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HISTORY 

OF 


SAC  COUNTY 


IOWA 

By 

WILLIAM  H.  HART 


With  Biographical  Sketches  of  Representative  Citizens  and 
Genealogical  Records  of  Many  of  the  Old  Families 


ILLUSTRATED 


1914 
B.  F.  BOWEN  &  COMPANY.  Inc. 
Indianapolis,  Indiana 


DEDICATION. 


This  work  is  respectfully  dedicated  to 


THE    PIONEERS 


long  since  departed.     Ma}-  the  memory  of  those  wIki  laid  down  their  burdens 
by  the  wayside  e\er  be   fragrant  as  the  breath   of   summer 
flowers,  for  their  toils  and  sacrifices  have  made 
Sac  County  a  garden  of  sun- 
shine and  delights. 


PREFACE 


All  life  and  achie\ement  is  c\'(ilution  :  present  wisdom  comes  from  past 
experience,  and  present  commercial  prosperity  has  come  only  from  past  exer- 
tion and  suffering'.     The  deeds  and  motives  of  the  men  that  have  gone  before 
ha\e  been  instrumental  in  shaping-  the  destinies  of   later  communities  and 
states.     The  development  tif  a  new  country  was  at  once  a  task  and  a  privi- 
lege.    It  required  great  courage,  sacrifice  and  privation.     Compare  the  pres- 
ent conditions  of  the  people  of  Sac  county,  Iowa,  with  what  they  were  one 
hundred  years  ago.      From  a  trackless  wilderness  and   virgin   land,   it  has 
come    to  l)e  a  center  of  prosperity  and  civilization,  with  millions  of  wealth, 
systems  of  railways,  grand  educational  institutions,  splendid  industries  and 
immense  agricultural   productions.     Can  any   thinking  person  be   insensible 
to  the  fascination  of  the  stud\-  which  discloses  the  aspirations  and  efforts  of 
the  early  pioneers  who  so  strongly  laid  the  foundation  upon  which  has  been 
reared  the  magnificent  prosperity  of  later  days?     To  perpetuate  the  story  of 
these   people   and    to   trace   and    record   the    social,    political    and   industrial 
progress  of   the  community    from   its   first   inception   is   the    function  of  the 
local  historian.     A  sincere  purpose  to  preserve  facts  and  personal  memoirs 
that  are  deserving  of  perpetuation,  and  which  unite  the  present  to  the  past, 
is  the  motive  for  the  present  publication.     A  s])ecially  \'aluable  and  interest- 
ing department  is  that  one  dev(ited  to  the  sketches  of  representative  citizens 
of  these  counties  whose  records  deserve  preservation  because  of  their  worth, 
effort  and  accomplishment.     The  publishers  desire  to  extend  their  thanks  to 
the  gentlemen  who  have  so  faithfully  labored  to  this  end.     Thanks  are  also 
due  to  the  citizens  of  Sac  count)-  for  the  uniform  kindness  with  which  they 
have  regarded  this  undertaking,  and  for  their  many  ser\'ices  rendered  in  the 
gaining  of  necessary  information. 

In  placing  the  "History  of  Sac  County,  Iowa,"  before  the  citizens,  the 
pul)lishers  can  conscientiously  claim  that  they  have  carried  out  the  plan  as 
outlined  in  the  prospectus.  Every  biographical  sketch  in  the  work  has  been 
submitted  to  the  party  interested,  for  correction,  and  therefore  any  error 
of  fact,  if  there  be  any,  is  solely  due  to  the  person  for  -whom  the  sketch  was 
prepared.  Confident  that  our  effort  to  please  will  fully  meet  the  a])probation 
of  the  public,  we  are, 

Respectfully, 

THE  PUBLISHERS. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I— GEOLOGY  AND  TOPOGRAPHY 25 

Location  of  Sac  County — Area — Drainage — Wall  Lake — Early  Timber — Soil 
— Origin   of  the  Prairies — Their   Mystery — Pioneer  Animal   Life. 

CHAPTER  II— INDIAN  OCCUPANCY— COMING  OF  THE  WHITE  MEN—    30 

Prehistoric  Races — Mounds  and  Their  Builders — -The  Various  Indian  Tribes 
Originally  Occupied  Iowa — Indian  Quarrels — Indian  Titles  Extinguished — 
War  of  1812 — Indian  Treaties — Trouble  With  Indians  in  Northwestern  Iowa 
— The  Spirit  Lake  Massacre— Indian  Battle  in  Sac  County — Indian  Murders 
— Last  Appearance  of  Indians — Iowa  Territory — State  Line  War — Iowa 
Made  a  State — Constitutional  Convention — Re-locating  the  State  Capital — 
Prohibition  of  Slavery — Under  a  Second  Constitution. 

CHAPTER    III— ORGANIZATION    OF    SAC    COUNTY 44 

Name — Formation — First  County  Officials — County-seat  Commissioners — 
First  Election — Later  Elections— First  Proposed  County-seat — Final  Loca- 
tion and  Report  of  Commission. 

CHAPTER  IV— PIONEER  SETTLEMENT  OF  THE   COUNTY 47 

Pioneer  Hardships  and  Privations — A  Period  That  Can  Not  Be  Repeated — 
Reminiscences — Difficulty  of  Establishing  Early  Dates  and  Locations — Early 
Data^A  Pen  Picture  of  Sac  County  in  Pioneer  Days — Location  of  Sac 
County — Early  Settlers  and  Fruit  Growing — The  First  to  Make  Settlement 
— Later  Comers — Pioneer  Weather  Conditions — Pre-emption  Experiences — 
Postal  Facilities — Pioneers  Combine  Against  Land  Speculators — First  Mill 
in  Sac  County — A  Hard  Winter — Encroachments  of  Wild  Animals — Some 
Settlement  Dates — Natural  Resources — List  of  Half-Century  Settlers — 
Prosperity  of  County  in  1880 — Burning  Corn  for  Fuel — Land  Values — The 
Swedish  Settlement. 

CHAPTER    V— COUNTY    GOVERNMENT 64 

The  County-Judge  System — County  Supervisors — Proceedings  of  the  Coun- 
ty Court  and  Board  of  Supervisors — Early  Marriage-— First  Grand  Jury — 
Early  Salaries — Bounties — Court  House  History — First  Building — Second 
Court  House — Present  Structure — The  County  Jail — The  County  Farm — 
Finances  of  the  County — ^Telephone  and  Telegraph  Lines — Disbursements 
for  Drainage  Purposes. 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  VI— THE  BAR  OF  SAC  COUNTY 11 

Origin  of  Early  Attorneys — Sac  County's  First  Lawyer — Brief  Mention  of 
Other  Early  Attorneys  and  Those  of  Later  Years — Lawyers  Now  in  Sac 
City — In  Other  Towns  of  the  County. 

CHAPTER  VII— MEDICAL  HISTORY  OF  SAC  COUNTY 82 

The  First  Physicians — The  Pioneer  Doctor's  Life  One  of  Hardships  and 
Self-sacrifice — Personal  Mention  of  Many  Sac  County  Physicians — Surgical 
Work  in  the  County — List  of  Registered  Physicians — The  Transients — 
Present  Physicians  of  the  County — The  Sac  County  Medical  Society. 

CHAPTER  VIII— THE  EVOLUTION  OF  AGRICULTURE  IN  SAC  COUNTY    99 

Early  Misunderstanding  of  the  Soil  by  the  Pioneers — Wheat — Oats — Barley 
and  Buckwheat — Garden  Truck — Popcorn — Live  Stock — Sheep — Horses- — 
Stock  Cattle — Hog  Industry — Tame  Grasses — Creamery — Orcharding — Sum- 
mary— Agricultural   Statistics — Agricultural   Societies — Fairs. 

CHAPTER   IX— NEWSPAPERS   OF   SAC   COUNTY 109 

Newspapers  First  Evidence  of  Thrift  in  a  New  Community — The  Pioneer 
Newspaper  of  Sac  County — James  N.  Miller — The  Sac  Sun — The  Sac  County 
Bulletin — Odebolt  Chronicle — Odebolt  News — Wall  Lake  Blade — Schaller 
Herald — Sac  County  News — Lake  View  Resort— Auburn  Recorder — Nemaha 
Register — Lytton  Star. 

CHAPTER  X— BANKS  AND   BANKING 116 

Little  Use  for  Banks  in  Early  Days — Local  System  of  Barter  and  Exchange 
. — First  Banks — List  of  Sac  County  Banking  Houses — Sac  City  Banks — 
Banking  at  Odebolt — At  Nemaha — Ulmer  Bank — The  Banks  at  Early — 
Banking  at  Schaller — At  Lake  View — Wall  Lake. 

CHAPTER    XI— EDUCATIONAL    INTERESTS 126 

Early  High  Standard  of  Education  Among  Sac  County  Pioneers — County 
School  Superintendents — First  Schools  of  the  County — The  Schools  of  the 
County  in  1884 — Statistics  for  1900 — Sac  City  School  District — Educational 
Institutions  of  Sac  City — Other  Sac  County  Schools — County  Teachers' 
Association — School  Houses — George  W.  Schee — The  Delaware  Township 
Union  School — Condition  of  Schools  in  1913 — Town  and  City  School  Sta- 
tistics—School Townships — Grade  Schools — The  Sac  City  Institute. 

CHAPTER  XII— MILITARY  HISTORY  OF  THE  COUNTY 138 

Loyalty  of  the  Pioneers — Source  of  Trouble  Prior  to  the  Civil  War— Inci- 
dents Leading  Up  to  the  War — President  Lincoln's  Proclamation — Sac 
County's  Part  in  the  Conflict — Bounty  and  Relief — Veterans  in  1884 — Sac 
County's  First  Camp  Fire — Soldiers'  Monuments — Inspection  of  the  Iowa 
Soldiers'  Home — The  Spanish-American  War — President  McKinley's  Procla- 


CONTENTS. 

mation — Company  M,  Iowa  National  Guard — Grand  Armj'  of  the  Republic 
— Sons  of  Veterans. 

CHAPTER    XIII— CHURCH     HISTORY 155 

Census  Religious  Statistics  for  1905 — Methodism — Sac  City  M.  E,  Church, 
and  the  Churches  at  Pleasant  Hill,  Nemaha,  Odebolt,  Early,  Wall  Lake  and 
Schaller — Free  Methodists — Presbyterian  Churches  at  Sac  City,  Odebolt, 
Early,  Lytton,  Auburn,  Wall  Lake  and  Schaller — Baptist  Church  at  Sac  City 
— Congregational  Church — Swedish  Mission — Catholic  Churches  at  Schaller, 
Odebolt,  Wall  Lake  and  Early — German  Evangelical  Churches  at  Lake 
View,  Coon  Valley  Township,  Auburn,  Lake  View,  Schaller  and  Cook  Town- 
ship— Latter-day  Saints — Episcopal  Church — The  Adventists — Christian 
Churches — Sac  County  Young  Men's  Christian  Association. 

CHAPTER   XIV— LODGES  OF  THE  COUNTY 175 

Free  and  Accepted  Masons  at  Sac  City,  Schaller,  Lake  View,  Early,  Odebolt, 
Wall  Lake  and  Auburn,  with  Its  Appendant  Orders — Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows  at  Sac  City,  Schaller,  Early,  Wall  Lake,  Lytton,  Auburn,  Ode- 
bolt and  Lake  View — Knights  of  Pythias  at  Sac  City. 

CHAPTER    XV— RAILROADS    AND    TRANSPORTATION 183 

Influence  of  Railroads  on  Community  Development — First  Moves  for  a  Rail- 
road in  Sac  County — Present  Railroad  Mileage  in  County — Account  of  the 
Coming  of  the  Various  Railroads. 

CHAPTER  XVI— COUNTY  AND   STATE   OFFICERS,   ELECTIONS,   ETC...  187 

Elections,  Officers  and  Votes  from  1856  to  1912 — Special  Propositions  and 
Elections — Election  Contest — Prohibitory  Amendment  Vote,  1882 — Presiden- 
tial Vote  of  the  County — Gubernatorial  Vote — Congressional  Vote — State 
Representatives — County  Officers — ^Judges — Auditors — Tr'easurers — Record- 
ers— Sheriffs — Clerks — Supervisors — Coroners — School    Superintendents. 

CHAPTER    XVII— TOWNSHIP    HISTORIES 209 

Township  Government — Dates  of  Township  Subdivisions — Naming  of  Town- 
ships— Douglas  Township — Drainage — Settlement — Wheeler  Township — Lo- 
cation— Boundary — Settlement — First  Election — Coon  Valley  Township — 
Location — Natural  Features — Cook  Township — Characteristics — The  Cook 
Ranch — Richland  Township — The  Great  Wheeler  Farm  (now  Adams  Ranch) 
— Town  of  Odebolt — Its  Commercial  Interests — First  Officers — Public  Util- 
ities— Library — Postoffice — Concert  Band — Popcorn  Industry — Cedar  Town- 
ship— Scene  of  Last  Battle  Between  the  Sioux  and  Sac  and  Fox  Indians — 
Lytton — First  and  Present  Officers — Delaware  Township — First  Settlers — 
Town  of  Nemaha — Business  Directory — Clinton  Township — Mills — Eden 
Township — Value  of  Farm  Lands— Eureka  Township — Town  of  Schaller — 
Incorporation — First  Officers — Public  Utilities — Business  Interests— Boyer 
Valley   Township — Pioneer    Settlers — Town    of    Early — Incorporation — Pub- 


CONTENTS. 

lie  Works — Postoffice — Business  Directory — Levey  Township — Town  of 
Wall  Lake — Commercial  Interests — Incorporation  of  Town  and  Official  Ros- 
ter— A  Great  Railroad  Center— Postmasters — Wall  Lake  Township — Wall 
Lake,  a  Natural  Curiosity — Lake  View — A  Reminiscence — Business  Inter- 
ests— Sac  Township — Town  of  Auburn — Incorporation — Business  Interests 
— Grant  City — Ulmer — Viola  Townsliip — Pioneer  Settlers — Carnarvon — 
Jackson  Township. 

CHAPTER    XVIII— SAC    CITY 263 

A  Fine  Natural  Site — Location — Natural  Features — Town  Plat — Eugene 
Criss,  "Father  of  Sac  City'" — Business  Interests  in  1873 — Early  Mills — 
Hotels — Industries — Wayt  Monument  Works — Allen  Institute — Municipal 
History — Water  Works,  Lighting,  Etc. — Fire  Department — City  Officials — 
Commercial  Club — Oakland  Cemetery — Soldiers'  Monument — Public  Library 
— Remembering  Washington — Postoffice  History — Chautauqua  Association — 
Farmers'  Mutual  Insurance  Company— The  Good  Time  Club. 

CHAPTER   XIX— MISCELLANEOUS   ITEMS    OF   INTEREST 287 

Population  of  County — Census  Summary — Farm  Statistics — Village  Plats — 
Incorporated  Towns — Local  Market  Prices  at  Various  Dates — The  Notorious 
James  Brothers  at  Sac  City — Oil  and  Mica  Excitement — -Cyclone  Days — 
Drowned  at  Wall  Lake — Temperance  Sentiments- — Fifty- Year-Old  Mortgage 
— Peat  for  Fuel — Days  of  Mourning — Death  of  General  U.  S.  Grant — Death 
of  President  McKinley — Death  of  Senator  Dolliver — Wonderful  Mineral 
Hailstones — Snow  Blockade  in  1880 — Old  Settlers'  Association — Weather 
Notes — Herding  Stock  in  Early  Days — Robbery  and  Murder — Grand  Centen- 
nial Celebration — Registered  Farm  Names — Prairie  Fires — Early-day  Bliz- 
zard— Sac  County  Women  Machinists — Autumn  Frosts — Weather  Records — 
The  Grasshopper  Plague. 

CHAPTER    XX— REMINISCENCES 322 

The  Sagacity  of  a  Dog — Storm  and  Flood — Pioneer  Boy's  Reminiscence — 
Frozen  in  a  Blizzard — An  Adventure  in  Hell  Slough. 

CHAPTER  XXI— ANIMALS  AND   GAME  BIRDS  OF  SAC  COUNTY 331 

BIOGRAPHICAL   HISTORY   OF   SAC   COUNTY.... 345 


HISTORICAL  INDEX 


A 

Adventists    172 

Agricultural  Associations  i 107 

Agriculture   in   Sac    County 99 

Animal    Life,    Pioneer 28 

Animals   of   Sac   County 331 

Area   of  Sac    County 25,     51 

Auburn    254 

Bank    125 

Business    Interests    254 

Churches 164,  169,  170 

Lodges    178,  180 

Newspaper    115 

Officers    254 

Platted    254 

Postoffice    254 

Schools    135 

Tile    Works   255 

Auditors,    County    205 

B 

Banks   and    Banking 116 

Baptist  Churches 165 

Bar  of  Sac  County 11 

Barley    100 

Birds    335 

Black    Hawk   ._• 32 

Blizzard,  Early-day 313 

Bonds,    Refunding    66 

Bounties    65 

Bounty,  War 142 

Boyer  Valley  Township   239 

Drainage    239 

Location   239 

Naming  of ■ 210 

Population    240 

Schools    135 

Settlers,    First   239 

Buckwheat    100 


C 

Camp   Fires 144 

Capital  of  State,  Located 41 

Carnarvon    260 

Business    Interests    260 

Platted    260 

Postmasters    260 

Catholic    Churches    167 

Cattle    102 

Causes   of   Civil   War 138 

Cedar    Township    227 

Indian    Battle    228 

Location   227 

Naming  of 210 

New   Munich 228 

Schools    135 

Settlement    227 

Census     Returns    288 

Centennial    Celebration   308 

Christian   Churches 172 

Church   History   155 

Civil  War,  Causes  of 138 

Clerks,  County 206 

Clinton  Township   232 

Boundaries    232 

Churches    157 

Location    232 

Mills    233 

Naming   of   210,  232 

Schools    135 

Coal,   Search   for   66 

Commissioners,    Count}--seat    44 

Company    M,    National    Guard 150 

Congregational    Church    166 

Congressional    Vote     204 

Constitution,    Second    43 

Constitutional  Convention,   First 40 

Constitutional  Convention,  Second —  40 
Constitutional  Convention,  Third —  43 
Cook    Ranch    215 


HISTORICAL    INDEX. 


Cook  Township   214 

Agriculture     215 

Churches 170 

Cook   Ranch   215 

Location    214 

Naming  of 210 

Population    i  214 

Schools    135 

Settlement    214 

Coon  Valley  Township 213 

Boundaries   213 

Churches    169,  170 

Creameries    214 

Farms 214 

Location    , 213 

Naming   210 

Organization   of   213 

Schools    135 

Corn  for  Fuel 59 

Coroners    207 

County    Auditors    205 

County  Clerks    206 

County  Court    Proceedings    65 

County  Election,    First    44 

County  Farm    73 

County  Finances    74 

County  Government    64 

County  Jail    71 

County  Judge   System   64 

County  Judges    205 

County  Officers    187,  205 

County  Organized    44 

County  Recorders     206 

County  School  Superintendents  .126,  208 

County-seat    Commissioners    44 

County  Seat  Located 45 

County  Supervisors    207 

County  Teachers'   Association    131 

County  Treasurers    205 

Court   House  History 66,  200 

Creamery    103 

Cyclone    Days   294 

D 

Delaware    Township    229 

Boundaries    229 

Churches    231 

Location    229 


Delaware  Township — 

Schools   133,    135,  231 

Settlers    230 

Union   School   133 

Delaware  Township  Union  School 133 

Doctors  of  Sac  County 82 

Douglas  Township   210 

Drainage    210 

Location    210 

Naming  of 209 

Population    211 

Schools    135 

Settlement    . 211 

Trading  Points 212 

Drainage    Disbursements    76 

E 

Early    240 

Banks  121 

Business    Interests    241 

Churches 158,  163,  168 

Incorporation    240 

Location   240 

Lodges   177,   179 

Newspaper   , 114 

Officers    240 

Public    Utilities    ___.  241 

Scliools    135 

Veterans   143 

Early-day   Blizzard   313 

Early  Fruit  Growing 52,  104 

Early  Newspapers     1 109 

Early  Postal    Facilities    55,     57 

Eden    Township    233 

Drainage     233 

Land  Values   234 

Location   233 

Naming  of 210 

Schools    135 

Settlement    234 

Educational   Interests     126 

Educational  Statistics    135 

Election  Contest    201 

Election,  First   County    44 

Elections    187 

Episcopal    Church    171 

Eureka   Township   234 

Election.    First    234 


HISTORICAL  INDEX. 


Eureka  Township — 

Location    234 

Population    234 

Schools    l-'j 

Evolution   of   Agriculture 99 

F 

Fairs  107 

Farm  Names    309 

Farm   Productions,  1880 SO,  59,  106 

Farmers'  Mutual  Insurance  Co 284 

Fifty-year-old    Mortgage    297 

Finances   of  the    County 74 

First  Constitutional    Convention    —     40 

First  County  Election   44 

E'irst  County  Officers    44 

First  Doctor   in   the   County 82 

First  General   Asseml>ly   41 

F'irst  Lawyer  in  Sac  City ^^ 

First  Legislature    39,     41 

First  Mill    56 

First  Newspaper    109 

First  Schools  in  County 126 

First  Settler  in  County 53 

Forty-second    Regiment    149 

Fox    Indians    31 

Fraternities    175 

Freemasons    -» 175 

Frosts    314 

I'Vuit   Growing,   Early   52,  104 

G 

Game    331 

Game    Birds    335 

Garden  Truck 100 

General    Assembly,     First 41 

German   Evangelical   Churches 169 

Geology   of   Sac   County 25 

Good  Time   Club 285 

Grade    Schools    136 

Grand  Army  of  the   Republic ISO 

Grant  City 256 

In    1874   257 

Location    25i7 

Newspaper    US 

Officers    257 

Schools    135 

Veterans    143 


Grasses    103 

Grasshopper    Plague    317 

H 

Hailstones,    Mineral    300 

Half-century   Settlers   58 

Hardships  of  Early  Doctors 82 

Hell  Slough 329 

Herding   Stock 304 

Hogs    103 

Horses    102 

I 

Incorporated    Towns    290 

Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows-  178 

Indian   Battle  in  Sac  County 36,  228 

Indian   Murders   38 

Indian  Occupancy 30 

Indian  Titles   Extinguished   31 

Indian  Towns    30 

Indian  Treaties    31 

Indian  Troubles    33 

Iowa  Made    a    State    40 

Iowa  Territory    39 

J 

Jackson    Township    ; 261 

Boundaries    261 

First    Officers    44 

Location    261 

Naming    of    210 

Officers,  First 44 

Population    262 

Railroad  Aid  186 

Schools    135 

Streams   261 

Jail    71 

James  Boys 292 

Judges   205 

K 
Knights  of  Pythias 181 

L 

Lake  View  249 

Bank    123 


HISTORICAL  INDEX. 


Lake  View — 

Business    Interests    — 251 

Churches 160,   166,  169 

Lodges   176.  181 

Newspaper    114 

Population    252 

Reminiscence,    A    . 249 

Schools    135 

Veterans   143 

Lakes   25 

Land   Values   60 

Latter-da\'    Saints    170 

Lawyer,   First  in  Sac   City 77 

Lawyers  of  Sac  County 78 

Legislature,   First   39,  41 

Levey   Township    243 

Area    243 

Drainage     243 

Naming  of 210 

Location   243 

Pioneers    244 

Population    243 

Schools    135 

Streams   243 

Live   Stock 101 

Local   Market   Prices   291 

Location  of  County  Seat 45 

Location  of  Sac   County   25,     51 

Location  of  State    Capital   41 

Lodges 175 

Lytton   228 

Bank    125 

Business    Interests    229 

Churches 163 

Farm    Improvements    229 

Incorporation   of   229 

Lodges    180 

Newspapers    115 

Officers    229 

Population    229 

•Schools    135 

M 

Mails,  Early 55,  57 

Market    Prices    291 

Masonic    Order    175 

Medical    History    82 

Medical   Society  97 

Methodist   Churches  155 


Mica   Excitement 293 

Mileage  of  Railroads 185 

Military    History   138 

Mill,  The  First 56 

Mineral    Hailstones   300 

Minerals     27 

Miscellaneous    Items    287 

Monuments,   Soldiers'   146,  276 

Mounds.    Prehistoric    30 

Mourning   Days    297 

Murder  and  Robbery 305 

Murders   by   Indians 38 

N 

Naming  of  Townships 209 

Natural    Resources    57 

Nemaha 231 

Bank    120 

Business  Directory 231 

Churches    157,  163 

Newspaper   115 

Platted    231 

Postoffice    231 

Newspapers  of  Sac  County 109 

O 

Oats   100 

Odd    Fellows    178 

Odebolt   219 

Band    225 

Banks  119 

Business   Directory 222 

Churches  158,   162,   167,  168 

Commercial  Interests 221 

F'ield-Carnegie   Library 223 

Fires    221 

Incorporation    ■_ 220 

Library    223 

Location    219 

Lodges   151,    177,  180 

Newspapers   112 

Officers    220 

Parks    220 

Popcorn    Industry   226 

Population    220 

Postoffice    225 

Public  Utilities  220 

Schools    131,   135 


HISTORICAL  INDEX. 


Odebolt— 

Settlement    219 

Veterans    l'^^ 

Officers,   First   County 44 

Official   Roster   187 

Oil  Excitement 293 

Old   Settlers'   Association   301 

One-man   Go\ernment   64 

Orcharding    104 

Organization  of  Sac  County 44 

Origin  of  Prairies 27 

P 

Peat  for  Fuel 297 

Physicians  of  Sac  County 82 

Pioneer  Animal    Life    28 

Pioneer  Newspapers     109 

Pioneer  Settlement     4/ 

Plats,   Village   289 

Poor    Farm    '•' 

Popcorn    101,  226 

Population   of   County 287 

Population  of  State,  1847 41 

Postal  Facilities,  Early 55,     57 

Prairie    Fires   ^10 

Prairies,  Mystery  of 27 

Prairies,   Origin   of   -' 

Prehistoric  Mounds 30 

Presbyterian    Churches    161 

Present  Court  House 69 

Presidential    Vote    202 

Press  of  Sac  County  — ; 109 

Proceedings  of  County  Court 65 

Proceedings  of  Supervisors     65 

Productiveness  of  Soil 50,  59,  100,  lOb 

Prohibition  of  Slavery 43 

Prohibitory  Amendment  Vote 201 

Proposed  County  Seat 45 

Prosperity  in  1880 58 

Pythian    Order   181 

R 

Railroad  Aid  by  County 199 

Railroad   Mileage    185 

Railroads    183 

Recorders,  County 206 

Register   of   Physicians   91 

Registered  Farm  Names 309 


Relief  for  Soldiers'  Families 142 

Religious    History   155 

Reminiscences     322 

Richland  Township 216 

Adams  Ranch   217 

First    Officers   216 

Location    216 

Officers    216 

Population    216 

Schools    135 

Wheeler    Farm    217 

Robbery  and  Murder 305 

Rush   Lake  212 


Sac  City 

Allen    Institute   

Banks  

Business  Interests 

Cemetery    

Chautauqua   Association   

Churches 155,  161,  165,  171, 

Commercial  Club 

Criss,    Eugene    

Finances    

Fire   Department 

Hotels    

Industries 

Library    

Lighting  System   

Lodges 150,  175,   178, 

Mayors    

Mills     

Municipal  History 

Newspapers   

Officials  of  City 

Platted    

Population    

Postoffice    

Schools   129,   135, 

Site  of  

Soldiers'   Monument 

Veterans    

Water   Works 

Wayt  Monument  Works 

Sac  City  Institute 

Sac  County  Agricultural  Society  — 

Sac  County  Medical  Society 

Sac  County  Organized    


263 
272 
117 
265 
275 
283 
172 
275 
264 
273 
274 
267 
268 
278 
274 
181 
273 
266 
272 
109 
274 
263 
264 
281 
136 
263 
276 
143 
273 
270 
136 
108 
97 
44 


HISTORICAL   INDEX. 


Sac  Indians    

Sac  Township    

Boundaries 

First    Officers    

Location    

Naming   of 

Schools    

Settlers,    Early    

Sagacity  of  a  Dog 

Schaller     

Banks    

Business    Interests    

Churches   160,    164.    167,    169. 

Election,    First   

Fires    

Improvements     

Incorporation    

Lodges    153,  176, 

Naming  of   

Newspapers   

Officers    

Platted    

Schools    

Water  Works   

School    Houses   

School  Statistics    

School  Superintendents,  County-12b, 

Schools,   First   in   County 

Schools    in    1884 

Schools   in    1913 

Second    Constitution    

Second     Constitutional     Convention- 
Secret   Orders 

Settlement  Dates 

Settlement,    Pioneer    

Settler,  First  in  County 

Sheep     

Sheriffs    

Sioux   Indians 

Slavery   Prohibited    

Snow  Blockade 

Soil  of  Sac  County 26,  SO, 

Soldiers'  Monuments 146, 

Sons   of   Veterans   

Spanish-American   War 

Special    Elections    

Spirit  Lake  Massacre 

State   Formed   

State  Line  War 

State  Officers    


31 

253 

253 

45 

253 

210 

135 

253 

322 

235 

122 

237 

172 

236 

239 

236 

236 

179 

235 

114 

236 

235 

135 

237 

132 

135 

.^08 

126 

128 

134 

43 

40 

175 

57 

47 

S3 

101 

206 

31 

43 

300 

99 

276 

154 

148 

199 

33 

40 

39 

187 


State  Representatives    204 

Statistics   of   Schools    135 

Stock    Cattle    102 

Stock   Herding   

Storm  and  Flood 324 

Superintendents.   County  School-126,  208 

Supervisors    64,  207 

Surgery  in  Sac  County 90 

Swedish   Mission    167 

Swedish  Settlement    60 

Swine    Law    199 


Tame    Grasses    103 

Tax  Ferret 66 

Teachers'    Association    131 

Telegraph    Lines    76 

Telephone    Lines    76 

Temperance    Sentiments   295 

Third  Constitutional  Convention 43 

Timber   26.     52 

Town  School  Statistics 135 

Township    Histories    209 

Transportation    183 

Treasurers,   County 205 

Treaties  with   Indians   31 

Trouble  with   Indians 33 


u 


Ulmer    257 


Value    of    Land 60 

\'eterans   in    1884 143 

Village   Plats   289 

\'iola   Township   257 

Boundaries     258 

Naming   of   210,  260 

Natural  Features  258 

Officers    260 

Organization   260 

Schools    135 

Settlement    258 

Vote  on  Prohibitory  .Amendment 201 


HISTORICAL   INDEX. 


W 

Wall  Lake 25,  248 

Wall   Lake,  Town  of 244 

Banks    123 

Business  Directory 245 

Churches 159,  164,  167 

First   Events   244 

Incorporation    246 

Lodges   177,  180 

Newspapers    113 

Officers    246 

Population   244 

Postmasters     24/ 

Schools    131,  135 

Railroad   Center 247 

Veterans    l'*3 

Water  Works 246 

Wall   Lake   Township   247 

Location   247 

Naming  of 210 

Schools    135 


Wall  Lake  Township — 

Streams  248 

Wall   Lake   248 

War  of  1812 31 

Watershed   25 

Weather  Notes   304,  315 

Wheat    100 

Wheeler  Township   212 

Boundaries    212 

Election,  First 213 

First   Election 213 

Location   212 

Naming  of 210 

Population    212 

Schools    135 

Settlement    213 

Wild    Game    331 

Women  Machinists 314 


Young  Men's  Christian  Association,   173 


BIOGRAPHICAL  INDEX 


A 

Adams,    Hiram    

Ahrens,    Ernest    L.    820 

Anderson,    Adolph    635 

Anderson,    Swan    467 

Andre,  Thomas  J.,  M.  D. 432 

Armstrong,    Alden    728 

Armstrong,    C.   P.    916 

Armstrong,    Piatt    880 

Austin.  James  E. 

B 

Bahl,   Louis   568 

Ballard,  Charles  W. 760 

Baxter,    Harry    578 

Bechler,    Robert    D.    741 

Berg,   Charles   F. 768 

Berg,  Charles  O. 837 

Berg,    Martin    768 

Bettin,   August   661 

Blair,   Fred    L.,    M.   D 60S 

Brehm,    Fred   618 

Brill,  John  G.  536 

Brobeil,  Charles  F. 520 

Brobeil,  William   G.   766 

Broughton,    Ben    424 

Bruce,   James   L.   y 693 

Brynteson,   Charles 796 

Buehler,    Benjamin    M.    900 

Buehler,    Henry    , 917 

Buehler,  Jacob    671 

Buehler,  Jacob  G.  905 

Buehler,    Sebastian    678 

Buehler,  William   F. 889 

Buihner,  Berton  B.   453 

Burnquist.    Charles   A.   690 

C 

Carlton,    Dan   D.    426 

Cawiezel,    Frank    85- 


Chandler,   Abner   L.   387 

Chrysler,  John  E.   573 

Cole,    William    L.    765 

CoUenbaugh,   Benjamin  F. 587 

Collenbaugh,   Charles   M.   901 

Collins,    George   P.   640 

Correll,    David    683 

Corsaut,  David 625 

Corsaut,   James   D.   602 

Cory,  George   I.   -'^- 

Cory,   Hugh   M.   488 

Cox,   Clark 628 

Cox,    Elmer,    740 

Coy,   Charles   C 439 

Crane,  Edward  H.  M.  D. 706 

Cranston,  Archie   P. 861 

Cranston,   James   A.   84- 

Criss,    Eugene    360 

Criss,  Mrs.  Frances  H 36- 

Criss,  John  W.  833 

Criss.   William   H.   81/ 

Cunningham,    Alisalom    814 

Currie.   John    584 

Currie.   Malcolm 793 

D 

Dahm.    Michael    567 

Dakin.   James   B.   7-- 

Daly.  Rev.  M.  C 40/ 

Dannenberg,    August    ^13 

Dannenberg,    August    E 532 

Darling,  Charles  S. 403 

Davenport,    Albert    7a 

Davis,   Charles   W.   500 

Dean,  W.  M. 71/ 

Denman,    John    H.    440 

Dettraann,   Henry   F.   

Dinges,    John    688 

Dinges,  Peter  H 893 

Down,   Thomas   W.    ^^" 

■      Drewry,    Claire    A.   898 


BIOGRAPHICAL   INDEX. 


Drewry,    Edward   464 

Drury.  J.   Reese 600 

Driiry,   James   A.   850 

Drury.    Will    472 

Dunkin,    Frank   L.   526 

E 

Early.    Charles   L.   368 

Early,   D.   Carr 355 

Edson,    Charles   A.   864 

Ellis,  A.   H.  908 

Elwood.   Samuel   M.   374 

Engelhardt.  Robert 758 

F 

Field,   William    W^   352 

Findley,  William  J.,  M.  D. 812 

Firth,    Charles    W.    808 

Fox,   Harry   B. 710 

Fox,    Marshall   D.   480 

Frey,    Henry   ""4 

Friesner,   Andrew   J.    645 

Friesner,   Henry 633 

Friesner,  William   L.   660 

Fuchs,    John    416 

Fuller.  Ernest  C. 350 

Fuller.   Z.,   M.  D. 400 

Fyfe.   Morris  M. 746 

G 

Galliraith,    Alexander   886 

Gishwiller,  Nicholas  O. 395 

Goldsmith,   Charles   D.    882 

Goodcnow,    Charles    485 

Gordon,    Francis    E.    798 

Goreham,  Edson  E.  507 

Goreham,    Joseph    P.    456 

Goreham,    Leonard   L. 434 

Gosch,  John  H.  872 

Gosch,   Juergen   P.   896 

Gould,   George    B.  840 

Green,  Col.  Festus  J. 656 

Greenley,  Thomas  E. 571 

Groman,  August,   M.  D.  383 

Gulliford,   A.   B.   846 

Gundcrson,    .\nton    E.    800 


H 

Hahne,    August    859 

Hahne,    Herman    — ., 781 

Hahne,    Samuel    763 

Hahne,   William   863 

Hamand,    James    857 

Hammerstrom,    Gust    776 

Hanson,    Edward    H.    847 

Hanson,   George   H.  475 

Hanson,   Harry   H.   906 

Hanson,    Henry    366 

Hanson,    John    570 

Haradon,    Eli    550 

Hart,   W'illiam   H.   376 

Hartman,  Edward  P.   397 

Hartsell,  Jacob   W.   359 

Hasch.    Henry    502 

Hatrteld,    Charles    828 

Hayden,  Arthur  S.,  M.   D. 493 

Hechtner,    Charles    637 

Hcchtner,   John    G. ^ 638 

Henning,   W'illiam   W.   622 

H enrich,   Valentine   894 

Hess,    Herman    C.   862 

Hiersche.    F.    R.    888 

Highland.   Walter   T.   596 

Hill,  Ulysses   S. 468 

Hillmann,    Fred    614 

Hix,     Henry    860 

Hoft,    Henry   497 

Hopkins,  Christopher  M.,   M.  D.  __-  663 

Hoskins,  Perry  S.- 589 

Hover,   Alexander   542 

Howard,   William  J.   538 

Howard,  W^iUiam   O.   494 

Huelman,   Theodore    549 

Huser,   Thea    603 

Huston,    David    S.   704 

I 

Ibel,   Jacob  J.   612 

Irwin,    Charles    W.    665 

Irwin,    James    T.    869 

Irwin,   Xestor   B. 643 

J 

Jacobsen,    Theodore   652 

Jensen,    Charles   845 


BIOGRAPHICAL  INDEX. 


Jensen.    Oliver    

Johnson.   Andrew   E. 
Tohnson.    George   W. 


Kastuer,    Henry   

Keir,   Duncan   B.   

Keir.   Thomas   G.  

Keiser.  Joseph 

Kessler.    Henry    

King.    Charles    D.    

King,   Joseph    H.    

Kluckhohn.   Henry   A.   __ - 

Konradi,    Joseph    

Kramer.   Ozro  J.   

Krusenstjerna.    Alfred   G. 


721 
784 
779 


—  524 
,_-  738 
__-  631 
.__-  608 
.___  484 
.__.  546 
_._-  540 
___-  848 

890 

. 775 

399 


Martin,   Charles   A.   ^^_^ 

Martin,   Francis  T.   870 

Mason,    Anderson '^^'- 

Mattes.    Joseph    ^^9 

Mayhall.    Ross    ^83 

Mead.   Hugh   H. ^^^ 

Mead.    Isaac    X.    ^^^ 

Mehlbrech.    W.    Louis    915 

Mendenhall.    George    W.    732 

Merkley,    Edgar   C.   557 

Messer.    Martin    A.    5-9 

Mever.    Conrad    ^^4 

Miner.    Albert    D.    ^sO 

Miner.  Kingsley  A. 651 

Mock,    Marion    ^5- 

Molsberry,  Frank  R..  D.  D.  S 885 

Molsberry.   Will    T.    583 

Montgomery,    Arthur    H.   534 


Lange,    Claus    

Lashier,    Albert   F. 
Lee,   C.   Everett  — 
Lee,    Curtis    Orville 
Lewis,    Reuben 


431 

555 

504 

384 

834 

Little,  Walter  W.  547 

Long,    Robert    M.    448 

Longman,    Thomas    599 

Lookingbill,  Col.  William  C 736 

,  f    „  734 

Low.    J.    rL.    

Lowry,   Larkin   P.   83U 

Lundell,    August    "^59 

Lundell,   Peter   G.   446 


N 

Xeal,  J.   Wilbur   ^94 

Needham.   Francis   S. °^= 

Nelson,   Alfred   J^O 

Nuehring,    Charles    O"^ 

Xutter,    Walter    A.    


O 

O'Grady.  J.  E..  D.  D.  S. 

Oldsen.   Carl   A.  

Oldsen.   John   D.   


839 


770 
675 
506 


Mc 

McCarter,   Washington   723 

McCord,   Robert   L.   793 

McCorkindale.    Angus    866 

McCorkindale,    Donald    658 

McCray.  Frank  H..  M.  D 777 

McCrea,   L.  H.  682 

McDonald.   J.   F.   5-- 

McGeachy.    Alexander    874 

McGeachy,    Donald,    83^ 

McLaughlin,    John    P..    7/3 

McNeill,    Rev.    Francis    576 


M 


Mackey,    Oliver 


911 


Markley.   John   R.   648 


Paeper.    Robert    J.    

Parkinson,    Joseph    

Paul,  Allie  J.  

Paul.  Charlie  A. 

Perkins,  George  B 

Petersmeyer,   August   C. 
Petersmeyer,  Fred  W.  - 

Peterson,   Solomon 

Pilloud,    Frank    

Pitstick,   William   

Piatt,    Asa    

Poland,   William    R 

Pratt.    Frank    E.    

Purdy.  Walden  E.  


754 

702 

477 

478 

389 

680 

.  483 

.  436 

.  560 

.  730 

.  371 

.  750 

.  627 

_  552 


BIOGRAPHICAL  INDEX. 


Q 

ijuinii,     Pat    867 

Quirk,    Lewis   T.   654 

Quirk,    Thomas    674 

Quirk,    William    816 

R 

Rabe,    Henry   892 

Rake,   L.   B.  790 

Reinhart,   John   909 

Reuber,  August   H.   VV.  853 

Reynolds.  John   A.   616 

Rhoads,   William   W.   624 

Rich,   Maurice  D. 727 

Ringgenberg,   Edward   S.   594 

Ritter,    Conrad    A 646 

Roberts,    Henry    J.    877 

Jiobinson,   Henry  C. 672 

Robinson,  James   D.   530 

Robinson,   Olden   C.   856 

Robinson,    Robert    S.   533 

Rogers,  Earl   C.  715 

Rogers,  Henry  W. 743 

Roseke,    August   580 

Rosenhauer,    George    565 

S 

Sanlnirn,   John   S 554 

Schaefer,    Christian   592 

Schaller,    Phil    345 

Schenck,  DeVVitt   G. 610 

Schenkelberg,    Rev.    L.    714 

Schnirring,    E.    M.    751 

Schmitz.   John    N.   _- — .  699 

Schulte,  Charles  A. 836 

Schultz.  Alfred   C.   803 

Sebern.   R.   C.   M.   D 701 

Seek,    William    543 

Selby,    Seymour    D.    381 

Shaffer,  Raymond  C,  M.  D. 913 

Sheley,    Martin    744 

Shelmcrdine.    David    558 

Slacks.   John    R.   378 

Smith.  Asa   B. 668 

Smith,  Hiram  B 444 

Smith,    i'eter   720 

Sonnichsen.   Sankey   C.   711 

Spicer,    J.    J.    642 

Spurrell,    John    884 

Stanzcl,   Barnabas   C.  851 


Stanzel,    George   C.   563 

Stanzel,    Silas    786 

Stanzel,  William  A. 696 

Stanzel,    William    August    687 

Starner,   Emctt   685 

.Staton,  James   S.   518 

Stocker,   George   L. 809 

Stokes,   William   W.   756 

Stouffer,    Frank    E.    392 

Stouffer,   Samuel   M. 392 

Strahn,    Harry   I.   496 

Swearingen,  Guy,  M.  D. 831 

T 

Taylor.    George   A.    827 

Teaquist,   Col.   Albert  S.   574 

Therkelsen,  J.   P. 712 

Thielhorn,   Chriss  J.   649 

Tiberghien.   Elias   806 

Tiberghien.  James   W. 822 

Tiberghien.   Jeremiah   S.   544 

Tischer,    Hans    509 

Tourgee,   J.   B.   653 

Townsend,  William   H..  M.  D. 804 

U 

Umbarger,   J.    F.   855 

Umbarger.    William    L.    677 

W 

Wadsley,   George   W. 562 

Wager,    Alexander    630 

Wagner,   John    G.   525 

Wagner,  John    H.   691 

Watt,   Samuel    L 363 

Wayt,    Leon    R,    414 

Wayt,    Wooster   B.   410 

Webb,    Adelbert    E.    748 

Weed,    Francis   W.   420 

Wells,  John    P.   718 

Westrnm.    John    724 

Whiteside,    W.    K.   __. 787 

Whitted.  C.  M. 802 

Willhoite.   George    B.   619 

Williams,    Ed    606 

Williams,    Ephraim    A.    582 

Williams,   F.  E.,  M.  D.  C 904 

Wilson.    J.    W.   878 

Wilson,    U'nlu'rt    I.   615 


BIOGRAPHICAL    INDEX. 

Wine,  Lacey  A. 408  '                                            Y 

Winkler,    Fred    442 

Wiseman,    George    876  Young,   Edwin   M 528 

Wolf,    Michael    B.   429  Young,  Joseph   S.   597 

Woodke,  August  D. 771  Younie,  John  W. 462 


HISTORICAL 


CHAPTER  I. 


GEOLOGY    AND    TOPOGRAPHY. 


Without  gt-iing  into  a  detailed  accmiiit  of  all  that  has  heen  written  by 
geologists  concerning  the  formation  ami  surface  appearance  of  Sac  county,  it 
may  be  of  some  interest  to  the  ordinary  reader  of  this  work  to  mention  some 
of  the  general  features  of  the  soil  and  formations  below,  in  this  section  of  the 
state. 

First,  it  should  be  said  that  the  geological  features  here  are  not  materially 
different  from  other  western  Iowa  prairie  counties. 

Sac  is  the  third  countx'  from  the  Missouri  river,  and  the  fourth  from  the 
north  line  of  the  state.  It  contains  a  superficial  area  of  five  hundred  and  sev- 
enty-six scjuare  miles,  equal  to  368,640  acres.  It  is  admirably  watered  and 
drained  by  North  Raccoon  and  Boyer  ri\ers  and  their  tributaries,  together 
with  several  branches  of  Alaple  river  which  have  their  sources  in  the  county. 
Cedar  and  Indian  creeks  are  important  tributaries  of  North  Raccoon.  Boyer 
river,  so  famous  in  this  state  for  the  fertility  of  its  valley,  rises  in  Buena  Vista 
county  and  flows  south  across  the  >center  of  Sac  county. 

The  southern  extremity  of  an  important  chain  of  little  lakes  occup}-ing 
the  "Great  Watershed,"  is  in  Sac  county.  The  middle  of  the  county  is  about 
on  the  summit  ridge,  Raccoon  river,  on  the  east,  flowing  to  the  Mississippi, 
and  Boyer  river,  on  the  west,  flowing  into  the  Missouri  at  Council  Blufifs.  On 
this  "watershed"  between  the  Raccoon  and  Boyer  are  situated  several  small 
lakes,  the  largest  of  which  is  known  as  Wall  lake.  This  charming  little  lake 
is  situated  in  townships  86  and  87,  of  range  36.  being  in  the  southern  portion 
of  the  county.  This  body  of  water  covers  an  area  of  about  three  scjuare  miles, 
and  does  not  exceed  a  depth  of  twelve  feet.  Originally  a  part  of  the  shores 
of  this  lake  were  bordered  by  earthworks,  or  an  embankment  of  earth  and 
boulders,  in  some  places  the  latter  having  the  appearance  of  a  wall  laid  up  by 
the  hand  of  men,  and  hence  the  name  Wall  lake.     In  the  waters  of  this  lake 


26  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

are  many  fine  fishes  and  from  the  early  settlement  of  western  Iowa  many  per- 
sons visited  the  spot  on  fishing  expeditions.  In  the  beautiful  autumn  time  of 
western  Iowa,  immense  fiocks  of  wild  fowl,  including  ducks  and  other  water- 
fowls, here  congregate.  In  the  north  part  of  the  count\-  there  was  also  an- 
other lake  of  about  a  mile  square.  It  was  in  township  88  of  ranges  36  and  37. 
This  was  known  as  Rush  lake,  but  has  recently  been  drained  (lut  b}-  dredge 
ditches. 

In  recent  years — since  the  beginning  of  the  railroad  era — these  lakes,- 
especially  Wall  lake,  in  the  southern  part  of  the  count)-,  have  been  utilized  for 
summer  resorts.  The  shores  of  \\'all  lake  have  been  improved  and  boating  and 
bath  houses  have  made  it  a  verj^  popular  place  for  excursionists.  Camping 
and  fishing,  \vith  all  the  amusements  that  characterize  a  summer  resort,  are 
here  found. 

At  an  early  day,  and  even  at  this  time  to  a  certain  extent,  the  Raccoon 
and  Boyer  rivers  possessed  a  considerable  growth  of  natural  timber,  including 
such  varieties  as  oak,  black  walnut,  Cottonwood,  linn,  elm  and  the  maples.  The 
general  character  of  the  surface  is  rolling,  in  only  a  few  places  being  very 
rough  or  broken — simply  a  beautiful  prairie  ]5lain.  But  little  is  too  flat  or  wet 
to  cultivate,  and  most  of  the  present  county  is  used  for  actual,  practical  farm- 
ing purfxjses.  The  soil  is  of  unusual  fertility  and  richness.  Here  are  pro- 
duced annual  crops  of  wheat,  oats,  corn  and  tame  grasses.  Vegetables  and 
some  variety  of  fruits  do  well  in  Sac  county.  At  one  of  the  corn  palaces  in 
Sioux  City  in  the  nineties.  Sac  county  took  the  premium  on  her  exhibit  of 
apples.     Variety,  color  and  flavor  were  all  taken  into  account. 

The  soil  is  for  the  most  part  a  deep,  black  alluvial  loam,  which  possesses 
rare  productive  qualities,  and  will  last  for  generations,  even  without  fertiliz- 
ing; but  the  scientific  methods  of  the  present  century  have  taught  the  wise 
and  intelligent  farmer  to  conserve  his  rich  soil  holdings,  by  rotation  of  crops, 
the  growth  of  tame  grasses,  etc.,  in  order  that  his  land  may  not  "run  down," 
but  be  as  rich  and  productive  in  generations  to  come  as  it  is  today.  This  drift 
deposit  in  all  northern  Iowa  is  from  the  original  rocks  of  Minnesota,  with 
much  from  Iowa  itself.  In  general  terms,  the  constant  component  element  of 
the  drift  soil  is  that  portion  which  was  transported  from  the  north,  while  the 
inconstant  elements  are  those  portions  which  were  derived  from  the  adjacent 
or  underlying  strata.  For  example,  in  western  Iowa,  wherever  that  creta- 
ceous formation  known  as  the  nisnabotany  sandstone  exists,  the  soil  contains 
more  sand  than  elsewhere.  The  same  may  be  said  of  the  soil  of  some  parts 
of  the  state  occupied  by  the  lower  coal  measure,  the  sandstones  and  sand 
shales  of  the  formation  furnishing  the  sand. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  27 

The  northern  and  n(jrthwestern  portions  of  Iowa  contain  more  sand  and 
gravel  than  any  cither  portions.  This  sand  and  gravel  was  doubtless  derived 
from  the  cretaceous  rocks  that  do  now  or  formerly  did  exist  there,  as  well 
as  from  the  pudding-stone  beds  of  the  Sioux  quartzite. 

Sac  county  is  really  too  far  north  to  be  within  the  coal  measure  of  the 
state.  Good  clays  are  found  within  the  county,  but  the  wealth  comes  largely 
from  the  rich  alluvial  soil  and  is  more  and  more  valued  as  the  years  go  by. 

ORIGIN    OF    THE    PRAIRIES. 

From  all  that  has  been  written  concerning  the  origin  of  the  prairie  lands 
of  this  state,  it  appears  to  be  r|uite  well  settled  in  the  minds  of  up-to-date 
scientists,  that  the  annual  prairie  fires  account  for  the  lack  of  timber  in  this 
section  of  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri  vallevs.  It  is  estimated  that  seven- 
eighths  of  the  entire  surface  of  the  state  of  Iowa  was  prairie  when  first 
known  to  white  men.  These  prairies  are  not  confined  to  any  particular 
variety  of  soil,  for  within  the  state  they  rest  upon  all  formations,  from  those 
of  the  Azoic  to  those  of  the  Cretaceous  age  inclusive.  Whatever  may  have 
been  their  origin,  their  present  existence  in  Iowa  is  not  due  to  the  influence 
of  climate,  nor  the  soil,  nor  any  of  the  underlying  formations.  The  real 
cause  is  the  pre\'alence  of  the  annual  fires.  If  these  had  been  prevented  fifty 
and  a  hundred  years  ago,  Iowa  would  now  doubtless  have  been  a  timbered 
country.  The  encroaching  habits  of  forest  trees  are  well  known  to  farmers 
of  this  state,  and  they  have  from  time  to  time  observed  this  encroachment 
going  on  as  soon  as  the  adjoining  woodland  has  been  well  protected  from  the 
fires.  As  it  is  toda}-,  and  has  been  for  forty  years,  ninety-five  per  cent,  of  the 
land  in  Iowa  is  tillable  land  of  great  value. 

THE   MYSTERY   OF  THE    PRAIRIES. 

The  Iowa  boy  and  girl  of  today  knows  but  little,  if  indeed  anything,  of 
the  beauty  and  mystery  of  the  prairie ;  they  can  never  see  (as  did  their  parents 
only  a  few  decades  ago )  the  moist  furrow  as  the  sod  is  turned  in  long  rolls, 
the  miracle  of  subduing  the  soil  so  wild.  The  prairie,  just  as  God  turned  it, 
in  long  reaches,  so  clean,  so  sweet  in  its  perfumes  wafted  on  the  winds  that 
came  down  out  of  the  southwest.  After  a  rain,  how  jiure  all  nature  ap- 
peared. The  wide  expanse  stretching  away  to  the  east  and  north,  all  prairie 
for  miles  from  the  new  farm  that  was  being  improved.  The  billows  of  wav- 
ing grass,  dotted  ^vith  wild  flowers,  the  whole  seeming  to  wave  in  unison  with 


28  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

the  wind  as  it  came  over  the  hill.  The  mystery  of  the  prairie?  Unsolved, 
entrancing  and  one  of  rarest  memories  of  boyhood  and  young  manhood,  in 
the  da^s  that  have  forever  gone  for  the  sons  and  daiigiiters  of  the  Hawkeye 
state,  the  tioral  emblem  of  which  is  the  wild  rose. 

^\'hat  tribes  haunted  these  prairie  lands  of  Sac  county  before  the  advent 
of  the  white  race?  What  Indian  princess  had  gathered  the  wild  flowers  to 
radiantly  bedeck  her  swarthy  l)row?  For  this  had  been,  in  the  early  days,  the 
richest  of  all  pasture  lands  and  the  hunting  ground  of  the  Indians  for  many 
generations.  Of  this  there  were  many  mute  evidences  when  the  pioneer  first 
set  stakes  along  the  streams  of  this  county.  The  writer  of  this  article  knew 
the  same  kind  iif  prairies  in  Iowa,  when  they  were  unsullied  and  unscarred, 
the  gift  of  God,  direct  from  His  hand,  lying  like  a  great  quilt  of  many  colors 
over  spreading  valley  and  u])Iand,  the  pattern  most  exquisite  and  perfect  in 
execution,  for  it  had  been  wrought  out  by  the  great  Artist  of  the  Universe. 
The  sweet  william.  the  violet  and  retiring  lilw  the  latter  the  most  beauti- 
ful and  so  hard  to  discover,  so  hiding  in  its  habits — these  were  the  flowers 
scattered  through  the  wild  grass,  in  many  places  a  riot  of  bright,  dazzling 
color. 

To  have  known  the  unbroken  prairie  was  to  ha\e  known,  intimately, 
virgin  life.  Really,  to  have  studied  it  in  all  its  deep  mysteries  was  to  have 
been  well  schooled  in  all  things  chaste  and  broad-minded.  To  have  seen  the 
joyous  springtime,  the  mature  deli1)erations  of  summer  and  the  somber  hues 
and  tones  of  autumntime  was  to  have  witnessed  the  sul)lime  in  Nature's  un- 
cultivated flower  garden.  Then  the  great  white  blanket  of  snow,  covering 
all  as  far  as  the  eye  could  see,  was  but  to  look  out  upon  a  dreary,  yet  pleasing 
landscape.  But  how  changed  is  all  this  scene.  There  are  no  large  ]3rairies 
in  Sac  or  any  of  her  sister  counties.  The  plowshare  has  forever  obliterated 
all  that  has  just  now  been  descriljed.  The  landmarks  have  long  since  been 
swept  down  beneath  the  hand  of  the  greedy,  though  generally  laudable,  hus- 
bandman. The  beautiful  prairies  have  served  their  time  and  have  passed 
away,  and  with  them  the  nimble-footed  deer,  the  elk.  antelope  and  that  won- 
derful game  bird,  the  prairie  chicken. 

PIONEER  ANIMAL  LIFE. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  mammals  found  in  ,Sac  county,  at  an  early 
day,  as  shown  by  a  recent  state  publication :  Opossoms,  prairie  hare,  cotton- 
tail, prairie  gopher,  muskrat,  meadow  mouse,  prairie  deer  mouse,  northern 
white-footed  mouse,   brown   rat.   common   house   mouse,   American  beaver. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  29 

woodchuck,  ground-hog,  marmot,  prairie  squirrel,  striped  gopher,  chipmunk, 
ground  squirrel,  western  fox  squirrel,  short-tailed  schrews,  prairie  mole,  red 
rat,  hoary  bat,  red  deer,  American  elk,  buffalo,  American  otter,  northern  plains 
skunk,  civet-cat,  American  badger,  mink.  long-tailed  weasel,  red  fo.x,  prairie 
wolf,  bob  cat,  mountain  lion. 

All  but  a  small  percentage  of  these  animals  have  long  since  been  scarce 
in  this  portion  of  Iowa,  but  at  one  day  it  was  their  home. 


CHAPTER  II. 

INDIAN   OCCUPANCY TERRITORY  ACQUIRED  BY  WHITE   MEN. 

Of  what  is  termed  the  pre-historic  race  that  inhabited  this  section  of 
the  Northwest,  there  is  hut  httle  knuwii,  the  (inly  history  of  this  extinct  race 
being  the  mounds  and  the  contents  of  the  same.  These  mounds  are  found 
scattered  here  and  there  in  many  sections  of  this  and  other  states,  a  goodly 
number  having  been  discovered  in  recent  years  in  Cherokee  county. 
Whether  these  Abjund  Builders  were  a  distinct  race  from  the  Xorth  American 
Indians  or  not  is  still  an  unsettled  question,  but  the  evidence  so  far  goes  to 
show  that  they  sprang  from  some  tribe  from  Asia.  Those  best  versed  in 
such  questions  claim  that  this  settlement  from  the  Orient  came  about  either 
by  ship-wrecked  sailors,  or  by  the  true  immigration  from  Asia,  crossing  at 
Bering  Strait.  There  is  every  evidence  that  tends  to  show  that  the  Mound 
Builders  were  people  well  up  in  arts  and  science,  as  then  understood  in  the 
world,  and  that  copper  was  mined  and  worked  in  a  fashion  now  imknown  to 
the  most  skilled  artisan.  The\'  made  implements  of  war  and  had  elaborate 
houses,  practiced  domestic  cconomx"  and  were  probablv  the  ancestors  of  the 
North  American  Indian. 

For  more  than  one  hundred  \ears  after  Mar(|uette  and  Joliet  trod  the 
soil  of  Iowa  and  admired  its  fertile  ])lains,  not  a  single  settlement  was  made 
or  attempted,  not  even  a  trading  post  being  established.  During  this  time 
the  Illinois  Indians,  once  a  very  powerful  tribe,  gave  up  the  entire  possession 
of  this  "Beautiful  Land"  fas  its  name,  Iowa,  really  signifies)  to  the  Sacs 
and  Foxes.  In  1803,  when  Louisiana  was  purchased  b\-  the  United  States, 
these  two  tribes,  with  the  lowas,  possessed  the  entire  present  state  of  Illinois. 
The  four  most  important  towns  of  the  Sacs  were  along  the  Mississippi,  two 
on  the  east  side,  one  near  the  mouth  of  the  Upper  Iowa  river  and  one  at  the 
head  of  the  Des  Moines  ra])ids,  near  the  present  town  of  Montrose.  Those 
of  the  P'oxes  were,  one  on  the  west' side  of  the  Mississippi  just  above  Daven- 
port, one  about  twelve  miles  from  the  river,  back  of  Dubuque  lead  mines,  and 
one  on  Turkey  river.  The  principal  village  of  the  lowas  was  on  the  Des 
Moines  river,  in  Van  13uren  count\-,  where  Towaville  now  stands.     Here  the 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  31 

last  great  battle  between  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  and  the  lowas  was  fought,  in 
which  Black  Hawk,  then  a  young  man,  commanded  the  attacking  forces. 

The  Sioux  had  the  northern  portion  of  the  state  and  southern  Minne- 
sota. They  were  a  fierce,  warlike  natit)n,  and  often  disputed  the  possessions 
of  their  rivals  in  savage  and  bloody  warfare;  but  finally  a  boundary  line  was 
established  between  them  by  the  government  of  the  United  States,  in  a  treaty 
held  at  Prairie  Du  Chien  in  1825.  This,  however,  became  the  source  of 
an  increased  number  of  quarrels  between  the  tribes,  as  each  trespassed,  or  was 
thought  to  trespass,  upon  the  rights  of  those  who  lived  on  the  other  side  of 
the  line.  In  1830,  therefore,  the  government  created  a  forty-mile  strip  of 
neutral  ground  between  them,  which  policy  proved  to  be  more  successful  in 
the  interests  of  peace. 

Soon  after  Louisiana  was  acquired  by  the  United  States,  the  latter 
adopted  measures  for  the  exploration  of  the  new  territory,  having  in  view  the 
conciliation  of  the  numerous  tribes  of  Indians  by  whom  it  was  possessed, 
and  also  the  selection  of  proper  sites  for  military  posts  and  trading  stations. 
This  was  accordingly  accomplished.  But  before  the  country  could  be  opened 
up  for  settlement  by  the  whites,  it  was  necessary  that  the  Indian  titles  should 
be  extinguished  and  that  people  removed.  When  the  government  assumed 
control  of  the  country  by  virtue  of  the  Louisiana  purchase,  nearly  all  Iowa 
was  in  possession  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  at  whose  head  stood  the  rising, 
daring  and  intelligent  Black  Hawk.  On  Novem1:ier  3,  1804,  a  treaty  was 
concluded  with  these  tribes  by  which  they  ceded  to  the  United  States  the 
Illinois  side  of  the  Mississippi,  in  consideration  of  two  thousand  three  hun- 
dred and  thirty-four  dollars  worth  of  goods  then  delivered  and  an  annuity 
of  one  thousand  dollars  to  be  paid  in  goods  at  cost;  but  Black  Hawk  always 
maintained  that  the  chiefs  who  entered  into  that  compact  acted  without  au- 
thoritv,  and  therefore  the  treaty  was  not  Ijinding.  The  first  fort  luiilt  on 
Iowa  soil  was  Fort  Madison.  A  short  time  before  a  military  post  was  fixed 
at  what  is  now  Warsaw,  Illinois,  and  named  Fort  Edwards.  These  enter- 
prises caused  mistrust  among  the  Indian  tribes.  Indeed  Fort  Madison  was 
located  in  violation  of  the  treaty  of  1804.  The  Indians  sent  delegations  to 
the  whites  at  these  forts  to  learn  what  they  were  doing  and  what  they  in- 
tended. On  being  "informed"  that  these  structures  were  merely  trading 
posts,  they  were  incredulous  and  became  more  and  more  suspicious.  Black 
Hawk,  therefore,  led  a  party  to  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Madison  and  attempted 
its  destruction,  but  a  premature  attack  by  him  caused  his  failure. 

In  181 2,  when  war  was  declared  between  this  countrv  and  Great  Britain, 


32  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Black  Hawk  and  his  band  allietl  themselves  to  the  British,  partly  because 
they  were  dazzled  by  their  specious  promises,  but  mostly  because  they 
had  been  deceived  by  the  Americans.  Black  Hawk  said  plainly  that 
the  latter  fact  was  the  cause.  A  portion  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  however, 
headed  b}-  Keokuk  ("Watchful  Fox")  could  not  be  persuaded  into  hos- 
tilities against  the  United  States,  they  being  disposed  to  stand  by  the  treaty 
of  1804.  The  Indians  were,  therefore,  divided  into  the  "war"'  and  the 
"peace"  jjarties.  On  old  Black  Hawk's  return  from  the  British  army,  he 
says  that  he  was  introduced  to  Keokuk  as  war  chief  of  the  braves  then  in 
that  village.  On  in(juiry  as  to  how  he  came  to  be  made  a  chief,  there  were 
given  him  the  particulars  of  his  having  killed  a  Sioux  in  battle,  which  fact 
placed  him  among  the  warriors,  and  of  his  having  headed  an  expedition  in 
defense  of  their  village  at  Peoria.  In  person,  Keokuk  was  tall  and  of  stately 
bearing,  and  in  speech  he  was  a  genuine,  though  uneducated,  orator.  He 
never  mastered  the  English  language,  hence  his  biographers  have  ne\'er  been 
able  to  do  his  character  justice.  He  was  a  friend  of  the  United  States  gov- 
ernment, and  ever  tried  to  persuade  the  Indians  that  it  was  useless  to  at- 
tack a  nation  so  powerful  as  that  of  the  United  States. 

The  treaty  of  1804  was  renewed  in  1816,  which  Black  Hawk  himself 
signed;  but  he  afterward  held  that  he  was  deceived  and  that  the  treaty  was 
not  even  yet  binding.  But  there  was  no  further  serious  trouble  with  the 
Indians  until  the  noted  Black  Hawk  war  of  1832,  all  of  which  took  place 
in  Illinois  and  Wisconsin,  with  the  expected  result — the  defeat  and  capture 
of  old  Black  Hawk,  and  the  final  repulsion  of  all  hostile  Indians  to  the  west 
of  the  Mississippi.  Black  Hawk  died  October  3,  1838,  at  his  home  in  this 
state,  and  was  buried  there,  but  his  remains  were  afterward  placed  in  a 
museum  of  the  Historical  Society,  where  they  were  accidentallv  destroyed 
by  fire. 

More  or  less  affecting  the  territory  included  within  the  state  of  Iowa, 
fifteen  treaties  have  been  made,  an  outline  of  which  is  as  follows:  In 
1804,  when  the  whites  agreed  not  to  settle  west  of  the  Mississippi  on  Indian 
lands;  in  1815,  with  the  Sioux,  ratifying  peace  with  Great  Britain  and  the 
United  States;  with  the  Sacs,  a  treaty  of  similar  nature,  also  ratifvi'ng  that 
of  1804,  the  Indians  agreeing  not  to  join  their  brethren  who,  under  Black 
Hawk,  had  aided  the  British:  with  the  Fo.xes  ratifying  the  treatv  of  1804, 
the  Indians  agreeing  to  deliver  up  all  their  prisoners;  with  the  lowas,  a  treaty 
of  friendship:  in  1816.  with  the  Sacs  of  Rock  River,  ratifying  the  treaty  of 
1804:   in    i8_'4,   with  the   Sacs   and   Foxes,   the  latter  reliniiuishing  all   their 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  ^^ 

lamls  in  Missouri:  ami  that  p(jrtion  of  the  southeast  corner  of  Iowa  known 
as  the  "half-breed  tract,"  was  set  off  to  tiie  half  lireeds:  in  1825,  placing  a 
boundary  line  lietween  the  Sacs  and  l'\ixes  on  the  south  and  the  Sioux  on 
the  north;  in  1830,  when  the  line  was  widened  to  forty  miles;  also  in  the  same 
year,  with  several  tribes,  who  ceded  a  large  portion  of  their  possessions  in 
the  western  ])art  of  the  state;  in  1S32,  with  the  W'innebagoes,  exchanging 
lands  with  them  and  providing  a  school,  etc.,  for  them;  also  in  the  same  year, 
the  "Black  Hawk  Purchase"  was  made,  of  about  six  million  acres,  also  along 
the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi  from  the  southern  line  of  Iowa  to  the  mouth 
of  the  Iowa  ri\er;  in  1836,  with  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  ceding  Keokuk's  re- 
serve to  the  United  States;  in  1837,  with  the  same,  when  another  slice  of 
territor\-,  comprising  one  million  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  acres,  join- 
ing the  foregoing  tract,  was  obtained ;  also  in  the  same  year,  when  these  In- 
dians gave  up  all  their  lands  allowed  them  under  former  treaties;  and  finally, 
in  1842,  when  they  reliu(|uished  their  title  to  all  their  lands  west  of  the 
Mississippi  river. 

TROUBLE  W  ITU  INDIANS  IN  NORTHWESTERN  IOWA. 

While  it  should  be  stated  that  no  serious  trouble  was  ever  experienced 
with  the  Indians  in  Sac  county,  sa\e  an  occasional  scare,  there  was  real  trou- 
ble in  many  of  the  counties  just  to  the  north  and  northwest,  which  should 
here  be  chronicled  in  brief. 

After  the  treaty  made  by  the  government  of  the  United  States  with  the 
Sioux  Indians.  July  15,  18 15,  almost  a  century  ago,  it  was  believed  that  the 
tribe  was  forever  at  peace  with  their  white  brethren ;  but,  alas,  not  so !  In 
the  light  of  all  true  history,  it  must  be  said  that  imprudence  and  bad  faith 
upon  the  part  of  some  white  men  brought  on  serious  difliculty  with  the  In- 
dians of  northwestern  Iowa  and  Minnesota,  which  finall}-  culminated  in  the 
Spirit  Lake  massacre,  so  well  known  and  generally  understood  by  the  in- 
telligent reader  of  Iowa  history,  and  which  event  took  place  in  the  spring 
of  1857.  ^Vhile  it  is  not  the  province  of  this  work  to  go  deep  into  the  details 
of  this  horrible  massacre,  it  is  but  proper  to  state  that  the  author  of  this  book 
does  not  believe  that  the  United  States  government  broke  faith  with  the 
Indians,  in  this  particular  case  at  least;  but  that  individuals  did  must  be 
admitted  by  all  honorable,  fair-minded  people  who  are  cognizant  of  the 
facts  that  brought  on  this  Sioux  massacre,  and  possibly  they,  too,  were  more 
or  less  responsible  for  the  N^ew  Ulm  massacre  up  in  southern  Minnesota  by  the 

(2) 


34  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

same  tribe  in  1S62,  when  vengeance  was  sought  for  supposed,  or  real,  wrongs 
against  the  Indians  in  the  fifties.  So  while  "Lo!  the  poor  Indian"  is  not 
perfect,  on  the  other  hand  Christian  civilization  has  not  always  exemplified  the 
Christ-like  spirit.  Beginning  in  New  England,  trace  the  Indian  wars  on  west 
over  the  Alleghan)-  mountains,  and  through  the  Western  states  and  terri- 
tories, and  here  and  there  the  treaties  have  not  been  kept  sacred  by  white 
men,  any  more  than  by  the  untutored  savage  of  forest  and  plain. 

Coming  now  to  the  events  that  brought  about  the  Spirit  Lake  massacre 
of  1857,  let  it  be  said  that  sometime  during  the  month  of  February,  1857.  a 
hunting  party  of  Sioux  Indians  passed  down  the  Little  Sioux  river.  They 
made  a  short  stay  at  Cherokee  and  were  friendly.  They  then  journeyed  to 
Smithland.  in  \\'o()dl)ury  county.  Here  the  white  settlers  demanded  of  the 
Indians  where  they  were  going  and  insisted  on  knowing  something  concern- 
ing their  business  and  the  plans  they  had  in  mind,  before  they  would  allow 
them  to  proceed  further.  The  Sioux  replied  that  they  were  going  down  to 
shake  hands  with  the  Oniahas :  at  this  the  whites  made  the  Indians  give  up 
their  guns — which  means  as  much  to  an  Indian  as  virtue  does  to  a  chaste 
woman,  the  last  thing  she  will  think  of  compromising.  Their  compulsory 
surrender  of  arms  enraged  them,  and  they  turned  up  stream,  breathing  ven- 
geance upon  the  whites.  The  pale  faces  had  stolen  their  guns  and  now 
white  men  and  women  must  make  restitution,  which  would  only  be  satisfied 
in  the  free  flowing  of  human  blood,  drawn  from  the  bodies  of  the  white 
race.  Llence  it  was  that  on  their  return  trip  north  through  Cherokee  and 
other  counties,  the  Indians  entered  the  cabins  of  the  few  settlers  and  after 
insulting  the  women  and  frightening  the  innocent  children  at  their  sides, 
took  what  firearms  they  chanced  to  find  about  the  premises.  By  the  time 
they  had  reached  Cherokee  their  passions  were  strong  and  the  wrongs  in- 
flicted against  them  at  Smithland  had  become  much  magnified  in  their  minds. 
Here  thev  acted  as  brutal  as  possible  for  human  beings  to  act.  The  arms 
thev  had  been  able  to  gather  up  on  the  way  back  from  Smithland  were 
directed  against  the  innocent  ones  at  Cherokee,  in  the  notion  that  they  might 
frighten  the  entire  settlement  into  leaving  the  country.  Cattle  were  stolen, 
pro\isions,  of  which  the  settlers  had  none  too  much,  were  violently  seized 
and  devoured,  while  they  stood  with  cocked  guns,  to  be  sure  that  they  were 
obeyed  at  once.  Finally,  they  feasted  for  three  days  in  and  about  Cherokee, 
seeming  to  be  debating  in  their  own  minds  what  to  do  with  the  little  colony 
that  had  recently  came  in  from  Milford,  Massachusetts.  No  one  will  ever 
know  iusl  what  ran  through  their  minds.     Suffice  to  say  that  those  days  were 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  35 

the  longest  days  ever  experienced  by  these  colonists,   who  expected   every 
hour  to  be  scalped  or  burned,  as  both  were  threatened. 

One  writer,  in  describing  the  situation,  penned  the  following :  "On  the 
third  evening  pioneers  Parkhurst  and  Lebourveau  returned  from  Sac  City. 
The  Indians,  suspicious  of  the  Smithland  people  and  believing  thev  might 
be  on  their  trail,  \vere  very  anxious  to  know  where  these  two  men  came 
from,  but  the  cunning  of  the  white  men  played  on  the  Indian's  fears — they 
would  not  tell  them:  so,  apprehensive  of  danger,  they  set  off  early  in  the 
morning  up  the  river.  When  far  enough  away  to  feel  safe,  they  became  un- 
governajjle  and  murderous.  In  O'Brien  county  they  entered  the  home  of 
Hannibal  H.  Waterman,  the  first  settler,  as  well  as  others,  far  apart,  and 
there  they  destroyed  property,  took  guns  and  in  several  instances  ravished 
women,  in  the  most  revolting  and  fiendish  manner.  They  grew  more  blood- 
thirsty until  the  terrible  climax  was  reached  at  Spirit  Lake,  Iowa,  where 
about  forty  were  killed  and  fi:iur  innncent  \vi>men  (including  Miss  Abbie 
Gardner,  then  a  frail  girl  of  fourteen  summers )  taken  captive.  Some  of 
the  four  captives  were  inhumanly  treated  and  died  on  the  weary  march 
through  snow  and  ice  water  made  from  the  melting  snows.  Miss  Gardner 
and  another  lady  were  rescued  Ijy  the  state  of  Minnesota  a  few  months  later." 

In  this,  as  in  all  other  cases,  there  were  possibly  two  sides  that  are 
entitled  to  a  hearing,  yet  while  it  is  true  that  the  Indians  were  not  altogether 
blameless,  for  they  plundered  the  settlement,  killed  stock,  and  did  many 
things  to  exasperate  the  settlers,  yet  the  people  of  Smithland  were  by  no 
means  angels,  and  public  opinion  has  long  since  fixed  the  terrible  Spirit 
Lake  massacre  as  having  resulted  from  the  unmanly  conduct  of  the  white 
settlers  at  Smithland,  but  the  Smithland  people  have  always  claimed  all  they 
did  was  in  self-defense  against  the  Indians.  Be  that  as  it  may,  when  the 
sickening  tale  of  the  awful  scenes  enacted  at  and  near  the  state  line,  at  Spirit 
and  Okoboji  lakes,  reached  the  ears  of  the  little  settlement  at  Cherokee, 
every  heart  was  bruised  and  saddened.  .Parties  at  Smithland  advised  the 
Milford  colony  to  leave  Cherokee,  and  in  a  few  days  not  a  settler  was  left  in 
the  county.  Some  had  gone  to  Onawa  and  Ashland,  while  others  had  taken 
refuge  at  Smithland.  Right  here  is  the  darkest  spot  in  the  whole  history  of 
this  unfortunate  affair.  Soon  as  the  Cherokee  colony  had  deserted  their 
homes,  people  from  Smithland  visited  Cherokee,  plundered  what  was  left, 
including  flour,  provisions,  etc.,  as  well  as  opening  boxes  of  household 
goods,  which  the  latter  settlers  had  not  yet  unpacked  since  their  arrival 
from  New  England.     Matters  now  looked  bad  indeed.     Word  had  been  sent 


36  SAC    COl'NTY,    TOWA. 

on  by  some  one  to  Xew  England  that  the  whole  colony  had  been  massacred 
by  the  Indians.  It  was  then  that  Doctor  Russell's  society  of  Milford,  Mas- 
sachusetts, liecame  disorganized.  The  people  were  disheartened,  and  all 
their  fond  hopes  seemed  dashed  to  pieces.  However,  in  May.  that  same 
season,  most  of  the  settlers  returned  to  their  farms  and  homes  and  put  in 
good  crops,  which  yiekled  a  fair  return  in  the  autumntime. 

In  this  connection  it  should  be  stated  that  the  ])art  Sac  county  ( then 
only  one  year  old  as  a  county,  and  three  years  as  a  settled  community)  took  in 
this  massacre  was  to  send  a  few  brave  men  out  in  the  hope  that  they  might 
relieve  the  distressed  and  Iniry  the  dead  at  Spirit  lake.  .Vmong  these  men 
may  now  be  recalled  such  as  L'apt.  I-".  M.  Cory,  the  Tiberghiens  and  others, 
who  formed  a  rescuing  party  to  try  and  unite  with  the  companies  sent  from 
Webster  City.  Boonesboro  and  Fort  Dodge,  the  latter  under  command  of 
Major  \Villiams.  John  F.  Duncombe  and  the  late  Governor  Cyrus  C.  Car- 
penter. But  these  men.  including  the  Sac  countv  delegation,  were  all  too 
late,  for,  in  many  cases,  the  work  had  been  accomplished  before  they  arrived. 
So  the  men  from  this  county  returned,  after  having  gone  as  far  as  Gilett's 
Grove. 

INDIAN    Ii.\TTI.E   IN   SAC   COUNTY. 

Xear  the  mouth  of  the  i.'edar  there  was  an  encampment  of  the  Poita- 
watomies  and  Alatiuoketa  tribes  of  Indians.  Thev  were  attacked  bv  a  war 
party  of  Sioux,  and  when  the  two  tribes  united  in  common  defense  the  lat- 
ter retrealcfl  up  the  Cedar,  hotly  [lursued  li}-  the  former,  Xear  the  north 
line  of  the  count}'  the  Siou.x  halted  and  fought  the  two  tribes  for  several 
hours.  .\  number  were  killed  on  both  sides,  the  Siou.x  Iieing  defeated.  The 
graves  of  the  "fallen  braves"  were  still  to  lie  seen  a  quarter  of  a  century 
ago  by  the  farmers  who  settled  that  portion  of  Sac  county.  These  grax'es 
are  along  the  banks  of  Cedar  creek. 

The  late  ex-Lieutenant-Governor  B.  V.  Gue's  four-\  olume  ]iistor\-  of 
Iowa,  published  about  IQOO.  gives  the  following  account  of  a  bloody  battle 
between  Indian  tribes,  and  from  his  description  the  scene  of  the  battle  must 
have  been  near,  if  not  within,  the  present  boundar\-  of  Sac  count\- : 

"In  1S41  a  part}'  of  Sioux  surprised  a  lunuing  compan\'  of  twent\'-four 
Delawares  on  the  Raccoon  river,  killing  ail  but  one  of  them.  The  Delawares, 
led  by  their  chief,  Nes-wa-ge,  made  an  heroic  Hght  against  overwhelming 
numbers,  killing  twenty-six  of  their  enemy,  four  of  whom  fell  beneath  the 
terrific  blows  ol   the  Delaware  chief.      But  one  csca])e<I   to  carr\'  the  tidings 


CORY   LOG  CABIN.   KRECTED  1S53 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


2,7 


lo  their  Sac  and  l^'ox  friends,  wlm  were  ranii^ed  cm  the  east  bank  of  the 
Des  Moines  river,  near  where  the  present  State  House  stands.  Pashepaho, 
the  chief,  who  was  then  eighty  years  of  age,  mounted  his  pony  and,  selecting 
live  hundred  of  his  bravest  warriors,  started  in  hot  pursuit  of  the  Sioux. 
He  followed  the  trail  from  where  the  bodies  of  the  Delawares  lay  unburied 
for  more  than  a  hundred  miles  up  the  valley  of  the  Raccoon  river,  where  the 
Sioux  were  overtaken.  Raising  their  fierce  war  cry,  led  by  the  old  chieftain, 
the  Sacs  and  Foxes  charged  on  the  enemies'  camp.  The  battle  was  one  of 
the  bloodiest  ever  fought  on  Iowa  soil.  Hand  tn  hand  the  savages  fought 
with  a  desperation  never  surpassed  in  Indian  warfare.  The  Sioux  were 
fighting  for  their  lives  and  their  assailants  for  vengeance  over  their  slaugh- 
tered friends.  The  conflict  lasted  for  many  hours.  The  defeat  of  the  Sioux 
was  overwhelming.  More  than  three  hundred  of  their  dead  were  left  on  the 
field  of  battle.  The  Sacs  and  Foxes  lost  onlv  seven  of  their  numl)er  in 
killed." 

Old  settlers,  mcluding  the  Cory  family,  give  an  account  of  an  awful 
battle  between  the  Sioux  and  a  band  of  roaming  Musquaquas.  in  1853,  in 
Cedar  township,  this  county.  It  occurred  on  section  16 — the  school  section. 
The  spring  of  1856.  the  few  settlers,  including  the  Corys,  were  exploring 
the  countr\-  at  that  point  and  came  across  at  least  one  acre  which  was  lit- 
erall}-  covered  with  skulls  and  bones  of  the  slaughtered  Indians,  mostly  of 
the  Musquaqua  trilie.  which  tribe  now  resides  in  Tama  count  v.  at  the  govern- 
ment Indian  reservation.  The  wolves  and  other  wild  animals  had  eaten  the 
flesh  of  most  of  the  carcasses,  and  the  piles  of  bones  and  skulls  were  a  grue- 
some sight  to  behoUl.  Several  skulls  were  taken  home  by  the  Corys  and 
were  about  the  place  many  years.  There  are  others  who  believe  that  the 
above  engagement  must  ha\e  occurred  several  \-ears  l>efore  the  settlement, 
and  not  in  1853. 

The  Corys'  best  money-making  plans  in  the  first  vears  here  were  in 
trapping,  hunting  and  especially  in  trading  with  the  Indians,  who  sold  them 
many  furs,  which,  when  a  load  had  been  accumulated,  were  taken  to  Fort 
Des  Moines  and  there  marketed. 

At  a  time  w'hen  the  settlement  consisted  of  about  five  families,  one  of 
the  company  had  a  ver\-  \'aluable  dog.  The  Indians  were  afraid  of  him,  and 
told  the  owner  that  he  must  kill  the  dog  or  they  would  kill  him.  At  first  he 
refused,  but  later,  upon  the  suggestion  of  the  settlers,  concluded  to  do  so. 
and  the  dog  was  shot.  It  was  beliex'ed  that  had  he  not  obeyed  the  Indians, 
the  man,  and  possibly  the  little  band  of  settlers,  would  all  have  been  murdered. 


38  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

OTHER  INDIAN    MURDERS. 

l'"ather  De  Snict,  wlio  was  a  niissionar}-  at  what  is  now  Council  Bluffs, 
in  1839,  wrote  in  his  diar\'.  among  other  interesting  things,  this  concerning 
an  Indian  affair  which  doubtless  occurred  about  the  northern  line  of  Sac 
or  not  far  over  in  Buena  N'ista  county.  The  item  reads  as  follows:  "Alay 
24,  1839. — A  war  party  of  Saucks  discovered  three  lodges  of  Omahas  on 
the  headw'aters  of  the  Boyer  river,  consisting  of  nine  men  and  twelve  women. 
Invited  them  to  smoke,  accepted,  believing  them  to  be  the  Pottawatomies. 
They  were  treacherously  murdered  and  their  women  taken  prisoners.  Danced 
nine  days  annnul  the  scalp  post  in  the  Sauck  A-illage.  Huzzah !  for  the 
Indian  braves." 

The  following  account  of  Indian  scares  in  northern  Iowa  is  found  in 
early  "write-ups"  of  Sac  and  adjoining  counties:  "Early  in  December, 
1856,  a  runner  came  down  the  Coon  ri\-er  with  the  news  that  the  Sioux  had 
been  committing  depredations  near  Giilett's  Grove  (now  where  Spencer, 
Clay  county,  stands).  A  company  of  sixty  men,  partly  from  w'estern  Cal- 
houn county  and  partly  from  Sac  county,  was  quickly  organized.  Enoch 
Ross,  of  Sac  county,  was  elected  captain  and  among  others  in  his  command 
were  the  following:  W.  II.  llobbs.  Judge  Eugene  Criss,  Judge  D.  Carr 
Early,  Asa  Piatt,  James  Watt,  William  Montgomery,  John  Austin  and  others. 
On  reaching  Giilett's  Grove,  they  found  that  the  Indians  had  gone  and  that 
they  had  done  nothing  except  kill  a  few  head  of  cattle.  The  force  of  men 
was  divided  into  different  squads,  some  going  one  way  and  some  in  other 
directions,  over  the  prairie.  Judge  Eugene  Criss,  in  command  of  one  squad 
of  men,  ])rocured  a  saddle  horse  of  a  farmer  in  Cla\-  county  and,  leaving 
his  men.  he  took  a  reconnoitre.  He  discovered  the  Indians  in  a  ra\-ine,  sev- 
eral miles  from  where  his  men  were,  and  rode  back  to  gWc  the  information, 
with  the  expectation  that  the  whole  companx-  would  be  mustered  and  an 
attack  made.  When  Mr.  Criss  arrived,  he  found  the  whole  companv  in  an 
active  (('i.-irrel  among  themselves,  the  final  result  being  that  all  disbanded  on 
the  .spot  and  the  fifty  or  sixty  men  .came  home.  Thev  arrived,  the  distance 
being  over  fifty  miles,  by  nightfall." 

Perhaps  the  last  appearance  of  nn-ing  bands  of  Indians  was  in  1874, 
when  fifteen  Winnebagoes  invaded  the  grove  owmed  by  H.  M.  Cory,  near 
Sac  City,  in  a  hunting  expedition.  They  hunted  and  trapped  along  the  river 
several  weeks  that  fall  and  winter. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  39 

IOWA  TERRITORY. 

In  1834  this  state  was  incofporated  into  the  territory  of  Michigan  and 
thus  became  subject  to  the  ordinance  of  1787;  and  two  years  later  it  became 
a  part  of  Wisconsin  teritory.  and  two  years  thereafter  became  the  territory 
of  Iowa,  witii  sixteen  counties  and  a  population  of  twenty-three  thousand. 
The  first  Legislature  was  held  at  Belmont,  Wisconsin,  in  October,  1836;  the 
second  at  Burlington,  Iowa,  in  November,  1837;  and  the  third  also  at  the 
last  named  place  in  1838.  As  early  as  1837  the  people  of  Iowa  began  to  peti- 
tion Congress  for  a  separate  territorial  organization,  which  was  granted  on 
June  I2th  following.  Ex-Governor  Lucas,  of  Ohio,  was  appointed  by  Presi- 
dent Van  Buren  to  be  the  first  governor  of  the  newly  created  territory. 
About  this  time  there  occurred  what  is  known  as  the  "State  Line  war." 

STATE    LINE    WAR. 

This  was  a  difficulty  that  arose  between  the  territories  of  Missouri  and 
Iowa  over  where  the  line  between  the  two  should  be  fixed.  The  strip  in 
question  was  from  eight  to  ten  miles  in  width  nearly  across  the  states,  be- 
tween the  Mississippi  and  Missouri  rivers.  Both  territories  claimed  the  rich, 
valuable  land.  Missouri  officers  attempted  to  collect  taxes  within  this 
disputed  territory,  and  were  at  once  arrested  and  confined  in  jail  in  Iowa  by 
sheriiifs,  and  the  respective  governors  called  out  the  militia,  preparing  for 
bloodshed.  About  twelve  hundred  Iowa  men  enlisted,  and  five  hundred 
were  actually  armed  and  encamped  in  A'an  Buren  county,  ready  to  defend 
their  territory,  when  three  prominent  and  able  men  in  this  state  were  sent  to 
Missouri  as  envoys  to  effect,  if  possible,  a  peaceable  settlement  and  just 
adjustment  of  affairs.  U]>on  their  arrival,  they  found  that  the  county  com- 
missioners of  Clark  county.  Missouri,  had  rescinded  their  order  for  the  col- 
lection of  taxes,  and  that  Governor  Boggs  had  dispatched  to  the  governor 
of  Iowa  a  proposal  to  submit  an  agreed  case  to  the  supreme  court  of  the 
United  States  for  the  settlement  of  the  boundary  line  question.  This  pro- 
position was  declined,  but  afterwards,  upon  a  petition  from  Iowa  and  Mis- 
souri, Congress  authorized  a  suit  to  settle  the  controversy.  The  suit  was 
duly  instituted,  and  resulted  in  the  decision  that  Iowa  had  only  asserted 
"the  truth  in  history"  and  that  she  knew  where  the  Rapids  of  the  Des  Moines 
river  were  located  (this  lieing  the  point  from  which  the  boundary  line  west 
was  to  take  its  place  of  beginning).     Thus  ended  the  Iowa-Missouri  war. 


40  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

]\lan_v  years  later.  Judge  C  C.  Nourse  stated  that  "if  Mi.ssoiirians  did  not 
know  wliere  the  Rapids  of  the  Des  Moines  river  were  located,  that  was  no 
sufficient  reason  for  killing  them  off  with  powder  and  lead;  and  if  we  did 
know  a  little  more  of  the  history  and  geography  than  they  did  we  ought  not 
be  shot  for  our  learning.  We  commend  our  mutual  forbearance  to  older 
and  greater  people." 

IOWA   MADE  A   STATE. 

In  1844  the  population  of  Iowa  territory  had  reached  a  sufficient  num- 
ber to  justify  its  being  organized  into  a  state,  and  the  territorial  Legislature 
passed  an  act  on  February  12th,  that  }ear,  submitting  to  the  people  the 
question  of  the  formation  of  a  state  constitution  and  providing  for  the  elec- 
tion of  delegates  to  a  convention  to  be  called  together  for  that  purpose.  The 
people  voted  on  this  at  their  township  elections  in  the  following  April, 
giving  the  measure  a  large  majority.  The  elected  delegates  assembled  in 
convention  at  Iowa  City,  October  7,  1844,  and  finished  their  work  on  No- 
vember 1st.  Hon.  Shepherd  Leffler,  the  president  of  the  convention,  was 
instructed  to  transmit  a  certified  cop\-  of  the  proposed  constitution,  to  be 
submitted  by  him  to  that  body  at  the  earliest  practicable  day.  It  also  pro- 
vided that  it  should  be  submitted,  together  with  any  changes  that  might  be 
made  by  Congress,  to  the  people  of  the  territory,  for  their  approval  or  re- 
jection, at  the  township  elections  of  April,  1845. 

The  constitution  as  thus  prepared  fixed  the  boundaries  of  the  state  very 
dififerentl)"  from  what  were  finally  agreed  upon. 

On  May  4,  1846.  a  second  convention  met  at  I.nva  ("ity,  and  on  the 
i8th  of  the  same  month  and  year  another  constitution,  prescribing  the 
boundary  as  it  now  stands,  was  adopted.  This  was  accepted  by  the  people 
August  3d,  by  a  vote  of  9,492  to  9,036.  The  new  constitution  was  approved 
by  Congress,  and  Iowa  was  admitted  as  a  sovereign  state  in  the  American 
Union  on  December  28,  1846. 

The  act  of  Congress  which  admitted  Iowa  gave  her  the  sixteenth  sec- 
tion in  every  township  of  land  in  the  state,  or  its  equivalent,  for  the  support 
of  schools;  also  seventy-two  sections  of  land  for  the  ])urpose  of  a  university; 
also  five  .sections  of  land  for  the  completion  of  her  ])ul)lic  buildings;  also  the 
.salt  springs  within  her  limits,  not  exceeding  twelve  in  number,  with  sections 
of  land  adjoining  each;  also,  in  consideration  that  the  public  lands  should 
be  exempt  from  taxation  by  the  state,  she  gave  the  state  five  per  cent,  of  the 
net  proceeds  of  the  sale  oi  pnlilir  lancU  within  the  state.       Thus  ])ro\ided  as  a 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  4I 

bride  for  her  marriage  portion,  Iowa  commenced  "housekeping"  on  her  own 
account ! 

A  majority  of  the  meniljers  of  the  constitutional  convention  were  of  the 
Democratic  party,  and  the  instrument  contains  some  of  the  pecuHar  tenets 
of  the  party  of  that  day.  All  banks  of  issue  were  prohibited  within  the  state. 
The  commonwealth  was  prohibited  from  becoming  a  stockholder  in  anv 
corporation  for  pecuniary  profits,  and  the  General  Assembly  could  only  pro- 
vide for  private  corporations  by  general  statutes.  The  constitution  also 
limited  the  state's  indebtedness  to  one  hundred  thousand  dollars.  It  re- 
quired the  General  Assembly  to  provide  public  schools  throughout  the  state 
for  at  least  three  months  in  the  year.  Six  months  previous  residence  of  anv 
white  male  citizen  of  the  United  States  constituted  him  an  elector. 

At  the  date  of  the  state's  organization  its  population  was  one  hundred 
and  sixteen  thousand  six  hundred  and  fift}'-one,  as  appears  from  the  census 
of  1847.  There  were  twenty-seven  organized  counties  in  the  state,  and  the 
settlements  were  rapidly  jnishing  toward  the  Missouri  river. 

The  first  General  Assembl\-  was  composed  of  nineteen  senators  and  fortv 
representatives.  It  assembled  at  Iowa  City,  November  30,  1846,  about  one 
month  before  the  state  was  admitted  into  the  Union. 

The  most  important  Inisiness  transacted  was  the  passage  of  a  bill  au- 
thorizing a  loan  of  fifty  thousand  dollars  for  means  to  run  the  state  govern- 
ment and  pay  the  expenses  of  the  constitutional  convention.  The  great  ex- 
citement of  the  session,  however,  was  the  attempt  to  choose  the  United 
States  senators.  The  Whigs  had  a  majority  of  two  in  the  House,  and  the 
Democrats  one  majority  in  the  Senate.  After  repeated  attempts  to  control 
these  majorities  for  caticus  nominees,  and  frequent  joint  sessions  for  pur- 
poses of  an  election,  the  attempt  was  abandoned.  A  school  law  was  passed 
at  this  session  for  the  organization  of  public  schools  in  the  state. 

At  the  first  session  also  arose  the  question  of  re-location  of  the  state 
capital.  The  western  boundary  of  the  state,  as  now  determined,  left  Iowa 
Citv  too  far  toward  the  eastern  portion  of  the  state.  This  was  conceded. 
Congress  had  appropriated  five  sections  of  land  for  the  erection  of  public 
buildings,  and  toward  the  close  of  the  session  a  bill  was  introduced  jiroviding 
for  the  re-location  of  the  seat  of  government,  involving  to  some  extent  the 
location  of  a  state  university,  which  had  already  been  discussed.  This  bill 
gave  rise  to  much  discussion  and  parliamentary  tactics.  It  was  almost  purely 
sectional  in  its  character.  It  provided  for  three  commissioners,  who  were 
authorized  to  make  a  selection  as  near  the  geogra])hical  center  of  the  state 


s 


42  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

as  a  healthy  and  eligible  site  could  be  obtained;  to  select  five  sections  ot  land 
donated  by  Congress  to  survey  and  plat  into  town  lots,  not  exceding  one 
section  of  the  land  so  selected,  etc.  Soon  after,  by  an  "act  to  locate  and 
establish  ii  state  university"  approved  l""ebruary  25,  1847,  the  unfinished 
public  buildings  at  bjwa  City,  together  with  ten  acres  of  land  on  which 
they  were  situated,  were  granted  for  the  use  of  the  university,  reserving 
their  use,  however,  by  the  General  Assembly  and  the  state  officers,  until  pro- 
visions were  made  by  law. 

When  the  report  of  the  commissioners,  showing  their  final  operations, 
had  been  read  in  the  House  of  Representatives,  at  the  next  session,  and 
while  it  was  under  consideration,  an  indignant  member,  later  known  as  the 
eccentric  Judge  McFarland,  moved  to  refer  the  report  to  a  select  committee 
of  five,  with  instructions  to  report  "how  much  of  said  city  of  Monroe  (the 
place  named  for  the  new  state  capital,  in  Jasper  county)  was  then  under 
water,  and  how  much  was  burned."  The  report  was  referred  without  the  in- 
structions, but  Monroe  City  never  became  the  seat  of  government.  By  an 
act  approved  January  15,  1849,  the  law  by  which  the  location  had  been  made 
was  repealed  and  the  new  town  was  vacated,  the  money  paid  by  the  purchas- 
ers of  lots  being  refunded  to  them.  This,  of  course,  retained  the  seat  of 
government  at  Iowa  City,  and  precluded  for  the  time  being  the  occupa- 
tion of  the  buildings  by  the  state  university.  The  question  of  a  permanent 
seat  of  government  was  not  yet  settled,  and  in  185 1  bills  were  introduced 
for  the  removal  of  the  capital  to  Pella  and  to  Fort  Des  Moines.  The  latter 
appeared  to  have  the  support  of  the  majority,  but  was  finall\-  lost  in  the 
House  on  the  question  of  ordering  its  third  reading. 

At  the  next  session,  that  of  1853,  a  bill  was  introduced  in  the  Senate 
for  the  removal  of  the  seat  of  government  to  Des  Moines,  and  on  the  first 
vote  was  just  barely  defeated.  At  the  next  session,  however,  the  eft'ort  was 
more  .successful,  and  January  15,  1855,  a  bill  re-locating  the  capital  within 
two  miles  of  the  Raccoon  fork  of  the  Des  Moines,  and  for  the  appointment 
of  commissioners,  was  approved  by  Governor  Grimes.  The  site  was  selected 
in  1856,  in  accordance  with  the  provision  of  this  act,  the  land  being  donated 
to  the  state  by  the  citizens  and  property  holders  of  Des  Moines,  then  still 
styled  "Fort  Des  Moines."  An  association  of  citizens  erected  a  building  for 
a  temporary  capitol,  and  leased  it  to  the  state  at  a  nominal  rent. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  43 

I'KOHIBiriON    OF    SLAVERY. 

The  passage  by  Congress  of  the  act  authorizing  the  territories  of  Kan- 
sas and  Nebraska,  and  the  provisions  it  contained,  abrogating  that  portion 
of  the  Missouri  bill  that  prohibited  slavery  and  involuntary  servitude  north 
of  the  thirty-sixth  degree  of  latitude,  was  the  beginning  of  a  political  revo- 
lution in  the  Northern  states,  and  in  none  was  it  more  marked  than  in  Iowa. 
Iowa  was  the  "first  free  child  born  of  the  Missouri  Compromise,"  and  has 
always  resented  the  destruction  of  her  foster  parent. 

UNDER  A  SECOND  CONSTITUTION. 

In  January,  1857,  another  constitutional  convention  assembled  at  Iowa 
City,  which  framed  the  second  constitution.  Qne  of  the  most  pressing  de- 
mands for  this  convention  grew  out  of  the  prohibition  of  banks  under  the  old 
constitution.  The  practical  results  of  this  prohibition  was  to  flood  the  state 
with  every  species  of  wild-cat  money. 

The  new  constitution  made  ample  provision  for  home  banks  under  the 
supervision  of  our  own  laws.  The  limitation  of  the  state  debt  was  enlarged 
to  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  and  the  corporate  indebtedness 
of  the  cities  and  counties  was  also  limited  to  five  per  cent,  upon  the  valuation 
of  their  taxable  property. 

On  October  19,  1857,  Governor  Grimes  issued  a  proclamation  declaring 
the  city  of  Des  Moines  to  be  the  capital  of  the  state  of  Iowa.  The  removal 
of  the  archives  and  offices  was  commenced  at  once  and  continued  through 
the  fall.  It  was  an  undertaking  of  no  small  magnitude;  there  was  not  a  mile 
of  railroad  to  facilitate  the  work,  and  the  season  was  unusually  disagreeable. 
Rain,  snow  and  other  accompaniments  increased  the  difficulties,  and  it  was 
not  until  December  that  the  last  of  the  elTects — the  safe  of  the  state  treas- 
urer^loaded  on  two  large  "bob-sleds"  drawn  by  ten  yoke  of  oxen,  was  de- 
posited in  the  new  capitol.  It  should  be  added  in  this  connection  that  during 
the  passage  over  hills  and  prairies,  across  river,  through  bottom  lands  and 
timber,  the  safes  belonging  to  the  several  departments  contained  large  sums 
of  money,  mostly  individual  funds,  however.  Thus  Iowa  City  ceased  to  be 
the  capital  of  Iowa. 


CHAPTER  III. 


ORGANIZATION    OF    SAC    COUNTY. 


At  an  early  period  Sac  county  was  a  part  of  Buchanan  county,  except 
the  southern  tier  of  townships,  which  were  in  Benton  county.  It  was  estab- 
Hshed  in  1851  and  was  attached  to  the  county  of  Wahkaw  (now  Woodbury), 
January  22,  1853,  "P  to  which  time  it  had  been  attached  to  the  county  of 
Polk.  It  was  attached  to  Greene  county  in  1855.  It  was  named  in  honor  of 
the  Sac  tril)e  of  Indians,  who,  with  the  Foxes,  at  one  time  possessed  the  entire 
territory  of  the  present  domain  of  the  state  of  Iowa. 

In  1856  Sac  county,  which  had  previously  been  attached  to  Greene 
county  for  all  administrative  purposes,  was  granted  a  separate  jurisdiction. 
S.  L.  Watt  was  the  first  county  judge — and  the  county  judge  of  those  days 
was  an  autocrat,  performing  the  functions  of  the  present  board  of  super- 
visors and  county  auditor,  as  well  as  those  in  part  of  the  judge  of  the  cir- 
cuit court.  H.  C.  Crawford  was  the  first  county  clerk,  and  F.  M.  Cory  the 
first  treasurer  and  recorder  (both  offices  being  then  combined  in  one). 

Previous  to  the  organization  of  the  county  the  following  persons  were 
appointed  commissioners  to  locate  the  county  seat :  C.  W.  Williams,  T.  E. 
Brown  and  'Sir.  Huxford.  They  made  selection  of  a  point  six  and  a  half 
miles  west  of  the  east  line  of  the  county,  on  the  west  bank  of  the  North 
Raccoon  river,  adjacent  to  a  fine  body  of  timber.  This  is  now  known  as 
Sac  City, 

The  first  election  for  count\-  organization  was  held  at  the  house  of 
Eugene  Criss,  April  7,  1856,  when  thirty-seven  votes  were  cast  for  the  entire 
county.  The  officers  then  and  there  elected  were :  Samuel  L.  Watt,  county 
judge;  Frances  Ayers,  clerk  of  the  district  court;  F.  Lagourge,  sheriff;  H. 
C.  Crawford,  prosecuting  attorney;  F.  M.  Cory,  treasurer  and  recorder; 
Jacob  McAfee,  drainage  commissioner. 

The  next  election  in  this  county  was  that  held  on  May  10,  1856,  when 
there  were  twenty-two  votes  polled  for  officers,  as  follows :  Justice  of  the 
peace,  Eugene  Criss,  of  Jackson  township;  fnr  trustee,  John  McAfee  had 
twenty-one  out  of  the  twenty-two  votes  cast ;  for  the  office  of  township  clerk, 
Henry  A.  Evans  received  twenty-two  votes  and  was  declared  elected;  John 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  45 

Russell  was  elected  as  constable  of  the  township;  also,  another  constable  was 
elected  in  the  person  of  William  Allen;  an  assessor  was  elected  in  the  person 
of  W^illiam  Wine ;  twenty  ballots  were  cast  for  the  office  of  supervisor, 
Joseph  Gammon  being  declared  elected.  The  above  returns  were  certified 
to  by  William  Wine,  S.  W.  Wagner  and  G.  F.  Browning,  and  attested  to  by 
\V.  J.  Wagner,  Henry  A.  Evans,  clerks  of  the  election,  and  County  Judge 
S.  L.  Watt,  Justices  of  the  Peace  G.  F.  Browning  and  Eugene  Criss. 

For  Sac  township  the  election  at  the  above  date  resulted  as  follows : 
Trustees,  William  F.  Lagourge,  J.  Williams,  William  Fulks :  justices  of  the 
peace,  J.  Severn,  J.  K.  Lane;  constables,  P.  Fulks,  J.  W.  Clark;  township 
clerk,  N.  W.  Condron;  assessor,  J.  Condron;  supervisor,  William  Lane.  The 
judges  of  this  election  were  E.  Stills,  P.  D.  Fulks  and  Lorin  A.  Gofi,  attested 
liy  H.  C.  Crawford  and  N.  Condron. 

A    PROPOSED   COUNTY   SEAT. 

In  the  first  records  of  this  county  it  is  learned  that  an  attempt  was 
made  to  locate  the  seat  of  justice  for  Sac  county  at  a  point  on  section  36,  of 
what  is  now  Boyer  Valley  township,  to  the  west  and  south  of  its  present 
location.  It  was  at  almost  exactly  the  center  of  the  county.  The  record 
shows  that  Judge  Samuel  H.  Riddle,  judge  of  the  seventh  judicial  district, 
living  at  Council  Bluffs,  on  November  i,  1856,  signed  the  following: 

"A  majority  of  the  citizens  of  Sac  county,  as  shown  by  a  petition  and 
certificate  of  the  district  court,  prayed  for  the  appointment  of  a  commission 
to  locate  the  seat  of  justice  for  said  county.  In  accordance  with  the  prayer 
of  said  petition,  I,  Samuel  H.  Riddle,  judge  of  the  seventh  judicial  district, 
hereby  appoint  Jesse  Mason,  of  Crawford  county ;  E.  Buterick,  of  Carroll 
countv ;  and  Doctor  Bonnie,  of  Calhoun  county,  who  shall  within  two  months 
after  receiving  this  notice  of  such  appointment,  locate  the  seat  of  justice  for 
said  county  of  Sac  as  near  the  geographical  center  as  may  be,  having  regard 
for  the  present  as  well  as  the  future  population." 

This  report  shows  they  located  the  county  seat  on  a  portion  of  section 
36,  township  88,  range  36.  but  while  the  record  seems  silent  as  to  just  why 
this  was  not  carried  out,  it  is  found  that  another  commission  was  appointed 
by  Judge  McFarland,  at  Jefferson,  Greene  county,  the  same  consisting  of 
Talmage  E.  Brown,  Crandall  W.  Williams  and  Cyrus  Huxford.  This  com- 
mission was  ordered  to  meet  at  the  office  of  the  county  judge  of  Sac  county 
September  17,  1857,  at  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  and,  having  taken  the 


46  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

oath  prescribed  by  law.  they  proceeded  to  locate  the  seat  of  justice,  taking 
into  account  the  present  and  future  prospects  of  said  county.  This  proceed- 
ing is  signed  by  G.  VV.  Cochran,  clerk  of  the  court  for  Sac  county. 

The  commission  thus  appointed  had  the   following  report  to  oiTer  on 
the  performance  of  their  duties : 

"To  the  Honorable  Judge  of  Sac  Count)-.  Iowa:  We.  the  undersigned 
commissioners  appointed  to  locate  the  seat  of  justice  for  Sac  countv  in  the 
State  of  Iowa,  make  the  following  return  to  your  Honor,  to-wit :  That  we 
have  the  igth  day  of  September,  1857,  located  the  seat  of  justice  for  and  in 
said  count}-,  on  the  following  described  prenu'ses  and  lands  to-wit :  On  all  that 
certain  tract  of  land  in  section  24.  known  as  Sac  City,  with  its  present  addi- 
tions, together  with  the  east  half  of  the  northeast  quarter  of  section  23,  all  in 
township  88.  range  36  west  of  the  fifth  principal  meridian,  in  Sac  county, 
Iowa,  and  that  we  name  the  seat  of  justice  Sac  City. 
"(Dated)  September  19th,  1857. 

"Talmage  E.  Brown, 
"C.  W.  Williams, 
"Cyrus  P.  Huxford. 
"Before  County  Judge 
"A.  J.  Cain." 


CHAPTER  IV. 

PIONEER  SETTLEMENT  OF  THE  COUNTY. 

To  have  been  a  pioneer  in  western  Iowa — to  have  set  stakes  in  the  early 
fifties  and  sixties  in  Sac  county — was  to  have  taken  part  in  many  interesting, 
as  well  as  trying,  scenes  and  transactions.  Far  removed  from  a  thickly 
settled  community,  far  from  railroads  and  mills  and  postoffices  and  market 
towns,  hardships  were  entailed  which  but  few  of  today  can  comprehend. 
The  sons  and  daughters  hear  their  fathers  and  mothers  relate  the  stories  of 
those  long  ago,  never-to-be-forgotten  days,  but  even  then  this  generation 
cannot  begin  to  realize  what  the  settlers  of  fifty  and  sixty  years  ago  en- 
dured on  the  bleak  prairies  of  western  Iowa.  The  pioneer  period  has  about 
passed  away  in  America  and  cannot,  in  the  very  nature  of  things,  ever  re- 
turn. When  the  virgin  prairie  sod  has  been  once  turned  over  to  the  sunlight, 
its  wild  state  is  gone  forever.  W'ith  it  forever  goes  away  the  wild  game  so 
common  at  an  early  day.  A  few  prairie  chickens  may  still  be  seen,  a  few 
wild  geese  and  sand-hill  cranes,  but,  practically  speaking,  they  have  been 
numbered  among  the  things  of  generations  just  gone. 

The  few  pioneers  who  braved  the  dangers  and  hardships  of  early  days 
in  Sac  county  have  nearly  all  been  gathered  to  their  fathers  and  sleep  the 
long  sleep  that  knows  no  waking.  \Vhen  the  few  remaining  pioneers  meet 
in  reunion  and  family  gatherings,  their  eyes  sparkle  and  they  grow  young 
again,  as  the  fading  reminiscences  of  other  days  are  recalled.  As  was  well 
stated  by  a  pioneer  in  this  section,  at  a  gathering  of  old  settlers : 

"You  come  together  with  varied  emotions.  Some  of  you  almost  at  the 
foot  of  life's  hill,  look  back  and  upward  at  the  path  you  have  trod,  while 
others,  who  have  just  reached  life's  summit,  gaze  down  into  the  valley  of 
tears  with  many  a  hope  and  fear.  You  gray-headed  fathers  have  done  your 
work;  you  have  done  it  well;  and  now.  as  the  sunset  of  life  is  closing  around 
you,  you  are  given  the  rare  boon  of  enjoyment,  the  fruits  of  your  own  labor. 
You  can  see  the  land  won  by  your  own  right  arm  from  its  wilderness  state, 
and  from  the  savage  foe,  pass  to  your  children's  children — literally  a  land 
'flowing  with  milk  and  honey';  a  land  over  which  hover  the  white-robed 
angels  of  religion  and  peace;  a  land  fairer  and  brighter  and  more  glorious 


48  SAC    COUNTY,    IClVVA. 

than  an\-  other  land  beneatli  the  blue  arch  of  heaven.  You  have  done  your 
work  well,  antl  when  the  time  of  rest  shall  come,  you  will  sink  to  the  'dream- 
less sleep'  w  ith  a  calm  consciousness  of  duty  well  performed. 

"In  this  hour  let  memory  assert  her  strongest  sway;  tear  aside  the 
thin  veil  that  shrouds  in  gloom  the  misty  past ;  call  up  before  you  the  long- 
forgotten  scenes  of  years  ago:  live  over  once  again  the  toils,  and  struggles,- 
the  hopes  and  fears  of  uther  days.  Let  this  day  be  a  day  sacred  to  the 
nieniciry  ot  olden  times.  In  that  olden  time,  there  are  no  doubt  scenes  of 
sadness  as  well  as  of  joy.  J'erhaps  }-ou  remember  standing  beside  the  bed 
of  a  loved  and  cherished,  but  dying  wife — one  who,  in  her  days  of  youth 
and  beauty,  when  you  proposed  to  her  to  seek  a  home  in  a  new  wild  land, 
took  your  hand  in  hers  and  spoke  to  you  words  like  this :  'Whither  thou 
goest,  I  will  go,  and  where  thou  lodgest,  I  will  lodge;  thy  people  shall  be  my 
people,  and  thy  God  my  God ;  when  thou  diest  I  will  die,  and  there  w'ill  I  be 
buried;  the  Lord  do  so  to  me  and  more  also,  if  aught  but  death  part  me  and 
thee.'  Or  perhaps  some  brave  boy,  stricken  down  in  the  pride  of  his  strength; 
or  some  gentle  daughter,  fading  away  in  her  glorious  beauty;  or  some  little 
prattling  babe,  folding  its  weary  eyes  in  the  'dreamless  sleep  that  kisses  down 
its  eyelids  still.'  If  so — if  there  are  memories  like  these,  and  the  unbidden 
tear  wells  up  to  the  eye,  let  it  come,  and  today  one  and  all  shed  a  tear  or  two 
to  the  memor\-  of  the  'loved  and  lost.'  " 

In  compiling  this  chapter  the  writer  finds  some  difficulty  in  establishmg 
the  dates  of  coming  and  the  locations  first  selected  by  the  pioneer  band  in 
this  county.  Fortunately,  there  are  in  libraries  of  Storm  Lake,  Council 
Bluffs  and  Sioux  City  copies  of  a  work  published  in  Sioux  City  by  the 
journal  Company,  in  1882,  the  same  being  known  as  "Western  Iowa,''  and 
in  which  is  given  an  account  of  the  .settlement  of  thirteen  counties  situated 
in  western,  and  especially  n<irthwestern,  Iowa.  This  work  includes  a  brief 
history  of  Sac  county,  and  its  pages  are  verified  by  the  history  of  Iowa,  by 
that  splendid  Iowa  historian,  the  late  ex-Lieut. -Governor  B.  F.  Gue,  of  Des 
.Moines,  who  has  seen  fit  to  incorporate  most  of  this  historical  data  on  Sac 
county  in  his  four-volume  work.  The  following  are  extracts  from  this 
work  [julilished  in  1882  at  Sioux  City: 

"The  po]5ulation  of  this  county  in  iSKo  was  nine  thousand  three  hun- 
dred, but  111  1882  it  is  estimated  at  eleven  thousand.  This  increase  is  partly 
accounted  for  by  the  Narrow  Gauge  railroad  (a  branch  of  the  Wabash), 
which  is  in  course  of  construction  and  which  will  run  across  the  county, 
passing  through  Sac  City,  thus  giving  additional  shipping  and  traveling  fa- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  49 

cilities  to  the  people  of  the  county.  Depot  grounds  for  the  road  have  been 
laid  out  near  the  court  house." — Northwest  Iowa  History,  1882. 

Perhaps  no  better,  more  accurate  account  of  the  beginnings  in  Sac  county 
can  be  had  than  to  quote  from  a  well-written  article  published  in  the  local 
paper,  The  Sac  Sun,  December  24,  1881,  which  reads  in  part  as  follows: 

"The  immense  immigration  from  the  Eastern  and  Central  states  has 
for  the  past  two  or  three  years  rapidly  settled  up  the  lands  of  Kansas  and 
Nebraska,  but  of  late  have  lieen  diverted  to  some  extent  to  the  more  certainly 
productive  agricultural  lands  of  northwestern  Iowa.  Many  more  of  these 
home-seekers  might  have  been  induced  to  settle  in  this  section  had  the  people 
of  Iowa  and  the  Iowa  government  sooner  awakened  to  the  fact  that  so  many 
thousands  of  good  citizens  were  passing  through  Iowa  to  lands  farther  from 
market,  and  by  no  means  so  valuable  as  those  of  Iowa,  all  because  the  Kan- 
sas and  Nebraska  lands  were  assiduously  advertised,  while  those  of  Iowa 
were  undefended  under  the  slanders  mentioned  in  the  appended  letter.  The 
General  Assembly,  however,  to  remedy  this  evil,  appointed  Hon.  George  D. 
Perkins,  of  the  Sioux  City  Journal,  to  the  ofhce  of  commissioner  of  immigra- 
tion for  Iowa,  and  appropriated  a  considerable  sum  of  money  for  the  pro- 
motion of  inuuigration  to  this  state.     Read  what  Governor  Campbell  says : 

"  'Newton,  Iowa,  June  15,  1880. 
"  'Hon.  George  D.  Perkins, 

"  'Commissioner  of  Immigration  for  Iowa : 

"  'Dear  Sir— Your  invitation  to  the  immigration  convention  at  Sheldon, 
June  22,  received  on  my  return  home  from  an  extended  trip  east.  I  fully 
realize  the  importance  of  the  convention,  and  the  great  interests  to  be  con- 
sidered, and  I  assure  you  my  hearty  sympathy  goes  out  toward  any  effort 
that  will  tend  to  direct  public  attention  to  your  beautiful  country  and  fertile 
soil,  and  point  the  tens  of  thousands  of  homeless  ones  to  that  fair  country 
that  offers  such  splendid  advantages  for  permanent  homes  and  prosperous 
futures.  During  my  visit  east  I  had  occasion  to  "talk  up"  northwestern 
Iowa  in  several  localities  and  I  found : 

"'i.  x\  total  ignorance  of  the  fact  that  so  large  a  territory  in  Iowa 
lies  open  yet  to  settlement,  the  impression  having  obtained  that  a  state  with 
over  a  million  and  a  half  of  people  must  be  well  settled  up. 

"  '2.  I  found  the  old  "grasshopper  still  sitting  on  the  sweet  potato 
vine."  in  the  prejudices  of  many  and  it  was  only  the  work  of  a  moment  to 

(3) 


50  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

convince  them  tliat  the  "grasshopper"  was  long  since  a  dead  issue  in  any 
portion  of  Iowa. 

"  '3.  The  terrible  storms  and  daily  hurricanes  of  w  iml  were  held  up 
before  me,  and  I  told  them  they  were  more  a  native  of  Missouri  or  even 
Ohio,  than  northwestern  Iowa,  and  that  the  settlement  of  our  state,  the 
planting  of  groves,  etc.,  had  very  materially  changed  the  climate. 

"  'These  are  only  a  few  of  the  objections  urged,  but  among  the  most 
weighty,  and  I  name  them  that  you  may  see  the  objections  that  obtain  in 
various  quarters.  There  are  tens  of  thousands  in  the  East  who  would  be 
glad  to  find  homes  in  northwest  Iowa,  were  they  fully  acquainted  with  the 
true  condition  of  things,  climate,  soil,  prjces  of  land,  terms,  etc. 

"  'With  thanks  for  your  invitation,  and  regret  that  I  cannot  be  present, 
I  am  your  well-wisher  and  friend. 

"  'Frank  T.  Campbell.' 

"This  sketch  is  intended  principally  as  a  pen  picture  of  Sac  county,  as  it 
now  is,  and  will  include  a  short  outline  of  its  history  and  a  few  incidents  of 
the  life  of  the  early  settlers. 

"The  soil  of  Sac  county  is  a  deep  black  loam,  and  in  its  nature  is  purely 
vegetable  decomposition.  Its  depth  is  from  eighteen  inches  to  five  or  six 
feet.  In  some  parts  of  the  county  the  surface  is  almost  perfectly  level  for 
long  distances,  but  in  general  it  is  of  the  genuine  'rolling  prairie'  description. 
The  inexhaustability  of  the  soil  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  farms  which  have 
been  under  cultivation  for  from  twenty  to  twenty-five  years  are  now  as 
fertile  and  productive  as  ever.  More_  than  that — the  land  may  be  plowed 
here  when  it  is  so  wet  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  do  the  work,  and  it  will 
not  bake. 

"As  regards  the  productiveness  of  Sac  county,  perhaps  as  efifective  a 
way  of  showing  whether  the  detractors  of  northwestern  Iowa,  mentioned  in 
Governor  Campbell's  letter,  are  right  or  wrong,  will  be  to  give  our  readers 
the  benefit  of  some  of  the  observations  of  the  Hon.  luigene  Criss,  a  pioneer 
and  resident  of  Sac  county  for  more  than  a  (|uarter  of  a  century.  Judge 
Criss  says  that  his  average  yield  of  corn  in  his  twenty-five  years'  residence 
has  been  from  forty  to  fifty  bushels  per  acre,  and  the  highest  vield  was  sixtv- 
five  bushels.  Average  yield  of  oats,  forty  to  fifty;  highest  vield.  seventy- 
five;  average  yield  of  wheat,  fifteen  to  eighteen  bushels;  this,  remember,  is 
his  personal  experience,  and  with  only  fair  cultivation,  no  fancv  farming, 
that  he  knows  of  at  least  two  of  his  neighbors  who  have  raised  as  high  as 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  5 1 

forty  bushels  of  wheat  per  acre.  Others,  too,  have  raised,  in  more  than  one 
neighborhood,  from  seventy  to  eighty  bushels  of  corn  to  the  acre,  and  this 
with  no  extra  amount  of  cultivation.  The  principal  agricultural  products  of 
Sac  countv,  anfl  this  section  generall\',  are  corn,  wheat,  oats-,  flax,  barley,  rye 
and  grass.  Timothy,  clover  and  blue  grass  grow  readily  and  will  make  Sac 
county,  at  an  early  day,  one  of  the  leading  stock  and  dairy  counties  in  Iowa. 
And  Iowa  is,  with  rapid  strides,  coming  into  the  head  of  all  states  in  dairy 
products.  We  will  put  Judge  Criss  on  the  stand  again  in  regard  to  the  ad- 
vantages for  stock  raising. 

"We  have  stated  that  the  tame  grasses  grow  rapidly.  Besides  that 
fact,  it  is  also  true  that  Kentucky  blue  grass  is  rapidly  coming  of  itself  in 
places  where  it  has  never  been  sown.  Along  fence  corners,  along  paths  made 
by  cattle  through  the  lirush  and  in  the  pastures,  in  spots  where  the  timber 
and  underbrush  have  been  cleared,  in  door  yards  and  other  places,  in  some 
mysterious  way  that  sweetest  and  best  of  feed  for  stock  is  rapidly  making  its 
appearance.  It  is  a  matter  which  the  writer  does  not  understand,  but  it  is  a 
good  thing,  and  we  are  glad  to  see  that  this  section  is  so  fortunate.  Grass 
is  alwavs  sufficiently  high  to  turn  stock  out  at  a  date  varying  in  the  different 
years  from  April  ist  to  April  30th.  And  now  we  produce  Judge  Criss's 
testimonv.  The  Judge  is  a  Virginian  by  birth,  but  has  had  some  years'  ex- 
perience farming  in  Maryland.  After  many  years'  experience  in  the  two 
states,  it  is  his  firm  Iielief  that  both  cattle  and  horses  do  better  'running  out' 
during  the  winter  months  in  this  part  of  the  state  than  they  do  in  Maryland. 
This,  our  readers  will  observe,  is  not  guess  work  or  the  dictum  of  a  traveler 
or  chance  observer,  but  the  carefully  considered  verdict  of  experience. 

LOCATION   OF   SAC    COUNTY. 

"Sac  county  is  on  the  Great  Divide,  as  the  water-shed  between  the  Mis- 
souri and  Mississippi  is  called.  It  is  in  the  northwestern  part  of  Iowa,  being 
the  fourth  county  from  the  north  line,  the  sixth  from  the  southern  and  the 
third  from  the  Mis.souri  river,  while  it  is  tenth  from  the  Mississippi.  Sac 
City,  the  center  of  government,  and  not  far  from  the  geographical  center,  is 
about  fifty  miles  by  wagon  road  west  from  Fort  Dodge  and  eighty-five  miles 
southeast  from  Sioux  City. 

"Sac  county  contains  sixteen  congressional  townships,  west  of  the  Des 
Moines  river.  It  contains  three  hundred  and  sixty-nine  thousand  six  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres,  nearly  all  of  which  is  desirable  land  for  either  grain  or 
stock  purposes,  and  the  larger  part  for  either  or  both  combined.     The  larger 


52  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

pan  of  these  lands  are  railroad  property  and  these  can  be  purchased  by  home- 
seekers,  who  will  occupy  them  at  once,  on  the  most  liberal  terms.  Many  of 
the  private  holders  are  also  selling  on  nearly  if  not  quite  as  easy  terms  as  the 
railroad  land  companies.  And  as  for  the  grasshopper  and  tornado  bugbears, 
it  is  perfectly  safe  to  say  that  the  farmers  of  Indiana  and  Ohio  are  as  much 
annoyed  by  them,  and  have  as  much  prospect  for  annoyance  from  them,  as 
the  Sac  county  grower  of  grain  and  stock.  Sum  up  these  advantages,  and 
the  reader  will  readily  see  why  the  population  has  been  rapidly  increasing 
ever  since  the  opening  of  the  railroad  communication.  Let  those  who  have 
doubts  give  the  county  a  visit  and  they  will  hesitate  no  longer.  Sac  county 
has  not  even  the  drawbacks  so  common  to  these  fertile  counties  of  northwest 
Iowa.  What  this  is,  is  too  well  understood  by  the  settlers  who  early  located 
in  the  extreme  northwest  part  of  this  state,  before  there  were  railroads  to 
deliver  coal  at  every  man's  door.  Many  counties  in  this  section  had  little 
or  no  timber.  Ida  count}",  for  instance,  had  less  than  a  thousand  acres  within 
its  borders.  Sac  county  had  many  thousand  acres  of  oak,  black  walnut, 
hickory,  ash,  elm,  maple,  box-elder,  cottonwood,  linn  (basswood),  and  many 
other  varieties  native  to  this  soil.  The  Coon  river,  that  traverses  the  east 
part  of  the  county,  lies  buried  in  woods  for  almost  its  entire  length.  Cord- 
wood  is  delivered  at  from  four  to  five  dollars  a  cord,  according  to  quality. 
The  timber  culture  laws  of  the  state — relieving  land  from  taxes  for  ten  years 
in  consideration  of  the  culture  of  a  certain  portion  of  forest  trees — have 
also  caused  so  extensive  a  growth  of  forest  trees  that  there  is  probably  more 
timber  now  in  the  county  than  before  the  first  axe  was  struck  on  the  banks 
of  the  classic  Coon. 

EARLY   SETTLERS    AND   FRUIT-GROWING. 

"The  early  settlers  of  Sac  county,  thdugh  lhe\-  had  the  advantage  of 
being  able  to  try  fruit  culture  under  the  protection  of  considerable  belt  of 
timber,  had  small  faith  in  the  country  as  adapted  to  the  growth  of  fruits. 
Hence,  little  was  done  ten  or  twelve  years  after  the  county  was  first  settled. 
When  proper  attention  was  given  to  the  matter,  it  was  speedily  demon- 
strated that  .Sac  county  was  really  well  fitted  for  fruit  growing,  and  there 
are  now  many  fruit  orchards,  vineyards  and  small  fruit  gardens  growing  on 
the  fair  surface  of  Sac-shire.  Apples,  grapes,  plums,  cherries,  strawberries, 
raspberries,  blackberries,  currants,  gooseberries  and  other  fruits  grow  rap- 
idly and  _\ield  surely  and  almndantly,  while  the  (|ualit\-  is  unsurpassed  any- 


w 

> 
2 


> 


•z. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


53 


where.  This  section  is  the  garden  spot  of  Iowa,  as  Iowa  is  the  Garden  state 
of  the  Union.  The  dry,  pure  air  of  our  unexcelled  climate  gives  to  trees 
and  plants  a  healthy  growth,  and  the  fruits  and  vegetables  are  solid  and  deli- 
cately flavored  and  handsomely  tinted.  You  can  say  the  California  fruit  is 
larger ;  so  you  may  say  a  pumpkin  is  larger  than  an  apple,  but  how  about  the 
taste  of  the  two?  Our  western  Iowa  apples  are  of  a  medium  size,  of  the 
finest  flavor  and  will  keep  much  longer  than  any  apple  grown  in  a  warmer 
climate.  Therefore,  the  Iowa  apple  is  in  the  near  future  the  apple  of  com- 
merce, and  it  is  not  unlikely  that  the  principal  future  industry  of  Iowa  ma_\- 
be  fruit  growing.  But  not  apples  alone.  Nowhere  does  the  Concord  grape 
come  to  such  perfection  as  in  Iowa." 

THE    FIRST    TO    MAKE    SETTLEMENT. 

Coming  down  to  the  tirst  settlement  (juestion  in  Sac  count}',  the  above 
authority  continues : 

"The  first  settlement  was  made  by  Otho  ^^"illiams,  who  came  from 
Michigan  in  the  autumn  of  1853,  with  his  family,  and  took  up  a  claim  in  the 
timber  near  Grant  City,  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  county.  He  and 
his  family  were  the  first  white  inhabitants  of  Sac  county,  Init  during  the  two 
succeeding  years  quite  a  number  of  settlers  made  their  homes  either  in  the 
same  neighborhood  or  in  the  vicinity  of  Sac  City,  and  Otho  Williams,  at  the 
end  of  about  two  years,  complained  that  'folks  are  gitten'  too  thick  'round 
yer,'  and  he  and  his  family  'folded  their  tents  like  the  Arabs,  and  silently  stole 
away.'  In  other  words,  they  sold  their  claims  and  disappeared  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  setting  sun.  No  one  knows  where  they  went  or  where  their  re- 
mains now  lie. 

"In  the  spring  of  1854  Leonard  Austin,  F.  M.  Cory,  William  Wine  and 
David  Metcalf,  with  their  families,  W.  A.  Montgomery,  with  his  mother  and 
sister,  and  S.  W.  Wagoner  and  Harry  Evans,  single  men,  took  up  claims  in 
the  county.  In  August,  1855,  came  in  Eugene  Criss  and  family,  locating 
near  Sac  City.  A  few  days  later  William  H.  Hobbs  located  in  the  same 
neighborhood.  During  the  autumn  the  population  of  Sac  county  was  aug- 
mented by  the  arrival  of  John  Condron,  Joseph  Lane,  Joseph  Williams  and 
S.  L.  Watt  and  families,  all  of  whom  became  permanent  settlers.  So  far  as 
can  be  now  learned,  this  constituted  the  population  in  the  county  up  to  the 
close  of  the  year  1855." 

So  much  for  the  early  settlement  as  given  by  those  who  have  lived  out- 


54  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

side  tlie  county,  but  a  more  tletinite,  aiul  perhaps  comprehensive,  statement 
is  the  following  gathered  from  such  men  as  those  now  living  in  the  county, 
who  were  anions^  that  pioneer  liand  ami  out^ht  to  know: 

In  1854.  on  the  4th  day  of  September,  there  came  a  little  colony  from 
Jones  count}',  Iowa,  made  up  of  the  families  of  V.  M.  Cory,  W.  \'.  La- 
Gourge  and  his  family,  David  McAfee  and  family,  Leonard  Austin  and 
family,  and  Joseph  Austin,  the  first  Ijlacksmith  in  Sac  county,  who  was  a 
single  man,  and  who  had  a  dog  which  troubled  the  Indians  who  roamed 
back  and  forth  here,  and  they  told  him  he  must  kill  his  dog  or  they  would 
kill  him.  He  refused  at  first,  but  seeing  they  intended  to  kill  him  unless  he 
did,  he  wisely  killed  the  dog,  which  doubtless  saved  the  entire  settlement 
from  being  murdered,  for  they  dare  not  kill  one  and  not  the  whole  settlement. 

The  winter  of  1854-55  was  an  open,  mild  season  throughout. 

The  winter  of  1855-56  was  without  nuich  snow,  but  c|uite  cold. 

The  winter — the  memoral)le  "hard  winter" — of  1856-57,  was  one  of 
universal  severit_\-  throughout  the  entire  West.  Snow  was  from  three  to 
four  feet  on  a  level  all  over  western  Iowa  and  many  of  the  deer  were  lost  by 
breaking  through  the  crusted  snow  banks,  which  caused  their  slender  little 
limbs  to  be  snapped  like  pipe  stems  It  is  stated  upon  the  best  of  authority 
that  literally  thousands  were  thus  destroved. 

The  next  settlement  was  that  of  1855,  when  a  larger  number  found 
their  way  to  Sac  county  and  became  permanent  settlers.  Among  these  may 
be  recalled  the  following:  Along  the  Coon  river,  ujistream  from  Sac  Citv, 
as  far  as  Lee's  Grove,  in  what  is  now  Douglas  and  Delaware  townships,  the 
settlers  were  the  two  Vctalls,  William  and  Adam,  who  brought  in  a  large 
herd  of  cattle  from  Illinois;  William  \\'ine,  who  operated  the  first  store  ni 
the  settlement  at  Lee's  Grove;  William  .\lk-n  and  familv;  James  Davis, 
\^'ilIiam  Davis,  Eugene  Criss  and  family,  and  a  Mr.  Avers  and  a  Mr.  foiner; 
also  William  J~ulks  and  Judge  S.  L.  Watt,  who  Ijecame  the  first  countv  judge 
here  in  1856.  This  doubtless  ni:iile  up  all  the  settleinent  in  this  count\-  up 
to  the  end  of  1855. 

In  1856  the  additions  to  the  settlement  included  the  Tiberghiens,  still 
residing  here:  Henry  iivans,  .\sa  Piatt.  Roliert  and  George  Browning.  ^Ir. 
Wren.  William  lni])s(ui,  Messrs.  Condron,  W.  H.  Hobbs,  George  Stocker  and 
1).  Carr  I'.arly,  with  possibly  a  few  more. 

Hugh  Cory  and.  many  others,  hereabouts,  verifv  the  statement  made 
above  concerning  the  first  actual  settler,  Otho  Williams,  the  roaming  trapper 
and   hunler,    who  must   have  been   here  as  early  as    1852  and   remained  but 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


55 


about  four  years,  and  moved  on  to  a  countr}-  where  ci\ilizetl  life  woukl  not 
molest  him.  Nothing  is  known  of  him  after  leaving  this  countv.  While  he 
was  the  first  white  man  to  inhabit  this  county,  the  first  to  set  stakes  with  the 
intention  of  becoming  permanent  were  those  of  the  1854  colony,  the  Corys, 
etc. 

One  pioneer  experience  is  related  of  the  late  Hon.  D.  Carr  Early,  who, 
in  about  1S56,  came  from  Ohio  by  river  to  Burlington,  Iowa,  thence  to 
\\'aterloo  by  stage  coach  and  on  foot  to  Fort  Dodge,  and  on  to  .Sac  City.  He 
was  two  days  coming  fmni  \'OTt  Dodge,  a  distance  of  fifty  miles.  He  pre- 
empted the  northwest  cjuarter  of  section  12,  township  89,  range  36,  it  being 
necessary  to  visit  the  land  office,  then  at  Sioux  City,  a  distance  of  ninety 
miles,  which  he  made  in  three  days.  On  reaching  Sioux  City,  j\lr.  Early 
(then  a  young  man)  was  surprised  tii  find  this  "city,"  the  headquarters  for 
the  United  States  land  office,  which  consisted  of  a  one-story  frame  house, 
one  log  cabin  and  three  canvas  tents.  The  first  named  was  the  land  office, 
and  the  log  house  was  the  "city  hotel."  Returning  to  his  claim,  he  built  a 
log  cabin,  completing  it  about  June  ist  the  same  year  (1856),  and  lie  lived 
in  it  until  the  end  of  three  months  without  either  flooring  or  chinking  it. 
The  house  was  simply  the  bare  logs  laid  together.  He  also  raised  an  acre  of 
potatoes  that  summer  and  also  was  compelled  to  raise  a  small  amount  of  corn 
in  order  to  make  his  pre-emption  claim  good.  In  January,  1857,  pioneer 
Early  sold  his  pre-emption  of  a  hundred  and  sixty  acres  for  six  dollars  an 
acre,  netting  him  in  cash  nine  hundred  and  sixty  doljars.  The  land  was  not 
worth  more  than  this  sum  in  1879.  This  gentleman  was  later  known  far  and 
near  as  "Judge  Early."  He  took  the  cash  named  above  and  had  a  load  of 
flour  brought  from  Anamosa,  for  which  he  paid  seven  dollars  per  hundred 
weight  and  had  to  sell  the  same  at  eight  dollars,  so  did  not  make  anything 
clear  for  his  speculation.  Worse  still,  he  sold  part  of  the  load  of  flour  to 
people  on  credit  and  never  received  the  pay  for  it. 

POSTAL   FACILITIES. 

At  that  early  day,  1856  and  1857,  Fort  Dodge  was  the  nearest  post- 
office  to  Sac  county.  In  the  autumn  of  1856,  when  Sac  county  was  organ- 
ized, there  were  but  eighty-five  votes  in  the  county  and  at  that  date  mail  had 
to  be  carried  by  able-bodied  men,  taking  turns  in  going  to  Fort  Dodge.  They 
had  to  swim  or  ford  several  streams  and  get  througli  Hell  slough  and  Purga- 
tory slough,  on  the  way  there  and  back.     One  pioneer  who  has  gone  through 


56  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

this  experience  ilescril)es  a  trip  iluriiig  which  he  had  to  swim  Purgatory 
slough  on  a  horse  witli  the  United  States  mail  for  Sac  county  in  one  hand 
and  his  clothing  under  his  arm.  Another  pioneer  states  that  not  far  from 
the  same  place,  and  at  about  this  time,  a  man  was  hired  to  carry  the  mail  at 
twenty-live  cents  a  letter.  I'apers  would  not  be  carried  only  when  the  roads 
were  in  suitable  condition. 

In  the  spring  of  1858  the  settlers  in  congressional  townships  87,  88  and 
89,  in  range  36,  now  forming  the  civil  townships  of  Wall  Lake,  Jackson  and 
Delaware,  thought  there  was  good  reason  to  fear  that  all  vacant  land  in 
those  townships  would  be  l^id  in  by  speculators  at  the  annual  land  sale  at 
Sioux  City,  thus  preventing  its  immediate  settlement.  Nearly  all  the  set- 
tlers, though  not  ready  at  the  time  to  buy,  wanted  some  of  this  land  for  their 
own  use.  They,  therefore,  met  together  and  arranged  matters,  and  when 
the  day  of  sale  came,  the  room  in  which  the  sale  was  held  was  filled  with 
these  settlers,  and  no  others  could  force  their  way  in.  No  bids  were  made, 
and  the  land  was  thus  kept  open  for  pre-emption — really  a  wise  movement 
on  the  part  of  the  pioneers  of  this  county.  While  it  was  possibly  a  little 
"shadv"  in  its  looks,  it  certainly  worked  to  the  liettermeut  of  Sac  county  and 
its  first  settlers,  who  had  no  use  for  "land  speculators,"  who  usually  held 
lands  for  high  prices  and  thus  delayed  advancement  in  all  new  countries. 

The  first  mill  in  this  county  was  erected  on  the  Coon  river,  near  Grant 
City,  late  in  the  autumn  of  1856,  the  season  that  has  ever  since  been  styled 
in  Iowa  the  "hard  winter  of  1856-57."  The  snow  of  that  never-to-be-for- 
gotten winter  was  fully  three  feet  on  a  level,  and  in  places  it  completely  filled 
the  deepest  ravines  and  valleys,  and  when  crusted,  after  a  February  thaw, 
the  crust  was  so  hard  that  a  team  and  heavy  load  could  be,  and  was,  drawn  for 
miles  without  breaking  through.  That  was  the  winter  in  which  tens  of 
thousands  of  deer  perished  by  reason  of  ha^'ing■  no  grass  to  eat  and  because 
of  Ijroken  limbs  caused  by  breaking  through  the  icy  crusts  of  the  snow.  It 
was  during  that  winter  that  pioneers  in  Sac  City  and  its  vicinity  hauled 
grists  of  corn  to  Grant  City  to  the  mill  just  mentioned.  Other  provisions 
were  usually  hauled  from  Fort  Des  INIoines,  as  our  state  capital  was  then 
known. 

It  is  related  by  Asa  Piatt,  that  he  shot  and  killed  a  bufi^alo  over  the  line 
in  Buena  Vista  county,  and  that  while  several  were  seen  in  this  county,  it  is 
not  known  now  that  any  white  man  ever  killed  one  in  the  county. 

The  Corys  and  others  were  compelled  to  split  rails  all  one  winter 
to  secure  sufficient  rails  witli  wliu'li  tn   fence  against  the  deer  and  elk  which 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  57 

would  otherwise  have  destroyed  the  growing  crops.  They  seemed  to  be 
very  numerous  and  not  altogether  as  wild  as  such  animals  usually  are.  Great 
droves  of  them  would  congregate  on  the  ice  at  Hell  slough  and  other  lakes 
in  Calhoun  county,  and  there  browse  upon  the  wild  prairie  grass  of  which 
inuskrats  had  built  their  homes.  During  the  latter  part  of  August,  1857,  a 
party  of  surveyors  found  a  man  dead  in  a  slough  on  the  prairie,  who  was 
supposed  to  have  been  murdered,  as  a  ball  had  passed  through  his  back.  The 
remains  were  not  identified,  and  at  the  date  of  discovery  the  affair  created 
great  excitement. 

The  nearest  postoffice  was  at  Fort  Dodge.  The  early  settlers  would 
frequently  meet  at  Sac  City  and  hire  some  one  to  go  up  after  their  mail, 
paying  twenty-five  cents  for  each  letter  or  paper  received.  They  also  had  to 
go  there  for  their  blacksmithing  and  much  of  their  early  milling. 

OTHER  SETTLEMENT  D.\TES. 

At  the  fiftieth  birthday  anniversary  of  the  twins,  Lamont  Lee  and 
Mrs.  D.  B.  Keir,  children  of  Mrs.  M.  F.  Lee,  which  occurred  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1913,  in  Douglas  township,  tliis  county,  the  following  roster  of  early 
settlers  was  made  up,  and  from  the  large  number  mentioned  as  still  sur- 
viving, it  naturally  finds  a  place  in  this  "early  settlement"  chapter.  It  is  as 
follows:  C.  Everett  Lee,  editor,  of  Lytton;  Mrs.  D.  Carr  Early,  1856;  J. 
W.  Tiberghien,  1856;  Mrs.  J.  W.  Tiberghien,  i860;  Mrs.  Eugene  Criss, 
1855;  Orville  Lee,  i860;  George  I.  Cory,  1854;  Mrs.  George  L  Cory,  1859; 
Mrs.  George  A.  Heagy,  1856;  G.  L.  Stocker,  1856;  Asa  Piatt,  1856;  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  James  Staton,  1859;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  M.  Cory,  1854;  Mrs.  Amos 
Comstock,  1856;  S.  L.  Watt,  1855;  Mrs.  John  Stocker,  1855;  Mrs.  William 
Conley,  1853;  Elias  Tiberghien,  1856;  J.  E.  Austin.  1863;  Abe  Easier, 
1856;  C.  Everett  Lee,  1862;  Mrs.  W.  G.  Wine,  1855. 

Judge  Samuel  L.  Watt,  who  died  in  1878,  was  a  settler  in  1855.  He 
was  the  first  county  judge  of  Sac  county,  and  was  here  at  the  organization 
of  the  county ;  he  issued  the  first  marriage  license  in  this  county  to  ^^Mlliam 
Montgomery  and  M.  E.  Wine.  He  also  issued  the  first  naturalization  papers 
in  the  county  to  a  foreigner. 

NATURAL  RESOURCES. 

Concerning  the  natural  resources,  etc.,  of  this  county,  the  following 
was  written  in  that  well-known  publication,  the  Western  Rural,  by  their 
special  correspondent  at  Wall  Lake,  in  1878 : 


58  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA 

"Our  county  is  rapidly  settling  up,  car  loads  of  immigrants  arriving  al- 
most dailv.  There  are  townships  in  the  county  already  where  the  land  has 
all  been  sold;  still  there  is  any  quantity  of  excellent  land  still  on  the  market 
in  other  portions  of  the  county.  To  men  in  the  East,  who  are  living  (or 
trying  to  live)  on  rented  farms,  we  would  say,  sell  what  you  have  for  cash 
and  come  West,  Iniy  a  farm  of  your  own,  say  eighty  acres,  at  a  cost  of  about 
five  hundred  dollars,  or  an  improved  farm  at  twenty  dollars  per  acre.  Our 
soil  is  of  the  very  best  quality,  society  good,  educational  advantages  most  ex- 
cellent— no  state  in  the  Union  being  superior.  We  have  pure  water  at  from 
twelve  to  thirty  feet;  the  climate  is  very  healthful — we  have  never  seen  a 
case  of  fever  and  ague  here  yet.  Every  description  of  farm  produce  brings 
remunerative  prices;  stock  raisers  do  the  best  here,  however.  Iowa  ships 
more  stock  to  Chicago  in  one  week  than  all  Illinois  does  in  four.  Cattle  do 
well  from  being  herded  from  May  ist  to  October  ist;  the  price  for  herding 
is  seventy-five  cents,  and  salt  thrown  in.  Any  amount  of  wild  hay  may  lie 
had  by  simply  cutting  it." 

LIST  OF   HALF  CENTURY   SETTLERS. 

.\t  the  l-'ourth  of  July  celebration  held  at  Sac  City  in  1906  a  call  was 
made  through  the  Sac  Sun  for  all  to  report  who  had  lived  in  Sac  county 
fiftv  vears  aiul  more,  and  all  who  did  so  would  be  furnished  free  conveyance 
in  automobiles  to  the  grounds  and  given  seats  of  prominence  and  honor  on 
the  speaker's  stand.  The  following  registered  their  names  as  having  resided 
here  fifty  or  more  years:  J  W.  Wren,  J.  S.  Tiberghien,  Elias  Tiberghien, 
J.  W.  Tigerghien,  Mrs.  J.  W.  Tilierghien,  M  D.  Whitney,  Abraham  Easier, 
Mrs.  Anna  Comstock,  George  I.  Cory,  W.  G.  Wine,  S.  L.  Piatt,  James  Eas- 
ier, H.  W.  Cory,  Mrs.  Eugene  Criss,  G.  L.  Stocker,  i\sa  Piatt,  Mrs.  George 
A.  Heagy,  Andrew  Impson,  Mrs.  George  Hicks,  John  Condron,  Mrs.  Asa 
Piatt.  Mrs.  W.  .\.  Irvine,  Wi!li;un  Impson,  Jr.,  !\lrs.  \\'illiam  Impson,  Sr., 
James  Shelmerdine. 

PROSPERITY   OF    COUNTY    IN    1880. 

The  Sac  Sun  said  of  the  prospcrit}-  of  this  count\-  in  1880 — a  third  of  a 
century  ago — tlial  "the  tnost  jirosperous  year  in  the  history  of  Sac  county 
is  this  year  (  1880).  The  vote  has  increased  forty-three  per  cent  over  1879. 
The  po]nilation  of  the  county  has  been  added  to  the  old  number  to  the 
amount  of  two  thousand.     Many  new  farms  have  been  opened  up;  a  large 


RESIDENTS  OF  SAC  COUNTY  FIFTY  YEARS  OR  MORE 
Top  row  from  left  to  right — George  I.  Cory,  Mrs.  George  I.  Cory.  Mrs. 
Olive  Conley,  Mrs.  Lydia  Stocker,  S.  L.  Watt,  Mrs.  George  A.  Heagy, 
Abe  Easier.  Second  row — J.  W.  Tiberghien,  Mrs.  J.  VV.  Tiberghien, 
Mrs.  .James  Staton,  Mrs.  Eugene  Criss,  Mrs.  W.  G.  Wine,  Mrs.  D. 
Carr  Early,  Mrs.  Mary  Comstock,  C.  Orville  Lee.  Bottom  row — 
Elias  Tiberghien,  James  Staton,  H.  M.  Cory,  Mrs.  H.  M.  Cory,  Mrs. 
Duncan  B.  Keir.  C.  Everett  Lee,  William  Lamont  Lee,  Asa  Piatt.  G.  L. 
Stocker,  Elmer  E.  Austin. 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  59 

nunilier  of  buildings  have  been  erected.  In  way  of  factory  industries  have 
been  added  this  year  a  llax  mill  at  Odebolt :  a  steam  flouring  mill,  with  four 
run  of  stones,  by  Henry  Reinhart.  Flour  from  these  mills  is  sold  all 
throughout  this  section  of  Iowa,  and  as  far  east  as  Dixon,  Illinois.  Crops 
ranging  from  seventeen  to  twenty-two  bushels  of  spring  wheat;  oats,  from 
th'rtv  to  fortv  bushels  per  acre;  corn,  from  forty-eight  to  sixt\-  Inishels; 
flax,  eleven  bushels.  The  average  of  wheat  for  the  county  was  seventeen 
and  a  half  bushels  per  acre;  average  of  corn  was  forty-four  bushels;  oats, 
forty-one  bushels ;  flax,  twelve  bushels. 

"Land  sales  were  reported  by  Schaller  &  Early  and  D.  Carr  Early 
amounting  to  more  than  fifty  thousand  acres — all  to  actual  settlers — etjual 
to  two  full  townships,  or  one-eighth  of  the  entire  county. 

"Stock  has  been  shipped  to  the  amount  of  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
five  car  loads;  E.  Criss  shipped  eleven  cars  of  wheat;  Criss  &  Hanger, 
thirtv-five  car  loads  of  wheat,  five  cars  of  corn;  five  of  oats;  two  of  barley; 
eight  of  flax;  three  of  rye;  while  J.  E.  Robbins  shipped  thirty  cars  of  wheat, 
and  twentv-six  of  corn.  Condron  &  Woodward  shipped  out  thirty  cars  of 
wheat:  thirt\-  of  corn;  seven  of  oats;  six  of  flax.  The  total  of  one  hundred 
and  six  cars  of  wheat;  ninety-one  of  corn;  twenty-four  of  oats;  two  of  liar- 
ley;  twenty  of  flax  seed;  three  of  rye,  making  a  grand  total  of  two  hundred 
and  forty-six  cars  of  grain  from  Sac  City. 

"The  total  rainfall  for  1880  was  twenty-three  inches:  highest  temper- 
ature, one  hundred  degrees:  lowest  twent\-  degrees  below:  mean  tempera- 
ture, fifty-six  and  one-half  degrees." 

BURNING    CORN.     ■ 

The  Sac  Sun  of  Decemloer  6,  1872,  said:  "Several  families  in  town, 
and  we  Ijelieve  manv  more  in  the  countr>-.  are  burning  corn  for  fuel.  It  is 
considered  cheaper  than  wood,  and  it  is  almost  impossible  for  those  who  do 
not  own  timber  land  themselves  to  obtain  a  supply  of  fire  wood.  The  day 
for  stealing  timber  from  non-resident  timber  land  owners  is  about  gone 
forever  in  Sac  countv,  as  most  of  the  timber  is  now  owned  l)y  actual  settlers 
themselves  and  they  don"t  care  to  part  with  much  of  it.  It  seems  to  us  a 
good  plan  for  farmers  to  burn  corn  and  sell  their  wood  if  they  have  any 
any  timber.  They  can't  sell  corn  for  even  fifteen  cents  in  cash  now  and  that 
is  less  than  it  costs  to  raise  it." 


6o  SAC    COL-NTY.    IOWA. 


LAND   VALUES. 


After  having  gone  over  the  earl\-  settlement  question,  in  this  connection 
it  may  be  well  to  insert  what  prosperity  had  come  to  Sac  county  in  1912,  as 
shown  by  a  letter  from  Omaha  by  an  early  pioneer  of  this  county,  the  same 
being  published  in  the  Sac  Sun  in  October,  1912:  "Having  been  a  reader 
of  your  paper  since  1872,  I  would  like  enough  space  to  say  a  word  concern- 
ing the  present  high  priced  lands  in  Sac  county,  which  is  now  about  two  hun- 
dred dollars  per  acre.  I  saw  this  same  land  sell  at  from  three  to  five  dollars 
per  acre  in  1871.  I  sold  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  1902  for  thirty-six 
thousand  dollars,  it  being  the  first  to  reach  so  high  a  figure.  I  said  at  that 
time  it  would  sell  for  two  hundred  dollars  per  acre  in  less  than  five  years. 
The  same  fall  I  bought  a  two-hundred-acre  tract  in  Washington  county, 
Nebraska,  for  one  hundred  dollars  per  acre  and  only  last  week  refused  one 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars  for  it,  and  I  predict  it  will  be  worth  two  hundred 
and  fifty  dollars  before  it  is  transferred  again.  Only  last  week  Arthur 
Brandeis,  of  Omaha,  sold  two  hundred  and  ninety  acres  to  an  Iowa  man  for 
sixty  thousand  dollars.     This  is  going  some  and  the  end  is  not  yet.'' 

THE  SWEDISH   SETTLEMENT. 

The  historv  of  the  Swedish  settlement  in  the  southwestern  part  of  Sac 
county  cannot  be  written  without  repeating  a  part  of  the  history  of  the 
Swedish  settlement  in  Crawford  county,  where,  only  a  mile  or  two  south  of 
the  county  line,  we  find  the  first  Swedish  settlers  in  the  year  1867,  when  C.  J. 
Star,  C.  P.  Frodig  and  N.  F.  Rodine,  who  had  Ijeen  li\'ing  in  ^Vebster  county, 
decided  to  locate  here,  after  a  trip  to  the  Missouri  bottoms,  which  land  they 
thought  too  flat.  They  were  joined  by  five  of  their  friends  in  the  fall  of  the 
same  year  and  in  1868  Mr.  Star  wrote  to  his  friend,  A.  Norelius,  in  Minne- 
sota, and  ti)](I  him  of  the  rich  country  they  had  found.  Mr.  Norelius  started 
across  the  countr}'  in  a  "prairie  schooner'"  (covered  wagon),  accompanied 
by  H.  Buller,  E.  Ward  and  J.  Nordell. 

Mr.  Norelius  informed  the  writer  that  the  first  settlers  did  not  know 
to  whom  lo  ap])ly  for  deeds  to  the  land  they  had  selected  until  in  the  fall  of 
1868,  when  the  enterprising  and  courteous  agent  of  the  Iowa  Railroad  Land 
Company,  \\  illiam  bamilton,  appeared  among  them.  He  at  once  decided 
to  reserve  a  number  of  sections  for  Swedish  settlers,  including  the  south- 
west corner  of  Sac  and  the  southeast  of  Ida  counties.      Mr.  b'ann'lton  brijught 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  6l 

Swedish  landseekers  to  this  locaHty  from  time  to  time.  Being  located  so 
close  to  the  less  rolling  and  richer  prairies  in  the  western  part  of  Sac  county, 
it  did  not  take  the  settlers  long  to  cross  into  the  new  counties  near  by. 

A  postoffice  was  established  in  1873  one  mile  south  of  the  Sac  county 
line,  which  Mr.  Norelius  and  Lars  Olson  decided  to  name  Kiron,  which  is  an 
abbreviation  of  the  scriptural  name  of  a  brook  called  Kidron. 

Among  the  first  to  erect  buildings  in  Sac  county  at  this  point  at  that 
time  were  the  families  of  John  Nordell,  John  Larson,  Erick  Olson  and  N. 
Lindblad. 

Sol  Peterson,  representing  the  Swedish  people  who  worked  in  the  coal 
mines  of  Boone  county,  built  his  house  in  1874,  and  soon  came  in  Andrew 
Dolk  and  family;  also  Henry  Hanson  and  wife,  from  New  York  state.  John 
Baker  was  one  of  the  first  to  break  the  virgin  sod  and  raise  a  crop.  None 
of  the  first  settlers  were  rich,  but  they  had  some  means  acquired  by  hard 
work  either  in  the  mines  or  on  the  farm.  As  a  rule  their  earthly  possessions 
were  strong  arms,  good  health,  ambition  to  succeed  and  faith  in  God.  They 
were  of  an  intense  religious  temperament,  having  separated  from  the  state 
church  in  Sweden  after  the  big  revivals  which  spread  over  that  country  in 
the  middle  of  the  last  century.  The  community  spirit  was  strong  and  after 
the  building  of  the  new  railroad  north  of  the  settlement  a  society  was  organ- 
ized called  the  .Swedish  Farmers'  Society.  They  bought  and  shipped  grain 
and  live  stock  at  the  new  town  of  Odebolt.  Henry  Hanson  was  chosen  as 
manager,  and  John  A.  Stolt  as  secretary.  Another  evidence  of  the  pro- 
gressive spirit  of  this  community  was  the  organization  of  the  Mutual  Insur- 
ance Association  in  March,  1879.  .\.  Norelius  was  president,  N.  F.  Rodine, 
vice-president:  C.  J.  Johnson,  secretary;  and  August  Lundell,  treasurer. 
This  association  has  enjoyed  a  steady  growth  and  at  present  time  ( 1914) 
has  twelve  hundred  members  scattered  throughout  eight  counties,  including 
Sac.  Andrew  Norelius,  after  being  secretary  for  many  years,  resigned  in 
1913,  owing  to  old  age,  and  P.  G.  Lundell  was  elected.  August  Lundell  is 
president;  John  A.  Pithan,  vice-president,  and  W.  J.  Sandburg,  treasurer. 

The  farmers  of  this  locality  were  among  the  first  to  organize  a  mutual 
telephone  company,  which  they  did  in  1901.  Kiron  has  had  two  rural  free 
delivery  routes,  a  year  before  some  of  the  older  towns  near  by.  Many  of  the 
farm  homes  are  now  lighted  by  acetylene  or  gas  and  heated  liy  tiie  most  up- 
to-date  methods.  Automobiles  can  now  he  seen  on  most  of  the  farms.  No 
people  from  the  continent  of  Europe  are  quicker  to  learn  the  language  and 
adopt  American  customs  than  the  Swedish  people. 


52  SAC    COt'NTY,    IOWA. 

The  lirst  Swedish  people  of  this  community  were  Baptists.  They  or- 
ganized a  church  in  1869,  holding  services  in  a  school  house  until  1876.  when 
a  church  building  was  erected  two  miles  south  of  the  Sac  county  line.  Upon 
the  completion  of  the  Mondamin  branch  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  rail- 
way in  1899,  the  Baptist  church  was  moved  to  the  new  town  of  Kiron,  which 
the  railroad  comi)an>-  located  one  mile  west  of  what  is  now  known  as  old 

Kiron. 

The  influx  of  new  settlers  brought  in  many  Lutherans,  the  state  church 
of  Sweden  being  of  that  denomination  On  July  28.  1875,  a  congregation 
was  organized  by  Rev.  J-  Telleen,  of  Des  Aloines,  and  in  the  fall  of  1878  a 
church  was  built  in  the  township  of  Wheeler,  Sac  county,  one  half  mile 
north  of  the  Crawford  county  line.  The  flrst  regular  pastor  was  Rev.  P.  A. 
Philgren,  who  came  from  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  in  1881.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded in  1887  by  Rev.  S.  J.  Liljegren,  of  Algona.  He  was  remoyed  by 
death  in  1890.  Then  came  in  their  order  the  following  pastors :  Revs.  A.  M. 
Broken.  Jules  Manritzson,  J.  A.  Benamler,  \l.  C.  Jessup  and  J.  A.  Christian- 
son,  present  pastor  in  charge.  The  church  edifice  has  been  remodeled  twice 
and  enlarged,  with  basement  and  reception  parlors.  A  twelve-hundred- 
pound  bell  was  placed  in  the  tower  of  the  church  in  1891.  The  present 
membership  is  nearly  three  hundred.  Both  the  church  and  parsonage  are 
lighted  by  acetylene  and  the  church  is  heated  by  a  furnace  and  the  parsonage 
by  hot  water  radiators.     The  value  of  the  church  jjmperty  is  eight  thousand 

dollars. 

In  addition  to  the  Baptists  and  Lutherans,  there  are  the  Covenant  ^Mis- 
sion  and  the  Free  Mission  societies,  which  erected  church  buildings  in  the 
early  eighties.  The  Covenant  Mission  built  a  church  just  across  the  Sac 
county  line  in  Ida  county.  This  was  sold  in  1908,  the  members  uniting  with 
the  mission  at  Odebolt.  The  Free  Mission  church  was  moved  to  Kiron  in 
1899,  from  its  location  a  mile  and  a  half  southeast  of  the  new  town.  A 
Baptist  church  and  also  a  Free  Mission  church  were  erected  five  miles  north 
of  Kiron  in  Hays  township,  Ida  county,  in  the  early  eighties.  This  made 
six  county  churches  in  the  settlement  prior  to  the  advent  of  the  railroad. 

Sweden  was  one  of  the  first  countries  in  the  world  to  make  education 
compulsory.  All  the  first  settlers  could  therefore  read  and  write  in  their 
own  language.  And  schools  were  erected  among  the  settlers  just  as  soon  as 
districts  could  be  organized  and  enough  children  located  to  attend  them. 
The  school  houses  were  used  on  Sundays  for  public  worship  by  the  various 
denominations,  until  they  were  able  to  erect  church  Inu'ldings  of  their  own. 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  63 

Among  the  trials  of  these  early  pioneer  settlers  came  the  grasshopper 
plague,  in  the  late  seventies,  and  the  diphtheria  epidemic  at  about  the  same 
time  in  which  almost  fi)rtv  children  perished,  some  families  losing  four  or 
live  of  their  members.  A  cyclone  struck  through  the  south  part  of  this 
Swedish  settlement  in  the  spring  of  1878,  destroying  considerable  property 
and  killing  one  of  the  settlers,  John  Larson.  Three  or  four  settlers  in 
Wheeler  township  lost  their  lives  during  the  small  pox  epidemic  in  the 
winter  of  1881-82.  which  started  at  the  house  of  Doctor  Stevens  in  Levey 
township. 

At  the  present  date  from  sixty  to  eighty  per  cent,  of  the  papulation  of 
the  townships  of  Stockholm  and  Otter  Creek,  in  Crawford  county;  Hays 
township,  Ida  county,  and  Wheeler  township,  .Sac  county,  are  of  Swedish 
nationality.  The  people,  as  a  general  rule,  are  now  thoroughly  American- 
ized, the  younger  element  using  the  English  language,  except  at  their  religious 
services,  in  which  both  languages  are  used. 

Many  of  the  settlers  have  bestowed  upon  their  children  the  benefits  of 
a  higher  education.  Ministers,  lawyers,  doctors  and  successful  business  men 
can  be  named  who  were  born  and  reared  in  this  Swedish  community,  now 
conceded  one  of  the  best  and  most  prosperous  in  all  western  Iowa. 


CHAPTER  V. 


COUNTY  GOVERN  MEN  I 


When  Sac  county  was  organized  the  county  judge  system — a  one-man 
form  of  government — was  in  vogue.  A  change  in  this  system  went  into 
effect  in  all  the  counties  of  Iowa  on  January  i.  1861,  and  the  first  board  of 
county  supervisors  met  the  first  Monday  in  the  month  of  January.  Before 
that  the  county  was  really  governed  after  this  manner:  The  county  judge 
had  to  perform  most  of  the  duties  now  devolving  upon  the  board  of  county 
supervisors  ant!  the  county  auditor.  When  any  puljlic  improvement  was 
needed  the  citizens  and  tax-payers  got  up  a  petition  and  presented  it  to  the 
county  judge,  and  then  came  long  remonstrances  from  those  in  the  county 
opposing  such  measure  and  it  was  up  to  the  judge  to  determine  the  legality 
and  validity  of  such  petitions  and  remonstrances.  This'  applied  to  roads, 
bridges,  court  houses,  etc.  Certain  cliques  would  get  together  and  scheme 
to  elect  a  man  favorable  to  their  crowd  and  then  the  judge  so  elected  was 
under  a  certain  moral  obligation  to  do  the  bidding  of  this  clique.  His  ad- 
ministration was  called  the  "one-man  power." 

In  1861  came  the  system  of  electing  a  supervisor  from  each  of  the  town- 
ships in  the  county.  A  county  having  sixteen  civil  townships  had  sixteen 
supervisors  and  they  usually  met  once  in  three  months,  sometimes  much 
oftener.  What  a  majority  of  these  men  said  was  the  law  of  the  county. 
This  proved  cumbersome  and  very  expensive,  so  in  the  seventies  this  was 
changed  and  in  the  counties  having  a  certain  population,  the  number  of 
county  supervisors  was  cut  down  to  three,  and  these  were  to  be  elected  from 
certain  districts.  One  was  to  be  elected  each  year,  thus  allowing  two  old 
members  to  be  on  the  board  when  the  new  man  took  his  seat.  This  still  pre- 
vails in  Iowa.  Three  good  men  can  dispatch  more  real  business  for  the 
county  than  can  a  larger  nuni1)cr.  The  count}-  auditur  acts  as  clerk  ex-officio 
of  the  board  and  looks  after  the  affairs  of  the  county  in  the  absence  of  the 
board  members  who  meet  whenever  there  is  sutficient  business  to  warrant 
their  meeting. 


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SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  65 

PROCEEDINGS  OF  THE  COUNTY   COURT   AND   BOARD   OF  SUPERVISORS. 

The  record  shows  that  on  November  6.  1856,  at  the  house  of  Wilhani 
Wine,  in  Sac  county.  Iowa,  were  united  in  marriage  WilHam  Montgomery,  of 
Sac  county,  aged  thirty-five  years,  and  Mary  J.  Wine,  of  Sac  county,  aged 
sixteen  years.  The  ceremony  was  performed  by  Esquire  Eugene  Criss, 
(later  known  as  Judge  Criss),  and  certified  to  in  the  return  by  County  Clerk 
Henry  A.  Evans,  January  31,  1857. 

Among  the  first  members  of  the  grand  jury  who  received  warrants  for 
such  service  were  the  following :  \\' illiam  Montgomery,  $4.60.  paid  in  war- 
rant No.  117;  Joseph  Williams,  warrant  No.  it8  for  $5.20;  warrant  No. 
119  to  Joel  Austin  for  $4.20  and  warrant  No.  127  to  F.  M.  Cory  for  $4.30. 

December  7,  1857 — "And  now  comes  the  citizens  and  tax-payers  of 
Sac  county,  Iowa,  praying  for  an  increase  of  salary  of  the  following  officers: 
County  judge,  clerk  of  the  district  court,  and  recorder  and  treasurer.  It  is 
asked  in  the  petition  that  the  salary  be  raised  from  fifty  dollars  to  ninety-nine 
dollars  per  annum,  and  the  petition  was  granted  and  the  court  hereby  orders 
and  decrees  that  the  foregoing  officers  receive  ninetv-nine  dollars  per  annum, 
commencing  with  August,  1857." 

In  1859 — It  appears  of  record  that  among  the  first  foreigners  to  receive 
their  naturalization  papers  and  I)e  made  citizens  of  the  United  States,  was  one 
Charles  Oldfield,  who  was  naturalized  October  6,  1859,  by  W.  J.  Wagoner, 
county  judge,  and  W.  H.  Hobbs,  county  clerk. 

May,  i860 — At  this  term  of  court,  a  petition  was  presented,  with 
thirty-six  signatures  thereto,  asking  for  a  bounty  of  one  cent  on  each  black- 
bird killed  within  Sac  county.  The  petition  was  granted  and  many  birds 
were  killed,  and  thus  the  former  damage  to  newly  planted  corn  was  greatly 
depreciated  by  farmers.  This  came  imder  the  head  of  what  was  styled  the 
"Blackbird  Law"  and  the  bill  was  offered  to  the  Legislature  by  Hon.  S.  B. 
Rosenkraus,  of  Hamilton  count}-,  residing  at  Webster  City,  and  for  which 
reason  he  was  forever  afterwards  styled  the  "Blackbird  Representative  from 
Hamilton." 

In  1864  bounties  of  five  dollars  were  offered  on  timber  wolves  and  three 
dollars  on  wildcats  and  prairie  wolves. 

In  January,  1865,  on  account  of  President  Lincoln's  call  for  three  hun- 
dred thousand  more  soldiers,  the  board  of  county  supervisors  of  Sac  county 
offered  the  following  bounty  for  volunteers :  Five  hundred  dollars  for  one- 
(4) 


66  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

year  men:  se\en  hundred  dollars  for  two-year  men  and  nine  hundred  dollars 
for  three-year  men. 

On  February  lo,  1865,  the  county  board  urdered  a  well  put  down  un 
the  public  square  at  Sac  City. 

About  the  same  date  it  was  ordered  that  the  one-acre  graveyard  tracts 
at  Sac  Cit}'  and  Grant  City  both  be  enclosed  within  a  good  fence. 

In  February,  1866,  R.  Ellis,  of  Grant  City,  was  appointed  superintendent 
of  public  schools  for  Sac  county. 

In  1873  a  reward  of  five  hundred  dollars  was  offered  by  the  county  for 
the  discovery  of  a  vein  of  coal  not  less  than  two  feet  in  thickness  within  the 
limits  of  Sac  county.     It  was  not  discovered. 

On  July  I,  1889,  the  county  refunding  bonds  were  sold  to  Ira  C.  Calef, 
of  \Vashington,  \'ermont,  at  a  premium  of  si.x  hundred  dollars.  These 
bonds  drew  interest  at  the  rate  of  five  per  cent,  per  annum. 

In  August,  1892,  the  minute  book  shows  that  the  supervisors  met  at  the 
poor  farm  to  invoice  the  stock  and  holdings  of  the  place  and  to  settle  with 
the  contractors  for  erecting  the  poor  house,  built  by  B.  F.  Shultz. 

In  j\Iay,  1899,  the  supervisors  offered  the  following  bounty  to  any  per- 
son or  corporation  who  might  discover  coal  within  the  limits  of  the  county: 
"For  a  vein  of  coal  two  feet  thick,  $500;  for  a  vein  three  feet  thick,  $1,000; 
for  a  vein  four  or  over  feet  thick,  $1,500."  This  offer  was  to  last  for  a  period 
of  three  years.  It  appears  that  nature  had  not  stored  away  this  material  in 
the  county,  and  none  has  ever  been  discovered  in  paying  quantities. 

In  the  matter  of  refunding  bonds  of  Sac  county,  the  minutes  for  June, 
1899,  state  that  twenty-seven  thousand  dollars  worth  of  refunding  bonds 
were  floated  at  three  and  a  half  per  cent,  interest  per  annum.  This  was  the 
amount  of  the  county's  indebtedness  at  that  date. 

On  April  3,  1900,  the  board  of  supervisors  contracted  with  C.  W.  Wel- 
man  to  serve  the  county  as  a  tax  ferret,  to  investigate  and  if  possible  collect 
unpaid  taxes  due  the  county.  He  was  to  receive  the  sum  of  fifty  per  cent, 
as  collection  fees  for  such  work.     In  1903  this  was  reduced  to  fifteen  per  cent. 

COURT    HOUSE    HISTOl^Y. 

Sac  county's  first  court  house  (the  present  is  the  third  building)  was 
erected  as  a  result  of  an  election  held  July  7,  i860,  when  bonds  to  the  amount 
of  ten  thousand  dollars  were  voted.  The  same  drew  ten  per  cent,  per  annum. 
The  following  is  the  record  concerning  the  election  above  named: 

A  petition  bearing  date  of  June  5,  i860,  reads  as  follows:     "Whereas, 


SAC    COUNTYj    IOWA.  67 

a  petition  signed  by  the  legal  voters  of  Sac  county,  Iowa,  has  been  presented 
to  me  asking  that  measures  be  taken  for  the  erection  of  a  courthouse  in  Sac 
county,  and  whereas  it  being  prescribed  by  law  that  in  all  such  matters  the 
question  may  be  su1)niitted  to  the  people  of  the  county.  Now.  therefore,  be 
it  known  that  I,  Eugene  Criss,  county  judge  of  said  Sac  county,  in  com- 
pliance with  the  law  made  and  provided,  do  hereby  give  notice  to  the  legal 
voters  of  said  county  that  the  c|uesti(in  will  be  submitted  to  them  on  the  7th 
day  of  July,  A.  D.  i860,  at  which  time  there  will  be  an  election  held  in  the 
several  precincts  of  said  county,  at  the  usual  places  and  hours  for  holding 
elections  in  said  county :  whether  or  not  a  courthouse  shall  be  erected  in  said 
county  to  cost  $10,000,  in  bonds  Ijearing  ten  per  cent,  per  annum.  The  inter- 
est due  and  $10,000  of  the  principal  to  be  paid  annually  until  the  debt  is  paid 
and  whether  a  tax  shall  be  levied  annually,  to  licpiidate  the  demands  as  they 
become  due." 

