
Parsons, John W. Kelly, Thomas Scott, J. P. Blood, A.J.
Brock, J. H. Alexander, H. C. Wheeler, J. Broser, R. G.
Allen, J. S. Wagner, Horace Gilbert, August Baker, and J.
G. Arbuckle. This grand jury was ordered to retire, to
consider any causes for indictment, but the record is silent as
to what became of them, and if the writer did not know that
some of them were long since borne to their' final rest, there
HON. GEORGE W. WAKEFIELD.
274 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
would be no other conclusion than they were still out deliber-
ating. The most of the judgments rendered, were against
O'Brien county, and this poor bedraggled defendant, was
defaulted continuously, and indeed it seems there was no
need of court, only to render judgments against it.
In November, 1872, on the 29th, was held a special term
of court, at which three judgments were rendered against
O'Brien county, aggregating $5,550. One judgment against
district township of Grant, and two against district township
of Waterman.
The next term was held in April in 1873. There was no
grand jury, and no petit jury; several judgments were
rendered, and after being in session two days, court adjourned
to hold special session November 17, 1873. This session
was never held, as the judge adjourned it sine die.
The next regular term was held April 16, 1874. "^^^ ^^"
torneys in attendance so far as the records disclose
were Eugene Cowles, Barrett & Allen, G. S. Robinson, D.
A. W. Perkins and Kellogg & Lewis. This term was the
first of this court held at Primghar, as the county seat,
since the previous term, had been moved from old O'Brien.
There was no business transacted at this term, except the entry
of default judgments.
The next term of this court was convened March i, 1875.
Since a previous term, C. H. Lewis had been elected judge,
and presided at this term. The following were the members
of the grand jury: A. W. Balcom, G. W. Edwards, W. C.
Butterfield, John F. Burroughs, N. S. Tobin, C. H. Moon, C.
Lingenfelter, Wm. W. Johnson, H. M. Crosby, Ben. Epperson
and H. G. Hammond. Mr. Hammond was elected foreman.
At this term there was a petit jury, but no cases w^ere heard
by them. The names of this first petit jury in this court
were as follows: Morris King, A. B. Nash, Charles Stearns,
G. W. Doyle, James Magee, George Miller F. H. Reddout.
These were the regular drawn panel and responded to the roll
call. The rest of the panel who should have been present, but
HON. WILLIAM HUTCHINSON.
276 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
failed to respond, were : Ed Shea, A. W. Johnson, Frank Mor-
fitt, Charles Parker, E. E. Robinson, George Klock and P. C.
Hicks. As there were no cases to be tried, the court undoubt-
edly saw no reason to send for delinquents. There*is, as in a
former record, no further mention of the grand jurj-, so that
they, with members previously missing, must still be waiting
to be called in. The business of this term was mostly upon
questions of pleadings, and default judgments.
The first criminal case on the calendar, was at the September
term of the district court, 1875. When the case was called, de-
fendant failed to appear. The record is so meager that there is
no record of the indictment. There were also two other crim-
inal cases the same year, in both of which, defendants failed to
appear. The fine first imposed in a criminal case, was upon a
plea of guilty in the case of State of Iowa vs. Henry Shuhz, for
selling liquor contrary to law. He was fined $20 and costs, ex-
cept $10 of the costs, were taxed to the plaintiff. The first jury
case tried in this court, was in April, 1874, in case of Ransom
Bartle vs. Wm. Lyle; D. A. W. Perkins was for the plaintiff
and John Connell for defendant. We do not deem it necessary
to follow the records of this court further.
CIRCUIT COURT.
The circuit court abolished some years ago, was created by
the legislature in 1868, and the first term of this court was held
at old O'Brien, on the 25th day of November, 1869. Judge Ad-
dison Oliver, presided. H. F. Parker was clerk and John
Patchen, sheriff. The first day there was no business, and
court adjourned until the next day.
The next day there was no business and court adjourned
again, to the day following.
The third day court convened again in the forenoon, and
the entry is, "there being no business ready, coart adjourned
until afternoon." In the afternoon there was one judgment
rendered, when it was found there was no further business,
and court adjourned until the regular term. The next term
HON. FRANK R. GAYNOR.
278 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
was May 19, 1870, at which time the judge fixed the time for
future terms of court, adopted certain rules of practice, sus-
tained two demurrers, and adjourned. 187 1 must have been
a blissful year for the inhabitants of O'Brien county, as Judge
Oliver in appointing commissioners of insanity, states in his
order.
"It appearing that there is no practicing physician or lawyer
in the county of O'Brien, it is ordered; that Dr. Butler, and
C. H. Lewis, Esq., of Cherokee county, be and are hereby
appointed commissioners of insanity pro tempore." The only
wonder is, that the commissioners were needed, as under such
a peaceful condition of society, surely there could be no
insane.
The next term of the circuit court, Judge Oliver still presid-
ing, was held February 24, 187 1. There was only one case, in
which judgment was rendered by default. This court held
further terms August 25, 187 1, April 12, 1872. There was
the usual routine of business, principally default judgments. A
jury had been called for this April, 1872, term, and when the roll
was called, the only persons responding, were Hiram Hene-
baugh, John Loder, L. C. Greene, N. Remington, Sydney
Vicus and Oren Finch. It was stated to these jurors by the
court, that there were no cases for trial, and they were dis-
charged. The records of the circuit court are imperfectly
written, but several terms were held following the last men-
tioned, with very little business to transact. The next term
where a jury was called was at the May term, 1875. The jury
at this term were John Carey, J. W. Walter, R. C. Tifft,
M. O'Neil, D. Harkness, G. W. Doyle, Oliver Evans, J. W.
Hibbs, George Hardin, S. Hedges, Robert Jones, A. Keefer.
At this term, the first jury trial in this court was had, in a case
wherein William Reynolds was plaintiff, and Nash Bros., de-
fendants. D. A. W. Perkins tried the case on behalf of the
plaintiff, and Barrett and Allen on behalf of the defendants.
The plaintiff had saved about forty bushels of wheat from the
ravages of grasshoppers, and had it stored in his house during
HON. JOHN F. OLIVER.
280 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY. IOWA.
the winter of 1874, while he was at Cherokee working to earn
a living for his family. While absent, defendants by an
officer seized the wheat on execution and sold it. This action
was for its value, claimed as exempt. The jury quickly gave
plantiff his judgment.
The circuit court was abolished in 1886 by the legislature.
At the time of its abolishment, there were on the bench in
that court. Hon. D. D. McCallum and Hon. George W.
Wakefield. Mr. Wakefield was afterwards elected district
judge. Upon the resignation of Hon. Addison Oliver in 1874,
Hon. J. R. Zuver was appointed by the governor, to succeed
Judge Oliver, and afterwards elected. The latter part of his
term, he was unable to hold court regularly, on account of
bodily infirmities. Hon. D. D. McCallum died of cancer in
1895.
Judge Hubbard was a good jurist, a gentleman and scholar.
He died many years ago. Judge Ford is at Tacoma, Wash-
ington. Judge Pendleton died a few years ago at Sioux
City. He was one of nature's noblemen. Judge Zuver also
died a few years ago. Judge Lewis is in practice at Sioux
City. As a ijudge he was fair and impartial, and of much
judicial ability. Joe Smith, in his history of Harrison
county, says of him, that " he served more consecutive years
on the bench than any other man in the state of Iowa, ex-
cept the Hon. George W. Ruddick of Bremer county,
which would indicate the fitness of the man, and the faith
which they had in his integrity."
Our present judges are Hon. Frank R. Gaynor of LeMars,
Hon. William Hutchinson of Orange City, Hon. John F.
Oliver of Onawa, and Hon. George W. Wakefield of
Sioux City.
Judge Hutchinson has been recently appointed by the Gov-
ernor, but his fitness for the bench, his method of dispatching
business, and his fairness and legal attainments, have already
brought the encomiums of the bar, and the approval of the
people.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
281
Judge Gaynor in a quiet methodical way, performs the
duties of his office, and in his administration of justice, he
knows not friend nor foe. His judicial ability has long since
been acknowledged, and there could not have been any higher
endorsement, than that of his last nomination, when a political
party, opposite to his own faith, made him their choice as a
candidate, and gave him warm support, both lawyers and
laymen.
Judge Wakefield sits upon the bench like a philosopher.
He served three years in the army, and is an old resident of
Sioux City. He aims to do justice to all, with the strictest
impartiality, the highest qualities of a judge, and this coupled
with a thorough know-
ledge of the law, estab-
lishes an eminent fitness
for the duties of his of-
fice.
Judge Oliver is the
son of his father, and
brings to the discharge
of his duties, many of
the father's qualifica-
tions.
He has his own way
of searching into the
merits of a controversy,
with no other intention,
HON. SCOTT M. LADD.
than to be sure that
right shall prevail.
Judge Oliver is frank and outspoken, and any member of
the bar may be sure, if he has occasion to know it, that the
presiding judge has charge of the court proceedings. His
legal qualifications however, and his unquestioned integrity,
have convinced the bar and the people of the district, that
he is well fitted for the bench. He succeeded Hon. A. Van,
Wagenen,
282 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Hon. Scott M. Ladd was in the pracnce of law at Sheldon,
when promoted to the district bench in 1886. He served
from that time until his election as a supreme court judge in
1896. He was popular with the bar of the district, and had
the confidence of the people. His promotion to the supreme
bench was a fitting recognition of his judicial ability, and his
character as a man.
The courts and lawyers are quite a part of governmental
machinery, and while the law is regarded as a science, some-
thing which adjusts upon principle and precedent, the jarring
elements of society, yet it is often used by some in attempting
to perpetrate an injustice. A client who consults a lawyer,
does not always want to know so much what the law is, but
how it can be used for his particular benefit.
While law has been defined by one eminent writer as a rule
of action, given by the majority which the minority are bound
to obe}^ still, a student once in process of examination for ad-
mission to the bar, upon being asked what the law was, stated,
that it was that which was boldly asserted, and most plausibly
maintained. The early days of th^ county were free from liti-
gation, it was not until the removal of the county seat to Prim-
ghar, that there were any trial cases, and but few of these until
later on. Judge Henry Ford, who succeeded Judge Hubbard
was not only a fine lawyer, but was very much of a gentleman,
and had an agreeable suavity of manner as a judge. When he
called the docket at a term in Primghar, and read a certain case
there, some lawyer from abroad in very solemn tones, asked the
court for a continuance for defendant. Judge Ford sta,ted to
him, that it would be necessary to file an affidavit, showing
the grounds of continuance, and asked the lawyer iE his client
could make an affidavit with grounds sufficient. Ah! your
honor, said the grief-stricken attorney, my client is not here, he
is there, (pointing above), he is dead. The judge then stated
to the lawyer if such was the case, his court had lost jurisdic-
tion, and perhaps it would be necessary for him to appear
before some other tribunal. During the relief period, one
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
283
Luce was charged with the theft of some flour, which was
stored in Baker township school house. A large amount had
been shipped in, and the committee on relief used the school
building in which to place it. About a wagon load of it dis-
appeared under the darkness of night, and suspicion point-
ing towards Luce he was arrested. The writer was employed
to defend him, and the statements he made to me, along with his
honest face and church membership, impressed me that he was
innocent, and a persecuted man. The evidence was only cir-
cumstantial, but still it was damaging, but not convincing, es-
pecially to the writer, who was sure that some other was the
guilty party. Luce was
acquitted, and went forth
adjudged innocent of the
crime. The next day he
came around to settle up,
and asked the writer if he
would not take pay in some
of that flour, as he had
some of it on hand, but had
little money. The reader
may be sure he paid the
money, for after all, the
law was cheated out of the
opportunity to punish a
guilty man. ,. „. oates.
At another time, the
writer defended a young man charged with larceny, and there
being not sufficient evidence to convict, he was discharged,
and having no money turned over his watch, worth about ij)5
as payment of the attorney fee. The writer received this in
his office, and in the presence of the client laid it away in a
drawer of a desk. Inside of an hour the watch was again in
the pocket of the client, for the thief had actually stolen the
watch from his attorney.
In 1879, some traveling man left his pocketbook in a cupola
284 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
of a caboose, on the Milwaukee road, after it reached Sanborn.
He had been sitting there, and the pocketbook had worked
out of his pocket and laid on the seat. The pocketbook con-
tained $ioo and was found by a brakeman C. H. Lewis, who
threw the pocketbook away, and placed the money in the
lining of his hat. When the traveling man discovered his loss,
complaint was made before a justice, a warrant issued and
several of the train men searched, but the money not found,
until Lewis was confronted with the charge of stealing it,
which he confessed to, and turned the money over, taking it
from under the hat lining. Lewis was bound over to the
grand jury, and O'Brien county then having no jail, he was
incarcerated in the Sioux county jail during the winter, and
until the following March term of court.
At that term he was indicted, and having no money the
writer was appointed by the court to defend him. That even-
ing while we were taking a walk with Judge Lewis, the sug-
gestion was made to him, that the boy having turned the
money over, was a well behaved fellow with a mother to
support, that the boy plead guilty and take a fine without an
order of committal. The judge thought otherwise, he said
that an employee of the railroad should guard strictly the
property of a passenger, and instead of stealing, should restore
it, and that in his opinion the boy should go to the penitentiary
eighteen months.
The next morning while the writer and Charley Allen were
in the court room, before the time of opening court, the boy
Lewis came in with some books sent by the sheriff, Mart
Shea. The writer had a talk with him, and is sure, and can-
not possibly be mistaken, that he gave no intimation to the
fellow, as to what he might expect, nor any suggestion as to
what he had better do, but at any rate from an instinct of self
perservation in all probability, the criminal was soon seen from
the court house window striking across the prairie. When
court opened, Mart Shea was looking for his prisoner, but
he could not be found, and when the case was called for
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
285
trial, District Attorney Marsh had no one to either prosecute
or convict. The writer was informed not long afterwards by
Frank Tifft, that the boy came to his house in Primghar that
night about ii o'clock, just about famished, having laid in the
tall grass during the hot day without either food or water.
Frank gave the criminal a -.
good square meal, and
started him off towards
Cherokee; he was never
heard from afterwards.
Sometimes courts are
severe, and there are cases
where punishment should
be light. This boy was
not a thiei by nature, and
indeed after he found the
money, he had carried it
a day without using any
of it, and when called upon,
restored it all, and ex-
pressed regret. He might have hid it, and denied the taking
of it, and no proof could have been secured to convict him.
Under such circumstances, eighteen months in the penitentiary
would have been a strong sentence, although from the point of
judicial determination, the sentence might have been justified.
John Connell, mentioned as one of the early lawyers of
Sheldon, went out to defend a handsome young widow in
Sioux county, and a reporter at the time published the fol-
lowing as a part of his speech :
Gentlemen: — You may hang the ocean on a grape vine,
lasso an avalanche, pin a napkin to the mouth of a volcano,
skim the clouds from the sky with a teaspoon, throw salt on
the tail of the American eagle, whose sleepless eye watches
over the welfare of our nation, but never for a moment
delude yourselves with the idea, that this young widow is
guilty of the charge preferred against her."
W. H. BLOOM.
286 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
The reporter further said, that at this stage of Mr. Connell's
eloquence, the court fainted, which caused much excitement,
and an officer was sent to Hull, then Pattersonville, for a doc-
tor, and in the meantime the fair widow escaped.
Along in the seventies, was formed the Independant School
District of Sheldon, and included in this formation were sections
31 and 32, township 97, range 42 and section i, township 96,
range 43 in Sioux county. This independent district at once
made a levy for taxes of 10 mills school house fund, 20 mills
contingent fund and 35 mills teacher fund. Upon these taxes
being certified to the county supervisors of Sioux county, the
gentlemen composing the board held up their hands in holy
horror at the idea, that O'Brien county should reach over, and
gobble Sioux county land for the purpose of bleeding it with
taxation. It did seem a Httle "cheeky" but it was legally
right, for the Supreme Court so decided. The original attor-
neys for Sioux county were Edward Henn and Rufus Stone,
both of whom have long since passed over the silent river.
E. H. Hubbard of Sioux City was afterwards added as an at-
torney in the case, and Perkins and Barrett appeared for the
Sheldon district. The attorneys on both sides joined some-
what in the bitterness of the controversy, were exceedingly
facetious and did some sparring in their argument before the
Supreme Court. The Sioux county attorneys pitched into the
other side with this pointed language: "It is far better for
plaintiff to lay hold of land in the well and honestly managed
county of Sioux, where property is valuable and valuations high,
rather than gather in the territory of its county, which has been
notoriously a den of thieves for these many years, where the
value of property has been taxed out of existence, and where
the principal industry of the inhabitants consists in the grinding
out of bogus warrants and fraudulent bonds." The plaintiff
repHed to this as follows: "Before presenting our own
reasons why the judgment of the court below should be
affirmed, we must deprecate the very unprofessional manner
in which appellants go out of their way, to state that plaintiff's
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
287
county is one of thieving reputation and dishonest practices;
for while this may have been its early history, a reminder of
it comes with very ill grace from defendant, whose period of
reform has been so recent, and so brief, that they may yet be
considered in a condition of uncertainty and doubtful probation,
and before they parade any particular virtues of their own, or
condemn any vices of their neighbors, it would be well to exhibit
some proof of practical
honesty by levying this
tax, rather than compel
plaintiffs to resort to the
courts, and make them do
it, by force of law."
The real conflict in the
case was between the In-
dependent District of Shel-
don, and the Independent
District of Grant in Sioux
county, both of which were
making a race for exist-
ence and recognition The
Supreme Court held, that
the Sheldon district was
first in point of time, and
. J. T. CONN.
this bemg so, the levy
should have been made for that district, which the supervisors
afterwards reluctantly did.
The case of Maud Straw excited considerable interest, and
there was much indignant feehng, especially on the part of
Sheldon's citizens.
Had there been undisputed evidence, pointing to the guilt
of the assassin who committed the murder, the courts would
have been relieved of the occasion of any long drawn out
trial. Judge Lynch is a frontier tribunal, it is true, and before
society had become fully organized, the desperate character
who robbed, pillaged and murdered, could be dealt with in no
288 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Other way than immediate excution upon a gallows, upon the
nearest tree. But even in advanced society, when a cruel
heinous crime has been committed, it is hard to restrain the
people from taking the law into their own hands, when the
real culprit is definitely known. Maud Straw was a school
girl iS years of age. She was without parents, left an orphan
some years before. She lived with her brother-in-law who
married Maud's sister, and these with the children of the sister
living in a small house of one room in the city of Sheldon,
constituted the household.
Maud was a hard working, ambitious scholar, she was
above her surroundings in aim and ambition, and while she
struggled against poverty and to keep herself sufficiently clad
to mingle with her associates, she kept up a brave heart, and
saw through the clouds of misfortune which seemed to surround
her, a rift of sunshiny success. The coming time of gradu-
ation, her after life of teaching, and the opportunity of earn-
ing a respectable Hvelihood were constantly in her mind, and
in these she lived, which gave a sort of a buoyancy of appear-
ance, and apparently joyful life. She was also imbued with
the highest principles of chastity and virtue, the priceless
boon of a woman, and she scorned the life and the conduct of
a wayward vixen, who would depart from these. In the
month of February, 1896, while her brother-in-law and his
family were visiting in the country, she lived alone in the
house, and on the morning of the next day she was found
partially nude, lying across the bed. Her limbs were rigid,
and her body cold in the embrace of death; she was a corpse.
How long she had laid there could not be definitely de-
termined. A post mortem examination was had, by direction
of a coroner's jury and was performed by Dr. W. H. Meyers
and Dr. Milton Daily. It was found that she had been out-
raged, and the condition of the body indicated poison, and at
all events it seemed to be conclusive that after the outrage, or
before, she had been murdered.
No one can conceive the degraded and wicked character of
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
289
the heart of such a demon, who would rob an innocent girl of
her virtue, and then take her life. Of the worst and vilest of
all Gods creatures, characterized by the basest coinage of hell,
there is not one more despicable than he who did the deed,
and the writer fears that he will never be known, with the
certainty of evidence to convict him, unless with his own ex-
piring breath, he imparts the secret to the living. The coroner's
jury was organized on Saturday, and continued in session until
the Tuesday following. The writer was then county attorney,
and being required to attend at the Sioux county district
court the Monday and Tuesday following, requested the
coroner's jury to remain in session, until the Wednesday fol-
lowing, and expressed the opinion, *:hat as the grand jury
would be in session in about thirty days, that it would be
better to continue the secret investigation of a coroner's jury
until that time, as develop-
ments could better be made
in that way, than by a public
preliminary before a justice.
But upon my return Wed-
nesday morning. Justice
Conant, who had become act-
ing coroner in the place of
the coroner. Dr. Perley, had
issued a warrant for the
arrest of certain parties, and
had telegraphed to Sanborn
to C. A. Babcock to come
up, and take charge of the
case. The writer expressed
his feelings freel}', both to Justice Conant and to Babcock for
such a condition of affairs, but the farce had commenced, and
I was powerless to prevent it. For an entire week the hear-
ing progressed, and such a mass of contradictory testimony as
was introduced on the part of the state, was a shocking exhi-
bition of judicial stupidity. One of the arrested parties was
KEARNEY.
290 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
held to the grand jury, and when that body met, there was
found to be not sufficient evidence to indict him, and who the
murderer was, is still a mystery.
A contest case over a public office, the first in the county,
was tried in Primghar in October, 1877, between S. C. Harris
and T. J. Alexander, for the office of treasurer. It was
claimed by Mr. Harris, that certain frauds and irregularities
were used in some of the towmships, which if left out, would
be sufficient to defeat Mr. Alexander, who had been declared
elected. The tribunal then consisted of a commission, one of
its members being the chairman of the board of supervisors,
and two others, one chosen by each of the contestants, who
were W. E. Welch, chairman of the board; J. C. Elliot,
chosen by Alexander, and B. F. McCormack by Mr. Harris.
The attorneys were J. L. E. Peck and M. B. Davis of Sioux
City for Alexander, and Charley Allen, Warren Walker and
D. A. W. Perkins for S. C. Harris. It was certainly in some
respects a dramatic scene, and there was considerable in-
terest manifested. There was a large attendance from all
over the county.
In Carroll township there were sixty-five votes cast in full,
51 for T. J. Alexander, 14 for S. Harris.
The judges had fixed up an old cigar box, by putting two
or three tacks in the lid, and cutting a hole in it to put the
tickets through, as a ballot box. At noon on the day of elec-
tion, one of the judges took this primitive ballot box at his
house with him when he went to dinner, about a mile and a
half away, the other two judges went in an opposite di-
rection about two miles away, all being gone an hour and a
half. At 6 o'clock they went to supper, as they had gone at
noon to dinner, but remaining this time about two hours. It
was alleged at the time of the trial, that the election judge
who took the ballot box, offered to bet upon his return from
supper, that Harris did not have 17 votes in the box. It was
also alleged at the trial, that when the judge returned with
the ballot box, the lid was not fastened down, but was up
HISTORY OF OBRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
291
about a quarter of an inch. It was also alleged at the trial,
that the votes cast, were every one for or against the nomi-
nees for treasurer. At the same time, one voter was ready
to swear, that he did not vote for any one as county treasurer,
and that he scratched the name out. There were about fifty
voters from Carroll township who were willing to swear, that
they voted for T. J. Alexander. The attorneys for Mr.
Harris objected as a matter of law, to the admission of such
evidence.
Frank Frisbie, the ever enthusiastic and irrepressible
Frank, spoke right out in meeting, and declared, that Carroll
township wanted everybody to understand, that they had
brought a rope along, and would hang the first man who
favored an injustice. One
of the attorneys for Harris
suggested, that the court
had the right to protect
itself from this kind of
talk, as it was nothing
more or less than a con-
tempt of court. Another
of the Alexander party
came to the front, in a
pugilistic attitude and said,
"you had better try that
little game if you think
best, there are fifty men
right here to back him up."
At this the whole delega-
tion from Carroll township
were murmuring, and were much excited. Some said, "tar
and feather that lawyer," others, " put him out." For awhile
everything was in great confusion, and there seemed to be
nothing but trouble and perhaps bloodshed in store, but finally
the lawyers on both sides, brought about peace and quietness.
The court then adjourned until the 26th, and on that day ren-
>i. CUSHMAN.
292 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
dered their decision in favor of the Alexander party. It was
more of a misunderstanding than anything else. The court
was disposed to do what was right, and did so, by deciding
that Mr. Alexander was legally elected treasurer.
LAWYERS.
The lawyers of the county are, at Hartley, W. P. Briggs
and J. W. Walter. Mr. Walter has been clerk of court in the
county, and is a conscientious fellow and a good lawyer. Mr.
Briggs moved to Hartley from Sioux City, and has a good
practice with ability to maintain it. Sanborn has three lawyers
E. T. Langley, J. A. Wilcox and C. A. Babcock. Mr. Lang-
ley was in practice many years at Huron, S. D., is a popular
lecturer and in his practice is actuated by only a desire that
right shall prevail, and has a good knowledge of the law. Mr.
Langley has his son associated with him. Mr. Wilcox has
been in Sanborn about lo years and has established a lucrative
practice, and does a large collection business. As a lawyer he
stands well in his profession.
Mr. Babcock is county attorney, and is a good lawyer with
a large practice.
Sutherland has two attorneys, Geo. F. Colcord and C. F.
McCormack. Mr. Colcord came to the county in 1872, first
settled in Sheldon. He was justice of the peace for many
years, and was popular as such, exercising good judgment,
and giving honest decisions. He pursued the study of law
afterwards, and has acquired quite a reputation in the county
as a good lawyer. He was from Massachusetts, and as an old
soldier carries the scars of the conflict. Mr. McCormack has
not been in practice many years; he was a candidate for
county attorney in 1896, run ahead of his ticket, but belonged
to the wrong party for victory.
He is quite a student, and too conscientious to lead a client
into difficulty.
The firm of Crow & Hunter composed of H. H. Crow and
Hunter are the only lawyers in PauUina. Mr. Crow is else-
History of o'brien county, Iowa.
29B
where mentioned as an able lawyer, and an honest man. Mr.
Hunter has recently settled in Paullina from Sioux City.
Primghar has lawyers as follows: O. H. Montzheimer, P.
R. Bailey, Peck, Arthurholt & Ingham and David Algyer.
Mr. Montzheimer is an energetic fellow, painstaking and
bright, and knows a case well before he enters upon its trial.
He is a good collector and a good lawyer.
Mr. Bailey has acquired considerable of a reputation as a
public speaker, is in demand at G. A. R. gatherings, being an
old soldier, and the sound of his voice is heard by the entire
assembly. He spent a few years in Alabama, but his aggres-
sive tactics in whatever he believes, caused some friction with
the southern element, and upon his return he belabor-^d them
with a production called
"Old Shady, or the Dis-
appointed Yankee," writ-
ten in Bailey's own pecu-
liar style. He has a good
practice, and tackles the
opposition in the trial of
cases with much force.
J. L. E. Peck came to
Primghar at an early day,
was auditor of the county,
and has accumulated con-
siderable property. He is
a careful, reliable lawyer,
and presents his views to
the court and jury with
much force and clearness. W. W. Arthurholt attends more
particularly to the office, as also does Mr. Ingham as an ab-
stracter. These two gentlemen bought out the business of
T. F. Ward, and opened up in Primghar several years ago,
and later formed the partnership mentioned with Mr. Peck.
Mr. Algyer has been recently admitted, and has formed a
partnership with T. F. Ward, of Le Mars. David has been
294 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
a justice of the peace in Primghar for many years, and his
court has been alluded to as the "Supreme Court" by the
lawyers, which is certainly complimentary to our learned
friend, who is capable of many things which the future will
develop.
Sheldon has quite an extensive bar, and as the city is near
the corner of the county, their practice reaches into Sioux,
Lyon and Osceola, as many residents of these counties make
Sheldon their trading point.
The lawyers are: M. H. Allen, G. A. Gibson, G. T. Well-
man, W. D. Boies, G. W. Roth, I. N. Mclntire, Joe Morton,
W. Webber, A. J. Waldsmith, John McCandless and D. A. W.
Perkins.
Mr. Allen is entitled to considerable credit, as by his own
exertions and hard study he has become one of the prominent
lawyers in the northwest, and is sought for in important cases.
He is bright, and full of force in the trial of cases, and the
fellow on the other side must be sure that he has his case well
in hand. We knew Milt when as a lad, he was a successful
rider m the various horse races hereabout, and he exhibited
the same ambition to win, that he does now when he tackles
a law suit.
The firm of Boies & Roth has long been estabhshed at
Sheldon, Mr. Boies having been previously located at Sanborn,
who formed a partnership with Roth, after the latter had
graduated from a law university. Mr. Roth is a good, clean
lawyer, but more particularly looks after the office business of
the firm, though he often takes a hand in the trial of cases.
Mr. Boies has an extensive reputation as an able lawyer,
and an eloquent advocate.
He was the candidate of his party for attorney general at
the last election, is a shrewd attorney, with a good legal mind,
and a large practice.
Mr. Wellman entered the practice with a good education
behind him, and whenever he takes hold of a case, it gets
thorough investigation, and all its points are well known and
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
295
understood. He is a hard student, and when he gets ready
for the battle, he is well equipped, and his adversary is likely
to wonder before he gets through, what hit him. Mr. Weil-
man is a good lawyer.
Mr. Gibson commenced practice in Sheldon about three
years ago, and in that time has acquired quite a considerable
amount of clientage.
He works hard over
his cases, and tries a
case with considera-
ble force and skill.
I. N. Mclntire
makes somewhat of
a specialty of collec-
tions and brings con-
siderable many cases.
He is a university stu-
dent, and has been in
the practice at Shel-
don about ten years.
Joe Morton studied
with his father in
Sheldon, and afterwards graduated from the Iowa City uni-
versity about two years ago. He is ambitious, and takes hold
of a case with much vim and determination, and has the mak-
ing of a successful advocate. He was elected city attorney,
and has a good practice.
A. J. Waldsmith also graduated from the Iowa City uni-
versit}', and first opened an office in Sanborn, and afterwards
formed a partnership with E. T. Langley, but about two years
ago moved to Sheldon. He is quite a student-like fellow,
with much literary taste, conscientious and careful in giving
advice,' and is a good lawyer.
C. H. Bullis, formerly a lawyer of Sheldon, died several
years ago. He was a thoroughly educated man and an able
lawyer.
V. CARTER.
296 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
O. M. Barrett was in practice in Slieldon many years, and
moved to California some time ago. He was state senator
two terms.
Judge Alfred Morton was a member of the O'Brien county
bar nineteen years, and died in 1896. He was a gentleman by
nature, of much affability of manner, and was sympathetic
and kind of heart. He had a large practice in his palmy days,
and was well versed in the principles of law.
Charley Allen was in practice here many years, but moved
to Wyoming several years ago. He was sort of a matter of
fact fellow, good on pleadings, had his reasons for everything,
was a successful lawyer, and a thoroughly honest man.
D. C. Hayes was an early practitioner, in the county.
B. F. McCormack was also admitted to the bar. J. B. Dunn
practiced in the county and was county attorney two terms.
Louis Vogt practiced at Sanborn but is now at George.
Warren Walker is mentioned elsewhere. Charley McKenzie
a legal genius, formerly at Sheldon, is now at Des Moines, in
practice there. Frank Nash, a former Sheldon lawyer, is in
Colorado, and his brother S. C. died a few years ago. John
Connell, who also practiced in Sheldon, is now in Boyden.
Young Ainsworth, a bright fellow, started in Sheldon in the
eighties, and died here a few years after his location. Earl
Brown graduated from a law university, was in practice for
a while, forming a partnership with Milt Allen. His tastes
however, seemed to lead him out of practice, into that of
banking, which business he is now engaged in, being with his
father in the Sheldon bank. T. F. Ward, an able lawyer at
Primghar, is now at Le Mars. The writer commenced prac-
tice in Sheldon when the town started, and is still in practice
there.
Lawyers as a class are broad in their make-up, and are
free from personal bickerings. Of course there occasionally
drifts into the profession some insignificant shyster, who
breathes not the atmosphere of fellowship, nor knows not the
significance of professional ethics, but the rule is, that we are
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
297
fraternally engaged in the analysis of a science, whose prin-
ciples we apply to the controversies of men, for the settlennent
and adjustment of their differences.
m'gregor road.
In 1877, there was an attempt on the part of the McGregor
& Missouri R. R. Co., to divert the line in its course across
O'Brien county, so that it would cross between Sheldon and
Hospers. This road is now the Chicago, Milwakee & St.
Paul. The bill granting to this company its land, from
McGregor in Iowa, should run westward, along, or near the
43d paralled of north latitude, and intersect the Sioux City &
St. Paul R. R., now the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Rail-
way, in O'Brien county. Our
member of congress at that
time introduced a bill, allow-
ing the company to divert its
line, which aroused the set-
tlers who had taken claims
with reference to this road,
and Sheldon was particularly
indignant. Meetings were
held, and money raised to
prevent this scheme on the
part of our congressman, and
it took considerable hard
work to defeat it. It was de-
feated however, and the line
was held on its original route.
Hon. S. R. Harris, of Buc-
yrus, Ohio, a lawyer then in
practice there, and of much
ability, and prominent in his state, took a hand in the matter, and
the work he did for us, never was fully known, but it saved us
defeat. He had large land interests here, and visited us every
summer in prairie chicken time, and was in full sympathy with
CHRISTIAN CHURCH, PRIMGHAR.
298 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
the settlers as much so, had he been one of our number, and
he felt the injustice, that was in attempt to be perpetrated.
He secured the influence of several distinguished members
of congress in our behalf, who defeated at once every move
made by our congressman, until the matter was finally settled
by the road being built on its original line. Mr. Harris is
now a member of congress himself, from Ohio, having been
elected a republican by a large majority, in a democratic dis-
trict, which is proof that an intelligent constituancy fully un-
derstand his worth as a man, and his ability as a statesman.
NEWSPAPERS.
There are in the county at the present time eleven news-
papers, as follows: The Herald in Hartley, by Allen Cros-
san; the Journal by Claude Charles. In Sanborn the Sun, by
B. F. McCormack, and the Pioneer by S. L. Sage. In Suther-
land the Review, and the Courier by W, H. Bloom. In
Paullina the Times, by F. M. Bethel. In Sheldon the Eagle
by J. H. Oats, and the Mail by F. T. Piper. In Primghar
the Democrat by H. B. Waite, and the Bell by J. H. Wolf.
The first newspaper distributed in the county, and circulated
as a county paper, was started in Old O'Brien in 1871, by J.
R. Pumphrey, edited by B. F. McCormack, and was called
the O'Brien County Pioneer. This paper was printed in
Cherokee by Robert Buchanan, and its publication was con-
tinued until May 24, 1872, when L. B. Raymond established
a printing office at Old O'Brien, so that the first newspaper
publication printed in the county, was in that month and year.
The first issue stated among other locals, that B. F. McCor-
mack was busy breaking prairie, that Geo. Youde had com-
pleted an addition to Pumphrey's residence. It also stated
then upon good authorit}' the editor was informed, that settlers
were going into the northwest part of the county. The June
number, 1872, informed the people, that Capt. Tifft had in 159
acres of small grain, 40 acres of corn, and 4 acres of potatoes.
Also that he broke on his own claim in 1871, 100 acres.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
209
The first issue printed in the county appeared May 24,
. 1872, which was continued by Mr. Raymond until November
15, 1872, when the paper was purchased by A. H. WilHts,
and the first number under his administration was of that date.
Mr. Willits, continued its publication under his own name until
September, 1873, when C. W. Inman purchased a half interest,
and the management of the paper was by Willits & Inman.
This firm continued about a year when Mr. Inman retired,
and A. G. Willits, son of A. H. succeeded him, and the paper
was then published by A. H. Willits & Son.
In April, 1879, Warren Walker purchased the interest of the
elder Willits, and the firm of Walker & Willits continued its
publication until
the plant was pur-
chased by its pres-
ent owner, J. H.
Wolf. This paper
has followed up
the advancinor pop-
ulation of the
county; first pub-
lished at old O'Bri-
en, then when the
county seat was
moved to Prim-
, ^, RESIDENCK OF C. II. WESTFALL, HARTLEY.
ghar, the paper
followed, and not long after Sanborn started, the paper was
moved there, which was in November, 1880. It has been a
strong paper, and its editor, J. H. Wolf, a forcible and consci-
entious writer. The paper has established itself firmly with the
people, is republican in politics and has a large circulation.
The next paper started in the county was the Sheldon Mail,
the first issue of which is dated January i, 1873. The paper
was started by L. B. Raymond, whose name appears as its
proprietor, and D. A. W. Perkins, editor. In the spring of
1873, Mr. Perkins purchased the paper of Mr. Raymond.
300 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Frank T. Piper took charge of the paper in August, 1872, as
foreman, and from the writer's recollection, Mr. Piper was also
" devil " and all hands. He continued with the paper until it
was purchased by John F. Glover in the fal! of 1874, ^"^ '*^~
mained with Mr. Glover for awhile, until he went away to
attend school. Mr. Glover changed the name to Sheldon
Republic, and continued with the paper until August 13, 1875,
when Frank T. Piper became again connected with the paper,
as editor and proprietor by purchase from Mr. Glover. Mr.