"And  I  di)  further  declare  the  manner  of  voting  shall  be  as  follows : 
Upon  each  ballot  shall  be  written  or  printed,  'For  the  erection  of  a  court- 
house,' or  'Against  the  erection  of  a  courthouse.'  'For  the  levy  of  a  tax,'  or 
'Against  the  levy  of  a  tax.'  And  I  do  further  declare  that  if  a  majority 
of  the  votes  are  cast  affirmatively  that  such  votes  shall  be  deemed  to  be  in 
favor  of  the  proposition  above  submitted,  and  if  a  majority  of  the  votes 
cast  are  in  the  negative,  it  shall  be  a  rejection  of  the  above  proposition.  The 
votes  are  to  be  returned  by  the  judges  of  the  different  precincts  to  this  court 
to  be  then  canvassed  according  to  law. 

"Given  under  my  hand  with  the  seal  of  the  county  affixed,  at  Sac  City, 
Iowa,  this  fifth  day  of  June,  1859  A.  D. 

"E.  Cris.s.  County  Judge." 

The  legal  returns  of  this  election  was  made  by  Judge  E.  Criss,  July  7, 
i860,  and  the  result  was  as  follows:  Total  number  of  votes  cast,  forty-one. 
For  both  propositions,  twenty-three  votes ;  against  both  propositions,  eighteen 
votes.     W.  H.  Hobbs,  county  clerk,  certified  to  the  above  as  being  true. 

The  contract  for  building  the  court  house  was  awarded  to  W.  N. 
Meservey,  of  Fort  Dodge,  for  ten  thousand  dollars.  He  took  the  county 
bonds  that  had  been  voted,  the  same  bearing  date  September  2,  i860,  running 
for  ten  vears.  The  building  contract  was  signed  by  Mr.  Meservey  and 
County  Judge  Eugene  Criss,  attested  by  County  Clerk  William  H.  Hobbs. 
The  contract  read,  in  part,  as  follows : 

"That  it  shall  be  built  on  the  public  square  in  the  original  town  of  Sac 
City.     The  front  of  said  court  house  to  face  south  and  to  be  built  on  a  Ime 


68  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

corresponding  uitli  the  ndrtli  line  of  Main  street,  provided  said  street  runs 
to  the  pubHc  square  on  the  same  variation  of  the  needle  as  said  street  is  estab- 
lished. The  center  of  said  court  house  to  be  iniilt  on  a  line  corresponding  to 
the  center  of  State  street." 

Signed  the  31st  day  of  December,  i860. 

The  contract  for  this  court  house  included  these  words : 

"To  be  thirty-four  b\-  forty-six  feet  outside  to  outside,  to  be  built  of 
brick;  foundation  walls  to  be  six  feet  high— two  feet  under  the  ground  and 
four  feet  above  ground,  to  the  first  floor.  The  first  story  walls  to  be  sixteen 
inches  thick  and  nine  feet  between  floor  and  ceiling.  The  second  story  walls 
to  be  one  foot  thick  and  thirteen  feet  between  floor  and  ceilings.  The  first 
story  is  to  be  finished  ofT  in  four  rooms  for  oiifices,  with  a  hall  running 
through  .^aid  buikling  from  end  to  end  and  six  feet  wide.  At  laack  end  of 
said  hall  there  is  to  be  two  flights  of  stairs,  one  on  each  side  to  ascend  to 
the  court  room. 

"The  second  stor_\-  is  to  be  finished  for  a  court  room,  with  two  jury 
rooms,  one  on  each  side  of  the  stairway  leading  to  the  court  room.  The  court 
room  is  to  be  furnished  with  judge's  stand,  bar,  jury  rooms,  etc.,  at  one  end 
and  to  be  seated  with  black  walnut  seats  to  be  dressed  and  varnished.  .\11  the 
outside  brick  work  of  said  Iniilding  to  be  built  of  good,'  hard  burned  brick 
and  the  inside  walls  to  be  of  such  brick  as  are  suitable  for  that  purpose.  The 
building  is  to  have  eight  windows  on  each  side — four  on  the  first  story  and 
four  on  the  second  story.  There  are  to  be  five  windows  on  each  end — two 
below  and  three  above — all  to  be  of  twelve  lights  of  glass,  said  glass  to  be 
twelve  by  eighteen  inches  each. 

"The  roof  is  to  be  a  self-supporting  roof  and  covered  with  good 
shingles  laid  four  inches  to  the  weather.  The  brick  work  is  to  be  painted 
and  penciled.  The  floors  are  all  to  be  of  good  oak  or  pine,  seasoned,  dressed 
and  matched.  The  wood  work  on  the  entire  building  is  to  be  painted  with 
three  good  coats  of  white  lead  and  oil,  save  the  varnished  work.  The  walls 
are  t(j  be  plastered  by  a  three-coat  work.  The  cupola  is  to  be  a  good  sized 
one  of  seasoned  lumlier,  to  be  patterned  after  and  as  good  as  the  one  at 
Denison,  Crawford  county,  Iowa. 

"Said  building  is  to  be  erected,  enclosed  and  the  lower  stor\-  plastered  by 
Decenilier  1,  icSfu,  and  the  u])per  rooms  to  be  finished  as  to  admit  of  holding 
court  in  them  b\-  .\pril  1,  following,  and  the  whole  to  ])e  completed  by- 
August  I,   1862." 

This  court  house  served  well  its  purixise  until  the  erection  of  the  second 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  69 

court  house  of  tlie  county,  which  was  erected  under  the  following  circum- 
stances, as  seen  by  the  county  records : 

In  1873  it  appears  that  the  county  was  obliged  to  lease  rooms  of  ])rivate 
individuals  for  the  accommodation  of  the  county  clerk  and  recorder.  The 
bids  for  the  erection  of  the  second  court  house  were  let  March  13,  1873. 
Bonds  had  been  issued  according  to  the  vote  of  the  people  and  sold  to  the 
amount  of  $30,000  to  Jackson  Orr,  at  ninety-three  per  cent,  of  their  face 
value.  The  contract  was  awarded  to  O.  J-  King  at  $26,800,  and  subsequently 
there  were  changes  and  extras  as  follows:  Cement  foundation,  $1,500; 
four  vaults,  $400;  additional  painting,  $68;  two  base-burner  stoves,  $82. 
This  building  was  first  used  by  the  county  January  i,  1874,  and  the  square 
was  ordered  fenced,  the  contract  l)eing  let  to  Orson  Lee  the  same  vear. 
The  old  court  house  building  was  ordered  sold,  as  well  as  the  county  safe. 

This  building"  is  described  in  a  work  published  at  that  day  as  follows : 
"The  new  court  house  is  eighty-four  by  fifty-six  feet,  solidly  and  handsomely 
built  of  brick,  with  limestone  foundations,  and  is  one  of  the  jjest  countv  build- 
ings in  the  Northwest.  It  cost  thirty  thousand  dollars.  The  first  floor  is 
fitted  up  for  the  county  officers,  with  vaults  for  the  county  records.  The  upper 
story  has  the  court  room,  jury  rooms,  etc.  With  the  court  room  fitted  up  for 
a  term  of  court  there  are  about  four  hundred  sittings,  but  in  use  as  a  hall  for 
lectures  or  political  meetings,  there  is  ample  room  for  six  hundred  people. 
One  room  in  the  l)asement  is  used  for  a  jail.  A  cage  of  boiler  iron,  con- 
taining two  cells,  fills  aljout  half  the  room  and  makes  the  jail  a  pretty  secure 
one." 

THE    PRESENT    COURT    HOUSE. 

By  1888  Sac  count}-  people  had  aljout  decided  to  issue  bonds  and  clear 
an  overhanging  debt,  thus  saving  interest  and  making  the  future  generation 
do  their  share  towards  caring  for  such  legitimate  obligations.  Just  when 
this  was  about  to  be  brought  al)out  the  court  house  then  in  use  was  burned 
(October  3,  1888,)  and  this  stopped  further  talk  of  refunding.  A  new  court 
house  must  of  necessity  be  quickly  provided  for  the  safety  of  the  public 
records  of  the  county.  It  was  thought  the  fire  was  caused  by  an  incendiary, 
and  a  reward  of  two  hundred  dollars  was  offered  for  the  arrest  and  turning 
over  to  the  county  authorities  of  one  Carlson,  supposed  to  be  the  party  who 
fired  the  building.  The  record  shows:  "Whereas,  H.  A.  Hutchinson,  a 
constable  of  Lake  City,  did  capture  and  return  him  to  Sac  City,  therefore,  be 
it  resolved,  that  we,  the  board  of  supervisors,  consider  him  entitled  to  the 


7©  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

reward  ami  instruct  tlie  county  auditor  to  issue  hiiu  a  warrant  for  the  amount 
of  two  hundred  dollars." 

Carlson  had  been  incarcerated  in  the  jail  and  set  tire  to  it,  burning  the 
court  house.  He  was  tried  and  sentenced  to  twelve  years  in  the  penitentiary. 
He  was  a  Swede  farm  hand,  aged  twenty-three  years  and  worked  on  the 
Cook  ranch.  The  county  clerk's  books  were  the  worst  burned.  The  treas- 
urer and  recorder  got  off  lietter,  and  the  sheriff's  books  and  papers  were  all 
destroyed.  Also  the  count}-  law  library  was  lost.  Carlson  was  tried  before 
Judge  Macomber. 

Concerning  the  present  court  house  structure  and  its  construction,  the 
county  records  say : 

"May  2,  1889 — Order  No.  i.  Resolved,  that  county  court  house  for 
the  use  of  Sac  county,  Iowa,  be  at  once  erected  on  the  site  of  the  one  recently 
burned  in  said  county  and  on  the  plat  of  land  known  as  the  public  .square  in 
the  town  of  Sac  City,  at  a  cost  of  not  to  exceed  fifteen  thousand  dollars." 
All  three  count}'  supervisors  voted  for  this,  and  all  subsequent  measures 
relative  to  this  building.  The  board  then  consisted  of  the  following  citizens : 
H.  H.  Fitch,  C.  H.  Babcock  and  C.  W.  Marcy. 

"Order  No.  2 — Resolved,  that  the  sum  of  fifteen  thousand  dollars  of  the 
money  recei\'ed  from  the  insurance  coiupanies,  as  an  indemnity  for  the  loss 
of  the  former  court  house,  in  said  count}',  recently  destroyed  by  fire,  be  ap- 
pro])riated  to  erect  a  new  court  house." 

"Order  No.  3 — Resolved,  that  the  plans  and  specifications  furnished  to 
Sac  county  by  J.  M.  Russell  for  a  court  house  building  be  adopted,  and  the 
new  court  house  built  in  accordance  with  said  plans  and  specifications,  as 
now  filed  in  the  office  of  the  auditor  of  .Sac  county." 

"Order  Xo.  4 — Resolved,  that  tlie  liid  of  fifteen  thousand  dollars  for  the 
erection  of  a  court  house  building  to  be  erected  in  Sac  county.  Iowa,  accord- 
ing to  plans  and  specifications  furnished  said  county  by  J.  M.  Russell,  made 
by  Asa  Piatt,  D.  E.  Hallett,  D.  C.  Early,  James  N.  Miller,  A.  D.  Peck, 
Myron  Childs,  J.  E.  Robbins,  John  M.  Vox  and  \\\  C.  Shull,  be  accepted, 
and  that  the  contract  and  bond  tendered  by  them  for  the  completion  of  the 
work  by  January  i,  1890,  be  accepted."  A  tower  surmounted  the  building, 
])ut  was  taken  down  in  1000.  in  July,  igii,  a  new  roof  of  slate  was  placed 
on  the  entire  roof  and  other  im])r(i\enients  made,  including  the  repainting 
of  the  inside.  The  corner  stone,  laid  by  the  Masonic  fraternitv.  bears  this 
inscription:  "Laid  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Iowa,  .A.  F.  &  A,  M.,  July  i  ^, 
A.  D.  1889,  A.  L.  5889." 

Just  at  this  time,  when  the  county  was  without  a  court  house,  the  citizens 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  7I 

in  the  south  part  of  Sac  county,  especially  in  and  near  the  town  of  Wall 
Lake,  sought  to  have  the  county  seat  removed  and  a  new  court  house  erected 
at  Wall  Lake.  A  great  fight  was  put  up  and  remonstrances  and  petitions 
galore  were  circulated  here  and  there  over  the  count}-.  The  citizens  at  Sac 
City  got  together  and  formed  a  home  company  and  pledged  themselves  to 
duplicate  the  new  court  house  then  just  finished  at  Storm  Lake,  for  the  con- 
sideration of  the  fifteen  thousand  dollars  insurance  due  the  county,  they  mak- 
ing up  the  lialance  toward  building  a  thirty-thousand-dollar  structure,  which 
in  the  end  was  accomplished.  This  company  of  Sac  City  citizens  deposited 
the  collateral  with  the  county  auditor,  who  issued  them  the  following  certifi- 
cate : 

"This  is  to  certify  that  there  has  been  deposited  with  the  auditor  of  Sac 
county,  for  the  use  of  said  county,  a  contract  signed  by  A.  Piatt,  D.  E.  Hal- 
lett,  D.  Carr  Early,  A.  D.  Peck,  James  N.  Miller,  J.  E.  Robbins,  Myron 
Childs,  John  M.  Fo.x  and  W.  C.  Shull,  agreeing  to  build  on  the  court  house 
square  in_Sac  City,  on  a  new  foundation,  a  court  house  according  to  the 
plans  and  specifications  to  be  furnished  b}'  J.  M.  Russell,  of  Storm  Lake, 
said  court  house  being  estimated  to  cost  thirty  thousand  dollars,  to  be  built 
under  the  direction  of  said  architect  and  the  board  of  supervisors,  to  be  a 
duplicate  of  the  one  recently  erected  in  Buena  Vista  county;  to  furnish  the 
same  with  steam  heating  apparatus  and  to  deliver  said  court  house,  so  built 
and  furnished  to  the  county  for  the  sum  of  fifteen  thousand  dollars.  Said 
contract  is  accompanied  by  a  bond  of  sixty  thousand  dollars,  signed  by  the 
above  parties  as  principals.  Said  contract  is  subject  to  acceptance  by  tne 
county  at  any  time  prior  to  Januar}-  i,  1891,  and  cannot  be  withdrawn  by 
said  contractors  before  that  date. 

"(Signed)   by  C.  W.  Marcy,  for  the  Board  of  Supervisors. 

"Attest:  C.  C.  Cleveland,  County  Auditor. 

"January  26,  1889. 

THE    COUNTY    JAIL. 

The  first  real  jail  for  Sac  county  was  in  the  basement  of  the  court 
house,  which  was  erected  in  1874,  but  the  records  show  that  in  September, 
1893,  the  supervisors  made  the  following  entry  in  their  official  proceedings: 

"Whereas,  Sac  county,  Iowa,  being  without  a  jail,  is  compelled  to  send 
prisoners  and  persons  detained  l)y  few,  to  other  counties  for  imprisonment 
and  detention,  etc.,  etc.,  hence  it  is  deemed  expedient  by  the  board  of  super- 
visors of  Sac  countv,  in  the  management  of  the  business  of  said  county,  to 


72  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

erect  a  jail  and,  tlierefore.  Ije  it  resolved  by  the  board  of  supervisors,  in 
regular  session  this  13th  day  of  June.  1893.  that  there  be  submitted  to  the 
qualified  electors  of  said  Sac  count}-,  at  the  next  general  election,  the  follow- 
ing question:  "Shall  the  board  of  county  supervisors  of  this  county  erect  a 
jail,  the  cost  not  to  exceed  ten  thousand  dollars.' 

(Signed)  ''C.  H.  Babcock,  Chairman  of  the  Board." 

In  September.  1893.  the  following  was  entered  on  the  board's  minute 
book :  "Resolved  by  the  board  of  supervisors  of  Sac  county.  Iowa,  that 
said  county  will  cause  to  be  erected  in  the  court  house  square  at  Sac  City  a 
jail  having  the  necessary  cells,  cages  and  rooms,  at  a  cost  not  to  exceed  ten 
thousand  dollars,  and  that  said  county  raise  the  said  amount  l)y  levying  a 
tax  on  the  taxable  ]iroperty  of  the  county  in  sums  as  follows :     In  the  year 

1893,  t^^'O  'I'lcl  one-half  mills  on  the  dollar,  which  tax  shall  be  levied  and  col- 
lected by  law  as  other  taxes  in  the  county.  The  direction  of  said  jail  shall 
be  under  the  supervision  of  the  board  of  county  supervisors  of  said  county, 
but  these  provisions  shall  not  be  binding  unless  ratified  by  a  majority  of  the 
legal  voters  of  said  county  voting  for  or  against  the  proposition,  submitting 
the  same  at  the  general  election  to  be  held  in  November.  1893.  ^t  which 
election  it  is  ordered  that  the  propositions  herein  contained  shall  be  sub- 
mitted to  them,  etc."  This  jail  was  to  be  completed  in  1894.  The  election 
named  was  held,  but  the  measure  was  lost  by  a  majority  of  over  three 
hundred. 

Then  the  matter  was  up  to  the  board  to  provide  a  safe  jail,  so  in  June, 

1894.  a  contract  was  awarded  to  the  Pauly  Jail  Building  Company,  of  St. 
Louis,  at  four  thousand  two  hundred  and  thirty-six  dollars.  It  is  situated 
on  the  northwest  corner  of  the  court  house  square  and  stands  on  a  good 
foundation  four  feet  in  the  earth.  It  is  a  red  brick  structure  and  now  looks 
the  worse  for  wear.  It  was  so  located  that  a  jailer's  house  could  be  added 
thereto,  but  none  has  ever  been  erected  there.  A  jail  office  is  found  at  the 
south  end  of  the  building.  The  jail  has  two  of  the  best  steel-plate  cells, 
with  a  steel  corridor  for  the  use  of  prisoners.  It  is  reallv,  todav.  a  safe,  but 
ugly  looking  jail  for  so  rich  a  county  as  Sac ! 

It  is.  however,  prol)ably  an  improvement  over  the  old  jail  that  was  under 
the  court  house,  from  which  several  prisoners  made  their  escape,  including 
two  horse  thieves,  as  noted  in  the  following  as  appearing  in  the  Sac  Sun  of 
November,  1878:  "The  jail  breakers,  in  escaping,  first  set  fire  to  the  ceiling 
of  the  jail  and  burned  a  hole  up  through  the  floor  into  the  treasurer's  office. 
They,  no  floubt,  intended  to  make  a  hole  through,  when  thev  discovered  the 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  73 

ventilating  pipe  could  l^e  pulled  apart  and  thus  give  them  an  easier  access  to 
the  outside  and  to  final  freedom.  It  was  lucky  that  they  did  not  get  the 
whole  court  house  on  fire.  We  suggest  to  the  board  of  supervisors  that  it  is 
hardly  worth  while  to  spend  more  money  on  the  jail  for  the  purpose  of 
keeping  prisoners  from  other  counties.  We  have  furnished  Beuna  Vista  and 
Ida  counties  with  rooms,  food  and  fuel  and  attendance  long  enough.  Sac 
county  has  had  few  criminals  confined  there,  compared  with  other  counties. 
The  jail  should  not  be  under  the  court  house,  but  as  it  is,  it  would  be  safer 
and  cheaper  to  hire  a  watchman  than  to  expend  money  to  make  this  one  saw 
and  file  proof." 

THE    COUNTY    FARM. 

The  care  which  any  people  display  towards  the  unfortunate  poor  within 
their  midst  is  an  almost  sure  index  of  what  class  of  citizens  they  are.  From 
the  earliest  date,  the  taxpayers  in  Sac  county  have  sought  to  provide  for  and, 
as  far  as  possible,  relieve  the  distress  and  absolute  needs  of  their  poorer 
classes.  While  the  authorities  have  never  been  in  the  habit  of  caring  for  the 
lazy  and  shiftless  classes,  they  have  ever  desired  that  those  who  had  not  the 
means  with  which  to  provide  for  themselves  should  not  want  and  suffer.  Up 
to  1891  the  pauper  element,  and  those  who  needed  some  aid,  were  cared  for 
in  and  by  the  different  townships  of  the  county,  but  during  the  month  of 
December,  that  year,  the  supervisors  purchased,  at  thirty-five  dollars  per  acre, 
a  cjuarter  section  of  land  in  section  14  of  Boyer  \^alley  civil  township,  for 
the  purpose  of  establishing  a  county  farm,  which  has  since  been  maintained. 
In  1905  the  proceedings  of  the  county  supervisors  included  an  invoice  of  the 
stock,  implements,  supplies  and  products  of  this  county  farm,  and  it  was 
shown  that  the  total  value  of  the  farm  and  its  contents  and  belongings 
amounted  to  about  $17,035.  Of  this  amount,  the  land  was  placed  at  $12,800. 
That  year  the  receipts  of  the  farm  amounted  to  $3,045.  The  cost  of  keeping 
the  eight  paupers  that  year  amounted  to  $906.40. 

In  the  year  191 J  the  county  auditor's  report  shows  the  following  con- 
cerning the  county  farm,  usually  styled  the  "Poor  Farm."  Valuation, 
$23,200;  produce  raised,  $1,617;  implements  owned,  $983;  furniture,  $452; 
live  stock  and  poultry,  $3,065;  pantry  stores,  $120;  total,  $30,351.  For  the 
same  year  the  expenditures  were:  Salaries  and  labor.  $1,135.50;  subsistence, 
$1,461.20;  medical  expenses,  $45.58;  fuel  and  light,  $568.18;  improvements 
and  repairs,  $428.74;  feed,  $123.95;  feed  bought,  $518.21;  miscellaneous, 
$227.46;  total  expenses,  $4,508.82.  Cost  of  keeping  the  inmates  for  191 1, 
$972.79. 


74  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Of  recent  years  the  farm  has  not  been  a  very  profitable  investment  to 
the  county.  Not  all  of  the  poor  are  cared  for  there,  as  much  aid  is  given 
outside,  while  the  inmates  and  the  stock  of  the  place  has  not  been  fully  up 
to  former  standards,  but  at  this  date  (1914)  efiforts  are  being  made  to  stock 
up  and  run  the  farm  on  a  better  basis^ 

In  1890  a  resolutinn  was  passed  by  the  county  board  of  supervisors  to 
this  effect :  "Whereas,  the  American  Educational  Association  proposes  to 
take  the  homeless  children  coming  under  the  charge  of  the  county,  that  are 
of  a  sound  mind  and  of  good  body,  and  place  them  in  suitable  homes  and 
become  responsible  for  their  future  maintenance  and  support,  upon  the  con- 
dition that  the  said  county  pay  to  said  association  the  sum  of  twenty-five 
dollars  for  each  child  so  taken  charge  of."     This  proposition  was  accepted. 

COUNTY    FINANCES. 

Sac  count}',  like  all  Iowa  counties,  has  had  its  own  financial  history.  It 
has,  like  its  individual  members,  had  its  years  of  despondency  and  gloom  and 
accompanying  debts  hanging  over  its  treasury  like  a  pall,  but,  with  the  pass- 
ing of  those  earlier  and  more  trying  years,  came  the  spell  of  prosperity  that 
makes  glad  every  taxpayer's  heart.  At  one  time  more  than  thirty-five 
thousand  dollars  would  not  fully  cover  the  indebtedness  of  this  county. 
Bridges,  roads,  ditches,  schuol  houses  and  three  court  houses  all  had  to  come 
in  for  their  full  share  of  improvement,  before  the  county  could  boast,  as  she 
does  today,  of  her  one-hundred-and-fifty  and  two-hundred-dollar  land  for 
agricultural  purposes. 

During  the  never-to-be-forgotten  Civil  war  days,  soldiers'  bounties, 
wild  animal  Ijounties,  even  "blackbird  bounties,"  had  to  be  cared  for.  But 
the  good  citizen  kept  steatlil\-  pressing  onward,  shouting  with  the  songster, 
"Deliverance  will  come !"  There  was  a  period  in  this  county  when  county 
warrants  were  not  at  par  by  any  means,  and  there  were  men  who  took  ad- 
vantage (possiljly  legally)  of  such  conditions  and  profited  thereljy  to  the 
detrHiient  of  taxpayers  and  warrant  holders.  Then  there  came  another 
period,  when  men  served  on  the  board  of  supervisors,  and  were  elected  to 
county  official  positions,  who  stood  squarely  for  the  right,  and  under  their 
administration  a  "clean-up"  process  was  undertaken,  which  worked  well  for 
all  concerned  in  tlie  upbuilding  and  prosperity  of  the  "Kingdom  of  Sac." 
There  has  never  been  a  real  defalcation  in  the  county's  official  record. 

In  passing,  it  may  be  stated  that  the  county  first  got  in  debt  to  provide 
the  ten-thousand-dollar  court  house,   for  which  bonds  were  issued  in  the 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  ,75 

sixties,  and  over  which  there  arose  a  long-drawn-out  Htigation  from  the 
local  courts  to  the  United  States  supreme  court.  The  latter  court  decided 
that  the  county  must  stand  by  and  pay  the  bonds  issued  to  Mr.  Meservey,  of 
Fort  Dodge,  for  the  erection  of  the  court  house,  which  was  ordered  done 
under  Judge  Eugene  Criss's  administration  as  county  judge. 

The  county  treasurer's  semi-annual  report  for  the  period  extending 
from  June  i,  1912,  to  January  i,  1913,  shows  the  revenues  collected  and 
disbursed  for  that  six-month  period,  round  numbers  only  being  carried  in 
this  statement : 

On  hand 
Funds.  Collected.     Disbursed.     Jan.  i,  '13. 

State    $13,378.00     $13,409.00     $      114.00 

State  University 600.00  602.00  7.00 

State    College    600.00  602.00  7.00 

State   Normal    300.00  301.00  3.22 

County 22,472.00       21.722.00  348.59 

County   .School   3,000.00         4,812.00         1,085.64 

County   Road    2,360.00         5,233.00  340.03 

County  Bond 1,500.00         3,441.00  528.69 

County   Bridge    15,303.00       29,047.00         1,580.27 

County  Poor 3,300.00         3,983.00  1,847.78 

Insane    3,200.00         3,331.00         4,871.68 

Temporary  School   1,600.00  860.00  1,141.87 

Permanent  Sch(jol 1,500.00  1,250.00  250.00 

Institute   -54-00  397-0O  262.20 

Domestic  .\nimals 614.00  1,352.00  387.68 

Farmers'  Institute 75-00  

Motor  Vehicles 1,603.00         2,626.00         1,461.90 

Soldiers'    Uelief    907.00  1,024.00         1,659.00 

Totals    $61,491.00     $94,067.00     $15,906.16 

The  countv  treasur_\-  had  on  hand  enough  funds,  on  July  i,  1912,  to 
make  the  difference  in  the  above  figures,  hence  the  county  finances  now  stand 
as  above  stated. 

Figuring  from  the  county  books  and  reports  it  is  also  shown  that, 
counting  in  all  the  township  finances,  debit  and  credit,  up  to  January  i, 
1913,  the  county  had  on  hand  $34,856.06  in  its  treasury,  a  showing  most 


76 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


excellent  indeed.     It  was  not  a  score  of  years  ago  that  this  county  had  an 
indebtedness  equal  to  the  amount  on  hand  today. 


TELEPHONE    AND    TELEGRAPH    LINES. 


There  are  at  present  more  than  thirty  telephone  lines  operating  in  Sac 
county,  having  a  mileage  of  854  miles,  and  of  telegraph  lines,  107  miles, 
assessed  at  $cSo  per  mile.  The  total  assessment  for  telegraph  lines  in  county, 
$8,602.40.  Witii  these  various  methods  of  communication  the  county's  peo- 
ple are  in  touch  with  one  another,  as  well  as  with  the  outside  world. 

DISr.URSEMENTS    FOR    DR.\INAGE    PURPOSES. 

The  following  shows  the  drainage  districts  in  1913  that  had  the  amounts 
indicated  disbursed  in  the  year  1912-13  : 

Drainage  District  No,  i,  eighty-one  cents;  drainage  district  No,  2, 
$2,166.76;  drainage  district  No.  3,  $63.78;  drainage  district  No.  5,  $43-94; 
drainage  district  No,  7,  $31,26;  drainage  district  No.  11,  $7.66;  drainage 
district  No.  16,  $24,551.16;  drainage  district  No.  20,  $201,45;  drainage 
district  No,  28,  $20,00;  drainage  district  No,  29,  $10,700;  drainage  district 
No.  31,  $437.39;  drainage  district  No,  34,  $2,008.76;  drainage  district  No. 
36,  $95.17;  drainage  district  No.  38,  $2,124.71;  drainage  district  No.  39, 
$950.30;  drainage  district  No.  40,  $2,649.98. 

This  makes  a  grand  total  of  $73,203.00  paid  out  for  drainage  purposes 
in  Sac  county  for  a  single  year,  and  it  was  money  well  expended,  as  it  has 
reclaimed  thousands  of  acres  of  fertile  land,  besides  materially  increasing 
the  agricultural  and  commercial  ^•alue  of  much  more,  indirectly. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


THE    BAR   OF    SAC    COUNTY. 


By  Charles   D.  Goldsmith. 


\\'ith  but  one  or  two  exceptions,  the  attorney.s  who  have  practiced  in  Sac 
county  came  from  other  states  or  other  parts  of  our  own  state.  The  bar,  as 
a  whole,  has  been,  comparatively  speaking,  a  strong  one.  Of  course,  here, 
as  elsewhere,  there  has  Ijeen  much  abuse  of  the  law  and  the  lawyers;  but, 
candidlv,  would  not  the  abolition  of  both  spell  chaos?  A  community  without 
lawyers  would  be  a  community  without  order,  without  government,  without 
progress,  peace,  stability  or  ha])piness. 

To  be  sure,  lawyers  are  not  all  high-minded  men.  but  neither  are  all 
those  who  follow  other  walks  of  life.  A  lawyer  is  much  like  his  fellows, 
whatever  their  occupation.  He  is  subject  to  the  same  environment;  the  same 
temptations,  the  same  inexorable  sway  of  demand  and  supply,  and  if  he 
sometimes  stoojis  to  the  mire,  the  dishonest  client  will  be  found  upon  his 
shoulders,  bearing  him  down  in  the  filth.  The  lawyer  is  no  better  and  no 
worse  than  men  in  other  lines  of  work,  but  he  is  a  necessity.  Blot  out  the 
law  and  the  lawyers,  and  civilization  dies  with  them.  The  standing  of  the 
bar  is  high  toda^•,  but,  as  in  all  human  affairs,  there  is  room  for  improve- 
ment. However,  it  is  gratifying  to  know  that  its  character  is  certainly  being 
elevated  to  a  higher  plane. 

THE   FIRST    LAWYER    IX    SAC    CITY. 

John  T.  Alexander  was  Sac  county's  first  lawyer.  He  located  al  Sac 
City  in  1868,  having  bef<ire  been  in  the  practice  at  X'inton.  Benton  county, 
this  state,  where  he  had  served  the  judicial  district  in  which  Benton  county 
was  embraced,  as  district  attorney.  He  was  not  what  is  called  a  "case 
lawyer,"  but  was  well  grounded  in  the  fumlamental  i)rinciples  of  the  law. 
It  was  his  intention  to  discontinue  the  practice  upon  his  removal  to  Sac 
county.  He  found  it  diflicult  to  do  this,  and  for  a  while  took  part  in  the 
small  amount  of  court  work  which  came  up  at  the  time  in  the  county.  "Uncle 
Tohn"  was  a  gentleman  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  kind  and  considerate  of 


78  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

every  one.  After  a  lew  rears,  he  retired  and  lived  loved  and  respected  by 
all  until  his  death,  in  1882. 

Eli  R.  Chase  settled  at  Sac  City  in  1869,  removing  from  ^^'ansan,  Wis- 
consin, where  he  had  been  a  prominent  lawyer  and  citizen  for  many  years. 
He  served  upon  the  board  of  supervisors  of  the  county.  He  was  a  lawyer  of 
much  ability  and  strength  of  character.  The  law  business  of  the  county  at 
this  time  was  of  such  meager  proportions  that  it  was  not  inviting,  and  in 
1875  he  removed  to  California. 

Hon.  Ed.  R.  Duffie  came  to  Sac  City  in  1870  and  shortly  afterwards 
formed  a  partnership  with  Eli  R.  Chase,  the  firm  being  Chase  &  Duffie.  He 
served  as  a  member  of  the  board  of  supervisors  and  was  county  treasurer, 
was  afterwards  elected  to  the  Legislature,  and  later  became  judge  of  the 
fourteenth  judicial  district.  Representing  the  cnunt}'  in  the  Legislature,  he 
was  without  doubt  the  best  equipped  and  ablest  member  the  county  has 
ever  had.  After  serving  upon  the  bench  eight  years,  he  retired  to  the  prac- 
tice at  Sac  City.  He  outgrew  the  practice  here  and  removed  to  Omaha, 
Nebraska,  in  1883.  For  several  years  he  served  as  a  commissioner  of  the 
supreme  court.  Retiring  from  that  position,  he  removed  from  Omaha  to 
Scott's  Bluffs,  Nebraska,  and  became  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Wright  & 
Duffie  and  continued  to  practice  until  the  year  19 13.  His  health  then  failed 
him  and  he  went  to  California,  hoping  to  find  a  climate  beneficial,  l:)ut  died 
shortly  after  reaching  there. 

Hon.  S.  M.  Elwood,  formerly  of  Tama  countv.  Iowa,  and  S.  E.  Stan- 
field  formed  a  partnership  to  practice  law  and  located  during  the  year  1876, 
and  as  a  firm  practiced  until  1879,  when  it  dissolved  and  Mr.  Stanfield  re- 
moved to  Odebolt.  Mr.  Elwood  then  formed  a  partnership  with  Levi  Davis, 
the  firm  being  known  as  Da\'is  &  Elwood.  This  firm  afterward  dissolved 
and  Mr.  Davis  removed  to  Montana.  Mr.  Elwood  continued  in  the  practice 
and  in  the  fall  of  1895  was  elected  to  the  district  judgeship  of  the  sixteenth 
judicial  district  and  occupied  the  bench  for  eight  years.  After  retiring  from 
that  position  he  resumed  practice.  He  is  a  good  lawyer  and  the  most  plausi- 
ble of  gentlemen. 

Mr.  Stanfield,  as  before  stated,  removed  to  Odebolt,  where  he  continued 
to  reside  and  ])ractice  law  for  a  few  years,  and  then  removed  to  Ida  Gro\e, 
in  Ida  county,  w  here  he  practiced  until  his  death,  a  few  years  later. 

D.  E.  \'oris  and  L.  Wheaton,  two  young  men  of  good  native  ability, 
located  at  Sac  City  in  1876  and  remained  a  few  years.  Mr.  Voris  afterward 
removed  to  Marion,  where  he  has  since  continued  in  a  very  successful  prac- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  79 

tice.  Mr.  W'heaton  removed  to  Lincoln,  Nebra.ska,  and  died  after  remaining 
in  practice  a  few  years. 

D.  J-  McDaid  commenced  the  practice  of  law  at  Sac  Cit\-  in  i8Si,  and 
very  soon  afterwards  received  an  appointment  to  a  judicial  position  in  Indian 
Territory,  after  the  expiration  of  which  he  removed  to  West  ^'^irginia. 

W.  H.  Hart  commenced  the  practice  of  law  in  Sac  City  in  1880.  In 
1885  the  partnership  of  Goldsmith  &•  Hart  was  formed,  of  whicii  Mr.  Hart 
was  a  member  until  i88q,  when  ^Ir.  Goldsmith  was  appointed  bv  Governor 
Boies  to  fill  the  vacancy  on  the  district  bench  caused  by  the  resignation  of 
Judge  J.  H.  Macomber.  Mr.  Hart  has  filled  the  office  of  county  attorney 
for  two  terms.  In  this  office  he  was  safe  and  reliable  and  no  one  performed 
the  duties  of  that  office  better  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  people.  He  now 
ranks  among  the  leading  lawyers  of  the  county. 

J.  H.  Tait  first  located  at  Wall  Lake,  in  this  county,  in  1879,  as  the 
junior  member  of  the  firm  of  Edson  &  Tait.  The  firm  continued  in  the 
practice  a  few  years  and  dissolved.  Mr.  Tait  removed  to  Schaller  and  con- 
tinued in  the  practice  imtil  he  was  elected  county  attorney,  when  he  removed 
to  Sac  City.  During  his  incumbency  of  that  office  he  formed  a  partnership 
with  ^^'.  Jackson,  which  partnership  existed  until  his  death,  in  1913.  He  was 
one  of  the  lawyers  who  forged  his  way  to  the  front  and  was  quite  prominent 
in  the  politics  of  the  county. 

William  Jackson  has  long  been  numbered  among  the  trustworthy  mem- 
bers of  the  Sac  county  liar.  His  siiecialty  has  been  that  of  an  abstracter  and 
real  estate  lawyer.  He  attended  to  that  liranch  of  the  practice  of  the  firm 
of  Tait  &  Jackson,  \\liile  Mr.  Tait  gave  his  attention  to  such  litigation  as 
came  into  tlie  hands  of  the  firm. 

R.  L.  McCord  located  here  in  1908  and  since  has  been  appointed  and 
elected  two  terms  as  count}-  attorney.  Upon  the  expiration  of  his  last  term 
he  engaged  in  general  practice.  He  is  possessed  of  good  ability,  much  in- 
dustry and  holds  the  esteem  of  all  in  this  county. 

Malcolm  Currie,  having  held  the  office  of  sheriff  of  Sac  county,  took  his 
examination  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1910,  since  which  time  he  has 
been  elected  county  attorney,  an  office  he  now  holds.  Still  young  in  the  prac- 
tice, his  energy  and  industry  is  fast  leading  him  to  the  front. 

J.  B.  Tourgee  located  in  Sac  City  in  1913  and  formed  a  partnership 
with  S.  -M.  Elwood.  He  is  being  known  as  a  careful  and  industrious  young 
man,  possessed  of  studious  habits  that  are  sure  to  give  him  high  rank  in  his 
profession. 


go  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


THOSE   PRACTICING  IN    I9I4. 


A  list  of  those  ])racticing  in  Sac  City  in  1914  includes  the  following,  as 
they  rank  with  age :  Charles  D.  Goldsmith,  S.  M.  Elwood,  William  Jackson, 
W.  H.  Hart,  R.  L.  McCord,  INIalcom  Currie,  J.  B.  Tonrgee.  There  are  many 
more,  wiio  have  come  and  gone,  but  their  sojourn  has  been  so  short  and  un- 
eventful that  it  c;in  hardly  be  .-.aid  that  they  sh.nild  be  considered  as  members 
of  this  har. 

IN  OTHER  TOWNS  OF  THE  COUNTY. 

Ed.  Hatch  commenced  the  practice  of  law  at  Grant  City  in  1875.  One 
would  be  authorized  in  saying  that  no  young  man  has  appeared  at  the  Sac 
county  bar  with  more  natural  ability  and  better  presence  than  lie.  He  was 
genial,  eloquent  and  quick  to  see  a  point  in  litigation.  He  grew  boastful  and 
dissolute  antl  at  a  time  when  he  should  have  been  meeting  with  a  success 
rio-htfullv  due  him  and  within  his  reach,  he  was  murdered  by  brawling  asso- 

ciates. 

The  hrm  of  Zane  &  Helsell  located  at  Ocleljolt  in  187S  and  was  composed 
of  John  M.  Zane,  who  made  a  specialty  of  making  abstracts  and  law  con- 
nected therew  ith,  and  W.  A.  Helsell,  who  did  the  court  work  and  attended  to 
the  general  litigation.  Mr.  Zane  afterwards  removed  to  Sac  City  and  con- 
tinued in  abstracting  work  for  a  time,  and  then  removed  to  Des  Moines, 
where  he  engaged  in  the  insurance  business.  Mr.  Helsell  continued  in  prac- 
tice at  Odebolt  and  has  since  remained  there,  and,  while  a  few  others  have 
come  and  gone  from  Odebolt  with  little  success,  Mr.  Helsell  has  built  up  a 
remunerative  practice  which  he  still  enjoys.  He  is  the  only  lawyer  now  in 
Odebolt.  Among  others  who  have  at  times  been  members  of  the  bar  at 
Odebolt,  C.  E.  George  and  Del  Coy  should  be  mentioned.  Mr.  George  was 
a  young  man,  well  educated  and  had  he  possessed  stability  of  character  could, 
it  would  seem,  have  reached  a  high  rank  in  his  profession.  Being  ambitious 
to  enter  a  larger  held  he  removed  to  Chicago.  His  career  in  Odebolt  was 
not  a  brilliant  one.  Mr.  Coy,  while  somewhat  successful  at  Odebolt,  after  a 
few  years  removed  to  Pierre,  South  Dakota,  where  he  was  elected  to  the 
otBce  of  clerk  of  the  courts.  lie  filled  this  ofifice  and  practiced  his  profession 
for  a  few  years  and  died.     He  was  a  man  of  excellent  character  and  respected 

by  all. 

R.  M.   Hunter  was  a  member  of  the  bar  residing  at  Wall  Eake  for  a 

number  of  years.     He  was  a  goo<l  lawyer,  neighbor  and  citizen,  and  while 

there  he  was  elected  county  attorney  and  made  an  excellent  ofificial.  Soon 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  8l 

afterward  he  removed  to  Sibley,  Iowa,  where  he  met  with  success  in  his  prac- 
tice and  there  died.  During  his  ]iractice  he  accumulated  considerable  prop- 
erty. Another  attorney  at  Wall  Lake  was  S.  E.  Stanheld,  now  of  Rockwell 
City,  who  was  for  a  time  a  partner  of  Judge  Elwood,  in  Sac  City.  A.  B. 
Barclay,  a  young  lawyer  of  much  ability,  a  clean,  loveable  man,  located  at 
Wall  Lake  in  1900.  He  had  held  the  office  of  county  attorney  one  term  and 
part  of  another,  when,  in  1908,  he  moved  to  Jerome,  Idaho,  where  he  took 
up  the  practice.  Wall  Lake  now  has  but  i,ine  lawyer,  E.  S.  Whitney,  who 
recently  entered  the  profession.  He  is  a  young  man  with  good  ambitions 
and  appearances.  His  geniality  and  manner  appeals  to  all  and  there  is  little 
doubt  that  he  will  meet  with  success. 

Besides  the  members  of  the  Ijar  in  Sac  county  named  by  Mr.  Gold- 
smith there  should  also  be  mentioned  the  following : 

Charles  D.  Goldsmith  is  the  oldest  resident  attorney  at  Sac  City  with 
the  e.xce]jtion  of  S.  M.  Elwood.  He  has  been  practicing  in  Sac  and  adjoining 
counties  since  the  latter  part  of  the  sexenties,  except  during  the  time  he  was 
upon  the  bench  of  the  tlistrict  court  of  this  district.  He  was  selected  by  Gov- 
ernor Horace  Boies  to  fill  a  vacancy  created  by  the  resignation  of  Judge 
Macomber,  of  Ida  Grove,  and  was  also  elected  to  succeed  himself  at  the 
election,  though  a  Democrat  in  politics  and  in  a  Republican  district.  He  has 
been  and  is  one  of  the  most  successful  jiractitioners  in  this  part  of  the  state, 
having  a  large  clientage.  He  has  always  been  a  very  aggressive  lawyer  and 
stands  high  in  his  chosen  profession.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  the  state 
of  New  York,  came  west  to  Webster  City,  Iowa,  then  to  Newell,  in  Buena 
Vista  county,  and  finally  to  Sac  City,  where  he  has  since  remained.  He 
stands  high  in  this  community  as  a  citizen  as  well  as  lawyer  and  counselor. 

About  18S0  A.  B.  Mason  began  the  practice  of  law  in  Sac  City  and  a 
few  years  later  was  joined  by  E.  G.  Thomas,  the  firm  being  then  known  as 
Mason  &  Thomas.  The  partnership  continued  for  some  years,  when  it  was 
dissolved,  E.  G.  Thomas  going  to  Omaha  and  later  to  Chicago  and  then  to 
his  former  home  in  Indiana,  where  he  died.  A.  B.  Mason  continued  in  Sac 
Cit\'  until  his  death,  some  years  later. 

J.  Ko'ler  came  to  Sac  City  about  1882  and  engaged  in  the  practice  of 
law  for  a  short  time  only.  He  was  editor  of  the  paper  known  as  The  Demo- 
crat for  a  while  and  moved  to  Omaha,  where  he  engaged  in  legal  work  again. 

Miles  \y.  Newby  began  the  practice  of  law  here,  in  the  office  of  S.  M. 
Elwood,  in  the  nineties.  He  was  elected  count}'  attorney  of  Sac  count}-  for 
two  terms,  and  soon  after  his  last  term  expired  he  moved  to  Onawa,  where  he 
now  lives  and  is  actively  in  the  practice.  He  was  a  conscientious  young  law- 
yer and  a  hard  worker. 
(5) 


CHAPTER  VH. 


MEDICAL    HISTORY    OF    SAC    COUNTY. 


By  Z.   Fuller,  M.   D. 

The  first  physician,  Doctor  Bence,  arrived  in  the  frontier  hamlet  of  Sac 
City  in  1856,  Ijut  remained  only  a  short  time. 

The  next  physician,  Doctor  Rising,  came  the  next  year.  1857,  and  re- 
mained about  five  years,  and  then  removed  from  Sac  City  to  Grant  City,  Sac 
county,  where  he  died  and  was  buried. 

The  next  phvsician  was  Dr.  Frank  Stiles,  who  located  in  Sac  City  in 
1858  or  1859,  remaining  perhaps  ten  years,  part  of  this  time  being  at  Twin 
Lakes,  Calhoun  county.  In  the  late  sixties  he  ran  a  general  merchandise 
business  in  Sac  City. 

Dr.  R.  G.  Piatt,  a  brother  of  Asa  Piatt,  came  in  1868,  locating  in  Sac 
City  Doctor  Piatt  remained  five  or  six  years,  but,  being  in  poor  health,  was 
unable  to  endure  the  hartlships  incident  to  the  practice  of  medicine  in  a  pio- 
neer community,  and  therefore  moved  to  Hillsdale,  Michigan. 

Dr.  A.  T.  Brenton  was  the  next  physician  to  locate  in  Sac  county,  coming 
to  Sac  City  in  1869,  where  he  remained  in  active  practice  almost  continuously 
for  more  than  thirty  years,  the  first  medical  man  to  identify  himself  perma- 
nently with  the  community.  A  more  extended  biographical  mention  of  Doctor 
Brenton  will  be  found  at  another  place  in  this  chapter. 

Since  the  time  of  Dr.  Brenton's  arrival  and  up  to  the  present  (1914) 
many  physicians  ha\'e.  from  time  to  time,  located  in  Sac  City  and  at  other 
points  in  the  county,  a  good  many  remaining  for  only  a  lirief  period,  hardly 
long  enough  to  warrant  more  than  noting  the  date  of  their  arrival,  where 
the  latter  can  be  ascertained.  Those  remaining  a  longer  time,  long  enough  to 
warrant  being  considered  permanent  citizens,  will  have  more  extended  bio- 
graphical sketches  in  the  following  pages. 

Perhaps  no  class  of  people  in  any  pioneer  country  sees  more  of  hardship 
and  the  strenuous  life  than  does  the  physician.  The  homes  of  the  pioneers 
were  widely  scattered  over  the  desolate  prairies,  necessitating  long  and  tire- 
some— and  sometimes  dangerous — drives,  usually  on  horseback  in  all  kinds  of 
weather  in  their  ])rnfessional  ministrations.     And  for  such  services  the  doc- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  83 

tor's  pay  was  often  in  tlie  form  of  the  possessions  which  are  at  least  reason- 
ably satisfactory,  earning  as  well  the  gennine  gratitude  and  respect  of  the  com- 
munities in  which  they  have  labored. 

The  writer  had  a  share  in  some  of  these  e.xperiences  during  the  later 
pioneer  days,  many  of  which  he  looks  back  on  with  pleasure  and  nu  small 
degree  of  satisfaction,  not  the  least  of  which  comes  from  seeing  a  good  man\- 
of  those  pioneers  of  the  strenuous  years  now  in  comfortable  homes  and  in 
possession  of  every  other  reasonable  need  for  their  declining  years.  All  of 
which  seems  a  fair  compensation  for  the  struggle  of  those  early  days.  Re- 
turning now  to  the  personal  history  of  some  of  Sac  count^•'s  i)h\'sicians.  it 
may  be  said  that : 

Andrew  Thomas  Brenton  was  born  in  Johnson  count}-,  Indiana,  Septem- 
ber 15,  1848,  and  came  by  covered  wagon,  with  his  parents,  to  Dallas  county, 
Iowa,  in  the  fall  of  1853,  when  but  five  years  of  age.  Of  the  ancestry  it  may 
be  said  that  the  father,  James  Baird  Brenton,  was  born  in  Kentucky.  He 
was  the  son  of  Re\'.  Henry  Brenton  and  Esther  Baird  and  the  grandson  of 
Major  James  Brenton  and  Mary  Woodfield.  Major  James  Brenton  served 
during  the  Revolutionary  War  from  Virginia.  His  commission  as  major, 
signed  by  Governor  Patrick  Henry,  of  Virginia,  is  in  the  family  and  very 
highly  prized. 

His  mother  was  Elizabeth  Glenn,  daughter  of  Archibald  Glenn  and 
Lydia  Rhodes,  granddaughter  of  Archibald  Glenn,  Sr.,  and  Sarah  Furgason 
and  Jacob  Rhodes  and  Elizabeth  Furlow,  and  great-granddaughter  of  Robert 
Furlow,  and  Kittie  McGuire.  Archiliald,  Sr.,  came  to  America  from  Scot- 
land in  1770.  He  served  from  Pennsylvania  during  the  Revolutionary  War, 
as  did  Jacob  Rhodes  and  Robert  Furlow  from  Virginia.  Wkh  such  Re\olu- 
tionary  ancestry,  one  would  not  wonder  that  Doctor  Brenton  was  one  of  the 
most  patriotic  citizens. 

The  Doctor  received  his  early  education  in  the  district  schools,  and  later 
in  the  Adel  schools.  He  read  medicine  with  his  father  and  attended  the 
Medical  College  of  Keokuk,  Iowa,  and  later  took  a  ]50st-graduate  course  in 
St.  Louis.  He  married  Harriett  Ella  Wright,  and  they  had  four  children, 
Glencora,  Maude,  Fay  and  Max.  He  practiced  medicine  at  Dallas  Center, 
Iowa,  one  year  and  then  located  at  Sac  City,  Iowa,  in  the  fall  of  1871.  Not- 
withstanding the  wild  prairie  country,  the  unljridged  streams,  bail  roads  and 
dark  stormy  nights,  the  Doctor  never  let  these  things  prevent  him  from 
answering  the  calls  of  suffering  humanity.  He  frequently  took  his  gun  and 
dog  along  and,  in  season,  killed  many  prairie  chickens  on  his  trips. 

Doctor  Brenton  was  the  first  physician  to  become  permanently  identified 


84  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

with  the  county  in  its  pioneer  davs.  hicating  as  he  did  in  1871.  For  more 
than  thirty  years  he  was  continuously  engaged  in  practice,  h'or  a  large  part 
of  his  time  his  practice  extended  over  a  wide  range  of  territor_\-,  frequently 
into  the  adjacent  counties.  During  the  more  active  period  of  his  life  he 
doubtless  had  the  most  extensive  clientele  of  any  physician  who  has  ever 
practiced  in  this  county.  This,  being  in  the  days  of  riding  horses,  meant 
almost  continuous  riding,  night  and  day,  sometimes  for  weeks  together.  But 
during  all  those  strenuous  years  of  widely  scattered  practice,  in  storm  and 
snow  and  mud.  he  faithfully  ministered  to  the  people,  a  highly  useful  and 
much  appreciated  citizen. 

Doctor  Brenton  did  his  work  with  energy  and  enthusiasm :  he  was  in  love 
with  his  work,  giving  always  of  the  best  that  was  in  him  and  without  regard 
to  rank  and  station.  He  was  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  nati\e  ability,  of 
excellent  judgment  in  his  professional  work;  quick  to  see  the  essentials  and 
the  main  points  in  a  case,  and  resourceful  in  treatment.  The  writer  was 
twice  associated  with  him  in  practice,  and  was  many  times  with  him  in 
consultations,  and  this  experience  fully  warrants  the  above  statements. 

Doctor  Brenton  was  of  quick  wit  and  possessed  a  keen  sense  of  humor. 
He  enjoyed  a  good  story,  either  as  a  listener  or  raconteur;  and  not  a  little 
wide  popularity  came  from  these  qualities — <|ualities  which  are  also  at  times 
invaluable  at  the  bed  side  of  the  sick.  In  his  later  years  he  greatly  enjoyed 
recalling  from  the  rich  fund  of  his  pioneer  experiences  those  incidents  par- 
ticularly which  had  an  element  of  humor  and  drollery  with  which  he  would 
entertain  his  listeners.  Of  such,  he  had  acquired  a  large  collection,  which, 
with  his  natural  wit  and  humor,  made  him  an  entertaining  talker.  Not  a 
few  good  stories  about  the  Doctor  are  still  current  among  the  "old-timers," 
and  a  sketch  without  any  of  these  woukl  hardl>-  seem  fitting,  which  perhaps 
is  sufficient  warrant  for  the  following : 

During  the  latter  part  of  the  Doctor's  practice,  when  not  a  few  of  the 
early  settlers  had  become  well-to-do.  one  of  the  latter,  becoming  seriously  sick, 
summoned  the  Doctor,  who,  when  he  visited  the  patient  insisted  that  he  should 
remain  with  him  continuously  until  he  "was  out  of  danger."  This  the  Doc- 
tor was  reluctant  to  do,  as  it  was  a  busy  season  and  to  give  his  entire  time  to 
a  single  patient  meant  considerable  loss  to  himself,  not  to  mention  the  incon- 
venience or  worse  to  others  of  his  patrons.  When  this  was  intimated  to  the 
wealthy  patient,  he  remarked  that  the  Doctor  "wouldn't  lose  anything"  and 
that  there  were  other  doctors  whom  the  people  conld  employ.  The  Doctor 
finally  consented,  and  henceforth  for  about  ten  days  remained  in  the  patient's 
house,  giving  him  his  exclusive  professional  attention.     \\'hen  the  sick  man 


SAC    COUNTYj    IOWA.  85 

was  at  last  convalescent  and  the  Doctor  announced  that  his  services  were  no 
longer  needed,  the  grateful  patient  asked  for  the  amount  of  his  bill  that  he 
might  show  his  gratitude  by  prompt  payment.  The  Doctor  answered  that 
his  bill  was  four  hundred  and  ninety-nine  dollars,  which  amount  seemed  so 
large  that  the  gentleman  remonstrated,  to  which  the  Doctor  exclaimed  that 
during  so  busy  a  season  he  might  ha\e  lost  even  a  larger  amount  than  this 
from  other  practice,  remarking  that  the  "exclusive  services  of  a  busy  doctor" 
come  high.  But  the  wealthy  patient  still  remonstrated,  expressing  his  unwill- 
ingness and  finally  his  positive  refusal  to  pay  such  an  exorbitant  bill,  to 
which  the  Doctor  replied  that  "God  has  made  you  able  and  I  will  make  you 
willing  to  pay  that  bill,"  and,  getting  into  his  buggy,  started  to  drive  off,  but 
he  was  recalled  and  his  bill  was  paid,  ^^'hen  someone  later  asked  the  Doctor 
why  he  had  not  made  the  fee  an  even  fi\-e  hundred  dollars,  he  dr}iy  answered 
that  "Fi\-e  hundred  dollars  would  have  been  too  much." 

Doctor  Brenton  was  a  steadfast  Republican,  all  his  life  taking  an  active 
interest  in  [jolitical  matters,  both  local  and  general,  but  never  showing  any 
desire  for  ofiice  himself,  his  whole  practical  interest  being  centered  in  his 
profession.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order,  having  membership 
in  the  blue  lodge,  chapter  and  commander)-  at  Sac  City. 

During  the  last  dozen  years  or  more  of  his  life,  Doctor  Brenton  spent 
the  winter  seasons  in  Florida.  His  health  had  failed  and  he  could  no  longer 
stand  the  rigors  of  the  Northern  winters.  The  last  two  or  three  years  he  re- 
mained in  the  South  continuously  at  the  home  of  his  daughter.  He  died 
October  26,  1912,  at  Havelock.  Iowa,  in  the  home  of  his  son  Max,  whose  sick 
wife  the  Doctor  had  come  north  to  attend  professionally. 

Doctor  Brenton  was  twice  married,  first  to  Harriett  Ellen  Wright,  in 
Dallas  county,  Iowa,  to  whom  were  born  two  sons  and  two  daughters.  Mrs. 
Brenton  died  in  Florida  in  the  winter  of  1895.  -^'*  second  wife,  to  whom  he 
was  married  in  1898,  was  Mrs.  Sarah  E.  Allen,  widow  of  a  Sac  City  pioneer, 
who  sur\"ives  him. 

Being  human,  \ery  human.  Doctor  Brenton  had  faults,  his  most  serious 
faults,  however,  making  him  "his  own  worst  enemy."  and  it  would  seem  that 
generosity  should  restrain  comment  here  at  length,  remembering  rather  the 
many  good  traits  and  the  valuable  service  he  rendered  this  comnuinity  for  so 
many  }'ears. 

Thomas  Browning  Mansfield,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Unionport,  Jefferson 
countv,  Ohio,  June  15,  1844,  where  he  lived  until  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil 
War,  when,  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years,  he  enlisted  in  the  Fifty-second  Regi- 
ment of  Ohio  Volunteer  Infantry,  under  Col.  Dan  McCook,  serxing  therein 


86  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

until  mustered  nut  at  tlie  close  of  the  war.  This  young  soldier  showed 
special  aptitude  for  nursing'  and  otherwise  caring  for  the  sick  and  wounded. 
and  was  early  assigned  to  the  hospital  corps  where  he  remained  throughout 
the  service.  This  experience  led  him  to  decide  to  adopt  the  profession  of 
medicine  as  his  Hfe  work.  At  the  close  of  the  war  he  entered  Harlen  College, 
from  wliich  he  was  graduated  in  1(86".  after  which  he  taught  school  for  some 
years,  utilizing  every  spare  moment  in  the  study  of  medicine  under  the  guid- 
ance of  two  physicians.  Later  he  engaged  in  the  drug  business,  at  Smith- 
field.  Ohio,  in  connection  with  Doctor  Clancv  of  that  place,  afterward  attend- 
ing Ohio  Medical  College.  Cincinnati,  from  which  he  was  graduated. 

Doctor  Mansfield  commenced  the  practice  of  medicine  at  Jefferson. 
Greene  county,  Iowa,  in  1873.  A  vear  or  two  later.  ha\"ing  occasion  to  be  in 
Sac  Cit}-,  he  became  so  fa\draljly  impressed  w  ith  the  place  that  he  removed 
there  in  1875.  Throughout  all  the  remaindei  of  his  life  there  was  no  other 
place  so  dear  as  Sac  City  and  surroundings.  Here  nearly  all  the  remainder 
of  his  life  was  spent,  althougli  circumstances  led  to  his  absence  at  times  for 
considerable  periods.  On  September  30,  1879.  he  was  married  to  Cornelia 
Kate  Taylor,  a  daughter  of  Samuel  C.  and  Jane  H.  Taylor,  pioneer  residents 
of  Cedar  township,  Sac  county.  In  1892.  because  of  his  wife's  failing  health, 
he  removed  to  Denver,  Colorado,  where  they  remained  about  two  years. 
From  there  the\'  moved  to  Harrison  county.  Ohio,  to  care  for  his  aged  ])ar- 
ents.  where  they  remained  until  the  death  of  his  father  in  1900.  The  Doctor 
and  his  wife  then  returned  to  Sac  City  where  he  resumed  his  practice.  His 
wife's  failing  health  induced  him  to  remove  to  California  in  1906.  They 
located  first  at  Ocean  Park,  but  later  went  to  the  Sierra  Nevada  mountains, 
near  Yosemite  Park,  but  returned  to  Ocean  Park  in  September,  1909,  where 
he  died  of  apoplexy,  February  11.  igio.  His  widow  survives  him  (  TQ14) 
and  lives  at  Ocean  Grove.  California.     They  had  no  children. 

In  the  words  of  her  who  perhaps  knew  Doctor  Mansfield  best.  "He  was 
a  man  of  fine  presence  and  generous  to  a  fault  in  his  professional  life.  The 
qualities  of  character  which  were  fundamental  in  him,  led  him  to  the  places 
where  the  work  was  hardest,  the  strain  heaviest,  the  need  greatest.  It  was  a 
part  of  his  \ery  nature  to  help  the  poor,  to  relieve  the  distress  of  those  who 
had  little  with  which  to  repay  him.  Doctor  Mansfield  was  genial,  generous, 
and  had  many  and  steadfast  friends  in  the  communitv  where  he  so  long 
laliored.  lia\ing  an  etxensive  practice  during  all  the  vears  of  his  residence 
here." 

In  politics,  Doctor  Mansfield  was  a  life-long  and  steadfast  Republican 
and  was  at  various  times  honored  with  positions  of  trust  and  responsibility. 


SAC   COUNTY,   IOWA.  87 

The  one  which  he,  perhaps,  prized  the  highest,  was  as  a  member  of  pension 
examining  boards,  which  he  held  in  Iowa  for  more  than  twenty-five  years, 
during  Democratic  as  well  as  Republican  administrations.  He  was  also  a  mem- 
ber of  an  examining  board  during  his  residence  in  Harrison  countv.  Ohio. 

Doctor  Mansfield  was  a  member  of  the  (irand  Army  of  the  Republic  and 
also  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church. 

Doctor  William  Warren  came  to  Sac  county  in  1870.  settling  on  land 
in  section  17,  in  Boyer  Valley  township,  where  lie  henceforward  lived  for 
thirty  years,  managing  his  farm  and  also  ser\'ing  as  physician  in  the  sur- 
rounding community.  During  the  pioneer  days,  especially  when'  physicians 
were  few  and  far  apart.  Doctor  Warren's  professional  services  were  much 
in  demand,  without  which  the  pioneers  should  have  been  obliged  to  depend 
for  such  services  upon  physicians  much  farther  awa}' — Sac  City,  Storm  Lake 
and  Ida  Grove — which  in  those  days,  before  telephones  and  automobiles, 
would  ha\e  necessitated  travel  of  from  tweh'e  to  twent}'  miles,  usually  on 
horseback.  To  ha\-e  a  physician  in  their  midst  was  certainly  a  great  con- 
venience to  that  rather  isolated  Boyer  Valley  community,  which  was  well 
appreciated,  and  Doctor  Warren  had  an  extensive  practice.  Doctor  \\'arren 
was  born  in  Rutland  county.  \'ermont.  December  29.  1817.  When  he  was 
thirteen  years  old  his  parents  removed  to  Genesee  county,  New  York,  re- 
mained two  years,  then  to  Orleans  county  and  later  to  Niagara  county.  At 
the  age  of  about  twenty-one  years  young  Warren  commenced  the  study  of 
medicine  with  Doctor  Pratt,  of  Somerset.  New  York.  In  1857  he  came  west, 
locating  in  Dane  county,  Wisconsin,  where  he  remained  three  or  four  years, 
then  to  Dodge  count}',  coming  from  there  to  Sac  countv,  Iowa,  where  he  re- 
mained until  his  death,  June  20,  190 1. 

B.  F.  Ste\ens.  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Montrose,  Pennsylvania,  where  he 
lived  until  fourteen  years  of  age.  when  he  came  with  his  parents  to  Illinois, 
settling  near  Elgin.  He  remained  there  until  he  came  to  Sac  county  in  1871, 
settling  in  Levey  township,  on  section  21.  where  he  resided  about  ten  years, 
then  removed  to  Odebolt  where  he  died  in  1891. 

Doctor  Stevens  was  graduated  from  Bennett  Medical  College,  Chicago, 
in  1869,  and  practiced  about  two  years  before  coming  to  Iowa.  He  wished 
to  abandon  practice,  but  several  of  his  Illinois  neighbors  settling  near  him  in 
Levey  township,  being  remote  from  other  doctors  in  the  early  days,  they 
naturally  called  upon  him  for  professional  sendees.  He  was  thus  called  upon 
so  frequently  that  he  became  acti\'ely  engaged  in  practice,  having  little  or  no 
time  left  for  the  business  of  farming,  to  which  he  had  intended  to  devote  his 
entire  attention  on  coming  to  Sac  countv.     After  aliout  ten  \-ears'  residence 


88  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

on  his  farm,  he  remi>\ed  to  Odeboh,  where  he  was  engaged  in  the  practice 
until  his  death,  March  20,  1891. 

Doctor  Stevens'  eldest  son.  A.  E.  Stevens,  also  took  up  the  study  of 
medicine  and  was  graduated  from  the  same  college  as  his  father  (Bennett) 
about  1S78.  He  located  at  Wall  Lake,  where  he  was  in  practice  about  two 
}-ears,  then  remo\-ed  to  Odebolt,  where  he  practiced  with  his  father  for  a 
time,  removing  to  Maiino,  Florida,  and  there  practiced  until  his  death  in  1908. 

J.  W.  Cannon.  ^NI.  D.,  was  among  the  pioneer  physicians  of  Sac  county, 
who  located  in  Grant  Cit}-.  October  \j.  1874.  where  he  remained  in  practice 
until  October.  1883.  Doctor  Cannon  was  burn  in  Carthage.  Illinois.  April 
15.  1849,  graduated  from  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons.  Keokuk. 
Iowa,  June  17,  1873.  He  also  attended  lectures  at  the  same  college  during 
the  winter  of  1876,  and  in  1889  did  post-graduate  work  at  the  Post-Graduate 
College  and  Hospital  of  Xew  York  City.  During  his  residence  in  Grant 
City.  Doctor  Cannon  was  married  to  Jennie  Dobson,  a  daughter  of  one  of  the 
most  estimable  Sac  count\-  families.  After  his  remo\'al  from  this  county,  he 
was  engaged  in  i)ractice.  for  a  time,  in  Atlantic.  Cass  county,  biwa.  from 
whence  he  remo\-ed  to  Canyon  City,  Colorado,  on  account  of  his  wife's  health. 
Later  he  remo\'ed  to  Boise,  Idaho,  where  he  is  now  located. 

Dr.  W.  S.  Duncan,  came  first  to  Sac  City,  July  3.  1874,  remaining  per- 
haps a  year  or  so,  was  elsewhere  four  }ears,  and  then  returned  in  1878,  re- 
maining several  years  and  accjuiring  a  considerable  practice.  He  received 
his  medical  education  at  the  Cincinnati  Medical  College  and  Eclectic  Institu- 
tion (now  extinct).  Doctor  Duncan  possessed  considerable  natural  ability. 
as  well  as  professional  skill.  During  his  later  residence  here  he  liecame 
interested  in  the  profession  of  law,  and  read  law  for  a  time  with  a  thought 
of  changing  to  that  profession,  but  that  was  never  done,  so  far  as  known  to 
the  writer.  He  left  Sac  City  sometime  in  the  eighties  and  located  in  Sheldon. 
Iowa. 

D.  C.  Cook,  JM.  D.,  located  in  what  was  then  Fletcher  (now  Lake  View) 
in  J 881,  being  associated  with  L.  A.  Chapman  in  a  drug  store  at  that  place. 
He  received  his  ]:)reparatory  education  at  Mount  Vernon,  Iowa,  and  was 
graduated  from  llie  medical  department  of  the  Iowa  State  LTniversity  in 
March,  1873.  He  commenced  practice  at  Calamus,  Iowa,  from  whence  he 
removed  to  Sac  county,  and  remained  several  years. 

Caleb  Brown,  \[.  1)..  was  born  January-  27.  1850.  on  a  farm  in  Knox 
county.  Ohio,  where  his  boyhood  was  passetl.  He  recei\ed  his  earlv  educa- 
tion in  the  common  schools  of  the  state  and   from  a  private  tutor,  who  gave 


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SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  89 

him  instructii)n  in  Latin.  In  1870,  he  came  with  his  parents  to  Iowa,  where 
the  first  year  he  was  engaged  in  teaching  school ;  the  next  year  he  entered  the 
Iowa  State  Unixersity  in  the  classical  department.  While  so  engaged,  he 
began  the  study  of  medicine,  entering  the  medical  department  of  the  uni- 
versity in  September,  1874.  He  received  his  degree  in  medicine  from  the 
College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  Keokuk,  Iowa,  in  1877.  For  two  vears, 
beginning  in  September,  1892,  he  held  the  chair  of  chemistry,  toxicology  and 
microscopy  in  that  college,  but  resigned  that  position  on  account  of  inter- 
ference with  other  professional  work.  A  part  of  two  years  he  spent  in  post- 
graduate work  in  Chicago.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Northwestern  Iowa 
Medical  Society,  the  Medical  Society  of  the  State  of  Iowa,  the  American 
Medical  Association,  the  International  Association  of  Railway  Surgeons,  and 
in  1894  was  elected  a  member  of  the  .\merican  Electro-Therapeutic  Associa- 
tion, of  which  he  was  made  second  vice-president  in  1897.  He  was  an 
actixe  worker  in  all  these  societies,  ha\ing  prepared  and  read  papers  of  merit 
before  each  of  them  at  various  times,  ha\'ing  special  interest  in  electro-thera- 
peutics, some  of  the  papers  prepared  by  him  in  this  latter  eliciting  very  favor- 
able comment,  from  men  of  note  in  this  specialty.  Doctor  Brown  held  the 
position  of  local  surgeon  for  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  railway  for  several 
years  preceding  his  death:  had  l>een  health  officer  of  Sac  City;  had  been 
county  coroner,  and  was  a  trustee  of  the  Sac  City  Collegiate  Institute,  in 
which  he  was  lecturer  on  phvsiology  and  chemistry.  He  took  not  only  an 
active  interest  in  this  but  in  all  other  educational  matters.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  United  States  pension  examining  board  for  this  district.  Doctor 
Brown  located  in  Sac  City,  1882,  where  the  remainder  of  his  life  was  spent 
in  active  practice  of  his  profession.  On  November  7,  1884,  he  was  married 
to  Elizabeth  Prindle  Baxter,  who  survives  him.  They  had  no  children. 
Five  weeks  before  his  death,  the  Doctor  was  attacked  by  pneumonia  and,  his 
vitality  being  a  good  deal  reduced  by  overwork  and  his  general  health  having 
been  somewhat  impaired  during  several  weeks  preceding,  there  was  appre- 
hension from  the  first  as  to  the  result.  The  attack  proved  to  be  comparatively 
mild,  however,  but  during  convalescence  catarrhal  jaundice  superx'ened,  then 
gastritis  and  other  complications  resulting  in  death,  June  4,  1899. 

Doctor  Brown  was  a  man  of  marked  ability,  a  close  student  and  a  hard- 
working practitioner,  keeping  full\-  abreast  of  the  advancement  of  his  pro- 
fession; a  man  of  the  .strictest  honor  and  integrity,  with  an  active  interest 
in  all  that  is  good  and  right;  a  gentleman  in  the  best  sense  of  the  word;  a 
valued  and  much  appreciated  citizen  of  the  community.     He  had  a  wide  ac- 


90  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

quaintance  with  niaii)'  fast  friends  and  an  extensive  practice.  He  had  good 
business  ability,  an  attribute  lacking  in  most  physicians.  During  the  later 
years  of  his  life  he  owned  and  conducted  a  drug  store  in  Sac  City,  which  was 
a  profitable  business.  He  acquired  considerable  means,  all  of  which  was 
invested  in  Sac  City  property. 

SURGICAL  WORK  IN   THE  COUNTY. 

Like  most  similar  communities  ha\ing  no  hospital  facilities.  \ery  little 
major  surgical  work  has  been  done  in  Sac  county,  excepting  such  as  comes 
under  the  head  of  emergency  surgery,  of  which  there  has  been  perhaps  about 
the  usual  amount,  though  not  large,  incident  to  communities  almost  wholly 
agricultural.  When  such  emergencies  ha\e  arisen  they  have  been  met  ami 
such  service  rendered  as  was  possible  by  general  practitioners.  They  have 
necessarily  done  a  very  wide  range  of  surgical  and  medical  work,  anything 
which  came  in  the  line  of  duty,  and  usually  with  creditable  success,  and  in 
some  cases  with  results  that  were  really  lirilliant. 

Such  other  surgical  procedures  as  needed  hospital  facilities  for  their 
proper  care  have  been  sent  away,  a  good  deal  of  such  work  going  to  Dr. 
A.  L.  Wright,  of  Carroll,  Iowa,  who  established  a  small  private  hospital  at 
that  place  about  1893.  His  hospital  was  later  superseded  b}'  St.  Anthony's,  a 
general  public  hospital,  where  Doctor  Wright  continued  to  do  his  surgical 
work  during  the  remainder  of  his  life.  A  good  deal  uf  such  work  has  been 
sent  to  Chicago,  Des  Moines,  (Jmaha  and  Rochester,  Minnesota.  At  the 
present,  probably  the  most  of  it  is  going  to  Des  Moines:  some  of  it,  chiefly 
from  the  western  part  of  the  county,  going  to  Doctor  Crane's  hospital  which 
was  established  at  Ida  Grove,  and  later  moved  to  Odebolt.  Doctor  Speaker, 
at  Lake  View,  recently  fitted  up  some  hospital  facilities  in  connection  with  his 
office,  where  some  surgical  work  is  being  done.  Doctor  McCrav,  of  Schaller, 
is  doing  more  surgical  work,  perhaps,  than  is  usual  with  general  practitioners 
having  no  hospital  facilities.  He  operates  at  patient's  homes  for  appendi- 
citis, as  well  as  doing  some  other  major  surgical  operations.  But  the  medical 
men  in  this  county  generally  hold  to  the  common  opinion  that,  aside  from 
minor  and  emergency  surgery,  it  is  usually  preferable  and  more  satisfactory 
to  send  surgical  cases  to  surgeons  of  special  training  and  experience  doing 
their  work  in  the  general  hospitals  of  the  larger  cities. 

The  lollowing  is  a  list  of  piiysicians.  of  various  schools  of  medicine 
who  have  registered  under  the  stale  law  of  18S5.  in  and  for  Sac  countv : 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  QI 

Adams,  Charles  B.,  Sac  City,  born  in  Xew  York,  graduated  Cleveland, 
Ohio,  certified  in  this  county  December,  1886,  eight  years  in  practice. 

Andre,  T.  J..  Schaller.  born  in  Ohio,  graduated  at  Rush  Medical,  certified 
here  December.  1886,  four  years  in  practice  when  coming  here. 

Acres,  Lois  F..  (homeopathic)  Sac  City,  born  Pennsylvania,  graduate  of 
Chicago  Homeopathic  College. 

Brown,  Caleb.  Sac  City,  born  in  Ohio,  certifietl  here  September.  1886. 
nine  }ears  in  practice  when  he  came  here. 

Brenton,  Thomas  Andrew,  horn  Indiana,  certified  April,  1887,  eighteen 
years  in  practice  before  coming  here. 

Berry,  Joseph  P.,  Auburn,  born  Illinois,  certified  May,  1891. 

Brookhart,  Edward  \\'.,  (eclectic)  Ulmer,  certified  April,  1906. 

Behrens,  George  W'.,  bdin  Illinois,  certified  here  igii,  graduate  of  the 
Chicago  Medical  College. 

Blackstone.  Bigelow  P.,  (homeopathic)  born  Iowa,  certified  here  May, 
1899.  graduate  of  Iowa  State  L'ni\'ersity. 

Du\-all.  W.  H..  Schaller,  burn  Kentucky,  certified  August.  1886.  in  prac- 
tice at  time  of  coming  here  nine  rears. 

Dunkelburg.  B.  C.  (regular)  Schaller.  born  New  York,  graduate  of 
Uni\-ersity  of  Xew  '^'ork.  certified   1889. 

Dobson.  William  C,  Sac  City,  jjurn  in  Xew  Jersey,  certified  April,  1910, 
when  four  years  in  practice. 

Duncan.  ^Villiam  Cass,  (regular)  Sac  City,  born  Wisconsin,  certified 
Xo\emi5er.  1898.  graduate  of  Iowa  State  University— -medical  department — 
in  practice  fourteen  years  when  he  came  here. 

Denny,  B.  F.,  Xemaha,  born  Missouri,  certified  October,  1909. 

Francis.  William  H..  Sac  City,  born  Ireland,  certified  1886,  in  practice 
at  time  of  coming  twent>'-six  years. 

Farcjuhar.  Thomas,  (regular)  Early,  born  Penns^dvania,  eighteen  years 
in  practice  at  date  of  coming  here. 

Fuller,  7...  (regular)  Sac  City,  born  Indiana,  certified  here  March.  1876, 
ele\'en  years  practice  before  coming  here. 

Farquhar.  Elwood  M.,  (regular)  Early,  born  Pennsyh.ania,  certified 
May,  1897.  graduate  of  Chicago  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons. 

Findley.  William  John  Kennedv,  Sac  City,  born  Iowa,  certified  May, 
1904.  graduate  Chicago  Aledical  College.  fi\e  years  in  practice  when  he  came. 

Graham.  J.  W..  (regular)  Early,  horn  Iowa,  certified  Xovemlier.  1886, 
six  vears  in  practice  at  date  of  coming  here. 


02  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Grunian.  Aui;ust.  Odebolt,  In.rn  Indiana,  certified  here  July,  1887,  grad- 
uate of  Chicago  Homeopathic  Medical  College,  in  practice  eight  years  when 

he  came  here. 

(iannon.  W.  1..  (eclectic)  Grant  City,  born  New  Jersey,  certified  Septem- 
ber. 188O.  graduate  of  Bennett  Medical  College,  Chicago,  in  practice  txventy- 
se\-en  years  at  date  of  coming  here. 

Gibson,  George  G.,  (regular)  Odebolt.  born  Ohio,  certified  May.  1898, 
graduate  Iowa  College  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  Des  Moines. 

George.  Albert  B..   (regular)   Lake  View,  born  Illinois,  certified  May, 


1890. 


Gregg.  Orion  Russell,  (regular)  Xeniaha,  horn  Iowa,  certified  July, 
1908,  graduate  of  Kansas  City  Medical  College. 

Green.  Loren,  (osteopath)  Sac  City,  born  in  \\isconsin.  certified  Augu- 
ust.  191 2,  graduate  of  Still  College,  Des  Moines. 

Hopkins,  Christopher  M.,  (regular)  Wall  Lake,  born  Illinois,  certified 
January,  1887,  graduate  of  Chicago  ^^ledical  College,  eleven  years  in  practice 
at  date  of  coming  here. 

Higgins.  I.  W'..  (regular)  Grant  City,  born  in  X'ermont.  certified  here 
January,  1887,  in  practice  nine  years. 

Hall,  A.  A.,  (regular)  Odebolt.  born  Iowa,  certified  July,  1889,  twelve 
years  in  practice  then. 

Hayden,  A.   S..    (homeopath)   W'M  Lake,  born   Illinois,  certified  May, 

1894. 

Hendricks.  J.  M..  (osteopathy)  Sac  City,  born  Missouri,  certified  Aug- 
ust, 1902,  now  in  Woodbine.  Iowa. 

Iwerson,  J.  C.  (regular)  Early,  certified  October,  1904,  graduate  of 
LTniversity  of  Nebraska,  six  years  in  the  practice  at  date  of  his  coming  here. 

Johnson.  Frank  S..  Odebolt.  born  Iowa,  certified  here  May,  1887.  grad- 
uate Iowa  State  Uni\-ersity.  in  practice  at  date  of  coming  here  eleven  years. 

Lanyon,  William  H.,  (regular)  Wall  Lake,  born  in  England,  certified 
August,  1894,  graduate  of  Rush  ^Medical  College,  Chicago:  in  jiractice  fifteen 
years  at  time  of  coining  here. 

Mansfield.  Thnmas  B..  (regular)  Sac  City,  liorn  in  Ohio,  certified  here 
December,  1886,  graduate  of  Medical  College  of  ('incinnati.  Ohio,  sixteen 
years  in  practice  at  date  of  his  coming  here. 

Maker,  Louis  G.,  (regular)  Sac  City,  born  in  Iowa,  certified  -May.  1897, 
graduate  Iowa  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons. 

]\IcCrarv,  Frank  11..  (regular)  Schallcr.  born  Towa.  certified  ]\[ay,  1897, 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  93 

graduate  of  Sioux  City  College  of  Medicine,  one  year  in  practice  when  he 
came  here. 

Mereness.  H.  D..  (regular)  Carnarvon,  born  in  Iowa,  certified  May, 
1898.  graduate  of  Iowa  State  University. 

Pierce.  Edward  F..  (regular)  born  Penns_\lvania.  certified  1889,  grad- 
uate of  Iowa  State  University. 

Presnell.  James  F.,  (regular)  Lake  View,  born  Iowa,  certified  May, 
1894.  graduate  Iowa  State  University,  seven  years  in  practice  at  date  of  com- 
ing here. 

Petersmeyer,  William,  (regular)  Odebolt,  born  in  United  States,  certi- 
fied May,  1S98.  graduate  of  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons.  Chicago. 

Ray,  Newton  D.,  (regular)  Lake  View,  born  Illinois,  certified  here  May, 
1889,  graduate  of  Iowa  State  University,  seven  years  in  practice. 

Roberts,  lliomas  G..  (osteopath)  Odebolt.  bom  Iowa,  certified  here 
July.  191 1,  graduate  Still  College,  Des  Moines. 

Stevens,  Allen  E.,  (eclectic)  Odebolt.  born  Illinois,  certified  here  Decem- 
ber. 1886,  graduate  of  Bennett  Eclectic  College,  Chicago,  eight  years  in  prac- 
tice when  he  came  here. 

Ste\ens.  Benjamin,  (eclectic)  Odebolt,  burn  Pennsylvania,  certified  De- 
cember. 1886,  graduate  Bennett  Eclectic  College,  Chicago,  se\enteen  years  in 
jjractice  at  tlate  of  coming  here. 

Sitzer.  George  D.,  ( regular)  Sac  City,  born  New  York,  certified  June, 
1887.  graduate  of  Iowa  and  New  York  .State  Universities,  eleven  years  in 
practice  when  coming  here. 

Stalford,  John  H..  (regular)  Sac  City,  born  in  Iowa,  certified  here  May. 

1892,  graduated  at  Iowa  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  in  practice  two 
years  at  date  of  coming  here. 

Slemmons,   William  T.,    (regular)    Odebolt,  born   Iowa,  certified  June. 

1893.  graduate  uf  Rush  Medical  College,  Chicago,  thirteen  years  in  practice 
at  date  of  coming  here. 

Speaker.  E.  E..  (homeopath))  Lake  A'iew.  born  in  Illinois,  graduate 
Iowa  State  University. 

Selbv.  I.  Milton.  Odebolt,  born  in  Ohio,  fifteen  \ears  in  practice  when 
coming  here. 

Stensgaard.  X.  C.  J.,  born  in  Denmark,  certified  December.  1898.  grad- 
uate Keokuk  Medical  College,  four  years  in  practice  when  he  came  here. 

Sebern.  Richard  C,  Odebolt.  born  Iowa,  certified  July.  1904,  graduate 
Iowa  State  Universitv. 


94  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Shaffer,  Raymond  C.  Odebolt.  horn  in  Iowa,  certified  July,  1912,  grad- 
uate of  St.  Louis  College  of  Medicine  and  Surgery. 

Swearingen,  Guy  H.,  (regular)  Sac  City,  born  Illinois,  certified  July, 
191 1,  graduate  of  Drake  L'nixcrsity,  Des  Moines. 

Timni,  John  I'".,  (homeopathy)  Schaller.  horn  Cermany.  certified  here 
June.  1895. 

Townsend,  William  11.,  (regular)  Sac  City,  Ixirn  Iowa,  certified  here 
May.  1897.  graduated  at  Iowa  State  University. 

Gy.sbert.  Peter  \'an  Marcel,  (regular)  Odebolt,  born  Iowa,  certified 
here  August,  1896,  graduate  of  Sioux  City  College  of  Medicine. 

Warren.  William,  (eclectic)  Early,  born  Vermont,  certified  November, 
1886,  thirty  \-cars  in  practice  at  date  of  coming  here. 

\^.'illiams,  \\'illiam  C,  (osteopathy)  Sac  City,  liorn  in  California,  certi- 
fied here  June,  1901,  one  \-ear  in  practice  at  date  of  his  coming  here. 

Wilcutt,  Clarence  E.,  Schaller,  certified  1909. 

Dr.  Elwood  M.  Farquhar,  son  of  Dr.  Thomas  Farquhar.  studied  medi- 
cine with  his  father,  graduating  from  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Sur- 
geons. Chicago,  class  of  1898,  entered  practice  with  his  father  at  Early,  where 
he  remained  about  ten  years,  removing  thence  to  Denver,  Colorado,  and  later 
to  some  point  in  Nebraska. 

Dr.  Christopher  M.  Hopkins  located  at  Wall  Lake  soon  after  the  found- 
ing of  the  town,  in  the  seventies,  engaging  in  practice  for  a  number  of  years, 
and  then  took  up  other  business,  retiring  from  active  practice.  He  died  at 
his  home  in  Wall  Lake  about  1900. 

Dr.  George  W.  Anderson  located  in  the  new  town  of  Nemaha  June  12, 
1901,  where  he  continued  in  practice  perhaps  five  or  six  years,  then  moved  to 
Colorado. 

Dr.  Orin  Russell  Gregg  located  in  Nemaha.  July  29,  1908,  but  remained 
only  a  short  time. 

Dr.  P>enjamin  I-".  Denney  located  in  Nemaha,  Julv  6,  1910,  remained  a 
short  time. 

Dr.  William  J.  Herrick  located  in  the  new  town  of  Lytton,  lunc  12, 
1901,  and  remained  alMut  four  years. 

Dr.  David  W.  \\'heelwright  was  in  practice  at  \\all  Lake  a  number  of 
years,  perhaps  eight  or  ten. 

Dr.  William  II.  Williams,  a  young  ])h)sician  who  hatl  grown  up  in  Sac 
county,  located  at  Wall  Lake  and  soon  acquired  a  large  practice,  but  after  a 
few  years  died  of  appendicitis. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  95 

Dr.  Xewton  D.  Ray  located  at  Lake  View,  March  4,  1898,  and  remained 
tiiree  or  four  years. 

The  following  named  physicians  have  been  located  at  the  several  towns 
of  this  county  at  different  times,  in  most  cases  for  only  short  periods  of  time, 
and  of  which  the  writer  has  no  further  knowledge:  Alfred  G.  Hopkins, 
John  H.  Hovenden,  Peter  Jauss,  Samuel  I.  Kirby,  William  H.  Lanyon,  Am- 
brose M.  Longel,  Ray  S.  Leadingham,  Carl  P.  Mueller,  Charles  E.  Orelup, 
Edwin  F.  Price,  William  Petermeyer,  Thomas  G.  Roberts,  William  T.  Slem- 
uKins.  I.  AI.  Selby,  Neils  C.  J-  Stensgaard,  Richard  C.  Seborn,  Raymond  C. 
Schatfer,  William  M.  Tigner,  John  F.  Timm,  Edward  W.  Bookhart,  J.  J. 
Crider,  Henry  A.  Cobb,  W.  H.  Durall,  William  C.  Dobson,  William  H. 
Francis,  W.  T.  Garmon,  George  G.  Gibson,  Abel  B.  George,  J.  W.  Higgins, 
Elijah  H.  Hall,  Edward  T.  Twining.  Peter  Van  Marel,  Augustin  H.  Warren, 
William  Claude,  Claren  E.  Willcutt. 

Dr.  (Miss)  Aleta  Da\is,  whose  parents  were  long-time  residents  of  Sac 
City,  graduated  at  the  State  l'ni\ersity  about  1899,  locating  in  Sac  City  the 
same  year,  for  a  short  time  associated  with  Dr.  Adams ;  remained  about 
two  years,  then  moved  to  Fremont,  Nebraska,  where  she  married,  gave  up 
l^ractice  and  I'cmoved  to  California. 

Dr.  (Miss)  Arnot  located  in  Xemaha  about  T908.  remained  two  years 
and  returned  to  Chicago. 

Dr.  George  \V.  Behrens,  of  Xemaha,  this  county,  was  born  October  16, 
1883,  in  Chicago,  Illinois,  eldest  son  of  Henry  A.  and  Xathalie  Behrens,  Ijoth 
natives  of  Cook  county  (Chicago),  Illinois.  The  Doctor's  early  education 
was  obtained  in  the  Chicago  public  schools.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Ban- 
croft school  and  class  of  1902,  Northwest  Division  high  school.  He  then 
entered  \'alparaiso  University  (Indiana)  as  a  medical  student  in  1904.  and 
after  one  year's  preparation  entered  the  medical  department  of  that  univer- 
sity, receiving  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine  in  May,  1909.  He  recei\ed  an 
appointment  on  the  house  staff  of  physicians  at  St.  Anne's  Hospital,  Chicago, 
Decemlier.  1909.  served  there  one  year  and  received  a  St.  Anne's  Hospital 
diploma,  dated  December.  1910.  He  then  engaged  in  the  general  practice  in 
Chicago,  coming  to  Iowa  November  17,  191 1,  locating  at  Nemaha,  Sac  county. 
He  was  married  to  Rose  Ellen  Panzer,  of  Chicago,  November  i,  191 1. 

Dr.  L.  H.  Jones,  practicing  at  Wall  Lake,  Iowa,  is  the  son  of  James  H. 
Jones  and  Ortha  A.  (McFall)  Jones.  He  was  born  in  Plattsville,  Wisconsin, 
March  28,  1870,  and  came  to  Iowa  with  his  parents  in  1878,  settling  on  a 
farm  near  Odebolt,  Sac  county.     He  graduated  from  the  Odebolt  high  school 


C)6  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


in 


1889.  and  later  attended  the  Upper  Iowa  University  at  Fayette.  Iowa, 
graduating  from  tlie  State  Uni\ersity  in  1 894.  He  located  at  Wall  Lake  the 
year  of  his  graduation,  and  has  built  up  a  lucrative  practice  at  that  place.  He 
is  a  member  of  American  Medical  Association,  Iowa  State  Medical  Associa- 
tion, Missouri  Valley  Medical  Association  and  American  Railway  Surgeons' 
Association,  and  is  the  surgeon  for  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  and  Illinois 
Central  railway  companies. 

THE    TRANSIENTS. 

This  is  an  account  of  the  physicians  of  Sac  count}-  whose  stay  has  been 
brief.  Of  the  physicians  who  have  located  in  Sac  county  at  various  times  in 
its  histor>'  have  remained  for  a  variable  time  and  then  have  sought  other 
fields,  the  following  list,  while  possibly  not  complete,  includes  all  of  whom 
there  is  any  satisfactory  record. 

Dr.  Lewis  F.  .\kers  practiced  in  Sac  City  for  a  time,  registering  .August 
15,  1887. 

Dr.  Frank  S.  Johnson  located  at  Odebolt  May  25,  1887,  where  he  was 
engaged  in  practice  ten  years  or  more,  removing  thence  ta  Sioux  City. 

Dr.  George  D.  Sitzer  registered  at  Sac  City  June  30.  1887.  remaining 
perhaps  three  or  four  years. 

Dr.  Birt  C.  Dunkelburg  located  at  Schaller  May  31,  1889,  and  remained 
eight  or  ten  years. 

Dr.  C.  E.  Maker  located  in  Sac  City  about  1900,  and  after  two  or  three 
years  removed  to  Sibley,  Iowa ;  later  he  retired  from  practice,  returned  to  Sac 
Citv,  engaged  in  farming  a  number  of  years,  and  then  removed  to  Grimes. 
Iowa,  where  he  resumed  practice. 

Dr.  liuliert  D.  Mcreness.  who  studied  medicine  in  .Sac  City,  graduating 
from  the  medical  department  of  the  Iowa  State  Unixersity  about  1898.  lo- 
cated at  Sac  City,  but  remained  only  a  short  time,  remo\ing  to  Carnarvon, 
where  he  remained  one  year  or  possibly  longer,  and  then  mo\ed  to  some 
northwestern  Iowa  town. 

Dr.  James  F.  Presnell  located  at  Lake  View  August  21,  1894.  remaining 
from  three  to  four  years,  and  then  recei\ed  an  appointment  in  the  medical 
service  of  the  United  States  government. 

Dr.  Bigelow  1'.  ISlackstonc  located  in  Sac  City  March  9,  1900,  forming  a 
partnership  with  Dr.  C.  R.  Adams,  remaining  two  or  three  years,  when  he 
removed  to  some  town  in  northern  Iowa.     He  later  returned  to  Sac  City, 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  97 

practiced  with  Doctor  Adams  for  about  three  years  and  then  renio\'ed  to 
Montana. 

Dr.  William  C.  Duncan  located  in  Sac  City  November  ^4.  1903,  being 
associated  for  a  time  with  Doctor  Adams ;  he  remained  about  two  years. 

Dr.  Thomas  Farquhar  located  at  Early  December  29,  t8S6,  where  he 
remained  in  acti\-e  practice  about  iifteen  years,  then  retiring  from  practice, 
being  succeeded  by  his  son.     He  removed  to  Montana,  where  he  died  in   19 13. 

PRESENT    PHYSICIANS  OF  THE   COUNTY. 

In  addition  to  what  Dr.  Z.  Fuller  has  written  concerning  the  medical 
profession  in  this  county,  the  following  should  be  added.  Here  will  be  found 
a  list  of  the  doctors  now  in  active  practice : 

Drs.  Z.  F"uller,  Guy  H.  Swearengen,  William  H.  Townsend,  Charles  B. 
Adams,  William  J.  K.  Findley,  Sac  Cit\- ;  Arthur  S.  Hayden,  L.  H.  Jones, 
Wall  Lake;  John  Christianson  Iwerson,  J.  W.  Graham,  Early;  Frank  H.  Mc- 
Cra}',  1".  J.  Andre,  Schaller;  Richard  C  Sebern,  Raymond  C.  Schaller,  E. 
Thomas  Crane,  .August  Groman,  Odeliolt ;  Fred  Leroy  Blair,  Lytton ;  George 
W.  Behrens,  Nemaha ;  also  the  osteopath  physicians,  Loren  Green,  Sac  City, 
and  possibl}'  a  few  not  identified  with  regular  schools  of  medicine. 

THE    SAC    COUNTY    MEDICAl,    SOCIETY. 

A  ciuint\'  societ\'  has  lieen  organized  several  times,  the  first  being  in  the 
seventies,  perha[)s  in  1878.  But  the  numlier  of  physicians  in  the  county  were 
so  few,  and  a  sufticient  interest  was  so  difficult  to  maintain,  that  alter  a  few 
meetings  had  been  held,  with  but  small  attendance  and  little  enthusiasm,  in- 
terest in  the  matter  would  soon  wane,  and  the  organization  would  cjuietly  die. 
But  following  the  reorganization  of  the  American  INIedical  Association,  in 
1903,  when  membership  in  state  and  national  organizations  was  made  obliga- 
torv  on  membershi])  in  the  count}'  society,  the  county  society  being  the  unit, 
the  present  society  was  organized. 

A  meeting  was  called  for  the  purpose  and  the  organization  effected  in 
the  court  house  at  Sac  City  September  29,  1903.  At  that  meeting  the 
following  physicians  were  present ;  Thomas  Farcpihar  and  J.  W.  Graham,  of 
Early;  W.  Y.  Herrick,  of  Lytton;  F.  H.  McCray,  of  Schaller;  A.  T.  Brenton, 
Z.  Fuller,  J.  H.  Stalford,  W.  J.  Findley  and  W.  H.  Townsend,  of  Sac  City. 
Dr.  Thomas  Farquhar  was  elected  president ;  Dr.  Herrick,  vice-president ;  F. 
(6) 


98  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

H.  ^IcCrav.  secretary,  and  Dr.  Stalford,  treasurer.  Meetings  were  to  be  had 
quarterly. 

Fairly  regular  and  satisfactory  meetings  were  held  for  a  year  or  more, 
attendance  being  almost  wholly  l)y  those  ]iresent  at  organization,  although 
considerable  effort  was  made  to  secure  attendance  of  all  physicians  in  the 
county,  social  features  being  added  for  the  purpose,  but  with  little  or  no  suc- 
cess. Meetings  were  later  made  semi-annual,  still  later  they  became  irreg- 
ular, until  during  the  last  three  years  or  so  there  have  been  only  annual 
meetings,  at  irregular  times,  with  hardly  more  done  than  was  really  necessary 
to  maintain  the  organization. 

This  seems  to  be  about  the  common  experience  with  county  medical 
societies,  at  least  in  Iowa.  Sufficient  interest  cannot  be  maintained  to  keep 
up  an  active  and  efficient  society  with  so  few  members  or  regular  attendants : 
meetings  soon  become  monotonous  when  there  are  so  few  to  prepare  papers 
and  take  part  in  their  discussion,  with  the  result  which  seems  inevitable.  The 
fundamental  fault  seems  to  be  lack  of  appreciation  of  the  benefits  possible 
from  county  societies :  the  press  of  personal  work  and  difficulty  in  getting 
away  from  the  daily  grind,  doubtless  has  much  to  do  with  the  matter.  Pos- 
sibly plain  indifference  has  no  small  part. 

At  the  present  time  (1914)  the  officers  and  members  of  the  Sac  County 
Medical  Societ}'  are  as  follows :  President,  J.  C.  Iwerson :  secretary,  F.  H. 
McCray,'of  Schaller:  treasurer,  J.  H.  Stalford,  Sac  City:  members,  \^^  J. 
Findley,  W.  H.  Townsend,  Guy  H.  Swearingen  and  Z.  Fuller,  Sac  City,  and 
L.  H.  Tones,  of  Wall  Lake. 


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CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE   EVOLUTION   OF   AGRICULTURE   IN    SAC    COUNTY. 
By    Orville    "Lee. 

Webster  defines  evolution  as  the  act  of  unfolding  or  unrolling:  the 
process  of  growth  or  development.  In  treating  this  subject.  I  shall  take  occa- 
sion to  note  some  of  the  beginnings,  some  of  the  first  efforts  and  their  results. 
I  shall  be  privileged  to  record  some  splendid  success  that  has  attended  these 
efforts  and  must  needs  tell  of  many  failures  that  have  come  under  my  own 
observation,  a  few  the  results  of  my  own  labors,  but  many  more  those  of  the 
earlier  pioneers  in  agriculture.  I  might  here  say  that  the  earlier  experiences 
of  these  pioneers  was  many  times  far  from  encouraging.  However,  there 
was  always  the  one  argument,  "our  land  is  good  for  something,"  that  en- 
couraged the  early  comer  to  try  again.  The  cpiestion  always  uppermost  in  the 
pioneer's  mind  was,  What  shall  I  raise  that  will  help  supply  the  family  need? 
When  shall  I  plant,  where  shall  I  plant  it,  how  shall  I  plant,  as  well  as  what 
shall  1  plarit  ?    All  of  these  questions  must  be  largely  answered  by  experiment. 

What  about  corn?  No  one  knew  that  corn  would  produce  a  crop  here, 
and  it  took  ten  or  fifteen  years  of  experimenting  before  that  fact  had  been 
established,  and  even  then  few,  if  any,  believed  that  any  but  the  smaller 
varieties  could  be  depended  upon.  I  believe  that  prior  to  about  1870  the  fail- 
ures very  much  outnumbered  the  successes  in  corn  culture.  As  an  explanation 
for  this  result  I  might  offer  the  following : 

First,  the  soil  seemed  to  lack  the  subdued  character  necessary  for  the 
proper  development  of  the  corn  plant.  It  was  the  common  belief  that  in 
order  to  have  a  corn  crop  the  land  must  have  been  cultivated  for  a  number  of 
years.  As  I  remember  the  early  crops  of  corn,  they  would  grow  and  grow, 
but  very  much  of  the  time  fail  to  ripen.  This,  at  that  time,  was  largely  at- 
tributed to  soil  conditions.  I  can  now  see  that  the  trouble  may  have  been  due 
to  a  number  of  causes.  Seed  was  being  introduced  from  many  states.  No 
one  had  thought  of  the  damage  that  might  be  done  from  deep  culti\-ation.  In 
fact,  no  surface  cultivators  had  been  invented  and  prior  to  the  year  1868 
nothing  but  single  and  double-shovel  cultivators  had  been  used.     No  methods 


'& 


.,^^^'' 


.♦T' 


lOO  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

of  drainage  had  been  used  or  tried  before  this.  The  early  stirring  plow  would 
only  be  called  a  makeshift  at  the  present  time.  The  gophers  in  the  spring  and 
the  swarms  of  blackbirds  in  the  fall  kept  the  farmer  busy  if  his  own  corn  crop 
was  ever  to  materialize.  These,  together  with  the  weed  pest,  which  was  ever 
present  and  must  be  fought  with  the  implements  then  in  use.  made  the  pro- 
duction of  a  corn  crop  \-ery  uncertain. 

WHEAT. 

What  was  true  of  corn  was  largely  true  of  the  other  culti\atecl  crops. 
\Mieat  might  be  classed  as  an  exception.  For.  while  there  was  no  .standard 
variety  of  wheat  that  could  be  dependetl  upon,  and  no  special  method  of  cul- 
ti\'ation  that  had  proved  itself  superi<ir,  yet  the  early  crops  of  wheat  were  as 
a  rule  satisfactory.  True,  man\-  times  the  yield  was  only  nominal,  yet  as  a 
whole  the  wheat  crop  showed  good  returns  ft)r  the  labor  bestowed.  Among 
the  methods  of  cultivation  the  one  which  provided  for  the  breaking  of  the  soil 
in  early  spring  as  conditions  would  admit  of,  was  the  one  that  best  results 
came  from.  As  long  as  unbroken  sod  was  available,  a  wheat  crop  could  be 
fairly  well  depended  upon. 

OATS. 

Oats  were  not  a  reliajjle  crop.  When  sown  on  late  breaking  they  usuall\' 
made  a  fair  crop,  liut  when  sown  on  older  ground  that  had  been  fall  plowed, 
the\-  \er}-  often  lodgetl  IkkIIw  When  sown  on  corn  stalk  ground  some  good 
yields  were  secured.  The  crop  of  i8ficj  might  l)e  cited  as  being  especially 
good.  Man\'  hea\\'  \-ields  were  reported  this  year,  and  the  grading  of  the 
Illinois  Central  railroad  from  h'ort  Dodge  to  Siou.x  L'it\'  pro^•ided  a  good 
market  for  the  crop. 

BAR1,F.^•    AND    BUCKWHE.VT. 

These  crops,  with  a  small  amount  of  rye,  were  sown  about  this  time,  all 
showing"  more  or  less  merit  as  crop  producers. 

GARDEN  TRUCK. 

Potatoes  and  all  kinds  of  garden  truck  tjid  well  from  the  \erv  tirst. 
There  were  few,  if  any,  insect  ]iests  to  interfere  with  growth  and  the  crops 
of  potatoes,  melons,  turni])s,  cabbage  rund  other  garden  crops  were  all   that 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  lOI 

could  be  desired.     In  fact,  everybody  had  all  the\-  could  use  and  as  there  was 
no  market  for  an}-thing  ui  this  kind,  no  one  worried  about  the  yield. 

POPCORN. 

A  little  popcorn  has  been  grown  ever  since  farming  has  been  carried  on. 
but  not  until  about  1888  was  there  any  thought  of  producing  this  crop  in  a 
commercial  way.  About  this  time,  a  farmer  near  Odebolt  succeeded  in  pro- 
ducing a  fine  crop  of  popcorn  from  a  small  piece  of  ground,  which  soon  led 
others  to  make  experimental  plantings.  A  few  years  demonstrated  that  Sac 
county  soil  was  especially  adapted  to  the  production  of  the  best  quality  of  this 
cereal.  Its  production  was  found  to  be  remunerative  and  so  the  industry  has 
grown  to  be  the  greatest  uf  the  kind  in  the  world.  It  has  not  been  manv  years 
since  the  popcorn  product  of  the  whole  world  was  not  as  large  as  that  pro- 
duced in  Sac  county  at  the  present  time.  Mr.  Colton,  C.  J.  Cook,  August 
Reuber  and  H.  C.  \\nieeler,  of  Odebolt,  might  be  mentioned  as  among  the  pio- 
neers in  this  line. 

LIVE  STOCK. 

So  much  for  the  cultivated  crops;  what  about  stock  raising  in  the  early 
history  of  the  county?  Here  was  a  land  covered  with  the  most  luxuriant 
grasses,  which  would  furnish  unlimited  pastures  during  the  summer  months 
and  an  abundance  of  hay  for  winter  feeding,  a  condition  ideal  for  the  herds- 
man. Here  was  a  wealth  of  natural  resources  that  needed  only  to  be  gar- 
nered. Why,  then,  should  any  fail  to  reap  the  harvest?  The  reasons  were 
many.  First,  none  had  money  with  which  to  buy  the  stock ;  second,  there  were 
few  cattle,  horses  or  sheep  to  be  bought  anywhere  in  the  country ;  third,  the 
markets,  except  for  breeding  stock,  were  far  away  and  hard  to  reach.  The  new 
comers  furnished  a  good  market  for  what  few  horses  and  cows  that  were  for 
sale.  The  horses  were  little  fellows,  scarcely  ever  weighing  more  than  twelve 
hundred  pounds,  and  the  cows  were  of  cjuestionable  breeding,  but  were  usually 
good  milkers  and  brought  good  prices. 

SHEEP. 

The  early  ventures  in  sheep  husbandry  proved  a  losing  deal.  Many  sheep 
were  sent  to  this  county  immediately  after  the  war  closed.  While  the  prices 
were  not  high  as  compared  with  the  former  sheep  products,  yet  the  declining 


I02  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

wool  market,  with  the  lack  of  knowledge  of  the  business,  resulted  in  heavy 
losses  of  flocks  and  made  the  \enture  a  most  unprofitable  one. 

HORSES. 

While  the  horses  that  were  first  used  were  small,  they  were  hardy  and 
only  wanted  the  infusion  of  some  good  blood  to  bring  them  up  to  the  standard 
that  would  attract  Eastern  buyers.  Among  the  first  to  secure  some  good 
sires  might  be  mentioned  Ed.  Armstrong.  T.  B.  Mansfield  and  S.  T.  Lewis. 
A.  H.  Hendrickson  and  D.  H.  Rowe  organized  a  company  of  breeders  at  Sac 
City,  while  another  similar  company  was  started  at  Odebolt.  Thomas  Scott, 
of  Early,  and  later  D.  Corsant  &  Sons  were  the  leaders  in  draft  horses. 
Howe\er,  the  change  was  a  slow  one  and  not  luitil  the  early  nineties  were 
there  any  marketable  horses  ready  to  be  shipped.  These  all  found  a  ready 
market  and  the  raising  of  standard  bred  horses  has  steadily  grown  to  be  one 
of  the  principal  industries. 

STOCK    C.\TTLE. 

About  the  _\'ear  1866  some  drovers  from  Greene  county  found  their  way 
into  Sac  county  and  bought  some  cattle,  'i'he)-  were  for  the  most  part  four- 
year-old  steers  of  the  raw-boned,  old-fashioned  type.  These  were  driven 
overland  to  the  place  of  destination  where  they  were  fed.  The  first  cattle 
fattened  for  the  Chicago  market  were  fed  lay  Eugene  Criss  in  187 1,  and  con- 
sisted of  a  car  of  work  o.xen  that  had  Ijeen  used  by  the  settlers  to  break 
prairie.  I  remember  this  car  of  cattle  as  being  big,  fleshy  fellows,  and  to  me, 
a  boy  who  had  never  seen  such  a  sight,  they  looked  ''awful  fat"  as  1  saw  them 
driven  across  the  country  to  Newell,  where  they  were  shipped  via  Illinois  Cen- 
tral railroad.  This,  1  believe,  marked  the  beginning  of  what  has  grown  to  be 
the  great  cattle  feeding  industry  of  today  for  Sac  county.  This  venture  of 
Mr.  Criss  was  soon  followed  by  others  who  sought  to  find  a  market  for  some 
of  the  corn  crop  which  had  now  come  to  be  a  principal  feature  of  the  farming 
industry.  Among  other  early  feeders  might  be  mentioned  A.  H.  Hendrickson, 
M.  S.  Lee,  J.  O.  and  Asa  Piatt.  A  little  later  Allen  and  Stewart,  of  Marshall- 
town,  fed  a  big  bunch  of  heavy  cattle  on  what  was  known  as  the  Peck  farm,  in 
Douglass  township,  which  was  followed  by  a  like  operation  by  Miller  and 
Chaney,  of  Newell.  The  latter  used  the  feed  yards  on  the  old  Hendrickson 
farm. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  loi 


HOG   INDUSTRY. 


The  year  1871  and  1872  saw  the  beginning  of  what  has  grown  to  be  the 
great  hog  business  in  a  commercial  way.  During  these  years  a  number  of 
droves  of  hogs  were  driven  across  country  to  Newell  by  different  buyers. 
From  Sac  City  to  Newell  took  about  three  days  and  unless  the  weather  con- 
ditions were  favorable  the  losses  were  often  heavy.  Probably  not  necessarily 
so,  but  with  the  unexperienced  help  and  sometimes  too  much  "free  spirits" 
many  "fat  backs"  were  left  dead  by  the  way.  Prior  to  this  time  the  general 
method  had  been  to  butcher  the  fat  hogs  during  the  winter  and  haul  the 
dressed  hogs  to  dealers  in  Cedar  Falls  or  Des  Moines.  I  well  remember  my 
father  taking  such  a  load  on  a  bob-sled  to  Cedar  Falls,  during  the  winter  of 
1863.  This  load  of  dressed  hogs  brought  one  dollar  and  sixty-five  cents  per 
hundred  weight,  .\mong  the  things  bought  with  this  load  of  pork.  I  remem- 
ber was  a  wagon  which  cost  one  hundred  dollars,  and  a  full  bolt  of  muslin 
which  cost  sixty  cents  a  yard.  Say,  how  proud  we  all  were  soon  after  with 
our  new  home-made  shirts  and  underwear,  while  that  new  red  wagon  was 
looked  upon  at  that  time  with  as  much  admiration  as  the  finest  automobile 
would  be  today. 

TAME    GRASSES. 

The  spring  of  1868  saw  the  first  tame  grasses  sown  in  Sac  county.  Asa 
Piatt  had  secured  sufficient  clover  and  timothy  seed  with  which  to  sow  forty 
acres  and  M.  S.  Lee  had  brought  a  full  bag  of  common  red  clover  seed  from 
Indiana.  The  season  proxed  a  favorable  one  and  the  experiment  proved  a 
success.  In  the  words  of  Mr.  Piatt :  "Stock  in  Sac  county  land  advanced 
one  hundred  per  cent.,  when  it  had  been  demonstrated  that  clover  could  be 
raised  here."  While  since  that  time  there  has  never  been  a  question  as  to  the 
splendid  possibilities  of  the  crop,  yet  as  late  as  1875  ^^here  was  scarcely  more 
interest  being  taken  in  clo\er  than  is  now  shown  in  alfalfa. 

CREAMERY. 

About  the  year  1877  Washington  Allen  started  the  first  creamery  on  his 
farm  one  mile  north  of  Sac  Cit\'.  This  seemed  to  supply  a  much  needed  want. 
The  method  was  to  gather  the  nnlk  daily  from  the  patrons  during  the  sum- 
mer months  and  twice  a  week  in  the  winter  time.  This  necessitated  a  lot  of 
hauling  and,  while  it  proved  fairly  successful,  the  conditions  soon  required 


I04  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

that  the  milk  he  left  on  the  farm,  which  resulted  in  the  home  skimming  pro- 
cess. This  plan  continued  in  practice  until  the  advent  of  the  farm  separator 
which  soon  supplemented  the  old  methods.  .\  good  beginning  was  made  in 
butter  production  by  the  establishment  of  the  creamery  and  farmers  over  the 
county  were  encouraged  to  engage  in  the  dairy  business  to  the  extent  that 
creameries  were  soon  in  ojjcration  in  the  county.  Yet  we  notice  that  the 
growth  of  this  industry  was  not  very  great,  for  while  the  number  of  milk 
cows,  as  shown  by  the  census  of  1885,  was  9,071,  as  late  as  1905  this  num- 
ber had  only  grown  to  be  13,240.  There  are  a  number  of  causes  that  ha\e 
probably  contributed  to  this,  among  which  might  be  menti<)ned  the  introduc- 
tion of  butterine  and  oleomargerine  about  the  year  1885,  which  took  twenty 
years  of  legislative  activity  to  bring  under  proper  regulations  so  that  it  would 
not  come  in  direct  competition  with  honest  butter.  Then  there  was  the  "acre 
craze"  that  has  swept  over  the  country  which  seemed  to  fill  e\'ery  farmer 
with  a  desire  to  cultivate  (or  partially  cultivate)  the  largest  number  of  acres 
possible.  Then  there  has  been  the  easier  farming  methods,  which  required 
less  help,  whereby  one  man  has  been  able  to  dispose  of  the  crop  through  the 
feed  yard,  or  by  the  direct  market  way,  which  would  ha\e  rccpured  manv 
more  had  it  been  fed  to  dairy  cows. 

ORCHARDING. 

The  first  apples  raised  in  Sac  county  were  grown  on  a  graft  set  in  a  wild 
crab  tree  by  Eugene  Criss  in  Sac  City.  This  was  about  the  year  1865.  This 
achievement  was  followed  by  one  of  similar  character  Ijy  M.  S.  Lee  on  his 
Douglas  township  farm  about  two  years  later.  While  the  apples  grown  were 
few  and  of  very  ordinary  quality,  yet  this  result  encouraged  the  fruit-loving 
New  Englander  who  had  settled  along  the  Coon  river  to  plant  some  fruit 
trees.  While  many  of  the  settlers  planted  a  few,  AI.  S.  Lee  was  a  leader  in 
this  line  prior  to  187 1,  when  Washington  Allen  planted  the  first  commercial 
orchard,  it  being  a  tract  of  ten  acres,  which  was  followed  by  a  similar  tract 
being  planted  by  M.  S.  Lee  in  1877.  Mr.  Lee"s  former  plantings  had  com- 
prised about  four  acres  and  had  ])ro\ed  that  such  \arieties  as  the  Red  June, 
Yellow  Transparent,  Red  Streak,  Golden  Russet,  Perry  Russet,  Willow  Twig, 
Wine  Sap  and  some  of  the  other  old  standard  \arieties  could  be  depended 
upon  to  make  a  crop.  Lee  had  always  insisted  that  this  was  to  be  a  fruit 
country.  In  support  of  this  claim  he  would  site  the  fact  that  all  along  the 
creek  were  to  be  found  abundance  of  wild  apples,  plums,  cherries,  grapes. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  I05 

gooseberries,  currants  and  strawljerries.  So,  disregarding  the  discourage- 
ments that  were  ever  appearing,  he  kept  steadily  on,  making  use  of  the  little 
knowledge  he  had  gained  by  hard,  actual  experience  until  he  lived  to  see 
apples  in  Sac  county  selling  cheaper  than  potatoes.  I  have  referred  to  knowl- 
edge gained  by  actual  e.xperience  in  horticulture  lines.  In  fact  there  was  no 
other  source  whereby  one  could  gain  a  knowledge  of  what  varieties  were  best 
to  plant.  Later,  however,  or  abdut  the  year  1870,  the  Iowa  Agricultural 
College,  as  it  was  then  called,  Ijegan  to  give  out  some  suggestions  that  proved 
of  great  value  to  the  fruit  growers  in  later  years.  Hundreds  of  varieties 
were  tested  by  this  institution  and  only  those  that  showed  merit  were  recom- 
mended for  planting.  Mr.  Allen  made  use  of  the  information  so  furnished, 
which  resulted  in  his  making  selections  which  proved  very  prolific.  The  Ben 
Davis,  Jonathan,  Wealthy,  Tolman  Sweet,  Utter's  Red,  Dutchess,  Whitney 
and  a  few  others  were  included  in  his  list.  Since  these  orchards  came  into 
bearing  there  has  ne\er  been  a  ipiestion  as  to  whether  apples  could  be  grown 
successfullv  or  not,  but  the  question  has  been  would  it  pa\'.  Could  a  farmer 
afford  to  devote  his  time  to  fruit  raising  when  labor  spent  in  the  production 
of  corn  and  other  farm  crops  brought  such  satisfactory  results.  What  was 
true  of  apples  was  equally  true  of  the  other  fruits. 

The  first  planting  of  cherries  consisted  almost  entirely  of  some  variety 
of  the  Morrello  family.  The  old  English  Morrello  was  the  favorite.  Ex- 
perience soon  demonstrated  that  this  was  of  no  value  for  this  locality.  When 
the  Richmond  cherry  was  introduced  the  results  proved  more  satisfactory. 
In  fact,  among  the  many  good  cherries  that  haxe  been  tried.  I  doubt  whether 
there  has  been  one  that  has  given  so  good  satisfaction.  There  seemed  to  be 
no  question  from  the  first  but  that  plums  would  succeed,  for  here  were  found 
some  of  the  most  delicious  wild  plums  with  \ariet\'  ranging  in  season  from 
early  August  to  late  September. 

The  census  of  1885  gives  Sac  county  credit  for  10,663  trees  and  3,032 
bushels  of  apples  gathered,  while  in  1904  there  were  $36,000  worth  of  tree 
fruits  harvested  and  $6,861  of  other  fruits. 

SUMMARY. 

Thus  in  a  brief  way  I  have  tried  to  note  some  of  the  beginnings  made  in 
the  bringing  of  Sac  county  out  of  the  wild  grass  state  to  that  of  a  county  of 
beautiful  homes  and  productive  fields.  The  task  has  not  been  an  easy  one, 
but  a  final  part  in  this  great  work  has  been  a  pleasant  one.     The  consciousness 


IU6  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

that  we  were  leaders,  discoverers,  proving  our  faith  in  the  country  by  the 
works  we  were  able  to  perform,  has  been  an  inspiration  to  push  on  to  greater 
success. 

But  what  of  the  future?  Will  the  same  measure  of  success  attend  the 
efforts  of  the  coming  generation  as  has  rewarded  those  of  the  past?  Yea,  I 
verily  believe  they  will  and  greater  yet.  And  why  not?  A  few  things  we 
have  already  learned  and  proven- — many  more  are  yet  to  be  tried.  I  am 
aware  that  when  comparison  is  made,  the  task  of  keeping  pace  with  past 
achievements  seems  a  gigantic  one.  But,  with  the  improved  farm  ecpiip- 
ments,  the  better  dissemination  of  knowledge  of  farming  operations,  the  agri- 
cultural press,  experimental  extension  departments,  with  better  machinery, 
improved  seeds,  drainage  and  better  transportation  facilities,  1  believe  the 
coming  years  will  see  improvement  equal  to  the  best  of  the  past.  Sac  county 
owes  this  to  the  great  state  of  Iowa. 

Along  manv  lines  we  must  do  better  than  in  the  past.  In  1880  there 
was  raised  in  Sac  county  1.931,335  bushels  of  com  from  52,649  acres,  or  an 
a\erage  of  about  thirty-si.x  bushels  per  acre,  while  in  1905  we  had  only  suc- 
ceeded in  producing  4., 692, 590  bushels  of  corn  from  120,083  acres,  or  an  aver- 
age of  abuut  thirt_\-nine  bushels  per  acre.  Thus  we  see  that  it  took  twenty-fi\e 
years  to  increase  the  average  yield  of  corn  three  bushels  per  acre.  Will  the 
farmers  of  Sac  county  be  content  to  do  no  better  during  the  next  cjuarter  of 
a  century,  or  will  they  insist  that  not  only  thirty-nine  bushels  average  be  pro- 
duced, l)ut  that  not  less  than  lifty  Inishels  of  curn  be  the  a\erage  croj)  for  the 
whole  county? 

In  the  matter  of  oats  we  have  done  little  better.  In  1880  we  cultix'ated 
9.772  acres  of  oats,  which  produced  317,602  bushels,  or  an  average  of  less 
than  thirty-two  bushels  per  acre,  while  in  1905  we  har\ested  51,405  acres  of 
oats,  which  returned  1,834,687  bushels,  making  an  average  of  about  thirty- 
five  bushels  per  acre.  Is  there  a  farmer  who  will  be  content  to  produce  but 
thirty-five  bushes  of  oats  per  acre  during  the  coming  years,  or  will  he  insist 
that  im]iro\ed  seed  he  introduced,  that  tiie  jjest  methods  of  treatment  for 
smut  be  adopted,  that  the  cause  and  prevention  of  rust  be  discovered  and  the 
average  yield  of  oats  be  brought  up  to  the  fifty-bushel  mark? 

In  the  matter  of  farm  animals  we  are  not  doing  our  best,  but  we  are 
making  some  progress.  In  1880  there  were  1,330  farms  in  Sac  count}-,  con- 
sisting of  222,948  acres,  or  an  average  of  167  acres  to  the  farm.  The  num- 
ber of  cattle  on  these  farms  was  18,168,  or  an  average  of  fourteen  head  to 
each  farm,  giving  each  head  of  cattle  twelve  acres.     In  1905  there  were  1,887 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


107 


farms,  covering  an  area  of  58,486  acres,  or  an  average  of  187  acres  in  each 
farm,  which  supported  thirty-one  cattle  and  giving  each  head  of  cattle  about 
six  acres.  I  am  wondering  if  it  will  not  be  found  profitable  to  maintain  a 
head  of  cattle  for  each  three  acres  of  Sac  countv  farm  land  l)efore  many 
years  have  rolled  around. 

And  we  might  make  many  suggestions  of  impro\enient  that  ma}-  reason- 
ably be  expected  to  come,  and  nnist  come,  if  we  are  to  keep  ])ace  with  the 
growing  demand.  This  is  a  mighty  hungry  world  and  needs  to  be  fed — yea, 
well  fed !  Sac  county  must  do  her  part.  The  early  settler  has  done  his  part. 
The  progress  has  been  slow,  but  the  difficulties  were  many.  Naturally  a 
large  part  of  the  county  was  the  home  of  the  muskrat  and  water-fowl.  Tim- 
ber was  scarce  and  the  earl\"  means  of  transportation  prohibited  the  use  of 
coal  as  fuel.  The  matter  of  drainage  has  been  solved  l)v  the  introduction 
of  tile  and  the  steam  dredge.  The  problem  of  ade([uaie  suppl}-  of  water  has 
been  simplified  by  the  well  auger  and  drill.  Fencing  is  no  longer  a  serious 
matter,  while  the  matter  of  harvesting,  haying,  the  distribution  of  fertilizers 
and  the  planting  of  the  criip  has  become  an  easy  task  through  the  intr(iduc- 
tion  of  impro\ed  machinery.  ImiiroNcd  methods  of  road  building,  together 
with  the  general  use  of  the  automobile,  the  rural  mail,  the  parcel  post  and 
the  telephone  will  all  tend  to  make  farm  life  more  pleasant  and  the  farm  a 
better  institution  for  the  county  and  state. 

New  \'arieties  of  cr(_ips  will  be  grown.  Alfalfa  and  sweet  clo\'er  will  be 
the  leading  forage  cro])s.  Silos  will  be  found  on  almost  every  farm  and 
electric  power  will  do  the  work  on  many  farms.  The  rural  school  will  be 
the  best  school  and  the  farmer's  children  will  no  longer  envy  the  city-bred 
child  his  position. 

"\'ou  ask  when  will  this  all  come  to  pass?  JMy  answer — Just  as  soon  as 
the  farmer  finds  himself ;  knows  his  position ;  learns  that  the  world  must  look 
to  him  for  better  things  and  that  a  mighty  responsibility  rests  with  him. 

AGRICULTURAL  ASSOCIATIONS FAIRS. 

In  Sac  county,  as  well  as  in  nearly  all  Iowa  counties,  the  matter  of  con- 
ducting and  keeping  up  annual  farm  exhibits,  county  fairs,  has  been  one 
fraught  with  much  perplexity,  yet  there  have  been  numerous  associations  that 
have  been  instrumental  in  doing  much  good.  In  1871,  under  a  provision  of 
the  statute  of  Iowa,  the  Sac  County  Agricultural  Societ\-  was  organized. 
They  purchased  ten  acres  of  land  for  fair  ground  purposes  for  the  sum  of 
five  hundred  dollars.     The  societv  held  numerous  fairs  at  that  spot,  but  in 


I08  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

1898  it  was  deemed  advisable  to  move  to  larger  and  better  suited  (|uarters, 
so  they  leased  of  Judge  Eugene  Criss  twenty-five  acres  of  land,  at  the  same 
time  disposing  of  the  twenty-acre  tract  that  had  been  acquired  at  the  first  loca- 
tii)n.  It  now  became  a  stock  conipaii}.  with  shares  i)laced  at  ten  dollars 
each.  At  the  new  grounds  many  excellent  annual  exhibits  were  had,  but  the 
society  did  not  prosper.  There  was  the  matter  of  two  factions,  one  wanting 
horse  races  and  no  farm  exhibits  and  the  other  wanting  a  purely  agricultural 
fair  and  not  so  much  attention  paid  and  mune)-  spent  on  the  race  track,  the 
horse  premiums,  etc.  After  a  long,  liartl  struggle,  the  society  was  re-organ- 
ized in  1906  as  it  remains  tcjday. 

Touching  on  county  fair  associations  in  this  county,  the  following  from 
the  files  of  the  Sac  Sun  may  throw  a  little  historic  light : 

"The  Sac  County  .\gricultural  Society  was  incorporated  in  187 1  and  the 
organization  ex]3ired  by  limitation  in  1891  and  the  fact  was  not  disco\'ered 
until  two  }ears  later,  when  it  was  duly  reorganized.  Among  the  incorpora- 
tors the  second  time  were:  Messrs.  ^^'.  P.  and  E.  Drewry,  H.  H.  Eitch,  D. 
M.  Lamoraux,  C.  E.  Lee,  A.  Ingram,  R.  E.  Colburn,  U.  Carr  Early,  Asa  and 
J.  O.  Piatt,  S.  L.  \\'att,  E.  L.  Ahrens,  Tames  Eleming,  D.  Cordeman,  S.  M. 
Brant,  James  Xeal  and  J.  W.  Sct)tt.  Of  the  first  society,  the  members  in- 
cluded D.  Carr  Early,  Messrs.  Piatt  and  Watt." 

The  association  now  owns  about  twenty-two  acres  of  the  Judge  Criss 
land  above  mentioned,  having  sold  off  some  to  the  Chautaucjua  Association 
along  the  Coon  ri\er.  It  has  a  half  mile  track,  said  to  be  one  of  the  finest 
in  Iowa.  The  buildings  and  grounds  are  fine  property  and  the  association  is 
free  of  debt  and  has  money  in  its  treasury.  The  1914  officers  are:  L.  E. 
Irwin,  president ;  George  A.  Heagy,  vice-president ;  Gus  Strohmeier,  secretary, 
and  E.  S.  Xeedham,  treasurer. .  The  directors  are  S.  L.  W'att,  L.  E.  Irwin, 
George  Heagy,  Robert  Leach,  D.  B.  Keir,  George  Zimmerman  and  C.  W. 
Irwin. 

Other  sections  of  this  county  ha\e  had  their  fairs  and  annual  exhibits. 
In  the  spring  of  1881  the  Western  Iowa  District  Association  was  formed  at 
Odebolt,  and  it  is  found  in  files  of  the  newspapers  that  in  September.  1895, 
it  was  holding  its  fourteenth  animal  exhibition.  Eor  many  years  this  proved 
a  decided  success. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


NEWSPAPERS    OF    SAC    COUNTY. 


By    S.    M.    .Stoufter. 

']'he  newspaper,  alon.t;-  with  the  family  doctor  and  the  postoftice  and 
llouring  mill,  are  anionj;  tiie  First  e\  idences  of  a  thrift\-  new  settlement  in 
the  opening  np  of  any  new  country.  While  it  is  true  that  the  pioneers  did  not 
haxe  the  ad\antages  the  present  generation  has  in  wav  of  literary  attainments 
and  pri\ileges,  anil  that  dail}'  papers  and  magazines  were  quite  scarce,  it  was 
not  long  in  any  enterprising,  intelligent  communitx"  before  there  was  a  demand 
for  a  good  county  weekly  pajier.  This  need  was  usually  supplied  bv  some 
man  who  cast  his  fortunes  with  the  common  pioneer  element  and  at  once 
sought  to  build  up  the  best  interests  of  the  communit}-.  Indeed,  withmit  such 
potent  agencies  the  western  Iowa  counties  would  not  ha\e  ad\-anced  in  settle- 
ment and  prosperity  to  the  degree  that  they  did.  Sac  county  is  no  exception, 
although  jjerhaps  the  weekly  newspaper  was  supplied  in  most  new  countries 
sooner  than  in  Sac  county. 

The  following  chapter  will  ser\e  to  show  the  circumstances  of  the  found- 
ing of  most  all  the  publications  within  Sac  county,  as  seen  liy  a  \eteran  in 
Iowa  journalism,  S.  ^I.  Stouffer  of  the  Sac  Sun: 

Tiie  pioneer  newspajier  of  Sac  county  was  the  Sac  Siiii.  which  was  estab- 
lished at  Sac  City  by  James  X.  Miller  in  1871.  The  first  numlier  was  issued 
on  July  nth.  and  contained  an  elaborate  narrati\-e  of  the  I'ourth  of  July 
festivities  at  Sac  City  that  year.  The  settlement  was  yet  only  a  small  village, 
but  it  was  the  county  seat  and  was  hioking  forward  to  the  early  completion  of 
a  railroad. 

The  newspaper  man  was  given  a  warm  welcome  to  the  t(jwn.  The  art 
of  advertising,  as  it  is  now  practiced,  was  unknown  to  the  pioneer  merchants. 
X'evertheless  the  newspaper  was  gi\-en  a  fair  ad\ertising  jjatronage  and  a  num- 
ber of  the  enterprising  men  of  the  village  subscribed  for  copies  of  the  news- 
paper to  send  their  friends  in  the  East.  It  is  no  disparagement  to  others 
who  encouraged  the  new  enterprise  to  say  that  D.  Carr  Early's  large  real 
estate   ad\ertisements  antl   generous   patronage    in   other   ways,    besides   his 


no  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

words  of  encouragement,  probabl)    ranked   foremost  in  the  support  of  this 
pioneer  journal. 

Mr.  Miller  was  not  only  a  good  printer  but  was  also  an  unusually  clever 
writer  and,  like  most  of  the  pioneer  newspaper  men,  unhesitatingly  wrote  as 
he  thought  on  matters  personal,  political  or  otherwise.  He  continued  to 
manage  the  newspaper  he  founded  until  he  sold  it  to  S.  E.  Barnard  and  B.  W. 
McKeen,  publishing  his  valedictory  on  September  30,  1891. 

In  1873  Mr.  Miller  was  elected  representative  in  the  General  Assembly 
from  a  district  comprising  several  counties  and,  before  he  began  his  ser\ice 
in  the  Legislature,  he  made  a  trip  to  Pennsylvania,  thus  taking  a  vacation  of 
four  months  from  editorial  duties,  during  which  time  Al.  M.  Adams,  since  the 
widely-known  publisher  of  the  Humboldt  ludcpcudcut.  had  charge  of  the  Sac 
Sun. 

Owing  to  an  accumulation  of  outside  duties,  with  the  beginning  of  the 
fourteenth  volume  on  July  4..  1884,  Mr.  Miller  announced  that  he  had  taken 
a  partner  in  the  person  of  Sidney  Smith,  and  for  more  than  six  years  the 
newspaper  was  conducted  under  the  firm  naine  of  Aliller  &  Smith,  Mr.  Smith 
partici]>ating  in  the  business  and  editorial  work.  On  October  i,  1890,  the 
firm  name  of  I'he  Sun  Printing  Company  was  adopted  and  this  continued 
until  the  sale  of  the  newspaper  to  Barnard  &  McKeen. 

Mr.  Miller  was  a  thoroughgoing  Republican,  a  foe  of  the  liquor-traffic 
and  a  warm  friend  of  the  soldiers  of  the  Civil  War,  in  which  he  had  seen 
service.  The  editorial  policy  of  the  newspaper  was  continued  with  little 
change  during  the  ownership  by  Barnard  &  McKeen. 

The  Sun  was  sold  by  Barnard  &  McKeen  to  S.  M.  Stouffer,  of  Toledo, 
Iowa,  and  F.  E.  Stouffer,  of  Dillon,  Montana,  who  issued  their  first  number 
August  30,  1893.  In  their  announcement  the  Messrs.  Stouffer  hinted  at  their 
intention  of  making  the  Sac  Sun  a  newspaper  for  the  whole  county,  gather- 
ing the  news  from  each  community  and  treating  all  communities  fairly  rather 
than  to  make  the  newspaper  an  advocate  of  any  particular  community  in  the 
county  as  opposed  to  another,  and  to  this  end  they  have  worked  in  the  build- 
ing of  their  newspaper,  the  circulation  of  which  has  trebled  under  their  man- 
agement, an  edition  of  more  than  three  thousand  copies  per  week  having  been 
necessary  at  the  beginning  of  the  vear  1914. 

The  first  eight  volumes  of  the  Sac  Sun  appeared  as  a  seven-column  folio, 
two  pages  jjrinted  at  home.  For  three  years  it  was  published  as  an  eight- 
column  quarto,  with  four  pages  printed  at  home  and  four  pages  auxiliary. 
bVjr  three  years  it  returned  lo  the  eight-column  folio  form.      In  1890  it  was 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  Ill 

issued  again  as  a  six-column  c|uarto,  that  time  all  printed  at  home,  and  that 
form  was  adopted  by  the  publishers  last  mentioned  until  the  erection  of  a  new- 
building  and  the  enlargement  of  their  plant,  as  well  as  the  installation  of  a 
linotype  machine,  enabled  them  in  1907  to  issue  it  as  a  seven-column  quarto. 
It  is  now  entirely  printed  at  home  and  deals  almost  exclusively  with  news  of 
local  interest,  together  with  the  affairs  of  state  and  nation  handled  from  the 
standpoint  of  local  interest. 

The  second  newspaper  established  at  Sac  Cit\'  was  the  Sac  Couiifx  Re- 
porter, a  Greenback  organ  published  by  ^^'.  W.  Yarham,  the  first  number  of 
which  was  issued  October  28.  1877.  Only  five  numbers  of  the  paper  were 
published  at  Sac  City.  It  was  found  that  the  field  was  too  small  for  two 
newspapers  and  Mr.  Yarham  moved  his  plant  to  Odebolt  and  published  the 
first  newspaper  in  that  town,  getting  out  a  very  creditable  sheet. 

The  third  newspaper  published  at  Sac  City  was  the  Sac  County  Democrat. 
which  was  started  by  J.  Koder,  a  lawyer,  on  September  8,  1882.  Mr.  Koder 
continued  the  publication  of  the  newspaper,  which  he  edited  with  no  little 
abilitv,  until  March  25,  1887,  when  he  sold  it  to  the  Cory  Brothers,  who 
published  it  with  I.  A.  Cory  as  editor  and  manager. 

On  June  26,  1891,  the  newspaper  appeared  with  the  Democrat  Publish- 
ing Company  as  proprietor,  Cory  Brothers  having  sold  it  to  C.  Everett  Lee. 
who  constituted  the  company.  On  October  i,  1893,  Air.  Lee's  nephew, 
Lamont  Lee,  became  associated  with  him.  On  October  6,  1893,  Lamont  Lee 
sold  his  interest  in  the  paper  and  it  was  issued  with  C.  Everett  Lee  as  pub- 
lisher. Mr.  Lee  bade  good-bye  to  his  readers  in  the  issue  of  January  11. 
1895,  he  having  disposed  of  the  plant  to  John  L.  Barter.  The  three  and  one- 
half  years  of  the  newspaper  under  the  management  of  Mr.  Lee  were  marked 
by  an  advance  in  the  circulation  and  patronage,  as  he  was  both  a  good  printer 
and  a  reatly  writer. 

John  L.  Barter,  who  had  charge  for  nearly  two  and  one-half  years  fol- 
lowing Mr.  Lee's  retirement,  proved  to  be  an  aggressive  editorial  writer. 
He  obtained  the  newspaper  in  the  days  when  the  free  coinage  of  silver  was  a 
burning  question  and  promptly  aligned  himself  with  the  Bryan  wing  of  the 
Democratic  partv.  Mr.  Barter  sold  the  Democrat  plant  to  Bert  Maxwell,  a 
young  printer  from  Illinois,  who  took  charge  June  18,  1897,  and  employed 
I.  A.  Cory  as  editor. 

Mr.  Maxwell  soon  tired  of  the  field  and  on  February  28,  1898,  sold  the 
newspaper  and  plant  to  W.  M.  Ward,  who  had  been  a  school  man  in  Jackson 
county,   Iowa.     The  newspaper  was  published  under  the  firm  name  of  the 


112  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Ward  r.ros.  1  lie  name  of  the  paper  was  chan.^cd  t(_)  The  Sac  Democrat,  be- 
ginning witi:  tiie  issue  of  October  17,  1902.  .Mr.  Ward  was  a  vigorous  writer, 
especially  ready  to  take  part  in  the  discussion  of  local  politics  and  educational 
questions,  and  had  he  been  able  to  give  close  attention  to  the  details  of  busines.'^ 
he  would  ha\e  made  a  marked  success. 

The  Wards  disposed  of  their  plant  April  7,  1905,  to  H.  H.  iMtch.  win 
associated  with  him  in  the  publication  of  the  newspaper  his  son,  John  H. 
Fitch,  and  issued  the  newspaper  under  the  firm  name  of  H.  H.  Fitch  &  Son. 
Owing  to  poor  health,  Mr.  Fitch  sold  the  plant  on  June  5,  1907,  to  Ross 
Mayhall.  wIki  at  this  writing.  March,  1914.  is  continuing  the  pultlication  of 
the  newspaper  and  the  management  of  its  auxiliar\-  job  business  with 
apparent  success. 

While,  like  his  predecessors,  Mr.  Mavhall  is  a  Democrat,  he  has  not  Ijeen 
disposed  to  jjay  much  attention  to  partisan  politics,  and  consequently  was  not 
pleased  with  the  name  borne  by  the  newspaper,  changing  it  with  the  issue 
of  February  17,  1909.  to  The  Sac  County  Bulletin.  Mr.  Mayhall  equipped  the 
office  with  a  junior  linotype  machine  ami  a  better  i)ress,  reduced  the  price 
to  one  dollar  a  vear  and  issues  it  as  a  si.x-colunin  quarto,  all  printed  at  home. 

'I'he  first  newspaper  at  Odebolt  was  the  Reporter,  published  by  W'.  W'. 
Varham,  who  moved  his  plant  from  Sac  City  about  the  first  of  Deceml>er, 
1877.  Under  the  management  of  Mr.  Yarham  and  under  the  management 
of  Frank  Kelley,  who  succeeded  him,  it  was  a  Greenback  newspaper.  Finall}- 
the  Reporter  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Bennett  Brothers,  who  made  it  a 
live  Republican  sheet,  but  they  did  not  find  the  field  sufficiently  profitable  for 
two  newspapers,  a  Democratic  newspaper,  first  called  the  Obsen'cr  and  later 
the  Ileraltt.  ha\ing  been  established  in  the  ttiwn  and  pulilished  untler  diff'erent 
managements.  On  March  28,  1887,  the  I'ennet  Brothers  sold  the  subscription 
list  and  plant  of  the  Reporter  to  the  publisher  of  the  [Fall  Lake  Journal  and 
went  to  San  Diego.  California,  to  publish  a  daily  newspaper. 

However,  Odebolt  was  not  to  be  long  without  an  aggressi\'e  Republican 
newspaper.  In  May.  1887,  the  first  number  of  the  Odebolt  Chronicle  was 
issued  by  W'illiam  E.  Hamilton,  who  previously  had  been  emplo_\-ed  in  the  law 
office  of  \V.  A.  Helsell.  Mr.  Hamilton  was  a  writer  of  ability,  fearless  and 
f(jrccful  with  his  pen.  a  shrewd  |)lanncr  and  active  mo\'er  in  local  political 
matters,  and  in  the  nicjre  than  twent_\'-three  years  that  he  conducted  the  news- 
paper was  unquestionably  the  most  influential  factor  in  the  political  affairs 
of  Sac  county.  r)wing  to  failing  health,  he  sold  his  newspaper  on  August  1. 
IQIO,  to  l'"rai)k  J.  Stillman.  of  Rice\ille,   Iowa.      Mr.  Stillman  also  had  been 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 


"3 


in  poor  health,  ha\ing  suffered  a  nervous  breakdown,  and  before  he  ran  the 
paper  many  weeks  he  discovered  that  he  could  not  endure  the  office  work. 
He  then  leased  the  plant  to  John  E.  Chrysler,  who  lately  had  returned  to 
Sac  county  from  Cody,  ^\'yoming■,  where  he  was  in  newspaper  work,  and 
Mr.  Chrysler  has  continued  the  newspaper  with  exceptional  ability,  proving 
a  strong  business  getter,  an  alert  news  gatherer  and  a  good  editorial  writer. 
In  all  of  its  history  the  newspaper  has  been  Republican  in  politics,  with  a 
marked  progressi\'e  tendency. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  follow  the  history  of  the  various  other  news- 
paper ventures  at  Odebolt.  After  the  establishment  of  the  Chronicle  it 
dominated  the  situation.  Publishers  came  and  went.  One  of  the  most  inter- 
esting of  the  journalistic  enterprises  was  the  Odebolt  Record,  started  as  an 
amateur  sheet  by  Ray  Graham.  The  Record  continued  to  grow  under  his 
management  until  it  became  a  full-fledged  newspaper.  At  the  time  of  the 
sale  of  the  Chronicle  the  publication  of  the  Record  also  was  discontinued 
and  Mr.  Graham  entered  into  newspaper  work  elsewhere. 

A  new  aspirant  for  honors  appeared  in  the  field  on  March  12,  1914,  the 
Odebolt  Nc7vs,  a  Progressive  newspaper,  with  David  Phillips  as  editor  and 
publisher.  In  his  initial  number  Mr.  Phillips  stated  that  he  had  installed  an 
outfit  costing  about  five  thousand  dollars,  including  a  monotype,  a  type-setting 
and  type-casting  machine,  a  Potter  two-re\'o!ution  press,  a  power  paper  cutter 
and  other  up-to-date  machinery.  The  newspaper  possesses  typographical 
and  editorial  excellence  and,  on  its  merits,  will  make  a  strong  appeal  for 
support. 

The  first  newspaper  at  \Vall  Lake  was  the  Journal,  established  August 
29,  1878,  by  Frank  L.  Dennis,  of  Wheatland,  Iowa.  It  was  published  under 
a  number  of  different  owners,  among  them  Cook  &  Gregg,  T.  J-  Newburg  and 
J.  L.  Kroesen.  The  ownership  passed  to  T.  B.  Ilotchkiss,  of  Lake  City,  who 
did  not  conduct  it  in  person,  but  a  long-distance  management  appeared  to  be 
unsuccessful  and  the  newspaper  went  out  of  existence  in  1890,  to  be  suc- 
ceeded very  shortly  afterward  by  the  Wall  Lake  Blade,  with  .\.  L.  Schultz 
as  editor  and  publisher.  The  first  number  of  the  Blade  was  issued  in  Decem- 
ber, 1890,  and  the  paper  has  been  published  continually  since.  Mr.  Schultz 
was  succeeded  by  John  H.  D.  Gray  and  Mr.  Gray,  after  conducting  it  many 
years,  sold  it  to  F.  A.  Brown,  formerly  of  the  Biieiia  Vista  Vidctte  at  Storm 
Lake.  Mr.  Brown  sold  it  to  W.  O.  Howard,  who  is  in  charge  of  it  at  this 
writing.     Mr.  Howard  is  an  all-around  newspaper  man  of  good  abilitv  and 

(7) 


114  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

is  gi\ing  tlie  people  of  the  ti)\vn  very  good  ser\ice.  Politically,  the  Blade 
has  ranged  from  indepenfient  to  Republican.  At  present  writing,  it  appears 
to  be  espousing  the  cause  of  the  Progressive  party  from  an  independent  stand- 
point. 

About  tile  middle  nf  Ma}-,  1885,  the  Scliallcr  Ga^rftc  was  started  by  H. 
E.  Moles.  In  the  autumn  of  the  same  year  the  ownership  of  the  plant  passed 
to  A.  S.  Bassett,  of  Kewanee,  Illinois.  The  fortunes  of  the  Schaller  news- 
paper were  somewhat  doubtful  until  Bert  Mill  took  charge  and  published  it 
successfully  as  the  Star.  He  sold  the  newspaper  to  Charles  Brandon,  who 
changed  the  name  to  the  Herald.  In  October,  1892,  W.  K.  Whiteside,  who 
had  been  an  employee  of  the  Sac  Sun.  bought  the  newspaper  and  has  con- 
ducted it  ever  since.  It  is  a  five-column  folio  and  under  Mr.  Whiteside's 
management  was  always  Republican  in  politics  until  19 12,  when  its  publisher 
became  affiliated  with  the  Progressi\-e  party.  Under  Mr.  Whiteside's  man- 
agement it  has  enjoyed  a  good  patronage  and  has  always  been  a  tastefully 
printed  little  sheet. 

The  Early  Eiitrr prise  was  started  in  1885  by  E.  H.  McGinty,  of  Hardin 
count}-.  McGinty  did  not  make  a  success  of  the  newspaper  and  he  trans- 
ferred it  to  H.  W.  Cor}-,  wiio  pulMished  it  until  December.  1887,  when  he 
moved  the  plant  to  Storm  Lake  and  merged  it  with  the  plant  of  the  Buena 
Vista  J'ideftc.  The  Sac  County  News,  later  called  the  Early  News,  proved 
to  be  the  permanent  newspaper  xenture  at  Early.  It  was  started  by  Clarence 
Messer,  and  later  was  published  b}-  George  Brown,  C.  E.  Stallcop,  H.  W.  Cory 
and  J.  E.  Chr}-sler  and  e\-entually,  in  Marcli,  1906,  passed  into  the  hands  of 
J.  C.  Blair,  a  veteran  newspaper  man  who  fits  admirably  into  the  community 
he  is  ser\-ing.  The  Neii's  has  had  \-arying  fortunes  politically.  Its  present 
publisher  has  l>een  a  lifelong  Republican,  but  shows  a  Progressive  leaning. 
He  not  only  furnishes  the  news  locally  in  an  acceptable  manner,  but  also  takes 
occasion  to  discuss  political  matters  editorially. 

At  Lake  View,  the  Resort  was  started  in  the  early  summer  of  1889  by 
Wilson  M.  Hamilton.  Mr.  Hamilton  leased  or  sold  the  newspaper  several 
times,  but  retained  an  ecpiity  in  tlie  plant  for  about  twenty  years.  He  was  a 
capable  writer  and  labored  persistently  for  the  upbuilding  of  the  little  town  by 
the  lake.  When  he  finally  sold  the  newspaper,  the  name  was  changed  to  the 
Argus,  but  when  it  ])assed  into  the  hands  of  the  present  publisher,  Edwin  C. 
McSheehy,  he  wisely  restored  the  pioneer  name  of  the  Lake  View  Resort. 
Mr.  McSheehy  came  to  Lake  View  with  a  successful  newspaper  experience 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  II5 

on  the  city  press,  and  is  proving  an  energetic  factor  toward  the  upbuilding  of 
his  community. 

At  Auburn  the  first  newspaper  was  started  by  Jones  &  Hotchkiss,  as 
the  memory  of  old  settlers  runs,  in  1886.  It  was  still  published  in  May, 
1887,  but  probably  was  discontinued  shortly  afterward.  The  permanent 
newspaper  at  Auburn  was  The  Recorder,  which  was  established  September 
16,  1893,  by  Fred  L.  Ellis.  He  conducted  it  a  few  months,  and  then  sold 
it  to  E.  H.  Merrill,  who  has  published  it  ever  since,  with  the  exception  of  a 
few  months,  utilizing  his  opportunities  cpiite  creditably. 

The  Nemahn  Register  began  publication  in  the  winter  of  1900  to  1901. 
It  was  established  by  D.  H.  Roush,  who  sold  it  to  C.  E.  Evans.  Ownership 
then  passed  to  C.  C.  Keen)',  the  present  publisher,  who  makes  it  strictly  a 
local  newspaper. 

The  only  newspaper  venture  at  Lytton  has  been  the  Star,  which  was 
established  about  the  beginning  of  the  year  1905  by  G.  A.  Craig,  an  original 
but  somewhat  illiterate  genius  from  Missouri.  Mr.  Craig  sold  the  newspaper 
to  C.  Everett  Lee,  who  at  one  time  was  pul)lisher  of  the  Sac  County  Demo- 
crat. Though  well  along  in  years,  Mr.  Lee  is  is  active  as  a  youth,  writes 
vigorously,  expresses  his  opinions  freely  and  shows  an  active  interest  in  all 
of  the  affairs  of  the  town,  making  the  Star  one  of  the  best  newspapers  pub- 
lished anywhere  in  a  town  the  size  of  Lytton. 

Two  newspapers  were  established  at  Grant  City  in  1872  to  take  advan- 
tage of  the  bonus  for  the  publication  of  state  laws.  One  of  these  was  put  in 
by  the  Storm  Lake  Pilot  and  was  named  the  Grant  City  Journal,  and  the  other 
was  launched  by  James  N.  Miller,  of  the  Sac  Sun.  and  was  known  as  the 
Hornet.  Mr.  Miller  continued  it  until  he  headed  off  the  Journal  and  then 
merged  it  with  the  Sun.  It  is  recalled  also  that  the  Neu'S,  publication  of 
which  at  Auburn  has  been  mentioned,  was  first  established  at  Grant  City  in 
June,  1886. 


CHAPTER  X. 


BANKS  AND  BANKING. 


In  Sac  county,  as  in  all  new  countries,  there  was  little  use  for  banking 
houses  until  long  after  the  Civil  War.  Prior  to  the  seventies  the  business 
was  mostly  confined  to  local  barter — one  man  selling  to  another,  and  usually 
trading  grain  and  wood  and  stock  for  sugar,  tobacco,  dress  goods,  and  factory 
cloth  for  men's  wear.  Fort  Dodge,  Sioux  City  and  Council  Bluffs  all  had  early 
banks  and  to  such  centers  of  money  and  population  went  the  people  from  Sac 
count)-  w  hen  any  real  banking  business  was  necessary  to  be  transacted.  The 
land  office  was  long  located  at  Sioux  City  and  a  branch  at  Fort  Dodge,  and 
there  tlie  home  and  land  seeker  went  with  his  ready  cash,  and  in  person  paid 
for  his  lands,  if  purchased  from  the  go\-ernmcnt.  But  as  the  county  settled 
up  and  numerous  towns  sprang  into  existence,  it  became  necessary  to  estab- 
lish a  system  of  local  banks  and  this  was  promptly  accomplished  when  the  de- 
mand for  such  place  of  business  was  made.  Sac  City  had  the  first  bank  in 
the  county,  and  is  still  the  center  of  the  county's  financial  institutions,  although 
almost  everv  town  and  hamlet  within  her  borders  has  a  bank  of  its  own,  and 
really  able,  financially,  to  do  the  business  of  their  own  respective  communities. 
Wall  Lake  soon  had  a  bank  and  has  kept  up  the  business  since  1878  in  what 
is  now  styled  the  German  State  Bank.  This  county  has  been  free  from  any 
great  bank  failures,  and  for  the  most  part  the  banks  have  been  successful  in 
paving  out  dollar  for  dollar  their  obligations  to  their  patrons,  through  the 
numerous  panics  through  which  the  country  has  passed. 

PRESENT  BANKS  OF  THE  COUNTY. 

The  I'lillciwing  is  a  list  of  the  various  banking  houses  in  Sac  county  in 
January,  1914,  with  the  date  and  order  in  which  they  were  established  and 
their  present  capital : 

Wall  Lake,  German  State  Bank,  established  in  1878,  present  capital 
$25,000. 

Wall  Lake  Savings  Bank,  established  1882.  present  capital  $30,000. 

Schaller  State  Bank,  established  in  1887,  present  capital  $40,000. 


SAC   COUNTY,    IOWA.  II7 

Sac  County  State  Bank,  Sac  City,  established  in  1887,  present  capital 
$75,000,  surplus  and  undivided  profits  $87,176.32,  equal  to  a  total  of 
$162,176.32. 

Early  State  Bank,  established  in  1888,  present  capital  $40,000. 

Lake  View  State  Bank,  established  in  1889,  present  capital  $25,000. 

Sac  City,  First  National  Bank,  established  in  1890,  present  capital  and 
profits  $165,000. 

Schaller  Savings  Bank,  established  in  1892,  present  capital  $25,000. 

Odebolt,  First  National  Bink.  established  in  1899,  present  capital 
$50,000. 

Lytton,  Farmers  State  Bank,  established  1900,  present  capital  $25,000. 

Odebolt,  German  Savings  Bank,  established  in  1901,  present  capital 
$50,000. 

Auburn,  'Farmers  and  Merchants  Bank,  established  in  1903,  present 
capital  $25,000. 

Nemaha  State  Bank,  established  in  1903,  present  capital  $25,000. 

Sac  City,  Farmers  Savings  Bank,  established  in  1906,  present  capital 
$50,000. 

Ulmer,  Farmers  Savings  Bank,  established  in  191 1,  present  capital 
$10,000. 

Early,  Citizens  Bank,  established  191 1,  present  capital  $30,000. 

The  latest  bank  in  the  county  is  the  Farmers  Savings  Bank  of  Odebolt, 
which  was  established  in  February,  1914,  by  many  farmers.  It  starts  with  a 
capital  of  $50,000. 

This  makes  a  total  of  $835,000  as  the  capital  held  by  all  the  Sac  county 
banks,  at  this  date. 

SAC    CITY    BANKS. 

The  Sac  Count}-  State  Bank,  of  Sac  City,  was  organized  and  opened  its 
doors  for  business  February  21,  1S87.  This  bank  really  succeeded  to  the  first 
banking  concern  of  this  county,  the  "exchange"  operated  from  1871  on  by 
Judge  D.  Carr  Early,  who,  in  company  with  W.  H.  Hobbs  and  N.  W. 
Condron,  erected  a  bank  building  in  1875,  and  in  1876  incorporated  the  Sac 
County  Bank,  with  Messrs.  Early,  Hobbs  and  Condron,  all  ex-county  officials, 
as  incorporators.  The  officers  of  this  pioneer  bank  were  D.  Carr  Early,  presi- 
dent; W.  H.  Hobbs,  vice-president;  N.  W.  Condron,  cashier.  It  had  a 
capital  of  $50,000.  When  the  change  was  made  and  the  present  Sac  County 
State  Bank  was  established  in  1887,  the  Sa,c  Sun  had  this  item  concerning  the 


Il8  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA!' 

new  bank:  "The  new  bank  opened  for  business  AIonda\-  niuining.  taking 
formal  possession  of  the  Sac  County  Bank,  and  Messrs.  Baily  anil  Grotewohl 
may  be  found  in  their  places  ready  for  business.  The  State  Bank  succeeds 
the  Sac  Countv  Bank  and  will  conline  itself  strictlv  to  banking  business,  doine 
no  real  estate  business,  only  what  may  be  absolutely  necessary.  Its  cajoital 
is  $35,000  and  will  no  doubt  be  increased  to  $50,000  in  a  vear  or  two." 

On  January  1.  1890.  the  caiMtal  of  this  bank  was  increased  to  $75,000 
and  had  a  surplus  (jf  $iS.ooo.  This  was  the  thirtl  year  after  its  organization. 
So,  reall\-,  this  is  the  site  of  the  oldest  bank  in  the  county,  and  has  gone 
through  all  the  panics  and  paid  out  dollar  for  dollar  to  its  thousands  of 
depositors. 

Their  statement  January  28,  1914.  gave  its  deposits  as  $6.55,710.  Its 
capital  is  $75,000  and  its  surplus  and  undivided  profits  $87,176.32.  The  total 
amounts  to  $162,176.32.  This  bank  has  headquarters  in  the  same  block  in 
which  it  was  first  established  in  1887,  though  about  igog  it  was  overhauled 
and  remodeled,  making  it  one  of  the  finest  banking  liuildings  in  the  western 
jmrt  of  the  state  All  branches  of  banking  are  here  transacted.  A  few  years 
ago  a  savings  department  was  added,  and  this  has  greatly  increased  its  busi- 
ness. The  present  officers  and  directors  are;  Asa  Piatt,  president:  E.  N. 
Baily.  \  ice-president :  J.  V.  Campfield,  vice-president:  C.  C.  Jameson,  cashier; 
Frank  Kessler,  assistant  cashier;  directors,  Asa  Piatt,  J.  Y.  Campfield,  Orville 
Lee,  W.  H.  Townsend.  E.  N.  Baily,  Charles  L.  Early.  Malcom  Currie  and 
C.  C.  Jameson. 

This  corps  of  men.  each  peculiarly  fitted  for  the  responsible  position  he 
holds,  makes  this  a  strong  bank  and  is  the  reason  that  it  has  the  confidence 
of  such  a  large  portion  of  the  citizens  of  Sac  and  surrounding  counties.  Their 
correct  business  management  has  given  them  the  liberal  deposits  they  now 
have. 

The  First  Xational  Bank,  of  Sac  City,  was  established  October  27,  1890, 
and  was  the  first  liank  of  the  national  type  founded  in  Sac  county.  It  wa 
organized  by  D.  E.  Hallett,  Eugene  Criss  and  H.  II.  .\llison.  The  first 
capital  was  .^50,000,  and  it  is  the  same  today,  I)ut  also  has  $50,000  more  as 
surplus  and  undivided  profits.  The  original  officers  of  this  Imnking  house 
were  as  follows;  D.  E.  Hallett,  president;  H.  H.  Allison,  cashier.  The 
officers  t(.<la\-  are:  George  B.  Perkins,  president:  Dr.  C.  B.  .\dams,  vice- 
president:  11.  S.  i!arnt,  cashier;  E.  1).  Humphries,  assistant  cashier.  The 
present  bank  building  was  erected  in  icSy3  at  a  cost  of  about  $15  000.  This 
fine  structure  has  been  the  home  of  the  bank,  also  of  the  United  States  post- 


s 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  ng 

oftke.  with  law,  medical  and  other  offices  on  the  second  floor.  The  serial 
number  of  this  the  first  national  bank  in  Sac  county  is  4,450.  showing  that 
there  had  been  4,449  national  banks  organized  and  chartered  before  this  one. 

It  may  be  stated  that  in  1885  D.  E.  Hallett  and  H.  H.  Allison  came  to 
Sac  City  and  at  once  purchased  the  Commercial  Bank  of  J.  L.  Watson,  and 
changed  its  name  to  the  Citizens  Bank  and  operated  it  as  such  up  to  i8go, 
when  it  was  chartered  as  a  national  liank.  The  old  Watson,  or  Commercial 
Bank  was  established  in  1879  or  1880.  It  had  a  capital  of  $25,000.  No 
bank  in  this  section  of  Iowa  stands  higher  in  the  minds  of  good  business  men 
and  shrewd  financiers  than  does  this  First  National  Bank  of  Sac  City. 

The  Farmers  Sa\ings  Bank,  at  Sac  City,  was  organized  in  1906.  Its 
1914  officers  were:  F.  S.  Needham,  president:  L.  E.  Irwin,  vice-president; 
C.  E.  Harding,  cashier;  S.  W.  Shaw,  teller;  directors,  I-".  S.  Needham,  L.  E. 
Irwin.  C.  E.  Harding,  S.  M.  Elwood,  William  Block,  J.  T.  Dollison  and  J. 
H.  Grohe.  The  first  capital  was  $20,000:  present  capital,  $50,000:  surplus, 
$1,500;  undivided  profits,  $1,000.  The  bank  was  chartered  in  1906  with  the 
serial  number  of  521.  This  bank  has  had  a  phenomenal  growth  and  is  now 
accounted  one  of  the  excellent  financial  institutions  in  Sac  county.  Its 
managers  and  directors  are  conser\'ati\'e  business  men  throughout.  They 
study  to  please  and  want  to  be  sure  they  are  right  and  then  go  ahead.  This 
has  made  them  appreciated  by  all  who  transact  business  with  them.  Prac- 
tically speaking,  all  the  stockholders  of  this  banking  house  are  numbered 
among  the  thrifty  farmers  of  the  county. 

BANKING   .\T   ODEBOLT. 

At  Odebolt  there  was  for  a  number  of  years  what  was  known  as  the 
Farmers  National  Bank,  but  in  January,  1914,  it  was  merged  with  the  inter- 
ests of  the  First  National  Bank  of  that  city.  The  bank  referred  to  was  estab- 
lished in  1 90 1  with  a  capital  of  $50,000. 

The  First  National  Bank  at  Odebolt  was  established  as  a  state  bank  in 
May,  1886,  but  in  January,  1891,  was  changed  to  a  national  bank  by  W'.  W. 
Field,  W.  J.  Summerville,  B.  A.  Coy,  J.  K.  Ketterer,  S.  H.  Bowman,  W.  F. 
Bay  and  George  J.  Low.  It  commenced  on  a  capital  of  $25,000,  but  now  has 
a  capital  of  $140,000,  with  $56,000  surplus  and  undivided  profits.  A  new 
charter  was  granted  this  national  bank  in  January,  1911,  running  until  1931. 
A  good  bank  building  was  erected  by  the  bank  in  1895.  ^  h^  original  officers 
of  the   bank  were:      W.    W.   Field,  president:   B.   A.   Coy,    vice-president; 


I20  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

George  T.  Low,  cashier;  \V.  F.  Bay,  assistant  cashier.  The  officers  in  the 
month  of  February,  1914.  were:  Joseph  Mattes,  president;  Henry  Hanson, 
vice-president ;  \\'.  F.  Bay,  casiiier ;  A.  H.  Lunberg,  assistant  cashier.  The 
directors  are  W.  A.  Helsell.  J.  R.  Mattes,  R.  B.  Adams,  H.  Hanson,  J.  A. 
Cranston,  W.  F.  Bay,  Henry  Frevert,  Joseph  Mattes  and  B.  C.  Bowman.  On 
January  13,  1914.  this  bank  had  deposits  amounting  to  $583,452.72.  The 
resources  and  Habilities  amounted  at  that  date  to  $923,464.64.  Capital  and 
surphis  $168,000.  It  is  one  of  Sac  county's  most  solid  banking  houses,  where 
all  are  safe  and  secure. 

The  German  Savings  Bank  of  Odebolt  was  organized  in  1901,  succeed- 
ing the  loan  business  established  by  John  N.  Schmitz  in  1886.  In  1901  Mr. 
Schmitz  established  a  private  bank  and  in  September,  1905,  the  German  Sav- 
ings Bank  was  established  by  his  sons.  They  occupy  a  handsome  new  brick 
building,  thirty  by  forty-eight  feet  in  size.  It  is  a  pressed  brick  structure, 
trimmed  with  Bedford  stone,  built  at  a  cost  of  seven  thousand  dollars.  It 
has  modem  fixtures  throughout  and  carries  a  modern  safety  deposit  vault 
system,  containing  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  boxes.  The  capital  of  this 
bank  is  $50,000. 

The  Farmers  Savings  Bank,  at  Odebolt,  was  organized  in  January-,  1914, 
with  a  capital  of  $50,000.  The  founders  of  this  bank  were  W.  C.  Cathcart, 
W.  T.  Down,  A.  E.  Gunderson  and  Starr  G.  Wilson.  The  officers  are :  Starr 
G.  Wilson,  president;  W.  C.  Cathcart,  vice-president;  Edna  M.  Hanson, 
cashier. 

This  bank  was  incorporated  December  13,  1913,  and  formally  opened  its 
doors  for  banking  business  January  5,  1914.  It  is,  practically  speaking,  a 
farmer's  bank,  the  capital  almost  entireh'  ha\ing  been  taken  by  farmers  in  and 
around  Odebolt.  It  has  ninety-one  stockholders,  most  of  whom  are  good  sub- 
stantial farmers  living  near  the  town,  and  from  its  opening  day  the  growth 
of  the  business  has  been  rapid.  Its  future  seems  very  bright  and  gives  promise 
of  becoming  one  of  the  county's  strong  institutions. 

AT   NEMAHA. 

The  Nemaha  State  Bank  was  organized  at  Nemaha,  this  county,  in 
1903,  by  E.  N.  Baily,  D.  W.  Graff  and  C.  H.  Townsend,  with  a  capital  of 
$25,000,  the  same  as  it  carries  today.  Its  surplus  and  undivided  profits  is 
$2,500.  Its  present  (1914)  officers  are:  E.  N.  Bailey,  president;  Harter 
Marquess,  vice-president ;  C.  E.  Townsend,  cashier ;  C.  D.   Deppe,  assistant 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  121 

cashier.  This  institution  succeeded  the  old  Nemaha  Bank,  a  private  concern 
owned  and  operated  by  E.  N.  Baily  and  D.  W.  Graff.  A  bank  building  was 
erected  in  1907.  This  bank  is  doing  a  good  business  and  has  the  confidence 
of  all  the  surrounding  community  Ijecause  of  its  scjuare  dealing  and  correct 
business  methods. 

ULMER    BANK. 

The  Farmers  Savings  Bank  of  Ulmer  was  established  in  191 1  by  the  sur- 
rotmding  farming  community  taking  stock.  The  first  officers  were  :  William 
Heptonstall,  president:  Charles  O.  Hill,  vice-president;  C.  H.  Townsend, 
cashier.  The  same  are  still  officers,  except  the  vice-president,  who  is  now 
F.  A.  Meyer.  The  capital  stock  is  $10,000.  The  bank  owns  its  own  building. 
This  is  the  first  and  only  banking  institution  the  town  has  ever  had. 

THE   BANK.S  AT   EARLY. 

The  first  attempt  at  banking  in  the  town  of  Early  was  in  what  was  styled 
in  those  days  the  "Exchange,"  a  sort  of  banking  business  transacted  in  the 
general  merchandise  store  of  the  place,  but  it  did  Init  little  real  banking  busi- 
ness. The  first  bank  proper  in  the  town  was  the  Early  State  Bank,  organized 
about  1888,  by  S.  K.  Fuller,  X.  O.  Fuller,  A.  ]\Iason  and  a  few  other  citizens. 
Its  capital  was  $30,000.  Its  first  officers  were :  S.  K.  Fuller,  president :  A. 
Mason,  vice-president;  N.  O.  Fuller,  cashier.  It  was  conducted  in  the  two- 
•story  frame  building  in  which  the  Early  News  is  now  situated,  it  was  estab- 
lished as  a  private  concern,  but  was  soon  converted  into  a  state  bank,  and 
finally  merged  into  the  present  State  Bank  of  Early,  which  Ijank  was  organ- 
ized in  1900  by  Frank  S.  Needham,  Phil  Schaller,  S.  K.  Fuller  and  A.  Mason. 
Frank  Needham  has  been  president  from  the  beginning;  E.  C.  Fuller  was  vice- 
president  and  G.  S.  Needham,  cashier.  Its  present  (1914)  officers  are: 
Frank  Needham,  president ;  E.  C.  Fuller,  vice-president,  and  Walter  Little, 
cashier.  Its  first  capital  was  $30,000,  which  has  been  increased  to  $40,000, 
with  something  over  $3,000  surplus  and  undi\-ided  profits.  It  is  situated  in 
a  fine  brick  banking  house,  erected  about  1900.  Its  predecessor,  as  shown 
above,  was  the  old  Early  State  Bank. 

The  Early  Building  and  Loan  Association  was  established  after  a  sweep- 
ing fire  in  Early  in  1890,  and  worked  under  its  charter  twenty  years  and  was 
finally  sold  to  A.  Mason,  who  had  been  its  president  for  its  twenty  years  of 
chartered  life.  Town  loans  was  its  specialty.  Its  capital  was  $2,800,  but  was 
authorized  to  be  as  high  as  $5,000.     It  was  started  to  help  build  up  certain 


122  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

properties  destroyed  li\  tlie  coiiflagratidn  of  1S90.  These  building  institu- 
tions are  no  longer  as  popular  as  thev  once  were  in  this  section  of  hiwa. 

The  Citizens  State  Bank  at  Early  was  organized  January  i.  191 1,  with  a 
capital  of  $30,000  by  T.  A.  Barrett,  D.  D.  Carlton.  W.  F.  Vender,  Byrhl 
Carlton,  W.  P.  Hinms.  Will  l)rur\-.  jdlin  Keiff.  Jr.,  F.  L'.  Brockman  and 
others.     It  now  has  its  original  capital  stock  and  $2,000  in  surplus  and  profits. 

The  original  officers  were:  T.  A.  Barrett,  president;  D.  D.  Carlton,  vice- 
president;  A.  l'.  Vender,  cashier:  Byrhl  Carlton,  assistant  cashier.  The 
present  officers  are  the  same  as  at  first,  except  E.  Evans  is  now  assistant 
cashier.  The  cost  of  bank  building  and  fixtures  was  seven  thousand  dollars. 
This  institution  does  a  good,  safe  banking  Inisiness  and  the  people  generally 
have  the  utmost  confidence  in  the  management  of  its  business  transactions,  and 
the  men  at  the  head. 

BANKING  AT  SCHALI.ER. 

The  Schaller  Savings  Bank,  at  Schaller.  was  organized  in  iNgj.  Its 
present  officers  are :  F.  S.  Needham,  president :  Charles  W.'  Brinihall,  vice- 
president :  .\.  J.  Martin,  cashier:  C.  W.  Brinihall,  assistant  cashier.  The 
capital  of  this  bank  is  ,$25,000,  with  surplus  and  profits  of  $2,000.  In  1904 
a  hank  building  was  erected,  at  a  cost  of  six  thousand  dollars,  on  Second  street. 
During  the  past  year  this  institution  has  enjoyed  an  unusual  and  prosperous 
business  and  deposits  ha\'e  increased  ra])idly,  showing  the  confidence  with 
which  the  people  of  the  surrounding  country  have  in  the  institution  as  a  safe 
])lace  to  lea\c  their  earnings. 

The  State  Bank  of  Schaller  was  .started  as  a  private  bank  in  1887  and 
re-organized  in  1889  into  a  state  banking  in.stitution,  under  the  banking  laws 
of  the  state  of  Iowa.  This  bank  was  organized  by  V.  H.  Hahn,  E.  E.  Hughes, 
J.  T.  Edson,  W.  J.  Howard,  C.  O.  Porter,  J.  W.  McConkey,  Charles  A. 
Blossom,  A.  W.  Buckle,  W.  R.  Brooks,  H.  J.  Hahn,  G.  Chandler,  J.  H.  Den- 
man  and  A.  Porter.  Xo  liank  in  the  county  has  made  a  better  growth.  The 
first  officers  were;  F.  H.  Hahn,  president;  Charles  A.  Blossom,  \ice-presi- 
dent ;  A.  W.  Buckle,  cashier;  J.  T.  Edson,  assistant  cashier.  The  bank  was 
started  on  a  capital  of  $6,000,  and  has  been  increased  to  $40,000,  with  a  sur- 
plus and  undivided  profits  of  $10,000.  The  present  bank  building  was  erected 
in  1891  at  a  cost  of  $12,000;  it  stands  on  lots  Nos.  8  and  <).  in  block  4  of  the 
town  of  Sclialkr.  It  was  chartered  as  a  state  bank  November  22.  1899,  with 
the  serial  number  of  6,688.  Present  officers  are;  \\'.  J.  Howard,  president  ; 
J.  H.  Meier,  vice-president;  Samuel  Hahn.  cashier;  E.  W.  Schafer,  assistanl 
cashier;  M.  E.  Currie,  teller. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


BANKING   AT   LAKE   VIEW. 


123 


The  Lake  View  State  Bank  was  organized  as  the  Lake  \'iew  Bank  in 
1889  by  Lhil  Schaller  and  F.  S.  Xeedham  as  owners.  It  merged  into,  or  be- 
came, the  Lake  \'iew  State  Bank  in  1893,  its  stockholders  and  officers  being 
Phil  Schaller,  F.  S.  Xeedham,  J.  P.  Thcrkelsen,  A.  Armstrong  and  John 
Donahue,  and  sexeral  others.  It>  hrst  capital  stock  was  $.25,000,  the  same 
tliat  it  still  carries,  although  to  it  should  be  added  the  $2,000  in  surplus  and 
undi\-ided  iirofits.  The  original  officers  were:  Phil  Schaller,  president;  J. 
P.  Therkelsen,  vice-president:  V.  S.  Xeedham,  cashier:  J.  II.  .\fcCord,  assist- 
ant cashier. 

The  j)resent  (1914)  officers  are:  V.  S.  Xeedham,  president;  J  P, 
Therkelsen,  vice-president:  C.  P.  Therkelsen,  cashier;  E.  P.  Hartman,  assist- 
ant casliier.  The  bank  building  was  erected  in  1889  at  a  cost  of  two  thousand 
dollars.       The  date  of  this  bank's  charter  is  i8cj3  and  its  serial  number  is  180. 

BANKING    AT    WALL    LAKE. 

The  lieginning  of  l)anking  at  Wall  Lake,  this  county,  was  (jn  this  wise: 
What  is  now  the  Cierman  State  Bank,  which  was  incorporated  under  its  pres- 
ent name  in  pilv,  ii^io.  was  ]ireceded  b\'  a  small  banking  business  transacted 
by  A.  Herrig  in  1878  in  a  st(_>re,  in  connection  with  his  other  commercial  busi- 
ness, there  Ijeing  no  bank  in  Wall  Lake  u])  to  that  date.  In  1890  he  organ- 
ized a  pri\ate  bank,  and  kept  it  in  a  separate  l)uil(ling,  doing  business  under 
the  name  of  A.  Herrig,  Banker.  In  1893  the  concern  was  incorporated  into 
the  Wall  Lake  State  Bank.  In  1900  it  was  changed  back  to  a  pri\'ate  bank- 
ing house  again,  under  the  name  of  the  German  Bank.  A.  Herrig  died  in 
1910  and  the  bank  was  incorporated  in  July  of  that  year  by  C.  Al.  Herrig  and 
others.  Its  officers  were:  C.  AI.  Herrig.  president:  G.  A.  Alohr,  vice-presi- 
dent; ^^■il]iam  Claussen,  cashier.  The  present  (  1914)  officers  are  the  same 
as  last  mentioned.  The  capital  stock  is  $25,000.  w  ith  a  surplus  and  profits 
of  $2,500.  The  deposits  are  now.  in  rctund  figures,  $150,000.  The  present 
bank  building  was  erected  in  1885  as  a  store  building,  but  in  1893  changed  to 
suit  the  business  of  general  banking.  The  bank  was  chartered  in  1910  at 
Wall  Lake.  This  is  one  of  the  solid  institutions  of  the  southern  portion  of 
Sac  countw  and  all  the  people  have  confidence  in  its  management  and  officers, 
as  is  e\'idenced  by  its  large  amount  of  home  deposits. 

The  other  liank  at  Wall  Lake  is  the  Wall  Lake  Sa\  ings  Bank,  which 


124  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

sprung  into  existence  in  a  rather  unique  manner,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  follow- 
ing item  kept  among  the  private  Ixaoks  of  the  present  bank,  which  we  have 
been  kindly  allowed  to  use  in  the  make-up  of  this  chapter. 

About  August  I,  1882,  \elson  \Vright  and  R.  L.  Goodenow  formed  a 
copartnership  for  the  purpose  of  transacting  a  general  banking  business  at 
Wall  Lake,  Iowa.  These  men  agreed  to  in\-est  an  equal  amount  of  capital 
and  to  share  equally  in  the  gain  or  loss  as  the  sequel  might  prove.  An  invoice 
of  notes  and  bank  fixtures  was  taken  showing  that  Nelson  Wright  had  invested 
$1,700  and  R.  L.  Goodenow  $250,  which  he  had  on  deposit.  About  the  same 
time,  Mr.  Goodenow  went  to  Maquoketa,  Iowa,  and  there  borrowed  of  Mr. 
Hubbell  $2,000,  giving  a  note  for  the  amount,  signed  by  Xelson  Wright  and 
R.  L.  Goodenow,  dated  July  29,  1882,  and  due  three  months  from  date. 
The  proceeds  of  said  note  were  sent  by  express  and  was  received  at  Wall 
Lake,  August  i,  18S2.  The  amount  was  placed  to  the  stock  account  of  the 
members  of  the  firm,  each  being  credited  with  $1,000.  Mr.  \Vright's  share 
seems  to  be  included  in  his  investment  of  notes  and  cash.  Again  during  the 
month  of  August,  that  year,  Mr.  Goodenow  borrowed  of  Ed.  Wooly  $2,000, 
giving  a  note  signed  by  Mr.  Goodenow  and  Nelson  Wright,  and  this  amount 
was  placed  to  the  credit  of  the  stock  account,  each  being  credited  with  $1,000. 

On  September  13,  1882,  R.  L.  Goodenow  invested  $1,000  and  on  August 
20th  R.  L.  Goodenow  borrowed  $1,000  from  Mr.  Watson,  giving  his  note 
signed  by  himself  and  Nelson  Wright,  due  in  one  year,  and  this  was  placed  to 
the  stock  account.  Again  on  October  4th,  R.  L.  Goodenow  borrowed  from 
Watson  $450  for  one  year,  which  was  credited  to  R.  L.  Goodenow  as  stock, 
and  placed  to  his  credit  as  his  investment.  Three  years  later,  Goodenow 
bought  the  interests  of  Nelson  Wright  in  the  bank,  which  was  conducted  as 
a  private  concern,  with  R.  L.  Goodenow  as  its  owner,  until  1905,  when  it 
was  organized  into  a  state  savings  bank,  with  a  capital  of  $30,000.  The 
first  officers  of  this  bank  were:  R.  L.  Goodenow,  jiresident;  Charles  Goode- 
now, vice-president ;  George  Newb\ ,  cashier,  with  Alexander  Johnson  and 
L.  A.  Mueller  as  additional  stockholders.  The  present  ( 1914)  officers  are: 
Charles  Goodenow,  president;  M.  B.  Goodenow,  vice-president:  Charles  W. 
Shaw,  cashier.  The  first  and  present  capital  is  $30,000,  to  which  has  been 
added  $10,000  as  undi\'ided  prolits  and  surplus. 

The  present  bank  Ijuilding  was  erected  on  the  corner  of  Main  and  Second 
streets  in  19 13  at  a  cost  of  about  $8,000.  Formerly  it  was  kept  in  the  brick 
building  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street.  It  was  chartered  in  1905  and  its 
serial  number  is   12,205.     ^^'hen  one  contemplates  the  origin  of  this  bank. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  I25 

it  seems  almost  a  marvel  that  the  present  standing  of  the  concern  could  pos- 
sibly be  what  it  is.  The  stockholders  and  officers  have  just  reason  to  be 
proud  of  their  achie\ements.  The  people  certainly  have  had  confidence  in 
the  men  '"behind  the  guns"  in  this  enterprise. 

The  Auburn  Farmers  and  [Merchants  Bank,  at  Auburn,  was  established 
in  1903  and  has  a  capital  of  $25,000.  with  a  surplus  and  undivided  profits  of 
$21,250.  The  recent  deposits  amounted  to  $168,000.  The  officers  are:  J. 
Kessler,  president:  G.  M.  Parker,  vice-president:  W.  E.  Comstock,  cashier; 
G.  AI.  Parker,  assistant  cashier. 

The  Farmers  State  Bank,  of  Lytton.  was  established  in  1900,  and  has 
a  capita!  of  $25,000,  with  $4,000  surplus.  The  present  amount  of  deposits  is 
$175,000.  The  officers  in  1914  were:  Frank  Coy,  president:  F.  A.  Ayers, 
vice-president :  (].  B.  W'illhorte,  cashier. 


CHAPTER  XL 

EDUCATIONAL    INTERESTS. 
By  Ex-County  Superintendent  R.   Ellis. 

The  present  high  standing  of  the  puhHc  schools  in  Sac  county  grows  out 
of  the  fact  that  the  pioneers  were  from  American  neighborhoods  in  some  one 
of  the  Eastern  or  Middle  states  and  appreciated  education:  also  from  the 
untiring  energy  and  tact  on  the  part  of  a  great  majority  of  the  county  school 
superintendents,  who  lia\e  ever  sought  out  the  latest  and  most  approved 
methods  of  instruction.  It  may  u'jt  I'e  without  profit  and  interest  just  at 
this  point  to  insert  a  list  of  the  school  superintendents  of  Sac  county,  with  a 
few  notes  concerning  this  office.  Up  to  1858  the  schools  were  managed  by 
what  was  known  as  a  school  fund  commissioner,  and  then  came  the  "superin- 
tendent." who  was  elected  by  the  people  at  the  general  elections,  as  were  other 
county  officers,  but  this  was  changed  by  the  Legislature  of  1912-13  and  the 
superintendent  is  elected  by  the  several  school  boards  in  the  county.  This  is, 
of  course,  an  experiment  and  time  will  tell  as  to  the  wisdom  of  such  change 
in  the  manner  of  selecting  a  superintendent.  The  first  and  only  school  fund 
commissioner  was  \\'illiam  Todd,  elected  in  August,  1S56.  G.  F.  Browning 
was  the  first  to  hold  the  office  of  superintendent,  being  elected  in  1858.  Fol- 
lowing him  were:  William  Todd,  1861  ;  \^'illiam  Kromer.  appointed  by 
County  Judge  E.  Criss,  in  Jidy,  1861  :  William  Kromer,  elected  iSc-'", :  William 
Chapin,  elected  1865:  William  P.  Drewry,  elected  i8C)7:  R.  Ellis,  elected  1869 
and  1871  :  John  Dobson,  1873  and  1875:  James  Darling,  1877,  1879  and 
1881 ;  H.  L.  Martin,  1883:  Clarence  .Messer,  1887;  Clarence  Messer,  1889: 
C.  E.  Stallcop,  1891  and  1893:  J.  W.  Jackson,  1895;  C.  H.  Jump,  1899-01; 
H.  C.  Coe,  1903-05:  John  R.  Slacks,  elected  1908  and  still  superintendent. 

This  office  has  grown  to  be  one  of  much  importance  and  none  but  capable 
men  and  women  need  hereafter  apply  for  such  positions. 

Sac  county  was  settled  at  a  date  a  little  too  late  in  the  history  of  educa- 
tional adxantages  in  the  country  to  have  known  anything  by  experience  with 
the  subscription  school  system  that  had  pre\ailed  in  the  Eastern  states  up  to 
about  1835  or  1840. 

FIRST  SCHOOLS   OF  THE   COUNTY. 

As  stated  in  the  lieginning,  the  first  settlers  in  Sac  county  took  great 
interest  in  education,  most  of  them  being  by  birth  Americans.     Among  those 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  1 27 

coming  in  f'om  the  Eastern  and  ^.liddle  states  were  such  men  as  Joseph 
WilHams,  Peter  Easier  and  others  of  Sac  township :  Francis  Cory  and  Eugene 
Criss,  Asa  Piatt,  D.  Carr  Early,  William  Hobbs  and  N.  W.  Condron,  of 
Jackson  township :  M.  S.  Lee,  John  Alexander  and  William  Montgomery,  of 
Douglas  townshi]).  Up  to  1865  there  were  1)ut  five  schools  within  the  county, 
and  these  were  as  follows : 

The  first  school  taught  in  the  county  was  the  one  taught  in  the  winter 
of  1856-57  in  a  log  cabin  at  Ross's  Grove,  three  and  a  half  miles  south  of 
Sac  City.  This  building  was  erected  Ijy  Enoch  Ross  for  a  residence.  Isaac 
Corv  taught  this  pioneer  term  of  school  and  had  about  a  dozen  pupils.  The 
second  school  was  taught  in  a  log  cabin  built  by  Harvey  Slavin,  whose  wife 
was  teacher.  This  was  at  Cory's  Grove,  U\o  and  a  half  miles  south  of  Sac 
Citv,  and  it  was  taught  in  the  winter  of  1857-58.  The  third  school  in  the 
county  was  the  one  taught  at  a  log  shack  of  a  building  by  Seymour  Wagoner. 
The  fourth  school  was  taught  five  and  a  half  miles  north  of  Sac  City  by 
Henry  Hubbard,  about  i860,  in  a  log  school  house  erected  for  such  use.  The 
fifth  school  was  at  Grant  City  about  i860.  In  1865  these  schools,  except  the 
Ross  Grove  school,  were  all  running,  and  besides  these  there  was  one  at 
De  Camp's,  five  miles  southeast  of  Sac  City.  The  first  school  at  Sac  City  was 
kept  in  a  log  building,  but  by  1865  a  two-story  frame  was  built  for  school  pur- 
poses. This  stood  where  now  stands  Postmaster  Early's  residence,  in  the 
heart  of  the  city.  The  next  in  Sac  City  was  the  two-story  brick  building. 
w'ith  five  departments,  and  in  which  taught  the  writer.  R.  Ellis,  who  in  all 
taught  here  seven  terms. 

Among  those  who  were  teachers  and  others  deeply  concerned  in  school 
matters  mav  be  recalled  such  names  as  B.  W.  Trout,  William  Chapin.  Robert 
Browning  and  Le\i  Da\is.  A  teachers'  association  was  organized  and  meet- 
ings were  alternatel\-  held  at  Grant  City  and  Sac  City. 

In  i86t  there  were  polled  at  the  annual  election  aliout  ninety  votes  in  the 
entire  county.  I  was  elected  county  superintendent,  served  three  terms  and 
was  succeeded  by  John  Dobson,  who  took  great  interest  in  educational  mat- 
ters. After  the  close  of  the  Civil  War  this  county  settled  up  very  rapidly, 
settlers  being  attracted  by  the  extra  fertility  of  the  soil  and  the  most  excellent 
character  of  the  few  pioneers  who  had  already  settled  here  and  laid  well  the 
foundations  for  a  good  county  government.  It  was  about  this  time — 1867 
to  1870 — that  other  civil  townships  were  organized  and  school  districts  estab- 
lished in  each  of  them.  There  was  a  time  here  when  it  did  not  require  a  cer- 
tain number  of  pupils  in  order  to  organize  a  school  district  and  at  least  one 
was  organized  and  a  term  taught  with  onl}-  two  scholars  and  the  wife  and 


128 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


mother  was  the  teacher.  Today  we  ha\e  excellent  school  ad\antages  on  every 
hand  and  people  universally  take  pride  in  their  good  schools.  I  have  taught 
fifty  years  and  it  does  my  heart  good  to  think  that  my  successors  in  the  office 
of  superintendent  of  this  county  have  been  so  faithful  in  the  discharge  of 
their  duties,  and  among  such  I  want  to  mention  William  Chapin.  William 
Drewr\-  and  John  Dol)si)n. 


It  may  be  stated  in  this  connection  that  ex-County  Superintendent  R. 
Ellis  of  Grant  City,  who  furnished  us  with  the  abo\e,  was  himself  an  educator 
of  no  small  proportions  at  an  early  day  in  this  county.  He  was  superin- 
tendent of  this  county  three  terms,  and  taught  seven  terms  of  school  in  Sac 
City  and  many  in  his  own  town  of  Grant  City,  where  he  still  resides,  honored 
by  all.  He  now  numbers  among  his  old  pupils  man\-  of  the  old  gray-haired 
men  and  women  of  this  county,  and  in  many  instances  taught  the  children  of 
his  former  pupils  here.  He  was  no  less  a  success  as  a  teacher  than  as  a  county 
superintendent,  when  he  had  to  go  on  foot  and  on  horseback  to  visit  the  few 
schools  within  the  count}-  in  the  seventies.  His  methods  were  always  prac- 
tical and  his  discipline  firm,  yet  sensible  and  tender.  He  governed  by  reason 
and  only  in  extreme  cases  used  the  rod.  He  won  his  pupils  by  gaining  their 
good  will  and  confidence. 

THE  SCHOOLS  OF  THE  COUNTY  IN    1884. 

Tliirty  years  ago  the  public  schools  of  this  count}-,  as  shown  by  County 
Superintendent  Martin's  report  to  the  state  department,  were  in  the  following 
condition,  as  to  number,  buildings,  etc. : 

Township 
District.               Buildings.     Pupils. 
Boyer  \'alle}-    7  177 


Buildings. 


Cedar 9 

Clinton 9 

Cook 7 

Coon  Valley 7 

Delaware 7 

Douglas 7 

Eden    6 

Eureka 8 

Jackson   8 

I.evev 6 


218 
192 
210 

174 
124 

105 
105 
178 
162 


Township 
District. 

Richland    8 

Sac 7 

Viola 9 

Wall   Lake 9 

Wheeler 9 

Early 

Odebolt 

Sac  City 

Schaller 

Wall  Lake    (town)_ 


Pupils. 
211 
198 
226 

275 
236 
lor 
250 
328 

65 
150 


Total 127 


4.153 


HIGH   SCHOOL,  AUBURN 


OXE  REASON  FOR  SAC  COUNTYS  PROGRESS 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  1 29 

This  was  an  increase  of  twenty-seven  school  houses  and  nine  hundred 
and  seventy-eight  ]nipils  in  three  years.  In  the  winter  of  1884-85  there  were 
required  one  liundred  and  fort\--seven  teachers  to  teach  the  winter  schools  of 
this  county. 

In  1900  this  count}-  had  a  population  of  17,639.  There  were  three  deaf 
and  dunil)  children  and  two  of  feehle  minds.  The  schools  were  divided  into 
132  sub-districts,  in  which  there  were  131  ungraded  schools;  2,958  male  and 
2,890  female  pupils.  The  \alue  of  all  school  jiroperty  was  estimated  at 
$116,075:  apparatus,  $5,740:  x'olumes  in  school  libraries,  4,238:  number  of 
li\'ing,  thrifty  shade  trees  about  school  grounds,  2,342.  The  school  buildings 
ranked:   l'ift\-four  good,  eight)'  fair  and  seven  poor. 

Sac  City  became  an  independent  school  district  in  1876,  and  J.  N. 
Miller,  in  his  Sac  Siui,  some  years  later,  described  the  school  house  then  in 
use  as  follows:  "It  is  a  fine  brick  edifice,  with  a  stone  foundation,  built  in 
1871,  at  a  cost  of  fourteen  thousand  dollars.  It  contains  three  rooms,  the 
whole  upper  story  being  de\oted  to  the  high  school  department,  while  the 
intennediate  departments  and  the  primary  are  accommodated  on  the  first 
floor.  The  building  is  well  built  and  handsomely  furnished,  and  is  well  ven- 
tilated, comfortable  and  more  than  ordinarily  lighted.  The  schools  are  in  a 
good  condition,  well  disciplined  and  progressing  most  satisfactoril\-  in  the 
various  branches  of  study." 

Really,  the  climax  in  school  buildings  in  Sac  City  was  the  erection  of 
the  present  high  school  building  (so  called)  which  was  built  in  1903-04,  at  a 
cost  of  forty  thousand  dollars,  including  a  five-thousand-dollar  heating  plant. 
It  is  about  midway  from  the  business  center  of  the  city  to  the  Northwestern 
depot,  on  the  south  side  of  Main  street.  Its  campus  is  indeed  beautiful, 
while  all  the  general  surroundings  are  those  calculated  to  inspire  the 
youth  who  attend  this  school.  The  structure  is  thoroughly  modern  in  all 
particulars.  Its  appointments  meet  with  all  the  now  known  recjuirements  of 
sanitarv  and  student  life.  It  is  certainly  an  ornament  to  the  county  seat  town 
of  Sac  county. 

In  19 1 3  the  school  board  purchased  the  old  Institute  buildings,  treated 
elsewhere  in  this  chapter,  from  that  institution  and  have  converted  the  same 
into  a  school  building,  and  in  it  now  the  high  school  department  of  the  Sac 
City  public  schools  is  kept.  The  price  paid  for  this  property  was  six  thousand 
dollars.  It  was  much  the  cheapest  piece  of  school  property  ever  bought  in 
the  county. 
(8) 


130  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

EDUCATIONAL    INSTITUTIONS    OF    SAC    CITY. 

The  following  is  quoted  from  an  illustrated  Christmas  number  of  the; 
Sac  County  Bulletin,  published  in  191 1.  and  so  befittingly  covers  the  school 
system  at  the  county  seat  town  that  it  is  here  appended  to  other  educational 
matters  concerning  the  county  : 

"Sac  City  gives  ample  proof  of  keen  interest  in  her  educational  efforts, 
as  is  evidenced  by  the  substantial  public  school  and  college  buildings  found 
here  which  would  be  a  credit  to  a  town  twice  the  size  of  it.  A  very  compe- 
tent force  of  teachers  has  always  been  one  of  the  features  especially  aimed  at 
by  the  school  board,  and  the  product  of  the  high  school  is  ample  proof  of  the 
success  attained  along  this  line.  The  pupils  in  attendance  at  our  high  school 
and  college  are  drawn  from  a  large  extent  of  territory,  presumably  larger  on 
account  of  the  excellent  reputation  of  the  managing  boards  of  both  these 
institutions  and  the  just  pride  of  the  faculty  invariably  secured.  We  place 
the  educational  interest  in  the  first  rank  as  regards  importance  in  any  town, 
because  it  is  there  that  the  lawmakers  and  statesmen  are  made.  No  feature 
of  improvement  stamps  a  town  more  distinctly  than  the  school,  and  nothing 
else  in  the  town  makes  so  much  for  good  government  as  the  school.  Sac  City 
is  liberal  in  this  matter  in  a  highly  satisfactory  manner,  and  stands  ready  to 
give  the  rising  generation  all  the  aids  possible  for  the  achievements  of  scho- 
lastic success. 

"The  explanation  for  the  interest  taken  in  all  the  matters  relative  to 
education  in  Sac  City  is  not  far  to  seek.  The  population  of  the  town  and 
immediate  vicinity  is  largely  made  up  of  a  practical,  intelligent  class,  critical 
in  a  high  degree  when  it  conies  to  anything  along  the  line  of  oratory  or 
rhetoric,  and  pronounced  in  their  approval  of  whate\-er  conies  near  the  high 
standard  of  excellency  they  have  intuitively  established.  Every  form  of 
knowledge-producing  publications  are  to  be  found  in  the  hands  or  libraries 
of  our  people,  and  a  true  appreciation  of  everything  worthy  is  always  un- 
grudgingly given. 

"A  gentleman  of  high  standing  in  educational  circles,  a  lecturer  who 
appeared  on  our  chautauqua  platform  recently,  in  speaking  of  Sac  City,  said : 
'I  have  never  been  in  a  town  so  small  as  Sac  City  where  there  was  so  much 
evidence  of  higher  education  generally  distributed  among  the  people.'  This 
was  no  empty  flattery,  as  some  of  the  victims  of  Sac  City's  disapproval  can 
tell,  when  they  come  to  us  with  any  form  of  entertainment  that  fell  short  of 
what  was  expected." 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


131 


Sac  City  may  justly  l)oast  of  her  public  sch(M_ils.  No  sooner  had  the 
hardy  pioneer  settled  here  on  the  banks  of  the  Coon  river  than  he  took 
account  (after  first  building  a  house  in  which  to  live)  of  the  matter  of  caring 
for  his  children's  education.  The  culmination  is  seen  in  that  splendid  educa- 
tional monument — the  Sac  City  high  school  building.  It  is  built  upon  honor, 
by  competent  craftsmen ;  it  is  well  ecjuipped  with  the  latest  improved  ap- 
pliances and  apparatus.  It  really  ranks  well  up  in  the  scale  of  any  school  in 
the  state.  The  Sac  City  school  system  provides  for  one  year  of  training  in 
the  kindergarten,  a  four-}'ear  course  of  study  in  the  primary  department,  a 
four-year  course  in  the  grammar  department  and  an  elective  four  years  in 
the  high  school.     Music,  drawing  and  art  work  are  also  taught  here. 

In  191 1  the  total  enrollment  in  all  departments  was  about  six  hundred 
pupils.  Of  these  a  considerable  number  in  the  higher  grades  came  in  from 
outlying  districts  and  not  a  few  from  other  near-by  counties. 

In  1905  the  Sac  City  high  school  was  placed  on  the  list  of  fully  ac- 
credited high  schools  by  the  State  University  and  colleges  of  Iowa.  The 
following  year,  after  a  most  thorough  inspection,  it  was  fully  accredited  by 
the  North  Central  Association  of  Colleges,  being  accepted  for  thirty-two 
credits,  or  sixteen  units,  two  more  than  recjuired  for  unconditional  entrance 
into  any  college  or  university  of  the  fourteen  states  in  the  association.  Sac 
City  long  since  ranked  as  one  of  the  best  of  the  thirty  Iowa  schools  on  this 
association's  accredited  list. 

OTHER   SAC   COUNTY   SCHOOLS. 

At  Odebolt  an  independent  district  obtained  in  18S0:  the  first  school 
was  taught  by  Jacob  Gable.  A  neat  frame  building  was  erected  in  1880, 
costing  three  thousand  dollars. 

Away  back  in  the  eighties,  Wall  Lake  was  set  ofif  into  an  independent 
school  district.  In  the  summer  of  1879  a  neat  frame  building  was  erected 
at  a  cost  of  seven  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  It  was  twenty-two  by  thirty-six 
feet  in  size.  In  1880  it  was  too  crowded  to  do  good  school  work  and  rooms 
had  to  be  secured  in  outside  rooms,  the  Masonic  lodge  room  being  used  for 
one  grade. 

In  all  other  towns  in  this  county,  as  soon  as  they  had  been  platted  and  a 
few  families  settled  there,  school  houses  went  up  and  competent  instructors 
were  at  once  secured. 

What  was  styled  the  County  Teachers'  Association  existed  many  years 


132  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

in  Sac  county  and  frequent  meetings  were  held  at  the  various  towns.  Sac 
City,  Grant  City.  Wall  Lake  and  Odebolt.  Much  good  was  derived  from 
these  teachers"  gatherings.  It  appears  from  a  record  book  that  this  associa- 
tion was  established  in  the  early  eighties  and  continued  many  years  until  our 
present  institute  was  created.  This  journal  gives  the  teachers  enrolled  in  the 
book  at  the  meeting  at  Odebolt,  October  20,  1892,  as  follows:  F.  F.  Strong, 
E.  D.  A.  Strong,  Myra  Hovenden,  Ella,  Rothwell,  Lizzie  Piatt,  C.  H.  Jump, 
Mrs.  C.  H.  Jump.  Edgar  Corr}-,  Ralph  Parker,  Jessie  Townsend,  C.  E. 
Stallcop,  Ethel  B.  Harden,  Ella  Down,  Mabel  Brinck,  Mabel  Allen,  Benjamin 
G.  Hess,  Mrs.  C.  B.  Bailey,  Julia  Ga\in.  .Agnes  Gavin,  Anna  Hempen,  Mabel 
Spafford,  Emma  Menges,  Jim  Smellhurst,  John  C.  Stevens,  H.  AL  Hayes,  T. 
W.  Down,  A.  L.  Hunt,  Emma  D.  Petersmyer,  J.  H.  Orcutt,  Maggie  Dunn. 
Katie  Molloy,  Hannah  .\upperle. 

SCHOOL   HOUSES,  ETC. 

School  houses  are  dotted  here  and  there  over  every  township  in  the 
county,  usually  eight  or  nine  to  the  township.  They  are.  for  the  most  part, 
good  frame  structures  in  the  country  and  of  brick  in  the  larger  towns  within 
the  county. 

A  few  years  ago  it  was  learned  that  Hon.  George  \\'.  Schee,  an  early 
homesteader,  who  came  to  O'Brien  county  right  after  the  Ci\il  War  a  poor 
man.  but  who,  by  his  shrewdness  in  tlealing  in  lands,  became  a  \ery  wealthy 
man,  and  a  philanthropist  as  well,  had  been  donating  L'nited  States  flags  to 
many  of  the  northwestern  Iowa  cuunties  to  have  them  placed  on  the  school 
buildings.  When  this  was  known,  efforts  were  made  to  secure  such  for  the 
one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  school  buildings  in  this  county.  Mr.  Schee 
made  a  trip  in  his  automobile  from  I'rimghar,  his  home,  to  Sac  City,  and  the 
result  was  his  donation  of  not  only  Hags,  but  poles  and  cords  for  each  three- 
and-a-half  b}'  seven-foot  flags,  with  the  promise  when  these  "Old  Glories'" 
had  worn  out  that  he  would  direct  that  they  be  replaced  free  of  cost.  All  he 
required  was  that  the  school  l)oards  in  this  county  should  hire  a  competent 
person  to  attach  the  flag  poles  to  the  school  houses,  which  was  cheerfully 
granted.  Mr.  Schee  was  an  old  soldier  and  a  lover  of  the  emblem  of  his 
country  for  which  he  had  fought  and  takes  great  delight  in  inspiring  in  the 
breasts  of  the  rising  young  a  true  lo\e  and  patriotic  spirit  for  the  countr\-  in 
which  the_\-  li\e.  It  is  stated  that  this  worthy  man  has  donated  flags  to  the 
schools  in  t\\cnt\'-two  counties  in  north\\'estern  Iowa.     Tust  think  of  the  cost 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  1 33 

and  think  of  the  inind  of  a  man  who  is  thus  generously  disposed.     Let  his 
flags  be  a  monument  unto  him  for  all  time! 

THE  DELAWARE  TOWNSHIP  UNION  SCHOOI,. 
By  .].  K.  Slacks.  County  Superintendent    of  Schools. 

At  Nemaha,  in  the  center  of  Delaware  township,  is  located  the  only 
union  township  school  in  Sac  county.  The  steps  leading  up  to  the  establish- 
ment of  this  school  discloses  a  rather  stormy  history. 

In  the  winter  of  1 909-1910  a  petition  was  presented  to  the  school  board 
of  Delaware  township  asking  that  an  election  be  held  fi>r  the  purpose  of  vot- 
ing on  the  question  of  consolidating  the  schools  of  the  township.  The  plan 
included  five  subdistricts  of  the  township,  leaving  out  the  four  corner  dis- 
tricts. Meetings  were  held  and  the  ((uestion  discussed  pro  and  con.  When 
the  votes  were  counted  it  was  found  that  the  proposition  had  failed  to  carry. 
Nothing  daunted,  the  promnters  of  the  plan  of  consolidation  began  quietly 
to  talk  and  work  for  another  election,  this  time  to  include  the  whole  township 
in  a  consolidated  independent  district.  The  election  was  held  in  January, 
1910,  and  this  time  the  proposition  carried  by  a  vote  of  eighty  to  seventy-six. 
Those  favoring  consolidation  were  well  pleased  with  the  result  and  thought 
the  battle  was  over ;  that  there  was  nothing  more  to  be  done  but  wait  until 
the  school  was  provided  b_\'  the  board.  As  a  result  of  this  feeling  they  failed 
to  go  to  the  election  when  the  new  board  was  elected  and  the  opponents  of  the 
plan  elected  a  board  that  was  opposed  to  constjlidation  to  a  man.  This  board 
refused  to  make  any  change  in  the  schools,  and  for  a  year  things  drifted 
along  with  no  change  or  attemiH  to  provide  a  school  house.  Under  the  law 
then  in  force,  the  board  could  not  be  compelled  to  make  a  change  even  after 
the  people  had  voted  for  consolidation.  The  thirty-fourth  General  Assem- 
bly, however,  passed  a  law  that  provided  that  in  cases  where  the  people  had 
voted  to  consolidate,  the  board  was  obliged  to  go  aheatl  and  carry  out  the 
wishes  of  the  voters.  Even  then  the  Delaware  board  refused  to  act  until  a 
petition  for  a  writ  of  mandamus  was  filed  in  the  district  court.  This  moved 
them  to  act,  and  an  election  was  called  giving  the  people  an  opportunity  to 
vote  on  the  question  of  issuing  lx)nds  in  the  amount  of  some  seventeen  thou- 
sand five  hundred  dollars  for  the  purpose  of  building"  a  central  school  house. 
The  proposition  failed  to  carry. 

A  petition  was  then  presented  to  the  board  asking  for  an  election  to  vote 
on  the  question  of  changing  back  to  the  township  corporation  plan.     This 


134  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

proposition  carried  and  the  change  was  made  in  due  time.  Thus  the  town- 
ship was  back  exactly  where  it  had  been  at  the  beginning  of  the  school  agita- 
tion. 

During  the  winter  of  1912-1913  a  petition  was  presented  to  the  board 
asking  that  the  people  be  allowed  to  vote  on  the  question  of  issuing  bonds  in 
the  amount  of  ten  thousand  dollars  for  the  purpose  of  building  a  union  town- 
ship high  school.  The  election  was  held  and  the  proposition  carried.  John 
C.  Woodward,  of  Council  Bluffs,  was  engaged  by  the  board  as  architect,  and 
the  contract  for  the  building  was  let  to  C.  E.  Axelson.  of  Harcourt,  Iowa. 
The  building  was  completed  and  dedicated  on  February  11,  1914.  The  schools 
of  the  township  were  dismissed  for  the  day  and  all  came  together  at  the 
building  to  spend  the  day.  Programs  were  held  both  in  the  forenoon  and  the 
afternoon,  with  a  sumptuous  dinner  at  noon.  It  was  voted  to  make  the  day 
an  annual  affair. 

The  building  is  two  stories,  with  high  basement,  and  is  built  of  brick. 
There  are  four  recitation  rooms  and  a  principal's  office  or  library,  with  cloak 
rooms  for  all.  In  the  basement  are  two  excellent  rooms  which  can  be  used 
for  school  purposes  if  desired.  The  building  is  heated  with  steam  through- 
out. The  furniture  is  of  the  best,  the  seats  and  desks  being  adjustable  to  the 
height  of  the  pupil. 

The  board  of  directors  that  has  had  charge  of  the  erection  of  this  mod- 
ern building  is  composed  of  the  following  men :  T.  R.  Puterbaugh,  presi- 
dent; A.  B.  Domino,  secretary;  C.  H.  Townsend,  treasurer;  T.  H.  Carnine, 
T.  A.  \Vhitmore.  William  Hadley,  Charles  Hicks,  James  Mooney,  Harter 
Marquess,  H.  A.  Stephan  and  I.  W.  Scothorn.  the  teachers  who  had  the 
honor  of  teaching  the  first  day  in  the  new  building  are  as  follows :  Princiiial. 
John  E.  Hays  ;  primary,  Ella  Toohe}- ;  intermediate,  Zaidee  McQuirk. 

CONDITION   OF  SCHOOLS  IN    I913. 

As  shnwn  by  the  c(junt\-  superintendent's  report  to  the  state  department 
of  education,  the  following  are  the  school  statistics  for  Sac  county  for  the 
school  )-ear  ending  Septemljer,   1913: 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


135 


TOWN    AND    CITY    SCHOOLS. 


Name.                                   Rooms.  Enrolled.  Houses.  Valuation. 

Auburn 4  123  i  $  4,000 

Early 6  143  i  4,500 

Grant  City 2  45  i  1,000 

Lake  View 6  136  i  6,500 

Lytton 3  65  I  2,400 

Odebolt 13  2,T2  i  35,000 

Sac  City 14  617  2  60,000 

Schaller 6  182  i  20,000 

Wall  Lake 6  168  i  10,000 

SCHOOL  TOWNSHIPS. 

Boyer  Valley 8  129  8  8,000 

Cedar 9  131  9  1,730 

Clinton 9  103  9  4,800 

Cook 9  152  9  4.500 

Coon  \"alley 9  170  9  1,800 

Delaware 9  154  9  3,000 

Douglas 6  112  6  1,200 

Eden 9  106  9  3.900 

Eureka    8  98  7  1,900 

Jackson 8  162  8  3,900 

Levey    8  143  8  8,400 

Richland 8  85  7  5,800 

Sac    '- 7  130  7  2,250 

Viola 8  160  8  5.300 

Wall  Lake 8  174  8  2,500 

Wheeler 9  109  8  3,200 

Total    132  2,118  126  $62,180 

Total  value  of  apparatus  in  county,  $5,376:  volumes  in  libraries,  10,770. 
Total  of  school  age  in  county,  2,767;  male,  1,465;  females,  1,302;  total  en- 
rolled, both  sex,  2,118.     Wages  for  males  in  country,  from  $35  to  $50;  fe- 


136  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

males,  $34  to  $49.     Male  teachers  in  town  and  city  received  $90  to  $135 ;  fe- 
males, $48  to  $60  per  month. 

GRADE   SCHOOLS. 

Male  Female  Male  Female 

Location.                   Pupils.  Pupils.  Graduates.  Graduates. 

Auburn 10  20  I  4 

Early 20  25  4  2 

Lake  View 21  13  2  2 

Lytton 8  3 

Odebolt 48  52  2  9 

Sac  City 51  60  12  10 

Schaller 23  31  "    i  i 

^^'all   Lake 20  23  i  3 

Totals 201  227  23  27 

THE    SAC    CITY    IN.STITUTE. 

This  splendid  educational  institution  was  in  existence  up  to  within  a  year 
or  two.  Its  general  history  may  be  summed  up  as  follows :  It  was  established 
through  the  co-operation  of  the  progressive  element  of  Sac  City.  These  men 
and  women  saw  the  need  of  such  a  school  and  went  forward  to  perform  their 
known  duty  to  the  rising  young  about  them.  This  start  was  made  in  1892, 
and  the  school  was  first  styled  the  Oak  Park  \ormal  College.  Following  this 
step,  the  board  was  reorganized,  and  in  1894  it  was  known  as  the  Sac  City 
Institute.  Among  the  leading  spirits  in  this  laudable  educational  enterprise 
may  be  recalled  the  names  of  A.  B.  Mason.  Dr.  Caleb  Brown,  D.  Carr  Early, 
Phil  Schaller,  Asa  Piatt,  E.  N.  Baily,  D.  E.  Hallett,  Judge  Eugene  Criss 
("Father  of  the  City"),  Judge  Elwood,  W.  Jackson  and  W.  H.  Hart.  Many 
of  these  gentlemen  are  now  deceased,  but  during  their  lifetime  they  gave  time, 
money  and  personal  attention  to  this  institution.  During  the  almost  a  score 
of  years  the  institute  had  but  three  principals.  Prof.  H.  C.  Nash  served  four 
years,  and  was  succeeded  by  Prof.  Walter  Guthridge,  and  he  in  turn  by  Prof. 
G.  W.  Lee,  who  was  at  the  helm  for  mure  than  a  dozen  years.  These  men 
were  thorough  educators  and  the  school  prospered  to  a  good  degree. 

Soon  after  the  founding  of  this  school  the  Baptist  denomination  accepted 
the  offer  of  the  stockholders  to  turn  the  institution  over  to  them,  providing 
they  would  keep  it  up.  The  Baptists  all  over  Iowa  were,  for  a  time,  enthusias- 
tic over  the  new  school  and  much  constructive  work  was  done  toward  uplift- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


'0/ 


ing  the  institution.  Liljraries.  scientific  apparatus,  etc.,  were  from  time  to  time 
added.  In  191 1  the  faculty  inchided  such  men  and  women  as  Prof.  G.  W. 
Lee,  A.  B.,  who,  besides  teaching,  traveled  about  raising  funds  for  the  school 
and  was  successful.  Prof.  S.  P.  Fogdall,  Ph.  B.,  instructor  in  Latin  and  his- 
tory, came  from  the  Iowa  Teachers'  College,  of  Cedar  Falls,  and  Des  Moines 
College.  Miss  Lela  Alontgomery,  Ph.  B.,  instructor  in  English  and  German, 
was  an  accomplished  educator  from  Ohio.  Miss  Mary  .\nderson,  instructor 
in  mathematics,  was  a  later  teacher,  and  was  from  the  well-known  Tarkio 
(Missouri)  College.  The  commercial  department  was  in  charge  of  Prof.  M. 
M.  Merriman,  M.  Acct.  He  was  educated  at  the  Pennsylvania  Normal  and  at 
Valparaiso,  Indiana. 

The  work  of  the  institute  was  divided  into  departments  as  follows :  The 
academic  department  fitted  students  for  the  higher  studies  and  for  the  pro- 
fessional lines.  This  was  one  of  about  eight  thousand  like  schools  in  this 
country,  and  was  indeed  popular  in  its  day.  The  normal  department  trained 
teachers  and  prospecti\-e  teachers  so  they  might  he  amply  qualified  to  perform 
better  work  in  the  schools  of  our  land.  The  commercial  department  was  added 
later  and  was  one  of  great  value  to  the  surrounding  counties  and  to  Sac  City 
especially.  Here  the  Goodyear-Marshall  system  of  bookkeeping  was  used  and 
taught  with  much  practical  efficiency.  Here  the  young  men  and  women  were 
taught  up-to-date  commercial  knowledge,  thus  fitting  them  for  a  life  of  useful- 
ness and  profit  to  themselves.  Stenography  and  typewriting  were  also  an  im- 
portant department.  The  piano  or  touch  system  of  operating  typewriting  ma- 
chines was  used.  The  music  department  was  another  great  feature  of  the  in- 
stitute in  its  palmy  days.  Among  those  connected  as  instructors  in  this  de- 
partment were  Mrs.  F.  G.  Cook  and  Miss  Edna  V.- Wachtler.  The  art  de- 
partment was  complete  in  every  detail — free-hand  drawing,  pen  and  ink,  char- 
coal, water  colors,  .still  life  and  life  oil  painting  work  were  all  successfully 
taught  here.  Miss  May  Alice  Smith  was  the  chief  instructor  along  these  lines 
and  won  many  compliments  for  the  work  of  advancing  art. 

On  account  of  a  universal  change  in  the  educational  system  of  the  coun- 
try at  large,  and  the  demand  for  higher  grades  for  the  high  schools  of  Iowa ; 
the  better  facilities  ottered  by  the  state  institutions,  such  as  the  Nonnal  School 
at  Cedar  Falls,  the  Ames  Agricultural  College,  the  State  University,  Grinnell 
and  a  score  more  high  class  schools  and  colleges,  with  the  tendency  (really  a 
fad)  to  go  abroad  to  attend  school,  the  Sac  City  Institute  declined  in  attend- 
ance and  closed  its  doors  in  1912.  A  portion  of  the  building  and  property 
were  sold  in  1912  to  the  school  district  of  Sac  City  and  are  now  used  for  high 
school  purposes. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


MILITARY   HISTORY   OF   THE   COUNTY. 


While  it  should  be  remembered  in  reading  this  chapter  that  Sac  county 
was  unsettled  to  any  great  extent  at  the  opening  years  of  the  Civil  War  period, 
and  long  after  all  the  other  great  conflicts  of  this  country  had  been  fought, 
hence  had  no  part  in  such  wars  as  tiie  War  of  1812  and  the  Mexican  War,  yet 
it  was  not  without  loyalty  to  the  flag  of  the  country.  When  her  people  had  an 
opportunity  to  speak  and  act  in  defense  of  the  starry  banner  during  the  Civil 
War  a  goodly  number  responded  to  the  call  of  President  Lincoln,  as  well  as  to 
the  call  of  President  William  McKinley  during  the  Spanish-American  struggle 
in  1898.  But  it  is  not  without  profit  to  the  reader  of  local  annals  to  be  posted 
also  as  to  the  issues  and  final  call  to  arms  in  struggles  which  have  gone  down 
into  history,  e\'en  though  but  few  of  the  brave  sons  of  the  few  men  who 
resided  on  Sac  county  soil  were  permitted  to  engage  in  these  wars  fought  for 
the  upbuilding  of  the  state  and  nation's  honor  and  integrity. 

Of  the  Civil  War  of  the  sixties  it  should  be  stated  that  the  institution  of 
slavery  had  long  been  a  source  of  trouble  lietween  the  free  and  and  slave-hold- 
ing states.  The  latter  were  always  troubled  with  the  th(jught  that  the  former 
would  encroach  upon  their  rights,  and  nothmg  could  be  done  to  shake  this 
belief.  Compromise  measures  were  adopted  from  time  to  time.  Threats  of 
secession  were  frequently  made  by  the  slave-holding  states,  liut  as  some  meas- 
ures of  a  conciliatory  character  were  passed,  no  attenijils  were  made  to  carry 
out  their  threats.  Finally  came  the  repeal  of  the  Missouri  Compromise  and 
the  adoption  of  a  measure  styled  the  Kansas-Nebraska  bill.  This  bill  in  Con- 
gress opened  up  territory  north  of  thirty-six  degrees  and  thirty  minutes  latitude 
to  sla\'er_\'.  which,  under  the  Compromise  of  1820,  was  forever  to  be  free. 
About  the  time  of  the  passage  of  this  act,  the  Whig  jjolitical  part}'  was  in  a 
state  of  dissolution  and  the  great  body  of  that  jjarty  were  ojjposed  to  the  pas- 
sage of  the  bill.  These,  with  a  few  Democrats,  joined  together  and  formed  the 
Republican  party  early  in  the  fifties.  It  had  for  its  object  the  prevention  of  the 
extension  of  slavery  into  other  territory.  The  ]3eople  of  the  South  believed,  or 
rather  imagined,  they  saw  in  this  new  party  not  only  an  organized  efTort  to 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  I39 

prevent  the  extension  of  slavery,  Jjut  one  that  would  eventually  be  used  to 
destroy  slavery  in  those  states  in  which  it  already  existed. 

In  i860  four  presidential  tickets  were  in  the  field.  Abraham  Lincoln  was 
the  candidate  of  the  Republicans,  Stephen  A.  Douglas  of  the  National  Demo- 
crats, John  C.  Breckenridge  of  the  Pro-Slavery  interests,  and  John  Bell  of  the 
Constitutional-Union  party.  The  latter  party  was  chiefly  made  up  from  the 
old  American  or  Know-Nothing  party.  Early  in  the  campaign  there  were 
threats  of  secession  and  disunion  in  case  Lincoln  was  elected  President.  But 
the  people  were  so  accustomed  to  threats  from  the  South  that  little  heed  was 
paid  to  it. 

On  December  20,  i860.  South  Carolina,  by  a  convention  of  delegates,  de- 
clared "That  the  Union  now  existing  between  South  Carolina  and  the  other 
states  of  the  American  Federation  is  dissolved,  and  that  the  state  of  South 
Carolina  has  resumed  her  position  among  the  nations  of  the  earth  as  a  free  and 
sovereign  and  independent  state,  with  full  power  to  levy  war  and  conclude 
peace,  contract  alliances,  establish  commerce,  and  do  all  things  which  inde- 
pendent states  may  of  right  do." 

On  the  24th  Governor  Pickens  issued  a  proclamation  declaring  that 
"South  Carolina  is,  and  has  the  right  to  be,  free  and  independent  as  a  state, 
and  as  such  has  right  to  lev^-  war.  conclude  peace,  and  do  all  acts  whatsoever 
that  rightfully  appertain  to  a  free  and  independent  state." 

On  the  26th  Major  Anderson  evacuated  Fort  Moultrie  and  occupied  Fort 
Sumter  in  Charleston  harbor.  Two  days  previously  he  wrote  President  Bu- 
chanan's secretary  of  war,  John  B.  Floyd,  as  follows:  "When  T  inform  you 
that  m\-  garrison  consists  of  only  sixty  effective  men.  and  that  we  are  in  very 
indifferent  works,  the  walls  of  which  are  only  fourteen  feet  high:  and  that  we 
have,  within  one  hundred  and  sixty  yards  of  our  fort,  sand  hills  which  com- 
mand oiu'  works  and  which  aft'ord  admiral)le  sites  for  batteries  and  the  finest 
coverts  for  sharpshooters:  and  that  besides  this  there  are  numerous  houses, 
some  of  which  are  in  pistol  range,  and  you  will  at  once  see  that  if  attacked  in 
force,  headed  bv  anyone  but  a  simpleton,  there  is  scarcely  a  possibility  of  our 
being  able  to  hold  out  long  enough  for  our  friends  to  come  to  our  succor." 

His  appeals  for  reinforcements  were  seconded  Ijy  Gen.  W'infield  Scott, 
but  unheeded  by  President  Buchanan,  and  entirely  ignored  b}-  Secretary  of 
\\'ar  John  B.  Floyd. 

On  the  28th  South  Carolina  troops  occupied  F'ort  Moultrie  and  Castle 
Pinckne\-.  and  hoisted  the  Palmetto  flag  on  the  ramparts.  On  the  29th  John 
B.  Floyd  resigned  his  place  in  the  cabinet,  charging  that  the  President,  in  re- 


140  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

fusing  to  remove  Major  Anderson  from  Charleston  harbor,  designed  to  plunge 
the  country  into  civil  war.  and  added :  "I  cannot  consent  to  be  the  agent  of 
such  a  calamity." 

On  that  same  day  the  South  Carolina  commissioners  presented  their  offi- 
cial credentials  at  W'asliington.  which  on  the  next  da\-  were  declined.  Georgia 
declared  secession  January  2.  1861.  and  took  possession  of  the  United  States 
arsenal  in  Augusta  and  Forts  Pulaski  and  Jackson.  The  Southern  states,  one 
by  one,  kept  "going  out  of  the  Union,"  as  secession  was  termed.  On  Febru- 
ary 1st  the  rebels  seized  the  United  States  mint  at  Xew  Orleans.  February 
9th.  that  year,  a  provisional  constitution  was  adopted  at  Montgomery,  Ala- 
bama, it  being  the  constitution  of  the  United  States  "reconstructed"  to  suit 
their  purpose.  Jefferson  Davis,  of  Mississippi,  was  chosen  president,  and 
Alexander  H.  Stevens,  of  Georgia,  vice-president  of  the  "Confederate  States 
of  North  America."  Jeff  Davis  was  inaugurated  February  18,  1861.  and 
President  Lincoln  on  March  4th.  April  12,  1861,  the  surrender  of  Fort  Sum- 
ter was  demanded  of  Major  Anderson,  but  he  stoutly  protested.  Fire  was  at 
once  commenced  upon  the  little  garrison  of  about  sixty  men  by  thousands  of 
guns  in  the  hands  of  the  rebel  troo])s.  Sunday  morning.  April  14th.  the  news 
flashed  everywhere  over  the  country  that  Fort  Sumter  had  been  surrendered 
by  the  brave  commander.    Thus  commenced  the  long-drawn-out  Civil  war. 

"Slow  to  resolve,  be  swift  to  Do! 

Teach  ye  the  False,  how  fights  the  True!" 

On  Monday,  April  15th,  President  Lincoln  issued  this  famous  procla- 
mation to  the  people  of  the  country : 

"JVhercas,  The  laws  of  the  United  States  have  for  some  time  past,  and 
are  now  opposed  and  the  execution  thereof  obstructed,  in  the  states  of  South 
Carolina,  Alabama.  Florida,  Alississippi,  Louisiana  and  Texas,  by  combina- 
tions too  powerful  to  be  suppressed  by  the  ordinary  course  of  judicial  pro- 
ceedings, or  by  the  powers  vested  in  the  marshals;  now  therefore,  I.  Abraham 
Lincoln,  President  of  the  United  .States,  by  \irtue  of  the  power  in  me  \ested 
by  the  Constitution  and  the  laws,  have  thought  to  call  forth  the  militia  of  the 
several  states  of  the  L^nion  to  the  number  of  seventy-five  thousand,  in  order 
to  suppress  said  combinations  and  to  cause  the  laws  to  be  duly  executed. 

"The  details  for  this  subject  will  be  immetliately  comnuinicated  to  the 
State  authorities  through  the  war  department.  I  appeal  to  all  loyal  citizens 
to  favor,  facilitate,  and  to  aid  this  effort  to  maintain  the  honor,  the  integrity 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  I4I 

and  the  existence  of  our  National  Union  and  the  perpetuity  of  popular 
government,  and  to  redress  wrongs  long  endured.  I  deem  it  proper  to  say 
that  the  first  services  assigned  to  the  forces  hereby  called  forth  will  probably 
be  to  re-possess  the  forts,  places  and  property  which  have  been  seized  from 
the  Union ;  and  in  every  event  the  utmost  care  will  be  observed,  consistently 
with  the  object  aforesaid,  to  avoid  any  devastation,  any  destruction  of  or 
interference  with  property,  or  any  disturbance  of  peaceful  citizens  in  any 
part  of  the  country ;  and  I  hereby  command  the  persons  composing  the  com- 
binations aforesaid  to  disperse  and  retire  peaceablv  to  their  respective  abodes, 
within  twenty  days  from  this  date. 

"Deeming  the  present  condition  of  public  affairs  presents  an  extra- 
ordinary occasion.  I  do  hereby,  by  \irtue  of  the  power  in  me  vested  by  the 
Constitution,  convene  both  Houses  of  Congress.  The  senators  and  repre-' 
sentatives  are,  therefore,  summoned  to  assemble  at  their  respecti\e  chambers 
at  twehe  o'clock  noon,  on  Thursday  the  fourth  day  of  July  next,'  then  and 
there  to  consider  and  determine  such  measures  as  in  their  wisdom  the  pub- 
lic safety  and  interest  max-  seem  to  demand. 

"In  witness  thereof.  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  caused  the  seal 
of  the  United  States  to  be  affixed. 

"Done  at  the  city  of  Washington,  the  tifteenth  day  of  April,  in  the  year 
of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty-one.  and  of  the  inde- 
])endence  of  the  United  States  the  eighty-fifth. 
"By  the  President. 

"Abraham  Lincoln. 

'A\'.  H.  Seward.  Secretary  of  State." 

Se\'enty-fi\"e  thousand  men  were  not  enough  to  crush  the  South — no  nor 
did  ten  times  that  number  suffice,  but  the  work  of  raising  men  under  the 
numerous  calls — 75.000.  200.000.  300,000,  500,000  and  other  calls — was 
pushed  forward  in  order  to  raise  a  sufficient  force  to  put  down  the  Rebellion. 
Iowa  furnished  more  than  seventy  thousand  men,  from  tirst  to  last,  in  the 
civil  conflict. 

Coming  now  to  the  history  made  in  that  war  by  the  people  of  Sac  county, 
it  should  be  stated  that  when  Fort  Sumter  was  fired  upon  in  April.  1861,  the 
population  in  this  county  was  only  two  hundred  and  forty-six  persons.  At 
the  end  of  the  war  it  had  only  reached  a  few  more  than  three  hundred,  hence 
it  could  not  be  expected  that  many  soldiers  could  be  mustered  from  Sac  county 
in  defense  of  the  flag  of  the  L^nion. 


£42  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


During  the  civil  conflict  Sac  county  did  all  in  her  power  to  furnish 
volunteers  and  care  for  soldiers'  families  while  such  men  were  fighting  at 
the  front  in  the  Southland.  The  minutes  of  the  board  of  county  super- 
visors in  1863  notes  this:  "Ordered,  that  Sarah  E.  Cory  be  allowed  the  sum 
of  fourteen  dollars  out  of  the  volunteers  fund." 

Another  order  in  December  of  the  same  year  reads:  "Ordered  that 
the  board  offer  seventy-five  dollars  each  to  any  four  men  who  shall  volunteer 
in  the  United  States  service,  by  January  5,  ]864."' 

Other  such  entries  include  the  following:  That  "Thirteen  dollars  be 
allowed  from  the  volunteer's  fund  of  Sac  county  to  the  wife  of  William  Allen, 
a  soldier's  wife,  who  has  four  children  to  care  for.'.'  This  was  protested  by 
M.  S.  Lee,  member  of  the  board,  on  the  ground  that  Mr.  Allen  was  not 
accredited  to  Sac  county  by  the  military  records  of  the  department. 

In  1S64  the  war  was  beginning  to  be  more  frightful  and  serious  than  at 
any  time  before  that.  In  January  of  that  year,  the  board  made  this  entry: 
"Ordered  that  the  county  offer  three  hundred  dollars  to  any  four  men  who 
shall  volunteer  under  the  last  call  of  President  Lincoln  for  more  troops." 

In  February,  1864,  it  was  raised  to  three  hundred  dollars  for  any 
single  man  who  would  enlist  in  the  Union  army  from  Sac  county. 

The  great  war  ended  on  April  9,  1865,  and  in  August  of  the  same  year, 

thinking  well  of  the  \aliant   serxices  rendered  by   Sac  county  soldiers,  the 

board  of  supervisors  made  this  resolution:     "Ordered  that  Sac  county  pay 

the  sum  of  three  hundred  dollars  to  each  soldier  volunteer  accredited  to  this 

county,  who  has  not  already  received  a  bounty  for  his  enlistment."     With 

this  was  the  following  patriotic  resolution :     "Therefore  be  it  resolved,  that 

the  prayer  of  certain  petitioners  in  Sac  county.  Iowa,  be  granted  with  the 

following  expression  of  sentiment,   viz:     First,   that  three  hundred  dollars 

bounty  be  allowed  to  each  soldier  who  served  in  said  military  service  from 

Sac  county.  Iowa,  as  so  accredited,  in  putting  down  the  Rebellion — that  is, 

he  who  really  enlisted  from  Sac  county.     Second,  that  the  board  shall  be  the 

judges  of  who  shall  receive  said  bounty,  when  sufficient  evidence  is  produced. 

Third,  that  said  bounty  shall  be  paid  in  the  shape  of  orders  drawn  on  the 

volunteer  fund  of  said  county  and  delivered  after  being  drawn  and  shall  draw 

interest  from  their  dates  at  the  rate  of  ten  per  cent,  per  annum  until  paid." 

In  September,    T865.  it  is  shown  that  it  was  "Ordered  that  James   P. 

Kromer  and  James  Shelmerdine  each  be  paid  three  hundred  dollars  bounty." 

The  last  of  such  entries  appears  to  be  that  of  October,    1865,   when 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  I43 

William  Cory  was  allowed  three  hundred  dollars  bounty  from  the  \-olun- 
teer's  fund  of  Sac  county. 

From  year  to  year  the  needy  soldiers  ha\-e  been  cared  for  b>'  the  county, 
as  well  as  by  the  general  government.  In  1910  the  "relief  fund"  for  soldiers 
in  Sac  county  amounted  to  one  thousand  se\en  hundred  and  three  dollars. 

According  to  the  state  census  reports  of  1905,  the  classified  list  of  Union 
soldiers  residing  in  Sac  county  at  that  date  is  as  follows :  Total  number 
soldiers,  in  county.  1 76 :  number  who  enlisted  in  Iowa  regiments.  53 :  number 
in  Illinois  regiments.  45;  number  in  \\^isconsin  regiments  21;  number  in 
Indiana  regiments.   10;  number  in  Ohio  regiments,   10. 

VETERANS  IN    1 884. 

From  a  list  published  in  the  Sac  Sun  in  1884,  the  following  appears  to 
have  been  the  correct  list  of  Civil  war  veterans  drawing  pensions  in  Sac 
count}-,  given  by  towns : 

Odebolt— H.  W.  Vandermark.  B.  F.  Stearns,  Mart  Shelley,  John  D. 
Evans,  George  W  .  Johnson,  widow  of  comrade  McKinney,  Cornelius  Shea. 
Arthur  H.  Montgomery,  George  Long,  William  F.  Bettis,  Jacob  Meyer. 
Catherine  (widow  of  comrade)  Mummy,  John  H.  Scott,  Asa  B.  Smith.  Charles 
R.  Dingman.  Owen  K.  Boort.  John  Guilford.  John  W.  Savage.  James  Level. 
Hiram  B.  Smith.  Marsh  Duane.  Simeon  Bowker.  James  M.  Stratton. 

Sac  City — Farnsworth  Cobb.  A.  M.  Cory.  Denziel  Clark.  William  E. 
Cooper,  Joseph  K.  Staton,  Henry  \\'.  Shumake.  Byron  Hovey.  Charles  W. 
Hammond.  Harman  A.  Jones,  Alexander  Watterson.  Catherine  ( widow  of 
comrade)  O'Shea,  John  T.  Wallen,  Johanna  (widow  of  comrade)  King, 
William  L.  Reed.  Eli  Haradon.  Sarah  B.  ( widow  of  comrade)  Grimes. 
Francis  M.  Rother.  David  Ross.  McClosky,  James  E.  Armstrong.  Truman 
Churchill. 

Wall  Lake — Adam  Hoxender.  Wallace  Bedford,  George  Blass,  Horace 
B.  Allen.  Nathan  Allen.  William  Johnston. 

Earlv — James  Magclin,  Clarrissa  (widow  of  comrade)  McClure.  James 
Shelmerdine. 

Fletcher  (now  Lake  View) — Charles  Potts. 

Grant  City — Orin  C.  Crandall. 

Total  number,   fifty-eight;  total  amount  received  monthly  as  pension. 

$476-33- 


T44  ■''AC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

SAC  county's  first  camp  fire. 

In  September,  1884.  there  occurred  a  splendid  old  soldiers'  Grand  Army 
camptire,  in  the  beautiful  grove  of  the  late  Judge  Eugene  Criss,  a  half  mile 
to  the  east  of  Sac  City,  lasting  three  days  and  over.  It  was  participated  in 
by  many  adjoining  towns  and  cities,  and  thousands  of  comrades  attended,  be- 
sides as  many  more  civilians.  The  grounds  were  in  excellent  condition  and 
at  their  entrance  there  stood  several  brazen  cannon  ready  to  belch  forth  on  a 
moment's  warning.  The  program  commenced  on  Tuesday  morning,  when 
cannon  boomed  and  musketry  was  heard  up  and  down  the  Coon  valley,  as  it 
had  been  on  Southern  battle  fields  in  the  Ci\il-war  period.  The  night  was 
made  noisy  throughout  the  entire  hours,  the  "boys"  who  had  worn  the  blue 
were  in  evidence  on  every  hand,  in  and  out  of  town,  with  guns  and  without. 
It  rained  during  the  night,  but  that  made  no  difference,  the  old  veterans  were 
not  afraid  of  the  elements,  but  kept  thinking  of  other  nights  of  rain  and  storm, 
far  from  home  and  friends,  in  a  real  enemy's  land. 

On  the  second  day  there  was  a  great  sham  battle  enacted  and  success- 
fully fought  between  the  Xorth  and  South.  This  was  on  the  Sac  county  fair 
grounds.  The  Union  forces  were  in  command  of  "General"  P.  H.  Hankins, 
and  the  rebel  forces  were  under  command  of  "Lieut. -General"  D.  Cars- 
kaddon.  The  following  is  a  pen  picture  of  the  engagement  by  the  editor  of 
the  Sac  Sun  James  X.  Miller,  who  was  a  \eteran  and  took  part  in  the  battle: 
"Finding  the  fire  from  the  fort  too  hot  for  the  skirmishers  General 
Hankins  ordered  up  the  reserve  commanded  by  'Brigadier-Generals'  Webster 
and  Goldsmith  ( assumed  titles. )  They  presented  a  fine  appearance  as  they 
marched  in  solid  phalanx  across  the  open  field,  flags  and  banners  streaming 
and  the  Ijand  ])laying  inspiring  strains  under  a  fearful  fire  from  the  rebels, 
who  could  be  seen  mustering  their  clans  for  the  final  conflict.  Halting  within 
a  hundred  yards  of  the  fort,  the  order  to  charge  was  given  and  with  fixed 
bayonets  the  bovs  sprang  forward  with  wild  cheers.  But  within  twent}' 
yards  of  the  fort  the  fire  liecame  ton  hot  for  mortal  men  to  endure,  and  for 
once  thev  wavered,  then  halted,  and  finally  fled,  while  the  rebels  poured  out 
over  the  breast-works  in  pursuit.  It  seemed  as  if  the  day  was  lost,  but  it 
was  only  for  a  moment.  By  the  superhuman  effort  of  its  officers,  the  line 
was  halted  and  again  formed  for  a  second  charge.  It  seemed  like  certain 
death  to  face  the  fierce  fire  from  the  fort,  but  it  was  death  or  capture  to  re- 
main. The  ammunition  was  almost  exhausted  and  nothing  remained  but  to 
charge.     "General"  Rother  was  ordered  with  bis  commantl  nn  the  left,  which 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  I4.5 

he  proceeded  to  do  with  great  success.  Again  the  order  to  charge  was  given, 
and  the  boys  sprang  forward  with  a  wild  cheer,  answered  from  the  rebel 
fort  with  a  3'ell  of  defiance,  and  a  fire  that  told  of  deadly  effect  upon  the  ad- 
vancing foe.  Not  a  shot  was  fired  by  the  Union  forces,  until  they  sprang 
upon  the  breastworks,  when  they  poured  forth  a  volley  with  such  terrible  re- 
sults that  the  gray  coats  turned  and  ran  for  their  lives,  leaving  their  dead  and 
wounded.  Alice  Post  captured  the  flag  and  Company  E  took  the  staff. 
Cheer  after  cheer  rent  the  air  and  the  victory  was  complete.  General  Cars- 
kaddon  and  all  his  staff  were  captured,  with  three  thousand  men,  the  balance 
of  his  force  escaping  across  the  Cedar  river,  the  Union  forces  being  too 
much  exhausted  to  follow  them.  It  was  a  glorious  victory  and  settled  the 
fates  of  the  invading  army,  which  only  two  days  before  had  come  flushed 
with  high  hopes  of  a  conquest." 

Following  the  battle,  dress  parade  was  held  by  Commander  Hankins  and 
the  camp  was  formally  disbanded.  Most  of  the  veterans  departed  by  train 
or  otherwise,  and  the  night  passed  in  peace  and  quietude.  The  next  day  the 
tents  were  struck,  the  flags  furled  and  the  camp  (which  was  called  Camp 
Eugene  Criss.  after  him  who  owned  the  land)  resumed  the  normal  state. 
The  old  veterans  of  the  Civil  \Var  returned  to  their  homes  refreshed  and 
inspired  by  the  stirring  scenes  and  each  resolved  that  so  long  as  life  lasted 
the  memory  of  the  great  conflict  should  not  pass  away. 

The  commands  that  participated  in  this  reunion  of  soldiers,  and  who 
fouglit  the  sham  battle,  included  the  following,  with  some  others :  Sac  City 
Post  No.  284;  Jeff  C.  Davis  Post  No.  44,  of  Carroll:  Allee  Post  No.  113,  of 
Manson:  Sons  of  Veterans  Post  No.  11 1.  Scranton;  Lander  Post  No.  156, 
Lake  City:  Col.  Goodrich  Post  No.  117.  Odebolt ;  McPherson  Post  No.  33, 
Manning:  C.  C.  Washburn  Post  No.  282,  Grant  City;  N.  P.  Wright  Post 
No.  291,  Glidden;  Bud  Hazen  Post  No.  i^y,  Luck  Valley;  Belle  Post, 
Kingsley;  John  T.  Compton  Post,  Churdan:  Opedyke  Post  No.  322,  Rock- 
well City ;  Company  E,  Iowa  National  Guards,  Carroll. 

In  1886  a  second  reunion  and  campfire  was  held  by  the  soldiers  of  this 
section  at  Sac  City,  at  which  almost  five  hundred  veterans  were  in  attendance. 
Among  the  features  of  the  occasion  was  the  hanging  of  a  spy  and  the  drum- 
ming out  of  camp  of  a  supposed  hog  thief.  Gen.  Josiah  Given,  of  Des 
Moines,  was  one  of  the  prominent  speakers.  A  sham  battle  was  also  fought 
this  year,  as  on  the  former  occasion.  The  gate  receipts  were  about  nine 
hundred  dollars.     Colonel  Temple  presented  his  famous  "Union  Spy,"  as- 

(9) 


146  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

sisted  by  local  talent.  It  was  b>-  all  odds  the  finest  event  of  all  at  that  re- 
union. .\niong  the  persons  who  took  part  as  actors  and  actresses  in  this  play, 
may  be  recalled  the  names  of  home-folk  as  follows:  Messrs.  Parker.  Hart, 
Goldsmith,  Derby  and  Mrs.  Xutter,  Mrs.  Hart,  Mrs.  Derby,  Miss  Lola  Early 
and  Charlie  Woodward. 

A  campt^re  was  held  at  Wall  Lake  in  February,  1887,  and,  notwithstand- 
ing the  fact  that  the  mercury  was  twenty-two  degrees  below  zero,  the  soldiers 
assembled  from  Sac  City,  Wall  Lake,  Lake  City  and  Odebolt  and,  with  the 
assistance  of  the  ladies,  had  a  most  enjoyable  occasion.  A  good  supper  was 
prepared  by  the  ladies  and  the  company  listened  to  a  rousing  speech  from 
Captain  Head,  of  Jefferson. 

A  great  soldiers"  reunion  for  all  northwestern  Iowa  was  held  at  Sac 
City,  in  lune,  1890,  which  brought  its  thousands  of  old  veterans  here. 

soldiers'  monuments. 

Among  the  beautiful  soldiers'  monuments  in  Sac  county  is  the  one  at 
Sac  City,  in  :\Ionumental  square,  opposite  the  court  house,  erected  by  a  one- 
mill  tax  provided  for  by  law,  in  1892.     It  was  built  at  an  expense  of  three 
thousand  four  hundred  and  seventy-two  dollars,  and  dedicated  November  21, 
1894,  when  it  was  unveiled  in  the  presence  of  a  large  throng  of  people  from 
all  parts  of  this  and  adjoining  counties.     Hon.  Philip  Schaller  acted  as  pre- 
siding officer  of  the  day.     The  cord  which  held  the  draping  of  the  statute  was 
unloosened  bv  little  Miss  Emily  Needham,  of  Lake  View.     Chairman  A.  B. 
Smith,  of  Odebolt,  presented  the  monument  to  the  county,  and  was  replied 
to  by  County  Supervisor  M.  E.  \\'right.     I.  A.  Cory,  who  fifed  on  the  same 
spot  in    1 86 1    to   recruit   volunteers,   was   called   out   and   played   again   the 
stirring  music   he   had   played    thirty- four   years   before.      The   speaker   of 
the  day  was  Hon.  George  D.  Perkins,  member  of  Congress  and  editor  of  the 
Sioux  City  Journal,  who  made  a  long,  telling  and  well-received  oration.  Dur- 
ing his  remarks  he  stated,  "Sac  county  was  a  babe  in  the  arms  of  Iowa  when 
the  Civil  War  broke  out.     It  was  little  then  that  you  could  give.     The  federal 
census  only  gave  you  two  hundred  and  forty-seven  population  in  i860,  and 
of  course  not  many  could  be  expected  from  so  few,  but  you  sent  some,  even 
under  the  early  calls  and  Sac  county  is  thereby  credited  with  ten  or  a  dozen 
altogether.     But  after  the  war  many  soldiers  returned  and  sought  homes  and 
fought  here  as  pioneers.     Iowa  and  Sac  county  owes  to  them  a  debt  of  grati- 
tude.    You  have  put  up  this  monument  here  for  the  Union  soldiers;  a  tribute 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  I47 

to  the  defenders,  in  the  name  of  the  soldier  citizenship  of  Sac  county  for  the 
republic.  In  this  broad  spirit  you  dedicate  your  work  and  in  this  spirit  it  is 
to  be  remembered  of  you  while  its  foundations  endure." 

So  large  was  the  throng  in  attendance  that  the  opera  hall  wnuld  not  hold 
the  people  and  the  Presbyterian  church  was  used  for  an  overflow  place,  and 
there  Mr.  Perkins  spoke  for  a  short  time,  as  well  as  seveial  others,  including 
Re\erend  Whitfield,  Chairman  Charles  Early  and  others.  Campfires  were 
hekl  at  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  in  the  evening  and  also  at  the  Baptist 
Institute  chapel,  W.  ].  Dixon  presiding  at  the  former  and  ^^^.  H.  Hart  at  the 
latter. 

This  monument  was  erected  by  contractors  Woods,  McNeely  &  Com- 
pany, of  Marshalltown,  Iowa,  from  Barre  granite,  and  the  bronze  statue  was 
by  the  world-famous  Maurice  J.  Powers,  of  New  York.  The  Hon.  George  D. 
Perkins  secured  through  Congress  four  five-ton  condemned  cannon,  which 
defend  each  of  the  four  corners  of  the  park,  now  so  attractive  to  the  passers- 
by.  The  monument  consists  of  four  bases  and  the  entire  structure  is  nine- 
teen feet  high,  with  the  volunteer  infantrymen  in  bronze  surmounting  the 
granite  shaft  and  spacious  bases.  The  weight  of  the  monument  is  thirty- 
two  tons. 

The  corner-stone  was  laid  with  Masonic  rites,  August  5,  1892.  The 
Iowa  State  Band  and  several  drum  corps  were  present.  Addresses  were 
made  by  W.  H.  Hart,  of  Sac  City,  and  pioneer  E.  Criss  served  as  officer  of 
the  day.     Many  articles  were  deposited  in  the  corner-stone. 

The  names  of  every  soldier  who  served  from  Sac  county  in  the  Civil 
War  has  been  inscribed  upon  this  monument,  except  "Chan"  Browning,  Laws 
and  John  Bugr,  and  this  list  is  as  follows : 

George  C.  Browning,  Company  D,  Sixteenth  Iowa  Infantry,  died  Febru- 
ary 28,  1864. 

William  Cory,  Company  H,  Tenth  Iowa  Infantry,  died  June  6,  1886. 

Harvey  W.  Cory,  Company  H,  Tenth  Iowa  Infantry. 

Thaddeus  A.  Grey  Company  C,  Eighth  Iowa  Infantry. 

John  Alexander,  Second  Battery  of  Light  Artillery,  died  February  19, 
1908. 

J.  W.  Tiberghien,  Company  H,  Eighth  Iowa  Infantry. 

Henry  C.  Hubbard,  Company  A,  Twenty-sixth  Iowa  Infantry,  died 
January  2,  1863. 

James  Shelmerdine,  Company  A,  Twenty-sixth  Infantry. 

James  Kromer,  Company  A,  Twenty-sixth  Iowa  Infantry. 


148  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

George  W.  Birch.  Company  A,  Twenty-sixth  Iowa  Infantry,  died  De- 
cember 19,  1 881. 

WiUiam  G.  Wine,  Compan}-  I.  Twenty-ninth  Iowa  Infantry. 

Hugh  Cory,  Company  K,  Seventh  Iowa  Cavalry. 

C.  W.  Tuffs,  Company  B,  Fourth  Iowa  Cavalry,  died  November  10, 
1876. 

George  W.  Porter,  Company  L,  Fourth  Iowa  Cavalry. 

John  Duncan,  Company  L,  Fourth  Iowa  Cavalry,  died  October  15,  1903. 

W.  R.  Nevin,  Company  M,  Sixth  Iowa  Cavalry,  died  September  17, 
1896. 

Jeremiah  Bugr,  Company  E,  Sixth  Iowa  Cavalry. 

J.  O.  Tuffs,  Company  D,  Sixteenth  Iowa  Infantry,  died  June  21,  1903. 

On  the  sides  of  the  base  of  the  monument  are  the  words  "Shiloh," 
"Gettysburg,"  "Vicksburg,"'  and  "Winchester,"  while  on  the  one  side  of  the 
shaft  is  the  inscription,  "Erected  by  the  Citizens  of  Sac  County,  Iowa,  to  the 
Memory  of  Her  Soldier  Heroes  of  the  Civil  War." 

"Dedicated  November  21,  1894." 

Another  fine  monument  to  the  heroes  of  the  Rebellion  is  that  erected 
in  the  new  addition  of  Oakland  cemetery,  which  is  described  in  the  city 
chapter  of  this  work. 

INSPECTION   OF  THE  IOWA   SOLDIERS'   HOME. 

Under  appointment,  Hon.  Phil  Sclialler,  of  Sac  City,  in  1906  inspected 
the  Soldiers'  Home,  at  jMarshalltown.  and  in  his  report  he  gives  the  follow- 
ing as  the  daily  allowance  for  food  stuffs  at  that  state  institution:  355  pounds 
of  beef;  300  pounds  of  mess  pork,  bacon  or  sausage,  or  380  pounds  of  pork 
loin,  or  350  pounds  of  ham,  along  with  40  pounds  of  sugar,  200  pounds  of 
flour,  20  pounds  of  coffee,  two  pounds  of  tea,  fi\-e  bushels  of  potatoes,  160 
gallons  of  milk,  40  pounds  of  butter,  and  twn  bushels  of  beans  and  pickles  and 
other  relishes. 

THE   SPANISH-AMERICAN    WAR. 

In  the  spring  of  1898  war  was  declared  against  the  government  of 
Spain,  and  President  William  McKinley  issued  the  following  proclamation : 

"Whereas,  a  joint  resolution  of  Congress  was  approved  on  the  twentieth 
day  of  April,  1898,  entitled  'Joint  resolution  for  the  recognition  of  the  inde- 
pendence of  the  people  of  Cuba,  demanding  that  the  government  of  Spaiii 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  I49 

relinquish  its  authority  and  go\ernment  in  tiie  island  of  Cuba,  and  to  with- 
draw its  land  and  naval  forces  from  Cuba  and  CuJjan  waters,  and  directing 
the  President  of  the  United  States  to  use  the  land  and  naval  forces  of  the 
United  States  to  carry  these  resolutions  into  effect,'  and 

"Whereas,  by  an  act  of  Congress  entitled  'An  act  to  provide  for  tem- 
porarily increasing  the  military  establishments  of  the  United  States  in  time 
of  war  and  for  other  purposes,'  approved  April  22,  1898,  the  President  was 
authorized,  in  order  to  raise  a  volunteer  army,  to  issue  his  proclamation  call- 
ing for  volunteers  to  serve  in  the  Army  of  the  United  States : 

"Now,  therefore,  I,  William  McKinley,  President  of  the  United  States, 
by  virtue  of  the  power  vested  in  me  by  the  Constitution  and  the  laws,  and 
deeming  sufficient  occasion  to  exist,  have  thought  fit  to  call  forth  volunteers 
to  the  aggregate  number  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-fi\'e  thousand  in  order 
to  carry  into  effect  the  purpose  of  said  resolution ;  the  same  to  be  apportioned, 
as  far  as  practicable,  among  the  several  states  and  territories  and  the  District 
of  Columbia,  according  to  population,  and  to  serve  two  years,  unless  sooner 
discharged.  The  details  for  this  object  will  be  immediately  communicated 
to  the  proper  authorities  through  the  war  department. 

"In  witness  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  caused  the  seal  of 
the  United  States  to  be  affixed. 

"Done  at  the  City  of  Washington,  this  twenty-third  day  of  April,  A.  D. 
1898,  and  of  the  independence  of  the  United  States  the  one  hundred  and 
twenty-second. 

(Seal.) 
"By  the  President :  William  McKinley. 

"John  Sherman, 
"Secretary  of  State." 

At  the  date  of  this  war  Sac  county  had  two  thousand  two  hundred  and 
ninety-nine  men  subject  to  military  duty,  and  many  were  only  too  eager  to 
participate  in  the  war  with  Spain,  but  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  number  of 
men  required  to  suppress  the  Spaniards  in  their  attempt  to  hold  Cuba  in 
enslavement  and  tyran}'  was  so  limited  only  a  few  were  permitted  to  enlist 
from  Sac  county.  Among  such  were  those  of  the  Forty-second  Regiment, 
who  had  been  citizens  of  this  county  at  one  time  or  another,  or  were  at  the 
date  of  the  war,  namely:  S&mnel  B.  Culp,  of  Company  C;  Daniel  S. 
Spangler,  Company  D;  Harry  S.  Blackman,  Company  H;  David  C.  Conner, 
Company   I;  B.   Hutcheson,   Company   B;   Eugene   R.   Allen,   Company   C; 


150  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Richard  M.   Schoonmaker,  Company  D :  Claude  G.   Bennick,  Company  M ; 
Roy  S.  Parker  and  Gib  ]\lason. 

COMPANY    M,    IOWA    NATIONAL    GUARD. 

In  the  summer  of  1900  Company  M,  Iowa  National  Guard,  was  organ- 
ized at  Sac  City,  and  in  June,  1901,  a  fine  armory  was  provided  for  thcni, 
lull  in  a  few  years  things  changed  about  and  the  comi)any  was  disbanded  and 
organized  at  Cherokee.  The  armory  was  later  used  for  a  tobacco  warehouse 
and  finally  destroyed  by  fire. 

Upon  the  return  of  the  Spanish-American  soldiers  to  Iowa,  the  Sac  Sun 
had  the  following  editorial  on  that  event : 

'"The  Fifty-first  Iowa  Regiment  reached  Council  Bluffs  on  Monday  last 
(November,  1898)  and  a  royal  welcome  was  accorded  them  by  a  vast  multi- 
tude that  had  assembled  from  all  western  Iowa.  At  the  parade  were  seen 
Governor  Shaw  and  his  staff,  and  man\'  prominent  lowans.  a  dozen  bands  of 
music,  with  the  officers  and  men  of  the  Fifty-first  Regiment  in  full  uniform. 
At  the  formal  ceremony  of  welcome,  Hon.  John  N.  Baldwin,  of  Council 
Bluffs,  presided.  Governor  Shaw  addressed  the  throng,  as  did  Congress- 
man Hull,  Fred  White,  Lafayette  Young,  Judge  McPherson  and  Mavor 
Jennings,  of  Council  Bluff's.  The  'boys'  were  given  a  big  dinner  and  then 
took  the  train  for  Des  Moines  and  other  southern  Iowa  points.  There  were 
only  eight  companies  that  took  part  in  the  parade  and  ceremonies ;  the  others, 
including  the  Council  Bluff's  company,  arrived  later  in  the  dav  and  were 
enthusiastically  welcomed.  As  the  train  reached  the  towns,  namely.  Council 
Bluffs,  Villisca,  Glenwood,  Knoxville,  Shenandoah,  Oskaloosa,  Creston,  Bed- 
ford, Corning,  Red  Oak,  formal  greetings  were  accorded  them.  But  the  best 
of  all  was  having  the  privilege  of  embracing  friends  at  home  and  sitting  at 
home  with  loved  ones.  There  are  homes  in  Iowa  in  which  the  return  of  the 
brave  boys  call  up  fresh  sorrow  for  some  soldier  lads  whole  life  was  yielded 
in  his  country's  cause;  but  happily  these  sorrowing  homes  are  fewer  than 
could  ha\'e  been  expected  when  the  call  for  troops  was  made.  Iowa  soldiers 
return  to  civil  life  crowned  with  honors,  filled  with  patriotic  zeal,  and  no 
doubt  glad  to  resume  the  vocations  they  pursued  ])efore  their  enlistment." 

GRAND    ARMY    OF    THE    REPUBLIC. 

The  first  post  of  the  Grand  .\rmy  of  the  Republic  in  Sac  county  was 
that  organized  at  Odebolt,  No.   1  17,  in  the  fall  of  1882 — at  least  that  seems 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  I5I 

to  be  the  opinion  of  the  few  surviving  comrades  in  the  county  today.  Its 
number  indicates  that  Odebolt  was  first  to  form  a  post  here.  The  history 
of  this  post  runs  as  follows : 

At  Odebolt,  Col.  Goodrich  Post  No.  117  was  organized  December  22, 
1882,  by  Col.  C.  G.  Wright,  of  Denison,  Iowa,  with  the  following  charter 
membership:  W.  W.  Stanfield,  H.  W.  Stratton.  D.  H.  Waterman,  D.  Lesher, 
W.  E.  Mill,  J.  Austin,  William  Graham.  H.  H.  Bangs,  H.  W.  Vandermark, 
Henry  Keck,  J.  W.  Burnside,  Asa  B.  Smith,  D.  W.  Flack,  George  Conant, 
M.  D.  Fox,  Oscar  Draper,  N.  Kenady,  H.  Hovender,  J.  M.  Stratton,  F.  F. 
Webster,  S.  Bowker,  W.  H.  Hess. 

This  post  has  carried  on  its  muster  rolls  one  hundred  and  eight  veterans 
of  the  Civil  War.  At  one  time  it  was  the  strongest  post  in  Sac  county,  and 
there  is  only  one  old  soldier  in  the  vicinity  of  Odel)olt  who  has  not  joined 
this  post.  It  has  been  reduced  by  removals  and  deaths  until  only  eleven  now 
remain.  Twenty-four  are  buried  in  the  Odebolt  cemetery.  Soon  the  last 
soldier  of  that  terrible  conflict,  who  settled  in  Odebolt  will  have  answered 
the  last  call ! 

In  passing  it  should  be  stated  that  the  first  elective  officers  of  this  post  of 
Grand  Army  men  were  as  follows :  D.  W.  Flack,  commander ;  W.  W.  Stan- 
field,  senior  vice-commander;  J.  W.  Burnside,  junior  vice-commander;  Will- 
iam Graham,  adjutant. 

The  officers  in  Feljruary,  1914,  are;  W.  H.  Hess,  commander;  L.  Olney, 
senior  vice-commander;  \\'.  H.  Mitt,  junior  vice-commander;  M.  D.  Fox, 
adjutant. 

Probably  the  second  post  to  organize  in  the  county  was  the  one  at  Grant 
City,  known  as  No.  282,  which  for  years  was  a  strong  post,  but,  its  numbers 
having  been  cut  down  by  death  and  removals,  the  charter  was  given  up  and 
what  few  soldiers  there  are  left  in  that  vicinity  attend  meetings  and  belong  to 
the  Lake  City  Post  in  Calhoun  county. 

Gen.  W.  T.  Sherman  Post  No.  284,  at  Sac  City,  was  originally  organized 
under  the  name  of  Sac  Post  No.  284,  and  retained  that  name  until  the  death 
of  General  Sherman,  and  in  1891  was  changed,  by  order  of  the  state  depart- 
ment, as  will  be  observed  by  the  following  record ; 

"Cedar  Rapids,  lov/a,  March  11,  1891. 
"Special  Order  No.  113  (series  of  1890-91). 

"Post  No.  284,  Department  of  Iowa,  G.  A.  R.,  having  made  the  first  and 
earliest  claim  to  assume  the  name  of  Gen.  W.  T.  Sherman,  which  the  death 


152  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

of  that  eminent  and  esteemed  commander  made  possible  to  do  so,  and  having 
by  vote  of  said  post  duly  certified  to  these  headquarters  adopted  such  name 
of  Gen.  W.  T.  Sherman  in  lieu  of  'Sac,'  by  which  it  has  since  been  known, 
such  change  in  name  is  hereby  approved  and  the  said  post  will  hereafter  be 
enrolled  and  known  as  the  Gen.  W.  T.  Sherman  Post  Xo.  284,  Department 
of  Iowa,  G.  A.  R. 

"M.  P.  Mills, 
"Officially  signed :  Deputy  Commander. 

"Charles  J.  Longley, 

"Assistant  Adjutant-General." 

In  1889,  through  the  generosity  of  D.  Carr  Early,  this  post  was  provided 
with  an  eighty-dollar  historical  record  book,  which  was  large,  well  ruled  and 
planned  to  last  many  years.  It  was  made  the  subject  of  a  lengthy  set  of 
resolutions.  The  book  contains  the  history  and  record  of  the  post  from  first 
to  last. 

By  public  subscription  and  a  stock  company,  known  as  the  Gen.  W.  T. 
Sherman  Hall  Association,  organized  in  July,  1891,  with  Phil  Schaller  as 
its  president  and  Sidney  Smith  its  secretary,  the  present  beautiful  post  hall 
that  adorns  the  west  side  of  the  city  park,  known  as  Monumental  park,  was 
erected  of  brick  at  a  considerable  expense.  It  is  the  home  of  this  post  and 
here  the  Grand  Army,  the  Sons  of  Veterans  and  Woman's  Relief  Corps 
have  always  met  since  its  construction.  It  is  well  furnished,  and  its  walls  are 
embellished  with  flags,  banners  and  charters  of  the  several  orders. 

This  post  had  for  its  charter  members :  Harlow  J.  Baxter,  private  in 
Company  K,  Twenty-third  Wisconsin  Infantry;  Hayman  A.  Jones,  private 
in  Company  D,  Fifth  Iowa  Infantry ;  Thomas  B.  Mansfield,  private  in  Com- 
pany E,  Fifty-second  Ohio  Infantry;  John  T.  Watson,  corporal  in  Company 
I,  Twenty-second  Ohio  Infantry ;  Phil  Schaller,  sergeant  in  Company  E, 
Twenty-seventh  Iowa  Infantry ;  David  W.  Graff,  private  in  Company  L, 
Second  Illinois  Cavalry ;  Charles  E.  Lane,  private  in  Company  C,  Twenty- 
first  Iowa  Infantry;  Charles  D.  Goldsmith,  private  in  Company  I,  Fifty- 
sixth  New  York  Infantry;  David  W.  Moffatt,  private  in  Company  B.  Twelfth 
Illinois  Infantry ;  Gilbert  Wilcox,  private  in  Company  C,  Twenty-third  Iowa 
Infantry;  Chauncey  Kester,  private  in  Company  F,  Eighth  New  York 
Artillery;  Frank  Pilloud,  private  in  Company  E,  Second  Iowa  Cavalry; 
George  M.  Parker,  private  in  Company  H,  Twenty-first  Iowa  Infantry  ; 
Henry  Schanck,  corporal  in  Company  F,  Twelfth  Illinois  Infantry;  James 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  1 53 

N.  Miller,  private  in  Company  A,  Twelfth  West  Virginia  Infantry;  Preston 
H.  Hankins,  pri\ate  in  Company  D,  Seventeenth  Illinois  Infantry;  John 
Butler,  corporal  in  Company  D,  Second  Iowa  Cavalry;  Alexander  Watter- 
son,  private  in  Company  D,  Fourth  Vermont  Infantry;  Frederick  Seitz, 
private  in  Company  D,  Twentieth  Iowa  Infantry;  Aurelius  Barney,  private  in 
Companv  D,  Sixty-sixth  Illinois  Infantry;  William  E.  Cooper,  private  in 
Company  K,  Sixteenth  Illinois  Infantry;  James  A.  Sawyer,  private  in  Com- 
pany D,  Sixty-fifth  Illinois  Infantry;  Cassius  E.  Hankins,  private  in  Com- 
pany E,  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-first  Illinois  Infantry;  James  W.  McClosky, 
corporal  in  Company  B,  Fifth  Iowa  Infantry. 

The  first  officers  elected  in  this  post  included  the  following  comrades ; 
P.  H.  Hankins,  post  commander ;  J.  L.  Watson,  senior  vice-commander ;  H. 
A.  Jones,  junior  vice-commander;  George  M.  Parker,  adjutant;  Phil  Schaller, 
quartermaster;  C.  E.  Lane,  chaplain;  H.  C.  Graff,  ofificer  of  the  day;  H.  J. 
Baxter,  officer  of  the  guard ;  D.  W.  Graff,  riuartermaster  sergeant ;  C.  E. 
Hankins,  sergeant  major. 

The  post  was  organized  at  the  Knights  of  Pythias  hall  and  were  then 
taken  to  the  old  Hendrickson  house,  for  "an  elegant  banquet,"  as  they  had 
told  their  wives  and  lady  friends.  The  ladies  were  there  in  waiting  and  when 
the  dining  hall  was  opened  they  found  only  this  bill  of  fare  in  waiting  for 
them ;  Tin-plates,  hard-tack,  sow-belly,  beans,  hominy,  coffee  without  milk 
or  cream.     After  this  "feast,"  all  enjoyed  a  genuine  soldier's  dance. 

The  post  at  Sac  City  now  has  a  membership  of  thirty-six  old  Civil-War 
soldiers.  There  have  been  enrolled  at  different  dates  one  hundred  and  fifty- 
seven  soldiers'  names  on  the  books  of  this  post.  The  officers  in  1914  are  as 
follows:  M.  C.  Haradon,  commander;  George  Matson,  senior  vice-com- 
mander; Perry  Myrick,  junior  vice-commander;  W.  H.  Johnson,  adjutant; 
D.  M.  Belt,  quartermaster;  Hugh  Cory,  sergeant;  B.  C.  Hovey,  chaplain; 
N.  B.  Toole,  officer  of  the  day;  J.  Sawyer,  officer  of  guard. 

At  Schaller,  there  was  a  post  known  as  W.  D.  Price  No.  392,  organized 
either  in  1885  or  1886,  and  at  one  time  had  eighteen  members  on  its  rolls, 
but  it  has  decreased  to  six  and  only  three  of  these  reside  in  Schaller.  They 
still  hold  a  charter,  having  paid  up  their  per  capita  to  the  state  department. 

There  is  also  a  small  post  at  Early,  and  one  at  Wall  Lake,  all  of  which 
are  feeling  the  touch  of  time's  hand,  and  ere  long  must  surrender  their 
charter,  or  unite  with  the  largest  post  now  in  the  county,  the  Sac  City  post 
above  named  and  described. 


154  SAC  COUNTY,  IOWA. 

SONS  OF  VETERANS. 

Many  years  ago  it  appeared  to  the  sons  and  grandsons  of  soldiers  of  the 
Civil  War,  living  in  Sac  City,  that  it  would  be  wise  to  form  a  camp  of  that 
country-wide  organization,  The  Sons  of  Veterans,  and  it  was  accomplished 
forthwith.  In  191 1  the  camp  had  a  membership  of  ahiKist  thirty  sons  and 
grandsons  of  the  "bo_\s  in  blue"  who  fought  from  "61  to  "65  in  order  to  pre- 
serve intact  the  Union,  ^leetings  are  held  at  Gen.  \V.  T.  Sherman  post  room 
of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  in  Monumental  square,  in  the  heart  of 
the  city.  But  a  few  years  more  and  the  last  Ci\il  War  soldier  will  be  gone, 
and  it  is  highly  proper  that  these,  their  offspring,  shall  perpetuate  the  loyalty 
and  patriotism  their  brave  sires  possessed.  But  for  some  reason,  the  younger 
generation  does  not  fully  interest  themselves  in  such  matters,  and  this  camp 
has  virtually  suspended  operations,  which  is  to  he  greatly  regretted. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


CHURCH    HISTOKY. 


The  religious  element  predominates  in  this  county  and  from  the  earliest 
date  churches  of  various  denominations  have  been  sustained.  Good  congre- 
gations ha\e  been  organized  and  fine  church  edifices  ha\e  been  from  time  to 
time  erected,  both  in  and  outside  the  towns  of  the  county.  The  Methodist 
Episcopal  and  the  Presbyterians  seem  to  now  be  in  the  lead  in  membership 
and  churches. 

The  state  census  reports  for  Iowa  in  1905  give  this  on  churches  in  Sac 
county : 

Number  of      V^alue  of         Member- 
Congregations.   Property.  ship. 

Baptist    (Regular)    3  $     9,200  379 

Catholic    4  37'6oo  849 

Congregational    2  5-400  125 

Episcopal    I  2,500  24 

Latter   Day   Saints i  i.ooo  56 

Lutheran    5  24,300  724 

:\lethodist  Episcopal • 12  39-400  1,577 

Presbyterian    9  48,700  710 


T^-j  $168,100  4.444 

METHODISM. 

At  this  date  there  are  the  following  Methodist  churches  within  Sac 
county:  Sac  City,  with  a  membership  of  three  hundred  and  fifty;  church 
property  valued  at  thirt}-four  thousand  dollars;  Sac  City  circuit,  Schaller, 
Wall  Lake,  Odebolt,  Xemaha,  Lake  View,  Early,  Bethel  on  Wall  Lake 
charge,  and  Pleasant  View  on  Lake  View  charge. 


156  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

SAC    CITY    METHODIST    EPISCOPAL    CHURCH. 

Here  was  the  birthplace  of  Methodism  in  Sac  county.  The  date  was 
in  the  summer  months  of  1855,  fifty-nine  years  ago.  The  founder  was  Rev. 
Wilham  Black,  a  missionary  tra\-eling  on  the  frontier  of  Iowa,  working  under 
the  auspices  of  the  Iowa  conference.  Record  and  tradition  says  that  it  was 
early  in  the  summer  just  named  that  Mrs.  Isabella  Cory,  wife  of  F.  M.  Cory, 
crossed  the  river  to  a  spot  where  now  stands  the  beautiful  Methodist  church, 
and,  kneeling  in  prayer,  asked  God  to  send  his  gospel  and  plant  a  church  in 
this  new  land.  Her  prayer  was  answered.  The  report  of  the  Rev.  W'illiam 
Black  at  the  first  session  of  the  Upper  Iowa  conference  in  1856  led  to  his 
appointment  as  pastor  of  Sac  City  mission  circuit,  and  to  the  appointment  of 
Rev.  Landon  Taylor  as  presiding  elder  of  Sioux  City  district,  which  com- 
prised most  of  the  present  territory  of  the  great  Northwest  Iowa  conference. 
A  class  was  formed  at  Sac  City  and  meetings  were  held  at  the  homes  of  the 
members,  including  that  of  F.  M.  Cory,  until  the  completion  of  the  first 
school  house  in  1857.  The  next  meeting  place  was  the  new  school  building 
of  1861,  and  in  1871  when  the  brick  school  house  was  erected  that  was  used 
by  the  Alethodist  people  of  Sac  City.  Rev.  T.  J.  Barr  erected  the  first 
church  building,  which  was  dedicated  March  12,  1876.  It  stood  on  the  site 
of  the  present  church  building,  on  Main  street  and  was  dedicated  by  Bishop 
Andrews.  It  was  remodeled  in  1893,  at  a  cost  of  one  thousand  five  hundred 
dollars  and  ser\-ed  the  congregation  until  the  erection  of  the  present  struc- 
ture, which  was  dedicated  by  Bishop  B,  I.  Ives,  March  15,  1903.  Its  cost 
was  twenty  thousand  dollars,  not  including  the  lot.  Rev.  Walter  Torbet  was 
pastor  at  the  time  this  church  was  erected.  In  1903  a  parsonage  property 
was  purchased  and  it  is  now  worth  four  thousand  dollars.  This  was  the  first 
denomination  to  build  in  the  county.  Its  first  church  cost  two  thousand  nine 
hundred  and  seventy-fi\'e  dollars  and  a  hundred  dollars  more  for  the  lot  on 
which  it  was  erected. 

The  following  have  ser\'ed  as  pastors  of  this  church,  each  serving  one 
year  when  not  otherwise  indicated:  William  Black  (three  years),  C.  J. 
Campbell  (a  few  months  and  died  in  the  work),  B.  C.  Barnes,  D.  N.  Mallory, 

D.  C.  Billings,  Henry  Pillbeam,  C.  F.  McLean,  Darwin,  W.  W.  Mallory  (two 
years),  A.  J.  Groom,  J.  M.  Dudley,  J.  Manning,  White,  \\'illiam  Preston  (two 
years),  C.  ^^'.  Clifton,  A.  Jameison,  T.  J.  Barr  (two  years),  O.  S.  Bryan, 
B.  W.  Graham,  J.  A.  Ziegler,  W.  W.  Brown,  Robert  Smylie  (three  years), 

E.  C.  Warren,  Thomas  Carter  (two  years),  H.  Grace  (two  years),  G.  H. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  1 57 

Hastings,  William  Preston  (two  years),  O.  S.  Bryan,  O.  K.  Maynard,  J.  W. 
Lothian,  Hugh  Hay  (four  years).  E.  S.  Johnson  (three  years),  Walter 
Torbet  (five  years),  W.  A.  Black,  Hugh  Hay  (two  years),  Thomas  Andrew 
(two  years),  Henry  Black  Burns  (resigned).  Rev.  Reginald  D.  Acheson, 
present  pastor,  who  came  September,  19 13. 

PLEASANT    HILL    M.    E.    CHURCH. 

Pleasant  Hill  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  at  a  beautiful  site  in  Clinton 
township,  this  county,  was  organized  January  i,  1885,  with  charter  members 
as  follows :  Charles  JVIanley,  Susie  Mauley,  A.  L.  Manley,  Edith  Manley, 
Simon  M.  Barnt,  Addie  A.  Barnt. 

A  frame  structure,  now  valued  at  two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars,  was 
erected  in  1890.  The  present  total  membership  is  forty.  The  following 
have  served  as  pastors  at  this  point  since  the  history  of  the  society  com- 
menced: Revs.  James  Hamerson,  1885;  Records,  18S5-87;  A.  Brown,  1887- 
90;  E.  R.  Mahood,  1890-91  :  E.  S.  Johnson,  1891-92;  C.  M.  Phoenix,  1892- 
94;  S.  L.  Eddy,  1894-96:  James  Bally,  1896-98:  O.  F.  Chittic,  1898-1900; 
C.  G.  Coulter,  1900-01;  A.  E.  Slessor,  1901-04;  A.  R.  Cuthbert,  1904-05; 
George  H.  MarchauL  1903-07:  A.  A.  Pittinger,  1907-08:  D.  F.  Robbins. 
1908-09:  Nathaniel  Harris,  1909-10;  I.  J.  Plarris,  1910-11  ;  J.  R.  Tumbleson, 
191 1  and  present  pastor. 

NEMAHA   M.    E.    CHURCH. 

What  was  originally  kudwn  as  Bethel  church,  but  now  as  the  First 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  Xemaha,  was  organized  in  the  Fanning"  school 
house  in  1886  (called  Early  circuit).  The  first  services  were  held  by  E.  C. 
Alford;  the  first  regular  pastor  was  Rev.  A.  A.  Wilcox.  The  conference  in 
1887  was  held  at  Sioux  City.  The  only  surviving  members  of  this  church, 
who  were  among  the  charter  members,  are  as  follows :  Mr.  Fred  Deppe, 
Mrs.  Caroline  Deppe,  Mrs.  Rose  Deppe  Patterson,  Mr.  A.  E.  Fanning  and 
Mrs.  Emma  Stenhouse.  The  present  membership  is  one  hundred  and  three. 
The  estimated  value  of  church  property  is,  church,  .$3,100,  and  parsonage, 
$1,100. 

A  church  building  was  erected  in  i8Sy,  under  pastor  E.  E.  Thompson. 
It  was  one  mile  north  and  one  mile  west  of  the  present  locatioiL  In  1900 
it  was  removed  to  its  present  site  in  Xemaha.  It  is  still  a  good  edifice.  It 
has  been  enlarged  so  that  its  seating  capacity  has  been  increased  one-half. 


158  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

The  following  have  served  as  pastors  in  this  church:  E.  C.  Alford, 
1886:  A.  A.  Wilcox,  1887:  E.  E.  Thompson,  1888;  E.  L.  Thompson,  1889: 
John  E.  Clearwater,  September,  1890;  George  F.  Cliff,  1891,  when  the  church 
was  attached  to  Sulphur  Springs:  A.  J.  Langdell,  1893:  Freeman  Franklin, 
1894:  \V.  W.  Shnler,  1895:  H.  L.  Farr.  1896:  J.  R.  Fans,  1897:  F.  M.  Pratt, 
1900:  it  tlien  liecame  the  Xemaha  charge.  Following  Rev.  Pratt  came 
Samuel  Knoer,  1903:  R.  F.  \\'illis.  1906:  George  W.  Bruce,  1908:  S.  L. 
Eddy.  1910:  Rev.  E.  Robbiu'^,  the  present  pastor,  1911.  These  conference 
years  all  ended  either  in  the  UKinths  of  October  or  September. 

ODEBOLT    M.    E.    CHURCH. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  church  at  Odebolt  was  organized  in  1S77.  with 
the  following  charter  members:  Rev.  C.  H.  P.  Fans,  organizing  minister,  A. 
D.  Peck  and  wife,  ]\I.  D.  Fox  and  wife,  Robert  W'addell  and  wife,  James 
Taylor  and  wife,  S.  E.  Smith  and  wife,  AI.  Bartlett  and  wife,  Asa  Smith  and 
wife,  J.  \\'.  Southwell  and  wife. 

A  parsonage  was  erected  in  1877-78.  The  first  church  built  in  1879, 
was  remodeled  in  1898  and  later  rebuilt  into  the  present  church.  The  pres- 
ent valuation  of  the  church  jiroperty,  church  and  parsonage,  is  thirteen  thou- 
sand dollars.     The  present  membership  is  two  hundred  and  sixty-five. 

The  following  is  a  complete  list  of  the  pastors  of  this  church :  O.  H. 
Fans,  1877:  W.  W.  Brown,  1878:  D.  M.  Beams,  1879;  R.  S.  Fysh,  1880; 
William  Preston,  1881  :  Henry  Brown,  1882;  H.  K.  Hastings,  1884:  James 
Hughes,  1887:  H.  ^^■.  INIahood,  1888:  J.  B.  Trimble,  1890:  William  \M:it- 
field,  1893:  A.  Brown,  1895:  W.  J.  Carr,  1897;  ^V.  C.  Wasser,  1900:  J.  L. 
Whitney,  1902;  J.  L.  Gillies,  1904:  ^^^  A.  Black,  1907:  W.  ^\■.  Bolinger, 
1908;  F.  S.  Cole,  1910:  J.  A.  Lary,  191 1  (died  ]\Iarch,  1912,  on  the  charge)  ; 
H.  G.  Campbell,  supplied  from  Jime,  1912,  to  October  i.  1912;  M.  P.  Arra- 
smith,  appointed  October  19,  191 2,  and  is  still  pastor  of  the  church. 

EARLY   M.  E.   CHURCH. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  church  at  Early  was  organized  in  1883  with  a 
few  members  under  Rev.  Robert  Smylie,  tlien  pastor  at  Sac  City.  Nearly 
all  of  the  first  members  have  i)assed  from  the  cares  and  duties  of  church  life 
on  earth.  James  Jackson  still  remains  and  Mrs.  Phoebe  Reeder  only  recently 
died.  There  are  now  over  two  hundred  members  in  this  church.  Some  of 
the  brightest,  ablest  ministers  of  the  Xortliwest  Iowa  conference  have  served 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  1 59 

at  Early,  and  many  a  successful  revival  season  has  been  experienced  here. 
The  church  buildiny  was  erected  in  1888,  and  served  well  until  1904,  when 
larger  and  better  quarters  had  to  be  provided  for  the  increasing  congrega- 
tion. These  improvements  were  made  under  Re\-.  \V.  H.  Flint's  administra- 
tion. The  present  (1914)  pastor.  Rev.  George  H.  Wareham,  is  completing 
his  third  year,  is  an  active  Christian  worker,  having  been  in  the  ministry 
twentv-five  vears.  He  has  caused  numerous  improvements  to  l)e  made  to 
both  church  and  parsonage.  The  building  is  now  too  small  and  steps  are 
being  taken  to  rebuild.  The  number  in  Sunday  school  is  now  one  hundred 
and  seventv-five,  with  sixty  in  the  Epworth  League.  The  pastor's  Bible  class 
included  forty-two  young  couple  of  married  people. 

WALL  LAKE  M.  E.   CHURCH. 

In  October.  1878,  occurred  the  first  preaching  and  Sunday  school 
services  of  the  Methodist  people  at  Wall  Lake,  but  no  church  was  organized 
until  1883,  when  a  society  was  perfected  with  the  following  members  and 
officers:  Rev.  ].  F.  Black,  pastor;  N.  L.  Grier,  J.  O.  Jacobs,  F.  Chandler, 
^\^  H.  Ehlert.  T.  F.  Marks,  W.  H.  Peck,  Mrs.  W.  H.  Peck,  constituting  the 
board  of  trustees  The  first  regular  church  building,  a  frame  structure,  was 
dedicated  March  16,  1884.  The  present  total  membership  of  this  church  is 
seventy ;  the  valuation  of  all  church  property  is  about  five  thousand  two  hun- 
dred dollars.  The  various  pastors  who  ha\-e  served  at  Wall  Lake  are  John 
Howerson,  William  Records,  Alonzo  Brown,  F.  R.  Mahood.  E.  S.  Johnson, 
J.  H.  Snow,  Bennett  Mitchell,  E.  R.  Mahood,  T.  S.  Bassett,  James  Bollz, 
Charles  H.  Kamphoefner,  R.  D.  Acheson,  C.  N.  McMillan,  F.  W.  Whitford 
and  E.  C.  Palmer. 

Belonging  to  the  ^\'all  Lake  circuit  is  Bethel  church,  organized  at  ?ilark's 
school  house  in  1875,  by  Mr.  and  !Mrs.  A.  D.  Peck,  'Sir.  and  Mrs.  R.  Waddell, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  M.  Bartlett,  Mrs.  Marks,  later  joined  by  B.  H.  Mummey  and 
wife,  M.  D.  Fox  and  wife,  S.  E.  Smith  and  wife,  Mrs.  Wappin,  James  Taylor 
and  wife.  [Meetings  were  held  in  ALirk's  school  house,  Taylor  school  house 
and  Fox  school  house,  alternately.  A  building  erected  in  1889,  was  dedicated 
August  4,  1889.  The  present  membership  is  thirty-eight  and  the  value  of  the 
society's  property  is  estimated  at  one  thousand  five  hundred  dollars.  The 
following  have  served  as  pastors:  O.  H.  P.  Foss,  W.  W.  Brown,  D.  M. 
Beemis,  William  Preston,  R.  S.  Fish,  Flenry  Brown  Cummings,  H.  K.  Hast- 


l6o  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

ings,  James  Hughes,  H.  W.  L.  Mahood.  J.  B.  Trimble.  E.  S.  Johnson,  F.  H. 
Snow.  Bennett  Mitchell,  E.  R.  Alahood,  T.  S.  Bassett,  James  Bollz,  Charles 
H.  Kamphoefer,  R.  D.  Acheson,  C.  N.  McMillan,  F.  \V.  Whitford,  E.  C. 
Palmer. 

LAKE  VIEW    M.    E.    CHURCH. 

Lake  View  Methodist  Episcopal  church  was  organized  in  October,  1883, 
by  Rev.  J.  R.  C.  Layton,  presiding  elder  of  the  Ft.  Dodge  district,  and  E.  C. 
Warren,  pastor  of  the  Sac  City  church,  with  members,  C.  G.  Peck,  H.  D. 
Peck,  Mrs.  Rudolph  Hierche,  Mrs.  \\'illiams  and  :\Ir.  and  Mrs.  Robinson. 
The  first  church  building  was  erected  of  frame  in  1885.  dedicated  in  June 
of  that  year  and  cost  one  thousand  six  hundred  dollars.  The  second  church 
was  built  of  frame  in  1898  and  cost  three  thousand  five  hundred  dollars. 
January  10,  1909,  this  building  was  burned.  During  the  summer  of  1909  a 
stone  and  brick  structure  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  eleven  thousand  dollars. 
It  was  dedicated  in  November,  1909.  The  present  membership  of  this  church 
is  seventy-one,  and  the  estimated  value  of  church  property  is  eleven  thousand 
five  hundred  dollars. 

The  following  have  served  as  pastors  of  the  Lake  A'iew  church :  E.  C. 
Warren,  1883-85;  John  Hammerson,  1885-87;  A.  Brown.  1887-90;  E.  S. 
Johnson,  1890-92;  C.  M.  Phoenix,  1892-0)4;  S.  L.  Eddy,  1894-96;  James 
Ballz,  1896-98;  O.  F.  Chittick,  1898-1900;  C.  G.  Coulter,  1900-01;  A.  E. 
Slessor.  1901-04;  A.  R.  Cuthbert,  1904-05;  George  H.  Wareham,  1905-07; 
A.  A.  Pittenger,  1907-08:  D.  F.  Robins.  1908-09;  Xath  Harris,  1909-10;  I.  J. 
Harris.  1910-11;  J.  R.  Tumbleson,  igii  and  still  in  charge. 

THE    SCHALLER    CHURCH. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  church  at  Schaller  was  organized  October  i, 
1879,  by  Rev.  William  Vivian.  The  first  building  was  erected  in  1883  at 
a  cost  of  four  thousand  dollars  and  the  present  church  edifice,  a  beautiful, 
thoroughly  modern  styled  brick  church  building,  was  built  in  1911-12,  at  a 
cost  of  sixteen  thousand  dollars.  The  property  of  this  society  is  now  valued 
at  twenty  thousand  dollars.  The  total  present  membership  is  three  hundred. 
The  property  includes  a  good  parsonage.  The  following  is  supposed  to  be 
a  complete  list  of  the  various  pastors  who  have  served  at  Schaller :  William 
Vivian,  1879-80;  J.  W.  Linn,  1880-82;  J.  W.  Sputhwell,  1882-83;  J.  X. 
Mills,  1883-84;  S.  Snyder,  1884-85;  James  Hughes,  1885-87;  R.  AL  Kiernan, 


GERMAN  M.  E.  CHURCH,  NEAR  ODEBOLT 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  l6l 

1887-89;  H.  L.  Smith,  1889-90;  A.  Brown,  1890-93;  J.  J-  Gardner,  1893-94; 
W.  W.  McGuire.  1894-97;  Bennett  Mitchell,  1897-99;  J.  T.  Lee,  1899-03;  L. 

A.  McCaffree,  1903-05;  W.  P.  Empy,  1905-08;  J.  L.  Whiting,  1908-10;  F. 

B.  Nixon,  1910  and  still  servins;-  as  pastor  in  1914. 

With  one  of  the  best  and  most  valuable  churches  in  Sac  county,  and  a 
strong  membership,  they  have  been  the  means  of  doing  great  religious  good 
in  Schaller  and  community,  and  are  still  a  power. 

FREE  METHODISTS. 

The  Free  Methoilist  church  at  Sac  City  was  organized  in  1890  with  a 
membership  of  only  nine  former  members  of  the  First  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  At  first,  meetings  were  held  in  the  private  homes  of  the  members. 
In  1897  the  society  was  reorganized,  and  meetings  continued  to  be  held  at  the 
homes  of  members  for  a  short  time,  after  which  the  societ}-  leased  Robbins 
hall,  where  the  meetings  were  conducted  for  many  years.  In  the  autumn  of 
1910  a  lot  was  bought  on  Early  street.  In  March,  191 1.  they  purchased  the 
old  Baptist  church,  a  frame  building,  which  they  moved  to  their  lot,  and  this 
constitutes  the  present  propertx-  of  the  society.  The  old  building  was  placed 
on  a  new  foundation  and  on  September  3,  1911,  the  building  was  dedicated. 
Since  this  society  was  formed  the  following  pastors  have  served :  F.  E. 
Eaton,  F.  I.  Waters,  W.  W.  Vinson,  J.  H.  Brittain,  T.  J.  Gates,  F.  E.  Eaton, 
O.  L.  Mossman,  \\'.  W.  Crippen,  P.  H.  Arlington  and  Maude  Wallace.  This 
people  have  endured  great  hardship  and  self-denial  in  gaining  for  themselves 
the  comfortable  church  home  that  they  now  enjoy,  a  place  in  which  they  can 
worship  God  "after  the  dictates  of  their  own  conscience." 

PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCHES  OF  THE   COUNTY. 

According  to  the  state  census  returns  of  1905,  Sac  county  had  nine 
Presbyterian  churches,  each  provided  with  a  building  of  their  own.  They 
are  now,  as  they  were  then,  next  in  strength  to  the  highest  in  the  county,  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  being  first  in  point  of  churches  and  membership.  The 
Presbyterian  societies  within  Sac  count}-,  according  to  the  report  just  men- 
tioned, held  property  to  the  amount  of  forty-eight  thousand  seven  hundred 
dollars,  one-fourth  of  all  in  the  county. 

The  Sac  City  church  of  this  denomination  was  organized  May  24,  1874, 
by  Rev.  L.  Littell,  with  a  charter  membership  (jf  thirteen,  as  follows:  Mr. 
(10) 


1 62  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

and  Mrs.  O.  F.  Aldrich,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Angus  Brown,  ]\Ir.  and  Mrs.  L.  D. 
Sweet,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  N.  Miller,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Alexander  Galbraith,  and 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  J.  Balsey.  From  this  small  membership  the  church  has 
grown  to  nearly  three  hundred  members.  Concerning  the  church  buildings, 
it  should  be  stated  that  at  first  the  foundation  of  the  church  w-as  purchased 
of  the  Baptist  society,  which  had  laid  it  in  July,  1875,  but  failed  to  add  its 
superstructure  The  Presbyterians  purchased  it  in  1877  and  completed  the 
structure.  This  building  served  until  1899,  when  the  present  edifice  was 
constructed  at  a  cost  of  eighteen  thousand  dollars.  The  corner  stone  was 
laid  by  Rev.  John  D.  McClintock,  D.  D..  of  Sioux  City,  on  November  23, 
1899.  The  various  pastors  of  this  church  have  included  the  following 
George  Carroll,  1877-81;  A.  S.  Foster.  1881-82;  James  Stickle.  1882-88;  G. 
W.  Morgan,  1888-89;  D.  W.  Cassatt,  1889-91  ;  C.  A.  Berger.  1891-96;  R.  H. 
Chittenden,  Ph.  D.,  1896-1902;  George  M.  Rourke,  1902-06;  J.  W.  Counter- 
mine, 1906-11;  R.  L.  Barackman,  1911  to  the  present  time. 

ODEBOLT  PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH. 

The  Presbyterian  church  at  Odebolt  was  organized  in  1S78  by  Rev.  A. 
K.  Baird,  field  missionary.  Those  directly  connected  with  the  first  organizing 
steps  were:  William  Sampson,  John  Bruce,  Hiram  McFall,  Mr.  VanDusen, 
Mesdames  Rhodecker,  Frank  Burleigh,  Lee.  A  frame  church  was  erected  in 
1880  and  sold  in  1900,  when  a  new  edifice  was  built.  The  estimated  value 
of  the  church  property  is  fixed  now  at  ten  thousand  five  hundred  dollars. 
This  includes  the  manse  erected  in  1902.  The  church  has  a  fine  planned  din- 
ing room  and  kitchen,  with  a  spacious  reception  room.  All  are  frame  struc- 
tures. The  total  membership  is  now  one  hundred.  This  church  is  situated 
on  the  corner  of  Maple  and  Third  streets  and  is  a  very  attractive  structure. 
The  following  have  served  as  pastors:  E.  R.  Carroll,  A.  K.  Baird,  H.  P. 
Fullenweider,  J.  C.  Gilkerson,  F.  N.  Vail,  W.  O.  Thompson.  William  Craig, 
J.  N.  Elliott,  H.  H.  McMasters.  J.  C.  Melrose,  F.  D.  McCrea.  E.  E.  Hastings, 
]\Iiller,  Tate,  D.  A.  McLoud,  and  the  present  pastor,  Robert  Mclnturff,  who 
came  among  this  people  in  191 1. 

The  elders  of  the  church  in  February,  1914,  are  James  Cranston,  John 
Currie,  J.  C.  Fuchs,  William  Umberger  and  F.  Searight.  One  account  gives 
the  charter  members  as  follows :  William  Sampson,  Mrs.  Will  Lee,  Mrs. 
Rhoedecker,  Hiram  McFall  and  John  Bruce.  The  officers  at  this  date  are: 
F.  Searight.  clerk;  Charles  Nelson,  treasurer;  board  of  trustees,  F.  M.  Meyer, 
Dr.  A.  Groman,  James  Crampton  and  John  Currie. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


EARLY    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH. 


163 


The  First  Presbyterian  church  at  Early  was  organized  in  the  autumn 
of  1888  by  Dr.  Bailey,  synodical  missionary,  and  Rev.  Pressley.  The  charter 
members  were  William  Ellis,  Mrs.  Mary  Stevens.  Mrs.  J.  V.  Coats,  Mrs.  A. 
R.  Gordon,  Mrs.  T.  A.  Barrett,  Mrs.  J.  F.  Head  and  Mrs.  A.  F.  Mereness. 
The  membership  in  January,  1914,  was  small,  but  all  were  devoted  workers. 
In  1890  a  church  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars 
and  since  then  an  addition  was  made  costing  eight  hundred  dollars;  also  a 
fine  manse  costing  two  thousand  fi\e  hundred  dollars.  The  present  estimated 
value  of  the  church  property  is  six  thousand  fi\-e  hundred  dollars.  The  fol- 
lowing is  the  order  of  pastors  who  have  served  this  society :  Lindsey,  Paden, 
C.  J.  McConnell,  J.  P.  Linn,  John  Mustard,  H.  F.  Ford,  Gilbert  Voories,  Dr. 
Silas  Cook,  and  the  present  pastor,  Rev.  T.  S.  Hughes. 

LYTTON  PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH. 

The  Presbyterian  church  at  Lytton  was  organized  February  23,  1901, 
by  Rev.  A.  H.  Chittendon,  of  Sac  City,  and  Capt.  A.  R.  O'Brien,  missionary 
of  the  Sioux  City  presbytery,  with  fifteen  charter  members.  The  number  now 
belonging  to  this  church  is  fifty-two.  During  the  summer  of  1900  a  church 
building  was  erected,  and  dedicated  October  27,  1901,  by  Rev.  Dr.  C.  H. 
Purmort,  synodical  missionary  of  Iowa.  The  handsome  manse  was  erected 
in  1902.  The  church  property  here  is  now  valued  at  four  thousand  five  hun- 
dred dollars.  The  church  at  Lytton  and  that  at  Elm  Grove  have  always  been 
served  by  the  same  pastor.  This  is  the  onlv  church  society  in  Lytton  and 
the  people  of  both  town  and  surrounding  country  loyally  support  it,  believing 
it  to  be  a  very  beneficial  adjunct  to  the  community. 

The  ruling  elders  have  been  M.  E.  Perkins,  H.  J.  Grifiin,  C.  S.  Darling 
and  R.  A.  McLaughlin.  The  society  has  been  greatl_\-  favored  with  a  first- 
class  set  of  young  men  in  the  ministry,  men  of  marked  ability  and  spirituality. 
These  include  the  following:  E.  R.  Horton,  of  McCormick  Seminary;  H.  S. 
Vincent,  of  Omaha  Seminary;  John  Spencer,  from  same,  as  well  as  G.  A. 
Beith,  John  Carr  and  Douglas  Warden ;  N.  M.  Tatum,  ordained ;  E.  F. 
.Chafifee,  ordained ;  C.  B.  Day,  Omaha  Seminary. 

At  the  village  of  Nemaha  there  is  a  Presbyterian  church.  They  own  a 
frame  building  and  are  at  present  supplied  by  the  pastor  coming  from  Early. 


164  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

AUBURN    PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH. 

The  Presbyterian  church  at  Auburn  in  this  county  was  organized  in  1888 
with  charter  members  as  fohows;  Rev.  S.  W.  Stophh^t,  acting  as  pastor 
from  Lake  City,  Iowa;  F.  M,  Noe,  Mrs.  F.  M.  Xoe,  Mrs,  Emily  Wilhams, 
Mrs.  Mary  Dixon,  Henry  Jones  and  wife.  Ser\ices  were  held  the  first  year 
in  the  IMoseley  Bank  building  and  in  1889  a  church  was  erected  at  a  cost  of 
one  thousand  eight  hundred  dollars.  It  is  a  frame  structure  and  still  in  good 
condition.  The  membership  in  January,  \')14.  was  fiftv-nine.  The  valuation 
of  the  church  property  is  fixed  at  three  thousand  dollars.  The  following  is  a 
list  of  pastors  who  have  had  charge  of  this  church  at  Auburn  :  James  Stickle, 
J.  C.  Mayne,  Isaac  \\'hite.  A,  J,  Harmon,  H.  Wieland.  A.  Long,  F.  M. 
Tyrell.  E.  S.  H(jrton,  H.  P.  Gray,  W".  H.  Thompson,  F.  P.  Brewster  and 
W.  F.  Grundy.  The  church  is  now  l^eing  supplied  b}-  Re\-.  J.  D.  McCord,  of 
Lake  City,  Iowa.  Re\-.  W  .  11.  Thompson,  who  has  been  absent  in  Utah 
four  years,  expects  to  return  in  April  this  year  to  become  pastor. 

WAEL   LAKE   PRF.SBYTERL\N    CHURCH. 

The  First  Presbyterian  church  of  \\'ail  Lake  was  organized  Januarv  25, 
1891,  by  Rev.  Stophlet,  of  Fort  Dodge,  with  the  following  charter  member- 
ship: Mrs.  A.  T.  Hiller,  George  (;.  Hiller.  Mrs.  A.  M.  Bohon.  G.  \V.  Mcin- 
tosh, Mrs.  Mcintosh,  John  R.  Stuart,  Mrs.  J.  R.  Stuart,  Mr.  and  Airs.  J.  N. 
Wilson,  Charles  Stuart,  Albert  Hiller,  Neil  McFarlan,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  E. 
Strong,  Mrs.  A.  C.  Michael,  \\'.  S.  Bedford,  Mrs.  E.  L.  Goodenow,  ]\lrs. 
Ida  T.  Adams,  Grace  B.  Adams,  Mrs.  Ida  B.  Fairchilds,  Miss  A.  Finley, 
Mrs.  Emily  Johnson,  Miss  K.  Bolton,  Mrs.  A.  B.  Tinley.  Mrs.  N.  Bell  and 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  R.  Hauman. 

This  clnirch  n(jw  has  a  membership  of  seventy-two.  The  first  meeting 
was  held  in  Goodenow  hall  and  later  in  the  hall  above  the  hardware  store  of 
Johnson  Brothers.  The  present  value  of  church  property  is  five  thousand 
dollars.  The  pastors  who  have  served  this  church  are  Hubert  Good,  J.  C. 
Mayne,  Harmon,  Heber  Gill,  J.  E.  Spencer,  J.  J.  Youel,  F.  W.  Thomas,  G. 
N.  Buchanan  and  the  jiresent  pastor.  Rev.  William  Walker. 

SCHALLER    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH. 

The  Presbyterian  church  at  Schaller  was  organized  al)out  1887  '^3'  Rev. 
Stickle.     The  charter  members  were  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  H.  King,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  1 65 

William  Bristol,  Miss  Mary  E.  King,  Mrs.  Bernice  Sargent,  Mrs.  Hunter, 
Mrs.  Henry  Hahne,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fred  Hahne.  Mr.  Henry  Hahne  and  Mrs. 
Julia  Bristol. 

A  church  edifice  was  erected  in  1890,  a  frame  structure  costing  three 
thousand  dollars  and  a  parsonage  about  1889,  costing  one  thousand  dollars. 
The  present  memliership  of  this  church  society  is  one  hundred  and  ten.  It 
may  be  stated  that  the  present  church  property  is  valued  at  seven  thousand 
dollars.  The  following  have  served  as  pastors :  Stickles,  Lindsay,  Pedeu, 
C.  J.  McConnell,  Philip  Palmer,  George  Earhart  and  William  M.  Jack. 

BAPTIST   CHURCHES  OF  THE   COUNTY.. 

The  First  Baptist  church  of  Sac  City  was  founded  in  the  winter  of 
1887-88  and  organized,  in  reality,  h'ebruary  24,  1888,  with  twenty  constituent 
members.  The  first  deacon  elected  was  \V.  K.  Whiteside ;  first  church  clerk, 
J.  \y.  Garrison ;  first  trustees.  A.  N.  W}'man,  Truman  Churchill  and  W.  L. 
Brockman.  The  first  covenant  meeting  was  held  March  2.  1888,  at  the 
court  house,  which  continued  to  be  the  meeting  place  until  that  structure  was 
burned  in  the  autumn  of  1888,  after  which  services  were  held  in  the  west 
room  of  the  White  school  building.  It  was  seen  that  a  church  edifice  must 
be  built  if  the  society  ever  expected  to  realize  the  object  for  which  it  had 
been  founded,  so.  in  1892,  the  following  were  appointed  as  a  building  com- 
mittee: Messrs.  Wyman,  Churchill.  Brockman,  Hayes  and  John  Barlow. 
The  funds  were  raised  sufficient  to  start  the  undertaking,  success  crowned 
their  efforts,  and  a  neat  building  was  dedicated  January  29,  1893.  This 
buikling  served  well  the  object  for  which  it  had  been  originally  constructed, 
but  a  new  and  larger  house  was  needed  and  the  congregation  set  about  to 
formulate  plans  for  its  erection.  The  present  new  beautiful,  modern  edifice 
was  dedicated  Sunday,  June  4,  191 1.  Its  cost  was  about  twelve  thousand 
dollars  and  is  located  at  the  corner  of  Twelfth  and  Main  streets.  The  hand- 
some building  is  of  the  latest  style  (if  church  architecture — low  and  spireless, 
but  with  ai  large  hemisphere  dome  o\'er  its  central  part.  It  is  of  excellent 
light  colored  brick,  with  a  spacious  basement,  and  is  sixty-two  by  sixty-six 
feet  in  size.  The  auditorium  room  is  thirty-one  by  fifty-two  feet,  and,  with 
the  side  doors  from  other  rooms  open  the  seating  capacity  is  fully  five  hun- 
dred. The  building  committee  was  composed  of  L.  E.  Fitch,  Orville  Lee,  A. 
T.  Brownell,  J.  H.  Grohe.  A.  N.  Weyman,  F.  C.  Hoyt  and  Mrs.  M.  A. 
Warner.     The  edifice  is  a  credit  to  the  society  and  an  ornament  to  Sac  City. 


1 66  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

These  pastors  have  served  the  Sac  City  church :  L.  Lovelace,  who  con- 
ducted the  first  meetings  here  in  1887-8  and  established  the  church,  remained 
until  he  had  completed  his  ninth  month,  when  he  was  succeeded  bv  Rev. 
Feather,  who  remained  sex-en  months,  and  in  turn  was  followed  by  Rev.  R. 
A.  Belsham  in  December,  1889,  closing  his  pastorate  in  November,  1890. 
There  was  no  regular  pastor  then  until  August,  1893,  when  Rev.  J.  D.  Collins 
accepted  a  call  and  commenced  November  ist.  He  .-.as  followed  in  October, 
1894,  by  Rev.  D.  McMasters,  who  closed  his  pastorate  in  June,  1896,  when 
that  venerable  Baptist  clerg\man,  Rev.  L.  N.  Call,  who  for  twenty-five  years 
had  been  pastor  in  Webster  City,  this  state,  was  called  to  this  church,  giving 
five  years  of  the  richest,  ripest  years  of  his  long  and  eventful  life  as  a  Baptist 
minister  to  the  labors  of  pastor  in  Sac  City,  after  which  he  was  succeeded  in 
October,  1901,  by  Rev.  J.  D.  Rumsey,  who  continued  until  November  2, 
1902.  He  was  followed  by  Rev.  C.  A.  Tenny,  in  August,  1903,  who  served 
the  church  faithfully  and  well  until  July  24,  1904,  and  was  followed  by  Rev. 
J.  D.  Collins,  who  was  a  former  pastor.  Rev.  Collins  continued  until  Octo- 
ber I,  1907,  when  he  resigned  to  become  a  member  of  the  faculty  of  the  Sac 
City  Institute.  November  24,  1907,  Rev.  C.  G.  Wright  began  his  labors  here 
and  under  him  the  present  church  was  planned  and  erected.  Next  came  Rev. 
Hugh  Moore,  who  came  June  i,  1912,  and  still  remains  pastor.  The  present 
membership  of  this  church  is  one  hundred  and  ninety-four.  A  parsonage 
was  erected  in  1902  and  the  present  one  in  1912-13  at  a  cost  of  three  thousand 
dollars. 

CONGREG.^TIONAI.   CHURCH. 

The  onl\-  church  of  the  Congregational  faith  in  Sac  count\'  at  this  date 
is  the  one  at  Lake  View,  which  was  organized  in  1890  with  the  following- 
charter  members:  Henry  Smith,  Jane  Smith,  C.  Burgess,  Mrs.  Delia  L. 
Boyer,  Dr.  J.  A.  Ressigieu  and  wife,  Francis  S.  Needham,  Mrs.  Eugenie  E. 
Needham  and  Ella  C.  Hamilton.  A  frame  building  was  erected  in  1892  at 
an  approximate  cost  of  one  thousand  eight  hundred  dollars.  The  total  mem- 
bership of  the  chnrcli  society  today  is  seventy.  The  estimated  -^-alue  of  the 
church  property  is  four  thousand  dollars. 

The  following  have  served  this  congregation  as  pastors :  M.  D.  Reed, 
R.  L.  McCord,  T.  J.  Woodcock.  H.  G.  Cooley,  W.  G.  Little,  John  Crocker, 
P.  B.  West,  B.  J.  Rhodes,  C.  T.  Halbert,  1.  B.  Bickford,  Eben  Herbert,  J.  T. 
Marvin  and  Alex  Russell.  The  present  church  clerk  is  R.  M.  Paine,  who 
furnished  most  of  the  above  facts. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  1 6/ 

SWEDISH    MISSION. 

The  Swedish  Mission  Covenant  of  America  has  a  church  at  Odebolt, 
which  was  formed  March  lo,  1887,  by  charter  members  as  f ohows ;  P.  A. 
Lindskoog,  Rev.  P.  Nilson,  John  M.  Larson,  A.  A.  Anderson,  John  Erikson, 
i'Vndrew  Anderson  and  Edward  Eckman.  They  have  now  a  membership  of 
ninety-two  and  a  church  property  vahied  at  ti\e  thousand  dollars.  The  pas- 
tors who  have  ser\ed  here  are  P.  Nilson,  L.  Larson,  August  Peterson,  J.  J. 
Johnson,  Oscar  Wenstrand.  A.  G.  Johnson,  Oscar  F.  Dahlberg.  This  band 
of  worshipers  have  alwa)-s  been  true  and  faithful  to  the  sacred  trust  imposed 
upon  them. 

CATHOLIC   CHURCHES. 

St.  Joseph's  Catholic  church  at  .Schaller  was  a  mission  for  a  period  of 
nine  years  (1895  to  1904),  attended  by  the  priest  located  at  Early.  It  was 
made  a  separate  parish  in  1904.  The  first  resident  pastor.  Rev.  Francis 
Wrenn,  served  a  year  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  William  Shannon,  who 
served  the  congregation  two  and  a  half  years.  Following  him  came  the 
present  pastor,  Rev.  McNeill.  The  first  church  edifice  was  a  frame  structure 
erected  on  the  site  of  the  present  beautiful  building,  which  is  a  pressed  brick 
building"  erected  in  1913  at  a  cost  of  eighteen  thousand  dollars.  The  old 
frame  church  was  sold  for  two  hundred  dollars  to  a  citizen  of  the  town, 
who  owned  a  lot  coruerwise  from  the  church  property  and  it  is  being  trans- 
formed into  a  modern  residence  property.  B'ather  Wrenn  built  a  fine  par- 
sonage next  to  the  church.  The  present  congregation  is  composed  of  thirty 
families  in  Schaller  and  the  community.  During  his  pastorate.  Father  Mc- 
Neill has  been  diligent  and  faithful  to  the  sacred  trust  imposed  upon  him, 
and  his  work  is  a  monument  to  him  for  all  time  among  those  of  the  Catholic 
church  in  this  section  of  Iowa. 

St.  Joseph's  Catholic  church  at  Wall  Lake  was  organized  in  1878.  The 
first  of  the  congregation  were  P.  Halpin,  Joseph  Wenze  and  P.  Oninn.  At 
first  only  ten  members  were  in  attendance.  The  first  building  was  burned  in 
1903  and  a  new  church  was  erected  in  1904  at  a  cost  of  five  thousand  dollars. 
It  is  a  frame  building  and  fully  equipped  with  all  necessaries  for  divine 
service.  The  present  congregation  numbers  two  hundred  baptized  persons. 
The  estimated  \-alue  of  lots  and  buildings  is  ten  thousand  dollars.  The  pi-iest 
in  charge  now  is  Rev.  M.  C.  Daly,  who  is  true  and  faithful  to  the  great  trust 
imposed  upon  him.    The  priest  at  Wall  Lake  also  attends  to  the  congregation 


l68  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

at  Auburn,  which  was  organized  se\eral  years  ago.  and  is  now  in  a  fairl)- 
flourishing  condition. 

St.  Martin's  Cathohc  church  at  Odebolt  was  organized  by  Father  F.  W. 
Pape  about  five  miles  northwest  of  town,  in  1876..  He  attended  a  few  times 
and  was  succeeded  by  Father  Thomas  Norton,  who  in  a  short  time  was  fol- 
lowed by  another.  The  first  services  in  Odebolt  were  held  in  the  old  town 
hall.  A  small  frame  church  was  built  in  1879.  Father  Norton  was  the  first 
at  Odebolt  and  did  excellent  work  in  improving  the  church  lots  and  pro- 
viding buildings.  In  1881  came  Father  U.  Frey,  who  built  the  first  pastor's 
residence  in  1882.  He  was  the  first  regular  pastor  of  this  church.  He  also 
had  charge  of  the  work  at  Grant  City  and  Wall  Lake,  mission  points  at  that 
date.  Fie  remained  until  the  month  of  December,  1883,  and  was  followed 
by  Father  John  Peschong,  who  remained  till  the  autumn  of  1892.  He  did 
much  toward  establishing  the  church  school  at  Odebolt,  which  was  built  in 
1886-87  and  forms  a  part  of  the  present  excellent  school,  which  is  in  charge 
af  three  sisters  from  St.  Frances  of  Dubuque,  and  has  an  enrollment  of  about 
seventy-fi\'e  daih".  The  building  has  been  enlarged  twice  since  first  con- 
structed. It  is  valued  at  about  four  thousand  dollars.  In  December,  1892, 
came  Rev.  Father  John  Anler,  who  served  the  congregation  until  1895  and 
was  followed  by  Father  Fred  Huessmann,  now  of  Mt.  Carmel.  He  built  the 
present  church  in  1900  at  a  cost  of  about  twehe  thousand  dollars.  It  is  a 
frame  structure  facing  Hanson's  boulevard,  and  is  on  grounds  two  hundred 
by  four  hundred  feet,  all  well  improved.  Father  Gustave  Wienhold  came  in 
October,  1902,  and  died  July  19,  1912,  and  was  buried  in  the  Catholic  ceme- 
tery here  on  July  23d.  Bishop  and  priests  from  abroad  were  present  at  his 
funeral.  During  his  illness.  Father  M.  Stork  was  appointed  to  take  charge 
and  was  made  the  administrator  of  his  affairs  and  the  parish.  The  present 
worthy  pastor,  Rev.  Father  L.  Schenkelberg,  came  in  October  and  took 
charge  the  last  week  of  that  month.  He  is  doing  excellent  church  work. 
The  congregation  now  has  a  membership  of  from  four  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  to  four  hundred  and  fifty  souls.  It  is  estimated  that  all  the  church 
property  at  Odebolt  held  by  this  church  has  a  present  value  of  not  far  from 
thirty  thousand  dollars. 

The  Catholic  church  at  Early  is  about  as  strong  as  the  Odebolt  congre- 
gation. Thev  erected  a  brick  edifice  in  about  1899,  costing  fifteen  thousand 
dollars,  under  the  pastorship  of  Father  Costello.  No  further  facts  could  be 
obtained  on  this  congregation. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  1 69 

GERMAN   EVANGELICAL  CHURCHES. 

The  First  German  Evangelical  church  of  Lake  View,  Iowa,  was  or- 
ganized in  January,  1913,  the  first  of  this  denomination  in  Sac  county.  It  is 
a  mission  field  opened  by  the  German  Evangelical  Synod  of  North  America. 
The  charter  members  of  this  society  were  Rev.  R.  Lorenz,  A.  Johannasen. 
John  P.  Welleson,  Ed.  Knowalker,  H.  Paper,  O.  W'eizel  and  D.  Graw.  In 
the  summer  of  191 3  a  frame  church  building  was  erected  and  dedicated 
November  15th  of  the  same  year.  The  structure  has  a  cement  foundation 
of  modern  cement  blocks.  The  size  of  the  building  is  twenty-four  by  forty 
feet,  with  an  eight  by  eight  tower  extending  up  about  fifty  feet  high.  The 
present  value  of  the  church  property  is  about  three  thousand  dollars.  The 
membership  of  the  society  is  now  twelve. 

St.  Peter's  Evangelical  church  of  Coon  Valley  township  was  organized 
in  1878.  with  a  charter  membership  including  the  following:  G.  Arndt,  P. 
Borchett,  C.  Thislehorn,  William  Reimann  and  others.  The  society  was 
formed  bv  Rev.  Fred  Schug.  The  first  church  building  was  erected  in  1883. 
The  present  building  was  erected  in  1908  and  cost  four  thousand  four  hun- 
dred dollars.  The  total  value  of  church  property  held  by  this  congregation 
is  ten  thousand  dollars.  The  present  number  of  communicants  is  one  hun- 
dred and  forty.  The  pastors  who  ha\'e  served  this  people  at  this  point  are 
Revs.  Schug,  Neuofifer,  Volk.  Schroeder  and  the  present  pastor,  A.  Schwidder. 

There  are  societies  of  this  denomination  at  Auburn  and  Lake  View. 
These  are  under  the  charge  of  the  pastor  of  the  Coon  Valley  church.  Rev. 
Schwidder.  The  one  at  Auburn  is  known  as  St.  John's  Lutheran  church, 
organized  about  1875,  by  Rev.  Fred  Schug.  A  building  was  erected  about 
1893  and  the  property  is  now  estimated  to  be  worth  about  one  thousand  four 
hundred  dollars.  There  are  now  twenty-seven  communicants.  At  Lake 
View  the  church  is  known  as  Immanuel's  Lutheran  church,  organized  in 
1913  by  Rev.  Schwidder.  The  communicants  now  number  thirty-seven.  At 
Auburn  the  pastors  have  been  Revs.  F.  Schug,  Rickels.  Volk  and  Schwidder. 

The  German  Evangelical  Lutheran  church  at  Schaller  was  organized 
about  1910  by  the  following  persons:  E.  D.  Christenson,  P.  A.  Nielson,  C. 
K.  Anderson.  A.  N.  Anderson,  .A,ndrew  Andrcsen,  A.  Frederickson,  Emil 
Hanke,  Christian  Christenson,  H.  B.  Andresen,  John  Christenson  and  fam- 
ilies. A  frame  church  was  erected  about  1910  at  a  cost  of  eight  hundred 
dollars.  The  first  pastor  was  Rev.  Maase,  followed  by  the  present  pastor. 
Rev.  Boye,  who  resides  at  Galva.     The  congregation  now  consists  of  about 


170  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

twelve  families.  The  society  is  young  and  still  small  in  numbers,  but  is 
struggling  along  and  ere  long  will  doubtless  be  on  a  stronger  footing. 

Another  and  much  larger  and  stronger  congregation  of  this  denomina- 
tion is  that  about  fourteen  miles  southeast  of  Schaller,  in  the  country,  known 
as  the  Cook  Township  Evangelical  Lutheran  church.  It  was  organized  in 
1880  by  the  following  members:  Kasper  Luft,  George  Bieser,  Christian 
Wetzstein,  Johannes  Mehlbrech,  Conrad  Meyers,  Wilhelm  Kutz,  W.  F. 
Rusch,  Ludwog  Schramm,  Christ  Frank  and  Adam  Weitzel.  A  parsonage 
was  erected  in  1883  and  the  first  church  building  built  in  1887,  until  which 
time  meetings  were  held  in  different  public  school  houses.  The  cost  of  the 
first  building  was  four  hundred  dollars,  the  parsonage  costing  the  same 
amount.  The  present  church  edifice,  a  plain  frame  structure,  was  erected  in 
1898,  at  a  cost  of  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  This  society 
has  a  present  membership  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  communicants.  The 
estimated  value  of  the  property  belonging  to  the  church  is  four  thousand 
dollars.  The  following  have  served  as  pastors  in  this  society :  Fred  Schug, 
1879-1883;  L.  A.  Mueller,  1883-1892;  Rev.  K.  G.  Schlegel,  1892-1902;  the 
present  pastor  is  Rev.  F.  Wolter.  Rev.  Schug  served  from  Grant  City.  The 
first  resident  pastor  was  Rev.  Mueller,  who  served  at  the  same  time  he  cared 
for  the  church  at  Wall  Lake,  where  he  moved  when  Rev.  Schlegel  succeeded 
him  in  Cook  township.  This  church  in  Cook  township  is  a  strong  society  and, 
under  the  present  pastor  is  doing  a  very  good  work  in  church  life.  Its  mem- 
bers are  very  devoted  to  the  cause  and  work  in  harmony  with  the  faithful 
pastor. 

Lutheran  Emanuel  church,  of  Coon  Valley  township,  was  organized  in 
May,  1883,  with  the  following  constituent  members:  Henry  Dettmonn, 
William  Hecht,  August  Hilmer,  Henry  Leege,  William  Leege,  August 
Roeseke,  Fred  Schwartz  and  Charles  Westphal.  The  present  membership 
is  about  thirty.  In  1883  the  first  church  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  about  eight 
hundred  dollars,  and  this  is  the  one  that  has  been  in  use  since  1903  as  a  Ger- 
man school  house.  It  was  in  1903  that  the  new  frame  church  was  erected, 
costing  about  two  thousand  dollars.  The  pastors  serving  this  congregation 
have  been:  John  Huter,  Siegfried  Siepker,  Theo.  Kluforth.  Jobn  Dorullis, 
T.  Lentz,  Otto  Woyyler,  Herman  ^^'un(k■rlich  and  JdIui  Herbst. 

THE    L.'^TTER-DAY    SAINTS. 

This  denomination  has  a  society  at  Auburn.  They  belong  to  the  "re- 
organized"' branch  of  the  Mormon  church,  and  are  as  bitterly  opposed  to  the 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  I7I 

general  workings  of  the  Mormons  as  any  other  denomination  in  the  world. 
The  real  denominational  name  is  "The  Re-organized  Church  of  Latter-Day 
Saints  of  Jesus  Christ."  On  October  25,  1874,  the  first  meetings  were  held 
at  a  point  in  the  country  about  five  miles  from  Auburn,  to  which  place  they 
removed  in  1886.  Their  church  building  was  erected  in  1895  at  a  cost  of 
about  one  thousand  two  hundred  dollars.  The  charter  members  were  inclu- 
sive of  the  following  persons:  \V.  A.  Carroll  and  wife,  David  Hain  and 
wife,  Jacob  Hain,  Rufus  Perkins  and  wife,  M.  B.  Skinner  and  wife,  Mrs. 
Melinda  Colvin,  Mrs.  Cynthe  Thompson,  Thomas  J.  Skinner  and  ^lavy  Jane 
Cory.  Elder  W.  A.  Carroll  has  been  pastor  thirty-nine  years  out  of  the 
forty  years  of  the  church's  existence  at  this  point.  David  Hain  served  one 
year.  The  present  membership  is  forty-four,  and  forty-nine  have  died  or 
moved  to  other  parts  since  the  organization  of  the  church  here.  It  is  stated 
by  the  pastor  of  this  church  that  they,  as  a  sect,  "are  ever  loyal  to  the  govern- 
ment of  the  United  States  and  to  the  home  in  which  one  woman  reigns  as 
queen!" 

THE    EPISCOPAL    CHURCH. 

The  only  society  of  the  Episcopal  denomination  in  Sac  county  is  Holy 
Trinity  church  of  Sac  City,  which  in  19 14  had  a  membership  of  twenty-four 
communicants.  The  commencement  of  work  here  began  in  May,  1883,  when, 
on  the  24th  day  of  that  month.  Rev.  Peter  Fox,  of  Canada,  arrived  in  Sac 
City.  The  first  services  were  held  May  27th,  that  year,  in  the  school  house. 
However,  prior  to  this,  frequent  services  had  been  held  by  Rev.  ]\Iills,  of 
Fort  Dodge.  On  June  19,  1883,  a  meeting  of  the  people  belonging  to  this 
religious  faith  met  and  Thomas  Smith  and  Mr.  Reed  were  appointed  wardens 
and  Edward  Baxter,  secretary.  Plans  were  there  decided  upon  for  the 
erection  of  a  church  building,  and  the  same  were  soon  submitted  to  carpen- 
ters and.builders.  The  work  went  forward  and  by  Xo\ember  loth,  the  same 
year,  services  were  held  in  the  newly-constructed  building,  which  edifice  cost 
two  thousand  one  hundred  and  twenty  dollars.  In  the  spring  of  1902  the 
church  building  was  enlarged  and  a  chancel  and  vestr\-  room  were  added  at 
a  cost  of  about  two  thousand  dollars.  Memorial  windows  have  been  placed 
in  the  church  by  Thomas  Smith.  Delmont  Goldsmith  and  Sidney  Smith,  and 
a  memorial  altar  by  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Brown.  The  rectors  here  have  been: 
Rev.  Peter  Fox,  serving  seventeen  years,  and  followed  by  Re\-.  Douglas,  who 
continued  seven  years.  At  present  the  church  is  without  a  pastor.  In  191 1 
the  church  records  show  the  oflicers  to  be  as  follows :  Mrs.  L.  A.  Wine,  sec- 
retary, and  Mrs.  Goldsmith,  treasurer. 


172  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


THE  ADVENTISTS. 


At  one  time  there  were  sexeral  members,  and  a  society  formed  of  this 
denomination,  and  services  were  held  in  the  Gordon  school  house,  near  Sac 
City,  but  of  late  so  many  have  removed  that  services  are  not  continued. 

CHRISTIAN  CHURCHES. 

There  are  three  organizations  of  this  denomination  in  the  count}-,  one 
at  Sac  City,  one  at  Pleasant  Prairie  and  one  at  Schaller.  At  the  latter  place 
the  following  is  the  brief  history  of  this  church:  It  was  organized  in  1886 
and  is  known  as  the  Church  of  Christ.  Its  charter  members  were  as  follows : 
J.  S.  Hudson,  still  surviving  at  the  age  of  eighty-three  years ;  Abby  Hudson, 
J.  C.  Hudson,  Ida  Hudson,  J.  H.  Walker,  ^Irs.  J.  H.  Walker,  Monroe  Baker, 
Mrs.  M.  Baker,  S.  M.  Romig,  Theodore  Smith,  Mrs.  Theodore  Smith  and 
Miss  Lottie  Smith.  The  present  membership  is  seventy-two.  The  present 
elders  are  I.  X.  IMead,  Sterling  Wells,  W.  W.  Coverdale  and  T.  V.  Barnard. 
The  deacons  are  H.  L.  W.  Meirs,  J.  J.  Mead,  A.  Bawker  and  A.  G.  Higgins. 
The  frame  church  building  was  erected  about  1888  at  a  cost  of  two  thousand 
fi\e  hundred  dollars  un  lot  6,  in  block  5  of  the  town  of  Schaller. 

The  following  have  served  as  pastors:  J.  W.  Vanderwalker,  Bert  John- 
son, John  Linder,  R.  O.  Thompson.  A.  D.  Finch,  William  Dunkleberger, 
E.  M.  Miller,  \V.  E.  Jones,  C.  V.  Pence.  John  Hewitson,  W.  H.  Hardaker 
and  William  Coverdale. 

It  should  be  stated  in  this  connection  that  this  denomination  has  no 
other  creed  than  that  found  in  the  New  Testament.  They  plead  for  all 
evangelical  churches  to  become  united  in  one;  they  favor  both  home  and 
foreign  missions,  are  great  temperance  advocates  and  do  not  believe  it  right 
to  dance  or  play  cards  even  for  pastime. 

The  Pleasant  Prairie  church  was  organized  in  the  autumn  of  1887  by 
about  thirtv  members.  There  had  been  a  number  of  this  faith  in  the  neigh- 
borhood ever  since  1873  or  1874.  Among  the  members  were  M.  Boynton 
and  wife,  Zack  Long  and  wife,  Lon  Ingram  and  wife,  James  Staton  and 
wife,  Robert  Wilson  and  wife,  Mrs.  Jane  Barnhill.  Mary  Barnhill,  Ransom 
Owen  and  wife,  C.  L.  Ahrens  and  wife,  Amos  Roark,  Martha  and  Sarah 
Peyton,  Mrs.  Mary  Cox,  Mrs.  Ross,  Mrs.  Duby  and  daughter,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
John  Ball,  Ami  Saunders  and  wife,  Mable  Miltie  and  possibly  a  few  others. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  I  73 

One  account  gives  a  list  of  the  original  organizers  as  George  J-  Schnirring, 
M.  Peyton,  E.  L.  Ahrens,  L.  Barnhil!  and  F.  Al.  Losure. 

The  estimated  \'alue  of  the  church  property  is  two  thousand  dollars.  It 
was  erected  in  the  fall  of  1898  at  a  cost  of  nine  hundred  dollars.  It  was  built 
of  pine.  Many  of  the  original  membership  united  with  the  church  at  Sac 
City  in  recent  years.  The  pastors  or  ministers  who  ha\'e  served  this  church 
are  H.  U.  Dale,  Snyder,  Neistrum  and  J.  Irving  Brown. 

The  Christian  church  at  Sac  City  was  organized  in  the  summer  of  1894, 
following  a  remarkable  tent  meeting  movement  in  the  place  under  E\'angelist 
Lawrence  Wright.  The  following  constituted  the  hrst  officers  of  the  church : 
Elder,  G.  W.  Burch ;  deacons,  C.  Iverson,  David  Nixon,  Chester  Cheney,  W. 
J.  Lusher  and  O.  R.  Adams;  clerk,  J.  W.  Lusher;  treasurer.  O.  R.  Adams. 
The  organization  was  not  fully  completed  until  November  i,  1894.  A 
church  building  was  erected  the  same  season  the  society  was  formed.  The 
following  ha\e  ser\'ed  as  pastors  in  this  church :  (i.  W.  Burch,  the  first 
pastor,  served  from  1894  to  1897;  H.  U.  Dale,  from  1897  to  1899;  P.  N. 
Nystrom,  1899  to  1900;  D.  F.  Snyder,  1900  to  1902;  M.  A.  Thompson,  1902 
to  1903;  E.  N.  Tucker,  from  1903  to  1904;  J.  Irving  Brown,  the  present 
pastor,  has  served  since  1904,  faithfully  and  well.  The  Ciiristian  denomina- 
tion has  been  organized  over  a  century  now,  and  has  more  than  one  and  a 
half  million  members.  Much- attention  is  paid  to  missions  and  the  converts 
cost  less  than  that  of  any  other  sect. 

The  church  edifice  in  the  center  of  the  business  section  of  the  place  is  a 
good  frame  structure,  valued  at  ten  thousand  dollars,  while  the  new  parson- 
age is  valued  at  four  thousand  five  hundred  dollars.  The  membership  of  this 
church  in  February,  1914,  after  the  recent  additions  to  the  church,  amounts 
to  about  two  hundred  and  fift_\'.  The  Sunday  school  enrollment  is  about  three 
hundred.  The  present  officers  are :  Re\'.  J.  Irving  Brow  n.  pastor ;  W.  A. 
Ball,  clerk  and  treasurer;  E.  L.  Ahrens,  chairman  church  board:  Ross  Mav- 
hall,  secretary  of  church  board. 

SAC  county's  young  men's  christian  association. 

Among  the  recently  organized  and  progressive  class  of  religious  and 
semi-educational  societies  of  this  county  is  the  Young  Men's  Christian  As- 
sociation, the  scope  of  which  takes  in  all  the  county  of  Sac.  It  was  organized 
in  1908  and  had  made  rapid  adx-ancement.  Without  the  county  committee 
of  business  men,  this  societ\'  could  not  have  existed.     Three  vears  after  its 


174  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

founding  in  the  county  the  following  well-known  men  were  such  a  committee : 
W.  J.  Dixon,  chairman.  Sac  City;  George  B.  Perkins,  treasurer.  Sac  City; 
John  R.  Slacks,  clerk.  Sac  City:  F.  S.  Needham,  Dr.  Z.  Fuller,  Sac  City;  Ira 
Conger,  same  city ;  also  Prof.  G.  W.  Lee.  Prof.  H.  P.  Helms,  Lake  View ; 
John  T.  Edson.  Schaller;  C.  M.  Moler,  Lake  View;  H.  M.  Rogers,  Lake 
View ;  C.  G.  Aldrich,  Schaller ;  D.  D.  Carlton,  Early ;  Scott  Rutledge,  Early. 
Up  to  the  end  of  the  third  year  there  had  been  organized  six  local  associa- 
tions in  the  county.  These  were  at  Sac  City,  Schaller,  Early,  Pleasant  Prairie 
and  two  more  in  the  country.  In  these  associations  there  were  involved  in 
191 1  such  activities  as  the  regular  Bible  study,  physical  training  and  educa- 
tional work,  and  about  three  hundred  men  and  boys  were  enrolled.  It  was 
then  estimated  that  about  three  thousand  different  persons  in  the  county  had 
been  involved  in  special  work  and  events  of  a  public  nature.  Play  and  exer- 
cise life,  lectures,  Bible  study  and  other  departments  all  came  in  for  their 
share  in  the  great  undertaking  in  this  county.  Annual  and  semi-annual  field 
meets  have  attracted  their  hundreds.  At  Lake  View  and  Sac  City  public 
baths  and  reading  rooms  were  established,  and  physical  culture  was  made  a 
specialty  for  a  time.  The  work  is  rapidly  being  extended  to  remote  parts  of 
the  county.  At  their  annual  meeting,  held  at  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
in  Sac  City  in  February,  19 14,  it  was  learned  from  the  reports  rendered  that 
the  association  was  in  a  flourishing  condition. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


THE    LODGES    OF    THE    COUNTY. 


With  the  advance  of  civihzation,  the  increase  in  membership  in  the  three 
great  fraternal  orders,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  Odd  Fellows  and 
Knights  of  Pythias,  to  saj'  nothing  of  the  hundred  and  one  other  societies, 
secret  and  semi-secret,  with  the  beneficiary  insurance  feature  connected  with 
them,  has  been  indeed  phenomenal.  These  societies  are  not  as  numerous  or  as 
strong  in  Sac  City  as  in  some  of  the  adjoining  counties,  but  there  are  several, 
and  of  these  three  principal  secret  orders  this  chapter  will  treat  brietlv. 

FREEMASONRY. 

The  oldest  of  the  Masonic  lodges  in  the  county  is  Occidental  Lodge  No. 
178,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  at  Sac  City.  It  was  chartered  in 
June,  1866.  by  the  following  charter  members:  D.  C.  Early,  J.  Williams, 
W.  V.  Lagourge,  G.  H.  Wright.  J.  W.  Tiberghien  and  T.  M.  Cory.  In  the 
early  eighties  it  had  a  memljership  of  about  seventy.  Today  it  has  a  mem- 
bership of  one  hundred  and  nineteen,  with  officers  as  follows :  W.  F.  Weary, 
worshipful  master;  J.  W.  Neal,  senior  warden;  O.  C.  Pfaff,  junior  warden;  R. 
L.  McCord.  Jr.,  seni(3r  deacon;  ¥.  G.  Smith,  junior  deacon;  J.  H.  Stalford, 
treasurer;  Edward  Drewry,  secretary;  P.  E.  Prior,  tyler.  Their  beautiful 
Masonic  hall  was  erected  in  the  eighties,  and  is  now  estimated  to  be  worth 
fifteen  thousand  dollars.  It  stands  on  Main  street  on  parts  of  lots  5  and  6, 
in  block  13  of  the  original  plat  of  Sac  City.  It  is  up-to-date  and  has  an 
Eastern  Star  room,  kitchen  and  dining  room.  Edward  Drewry  has  been 
secretary  and  collector  for  all  three  branches — blue  lodge,  chapter  and  com- 
mandery — for  the  past  seven  years,  and  this  insures  correct  methods  and 
promptness. 

Darius  Chapter  No.  58,  Royal  Arch  Masons,  was  instituted  at  Sac  City 
February  i,  1871,  with  the  following  charter  members:  William  McKay, 
W.  H.  Hobbs,  E.  R.  Duffie,  E.  R.  Chase,  S.  S.  Armstrong,  J.  Orr  and  Oliver 
Birt.  In  1882  the  membership  had  reached  seventy.  In  January,  1914,  the 
chapter  had  a  membership  of  one  hundred  and  fifty-nine,  with  officers  as 


176  SAC    COUiVTY.    IOWA. 

follows:  j.  W'llluir  Xeal.  high  priest:  W.  F.  Weary,  king;  E.  B.  Long, 
scribe:  \\'.  H.  Hart,  treasurer:  Edward  Drewry,  secretary:  F.  L.  Goodell, 
captain  nt  host;  F.  G.  Smith,  royal  arch  captain:  W.  R.  Temple,  master  of 
first  veil:  C.  E.  Harding,  master  of  second  veil;  P.  H.  Peterson,  master  of 
third  veil;  Malcolm  Currie,  principal  sojourner;  P.  E.  Prior,  sentinel. 

■  Rose  Croix  Commandery  No.  38,  Knights  Templar,  at  Sac  City  ( under 
dispensation  in  1880).  was  instituted  in  December.  1881,  with  the  subjoined 
charter  members :  D.  C.  Early,  P.  H.  Hankins,  E.  R.  Dufifie,  W.  H.  Hobbs, 
M.  Childs,  B.  W.  Trout,  R.  T.  Shearer.  AI.  M.  Gray,  H.  S.  Briggs  and  Sidney 
Smith.  In  1880  the  order  had  a  membership  of  thirty  knights.  Its  mem- 
bership in  Januar}-.  1914.  is  one  hundred  and  eighty-four.  The  present  of- 
ficers are  as  follows:  George  B.  Perkins,  eminent  commander:  W.  A.  Xutter. 
generalissimo;  O.  C.  Pfaff,  captain  general;  \\'.  F.  Weary,  senior  warden; 
W.  H.  Hart,  prelate;  Edward  Drewry.  recorder;  F.  W.  Loring,  treasurer; 
P.  H.  Peterson,  warder:  J.  H.  Stalford.  standard  bearer. 

The  past  eminent  commanders  have  been  D.  Carr  Early.  Myron  Childs, 
Phil  Schaller,  Carey  Diehl,  Charles  L.  Early,  W.  H.  Hart.  J.  L.  Criss,  C. 
E.  Lane,  H.  H.  Allison,  J.  W.  Wilson.  \\'.  L.  Lee,  F.  W.  Loring.  J.  H.  Stal- 
ford, W.  Jackson,  F.  E.  Stouft'er,  J.  J.  PLirter,  M.  W.  Newby,  F.  L.  Goodell, 
O.  E.  Rowe,  D.  D.  Carlton.  A.  C.  Shulte.  C.  F.  Garrett.  Malcolm  Currie  and 
George  B.  Perkins. 

At  Schaller,  Acme  Lodge  No.  457  was  chartered  in  1883,  soon  after  the 
town  had  got  fairl\-  under  headway,  having  being  platted  and  settled  with 
enterprising  men.  Those  who  appear  on  the  charter  are  as  follows :  R.  S. 
Robinson,  J.  H.  A\'alker.  James  \\'addicor.  J.  H.  Lester.  C.  A.  Cantine.  B. 
Mills.  John  Robinson.  Thomas  Hovendon.  E.  A.  Bennett.  ].  B.  Harris  and 
.\.  H.  McLaughlin.  The  first  officers  were  C.  L.  Early,  worshipful  master; 
J.  P.  Lester,  senior  warden;  E.A.  Bennett,  junior  warden.  The  present (T914) 
membership  of  this  lodge  is  fifty-three.  Its  present  officers  include  F.  H. 
McCray,  worshipful  master:  J.  F.  Ady,  senior  warden;  L.  L.  Brannen,  junior 
warden.  The  past  masters  are  C.  L.  Early.  J.  P.  Lester,  B.  Mills.  James 
Harris,  A.  B.  Searle,  A.  R.  Gordon,  F.  B.  Rowley,  A.  H.  McLaughlin.  J.  A. 
Gray,  George  J.  Speaker  and  F.  H.  McCray.  A  hall  was  erected  in  1898 
costing  five  thousand  four  hundred  dollars ;  it  is  of  brick,  located  on  lot  No. 
6.  block  No.  4.  town  of  Schaller. 

At  Lake  View.  Laurel  Lodge  No.  517.  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons,  was  instituted  February  19,  1891,  with  the  following  charter  mem- 
bers and  officers:  Charles  Sifford,  worshipful  master;  A\'illiam  Rowlev,  senior 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  1 77 

warden;  L.  F.  Davis,  junior  warden;  John  AicClurg,  treasurer;  I.  H.  Adams, 
secretary;  John  Donahue,  senior  deacon;  E.  Cordeman,  junior  deacon;  John 
Deacon,  senior  steward :  Martin  Steinman,  junior  steward ;  F.  A.  Denkin, 
tyler ;  J.  A.  Ressinger,  John  W.  Provost,  A.  L.  Clauser,  Thomas  Batie,  O. 
W.  Owen  and  \\\  McKendrick.  The  present  membership  is  sixty-five.  The 
present  (January,  1914)  officers  are:  John  Erickson,  worshipful  master;  F. 
Hamm,  senior  warden;  O.  S.  Hohday,  junior  warden;  N.  Westerman,  treas- 
urer; Fred  Wells,  secretary;  J.  T.  Sigman,  senior  deacon;  C.  P.  Armstrong, 
junior  deacon;  A.  Lee,  senior  steward;  B.  Remmert,  junior  steward;  L.  A. 
Cleaveland,  tyler.  The  past  masters  of  this  lodge  are  Charles  Sifford,  E.  F. 
Mahe,  A.  Armstrong,  F.  H.  Clark,  B.  Braughton,  \\illiam  Dean.  E.  E. 
Speaker,  H.  Lindsey  and  A.  Lillie. 

At  Early,  St.  Elmo  Lodge  No.  462  was  organized  many  years  ago  and 
now  enjoys  a  membership  of  seventy- four.  The  present  elective  officers  are : 
J.  C.  Hartsell,  worshipful  master;  L.  W.  McCreery,  senior  warden;  C.  F. 
Jackson,  junior  warden ;  D.  D.  Carlton,  treasurer ;  \\'.  \\'.  Little,  secretary. 
The  past  worshipful  masters  have  been  D.  D.  Carlton,  T.  A.  Barnett,  C.  H. 

Jump.  Al.  Bryan,  E.  C.  Fuller,  G.  G.  Parrett, Denny,  C.  H.  Allen,  R.  J. 

Jackson  and  J.  X.  Hartsell.     This  lodge  owns  its  own  brick  building. 

Wheeler  Lodge  Xo.  398,  at  Odebolt,  was  organized  October  9.  1879, 
with  charter  members  as  follows :  John  M.  Zane,  E.  P.  Messer,  H.  T.  Mar- 
tin, F.  A.  Cobb,  W.  W.  Field,  F.  S.  Douglass,  E.  Colvin,  J.  W.  Fairbanks, 
W.  A.  Helsell  and  G.  C.  Bolt.  The  nieniljership  in  January.  1914,  was  one 
hundred  and  one.  The  elective  officers  when  first  instituted  were  as  follows : 
John  M.  Zane,  worshipful  master;  E.  P.  Messer,  senior  warden;  H.  T.  Mar- 
tin, junior  warden;  F.  S.  Douglass,  treasurer;  F.  A.  Coljb,  secretary;  W.  A. 
Helsell,  senior  deacon;  E.  Colvin.  junior  deacon;  J.  W.  Fairbanks,  tyler. 
The  order  lea.ses  their  hall  at  present.  The  elective  officers  at  present  (  1914) 
are  as  follows :  O.  E.  Huglin,  worshipful  master ;  M.  H.  Paul,  senior  war- 
den; W.  i\L  Sayre,  junior  warden;  Ellis  Kluckholm.  senior  deacon;  J.  S. 
Fisher,  junior  deacon :  ^\■.  W.  Reynolds,  treasurer ;  J.  R.  Mattes,  secretary : 
H.  W.  Stratton,  tyler. 

At  Wall  Lake,  Wall  Lake  Lodge  Xo.  390.  was  allowed  to  work  under 
the  dispensation  of  June  4.  1878,  and  a  charter  was  granted  them  June  4, 
1879.  Charter  members  were  C.  X.  Levy.  H.  B.  Allen,  D.  M.  Bingman,  L. 
J.  Sifford,  F.  W.  Weed,  A,  D.  Herrig,  B.  E.  Allen,  C.  i\L  Smith,  W.  D. 
Forbes  and  William  Throssell.     In  1882  the  lodge  had  a  membership  of  thir- 

(II) 


17^  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

ty-t\v().  It  now  lias  a  memljership  of  seventy-eight,  with  officers  as  follows: 
C.  W.  Davis,  worshipful  ma.ster;  J.  A.  Swanson,  treasurer,  since  1907;  J-  C. 
Ockerstroni,  secretary;  C.  W.  Shaw,  senior  deacon;  F.  G.  Wicker,  junior 
deacon.  A  hall  is  leased  b\-  the  order  at  Wall  Lake.  The  past  worshipful 
masters  include  J.  C.  Ockerstroni.  F.  E.  Johnston  and  L.  T.  Quirk. 

Jeptha  Lodge  No.  201.  at  Auburn,  was  instituted  June  5,  1867,  bv 
Deputy  Grand  IMaster  D.  Carr  Early,  of  Sac  City.  The  following  were  the 
first  officers  and  members :  G.  W.  Wright,  worshipful  master :  William 
Chapin,  senior  warden ;  William  Impson,  junior  w-arden ;  Joseph  Williams, 
secretary ;  S.  B.  York,  treasurer ;  David  Hain,  senior  deacon ;  R.  J\T.  Williams, 
junior  deacon;  John  W.  Wilson,  tyler;  Thomas  Easier,  steward. 

The  lodge  now  enjoys  a  membership  of  thirty-seven.  The  1914  officers 
are :  F.  A.  Meyer,  worshipful  master ;  G.  M.  Parker,  senior  warden,  F.  B. 
Layman,  junior  warden;  A.  Easier,  treasurer:  \\'.  I.  Toop,  secretary.  The 
past  masters  are  G.  W.  Wright,  William  Chapman,  Edwin  Miller,  William 
Impson,  George  Hicks,  I.  W.  Deemer,  C.  D.  Wilcox,  A.  Easier,  W.  S.  Will- 
iams, A.  M.  Morrison,  J.  F.  Rose,  W.  I.  Toop. 

In  1901  the  lodge  purchased  the  former  school  house,  a  two-story  frame 
building,  and  mo\'ed  it  to  the  present  location  and  there  remodeled  it  at  a  cost 
of  eleven  hundred  dollars.  This  lodge,  it  should  be  understood,  was  orig- 
inally formed  at  old  Grant  City  and  moved  to  Auburn  in  April,  1890. 

INDEPENDENT  ORDER  OF  ODD  FELLOWS. 

This  order  is  next  in  age  to  the  Masonic  bodies  in  the  world  and  has 
many  benefits  connected  therewith.  Go  where  one  may  in  all  the  civilized 
portions  of  the  globe,  and  there  can  be  found  a  brother  of  the  "Three  Link 
Order."  Its  growth  has  been  a  wonder  to  the  masses.  Founded  on  the 
precepts  of  the  Bible,  it  has  been  the  means  of  uplifting  many  a  man  and 
placing  him  in  a  position  to  command  respect  and  admiration  among  his  fel- 
low men.  When  the  member  of  this  order  is  ill  he  is  cared  for  and  in  death 
his  eyes  are  tenderly  closed  from  the  light  of  the  earth  and  his  remains  are 
buried  in  decency  and  order,  while  his  family  is  cared  for  after  his  departure. 

Records  show  that  the  first  lodge  of  this  order,  Sac  City  Lodge  No.  323, 
was  instituted  in  Sac  county  at  Sac  City,  October  21,  1875,  with  a  charter 
membership  of  about  twenty.  By  January  i,  1914,  it  had  grown  to  a  mem- 
bership of  one  hundred  and  ninety-three.  Its  elective  officers  at  the  date  last 
given  were  as  follows ;     Adolph  Gusta\eson,  noble  grand ;  W.   W.   Stokes, 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  1 79 

vice  grand;  C.  E.  Harding,  secretary;  Harry  Wood,  financial  secretary;  B. 
A.  Yonng,  treasurer. 