Piper at once went back to his first love the "Mail" and
changed to that, from Republic. The Sheldon Mail has
become one of the fixtures of northwest Iowa. Its early es-
tablishment and continued publication, as well as good man-
agement for so many years, has settled its permanency and
given it a substantial reputation. It has a large circulation,
and much credit is due to Mr. Piper, who has for a quarter
century, in season and out of season, and at all time battled
for the advancement and the good nanie of Sheldon, of
O'Brien county, and of northwest Iowa. It has also during
this time been republican, and has vigorously maintained the
principles of its party in politics, and whenever the party ticket
has been put in the field, Mr. Piper has stood by it unflinch-
ingly, though at times some nominee was distasteful to him,
and his contiuued advocacy of some candidate, has often re-
sulted in a return of base ingratitude.
The first paper started in Hartley was the Record, in June,
1884, by F. E. Cole, who was a bright editor, and a good
printer. Cole run the paper fourteen months, when he leased
it to Allen Crossan for one year, at the end of which time,
Mr. Crossan purchased it. After he had run it four years,
he sold it back to Mr. Cole. Cole then sold a half interest to
Will Dunn, and in 1891, C. H. Crawford took charge of it,
and continued with it until 1894, when the present proprietor,
Claude Charles took charge of it. He changed the name to
the Journal. The paper is well conducted, and under good
management.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
301
A second paper was established in Hartley in 1895, called
the Hartley News by G. R. Gregg. This enterprise was a
failure, and ended its existence in ninety days. In July, 1896,
Allen Crossan bought the News plant or rather the material,
and started a new paper, the Hartley Herald. The paper is
independent in politics, and shows much enterprise on the
part of its publisher.
The Paullina Times was started in 1872, by G. G. Bundy,
which was continued by him until August 9, 1883, when for a
few issues towards the close of Bundy's administration, it was
published by Bundy & Thomas. Bundy sold to Oscar D.
Hamstreet, whose first issue was September 6, 1883. Mr.
Hamstreet continued the publication of the paper until Janu-
ary 5, 1893, when the present proprietor, Frank M. Bethel,
purchased the
plant, and became
its editor and man-
ager. The paper
at all times has
been well conduct-
ed; Bundy was an
aggressive fellow,
and sort of kept
himself in hot
water, but after all
there is such a
thing as a news-
paper being too
tame. Hamstreet
was a spicy, pointed writer, and quite a news gatherer.
Under the present management the paper is well conducted,
and is thrifty and prosperous. Frank M. Bethel is a young
man, active and energetic, and quite an agreeable and social
fellow. He is a pungent, fearless writer, says what he be-
lieves, and gives the news of the day, with unsparing hand.
The Sutherland Courier was started in 1882, by Harvey
RESIDENCE OF J. L. TAYLOR, HARTLEY.
302 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Hand, who sold it to C. H. Brintnall, afterwards to Bert Ham-
ilton, and he sold to the present proprietor, W. H. Bloom.
Mr. Bloom is a mild writer, he keeps in touch with the town
and runs a good local paper.
The Sutherland Review was started a few years ago, and
has had several different editors, still it seetns to maintain its
position as a creditable local paper.
The Sheldon Eagle has had many different proprietors, and
changes in pohtics. Under the present management by J. H.
Oats, it is in better shape than it has ever been, and it is now
recognized as a very creditable and newsy paper. It is dem-
ocratic in pohtics.
The Primghar Democrat was brought into existence, before
the last presidential campaign, as an expounder of the demo-
cratic faith, and still sticks to the political text. It is in charge
of H. B. Waite, whose ready pen, gently tells the local news,
and that a protective tariff will be the ruin of the country.
The Primghar Bell is now under the immediate control of
J. H. Wolf who has recently moved to Primghar. The Bell
has estabhshed itself as a strong county paper, filled with cor-
respondence from other points in the county, and plenty of
local news. It has been run b}'' Fred and Will Wolf with the
aid of their father J. H. The paper was started by F. M.
McCormack, who is at times when the spirit moves him, quite
a forcible writer. He now publishes a paper at Claremont,
Minnesota.
The Sanborn Sun, is the present outcome of a paper started
several years ago, and has passed through several different
hands. It is now run by B. F. McCormack who has his own
way of entertaining his readers each week, and he talks right
out in meeting, and says what he likes.
His style is spicy and his articles forcibly and well written.
At one time Ira Brasheers had a paper at Sanborn which was
sold with the mortgage on it to other parties, and with the
material there was started the Sanborn Cycle. This paper
wrestled with difficulties in and out of the office for awhile,
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
303
when it was suspended. John Whiting had a paper for awhile
at Sheldon, and which finally became an attempted agricultural
paper, but at last surrendered.
W. H. Noyes also started in Sheldon the "Iowa State
Gazette " which struggled along for awhile and at last the
material was moved to Belmont, Minnesota, where it is now
used in the publication of a paper there.
The Sanborn Pioneer has been leased to S. L. Sage with a
contract as to its purchase. Mr. Sage has considerable
celebrity as a newspaper man, and will no doubt keep up the
standard of the paper, adding to it his own journalistic
experience.
G. A. R.
O'Brien county has many old soldiers, most of whom are
members of the Grand Army of the Republic, though some
have never identified
themselves with any
post. This immense
organization is national,
and scattered over the
country are the differ-
ent posts.
The old soldiers are
constantly dropping
from the ranks, and
though they faced the
missiles of war, and
many came out of the
conflict without a scar,
they must surrender to
the grim reaper.
We have endeavored
to get the names of all the old soldiers in the county, but still,
some names will be missed. At Paullina there was a post, but
some time ago disbanded, and we were unable to find the list.
There are many letters and papers preserved, as a part of
RESIDENCE OF FKANK PATCH, HARTLEY.
304 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
the civil war, but very few letters of private correspondence,
which if they had been preserved would be very valuable, and
somewhat of a curiosity, especially when the parties connected
with them, have advanced from the boy life of a soldier, to
active business men. The following letter has fallen under
the writer's observation, which was written by D. M. Shel-
don's captain to Mr. Sheldon's mother:
Camp 74TH Regt. III. Vols.,
Unieings Stations, Ga.,
July 6th, 1864.
Mrs. Harriet Sheldon:
Dear. Madam: — It becomes my duty to inform you, that
your son, D. M. Sheldon, of my company, was wounded in
the face by a musket ball, while taking a brave and gallant
part with his company in a skirmish with the enemy some
five miles south of Marietta, Ga,, on the 4th of July, 1864.
The surgeon thinks his wound is not dangerous at all. He is
being sent back where he will receive good care. Daniel is
a brave and good soldier, brave to a faulty and I hope you
will see him home soon, and that he may be able to join us
again soon, and help us finish up this wicked rebellion, and
return to you a sound man yet.
Very truly your obedient servant
Capt. a. M. Blakeley,
Commdr. Co. E. 74th 111.
The names of the members of the different posts, as far as
we were able to ascertain are as follows;
SANBORN KENYON POST NO. 449.
The G. A. R. post at Sanborn was organized June 27, 1884,
with thirty-six members. The following are the list at the
present time:
Warren Walker, Co. H, 141st Illinois Infantry.
Harley Day, Co. K, io6th New York Infantry.
J. I. Perry, Co. D, ist Wisconsin Infantry.
Jacob H. Wolf, Co. H, 46th Pennsylvania Infantry.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 305
Wilbur F. Mills, Co. I, 2 2d Iowa Infantry.
Martin Finley, Co. F, 8th Wisconsin Infantry.
Hugh E. Correll, Co. K, 15th New York Infantry.
Edward R. Wood, Co. C, 2d Wisconsin Cavalry.
Chancy F. Ow^en, 3d Iowa Battery.
Isaac Daniels, Co. I, 50th Pennsylvania Infantry.
Thomas F. Allen, Co. D, 20th Iowa Infantry.
Claudius Tifft, Co. H, 23d Kentucky Infantry.
Richard M. Boyd, Co. H, 14th Iowa Infantry.
John W. Kelley, Co. D, 90th Illinois Infantry.
WiUiam H. Woodman, 22d Wisconsin Infantry.
Thomas T. Shaffner, Co. B, 87th Indiana Infantry.
Charles Merwin, Co. C, 42d Illinois Infantry.
Joseph M. Vincent, Co. C, 45th Illinois Infantry.
Israel Free, Co. G, 126th Illinois Infantry.
William DeWitt, Co. B, 91st Ohio Infantry.
Henry Prime, Co. L, 3d Wisconsin Cavalry.
James F. Sisson, Co. K, 27th Wisconsin Infantrv.
John W. Todd, Co. C.
Charles Moon, Co. E, nth Illinois Cavalry.
W. W. Johnson, Co. A, 22d Iowa Infantry.
M. C. Wilkins, Co. C, 7th Iowa.
George Hakeman, Co C, 24th Iowa Infantry.
John V. Dergin, Co. K, 24th Wisconsin Infantry.
William Bonner, Co. t, 50th Wisconsin Infantry.
HARTLEY POST NO. 45 1.
W. H. Eaton, corporal Co. G, 21st Wisconsin Infantry.
J. M. Yeoman, private Co. D, 91st Illinois Infantry.
L. Miller, private Co. D, 4th Wisconsin Cavalry.
E. B. Messer, lieutenant colonel, 156th Illinois Infantry.
S. Boyce, private Co. H, U. S. Infantry.
W. A. Compton, private Co. A, 190th Pennsylvania.
John E. Holford, private Co. E, 91st Illinois Infantry.
B. C. Bouten, private Co. K, 22d Wisconsin Infantry.
W. S. Fuller, sergeant, 17th Illinois Cavalr}'.
A. McDonald, corporal Co. B, 8tb Iowa Infantry,
306 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
J. S. Webster, private Co. B, 154th Illinois Infantry.
R. W. Ayers, sergeant Co. G, 25th Illinois.
Clark Robinson, Co. D, Minnesota Artillery.
C. Hopfe, private Co. C, 8th Iowa Infantry.
James Stuce, private Co. C, 4th U. S. Cavalry.
O. M. Whitman, private Co. A, 8th Wisconsin Infantry.
W. H. Bevinham, private Co. D, 40th Illinois Infantry.
F. Kelly, private Co. G, 43d Infantry Musician.
Abraham DeLong, private Co. G., 23d Michigan.
J. E. Richards, private Co. A, 2d New York Artillery.
W. A. Elliott, private Co. E, 92d Illinois Infantry.
Geo. Nickedemus, private Co. K, 15th lUinois Infantry.
PRIMGHAR POST.
Chas. F. Albright, private Co. C, 2d Iowa Infantry.
Henry Goodman, corporal Co. I, 5th Wisconsin Infantry.
Adolphus V. Conoway, private Co. B, 134th Illinois Infantry.
S. E. Carmichael, private Co. K, 34th Iowa Infantry.
Dewit C. Chapman, private Co. I, 2d Iowa Cavalry.
William Oliver, private lOist Indiana Infantry.
Isaac L. Rerick, ist corporal Co. E, 14th Iowa Infantry.
Isaac Clements, corporal Co. H, i6th Iowa Infantry.
Geo. W. Schee, private Co. C, 33d Regiment Iowa.
Thos. A. Stewart, corporal Co. G, 7th V. R. C.
Charles Moon, private Co. E, nth Illinois Cavalry.
James Morton, private Co. C, 88th Indiana, V. I.
Charles O. Cookinham, private Co. F, 117th New York.
Geo. H. Cook, private Co. E, 105th Illinois.
F. A. Gere, private Co. A, 153d IlHnois.
C. H. Slocum, private Co. A, 34th IlHnois Infantry.
S. A. Carter, private Co. K, 27th Iowa.
Wm. J. Stewart, private Co. L, 9th Iowa Cavalry.
Jasper N. Marsh, private Co. C, 92d IlHnois.
Al. Waterman, private Co. H, 47th IlHnois.
David Algyer, private Co. A, 115th New York.
Oscar McElwain, private Co. I, 28th Ohio.
P. K. Bailey, corporal Co. A, ii8th Ohio Infantry.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 307
L. P. Vance, captain Co. B, 35th Missouri Infantry.
Elias Holt, private Co. I, N. E. Cavalry.
A. M. Cleghorn, private Co. A, 22d Iowa.
J. C. Hillyer, private Co. D, B. B. Cavalry.
SHE1.D0N m'kenzie no. 72.
T. J. Lett, corporal Co. F, 8th Illinois -Cavalry.
Jas. W. Taylor, private Co. K, ist Nebraska Cavalry.
J. A. Glenn, private Co. B, looth Pennsylvania.
G. H. Klock, corporal Co. A, 9th Iowa.
P. A. Edington, sergeant Co. H, 90th Ohio.
J. O. Lias, private Co. H, 5th Iowa Cavalry.
J. W. Lee, corporal Co. A, 8th Illinois Cavalry.
Warren J. Woods, private Co. C, 7th Wisconsin.
R. E. Osborne, musician Co. K, 76th Ohio.
H. A. Scott, sergeant Co. A, 58th Illinois.
John Deacon, hospital St., Co. A, ist Wisconsin.
Geo. W. Davis, corporal Co. A, 4th Iowa Cavalry.
F. E. Wyman.
John W, Lias, private Co. M, 2d Iowa Cavalry.
W. H. Dummett, corporal Co. H, 6th Iowa Cavalry.
Pahner Crampton, corporal Co. F, 26th Iowa.
E. M. Young, private Co. H, 23d Iowa.
J. C. Wilmuth, private Co. G, 99th Ohio.
W. N. Strong.
Fred Guthrie, private Co. E, 53d Pennsylvania.
J. C. Van Campen, private.
John Woodward, private Co. C, 97th New York.
W. H. Dorward, private Co. E, 29th Wisconsin.
A. G. Canfield, private Co. C, 177th Ohio.
Johnathan Richardson, Co. I, 19th Wisconsin.
William H. Riley, private Co. C, 35th Illinois.
Daniel MofRt, private Co. A, 2d Iowa Cavalry.
Wm. Stratten, private Co. D, T22d Illinois.
Wm. H. Knepper, private Co. C, 34th Illinois Infantry,
Enoch Philby, private Co. I, 4th Indiana Cavalry.
James Thomas, private Co. I, 25th Michigan,
308 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
John iVI. Hayes, private Co. E, 105th Illinois.
W. J. Anderson, first lieut. Co. F, ist N. Y. Light Artillery.
James Wykoff, private Co. L, 50th New York Eng.
Ed. C. Brown, sergeant Co. C, 3d Michigan.
E. F. Parkhurst, private Co. A, 74th Illinois.
Eugene Riddell, private Co. E, 141st Illinois.
James Roberts, private Co. C, 84th Ohio.
C. E. Andrews, private Co. K, 141st Illinois.
C. H. Smith, private Co. B, 52d Wisconsin.
L. D, Marshal, private Co. E, 23d Iowa.
James M. Lewis, sergeant 7th Iowa Cavalry.
E. A. Ward, private Co. G, 24th Iowa Infantry.
William Lyie, private Co. B, 93d New York.
Robert Martin, corporal 5th Battery, Penns3dvania Artillery.
William J. Wiley, private Co. I, ist Ohio Cavalry.
George Arend, private Co. G, 2d Illinois Artiller3^
George Lyle, private Co. L, 2d New York Cavalry.
Geo. A. Greenfield.
Gladney Ewers, private Co. A, 67th Ohio.
W. W. Waters, private Co. D, iiith New York.
W. B. Bowne, private Co. D, 23d New Jersey.
Henry M. Crocker, corporal Co. I, 84th O. V.J.
H. C. Lane, first sergeant Co. E, 128th Illinois.
M. B. Darnell.
James Marston, private Co. E, 41st Wisconsin.
George Mennig, private Co. B, 2d Iowa Infantry.
D. W. Buell, private Co. M, ist California Cavalry.
Byron Donovan, private Co. C, 34th Massachusetts.
George Patterson, private Co. A, 51st Ohio.
George Bryan, private Co. C, 208th Pennsylvania.
D. G. Eldridge, first lieutenant Co. F, 149th Illinois.
John Wood, private Co. A, 40th Wisconsin.
William Hecker, Jr. private Co. H, ist New Jersey.
F. Tuffrey, private Co. H, 13th Iowa Infantry.
J. W. Hicks, private Co. E, ^2d Wisconsin.
A. S. Powers, private 124th Ohio.
History of o'brien county, iowa. 309
Milt Gillispie, private Co. G, 20th Iowa.
J. Rider, private Co. K, 14th Illinois.
D. Moos, private Co. B, 104th Illinois.
W. W. Beebe, private Co. B, 113th Illinois.
Wm. H. Riley, private Co. C, 35th Illinois.
J. D. Billings, private Co. H, 9th Indiana.
George W. Wilsey, private Co. H, 5th Wisconsin.
Conrad Moeller, private Co. C, 5th Iowa.
Wm. H. Moore, corporal Co. A, 37th Wisconsin.
J. E. Markham, private Co. E, 44th Wisconsin.
D. B. Judd, corporal Co. E, 128th Ohio.
Andrew Hunt, private Co. G, 3Sth New York.
Abe Appleton, private Co. B, 167th Ohio.
E. P. Messer, quarter master 37th Illinois.
A. L. Burnell, first sergeant Co. B, 2d Illinois Cavalry.
David Heastad, private Co. B, 12th Ohio Cavalry.
D. K. Vrooman, private Co. E, 49th Wisconsin.
E. Y. Royce, private 8th Wisconsin Battery.
J. F. Bishop, first lieutenant Co. B, 5th Minnesota.
Horace Wellman, private Co. M, 3d New York.
C. W. Toothaker, private Co. M, 4th Iowa Cavalry.
H. H. Winters.
SUTHERLAND, E. O. C. ORD POST.
R. M. Van Horn, private when discharged.
Joseph Cowan, private when discharged.
J. H. Reagan, private when discharged.
E. M. McOniber, private when discharged.
George W. Nelson, private when discharged.
R. M. Cleghorn, private when discharged.
G. F. Colcord, private when discharged.
John H. Peck, private when discharged.
J. M. Snider, private when discharged.
Charles Peaker, private when discharged.
F. L. Bidwell, private when discharged.
Wm. Virgin, private when discharged.
D. B. Harmon, private when discharged.
310 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
L. T. Gates, private when discharged.
D. H. Lemburg, private when discharged.
N. Renville, private when discharged.
J. Renville, private when discharged.
E. W. Parker, private when discharged.
James Parks, private when discharged.
James Dewey, private when discharged.
D. W. Pratt, private when discharged.
D. M. Sheldon, private when discharged.
George. W. Haye, private when discharged.
Charles M. Short, private when discharged.
John H. Stock, private when discharged.
CHAPTER XV.
EDUCATIONAL.
If there is one thing more than another, in which the state
of Iowa feels a just pride, it is its system of education, and
O'Brien county is not behind any other, in its desire to have
the best of schools.
If any boy or girl living in the county, grows up to man-
hood or womanhood, without a good common school educa-
tion, the fault must be charg-
ed to the child or the parents,
and not to any lack of op-
portunity.
The bureau of education
at Washington has stated
the fact to be, that Iowa has
the smallest per cent of illit-
eracy, of any state in the
union. Up to 1870 the school
system of the county was in
a loose way, in keeping with
other affairs.
The office of county sup-
erintendent was simply nom-
inal, until the election of
Stephen Harris, who took much interest in the schools, and
from that time on, the office of superintendent became one
of much importance, and since then has been admirably filled.
The present superintendent, Ella Seckerson, has taken much
interest in the schools of the county, and under her adminis-
tration, they have materially advanced.
Mlbb tl^l-.s
312 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
In 1887, the county had 102 school houses, which were
located as follows: Baker, eight; Center, eight; Carroll,
seven: Caledonia, six; Dale, four; Floyd, eight; Franklin, six;
Grant, eight; Highland, seven; Hartley, four; Liberty, eight;
Lincoln, one; Omega, four; Summit, four; Union, five; and
Waterman, eight. Of the Independent School Districts, San-
born had two school houses, and Primghar, PauUina, Sheldon
and Sutherland each, had one. County Superintendent
Algyer in that year, 1887, carefully estimated the value of
SHELDON SCHOOL BOARH, 1S93.
school property to be $65,000, which was an increase of valu-
ation of $37,880, from 1879. ^" 1886, there was expended
by the county for all school purposes, the sum of $52,462.35,
which was an increase of $31,653.58 compared with 1879.
In 1886 there were 3,242 persons of school age.
In the county at present there are one hundred and thirty-
six school houses, distributed as follows: Floyd, eight; Car-
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
313
roll, eight; Baker, nine; Caledonia, nine; Franklin, five ; Sum-
mit, six; Dale, nine; Union, six; Lincoln, eight; Center, nine;
Highland, nine; Liberty, eight; Hartley, seven; Omega, nine;
Grant, nine; Waterman, eight. These are outside of the
independent districts. The independent districts are as fol-
lows: Sanborn, Hartley, Sheldon, Sutherland, Paullina, Prim-
ghar. These have pupils as follows: Sanborn, three hundred
and eighty-six; Hartley, two hundred and sixty-nine; Sheldon,
seven hundred and forty-six; Sutherland, two hundred and
thirty-one; Paullina, two hun-
dred and twenty-five; Prim-
ghar,two hundred and seven-
ty-seven.
The school townships have
pupils as follows: Baker,
one hundred and ninety-nine ;
Caledonia, one hundred and
twenty-seven; Franklin, nine-
ty-one; Summit, one hundred
and four; Dale, one hundred
and thirty-three; Union, one iM
hundred and thirteen; Lin-
coln, one hundred and forty-
111 PROF. W. S. WILSON.
one; Center, one hundred
and . seventy-seven ; Highland, one hundred and ninety-one;
Liberty, one hundred and sixty-eight; Hartley, one hundred
and forty-four; Omega, one hundred and sixty-nine; Grant,
two hundred and twenty-two; Waterman, one hundred and
thirty-two. This makes the entire number of pupils enrolled
in the county four thousand five hundred and eighty-five.
The school property of the county is now valued at one
hundred and forty-three thousand eight hundred and one dol-
lars, and the amount expended for school purposes including
everything in 1896 was eighty-eight thousand seven hundred
and three dollars and fifty-six cents.
314 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Values are as follows:
School houses.- $137,744
Apparatus . 6,057
Total $143,801
There are now school houses in the independent districts as
follows: Sanborn, two; Primghar, two; Paullina, two; Shel-
don, one; Hartley, one; Sutherland, one. The Sheldon
school house is the best in the county, a picture of which will
be found in this book. It was built in 1894 and it's well
enough to further describe it as follows:
KIRST SCHOOL BUILDING, SHELDON.
The perspective view of south and west gives a fairly good
idea of the appearance of the building, which is 128 feet long
from east to west and 100 feet wide from north to south.
The basement is occupied by heating furnaces, closets, etc.,
supphed by the Smead Heating and Ventilating company, and
we have every reason to believe that the system will work
satisfactory.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
315
The ground floor consists of seven school, and one recitation
rooms, and office for the use of the superintendent and board.
As will be seen from elevations, the entrance halls are spacious,
and the stair cases which go midway between the stories up
to commodious landings, and then turn to the corridors of the
second floor, are elegant and convenient. The accommoda-
tions on the second floor, consist of seven school and one reci-
tation rooms. The principal room on this floor is occupied by
the high school, and can accommodate 130 pupils.
The superficial area of school and class room approaches
14,000 feet; the cubical contents of same, 166,000 feet. We
ought not to omit mention that a spacious dinning room is fit-
FIRST SCHOOL HUII-DING IN SHELDON WITH AUDITIONS.
ted up in the basement, for the accommodation of such pupils
who bring their mid-day dinner along with them. The square
tower forming the south entrance is 80 feet high, and at all
times when school is in session, the national flag may be seen
floating over the same, over 100 feet above the street level.
316
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
All foundations are put in with Sioux Falls rock on a bed of
concrete. All exterior brick work is executed with hydraulic
pressed bricks, set in white mortar, supplied by the Hydraulic
Pressed Brick Company of Omaha. All the roofs are cover-
ed with the best blue Pennsylvania slates. All joiner's work
was executed by Messrs. Smith & Wyman, of Minneapolis,
and it is only justice to this firm to say that their work was
completed in a first-class manner. The hardware was supplied
jby E. P. Messer, of this city, and the painting, hard oil finish.
SHELDON SCHOOL BUILDING.
etc., was satisfactorily executed by F. C. Steel. In fact the work
in its entirety was done in a commendable manner by the
Mather Brick company', under personal superintendence of I.
N. Flanagan, their contract superintendent. The new furni-
ture was supplied by the Manitouwoc Furniture Company.
The blackboards are of natural slate, supplied by E. D.
318
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Beighley & Co., of Dayton, Ohio, the material throughout be-
ing without blemish, and the setting executed in such a man-
ner, as to be pronounced the best work ever seen by educators
who have visited schools all through the states.
It may be of interest to our readers to know the cost of the
building, furniture, etc., complete, which, by the kindness of
the board, we are able to annex:
Builder's contract - $ 26,207 00
Account of extras 2,159 5°
500 GO
457 50
Architects account for plans
Salary of Superintendent of Construction.
Heating and Ventilating contract 3,ioo 00
Shades to windows
Seats, desks, tables, etc..
Natural slate blackboards
moulding, oilings, settings, etc.
147 50
729 00
885 GO
Total cost of building and fitting $ 34,185 50
Less amount received from sale of old school buildings 1,225 00
Total net cost of new building and furnishings $ 32,960 50
Last, but not least, it should be placed on record that the
board which has erected a monument
to its public spirit is composed of
^»,^ W. H. Myers, president; Ed. C.
,r^~ \^ Brown, H. B. VVyman, R. H. Mar-
tin, E. P. Messer and John Bowley."
Prof. W. S. Wilson, now principal
of the public schools at Rock Rap-
ids, had charge of the Sheldon school
for twelve years. His strong in-
dividualit}-, and remarkable profici-
ency as a public instructor, were im-
pressed on the pupils, and the school,
so that in the time he was here,
he brought about a wonderful ad-
vancement in all departments.
As a citizen he commanded the highest respect, and left the
city with the good will of the entire community. His succes-
sor was the present principal. Prof. W. I. Simpson. Mr.
1. SIMPSON.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
319
^ ^
Simpson continues the work with universal approval, and as
an instructor and in charge of the various school departments,
shows much tact and efficiency. He is an educated gentle-
man, of much culture and has been admitted to the bar. His
assistants, filling the various departments of instruction, are
recognized as teachers possessing the highest qualifications.
SANBORN.
The town of Sanborn has reason to feel a just pride in its
school facilities. From the first school house built in 1881
and through the building of several
since then, the district now has one
of much beauty and extensive pro-
portions. From the Sanborn Pioneer
we note a detailed description.
"The independent district was or-
ganized in 1881; by a vote of the
people, the territory embraced being
five miles square, or twenty-five sec-
tions — twelve in Franklin township,
eight in Summit, three in Lincoln
and two in Center. Since that time,
sections and parts of sections have
been restored to the several town-
ships from which taken, until only about fifteen or sixteen re-
main.
" I. W. Daggett, M. D. Comes and A. S. Fitzgerald were
the first directors elected. M. D. Comes was elected presi-
dent, J. W. Kelly secretary, and J. A. Stocum treasurer.
This first meeting was held April 19, 1881, the members of
the board being sworn in by E. Smith, justice of the peace.
The treasurer was appointed at the second meeting, held
May 3.
" One of the first bills allowed was for corn, for fuel. The
first school house built in the independent district was built in
1881. Bids were opened July 16. Nine bids were received,
ranging from $2,995 up to $4,628. The lowest bid was by
MRS. EMMA FREEMAN.
330
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
George E. Berr}', of Sheldon, who was awarded the contract
at $2,995, and gave bonds in the sum of $3,000 for faithful
performance of contract. Bonds to the amount of $3,500
were sold.
"The present school site was selected October 13, 1881.
"The house built in 1881 contained four rooms, was two
stories high, and is the same building now owned by H.
Telkamp, and being at this time fitted up for an opera house.
It served the district from that time till the present one was
built, but was often repaired and once enlarged by having a
two-room addition built thereto. The addition was built by
D. Moody some five or six years ago, and is now owned and
used by C. A. Foote as a residence, having been bought by
him last year and moved to his residence lots.
"For more than a year before the work of erecting the
present house was begun, the board
had the matter under advisement.
It seemed like a big undertaking,
and there was some opposition there-
to, but it was finally agreed that the
house should be built, and it was
ordered at the meeting held January
25, just one year from the date of
the writing of this article, that bids
should be advertised for, said bids
to be opened March 14, 1896. Plans
and specifications prepared by the
architect, F. W. Kenney, Austin,
Minnesota.
"There were eleven bids received, ranging from $13,400 to
$16,996.64.
"On April 25 the contract was awarded to D. Moody, of
Sanborn, for $13,900.
" Bonds to the amount of $11,000 were voted by the people
at different times and were sold, the proceeds being devoted
to the erection of the new school house. -
MISS MAME BUTTON.
SANBORN SCHOOL BUILDING.
322
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
" Active work was begun in a short time, the basement ex-
cavated, stone, brick, lumber, etc., delivered, and in the latter
part of June the foundations were laid and basement walls put
up, and in July the brick work was started. There was some
delay in getting proper material, and some changes made,
causing still further delay.
« The contract called for the completion of the building by
the 5th of September, but it was soon found it would be im-
possible, or at least impracticable, to have it done by that
time. Some material was delayed on the way, some plaster-
ing was defective and had to be gone over, and the build-
ing was not ready, and school did not begin till October 19.
" Mankato stone and Sioux City brick were used, the red
brick and buff colored stone trimmings making a beautiful
contrast.
" The building is two stories high, with full basement, and
architecturally beautiful and imposing as shown by the cut.
The basement is used for the heating
plant, fuel-room, play-rooms, etc.
The heating plant was put in by the
Windsor Heating Company, of Gal-
ena, 111., the contract price being
$3,500. The system is what is
called the direct and indirect, or in-
direct direct. Steam radiators are
in all the halls, and rooms. In the
school rooms the radiators are placed
about seven feet above the floor.
Ventilation and additional warmth
are secured by hot air from a room
in the basement, the air being warm-
ed to about no degrees. This air is from the outside before
it is heated, and, of course, pure. By forcing this warm air
into the rooms, the cold and impure air is forced to the floor,
drawn off, and passes out and up the smoke stack. This
insures constant and perfect ventilation, a thing of vital im-
portance in the schoolroom, always.
MISS KATE M'KEEVER.
HISTORY OF OBRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
823
" The heating plant has had a severe test the past week,
It takes good appHances and careful handling these days with
the wind blowing hard and the temperature twenty to thirty
degrees below zero, to keep so large a building comfortably
warm all over. Mr. W. F. Mills, the janitor, informs us that
these days it takes about a ton of Iowa coal every twenty-four
hours.
"There are four school rooms on each floor. The room
on the first floor, southeast corner, is occupied by the first
primary department, taught by Miss Anna J. Wientz. En-
rollment, fifty-two.
"In the northeast corner is the s;:;cond primary, taught by
Miss Alice Hawk. Forty-four pupils enrolled in this depart-
ment.
"The first intermediate, with thirty-seven enrolled, and with
Miss Alma Magee teacher, is in the northwest corner.
"The southwest corner room is occupied by the second in-
termediate, thirty-three enrolled, and
Miss Minnie Gardner teacher.
" The principal's office is located
at the west end of the hall, and be-
tween rooms three and four.
" Ascending the broad, easy and
handsome stairway to the second
floor, we find in the northeast cor-
ner, room No. $, or the third inter-
mediate grade with Miss Lydia
Skyles teacher and 33 enrolled.
" The recitation room for the high
school is next the fifth room, on the
north of the hall, that is, between
the fifth and sixth rooms. This is a fine large recitation room,
seated with high backed chairs with bookre.^ts.
" Next this recitation room, and in the north-west corner, is
the grammar grade, in which 57 are enrolled, with Miss Emily
S. Lennon teacher.
1^
LULU SHAFFER.
324
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
" The seventh grade or room is located in the south-east
corner. There are 50 pupils enrolled in this department, and
Miss Carrie Macey, the second assistant principal, is the
teacher.
*' In the south-west corner of the second floor is the high
school department, the most commodious room in the build-
ing. Miss Esma B. Gault, the first assistant principal pre-
sides here.
" Between the two rooms last named is located the library
room. There are nice cases in this room, and more than 200
books. When the $300 now in the library fund are expended,
the school will have the finest library in the county.
" Each school room has a large, well-finished cloak room,
and each cloak room has a separate closet for the teacher to
keep extra books, etc.
" The attic story is not yet completed. Here will be
located the assembly hall, capable
of seating three or four hundred
^^ 1^^ people.
mF ^^ " Our picture shows the south and
" M ^ east fronts, with the main entrances
used by the pupils. There is also
a wide entrance on the north side,
and a basement entrance on the west.
Fifth street is on the south, and
Main street on the east. A broad
walk extends from the corner of the
street, to and along both fronts of
the building, and a similar walk ex-
tends southwest to Fifth street. The
interior of the building is finished with hard pine. The out-
side steps are stone; the entrance floors are laid with colored
tiles.
" The total amount expended by the district for excavating,
grading up, walks, plans, specifications, advertising,j]building,
and heating plant and extras^ thereto, new seats, etc., is fully
NINA OLDHAM.
HISTORY OF 0*BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
325
$17,000, and it will take at least $1,000 to complete every-
thing, including the assembly room. In addition to the
amount of bonds voted by the tax payers, there were several
thousands of dollars on hand to begin with, besides what was
paid in in taxes for the current year.
" In addition to this building the district owns a good sub-
stantial building on the south side, where about forty pupils
are enrolled, Miss Cora M. Moody, a very efficient and suc-
cessful teacher, having had charge for several years.
" The members of the Board of Education who deserve
great credit for carrying to a successful issue this important
undertaking, are: Geo. Hakeman, president; Prof. R. B.
Daniels, principal; J. F. Kerberg, J. F. Martini, T. T. Shaff-
ner, M. M. Burns, Aug. Shoel, directors; J. H. Daly, treas-
urer; and Geo. O. Wheeler, secretary.
HARTLEY.
The independent district of Hartley is under good manage-
ment. From the Hartley Journal and the pen of Claude
Charles we are told, that "Hartley has
much reason to feel grateful for her
public schools. During the past ten
years the schools have been rapidly
advancing under the supervision of
different principals and teachers. To
meet the requirements of increased
school population, the board of direc-
tors has, during the past two years,
deemed it necessary to enlarge the
building and employ more teachers.
" At present the school is graded
into eleven grades or years. Miss
Martha Palen is the efficient teacher
of the primary department. Miss Palen's experience in primary
work has shown plainly that she is mistress of her calling.
"Miss Myrtle G. Rose is in charge of the second primary de-
partment. Miss Rose is a late student of our state universitv
SADIE HOEPI'NER.
326
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
and also of a kindergarten training school in Chicago. She
has completely won the confidence of her pupils and the
patrons.
" Miss Josie Gage has charge of our intermediate depart-
ment. Miss Gage has taught during the past four years in
this county, and is now serving her second year as inter-
mediate teacher in this school. The good results obtained
from her work bespeak the ability of Miss Gage.
" Miss Ida Nelson is teacher of the first grammar depart-
ment, and although she has been in the department but one
term, it is plain to be seen by her methods of instruction and
discipline, that she is doing effective
work for which the patrons have
frequetitly expressed their approval.
'' Miss Mary B. Stocks, who is to
be succeeded January 4th, '97 bv
Miss Boot, at present a student of
the University of South Dakota,
has had charge of the second gram-
mar department since September,
'95. Miss Stocks has proven herself
a teacher in the fullest sense of the
term. The results of her work will
remain with her pupils, not only dur-
ing their school days, but throughout
life. January 10, '97, Miss Stocks takes up her duties as
county superintendent of Lyman county. South Dakota.
" E. W. Richards, principal and teacher of the high school,
is now serving his second year. Mr. Richards is a former
student of the Iowa Stale Normal school, also of the normal
at Dixon, 111. It is evident that he is endeavoring to do much
for the schools, and from the present condition of the high
school one may know, that it is the whole purpose of our prin-
cipal to fit each student for the citizenship that they must soon
claim. There are at present two grades in the high school.
The members of the eleventh grade, if in good standing at
MISS MAY BENNINK.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, lOWA. 327
the close of the present year, will graduate and receive
diplomas from the board."
SUTHERLAND.
Sutherland has a good school building, but undoubtedly in
the future will require something larger. It is a square frame
building, two stories. On the lower floor are two good sized
rooms, which contain the primary and intermediate depart-
ments. These are well furnished, there are also large halls,
and cloak rooms. Above is the high school room with seat-
ing capacity for one hundred pupils. Opening from this room
are two recitation rooms, and there is a library of well selected
books. Five teachers are employed as follows: M. P.
Fobes, principal; Helen Biglow, Bertha Booth, Bernice Bush
and Nina Magarity.
PAULLINA.
Paullina has a white painted frame school building of two
stories. It has four rooms of good size with recitation room,
two below and two above. The building has spacious
grounds with trees. It has five teachers: G. G. Washburn,
principal; Mrs. E. Dudley, assistant; Mrs. Emma Washburn,
Dora Rerick and Lizzie Gardner.
PRIMGHAR.
The school at Primghar, in charge of J. J. Billingsly as
principal, is one of the best in the county. Their first school
building was erected in 1874, ^"^ ^^^ about 30 by 40 feet in
size, two stories. The present school building in its main
part was built in 1890, at a cost of $5,000. In 1896, the
building was doubled in size, which gives now plenty of room
for the pupils which the school contams, to the number of
277. Prof. Billingsly has for assistants: Miss Berta Mitchell,
Miss Lou Rollins, Miss Bertha Mosier, Miss Grace Foskett,
and Miss Matie Rerick.
The professor is admirably fitted for duties of school in-
structor, and his continued employment, shows, that he has
the confidence of the community, as a teacher, and as a citizen.
328
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
As a rule the country districts are careful in the selection of
teachers, and the training of the rising generation is carefully
looked after. In this connection, we have noticed there is
some discussion in our state, as to a new method of running
our township schools, and which to the writer would seem to
be a desirable change. This method has been adopted in
Ohio, and is described as follows :
" Instead of the little red or white school houses a few miles
apart, such as we still have in Iowa, they are providing one
large building in center of the township, usually built of brick
and two stories. To this central point all the school children
PRIMGHAK SCHOOL BUILDING.
are brought in stages furnished for free transportation by the
township. The vehicles hold about twenty-five pupils, are
comfortably fitted up, and are arranged so as to be either open
or covered. The routes, which are made to pass every house,
are open to competitive bidders. The drivers of the stage go
330 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
in the morning to the extreme limits of the townships, and
blow a horn when within earshot of a house, to notify the child-
ren who are to take passage. When the school hours are
over, the stage re-appears, and the scholars are taken home.
The system has been going but about two years, but it is said
to work perfectly.
" It is claimed the new system is better than the old because
the work can be more systematic. The pupils can be more
perfectly graded, the buildings are better, more conveniences
and appliances can be had, and finally it is said that a higher
average of teachers is secured and that the expense of main-
taining these schools is even less than that of maintaining so
many separate schools. Not so many teachers are required."
The present school officers of the various townships, with
their postoffice address, are as follows:
FLOYD TOWNSHIP.
District No. 8, Fred Nelson, Sheldon, president.
District No. 7, T. Donahue, Sheldon, secretary.
District No. 6, P. H. Sullivan, Sheldon.
District No. 3, Phil Ling, Sheldon.
District No. i, Henry Biggs, Sheldon.
District No. 2, Chas. Dougherty, Sheldon.
District No. 5, S. A. Barrett, Sheldon.
District No. 4, C. Hain, Sheldon.
FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP.
District No. i, W. H. Porter, Sanborn.
District No. 3, Peter Miller, Sanborn.
District No. 4, John Breier, Sanborn.
District No. 5, R. H. Magee, Sanborn, president.
District No. 9, B. W. Jackson, Sanborn.
D. M. Norton, secretary.
LINCOLN TOWNSHIP.
Distrtct No. i, C. C. Dutton, Hartley.
District No. 2, G. F. Waekerle, Hartley.
District No. 3, L. W. Walker, Sanborn.
^I^^^rs?
i2 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
District No. 4, Mark Toal, Sanborn.
District No. 5, W. C. Cunning, Sanborn, president.
F. E. Nunns, Hartley, secretary.
District No. 6, W. Y. Chapman, Hartley.
District No. 7, F. Boasted, Hartley.
District No. 8, T. W. Farnsvvorth, Sanborn.
HARTLEY TOWNSHIP.
District No. 2, Gilbert Page, Hartley.
District No. 3, Martin Linder, Hartley.
District No. 4, T. H. Mueller, Hartley.
District No. 5. Solomon Longbottom, Hartley, president.
District No. 6, R. Jones, Hartley.
District No. 7, E. B. Steece, Hartley.
District No. 8, Thomas Worden, Hartley.
Henry M. Waller, Hartley secretary.
CARROLL TOWNSHIP.
District No. i, J. H. Burns, Sheldon.
District No. 2, E. H. McClellan, Sheldon.
District No. 4, Lias McMillen, Sheldon.
District No. 5, M. F. xMcNutt, president.
Miss Gertie DeYounge, Sheldon, secretar}-.
District No. 6, G. H. Whitmore, Sheldon.
District No. 7. A. Appleton, Sheldon,
District No. 8, Wm. Longman, Sheldon.
District No. 9, John Englehardt, Sheldon.
SUMMIT TOWNSHIP.
District No. i, Wm. Brundage, Sanborn, president.
District No. 2, J. F. Geister, Sanborn.
District No. 3, R. Arnold, Archer.
District No. 4, James Dow, Sanborn, secretary.
CENTER TOWNSHIP.
District No. i, Fred Year, Hartley.
District No. 2, Hugo Alberts, Sanborn.
District No. 3, John Watters, Sanborn.
T. J. GRIGGS.
3:}4 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
District No. 4, J. C. Porter, Primghar, president.
District No. 5, W. B. Conger, Primghar, secretary
District No. 6, W. T. Voss, Hartley.
District No. 7, John Phitzmier, Hartley.
District No. 8, C. H. Powell, Hartley.
District No. 9, A. Irving, Hartley.
OMEGA. TOWNSHIP.
District No. i, B. Blothand, Hartley.
District No. 2, J. Dahms, Hartley.
District No. 3, C. L. Hopfe, Hartley.
District No. 4, J. Leih, Hartley.
District No. 5, J. Zinn, Hartley.
District No. 6, P. C. Keith, Hartley.
District No. 7, Frank Lighter, Hartley.
District No. 8, W. S. Yelland, Hartley, president.
John Saunders, secretary.
District No. 9, W. Hopfe, Hartley.
BAKER TOWNSHIP.
District No. i, S. A. Wilson, Archer.
District No. 2, E. Philby, Sheldon.
District No. 3, W. E. Benner, Sheldon.
District No. 4, Geo. Benbow, Sheldon, secretary.
District No. 5, Fred Thomas, Granville.
District No. 6, not reported.
District No. 7, not reported.
District No. 8, Tallon, Granville.
District No. 9. Leonard Grady, Granville.
DALE TOWNSHIP.
District No. i, Frank Cassidy, Primghar.
District No. 2, John Klink, Primghar.
District No. 3, Ed Gere, Primghar.
District No. 4, Alfred Johnson, Paullina.
District No. 5, David Fife, Paullina.
District No. 6, J. T. Daniels, Primghar.
RESIDENCE OF E. B. MEbSER, HARTLEY.
3;{6 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Disirict No. 7, L. Goodmanson, Paullina.
District No. 8, Wm. Cain, Paullina.
District No. 9, Robert Myer, Paullina.
HIGHLAND TOWNSHIP.
District No. i, J. F. Doyle, Prim^har, secretary.
District No. 2, James Irvine, Primghar.
District No. 3, Fred Peck, Primghar.
District No. 4, P. Tjossem, Primghar.
District No. 5, Hans Peterson, Gaza.
District No. 6, James Brosh, Sutherland.
District No. 7, A. Johansen, Sutherland.
District No. 8, D. H. Lemberg, Gaza.
District No. 9, W. A. Smith, Gaza, president.
GRANT TOWNSHIP.
District No. i, Milton Eckman, Trimello.
District No. 2, Arthur Chapman, Trimello.
District No. 3, Alex McCreath, Sutherland.
District No. 4, Wm. Kaiser, Sutherland.
District No. 5, S. B. Crosser, Sutherland, president.
District No. 6, O. A. Sutton, Sutherland.
District No. 7, W. Wager, Sutherland.
District No. 8, E. Barry, Sutherland.
District No. 9, S. J. Jordan, Sutherland.
Miss Maud Chghorn, secretary.
CALEDONIA TOWNSHIP.
District No. i, H. Hibbing, Paullina.
District No. 2, F*. Lustfield, Germantown.
District No. 3, Theo. Breithbarth, Granville.
District No. 4, Christ Kuester, Germantown.
District No. 5, Chas. Bobzin, Germantown.
District No. 6, F. Schukneckt, Germantown.
District No. 7, T. Vass, Germantown.
District No. 8, John Fisch, Germantown.
District No. 9, F. Schmidt, Germantown.
M^
•
4
IHBIGELDW^
DRIVING RIIRK.1
1
DRIVING PARK, SANBORN.
338 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
UNION TOWNSHIP.
District No. 4, Chas. Ihle, Paullina.
District No. 5, H. M. Winter, Paullina.
District No. 6, H. G. Gulp, Paullina.
District No. 7, R. J. Paeper, Paullina.
District No. 8, M. T. Taylor, Paullina.
District No. 9, Adolph Large, Paullina.
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.
District No. i,John Engelke, Sutherland, president.
District No. 2, J. C. Doling, Paullina.
District No. 3, Wm. Wiese, Calumet.
District No. 4, C. W. Ray, Sutherland.
District No. 5, Herman Reimers, Calumet.
District No. 6, John Kundel, Calumet.
District No. 7, H. P. Scott, Calumet, secretary.
WATERMAN TOWNSHIP.
District No. i, J. P. Martin, Sutherland.
District No. 2, Gust Schwein, Sutherland.
District No. 4. Silas Steel, Sutherland.
District No. 5, F. M. Gaskill, Sutherland.
District No. 6, L. B. Hill, Peterson.
District No. 7, M. E. Kauffman, Peterson.
District No. 8, A. Broadstre^t, Sutherland, president.
District No. 9, L. D. Cobb, Sutherland.
F. W. Hulser, Sutherland, secretary.
County school directors of independent districts.
SHELDON.
W. H. Meyers, Ed. C. Brown, E. P. Messer, J. Mc-
Candless, John Bowley, S. S. Bailey, Richard Peakman sec-
retary.
SANBORN.
George Hakeman, M. N. Burns, T. T. Shatfner, A.
Schoel, J. F. Kerberg, G. F. Martini, G. O. Wheeler, sec-
retary.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
339
HARTLEY.
C. H. Westfall, Dr. D. T. Stewart, C. A. Simms, S. L.
Young, Wm. Fuller, W. G. Wellman and E. E. Hall, sec-
retary.
PAULLINA.
A. P. Jacobs, president, W. E. McCauley, W. W. Delmage,
John Metcalf, Geo. Carfield, W. J. Hakes, Stephen Harris,
secretary.
SUTHERLAND.
D. M. Sheldon, W. S. Hitchings, J, C. Briggs, G. K.
Schultz, Otto Kirchhof, I. N. Slick, E. O. Woodbury, sec-
retary.
PRIMGHAR.
C. H. Slocum, president, W. S. Armstrong, J. P. Knox,
W. J. Bruce, Henry Rerick, Wm. Ortman, David Algyer,
secretary.
FINANCES.
Up to the time Mr. Waterman came to the county, or
rather to 1858, gold and silver were the principal medium of
exchange, but as Mr. Waterman had
but little of either of these, and was
the only settler for several years,
there is nothing of the finances of
the county then, which requires
mention in this history. Soon after,
there was scattered over the western
country, an unlimited supply of wild
cat paper, or rather the paper of pri-
vate and state banks, embellished
with flaring cuts, beautiful to look at.
They were ver}' fine pictures float-
ing around, with a value on the
dollar, from one cent up. Soon as
the county warrant machine was started up, then county war-
rants were the county currency, and merchandise was priced
accordingly. Later on, there was added to this, the gopher
W. N. STRONG.
340 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
scalp currency, but what is the difference if one desires to buy
something, whether he pays in gold dollars, or in gopher
scalps, as long as he gets what he wants, and has the price
in either to pay for it.
As will be seen elsewhere in this book, debts were con-
tracted at an early date by the gang of thieves who organized
the county. It is very easy to get into debt, this is under-
stood from individual experiences, and much easier for a
county, when a corrupt set of officials have every opportunity
to issue warrants, without any restriction or hindrance. All
it needs is the proper blank, and they are easily obtained, and
then the amount filled in, and signed by the auditor; and
while those early organizers may have been idle otherwise,
they were exceedingly industrious in the labor of issuing war-
rants. The truth of the matter is, that the county should not
have been organized until 1871, as then there were incoming
actual settlers who came not to plunder, but to make homes
on the prairie. But it was organized, and the disgraceful
record of its early organization is before us. It is true the
county has now overcome this early debt, its resources and its
valuable taxable list of property enables the county to keep its
warrants at par, and pay as it goes. A debt can be easily
created when the expenses exceed the income, and when war-
rants are depreciated, when an article of the market value of
$5, requires a payment of $25 to obtain it. After some state-
ments made in the general written history, and particularly
when J. W. Kelley was on the board of supervisors, it is
enough perhaps to give the following statement made by
Auditor Schee in January, 1877:
REPORT OF SUPERVISORS.
Judgment bonds $ 80,700.00
Judgment bonds 1 2,500.00
Balance due on Judgment bonds 68,200.00
Funding bonds issued prior to January ist, 1876- 62,400.00
Funding bonds issued in 1876 _ 53,700.00
Total funding bonds t|5ii6,ioo.oo
M. E. CHURCH. SHELDON.
342 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY. IOWA.
Total amount of|judgment and funding bonds, the
legality of which are not in dispute 184,300.00
There are funding bonds of 1861 issue, not can-
celled 1 1,800.00
Interest on the above 1 7,700.00
Total 213,800.00
Outstanding bounty warrants 6,000.00
Interest on the bounty warrants 6,600.00
Total .. 1 2,600.00
Total amount of all bonded indebtedness, including
the bounty warrants 226,400.00
Judgments 19,570.00
Amount floating warrants 27,755.00
Making a total debt of -$273,725.00
Expenses of running the county in 1874, over its
income $ 16,328.55
Expenses of running the county in 1875, cfver its
income 20,249.96
Expenses of running the county in 1876, over its
income 16,882.30
The expenses of the county for 1876 25,082.30
In 1880 there was paid on this debt the sum of $30,000, and
a sinking fund was created, which was intended to decrease
the debt each year. The county has several times bonded its
indebtedness. It did this in t88i at seven per cent interest,
and rebonded in 1886 at five per cent interest. In 1894 an
action was brought by certain parties to enjoin the payment of
these bonds, upon the ground that the debt at the time it was
contracted, exceeded the constitutional limitation of five per
cent. This action perhaps might have been prosecuted to a
final termination successfully, but it became a question again
among the people, whether or not it would be better to
pay the debt, and preserve the credit of the county. After
awhile the action resulted in rebonding again, at a lower rate
HISTORY OF 0*BRiEN COtTNTY, IOWA.
34B
of interest, so that these bonds now draw four per cent. The
plaintiffs in this last named action, were accused of dismissing
the case for a consideration, but as to this we do not know, as
the business was transacted at Canton, South Dakota, whither
the chairman of the board and the auditor, went to close the
matter up. It was done in Dakota, for the reason, that the
bondholders were afraid to open the satchel containing the
bonds in Iowa, for fear that some one in the interest of the
county, and in the interest of himself as a taxpayer, might
seize them with some process of law. It is enough to say that
the county now has smooth sailing financially, and that outside
parties seeking investment for their money, need have no fear
of unjust or oppressive taxation.
RESIDENCE OF H. B. WYMAN, BURNED, IS95.
In the fall of 1881, while T.J. Alexander was treasurer of
the county, his cash was found to be short $11,000. From
the fact that Mr. Alexander was known to be a thoroughly
honest man, and naturally free from the slightest inclination to
steal, this shortage when it became known, was the cause of
much discussion and surprise. Another singular thing about
344 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY. IOWA.
it was, that the shortage was not known at the time generally,
but came out in 1885, during a political campaign, and then
got into the newspapers, and in the columns of these, state-
ments were made by Mr. Alexander, Geo. W. Schee, and an
article by J. L. E. Peck. When Mr. Alexander found that
he was short, he informed some of his friends, and it was a
question whether he was short in his accounts, or his cash.
C. E. Achorn was then agreed upon as a committee to
examine the books, which he did, and reported that in these,
there was no error, it was a shortage of cash ; somebody had
taken bodily out of the treasurer's safe $11,000 in clean cash,
and the remaining question was, who took it.
The county did not lose anything, as Mr. Schee furnished
the money to Mr. Alexander to make up the shortage, taking
from Alexander certain securities. When the matter became
fully known in 1885, so that the people and the newspapers
were talking about it, it required explanation. The first state-
ment was made by Mr. Alexander in October, 1885, in which
he said, "I wish to state, that in the fall of 1881, I found I
was short some $11,000. Being convmced I was short in my
cash, and not in my accounts, I then informed my friends.
They believed it was in my accounts, and would eventually
be found, helped me to reimburse the county, thus saving the
county from any loss. I also wish to state, that I have no idea
where the money went, or who got it. I deny of ever making
any statement or insinuations that Geo. W. Schee had the
money, or that I believed that he had the money." This
was the first statement made by Mr. Alexander in the matter.
A week afterwards he made another statement, in which
he said substantially, that when he was satisfied that the
money was gone, and that the mistake was not in his accounts,
he informed Mr. Achorn, who spent most of his time for three
days in looking over the books, hoping to find the error. He
then told Mr. Schee. what was wrong, and that he could find
no mistake in the books. Mr. Schee said he was satisfied
the error would be found, but after further investigation, it was
HISTORY OF OBRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
345
thought it could not be found, and then he made arrangements
with Mr. Schee to save the county from loss. He deeded
to Mr. Schee the south half of the southeast quarter of
section 34-97-41, which he thought was worth $2,000.
Turned in to Mr. Schee $1,250 of notes held against various
parties, and gave his own note for $500 to be paid out of
his second year's salary, and had an understanding with Mr.
Schee, that he was to have the use of any surplus county
funds to the amount of the shortage. Mr. Alexander also
stated, that Mr. Schee told him in the first conversation
had, if it should prove true that the shortage was in the
cash, and not in the books, that the matter must be fixed up,
both for Mr. Schee's
sake, and for the sake
of the board of su-
pervisors in the bond-
ing matter. That Mr.
Schee further told
him that he was worth
about $4,000 more
than he could account
for, and therefore was
willing that it should
go towards making
^up the shortage. A
week after that, Mr.
Schee made a state-
ment, in which he
starts out by saying " I never stole $12,000 from Mr. Alexan-
der, I never settled with him for $7,000, I never made him a
present of $7,000. I do not think any person in the county
honestly believes that I ever stole of Mr. Alexander or any other
man $12,000, or any other amount." He also states that he
never had $4,000 in 1 881, or at any other time that he could not
account for. Mr. Schee further wanted to know why Mr. Al-
exander for nearly four years since the shortage, had been his
RESIDENCE OF F. R. PATCH, HARTLEY.
346 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
friend, done business for him, and traded with him, time and
time again, since supported him in politics up to the time
when the Democrats had taken Mr. Alexander up, fifteen
days before. Mr. Schee further stated, that he did say to
Mr. Alexander that if it turned out to be a loss, he could
afford to lose a part of it, as he was $4,200 better off than he
expected to be, on accoimt of what he made in four thousand
acres of land he bought of L. Greve at $2.50 per acre, and
sold mostly to W. L. Culbertson at $3.50 per acre, and some
to other parties, at $10 and $15 per acre. Mr. Schee further
inquired, why, if Mr. Alexander's statements were true, and
that Schee got the money, why did not Mr. Alexander have
him arrested at the time, and why the matter was not brought
out until Alexander got into democratic hands. This is about
the extent of the statement of the parties in the matter, and all
that the public seemed to know about it when the discussion
ended, was, that there was a shortage of $11,000 cash taken
bodily from the safe, that through the aid of Mr. Schee, it was
made up by Mr. Alexander to the county, but who stole the
mone)r, has since remained a mystery and Mr. Alexander denied
charging the theft upon anybody, but said as to his thoughts
and intents, these were sacred between himself and his God,
until future ages should reveal more light on the subject. T.
J. Alexander did not know a dishonest act, he was made a tool
of by somebody, and robbed, for certainly he would not rob
himself. The county, however, lost nothing, as Mr. Alexander
with the aid of Mr. Schee, made up the shortage. The last
treasurer of the county before Mr. West, Henr}' Rerick, was a
very popular official; his work was always well done, and
his integrity no man ever questioned. The present incum-
bent, also efficiently manages the office.
CALUMET.
The town of Calumet was laid out by the Illinois Central
Railroad company in the year of 1887, on section 22 in
Liberty township.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 347
The town is located on a spot of level prairie, surrounded
by a portion of the best of O'Brien county farming land.
It has two business streets, one running east and west,
and another running north and south. It is not a town
claiming metropolitan distinction, but from a business stand
point, there is no reason why it has not much promise for
the future. It is situated upon the Illinois Central Railroad
connecting with the main line, from Cherokee to Sioux
Falls. The railroad reached the town site in its construc-
tion in the fall of 1887. After the track was laid, the first
building erected was the depot building. The first building
erected on the town site was a residence, by a man by the
name of Douglass, who was a carpenter; he moved away
some years ago, and is
now in Missouri. The
next building erected
was for a general store,
and was put up by
Wheelock Bros., in
which they put a gen-
eral stock of merchan-
dise. The management
of this store changed
hands several times, un-
til a few years ago,
when D. C. Fields pur-
chased the stock, and is
now running the store. °"- '■ '■ «-'-'--«»^-
Mr. Fields is mentioned
elsewhere in connection with Liberty township, and is one of
its first settlers. A postoffice was established at once as soon
as the town started, and was kept by the depot agent, Mr.
Thornburg, who was the first postmaster, as well as the first
depot agent. Mr. Thornburg moved from Calumet to Leeds,
Iowa, and was succeeded as postmaster by Mr. Jones, and after
him, the present postmaster, Geo. G. Reifsteck was appointed.
348 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
About the same time Wheelock Bros, erected their store
building, there was built a German parsonage, which was
used for a hotel building until the erection of the present
hotel, which was built in the spring of 1890, by Frank Baker.
After the starting of the town the present elevator was
soon built, and coal and lumber supplies soon followed. The
lumber yard was put in by J. H. Queal & Co., lumber fijm,
who still are the present owners. There are two church
buildings on the town site, one of which is Methodist and was
erected in the spring of 1891, whose present pastor is Rev.
H. B. Green.
The other, a German Lutheran church was erected in 1892,
and whose pastor is Rev. E. Rail. The store building now
occupied by Geo. G. Reifsteck was built by Chas. Horrick
in 1889, and was run by him until a few years ago when
Geo. G. Reifsteck purchased the same.
The Calumet bank was established in 1889, by Horstman
Bros. & Seaman of Sutherland, Iowa, who sold to John C.
Craig in 1890. The bank was then discontinued, and the
building was purchased by the present proprietor, Mr. J. W.
Neild in 1893. Mr. Neild was formall}' a resident of Gran-
ville, Iowa. Horstman Bros. & Seaman are now in the
banking business at Sau Luis, California. The principal
business houses of the town are as follows: D. C. Fields,
general store; Geo. G. Reifsteck, general store; Earnest
Pape is the present hardware dealer, who purchased his build-
ing from the former owner, Geo. Depew, several years ago.
John H. Queal & Co., lumber, coal, etc., run by Thos. Faust
of Sutherland, a grain elevator run by Lewis Meade was
erected soon after the railroad, a blacksmith shop formally
owned by Ben Roby is now owned by E. W. Guenther, also
a pool hall run by John Hoist, a harness shop run by George
Butler who is also landlord of the hotel, called the Commercial
House, there is also a saloon in the town, there is one physician,
Dr. C. P. Mueller, who became a resident there in 1893,
moving there from Marcus, Iowa. There is one livery stable
in the town run by Frank Baker.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
349
The town was incorporated in 1894. A petition was pre-
sented at the December, 1894, term of the district court pray-
ing for the incorporation of Calumet, and to include as its
territory the following described land: The south half of the
northwest quarter and the north half of the southeast quarter
of section 22, Liberty township. The court appointed the
following named commissioners for the purpose of incorpora-
tion : W. M. Bunce, B. Har-
rington, J. W. Neild, L. Reif-
steck, D. C. Fields.
These commissioners call-
ed a special election for the
purpose of voting upon the
question, as to whether the
town should incorporate or
not. This election resulted
in 19 for incorporation, and
10 against.
The commissioners then
called a special election on
April 17, 1895, for the first
election of officers. This
election was held according
to the notice, and the following named officers were elected:
Mayor, W. M. Bunce; recorder, J. W. Neild; councilmen, L.
Reifsteck, D. C. Fields, Earnst Pape, E. W. McOmber, Peter
Rehder, Lewis Meade.
The first meeting of the council was held April i8th, 1895.
We had occasion to examine the books of this incorporated
town kept by Recorder Neild since the preliminary steps
were taken towards incorporation, and we must say that the full,
complete, clean and well written way in which they are kept,
is decidedly creditable to Mr. Neild as an officer of the town.
Following this election was held another election, which occur-
red in March, 1896, at the fixed time of such municipal elec-
tions all over the state. This election resulted in the election
BLOXHAM.
350 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
of the following named officers: W. M. Bunce was re-elected
mayor, and J. W. Neild, recorder; J. P. Litka, treasurer;
Geo. G. Reifsteck, assessor; Jacob Hoist, street commissioner,
and the following named councilmen: D. C. Fields, Earnest
Pape, Paul Goettsch, Peter Rehder and Lewis Meade. The
present officers for 1897 are as follows: Mayor, W. M. Bunce;
recorder, J. W. Neild; treasurer, J. P. Litka; assessor, Geo.
Reifsteck; street commissioner, William Litka; councilmen,
E. W. Guenther, G. S. Butler, newly elected.
On the 19th day of May, 1897, Calumet suffered a loss by
fire, which burned five of its business houses. D. C. Fields'
store, also the next building owned by J. W. Neild, hardware
store belonging to E. Pape, implement house also belonging
E. Pape, and photograph gallery. Books, papers and goods
were destroyed, and some money, so that the loss at the time
was estimated at $11,000.
ARCHER.
The town of Archer was named after John H. Archer who
owned the land upon which the town site was started. Mr.
Archer is an extensive farmer still living near the town. The
town started in 1888. About the first building was a black-
smith shop, which was in March, 1888. That same spring T.
D. White was commissioned as postmaster but failed to serve,
so the appointment was made to A. A. Bisbee who was one
of the pioneer merchants in the town, of the firm of West &
Bisbee, and these parties established the first mercantile
house. W. L. Edgerton now of Sheldon, started in 1889 ^"
the hay business, and shipped large quantities, and afterwards
was in the stock business. Milo Benedict was the first station
agent. The town is on the fine of the Illinois Central R. R.
and is on section 24, in Carrol township. The firm of West &
Bisbee failed in business in November, upon which H. H.
Parrish succeeded them. Mr. Parrish also became postmaster
and has continued in business at Archer since that time, and
who by square dealing has estabhshed a good trade. Mr.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
351
Parrish commands the respect of the people and is well known
in the county. Its present business houses are E. J. Edmunds
Elevator Co., managed by C. M. Mast. The Chicago, O'Neal
Elevator Co., managed by Charles Spike. Tiemens &
Kooyman, dealers in hardware; Williams Bros., general store,
in charge of O. L. Campbell; A. Rolow,
blacksmith; Henry Tiemens, blacksmith:
Harness Shop, George Pederson; restau-
rant and billiard hall, by John Kaiser.
The present depot agent is W. J. Sin-
yard. Several years ago a Methodist
church was erected on the town sitt
where services are conducted, with O. E
Van Horn as pastor. There is also organ-
ized a Christian church at Archer, sup-
plied from Primghar and Sheldon. The
town has good prospects of much future
growth, and it probably will not be long, before it will wear
municipal honors.
The townsite is owned by the C. E. McKinney Investment
Co., of Sioux Falls, S. D., whose agent for the sale of lots is
lawyer P. R. Bailey, of Primghar.
F. E. SIMPSON.
GAZA.
The town of Gaza is located on section 28 in Highland
township. It is on the line of the Illinois Central Railroad,
and was started soon after this road was built across the
county from Cherokee. The town was named by some ar-
dent lover of sacred history, who reached out upon the shores
of the Mediterranean sea, and selected the name of a hamlet
in Judea. The first store building, and in which was placed
a stock of goods, was built by H. Ehlers in 1887. Mr. Ehlers
was also the first postmaster. This store has passed through
several different hands until the present owner and proprietor,
C. F. Reifsteck, who is also postmaster. The Chicago, O'Neal
Elevator Co, is in charge of Geo. Reader; W. J. Bruce & Co.,
352 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
of Primghar, have a Inmber and coal yard in charge of R.
Chapman. Joseph Renoldson, of Primghar, has a branch
machinery house managed by Charles Hintz. The present
station agent is C. Schnorr. A Congregational church build-
ing was erected in 1896, which has a good membership, with
Mrs. A. L. B. Nutting as pastor. L. T. Gates, secretary of
the Farmers' Mutual Insurance Co., makes his headquarters
at Gaza. The town was first named Woodstock, but it being
soon ascertained that there was another town of this name, it
was changed to Gaza. Gaza Hke all other towns in the
county, is surrounded with productive farms and substantial
residences, and there is no reason why it should not be-
come something of a town in the future.
PAULLINA.
The town of Paullina is located on the northeast quarter of
section 9, in Union township, and has an addition on the ad-
joining section north. It was named after the Paullina brothers,
who owned the quarter section on which the town is laid out,
and were also the owners of other land adjacent to the town
site. This town started ahead of the railroad, in 1882, in an-
ticipation of its coming, and when the first locomotive whistled
within the hmits of the townsite, there were already business
houses.
The first parties to aid in PaulHna's growth, were Messrs.
Adkins and Davis of Jasper county. This firm began building,
and had their store buildings ready for occupancy, about the
middle of March. A general stock of merchandise was carried
by this firm, and from the first, their business proved profitable;
some days their sales reaching over $600.
Contemporaneous with this building, was a small house
erected by B. F. Rozell for hotel purposes, and from the fact
of its being the first hotel in the place, was properly named
the Pioneer House. Before even this small structure could
be completed, it was filled to overflowing with boarders and
transient guests. As this state of things continued, Mr. Rozell
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
353
found it necessar}' to increase his accommodations, which was
accordingly done. The next firm to begin business here, was
the Sprague Bros, of Primghar, who began the erection of a
livery stable of large proportions. This was thought, by some,
to be a losing speculation, but the same story repeats itself,
for the business prospered from the first, and reached such a
magnitude that the stock and accommodations failed to meet
the demands that were con-
tinually made upon it. The
barn was then enlarged, and
a more complete stock added.
About this time T. E. Shra-
der cast his lot with those al-
ready here, and put up a
vStory and a half residence
and restaurant. Later on, a
bar was added, and other
improvements made. The
first saloon opened here, was
by Cal Peterman in a tent
near the depot grounds.
Finding this accommodation
inadequate, a small board
shanty was built, which, in turn, gave away to a fine large
building, neatly arranged with two billiard tables, and a com-
modious bar. The first carpenter to make this his residence
was F. C. Daniels, who built a large shop and residence,
and soon after began contracting, at the same time employing
eight skilled workmen to aid him. Under this force of men,
building after building appeared in quick succession.
After this time the increase of people and improvement be-
came so great, that it is difficult to state in what order they
came. Still, building was somewhat impeded, owing to
the fact that all the material had to be hauled eighteen and
twenty miles by team. There were a number here however,
who, in spite of this disadvantage, determined to begin opera-
23
HENRY SHIPLEY.
354 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
tions as soon as possible. Among these was C. C. Smith,
who began by erecting a large store building for hardware
purposes. The hardware stock of Johnson & Hakeman, at
Primghar, was purchased, and this, together with a large ad-
ditional amount of new stock and tinner's supplies, was put in,
and a paying business began at once, and continued at such a
rate that additions to this large building were made from time
to time. Near this time G. W. Elliot began his residence on
Main street, and embarked in his old trade, that of carpenter,
which he had dropped for a time. C. R. Waterman was the
next one on the scene, and his building was designed for hotel
purposes. On the 4th of July it was thrown open to the
public, and christened the Paullina house. Additions to this
building were made a necessity, until it reached the propor-
tions of a commodious and well arranged hotel, having a large
patronage, far exceeding the expectations of its proprietor.
Later on a rneat market was opened and operated by Mr.
Waterman. The amount of meat sold, and business transacted
by him, was a surprise to all. Some weeks as high as ten
beeves were slaughtered, besides a large number of hogs and
sheep. The " Home and Restaurant " was the name given
to another hospitable hotel dedicated by an old fashioned
supper on July 4th, with H. Godfrey as host. Perhaps the
store doing the most business in the same period of time, was
the one built by the Railroad Supply Company, about the
first of June, and known as the Railroad Store. The business
transacted at this store was simply enormous, the sales amount-
ing on an average to $850 per day. After the grading on
the railroad was completed, this store was removed to Silver
Lake, in Dickinson county, and the building left unoccupied
until fall, vyhen it was purchased by G. W. Davis and used by
him as a residence.
Theodore Wiechner, a jolly German shoemaker from Rein-
beck, Grundy county, all undaunted by the distance from
which the building material had been hauled, purchased his
bill of lumber in Sanborn, and immediately began building a
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
355
'^ ^
large boot and shoe store on Broadway. Before its comple-
tion, however, he began to realize his lonely condition, and
went away to find a wife. In this he was successful, and re-
turned to find his building ready for occupancy.
Messrs. Johnson & Hakeman of Primghar, hearing the
wonderful stories told of Paullina and her prospects, came
over to investigate the foundation of these reports. After due
deliberation, they concluded
to remove their lumber office
and stock to this place. But
little was done by this firm
until the advent of the rail-
road, and the regular run-
ning of trains, which occur-
red early in August. After
that time, car load after car
load of lumber, lime and coal
began to pour in over the
new road for this firm, and
was disposed of by them as
soon as received. So great
was the demand for this material, that fully six months had
elapsed, before this activity began at all to decrease, and in
that time upward of one hundred and fifty car loads of lum-
ber, sixty of coal and five of lime, had passed through their
hands to third parties.
J. H. Queal & Co., and the Wisconsin Lumber Co., soon
after opened yards here, and both met the same live experi-
ences, making sales of large amounts of lumber and coal; in
fact, for a time the supply could not meet the demand, so
fast was building carried on. It was not long before other cit-
izens of Primghar were making this place their home, some
even bringing their buildings on wheels with them. Among
this number was Wm. Hastings and family, who continued to
live in the house while taking this novel journey.
Mr. Hastings also brought his blacksmith shop in the same
REV. FATHER P. F. FARRELI.Y.
356 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
manner, but we believe he allowed the fire to die out in the
forge for the time being. If so, it was soon after kindled, for
the sparks were soon seen flying, as he continued his profita-
ble work at the anvil. Near the middle of July, A. Hanson
began the erection of a fine building, designing the first floor
for hardware purposes, and the second for a residence.
Bossert & Davis is the name of another firm, who put up a
large two-story store building, and put in a stock of clothing,
gent's furnishing goods, boots, shoes and groceries, and like
the others, made many and quick sales. Early in the fall, Dr.
J. H. Stevens of Montour, Tama county, erected a commodi-
ous building and put in a stock of drugs, and placed Dr. C. S.
Paul in charge. Harker & Green of Sanborn, erected four
commodious store buildings. Dr. C. H. West a former physi-
cian of Primghar, located here in the fall, and built a resi-
dence and office.
Early in July Oscar D. Hamstreet a young attorney came
here, and seeing a good opening for the practice of his profes-
sion, concluded to remain and accordingly erected an office
and began business. L. D. Bechtell came here in October
and erected a grain warehouse, and began buying grain and
stock. The largest and most costly business edifice was the
grain elevator, built by Edward Paullina. This building
was finished just at the beginning of winter, at a cost of
some $6,000 or $7,000. Residences and business houses
continued to go up, until soon the town was placed on a firm
foundation. A church and Sabbath school were early organ-
ized, and held their meetings in the Pioneer house, the former
under the charge of Rev. Caldwell of Marcus, and the latter
under the supervision of Mr. Cowen. Both of these organi-
zations prospered.
In six months after Paullina started, it had made the follow-
ing progress in businesss houses, residences, and their value.
The Paullina grain elevator, $6,000; Chicago and North-
western railway depot, $2,000; C. C. Smith, store building and
residence, $1,800; A. Hanson, store building, $1,500; J. P.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, tOWA.
357
Bossert, store building, $i,6oo; Adkins & Davis, store building,
$i,ooo; Harker & Green, four store buildings, $3,200; L. D.