A  spacious,  well-planned  brick  hall,  on  the  corner  of  Sixth  and  Main 
streets,  was  built  by  the  order  in  191 1  at  an  expense  of  eight  thousand  dollars. 
Stock  was  subscribed  by  the  members  of  the  fraternity.  All  of  the  degrees 
of  the  order  are  here  represented  and  excellent  work  has  been  done  in  the  past 
and  is  still  lieing  done.  Many  of  the  best  men  in  Sac  City  are  connected  with 
this  lodge,  and  the  Rebekah  degree  is  made  up  of  many  of  the  brightest  ladies 
of  the  place.  A  strong  society  of  the  encampment  of  this  fraternity  and  the 
only  one  in  the  county  is  in  existence  at  Sac  City  at  this  date. 

At  Schaller,  William  Garrett  Lodge  No.  609  was  instituted  by  the  Odd 
Fellows  April  3,  1893.  with  the  following  charter  memijers :  John  Henry, 
George  Schaller,  W.  J.  Howard,  W.  R.  Brooks,  L.  J.  French,  J.  F.  Burkhead, 
C.  Mayer,  W.  H.  Reese  and  J.  W.  Kanouse.  This  lodge  now  has  a  member- 
ship of  seventy-eight  and  is  officered  as  follows  :  John  \\'oodke,  noble  grand ; 
A.  A.  Resegee,  vice  grand ;  Charles  E.  Guernsey,  recording  secretary ;  Ed- 
ward Stoelting,  financial  secretary ;  and  C.  Mayer,  treasurer.  This  lodge 
meets  in  its  hall  over  the  opera  house  on  Main  street.  The  following  have 
served  as  past  noble  grands:  C.  Mayer,  Edward  Stoetling,  F.  M.  McLaugh- 
lin. J.  W.  Kanouse,  R.  F.  Barnes,  H.  H.  Schaefer,  J.  B.  Harris,  J.  E.  Rogers, 
A.  J.  Harris,  C.  F.  Ellis,  C.  H.  Collins,  G.  A.  Rogers,  R.  W.  King,  W.  W. 
Allen,  W.  H.  McKinney,  Jens  Jensen,  J.  D.  Robinson,  C.  S.  Wheeler,  Jacob 
Weegar,  H.  J.  Strahm  and  Charles  E.  Guernsey.  The  "three  links"  are  very 
popular  in  and  about  Schaller  and  are  made  up  of  the  best  men  in  the  vicinity. 

Boyer  Lodge  No.  475,  at  Early,  was  organized  in  1884.  In  May,  1890, 
the  lodge  room  was  burned  and  all  records  of  the  early  transactions  of  the 
order  were  destroyed,  hence  we  are  unable  to  give  the  charter  members  and 
first  officers.  It  now  has  a  membership  of  ninety-nine.  The  present  (Janu- 
ary, 1914)  elective  officers  are  as  follows:  J.  R.  Leighton.  noble  grand:  J. 
W.  Stocks,  vice  grand ;  W.  H.  Allen,  recording  secretary  as  well  as  financial 
secretary ;  J.  W.  Hartsell,  treasurer.  The  Odd  Fellows  hall  at  Early  was 
erected  in  1891,  a  veneer-brick  structure,  costing  one  thousand  fi\e  hundred 
dollars.  The  order  owns  the  upper  portion  of  this  block,  which  stands  on 
Main  and  Second  strreets.  With  the  passing  years  the  list  of  past  grands 
may  be  read  with  much  interest  and  are  here  subjoined :  W.  W.  Shaw,  W. 
P.  Hirons,  Ned  Madson,  E.  E.  Cater,  J.  F.  DeGarmo,  I.  W.  Scothorn,  Will- 
iam Luff.  J.  R.  Kenney,  A.  H.  Borsed.  G.  W.  Patee,  L.  C.  Holdridge,  J.  L. 
Dunham,  John  Scothorn,  J.  Grace,  John  Simpson,  B.  F.  Hazen,  J.  C.  Blair, 


l8o  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

F.  \\".  Flanagen.  G.  \V.  Little,  W.  T.  Scott,  George  Huston,  Robert  Scothorn, 

G.  S.  Wilson,  W.  F.  Hay.  Bert  Kind,  James  Kenney,  James  Newell,  J.  W. 
Hartseil,  C.  R.  Kenney  and  C.  J.  Allen. 

Odd  Fellows  Lodge  No.  360,  at  ^^'ali  Lake,  was  organized  in  1888,  with 
at  least  the  following  members:  \\'.  Al.  Hamilton,  Frank  A.  Rouse,  J.  F. 
Strohl,  John  A.  Nelson,  Frank  Hawley  and  George  W.  Mcintosh.  The  pres- 
ent membership  of  the  lodge  is  thirty-seven.  The  elective  officers  are  at  this 
date  as  follows:  C.  W.  Davis,  noble  grand:  H.  Mclverson,  vice  grand; 
Chris  Erickson.  secretary ;  Samuel  Robinson,  treasurer.  While  not  a  large 
lodge  in  numbers,  it  is  a  lodge  devoted  to  the  best  interests  of  Odd  Fellow- 
ship in  the  section  of  country  in  which  it  is  located. 

Lytton  Lodge  No.  336,  at  Lytton,  was  organized  January  24,  1901,  with 
the  following  charter  members  and  officers :  C.  F.  Brobeil,  Gust  Hohn,  S.  J. 
Griffith,  C.  C.  Webb,  V.  D.  Heston,  Jacob  Stevens.  The  officers  first  elected 
were  as  fullow  s :  ^^  D.  Heston.  noble  grand :  Gust  Hohn,  vice  grand :  C.  F. 
Brobeil,  secretary :  C.  C.  ^^'ebb,  treasurer.  The  present  membership  is  ninety- 
five.  The  present  elective  officers  are:  G.  E.  Lamner,  noble  grand;  Ray 
Bechler,  vice  grand ;  C.  F.  Brobeil,  secretar}' :  W.  G.  Brobeil.  treasurer.  A 
frame  hall  was  built  b}-  the  order  in  IQ07  at  a  cost  of  three  thousand  dollars, 
and  is  counted  one  of  the  finest  halls  in  Sac  county. 

Auburn  Lodge  No.  540  was  organized  December  12,  1891,  by  Thomas 
Thurston,  William  F.  Harvey.  Charles  F.  Wagner,  William  C.  Wagner,  vice 
grand,  Conrad  Buehie,  secretary,  and  W.  F.  IIarve\-,  treasurer.  The  present 
membership  is  fifty-one.  The  present  officers  are  C.  H.  Wilkey.  noble  grand; 
George  W.  Smith,  vice  grand :  E.  \\'.  Bean,  secretary :  J.  B.  W'illiamson,  treas- 
urer. The  past  noble  grands  of  this  lodge  have  been  O.  C.  Crandall,  O.  M. 
Brooks,  Ed.  Thompson,  J.  B.  Williams,  J.  B.  Standfield,  J.  W.  :\tartin,  L.  T. 
Wiseman,  S.  Anderson,  J.  E.  Thompson,  A.  C.  Whittiker,  H.  Garnatz,  A. 
Staton,  J.  Rettig.  Joseph  Wiseman,  George  llungate,  A.  \\'.  Walton.  J.  E. 
Keppleman.  O.  M.  Riple}-.  E.  W.  Bean  and  J.  H.  Wiseman. 

The  dispensation  for  Odd  Fellows  Lodge  No.  447,  at  Odebolt,  was 
granted  by  Grand  Master  ^^'hipple  February  9,  1882.  The  first  officers  in- 
stalled were  W.  W.  Stanfield,  noble  grand ;  J.  W.  Conklin,  vice  grand ;  L.  D. 
Beardsley,  treasurer ;  John  R.  Mattes,  secretary :  A.  B.  Cooley,  warden ;  R. 
D.  Stafford,  conductor;  George  Brownell,  guardian;  K.  W.  Wheelock,  right 
supporter  noble  grand;  C.  W.  Stanfield,  right  supporter  vice  grand.  The 
lodge  is  not  a  very  strong  one.  but  those  who  belong  are  true  and  faithful  to 
the  obligations  of  the  fraternity.     The  officers  elected  for   1914  are  as  fol- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  l8l 

lows;  John  \\'illiams,  noble  grand;  Ed.  Martin,  vice  grand;  John  A.  Caine, 
secretary;  John  R.  Mattes,  treasurer:  E.  E.  Stratton,  financial  secretary; 
Glenn  Smith,  warden ;  P.  O.  Olson,  conductor ;  Hans  Olson,  inside  guard ; 
William  Caine,  outside  guard;  M.  B.  \Volf.  John  W.  Yonnie  and  Erick 
Ericksson,  trustees. 

Lake  View  Lodge  No.  302,  at  Lake  \'ie\\ ,  was  organized  October  18, 
1888,  by  F.  .\.  Lurk.  The  charter  member.s  and  first  elective  otficers  were: 
A.  C.  Clouse,  W.  X.  McKendrick,  \'.  R.  Anson,  J.  P.  Therkelson,  C.  K. 
Shumbaugh  and  William  Elwanger.  Officers:  A.  L.  Clouse,  noble  grand; 
\\'.  X.  McKendrick,  vice  grand;  J.  P.  Therkelson,  secretary;  ^^  R.  Anson, 
treasurer.  The  present  (  P'ebruary,  1914)  officers  are  as  follows:  A.  C. 
Johnson,  noble  grand;  William  Belt,  vice  grand;  V.  R.  Anson,  secretary:  C. 
K.  Shumbaugh,  treasurer.  The  past  noble  grands  are  A.  L.  Clouse,  W.  X^. 
McKendrick,  \'.  R.  Anson,  C.  K.  Shumbaugh,  J.  P.  Therkelson,  F.  S.  Frisbie, 
M.  L.  Kaw,  H.  C.  Miller,  Paul  Miller,  A.  C.  Johnson,  O.  P.  Haskins.  J.  P. 
W'ells,  D.  C.  Meek,  H.  Chambers  and  C.  D.  Lung.  A  frame  building  was 
erected  in  1890  at  a  cost  of  one  thousand  five  hundred  dollars,  and  the  upper 
stor)-  is  used  for  the  order.  The  lower  story  was  built  for  opera  house  pur- 
poses and  public  hall  uses.  It  was  erected  by  the  Democratic  Hall  Associa- 
tion. In  1910  the  Odd  Fellows  bought  the  hall  property,  now  having  the 
whole  structure,  which  is  valued  at  three  thousand  dollar,s.  The  lodge  is  free 
of  all  debt  and  has  fi\e  Iiundred  dollars  in  the  treasury. 

KNIGHTS   OF    PYTHIAS. 

There  have  been  several  lodges  of  this  fraternity  in  Sac  county,  but  at 
present  it  is  confined  to  only  two  points.  Formerly  there  was  a  lodge  at  Ode- 
bolt  and  one  at  Auburn,  but  today  the  lodges  at  Sac  City  and  Early  are  the 
only  ones  holding  a  charter. 

At  Sac  City,  Saxon  Lodge  X^o.  106  was  organized  October  24,  1883,  by 
the  Carroll  Lodge.  The  following  were  charter  members  and  officers :  C.  H. 
Reynolds,  past  chancellor ;  W.  H.  Hanchett,  chancellor  commander ;  J.  E. 
Robbins,  vice  chancellor;  A.  D.,Peck,  prelate;  F.  B.  Knight,  keeper  of  records 
and  seals:  J.  L.  W'atson.  master  of  finance;  J.  M.  Highland,  master  of 
exchequer;  G.  ]\I.  Parker,  master  at  arms;  C.  P.  Chapman,  outer  guard;  W^. 
Highland,  inner  guard ;  J.  Shull,  J.  H.  James,  J.  Y.  Campfield,  E.  H.  Parnell, 
J.  Marks,  W'.  F.  Moyer,  J.  H.  Fox,  A.  W^  Hobbs,  F.  H.  Knights,  J.  M.  Broat, 
H.  J.  Baxter,  James  N.  Miller,  Albert  Kevser,  T.  B.  Alansfield,  Phil  Schaller. 


Io-2  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

H.  L.  Wilson.  J.  T.  Bushnell.  The  present  membership  of  this  lodge  is  fifty- 
five.  The  elective  oflicers  in  March,  1914,  were  as  follows:  George  I.  Cory, 
past  chancellor;  Miles  Hamilton,  chancellor  commander;  Ed.  Young,  vice 
chancellor;  C.  L.  Stocker,  prelate;  M.  Currie.  master  of  work;  John  H.  Fox, 
master  of  exchequer;  X.  O.  Gishwiller.  master  of  finance:  H.  L.  Arney, 
master  at  arms ;  S.  L.  Hawley,  inner  guard ;  George  I.  Cory,  outer  guard ; 
trustees.  M.  Currie.  N.  O.  Gishwiller.  George  1.  Cory.  The  order  had  various 
lodge  rooms  until  the  building  of  the  Allen  block  on  East  Main  street,  since 
which  time  it  has  had  a  hall  home  on  the  second  floor  of  that  building.  .\t 
one  time  there  was  a  Uniform  Rank  at  Sac  City,  but  several  years  ago  it 
went  down  for  lack  of  attention  and  interest.  George  M.  Parker  was  the 
captain  of  the  division  during  its  existence  here. 

The  report  of  Early  Lodge  No.  165  is  not  at  hand,  but  it  is  understood 
that,  while  it  is  not  a  large  one.  yet  it  is  doing  good  work. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


RAILROADS   AND   TRANSPORTATION. 


There  is  no  internal  inipro\-enient  that  has  done  so  much  to  develop  this 
country  as  its  railroads.  The  printing  press,  the  railroad,  the  telegraph  and 
the  telephone  combined  move  the  world  today.  Up  to  about  1880,  in  this 
section  of  the  West,  the  countr\-  was  first  expected  to  he  fairly  well  developed 
before  the\'  had  an\-  chance  to  obtain  railway  ser\ice.  The  agricultural  and 
mineral  resources  had  first  to  be  so  far  advanced  and  developed  that  there 
was  quick  returns  to  capital  before  such  capital  could  be  induced  to  construct 
a  steam  and  iron  highway  through  such  section.  Times  have  materiallv 
changed.  Now  the  railroad  goes  on  ahead  and  pioneers  the  way  over  trackless 
prairies,  over  forest  and  glen  and  swampy  places,  having  in  view  the  farmer 
who  will  ere  long  be  enticed  into  coming  and  effecting  permanent  settlement, 
on  account  of  the  easy  access  to  a  railroad,  which  gives  him,  at  once,  a  direct 
and  speedy  line  of  transportation. 

Sac  county  was  only  partly  settled  until  the  railroads  sought  out  this 
goodly  land  of  fertility  and  surveyed  her  lines  throughout  her  borders.  This 
county  was  never  bonded  or  heavily  burdened  by  railroad  taxes,  as  was  the 
case  in  some  of  the  more  eastern  counties  in  Iowa. 

Again  who  built  the  railroads,  as  they  first  appeared  on  the  map  of 
our  fair  state?  While  not  paying  for  the  construction  of  these  various  roads, 
yet,  strange  tcj  relate,  the  farmers  built  the  roads;  their  teams  made  the 
grades,  the  "cuts  and  the  fills:"  their  axes  hewed  the  ties;  their  sons  laid  the 
rails  and  then  manned  the  trains  and  officered  the  corporations.  This  is  true 
today,  as  has  but  recently  been  noted  by  the  vice-president  of  the  great  Illi- 
nois Central  system,  in  a  speech  made  at  Storm  Lake  only  last  year:  "Fifty 
per  cent,  of  the  employes  of  the  railroads  come  from  the  farm.  The  sons  of 
lawyers  do  not  make  good  brakemen ;  neither  does  the  son  uf  a  merchant  seek 
employment  as  a  fireman.  Those  who  learn  the  mechanical  trades  are  used 
to  manual  labor.  The  men  who  work  on  the  track,  also  work  on  the  farm 
a  part  of  the  time.  These  are  the  ones  from  whom  the  officials  are  made. 
There  cannot  rightfully  be  antagonism  between  the  two  vocations,  and  there 
is  absolutely  no  cause  for  it  where  it  exists.     Only  the  demagogue  will  tell 


184  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

you  that  'Wall  Street  owns  the  railroads."  And  tliat  hence  they  are  a  legiti- 
mate prey  for  the  common  people. 

"Of  the  ten  thousand  stockholders  of  the  Illinois  Central  railroad  eight 
thousand  own  one  hundred  shares  or  less.  The  maximum  for  one  hundred 
shares,  an  ordinary  Iowa  farm  is  worth  as  much  money.  The  great  majority 
of  shares  are  held  in  comparatively  small  amounts.  From  one  hundred  shares 
of  Illinois  Central  stock  the  owner — widow,  orphan  or  perhaps  some  super- 
annuated person — gets  seven  hundred  dollars  per  year.  If  the  same  money 
had  been  invested  in  Iowa  land  at  the  time  this  railroad  was  built  it  wiiuld 
now  be  worth  many  times  as  much,  and  invested  in  any  of  the  industries 
would  have  brought  far  greater  returns.  Those  who  invest  in  railroad  stocks 
are  usually  those  who  cannot  manipulate  their  money  in  merchandising  or  in 
other  ways  requiring  personal  ability  or  superintendence." 

With  the  north  and  south  and  east  and  west  lines  of  railroad  through 
Sac  county,  the  farmer  and  merchant  have  been  greatly  benefited.  All  classes 
have  been  brought  in  touch  with  the  great  busy  outside  world. 

As  early  as  April,  1859,  there  was  talk  uf  building  a  railroad  through  Sac 
county.  The  question  as  to  whether  the  people  of  this  county  should  vote 
away  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  worth  of  its  swamp  land  that  had  been 
given  the  county  by  the  state,  to  aid  some  company  in  constructing  a  railroad 
or  not.  Thirty-three  votes  were  cast  on  the  proposition,  but  all  were  cast 
against  such  measure.  It  is  supposed  the  Wabash  system  was  backing"  the 
enterprise,  but  the  people,  as  bad  as  they  needed  a  railroad,  did  not  believe  in 
paying  for  building  it  and  let  others  own  and  control  the  stock  in  same. 

The  county  developed  as  best  it  could,  drawing  her  supplies  from  Des 
Moines,  Council  Bluffs,  Fort  Dodge  and  Sioux  City  for  all  the  years  inter- 
vening between  1855  and  1879,  during  which  latter  year  the  first  rail  was  laid 
in  the  county — that  making  the  track  of  the  great  Chicago  Northwestern 
system  and  Iteing  the  branch  from  the  "Y"  at  Sac  Junction  to  Sac  City,  which 
marked  the  beginning  of  the  railroad  era  for  this  county.  Very  soon  this 
railroad  extended  its  lines  north  and  west,  giving  Sac  countv  manv  miles  of 
road,  the  towns  of  Wall  Lake,  Auburn,  Odebolt,  Lake  View  being  on  one  line, 
and  Sac  City,  Early  and  Schaller  on  the  line  from  Carroll  to  Sioux  City  \'ia 
Correctionville. 

The  next  move  toward  railroad  building  in  Sac  county  was  in  1899, 
when  the  Chicago,  Milwatikee  &  St.  Paul  Company  extended  a  branch  of 
their  road  from  Rockwell  Cit\',  Calhoun  county,  to  Sac  City,  completing  the 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  1 85 

same  to  Storm  Lake,  thereby  adding  iinich  improvement  in  shipping  tacihties 
and  passenger  accommodations  thronghout  this  county. 

The  present  mileage  of  the  various  railroads  within  this  county,  as  shown 
by  county  records,  is  as  follows :  The  Chicago  &  Northwestern  lines,  sixty- 
nine  and  one-half  miles ;  the  Illinois  Central  has  nineteen  miles ;  the  Chicago, 
Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  system  has  nineteen  and  fifteen  one-hundredths  miles. 
This  gives  a  total  of  mileage  in  Sac  county  of  one  hundred  and  seven  and 
sixty-five  one-hundredths  miles. 

There  are  twelve  townships  in  this  county  having  a  railroad  mileage  and 
four  without  a  mile  of  steam  road  within  their  limits. 

The  Sac  Sun  has  this  to  say  in  its  issue  of  August,  1879,  concerning  the 
building  of  the  railroad  in  this  county  :  "Twenty-three  years  after  it  was  laid 
out  as  a  town  Sac  City  has  a  railroad.  The  history  of  its  efforts  in  this 
direction  constitute  a  long  chapter  of  hard  work  and  bright  schemes  that 
failed,  encouragements  and  discouragements,  that  perhaps  ha\e  seldom  been 
equalled  in  the  history  of  any  Iowa  town. 

"We  believe  that  the  Cedar  Rapids  &  Missouri  River  Railroad  (now  the 
Northwestern  system )  was  the  first  road  to  be  surveyed  through  this  county. 
It  did  not  pass  through  Sac  City,  but  the  people  had  hopes  of  being  able  to 
bring  it  here.  It  was  afterwards  diverted  south  to  Carroll  county,  to  make 
its  terminus  at  Council  Bluffs,  to  connect  with  the  Union  Pacific  system — 
which  was  then  only  a  dream  of  the  future. 

"Ne.xt  came  the  Iowa  Falls  &  Sioux  City  line  (now  Illinois  Central), 
which  was  surveyed  through  our  county,  some  distance  to  the  north  of  Sac 
City,  but  was  finally  changed  to  run  through  Buena  Vista  county. 

"The  next  important  project,  and  one  of  which  we  all  felt  sure,  was  the 
Iowa  Pacific,  which  was  surveyed  through  Sac  City  and  considerable  work 
done  on  it  \n  1873-74,  but  the  general  prostration  of  business  and  almost  total 
cessation  of  railroad  building  killed  this  enterprise,  leaving  us  only  a  grade 
which  in  al!  probability  will  never  l)e  u.sed,  although  a  road  is  now  being  built 
from  Minneapolis  to  Fort  Dodge,  which  is  intended  to  extend  on  to  Omaha. 
It  may  or  may  not  come  this  way. 

"In  the  spring  of  1876  an  effort  was  made  to  induce  the  Iowa  Land 
Company  to  build  a  road,  starting  from  Jefferson,  coming  up  through  Lake 
City  and  on  to  Ida  coimty.  But  the  present  route  of  the  Maple  Valley  road 
had  already  been  selected,  and  it  seemed  as  if  the  fates  were  against  us  in  Sac 
county.  The  building  of  this  road  was  a  serious  blow  to  Sac  City  and  at  one 
time  threatened  to  swamp  us.     But,  with  an  energy  born  of  despair,  its  people 


l86  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

started  with  more  earnestness  to  secure  a  railroad.  The  Ilhnois  Central  was 
appealed  to,  but  it  would  not  consider  or  even  condescend  to  reply  to  com- 
munications. About  August,  1877,  Judge  Duffie  wrote  E.  P.  Hull,  general 
manager  of  the  Maple  River  Railroad  Company,  telling  him  that  Sac  City 
wanted  a  railroad  and  asked  him  if  he  could  do  anything  to  help  us  build  one 
to  Wall  Lake.  The  reply  led  to  the  formation  of  the  Sac  City  &  Wall  Lake 
Railroad  Company  in  September,  1877,  to  build  a  road  between  those  two 
points.  Judge  Dufhe  was  elected  president  and  a  five  per  cent,  tax  was  voted 
in  aid  of  the  road  in  Jackson  township  as  well  as  in  Cedar  township,  but  de- 
feated in  Coon  Valley  and  Wall  Lake  townships. 

■\\  preliminary  survey  was  made  in  the  fall  of  the  year  last  mentioned, 
and  the  cost  of  grading  ascertained.  In  Ma}-,  1878,  the  compam-  proposed 
to  the  Iowa  Land  Company  to  grade  and  bridge  the  road  and  pro\ide  right  of 
way  and  depot  grounds  and  give  it  to  them  if  they  would  complete  it  and 
cause  it  to  be  operated.  The  proposition  was  taken  under  advisement  by  the 
company,  but  for  a  while  no  answer  could  l)e  recei\ed. 

"Our  people  again  began  to  think  they  were  to  be  disappointed  and  so 
turned  their  attention  to  a  road  to  the  east,  connecting  with  the  old  Des 
Moines  &  Fort  Dodge  line  at  Cowrie.  A  comjjany  was  formed  and  prepara- 
tions made  to  go  on  with  the  work.  :\  surve\'  was  made,  but  before  it  was 
finished  the  Iowa  Land  Company  accepted  the  proposition  made  to  them. 
They  douljtless  realized  that  Sac  City  was  determined  to  ha\'e  a  road  and 
thought  it  best  to  have  one  of  theirs  here,  rather  than  a  competing  road. 

"Last  Friday  [August,  1879]  the  rails  were  laid  to  Main  street  and  the 
long-looked  for,  hoped-for,  worked-for  railroad  became  a  glorious  fact. 
Among  those  whose  names  should  never  be  forgotten  in  securing  this  road 
to  Sac  City  are :  Judge  Early,  Judge  Criss,  Judge  Duflie,  .\sa  Piatt,  W.  H. 
Hobbs,  N.  W.  Condron.  While  it  has  cost  our  people  considerable,  yet  the 
road,  we  think,  will  amply  repay  all  for  what  the\-  have  spent  in  securing  it." 

In  October,  1887,  Jackson  township  voted  a  five  per  cent,  aid  towards 
building  a  railroad  projected  from  Rockwell  to  Sac  City,  known  as  the  Rock- 
well, Sac  City  &  Dakota. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

COUNTY    AND    STATE    OFFICERS,    ELECTIONS,    ETC. 

The  following  is  an  account  of  the  important  elections  of  Sac  county, 
together  with  a  list  of  the  various  county  oflicers  and  the  vote  on  governors 
and  Presitlents,  as  far  as  possihle  to  ohtain  them  from  anv  record  now  obtain- 
able. 

AUGL'ST  4,  1856. 

For  secretary  of  state.  Elijah  Sells  had  a  majority  of  3.  Congressman, 
Timothy  Davis  had  a  maJDrity  of  3.  Clerk  of  the  district  court,  Henry  A. 
Evans  elected.  School  fund  commissioner,  William  Todd  elected.  Prose- 
cuting attorney,  D.  N.  Kinnie  electetl.  Drainage  commissioner,  Joseph  \V. 
\\'illi;ims  elected.      Coroner  of  Sac  C()un.ty,  Joseph  H.  .\nstin  elected. 

NOVEMBER   4,    1 856. 

Presidential  elector.s — (  Dem(_icratic  ticket)  James  Buchanan,  35  \otes; 
(Republican  ticket)  John  C.  Fremont,  2^  votes. 

AUGUST.  1857. 

Coimt}-  Judge,  S.  \\\  Wagoner,  _'i  \otes;  Eugene  Criss,  27  votes;  A.  J. 
Cain,  27  votes  (tied  and  declared  finally  in  favor  of  A.  J.  Cain).  Treasurer 
and  recorder  (combined  ofiice),  D.  C.  Early,  45  votes;  Davis  Guy,  25  votes. 
Sherifif,  Andrew  J.  Taylor,  34  v(_)tes;  William  Impson,  36  \-otes;  Thomas 
Richey,  i  vote.  Prosecuting  attorne}-,  Leland  H.  Stocker,  36  votes;  William 
Kromer,  28  votes ;  Francis  Ayers,  i  vote.  Coroner,  Joseph  H.  Austin,  22 
\'otes ;  Washington  W.  Wren,  50  votes.  Surveyor,  William  H.  Fagely,  39 
votes;  Joseph  W.  Williams,  29  votes. 

OCTOBER    ELECTION.     1 85 7. 

For  governor,  Benj.  M.  Samuels  (Democratic).  43;  Ralph  P.  Lowe 
(Republican),  8  votes. 


1 88  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

APRIL    5,    1858. 

At  the  house  of  Eugene  Criss  in  Jackson  township,  Eugene  Criss  was 
elected  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  Jackson  township  for  two  years;  \\'illiam 
Todd  was  elected  township  clerk  at  the  same  time  and  place. 

APRIL  5,  1858. 

Fity-six  votes  were  cast  in  Jackson  township  for  justice  of  the  peace, 
E.  Criss  being  duly  declared  elected.  For  prosecuting  attorney,  William 
Kromer  received  29  votes  and  Enoch  Ross,  2"^.  For  drainage  commissioner, 
William  J.  Wagoner  received  the  full  vote,  53  votes.  For  superintendent  of 
schools,  Daniel  T.  Rising  received  61  votes. 


'& 


OCTOBER,    1858. 

Secretary  of  State,  Elijah  Sells,  31  \otes;  Samuel  Douglas,  '^'j  votes. 
Congressman,  William  C.  Lefingwell,  t^j  votes;  \\'illiam  Vanderver,  31  votes. 
Clerk  of  the  district  court.  William  Hobbs  received  the  full  vote  of  58  and 
was  declared  elected. 

OCTOBER,  1859. 

For  county  judge.  Eugene  Criss,  43  votes;  W.  J.  Wagoner,  19  votes; 
B.  C.  Browning,  i  vote.  Treasurer  and  recorder  (combined),  D.  C.  Early 
the  full  \ote  of  the  county,  62.  and  declared  elected.  Sheriff,  Miles  Manning, 
31  votes;  \\'illiam  Impson,  17  votes;  James  Filberheim,  10  votes;  Roswell, 
Perry,  4  votes.  Drainage  commissioner,  S.  L.  Watt,  38  votes ;  J.  H.  Austin, 
23  votes.  County  school  superintendent,  G.  F.  Browning,  34  votes ;  H.  C. 
Hulbert,  22  votes.  Coroner,  A.  J.  Leach  elected.  Sun-eyor,  Joseph  W'illiams 
elected.  Governor,  A.  C.  Dodge  (Democrat),  ^^j  votes;  S.  J.  Kirkwood 
(Republican),  28  votes.  State  representative  (sixth  district,  composed  of 
Dickinson,  Sac,  Buena  Vista,  Kossuth,  Emmet,  Clay  and  Palo  Alto),  John 
E.  Blackford.  174  votes;  F.  M.  Cory,  136  votes;  J.  L.  Rease,  i  vote. 

NOVEMBER.     1860. 

For  presidential  electors,  Stephen  A.  Douglas  electors  (Democrat),  40 
votes;  Abraham  Lincoln  (Republican),  25  votes.  Congressman,  Benjamin 
M.   Samuels    (Democrat),  40  votes:  William  Vanderver    (Republican),   25 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  1 89 

votes.     Clerk  of  the  district  court.  J-  G.   Browning,  26  votes;  William  H. 
Hobbs,  25  votes. 

OCTOBER,    1 86 1. 

For  governor,  William  H.  Alerrett  (Democrat),  43  votes;  Samuel  J., 
Kirkwood  (Republican),  5  votes.  Congressman  for  the  second  district, 
L.  Byington  the  full  vote.  State  representative,  George  S.  Walton  received 
the  total  vote.  County  judge,  John  Alexander,  47  votes;  E.  Criss,  i  vote, 
Treasurer  and  recorder  (combined),  D.  C.  Early,  47  votes.  Sheriff,  David 
Easier,  19  votes:  Robert  Quail,  17  votes;  William  Impson,  11  votes.  County 
surveyor,  Joseph  Williams,  29  votes;  Isaac  A.  Cory,  18  votes.  School  superin- 
tendent, William  Todd.  26  votes;  \\'illiam  Kromer,  21  votes.  Drainage 
commissioner,  S.  L.  Watt,  24  votes;  J.  H.  Austin,  16  votes:  F.  M.  Ayers,  7 
votes.  Coroner,  Elias  Tiberghien,  30  votes;  W.  W.  \\'ren,  9  votes;  Charles 
Oldfield,  6  votes.  .     • 

OCTOBER,    1862. 

For  congressman,  A.  W.  Hubbard  (  Repul)lican ),  23  votes;  John  F.  Dun- 
combe   (Democrat),  7  votes. 

OCTOBER  4,  1863. 

(Sac  township  was  thrown  out  on  account  of  the  returns  not  being 
properlv  signed  by  the  election  officers.)  For  Governor,  William  "M.  Stone 
(Republican),  21  votes;  James  M.  Tuttle  (Democrat).  19  votes.  State 
representative,  Addison  Oliver  (Republican),  25  votes;  S.  E.  Dow  (Demo- 
crat), 14  votes,  aside  from  the  soldier  vote  which  came  in  later  and  showed 
that  the  Republican  candidate  received  the  majority  of  those  army  votes. 
Treasurer  and  recorder  (combined).  N.  W.  Condron  elected.  County  judge, 
John  Alexander,  elected.  Sheriff,  David  Barber  elected.  School  superin- 
tendent, William  Kromer  elected.  Surveyor,  Joseph  Williams,  elected. 
Drainage  commissioner,  Eugene  Criss  elected. 

NOVEMBER.    1864. 

Presidential  electors,  Abraham  Lincoln  (  Republican ) ,  44  \otes ;  George 
B.  McClellan  (Democrat).  22.  For  congressman,  A.  Hubbard  (Republican), 
44;  L.  Chapman  (Democrat).  22.     For  clerk  of  the  courts,  63  votes,  includ- 


IQO  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

ing  the  soldier  vote  in  the  army,  all  cast  for  William  H.  Hobbs.  For  re- 
corder, 63  votes  (all)  for  X.  W.  Condron. 

OCTOBER,  1867. 

For  governor,  Samuel  ^Merrill  (Republican),  — :  Charles  Mason 
(Democrat),  34.     .State  representative,  Eugene  Criss  (Republican),  loi  ;  A. 

B.  McCall  (Democrat),  22.  County  treasurer,  R.  Ellis,  83:  opponent,  43. 
For  county  judge,  D.  Carr  Early  (Republican)  elected.  For  sheriff,  T-  S. 
Tiberghein  elected.  County  surveyor,  Charles  Wilson,  ■]•]■.  Oren  Porter,  37. 
County  superintendent  of  schools,  William  P.  Drewry,  1 14  votes :  Ed.  Whit- 
ney, 2,Z  votes.  For  drainage  commissioner,  E.  Criss  elected.  Coroner,  Dr. 
R.  G.  Piatt  elected. 

NOVEMBER   9,    1 868. 

Presidential  electors  (Republican),  132  for  the  Grant  and  Colfax  elect- 
ors, and  for  the  Democratic  electors  for  Seymour  and  Blair,  45.  For  con- 
gressman (sixth  district),  Charles  Pomeroy  (Republican),  132:  Charles  A.  L. 
Roszell  (Democratic).  45.  For  clerk  of  the  courts.  William  H.  Hobba 
elected.     For  county  recorder.  X.  \\'.  Condron  elected. 

OCTOBER,    1869. 

For  governor,  Samuel  Merrill  (Republican),  185:  George  Gellespie,  51. 
For  county  auditor  (first  to  hold  this  office).  William  H.  Hobbs  elected. 
County  treasurer,  Ed  R.  Duffie,  162:  William  Allen,  61.  For  sheriff,  Will- 
iam Imp.son,  141:  A.  S.  Curtis,  28;  John  Austin,  52.     For  county  surveyor, 

C.  Wilson  elected.  For  county  .superintendent  of  schools,  R.  Ellis  elected. 
For  coroner.  Dr.  R.  G.  Piatt. 

OCTOBER,  1870. 

For  congressman  (sixth  district),  Jackson  Orr  elected.  For  clerk  of 
the  district  courts,  L.  Davis  elected.  For  recorder.  William  Chapman  elected 
over  opponent,  R.  Ellis,  with  a  vote  of  112. 

OCTOBER,   1871. 

For  governor,  Cyrus  C.  Carpenter  (Republican).  137  votes;  J.  C.  Knapp, 
89  votes.     For  county  auditor,  ^^'illiam  Chapin  elected.     For  countv  treas- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  IQI 

urer,  W".  H.  Hobbs  elected.  For  sheriff,  Charles  ^^^  Allen  elected.  For 
county  surveyor,  Robert  Quail  elected.  For  superintendent  of  schools.  R. 
Ellis  elected.     For  coroner,  D.  M.  Lamoreaux  elected. 

NOVEMBER,    l8j2. 

Presidential  electors,  L'.  S.  Grant  (Republican),  305:  Horace  Greeley 
(Democrat),  48  votes.  For  county  recorder.  Levi  Davis  elected.  For  clerk 
of  the  courts.  John  Alexander  elected. 

OCTOBER,  1873. 

For  governor.  C.  C.  Carpenter  (Republican),  ^^2:  J.  G.  \'ale  (Demo- 
crat), 93.  For  county  treasurer.  William  H.  Hobbs.  421  ;  A.  H.  Burbeck,  i. 
For  auditor,  William  Chapin,  425  :  Ed  Whitney,  t.  For  sheriff.  M.  L.  Pratt. 
176:  J.  W.  Xutter.  136;  J.  P.  Kromer.  88:  Charles  Wilson.  21.  For  school 
superintendent,  John  Dobson,  424.  For  supervisor.  William  Hawkes,  422 ; 
to  fill  vacancy  for  same,  J.  H,  Woodell,  220:  E.  Criss.  196.  Surveyor.  R.  D. 
Trimble.  281  :  Robert  Quail,  140.     Coroner.  Dr.  William  \\'arren.  426. 

OCTOBER,  1874, 

County  recorder.  N.  B.  Flack  elected.  For  clerk  of  the  courts.  John  F. 
Moody  elected.     For  Coroner.  S.  W'.  Duncan  elected. 

i87.> 

Countv  auditor,  William  Chapin  elected.  Treasurer.  \\'illiam  Hobbs 
elected.  Sheriff,  Criss  \\^addell  elected.  Superintendent  of  schools,  John, 
Dobson  elected.  Coroner.  Dr.  A.  H.  Brenton  elected.  Surveyor,  William 
S.  Williams. 

.  NOVEMBER    7,    1 876. 

For  coimty  recorder.  N.  B.  Flack  elected.  For  clerk  of  the  district, 
court,  J.  F.  Moody  elected. 

OCTOBER  9.   1877. 

Countv  auditor,  A.  D.  Peck  elected.  County  treasurer.  Phil  Schaller 
elected.     Sheriff.  C.  Waddell  elected.     Coroner.  Dr.  A.  T.  Brenton  elected 


192  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

County  surveyor,  C.   Pettis  elected.     School  superintendent,  James  Darling 
elected.     Coroner,  Dr.  A.  T.  Brenton  elected. 

OCTOBER.  1878. 

Recorder,  N.  B.  Flack  elected.     Clerk  of  the  courts,  C.  E.  Lane  elected. 

OCTOBER,    1879. 

For  governor,  John  H.  Gear  (Republican),  638;  H.  H.  Trimble  (Demo- 
crat), 245.  County  auditor,  A.  D.  Peck,  1,010  majority.  Treasurer,  Phil 
Schaller.  1,016  majority  over  Thomas  Alexander.  Sheriff,  C.  Waddell,  129 
majority.  School  superintendent,  James  Darling,  a  majority  of  458. 
Coroner,  Dr.  Z.  Fuller  had  the  full  \-ote.  County  supervisor,  William 
Hawkes,  212  majority.     Surveyor,  Charles  Pettis,  a  majority  of  349. 

1880. 

Presidential  electors,  Garfield  and  Arthur  (Republican),  1.346;  Hancock 
and  English,  425 ;  Weaver  and  Chambers,  92 ;  Anti-Masonic,  30.  Clerk  of 
courts,  C.  E.  Lane,  1,148  majority.  Recorder,  N.  B.  Flack,  129  majority. 
Countv  supervisor.  Henry  Reinhart,  660  majority.  Coroner,  C.  M.  Hop- 
kins, 1,078  majority. 

OCTOBER,  1881. 

Governor,  B.  R.  Sherman,  858  majority  over  L.  G.  Kinnie,  Democrat. 
County  treasurer,  Phil  Schaller  over  all.  Sheriff,  H.  L.  Wilson,  42  majority 
over  C.  Waddell.  James  Darling,  school  superintendent,  defeated  by  60 
majoritv  bv  H.  T.  Martin.  C.  M.  Hopkins  elected  coroner.  Charles  Pettis 
elected  by  858  majority  for  surveyor  o\er  J.  H.  Hoebing.  For  purchasing 
a  poor  farm,  135  ;  against  it,  1,016. 

NOVEMBER,    1 882. 

Clerk  of  the  courts,  C.  E.  Lane  elected  by  831  majority  over  George  A. 
Smith.  W.  F.  Moyer  elected  by  763  majority  for  school  superintendent. 
For  coruner,  Daniel  Lesher,  479  over  Juhn  Hoebing. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  1 93 


1883. 


Governor.  B.  R.  Sherman  (Republican),  1.358:  L.  G.  Kinnie.  606; 
James  B.  Weaver,  56.  Auditor,  A.  D.  Peck,  958  majority  over  George  A. 
Smith.  For  treasurer,  Phil  Schaller,  Republican,  1,321  majority  over  W. 
W.  Shaw.  H.  L.  Wilson.  748  majority  over  C.  W^addell,  for  sheriff.  H.  T. 
Martin,  majority  of  367  over  J.  ^^^  Savage  for  school  superintendent.  Henry 
Reinhart,  835  majority  over  D.  R.  Herrold  for  supervisor.  C.  Brown.  1,105 
majority  over  A.  A.  Huson  fcir  coroner.  West  Dodd,  762  majority  over 
Frank  Ross  for  surveyor. 

1884. 

Blaine  and  Logan  ( Republican  j  for  President  and  V'ice-President,  over 
Cleveland  and  Hendricks  (Democrat),  673  majority.  Charles  E.  Lane,  747 
majority  over  V.  E.  Hankins  for  county  clerk.  W.  F.  Moyer,  708  majority 
over  L.  J.  Sifford  for  recorder.  Pierce  Coy,  708  majority  o\er  I.  S.  Bailey 
for  supervisor. 

NOVEMBER,    1 885. 

For  governor,  William  Larrabee,  545  majority  over  Charles  E.  Whiting. 
A.  D.  Peck  elected  by  361  majority  for  auditor.  Thomas  J.  Marks  elected 
treasurer  by  586  majority.  Thomas  Batie  elected  sheriff  by  263  majority. 
H.  H.  Fitch  elected  supervisor  by  510  majority. 

NOVEMBER,   1 886. 

County  clerk,  C.  E.  Lane  by  621  over  Ed.  Colvin.  W.  F.  Moyer.  746 
majority  over  his  opponent.  James  Tait  elected  county  attorney  by  1,441 
majority.  C.  W.  Marcy.  518  maj()rit\-  o\er  W.  W.  Shaw,  for  county  super- 
visor. 

NOVEMBER,    1 887. 

Governor,  William  Larrabee  (Republican)  over  T.  J.  Anderson,  555 
majority.  County  auditor,  C.  C.  Cleveland,  401  majority  over  E.  F.  Baxter. 
T.  J.  Marks,  for  treasurer,  over  Otto  Behrend.  603  majority.  Thomas  Batie, 
200  majority  for  sheriff'  over  J.  L.  Comstock.  Clarence  Messer,  587  majority 
over  Abbey  Bailey  for  school  superintendent.  C.  H.  Babcock,  for  super- 
visor, 632  majority  over  C.  L.  Martin.     C.  Brown,  583  majority  over  R.  M. 

(12) 


194  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Nicholson  for  coroner.     West  Dodd,  539  majority  over  Phil  Huston  for  sur- 
veyor.    For  purchase  of  poor  farm,  308;  against  it,  1,473. 

NOVEMBER,     1 888. 

Presidential  ticket,  Benjamin  Harrison  (Republican),  729  majority  over 
Grover  Cleveland,  the  vote  standing  1,831  and  1,002  respectively.  County 
clerk,  C.  L.  Early,  763  majority  over  McKendrick.  W.  F.  Meyer  over 
Schmitz  for  recorder.  827  majority.  County  supervisor,  H.  H.  Fitch,  825 
majority. 

NOVEMBER,    1 889. 

For  governor.  J.  G.  Hutchinson,  315  majority  over  Horace  Boies,  Demo- 
crat. County  treasurer,  J.  C.  Bodine  (Democrat)  was  elected  over  Marks 
by  296  majority.  Sheriff  Allen  was  elected  over  his  opponent  by  135  ma- 
jority. C.  Messer,  for  county  superintendent,  defeated  by  Edw.  Drewry 
(Democrat)  by  10  majority.  County  supervisor  F.  Hahne  (Democrat),  195 
majority  over  C.  M.  Marcey. 

NOVEMBER,     189O. 

County  Clerk  Charles  L.  Early  elected  by  a  majority  of  449.  W.  F. 
Moyer  elected  recorder  by  a  majority  of  302.  County  attorney  A.  B.  Mason 
over  Hunter  by  a  majority  of  2t,.  Supervisor  C.  H.  Babcock  over  his 
opponent  by  330  majority. 

NOVEMBER,     1 89 1. 

Governor,  Hiram  Wheeler,  458  majority  over  Democratic  nominee, 
Horace  Boies.  County  treasurer,  R.  G.  Wilson  by  310  majority.  H.  B. 
Allen,  623  majority  over  his  opponent  for  the  ofifice  of  sheriff.  C.  E.  Stal- 
coop,  for  county  school  superintendent,  12  majority.  For  surveyor,  West 
Dodd  polled  the  total  vote,  as  did  also  C.  Brown  for  the  office  of  coroner. 

1892. 

Presidential  candidates,  Benjamin  Harrison,  1,888;  Grover  Cleveland, 
1,264;  James  B.  Weaver,  83.  Auditor,  J.  W.  Wilson,  614  majority.  W.  J. 
Dixon,  majority  for  clerk  of  the  courts,  728.  For  recorder,  A.  J.  Clouser,  496 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  I95 

majorit)-.     James  H.  Tait,  for  county  attorney,  593  majority.     First  district 
county  supervisor,  M.  E.  Wright,  188  majority. 

NOVEMBER,     1 893. 

For  governor,  Frank  D.  Jackson  (Republican),  plurality  over  Horace 
Boies  and  Mr.  Joseph  of  66 1  votes.  For  county  treasurer,  R.  G.  Wilson,  830 
plurality.  Sheriff,  Al  De  Garmo,  plurality  861.  School  superintendent,  C. 
E.  Stalcoop,  plurality  of  808.  Surveyor.  A.  T.  Martin,  plurality  of  809. 
Coroner,  Dr.  C.  ^I.  Hopkins,  plurality  of  766.  County  supervisor,  Chris 
Roth,  plurality  of  228. 

NOVEMBER,    1 894. 

County  clerk,  W.  J.  Dixon,  1.126  majority  over  E.  M.  Whalen.  J.  W. 
Wilson,  1,660  majority  over  P.  M.  Lewis  for  auditor.  A.  L.  Clouser,  1,073 
over  E.  Hobbs  for  recorder.  James  H.  Tait  received  the  total  vote  for  county 
attorney.     James  H.  Neal.  183  majority  over  Reuben  Lewis  for  supervisor. 

NOVEMBER,    1 895. 

For  Governor,  F.  M.  Drake,  962  majority  on  the  Republican  ticket  over 
opponents,  W.  L  Babb,  .S.  B.  Crane  and  Francis  Bacon.  County  treasurer, 
D.  E.  Spafford,  1826;  Charles  Goodenow,  955.  Sheriff.  A.  D.  Garmo,  724 
majority  over  C.  S.  Larimer.  J.  W.  Jackson,  662  majority  over  Miss  Irene 
Smedly  for  school  superintendent.  For  supervisor,  M.  E.  Wright.  178 
majority  over  J.  W.  Huston.  For  coroner,  C.  M.  Hopkins  the  total  vote  of 
county,  2,089.     A  T.  Martin  for  surveyor,  total  vote. 

NOVEMBER,    1 896. 

Presidential  vote,  William  McKinley  (Republican).  2,513;  William 
Jennings  Bryan,  1,346;  General  Palmer,  17;  Levering,  36;  Bently,  5; 
Matchett,  i.  County  attorney.  Miles  W.  Newby,  1,238  majority  over  C.  R. 
Metcalf.  A.  H.  Montgomery,  1,045  majority  over  E.  L.  James  for  auditor. 
R.  G.  Wilson,  787  majority  over  Charles  F.  Drewry  for  county  clerk.  George 
W.  Cochrane,  1,044  majority  over  Theodore  Yeager  for  recorder.  August 
Lundell,  456  majority  over  Jacob  Miller  for  supervisor. 


ly6  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

NOVEMBER.    1 898. 

Auditor,  A.  H.  jNIontgonien-,  i.oii  majority  over  John  H.  Ketterer. 
County  clerk,  W.  C.  Waddell,  875  majority  over  J.  S.  Birt.  G.  W.  Cochrane, 
675  majority  over  George  A.  Heagy  for  recorder.  Miles  W.  Newby,  618 
majority  over  P.  P.  White  for  county  attorney.  L.  C.  Holdridge,  235 
majority  over  J.  H.  Denman  for  supervisor. 

NOVEMBER,    1 899. 

For  governor,  Leslie  M.  Shaw  (Republican),  996  majority  over  Fred 
White  (Democrat),  1,155,  ^'i^  ^^-  ^^  •  Atwood,  130.  County  treasurer, 
Charles  Sififord,  199  majority  over  Ed  Drewry.  H.  A.  Battle,  1,055  majority 
over  Ed  H.  Berg  and  Sterling  Wells  fur  sheriff.  C.  H.  Jump,  475  majority 
over  J.  M.  Holida\-  and  \\'alter  tiuthridge  for  superintendent  of  schools.  A. 
T.  Martin,  2,010  majority  over  Phil  Huston  for  surveyor.  Thomas  Far- 
quhar,  the  full  county  vote  for  office  of  coroner.  County  supervisor,  first 
district,  August  Lundell,  jSy  majority  over  John  Gosch,  second  district,  J. 
B.  Williamson,  84  majority  over  James  J.  Fitzsimmons  for  sviper\'isor. 

NOVEMBER,     I9OO. 

For  presidential  candidates,  William  .McKinley  (Republican),  1.572 
plurality  over  W.  J.  Bryan,  1,214;  Wooley,  124;  Barker,  3;  Debbs,  8. 
County  attorney.  W.  H.  Hart,  1,481  majority  over  P.  W.  White.  Auditor, 
George  A.  Taylor,  1,497  majority  o\er  W.  W.  \\'ebb,  with  109  votes  for 
A.  E.  Forsythe.  County  clerk,  George  B.  Perkins,  1,221  plurality  over 
Charles  F.  Drewry  and  Sterling  \\'ells.  For  recorder.  Belle  Henton,  1.075 
majority  over  S.  H.  Neumaker  and  a  vote  of  106  for  Charles  .\.  Smith.  Sec- 
ond supervisor  district.  J.  ^^^  \\'illiamson,  309  maiority. 

NOVEMBER,     I90I. 

For  governor,  A.  B.  Cummins  (Republican),  1,883  phirahty  over  T.  J. 
Phillips.  A.  U.  Coats.  L.  H.  Weller.  County  treasurer,  Charles  Sifford, 
1,438  majority  over  AI.  Bartlett.  C.  11.  jump,  for  school  superintendent, 
1,680  votes.  Adam  Teepell,  1.386  majority  over  Fred  Buss  for  sheriff. 
A.  T.  Martin,  1,703  votes  for  .surveyor.  Coroner,  T.  Farquhar,  1,696  votes. 
First  supervisor  district,  L.  C.  Holdridge,  430  majority  over  J.  C.  Hudson. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  19- 


NOVEMBER,     ig02. 


County  auditor,  George  A.  Taylor,  943  majority  over  Thomas  Yauger 
and  Everitt  Lee.  George  B.  Perkins.  921  plurality  over  A.  H.  Quail  and  S. 
Wells  for  count}-  clerk.  Belle  Henton,  893  plurality  over  John  Seivert  and 
William  J.  Martin  for  school  superintendent.  W.  H.  Hart,  1.580  votes  for 
county  attorney — no  opposition.  A.  IMcCorkindale.  418  majority  over  Peter 
Woleen  for  supervisor. 

NOVEMBER,     I903. 

Governor.  A.  B.  Cummins,  2.j;^2\  J.  B.  Sullivan,  731  ;  Juhn  B.  Hanson, 
123;  John  M.  Work.  27.  County  treasurer,  William  H.  Pettis,  1,810:  J.  H. 
Denman  739.  A.  B.  Teepell.  959  majority  over  Godfrey  Struchen  for 
sheriff.  H.  C.  Cole,  839  majority  over  Kittie  M.  Howard  for  school  superin- 
tendent. W.  H.  Townsend.  1,071  majority  over  F.  W.  Johnson  for  coroner. 
Supervisor.  J.  B.  Williamson  622 ;  W.  H.  McDonald. 

NOVEMBER,     I904. 

Presidential  candidates.  Theodore  Roosevelt.  2.609 ;  Alton  B.  Parker, 
833:  Swallow.  100 :  Debbs.  49;  Watson.  9.  County  auditor.  J.  J.  Harter, 
1.673  majority  over  John  Seivert.  Frank  V.  Healy.  394  majority  over  John 
H.  Ketterer  for  county  clerk.  H.  S.  Parker.  1,547  majority  over  W.  B. 
Jenkins  for  recorder.  A.  B.  Barclay,  majority  of  1.559  o^'^''  E-  Baker  for 
county  attorney.  First  super\'isor  district,  H.  C.  Goodman,  734:  J.  W. 
Hartsell,  295. 

NOVEMBER^     I906. 

For  governor.  A.  B.  Cummins.  1.940;  Claude  B.  Porter,  931:  John  E. 
Shank.  t,t,;  L.  S.  Coffin,  ^j.  County  auditor.  J.  J.  Harter  all  the  votes. 
Frank  V.  Healv,  472  majority  over  H.  Purdoni  for  clerk.  W.  H.  Pettis, 
367  majority  over  Charles  Goodenow  for  treasurer.  H.  S.  Parker  had  the 
full  vote  for  recorder.  Malcom  Currie,  1.055  majority  over  Robert  Leach 
for  sheriff".  H.  C.  Coe,  2.120  for  school  superintendent.  A.  T.  Martin. 
2,067.  all  votes,  for  office  of  surveyor.  Coroner,  W.  H.  Townsend,  full  vote. 
H.  C.  Goodman,  first  supervisor  district,  462  majority  over  A.  D.  Cloud. 
Charles  Hechtner.  248  majority  in  second  district.  A.  McCorkindale.  627 
majority  over  James  McGloin  for  supervisor  in  third  district. 


198  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

NOVEMBER,   I908. 

Presidential  candidates,  William  Howard  Talt,  2.366;  William  J.  Bryan, 
1.204.  For  governor,  B.  F.  Carroll  (Republican),  2,188;  Fred  E.  White, 
1,176;  Brown,  66.  County  auditor,  Harry  A.  Baxter,  576  majority  over 
C.  F.  Brobeil.  Frank  S.  Brown,  691  majority  over  J.  H.  Denman  for 
treasurer.  A.  E.  Baker,  1,131  majority  over  Ross  May  hall  for  clerk.  Mal- 
com  Currie,  1,352  majority  over  J.  Ed  Johnson  for  sheriff.  Charles  Brynte- 
son,  1,177  majority  over  D.  W.  Brunton  for  recorder.  Robert  L.  McCord. 
Jr.,  the  full  county  vote  for  county  attorney.  W.  H.  Townsend,  the  full 
county  vote  for  coroner.  Harry  Wood,  full  county  vote  for  surveyor.  John 
R.  Slack,  the  full  county  vote  for  office  of  county  school  superintendent. 
Charles  Hechtner.  270  majority  over  Ira  Conger  for  supervisor  from  second 
district.  Ben  Braughton,  160  majority  over  John  Gosch  for  supervisor  from 
third  district. 

NOVEMBER,    I9IO. 

For  Governor,  B.  F.  Carroll,  1,461 ;  Claude  R.  Porter,  990;  A.  McEach- 
son,  63;  John  W.  Work,  20.  Auditor,  J.  W.  Neal,  1,673;  Robert  McTigue, 
687.  L.  B.  Rake,  717  over  C.  F.  Brobeil  for  treasurer.  C.  M.  Whitted, 
1,487,  F.  E.  Hunt,  757,  for  county  clerk.  Alexander  Rogers,  1,528  for 
sheriff.  W.  W.  Walton,  1,558,  and  W.  H.  Nicodemus,  679,  for  recorder. 
R.  L.  McCord,  1,565,  and  J.  M.  Highland,  768.  for  county  attorney.  School 
superintendent,  J.  R.  Slack,  1,549;  Lou  Watson,  742 ;  Harry  Wood,  1,610,  and 
J  W.  Wilkinson,  715,  for  surveyor.  W.  H.  Townsend,  1,638,  and  elected 
to  office  of  coroner.  First  supervisor  district.  E.  C.  Fuller,  432 ;  James  Mc- 
Cormick,  164.     Second  district,  Ben  Braughton,   TiTiT,;  John  Fuchs,  519. 

1912. 

Presidential  electors,  William  H.  Taft  (Republican),  622;  Woodrow 
Wilson  (Democrat),  1,124;  Chafin  (Prohibition),  42;  Eugene  Debbs 
(Labor),  58;  Roosevelt  (Progressive),  1,819.  For  governor,  George  W. 
'Clarke  (Republican),  1,442;  E.  G.  Dunn  (Democrat),  1,193;  C.  D.  Jones 
(Prohibition),  32;  J.  S.  McCrillis,  52;  John  L.  Stevens  (Progressive),  702. 
For  county  auditor,  J.  W.  Neal,  2,091  ;  W.  W.  Chesley,  930.  County  treas- 
urer, L.  B.  Rake,  1,997;  J-  Kessler,  996.  County  clerk,  C.  M.  Whitted, 
1,915;  A.  B.  Canady,  1,037;  B.  E.  Adams,  44.  For  sheriff,  J.  W.  Criss, 
1.906;  O.  R.  Finders,  1.117.     Recorder,  W.  W.  Walton.  1,925:  J.  R.  Ouinn, 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  J  99 

1,057.  County  attorney,  Malcom  Ciirrie,  2,114.  Superintendent  of  Schools, 
John  R.  Slacks,  1,767;  Esther  M.  Brown,  1,273.  Coroner,  Dr.  W.  H.  Town- 
send,  2,227.  Supervisor,  first  district,  C.  E.  Fuller;  second  district,  J.  S. 
Havens. 

SPECIAL  PROPOSITIONS  AND  ELECTIONS. 

In  the  history  of  Sac  county  there  have  been  the  following  propositions 
voted  on  at  regular  and  special  elections : 

At  the  August  election  in  1856  the  question  of  allowing  swine  to  run  at 
large  was  voted  upon  in  this  county,  and  resulted  in  a  vote  of  fourteen 
majority  for  restraining  swine. 

At  the  above  annual  election  there  was  two  majority  for  the  calling  of  a 
constitutional  convention  in  Iowa. 

At  the  November,  1856,  election  the  swine  law  was  again  up  and  this 
time  "restraining  hogs'"  was  defeated  by  thirteen  votes.  At  that  election  the 
result  of  voting  on  delegate  to  the  state  convention  stood  as  follows :  D.  W. 
Price,  26  votes ;  D.  E.  Brainard,  5  votes.  For  a  new  constitution  for  Iowa, 
27  votes,  against  the  measure,  51  votes.  For  locating  the  county  seat  of  Sac 
county  at  a  point  in  the  east  half  of  section  23  and  west  half  of  section  24, 
township  88,  range  36,  there  were  forty-three  votes  polled  and  for  its  being 
located  in  section  i,  township  87,  range  36,  twenty-seven  votes.  This  elec- 
tion appears  to  have  been  certified  to  by  the  county  board  of  canvassers  and 
Samuel  L.  Watt,  Robert  Quail  and  F.  M.  Cory,  justices  of  the  peace. 

A  special  election  was  held  Monday,  June  8,  1858,  on  the  question  of 
having  state  banks  in  Iowa.  The  result  was :  Forty-four  votes  for  and 
none  against  the  proposition. 

In  April,  1859,  a  special  election  was  held  to  determine  whether  twenty- 
five  thousand  dollars  worth  of  Sac  county  swamp  land  should  be  voted  to  aid 
in  the  construction  of  a  railroad  through  this  county.  Result :  Thirty- 
three  votes,  all  cast  against  the  measure. 

To  fill  a  vacancy  in  the  ofiice  of  county  judge,  the  following  call  was 
made  for  a  special  election :  "State  of  Iowa,  Sac  County :  On  this  day  the 
honorable  County  Judge,  Abel  J.  Cain,  tendered  his  resignation  of  said  office, 
which  is  accepted,  with  all  due  deference  for  the  honesty  and  integrity  with 
which  he  has  filled  said  office.  On  this  day  have  also  ordered  an  election  to 
be  held  to  fill  the  vacancy,  which  is  done  by  putting  into  the  hands  of  the 
sheriff  of  said  county  two  notices  for  each  township  therein,  dated  this  day 


200  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

and  calling  for  an  election  to  be  held  on  Tuesda)-,  the  seventh  day  of  June, 
1859. 

(Signed)         "W.  H.  Hobbs.  Clerk. 
"Per  D.  C.  Early,  Deputy  Clerk." 

The  result  of  the  election  named  above  was  as  follows :  William  J. 
Wagoner,  25  votes ;  Henry  A.  Evans,  23  votes. 

At  the  election  on  July  7,  i860,  the  cjuestion  of  whether  or  not  a  court 
house  should  be  erected  in  Sac  county  to  cost  ten  thousand  dollars,  by  bond- 
ing the  county  at  ten  per  cent,  bonds,  was  held.  The  question  called  for  two 
distinct  expressions  from  the  voters  of  this  county.  One  was  on  the  original 
question  and  the  other  on  the  tax  levy  for  the  same  object.  The  total  num- 
ber of  votes  cast  was  forty-one,  on  both  measures.  There  were  23  votes  cast 
for  the  propositions  and  18  against  them.  (See  court  house  history  in 
County  Government  chapter  in  this  volume.) 

A  special  election  was  held  ISIarch  i,  1862,  on  the  swamp  land  question. 
Thirty-three  votes  were  cast  for  ratifying  a  contract  and  transfer  of  swamp 
lands,  and  six  votes  were  cast  against  the  proposition.  At  the  annual  elec- 
tion of  1862,  held  in  October,  the  matter  of  bonding  the  county  warrants  was 
up  and  resulted  in  twelve  votes  for  bonding  and  none  against  the  proposition. 

The  special  election  held  in  February,  1863,  had  for  its  issue  the  question 
of  whether  the  county  should  use  the  court  house  money  for  buying  in  the 
county  orders  outstanding.  The  result  was  thirty-two  for  and  six  against 
the  measure. 

In  1867,  at  the  annual  election,  the  question  of  stock  running  at  large 
came  up  before  the  voters  of  this  count}-,  and  it  resulted  in,  for  restraining 
stock,  137;  against  the  measure,  46  votes. 

At  the  same  date  the  question  of  locating  the  court  house  in  the  public 
s(|uare  was  up  and  resulted  in  156  votes  for  the  proposition  and  loi  against 
it.  .\t  the  Xovember  annual  election  in  1872  the  question  of  building  the 
court  house  in  the  public  square  came  up  and  resulted  as  follows:  For,  276; 
against  the  measure,  130. 

At  the  same  time  the  question  of  borrowing  thirty  thousand  dollars  with 
which  to  build  a  court  house  was  up  and  resulted  as  follows :  For  borrow- 
ing, 276  votes;  against  borrowing,  130  votes. 

In  October,  1874,  the  question  of  stock  running  at  large  was  again  up 
and  resulted  as  follows :  For  restraining  stock,  470  votes ;  against  the  propo- 
sition, 2  votes. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  20I 


ELECTION    CONTEST. 


On  August  5,  1857,  in  the  county  court  was  present  County  Judge  S.  L. 
Watt,  F.  M.  Cory,  Robert  Quail,  former  county  commissioner,  also  came 
Eugene  Criss  and  A.  J.  Cain,  who  were  decided  to  be  tied  in  votes  of  said 
county  for  the  office  of  county  judge.  The  canvassers  prepared  the  lot  slips 
for  the  two  candidates,  and  the  result  was  that  the  lot  marked  Abel  Cain 
was  drawn  and  he  was  declared  county  judge. 

On  October  8,  1857,  William  Kromer  was  appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy  in 
the  office  of  prosecuting  attorney,  and  he  forthwith  qualified  to  fill  such  posi- 
tion and  gave  sufficient  bond.  October  12th,  that  year,  William  V.  Lagourge 
was  appointed  deputy  sheriff. 

On  October  19,  1857,  F.  M.  Cory  was  appointed  messenger,  with  the 
abstract  of  election  for  state  representative  in  the  thirteenth  district  in  Towa. 
His  appointment  was  made  by  County  Judge  A.  J.  Cain. 

PROHIBITORY  .-\MENDMENT  VOTE,   JUNE  2'/,    1882. 

On  June  27,  1882,  all  the  counties  in  Iowa  voted  at  a  special  election  on 
the  <iuestion  of  \\hether  or  not  there  should  be  added  to  the  Constitution  in 
Iowa  a  prohibitory  licjuor  clause  which  had  for  its  object  the  prohibition  of 
all  alcoholic  liquors,  including  ale,  wine  and  beer.  By  townships  the  vote  in 
Sac  county  stood  as  follows ; 

For       Against                                             For  Against 

Boyer  Valley 64  39  Jackson 219  48 

Cedar 64  6  Levy 81  74 

Clinton 80  2y  Richland 225  93 

Cook loi  13  Sac 54  61 

Coon  Valley 54  26  Viola 24  64 

Delaware 71  14  Wall  Lake 102  43 

Douglas 51  2  Wheeler 76  12 

Eden 58  12                                          

Eureka 59  14         Total  vote 1.383  548 

In  the  state  it  carried  by  a  majority  of  about  thirty  thousand,  but  was 
later  declared  unconstitutional  on  a  technicality,  the  error  of  an  engrossing 
clerk  in  the  House  of  Representatives,  who  left  out  a  single  word  in  the 
record  that  had  been  in  the  original  bill.  Since  then  many  local  option 
schemes  have  been  in  AOgue  to  control  the  sale  of  liquor  in  Iowa,  and  today 


202 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


more  than  seventy-five  per  cent,  of  the  counties  are  practically  saloonless 
or  in  the  column  known  as  "dry."  while  the  remainder  of  the  counties  are  still 
classed  in  the  "wet"  column.  At  this  date  (January,  1914),  Sac  county  is  a 
"dry"  county. 

Under  the  present  law  an  election  was  held  in  1899  to  determine  whether 
the  county  would  permit  saloons  to  exist  within  this  county,  and  the  same 
resulted  in  2,239  votes  being  cast  for  saloon  licenses  being  granted,  but  this 
was  not  sufficient,  as  the  legal  number  required  was  sixty-five  per  cent,  of  the 
voters,  which  would  have  been  2,293.  so  the  county  went  into  the  "dry"  list. 


PRESIDENTIAL  \0TE  OF   COUNTY. 


Republican.  Votes. 

1856 — John  C.  Fremont 2^ 

i860 — Abraham  Lincoln 25 

1864 — Abraham  Lincoln 44 

1868— U.  S.  Grant 132 

1872 — U.  S.  Grant 305 

1876 — Rutherford    .B.      Hayes 

(maj.)    _ 495 

1880 — James  A.  Garfield 1.346 

1884 — James  G.  Blaine  (maj.)_    673 

1888 — Benjamin  Harrison 1.831 

1892 — Benjamin  Harrison 1,188 

1896 — William  McKinley ^.513 


1900 — William  McKinley 2,786 


1904 — Theodore  Roosevelt 2,609 


1908— William  H.  Taft 2,366 

1912 — William  H.  Taft 602 


Democratic.  Votes. 

James  Buchanan 35 

Stephen  A.  Douglas 40 

George  B.  McClellan 22 


Horatio  Seymour 45 

Horace  Greeley 48 

Samuel  J.   Tilden 

W.  S.  Hancock 425 

Gro\-er   Cleveland 

Grover  Cleveland i,o02 

Grover  Cleveland 1,264 

W.  J.  Bryan  (Dem.) 1.346 

Gen.  Palmer  (Gold  Dem.) 17 

Levering    (Prohib.)    36 

Bently    (National)    5 

Matchett  (Social  Labor) i 

W.  J.  Bryan  (Dem.) 1,214 

Wooley    (Prohib.)    124 

Barker   (M.   P.)    3 

Debs   (Soc.  Dem.)    g 

Alton  B.  Parker  (Dem.) 833 

Rev.  Swallow  (Proh.) 100 

Debs   (Labor) 49 

Watson    (Socialist)    9 

William  J.   Bryan    1  Dem.) 1,204 

Woodrow!   Wilson    (Dem.) 1,102 

Theo.  Roosevelt  (  Progressive).  1.768 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


203 


GUBERNATORIAL  VOTES. 


Republican. 

1857— Ralph  P.  Lowe 8 

1859 — Samuel  J.   Kirkwood 28 

1861 — Samuel  J.   Kirkwood 5 

1863 — William   M.   Stone 21 

1865- 

1867 — Samuel  Merrill 132 

1869 — Samuel  Merrill 185 

1871 — Cyrus  C.  Carpenter 137 

1873 — Cyrus  C.   Carpenter 332 

1875 — S.  J.  Kirkwood 515 

1877— J.   H.   Gear    (Maj.) 528 


1879— J.   H.   Gear    (Maj.) 638 

1881— B.  R.  Sherman   (Maj.)-  858 

1883 — B.  R.  Sherman 1.358 

1885 — William    Larrabee 

(Maj.)   548 

1887- -William   Larrabee 

(Maj.)   555 

1889 — J.  G.  Hutchison  (Maj.)_  315 

1891 — Hiram  Wheeler  (Maj.)_  458 

1893- 

1895— F.  M.  Drake  (Maj.)__-  962 


1897— 

1899 — Leslie  M.   Shaw 2,151 

1901 — Albert  B.   Cummins 1,605 


1903 — Albert  B.  Cummins 2,732 


Democratic. 

Democratic  Nom. 43 

A.  C.  Dodge ^ 37 

W.  H.  Merrett 43 

James  M.  Tuttle 25 

Charles   Mason   34 

Geo.    Gillespie   55 

J.   C.   Knapp   89 

Jacob  G.  Vale 93 

Shepherd  Leffler 185 

J.   H.   Lozier    (Proh.) 2 

John   P.    Irish   

b.  P.  Stubbs 

E.  Jessup   (Proh.)   

H.  H.  Trimble 

Daniel  Campbell    (Grb.) 

L.  G.  Kinnie 

L.  G.  Kinnie 606 

Whiting   

T.  J.  .\nderson 

Horace    Boies   

Horace   Boies   

W.   I.  Babb 745 

S.  B.  Crane 305 

Francis  Bacon 93 

Fred  E.  White 1,155 

T.   J.    Phillips : 422 

A.   U.   Coats   188 

L.   H.   Weller 9 

J.  B.  Sullivan 731 

John  B.  Hanson 123 

John  M.  Work 27 


204  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Republican.                                                       Democratic. 
ic,o6— A.   B.   Cummins 1,940     Claude  B.   Porter 931 

John  E.   Shank 33 

L.  S.  Coffin   (Proh.) 57 

1908— B.  F.  Carroll 2,188     Fred  E.  White 1,176 

Brown    66 

igio—B.    F.    Carroll    1,461      Claude  R.   Porter 993 

John  W.  Work 20 

1912— George   W.    Clarke 1.442      Ed   C.   Dunn  '_ 1,192 

John   L.    Stevens 659 

CONGRESSIONAL    VOTE. 

The  following  shows  the  vote  on  representative  in  Congress  from  1856 
to  1882,  in  Sac  county: 

Republican.     Democratic.        Greenback. 

1856    20  17 

1858    31  37 

1862    23  7 

1864    44  22 

1866    64  34 

1868    132  45 

1870    204  52 

1872    287  117 

1874    398  134 

1876    659  162                     138 

1878    614  64                     391 

1880  1,350  743  59 

1882  r,ii6  535  59 

STATE    REPRESENTATIVES. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  representatives  in  the  state  Legislature  from 
Sac  county  bv  sessions:  Eugene  Criss,  in  the  twelfth  session;  George  H. 
Wright,  thirteenth  session:  James  N.  Miller,  fifteenth  session;  D.  J.  McDaid, 
in  the  eighteenth  and  twentieth  sessions :  Phil  Schaller.  t\\  enty-first  session ; 
I.  S.  Hunter,  in  the  twenty-second  session ;  A.  B.  Smith,  twenty-third  session ; 
William  P.  Drewry,  twenty-fourth  session;  Charles  L.  Early,  twenty-fifth 
and  twenty-sixth  sessions;  Charles  E.  Stalcoop,  twenty-seventh  and  twenty- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


-'05 


eighth  sessions;  Joseph  Alattes,  twenty-ninth,  thirtieth  and  thirty-first  ses- 
sions; Will  Drury,  thirty-second  and  thirty-third  sessions;  W.  j.  Dixon, 
thirtv-fonrth  and  tiiirtv-fiftli  sessions. 


COUNTY    OFFICERS. 


From  rather  imperfect  election  records,  it  appears  that  the  following 
is  about  the  urder  in  which  the  county  of^ficers  in  this  county  have  served 
since  its  organization,  more  than  fiitx  years  ago: 


COUNTY  JUDGES. 

The  dates  given  are  supposed  to  be  the  year  in  which  they  were  elected. 
S.  L.  \\'att,  1856;  A.  J.  Cain,  1857;  Eugene  Criss,  1859;  John  Alexander, 
1861  ;  John  Alexander,   1863. 

COUNTY  AUDITORS. 

The  office  of  county  judge  was  abolished  in  1868,  to  take  effect  January 
I,  1869,  when  the  office  of  county  auditor  was  created  to  go  into  eft'ect.  The 
first  to  hold  this  office  was  William  H,  Hobbs,  in  1869,  having  been  elected 
in  the  fall  of  1868.  The  list  since  that  date  has  been:  William  Chapin,  1871 ; 
William  Chapin,  1873;  William  Chapin,  1875;  A.  D.  Peck,  1877;  A.  D.  Peck, 
1879;  A.  D.  Peck,  1881  ;  A.  D.  Peck.  1883;  A.  D.  Peck,  1885:  C.  C.  Cleve- 
land, 1887:  C.  C.  Cleveland,  1889;  J.  W.  Wilson,  1892;  J.  W.  Wilson,  1894; 
A.  H.  Alontgomer)-,  1896;  A.  H.  Montgomery,  1898;  George  A.  Taylor, 
1900;  George  A.  Taylor,  1902;  J.  J.  Harter,  1904;  J.  J.  Harter,  1906;  Harry 
A.  Baxter.  1908;  J.  \\"ilhur  Neal,  1910;  J.  W.  Neal,  1912. 

COUNTY  TREASURERS. 

The  offices  of  treasurer  anil  recorder  prior  to  18O4  were  combined  in  one 
office,  known  as  "treasurer  and  recorder.''  D.  C.  Early  was  the  first  to  hold 
the  office  in  Sac  county.  He  was  elected  in  1856.  He  succeeded  himself  in 
1859  and  1861;  X.  W.  Condron,  1862;  R.  Elhs,  1867;  Ed.  R.  Duffie,  1869; 
W.  H.  Hobbs,  1871 ;  W.  H.  Hobbs,  1873 ;  W.  H.  Hobbs,  1875 ;  Phil  Schaller, 
1877;  Phil  Schaller,  1879:  Phil  SchaUer,  1881  ;  Phil  Schaller.  1883;  Thomas 
J.  Marks,  1885;  Thomas  J.  Marks,  1887;  J.  C.  Bodine,  1889:  R.  G.  Wilson. 
1891 ;  R.  G.  Wilson,  1893 ;  D.  E.  Spafford,  1895 ;  D.  E.  Spafford,  1897;  D.  E. 


2o6  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Spafford,  1899;  Charles  Sifford,  1901  ;  Will  H.  Pettis,  1903:  Will  H.  fettis, 
1906;  Frank  S.  Brown,  1908:  L.  B.  Rake,  1910;  L.  B.  Rake,  1912. 

COUNTY   RECORDERS. 

This  office  was  same  as  treasurer  until  1864 — See  list.  N.  W.  Condron 
was  the  first  to  hold  the  single  office  of  "recorder,"  and  was  succeeded  by  him- 
self in  1868;  William  Chapman,  1870;  Levi  Davis,  1872;  N.  B.  Flack,  1874; 
N.  B.  Flack,  1876;  N.  B.  Flack,  1878;  N.  B.  Flack,  1880:  W.  F.  Moyer, 
1882;  W.  F.  Moyer,  1884:  W.  F.  Moyer,  1886;  W.  F.  Moyer,  1888;  W.  F. 
Moyer,  1890;  A.  L.  Clouser,  1892;  A.  L.  Clouse,  1894;  George  W.  Cochrane, 
1896;  G.  W.  Cochrane,  i8g8;  Belle  Henton,  1900;  Belle  Henton,  1902;  H.  S. 
Parker,  1904;  H.  S.  Parker,  1906;  Charles  Brynteson,  1908:  W.  W.  Walton, 
1910:  W.  W.  Walton,  1912. 

SHERIFFS. 

Andrew  J.  Taylor,  1857;  Miles  Manning,  1859;  David  Basler,  1861 ; 
David  Barber,  1863;  J.  S.  Tiberghien,  1867;  William  Impson,  1869;  Charles 
W.  Allen,  1871;  W.  L.  Pratt,  1873;  Criss  Waddell,  1875;  C.  Waddell,  1877 
and  1879;  FL  L.  Wilson,  1881  ;  H.  L.  Wilson,  1883;  Thomas  Batie,  1885; 
Thomas  Batie,  1887;  H.  B.  Allen,  1889;  H.  B.  Allen,  1891  ;  A.  DeGarmo, 
1893:  A.  DeGarmo,  1895;  H.  A.  Batie,  1899:  Adam  Teepell,  1901 ;  A.  B. 
Teepell,  1903;  Malcom  Currie,  1906;  Malcom  Currie,  1908:  Alexander  Rog- 
ers, 1910:  J.  W.  Criss,  1912. 

COUNTY  CLERKS. 

The  first  to  hold  this  important  office  in  this  county  was  H.  A.  Evans, 
elected  in  1856;  William  Hobbs,  1858;  J.  G.  Browning,  i860;  William  H. 
Hobbs,  1864;  William  H.  Hobbs,  1868;  L.  Davis,  1870;  John  Alexander, 
1872:  John  F.  Moody.  1874;  John  F.  Moody,  1876;  C.  E.  Lane,  1878;  C.  E. 
Lane,  1880;  C.  E.  Lane,  1882;  C.  E.  Lane,  1884;  C.  E.  Lane,  1886;  Charles 
L.  Early,  1888;  Charles  L.  Early,  1890;  W.  J.  Dixon,  1892;  W.  J.  Dixon, 
1894;  R.  G.  Wilson,  1896;  W.  C.  Waddell,  1898;  George  B.  Perkins,  1900; 
George  B.  Perkins,  1902;  Frank  V.  Healy,  1904;  Frank  V.  Healy,  1906;  A. 
E.  Baker,  1908;  C.  M.  Whitted,  1910;  C.  M.  Whitted,  1912. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  207 

COUNTY  SUPERVISORS. 

The  following,  with  possibly  a  few  others,  have  constituted  the  county 
supervisors  of  Sac  county  during  the  years  of  its  history.  Until  about  1876 
there  was  one  member  of  the  board  from  each  civil  township,  but  since  then 
the  county  has  been  divided  into  three  supervisor  districts  and  one  member 
elected  from  each.  The  records  show  that  in  1861  the  supervisors  included 
the  names  of  M.  S.  Lee  and  T.  K.  Lane;  in  1862,  W.  H.  Hobbs,  T.  R.  Lane, 
M.  S.  Lee;  in  1864,  M.  S.  Lee,  F.  M.  Cory,  Joseph  Williams;  in  1866,  came 
William  Montgomery,  chairman,  W.  W.  Lagourge;  1868.  Joseph  Williams, 
William  Montgomery,  W.  W.  Lagourge;  1869,  H.  W.  Crandall,  Washington 
Allen,  H.  A.  Pierce;  1870,  Washington  Allen,  H.  A.  Pierce,  Edwin  Miller, 
H.  A.  Pierce,  J.  H.  Underwood,  Mr.  Tiberghien;  1873,  Tiberghien,  Llnder- 
wood  and  Pierce,  with  E.  R.  Chase,  J.  O.  Piatt,  Phil  Schaller,  S.  E.  Gordon, 
C.  N.  Levy;  in  1874,  N.  Prentice,  C.  N.  Levy,  J.  O.  Piatt,  Phil  Schaller,  S.  E. 
Gordon.  William  Hawks,  J.  H.  Wodell,  E.  Criss;  elected  in  1874,  J.  N.  Mc- 
Clellan,  Andrew  Mason,  Phil  Schaller;  in  1875,  E.  Criss,  S.  E.  Gordon;  in 
1876,  William  Hawks,  O.  Birt;  in  1878,  Henry  Reinhart,  E.  Criss,  J.  C. 
Bodine,  James  Fleming;  in  1879,  William  Hawks,  J.  C.  Bodine,  M.  S.  Lee; 
in  1881,  Pierce  Coy  and  E.  Criss;  in  1882,  William  Hawks,  William  Mont- 
gomery; in  1883,  Henry  Reinhart,  D.  R.  Herrold;  in  1884,  Messrs.  Pierce  and 
I.  S.  Baily;  in  1885,  H.  H.  Fitch;  in  1886,  C.  W.  Marcy,  W.  W.  Shaw;  in 
1887,  C.  H.  Babcock,  C.  L.  Martin;  in  1888,  H.  H.  Fitch;  in  1889,  Messrs. 
Hahne  and  C.  W.  Marcey;  in  1890,  C.  H.  Babcock;  in  1892,  first  district, 
M.  E.  Wright;  in  1894,  James  A.  Neal,  Reuben  Lewis;  in  1895,  M.  E. 
Wright;  in  1896,  August  Lundell;  in  1898,  L.  C.  Holdridge,  in  1899,  first 
district,  August  Lundell,  second  district,  J.  B.  Williamson ;  in  1900,  J.  B. 
Williamson;  in  1902,  A.  McCorkindale ;  in  1903,  J.  B.  Williamson;  in  1904, 
first  district,  H.  C.  Goodman ;  in  1906,  first  district,  H.  C.  Goodman,  second 
district,  Charles  Hetchtner,  third  district,  A.  McCorkindale;  in  1908,  second 
district,  Charles  Hechtner,  third  district,  Benjamin  Braughton :  in  1910, 
first  district,  E.  C.  Fuller,  second  district,  John  Fuchs. 

COUNTY    CORONERS. 

In  1856  Joseph  H.  Austin  was  elected  coroner  of  Sac  county  and  fol- 
lowing him  came  the  following,  elected  at  the  time  indicated :  J.  H.  Austin, 
1857;  Elias  Tiberghien,   1861 ;  Dr.   R.  G.   Piatt.   1869;  D.   M.   Lamoreaux. 


208  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

1871 ;  Dr.  \\'illiani  Warren.  1873;  S.  \V.  Duncan,  1874:  Dr.  A.  T.  Brenton, 
1877;  Dr.  Z.  Fuller,  1879:  C.  M.  Hopkins,  1880;  C.  Brown,  1883;  C.  Brown, 
1887;  C.  Brown,  1891  :  C.  J\I.  Hopkins,  1893:  C.  M.  Hopkins,  1895;  Thomas 
Farquhar,  1899;  T.  Farquhar,  1901  ;  W.  H.  Townsend,  1906,  1908,  1910 
and  191 2. 

SCHOOL   SUPERINTENDENTS. 

The  office  of  county  school  superintendent  has  had  numerous  changes  in 
Iowa,  since  Sac  county  was  first  organized.  At  first  there  was  what  was 
styled  a  school  fund  commissioner,  which  office  in  1858  was  changed  to  that 
of  "superintendent."  This  was  an  elective  office  until  hy  the  provisions  of  the 
Iowa  Legislature  at  a  recent  session,  when  it  was  changed  so  that  it  has  the 
same  duties  to  perform,  but  instead  of  being  elected  at  the  general  elections 
by  the  people,  it  is  one  in  which  the  holder  is  elected  by  the  various  school 
boards  within  the  county. 

The  first  school  fund  commissioner  in  Sac  county  was  William  Todd, 
elected  in  August,  1856.  G.  F.  Browning,  the  first  school  superintendent, 
was  elected  in  1858:  William  Todd,  1861  ;  William  Kromer,  1863;  William 
Chapin.  1865;  William  P.  Drewry,  1867;  R.  Ellis,  1869;  R.  Ellis,  1871  :  John 
Dodson,  1873,  also  1875;  James  Darling,  1877;  same  in  1879;  H.  L.  Martin, 
1881  and  1883:  Clarence  Messer,  1887;  same  in  1889;  C.  E.  Stalcoop,  1891, 
also  in  1893:  J.  W.  Jackson,  1895;  C.  H.  Jump,  1899,  also  in  1901 ;  H.  C. 
Coe,  1903,  also  in  1906;  John  R.  Slacks,   1908,  and  still  holding  the  office. 

The  above  are  the  principal  officers  of  the  county,  and  the  others,  such 
as  sur\eyors  and  county  attorneys,  are  named  in  the  section  of  this  book  treat- 
ing on  elections,  etc.,  hence  need  not  be  repeated  in  this  connection. 


CHAPTER  XVn. 


TOWNSHIP    HISTORIES. 


The- civil  township  is  to  the  county  what  the  county  is  to  the  state.  Each 
township  has  a  government  pecuHar  to  itself,  though  in  perfect  harmony  with 
its  sister  sub-divisions  in  the  same  county.  Here  in  Sac  county,  fortunately, 
these  civil  townships  are  all  the  same  in  size,  an  even  six  miles  each  way,  or  a 
full  congressional  township.  As  now  constituted  and  named  they  are  as  fol- 
lows :  Boyer  Valley,  Cook,  Cedar,  Coon  Valley,  Clinton,  Douglas,  Delaware, 
Eden,  Eureka,  Jackson,  Levy,  Richland,  Sac,  Wheeler,  Wall  Lake  and  Viola. 

These  townships  have  been  constituted  or  organized  at  different  dates 
within  keeping  of  the  advancing  settlement  of  the  county.  The  following  is 
the  order,  according  to  dates  when  these  various  subdivisions  of  Sac  county 
were  made  separate  townships  for  governmental  purposes :  Sac  and  Jack- 
son, 1856;  Douglas,  i860;  Boyer  Valley,  1871 ;  Wall  Lake,  1871 ;  Eden,  1871 ; 
Clinton,  1874;  Cedar,  1875;  Delaware,  1875;  Eureka,  1875;  Viola,  1875; 
Wheeler,  1875:  Richland,  1876;  Coon  Valley,  1877. 

Douglas  township  was  taken  from  Jackson;  Boyer  Valley  and  Cedar 
taken  from  Jackson  and  Sac ;  Cook  taken  from  Boyer  Valley ;  Eden  and  Dela- 
were  taken  from  Douglas ;  Levey  and  Viola  taken  from  Sac ;  Wall  Lake  and 
Clinton  from  Jackson  and  Sac;  Richland  was  taken  from  Clinton;  Coon 
Valley  from  Wall  Lake  township. 

NAMING  OF  TOWNSHIPS. 

The  various  townships  were  named  from  the  following  facts  and  inci- 
dents :  Sac  township,  from  the  name  of  the  county  and  originall}'  from  the 
Lidian  tribe,  the  Sacs,  who,  with  the  Foxes,  at  one  time  held  all  this  portion 
of  Iowa. 

Douglas,  named  after  Hon.  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  who  ran  for  President 
against  Mr.  Lincoln  in  i860. 

Delaware  township,  from  some  of  its  earlier  settlers  who  came  fr(jm  the 
state  bearing  that  name. 
(13) 


2IO  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Eden  township  was  named  from  the  fact  that  the  pioneers  who  settled 
here  thought  they  had  struck  an  earthly  paradise. 

Eureka,  from  "I  have  found  it,"  as  the  settlers  said  when  looking  for  a 
good  section  in  w  hicli  to  claim  land. 

Cook  township,  for  the  largest  farmer  and  landowner  in  the  township 
and  one  of  the  largest  in  Sac  county,  Mr.  Cook. 

Boyer  Valley  township,  from  the  river  that  flows  through  the  county  and 
finally  empties  into  the  Missouri  at  Council  Bluffs. 

Jackson  township,  after  "Old  Hickory,"  Andrew  Jackson,  a  former 
President  of  the  United  States. 

Cedar  township,  from  the  Cedar  river,  or  creek,  that  courses  through  it. 

Coon  Valley,  from  the  Coon  river. 

Wall  Lake,  from  the  walled  lake  in  the  southern  portion  of  the  county, 
of  which  so  much  has  from  time  to  time  been  written,  but  reallv  the  "wall" 
consists  of  the  prairie  boulders  that  have  with  passing  generations  been  heaved 
up  by  the  frost. 

Clinton  township  was  named  after  that  most  excellent  county  in  eastern 
Iowa,  from  which  many  of  the  early  comers  to  Sac  came. 

Richland  township,  as  might  naturally  be  guessed,  was  named  for  its 
excellent  soil  qualities. 

Wheeler  township  was  named  in  honor  of  Hiram  Wheeler,  the  once 
great  land  owner  near  Odebolt,  who  was  a  candidate  for  gox'ernor  on  the 
Republican  ticket  and  defeated  by  Hon.  Horace  Boies,  when  temperance  was 
the  leading  issue  in  this  state. 

Levey  township  was  named  for  C.  N.  Levey,  an  early  settler  and  county 
ofiicial. 

Viola  township,  from  Viola,  Illinois,  by  W.  A.  Robinson. 

DOUGL.^S  TOWNSHIP. 

Douglas  township  is  in  the  extreme  northeastern  corner  of  Sac  county 
and  comprises  all  of  congressional  township  89,  range  35  west,  and  is  along 
the  "correction"  line  of  Iowa,  with  Buena  \"ista  county  at  its  north.  Calhoun 
county  to  the  east,  Cedar  and  Jackson  townships  at  the  south  and  Delaware 
on  the  west.  It  contains  thirty-six  full  sections.  It  was  named  in  honor  of 
that  great  Democratic  statesman  who  was  a  candidate  for  President  against 
the  lamented  Lincoln,  in  1861 — Hon.  Stephen  A.  Douglas. 

Coon  river  flows  to  the  south,  meandering  through  sections  30  and  31, 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  211 

while  small  streams  are  found  here  and  there  over  the  prairie  land  of  the 
township. 

The  population  of  Douglas  township  in  1910,  according  to  the  United 
States  census  reports,  was  five  hundred  and  fifty-eight. 

The  schools  and  churches  are  named  at  length  in  general  chapters  in  this 
volume. 

The  first  settlement  was  effected  along  the  river,  as  was  the  case  in  all 
new  counties  in  the  West.  There  are  no  towns  or  villages  within  the  borders 
of  Douglas  township.  At  first  Douglas  was  cut  off  from  Jackson  township 
in  i860,  and  at  that  date  Douglas  ran  to  the  west  line  of  the  county  and  was 
one  of  three  townships  in  Sac  county,  each  being  twenty- four  miles  long.  In 
1875  Delaware  township  was  created,  leaving  Douglas  as  it  is  now  bounded, 
only  six  miles  square. 

The  settlers  in  1835  and  1856  in  what  is  now  known  as  Douglas  town- 
ship were  as  follows  :  Martin  Deardorf ,  who  claimed  land  directly  west  from 
the  M.  S.  Lee  farm,  on  the  river.  He  soon  tired  of  the  country  and  sold  to 
George  Stocker  for  five  hundred  dollars,  and  moved  to  Kansas.  Mr.  Stocker 
arrived  in  June,  1856,  from  Steuben  county,  Indiana.  He  did  not  remain 
after  purchasing  this  claim,  but  went  east  and  did  not  return  until  1867,  ac- 
companied bv  his  family.     A  son  and  his  family  are  still  residing  in  Sac  City. 

William  Montgomery  and  a  sister  came  in  1856  and  claimed  land  just 
south  of  the  first  settlement,  the  same  also  being  on  the  river  in  the  timber. 
He  was  the  first  man  married  in  the  county,  an  account  of  which  is  given  else- 
where in  this  work.  ,    * 

Another  settler  in  1855  was  Adam  Vetal,  who  claimed  the  land  now  in- 
cluded in  the  Lee  farm,  at  the  grove  called  "Lee's  Grove."  His  brother, 
William  Vetal,  also  came  at  the  same  time.  He  went  to  California  in  1861 
and  Adam  moved  to  Illinois. 

The  next  to  effect  a  settlement  in  the  township,  as  now  bounded,  was 
Robert  Quail,  who  took  up  land  just  to  the  south  of  the  Lee  place,  probably 
in  1855.  certainly  not  later  than  1856.  He  claimed  a  quarter  section.  Later 
he  moved  to  Missouri,  where  he  died  many  years  since. 

It  should  be  stated  that  the  old  Lee  place  was  originally  pre-empted  by 
Seymour  Wagoner,  who  bought  it  for  speculation  and  never  became  an  actual 
settler  there. 

On  the  south,  still  farther  down  the  river,  was  the  settlement  of  William 
\\'ine,  in  1855.  He  remained  several  years  and  moved  on  to  California  in 
Civil  War  days.     He  was  the  grandfather  of  Lacy  Wine,  now  a  merchant  in 


212  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Sac  City.  He  had  a  large  faiiiih',  and  immigrated  from  Indiana,  claiming 
a  quarter  section  of  land  here.  It  is  now  owned  by  W.  B.  Wayt  and  son, 
of  Sac  City. 

About  the  close  of  the  war  came  in  William  IMcDeid,  Trowbridge  Rouns- 
ville,  now  li\ing  in  Sac  City,  but  still  holding  his  splendid  farm  in  Douglas 
township.  His  brother,  Syh-ester,  came  also.  James  Gordon  was  another 
about  that  date  to  claim  land  in  the  township.  The  Gordon  school  house  was 
the  second  one  in  the  township,  the  tirst  being  the  frame  house  erected  at 
Lee's  Grove,  by  James  Davis.  Man}-  of  the  men  who  came  in  just  after  the 
war  were  returned  soldiers. 

The  first  cemetery,  or  country  burying  place,  was  on  section  15.  Later 
most  of  the  bodies  were  removed  to  other  cemeteries. 

Sac  City  was  the  first  trading  place  for  this  settlement.  Grant  City,  then 
"Big  Grove,"  also  had  some  facilities  in  that  line,  including  a  corn  grinding 
mill,  if  such  it  might  have  been  called.  It  was  to  this  mill  that  many  of  the 
settlers  in  Sac  City  and  those  further  up  the  river  had  to  go  in  the  dead  of 
that  luemorable  winter  of  1856-57,  with  a  sack  or  more  of  shelled  corn,  tied 
onto  a  long  hand  sled,  and  in  this  manner  obtained  the  use  of  a  huge  coffee 
mill  at  Grant  City,  and  thus  stayed  up  all  night,  each  taking  his  turn  at  grind- 
ing by  hand  a  little  corn  meal  upon  which  the  Cory  and  other  families  man- 
aged to  get  through  until  spring  came.  Coons  were  then  killed  for  the  rich 
fat  they  contained,  and  with  this  "coon-grease"  the  good  housewife  would 
grease  the  griddle  and  fry  the  johnnycakes,  over  the  brightly  glowing  fire 
place. 

The  first  settlers  were  mostly  all  Americans,  but  after  the  war  there  came 
in  a  goodly  number  of  thrifty  German  families. 

Rush  lake,  on  section  q,  was  a  noted  early-day  swamp  and  lake,  but, 
thanks  to  modern  drainage  and  tiling  methods,  it  has  all  been  reclaimed  and 
here  one  finds  the  best  of  crops  growing  annually.  (3ne  of  the  big  dredge- 
ditches  of  Sac  county  runs  through  the  lied  of  this  old  lake. 

WHEELER  TOWNSHIP. 

Wheeler  is  the  extreme  southwestern  subdivision  in  Sac  county  and  was 
named  for  Hon.  Hiram  C.  Wheeler,  the  once  great  farmer  of  this  section  of 
the  Northwest.  It  was  organized  in  1875.  In  1880  its  population  was  six 
hundred  and  twenty-seven.  In  the  census  books  for  1910  it  is  given  as  six 
hundred  and  thirty-one.  Wheeler  is  bounded  on  the  east  by  Levey  township, 
on  the  north  by  Richland,  on  the  west  by  Ida  county  and  south  by  Crawford 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


213 


county.  It  comprises  all  of  congressional  township  86,  range  38  west.  It  is 
a  magnificent  farming  section — one  of  the  finest  in  Iowa.  It  has  no  native 
timber,  but  several  small  prairie  creeks  which  water  and  drain  the  fertile 
farming  lands  which  have  e\-er  been  famous  for  productive  qualities. 
Wheeler  has  no  towns  within  its  borders,  but  is  near  by  Odebolt,  the  second 
largest  town  in  the  county.  The  great  Wheeler  ranch  or  stock  farm  occupied, 
originally,  a  large  portion  of  the  township's  valuable  land,  but  of  recent  years 
the  larger  farms  have  been  reduced  somewhat  and  are  gradually  coming)  into 
the  hands  of  more  farmers  than  hitherto.  Its  railroad  facilities  are  the  Chi- 
cago &  Northwestern  line  from  Wall  Lake  west  to  Onawa.  This  road  just 
touches  the  northeastern  corner  of  the  township. 

The  settlement  here  was  eiTected  as  early  as  1871  and  was  made  by 
Americans  and  a  large  Swede  colony  in  the  southern  part  of  the  township. 
This  has  long  since  been  known  as  one  of  the  banner  agricultural  districts  of 
Iowa.  Stock  raising  and  general  farming  predominate.  The  schools  are 
excellent  and  are  treated  with  others  in  the  chapter  on  Education. 

The  first  election  in  the  township  was  held  in  October,  1875,  when  Daniel 
Leshar  and  William  Henderson  were  elected  justices  of  the  peace:  Martin 
Purcell,  assessor;  A.  D.  Peck,  first  clerk  (by  appointment)  :  trustees,  John 
Bruce,  Solomon  Peterson,  A.  D.  Peck;  Orin  Haskins  and  Louis  Lumberg, 
constables.  The  first  road  supervisors  were  A.  P.  Nelson  and  G.  A. 
Gustafason. 

COON    VALLEY    TOWNSHIP. 

Coon  \'alley  township  was  organized  in  1877,  and  in  1880  reported  a 
population  to  the  federal  census  enumerator  of  four  hundred  and  nine.  Its 
population  in  19 10,  as  shown  by  the  United  States  census  reports,  was  seven 
hundred  and  twenty-three.  It  derives  its  name  from  the  fact  that  the  coon 
river  flows  through  its  territory.  Nearly  all  of  the  lesser  streams  of  the 
township  flow  into  the  Coon  and  later  find  their  way  into  the  Des  Moines. 

This  township  is  on  the  eastern  line  of  Sac  county,  with  Calhoun  county 
for  its  eastern  boundary  line.  Cedar  township,  this  county,  on  the  north,  Wall 
Lake  township  on  the  west  and  Sac  township  on  the  south.  Some  timber 
skirts  the  banks  of  the  streams,  especially  the  Coon  river.  It  is  now  all  well 
improved  and  its  people  happy  and,  generally  speaking,  very  thrifty  and 
prosperous.  Its  excellent  schools  are  named  in  the  Educational  chapter  in 
this  volume.  There  are  no  towns  or  hamlets  within  Coon  Valley  township. 
The  land  owners  and  settlers  of  today  trade  at  Lake  City.  Sac  City,  Lake 
View  or  Auburn,  usualh'.     Sac  Citv  being  the  nearest,  and  it  being  the  seat 


214  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

of  justice,  farmers  naturally  go  to  that  point  for  most  of  their  supplies,  as 
well  as  banking. 

In  1882  a  cream  station  was  established  at  the  place  known  as  Pettis,  and, 
from  paper  files,  it  appears  that  six  miles  southeast  of  Sac  City,  where  Pettis 
was  located,  a  creamery  was  burned  in  December,  1901,  causing  a  loss  of 
two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars.  It  was  owned  by  W.  H.  Pettis,  who  had 
an  insurance  on  the  plant  amounting  to  one  thousand  five  hundred  dollars. 
The  cause  was  a  defective  flue.     The  plant  was  never  rebuilt. 

This  township  is  an  exceptionally  well  watered  and  naturally  drained 
porfion  of  the  county.  Its  farmers  are  not  afilicted  with  the  go-to-to\vn  haliit, 
but  remain  at  home  largely,  and  the  result  is  that  the  township  has  many  fine 
farm  homes,  with  general  prosperity  around  them,  perhaps  more  so  than  as 
though  the  township  had  a  large  number  of  towns  and  hamlets  within  its 
borders. 

COOK  TOWNSHIP. 

Cook  township  is  on  the  western  border  of  Sac  county  and  is  the  second 
from  the  north  line,  with  Eureka  and  Eden  at  its  north,  Boyer  Valley  at  its 
east,  Richland  township  to  the  south  and  Ida  county  at  the  west.  It  com- 
prises  all  of  congressional  township  88,  range  38  west,  and  its  north  line  is  the 
"correction  line''  of  the  northern  portion  of  low  a.  Here  the  jog  in  township 
surveys  varies  three  miles,  the  townships  to  the  north  of  this  lapping  by  to 
the  west  that  distance.  This  civil  township  was  once  included  within  Boyer 
Valley  township,  but  in  1876  was  created  into  a  separate  township.  In  1880 
the  census  showed  the  population  to  be  about  four  hundred,  while  it  is  given 
as  six  hundred  thirty-five  by  the  1910  United  States  reports  on  enumeration. 
The  first  settlers  were,  inclusive  of  William  Cory,  1868,  J.  E.  Sanborns, 
Joseph  Dick,  Charles  Prentice,  for  whom  Prentice  schoolhouse  was  named, 
and  it  was  the  first  in  the  township,  erected  in  1872.  Other  settlers  in  Cook 
and  Boyer  Valley,  some  one  side  the  line  and  some  the  other,  were  Elias 
Powers,  Dr.  Warren,  H.  A.  Wilson,  Hiram  Sweet,  J.  Shelmerdine  and  a  Mr. 
Hays. 

Cook  has  no  towns  or  villages  and  many  large  farms.  A  few  of  its 
small  streams,  mere  prairie  creeks,  run  toward  the  west,  but  most  all  flow  to 
the  east  and  finally  find  their  way  into  the  Boyer  river. 

Early,  Schaller  and  Odebolt  are  all  sought  out  by  the  residents  of  Cook 
township  as  trading  and  market  towns. 

It  was  in  this  township,  but  before  it  was  divided  from  Bo}er  Valley. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  215 

that  C.  W.  Cook,  for  whom  the  new  township  was  named,  commenced  in 
1873  to  improve  his  great  farm,  known  as  the  Cook  ranch,  or  stock  farm. 

Of  the  excellent  educational  advantages  afforded  by  the  nine  public 
schools,  the  Educational  chapter  will  fully  treat,  in  a  general  way,  with  the 
other  districts  of  the  county. 

This  township  is  well  settled,  highly  cultivated  and  its  people,  both 
foreign  and  American  born,  are  among  the  prosperous  and  contented  portion 
of  the  population  of  Sac  county.  Here  nature  did  much  and  man  has  im- 
proved such  spots  as  needed  improvement  and  utilized  the  fertility  of  the  soil 
in  the  production  of  immense  crops  that  have  never  failed  to  bring  reward 
ample  and  sufficient  to  gladden  the  hearts  of  the  husbandmen,  who  fully 
appreciate  the  fact  that  their  lines  Iiave  been  cast  in  pleasant  places. 

P.  W.  Lashier  became  the  pioneer  settler  in  this  township  in  1870.  H. 
A.  Wilson,  the  Gardners  and  others  soon  followed  him  into  the  township, 
which  at  that  time  was  a  part  of  Boyer  Valley  township.  The  first  trustee 
to  serve  in  Cook  as  well  as  in  Boyer  Valley  was  P.  W.  Lashier,  a  man  of 
good  judgment. 

THE    COOK    RANCH. 

The  Inter-Ocean  of  Chicago,  in  its  issue  of  April  16,  1873,  has  this  con- 
cerning the  opening  up  of  the  great  Cook  ranch  in  Sac  county :  "A  large 
sale  of  Iowa  land  was  consummated  yesterday,  by  which  a  Chicago  resident, 
Mr.  C.  W.  Cook,  became  the  sole  owner  of  twelve  sections  of  farming  lands 
in  Sac  county,  low  a.  The  purchaser  proposes  to  convert  the  entire  property 
into  a  mammoth  stock  farm.  This  tract  embraces  seven  thousand  six  hun- 
dred and  eighty  acres  and  the  amount  paid  was  five  dollars  an  acre,  making  a 
total  of  thirty-eight  thousand  four  hundred  dollars.  The  sale  was  made  by 
J.  B.  Calhoun,  land  commissioner  of  the  Iowa  Railway  Land  Company." 
This  land,  we  believe,  all  lies  in  \Vest  Boyer  township.  "This  makes  two 
seven-thousand-acre  farms  in  Sac  county.  Better  this  size  than  none  at  all. 
We  welcome  Mr.  Cook,  and  hope  lie  will  make  a  good  farmer  and  get  rich." — 
Sac  Sun,  1873. 

An  advertisement  was  run  in  the  local  paper  in  Sac  City  ni  1S74  thus: 
"We  have  two  hundred  thousand  acres  of  land  all  in  Sac  county,  Iowa,  and 
not  to  be  excelled  in  any  state  of  the  Union.  Prices  of  wild  prairie  a\'erage 
from  three  to  six  dollars  an  acre. — D.  Carr  Early,  Real  Estate  Dealer." 


2l6  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

RICHLAND  TOWNSHIP. 

Richland  to\\'nship  is  the  second  from  the  south  and  third  from  the  north 
Hnes  of  Sac  count}-,  lying  on  the  western  border,  with  Ida  county  at  its  west. 
Cook  township  at  its  north,  Clinton  township  at  the  east  and  Wheeler  town- 
ship at  its  south.  It  is  six  miles  square,  being  all  of  congressional  township 
87,  range  38  west.  Its  only  town  is  Odebolt,  in  sections  27  and  34.  Odebolt 
creek  is  the  principal  stream  in  this  township.  It  is,  stricti)'  speaking,  a 
prairie  township,  though  now  dotted  here  and  there  and  everN-where  with 
artificial  groves,  planted  out  by  the  hand  of  the  thoughtful  pioneers.  It  is  a 
coveted  garden  spot  and  agricultural  section,  with  thrift  and  contentment  on 
every  hand.  Many  of  the  older  settlers  have  long  since  either  died  or  retired 
to  some  one  of  the  near-by  towns,  and  are  now  enjo}'ing  the  fruit  of  their 
earlier  years  of  toil  and  sacrifice.  This  township  was  cut  off  from  Clinton 
township  by  the  board  of  county  supervisors  in  the  autumn  of  1876,  and  was 
named  "Richland"  by  a  Mr.  Stewartson,  of  Illinois,  who  saw  great  beauty 
and  promise  in  this  portion  of  Sac  county,  from  the  fact  of  its  exceptional 
fertility  of  soil.  Among  the  first  township  officers  may  be  recalled  C.  H. 
Babcock,  clerk;  N.  B.  Umbarger  and  J.  B.  Caulkins,  justices  of  the  peace; 
Thomas  Dorman  and  P.  H.  Sanderson,  constables;  A.  L.  Miner,  S.  Buchler 
and  E.  A.  Bennett,  trustees ;  W.  P.  Purcell,  assessor ;  road  supervisors  in 
districts  as  follows:  No.  i,  A.  Domenberg;  No.  2,  J.  Miller;  No.  3,  E. 
Colvin ;  No.  4,  J.  Stickles. 

When  Hiram  Wheeler,  the  proprietor  of  the  "largest  farm  in  Iowa," 
came  to  this  township  in  the  se\'enties,  his  nearest  neighbors  were  fully  twelve 
miles  distant,  but  with  his  improving  so  many  thousand  acres  of  valuable  land, 
came  in  many  to  assist  him  in  his  great  undertaking.  By  the  time  this  was 
accomplished  others  had  found  their  way  to  the  township  and  purchased 
lands  which  proved  to  be  the  best  kind  of  an  investment  possible  to  make. 
Every  foot  of  the  land  has  long  since  been  cultivated  or  used  for  pasture 
lands  and  hay  lands  by  the  actual  owners.  The  abo\-e  list  of  township  officers 
probably  made  up  nearly  all  of  the  first  settlers  in  what  is  now  Richland 
township. 

The  population  of  this  township  in  1910  was  one  thousand  eight  hundred 
and  seventy-nine,  including  the  town  of  Odebolt,  which  had  at  that  date  about 
one  thousand  two  hundred  and  eighty-three. 

The  history  of  the  schools  and  churches  will  form  a  part  of  other 
chapters  in  this  volume. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  21/ 

THE  GREAT  WHEELER  FARM    (nOW  ADAMS'  RANCH ). 

What  is  known  by  all  early  settlers  in  this  part  of  the  West  as  the  "Great 
Wheeler  Farm"  of  Sac  county  was  the  most  extensive  of  any  in  Iowa,  and 
contained  more  than  a  township  of  land.  The  first  mention  in  the  press  of 
the  country  was  the  item  in  the  Chicago  Inter-Occaii  in  the  month  of  October, 
1 8/ 1,  which  read  as  follows: 

"H.  C.  Wheeler,  of  Chicago,  elevator  man,  has  bought  seven  thousand 
acres  of  land  in  (.me  tract  from  the  railroad  company  for  the  purpose  of  estab- 
lishing a  dairy  farm  on  a  large  scale.  Mr.  Wheeler  is  known  as  a  man  of 
great  wealth  and  energy,  and  when  he  undertakes  anything  he  always  carries 
it  out  successfully.  He  lost  heavily  in  the  recent  Chicago  fire,  but  it  will  not 
affect  him  much.  He  has  now  about  sixty  thousand  feet  of  lumber  on  the 
ground  out  in  Sac  county,  Iowa,  and  will  commence  at  once  to  go  to  work 
erecting  buildings  suitable  for  the  purpose  intended." 

This  was  said  of  the  late  Hon.  Hiram  C.  Wheeler,  of  Odebolt,  who  was 
a  candidate  for  the  office  of  governor  of  Iowa  against  Horace  Boies  (Demo- 
crat) in  1891.  The  temperance  issue  was  then  on  and  many  of  the  Repub- 
licans of  Iowa  left  the  party  and  voted  with  the  Democrats  at  that  time,  hence 
this,  with  other  reasons,  caused  Mr.  Wheeler's  defeat  at  the  polls.  After 
many  years.  Air.  Wheeler  did  not  prove  that  he  was  possessed  of  as  good 
business  qualities  as  at  first  supposed.  He  lost  much  in  Iowa,  and  finally 
sold  and  went  to  Texas  and  there  engaged  in  another  large  dairy  business, 
in  which  he  signally  failed.  He  lost  his  only  son  and  became  disheartened. 
He  removed  to  Chicago  and  there  died,  September  25.  1909,  almost  penniless. 
His  farm  was  sold  in  1896  in  Sac  county,  consisting  at  that  date  of  about  six 
thousand  acres,  for  one  hundred  and  eighty-five  thousand  dollars. 

In  1888  it  was  written  of  this  large  farming  enterprise,  by  a  Cedar 
Rapids  newspaper  correspondent,  as  follows :  "By  mere  chance  your  corre- 
spondent and  reporter  got  into  conversation  with  Mr.  Wheeler,  the  greatest 
farmer  of  all  northwestern  Iowa,  and  learned  some  items  that  are  worth 
publishing.  Talk  about  your  manufacturing  and  jobbing  in  Iowa!  There 
is  no  institution  in  the  entire  state  that  shows  so  stupenduous  an  exhibit  of 
painstaking  and  good  management  as  this  Sac  county  farm.  Seventeen  years 
ago,  Mr.  Wheeler  came  to  Iowa,  and  went  to  Sac  county,  bought  his  land, 
built  his  houses  and  barns.  \Mien  a  railway  came  along  he  donated  liberally 
for  a  station  and  gave  the  site  of  Odebolt  and  today  it  is  one  of  the  most 
prosperous    of    northwest    Iowa    towns,    growing    commercially    fast.     The 


216  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

magnitude  of  Mr.  Wheeler's  work  can  be  understood  when  the  products  of 
his  farm  for  the  last  year  are  given.  He  raised  sixty  thousand  bushels  of 
corn;  twelve  thousand  five  hundred  bushels  of  timothy  seed;  six  thousand 
bushels  of  oats ;  ten  thousand  bushels  of  flax  seed ;  three  thousand  bushels  of 
millet  seed:  and  had  seven  hundred  head  of  stock  on  his  place,  five  hundred 
being  breeding  animals.  In  two  years  he  expects  to  sail  for  Europe  to  pur- 
chase a  stud  of  English  and  Scotch  horses.  He  has  ordered  to-  have  in  readi- 
ness on  his  return,  a  barn,  which  to  build  will  require  seventy-five  thousand 
feet  of  lumber.  He  will  have  his  stock  on  exhibition  at  the  Iowa  state  fair  at 
Des  Moines  this  fall.  As  a  business  man  and  manager  of  practical  affairs, 
Mr.  Wheeler  has  been  a  decided  success.  When  he  purchased  his  farm  in 
Sac  county,  there  was  not  a  house  within  twelve  miles  of  him." 

In  October,  1888,  Mr.  Wheeler  had  at  Des  Moines  much  of  his  fancy 
stock.  On  his  farm  he  then  kept  thirty-three  head  of  Norman-Percheron  and 
English  shire  stallions.  These  were  among  the  finest  animals  ever  imported 
to  the  United  States. 

This  famous  farm  has  long  since  been  in  the  hands  of  the  Adams  family, 
of  Illinois,  and  has  come  to  be  a  wonderful  farm,  especiallv  as  a  successful 
sheep  ranch,  where  the  heaviest,  finest  grades  of  sheep  are  bred  and  grown. 
It  is  commonly  styled  the  "Adams  ranch." 

The  senior  Adams  is  the  one  of  Adams  Express  Companv  fame  and  the 
son,  a  middle-aged  gentleman,  is  in  company  with  his  father  and  has  sok 
charge  of  the  great  farm,  living  on  the  ranch  a  part  of  the  time  and  in  Chicago 
the  remainder.  This  is  especially  a  sheep  ranch,  but  raises  immense  amounts 
of  corn,  which  is  marketed  through  their  own  elevator  at  Odebolt,  where 
for  many  days  in  succession  five  car  loads  of  shelled  corn  are  shipped.  The 
farm  now  contains  twelve  sections  of  land,  all  fenced  off  by  mile  lengths  of 
woven  wire,  with  concrete  posts,  which,  together  with  the  hundreds  of  beauti- 
ful shade  trees  which  have  been  set  out  along  the  roadwav  and  fences,  give 
a  charming  appearance.  This  place  is  within  both  Richland  and  Wheeler 
townships.  Oats  and  timothy  are  raised  to  feed  the  one  hundred  and 
twenty  teams  that  are  required  to  run  the  ranch.  Over  the  long  rows  of 
sheep  barns  has  been  sentimentally  painted  in  clear,  attractive  letters,  the 
words  "Feed  My  Lambs."  In  the  plowing  season  there  may  be  seen,  all 
working  at  one  time,  eighteen  gang  plows  and  seventeen  single  stirring  plows 
and  eighteen  manure  spreaders  and  there  are  also  eighty  farm  wagons.  There 
are  forty-five  men  employed  in  the  slack  months  and  one  hundred  and  fifty 
men  in  the  busy  season.     All  are  boarded   in  the  buildings  provided   in   a 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  219 

village  or  group  and  no  women  are  employed,  but  men  do  all  the  work  both 
inside  and  out  of  the  houses.  The  superintendents  and  bosses  of  barns,  of 
fields  and  machinery,  each  have  good  residences  and  an  office,  while  the  great 
twenty-  to  fifty-thousand-bushel  corn  cribs  complete  the  buildings  of  the  ranch. 
The  machinery,  wagons,  harness,  mules  and  even  the  men  have  numbers  and 
everything  is  carried  on  same  as  it  is  in  railroad  shops.  The  men  are  checked 
in  morning,  noon  and  night,  and  even  the  barn  boss  sees  that  each  mule  is 
properly  watered  and  fed  and  bedded.  The  help  may  draw  their  pay  each 
Saturday  night  if  they  so  wish.  There  are  usually  two  beefs  slaughtered 
each  week  for  feeding  the  men.  One  peculiarity  is  that  not  a  hen  or  hog  is 
kept  on  the  place.  The  food  is  provided  or  prepared  by  two  expert  cooks  and 
a  number  of  flunkeys  who  serve  and  wait  on  the  men  at  meal  time.  The 
buildings  are  heated  by  a  furnace,  the  fuel  of  which  is  thousands  of  bushels 
of  corn  cobs,  which  in  shelling  time  are  placed  in  dry  cribs  and  other  places 
for  future  use.  The  wagons  and  machinery  are  all  painted  once  a  year. 
The  place  is  provided  with  blacksmith  shops,  harness  shops  and  repair  shops. 
They  put  up  their  own  ice  and  keep  a  dozen  milch  cows  with  which  to  provide 
the  butter  and  milk  for  the  tables.  All  is  system  and  order  here,  and  hun- 
dreds of  visitors  come  from  the  surrounding  country  to  see  what  a  modern, 
up-to-date  farm  consists  of.  Everyone  is  welcome  at  the  Adams  ranch,  a 
little  more  than  a  mile  west  of  Odebolt. 

THE  TOWN  OF  ODEBOLT. 

This  is  the  second  town  in  size  in  Sac  county  and  is  full  of  enterprising 
business  and  social  factors.  It  is  situated  in  the  western  portion  of  the 
county,  on  one  of  the  most  important  l)ranches  of  the  great  Northwestern 
system  of  railroads  in  Iowa.  It  was  laid  out  by  the  Blair  Town  Lot  and 
Land  Company  in  1877.  It  was  built  on  the  wild  prairie,  but  today  looks 
like  a  city  much  older,  and  has  its  thousands  of  beautiful  shade  trees  and 
parks,  with  hundreds  of  modern,  thoroughly  up-to-date  residences.  Among 
the  earliest  pioneers  of  the  town  was  M.  H.  Hempin,  who  was  the  first  to 
engage  in  business  at  this  point.  He  it  was  who  sold  construction  supplies  to 
the  railroad  gangs  while  they  were  constructing  the  railroad  through  the 
county.  The  first  house  was  erected  by  W.  Van  Dusen,  this  serving  both  as 
a  residence  and  store  room  for  himself  and  family.  He  was  soon  followed  by 
George  McKibbin  and  James  Ross.  The  railroad  was  finished  to  Odebolt 
November  19,  1877,  the  first  train  arriving  at  that  date.     Another  very  early 


220  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

settler  in  Odebolt  was  H.  T.  Martin,  who  organized  a  Sunday  school  in  De- 
cember, 1877,  and  was  also  the  first  commissioned  notary  public.  When 
the  depot  was  finished  in  1877,  Mr.  Martin  was  appointed  station  agent,  and 
his  daughter.  Miss  Emma  Martin,  was  the  first  telegraph  operator. 

Of  the  town's  population,  let  it  be  said  that  in  1885  the  state  enumeration 
gave  Odebolt  954;  the  federal  census  of  1900  gave  it  1,222  ;  the  state  enumera- 
tion in  1895  gave  it  1,400;  the  federal  census  in  1900  gave  it  1,432;  the  state 
census  in  1905  placed  it  at  1,431  and  a  careful  estimate  of  the  population  in 
January,  1914,  gives  it  a  population  of  1,300,  which  is  in  keeping  with  many 
of  the  towns  and  cities  in  Iowa,  which,  it  will  be  remembered,  fell  off  in 
population  in  the  decade  just  preceding  the  last  United  States  census 
enumeration. 

Odebolt  is  on  an  elevation  of  one  thousand  three  hundred  and  sixt\-five 
feet  above  sea-level.     It  is  well  situated  and  a  healthful  location. 

Odebolt  was  incorporated  in  the  month  of  March,  1879,  and  the  records 
show  that  the  first  officers  elected  were  as  follows :  James  Ross,  mayor ;  J. 
M.  Zane,  recorder;  John  Wright,  treasurer;  Ward  Van  Deusen,  J.  Flanders, 
E.  Geist,  C.  B.  Hatfield,  J.  Bowles,  councilmen.  Those  who  have  served  as 
mayors  to  date  include  these :  James  Ross,  J.  H.  Ketterer,  William  Graham, 
C.  M.  Miller,  J.  R.  Reynolds,  C.  C.  Coye,  F.  P.  Motie,  William  Graham, 
S.  D.  Selby.  The  officers  serving  in  January,  1914,  were:  Mayor,  S.  D. 
Selby;  clerk,  A.  F.  P.  Schmitz;  treasurer,  R.  W.  Sayre;  marshal,  E.  C.  Fuller; 
night  watch-police,  Juhus  Bingenheimer ;  council :  F.  H.  Meyer,  W.  J.  Ahl- 
berg,  M.  W.  Smith,  J.  L.  Jones. 

A  fire  company  was  formed  at  Odebolt  in  the  early  spring  of  1880,  as 
a  hook  and  ladder  company,  consisting  of  forty  members,  all  provided  with 
suitable  uniforms.  In  1882  the  foreman  was  J.  Mattes;  E.  E.  Hamlin,  secre- 
tary; W.  V.  Sindt,  treasurer;  Dave  \V.  Flack,  assistant  foreman.  It  is  still 
kept  up,  and  is  a  volunteer  company,  cared  for  by  the  town,  and  is  furnished 
with  excellent  fire-fighting  apparatus,  including  hose,  hook  and  ladders,  ex- 
tinguishers, etc.,  backed  by  a  good  system  of  water  works. 

Recently  a  complete  sewerage  system  has  been  among  the  improvements 
of  the  incorporation.  There  is  no  other  Iowa  town  of  its  size  having  more 
cement  sidewalks  (there  are,  in  fact,  no  wooden  ones)  than  has  Odebolt. 

Two  public  parks  adorn  and  make  beautiful  the  town  site,  Hamilton 
park,  a  small  tract  named  in  honor  of  the  well-known  newspaper  man,  Will  E. 
Hamilton,  now  deceased,  and  the  larger  tract,  known  as  the  City  park,  com- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  221 

prising  a,  full  city  block,  with  its  hundreds  of  beautiful  shade  trees,  its  seats 
and  other  attractions  for  the  summer  months. 

The  town  has  the  advantage  of  two  excellent  telephone  systems,  the  New 
State  Company,  with  its  two  hundred  and  fifty  'phones  connected,  and  the  Sac 
County  Mutual  Company,  with  its  five  hundred  and  seventy-three  'phones  in 
operation. 

The  town  is  supplied  with  gas  by  a  private  company,  which  furnishes  a 
good  grade  of  illuminating  gas  at  reasonable  rates.  It  is  produced  from 
gasoline. 

The  town  hall  is  a  spacious  brick  building,  on  the  principal  street,  and 
here  the  council  chambers,  the  fire  department  and  a  ladies"  rest  room  are 
situated.  This  rest  room  has  now  an  average  of  five  hundred  callers  monthly 
and  is  greatly  appreciated  by  the  people  from  the  surrounding  rural  districts. 
The  public  library  is  mentioned  at  length  at  another  place  in  this  chapter. 
The  following  religious  denominations  are  represented  at  Odebolt :  The 
Methodist  Episcopal,  the  Catholic,  the  Presbyterians,  the  Swedish  Mission, 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  and  Swedish  Methodist.  The  lodges  include  the 
Masonic  and  Odd  Fellows  fraternities  (see  lodge  chapter).  A  modern,  brick 
.school  house,  costing  many  thousand  dollars,  was  recently  erected  as  a  monu- 
ment to  the  excellent  educational  interest  taken  at  Odebolt. 

Regarding  the  earlier  conflagrations  in  Odebolt,  it  may  be  stated  that 
on  February  i,  1880,  a  fire  originated  in  the  carpenter  shop  of  Geist  & 
Buehier,  at  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening.  It  spread  rapidly,  getting  beyond 
control  in  a  few  minutes.  That  fire  destroyed  the  office  and  implement  house 
of  the  best  concern  in  town;  also  the  clothing  store  of  Todd  &  Company. 
The  latter  building  was  worth  eight  hundred  dollars  and  the  insurance  was 
six  hundred  dollars.  Todd  &  Company  saved  most  of  their  stock,  fully  in- 
sured. Geist  &  Buehier  lost  two  thousand  dollars,  with  only  four  hundred 
dollars  insurance  paid.  It  has  always  been  believed  that  the  fire  was  started 
by  an  enemy  of  one  of  the  firms  which  lost  in  the  fire. 

A  historv  of  the  newspapers  and  lodges  and  Grand  Army  post  will  be 
seen  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 

COMMERCIAL    INTERESTS. 

Odebolt  is  an  excellent  business  point — well  thought  of  b\-  the  farming 
section  surrounding  it.  Among  the  early  enterprises  may  be  recalled  the 
flax-mill  operated  by  Winslow  &  Son  in  1880.  when  a  large  warehouse,  with 


222  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Steam  power  for  driving  the  necessary  machinery,  was  installed.  Two  years 
later  the  plant  was  owned  by  John  Dement.  Great  quantities  of  flax  were 
then  being  grown  in  this  section  of  the  country,  the  crop  being  both  profitable 
to  market,  as  well  as  one  of  the  best  soil-subduing  factors  possible  to  employ 
on  the  tough,  wild  prairie  soil.  This  has  all  passed  away  and  others  crops  and 
other  methods  have  long  since  obtained. 

When  Odebolt  was  only  five  years  old  (in  1882)  a  business  directory 
gave  the  following  concerning  the  local  business  houses:  Seven  general 
stores,  three  groceries,  two  harness  shops,  two  hardware  stores,  three  drug 
stores,  two  jewelry  shops,  two  furniture  stores,  three  restaurants,  two  banks, 
three  hotels,  three  grain  elevators,  three  lumber  yards,  four  agricultural 
implement  dealers,  three  livery  stables,  four  blacksmith  shops,  two  wagon 
shops,  three  millinery  stores,  three  barber  shops,  two  meat  markets,  one 
photograph  gallery,  two  printing  offices,  one  ready-made  clothing  store,  one 
exclusive  dry  goods  store,  three  saloons  and  the  postoffice. 

Coming  down  to  January,  19 14,  the  business  is  in  the  hands  of  the 
following  persons  and  firms  : 

Attorneys — W.  A.  Helsell. 

Banks — First  National,  German  Savings  Bank,  Farmers  Savings  Bank. 

Barber  shops — Martin  Lanth,  Charles  Kellogg,  G.  J.  Freese. 

Bakery- — G.  B.  Dolan. 

Blacksmith  shops — Kistler  &  Skeppstedt,  Carlson  &  Varner. 

Clothing — Brynteson  &  Reynolds,  F.  H.  Meyer. 

Drug  stores — Engstrom  &  Huglin,  Selby,  Potteriger  Drug  and  Jewelry 
Company. 

Dentists— W.  N.  Ousler,  E.  L.  White. 

Dray  lines — James  Ellinger,  Roy  Purdy,  Fred  Haustetter,  F.  W.  Libby. 

Elevators — Reuber  &  Bruce.  A.  C.  Petersmeyer,  Dickinson  Grain  Com- 
pany. 

Furniture — C.  J.  Kircher. 

Feed  store— M.  W.  Smith. 

Garages — Odebolt  Auto  and  Supply  Co.,  G.  H.  Frey  and  Ecinspaher 
Auto  Company. 

General  Dealers — William  Sampson,  Kalin  &  Gilinsky,  Co-operative  Co., 
W.  J.  Ahlberg  &  Company. 

Harness  dealers — Odebolt  Harness  Company,  Thomas  McKeever. 
Hardwares — Joseph  Mattes,  Koehler  &  Hanson. 
Hotel— The  New  Bell,  bv  Mrs.  Julia  McMartin. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  22^ 

Hospital— The  Odebolt. 
Jeweler — H.  R.  Stanzel. 

Livery — Horan  Brothers.  Benjamin  ]McJ\Iartin. 
Lumber  Dealers — Green  Bay  Lumber  Company,  Bowman  &  Co. 
Meats— M.  H.  Paul,  P.  L.  Hedberg. 
Millinery — O'Daniel  Sisters,  Horan  &  O'Meara. 
Newspapers — The  Chronicle  and  the  Nezvs. 
Opera  Hall — "The  Odebolt,"  C.  J.  Kircher,  proprietor. 
Photographs — A.  W.  Dahestrom. 
Picture  Shows — The  "Cozy"  and  the  "Princess." 

Physicians — Drs.  A.  Groman,  R.  C.  Sebern,  R.  C.  Shaffer,  E.  H.  Crane. 
Pool  Hall— J.  A.  Lampe. 

Restaurants — Smith  Brothers,  Charles  Larson,  A.  H.  Shade,  J.  L.  Jones, 
M.  L.  Briggs  &  Son. 

Real  Estate — Mattes  &  Selby. 

Racket  Store — William  Sampson. 

.Stock  dealers — Krusenstjerna  &  Paul. 

Shoe  repairs — Andrew  Brynteson. 

Tailors — Richard  Horneisel. 

Veterinary  surgeons — Dr.  F.  E.  Williams,  Dr.  L.  J.  Stratton. 

Wagon  repairs — J.  E.  Einspahr. 

THE    FIELD-CARNEGIE    LIBRARY. 

The  ])ublic  library  is  an  institution  of  which  Odebolt  is  justly  proud. 
Having  its  beginning  in  a  literary  club,  it  has  since  1900  been  supported  by 
the  city. 

Fifteen  women  of  the  Woman's  Reading  Circle  started  a  fund  for  a 
librarv  in  1897.  ^^'hen  they  had  accumulated  about  two  hundred  dollars 
they  organized  the  Odebolt  Library  Association,  a  corporation  with  shares 
at  five  dollars  each.  W.  W.  Field  subscribed  five  hundred  dollars  and  other 
citizens  of  the  town  and  county  adjacent  subscribed  seven  hundred  dollars 
more.  Books  were  purchased  and  the  lilirary  opened  in  an  upstairs  room  on 
Main  street.    This  was  in  July,  1898. 

Two  years  later  Mr.  Field  offered  to  contribute  five  hundred  dollars 
more  on  condition  that  the  town  accept  the  library  as  a  gift  and  agree  to  levy 
an  additional  tax  of  two  mills   for  its  maintenance.     The  citizens,  by  vote. 


224  S"^*^    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

accepted  the  proposition  and  the  stockholders  transferred  their  shares  to  the 
town  of  Odebolt. 

For  several  years  thereafter  the  library  trustees  repeatedly  tried  to  secure 
funds  for  a  building  from  Andrew  Carnegie,  but  without  success.  Mr. 
Carnegie  had  issued  instructions  to  his  secretary  to  ignore  all  requests  from 
towns  of  less  than  five  thousand  population  and  consequently  letters 
from  Odebolt  were  never  brought  to  his  attention:  After  repeated  failures, 
through  the  efforts  of  W.  E.  Hamilton,  Mr.  Carnegie  sent  a  favorable  reply. 
If  the  town  of  Odebolt  would  furnish  the  site  and  agree  to  maintain  a  library 
at  a  cost  of  not  less  than  four  hundred  dcjUars  per  year,  ;\Ir.  Carnegie  would 
be  pleased  to  furnish  four  thousand  dollars  for  a  library  building. 

The  proposition  was  accepted  and  Mr.  Field  purchased  for  five  hun- 
dred dollars  and  presented  to  the  town  the  lot  on  Second  street  where  the 
building  now  stands.  The  site  was  a  part  of  the  residence  property  of  A.  C. 
Petersmeyer. 

The  plans  were  drawn  by  G.  W.  Burkhead,  of  Sioux  City,  and  the  con- 
tract awarded  to  Mr.  Ketterman,  of  Ida  Grove.  The  building  has  a  front  of 
fifty-one  feet  four  inches  and  a  depth  of  t\vent\--nine  feet.  The  foundation 
at  grade  line  is  a  coursing  stone  surmounted  by  Boone  blue  paving  brick, 
with  water  table  of  Bedford  stone.  The  roof  is  of  slate,  with  a  half  pitch. 
On  the  front  is  a  portico,  upheld  by  pilasters  and  round  columnsi  of  Bedford 
stone.  The  steps  leading  up  to  the  portico  are  of  cement.  The  walls  and 
ceiling  are  tinted  and  frescoed,  and  all  the  furniture  and  book  stacks  are  in 
quarter-sawed  oak.     The  building  is  heated  by  furnace  and  lighted  by  gas. 

The  librarv  is  known  as  the  Field-Carnegie  library,  in  honor  of  the  men 
who  were  the  principal  contributors.  At  his  death,  Mr.  Field  left  in  the 
hands  of  trustees  an  endowment  fund  of  two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars, 
the  interest  of  which  is  to  be  used  for  the  purchase  of  books  alone. 

There  are  now  over  three  thousand  volumes  in  the  library.  Of  these 
about  one  thousand  are  adult  fiction,  one  thousand  three  hundred  general 
reference,  six  hundred  and  fifty  juvenile  and  eighty-five  volumes  of  bound 
magazines. 

In  the  reading  room  are  two  large  tables  surrounded  by  comfortable 
chairs  where  are  found  twenty-seven  of  the  best  current  periodicals.  These 
are  kept  on  file  and  prove  very  valuable  for  reference  work.  The  children's 
dejjartment  occupies  the  east  end  of  the  reading  room,  with  shelves  along  the 
wall  filled  with  the  best  literature  for  children.     A  long  low  table,  with  small 


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SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  225 

bent  willow  chairs,  for  the  use  of  the  children  alone,  is  found  here,  where 
they  can  read  comfortably  their  own  magazines  and  picture  books. 

The  library  is  free  to  all  who  reside  in  Odebolt  and  a  fee  of  one  dollar 
per  year  is  charged  to  those  outside.  It  is  open  three  afternoons  and  even- 
ings during  the  week  and  on  Sunday  afternoons  for  reading  only. 

The  officers  and  board  of  trustees  frnm  191 1  to  1915  are  as  follows: 
Joseph  Mattes,  president ;  W.  F.  Bay,  secretary ;  Lillian  E.  Hanson,  librarian. 
The  Ijoard  consists  of  Mrs.  C.  K.  Hinkley,  M.  D.  Fox.  A.  C.  Petermeyer, 
Joseph  Mattes,  W.  F.  Bay,  W.  N.  Ousler,  Mrs.  W.  A.  Helsell,  Mrs.  W.  A. 
Bennett  and  Mrs,  Charles  Coy. 

This  library  was  opened  up  to  the  pulilic  in  March,  1905. 

POSTOFFICE   HISTORY. 

Odebolt  office  was  established  in  1877  and  the  following  have  served  as 
postmasters :  Ward  Van  Deusen,  F.  R.  Bennett,  F.  P.  Motie,  Walter  E. 
Mathews,  Mrs.  Walter  E.  Mathews,  W.  W.  Shanks,  W.  N.  Ousler,  the  last 
named  being  the  present  incumbent  of  the  office. 

During  the  last  fiscal  year  this  office  transacted  a  business  amounting  to 
six  thousand  dollars  outside  of  all  money  order  business.  It  is  a  third  class 
postoffice,  and  has  three  rural  free  delivery  routes  extending  out  into  the 
surrounding  country.  The  present  office  force  are :  O.  W.  Larson,  deputy 
postmaster ;  J.  C.  Blakley,  clerk.  The  office  is  kept  in  the  Joseph  Mattes  brick 
block,  in  the  heart  of  the  town. 

CONCERT    BAND. 

The  Odebolt  Concert  Band  was  organized  January  2,  1914,  under  the 
patronage  of  the  Odebolt  Boosters  Club.  The  musical  director  is  D.  W. 
Duncan.  Its  members  consist  of  the  following  gentlemen :  Charles  Bab- 
cock,  Russell  Searight,  John  Kuhl,  Jacob  Konradi,  Dewey  Lonberg,  Fred 
Steuckrodt,  Paul  Dahlnerg,  Carl  Korneisel,  Eugene  Reynolds,  M.  Billings, 
George  Teaquist,  Carl  Peterson,  Herman  Godberson,  Nicholas  Konradi, 
Walter  Searight,  Harry  Evers,  Otto  Freese,  Lloyd  Babcock,  Walter  Libby, 
John  Erickson,  ClifTord  Fuller.  Frank  Mattes,  Art  Anderson,  Leslie  Kincr, 
Wilkie  Kiner,  James  Ellis,  Vernie  Paul,  D.  Kornsisel,  Guy  Babcock,  Edgar 
Ellinger,  Cloyd  Levell,  Ralph  Cunningham,  Theo.  Erickson,  Leslie  Hanson, 
Harold  Frevoit.  Royce  Engberg.  Merritt  Furrow. 
(14) 


226 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


FAMOUS  POPCORN  INDUSTRY. 


Let  it  1)6  known  that  Odebolt  is  situated  witliin  the  most  famous  pop- 
corn center  of  the  entire  world.  But  few  persons  who  purchase  a  sack  of 
popcorn  at  a  street  corner  or  of  an  urchin  at  the  train,  ever  stop  to  think 
where  all  this  product  comes  from.  It  does  not  thrive  in  many  sections  of 
the  world,  and  it  is  mostly  grown  in  the  Western  states,  with  the  largest 
acreage  growing  on  Iowa  soil,  with  Sac  county  as  its  center,  and  Odebolt  the 
shipping  point  from  which  the  major  portion  of  it  comes.  Field  and  garden 
seeds  and  popcorn  are  the  two  greatest  industries  of  the  town-  of  Odebolt. 
This  county  has  just  the  right  soil  and  climate  to  give  the  best  results  in  pop- 
corn production.  Others  nearby  may  be  as  good,  but  here  the  business  has 
been  successfully  carried  on  for  a  number  of  years  so  satisfactorily  that  deal- 
ers and  buyers  seek  no  further  in  making  their  selection  of  corn.  There  is  a 
great  difference  in  popcorn,  some  being  unfit  for  market  and  unfit  for  use. 
The  dealers  who  handle  this  commodity  at  Odebolt  have  come  to  know  just 
how  to  cure  or  keep  this  corn  in  a  suitable  condition  to  have  the  "best  popping 
results,"  as  they  term  it. 

Recent  writers  who  have  looked  into  this  industry  state  that  nowhere 
in  all  the  world  is  there  as  much  popcorn  bought,  housed  and  shipped  as  from 
the  town  of  Odebolt,  Sac  county,  Iowa.  It  goes  onto  the  world's  market  by 
the  hundredweight  and  not,  as  other  corn,  by  the  bushel.  An  average  yield 
per  acre  is  two  thousand  five  hundred  ])ounds  and  the  price  per  hundred 
pounds  is  about  one  dollar  and  twenty-five  cents,  ^^'hile  the  expense  of 
cultivating  it  is  about  the  same  as  field  corn,  the  cost  of  harvesting  is  fullv 
three  times  as  much.  Many  farmers  have  separate  cribs  and  keep  their  corn 
over  until  the  following  season.  Much  money  has  been  made  from  this  simple 
crop.  Some  seasons,  when  the  supply  has  been  short  and  the  demand  large,  the 
prices  have  reached  as  high  as  four  dollars  per  hundred  pounds,  while  at  other 
seasons  it  has  sold  for  much  less  than  half  that  amount.  The  loss  in  cobs 
and  shrinkage  is  about  twenty-eight  per  cent.  At  two  dollars  and  fifty  cents 
per  hundred,  an  acre  of  land  will  produce  popcorn  to  the  value  of  forty-three 
dollars  and  seventy-five  cents.  The  corn  is  either  grown  in  drills  or  check- 
rows. Planters  are  the  same  as  for  field  corn  and  from  fi\'e  to  eight  grains 
are  used  for  seed.  In  1912  the  Trans-Mississippi  Grain  Companv  bought 
popcorn  at  Odebolt,  Arthur.  Early  and  Battle  Creek.  The  Odebolt  crop 
averaged  about  three  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  per  acre,  more  than  at  any 
other  of  these  points.     It  is  said  by  experts  that  the  most  successful  locality 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  227 

to  produce  this  crop  in  all  the  corn-growing  belt  is  within  a  radius  of  about 
fifteen  miles  of  Odebolt. 

Among  the  earliest  dealers  and  growers  of  this  crop  was  the  firm  of 
Reuber  &  Bruce.  Mr.  Reuber  commenced  it  about  1893.  This  firm  now 
ships  popcorn  from  coast  to  coast  and  from  Canada  to  the  far-off  Gulf  of 
Mexico.  Shipments  are  made  in  car-load  lots  and  in  packages  of  a  few 
pounds  sent  through  the  mails.  All  corn  is  graded  and  tested  before  it  is 
sent  out  to  customers.  Three  other  firms  also  handle  popcorn  in  Odebolt. 
The  Dickerson  Company,  of  Minneapolis,  are  exclusively  engaged  in  this 
line  of  business,  except  that  they  usually  carry  a  side-line  of  general  garden 
and  field  seeds.  Then  there  is  the  "Cracker-jack"  and  the  "Checker-package" 
people,  who  come  to  Odebolt  to  purchase  their  supply  of  popcorn.  At  Arthur, 
near  here,  these  companies  recently  erected  popcorn  elevators  of  their  own. 
So  great  a  demand  is  there  for  good  corn  that  competition  is  sharp  among 
the  dealers  at  Odebolt,  and  therefore  the  farmer  who  raises  it  gets  best  pos- 
sible prices.  Not  only  do  these  firms  secure  the  crop  grown  here,  but  also 
much  from  Nebraska,  South  Dakota  and  e\-en  up  in  Minnesota. 

A  use  recently  discovered  for  popcorn  is  that  of  making  soft  chocolate 
candies.  It  is  used  as  a  flour,  which,  as  a  mixture  in  this  class  of  candy, 
causes  it  to  stand  up  as  no  other  ingredient  will  make  it.  Before  ground, 
the  corn  is  nicely  popped.  Candy  firms  are  now  buying  this  in  carload  lots. 
For  this,  and  other  reasons,  the  popcorn  trade  is  annuall}-  increasing  with 
immense  possibilities  for  the  near  future. 

Farmers  have  made  good  money  at  raising  popcorn.  One  man,  a  few 
years  ago,  in  this  section,  cleared  ninety  dollars  an  acre  on  a  forty-acre  tract. 
One  industrious  young  man  leased  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres, 
agreeing  to  pay  one  thousand  eight  hundred  dollars  rental  in  cash.  He  com- 
menced without  tool  or  teams,  bought  all  on  time,  and  the  first  year  planted 
forty-five  acres  of  popcorn :  the  second  increased  his  field  to  sixty-five  acres, 
making  a  total  of  three  thousand  fi\'e  hundred  dollars  in  the  two  years. 

CEDAR   TOWNSHIP   AND   LYTTON. 
By    C.    Everett    Lytton. 

This  township  is  situated  on  the  east  line  of  the  county  and  on  the  second 
tier  of  townships  from  the  north  and  is  one  of  the  best  portions  of  the  county. 

The  first  settlement  made  in  the  township  was  about  the  year  1859,  when 
a  party,  not  known  to  the  writer,  settled  on  the  southeast  quarter  of  section 
20  and  built  a  cabin,  broke  out  a  few  acres  of  sod  and  afterwards  abandoned 


228  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

the  place  as  no  good  and  in  1862,  when  the  writer  came  to  the  count}',  the 
house  had  been  about  all  carried  away  by  settlers  and  the  land  had  grown  up 
to  weeds.  The  next  settlement  was  in  1866,  when  J.  O.  Tuffs  and  the  writer 
moved  onto  section  16  and  built  a  log  cabin  on  the  south  side  of  the  little 
grove  that  stood  on  the  Cedar  in  the  northeast  corner  of  the  section.  .Vfter 
living  there  one  winter  and  deciding  that  the  bleak  prairie  was  not  the  spot 
most  desirable,  the  place  was  abandoned,  thus  leaving  the  township  uninhabited 
again.  In  the  fall  of  1868  Oscar  Whitney,  an  early  resident  of  Sac  City  and 
one  of  the  pioneer  stage  drivers,  moved  onto  the  west  half  of  the  southeast 
quarter  of  section  30  and  became  the  first  permanent  white  settler  of  the 
township.  During  the  next  year  or  two  Henry  Jones  settled  on  the  north 
half  of  section  31,  across  the  road  from  the  Whitney  home.  Soon  after  this 
settlers  commenced  to  flock  to  this  part  of  Iowa  and  in  a  short  time  the  Blanks, 
Stadlmans.  Arndts,  Herrolds,  and  Youngs  and  others  took  up  land  and  soon 
settlers  could  be  seen  on  nearly  every  section  in  the  township. 

Cedar  township  bears  the  distinction  of  being  the  scene  of  the  last  battle 
between  the  Sioux  and  Sac  and  Fox  Indians.  The  fight  commenced  near 
where  the  Cedar  empties  into  the  Coon  and  continued  up  the  stream,  the 
Sioux  steadily  retreating  until  they  got  near  where  R.  M.  Long  and  Joseph 
Young  now  reside,  when  they  "took  to  the  woods"  and  left  the  Sac  and  Fox 
the  victors.  This  was  the  last  time  these  tribes  ever  joined  issues.  The 
township  also  bears  the  distinction  of  having  the  first  white-man  murder 
ever  committed  in  the  county.  During  the  fall  of  1858  a  man  who  had  been 
murdered  was  found  on  what  is  now  the  R.  M.  Long  farm  on  the  west  side 
of  the  Cedar,  and  the  body  left  for  the  wolves  and  coyotes  to  devour.  The 
parties  finding  the  body  buried  it  where  found  and  a  few  days  afterwards 
parties  going  past  the  place  found  the  body  had  been  dug  up,  the  teeth  all 
knocked  out,  the  face  disfigured  and  again  left  for  the  wild  beasts  to  destroy 
all  clues  to  the  murder.  It  was  ne\er  known  who  the  victim  was  nor  who 
committed  the  deed. 

In  an  early  day  a  town  named  New  Munich  was  laid  out  on  the  west  line 
of  the  township,  on  the  southwest  quarter  of  the  southwest  cpiarter  of  section 
19,  but  as  no  houses  were  ever  built  in  the  town,  the  site  was  turned  l)ack  to 
farm  land. 

Lvtton,  a  hustling  little  town  of  about  two  hundred  antl  fifty  inhabitants, 
electrically  lighted,  is  the  only  town  in  the  township.  When  the  Chicago, 
Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  railroad  built  their  Storm  Lake  line  from  Rockwell 
City,  the  road  passed  through  the  township  from  east  to  west  on  the  center  of 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  229 

the  third  tier  ot  sections  fmm  the  south.  The  town  was  platted  on  the  P. 
B.  Trumhauer  farm  on  section  24  and  has  been  a  thriving  httle  berg  since 
first  started.  Gust  Holm,  F.  H.  Holhvay  and  James  Webb  were  the  first  men 
to  enter  business  in  the  town.  The  business  of  the  town  is  now  composed  of  a 
bank,  with  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  capital,  three  general  stores,  two  hard- 
ware stores,  drug  store,  furniture  store,  meat  market,  two  luiuber  yards,  two 
grain  elevators,  two  agricultural  machinery  dealers,  printing  office,  two  res- 
taurants, hotel,  barber  shop,  pool  hall,  creamery,  blacksmith  shop,  moving  pic- 
ture show.  The  Presbyterians  have  a  church  building  and  manse  and  the  Odd 
Fellows  are  represented  by  a  subordinate  and  f'iebekah  lodge. 

The  town  was  incorporated  in  1911  with  the  following  officers:  G.  B. 
Willhoite,  mayor;  C.  Everett  Lee,  clerk;  T.  E.  Corry,  treasurer;  C.  S. 
Ferguson,  assessor ;  F.  A.  Ayers,  Thomas  Schmidt,  David  Wickersham,  F. 
E.  Pratt  and  Frank  Brobeil,  councilmen.  Charles  Nuehring  was  appointed 
first  marshal.  The  present  officers  are:  G.  E.  Larimer,  mayor;  C.  S. 
Ferguson,  clerk ;  C.  F.  Brobeil,  G.  B.  Willhoite,  David  Wickersham,  Gust 
Holm  and  H.  H.  Oestrich,  councilmen ;  T.  E.  Corry,  treasurer ;  h>ank  Bro- 
beil. assessor;  A.  M.  Buth,  clerk. 

The  township  is  settled  by  a  very  thrifty  class  of  German  and  Yankee 
farmers  and  farm  lands  have  already  reached  the  one  hundred  and  fiftv  dol- 
lars per  acre  mark  and  are  destined  to  go  still  higher. 

It  may  be  stated  in  addition  to  what  has  been  said  by  Mr.  Lee  concerning 
this  township,  that  the  territory  hereabouts  has  been  wonderfully  improved  by 
the  thrift}-  farmers  who  came  in  in  later  years  from  Illinois,  who  ha\e  really 
reclaimed  the  township,  which  was  none  of  the  best  till  a  few  years  ago,  when 
this  class  of  new  men  insisted  upon  better  roads  and  looked  well  to  the  drain- 
ing and  tiling  of  the  flat  land.  With  such  improvements,  the  township  has 
come  to  be  one  of  the  finest,  richest  agricultural  sections  in  all  the  ctninty. 

In  1910  the  census  reports  gave  this  township  eight  hundred  and  se\'en- 
teen  population. 

DELAWARE    TOWNSHIP. 

On  the  north  line  of  the  county,  and  the  second  from  the  eastern  line  of 
Sac  county,  is  Delaware  township,  formerly  a  part  of  Douglas  township. 
Douglas  township  bounds  it  on  the  east,  Buena  Vista  county  on  the  north,  Eden 
township  on  the  west  and  Boyer  Valley  and  Jackson  township  on  the  south. 
It  is  all  of  congressional  township  No.  89,  range  36.  The  Chicago,  Milwaukee 
&  St.  Paul  railroad  traverses  the  township  from  section  5  to  section  36,  almost 


230  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

in  a  direct  line,  with  a  station  point  in  the  center  known  as  Nemaha.  The 
Coon  river  ilows  through  its  eastern  sections  and  the  territor}'  is  drained  by 
tfiis  stream  with  its  numerous  small  tributaries.  The  land  is  excellent,  and  all 
is  now  well  improved  and  \'alued  at  from  one  hundred  and  forty  to  two  hun- 
dred dollars  per  acre.  The  present  population  of  the  township  is  about  seven 
hundred.  The  school  and  church  history  of  the  township  is  included  in  sep- 
arate chapters  on  these  two  topics  in  this  work.    Delaware  was  created  in  1876. 

The  first  settlers,  as  near  as  can  be  determined  by  pioneer  homesteader 
Truman  Tole,  now  past  eighty  years  of  age,  were  as  follows : 

In  1866,  during  the  spring  season,  Mr.  Tole  immigrated  from  Boones- 
boro,  Boone  county.  Iowa,  and  took  up  a  homestead  of  land  in  the  northwest 
quarter  of  section  34,  township  89,  range  36.  consisting  of  a  hundred  and 
sixty  acres.  He  remained  there  until  1903.  when  he  retired  to  the  village  of 
Nemaha,  where  he  now  resides.  He  saw  many  hardships,  in  the  settlement  of 
this  township  and,  being  poor  at  the  date  of  his  settlement,  he  was  compelled 
to  drive  oxen,  and  was  only  too  glad  to  have  that  good  a  team.  He  kept  a 
few  milk  cows  and  made  l>utter,  the  surplus  of  which  he  took,  by  means  of  his 
faithful  ox  team,  to  Newell,  on  the  Illinois  Central  railroad,  in  Buena  Vista 
county,  where  he  frecjuently  disposed  of  the  same  at  from  six  to  seven  cents 
per  pound.  From  1866  to  1873  there  was  but  little  money  in  the  count v  and 
homesteaders  had  hard  work  to  live  and  meet  expenses.  The  only  thing  that 
saved  them  was  the  fact  that  they  had  no  tax  to  pay  on  their  claims  until  they 
had  proved  up  and  received  a  deed  from  the  government  at  the  end  of  five 
years.  Grasshoppers  invaded  this  township,  with  others  of  Sac  county,  in  the 
seventies  and  injured  the  growing  crops  materially,  though  not  totally.  The 
eggs  of  the  winged  pests  hatched  out  one  spring  and  when  large  enough  ate 
much  of  the  spring  wheat,  as  it  shot  through  the  soil. 

When  Mr.  Tole  (sometimes  spelled  Towle)  first  came  in  with  his  family, 
in  the  autumn  of  1866,  he  thinks  that  in  what  is  now  known  as  Delaware  town- 
ship (then  in  Douglas)  there  were  no  other  settlers.  The  same  fall,  however, 
came  in,  as  homesteaders,  Charles  Manska,  in  the  northeast  quarter  of  section 
28,  who  remained  long  after  he  had  proved  up  on  his  claim,  making  a  good 
and  worthy  citizen.  Louis  Moine  also  came  to  the  township  that  fall,  settling 
in  the  southeast  quarter  of  section  28.  George  McGeorge  located  along  the 
western  line  of  this  township,  or  possibly  over  the  line,  in  Eden  township. 
There  were  but  few  others  to  add  to  the  settlement  until  after  1871.  when  thev 
came  in  more  rapidly,  continuing  until  the  free  and  cheap  lands  were,  for  the 
most  part,  all  taken  by  actual  settlers. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  23 1 

The  first  schools  for  the  township  were  the  terms  taught  in  the  edge  of 
Douglas  township,  along  the  river,  where  the  timber  lands  had  been  settled 
for  a  number  of  years  before  this  prairie  portion  of  the  county  was  utilized. 
It  was  not  over  three  years,  howex'er.  before  a  frame  school  house  was  erected 
in  Delaware  township.  The  law  then  permitted  school  districts  to  be  organ- 
ized when  there  were  but  few  scholars  to  attend,  and  in  instances  only  two 
pupils  attended  a  school  in  a  regularly  built  school  house.  The  non-residents 
were  taxed  for  such  improvements,  and  just  and  right  this  was,  too,  for  the 
pioneer  made  the  county  worth  something  to  the  Eastern  land-owner. 

The  first  mail  facilities  were  afforded  by  going  to  Sac  City,  but  as  early 
as  1870  Scohara  postoffice  was  established,  but  was  discontinued  not  many 
years  later. 

The  first  meetings  of  a  religious  nature  were  held  by  the  Presbyterians. 
The  first  Sunday  school  was  formed  by  Mrs.  Truman  Tole.  The  only  churches 
in  Delaware  township  now  are  the  two  at  Nemaha,  the  Methodist  and  Presby- 
terian. 

TOWN    OF   NEM-A-HA. 

Nemaha  was  platted  October  2,  1899,  by  the  Milwaukee  Land  Company 
in  section  22,  township  89,  range  36.  Among  the  first  business  men  was  a  Mr. 
Smith,  who  conducted  a  general  store  for  a  time.  Before  that  date  many  of 
the  settlers  went  to  Early  and  Sac  City  to  do  some  of  their  trading,  but  for  a 
number  of  years  the  larger  transactions  were  had  at  Sioux  City.  The  name 
Nemaha  is  from  the  Indian  dialect.  A  postoftice  was  established  with  the 
construction  of  the  railroad,  and  the  postmasters  have  included  Messrs.  C.  A. 
Lowe,  Charles  Howe,  Addison  Domino  and  the  present  incumbent,  Fred 
Mack.  A  union  school  house  for  the  whole  township  was  dedicated  early  in 
1914,  the  same  being  located  in  Xemaha.  and  cost  about  ten  thousand  dollars, 
(see  Educational  chapter). 

The  business  of  Xemaha  in  February,  19 14.  was  in  the  hands  of  the  fol- 
lowing persons  and  firms :. 

Banks — The  Nemaha  State  Bank. 

Barbers — Harvey  Ferguson. 

Blacksmiths — J.  E.  Van  Vleet. 

Drugs — A.  B.  Patterson. 

General  Stores — C.  C.  Fseeney,  Fred  Mack,  Nemaha  Co-operative  Com- 
pany. 

Grain  Dealers — Farmers'  Elexator  Company  and  a  "line"  grain  company. 


232  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

Lumber  Dealers — A  "line"  company. 

Physicians — Dr.  Boherns. 

Veterinary — Dr.  Ed.  Hann,  V.  S. 

Lodges — Yoeman  and  Woodmen. 

Furniture — The  Nemaha  Co-operative  Company. 

Feed  Store — F.  J.  Mabie. 

Cream  Stations- — Two  in  number. 

Livery  and  Auto  Companies — Mr.  Bell,  Clyde  IMcDermaid  and  M.  Aber- 
nathy. 

Meat  Market— Fred  Mack. 

Hotel— The  "Lidsey." 

Restaurant — Mrs.  Wilcox. 

Hardware  and  Farm  Implements — Harter,  \\"ilson.  Brownell  &  Com- 
pany. 

Postmaster — Fred  Mack. 

Depot  Agent — G.  S.  Ferguson,  for  past  fifteen  years. 

Stock  Dealer — Ed.  Burner. 

Insurance — The  Farmers  Mutual  Hail  Storm  Company,  with  the  eight 
Rutledge  brothers  as  proprietors.  They  are  represented  in  every  township  in 
the  state  of  Iowa,  and  carry  millions  of  dollars  worth  of  insurance  on  growing 
crops.     Nemaha  is  the  home  town  of  this  company. 

The  population  of  Nemaha  is  less  than  two  hundred. 

CLINTON    TOWNSHIP. 

Clinton  township  comprises  all  of  congressional  township  87,  range  2i7 
west,  and  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Boyer  Valley,  on  the  east  by  Wall  Lake, 
on  the  south  by  Levey  and  on  the  west  by  Richland  township.  It  was  organ- 
ized in  1874,  and  in  1880  had  a  population  of  five  hundred  and  twenty-two. 
Its  population,  as  given  by  the  federal  census  of  19 10,  was  five  hundred  and 
one.  It  was  at  one  date  inclusive  of  the  territory  now  embraced  in  Richland 
township.  It  is  a  beautiful  and  fertile  section  of  the  county.  It  is  in  the  far- 
famed  Boyer  Valley  section.  This  stream  courses  down  from  the  north,  enter- 
ing the  townshii)  in  section  4  and  runs  a  little  east  of  south,  lea\-ing  the  town- 
ship from  section  35  over  into  Levey  township  and  finally  finds  its  wav  into  the 
Missouri  river  just  north  of  Council  Bluffs. 

This  township  takes  its  name  from  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  where  so 
many  of  the  early  settlers  in  thi-^  portion  of   Sac  county  emigrated   from. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  233 

When  the  petition  was  up  before  tlie  supervisors  to  have  CHnton  created  as  a 
separate  township,  the  county  auditor  suggested  that  the  oldest  man  of  the 
township  name  the  same,  and  hence  it  was  that  Marshall  D.  Fox,  one  of  the 
petitioners,  named  it  Clinton.  It  then  included  Richland  and  was  six  by  twelve 
miles  in  extent  of  territory.  The  first  election  was  held  in  the  Petersnieyer 
school  house,  and  M.  D.  Fox  was  elected  first  trustee,  and  N.  B.  Umbarger  the 
first  assessor  in  Clinton. 

The  third  residence  in  this  township  was  erected  by  M.  D.  Fox.  in  the 
spring  of  1874,  Mr.  Martin  having  erected  the  second  house,  and  the  first  was 
built  by  Jacob  Brown  in  the  autumn  of  1873.  Other  early  settlers  were 
Charles  and  George  Martin,  Oscar  and  John  Draper,  Charles  Sherwood  and 
Archibald  Ray. 

In  this  township  was  one  of  the  best  flouring  mills  in  the  county.  It  was 
the  property  of  Henry  Reinhart,  and  was  burned  in  May,  1884,  causing  a  loss 
of  ten  thousand  dollars,  on  which  there  was  an  insurance  of  four  thousand  five 
hundred  dollars  collected.  The  newspaper  account  of  the  fire  reads  as  fol- 
lows: "Henry  Reinhart's  flouring  mill  in  Clinton  township  was  totally  de- 
stroved  by  fire  Saturday  night.  A  fire  was  discovered  in  the  roof,  which 
probably  caught  from  the  smoke  stack.  It  was  promptly  extinguished  and  a 
watch  set  for  the  night,  and  it  was  supposed  all  was  safe.  But  at  one  o'clock 
A.  M.  Mr.  Reinhart  awoke  to  find  the  building  again  in  flames,  too  far  gone 
to  save  anything.  Total  loss  was  ten  thousand  dollars,  covered  by  four  thou- 
sand five  hundred  dollars  insurance.  Unless  we  get  a  railroad  here  in  the 
county  the  mill  will  not  be  rebuilt,  although  the  people  at  Odebolt  are  trying  to 
get  Mr.  Reinhart  to  build  a  flouring  mill  at  their  town." 

EDEN    TOWNSHIP. 

On  the  north  line  of  the  county  and  second  from  the  western  line,  is  Eden 
civil  township,  which  comprises  all  of  congressional  township  89,  range  yj 
west,  this  tier  being  the  first  north  df  the  "correction  line"  of  the  state.  It  is 
six  miles  square  and  a  very  fertile  portion  of  Sac  county — well  named  by  the 
pioneers.  The  Moville  branch  of  the  Northwestern  railroad  runs  through 
sections  t^t^,  34,  35,  28,  29  and  30.  The  nearest  station  points  are  Early,  in 
Boyer  Valley  township,  and  Schaller,  in  Eureka  township.  The  headwaters 
of  the  Boyer  river  are  found  in  the  northern  portion  of  this  township  and  the 
southern  part  of  Buena  Vista  county.  There  are  numerous  smaller  streams, 
all  forming  junction  with  this  principal  stream.    For  general  farming,  this  part 


234  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

of  the  county  is  not  surpassed.  Eden,  which  was  constituted  in  1871,  had 
four  hundred  and  eighty  population  in  1880. 

The  oldest  settler  still  living  in  the  township  is  Christian  Schaeffer.  who 
came  into  the  territory  now  known  as  Eden  township  on  May  7,  1870.  Others 
of  about  that  date,  or  a  little  later,  were  Christ  Lucke",  Fred  Hahne  and  Adolph 
Martin,  who  all  crossed  the  Boyer  river  and  became  settlers  in  this  township. 
These  all  emigrated  from  Alamakee  county,  Iowa,  in  the  autumn  of  1870. 
Fred  Hahne  and  Mr.  Lucke  came  on  in  advance  and  took  up  land  for  the  entire 
party.  Before  this  settlement  there  were  only  two  others  within  the  town- 
ship, Messrs.  Hobner  and  Walter  Toll,  neither  of  whom  remained  to  make  a 
permanent  settlement. 

Eden  and  Delaware  townships  both  originally  belonged  to  the  territory 
of  Douglas  township,  but  in  the  seventies  a  division  was  made  and  separate 
civil  governments  were  formed  of  these  two  townships. 

Of  the  schools  and  churches  in  this  township,  other  general  chapters  will 
treat  at  considerable  length.  The  population  of  the  township,  according  to 
the  latest  (1910)  United  States  census,  is  five  hundred  and  eighteen. 

Owing  to  the  richness  of  the  soil  and  the  location,  lands  have  steadily 
advanced  in  this  section  of  Sac  county,  until  today  it  is  hard  to  find  a  man 
who  cares  to  sell  for  less  than  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  to  one  hundred  and 
seventy-five  dollars  per  acre.  From  this  township  have  come  several  of  the 
county  supervisors  and  other  officials  of  the  county,  all  having  the  best  inter- 
ests of  the  county  at  heart  while  serving  in  an  official  capacity. 

EUREKA   TOWN.SHIP. 

Eureka  (signifying  "I  have  found  it")  was  organized  as  a  separate  sub- 
division of  Sac  county  in  1875.  The  first  election  was  held  by  seven  resident 
voters.  The  father  of  Joseph  and  Charles  King,  now  residents  of  this  town- 
ship, was  elected  clerk  at  the  first  regular  township  election.  He  came  to  the 
township  in  1871  and  purchased  a  full  section  of  prairie  land  of  this  township 
and  was  an  honored  citizen  here  many  years,  having  much  to  do  with  the  final 
development  of  this  section  of  the  county.  In  1880  the  township  had  three 
hundred  and  sixty  population.  In  19 10  it  had  one  thousand  one  hundred  and 
sixty-six,  with  the  town  of  Schaller,  which  hat!  six  hundred  and  fortv-six. 

Eureka  is  the  extreme  northwestern  township  in  the  county,  being  con- 
gressional township  89,  range  38,  and  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Buena  Vista 
county,  on  the  east  by  Eden  township,  on  the  south  by  Cook  township  and  Ida 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  235 

county  (the  north  tier  of  townships  being  on  the  correction  Hne  of  the  state, 
making  a  set-off  or  jog  of  three  miles  to  the  west)  and  on  the  west  by  Ida 
county.  It  is  six  miles  square.  The  Sioux  City  and  Wall  Lake  branch  of  the 
Chicago  &  Northwestern  railway  runs  through  sections  25,  26,  22,  28,  29,  30 
and  19,  with  the  incorporated  town  of  Schaller  as  its  only  town. 

It  is  no  wonder  that  the  pioneers  who  settled  here  named  it  "Eureka," 
for  they  certainly  found  what  they  had  been  seeking — an  excellent  domain  of 
fertile,  even,  all-good  land,  which  at  that  day  was  bought  very  cheap,  from 
four  dollars  upward  to  about  ten  dollars.  Today  the  average  land  sells  readily 
at  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  and  much  as  high  as  two  hundred  dollars 
per  acre.  The  population  is  a  mixture  of  German  and  American  of  the  higher, 
more  intelligent  class  of  both  nationalities.  Its  population  in  1905  was  six 
hundred  and  forty-two,  exclusive  of  the  town  of  Schaller,  and  with  it  the 
population  was  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  eighty-one.  Of  this  number, 
only  one  hundred  and  seventeen  were  foreign  born. 

By  drainage,  good  cultivation  and  general  scientific  farming,  this  has 
come  to  be  one  of  the  banner  agricultural  districts  in  the  county. 

TOWN    OF    SCHALLER. 

This  is  one  of  Sac  county's  enterprising  towns,  an  honor  to  any  com- 
munity. Its  well-kept  .streets,  its  internal  improvements,  its  charming  park, 
shade  trees,  and  first-class  business  houses,  with  churches  and  schools,  all 
bespeak  a  high  type  of  citizenship.  The  people  of  Schaller  are  for  the  most 
part  prosperous  and  contented.  Living  as  they  do  in  the  heart  of  one  of  the 
finest  agricultural  sections  in  this  part  of  the  state,  their  interests  are  naturally 
with  those  of  the  farming  community.  As  a  grain,  stcok  and  poultry  market, 
the  county  affords  no  better  place  at  which  to  do  trading — both  selling  and 
buying. 

The  town  was  named  in  honor  of  that  most  popular  and  well-known 
pioneer  German  character,  Phil  Schaller,  who  died  only  a  few  years  since  as  a 
resident  of  Sac  City,  where  he  prospered  as  an  able  business  man  and  leader  in 
Grand  Army  circles,  he  having  been  an  Iowa  soldier  during  the  great  Civil 
War.  As  a  faithful,  unflinching  and  highly  honorable  county  official,  no  man 
stood  higher  than  this  man  for  whom  the  town  was  named.  Schaller  was 
platted  in  October,  1882,  by  the  Blair  Town  Lot  and  Land  Company,  on  sec- 
tion 26,  township  89,  range  38,  and  the  year  before  the  platting  was  executed 
the  entire  land  upon  which  the  present  town  stands  was  an  immense  field  of 


236  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

growing  flax.  Vast  has  been  the  transformation  in  these  thirty-two  years!  It 
is  within  Eureka  township  and  an  important  station  point  on  the  Chicago  & 
Northwestern  railway  line,  the  second  station  north  and  west  from  Sac  City. 
Among  the  modern  improvements  of  the  town  may  be  named  the  magnificent 
two-story  brick  school  building,  the  Methodist  and  Catholic  church  edifices, 
both  recently  erected  on  modern,  up-to-date  plans.  When  the  town  was  orig- 
inally platted  by  the  railroad  land  company,  the  town  site  proprietors  donated 
a  full  square,  centrally  located,  to  be  forever  used  for  public  park  purposes. 
The  ground  is  now  shaded  and  sheltered  by  hundreds  of  thrifty  trees,  tower- 
ing heavenward  twenty  and  thirty  feet  high.  There  are  rustic  seats,  a  band 
stand  and  other  improvements.  Space  has  been  reserved  for  tents  for  public 
gatherings,  lectures  and  chautauqua  entertainments,  etc.  Schaller  was  legally 
incorporated  as  a  town  in  1883.  The  following  facts  appear  of  record  in  the 
court  house  at  Sac  City  concerning  this  incorporation : 

Having  a  population  of  over  two  hundred  and  fifty,  in  the  month  of 
March,  1883,  Schaller  citizens  petitioned  the  court  to  be  legally  incorporated  as 
a  town,  under  the  laws  of  the  state  of  Iowa.  The  petitioners  were  as  follows : 
C.  W.  Woodke,  O.  W.  Woodke,  Chrales  L.  Early,  J.  S.  Hudson,  J.  H.  Walker, 
F.  D.  Beckel,  Thomas  A.  O'Laney,  A.  P.  Searle,  B.  D.  Jones,  S.  A.  Cobb,  H. 
Keeney,  H.  J.  Hahne,  Will  Terrie,  R.  D.  Murray,  I.  S.  Hunter,  F.  G.  Butler, 
F.  F.  Hall.  Herman  Hahne,  R.  L.  Crosby,  E.  W.  Walker,  William  McFarland, 

C.  Meier,  H.  D.  Ouinn,  W.  Adamson,  T.  H.  Hahne,  M.  C.  Craven,  Dr.  S.  C. 
Meyers,  G.  F.  Chandler,  James  Waddicor,  I.  C.  Hudson,  T.  J.  Andre,  M.  D., 

D.  D.  Burman. 

The  circuit  court  of  Sac  county  appointed  the  following  commissioners 
to  attend  to  the  calling  and  holding  of  an  election  to  determine  whether  the 
citizens  wanted  the  place  incorporated  or  not.  Such  persons  were  appointed, 
served  and  the  election  was  held  ?klay  25,  1883,  at  which  all  of  the  fifty-two 
votes  cast  were  for  incorporation.  The  clerks  of  election  were  A.  P.  Searle. 
Charles  Early.  The  judges  were  William  F.  Waddke,  H.  J.  Hahne  and  I.  S. 
Hudson.  The  election  returns  were  certified  to  by  J.  S.  Hudson.  Thus  the 
town  of  Schaller  started  on  its  journey,  and  has  continued  as  a  town  e\'er  since. 

The  first  mayor  of  Schaller  was  Thomas  Rey,  who  died  while  in  office. 
The  present  (January,  1914)  town  officers  are  as  follows:  Mayor,  H.  I. 
Strahn ;  recorder,  H.  N.  Snell;  treasurer,  Samuel  Hahne:  marshal,  W.  W. 
Allen ;  councilmen,  C.  B.  Murray,  M.  Strom,  J.  B.  Dakin,  C.  Walker  and  U .  L. 
Requarette. 

The  following  have  served  as  mayors  of  Schaller :     Charles  L.   Early, 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  J ^/ 

1883:  J.  S.  Hudson.  1884-85;  Thomas  Ray,  1886;  J.  M.  Sears,  1887;  J.  S. 
Hudson,  1888-89;  J.  F.  Butler,  1890;  George  S.  Crandall,  1891-92-93  ;  Alexan- 
der Wells.  1894;  A.  C.  Gordon,  1895-96-97-98-99;  J.  F.  Butler,  1900-01- 
02-03;  George  J.  Speaker,  1904-05;  Perry  Rubendall,  1906-07;  George  J. 
Speaker,  1908-09;  H.  I.  Strahn,  1910-11-12-13. 

A  system  of  water  works  was  installed  about  twenty  years  ago,  costing  at 
the  time  about  six  thousand  dollars.  Water  of  the  purest  quality  is  obtained 
from  two  surface  wells  w  ithin  the  town  incorporation.  A  stand-pipe  and  tank 
furnish  the  reserve  water,  which  is  forced  by  gravity  to  all  portions  of  the 
town.  A  volunteer  fire  company  gives  ample  protection  to  the  property  owners 
of  the  place.  Hook  and  ladder,  extinguishers,  plenty  of  good  hose  and  other 
apparatus  aid  the  willing  firemen  in  battling  the  flames,  whenever  they  appear. 
The  town  has  its  own  building  or  hall,  in  which  the  council  meets  and  where  is 
stored  the  fire  apparatus. 

In  the  fall  of  1913  the  town  commenced  the  laying  of  an  excellent  system 
of  earthware  pipes  for  sewerage,  which  is  to  be  in  six  streets.  Before  winter 
shut  the  work  off,  four  .streets  had  been  completed  and  the  remainder  was 
laid  in  the  early  spring  of  1914.  The  expense  is  taxed  to  the  lot  owners, 
except  the  cost  of  outlets  and  street  crossings,  which  is  paid  from  a  direct  gen- 
eral municipal  tax. 

The  streets  of  the  little  city  are  lighted  brightly  by  a  gas  plant  of  private 
ownership,  known  as  the  Schaller  Gas  and  Fuel  Company.  This  corporation 
commenced  business  about  1906  and  now  gives  good  service  and  general  satis- 
faction. The  churches,  stores,  halls  and  private  dwellings  all  employ  this 
lighting  system. 

Good  cement  sidewalks  are  in  evidence  throughout  the  town. 

BUSINESS  INTERESTS  IN   I9I4. 

The  first  man  to  erect  a  business  place  on  the  town  plat  of  Schaller  was 
pioneer  J.  S.  Hudson,  who  still  survives,  and  is  the  only  remaining  charter 
member  of  the  Christian  church  of  the  town.  He  embarked  in  the  general 
hardware  business  and  carried  other  goods.  He  sold  to  the  first  settlers  both 
in  and  out  of  his  town.  He  has  lived  to  see  the  following  dealers  now  engaged 
in  the  various  branches  of  trade: 

Agricultural  Implements — W.  J.  Howard  &  Son. 

Banks — The  State  Bank  of  Schaller :  The  Schaller  Savings  Bank  . 

Blacksmith  Shops — J.  F.  Ady.  Andrew  Anderson. 


238  .  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Barber  Shop — Fred  L.  Gilbert. 

Clothing— J.  P.  Ranch,  G.  W.  Alurray  &  Son. 

Cement  Block,  etc. — Aden  Merkly. 

Drugs — Smith  Brothers,  C.  C.  Cowser. 

Dentist— J.  E.  O'Grady,  D.  D.  S. 

Dray  Lines — Rose  Brothers,  A.  Potter. 

Elevators — Schaller  Produce  Company,  J.  B.  Adams.  Ktmtz  Elevator 
Company. 

Furniture — W.  F.  McLaughlin. 

Feed  Store  and  Poultry — Rose  &  Potter. 

The  "Fair  Store" — John  Gentry. 

General  Stores — J.  B.  Dakin,  J.  A.  Murray  &  Son,  Lemke  &  Lemke. 

Garages— C.  H.  Reuber,  G.  B.  Gould,  A.  D.  &  E  A.  Woodke. 

Hardware — R.  A.  Skinner,  James  G.  Fiar. 

Harness — E.  R.  Forney,  August  Christensen. 

Hotel— "Palace,"  by  L.  A.  Seiling. 

Jewelry — John  Hicks. 

Livery — Challman  Brothers. 

Lumber — Gray  &  Crowley,  Schaller  Lumber  Company  (incorporated), 
by  William  J.  A.  Cizek  and  Henry  Gloe. 

Millinery — Mrs.  Ellen  Broderick,  Mrs.  \V.  H.  ]McKinney. 

Plumbers — George  A.  Higgins. 

Physicians — Drs.  T.  J.  Andre,  F.  H.  McCrev. 

Restaurants — R.  H.  Benson. 

Real  Estate  Dealers — H.  I.  Strahn,  A.  B.  Challman. 

Stock  Dealers — Fred  Sewald. 

Meat  Market— H.  O.  O'Daniels  &  Son. 

Newspaper — The  Herald ,  by  W.  K.  Whiteside. 

Opera  House — "The  Schaller,"  by  J.  I.  Murray. 

Veterinary  Surgeon — E.  G.  Martin. 

Wagon  Repair — H.  Swanson  &  Son. 

Among  the  small  manufacturing  plants  of  Schaller  ma\-  be  named  that  of 
the  Higgins  Manufacturing  Company,  which  concern  makes  a  patented  device 
for  extinguishing  street  gas  and  gasoline  lights  automatically  from  the  central 
station,  by  means  of  reducing  the  pressure,  when  instantly  all  street  lights  are 
put  out,  saving  the  expense  of  keeping  a  man  for  this  purpose.  These  machines 
are  sold  in  hundreds  of  small  towns  within  the  adjoining  states  and  the  busi- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  239 

ness  is  rapidly  increasing.  The  proprietors  of  this  company  patented  this  in- 
vention several  years  ago. 

The  church  organizations  of  Schaller  are  the  Catholic,  Methodist  Epis- 
copal, the  Christian,  Presbyterian  and  German  Evangelical  Lutheran  denom- 
inations.     (See  Church  chapter  for  details.) 

The  lodges  here  represented  are  the  Masonic  and  Odd  Fellows,  the  his- 
tory of  which  will  be  found  under  the  head  of  Lodges  of  the  county. 

Schaller  was  unfortunate  in  having  three  large  grain  elevators  burned 
within  five  years,  the  last  being  destroyed  in  19 12,  causing  a  loss  of  more  than 
fifteen  thousand  dollars,  besides  six  thousand  four  hundred  dollars  worth  of 
grain  stored  therein. 

BOYER   VALLEY   TOWNSHIP. 

One  of  the  four  central  townships  in  Sac  county  is  known  as  Boyer 
Valley,  deriving  its  name  from  the  beautiful  \alley  of  the  famous  Boyer  river, 
which  courses  from  north  to  south  through  this  section  of  the  county,  taking 
its  rise  in  Buena  Vista  county.  It  has  numerous  branches  forking  both  to  the 
east  and  west  of  the  main  stream.  Boyer  Valley  is  a  ci\il  subdivision  of  the 
county  and  comprises  all  of  congressional  township  88.  range  t,"/.  west  of  the 
meridian  line.  The  Chicago  &  Northwestern  railway  passes  through  sections 
5,  4,  10,  II  and  12,  en  route  from  the  towns  of  Schaller  and  Early,  the  latter 
place  being  within  Boyer  Valley  township  and  the  former  in  Eureka  town- 
ship. At  first  what  is  now  styled  Cook  township  was  also  included  in  Boyer 
Valley.  Boyer  Valley  township  was  organized  in  1871.  Among  the  pioneer 
settlers  of  the  township  were  the  families  of  J.  E.  Sanburn,  \Villiam  Cory, 
Charles  Prentice,  James  Shelmerdine,  Samuel  Prentice.  Elias  M.  Powers, 
Dr.  Warren  A.  Mason,  H.  A.  Wilson,  Joseph  Dick,  Messrs.  Hiram  Sweet 
and  Hayes.  In  about  1876  Cook  township  was  set  off  and  constituted  a  sep- 
arate township  in  the  county.  The  earliest  school  house  within  Boyer  Valley 
township  was  the  old  Prentice  school,  built  ver}'  early,  and  was  followed  b}' 
the  new  building  in  1872.  It  is  believed  that  the  first  person  to  settle  in  Boyer 
Valley  township  was  William  Cory,  in  1868,  as  a  homesteader.  The  second 
settler  was  James  Shelmerdine,  who  effected  his  settlement  the  same  year,  but 
a  little  later  in  the  season.  Charles  Prentice  was  probably  the  third  man  to 
claim  land  in  the  township. 

This  is  an  excellent  part  of  Sac  county,  and  today  is  well  settled,  well 
cultivated  and  possesses  hundreds  of  beautiful  and  valuable   farm  homes. 


J40  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

Nature  has  done  much  for  this  portion  of  the  county  and  man  has  aided  the 
work  of  nature  to  a  goodl}-  degree,  until  here  one  finds  numerous  prosperous 
homes,  with  schools  and  churches  on  almost  every  hand.  The  County  Home, 
where  the  county's  unfortunate  poor  are  cared  for,  is  within  this  township, 
on  section  14.  An  account  of  this  is  found  in  the  chapter  on  County  Govern- 
ment. In  1905  the  state  census  report  for  Iowa  gave  Boyer  Valley  town- 
ship a  population  of  six  hundred  and  eighty,  exclusive  of  the  town  of  Early. 
and  the  town  was  given  at  five  hundred  and  fifty-three,  making  a  total  of  one 
thousand  two  hundred  and  thirty-three.  Of  this  number  onh'  one  hundred 
and  twenty-three  were  of  foreign  birth. 

The  federal  census  in  191  o  ga\'e  it  as  one  thousand  one  hundred  and 
sevent}-three,  including  Early,  with  a  single  population  of  five  hundred. 

TOWN    OF   EARLY. 

Early  is  the  only  town  within  Boxer  Valley  township.  It  is  situated  in 
sections  3,  4  and  9  in  the  northern  part  of  the  township.  It  is  a  very  enter- 
prising station  point  on  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  railway,  nine  miles  from 
the  county  seat  and  about  the  same  southeast  from  Schaller.  It  was  platted 
by  the  Blair  Town  Lot  and  Land  Company,  October  4,  1882.  Its  present 
population  is  not  far  from  six  hundred.  It  has  a  Catholic,  Methodist  Episco- 
pal and  a  Presbyterian  church  (see  Church  chapter).  Its  secret  societies  are 
the  Masonic,  Odd  Eellows  and  Knights  of  Pythias.  It  has  electric  lights,  a 
fine  water  works  system,  owned  by  the  municipality ;  a  live  local  newspaper, 
the  Nczi's,  and  two  banking  institutions. 

The  town  was  incorporated  in  November,  1900:  its  mayors  have  in- 
cluded the  first  elected  magistrate  of  the  little  municipality,  E.  A.  North,  suc- 
ceeded by  J.  F.  DeGarmore,  E.  A.  North  and  the  present  mavor.  J.  W.  Hart- 
.sell.  The  present  (1914)  officers  are:  Mayor,  J.  W.  Hartsell ;  recorder,  C. 
F.  Jackson ;  treasurer,  W.  W.  Little ;  marshal,  George  Bedell ;  councilmen. 
E.  J.  Green,  D.  D.  Carlton.  George  \V.  Wadsley,  Ered  Dahm  and  J.  B. 
Prentice. 

A  system  of  water  works  was  installed  in  1895  under  bonds  issued  for 
three  thousand  dollars,  and  in  the  autumn  of  191 3  the  first  electric  lights  were 
turned  on,  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  all  citizens,  who  had  been  displeased 
with  the  former  coal  gas  plant  and  its  poor  lighting  system.  The  electric 
plant,  also  owned  by  the  town  of  Early,  is  run  in  connection  with  the  water 
plant,  which  is  also  among  the  appreciated  things  of  modern  Earlv,   as  it 


WALL   LAKE   VIEWS 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  24I 

derives  its  supply  of  the  purest  water  from  deep  wells,  giving  f(jrth  a  never- 
failing  supply.  A  volunteer  fire  company  is  always  on  hand  when  a  fire 
occurs,  and  does  excellent  service.  Another  feature  of  the  town  is  its  neat 
public  park,  a  block  in  extent,  which  was  donated  to  the  public  for  perpetual 
park  purposes  by  the  Blair  Town  Lot  and  Land  Company  when  they  platted 
the  town.  Its  trees  and  other  improvements  are  fully  up  to  the  small-town 
standard.  The  one  thing  needed  in  the  place  is  a  new,  modern  and  larger 
public  school  Irtiilding,  which  c^uestion  is  soon  to  be  agitated  and  it  will  cer- 
tainly be  erected  ere  long.  The  town  is  accommodated  with  two  'phone  sys- 
tems, the  J.  M.  Kelly  lines  and  the  Farmer's  Telephone  Company. 

The  postofifice  dates  back  to  the  year  the  town  was  platted  and  has  had 
postmasters  as  follows,  and  in  the  order  here  given :  Eli  Haredon,  who  kept 
the  office  in  Hunt's  drug  store;  Joseph  Cory,  under  President  Cleveland's 
administration ;  W.  H.  Allen,  under  President  Harrison's  administration ; 
Joseph  Cory,  again  under  Cleveland's  second  term;  A.  P.  Mennis,  who  held 
the  position  eleven  years  and  was  succeeded  in  1908  by  the  present  incumbent, 
Ed.  Foster,  who  was  commissioned  by  President  Roosevelt.  It  is  a  third 
class  postoftice,  with  three  free  rural  delivery  routes,  making  a  total  of 
seventv-eight  miles  traversed  each  day  by  the  three  carriers,  the  longest  route 
being  a  little  less  than  twenty-seven  miles.  The  savings  deposits  have  never 
quite  reached  the  five-hundred-dollar  mark. 

BUSINESS    INTERESTS   OF   EARLY. 

According  to  the  memory  of  pioneer  A.  Mason,  the  first  hotel  in  Early 
was  known  as  the  "Engler  House,"  built  and  conducted  by  John  Engler. 
The  same  hotel  still  serves  the  public  and  is  known  as  the  Early  House. 

The  pioneer  lumber  dealer  was  the  manager  for  the  Green  Bay  Lumber 
Company,  which  concern  still  has  a  large  yard  in  the  place. 

Morenis  Brothers  bought  the  first  grain  here  and  built  an  elevator  for  the 
handling  of  the  same. 

The  first  general  store  was  that  of  Thurman  &  Barrett,  which  in  more 
recent  years  was  known  as  the  firm  of  Barrett  &  Carlton. 

The  first  hardware  store  was  that  conducted  by  Roswell  Allen. 

The  pioneer  "village  blacksmith" — all  honor  to  his  memory — was  T. 
Timme. 

The  first  banking  was  carried  on  as  a  sort  of  "exchange"  aiTair  in  the 
first  general  merchandising  store,  but  the  first  bank,  proper,  was  known  as  the 
(15) 


242  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Early  State  Bank,  with  S.  K.  Fuller,  president,  and  A.  Mason,  \ice-president. 
This  was  established  in  1888. 

The  first  school  house  was  erected  in  1883,  and  the  first  teacher  was 
Professor  Robinson,  of  Indiana,  who  taught  in  the  winter  of  1883-4  and  con- 
tinued two  or  three  years  longer. 

In  the  month  of  January.  1914,  the  Ixisiness  of  the  town  was  in  the  hands 
of  the  following  persons  : 

Auctioneer — F.  J.  Green. 

Agricultural  Implements — George  W.  \\'adsley,  G.  G.  Perrott. 

Banks — State  Bank  of  Earl\-  and  the  Citizens  State  Bank. 

Barber  Shops — George  W.  Hamm,  Blaine  Crouch. 

Blacksmith  Shops — Harry  Sampers,  G.  M.  Dunham. 

Clothing — Foote  &  Company. 

Cement  Blocks — Early  Construction  and  Stone  Company  and  workers  in 
cement,  Guy  Hair. 

Creameries — The  Farmer's  Co-operative  Company. 

Dray  Lines — Burt  Van  Vleet,  George  Bedell. 

Drugs — W.  P.  Hirons. 

Dentist— R.  D.  Kendall,  D.  D.  S. 

Elevators — Farmer's  Co-operative  Company  and  two  line  elevators,  in- 
cluding the  Trans-Mississippi. 

Furniture  (coupled  with  Hardware) — J.  F.  DeGarmo,  Hiron  &  Kirk- 
patrick. 

Grocers — Holdridge  Brothers,  C.  D.  Hay  and  C.  Sonneborn. 

Garages — Early  Auto  Company  and  G.  G.  Perrott. 

Hardwares — Same  as  furniture  dealers. 

Harness  Shops — W.  H.  Terrill. 

Hotel — "Early  House,"  R.  J.  Beadle,  proprietor. 

Jeweler — Ed  Welling. 

Lumber — Green  Bay  Lumber  Company,  A.  S.  Evans,  who  also  carries 
builders'  hardware. 

Livery — William  Weaver, 

Millinery — Lashier  &  Co. 

Meat  Market — ^Jackson  Brothers. 

Newspaper — The  N'ecH's.  J.  C.  Blair,  proprietor. 

Northwestern  Depot  Agent — J.  L.  Dick. 

Opera  House — Early  Opera  Flouse  (new)  and  Struchen  &  Rowe,  the 
old  hall. 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  243 

Produce — J.  L.  Dunham. 

Pool  Hall — George  Fouchs. 

Restaurants — L.  M.  Engler,  C.  M.  Anthony. 

Real  Estate  Dealers — Lashier  S:  McOuick. 

Physicians — Drs.  J.  ^^  ■  Graham,  J.  C.  Iwersen. 

Stock  Dealers— A\\  ^^'atts,  B.  F.  Evans. 

Shoe  Dealer — Joseph  Dick. 

Veterinary  Surgeons — R.  L.  McXalley. 

Wagon  Repairs — Harry  Sampers. 

Five,  Ten  and  Twenty-five  Cent  Store — \\'illiam  Sampson. 

LEVEY  TOWNSHIP. 

Levey  township  comprises  all  of  congressional  township  86,  range  ^J 
west.  It  is  six  miles  square  and  situated  on  the  south  line  of  Sac  count}',  with 
Viola  township  at  its  east,  Clinton  at  the  north  and  Wheeler,  the  extreme 
southwestern  township  in  the  count}',  on  its  west.  Its  towns  are  a  part  of 
Wall  Lake,  Herring  and  the  hamlet  station  on  the  Illinois  Central  lines  known 
as  McCloy.  The  Boyer  river  flows  through  this  to^\■nship  on  its  meandering 
course  to  the  ^Missouri  river,  emptying  into  that  stream  at  Council  Bluffs, 
where  it  is  considerable  of  a  stream.  It  has  numerous  small  branches  or 
tributaries  flowing  in  from  the  fertile  lands  that  make  up  Levey  township. 
The  Mondamin  and  Onawa  branches  of  the  great  Northwestern  system  of 
railroad  runs  through  various  portions  of  this  township.  Also  the  more  re- 
cently constructed  railroad,  the  Illinois  Central,  parallels  the  Northwestern 
line  from  ^^'all  Lake  station  southwest  until  they  both  take  their  exit  from  the 
county  on  down  the  famous  Boyer  \'"alley. 

Levey  was  created  into  a  separate  townshi])  in  1871  and  in  1880  it  had  a 
population  of  six  hundred  and  twenty-five,  including  its  villages. 

Its  early  settlers  were  nestled  in  and  around  the  present  town  of  Wall 
Lake,  and  some  in  the  southern  portion,  along  the  Crawford  county  line. 
Its  schools,  churches  and  lodges  are  all  mentioned  in  separate  chapters  in  this 
volume,  hence  will  not  be  named  in  this  connection.  The  population  of  the 
township,  according  to  the  last  United  States  census  report,  is  one  thousand 
and  sixty  four,  including  that  part  of  Wall  Lake  within  the  township,  which 
to\\  n  had,  then,  five  hundred  and  sixty-one. 

The  village  of  Herring,  on  sections  28  and  29,  is  a  mere  station  point 
and  small  trading  place  on  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  railroad,  a  mile  and 
a  half  from  the  south  line  of  the  township. 


244  '  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Concerning  the  pioneers  who  effected  the  first  settlement  here,  let  it  be 
said  that  they  come  in  about  the  foUowing  order:  Charles  Levey.  1869; 
Richard  Dean,  1869;  Frank  W.  Weed,  March  29,  1870.  George  Maynard 
and  F.  H.  Weed  came  early,  but  only  remained  one  year.  George  A.  Weed 
came  in  on  August  20,  1870;  Samuel  Adams,  1871 ;  A.  Alarks,  1871  :  W.  J 
;\Iuxen,  1871.  The  township  was  constituted  in  1871,  but  not  really  organ- 
ized until  1873  on  account  of  there  not  being  a  sufficient  number  in  the  terri- 
tory before  then  to  hold  the  oflices.  Dr.  Stevens  was  a  settler  of  187 1.  F. 
W.  Weed  was  the  first  township  assessor.  The  first  school  was  taught  in 
what  is  now  No.  8,  but  then  No.  i,  in  1873,  by  Fannie  Philbrick. 

TOWN   OK  WALL  LAKE. 

Wall  Lake,  in  Levey  and  Viola  townships,  was  platted  by  the  Blair  Town 
Lot  and  Land  Company  ( really  the  Northwestern  Railroad  Company )  in 
1877.  It  is  situated  three  miles  to  the  south  of  the  famous  Wall  lake,  so  well 
known  as  a  resort  in  the  great  Maple  Valley  region.  Its  population  in  Janu- 
ary, 1914,  was,  by  actual  count,  eight  lumdred  and  ten.  although  it  was 
through  error  only  given  about  six  hundred  in  the  last  Lhiited  States  census. 
This  error  came  about  from  the  fact  that  the  census  taker  nuly  credited  the 
town  with  what  population  were  living  in  Viola  township,  as  belonging  in  the 
corporation,  and  the  remainder  were  counted  in  with  the  population  of  Levey 
township. 

The  first  lot  was  sold  in  this  t(nvn  to  D.  Wayne,  of  Carroll,  for  ware- 
house purposes.  The  first  load  of  wheat  sold  was  by  Mr.  North.  September 
10,  1877,  and  it  brought  seventy  cents  per  bushel.  The  first  car  load  of 
wheat  was  shipped  out  by  Wayne  &  Company.  The  first  lumber  yard  was 
put  in  operation  l)y  Wilcox  Brothers,  August  27,  1877.  The  first  general 
merchandise  store  was  established  by  G.  M.  Parker  in  August,  1877.  The 
first  child  was  born  to  Mrs.  O.  A.  Olson.  The  first  death  was  in  the  family 
of  C.  E.  Wentworth.  On  April  21,  1878,  a  destructive  tornado  passed  over 
this  portion  of  the  county,  destroying  much  i)roperty.  generally  estimated  at 
thirty  thousand  dollars  worth,  and  eight  ])ersons  were  injured.  Telephone 
communication  was  first  installed  in  Wall  Lake  February  11,  1878.  between 
J  .C.  Fletcher  and  C.  E.  Wentworth,  each  having  a  'phone  in  their  [ilace  of 
business.  It  was  constructed  by  Ehlers  &  Wentworth  and  was  probably  the 
vibratory  system,  as  electric  'phones  in  [practical  form  did  not  come  till  a  }-ear 
or  two  later. 

It  mav  be  stated  that  the  first  building  in  the  town  was  commenced  in 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  245 

April,  1877,  for  a  saloon.  The  material  was  hauled  from  Fort  Dodge  and 
Storm  Lake.  Mr.  Donaldson  was  the  man  who  engaged  in  this  business, 
this  being  five  vears  before  the  state  had  its  prohibition  fight,  since  which  date 
saloons  have  not  been  \ery  popular  or  nearly  as  numerous.  The  next  actual 
settler  in  W'all  Lake  was  O.  Anderson.  The  shoe  store  of  P.  A.  Elpstrand 
was  opened  luly  7,  1877.  The  first  blacksmith  was  F.  Rohm,  who  came  in 
from  Alta.  The  first  religious  services  were  conducted  at  the  home  of  Mr. 
Palmer,  Sunday,  August  15,  1877,  by  Rev.  W.  P.  Griffin.  Work  on  the 
depot  building  commenced  July  20,  1877.  and  was  completed  August  15th, 
that  year. 

Having  now  shown  the  beginnings  of  things  in  general,  the  author  deems 
it  sufficient  to  give  the  present  business  and  social  factors  of  Wall  Lake, 
showing  in  whose  hands  the  business  of  the  place  was  in  January,  1914: 

Attorney — J.  S.  Whitney. 

Agricultural  Implements — Victor  Staab. 

Blacksmith  Shops — F.  E.  Johnston,  Hinds  &  Wright. 

Barber  Shops — William  Morrison,  R.  Lancaster. 

Banks — German  State  and  ^Va1l  Lake  Savings  Bank. 

Creamery — C.  W.  Davis. 

Clothing  Store — J.  O.  Benson. 

Cement  Works — Frank  Becker. 

Drugs — Bowman  Drug  Company,  C.  C.  Epperly. 

Dray  Line — Ed.  Palmer. 

Dentist— Roy  McCulla,  J.  L.  Morris. 

Furniture — W.  H.  Menold. 

Feed  Barn — Albert  Johnson. 

General   Merchandise — Okerstroem  &   Fishback,   F.    H.   Brown.   J.    H. 
Sievert. 

Grain  Dealers — William  Claussen. 

Garage — Hopkins  Auto  Company,  Wall  Lake  Auto  Company. 

Harness  Shop — J.  H.  Davison. 

Hardware — Johnson  &  Swanson,  Farmer's  Lumber  Company. 

Hotel — The  Brunton. 

Jewelry- — H.  Limke. 

Lumber  Yards — Wall  Lake  Lumber  Company,  Farmers'  Lumber  Com- 
pany. 

Livery — Frank  Dean. 

Meat  Market — D.  Schneidecker. 


246  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Millinery — Mrs.  D.  A.  Robinson. 

Mills  (Grist)— J.  McGloin. 

Newspaper — The  J  Vail  Lake  Blade,  by  W.  O.  Howard. 

Opera  House — Wall  Lake  Opera  House  Company. 

Produce  Companies — Swift  tt  Company,  C.  H.  Young. 

Photo  Gallery — Melvin  Charles. 

Pool  Halls— Robert  Jolly,  W.  H.  Persons. 

Physicians — Drs.  A.  S.  Hayden,  L.  H.  Jones. 

Restaurants — Chri.stensen  Sisters,  Hoff  &  Son,  D.  W.  Young,  and  the 
Depot  Lunch  Rooms. 

Real  Estate — McClnrg  &  Brunton. 

Stock  Buyers — Charles  Godenow. 

Wagon  Repairs — Hinds  &  Wright. 

The  town  supports  a  brass  band  of  twenty-fi\'e  pieces,  led  by  C.  E. 
Epperl\-.  There  is  an  effective  Commercial  Club  here,  with  C.  R.  Yeager  as 
its  present  secretary. 

The  churches  of  Wall  Lake — the  Catholic,  Methodist,  Presb}'terian  and 
German  Lutheran — are  all  treated  at  length  in  the  Church  chapter. 

The  lodges  include  the  Masonic  and  Odd  Fellows  orders,  both  men- 
tioned in  the  Lodge  chapter  in  this  ^•olume. 

\Vall  Lake  was  incorporated  in  ]March,  1881.  The  following  were  the 
first  town  officials  elected :  A.  D.  lierrig,  mayor ;  W.  L.  Ehlers.  recorder ; 
D.  M.  Bingman,  George  Burgess,  F.  E.  Cheeney,  M.  ]\fohr,  H.  J.  Simpson, 
T.  E.  Wilcox,  first  councilmen  or  trustees.  The  following  is  a  list  of  all 
mayors  serving  in  Wall  Lake  to  date:  j\.  D.  Herrig.  1881 ;  H.  B.  Allen, 
1883;  Robert  Pattison,  to  1889;  R.  M.  Hunter,  1889;  C.  C.  Watson,  1891 ; 
Hiram  Adams,  1893:  Erick  Schnu'dt,  1895:  Hiram  Adams,  1897:  H.  B. 
Allen,  1899;  -^-  B.  Barclay,  1901  ;  George  D.  Newby,  1903:  John  McGloin, 
1906,  who  served  until  August,  1913,  when  he  resigned.  John  Johnson  was 
appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy  and  is  still  serving.  The  present  town  officials 
are:  Mayor,  John  A.  Johnson:  clerk,  J.  S.  Whitney;  treasurer,  Charles  M. 
Herrig;  marshal,  A.  E.  Johnston;  council.  Dr.  .\.  S.  Hayden,  Gus  ]\Ioore, 
D.  D.  Scheiddiker,  Walter  Ward  and  William  Claussen.  A  fine,  effectSxe 
system  of  water  works  was  installed  in  this  town  about  1896.  At  first  it  was 
jointly  owned  by  the  town  and  b_\'  pri\-ate  subscriljcrs,  but  later  the  whole 
plant,  now  valued  at  thirty  thousand  dollars,  was  turned  over  to  the  town. 
The  water  is  obtained  from  a  well,  just  to  the  east  of  the  town  and  on  the 
eastern  slope  of  the  great  watershed  divide  of  Iowa,  where  the  waters  flow 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


247 


towards  the  ^Mississippi  and  the  Missouri.  This  water  is  said  to  be  as  pure 
as  any  in  the  state.  A  high  tower  and  water  tank,  constructed  of  steel, 
affords  about  sixty  pounds  pressure  per  square  inch.  Since  the  establishment 
of  these  improvements  the  town  has  had  but  one  disastrous  fire,  that  which 
burned  the  Bro\\'n  store  and  the  livery  barn  about  1898.  The  same  caught 
from  an  overheated  hot-air  furnace  in  the  basement  of  Brown's  store.  A 
well  trained  volunteer  fire  company  makes  property  comparatively  safe.  Uni- 
forms were  once  purchased,  costing  seven  hundred  dollars.  No  town  in 
western  Iowa  has  a  more  effective  fire  fighting  company  than  \\'all  Lake.  It 
dates  its  history  back  to  1878. 

The  municipality  also  owns  the  gasoline  gas  lighting  plant  and,  besides 
furnishing  the  streets  with  ample  lights,  also  sells  to  consumers.  This  im- 
provement was  installed  about  1900. 

The  town  owns  a  shack  of  a  building  known  as  to\\n  hall,  but  is  now 
planning  to  erect  a  suitalile  brick  town  building  which  will  be  an  'ornament  to 
the  town. 

Wall  Lake  has  long  since  been  known  as  the  greatest  railroad  center  in 
this  section  of  the  state.  The  Northwestern  system  has  branches  extending 
to  Carroll,  Denison,  Mondamin,  Onawa,  Sioux  City  via  Sac  Cit}',  another  to 
Jewell  Junction.  The  Illinois  Central  has  a  station  on  its  Fort  Dodge  & 
Omaha  line,  a  mile  from  Wall  Lake  town,  giving  good  connections  to  the 
Twin  Cities  and  Dubucjue,  as  well  as  Omaha. 

The  postmasters  who  have  served  at  Wall  Lake  are  as  follows  (office 
established  January  30,  1877)  :  Abner  Ferguson,  appointed  January  30, 
1877;  Charles  L.  Sherwood,  November  23.  1877:  H.  B.  Allen,  May  23, 
1881 ;  Robert  Pattison,  September  21,  1885;  C.  C.  Watson,  March  28,  1889; 
Frank  H.  Adams,  January  28,  1893.;  Orla  H.  Menold,  April  14,  1893;  L.  N. 
Turner,  April  17,  1897;  J.  H.  D.  Gray,  December  12,  1904;  Charles  B.  Dean, 
April  23,  1906;  John  McGloin,  July  31,  1913. 

WALL  LAKE  TOWNSHIP. 

Wall  Lake  township  should  not  be  misunderstood  as  being  the  civil  town- 
ship in  which  Wall  Lake  town  is  situated,  but  rather  as  the  one  in  which 
Lake  View,  another  town,  is  located.  A  greater  portion  of  the  beautiful 
water  sheet,  Wall  Lake,  is  within  Wall  Lake  township,  while  a  small  part  is 
in  the  township  south,  Viola.  Wall  Lake  township  is  congressional  town- 
ship No.  2,7'  range  36  west.     It  is  second  from  the  east  and  second  from  the 


248  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

south  line  of  Sac  count}-.  It  was  organized  in  1871  and  in  1880  had  a  popu- 
lation of  only  462.     In  1910  it  had  1,209  with  Lake  View. 

The  Coon  river  touches  sections  i,  12  and  13  of  this  township,  and  is  in- 
creased by  the  waters  of  Indian  creek  which  flow  in  a  semi-circular  direction 
through  the  central  portion  of  the  territory. 

The  township  has  much  excellent  land  and  no  small  amount  of  lower, 
swampy  land  which,  under  the  touch  of  modern  methods  of  drainage,  is  fast 
becoming  a  garden  spot. 

The  Chicago  &  Northwestern  railroad  runs  through  the  western  central 
part  of  the  township,  from  Lake  View  to  Sac  City. 

Some  of  the  early  settlements  in  the  county  were  effected  here,  but  not 
nearly  so  early  as  in  Sac  and  Jackson.  The  village  history  of  Lake  View 
gives  much  concerning  the  first  to  efifect  settlement.  Other  general  chapters 
will  treat  on  the  schools,  lodges  and  churches  of  Wall  Lake  township,  hence 
will  be  omitted  in  this  connection. 

WALL  LAKE. 

What  is  known  as  Wall  lake  (originally  called  on  the  early  maps 
"Walled  lake")  was  written  up  by,  Hon.  H.  C.  Rippey,  of  JeiYerson,  Iowa, 
in  the  early  seventies  in  language,  largely  of  imagination,  that  sounds  odd  to 
the  reader  of  today,  who  is  convinced  that  the  "wall"  is  nothing  other  than 
a  pile  of  prairie  boulders  that  have  been  heaved  up  by  the  frosts  of  many 
winters,  and  that  there  is  no  evidence,  whatsoever,  that  man's  hand  had  any- 
thing to  do  with  the  line  of  stones  that  may  resemble  a  laid-up  wall.  The 
item  referred  to  is  as  follows : 

"At  the  north  end  of  the  lake  there  commences  a  beautiful  gravel  bank, 
gradually  sloping  into  the  water  and  continues  around  on  the  north  side  for 
about  a  fourth  of  a  mile.  The  wall  then  commences,  the  bank  being  steep 
and  averages  from  three  to  six  feet  in  height.  The  lake  gets  wider,  and  as  it 
widens  the  wall  gets  very  thick,  containing  great  boulders.  One  and  a  fourth 
miles  from  the  northeast  end  of  the  lake  there  is  a  levee  from  two  to  five 
feet  high,  across  low  land,  resembling,  very  much,  the  levees  of  the  lower 
Mississippi  river  country,  with  the  exception  that  next  to  the  water  is  stone. 
The  wall  commences  on  the  east  side  of  the  Boyer  slough  and  continues 
around  the  south  side  of  the  lake  to  the  northeast  corner  and  levees  are 
thrown  up  at  the  low  places.  This  levee  is  so  complete  that  a  person  may 
walk  entirely  ari)und  the  lake.     At  several  places  on  the  south  side,  on  high 


WALL   LAKE   VIEWS 


l'U- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  249 

ground,  embankments  are  thrown  up  to  form  breastworks.  It  is  in  fact  a 
great  curiosity,  and  the  more  one  looks  at  it  the  more  is  the  wonder  who  did 
it.  How  came  these  great  stones,  two  or  more  tons  in  weight,  on  the  banks, 
in  many  places  lying  on  top  of  smaller  ones." 

The  reader  should  understand  that  modern  writers  and  sane  thinkers 
know  that  such  a  description  is  a  mere  fancy  of  some  writer  who  wanted  to 
believe,  and  perhaps  thought,  he  had  struck  a  natural  curiosity. 

LAKE   VIEW A  REMINISCENCE. 

The  following  reminiscence  was  written  by  Piatt  Armstrong,  one  of 
the  pioneers  and  founders  of  the  town  of  Lake  View,  this  county:  "In 
1875  I  came  from  Lost  Nation,  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  to  Sac  county  and 
bought  section  13,  Clinton  township.  I  sent  my  eldest  son,  Alden,  and  Oren 
Haskins,  with  teams  and  breaking  plows,  to  break  up  the  land.  They  broke 
out  about  a  hundred  and  sixty  acres.  That  autumn  I  helped  the  improve- 
ments along  by  shipping  one  load  of  lumber  to  Vail,  it  being  the  nearest 
railroad  station.  My  son  started  to  haul  it.  The  first  load  he  left  in  a 
slough  six  miles  from  home.  The  next  load  he  was  obliged  to  sleep  with  out 
on  the  prairie  eight  miles  from  home  under  his  wagon,  it  taking  him  four 
days  to  get  the  first  two  loads  of  lumber,  after  which  he  succeeded  in  making 
a  load  each  day.  Then  there  was  not  a  road  or  any  bridges  within  the 
twenty-mile  journey.  I  built  a  house  and  a  stable  that  fall,  and  my  son  got 
married  and  the  following  spring  another  one  of  my  sons  came  on  and  helped 
put  in  a  crop,  which  in  August  was  destroyed  by  grasshoppers ;  the  corn  and 
oats  were  all  gone,  but  some  wheat  was  left.  That  season  the  moscjuito  and 
green-headed  horse  flies  were  extremely  thick  in  this  part  of  the  country  and 
really  made  life  a  burden  to  both  man  and  beast.  These  pests,  together  with 
the  grasshoppers,  caused  us  to  be  much  discouraged  with  our  newly  located 
home.  I  then  came  to  the  conclusion  that  this  county  was  not  a  suitable  place 
in  which  to  settle  my  sons  in  permanent  homes,  which  I  had  intended  doing 
for  them.  Hence,  I  started  south,  homeseeking,  and  went  to  Texas  and  rode 
some  four  hundred  miles  on  horseback,  going  in  west  of  Fort  Worth,  but 
saw  nothing  that  enticed  me  to  locate  there.  I  then  returned  to  Clinton 
county  and  brooded  over  my  misfortunes  and  unlucky  selection  of  lands 
here,  seeing  nothing  cheering  ahead  of  me  for  my  family.  In  February,  the 
following  season,  one  morning  I  awoke  and  upon  looking  over  the  situation 
I  was  possessed  of  an  inspiration,  which  was  to  rent  my  farm  and  mo\e  my 


250  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

family  to  Sac  count}-.  By  noon  that  day,  I  had  my  land  rented  and  two 
weeks  later  I  had  moved  here  Ijag  and  baggage.     *     *     * 

"I'ebruary  22,  1888,  I  arrived  at'  Wall  Lake  again,  and  when  settled 
down  I  found  that  I  had  fourteen  head  of  horses  and  four  boys  large  enough 
to  handle  a  team,  so  we  went  to  tearing  up  the  prairie  sod  and  in  1890  we 
raised  three  th<nisand  bushels  of  wheat  and  five  thousand  Inishels  of  corn, 
besides  oats  and  barley.  I  then  left  this  place  and  bought  a  quarter  section 
of  land  in  the  west  part  of  the  present  town  of  Lake  View  and  commenced 
to  plan  for  a  railroad  station,  but  found  that  the  Northwestern  Railroad 
Company  was  prohibited  from  platting  another  town,  as  parties  in  Sac  City 
and  Wall  Lake  had  started  the  first  railroad  and  did  the  grading,  with  the 
understanding  that  there  was  not  to  be  a  station  between  these  two  points. 
One  day  I  met  an  officer  of  the  Nortliwestern  road  and  asked  him  about  it 
and  he  said  that  while  this  was  true,  that  it  did  not  prevent  anyone  else  from 
platting  a  station  and  putting  in  a  side-track.  He  said  if  I  would  go  ahead 
and  build  a  small  station  house  and  do  the  grading  for  a  short  side-track,-  that 
the  company  would  recognize  it  as  a  station.  I  knew  nothing  about  platting 
a  town,  but  I  took  James  Fletcher  into  my  confidence.  I  also  found  that  I 
could  get  the  eighty  acres  of  land  that  the  railroad  ran  through  for  twenty 
dollars  per  acre,  but  Mr.  Fletcher  seemed  to  think  he  wanted  it  all,  so  he 
purchased  the  land  and  proceeded  to  raise  the  money  to  build  a  depot  build- 
ing and  pay  for  side-track  grounds.  In  this  wa}-  Lake  \'iew  had  its  origin, 
but  it  was  known  then  as  "Fletcher."  November  28,  1887,  it  was  changed 
to  that  of  Lake  View. 

"The  same  fall  I  built  a  large  barn  and  fini-^hed  oiT  one  of  the  stables 
to  live  in,  while  I  was  building  my  house.  In  order  to  do  this  I  had  to  put 
up  some  stove-pipe  in  length  about  thirty  feet,  and  seven  jomts  extended 
out  beyond  the  Iniilding.  Being  rusted  together,  the  united  joints  of  pipe 
made  a  very  good  lightning  conductor,  so,  thinking  to  be  on  the  safe  side,  I 
would  make  a  connection  with  the  earth,  which  I  did  bv  boring  holes  at  each 
hind  leg  of  the  stove  through  the  barn  floor,  and  then  placed  wires  around 
the  legs  and  on  down  to  the  ground.  This  was  probably  an  original  idea,  but 
I  never  patented  it!  However,  it  worked  well,  for  on  one  occasion  a  bad 
thunder  storm  came  up  and  lightning  struck  the  stove-pipe  and  the  seven 
joints  outside  the  building  were  entirely  ruined,  but  the  charge  went  on  direct 
to  the  damp  earth  and  harmed  nothing  else  about  the  place.  From  this 
incident  originated  the  great  Dodd  &:  Strothers  lightning  rod. 

"In  regard  to  the  description  of  the  lake,  it  should  be  stated  that  when 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  -'51 

the  land  was  surveyed  by  the  government,  they  meandered  twelve  hundred 
and  eighty  acres  out  for  the  water,  which  makes  it  two  and  a  half  miles  in 
length  from  east  to  west,  by  about  one  mile  in  width  in  the  widest  place. 
There  are  two  islands,  one  having  a  hundred  and  twenty  acres,  while  the 
other  is  but  a  small  tract  of  but  a  few  acres,  generally  known  by  hunters  as 
'Gun-shot  Hill."'  The  fractional  parts  of  forties  adjoining  the  lake  are 
called  government  luts.  Armstrong's  Second  Addition  is  government  lot 
Xo.  T :  Hugo  W'esterman's  is  lot  No.  6  and  Denison  Beach,  a  part  of  which 
is  now  a  summer  resort.  Lakewood  is  Lot  No.  7,  which  is  the  principal  one, 
having  some  fifty  cottages,  a  large  hotel,  a  skating  rink,  bowling  alley,  a 
dance  hall,  toboggan-slide,  with  many  pleasure  boats,  bath  houses,  etc.  This 
resort  was  started  by  J.  H.  Graves,  and  by  him  conducted  a  few  years:  he 
then  sold  the  farm,  the  resort  and  grounds  to  Mr.  Trinkel,  for  about  nineteen 
dollars  per  acre.  He  sold  to  Hugo  Westerman  the  resort  grounds  for  nine 
thousand  dollars  and  he,  in  turn,  sold  to  Chris  Larson  for  twenty  thousand 
dollars  and  only  recently  he  has  sold  it  for  fifty  thousand  dollars  to  A.  B. 
\\'eiland  and  Brothers,  who  took  possession  last  spring  ( 1913)  and  they  have 
since  conducted  it. 

"Tohn  Pro\-ost  has  also  been  selling  lots  and  building  cottages  on  the 
larger  of  the  two  islands  for  a  number  of  years.  About  twenty  of  these  build- 
ings are  now  occupied  during  the  summer  and  autumn  months.  Louis  Lar- 
son, as  he  is  known,  has  two  gasoline  boats  for  carrying  passengers,  and  there 
are  also  a  half  dozen  smaller  craft,  with  a  small  sail  boat  line,  all  of  which 
afl:'ord  great  pleasure  to  the  summer  visitors." 

BUSINESS  INTERESTS. 

The  first  settlement  was  made  here  b}-  Robert  Throssel  and  son  in  the 
spring  of  1867.  The)-  were  followed  by  Joseph  Parkinson.  Noah  Borah, 
William  Johnston,  Thomas  Waddicor  and  George  Trainer,  who  settled  at  the 
east  and  south  of  the  lake.  In  1869  came  in  W.  A.  Robinson,  locating  on 
a  farm  three  miles  from  the  present  town  site.  The  town  was  laid  out  by 
I.  C.  Fletcher  in  1880.  The  town  was  named  for  him.  but  later  changed  to 
Lake  View.  The  first  house  on  the  town  site  was  removed  from  Wall  Lake 
by  W.  H.  Robinson,  in  the  autumn  of  1880.  J.  C.  Fletcher  and  Harry  See- 
vers  opened  the  first  store  at  Fletcher.  Then  followed  C.  E.  Gard  and  A.  J. 
Thompson.  The  first  elevator  was  erected  by  W.  H.  Robinson  in  1881. 
The  first  hardware  store  was  opened  by  J.  P.  Therkelson  in  1881.  The  rail- 
road (the  Northwestern)  was  completed  to  this  point  in  the  fall  of  1880. 


252  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

The  first  hotel,  the  Lake  House,  was  opened  by  W.  H.  Robinson  in  1880. 
H.  L.  Briggs  started  the  first  himber  yard  here.  Tiie  first  postmaster  and 
those  who  succeeded  him  to  date  were  W.  H.  Robinson,  in  December,  1880: 
^Vilham  H.  Mong,  September  3,  1886  (name  changed  to  Lake  \'iew  Novem- 
ber 28.  1887)  ;  W'illiam  H.  Mong,  November  28,  1887;  WilHam  U.  Hamil- 
ton, August  8,  1889;  \\'illiam  H.  Mong,  July  19,  1893;  F.  H.  Clark,  June 
15,  1897.  and  who  is  still  serving. 

The  first  society  to  hold  religious  services  was  the  Baptist  denomination, 
with  Rev.  W.  N.  McKendrick  as  pastor.  The  first  school  was  held  in  1881 
with  Miss  Anna  Searle  as  teacher.  There  was  no  school  building  at  that 
date,  but  private  rooms  were  secured. 

The  business  interests  in  Lake  View  in  the  month  of  January,  1914, 
were  as  follows : 

General  Stores — J.  P.  \Vells.  People's  Store  and  the  Miesel  store. 

Lumber — Lake  View  Lumljer  Company. 

Blacksmithing — Hans  Olson. 

Barbers — Ellis  Bros,  and  E.  Mason. 

Drugs — Mr.  Duerr. 

Photographer — E.  L.  Maxwell. 

Newspaper — The  Resort,  by  Edwin  McSheehy. 

Dray  Line — F.  N.  Dunham. 

Livery — Charles  Mohn. 

Grain  and  Seeds — Updike  Grain  Company. 

Dentist — Molsberry  Bros. 

Physicians  and  Surgeons — Dr.  E.  E.  Speaker. 

Painter — Milton  Olson. 

Lake  View  Creamery. 

Tailor  and  Cleaner — J.  B.  Lohr. 

Automobile  garages — Armstrong  &  Dean  and  Spencer  &  Son.  and  the 
Lake  View  Auto  Company. 

The  population  is  about  seven  hundred.  The  school  house  consists  of 
an  eight-room,  well  equipped  structure.  The  town  is  supplied  with  an  ex- 
cellent water  works  system  and  has  a  high  steel  tower  and  tank.  There  are 
numerous  large  ice  houses  here  where  immense  amounts  of  the  finest  lake 
ice  in  the  state  are  stored  and  shipped  far  and  near.  In  the  seastm  of  1910, 
five  hundred  cars  were  shipped.  Much  is  used  by  the  railroad  company  for 
drinking  and  refrigerating  purposes  along  the  extensive  system.  At  one 
time  large  quantities  of  gravel  and  sand  were  removed  from  the  earth  at  this 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  253 

point  by  steam  slimels  and  the  road  bed  of  the  raih'oad  far  to  the  west  was 
made  first  class  by  its  use.  Init  the  holes  left  make  an  unsightly  place  today, 
in  the  ^-er)'  heart  of  the  town. 

The  town  of  Metcher  was  incorporated  in  .September.  1887,  and  soon 
changed  to  the  name  of  Lake  View.  At  the  election  of  that  year  to  decide 
the  matter  of  incorporation,  there  were  forty  votes  cast  for  incorporation 
and  none  against  it.  Among  the  earlier  mayors  may  be  recalled  the  names 
of  Messrs.  L.  F.  Davis;  K.  Hiersche,  1890;  R.  M.  Paine,  1891  ;  James  Park, 
1892;  E.  C.  F.  Mohr,  1893;  Piatt  Armstrong,  1894.  Since  its  incorporation 
the  place  has  had,  for  the  most  part,  a  good  municipal  government  and  today 
the  improvements  are  in  keeping  with  the  towns  of  western  Iowa  in  general. 

SAC  TOWNSHIP. 

Sac  is  the  extreme  southeastern  subdivision  of  Sac  county  and  comprises 
all  of  congressional  township  36,  range  35  west.  Calhoun  county  lies  at  the 
east,  Coon  Valley  township  to  the  north,  Viola  township  to  the  west  and 
Carroll  county  at  the  south.  Jt  was  organized  as  one  of  the  original  town- 
ships in  the  county  in  1856  and  in  i88o  it  had  been  cut  down  in  extent  of  its 
territory  very  greatly  and  at  that  date  had  only  five  hundred  and  eighty-one 
population.  Its  present  population,  according  to  the  United  States  census 
returns  for  19 10,  is  one  thousand  one  hundred  and  twenty-five,  with  Auburn 
and  Grant  City,  the  former  having  three  hundred  and  ninety-nine  and  the 
latter  having  one  hundred  and  sixty-two. 

The  earlv  settlers  here  were  nestled  in  along  the  timl)er  lands  found 
skirting  the  Coon  river,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Grant  City,  w  hich  had  a  settle- 
ment and  a  mill  for  corn  grinding  in  the  fifties,  but  was  r.ijt  platted  until 
about  1863,  and  derived  its  name  from  that  gallant  soldier -statesman,  U.  S. 
Grant.  The  Coon  makes  a  sharp  horse-shoe  curve  in  the  northeastern  por- 
tion of  this  township,  and  Grant  City  was  platted  on  the  north  and  eastern 
side  of  this  big  bend  in  the  river,  which  afforded,  at  an  early  day,  anijile 
water  power  for  good  milling  facilities  llie  towns  and  villages  of  Sac 
township  are'.-\uburn,  Grant  City  and  Ulmer,  all  of  wliich  are  mentioned  at 
length  further  on  in  this  article.  The  Tama  branch  of  the  great  North- 
western railroad  system  runs  across  Sac  townshiii,  from  east  to  west,  almost 
directly  along  the  central  section  line.  The  newh'  constructed  Omaha  and 
Fort  Dodge  brancli  of  the  Illinois  Central  railroad  traverses  the  northwest 
corner  of  the  township,  coming  in  from  the  north  on  section  2  and  leaving 


254  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

from  section  i8.     The  history  of  Grant  City.  Auburn  and  Uhner  will  give 
the  names  of  many  who  first  settled  this  jiart  of  the  county. 

TOWN    OF    AUBURN. 

Auburn  is  one  of  the  three  towns  within  Sac  township,  the  others  being- 
Grant  City,  and  Ulmer,  a  station  on  the  Illinois  Central  railroad.  Auburn  is 
situated  on  sections  23  and  24,  of  township  86,  range  35.  It  was  platted  July 
31,  1886,  by  the  Western  Town  Lot  and  Land  Company.  It  is  a  station 
point  on  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  line,  the  second  station  east  from  Wall 
Lake,  and  is  on  the  east  line  of  Sac  county.  It  really  caused  the  town  of 
Grant  City,  a  mile  or  so  to  the  north  and  west,  to  go  down.  It  was  incor- 
porated as  a  town  earh'  in  its  history  and  has  had  for  its  mayors  the  follow- 
ing gentlemen :  W.  J.  Dixon,  G.  \L  Parker,  P.  R.  ]\Ioseley,  Otto  Behrend, 
Otto  Garnatz,  A.  Beck,  P.  J.  Barry,  and  J.  Simpson.  Its  officers  in  1914  are: 
Mayor,  J.  Simpson :  clerk.  C.  C.  Easier :  treasurer.  Paul  Ruckrow :  marshal, 
W.  D.  Carroll:  councilmen.  W.  H.  Lesle,  H.  V.  Garnatz,  C.  F.  Brower.  W.  E. 
Comstock,  M.  Brooks.  A  pri\-ate  stock  company  operates,  and  has  since 
about  1900,  a  gasoline  gas  lighting  plant  here,  which  pro\-ides  lights  for  public 
and  private  use,  as  well  as  for  street  lighting-  purposes. 

The  present  churches  of  the  town  are  all  mentioned  in  the  Church  chap- 
ter in  this  volume  and  consist  of  the  Presbyterian,  German  Lutheran,  Roman 
Catholic  and  Latter-Day  Saints.  The  lodges  include  the  Masonic,  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the  \arious  insurance  orders  (see  Lodge 
chapter). 

The  Auburn  postoffice  is  a  fourth  class  office  and  from  it  runs  out  two 
free  rural  deliver)-  routes.  Its  postn-iasters  have  been  M.  Buehre,  H.  G.  F. 
Muller,  E.  H.  ]MerrelI  (who  held  it  eighteen  years),  E.  Reardon,  since  Octo- 
ber, 1913. 

This,  like  all  railroad  towns  of  these  days,  grew  rapidly  at  first.  Almost 
all  branches  of  trade  soon  sprung  up  here,  taking  the  trade  and  general  busi- 
ness that  had  for  years  gone  to  Grant  City.  The  business  interests  in  Auburn 
at  this  date  (January,  1914)  are  in  the  hands  of  the  following  persons: 

Agricultural  Implements — E.   Reardon, 

Banking — Farmers  and  Merchants. 

Barber  Shops — C.  F.  Brower. 

Brick  and  Drain  Tile  Works — The  Straight  famih-. 

Blacksmith  Shop — William  Rettig. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  255 

Dray  Line — E.  Basto. 

Drugs — J.  Kessler,  C.  C.  Easier. 

Elevator — Howard  &  Barry. 

Eurniture — T.  J.  Barry. 

Garage — Grey  &  Dahlquist. 

General  Dealers — E.  R.  Brennan.  Lee  Jones. 

Grocery — S.  \lott. 

Hotel — The  Auburn  House,  G.  H.  Bruning. 

Jeweler — S.  ]\Iott. 

Lumber — W.  T.  Joyce  Co. 

Livery — M.  G.  Golden. 

Millinery — Miss  ^Minnie   Easier. 

Meats — L.  A.  Sherman.  J.  A.  Green. 

Newspaper — The  Record,  by  E.  H.  Merrell. 

Public  Hall— Over  Bank  block. 

Physicians — Drs.  H.  L.  Eobes  and  P.  J.  Barry. 

Pool  Hall— L.  Reinhart. 

Restaurants — Amos  Rettig. 

Stock  Dealers— W.  H.  Lesle. 

Veterinary  Surgeon — A.  Beck. 
•  Variety  Store— E.  H.  Merrell. 

Wagon  Repairs — William  Rettig. 

The  chief  industry  of  Auburn,  at  this  date,  is  the  brick  and  tile  works, 
in  which  from  forty  to  sixty  men  find  employment  the  year  round,  in  the 
manufacture  of  a  ^•ery  superior  article  of  drain  tile  and  building  brick,  with 
building  blocks  and  other  articles  of  the  clay  product.  These  works  are 
supplied  with  the  raw  material  from  beds  of  clay,  gravel  and  sand  situated 
near  Grant  City,  from  which  the  material  is  taken  by  conveyor  cars  on  a  sys- 
tem of  wire  cables,  for  a  distance  of  over  a  quarter  of  a  mile  and  running 
over  the  Coon  river  valley  and  its  winding  stream.  Erom  the  south  side  of 
the  valley  it  is  conveyed  in  steam  cars  pulled  by  a  dummy  steam  engine  to  the 
works,  proper,  in  Auburn.  In  the  month  of  December.  1913,  this  company, 
composed  of  the  three  Straights,  shipped  one  hundred  and  thirty-seven  car 
loads  of  their  products  to  \arious  parts  of  the  country.  They  are  now  far 
behind  their  orders. 

In  April,  1889,  there  was  a  creamery  in  operation  at  Auburn,  of  a  very 
high  type.  It  was  the  best  constructed  one  in  all  western  Iowa.  In  addition 
to  receiving  milk  for  the  separators,  it  also  collected  cream  from  the  sur- 
rounding country  in  large  quantities. 


256  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


GRANT  CITY. 


This  is  one  of  the  oldest  places  in  the  county,  but  has,  by  reason  of  the 
building  of  the  railroads  north  and  south  of  it,  become  a  mere  hamlet,  almost 
gone  into  decline.  It  now  has  but  one  store,  ami  that  is  operated  bv  :\lrs.  H. 
F.  Schultz.  The  postofhce  was  discontinued  in  December,  1912,  and  a  num- 
ber of  the  citizens  there  get  their  mail  daily  over  the  rural  free  delivery  from 
Auburn,  by  having  their  boxes  placed  in  a  long  row  in  front  of  the  old  post- 
ofifice  and  store  building.  This  town  has  for  its  site  one  of  the  prettiest  in 
the  county,  overlooking  as  it  does  the  picturesque  valley  of  the  Coon  river, 
skirted  with  a  fine  grove  of  native  timber  which  naturally  attracted  the  pio- 
neers. The  water  power  at  this  point  was  utilized  for  many  years  in  the  way 
of  a  saw  mill  by  George  Wright,  who  also  had  a  corn-cracker  in  connection, 
until  he,  in  company  with  O.  R.  Jones,  enlarged  the  mill  and  added  a  grist 
mill,  which  produced  flour  for  many  of  the  settlers  in  Crawford,  Sac,  Buena 
Vista,  Calhoun  and  Greene  counties.  The  mill  dam  was  for  many  years  a 
success  and  the  water  power  excellent,  but  finally  it  gave  wa}-  and  steam 
power  was  installed  instead.  It  was  operated  until  about  1905  and  then  torn 
down.  A  part  of  the  machinery  found  its  way  to  Dakota  and  the  Ijuilding 
material  was  sold  at  home  and  converted  into  other  buildings.  The  original 
machinery  for  this  mill  was  brought  from  Fort  Dodge  over  the  trackless 
prairies  and  unbridged  streams.  This  mill  was  originally  built  in  1856— 
the  first  in  Sac  county. 

At  one  time  Grant  City  was  a  bus\-  mart,  where  came  m;ui\-  pioneer  men 
to  do  both  milling  and  trading.  There  were  at  one  time  newspapers,  a  good 
hotel,  three  stores  of  general  merchandise,  excellent  schools,  and  the  best 
roller  skating  rink  in  the  whole  Northwest.  In  1865  pioneer  R.  Ellis  came 
there,  where  he  still  resides,  and  says  when  he  came  the  town  had  a  black- 
smith shop,  run  by  William  Impson.  a  hotel,  a  saw  mill  and  manv  slab 
shanties  and  log  cabins  scattered  here  and  there  o\'er  the  platting.  The  town 
was  not  incorporated  until  about  1904.  This  was  brought  about  b^■  the  fact 
that  the  school  laws  of  Iowa  did  not  allow  better  school  appropriations  in 
such  towns  than  it  did  in  the  common  country  districts,  and  the  people  here 
in  Grant  City  were  proud  of  their  public  schools  and  desired  a  larger  appro- 
priation, so  incorporated  and  hence  are  independent  in  school  matters. 

The  churches  of  today  are  the  Methodist  Episcopal,  .served  bv  the  pastor 
from  Lake  City;  the  Seventh-Day  Adventists.  which  at  one  time  was  strong, 
but   on   account   of   removals   has   been   greatly    reduced    in    its   membcrshii, 


AN  I.Mi'UliTAXT  LOCAL  ENTERPRISE 


\ 


ONE  OF  SAC  COUNTY'S  PROSPEROUS  INDUSTRIES 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


-^57 


They,  as  well  as  the  Alethodists,  ha\-e  a  good  ciiurch  building.  The  old 
Masonic  lodge  was  removed  to  the  railroad  tDwn,  .\uburn,  when  that  town 
had  become  of  sufficient  size  to  support  such  a  fraternity.  The  only  order 
now  at  Grant  City  is  the  insurance  order  known  as  the  .Vmerican  Yoeman. 

Among  the  old  mayors  of  Grant  City  may  be  named  R.  Ellis,  S.  H. 
Bates,  ^\'illiam  Shannon  and  George  Higgins.  The  1914  officers  of  the 
incorporation  are:  Mayor,  James  Birt :  clerk,  S.  H.  Bates:  treasurer,  X.  A. 
Impson. 

Grant  City  is  situated  on  sections  11  and  14,  township  86,  range  35. 
It  is  in  the  big  bend — the  horse-shoe — of  the  Coon  river,  and  was  platted  in 
Ci\il-war  times,  and  bid  fair  to  become  a  rival  of  Sac  City. 

The  old  state  atlas  published  by  Andrus,  in  1874, -says  of  Grant  City: 
"This  is  a  village  located  on  section  14,  township  86,  range  35,  in  the  south- 
eastern part  of  Sac  county.  Its  location  is  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Xdrth 
Raccoon  ri\er,  in  a  grove  of  timber.  There  is  also  a  good  mill  power  on  the 
river  at  this  point.  The  village  was  laid  out  in  1863.  It  has  a  Baptist, 
Episcopal  and  Methodist  church,  several  mills,  and  stores  carrying  general 


stocks  of  goods." 


TOWN  OF  ULMER. 


This  plare  is  situated  in  section  8,  township  86,  range  35,  on  the  Illinois 
Central  railroad,  from  Fort  Dodge  to  Omaha,  and  was  platted  November  21, 
1900,  by  Carrie  and  \\'.  T.  ]\Iartin.  It  has  made  a  fine  growth  in  the  few 
3'ears  of  its  existence.  The  postoffice  here  is  a  fourth  class  office,  established 
in  1901,  and  has  had  these  postmasters:  Thomas  \\'.  Martin,  from  1901 
to  1908:  Dr.  E.  \V.  Bookhart,  1908  to  191 1  :  C.  E.  Bames,  present  incumbent. 
The  banking  interests  here  are  carried  on  by  the  Farmers  Savings  Bank, 
established  in  191 1.  The  only  church  society  of  the  town  is  the  Presby- 
terian church.  The  business  of  the  place  in  January,  1914,  was  conducted 
as  follows :  Dry  goods  and  groceries,  Barnes  &  Son :  hardware  and  grocery, 
J.  N.  Hawks :  blacksmithing,  Leo  Flintje :  ele\ator.  Farmers  Grain  Company, 
with  L.  M.  Wicher,  manager;  lumber,  by  the  Joyce  Lumber  Company,  with 
V.  T.  Butrick,  manager ;  stock  dealers,  L.  M.  Wicher  &  Company :  implement 
store,  Hawks  &  Webster;  pool  and  lunch  room,  C.  R.  Cooley. 

VIOL,\    TOWNSHIP. 

On  the  southern  line  of  the  county,  and  second  from  the  eastern  line, 
is  the  civil  township  of  Viola,  bounded  on  its  north  bv  Wall  Lake  township. 
(16) 


258  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

on  the  east  by  Sac  township,  on  the  south  by  Carroll  count}-,  and  on  the  west 
by  Levey  township.  It  comprises  all  of  congressional  township  86,  range 
36  west,  hence  is  six  miles  square.  The  only  town  within  its  borders  is 
Carnarvon,  in  section  22,  which  is  a  junction  point  of  the  Tama  and  Carroll 
branches  of  the  Northwestern  system.  The  Illinois  Central  line,  from 
Omaha  to  Fort  Dodge,  runs  through  this  township,  following  the  central 
tier  of  sections  from  east  to  west.  A  small  portion  of  the  town  of  Wall 
Lake  is  within  Viola  township,  as  well  as  a  small  portion  of  Wall  lake  itself, 
the  most  of  this  pretty  sheet  of  water,  however,  being  confined  to  the  limits 
of  \A'all  Lake  township.  This  subdivision  of  Sac  county  has  its  full  share  of 
railroads.  The  Northwestern  system  has  three  distinct  branches  in  the  town- 
ship, with  stations  at  Carnarvon  and  Wall  Lake,  and  an  overhead  crossing 
with  the  Illinois  Central  and  Northwestern  on  section  15.  There  are  many 
Germans  in  Viola  township,  and,  for  the  most  part,  they  are  all  prosperous, 
well  educated  and  industrious  farn.iers.  The  township  has  no  timber  except 
that  planted  and  cultivated  by  the  pioneers.  There  are  three  small  creeks 
within  its  borders.  Some  of  the  land  is  rather  low,  but  has  mostly  been  re- 
claimed by  ditching  and  tile  drains.     Corn  is  the  chief  crop. 

Most  all  the  first  settlers  have  either  removed  from  the  county  or  died. 
Some  are  retired  at  the  county  seat  and  at  Wall  Lake  and  Lake  View  towns. 
Just  what  dates  and  the  exact  section  on  which  these  pioneers  settled  cannot 
now  be  well  determined,  but  from  an  inter\iew  had  recently  with  such  men  as 
J.  W.  Higgins  and  F.  C.  Jacobs,  it  is  learned  that  the  first  settlement  of  this 
township  was  made  by  the  following  persons,  with  perhaps  a  few  more,  who 
might  have  been  as  early,  or  earlier,  than  some  of  these  here  named.  Mr. 
Higgins  came  in  1887,  but  had  li\ed  at  Wall  Lake  four  years  previous  to  that. 
He  was  a  soldier  in  the  Ci\il  War.  and  w as  from  Montgomery  county.  New 
York.  He  has  accumulated  considerable  property,  and  has  recently  pur- 
chased much  more  in  Clay  county,  this  state.  ITe  has  been  one  of  the  trus- 
tees of  this  township  for  a  number  of  years.  Mr.  Jacobs,  above  mentioned, 
was  Ijorn  in  German}-,  but  came  here  when  young,  and  has  taught  school  and 
been  township  assessor  here  a  nunilicr  of  terms.  He  is  well  informed  and  is 
really  what  may  be  termed  a  scientific  farmer,  making  a  thorough  study  of 
the  soils  and  of  every  grade  of  stock  he  handles.  He  loves  to  look  in  upon 
nature  at  everv  possible  window,  and  glean  that  which  mav  be  of  benefit  to  a 
progressive  agriculturist.  He  raises  thirty  per  cent,  more  per  acre  than  his 
common  farmer  neighbors,  all  on  account  of  his  studying  the  conditions  of  ^ 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  259 

soil  and  climate.     He  came  in  about  twenty  years  ago  and  has  seen  great 
changes  since  engaging  in  farm  life  here. 

When  pioneer  Higgins  came  to  the  township  he  found  here  such  men  as 
Garrett  Fischer,  August  Hanke,  Patrick  Ouinn,  Patrick  Halpin,  Robert 
Westcott.  Joseph  Parkinson,  of  section  2,  who  was  among  the  very  first. 
Also  there  were  Henry  Peters,  John  Spurrell,  an  Englishman,  who  still  re- 
sides in  the  cuunt\',  and  has  a  son  who  is  taking  much  care  to  study  well  the 
country  in  which  he  lives.  This  family  located  on  section  6.  John  Spurrell 
was  a  trustee  of  Viola  township  for  twenty-five  years.  Another  pioneer  was 
an  old  yir.  Plinken,  and  ethers  were  Leo  Fix,  Charles  Frank,  John  Goeman, 
all  very  early,  probably  in  the  early  seventies.  Leander  McCrea  located 
where  now  stands  the  village  of  Carnarvon,  and  remained  there  until  1885; 
Charles  Teeple,  now  deceased,  was  two  miles  north  and  a  half  mile  to  the 
east  of  Carnarvon.  Early  in  the  eighties  came  in  Herman  and  Frederick 
Voss,  brothers.  They  were  among  the  first  to  make  permanent  improve- 
ments, a  mile  or  so  east  of  Carnarvon,  where  they  had  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  of  land.  Both  are  long  since  deceased.  Peter  Ivossman  also 
had  a  half  section  on  the  south  line  of  the  township.  He  is  deceased.  "Tip'" 
Dewey,  now  of  Wall  Lake  town,  owned  a  half  section  in  the  northwestern 
part  of  the  township,  and  still  owns  the  land.  Michael  Martin,  deceased, 
settled  very  early  in  the  northwestern  part.  Thomas  Waddicor  came  in 
among  the  earliest  settlers,  in  the  seventies,  and  bought  land  in  the  north 
half  of  the  township;  he  was  a  soldier  in  the  Two  Hundred  and  Second  New 
York  Regiment,  and  he  died  about  1908;  his  son,  James  Waddicor,  now  owns 
the  old  homestead  farm,  but  resides  in  Schaller.  Moses  Lacy  was  here 
before  1886  in  the  northeast  quarter  of  the  township,  l)ut  he  now  resides 
near  Ames,  Iowa.  Another  was  George  Van  Dresser,  who  settled  in  the 
township  at  an  early  date  on  section  i ;  he  went  to  Missouri  about  1890. 
Jonas  Walrod,  in  the  northwestern  part  of  this  township,  improved  one  of 
the  early  farms  and  later  died  and  the  land  is  now  in  the  hands  of  strangers 
to  the  family.  His  son  is  a  veterinary  surgeon  in  Carnarvon  at  this  date. 
Brunas  Swartscup  located  in  the  south  part  of  the  township,  as  did  his 
brother.  John  Preffer  settled  about  the  same  time  in  the  western  portion,  on 
section  7,  where  he  lived  until  a  few  years  ago,  went  South,  returned  and 
finally  died.  Theodore  Kliskie  arrived  in  the  township  about  1875,  locating 
near  \\'all  Lake.  Henry  Hoft  came  in  and  purchased  land  in  the  southwest 
portion.  He  now  lives  at  Wall  Lake :  he  was  a  soldier  with  one  of  the  Iowa 
regiments.      His   son   now    resides   on   the   old   Viola    township   homestead. 


26o  SAC    COUNTY,     tOWA. 

Before  1886  came  Jacob  Ackerman,  who  located  in  the  southeastern  part  of 
the  township.  The  large  Irish  family  of  AlcCormicks  settled  in  this  town- 
ship among-  the  pioneers  of  early  date:  sons  of  this  family  were  Thomas, 
Peter  and  John.  .\.  M.  Robison.  a  Massachusetts  Yankee,  settled  in  the 
west  half  of  the  township  early  in  the  eighties.  David  Low  settled  in  the 
southwestern  portion,  and  udw  resides  at  Wall  Lake,  but  still  owns  his  land 
in  Viola.  Ellis  Barthema  was  in  the  north  part  of  the  township  before  Mr. 
Higgins'  arrival  in  1887.  He  went  U>  Texas,  lost  his  [jroperty,  including  his 
excellent  two  hundred  and  forty-acre  tract  in  this  township.  After  this  the 
settlement  was  too  rapid  to  trace  out  the  comings  and  goings. 

Viola  township  was  organized  as  a  separate  township  in  1875,  and 
derived  its  name  from  a  town  by  that  name  in  lllinnis.  Its  present  trustees 
are  J.  W.  Higgins,  Michael  Rising  and  Ernest  W'alrod ;  its  assessor  is  Louis 
\\'ilcox.     Its  population  in  tqio  was  nine  hundred  and  twenty-nine. 

\'ILL.AGE    OF    CARNARVON. 

This,  the  onl\-  distinct  platted  \-illage  in  Viola  township,  was  laid  out 
by  George  W.  Pitcher,  in  section  22.  township  86.  range  36,  on  October  24, 
1 881.  Its  present  population  is  about  one  hundred  and  fifty.  It  is  a  junction 
point  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  railroad,  where  the  Carroll  branch 
leaves  the  Tama  branch,  and  is  something  over  four  miles  south  and  east 
from  the  town  of  Wall  Lake.  The  first  attempt  at  business  here  was  the  year 
the  platting  was  effected,  and  it  was  a  general  merchandise  store  opened  by 
Fishback  &  Pitcher,  later  owned  solely  by  Mr.  Pitcher,  who  also  bought  grain 
and  had  the  first  shipping  facilities.  In  scanning  the  newspaper  files  the 
author  finds  that  in  December,  1888,  the  Sac  Siiii  said  of  Carnarvon:  "The 
new  town  in  Viola  township,  Carnar\'on,  is  getting  to  be  c[uite  a  berg.  A 
good  number  of  buildings  are  already  up  and  enclosed  and  still  more  will  be 
completed  the  coming  winter.  Mr.  Pitcher,  the  leading  man  of  the  place,  is 
using  every  effort  to  build  up  and  make  it  a  good  town." 

The  postma.sters  of  Carnarvon  have  been  in  the  following  order:  Rob- 
ert Westgarth,  Louis  Hunefekl,  J.  J.  Fishback.  Harvey  Daily,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
G.  M.  Seaman,  who,  Ijetween  them,  have  had  the  oflice  for  the  last  ten  vears. 

The  business  interests  of  Carn.-uxon.  in  the  spring  of  1914,  were  in  the 
hands  of  the  following  persons : 

General  Dealers — Benson  it  Company. 

Hardware  and  Lumber — Farmers'  Lumber  C^'ompany,   of   Fort  Dodge. 


■SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  261 

Elevator  and  Live  Stock — A.  J.  Graham. 
Garage — The  Parson  Auto  Company. 
Hotel — G.  M.  Seaman. 
Blacksmithing — Joseph  Reiitter. 
Cream  Station — W.  A.  Seaman. 
V'eterinarv   Surgeon — Doctor  W'alrod. 
Barber — A.  E.  Mason. 
Pool  Hall— A.  E.  Mason. 

JACKSON   TOWNSHIP. 

Jackson  is  the  township  in  which  Sac  City,  the  county  seat,  is  situated, 
and  comprises  congressional  township  88,  range  36  west,  and  is  bounded  on 
the  north  by  Douglas  and  Delaware  townships,  on  the  east  by  Cedar  town- 
ship, on  the  south  l)y  Wall  Lake  towaiship  and  on  the  west  by  Beyer  Valley 
township.  It  was  in  and  near  here  that  the  first  pioneer  settlement  was  ef- 
fected ip  the  early  fifties,  and,  ha\ing  been  mentioned  at  length  in  the  general 
chapter  on  early  settlement,  need  not  here  be  enlarged  upon.  It  was  here 
that  Judge  Eugene  Criss  located  and  ran  the  old  stage  station  and  a  general 
store  for  the  accommodation  of  a  wide  scope  of  country.  He  later  con- 
structed a  saw  and  grist  mill.  The  Corys,  the  Tiljerghiens,  the  \\'atts  and 
Platts  all  found  homes  in  the  new  country.  It  was  in  1854,  1855  and  1856 
when  they  arrived. 

Indian  creek  and  the  Coon  river  are  the  jirincipal  streams  fiowing 
through  this  township.  Along  its  beautiful  groves  were  made  the  first  cabin 
homes  in  the  county.  Over  this  picturescjue  section  had  roamed  the  savage 
Sioux,  the  Sac  and  Fox  tribes,  and  here  had  they  been  at  war  one  with 
another.  Here  camped  many  an  immigrant  on  his  way  to  this  and  other 
western  Iowa  counties.  The  value  of  the  prairie  land  was  not  really  known 
to  the  first  settlers  here,  and  all  huddled  themselves  along  the  timber  skirt- 
ing the  Coon  river,  little  dreaming  that  the  uplands  and  prairies  were 
destined  to  outstrip  the  timbered  sections  of  the  county.  Wild  game  was 
plentiful  in  this  part  of  the  count)-  and  the  river  afforded  an  endless  amount 
of  excellent  fish.  Fifty  years  have  made  a  wonderful  transformation  in 
this  country,  and  especially  in  Jackson  township,  with  Sac  City  in  its  midst, 
a  thriving  city,  with  all  modern  improvements  and  a  hum  and  stir  of  genuine 
industry. 

Jackson  township   was  created  as   one  of   the   first  civil   townships   in 


262  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  ■ 

Sac  county,  the  elate  being  1856.  In  1880  its  population,  including  Sac 
City,  was  about  one  thousand  sixty-six  souls.  The  1910  census  reports  gave 
the  township  fi\e  hundred  and  eight\-f(iur,  exclusive  of  Sac  City  and  two 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  eighty-five,  including  the  city.  The  railroads 
have  greatly  aided  in  the  development  of  Sac  count}',  including  this  special 
township.  The  Chicago  &  Northwestern  and  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  & 
St.  Paul  railroads  have  lines  running  through  the  township  from  all  points 
of  the  compass,  concentrating  at  Sac  City. 

The  history  of  this  township  is  almost  identical  with  that  of  Sac  City, 
hence  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  facts  concerning  the  founding  and  present 
standing  of  the  county  seat  town. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

SAC   CITY. 

Sac  City  possesses  one  of  the  choicest  natural  city  sites  in  all  western 
Iowa ;  in  fact,  outside  of  perhaps  Iowa  Falls,  Charles  City  and  a  few  others, 
there  are,  in  all  Iowa,  none  with  more  beautiful  natural  surroundings  than 
Sac  City,  on  the  Coon  river. 

The  city  is  located  on  sections  2^,  and  24,  of  township  88,  range  36 
west.  It  was  platted  in  July,  1855,  the  surveying  being  executed  by  he  who 
in  later  years  was  so  well  known  as  Hon.  John  F.  Buncombe,  of  Fort 
Dodge.  The  town  plat  or  map  in  the  county  records  was  executed  by  W. 
H.  Fegely,  July  3,  1855.  The  town  site  proprietors  were  Judge  Eugene 
Criss,  W.  S.  Wagoner,  Henry  A.  Evans  and  Joseph  Gammon.  Hence  it 
will  be  seen  that  the  city  is  now  almost  fifty-nine  years  old.  It  is  between 
five  and  six  miles  northeast  of  the  center  of  the  county.  The  business  sec- 
tion is  for  the  most  part  located  along  the  river,  while  the  residence  portion 
is  chiefly  on  higher  ground.  The  altitude  above  sea  level  is  one  thousand 
two  hundred  and  eighty  feet.  The  Coon  river  encircles  the  town  most  of 
the  way  round.  Native  forest  trees  are  scattered  here  and  there  over  the 
entire  town  site.  The  second-growth  oak  trees  are  a  beauty  in  summer  and 
winter,  and  make  the  building  spots  ideal  in  character — a  joy  forever,  be- 
cause of  their  rare  beauty  and  shade. 

Book  "A"  of  deeds  in  Sac  county,  page  i.  has  the  following:  "The 
lots  in  Sac  City  are  sixty  feet  wide  and  the  alleys  are  twenty  feet  wide. 
Platting  was  executed  by  W.  H.  Fagely  July  3,  1855.  Its  situation  is  beau- 
tiful. The  North  fork  of  Raccoon  river  nearly  surrounds  the  town.  Beau- 
tiful prairie  lands  of  the  richest  quality  of  soil  border  it:  a  heavy  growth 
of  excellent  timber  lies  adjacent :  springs  of  the  clearest,  coolest  water  abound, 
breaking  out  along  the  banks  of  the  river.  The  stage  road  from  Fort  Dodge 
to  Sergeant's  Bluff  runs  through  the  town,  on  Main  street.  The  distance 
to  Fort  Dodge  is  forty-three  miles,  nearly  one-half  of  the  way  to  Sergeant's 
Bluff.  Stones  are  planted  on  each  street  as  indicated  by  the  red  crosses  in 
every  street.      The  plat   was  drawn  and  surveyed   by  John   F.   Duncombe, 


o 


264  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

and  the  proprietor's  nanits  are  Eugene  Criss,  W.   S.   Wagoner,   Henry  A. 
Evans  and  Joseph  Gammon." 

The  population  of  Sac  City,  at  various  dates,  has  been  as  follows:  In 
1880  it  had  595  inhabitants:  in  1885  it  had  1,200:  in  1890  it  had  1,249;  i" 
1895  it  had  1.601  ;  in  1900  it  had  2.079:  in  1905  it  had  2,120,  and  in  191 
the  United  States  census  gave  it  as  2,201,  but  it  is  considerable  in  ad\ance 
of  that  today. 

"the  father  of  sac  city." 

This  term  was  for  }-ears  applied  to  Hon.  Eugene  Criss,  the  real  founder 
of  the  town,  and  the  Siou.v  City  Journal,  in  1903,  took  occasion  to  notice 
Judge  Criss'  death  in  the  following  language,  and  it  may  well  be  incor- 
porated in  the  annals  of  this  county,  both  of  these  distinguished  pioneers 
now  being  deceased : 

"The  death  of  Judge  Eugene  Criss  at  Sac  City,  in  his  eighty-first  year, 
marks  the  passing  of  one  of  northwestern  Iowa's  real  pioneers.  He  settled 
on  the  present  site  of  Sac  City  in  1855  and  for  many  years  pursued  the  life 
of  a  frontiersman,  trading  with  the  Indians,  having  Keokuk  fur  his  trading 
place.  His  house  was  the  stopping  place  of  travelers  between  Sioux  City 
and  Fort  Dodge.  He  kept  a  country  store,  was  county  judge,  supervisor, 
mayor  of  his  town  and  was  a  rej^resentative  in  the  Iowa  Legislature  when 
Sac,  Ida,  Woodbur}-  and  Plymouth  counties  were  all  in  one  district.  He 
was  a  sturdy  character,  heltl  in  high  esteem  and  implicitly  trusted  during 
the  formative  days  of  Sac  county.  All  northwestern  Iowa  was  in  one  neigh- 
borship and  everybody  knew  Judge  Criss.  Last  year,  in  July,  three  thou- 
sand people  gathered  at  his  home  and  celebrated  his  eightieth  anniversary, 
thereby  giving  evidence  of  the  confidence,  lo\'e  and  esteem  in  which  he  was 
held." 

During  the  early  months  of  1855  there  might  have  been  seen  a  covered 
wagon  coming  over  the  Mississippi  river  from  the  Wisconsin  shore,  and  in 
that  conveyance  was  Eugene  Criss,  who  was  in  search  of  a  water-power  and 
desired  to  make  settlement  in  a  new  and  untried  country.  He  crossed  the 
great  rivers  of  Iowa — the  Cedar,  Iowa.  Des  Moines  and  Boone — and  finalh- 
landed  on  the  banks  of  the  North  Raccoon  ri\er.  in  Sac  county,  where  he 
proceeded  to  erect  the  first  log  house  in  what  is  now  Sac  City,  and  established 
himself  in  the  hotel  business  and  at  the  same  time  kept  a  stage  station  and 
general  store  for  the  accommodation  of  the  surrounding  settlers  in  this  sec- 
tion of  Iowa.     This  log  house  was  located  at  the  top  of  the  bill,  near  where 


o 

a 


o 


CO 

o 

n 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  265 

the  east  bridge  now  spans  the  Coon  river,  and  directly  across  Main  street 
from  the  present  residence  of  his  widow,  now  aged  about  ninet>--one  years. 
The  younger  generation  who  have  grown  up  here  can  scarce  reahze  that 
so  prosperous  a  city,  whh  its  wide,  well-kept  streets,  its  beautiful  buildings, 
its  brilliant  electric  lights,  its  many  sightly  homes,  its  flourishing  business 
district,  was  all  accomplished  within  the  memory  of  not  a  few  still  living 
here,  who  saw  the  first  beginnings  of  the  sprightly  little  cit>-.  .\nd.  too,  that 
less  than  sixtv  vears  ago  here  rciamcd  the  wild  beasts  of  the  field  and  the 
no  less  savage  red  man.  In  these  seemingly  short  years  has  the  city  sprung 
up  and  passed  through  its  struggles  as  a  pioneer  village,  been  incorporated 
and  now  is  known  far  and  near  for  its  enterprise  and  good  moral  character 
as  a  municipality. 

BUSINESS    INTERESTS. 

After  Judge  Criss  opened  his  little  general  merchandise  store  on  the 
south  side  of  East  Main  street,  the  next  to  embark  in  trade  was  William 
Todd,  who  added  a  general  store,  suitable  to  the  wants  of  the  people  at  that 
time.  This  was  a  hewn-log  house  located  on  the  southwest  corner  of  the 
block  facing  the  court  house  sc|uare  on  the  east. 

Coming  on  down  to  1873,  the  business  factors  of  the  town  were  out- 
lined in  the  Siiii,  the  following  cards,  etc.,  appearing  in  the  files  of  that 
paper  in  that  year :  A.  Mitchell,  agent  for  the  Illinois  Central,  at  Newell, 
Iowa ;  Levi  Davis,  real  estate,  taxpayer  and  full  set  of  Sac  county  abstracts ; 
Ed.  R.  Duffie,  attorney  at  law,  Sac  City:  C.  D,  Goldsmith,  attorney,  at 
Newell,  Buena  Vista  county  (now  Judge  Goldsmith,  of  Sac  City)  ;  William 
H.  Hobbs,  Sac  City,  notary  public,  real  estate  and  taxpayer ;  D.  Carr  Early, 
real  estate  and  broker,  Sac  City:  National  Life  Insurance  Company,  the 
only  insurance  company  in  the  L'nited  States  chartered  by  act  of  Congress, 
J.  N.  Miller,  local  agent.  Sac  City :  F.  Cobb  and  J.  E.  Armstrong,  veterinary 
surgeons.  Sac  City:  Dr.  J.  M.  Patty,  homeopathic  physician,  will  be  at  Sac 
Citv  everv  first  and  fifteenth  of  each  month,  to  treat  chronic  cases.  Office 
is,  when  at  home,  Carroll,  Iowa:  A.  T.  Brenton,  M.  D.,  Sac  City:  J.  H. 
Gould,  sign,  house  and  general  painter.  Sac  City :  hotel,  Lamoreaux  House, 
W.  V.  Lamoreaux,  proprietor.  Sac  City.  Here  one  finds  good  stabling  at- 
tached. Hacks  run  to  the  north  dail\-  and  for  the  south  each  Tuesday, 
Thursday  and  Frida}-.  Stexens  House.  Newell.  Iowa,  C.  N.  Stever,  pro- 
prietor. Northwestern  Drug  Company,  E.  W.  Foy.  Newell,  Iowa,  supplies 
for  physicians  and  surgeons,  in  Buena  Vista,  Calhoun,  Clay,   Sac  and  ad- 


266  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

ioining  counties — orders  promptly  lilled.  Will  Allen  carried  an  advertise- 
ment for  his  cheap  cash  store  and  names  two  thousand  dollars  worth  of  men's 
and  boys'  clothing;  also  sugar  at  from  six,  seven  and  eight  pounds  per 
dollar.  A.  Piatt  &  Co.  (A.  Piatt  and  J.  L.  Criss),  general  dealers,  Sac  City, 
Iowa. 

In  the  matter  of  the  milling  interest  it  may  be  well  to  quote  the  Sun 
of  its  issue  in  April.  1875:  "We  \\ent  over  Monday  to  look  through  Judge 
Criss's  flouring  mill.  It  was  in  full  blast,  with  plenty  of  custom  work, 
rushing  along  at  a  rapid  rate.  The  Judge  has  five  thousand  bushels  of  his 
own  wheat  to  make  into  flour  as  soon  as  possible.  Parties  are  coming  to 
this  mill  from  a  long  distance,  and  the  prospect  is  good  for  a  big  milling 
season." 

The  subjoined  item  from  the  Sac  Sun  in  1895,  gives  interesting  out- 
line history  of  the  various  milling  changes  in  .Sac  City :  "J.  E.  Robbins' 
pioneer  mills  burned  November,  1895;  it  was  a  fine  new  'roller'  system. 
Fifteen  thousand  bushels  of  prime  milling  wheat  was  burned,  with  the  newly 
furnished  milling  plant.  The  unfortunate  history  of  milling  here  is  about 
as  follows:  First  a  saw  mill  in  1866,  by  pioneer  Eugene  Criss,  who,  in 
1871,  established  a  flouring  mill,  and  for  a  time  Asa  Piatt  was  connected 
with  this  mill,  after  which  came  J.  L.  Comstock,  A.  D.  Peck,  Rev.  Robert 
Smylie  and  J.  H.  Baxter  in  1882.  Criss  made  money  for  a  number  of  years, 
but  the  property  failed  to  be  a  paying  investment  to  the  men  who  succeeded 
him.  and  in  1886  it  fell  into  the  hands  of  Judge  Criss  again,  and  soon  he 
sold  to  W.  G.  Wine — about  1889 — and  he  sold  to  Mr.  Robbins,  who  owned 
it  when  it  was  burned  in  1895.  It  had  not  paid  for  more  than  a  ^•ear  prior 
to  its  burning,  since   1872-73." 

After  the  burning  of  the  mill  a  stock  company  of  home  capitalists  was 
organized  and  the  mill  was  rebuilt  and  run  with  a  caj^acity  of  seventy-five 
barrels  per  day  of  excellent  flour,  it  was  started  as  the  new  organization's 
property  in  February,    1896. 

Another  account  of  the  mills  was  published  as  follows:  "On  Coon 
river,  adjoining  the  town,  and  only  a  c^uarter  of  a  mile  from  the  court 
house,  are  the  City  Mills,  the  jiroperty  of  pioneer  Eugene  Criss.  They  have 
three  run  of  stones  (one  for  the  making  of  patent  flour)  and  the  mill  is 
propelled  by  the  waters  of  the  Coon  river,  which  stream  Mr.  Criss  threw  a 
dam  across  in  1862.  In  1857  he  built  here  a  steam  mill,  but  after  his  dam 
was  built  run  both  mills  by  water  power.  .Xfter  the  building  of  railroads 
and  the  getting  in  of  pine  lumber,  the  saw  mill  had  about  served  the  purpose 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  267 

for  which  it  had  been  constructed  and  the  whole  was  changed  to  a  tlouring 
mill  plant  in  1S71,  when  the  lirst  grist  was  ground  during  the  month  of 
December." 

HOTELS. 

The  history  of  the  various  hotels  in  Sac  City  would  of  itself  make  a 
very  interesting  chapter,  but  all  the  space  allowed  in  a  work  of  this  charac- 
ter and  scope  is  the  following  on  this  topic:  At  the  time  of  the  opening  of 
the  present  Park  Hotel,  in  September.  1912,  Attorney  W.  H.  Hart  was  as- 
signed a  paper  or  remarks  on  the  hotels  of  the  past  in  Sac  City,  and  from 
this  account  the  following  has  been  extracted :  The  first  hotel  was  that  built 
by  pioneer  Eugene  Criss,  in  1855,  J^^st  east  of  what  is  now  Monument 
Square.  It  was  a  log  house,  fourteen  by  seventeen  feet,  with  a  loft  reached 
bv  means  of  a  ladder.  There  was  only  one  room  below,  and  this  served  as 
kitchen,  dining  room,  living  room  and  bedroom  for  the  landlord  and  his 
estimable  wife,  who  is  still  living,  past  ninety  years  of  age,  and  resides  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  street.  One  coi-ner  of  this  lower  room  was  parti- 
tioned off  by  a  curtain  and  there  J\lr.  and  Mrs.  Criss  had  their  sleeping  apart- 
ments. 

In  1857  this,  log  house  was  enlarged  to  seven  rooms.  This  was  the 
best  hotel  between  Fort  Dodge  and  Sioux  City,  and  it  was  on  the  govern- 
ment stage  route  between  the  two  places  named.  Here  stopped,  as  guests 
many  well-known  men  of  the  great  West,  including  the  first  United  States 
senator,  Gen.  George  VV.  Jones,  of  Dubuque,  Captain  Pollock  and  General 
Sully,  of  the  United  States  army,  Hon.  John  F.  Duncombe,  of  Fort  Dodge, 
who  was  a  fre(|uent  visitor  here  in  court  time  for  many  years.  The  upper 
room,  or  loft,  was  provided  with  home-made  beds  of  poles  fastened  together 
with  slats  nailed  across  the  tops,  covered  with  straw  ticks — called  excellent 
in  those  pioneer  times.  Later,  this  hotel  was  conducted  by  Asa  Piatt.  Next 
came  the  Lamoreaux  House,  late  in  the  fifties,  by  M.  S.  Lee.  It  stood  on 
the  corner  now  occupied  by  the  John  Fox  block,  and  was  kept  by  William 
Todd  several  years,  then  fell  to  the  Lamoreaux  family  and  still  later  to  D. 
J.   Clark. 

The  next  in  order,  perhaps,  was  the  Hendrickson  House,  built  by  Will- 
iam Chapin,  and  run  a  few  years  later  by  A.  H.  Hendrickson,  for  whom  it 
was  finally  named.  This  was  known  as  the  most  prominent  hotel  in  Sac 
City  for  many  years,  and  was  visited  by  all  travelers  in  the  great  North- 
west.    Hendrickson  was  succeeded  by  Jed  Landon,  and  he  in  turn  by  Mr. 


26<S  SAC    COUXTV.    IOWA. 

Hendrickson,  a  second  time.  A.  C.  Thomas  and  wife  also  conducted  this 
hotel,  and  they  were  immediately  succeeded  by  D.  M.  Farmer,  the  present 
landlord  and  owner  of  the  new  Park  Hotel.  This  house  was  a  part  of  what 
is  known,  and  has  been  for  some  time,  as  the  "Park  Plotel." 

The  Baxter  House  was  built  in  1873  by  Anson  Baxter.  It  was  orig- 
inally built  east  of  the  northeast  corner  of  the  court  house  square  and  after- 
wards moved  to  the  west  half  of  the  block,  on  which  the  present  hotel  now 
stands.  It  was  operated  man\-  }-ears  by  ^Ir.  Baxter,  and  later  by  George 
Stanley,  and  then  known  as  the  Stanley  House. 

The  Shirk  House,  now  known  as  the  Transient,  was  built  by  D.  E. 
Shirk  and  wife  in  1879-80  and  managed  by  them  until  the  death  of  Irath. 
It  then  became  the  property  of  S.  L.  Watt  and  was  operated  by  C.  W.  \\'ard 
for  a  time  and  fell  into  the  hands  of  William  Weldon. 

Other  hotels  have  been  the  Bauer,  by  W.  P.  Bauer,  now  a  residence  prop- 
erty. The  Nieworth  House  was  also  used  for  hotel  purposes  for  a  numljer 
of  years  bv  \Y.  F.  Moyer  and  of  late  by  ^Nlr.  and  ]\Irs.  H.  C.  Nieworth. 

The  Bimer  House,  at  the  Northwestern  depot,  was  built  by  John  H. 
Beimer.  Could  these  old  buildings  but  talk,  what  tales  they  could  relate  of 
bygone  days. 

The  present  Park  Hotel  is  built  and  run  on  purely  modern  plans  and  is 
a  credit  to  the  county  and  city  of  Sac.     It  was  opened  Sejitember  19,   1912. 

INDUSTRIES. 

The  Sac  City  Creamery  was  established  in  1879,  formerly  situated  a 
mile  and  a  half  from  town.  G.  M.  Parker  later  Iniilt  a  fine  brick  building: 
had  an  engine  room,  ice  house  and  wash  room  connected.  This  was  built 
in  1882  and  cost  five  thousand  dollars.  Operation  in  the  creamery  com- 
menced in  April,  1882.     It  was  run  on  the  cream-gathering  plan. 

The  Sac  City  Greenhouse,  C.  A.  Nokes,  proprietor,  is  one  of  the  beauty 
spots  of  this  city.  It  is  located  on  West  Main  street,  near  the  Northwestern 
depot,  where  a  fine,  large  assortment  of  the  choicest  array  of  flowers  mav 
be  seen  at  all  seasons  of  the  .year.  This  industry  was  established  in  the 
nineties.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nokes  thoroughly  understand  their  business 
and  most  of  the  floral  offerings  for  afldrnment  at  humc,  at  funerals  and 
weddings  in  this  section  come  frnm  this  greenhouse. 

The  greatest  industry  of  the  city  now  is,  perhaps,  the  plant  of  the 
Cement    Product   Compan\-,    which   corporation    was    formed    in    191 2,    and 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  209 

took  over  the  interests  of  the  Sac  City  Cement  Pipe  Company,  owned  by 
J.  J.  and  J.  P.  Hammen.  The  first  officers  of  the  present  corporation  were : 
J.  J.  Hammen.  president:  J.  J.  Radford,  \-ice-president  and  secretary;  R.  F. 
]\Ialli>r}-,  treasurer.  This  concern  manufactures  a  superior  cement  pipe  for 
ditching  and  sewer  purposes,  which  finds  sale  in  all  parts  of  the  country. 
Their  works  are  near  the  Milwaukee  depot,  where  most  of  the  raw  material, 
such  as  sand  and  fine  gravel,  is  found  in  great  abundance.  The  machinery 
is  all  modern  and  the  capacity  is  large. 

Most  certainly  the  canning  factory  is  one  of  Sac  Cit}-'s  best  enterprises, 
during  the  season  in  which  it  is  operated.  In  u)oo  this  plant  was  located  in 
the  western  jiart  of  the  city,  and  its  first  cost  was  about  thirtv  th(jusand 
dollars.  Up  to  1910  it  was  under  the  supervision  of  H.  H.  Allison,  who 
conducted  a  successful  canning  season  with  the  return  of  each  rear's  crop 
as  long  as  he  was  connected  therewith.  During  1910  Mr.  Allison  disposed 
of  his  interest  in  the  factory  to  W.  C.  and  A.  H.  Ellis,  of  \'inton,  this  state. 
A.  H.  Ellis  ha\ing  charge  of  the  plant  in  Sac  City.  I'nder  the  new  manage- 
ment this  factory  has  had  many  ne\\'  improvements  installed.  The  canning 
of  sweet  corn  is  the  principal  work  of  this  factory.  The  canning  season 
usually  lasts  about  a  month — sometimes  three  weeks  and  again  five  weeks' 
run.  During  this  season  there  are  required  about  three  hundred  and  fifty 
men  and  women  to  care  for  the  product.  Aliout  two  million  cans  of  excel- 
lent grade  sweet  corn  is  annually  canned  at  this  factory — a  great  industry 
for  prairie  Iowa  and  Sac  county.  Sweet  corn  has  become  profitable  to  raise 
in  this  section,  for  it  brings  in  to  the  farmer  many  dollars  which  he  needs 
Isefore  the  marketing  of  his  regular  field  corn  crop. 

In  1908  this  canning  company  purchased  the  plant  at  Storm  Lake  and 
have,  in  addition  to  their  large  interests  at  Vinton,  been  running  these  two 
in  western  Iowa.  All  these  factories  turn  out  a  large  annual  output  which 
finds  ready  sale  in  nearln-  cities,  through  grocers  and  commission  men.  "The 
Sac  Brand''  sells  in  case  lots  everx- where. 

Among  the  earlier  enterprises  may  lie  mentioned  an  iron  foundry  and 
machine  shop,  of  which  the  Sun  in  1879  said:  "The  iron  foundry  of  Sac 
City  was  established  bv  Thomas  \\'ood,  uses  an  eight-horse-power  engine 
and  employs  five  workmen.  Here  portable  steam  engines  are  manufactured; 
also  oil  mills  made.  With  these  works  is  the  only  fuundr\-  and  machine  shop 
in  the  county." 

Another  of  the  intlustries  of  Sac  Cit}-  that  naturally  finds  place  in  this 
connection  is  the  lightning  r<:)d  manufacturing  plant  of  Martin  &  Company, 


270  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

who  are  the  successors  to  the  firm  of  Dock!  &  Ehvood,  who  finally  estab- 
lished great  plants  in  both  Des  Moines  and  Omaha.  Sac  Cit\'  is  the  home 
of  this  superior  lightning'  rod — a  twisted  wire  of  copper  material.  In  short, 
the  idea  was  conceived  of  by  I'latt  Armstrong  at  Lake  \'iew  when  he  tested 
his  theory  on  a  barn  he  had  built  at  an  early  date,  and  from  what  he  dis- 
covered finallv  de\eloped  into  the  copper  rod  now  so  popular  all  over  the 
country. 

THE   WAYT    MONUMENT    WORKS. 

In  manv  \\a_\s  one  of  the  most  valualjle  industries  in  Sac  City,  at  pres- 
ent, is  the  wholesale  and  retail  monument  works  of  W.  B.  \\'ayt  &  Son. 
This  business  was  established  in  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa,  in  1867  by  W.  B.  and 
B.  F.  Wayt,  under  the  name  of  B.  F.  \A'ayt  &  Brother.  A  few  years  later 
the  plant  was  moved  to  Jefferson,  Iowa,  and  in  1S89  moved  to  Sac  City.  At 
first  it  was  located  in  a  small  shop  on  Fifth  street,  in  a  room  twenty  by 
twentv  feet.  There  the  business  was  carried  on  along  business  lines,  ever 
seeking  to  do  excellent  work  and  treat  patrons  fairly.  As  the  business  in- 
creased, more  room  had  to  be  provided  and  in  a  few  years  the  shop  was 
moved  to  a  building  on  the  corner  of  Fifth  and  Audubon  streets,  and  there 
it  assumed  larger  proportions  than  before:  the  trade  began  to  reach  out  over 
a  much  larger  scope  of  territory,  and  in  the  month  of  December,  1913,  it 
was  removed  again  'to  a  new  building,  near  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern 
railway  depot.  .\t  this  date  (March,  1914)  only  the  basement  of  their  new 
quarters  is  occupied.  \Mien  completed,  the  building  will  be  a  brick  and 
stone  building  twenty-seven  by  one  hundred  feet,  with  two  floors.  Electric 
power  and  compressed  air  equipment  are  installed  in  this  factory,  from 
which  annually  goes  forth  an  immense  amount  of  fine  granite  and  marble 
monument  work,  to  all  parts  of  the  Northwest.  Ten  men  are  constantly 
employed  and  from  five  to  seven  solicitors  are  on  the  road  taking  orders. 
This  firm  does  an  annual  business  of  about  eighty  thousand  dollars. 

When  the  business  was  established  at  Sac  City  Mr.  Wayt's  brother 
remained  at  Jefl'erson.  L.  R.  Wa}'t,  the  son  of  W.  B.  \\'ayt,  of  Sac  City, 
was  taken  in  as  a  partner  in  iqoi,  and  has  been  instrumental  in  helping  to 
greatly  enlarge  the  business,  and  in  1906  a  wholesale  department  was  estab- 
lished, which  has  proven  very  successful. 

Besides  their  business  in  Sac  county,  this  enterprising  firn.i  maintains  an 
office  for  purchasing  its  foreign  granite,  at  No.  46-A  Union  street,   Aber- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  27I 

deen,  Scotland.  They  also  are  stockholders  in  a  granite  quarry  at  St.  Cloud, 
Minnesota. 

It  was  this  firm,  of  whom  Sac  City  is  justly  proud,  that  so  liberally 
donated  the  beautiful  and  expensive  monument  at  the  foot  of  the  new  sec- 
tion of  the  city  cemetery,  dedicated  to  the  memory  of  the  fallen  heroes  of 
the  Civil  War,  an  account  of  which  has  already  been  given  in  another  chapter 
in  this  work.  This  firm  constructs  mausoleums  and  large  monuments  as 
specialty  work,  and  do  a  large  wholesale  and  retail  business. 

The  extensive  seed  house  of  Conger,  Ball  &  Company,  of  Sac  City,  was 
established  in  1907  and  their  present  large  warehouse,  on  the  Northwestern 
railway  tracks,  was  erected  in  1910.  It  is  thirty  by  one  hundred  feet  in 
area  and  three  stories  high.  Here  all  kinds  of  farm  and  field  seeds  are 
handled  in  a  retail  and  jobbing  way.  Seed  corn,  grain  seeds,  clover  and 
timothy  seeds  are  all  carried  in  immense  c|uantities.  Many  of  these  superior 
seeds  are  grown  in  Sac  county,  and  find  read\-  sale  in  western  Iowa  and 
some  jobbing  is  extended  into  adjoining  states. 

The  Sac  City  Nursery  is  the  property  of  W.  W.  Stokes,  and  is  situated 
within  the  corporate  limits  of  the  town.  It  has  been  in  existence  a  number 
of  years  and  carries  a  good  \'ariety  of  fruit  and  shade  trees,  shrubs,  etc.,  all 
suitable  for  this  part  of  the  country.  There  are  only  two  nurseries  in  Sac 
county,  the  one  above  named  and  one  in  operation  at  Grant  City. 

The  Sac  City  Catering  Company  was  incorporated  in  191 3  with  a  capi- 
tal of  ten  thousand  dollars.  The  object  of  this  company  is  to  manufacture 
and  sell  Guernsey  ice  cream,  sherbets  and  fancy  ices  throughout  the  sur- 
rounding country.  The  company  will  establish  a  complete  bottling  works, 
and  for  the  present  season  will  occupy  a  part  of  the  Sac  City  creamery  build- 
ing, but  expect  in  1915  to  erect  a  large,  modern  building  of  their  own.  The 
officers  of  this  corporation  are :  L.  R.  Wayt,  president ;  J.  H.  Anthony, 
vice-president;  C.  M.  Whitted,  secretarj-;  O.  C.  Pfaff,  treasurer.  The  busi- 
ness of  making  such  articles  is  largely,  on  the  increase  in  America,  and  here, 
right  in  the  field  where  the  dairy  and  cream  interests  are  large,  is  a  suitable 
location  in  which  to  build  up  an  extensive  business  along  this  line. 

Marion  Mock's  feed  mill  is  another  useful  and  growing  industry  which 
furnishes  the  community  with  ground  feed,  and  the  concern  also  retails  and 
wholesales  familv  flour,  etc.  Their  plant  is  near  the  Northwestern  station 
in  this  city. 

The  Sac  City  Creamery  is  doing  an  excellent  business.  Its  proprietor 
is  A.  E.  Schultz,  who  established  the  plant  in  May,  1913.     He  occupies  the 


272  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

cement  l:)lock  building  erected  and  used  as  a  garage  by  R.  D.  Bechler.  Mr. 
Schultz  was  engaged  in  like  business  at  Grant  county,  \^'isconsin.  for  eigh- 
teen years  and  was  president  of  the  National  Creamery  Association.  This 
l>lant  in  Sac  City  is  furnished  with  niddern  machinery  and  has  a  daily  capac- 
ity of  three  thousand  pounds.  Four  or  five  men  here  find  constant  employ- 
ment. The  Ijutter  from  this  creamery  finds  ready  sale  in  Boston,  Massa- 
husetts.     The  cream  is  brought  in  from  a  radius  of  ten  miles  from  Sac  City. 

ALLEN    INSTITUTE. 

What  was  known  as  the  Allen  Institute,  a  hospital  for  the  cure  of 
those  addicted  to  the  lic[uor,  tobacco  and  opium  habits,  was  established  in 
Sac  City  in  1893  ^"d  finally  incorporated  with  a  home  capital  of  fifty  thou- 
sand dollars,  for  the  treatment  of  such  unfortunate  cases.  Dr.  J.  1.  Allen 
and  bVank  C.  Hoagland  were  the  originators  and  held  similar  remedies  as 
were  then  popularly  known  as  "Keele}'  Cures."  The  president  was  Mr. 
Allen;  vice-president,  C.  A.  Pratt;  S.  M.  Elwood,  treasurer;  D.  G.  Piatt,  sec- 
retary.    They  held  the  exclusive  rights  for  Iowa  on  their  remedy. 

MUNICIPAL    HISTORY. 

Sac  City  ran  along  as  other  country  county-seat  towns  in  those  times 
did,  until  1875,  when  it  was  duly  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  the  state. 
Eugene  Criss,  known  as  the  "Father  of  Sac  City,"  was  elected  the  first 
mayor  of  the  place  when  it  was  incorporated.  He  addressed  the  trustees 
(council)  ui)on  taking  his  seat  as  follows:  "Fellow  Citizens,  I  do  not  feel 
at  perfect  liberty  to  enter  upon  the  duties  of  my  office  without  first  tender- 
ing you  my  thanks  for  the  confidence  you  still  have  in  me  as  the  pioneer  of 
your  beloved  city.  It  is  nearly  twenty  years  ago  since  I  built  the  first  cabin 
of  your  town,  when  the  marks  were  vet  fresh  from  the  wigwanis  of  the  hos- 
tile Sioux  Indians,  who  had  chosen,  as  they  later  informed  me,  as  the  pride 
of  their  lives,  this  location.  Nearh'  twenty  years  of  the  prime  of  my  life 
have  been  spent  right  here,  and  today  I  can  say  that  my  expectations  have 
been  more  than  realized.  Some  of  the  most  magnificent  structures  ha\e  been 
erected  where  but  a  few  years  ago  all  was  in  a  stage  of  a  real  wilderness. 
Everything  around  us  has  the  appearance  of  prosperity  and  happiness,  and 
for  this,  with  many  other  reasons,  we  ought  to  be  thankful  to  God. 

";\nd  in  entering  u])iin  the  duties  of  our  different  ofifices  to  which  we 
have  been  elected,  let  us  trv  to  have  all  our  efforts  crowned  with  success. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  273 

And  in  order  that  this  may  be,  it  becomes  our  duty  in  framing  ordinances 
that  we  observe  the  Sabbath  day  and  that  all  public  places  be  kept  closed, 
except  hotels  and  others  in  cases  of  necessity.  Relying  upon  all  good  citi- 
zens to  aid  us  in  this  new  enterprise,  we  believe  our  labors  will  be  crowned 

with  success.' 

The  tirst  year's  report  on  finances  in  the  newly  incorporated  town  shows 
the  following:  Revenue.s— Billiards,  $87.50;  beer  and  wine,  $75.00:  baga- 
telle, $10:  restaurants.  $12;  dog  tax,  $51;  shows,  $8.00;  sidewalks,  $60.75; 
auctioneers,  $5.00;  fines  and  peddlers,  $2.00;  total,  $31 1.74- 

The  city  has  progressed  with  the  passing  of  the  years,  until  it  has  come 
to  be  known  as  a  "clean  city,"  and  also  a  saloonless  city. 

The  incorporation  owns  a  good  city  hall,  in  which  the  council  chamber 
and  fire  department  are  located.  Sac  City  now  has  an  indebtedness  of  about 
fifteen  thousand  dollars.  The  city  has  been  in  the  hands  of  good  officials, 
for  the  most  part.  Among  its  mayors  may  be  mentioned  such  men  as  Phil 
Schaller,  W.  H.  Hart.  J.  M.  Highland,  D.  Carr  Early,  C.  E.  Lee,  J.  H.  Tait, 
Dr.  J.  H.  Stalford,  Orville  Lee.  W.  O.  Gishwiller  and  Dr.  W.  H.  Townsend. 

WATER    WORKS    AND    LIGHTING,    ETC. 

In  the  month  of  July,  1884,  the  authorities  of  Sac  City  contracted  with 
Fairbanks,  Morse  &  Company,  Chicago,  to  furnish  all  the  necessary  ma- 
terials to  be  used  in  the  construction  of  a  waterworks  plant.  The  price  paid 
for  such  material  was  three  thousand  five  hundred  dollars.  The  plant  was 
located  west  of  the  Northwestern  tracks.  At  first  a  wind-mill  afforded  the 
power  with  which  the  water  was  pumped  from  a  large  well,  to  a  tank  hold- 
ing one  thousand  six  hundred  barrels  of  water.  The  pump's  capacity  was 
five  hundred  barrels  per  day.  The  contract  for  digging  the  trenches  was  let 
to  an  Ida  Grove  man  at  one  dollar  and  sixty  cents  per  rod.  The  entire  work 
of  putting  in  the  plant  was  fixed  so  as  to  be  completed  September  i,   1884. 

This  plant  was  never  a  success,  and  the  town  was  under  a  great  strain 
each  year  for  want  of  good,  pure  water  in  a  sufficient  quantity  to  supply  all 
demands  upon  it.  Change  after  change  was  made  until,  in  1894.  a  company 
of  enterprising  citizens  purchased  a  boiler  and  good  pumping  outfit,  and 
leased  same  to  the  city  authorities,  after  which  a  better  service  was  given. 
In  1899  a  new  reservoir  was  added,  giving  double  the  capacity  of  the  former 
one.  The  supply  of  water — the  purest  to  be  had  in  the  country — is  obtained 
(17) 


274  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

from  a  series  of  big  springs,  out  to  the  northwest  of  the  city  a  mile  or  two, 
the  same  being  piped  to  the  immense  stand-pipe  in  the  cit}*. 

The  electric  lighting  proposition  was  brought  up  in  February,  i8g8, 
and  submitted  to  the  people,  who  decided  by  a  large  majority  to  install  a 
fifteen-thousand-dollar  plant,  the  same  to  be  provided  by  individual  subscrip- 
tions in  stock  of  fifty  dollars  per  share.  This  measure  was  adopted  by  the 
vote  of  the  people,  by  a  majority  of  two  hundred  and  one.  The  plant  was 
installed  and  the  city  first  had  electric  lights  September  14,  1908.  The  next 
great  lighting  improvement  was  in  July,  191 1,  when  the  present  electrolier 
system  of  street  lights  was  set  in  motion.  A  demonstration  was  had;  music 
and  an  automobile  program  and  parade  was  carried  out.  This  system  was 
installed  by  a  Des  Moines  firm  and  cost  one  thousand  five  hundred  dollars 
for  the  twenty-five  poles  erected  with  their  five  globes  of  beautiful  light. 

FIRE    DEPARTMENT. 

Ever  alive  to  the  best  interests  and  protection  of  the  property  of  the 
place.  Sac  City  has  a  well  organized,  well-trained  fire  company  which  stands 
high  among  the  companies  in  the  western  ])art  of  the  state.  It  has  a  mem- 
bership of  forty,  divided  into  two  wings  or  divisions,  Summit  Hose  Com- 
pany and  the  Clipper  Company,  the  former  having  headquarters  on  the  hill, 
which  the  latter  has  its  home  at  the  City  Hall.  The  best  type  of  young 
manhood  makes  up  these  two  fire-fighting  companies.  They  are  well  sup- 
plied by  the  city  with  the  best  of  equipment,  such  as  plenty  of  hose,  hook- 
and-ladder  apparatus,  nozzles,  hydrants,  etc.  When  the  alarm  is  given  and 
the  wagons  start  citizens  know  the  fire  will  soon  be  extinguished.  The 
firemen  are  backed  by  the  best  waterworks  system  possible  to  provide,  a 
stand-pipe  full  of  water,  with  great  natural  pressure.  There  are  now  forty- 
eight  fire  plugs  or  street  hydrants  in  use.  The  department  has  two  chemical 
engines,  two  hose  carts,  and  two  hook-and-ladder  outfits. 

The  city  officials  in  the  month  of  March,  1914,  are:  Mayor,  N.  O. 
Gishwiller;  clerk.  W.  F.  Weary;  treasurer,  C.  C.  Jameson;  police,  George  I. 
Cory ;  night  watchman.  J.  E.  Austin ;  health  officer.  Dr.  W.  J.  Findley ;  city 
councilmen,  J.  Wilbur  Neal,  B.  S.  Wallace,  Wesley  Gilbert,  John  Anthony, 
J.  I.  Prentice,  B.  A.  Young. 

In  March,  1907,  an  election  was  held  in  the  city  to  determine  on  some 
course  to  be  pursued  by  which  the  city  might  be  assured  of  better  park  ac- 
commodations.    It  was  proposed  to  take  over  the  defunct  agricultural  !so- 


SAC    COUNTY,,    IOWA.  275 

ciety,  and  bond  the  town  for  twenty  years  by  a  two-mill  tax.  There  were 
two  hundred  and  eight  women  voted  and  four  hundred  and  forty-two  men. 
and  the  measure  carried  by  sixty-four  majority.  No  further  action  was 
ever  had  in  the  matter. 

COMMERCIAL   CLUB. 

What  is  known  as  the  Commercial  Club,  in  Sac  City,  was  organized 
in  191  o  and  has  accomplished  big  things  for  the  place.  It  unites  the  busi- 
ness men  and  concentrates  their  aim  on  the  general  welfare  of  the  place. 
Practically  every  business  man  here  is  associated  with  this  club,  which  is 
purely  a  business  institution  for  the  upbuilding  of  Sac  City.  At  first  they 
were  prominent  in  laying  off  the  Hawkeye  Cutoff,  which  runs  from  Fort 
Dodge  to  Sioux  City.  They  aided  in  putting  up  sign-boards  and  also  as- 
sisted in  doing  much  towards  good  roads  in  the  county.  Among  the  early 
officers  and  committeemen  were  such  men  as  the  following:  J.  H.  Stafford, 
F.  W.  Loring,  George  B.  Perkins,  J.  M.  Fox,  L.  R.  Wayt,  F.  R.  Brownell, 
W.  A.  Ball.  S.  M.  Elwood,  Asa  Piatt,  H.  J.  Drewry,  Byron  Wallace,  J.  W. 
Wilson  and  J.  H.  Harter.  The  Commercial  Club  works  under  the  city's 
motto,  "We  do  better — come  and  see." 

The  present  officers  ( 1914)  are:  R.  L.  McCord,  Jr.,  president;  W.  ]. 
Findley.  vice-president;  R.  R.  Cobb,  secretary;  John  H.  Fox,  treasurer. 

The  city  is  provided  with  an-to-date  opera  house,  which  was  opened  to 
the  general  public  in  December.  1883.  "The  Planter's  Wife"  being  the  first 
play  put  upon  the  stage.  In  1906  the  association  was  reincorporated  with 
a  capital  of  twentv  thousand  dollars  and  the  present  opera  house  was 
erected. 

The  Chicago  &  Northwestern  railroad  entered  the  city  in  1879,  and 
this  greatly  enthused  the  people  to  set  about  improving  the  place.  The 
Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  railroad  entered  the  city  in  1899,  thus  giving 
connections  with  two  great  trunk  lines  of  steam  railway. 

Public  drinking  fountains  were  provided  in  the  city,  through  the  ef- 
forts of  the  Commercial  Club,  in  September,  191 1. 

OAKLAND    CEMETERY. 

The  manner  in  which  any  people — city  or  country — cares  for  its  de- 
parted dead,  is  almost  a  true  index  to  the  real  character  of  such  people. 
This  marks  the  distinction  between  the  civilized  and  uncivilized. 

What   is   known  as   Oakland   Cemetery   Association   was   formed   and 


276  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

duly  incorporated  May  25,  1874,  under  the  state  incorporation  laws  pro- 
vided for  in  the  statutes  as  a  corporation,  "not  for  pecuniary  profit,"  and 
the  articles  provide  that  no  stock  shall  be  authorized,  no  certificates  of  stock 
shall  ever  be  issued  and  no  dividends  ever  be  declared.  The  object  of  this 
corporation  is  to  purchase,  or  acquire  by  gift  or  otherwise,  lands  suitable 
for  cemeterv  purposes  and  to  care  for  and  maintain  a  cemetery  to  be  known 
as  "Oakland  Cemetery"  and  to  sell  and  convey  lots  herein  for  cemetery 
purposes  only.  No  member  has  any  interest  in  the  assets  and  property  of 
the  association  and  all  money  received  shall  be  used  in  buying  additional  real 
estate,  caring  for  the  property  and  beautifying  the  grounds.  The  affairs  of 
this  association  are  managed  by  a  board  of  directors,  and  are  in  no  way  con- 
trolled by  any  religious  organization  or  body.  The  grounds  are  kej)!  up 
from  the  proceeds  of  the  lots  sold,  and  a  small  annual  fee  charged  each  lot 
owner  for  the  care  of  his  or  her  lots.  The  original  cemetery,  as  above 
named,  consisted  of  between  fifteen  and  seventeen  acres  of  land  just  north 
of  the  city,  proper,  and  in  the  beautiful  second-growth  oak  forest,  near  the 
bridge  crossing  the  Coon  river  into  Sac  City.  A  cement  walk  runs  from 
the  main  street  of  the  city  to  the  entrance  of  this  portion  of  the  cemetery. 
By  reason  of  what  nature  has  done  for  this  site,  and  the  improvements 
made  by  the  association,  it  is  called  by  visitors  of  extensive  travel  to  be  one 
of  the  finest  burying  grounds  within  all  Iowa.  J.  W.  Sutherland  has  been 
the  painstaking  sexton  for  many  years. 

Only  a  few  years  ago  it  became  manifest  that  the  city  would  ere  long 
need  more  extensive  grounds  and,  wisely,  the  directors  of  the  association 
purchased  a  large  addition  on  the  uplands,  to  the  north  of  the  first  named 
grounds.  Here  there  are  already  a  goodly  number  of  graves.  At  the 
entrance  of  the  addition  there  stands  an  imposing  granite  monunment  in 
memory  of  the  soldier  dead  of  the  community.  This  was  the  work  and  dona- 
tion of  Messrs.  W.  B.  Wayt  &  Son,  wholesale  and  retail  dealers  in  granite 
and  marble  work,  of  Sac  City.  Its  base  and  sides  contain  the  following 
inscriptions : 

"Presented  September,  1906,  by  JV.  B.  Wayt  ami  Son  to  the 

General  IV.  T.  Sherman  Post  No.  28  G.  A.  R." 

" Dedieated  to  the  Defenders  of  the  Union — 1861-1865." 

"SOLDIERS, 

SAILORS, 

CITIZENS." 

"May  the  Keiveud'rance  of  Their  Valor  and   Patriotis]n   be  Perpetuated." 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  277 

These  inscriptions  are  on  the  base  and  sides  of  the  twenty-foot  shaft. 
The  monument  stands  where  the  south  sunhght  strikes  it  in  full  force.  It 
is  surrounded  by  a  good  cement  circular  walk,  with  a  neat  stone  carved  rustic 
seat  where  the  passer  by,  be  he  an  old  veteran,  the  son  of  a  veteran  or  a 
civilian,  may  pause  and  rest  and  there  reflect  upon  the  defenders  of  the  flag 
of  our  country. 

The  character  and  style,  as  well  as  the  expense  of  the  hundreds  if  not 
thousands  of  tombstones  and  larger  monuments  throughout  both  the  older 
and  later  sections  of  Oakland  are  a  credit  to  those  who  had  them  erected 
to  the  memorv  of  their  friends.  There  are  no  \ery  elaborate  and  expensive 
monuments,  but  all  are  of  more  than  the  average  age,  and  bespeak  taste  and 
sentiment  in  keeping  with  the  sacred  enclosures.  No  more  beautiful  spot 
could  have  been  selected  by  the  people  of  the  city  for  a  last  resting  place  of 
their  dead.  In  the  springtime,  when  all  nature  is  at  its  best,  on  Memorial 
or  Decoration  day,  the  new  leaves  of  the  great  number  of  native  oaks  cast  a 
light  shadow  over  the  sacred  mounds,  which  are  carpeted  with  a  mantle  of 
grass,  well  cared  for  and  mowed  sufliciently  to  present  a  sight  not  soon  to  be 
forgotten  ]:)y  the  beholder.  Here  rests  pioneer,  later  settler,  soldier  and 
civilian.     "And  they  sleep  and  heed  it  not." 

The  names  of  the  original  trustees  of  the  cemetery  association  were 
D.  Carr  Early,  B.  W.  Trout,  W.  H.  Hobbs,  N.  W.  Condron,  S.  W.  Sinclair. 
J.  L.  Woodward,  Thomas  Alexander  and  Eugene  Criss. 

The  first  burying  ground  near  Sac  City  was  that  near  pioneer  J.  W. 
Tiberghien's  farm  southeast  of  the  city  two  or  three  miles.  There  were 
buried  a  number  of  the  earlier  deceased  persons  of  the  county,  and  many  of 
the  pioneer  settlers  there  rest  from  life's  cares  and  joys.  These  grounds, 
consisting  of  about  five  acres,  are  cared  for  in  a  most  sacred  and  scrupulous 
manner  by  J-  W.  Tiberghien,  who  takes  great  pride  and  considers  it  a  duty 
imposed  upon  him,  so  long  as  he  lives,  to  see  that  this  spot  of  ground  is 
properly  protected  and  cared  for.  Here  are  tombstones  showing  many  per- 
sons buried  there  to  have  been  born  before  1800,  a  thing  not  observed  at 
another  place  in  Sac  county.  These  grounds  were  first  used  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  Civil  War  by  the  public,  but  previous  to  that  a  few  had 
been  buried  there. 

Pioneer  Hugh  Cory  states  that  at  an  early  day  there  were  found  three 
Indian  burying  grounds,  situated  in  triangular  form,  on  the  southeast  corner 
of  the  present  public  square,  and  on  the  opposite  side  of  what  is  now  Main 
street,  near  the  east  end  of  Monument  park.     Here  were  excavated  many 


278  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

Indian   skeletons   when   the   street    was   dng   away    for    town    improvement 
purposes. 

PUBLIC  I.IBR.\RY. 

Perhaps  no  better  history  of  this  institution  can  be  given  than  the  fol- 
lowing record  which  was  made  an.d  deposited  in  the  corner  stone  of  the  new 
Carnegie  Library  building,  which  record  runs  thus : 

"On  the  snowy  night  of  January  11.  1907,  a  mass  meeting  was  held  in 
the  courtroom  to  plan  for  a  free  public  library.  Aliss  Alice  Tyler,  secretary 
of  the  hnva  state  library  commission,  gave  a  talk  on  "Public  Libraries  and 
the  Practicability  of  Procuring  a  Library  for  Sac  City."  Professor  Garrett, 
superintendent  of  the  public  schools,  presided.  At  the  close  of  the  talk  com- 
mittees were  appointed  to  draft  a  constitution,  secure  members,  and  to  solicit 
funds.  The  committee  on  constitution,  composed  of  Professor  Garrett, 
G.  W.  Lee  and  S.  M.  Stouffer,  conferred  and  recommended  a  constitution 
adapting  the  requirements  of  the  state  library  law  to  the  needs  of  towns 
without  maintenance  tax.  This  was  used  until  the  town  had  such  a  tax. 
Miss  Tyler  ])rought  with  her  a  case  of  fifty  books  from  the  state  traveling 
library  and  left  them  for  three  months  and  thus  the  library  was  started. 

"In  February  a  meeting  was  held  at  which  it  was  found  there  had  been 
one  hundred  and  forty-six  members  secured,  each  paying  one  dollar  a  year 
membership  fee.  From  this  number  a  board  of  nine  trustees  was  selected, 
as  follows:  Dr.  B.  P.  Blackstone,  J.  H.  Tait.  Ed  Welch.  Jr.,  G.  W.  Lee, 
E.  L.  Ahrens,  Mesdames  Z.  Fuller.  E.  N.  Bailey.  F.  \V.  Loring  and  Miss 
Nellie  Banes.  The  personnel  of  the  board  has  changed  but  little,  thus  giving 
continuitv  and  uniformity  to  the  work.  Dr.  Blackstone  was  the  first  presi- 
dent; Mrs.  Loring,  vice-president;  E.  L.  Ahrens.  treasurer,  and  Miss  Xellie 
Banes,  secretary. 

"The  council  room,  in  the  new  city  hall,  was  secured  for  the  library,  the 
city  furnishing  the  light.  From  the  beginning  it  has  been  open  two  after- 
noons and  evenings,  each  week.  and.  for  awhile,  two  hours  each  Sunday 
afternoon.  Seven  young  ladies  ha\e  served  as  librarians  and  much  credit 
should  be  given  them  for  their  interest  and  faithfulness.  They  are  ]\Iisses 
E\a  Mich.  Xellie  Banes,  ^lary  I'uller.  Clare  Persons.  Pearl  Ahrens,  Xan 
Denman  and  lila  Ahrens. 

"The  annual  reports  show  the  steatly  increase  in  interest  w  hich  the  move- 
ment had  from  the  beginning. 

"The  first  annual  repiirt.  made  March  4.  1908,  shows  the  library  associa- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  279 

tion  now  owns  eight  hundred  books,  has  two  hundred  and  fifty  borrowers 
and  has  received  $307.19,  expended  $233.06,  leaving  a  balance  of  $74.13  in 
the  treasury.  Plans  were  made  at  this  meeting  to  raise  a  fund  of  $1,000 
and  $403  were  subscribed. 

"Second  Annual  Report. — This  shows  that  on  March  i,  1909,  the  num- 
ber of  volumes  owned  by  the  association,  710;  number  of  books  added  during 
the  year  450;  books  loaned,  2,600;  expenditures,  $308.41.  Dr.  Blackstone 
having  removed  from  town,  W.  J.  Dixon  was  elected  to  fill  the  vacancy. 

"Third  Annual  iveport,  March  2,  1910:  Number  of  \olumes,  861; 
number  of  borrowers,  580;  number  of  books  donated,  25;  number  of  books 
bought,  124;  number  of  books  loaned,  4.076;  number  of  magazines  taken, 
4;  number  of  books  niended,  40;  expenditures  for  the  year,  $210.85.  Miss 
Edna  Lyman,  of  the  state  lilirary  cummission,  visited  the  library  and  held  a 
story  hour  for  the  different  grades  in  the  public  school,  meeting  the  people 
of  the  town  at  night.  Story  hours  for  the  children  were  started  and  con- 
ducted by  Miss  Pearl  Ahrens.  These  proved  very  helpful  and  gave  the  chil- 
dren a  taste  for  the  best  literature.  Later  Mrs.  J.  Irving  Brown  gave  the 
story  hours  in  the  high  schcjol  building,  calling  the  attention  of  the  students 
to  the  best  present-day  fiction. 

"Annual  Report  for  1911  :  Number  of  volumes  in  library,  1.130;  num- 
ber added  during  the  year,  168;  total  circulation  during  the  year,  6,385; 
largest  daily  circulation,  122;  smallest  daily  circulation,  21;  average,  64;  per 
centage  of  children's  books  circulated,  51  5/6;  of  adults,  8  1/6;  number 
books  rebound,  3;  number  books  repaired,  165:  number  of  newspapers  and 
magazines,  8;  number  of  borrowers'  cards  in  full  force,  700;  number  of  days 
open  during  the  year,  100;  number  of  hours  open  each  week,  10;  fourteen 
story  hours  were  held. 

"Movement  For  Maintenance  Tax. — Steps  were  taken  in  1909  to  secure 
a  Carnegie  library  building  and  a  proposition  was  submitted  to  the  people 
of  the  town  to  secure  a  library  maintenance  tax.  This  proposition  was  de- 
feated at  an  election  held  March  29,  1909. 

"January,  1910,  plans  were  again  made  to  secure  this  maintenance  tax 
and  a  campaign  started.  Intelligent  interest  grew  and  when  the  president, 
\\'.  J.  Dixon,  appeared  before  the  council  submitting  the  following  resolu- 
tion the  council  unanimously  adopted  it ;  the  councilmen  at  the  time  were 
J.  H.  Stoner,  M.  M.  Heptonstall,  C.  A.  Schulte,  A.  T.  Brownell  and  Ira 
Conger,  with  Dr.  W.  H.  Townsend,  mayor.  The  resolution  read :  'Be  it 
resolved  by  the  city  council  of  Sac  City.  Iowa,  that  a  special  election  be  called, 


28o  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

the  same  to  be  held  on  the  12th  day  of  July,  A.  D.  19 10,  for  the  purpose  of 
submitting  to  the  qualified  \oters  of  the  incorporated  city  of  Sac  City,  Iowa, 
the  proposition  of  providing  and  maintaining  a  free  public  lilirary  in  the  city 
of  Sac  City,  Iowa;  that  a  tax  not  to  exceed  thi-ee  mills  on  the  dollar  of  the 
assessable  property  of  the  incorporated  city  of  Sac  City,  Iowa,  be  levied  fo-r 
the  maintenance  of  said  library;  that  notice  of  the  election  be  published  in 
the  Sac  Sun  and  the  Sac  County  Bulletin:  and  that  the  requirements  and  con- 
ditions of  Andrew  Carnegie  be  complied  with  in  accepting  his  donations  for 
such  purposes  in  establishing  a  free  public  library,  the  said  city  of  Sac  City 
guaranteeing  for  the  maintenance  of  said  library  the  sum  of  eight  hundred 
dollars  per  year.' 

"This  special  election  resulted  in  a  vote  of  three  hundred  and  forty-nine 
for  and  one  hundred  and  sixty-four  against,  and  Sac  City  had  a  public 
library  maintained  by  the  people  and  for  the  people. 

'■'At  a  council  meeting  held  July  28,  1910,  the  following  trustees  were 
appointed  as  the  board :  W.  J.  Dixon,  Mrs.  F.  W.  Loring,  E.  L.  Ahrens.  Miss 
Nellie  Banes.  Orville  Lee,  E.  N.  Bailey,  G.  W.  Lee,  Ira  Conger,  and  Mrs. 
Z.  Fuller.  The  following  officers  were  elected :  President,  W.  J.  Dixon ; 
vice-president,  Mrs.  F.  W.  Loring;  secretary.  Miss  Nellie  Banes;  treasurer, 
E.  L.  Ahrens. 

"Correspondence  was  resumed  with  Andrew  Carnegie  and  a  committee 
was  appointed  to  secure  a  lot  for  the  library  building. 

"In  January,  igii.  Mr.  Carnegie  gave  to  Sac  City  the  promise  of  the 
sum  of  eight  thousand  dollars  for  a  building.  The  site  selected  was  that 
known  as  the  old  schoolhouse  lots,  being  as  follows :  Commencing  sixty- 
four  feet  west  of  the  northeast  corner  of  block  17,  original  town  of  Sac 
City,  thence  south  one  hundred  and  thirty-two  feet,  thence  west  one  hundred 
and  twenty  feet,  thence  north  one  hundred  and  thirty-two  feet  to  the  place 
of  beginning:  being  lot  No.  2  and  parts  of  lots  i  and  3  and  the  alley  between 
lots  2  and  3  in  said  block  17,  original  town  of  Sac  City,  Iowa,  Sac  county, 
Iowa. 

"W.  J.  Dixon,  E.  N.  Bailey  and  Mrs.  Loring  were  made  the  building 
committee.  Miss  Alice  Tyler,  of  the  state  library  commission,  met  with  the 
board  and  gave  a  talk  on  the  requirements  and  needs  of  a  librarv  building. 
Proudfoot,  Bird  &  Rawson,  of  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  were  chosen  as  architects 
for  the  building.  After  submitting  three  plans  to  Mr.  Carnegie  and  making 
the  changes  he  desired,  plans  were  accepted  and  work  commenced  in  the 
spring  of  1912,  W.  J.  Gordon  being  the  contractor.     Owing  to  pressure  of 


A   CITY  OF  GOOD  STREKTS  AXD  SUBSTANTIAL  BUILIMNGS 


THE  CANNING   INDUSTRY,  SAC   CITY 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  281 

outside  business,  Air.  Dixon  asked  to  be  released  from  the  building  committee 
and  Air.  Ira  Conger  took  his  place.  D.  E.  Hallett  kindly  assuming  the  super- 
intendenc)'  of  the  building.  July  r,  1912,  the  corner  stone  was  laid  with  the 
following  program :  Prayer,  Rev.  R.  L.  Barackman ;  music ;  laying  the 
corner  stone;  address.  ''Corner  Stones,"  Rev.  J.  Irving  Brown;  music;  bene- 
diction. Rev.  Henry  B.  Burns. 

"From  the  children  of  the  town  has  come  the  greatest  inspiration  and 
for  them,  for  all  the  peoeple  and  for  future  generations,  the  board  of  trustees 
has  sought  to  meet  the  needs  of  the  times,  to  anticipate  the  needs  of  the  future 
and  to  uplift  for  all  time,  through  the  best  literature,  not  only  this  com- 
munity, but  the  communities  which  shall  be  touched  by  the  citizens  of  this 
town." 

In  January,  1914.  there  were  in  this  library  one  thousand  eight  hundred 
and  seventy-five  volumes;  a  list  of  nineteen  magazines  and  two  daily  and  two 
weekly  newspapers  taken.     The  present  librarian  is  Nan  Denman. 

REMEMBERING    WASHINGTON. 

The  centennial  of  the  inauguration  of  President  George  Washington 
was  observed  in  Sac  City,  April  30,  1889,  when  a  fine  programme  was  had 
and  in  which  the  following  made  addresses:  Judge  Eugene  Criss  spoke  of 
Washington  from  his  childhood  on  down  through  his  surveying  experiences, 
and  his  military  career.  He  was  followed  by  J.  E.  Robbins,  J.  H.  Tait,  A. 
B.  Mason,  Hon.  D.  J.  McDaid  and  W.  H.  Hart.  At  sunrise  there  was  fired 
the  salute  of  thirteen  guns,  representing  the  thirteen  original  states.  The 
bells  of  the  town  rung  out  clear  and  musical  at  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

POSTOFFICE    HISTORY. 

The  postoffice  at  Sac  City  was  established  in  1857.  It  was  on  the  old 
stage  coach  line  from  Fort  Dodge  to  Sioux  City.  Before  its  establishment 
mail  was  brought  by  individuals  who  were  hired  here  and  sent  to  Fort  Dodge 
and  given  twenty-five  cents  a  letter  or  newspaper  brcxight  back  here  to  the 
little  settlement.  The  advent  of  the  stage  was  indeed  a  great  event  in  the 
history  of  Sac  county.  Sac  City  had  a  stage  station  kept  by  pioneer  Eugene 
Criss,  who  also  kept  travelers  and  homeseekers.  His  log  house  and  spacious 
barn  were  ever  open  to  guests  and  many  a  night,  relates  the  ^■enerable  old 
Mrs.  Criss,  still  surviving  aged  about  ninety  years,  her  husband  used  to  be 
called  up  later  than  midnight,  by  weary  teamsters  and  travelers  who  knew 


282  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

full  well  that  here  they  might  find  rest  for  themselves  and  their  beasts.  She 
remarks  that  "\^'e  always  found  room  for  one  more." 

Sac  City  is  now  a  second  class  postoffice,  made  so  July  i,  1909,  eight 
mails  being  rccei\'ed  and  eight  dispatched  daily.  The  free  rural  delivery 
routes  now  number  six.  The  amount  of  savings  deposits  have  so  far  only 
reached  two  hundred  and  six  dollars.  The  amount  of  business  transacted 
during  the  year  ending  November  30,  1913,  was  $9,992.03.  This  is  exclu- 
sive of  money  order  transactions. 

The  postoflice  has  been  housed  in  its  present  cjuarters  for  twenty  years. 
So  far  as  now  remembered,  this  postoffice  has  ne\'er  had  a  loss  by  defalcation, 
fire  or  robbery. 

The  present  force  in  the  office  includes  postmaster  Charles  L.  Early,  his 
assistant  postmaster,  just  nominated  l:)ut  not  approved  at  this  date ;  Fred  C. 
Davis,  first  clerk:  David  W.  Cafferty.  carrier  rural  delivery  No.  i  ;  Sanford 
R.  Bodwell,  No.  2 ;  Claude  B.  Keir,  No.  3 ;  Lee  Tiberghien,  No.  4 ;  Charles 
\V.  Hurst,  Xo.  5  ;  and  James  W.  Cafferty,  No.  6. 

It  is  believed  that  the  great  lack  of  boxes  in  this  postoffice,  at  this  date, 
is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  government  proposes  to  ere  long  establish  a  free 
city  delivery  in  Sac  City. 

The  following  have  served  as  postmasters  at  Sac  City  since  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  office  fifty-six  years  ago:  Andrew  J.  Taylor,  October  24, 
1857;  William  Todd,  from  April  9,  1859,  to  May  7,  1867,  when  D.  C.  Early 
commenced  his  duties  and  served  till  December  30.  1868.  and  was  succeeded 
by  A.  H.  Hendrickson.  who  held  the  office  to  March  i,  1871,  and  was  fol- 
lowed by  J.  E.  Armstrong,  and  he  was  followed  February  2,  1876,  by  R.  H. 
Lamoreaux,  who  held  the  position  till  J.  H.  James  was  commissioned, 
December  2,  1886,  serving  till  James  N.  Miller  took  the  office,  Januarv  20, 
1890,  ser\'ing  until  J.  W.  Carrison's  apiiointment,  December  20,  1892,  he 
serving  until  November  4,  1893,  and  was  succeeded  by  James  L.  Comstock, 
and  he  in  turn  was  followed  November  5,  1897.  by  J.  W.  Wilson,  who  held 
the  office  till  the  present  incumbent,  Charles  L.  Early,  was  commissioned, 
l'"ebrurir\-  5,   1906,  under  President  Roosevelt. 

The  a\erage  term  has  been  for  the  whole  period  here  in  Sac  City,  four 
years  and  eight  months.  R.  H.  Lamoreaux  having  held  the  office  the  longest 
period,  ten  years,  from  h'ebruary  2,  1876,  to  December  2,  1886. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  283 

CIJAUTAUOUA   ASSOCIATION. 

The  Sac  City  Chautauqua  .Association  was  organized  in  the  month  of 
Decenihcr,  i()04,  at  a  pul)hc  meeting  assembled  for  that  purpose.  It  was 
thought  to  lie  in  time  for  holding  a  course  of  lectures  in  1905.  which  was 
carried  out.  Tiie  first  committee  appointed  to  perfect  the  organization  con- 
sisted of  these  gentlemen :  Prof.  G.  W.  Lee,  S.  M.  Elwood,  Dr.  W.  J.  Find- 
ley,  S.  M.  Stouffer,  Dr.  J.  H.  .Stalfurd  and  W.  J.  Di.xon.  The  same  month 
a  stock  association  was  formed  of  about  nne  hundred  and  twenty  members 
or  shareholders,  who  under  the  terms  of  the  rules  and  incorporation  specifi- 
cations were  to  have  shares  of  ten  dollars  each  and  the  assessment  on  same  to 
keep  up  the  association  should  in  no  case  i)e  allowed  to  exceed  the  price  paid 
for  such  share  in  the  association.  The  corporation  was  perfected  by  the  elec- 
tion of  its  nine  directors  as  follows:  W.  J.  Dixon,  F.  E.  Gordon,  Dr.  W.  J. 
I-'indlev,  Fred  R.  Stearns,  Dr.  Z.  Fuller.  Frank  R.  Brownell,'  Rev.  Walter 
Tobert,  G.  W.  Lee,  Frank  W.  Loring  and  its  ofiicers  were  chosen  as  follows: 
^V.  J.  Dixon,  president;  F.  E.  Gordon,  vice-president:  Dr.  W.  J.  Findley, 
secretary :  Fred  R.  Stearns,  treasurer. 

The  institution  was  formed  not  with  a  \iew  of  making  any  j^rofit,  but 
simply  to  secure  high  class  entertainment  in  the  way  of  i)ul)lic  lectures,  etc., 
which  should  be  forever  void  of  the  cheap  and  demoralizing  tendencies  in 
lecture  platform  work.  The  first  active  work  was  when  Dr.  Findley  and 
Frank  R.  Brownell  went  about  soliciting  subscriptions  for  the  hundred  and 
twentv  shares  taken,  which  was  all  soon  accomplished.  The  real  date  of 
perfecting  the  association's  organization  was  December  21,  1904. 

In  the  spring  of  1908  an  auditorium  was  erected,  just  at  the  west 
entrance  of  the  fair  grounds,  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Coon  river.  It  is 
ninety-eight  b_\'  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet,  with  an  octagonal  front.  It 
required  eighty  thousand  feet  of  lumber,  one  hundred  and  twenty  squares  of 
roofing  material  and  a  ton  of  nails  to  construct  it.  Its  cost  was  three  thou- 
sand four  hundred  and  seventy-five  dollars.  Hon.  Phil  Schaller,  now  de- 
ceased, donated  a  handsome  L^nited  States  flag  which  each  season  adorns  the 
dome  of  this  building,  which  is  nestled  in  among  tlie  native  trees  along  the 
waters  of  the  Coon.  They  now  own  eleven  acres  along  the  Coon  ri\'er  front 
— a  natural  park — and  have  expended  about  seven  thousand  dollars  and 
only  owe  a  thousand  dollars  at  this  date,  or  thereabouts.  The  officers  for 
1914  are:  F.  E.  Gordon,  president;  Otto  Pfaff,  secretary;  George  B. 
Perkins,  treasurer. 


284  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

The  remainder  of  the  board  of  directors  are  as  follows:  Dr.  W.  J. 
Findley,  who  was  secretary  for  years,  F.  H.  Cobnrn.  Orville  Lee.  W.  J- 
Dixon,  C.  C.  Jameson  and  Dr.  Z.  Fuller. 

FARMERS    MUTUAL    INSURANCE    COMPANY. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  Sac  County  Farmers  Mutual  Insurance  Associa- 
tion was  held  in  June.  1875.  at  the  county  auditor's  office.  The  first  officers 
elected  were:  Phil  Schaller.  president:  H.  A.  Pierce,  vice-president;  Joseph 
Dobson.  secretary;  James  Taylor,  treasurer.  A  board  of  directors  was 
selected  from  the  townships,  sixteen  in  all,  one  being  a  resident  of  each  ci\il 
township  in  the  count}'.  The  company  insures  against  loss  by  reason  of  fire 
and  lightning,  on  all  farm  property, — real  estate  and  stock, — but  no  town 
risks  are  taken.  The  following  have  served  as  secretaries:  Joseph  Dobson, 
James  N.  Miller,  Elwood  Tatum,  Walter  Rutledge,  F.  E.  Gordon,  from 
1893  to  Januar^•  20,  1914;  F.  H.  Colburn.  who  is  still  serving  as  the  secretary. 
The  present  (  191.4)  officers  are:  R.  ]\I.  Long,  president;  L.  E.  Irwin,  vice- 
president;  F.  A.  Colburn,  secretary;  J.  Y.  Campfield,  treasurer.  The  1914 
board  of  directors  are  as  follows:  C.  A.  Drewry,  D.  McTigue,  F.  E.  Smith. 
George  W.  Gould,  John  Hailing.  A.  Mason,  E.  A.  Walrod,  W.  W.  Rhoades, 
E.  L.  Ahrens,  Ed.  Williams,  C.  L.  Wade.  S.  E.  Peck,  L.  P.  Lowr>-,  William 
Nutzman,  Charles  Hechtner.  W.  F.  Charles. 

This  is  purely  a  mutual  compain^  and  there  have  been  written,  since  the 
company  was  formed  almost  forty  years  ago,  9,258  policies.  In  September, 
1913,  there  was  in  force  insurance  to  the  amount  of  $3,857,806.  The  losses 
paid  from  September,  1912,  to  1913  amounted  to  $6,099.88.  Property  is  only 
insured  to  the  amount  of  $2,000.  Two-thirds  of  the  supposed  value  of  the 
property  may  be  included  in  the  risk  taken.  The  average  cost,  for  the  last 
five  years,  has  been  $1.74  per  thousand  dollars.  In  1913  it  ran  as  low  as 
$1.22  per  thousand.  The  annual  avreage  cost,  in  the  last  twenty-six  years 
history  of  the  company,  has  been  only  $1.83  per  thousand  dollars  worth  of 
property  insured.  There  have  been  only  twenty-eight  assessments  made  on 
the  policy  holders  since  the  establishment  of  the  company,  and  the  total 
amount  in  mills  paid  has  been  forty-seven  and  three-quarters.  This  company 
has  always  stood  the  inspection  and  test  of  the  state  insurance  department, 
and  today  stands  high  among  the  "mutuals"  of  Iowa.  No  chance  for  litiga- 
tion, as  a  board  of  adjusters  and  arbitrators  obviate  law  suits.  The  only  ex- 
pense is  the  running  of  the  secretary's  office  and  advertising.     The  farmers 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  285 

get  the  benefit  of  all  there  may  be  in  the  company.  The  main  office  has 
always  been  at  Sac  City,  save  for  a  few  months  when  the  secretary  resided 
at  a  side  town.     About  four  thousand  dollars  is  now  on  hand  in  the  treasury, 

and  this  will  pay  losses  until  it  liecomes  necessary  to  assess  the  policy  holders 
again. 

THE   GOOD   TIME    CLUB. 

Concerning  club  life  in  Sac  City,  the  following  has  been  written  especially 
for  this  work  by  Mrs.  Robert  Engelhardt : 

It  was  the  social  instinct  in  mankind  which  no  doubt  led  to  the  organ- 
ization of  the  Country  Club,  north  of  Sac  Cit}',  officially  knciwn  as  the  Good 
Time  Club.  The  upward  tendency  of  prices  of  farm  lands  had  resulted  in 
frequent  changes  in  the  personnel  of  the  community  and  the  old-time 
sociability  of  pioneer  life  was  on  the  ebb,  not  because  the  early  residents  were 
less  social  or  that  the  new  comers  were  unsocial,  but  the  natural  unrest  of  a 
community  during  the  alluring  speculative  period  of  rapidly  rising  values  in 
farm  lands  and  consequently  frequent  changes  of  ownership  was  being  felt. 

The  people  seemed  dependent  largely  on  their  affiliation  with  church  and 
lodge  life  in  the  town  for  their  social  activities,  there  being  no  neighborhood 
social  center  where  they  might  meet  and  become  better  acquainted. 

Believing  that  the  interests  of  farm  life  are  best  served  by  the  fostering 
of  rural  centers,  four  families  who  had  been  drawn  together  by  common 
interests  met  at  the  house  of  Robert  Engelhardt,  in  November,  1906,  and 
decided  to  see  what  could  be  done  toward  the  organization  of  a  rural  club. 
It  was  agreed  that  each  family  represented  should  invite  one  family  to  attend 
a  meeting  two  weeks  from  that  time  to  complete  the  organization.  Accord- 
ingly, the  families  of  A.  F.  Winkler.  C.  J-  Hays,  H.  F.  Purdom  and  Robert 
Engelhardt,  together  with  the  invited  families  of  S.  F.  Brown,  \V.  T.  High- 
land, J.  D.  Eble  and  John  Daves,  met  at  the  house  of  H.  F.  Purdom  and  the 
Good  Time  Club  was  officially  launched,  with  A.  F.  Winkler  as  president; 
H.  F.  Purdom.  vice-president,  and  Mrs.  Robert  Engelhardt  as  secretary  and 
treasurer.  A  simple  constitution  covering  the  needs  of  the  club  was  adopted. 
The  meetings  are  held  in  rotation  at  the  homes  of  the  members,  every  two 
weeks  on  Friday  evening  during  the  winter  months  and  e\ery  four  weeks 
in  the  summer  months.  An  unwritten  law  of  the  club  prevents  any  one 
occupying  the  position  of  president  the  second  time  until  each  family  shall 
have  been  represented  in  that  official  capacity.  The  elections  are  held  an- 
nually, the  last  meeting  in  November.     The  memljership  is  limited  to  fifteen 


286  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

families  and  niembershi])  in  the  clul)  is  upon  in\itation  after  a  majority  \'Ote 
and  its  i)opularity  is  attested  by  the  fact  that  the  membersliip  is  at  ah  times 
full. 

.\Ith(iugh  tlie  social  feature  was  predominant  in  bringing  the  club  into 
existence,  the  constitution  lays  ei|ual  emphasis  on  the  cultural.  As  the  mem- 
bership includes  the  whole  family,  the  programs  are  varied,  consisting  of 
recitations,  dialogues  by  the  children,  readings,  papers,  descriptive  talks  and 
music  by  the  young  men  and  woinen,  to  which  is  added  like  features  by  the 
parents,  in  addition  to  discussion  of  current  exents,  legislative,  local,  state 
and  national,  afifecting  the  interests  of  the  farmer:  various  phases  of  farm 
life,  crops,  tools,  live  stock,  also  matters  of  interest  to  the  home,  school  and 
community.  The  programs  are  arranged  in  advance  by  a  committee  ap- 
pointed ])}■  the  president. 

There  are  no  dues,  but  when  money  is  needed  an  assessment  is  made  to 
cover  all  requirements.  Nor  is  the  material  life  neglected  for  each  meeting, 
for  a  lunch  is  served  after  the  program  is  completed. 

The  menu  is  arranged  by  a  committee,  of  which  the  hostess  is  always 
a  member.  The  club  is  divided  into  two  sections,  which  alternate  in  helping 
the  hostess  prepare  the  lunch,  each  member  being  asked  to  bring  one  article 
which  the  committee  select.  The  evenings  are  enlivened  by  games  and  social 
conversation.  The  good  fellowship  which  characterizes  the  meetings  of  the 
club  is  perhaps  the  secret  of  its  continued  existence.  While  the  membership 
is  limited,  the  hostess  has  the  privilege  of  inviting  guests,  so  that  during  the 
year  many  families  are  brought  in  contact  with  the  club.  The  club  has  had 
numerous  play  times,  such  as  picnics,  fishing  parties,  mask  parties,  a  George 
Washington  costume  evening,  Valentine  and  St.  Patrick  parties  and  programs, 
partaking  of  the  various  holidays  of  the  3-ear.  The  present  members  are  the 
families  of :  A.  F.  Wankler,  C.  J.  Hays,  Robert  Engelhart,  F.  S.  Brown, 
W.  T.  Highland,  J.  D.  Eble,  James  Corsant,  David  Corsant,  Theodore  Huser, 
Mrs.  George  Smith,  Clarence  Brown,  C.  W' .  Highland,  Charles  Topley,  Perry 
Hoskens  and  Elmer  Cox,  with  Charles  Topley  as  president ;  C.  J.  Hays,  vice- 
president,  and  Mrs.  James  Corsant,  secretary  and  treasurer. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


MISCELLANEOUS    ITEMS    OF    INTEREST. 


This  chapter  contains  numerous  items  of  general  interest  whicli  of  tliem- 
selves  were  not  of  sufficient  length  to  form  separate  chapters,  hut  which  are 
replete  with  more  than  ordinary  interest.  Here  will  he  found  the  county's 
weather  record,  population,  oil  and  mica  excitement,  accidents  by  cyclones, 
drowning,  etc.,  market  prices  at  various  dates,  days  of  mourning,  farm  names, 
village  plats  of  the  county,  blizzards  and  early  day  prairie  fires,  and  many 
other  interesting  topics. 

P0PUL.\TI0N    OF    COUNTY. 

The  various  census  reports,  federal  and  state,  give  Sac  county  the  fol- 
lowing population:  In  1856,  it  had  251  :  in  1865,  it  had  304;  in  1870.  it  had 
1,410;  in  1875,  it  had  2,873:  in  1880,  it  had  8,774;  in  1885,  it  had  12,741; 
in  1890,  it  had  14,122;  in  1895,  it  had  15,868;  in  1900  it  had  reached  i7,62'8 
and  in  1905  it  had  a  population  of  17,062.  The  census  of  1910  gave  it 
17,689. 

The  following  shows  the  number  of  voters,  aliens  and  those  subject  to 
military  duty  at  different  periods  in  the  history  of  the  county : 

In  1856  there  were  67  voters,  no  aliens  and  54  subject  to  militia:  in 
1865  there  were  y^  voters,  and  44  subject  to  military  duty;  in  1870  there  were 
386  voters;  in  1875,  ^75  voters,  17  aliens  and  472  subject  td  military  duty. 

The  Iowa  state  census  reports  for  1875  gave  Sac  county  the  following: 

Townships.  Population.     Born  in  Iowa.      Born  in  U.  S.     Voters. 

Boyer   township    234  56  167  62 

Clinton  township 155  47                        97  33 

Douglas   township 386  103  198  82 

Eden  township 173  73                        59  40 

Jackson  township 811  255  511  212 

Levey  township 297  79  150  55 

Sac   township 473  125  256  104 

Wall   Lake  township 344  109  213  69 

Total    2,873  847  1.641  657 


288  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

The  state  census  reports  for  1875  give  the  subjoined  concerning  the 
improvements  and  products  of  the  ci mnt)-  in  that  year : 

Acres 
Impro\ed  Land.  Unnnproved.  Cultivated. 

Boyer  township   4. 5 11  4,873  2,703 

Ginton  township   1,571  3-96o  393 

Douglas   township    4,587  6,515  3,847 

Eden  township 3,142  4,702  2,179 

Jackson  township 7,998  1 1.4 18  6,712 

Levey  township   3,875  9,269  2,318 

Sac  township   2,953  3'740  3.587 

Wall  Lake  township 2,899  2,624  2,440 

Total    31.336  47,201  24.179 

In  1874  there  were  11,056  acres  of  spring  wheat  in  Sac  county,  and 
it  produced  1 10,094  bushels,  or  an  average  of  not  quite  eleven  bushels. 

During  the  same  year  there  was  only  raised  ten  bushels  of  winter  wheat 
and  that  was  grown  in  Jackson  township.  At  that  day  it  was  not  thought 
possible  to  successfully  raise  winter  wheat  in  this  part  of  Iowa. 


UNITED    STATES    CENSUS,    I9IO. 

Boyer  Valley  Township  (including  town  of  Early) i,i73 

Early   500 

Cedar   Township    817 

Clinton   Township    591 

Cook  Township   635 

Coon  Valley  Township ' 723 

Delaware    Township    652 

Douglas  Township 558 

Eden  Township  518 

Eureka  Township  (including  town  of  Schaller) 1,166 

Schaller   646 

Jackson  Township   (including  City)   2,785 

Sac  City   2,201 

Levey  Township  (and  part  of  Wall  Lake) 1,064 

Town 561 

Richland  Township  and  Odebolt 1,879 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  289 

Town  of   Odebolt   1,283 

Sac  Township  and  Auburn  and  Grant  City 1,225 

Auburn    399 

Grant   City    162 

\'iola  Township  and  part  of  Wall  Lake 929 

Wall  Lake  Township  (including  Lake  \'iew) 1,209 

Town  of  Lake  \'iew 514 

Wheeler   Township    631 

Total    16,555 

VILLAGE   PLATS. 

According  to  the  plat  books  in  the  court  house  at  Sac  City,  the  following 
is  a  complete  list  of  all  towns  and  \illages  platted  in  Sac  county.  This  refers 
only  to  the  original  plattings  and  not  to  later  additions  and  subdi\isions  of 
land : 

Sac  City,  platted  July  3.  1855,  on  a  part  of  the  west  half  of  section  24, 
township  88,  range  36.  Platted  by  surveyor  John  F.  Duncombe,  of  Ft. 
Dodge,  Iowa,  for  proprietors  Eugene  Criss,  W.  S.  Wagoner,  Henry  A.  Evans 
and  Joseph  Gammon. 

New  Albany,  platted  May  16,  1857,  on  the  northeast  quarter  of  section 
I,  township  87,  range  36,  by  A.  L  Kain,  Joseph  W^illiams,  surveyor.  A  pub- 
lic square  was  laid  in  the  center  of  the  platting. 

Grant  City,  platted  on  section  11,  township  86,  range  35.  A  stone 
planted  in  each  street.     Platted  by  Joseph  Williams  and  Nathan  Condron. 

Wall  Lake,  platted  August  2,  1877,  on  the  east  half  of  the  southeast 
quarter  of  section  12,  township  86,  range  ^y.  by  the  Blair  Town  Lot  and  Land 
Company.      (Wall  Lake  City  had  been  platted  in  March,  1857.) 

Odebolt,  platted  August  22,  1877,  o"  the  sOuth  half  of  the  southeast 
quarter  of  section  2/.  and  the  north  half  of  the  southeast  quarter  of  section 
34.  township  87,  range  38,  by  the  Blair  Town  Lot  and  Land  Company. 

Lake  View,  platted  as  "Fletcher,"  by  J.  C.  Fletcher,  January  10,  1881, 
on  the  west  half  of  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  ;^^.  township  87, 
range  36. 

Wall  Lake  City  v.^as  platted  on  the  north  half  of  section  34,  township  87, 
range  36,  March  21,  1857,  by  Guy,  Beck  and  Wagoner,  certified  by  County 
Judge  S.  L.  Watt. 
(18) 


290  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Lake  Park,  platted  May  23,  1892,  on  the  east  half  of  section  33,  town- 
ship 8/.  range  36,  by  the  Lake  \^iew  Improvement  Company,  Phil  Schaller, 
president. 

Xemaha.  platted  October  2,  1899,  by  the  Milwaukee  Land  Company 
(Ry. ),  on  section  22,  township  89,  range  36. 

Lytton,  platted  October  3,  1899,  on  section  24,  township  88,  range  35, 
by  the  Milwaukee  Land  Company  (Ry. ). 

Schaller.  platted  October  4,  1882,  on  the  northeast  of  section  26,  town- 
ship 89,  range  38,  by  the  Blair  Town  Lot  and  Land  Company. 

Early,  platted  on  the  southeast  of  section  4,  township  88,  range  37,  by 
the  Blair  Town  Lot  and  Land  Company,  October  4,  1882. 

Carnarvon,  platted  October  24,  1881,  on  the  southwest  quarter  of  the 
southeast  quarter  of  section  15,  township  86,  range  36,  by  George  W.  Pitcher. 

Auburn,  platted  July  31,  1886,  by  the  Western  Town  Lot  Company 
(Northwest  railway),  on  the  east  half  of  the  northeast  quarter  of  section  23, 
township  86,  range  35,  and  on  the  west  half  of  the  northwest  quarter  of 
section  24  of  the  same  township  and  range. 

Herring,  platted  on  January  24,  1899,  by  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern 
railroad  (Western  Town  Lot  Company),  on  section  28,  township  86,  range  -i^j. 

Ulmer,  platted  on  the  line  of  the  Illinois  Central  railroad,  on  the  south 
half  of  the  southwest  quarter  of  section  8,  township  86,  range  35,  November 
21,  1900,  by  Carrie  and  T.  W.  Martin. 

Leota.  platted  on  the  loth  of  April,  1900,  by  John  W.  Ridler  and  wife, 
on  section  15,  township  86,  range  36. 

"Southport"  was  laid  ofif  as  a  town,  but  never  platted  legally.  It  was 
situated  on  what  later  was  the  J.  O.  Piatt  farm,  in  Wall  Lake  township,  on  the 
■east  side  of  the  road,  leading  from  Grant  City  to  Sac  City.  It  was  one  of 
the  earliest  on  the  maps  showing  Sac  county,  Iowa.  It  is  unknown  to  nearly 
all  today. 

INCORPORATED  TOWNS. 

The  subjoined  gives  a  list  of  the  present  incorporated  towns  and  cities 
of  Sac  county,  together  with  their  population  and  name  of  the  postoffice 
(population  taken  from  the  1910  census  reports)  : 

Schaller,  situated  in  Eureka  township,  population,  661. 

Early,  situated  in  Boyer  Valley  township,  population,  579. 

Lake  View,  in  Wall  Lake  township,  population,  591. 

Wall  Lake,  situated  in  Levey  and  Viola  townships,  population,  659. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  ,  2gi 

Odebolt,  situated  in  Richland  township,  population,  1,432. 

Auburn,  situated  in  Sac  township,  population,  293. 

Grant  City,  situated  in  Sac  township,  population,  249. 

Sac  City,  situated  in  Jackson  township,  population,  2,079. 

Lytton,  situated  in  Cedar  township,  population,  100. 

The  towns  were  named  as  follows :  Grant  City,  after  President  Grant ; 
Odeljolt,  for  a  creek  of  that  name  near  by;  Carnarvon,  for  a  town  of  that 
name  in  \Vales,  the  birthplace  of  Division  Superintendent  Hughes  of  the 
Northwestern  Railroad  Company ;  Herring,  for  John  Herring,  who  owned 
a  part  of  the  town  site ;  Early,  for  Judge  Early :  Schaller,  for  Phil  Schaller ; 
Lytton,  for  Lord  Lytton,  author  and  statesman ;  Nemaha,  after  the  Indian 
name ;  Sac  City,  for  the  Indian  tribe  and  township ;  Wall  Lake  for  that  sheet 
of  water ;  Lake  View  from  frontage  on  the  same  lake. 

LOCAL  MARKET   PRICES. 

The  subjoined  is  a  list  of  several  of  the  staple  articles  and  the  prices 
at  which  they  sold  in  Sac  county  at  different  dates  in  the  county's  history : 

1 87 1 — The  paper  then  just  established  gave  the  prices  as  follows  :  Best 
calico,  twelve  and  one-half  cents  per  yard;  best  Imperial  tea,  $1.75  per  pound; 
Young  Hyson  tea,  eighty  cents  per  pound ;  "Coffee  A"  sugar,  six  pounds  per 
dollar;  white  sugar,  five  pounds  per  dollar;  Reio  cofifee,  four  and  one-half 
pounds  per  dollar;  the  Sac  Sim  then  charged  $2.00  per  year  subscription. 

1873,  in  the  month  of  March:  Wheat,  88  cents;  corn,  35  cents;  oats, 
T,^  cents;  flax  seed,  $1.00  per  bushel;  butter,  per  pound,  17  cents;  eggs,  per 
dozen,  12  cents;  hogs  per  hundred  weight,  $5.75  ;  cattle,  $5.00;  salt  per  barrel, 
$4.50. 

1880,  in  the  month  of  August:  Butter,  12  cents  per  pound;  eggs,  8  cents 
per  dozen ;  potatoes,  25  cents  per  bushel ;  flour,  $3.00  per  hundredweight ; 
wheat,  60  cents  per  bushel ;  oats,  15  cents ;  corn,  19  cents. 

March,  1914:  Wheat,  85  cents;  corn,  60  cents;  potatoes,  $1.00;  butter, 
28  cents;  eggs,  21  cents;  salt,  per  barrel,  $1.55;  flour,  per  hundred,  $2.80; 
lard,  16  cents;  nails,  per  pound,  3  cents;  bleached  muslin,  9  to  15  cents; 
calico,  5  to  7  cents;  white  sugar,  twenty  pounds  per  dollar;  coffee,  28  to  35 
cents;  tea,  from  40  to  10  cents;  hogs  (live),  $6.75;  cattle,  $7.50  to  $9.00  per 
hundredweight. 


^92  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

THE   NOTORIOUS   JAMES    BROTHERS   AT    SAC    CITY. 

In  tlie  sixties,  seventies  and  eighties  the  country  was  more  or  less  dis- 
turbed by  the  depredatiDus,  theft,  robliery  and  murders  committed  by  a  large 
number  of  outlaws,  from  Missouri  and  Kansas,  which  included  the  famous 
James  Ijoys — Frank  and  Jesse — the  Youngers  and  the  Bender  families,  whose 
principal  work  was  confined  to  Missouri  and  Kansas.  Inil  in  the  sexenties 
they  made  an  extended  raid  as  far  north  as  Northfield,  Minnesota,  at  which 
place  occurred  what  has  since  been  commonly  referred  to  as  the  "Northfield 
Bank  Robbery."  These  famous  outlaws  were  the  result  of  bad  blood 
engendered  at  the  time  of  the  Ci\il  War,  and  they  were  taking  revenge  on 
innocent  persons  on  account  of  real  or  fancied  wrongs  committed  against 
their  fathers  and  mothers  who  held  to  Southern  sympathies. 

The  following  which  appeared  in  the  RockwoocI  ( Pennsyhania) 
Gazette,  in  1904,  was  written  by  its  editor,  who,  in  the  seventies,  was  a 
"printer's  devil"  at  Sac  City,  then  a  small  \illage  in  Sac  county,  Iowa,  at 
which  place  the  James  boys  halted  for  a  drink  on  their  retreat  from  the  north 
to  their  liome  in  the  Kansas  City  country,  although  at  the  time  they  were  not 
recognized  by  the  citizens  of  Sac  City. 

C.  F.  Overacker,  the  printer  referred  to,  says :  "One  bright  summer 
morning  while  pumping  a  pail  of  water  at  a  well  in  an  unfrecpiented  part  of 
the  hamlet  of  Sac  City,  near  the  office  of  the  Sac  Sun.  two  unkempt,  unshorn 
and  not  altogether  fierceless  looking  men  on  saddleless  horses,  steaming  with 
perspiration,  rode  to  the  well  and  with  ugly  oaths  demanded  of  the  Ixjv  his 
bucket  to  water  their  horses,  when  the  saucy  little  imp  winked  the  other  eye 
and,  boy  fashion,  started  on  his  duty.  Just  then  he  heard  the  report  of  a 
gun  and  an  unfamiliar  hissing  of  a  flying  leaden  missile  close  by;  yet  he  walked 
on.  but  when  the  second  report  came  and  a  ball  tore  through  the  rim  of  his 
wheat  straw  hat,  he  stopped  short  and  not  only  turned  over  the  pail,  but  lost 
no  time  in  getting  to  the  pump  and  working  that  lever  for  all  it  was  worth 
until  the  innocent,  faithful  beasts  and  cruel,  savage  men  were  satisfied.  In 
dismounting  one  of  the  men  appeared  crippled  and  in  great  pain,  and  he 
cursed  with  awful  oaths.  He  rolled  up  his  pantaloons  and  exhibited  a  badly 
swollen  limb,  which  he  bathed  in  the  cold  water.  Before  mounting  their 
horses  for  departure,  one  of  the  men  handed  the  lad  a  twentv-five  cent  scrip — 
for  that  was  prior  to  specie  payment  and  there  was  not  yet  any  small  silver 
money — and  requested  him  to  say  nothing,  which  injunction  was  kept  for 
twenty  minutes.     J.  N.  Miller,  editor  of  the  Sac  Sun  at  that  time,  formerly 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  293 

lived  in  Wavnesburg,  Pennsylvania,  where  his  brother,  the  late  Dr.  A.  B. 
Miller,  was  the  president  of  the  Wavnesburg  College.  Jim  Aliller  was  the 
stiffest-necked  Cumberland  Presbyterian  that  we  ever  knew,  and  the  milk  of 
human  kindness  was  cold  in  his  unemotional  breast,  so  when  the  boy  opened 
out  with  his  story,  Jim  cut  him  short  with  a  sarcastic  Presbyterian  grunt. 
which  completely  crushed  the  little  lad.  News  then  traveled  slower  than  it 
does  today,  but  a  day  or  two  later  the  daily  papers  came  out  with  full  reports 
of  the  great  Northfield  robbery,  in  Minnesota,  telling  of  the  capture  of  the 
Younger  boys,  and  of  the  escape  of  the  James  boys  on  two  white  horses  taken 
from  a  farmer  in  northern  Iowa.  Then  the  "printer's  devil"  was  a  lion 
among  Sac  City  gamins  for  sixty  days.  The  James  boys  were  never  captured, 
but  ten  years  later  than  this  event  Bob  Ford  assassinated,  in  a  most  cowardh' 
manner,  in  his  home  at  Kansas  City,  Jesse  James  and  received  the  large  re- 
ward offered  for  his  capture  "dead  or  alive,"  by  the  governor  of  Missouri. 
Jesse  was  the  lame  man  the  bov  had  seen  at  the  Sac  City  w  ell  where  he  was 
compelled  to  minister  to  the  desperado's  wants.     Frank  James  is  still  li\ing." 

OIL  AND  MICA  EXCITEMENT. 

Quite  an  excitement  prevailed  in  Sac  county,  especially  in  and  near  Grant 
City,  in  the  nineties,  when  by  accident  there  was  discovered  good  indications 
that  underlying  that  town  there  nu'ght  be  a  pa_\-ing  quantity  of  both  coal  and 
oil,  as  well  as  a  workable  strata  of  mica.  ]\lrs.  Flora  Atkins  and  her  friend. 
a  lady  from  Indiana,  were  on  the  banks  of  Coon  river,  near  Grant  City,  fish- 
ing, and  some  little  boys  were  running  about  and  playing.  The  boys  built  a 
fire  and  were  frying  frogs  near  by  when  it  was  found  that  thev  were  able  to 
make  a  considerable  fire  by  simply  lighting  what  seemed  to  be  black  mud. 
The  women  asked  the  cause  and  were  told  that  they  could  easily  set  fire  to  the 
mud,  so  the  ladies  began  to  investigate  for  themselves  and  it  was  sc?on  learned 
that  crude  oil  was  filtering  through  the  soil  near  the  river  and  this  set  Mrs. 
Atkins  to  thinking  about  riches  in  an  unexplored  oil  and  coal  field.  She  kept 
this  a  secret  for  about  six  years,  when  she  finally  let  some  into  her  secret  and, 
after  making  several  discoveries,  set  about  leasing  the  mineral  rights,  until 
she  had  leased  thousands  of  acres  in  the  \icinity  of  Grant  City.  She  had  the 
minerals  tested  at  various  places  and  finally  succeeded  in  getting  parties  in 
Des  Moines  interested,  including  state  officer  George  Dobson.  A  company 
was  formed,  wells  and  shafts  were  sunk  and  considerable  work  done.  These 
explorations  were  mostly  on  the  Louis  Lee  farm.     Representatives  of  the 


294  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Standard  Oil  Company  were  out  and  were  much  interested  in  the  outcome 
and  made  Hberal  offers,  it  is  said.  Samples  were  sent  to  Cleveland  and  other 
points.  A  thirty-three-inch  vein  of  coal  was  also  found  there,  as  well  as 
pockets  of  fairly  transparent  mica,  but  it  appears  that  upon  working  none  of 
these  minerals  were  found  to  be  in  sufficient  quantities  to  work. 

A  little  later,  prospecting  for  coal  and  oil  was  carried  on  near  Sac  City, 
but  all  ended  about  the  same  way.  Home  capital  was  much  interested  and 
high  hopes  were  at  one  time  entertained  of  this  agricultural  county  also  be- 
coming famous  as  a  coal  and  oil  district. 

CYCLONE  DAYS. 