Bechtell, grain ware house, $1,000; Johnson & Hakeman,
lumber office and sheds, $1,000; J. H. Queal & Co., office and
sheds, $1,100; Wisconsin Lumber Co., office and sheds, $1,-
000; Sprague Bros., Hvery barn, $1,000; Johnson & Hakeman,
Hvery barn, built for Morse & Antrim, $1,000; B. F. Rozell,
hotel, (Pioneer House), $1,300; C. R. Waterman, PauUina
House and barn,
$1,400; Theodore
Wiechner, boot
and shoe store,
$700; F. C. Dan-
iels, furniture and
cabinet shop,
$1,200; T.E.Shra-
der, store building
and saloon,$ 1,600;
J. H.Stevens, drug
store building,
$1,000; H. God-
frey, home and
restaurant, $900;
Mrs. Fred Miller,
business house in
course of erection,
$700 ; railroad
company's store
building, $600 ;
Johnson & Hake-
man, store building, $600; K. L. Hatter, residence and store
building, $700; J. P. Howe & Co., wagon manufactory,
$600; C. H. Peterman, restaurant and saloon, $700; O, D.
Hamestreet, law office, $300; J. N. Veeder, harness shop,
$300; C R. Waterman, meat market, $300; George W.
Schee, office building occupied by the Times, $300; J. W.
I. N. M'lNTIRE.
358 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Bunker, residence, $i,ooo; W. W. Johnson, residence, $900;
George Hakeman, residence, $900; William Hastings, resi-
dence and blacksmith shop, $600; residence for railroad section
boss, $700; G. W. Elliott, residence, $500; Dr. H. C. West,
office and residence, $400; Lewis Resne, residence, $500; F.
M. Voung, residence, $500; C. G. Bundy, residence, $500;
N. Upham, residence, $500; Calvin Wells, residence, $400;
John Deary, residence, $400; Mrs. Deborah Grover, residence,
$400. Total, $41,000.
The PauUina Times with its editor is elsewhere mentioned,
under the heading " Newspapers."
In the eighties, Paullina brought its home talent into requis-
tion, and upon the stage there was presented to the people
'' The Soldier of Fortune." The several parts of same were
by J. P. Bossert, L. A. Douglass, Frank Cooke, B. L. Pratt,
Stephen Harris, Charlie Harris, W. S. Loveless and J. W.
Bunker. Three ladies were in the play, Mrs. B. L. Pratt,
Miss Jennie Gruver and Mrs. Ida Harris.
The ladies of the town also had a Shakesperean club.
In the season of 1888, up to the ist day of November,
there was shipped from this point, by Dodge & Hakeman,
and Metcalf & Cannon, the following amount of grain:
Oats, 263,140 bushels; wheat, 64,550 bushels; barley, 185,-
500 bushels; flax, 46,000 bushels; corn, 86,200 bushels; timo-
thy, 5,860 bushels; rye, 1,600 bushels.
Several of the original settlers are still in PauUina, and
many have left and some have died. A. Hanson was one
of the early business men, and has remained with the town
since. His length of time there, together with a profitable
and successful business established, are proof that as a dealer
he has the confidence of the people.
In December, 1882, Paullina organized the usual musical
attachment, a brass band. Its players at first were Stephen
Harris, E flat; Joe Bunker, tenor; Chet Davis, baritone; H. L.
Hatter, tuba; Wm. Stewart, B flat; E. W. Chandler, alto;
Geo. W. Davis, bass drum; the town contributed liberally and
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
350
the boys were well equipped. The town improved rapidly
after starting, showing valuable improvements each year, and
in 1885, it footed up to $28,039, ^"<^ i" 1886, $42,371. Paul-
lina's first 4th of July celebration was in 1885. The program
opened with a balloon ascension, but owing to a high wind, it
was not a success. W. R. Johnson was president of the day,
who introduced Rev. R. Fancher as the chaplain, and this
gentleman opened the exercises with prayer. Dr. C. H.
Meyers then read the declaration, which was followed with
an oration by J. L. E.
Peck. An oration in
German was then de-
Hvered by Rev. E. Fuer-
rer, and an extempora-
neous speech by Rev.
Fannon of Spencer. The
fantastic troupe called
the " Hipizorinktums"
then made their appear-
ance, with a grand pa-
rade amid shouts of
laughter. The gun clubs
then did some shooting;
there was a base ball
game between Paullina
and the Highland clubs,
in which Paullina won.
Bert Stewart won in the horse race, Peter Peterson the sack
race, and J. W. Gaunt the first prize in the foot race. There
was music by the Paullina band, and the day closed with fire-
works. The second celebration was in 1887, starting out with a
large procession headed by the PaulHna cornet band. At the
bowery Rev. W. E. Caldwell opened the exercises with
prayer, followed with singing by the glee club, composed of
F. P. Gates, J. V. Adkins, Charles Gates, Mrs. W. E. Cald-
well, Mrs. S. Harris and Miss Cora Orcutt. C. H. Winter-
CHARLES S. PERRY.
350 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
ble read the declaration, and Scott Ladd now of the supreme
bench, delivered the oration. Then followed the usual games
and sports, with fireworks in the evening, but these were not
extensive as the choicest pieces by accident had caught fire
and burned.
In 1887, an incorporated company was formed for the pur-
pose of building a town hall which was completed in February,
1888. An Odd Fellows lodge was organized in February,
1885, by E. R. Wood, G. M. of Sanborn.
The following were installed as its first officers: Wm, F.
Clark, N. G.; W. R. Johnson, V. G.; George Hakeman, sec-
retary; W. W.Johnson, treasurer; and I. L. Rerick, warden.
The lodge started out with fifteen members, and the installa-
tion exercises closed with a banquet at the Smith House.
In 1886, PauUina caught the county seat fever, and made
some show of an effort towards securing it, at any rate on
paper, also made a move to secure that town as a railroad
division, showing that the people were awake and alert in the
line of progress, even if they did not succeed.
The Mickey House opened on the evening of October 4,
1886, with quite a spread. There were about two hundred
and fifty guests, who eat and danced until morning.
The Farmers State bank was incorporated in March, 1886,
with its first board of directors as follows : George Hakeman,
R alph Dodge, L. N. B. LaRue, W. W. Johnson, and Stephen
Harris.
The only lawyer in Paullina is H. H. Crow who graduated
from the Iowa University in 1882, opened an office in Suther-
land in 1883, and soon after moved to his present location.
Mr. Crow is a very able conscientious lawyer, and enjoys the
complete confidence of his fellow citizens.
There are two banks, the Paullina bank and the Farmers
State bank. The Paullina bank was established in August,
1882, with John Baumann as president; in 1884 the proprietors
were John Metcalf & Bro.; the bank is now owned by John
Metcalf & Co., with John Adkins as cashier, and Geo. Raw,
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 361
assistant cashier. John Metcalf is one of the solid men of the
town, he has a decided repugnance to everything crooked and
dishonest, and to anybody who is not straight; he is a very
square, successful business man, and commands the respect of
all who know him. Mr. Adkins is a substantial gentlemanly
fellow, and an early resident. Stephen Harris as will be seen
elsewhere is an early settler of the county, who is now cashier
of the Farmers bank.
The civic societies with their officers are as follows:
ODD FELLOWS PAULLINA LODGE.
A. W. Proctor, N. G.
F. M. Bethel, V. G.
I. L. Rerick, chaplin.
Chris Meltvedt, secretary.
Chas. Ihli, treasur.
D. OF R. — W^ILD ROSE LODGE.
Mrs. C. Meltvedt, N. G.
Velina Bethel, secretary.
A. F. & A. M.
Geo. P. Buell, W. M.
Ed. Bochman, S. W.
Geo. Ross, J. W.
F. V. D. Bogert, secretary.
K. OF p.
L. Wallenberg, P. C.
H. Sprague, C. C.
N. Loucks, V. C.
F. Young, M. A.
Ed. Bochman, P.
F. M. Bethel, K. of R. & S. & M. of F.
M. W. OF A. MILL CREEK LODGE.
Geo. Carfield, V. C.
F. V. D. Bogert, clerk.
362 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
PAULLINA BUSINESS MEN.
W. J. Hakes, carpenter.
Mrs. Robert McFeeder, millinery.
J. D. Smith, groceries.
John Bossert, billiard hall.
Strampe & Meyer, meat market.
Meltvedt & Weichner, dry goods and groceries.
J. N. Weiss, harness shop.
Louis Wallenberg, dr}^ goods and groceries.
Crow & Hunter, lawyers.
Stephen Harris, banker.
Charley Watts, barber.
Dr. E. Dudley, physician.
Ed Rorem, real estate.
F. L. Park, jeweler.
Theo. Stein, painter.
L. Swanson.
A. Miller, dry goods and groceries.
Ralfs & Pahl, saloon.
Metcalf & Cannon, elevator.
A. Williamson, PaulHna mills.
Ralph Dodge, elevator.
O. K. Olson, Paulina hotel.
Fred Sprague, confectionery and restaurant.
F. E. Paine, druggist.
George Ross, tailor.
E. Lustfield, boots and shoes.
J. S. Scott & Co., druggists.
Dr. Henry Scott, physician.
Paullina Bank, Pres. John Metcalf, John Adkins, Cash.
A. Hanson, hardware and warehouse.
John Cowan, jr., harness shop.
George P. Buell, postmaster.
Hubert Sprague, livery stable.
Buell & Cannon Bros., lumber and coal.
Fred Schrader, farm implements.
HISTORY OF OBRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 363
Hans Kock, blacksmith.
Charley Adkins, carpenter.
John Hastings, blacksmith.
J. H. Queal & Co., lumber and coal.
David Adkins, general merchandise.
John Cowan, furniture.
Frank M. Bethel, Paullina Times.
Mrs. B. L. Pratt, millinery.
Dr. Wm. Doughty, physician.
A. P. Jacobs, hardware.
Jake Johansen, saloon.
Chris Lindemann, restaurant.
Geo. Carfield, blacksmith.
Frank Traver, dray line.
William Elder, dray line.
W. S. Morrow, dentist.
Paullina was incorporated in 1883. The special election
called for the purpose of voting for or against, was held the
30th day of November of that year, and resulted in 44 for,
and 7 against. Soon after this was the tirst election of officers,
and these together with the officers of each year since, are as
follows :
1883.
Mayor I. L- Rerick
Recorder Stephen Harris
Councilmen A. Hanson, J. P. Bossert, D. H. Ad-
kins, Geo. Veeder, J. M. Baumann" and W. W. Johnson
Marshal E. P. Paine
Street Commissioner E. P. Paine
Assessor E. P. Paine
Treasurer J. M. Baumann
1884.
Mayor J. W. Egy
Recorder Stephen Harris
Councilmen ..A. Hanson, J. P. Bossert, W. W. Johnson,
J. A. Warner, C. R. Waterman and D. H. Adkins
364 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Marshal E. P. Paine
Assessor E. P. Paine
Street Commissioner E. P. Paine
Treasurer . J- M. Baumann
Solicitor H. H. Crow
1885.
Mayor E. P. Paine,
March to September. Then H. C. West appointed.
Recorder Stephen Harris
Councilmen Thos. Metcalf, J. W. Bunker, D. H. Ad-
kins, F. V. D. Bogert, C. R. Waterman, J. A. Warner
Marshal
E. P. Paine, March to September. Then T. R. Stewart
Street Commissioner
E. P. Paine, March to September. Then Hubert Sprague
Assessor H. H. Crow
Solicitor H. H. Crow
1886.
Mayor H. C. West, March to June. Then Isaac Sprague
Recorder Stephen Harris
Councilmen __ W. W. Johnson, Geo. Hakeman, David By-
som, F. V. D. Bogert, J. W. Bunker and J. W. Egy
Marshal
... T. R. Stewart, March to June. Then Geo. Carfield
Street Commissioner Hubert Sprague
Assessor I. L. Rerick
Treasurer J- N. Veeder
1887.
Mayor CD. Hamstreet
Recorder Stephen Harris
Councilmen D. H. Adkins, John Metcalf, J. W.
Egy, J. W. Bunker, W. W. Johnson and Geo. Hakeman
Marshal Geo. Carfield
Street Commissioner L. N . B. LaRue
Assessor I. L. Rerick
Treasurer J. N. Veeder
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 365
1888.
Mayor William Schneider
Recorder - . . Stephen Harris
Councilmen J, P. Bossert, J. W. Egy, D. M.
Adkins, John Metcalf, W. W.Johnson and Geo. Hakeman
Marshal Geo. Carfield
Street Commissioner . _ . . L.N. B. LaRue
Assessor . . E. L. Paine
Treasurer J. N. Veeder
1889.
Mayor Isaac Sprague
Recorder Stephen Harris
Councilmen .Ralph Dodge, Albert P.Jacobs,
George P. Buell, J. P. Bossert, J. W. Egy, John Metcalf
Marshal J. D. Smith
Street Commissioner L. N. B. LaRue
Assessor . E. P. Paine
Treasurer J- V. Adkins
1890.
Mayor William Schneider
Recorder Stephen Harris
Councilmen John Metcalf, Geo. P. Buell,
Ralph Dodge, Albert Jacobs, J. P. Bossert and J. W. Egy
Marshal J. D. Smith
Street Commissioner L. N. B. LaRue
Assessor . F. V. D. Bogert
Treasurer J. V. Adkins
1891.
Mayor L. N. B. LaRue
Recorder Stephen Harris
Councilmen J. P. Bruer, J. W. Bunker, John
Metcalf, George P. Buell, Ralph Dodge, Albert Jacobs
Marshal Frank Young
Street Commissioner Frank Young
Assessor F. V, D. Bogert
Treasurer J. V. Adkins
366 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
1892.
Mayor L. N. B. LaRue
Recorder Stephen Harris
Councilmen A. Hanson, A. P. Jacobs, Geo. E.
Veeder, J. P. Bruer, J. W. Bunker and Geo. P. Buell
Marshal Peter Schimmer
Street Commissioner F. C. Boyd
Assessor F. V. D. Bogert
Treasurer J- V. Adkins
1893.
Mayor L. N. B. LaRue
Recorder Stephen Harris
Councilmen John Metcalf, Geo. P. Buell, Louie
Wallenbery, Geo Veeder, A. P. Jacobs and A. Hanson
Marshal Peter Schimmer
Street Commissioner F. C. Boyd
Assessor .. F. V. D. Bogert
Treasurer J. V. Adkins
1894.
Mayor L. N. B. LaRue
Recorder Stephen Harris
Councilmen Ralph Dodge, Geo. E. Veeder,
John Metcalf, Geo. P. Buell, A. Hanson and A. P. Jacobs
Marshal Will Glazier
Street Commissioner Geo, C. Jones
Assessor I. L. Rerick
Treasurer J. V. Adkins
1895.
Mayor L. N. B. LaRue
Recorder Stephen Harris
Councilmen A. P. Jacobs, A. Hanson, Ralph
Dodge, Geo. P. Buell, John Metcalf and Geo. E. Veeder
Marshal Will Glazier
Street Commissioner Geo. C. Jones
Assessor I. L. Rerick
Treasurer _ __J. V. Adkins
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 367
1896.
Mayor - L. N. B. LaRue
Recorder . . Stephen Harris
Councilmen John Metcalf, Geo. P. Buell,
Ralph Dodge, Geo. E. Veeder, A. Hanson and A. Pand
Marshal Tom Tracy
Street Commissioner L. N. B. LaRue
Assessor . . I. L. Rerick
Treasurer J • V- Adkins
1897.
Mayor ,--- Louis Hellman
Recorder Stephen Harris
Councilmen ..Geo. E. Veeder, Ralph Dodge,
John Metcalf, Geo. P. Buell A. P. Jacobs and A. Hanson
Marshal Tom Tracey
Street Commissioner ^ L. N. B LaRue
Assessor I. L. Rerick
Treasurer J. V. Adkins
SUTHERLAND.
The town of Sutherland is on the Chicago and Northwestern
railroad, and is located on section 7 in Waterman township.
It was named after the Duke of Sutherland, who was, about
the time the town site was located, sort of a guest of the
officials of the railroad company, and who were sufficiently in
love with his royal highness, to name their town site after him.
Ihe town has a pleasant and business appearance, its places
of trade being on several different streets, and to the stranger
it has an air of much thrift and prosperity, as well as of
promise. The first building erected on the town site was a
residence by Mr. Joseph Cowan, in March, 1882. The erec-
tion of this building was followed by a store building, built by
G. W. Meader, now of Sibley, for a stock of hardware.
About this time or soon after Mr. Charles Briggs erected a
second hardware store building, in which he placed a stock,
and also Mr. A. M. Ciley put up a building for a drug store,
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
and immediately occupied it upon its completion for that pur-
pose. The Briggs building is now occupied by L. Schwert-
feger and he continues the same business. The Ciley build-
ing is now occupied by E. Miller with a line of dry goods,
boots and shoes, etc. The Meader building is now occupied
by Aldred & Hakeman, and is used for the same purpose in
the sale of hardware.
The Park hotel of which W. H. Downer is the present
landlord, was erected at about the same time, or soon after
these buildings previously mentioned by James Reager, and
was called the Reager House.
The first general store building was built by D. M. Sheldon.
The first building constructed by him was taken by the cy-
clone which went through Sutherland in June, 1882. After
the cyclone Mr. Sheldon built
again, and after its comple-
tion filled it with a general
stock of merchandise. About
this same time, and before
ihe incoming of the railroad,
there was also erected a rail-
road land office, and a saloon
building; several residences,
and a few other store build-
ings also were in process of
construction. The construc-
tion train laying the rails of
the Northwestern railroad,
which now passes through
the town, reached the town site in August of that same year.
A depot was soon erected, also lumber yards, elevator and
coal sheds, etc. In June of that year, 1882, when the town
with quite a number of buildings was fairly started, and on
the 24th day of that month, there struck the town one of
those fearful monsters of the air, a tornado which crossed
O'Brien county from the northeast, to the southwest. It
G. G. BROCK.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 369
came early in the morning, when people were not much astir,
and when many of them were yet in their beds.
It took the Sheldon building before mentioned completely.
It blew the front out of the Meader building, turned the Ciley
and Briggs building partially around, removed the Reager
House partly off of its foundation, and blew the saloon into
smithereens. The railroad *land office building was blown
completely away, also the blacksmith shop and a few other
buildings, which completed the destructive, results of the
tornado. In one of the buildings John Meyers and A. W.
Giley were sleeping quietly, when without warning they were
in the midst of the tornado, which landed them in the cellar.
The people of the early days of Sutherland were entertained
by the Sutherland Dramatic company, of which F. M. Mc-
Cormack was director, and Geo. F. Colcord, assistant. They
also had a lyceum in which were the usual exercises of music,
declamations, essa3's, and debate.
The second year after the town started, the following were
substantially its business houses:
A. Towberman & Son, furniture.
R. M. Van Horn, blacksmith shop.
L. W. Fairbank, general store.
Mrs. A. W. Hoyt, Millinery.
H. A. Peck, land office.
Briggs & Cobb, drug store.
Horstman Bros., general store.
J. F. Shepard, restaurant.
L. Schwertfeger, shoe store.
Vulgamott Bros., meat market.
J. N. Slick & Co., groceries, boots and shoes.
Thompson & Porter, lumber office.
F. E. Farnsworth, restaurant.
Cleveland & Bark, livery stable.
S. Gracey, clothing store.
E. H. Farnsworth, groceries and provisions.
E. C. Cummings, liveryman.
24
370 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
J. B. Dunn & Co., land office.
Sage & Healy, land office.
D. M. Sheldon & Co., dealers in grain, coal, stock,
lumber, etc.
M. E. Hoyt, livery stable.
C. E. Jameson, Cleveland Hotel.
Wm. Kugel, barber shop. *
D. W. Nichols, real estate office.
M. D. Purcell, auctioneer.
J. M. Louthan, physician and surgeon.
J. C. Bonham, homeopathic physician.
Geo. F. Colcord and J. B. Dunn, attorneys.
The Courier at that time was published by Hamilton &
Hutton. This comprises the business houses of Sutherland of
the early part of 1884.
The Sutherland Courier was started by Harvey Hand, and
is further mentioned under the heading, " newspapers."
Sutherland has a public library, which is very much an honor
to the town. It is named after Gen. Baker, and is called the
Baker library. It was established in Waterman township in
1874, ^"^ Mrs. Roma W. Woods is entitled to very much
credit, as being one of its principal founders. Through her,
selections of a number of volumes were obtained from abroad,
and for a while during th*^ " grasshoppers," it was very dis-
couraging to maintain it. In a well written article from the
pen of Mrs. Woods in 1884, she says: "Two years of en-
thusism, then a centennial year with its magnificent promise of
crops. Alas for the library, also for us all. As the grain was
whitening to the harvest, locusts filled the air with silvery
brightness, and covered the ground with brown ugliness, de-
stroying the crops entirely.
" Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Doling of Liberty, and Stephen Harris
of Primghar, were able to pay their interest that year, and
they alone.
The next year the young locusts sprang from every inch
of "-round.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
371
" In the long winter that followed, our library was a friend
indeed. But few could pay their interes,t, but the books went
everywhere. The heights had been reached the second year,
and for six years we traveled the low lands. The income of
the library was but nominal, a few new books were added
each year, and during the fourth year there was sent a box of
periodicals from Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Brewster of New York
City, also a box containing forty choice books, the gift of
Hon. Geo. W. Ells and wife, Hon. Edward Russell and wife
of Davenport, Iowa, and Stewart Ells and wife of Moline,
Illinois. I am sure
these friends have
never realized how
valuable and timely,
were their gifts."
Since the starting
of this public library,
and since its removal
to Sutherland, there
have been added
many valuable books,
and the library now
is quite a credit to
the town.
Injuly, 1884, there
was organized at
Sutherland a hook
and ladder company.
There was then elect-
ed as its foreman,
J. N. Slick ; first as-
sistant foreman, Dy-
son Brown; second assistant foreman, Thomas Spence; sec-
retary and treasurer, Bert Hamilton.
Fourth of July in 1884 was duly celebrated. Geo. F. Col-
cord read the Declaration of Independence, and J. B. Dunn de-
SOLDIER S MONUMENT, HARTLEY, ERECTED BY
GEO. W. SCHEE.
372 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
livered an oration. It was a rainy day, so that the afternoon
program was carried out with difficulty. During the races
Wm. Kelly's horse dropped dead. It was estimated there
were 2,000 people in town -on that day. The fireworks in
the evening were said to be magnificent.
Sutherland's misfortune with fire was November 30, 1884.
Towberman & Son's store caught fire on that day about 8
o'clock in the evening, and was completely destroyed alto-
gether, with the goods, and nothing was saved, except a few
chairs and bureaus. An adjoining building also burned,
which was an agricultural warehouse with the loss of imple-
ments of about if^Soo.
On the 8th day of August, 1885, Sutherland paid its tender
tribute to the departed president and great commander, U. S.
Grant. The exercises were held at Woods' grove. A pro-
cession one-half mile in length, in which were not less than
one thousand people, and conspicuous in which were mem-
bers of the G. A. R. post, marched to the grove. The exer-
cises were opened with Gen. Grant's funeral march, nicely
rendered on an organ and a tenor trombone, by Mrs. S. S.
Louthan and E. J. Lewis.
J. B. Dunn then introduced E. C. Herrick, the distinguished
lawyer of Cherokee, who presented to the audience a most
eloquent oration.
During the fifteen years of Sutherland's growth, there has
not been any booming of the town, but it has had a gradual
and steady growth. Four years after it first started, Adam
Towberman took the census of the town, and announced the
result in his unique way, reporting that there were, males 206,
females 220, total 426; republicans 57, democrats 45; unmar-
ried men (old bachelors) 76; unmarried ladies (old ! ! ! !) 7;
Number of old boys who must live alone, or go away for their
wives 9.
There was along in these years, in the '8o's^considerable
grain and stock shipped, showing that Sutherland was a good
market. From August, 1885, to February, 1886, there was
shipped from this point 457 cars.
HISTORY OF 0*BRIEN COUNTY, IoWA.
373
In July, 1886, Sutherland had the usual celebration, but
owing to Sunday being the 4th, it was held on the 3d. The
crowd was estimated at the time at 5,000. Frank Fannon
delivered the oration, and the Paullina band and the Hartley
band furnished the music. They had the usual entertainment
of the ragmuffins, glass ball shooting, horse racing, and with
a grand display of fireworks in the evening.
In June, 1887, there was laid the corner stone of the First
Methodist church. The
occasion was duly cele-
brated by the town at
large, without regard to
religious convictions. C.E.
Acorn was marshal. A
procession was formed con-
sisting of the Paullina band,
Knights Templars, Paul-
lina Lodge, I. O. G. T.,
G. A. R. Post, Sutherland
Abiff Lodge A.F. A.M.,
Sutherland band, Mayor
Messer and Orator Dolli-
ver, city council, citizens
m carriages, and citizens
on foot. The stone was
duly laid, but first there
was placed in secure ma-
sonr}', the Bible Discipline
of 1884, Minutes of last rKIiaUVXKKlAN CMLKCU, HAKIl.tV.
Conference, Subscription
for church erection, names of officers of the town of Suther-
land, trustees, stewards, and building committee, officers of
I. O. G. T., officers and members of Hook and Ladder com-
pany, officers of the county school board, teachers and scholars,
list of officers of Abiff Lodge, A. F. & A. M. and officers of
Grand Lodge of Masons. Also a copy of the following
374 ' HISTORY OP O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
namtd newspapers: Sutherland Courier, Paullina Times, Hart-
ley Record, Sanborn Pioneer, Sheldon Mail, and North West-
ern Christian Advocate. The oration was by Rev. R. H.
Dolliver.
When there was talk of building the Illinois Central rail-
road from Cherokee to Sioux Falls, it created quite a stir
among the people of the town. There was grave apprehension
that a rival town would be established a short distance west,
making a junction there. A petition was circulated asking
the railroad commissioners, to compel the Illinois Central to
put in a Y, where the railroad crossed the Northwestern, and
after that about thirty of the citizens of the town met the
commissioners at the point of intersection, and discussed the
demand made upon them. It was stated that the petition
would be granted. But after the Illinois Central was built,
Sutherland found that it still continued to exist, and thrive, that
business still improved, and the population was increasing, so
that nothing further was heard of the petition, and no further
notice taken of it.
Sutherland has always manifested much public spirit, and
when the people of the town took hold of anything in dead
earnest it was likely to come, and when opinions were divided,
each side would be likely to be heard from.
The O'Brien County Agricultural society, was formed in
1887, and the first fair was held two days, October 5 and 6 of
that year. This was the first meeting, the first gathering of
products, and the usual fair exhibits. This association is
peculiarly Sutherland, as it is confined to that town, and each
year the fair is still held. The present officers of the society
for 1897 are: W. S. Hitchings, president; E. J. Elliott, vice
president; J. B. Murphy, treasurer; L.J. Price, secretary; W.
S. Hitchings, H. Cowan, Jr., E. J. Elliott, A. L. Martin, J. B.
Murphy, Otto Kirchof, L. D. Cobb, directors.
There 'was a move made to organize an improvement
society, much interest was taken in it by some. This was
more than 10 years ago, but it never successfully materialized.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
375
The town has always guarded its finances, and taken proper
care of its resources. Like other towns it has received license
money from saloons, at times, and again has been without this
revenue. The prohibition question has its various vexed
phases discussed in Sutherland as elsewhere, with somewhat
of the usual bitterness, but this cannot be helped, as upon
some questions, men manifest
much feeling and determina-
tion, and this is one of them.
Under the present mulct law,
this town has its share of
supply in the line of the usual
saloon beverages.
In April, 1887, there was
started a creamery, under the
name of the " Farmers' Co-
operative Dairy Association."
Incorporation articles were
had and published. The first
officers were D. A. Innis,
president ; D. W. Young, vice
president; O. C. Adams, sec-
retary; G. W. Nelson, treas-
urer; and J. Aldinger, H. F.
Smith, P. D. F. Fuller were
directors. Like many other
creameries started by incor-
poration, this did not seem to ^'''''^*'' evangelical church, hartley.
thrive. After running one year there was talk of making a
cheese factory out of it. In August, 1889, the creamery
was destroyed by fire, but was afterwards rebuilt and is now
in successful operation.
On July 3, 1885, the schools closed their last term in the
old school house, and on September 30 of that same year the
new school was first used. It came near being burned just
previous to occupancy, by some coals rolling from the roof,
376 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
where tinners were at work. The coals fell into a pile of
shavings below, but the fire was soon extinguished. Prof.
Holly and wife were the first teachers in the new building.
The Christian church was dedicated on Sunday, November
8, 1885, by Rev. Fannon. The people felt grateful to Elder,
Higbe for the zeal and interest he had taken in the building
of the church.
The first literary society was organized December 22, 1885,
at which Prof. Holly delivered an opening address. There
was elected C. H. Brintnall, president; Mrs. J. E. Baldwin,
vice president; Mrs. C. H. Holly, secretary; L. Chesley,
treasurer; and Prof. C. H. Holly, critic. The first question
for debate was "Resolved That Free Trade Would be Bene-
ficial to this Country." J. B. Dunn and C. E. Achorn
wrestled with the affirmative, while E. P. Messer and B. S.
Louthan maintained the negative. The negative won. This
society continued its meetings through the winter, and among
others discussed the question, " That a System of License,
Regulating the Sale of Intoxicating Liquors as a Beverage,
Would be More Beneficial than Prohibition." When the
discussion was reached there was some misunderstanding as
to how the question read, one side contending that the " would
be " should be " is." They finally went at it, under the
" would be " phrase. Geo. F. Colcord and J. H. Wells elab-
orated the benefits and beauties of the license system, while
J. B. Dunn and Rev. N. Wells, insisted upon absolute prohi-
bition, pure and siniple. Colcord and Wells, on the affirma-
tive, convinced the judges of the righteousness of their cause,
and won the decision. After that, they talked woman's suf-
frage, national banks, the negro problem and several other
knotty questions, and finally landed on the Hquor question?
which wound up the society for that winter.
On the evening of April 13, 1886, a small sized tornado,
visited this section of the county, but seemed to avoid Suther-
land. In the county it did some damage. They had another
high wind June 14, 1886, which scattered several piles of
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
377
boards in Porter & Sieh's lumber yard, and made quite a
strain on several buildings. On that same day, in the storm,
W. S. Hitchings' large elevator was struck with lightning,
but was not damaged much.
Sutherland became metropolitan enough in May, 1886, to
indulge in a jail which seems to be a municipal necessity.
The Bank of Sutherland was established in 1882, and the
State Bank in 1886. The last named bank was incorporated
by W. P. Davis, D. M. Shel-
don, C. E. Achorn and W. S.
Hitchings, the capital stock be-
ing $25,000; they immediately
erected a brick bank building.
The Bank of Sutherland re-
ceived its charter as a national
bank, called the " First Na-
tional Bank of Sutherland " in
January, 1887. The officers of
the newly organized bank at
its start were: Benj. Thomp-
son, president; James Porter,
vice president; C. H. Brintnall,
cashier ; B. Thompson, C. Long-
shore, James Porter, N. P. T.
Finch, and D. A. Innes. The
First Savings Bank of Suther-
land was incorporated in Febru- ^^^^^^^ ^, ^^^^^.^ ^^^^^ ^,^^^^^^
ary, 1897, by the following
named persons, C. E. Achorn, T. B. Bark, A. J. Sieh, S. J.
Jordan, C. P. Jordan, H. Kummerfeld, E. F. Jockheck, of
whom the following are directors, S. J. Jordan, T. B. Bark,
C. E. Achorn, Clay P. Jordan and A. J. Sieh.
An organization intended to advance the interests of Suther-
land was formed in November, 1886, with the following
named officers: Jas. Porter, president; T. J. Alexander, vice
president; J. B. Dunn, secretary; C. W. Brintnall, treasurer;
378 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
C. E. Achorn, Geo. F. Colcord, J. N. Slick, A. F. Horstman,
E. P. Messer, executive committee.
Daniel Holbrook Wheeler, an old settler of the county died
at Sutherland, December 22, 1886. He was the father of
Mrs. Julia W. Burlock and Mrs. Roma W. Woods.
A Womans Relief corps was organized April 6, 1887, and
the following were its first officers, Mrs. Agnes Gates, Mrs.
Martha Parks, senior vice president; Mrs. Jennie Baldwin,
conductor; Mrs. Amy Van Horn, assistant conductor; Miss
Mabel Inman, secretary; Mrs. Mary Colcord, treasurer; Mrs.
Nellie Nelson, guard; Miss Mame Messer, assistant guard;
Mrs. Ada Peck, chaplain. Its present officers are as follows:
Maggie Hicks, president; Roma W. Woods, secretary.
The Grand Army of the Republic Post was organized in
Sutherland, and still continues to thrive and prosper although
some of its members have gone to their long home and others
moved away, while new members have been added. The
post is named the E. O. C. Ord Post. Without continuing its
list of officers we might say, that in January, 1887, there was
selected E. P. Messer, commander; F. L. Bidwell, senior vice
commander; N. Remington, junior vice commander; George
Nelson, quartermaster; C. W. Inman, adjutant; Geo. F. Col-
cord, officer of the day; Thomas Steward, chaplain, E. T.
Cleveland, officer of the guard; E. W. McOmber, surgeon;
R. VanHorn, quarter master sergeant; J. B. Dunn, sergeant
major; and W.J. Stewart, sentinal.
A hook and ladder company was the first fire organization,
under the name of " Rescue Hook and Ladder company."
This was recognized by the town council as a fire company,
in May, 1887, and re-organized with Thos. Spence, foreman;
D. C. O'Brien, assistant foreman; A. F. Horstman, secretary;
and J. C. Briggs, treasurer. Its present officers are as fol-
lows: J. R. Carroll, chief; L.J. Price, foreman of hook and
ladder; John Hicks, assistant foreman of hook and ladder;
John Voss, foreman of the engine; E. C. Seeley, assistant fore-
man of the engine.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 379
Dr. John M. Louthan, for some time a resident of Suther-
land, a good physician and a kindly, humane man, died De-
cember II, 1888.
The town was incorporated in 1883 with officers elected to
hold until the general election in March, 1884, at which there
was elected:
Mayor W. S. Hitchings
Recorder C. H. Brintnall
Treasurer A.M. Ciley
Assessor C. W. Iman
Trustees A. Horstman, J. M. Slick, A. C.
Bliss, C. W. Briggs, H. C. Hoagland, C. P. Gracey
Street commissioner - C. Nelson
1885.
The 1885 election resulted in
Mayor . - - A.M. Ciley
Recorder Bert Hamilton
Treasurer . L. J. Price
Street Commissioner R. Cummings
Councilmen .C. W. Brintnall, L. W. Fairbank,
full term; C. W, Briggs, Geo. F. Colcord, short term
1886.
Mayor . J. C. Bonham
Councilmen W. S. Hitchings, Wm. Kelsey, G. C. Shultz
Recorder Bert Hamilton
Treasurer . L. J, Price
Assessor ... - - Thos. Spence
Street Commissioner Robert Cummings
1888.
Mayor W. P. Davis
Councilmen . . - - .James Parks, J. C. Briggs
Assessor . . CM. Ciley
Recorder - - Bert Hamilton
Treasurer . J. C. Bonham
Street Commissioner R. Cummings
380 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
The records are somewhat incomplete so that 'we will not
undertake to give accurately the list of all officers since the
above named year. But the present officers for 1897 are as
follows :
Mayor J. C. Briggs
Councilmen W. S. Hitchings, G. K.
Shultz, J. L. Jockeck, E. O. Woodbury, H. L. Chesley
Marshal
Treasurer .. . Adolph Sieh
Street Commissioner James Hicks
Recorder . J. L. Worden
Upon examination of the mayor's docket, if all have been
punished that ought to be, the town has been reasonably peace-
able. There are about twenty-eight cases on the docket,
most of which are for being drunk and disorderly, two for
using obscene language, and one for using profane language
on the public street.
An early resident of the county, C. E. Achorn, has resided
in Sutherland several years. He has been a prominent busi-
ness man of the county, came when a boy from Boston, Mass.,
and has since become a doctor in osteopathy, with an office at
his former home in Boston.
W. S. Hitchings, is also an early resident of the county and
now one of the prominent citizens of Sutherland.
CHURCH DIRECTORY OF SUTHERLAND.
First M. E. church, H. B. Green, pastor.
Church of Christ, W. F. Moore, pastor.
SECRET SOCIETIES.
M. W. OF A.
W. E. Rockwell, consul.
C. H. Jenner, clerk.
A. F. & A. M.
J. B. Murphy, W. M.
C. H. Jenner, secretary.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 381
K. OF P.
J. R. Carroll, C. C.
H. L. Chesley, K. of R. and S.
I. O. G. T.
Andrew E. Knutson, C. T.
Fred S. Knott, secretary.
I. o. o. F.
F. L. Price, N. G.
E. L. Dunning, secretary.
DAUGHTERS OF REBEKAH.
R. L. Smith, N. G.
J. Y. Cartano, secretary.
w. R. c.
Maggie Hicks, president.
Roma W. Woods, secretary.
IOWA LEGION OF HONOR.
A. L. Martin, president.
W, A. Brady, secretary.
The present business houses of Sutherland are as follows:
D. M. Sheldon & Co., dry goods and groceries.
D. Hockert & Son, dry goods and groceries.
E. Miller, dry goods and groceries.
E. L. Schwerdtfeger, hardware.
Will Frazier, barber shop.