At  the  time  of  the  great  Pomeroy  cyclone,  July  6,  1893,  Sac  county  was 
touched  by  the  same  electric  wind  storm  and  much  property  destroyed,  but 
no  lives  reported  lost.  The  Early  Nezus  said  of  the  storm  in  this  county : 
"Barns,  granaries,  outbuildings,  machine  house  of  James  Keck  were  all 
demolished.  The  Congregational  church  near  Keek's  was  torn  to  splinters 
and  the  church  organ  and  furniture  destroyed.  O.  V.  Jensen's  farm  in  Cook 
township  was  struck  and  his  granary  was  removed  several  rods.  John 
Whetstine's  farm  was  struck,  every  building  on  the  farm  swept  clean  away 
and  several  animals  killed;  the  family  went  to  a  cellar  and  were  thus  saved. 
Loss,  three  thousand  dollars.  Fred  Stephens'  barn  and  other  buildings  were 
demolished,  stock  killed  and  many  thousand  dollars  lost.  The  territory 
covered  by  t'ne  storm  in  this  county  was  about  four  miles  square.  It  hailed 
and  blew  terribly." 

DROWNED   AT    WALL    LAKE. 

On  May  23,  1893,  while  out  fishing,  a  party  of  four,  Robert  and  Bert 
Cory,  the  nephew,  George  Burgess,  and  Samuel  Carson,  were  unfortunate. 
Upon  having  secured  a  good  lot  of  fish  they  concluded  to  return  to  shore. 
The  wind  and  rough  water  made  it  bad  navigating  the  little  sailing  boat  in 
wliich  ihey  had  been  fishing.  Upon  launching  out  to  return,  Carson  slipped 
in  the  lake  and,  being  cold  and  wet,  concluded  to  walk  home  and  knew  not  of 
the  ill  fate  of  the  other  three  until  the  following  morning  when  they  had  not 
returned.  A  party  of  searchers  were  sent  out  forthwith,  and  continued  to 
search  for  two  days,  and  finally  found  the  bodies  of  Bert  and  Robert  Cory, 
but  George  Burgess  was  not  discovered  until  Monday  following.  It  was  a 
sad  blow  to  the  several  families  who  were  represented  by  the  three  drowned 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  295 

men.     This  appears  to  have  been  the  second  case  of  drowning  at  Lake  View 
in  the  history  of  the  settlement. 

In  the  month  of  June,  about  the  24th,  1907,  occurred  a  terrible  cyclone, 
originating  in  Boyer  Valley  township,  at  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  The 
farms  injured  most  were  those  belonging  to  P.  G.  Weitzel  and  Thomas  Han- 
son. This  storm  formed  on  the  farm  of  N.  Neilson  in  the  northwest  quarter 
of  section  30,  of  Boyer  Valley  township.  There  were  no  lives  lost  among 
the  settlers,  but  many  animals  killed. 

TEMPERANCE   SENTIMENTS. 

Upon  the  assassination  of  Rev.  George  C.  Haddock  at  Sioux  City,  in  the 
summer  of  1886,  by  the  lawless  saloon  element  of  that  city,  there  was  held  an 
indignation  meeting  at  Sac  City,  in  which  the  better  element  passed  resolu- 
tions as  follows : 

"Whereas,  according  to  the  best  evidence  the  death  of  Rev.  George  C. 
Haddock,  of  Sioux  City,  was  the  result  of  a  deliberate  conspiracy  by  saloon 
keepers  of  that  city,  to  thus  stop  the  enforcement  of  the  prohibition  law; 
therefore  the  people  of  Sac  City,  in  mass  meeting  assembled,  declare  that  this 
murder  meets  with  our  condemnation.  It  shows  a  spirit  of  lawlessness  that 
is  inimical  to  the  spirit  and  Ix-st  interests  of  the  great  state,  the  government 
and  the  home.  It  reveals  the  disreputable  character  of  the  men  engaged  in 
the  liquor  business :  they  are  outlaws  with  whom  the  only  proper  way  to  deal 
is  by  the  strong  arm  of  the  law,  backed  by  the  power  of  the  state. 

"That  we  are  more  than  ever  in  favor  of  the  total  prohibition  of  the  rum 
power;  and  to  this  cause  we  pledge  our  eternal  fidelity;  and  for  the  enforce- 
ment of  the  laws  we  offer  our  hearty  co-operation  in  every  legitimate  manner, 
even  counting  not  our  lives  dear  to  us  for  the  keeping  good  the  honor  of  the 
state.  That  while  the  authorities  of  Sioux  City  are  now  using  all  endeavors 
to  bring  the  guilty  ones  to  justice,  they  should  remember  that  their  former 
toleration  of  the  saloons  of  that  city  and  the  acquiescence  of  many  of  the 
leading  citizens  of  the  place,  emlioldened  these  assassins  and  led  them  to 
commit  this  unprovoked  and  dastardly  crime.  The  only  safety  for  Sioux 
City,  as  well  as  all  cities  in  Iowa,  is  to  fight  the  saloon  to  the  death. 

"We  endorse  the  action  of  the  state  authorities  in  offering  a  reward  for 
the  detection  of  the  murderers,  and  we  stand  ready  to  back  them  in  using  the 
power  of  the  state,  whenever  and  wherever  needs  be,  to  enforce  the  laws  now 
on  our  statute  books.  And  in  this  work  all  good  citizens,  regardless  of  party 
affihations,  should  join. 


296  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

"We  tender  the  sincerest  sympathies  to  the  family  of  him  who  gave  his 
life  as  a  sacrifice  to  the  cause  of  temperance  and  the  enforcement  of  law,  and 
we  ask  them  to  accept  this  accompanying  gift  as  a  slight  testimonial  of  our 
feelings." 

At  the  above  meeting  short  speeches  were  made  by  C.  E.  Lane,  Judge 
Early,  Judge  Criss,  Levi  Davis,  Mr.  Carter  and  editor  J.  N.  Miller. 

Sac  county  was  early  in  the  field  of  temperance  work,  as  will  be  seen  by 
an  item  in  the  local  papers  furnished  in  more  recent  years,  by  an  old  pioneer 
minister  named  Barnes,  who  was  a  circuit  rider  in  northwestern  Iowa  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  fifties  (about  1858),  in  which  he  tells  of  the  crusade  work 
performed  by  his  wife  and  Sac  City  ladies  long  before  the  work  of  Carrie 
Nation  and  Francis  Willard  had  been  thought  of.  It  was  on  the  occasion 
of  one  of  the  first,  probably  the  very  first,  county  fairs  held  here.  A  man 
came  over  from  old  Boonesboro  (now  Boone)  and  opened  up  a  wagon  con- 
taining whisky  to  sell  to  those  who  might  come  into  the  pioneer  fair.  He  was 
doing  quite  a  liquor  business,  although  it  was  against  the  state  laws.  The 
winter  before  there  had  been  a  rousing  religious  revival  and  the  ladies  had 
been  interested  in  the  temperance  movement,  hence  were  now  ready  to  strike 
a  blow  at  this  sort  of  law-breaking.  A  meeting  was  hurriedly  called  and  the 
preacher's  wife,  though  her  husband  was  out  on  his  circuit,  concluded  she 
would  lead  the  crusade.  Among  the  ladies  to  support  her  were  Mrs.  Eugene 
Criss  and  daughter,  Mrs.  Metcalf,  Mrs.  Jordan  and  Mrs.  IMcFarland.  Miss 
Criss,  then  a  young  vigorous  woman,  was  appointed  as  one  of  the  "ax- 
women."  The  unlawful  liquor  seller  had  gone  to  water  his  team  and  left  ex- 
posed to  view  his  liquor  barrels.  The  women  attacked  his  barrels  and  spilled 
the  "spirits"  on  the  ground.  They  were  soon  met  by  a  party  of  the  vendor's 
friends  and  a  vigorous  contest  followed,  but  the  ladies  accomplished  their 
purpose  and  quietly  retired.  The  disgusted  and  highly-wrought-up  liquor 
seller  hitched  up  his  team  and  departed  for  the  east,  followed  by  a  wagon 
driven  by  Mr.  Metcalf.  The  ladies  all  followed  on,  shouting,  waving  hand- 
kerchiefs and  axes  as  they  went  forward. 

When  the  grand  jury  met  soon  afterward,  an  attempt  was  made  by  a 
few  whisky  sympathizers  in  the  village  to  have  the  ladies  indicted  and  Rev. 
Barnes,  the  preacher,  had  in  his  possession  in  1900  a  copy  of  the  proposed 
indictment  against  the  crusaders,  which  was  furnished  the  preacher  and  his 
good  wife  by  Judge  D.  Carr  Early,  then  clerk  of  the  courts.  It  was  hig'hly 
prized,  and  it  goes  without  saying  that  but  a  few  on  that  grand  jury  voted 
to  find  a  "true  bill"  against  the  fearless  Christian  workers. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  297 

A    FIFTY-YEAR-OLD    MORTGAGE. 

Singular  as  it  may  seem,  the  first  real  estate  mortgage  to  be  recorded  in 
Sac  county,  away  back  in  1856,  was  not  satisfied  legally  upon  the  face  of  the 
record  for  about  a  half  century.  The  mortgage  was  given  by  William  J. 
Wagoner,  a  pioneer,  June  23,  1856,  to  T.  J.  Stone,  later  a  prominent  banker 
at  Sioux  City.  It  was  on  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  14,  township  88, 
range  36,  and  was  recorded  on  page  one  of  book  A  of  mortgages  in  Sac 
county.  In  1905,  Tait  &  Jackson,  engaged  to  clear  up  titles  of  land  in  this 
county,  discovered  that  this  instrument  had  ne\er  been  satisfied  of  record, 
though  it  had  been  paid  when  due,  nearly  fifty  years  before  this  discovery 
was  made.  Mr.  Wagoner  was  in  1905  residing  in  Arkansas.  T.  J.  Stone, 
the  Sioux  City  banker,  died  and  his  son,  Edward  Stone,  discovered  that  the 
mortgage  had  been  paid  and  immediately  adjusted  the  records  as  above  stated. 
It  had  been  an  oversight  on  the  part  of  that  excellent  pioneer  banker  of  Sioux 
City,  the  president  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  recent  vears. 

USING  PE.VT   FOR    FUEL. 

In  1873  Charles  H.  Knight,  residing  three  miles  north  of  Sac  City,  dis- 
covered an  extensive  peat  bed,  specimens  of  which  were  brought  to  the  city 
and  tested  and  proved  to  be  the  genuine  material.  The  item  in  the  Sun  at  that 
time  says :  "There  are  hundreds  of  acres  of  land  with  this  material  under- 
neath the  surface.  Two  or  three  days'  time  will  produce  enough  for  a 
family's  supply  for  the  winter.  It  is  just  as  good  as  coal,  which  costs  six 
dollars  a  ton  at  the  depot  now.  Here  is  a  new  source  of  wealth  for  our 
people  if  they  will  properly  use  it." 

DAYS    OF    MOURNING. 

At  the  time  of  the  assassination  of  President  Lincoln  there  was  not  a 
large  population  in  this  county,  but  everyone  mourned  the  death  of  Mr. 
Lincoln  and  a  memorial  service  was  held  in  the  church. 

In  1 88 1,  when  President  James  A.  Garfield  was  assassinated,  the  mayor 
in  Sac  City  called  the  council  together  and  planned  for  a  memorial  service  to 
be  held  at  the  court  house.  The  resolutions  passed  by  the  town  council  read 
as  follows:  "Whereas,  our  people  with  great  unanimity  desire  to  unitedly 
express  their  deep  regret  at  the  nation's  loss ;  therefore,  I  respectfully  recom- 


298  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

mend  that  all  places  of  business  in  Sac  City  be  closed  from  i  :30  to  4  :oo  P.  M. 
on  said  day  and  that  the  people  assemble  at  the  court  house  at  two  o'clock 
P.  M.,  to  participate  in  memorial  services,  expressive  of  our  high  regard  for 
the  stainless  character  and  eminent  services  of  the  illustrious  dead. 

"By  John  Alexander, 

"Mayor." 

A  committee  prepared  the  court  house  for  the  sad  occasion.  The 
entrance  was  draped  and  the  flag  placed  at  half-mast.  With  the  assistance 
of  the  ladies  the  court  room  was  tastily  arranged.  The  judge's  stand  was 
draped  in  black  and  resting  upon  it  were  several  vases  of  choice  flowers. 
To  the  right  on  the  wall  was  hung  a  draped  picture  of  Abraham  Lincoln; 
on  the  left  was  a  picture  of  James  A.  Garfield ;  underneath  the  epigram,  "God 
reigns  and  the  government  lives."  Beyond  this,  opposite  the  space  reserved 
for  the  Masonic  fraternity,  was  an  evergreen  cross  and  crown,  with  the 
Knight  Templar  motto,  "In  Hoc  Signo  Vinces." 

The  court  room  was  packed  to  overflowing.  Rev.  Foster  spoke  of  Gar- 
field's moral  and  religious  life;  James  N.  Miller,  of  the  Sun,  of  his  life  as  a 
soldier ;  Rev.  Smylie,  on  Garfield  the  statesman :  Judge  Ed  R.  Duffie,  on  be- 
half of  the  Masonic  fraternity. 

grant's  death — 1885. 

W'lien  the  sad  news  of  Gen.  U.  S.  Grant's  death  was  flashed  over  the 
wires  to  Sac  City,  in  July.  1885,  the  bells  were  at  once  set  tolling,  conveying 
the  intelligence  to  the  community.  Business  houses  were  soon  draped  in 
heavy  mourning.  There  was  not  the  feeling  of  horror  mingled  with  sadness 
that  attended  the  death  of  Lincoln  and  Garfield,  but  only  a  quiet  grief,  tem- 
pered by  the  thought  that  the  old  hero  had  Uxed  out  his  allotted  days  and 
that  he  was  at  rest,  free  from  sufi^ering. 

Sac  City  Post  No.  284,  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  held  a  special 
meeting  and  prepared  for  elaborate  memorial  services,  which  were  held  in  the 
opera  house.  Re\'.  Smylie,  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  was  selected 
as  the  orator  of  the  occasion.  At  the  hall,  the  post  had  draped  the  interior  in 
a  very  impressive  manner,  and  were  assisted  by  Mrs.  J.  M.  \\'oodward  and 
Misses  Anna  Vogt,  Anna  and  Lizzie  Elwood,  Blanche  Goldsmith  and  Winnie 
Lane.  In  the  center  of  the  stage  hung  a  beautiful  floral  motto,  "His  Work  is 
Done."      Beneath  this,  resting  on  a  chair,  was  a  fine  portrait  of  Grant.      In 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  299 

front  of  tlie  altar  the  dag  and  different  emblems  greeted  the  eye.  Rev.  Carter 
offered  prayer  and  read  the  nineteenth  Psalm,  while  Rev.  Smylie  delivered  a 
very  historic  and  touching  oration.  Before  being  dismissed,  the  audience 
adopted  the  following  resolutions  : 

"Whereas  it  has  pleased  the  Grand  Commander  on  high  to  call  from 
our  midst  our  beloved  commander  and  statesman,  Gen.  U.  S.  Grant. 

"Be  it  therefore  resolved,  that  we  bow  in  humble  submission  to  His 
divine  will. 

"Be  it  further  resolved,  that  in  his  death  we  have  lost  our  great  leader, 
who,  called  from  ci\'il  life,  cdmmanded  the  largest  armies,  for  the  longest 
period,  with  the  greatest  success  of  any  commander  in  modern  times,  never 
failing  in  leading  his  army  to  victory,  unconditional  for  surrender,  generous 
in  his  terms,  determined  on  the  field  of  battle  for  success  at  any  sacrifice,  yet 
magnanimous  for  peace  at  its  close,  stamping  his  genius  and  generalship 
upon  the  rolls  of  history;  willing,  nay  anxious,  to  lay  aside  his  sword  and' 
return  to  humble  life  as  a  civilian. 

"Be  it  further  resolved  that,  in  respect  to  his  memory,  we  shall  ever 
revere  the  hall  of  Sac  City  Post  No.  284,  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  and 
cause  it  to  be  draped  in  mourning  for  thirty  days." 

DEATH  OF  PRESIDENT  m'KINLEY. 

Four  times  have  the  people  of  Sac  county  been  called  to  mourn  deeply 
over  the  death  of  a  President — three  while  in  active  service  and  once  over  the 
death  of  U.  S.  Grant.  That  is  to  say,  public  meetings  have  been  held  on  the 
death  of  four  who  have  been  at  the  head  of  this  government  since  the  organ- 
ization of  Sac  county. 

On  .Sunday  evening  following  the  death  of  President  McKinley,  a  union 
memorial  service  was  held  in  Sac  City.  The  program  included  speeches  by 
Rev.  \Y.  Torbet,  of  the  ]\Iethodist  church,  who  spoke  on  "McKinley  as  a 
Man";  Rev.  L.  X.  Call,  of  the  Baptist  church,  "McKinley  the  President"; 
Rev.  D.  F.  Snyder,  of  the  Christian  church,  "McKinley  as  a  Christian" ; 
"Our  Crisis,"  by  Rev.  A.  H.  Chittenden,  pastor  of  the  Presbvterian  church, 
W'ho  was  presiding  officer  of  the  memorial  exercises. 

DEATH  OF  U.  S.  SENATOR  J.  P.  DOLLIVER. 

At  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  at  Sac  City,  on  Sunday  evening, 
February  11,  191 1,  just  about  his  fifty-third  birthday,  occurred  the  memorial 


300  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

services  on  the  death  of  Senator  J.  P.  DolHver,  which  occurred  at  his  Fort 
Dodge  home  in  that  month.  Befitting  remarks  were  offered  by  Hon.  Charles 
L.  Early  on  "Dolliver  as  a  Statesman."  Others  spoke,  including  George  B. 
Perkins,  on  "Dolliver  the  Citizen."  "Dolliver  the  Man  and  Christian,"  by 
R.  L.  McCord.  and  "Dolliver  as  a  Methodist."  by  Rev.  Thomas  Andrew,  of 
the  Methodist  church. 

WONDERFUL  MINERAL  HAILSTONES. 

On  March  _'5.  luoi.  there  was  a  violent  hail  storm  through  this  county, 
and  about  four  or  five  miles  to  the  northwest  of  Sac  City  the  hailstones  fell 
in  wonderful  quantities  and  in  huge  proportions.  Some  fell  in  the  orchard 
of  Philip  H.  Lewis,  specimens  of  which  he  brought  to  Sac  City  and  had  them 
examined  by  experts  and  chemists,  who  determined  that  they  were,  in  many 
•  instances,  four  pounds  in  weight.  The  more  wonderful  point  about  these 
hail  stones  was  that  they  were  of  a  mineral  composition,  strongly  impreg- 
nated with  salts.  Tons  of  these  large  stones  fell  in  a  radius  of  a  few  miles, 
and  the  test  showed  that  they  had  a  sal  soda  taste  and  strongly  alkali,  but 
quite  soluble,  containing  carbon,  sodium,  boron,  and  some  calcium.  Various 
were  the  theories  ad\'anced  as  to  their  origin.  Some  beliex-ed  that  particles 
of  dust  carried  in  the  air  from  some  alkaline  plain  may  have  caused  them, 
while  others  argued  that  it  was  caused  by  contact  with  a  flying  meteor. 

SNOW  BLOCK.^DE  OF    1880-81. 

The  Sac  Sim  of  April  8.  1881.  said:  "Just  two  months  today  our  rail- 
road was  blocked  and  has  so  remained,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  days'  time. 
Monday  afternoon,  at  four  o'clock,  the  nearly  forgotten  steam  whistle  was 
heard.  A  grand  rush  of  men  and  curious  boys  started  for  the  depot.  It 
was  a  greater  event  to  them  than  the  first  train  that  e\er  came  to  Sac  City. 
The  depot  was  thronged  with  people,  whose  faces  were  wreathed  with  smiles. 
An  engine  from  the  main  line  of  the  Northwestern  brought  up  the  train  of 
several  loaded  cars.  In  all,  fifty-three  cars  were  in  waiting  to  be  brought 
up  to  Sac  City.  Our  people  feel  like  new  men  and  women,  and  we  can  laugh 
and  joke  at  the  affair  now." 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  3OI 

FORMING    AN    OLD    SETTI.ERS'    ASSOCIATION. 

The  first  call  looking  toward  the  organization  of  an  old  settlers'  society 
in  Sac  county  read  as  follows  and  was  dated  May  25,  1877:  "There  has 
been  a  good  deal  of  talk  about  ha\ing  an  old  settlers'  association  formed, 
but  no  decided  action  taken  in  the  matter  as  yet.  Xow  I  will  presume  to 
appoint  Eugene  Criss  and  D.  Carr  Early,  of  Sac  City,  William  Impson  and 
Peter  Easier,  of  Grant  City,  and  .M.  S.  Lee  and  Robert  Quail,  of  Douglas 
township,  a  committee  to  come  together  at  the  call  of  Eugene  Criss  and  make 
such  arrangements  for  the  call  as  they  think  best. 

"William  Cory. 

"Early,  Iowa,  May  Ji,  1877." 

The  matter  rested  until  September  28th  of  the  same  year,  when  another 
call  was  sent  out  asking  all  persons  who  settled  in  this  county  prior  tO;  1868 
to  become  members  of  such  an  association.  The  chairman  of  the  second 
meeting  was  Judge  Criss  and  the  secretary  was  William  Cory.  D.  Carr 
Early  was  chosen  president  for  the  ensuing  year  and  William  Cory,  secre- 
tary. At  this  first  meeting  among  those  who  made  remarks  were  Judge 
Criss,  who  stated,  in  substance. : 

"I  l)uilt  the  first  cabin  in  Sac  City  and  wintered  here  without  any  flour 
to  eat.  The  thermometer  went  down  to  thirty  degrees  below  zero.  I  arrived 
here  in  the  summer  of  1855.  Leonard,  Lemuel  and  John  Austin  and  Mr. 
Cory  had  a  little  improvement  here.  I  drove  on  to  Sioux  City,  and  was 
offered  a  full  blnck  of  gnnind  there  free  if  I  would  come  there  and'  settle. 
I  had  seen  the  good  mill  site  here  in  Sac  City  and  so  came  back.  I  went  on 
to  Kansas,  however,  and,  finding  nothing  out  there,  I  came  back  and  went  to 
work.  It  was  lonesome  here,  with  but  few  neighbors  and  our  cabin  some- 
times filled  with  Indians.  We  had  a  count}-  seat  fight  and  we  won  out. 
People  were  charitable  and  would  really  divide  the  last  peck  of  corn  meal 
with  one  another.  Once  the  snow  was  four  feet  deep  on  the  level  and  in 
the  ravines  drifted  to  a  depth  of  thirty  feet.  When  we  wanted  meat  we 
went  out  and  killetl  an  elk.  I  once  went  down  to  Des  Moines  to  secure 
something  to  eat.  but  finding  nothing  there,  returned  and  we  lived  on  potatoes 
the  remainder  of  the  winter.  One  December  I  went  to  Dubuque  when  the 
mercury  stood  twenty  degrees  below  zero.     Now  we  have  plenty  to  eat  and 


wear  and  a  good  county  to  li\"c  in." 


Asa   Piatt   said :     "^Ve   were   thirtv-one   davs   coming  through   to   this 


302  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

county.  As  soon  as  we  arrived  here  in  Sac  City,  all  hands  gathered  around 
us  to  see  if  we  had  anything  'good  to  eat.'  We  had  plenty  of  hard  times  when 
we  first  came  here.  No  cash  at  first :  we  depended  on  what  cash  the  non- 
residents sent  on  for  their  taxes.  Judge  Early  was  county  treasurer  and  we 
would  borrow  money  of  him  sometimes." 

William  Cory  said :  "I  was  only  a  child  when  coming  here,  but  have 
watched  the  growth  of  the  county  from  the  day  the  first  settler  came  in, 
which  was  twenty-three  years  ago.  We  made  the  first  track  from  Fort 
Dodge  to  the  Coon  river.  Ink-pa-du-tah  was  here  with  his  band  of  Indians, 
some  of  which  were  in  the  great  massacre  at  Spirit  Lake  in  1857.  The  first 
furrow  was  turned  the  next  week  after  we  arrived.  Only  seven  settlers 
were  here  then.  The  ne.xt  year  Judge  Criss  and  Judge  Early  came,  and  we 
thought  we  were  getting  crowded." 

The  association  voted  to  hold  the  next  meeting  one  year  from  the  date 
of  the  first  one  and  keep  them  up  annually.  The  following  list  of  pioneers 
was  then  made  out  by  the  secretary,  the  same  showing  the  name,  date  of 
arrival  in  Sac  county  and  the  age  of  the  person,  at  the  time  they  signed  this 
register  in  1877 : 

William  Montgomery,  May  15,  1855,  aged  fifty-seven  years. 

D.  Carr  Early,  May  5.  1836,  aged  forty-seven  years. 

Mrs.  Early,  May  5,  1856. 

Peter  Easier,  February  i,  1856,  sixty- four  years. 

Mrs.  Mary  Easier,  February  i,   1856,  sixty-three  years. 

Isabella  Miller,  September  7,  1854,  fifty-seven  years. 

William  Cory,  September  7,  1854,  thirty-six  years. 

Enoch  Ross,  May  16,  1856,  fifty-three  years. 

Mrs.  E.  Ross,  May  16,  1856,  fifty-two  years. 

Eugene  Criss,  July,  1855,  fifty-five  years. 

Mrs.  Francis  Criss,  July,   1855. 

J.  G.  Austin,  September  8,  1854,  forty-one  years. 

Asa  Piatt,  October  15,  1858,  forty-seven  years. 

Mrs.  Asa  Piatt,  October  15,  1858. 

O.  Whitney,  August,  1857,  forty-six  years. 

Mrs.  Whitney,  August,  1857,  forty-three  years. 

John  O.  A.  Wine,  May  20,  1857,  forty-nine  years. 

Mrs.  Wine,  May  20,  1857,  fifty-four  years. 

Samuel  Ouail,  July  29,  1856,  fifty-six  years. 

W.  R.  Nevin,  spring  of  1863,  fifty-two  years. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  3^3 

Mrs.  Nevin,  spring  of  1863,  forty-two  years. 

A.  Barney,  fall  of  1865,  forty-five  years. 

Mrs.  A.  Barney,  fall  of  1865,  thirty-seven  years. 

Robert  Quail.  June.  1856,  fifty-four  years. 

Mrs.  Robert  Quail,  June.   1856,  fifty-one  years. 

W.  B.  Trout,  May  7,  1867,  thirty-three  years. 

From  time  to  time  there  ha\'e  been  held  numerous  harvest  home  picnics 
and  other  old  settler  gatherings  in  this  county.  Perhaps  an  account  of  one 
of  these  gatherings  will  suffice  to  show  the  general  spirit  manifested  on  such 
annual  occasions.  We  refer  now  to  an  account  of  an  old  settlers'  picnic  held 
in  1884  in  the  beautiful  grove  of  H.  A.  Wilson,  of  Cook  township,  which 
was  held  on  July  21st  of  that  year.     The  account  of  this  pleasant  affair  runs 

thus : 

"The  grove  was  a  beautiful  one,  affording  plenty  of  shade.  Platforms 
had  been  well  arranged  beforehand,  as  well  as  plenty  of  comfortable  seats 
and  long  tables  in  readiness  for  the  loads  of  good  things  to  eat.  At  eleven 
o'clock  A.  M.  the  audience  was  called  to  order  by  the  vice-president  and  the 
opening  exercises  then  followed.  Judge  E.  Criss.  the  oldest  settler  then  liv- 
ing in  the  county,  made  a  fine  address  of  welcome,  in  his  characteristic  man- 
ner. He  recounted  some  of  the  early  settlement  privations  and  interesting 
incidents,  as  well  as  some  of  its  genuine  pleasures.  The  good  Judge  was  in 
his  usual  happy  vein  and  interested  the  people  assembled  very  well.  At  the 
close  of  his  speech  an  adjournment  was  had  for  dinner.  The  table  groaned 
beneath  the  burden  of  good  things  brought  to  the  grounds  for  dinner.  It 
was  soon  devoured  by  the  hungry  horde  of  both  old  and  young.  After  din- 
ner the  meeting  was  again  called  to  order  and  speeches  were  delivered  by 
James  N.  Miller,  editor  of  the  Sac  Sun,  Hon.  W.  W.  Field,  Rev.  W.  O. 
Thompson  and  County  School  Superintendent  Martin.  Mr.  Johnson,  aged 
ninety-four,  also  made  remarks  full  of  interest  to  all  present.  The  speaking 
was  interspersed  by  fine  music  by  the  choir  and  with  band  music  by  the  Early 
Cornet  Band.  The  writer  left  before  the  exercises  concluded,  thus  avoiding 
a  hard  rain  storm.  We  never  attended  a  more  enjoyable  picnic  and  propose 
hereafter  to  be  counted  every  year  among  the  old  settlers  of  Cook  and  Boyer 
Valley  townships.  The  generous,  unwearied  hospitality  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Wilson  contributed  largely  to  the  enjoyment  of  the  occasion." 

In  1886  another  picnic  was  held  at  Wilson's  grove  in  Cook  township, 
and  that  was  well  attended  and  all  had  a  pleasant  day.  Mr.  Wilson  was  the 
first  to  settle  in  Cook  township  and  turned  the  first  furrow  and  erected  the 


304  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

first  house  in  the  township.  He  planted  a  gro\e  out  and  when  this  last 
picnic  was  held  there  it  had  grown  to  be  large  and  shady.  }et  it  was  only 
fourteen  years  old.  It  stands  still  as  a  monument  to  his  foresight  and  good 
sense. 

.Vt  the  time  of  the  great  and  exciting  Xorthfield.  Minnesota,  bank  rob- 
bery by  the  James  and  Younger  boys  in  the  seventies,  Frank  James,  on  his 
return  to  Missouri,  remained  all  night  in  the  home  of  Mr.  Granleys  in  the 
western  part  of  Sac  county,  though  probably  unknown  to  the  worthy  settler, 
otherwise  he  might  have  had  his  share  of  the  reward  offered  for  the  capture 
of  that  famous  bandit  and  bank  robber.  James  had  his  knee  badly  shot  in 
the  flight  from  Minnesota,  and  its  pain  caused  him  to  swear  a  half  hour  at 
a  time  when  he  got  up  in  the  morning,  just  as  though  his  cursing  would 
do  it  any  good.  He  was  later  captured  by  Pinkerton's  detective  force,  and 
Jesse  brought  into  close  quarters. 

WEATHER    NOTES. 

Thanksgiving  day,  1876.  was  very  cold  in  Sac  county,  the  thermometer 
standing  four  degrees  below  zero.  At  Sac  City  the  audience  at  the  church 
was  very  small  on  account  of  the  cold  weather.  Rev.  Bryan,  assisted  by 
Rev.  Adams,  presided  at  the  meeting. 

On  May  17.  1878,  there  was  four  or  five  inches  of  snow  on  the  ground 
here.  It  commenced  snowing  and  continued  for  three  hours,  leaving  fully 
four  inches  until  the  next  afternoon.  The  small  fruit  was  badly  injured, 
but  wheat  and  strav.'ljerries  and  peas  were  protected  by  the  sncnv  and  not 
materially  injured. 

HERDING    HOGS   IN    SAC   COUNTY. 

The  Sun's  issue  of  April,  1877,  carried  this  notice:  "I  will  herd  hogs 
the  coming  season  for  one  dollar  a  head,  the  owner  to  furnish  one  bushel  of 
corn  i^er  head  to  feed  the  hogs  the  first  two  or  three  weeks.  I  will  herd  three 
and  a  half  miles  southeast  of  Sac  City.  Salt  furnished  by  me.  Stock  held 
for  the  herd  bill.     Season  will  commence  Alay  i  and  end  September  i. 

"G.  H.  Jones." 

HERDING    STOCK    IN    THE    SEVENTIES. 

The  following  was  in  the  above  files  also:  "\\"e  will  herd  cattle  and 
horses  this  season  on  Carnp  creek,  at  the  last  year's  grounds,  three  miles  north 
of  Elm  Grove,  six  miles  east  of  Sac  City.     Terms :  Cattle,  ninetv  cents  a 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  3O5 

head ;  colts,  three  dollars  per  head.     Start  to  collect  stock  at  Sac  City,  May 

8th.     Stock  salted  twice  a  week. 

"Doty  Bros/ 
"Lake  City,  Iowa." 

ROHBED    AND    MURDERED. 

In  May,  1876,  one  of  the  most  cold-blooded  and  fiendish  murders  that 
the  annals  of  crime  ever  recorded  was  committed  on  the  banks  of  the  Little 
Indian  creek,  in  Jackson  township,  this  county,  at  a  point  four  miles  west  of 
Sac  City.  A  resident  named  Freeman,  with  a  few  others  who  were  coming 
into  town,  discovered  and  reported  the  horrible  event.  Sheriff  Waddell, 
Coroner  Brenton  and  many  others  visited  the  spot  where  the  body  of  the 
man  had  been  found.  It  lay  just  as  it  had  fallen  in  death's  struggle,  a  few 
yards  north  of  the  Boyer  Valley  and  Sac  City  highway.  A  short  distance 
from  the  pond  stood  an  emigrant  wagon  and  tied  to  it  were  two  horses,  and 
a  third  horse  loose,  but  bridled,  was  near  by.  The  wagon  seat  had  been 
taken  ofif  and  across  it,  with  tlie  head  on  one  side  on  the  ground  and  the  feet 
on  the  other  side,  was  stretched  the  form  of  the  murdered  man.  On  either 
side  of  the  seat  were  pieces  of  the  gun  that  had  been  the  weapon  with  which 
the  man  had  been  killed.  It  had  evidently  been  broken  in  a  violent  rage.  A 
few  feet  to  the  west  was  a  dry  goods  box  in  which  were  various  articles  and 
a  small  sheet-iron  stove,  such  as  are  usually  carried  by  emigrants.  Coroner 
Brenton  at  once  made  up  his  jury,  consisting  of  Orson  Lee,  D.  M.  Lamoreaux 
and  J.  E.  N.  Welch.  They  examined  one  witness,  Daniel  Koodzt,  and  found 
the  following  verdict:  "We  find  the  deceased  came  to  his  death  by  being 
shot  with  a  single-barrel  shot-gun,  in  the  back  of  the  head,  by  a  party  un- 
known, with  intent  of  robberv." 

The  examination  of  the  body  revealed  the  fact  that  death,  instant  no 
doubt,  was  caused  by  a  heavy  charge  from  a  shot  gun,  the  muzzle  of  which 
could  not  have  been  over  twelve  inches  away.  The  contents  of  the  gun 
entered  the  back  of  the  head  about  midway  between  the  base  and  crown. 
The  gun  was  freshly  broken,  and  a  light  tuft  of  hair,  corresponding  to  that  of 
the  dead  man,  was  found  in  the  lock  end  of  the  shattered  gun-stock.  The 
right  pantaloons  pocket  was  turned  wrong  side  out.  An  old,  well-worn 
pocket  book  was  found  in  the  grass  close  by,  with  a  leather  clasp  torn  off. 
It  had  been  rifled  of  its  contents.  A  watch  key  was  found  in  his  vest  pocket, 
but  no  watch  was  found  about  his  person.  In  other  pockets  were  found  a 
(19) 


306  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

knife,  comb  and  some  bnttons.  The  man  appeared  to  lDe  about  twenty-two 
years  of  age,  rather  tall,  weight  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds;  light, 
fair  complexion,  with  dark  brown  hair.  He  was  well  dressed  in  a  dark  frock 
coat,  different  colored  pantaloons,  and  wore  brown  plow-shoes  and  a  long 
worn  cap.  Close  by  was  a  diary  in  which  was  a  photograph  of  the  deceased, 
and  on  the  fly-leaf  was  written :  "Frank  Eugene  Carr.  Riverside,  Washing- 
ton County,  Iowa."  The  events  and  experiences  of  each  day,  including  the 
Friday  on  which  he  was  killed,  May  26,  1876,  were  minutely  recorded,  in- 
cluding these  entries:  May  11,  received  $10  from  Palmer:  May  12,  sold  four 
pigs  for  $24:  traded  a  sow  for  a  watch;  May  13,  sold  corn  for  $8.80;  bought 
an  outfit  for  going  West,  $11.86;  blacksmithing,  $2.80.  May  15,  getting 
ready  for  the  West;  May  16,  started  for  the  West.  May  26,  traveling  ex- 
penses, 13  cents." 

He  had  been  to  Dakota  and  pre-empted  a  hundred  acres  of  land  and  was 
going  out  to  make  the  improvements  on  his  land.  He  had  less  than  fifteen 
dollars  on  his  person  at  the  time  of  his  death.  In  the  dry  goods  box  were 
found  powder,  shot,  clothing,  tin-ware,  photos,  etc.  In  the  wagon  was  a 
breaking-plow  and  a  pair  of  good  boots. 

The  remains  were  brought  by  the  coroner  to  the  court  hous<;  at  Sac  City 
and  placed  in  the  basement.  In  the  evening  the  body  was  carefully  embalmed 
and  placed  on  ice,  and  on  Sunday  placed  in  a  coffin.  The  murdered  man  and 
his  outfit  had  passed  through  Sac  City  on  his  way  up  the  country,  and  was 
seen  to  have  a  companion  along  with  him.  They  halted  long  enough  to  pur- 
chase some  small  article  and  passed  on  their  journey  toward  Storm  Lake. 

Out  at  the  farm  of  J.  E.  N.  Welch  they  halted  a  while  and  Carr  watered 
his  horses  and  asked  for  some  feed  for  the  team,  saying  one  of  his  horses 
was  sick.  Mrs.  Welch  urged  them  to  remain  all  night  on  account  of  the 
animal's  condition,  but  they  refused  to  and  went  on,  saving  they  would  go 
till  they  reached  a  stream  of  water.  Before  going  Carr  paid  one  of  the  chil- 
dren a  little  money  for  the  hay,  as  the  woman  would  not  charge  for  it.  The 
man  accompanying  Carr  asked  the  little  girl  first,  and  later  Mrs.  Welch,  how- 
far  it  was  to  Storm  Lake  or  the  nearest  railway  station,  and  she  told  him 
twenty  miles.  The  Little  Indian  creek  was  finally  reached  and  a  suitable 
camping  spot  was  selected,  and  they  killed  some  wild  game  before  dark.  A 
single  shot  was  heard  in  camp  by  the  neighbors  at  about  nine  o'clock.  After 
killing  Carr  the  other  man  left  the  spot  and  was  seen  at  5  :30  in  the  morning 
by  a  man  named  Young  who  was  hitching  up  his  team.  This  stranger  told 
Young  that  he  had  been  lost  out  on  the  prairie  all  night  and  asked  the  way 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  3O7 

to  Storm  Lake.  Imt  it  appears  he  went  to  Newell,  to  which  place  Wodell  and 
Orson  Lee  went  in  pursuit,  while  Jerome  Baxter  and  D.  M.  Lamoreaux  went 
to  Storm  Lake.  Telegrams  were  sent  to  points  as  far  east  as  Waterloo  and 
west  to  Sioux  City.  At  Fonda  a  man  was  detained  answering  the  full 
description  of  the  man  sought  after  by  the  sheriff.  He  was  arrested  and 
placed  in  irons  and  at  midnight  was  brought  back  to  Sac  City  and  placed  in 
jail.  He  there  gave  his  name  as  Charles  Collins  (his  real  name  was  Lewis 
Monroe).  He  claimed  he  was  from  Black  Llills  and  had  gone  broke  there 
and  sold  his  tools  and  bought  a  coat  entirely  too  large  for  him.  On  Monday 
morning  he  was  taken  to  the  court  room  before  John  Alexander,  a  justice  of 
the  peace,  and  he  was  held  for  murder  and  bound  over  to  the  district  court. 
He  spurned  counsel  and  said  his  real  name  was  Lewis  Monroe.  He  plead 
guilty  and  was  sent  to  jail. 

The  Sac  Sun,  the  local  newspaper,  said  of  him :  "Lewis  Monroe  lives 
in  Boone,  Iowa,  is  married  and  is  a  butcher  by  trade ;  he  was  born  in  Pitts- 
burgh, Pennsylvania;  his  father  is  a  Scotchman  and  he  complains  of  ill  treat- 
ment at  home  and  of  an  unwholesome  training.  He  does  not  have  a  vicious 
look  at  all ;  he  evidently  has  nerve,  a  sort  of  bull-dog  neck  and  a  determined 
rather  than  a  malicious  look." 

He  made  a  full  confession  before  witnesses  on  M(jnday  following  the 
committing  of  the  awful  crime.  This  long  confession  contained  such  clauses 
as  the  following :  "Left  Boone  May  24th  on  foot  in  search  of  work ;  at 
Jefferson  the  same  day  met  Carr,  who,  being  alone,  asked  him  to  go  along 
with  him  for  company.  I  only  had  forty-five  cents ;  I  accepted  his  invitation. 
Thursday  at  dinner  some  of  my  letters  dropped  from  my  pocket  to  the  floor 
and  he  picked  one  up  and  began  reading  it.  I  told  him  it  did  not  look  well, 
but  he  said  it  made  no  difference ;  I  then  took  it  out  of  his  hands ;  we  had  some 
words.  At  night  had  difficulty  about  the  bed ;  both  were  mad ;  we  ([uarreled 
all  day  following  on  the  road  from  about  twenty  miles  out  of  Sac  Citv ;  called 
each  other  names.  When  we  got  to  the  creek  at  Sac  City  I  went  down  to 
hand  him  up  the  water  for  his  horses ;  I  told  him  to  come  down  and  sa\e  me 
reaching  up ;  he  answered  me  short  and  I  talked  the  same  to  him ;  he  threw 
what  water  he  had  left  in  the  pail  and  it  struck  me  in  the  face ;  I  rushed  for 
him,  clinched  him;  threw  him  down  and  struck  him;  he  said  he  was  only 
fooling ;  then  I  quit ;  I  told  him  the  first  railroad  station  we  came  to  I  would 
leave  him;  did  not  stop  in  Sac  long;  two  and  a  half  miles  west  stopped  and 
got  water ;  asked  lady  how  far  it  was  to  Storm  Lake ;  we  then  went  on  two 
miles;  I  said,  here  is  a  good  camping  place.     He  swore  at  me  and  called  me  a 


3o8  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

d .     I  got  mad  and  jumped  off  the  wagon  and  walked  up  the 

hill.  He  called  me  back.  I  returned,  unhitched,  got  supper.  He  had  been 
drinking  all  day.  partly  whisky  and  partly  alcohol.  Ate  supper — went  on 
road  thirty  yards,  sat  down  two  minutes;  went  back;  he  was  lying  on  the 

wagon  seat  with  back  towards  me.     I  picked  up  the  gun  and  said,  You  d ■ 

of  a  b ,  I  will  shoot  you  anyhow,  and  shot  him,  and  threw  the  gun 

at  him,  hitting  his  head.  He  rolled  off  the  seat ;  I  took  his  watch  and  pocket 
book  containing  eleven  dollars — a  ten  dollar  bill,  a  fifty  cent  piece  and  two 
quarters.  I  put  on  his  coat  and  shirt,  bridled  the  cream  horse  and  took  a 
quilt.  At  two  hundred  yards  threw  the  quilt  away;  rode  three-fourths  of  a 
mile  east  on  the  road,  then  went  on  foot  till  twelve  o'clock;  dozed  till  three 
o'clock:  started  for  Storm  Lake,  as  I  supposed;  saw  a  man  harnessing  his 
team;  asked  him  how  far  it  was  to  Storm  Lake  or  the  nearest  railroad  sta- 
tion." 

The  trial  came  off  before  Judge  Ed.  R.  Duffie,  and  the  jur)-  found  a 
verdict  of  "guiltv  of  manslaughter,"  and  the  court  sentenced  him  to  fifteen 
years  at  hard  labor  in  the  state's  penitentiary  and  assessed  the  costs  in  the 
case  up  to  him.  The  court  room  scene  was  one  of  the  most  dramatic  ever 
witnessed  in  Sac  county,  the  room  being  filled  with  both  men  and  women. 

William  Tool,  who  murdered  his  wife  in  cold  blood,  at  Sac  City,  in 
1894,  was  tried  before  Judge  Church,  and  prosecuted  by  County  Attorney 
Tait,  receiving  a  life  sentence  at  hard  labor  at  Anamosa.  The  act  was  com- 
mitted while  in  a  family  quarrel. 

GRAND  CENTENNIAL  CELEBR,\TI0N. 

A  great  celebration  was  held  at  Sac  City,  on  July  4,  1876 — the  nation's 
centennial  year.  By  ten  o'clock  the  procession  formed,  headed  by  the  "Car 
of  State,"  filled  with  thirty-eight  beautiful  young  ladies  (one  for  each  state 
in  the  Union),  with  the  Goddess  of  Liberty  in  their  midst  and  a  Revolu- 
tionary patriot  as  a  driver,  b'ollowing  were  hundreds  of  vehicles  and  foot- 
men. The  procession  proceeded  to  the  grove,  where  an  ample  platform  had 
been  built.  The  frequent  showers  throughout  the  day  somewhat  retarded 
the  exercises.  The  orations  were  by  A.  L.  Smith,  Esq.,  and  Joseph  Dobson. 
The  "Press"  was  represented  in  a  speech  by  J.  N.  Miller,  of  the  Siiii;  the 
"Pulpit"  by  Rev.  J.  T.  Barr,  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  In  the 
afternoon  a  baseball  game  was  pulled  off  between  Newell  and  Sac  City,  and 
the  score  stood  fifty-eight  to  nineteen  in  favor  of  Newell.    There  were  over  a 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  3O9 

thousand  persons  on  the  ground  that  day  and  a  big  dance  was  held  at  which 
there  were  a  hundred  and  eleven  couples.  Fireworks  were  set  off  in  the 
darkness  of  the  evening. 

REGISTERED    FARM    NAMES. 

The  Legislature  of  Iowa,  in  the  session  of  1910-11,  passed  an  act  al- 
lowing owners  of  farms  and  lots  in  the  state  to  register  or  record  a  name  for 
their  holdings,  no  other  name  of  its  kind  to  be  allowed  within  the  county. 
This  name  is  recorded  in  a  book  kept  for  the  purpose  in  the  recorder's  office, 
the  fee  being  one  dollar  a  farm,  and  the  description  occupies  a  half  page  of 
the  record  book,  giving  name  agreed  upon  and  a  minute  description  of  land, 
etc.  When  the  land  is  transferred  the  name  is  sold  with  the  property,  unless 
otherwise  stipulated  in  the  deed.  Up  to  April  14,  1913.  there  had  been 
seventy-seven  Sac  county  farms  and  tracts  of  land,  of  more  or  less  acreage, 
named,  and  the  following  gives  the  owner's  name,  the  farm  registered  name 
and  the  township  in  which  it  is  situated : 

William  G.  Hadley  was  first  to  register  in  the  county,  his  farm  in  Dela- 
ware township  being  named  "Pleasant  View.'"     Then  follows; 

Wall  Lake  Township — "Walnut  Grove,"  O.  F.  Westrom;  "Sunny  Slope 
Stock  Farm,"  Alice  B.  Broughton;  "Pioneer  Dairy  Farm,"  C.  M.  Steward; 
"Prairie  View  Farm,"  Samuel  A.  Swanson ;  "Sunny  Vale  Stock  Farm,"  J. 
P.  Threkelsen;  "Grand  View,"  E.  W.  Scott;  "Cherry  Hill  Farm,"  Anna  S. 
Peterson;  "Maple  Leaf  Stock  Farm,"  Henry  Gates;  "Elkhorn  Point  Stock 
Farm,"  D.  Corderman. 

Delaware  Township — "Pleasant  View,"  W.  G.  Hadley;  "Meritdale," 
A.  H.  Hinde;  "Maple  Grove,"  W.  T.  Scott;  "Glenwood  Farm,"  W.  L. 
Lewis;  "Prairie  Queen,"  Frank  Lamoreaux;  "Homewood  Farm,"  M.  L. 
Lewis. 

Clinton  Township — "West  Riverside,"  Will  Drury;  "Ash  Lawn,"  M.  D. 
Fox ;  "Fairacres,"  Lewis  T.  Quirk ;  "Sunny  Side  Stock  Farm,"  M.  A.  Mc- 
Williams;  "Hill  Crest  Farm,"  O.  C.  Fuchs;  "River  View  Stock  Farm,"  John 
Fuchs ;  "The  Grange."  F.  L.  Manly ;  "Waveland  Stock  Farm,"  John  D.  Old- 
son;  "Midway  Farm,"  Bert  B.  Buihner;  "Indian  Creek  Farm,"  Charles  Goode- 
now ;  "Greenwood  Stock  Farm,"  Benjamin  Gilbert ;  "Larchwood  Stock 
Farm,"  Charles  Manly;  "Millside  Farm,"  John  Fuchs;  "South  View  Farm,'' 
William  J.  Stock;  "Brook  View  Farm."  Albert  S.  Teaquart. 

Cedar  Township — "Sunny  Side,"  Harry  Baxter;  "Orchard  Hill  Farm," 


3IO  SAC    COUNTS,    IOWA. 

R.  M.  Long:  "Everdale  Farm."  C.  S.  Darling;  "Cedar  Hill  Stock  Farm," 
William  Peters;  "Fairmont  Farm,"  B.  F.  Cullenbaugh. 

Jackson  Township — "I'airview  Stock  Farm."  James  T.  DoUison ;  "The 
Pines,"  Mary  E.  Vrooman ;  "(Ireenwood,"  L.  E.  Fitch:  "Oakland  Spring 
Farm."  William  Pitstick ;  "Larchwood  Hill."  Earl  S.  Shaw;  "Oak  Lawn 
Shorthorn  Farm."  F.  L  Howard;  "Pinehurst."  Ira  S.  ]\Iartin:  Sac  City 
Nursery. 

Boyer  Valley  Townshi}) — "Cloverdale."  William  P.  (kird:  "Helendale 
Stock  Farm."  John  Reiff.  Jr.;  "Wayside  Farm."  James  McCofmick:  "Clover 
Hill  Farm,"  Charles  F.  Keister. 

Douglas  Township — "Evergreen  Stock  Farm."  R.  J.  Paeper;  "Echo 
Farm,"  Webster  Heath;  "Wildwood  Park,"  D.  B.  and  C.  L.  Keir. 

Levey  Township — "Brookside  Stock  Farm,"  Thomas  Quirk;  "River- 
side Stock  Farm,"  F.  W.  \\'eed :  "Pleasant  Hollow  Farm,"  A.  Ballman; 
"Rose  Valley  Stock  Farm,"  John  H.  Gosch. 

Wheeler  Township — "Fairview  Farm,"  E.  A.  Lundberg:  "Pleasant  \'al- 
lev  Stock  Farm,"  Carl  Prestin :  "Pleasant  Hill  Farm,"  B.  A.  Sanmelson ; 
"Lawn  Hill."  C.  Albert  Peterson;  "Maple  Grove  Stock  Farm,"  L.  L.  Gore- 
ham;  "Glendale  Farm,"'  Charles  W.  Ballard;  "Fairhope  Farm,"  E.  E.  Gore- 
ham;  "Brookdale  Stock  b'arm,"  A.  E.  Johnson:  "Forest  Hill  Stock  Farm," 
A.  E.  Johnson ;  "Meadow  Brook  Farm,"  J.  B.  Jcjhnson. 

Coon  Valley  Township — "Sunny  Slope,"  John  H.  Hechtner ;  "Farm- 
land," Charles  Hechtner;  "Grand  View  Stock  Farm,"  A.  W.  LaPort ;  "Plain 
\'iew  Farm,"  Albert  Ruschko ;  "Eureka  Stock  Farm,"  A.  D.  Miner;  "Never- 
Fail  Farm,"  William  Pitstick:  "Harmony  Ridge  Farm,"  W.  C.  Abney. 

Cook  Township — "Lookout  Farm,"  George  Miller. 

Sac  Township — "Sunny  Oak  Grove  Stock  Farm."  Charles  F.  Garnatz ; 
"Whiteside  Farm,"  P.  U.  Pratt. 

Viola  Townshij) — "I'rairie  A^ale,"  John  Sjjurrell. 

Eden  Township — -"Hillside  Farm,"  Phil  C.  Hein. 

Eureka  Townshi]5 — "Valley  View  Stock  Farm."   H.  l\ininger  &  Son. 

EARLY-DAV    PK.VIRIE    FIRES. 

There  has  always  been  a  charm  about  the  broad  expanse  of  prairie  in  the 
West,  and  it  is  hard  to  describe — one  must  behold  ihf  l.)eaut\-  of  the  land- 
scape, the  waving  wild  grass,  the  spring  and  summer  flowers,  including  our 
own  "state  flower,"  the  wild  rose  and  the  feathery  golden  rod,  the  national 
flower,  that  needs  no  care  to  sow  its  seed  or  make  its  blossom  yield.     The 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  3II 

Wild  game,  such  as  prairie  chickens,  geese,  sand-hill  cranes,  ducks  and  a  score 
more  birds,  utilized  for  meat  by  the  hardy  pioneers,  all  came  in  for  their 
annual  attraction  to  residents  and  to  foreign  hunters.  But  we  come  now  to 
speak  of  a  scene  in  golden  autumntime,  after  the  frosts  had  cut  their  heavy 
swath  and  left  the  sure  marks  of  death  and  decay  on  every  hand ;  when  the 
"last  rose  of  summer  was  left  withered  and  strewn" — there  came  a  scene,  a 
more  magnificent  spectacle  than  all.  We  refer  to  the  burning  prairie  at  night 
time. 

The  wild  wind  like  a  sower  sows 

The  ground  with  sparkles  red, 
And  the  trapping  wings  of  bats  and  crows 

Through  the  ashes  overhead, 
And  the  bellowing  deer  and  the  hissing  snake — 
What  a  swirl  of  terrible  sounds  they  make ! 

It  was  a  common,  almost  yearly,  sight  when  the  vast,  limitless  sea  of 
amber-tinted  grass  was  burning  continuously  for  twenty  miles  and  more, 
fanned  and  pressed  speedily  forward  by  a  high  wind.  The  scene  on  a  moon- 
less night  time,  in  October,  indeed  was  grand,  and  beggars  description  with 
pen  or  tongue — it  must  needs  be  seen  to  be  appreciated.  It  appears  like  a 
vast  army  mowing  down  solid  columns  of  an  enemy.  The  rank  grown  weeds 
ignite  and  explode,  causing  a  crackling  sound  not  unlike  that  of  musketry  on 
a  field  of  strife.  The  lurid  light  from  the  leaping  tongues  of  fire  cast  a  tinted 
reflection  on  the  dark  sky  which  no  painter  can  hope  to  reproduce.  But  while 
the  burning  prairie  has  had  its  charms  and  been  sung  by  poets,  yet  to  the 
early  pioneer  its  romantic  scene  was  somewhat  darkened  by  the  annual  loss 
of  much  valuable  property.  -An  army  on  parade  at  the  grand  encampment 
review  looks  beautiful,  but  the  active  service — the  field  of  carnage — gives  no 
pleasure.  So  it  must  be  said  of  the  prairie  fires  of  northwestern  Iowa,  which 
perhaps  originated  by  some  homesteader  burning  a  "fire-guard"'  around  his 
little  home  of  a  calm  autumn  night,  when  all  nature  seemed  at  rest,  but  before 
the  work  of  home  protection  had  been  accomplished  not  unfrequently  the 
gentle  breeze  grew  to  a  steady  wind,  which  rapidly  increased  in  its  velocity, 
carrying  now  and  then  a  burning  spear  of  grass  to  some  remote  part  of  the 
prairie  land,  until  before  an  hour  had  elapsed  a  dozen  or  twenty  separate  fires 
had  been  kindled,  and  before  the  morning  dawn  the  irrepressible  flames  had 
wrought  dire  calamity  over  a  whole  county,  and  perhaps,  with  a  high  wind, 
was  still  proudly  marching  over  the  territory  of  another.    The  midnight  scene 


312  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

was  of  surpassing  beauty  and  sublime  grandeur,  but  the  burned  district  pre- 
sented a  sad  picture  at  the  dawn.  At  sunset  a  little  settlement  were  feeding 
their  stock,  the  happy  home  made  merry  by  the  innocent  shouts  of  gleeful 
children  romping  about  the  humble  cabin  or  claim  shanty.  At  sunrise  the 
following  morning  there  might  have  been  seen  a  half  dozen  homes.  The  tall, 
rank-killed,  frost-smitten  grass  had  been  as  if  by  magic  wand  turned  into 
blackened  ashes,  and  the  house  of  the  homesteader  had  been  consumed  with 
all  of  its  highly  prized  contents.  A  score  of  half-clad  children  were  left  out 
in  a  merciless  sea  of  prairie  ashes.  The  sun,  obscured,  and  the  chilling  at- 
mosphere foretold  of  the  snow  storm  sure  to  come.  The  grain  and  the  hay 
the  industrious  farmer  had  secured  by  the  hardest  of  toil  had  been  also  re- 
duced to  ashes  and  smouldering  embers,  the  smoke  of  which  might  have  been 
seen  for  miles  over  an  expanse  of  prairie  the  surface  of  which  was  barren 
and  black.  Many  of  the  early  settlers  lost  all  their  grain  and  hay,  while 
some  mourned,  not  alone  the  loss  of  hard  labor  performed,  but  also  the  loss 
of  dear  ones  from  out  the  family  circle,  who  had  been  taken  unawares  by  a 
change  of  wind  and  had  no  time  to  escape  until  their  clothing  caught  fire. 
There  is  not  a  county  in  all  western  or  central  Iowa  but  what  can  furnish 
facts  for  a  chapter  of  prairie  fires  which  would  chill  one's  blood  at  the  terrible 
recital  of  havoc  from  1855  to  1876.  Sac  county  has  many  an  interesting 
story  of  these  terrible  fires,  mention  of  wliich  may  be  seen  elsewhere  in  this 
volume. 

To  indicate  to  the  reader  how  these  prairie  fires  looked  to  an  Eastern 
newspaper  correspondent,  who  sent  his  weekly  letters  from  western  Iowa  in 
the  sixties  and  seventies,  some  of  which  were  mailed  from  Sac  and  Ida  coun- 
ties, we  quote  the  following  from  his  New  York  daily : 

"The  prairies,  indeed,  were  a  grand  sight — in  the  summer,  'clothed  in 
verdure  green;'  in  the  fall,  in  that  color  that  too  well  tells  of  the  departing 
years.  If  a  grand  sight  to  see  the  prairies,  as  the  tall  grass  waved  to  and 
fro,  it  was  a  magnificent  sight,  in  the  fall  of  the  year,  to  see  the  annual 
prairie  fire  as  it  sweeps  over  all.  Whilst  enjoying  the  sublimity  of  the  scene, 
night  threw  her  mantle  o'er  the  earth,  and  the  sentinel  stars  set  their  watch 
in  the  skies,  when  suddenly  the  scene  was  lighted  by  a  blaze  of  light,  illum- 
inating every  object  around.  It  was  the  prairie  fire.  Language  cannot  con- 
vey, words  cannot  express  to  you  the  faintest  idea  of  the  grandeur  and 
splendor  of  that  mighty  conflagration.  Methought  that  the  pale  Queen  of 
Night,  disclaiming  to  take  her  accustomed  jilace  in  the  heavens,  had  dis- 
patched ten  thousand  messengers  to  light  their  torches  at  the  altar  of  the 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  3I3 

setting  sun,  and  that  now  they  were  speeding  on  the  wings  of  the  wind  to 
their  appointed  stations." 

Section  3889  of  the  1871  Code  of  Iowa  provided  as  follows:  "If  any 
person  wilfully,  or  without  using  proper  caution,  set  fire  to  and  hurn  or  cause 
to  be  burnt,  any  prairie  or  timbered  land  by  which  the  property  of  another  is 
injured  or  destroyed,  he  shall  be  fined  not  exceeding  five  hundred  dollars,  or 
imprisoned  in  the  county  jail  not  more  than  one  year,  or  both  fine  and  im- 
prisonment, at  the  discretion  of  the  court." 

The  November  12,  1875,  issue  of  the  Sac  Sim  said:  "The  horizon  is 
lighted  up  nights  with  the  glare  of  long  rows  of  burning  prairie  grass.  As 
yet  we  ha\e  heard  of  but  one  case  of  damages.  A  wad  from  the  gun  of  E. 
M.  Powers  lighted  a  fire  on  the  Boyer  ri\-er  country  which  burned  a  lot  of  hay 
and  rubbed  several  houses  closely." 

As  late  as  April  15,  1887,  the  Situ  speaks  of  prairie  fires  in  the  county  in 
the  following  words :  "Sparks  from  a  locomotive  of  the  Northwestern  rail- 
road set  the  prairie  on  fire  west  of  Sac  Cit}'  last  Friday  and  the  strong  wind 
carried  it  into  Douglas  and  Delaware  townships.  A  large  amount  of  hay 
was  burnt,  and  it  was  only  by  a  tremendous  exertion  that  the  fire  was  stopped. 
The  railroad  company  will  have  a  heavy  damage  to  pay  for  this  loss. 

"On  last  Saturday  L.  Francisco  set  out  fire  on  his  place  in  Douglas 
township  which  soon  escaped  his  control.  It  reached  the  house  of  William 
Buss,  burning  it  to  the  ground,  with  his  stacks  of  hay,  stables,  cribs,  grain 
and  some  live  stock.  Mr.  Buss  was  burned  some  and  his  boy  quite  seriously. 
The  house  north  of  Mr.  Buss  was  also  burned.  He  is  an  old  man,  and  the 
loss  will  fall  heavily  upon  him.  Auburn  narrowly  escaped  destruction  on 
Saturday,  too,  from  fire  set  in  the  same  manner.  The  code  makes  it  a  heavy 
penalty  for  setting  out  fires  and  letting  them  get  away  from  the  parties  setting 
them  out.  The  wind  last  week  was  too  high  to  attempt  to  burn  prairie  about 
one's  premises.'' 

i;arly-day  blizzard. 

In  the  autumn  of  1861  two  brothers  named  Leighton  (Lavton),  aged 
seventeen  and  twentj'-one  years,  came  here  from  Illinois  and  began  trapping 
on  the  Little  Indian.  On  the  morning  of  February  22.  1862,  they  started  out 
on  an  elk  hunt  and  followed  some  elk  west  of  the  Boyer  river,  which  runs 
through  the  western  part  of  Sac  county.  The  day  was  mild  and  they  were 
thinly  clad.  The  snow  was  a  full  foot  or  more  deep  on  the  level.  It  melted 
some  through  the  middle  of  the  day.     About  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  a 


314  "  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

severe  change  came  up  suddenly.  .\t  once  it  became  intensely  cold  and  a 
fearful  and  savage  wind  came  up.  The  ne.xt  day  the  Leightons  were  both 
missing  and  for  sixteen  days  the  neighbors  looked  in  vain  for  the  men.  On 
the  seventeenth  day  their  bodies  were  discovered — the  younger  of  the  two 
brothers  about  one  mile  from  his  home,  with  his  right  arm  outstretched  and 
his  hat  anil  hatchet  thrown  (ju  ahead,  as  if  he  had  fallen  while  running,  ex- 
hausted by  cold  and  fatigue.  The  elder  brother  was  found  ajjout  four  miles 
from  the  cabin,  lying  on  his  back  with  his  hat  folded  and  placed  beneath  his 
head.  This  had  evidently  been  done  by  his  brother,  after  he  had  fallen  down, 
frozen  and  exhausted.  The  following  spring,  in  the  month  of  April,  their 
two  guns  were  found.  They  had  been  carefully  oiled  before  they  had  been 
left  and  two-cjuarters  of  an  elk  were  piled  on  top  of  them,  proving  that  thev 
had  at  least  killed  one  elk. 

SAC  county's  women  machinists. 

Sac  county  has  the  distinction  of  producing  two  unique  lady  machinists. 
The  following  is  from  the  Des  Moines  Register-Leader:  'Tola,  Kansas, 
October  13,  191 1 — What  is  probably  the  most  unique  and  successful  machine 
shop  in  the  world  is  the  Minder  plant  at  Gas  City,  in  Kansas.  The  fact  that 
the  shop  is  operated  by  two  girls,  who  actually  do  the  largest  share  of  the 
work,  from  choice  rather  than  a  necessity,  is  not  so  important  to  their  patrons 
as  the  fact  that  their  work  is  the  best  that  can  be  produced  in  the  country. 
There  is  nothing  within  the  range  of  a  modern  machine  shop  that  these  two 
girls  cannot  do.  Their  names  are  Susie  and  Emma  Minder;  their  ages  are, 
respectively,  twenty-four  and  twenty-two  years.  They  recently  completed, 
through  their  own  skill  and  efforts,  a  four-cylinder  gasoline  engine,  con- 
structed from  the  moulten  metal  to  the  finished  product  throughout.  Difficult 
repairs  which  perplex  the  ordinary  mechanic  are  apparentlv  done  bv  these 
girls  with  ease." 

The  Minder  family  came  to  Sac  City  from  Garfield  township,  Calhoun 
county,  Iowa,  in  about  1889,  lived  at  Sac  City  ten  years.  The  father  was 
Fred  Minder,  an  excellent  machinist,  who  ran  a  shop  on  the  present  green- 
house site,  near  the  Northwestern  depot. 

AUTUMN    FROSTS    IN    WESTERN    IOWA. 

The  Iowa  weather  bureau  says  of  the  first  and  killing  frosts  in  western 
/owa : 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  315 

Month  and  Day  of  Month  and  Day  of 

Year.  First  Frost.  Killing  Frost. 

1879 September  8 September  24 

1880 September  9 November  7 

1881    Octiiber    18 November  9 

1882 September  2;^ November  11 

1883 September  9 October  20 

1884 October  9 October  2;^ 

1885 October  4 October  4 

1886 September  17 October  i 

1887 SeptemJjer  2;^ October  24 

1888 Se])tember  15 September  29 

1889 Septem])er  16 SeiJtember  27 

1890 Se])tember  13 Septemlier  13 

1891 September  3 October  5 

1892 L September  14 October  9 

1893 September  16 September  25 

1894 September  18 October  14 

1895 September  2^^ September  30 

1896 September  19 September  28 

1897 October  9 October  29 

1898 October  14 October  14 

1899 September  20 September  29 

1900 September  17 October  8 

1901 September  17 October  4 

1902 September  18 October  14 

1903 September  23 October  18 

1904 Se])tember  12 October  22 

1905 October  12 October  12 

1906 August  27 October  10 

1907 September  22 September  28 

1908 September  28 October  12 

1909 September  21, October  12 

WEATHER  RECORDS  OF  SAC  COUNTY. 

From  the  records  kept  at  Des  Moines  by  the  Iowa  weather  and  crop 
bureau,  with  Dr.  George  M.  Chappel  as  forecaster,  under  authority  of  the 


3l6  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

United  States  government  ser\ice,  the  following  is  found  concerning  Sac 
county  weather  for  the  term  of  _\ears  named  : 

Sac  is  in  what  is  known  as  the  western  central  district  of  observationis, 
and  includes  the  counties  of  Sac,  Ida,  Woodbury,  Alonina,  Crawford,  Car- 
roll, Audubon,  Shelby  and  Harrison.  The  mean  a\'erage  temperature  for 
this  district  is  47.1  degrees;  average  annual  precipitation,  29.36  of  an  inch. 
Average  yield  of  corn,  31  bushels  per  acre.  In  Sac  county  meteorological 
records  have  been  compiled  at  Sac  City,  Grant  City  and  Odebolt.  Altitude 
of  Sac  City,  1,278  feet;  Odebolt,  1,356  feet.  Grant  City  was,  first  to  have 
observations  recorded  and  their  record  runs  back  to  1869.  The  record  at 
Odebolt  commenced  in  1898.     At  Sac  City  is  begun  in  1876. 

Of  the  maximum  and  minimum  temperature  in  Sac  county  for  the  years 
from  and  including  1899  to  1913,  the  records  show  as  follows: 

The  lowest  temperature  in  1899  was  January  and  February — 29  below 
zero. 

The  lowest  temperature  in  1900  was  February — 17  below  zero. 

The  lowest  temperature  in  1901  was  December — 22  below  zero. 

The  lowest  temperature  in  1902  was  January — 21  below  zero. 

The  lowest  temperature  in  1903  was  February — 17  below  zero. 

The  lowest  temperature  in  1904  was  January — 26  below  zero. 

The  lowest  temprature  in  1905  was  February — 28  below  zero. 

The  lowest  temperature  in  1906  was  February — 17  below  zero. 

The  lowest  temperature  in  1907  was  January — 16  below  zero. 

The  lowest  temperature  in  1908  was  January — 11  below  zero. 

The  lowest  temperature  in  1909  was  December — 17  below  zero. 

The  lowest  temperature  in  1910  was  January — 17  below  zero. 

The  lowest  temperatiu-e  in  191 1  was  January — 25  below  zero. 

The  lowest  temperature  in  191 2  was  January — 35  below  zero. 

The  lowest  temperature  in  1913  was  March — 16  below  zero. 

The  highest  temperature  for  the  above  years  was  in  the  order  the  years 
run,  as  follows:  1899,  98  degrees;  1900,  94  degrees;  1901,  108  degrees; 
1902,  94  degrees;  1903,  95  degrees;  1904,  94  degrees;  1905,  93  degrees; 
1906,  92  degrees;  1907,  93  degrees;  1908,  same;  1909,  94  degrees;  1910,  96 
degrees;  191 1,  100  degrees;  191 2,  99  degrees;  191 3,  99  degrees  above  zero. 

Thus  it  will  be  observed  that  the  lowest  temperature  since  1898  was,  in 
the  month  of  January,  1912,  35  degrees  below  zero,  while  the  hottest  tem- 
perature in  that  period  was  in  July,  1901,  when  it  was  108  degrees  above 
zero. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  3' 7 

The  annual  mean  temperature  for  these  years  has  been  about  46  degrees 
above  zero;  48.7  degrees  was  the  highest  mean  temperature  for  the  above 
period. 

RAINS    AND    MELTED    SNOW. 

From  the  tables  at  hand  the  following  are  the  figures  for  the  rain  and 
its  equivalent  in  melted  snows  since  1869  in  Sac  county.  These  are  totals 
for  the  years  indicated:  1869,  39  inches;  1870,  25  inches;  1871,  28  inches; 
1872,  24  inches:  1876,  40.4  inches;  1877,  29.1  inches;  1878,  31.6  inches; 
1879,  20.5  inches;  1880.  23.21  inches;  1883,  27.4  inches:  1884,  34  inches; 
1S87.  29.5  inches.    Averages.  29.28  inches,  up  to  the  last  date  noted. 

For  the  year  succeeding,  the  figures  are:  1889,  28  inches;  1890,  23 
inches;  1891,  28  inches;  1892,  24  inches;  1894,  29  inches;  1895,  31.5  inches; 
1896,  38.80  inches;  1897.  22  inches;  1898,  28  inches;  1900.  34  inches;  1901, 
25  inches;  1902,  42  inches.  F"rom  1909  to  present  time  the  figures  are:  1910, 
15  inches;  191 1,  i;^  inches:  1912,  30  inches;  1913,  27  inches.  Average  for 
last  period,  30.61  inches. 

Perhaps  the  heaviest  snowfall  in  Sac  county  occurred  in  the  winter  of 
1856-57,  when  it  is  said  that  three  feet  and  seven  inches  of  snow  mantled 
this  county  on  the  level  and  at  no  time  for  one  hundred  days  did  it  thaw 
sufficient  to  form  icicles.  In  many  places  in  the  ravines  the  snow  was  thirty 
feet  deep,  and  crusted  hard  enough,  toward  spring,  to  hold  a  loaded  sled  and 
team. 

The  government  reports  and  observations  of  the  snow  fall  in  this  lo- 
cality are  in  no  wise  complete.  They  do  show,  however,  that  the  greater  depths 
of  snow  since  1900  were  31  inches  in  1901 :  21  inches  in  1902;  31  inches  in 
1906;  50  inches  in  191 1 ;  56  inches  in  1912.  Of  course  it  will  be  understood 
that  this  snow  was  not  all  on  the  ground  at  one  time,  as  it  was  in  1856-57. 

THE  GRASSHOPPER    PLAGUE. 

Among  all  the  hardships  put  upun  the  settlers  in  Sac  county  in  its  earlier 
historw  the  worst  was  the  great  scourge  intiicted  by  the  several  annual  ap- 
pearances of  locusts  or  grasshoppers,  which  insects  first  made  their  appear- 
ance in  1875,  and  continued  several  years  throughout  northwestern  Iowa,  in- 
cluding Sac  county.  ^Fach  could  be  written  concerning  these  little  "cusses" 
that  destroyed  much  the  farmer  tried  to  raise. 

In  order  to  give  a  better  understanding  of  this  subject  it  has  been  thought 
wise  upon  the  part  of  the  author  to  simply  take  extracts  from  the  Sac  Sun 


s 


318  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

and  other  papers  along  that  hne.  just  as  the  events  transpired,  as  such  items 
show  how  httle  the  people  at  first  knew  concerning  the  grasshopper  and  how 
many  schemes  were  tried  in  order  to  get  rid  of  the  winged  pests,  which  in 
some  cases  were  so  thick,  in  adioining  cuunties.  that  they  fell  into  railroad 
cuts  and  filled  the  space  between  the  ties  to  such  a  depth  that  freight  train: 
were  actually  stopped  in  Cherokee  county  in  1877.  The  wheels  of  the  engine 
would  slip  on  the  rails  beneath  the  mass  of  crushed  insects,  in  the  same  man- 
ner that  they  would  had  the  rails  been  treated  to  a  coat  of  grease.  At  times 
the  sun  was  actuall}'  darkened  at  noontime,  so  dense  a  cloud  did  they  make  in 
passing  south.  They  seemed  to  know  which  direction  they  wanted  to  go  and 
waited  till  the  wind  was  most  favorable,  then  struck  out,  the  meantime  eating 
themselves  full  of  all  kinds  of  vegetation  that  chanced  to  be  growing  in  their 
pathway.  They  were  an  object  of  legislation  on  the  part  of  the  county,  state 
and  nation — but  all  to  no  purpose.  When  they  got  ready  to  leave  Iowa  they 
simply  unf(_ilded  their  wings  and  hied  themselves  away. 

The  Sac  City  Sun  of  August  4,  1876,  said ;  "The  dreaded  insects  are  now 
in  southeast  Dakota  and  northwestern  Iowa.  So  far  they  are  one  hundred 
miles  away,  and  we  hope  their  distance  may  be  increased.  They  could  not  do 
great  damage  if  they  did  come  now." 

August  II,  1876:  "Last  Saturday  the  grasshoppers  were  seen  flying 
south  over  this  town.  Some  of  them  settled  down  about  six  miles  north  of 
town.  Monday  they  were  noticed  going  back  north.  So  far  rhey  have  at- 
tacked but  a  few  fields  in  Sac  county  and  not  much  damage  has  been  done." 

August  25,  1876:  "Like  the  man  with  the  seven-year  itch,  we've  got  'em 
sure.  Friday  last  a  clear  sky  and  a  moderately  stiff  wind  from  the  north 
brought  the  locusts  in  great  numbers.  The  air  was  filled  with  them  and  prob- 
ably enough  passed  o\'er  to  have  covered  the  earth  a  foot  deep  had  they  all 
alighted.  As  it  is,  we  have  enough  to  eat  considerable  grain.  If  they  haid 
come  a  month  earlier  it  would  have  l)een  much  worse,  but  our  small  grains 
were  saved  and  corn  is  pretty  well  along.  Farmers  and  all  others  looked 
blue,  at  lirst,  l)Ut  this  feeling  soon  gave  way  when  it  was  found  that  they  were 
not  so  dreadful  a  thing  after  all.  .\t  Uncle  Jim  Miller's  they  ate  all  of  his 
tobacco  crop  up  and  then  squirted  the  juice  in  his  face,  as  he  attempted  to 
'shoo'  them  away !  We  notice  they  do  not  eat  evergreens.  Reports  say  they 
have  reached  the  Mississippi  ri\'er.  I'hil  Schallcr  says  they  have  destroyed 
ten  per  cent,  of  the  corn  around  Storm  Lake." 

September  i,  1876:  "For  three  days  last  week  the  wind  blew  from  the 
northwest,  which  carried  away  most  of  the  grasshoppers,  but  a  few  are  still 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  319 

with  us.     The  greatest  fear  is  for  the  damage  that  may  be  done  next  year. 
They  are  still  h(j\'ering  over  parts  of  Sac  county  in  goodly  numliers." 

September  8,  1876:  "Last  Thursday  a  brisk  wind  carried  nearly  all  of 
the  grasshoppers  away.  Farmers  throughout  this  and  adjoining  counties 
should  attend  the  mass-meeting  at  the  court  house  next  Saturday,  looking  to- 
wards means  of  systematic  and  concerted  action  against  these  pests." 

September  22,  1876:  "Grasshopper  Meeting — Last  Saturday  at  the 
court  house  only  a  few  persons  were  present.  An  organization  was  perfected, 
with  Washington  Allen  as  its  president,  and  vice-presidents  as  follows: 
Douglas  township,  George  Dobson :  Delaware  township,  H.  A.  Pierce ;  Eden 
township,  C.  E.  Lane ;  Eureka  township,  A.  B.  Holmes ;  Boyer  Valley  town- 
ship,  William  Cory:  Wall  Lake,   A.   E.    Forsyth;  Clinton  township,   C.   L. 

Sherwood;    Sac   township,   Basler :   Viola   township,    William   V. 

Lamoreaux  ;  Levey  township,  James  Taylor;  Wheeler  township,  Jdhn  Bruce. 
The  president  was  instructed  to  procure  posters  warning  persons  against  set- 
ting out  prairie  fires,  under  penalty  of  the  law.  It  is  expected  of  the  vice- 
presidents  that  they  effect  organizations  in  their  respective  townships  and 
endeavor  to  carrv  out  this  resolution,  as  set  forth  in  the  fi.illowing  words: 

"  'Resolved,  That  we  petition  the  county  boards  of  supervisors  of  Sac, 
Ida  and  Crawford  counties,  to  enact  a  fine  of  fifty  dollars  in  addition  to  that 
imposed  by  the  state,  and  if  prairie  fires  are  set  before  May  15,  1877.  or  at  the 
most  suitable  time  to  destroy  the  grasshoppers. 

"  'Resolved,  That  we  petition  the  government  to  appropriate  money  to 
pay  bounty  for  destroying  the  grasshoppers. 

"  'Resolved,  That  we  urge  upon  the  good  citizens  of  the  above  named 
counties  to  take  steps  to  enforce  these  regulations,  concerning  the  burning  of 
prairies  before  another  spring.' 

"Steps  will  be  taken  by  the  grasshopper  Ijrigade  to  watch  the  pcairies 
this  fall  to  see  that  no  one  sets  fire  out,  and  if  so  that  the  parties  so  doing 
will  be  punished.  Also  that  'we  will  not  kill  prairie  chickens,  or  any  other 
kind  of  birds  that  eat  grasshoppers,  and  that  we  forbid  all  parties  from  killing 
on  our  premises.'  " 

September  15,  1876:  "Daniel  G.  Lane,  who  has  lived  in  the  West  Indies, 
writes  to  prevent  grasshoppers  destroying  vegetation,  'burn  one  pound  of 
charcoal  in  the  center  of  the  field.'  Also  to  prevent  potato  bugs,  plant  two 
grains  of  flax  seed  in  each  hill,  as  the  bugs  will  not  go  near  the  flax." 

February  23,  1877:  "The  opinion  of  people  regarding  grasshoppers  and 
the  time  when  fires  should  be  set  out  to  kill  most  of  the  eggs,  differs  greatly. 


320  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Some  favor  an  early  burning,  in  order  to  kill  the  most.  Others  think  it 
should  be  later  so  as  not  to  kill  the  chances  for  a  good  hatch  of  prairie  chick- 
ens. Of  course  the  chickens  would  destroy  hoppers  and  be  good  to  use  for 
food,  but  to  take  chances  is  hardly  prudent.  The  trouble  is  it  cannot  be  de- 
termined what  time  the  insects  really  hatch  out  themselves.  We  can  only  wait 
and  see.  But  in  the  meantime,  some  may  be  burning,  and  to  do  this  all  should 
burn  at  once.  Will  it  not  be  a  good  plan  to  have  a  meeting  of  the  owners  of 
farms — the  association  that  was  formed  last  fall ;  we  believe  Judge  Early 
was  president  of  the  association.  It  will  not  do  to  remain  idle.  Now  while 
the  ground  is  frozen  we  may  lull  ourselves  into  a  fancied  security  and  think 
it  will  all  come  out  right.    The  fact  is  we  must  get  ready  to  fight  the  enemy." 

Alarch  30,  1877:  "Washington  Allen,  one  of  Sac  county's  best  farmers, 
has  invented  a  machine  for  catching  grasshoppers  by  the  wholesale  and,  from 
what  we  have  seen  of  it,  believe  it  the  best  yet  conceived  of.  It  is  easily  made, 
consisting  of  a  long  box,  resting  on  low  runners,  like  a  sled,  to  be  drawn  by 
two  horses.  In  front,  sloping  down  to  the  ground,  is  an  apron  upon  which 
the  hoppers  will  alight  as  they  may  be  scared  up  from  the  earth,  and  from 
that  they  are  carried  to  the  back  part  of  the  machine,  where  they  fall  through 
sloping  holes  into  a  box.  When  this  is  full  they  can  be  stupified  by  throwing 
cold  water  upon  them,  and  then  shoveled  out  and  destroyed.  Mr.  Allen  has 
applied  for  letters  patent  (later  he  recei\ed  one)  and  will  make  the  machines 
and  sell  township  rights.  He  is  well-known  and  trusty,  and  we  advise  none  to 
purchase  elsewhere  till  first  they  have  tested  this  machine.  If  every  farmer 
in  Sac  county  and  adjoining  ones  should  provide  themselves  with  such  a 
machine  and  go  to  work  when  the  time  comes,  something  might  be  done  to 
destroy  them." 

Later  an  advertisement  appeared  for  this  machine,  which  was  known 
as  "Ailen's  Grasshopper  Exterminator."  Another  party  here  claimed  he  was 
the  inventor  of  some  part  of  this  machine  and  trouble  arose  as  to  the  rights 
of  the  two  parties. 

Alay  II,  1877:  "Burning  Prairie — Monday  was  the  day  set  for  com- 
mencing to  burn  off  the  Sac  county  prairies  to  kill  the  grasshoppers  and  the 
eggs  of  the  same.  It  was  rather  damp  and  not  good  to  set  fire,  but  Tuesday 
was  better  and  we  hope  that  999,777,555.333,111  grasshoppers  were  killed, 
Ijut  we  hardl}'  think  they  were!" 

May  II.  1877:  "There  is  no  disguising  the  fact  that  in  spots  grass- 
hoppers in  Sac  county  are  exceedingly  thick.  We  urge  upon  everyone  inter- 
ested  to  exterminate  all  they  possibly  can.     They  seem  gathered   in  local 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  321 

bunches  and  by  spreading  straw  at  such  points  they  can  be  collected  at  night 
and  then  burned  in  the  early  morning.  If  there  was  a  concerted  action  in  this 
matter,  there  would  not  be  enough  left  to  eat  up  an  onion  patch.  It  is  all 
right  to  pray  God  to  send  them  away  from  us.  but  he  works  by  means,  and 
after  you  are  done  praying,  go  to  work  with  all  your  might  and  tight  them 
with  the  sword  of  fire  and  hew  them  from  Dan  to  Beersheba.  Then  we  may 
enter  the  proud  land  of  milk  and  honey." 

June  15,  1877:  The  county  supervisors  passed  resolutions  to  allow  cer- 
tain bount)'  or  reward  for  all  grasshoppers  destroyed  in  Sac  county,  but  be- 
fore the  resolution  went  into  effect  it  was  recalled  or  repealed.  The  Sun,  in 
speaking  of  this  feature,  remarked :  "They  acted  well,  but  not  wisely,  and  so 
thev  had  better  recall  the  act.  First,  it  was  illegal.  The  board  had  no  au- 
th()rit\-  to  pay  out  funds  for  such  purposes.  Second,  it  would  have  done  but 
little  good  for  one  county  to  act  alone  in  the  matter.  Third,  there  would  prob- 
ably have  been  claims  presented  to  the  amount  of  fifty  thousand  dollars. 
County  warrants  would  have  been  issued  at  fifty  cents  on  the  dollar,  thus 
yielding  the  farmers  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  and  those  who  bought  the 
warrants  another  twenty-five  thousand  dollars.  The  county  would  have  had 
a  debt  of  fifty  thousand  dollars  and  five  thousand  dollars  a  year  interest,  run- 
ning possibly  ten  years." 


(20) 


CHAPTER  XX. 


REMINISCENCES    BY    LOCAL    WRITERS. 


THE    SAGACITY    OF   A    DOG. 
By  C.  Everett  Lee. 

During  the  fall  of  1868  two  men,  whose  names  we  cannot  now  recall, 
came  to  Sac  City  from  Illinois  and  put  up  at  a  hotel  operated  by  C.  E.  Read 
and  located  on  the  ground  now  occupied  by  the  Fox  hardware  store.  They 
had  left  their  home  state  with  a  view  of  putting  in  the  winter  trapping  and 
after  looking  over  the  ground  decided  to  locate  on  the  ]\Iaple,  nearly  due  west 
of  where  Alta  now  stands.  They  proceeded  to  buy  lumber,  provisions  and 
traps  and  hired  a  party  to  take  them  to  the  place  where  they  had  decided  to 
locate  for  the  winter. 

After  getting  their  "dug  out"  about  completed  and  needing  more  mate- 
rial and  provisions,  they  decided  to  pull  out  on  foot  for  Sac  City  with  a  view  of 
buying  enough  of  the  necessaries  to  do  them  until  spring,  their  only  compan- 
ion being  a  large  black  and  white  spotted  dog  which  they  had  brought  with 
them  from  Illinois.  The  morning  they  started  out  the  weather  was  beautiful 
and  gave  promise  of  a  pleasant  trip  for  them,  but,  after  passing  over  the 
dividing  ridge,  a  blizzard,  such  as  was  seldom  seen  even  in  those  days,  came 
sweeping  down  from  the  northwest  and  before  they  hardly  had  time  to 
realize  what  had  happened  they  were  completely  bewildered,  and  wanderers 
on  a  bleak  prairie.  They  continued  to  travel  until  some  time  in  the  night 
when,  for  protection,  they  dug  a  deep  hole  in  the  snow  and,  with  the  dog, 
crawled  inside  and  let  the  snow  drift  over  them.  Some  time  next  morning 
the  one  who  owned  the  dog  shook  the  other  and  told  him  to  get  up  and  try  and 
find  a  place  of  safety.  He,  not  crawling  out  at  once,  suddenly  awoke  with 
a  start  to  find  himself  alone,  the  partner  and  the  dog  evidently  having 
crawled  out  when  he  spoke  to  him.  He  immediately  crawled  out  and,  after 
calling  for  his  partner  several  times  and  getting  no  answer,  pulled  out  alone. 
He  traveled  all  day  and  when  darkness  set  in  discovered  a  light  in  the  dis- 
tance and  started  for  it  as  best  he  could,  but  before  reaching  the  place  he 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  323 

fell  down  and  was  compelled  to  crawl  on  his  hands  and  knees  for  nearly  a 
mile  before  he  got  near  enough  for  his  call  to  be  heard  by  John  T.  Alexander, 
who  had  settled  on  the  prairie  about  nine  miles  north  of  Sac  City  the  year 
before.  He  was  carried  in  and  cared  for  by  Mr.  Alexander,  but  was  quite 
badlv  frozen  and  eventually  lost  several  of  his  fingers  and  toes. 

The  second  day  after  the  blizzard  had  cleared  up,  several  men  were  sit- 
ting in  the  hotel  in  Sac  City  when  someone  opened  the  door  and  in  bounced 
the  dog  belonging  to  the  man  who  had  a  short  time  before  gone  to  the  Maple 
to  trap.     He  rushed  up  to  Mr.  Read  and  getting  him  by  the  coat,  commenced 
to  whine  and  pull  towards  the  door.     Mr.  Read,  not  at  first  realizing  what 
dog  it  was,  went  to  the  door  and  kicked  the  animal  out  in  the  street.     The 
conversation  then  turned  upon  the  dog  and  as  soon  as  those  present  realized 
what  dog  it  was,  they  were  sure  something  had  happened  his  master  and  that 
he  had  come  for  assistance.    Mr.  Read  then  put  on  his  coat  and,  starting  out. 
followed  the  dog  until  he  came  to  the  home  of  Addison  Lee,  the  farm  where 
Frank  Howard  now  lives,  when  he  saw  Mr.  Lee  in  his  barnyard  doing  his 
chores.     'Sir.  Read  called  him  out  to  the  road  and  informed  him  what  the  dog 
had  done  and  to  whom  he  belonged.     Mr.  Lee  saddled  one  of  his  best  saddle 
horses  and  as  soon  as  he  rode  out  in  the  road,  the  dog,  which  had  been  trying 
to  get  Mr.  Read  along  with  him  by  pulling  on  his  coat,  immediately  started 
north  with  Mr.  Lee  after  him.     At  this  time  there  was  but  one  trail  leading 
from  Sac  Citv  to  Storm  Lake  and  that  went  north  on  the  east  side  of  the 
river  until  it  reached  what  is  now  known  as  the  Low  farm,  where  it  crossed 
the  ri\er  and  took  a  northwest  direction  to  the  west  end  of  the  lake  where  the 
inlet  came  in  and  where  all  the  camping  and  fishing  was  done.     When  the 
dog  came  to  the  river  he  crossed  and  struck  the  trail  at  a  pretty  swift  gait. 
Mr.  Lee,  who  was  a  brother  of  the  writer,  not  knowing  how  far  he  would  be 
compelled  to  go  with  the  dog,  slackened  his  pace  after  crossing  the  river  and 
when  the  dog  would  go  down  in  a  hollow  out  of  sight  he  would  turn  back 
and  run  to  the  top  of  a  knoll  and  jump  up  to  see  if  he  was  still  being  followed. 
This  gait  was  kept  up  until  the  west  end  of  Storm  lake  was  reached  and  the 
man  found  lying  in  the  snow,  frozen  to  death,  and  with  a  path  beaten  around 
him  where  the  faithful  friend  had  probably  walked  around  the  body  a  thou- 
sand or  more  times  before  giving  up  and  going  to  Sac  City,  twenty-eight 
miles,  for  assistance. 

Parties  were  sent  out  from  Sac  City  who  brought  the  body  there  and 
buried  it,  Mr.  Lee  retaining  possession  of  the  dog,  which  he  kept  until  he 
died  from  old  age. 


.324  SAC    COl'NTY,    iriVVA. 

STORM    AND    FLOOD PIONEER    BOY's    REMINISCENCE. 

[The  following  is  from  the  pen  of  a  Methodist  minister,  Rev.  H.  P. 
Dudley,  who  at  the  time  was  living  in  Carroll  and  whose  father  was  one  of 
the  pioneer  ministers  in  Sac  county,  residing  at  Grant  City.  This  article  was 
published  in  the  Sun  in  1913  and  is  full  of  enough  interest  and  merit  to  be 
preser\ed  in  the  annals  of  the  ci.)unt\'.] 

The  principal  natural  e\ent  in  the  western  hemisphere  during  the  year 
1869  was  the  total  eclipse  of  the  sun  in  the  month  of  August.  I  saw  with  my 
own  eyes  for  one  awe-inspiring  moment  the  polar  streams  and  the  niagnih- 
cent  corona  of  the  sun.  This  seems  t(i  fix  in  mind  the  date  of  more  local  and 
less  important  natural  phenomena  of  the  memorable  year.  It  was  in  Grant 
City,  the  little  inland  village  that  nestled  beneath  the  great  oaks  and  elms  on 
the  banks  of  the  Coon,  in  the  southern  part  of  Big  Grove,  Sac  county,  Iowa. 
Here,  as  a  child  we  listened  td  the  niDurnful  mourning  of  the  woods,  or  the 
deep  diapason  of  the  ceaseless  roar  which  betokens  a  tempest.  The  rush  of 
the  waters  over  the  rapids,  the  liquid  notes  of  bobolink  and  meadow  lark,  the 
e\'ening  call  of  the  sad  noted  whippoorwill,  the  rain  crow  and  turtle  dove,  the 
drvunniing  of  the  large  flocks  of  prairie  chickens,  the  pDunding  of  the  swift- 
winged  pheasant  and  the  pilating  call  of  flocks  of  wild  geese  and  other  birds 
of  passage  were  all  familiar  sounds.  Yes,  the  place  had  its  own  peculiar 
music.  For  Big  Grove,  composed  of  some  thousand  acres  of  fine  forest, 
was  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  a  wide  stretch  of  unoccupied  prairie.  A 
few  small  farms  skirted  the  timljer,  but  settlements  were  few  and  far  be- 
tween. In  all  directions  one  could  dri\'e  for  many  miles  over  \-irgin  soil  and 
not  meet  a  human  being,  or  pass  the  habitation  of  a  fellow  man. 

Grant  City  was  at  this  time.  relati\el_\-  speaking,  (|uite  a  citw  The  pojju- 
lation  were  mostly  tradesmen,  woodsmen,  hunters  and  trappers.  Elk,  deer, 
otter,  beaver,  mink  and  muskrats  were  so  plentiful  as  to  make  hunting  and 
trapping  a  \ery  iirofitable,  as  well  as  an  exciting  occupation.  The  ri\-er  abound- 
ed in  a  fine  quality  nf  fish.  There  was  no  doubt  as  to  the  fisherman's  luck, 
for  fine  pickerel  could  be  taken  at  any  time  with  hook  and  line,  weighing  from 
three  to  fifteen  pounds.  Wright's  mill  dam  had  raised  the  water  and  set  it 
back  many  miles,  and  it  furnished  a  place  for  splendid  boating,  and  here,  too, 
in  winter  time,  the  sturdy  pioneer  boys  and  girls  met  in  coasting  and  skating 
parties,  that  still  make  those  sparkling  winters  memorable  for  mirthful  joy. 

In  the  month  of  August,  following  the  opening  of  this  narrative,  I  was 
sent  as  a  lad  not  yet  in  my  teens,  with  Hugh  Traner,  as  a  counciling  com- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  325 

I)anion.  to  freight  some  machinery  and  provisions  to  my  lather's  ranch,  thirtv 
miles  west  of  Grant  City,  at  Badgertown,  on  the  Boyer  river,  in  Crawford 
county,  ^fr.  Traner  was  a  small,  nervous,  little  man,  a  fluent  talker,  in 
knowing  relationship  to  all  the  life  of  those  early  days.  He  had  a  good  work 
team  and  hauled  the  heavier  load. 

My  team  consisted  of  a  bay  mare  and  a  black  horse  of  the  Mohawk 
family,  known  as  "Dick,"  a  notable,  noble  animal.  He  was  purchased  in  Ohio 
by  my  father,  after  a  long  search  for  the  best  known  horse  he  could  find, 
irrespective  of  price.  He  was  game,  fast  and  fearless  as  a  roadster  and  came 
to  have  a  reputation  among  prime  horsemen  from  the  foot-hills  of  the  Alle- 
ghany mountains  to  the  shifting  sands  of  the  Missouri  river.  He  brought  our 
family  from  \\'est  Virginia  to  Iowa  in  1856,  and  had  served  mv  father  as 
an  essential  adjunct  on  several  circuits,  besides  conveying  him  many  miles 
each  year  to  attend  annual  conferences,  where  he  was  greatly  admired.  I  see 
him  now  with  his  glossy  coat,  silken  mane,  arched  neck,  fine  head,  large  full 
eyes,  graceful  outline  of  body,  splendid  limbs,  high,  proud  carriage,  tre- 
mendous energy  and  noiseless  feet  of  frictionless  action. 

The  afternoon  was  an  ideal  one  for  our  long  drive,  and  as  I  had  the 
fastest  team  it  was  thought  best  for  me  to  lead  ofif.  Mr.  Traner's  dog,  "Shep," 
a  mongrel  collie,  ran  ahead  of  my  team  and  searched  the  roadside  along  the 
way  for  game.  In  the  early  part  of  the  afternoon  he  encountered  a  badger, 
an  animal  of  little  value,  but  cunning  and  treacherous  in  fighting.  When  at- 
tacked, a  badger  invariably  turns  upon  his  back.  A  dog  will  usually  nab  him 
by  the  back  of  the  neck,  while  the  badger  proceeds  with  his  long,  knife-like 
claws  of  his  fore  feet  to  almost  cut  the  dog  into  shoestrings !  A  terrible  con- 
flict ensued,  but  the  dog  conquered.     *     *     * 

By  this  time  we  had  reached  the  divide,  the  crown  of  the  great  water- 
shed of  Iowa.  As  \\e  looked  over  the  undulating  prairies,  the  sun  was  sink- 
ing, large  and  red  behind  the  hills  and,  fortunately  for  us.  the  moon  came  u\) 
full  and  round  in  the  east.  "Mr.  Traner,"  I  called  back,  "I  am  hungry." 
"We  will  stop  for  supper,"  he  replied.  While  we  ate  our  supper  he  told  me 
this  tragic  story : 

FROZEN   IN   A  BLIZZARD. 

"At  this  place  the  road  divides:  just  ahead  of  us',  on  that  fearful  De- 
cember night.  fi\e  years  ago,  this  coming  winter,  the  Golden  boys  unhitched 
their  oxen  and  left  their  wagon.  They  had  gone  from  their  home,  southwest 
of  here,  to  Grant  City,  for  a  load  of  corn.     The  dav  was  deceitfully  warm 


326  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

and  tranquil  for  the  time  of  the  year.  Jo  WilHams,  the  postmaster  at  Grant 
City,  told  them  they  had  better  stay  all  night,  as  the  afternoon  was  fast 
slipping  away  and  they  seemed  in  no  hurry  to  start  for  home.  It  was  as  late 
as  three  o'clock  when  they  finally  started  and  they  had  not  been  gone  two 
hours  when  a  blinding  blizzard  struck  them.  They  evidently  fought  their  way 
in  the  teeth  of  the  storm  to  this  point,  within  six  miles  of  their  home.  They 
turned  their  cattle  loose,  and  took  down  the  ravine,  running  off  to  the  south- 
west, seeking  shelter  from  the  blinding  storm.  Nothing  living  and  unpro- 
tected could  survive  the  days  that  followed.  The  third  day  was  New  Year's 
day,  1864,  the  coldest  the  state  of  Iowa  has  ever  experienced.  When  the 
storm  had  somewhat  spent  its  fury,  the  scattered  neighbors  organized  to 
make  a  diligent  search  for  the  missing  boys,  with  little  hope  of  finding  them 
alive.  Their  bodies  were  not  recovered  until  the  following  spring.  They 
were  found  seated  in  a  somewhat  sheltered  place  almost  completely  covered 
by  a  drift  of  melting  snow.  The  older  boy  had  taken  off  his  coat  and  put  it 
on  his  brother  and  died  with  the  little  fellow  in  his  arms." 

"Mr.  Traner,"  said  I,  "my  father  was  out  in  that  storm  on  the  wide 
stretch  of  prairie  between  Jefferson  and  Lake  City.  He  had  crossed  the  river 
at  Horseshoe  Bend.  'I  saw,'  he  said,  'an  ominous  cloud  in  the  west  stretch- 
ing along  the  entire  horizon  and  ad\'ancing  rapidly."  Dick  seemed  to  have  a 
premonition  of  danger,  and  father  said  T  could  hardly  hold  him :  he  flew 
across  the  prairie  at  a  fearful  gait.  Soon  the  storm  swept  down  on  us  like  a 
desert  sirocco,  which  checked  my  horse.  I  could  not  see  the  road  and  was 
afraid  Dick  would  turn  around  and  drift  with  the  wind  storm — I  simply  had 
to  trust  in  him.  I  knew  it  was  getting  late  in  the  afternoon  and  I  had  no 
means  of  telling  exactly  where  I  was,  but  my  brave  horse  kept  facing  the 
storm,  which  s\\ei)t  l.>y  us  like  an  a\-a!anche.  with  the  muffled  roar  of  Niagara. 
I  protected  myself  as  best  I  could  with  my  robes.  We  kept  on  in  the  increas- 
ing, terrible  storm  with  laborious  toil.  At  last  Dick  stopped  and  I  imagined 
I  saw  a  light.  I  called  and  called  again  and  again ;  my  horse  moved  on  im- 
patiently, stopping  again  presently.  Mr.  Bishop,  living  three  miles  west  of 
Lake  City,  came  to  the  fence  and  said,  'Why,  Mr.  Dudley,  I  am  so  glad  you 
reached  us.  Where  were  you  and  how  did  it  all  happen?'  Father  replied, 
'Dick  saved  me ;  isn't  he  splendid  ?'  and  this  was  the  verdict  around  the  warm 
hearthstone  that  night." 

Mr.  Bishop's  home  was  a  favorite  stopping  place  for  the  itinerant 
ministers  and  Dick,  ha\-ing  frequently  been  there  before,  knew  the  way 
through  the  storm.     The  sagacious  and  courageous  old  hero  had  struck  the 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  327 

trail  and  never  left  it,  though  in  the  face  of  a  merciless  storm,  and  finally 
landed  at  the  right  place.  I  think  the  bonds  of  enduring  afifection  closed  a 
little  closer  between  the  old  itinerant  minister  and  his  horse  that  night;  for 
father  always  spoke  of  Dick  with  kindness  in  his  tone  and  apologized  for  all 
his  freaks,  for  he  had  some,  as  most  good  animals  have. 

Supper  over,  we  moved  on,  I  thinking  of  blizzards,  flooded  with  moon- 
light and  fighting  with  mosquitoes.  We  reached  the  ranch  about  ten  o'clock 
and  turned  in  for  the  night.  The  next  morning  when  we  went  to  the  stable 
Dick  was  gone,  and  it  was  a  serious  question  whether  he  had  been  stolen  or 
had  untied  his  hitching  strap.  He  had  to  be  tied  with  great  care,  and  he 
could  draw  bars  and  open  gates  with  a  marvelous  skill.  We  spent  the  fore- 
noon in  searching  for  him  and  inquired  of  all  the  passers  by,  but  no  trace  of 
him  could  be  found.  The  day  following  was  consumed  in  setting  up  the 
machinery  and  starting  to  make  hay.  Mr.  Traner  returned  to  Grant  City 
with  a  promise  to  send  the  horse  back  if  he  had  reached  home;  but  as  he  did 
not  return  for  several  days  we  were  still  apprehensive  that  some  one  had 
stolen  him.  Fortunately,  we  did  not  really  need  the  horse  in  hay-making. 
In  a  short  time  we  had  several  fine  stacks  of  excellent  blue-joint  hay  put  up  in 
fine  shape,  then  it  began  to  rain  and  rained  incessantly  for  days.  The  river 
spread  all  over  the  bottom,  and  we  had  to  flee  from  the  ranch-house  to  the 
hills,  where  we  improvised  a  booth  for  a  residence.  We  made  a  boat  out  of 
a  wagon-box  with  which  to  transport  our  effects  to  higher  ground.  The 
eatables  were  getting  alarmingly  low — a  few  days  with  half  rations,  then 
bran,  bread  and  potatoes,  then  only  potatoes.  We  boys  dug  them  from  under 
four  feet  of  water.  It  was  less  monotonous  to  dig  them  than  to  eat  them. 
Potatoes  are  not  especially  inviting  when  served  alone.  They  tend  to  become 
decidedly  solitary  when  limited  to  onl\'  two  methods  of  cooking — baked  and 
boiled,  boiled  and  baked !     This  was  our  \'ariety. 

Provisionless,  water-ljound,  discouraged  and  hungry,  I  determined  to 
go  home.  The  only  way  I  could  possibly  accomplish  this  journey  was  on 
foot.  The  ranch  man,  Mr.  Church,  was  going  in  the  direction  of  home, 
where  it  was  rejDorted  there  was  some  field  corn,  some  of  which  we  hoped 
to  secure  to  lend  a  \'ariety  to  the  potatoes,  so  he  hitched  up  the  oxen  to  help  me 
along  on  my  long  journey.  We  soon  came  to  a  bridgeless  stream,  which  he 
could  not  cross  with  the  oxen.  I  climbed  over  on  a  few  standing  timbers  of 
the  structure  and,  with  a  promise  to  send  supplies  as  soon  as  possible,  I  bade 
him  good  bye  and  pushed  on  my  journey.  It  was  a  hard  tramp.  I  had  to 
make  a  long  detour,  wade  the  deep  sloughs  and  freshet  currents  of  water.     I 


328  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

was  so  tired,  weak  and  footsore  that  at  times  I  thought  I  would  be  com- 
pelled to  stop  and  rest,  but  I  dare  not,  as  night  was  coming  on  and  it  began  to 
grow  very  dark.  The  pillar  of  fire  that  cheered  that  darkness  was  "home, 
sweet  home,"  a  place  where  the  sky  is  bluer,  the  water  clearer,  and  bread  and 
butter  sweeter,  and  the  pillows  softer  than  any  other  place  on  earth.  The  halo 
of  a  light  and  sympathy  I  anticipated  in  the  dream  of  that  dreary  night  was 
a  veritable  shekinah  that  spurred  my  weary  feet  to  reach  the  encani])nient  of 
hallowed  ground. 

I  tugged  on  and  on  and  at  last  came  to  the  ri\er,  where  I  met  dear  old 
Tom  Kirk.  Tom  was  a  ri\er  man.  or  rather  a  boy  who  took  to  the  water  as 
though  it  were  the  accompaniment  of  his  life.  I  told  him  my  mournful 
story.  "Well,  well,  get  into  my  l)oat,  I'll  soon  have  you  across — your  folks 
ha\-e  been  worrying  "bout  you,  but  I  told  "em  not  to  fret,  as  you  would  be 
coming  home  soon  and  all  right,  too."  He  said  Mr.  Traner  had  gotten  back 
before  the  approaches  of  the  bridge  had  been  washed  away,  and  do  you  know 
I  was  afraid  to  ask  him  about  Dick  for  fear  he  would  say  he  had  not  re- 
turned. We  landed  and  I  said  "good  night"  to  Tom.  "So  long,  see  vou  in 
the  morning."  I  started  to  climl.)  the  hill  up  from  the  river.  It  was  never 
so  long  before  and  so  weary  the  way.  When  1  reached  the  top  of  the  hill  I 
could  see  down  the  streets.  I  saw  a  light  gleaming  from  our  cottage  window. 
I  greatl}'  surprised  the  folks.  Father  laughed  his  glad  welcome.  I  saw 
tears  in  my  mother's  eyes,  as  she  sat  down  in  a  chair  and  held  me  in  her  arms. 
"I  was  so  anxious  about  you,"  she  said.  "Your  father  was  going  to  try  to 
go  to  the  ranch  tomorrow."  You  can  hardly  imagine  the  joy  and  rest  that 
came  to  me  when  they  told  me  that  twenty-four  hours  after  I  started  from 
home,  for  the  ranch.  Dick  came  home  and  stood  at  the  front  gate  and  called 
to  have  us  let  him  in.  Father  said :  'T  think  Bobby  had  anticipated  the 
freshet,  for  he  is  as  cunning  as  he  is  good.  I  think  you  are  both  better  roadsters 
than  you  are  ranchmen."  "I  don't  know  about  that,  father;  I  didn't  feel 
like  a  roadster  yesterday."  "Well,"  continued  he,  "I  am  sure  you  have 
broken  the  record.  Now  that  I  have  you  both  at  home  I  intend  to  keep  you 
here,  and  )ou  may  take  Dick  and  drive  me  over  to  Carroll,  where  I  will  take 
the  train  for  Boonesboro  where  the  conference  meets.  In  the  meantime,  we 
must  provision  the  ranch." 

That  fall  Dick  moved  us  again  two  hundred  miles,  and  we  left  the  wild 
woods  and  the  little  home  where  we  had  spent  several  happ\-  years  that  had 
their  own  peculiar  and  primitive  charms.  The  hands  that  lighted  the  lamps 
and  spread  the  comforts,  living  in  neighborly  good  will  in  the  little  hamlet 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  329 

under  the  great  trees,  are  gone — all  gone.  A  tired  pilgrim  mav  hope  some 
day  to  come  up  from  the  ri\er,  up  the  long  hill,  after  the  weary  journev  to 
immortality,  to  see  a  gleaming  light  and  find  a  glad  welcome  to  the  comforts 
and  company  for  which  I  have  longed  at  times  with  a  lonelv  heart.  I  have 
greatly  missed  the  sweet  fellowship  of  the  long  ago,  and  if  old  Dick  is  there 
I  shall  be  doubly  glad.  Why  not?  It  has  always  seemed  to  me  that  he 
should  have  a  place  "in  the  green  pastures  beside  still  waters." 

AN    .\DVENTURE   IN    "hELL   SLOUGh/' 

Levi  Da\'is  (sa}'s  the  .Sac  Sim),  then  a  practicing  attorney,  later  cashier 
of  the  Sac  County  Bank,  was  married  late  in  the  summer  of  1864,  and  dur- 
ing that  autumn  went  with  his  bride  to  the  eastern  part  of  this  state  to  visit 
relatives.  Early  in  December  they  started  out  on  their  homeward  journev, 
by  way  of  Fort  Dodge  and  Twin  Lakes.  At  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  of 
December  loth  they  left  Fort  Dodge  for  their  home.  There  was  a  little  snow 
on  the  ground  and  a  moderate  wind  from  the  northeast.  Their  conveyance 
was  an  open  two-seated  carriage  and  they  had  a  dri\'er.  About  the  time  thev 
reached  the  great  swamp  known  as  "Purgatory,"  three  miles  east  of  the  lakes, 
the  wind  changed  to  a  terrible  tempest  from  the  northwest  and  the  air  was 
filled  with  flying  snow.  They  were  caught  by  a  blizzard.  The  temperature 
fell  rapidly  and  reached  thirty  degrees  below  zero.  At  two  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon  they  reached  the  stage  station  at  Twin  Lakes  and,  as  it  was  im- 
possible to  go  further,  they  remained  over  until  nine  o'clock  Monday,  the  12th 
of  the  month,  when  they  started  on  the  last  stretch  of  their  journey.  The 
snow  had  stopped  blowing  and  the  wind  had  moderated  somewhat,  though 
there  was  a  stifif  breeze  from  the  northwest  and  the  mercury  stood  at  twenty 
below  zero.  They  reached  a  high  hill,  halfway  between  Sac  City  and  Twin 
Lakes,  without  accident,  but  at  that  point  the  hind  axle  broke  on  their  buggv 
in  such  a  manner  that  it  could  not  be  well  repaired.  It  was  decided  that  the 
driver  should  go  on  to  Sac  City  and  procure  help,  \\-hile  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davis 
kept  the  robes  and  made  themselves  as  comfortable  as  possible  in  the  mean- 
time. First  they  descended  mto  "Hell  Slough,"  Mr.  Davis'  carrying  a  part 
of  the  lap  robes  with  him.  Mrs.  Davis  complained  that  her  feet  were  freez- 
ing, and  so  they  went  down  into  a  well  fi\-e  or  six  feet  deep,  where,  sheltered 
from  the  raging  wind,  he  took  her  shoes  off  and,  after  a  vigorous  rubbing, 
finally  succeeded  in  getting  up  a  circulation  of  blood.  Reascending  from 
the  dry  well,  Mr.  Davis  took  the  several  robes  out  into  the  cane-grass  some 
eight  to  ten  feet  in  height  and  laid  them  down  in  such  a  shape  as  to  make  a 


330  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

good  protection  from  the  wind.  After  this  Mr.  Davis  started  back  to  the  hill 
top  after  more  of  the  robes.  After  he  had  gone  awhile  the  Rev.  Lamont, 
presiding  elder  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  district,  came  along  in  his  bnggy 
and  chanced  to  see  the  buffalo  robes  in  the  cane-grass  and  so  deliberately 
drew  forth  his  rifle  from  the  back  of  his  buggy  and  as  he  was  about  to  aim 
and.  fire,  Mrs.  Davis,  hearing  the  rattle  of  his  buggy  upon  coming  along,  rose 
up  with  her  robe,  thinking  help  had  been  sent  from  Sac  City.  She  was  just 
in  time,  as  the  presiding  elder  was  going  to  shoot  at  what  he  supposed  to  be  a 
live  buffalo.  Mr.  Davis  returned  with  the  remaining  covering  and  the 
preacher  wanted  them  to  go  back  with  him  to  Twin  Lakes,  but  they  wanted 
to  come  on  home  to  Sac  City,  so  thanked  him  for  the  offer,  and  remained  in 
all  three  or  four  hours,  when  a  wagoner,  moving  some  soldiers,  picked  them 
up  and  took  them  along  west,  reaching  home  before  nightfall.  They  met 
their  team  coming  out  after  them,  but  it  was  supposed  they  would  find  the 
man  and  his  newly  married  wife  frozen  before  they  could  reach  them.  "All 
is  well  that  ends  well !"' 


CHAPTER  XX. 

ANIMALS  AND  GAME   BIRDS  OF   SAC   COUNTY. 
By   John   A.    Spurrell. 

[Believing  that  this  subject  should  be  well  treated  in  the  annals  of  this 
county,  we  invited  Mr.  John  A.  Spurrell,  a  man  well  calculated  to  produce 
facts  and  write  an  interesting  article  on  this  topic,  and  he  has  obtained  much 
information  by  interviews  with  such  men  as  Hugh  Cory,  Asa  Piatt,  Orville 
Lee,  Shelt  Tiberghein,  of  Sac  City:  C.  Everett  Lee,  Lytton;  John  Spurrell,  of 
Wall  Lake;  Dr.  and  Mrs.  A.  S.  Hayden,  Wall  Lake;  H.  P.  Dudley,  Carroll 
and  H.  B.  Smith,  of  Odebolt.  after  which  he  has  written  the  following  able 
and  highly  interesting  article,  which  cannot  fail  to  please  the  reader  of  local 
history. — Ed.  ] 

Few  people  of  today  realize  the  importance  of  the  game  and  fur-bearing 
animals  to  the  early  settlers  of  Sac  county.  In  fact  no  settlements  could 
have  been  made  until  the  railroads  had  been  lauilt  had  there  not  been  an 
abundance  of  game  and  fur-bearing  animals.  Large  game  was  found  in  some 
abundance  until  1870,  and  game  birds  until  1885  or  1890. 

I  obtained  records  of  all  the  large  game  animals  except  antelope.  Of 
these,  the  l)uffalo  or  bison  were  the  largest  and  were  found  only  as  stragglers 
when  the  first  settlers  arrived  in  1S54,  having  been  much  hunted  by  the 
Indians,  but  it  had  been  much  more  abundant  formerly,  as  shown  by  hundreds 
of  buffalo  bones  dredged  up  in  Rush  lake  when  it  was  drained  in  191 1.  Many 
bones  were  found  also  in  a  miry  place  on  Piatt  Armstrong's  place,  near  Lake 
View,  and  at  several  other  points  while  digging  drainage  ditches,  while 
horns  were  sometimes  plowed  up  on  the  prairies.  Asa  Piatt  killed  a  three- 
year-old  female  buffalo  on  the  county  line  south  of  Storm  Lake  in  June,  1858. 
Three  other  buffalo  crossed  the  county  and  were  killed  west  of  Lake  City, 
about  the  same  time.  Mr.  Piatt  reported  two  buffalo  crossing  the  southwest 
corner  of  the  county  in  i860,  and  they  were  killed  near  Jefferson.  Mr.  Shelt 
Tiberghien  saw  one  buffalo  in  1863  about  a  mile  and  a  half  south  and  three 
miles  west  of  Sac  City,  but  this  one  escaped.  The  largest  bunch  he  heard  of 
was  five  killed  near  Lake  City  in  1862,  in  Calhoun  county.  The  Johnny 
Green  Indians  killed  two  buffalo  on  a  hunt  commencing  a  mile  and  a  half 
south  of  Newell  and  extending  through  Sac  county  to  Ida  Grove,  in  1862. 


332  SAC    COUMTY,    IOWA. 

All  early  settlers  united  in  sa_\in^-  that  elk  or  wapiti  were  plentiful,  being 
found  from  solitary  individuals  up  to  five  hundred  in  a  herd.  They  were 
the  most  important  source  of  meat  to  the  earliest  settlers,  this  place  being 
taken  by  deer  later. 

The  elk  herded  in  winter  and  in  case  of  storms  took  refuge  in  reed  and 
rush  grown  ]ionds,  where  the  reeds  were  ten  feet  high  or  more.  In  summer- 
time they  scattered  out.  Elk  horns  could  be  picked  up  by  the  wagon  load 
in  1856.  Shelt  Tiberghien  captured  three  calves  and  raised  them  to  yearlings. 
The  last  elk  in  Sac  county  was  a  herd  of  about  forty  which  went  from  east  of 
Storm  Lake,  south  through  Sac  county,  crossing  the  "Goosepond"  at  Wall 
Lake,  in  October,  1869.  Deer  were  plentiful  until  the  winter  of  1856-57. 
when,  in  deep  snow,  about  three  feet  on  the  le\'el,  the  wolves  and  hunters 
nearly  exterminated  them.  One  hunter  killed  thirty  as  fast  as  he  could  shoot, 
at  Mason's  Grove  in  Crawford  countx',  and  over  one  hundred  and  fifty  were 
killed  by  the  settlers  of  that  grove  during  that  winter.  The  saddles  (two 
hind  quarters)  of  these  deer  were  sold  for  fifty  cents  each  in  Sioux  City. 
Deer  were  rare  for  several  years  after  that  winter,  then  increased  and  were 
plentiful  until  the  seventies.  The}'  stayed  on  the  prairies  and  hid  in  the 
rushes  and  tall  grass  around  ponds  in  summer  and  took  refuge  in  the  hollows 
and  cuts  in  the  hills  in  winter.  If  there  were  any  deer  in  the  county  they 
were  always  to  be  found  between  the  Boyer  river  and  Indian  creek,  where 
these  came  nearest  to  each  other.  Piatt  Armstrong  killed  four  deer  near 
Lake  View  in  1880.  probably  the  last  in  this  county,  although  there  may  have 
been  a  few  stragglers  later. 

This  large  game  furnished  much  of  the  meat  for  the  earlv  settlers, 
although  wild  ducks,  geese,  swan,  prairie  chickens,  etc.,  were  plentiful,  while 
at  first  the  fur-bearing  animals  furnished  the  only  cash  revenue. 

Muskrats  were  the  most  important,  because  the  most  abundant.  The 
skins  were  worth  from  eight  to  ten  cents  in  1857  and  from  twelve  to  fifteen 
each  in  1870.  when  Shelt  Tiberghien  and  two  partners  trapped  six  thousand 
two  hundred  and  fifty  muskrats  from  October,  1870.  to  Mav,  1871.  The 
muskrats  were  called  the  "savior  of  the  people"  and  taxes  were  paid  from  the 
proceeds  of  trapping.  Furs  and  hides  were  the  only  products  valuable 
enough  to  stand  transportation  by  team  before  the  railroad  came. 

Beaver  were  very  common,  the  dams  they  built  across  the  Coon  river 
being  so  numerous  (about  a  half  mile  apart)  that  there  was  slack  water  nearlv 
all  the  way  uii  the  ri\er.  These  dams  doubtless  did  much  to  prevent  destruc- 
tive floods,  and  to  equalize  the  stream  flow.  Beaver  were  most  plentiful  in 
1856,  and  on  the  Coon  river  the  last  dam  was  straight  east  of  Lake  ^^iew, 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  333 

where  Shelt  Tiberghien  and  partner  caught  thirteen  heaver  in  1870.  The  last 
beaver  trapped  on  the  Bover  ri\'er  were  cauglit  in  1886,  west  of  Wall  Lake. 

Otter  were  plentiful  and,  while  steadily  decreasing  in  number,  held  their 
own  better  than  the  beaver,  one  being  caught  near  Sac  City  in  1912.  One 
trapper  caught  five  otter  one  da\-  in  early  times,  and  they  were  worth  three 
dollars  a  piece  then,  or  less  than  a  mink  skin  now.  The  otter  lived  almost 
exclusively  on  fish.  In  the  Coon  river  pickerel  were  most  abundant,  then 
red  horse  and  suckers:  black  bass,  cat  fish,  and  wall-eyed  pike  were  not  so 
numerous.  In  Wall  lake  pickerels  were  most  plentiful,  but  there  were  also 
bufifalo.  perch  and  black  bass.  This  lake  looked  like  sleds  had  been  driven 
all  over  it  in  the  winter  of  1855-56,  so  numerous  were  the  "otter  slides,  ac- 
cording to  Mr.  Hugh  Cory. 

Raccoons,  from  which  the  ri\er  was  named,  were  common,  says  Mr. 
Cory.  His  father.  F.  M.  Cory,  got  twelve  out  of  an  abandoned  beaver  hole 
in  the  bank  of  the  Coon  river,  in  the  winter  of  1855-56.  A  few  are  still 
found,  two  being  trapped  north  of  Sac  Citv  in  the  winter  of  1913-14. 

One  black  bear  was  chased  by  Jim  Butler  and  two  other  hunters  on 
horseback  from  south  of  Wall  lake  to  the  Boyer  river  in  1855,  but  it  escaped. 

Mink  were  common,  only  a  little  more  common  than  they  were  until 
about  five  years  ago. 

^Veasels  have  had  about  the  same  abundance  all  the  time,  being  only 
tolerably  common. 

Badgers  were  ver_\-  common  in  the  early  days  on  the  prairies,  and  a 
very  few  remain  yet.  One  was  caught  this  ( 1913-14)  winter,  near  Wall  lake. 
I  think  they  are  increasing  slightly  and  they  should  be  protected,  as  they  live 
almo.st  entirely  upon  the  big  gray  and  little  striped  squirrels.  Every  farmer 
knows  how  destructive  the  large  grays  are  to  seed  corn  after  it  has  been 
planted. 

The  large  striped  skunks  were  common,  twelve  being  taken  out  of  one 
hole  by  one  trapper.  They  are  not  very  common  now,  at  least  in  the  south- 
ern part  of  the  county.  The  little  spotted  skunks  were  first  trapped  in  1858, 
but  must  ha\e  been  at  Grant  City  long  before  that.  However,  they  did  not 
become  very  common  until  about  1880,  and  are  now  very  plentiful.  Both 
kinds  of  skunks  live  mostly  on  meadow  mice,  white  grubs,  grasshoppers  and 
such  small  game  and  are  worthy  of  protection,  except  when  one  gets  the 
chicken-killing  habit,  as  they  do  occasionally. 

There  were  two  species  of  foxes  in  Sac  county,  the  red  fox  and  the  kit 
or  swift  fox.     The  swift  fox  stayed  on  the  prairie  and  was  rather  rare. 


334  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

Hugh  Cory  trapped  one  at  Correction  pond  in  1862.  Mr.  Tiberghien  trapped 
six  swift  foxes  in  1858.  Red  fox  were  most  common  in  1864.  Two  trap- 
pers, in  1864.  caught  thirty-seven  foxes,  a  few  of  these  were  cross  foxes, 
worth  five  dollars,  and  one.  a  silver  fox.  was  worth  fifteen  dollars:  these  are 
color  varieties  of  the  red  fox.  Red  fox  were  worth  from  one  to  one  and  a  half 
dollars  each.  Many  red  foxes  were  killed  by  strychnine  and  about  1880  a 
pack  of  hounds  were  brought  to  Sac  City  which  ran  most  of  the  foxes  out  of 
the  country.  An  occasional  one  is  still  trapped,  however,  one  being  caught 
near  Sac  City  in  the  winter  just  passing. 

Timber,  or  large  gray  wohes.  were  rather  scarce,  the  last  one  being 
killed  in  1868.  '  Both  timber  wolves  and  coyotes  caught  and  ate  red  foxes. 
A  black  wolf,  not  as  large  as  the  timber  wolf,  was  very  rare.  F.  M.  Cory, 
in  1858.  caphired  a  pup  from  a  litter  playing  at  the  mouth  of  the  den.  which 
animal  he  kept  a  year.     This  was  the  last  one  seen. 

Coyotes  were  more  plentiful  in  early  days  than  now.  but  they  are  still 
fairly  common  and  seem  to  be  increasing  in  numbers,  three  being  trapped 
near  W'^\\  lake  the  past  winter  and  two  reported  caught  in  other  parts  of  this 
county.     Several  dens  are  dug  out  nearly  ever}-  spring. 

Three  Canada  lynx  were  killed  in  1869.  and  a  straggler  in  1875,  ^^^  they 
were  rare. 

Bob-cats  or  wild-cats  were  common.  ]Most  of  them  were  killed  by  1870. 
but  one  was  captured  in  1885.  These  two  species  were  found  in  the  heavier 
timber. 

I  have  obtained  no  actual  record  of  a  panther  or  puma,  but  have  heard 
rumors  of  the  same.  Probably  the}'  were  very  rare,  and  were  exterminated 
before  the  settlement  by  white  men. 

A  porcupine  was  killed  in  Grant  City  in  1854. 

The  first  gray  or  barn  rat  came  from  Xew  York  in  the  spring  of  1858  in 
a  box  of  goods.  It  escaped  and  was  trapped  the  following  fall.  Barn  rats 
were  next  reported  in  1868. 

The  large  gray  ground  squirrels  or  gophers  and  the  little  striped  ground 
squirrels  were  as  common  as  now,  and  chipmunks  were  more  common  than 
now.  in  the  timber.  There  were  always  woodchucks,  or  ground-hogs,  in 
Grant  grove  and  Lee's  grove,  ten  miles  south  and  eight  miles  north  of  Sac 
Citv-  respectively,  but  they  never  spread  out  much  until  the  last  ten  vears. 
They  have  spread  through  the  timber  and  one  was  caught  at  Wall  lake 
August  27,  1912. 

OrN-ille  Lee  reported  a  prairie  dog  town  of  about  twenty  burrows  in 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  335 

Jackson  township  in  iqoo.  but  tliese  may  have  been  descendants  of  escaped 
pets. 

Fox.  or  timber,  squirrels  liave  always  been  found  in  the  larger  groves, 
but  were  \ery  rare  at  first  and  only  in  late  years  have  they  become  veiT  plenti- 
ful.    At  Wall  lake  they  appeared  first  about  1904. 

Flying  squirrels  were  always  found  in  the  timber  and  a  few  are  found 
yet.     They  move  about  only  at  night,  so  are  not  often  seen. 

Pocket  gophers  were  found  in  morning  glory  patches  on  the  unbroken 
prairie,  and  they  are  and  were  always  common. 

Opossums  were  found  in  Grant  and  Lee's  groves,  when  the  first  settlers 
came,  but  were  rare.  They  are  still  rather  scarce,  but  are  increasing.  They 
first  appeared  around  Sac  City  about  1900,  and  at  Wall  lake  in  1907,  and  are 
spreading  out  over  the  prairie,  wherever  they  can  find  a  little  timber. 

Cottontail,  or  grav  rabbits,  were  always  common,  but  in  early  times  were 
found  only  in  the  timber,  because  coyotes  were  too  common,  while  now  al- 
most none  are  found  in  the  timlwr  and  they  are  common  in  the  corn  fields  in 
the  winter. 

Jackrabbits,  or  prairie  hares,  are  becoming  more  plentiful  yearly,  but 
the  first  record  I  can  find  is  of  one  seen  in  the  southern  part  of  the  county  in 
1868  or  1869.  One  was  killed  near  Lake  \'iew  in  1879  and  it  was  five  years 
before  the  hunter  saw  another.  They  did  not  become  numerous  until  about 
1890  to  1900. 

With  game  birds  Sac  county  was  ever  more  plentifully  supplied  than 
with  game  animals  and  fur-bearers.  Of  these,  the  largest  was  the  trumpeter 
and  whistling  swans.  These  were  common,  the  whistling  the  more  so,  until 
1865.  The  trumpeter  swan  nested  three  miles  west  of  Sac  City  in  1859  ^"d 
later.     The  last  nest  reported  was  in  1870. 

Canada  geese  were  also  plentiful  and  nested  until  1880.  Snow  geese, 
and  white-fronted  geese  were  common,  sometimes  abundant,  and  blue  geese 
rare.  These  species  are  called  brant  by  hunters.  Whooping  or  white  cranes 
were  always  rather  rare  here  and  I  have  seen  none  for  several  years.  Sand- 
hill cranes  were  plentiful  and  nested  here  until  1878.  They  are  still  seen  in 
spring  and  fall,  but  rather  rare.  Pelicans  were  common,  sometimes  going  in 
flocks  of  about  one  hundred.  A  hail  storm  killed  seventy-five  or  eighty 
pelicans  on  a  pond  between  Wall  lake  and  Sac  City,  while  migrating  in 
April.  They  still  stop  on  Wall  lake  in  both  spring  and  fall.  They  live  on 
fish  and  are  hardly  properly  called  a  game  bird,  but  are  usually  shot  because 
of  their  size  and  rarity,  but  should  not  be,  as  they  are  protected  by  law. 


336  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Long-billed  curlew  and  marbled  godwits  were  common  and  until  1877  nested. 
They  were  rare  after  1875.  UpL-unl  jjlover  were  common  and  nested  until 
about  fifteen  years  ago;  tbere  were  countless  thousands  of  golden  plover  in 
the  spring  of  1876. 

As  one  settler  said.  "There  was  no  end  to  ducks."  They  were  of  many 
species.  Every  pond  was  covered  with  ducks  in  the  fall.  One  person  re- 
ported having  seen  the  entire  east  end  of  Wall  lake,  east  of  a  line  drawn  from 
Lakewood  to  Provost's,  covered  with  ducks  so  thickly  that  the  water  looked 
black,  during  the  spring  migration.  Contrast  this  with  the  conditions  of 
today  and  the  great  ditference  in  the  abundance  of  ducks  can  be  readilv  seen. 
The  species  were  the  same  as  now,  but  their  numbers  have  been  greatly  re- 
duced. Spring  shooting  has  been  stopped  none  too  soon.  Mallard,  pintail 
and  teal  were  the  most  common  ducks,  mallard  and  teal  nesting  here,  as  did 
wood  ducks  along  the  Coon  rive.  Redheads  were  nnich  more  common  than 
canvas-backs,  seven  only  out  of  one  hundred  and  thirty-six  of  the  two  species 
killed  from  1875  to  1890  being  canvfis-backs.  The  rarest  of  ducks  was  the 
old  squaw  and  the  hooded  mergarser  next. 

Of  upland  game  birds,  the  wild  turkey  was  the  largest  in  size,  three 
being  killed  at  Grant  City  in  1854.  Ruffed  grouse  were  reported  rare  by 
Hugh  Cory,  the  last  ones  he  saw  were  killed  in  the  si.xties.  Orville  Lee  saw 
one  in  the  woods  near  vSac  City  in  1886  and  heard  of  others  being  seen  before. 
The  jjassenger,  or  wild,  pigeon  was  always  rather  scarce,  five  hundred  in  one 
flock  being  the  largest  number  reported.  One  was  seen  in  the  "Goosepond" 
near  Wall  lake  in  the  summer  of  1875.  One  was  killed  near  Sac  City  in 
1879,  and  a  flock  of  twenty  seen  near  Wall  lake  between  1880  and  1885. 

The  sharp-tailed  grouse,  or  [irairie  grouse,  was  tolerablv  common  in 
very  early  times.  Hugh  Cory  reported  trapping  about  one  hundred  in  the 
winter  of  1855-56.     The  last  one  was  seen  in  1858. 

A  bird  called  the  woodcock,  but  really  the  pileated  woodpecker,  was  rare 
and  was  soon  externn'nated  because  considered  good  eating ;  the  last  one  was 
seen  in  1865.  Magpies  were  found  in  the  timlier  onlv  along  the  Coon  river 
in  the  sixties  and  turkey  vultures  much  later  than  this. 

Bob-whites,  or  quail,  were  most  plentiful  in  1866,  but  only  stayed  in 
the  brush  and  timber  at  that  time.  There  was  a  .small  flock  in  a  [)atch  of 
brush  on  Indian  creek,  near  Lake  View,  in  1878.  They  are  very  rare  now 
owing  to  a  combination  of  hunters  and  hard  winters.  The  largest  flock  I 
have  ever  seen  was  twenty-four  about  fifteen  years  ago. 

Prairie  chickens  were  the  most  importaiit  u])Iand  game  bird,  becau.se  the 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  ^^7 

most  abundant.  They  nested  all  over  the  prairies.  They  were  most  abundant 
at  first  settlement,  but  at  that  time  migrated  during  the  winter.  Fifteen  tried 
to  winter  in  1855-56  and  only  seven  survived,  but  prairie  chickens  were  very 
abundant  next  summer  and  fall,  having  come  back  from  the  South.  Later, 
when  the  prairies  were  planted  to  corn  to  a  large  extent,  many  wintered  as 
well  as  nested  here.  Their  nests  were  very  common  in  1875.  During  the 
eighties  nearly  ever\-  farmer  had  a  line  of  chicken  traps  out  during  the  winter. 
There  was  one  white  or  albino  prairie  chicken  reported.  Now  no  prairie 
chickens  nest  in  Sac  county  that  1  have  been  able  to  locate,  the  last  being  about 
1900,  but  thev  migrate  in  from  the  northwest  and  winter  here,  sometimes 
being  common  around  shocked  cum. 

PARTIAL  LIST  OF  BIRDS  OF  SAC  COUNTY. 

This  is  a  list  of  birds  1  have  seen  and  made  a  note  of  in  Sac  county, 
mostly  in  the  \icinity  of  the  towns  of  Wall  Lake,  with  brief  notes  on  some  of 
them.  It  is  by  no  means  complete,  but  most  of  the  land  birds  are  included  in 
it.      I'ive  species  were  seen  by  my  sister. 

The  vellow-ljilled  cuckon,  or  "rain  crow,"  is  common  in  the  groves  and 
lives  on  the  hairy  caterpillars  and  other  enemies  of  tree  foliage.  The  black- 
billed  cuckoo  is  rare.      I  have  seen  only  one. 

The  belted  kingfisher  is  a  common  migrant  along  the  Coon  river  and  on 
Wall  lake. 

The  hair\-  and  downy  woodpeckers  are  tolerably  common  in  winter  and 
sometimes  nests  in  the  timber. 

The  yellow-billed  sap-sucker  is  rare,  fortunately,  because  this  is  the 
woodpecker  that  makes  the  rows  of  neat  punctures  in  the  bark  of  trees,  to 
eat  the  inner  bark.  All  other  woodpeckers  live  mostly  on  insects  injurious 
to  trees. 

The  flicker  ( _\clli)w-hanimer )  or  "high  hole"  and  the  red-headed  wood- 
peckers are  common. 

I  have  seen  the  whippoorwill  only  once  at  Wall  lake.  May  14,  1910. 

The  nighthawk.  or  "bull  bat,"  is  a  common  migrant  and  nests  along  the 
Coon  river. 

The  chimney  swift,   or   swallow,   sometimes  nests   in   unused   chimneys, 
especially  in  towns  of  this  county.     It  formerly  nested  in  hollow  trees.  These 
three  birds  live  entirely  on  insects  taken  on  the  wing.     0\'er  one  thousand 
moscjuitoes  have  been  taken  from  a  night  hawk's  stomach. 
(21) 


33^  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

The  ruby-throated  humniinj^  bird  is  usually  rare,  but  sometimes  common 
as  a  migrant,  and  sometimes  nests  here. 

'The  king-bird  is  common  and  the  Arkansas  king-bird,  which  has  a  yellow 
color  where  the  common  king-bird  has  white,  is  rare. 

The  crested  fly-catcher  nests  along  the  Coon  river  and  is  a  rare  migrant 
in  other  parts  of  the  county. 

The  phoebe  nests  under  bridges  near  woods,  and  the  wood  pewee  nests 
in  nearly  every  grove. 

The  prairie  horned  lark  is  common,  nesting  in  meadows  early  in  the 
spring  and  later  in  the  corn  fields,  where  many  nests  are  destroyed  by  the 
corn  plows.     It  lives  on  weed  seeds,  waste  grain  and  insects. 

Blue  jays  and  crows  are  common,  but  many  of  them  move  farther  south 
for  the  winter. 

Bobolinks  are  common,  nesting  in  wild  hay  lands.  Cow  birds  are 
common ;  and  red-winged  blackbirds  nest  in  every  swampy  place.  Yellow 
headed  blackbirds  nest  only  in  reeds  over  fairly  deep  water.  The  rusty  black- 
bird and  Brewer's  blackbirds  are  common  migrants  and  the  bronze  gracke, 
ordinarily  called  blackbird,  nests  commonly  in  groves. 

The  foregoing  birds  damage  grain  to  some  extent,  but  also  do  much 
good  by  eating  white  grubs  and  other  insects. 

The  meadow  lark  commonly  nests  in  pastures  and  meadows,  where  it 
does  much  good  by  living  on  grasshoppers,  etc, 

Baltimore  orioles  are  common  migrants  and  frequentiv  nest  in  groves, 
while  orchard  orioles  are  somewhat  rarer. 

The  redpoll,  a  northern  bird,  was  tolerably  common  in  the  winter  of  igio- 
II,  and  I  have  seen  pine  siskins  once,  in  September,  1908.  I  have  also  seen 
snowflakes  once  during  a  blizzard,  February  14,  1909.  The  Lapland  long- 
spur  is  an  abundant  migrant,  and  is  tolerably  common  as  a  winter  resident 
It  flies  in  huge  flocks  which  .stay  out  in  the  fields,  never  alighting  in  trees. 

Vesper  sparrows  are  rare  migrants  and  Savanna  sparrows  common 
migrants,  while  the  grasshopper  sparrow  commonly  nests  in  pastures  and 
meadows.  These  sparrows  all  slay  out  in  the  fields.  The  lark  sparrow  is 
a  rare  migrant.  The  Harris  and  white-throated  sparrows  are  abundant 
migrants  and  the  white-crowned  song  fox  and  chipping  sparrows  are  tolerably 
common  migrants  and  are  found  along  hedges  and  in  the  groves.  The  slate 
colored  junco  is  an  abundant  migrant,  as  is  the  tree  sparrow,  which  also 
winters  here.  The  swamp  sparrow  is  common  in  marshes.  All  the  native 
sparrows  feed  their  yoimg  upon  insects  and  live  upon  weed  seeds  themselves 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  339 

and  are  gifted  with  sweet  Songs,  while  the  English  sparrow  or  European 
house  sparrow,  which  abounds  in  our  towns  and  sometimes  on  the  farms, 
hves  on  grain,  drives  away  more  vahiable  native  birds  by  taking  their  nesting 
places  and  makes  a  nuisance  of  itself  generally. 

The  towhee  is  a  rare  migrant  at  Wall  lake,  and  nests  in  the  timber  at 
Sac  City. 

The  rose-breasted  grosbeak  is  common,  nesting  in  groves  and  orchards. 

The  Indigo  bunting  is  rare  at  Wall  lake  and  I  have  seen  it  at  Sac  City. 

The  dickcissel  is  comm<in.  nesting  in  hay  fields,  where  many  nests  are 
destroyed  b\   the  mowers. 

The  lark  l.>unting,  a  western  bird,  is  rare.  I  have  seen  it  only  once,  in 
May,  1908. 

The  scarlet  tanager  is  a  rare  migrant  at  Wall  lake. 

The  purple  martin  is  common  in  the  larger  towns  of  this  county.  It 
lives  on  insects,  which  it  catches  flying,  including  enormous  numbers  of 
mosquitoes  and  flies.  Its  numbers  could  be  greatly  increased  by  putting  up 
more  martin  houses  for  it.  The  cliff  and  barn  swallows  nest  about  barns 
and  sheds,  and  are  abundant  migrants,  as  is  the  tree  swallow,  which  nests 
only  rarely.  The  bank  swallow  nests  most  commonly  about  Wall  lake,  and 
the  rough  winged  swallow  nests  in  banks  along  Coon  river.  All  the  swallows 
are  useful  l)irtls,  living  on  flying  insects  exclusively.  The  cedar  wax-wings 
are  rare  migrants. 

The  white  rumped  sheike,  or  butcher  bird,  is  only  tolerably  common, 
nesting  in  hedges  or  isolated  trees.  The  warbling  vireo  is  common  and  the 
blue-headed  rare. 

The  warblers  are  a  group  of  small  birds  of  almost  tropical  brilliancy  of 
colors,  which  frequent  groves  and  hedges  during  migration  and  vary  much 
in  numbers  from  year  to  year.  The  yellow  warbler  is  abundant  and  nests 
here.  The  mvrtle,  magnolia,  black-poll,  redstart,  Wilson  and  northern  yel- 
low-throat warblers  are  all  common.  The  latter  nests  in  sloughs.  The  black 
and  white,  Nashville,  parula,  chestnut-sided  and  palm  warblers,  water  thrush 
and  Louisiana  water  thrush  are  all  tolerably  common.  The  bay-breasted 
blackburrian,  Canadian,  Cape  May,  black-throated  green  and  mourning 
warblers  are  rare.     All  the  warblers  live  on  insects  which  live  on  tree  foliage. 

The  pitpit  or  titlark  is  tolerably  common  as  a  migrant,  being  found  on 
plowed  fields  only. 

The  cat  bird  and  brown  thrasher  are  common,  nesting  in  groves  and 
thickets. 


340  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

The  house  wren  is  common,  nesting  in  holes  or  bird  boxes  that  the 
English  sparrows  cannot  occupy.  The  wren  can  go  through  a  hole  one  inch 
in  diameter,  while  the  sparrow  cannot.  The  winter  wren  is  rare.  I  have 
seen  only  one.  The  short-billed  marsh  wren  is  common  in  sloughs,  or  wet 
wild  grass  lands.  The  long-billed  marsh  wren  is  found  only  in  sloughs  where 
there  is  permanent  water. 

The  brown  creeper  and  white  Ijreasted  nuthatch  are  tolerably  common, 
being"  found  creeping  around  tree  trunks  in  winter.  The  red-headed  nuthatch 
is  rare,  only  one  being  seen. 

Tlie  l)lack-capped  chickadee  is  common  in  groves  in  winter  and  some- 
times nests. 

The  ruby-crowned  kinglet  is  a  common  migrant  and  the  golden  crowned 
kinglet  a  rare  one. 

The  wood  thrush  or  "bell  liird"  is  tolerably  common,  nesting  in  groves. 

The  well-known  robin  is  an  abundant  migrant,  and  nests  almost  every- 
where. 

The  bluelnrd  is  only  tolerably  common  as  a  migrant  at  \\'all  Lake,  and 
rareh"  nests,  l)Ut  is  more  abundant  in  the  woods  along  the  Coon  river. 

Of  water  birds,  game  birds  and  birds  of  prey,  my  list  is  not  as  complete 
as  it  is  of  land  ]:)irds,  but  the  following  are  those  I  have  noted : 

Pied-billed  grebe  is  common  on  the  lakes  and  larger  ponds.  It  is  com- 
monly called  "hell-diver"  by  hunters  and  must  patter  along  ox'er  the  surface 
of  the  water  before  it  can  take  flight. 

The  Franklin  gull,  a  white  bird  with  black  head  and  wing  tips  and  about 
the  size  of  a  pigeon,  is  ^ery  abundant,  migrates  in  the  spring  and  fall,  flying 
in  large  flocks,  often  fdllowing  the  plow  to  pick  up  grubs  and  worms,  and 
even  white-footed  mice.  It  is  a  harmless  and  beneficial  bird  and  slunild  not 
be  wantonly  killed,  as  it  often  is  by  hunters. 

I  have  picked  up  one'  specimen  dead,  of  the  least  tern,  on  Wall  lake. 
I  think  it  is  a  rather  rare  migrant.  The  black  tern  or  "slough  gull,"  a  slate 
and  black  colored  bird  about  the  size  of  a  killdeer,  is  a  common  nngrant  and 
nests  on  Wall  lake  and  in  ponds  south  of  Sac  City.  It  is  also  harmless  and 
beneficial  and  protected  by  law,  as  is  the  Franklin  gull. 

1  have  found  niall;u-d,  jjintail  or  "l^lack-headed"  ducks  common:  also 
blue-winged  teal:  and  Shoxeller,  <iad  wall  and  redheads,  only  tolcrablv 
common. 

The  Canada  goose  is  rare  now .  but  two  ^nr.dler  subspecies  (jf  it  are  some 
wh.-i)  more  common. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  34I 

The  bittern,  "shvpoke."  or  "tlmnder  pumper."  is  an  abundant  migrant 
and  common  summer  resident  in  marsh}-  places.  I  have  seen  the  least  bittern 
once  on  Wall  lake ;  it  is  rather  rare,  I  think. 

The  great  blue  heron,  or  "blue  crane,"  is  a  common  migrant  and  is  more 
often  found  along  the  larger  streams.  I  have  seen  the  little  green  heron 
along  the  Coon  river  at  Sac  City,  where  it  is  common  in  the  fall. 

The  whooping  or  white  crane  is  a  Aery  rare  migrant ;  1  have  seen  none 
for  at  least  five  years.  The  sandhill  crane  is  a  tolerably  common  migrant, 
but  1  have  seen  only  one  flock  alight,  which  was  in  a  pasture  a  long  ways 
from  any  farm  Ijuildings,  in  October,  1907. 

The  king  rail  and  the  sora  rail  are  common  in  the  dense  rushes  of  marshy 
land  and  on  the  borders  of  lakes.  The  king  rail  nests  in  the  "Goosepond"  iin 
wet  seasons.  T  have  seen  the  Virginia  rail  at  \\'all  lake.  The  expression 
"thin  as  a  rail"  comes  from  the  slimness  of  these  birds. 

Mud  hens,  or  coots,  are  common  migrants  on  lakes  and  ponds  and  some 
nest  in  secluded  places.  I  ha\e  found  one  brood  of  the  Florida  gallirule,  or 
"red  billed  mud  hen,"  on  a  pond  near  Carnarvon. 

The  \\'ilson  phalarope,  the  most  beautiful  of  the  shore  birds,  is  a  rare 
migrant.    I  have  seen  it  in  the  "Goosepond"  and  the  inlet  of  Wall  lake. 

The  Wilson  snipe,  or  jack  snipe,  is  an  al^undant  migrant,  being  found  in 
marshes  and  wet  ground. 

Pectoral  sandpiper  or  "grass  snipes."  are  common  migrants,  sometimes 
being  found  on  pasture  lands  far  from  their  usual  haunts  of  wet  lands, 
marshes  and  streams.  The  Baird  sandpiper  is  a  rare  migrant,  and  the  least 
and  the  semi-palmated  sandpipers  are  common  migrants.  These  are  all 
known  as  "peeps"  and  are  found  along  lake  and  stream  shores.  The  lesser 
yellow  legs  is  a  common  migrant  and  inhaliits  marshes,  streams  and  lake 
shores. 

The  u])land  plover  is  a  rather  rare  migrant  and  is  often  found  in  meadows 
and  pastures  far  from  water.     It  sometimes  nests  in  pastures. 

The  spotted  sandpiper,  or  "teeter,"  is  found  along  lake  shores  and 
wooded  streams,  and  is  a  tolerably  common  migrant  and  summer  resident. 

The  killdeer  is  a  common  migrant  and  often  nests  in  corn  fields  a  half 
mile  or  more  from  water.  The  semi-palmated  ploxer  is  tolerably  common. 
It  is  found  around  ponds  and  along  streams.  y\ll  the  shore  birds  live  mostly 
on  insects,  and  anv  of  them  on  mosquito's  larvae,  especially  the  killdeer. 
The  Wilson  or  Jack  snipe  is  the  only  one  common  enough  to  be  fairly  con- 


342  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

sidered  a  game  bird.  The  others  should  be  spared,  as  all  are  more  useful 
alive  than  dead. 

The  bob-white,  or  quail,  the  cheerful  inhabitant  of  the  road  sides  and 
bush-covered  tracts,  is  very  rare  now.  I  have  seen  only  one  (June  22,  1913) 
near  \\'all  lake,  in  the  last  six  years,  in  Sac  county.  It  feeds  mostly  on  weed 
seeds  and  injurious  insects,  the  potato  bug  and  grasshoppers  being  among  its 
favorites. 

The  prairie  chicken  is  now  only  a  winter  resident,  being  fairly  common 
at  times,  and  finding  shocked  corn  a  great  help  in  surviving  the  winter.  It 
migrates  from  the  north  in  the  fall  and  departs  in  the  spring ;  none  nest  here 
now.  as  almost  all  the  prairie  grass  lands  are  gone. 

The  mourning,  or  turtle,  dove  is  a  common  summer  resident  and  should 
be  protected  at  all  times,  as  its  entire  food — ninety  per  cent,  or  more — is  weed 
seeds,  fox-tail  being  its  favorite  food.  I  have  never  known  of  but  tvk'O 
doves  wintering  here. 

The  marsh  hawk  is  tolerably  common,  a  pair  usuallv  nesting  in  each 
large  sized  slough,  the  nest  being  placed  on  the  ground.  I  have  known  them 
to  winter  here. 

The  sharp-shinned  hawk  is  a  tolerably  common  migrant  and  the  Cooper 
hawk  a  rare  migrant  at  W'all  lake.  Probably  both  are  more  common  and 
nest  in 'the  timlier  along  the  Coon  river.  These  hawks  have  the  same  build, 
but  the  sharp-shinned  is  twelve  inches  long  and  about  the  size  of  a  pigeon,  and 
the  Cooper  is  sixteen  inches  long.  They  are  brown  or  gray  on  the  back,  but 
white  underneath,  streaked  with  reddish  brown.  They  have  long,  narrow 
wings  and  a  long  tail,  and  fly  \ery  swiftly.  They  live  on  birds  and  game 
and  chickens,  when  they  are  handy,  ninety-five  per  cent,  of  the  time  and  five 
per  cent,  of  the  time  on  other  things.  They  are  responsible  for  nearly  all 
hawks  being  called  "chicken  hawks,"  while  in  fact  the  other  hawks  eat  meadow 
mice,  grasshoppers,  etc..  in  summer  time.  They  rarely,  if  indeed  ever,  take 
chickens,  hence  are  beneficial  because  they  kill  the  meadow  mice. 

The  red-tailed  hawk  is  a  big,  broad-winged  slow-flying  hawk,  which 
spends  much  of  its  time  flying  in  large  circles,  high  in  the  air.  It  is  a  toler- 
ably common  migrant  in  spring,  a  common  migrant  in  the  fall,  and  some- 
times winters  here.  It  is  mostly  known  as  chicken  hawk,  but  is  not  the  com- 
mon chicken  thief  among  hawks,  which  is  the  Cooper. 

The  sparrow-hawk  is  a  toleraljly  common  migrant  and  sometimes  nests 
in  hollow  trees. 

The  long-eared  owl  is  rare  at  Wall  lake,  l)ut  is  probabh-  more  common  in 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


343 


the  timber.  The  short-eared  owl,  or  "slough  owl,"  is  common  in  winter  and 
a  pair  usually  build  their  nest  on  the  ground  in  the  tall  grass,  of  each  large 
slough.     They  live  principally  upon  meadow  mice. 

The  screech  owl  is  common,  living  mostly  on  mice  and  English  sparrows. 

The  burrowing  owl  is  rather  rare,  but  1  ha\e  seen  it  several  times,  and 
it  sometimes  nests  in  the  hills  south  and  west  of  Wall  lake.  It  has  e.xtended 
its  range  into  this  county  only  in  the  last  few  years,  the  first  one  I  saw  being 
September  i6,  1907.  The  owl  that  lives  on  game  and  other  birds  and  is  not 
averse  to  taking  full-grown  chickens  is  the  great  horned  owl,  which  I  have 
never  seen  in  Sac  county,  and  I  think  it  is  extinct  here.  It  lives  only  in  heavy 
native  timber.  The  snowy  owl,  a  large  white  owl  that  comes  from  the  north 
in  severe  winters,  has  been  taken  in  Sac  countv. 


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BIOGRAPHICAL 


HON.  PHIL  SCHALLER. 

Human  life  is  like  the  waxes  of  the  sea.  which  fiash  for  a  few  brief 
moments  in  the  sunlight,  marvels  of  power  and  beauty,  and  then  are  dashed 
upon  the  remorseless  shores  of  death  and  disappear  forever.  As  the  mighty 
deep  has  rolled  for  ages  past  and  chanted  its  sublime  requiem  and  will  con- 
tinue to  roll  during  the  coming  ages  until  time  shall  be  no  more,  so  will  the 
\va\'es  of  human  life  follow  each  other  in  countless  succession  until  they 
mingle  at  last  with  eternity's  boundless  sea.  The  passing  of  any  human  life, 
however  humble  and  unknown,  is  sure  to  give  rise  to  a  pang  of  anguish  which 
will  wring  some  heart,  but  when  the  fell  destroyer  knocks  audibly  at  the 
door  of  the  useful  and  great  and  removes  from  earthly  scenes  the  man  of 
honor  and  influence  and  the  benefactor  of  his  kind,  it  not  only  means  be- 
reavement to  kindred  and  friends,  but  a  public  calamity  as  well.  In  the 
largest  and  best  sense  of  the  term,  the  late  Phil  Schaller,  of  Sac  City,  Sac 
county,  was  distinctly  one  of  the  notable  men  of  his  time  and  generation  in 
the  vicinity  of  which  this  history  treats,  and  as  such  is  entitled  to  a  conspicu- 
ous place  in  the  annals  of  western  Iowa — in  fact,  he  was  one  of  the  great  men 
of  the  state. 

Hon.  Phil  Schaller  rose  from  being  a  poor  emigrant  boy  to  become  a 
man  of  substance  and  great  influence  and  power  in  his  adopted  land  where 
opportunities  are  everywhere  awaiting  the  energetic  and  deserving.  He  was 
born  in  AA'orth.  -Msace,  Germany,  January  6,  1838,  and  there  obtained  his 
primary  education  in  the  common  schools.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  years  he 
came  to  America,  tarrying  for  a  short  time  in  the  Eastern  states,  but  finally 
arrived  in  Iowa  in  1854.  He  had  little  more  than  the  clothing  on  his  back 
when  he  arrived  in  America  and  did  not  locate  in  Iowa  until  sixteen  years 
after  his  arrival.  He  established  his  first  residence  in  Clayton  county  and 
enlisted  in  the  Union  army  upon  the  outbreak  of  the  Rebellion.  On  August 
8,  1862,  he  enlisted  in  Company'  E,  Twenty-seventh  Iowa  Infantry  Regiment, 
and  participated  in  all  the  engagements  of  his  regiment,  including  Steele's 


346  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Arkansas  expedition,  the  Meridian  campaign,  the  Red  River  campaign  (where 
he  won  distinction  in  the  capture  of  Fort  De  Russy),  Smith's  expedition  to 
Tupelo  and  Oxford,  the  pursuit  of  General  Price  through  Arkansas  and  Mis- 
souri, the  battle  of  Nashville  and  campaigns  about  Mobile  and  its  defenses. 
He  was  mustered  out  with  his  regiment  August  8,  1865,  and  at  once  returned 
to  Clayton  county,  Iowa,  where  he  engaged  in  the  wagon-making  trade,  in 
which  he  was  a  successful  operator  for  a  number  of  years. 

In  the  spring  of  1872  Mr.  Schaller  had  a  vision  of  the  broad  and  fertile 
prairies  of  western  Iowa  and  of  what  the  newer  lands  might  have  in  store 
for  him.  He  came  to  Sac  county  and  located  in  Eden  township  on  a  beauti- 
ful quarter  section  of  wild  land  and  set  about  improving  the  same,  intending 
to  follow  farming  for  a  livelihood.  But  it  was  not  long  before  he  was 
entrusted  with  the  agency  of  the  Iowa  Railroad  Land  Company,  which 
corporation  then  owned  large  tracts  of  land  in  Sac  and  adjoining  counties. 
In  this  position  Mr.  Schaller  obtained  a  wide  and  favorable  acquaintance 
among  all  the  hardy  pioneers  of  northwestern  Iowa.  The  wise  policy  of  the 
company  and  its  big-hearted  agent  saved  to  many  a  settler,  in  the  time  of 
drstress,  the  home  he  would  have  lost  had  those  he  had  been  dealing  with 
been  less  kindly  disposed.  Recounting  the  days  and  experiences  of  that  try- 
ing period,  many  a  pioneer  shed  tears  and  truly  grieved  when  he  heard  that 
bluff,  kind-hearted  Phil  Schaller  was  no  more  for  this  earth.  His  memory 
will  long  be  revered  and  forever  and  ever  in  the  history  of  Sac  county  and 
western  Iowa  Phil  Schaller  will  be  remembered  as  the  "l-'rieiul  ni  the 
Farmer." 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  an  individual  possessing  his  native  ability 
and  rich  experience  in  business  and  with  his  fellow  men  would  long  stay  out 
of  politics  in  a  nevv"  and  rapidl\'  or,)\ving  couiitr}',  in  which  he  settled  n(jt  long 
after  the  close  of  the  civil  conflict.  The  events  of  that  war,  the  strong  ad- 
ministration developed  by  the  party  of  Lincoln  and  the  policies  of  the  Re- 
publican party  naturally  found  the  deceased  a  stalwart  supporter  of  the  same, 
though  he  was  independent  enough  in  his  action  to  scratch  a  ticket  when 
names  of  candidates  appeared  there  whom  he  believed  not  worthy  the  office 
they  sought  at  the  hands  of  the  people.  His  first  office  was  that  of  member 
of  the  board  of  county  supervisors  in  Sac  county,  which  position  he  held  with 
great  courage  and  credit  to  himself  and  the  people  whose  interests  he  had 
been  entrusted  with.  He  held  this  office  until,  in  1877.  he  was  elected 
treasurer  of  Sac  county,  and  it  was  at  a  time  when  county  warrants  were 
nowhere  near  par  and  he  was  elected  upon  his  pledge  that  he  would  make  all 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  347 

warrants  good  as  gold,  which  promise  he  carried  out  t(j  the  letter.  This 
necessitated  his  removal  from  his  farm  to  Sac  City,  where  he  continued  to 
reside  for  a  third  of  a  century  and  up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  In  1885  he 
was  elected  to  a  seat  in  the  twenty-first  General  Assembly  of  Iowa,  where  he, 
by  the  force  of  his  courage  and  ability,  made  Sac  county  known  far  and  near. 
Among  the  measures  he  espoused  was  that  of  trying  to  secure  the  location 
of  the  Iowa  State  Soldiers"  Home  at  Sac  City,  but  it  finally  went  to  Marshall- 
town  and  became  an  institution  in  which  he  was  greatly  interested,  and  he 
was  appointed  as  one  of  its  inspectors  for  the  state,  doing  good  service,  both 
for  the  commonwealth  and  for  his  old  comrades-at-arms.  He  also  aided, 
as  a  party  measure,  the  introduction  of  the  prohibitory  liquor  laws  as  well 
as  other  important  state  legislation.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  Republican 
national  convention  at  St.  Louis,  in  1896,  which  nominated  President  Will- 
iam McKinley  the  first  time.  He  was  twice  elected  mayor  of  Sac  City  and 
through  his  ability  and  fearlessness  secured  the  enactment  of  wholesome 
ordinances  and  rules  for  the  government  of  his  home  town.  During  his 
administration  there  were  less  arrests  and  better  order  prevailed  than  at  any 
other  time  before  that  period.  He  was  also  state  commander  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic,  and  held  numerous  positions  in  several  banking  con- 
cerns of  Sac  county,  in  which  he  was  also  a  heavy  stockholder.  He  was  a 
liberal  contributor  in  various  public  enterprises  and  for  many  years  a  trustee 
of  the  Buena  Vista  College,  the  Sac  City  Institute  and  the  local  Presbyterian 
church  of  Sac  City,  of  which  he  was  a  member.  He  also  held  membership 
in  the  various  branches  of  the  Masonic  order,  all  the  way  from  the  blue  lodge 
up  to  the  consistory.  He  was  once  grand  treasurer  for  the  grand  lodge  of 
Iowa,  and  belonged  to  numerous  other  fraternal  societies  at  Sac  City,  but 
doubtless  esteemed  most  of  all  his  connection  with  Gen.  \\  .  T.  Sherman 
Post  No.  284.  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic.  The  surviving  members  of 
this  post  will  not  soon  forget  comrade  Schaller's  loyalty  and  helpfulness  in 
its  maintenance  and  many  a  soldier  has  reason  to  remember  with  deepest 
gratitude  some  one  or  more  acts  of  kindness  coming  from  him  in  a  time 
when  it  was  most  needed. 

It  was  the  late  Hon.  George  D.  Perkins,  editor  of  the  Sioux  City  Journal, 
who  said  upon  hearing  of  the  death  of  comrade  Schaller :  "Dear  old  Phil 
Schaller!  Big-hearted  man;  courageous  man — a  type  of  man  who  leaves  his 
impress  and  mark  where  the  chance  to  live  is  given." 

Another  token  of  love  and  esteem  came  through  a  committee  of  three 
from  the  Soldiers'  Home  at  Marshalltown,  sent  to  Sac  City  on  this  special 


348  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

errand,  to  deliver  the  following  set  of  resolutions,  bespeaking  of  the  senti- 
ment held  at  Marshalltown  among  his  old-time  comrades : 

"\Vhereas,  the  sad  and  mournful  funeral  knell  has  betokened  that  an- 
other spirit  has  winged  its  flight  to  a  new  state  of  existence;  an  alarm  has 
come  to  our  outpost  and  the  messenger  is  Death,  and  none  will  presume  to 
say  to  the  awful  presence:  'Who  comes  there?'  In  the  death  of  comrade, 
friend  and  associate  Schaller  we  feel  that  we  have  met  an  irreparable  loss, 
but  our  loss  is  far  less  than  that  sustained  by  those  nearer  and  dearer  to  him. 

"Therefore,  be  it  resolved;  That  in  behalf  of  our  post,  we  give  this 
tribute  symbol  of  our  undying  love  for  comrades  of  the  war  and  that  we 
mourn  for  one  who  was  in  every  way  worthy  of  our  respect  and  regards  and, 
as  members  of  the  Iowa  Soldiers'  Home,  we  feel  that  he  has  always  had  our 
best  interests  at  heart;  that  he  has  been  an  undefatigable  worker  in  his 
endea\-ors  to  better  the  condition  of  this  home — more  so  than  any  other 
person. 

"Resolved,  That  we  sincerely  condole  with  the  family  of  the  deceased 
on  the  dispensation  which  has  pleased  Divine  Providence  to  afflict  them  and 
we  commend  for  consolation  to  Him  who  orders  all  things  well  and  whose 
chastisements  are  given  with  a  merciful  hand. 

"Resolved,  that  this  heart-felt  testimonial  of  our  sorrow  and  sympathies 
be  delivered  to  the  family  of  our  departed  comrade  and  friend  by  the  dele- 
gates from  this  post  selected  to  attend  his  burial. 

"J.  J.   Beedy, 
"George   W.   Webb, 
"W.   A.   Hamilton." 

For  several  years  previous  to  his  death  Mr.  Schaller  was  the  senior  mem- 
ber of  the  firm  of  .Schaller  &  Hart,  lands  and  loans,  and  composed  of  Mr. 
Schaller  and  William  H.  Hart,  the  editor  of  the  historical  section  of  this 
work.  The  thri\'ing  anil  beautiful  town  of  Schaller  was  named  in  his  honor 
by  the  land  company.  He  wa.s  the  first  ]:)res!(ient  of  the  Sac  C'ountv  Farmers' 
Mutual  Insurance  Company,  which  he  assisted  in  organizing.  Mr.  Schaller 
became  a  director  in  the  First  National  Bank  of  Sac  City,  and  was  originator 
and  first  president  of  the  Lake  \'iew  State  Bank. 

yir.  Schaller  was  first  married  in  October  of  1865  to  Emiline  L.  Knight, 
of  Clayton  county,  Iowa,  by  whom  he  had  two  daughters  born,  Louise,  the 
wife  of  E.  P.  Hartman,  of  Lake  View,  and  Eugenie,  the  wife  of  F.  S.  Need- 


SAC    COUNTY,    II)W.\.  349 

Iiani,  banker  of  Sac  City.  Mrs.  Schaller  passed  from  earth  on  February  13, 
1899.  In  July  of  1900,  Mr.  Schaller  married  Mrs.  Catherine  Fishman,  who 
survives  him  and  resides  at  Sac  City. 

Catharine  Rosenhauer  (Mshman)  Schaller  is  a  native  of  Bavaria,  Ger- 
many, the  daughter  of  John  and  Julia  Rosenhauer,  who  emigrated  to  America 
in  the  year  1845.  They  first  settled  in  Massachusetts,  and  in  1848  removed 
to  the  wilds  of  Wisconsin  where  they  became  pioneer  settlers  and  where  John 
Rosenhauer  is  still  residing  in  the  ripeness  of  a  long  and  fruitful  life; 
Catharine  Rosenhauer  was  first  married  in  Wisconsin  to  William  Fishman  in 
1809.  William  Fishman  was  a  native  of  Westphaha,  Germany,  and  came  to 
America  when  a  youth.  He  learned  the  trade  of  blacksmith  and  followed 
it  as  a  means  of  gaining  a  livelihood  throughcjut  his  entire  life.  Not  many 
years  after  this  marriage  they  settled  in  Sac  City  where  Mr.  Fishman  con- 
ducted a  blacksmith  shop  and  prospered.  He  died  in  1884,  leaving  a  son, 
George,  now  deceased.  A  niece,  Agnes  Rosenhauer,  is  residing  with  Mrs. 
Schaller.  Mrs.  Schaller  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  the 
Eastern  Star  chapter. 

Phil  Schaller  was  one  of  the  first  members  of  Occidental  Lodge  No.  178, 
Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  a  member  of  Darius  Chapter  No.  58, 
Royal  Arch  iVIasons,  Rose  Croix  Commandery  No.  38.  Knights  Templar,  and 
the  Eastern  Star  Chapter  No.  18,  of  Sac  City.  He  was  affiliated  with  the 
De  Molay  Consistory  No.  i  of  Lyons,  Iowa,  and  was  a  member  of  the  Des 
Moines  Consistory  of  Scottish  Rite  Masonry.  He  held  the  office  of  grand 
treasurer  of  the  grand  lodge  of  Iowa  Masons.  He  valued  most  highl\-  his 
comradeship  in  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  Gen.  W.  T.  Sherman  Post, 
at  Sac  City.  For  a  period  of  three  years  Comrade  Schaller  was  commandei 
of  the  Northwestern  Iowa  \'eterans'  Association  with  the  title  of  colonel 
commanding. 

Mr.  Schaller's  death  occurred  at  Earlville,  Iowa,  July  21,  191 1,  and  was 
occasioned  by  apoplexy.  He  and  his  wife  had  been  in  attendance  at  the 
funeral  of  his  sister  in  Dubuque  and  stopped  ofif  at  Earlville  to  visit  relatives. 
Without  warning,  this  gallant  soldier,  pioneer  and  statesman  was  gathered 
to  his  fathers.  His  funeral  was  held  from  the  Presbyterian  church  in  Sac 
City  and  was  conducted  by  Rev.  R.  L.  Brackman,  pastor.  His  remains  were 
interred  in  Oakland  cemetery,  with  a  large  company  of  ex-soldiers  and  hun- 
dreds of  friends  from  distant  places  furnishing  the  funeral  procession.  The 
deceased  had  survixing  him,  his  wife,  two  daughters,  six  brothers  and  ten 
grandchildren. 


o50  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Phil  Schaller  departed  this  earthly  life  at  the  rijie  age  of  seventy-two 
years.  His  life  and  acconiplishtnents  are  so  closely  interwoven  with  the 
history  and  development  of  Sac  county  that  it  is  necessary  elsewhere  in  this 
N'olume  to  record  data  more  closely  than  is  herein  presented  by  the  biographer. 
We  cannot  do  justice  to  his  character  or  fittingly  portray  the  usefulness  of 
a  truly  great  and  wonderfully  endowed  citizen  such  as  he.  Phil  Schaller 
will  live  long  in  the  memory  of  the  people  of  Sac  county.  His  life  story  will 
prove  to  be  an  inspiration  to  every  poor  boy  who  looks  forward  to  the  time 
when  he.  too.  may  become  a  leader  of  his  fellow  men  and  win  wealth  and 
greatness  such  as  comes  to  but  few  men  in  a  communit}'.  To  ha\e  known 
Phil  Schaller  was  to  have  esteemed  him  higlilv.     Peace  be  to  his  ashes. 


ERNEST    C.     PULLER. 


Prominent  in  tlie  affairs  of  Sac  ceuiUv  and  tlistinguished  as  a  citizen 
whose  influence  is  far  extended  Ijeyond  the  limits  of  the  community 
honored  by  his  residence,  the  name  of  E.  C.  i-'uller  stands  mit  a  conspicuous 
figure  among  the  successful  men  of  the  locality  of  which  this  history  treats. 
All  of  his  un<]ertakings  ha\'e  Ijeen  actuated  l)v  noble  motives  and  high  re- 
solves and  characterized  by  breadth  of  wisdom  and  strong  individuality 
and  his  success  and  achievements  but  represent  the  result  of  fit  utilization 
of  innate  talent  in  directing  effort  along  those  lines  where  mature  judgment 
and  rare  tliscrimiiiation  lead  the  way.  He  has  been  identified  in  a  business 
way  with  various  local  enterprises,  in  all  of  which  he  has  been  uniforml}'- 
successful. 

E.  C.  haulier,  county  superx'isor  from  the  first  district,  and  substantial 
business  man  of  Early,  Iowa,  was  born  August  4,  1855,  at  LaSalle,  LaSalle 
county,  Illinois,  the  son  of  S.  K.  and  Mary  Ann  (Swartauf)  Fuller,  both 
natives  of  the  state  of  New  York,  the  father  born  in  December,  1826,  in 
Orleans  county,  that  state,  and  died  at  Early.  Iowa,  in  September.  191 1, 
and  the  mother,  also  deceased,  born  in  Niagara  county,  New  York.  S.  K. 
k'nller  located  at  l^aSalle,  Illinois,  at  a  veiy  early  flay,  and  in  September, 
1855,  migrated  to  Poweshiek  county,  Iowa,  locating  in  the  town  of  Grinnell 
when  that  now  prosperous  little  city  was  first  founded.  He  came  to  Sac 
county  about  1878  and  for  two  years  lived  on  a  farm.  He  removed  to 
Early  when  the  town  was  started,  and  here  established  the  Bank  of  Early, 
a  private  bank,  and  in   1890  he  organized  the  State  Bank  of  Early.     He 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  351 

thus  became  one  of  the  pioneer  bankers  of  this  locality.  The  success  of 
this  bank  was  largely  due  to  his  earnest  and  able  efforts,  for  he  was  a  far- 
seeing  business  man  of  unimpeachable  honesty  and  high  integrity. 

Six  children  were  born  of  the  marriage  of  S.  K.  and  Mary  Ann 
(Swartauf)  Fuller:  Two  children  died  in  infancy;  E.  M.  Fuller  lives  at 
Long  Branch,  California;  E.  C.  Fuller,  the  immediate  subject  of  this  sketch, 
was  the  fourth  in  order  of  birth;  Mrs.  Helen  G.  Wood  died  in  April,  1912; 
S.  C.  Fuller  died  at  Imperial,  California,  in  November,   1913. 

E.  C.  Fuller  came  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  May  30,  1875,  and  located  on 
section  7  in  Boyer  \'alley  township,  where  he  bought  two  hundred  and  ten 
acres  of  land  at  fifteen  dollars  per  acre.  He  later  purchased  two  hundred 
and  forty  acres  more  at  a  cost  of  twelve  dollars  antl  fifty  cents  per  acre. 
He  purchased  additional  land  from  time  to  time  until  his  holdings  included 
over  four  hundred  and  fifty  acres  in  one  tract,  two  hundred  and  ninety-two 
acres  in  Boyer  \'alley  township  and  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Cook 
township.  He  still  retains  the  first  farm  he  i)urchasefl,  and  is  the  owner 
of  two  other  iine  farms.  He  has  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  South 
Dakota  and  three  huuflrerl  and  eighteen  acres  near  Spirit  Lake,  Dickinson 
county,  Iowa. 

Mr.  Fuller  lived  on  the  farm  until  iSSS,  when  he  removed  to  Early, 
Iowa.  For  a  period  of  twenty  years  or  more  he  dealt  extensively  in  live 
stock.  For  five  years  he  conducted  a  meat  market.  He  also  owned  a  drug 
store  for  two  years  and  a  livery  barn  for  three  years,  selling  the  latter  only 
recently.  He  has  a  beautiful  home  in  Early,  which  he  purchased  ui  1003, 
and  which  he  entirelv  remofleled  into  one  of  the  finest  and  most  mridern 
residences  of  the  community. 

Mr.  Fuller  is  vice-president  and  a  director  of  the  State  Bank  of  Early 
and  has  been  connected  with  this  popular  institution  .since  it?  organization. 
He  is  a  man  whose  judgment  on  important  business  matters  is  valued 
highly.  Politically,  he  is  a  Republican  and  has  taken  a  more  ^r  less  active 
interest  in  the  political  affairs  of  his  county.  He  served  two  years  in  the 
city  council  and  nine  years  as  a  memlier  of  the  school  board  of  Early,  as 
well  as  holding  all  the  township  offices.  In  1906  he  was  elected  supervisor 
from  the  first  district  and  re-elected  in  1912,  and  it  is  universall}'  conceded 
that  his  official  record  is  without  lilemish. 

Mr.  Fuller  was  married  December  24,  1883.  to  Ida  May  Spalding, 
daughter  of  Calvin  Spalding,  of  Early,  and  they  have  one  son,  Ivan  L.,  who 
has  been  a  student  at  Ames.  Iowa,  and  at  Morningside  College  at  Sioux 
Citv,  Iowa. 


352  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Fraternally,  Mr.  Fuller  holds  nienihership  with  the  Masons  :ind  the 
Odd  Fellows,  having  attained  to  the  thirt}--second  degree  in  Masonry  and 
being  a  member  of  Abu  Beke  Temple,  Mystic  Shrine,  at  Sioux  City,  Iowa. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church.  Progressive  and  public-sjjirited 
as  a  citizen,  Mr.  Fuller  has  shown  a  commendable  interest  in  local  affairs 
and  lends  his  support  readily  to  every  enterprise  having  for  its  object  the 
advancement  of  the  community.  Personally,  he  is  most  genial  and  com- 
panionable and  his  popularity  is  universal. 


WILLIAM  W.   FIELD. 


To  have  lived  an  honorable  and  unselfish  life  \vhich  has  been  de\oted  in 
the  main  to  the  service  of  one's  fellowmen  deserves  more  than  mere  mention 
To  be  remembered  as  a  liberal  public  l.iene factor  and  to  havn  achie\'ed  renown 
and  become  distinguished  in  two  commonwealths  of  this  nation  is  more 
achievement  than  usually  fails  to  the  lot  of  mankind,  specifically.  ^Ve  re- 
member an  able  man  b)'  his  deeds,  for  the  fact  is  well  established  that  a  good 
man  li\-es  onward  and  fore\er  in  the  hearts  and  minds  of  the  people.  Has  it 
not  been  said,  "Dust  to  dust,  ashes  to  ashes,  was  not  written  of  the  soul?" 
The  body  perishes  and  returns  to  the  earth  and  air  from  which  it  was  origi- 
nally created.  The  man  himself  does  not  die — he  li\^es  on  and  on — and  if  his 
life  has  been  worthy  and  useful,  one  in  which  he  has  won  a  certain  definite 
measure  of  renown,  he  is  remembered  for  years  and  even  ages  after  his 
earthly  demise.  It  is  a  comforting  thought  which  our  religion  teaches  us 
that  death  in  itself  is  but  a  brief  separation,  to  be  followed  b)'  a  grand  reunion 
in  the  great  beyond,  whither  all  souls  nuist  1ra\el  and  rest  in  jieace  if  the 
earthly  life  has  merited  a  just  reward.  William  W.  Field  is  well  remem- 
bered for  his  fine  attainn.ients,  generous  philanthropy  and  statesmanship, 
qualities  which  he  possessed  in  abundance.  He  was  a  high  type  of  man,  de- 
scended from  a  long  line  of  illustrious  forbears,  and  was  born  into  a  family 
that  has  furnished  wonderful  geniuses  and  some  of  the  ablest  men  in  several 
decades  of  the  family's  history.  He  came  of  the  famous  I'leld  family  which 
produced  Cyrus  W.  Field,  of  the  Atlantic  cable  fame,  and  Marshall  Field,  the 
merchant  prince  of  Chicago,  and  a  long  line  of  illustrious  .Americans  famous 
in  many  ])rofessions  and  walks  of  life. 

W.  W.  Field  was  born  October  31,  1824,  in  the  town  ui  Lancaster,  New 
Hampshire.     He  was  the  son  of  Abel  Waite  Field,  a  native  of  Brattleboro, 


,     T^^O^^^^ 


.^«  ■J/f^T'jSZ/ 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  353 

\  erniont.  The  Field  genealogy  gives  the  line  of  Fields  in  the  following  suc- 
cession, heginning  with  William  iMeld,  who  was  the  first  in  line,  followed  by 
his  son  Wilham  (II),  Richard  (III),  John  (IV).  John  (V).  Zechariah 
(VI),  John  (VII).  Zechariah  (X'lTI),  John  (IX),  John  (X).  Abel  W. 
(XI),  and  U'illiani  Wells  (XII). 

Mr.  Field  was  married  Octolier  31,  1850,  to  INlahala  J.  Howe,  who  was 
born  December  i,  1825,  and  is  the  daughter  of  parents  whose  residence  was 
in  the  state  of  New  Hampshire,  where  they  both  died.  She  was  one  of  eight 
children,  as  follows:  Mrs.  Hattie  S.  Taylor,  deceased:  Mahala  J.  Field; 
Edward  B.,  who  died  in  infancy:  Sophia  Ann,  deceased  in  childhood:  Edwin 
Newell,  died  in  infancy:  Althea  Perkins,  died  at  the  age  of  twelve  years;  Mrs. 
Mary  Farnam,  deceased;  Joseph  D.,  a  resident  of  Lancaster,  New  Hampshire. 
He  with  whom  this  review  is  directly  concerned  was  the  son  of  a  farmer 
who  had  five  sons  and  a  daughter,  to  each  of  whom  he  managed  to  give 
the  ad\-antages  of  a  good  school  education,  and  it  was  given  to  William  \\' .  to 
attend  the  Lancaster  Academy  and  there  finish  his  education.  He  taught 
school  at  the  age  of  sexenteen  years  for  three  winters  in  succession.  \\  hen  he 
was  twenty  years  old  his  father  gave  him  his  "time,"'  or  rather  gave  him  per- 
mission to  make  his  own  way  in  the  world,  as  he  had  no  property  to  give,  and 
had  done  all  that  he  possibly  could  in  preparing  him  to  fight  life's  battle  in  the 
future.  In  the  \ear  1845  he  left  home  with  thirt}-  dollars  in  gold  as  his  sole 
possession  and  went  to  Med  ford,  i\Iassachusetts,  and  there  worked  at  farm 
labor  for  a  period  two  years.  He  then  engaged  in  the  marble  business  in  the 
town  of  Belfast,  Maine. 

In  1852  Mr.  Field  came  west  and  stopped  at  the  town  of  Fenniman. 
Grant  county,  Wisconsin,  and  ]3urchased  a  tract  of  land  in  the  xicinity,  on 
which  he  lived  in  a  log  cabin  and  there  made  his  home.  In  1865  he  rented  his 
farm  and  moved  to  Boscobel.  Grant  county,  for  the  purpose  of  afifording  his 
children  better  educational  advantages.  In  Januarv  of  1873  he  removed  to 
Madison,  the  capital  of  Wisconsin. 

During  the  Civil  War  Mr.  Field  was  a  strong  advocate  of  the  integrity 
of  the  Union  and  threw  the  weight  of  his  influence  in  jjehalf  of  the  Federal 
o-overnment  at  all  times.  His  iniblic  career  in  Wisconsin  began  with  his 
election  as  a  member  of  the  (^irant  county  board  of  supervisors  in  1861,  and 
he  served  as  chairman  of  this  board.  He  served  his  county  as  a  member  of 
the  state  Legislature  in  the  sessions  of  1855,  1862.  1863.  1864  and  1865,  and 
filled  the  position  of  speaker  of  the  House  during  1862  and  1863  of  his  legis- 
lative service.  He  represented  the  state  as  presidential  elector  at  large  in 
(22) 


354  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

1864.  Mr.  l-'ield  wa.s  appuinted  a  meniljer  (jf  the  l)oard  of  regents  of  the 
State  University  of  Wisconsin  in  1871,  and  served  in  this  high  office  until 
1873.  In  Fehruary  of  1873  'i^  "^^'^'^  elected  a  member  of  the  executive  board 
of  the  State  Agricultural  Society  and  held  this  position  for  several  years.  In 
April  of  1875  he  was  electetl  secretary  of  the  Wisconsin  state  board  of  cen- 
tennial managers. 

Mr.  Field  migrated  from  \\'isc()nsin  to  Iowa  in  1879  and  located  in  the 
new  town  of  Odebolt.  He  ]3urchased  an  entire  section  of  land  in  Wheeler 
township,  which  he  farmed  and  de\eloped  until  1892,  when  he  made  a  per- 
manent residence  in  Odebolt.  He  died  in  April  of  1907.  He  was  very  active 
in  financial  and  ci\ic  affairs  while  residing  in  Sac  county.  He  was  one  of  the 
founders  and  the  first  ])resident  of  the  First  National  Bank  df  Odebdlt.  While 
he  was  especially  gifted  in  the  line  of  public  duty,  the  only  office  which  he 
cared  to  accept  in  the  county  was  the  trusteeship  (if  Wheeler  township. 

Politicall}-,  Mr.  l'"ield  was  always  allied  with  the  Republican  part}'.  He 
was  an  attentlant  and  liberal  supporter  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  was  a 
Mason  during  the  greater  part  of  his  life.  Mrs.  b'ield  has  been  a  life-long 
member  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  Mr.  Field  was  a  liberal  donor  to  the  fund 
which  was  provided  for  the  erection  of  the  handsome  |)ublic  librar\-  in  Ode- 
bolt ;  in  fact,  it  is  a  matter  of  record  that  he  gave  a  considerable  portion  of  the 
necessary  funds  for  defraying  the  cost  of  the  erection  of  the  structure.  He 
did  this  with  the  idea  of  giving  some  substantial  return  to  the  communitv  in 
which  he  had  prospered.  He  will  long  be  remembered  as  one  of  the  main 
donors  of  this  useful  institution. 

Something  concerning  the  family  history  of  Mahala  J.  Howe  Field  is 
not  inappropriate  at  this  point.  The  Howe  family  is  a  very  old  one  from  an 
American  standpoint  and  numbers  among  its  members  and  descendants  some 
of  the  ablest  Americans  and  men  and  wniuen  in  all  walks  of  life  who  have 
been  successful.  The  family  begins  with  Abraham  Howe,  who  emigrated 
from  England  and  settled  at  Malvern,  Massachusetts,  in  the  year  of  1858.  From 
him  ha\e  descended  five  generations  of  Joseph  Howes  as  they  were  named 
respectiveh-  and  have  been  prominent  in  the  colonial  life  of  New  England. 
Daniel  Howe,  the  grandsire  of  Mrs.  k'ield.  located  in  Lancaster,  Vermont,  in 
about  1778,  and  married  Eunice  Bucknan,  a  daughter  of  Capt.  Edward 
Bucknan,  one  of  the  leading  spirits  in  the  settlement  of  Lancaster.  He  was 
justice  of  the  peace,  town  clerk  and  a  leader  of  the  community  for  many 
years.  The  father  of  Mrs.  Field,  although  defective  in  eyesight,  managed  to 
achieve  a  comfortable  competency  in  life  and  reared  a  worthy  family.  It  is 
worthv  of  note  that  Eunice  Bucknan.  grandmother  of  Mrs.  Field,  was  the 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  355 

first  white  child  Ijorn  in  Lancaster.  Joseph  D.  Field,  brother  of  Mrs.  Field,  is 
one  of  the  substantial  and  leading  citizens  of  the  Lancaster  community  and 
is  the  owner  of  a  very  fine  stock  farm,  which  is  noted  for  the  quality  of  its 
pure  bred  live  stock.  At  the  present  writing,  Mr.  Howe  and  wife  are  the 
guests  at  the  Field  home. 

Mrs.  Mahala  ).  Field  resides  in  the  old  homestead  in  Odebolt  and  is  one 
of  the  respected  and  best  loved  ladies  of  the  city.  She  is  the  mother  of  the 
following  children:  Mrs.  Jennie  Bashford,  wife  of  Rev.  James  W".  Bash- 
ford,  a  bishop  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  at  present  a  missionary  located  in 
Peking,  China:  Mrs.  Ella  Frank,  wife  of  a  live-stock  ranchman,  located  at 
Ree  Heights,  South  Dakota,  and  who  is  the  mother  of  two  children,  Marion 
Feild.  also  a  missionary  at  Nanking.  China,  and  Howard  Price  Frank,  of 
Natick,  Massachusetts. 

It  was  not  to  be  expected  that  W.  W.  Field  could  refrain  from 
taking  a  prominent  and  active  part  in  state  affairs  after  he  became  a  resident 
of  Iowa,  but  he  turned  his  energies  in  the  direction  of  his  favorite  avocation, 
that  of  the  agriculturist.  He  became  vice-president  of  the  State  Agricultural 
Societ\-  and  also  served  as  president  of  this  great  body.  He  was  a  strong  and 
able  exponent  of  better  and  more  impruved  farming  methods  and  wielded 
quite  an  influence  in  bettering  conditions  for  the  farmers  of  the  state.  He 
will  long  be  remembered  as  one  of  the  ablest  and  most  widely  known  men 
who  have  served  in  the  councils  of  the  state  board. 

A  distinct  loss  to  the  conmiunity  and  state  at  large  occurred  with  his 
demise,  and  he  was  sincerely  mourned  by  hundreds  and  thousands  who  knew 
him  and  who  knew  of  his  many  excellent  qualities  and  accomplishments  as  a 
citizen  and  statesman.  \A"ere  this  \olume  without  the  foregoing  memoir  it 
would  be  incomplete. 


HON.    D.    CARR    EARLY. 

Invulnerable  integrity  and  high  purpose  characterized  the  life  of  Hon. 
D  Carr  Early,  an  honored  citizen  and  representative  business  man  of  Sac 
Citv,  who  left  an  indelible  impress  upon  the  civic  and  industrial  annals  of  the 
county  and  upijn  whose  record  there  rests  no  shadow  of  blemish.  His 
strength  was  as  the  number  of  his  days,  and  not  onl\-  did  he  accomplish 
much  in  connection  with  the  ]jractical  affairs  of  life,  but  his  nature,  strong 
and  vigorous,  found  denotement  in  kindly  tolerance  and  human  sympathy, 
generous  deeds  and  worthy  ser\-ice.     He  was  a  lawyer  l_iy  profession,  who 


3S6  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

served  his  count}'  in  several  important  positions  of  pulilic  trust  \v:th  -ignal 
honor  and  ability,  but  a  greater  part  of  his  long  and  active  career  was  one  of 
close  and  fruitful  identification  with  business  interests,  especiall)-  in  the  line 
of  banking,  in  which  he  gained  marked  prestige. 

Among  the  important  factors  in  the  settlement  and  final  development 
of  Sac  countv,  perhaps  no  one  man  did  more  auf!  stood  higher  in  the  esti- 
mation of  his  fellow  citizens  than  Judge  Earh',  who  was  a  resident  of  Sac 
City  and  vicinity  for  more  than  forty-seven  years.  In  the  settlement  of 
new  cotmtries  there  are  two  classes  always  found — one,  the  short  stayer, 
and  the  other,  the  permanent  settler,  who  sets  his  stakes  and  builds  worthily 
for  the  oncoming  years.  The  latter  class  included  Mr.  Early,  whose  name 
is  now  and  ever  will  be  mentioned  in  connection  with  Sac  county,  by  reason 
of  his  energy  and  tact,  as  well  as  for  his  actual  accomplishments. 

Judge  Early  was  born  April  21.  1830,  near  the  village  of  h""eesburg, 
Brown  county,  Ohio,  the  son  of  Andrew  Early,  a  native  of  Kentucky,  whose 
wife's  name  was  Fanny  Summers.  Mr.  Early's  ancestors  came  from  Ireland 
in  the  eighteenth  century  and  settled  in  Hampshire  county.  Virginia. 
Thomas  Early  was  the  great-grandfather  of  Judge  Early  and  the  father  of 
David  Early,  who  was  born  in  Hampshire  county,  Virginia,  in  1774.  David 
Early  removed  to  Kentucky  in  1778  and  settled  in  I'deming  county,  where 
Andrew  Early,  father  of  D.  Carr  Early,  was  born.  Andrew  was  born 
December  4,  1803,  antl  removed  to  Brown  county,  Ohio,  in  the  year   1826. 

D.  Carr  Early  was  reared  on  a  farm,  but  diligently  improved  every ' 
spare  moment  in  gaining  an  education.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  years  he  com- 
menced school  teaching,  at  the  same  time  taking  up  the  study  of  Latin.  His 
father  allowed  him  two  acres  of  kind,  which  he  planted  to  corn  and  tobacco. 
The  first  season  he  made  one  hundred  and  forty-fi\e  dollars,  with  which 
money  he  went  to  school  at  Felicity,  Clermont  county,  Ohio,  called  S])ring- 
town  Institute,  where  he  was  especiallv  jiroficient  in  mathematics.  He  then 
went  to  Nelson  county,  Kentucky,  where  his  uncle,  Walter  Summers,  lived. 
There  lie  taught  scIkjo!  for  one  year,  with  the  proceeds  of  which  lie  was 
enabled  to  attend  school  further.  He  then  returned  to  Ohio  and  l)egan 
reading  law  with  H.  L.  I'enn.  of  Georgetown.  By  money  earned  as  a  teacher, 
he  continued  his  studies  and  at  the  end  of  two  years  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  of  the  supreme  court.  Me  then  taught  two  _\-ears  longer,  as  he  ueedetl 
the  money  in  starting  out  as  a  lawyer.  In  1856  he  set  his  face  toward  the 
West,  making  nearly  the  entire  trip  on  foot.  Me  had  determined  to  be  the 
owner  of  a  (|uarter  section  of  government  land,  \\iili  linilier  ujion  it  if 
]3ossible.  and  he   found  lliat  tract   in  Sac  count)-,  Iowa.      lie  and   Andrew  J. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  357 

Taylor,  a  companion,  selected  claims  May  5,  1856.  He  went  on  foot  to  the 
land  office  at  Sioux  City  to  file  his  pre-emption  papers,  while  Taylor,  his  chum, 
remained  and  cut  logs  and  made  clapboards  for  a  cabin,  which  was  erected 
on  the  line  of  the  two  claims.  Here  the  two  young  men  dwelt  in  rude 
fashion  as  real  pioneers  of  Sac  county,  for  three  months,  until  they  could  pay 
for  their  lands  under  the  pre-emption  laws. 

Mr.  Early  went  back  to  Fleming  county,  Kentucky,  and  there  taught 
school  the  next  winter,  but  in  the  spring  of  1S57  returned  to  Sac  county, 
coming  back  \)y  boat  to  Sioux  City.  During  this  water  trip  he  freed  himself 
of  the  fever  and  ague  which  had  troubled  him  the  season  before.  He  then 
located  in  Sac  City,  then  a  village  of  only  three  or  four  log  Ikjuscs,  including 
one  erected  for  a  school  house.  He  at  once  engaged  to  teach  the  pioneer 
school,  but  after  teaching  seven  days  he  resigned  to  accept  the  office  of  county 
treasurer  and  recorder;  F.  M.  Cory  had  been  elected,  but  preferred  to  have 
another  perf(.>rni  his  duties.  Mr.  Early  was  an  expert  penman  and  an  excel- 
lent accountant.  He  was  called  upon  to  draw  many  legal  papers  for  the 
incoming  settlers,  in  connection,  generally,  with  their  land  claims  and  titles. 
Much  of  the  land  was  known  as  luilitary  land  an<l  had  been  taken  up  with 
army  scrip.  He  kept  a  careful  list  of  all  non-resident  lands  and  paid  taxes 
for  the  owners  of  the  same,  and  thus  laid  the  foundation  for  his  future 
fortune. 

Sac  coun.ty  was  heavil}-  in  debt  and  county  warrants  were  at  a  discount, 
from  fifty  to  sixty  cents  on  a  dollar  being  all  they  were  actually  worth,  but 
when  taken  in  payment  for  taxes  were  worth  their  face.  He  sold  his  land 
and  bought  county  warrants,  doubling  his  money  by  using  them  in  payment 
of  taxes  for  his  clients.  At  the  end  of  Mr.  Cory's  term  as  treasurer  anfl 
recorder,  Mr.  Early  was  elected  to  take  that  combined  office,  and  was  re- 
peatedly re-elected  several  years.  He  served  as  county  judge  one  year,  but 
refused  further  to  hold  such  office,  or  any  other,  save  that  he  did  consent 
to  serve  as  mayor  of  his  city  and  was  a  national  delegate  for  James  G. 
Blaine  in  1884.  He  drifted  into  the  banking  business  and  made  money 
rapidly.  He  was  director  and  president  of  the  Sac  County  Bank — later 
known  as  the  Sac  County  State  Bank — and  was  also  director  of  both  state 
and  national  lianks  in  Sac  City.  He  reajjed  b.is  reward,  as  progress  went  for- 
ward in  the  new  country,  but  he  never  forgot  those  less  fortunate  and  was 
ever  public  spirited  and  generous.  He  put  many  thousand  dollars  into  the 
old  railroad  line  from  Sac  City  to  Wall  Lake,  and  finally  donated  the  same 
to  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern  Company  when  they  agreed  to  operate  the 
road  for  not  less  than  twentv  \-ears.     The  court  houses,  churches,  the  old 


35^  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

institute  ami  many  other  local  enterprises  received  liberallx'  from  his  purse. 
In  1876  he  built  his  fine  brick  mansion — then  the  best  in  western  Iowa — at  a 
cost  of  twenty  thousand  diillars.  and  aided  in  building  the  opera  house  l)lock, 
he  owning-  three-foinths  of  the  stock  in  the  company. 

D.  Carr  Early  was  happil}'  married  December  9,  1859,  to  Harriet  V. 
Wren,  who  died  March  26,  1864,  and  three  days  before  her  death  her  second 
child  was  born.  The  issue  by  this  marriage  was  Ossian  Carr,  of  San  Jose, 
California,  and  Walter  Francis,  deceased  at  the  age  of  twenty  years,  while 
attending  college  at  Valparaiso,  Indiana.  On  January  i,  1865,  Mr.  Early 
was  niair'ed  to  Sarah  A.  Wren,  who  was  born  in  ?iIontgomery  county,  In- 
diana, and  when  a  child  of  ele\'en  years  came  to  Iowa  with  her  parents,  W^ash- 
ington  Wade  and  Maria  (Frame)  Wren,  in  the  fall  of  1857  and  settled  on  a 
farm  five  miles  south  of  Sac  City,  where  they  pre-empted  land.  To  Judge 
and  Mrs.  Early  four  children  were  born  as  follows :  Quincy  Eugene,  who 
died  in  1909;  Lulu  Maud,  deceased;  Lola  Mae,  wife  of  George  B.  Perkins; 
Doud  Cady,  who  died  at  the  age  of  nine  years. 

Judge  Early  was  an  enthusiastic  Freemason,  ha\ing  united  in  1852  and 
helped  to  develop  the  order  in  Sac  City.  He  was  an  honored  memljer  of 
Occidental  Lodge  No.  178;  Sac  City  Chapter  No.  18,  Order  of  the  Eastern 
Star;  Darius  Chapter  No.  58.  Royal  Arch  Masons:  Rose  Croix  Commandery 
No.  38,  Knights  Templar;  Des  Moines  Consistory  No.  ^j,  Scottish  Rite 
Masonry:  Za-Ga-Zig  Temple,  Ancient  Araliic  Order  of  Noliles  of  the  Alvstic 
Shrine. 

Judge  Early's  father  and  grandfather  were  both  of  the  rresb\tcrian 
faith,  but  he  was  not  truly  a  Christian  by  profession  until  aged  about  lift\ 
years,  when  he  united  with  the  Presbyterian  church  at  Sac  City  and  ga\e 
liberally  toward  the  support  of  that  as  well  as  towards  all  other  denomina- 
tions in  his  vicinity. 

Politically,  he  of  whom  this  memoir  is  written  was  an  uncompromising 
Republican — never  scratched  his  ticket  and  always  attended  caucuses  and 
primary  elections.  He  was  greatly  beloved  by  the  poor  people  in  his  com- 
nnmity,  as  well  as  by  tliose  upon  whom  fortune  had  smiled. 

Of  such  worthy  characters  the  world  has  none  too  man  v. 

Judge  Early  was  called  by  death  August  4.  1903,  and  the  connnunitv 
felt  a  distinct  loss  in  the  passing  of  this  esteemed  citizen.  His  influence  had 
touched  with  beneficence  the  civic  and  business  life  of  his  home  county  and 
city  and  his  name  merits  a  place  of  honor  on  the  roster  of  those  who  have 
contributed  in  generous  measure  to  the  development  and  progress  of  the  citv 
and  county  which  was  so  long  the  scene  of  his  earnest  and  effective  endeavors. 


'  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  359 

JACOB  W.  HARTSELL. 

Clearl}-  detined  purpose  and  consecuti\e  effort  in  the  affairs  of  lite  will 
iiievitaljh'  result  in  the  attaining  of  a  due  measure  of  success,  but  in  follow- 
ing out  the  career  of  one  \\ho  has  attained  success  by  his  own  efforts  there 
comes  into  view  the  intrinsic  individuality  which  made  such  accomplishment 
possible,  and  thus  there  is  granted  an  objective  incentive  and  inspiration. 
The  (jualities  which  have  made  Mr.  Hartsell,  the  mayor  of  Early,  one  of  the 
prominent  and  successful  men  of  that  city,  have  also  brought  him  the  esteem 
of  his  fellow  townsmen,  for  his  career  has  been  one  of  well-directed  energy, 
strong  determination  and  honorable  methods. 

Jacob  W.  Hartsell,  mayor  of  Early,  Iowa,  and  prosperous  farmer  of 
Sac  county,  was  born  April  6,  1853,  in  Mercer  county,  Illinois.  His  parents 
were  Harrison  and  Elizabeth  (Unangst)  Hartsell,  who  were  both  natives  of 
New  Jersey.  They  came  west  in  the  earl}-  histor}-  of  Illinois  and  settled 
in  Mercer  cnunlx".  that  state,  where  they  buth  died.  Thev  reared  a  family 
of  six  children;  Charles,  of  Preston,  Kansas;  Mrs.  Mary  Shearer,  of  Lori- 
mer,  Iowa:  ]\lrs.  Elizabeth  Moler.  uf  Stuart,  Iowa;  Elijah,  also  of  Stuart, 
Iowa:  Ezra,  deceased,  and  Jacob  \\'.,  with  whom  this  narrative  deals. 

Jacdb  W  .  llartsell  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  ]\lercer  county.  Illi- 
nois, and,  after  marrying  in  that  state,  came  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  in  1882, 
and  purchased  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Cook  township,  and  con- 
tinued to  reside  on  this  farm  until  he  moved  to  Early  in  1905.  In  1909  he 
was  elected  mayor  of  Early  and  has  been  filling  that  important  position  up 
until  the  present  time.  Since  taking  charge  of  the  executive  chair  he  has  in- 
stalled an  electric  light  plant,  at  a  cost  of  ten  thousand  dollars,  and  the  city 
niiw  lioasts  of  handsome  lioulevard  lights,  which  gives  it  a  very  attractive 
appearance  at  night.  He  has  been  a  strong  advocate  of  all  town  improve- 
ments and  has  given  an  administration  to  the  citizens  of  Early  which  has 
been  satisfactory  in  every  way. 

Mr.  Hartsell  was  married  in  1877  to  Amanda  McLaughlin,  the  daugh- 
ter of  ^Ir.  and  ^Mrs.  J.  R.  ^McLaughlin,  of  fiercer  county.  Illinois,  and  to 
this  union  there  have  been  born  five  children,  James,  Charles,  \'ernon,  Nellie 
and  Ruth.  James  antl  Charles  are  now  011  the  home  farm,  Vernon  is  farm- 
ing near  Earl\"  and  Xellie  resides  on  a  farm  near  the  same  place,  while  Ruth 
remains  with  her  parents. 

Politically,  Mr.  Hartsell  is  a  Democrat  and  is  a  firm  Ijeliever  of  the  prin- 
ciples as  set  forth  1:)\-  that  part\-  and  advocated  by  President  Wilson.  His 
party  has  honored  him  by  electing  him  to  the  office  of  mayor  of  Early,  while 


0 


6o  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 


he  has  honored  his  party  1j_\'  giving  his  services,  not  onlv  for  tlie  benefit  of 
the  memliers  of  his  own  party,  but  for  all  the  citizens  of  the  city,  irrespec- 
tive of  their  politics.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and 
Accepted  Masons,  while  he  belongs  to  the  Mystic  Shrine  at  Des  Aloines. 
The  members  of  the  family  are  all  Presbyterians  and  render  that  cliurch 
their  earnest  support.  Mr.  Hartsell  is.  first  of  all,  distinctly  a  man  of  the 
people,  whose  interests  he  has  at  heart  and  for  w  hom  he  wouldn't  hesitate  to 
make  an_\'  reasnnable  sacrifice.  He  believes  in  the  ultimate  glorious  destiny 
of  our  free  institutions  and  that  the  best  way  to  realize  that  destiny  is  for 
each  member  of  the  body  politic  to  live  up  to  his  highest  ideals  of  right, 
which,  to  the  best  of  his  ability,  Mr.  Hartsell  has  endeavored  to  do. 


HON.  EUGENE  ClilSS. 


The  name  of  Judge  Eugene  Criss  figures  closely  within  the  pages  devoted 
to  the  histor\-  of  Sac  county,  and  he  is  best  remembered  as  "the  father  of  Sac 
City."  He,  in  fact,  founded  the  city  and  assisted  in  its  future  development. 
He  was  the  friend  and  adviser  of  scores  of  settlers,  to  whom  his  words  of 
counsel  were  guiding  stones  in  their  pathway  of  redemption  of  the  prairie 
lands  and  their  emergence  from  tlie  embryo  state  into  a  landscape  of  smiling 
meadows  and  substantial  homes.  His  \alue  to  the  county  as  a  citizen  and 
official  during  the  pioneer  days  can  not  be  properly  estimated.  He  was  a  man 
among  men  in  the  oh!  days  when  men  of  integrity  and  iron  resolution  were 
needed. 

Judge  Eugene  Criss  was  born  in  West  Virginia  and  reared  in  the  state  of 
Mar\'land.  the  son  of  Michael  N.  Criss.  His  birth  occurred  July  2/,  1822,  on 
a  farm.  After  his  marriage  he  and  his  wife  resided  on  the  parental  farm  until 
their  remo\al  to  Illinois,  in  October  of  1844.  The\-  rented  a  farm  in  north- 
western Illinois,  Jo  Daviess  county,  for  a  period  of  two  \ears.  In  the  mean- 
time, Mr.  Criss  worked  in  the  lead  mines  of  the  vicinity  for  a  period  of  three 
vears  while  conducting  his  farming  operations.  He  then  engaged  in  the 
mercantile  business  in  the  town  of  Shullsburg,  Wisconsin,  for  a  period  of  eleven 
years.  In  tlie  spring  of  1855  he  loaded  his  stock  of  merchandise  on  a  covered 
wagon  and  commenced  the  long  overland  journey  to  Sac  county,  Iowa.  He 
varied  the  monotony  of  the  journey  by  trading  with  the  farmers  on  the  way, 
replenishing  his  stock  of  goods  from  time  to  time.     His  ostensilile  purpose  in 


'yM/r.:).  ,^j'ff  j/ff  ■)    '^  /•r,Aj 


(O'UOf  /ir        ^/v.Ai 


^ 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  361 

leaving  Wisconsin  was  to  hunt  for  a  location  -wiierein  he  intended  to  estabhsh 
himself  with  his  business  permanently.  On  the  way  he  heard  of  the  rich  lands 
to  the  westward  awaiting  the  magic  touch  of  the  settler's  ax  and  the  industry 
of  the  husbandman.  He  decided  upon  Sac  county  and  arrived  on  the  banks 
of  the  Ixaccoon  in  the  month  of  October,  1855.  He  at  once  began  the  erection 
of  a  log  building  of  a  story  and  one-half  to  house  his  store  of  goods,  and 
built  a  log  cabin,  which  was  pointed  out  for  years  as  the  first  cabin  built  in 
Sac  Citv.  Judge  Criss  had  a  natural  liking  and  an  inborn  aptitude  for  agricul- 
ture, and  as  soon  as  possible  he  became  possessed  of  four  hundred  acres  of 
excellent  farm  land,  which  he  cultivated  up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  Seeing 
the  possibilities  of  the  development  of  the  lumbering  industry,  he  erected  a 
saw  mill,  which  he  (operated  for  a  number  of  years,  the  output  of  the  mill 
finding  a  ready  sale  among  the  incoming  settlers.  He  erected  the  first  flouring 
mill  in  Sac  City  and  binlt  the  famous  old  mill  dam,  which  is  known  as  a  noted 
landmark  in  Sac  City  to  this  day.  In  turn  he  was  a  miller,  lumberman,  suc- 
cessful merchant  and  farmer,  filling  these  di\'ersified  and  very  necessary  occu- 
pations with  credit  to  hunself,  large  personal  benefit  and  for  the  convenience 
of  his  fellow  citizens.  Judge  Criss  naturally  became  the  owner  of  a  very  large 
acreage  of  Sac  county  land,  and  was  one  of  the  largest  land  owners  of  west- 
ern Iowa  previous  to  his  death.  Fie  was  the  first  postmaster  of  Sac  City,  and 
was  likewise  the  first  county  judge,  upon  the  initial  organization  of  the  county, 
in  which  he  took  an  active  part.  He  served  several  terms  as  county  judge 
and  performed  duties  very  similar  to  those  now  devolving  upon  the  county 
supervisors.  In  1868  further  honors  were  conferred  upon  him  by  his  fellmv 
citizens,  who  sent  him  to  represent  the  district  in  the  state  Legislature.  Later 
he  was  a  candidate  for  state  senator.  During  the  Civil  War  he  served  as 
provost  marshal  of  the  district,  with  his  headquarters  at  Fort  Dodge.  His  terri- 
torv  during  the  war  embraced  practically  all  of  western  Iowa.  Judge  Criss 
was  a  prominent  member  of  the  Freemasons  and  a  worshiper  in  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  faith. 

Judge  Eugene  Criss  was  married  July  27,  1843,  fo  Frances  Hall,  daugh- 
ter of  Tesse  and  Sarah  Hall,  who  removed  from  their  ancestral  home  to  a 
farm  in  Preston  county,  \A'est  Virginia,  in  1825.  To  this  union  were  born  the 
following  chikh-en :  Mary  Jane  Wine,  who  was  born  in  February,  1844,  and 
resides  in  .Sac  City;  James  L.,  born  in  November,  1846,  and  n(iw  a  resident  of 
Omaha,  Nebraska ;  Helen  V.  Davis,  deceased,  born  in  the  state  of  Illinois  in 
1848;  William  H.   Criss,  of  Sac  City;  Lola  M.   Beimer,  deceased.     Three 


362  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

grandchildren,  Miss  Neva  Beimer,  Eugene  and  Clifford  Beimer,  make  their 
home  with  their  grandmother. 

Frances  Hall  Criss  was  born  on  a  farm  in  Monongahela  county.  West 
Virginia,  May  16,  1823.  It  is  not  given  to  many  women  to  have  lived  to  an 
extreme  age  and  to  have  seen  the  development  of  a  rich  and  prosperous  sec- 
tion of  country,  and  to  have  been  the  first  resident  of  a  beautiful  and  wealthy 
city  and  watched  with  loving  gaze  its  expansion  during  the  course  of  half  a 
century  of  progress.  We  revere  the  pioneers  and  cherish  them  on  account  of 
their  sterling  qualities  and  long  associations  with  the  body  politic.  Frances 
Criss  has  been  a  resident  of  Sac  City  for  upward  of 'fifty  years.  She  has  at- 
tained the  great  age  of  ninety-one  years  and  is  yet  in  possession  of  all  her 
faculties  and  in  sound  bodily  health.  She  has  seen  the  unfolding  of  a  land- 
scape of  wilderness  and  prairie  into  a  thriving  and  populous  community  en- 
joying all  the  luxuries  and  conveniences  of  modern-day  civilization.  She  has 
resided  in  Sac  City  since  the  inception  of  the  town,  and  has  taken  an 
active  part,  in  conjunction  with  her  distinguished  and  able  husband,  in 
assisting  in  its  settlement  and  development.  "Grandma  Criss,"  as  she  is  af- 
fectionately called  by  her  intimates  and  friends,  is  a  living  embodiment  of  all 
that  is  best  and  noblest  of  womankind.  She  cherishes  the  memories  of  by- 
gone, halcyon  days,  when  her  stalwart  husband  was  taking  such  an  imixirtant 
and  energetic  part  in  the  building  up  of  his  adopted  community. 

One  of  the  most  notable  occurrences  in  the  history  of  Sac  county  oc- 
curred July  27,  1902,  the  occasion  being  the  eightieth  birthday  anniversary 
of  the  honorable  gentleman  whom  this  biography  chronicles.  A  great 
barbecue  was  held  in  honor  of  the  Judge's  birthday,  to  which  he  in\ited  the 
people  of  the  surrounding  country.  The  scene  of  the  immense  gathering  was 
in  the  beautiful  Fair  Grounds  park,  just  east  of  the  city.  It  was  a  gathering 
notable  for  the  number  of  friends  and  pioneers  who  assembled  to  do  honor  to 
the  aged  citizen  whose  days  on  earth  were  even  then  numbered.  The  entire 
day  was  given  over  to  partaking  of  the  hospitality  of  the  Judge,  and  it  was 
long  remembered  as  a  gala  occasion  throughout  the  countryside.  Several 
oxen  were  roasted  whole,  and  other  viands  were  supplied  by  the  donor  in  pro- 
fusion. The  people  of  the  entire  section  for  many  miles  around  were  in\ited 
whole-heartedly  to  come  to  Sac  City,  and  three  thousand  five  hundred  assisted 
the  Judge  in  celebrating  his  notable  anniversary.  He  did  not  long  survive  the 
happy  occasion,  however.  On  March  11,  1903,  was  closed  a  most  eventful 
and  useful  life,  and  the  kindly  old  gentleman  was  mourned  b\-  thousands  who 
would  miss  his  benign  presence  for  long  years  to  come. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  363 

SAMUEL  L.    WATT. 

The  pages  of  this  volume  abound  with  biographies  of  men  who  were 
pioneers  in  the  true  sense  of  the  word.  To  have  been  a  real  pioneer  in  the 
development  of  such  an  important  part  of  the  great  commonwealth  of  Iowa 
is  a  distinction  of  merit  and  a  matter  of  pride  for  the  one  who  is  classed 
among  the  interesting  group  of  men  whose  lives  and  deeds  are  recorded 
herein.  In  Sac  county  we  have  two  classes  of  pioneers — those  who  were 
actually  among  the  \ery  first  settlers  and  those  who  came  later  in  the  greater 
period  of  development.  Not  many  of  those  who  bore  the  brunt  of  the  first 
battle  of  redeeming  the  land  from  a  wilderness  remain  for  the  present  genera- 
tion to  honor.  They  were  of  a  high  type  of  manhood,  and  descended  from  a 
race  of  people  who  have  been  ever  in  the  forefront  of  pushing  onward  the 
path  of  empire.  Among  the  few  "old  settlers"  remaining  who  occupy  a  high 
place  in  the  esteem  of  their  fellow  men  is  Samuel  L.  Watt,  a  record  of  whose 
career  since  boyhood  reads  like  romance  rather  than  fact.  He  comes  of  the 
good  old  Buckeye  stock,  which  in  turn  traces  its  forbears  to  Kentucky,  and 
thence  across  the  ocean  to  the  North  of  Ireland  and  across  the  inter\ening 
waters  to  Scotland. 

Samuel  L.  Watt,  former  secretary  of  the  Sac  County  Fair  Association, 
was  born  December  3,  1849.  ''^  Kenton,  Hardin  county,  Ohio.  He  is  the  son 
of  Samuel  L.  and  Lydia  Margaret  (Leach)  Watt,  natives  of  Kentucky  and 
Penn.sylvania  res]iectively.  Samuel  L..  Sr.,  was  reared  in  Kentucky  and  on 
attaining  his  majority  removed  to  Hardin  county,  Ohio,  and  was  one  of  the 
pioneers  in  the  settlement  and  development  of  this  division  of  the  state  of 
Ohio.  However,  he  vvas  not  satisfied  to  remain  and  spend  his  life  in  Ohio, 
and  accordingly,  in  the  prime  of  manhood,  he  migrated  to  Sac  countv  in 
October,  1855.  He  was  accompanied  bv  his  wife  and  several  children  on 
the  journey  to  the  new  West.  His  family  consisted  of  seven  children  h\  a 
first  marriage  as  follows :  James,  Thomas,  Deborah,  Robert,  Harriet,  .Nancv, 
and  Christina  (Leach),  wife  of  Andrew  Leach.  By  a  second  marriage  there 
were  five  children:  Olive  G.,  wife  of  William  Conley  (married  in  Sac 
county)  ;  John  J.;  Samuel  L. ;  Lydia  M.,  wife  of  John  Stocker;  Sydney,  the 
wife  of  G.  L.  Dobson;  a  daughter,  Sarah  Frances  (Swan),  who  was  born 
in  Sac  county. 

The  family  set  out  from  the  old  Hardin  county  home  with  a  wagon 
or  "prairie  schooner,"  hauled  by  an  ox-team,  one  horse  and  buggy,  and  a  few 
milch  cows  and  househohl  effects.  The  trip  was  a  source  of  continuous  wonder 
to   the   several    small   children    included    in   the   happy    family    j)art\-.      Thev 


,^64  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

traveled  by  easy  stages  across  Ohio.  iKirtb.ern  Indiana  and  lllinuis.  by  way 
(if  the  rei^uiar  traveled  route  taken  by  the  pioneers  who  were  coming  ni  an 
ever-increasing  stream  to  the  great  new  lands  of  the  Hawkeye  country.  Game 
was  plentiful  after  they  left  the  thickly  settled  and  older  regions  and  the 
members  of  the  Watt  family  feasted  royally  from  the  results  of  hunting 
forays  into  the  prairie  lands  and  timber.  Arriving  at  their  destination  in  Sac 
county,  the  men  folks  immediately  set  about  the  erection  of  a  log  cabin 
which  served  for  their  habitation  for  several  years.  The  timber  for  this 
ca])in  was  cut  and  hewn  from  the  great  forest  trees  of  oak  and  walnut 
which  were  plentiful  along  the  banks  of  the  Raccoon  river.  Kind  neighbors 
willingly  lent  their  assistance  in  the  erection  of  the  cabin.  This  log  house 
served  as  a  habitation  for  the  Watts  for  se\eral  years  and  was  later  sup- 
planted b_\-  a  more  pretentious  fraiue  dwelling. 

The  first  winter  was  a  very  Fine,  open  season  and  the  immigrants  from 
the  East  fared  comfortably.  The  larder  was  ahvays  full  uf  game  and  fish 
which  C(;uld  be  obtained  in  abundance.  The  following  winter  uf  1856-1857 
was  a  terril)le  one  for  the  settlers,  howe\-er,  and  much  suffering  ensued  on 
account  of  the  extreme  cokl  and  the  great  depth  of  the  snow  which  lay  upon 
the  ground  from  early  fall  until  late  in  the  spring.  Mr.  Watt  states  that  they 
never  experienced  anv  trc/uble  with  the  Indians  who  frequently  camped  in 
the  neighborhood  and  that  their  greatest  difficulty  was  in  getting  to  market 
with  produce  and  obtaining  the  necessary  supplies  of  food  and  clothing. 
They  hauled  their  first  crop  of  wheat  to  the  Cedar  Falls  market,  one  hun- 
dred miles  away.  The  fanuly  actua!l_\-  subsisted  on  one  dollar's  worth  uf 
sugar  during  one  wh(jle  \ear.  The  elder  Watt  was  a  crijjple,  and  was 
dependent  to  a  great  extent  upon  his  children  for  help  about  the  farm.  The 
oldest  son,  James,  accompanied  by  his  sister  Harriet,  journeyed  to  California 
in  1859,  and  thus  dei)rived  the  faiuily  of  a  mainstaw  which  made  it  neces- 
sary for  tlie  younger  children  to  assume  the  burden  and  assist  the  father  in 
every  way  possilile.  Christina  followed  in  1862.  l^or  several  years  it  was  a 
hard  pull  for  them  to  make  ends  meet,  but  they  bore  their  troubles  with  true 
pioneer  fortitude  and  things  eventually  righted  llicmselves  and  prosperity 
smiled  upon  them.  Samuel  L.,  Sr.,  moved  to  Sac  City  after  a  number  of 
years,  but,  after  two  years'  residence  in  town,  he  returned  to  the  farm  and 
later  removed  to  Ohio.  He  died  at  the  residence  of  his  daughter  Sydney  in 
1875.  Mrs.  Watt  died  in  1873.  It  is  recorded  that  the  elder  \\'att  took  a 
sub-contract  for  carrying  the  mail  from  b^jrt  Dodge  to  Sioux  City  for  a  term 
of  vears,  but  owing  to  the  f;ither's  cripjiled  condition  it  was  necessarv  for 
the  children  to  perform  the  task.     Samuel  L.,  the  son,  began  at  this  task 


SAC  couNl•^■,   IOWA.  365 

vvlicr.  i)iu  thirlvi.;)  sea.;-  .'i'  ;igc.  It  was  coiisiilerahlo  responsiljiiity  to  tiini.^t 
upnii  a  voung  lad,  l)ut  he  successfull\-  performed  the  work  for  a  term  of  three 
years  during  the  summer  months,  and  attended  the  primitive  district  school 
in  the  vicinity  (hiring  the  winter  months.  Judge  D.  Carr  Early  was  Mr. 
Watt's  tirst  teacher.  (Jwing  to  the  necessity  of  devoting  the  greater  part  of 
his  time  to  the  farm  work,  his  school  training  was  necessarily  irregular  and 
intermittent  and    was  confined  to  the  three  R's. 

When  twenty-four  years  of  age,  in  1873,  Mr.  \\'att  purcha.sed  a  tract 
of  wild,  Hiiljroj.ien  land  and  embarked  up(jn  the  (occupation  of  herdint;"  and 
raising  cattle  for  the  markets.  Previous  to  this  time  he  had  invested  his 
savings  in  a  small  tract  of  land  south  of  Sac  City  in  1871  and  made  a  trip  to 
the  far  West.  For  two  years  he  drove  freighting  teams  in  the  mining  regions 
of  California,  Nevada  and  Colorado.  His  route  reached  from  the  region  of 
Death  Valley  to  Den\er  and  the  mountains  north  of  the  city.  His  experi- 
ence while  performing  his  hazardous  tasks  in  such  a  wild,  unsettled  country 
was  very  exciting  and  he  met  with  many  thrilling  adventures. 

Upon  his  return  from  the  West  to  Sac  county  in  1873  he  ranged  cattle 
on  his  land  until  the  fall  of  1881.  He  would  buy  up  large  herds  of  feeders 
and  fatten  them  for  the  markets.  In  the  fall  of  1881  Mr.  Watt  sold  his  live 
stock,  rented  out  his  land  and  removed  to  Buena  N^ista,  where  he  embarked 
in  the  liver\  business  for  one  year.  In  1882  he  removed  to  Sac  City  and 
has  since  been  engaged  in  various  business  enterprises  in  which  he  has 
achieved  marked  success.  At  various  times  he  has  been  the  proprietor  of  a 
meat  market,  furniture  store,  etc.,  which  he  usually  conducted  for  a  time  and 
sold  out  with  profit  to  himself.  Mr.  Watt  has  been  a  capitalist  in  a  large 
way  for  a  numlier  of  \-ears  and  has  dealt  extensively  in  Iowa  land,  having 
at  one  time  owned  over  one  thousand  acres  of  good  Hawkeye  soil.  His 
holdings  but  a  few  vears  back  embraced  one  thousand  acres  of  land  in  Sac 
county  and  o\er  four  hundred  acres  of  South  Dakota  land.  However,  he 
has  recently  sold  the  greater  part  of  his  extensive  farm  holdings  and  given 
the  proceeds  to  his  children.  He  still  retains  a  valuable  tract  of  forty  acres 
adjoining  the  pr(jsperous  and  growing  city  of  Sioux  Falls,  and  owns  four 
farms  in  Sac  county  totalling  seven  hundred  acres.  He  has  one  hundred 
and  sixtv  acres  adjoining  the  corporation  of  Sac  City  on  which  he  has  raised 
live  stock  in  large  numbers.  Mr.  Watt  is  a  lover  of  horses  and  an  excellent 
judge  of  this  useful  animal,  having  as  high  as  sixty  head  of  draft  and  road 
animals  on  his  nearby  farm  in  one  season. 

Mr.  Watt,  since  1905,  has  been  one  of  the  largest  stockholders  and  the 
efficient  secretarv  of  the  Sac  County  Fair  .\ssociation.      He  purchased   th- 


366  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

property  of  the  old,  decadent  fair  association  at  sheriff's  sale  and  applied 
business  methods  to  an  enterprise  which  was  destined  to  reflect  credit  upon 
himself  and  his  associates.  The  association  was  immediately  reorganized 
through  his  efiforts,  the  grounds  overhauled  and  placed  in  splendid  condition 
and  an  era  of  prosperity  soon  set  in  for  the  fair  association  which  has  been 
continued  from  year  to  year.  The  Sac  County  Fair,  during  the  past  nine 
years,  has  been  a  wonderful  success  in  every  way.  The  live  stock  displays 
and  the  exhibits  have  been  among  the  best  in  the  state,  and  the  attendance  at 
the  annual  fair  held  each  year  has  been  constanth'  on  the  increase.  He  is  a 
stockholder  in  (he  Farmers  Savings  Bank  of  Sac  Cit\".  In  politics,  Mr! 
Watt  is  a  Democrat,  and  has  ever  been  an  active  worker  in  the  ranks  and  a 
leader  of  his  party.  He  has  served  as  city  councilman  and  assessor.  He 
values  his  membership  in  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen. 

Mr.  Watt's  wedded  life  has  been  in  keeping  with  his  highly  successful 
career  in  other  lines.  He  was  united  in  marriage  in  December,  1873,  with 
Rosa  P.  Allen,  of  Sac  City,  who  was  born  in  the  year  1853  and  died  in  1897. 
She  was  the  daughter  of  Washington  Allen,  an  early  pioneer  settler  of  Sac 
county. 

The  following  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Watt :  Tna  Belle 
fMaker),  of  Sac  City,  who  is  the  mother  of  two  children,  Catherine  Edna 
and  Vi\ian.  The  second  child  bc^rn  is  Willis  Walford  Watt,  a  farmer  re- 
siding northwest  of  Sac  City.  W^illis  served  eight  years  in  the  United  States 
regular  army  and  spent  four  years  in  active  warfare  in  the  Philippine  islands, 
lia\ing  maile  two  trips  around  the  world  while  in  the  service.  The  thirrl 
child  is  Edna  Pearl  (  Strohmeier),  wife  of  Gus  W.  Strohmeier.  acting  secre- 
tary I  if  ilie  Sac  Count}'  I'air  Association,  and  who  is  engaged  in  the  ant<i- 
mobile  business  in  Sac  City. 


HENRY    HANSON. 


There  is  no  section  of  the  United  States  which  has  held  and  still  now 
hiilds  .:.;reaier  jiromise  fur  investors  in  lands  than  western  Towa  and  espe- 
cially Sac  county.  It  is  a  fact  that  land  values  have  trebled  and  quadrupled 
in  value  during  the  last  decade  and  are  still  mi  llu-  upward  swing.  Conse- 
c|uentl_\-  the  men  who  have  had  the  foresight  and  the  faith  in  the  future  of 
the  country  to  continue  to  invest  in  the  farm  lands  have  liecome  prosperous 
rmd  wealthy.     It  was  ne\er  designed  by  l'ro\idence  that  men  should  be  poor 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  367 

and  wretched.  There  are  eiK^ugh  good  thing.s  in  the  world  for  every  one — 
and  the  hest  things  come  from  the  hosom  of  Mother  Earth.  He  who  gets 
close  to  the  earth  and  nses  skill  in  combining  the  elements  of  soil  and  air 
in  prodncing  the  crops  which  are  always  in  demand  for  the  purpose  of  feed- 
ing the  millions  of  inhabitants  of  this  broad  land  is  performing  a  high 
vocation  and  is  certain  of  success.  Henry  Hanson,  of  Odebolt,  is  a  citizen 
who  began  his  career  in  Sac  county  in  tilling  the  soil  and  has  enlarged  his 
operations  to  such  an  extent  that  he  is  one  of  the  most  important  factors 
in  the  communitv  and  (ine  (if  the  largest  estate  holders  in  the  county.  Mr. 
Hanson  is  a  native  of  a  foreign  land  which  has  contributed  some  of  the  best 
citizens  in  many  of  the  Western  states.  The  Swedish-Americans  of  Sac 
count}-  are  among  the  leaders  in  all  walks  of  life,  and  are  universally  re- 
spected as  men  of  intelligence  and  pninounced  ability  everywhere  they  have 
settled. 

Henrv  Hanson,  farmer,  of  Odelxilt,  Iowa,  was  born  in  Sweden  June 
I,  1849,  the  son  of  Jens  and  Kirsty  Hanson.  Jens  Hanson  died  a  few 
weeks  before  Henrv's  l)irth.  lli-~  mother  later  came  to  .\merica  and  died 
here.  At  the  age  of  nineteen  years  Mr.  Hanson  crossed  the  ocean  and 
landed  in  New  York  Cit)-  in  September  of  t868.  He  spent  six  years  at 
various  pursuits  in  Xew  ^■ork  (itv  and  then  came  we.stward.  In  the  spring 
of  1874  he  came  to  Sac  count\-  and,  in  jjartnership  with  A.  E.  Johnson,  pur- 
chased three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  in  Wheeler  township.  They 
ojjerated  this  tract  together  until  1877.  The  land  cost  them  six  dollars  and 
sixtv  cents  an  acre  and  was  ])urcliased  on  a  time  contract  with  five  years' 
time  allotted  them  in  which  to  complete  the  payments.  In  1877  each  of  the 
jiartners  took  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  for  his  own  use.  Mr.  Hanson 
adiled  eighty  acres  to  his  quarter  in  1876  at  a  cost  of  five  dollars  and  fifty 
cents  an  acre.  In  the  vear  1880  he  disposed  of  his  Wheeler  township  tract 
of  two  hundred  and  fortv  acres  and  invested  in  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres 
adioining  the  town  of  Odebolt.  Mr.  Hanson  has  dealt  considerably  in  farm 
lands  since  his  first  venture  and  at  the  present  time  is  the  owner  of  a  total 
of  eight  hundred  and  ninety  acre^^  of  land  in  Wheeler  township.  I  lis  home 
farm,  occupied  b\'  his  son,  is  the  model  farm  of  the  southwest  portion  of 
Sac  count}-  and  fitted  with  beautiful  buildings  and  every  convenience  for  the 
carrving  on  of  scientific  farming  operations. 

In  1877  he  made  his  residence  in  Odebolt  ami  located  his  fan-iily  here 
in  1878.  when  the  town  was  first  started.  He  immediately  took  advantage 
of  his  opportunity  and  engaged  in  the  buying  of  grain  and  live  stock  for 
shipment  to  the  markets.     He  continued  in  this  pursuit  until   1883  and  was 


368  SAC    COUXTV,    IOWA. 

the  pioneer  grain  dealer  of  Oclebolt.  He  began  as  manager  of  the  Swedish 
Farmers'  Elevator  Company  and  soon  bought  out  the  business,  which  was 
the  second  grain  liuying  estabhshment  in  the  city.  Since  1883  he  lias  de- 
voted his  time  to  looking  after  his  Crawford  and  Sac  count}'  agricultural 
interests  and  his  business  affairs. 

Mr.  Hanson  is  a  large  stockholder  and  vice-president  of  the  First  Na- 
tional Bank  of  Odebolt.  He  has  a  large  moilern  residence  on  Lincoln  ave- 
nue. He  is  a  Republican  in  politics  and  devotes  a  considerable  portion  of 
his  time  to  civic  affairs,  being  a  member  of  the  school  board  and  having 
served  on  the  city  council.  His  family  attend  the  Presbyterian  church,  and 
he  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  antl  Accepted  IMasons  and  has  taken  the 
degrees  in  Masonry  in  the  Sac  City  chapter  and  commandery. 

Mr.  Flanson's  marriage  occurred  in  1872  to  .Vugusta  Eckblom.  a  native 
of  Sweden.  They  are  the  parents  of  four  children,  as  follows:  ]\Irs.  Rob- 
ertina  A'on  Marell,  of  Phoenix,  Arizona:  Lillian,  the  efficient  liljrarian  of 
the  Odebolt  public  library :  George,  on  the  home  farm  in  Wheeler  township : 
Grace,  at  home. 

By  a  life  of  persevering  industry  and  fair  and  honest  dealings  Mr.  Han- 
son has  acquired  a  fair  share  of  this  world's  goods,  and,  what  is  of  more 
value,  the  respect  and  esteem  of  every  one  with  whom  he  has  come  in  con- 
tact. He  and  his  family  occupy  an  enviable  social  standing  in  their  com- 
munit}',  in  which  they  are  among  the  pioneers,  and  possess  in  a  marked 
degree  that  b-apj)}'  faculty  of  making  steadfast  frien(ls!ii])s. 


CHARLES  L.  EARLY. 


The  annals  of  the  West  teem  with  stories  of  young  men  of  aljilily  and 
energy  who  have  come  from  eastern  points  and  been  successful  in  many  lines 
of  endeavor.  Some  have  succeeded  in  commerce  and  as  agriculturists,  while 
others  have  made  marked  progress  in  the  useful  line  of  endeavor  as  public 
officials.  The  name  of  Early  is  one  that  is  well  and  faxorably  known  in  Sac 
county.  The  name  attaches  to  itself  a  significance  that  the  i)earer  has  achieved 
marked  success  along  his  chosen  path  of  endea\'or. 

Charles  L.  Early,  postmaster  of  .Sac  City,  is  ranked  among  the  pioneers 
of  the  county,  who  came  here  autl  seized  the  o])porUinitv  which  ])resented 
itself  and  has  succeeded,  not  only  in  a  worklly  waw  but  enjoys  the  respect  and 
esteem  of  a  large  concourse  of  friends  and  well  wdshers.     Public  spirited  to  a 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  369 

high  degree,  he  has  serxed  the  people  in  many  capacities  for  a  long  period  of 
years,  as  a  countv  official,  in  the  halls  of  the  state  Legislature,  and  lastly  as  an 
accommodating  and  conscientious  postmaster. 

Air.  Early  is  a  native  son  of  the  Buckeye  state  and  was  born  on  a  farm 
in  Brown  county,  Ohio.  July  27,  1854.  He  is  the  son  of  David  Watson 
Early,  a  native  of  Kentucky,  and  was  of  Irish  ancestry.  The  ancestors  of 
Charles  L.  Early  came  hom  Ireland  in  1740  and  settled  in  the  Old  Dominion 
(Virginia).  Here  they  figured  in  the  colonial  and  revolutionary  perio'l  as 
became  natural  to  members  of  a  race  who  became  Americans  easily.  Ua'-id 
Watson  Early  was  the  son  of  David  Early,  son  of  Thomas,  who  was  sun  f 
William  Early,  who  is  said  to  have  emigrated  from  Ireland  about  the  midd'e 
of  the  eighteenth  century. 

David  was  the  youngest  son  of  William  Early,  of  Virginia,  who  migrated 
to  Kentuckv  in  about  1784  and  took  an  active  part  in  the  stirring  scenes  inci- 
dental to  the  settlement  of  the  state.  Further  research  determines  the  fact 
that  the  original  progenitors  of  the  Early  family  in  America  were  Jeremiah 
and  William.  From  these  two  brothers  have  sprung  the  different  members  of 
the  family,  nianv  of  whom  have  achieved  fame,  not  only  in  civic  affairs  luit 
in  the  pursuit  of  war.  Gen.  Jul«l  Early,  of  Civil-war  fame,  was  a  direct 
descendant  of  Jeremiah  Earlw 

The  father  of  Charles  L.  Early  was  fifteen  years  of  age  when  the  family 
remo\'ed  from  Kentucky  ti  1  Ohio,  in  the  year  1835,  and  became  one  of  the 
pioneer  families  of  the  state  which  has  contributed  her  sons  and  daughters  to 
the  upbuilding  of  many  of  the  greatest  western  commonwealths.  Da\id  W. 
lived  to  a  good  old  age  and  died  in  1908  at  his  Brown  county  home.  His  wife 
was  Sarah  Jane  Hook,  a  native  of  Adams  county,  Ohio,  and  who  was  reared 
on  the  farm  adjoining  that  of  the  Earlys.  She  was  born  in  the  \ear  1824  and 
was  deceased  in  1885.  The}-  reared  a  family  of  four  children:  Ji:>hn  Ouincy, 
who  resides  on  the  old  homestead  in  Brown  county,  Ohio;  Walter  David,  de- 
ceased; Charles  Lee,  of  whom  we  are  writing;  George  Andrew,  an  agricul- 
turist in  Brown  county,  Ohio. 

Charles  Lee  Early  was  reared  to  young  manhood  on  the  farm.  His 
primary  schooling  was  obtained  in  the  district  school  not  far  from  the  old 
homestead.  Being  ambitious,  he  entered  the  Ohio  Wesleyan  University  at 
Delaware,  Ohio,  and  also  studied  in  the  Bentonville  Normal  College.  For  a 
period  of  three  years  he  followed  the  profession  of  teaching  in  Brown  and 
Adams  counties.  Ohio.  Believing  that  the  West  offered  a  better  and  more 
prolific  field  for  the  exercise  of  his  talents,  in  the  year  1876  he  came  to  Iowa, 
first  locating  in  Sac  Citv.  where  he  taught   school   for  one  term   in  Clinton 

(23) 


370  SAC    COUNTY.    luWA. 

township  in  the  winter  of  1876.  The  following  year  he  was  employed  in  the 
Sac  County  Bank,  one  of  the  pioneer  banking  institutions  of  the  city.  He  served 
as  deputy  county  treasurer  from  1S78  to  1882.  inclusive.  He  then  formed  a 
partnership  with  Phil  Schaller  for  tlie  purpose  of  conducting  a  real  estate  and 
loan  business,  the  firm  being  known  for  a  period  of  six  years  as  Schaller  & 
Early.  It  is  said  that  this  firm  accomplished  a  great  deal  in  the  promotion  of 
the  .settlement  of  Sac  county  and  assisted  many  farmers  in  various  wavs 
through  the  troublesome  times  incident  to  the  settlement  of  the  county. 

Mr.  Early  turned  his  attention  to  civic  affairs  and.  in  the  fall  of  1888. 
was  elected  clerk  of  the  district  court,  in  w  hich  office  he  served  the  people  ably 
and  well  for  four  years.  This  did  not  seem  to  be  sufficient  reward  for  his 
attainments,  and  in  the  fall  of  1893  the  people  of  Sac  county  sent  him  to  the 
state  capital  to  sit  in  the  halls  of  the  state  Legislature.  He  was  re-elected  to 
this  important  office  for  the  second  term  and  served  in  the  sessions  of  1894 
and  189'!,  and  also  during  the  extra  session  of  1897.  It  is  to  Mr.  Early's 
credit  that  while  in  the  legislative  body  as  a  menilier  he  carefully  looked  to  the 
interests  of  the  people  and  his  constituents. 

After  serving  in  the  Legislature  he  again  turned  his  attention  to  the  real 
estate  and  loan  Inisiness.  being  rewarded  with  his  usual  success  until  his  ap- 
pointment as  postmaster  of  Sac  City  in  1906  under  President  Roosevelt.  He 
was  reappointed  in  19 10,  and  at  this  writing  is  serving  his  second  term.  His 
career  in  his  official  capacity  has  justified  the  confidence  reposed  in  him  b\'  the 
government  and  his  friends  and  fellow  citizens.  At  no  time  in  the  history  of 
the  postoffice  in  Sac  City  has  the  office  received  greater  undivided  attention  and 
been  more  ablv  conducted  than  during  Mr.  Early's  regime.  Mindful  of  the 
fact  that  land  is  the  basis  of  all  values  and  that  nothing  is  more  valuable  than 
real  estate  ownership,  Mr.  Earl\-  has  accjuired  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
of  excellent  land  in  his  home  county,  and  is  also  the  owner  of  a  half  section 
of  land  in  Xorth  Dakota.  He  has  one  of  the  finest  homes  in  the  city  which 
he  has  recentlv  remodeled  and  provided  with  accessories  for  the  indulgence  of 
his  hobliv,  if  it  can  be  called  such.  Eor,  be  it  known,  like  many  other  suc- 
cessful men,  he  has  never  neglected  to  follow  up  the  dexelopment  of  mind 
commenced  in  his  vounger  days.  Mr.  Early  is  an  amateur  astronomer  of 
known  abilit\-  and  attainments.  Eor  years  he  has  studied  the  heavens  from 
a  scientific  point  of  \iew.  He  has  probably  the  onl>-  i)ri\ ately  equipped  ob- 
servatory in  western  Iowa,  and  it  is  said  that  he  knes  nothing  better  than  to 
ensconce  himself  in  the  glass  enclosed  chamber  erected  on  the  roof  of  his 
dwelling  and  spend  hours  in  gazing  through  his  telescope  and  making  obser\a- 
tions  of  the  heavenly  bodies. 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  37I 

Mr.  Iv-irly  is  a  man  of  consitlerahle  in\enti\'e  abilit}-  and  the  present-day 
adding  machines  are  constructed  along  Hnes  originally  designed  bv  him  about 
1882.  At  that  time  he  perfected  a  model  embodying  the  essential  features  of 
the  machine  and  filed  a  caveat  in  the  patent  office,  but  unfortunately  permitted 
this  to  lapse,  and  thus  lost  the  recognition  de.served,  though  it  is  quite  gen- 
erally known  among  those  directly  interested  that  his  genius  conceived  the 
prmiary  idea.  He  claims  to  be  the  original  inventor  of  the  adding  feature 
of  all  the  mntlt-rn  adding  machines.  His  invention  provided  for  a  bank  of 
eighty-one  kevs  and  llu-  adding  was  automatic  the  same  as  the  comtometer. 
He  makes  no  claim  to  in\-enting  the  printing  and  listing  features  of  the 
present  da}-  adding  machines. 

jMr.  Early  is  a  director  in  the  Sac  County  State  Bank,  one  of  the  strong- 
est financial  institutions  in  western  Iowa.  He  has  had  considerable  banking 
experience  during  his  career,  having  at  one  time,  from  1882  to  1884,  operated 
a  bank  in  the  town  of  Schaller,  Iowa,  in  partnership  with  Phil  Schaller  and 
which  was  known  as  the  Schaller  &  Early  Bank.  During  his  residence 
in  Schaller  he  had  considerable  to  do  in  the  upbuilding  of  the  new  municipality, 
taking  an  actix'e  part  in  the  incorporation  of  the  town  and  being  one  of  the 
prime  movers  in  planning  the  town  and  arranging  the  ]jerspective  of  the 
beautiful  cit}-  park  of  which  every  resident  of  Schaller  is  exceedingly  proud. 
He  is  prominent  in  Masonic  circles,  being  a  member  of  the  Sac  City  Blue 
Lodge,  .\ncient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  holding  a  membership  in  the 
chapter  and  commander}-  in  Sac  City,  and  valuing  very  highly  his  membership 
in  the  M\-stic  Shrine  of  Des  Moines. 

Mr.  Early's  home  life  has  been  a  happy  one  in  rnany  ways.  In  June. 
1888.  he  was  wedded  to  Agnes  Waddell,  a  native  of  Wisconsin  and  the  daugh- 
ter of  Christopher  W'addell.  To  them  were  born  two  children :  Ruth  I.,  a 
graduate  of  St.  Catherine's  College  of  Davenport,  Iowa,  and  Esther  Early, 
who  is  deceased. 


ASA    PLATT. 


To  the  mind  of  the  historian  and  biographer  the  term  "pioneer"  appeals 
with  an  irresistible  force  and  entices  investigation  which  latter-day  annals  do 
not  re(|iiire.  .Such  in\estigation  is  productive  of  a  wealth  of  historical  ma- 
terial \vhich  appeals  to  the  general  reader  as  no  other  inscribed  records  pre- 
sent. To  his  mind,  to  have  been  a  pioneer  and  one  of  the  great  and  noble 
armv  of  men  who  have  created  a  wealthy  and  prosperous  neighborhood  out  of 


■^^2  %hQ.    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

a  raw  prairie  wilderness  is  the  height  of  successful  attainment.  The  aged 
pioneer  belongs  in  a  class  of  his  own.  Around  him  and  his  clusters  the 
memory  of  halcyon  days  when  the  country  was  a  wilderness  awaiting  the 
niatiic  tiiuch  of  the  en]].Hre  builders  from  the  East,  whose  optimism  and  nii!.;hty 
enilea\nrs  ha\e  transformed  the  rich  and  fertile  lands  into  a  smiling  land- 
scape of  productive  farms  and  beautiful  towns  and  villages.  Asa  Piatt,  of 
whom  these  words  are  transcribed,  is  a  pioneer  of  Sac  county  who  enjoys  the 
universal  respect  and  friendship  of  his  neighbors  and  fellow  citizens.  In 
many  ways  he  is  tenderly  regarded  as  the  oracle  and  final  authority  on  the 
happenings  which  have  taken  place  during  his  long  residence  in  the  county. 
Should  a  discussion  come  up  regarding  the  date  of  some  occurrence  which 
has  an  intimate  bearing  upon  local  history,  Mr.  Piatt's  store  of  knowledge 
and  his  wonderful  memory  forms  the  court  of  last  resort  to  decide  the  ques- 
tioii  at  issue.  Our  liist'..)rian  is  indebted  to  him  for  much  \aluable  infonii;i- 
tion  which  is  written  in  the  preceding  pages  of  this  Sac  county  history. 
However,  Mr.  Pratt's  prestige  is  not  based  entirely  upon  his  pioneer  experi- 
ence, and  it  is  well  to  record  the  fact  that  he  ranks  as  one  of  the  wealthiest, 
as  well  as  one  of  the  kindliest  and  most  useful  citizens  of  the  cit}'. 

Asa  Piatt,  president  of  the  Sac  County  State  Bank,  is  a  Xew  Englander 
by  virtue  of  his  birth  and  ancestry.  He  was  born  June  20,  1830,  in  the 
beautiful  old  city  of  Saybrook,  Connecticut.  His  father  was  Richard  Piatt 
and  his  mother  was  Maria  Turner,  both  descendants  from  old  colonial 
families.  Richard  was  the  son  of  Thomas  Piatt,  \vho  was  one  of  five  sons 
from  whom  the  various  branches  of  the  family  have  descended  in  America. 
Two  brothers  located  in  the  state  of  New  York.  Senator  Thomas  I'latt  was 
a  member  of  the  New  York  branch  of  the  Platts.  Asa's  maternal  ])arent, 
Maria  Turner,  was  the  daughter  of  ^^'illiam  Turner,  who  served  with 
bravery  and  distinction  in  the  Revolutionary  ^^'ar. 

Richard  Piatt  reared  a  family  of  nine  children :  Asa,  the  eldest,  of  whom 
we  take  ].>leasure  in  writing;  Catharine  (Tritcheni),  of  Xew  York;  Eliza 
(Seeley),  deceased;  J.  O.  Piatt,  of  Sac  City;  Caroline  (Baldwin),  deceased; 
J.  C.  Piatt,  who  resides  in  Denver,  Colorado;  Emeline  (Trout),  deceased. 
Richard  was  a  farmer,  as  were  many  of  his  relatives  and  descendants. 

Asa  Piatt,  with  whom  this  record  is  more  intimately  concerned  because 
of  his  long  connection  with  the  history  of  Sac  county,  was  reared  to  early 
manhood  on  the  ancestral  farm  in  Connecticut  and  western  Xew  York.  It 
was  in  this  practically  new  neighliorhood  that  his  father  removed  from  Con- 
necticut on  attaining  his  majority,  and  heweil  a  lionie  from  the  wilderness. 
.\sa  attended  school  in  a  small  log  school  house,  a  fitting  place  for  the  training 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


373 


ot  one  who  was  destined  to  becoine  a  pioneer  in  the  great  West.  The  family 
resided  in  western  New  York  from  1840  to  1850,  and  then  took  up  a  residence 
on  a  farm  in  Erie  county.  Pennsylvania. 

In  the  year  1855  Asa  journeyed  overland  to  Iowa  with  the  intention  of 
locating  in  Sac  county.  The  country  justified  the  young  man's  conception  of 
the  richness  of  the  land  and  in  1856  he  pre-empted  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  i;o\-e!"nnicnt  land  ab'iut  one-half  mile  from  Sac  Citv.  in  Jackson 
township.  This  land  was  unbroken  prairie  and  neighbors  were  few  and  far 
between.  The  only  settlements  were  along  the  river  in  the  timber  lands. 
While  pre-emptir.g"  and  jiroving  up  on  his  land  he  lived  in  Sac  Citv.  then  an 
cnibryii  \illage  "U  the  edge  of  the  wilderness  of  woods  and  prairie.  He  built 
a  small  Imuse  and  thus  becan.e  one  of  the  first  citizens  of  the  future  citv.  and 
now  r:iiiks  as  one  of  its  iildest  citizens.  Later.  Mr.  Piatt  pur- 
chased rbree  luindretl  and  twent}-  acres  of  fine  land  adjoining  the  corpora- 
tion line  which  he  farmed  for  a  period  of  thirty  years.  Practically  the 
greater  part  of  the  city  is  built  upon  Mr.  Piatt's  original  farm  of  three  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres.  He  disposed  of  his  farming  interests  in  1893  ^"d 
practically  retired  from  active  farming  operations.  However,  during  a  long 
period  of  forty  years  he  was  an  extensive  live  stock  raiser  and  was  interested 
in  the  mercantile  business  in  Sac  City.  Mr.  Piatt  built  the  first  frame  house 
in  Sac  City  at  a  time  when  there  were  but  two  log  cabins  in  the  village.  From 
this  small  beginning  he  has  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  the  development  and 
growth  of  one  of  the  most  attracti\e  and  enterprising  small  cities  of  a  state 
noted  for  its  progressive  numicipalities.  He  became  interested  in  banking 
very  earh'  in  his  career  and  for  the  past  twenty-six  years  has  been  president 
of  the  Sac  County  State  Bank,  one  of  the  solid  financial  concerns  of  western 
Iowa.  During  the  Civil  War  he  was  one  of  a  large  number  of  men  who 
voluntarily  enrolled  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  watch  of  the  Indians  in  order 
to  provide  against  threatened  outbreaks  on  the  part  of  the  red  men  in  this 
section  of  Iowa.  Plis  activities  in  the  building  tip  of  his  beloved  home  city 
have  been  extensive  and  such  as  commend  him  favorably  to  his  fellow  citizens. 
He  has  a  nice  attractive  home,  situated  upon  the  brow  of  the  high  land  which 
forms  the  major  portion  of  the  site  of  Sac  City  and  is  the  owner  of  se\'eral 
pieces  of  valuable  real  estate,  consisting  of  business  and  residence  property, 
much  of  which  has  been  erected  under  his  personal  supervision  in  a  substan- 
tial manner.  The  Piatt  building,  on  Main  street  of  the  city,  is  known  as  one 
of  the  most  modern  and  best  built  Iiuildings  in  the  cit\'. 

Mr.  Piatt  was  originalh-  a  \Miig  in  politics,  and  was  the  son  of  an  old- 
fashioned  Democrat  of  the  Andrew  Jackson  type.     When  the  Republican 


374  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

party  was  formed  umlcr  the  banner  of  John  C.  Fremont  in  1856,  he  ahgned 
himself  witli  the  part\-.  \oting  four  years  later  for  Aljraham  Lincoln,  and  en- 
joys the  distmction  of  having  voted  the  Republican  ticket  continuously  for 
nearly  sixty  years.  In  fact,  he  is  the  onlv  living  resident  of  Sac  City  who 
cast  his  vote  for  Fremont  for  President.  He  has  served  the  people  of  the 
county  in  the  important  capacity  of  county  supervisor.  During  the  greater 
part  of  his  life  he  has  been  identified  with  the  Presbyterian  church  and  is  a 
liberal  supporter  of  this  ant!  kindred  denominations. 

He  of  whom  this  chronicle  reads  was  united  in  marriage  with  Adelaide 
Gray  in  the  year  185 1.  This  lady,  who  has  been  his  faithful  companion  and 
loving  wife  for  over  sixty  years,  was  born  in  the  state  of  Maine,  March  5, 
1832.  To  this  union  have  lieen  born  four  children  :  Elma  (  Criss),  deceased: 
Virginia  (Irwin),  a  resident  of  Long  Beach,  California:  Milton,  who  was 
born  in  the  year  1857  and  died  in  1885;  Rosalie  (Hayge),  of  Sac  City.  The 
son  Milton  was  the  father  of  two  children,  one  of  whom  is  a  contractor  in 
I-'orrest,  Illinois.  Mr.  Piatt  has  three  great-grandchildren,  one  of  whom  is 
twenty  years  of  age. 


JUDGE    SAMUEL    .M.    ELWOOD. 

Iowa  has  always  been  distinguished  fur  the  high  rank  uf  her  bench  and 
bar.  Perhaps  none  of  the  newer  states  can  justly  boast  of  abler  jurists  or 
attorneys.  Man)-  of  them  have  been  men  of  national  fame,  and  among 
them  whose  lives  have  been  passed  on  a  quieter  plane  there  is  scarcely  a 
town  or  city  in  the  state  but  that  boasts  of  one  or  nmre  lawyers  capable  of 
crossing  swords  in  forensic  combat  with  many  of  the  distinguished  legal 
lights  of  the  country.  While  the  growth  and  develo]jment  of  the  state  in  the 
last  half  century  has  been  most  marvelous,  viewed  from  an\-  standpoint, 
yet  of  no  one  class  of  her  citizenship  has  she  greater  reason  for  just  pride 
than  her  judges  and  attorneys.  In  Judge  Elwood  are  found  united  manv 
of  the  rare  qualities  which  go  to  make  the  successful  lawwer  and  jin-ist. 
He  possesses  perha])s  few  of  these  brilliant,  dazzling  meteoric  i|ualities 
which  have  sometimes  flashed  along  the  legal  h<irizon,  rixeting  the  gaze 
and  blinding  the  \  ision  for  the  moment,  then  disappearing,  leaving  little 
or  no  trace  behind:  but  rather  has  those  solid  and  more  substantial  qualities 
which  shine  with  a  constant  luster,  shedding  light  in  the  dark  places  with 
steadiness  and  continuity. 

Samuel  M.   h'lwoiul,  ex-district  judge  and  ;ittornc\-  of   Sac  Citv,   Iowa, 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  375 

was  born  September  17,  1850.  in  Greeiisburg,  Pennsylvania.  His  parents 
were  Thomas  and  Jane  (  Henry )  Mlwood,  of  English  and  Irish  descent 
respectively.  In  1834  his  parents  mo\ed  U>  (Irinnell.  Iowa,  Init  shortl}- 
afterwards  moved  to  a  farm  in  Tama  connty,  Iowa.  In  1881  Timnias 
Elwood  moved  to  Sac  City,  where  his  death  occurred  un  March  y,  1888, 
and  his  wife  died  September  14th  of  the  same  year.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas 
Elwood  were  the  parents  of  seven  children:  S.  M.,  with  whom  this  nara- 
tive  deals;  Mrs.  Nancy  J.  Cowan,  deceased;  Mrs.  Mary  Ellen  Martin,  of 
Sac  City,  Iowa;  Mrs.  Asenath  E.  Miller,  deceased;  Mrs.  Margaret  I.  Camp- 
held,  of  Sac  City;  Mrs.  I''Iizal)cth  M.  \e\vl)y.  of  Puyallup.  Wasliingtini,  and 
Mrs.  Harriett  M.  Hayden,  of  Little  Rock,  Arkansas. 

Judge  Elwood  was  reared  on  the  farm  and  attended  the  schools  of 
his  home  neighjjorhood,  after  which  he  entered  Iowa  College  at  Grinnell, 
Iowa,  being  only  sixteen  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  his  matriculation. 
After  three  years'  study  at  Grinnell,  he  attended  the  .\gricultural  College 
at  Ames,  Iowa,  where  he  sttidied  one  year.  His  mother  was  a  cultured 
woman  and  was  able  to  be  of  material  assistance  to  her  son  in  his  studies. 
He  studied  law  and  later  graduated  from  the  Law  School  on  June  -'4.  1873, 
at  Ames,  Iowa.  After  his  graduation  he  began  the  active  practice  of  law  at 
Trayer,  Iowa,  btit  after  six  months  of  experience  he  began  to  teach  school, 
in  which  he  was  engaged  four  months  at  McPherson.  Kansas,  after  which 
he  traveletl  in  the  West  for  some  time.  He  then  returned  to  Iowa,  locating 
in  Sac  City  on  November  i,  1875,  where  he  has  continued  to  live  until  the 
present  time.  He  has  had  a  busy  and  useful  career  since  locating  in  Sac 
City  and  has  identified  himself  with  e\-ery  public  mo\-enient  which  had  for 
its  end  the  welfare  of  his  city.  He  has  served  as  mayor  of  Sac  Cit\'  for 
two  terms  and  also  been  a  member  of  the  cit_\'  school  board.  In  1805  he 
was  elected  district  judge  of  the  court  a]id  was  re-elected  at  the  expiration 
of  his  first  term,  serving  in  all  eight  years.  Eor  the  ])ast  twenty-one  years 
he  has  been  a  director  of  the  First  State  P)ank  and  was  one  of  the  organizers 
of  that  financial  institution.  He  is  now  a  director  of  the  h'armers  Savings 
Bank,  of  Sac  City,  and  was  ])resident  of  tliat  bank  for  several  vears.  For 
ten  years  he  was  engaged  in  the  lightning  rod  fiusiness  with  'Sir.  Dodds. 
This  business  was  organized  in  1887,  and  manufactured  lightning  rods  in 
Sac  City  for  ten  years,  anil  later  removcfl  to  Des  Moines.  Two  years 
after  the  factory  was  removed  to  Des  Moines,  Mr.  Elwood  severed  his 
connection  with  the  firm.  In  1898  he  began  the  manufacture  of  lightning 
rods  under  the  firm  name  of  Chalfant  &  Elwood,  and  two  years  later  this 
plant  was  moved  to  Omaha,   Nebraska,   where   it   was   incorporated   with   a 


3/6  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

capital  stock  of  forty  thousand  dollars,  and  is  now  known  as  the  Omaha 
Lightniny;  R(xl  &  I'.lectric  Company,  and  Judge  Elwood  now  owns  a  con- 
trolling interest  in  this  prosperous  business.  He  also  started  the  Ehvood 
Telephone  Company  on  January  i,  iqoo,  and  it  now  has  eight  hundred 
phones  in  the  city.  The  central  plant  is  in  a  large  [)rick  block  owned  bv 
Mr.  Elwoi"id.  In  addition  to  all  of  these  interests,  lie  has  also  invested  in 
land  and  is  at  jjresent  the  owner  of  one  hundred  acres  in  Sac  countv,  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Minnesota,  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in 
Kansas,  two  hundred  and  eighty  acres  in  Nebraska,  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  in  Colorado  and  twelve  hundred  acres  in  Idaho. 

T'olitically.  Mr.  Khvood  is  a  l\e|niblican  and  as  a  member  of  that 
party  has  been  honored  b\-  Ijeing  elected  to  office  as  mayor  of  his  home  city 
and  also  as  district  judge.  In  his  religious  belief,  he  and  the  members  of 
his  family  are  adherents  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  Fraternally,  he  is  a 
Mason,  and  has  belonged  to  that  time-honored  order  for  the  past  thirt\'-six 
}'ears.  having  attained  to  the  Knight  Templar  degrees. 

Judge  Elwood  was  married  Se]iteml)er  lo.  1878.  to  Sadie  J.  Darling, 
and  to  this  union  ha^'e  Ijeen  born  four  children :  William  Drennen,  who  is 
a  graduate  of  the  electrical  engineering  course  of  Ames  College,  Ames,  Iowa, 
and  is  now  manager  of  the  lightning  rod  factory  in  Omaha ;  Margaret  J. 
graduated  from  the  Sac  Cit}-  Institute,  and  is  now  with  her  parents  at  home: 
Charles  Sumner,  who  died  December  g,  1908,  and  Thomas  Milton,  who 
die<l  at  the  age  of  two. 


WILLIAM   H.   HART. 


He  of  whom  this  notice  is  written  by  the  publishers  has  been  the  super- 
vising editor  of  the  \olume  entitled  "History  of  Sac  County,  Iowa,"  which 
the  reader  now  holds.  Mr.  Hart  is  one  of  the  leading  attorne\'s  of  the  Sac 
county  bar  today. 

William  H.  Hart  was  born  March  4.  iS^g.  in  Cedar  coiuitv,  Iowa,  son  of 
Jeremiah  antl  Julia  A.  (  \\'hitson)  flart.  natives  of  New  N'ork  and  Pennsyl- 
vania, resjiectively.  Julia  \\'hitson  was  a  descendant  of  the  Piatt  family  of 
Pennsylvania.  John  Piatt  being  the  ancestor.  The  mother  of  Jeremiah  Hart 
was  a  native  of  northern  Ireland,  and  a  descendant  of  Thomas  Rabington 
Macaul-"\'.  Jeremiah  came  to  Iowa  about  1855.  and  was  united  in  marriage 
in  Cedar  county,  the  seat  of  justice  of  which  is  Tipton.  Julia  A.  W'hitson 
had  come  with  her  father  to  Cedar  cotuitw  Iowa,  ,-diout   i8^o. 


1, 1 1  i 


^ 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  T^yj 

The  Hart  family  came  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  in  1882.  nearly  a  third  of  a 
century  ago.  The  son.  William  H.,  came  in  the  fall  of  1880.  The  family 
located  on  a  farm  in  Jackson  township,  a  mile  and  a  half  northwest  of  Sac 
City.  Later  in  life  they  removed  to  the  city,  where  the  father,  Jeremiah, 
died  at  the  age  of  eighty-two  years,  on  September  10,  1910.  The  wife'  and 
mother  died  July  2Tf,  1910,  aged  seventy-one  years.  Their  children  were: 
William  H..  of  this  memoir;  Clarence  E.,  now  residing  in  Sac  City,  Iowa; 
Charles,  of  Sac  City,  Iowa,  and  Lee  J.,  of  Kalamazoo,  Michigan. 

\Mlliam  H.  Hart  obtained  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Clarence, 
Iowa,  and  at  Carthage  College.  Carthage.  Illinois.  He  followed  teaching  in 
Cedar  county.  Iowa,  for  about  three  years,  and  deciding  to  fit  himself  for  the 
profession  of  a  lawyer,  studied  with  Piatt  &  Carr,  of  Tipton,  Iowa.  He  was 
admitted  to  the  practice  of  law  in  1880.  coming  to  Sac  City  in  November  of 
that  year.  He  served  as  assistant  cashier  in  the  Sac  County  Bank  (  now  the 
Sac  County  State  Bank)  for  five  years,  and  in  1885  formed  a  partnership 
with  Hon.  C.  Y).  Coldsmith,  which  continued  until  Mr.  Goldsmith  was  elevated 
to  the  bench.  In  1890  Mr.  Hart  formed  a  business  partnership  with  Hon. 
Phil  Schaller.  in  which  thev  carried  on  an  extensive  business  in  law,  loans 
and  real  estate.  This  partnership  continued  until  the  death  of  Mr.  Schaller 
in  July,  igi  I. 

I'oliticall}-.  .Mr.  Hart  has  always  been  identified  with  the  Republican  party, 
believing  that  this  party  best  represents  the  interests  of  American  citizens. 
Among  the  Aarious  offices  he  has  filled  with  credit  to  himself,  may  be  men- 
tioned that  of  county  attorney  for  Sac  county,  which  position  he  filled  for  two 
terms,  equal  to  four  vears :  mayor  of  Sac  City  one  term ;  secretary  of  the 
school  board  in  Sac  City  twenty-seven  years,  or  since  1886;  city  recorder  and 
treasurer,  and  the  attorney  for  the  commissioners  on  insanity  of  the  county 
for  fift-een  vears.  In  all  of  these  various  public  positions  Mr.  Hart  has  seemed 
to  be  the  right  man  in  the  right  place,  and  has  given  almost  universal  satisfac- 
tion. His  knowledge  of  the  law,  his  clear-headed  and  intellectual  grasp  of 
the  situation,  at  all  times,  has  made  him  peculiarly  fitted  to  serve  in  these 
various  capacities. 

Mr.  Hart  is  of  the  Presbyterian  faith  and  has  been  an  elder  in  this  church 
for  more  than  twenty  years,  and  was  twice  elected  to  the  general  assembly  of 
the  church. 

Fraternally.  Mr.  Hart  is  connected  with  the  blue  lodge,  chapter,  com- 
manderv  and  council  of  the  Masonic  order,  as  well  as  holding  membership 
with  the  :\Ivstic  Shriners  at  Des  :\Ioines.  He  is  well  informed  in  the  work- 
ings of  this  most  ancient  and  hnnorable  order.     He  was  custodian  of  the 


37^  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

grand  chapter  of  Iowa  for  six  years,  aiul  grand  high  priest  of  the  grand  chap- 
ter in  1906. 

Mr.  Hart  was  united  in  marriage  March  31,  1881,  at  Clarence,  Iowa,  to 
Anna  Greig,  a  nati\e  of  Canada,  and  the  daughter  of  James  and  Jeanette 
Greig. 

UnHke  the  man  who  goes  through  hfe  with  the  sound  of  a  trumpet  and 
full  of  egotism,  making  many  warm  friends  and  also  many  enemies,  Mr.  Hart 
has,  during  all  the  years  of  his  career  in  Sac  county,  gone  about  his  daily 
duties,  both  as  an  attorney  and  as  a  public  olficial.  in  a  graceful,  gentlemanh- 
manner,  never  fearing  to  stand  for  the  right  as  he  has  understood  the  right,. 
yet  without  causing  opposition  or  friction  where  duty  did  not  demand  it.  It 
goes  without  saying  that  he  counts  his  friends  in  Sac  county  and  northwestern 
Iowa  liy  the  one  word,  "legion." 


PROF.    JOHX    R.    SLACKS. 

The  hnal  causes  which  shape  the  fortunes  of  individual  men  and  the 
destinies  of  states  are  often  the  same.  The}-  are  usuall\'  remote  and  obscure; 
their  influence  wholly  unexpected  until  declared  b_\'  results.  \\  hen  they  in- 
spire men  to  the  exercise  of  courage,  self  denial  and  industry,  and  call  into 
play  the  higher  moral  elements;  lead  men  to  risk  all  upon  conviction,  faith — 
such  causes  lead  to  the  i)lanting  of  great  states,  great  people  and  great  move- 
ments. That  country  is  the  greatest  which  i)roduces  the  greatest  and  most 
manh'  men,  antl  the  intrinsic  safety  depends  not  so  much  upon  measures  and 
metlnjcls  as  upon  that  true  manhood  froni  whose  dee])  sources  all  tliat  is 
j)rccions  and  permanent  in  life  must  at  last  proceed.  Pursuing  eacli  his  per- 
sonal good  1)\-  exalteil  means,  tliey  work  this  out  as  a  logical  result;  the\  have 
wrought  on  the  lines  of  the  greatest  good. 

The  teaching  prt.)fession  is  one  which  calls  lor  a  high  order  of  nUelli- 
gence.  He  whose  duty  it  is  to  shape  tlie  nnnds  and  inclination.s  of  ihe  \'outh 
of  the  land  has  a  S(,)lemn  and  self-sacrificing  (hn\-  to  ]ierforni.  Those  among 
this  noble  profession  who  are  gifted  with  the  ability  l<i  rise  to  an  executive 
position  and  be  held  responsible  for  the  success  of  the  entire  educational  .sys- 
tem of  an  important  divisitni  of  the  commonwealth  are  doulily  burdened  with 
res])onsibility  and  are  given  greater  opjjortunities  for  the  accomplishment  of 
nnich  good  and,  mayhaji,  see  the  realization  of  their  cherished  ideals  along 
educational   lines.      In    this   respect,   the  biographer   i<   more   than   pleased   to 


SAC    COUNTY,    KlWA.  379 

wiite  of  the  accomplishments  of  Joliii  !\.  Slacks,  cuiinty  superintendent  of 
schools.  Sac  county.  Professor  Slacks,  by  reason  of  his  tireless  ambition  and 
conscientious  and  unremitting  efforts  to  improve  the  schools  of  his  county  and 
to  bring  them  fcjremost  among  the  systems  of  the  state,  is  attracting  attentinn 
which  is  state  wide  in  its  scope.  He  takes  rank  among  the  greatest  of  the 
state's  educators  b}-  reason  of  his  remarkable  success  in  accomplishing  his 
purpose  without  friction  or  without  undue  agitation  among  the  body  politic. 
The  schools  of  Sac  county  are  gradually  lieing  placed  upon  a  high  plane  of 
efficiency,  through  the  quiet,  diplomatic,  forceful  methods  eniplo\-ed  h\-  this 
young  educator  in  the  exercise  (tf  his  prerogatives. 

John  R.  Slacks  was  bcjrn  on  a  farm  in  Keokuk  county,  Iowa,  January 
10,  1873.  His  parents  were  John  and  Catharine  (Ross)  Slacks,  natives  of 
Scotland.  Catharine  Ross  was  the  daughter  of  W^illiam  and  ^Margaret  Ross. 
John  Sbicks  (the  father)  emigrated  from  Scotland,  to  .\merica  when  a  young 
man  and  first  settled  in  the  city  of  Pittsburgh.  .Vfter  a  few  years'  residence 
there,  he  moved  westward  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Keokuk  county.  Here 
he  met  and  wedded  Catharine  Ross,  whose  parents  emigrated  from  Scotland 
to  Keokuk  county  in  1859.  John  lived  and  prospered  on  his  fine  farm  in 
Keokuk  count\  until  his  death  in  1878,  at  the  age  of  fifty-si.\  years.  His  death 
left  the  widow  to  care  for  a  family  of  five  children,  as  follows:  William, 
now  of  Kirksxille,  Missouri;  Anna  (Ahlstrom),  of  Meadowmont,  Idaho; 
Addie  (Allman),  of  Spokane,  Washington;  John  R.,  and  Alice  (Abrams), 
residing  on  the  old  family  homestead  at  Hedrick.  Iowa.  William  was 
sixteen  years  old  at  the  time  of  his  father's  death  and  on  him,  as  the 
eldest,  naturallv  devolved  the  burden  of  assisting  the  mother  in  rearing  the 
familv  in  comfort.  Ihe  widow  later  was  married  to  F..  J.  Jackson,  who 
survives  her.     She  died  in  i<>oi  in  the  old  home  at  Hedrick. 

John  R.  Slacks  received  hi-;  ])rimary  education  in  the  rural  schools 
and  in  a  ])nvate  normal  school  conducted  at  Hedrick.  He  began  teaching 
when  \er\'  \'oung  and.  continued  to  ad\ance  himself  along  the  line  of  his 
chosen  ])rofession.  While  attending  the  .State  Teachers'  College  at  Cetlar 
Falls,  he  continued  in  his  profession.  He  entered  the  Teachers'  College  in 
1894,  and  completed  his  course  in  1901,  at  which  time  there  was  conferred 
upon  liini  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Didactics.  His  teaching  career  began  in 
1893  in  tlie  rural  schools,  in  wdiicli  he  taught  for  four  }'ears.  He  then  had 
charge  of  a  room  in  the  Keswick,  Iowa,  schools  from  1896  to  1899,  and  in 
the  fall  of  1901  again  entered  the  State  Teachers'  College  for  the  purpose 
of  completing  his  course.  After  graduation,  Mr.  Slacks  was  placed  in 
charge  of  the  Lake  \'iew,  Iowa,  schools  for  a  period  of  eight  years.     He  was 


380  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

elected  county  superintendent  of  schools  in  November  of  1908,  and  again 
elected  in  1910  and  1912.  Under  his  charge  are  a  total  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty-five  rural  schools  and  nine  graded  schools.  Like  many  suc- 
cessful men,  Mr.  Slacks  entered  upon  the  duties  of  his  important  position 
with  well  defined  ideas  of  what  was  necessary  to  bring  the  schools  of 
Sac  county  up  to  a  high  standard  of  efficiency.  The  esteem  in  which  he  is 
universally  held  throughout  the  county  by  all  classes  is  the  best  testimonial 
to  his  tactfulness  and  calm  and  dignified  way  of  introducing  innovations 
which  have  had  a  marked  tendency  to  bring  about  a  closer  co-operation 
between  the  school  and  patrons,  and  to  raise  the  Sac  county  schools  upon 
a  higher  plane  than  was  ever  before  known.  He  has  introduced  and  has 
carried  to  a  successful  culmination  the  co-operative  method  of  "The  School 
and  the  Home,"  and  established  a  system  of  credits  which  are  given  the 
child  for  faithful  work  performed  in  the  home  as  well  as  in  the  school 
room.  Professor  Slacks  has  been  the  recipient  of  extended  and  favorable 
mention  throughout  and  beyond  the  borders  of  the  state  as  the  originator 
and  progenitor  of  this  system  of  furthering  the  cause  of  education  and 
usefulness  of  the  pupils.  He  also  established  the  "play  festivals"  which 
are  held  each  season  at  the  close  of  the  school  year  and  in  which  parents 
and  pupils  take  an  active  part  with  pleasure  and  recreation  accruing  to 
both.  Through  a  definite  and  well-defined  plan  he  has  caused  the  schools 
of  the  county  to  be  grouped  in  four  districts,  with  four  townships  in  each 
district.  The  pupils  and  patrons  of  these  districts  are  called  together  for 
an  all-day  plav  festi\al  and  picnic  dinner  on  successive  days.  On  festival 
days  the  graduates  from  the  eighth  grades  are  granted  their  diijlomas. 
These  festivals  are  naturally  very  popular  with  the  people,  and  it  is  known 
that  patrons  to  the  number  of  six  hundred  have  been  gathered  for  the  pur- 
pose iif  tak'Ug  part  in  the  festi\'ities.  During  Professor  Slacks'  incum- 
benc\-  of  the  superintendency  many  modern  sanitary  heaters  and  ventilating 
systems  have  been  established  in  the  rural  schools,  an  innovation  which  has 
eliminated  headaches  and  much  sickness  and  greatly  improved  the  mental 
efficiency  of  the  pupils.  Earthen  water  jars,  with  individual  drinking  cups, 
are  now  the  rule.  In  addition  to  accomplishing  such  wonderful  results  in 
making  decided  impniveinents  in  Ihc  school  system  of  the  count \  he  has 
established  a  course  of  stud\'  which  has  been  widely  copied  and  became  the 
author  of  "Outlines  of  Civil  Government,"  which  is  used  in  the  seventh  and 
eighth  grades.  The  historian  of  this  work  is  greatly  indebted  to  Mr. 
Slacks  for  the  greater  part  of  the  chapter  on  education  which  bears  his 
signature  as  author. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  38 1 

Politically,  Professor  Slacks  is  allied  with  the  Republican  party;  his 
religious  affiliations  are  with  the  Baptist  church,  of  which  institution  he 
holds  the  position  of  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school.  He  was  also 
the  leader  of  the  Boys'  Band  in  Sac  City,  a  talented  musical  organization 
formed  during  the  summer  of  1913. 

Mr.  Slacks  was  married  in  1894  to  Leona  E.  Ferry,  of  Sigournev. 
Iowa,  the  daughter  of  C.  A.  Ferry.  Two  children  have  blessed  this  union: 
John  Wendell,  aged  seventeen  years,  and  vv'ho  graduated  from  the  Sac 
City  high  school  in  101,3,  and  Melvin  James  Slacks,  aged  six  years. 


SEYMOUR  D.   SELBY. 


The  prestige  and  reputation  of  an}'  city  is  dependent  upon  the  personnel 
of  its  citizenship.  If  the  residents  are  enterprising  and  progressive,  the  com- 
munity naturally  becomes  known  far  and  wide  as  a  coming  city  and  one 
which  is  universally  recognized  as  a  good  place  in  which  to  live.  All  re- 
form and  progressive  movements  usually  have  their  inception  in  a  crying 
need  for  changes  for  the  better.  Their  success  depends  upon  the  personality 
and  integrity  of  those  who  get  behind  the  movement  and  push  it  forward 
to  completion;  a  combination  of  progression  and  progressive  citizens  makes 
improvement  certain  and  sure.  The  beautiful  and  enterprising  city  of  Ode- 
bolt  is  fortunate  in  having  for  its  governing  officials  a  coterie  of  the  most 
progressive  and  enterprising  men  of  the  municipality;  their  inception  into 
office  is  the  result  of  a  o-mwlh  and  crystalization  of  sentiment  demanding  a 
change  from  the  former  order  of  things.  The  change  has  resulted  for  the 
better  for  all  concerned.  Odebolt  is  up  and  coming;  improvements  have 
been  placed  under  way;  conveniences  are  now  enjoyed  by  the  citizens  which 
were  conspicuous  for  their  absence  previous  to  the  new  regime  and  all  par- 
ties concerned  are  now  universally  interested  in  the  making  of  a  greater  and 
better  city.  The  city  is  \-ery  fortunate  in  having  for  its  chief  executive  a 
man  noted  for  his  sterling  honesty,  integrity,  and  earnestness  of  purpose  in 
the  person  of  Seymour  D.  Selby,  concerning  whom  this  brief  review  is 
written. 

S.  D.  Selby  is  a  native  of  Grant  county,  Wisconsin,  born  on  October  3, 
i86_>,  and  is  the  son  of  John  N.  and  Mary  (  DeWitt )  Selby,  who  were  both 
born  and  reared  in  the  old  Buckeye  state.  In  the  year  1867  they  departed 
from  the  old  Ohio  homestea<l  and  traveled  to  Adams  county,  Iowa.  After 
a  residence  there  of  one  and  one-half  years  they  journeyed  to  Page  county, 


j82  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

where  they  niaile  their  linal  hdiiie.  Jolin  N.  Sell)}'  died  at  Xew  .Market, 
l^age  cotinty.  in  the  year  1885.  He  was  twice  married  and  was  the  father  of 
four  children  ])y  his  first  marriage  and  five  offspring  by  a  second  marriage. 
l*'i\e  of  these  children  are  yet  living,  namel}' :  Margaret,  nf  Salem,  Oregon; 
Mrs.  h'elicia  Hult,  alsi)  a  resident  of  Salem.  Oregon;  Mrs.  Ophelia  Hully,  of 
Atlantic.  Iowa:  Mrs.  Olive  Nance,  on  a  farm  in  Minnesota,  and  Seymour  D. 

.S.  D.  Sell)\-  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  antl  the  fTawleyville, 
I'age  county,  high  schiml.  He  studied  ])harmacy  in  the  town  uf  Carbon, 
.\dams- cnuntx".  and  uimn  the  cumpletion  of  his  course  and  being  .admitted  to 
the  practice  of  his  profession  he  engaged  in  the  drug  business  at  Vallisca, 
Iowa,  for  a  peritjcl  of  si.K  years.  He  then  came  to  Odebolt  in  1896  and  here 
conducted  a  drug  store  for  ten  x'ears.  He  retired  from  the  business  in  1906 
and  has  since  been  dexoting  his  time  to  the  buying  and  selling  of  real  estate 
and  farm  lands.  He  and  J.  K.  Mattes  conduct  the  Western  Land  Company 
for  the  purpose  of  handling  Iowa,  Minnesota  and  South  Dakota  farm  lands. 
Their  business  is  \ery  extensive  and  they  handle  many  farms  in  the  course 
of  the  vear. 

.Mr.  Sell)}'  was  married  in  October  of  1885  to  Sadie  llanna,  of  Adams 
c(,'unt}',  Iowa.  He  is  the  father  of  the  following  children:  Margery  Lenore, 
a  graduate  of  (Irinnell  College  aivl  a  teacher  in  the  Sanborn,  Iowa,  schools; 
John,  a  graduate  of  the  Uni\ersity  of  (^maha,  class  of  1914:  Paul,  who  will 
graduate  at  the  l"ni\'ersity  o(  Omaha  in  the   iyi5  class. 

Mr.  Sell)y  is  the  leader  of  the  Progressive  party  in  Sac  county,  being 
the  aggressive  chairman  of  the  county  central  committee,  and  figuring  prom- 
inently in  Progressive  circles  throughout  the  state.  Mr.  Selb\'  served  as 
postmaster  at  Carbon,  Iowa,  under  Presidents  Arthur  and  Harrison  and  re- 
signed his  position  on  removing  to  Villisca.  He  is  stockholder  and  one  of  the 
organizers  of  the  Ivirmers  Savings  Bank  of  Odebolt  and  is  the  owner  of 
three  hundred  and  si.xty  acres  of  good  land  in  the  eastern  section  of  South 
Dakota. 

A/lr.  Selby  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  is  aftiliated  with 
the  .Vncient  Free  and  .Xccejrted  Masons,  Eastern  Star,  Knights  of  Pythias, 
Brotherhood  of  American  \'eoman  and  the  Modern  W'oochuen.  He  was 
elected  mayor  of  Odebolt  in  March  of  191 1  and  has  ])roven  to  be  one  of  the 
best  executives  and  the  most  enterprising  the  city  has  had  in  iuan\-  years. 
During  his  term  of  office  a  sewerage  system  has  been  installed  at  a  cost  of 
over  twenty-tw(i  thousand  doll.-irs  and  the  work  of  installation  has  been 
faithfully  and  honestly  performed.  Other  plans  for  the  introduction  of 
modern  improvements  and  providing  for  the  further  beautifying  the  city 
are  under  wa\'. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  383 

AUGUST  GROMAN.  M.  D. 

Xo  other  profession  has  accomplished,  during  the  last  half  century,  the 
progress  and  development  that  have  been  made  by  the  medical.  The  man 
of  original  thought  and  action,  whose  textbook  forms  but  the  basis  of  fu- 
ture wtirk.  has  e\-er  mo\ed  forward,  taking  advantage  of  and  utilizing  new 
discoveries  in  the  science  and  looking  always  for  l^etter  methods,  surer  means 
to  the  desired  end.  Such  a  man  is  he  whose  name  forms  the  caption  to  this 
sketch.  In  considering  the  character  and  career  of  this  eminent  member  of 
the  medical  fraternity,  the  imijartial  observer  will  not  onlv  l)e  tlisposed  to 
rank  Jiim  among  the  leading  members  of  his  profession  in  liis  locality,  but  also 
as  one  of  those  men  of  broad  culture  and  mental  ken  who  have  honored 
mankind  in  general.  Through  a  long  and  busy  life,  replete  with  honor  and 
success,  lie  has  been  actuated  1>y  the  highest  nioti\-es,  and  to  the  practice  of 
his  profession  he  has  brought  rare  skill  and  resource,  his  quick  perception 
and  almost  intuitive  judgment  enabling  him  to  make  a  correct  diagnosis, 
always  necessary  that  ]jro])er  treatment  may  be  used.  He  has  alwavs  been 
a  close  observer  and  student  of  medical  science,  keeping  in  close  touch  with 
the  latest  advances  along  that  line,  and  he  has  been  uniformly  successful  in 
the  practice.  Because  of  his  high  attainments  and  his  exalted  personal  char- 
acter, lie  is  eminently  entitled  to  representation  in  a  work  of  this  character. 

Dr.  August  Groman.  oldest  practicing  physician  of  Odebolt,  Iowa,  was 
born  November  9.  1856,  in  Lake  county,  Indiana.  His  parents,  Charles  and 
Caroline  (  Kluckhohn )  Groman,  were  both  natives  of  Germany,  who  came 
to  this  country  early  in  the  histor\"  of  Indiana,  and  lived  and  died  in  Lake 
county,  that  state.  To  them  were  born  nine  children:  Henry,  deceased; 
Charles,  deceased;  Frederick,  of  Muncie,  Indiana:  Dr.  August  Groman,  of 
whom  this  chronicle  speaks;  Minnie,  who  lives  in  Chicago;  Mrs.  Caroline 
Noehren,  of  London,  Ontario,  Canada:  Mrs.  Sophia  Wrede,  of  Chicago; 
Mrs.  Louise  Klein,  who  is  a  resident  of  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania:  Mrs. 
Anna  Wilson,  of  Hammond,  Indiana.  Charles  Groman  was  twice  married, 
and  Dr.  August  Groman  was  a  son  by  his  first  marriage,  his  mother  dying 
when  he  was  thirteen  \-ears  of  age. 

Dr  .\ugust  Groman  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  of  Lake 
count) .  Indiana,  and  finished  his  common  school  education  in  Knight's  pri- 
vate school  at  Crown  Point,  Indiana.  Earh-  in  life  he  decided  to  enter  the 
medical  profession  and,  with  this  entl  in  \iew,  he  matriculated  in  the  Chicago 
Homeopathic   ^Medical   College   in    1875.      Inuuediatel}-   upon   his  graduation 


384  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

from  that  institution  in  1878,  he  came  to  Odebolt,  Sac  county,  Iowa,  and  has 
practiced  continuously  in  this  community  for  the  past  thirty-six  years.  He 
has  lived  to  see  this  county  grow  from  a  straggling  frontier  settlement  to 
its  prosperous  condition,  and  has  had  a  large  share  in  the  material  life  of 
the  community  itself.  Hundreds  of  the  citizens  of  this  county  have  Doctor 
Groman  to  bless  for  their  very  existence,  and  the  good  which  he  has  accom- 
plished in  his  many  years  of  service  in  this  county  can  not  be  calculated  by 
human  agency. 

Doctor  Groman  was  married  June  14,  1881,  to  Gesine  E.  Beckman, 
and  to  this  union  have  been  born  six  children,  four  of  whom  are  now  liv- 
ing: Dr.  Herman  C.,  of  Hammond,  Indiana;  Alice,  Dorothy  and  Elinor. 
Doctor  Groman  is  a  member  of  the  various  medical  associations  which  seek 
to  keep  their  members  in  touch  with  the  latest  scientific  developments  along 
medical  lines.  Among  these  are  the  Sac  County,  the  Iowa  State  and  the 
American  Medical  Associations.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient 
Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  the 
Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Yeomen.  Doctor  Groman  has  filled  a  large  place 
in  tiie  ranks  of  the  public-spirited  physicians  of  his  count}-,  in  that  he  has 
done  his  part  well,  for  his  record  has  been  such  as  has  gained  for  him  the 
commendation  and  approval  of  a  large  circle  of  friends  throughout  the 
county.  His  career  has  been  a  long  and  useful  one  in  every  respect  ami  the 
citizens  of  this  county  owe  him  a  debt  which  the\'  can  ne\er  repa\'. 


CURTIS  ORMLLE  LEE. 

Among  men  of  affairs  in  almost  any  progressive  communit\-  are  fmnul 
those  who  have  apparently  been  singled  out  for  preferment  of  a  higher  order 
than  their  fellows.  Such  individuals  are  known  to  possess  abilitv  of  a  marked 
qualit}',  the  power  of  discernment,  the  faculty  of  making  and  retaining  friend- 
ships, and  the  financial  acumen  which  is  absolutely  necessary  to  gain  material 
recognition  as  captains  of  finance.  We  usually  judge  a  personage  bv  the 
nature  of  his  past  accomplishments,  his  mode  of  living,  and  his  usefulness  to 
his  fellow  men.  However,  we  dare  not  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that,  among 
men  in  general,  we  judge  the  citizen,  to  a  certain  extent,  liy  his  pow  er  to  profit 
along  the  lines  to  which  he  seems  naturally  adapted.  Life  moves  in  ^uch  a 
mysterious  manner  and  in  ways  that  are  past  our  comprehension  that  there  is 
no  possible  means  of  predicting  the  outcome  of  the  career  of  those  who  might 


CURTIS   ORVILLE   LEE 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  385 

be  gifted  with  every  advantage  possible  at  the  starting  of  their  Hfe  tasks. 
Select  two  men  from  the  average  groups  into  which  humans  are  usually 
divided,  give  each  an  equal  start  in  the  race,  provide  both  with  suitable  sinews, 
take  it  for  granted  that  each  will  Ije  ecfuipped  mentall\-  and  physically  and 
endowed  along  similar  lines.  Watch  the  outcome.  It  is  probalile  that  one  or 
the  other  will  fall  by  the  wayside  or  fail  to  properly  develop  his  gifts  and 
make  only  a  mediocre  success  of  his  life;  the  other  will  enlarge  his  horizon 
and  ever  seek  for  new  tasks  to  overcome  and  succeed  even  lieyond  the  expecta- 
tions of  his  friends  and  associates.  These  things  we  can  not  properlv  explain. 
We  can  only  portray  life  as  we  see  it.  It  is  the  pro\-ince  of  the  historian  to 
record  the  actual  accomplishments  of  the  men  who  come  under  his  ol)ser\a- 
tion.  It  is  a  pleasure,  however,  to  present  this  encomium  of  the  life  and  deeds 
of  him  whose  name  forms  the  caption  of  this  biography.  Curtis  Orville  Lee 
is  a  product  of  the  pioneer  life  of  Sac  county  and  one  of  those  who  has  taken 
high  rank  among  the  citizens  of  his  nati\e  city  along  several  useful  lines  of 
endeavor. 

Curtis  Orville  Lee  was  born  November  i8,  i860,  in  Sac  City,  the  son  of 
Melitus  S.  and  Caroline  (Trax'is)  Lee.  'SI.  S.  Lee  was  born  in  Schoharie 
county.  New  York,  May  27,  i8ji.  the  son  of  William  Lee,  a  nati\-e  of  the 
state  of  New  York.  WHiile  yet  in  his  young  manhood  he  made  a  trip  to  the 
west  as  far  as  Council  Bluffs,  Iowa.  On  his  return  he  filed  on  and  proxxfl 
upoh  a  claim  in  Madison  county.  Iowa.  He  later  sold  his  claim  to  a  settler 
and  returned  to  Laporte.  Indiana.  Pre\'ious  to  this  he  had  found  emplo\-ment 
with  Curtis  Travis,  who  afterward  became  his  father-in-law.  In  1853,  he 
married  Caroline,  third  daughter  of  his  employer.  He  then  traveled  west- 
ward, stopping  for  a  few  months  in  the  vicinity  of  Baraboo,  Wisconsin,  and 
then  proceeding  to  l-'ayette  county.  Iowa.  He  remained  in  this  county  for  l)ut 
one  season.  ho\\'e\er.  and  in  1834  remox'ed  from  the  town  of  W'interset  to 
Sac  county.  He  first  resided  in  Sac  City,  in  a  small  log  cabin,  'i'he  winter 
of  1854- 1 855  was  a  terrible  one.  noted  for  the  great  depth  of  the  snows  and 
for  the  extreme  cold.  M.  S.  Lee  found  it  necessary  to  remove  his  li\e  stock 
to  an  improvised  barn  dug  in  a  snowbank,  near  Judge  Criss'  place  for  the  re- 
mainder of  the  winter.  In  the  spring  of  1861  he  removed  his  family  to  his 
farm  in  Douglas  townshi])  where  he  erected  a  fine  residence  which  is  occu])ied 
to  this  dav  bv  his  daughter.  He  resided  on  the  farm  until  1894.  when  he  re- 
tired to  Sac  City,  dying  March  12,  189S.  The  senior  Lee  was  a  large  land 
owner,  becoming  jiossessed  of  an  estate  of  one  thousand  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  of  excellent  farm  lands.     During  his  time  he  filled  several  minor 

"    (24) 


386  .  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

township  offices  and  ser\ed  as  county  supervisor  of  Sac  count}-.  He  was  an 
able  and  capable  citizen  whose  demise  was  deeply  mourned  by  a  host  of 
friends.  His  wife,  Caroline  Travis,  was  born  September  2.  1836,  in  Laporte 
county,  Indiana,  and  died  Septemlier  4,  1900.  They  were  blessed  with  the 
following  children:  Cassina  M.,  whi.  died  of  diphtheria  at  the  age  of  seven 
years;  Curtis  Orville,  the  two  hrst  named  being  twins;  Mrs.  Lenora  Keir, 
of  Douglas  township;  William  Lamont  Lee,  of  Mason  Cit\ ,  Iowa,  and  Mrs. 
W.  E.  AVayt,  of  Chandler,  North  Dakota. 

Curtis  Orxille  Lee  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  and  Cornell 
College  of  Mt.  \'ernon,  Iowa.  After  completing  his  education  he  took  charge 
of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  prairie  land  on  coming  of  age,  which  his 
father  gave  him  outright.  This  farm  was  located  in  Douglas  township.  He 
improved  it  to  the  best  of  his  abilitj-  and  added  to  the  acreage  until  the  land 
now  totals  three  hundred  and  thirty-six  acres.  On  August  2,  1892,  he  pur- 
chased the  grain  elevators  at  Sac  City  and  operated  them  fur  nine  vears,  re- 
moving his  family  to  the  city  in  February,  1893.  He  has  a  fine  residence  in 
the  choice  residential  section  of  the  city.  Mr.  Lee  has  been  eminently  success- 
ful as  an  auctioneer  and  real  estate  dperator.  Since  1895  he  has  made  a 
business  of  crying  auction  sales  and  has  a  reputation  as  a  verv  successful 
auctioneer  among  the  farmers  of  the  neighliorhDod.  His  dealings  in  farm 
lands  run  into  the  thousands  of  acres.  He  is  the  owner  of  one  thousand  and 
seventy  acres  of  land  in  Sac  count}-  over  which  he  exercises  personal  super- 
vision, b}'  conducting  his  farming  ojjerations  on  the  hired  help  and  the  co- 
operative basis.  He  has  a  large  stock  farm  northwest  of  Sac  Cit}-  on  which 
he  feeds  hundreds  of  cattle  and  hogs.  Mr.  Lee"s  shipments  of  cattle  will  aver- 
age fifteen  carloads  annuall}-,  in  addition  to  ten  carloads  of  hogs.  During 
the  season  of  191 2  he  shipped  oxer  thirty  carloads  of  swine  to  the  Chicago 
markets. 

Mr.  Lee  is  not  onl}  a  practical,  but  a  scientific  farmer,  who  takes  a  keen 
interest  in  the  betterment  of  conditions  for  the  agriculturists,  and  is  a  strong 
advocate  of  better  and  more  intensive  farming  methods,  ^^'e  are  indebted 
to  his  literary  talent  for  the  excellent  cliapter  on  the  E\-olution  of  Agriculture 
which  is  found  in  this  volume.  He  is  allied  with  the  Republican  party  and 
has  served  as  mayor  of  the  municiijality,  and  has  been  a  member  of  the  school 
board.  He  is  a  member  of  the  I'aptist  church,  and  is  connected  fraternall}- 
with  the  Ancient  Free  and  .\ccepted  Masons,  blue  lodge,  chapter  and  com- 
manderv  of  Sac  Cit}- ;  the  Yeomanry  and  the  Ancient  Order  of  L'nited  Work- 
men.     He  was  united  in  marriage  with  Ccelia  Rogers,  March  if),  1884,      Mrs 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


0'='/ 


Lee  is  the  daughter  of  Airs.  E.  A.  Iviiapp,  of  Sac  City.  They  have  two  sons : 
LaVerne  Lee.  born  February  26,  1887,  and  who  is  traveling  salesman  for  and 
treasurer  of  tlie  Conger-Ball  Seed  Company  of  Sac  City ;  Ward  Forrester. 
aged  thirteen  \ears. 


ABNER    L.    CHANDLER. 

Xij  intelligent  student  of  the  rise  and  progress  of  the  great  state  of 
Iowa  will  deny  that  the  pioneer  element,  with  their  descendants,  constitutes 
the  back-hone  ami  the  mainstay  of  civilization.  They  boldly  entered  the 
Vi'ilderness,  encountered  its  hardships,  dangers  and  jirivations  and  carved  out 
new  lioines  and  new  destinies.  Abner  L.  Chandler  is  one  of  those  sub- 
stantial citizens  of  Sac  countv  whose  long  residence  and   interestins:  famil 


!5 


IV 


history  contains  much  of  value  to  his  descendants. 

Abner  L.  Chandler  is  a  native  of  Susquehanna  countw  Pennsylvania, 
born  April  2,  1845,  and  he  is  a  son  of  Ezra  and  Florinda  (Lewis)  Chandler, 
both  also  nati\es  of  the  Keystone  state.  In  1850  Ezra  Chandler  and  family 
located  in  Lake  county,  Illinois,  where  they  became  pioneer  farmers  of  that 
section,  and  in  1856.  still  following  the  star  of  empire  westward,  removed 
to  Fort  Scott,  Kansas,  where  they  purchased  a  farm.  They  were  not 
destined  to  remain  long  in  their  new  home  in  a  new  country,  as  death  soon 
called  both  Ezra  Chandler  and  his  good  wife,  she  dying  there  in  1857  and 
he  in  1858.  Their  chiUlren  were :  Frederick,  who  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Ci\'il  ^\'ar,  now  deceased:  George,  deceased;  Eliza,  deceased;  Levi,  deceased; 
Ann,  deceased:  \  iola,  deceased;  Abner  L.,  the  immediate  subject  of  this 
sketch ;  Luther,  w  ho  is  a  veteran  of  the  Union  army,  lives  in  the  state  of 
Washington ;  Mrs.  Hattie  Woodruff  and  Mrs.  Amelia  Carr  live  in  the  state 
of  Washington,  anfl  Charles  also  lives  in  that  state,  being  located  at  Cannas. 

After  the  death  of  the  parents,  the  family  was  dispersed  and  Abner  L. 
retarned  to  the  state  of  Illinois,  \\here  he  worked  on  a  farm  until  the  break- 
ing out  of  our  great  cix'il  conflict,  when  he  enlisted  at  Waukegan  in  Com- 
pany D,  Xinety-sixth  Illinois  \'olunteer  Infanlrw  and  jiatrioticalh-  served 
his  Country  for  three  years.  He  participated  in  se\eral  \-er\-  important  en- 
gagements and  many  minor  skirmishes,  among  them  being  the  liattles  of 
Resaca,  Buzzard  Roost,  Pine  Mountain,  New  Hope  Church,  Kenesaw 
Mountain,  Marietta  ;ind  Dalton.  At  the  siege  of  Atlanta  he  was  se\'erel\- 
wounded  in  the  abdomen  and  was  sick  for  eight\-  days,  returning  to  his 
regiment  a  few  daws  before  the  battle  of  Franklin.      He  returned  to  active 


388"  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

service  before  his  wound  was  properly  healed  and  served  with  bravery  and 
distinction  in  the  two-days  battle  of  Nashville. 

After  the  war,  Mr.  Chandler  again  settled  in  Lake  county,  Illinois, 
working  on  a  farm,  and  later  farming  for  himself.  In  1872  he  came  to 
Sac  count}',  Iowa,  and  located  in  Wheeler  township,  and  he  has  the  distinc- 
tion now  of  being  the  oldest  living  settler  in  Wheeler  township.  He  came 
here  in  a  primitive  day,  and  there  were  no  houses  or  dugouts  within  five 
miles  of  him.  He  mo\ed  onto  the  big  Wheeler  farm  in  section  10  and  for 
seven  years  worked  there  for  a  Mr.  Ellis,  who  was  renting  land.  He  then, 
in  1879,  bought  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  section  12,  paying  four 
dollars  and  five  dollars  per  acre  for  the  land.  He  made  his  permanent 
home  on  this  land,  adding  to  his  acreage  as  he  prospered,  first  buying  one 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  the  west  one-half  and  later  l)u_\-ing  eighty 
acres  of  the  south  one-half,  making  his  total  acreage  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres.  In  1906  he  sold  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  this  land  and 
later  tlisposed  of  the  remainder.  In  December,  1907,  he  removed  to  Ode- 
bolt,  and  here  he  erected  a  beautiful  bungalow  resilience  on  ]ilaple  street. 

Abner  L.  Chandler  was  married,  December  i,  1867,  to  Henrietta  Dunn, 
who  was  born  October  21,  1847,  ''''  Susquehanna  county,  Pennsylvania,  a 
daughter  of  Joseph  and  Olive  (\\^itter)  Dunn,  descendants  of  an  old  Con- 
necticut famil\-  who  lived  and  died  in  Penns}-lvania.  Mrs.  Chandler  came 
to  Lake  county,  Illinois,  when  twenty  j'cars  old.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chandler 
ha\-e  been  born,  a  fine  family  of  ten  children,  nanietl  as  follows :  S\'dnev 
Levi,  born  December  5,  1868,  is  a  graduate  of  Morningside  College.  Sit)ux 
City,  Iowa,  and  is  now  dean  of  this  college,  ])ut  is  at  present  taking  a  post- 
graduate course  in  New  York  City.  He  was  married  No\ember-  5,  1890, 
to  Mary  A.  Smith,  of  Clinton  township,  and  has  three  children.  Harry 
.Miner,  .\sa  Lewis  and  Olive  Lyle.  Frank  A.,  born  July  2.  1870.  died  in 
infancy.  Olive  I'".,  born  .Vugust  18,  1871,  is  the  wife  of  Charles  Smith, 
and  they  live  in  Clinton  township.  Sac  county,  Iowa,  and  lia\e  li\e  children, 
Anna,  Sadie,  Hobart,  Lawrence  and  Esther.  Anna  L.,  born  I-'ebruar\-  g, 
1875,  died  in  1889.  Etta,  born  September  18,  1878,  died  in  infancv. 
Phihp  L.,  born  January  12,  1880,  is  a  farmer  in  Nebraska,  married  lata 
Epperson  and  the\'  have  two  children,  Keith  and  Kenneth.  .Vrthur  G.,  born 
September  23,  1881,  resides  on  a  farm  at  Lyons,  Nebraska,  and  marrietl 
Maggie  McLean.  Cordelia.  Ixirn  Xoveniber  20,  1883.  lives  in  Richland 
township  in  this  county,  and  is  the  wife  of  Sebastian  i'.uchler.  The\-  have 
two  children.  May  and  Fern.  Harr}-  .\.,  l)orn  I'eliruary  to.  1880,  died 
[''ebruary    10,    1888.      Forest   H.,   born   March   28,    1887,   is  a   graduate   of 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  389 

Alnrningside  College.  Sioux  City,  Iowa,  and  is  now  superintendent  of  West 
Rend.  I(jwa,  schools;  he  married  Francis  Horn,  of  Sioux  City,  Iowa,  also 
a  graduate  of  Morningside  College  and  principal  of  the  West  Bend  high 
school.     They  have  one  great-grandchild,  Earl  Wayne  Gilbert. 

Politically,  .\bner  L.  Chandler  is  a  Progressive.  In  an  early  day  he 
served  Wheeler  township  in  the  capacity  of  trustee.  At  other  times  he  was 
also  township  clerk  and  supervisor.  A  warm-hearted,  affable  gentleman,  he 
is  one  nf  those  esteemed  old  pioneers  who  have  done  so  much  for  the 
opening  up  and  (le\-elopment  of  this  favored  section  of  western  Iowa,  and 
he  is  deser\e(lly  popular  in  the  community  where  he  has  lived  so  long  and 
labored  to  such  good  purpose. 


GEORGE  B.  PERKINS. 


Banking  is  well  considered  the  highest  of  our  commercial  occupations. 
Xo  institutions  have  contributed  more  to  the  development  and  building  of 
the  West  than  the  banking  concerns.  The  banks  of  Sac  City  without  ex- 
cejnions  are  bulwarks  of  strength  and  stability  and  have  been  the  mainstay 
and  support  of  the  city  and  the  rich  farming  community  around  about  in 
important  ways.  The  First  National  Bank,  of  which  Mr.  Perkins  is  the 
official  head,  takes  first  rank  among  the  banking  concerns  of  the  county.  To 
be  the  titular  head  of  such  an  important  financial  concern  calls  for  ability 
of  a  high  order  and  attainments  such  as  will  command  the  respect  of  similar 
institutions  and  the  patrons  of  the  bank.  The  president  of  the  First  National 
Bank  of  Sac  City,  while  yet  a  young  man  in  years,  carries  easily  and  in  a 
dignified  manner  the  responsibilities  engendered  by  the  importance  of  his 
duties.  His  ability  is  unquestioned ;  while  reserved  to  a  certain  degree,  Mr, 
Perkins,  by  virtue  of  his  education  and  attainments,  and  through  possessing 
a  pronounced  aptitude  for  the  banking  business,  has  achieved  a  primary 
success  in  his  chosen  field. 

George  B.  Perkins,  president  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Sac  City, 
is  a  native  of  Fond  du  Lac,  Wisconsin,  where  he  was  born  August  ii,  1874, 
the  son  of  George  and  luneline  M.  (  Larrabee )  Perkins.  His  father,  George 
Perkins,  was  born  in  Carbondale,  Pennsylvania,  May  8,  1820,  and  died  May 
.;.  1906.  George,  Sr.,  was  the  son  of  Francis  Perkins,  whose  wife  was  Re- 
becca Sherman,  both  being  natives  of  Pennsylvania.     The  father  of  Francis 


390  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Perkins  was  Jacob  Perkins.     Francis  and  his  wife  Amy   were  likewise  na- 
tives of  the  same  state. 

It  is  thus  seen  that  the  family  resided  in  F'ennsylvania  from  a  very 
earlv  dav  and  the  ancestors  were  nunil)erc(l  among  the  pioneers  and  builders 
of  the  great  cnmmonwealth  whose  people  have  been  such  important  factors 
m  the  settlement  and  development  of  the  Middle  West  and  the  Western 
states. 

Emeline  Larrabee,  mother  of  George  P.  Perkins,  was  born  February  9, 
1837,  in  the  state  of  Connecticut,  and  was  the  daughter  of  Adam  and  Han- 
nah Gallup  ( Lester )  Larrabee,  descendants  of  old  New  England  families 
The  father  of  Adam  Larrabee  was  Frederick,  who  took  for  his  helpmeet 
.\bigail  Allen,  of  Connecticut.  Frederick  Larrabee  was  the  son  of  Timothy 
and  Abigail  (Wood)  Larrabee..  The  beginning  of  the  Larrabee  and  Wood 
families  has  been  traced  to  the  year  1730.  The  names,  Larrabee.  Lester. 
.Mien  and  Wood  figure  prominentlx'  in  the  genealogical  records  of  the  state 
of  Connecticut  and  the  descendants  are  numer(5us  throughout  the  lengtli 
and  breadth  of  the  United  States. 

George  Perkins,  Sr.,  like  man\-  New  Engianders  of  the  letter  class, 
was  well  educated  and  early  fitted  liimself  for  the  practice  of  the  legal  pro- 
fession. Believing  rightly  that  tlie  West  offered  a  more  attractive  field  for 
the  exercise  of  his  talents  in  this  respect,  he  removed,  when  yet  a  young 
man,  to  Fond  ilu  Lac,  Wisconsin,  and  soon  became  one  of  the  pronu'nent 
and  commanding  figures  of  this  growing  community.  1die  office  of  -probate 
or  count\-  judge  was  conferred  upon  him  by  his  fellow  citizens  and  he  served 
the  people  in  this  important  capacity  for  a  period  of  twehe  years  in  succes- 
sion. He  also  filled  the  office  of  district  attorney  in  a  capalile  and  able 
manner.  He  was  twice  married.  By  his  first  marriage  there  were  two  children  : 
offered  a  position  as  French  instructor  in  her  alma  mater  of  Neff  College  and 
Abbie,  deceased,  and  Nellie  (Gerpheide),  who  resides  in  .Michigan.  By  his 
second  marriage,  with  Emeline  Larrabee,  there  were  born  and  reared  four 
children:  T,esler.  deceased;  George  B.,  of  whom  we  are  writing;  Frances  G., 
who  resides  with  her  mother  in  the  old  homestead  at  l-'ond  t\u  Lac,  Wiscon- 
sin;  Jehdeiah  B.,  of  Fond  du  Lac. 

George  B.  Perkins,  with  whom  this  narrative  is  directly  concerned,  re- 
ceived his  early  education  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  city.  He,  too, 
learning  of  the  opportunities  which  presented  themselves  to  young  men  of 
ability  and  determination  in  the  newer  and  richer  country  to  the  westward, 
became  imbued  with  the  idea  of  moving  onward  across  the  great  state  of 
Liwa,  as  many  of  the  peo])le  of  his  neighliorhood  had  done  before  him.    .\c- 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  391 

ccinliiiglv.  he  set  out  fur  Sac  City  tu  try  hi.s  fortunes  in  the  growing  and 
beautiful  tnwn  on  the  l)anks  of  the  Coon  river.  He  sought  and  immediately 
obtained  employment,  on  his  arri\al  in  July,  1896,  in  the  Sac  County  State 
Bank.  He  remained  with  this  concern  in  the  capacity  of  bookkeeper,  until 
February,  1901.  when  he  resigned  his  position  to  take  up  his  duties  as  clerk 
of  the  district  court,  to  which  important  office  he  had  lieen  elected  in  the  fall 
of  1900.  He  was  again  re-elected  to  fill  the  tjffice  in  1902  and  served  in  all 
for  a  period  of  four  years.  He  performed  his  duties  in  this  public  capacity 
in  a  manner  t<T  justifv  the  confidence  imposed  in  him  Ijy  his  fellow  citizens. 
.\t  the  conclusi<in  of  his  four-vear  term  as  a  public  official  he  Ijecame  con- 
nected with  the  First  National  Bank  as  president.  Aside  from  his  bank- 
ing duties  he  has  dealt  extensively  in  Sac  county  and  Iowa  lands,  and  still 
handles  considerable  farm  lands.  Mr.  Perkins  keeps  closely  in  touch  with 
the  farming  interests  of  his  adopted  ctnmty  and  has  a  wide  and  fasorable 
acquaintance  among  the  prosperous  agricultural  population  of  the  neighbor- 
ing territory.  It  is  his  diversion  to  serve  as  clerk  of  various  farm  sales  which 
are  contiiuiall\-  taking  jilace  in  the  territory  contiguous  to  Sac  City.  He  is 
acti\e  in  ci\ic  afl:'airs  in  a  UKjdest  and  unassuming  way  and  is  e\er  ready  to 
lend  a  helping  hand  in  matters  which  have  an  important  bearing  on  the  pub- 
lic welfare  and  the  upbuilding  of  his  home  city. 

Mr.  Perkins  is  a  Republican  in  ])olitics  and  was  ma\or  of  Sac  Citv  in 
1906.  He  was  an  alternate  delegate  to  the  Republican  national  cunxentiun 
in  1908  at  Chicago.  He  is  a  mem1)er  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  is  a 
leading  Mason.  He  holds  a  membership  in  the  Sac  City  blue  lodge  of  Ma- 
sons and  the  Rose  Croix  Chapter,  and  Commanderv  Xo.  38.  Knights  Temp- 
lar, of  Sac  City,  of  which  he  is  the  present  commander. 

Mr.  Perkins  was  united  in  marriage  with  Lola  May  Early  in  June, 
1899.  His  wife  is  the  daughter  of  Judge  D.  Carr  Early,  one  of  the  impor- 
tant figures  in  the  pioneer  and  subsequent  decades  of  the  annals  of  Sac 
c<iunty.  A  considerable  chapter  is  devoted  elsewhere  to  the  life  and  ac- 
complishments <if  Judge  Earl}'  in  the  pages  of  this  volume.  Three  children 
have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Perkins:  George  Earl_\-,  who  was  born 
March  8,  1900:  Miriam  Larraliee,  who  was  born  March  8,  190J;  Eloise 
Loraine,  born  ]\larch  19,  19 14.  Mrs.  Perkins  is  one  of  Sac  City's  most  tal- 
ented and  estimable  women  anil  is  acti\e  in  church,  social  and  club  life.  She 
is  native  born  to  Sac  county  and  received  her  primary  education  in  the  Sac 
City  high  school,  after  which  she  studied  for  three  years  in  Drake  Univer- 
sity, pursuing  a  musical  and  commercial  course,  and  then,  continuing  her 
studies  in  Philadeli)hia,  she  graduated   from  the  National  School  of  Elucu- 


39-  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

tion.  She  graduated  from  Neff  College  of  Philadelphia  and  received  the 
degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts.  She  made  a  tour  of  Europe  with  a  company 
of  young  ladies  and  studied  for  two  years  in  the  Mmle.  Trilxni  Finishing 
School  for  Y(jung  Ladies  in  Paris  and  l)ecaine  a  prc^hcient  linguist  in  the 
I'rench  language.  Returning  home  from  her  studies  abroad,  she  was  pre- 
vailed upon  to  give  jjrivate  lessons  in  French  to  Sac  City  students  and  was 
•ciiered  a  position  as  French  instructor  in  her  alma  mater  of  Nefif  College  and 
Avas  ofifered  the  position  of  teacher  of  foreign  languages,  especially  French, 
in  Drake  University.  Home  life  appeals  to  her  in  its  truest  sense  and  she  is 
active  in  the  social  doings  of  the  community  in  which  she  has  spent  her  life 
from  childhood. 


SAMUEL  M.  AND  FRANK  E.  STOUFFER. 

The  press  is  the  most  powerful  instrument  in  the  shaping  and  molding  of 
public  opinion  whicli  we  have  today.  It  enlightens  the  people  and  fights 
their  battles  individually  and  collectively,  it  makes  and  unmakes  men  at 
will.  Likewise  it  creates  or  tears  down  statutes  intended  for  the  good  or  ill 
being:  of  the  people  at  large.  There  is  no  one  power  its  equal  in  the  length 
and  breadth  of  the  land  in  this  respect.  In  this  land  i)f  free  speech  and  the 
free  press,  it  is  a  potent  factor  in  the  building  up  of  communities.  It  is  con- 
ceded that  the  newspapers  of  the  inland  cities  enjoy  a  greater  and  wider 
prestige  in  their  locality  of  circidation  and  accomplish  more  direct  and  real 
and  lasting  good  than  e\en  the  great  metropolitan  press  of  today.  The  local 
editor  chronicles  our  successes ;  he  smoothes  over  our  failures ;  he  tells  us 
what  our  neighbors  and  friends  are  doing;  he  advises  us  out  of  the  stores  of 
wisdom  gained  through  \'ears  of  experience.  He  espouses  the  cause  of  reform 
where  needed:  he  advocates  publicly  in  a  clarion  \-oice  the  need  of  improve- 
ments and  assists  us  in  pushing  forward.  The  newspaper  of  today  has  ad- 
vanced with  the  times  and  ever  keeps  abreast  and  even  ahead  of  the  procession. 

Sac  countv  boasts  one  of  the  best  of  weekly  newspapers  published  in 
Iowa  or  the  West.  Its  standing  reflects  credit  upon  its  editors  and  publishers 
whose  names  head  this  biography.  S.  M.  and  F.  E.  Stouffer  hold  high  rank 
among  the  journalists  and  publishers  of  Iowa  by  \-irtue  of  the  success  they 
have  made  in  the  publication  of  The  Sac  SiDi  since  the  year  1893,  when  they 
first  came  to  Sac  City  and  purchased  the  newspaper. 

Thev  are  the  sons  of  Andrew  and  Lucinda  (Rhinehart)  Stouffer.  natives 
of  Washington  county,  Maryland,  who  were  married  in  Ogle  county,  Illinois. 


PRANK   E.   STOUPFEK 


SAMUEL    M.    STOL'FFKR 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  393 

At  the  age  uf  tifteen,  Andrew  removed  from  Maryland  to  Ogle  county  in 
1845,  with  his  parents,  George  and  Elizabeth  (Welty)  Stouffer.  His  wife 
Lncinda  was  the  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Sarah  (Bovey)  Rhinehart,  who 
migrated  from  Maryland  to  Ogle  county  in  about  1845.  Andrew  Stouffer 
moved  with  his  family  to  Marshall  county,  Iowa,  in  March  of  1869,  after  dis- 
posing of  his  farming  interests  in  Ogle  county.  Here  he  engaged  in  farming, 
in  which  he  was  successful  to  a  marked  degree.  He  insisted  on  the  thorough 
education  of  his  children,  because  he  realized  the  value  of  their  being  thor- 
oughly equipped  and  mentally  developed  for  the  battle  of  life.  He  was  very 
active  in  church  work  and  a  stanch  Methodist,  having  been  connected  in  his 
earlier  years  with  the  United  Brethren  denomination.  He  died  at  State  Cen- 
ter, Marshall  county,  Iowa,  in  March,  1910.  at  the  age  of  eighty  years.  His 
wife  Lucinda  was  born  in  1841  and  died  in  1897.  They  were  the  parents  of 
the  following  children :  Samuel  M.  and  Frank  E. ;  Elmina  L.,  wife  of  William 
Ellis,  of  State  Center,  Iowa;  James  Elmer,  deceased;  Raymond,  State  Center, 
Iowa;  Cora  Estella.  of  State  Center;  Albert  Russell,  who  died  in  youth; 
Wesley  Rhinehart,  a  teacher  in  the  Capital  City  Commercial  College,  Des 
Moines.  John  Andrew,  who  is  employed  in  tlie  furniture  l)usiness  in  Mar- 
shalltown,  Iowa;  Edith  Elsie,  wife  of  Herbert  G.  Monroe,  of  State  Center, 
Iowa. 

Samuel  M.,  the  efficient  and  capable  editor  of  The  Sac  Sun,  was  born  on 
the  Ogle  county  farm  November  i,  1865,  and  was  educated  primarily  in  the 
district  schools.  He  and  his  brother  Erank  attended  the  same  district  school 
out  on  the  Iowa  prairie  at  the  same  time.  This  school  was  then  known  as  the 
Washington  Center  school  and  is  still  familiarly  and  afTectionately  known  by 
that  name  in  Marshall  county.  Samuel  M.  entered  Leander  Clark  College  at 
Toledo,  Iowa,  and  graduated  therefrom  in  the  class  of  1890.  For  a  period 
of  two  years  he  taught  school,  teaching  only  one  year  after  his  graduation  in 
the  classical  course  of  Leander  Clark  College.  In  1891  he  became  associate 
editor  and  editorial  writer  of  the  Toledo  (Iowa)  Chronicle,  in  which  position 
he  remained  until  1893,  when  he  and  his  brother  Frank  took  charge  of  The 
Sac  Snn.  Samuel  M.  Stouffer  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  capable  young  men 
of  Sac  county.  He  is  usually  found  in  the  forefront  of  matters  which  have 
their  origin  in  the  desire  for  the  advancement  and  betterment  of  the  city, 
county  or  state.  His  editorial  ability  is  recognized  as  above  the  average  and 
his  friends  are  legion. 

His  political  affiliations  and  sympathies  are  with  the  Reiniblican  party,  of 
which  bodv  he  is  a  stanch  supporter,  and  he  is  a  firm  believer  in  the  principles 
as  enunciated  in  the  party  platforms.     While  he  has  pronounced  progressive 


394  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

ideas,  he  believes  witli  all  his  ht-art  and  mind  that  the  welfare  of  the  rank  and 
file  of  the  party  can  best  be  cared  for  by  allegiance  to  the  party  of  Abraham 
Lincoln  and  his  followers.  His  writings  in  the  editorial  columns  of  The 
Sac  Sun  are  straightforward  in  their  scope  without  equi\-ocation  or  denuncia- 
tion of  political  opponents.  He  has  never  been  possessed  with  a  desire  for 
public  office  and  firmly  believes  that  the  province  of  the  editor  lies  vvithin  the 
sanctum  of  his  office  and  is  best  exercised  in  liehalf  of  his  fellowmen  by  the  use 
of  his  pen  in  presenting  his  views  in  a  calm,  impartial  manner.  Air.  Stouffer 
likewise  believes  that  the  best  wa}-  to  achieve  success  in  his  chosen  profession 
is  to  give  the  people  within  the  scope  of  inHuence  of  his  jotnmal  such  a  com- 
plete newspaper  as  they  demand,  feeling  sure  that  the  business  end  of  the 
journal  will  profit  accordingl}'.  He  is  a  member  of  the  ^lethodist  Episcopal 
church,  and  has  been  the  efficient  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school  for  the 
past  sixteen  years.  He  was  married  September  8,  1898,  to  Irene  O.  Holmes, 
of  Charter  Oak,  Iowa.  He  is  the  father  of  two  children :  Samuel  Andrew, 
born  June  6,  1900,  and  William  Holmes,  born  April  27,  1909. 

He  has  been  the  corresponding  secretary  and  the  president  of  the  North- 
west Iowa  Laymen's  Association  of  the  ]\Iethodist  Episcopal  church.  He  has 
served  as  secretary  of  the  county  central  committee  of  the  Republican  party. 
An  evidence  of  Mr.  StoulTer's  decided  literary  ability  is  found  in  the  press 
chapter  of  this  publication,  of  which  he  is  the  author  and  for  \\hich  the  pub- 
lishers are  indebted. 

Frank  E.  Stoufifer,  Ijusiness  manager  of  TJic  Sac  Sun.  was  born  February 
14,  1867,  on  the  farm  in  Ogle  coimty,  Illinois.  He  likewise  attended  the 
Washington  Center  district  school,  and  entered  Leander  Clark  College  at 
Toledo,  Iowa,  with  his  brother,  graduating  in  the  same  class  in  1890.  For 
awhile  their  paths  di\'erged  somewhat.  Frank  taking  up  the  professiDU  of 
teaching,  beginning  in  the  country  schools  and  rising  to  the  jiosition  of  prin- 
cipal. He  was  called  to  Kansas  in  1890,  and  took  charge  of  the  Attica  school 
for  one  year  and  later  became  principal  of  the  Dillon,  Montana,  schools,  dur- 
ing the  years  of  1892  and  1893.  He  was  connected  in  the  meantime  with  a 
government  surveying  corps  in  \arious  parts  of  Montana  until  his  departure 
for  Sac  City  in  1893  to  join  his  brother  in  the  purchase  of  The  Sac  Sun. 
He  is  active  in  various  business  enterprises  in  Sac  City,  being  a  director  and 
stockholder  of  the  Sac  City  Electric  Company,  of  which  prosperous  concern 
he  is  the  president.  He  is  allied  politically  with  the  Republican  party,  and  is 
secretary  of  the  county  central  committee.  He  is  fraternally  associated  with 
the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  blue  lodge,  chapter  and  commandery 
of  Sac  City,  and  the  Mystic  Shriners.     Mrs.  Stoufifer  is  a  member  of  the  East- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  395 

ern  Star  lodge.  He  wa.s  married  September  21,  i()04,  at  Dillon,  Montana,  to 
May  Baxter,  of  that  city,  the  tlaughter  of  Anson  Baxter,  formerly  of  Sac  City, 
but  now  a  resident  of  Buhl,  Idaho.  Anson  Baxter  was  an  early  pioneer  in 
Sac  county. 

When  S.  M.  and  F.  E.  Stoufifer  took  charge  of  The  Sac  Sun.  the  news- 
paper wa.s  a  small  six-column  sheet,  supplied  weekly  with  an  auxiliary  service 
or  "patent  insides,"  with  hardly  one  thousand  subscribers  on  the  list.  It  is 
now  published  as  an  eight-  or  twelve-page  ]niblication,  with  seven  columns  of 
reading  matter,  all  home  print,  with  over  three  thousand  subscribers  and 
enjoys  an  excellent  advertising  patronage.  Further  encomium  is  unnecessarv 
— the  work  of  the  publishers  and  their  standing  in  the  community  is  evidence 
of  their  well-deserved  success. 


NICHOLAS  ORLANDO  GISHWILLER. 

.\ii  enunieratii)n  of  tlmse  men  of  the  present  generation  who  ha\e  won 
honor  and  public  recognition  for  themselves,  and  at  the  same  time  have 
honored  the  locality  to  which  they  belong  would  be  incomplete  were  there 
failure  to  make  specific  mention  of  him  whose  name  forms  the  caption  of 
this  biographical  recortl.  The  (]ualities  which  have  made  him  one  of  the 
most  capable  antl  successful  men  of  Sac  county  have  also  brought  him  the 
esteem  of  his  fellow  men,  for  it  is  evident  that  his  career  has  been  one  of 
well  directed  energy,  strong  determination  and  honorable  methods.  As  a 
contractor  and  builder  he  has  achieved  a  good  measure  of  success;  as  a 
business  man  he  has  so  managed  his  personal  affairs  as  to  rank  among  the 
substantial  citizens  of  Sac  City:  as  mayor  of  the  city  he  has  so  administered 
governmental  affairs  as  to  earn  the  he;irt\-  commendation  of  his  fellow  citi- 
zens regardless  of  politics. 

Nicholas  O.  Gishwiller  was  born  September  9.  1854.  on  his  father's 
farm  in  Williams  county,  sixteen  miles  from  the  city  of  Bryan.  Ohio.  His 
parents  were  Louis  and  Margaret  (  Sheets )  Gishwiller,  natives  of  Switzer- 
land and  Polk  counties.  Ohio,  respectively.  His  mother  was  born  near  the 
town  of  .\shland.  Ohio.  Louis  Gishwiller  was  an  infant  six  months  of  age 
when  his  parents  emigrated  from  Switzerland  to  the  United  States.  They 
settled  on  a  farm  near  the  city  of  Wo(.xster,  in  Wayne  county.  Ohio,  where 
Louis  was  reared  to  young  manhood.  When  the  father  of  Nathaniel  O.  Gish- 
willer became  of  age  he  moved  to  Williams  county.  Ohio,  and  purchased  a 


^^1)6  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

tract  of  land  which  he  cleared  ui  heavy  timber  growth  and  inipro\ed.  He 
disposeil  of  his  western  Ohio  farm  in  1869  and  moved  westward  to  Stephen- 
son cnuntw  Illinois,  where  he  i)urchased  a  large  farm.  The  first  land  in- 
vestment which  he  made  totalled  two  hundred  and  ten  acres,  which  was 
subsequently  atlded  to  in  different  tracts  until  liis  holdings  were  among  the 
most  extensive  in  the  county.  In  his  old  age  Louis  retired  to  a  residence  in 
the  town  of  Lena,  where  he  <lie(!  in  October,  lyii.  leaving  a  large  family 
of  ten  children,  namely:  John  Alford,  of  Carancahua,  Texas;  Louis  h'rank- 
lin,  of  Waddan-.s.  Illinois;  David  William,  of  Lena.  Illinois;  Airs.  Sarah 
Elizabeth  Stahl,  of  Freeport.  Illinois;  Nathaniel  Orlando;  Mrs.  Sophia  Mar- 
garet Albee.  of  Lena.  Illinois;  Henry  I.,  also  of  Lena;  Hulbert  Marion,  of 
Lena;  Charles  Wesley,  of  Wilcox,  Nebraska;  Mrs.  .\da  Catharine  Coomber, 
residing  in  Free])ort,  Illinois.     Three  children  died  in  infancw 

He  with  whom  this  narrati\-e  is  intimately  concerned  \\  as  educated  in  the 
district  schools  of  the  neighborhood  in  which  he  was  reared  and  remained 
on  the  parental  farm  until  the  year  1882.  He  then  came  to  Sac  county  and 
purchasetl  one  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  good  land  in  Cedar  township 
which  he  impr(ned  and  made  into  a  valuable  pro])erty.  He  resided  on  the 
farm  until  1884  when  he  sold  it  and  bought  another  tract  of  eighty  acres  in 
Wall  Lake  township,  on  which  he  and  his  family  resided  until  1888.  The 
family  then  moved  to  Sac  City  with  the  intention  of  making  a  permanent 
residence  here.  Mr.  Gishwiller  at  once  engaged  in  carpentering  and  con- 
tracting and  has  met  with  signal  success  in  all  of  his  undertakings  in  his 
chosen  line.  It  is  very  rarely  that  a  man  who  has  followed  the  ancient  occu- 
pation of  tilling  the  soil  can  abandon  it  as  a  means  of  gaining  a  livelihood 
when  approaching  middle  age,  liut  .Mr.  (iishwiller  has  exemplified  the  fallacy 
of  the  oft-repeated  argument  that  "Once  a  farmer,  always  a  farmer."  His 
work  as  a  contractor  and  builder  has  been  thoroughly  and  honestly  done  and 
his  services  have  been  in  great  demand  for  several  years.  His  two  oldest 
sons  assist  him  in  his  operations  and  he  em]jk>ys  adtlitional  help  on  occasion. 
He  is  the  owner  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  excellent  farm  land  in 
Scjuth  Dakota  and  is  the  possessor  of  a  residence  projjerty  in  Sac  City. 
Politically,  he  has  always  been  allied  with  the  Republican  party.  He  has 
filled  various  local  and  school  ofBces  with  credit  to  himself  and  in  the  inter- 
est of  his  constituents.  In  the  spring  of  1913  he  was  elected  mayor  of  Sac 
City.  He  is  known  as  one  of  the  most  energetic  and  capable  city  execu- 
tives who  has  ever  held  the  ofifice.  During  his  administration  extensive  city 
improvements  have  been  pushed  to  completion.  Miles  of  pa\ing  ha\'e  been 
laid  within  the  citv  and  im|)ro\ements  have  been  made  throughout  the  nni- 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  ^g'y 

nicipalit)-  which  liave  placed  Sac  City  among  tlie  most  i^rogressixe  of  the 
cities  of  liA\a.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church  and  is  fraternaU\- 
affiliated  with  the  Knights  of  P\'thias  and  the  Brotherhood  of  American 
Yeoman.  Mr.  (iishwiller  is  a  prominent  and  acti\e  member  of  the  local 
lodge  of  Pythians. 

N.  O.  Gishwiller  was  united  in  marriage  with  .Mar\'  Hall,  of  Jo  Daviess 
county.  Illinois,  on  February  13,  1877.  She  is  the  daughter  of  Joseph  and 
Rebecca  Hall,  natives  of  lingland  and  Canada  respectively.  Three  children 
have  been  born  to  this  estimable  couple,  namely :  Margaret  Rebecca  Cor- 
saut.  who  was  born  January  3,  1878,  on  the  farm  in  Illinois,  and  resides  in 
Cedar  township.  She  is  the  mother  of  four  children:  Frances,  Elmira, 
DeWitt  James,  Zada  Emma  and  Loren.  Oran  Orlando,  the  second  son, 
was  born  May  9,  1885,  and  resides  in  Sac  City.  He  is  the  father  of  two 
children,  Helen  Grace  anfl  Marguerite.  The  third  child  is  Ira  Irwin,  born 
June  6,  1887. 


EDWARD    P.    HARTMAN. 

It  is  the  essence  of  biography  to  record  the  accomjjlishments  of  the  in- 
dividual. Not  all  men  are  chosen  to  perform  wondrous  tasks.  The  great 
bulk  of  the  population  in  our  towns  and  cities  is  made  up  of  industrious 
men  who  are  doing  their  duty  in  behalf  of  those  dependent  on  their  exertion 
and  at  the  same  time  taking  the  necessary  part  in  the  self-government  and 
promoting  the  well  being  of  the  community  at  large.  Each  man  in  his  own 
sphere  of  endeavor  is  doing  his  duty  as  he  sees  it  or  as  his  environments  re- 
quire. Edward  P.  Hartman,  banker  and  man  of  affairs  in  Lake  View,  is  a 
successful  citizen,  residing  in  a  growing  and  hustling  city  noted  for  its  en- 
terprise ancl  the  high  personal  character  of  its  citizenship.  It  is  meet  and 
desirable  that  his  l)iography  be  written  and  inserted  herein. 

E.  P.  Hartman  was  born  November  16,  1869,  in  Spencer  county,  In- 
diana, the  son  of  John  C.  and  Barbara  (Collignon)  Hartman.  John  C,  the 
father,  was  born  in  Germany  in  1834  and  died  in  Sac  county  in  the  year 
1905.  Barl)ara  ColHgnon  was  the  daughter  of  French  parents  antl  a  nati\e 
of  the  province  of  Alsace  Loraine.  When  John  C.  Hartman  was  twelve 
years  old  he  came  to  America  with  his  parents,  who  located  in  the  state  ui 
Pennsylvania  in  1846.  His  father  was  a  miller  by  trade  and  John  C. 
naturally  took  up  the  same  vocation  and  was  employed  in  his  younger  days 
in  a  flouring  mill  near  the  city  of  Harrisburg.  He  likewise  became  a  skilled 
millwright  and  understood  the  erection  of  a  fiouring-mill  from  the  founda- 


398  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

tion  to  erecting  the  structure  and  installing  the  machinery.  He  became  a 
builder  of  flouring  mills.  He  removed  to  Indiana  for  a  short  time  and  later 
migrated  to  Iowa  in  the  year  1873  and  for  two  years  worked  in  a  flouring- 
niill  in  Dubuque  county.  In  1875  he  came  westward  and  l>uilt  a  mill  at  Car- 
roll, which  he  operated  until  1880.  He  then  came  to  Sac  county  and  built  a 
mill  in  Boyer  X'alley  township,  which  he  operated  until  1883,  then  reniuved 
to  Odebolt  and  erected  the  Odebolt  Flouring  Mill.  He  operated  the  Odebolt 
mill  for  several  years  and  became  quite  well  to  do,  being  recognized  as  one 
of  the  substantial  and  valued  citizens  of  the  county. 

The  children  of  John  C.  and  Barbara  Hartman  numbered  thirteen  in 
all,  seven  of  whom  are  yet  living,  namely:  Mrs.  J.  R.  Mattes,  of  Odebolt; 
Mrs.  J.  F.  Covey,  of  Clinton,  Iowa;  Mrs.  J.  P.  Laughlin,  of  Bevington, 
Iowa;  Mrs.  Barbara  Shea,  a  resident  of  Spokane,  Washington:  J.  \Y. 
Hartman,  of  Lake  View;  E.  P.  Flartman,  with  whom  the  reviewer  is  directly 
concerned. 

E.  P.  Hartman  was  educated  in  the  public  and  parnchial  schodls  of 
Carroll,  Iowa,  and  also  studied  in  Dixon  College.  From  1890  to  1891, 
inclusive,  he  served  as  deputy  treasurer  of  Sac  county.  He  then  engaged 
in  the  mercantile  business  in  Cowrie  for  a  periotl  of  seven  years,  after 
which  he  returned  to  Odebolt  where  he  resided  until  1905.  In  1905  he 
became  connected  with  the  Lake  Wew  State  Bank  antl  is  now  the  bank's 
efficient  and  accommodating  assistant  cashier.  His  attention,  like  that  of 
manv  i;)ther  successful  and  enterprising  men  in  this  section  of  the  \Vest, 
has  been  devoted  to  agricultural  interests  and  his  land  holdings  are  con- 
siderable. He  is  the  owner  of  three  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  rich  land, 
one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  which  is  located  in  Wall  Lake  township 
and  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  Boyer  Valley  township. 

Mr.  Hartman  was  married  in  1892  to  Louisa  Schaller,  a  daughter  of 
Hon.  Phil  Schaller,  one  of  the  noted  and  commanding  figures  in  the  history 
of  Sac  county,  and  of  whom  this  volume  gi\'es  an  extended  biography.  Six 
chilch'L-n  lia\e  been  Ixirn  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hartman,  as  follows:  Lucille  and 
Philil),  students  in  Crinnell  College;  Mary,  Schaller,  Catharine  and 
IMargaret. 

Politically,  Mr.  Hartman  i'^  allied  with  the  Republican  party.  He  is 
a  nienil)er  of  tiie  Catholic  clnu"cli.  He  ranks  high  as  one  of  the  representa- 
tive and  leading  citizens  of  his  city  and  county;  is  genial,  well  educated 
and  progressive  and  enjoys  the  friendship  and  esteem  of  his  many  acquaint- 
ances thr(iughout  the  county.  He  is  the  father  of  a  very  interesting  familj' 
who  will  un(loul)tedly  be  reare<I  to  l)ecome  good  and  useful  men  and  women. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  399 

ALFRED  G.   KRUSENSTJERNA. 

The  Swedish  natimi  has  contributed  her  quota  to  the  cosmopoHtan 
character  of  the  American  populace  and  the  iVmerican  citizens  whose  na- 
tivity was  originally  in  Scandinavia  are  among  the  best  of  our  population. 
No  immigrant  from  foreign  shores  speaking  a  language  other  than  the  Eng- 
lish is  more  quickly  assimilated  or  is  more  thoroughl)-  Americanized  in  a 
short  period  of  time  after  arrival  on  our  shores  than  the  sturdy  sons  of 
Sweden.  As  tillers  of  the  soil  they  are  among  the  most  successful;  in  the 
marts  of  traile  and  commerce  they  ha\'e  made  their  presence  felt  in  large 
measure;  in  the  learned  professions  the  Swedish-Americans  have  achieved 
fame,  wealth  and  distinction,  and  are  found  everywhere  in  the  van  of 
human  progress.  They  are  alive  to  their  opportunities  and  readily  throw  ofif 
the  Old  World  mannerisms  and  customs  which  are  sometimes  stubbornly 
adhered  to  in  this  country  by  the  representatives  from  other  foreign  nation- 
alities. l'',ver\-where  the}-  are  considered  valued  members  of  society  and 
soon  take  their  rightful  places  in  the  life  of  the  communities  which  are  so 
fortunate  as  to  secure  them  as  permanent  citizens.  In  Alfred  G.  Krusen- 
stjerna,  of  Odebolt,  we  find  one  of  the  l)est  and  most  intelligent  types  of 
an  American  citizen  whose  birthplace  was  in  Sweden. 

Mr.  Krusenstjerna  was  born  June  2.  1856,  in  Sweden  and  is  the  son 
of  Marritz  \'on  and  Mary  Krusenstjerna.  His  father  was  a  manufacturer 
and  a  well-to-do  land  owner  who  had  large  estates  in  Sweden  and  Norway. 
The  father  is  now  deceased  and  the  mother  resides  in  the  old  home  in 
Sweden.  Alfred  G.  received  the  advantages  of  an  excellent  education  in 
the  schools  of  his  native  land,  a  proficiency  which  stood  him  in  good  stead 
when  he  came  to  .America  to  seek  his  fortune  in  the  West.  He  was  twenty- 
four  vears  of  age  when  he  tirst  came  to  America  and  in  1880  he  located 
in  Oilebolt.  He  entered  the  emplo}-  of  Henry  Hanson  and  was  thus  en- 
gaged for  a  period  of  ten  years.  He  was  then  employed  for  the  St.  Paul 
&  Kansas  Grain  Com]iany  for  two  vears  and  in  1893  started  in  business 
for  himself.  His  grain  business  is  very  extensive  and  proliably  the  largest 
in  Sac  countv.  He  is  a  large  buyer  and  shipper  of  grain,  including  corn, 
popcorn  and  oats.  It  is  computed  that  he  buys  and  ships  over  one  hundred 
and  seventv-tive  carloads  of  grain  annually.  Mr.  Krusenstjerna  is  also  a 
very  extensi\e  Ixiver  and  shipper  of  live  stock  and  handles  in  excess  of  one 
hundred  and  twenty-five  carloads  of  live  stock  )-early.  Being  the  owner  of 
nine  hundred  and  ninety  acres  of  land  in  Richland  township  gives  him  an 
outlet  for  his  live  stock  operations  and  affords  an  excellent  feeding  place  for 


400  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA, 

large  herds  previous  to  their  shipment  to  the  markets.  Several  vears  ago 
he  began  investing  his  surplus  earnings  in  Sac  county  land  and  has  added 
to  his  possessions  of  this  valuable  commodity,  which  is  the  source  of  all 
wealth,  until  he  is  now  one  of  the  largest  land  owners  in  the  county. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Krusenstjerna  is  a  pronounced  Progressive:  his  religious 
affiliations  are  with  the  Presbyterian  brotherhood. 

Mr.  Krusenstjerna  was  married  in  1889,  to  Ida  Haakison,  a  native  of 
Sweden.  To  this  union  have  been  born  eleven  children  as  follows :  George, 
a  farmer  on  his  father's  farm;  Hazel,  Fred,  Mabel,  Russell,  Ruth,  Florence, 
Arthur,  Morris,  Helen  and  Richard. 

Mr.  Krusenstjerna  stands  high  in  the  estimation  of  his  fellow  citizens 
and  is  admired  for  his  genuine  business  ability  and  many  good  qualities 
by  those  who  know  him  best.  His  career  furnishes  a  striking  example  of 
the  possibility  of  attaining  success  in  this  western  country  In-  those  of  for- 
eign birth  who  come  here  unhandicaj)ped  by  not  possessing  sufficient  attain- 
ments to  enable  them  to  grasp  their  opportunities  and  win. 


ZACHARY  FULLER,  M.  D. 

Life  holds  possibilities  for  all  of  us.  W'e  come  into  the  world  with  our 
pathway  before  us.  It  is  strewn  with  ol:)siacles  which  are  ofttimes  difficult 
to  overcome  but  the  very  nature  of  wliicli.  in  the  necessary  efforts  of  will  and 
expenditure  of  energy,  enable  us  to  properly  develop  the  mental  efficiency  and 
capabilities  destined  to  enable  the  indi\idual  to  gain  a  measure  of  success. 
Some  individuals  rely  to  a  certain  extent  upon  the  hckle  fortunes  of  destiu)  ; 
others  are  inspired  by  the  lessons  handed  down  by  ancestral  heredity ;  some 
are  tossed  about  upon  the  waves  of  commotion  without  attaining  a  definite 
course ;  many  are  inspired  with  a  desire  to  devote  their  lives  for  the  benefit  of 
their  fell(jw  men.  Anii)ition  i^  the  notable  spur  which  drnes  men  forward 
to  the  attainment  of  a  certain  well-defined  goal.  When  ambition  is  comliined 
with  positive  genius  and  jjower  of  brain  success  is  certain,  and  comes  to  him 
who  patiently  exercises  the  God-lent  gifts  which  are  his  by  right  of  birth  and 
endowment.  Since  the  time  of  the  iirst  Great  Healer  the  history  of  the 
medical  fraternity  has  abt)uniled  with  tales  of  the  deeds  of  self-sacrificing  indi- 
viduals who  have  given  their  lives  for  the  alleviation  of  suffering.  In  these 
days  of  commercial  exploitation  and  the  pursuit  of  wealth,  it  is  a  gratification 
to  the  historian  to  be  permitted  to  write  concerning  an  eminent  professional 


ZACHAKY   FULLER,   M.   D. 


rL 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  40I 

gentleman  who  has  risen  from  a  modest  beginning  to  one  of  the  leaders  of  a 
profession  noted  for  its  learned,  sclmlarly  and  self-effacing  members.  The 
biographer  of  this  \olnme  is  pleased  to  chronicle  briefly  and  concisely  this 
tribute  to  Dr.  Z.  h'uller,  une  oi  the  leaders  of  the  medical  fraternit\-  of  Sac 
City  and  county. 

Doctor  Fuller  was  born  Ala\^  22.  1833,  in  the  town  nt  Crown  I'oint, 
Indiana.  He  is  the  son  of  Aaron  Fuller,  a  native  of  Ohio,  who  was  born  in 
Vinton  count}-,  of  the  old  Buckeye  state,  the  son  of  James  Fuller,  a  direct 
descendant  of  an  old  New  England  family,  and  whose  forbears  crossed  the 
ocean  with  the  first  brave  group  of  pilgrims  in  the  "'^layflower."  James 
Fuller  was  a  nati\e  of  Maine.  He  began  his  migration  to  Ohio  when  a  young 
man,  but  was  deterred  in  the  city  of  Boston  for  a  period  of  two  years  on  ac- 
count of  Indian  troubles  to  the  westward.  He  finally  settled  in  Ohio,  but 
in  1833  moved  to  the  Hoosier  state,  and  located  in  Lake  county.  Aaron  was 
twenty  years  of  age  at  this  time  the  elder  l-'uller  purchased  a  large  tract  of 
land  in  Lake  county.  The  family  resided  in  Indiana  until  the  spring  of  1865. 
During-  the  Civil  War  it  was  necessary  for  Aaron  to  remain  at  home  and  care 
for  an  invalid  wife,  but  four  brothers  served  faithfulh-  during  the  war  in  the 
service  of  the  Union.  Aaron  was  married  in  Lake  county  to  Melvina  Sprague, 
a  nati\-e  of  Canada,  and  who  later  resided  in  \"ermonc  and  Xew  Hampshire 
with  her  jia rents  and  afterwartls  accomjirmied  her  father  and  mother  to  their 
new  home  at  Crown  I'oint.  In  the  spring  of  J 865  Aaron  Fuller  located  per- 
manentl\-  in  Buchanan  county,  Iowa,  and  engaged  in  the  retail  i-nerchandise 
and  hotel  business.  In  1868  he  traded  his  town  property  for  a  fine  farn-|  in 
Delaware  county  and  moved  thereon. 

He  became  the  owner  of  two  farms,  one  of  which  he  traded  for  a  stock  of 
goods  and  a  residence  property  in  the  town  of  Sand  Spring,  and  there  removed 
his  family.  He  engaged  in  merchandising  and  "the  buying  and  shipping  of 
live  stock  and  grains.  He  had  pre\'iously  had  considerable  experience  in  the 
handling  of  horses,  having  been  in  the  employ  of  the  United  States  govern- 
n-ient  during  the  Civil  War  in  the  ca]-)acity  of  horse  buyer.  He  would  buy  up 
horses  suitable  for  the  use  of  the  arn-i_\-  and  sliip  them  to  Chicagn.  In  1873 
the  notable  panic  wdiich  swept  over  the.  country  caused  his  faihu'e  in  ijusiness. 
After  securing  all  that  he  possil)l\-  could  from  the  wreck  of  his  fortunes  he 
moved  to  Texas  and  spent  his  remaining  da^s  in  Texas  and  Louisiana,  finally 
dying  in  the  city  of  Shre\-eport  in  191 1,  at  the  great  age  of  ninety  years. 
During-  his  residence  in  the  .Southland  he  became  the  owner  of  an  immense 
cotton  plantation  in  the  state  of  Texas.     Aaron  Fuller  was  thrice  married. 

(25) 


402  SAC    COUN'TV.    IOWA. 

By  his  first  wife,  he  was  the  father  of  two  children,  a  son  and  daughter,  both 
©f  whom  are  deceased.  There  were  three  children  by  his  second  marriage, 
two  of  whom  died  in  infancy,  and  he  of  whom  this  narrative  reads  is  the  only 
survi\or.  I'onr  cliildren  were  born  as  a  result  of  his  third  marriage,  only 
two  of  whom  are  yet  living,  namely :  Stephen  Fuller,  a  resident  of  Texas ; 
Francis,  who  lives  at  Lake  Charles,  Louisiana. 