B. S. Louthan, physician.
O. Gleason, confectionery.
Gus Schultz, billiard hall.
Charles Peaker, dry goods and groceries.
L. J. Price, drugs.
James Briggs, harness shop.
James Hakeman, hardware.
F. B. Bark, implement company.
H. A. Worden, millinery and confectionery.
Sutherland State Bank, W. P. Davis, president.
Geo. F. Colcord, lawyer.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
J. R. Carroll, harness shop.
C. F. McCormack, lawyer.
E. O. Woodbury, agricultural implements.
Ed. Lucas, proprietor New Park hotel.
A. F. Meade, livery.
J. L. Kroesen, proprietor Commercial House.
A. J. Sieh, lumber and coal.
J. H. Queal & Co., lumber and coal.
P. S. Stearns, veterinary surgeon.
WiUiam Johnson, saloon.
Robert Nelson, meat market.
James Reager, restaurant.
Adams Bros., creamery.
John Jenner, saloon.
D. W. Pratt, blacksmith.
William Frear, wagon shop.
George Brawders, livery.
William Ferguson, blacksmith,
J. S. Hockert, grocer.
J. L. Kroesen, proprietor Sutherland Review.
F. B. Bark, president National bank.
Barmore & Pickerell, druggists.
C. B. Warwick, barber shop.
Misses Hinkley & Speer, millinery.
William Kelsey, harness shop.
W. H. Bloom, proprietor of Courier.
J. N. Slick, dry goods and groceries.
Kerchhof & Jewws, meat market.
Albert Boyles, restaurant.
S. Innes, furniture and undertaking.
Henry Gutts, shoemaker.
E. W. Parker, physician.
William Doyle, photograph gallery.
C. L. Taylor, well driller.
T. J. Kennedy, painter and paper hanger.
J. G. Hayes, painter and paper hanger.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
383
H. L. Chesley, postmaster.
James Rowland, marshal.
B. A. Morrow, dentist.
D. C. O'Brien, drayman.
A. W. Sterling, drayman.
J. C. Dulin, drayman.
HARTLEY.
Hartley is situated on the northeast quarter of section 32,
in Hartley township, and was named after one of the railroad
surveyors. It came into existence by reason of the Chicago,
Milwaukee and St.
Paul railroad cross-
ing the county, and
was started in 1879.
Its first depot, as
usual in such cases,
was a box car, which
however, soon after
gave way to a sub-
stantial structure.
George Titus was
the first depot agent,
and the first post-
master.
The first store in
town was that of J. S.
Finster and W. S.
Fuller, under the firm
name of Finster &
Fuller. The next
store was by Pumph-
rey & Chrysler, who erected the building on Main street now
occupied by Wheelock & Co. Then followed a grocery store
and a saloon combined by N. Plawson. Frank Matott and
PUliHC SCHOOL BUILDING, HARTLEY.
384
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
W. J. Guenther opened the first saloon and billiard hall. Mr.
Guenther still remains in business there.
The first hotel in town was opened by J. K. McAndrew in a
building near the depot, which was afterwards run by Mr.
Fox. ■ Mr. McAndrew afterwards moved the building on
Main street, and built
an addition to it. He
gave it the name
Commercial House
and again became the
landlord. This hotel
was afterwards taken
down and upon the
same site was erect-
ed the Williams Bros,
brick block. During
the winter of 1879
and 1880, money was
scarce, and many of
the incoming settlers
were hard up, but
fuel must be had.
The Milwaukee com-
pany had a coal shed
at Hartley filled with
coal, and it is certain-
ly hard for a man,
with little ones shiver-
ing at home without fuel, and no money to buy it with, and no
credit, to resist the temptation of appropriating from a pile of
of plenty, and transporting to a hearthstone where there was
none. Many a sack went from the coal shed to the fireside,
and many a heart was made glad with railroad coal. * Some-
times, however, a fellow may get caught, and the expectations
of a safe trip ma}^ result in exposure.
One fellow secured a sack full under cover of night, and
M. E. CHURCH, HARTLEY.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
385
started for home. It had thawed some that day, and in cross-
ing a ditch, he fell, and landed on his back in the water with
the sack of coal across his neck, in such a way that he was
actually held down without being able to get up, in spite of
every effort he made to do so. There was nothing left but
hollow for help, which he did, and attention in that way being
attracted to him, he was rescued. Silence was secured by a
plentiful supply of beer to the rescuers, and the company were
FIRST NATIONAL BANK, HARTLEY.
none the wiser for the mishap. Some others had narrow es-
capes from being caught, and in cases of extreme need, it
raises quite an ethical question as well as a legal one, whether
or not with plenty of fuel around, one^^shall suffer and shiver
386 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
with the cold, even if the fuel is not his own. At one time in
the history of the town, a Methodist preacher was captured
by the saloon element. He was poorly paid by his church,
as the church at that time was poor itself. The preacher being
without the necessities of life at home, made application to a
farmer near town for help, which was freely given. While
in town that evening the farmer told the circumstances in
Frank Matott's saloon, as Frank was treasurer of the society;
twenty dollars was raised at once, and soon the preacher's
house was liberally supplied, but the farmer was raked over
the coals by the church, the preacher was justified, but soon
resigned. He preached, however, to the other crowd and
was paid forty-five dollars a month, and the sound of the gos-
pel went out among the sheep outside the fold.
Milo Silverthorn soon started a livery stable, David Gano a
hardware, also a meat market. H. J. Guenther came all the
way from New York with a stock of boots and shoes, and
soon the footwear wants of the people were thoroughly sup-
plied. Hartley remained unshaven except that each did for
himself, until Gid Clausen opened up a barber shop, and ac-
cording to Claud Charles the manner of operation was some-
what peculiar. Claud says the barber outfit consisted of a
bar of White Russian soap, a razor and the leg of a boot for
a strap. The barber chair consisted of a bench, upon which
each customer was placed flat on his back, when the barber
would cover his face with lather from the White Russian
soap, then straddled him as a man does a horse, and the
shaving commenced.
In the second story of the old building in the rear of Broders
& Tagge's brick store, was started the first school in town
taught by O. M. Shonkwiler. The ceiling was so low, that
Shonkwiler occasionally bumped his head, and under ordinary
circumstances, the teacher generally takes it out of some re-
fractory pupil with every bump, but it is remembered by the
surviving scholars, that even with these low roofed difficulties,
the teacher preserved his equanimity.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
387
The Hartley State bank was started in December, 1886, by
Frank Patch, John W. Cravens, Mary E. Colby and Freeman
R. Patch.
The German Evangelical church was dedicated on Sunday,
November 24, 1889. The presiding elder preached in the
morning, and Rev. S. Sleabler in the afternoon. The re-
maining indebtedness, $600, was raised at the dedication.
The Presbyterian church was dedicated December 15,
1889. Rev. Bailey of Cedar Falls conducted the services.
The Methodist church was fully organized in 1884, with their
first services held in the depot, and Elder Groom as pastor.
The first bank started in Hartley was in 1882, by Milo Sil-
verthorn, W. H. Eaton, Frank Patch and Mart Shea.
'^:
"^-^/^-..
PARK HOTEL, HARTLEY.
Hartley is an excellent trading point, and does a large
amount of business, and as a grain and stock shipping point, it
makes a wonderful showing at the end of each year, ft has
several men who are prominent in the county, and altogether it
is an enterprising and moral town. In its center there stands
an imposing monument, upon the summit of which is one in
the garb of a soldier. This monument was donated by Geo.
388 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
W. Schee and his wife, and dedicated to the old soldiers.
Hartley is progressive, and is looking forward to metropolitan
conveniences.
There are five organized churches in Hartley. The Meth-
odist Episcopal church is the oldest, and has the largest mem-
bership. Its j>astor is Rev. F. W. Ginn, and its Sabbath
school superintendent is M. J. Young. There is also an Ep-
worth league, which is well attended.
The Seven Day Adventists have a church building, which
by way of its denominational faith, has its services on Satur-
c'ay. Its membership is not large in numbers, but what there
are, are ardent in their faith.
The Presbyterian church has a handsome building and a
successful Sabbath school, with Rev. J. C. Linton, pastor.
The German Evangelical church has an elegant church
building, and a large membership. Its pastor is the Rev. Geo.
Youngblood.
The Catholic church has quite a membership, but no build-
ing as yet. They hold occasional services at Miller's hall,
under the leadership of Father Martin, of Sanborn.
CIVIC SOCIETIES.
Of these there are the A. F. & A. M., I. O. O. F., Rebekah
Degree, W. R. C, Iowa Legion of Honor, M. W. A., Jr. O.
U. A. M., Eastern Star, K. of P. and G. A. R.
The present officers in the Masonic lodge are: Frank Patch,
W. M.; W. J. Davis, S. W.; J. W. Hyman, J. W.; H.J.
Guenther, Treas.; Frank Fee, Sec; F. G. Moranda, Tyler.
The present officers of the Knights of Pythias are, E. L.
Kay, C. E.; W. H. McPherson, V. C. M.; E. W. Richards,
K. of R. and S.; E. T. Broders, M. F.; Amos Teakle, P.
The present officers of the G. A. R. are as follows: W. S.
Fuller, Commander; Robt. Ayers, S. V. C; C.Robinson,
J. V. C; Sam Boyce, Surgeon; L. Miller, Q. M.; W. H.
Eaton, Adjutant; J. S. Webster, Chaplain; A. DeLong,
Oflficer of the Day; J. E. Holford, Officer of the Guard; E.
B. Messer, S. M.
i
History of o'brien county, iowa. 389
The town officers of Hartley from the incorporation to the
present, are as follows:
1888.
Mayor E. B. Messer
Recorder W. H. Eaton
Councilmen Samuel Smith, L. C. Green, Q. N.
Drake, S. H. McMasters, L. Mosher, W. J. Lorshbaugh
Marshal and Street Commissioner J. M. Herron
Treasurer W. S. Fuller
Assessor .. E. Jefferys
1889.
Mayor E. B. Messer
Recorder W. H. Eaton
Councilmen W.J. Lorshbaugh, S. H. McMaster, J. S.
Webster, John W. Cravens, J. M- Yoeman,J. A. Bolton
Marshal and Street Commissioner . . A. C. Wilson
Treasurer W. S. Fuller
Assessor . . . E. Jefferys
1890.
Ma3'or '. Frank Kelley
Recorder . Frank E. Fee
Councilmen .... I. N. Drake, Sam Smith, W. J.
Lorshbaugh, J. S. Webster, John Cravens John Yeoman
Marshal and Street Commissioner I. M. Silverthorn
Treasurer Frank Patch
Assessor E. Jefferys
1891.
Mayor Frank Kelley
Recorder W. H. Eaton
Treasurer . Frank Patch
Councilmen R. A. Woodward, C. A. Sims,
J. K. McAndrew, I. N. Drake, J. M Yeoman, Sam Smith
Marshal and Street Commissioner D. McDonald
Assessor A. L. Taylor
1892.
Mayor L. Miller
Recorder j. W. H. Eaton
390 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Councilmen J. E. Wheelock, J. P. Grose,
Sam Smith, R. A. Woodward, I. N. Drake, C. A. Sims
Marshal and Street Commissioner Wm. Tennant
Treasurer .. ... Frank Patch
Assessor A. J. Taylor
1893.
Mayor W. B.Waldo
Recorder. W.H.Eaton
Treasurer Frank Hatch
Councilmen Samuel Smith, S. H. McMaster, J. E.
Wheelock, C. A. Sims, R. A. Woodward, J. P. Grose
Marshal and Street Commissioner Wm. Tennant
Assessor W. B. Waldo
1894.
Mayor L. Miller
Recorder . Chas. McElwain
Councilmen E. E. Hall, H. C. Burris, H. L.
Lamson, J. E. Wheelock, R. A. Woodward, J. P. Grose
Marshal Wm. Tennant
Assessor W. B. Waldo
Treasurer . Frank Patch
Street Commissioner John Holford
1895.
Mayor ..W. B.Waldo
Recorder C. H. Colby
Councilmen . Peter Sitler, H. L. Lamson,
H. C. Burris, J. T. Shinkle, S. H. McMaster, E. E. Hall
Marshal _• John Kneen
Street Commissioner ... S. H, McMaster
Treasurer Frank Patch
Assessor W. B. Waldo
1896.
Mayor E. Kelley
Recorder . Chas. McElwain
Councilmen E. B. Messer, Chas. E. Walter,
E. M. Maurer, Peter Sitler, H. C. Burris, E. E. Hall
History of o'brien county, iowa. 391
Marshal and Stret- 1 Commissioner John Kneen
Treasurer Frank Patch
Assessor W. W. Smith
1897.
Mayor E. Kelley
Recorder ...... ChaS. McElwain
Assessor . . W. W. Smith
Treasurer . . . Frank Patch
Councilmen H. C. Burris, Peter Sitler,
E. M. Maurer, E. B. Messer, Chas. E. Walter, E. E. Hall
Marshal and Street Commissioner Harry Hooker
HARTLEY CIVIC SOCIETIES.
A, F. & A. M.
, Frank Patch, W. M.
Will Davis, S. W.
J. M. Hayman, J. W.
H. J. Guenther, Treas.
Frank E. Fee, Sec.
F. S. Moranda, Tyler.
K. OF P.
E. L. Ray, C. M.
W. H. McPherson, V. C. M.
E. E. Richards, K. of R. and S.
E. F. Broders, M. F.
Amos Teakle.
G. A. R.
W. S. Fuller, Com.
Robt. Ayers, S. V. C.
C. Robinson, J. V. C.
Sam Boyce, Surgeon.
L. Miller, Q. M.
W. H. Eaton, Adj.
J. S. Webster, Chaplain.
A. De Long, Officer of the Day.
392 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
J. E. Holford, Officer of the Guard.
E. B. Messer, S. M.
I. O. O. F.
W. J. Tqakle, N. G.
A. A. Bisbee, V. G.
D. Maass, Sec.
E. N. Mayer, Treas. .
D. A. Perry, Chaplain.
C. E. West, P. G.
The business interests of Hartley at the present time are
represented by the following:
D. W. Bryant, hardware.
M. E. Tennant, general store.
Ebright & Hanson, general store.
Broders & Tagge, general store.
Williams Bros., general store.
C. D. Killam, furniture and undertaking.
F. E. Fee, jewelry and musical instruments.
Mrs. M. E. Scott, millinery.
Gross & Kass, millinery.
Mrs. M. C. Ernst, racket store including millinery.
Durrenberger & Albert, harness shop.
Union Tire Heater Co.
W. W. Thatcher, paper hanger and painter.
C. A. Simms, butter and egg depot.
D. T. Stewart physician and druggist.
A. R. McCready, druggist.
Berry Bros., restaurant.
John Hopfe, city bakery.
C. Herbst, proprietor of cit}^ scales.
Spencer Grain Co., A. Fahlenkamp, manager.
McMichael & Son, elevator, F. B. Rich, manager.
I. N. Drake, dealer in grain.
Logan & Sleeper, branch of Prairie Queen Mills, Mr.
Lamson.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 393
Romeo Tracey, house mover.
Adam Boyce, house mover.
L. J. Urie"il, well driller.
L. M. Moranda meat market.
P. Nelson, meat market.
S. C. Wade, dentist.
Hartley Lumber Co., J. S, Webster, manager.
John Yeoman, John Gross, M. J. Young, O. M. Shonk-
wiler, the Northwestern Land Co.
Danskin & Watts, real estate.
Jed Shinkle, real estate.
Sam Saunders, real estate.
W.^A. Compton, real estate.
W. H. Bordewiek, real estate.
J. W. Walter, attorney.
W. P. Briggs, attorney.
Nick Mousler, blacksmith.
Peter Sitler, blacksmith.
G. H. Ward, blacksmith.
Chris Nelson, blacksmith.
Will Scott, hvery.
James Bean, drayman.
Ed. Johnson, drayman.
Wm. Dow, drayman.
Joe McChane; farm implements.
W. H. McPherson, manager of the Floete Lumber Co.
Will Wellman, manager of the John Paul Lumber Co.
Dell Smith, barber shop.
S. Grosser, barber shop.
J. L. Taylor & Co., implement dealers.
H. J. Guenther, shoe store.
Hans Harder, shoe shop.
Emil Guenther, saloon.
Arens & Capesius, saloon.
C. C. Collett, veterinary surgeon.
J. R. Tibbetts, veterinary surgeon.
394 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
E. M. Maurer, stone mason.
Ed. Vaughin, stone mason.
Thos. Bowes, stone mason.
S. L. Young, proprietor Hartley nursery.
Chas. Hopfe, auctioneer.
Henry Reinhart, auctioneer.
C. E. West, carpenter.
J. W. Conaway, physician.
G. W. Boot, physician.
D. A. Fletcher, phj'sician.
Allen Crossan, Hartley Herald.
F. R. Lock, land, loans and insurance.
Dorr Miller, hardware,
L. A. Pauloo, merchant tailor.
L Miller, justice of the peace.
E. Kelley, drayman.
Claude Charles, Hartley Journal.
PRIMGHAR.
Primghar is laid out on the southeast quarter of section 36
in Summit township, and its additions reach out into adjoining
sections. It is the county seat, and is in the geographical
center of the county. The town was laid out in the fall of
1872, and until April, 1873, the stakes marking its town site,
were waiting in mute silence for coming events. The first
building erected on the town site was in April, 1873, by C F.
Albright who hauled his lumber from Sheldon, and erected a
building which he used for a hotel. Mr. Albright opened his
hotel on the i6th day of May of that year. He is still in
possession of his hotel register of that first year, which is
somewhat mutilated, but still contains the names of a large
number of guests. The first name on the register under date
of May 16, 1873, is that of S. C. Mitchell, and under that
same date are the following further names:
F. D. Mitchell, T. J. Mitchell, D. C. Chapman, E. C. Fos-
kett, Capt. R. C. Tifft.
HISTORY OF OBRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 395
As it is somewhat of a curiosity, the following further names
are on the register in a month or two following:
J.T.Stearns, C.F.Butterfield, A.J. Brock, Benj. Hutchinson.
During that year of 1873, we find the name of Richard
Thomas, M. G. McClellan, L. C. Green, A. Towerman, L. G.
Healey, B. F. McCormack, Harley Day, A. J. Smith, Ralph
Dodge, Jas. Wykoff, Geo. Hill, Albert McClellan, Addison
Oliver, H. A. Sage, George M. Rising, A. B. Chrysler,
G. A. McOmber, O. M. Barrett, Charley Allen, Wm. Fuller,
H. C. Kellogg, W. Palen, Geo. Boutelle, R. M. Boyd, C.
Longshore, Wm. Virgil,
L. B. Raymond, R. G.
Allen, J. R. Pumphrey,
James Roberts, Hirman
Nash, E. F. Parkhurst,
Wm. Purcell, Ed. C.
Brown, E. T. Parker,
Geo. W. Schee, R. G.
Ewers, W. C. Butter-
field, Orren Gowen,
Warren Walker, Chas. ^
McElwain, Orren Finch,
j. A. Brown, Robt.
Boyd, D. R. Barmore,
J. J. Hartenbower, W.
E. Welch, J. C. Doling,
A. J. Edwards, E. A.
Woodruff, W.H.Knep-
per, James Rowland, C. S. Stewart, Paul Cassily, Dan Moffit,
I. L. Rerrick, C. E. Van Epps, Thomas Holmes, B. B. Wood,
Geo. loude, Theo. Lemaster, A. J. Donovan, John Christiany,
Charles Slack, Wm. Baldwin, W. H. Woods, E. W. Bache,
R. J. Chase, Sioux City; John Butler, J. G. Arbuckle, S. S.
Bradley, and N. C. Lane.
This hotel building was afterwards added to and enlarged,
and was kept by Mr. Albright until the fall of 1874. He was
396 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
then succeeded by J. W. Walters. The old court house
building was afterwards made a part of this hotel building,
which continued as a hotel until the fall of 1895, the last land-
lord being M. A. Durham. The building w^as taken away in
three parts in 1896, each part now constituting a separate
building. While Mr. Albright was erecting his hotel building,
there was also being constructed the pioneer store building
by W. C. Green, also an office by J. R. Pumphrey, and the
residence building by A. H. Willits. After Mr. Green had
up the frame of his store building, a cyclone came along, which
blew it away, but it was immediately afterwards rebuilt. The
terrified, few that were in town during this cyclone, gathered
in Mr. Albright's house, and expected every moment to go
with that building, but there was no other damage except to
Mr. Green's building. The county records and county offices
were moved over in the summer of 1873, from old O'Brien,
the removal of the count}'^ seat having been voted upon, and
changed to Primghar, at the general election in 1872. The
county officers first occupied the old Paine store building,
which was moved to Primghar for that purpose, and used
until the fall of 1873, when a court house building was
erected on the present court house square. Mr. Green moved
his stock of goods from old O'Brien, and occupied his building
as soon as it was completed. Mr. Willits also moved his paper,
the O'Brien County Pioneer, first published in his residence
until the building was completed. The Methodist church
people were the first to hold religious services in the town,
which were held for a while at the Albright hotel, and after-
wards in the court house building, until they erected a church
building, which was in 1880. The first trustees of this church
were J. R. Pumphrey, B. F. McCormack and W. C. Green.
These parties continued as trustees until their proclivities for
dancing, and other worldly amusements were considered as in
antagonism to true rehgious progress and conviction, when
others succeeded them.
The town celebrated its starting on June 13, 1873, by hav-
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
397
ing what was called a " Calico Hop " at the W, C. Green's
store building before he moved in. Some of the parties in
attendance and who took part in the festivities with their
ladies were W. C. Green, A. J. Brock, Geo. Hill, H. D. Palen,
Jas. Wykoff, David Palen, B. C. Donovan, J. T. Stearns, L.
C. Green, F. E. Wyman, David Algyer, James Rowland, J.
W. Kelley, John Nugent, James Magee, J. C. Murry.
The cyclone which crossed the county in 1882 did some
damage in Primghar. It
blew away the Methodist
church, which was after-
wards rebuilt. Quite a num-
ber of other buildings were
blown away. The residence
of Editor Bundy lost its roof,
and the damage to the town
after the cyclone was con-
siderable.
In 1879, W. C. Green sold
out his stock of goods to J. R.
Pumphrey and A. B. Chrys-
ler, who conducted the bus-
iness under the firm name of
Pumphrey & Chrysler.
When Sanborn started in
1878, about forty buildings were moved from Primghar to
Sanborn.
The name Primghar, was coined from the first letter of the
surname of several parties interested in the early starting of
the town. The names will be seen from the following which
was published at the time.
Pumphrej', the treasurer drives the first nail,
Rc»berts the donor is quick on the trail,
Inman dips slyly the first letter in,
"McCormack adds M which makes the full Prim,
Green, thinking of groceries gives them the G,
Hayes drops them an H without asking a fee,
i Albright the joker with his jokes all at par,
; Rerick brings up the rear and crowns all Primghar.
CONGREGATIONAL CHUKCI
398
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Some fellow from the east striking out for Primghar with a
yoke of oxen, was afraid he would forget the name, so he
named one ox Prim, and the other Ghar.
W. H. Bailey of Primghar, a son of P. R. Bailey, is a very
competent stenographer and typewriter, and a young man of
irreproachable character and habits. We mention him thus,
because he has done all the scribe work pertaining to the prep-
aration of this history, also has gathered many facts, and all
his work has been done faithfully and well.
PUTNAM'
.'EKY BAkN, PKIMGHAR.
Capt. R. C. Tifft, mentioned elsewhere as an early resident
of the county, has charge of the court house, and everything
in detail is looked after with the utmost care, although some-
times there is an attempt on the part of county officers to in-
novate upon his jurisdiction. The captain has been a sailor,
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 399
and had charge of a ship before he was of age. County Au-
ditor Conn was in the practice of law at Hartley, before his
election, and was county attorney one term. He is a very
competent and efficient officer, and with the assistance of his
deputy, Mr. Wheaton, the office is admirably managed.
F. L. Herrick, elsewhere mentioned as an*old settler, is county
recorder, and all patrons of the office have ascertained, that
he is the right man for the place. Scott Martin, although a
young man, is an excellent clerk of the court. He is accom-
modating, and the duties required of him m the office, are well
performed. C. R. West is a good treasurer, his books are
well kept, and the money of the county is safe in his hands.
Sheriff Carter has filled the office long enough, to convince
the people that everything required of him is well done, and
nothing neglected; his deputy, Morgan, resides in Primghar,
and another deputy, Geo. Hudson, resides at Sheldon, both
of whom are good officers.
Geo. W. Schee, who is an old settler, resides in Primghar.
He has accumulated considerable property, has been a mem-
ber of the Iowa legislature, auditor of the county, and has
exercised much public spirit, in his donation of flags to the
school districts, which now float over the school houses of the
county, in the gift of school libraries, and also in other com-
mendable ways.
Primghar has many enterprising men, who are a credit to
the town. It is the only town in the county without a saloon,
so that its people are free from the habit of drinking, or they
must go elsewhere to do their imbibing.
Primghar was incorporated in 1888. The first officers of
the town, and the succeeding officers are as follows:
Mayor C. F. Albright
Councilmen E. W. Shuck, J. L. E. Peck, G. R.
Slocum, G. W. Doyle, E. L. Ballou and W. S. Rosecrans
Recorder J. A. Smith
Assessor F. B. Royce
Justice of the Peace C. S. Cooper
400 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Street Commissioner Ed C. Dean
Treasurer F. E. Wade
Marshal Thos. McMann
1889.
Mayor - . C. F. Albright
Councilmen W. A. Rosencrans, C. R. Slocum
G. W. Doyle, E. W. Shuck, E. L. Ballou, J. L. E. Peck
Recorder J. A. Smith
Assessor _ . F. B. Royce
Justice of the Peace C. S. Cooper
Street Commissioner John Manning
Treasurer . ^ Henry Rerick
Marshal Thos. McMann
1890.
Mayor F. A. Turner
Councilmen E. W. Shuck, G. R. Slocum, G.
W. Doyle, J. L. E. Peck, W. A. Rosecrans, E. L. Ballou
Recorder .. J. S. Nye
Assessor . H. O. Smith
Justice of the Peace . . _ , C. S. Cooper
Street Commissioner . John Manning
Treasurer Henry Rerick
Marshal Thos. McMann
1891.
Mayor W. H. Noyes
Councilmen E. W Shuck, G. R. Slocum, G. W.
Doyle, J. L. E. Peck, W. A. Rosecrans, Henry Goodman
Recorder J. A. Smith
Assessor F. B. Royce
Justice of the Peace C. S. Cooper
Street Commissioner Matthew Metcalf, Jr
Treasurer Henry Rerick
Marshal C. F. Albright
1892.
Mayor S. A. Carter
Councilmen J. F. Boyer, C. S. Cooper, Henry
Goodman, E. J. English, J. L. E. Peck, Joseph Metcalf
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 401
Recorder J. S. Nye
Assessor F. L. Herrick
Justice of the Peace D. Algyer
Street Commissioner Matthew Metcalf, Jr
Treasurer Henry Rerick
Marshal . ..C.F.Albright
1893.
Mayor . . F. C. Whitehouse
Councilmen J. F. Boyer, C. S. Cooper, Henry
Goodman, E.J. English, J. L. E. Peck. Joseph Metcalf
Recorder J. S. Nye
Assessor . F. L. Herrick
Justice of the Peace D. Algyer
Street Commissioner Thos. McMann
Treasurer C. H. Slocum
Marshal C. F. Albright
1894.
Mayor F. C. Whitehouse
Councilmen Henry Goodman, Jos. Metcalf
C. S. Cooper, J. L. E. Peck, E. J. English, J. F, Boyer
Recorder F. L. Herrick
Assessor Geo. R. Whitmer
Justice of the Peace . D. Algyer
Street Commissioner Thos. McMann
Treasurer C. H. Slocum
Marshal Thos. McMann
1895.
Mayor F. C. Whitehouse
Councilmen Wm. Archer, E.J. English, Henry
Williams, J. F. Boyer, J. L. E. Peck, Henry Goodman
Recorder F. C. Wheaton
Assessor Geo. Whitmer
Justice of the Peace D. Algyer
Street Commissioner Thos. McMann
Treasurer C. H. Slocum
Marshal .. Thos. McMann
26
402 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
1896.
Mayor J. L. E. Peck
Councilmen J. F. Boyer, H. O. Williams, Henry
Goodman, Joseph Metcalf, Wm. Archer, Thos. Gravenor
Recorder F. C. Wheaton
Assessor Geo. R. Whitmer
Justice of the Peace - D. Algyer
Treasurer , C. H. Slocum
Marshal Geo. Lampert
1897.
Mayor . J. L. E. Peck
Councilmen Henry Rerick, J. P. Knux, Wm.
Archer, H, L. Williams, Thos. Pravenor, J. F. Boyer
Recorder F. C. Wheaton
Assessor Geo. R. Whitmer
Justice of the Peace D. Algyer
Street Commissioner Willis Chesshire
Treasurer C. H. Slocum
Marshal Geo. Lampert
The present business men of Primghar are as follows:
Williams Bros., general store.
Joseph Renoldson, hardware.
Clements & Rosecrans, dry goods, groceries, boots
and shoes.
J. A. King, groceries and millinery.
Williams Bros., drug store, (in charge of F. J. Dam-
mon.)
E. C. Proper, jewelry.
J. A. Carmichael, harness shop.
Perley & Co., druggists.
M. S. Metcalf, meat market.
WilHams Bros., meat market, (in charge of Ed Steep-
leton.)
Mary and Ocea Metcalf, millinery.
Gus Strandberg, merchant tailor.
M. H. Rooney & D. B. Harrington, barbers.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 403
W. J. Semmons, general store.
Murry & Co., groceries.
Wm. Archer, cashier of Savings Bank. Wm. Briggs,
president.
G. R. Whitmer, president of Farmers' Bank. R.
Hinman, cashier.
C. H. Slocum, president of National Bank. G. R.
Slocum, cashier.
J. S. Nye, hardware.
P. Manderville, confectionery and racket store.
J. P. Ingails, Star restaurant.
Morrow & Younger, proprietors of City Creamery.
Chas. Gray, feed and exchange.
Charles Redchar, shoemaker.
C. H. Winterble, loan and insurance.
Manford Rerick, painter and paper hanger.
E. C. Dean, painter and paper hanger.
C. O. Cookingham, painter and paper hanger.
Frank Bowles, contractor and builder.
Ed McNary, contractor and building.
James Metcalf, contractor and builder.
Henry Kinderfather, contractor and builder.
John Manning, dray line.
Geo. Lampert, dray and express.
Thos. McMann, dray line.
J. H. Wolf, proprietor of Bell.
R. J. Thomas, livery.
W. J. Bruce & Co., lamber and coal.
C. W. Putnam, Hvery.
Thos. Patton, lumber and coal. Managed by J. P.
Knox.
x\chorn Elevator Co., managed by J. E. Stott.
Williams Bros., elevator.
J. P. Winter, proprietor Grand Hotel.
J. R. Millard, proprietor Commercial Hotel.
C. F. Albright, land agent.
404 HISTORY OF 0*BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Dr. E. T. Holt, dentist.
Beers & Moothart, blacksmiths.
Joe Glenn, blacksmith.
Geo. N. Close, real estate.
Geo. J. North,' blacksmith and justice of the peace.
William Rowland, billiard hall.
Geo. Bent, real estate.
Dr. W. J. Birkofer, physician.
Dr. W. O. Bradley, dentist.
E. H. McElhose, photographer.
Mr. H. G. Geister, farm machinery.
- A. E. Hurd, proprietor City restaurant.
Andrew Farran, racket store.
A. J. Beebe, physician.
J. Rice, stock buyer.
F. E. Brown, physician.
P. R. Bailey, attorney at law.
Peck. Arthurholt & Ingham, law, lands and loans.
O. H. Montzheimer, lawyer and collector-
David Algyer. attorney and justice of the peace.
King & Stearns, law and land.
J. F. Boyer, abstracter.
The postmasters from the first up to the present time are
as follows: W. C. Green, A. H. Willits, W. J. Lorshbaugh,
J. M. Long, Geo. J. Clark, W. J. Semmons.
There are three church buildings in Primghar, one of which
is the Methodist Episcopal, of which Rev. E. G. Keith is the
pastor. This denomination put up the first church building
in town.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
This church is presided over by Rev. D.. E. Skinner, Rev.
J. C. Stoddard was pastor of the church for some time.
CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
This church building was erected in 1896 and at this writing
has no pastor.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNtY, IOWA. 405
CIVIC SOCIETIES.
I. O. O. F.
The Odd Fellows meet in the Bell block. The present
officers are as follows:
J. Saunders, N. G.
A. J. White, V. G.
S. A. Carter, R. Sec'y.
Clarence Ingham, P. Sec'v.
Albert Kane, Treasurer.
Geo. J. Clark, Chaplain.
A. F. & A. M.
There is also an A. F. & A. M. whose present officers are
as follows:
J. E. Scott, W. M.
J. F. Boyer, Sr. W.
W. S. Castledine,Jr. W.
W. J. Semmons, Sr. D.
John Rodgers, Jr. D.
C. F. Albright, Tyler.
MODERN WOODMAN.
Following are the officers of the Modern Woodman :
C. F. Albright, V. C.
Isaac Clements, W. A.
E.J. English, E. B.
F. L. Herrick, Clerk.
F. J. Dammon, Recorder.
E. C. Foskett, Watchman.
W. S. Armstrong, Sentry.
Geo. P. Perley, Physician.
G. A. R.
The G. A. R. is at present under command of the following
officers:
F. A. Gere, Com.
H. Goodman, V. C.
406 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
E. T. Holt, Jr. V. C.
S. A. Carter, Q. M.
S. E. Carmichael, Chaplain.
S. A. Carter, Adjutant.
W. J. Stewart, Officer of the day.
Jasper Marsh, Officer of the Guard.
SHELDON.
Sheldon started when the Sioux City and St. Paul railway
(now the C, St. P. & O.) reached the town site. This was
July 3, 1872, and the surveyors had previously, in the early
summer laid out the town. On this day the construction train,
laying the rails, coming from the north was there, and soon
passed on to the southwest, where other villages \vere soon to
spring into existance. The town was laid out by the land
department of the Sioux City and St. Paul railway company,
and was named after Israel Sheldon who was one of the
stockholders, and who was a resident of New York City.
Soon as the road reached here, it was but a few days after,
when carloads of lumber arrived, and the first building, was
soon in process of construction. On the 4th day of July, the
day following the incoming construction train, a celebration
was held on the townsite. The coming celebration had been
talked of for several weeks, so that the settlers, what few
there were in western O'Brien and eastern Sioux, looked for-
ward to it with feelings not only of pleasure, but also of
curiosit3% as this was the first time an occasion had offered
itself to get together, and look over, each for himself, the
manner of people we were. The day was cold and raw,
overcoats were decidedly comfortable, but the lacking of
warmth and the sunshine, was fully made up by the ardor of
tender feeling, among the settlers, and the appearance of the
occasion was that of a family gathering, whose members had
been absent and scattered for years. Each had brought a
basket well laden with eatables, a table was constructed with
plank borrowed from the construction train, and when dinner
MISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 40'?
was prepared, it was a feast fit for the Gods, and the wonder
was where it all came from.
"The very recollection of them puddin"s 'nd them pies
Brings a yearnin' to my buzzum 'nd the water to my eyes."
There was nothing of the usual Fourth of July celebration,
fire crackers were conspicuously absent; there was nothing of
a pyrotechnic nature, and the early Colonial days seemed for
the time forgotten and
lost, in the early days of
western O'Brien. An or-
gan had been provided,
and under a cover consist-
ing of poles and horse
blankets, there were some
exercises, consisting of
music, reading the Declar-
ation by C. S. Stewart, and
an oration by ex-Gov.
Miller of Minnesota. There
were also speeches by
Thomas Robinson, and
others.
The first train for transportation brought in several car
loads of lumber, the company bringing their own for a depot
building, which was at once erected, and is now the Chicago,
St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha freight depot. Highly of
Storm Lake was the first to commence the construction of a
building, which was completed early in July, and was used for
a saloon. This building stood on the west side of block 8,
and was burned about two years ago. The next building
erected was by H. C. Lane for a lumber office; Mr. Lane
started the first lumber yard, and had his material here about
the loth of July of that year. S. S. Bradley a few days after
this, also put in a lumber yard, and James Wykoff followed
with the third lumber yard about the middle of the month.
The next building was put up for a general store by W. A,
FAlKliANKS.
408 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Fife, was completed the latter part of July, and at once stocked
with goods. The carpenter work on this building was done
by Dan McKay, Joseph Walker & Son, aud Leroy Hackett.
The next building was put up by B. E. Bushnell for a hard-
ware store. The Fife building stood upon the ground now
occupied by the west end of Sheldon bank, or upon the next
lot west, this building was burned in the fire of 1886. The
Bushnell building is now owned and occupied by Henry
Mandershied as a billiard room. The next building was by
D. A. W. Perkins for a law office; this was soon followed by
a warehouse erected by Benj. Jones. Mr. Jones also soon after
put up a residence building which he still occupies with his
famil}', but he has considerably enlarged it since its erection.
Several other buildings were put up during that fall, among
which was an office for the Sheldon Mail, also a building by
H. C. Lane which Geo. Colcord occupied for a drug store,
and a residence building by James Wykoff where he still lives.
I* the fall of this year, 1872, A. J. Donavon, purchased the
law office building erected by Mr. Perkins, and in it started a
store of boots and shoes, also gent's furnishing goods; he ad-
vertised himself as the "Live Yankee from Boston." Ed
Parkhurst started a coal yard that fall.
The first issue of the Sheldon Mail, was on the ist day of
January, 1873. On this date there was in Sheldon the follow-
ing persons engaged in business:
M. M. Burns, proprietor Sheldon Hotel.
S. S. Williams, doctor.
D. A. W. Peikins, lawyer.
T. DeLong, restaurant and saloon.
B. F. Luce, blacksmith.
Benj. Jones, grain buyer, also sold flour, feed and coal.
B. E. Bushnell, groceries, boots and shoes, clothing
and hardware.
A. J. Donavon, gent's furnishing goods.
H. A. Fife, groceries and dry goods.
E. F. Parkhurst, coal.
HISTORY OF, O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 409
And the followincr lumber yards: H. C. Lane, S. S. Brad-
ley, J. Wykoff. W. C. Butteriield, also did cobbling, and
made boots and shoes. At this date, January i, 1873, Shel-
don was six months old, and numbered say thirty inhabitants,
and this six months of existance was replete with many inci-
dents and events, which go to make up the social order of a
newly organized community. There was a freedom of action,
and a seemingly entire absence of all restraint, for society
then unsettled, demanded no conditions, and had no rule by
which its members were to be governed. All were on a
level, and it was a gen-
uine illustration of Amer-
ican democracy, in its sim-
plest form. The people
were united in one desire
to make a town; they
were orderly, agreeable
to one another; were not
narrowed in selfishness,
for there was plenty of
room to expand; and there
was a bouyancy of feeling,
for each felt himself on the
the threshold of some im-
portant place or position,
1 1 1 r IT A. H. COBU.
m the great battle of lite.
Christmas night was duly celebrated in Sheldon in 1872, in
a building belonging to H. C. Lane. A few came from the
country, and all had a merry time, A 4x4 had been prepared
with auger holes, and sticks inserted to represent the branches
of a tree, and these were hung with presents; they were not
costly, but were nevertheless appreciated. The evening closed
with a dance, the music furnished by Linn Cook.
The year 1873, was a somewhat progressive one for this
new village. Several new business firms were added, and ad-
ditional residences and business buildings, gave more the ap-
410 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
pearance of a town. Of the professional men who established
themselves during the year were Barrett and Allen, lawyers,
C. Longshore, physician, and J. T. Stearns, real estate. Fred
Frank put in a blacksmith shop, C. Smith, a harness shop,
Gibbs & Mattocks, a restaurant, Husted Crawford & Co.
opened quite an extensive general store, C. S. Stewart & Co.,
lumber, Nash Bros., farm machinery, Jones & Parkhurt, had
become a firm, uniting their business, and Shinski & Gavin
opened a store of groceries, provisions and dry goods. H. B.
Wyman established himself in the grain business, Husted &
Pryor succeeded to the Bushnell grocery and dry goods stock,
and called it the " Farmers' Store." The Grange started in
1873 in Sheldon with G. E. Berry, master, E. A. Ward, over-
seer, and J. McNary, secretary. In January, 1874, there was
added, H. S. Palmpatier, steward, S. Brewster, assistant stew-
ard, L. Brewster, chaplain, and H. Berry, treasurer. In 1873,
J. A. Brown became landlord of the Sheldon hotel. The
year 1874 ^^^ ^ reasonably busy one, though the business
outlook was discouraging on account of grasshoppers. Fourth
of July was celebrated, with J. M. Webb president of the day,
who also read the declaration. Gov. Miller delivered the
oration. The afternoon was spent in horse-racing, and the
evening in dancing. The boys organized a base ball club
that summer, and dignified it with the name of Grasshoppers.
The following were its members, H. B. Wyman, A. W. John-
son, S. C. Nash, F. T. Piper, F. O. Gibbs, J. C. Elliott, Wil-
liam Strong, G. F. Colcord, and J. S. Crawford. This club
had a game with a Primghar nine named the Skyscrapers,
the members of which were A. J, Brock, J. Wagoner, Adrian
Foster, Charles Edwards, William Slack, C. F. Albright,
Robert Tiff, Dick Thomas, and W. H. Willits. The Grass-
hoppers beat the Skyscrappers thirty-two to six.
The first child born in Sheldon was Inez Wykoff, July 11,
1873-
The first sermon preached on the townsite was by Elder
Brasheers, in August, 1872, in the depot.
HISTORY OF OBRIEN COUNTY. IOWA.
411
The first postmaster was D. A. W. Perkins, appointed in
July, 1872; who resigned and was succeeded by D. R. Bar-
more in June, 1874.
In 1874, ^^ ^^^ ^ negro barber by the name of Sidney
Dean, and the following read in the form of chronicles at the
Sheldon lyceum in 1874, gives Sidney's history here, and also
contains some other matters.
BOOK OF CHRONICLES.
CHAPTER I.
And it came to pass in the sixth year in the reign of Ulysses,
and in the seventh month of the year, that the unshaven and
bearded portion of Shel-
don held council among
themselves, and said " let
us import a barber, yea of
the Ethiopian complexion;
one that shall be an orna-
ment to the city and an
honor to his profession."
Now the children of the
great city were naturally
cleanly, and like to be
spruced up in appearance,
and the fancy touches of
the barber were the only
thiitg wanted to complete
the question of toilet. The young ladies had to be waited
upon, had to be escorted to the church and taken to the dance,
and the aroma of a barber shop was what would incite the
maidens to greater tenderness and affection. So a call was
made upon the great state of Minnesota for a barber, and be-
hold the call was responded to, and there appeared in Sheldon
one Sydney whose surname was Dean.
K. BROWN.
412 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
CHAPTER II.
Now behold Sydney was of a dark complexion; yea he was
black, and to use a vulgar expression of that day, he was as
black as the ace of spades; he was of a comely appearance,
was healthy and intelligent, and weighed about two hundred
pounds, and when Sydney appeared in the city he was received
with much gratification, and withal was a darkey of much
promise and favor. Behold there was provided for Sydney a
shop, one of great dimensions and elaborate proportions, and
Sydney's shop stands even until this day, and is occupied
by one Seymore, whose surname is Shryock. Now Sydney
took possession of the shop, made a display of his kit, and
ornamented the walls, and he provided a chair of easy and
elastic construction where the young man could sit comfortably
while Sydney exercised upon them the duties of his profession.
Now behold Sydney was something of a genius and quite a
mechanic. He was constantly busy when not engaged upon
his customers, in repairing his sidewalk, constructing furniture
suited to his appartments, and otherwise benefitting and em-
bellishing the scene of his operations.
CHAPTER III.
Now behold, Sydney prospered, as industrious colored
men do. He accumulated riches but hke. many another was
unable to stand prosperity and to resist temptation. He fell
to drinking and an intoxicated barber of all other men is to be
feared and dreaded, consequently his customers became fewer,
his razors duller, and his ebony hand trembled with the re-
sults of whiskey. His sidewalk w^as no longer repaired and
improved; no more cuts from the Day's Doings were added
to the gorgeous walls of his apartments, in fact it was not long
before the prostrate form of Sydney Dean was seen in front
of his shop, and the prosperous and mechanical barber wa'' as
drunk as a lord. Poor Sydney! Had you lived in these
days, when the government of the city reaches out for such as
you, the calaboose would laugh outright in opening its doors
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
413
to so distinguished a victim, but the city was unorganized
then, though the poor colored barber may have suffered
everything else, he was not afflicted with the torments of in-
carceration. Now behold, the young men of the city under-
went a change in their feelings toward Sydney; their affection
was turned to wrath, and they became determined to punish
the miserable unfortunate darke}'^ for his sins, and drive him
from their midst. So that, taking the law into their hands
they procured a rope — one of sufficient strength and size —
and informed the barber that he was to be hung at once with-
out the benefit of clergy, and verily it was to Sydney a ter-
rible revelation. They informed him that he had to pray, and
behold, Sydney did
pray as well as a
drunken man can.
He imploi ed his pros-
ecutors for the Lord's
sake, Marsa, don't
hang this poor nig-
ger, and he wouldn't
drink any more. But
the boys were deter-
mined, the rope was
placed around Syd-
ney's neck, thrown
over a sign, and the
barber nigger drawn
up, his legs kicking
and dangling in the
air. Now behold,
the only desire on the part of the children of the great city at
this time, was to frighten the barber and get rid of him, so
that Sydney hung but a few seconds — not long enough to
injure him — but just long enough to make him think his time
had come at last. Sydney was then lowered to the ground
and warned unless he left the city within twenty-four hours,
L. U. SHIPLEY.
414 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
the hanging would be complete. So thus Sydney departed;
shook the dust of the city from his feet. He went to a city
called Sioux City in those days, and peddled pies for awhile,
and tradition tells no story of him since. And behold, there
was no other individual hung in the city from that day to this,
although there were many who, no doubt deserved it.
BOOK II.
CHAPTER I.
And it came to pass that the children of the great city of
Sheldon at that time, and soon after the exodus of Sydney,
said among themselves, let us incorporate; we need a mayor
to sit in judgment upon stray hogs and refractory humans.
Lo, we have lived these many days, have been astray without
municipal protection and municipal authority; and there were
some who opposed, who said, " we shall be burdened with
taxation, and the machinery of local government will plunge
us into innumerable difficulties." But the opposers were few
in numbers, and majorities ruled in those days for the people
lived under a republic. So the great commissioner, appointed
under the seal of O'Brien county, called a meeting, and the
people cast their ballots, and enough voted for it to carry it
successfully.
CHAPTER n.
Now there were other difficulties arose, new problems stared
the people in the face. We must now have a mayor and
aldermen, called in those days trustees, and also a recorder.
Who shall they be, and upon whom shall we shower the dis-
tinguished honor? Now, verily the people at that time were
like unto the present day, inasmuch as they differed upon
various questions, wrangled over politics asjwe do now. Every
election caused considerable excitement, many words were
wasted, and fortunate wa.s the campaign if no blood was
spilled, and there was at that time one Csesar, whose surname
was Elliott. Now CfEsar had many friends, who desired that
he should be elected to the great office of mayor. And there
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 415
was also one Hub whose surname was Wyman, and Hub also
had many friends. It was doubtful for some time which would
outnumber the other. Both were good men, and the children
were excited in their differences of opinion. The election was
called to be held in the store of one J. M. whose surname was
Stevenson, and there was provided a ballot box, and so few
ballots were to be cast, that a ballot box was constructed out
of a cigar box, the contents of which had long since vanished
in smoke. A hole was made in the cover, and the ballots of
LOUIS PETERSON.
the voters were therein deposited. Each side entered the
contest determined to outdo the other, but soon the polls were
closed and Hub was declared elected. And there was elected
a scribe, called in those early days, one L. F. whose surname
was Bennett. L. F. was a man of good repute; he kept a
416 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Store, and like other merchants of that day dealt in chattel
mortgages, on wagons and other truck. He also often wore
noseglasses similar to those worn by one Calvin whose sur-
name is Hook. And there was also elected to the office of
trustee one George whose surname was Boutelle. Now
George was a good officer; he was a partner in business with
one Benjamin whose surname was McCormack, and known
as a democrat and a county supervisor. There was also
elected one J. M whose surname was Stevenson, J. M. was a
dealer in flax and farmers' notes. There was also one S. W.
whose surname was Harrington and one James whose sur-
name was Wykoff, a dealer in lumber and mechanic liens, and
one Charley whose surname was Allen, a lawyer and musician.
Now these constituted the great council of the city, and they
elected as marshal one George whose surname was Hill, and
they instructed George to go about the city, enforce its laws,
and gobble each and every one who would not yield complete
submission. And they built a dwelling house for offenders,
gave George the keys thereof, and called it a calaboose.
George did go about and do as he was bidden; he constructed
a pound, captured every stray cow or hog caught loafing
around the city. Sheet iron chimneys no longer decorated the
dwellings of the people and a grade of soberness was estab-
lished, so that the exact number of glasses of beer one could or
ought to take, and not get tight, were known to a moral
certainty. In short Sheldon was a city in every sense of the
word. Much more of its history and progress will be recorded
hereafter."
FIRST WEDDING.
The first marriage in the city was in the first year of Shel-
don's existence when a few had come together, strangers to
each other, and each had started his business, in the promis-
ing and prospective city. M. C. Lane, then a justice of the
peace gave out word, that the first couple in town offering
themselves to be united in marriage, he would perform the
ceremony for nothing and give them a banquet. The an-
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 417
nouncement had not been long out when Tom DeLong and
Samantha Jones informed the Squire they were ready. Jim
Wykoff and Deacon Bradley were notified to make prepara-
tion. Bro. Thomas Robinson boiled a ham, and Squire Lane
then a bachelor, hunted up a ceremonial form to be used on
the occasion. A room in the Sheldon hotel then just com-
pleted, was named as the place for the event, and on the day
fixed the few who were here then, dressed in their store
clothes, gathered to celebrate the first marriage in the town.
Deacon Bradley called the meeting to order, and announced,
that as there was no clerg^'man present, prayer would be dis-
pensed with, but at the close he would pronounce the bene-
diction. Tom was re-
quested to stand up along-
side of the blushing Sa-
mantha, who was back-
ward and diffident, but
was assured by the Dea-
con that marriage was not
a failure, and that she
would be all right. When
they were requested to
join hands, Samantha in
her excitement, seized the
Deacon's, but the Deacon
quietly placed it where it
belonged, and Squire Lane
proceeded with the usual ceremony that made them man
and wife. The ceremony over, all kissed the bride, spent
the evening in congratulations and ham sandwitches, and ad-
journed. Tom and Samantha soon wandered away, from the
land of grasshoppers, and they may be living with a family
around them, or they may be dead, but at any rate, tbey were
the first couple married in Sheldon.
In 1876, several meetings were held at Sheldon to organize
what was called the Sheldon, Beloit and Dakota railroad com-
DR. W. R. BROCK.
418 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
pany. Officers were elected, and the scheme attained some
newspaper notoriety, but it resulted in nothing but wind, and
its name and intentions soon passed away. Some people also
then were moving for a grist mill, and quite a controversy
was started in the " Mail," under the head of Grist Mill vs.
Church. The church party however labored on, until suffi-
cient funds were subscribed, and the contract was let to Joseph
Walker for $1,338. The building was completed in Decem-
ber, 1875, ^nd was soon after dedicated.
Application was made for incorporation in March, 1875,
and the following persons were appointed as conf^missioners to
call an election for the purpose of voting for or against; D.
R. Barrnore, A. W. Husted, J. C. Elliott, J. A. Brown, and
Benjamin Jones. The election was held April 19, 1875, but
incorporation was defeated. In March, 1876, .another move
was made for incorporation, and other commissioners ap-
pointed, who ordered an election to be held March 25, 1876.
The result of the election was forty-nine in favor of in-
corporation, and eleven against. Notice was then given that
the first election for a mayor, recorder and five trustees,
would be held at the office of J. Wykoff on the first day of
May, 1876. There was considerable excitement over this
first election, and while there was no bitterness, it still was
an energetic contest. There were two candidates for mayor,
H. B. Wyman and J. C. Elliott. Wyman received 46, a
majority of 7 over Elliott. L. F. Bennett was elected recorder
over Husted, and of the councilmen there were elected J. M.
Stevenson, J. Wykoff, Scott Harrington, Geo. Boutelle, and
Charley Allen. The first appointed officers of the town by
the council, were marshal, George Hill; street commissioner,
E. F. Parkhurst; treasurer, A. W. Husted; assessor, William
Strong.
Many and varied were the entertainments in Sheldon at
an early day, Deacon Bradly was not only deacon but con-
stable; he passed the contribution box on Sunday, 'and
served the processes of the justice on week days. Soon
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
419
after the saloon was opened, the proprietor who lived at
Storm Lake made a visit to his family for a day. He left
the key with one of the boys in order that his patrons
might be accommodated in his absence; the new proprietor
being of a generous spirit, and caring little for the conse-
quences, opened up, and extended a general invitation for
all to come in and partake, the result of which was that
when Highly, (the owner), returned, not a cigar was left
in the house, and not a drop of anything to drink, indeed,
every chair, and every table in the house was smashed to
smithereens. Imagine the astonishment of the proprietor
when he returned, but as
he was. a violator of the
law himself, his mouth was
closed; but he soon re-
plenished and started in
again with a new stock.
For many years Shel-
don had for one of its citi-
zens a colored man by
the name of John Brown.
John was a jack-of-all-
trades, was quick, smart
and a money maker,
though he had the reputed
weakness of his race in
taking that which did not
belong to him. He had a white woman for a wife and a white
son-in-law of much respectability. John died on Christmas
eve, 1887, in Wisconsin, and the old Sheldon settlers were
considerably attached to him.
At one time a saloon keeper by the name of Sacket was
arrested before Sam H. Ladd, justice of the peace, for a viola-
tion of the law. For want of prosecution the case was dis-
missed. Two young men, Frank Nash and T.J. Steele, then
students at law in town, thought they would take up the
A. GIBSON.
420 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
cudgel, and trot Sacket over the race of another prosecution.
The case was set for a certain day and hour in the town hall,
now the engine house. The justice was there, the students
who were prosecuting, and the room full of spectators. The
attorney for the defendant had secured the services of the
negro John Brown, and had instructed him to get an old
satchel, or valise, fill it with old almanacs and such like
literature, and appear at a certain time, about when the trial
would commence.
Defendant's attorney notified the court that he had an as-
sociate, who would soon arrive, and the proceedings accord-
ingly awaited his coming. Soon the door opened, and in
marched the negro assistant; laying his satchel on the table,
the flaps flew open, and the almanacs fell out on the table.
Dan McKay, who was then marshal, obtained a chair for Mr.
Brown, and seated at the side of defendant's attorney, the two
were busy looking over law books, and the papers in the case,
and after about fifteen minutes occupied in this, defendant's
attorney stated to the court, that he obtained the services of
John Brown at considerable expense, begged the court's pardon
for using so much time in acquainting Mr. Brown with the facts,
but that they were now ready to proceed. The negro murmered
something about the white trash on the other side, when the
two law students grabbed their hats and fled with much
precipitation from the court room.
The negro then arose and said to the court, " I move you
sar that this ere case be set out, and absquatulated like dem
lawers are " and the case was again dismissed.
In July, 1876, there was quite an Indian scare coming from
Sioux County, where the report had reached them, that a part
of the Sioux tribe were coming, and were pillaging and murder-
ing as they went along. Sheldon hotels and private houses
were filled with families who had fled their farms, and for
about a week many were in fear of their lives. It turned out
however that the fright grew out of the fact that a large num-
ber of Indians had crossed Sioux county on their way to Pipe-
MlStORV OF 0*BRtEN COtJNtY, lOWA. 4^1
stone, where they made a yearly pilgrimage, and imagination
and a natural fear of the red man had done the rest.
In January, 1877, Sheldon had a population of 350, and
the Sheldon Mail at that time estimated the 1876 improve-
ments of private parties at $8,950, and the improvements
in the town in the way of sidewalks and other improve-
ments at $10,000. In March, 1877, there was held Shel-
don's second municipal election, with the following result:
Mayor . . H. B. Wyman
Councilmen G. H. Boutelle, Charley
Allen, A. B. Nash, D. A. W. Perkins and J. Wykoff
Recorder L. F. Bennett
Treasurer .. ...-- H. B. Wyman
City Marshal . Geo. Hill
Street Commissioner E. F. Parkhurst
Sheldon seemed to grow in periodical strides, never was
boomed in the western sense of booming towns, and did not
EAKLY STREEl SCENE, SHELDON.
seem to grow much except when the building era came along.
Of course in the seventies the grasshoppers kept it back,
but about every three years during the seventies, it would
take a start whereby many buildings were erected, and its
population increased. Since its early days and the first ten
years of its growth it has increased steadily each yef
;ar
422 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN,' COUNTY, IOWA.
On December ii, 1893, the old Husted & Bushnell frame
building standing where the Messer & Dean brick now stands,
was burned. To the old settler it was something more than
a mere conflagration. It seemed sort of a sacriligious de-
struction ; it stirred the memories of other days, and excited a
feeling, akin to that which would stir the heart of a Budhist,
should a hoard of vandals seize upon, and lay in waste his
sacred temple. The old building in a commercial and a busi-
ness sense, was not attractive, either in its appearance or in
its architecture, and the new comers no doubt felt that it was
no loss to the city, but to the early resident of Sheldon, it was
an old friend, a landmark, one of the first structures, that at
the time of its erection looked down upon only a few small
and unpretentious buildings. The building was erected in
1873, ^"d was put up jointly by Lyman Husted and B. E.
Bushnell. The carpenter work was done by Le Roy Hacket
and William Hecker, but the building was extended in length
several years after it was first built. Mr. Husted, under the
firm name of L. Husted & Son, opened up in the corner build-
ing with a general stock of merchandise, and Mr. Bushnell in
the east part a stock of hardware. Since then in its occupa-
tion, it has undergone many changes, and its occupants are
scattered into other parts of the country, while some have
gone over the silent river. The room occupied in the second
story of the west part of the building, was once used by B. F.
McCormack as a justice's office, in which there was man}'^ a
sharp legal contest, and spicy and prolonged trials.
We remember when Henry Shultz was tried there, for
keeping open his place of business on Sunday. It was an
energetic raid made upon the defendant Shultz, with the
forces lead by Rev. Southworth. S. C. Nash was attorney
for the prosecution and the writer for the defense. The case
was tried three different times, the two first trials resulting in
a disagreement of the jury, and at the third trial Shultz was
acquitted. After the jury brought in a verdict of not guilty,
Justice McCormack said to Mr. Shultz, " You have been
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, lOWA.
423
found not guilty by the jury, but I have my own opinion con-
cerning your guilt, and all I have to say to you, is to go and
sin no more." The attorney for defendant then arose with
much gravity and said, " For fear your Honor may have
been induced to make that remark under a feeling of self-
righteousness, I desire to call your Honor's attention to
another bible proposition, let him who is without sin cast the
first stone."
There was a public hall in the Husted building known as
Husted's hall, in which there has been many an interesting
entertainment. It was
used by several re-
ligious denominations
for public service be-
fore there were any
churches in town,
when Deacon Brad-
ley was engaged in
the highest useful-
ness of his office, and
passed the contribu-
tion box. Here was
where the grange
meetings were held,
at one of which Seth
Berray introduced a
resolution to set apart
certain ground in the newly laid out cemetery, for the burial
of grangers. The resolution said, "Our members should keep
themselves apart, from common humanity, even in their
graves." Here is where Lane held his organ meetings,
which came near dividing and distracting the settlement.
Traveling troups were not plenty then in this part of the
country, it was only a field for amateurs.
We remember when a young man came down from Worth-
ington to deliver a humorous lecture on " The Dollar of Our
GEO. HUDSON.
424 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Daddies." The hall was filled, as the advertising circular was
such a flaming announcement, it attracted a large audience.
The lecturer however, was a stupid, incompetent fellow, and
the audience became disgusted. They threatened him with a
night in the calaboose, with hanging, and every other dire
calamity, until the poor fellow upon his knees begged that he
might be allowed to depart in peace. He was finally escorted
to the Sheldon House, and landed in his room, but he crept
out soon after, and took a tie pass for home, no doubt feeling
easier when he was outside of the boundaries of the townsite.
There was for several years held in Husted's hall, during
one evening of each week, a very successful lyceum, the
exercises of which were of very high order. Each night the
hall was crowded, and people came for miles to attend this
celebrated lyceum. The exercises consisted of music, a paper,
essays, declamations and a debate, and occasionally Charley
Allen would tune up his fiddle for 'a dance.
Important questions were discussed and settled, and some-
times the debate became exciting and personal. All, with
any capability for debate, took a hand in the discussion, though
the disputants were named two on a side the week previous.
Words of admonition and of calm philosophy fell from the
lips of Bro. Thomas Robinson. Dr. Longshore would occa-
sionally enter the arena with a dynamite of language that was
terrific in its effect upon the opposition, and we remember
when Barrett, Steve Nash, Geo. L. McKay and Charley
Stewart wrestled an entire evening over the Chinese question.
The debates were spicy, argumentive and sentimental, and the
entire exercises from first to last were attractive and enter-
taining. The forces of thought played around the walls of
the old structure like the whispering of a summer breeze, and
seemed to linger after the footsteps of the last departing
attendant had died down in the distance. Husted's hall was of
a country character, low ceiling and hardly suited for the town
when it advanced sufficiently to put on metropolitan airs. It
was entirely dispensed with when White's block was erected,
HISTORY OP O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
425
when the last old
which marks the
and there was furnished an opera house, which we now use.
But the old building, in accordance with the fate of all material
things, has fallen, and only its ashes remain. In the place of
it, has been erected an elegant structure of brick, and the old
building fraught with so many memories and reminiscences,
will soon be entirely forgotten.
Thus the old land marks fade away, and
settler shall have reached that mile stone,
end of life's journey,
there will be but few
of the earlier build-
ings to be seen on the
townsite.
Sheldon has sev-
eral times suffered
by fire, but the most
disastrous was that
which occurred July
2, 1888. The fire
was discovered be-
tween two and three
o'clock in the morn-
ing, and first broke
out in the hay loft of
a livery stable on the
west side of Third avenue, and burned several buildings in
the block. Its origin has never been fully known, but it was
supposed to be the work of an incendiary. There was burned
fifteen frame buildings, and the estimated loss was $20,000.
Upon the ashes of this conflagration was erected substantial
brick buildings, which are illustrated on another page of this
book.
CHURCHES AND CHURCH SOCIETIES.
Sheldon is well supplied with religious denominations, and
under our form of goverrhment, one can worship according to
the dictates of his own conscience. The first church society
W. W. CAKR.
426 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, lOWA.
was the Methodist, which held services at the house of D.
McKay before the town started, afterwards at the depot, now
the freight depot of the C, St. P., M. & O. R. R. Co. Not
lon^ after the starting of the town, a church building was
erected, and now they have a very comfortable, and commodi-
ous building. The present pastor is Rev. A. S; Cochran.
The Congregational society was organized in 1872, at the
house of M. G. McClellan, with only six members present.
Rev. H. D. Wiard and wife, W. C. Butterfield and wife, and
M. G. McClellan and wife. The church building was com-
pleted in 1875, ^"^ the parsonage built in 1884. Rev. J. M.
Cummings is the present pastor.
The Christian church was not an early organization in the
city. They have no church building, but have already laid
the foundation for one.
The Christian Science people meet regularly in a room in
the Empire block.
The Baptist society was organized some years ago, and
they erected a very neat church building. The present pastor
is Rev. John Pierson.
W. E. Glanville who is among the illustrations in this book,
was its pastor quite a number of years.
The Catholic church was organized at an early day, and
now have a very commodious church building. Its present
pastor is Rev. Father P. F. Farrelly, a very profound scholar,
and a christian gentleman.
The Episcopal denomination have a church building here,
but no services. The members of this denomination here are
so few in number, that the burden of supporting it, is too much
for the number.
There is considerable of liberal element in religion at Shel-
don, which is represented by the Universalists and Unitarians.
There has been Unitarian preaching in the city, and the Uni-
versalists are now organizing a society.
The first band organized in Sheldon, was in March, 1876,
composed of Charley Allen, J. M. Stevenson, D. R. Barmore,
HISTORY OF OBRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
427
G. H. Harden, W. C. Butterfield, F. N. Derby, G. L. McKay
and F. T. Piper.
The first fire in Sheldon was a saloon buildincr, owned by
Mrs. Henry Schultz, in 1882. It was situated on Eleventh
street.
Sheldon for a while had a very successful fair, it was a
district fair of the four northwest counties, but several years
ago the association went out of business. The first Sheldon
business man who arrived on the train, was H. C. Lane who
came July 9, 1872, and as elsewhere mentioned, at once es-
tablished a lumber yard. Mr, Lane has been a prominent
citizen of Sheldon now for these twenty-five years, and a very
successful business man, and of unquestioned integrity.
Benj. Jones, also mentioned, has been here for a quarter
century, and until a few years ago an active business man.
He has been prominent in
the county, and several
times on the board of su-
pervisors. He has now
retired, and takes the
world easy with plenty
upon which to enjoy life's
comforts and luxuries.
His good wife has always
been ready in sickness or
distress, and her ministra-
tions of sympathy and aid
to the sick and unfortu-
nate, go along with the
history of the city. The
daughter Maggie, a beau-
tiful girl, married Henry
Egert several years ago, Nellie is one of the prominent teach-
ers of our city school, who ranks high in her profession, and
has the air of a lady of culture and refinement. Frank was
born in Sheldon, and for him was named Franklin township.
JK T. PIPER.
428 HISTORY OF* o*brie:n county, iowa.
He IS now taking a medical course in Chicago, and before
many years, we shall hear of Dr. Frank Jones. The family
good sense and ambition is in him, with which to succeed.
F. T. Piper of the Mail, another old settler of Sheldon, and
still with us, came as elsewhere mentioned in 1873, and by
industry, economy and close attention to business, has made a
complete success financially as a newspaper manager. He was
first employed as a printer, but in due course of time became
owner and proprietor.
H. B. Wyman, another old settler came also in 1873, ^"^
has been one of Sheldon's active business men ever since.
Mr. Wyman has held several important offices, was our first
mayor, was one term in the legislature, and has been a strong
candidate for congress from this district.
James Wykoff, an old settler in Sheldon of 1872, com-
menced business that year with a lumber yard, and remains
with us yet, one of our substantial citizens.
S. S. Bradley, once marshal in Chicago in its early days,
has remained with Sheldon since his first coming in 1872.
He also opened a lumber yard, but retired from business
some years ago. The deacon has had the respect of his fel-
low citizens in all the years of his residence.
Ed C. Brown was not one of the earliest, but an early set-
tler in Sheldon in the banking business, and is elsewhere men-
tioned as one of the early settlers of the county. He is an old
soldier, has been prominent in politics, and accumulated wealth.
C. F. Butterfield was one of the early business men in
Sheldon, and though away from the city awhile, has returned
to his former home. Mr. Butterfield and the writer visited
the tent of the surveyors when they laid out Sheldon in the
spring of 1872. He is well known and respected.
Dan McKay was one of the first in Sheldon, was marshal
of the city for some tinie and moved to Tacoma a few years
ago.
Oliver Lias is an old settler Jof the adjoining county of
Sioux, and knew Sheldon at its birth. He has been a mem-
ber of the city council, and is an old soldier.
430 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Ruel Allen was also one of the first settlers in Sioux county,
and while living there commenced trading in Sheldon from
the start. He now resides in the city.
Frank Frisbee, with his brothers James and Fred, were
early settlers in the county. Frank and James came first in
1 87 1. Fred took a claim in Osceola county, and proved up
on this, then moved to O'Brien county. The Frisbee boys
lived on their claims and farmed several years, after which
they went into business in Sheldon, They have always mani-
fested much public spirit and business enterprise, and all their
transactions were always in accordance with the strictest rules
of honesty. James died several years ago. He was a blunt,
plain-spoken man, but of very upright character. Frank
is in the livery business, also president of the First
National Bank of Sheldon. Fred is of the firm of Van Pat-
ten & Frisbee, dealers in coal, wood, etc. Mr. Van Patten is
something of an early settler in Sheldon, and is a prosperous
business man, and is also vice president of the First National
Bank. The name Frisbee has by oversight been incorrectly
spelled " Frisbie " in other parts of this book, something that
the writer very much regrets. A son of Frank Frisbee, Fred,
is assistant cashier of the First National Bank.
Al. Scott is an old settler of Sheldon, whose face has been
familiar to the early settlers for many years. F. O. Gibbs,
who has for a long time been a valued employee of the C, M.
& St. P. R. R., acting as agent at Sioux Falls, was one of the
1873 business men at Sheldon.
W. L. Ayers opened his drug store in Sheldon at quite an
early day. C. Stinson has also been connected with the busi-
ness interests of Sheldon for many years, and has been a very
competent mayor of the city.
Al. Sleeper and his brother W. H. opened a bank here in
the seventies. W. H. is still here now, cashier of the Union
Bank. Al. Sleeper is in the banking and stock^business at
Everly. The Sleepers came from New Jersey, and at about
the same time, and from the same place, came W. B. Bowne,
SHELDON WATER TOWER.
432 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Millard Logan, and D. T. White, also Scott Logan. These
parties are still here, except Mr. White who is now proprietor
of a fashionable hotel east, at the sea shore. Scott Logan is
the owner of the Prairie Queen flour mill, and with his son O.
E. gives the plant successful management. Millard Logan is
of the hardware firm of Smith & Logan. Mr. Bowne takes
life easy, in the management of his farms.
We are not attempting to write up business men, but as far
as possible, mention such as are of the early settlers of Sheldon.
The Iselin boys, John and Harry, were here at an early day,
and built the Scott Logan mill, also built several houses south
of the Milwaukee track. They came with considerable means,
and branched out in an enterprising way, but at the wrong
time. They were free with their money, and were very kind
to the poor. John died several years ago. Harry is in New
York City. With the Iselin's, came Dr. W. P. Woodcock
who practiced here for a longtime, but inheriting considerable
wealth, retired from practice, and now resides in Spencer.
Fred Baudler came here when a boy, with his father Conrad.
Conrad run a meat market here for many years, and died
here. Fred still continues the same business. Fred Piper
came here when a boy, was in the newspaper business several
years ago, and is now connected with a school furniture com-
pany. L. L. Bassett is quite an old settler in Sheldon, and is
still here in business. F. E. Wyman is an early resident, still
living here. George Caple came in the seventies, died here
not long ago, and his wife with her children still reside in
Sheldon. J. D. Bunce had charge of the Seney farm, now
owned by Theodore Dockendorf, for many years, coming here
at an early day. He still resides here, and is a member of the
city council. J. M. Merrill, though residing over the line, was
here at quite an early day, and has seen the gradual growth of
the city from the start. Eugene Riddell is an early settler, now
of Sheldon Trade Co. William Hecker worked on our first
buildings, as a carpenter, and is still here. J. C. O'Donnell
came here early in the seventies, and opetjed a blacksmith shop.
E. P. MESSER'S HARDWARE STORE, SHEI.DON.
434 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
was a proprietor of the Sheldon Iron Works for several years,
and has recently moved to Deadwood, S. D. Dr. C. Long-
shore, mentioned elsevi^here, was county recorder one term,
and came in 1873. G. A. Miller, now in the agricultural
business, came in 1872, and after farming for several years,
established himself in business at Sheldon. E. A. Ward is an
early settler, also the Lias boys, Thomas, Frank and Charley
who coming with their parents, lived west of Sheldon, in Sioux
county. Their father died several years ago, and the mother
still lives in 8heldon, a very matronly woman, much respected.
A daughter married Mr. A. Hurd, who with his family still
resides in Sheldon. Oliver and his mother reside together. W.
E. Van Campen of restaurant notoriety is an early settler, and
commenced business here in 1874, ^^^ mother Sally was an
early settler in Lyon county, she resides in Sheldon. John Van
Campen, also an early settler, is farming in Floyd township.
The Woods family, Jackson and his wife with their sons John
and B. T., also another son, A. D. are early residents. John
came first in 1873, took his claim, and farmed it for several
years, he now resides in Sheldon, B. T. is of the firm of Woods
& Hoskins, he is always a leading factor on public occasions,
and a good mechanic, his partner, Mr. Hoskins was an early
settler in Osceola county.
H. D. Woods is a railroad conductor on the river division
of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railroad from La-
Crosse to St. Paul. Jackson Woods and wife, a highly re-
spected couple, reside in Sheldon.
There are quite a number living in Sheldon who commenced
trading in the town when it first started, and who were pio-
neers in that part of Sioux county then tributary to Sheldon.
Among those not already mentioned is Joseph Walker, who
worked on Sheldon's first buildings.
Dr. F. W. Cram commenced practice here at an early day,
and is still in practice. Dr. O. P. Mabee has also practiced
dentistry in Sheldon for many years, the first dentist in the
city. Swan Esklund came here in the early days, for some
RESIDENCE OP' J. E. VAN PATTEN, SHELDON.
436 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
years in the employ of Jones & Parkhurst. J. W. Hicks and
Alonzo are early settlers in Sheldon.
Jurgen Renken became a Sheldon resident in the seventies,
and is still a resident. He has been a large land-owner, and
he coined the phrase expressive of a portion of Lyon county,
the "Garden of Eden." Renken has helped many a man
struggling to get along, for he is naturally kind of heart and
sympathetic, but too often the recipient of his favors has
turned out to be an ingrate.
W. N. Strong came to Sheldon in 1874, ^"^ ^^^ resided
here continuously since. He was clerk of court one term, has
accumulated considerable property, is a man of most excellent
character and business integrity. He is the proprietor of a
lumber and coal yard, assisted by his two sons, Sherman and
Harmon, energetic young men. A. W. Johnson is an early
settler, and has industriously helped build up the city, as a car-
penter, from the start. Peter Botette came here in 1876,
when Peter, Jr., and Nelson were but lads. Henry Mander-
sheid came in 1876. Charley Dahlman is an early settler, and
has been with Fred Baudler many years. Among the illus-
trations will be seen Postmaster Kearney and his faithful as-
sistant, Fred Bloxham. Mr. Kearney has been identified with
the Sheldon posfoffice, as clerk and P. M., a great many years.
Homer W. Conant is considerable of an early settler, has sold
a large number of lots for the townsite company, and has been
justice of the peace for several years. He has been promi-
nently identified with the interests of the town for a long time.
C. Shaffer is an early settler and a very quiet, substantial citizen.
George Hill was one of our first settlers. He came here a
young man from Massachusetts, and in 1869 carried the mail
from Cherokee to Sioux City, and was in Cherokee when that
city made its start. George has toiled on here in the dray and
ice business for over twenty-five years, identified with the city
through all its stages of growth, married, and raised his fam-
ily here, so that, the children were born in the city. His son
is in business with him.
FIRST NATIONAL BANK. SHELDON.
438 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
M. H. Damon, now residing at Worthington, was an early
settler of 1872. He toiled through the grasshoppers, saving
hired help by plowing corn by moonlight. Ben. Chase with
his mother were quite early settlers in Floyd township. Wil-
liam Shultz was a settler of 1872, and moved to Sheldon sev-
eral years ago, and is one of our best citizens.
Joseph Shinski is one of the early settlers, who was first in
trade, and for a while the firm was Shinski & Gavin. Mr.
Gavin died several years ago. Mr. Shinski has been mayor
of the city and a justice of the peace for several years, and
performed the duties of these offices with much ability, has
accumulated a large amount of property, and is a man of ex-
cellent judgment and good character. He was married after
he came here, so that his children. Miss Maud and Miss Mar-
garet, were born here, who are young ladies of refinement and
education.
William Gavin is an old resident of the county, came here
from Massachusetts and moved to Sheldon several years ago.
Pat Dougherty was a year old when his father, John Dough-
erty, moved to the county. John Dougherty died several
years ago.
Officers of the city from its incorporation up to the pres-
ent time:
1876. ^
Mayor H. B. Wyman
Trustees Charley Allen, Jas. Wykoff,
G. H. Boutelle, J. M. Stevenson, S. W. Harrington
Recorder . . L. F. Bennett
In December, 1876, J. M. Stevenson and S. W. Har-
rington, on account of intended removal, resigned their
offices as trustees and by special election held in that month,
A. B. Nash and D. A. W. Perkins were elected to fill the
vacancy.
T877.
Mayor H. B. Wyman
Recorder L. F. Bennett
PROPOSED OPERA HOUSE, SHELDON.
440 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY. IOWA.
Trustees Geo. Boutelle, Charley
Allen, Jas. Wykoff, A. B. Nash, D. A. W. Perkins
Treasurer . H. Umphrey
Marshal Geo. Umphrey
Assessor W. N. Strong
Street Commissioner John" Nugent
1878.
Mayor H. B. Wyman
R ecorder . Ed C. Brown
Trustees O. M. Barrett, J. J. Harten-
bower, D. A. W. Perkins, Jos. Shinski, J. A. Brown
Treasurer H. B. Wyman
Marshal J. C. O'Donnell
Street Commissioner Geo. Hill
1879.
Mayor H. B. Wyman
Recorder J. J. Hartenbower
Trustees Geo. H. Boutelle, D. A. W. Perkins, J.
Shinski, Ed C. Brown, O. E. Wagoner, J. A. Brown
Treasurer E. F. Parkhurst
Assessor . . J. Wykoff
Street Commissioner Geo. Hill
Marshal... J. C. O'Donnell
1880.
Mayor J.J. Hartenbower
Recorder E.J. Woods
Trustees .....
J. A. Brown, J. Shinski, D. A. W. Perkins, D. S. White
Treasurer Ed C. Brown
Assessor J. B. Frisbee
Marshal . . Geo. Umphrey
Street Commissioner . . Geo. Hill
1881.
Mayor Jas. Wykoff
Recorder ..F. H. Nash
^ ""i^'^'). fcs."
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442 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, lOWA,
Trustees . . J . A. Brown,
Frank Frisbee, S. C. Nash, J. Shinski, H. S. Iselin
Treasurer .. W. L. Ay ers
Assessor F. W. Houck
Marshal , D. McKay
Street Commissioner Geo. Hill
1882.
Mayor .. . .. H. B. Wyman
Recorder F. H. Nash
Trustees A. McDougal,
John H. Iselin, S. C. Nash, D. S. White, Frank Frisbee
Treasurer ..-.. » Jos. Shinski
Assessor F. W. Houck
Marshal Fred Frisbee
Street Commissioner S. Shryock
1883.
Mayor . H. B. Wyman
Recorder A. W. Husted
Trustees Frank Frisbee, John
H. Iselin, D. S. White, P. R. Bailey, Geo. E. Berry
Treasurer W. L. Ayers
Assessor L. S. Stone
Marshal D. McKay
Street Commissioner • Geo. Terry
1884.
Mayor J. J. Hartenbower
Recorder S. H. Ladd
Trustees CM. Spencer, F. W. Cram, Geo. Berry,
E. F. Parkhurst, Charles Stinson and Joseph Shinski
Treasurer . . •_ W. L. Ayers
Assessor J. E. De Forest
Marshal Asa Monk
Street Commissioner .. Geo. Terry
1885.
Mayor W. S. Lamb
Recorder C. C. Birdsell
HISTORY OP O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 443
Trustees F. W. Cram, C. M. Spencer, Geo.
Berry, Jos. Shinski, Homer Conant and K. F. Parkhurst
Treasurer . . . W. L. Ayers
Assessor Jas. Wykoff
Marshal J. C. O'Donnell
Street Commissioner A. Charles
1886.
Mayor L. S. Bassett
Recorder C. F. Smock
Trustees CM. Spencer, H. W. Conant, W. C.
Hagy, J. Shinski, Wm. Reynolds and E. F. Parkhurst
Treasurer W. L. Ayers
Assessor Jas. Wykoff
Marshal ..Wm. Waters
Street Commissioner T. E. Newman
1887.
Mayor C. L. Gurney
Recorder . Geo. L. Vinz
Trustees W. C. Hajjy, H. W. Conant, Wm. Rey-
nolds, C. M. Spencer, Geo. Protexter and W. B. Bowne
Treasurer W. C. Kemper
Assessor Jas. Wykoff
Marshal James Chapman
Street Commissioner A. Charles
1888.
Mayor - Jos. Shinski
Recorder J- K- Elliott
Trustees W. W. Reynolds, W. C. Hagy, Geo. Pro-
texter, Homer W. Conant, W. E. Bowne and G. Y. Bonus
Treasurer W. C.Kemper
Assessor Jas. Wykoff
Marshal Frank Frisbee
Street Commissioner A. Charles
1889.
Mayor J- Shinski
Recorder... J- R- Elliott
444 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY.^IOWA.
Trustees . . W. B. Bowne, John Bowley,
H. W. Conant, Geo. Protexter, G. Y. Bonus, E. Y. Royce
Treasurer Charles Stinson
Assessor . . Jas. Wykoff
Street Commissioner James Thomas
Marshal Frank Frisbee
1S90.
Mayor 1 John Bowley
Recorder . . J. R. Elliott
Trustees W. B. Bowne, H. W. Conant,
F. W. Houck, M. C. Howard, E. Y. Royce, J. F. Stone
Treasurer .. Charles Stinson
Assessor Jas. Wykoff
Street Commissioner James Thomas
Marshal Frank Frisbee
1891.
Mayor John Bowley
Recorder H. W. Conant
Trustees M. C. Howard,
E. G. Corwin, W. B. Bowne, E. Y. Royce, Fred Frisbee
Treasurer , C. Stinson
Assessor Jas. Wykoff
Street Commissioner . James Thomas
Marshal . . Frank Frisbee
1892.
Mayor John Bowley
Recorder J. F. Norton
Trustees John Cool, E. G. Corwin,
M.C. Howard, J. F. Stone, W. B. Bowne, Fred Frisbee
Treasurer . W. L. Ayers
Assessor Robt. Martin
Street Commissioner Swan Esklund
Marshal Frank Frisbee
Mayor C. Stinson
Recorder J. F. Norton
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 445
Trustees H.J. Cram, J. O. Lias,
E. G. Corwin, M, C. Howard, Fred Frisbee and J. P. Cool
Treasurer . . . . . . . W. L. Ayers
Assessor Robt. Martin
Street Commissioner . . Swan Esklund
Marshal Frank Frisbee
1894.
During the preceding year the incorporated town of Shel-
don was changed in its grade to a city of the second class.
The law was fully complied with in bringing about this change
before the next election in March. The city was divided into
three wards, and the following are the first officers elected
under the new grade:
Mayor E. Y. Royce
Treasurer W. L. Ayers
Solicitor D. A. W. Perkins
Assessor W. E. Higley
Councilnten : First Ward, W. C. Kemper
and L. J. Button; Second Ward, H. J. Cram and
H.C.Lane; Third Ward, Wm. Wing and E. A. Boyd
Clerk P.W.Hall
Street Commissioner J. W. Hicks
Marshal Geo. Hudson
1895.
Mayor E. Y. Royce
Treasurer . W. L. Ayers
Solicitor D. A. W. Perkins
Assessor . W, E. Higley
Councilmen : ... - First Ward, L. J. Button
and Frank Frisbee; Second Ward, H. J. Cram and
W. H. Sleeper; Third Ward, J. D. Bunce and E. A. Boyd
Clerk P.W.Hall
Street Commissioner J. W. Hicks
Marshal -. Geo. Hudson
446 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
1896.
Mayor ..P. W. Hall
Treasurer . _ . Fred E. Frisbee
Solicitor. - Alfred Morton, and after his death G. M. Edmondson
Assessor W. E. Higley
Councilmen:.- .-First Ward, W. H. Myers and
Fred Frisbee; Second Ward, D. E. Dean and W. H.
Sleeper; Third Ward, J. D. Bunce and Wm. Jenkinson
Clerk J. W. Marshall
Street Commissioner B. Chase
Marshal Geo. Hudson
1897.
Mayor P. W. Hall
Treasurer Fred E. Frisbee
Solicitor Joe Morton
Assessor W. E. Higle}'
Councilmen Same as in 1896
Clerk J.W. Marshall
Street Commissioner ..B. Chase
Marshal Geo. Hudson
THE BUSINESS MEN OF SHELDON.
Merwin & Blivens, broom factory.
F. C. Steele, painter and paper hanger.
Christiana Christiansen, dressmaker.
A. & K. Donovan, milHners.
C. F. Butterfield, shoe store.
Havens & Stinson, dry goods.
T. P. Matthews, groceries.
B. F. Brown, meat market.
Waldsmith & Thompson, furniture.
E. K. Dun Van, physician, (homeopathic).
E. L. Richards, harness.
J. H. Hunt & Son, bakery.
Homer W. Conant, justice of the peace.
Frank E. Wade, surveyor.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 447
George Hudson, marshal.
Central House, S. Vandergrift, Prop.
F. C. Baudler, meat market.
S. S. Bailey, Racket store.
Dr. O. P. Maybe, dentist.
W. L. Ayers, drugs.
Dr. W. Myers, physician.
Smith & Logan, hardware.
Dr. Milton Daily, physician.
J. W. Marshall, groceries.
Union Telegraph Office, Miss Alice O'Brien, operator.
F. H. George, harness shop.
E. P. Messer, hardware.
S. S. Dean, drugs.
Winslow & Howig, barbers.
Dr. F. J. Gallaghar, dentist.
Dr. G. G. Brock, physician.
John Walton, bill poster.
Union Bank, W. H. Sleeper, cashier.
Charles Hoover, barber.
P. Neuroth, billiard hall.
Henry Manderschied, restaurant.
W. W. Bezold, biUiard hall.
W. H. Beacom, farm implements.
Sheldon Hotel, Peter McKinnon.
Peavy Elevator, Riddell, Lane & Gillespie.
D. E. Dean, agent, Omaha freight depot.
W.N. Strong, lumber, coal, etc.
Louis Peterson, blacksmith.
Sheldon Bank, Ed. C. Brown, cashier.
Boies & Roth, attorneys.
Postoffice, R. E. Kearney, P. M.
J. W. Tinsley, jeweler.
Frank Wirick, real estate.
J. L. Dyas, justice of the peace.
Geo. Sprague, constable.
448 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA,
John Brash, restaurant.
Alex McKeever, groceries.
Claude Gates, lunch parlor.
L. S. Bassett, clothing.
H. C. Lane, banker.
H. C. Lane, general store.
Smith & Bowers, furniture.
J. F. Stone, furniture.
P. B. Peters, harness.
W. H. Harrison, bicycles and general repairer.
A. H. Cobb, groceries and restaurant.
J. E. Ober, Milwaukee freight depot.
Big 4 Mills, John Vogel, manager.
Illinois Central depot, C. J. Inghram, agent.
Mail Office, F. T. Piper.
Empire Loan and Investment Co., John McCandless,
manager.
John L. McLaury & C. S. McLaury, real estate.
D. B. Roberts, photographer.
J. A. Larson, merchant tailor.
Park Pratt, real estate and loans.
Jewett Bros., wholesale grocers.
Bingenheimer & Tobin, saloon.
N. F. Worth, clothier.
Dr. E. T. Twining, specialist.
J. Cowie, tailor.
J. Shinski, collector and conveyancer.
Frank Cgnar, blacksmith.
Washer & Nugent, farm machinery.
Kemper & Elliott, Sheldon marble works.
Chas. Woodruff, tinner.
H. Vanderbeck, second-hand store.
Geo. A. Miller, machinery.
Frank Coles, shoe shop.
Mack Harris, music store.
N. W. Smead, barber.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 449
D. W. Story, butter and egg depot.
Harrington Bros., jewelers and notions.
Geo. G. McDonald, dry goods, etc.
E. Y. Royce, real estate.
C. Stinson, clother.
Allen & Cullen, lawyers.
H. B. Perry & Son, photographers.
Starrett Bros., general store.
•M. A. Manning, groceries.
M. L. Gilbert, Howard hotel.
Shipley & Co., drugs.
M. L. Cheever, restaurant.
J. L. Peck, meat market.
Dixon & Collins, hardware.
F. N. Conley, Sheldon cigar factory.
First National Bank, W. M. Smith, cashier.
Joe Morton, attorney.
H. B. Meis, real estate.
Eagle Office, J. H. Oats, Prop.
Mclntire & McFarland, law, land and loans.
Arlington Hotel, F. M. Crocker.
Frank Frisbee, livery.
W. E. VanCampen, lunch room.
A. C. Prentice, shoe and gun repairer.
W. E. Mayer, proprietor of Sheldon laundry.
F. M. Slagle & Co., lumber, coal and grain, F. B. Ford-
ward, Mgr.
John Paul Lumber Co., A, E. Pyncheon, Mgr.
Prairie Queen Mills, Scott Logan.
Union Depot, R. A. Coats, agent.
John Christiany, Sheldon green house.
Michael Thill, lunch counter.
Geo. Barrager, livery.
Thos. Gleason, lunch counter.
H. T. Thompson, farmers elevator.
G. W. Brown, elevator, L. J. Button, Mgr.
450 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Van Patten & Frisbee, wood, coal, etc.
Fiebig Bros., Sheldon bottling works.
R. Lawhead, Mgr. electric light plant.
Geo. Hill, dray.
J. H. Wilson, dray.
E. H. Clark, dray.
Levy H. Ten Evck, dray.
J. H. Kelley, dray.
Thos. Bloxham, dray.
Dr. F. W. Cram, physician.
F. C. Beam, Sheldon brick yard.
G. A. Gibson, attorney.
G. T. Wellman, attorney.
A. J. Walsmith, attorney.
J. S. Billings, painter and paper hanger.
Hoskin & Woods, blacksmiths.
George Wolsey, shoe store.
Clarence Wellman, insurance.
W. L. Edgerton, stock dealer.
SANBORN.
The town of Sanborn came into life six years after Sheldon
started, and five years after Primghar became the county
seat; its history comparatively is not of many years, but the
march of progress is ever onward, and the push of civihzation
knows no bounds. The McGregor and Missouri railway
company had undertaken to build across the state from Mc-
Gregor, to intersect with the Sioux City and St. Paul road, in
the vicinity of Sheldon. After reaching Algona, seventy-five
miles east of Sanborn, either from lack of good management,
or money, they stopped, unable to go further, until 1877 the
road passed into the hands of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St.
Paul company, which at once started up its rapid building and
extension. The construction train reached the town site
about the ist day of November, 1878. The site was owned
by Messrs. Lawler & Stocum, and was by them laid out into
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
451
lots. They first laid out about sixty acres, and at that time,
the town of Sanborn began its existance. Then, the intention
was to name the place Edenville, after the lovely spot which
sacred history designates as the home of the first pair, and
where " Mother Eve " ate the forbidden fruit. But Edenville
was not a satisfactory name to Mr. Stocum, he did not care to
shoulder the ever present recollection of that fatal and diso-
bedient occurrence in the name of the town, which would be
a constant reminder, so that another was sought, and the
present name fixed upon. It was named after Geo. W. San-
born then superintendent of the wes-
tern portion of the Chicago, Mil-
waukee and St. Paul railroad, who
was a man of thorough business
quaHties, a good railroad man, and
in every respect a gentleman. The
name itself is of good sound, and
now has extensive familiarity, and
will go out in reputation as the town
itself grows in size and importance.
The first building was one hauled
from Primghar by L. C. Green as a
dwelling house, although about the
same time E. R. Wood for Teabout and Valleau, had a build-
ing there. The county seat, nestling in the geographical cen-
ter of the county, gazed with wonder and alarm at the found-
ing of this new city seven miles north, and with prophetic eye
saw its future growth and stability. Mr. Green was the first
to strike out, and haul his building over the intervening
prairie, and reached the townsite on the 12th day of Decem-
ber, 1878, and was soon safely housed in his new location.
We may safely say that L. C. Green and E. R. Wood were
the first to occupy any building on the townsite, and as
both acted about the same time it is hard to tell which was
first.
The first building of a town, sort of remains always as a cur-
MKS. HARRY MILLER.
45'i HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
iosity, but perhaps not with Sanborn, as it is still young in
years; but after a few generations have come and crone, when
a portion of the people lie slumbering in the adjacent grave-
yard, then early history is revived. Many an eastern city pre-
serves with historic pride its first structure, and carefully pro-
tects its moss-grown and decaying columns, as far as possible,
from the ravages of time. Sanborn has not reached that per-
iod, and many will cross the dark river before it is reached,
still Sanborn's first building was eventful, because it was the
starting point of the town's existence.
After Mr. Green and Mr. Wood, there soon followed Hiram
Algyer, who, being a first-class carpenter and builder, well
understood that Sanborn was to furnish unlimited labor for
mechanics, and consequently he was early on the ground. His
dwelling house was the third of that kind of building in point
of time, and was soon occupied by himself and family. About
the same time L. D. Thomas moved a building on the town
site, which belonged to A. G. Willits, which Mr. Thomas
used as a carpenter shop, and which constituted the fourth
building in Sanborn. This building was occupied by Mr.
Thomas until the marriage of Mr. Willits to Miss Cora
Thomas, when they settled down to housekeeping in the same
building. This was in January, 1878, and during the same
month several other buildings were moved from Primghar, in
fact there seemed to be a general exodus from the county
seat. About this time the Barnes hotel arrived in Sanborn.
Mr. Barnes having kept hotel at Primghar, moved the build-
ing and continued the same business at Sanborn.
The first store was opened by S. W. Clark. He did for a
while have his stock in the depot, and there satisfied the pub-
lic demands for the necessaries of life, until a building, also
moved from Primghar, was furnished him. This building was
afterward occupied by J. T. Joyce with a grocery stock.
About the next building was Paine's store.
In November, 1878, a freight car was placed on the side-
track and used as a depot. L. E. Whitman was the first agent,
History of o'brieN county, iowa.
453
who lived in the depot building, as also did W. Dunbar, the
first roadmaster at this point.
The first church services were held in the residence of L.
C. Green. They consisted of the usual Sunday exercises of
the Methodist church. There were not many present, in fact
the town had not many to be present, but what were there
made themselves devotional in psalm singing, and listening to
the sermon by Rev. Ira Brashears.
Several other buildings were moved from Primghar to
Sanborn that winter. The building erected by Mr. Pumphrey
for the use of the county,
was moved and is now a ~
dwelling house. E. M. Brady
also moved his building, in
which was a hardware store.
It must have been a novel
sight, especially to an ex-
treme eastern man to have
seen the road from the county
seat hned with moving build-
ings, and the prairie dotted
with that which is supposed
to be permanent and fixed,
but it only illustrates the
changes which time brings
about.
Frank Teabout was early
on the ground in Sanborn.
He erected several buildings,
was a man of much public spirit and business enterprise, and
everything had to move that he took hold of. Mr. Teabont
died several years ago.
E. M. Brady, one of the earliest settlers, established the
first hardware store in town, and is still engaged here in the
same business with his brother James. Mr. Brady has been a
member of the county board of supervisors, and is at present
S. STRUBLE.
454 HISTORY OP O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
a member of the legislature from this district. He is a man
of good business qualities, takes an interest in the town and is
of good repute among his neighbors.
The first bank in Sanborn, was started in January, 1879, ^y
I. W. Daggett, who had a bank at Primghar, but who moved
the whole business over to Sanborn, building and all. The
building was placed on the corner of Second and Main streets,
but was afterwards vacated by Mr. Daggett, for other and
better quarters, and the building is now occupied by some
party as a residence. He afterwards formed a partnership
with M. H. Freeman, and these two continued the business
until later on, they sold out to Harker & Green, Mr. Daggett
is still engaged in trade at Sanborn.
J. R. Pumphrey w^s an early settler, and in January and
February, 1879, ^^ nioved eight buildings from Primghar to
Sanborn. The winter of 1878-79 was not a severe one, it
was favorable to outdoor work, but had it been a winter
similiar to '80 and '81, but little could have been accomplished
in the removal of buildings.
The first mail route between Sanborn and Primghar was
established February i, 1879. ^- ^- Green was appointed as
mail carrier, and like everything else which Lem undertook,
the mail was always on time.
The first butcher shop in Sanborn was opened in February
of that same year by Sam Hibbs. He moved his building
from the county seat, and what few there were, had an oppor-
tunity to buy some beefsteak for their breakfast, and a choice
roast for dinner.
Dick Thomas was an early settler in the county, and com-
menced life in Sanborn as a hotel clerk.
The first scales in town, by which farmers and all others
could test the accuracy of the weight of their commodity,
were put in by Mr. Daggett, and he himself balanced the beam,
and no doubt justly as between buyer and seller. The depot
building at this time was used for church services, and was so
used until other accommodations were had.
HlSTOkY OF.O*BRlEN COUNTY, tOWA.
455
As soon as the government could get around to it, and the
people were prepared for it, a postoffice was the order of the
day. Ira Brashears was soon appointed postmaster, and the
first office was in the bank building of I. W. Daggett.
In March, 1879, ^^^ town was still in its infancy. It was
only a few months since the railroad reached the townsite, so
there was not a very extend-
ed growth, or a large dis-
play of buildings, but the
march of improvement went
on, and Sanborn constantly
advanced. At this time in
March and following, tem-
perance lectures were had
every Wednesday evening.
People in a new town always
turn out to anything that
comes along, and in this re-
spect can set a good exam-
ple to older towns. It is
often the case that a negro
show, or some monkey per-
formance will attract an aud-
, ., ... D. C. ELDKEDUK.
lence, while a sensible or an
intellectual entertainment will not draw at all. This is so
with larger places, but with Sanborn as it was in March,
1879, ^^1 went to whatever was of a public character. The
first Sunday in March, at the depot, there were over sixty
persons present, and at the temperance meeting, there was a
full attendance.
The first warehouse in town was that of Teabout & Valleau,
built in February, 1879, ^" charge of E. R. Wood, and the
same month Mr. Teabout commenced the erection of buildings
on his ranch, southwest of town and soon had them completed.
During the same month a telephone was established between
Clark's store and the depot, so that Warren Walker was not
the first telephonist in the county.
456 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
On March 8th, 1879, there were shipped twelve carloads of
cattle from Sanborn to market. This same month Mat Comes
arrived, put up a blacksmith shop, started up in business, and
soon after moved his family to town.
At this time Sanborn was still without a school house, but
the American people are not long in providing educational fa-
cilities; indeed, it is a marked characteristic of the people,
first, that the children are properly taught. There being no
building at the time owned by the district, a room was rented
and used for that term, but that summer, after a tax had been
voted, a school house was built, and since then there have
been several, until at last the present magnificent structure,
which is the pride of the city.
In the spring of 1879 there was commenced the erection of
several business and dwelling houses. Primghar having fur-
nished its share on the start, it could not be expected to con-
tribute further. Lumber was now to be had, and the sound
of the axe, hammer and saw was heard on every side. The
first lumber yard was started by Teabout & Valleau. In that
same month was built the Jenkins House, by Mr. Hillyer, who
proposed to contest the patronage with Mr. Barnes. This
hotel had several different landlords, and is now run and
owned by T. D. White.
In the spring of 1879, Sanborn was somewhat afflicted with
scarlet fever, but it did not rage extensively, though several
families were severely stricken. Messrs. Green, Patch and
Hakeman were at this time extensively engaged in the hog
business, and paid out many thousands of dollars. This was
then, as now, considered a good point by the farmers, and
consequently many were marketed here.
Quite an amusing scene was had in May, when Frank Tea-
bout, acting as auctioneer, sold a large amount of truck which
had accumulated on his hands. Decorated with his well
known white beaver, and at his tongue's end the usual vocab-
ulary of "One dollar, do I hear the two?" he made much fun
for the boys and made good sales. During this same month,
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
457
also, Mr. Teabout's team ran away, injuring Mrs. Teabout so
severely that she never fully recovered.
There was a saloon started in the spring, and the second sa-
loon, with a billiard room attachment, was started by Fittsim-
ons on First street. He did not long continue, however, and
must have sniffed the coming amendment afar off.
After the completion of the Jenkins House in 1879, Sanborn
then had three hotels; the Sanborn House kept by Barnes,
the Jenkins House by Jenkins and the Western Hotel kept by
Dan GarroU. This same
..^^S**^>v
i
spring Allen Crossan built a
dwelling house.
The 4th of July, 1879, was
Sanborn's first celebration,
and it went off with much
enthusiasm. Preparations
were made sufficiently in ad-
vance, so that a good time
was expected and was had.
A procession was formed
which marched through
what streets they had, and
all gathered under a bower
prepared for the purpose.
Allen Crossan, now of the
Hartley Herald, read the
Declaration of Independence,
and J. L. E. Peck of Primghar delivered the oration. Dinner
then followed, which was relished and appreciated by the
hungry crowd, after which they had glass ball and egg shoot-
ing, horse racing, and a wheel barrow race, winding up with
fireworks in the evening.
The first load of grain brought into Sanborn in that 3'ear,
1879, w^s a load of flax on the 19th day of August, and was
bought by C. H. Clark.
The first child born in Sanborn was in August of that year,
HON. L. B. RAYMOND.
458 HISTORY OP O'BRtEN COUNTY, lOWA.
to R. Hazeldine and wife; the little one should have been
donated a town lot. It was a girl, and its parents moved
away the same year.
During that year, 1879, ^^^ hotels and all other stopping
places were crowded, and Sanborn was continually rushed
with new comers. In October, 1879, ^- ^- ^^S^ opened a
butcher shop, and the first issue of the Pioneer in Sanborn
was on November 7th. In November, the John Richardson
building was moved from Primghar onto the main street, and
the same month Geo. Valleau arrived in Sanborn, and has
been a citizen of the town ever since. Robt. Tifft was the
first drayman, his brother Frank driving for awhile at first.
Mr. Tifft remained in the same business uutil recently.
The latter part of November, 1879, ^^' Charles Smith
opened a drug store. He died several years ago. In 1879,
the Methodist church was dedicated with J. H. Drake as
pastor. The following winter there was not much building,
as the weather was very severe but the following spring there
was much activity and improvement. David Algyer taught
the Sanborn school that winter, was quite popular as a teacher,
and David being of a musical turn of mind, and a good singer,
he also taught a class in music. In 1879, Geo. Casley came
to Sanborn, and in a quiet and unassuming, but industrious
way, has continued his barber shop and is still running it.
In the latter part of March, 1879, Sanborn contained 100
inhabitants, and in May following it had doubled to 200. Im-
provements continued that summer, and the social condition
of the town was pleasant and agreeable. A base ball club
was organized. E. R. Wood sold a tier of building lots off of
his farm north of town. J. C. Drake became salesman in the
store of Teabout & Valleau. John Manly opened up a cobbler
shop. The bridge north of town across the Floyd was com-
pleted. J, L. Green and Geo. Hakeman bought a large
amount of stock. The Sanborn house was built this summer
by Clark & Hillier and Postmaster Brashers put up a build-
ing for the postoffice.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
459
In 1879, Sanborn along with Sheldon was an aspirant for the
county seat. The year 1879 closed with a wonderful showing
of improvement, in both business houses and residences. Some
few changes had occurred and the town was full of strangers
looking for locations. The town had doubled in population
since a period of six months previousl}'. A Methodist church
the first church building in town was completed. The round
house was ready for occupancy, business was good, and there
THE WORST OF ALL EXPERIENCES IN A NEW COUNTRY.
was an air of contentment prevailing all over. Cal. Broad-
street, the able attorney now of Sioux City, came in the fall
of 1879, ^"^ himself and Harley Day, with Harris & Welister
of Primghar organized a real estate agency. The first death
in Sanborn occurred in January, 1880, being the youngest
child Minnie, of W. W. Barnes.
T. D. White made his advent into the city in 1879. ^^
lived on a farm in Floyd township, but exchanged rural life
for a mercantile pursuit, and went into the coal and grain bus-
460 MtSTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
iness. In January, 1880, the round house was completed, and
business from that time on constantly increased. Harry Sher-
man soon had a saloon, and called it the "House of Lords."
C. H. Perry opened a drug store, and Harley Day opened a
law and insurance office.
In April, 1880, W. C. Green built a residence, in which he
still resides, but has since improved and enlarged it with much
taste. That same year Mart Shea built a house, and in April
Mr. Chas. Vogt landed m Sanborn, and opened a shoe shop.
That year the Jenkins house became the "City Hotel" and
for awhile was run by Mrs. Preston, who is remembered by
all who were here at that time. She was a very strong-
minded woman, and everybody had to toe the mark. Some
boarder got into a dispute with her upon the question, as to
whether his meal ticket had been punched or not. Mrs. Pres-
ton was on the negative, and the boarder on the affirmative.
The debate was brief. He hurled a chair at his opponent, a
very unparliamentary proceeding, but she dodged the chair
successfully, and then presented to her adversary the muzzle
of a six shooter, upon which he retreated in good order, and
the controversy ended.
The summer school of 1880, was taught by Mrs. Wm.
Baldwin, who still resides in the county, and was one of its
best teachers. The months of April and May, 1880, were
very busy ones, as improvements of all kinds were constantly
going on. The town at this time had about five hundred in-
habitants, and the number was increased by the daily arrival
of those who had heard of this rising city.
Claudius Tifft started a paint shop, L. W. Barr erected a
neat little cottage, and Frank Teabout laid out an addition on
the south. M, D. Comes built a dwelling house, John Doyle
a store. Lane & Longshore a bank building, the Pioneer build-
ing was put up, a residence by James O'Neal and also one by
Samuel Hibbs. Work was commenced on the stock yards,
and H. A. Sage built himself a residence. Sanborn has always
been noted for its gala days, and on March 28, 1880, there
462 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
was quite a blow-out. A foot race between Charley Adams
and Gus Satterlee for if)i2.50, was won by the former after a
sharp contest. Pigeon shooting was quite a feature of the
day's amusement, and the honors, as well as the spoils, were
carried off by William Woodman, a popular locomotive engi-
neer. The day's amusements concluded with a dance in Pio-
neer hall, music furnished by Messrs. Woodman & Kelley of
Spencer, Charles H. Perry, Frank Eastwood and H. Lever-
age of Sanborn.
George Davids was one of the early business men of San-
born, in the Sanborn State Bank, with Morton Wilbur as as-
sistant cashier. He sold out in 1886 to Ellis Bros., and Mr.
Wilbur then became cashier, and still is. P. Velie is an early
settler of the town, and is one of its prominent business men ;
also, William Roberts opened a hardware store in Sanborn
among the first of its merchants, and is still there in mercan-
tile business.
The fore part of 1880 started out with many improvements.
Conductor Frank Brainard built himself a residence, and sev-
eral other residences soon followed. At the beginning of sum-
mer, in 1880, Sanborn had a population of 400, and its first
circus in July that year called together an enthusiastic and jub-
ilant crowd. In September of that year, J. L. Green and
William Harker opened a bank. Mr. Harker died in 1895.
He was a noble, manly fellow, kind of heart and a paragon of
personal integrity. He was laid away in the Sanborn ceme-
tery, amid the sorrowful tears of his townspeople, and his loss
to the community was great.
" His life was gentle; and the elements
So mix'd in him, that Nature might stand up,
And say to all the world, " This was a man!"
His widow still resides in Sanborn, is president of the bank
now, and is probably the only woman president of a bank in
the State of Iowa. Mrs. Harker is a very lady-like woman,
and is much respected. The bank now is in charge of J. H.
Daly, who as a banker is very competent and painstaking, and
he has the confidence of his fellow citizens.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 463
In February, 1880, Sanborn made a move for incorporation.
Upon petition being presented, the court appointed Mart
Shea, L. C. Green, S. W. Clark, A. G. Willits, and Cal.
Broadstreet as commissioners, to call an election for voting
upon incorporation, for and against. The election was held
March 13, 1880, and resulted in forty votes for, and twenty-
four against. After the election, April 3, following, was named
as the time for the election of officers, which election resulted
in the following as given in 1880 which were the first muni-
cipal officers of the town. In this connection also we give the
names of all officers up to the present time.
1880.
Mayor E. M. Brady
Recorder Chas. H. Perry
Councilmen Mart Shea, S. W. Clark,
L. C. Green, H. Algyer, W. F. Jones, Cal. Broadstreet
Marshal and Street Commissioner ._ T. D. White
Treasurer Frank Patch
Mayor A.J. Devine
Recorder .._ A. G. Willits
Councilmen ..Mart Shea, H. Algyer,
S. W. Clark, Cal. Broadstreet, L. C. Green, W. F.Jones
Marshal and Commissioner Mart Shea
Assessor C. H. Perry
Treasurer Frank Patch
1882.
Mayor Harley Day
Recorder A. G. Willits
Councilmen . E. M. Brady, John Douglass,
L. C. Green, H. Algyer, Cal. Broadstreet, Wm. Harker
Marshal and Street Commissioner T. D. White
Assessor A. G. Willits
Treasurer Frank Patch
464 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
1883.
Mayor F. Teabout
Recorder A. J. Devine
Councilmen L. C. Green, P. Velie, Wni.
Harker, Cal. Broadstreet, John Douglass, E. M. Brady
Marshal and Street Comnriissioner . R. M. Boyd
Assessor A. G. Willits
Treasurer J. L. Green
1884.
Mayor . . . D. R. Phelps
Recorder . P. C. Miller
Councilmen Peter Velie, H. Roden, L.
C. Green, S. J. Stokes, Cal. Broadstreet, W. A. Wasson
Marshal and Street Commissioner R. M. Boyd
Assessor — _. Geo. H. Peck
Treasurer J- L. Green
City Attorney - W. D. Boies
1885.
Mayor _ . _ A. McNaughton
Recorder E. R. Wood
Councilmen P. Velie, L. C. Green,
Ira Pool, Cal. Broadstreet, W. A. Wasson, S. J. Stokes
Marshal and Street Commissioner D. Palen
Assessor J. A. Stocum
Treasurer J. L. Green
City Attorney W. D. Boies
1886.
Mayor W. D. Boies
Recorder E. R. Wood
Councilmen H. E. Correll, J. E. Drake, Ira
Pool, W. A. Wasson, C. E. Coleman, and S. J. Stokes
Marshal and Street Commissioner D. Palen
Assessor . . J. A. Stocum
Treasurer J. L,. Green
O'BRIEN COUNTY CATTLE,
ALONG THE CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE AND ST. PAUL RAILROAD.
406 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
1887.
Mayor .- . W. H. Noyes
Recorder H. D. Chapin
Councilman G. O. W heeler, H. E. Correll,
C. E. Coleman, Wm. Harker, I. N. Drake, Ira Poole
Marshal and Street Commissioner D, Palen
Assessor .. Geo. M. Rising
Treasurer . - - J. L. Green
Cuy Attorney _ . . W. D. Boies
1888.
Mayor N. L. F. Peck
Recorder . H. D. Chapin
Councilmen G. O. Wheeler, H. E, Correll,
C. E. Coleman, Wm. Harker, I. N. Drake, D. Moody
Marshal and Street Commissioner D. Palen
Assessor Geo. M. Rising
Treasurer . , J. L. Green
1889.
Mayor J. E. Drake
Recorder H. D. Chapin
Councilmen H. E. Correll, D. Moody, Wm.
Harker, J. O. Payne, A. M. Davison, G. O. Wheeler
Marshal and Street Commissioner S. R. Charlton
Assessor . _ .. . . G. M. Rising
Treasurer . D. W. Wood
1890.
Mayor • . J. E. Drake
Recorder H. D. Chapm
Councilmen A.M. Davison, Wm. Harker,
D. Moody, H. E. Correll, J. O. Payne, G. O. Wheeler
Marshal and Street Commissioner . C. DeWitt
Assessor G. M. Rising
Treasurer D. M. Wood
1891.
Mayor ; ..D. R. Phelps
Recorder J. W. Roberts
CUTTING GRAIN,
ALONG THE CHICAGO. MILWAUKEE AND ST. PAUL RAILROAD.
468 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Councilmen J. F. Kerberg, D. Moody, C. L. Van
Alstine, G. O. Wheeler, Robert Hamilton, H. E. Correll
Marshal and Street Commissioner . . - R. M. Boyd
Assessor ..G. M. Rising
Treasurer D. W. Wood
City Attorney _- J. A. Stocum
1S92.
Mayor ... W. C. Green
Recorder J. W. Roberts
Councilmen _J. F. Kerberg, D. Palen, R. Hamilton,
P. McGratb, C. L. Van Alstine, G. O. Wheeler
Street Commissioner and Marshal . . . R. M. Boyd
Assessor G. M. Rising
Treasurer Wm. Harker
City Attorney C. A. Babcock
1893.
Mayor W. F. Francis
Recorder E. D. Phelps
Councilmen E. M. Brady, F. R. Fields, P. McGrath,
C. L. Van Alstine, J. F. Kerberg, Geo. Peck
Marshal and Street Commissioner . D. Palen
Assessor _ Geo. Coleman
Treasurer Wm. Harker
City Attorney J.A.Wilcox
1894.
Mayor. _ W. J. Francis
Recorder ... F. B. Owens
Councilmen E. M. Brady, F. R. Fields,
P. McGrath, Geo. Valleau, C, Jackson, J. F. Martini
Street Commissioner and Marshal D. Palen
Assessor Geo. Coleman
Treasurer Wm. Harker
1895.
Mayor W. J. Francis
Recorder F. B. Owens
Councilmen Geo. Valleau, W. W. Johnson,
A. D. Nelson, G. O. Wheeler, E. M. Brady, C. Jackson
FARM NEAR HARTLEY,
ON THE CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE AND ST. PAUL RAILROAD.
ilO HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Marshal and Street Commissioner D. Palen
Assessor Geo. Coleman
City Attorney ..... C. A. Babcock
1896.
Mayor _ . . G. O. Wheeler
Recorder F. B. Owens
Assessor M. R. Boyd
Councilmen . Geo. Hakeman, C. Jackson
...P. McGrath, Geo. Valleau, A. D. Nelson, M. Wilbur
Marshal and Street Commissioner - C. J. McDonald
Treasurer . J. H. Daly
1897.
Mayor -- W. J. Francis
Recorder H. D. Chapin
Councilmen P. Velie, D. O. Watson,
A. D. Nelson, Geo. Hakeman, P. McGrath, M. Wilbur
Marshal and Street Commissioner H. M. Shirk
Assessor M. R. Boyd
Treasurer J- H. Daly
In 1881, some others who went into business were: C. J.
Everhard, furniture store; R. Elliott, tailor shop; Broadstreet
& Boies, lawyers; E. F. Bacon & Son, general store; J. E.
Drake, jewelry; Walter J. Hovey, lawyer; M. Gans, saloon;
A. J. Fitzgerald, clothing store; Parker & Goethel, meat mar-
eet; Miss Gerlack, milHnery; G. W. Piatt, general store; B.
H. Brashears, harness shop; H. P. Bunce, doctor; Geo. A.
Powell, furniture; S. W. Creed, bakery; H. S. Wiser, dry
goods; John Selig, restaurant; Dunnel Bros., livery; G. W.
Davis, blacksmith; Eastwood & Harvey, paint shop; Oshkosh
Lumber Co., in charge of G. D. Williams. The changes that
come over the business interests of a town in the course of
years, are plainly seen in some of the foregoing, compared
with the business houses of to-day. Some of these mentioned
have gone to their final homes, while others of them are in
other parts of the country.
Warren Walker moved from Sanborn to Primghar in i88o-
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 471
Upon his removal to Sanborn from Primghar, he was a part-
ner with Mr. Willits in the Pioneer^ and carried on a land
and law business, until i895,when he removed to Des Moines.
Mr. Walker is spoken of elsewhere in the general history as
an early settler.
In 1884, Sanborn indulged in the roller skate craze along
with the rest of other towns. The rink was talked about for
weeks, and was finally opened on the evening of March 19th.
There were over two hundred spectators and one hundred
and fifty skaters. The Sanborn string band, under the lead-
ership of Prof. J. E. Drake, assisted by Prof. Marcussen and
Milt H. Allen, furnished the music in the fore part of the even-
ing, and the Sheldon cornet band the rest of the time. In
1884, Geo. B. Davids, Warren Walker, David Palen and Cal
Broadstreet laid out a race course east of town. In 1884,
Sanborn had a grand 4th of July celebration. The bad
weather somewhat dampened the ardor of the crowd, and the
exercises were had under difficulties. There was a street
parade, participated in by the Grand Army boys of Sheldon
and Sanborn; an imposing representation of the galaxy of
states, with Miss Belle Reber as the Goddess of Liberty.
Judge C. H. Lewis delivered the oration. Tommy Lane with
his fast trotter won the horse race against Fred Harmon; Ed
Parkhurst won in the shooting contest; Charley Adams won
the foot race, and Steve Jordan caught the greased pig.
Everybody was sober, and a magnificent display of fireworks
ended the performances. Along in 1884, with Sanborn's other
social attractions, they had a baby show. Mrs. Perry's took
the prize as the largest, Mrs. Cory's as the smallest, and Mrs.
E. M. Brady's as the prettiest.
The Presbyterian church was dedicated Sunday, August
17, 1884. It was under the supervision of Rev. M. Bailey,
missionary of Iowa, and the pastor. Rev. W. E. Caldwell, as-
sisted by Rev. M. Bascom. The building cost $3,300, and was
all paid up at the time.
In 1884, Sanborn made the following improvement:
4'J2 HiStORY OF O'BRtEN COUNTV, IOWA.
Presbyterian church $ 3?500 oo
Warren Walker, betterment . . . 500 00
W. A. Wasson 1,20000
S. C. Bascom, betterment 250 00
J. W. Dick, barn _ _ . 100 00
Wheeler & Flint, store 3>ooo 00
G. O. Wheeler, betterment 20000
C. F. Flint, betterment 200 00
G. S. Morean, betterment ... 100 00
F. Brainard, betterment . 500 00
J. O. Sullivan, betterment 1 88 00
F. A. Reeves, residence 700 00
G. W. Piatt, residence i?443 00
M. D. Comes, betterment . _ 60 00
L. H. Ide, betterment . 300 00
M. J. Draper, betterment 700 00
J. L. Green, betterment 200 00
R. M. Jenks, betterment 200 00
H. Gibbs, betterment. 50 00
S. R. Charlton, betterment 200 00
J. R. Pumphrey, betterment ... 120 00
D. Moody, betterment 50 00
S. W. Whyte, betterment 300 00
Geo. W. Bryan, betterment 400 00
Al. Barrett, betterment 200 00
L. Barr, betterment . _ 1 50 00
E. M. Brady, betterment . _ 800 00
Mrs. Conkey, betterment . . _ 150 00
W. A. Kaynor, betterment 350 00
P. Velie, betterment 100 00
H. Day, betterment 100 00
I. W. Daggett, betterment i So 00
A. R. Mead, betterment 100 00
H. J. Garmon, betterment. .' ...... 75 00
J. W. Robert, betterment 50 00
T. DeLong, blacksmith shop 50 00
HISTORY OF OBRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
473
Parker & Vyse, betterment
W. H. Jonston & Co., betterment
R. Lyons, betterment . . .
C. McCahn, betterment
Geo. B. Davids, betterment .
C. D. Ellis, betterment
Palen, Green & Co., betterment .
I. G. Poole, betterment
H. L. Hazen, betterment
John MuUady, betterment ..
D. R. Phelps, betterment . .
T. W. Lane, betterment
C. F. Owen, betterment
W. C. Green, barn
C. Klein, betterment
Cal. Broadstreet, betterment
Wm. Woodman, betterment
Whitten & Wasson, betterment. .
W. T. Bowen, betterment
C. Tifft, betterment _
lOO oo
50 00
100 00
100 00
500 00
150 00
3,000 00
500 00
300 00
200 00
700 00
250 00
100 00
409 00
200 00
100 00
500 00
200 00
50 00
100 00
Total $24,783 00
o'mrien county prairie chickens,
along the chicago, milwaukee and st. paul railroad.
474 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY. IOWA.
The present business interests of Sanborn are as follows:
Theo. Linden, furniture.
Mrs. A. E. Jennings, millinery.
J. H. Wolf, Sanborn Pioneer.
I. W. Daggett, general merchandise.
P. F. Velie, furniture.
Postoffice, J. F. Kerberg, postmaster.
McCullow & Stock, meat market.
W. A. Wasson, general merchandise.
S. C. Skinner, grocer.
B. F. McCormack, Sanborn Sun.
T. A. Roberts, grocer.
John Free, racket store.
W. H. Barker & Co., drugs.
Dr. R. A. Cushman.
G. H. Edgington, dentist.
E. L. Marsh, restaurant.
C. D. Killam & Son, clothing.
State Bank of Sanborn, Ellis Bros., M. Wilbur, cashier.
Robert E. Lee, clothing.
W. H. Barker, jeweler.
Clyde Powell, billiard parlor.
Arthur Lucas, jeweler.
M. C. Cutting, restaurant.
Percy Allen, barber.
J. L. Lones, agricultural implements.
M. P. Finley, saloon.
W. J. Cashen, saloon.
C. C. Bingham, barber.
English Kitchen Hotel, G. H. Boynton, proprietor.
Ezra Armstrong, livery.
Western Hotel, Wm. Weal, proprietor.
Hakeman & Sons, grain, lumber and coal.
J. E. Jackson, city scales.
Todd & Powers, agricultural implements.
W. H. Austin, contractor and builder.
HISTORY OF OBRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 475
W. W. Johnson, lumber, grain and coal.
W. H. VanAlstine, hotel.
T. D. White, real estate.
Sanborn House, Ed. Helmer, proprietor.
Geo. Casserly & Son, barbers.
Treiewiler & Long, meat market.
D. B. Wright, harness.
Geo. Vogt, restaurant.
Arthur McArdle, shoe shop.
Brady Bros., hardware.
W. W.Johnson, groceries.
W. C. Green, dry goods.
E. T. Eangley & Son, lawyers.
C. A. Babcock, lawyer.
J. E. Hopkins, livery.
First National Bank, Mrs. Wm. Harker, president;
James H. Daly, cashier.
Peck & McFarland, hardware.
August Schoel, druggist.
Pirie & Anderson, tailors.
N. Trobridge, barber.
David Larson, shoe shop.
W. H. Sloan & Son, auctioneers.
F. W. Horton, physician.
J. S. Leary, physician.
Joe Wilcox, lawyer.
Wilcox, Boyd & Co., real estate collections, etc.
F. M. Perry, racket store.
G. O. Wheeler, agricultural implements.
Martin Seba, blacksmith.
Hiram Telkamp, agricultural implements.
Telkamp's Hall.
J. A. Golinbaux, blacksmith.
Bender Bros., elevator.
Hunting Elevator company.
Geo. Hakeman, elevator.
476
HtSTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
Henry Magee & Geo. Coleman, stock.
W. H. Sloan & Son, dray line.
Heman & Gibbs, dray line.
Ezra Armstrong, dray line.
Thos. Bulger, dray line. .
O'BRIEN COUNTY KOAD NEAR SANBORN,
II-ONG THE CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE AND ST. PAUL RAILROAD.
CHURCHES.
Catholic, J. P. Martin, priest.
Unitarian, W. L. Utley.
Presbyterian, Chas. Williams.
Methodist, R. K. Calloway.
German Lutheran, F. W. D. Brandt.
CIVIC SOCIETIES.
MODERN WOODMEN OF AMERICA.
J. F. Kerberg, V. C.
Peter Velie, Clerk.
K. OF P. LODGE.
N. H. Green, C. C.
C. C. Algyer, V. C.
A. Vyce, K. P. S.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 477
Mrs. J. F. Kerberg, President.
Mrs. Mary A. Coleman, Secretary.
J. M. Vincent, Com.
H. E. Correll, S. V.
Henry Pruin, J. V.
Geo. Hakeman, Q. M.
W. W. Johnson, Adj.
Claudis Tifft, Chaplin.
R. M. Boyd, Officer of the Day.
J. I. Perry, Surgeon.
J. W. Todd, Officer of the Guurd.
I. O. O. F. LODGE.
W. H. Austin, N. G.
D. Moody, Secretary.
SANBORN ENCAMPMENT, NO, 1 24, I. O. O. F.
J. A. Wikox, G. P.
W. H. Austin, Scribe.
ONYX LODGE, A. F. & A. M.
C. F. Owen, W. M.
P. Vehe, Secretary.
SAMARIA CHAPTER NO. 4I, R. A. M.
J. H. Wolf, H. P.
J. H. Daly, Secretary.
CORAL CHAPTER NO. 4I, O. E. S.
Mrs. Anna E. Velie, W. M.
Mrs. Helen Lick, Secretary.
478
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
RAILROAD DIVISION.
Sanborn is a railroad division town, of the Chicago, Mil-
waukee and St. Paul. By reason of this, a large amount of
money is paid out each month to the employees, and it also
gives the tow^n an air of activity and business, which it has.
Railroad men are not niggardly, and never deny themselves
the comforts of life, their money goes for what is needed for
expenses without begrudging it. Railroad men as a rule are
level headed fellows, and brave to a fault, like all other occu-
pations there is now and then a bad one, as there is a black
sheep in every flock. In the run of years there are many
changes among the men, yet some of them get to become
stand-bys, and their faces
are familiar to the travel-
ing public for years.
There are several em- "
ployees of this company
now with them at Sanborn,
who were with the com-
pany in 1878. We re-
member Hank George and
Dell Case, two passenger
conductors, who were
princely fellows, and fav-
orites with travelers. Mr.
George died some years
ago, and Dell Case died
in Mason City in 1888, of
paralysis of the brain.
Railroad men run many
chances of accident, and it always seemed that a locomotive
engineer must be a man of considerable nerve and judgment,
and a brakeman on a freight, must carry himself with tact and
caution, to be successful and free from injury.
One of the most distressing accidents that has occurred at
Sanborn was that in February, 1887, resulted in the death of
HON. GEORGE D. PERKINS,
Member of Congress from this District.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
479
Hiram Algyer, who was employed about the yard. A freight
train was made up ready to go east, and stood on the side
track with the switch engine at the rear of the train, next to
the caboose. Hiram was putting a glass in the door, when
an engine, pulling a water car, running with considerable
speed, was, by a misplaced switch run on the side track and
into the switch engine, which crashed into the caboose, carry-
ing away the platform and cutting off Mr. Algyer's legs.
Hiram Algyer was a noble fellow; highly respected, and
his sudden taking off, cast a shade of gloom over the entire
community.
A very unfortunate accident occurred near Hartley the first
year of the road across the county. John G. Patterson, a
very able lawyer of Charles
City, employed by the com-
pany in securing title to right-
of-way, was in 1878 riding in
a freight car loaded in each
end with ties, when the car
left the track, crushing the
unfortunate man to death.
The present town of Hull in
Sioux county, originally
named Pattersonville, was
named after this distinguished /^
lawyer.
C. McCann met with a
shocking death in 1885. He
was engaged in repairing the tank of a locomotive, which was
resting on four oil barrels, and while McCann was working un-
derneath, the barrels suddenly gave away, precipitating the
huge tank to the ground, crushing the unfortunate man terri-
bly. He was soon extricated, but life was extinct.
Several brakemen running out of Sanborn have been killed,
one by the name of Rossan in 1887, near Hartley. He was
walking over the train, and made a misstep, falling between
HON. D. D. M'CALLUM.
480
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
the cars. H. H. Irons lost a hand by falling between the cars
near Rock Valley in 1887. Albert A. Gaskell was killed
near Hull in 1888, while loosening a brake, he fell between
the cars. Jim Fee and Young Oleson, also lost their lives in
the performance of duty.
The life of a railroad man is very uncertain. Faithful to a
duty which speeds civilization, and forces the settlement of a
country, he is ever in the breach of accident, and his life is
one of continued risk. When he leaves home in the morning,
it is hard to tell whether or not he will ever return. His trip
back may be as a mangled corpse borne by loving, sorrowful
hands. Poor Jim Fee signalled the departure of his train
with a joyous heart.
Young, surrounded with
a host of friends, the pride
of a loving mother, and
the object of another's af-
fection soon to be his wife,
he left Sanborn with a
seemingly long life before
him, and many days of joy
and usefulness, but in an
unguarded moment, when
death was least expected,
his young life was crushed
L. A. FARNUM. Qut lu au Instaut, and his
comrades with their faces washed with tears, gathered all that
was mortal, and prepared it for shipment to a sad and heart-
broken household. Soon after, the life of another followed
in its sacrifice; death, seemingly cruel, opened the door of ac-
cident to "one more unfortunate," who fell before the running
cars, and was killed in an instant. Little did he expect it, but
poor Oleson, in the performance of duty, and with nobody to
wish it, went the way of too many engaged in the same occu-
pation. The traveler rides with comfort in the car, while they
who speed us on, are ever on the alert for our protection and
safety.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
481
The Milwaukee & St. Paul R. R. Co., in point of service
equipment and management is one of the best in the country.
It is also careful in its demands upon employees for courteous
treatment to patrons and an incompetent employee is soon
known and discharged. We may be certain, that any railroad
man who has been in the employ of this company for any con-
siderable length of time, has the endorsement of a careful
scrutiny upon his conduct, efficiency, and a recognition of his
merit.
Railroad men are promoted in regular line, and their
capabilities, or their lack of merit, are soon well known and
understood. Many a new man thinks he knows it all, but he
soon learns that he doesn't,
and fi n d s that efficiency
comes only with years of ser-
vice, with good judgment to
back it up.
One of the oldest men on
the line is E. Hoxsie, who
runs a passenger east from
Sanborn. He has been on
the road over twenty-four
years, and has been on the
Sanborn division, we think,
since 1881. He is popular
with the traveling public,
and his continued service
emphasizes his capability.
The next oldest man run-
ning to Sanborn is L. A. Farnum, who commenced running
on the Sanborn division we thmk, in 1880. Farnum is a New
Hampshire yankee which can readily be detected. He has
Httle to say, but goes quietly along with what is required of
him, and as a railroad man ranks among the best.
George H. Klein also runs east from Sanborn, and has been
a railroad man about twenty-two years; he commenced work
E. HOXSIE.
482
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
on this division as soon as the road reached Chamberlain.
Klein stands well with everybody, the company included.
M. M. Burns also runs a passenger east from Sanborn, and
has been railroading about twenty-two years, a \ alued em-
ployee. Andy W. Solon, is a passenger conductor east,
though in the summer months he runs on the Spirit Lake
branch, and the passenger who meets him on the train, need
not be told that he un-
derstands his business,
for there is plenty of
proof in his method of
performing it.
The two Brainard
boys, E. C. and Frank
C. and George N. Mc-
CuUow were with the
company at Sanborn
from the first, indeed
Eugene Brainard and
McCullow had a hand
in building the road it-
self, while Frank at the
same time was running
a freight. These three
commenced about the same time running passenger trains, we
think in 1880, Eugene and McCullow now running east, and
Frank west to Mitchell. There is one thing that George
McCullow can do to perfection, and that is run a gravel train
crew, everything moves along lively, and there is no back
talk, and as a passenger conductor, there is none more
pleasant on the road. The Brainard boys are thorough rail-
road men, and gentlemen in every respect, they say but little
to anybody, but they look out for the interests of the com-
pany, and the comfort and convenience of the traveling public.
George W. Bryan has been a railroad man about twenty
years, and now runs a passenger west to Mitchell, and it seems
A. D. NELSON.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
483
to us that while on duty, that he doesn't think of anything else
but running that train, with an eye to the safe transportation
of ever}'^ passenger and his luggage.
Charles E. Foote has been on the road fourteen years, and
now runs the mixed train west. We remember Foote when
he was principal of the public school at Sanborn, and after-
wards when admitted to the bar in Winneshiek county, and
commenced practice at Sanborn. Fourteen years ago he did
the most sensible thing of his life; h*e closed the door of his
law office behind him, and became a railroad brakeman. Life
is a battle, with each to
wage his own individual
warfare, and when one
takes upon himself the
burden, and advertises
to fight the battles of
other people, along with
his own, he enters an
arena, of some grief,
and of much responsi-
bility, and without suffi-
cient compensation. No
lawyer yet in O'Brien
county has accumulated
riches in a strictly law
, C. E. FOOTE.
practice; true, several
at the county seat have become well-off by reason of hold-
ing office several terms, and of having access to the records
which led to profitable investment, but the occupation of a
country lawyer, confining himself strictly to practice, is not
preferable to railroad employment, and the writer looks upon
Charley Foote as a most sensible fellow, for he now occupies
a responsible position, and one that he fills with credit to him-
self, as he is one of the best of railroad men, and liked by all,
with no one to damn him for an adverse verdict, nor charge
him unjustly with the betrayal of a cause.
484 HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA.
The freight conductors are M. J. Haup, who is an old man
on the road, Michael McKeever, J. J. Enright, Frank Cool-
idge, Ed. A. Boyer, Charles M. Briggs, William Stewart,
Frank Maynard, John Hasley, C. B. Coleman, L. C. Carroll,
H. A. Sampson. Others who have run freights, and in the
line of promotion, are Thomas A. Briggs, E. A. Sumner,
Walter Mayo, Frank Penrose, R. D. McMillan, E. L. Brad-
bury and Craig J. Wilson.
The regular trains running west are pulled by engineers,
William Woodman and Thomas Manchester. Manchester
commenced when he was nineteen years of age, and has been
running twenty years, and is considered a most careful,
efficient fellow at the throttle, and a prince of good fellows.
Mr. Woodman is an older man in the line of service than
Manchester is, and everybody who knows Bill Woodman is
aware of the fact, that he is not only one of the best citizens,
but is also a capable engineer, and a first-class mechanic.
G. H. Kmgs running the mixed train west, is an old man in
the service. He has been with the company a long time, and
is a first-class engineer.
There are four passenger engineers running east out of
Sanborn. These are George Freeman, Charles Beebe, Henry
Baker, and John J. Hughes. These are all old men on the
road, Mr. Freeman being the oldest, having run twenty-five
years, and we think Mr. Baker the next, and following him
Mr. Beebe. Mr. Hughes run out of Sanborn at quite an early
day. These men have long since been tried, as the years will
show, and are in favor with the company, and known to be
competent and faithful.
Freight engineers running east from Sanborn, are Frank
Mayo, Charles Woodman, John Brown, James McCormack,
John J. Gallagher, Joseph Fulton and John V. Durgin. The
oldest men of these mentioned, are Brown, Gallagher and
Fulton. Mr. Fulton was running an engine when George
McCullow commenced railroading. They are all good men
and good engineers.
HISTORY OF O'BRIEN COUNTY, IOWA. 485
There are several extra engineers, Emmett Wentworth,
Oscar Merwin, Charles W. Walston, Thomas Helmar and
Ed. Hamilton. These are young men on the road, and are
firemen when not running an engine.
R. P. Edson is agent and train despatcher at Sanborn, with
E. N. Rudloff and M. C. Corbett, assistants. The yardmaster
is H. E. Correll. Robert Hamilton has charge of the round-
house, who has been a railroad man many years. One son
is an engineer, running out of Sioux City, and Ed., previously
mentioned, is also a son of Robert.
CONTENTS.
ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
H. H. Waterman ii
Hannah H. Waterman 13
Anna Waterman 15
Rev. James Bicknell 17
The old log court house 18
Indian stealth . 19
Residence of William Wager 20
Indian stealth 21
John W. Kelley 22
E. T. Parker 23
C. W. Inman 24
W. C. Green 25
B. F. McCormick 26
F. L. Herrick 27
James Brosh 28
Ed. C. Brown 29
A. B. Huston 30
M. G. McClellan 31
E. C. Foskett 3^
Members of Sheldon G. A. R 34
Mrs. C. F. Albright 35
Patrick Carroll 36
D. B. Harmon 37
Mrs. M. G. M'Clellan 38
Mrs. John Chrysler 39
John Chrysler 40
Byron Dona van . 41
O'Brien county court house 42
H. P. Holyoke 43
W.E.Welch 44
J. K. M'Andrew 45
Hon. S. R. Harris 46
C. F. Albright 47
W. W.Johnson 48
James Roberts 49
ii CONTENTS.
PAGE
Claudius Tifft — 50
R. C. Tifft 51
Enoch Philby 52
Residence of Enoch Philby 53
Frank Frisbee 54
J. H. Wolf 55
J. F. Stone 56
Bell Odd Fellow block, Primghar 58
J. J. Hartenbowei- 59
J. T. Stearns 60
Fred Frisbee 61
Isaac Clements 62
John B. Perkins 63
Mrs. W. C. Butterfield . 64
W. C. Butterfield 65
Sydney S. Bradley 66
First hotel building in Primghar 67
Fred Wolf 68
Frank Jones 69
Benj. Jones 70
Mrs. Benj. Jones 71
Mary Donavan 72
Residence of P. R. Bailey, Primghar 73
Joseph Shinski : 74
Jurgen Renken 75
James Wykoff 76
A. B. Chrysler 77
Allen Crossan 78
F. H. M'Cormick 79
Rev. W. E. Glenville 80
J. G. Chrysler 81
Homer W. Conant 82
James Frisbee 83
H. B. Wyman 84
Milt H.Allen 85
Calvan R. Hurd 86
George A. Miller 87
Alfred Morton 88
O. M. Barrett 89
Residence of F. W. Cram, Sheldon 90
W. H. Webber 91
C. L. Soyster 92
Residence of H. C. Lane, Sheldon 93
H. C. Lane 94
Clark house, Sanborn 95
Nellie Jones 96
Percy Hall.' .__ 97
CONTENTS. iii
PAGE
E. T. Langley lOO
W. M. Smith and family loi
C. S. McLaury 102
George F. Colcord 103
David Palen 104
Rev. C. Artman 105
Fletcher Howard 106
Mrs. D. A. W. Perkins ..- 107
G. W. Doyle - 109
H. F. Smith and wife iii
John McCandless --. 113
Kemper & Elliot, brick block, Sheldon 115
W. W. Reynolds 117
E. B. Messer (18
E. P. Messer 119
J. L. McLaury 121
Scott Logan. _. 123
Rebecca W. Perkins 125
John Metcalf 127
Residence of W. C. Hagy, Sheldon 128
Will Wolf 131
A. Hanson i33
J. C. Skinner 135
C. F. Owen 137
W. O. Woodbury i39
Residence of H. M. Waldsmith, Sheldon 140
C. A. Babcock 142
E. E. Hall 144
F. E. Wade 147
J. A. Wilcox 149
Residence of E. E. Hall, Hartley 152
Residence of E. G. Tennant, Hartley 152
Dr. D. T. Stewart 154
P. R.Bailey 157
Frank Patch 159
C. R. West 161
Residence of R. A.Woodward, Hartley 163
B. T. Woods 165
George Dixon 167
C. E. Achorn 168
Members of the G. A. R., Shellon 170
William Harker 173
Store building of W. A. Wasson, Sanborn 175
East side of Main street. Hartley 177
Howard house and Shipley's drug store, Sheldon 179
Residence of C. L. Soyster, Sheldon 181
McKeever block, Sheldon 183
IV
CONTENTS.
PAGE
Hotel Grand, Primghar 185
Residence of W. N. Strong, Sheldon 187
Residence of R. H. Magee, north of Sanborn 189
Residence of W. J. Semmons, Primghar 191
Residence of W. W. Johnson, Sanborn 193
West side Third avenue, Sheldon 195
Ellis block, Sanborn 197
West side Main street. Hartley 199
W. P. Briggs 201
Residence of John Metcalf, PauUina 203
First National bank, Sanborn 205
Geo. T. Wellman 207
O. H. Montzheimer 209
W. J. Davis '- 211
Mrs. Joseph Shinski 215
Maud E. Shinski 217
Margaret M. Shinski 219
First hotel in Hartley 221
E. F. Harrington 223
Residence of W. A. Elliott, Hartley .- 227
Methodist church, Primghar 229
J. D. Long 231
John Bowley 233
William Bros.' store. Hartley 234
Residence of I. N. Drake, Hartley 235
Paik Pratt 237
V. B. Barmore 240
Abel Appleton and family 252
First store iu Hartley 255
Residence of M. E. Colby, Hartley , 257
Residence of ]. M. Yeomans, Hartley 259
Scott Martin 261
A. J. Waldsmith 263
H. B. Perry 265
C. F. Butterfield and family 26S
Hon. Charles H. Lewis 271
Hon. George W.Wakefield 273
Hon. William Hutchinson 275
Hon. Frank G. Gaynor 277
Hon. John F. Oliver 279
Hon. Scott M. Ladd 281
J. H. Gates 283
W. H. Bloom 285
J. T. Conn 287
R. E. Kearney 289
R. A. Cushman ^ 291
Dr. J. M. Long 293
CONTENTS. V
i"A(;e
S. A. Carter 295
Christian church, Prinighar 297
Residence of C. M. Westfall, Hartley 299
Residence of J. L. Taylor, Hartley 301
Residence of Frank Patch, Hartley 303
Miss Ella Seckerson 311
Sheldon school board, 1893 312
Prof. W. S. Wilson 3i3
First school building, Sheldon 314
First school building in Sheldon with additions 315
Sheldon school building 316
Sheldon school teachers and professor 317
Prof. W. I. Simpson 318
Mrs. Emma Freeman 319
Miss Mame Button 320
Sanborn school building 321
Miss Kate M'Keever 322
Lulu Shaffer - 324
Sadie Hoepner 325
Miss May Dennink 326
Primghar school building 328
Primghar school teachers and professor 329
O'Brien county farm scene 331
T. J. Griggs 333
Residence of E. B. Messer, Hartley 335
Driving park, Sanborn 337
W. N. Strong 339
M. E. church, Sheldon 341
Residence of H. B. Wyman, burned 343
Residence of F. R. Patch, Hartley 345
F. J. Gallagher 347
Fred W. Bloxham 349
F. E. Simpson 351
Henry Shipley 353
Rev. Father P. F. Farrelly 355
I. N. Mclntire 357
Charles S. Perry 359
G. G. Brock 368
Soldiers' monument. Hartley 371
Presbyterian church, Hartley 373
German Evangelical church, Hartley 375
Broder & Tagge's store. Hartley 377
Public school building, Hartley 383
M. E. church. Hartley 384
First National bank, Hartley 385
Park hotel. Hartley - 387
W. H. Bailey..... 395
vi CONTENTS.
PAGE
Congregational church, Primghar 397
Putnam's liverj' barn, Primghar 398
L. W. Fairbanks 407
A. H. Cobb-.: . 409
B. F. Brown 411
L. U. Shipley 413
Louis Peterson 515
Dr. W. R. Brock 417
G. A. Gibson 423
Early street scene, Sheldon 421
George Hudson 423
W. W. Carr 425
Frank T. Piper 427
Sheldon in 1876 429
Sheldon water tower 431
E. P. Messer's hardware, Sheldon 433
Residence of J. E. VanPatten, Sheldon 435
First National bank, Sheldon 437
Proposed opera house, Sheldon 439
City council, Sheldon 441
Mrs. Harry Miller 451
Hon. I. S. Struble 453
D. C. Eldredge 455
Hon. L. B. Raymond 457
Indian scene 459
O'Brien county farm scene 461
O'Brien county cattle, on C, M. & St. P. Ry 465
Cutting grain, on C, M. & St. P. Ry 467
Farm near Hartley, on C, M. &. St. P. Ry. 469
O'Brien county prairie chickens, on C, M. & St. P. Ry 473
O'Brien county road, near Sanborn, on C, M. & St. P. Ry 476
Hon. George D. Perkins 478
Hon. D. D. McCallum . 479
L. A. Farnum 480
E. Hoxsie 481
A. D. Nelson 482
C. E. Foote 483
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
First settlement by H. H. Waterman. Indian troubles. Other early settlers.
Original log court house. Crossing streams. First blacksmith in county.
• First celebration. First shoemaker. First school house. First death.
Cap. Edwards' horse collar story.
CHAPTER n.
Early administration of the county. Organization. Plundering devices of
the first organizers. Warrants issued. Appropriation for bridge. Re-
formers elected. Suit in court to enjoin. Hat for ballot box. Illegal
voting. Depreciating of county warrants. Rebonding.
CHAPTER III.
Method of taking government land. Settlers' shacks. Treasurer's office, its
appearance. Settlements continued. First convention to nominate of-
ficers. First newspaper. The ferry boat. Bridge building. First store
in the county. First postmaster. First established minister.
CHAPTER IV.
First sermon preached in the county. First church. First 4th of July cele-
bration. Indian scare at old O'Brien. Larrypayville. Incidents of Hell
slough. House built in 1868. More settlements in Waterman township.
First colored man. Foreclosing mortgage. Settlers in Grant township.
CHAPTER V.
Attempted fraud to deprive settlers of their lands. Old settlers' association for
protection, First celebration in O'Brien town. Political convention.
More incoming settlers. The writer's first settlement. First settlement
in Carroll township. Emigrant wagons.
CHAPTER VI.
Individual heroism. Hardships of early settlers. Albright stopping place.
Incidents of incoming settlers from Cedar county. Incidents of crossing
streams. Incidents of Carroll township settlers. Incident of medical
treatment. Reminiscences of the McClellan neighborhood. First school
in the northwest part of the county. Other early settlers.
CHAPTER VII.
Butchering a steer. Settler without fuel, had to lie in bed. The first political
caucus in Floyd township. The first settler in Floyd. Other settlers in
Floyd township. Suicide in Floyd. First settler in Franklin township.
Other early settlers.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER VIII.
Grasshoppers, their coming and lavages. Method of destroying them. Large
yield on Sunnjside in spite of them. Relief, history of, and its distribu-
tion. Blizzards, causing many deaths. Prairie fire, damages of. Cyclones,
destruction caused by.
CHAPTER IX.
Fir^t county record, written by Tiffey. First election of officers. First offi-
cers elected. Records of county judge. First records of the board of
supervisors. Bills allowed. Reports of committees. Bogus titles from
sale of swamp land.
CHAPTER X.
Local congress in Baker township, measures passed. The first settler in Baker
township. Other settlers in Baker. The Donovan store in Baker town-
ship. Settlers in Highland township. Early settlers in Center. A vet-
eran of two wars.
CHAPTER XI.
Prospecting for coal. Reward offered. Hay for fuel. First hay twister.
First Christmas in county, by Piper and Wolf. First settlement in Cale-
donia. Caledonia Lutheran church. First settlement in Union township.
Settlers in Dale. Other settlers in Center. Settlers in Lincoln. Popu-
lation in 1875, also births and deaths. Population in 1881. Taxable prop-
erty in 1881. Covey church. Lutheran church in Center. Other set-
tlers in Floyd.
CHAPTER XII.
Bounty on gopher scalps. Making them pay double. Trick played in Mus-
catine and Scott counties. Gopher scalp incidents. List of all county
officers, with the names of each and the year they served, from the first
organization.
CHAPTER XIII.
Politics and some political incidents. The renowned squatter land strife, its
history and outcome. County seat, Sheldon and Sanborn for, against
Primghar. Sanborn's raid on Primghar to capture the county seat.
Effusions of a Sanborn poet.
CHAPTER XIV.
Courts and court records. First court in the county. Grand jury. First
criminal case. First jury case. Insane commission. Present judges,
law incidents. Cases cited. Lawyers. Newspapers. Members of the
Grand Army of the Republic. Letter written during the civil war. Dif-
ferent posts.
CHAPTER XV.
Educational: — School houses in 1S87. School houses at the present time.
Value of school property. Number of pupils. Independent districts. All
school officers in the connty. Finances:— $12,000 stolen. Towns:— Cal-
umet. Archer. Gaza. Paullina. Sutherland. Hartley. Primghar.
Sheldon. Sanborn. C. M. & St. Paul railroad division.