Dr.  Z.  Fuller  was  reared  on  a  farm  and  grew  to  sturdy  manhood  with  a 
knowledge  of  the  rudiments  of  agriculture,  but  while  yet  young  in  years  he 
decided  to  adopt  one  of  the  learned  professions  as  his  life  work.  He  had  the 
advantages  of  a  good  village  school  as  well  as  fairly  good  district  schools  in 
securing  his  initiatory  education.  He  entered  the  L'niversity  of  Iowa  and 
studied  medicine  and  literature,  graduating  therefrom  in  the  spring  of  1876. 
He  first  practiced  at  Masonxille,  in  the  western  part  of  Delaware  county,  for 
six  months  and  then  located  in  Sac  City,  in  the  fall  of  the  same  vear.  He 
remained  here  until  November  of  1879,  when,  by  reason  of  failing  health,  he 
removed  to  the  mountain  regions  of  Colorado.  He  spent  fifteen  years  in  the 
Mountain  state,  the  first  five  years  of  which  were  devoted  to  the  practice  of  his 
profession  in  the  mining  camps  of  the  Gunnison  river  country.  He  then 
practiced  for  ten  years  in  the  city  of  Denver.  The  panic  of  1892  and  1893 
hit  the  city  of  Denver  \ery  hard  and  the  Doctor  deemed  it  expedient  to  return 
to  the  scene  of  his  first  successes.  He  came  again  to  Sac  City  and  here  has 
remained.  He  enjoys  the  distinction  of  being  the  oldest  practicing  physician 
in  point  of  years  of  service  within  the  confines  of  the  county.  To  Doctor 
Fuller  we  are  greath'  indebted  for  the  excellent  medical  chapter  which  is  one 
of  the  important  divisions  of  the  History  of  Sac  County.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Sac  County  Medical  Society,  the  Iowa  State  Medical  Society,  and  the 
American  ^Medical  Association.  In  1878  he  received  appointment  of  United 
States  examining  surgeon  for  pensions,  being  the  first  appointee  in  this 
county.  In  the  year  1879  he  was  elected  coroner  of  the  county,  but  did  not 
remain  to  serve  out  his  term.  Doctor  Fuller  has  ever  striven  to  advance  him- 
self in  the  profession,  as  his  high  standing  among  the  medical  fraternity  will 
attest.  During  his  residence  in  Colorado  he  was  local  surgeon  of  the  Denver 
&  Rio  Grande  Railroad  Company  at  Creston  Butte,  Colorado.  He  took  post- 
graduate work  in  the  county  hospital  of  Denver  and  also  pursued  a  post- 
graduate course  in  Rush  Medical  College  of  Chicago,  and  in  1909  studied  in 
the  Post-Graduate  Hospital  in  Xew  York  City.  In  recognition  of  his  attain- 
ments and  ability  he  was  recently  appointed  state  lecturer  on  tuberculosis,  its 
prevention  and  cure,  by  the  state  board  of  health.  His  writings  and  lectures 
on  this  subject  have  since  been  widely  quoted  and  read.     He  is  local  surgeon 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  4O3 

of  the  Chicago  &  Xorthwestern  railway.  Doctor  Fuller  is  a  member  of  the 
Christian  church  of  Sac  City,  and  is  a  fraternal  brother  of  Modern  Wood- 
men of  America  and  the  Woodmen  of  the  World.  He  has  been  twice  mar- 
ried. In  the  fall  of  1874  he  took  to  wife  Ellen  Estella  Cummings,  the  daugh- 
ter of  his  old  preceptor,  Doctor  Cummings,  of  Sand  Spring.  She  died  in  the 
mountains  of  Colorado  in  the  spring  of  1882,  in  the  mining  town  of  Creston 
Butte,  leaving  three  sons,  namely :  Elmer  Dean  Fuller,  a  practicing  attorney 
of  Mexico  City,  Mexico;  Garth  Cummings  Fuller,  a  real  estate  dealer  of 
Tampico,  Mexico,  and  Nathaniel  Flayes  Fuller,  of  iMexico  City,  a  practicing 
attorney  allied  with  his  older  brother  in  the  profession.  In  the  fall  of  i8go 
Doctor  Fuller  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Nellie  Tuggy  at  Loveland, 
Colorado.  To  them  have  been  born  two  children :  Mary  Elizabeth  Fuller, 
a  student  in  the  Carnegie  Training  School  for  Librarians  at  Pittsburg,  Pennsyl- 
vania, in  which  school  Miss  Fuller  is  specializing  on  children's  library  work; 
Bavard  Craig  Fuller,  who  is  attending  the  local  high  school. 


CHARLES  S.  DARLING. 

The  held  of  agriculture  has  widened  considerably  during  the  past  twenty 
years,  and  nowhere  in  the  land  has  greater  advancement  in  this  important 
industry  been  made  than  in  Sac  county,  nor  has  the  value  of  farm  lands 
increased  with  greater  rapidity  than  in  this  "Garden  Spot  of  the  \\'orld," 
as  it  is  called  hv  the  pioneer  settlers  and  their  descendants  who  have  lived 
to  see  the  count\-  emerge  from  a  condition  of  dormancy,  and  have  seen  the 
wide  prairie  lands  transformed  into  productive  farms,  the  peer  of  which 
can  not  i)e  found  elsewhere  in  the  country.  In  Cedar  township,  wdiere  some 
of  the  most  substantial  farmers  of  the  county  reside,  modern  methods  of 
agriculture  have  supplanted  the  old,  arduous  way  of  tilling  the  soil  and  the 
farmer's  burdens  have  been  lightened  by  the  introduction  of  modern  ma- 
chinerv,  and  an  excellent  drainage  system  has  reclaimed  thousands  of  acres 
of  rich,  desirable  land  which  was  freciuently  flooded  and  at  one  time  con- 
sidered valueless  on  account  of  its  sodden  condition  during  the  greater  part 
of  the  year.  Charles  S.  Darling,  a  citizen  of  the  better  type  and  an  enter- 
prising farmer  of  Sac  county,  enjoys  the  unique  distinction  of  having  re- 
sided on  his  Cedar  township  farm  for  fort}'  years  and  is  one  of  the  pioneer 
residents  of  the  county. 

Mr.  Darling  is  the  owner  of  a  farm  of  two  hundred  and  ninety-six  acres, 


404  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

two,  huiulred  and  se\'en  of  which  He  in  Sac  county,  and  is  jiart  of  the  old 
Darlin.g  homestead,  and  eighty-nine  acres  He  in  Calhoun  county  adjoining. 
This  land  is  now  being  thoroughly  drained  at  considerable  expense  for  tiling 
and  ditching,  the  land  being  located  in  a  drainage  district  which  will  provide 
for  a  direct  flow  of  the  water.  The  nld  Darling  home,  in  which  Charles  S. 
resides,  was  remodeled  and  modernized  in  1903.  He  has  been  a  stock  raiser 
and  breeder  for  many  years  and  has  at  the  present  writing  about  twelve  head 
of  pure-bred  Shorthorn  cattle,  and  also  produces  from  ten  to  twent\-  head 
of  English  Shire  thoroughbred  horses  annually.  At  present  the  farm  is 
supporting  a  large  drove  of  hogs.  In  the  year  191 3,  Mr.  Darling's  land 
produced  se\-enty  bushels  of  corn  to  the  acre,  this  being  the  best  known 
vield  in  Sac- county,  and  one  of  the  best  yields  in  the  entire  state  of  Iowa  for 
the  season,  which  was  not  propitious  for  a  gootl  corn  crop.  The  Darling 
farm  is  known  as  Eaverdale  farm,  Lytton,  Iowa. 

Charles  S.  Darling  was  born  March  4,  1856,  in  .Summit  county.  L)hi(j. 
He  is  the  son  of  James  Darling,  who  was  l)orn  January  8,  1824,  in  Xcw 
\'ork  state,  and  died  November  17,  1887,  in  Sac  county.  He  was  the  son 
of  Adam  Darling,  a  native  of  Haddington,  Scotland,  and  whu  emigrated 
to  Xew  York  in  1820  after  he  married  Elizalieth  Portus,  and  later  reared 
a  family.  Adam  was  a  cabinet-maker  by  trade.  His  son  James  married 
Marg.Hret  Drenuen,  a  daughter  of  Scotch-Irish  parents,  who  were  Alattliew, 
a  native  of  Ireland,  and  Jane  Drennen,  a  native  of  Penns\-lvania.  Margaret 
Drennen  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  in  1827  and  died  in  Sac  county  in  the 
vear  1877.  James  Darling  migrated  to  .Suiuniit  counts",  ()hiii,  and  was  there 
married. 

In  the  spring  of  1874,  James  Darling  and  his  fami]_\-  left  the  uld  lluck- 
eye  home  and  started  for  Iowa.  The  trip  consumed  seven  days  in  all.  'l~he\' 
settled  on  the  farm  in  Cedar  townshi])  for  which  James  had  traded  his  Ohii.i 
property  at  a  valuation  of  fi\e  dcjllars  an  acre  for  the  land,  which  totaled 
four  hundred  and  fifteen  acres.  .William  Drennen  took  the  other  part  of 
seven  hundred  and  thirty-five  acres  which  was  included  in  the  deal.  Charles 
S.  now  owns  two  hundred  and  seven  acres  of  this  land  ami  Mrs.  Sadie  J. 
Elwood,  his  sister,  owns  two  hundred  and  seven,  five  acres  forming  the 
balance.  They  erected  a  small  house,  sixteen  by  twenty- four  feet  in  di- 
mension, which  served  as  the  habitation  of  the  family  for  the  first  two  years. 
Their  nearest  neighljors  at  this  time  were  the  ^dungs  and  Herrolds.  who 
lived  over  four  luiles  away.  The  land  was  swampy  and  remained  so  until 
the  drainage  district  was  organized  and  an  outlet  was  made  which  permitted 
the  draining  off  of  the  "slough"  water.     It  is  said  of  James  Darling  that  he 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  405 

was  a  well  educated  man  and  broad  minded.  During  the  years  1878  to 
1882,  inclusi\'e,  he  served  the  county  as  superintendent  of  schools;  he  held 
several  township  offices  and  was  very  prominent  in  county  civic  affairs.  He 
was  the  father  of  three  children,  namely :  Mrs.  Sadie  J.  Elwood,  of  Sac 
City,  and  Charles  S.     These  two  are  twins.     One  child  died  in  infancy. 

Charles  S.  Darling,  with  whom  the  reviewer  is  more  intimately  con- 
cerned, was  educated  at  home  and  studied  under  his  gifted  father,  there  be- 
ing no  schools  of  any  consecjuence  in  the  neighborhood  in  which  thev  re- 
sided. The  children  received  practically  the  ecjuivalent  of  an  academic  edu- 
cation, the  father  being  well  read  in  the  classics,  languages  and  history. 

When  he  attained  young  manhood  he  purchased  eighty-nine  acres  of 
land  in  Calhoim  county  which  was  located  across  the  dividing  road  from  the 
home  farm.  He  paid  four  dollars  an  acre  for  this  land  and  met  his  obliga- 
tion out  of  his  earnings  and  savings.  He  resided  on  his  Calhoun  county 
farm  for  one  \ear  and  has  lived  the  remainder  of  his  time  in  Sac  countv  on 
the  old  homestead.  Mr.  Darling  has  recently  removed  to  the  nearby  town 
of  L}-tton  and  the  family  home  is  now  occupied  by  his  son,  who  is  working 
the  farm  in  partnership  with  his  father. 

Politically,  Mr.  Darling  is  a  Republican.  He  has  held  several  township 
offices  and  has  several  times  refused  the  ])roffer  of  county  office,  for  so  great 
is  his  love  for  his  home  that  he  did  not  care  for  county  political  preferment. 
His  family  and  ancestry  were  of  the  Scotch  Presbyterian  faith,  of  which  re- 
ligious organization  his  father  was  a  ruling  elder.  Charles  S.  and  wife  are 
members  of  the  Lytton  Presbyterian  church,  of  which  he  is  a  ruling  elder. 

i\Ir.  Darling  has  been  twice  married.  His  first  marriage  occurred  in 
187Q,  to  Anna  Iv  Parker,  of  Calhoun  county,  a  daughter  of  W.  D.  Parker. 
She  died  on  .\pril  10,  1895,  leaving  four  children:  James,  born  in  1880,  a 
farmer  with  his  father;  John,  born  in  1882,  formerly  superintendent  of  the 
farm  of  eight  hundred  acres  connected  with  the  Northern  Hospital  at 
Redfield.  South  Dakota,  but  is  now  operating  the  farm  with  his  father; 
Eugene  Drennen,  born  in  1885,  a  graduate  of  the  College  of  Agriculture  and 
Animal  Husbandry  at  .'\mes,  Iowa,  in  the  class  of  1909,  and  is  now  located 
at  Graettinger,  Palo  Alto  county,  engaged  in  the  breeding  of  live  stock; 
Annabelle,  born  .\]M-i]  5.  1895,  -i  graduate  of  the  Lytton  high  school  in  the 
class  of  19 1 3. 

The  second  marriage  of  Mr.  Darling  occurred  Decemlier  12,  1896,  with 
Julia  Fitch,  a  daughter  of  Henrx-  Howell  Fitch,  an  early  settler  of  Sac 
count)-,  and  who  was  a  former  well  known  teacher  of  Sac  county;  there  are 
many  people  residing  in  Sac  county  who  ha\'e  cause  to  remember  Mrs.  Dar- 


406  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

ling  favorably  and  kindly  as  their  teacher.  Mr.  Fitch  was  born  October  14, 
1836,  and  died  July  24,  1907.  His  place  of  birth  was  on  a  farm  near  Mount 
Vision.  Otsego  county,  New  York.  He  was  educated  in  the  Delaware 
Literary  Institute,  of  b'ranklin.  Xew  York.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one  _\'ears. 
he  migrated  to  Grant  county,  Wisconsin,  and  taught  school  for  some  time. 
He  was  married  in  March  of  1859  to  Elizabeth  Huntington,  who  still  re- 
sides in  Sac  City.  He  farmed  in  Grant  and  Lafayette  counties,  ^Visconsin, 
until  1878,  when  he  removed  to  Sac  county.  He  settled  on  a  farm  in  Cedar 
township  where  he  resided  until  1894  and  then  took  up  his  residence  in  Sac 
City.  Mr.  Fitch  was  a  lifelong  Republican  and  was  elected  county  super- 
visor of  the  county  in  1886,  serving  eight  years  in  all,  and  it  was  during  his 
term  that  the  court  house  was  erected.  Howe\er,  he  changed  his  political 
convictions  in  1896  and  supported  W.  J.  Bryan  for  President,  remaining  a 
Democrat  to  the  end  of  his  days.  He  was  affiliated  with  the  Presbyterian 
church.  Mr.  Fitch  was  the  father  of  the  following  children:  Linus  E. ; 
Mrs.  Nellie  Calvert,  of  Lucerne,  ^Missouri;  Mrs.  Julia  Darling:  Mary  E. ; 
John  H. ;  Eva  L. ;  Harry  H.,  and  Theodore. 

Great  changes  have  taken  place  in  Sac  county  and  the  western  Iowa 
countr\-  since  ]\lr.  Darling  lirst  came  to  the  county.  One  of  the  particular 
improvements  worth  noticing  is  the  fact  iluring  his  boyhood  days  it  was 
necessary  for  him  to  walk  a  distance  of  thirteen  miles  for  the  mail,  whereas, 
now  two  mail  routes  pass  his  home  and  they  have  practically  two  mail  de- 
liveries at  their  door  each  da)".  Educational  facilities  have  been  vasth-  im- 
proved ;  whereas,  he  secured  his  education  sitting  by  his  father's  side  in  the 
evenings  and  on  cold  winter  days  when  outside  work  was  impossible,  he  has 
given  his  children  every  opportunity  to  secure  a  thorough  and  complete  edu- 
cation. His  son,  Eugene  Drennen.  has  Iiecome  a  skilled  agriculturist  and 
has  been  educated  in  agriculture  from  a  scientific  standpoint.  He  was  super- 
intendent of  the  Redfield,  South  Dakota,  state  farm  for  three  \-ears.  and 
later  was  superintendent  of  the  Iowa  farm  at  Davenport  previous  to  en- 
gaging in  farming  for  himself.  In  the  short  space  of  three  vears  he  ,'^aved 
sufficient  money  to  embark  in  farming  for  himself.  This  modern  wav  is 
quite  different  from  the  older  and  more  laborious  methods  i^f  our  forefa- 
thers and  more  remunerative. 

No  one  indi\idual  is  more  worthy  of  specific  mentii.in  in  these  memoirs 
of  Sac  county  than  Charles  S.  Darling  and  his  family.  This  record  is  in- 
tended for  perusal  by  his  friends  and  to  serve  as  a  lasting  memorial  for  the 
members  of  his  family. 


SAC    COVSIV.    IOWA.  407 

REV.    M.    C.    DALY. 

1  liLU:  eaii  Ije  no  (juestioii  Ijut  that  the  men  who  minister  to  the  spiritual 
wants  and  needs  of  our  people  are  men  of  high  character  who  are  solely 
devoted  to  the  great  work  which  they  are  doing.  Their  whole  dut}'  is  to 
prepare  nien  to  li\e  better  lives,  freer  lives  and  prepare  them  to  perform 
their  duties  better  on  this  earth  in  order  that  they  may  be  the  better  pre- 
pared to  meet  the  world  to  come.  These  men  are  self-sacrificing,  and  the  re- 
ward which  comes  to  the  business  man  in  this  world  is  often  denied  those 
of  the  ministerial  profession.  Among  the  men  of  Sac  county  who  have 
contributed  to  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  citizens  of  the  county  there  is  no 
one  who  has  performed  more  conscientious  work  in  the  field  of  the  Master 
than  Has  the  Rev.  M.  C.  Daly,  pastor  of  the  St.  Joseph  church  at  Wall 
Lake 

Rev.  ]\I.  C.  Daly,  the  son  of  T.  J.  and  Catherine  (  De  Barr\' )  Daly,  of 
Ireland,  was  born  in  Oueenstown,  Ireland,  NovemJjer  t,  1850.  From  his 
earliest  boyhood  he  was  inclined  toward  the  church  and  as  he  grew  in 
years  his  determination  to  devote  his  life  to  the  service  of  his  Master  was 
the  controlling  passion  with  him.  Receiving  the  elements  of  a  common 
school  education  in  his  home  country,  he  left  Ireland  in  yoimg  manhood 
and  for  the  next  eleven  years  was  in  the  schools  of  the  continent,  preparing 
himself  for  the  priesthood,  spending  seven  years  in  Rome,  where  he  received 
his   collegiate  training. 

In  1875  Father  Daly  came  to  America  and  at  once  located  in  Dubuque, 
Iowa,  his  first  mission  being  Rickersville.  Here  he  remained  for  the  next 
se\'eri  years,  performing  all  those  multitudinous  duties  which  fall  to  the  lot 
of  the  Catholic  priest.  In  1882  he  went  to  Sioux  City.  Iowa,  and  served 
not  only  the  church  in  that  place,  but  also  missions  in  the  surrounding 
country.  He  built  a  church  at  Sali.x,  near  Sioux  City,  and  also  superinten<letl 
the  erection  of  a  parsonage  at  that  place.  He  assisted  all  the  missions  along 
the  Missouri  Valley  on  the  Iowa  side.  In  1886  he  founded  St.  Joseph's 
church  at  Sioux  City  and  labored  diligently  to  get  it  in  a  good  working 
condition.  In  fact,  so  arduous  were  his  labors  that  his  health  became  im- 
paired and  in  1889  he  returned  to  his  native  country  in  order  to  recuperate. 
A  year  later  he  returned,  and  was  stationed  at  Manson,  Iowa,  where  he 
erected  the  mission  house  and  rebuilt  the  church  at  that  place.  Here  he 
remained  until  1903.  doing  splendid  work  and  building  up  the  church  in 
ever\'  wa\'.  At  the  beginning  of  his  ministry  at  Manson  there  were  but  four 
families   under  his   charge   and   before   he   left   he   had   the   satisfaction   of 


408  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

seeing  his  ])arishioners  largely  augmented  and  the  church  in  a  prosperous 
conditiun.  While  at  Mansnn  he  also  attended  the  missions  of  Pomeroy 
and  (ireat  Barnum.  and  built  churches  at  each  place.  .Vt  Pomeroy  the 
church  was  unfortunate  in  ha\ing  to  rebuild  their  edifice  no  less  than  twice 
because  of  destruction  by  storms  and  fire.  The  storm  which  destroyed  the 
church  at  Pomeroy  killed  and  maimed  one  hundred  and  ten  people  and  was 
one  of  the  most  destructive  cyclones  which  e\-er  swe|)t  o\-er  this  part  of  the 
state.  At  the  time  of  this  unfortunate  catastrophe  Father  Daly  worked  a 
whole  week  without  slee]),  doing  e\•er^•thing  he  possibh'  could  to  alleviate 
the  suffering  of  the  unfortunate  ])eople. 

In  1003  b'ather  Daly  came  to  Siou.x  (_'ity  and  took  charge  of  St.  Joseph's 
Hospital,  and  was  made  chaplain  of  the  Good  Shepherd's  Home.  Here  he 
labored  for  the  next  three  years,  after  which  he  was  transferred  to  Wall 
Lake,  in  Sac  county,  and  placed  in  charge  of  St.  Jose])h's  church.  He 
completed  the  church,  which  was  in  the  course  of  erection,  and  cleared  ofif  a 
debt  of  three  thc^usand  dollars.  Since  taking  charge  of  this  church  he  has 
remodeled  the  parsonage  and  modernized  it  in  ex'erv  wa\'.  His  work  in 
this  place  is  appreciated,  not  onh-  b\-  the  i)eo]>l;?  of  his  own  'lenonunation, 
l>ut  b\'  every  ])ul)lic-s]Mrited  citizen  who  is  interested  in  the  advancement  of 
ci^'ilization,  whether  it  be  b\'  a  Catholic  church  or  a  Protestant  denomina- 
tion. The  work  which  Father  Daly  has  done  since  coming  into  Pnva  has 
made  for  better  citizenship,  better  liomes  and  if  he  fails  to  receive  his  rewanl 
in  this  world  he  has  tlie  assiu^ance  that  he  has  not  labored  in  \ain. 


LACEY  A.   WINE. 


There  is  no  positive  rule  wdiicli,  if  followed,  will  enable  one  to  achieve 
success,  and  yet  in  the  li\'es  of  successful  luen  there  are  always  lessons  which 
can  be  emulated  by  others.  The  man  who  gains  prosperity  is  he  who  can  see 
and  utilize  the  opportunities  which  arise  before  him  in  his  upward  path.  The 
essential  conditions  forming  the  environments  of  most  human  lives  are  ever 
the  same,  the  surroundings  of  indi\iduals  differing  but  slightly,  and  when  one 
man  passes  another  on  the  highway  of  life  to  reach  the  goal  of  prosperity 
before  others  who  perhaps  started  out  Jiefore  him,  it  is  because  he  has  the 
power  to  use  his  advantages  for  the  furtherance  of  his  own  desires.  T(xlay, 
among  the  prominent  citizens  and  successful  business  men  of  Sac  City  stands 
Lacev  A.  \\'ine.     He  possesses  qualities  of  leadership  ahiong  his  fellows  and 


LACEY   A.   WINK 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  4O9 

business  ahilit}'  of  a  high  degree  which  ha\e  made  him  a  man  of  substance  in 
the  cc:imn:unity. 

Lacey  A.  Wine  was  born  February  13.  1867,  in  Sac  City.  His  parents 
are  \\'illiam  G.  Wine  and  Mary  Jane  (Criss)  Wine,  early  pioneer  residents 
of  Sac  City.  WiHiam  G.  is  a  nati\e  of  Indiana  and  son  of  William  Wine, 
whose  nativity  was  the  state  of  West  \'irg'inia.  William  migrated  with  his 
family  from  Indiana  in  1855  on  his  way  to  California,  but  the  family  finally 
settled  iin  the  connection  line  north  of  Sac  City  when  there  were  but  few 
residents  here,  and  the  country  around  about  was  but  thinly  settled.  William, 
the  father  of  \\llliam  G..  opened  one  of  the  first  general  stores  in  Sac  City, 
and  was  accounted  a  well-to-do  citizen,  being  the  proud  possessor  of  a  horse 
and  carriage  which  was  looked  upon  as  an  unheard-of  luxury  by  the  early 
settlers.  He  drove  one  hundred  head  of  cattle  from  Indiana  to  Iowa  and 
pastured  them  upon  the  great  free  ranges  which  were  in  existence  at  that 
time.  He  finally  realized  his  ambition  to  make  the  trip  to  the  far  West,  and 
set  out  for  California  by  the  o\erland  route.  He  eventually  reached  the 
mountains,  but  lost  his  life  in  the  ranges  while  prospecting  for  the  precious 
metals.  William  G.  Wine  was  reared  to  manhood  in  Sac  City  and  followed 
the  business  of  contractor  and  builder  until  his  retirement  in  1898.  He  is 
now  residing  in  California.  He  ser\ed  as  a  volunteer  soldier  in  an  Iowa  regi- 
ment during  the  Civil  War.  When  a  young  man  he  married  Mary  Jane  Criss, 
a  daughter  of  Hon.  Eugene  Criss,  a  very  prominent  figure  in  Sac  county  his- 
tory, of  whom  our  historian  is  pleased  to  write  at  considerable  length  else- 
where in  this  \olume.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  G.  _^Wine  were  born  four  chil- 
dren, namely :  Lacey  A. :  Mrs.  Lamont  Lee,  of  Mason  City,  Iowa ;  Mrs.  J. 
B.  Rowe,  Los  Angeles,  California,  and  Airs.  Delmont  Goldsnuth.  who  died  in 
1893. 

L.  A.  Wine,  with  wlmm  thi.>  biographx'  directly  treats,  was  educated  in  the 
schools  of  his  native  cit}'  and  completed  a  commercial  course  at  Shenandoah 
College.  During  the  administration  rif  President  Cleveland,  he  served  as 
deputy  postmaster  frf)m  1888  to  iSgo.  inclusive.  After  this  term  he  pursued 
his  commercial  course,  and  was  then  employed  as  salesman  in  a  mercantile 
establishment  until  i8()4.  He  then  engaged  in  Inisiness  for  himself  and  opened 
a  small  shoe  store  which  was  later  enlarged  to  include  a  complete  stock  of  dry 
goods,  groceries  and  a  general  line  of  merchantable  goods  tastefully  arranged 
on  the  departmental  plan.  His  store  is  modern  in  every  respect  and  it  has 
continuously  enjoxed  a  constantl\  increasing  trade  among  the  better  class  of 
people  of  the  community.  Ha\'ing  lived  his  entire  life  in  Sac  county  from 
the  \-er}-  earliest  da}-s  of  the  settlement  of  the  city  and  county,  Mr.  Wine 


4IO  SAC    COUXTY,    IOWA. 

properly  has  a  large  number  of  friends  and  acquaintances  throughout  the 
county,  exceeded  by  very  few  citizens.  Politically,  he  is  a  Democrat  and  is 
widely  and  favorably  known  as  a  stanch  worker  in  the  ranks  and  a  leader  of 
his  party.  As  a  reward  for  his  untiring  efforts  in  behalf  of  the  Democratic 
party  in  the  county  he  was  recently  appointed  to  the  position  of  postmaster 
of  Sac  City.  It  is  safe  to  predict  that  he  will  serve  his  appointive  term  to  the 
satisfaction  of  the  government  and  fill  the  duties  of  the  oflice  solelv  in  the 
interest  of  the  patrons.  Mr.  Wine  is  the  aggressive  count}'  chairman  of  the 
Democratic  central  committee  and  has  ahvays  taken  an  active  part  in  political 
affairs  in  both  county  and  state.  He  has  attended  several  Democratic  state 
conventions  in  the  capacity  of  delegate  and  leader,  and  is  well  known  a.s  one 
of  the  Democratic  "wheel  horses"'  of  the  state  Democracy.  He  has  a  wide 
acquaintance  throughout  Iowa  among  the  leaders  and  the  rank  and  file  of  the 
party  of  Andrew  Jackson  and  Woodrow  Wilson.  He  is  an  attendant  of  the 
Episcopal  church  and  is  fraternally  connected  with  the  Knights  of  Pythias, 
Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  and  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America. 
Mr.  Wine  was  married  June  12,  1902,  to  Eu  Delia  Kiser,  of  Oskaloosa, 
Iowa.  To  them  have  come  no  children,  but  they  are  rearing-  a  child,  Caroline 
Kerns.  Mr.  Wine  is  genial  and  unassuming,  readily  making  friends  every- 
where and  at  all  times,  and  always  retains  them.  He  gives  his  unqualified 
support  to  every  movement  which  promises  to  be  of  material  and  moral  benefit 
to  the  people,  and  because  of  his  success  in  life  and  his  genuine  worth  he  is 
eminently  entitled  to  fitting  representation  in  this  work. 


WOOSTFJ^  P..   WAYT. 


The  fact  is  well  authenticated  by  thousands  of  eminent  illustrations 
that  success  comes  as  the  result  of  unllagging  energy  and  perseverance  in 
the  pursuit  of  a  well-directed  course  of  action  previously  determined  upon. 
It  is  seldom  kncjvvn  to  visit  the  laggards  or  tlic  drones  and  is  the  ■  lutcome  of 
diligence  and  foresight.  Only  the  men  whn  have  continuously  snught  for- 
tune's favor  ha\e  been  am|)l\-  rewarded.  The  individual  is  doubly  success- 
ful of  whom  it  can  Ije  said  "Pie  is  an  honest  man  and  is  deserving  of  the 
rewards  which  ha\e  come  to  him  direct]}-  through  his  own  efforts."  In 
tracing  the  life  historv  of  the  inlluenlial  mauufactvu-er  and  i)ul)lic  spirited 
citizen  whose  name  forms  the  caption  of  this  review,  it  is  plainl}-  seen  that 
the  prosperity  which  he  enjo}s  has  been  won  b}-  the  exercise  nf  commend- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  4II 

;iljle  (jualities,  arnl  t!ic  high  esteem  in  wliicli  lie  and  his  hrni  are  held  has  been 
bestowed  because  of  personal  worth. 

Wonster  R.  \\'a\'t,  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  W.  B.  W'ayt  &  Son, 
monument  manufacturers  and  dealers  of  Sac  Cit)',  Iowa,  was  born  A[ay  lo, 
1849,  in  the  city  of  Belle  Vernon.  Pennsylvania,  tie  is  the  son  of  Dr.  Will- 
iam C.  Wayt,  a  descendant  (jf  the  ancestral  followers  of  William  Penn,  and 
who  emigrated  to  Pennsylvania  from  England  at  the  time  of  the  original 
Quaker  settlement  of  Philadelphia.  His  mother  was  Elizabeth  McCallister, 
who  was  the  daughter  of  Scotch  parents,  and  whose  brother  was  a  well- 
known  merchant  of  Aljerdeen,  Scotland.  William  C.  Wayt  and  wife  were 
the  parents  of  eleven  children,  several  of  whom  came  to  Iowa,  as  follows: 
John,  of  Springville,  Arkansas;  Margaret,  deceased;  Wooster  B. ;  Frank, 
deceased ;  Ira,  deceased. 

Dr.  William  C.  Wayt  was  a  physician  of  the  eclectic  school  and  was 
educated  for  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  the  famous  Medical  College  of 
Philadelphia.  Doctor  Wayt  was  a  famous  and  skilful  physician,  the  high- 
est praise  of  whom  can  be  given  inasmuch  as  he  was  one  of  that  self-im- 
molating class  who  cared  little  for  the  monetary  rewards  of  his  calling  and 
frecjuently  worked  himself  to  the  point  of  physical  exhaustion  in  effecting 
cures  of  the  ills  which  beset  mankind  with  whom  he  came  in  contact.  When 
Wooster  B.  was  yet  a  child  the  family  set  out  for  the  West,  traveling  mostly 
by  stage.  Doctor  Wayt  located  for  a  time  in  the  city  of  Cincinnati,  where 
for  a  period  of  two  years,  from  1850  to  1852.  he  served  as  a  hospital  sur- 
geon. From  1852  to  1856  he  practiced  his  profession  in  Brookville,  Frank- 
lin count}-,  Indiana,  which  is  located  some  miles  northwest  of  Cincinnati. 
He  again  set  his  face  westward  and  northward  with  the  path  of  empire.  At 
this  period  the  city  of  Galena,  Illinois,  was  the  gateway  to  the  great  North- 
west and  it  was  only  natural  that  the  Doctor  should  travel  in  that  direction. 
The  long  overland  journey  was  made  principally  by  stage.  He  and  his  fam- 
ily started  for  Marion,  Iowa,  and  traveled  the  distance  of  forty-four  miles 
from  Dubuque  to  Indeiiendence  principall}'  on  foot:  in  fact,  two-thirds  of 
this  distance  was  traversed  afoot.  On  April  i,  1856,  they  arri\ed  in  Marion, 
Iowa,  where  the  Doctor  practiced  for  four  years.  In  i860  he  iourneyed 
to  Buchanan  county  and  established  his  office  and  home  in  Frienk's  Grove. 
Here  they  remained  until  1865,  enduring  the  hardshi]xs  of  the  pioneer  life 
of  those  early  da}'s.  The  pioneers  of  the  lijcality  had  little  mone\"  with 
which  to  pay  for  medicine  and  it  was  necessary  for  the  Doctor  to  take 
farm  products  for  hi?  professional  services.  These  were  the  days  of  the 
log  cabin,  the  tallow  dip,  the  home-made  furniture  and  kjw  prices  for  farm 


412  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

products.  The  Doctor's  family  were  denied  the  commonest  of  luxuries  and 
even  sugar  was  an  unheard-of  anil  expensixe  luxury  which  few  could  afford. 
What  sugar  was  used  in  the  household  was  of  the  coarsest  Orleans  kind  and 
was  very  scarce.  Money  was  scarce  and  it  required  a  considerable  amount 
of  farm  produce  to  even  get  a  few  cents  in  return.  They  transported 
chickens  a  distance  of  fourteen  miles  away  to  Independence  and  sold  them 
for  one  dollar  per  dozen,  irrespective  of  weight  or  quality.  \\'heat  sold  for 
thirty-eight  cents  per  bushel.  Mr.  Wayt  recalls  that  kertisene  first  appeared 
as  an  illuminant  in  i860  and  it  was  considered  exceedingly  dangerous  to  use 
it  at  that  time  in  the  crude  lamps  of  the  period.  The  Doctor  soon  moved 
onward  to  a  newer  held  and  in  1865  removed  to  Millersburg,  Illinois,  where 
he  remained  for  two  years.  He  then  returned  to  Iowa  and  located  in  Cedar 
Rapids  in  1865,  where  his  faithful  and  lo\'iug  wife  died  in  1866.  Doctor 
Wayt  remained  in  Cedar  Rapids  until  18Q4,  when  he  came  to  Sac  City  to 
make  his  final  home  with  his  son,  \\  ooster  B.  Here  he  passed  away  in  the 
fullness  of  his  long  years  of  usefulness  in  1901. 

Wooster  B.  Wayt,  with  whom  this  narrative  is  more  intimatelv  con- 
cerned, recei\-ed  his  educatiijn  in  the  public  schools  and  the  academy  at  Wil- 
ton Junction.  When  he  was  sixteen  3^ears  of  age  he  became  a  tinner's  ap- 
prentice, and  worked  at  his  trade  at  Blairstown,  Iowa ;  later  he  was  employed 
in  Cedar  Rapids  and  Tama,  Iowa.  For  a  period  of  five  and  one-half  years 
he  served  as  foreman  of  the  tin  and  copper  working  department  of  the  Rock 
Island  Railroad  at  Grand  Junction,  Iowa.  In  the  year  1887  he  engaged  in 
the  uK^nument  business  with  his  brother  Frank  at  Jefferson,  Iowa.  He  and 
his  l)rotlier  had  i)reviously  efifected  a  partnership  at  Tama,  Iowa,  in  1876, 
but  W  Hosier  B.  was  not  satisfied  witii  the  progress  of  the  Ijusiness  and  sold 
out  and  returned  to  his  trade  of  tinner. 

In  the  year  1890  he  came  to  Sac  City  and  laid  the  foundation  for  the 
present  extensive  and  profitable  business  conducted  by  the  firm.  He  first 
established  a  small  shop  and  the  business  steadilv  grew  and  the  products 
found  increasing  popularity  with  the  peojjle.  The  mtHiument  works  of  W. 
B.  Wayt  &  Son  ranks  as  one  of  the  most  important  institutions  of  its  kind 
in  western  Iowa.  Special  notice  is  devoted  to  this  concern  in  the  pages 
of  the  history  proper  of  Sac  county.  This  notice  traces  the  growth  of  the 
business  iroi";  its  ver\  ir.ception  to  the  erection  of  the  present  ha"f!some 
and  commodious  manufacturing  and  office  Ijuilding  located  near  the  North- 
western depot.  It  has  several  branch  housse  and  connections  in  Aberdeen, 
Sioiland.  frciii  wb.icii  point  the  finest  granite  is  ini|)orted  to  tliis  cvjutrx'  for 
use    in    their   manufacturing   operations.      In   the   \'ear    1901    his   son,    L.    R. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  4I3 

Wayt,  wa.^  admitted  to  the  tinn  as  junior  partner.  Father  and  sun  make 
an  excellent  working  combination,  which  means  greater  and  increasing  pres- 
tige for  tins  well-known  establishment.  The  history  of  this  highly  ('icxeloped 
institution  spells  "Success"  in  the  fullest  meaning  of  the  word.  The  firm 
gave  ample  evidence  of  its  progressive  spirit  by  the  donation  and  erection 
of  a  bcaulifiil  and  apjjropriate  soldiers'  memorial  monument  to  (ien.  W.  T. 
Sherman  Post,  (inind  Army  of  the  Repuljlic,  of  Sac  City,  a  generous  gift 
which  is  highly  appreciated  by  the  people  in  general.  The  tall  spire  of  this 
tasteful  example  of  the  sculptor's  art  rears  its  way  heavenward  in  all  its 
pristine  simplicity  in  a  commanding  spot  in  the  cemetery.  Air.  W'ayt  has 
large  holdings  of  property  in  addition  to  bis  business  and  ha.-^  been  inter- 
ested in  lands  for  several  years,  being  the  owner  of  tracts  of  land  in  North 
Dakota,  Alissouri,  Iowa,  Oklahoma  and  Texas.  He  is  known  as  a  shrewd 
investor  and  an  excellent  judge  of  land  values  throughout  the  country. 

The  marriage  of  this  well-known  citizen  occurred  April  i"/.  1871,  at 
Cedar  Rapids.  Here  he  was  joined  in  wedlock  with  Emeretta  A.  Alarsh, 
daughter  of  Laiubertus  Walter  and  Regina  (Blunt)  Marsh.  Lamliertus 
W.  Marsh  was  l)orn  March  5,  1827,  in  Pompey,  Onandago  count}-.  New 
York.  He  was  left  an  orphan  when  very  young  and  was  reared  b}-  an  uncle 
in  Syracuse,  New  York.  In  the  year  1845  '''^  migrated  to  Kenosha.  Wis- 
consin, and  thence  to  .\ntioch,  Illintiis,  where  he  engaged  in  farming.  In 
1863  he  enlisted  in  Company  D,  Thirty-Fourth  Regiment  Illinois  Volun- 
teers, anfl  served  until  the  close  of  the  Civil  War.  In  1868  he  remoxed  with 
his  family  to  Cedar  Ra])ids,  Iowa,  and  thence  to  his  farm  in  Greene  county, 
Iowa.  Later,  in  1885,  he  retired  to  a  residence  in  Grand  Junction,  where 
he  died  January  zx,.  1912.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church.  Air. 
Marsh  was  married  April  i,  1850,  to  Regina  Blunt,  who  bore  him  five 
daughters,  namely :  Mrs.  W.  B.  Wayt ;  Mrs.  Hattie  Smith,  deceased ;  Mrs. 
E.  \\".  Rogers,  of  Patterson,  New  Jersey;  Mrs.  O.  L.  Harmon,  of  Wallowa, 
Oregon,  and  Mrs.  William  Patterson,  of  Grand  Junction,  Iowa.  The  widow 
of  Mr.  Marsh  now  makes  her  home  with  Mr.  Wayt  in  Sac  City. 

-Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wayt  have  reared  the  following  children:  \^^  E..  who 
married  Mary  Otis  Lee  and  is  the  father  of  four  children,  Walter  Lee,  Retta, 
Lorene  and  Worth.  He  remo\ed  from  Sac  City  to  a  large  ranch  near  Mott, 
North  Dakota,  in  1909.  The  second  son  is  Leon  R.,  whose  Ijiographv  ap- 
pears herein  and  who  is  associated  with  his  father  in  the  monument  business. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  B.  Wayt  also  have  owt  daughter,  Mrs.  \'elma  Grable,  of 
Sac  City. 

Mr.  Wayt  is  politically  allied  with  the  Democratic  party  and  is  a  stanch 


414  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

ineniljer  of  the  Christian  church  in  his  home  cit)-.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Odd  I-"ello\vs  and  the  Masonic  fraternity.  He  has  not  only  been  eminently 
succe-ssfiil  in  his  business  jjursuits.  but  he  does  his  duty  as  a  citizen  in  ways 
which  are  influential  and  are  for  lasting  and  permanent  good  to  the  com- 
munil\-  at  large.  Recognizing  the  fact  that  a  town  is  best  known  by  the 
quality  of  its  citizenship  and  the  extent  of  its  public  improvements,  Mr. 
Wayt  is  generally  found  in  the  forefront  oi  m()\-ements  resulting  in  the  in- 
stallation of  municipal  betterments.  He  and  his  talented  son  are  found  in 
the  van  of  those  seeking  the  advancement  of  Sac  City  and  have  used  their 
inliuence  in  furthering  the  wave  of  civic  Ijetterment  and  the  installation  of 
public  :.  rents  which  is  at  present  sweeping  the  city.     The  friends  of 

this  successful  manufacturer  are  legion  and  he  ranks  as  a  familiar  and  com- 
manding figure  throughout  the  county  and  western  Iowa. 


LEON  R.  WAYT. 


We  are.  living  in  an  age  of  continuous  achievement.  It  is  likewise  the 
era  of  opportunity  in  many  lines  for  the  young  men  of  the  present  day  who 
are  gifted  with  natural  ability  and  the  desire  to  progress  ahead  of  their  fel- 
lows in  the  race  for  supremacy.  Yet,  competition  along  certain  well-defined 
lines  is  greater  than  ever  liefore.  Onl\-  the  most  diligent  and  the  most  hon- 
orable can  achieve  a  substantial  measure  of  success.  Honesty  of  product 
and  a  rigid  exactitude  in  conducting  trade  operations  along  the  most  upright 
l)aths  of  procedure  will  result  in  suitable  and  fitting  rewards.  In  Sac  City 
and  county  the  pioneers  in  many  (occupations  are  making  way  for  the 
younger  element  of  the  population;  the  younger  generation  are  assuming 
the  burdens  of  trade  and  business  and  are  forging  to  the  front  with  a  wider 
scope  than  that  exhibited  by  their  predecessors  owing  to  the  fact  that  pres- 
ent-day pressure  of  business  demands  the  widening  out  of  their  sphere  of 
operations  and  the  boundless  ambition  frequently  possessed  by  the  sons.  A 
striking  example  of  progressive  young  manhood  is  Leon  R.  Wayt,  with 
whom  the  biographer  is  pleased  to  treat  in  a  reminiscent  way  for  insertion 
in  the  pages  of  this  history.  Mr.  Wayt  is  undoubtedlv  one  of  the  rising  and 
promising  young  men  of  the  cit\-  whose  career  is  well  defined  and  bids  fair 
to  be  remarkably  successful  in  future  years  as  it  has  been  in  the  past.  Pos- 
sessed of  a  bright  mental  equipment,  ability  to  grasp  the  details  of  a  subject 
under  his  consideration,  keenly  alive  to  his  opportunities,  and  endowed  with 
the  happy   faculty  of  making  friends  and  with  business  ability  of  a  high 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  415 

order,  he  is  making  rapid  progress  in  his  chosen  field  as  the  junior  mem- 
ber of  the  widely  and  favoralily  known  tirm  of  W.  B.  Wayt  &  Son,  monu- 
ment manufacturers  and  dealers. 

Leon  R.  Wayt  was  born  December  14,  1878,  in  the  town  of  Mechanics- 
ville.  Iowa,  the  son  of  W.  B.  Wayt,  whose  biography  is  herein  presented. 
He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Grand  Junction,  Jefferson  and  Sac 
City.  He  also  studied  the  classics  and  science  in  the  Sac  City  Institute  and 
the  Northern  Indiana  Normal  University  at  Valparaiso,  Indiana.  He  com- 
pleted his  course  in  the  latter  institution  of  learning  in  1898.  He  was  then 
engaged  for  a  period  of  two  years  in  the  grocery  business  in  Sac  City  in 
partnership  with  his  brother,  W.  E.  Wayt.  However,  for  some  time  after 
leaving  school  he  was  employed  in  the  monument  works  conducted  by  his 
father,  thus  giving  him  an  opportunity  to  learn  the  details  of  manufacture 
and  selling  which  later  stood  him  in  good  stead.  In  the  year  1901  he  was 
admittetl  to  partnership  with  his  father  and  assumed  a  consideraljle  portion 
of  the  burdens  of  conducting  a  large  and  growing  business  which  had  at- 
tained state-wide  reputation  for  the  excellence  and  honesty  of  its  product. 
His  push  and  enterprise  are  assisting  in  great  measure  in  extending  and 
widening  the  scope  of  the  business  done  by  this  important  and  growing 
concern.  His  activity  is  not  exactly  confined  to  the  business  in  which  he 
became  primarilv  interested,  and  he  is  president  of  the  Sac  City  Catering 
Company,  a  concern  recently  organized  by  a  number  of  the  \oung  men  of 
the  city.  Mr.  Wayt  has  been  especially  active  and  influential  in  the  civic  af- 
fairs of  Sac  City.  In  every  enterprise  of  community  interest  that  makes  for 
social  interdependence  and  municipal  solidarit}-  he  is  found  battling  for  its 
cause.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Sac  City  Commercial  Club,  and 
is  now  chairman  of  its  executive  committee.  He  was  chairman  of  the  Com- 
mercial Club  committee  that  gave  to  the  city  the  handsome  new  Park  Hotel, 
and  it  is  no  disparagement  to  others  to  say  that  the  burden  of  promotion 
and  the  raising  of  the  eighteen  thousand  dollars  for  this  building  fell  upon 
him.  He  is  now  one  of  the  trustees  of  this  valuable  hotel  property.  When 
the  proposal  to  pave  the  streets  of  Sac  City  was  being  agitated,  Mr.  Wayt 
assumed  the  initiative  in  ad\ocating  this  important  public  improvement.  As 
chairman  of  the  committee,  he  circulated  the  original  petitions  for  street 
paving  and  personally  secured  e\ery  signer.  Mr.  Wayt  was  also  chairman 
of  the  committee  that  raised  the  funds  for  the  electrolier  lighting  svstems 
that  beautifies  the  city. 

In  numerous  ways  Mr.  Wayt  has  performed  a  distinct  public  service  in 
giving  of  his  time  and  talents  to  every  worthy  enterprise  that  will  make  for 


4l6  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

a  bigger  and  better  town,  and  no  citizen  of  Sac  City  is  deserving  of  greater 
praise  for  unseltish  work  in  behalf  of  civic  pride  and  commercial  supremacy. 
He  takes  a  keen  interest  in  local  affairs  and  is  at  present  a  member  of  the 
school  board.  Politically,  he  is  allied  with  the  Republican  party.  He  and 
liis  famil}-  are  attendants  (jf  the  Presbyterian  rhurch,  and  he  is  a  fraternal 
member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  lodge,  chapter  and  com- 
mandery  of  Sac  City,  and  the  Des  Moines  Consistory,  being  a  Mason  of  the 
thirty-second  degree. 

Mr.  Wayt  was  married  November  ii,  1901,  to  Blaine  Lamoreux, 
daughter  of  D.  M.  and  Alice  Lamoreux,  of  Sac  Cit}'.  They  have  three 
children,  namely:  Margaret  Fern,  born  December  11,  1903;  \  ivian  Louise, 
born  February  5,  1905 ;  Donald  Eugene,  born  October  26,  1907. 

We  know  of  no  young  citizen  of  Sac  county  more  worthy  or  more  de- 
serving of  mention  in  this  volume  than  he  of  whom  the  foregoing  is  written. 
It  is  with  tlie  object  in  view  of  presenting"  a  Ijrief  revievv'  of  liis  life,  ambitions 
and  accomplishments  that  we  present  this  compendium  for  perusal  b\-  his 
friends  and  well  wishers,  who  are  legion. 


JOHN  FUCHS. 

Upon  a  county  official  rests  a  certain  amount  of  responsibility  which  he 
assumes  when  he  is  ushered  into  one  of  the  highest  local  offices  within  the  gift 
of  his  friends  and  fellow  citizens.  The  people  usually  weigh  care  full}'  the 
qualifications  of  the  candidates  for  political  preferment  for  important  office. 
Upon  the  county  supervisor  devolves  the  business  management  of  the  county- 
affairs.  Naturally,  the  duties  of  the  position  require  the  energies  of  a  x'ery 
capable  man.  Sac  county  has  such  a  man  as  a  member  of  the  county  board 
of  supervisors  in  John  Fuchs,  of  Odeliolt.  who  is  likewise  one  of  the  most 
successful  agriculturists  in  the  count\ . 

John  Fuchs  was  born  February  3,  1858,  in  Germany,  the  son  of  Henr}- 
and  Martha  Fuchs,  who  emigrated  to  America  in  1867  and  settled  in  Lee 
county,  Illinois,  locating  at  Lee  Center.  In  1879  the  family  moved 
to  Dallas  county,  Iowa,  where  the  father  died  in  the  winter  of  1905.  The 
mother  died  in  1904.  They  were  the  parents  of  six  children,  namely  :  George, 
living  in  Early;  Hattie  Ebner.  living  in  Perry,  Iowa;  John:  Mrs.  Lizzie 
Frohm,  deceased;  Charles,  of  Laurens,  Iowa;  VV.  A.,  of  Bedford.  Iowa. 

John  Fuchs  was  reared  and  educated  in  Lee  county.  Illinois,  where  he 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  417 

resided  until  1877,  wlien  lie  came  to  Sac  county.  For  the  first  two  years  he 
wori<ed  on  farms  at  a  wage  of  twenty  dollars  per  month.  In  1879  he  rented 
land  and  began  farming  on  his  own  account.  He  had  made  his  first  purchase 
of  land  before  marriage  in  Richland  township,  where  he  bought  eighty  acres 
of  land  at  a  purchase  price  of  seven  dollars  an  acre,  but  sold  the  same  six 
months  later  for  twelve  dollars  an  acre.  He  then  bought  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  in  Clintun  township,  on  which  he  resided  until  1912.  He  re- 
moved to  Odeboll  in  that  year  where  he  ha^  a  very  fine  residence.  He  has 
a  large  farm  of  six  hundred  and  eighty  acres,  well  improved  with  fine  build- 
ings and  grounds.  He  has  long  been  an  extensive  live  stock  producer,  his 
large  farm  producing  great  numbers  of  marketable  cattle. 

Mr.  Fuchs  has  been  twice  married:  his  first  wife  was  Katharine  Rein- 
hart,  who  died  in  1901,  and  was  the  mother  of  six  children,  namely:  Mrs. 
Lenore  C.  Hein,  of  Sac  City;  Ozro  C,  a  farmer  in  Clinton  township,  who  is 
a  graduate  of  Ames  College;  Mrs.  Lucillia  Mehlebrech;  Iva  B.,  a  graduate  of 
the  domestic  science  department  of  Ames  College  in  19 13  and  is  now  the 
head  of  the  department  of  domestic  science  in  the  Grand  View  Normal  Col- 
lege, Tennessee ;  Warren,  a  graduate  of  the  Ames  Agricultural  College ;  Vern. 
a  student  at  Ames.  Mr.  Fuchs'  second  marriage  occurred  in  T907  with  Lizzie 
Pfeiffer.  who  has  borne  him  four  children,  as  follows:  Rufus  Juhn,  Wayne, 
Martha  and  Amber. 

O.  C.  Fuchs,  who  is  managing  hi^  father's  large  farm  in  Clinton  town- 
ship, was  liorn  March  2,  1884.  in  Clinton  township  on  the  farm  where  he 
now  lives.  He  v.as  educated  in  the  district  .schools  and  Morningside  College, 
where  he  pursued  the  preiiarator}-  and  business  courses.  He  completed  the 
course  in  animal  husliandry  at  Ames  College  in  1909.  After  graduation  he 
took  up  the  \-()cation  of  farming  and  stock  raising^  He  disposes  of  over  fifty 
head  of  cattle  annually  and  over  twenty-five  head  of  swine.  He  keeps  a 
good  grade  of  _\ngus  cattle  and  specializes  in  Berkshire  hogs.  O.  C.  Fuchs 
is  the  owner  of  two  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  located  south  of  the 
home  farm  in  Clinton  townshi]).  He  is  a  I^epublican  in  ])olitics  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  German  Reformed  church.  He  is  affiliated  with  the  Ancient 
Free  and  Accepted  Masons. 

Tohn  Fuchs,  with  whom  this  narrati\e  is  directly  concernetl,  has  long 
been  identified  ])roniinenth-  with  the  Democratic  party  in  Sac  county  and  has 
been  high  in  the  councils  of  his  party.  He  was  elected  county  su]5er\isor 
in  the  spring  of  i()io  and  took  up  the  duties  of  his  office  in  January  of 
n;i  I.  It  can  be  said  of  him  that  he  is  an  excellent  and  conscientious  pul)lic 
(26) 


4l8  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

official.  He  lias  been  re-noniiiiatecl  to  this  office,  without  opposition,  in 
1914.  He  is  a  member  and  a  ruling  elder  ot  the  Odebolt  I'resbxterian 
church.  His  lodge  connections  are  with  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons,  chapter  and  commandery,  and  the  Mystic  Sliriners  of  Siuux  City 
and  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Aludern  Woodmen. 

Mr.  Fnchs  is  easih'  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  and  enterprising 
citizens  of  Sac  county  and  is  a  representative  of  the  large  German  class 
who  have  settled  in  the  county  and  taken  a  high  place  among  the  citizen- 
ship of  many  neighlxirhootls.  He  is  dignified,  intelligent,  progressive  and 
lends  his  assistance  to  all  matters  of  merit  which  ha\e  a  tendency  to  promote 
the  general  welfare  of  the  people  of  his  community  and  county.  Xo  man 
is  more  fu!l\-  entitled  to  representation  in  this  history  of  Sac  county  than 
Mr.  Fuchs. 


ANDERSON   MASON. 


While  notal:)le  and  ccjnspicuous  achievements  in  the  history  of  a  coni- 
munit\-  will  continue  to  occupy  the  attention  of  the  lovers  of  history,  it  is 
with  the  accomplishments  of  the  pioneer  and  the  in(H\-idual  who  has  con- 
tril)uted  his  ability  along  the  average  lines  of  human  endeavor  that  these 
annals  of  Sac  cciunty  principall}-  deal.  Frequently,  from  among  the  mass  of 
individuals  with  whom  tlie  writer  is  brought  into  intimate  contact,  there  are 
certain  figures  which  stand  proniinenth'  in  the  forefront  and  have,  through 
being  endowed  high  above  the  average  of  native  ability,  car\ed  a  ])articular 
place  of  vantage  among  their  fellows  and  hold  an  unshakable  position  in 
the  community  in  which  they  reside.  The  pioneer  life  of  Sac  county  is  con- 
spicuous, because  of  the  excellence  of  its  personnel  and  haxing  enrolled  in 
its  roster  a  number  of  genuinely  adxanced  men  of  ideas  and  capabilities  of 
leadership  in  their  own  particular  sphere.  One  who  has  been  identified  with 
the  liistor\'  of  this  county  for  over  forty  }'ears  and  en)o\'s  a  reputation  and 
a  [xipularilx-  as  a  p-erson  of  broad-minded  procli\ities  and  singular  attain- 
ments, is  .\nderson  Mason,  of  l*".arl\'. 

^Ir.  Mason  was  born  December  t.  iS.^l^,  in  Clinton  county,  ()hii>.  and 
is  one  of  a  large  (piota  of  citizens  which  that  state  has  contributed  to  the 
well  lieing  and  ])rogress  of  Sac  countw  His  father  was  Bagwell  .\.  Mason, 
a  natix'e  of  Richmond,  X'irginia,  and  a  scion  of  Scotch  ancestr\'.  His  mother 
was  Nancy  P>.  Butler,  who  was  horn  in  Baltimore,  Maryland.  In  the  year 
1851,  B.  .\.  !\lason  migrated  to  La  Salle  county,   Illinois,  and  settled  on  a 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  419 

farm.  He  resided  in  this  county  until  his  death  in  1854.  His  wife  died 
there  in  1864.  They  were  the  parents  of  fifteen  children,  namely ;  Henry  B., 
Gertrude  H.,  Sarah  T.,  William  T.,  Samuel  R..  Edward  P.,  James  B.,  Al- 
fred, Stephen,  ^lartha  Ann.  Betsy  Jane,  Mary  Ellen  and  Isaiah,  all  deceased; 
Anderson,  and  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Hoy,  a  resident  of  Sandwich,  Illinois.  James 
Stephen  and  Samuel  were  soldiers  in  the  Union  army  and  served  throughout 
the  Civil  War. 

During  the  War  of  the  Rehelliun.  Anderson  was  the  sole  support  (jf  his 
widowed  mother,  and  for  this  reason,  as  well  as  because  of  the  fact  that  the 
required  quota  of  soldiers  was  filled  when  he  was  drafted  into  the  service 
in  October,  1864,  he  was  relieved  from  further  duty  after  a  few  weeks  spent 
ill  drilling,      I'mm  the  time  he  was  sixteen  years  of  age  he  became  the  head 
of  the  family  and  labored  to  support  his  mother  and  sister.     In  the  fall  of 
1864  he  removed  to  a   farm  in  Grand  Rapids  township.   La   Salle  county, 
which  he  cultivated  for  two  years.     He  then  journeyed  to  Franklin  county, 
Kansas,  in  1866,  and  li\ed  on  his  sister's  farm  for  one  year.     He  returned 
to  La  Salle  countv  in  1867  and,  after  a  year's  residence  in  his  home  county, 
.settled  on  a   farm  in  Livingston  county,   Illinois.     Five  years  later  he  again 
decided  to    follow   the   star  of   empire   westward   ami   in    1871    came  to   Sac 
countv.     His  first  purchase  was  for  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in 
section  17,  Bover  V^alley  township.     Fie  erected  a  small  house,  of  one  story, 
which  sufficed  for  his  home  for  some  years  and  was  later  replaced  l)y  a  hand- 
some farm  residence.     The  Ma.son  family  were  the  seventh  to  locate  in  the 
west  part  of  Sac  cijunty.     The  country  was  very  sparsely  settled  and  settlers 
were  few  and  far  between.     The  Masons  got  along  first  rate  and  suffered 
few  hardships.     In  1878  Mr.   Mason  added  the  adjoining  one  hundred  ^nd 
sixt\-   acres   to   his   possessions   and    created    what    is    widely    and    fa\-oral)ly 
known  as  Green  Bush  Stock  Farm.     It  is  now  divided  into  two  farms  which 
are  known  as  East  and  W^est  Greenbush  and  are  tilled  by  his  two  sons.    He 
was  a  pioneer  breeder  of  fine  stock  in  Sac  county.     The  farm  became  famous 
for  the  qualit\-  of  its  pure  l)red  live  stock  and  was  a  large  [jrodiicer  of  Short- 
horn cattle,  Xorman  Percheron  horses,  and  Poland  China  hogs.      It  is  like- 
wise noted  for  its  well-kept  buildings  and  barns.     In  1888  he  removed  to  the 
town  of  Early  and  purchased  a  fine  residence.     He  is  also  the  owner  of  a 
large  l)rick  business  building  situated  on  the  main  street  of  the  town. 

Mr.  Mason  has  generally  been  allied  with  the  Republican  party  and  has 
figured  prominently  in  the  official  life  of  Boyer  \'alley  township,  of  which 
he  was  the  first  school  treasurer,  holding  this  office  for  several  years.  He 
also  served  as  township  trustee  for  a  long  period.     Since  making  Early  his 


420  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

residence  he  has  filled  the  office  of  mayor  for  two  terms.  For  several  years 
he  was  vice-president  of  the  Early  State  Bank.  At  one  time  he  ran  his  op- 
ponent a  very  close  race  for  the  office  of  county  supervisor  and  also  held  the 
important  position  of  county  road  supervisor  by  appointment,  and  it  was 
due  to  his  suggestion  and  personal  influence  that  the  county  roads  were  es- 
tablished along  sectional  lines.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church. 

Mr.  Mason's  wedded  life  l^egan  on  January  i,  1862,  when  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Marion  Elizabeth  Hart,  of  La  Salle  county,  the  daughter  of  Jason 
and  Inline  (Lewis)  Hart,  natives  of  Vermont  and  who  were  early  pioneer 
settlers  of  Branch  county,  Michigan.  I'ive  children  have  been  born  to  this 
highly  esteemed  couple:  Grant,  who  died  at  the  age  of  two  years;  Arthur  L., 
who  resides  011  East  Greenbush  farm,  and  is  the  parent  of  four  children, 
Chester,  Virgie  May,  Emma  Marian  and  Duane :  Elmer,  residing  on  West 
Greenbush  farm,  and  has  two  children.  Opal  May  and  Elmer  Ellsworth : 
Mrs.  May  Evans,  of  Early,  who  is  the  mother  of  three  children,  b'o\'  Dewey, 
Aria  and  Leland  Anderson ;  A'Irs.  Rose  Jackson,  deceased,  who  is  survived 
by  two  children,  Verla  Jeannette  and  James  Alton. 

Mr.  Mason's  family  are  a  credit  to  him  and  his  good  wife,  and  are 
blessed  with  the  same  sterling  qualities  which  have  enabled  him  to  achieve 
such  success  as  has  been  his  lot.  This  history  of  Sac  countv  would  be  in- 
complete were  it  deficient  in  a  proper  estimate  of  his  usefulness  and  this 
compendium  is  intended  for  a  slight  tribute  to  him  and  his  for  the  part  thev 
have  taken  in  making  this  county  what  it  is  today. 


FRANCIS    W.    WEED. 


When  a  great  railroad  thinks  of  expansion  it  examines  crop  conditions. 
When  a  great  insurance  company  has  money  to  invest,  it  examines  crop 
conditions.  When  a  general  statement  of  l)usiness  throughout  the  countrv 
is  in  process  of  preparation,  the  crop  conditions  are  examined,  and  always 
the  farmer's  wealth  is  found  to  be  the  most  secure  and  constantlv  increas- 
ing. Why?  Because  the  land  itself  is  the  foundation  of  all  true  prosperity. 
The  farmer  not  only  feeds  thcni  all.  but  acts  as  the  balance  wheel  and  wealth 
Iniilder  of  his  nation  and  lives  a  more  happy  and  contented  life  than  his 
misguided  l)rother.  He  is  the  final  force  that  turns  the  wheels  of  factories; 
his  land  is  the  basis  of  securitv,  the  foundation  of  credit,  the  great  factor  of 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  421 

jjrosperity  and  constitutes  ninet}'  per  cent  of  onr  nation's  wealth.  Sac  coitnty 
is  essentially  an  agricultural  county;  this  volume,  therefore,  contains  the 
biographies  of  more  plain  farmers  than  of  any  other  class.  What  better 
reading  could  one  desire?  Who  has  made  greater  achievements  in  this 
wonderful  land  id'  the  ^Vest  than  the  farmer?  None  are  more  deserving  of 
just  tributes  to  their  accomplishments  than  the  farmers.  One  of  the  most 
advanced  and  progressive  of  the  prosperous  farmers  of  the  county  is 
I-Vancis  W.  \Veed,  of  Levey  township,  who  is  likewise  the  oldest  living 
settler  of  tiie  townshi]).  For  forty-four  years  he  has  resided  on  his  beautiful 
landed  estate  among  the  rolling  hills  of  Levey  township;  for  over  forty 
vears  he  has  aided  in  the  development  of  Sac  county  and  taken  an  active 
part   in   the  affairs   of   his  township  and   county. 

v.  W.  Weed  has  one  of  the  finest  equipped  farms  in  the  western  part 
of  Iowa,  situated  in  section  33,  Levey  township,  and  consisting  of  two  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres  of  rich  and  fertile  land.  The  Illinois  Central  and  the 
Chicago  &  Northwestern  Railroads  cross  his  lands.  His  first  residence, 
erected  in  1871,  was  a  small  affair,  sixteen  by  twenty  feet  in  dimension  and 
nine  feet  in  height.  This  served  as  a  habitation  for  his  family  until  1886, 
when  he  set  about  the  building  of  a  large,  modern  house  which  stands  in  a 
commanding  and  attractive  position  on  the  hilltop  overlooking  the  fertile 
valle_\'  forming  part  of  his  domain.  Three  large  barns,  fitted  with  modern 
conveniences,  occupy  suitable  places  on  the  slope  stretching  away  from  the 
residence.  The  largest  of  these  is  fifty-six  by  sixty  feet  in  extent,  the  second 
in  size  being  forty  by  fifty-eight  feet  in  dimension,  and  a  third  twenty-four 
l)y  twent}--four  feet  in  extent,  and  a  corn  crib  having  a  capacity  of  over 
t\\(j  thousand  l>ushels  of  grain.  Mr.  Weed  specialized  in  the  breeding  of 
Shorthorn  cattle  for  ten  years,  but  is  now  gradually  replacing  his  Shorthorns 
with  Impro\ed  Polled  Durhams  and  is  using  his  great  skill  as  a  breeder 
to  evolve  a  breed  of  Shorthorn  cattle  without  the  semblance  of  horns.  He 
has  been  successful  in  accomplishing  his  desire  in  this  respect  and  now  has 
a  large  herd  of  seventy-five  registered  thoroughbreds.  His  farm  produces 
over  two  hundred  head  of  swine  annually.  He  prides  himself  on 
his  fine  horses.  The  Weed  farm  presents  one  of  the  most  attractive 
views  which  it  has  been  the  privilege  of  the  historian  to  view  and  is  typical 
of  the  industrv  and  taste  of  its  owner. 

Francis  W.  Weed  was  born  in  the  town  of  Hampshire,  Kane  county, 
Illinois,  June  7.  1847.  His  father  was  Elisha  Weed,  a  native  of  Trumbull 
county,  Ohio.  His  mother  was  Julia  .Ann  Hartman  Weed,  a  native  of 
I'ennsvlvania,   of   the   old    Pennsvlvania   German   stock.      Elisha   Weed   was 


422  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

born  in  Bloomfield  township,  Trumbull  county,  Ohio,  August  20.  181 7. 
He  was  the  son  oi  John  NN'eed,  who  was  a  native  of  New  Bangor,  Alaine. 
John  Weed  was  of  Scotch-English  descent,  and  served  as  a  sergeant  in  the 
American  army  in  the  War  of  1812,  enlisting  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years, 
and  fought  in  the  battle  of  Sackett's  Harbor.  When  Elisha  \Vee(l  was  a 
young  man.  he  migrated  to  the  state  of  Indiana  and  was  employed  on  pulilic 
constructiiin  works.  l'>om  18,^6  to  1842  he  followed  public  construction 
employment  in  Bartholomew.  Johnson.  Moyd  and  I'ippecanoe  counties  of 
Indiana.  During  this  time  he-  rented  land  and  was  likewise  engaged  in 
farming.  He  was  married  at  Blue  River.  Bartholomew  county,  Indiana, 
March  10,  184J,  to  Julia  A.  Hartman.  who  was  born  near  Little  York, 
Pennsylvania,  July  22,  1822,  and  was  the  daughter  of  Francis  and  Magda- 
lena  Gilbert  Hartman,  who  were  of  German  ancestry.  She  died  March  9, 
1912,  at  the  age  of  ninety  years.  '  Elisha,  soon  after  his  marriage,  removed 
to  Kane  county.  Illinois,  in  1845.  He  traveled  bv  ox  wagon  the  whole  dis- 
tance. On  his  arrival  in  the  territory  of  his  choice  for  a  homestead,  he  pur- 
chased forty  acres  of  land  in  section  27,  Hampshire  township.  To  this  farm 
he  eventuallx'  added  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  more,  which  he  brought 
to  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  He  was  a  I'reemason  and  a  Whig,  Init  was 
a  Republican  when  the  party  was  organized.  He  held  many  offices.  He 
removed  from  the  farm  to  the  town  of  Hampshire  in  1893,  and  dejiarted 
this  life  in  the  fullness  of  years  and  honors,  Eebruarv  13,  1900.  He  was 
the  father  of  four  children,  as  follows:  Mrs.  Helen  M.  Starks,  deceased; 
I'Tancis  W. ;  George  A.,  of  Wall  Lake,  Iowa:  Frederick  Weed,  a  resident 
of  Hampshire,  Illinois. 

It  is  of  Francis  W.  \\^eed,  however,  that  this  biograph\-  is  directlv 
concerned.  He  had  little  opportunit\-  to  obtain  an  education  and  was 
placed  at  work  when  twelve  years  old.  His  father  having  settled  in  the 
timber  country,  a  great  amount  of  "grubbing"  was  necessar\-  so  as  to  in- 
crease the  tillalile  area  of  land  from  year  to  year.  bTancis  followed  this 
arduous  occupation  for  two  years  and  was  paid  wages  when  he  became  of 
age  by  his  father  for  his  labor.  He  saved  all  money  that  he  received  for 
his  work  and  conceived  an  ambition  to  journey  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  and 
there  engage  in  farming  for  himself.  He  liecame  afflicted  with  the  "West- 
ern fever,"  which  was  then  spreading  in  the  neighliorhood,  and  caused  many 
of  the  best  representatives  of  the  Illinois  farming  gentry  to  come  W^est  and 
bu\-  the  chea])  lands  which  were  being  offered  to  settlers.  He  came,  saw,  and 
was  convinced  to  such  an  extent  that  he  in\ested  in  two  Inmdred  acres  of 
land  where  he  now  resides.     'I'liis  land  cost  him  three  and  one-third  dollars 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  423 

an  acre.  Later  he  added  fortv  acres  tn  his  ImbHngs  at  a  cost  of  eight  doUars 
an  acre.  He  lias  hgiired  proiiiinenth'  in  the  organization  of  the  count)'  and 
was  the  first  assessor  of  Levey  township,  lia\-ing  se\'eral  times  ser\  ed  in 
that  capacity.  He  has  filled  the  ofifice  of  township  trustee  several  terms 
and  has  served  as  secretary  an<l  treasurer  and  president  of  the  township 
school  board. 

]\Ir.  Weed  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  is 
affiliated  with  the  Masonic  lodge  at  WaW  Lake,  Iowa.  He  became  a  Mason 
as  soon  as  he  had  attained  his  majority — in  fact,  he  has  retained  his  mem- 
bership since  the  year  1868.  He  was  first  connected  with  Westside  Lodge, 
and  later  was  enrolled  a  charter  member  of  Wall  Lake  Lodge  of  Masons. 

Mr.  Weed  was  united  in  marriage  with  Rachel  Dean,  March  29,  1871. 
Mrs.  Weed  was  born  on  a  farm  in  McHenry  county,  Illinois,  June  23,  1849, 
and  is  the  daughter  of  Richard  and  Mary  (Brook)  Dean.  Richanl  Dean 
was  a  native  of  luigland  whcj  first  settled  in  McHenry  county,  Illinois,  and 
came  to  Sac  county  in  1878,' settling  in  the  same  neighborhood  as  Mr.  W'eed. 
He  was  l)i)rn  October  23,  1813,  and  died  .May  15,  1880.  He  was  the 
father  of  six  children  liy  two  marriages:  Sarah  and  Richard,  deceased; 
Thomas,  of  Minneapolis,  Minnesota;  John  J.,  a  farmer  residing  in  Levey 
township;  Mrs.  Mary  .\.  Dawson,  of  South  Dakota:  Mrs.  Susanna  Harri- 
son, of  .Mcllenr\-  count\-,  Illinois,  these  lieing  children  of  the  first  union. 
By  the  second  marriage  there  were  the  following  offs])ring:  Heni\'  and 
Edward  L.,  deceased;  Rachel  B.  \^'eed;  Gary,  a  resident  of  Nebraska;  Mrs. 
Maria  Ocock,  of  McHenry  county,  Illinois;  Charles  B.,  former  postmaster 
of  Wall  Lake,  who  died  in  .\ugnst,  igi2:  and  Mrs.  Emma  L.  Marsh, 
residing  in  McHenry  county,   Illinois. 

To  the  union  of  Francis  and  Rachel  (Dean)  Weed  have  been  born 
and  reared  four  children,  namely:  Mrs.  (^"arrie  Hay,  now  residing  with 
her  parents,  and  who  is  the  mother  of  one  child,  Bernice  May;  Harry  E. 
Weed,  a  farmer  in  Levey  township;  Mrs.  Edith  A.  Tounget,  who  resides  on 
a  farm  near  Odebolt,  Iowa,  and  is  the  mother  of  one  son,  Claude  Harold ; 
Fred  E.,  at  home. 

George  -\.  Weed,  brother  of  Francis  W.,  came  to  Iowa  on  August  20, 
1870,  and  for  the  first  four  years  of  his  residence  here  tilled  the  soil  in 
partnership  with  his  brother.  Later,  he  settled  on  the  farm  adjoining  that 
of  I'rank  and  here  resided  until  lyoi),  when  he  made  a  trip  to  California 
and  the  Pacific  coast  and  then  settled  in  the  town  of  Wall  Lake.  He  was 
born  February  22,  1850.  and  was  married  to  Jane  Tait  October  2;^^.  1874. 
His   wife  died   without   issue. 


424  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

The  greatest  tribute  that  we  can  pay  this  active  and  sturcl\-  pioneer  is 
that  he  is  a  true  son  of  the  soil  and  a  great  lover  of  animals,  who  desires 
nothing  better  than  to  spend  his  days  in  looking  after  his  well-loved  acres 
and  each  year  contributing  the  result  of  his  endeavors  for  the  sustenance  of 
his  fellow  men.  The  biographer  agrees  with  him  in  the  time-tried  maxim 
that  "Farmers  are  l)orn,  not  made."  The  results  which  he  has  attained  as 
a  plain  agriculturist  entitle  him  to  rank  high  among  the  citizens  of  this 
great  country,  and  this  review  is  herein  presented  in  further  recognition 
of  his  attainments.  Hospitable  to  the  core,  his  home  is  open  to  his  friends 
and  those  with  whom  he  has  dealings.  His  wife  is  a  fitting  helpmeet  for  one 
\\ho  is  deserving  of  commendation. 


BEX  BROUGHTON. 


While  many  essentials  contribute  in  the  making  of  a  successful  man. 
there  is  usually  one  strong  predominating"  trait  which  stands  out  in  relief  and 
furnishes  the  foundation  for  the  development  of  the  faculties  with  which  he 
has  been  naturally  endowed.  Inborn  intelligence,  with  a  liroad  mentalit}-, 
when  found  to  be  a  well  marked  characteristic  of  a  successful  man  in 
whatever  sphere  of  usefulness  his  lot  may  be  cast,  is  responsible  for  his 
transformation  to  the  realms  of  successful  endeavor  and  his  taking  a  right- 
ful place  as  a  leader  among  men.  Naturally.  Sac  count}",  l^eing  an  agri- 
cultural county,  the  greatest  successes  are  found  to  be  among  the  agri- 
cultural class  of  this  rich  and  fertile  portion  of  mother  earth.  The  science 
of  animal  hu.sbandry  is  one  of  the  nid^t  important  divisions  of  agricul- 
ture and  many  of  the  followers  of  this  highly  productive  vocation  are 
known  far  beyond  the  borders  of  their  neighborhood  liecause  of  the  dis- 
tribution of  the  product  of  their  skill  and  profound  knowledge  of  the  breed- 
ing of  live  stock.  Ben  Broughton.  li\e  stock  Ijreeder  of  Lake  View,  Iowa, 
is  one  of  the  best  known  stock  men  in  this  section  of  Iowa,  and  is,  withal,  a 
citizen  of  excellent  attainments  and  education. 

Mr.  Broughton  has  a  beautiful  farm  of  two  hundred  acres  within  the 
corporate  limits  of  Lake  View  and  has  a  handsome  modern  home  which 
sits  on  the  hillside  oxerlooking  the  towi"i  and  the  lake  in  the  distance.  No 
more  favorable  spot  for  a  residence  and  farmstead  is  to  be  found  in  the 
length  and  breadth  of  the  state  than  that  of  the  Broughton  farm.  The 
home  is  surrounded  by  great  trees  which  cast  their  beneficent  and  welcome 


BEX  BROUGHTOX 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  425 

shade  o\er  well-kept  lawns  and  grounds.  Three  large  stock  barns,  fitted 
with  e\er^-  modern  convenience  and  with  adjacent  silos,  are  situated  at 
some  distance  from  the  residence.  Mr.  Broughton  has  what  is  considered 
to  be  the  finest  breed  barns  in  Sac  county  without  exception.  For 
eighteen  years  he  has  been  a  breeder  of  fine  live  stock  and  has  attained 
the  highest  success  in  this  difficult  vocation.  He  maintains  a  herd  of 
one  hundred  thoroughbred  registered  Herefords  and  disposes  of  about  fifty 
head  annually  at  an  average  price  of  two  hundred  dollars  each.  His  famous 
herd  has  been  exhibited  at  various  county  fairs  and  live  stock  shcnvs  thorough- 
out  the  countr\  and  the  proprietor  has  an  accumulation  of  blue  ribbons 
and  first  premium  prizes  that  are  truly  enviable.  His  herd  of  Herefords 
ha\-e  taken  first  premiums  at  the  Sac  county  fair,  the  Shelby  county  fair, 
the  Lvon  count\'  fair,  the  Iowa  state  fairs,  and  the  Sioux  City  fair,  having 
taken  both  first  and  second  prizes  on  many  occasions. 

Mr.  Broughton  is  likewise  an  extensive  breeder  of  Poland  China  hogs 
and  at  this  writing  he  has  over  one  hundred  head  of  registered  stock, 
among  them  being  some  prize  winning  sires.  The  breeding  of  Percheron 
horses  is  another  speciality  of  this  versatile  farmer  and  at  this  vocation  he 
is  also  making  a  success. 

Ben  Broughton  was  born  May  25,  1871,  on  a  farm  in  DeKalb  county, 
Illinois.  His  father  was  C.  W.  Broughton,  who  was  born  in  181 7  and 
died  in  1893.  .  His  mother  before  her  marriage  was  Caroline  Churchill, 
a  member  of  the  famous  Churchill  family  of  which  Winston  Churchill  is 
a  member.  The  Churchill  family  trace  their  ancestry  back  to  the  "May- 
flower", on  which  the  original  founder  of  the  American  family  came  to 
America,  seeking  religious  freedom  with  the  Pilgrim  fathers.  C.  W.  Brough- 
ton was  the  father  of  nine  children,  namely:  Charles  Preston,  of  Jackson 
countv,  Missouri:  Mrs.  Ella  B.  Woods,  of  DeKalb  county,  Illinois:  Mrs. 
May  Kingsley,  also  a  resident  of  DeKalb  county,  Illinois:  Ben;  and  two 
sons  bv  second  marriage,  Charles  Beers  and  Chauncey  W.,  residing  in  De- 
Kalb countv,  Illinois.  The  mother  of  Ben  Broughton  died  May  29,  1871,  and 
the  father  remarried. 

In  the  year  1894  Mr.  Broughton  came  to  Lake  View,  Iowa,  from  his 
home  in  Illinois  and  in  the  fall  of  1894  purchased  an  interest  in  a  local 
hardware  store.  He  was  engaged  in  the  hardware  business  for  three  years 
and  then  disposed  of  his  interest  and  purchased  the  Sunny  Slope  Stock 
Farm.  Since  purchasing  the  farm  he  has  remodeled  and  practically  re- 
built all  of  the  buildings  on  the  place  and  greatl\-  improved  the  farm  until 
it  is  one  of  the  most  valuable  tracts  of  land  in  the  county.     One  hundred 


426  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

and  twenty-five  acres  of  this  land  cost  him  seventy  dollars  an  acre  and 
eighty  acres  additional,  honght  in  the  spring  of  1912,  cost  one  hundred  and 
thirty-three  dollars  an  acre.  He  laid  ofif  a  portion  of  this  land  which  is 
now  a  part  of  Lake  View  ])roper  and  is  officially  known  as  Broughton's 
addition  to  the  town  of  Lake  View. 

Mr.  Broughton  was  married  in  the  fall  of  1894  to  Alice  B.  Cleve- 
land, of  Dekalb  county,  Illinois,  who  is  a  distant  relative  of  the  late  Presi- 
dent Grover  Cleveland.  The}  have  two  children;  Lois  ]Marie,  wlio  is  at- 
tending the  Lake  View  high  school,  and  Channcey  Preston  Broughton, 

Politically,  Mr.  Broughton  is  a  Republican  who  has  long  l^een  identified 
prominently  with  his  partv  in  Sac  count\'  and  has  taken  an  acti\e  part  in 
political  affairs.  He  has  served  one  term  as  trustee  of  Wall  Lake  township 
and  has  filled  the  otiice  of  city  councilman  two  terms  and  has  ser\ed  as 
a  member,  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Lake  View  school  board  for  over 
fourteen  vears.  In  the  fall  of  190S  he  was  elected  a  member  nf  the  board 
of  county  supervisors  and  filled  the  office  capabl)'  and  well  for  a  period  of 
three  years.  He  is  a  Mason  of  blue  lodge,  chapter,  commandery  and 
Shrine,  and  a  Woodman  and  is  well  and  favorably  known  as  a  progressive 
and  enterprising  citizen  who  is  always  found  in  the  forefront  of  the  advocates 
of  better  citizenship  and  the  advancement  of  his  home  city's  best  inter- 
est. This  can  be  said  of  him  with  truth  and  conviction,  e\en  recognizing 
the  fact  that  Lake  View  is  noted  far  and  wide  for  the  hustling,  progres- 
sive spirit  which  pervades  the  rank  and  file  of  its  citizens.  He  is  a  live 
member  of  the  body  politic  in  a  city  which  has  its  full  quota  of  live,  wide- 
awake men  of  affairs. 


DAN  D.  CARLTON. 


The  true  measure  of  individual  success  is  determined  by  what  one  has 
accomplished.  An  enumeration  of  those  men  who  have  succeeded  in  their 
special  vocations  in  Sac  county,  Iowa,  and  at  the  same  time  are  impressing 
their  personalities  on  the  community,  men  who  are  conferring  honor  on  the 
locality  in  which  they  reside,  would  be  incomplete  were  there  failure  to  make 
specific  mention  of  the  gentleman  whose  name  initiates  this  paragraph,  for 
he  is  an  important  factor  in  the  business  life  of  his  community.  The  splen- 
did success  which  has  come  to  him  has  been  the  direct  result  of  the  salient 
points  in  his  character,  for,  with  a  mind  capable  of  la\  ing  judicious  plans 
and  a  will  strong  enough  to  carry  them  into  execution,  his  energy,  foresight 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  427 

and  perseverance  ha\e  carrietl  him  forward  to  a  position  in  tlie  front  ranlv 
of  the  successful  men  of  his  community,  tie  has  carried  forward  to  a  suc- 
cessful completion  \vhate\er  he  has  undertaken,  and  his  methods  have  ever 
been  in  strict  conformity  with  the  standard  ethics  of  commercial  life.  He 
has  taken  an  intelligent  interest  in  the  civic  life  of  the  community  and  ha*^ 
earned  the  high  regard  in  which  he  is  held  b\-  all  who  know  him. 

Dan  D.  Carlton,  \ice-president  of  the  Citizens  State  Bank  of  Early, 
Iowa,  and  retired  merchant  of  that  city,  was  born  January  31.  1862,  in 
Scranton,  Pennsylvania.  His  parents,  E.  W.  and  Nancy  R.  (Fuller)  Carl- 
ton, were  both  natives  of  New  Hampshire,  and  shortly  after  the  birth  of 
D.  D.  Carlton  they  moved  back  to  their  old  home  in  New  Hampshire,  where 
the  father  died  in  1903.  and  the  mother  is  still  residing  in  that  state,  nearly 
seventy-seven  }ears  of  age.  l'^.  W.  Carltnn  and  wife  were  the  parents  (if  a 
large  family  of  children:  Mrs.  Anna  Hunter,  of  Wall  Lake,  Iowa;  Edward, 
of  Dubuciue,  Iowa;  Guy,  of  Washta,  Iowa:  Mrs.  Etta  Siscoe;  Mrs.  Nellie 
Marshall;  Fred,  of  New  Hampshire;  D.  D.,  with  whom  this  narrative  deals, 
and  Bert,  deceased. 

Dan  D.  Carlton  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  and  Derby  Academy 
in  New  Hampshire,  and  later  graduated  from  Eastman's  Business  CoUoge, 
at  Poughkeepsie,  New  \'ork,  in  1883.  He  immediately  came  west  and  in 
1884  located  in  b~arl\-.  Iowa,  then  a  new  town.  He  worked  on  a  farm  for 
the  first  year,  and  then  began  clerking  in  the  store  of  H.  Mohr  &  Son.  In 
1886  he  became  a  partner  of  T.  A.  Barrett,  his  father-in-law,  a  partnership 
which  lasted  for  twenty-five  years,  and  on  January  i,  1913.  'Sir.  Carlton 
retired  from  the  mercantile  business,  and  he  has  been  vice-president  of  the 
Citizens  State  Bank,  of  l-'arly.  since  its  organization.  In  addition  to  his 
mercantile  and  banking  interests,  he  has  been  also  interested  in  farming 
lands,  and  is  now  the  owner  of  two  hundred  and  fifty-five  acres  in  Buena 
Vista  county,  Iowa,  two  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Sac  county  and  three 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  South  Dakota. 

Mr.  Carlton  was  married  in  1886  to  Kitty  L.  Barrett,  the  daughter  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  T.  A.  Barrett,  and  to  this  marriage  have  been  born  three 
children:  Bvrhl,  cashier  of  the  Citizens"  State  Bank,  of  Early:  Murl,  who  is 
now  a  law  student  in  the  University  of  ^lichigan,  and  Marjorie.  who  is  a 
student  in  the  high  school  at  Plarly. 

Politicallv,  Mr.  Carlton  is  a  Republican.  The  memliers  of  the  family 
are  all  faithful  adherents  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  Fraternally,  Mr.  Carl- 
ton is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons  at  Early,  includ- 


428  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

ing  cliapter  and  coniniandery,  and  has  served  as  master  of  the  Early  blue 
lodge.  He  has  also  served  for  one  year  as  treasurer  of  the  grand  lodge  of 
Iowa.     He  is  also  a  Noble  of  the  Mystic  Shrine. 

T.  .\.  Barrett,  father  of  Mrs.  Carlton,  was  born  April  13,  1833,  in  Erie 
CDUiity.  Pennsylvania.  His  parents  were  L.  W.  and  Martha  (Wells)  Bar- 
rett, natives  of  W-nnont  and  New  York  respectively.  In  1843  his  parents 
moved  to  Ohio,  where  T.  A.  Barrett  was  educated.  When  twenty  years  of 
age  he  came  to  Porter  county,  Indiana,  where  he  spent  ten  vears  in  a  gen- 
eral mercantile  store,  and  in  1864  he  crossed  the  plains  tn  the  hearlwaters  of 
the  Missouri  in  search  of  health,  but  returned  t(T  Porter  ciiunty,  Indiana, 
and  in  1873  he  went  west  again  and  settled  in  Story  county,  Iowa,  where 
he  spent  eight  years  on  a  farm.  He  then  came  to  Sac  countv  and  became 
one  of  the  first  settlers  in  the  town  of  Pearly  and  opened  the  first  general 
merchandise  store  in  l-larly  under  the  name  of  Thurman  &  Barrett.  Later 
lie  bought  out  the  interests  of  his  partner  and  in  1886  took  his  son-in-law 
into  the  business,  retiring  in  January,  191 1,  and  his  son-in-law,  Mr.  Carlton, 
sold  out  his  interests  two  years  later.  Mr.  tlarrett  erected  the  PL'irly  Cream- 
erv  antl  for  several  _\'ears  this  was  the  i)ioneer  creamer\'  in  northern  Sac 
county,  Iowa.  In  addition  to  his  mercantile  and  banking  interests,  Mr.  Bar- 
rett was  interested  in  farm  lands,  and  at  one  time  was  the  owner  of  over 
eight  hundred  acres.  Pie  now  owns  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  acres  as 
well  as  a  business  block  and  dwelling  houses  in  Early. 

^\r.  Barrett  was  married  September  g,  1859,  in  Porter  county,  In- 
diana, to  Lavina  White,  who  was  born  October  27,  1835,  and  to  this  mar- 
riage were  born  two  children,  Byrhl,  deceased,  and  Kittv  L.,  the  wife  of 
Mr.  Carlton.  Mr.  Barrett  is  a  member  of  the  PVee  and  Acceptetl  Masons 
and  also  of  the  Eastern  Star,  while  in  his  church  affiliations  he  adheres  to 
the  Universalist  faith. 

The  Citizens  State  Bank  of  Early  was  organized  in  Jamiary,  1896,  by 
T.  A.  Barrett  and  operated  as  a  private  bank  under  the  firm  name  of  Bar- 
rett &  Carlton.  On  January  i,  191 1,  the  bank  was  reorganized  as  a  state 
Ijank  and  Mr.  Barrett  has  been  its  president  since  its  organization.  The 
l)ank  has  had  a  very  successful  career,  as  is  shown  by  its  statement  to  the 
auditor  of  Iowa  on  September  10,  1913,  as  follows:  Resources — Loans  and 
discounts,  $189,993.61;  overdrafts,  $3,583.02;  bank  building  and  fixtures, 
$6,500.00;  cash  and  exchange,  $21,348.87;  total,  $221,427.50.  Liabilities — 
Capital,  $30,000.00;  surplus  fund,  $1,000.00;  undivided  profits,  $1,074.29; 
deposits,  $189,353.21:  total,  $221,353.50. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  429 

MICHAEL    B.    \\'OLI'\ 

The  town  of  Odel^olt,  Sac  county,  Iowa,  boasts  of  manv  retired  farm- 
ers and  whenever  any  county  has  a  number  of  retired  farmers  it  is  an 
indication  that  tliey  have  been  successful  in  their  careers.  While  Sac  countv 
has  thousands  of  German  citizens,  it  has  few  who  are  descendants  of  German 
and  French  parents.  Mr.  Wolf  has  inherited  the  good  characteristics  of  a 
German  father  and  a  French  mother,  and  combines  the  thrift  and  frugalit\- 
of  both  nations. 

Michael  B.  Wolf  was  born  February  25,  1858,  in  Alsace-Loraine,  and 
was  the  son  of  Michael  and  Margaret  (Bartel)  Wolf.  His  father  was  a 
sturdy  German  farmer,  while  his  mother  was  a  daughter  of  French  parents. 
Michael  Wolf  and  wife  were  the  parents  of  five  children:  Mrs.  Mar- 
garet Bachman.  of  Alsace-Loraine;  Michael  B.,  with  whom  this  narrative 
deals;  Mrs.  Katherine  Fleck,  of  Lyons,  Nebraska,  and  two  married  daugh- 
ters, Salome  and  Mary,  who  are  living  in  Strasburg,  Germanv. 

Michael  B.  Wolf  was  given  an  excellent  common  school  education  in  the 
schools  of  Alsace-Loraine,  but  early  in  life  decided  that  he  wanted  to  come 
to  America  to  seek  his  fortune.  Accordingly  when  he  was  only  fifteen 
years  of  age  he  set  sail  for  America  and  first  located  in  Ashland,  Ohio, 
where  he  worked  at  farm  labor  until  1881.  However,  he  did  not  spend  all 
of  his  time  in  Ashland  county.  Shortly  after  coming  to  this  country — in 
fact,  when  he  was  only  sixteen  years  of  age — he  was  given  the  management 
of  a  large  farm  in  Wood  and  Ashland  counties,  Ohio,  and  managed  this 
farm  \ery  successfully.  While  living  in  Ohio  Mr.  Wolf  was  married  in 
i88:j.  and  two  }ears  later  he  went  ^^'est  anfl  arrived  in  Odebolt  on  February 
2,    1882. 

Mr.  Wolf  arrixed  in  Odebi.lt  with  the  earnings  of  several  xears  and 
immediately  jjurchased  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land  in  section  17, 
Wheeler  township,  at  a  cost  of  twenty  dollars  an  acre.  The  farm  had 
scarcely  any  improvements  on  it  at  the  time  he  purchased  it,  although  there 
was  a  house  with  no  ])lastering  and  only  a  ladder  for  a  stairwa\-.  He 
gradually  improved  his  farm  until  it  was  able  to  net  him  handsome  returns 
each  year.  In  1900  he  moved  to  Odebolt  where  he  has  an  excellent  ])lace 
in  the  west  part  of  the  city.  He  sold  eighty  acres  of  his  farm  to  his  brother- 
in-law  and  still  retains  one  Inmdred  ;in(l  si.xty  acres,   which  he  rents  out. 

Mr.  Wolf  was  married  October  24,  1880,  to  Lelia  Smith,  who  was  born 
in  Champaign  county,  Ohio,  but  reared  in  Wood  county,  that  state.  She 
is  the  daughter  of  John  Z.  and  Ruth  Smith,  natives  of  Dutchess  count) . 


430  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

New  York,  and  Connecticut,  iespecti\ely.  Her  mother  came  to  Odebolt  after 
lier  father's  death  and  lUed  there. 

Ihe  liranch  of  the  Smith  family  to  which  Airs.  Smith  l^elongs  can 
trace  their  ancestry  l)ack  tiin)ii,i;h  sexeral  g'enerations.  The  original  John 
Smith,  I  if  whom  she  is  a  lineal  descendant,  was  born  July  5,  1781.  He 
married  Judy  Benson.  \\ho  was  horn  in  1788,  and  they  lived  in  New  York 
until  after  their  first  two  children,  Hiram  and  Julia,  were  born,  after  which 
they  mu\ed  to  Connecticut,  where  John  C,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Wolf,  was 
born  March  20,  181 2.  The  other  children  i^f  John  Smith,  Sr.,  and  wife 
were  Julia  .^nn,  Hiram  Benson,  John  Z.,  Susan,  David,  Betsy,  William 
Henry,  Benjamin  and  George  DeWitt  Clinton.  A  son  of  William  Henry 
Smith,  Glen.  li\'es  on  the  Wolf  farm  in  Wheeler  townshii).  Sac  county, 
Iowa.  John  Z.  Smith,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Wolf,  moved  from  Connecticut  to 
Avon,  Livingston  county.  New  York,  and  from  thence  to  Waukegon, 
Illinois.  In  185 1  he  made  the  ii\erland  tri])  tci  California,  where  he  lived 
for  twii  years,  after  which  he  returned  to  Ohio  and  settled  near  Urbana  on 
the  famous  Neil  stock  farm.  I,ater  he  moved  to  Wood  county,  Ohio,  where 
his  death  occurred.  John  Z.  Smith  married  Ruth  Scott,  whose  grandfather, 
Capt.  Ezekiel  Scott,  was  a  famous  soldier  of  the  War  of  the  Revolution. 
The  father  of  Captain  Scott  was  Samuel  Scott.  John  Z.  .Smith's  children 
were  Mrs.  M.  B.  Wolf;  Hiram  B.,  deceased,  late  of  \Mieek'r  tcnvnship,  this 
county:  John  H.,  also  of  \\'heeler  township,  and  Mrs.  Julia  Dubbs,  cjf  Wood 
county,   Ohio. 

Hiram  B.  .Smith,  a  bmther  of  Mrs.  Wolf,  was  born  in  Lake  county, 
Illinois,  December  7,  1846,  and  was  married  in  1870  to  Jennie  Marsh,  of 
Otsego  county.  New  York.  In  1878  H.  B.  Smith  and  family  went  to  Ohio, 
and  later  came  to  Sac  county.  Iowa,  where  they  purchased  a  half  section 
of  ])rairie  land.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  B.  Smith  were  born  two  ciiildren, 
Ada  and  Lenore,  and  the}-  also  raised  two  nephews,  Edmond  and  Afaury 
Marsh.  H.  B.  Smith  died  February  i,  1914,  at  Fort  Orange,  Florida.  John 
H.  .Smith,  another  brother  of  Mrs.  Wolf,  was  born  in  Cook  countw  Illinois, 
in  1852,  and  was  married  in  1885  to  Rachel  Keister,  and  came  to  Sac 
county  from  ( )hio  in  1884.  He  owns  eighty  acres  of  land  in  section  17  of 
this  lownsliip,  which  he  purchased  from  Mr.  Wolf.  John  H.  Smith  and 
wife  are  the  ])arents  of  f(;ur  children,  lone,  Flilda,  Ruth  and  Louis.  Mr. 
and   Mrs.    Wolf  ha\e  one  daughter,   Esther,  at  home. 

Politically,  Mr.  Wolf  is  a  Republican  in  national  politics,  but  in  local 
politics  he  reserves  the  right  to  cast  his  vote  for  the  best  man  in  his  judg- 
ment.     While    Mr.    Wolf   was   reared    in   the   Gerni,-in    Lutheran    church,   he 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  43 1 

attends  the  Church  of  Christ  with  his  wife,  and  sul^scribes  to  its  support. 
Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
while  he  and  his  wife  are  both  members  of  the  Odebolt  Rebekah  lodge.  Mrs. 
\\'o\i  is  a  charter  niemljer  (if  this  order  and  was  the  first  presiding  officer 
of  the  lodge.  She  has  served  as  the  county  (lei)uty  and  is  prominent  in  the 
affairs  of  this  order. 


CL.VUS    LANGE. 


A  conijjlete  chapter  might  well  lie  written  as  a  part  of  the  Sac  county 
history  and  might  also  be  called  the  "German  invasion  and  conquest"  of 
the  prairie  lands  of  the  county,  for  a  conquest  it  has  been  and  it  is  still 
going  on.  -\  large  per  cent  of  the  population  of  the  county  is  either  of 
German  bn-th  or  descended  from  ( ierman  immigrants  who  have  since 
attained  success  in  the  tield  of  agriculture  and  many  of  whom  have  become 
verv  wealth\-  and  are  large  land  owners.  A  representative  of  this  class  of 
developers  is  Claus  Lange.  retired  fanner  of  the  town  of  Wall  Lake,  who 
came  to  .\merica  when  a  poor  bo\-  .-md  is  now  rated  as  one  of  the  wealthiest 
men  in  Sac  count)'. 

llaus  Lange  was  liorn  June  0,  1845,  in  (iermany,  the  son  of  Max  and 
Anna  I,ange,  who  were  of  the  farmin<*  class  in  Germany  and  did  not  leave 
their  native  land.  Claus  came  to  .\merica  in  1869,  after  serving  two  years 
in  the  German  army.  He  located  at  \Mieatland,  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  and 
worked  at  farm  labor  for  five  years.  In  1874  he  came  to  Sac  county  and 
rented  land  in  Clinton  townshi])  for  two  _\'ears.  He  saved  his  earnings  in 
the  meantime  and  invested  in  one  hundred  and  si.xty  acres  of  land  in  section 
24  of  Clinton  township.  He  made  this  purchase  on  a  time  contract,  and 
after  he  had  fulK  paid  for  his  first  farm  he  bought  another  quarter  section 
adjoining  it.  He  resided  in  Clinton  township  for  twenty-nine  years  and 
then  moved  to  Wall  Lake,  where  he  and  his  good  wife  reside  in  one  of  the 
finest  residences  in  the  town.  Mr.  Lange  is  the  owner  of  seven  farms  in 
Sac  count\-,  all  fitted  with  excellent  luiildings  and  the  total  acreage  of  which 
will  exceed  one  thousand  eight  hundred  acres  in  Wall  Lake  and  Coon  Valley 
townships.  His  home  farm,  whereon  he  resided  for  nearly  thirty  years,  is 
one  of  the  finest  and  best-kept  agricultural  plants  in  western  Iowa.  It  is 
a  characteristic  of  this  enterprising  Germaii-.Vmerican  that  he  spares  no 
expense  in  keejiiiig  the  Iniildings  on  his  various  farms  in  an  attractive  state 
of  repair  and  also  conserving  the  soil  by  the  production  of  a  great  many 
head  of  live  stock. 


432  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Mr.  Lange  was  married  Fe1)ruary  jo.  1876,  in  Clinton  townshi]),  to 
Henrietta  Schulte,  who  was  b(jrn  on  December  2,  1857,  in  Germany,  the 
daughter  of  John  and  Radamacher  ( Talke )  Schulte.  These  parents  came 
to  America  in  1870,  locating  in  Grundy  county,  Iowa,  until  1876,  when 
they  removed  to  Sac  county  and  purchased  a  farm  in  Clinton  township. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Claus  Lange  are  the  jiarents  of  eight  children,  namely : 
Marcus,  located  on  the  home  farm  in  Clinton  township;  John,  a  rancher  in 
North  Dakota ;  Fred,  a  farmer  in  Wall  Lake  township :  August,  in  Coon 
Valley  township;  Mrs.  Alma  Wicker,  residing  in  the  town  of  Wall  Lake; 
Adolph,  a  farmer  of  Wall  Lake  townshi]^ ;  William,  who  liyes  in  North 
Dakota;  Rufus,  attending  .school. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Lange  is  aligned  with  the  Republican  party.  He  is 
affiliated  with  the  Lutheran  church  and  a  liberal  supporter  of  this  denomina- 
tion. He  is  well  read,  genial,  and  is  a  representatiye  type  of  the  intelligent 
German-American  class  who  make  such  yaluable  additions  to  the  bod}-  politic 
of  any  community  wherever  the\'  may  locate. 


THOMAS  J.  AXDRE,  M.  D. 

The  man  who  devotes  his  talent.--  and  energies  to  the  noljle  work  of 
ministering  to  the  ills  and  alleviating  the  suffering  of  humanity  is  jiur- 
suing  a  calling  which  in  dignity,  importance  and  beneficial  results  is  second 
to  no  other.  If  true  to  his  profession  and  earnest  in  his  efi'orts  to  en- 
large his  sphere  of  usefulness,  he  is  indeed  a  benefactor  to  his  kind,  for 
to  him  more  than  to  an\-  (ither  man  are  entrusted  the  safetv,  the  comfort 
and  in  man\-  instances  the  li\es  of  those  who  place  thenisel\e<  under  his  care 
and  profit  by  his  services.  U  is  gratif\ing  lO  note  in  the  series  of  personal 
sketches  appearing  in  this  work  that  there  remain  identified  with  the  pvo- 
fessional,  ])ublic  and  ci\ic  affairs  of  Sac  county,  Iowa,  m;uiy  who  are  abl_\- 
maintaining  the  prestige  of  noble  names.  Of  this  number.  Dr.  Thomas  J. 
Andre,  who  is  prominent  among  the  physicians  and  surgeons  and  who  is 
practicing  his  profession  in  the  city  of  Schaller.  is  one  of  the  representa- 
tive men  of  the  county.  He  stands  in  the  front  rank  of  Sac  county's 
professional  men,  having  been  engaged  in  his  calling  here  for  thirty-two 
years,  during  which  he  has  not  only  gained  wide  professional  notoriety, 
hut  also  established  a  sound  reputation  for  uprightness  of  character  in  all 
the  relations  of  life. 


3*    lOHS 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  433 

Dr.  T.  J.  Andre,  a  popular  practicing  physician  of  Schaller,  Iowa, 
was  born  May  lo,  1857,  in  Cohiml)iana  county,  Ohio,  near  the  village  of 
Hanover.  His  parents,  John  L.  and  Rachel  Ann  (Taylor)  .\ndre,  were 
natives  of  the  same  county  and  continued  to  reside  there  until  1865,  at 
which  time  the}-  migrated  to  Scott  count}',  Iowa,  and  settled  on  a  farm 
where  they  li\ed  for  forty-one  years.  John  Andre  died  March  y,  igii, 
in  New  Sharon,  Mahaska  county,  this  state,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty- 
four  years  and  six  months.  His  wife  ilied  in  1903.  John  L.  Andre  and 
wife  were  the  parents  of  eight  children;  VV.  H.,  of  Estherville,  Iowa; 
Mrs.  Mary  J.  Cook,  deceased;  Mrs.  R.  A.  Fleck,  of  Lake  City,  Iowa:  Mrs. 
Emeline  Parker,  of  Davenport,  Iowa;  Dr.  T.  J.,  with  whom  this  narra- 
tive deals:  J.  Frank,  of  Davenport,  this  state;  John  L.,  Jr.,  who  died  at 
the  age  of  eight  years,  and  Mrs.  Alberta  Landstrom,  of  New  Sharon,  Iowa. 

Dr.  Thomas  J.  Andre  was  reared  on  the  farm  in  Scott  count}',  this 
state,  receiving  his  education  in  tlie  common  schools  of  his  neighborhood. 
Early  in  life  he  decided  that  he  wanted  to  foll(jw  the  medical  profession 
and  with  this  end  in  view  he  entered  Rush  Medical  College,  of  Chicago, 
from  which  institution  he  graduated  in  the  spring  of  1882.  In  the  fall 
of  the  same  year  he  located  in  Schaller,  this  county,  at  a  time  when  that 
town  boasted  of  three  saloons,  two  drug  stores  and  one  l)lacksmith  ^hop. 
Fie  has  lixed  through  all  of  the  history  of  the  town  and  has  seen  it  grow 
from  that  spirited  beginning  to  its  ])resent  prosperous  ciindition.  While 
Doctor  Andre  has  been  wrjnderfiill}'  successful  as  a  physician  he  has  also 
been  successful  as  a  business  man,  and  for  several  years  he  has  dealt  in 
Iowa  lands,  and  is  now  a  large  land  owner  in  this  and  other  counties  of 
the  state. 

Doctor  An<lre  was  married  in  1884  to  Cora  A.  Pettit.  of  Sturm  Lake, 
Iowa,  and  to  this  marriage  ha\e  been  born  three  children:  Mrs.  Edna 
R.  Reedy,  of  Aniarillo,  Texas;  Dorothy  J.,  who  is  at  home  with  her  par- 
ents, and  Thomas  J.,  Jr.,  who  was  born  Februar}   9,   1906. 

The  Republican  party  has  claimed  the  vote  of  Doctor  Andre,  but  the 
nature  of  bis  profession  has  pre\  ented  him  from  being  an  active  par- 
ticipant in  politics.  However,  he  has  ser\ed  his  township  as  school  di- 
rector for  a  numlier  of  years,  in  which  he  has  d(jne  good  service  for  his 
community.  I'Vaternally.  he  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and  .\ccept- 
ed  Masons  and  the  ^Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  He  is  also  a  member 
of  various  medical  societies,  among  which  are  the  Sac  County,  Iowa  State 
and   American  Medical    Societies.      He  is  also   a   member  of   the    Western 

(27) 


434  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Surgical  and  Gynecological  Society.  Doctor  Andre\s  life  has  been  char- 
acterized not  only  by  the  high  order  of  his  medical  ability,  but  also  by 
that  tact  and  human  sympathy  which  overleaps  mere  sentiment  and  is  a 
prominent  factor  in  the  life  of  the  successful  practitioner.  It  is  the  mix- 
ture of  smile  with  medicine  which  wins  the  patient's  confidence  and  starts 
him  on  the  high  road  to  recovery.  This  genial  manner  is  characteristic 
of  Doctor  Andre  and  is  one  of  the  reasons  for  his  pronounced  success  in 
this  locality. 


LEONARD    L.    GOREHAM. 

It  is  not  improper  to  judge  of  the  success  and  status  r)f  a  man's  life  by 
the  estimation  in  which  he  is  held  by  his  fellow  citizens.  The\'  have  the 
opportunity  of  seeing  him  in  his  home,  aljout  his  business,  in  his  church, 
they  hear  his  yiews  on  public  c|uestions.  obser\'e  the  workings  of  his  code  of 
morals,  witness  how  he  conducts  himself  in  all  the  relations  of  life,  both 
private  and  public,  and  thus  they  become  competent  to  judge  of  his  true 
worth.  L.  L.  Goreham,  who  has  si)ent  practically  his  entire  life  in  this  com- 
munitv-,  is  one  of  the  most  respected  of  the  citizens  of  Wheeler  township, 
and  therefore  it  is  safe  to  conclude  that  his  conduct  in  all  the  various  affairs 
of  life  throughout  the  years  has  been  actuated  by  the  highest  motives  only. 

Leonard  L.  Goreham  was  born  in  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  in  .Vugust  of 
1870,  l)eing  the  son  of  J.  P.  and  Charlotte  Goreham,  among  the  oldest 
settlers  of  \Mieeler  township.  Sac  county,  and  elsewhere  in  this  volume 
will  be  found  a  sketch  of  the  career  of  J.  P.  Goreham.  Leonard  L.  Gore- 
ham was  but  four  years  old  when  the  ]iarents  came  to  this  county  and  has 
never  lived  elsewhere  than  on  the  homestead  where  his  father  established 
a  ty]ucal  pioneer  home  so  many  years  ago.  Since  the  time  when  he  was 
first  brought  to  this  county  great  and  wonderful  improvements  have  been 
made  along  all  lines,  this  locality  at  that  time  not  having  been  occupied  by 
the  white  man  yer\-  long.  The  nearest  post  office  to  the  Goreham  home  was 
at  Vail,  many  miles  distant,  and  between  the  farm  and  the  town  of  Sac 
City  there  was  not  a  house  or  tree  visible.  Mr.  Goreham  recalls  that  the 
favorite  Sunday  pastime  of  his  boyhood  was  the  hunting  of  prairie  chickens, 
of  which  thev  would  sometimes  gather  scores.  When  a  youth,  he  attended 
the  district  schools  of  their  vicinity  and  assisted  the  father  in  the  work 
aljout  the  home,  thus  acquiring  information  which  has  been  of  incalculable 
value  in  later  years.     In  igoo  he  received  forty  acres  of  land,  including  the 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  435 

homestead,  from  his  father  and  there  he  has  since  made  his  home.  He 
owns  but  the  forty  acres,  l)ut  farms  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres.  In 
addition  U>  his  substantial  home  there  are  many  other  excellent  buildings 
alx)ut  the  farm.  There  is  a  barn  in  size  sixty-four  by  one  hundred  and  two 
feet,  and  containing  every  convenience  for  the  care  of  stock,  etc.  There  is 
also  an  excellent  granary,  thirty-four  by  fifty  feet,  having  a  capacity  of 
sixty-five  hundred  bushels  of  corn  and  eight  thousand  bushels  of  smaller 
grain.  In  addition  to  carrying  on  the  regular  work  of  the  farm  as  relates 
to  crops,  etc.,  Mr.  Goreham  has  more  than  local  fame  as  a  breeder  of  Perch- 
er(_)n  horses  and  Shorthorn  cattle.  He  has  eighteen  head  of  thoroughbred 
I'ercherons  and  at  the  Sac  count}-  horse  show  in  January  of  1914,  at  Odebolt, 
he  was  aw  arded  the  second  prize.  Expert  Kennedy  pronounced  the  Goreham 
exhibit  at  the  show  held  in  (Jdeljolt  as  worthy  of  exhibition  anywhere,  being 
a  first  grade  exhibit.  In  addition  to  the  thought  and  labor  expended  on  his 
horses,  he  also  has  about  fifty  head  uf  Shorthorn  cattle,  good  pure-bred 
stock.  The  strain  he  has  is  of  large  size  and  therefore  excellent  beef  pro- 
ducers. In  conducting  the  Inisiness  of  his  farm,  Mr.  Goreham  emplovs  only 
the  latest  and  most  approved  methods  of  handling  such  business  and  is  an 
earnest  student  along  the  lines  in  which  he  is  most  interested. 

Mr.  Goreham's  political  affiliation  is  with  the  Republican  party  and  in 
the  afifairs  of  this  part}'  he  takes  more  than  a  nominal  interest.  He  has 
served  Wheeler  township  as  clerk  and  also  school  director,  for  twenty  years 
being  a  mem))er  of  the  school  board,  serving  as  secretary  and  treasurer  part 
of  the  time.  In  addition  to  the  duties  devolving  upon  him  by  reason  of 
political  connections,  Mr.  Goreham  for  two  years  has  served  as  secretary  of 
the  Sac  Count}*  Alutual  telephone  Company  and  is  also  one  of  the  directors 
of  the  Sac  Count}-  P'armers'  Institute.  By  reason  of  his  connection  with 
the  breeding  of  Percheron  horses,  he  has  become  a  member  of  the  Percheron 
Society  of  -\merica.  He  is  a  director  of  the  Wixcel  Manufacturing  Com- 
pau}-.  manufacturers  of  ha\-  loaders  at  Marcus,  Iowa.  Mr.  Goreham  is  a 
comnumicant  of  Saint  Martin's  Roman  Catholic  church  <jf  Odebolt  and  his 
fraternal  affiliation  is  with  the  Knights  of  Columbus  at  Carroll  in  Carroll 
county. 

On  September  18,  1894,  Mr.  Gorham  was  united  in  marriage  with 
So]ihronia  Brennan,  a  native  of  Sac  county  and  the  daughter  of  Michael 
and  Julia  (  Delane\- )  Brennan.  Mrs.  Goreham's  mother  was  a  native  of 
Wisconsin,  and  was  of  Irish  descent.  Her  father.  Michael  Brennan,  a 
native  of  Pennsylvania,  was  a  son  of  Michael,  who  was  a  native  of  Ireland, 
and  now  makes  his  home  with  her.     He  was  born  on  May  2,  1841,  and  is, 


436  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

therefiire.  in  his  se\eiit\-thir(l  year.  The  Brennan  family  came  to  Sac 
county  in  1892  from  their  former  home  in  Wisconsin,  and  tonk  up  their 
residence  in  Wheeler  townshi]).  There  were  originally  seven  children  in 
the  familw  four  of  whom  are  now  living.  Those  other  than  Airs.  Gore- 
ham  are  Alar\-,  wife  of  T.  D.  Hansen,  residing  in  Manning,  Iowa;  William. 
who  lives  in  Omaha,  and  John,  who  makes  his  home  with  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  In  the  Goreham  family  there  are  three  children,  namely:  Clarence 
L..  liorn  in  May,  1897;  Irene,  born  in  January,  1900,  and  Laura,  who  was 
l)orn  in  Xovemlier,   1901. 

Mr.  Goreham  has  demonstrated  in  an  unmistakable  manner  his  eminent 
ability  and  efficiency  in  the  discharge  of  both  his  private  Imsiness  and  public 
duties  and  has  won  for  himself  from  those  who  know  him  an  enviable 
re])utation  as  a  man  of  strict  integrity  and  one  who  has  the  courage  of  his 
convictions.  He  has,  by  his  indomitable  enterprise  and  progressive  methods, 
ccHitributed  in  a  material  way  to  the  advancement  of  his  locality  and  has 
in  all  the  relations  of  life  given  evidence  only  of  principles  that  were  the 
highest  and  l)est. 


SOLOMON    PETERSON. 

The  history  of  Solomon  Peterson  is  interesting  because  it  shows  what 
can  l)e  accomplished  by  a  man  wdio  has  the  determination  and  persistence 
to  follow  an\-  given  task  to  its  completion.  His  histor)'  l)egins  in  far-away 
Sweden,  where  he  was  born  Noveml)er  16,  1842,  the  son  of  Peter  Johnson 
and  Eva  Ellen  Peterson.  In  that  countr\-  he  was  reared  and  received  a 
good  common  school  education.  Sweden  was  one  of  the  first  countries  of 
Europe  to  pass  compulsory  education  laws  and  the  percentage  of  illiteracy 
is  lower  in  that  country  than  in  any  country  in  the  world.  He  lived  the 
life  of  the  ordinary  Swedish  boy  until  he  reached  his  majority  and  then, 
hearing  of  the  fortunes  that  were  made  in  this  New^  World,  he  began  to 
consider  seriously  the  question  of  coming  here  and  finding  out  the  truth 
for  himself.  He  .saved  what  little  money  he  could  get  hold  of  and  in  the 
summer  of  1864  there  were  four  hundred  men  from  his  nati\c  conntr\- 
who  decided  to  cast  their  fortunes  with  this  new  land  of  ours  and  of  this 
four  hundred.  Solomon  Peterson,  aged  twenty-two,  was  one.  He  l:)arely 
had  enough  money  to  pay  his  passage,  and  when  he  lan<led  at  Quebec  in 
Canada  on  Augu.st  16,  1864,  he  had  twenty-five  cents  in  his  pocket.  The 
storv  of  his  life  which   follows  now.   with  this  twenty-five  cents  as  a  liasis. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  437 

is  one  of  tlie  must  interesting  tjnes  to  be  read  in  this  \olunie.  With  this 
small  sum  (jI  mone)-  he  was  able  tu  buy  enough  food  t(.i  last  him  from  One- 
bee  to  the  Lake  Superior  mine,  where  he  worked  one  year,  but  mining  was 
not  to  his  liking  and  in  1865  he  went  to  Chicago  where  he  worked  at  every- 
thing he  could  find  for  two  months.  In  the  fall  of  1865  he  w-ent  to  Indiana 
and  chopped  WDod  ami  cut  timber  in  the  winter  time  for  a  farmer,  all  the 
time  saving  his  money.  In  the  winter  of  1865  he  joined  his  cousin  in 
Henry  county,  Illinois,  and  worked  tliere  during  the  summer  of  1866;  he 
then  went  to  Colorado  and  worked  in  the  gold  and  silver  mines  in  that  state 
for  four  years.  The  year  1870  found  him  in  Iowa,  where  he  joined  his 
brother  in  working  in  the  coal  mines  in  this  state.  He  worked  for  a  year 
in  Logan  &  Cantield's  mine  and  one  year  in  the  Mongona  coal  mines  in 
Boone  county.  At  this  i)oint  in  the  history  of  Mr.  I'eterson's  career,  a  new 
chapter  should  be  introduced. 

When  Solomon  Peterson  left  his  native  countrv,  in  1864.  he  left  behind 
a  pretty  little  fourteen-year-old  girl  by  the  name  of  Margaret  Peterson. 
When  she  arrived  in  Iowa  on  June  6,  1870,  it  can  truly  be  said  that  a  new 
chapter  in  the  history  of  Solomon  Peterson  began.  They  were  married  and 
began  farming  on  a  farm  in  Boone  county,  although  he  still  worked  in  the 
mines  in  the  winter.  In  1873  Mr.  Peterson  made  a  trip  to  Sac  county  in 
order  to  in\estigate  the  prospect  of  settling  in  this  county.  Finally  he  pur- 
chased eight\'  acres  of  land  in  Wheeler  township,  for  which  he  paid  five 
dollars  and  a  half  an  acre.  The  next  spring  he  brotight  his  family  and  built 
the  third  house  in  \Mieeler  township,  a  very  small  and  very  crude  structure, 
twelve  by  sixteen  feet,  and  noA\'  follows  two  years  when  there  was  a  time  it 
seemed  that  thev  would  have  to  leave  the  tow'nship.  One  year  the  grass- 
hoppers ate  his  crops  and  the  next  year  the  rain  w-ashed  it  off,  and  what 
little  wheat  he  had  to  sell  brought  him  only  ten  to  thirty-five  cents  a  bushel, 
and  then  he  had  to  haul  it  seventeen  miles  to  market.  There  were  months 
at  a  time  when  he  did  not  have  the  price  of  a  postage  stamp.  But  he  never 
gave  u[).  He  knew  what  it  was  to  fight  against  all  sorts  of  adverse  circum- 
stances. He  stuck  to  his  farm  and  within  five  years  he  had  his  eighty  acres 
paid  for  and  enough  monev  ahead  to  purchase  fort\'  acres  adjoining  his 
farm.  He  secured  this  for  seven  dollars  and  seventy-five  cents  an  acre  and 
within  a  few  \ears  bought  another  forty,  for  which  he  had  to  pay  twenty- 
five  dollars  an  acre.  In  i8go  he  added  another  fortv  acres,  but  bv  this  time 
the  land  had  risen  to  ninety  dollars  an  acre.  Today  he  owns  two  hundred 
acres  of  land  in  Wheeler  township  in  sections  2/.  28  and  t,7,,  and  can  look 
the  whole  world  in  the  face,  for  he  owes  not  an\-  man. 


438  SAC    COUXTY,    IOWA. 

It  must  not  be  thought  that  Mr.  Peterson  was  devoting  all  of  his  time 
and  energy  to  the  accumulation  of  wealth.  It  is  no  exaggeration  to  say  that 
he  has  done  more  for  the  early  history,  and  later  as  well,  of  this  township 
than  an\-  other  man.  He  has  the  honor  of  making  the  first  wagon  track 
from  the  southern  part  of  this  township  to  Sac  City  and  this  wagon  track 
which  he  made  was  used  as  a  high  road  for  a  number  of  years.  The  second 
time  he  made  a  trip  to  Sac  City  was  when  as  a  constable  he  took  a  cattle 
thief  to  jail,  and  was  nearly  drowned  while  crossing  Indian  creek  on  the 
road  over.  Probably  the  thing  that  has  redounded  to  the  greatest  credit  of 
Mr.  Peterson  is  the  work  which  he  did  in  securing  the  first  public  schools  in 
Wheeler  township.  He  is  a  man  of  education  himself,  and  wished  to  see 
his  children  and  his  neighbor's  children  receive  the  advantages  of  an  educa- 
tion. Accordingly  one  winter  he  drove  from  one  neighjjor  to  another  urg- 
ing and  insisting  that  they  get  together  and  force  the  authorities  to  provide 
school  advantages  in  their  township.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  with  such  a 
man  behind  the  move,  it  was  successful.  It  is  also  interesting  to  note  that 
this  man.  who  has  done  so  much  for  the  township,  is  not  a  partisan  in  poli- 
tics and  characterizes  himself  as  an  independent.  His  fellow  citizens  have 
elected  him  as  township  trustee  and  for  twenty-live  years  he  has  been  the 
director  and  treasurer  of  the  insurance  company  of  his  county.  In  e\-ery 
enterprise  he  has  been  foremost  and  in  everything  he  has  become  interested 
in  he  has  thrown  all  of  his  might  and  energ}-  towards  making  it  a  success. 
For  o\er  forty  3'ears  he  has  been  a  Freemason. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Peterson  have  reared  a  family  of  nine  children  to  lives 
of  usefulness:  Marv,  the  wife  of  Dr.  C.  A.  Dails,  of  Sioux  Cit}- :  C.  W., 
a  yacht  builder  and  an  accomplished  na\-igator  now  in  Xew  York  City; 
Christina,  the  wife  of  John  Sideris.  of  South  Dakota,  who  has  two  children, 
Roy  and  Ruby;  Alvin  G.,  of  Meadow,  South  Dakota;  l-dlen  1'.,  a  nurse  in 
Sioux  Citv;  IMinnie,  who  has  homesteaded  a  one-hundred-and->ixty-acre 
tract  in  South  Dakota:  Seth,  who  is  on  the  home  farm  with  lu\  father: 
Edward,  of  Chicago,  Illinois,  and  Nina,  who  married  Ed  Moleen. 

Too  much  credit  can  not  be  given  Solomon  Peterson  for  the  work  which 
he  has  done  in  behalf  of  his  own  township.  As  the  oldest  liviu;;-  pioneer  of 
the  townshi]),  he  has  seen  it  grow  from  a  primitixc  prairie  to  one  ot  the 
prosperous  farming  regions  of  the  state:  he  has  seen  its  prairies  turned  into 
fields  of  waving  grain,  its  swanijis  into  fertile  fields  and  its  wagon  trails 
into  well-graded  highwavs.  Xow.  in  tlu-  evening  of  his  life,  he  can  look 
back  over  a  career  which  has  been  well  spent  in  the  service  of  liis  fellow 
men,  a  career  which  brings  credit  to  liimself,  honor  to  his  chil(h-cn  and  grati- 
fication to  the  communitv  in  which  he  has  lived. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  439 

CHARLES    C.    COY. 

The  subject  of  this  review  has  had  much  to  do  in  ad\'ancing  the  ma- 
terial interests  of  Odebolt,  Iowa,  and  making  it  one  of  the  important  com- 
mercial centers  of  this  section  of  the  state.  The  study  of  such  a  life  can 
not  fail  of  interest  and  incenti\e,  fnr  he  has  been  not  niily  distinctively 
representative  in  his  spheres  of  endea\(.ir.  Ijut  has  established  a  reputation  for 
integrit\-  and  honor.  Though  not  now  activid;/  identified  with  business 
pursuits,  he  is  still  numbered  among  the  substantial  and  wDrthy  citizens  of 
his  community  and  none  more  than  he  deserves  representation  in  a  work  of 
the  character  of  the  one  in  hand. 

Charles  C.  Coy,  a  retired  banker  and  business  man  of  Odebolt,  Iowa, 
was  born  October  20,  1866,  in  Kane\ille,  Kane  county,  Illinois.  His  par- 
ents were  B  A.  an.d  Delette  (  I'randall )  Co\-,  he  a  native  of  Con- 
necticut. B.  .\.  Coy  was  born  in  1825  and  died  January  30,  19 10.  He  was 
a  son  of  John  Coy,  descendant  of  an  old  Xew  England  family.  John  Coy 
left  his  native  state  and  moved  to  New  York  state,  and  in  a  few  years 
moved  to  Kane  county,  Illinois,  where  B.  A.  Coy  was  reared  and  married. 
Delette  Crandall  was  born  in  1832  in  New  York,  the  daughter  of  iNlr.  and 
Mrs.  Nelson  Crandall,  and  died  in  Decemljer,  1912.  She  was  descended 
from  the  Livermore  family,  who  came  from  England  to  Boston  in  1737. 
Her  father  moved  from  Xew  York  state  to  Marietta,  Ohio,  where  he  died. 
Some  years  after  the  marriage  of  B.  A.  Coy.  he  moved  from  Kane  countw 
Illinois,  to  DeKalb  count)',  in  the  same  state,  where  they  made  their  home 
until  1876,  at  which  time  they  went  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  where  they  bought 
a  large  tract  of  land  in  Cook  township,  owning  at  one  time  over  two  thou- 
sand acres  in  this  township.  When  the  town  of  Odebolt  was  laid  out  they 
mo\ed  to  this  town  and  assisted  in  building  it  up.  I'ive  children  were  born 
to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  B.  A.  Coy :  Dell,  deceased ;  John,  deceased :  Nat,  who 
resides  in  Florida;  Mrs.  Deborah  Prichard.  deceased,  and  Charles  C.  with 
whom  this  narrative  deals. 

Charles  C.  Coy  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Illinois  and  Iowa, 
and  later  took  a  cmirse  in  Wooster  University  at  W'ooster,  Ohio.  In  1881 
he  came  with  his  parents  to  Odebolt,  and  was  employed  for  six  years  in  the 
State  Bank  of  Odebolt,  of  which  institution  his  father  was  one  of  the 
founders  and  \'ice-president  for  many  years.  Since  '1887  he  has  looked 
after  his  extensive  farming  interests,  which  consists  of  one  thousand  and 
eighty  acres  of  land  in  Cook  township,  four  hundred  and  eight\-  acres  of 
which  he  is  operating  himself. 


440  SAC    COt'XTV.    IOWA. 

-\Ir.  Coy  was  married  in  1890  to  Ida  Carter,  a  daughter  of  Louis  and 
Rachel  (Wheeler)  Carter.  ^Mrs.  Coy  was  born  in  Pontiac.  Illinois,  and 
came  with  her  parents  to  Iowa  in  1877,  and  lived  in  Buena  \'ista  county, 
near  Storm  Lake,  until  1880.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Carter  then  moved  to  Odeholt, 
where  the\'  spent  the  remainder  of  their  ila\-s.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Co\'  are  the 
parents  i)t  three  children:  Dell,  wlm  married  Grace  Fisher,  and  is  now 
li\ins;  on  his  father's  farm;  Rachel,  a  student  of  (jrinnell  College,  CirinncU. 
Iowa,  and  Walter,  of  Tipton,  Iowa. 

Mr.  C(>\  has  alwavs  allied  himself  with  the  Democratic  part\-  and  is 
interested  in  the  success  of  his  party,  Ijut  has  never  lieen  an  active  partisan. 
Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  .\ncient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  and 
takes  a  live  interest  in  the  affairs  of  his  fraternal  organization.  He  is  a 
man  of  kin<ll\-  disposition,  pleasant  to  every  one,  himest  and  thoroughly 
trustworthy.  He  is  admired  by  all  who  know  him  for  his  ujirightness  and 
business   integrity. 


JOHN  11  dfn:\i.\n. 


All  men  are  not  gifted  alike.  Thniugh  the  mysterious  ways  nf  an 
unseen  power,  individuals,  while  they  are  alike  given  similar  opportuni- 
ties, naturally  work  out  their  destinies  by  diverse  methods  which  yield 
different  results.  When  the  whole  is  ci imputed,  however,  and  the  totals 
weighed,  it  will  be  found  that  in  all  countries  the  most  gifted  and 
those  who  are  peculiarly  endowed  with  foresight,  which  becomes  more  fully 
developed,  are  the  persons  whose  enterprises  are  the  most  profitable.  These 
things  the  biographer  does  not  pretend  to  thoroughly  explain.  We  can 
only  decide  that  he  who  accom]>lislies  extraordinary  thin.gs  is,  and  must 
be,  deserving,  otherwise  an  all-seeing  Providence  would  withhold  from 
him  and  his  their  rightful  heritage.  The  reasonably  large  fortunes  of  the 
\\'est  h;i\e  been  created  from  the  culti\ation  of  the  soil  and  1)\-  the  exercise 
of  a  talent  for  determinmg  land  values  and  having  a  sincere  and  abiding 
faith  in  the  inevitalile.  prosperous  future  of  a  great  and  growing  country. 
There  are  many  men  in  Sac  county  who  have  achieved  wonderful  and  grati- 
fving  success  through  the  exercise  of  uati\e  talents,  a  keen  financial  abil- 
ity, and  confidence  in  the  certainty  that  land  values  would  climb  continu- 
ously on  account  of  the  wonderful  richness  of  the  soil  and  the  constantly 
growing  land  hunger  of  the  m;isses.  (3ne  of  the  most  substantial  and  rejire- 
sentative  citi/ens   of  the   foregoing  class   in   Sac   City   is  John    H.    Dcnman, 


p 


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SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  44I 

a  natix'c  nt  the  grand  old  Buckeye  state,  and  who  began  with  hunted  ad- 
vantages and  has  risen  to  a  ])lace  o\  [jrestige  among  the  landed  agricul- 
turists of  western  Iowa  througii  his  own  efforts  solely.  He  possesses  abid- 
ing faith  in  the  wealth  of  the  snil  and  its  aliility  to  retain  its  productive- 
ness ant!  tile  certanity  of  its  continuous  rise  in  value. 

J.  H.  Denman  was  bom  in  Licking  county.  Ohio,  August  30,  1846.  He 
is  the  son  of  Matthias  Denman  and  Elizabeth  (Smith)  Denman,  who  were 
alike  liorn  and  reared  in  the  Buckeye  state.  Matthias  was  the  son  of  Hath- 
away Denman,  a  native  of  tlie  state  of  New  Jersey,  and  whose  ances- 
tors came  from  England.  In  the  fall  of  1852  the  Denman  family  migrated 
to  McLean  countv.  Illinois,  and  there  settled  on  a  farm.  Matthias  died 
here,  in  the  month  of  May,  kjoi,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-two  years 
His  wife  had  preceded  him  to  the  great  beyond  a  few  months  before, 
dving  in  hebruarv.  1901,  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight  years.  They  were 
the  parents  of  thirteen  children,  three  of  whom  died  in  infancy:  Martha, 
deceased  in  1871:  Lizzie,  deceased  in  1871;  Charles,  who  died  in  iScjg; 
Belle,  deceased  in  igoo;  Thomas,  a  resident  of  Boswell.  Indiana:  Mrs. 
Emma  ("lillstrap,  of  Tacoma.  Washington:  Mrs.  Sarah  J.  Long,  of  Car- 
lock,   Illinois:   Daniel  E.,  a  citizen  of  Normal,  Illinois;  and  John  H. 

The  citizen  to  whom  this  chronicle  is  devoted  had  the  advantages  of 
but  a  limited  education  in  his  youth.  The  family  resided  a  considerable 
distance  from  a  school  and  he  was  permitted  to  attend  this  very  ordinary 
temple  of  learning  for  but  four  months  in  the  winter  seasons,  Conse- 
quentlw  he  is  one  of  the  great  army  of  self-educated  men  who  are  counted 
among  the  successful  men  of  many  communities.  He  journeyed  from 
Illinois  to  Marshall  county.  Iowa,  in  the  spring  of  1875,  beginning  his 
journey  to  the  new  land  of  promise  April  11,  1875.  He  followed  agri- 
culture in  Marshall  county  until  February  22.  1880,  when  he  decided  that 
Sac  countv  offered  a  better  field  for  his  operations.  His  first  purchase  of 
land  in  Sac  countv  was  one  hundred  .and  M\ty  acres,  in  Cook  township, 
which  he  purchased  for  thirteen  dollars  an  acre.  He  resided  on  this  farm 
for  two  years  and  then  remo\cd  to  Ida  county  where  he  bought  one  hun- 
dred and  iwentv  acres  and  again  sold  it  in  1884.  Returning  to  Sac  county 
he  in\ested  in  two  hundred  acres  of  excellent  land  at  a  cost  of  twenty- 
five  dollars  an  acre,  in  section  C\  Cook  township.  On  this  piece  of  land 
he  made  his  home  and  resided  thereon  until  his  removal  to  Sac  City. 
Prosperity  apparently  smiled  upon  him  and  rewarded  his  industry,  for  ni 
1888  he  added  eighty  acres,  in  section  6.  of  Cook  township,  at  a  cost  of 
thirtv  dollars  an  acre.     In   1890  he  added  seventy  acres  more  to  his  hold- 


442  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

ings.  in  the  same  sectiun,  at  a  purchase  price  of  thirty-three  dullars  an 
acre.  Later  he  hought  one  hundred  and  st-veii  acre?  of  land  in  Jackson 
township  which  he  traded  for  a  fine  farm  of  one  hundred  and  eighty  acres 
located  a  few  miles  northwest  of  Sac  City,  one  hundred  and  sixteen  acres 
of  which  is  in  Delaware  township  and  sixty-four  acres  in  Jackson  town- 
ship. Mr.  Denman  is  the  owner  of  six  hundred  and  sixteen  acres  of  land 
valued  as  follows :  Four  hundred  and  twenty-six  acres  in  Cook  township, 
marketable  at  two  hundred  dollars  an  acre,  and  the  balance  is  easily  worth 
one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  an  acre. 

Mr.  Denman  moved  to  Sac  City,  February  22,  1904,  and  purchased  a 
home  in  the  choice  residential  section  of  the  city,  remodeling  and  modern- 
izing the  same  into  a  comfortaI)le  and  handsome  place  of  abode.  In  politics, 
Mr.  Denman  is  a  Demcorat  of  the  old  school  and  is  one  of  the  "wheel 
horses"  of  the  party  in  Sac  county,  ^\'hile  the  party  has  been  in  the  miuDrity 
since  time  immemorial  in  the  county,  Mr.  Denman's  allegiance  to  the  ]irin- 
ciples  of  Jefiferson  Democracy  has  been  shown  by  his  candidacy  on  the 
Democratic  ticket  for  county  offices  at  various  times.  He  prides  himself 
on  his  thorough  Democracy.  His  famil\-  are  memlx-rs  of  the  Presbyterian 
church.  He  is  affiliated  with  no  fraternal  societies  and  prefers  his  home  life 
to  the  diversions  of  club  or  societies.  He  and  the  members  of  his  family 
usually  spend  the  winters  in  Florida.  He  is  connected  with  the  State  Bank 
of  Schaller,  Iowa,  in  an  official  capacity.  His  marriage  with  Alary  Ellis, 
of  DeWitt  county,  Illinois,  and  daughter  of  Abner  Ellis,  took  place  Febru- 
ary 6,  1877.  They  have  five  children:  Mrs.  Bessie  Griffin,  of  Florida; 
Roy,  a  farmer  in  Delaware  township;  Nannie,  librarian  of  the  Sac  City 
public  library;  Matthias,  a  farmer  in  Cook  township;  Mary,  a  teaclier.  resid- 
ing in  South  Dakota. 


FRED    AMNKLER. 


One  of  Sac  county's  man}'  Cernian  citizens  who  haye  made  a  success 
in  their  ado])ted  country  is  I'red  Winkler,  a  ])rosperous  farmer  of  Jackson 
townshij)  and  proprietor  of  three  hundred  and  twenty-six  acres  ot  fine 
farming  land.  He  is  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  county  and  has  the  uni(|ue 
satisfaction  of  knowing  that  the  first  plow  which  was  e\er  put  in  his  farm 
b\-  white  men  was  guided  through  the  tough  soil  by  his  own  hand.  He 
can  sit  in  the  shade  of  trees  which  are  now  ten  feet  in  circumference  and 
feel   the    jo}-   of   knowing  that   he   jjlanted   those   trees   \vith   his   own    hands 


SAC    COUNTY,    l:)W.\. 


4-1 ;, 


more  than  forty  years  ago.  He  has  fairly  grown  up  with  the  count)-  and 
for  this  reasiiu  has  a  sort  ol  paternal  feeling  and  affecti(jn  which  is  common 
to  all  pioneers  of  any  country. 

Fred  Winkler  was  Ijorn  in  Germany  in  1844,  the  son  of  Christ  and 
Christina  Winkler.  In  1856  he  came  to  this  country  with  his  parents  and 
settled  in  Racine  count v,  Wisconsin. 

Among  the  hills  of  Racine  county,  Wisconsin,  Fred  Winkler  grew  to 
manhood.  He  had  already  received  the  rudiments  of  an  education  in 
Germany  and  was  given  l)ut  little  schooling  after  reaching  this  country. 
He  married  in  i8fii)  and  then,  wishing  to  better  himself,  he  and  his  voimg 
wife  decided  to  move  to  Sac  county,  having  heard  that  it  was  a  fertile  coun- 
try and  one  which  was  bound  to  become  prosperous.  The  year  1870  found 
them  with  eighty  acres  in  Jackson  township,  for  which  they  paid  si.x  dollars 
and  twenty-five  cents  an  acre.  The  hand  of  man  had  never  been  turned  on 
this  eighty  acres,  no  buildings  had  ever  been  erected,  and  this  barren  tract 
of  eighty  acres  must  have  seemed  a  dreary  prospect  to  this  young  couple, 
but  they  were  not  to  be  discouraged  and  in  the  course  of  a  few  years  thev 
not  only  had  the  eighty  acres  under  a  good  cultiwation.  but  had  trees  planted, 
buildings  erected,  the  fields  drained  and  were  able  to  purchase  one  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  adjoining  them.  In  1883  they  imrchased  one  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  for  ten  dollars  an  acre,  and  now  this  land  is  worth  tw^entv 
times  as  much  as  they  paid  for  it  in  1883.  ^t  is  needless  to  say  that  Fred 
Winkler  and  his  wife  have  been  hard  workers,  that  they  ha\e  been  thirfty 
and  economical.  He  has  now  reached  a  position  in  life  where  they  can  take 
things  easy  and  sjiend  the  remainder  of  their  days  surrounded  with  every 
con\enience  and  hixury. 

IVcd  \\'inkler  was  married  in  1868  in  Racine  countv,  \Visconsin,  to 
Mary  Ueil  and  to  this  union  have  been  born  three  children:  Albert  F.,  who 
was  born  in  1869  in  Wisconsin  and  married  in  1898  to  Bertha  Bell,  of 
Brooklyn,  Wisconsin:  he  owns  one  hundred  and  twent}-  acres  of  good  land 
and  also  ojjerates  his  father's  farm.  He  is  a  Mason,  a  member  of  the  .\ncient 
Order  of  United  Workmen,  and  at  the  present  time  he  is  ])resident  of  the 
Jackson  township  school  board.  Albert  F.  and  wife  have  one  srm,  Dre.xel. 
Eliza,  the  second  child  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Winkler,  is  deceased,  while  Katie. 
the  youngest  child,  is  now  at  Storm  Lake.  low-a. 

Politically.  Mr.  Winkler  is  a  Democrat,  Init  has  never  had  the  time  to 
engage  in  the  game  of  politics.  His  wife  died  in  1893  ''"'l  ^ince  then  he 
has  made  his  home  with  his  son.  .\lbert  F.,  on  the  old  home  farm.  Mr. 
Winkler  has  many  admirable  qualities  of  head  and  heart  and  the  high  regard 


444  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

ill  which  lif  is  lielil  by  his  fellow  citizens  indicates  that  he  has  led  a  most 
exeniplarx'  life  in  this  cdiiiimiiiity.  He  can  record  many  interesting  stories  of 
the  earh-  days  in  this  country  and  often  compares  the  conditions  under 
which  he  started  to  housekeeping'  in  1870  with  the  conditions  at  the  present. 
His  life  has  been  a  busy  one  and  yet  he  has  taken  his  part  in  all  the  affairs 
of  the  community  which  he  thought  might  better  the  welfare  of  his  fellow 
citizens. 

Mr.  Winkler  enlisted,  in  the  fall  of  1861,  in  the  Ninth  Regiment, 
Wisconsin  Infantry,  and  served  until  his  honorable  discharge  in  the  spring 
of  1866.  He  was  captured  and  held  as  a  prisoner  for  six  weeks  while  in  the 
state  cif  .-\rkansas. 


HIRAM    B.    SMITH. 


When  a  good  man  goes  to  his  reward  and  departs  this  life,  the  com- 
munity mourns,  his  family  grieves  and  the  niche  which  he  occupied  for  }-ears 
remains  unfilled.  A  distinct  personality  is  sadly  missed  and  his  place  diffi- 
cult to  fill.  There  is  consolation,  however,  in  the  fact  that  the  loved  one  has 
been  a  good  and  useful  citizen  and  a  kind  provider  for  his  family.  The 
demise  of  a  pioneer  settler  of  Sac  countv  in  the  person  of  Hiram  B.  Smith 
on  February  i,  1914,  was  deeply  felt  by  a  host  of  friends  and  acquaintances, 
and  a  long  and  useful  life  came  to  a  peaceful  end. 

Hiram  B.  Smith  was  liorn  December  7,  1846,  on  a  farm  near  Wauke- 
gaii.  Illinois,  and  was  the  son  of  J.  Z.  and  Ruth  (  Sciitt  )  Smith,  nati\-es  of 
Dutchess  count}",  New  York,  and  who  were  of  Holland  descent.  His 
mother  was  a  native  of  Genesee  county.  New  York.  Hiram  B.'s  father 
left  his  native  state  and  settled  in  Ohio.  Later  he  moved  further  West  to 
Illinois  and  again  came  back  to  Ohio.  In  the  year  1851  he  made  the  long 
overland  trip  to  the  gold  fields  of  California,  and  returned  home,  dying  on 
his  farm  in  Wood  county,  Ohio.  Hiram  B.  enlisted  in  the  Sixtieth  Ohio 
Regiment  of  Sharpshooters,  which  was  an  independent  organization.  This 
regiment  was  known  as  the  new  Si.xtieth  to  distinguish  it  from  the  old 
Sixtieth  Regiment,  which  had  been  decimated  by  the  ravages  of  war.  Mr. 
Smith's  enlistment  in  the  Union  army  took  place  in  February  of  1864  and 
he  served  until  April  of  1865.  When  he  was  distant  from  home  eleven 
days  he  caught  his  first  glimpse  of  a  real  battle,  and  had  the  opportunity  of 
\'iewing  the  great  liattle  of  the  ^^'ilderness,  while  his  regiment  was  held  in 
reserve  because  of  the  fact  that  the  new  soldiers  were  all  young,  raw  and 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


445 


untrained  troops.  Instead  of  being  ordered  to  the  front  in  this  engagement, 
they  were  marched  away.  He  later  took  part  in  a  great  many  engagements 
and  skirmishes,  and  iiis  regiment  was  kept  constantly  on  the  move,  going 
from  place  to  place  where  expert  riflemen  were  needed  on  the  outposts  and  in 
the  forefront  of  the  firing  line.  While  the  sharpshooters  were  stationed 
before  Richmond  he  was  severely  wounded  in  June  of  1864  and  sent  to  the 
Federal  hospital  at  Indianapulis,  where  he  recox'ered.  On  August  17,  he 
received  a  wound  which  disabled  him  for  life  and  he  was  sent  home  and 
honorably  retired  from  the  service  on  account  of  permanent  disabilitv. 

Returning  home  to  Wood  county.  Ohio.  Mr.  Smith  was  married,  in 
December,  1870,  to  Jennie  Marsh  at  her  home  in  New  York  .state.  She  is 
the  daughter  of  Xelson  and  Amanda  (Barker)  Marsh,  both  natives  of  New 
York.  After  marriage  the  newly  wedded  couple  settled  on  a  farm  in  Wood 
county,  where  they  resided  until  February  of  1880,  when  they  journeved 
westward  and  lncate<l  in  Wheeler  township.  Sac  county,  Iowa.  Mr.  Smith 
had  previously,  in  the  year  1876,  mafle  the  journey  to  Sac  county  and  bought 
three  huntlred  and  twenty  acres  of  prairie  land  in  west  Wheeler  township. 
Not  a  furrow  hatl  been  turned  on  this  land  and  no  houses  were  in  sight.  On 
his  first  visit  to  the  land  he  had  set  out  a  number  <if  trees,  which  at  this  day 
have  grown  to  be  monarchs  in  size  and  whose  welcome  shade  is  much  appre- 
ciated. They  brought  with  them  a  small  house  ready  to  put  up.  which  was 
succeeded,  fourteen  years  later,  in  the  vear  1893,  '^y  a  comfortable  mansif)n, 
modern  in  many  respects  and  which  is  to  this  day  one  of  the  finest  farm 
residences  in  Wheeler  township. 

No  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith,  but  they  ha\e  reared 
ft)ur,  two  nephews  and  two  nieces,  namely :  Hurt,  somewhere  in  the  West ; 
Maury,  of  South  Dakota;  Ada  Smith,  of  Clinton,  Iowa;  Mrs.  Lenore 
Marvin,  residing  at  the  Smith  home  and  whose  husband  assists  in  tilling 
the  farm.  The  Smith  home  is  a  cultured  and  refined  one  and  evitlences  of 
education  and  marked  skill  along  certain  lines  are  seen  on  every  hand.  Mrs. 
Smith  has  what  is  jjrobabh-  the  only  nniseum  of  the  kind  in  Sac  county. 
An  entire  room  of  the  large  residence  is  set  apart  for  the  housing  uf  relics 
and  stuffed  animals  and  birds,  both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  being  skilled  taxi- 
dermists, and  spent  considerable  time  in  creating  works  of  art  and  [jreparing 
animal  and  bird  exhibits  in  life-like  positions.  During  the  latter  years  of 
Mr.  Smith's  life  his  health  was  poor  and  his  work  was  necessarily  confined 
to  light  and  agreealile  labor,  which  called  for  definite  skill,  and  the  evidence 
of  his  handiwork  is  seen  in  many  fine  creations.  Owing  to  the  condition  of 
his  health  it  was  necessary  for  him,  accompanied  by  his  wife,  to  sjiend  his 


44^  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

winters  during  later  years  at  Port  Orange,  Blorida,  and  it  was  here  that  his 
demise  occurred  on  Feliruary  i.  1914.  Mr.  Smith  was  a  member  of  Colonel 
Goodrich  Post,  Cirand  .\rni\-  of  the  Republic,  and  belonged  to  no  other  lodges 
iir  fraternal  societies.  He  was  essentially  a  home  man,  who  took  a  great 
pride  in  his  handsome  residence  and  the  beautiful  grounds  surrounding  it 
ami  was  continually  improving  the  appearance  of  the  farm.  He  was  a 
Republican  in  ]jolitics  and  a  great  admirer  of  Aljraham  Lincoln  and  General 
Grant  of  Ci\il  War  fame.  He  was  a  kindly  disposed  gentleman  who  was  at 
peace  with  his  neighliors  and  whose  friends  were  legion. 


PETER  G.  LUNDELL. 


The  l)iographer  finds  it  an  easy  task  to  describe  a  man  who  has  led  an 
eminently  active  and  busv  life,  and  who  has  attained  a  position  of  relative 
distinction  in  the  communit}-  with  which  his  interests  are  allied.  In  the 
tracing  of  such  a  career,  biography  finds  its  most  perfect  justification  and  it 
is  with  a  full  appreciation  of  all  that  is  demanded,  and  also  with  a  feeling  of 
satisfaction,  that  the  writer  essays  the  task  of  touching  briefly  upon  the 
details  of  such  a  record  as  has  been  that  of  the  respected  subject  of  this 
sketch.  At  one  time  a  stranger  in  a  strange  land,  unacquainted  with  its 
customs  in  every  particular.  Mr.  Lundell  possessed  that  inheretit  ability 
which  has  enabled  him  to  overcome  all  handicaps  and  has  elevated  him  to 
a  place  of  prominence  and  influence  in  his  chosen  locality. 

Peter  G.  Lundell  was  born  on  May  14,  1859,  in  Sweden,  the  son  of 
Andrew  and  Anna  Lundell,  who,  with  their  family,  emigrated  to  America  in 
1869,  arriving  at  the  port  of  New  York  in  December  of  that  year.  They 
remained  with  friends  in  that  city  until  the  New  Year,  when  they  came  west- 
ward into  Illinois,  locating  near  Princeton,  where  they  resided  on  a  farm 
and  proceeded  to  carry  on  farming.  There  the  family  remained  and  pros- 
pered until  1878,  when  they  again  came  westward,  this  time  locating  in  Sac 
countv,  Iowa,  settling  on  the  land  where  the  subject  of  this  sketch  now  lives, 
which  was  railroad  land  when  they  purchased  it.  There  the  family  lived 
for  several  years,  Andrew  the  father  dying  on  February  i,  1896,  and  the 
mother  passing  into  the  great  lieyond  in  February  of  1900.  Two  daugh- 
ters were  ill  in  Xew  York  harbor  as  the  family  were  waiting  for  admittance 
to  the  country;  one  died  in  the  harbor  and  the  other  in  Princeton,  Illinois, 
and  at  the  death  of  the  parents  there  were  four  children  remaining,  being 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  447 

August,  of  Wheeler  township,  John  and  Anna  (Airs.  Lindskoog),  in  addi- 
tion to  the  immediate  subject  of  this  sketch,  who  succeeded  to  the  home- 
stead and  has  always  resided  there.  In  later  years  he  has  made  many  addi- 
tions and  improvements,  greatly  adding  to  the  value  of  the  place.  This 
homestead  consists  of  one  hundred  and  eighty  acres  of  excellent  land  and 
is  known  as  the  Pine  Lane  farm,  deriving  its  name  from  the  long  lane  of 
pine  trees  which  leads  fnnn  the  ])ublic  highway  to  the  farm  residence,  situ- 
ated some  distance  back  in  the  tract.  The  house  sets  on  a  hill  and  is  sur- 
rounded by  a  grove  of  pines  and  spruces  and  is  in  every  way  an  ideal  home, 
combining  beauty  and  convenience. 

Mr.  Lundell  received  his  elementary  education  in  the  district  schools 
of  Illinois,  where  the  family  first  resided  upon  coming  to  America,  and  this 
was  supplemented  in  later  Aears  by  much  earnest  study  on  his  part.  For  a 
number  of  years  he  taught  schools  in  Wlieeler  township  during  the  winter 
season  and  engaged  in  farming  in  the  spring  and  summer.  He  is  looked 
upon  as  one  of  the  leading  men  of  his  nationality  in  the  community  and  is 
a  man  of  marked  characteristics  which  readily  place  him  in  the  forefront 
of  those  desiring  the  l.iest  and  most  lasting  good  to  the  communitv.  In 
politics,  Mr.  Lundell  is  a  Republican  of  marked  progressive  ideas  and  has 
ever  exerted  a  worthy  influence  in  local  politics.  He  has  served  Wheeler 
township  both  as  trustee  and  clerk  and  at  the  present  time  is  secretary  of  the 
township  school  Ijoard.  He  was  recentlv  elected  secretary  of  the  Kiron 
Farmers'  Mutual  Insurance  Company,  of  which  his  brother  August  is  presi- 
dent. This  company  does  business  in  Crawford,  Sac,  Ida,  Woodbury,  Mo- 
nona, Harrison,  Shelby  and  Carroll  counties,  this  state.  Mr.  Lundell  ren- 
ders these  pul)lic  ser\ices  in  addition  to  capably  managing  the  Inisiness  of  his 
farm  and  throughout  the  years  has  won  for  himself  such  an  enviable  repu- 
tation as  a  man  of  faultless  integrity  and  excellent  judgment,  that  much 
more  is  demanded  of  him  in  this  line  than  his  own  afYairs  warrant  him  in 
assuming. 

Mr.  Lundell  chose  as  his  wife  Amanda  Berg,  daughter  of  Carl  and 
Caroline  Berg,  natives  of  Sweden  who  had  settled  in  Wheeler  township,  and 
their  marriage  was  solemnized  on  March  ii,  1882.  Mrs.  Lundell  was  born 
in  Sweden  on  November  10,  1865,  and  was  a  child  of  four  years  when  her 
parents  emigrated  to  this  country.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lundell  have  been  born 
twelve  children,  namely:  Mabel  Delphine,  wife  of  E.  N.  Sandstrom;  Edna 
Rosene,  a  stenographer  in  the  city  of  Des  Moines;  Abbie  Dorothea,  a  teacher 
in  the  public  schools:  Edith  Arline,  George  Willard.  Edward  Martin,  Eliza- 
beth  Elfrcda,   Edmund   Gustavus.    Mildred    Evangeline,    Harokl   Tennvson, 


448  SAC    COL'NTV,    IOWA. 

Constance  Muriel  and  Bayard  Royal,  all  of  whom  are  at  home,  while  Ed- 
ward Martin  has  attended  an  automobile  school  at  Kansas  City,  Missouri. 
Mr.  Lundell  holds  his  religious  affiliations  with  the  Swedish  Lutheran  church 
and  in  the  tenets  of  that  faith  he  is  carefully  rearing  his  family. 

Mr.  Lundell  is  one  of  those  solid  men  of  brain  and  substance  so  essen- 
tial to  the  best  growth  and  prosperity  of  a  community  and  stands  before 
the  younger  generation  as  an  example  of  a  self-made  man  who  has  attained 
to  worldly  success  and  the  unqualified  respect  of  all  who  know  him  by  the 
operation  of  correct  principles  of  life  coupled  with  indomitable  will  and  the 
determination  to  succeed.  He  has  always  been  especially  desirous  of  ex- 
tending a  beneficial  influence  o\'er  the  yiiuth  with  whom  he  came  in  contact 
and  is  most  conscientious  and  painstaking  in  the  rearing  of  his  own  family. 
In  every  relation  of  life  he  has  proven  himself  everv  inch  a  man  and  adds 
another  name  to  the  already  long  list  of  honorable  and  high-minded  Amer- 
ican citizens  of  Swedish  origin. 


ROBERT   McKEE  LONG. 

The  farmer  of  today  is  radically  different  fron:  the  farmer  of  yester- 
day. To  use  a  well-known  phrase  which  aptly  fits  the  case,  "the  American 
farmer  has  come  into  his  own".  The  whole  world  of  necessity  bows  to 
the  farmer,  figuratively  speaking.  His  productive  land  is  the  basis  of  values 
and  the  source  of  the  greatest  wealth.  It  is  he  who  feeds  the  nnillitudcs  ot 
people  who  exist  in  the  cities  and  towns  which  have  multiplied  in  this  broad 
land  of  ours  during  past  decades.  He  is  at  present  the  most  prosperous 
and  among  the  most  enterprising  o{  our  citizenship.  Where  formerly  be 
seemed  a  nonentity  to  the  masses  (jf  the  peo])le,  to(la\-  he  is  uni\ersally  re- 
spected and  envied  in  his  possession  of  a  fine  farm  and  the  comforts  of 
life  in  abundance.  Then,  too,  although  the  farmer's  life  is  secluded  to  a 
certain  extent,  he  is  no  longer  dei>ri\ed  of  the  comforts  and  luxuries  of 
life  which  formerly  belonged  solely  to  the  city  dweller.  Li  Sac  county  we  find 
many  handsome  and  modern  country  homes  occupied  by  well-to-do  and  pro- 
gressive agriculturists  who  endeavor  to  keep  pace  with  the  world's  affairs 
and  take  an  active  part  in  the  onward  movements  of  the  times.  A  well- 
known  representative  of  this  enterprising  type  of  farmer  is  found  in  the 
person  of  Robert  McKee  Long,  of  Cedar  township. 

Mr.  Long  has  a  farm  of  three  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  two  hundred 


ROBERT   JIcKEE  LONG 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  449 

acres  of  which  he  in  section  9,  antl  one  iiundred  antl  sixt)-  acres  is  lucated 
in  section  16  of  Cedar  township.  He  has  a  large  commercial  (irclianl,  cover- 
ing seven  acres  of  ground,  and  which  has  \-ielded  fi\e  hundred  dnjlars  worth 
of   fruit  in  a  single  year. 

He  was  formerly  engaged  in  cattle  raising  and  ke]jt  from  eighty  to 
one  hundred  and  twenty-five  head  on  the  jjlace.  His  son.  Robert  AL.  is 
no\\-  actively  engaged  in  cultivating  the  land  and  has  charge  of  the  farming 
operations.  In  1912  Mr.  Long  completed  a  fine,  modern  residence  of 
ten  rooms  fitted  with  all  conxeniences.  with  the  necessary  adjunct  of  large, 
coniniiiihous  harns.  This  home  is  situated  on  a  commanding  site  above 
the  stream  which  flows  through  his  land  and  is  surrounded  1)\  great  forest 
trees.  It  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  o\er  two  thousand  six  huntlreil  dollars, 
but  the  home  and  building  cost  to  exceed  h\e  thousand  dollars. 

This  cultivated  and  enterprising  gentleman  was  born  October  6,  1853,  in 
Cedar  county,  Iowa,  the  son  of  Robert  M.  Long,  whose  wife  was  Alary 
M.  Lyle,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  the  Southland.  Robert  M.,  the 
father,  was  born  near  Hagerstown,  .Mar_\-!and,  in  i8i<S.  and  was  the  son  of 
Samuel  and  lsal)ella  (AIcKee)  Long.  He  died  in  1803.  Alary  M.  Lyle 
was  born  in  1S24  and  died  in  1876.  Thex-  were  united  in  marriage  in  1844. 
The  Lyles  are  natiws  of  Virginia.  AIar\-  M.  Lyle  was  the  daughter  of 
William  Reid  Lyle,  of  Virginia,  who  was  the  son  of  John  L}le.  The 
father  of  John  L\le  was  also  named  John  and  was  the  son  of  James  Lyle. 
a  native  of  Lome,  in  county  Antrim,  Ireland.  It  is  recorded  that  the  Lyles 
emigrated  to  Rockbridge  count)-,  AMrginia.  in  1740  or  therealiouts.  There 
were  three  hmthers  w  Ikj  were  pioneers  in  the  settlement  of  the  town  of 
Timber  Ridge.   Rockbridge  count). 

Robert  AlcKee,  the  first,  was  the  son  of  Samuel  and  Isabella  (AIcKee) 
Long.  His  father  was  of  German  descent  on  his  father's  side  and  Scotch- 
Irish  on  liis  mother's  side.  Isabella  AIcKee  was  the  daughter  of  Robert 
McKee,  a  natixe  of  count)-  Down,  Ireland,  who  traveled  to  the  Isle  of 
Man  and  there  married  Mary  Downey.  He  was  born  December  15,  1760, 
and  was  married  in  1788  and  settled  at  Hagerstown.  Alaryland. 

Robert  A'IcKee  Long,  the  first,  with  whom  the  biographer  is  in  part  con- 
cerned, was  Ixirn  February  22.  1818,  near  Hagerstown,  Alaryland,  and  later 
settled  in  Tipton.  Iowa,  where  he  was  a  well-known  merchant.  He  died  in 
1863,  on  the  eve  of  his  acceptance  of  a  colonel's  commission  in  the  Union 
army.  His  children  were:  Alfred  R.,  a  resident  of  Tipton.  l<iw-a;  Edwin 
G.,  a  citizen  of  Omaha;  I'dora  E.  Porter,  who  lives  in  Ti])tou:  Ruliert  AL, 
(28) 


45°  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

of  Sac  county;  Mrs.  Alan-  L.  Moreland.  of  Blairstown,  Iowa;  Mr.s.  Ida 
Belle  Shinn.  living  also  in  Blairstown;  \Mlliam  L..  of  Tipton.  luwa. 

Roiiert  AIcKee.  the  second,  to  whom  this  re\-iew  is  directh-  de\oted. 
received  his  jiriniary  educaiinn  in  the  Tipton  high  school  and  pursued  his 
classical  course  in  Cornell  College.  He  taught  eighteen  terms  of  school  in 
Cedar  county  and  made  his  owm  way  in  life  from  the  time  he  was  ten 
years  old.  He  resided  in  various  towns  for  a  period  of  thirt\  years  and 
followed  divers  occupations  in  order  to  obtain  a  livelihocKl.  while  alwavs 
looking  ahead  for  something  l)etter.  He  worked  for  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad  Company  as  brakeman ;  dro\e  the  stage  from  Tipton  to  Daven- 
port and  also  from  Tipton  to  Stan  wood.  He  is  self  educated,  working  his 
W'-ay  through  school  and  college  and  paying  his  own  exijenses.  In  1883  he 
turned  his  attention  to  farming  in  Johnson  county,  Iowa,  where  he  and 
his  brother  operated  a  farm  in  ])artnership  for  three  vears.  This  farm 
embraced  a  total  of  nine  lumdred  and  thirt}-six  acres  and  required  con- 
siderable laljor  and  attention  to  successfully  operate.  He  then  went  to 
Benton  county  and  farmed  for  sixteen  years  as  a  tenant  farmer,  in  the 
meantime  saving  his  money  so  as  to  make  a  final  and  lasting  investment 
in  land  for  himself.  In  Kjoo  he  came  to  Sac  count\'  and  purchased  his 
Cedar  township  farm  oi  three  hundred  and  sixt\'  acres,  at  a  t(.)tal  cost  of 
fourteen  thousand  ti\e  hundred  dollars.  He  has  since  refused  offers  of 
twenty-six  thousand  four  hundred  dollars  for  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  this  fine  piece  of  land  and  it  is  easily  worth  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
fi\e  dollars  an  acre.  He  remo\ed  his  faniih-  to  Sac  countv  in  1900  and  has 
since  taken  a  prominent  and  influential  part  in  township  and  county  affairs. 

Mr.  Long  is  a  pronounced  Progressi\e  in  his  politics  and  is  chair- 
man of  the  Progressive  organization  in  Cedar  township.  1  )uring  his  resi- 
dence i:)f  fourteen  \ears  in  the  conmiunity  he  has  held  all  township  offices 
and  has  several  times  refused  to  become  a  candidate  for  county  office, 
although  he  has  generally  taken  an  active  part  in  county  affairs  and  has 
wielded  his  large  influence  in  behalf  of  better  goxernment.  b'or  three  years 
past  he  has  been  president  of  the  Sac  (founty  Mutual  Insurance  Company. 
He  has  ser\ed  for  a  period  of  se\en  }ears  as  secretary  of  the  Cedar  township 
school  board  He  is  affiliated  with  the  Methodist  church  and  is  frater- 
nallv  connected  with  the  Modern  Woodmen.  Modern  Pirotherhood  of  Ameri- 
ca, the  Mystic  Toilers  and  ihe  Ancient  Order  of  I'nited  Workmen. 

Mr.  Long's  wedded  life  began  in  1883  when  his  marriage  with  Minnow 
Mehina  Weslon,  of  Xorwav,  Iowa,  was  solemnized.  His  wife  was  born  in 
Norwa\',  Iowa,  in  1864  and  is  the  daughter  of  John  H.  and  Ellen  (Munime\) 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  4.5 1 

\\'eston.  The_\-  are  the  parents  of  the  following  children,  eleven  in  nuniher : 
Bessie  Ellen,  born  1S84  and  is  the  wife  of  Louis  M.  Dawes,  of  Sac  City; 
Mrs.  Maud  Brobeil,  of  Cedar  township  and  who  was  born  in  1886;  Robert 
McKee  Long,  the  thirti.  born  in  1888,  farmer,  married  Martha  Alice  Rhoads; 
Edwin  ( larfield.  born  May  2g,  1890.  and  was  married  November  i,  191 1, 
to  Elsie  Pearl  Witt,  daughter  of  William  Witt;  Frank  Otis,  born  1892  and 
married  in  October  of  1913.  to  Lola  Cress  and  resides  in  Lavinia,  Iowa; 
Ralph  Henry,  born  in  1894  and  resides  at  home;  Glenn  Herbert,  born  1896; 
Ada  Pearl,  born  in  1898;  Charles  Alfred,  whose  birth  occurred  in  1900; 
Mary  Belle,  who  was  born  in  1902;  Edith  Emily,  born  in  1904. 

This  brief  resume  of  the  life  of  Robert  McKee  Long  is  presented  herein 
with  the  conviction  that  it  will  lie  esteemed  as  a  memoir  of  great  value  by 
his  children,  descendants  and  frientls.  It  is  an  epitome  of  the  life  of  a 
self-made  man  who  has  not  only  achieved  a  comfortable  competence  solely 
through  his  own  efforts  but  has  the  enviable  distinction  of  ha\ing  reared 
a  large  and  interesting  family  of  children  who  are  being  brought  up  in  the 
surroundings  of  a  Christian  and  cultured  home.  It  is  an  epitome  of  a  self- 
made  man  of  gentle  birth  and  who  is  proud  of  his  Germanic  and  Scotch- 
Irish  ancestry.  Having  the  advantages  of  gentle  birth  and  the  inspiration  of  a 
long  line  of  sturdy  ancestors  to  inspire  his  efforts,  he  has  become  a  citizen 
of  wide  inlluencL'  in  his  adopted  county.  I'rom  newsboy  and  bootblack  to 
being  the  owner  of  a  valuable  Sac  county  farm,  the  father  of  a  large  and  in- 
teresting family,  and  to  being  a  leader  among  his  fellow  citizens,  along  the 
paths  of  good  government,  is  a  long  step  forward  and  credit  sufficient. 
It  is  the  records  of  the  lives  of  such  men  as  Mr.  Long  that  make  interest- 
ing reading  and  furnish  inspiration  to  the  readers  of  this  valuable  \olume. 

Mr.  Long  has  never  been  an  office  seeker,  though  time  after  time  he  has 
been  solicited  to  become  a  candidate  for  xarious  offices.  .Vt  the  earnest 
solicitation  of  the  leaders  of  the  Progressive  party  and  yielding  to  the 
importunities  of  his  many  friends  throughout  Sac  county,  he  became  the 
candidate  of  the  part\-  for  the  important  office  of  representative  to  the  state 
Legislature,  in  the  S])ring  of  1974.  His  strength  as  a  candidate  is  indis- 
putable and  recognized  Ij}"  the  great  agricultiu"al  class  of  his  home  county. 
His  abilit\-  as  a  jmblic  speaker  of  note  is  attracting  wide  attention  for  the 
clearness  of  his  logic  and  the  force  of  his  arguments  as  coming  from  a 
man  of  sound  and  honest  convicti(ins.  His  many  friends  view  his  candi- 
dacy with  optimistic  predictions  and  he  is  receiving  firm  support  which  will 
enable  him  to  make  a  strong  race  for  the  position  which  will  land  him  in 
the  halls  of  the  state  Legislature  if  successful  at  the  November  election. 


452  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

MARION    MOCK. 

One  of  the  substantial  and  enterprising  citizens  of  Sac  City  and  one 
who  has  achieved  marked  success,  first  as  an  agriculturist  and  then  as  a 
miller,  is  Marion  Mock,  proprietor  of  the  grist  and  flour  mill  operating  in 
the  west  part  of  the  city.  This  mill  was  established  in  1897  and  was  pur- 
chased by  Mr.  Mock  in  1908.  The  mill  has  an  output  and  a  capacit}-  of  five 
hundred  bushels  of  grain  daily.  It  is  fitted  with  two  grinders  and  one  assist- 
ant is  employed  to  operate  the  machinery. 

Mr.  Mock  was  born  May  28,  i860,  in  Polk  county,  Iowa,  and  was  the 
son  of  Daniel  and  Catharine  (Hart)  Mock,  natives  of  Ohio  and  Pennsyl- 
vania, respectively.  Daniel  Mock  migrated  to  Iowa  as  early  as  1845  ^"^^ 
settled  in  Polk  county  when  Des  Moines  consisted  of  only  a  fort  and  a 
cluster  of  houses  and  was  a  trading  station  in  the  wilderness.  For  some 
years  he  teamed  from  Ke(.)kuk  to  Des  Moines,  and  made  the  first  trip  to 
the  new  country  from  Indiana.  He  purchased  a  farm  about  twelve  miles 
north  of  Des  Moines,  and  became  the  owner  of  a  (juarter  section  of  river 
bottom  land,  over  which  there  was  considerable  litigation  for  a  numljer  of 
years,  but  he  e\entualh-  secured  a  clear  title  to  the  same  ami  then  disposed  of 
it.  Mr.  Mock  had  a  government  title  to  this  tract,  but  it  was  claimed  by  the 
River  Land  Company  and  the  consequent  litigation  ensued.  After  disposing 
of  his  first  farm,  he  bought  another  (|uarter  section,  ten  miles  north  of  Des 
Moines,  but  sold  this  seven  years  later  and  moved  to  Springfield,  .Missouri. 
for  awhile.  Returning  to  Iowa,  he  settled  near  the  state  fair  grounds,  in 
the  vicinit)-  of  Des  Moines,  and  died  in  1910. 

Mt.  Mock  left  I'olk  countv  in  the  spring  of  1890  and  cime  tn  Sac 
county,  locating  in  Cedar  township,  where  he  purchased  eighty  acres  of 
prairie  land  at  a  cost  of  sixteen  dollars  an  acre.  He  improved  this  farm 
and  resided  thereon  until  1899,  and  then  sold  his  land  for  forty  dollars  an 
acre.  He  then  bought  one  hundred  and  t\\ent\"  acres  at  a  cost  of  forty 
dollars  an  acre  in  Jackson  township,  which  he  sold  three  years  later  for 
sixty-five  dollars  an  acre.  He  made  his  residence  in  Sac  Cit\'  from  this 
time  on  and  continued  inve,sting  in  land.  He  purchased  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  southwest  of  Sac  City  for  sixty-five  dollars  an  acre,  rented  it  to 
a  tenant,  and  later  sold  it  for  eightv-three  dollars  an  acre.  In  partnershi]) 
with  a  real  estate  man,  he  bought  two  hundred  acres  of  land  northwest  of 
Sac  City  in  1910  at  a  cost  of  seventy-five  dollars  an  acre  and  sold  it  recently 
for  one  hundred  and  thirt\-fi\e  dollars  an  ;icre.  Another  recent  investment 
or  s])eculation  was  in  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Clay  county. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  453 

which  cost  eighty  dollars  per  acre  and  was  sold   for  one   hnndred  and  ten 
dollars  per  acre. 

In  politics  Mr.  Alock  is  a  stanch  Democrat  and  is  a  pronounced  admirer 
of  President  Wilson  and  his  policies.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  both  subordinate  lodge  and  encampment,  the 
Rebekahs  and  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen.  He  was  married 
February  9,  1880,  to  Mary  Jane  Doke  and  is  the  father  of  three  children: 
Mrs.  Nettie  Shoemaker,  of  Los  Angeles,  California:  Alfred,  of  Montana; 
Wavne,  aged  sixteen  vears,  at  home. 


BERTON   B.    BUIHNER. 

Among  tile  many  German  families  whu  have  niatle  Sac  county  their 
home,  the  Bnihner  family  occupies  a  conspicuous  place.  It  seems  to  be  a 
national  characteristic  of  the  German  people  to  be  frugal  and  saving.  The 
county  which  is  fortunate  to  attract  German  emigrants  is  always  sure  to 
advance  in  material  prosperity.  Wherever  these  people  settle,  thev  at  once 
begin  to  make  homes  for  themselves,  rmd,  while  they  are  interested  in  their 
own  advancement,  the}-  never  neglect  to  take  their  full  share  of  the  burden 
of  citizenship. 

The  first  member  of  the  Buihner  family  to  come  to  America  was  lohn 
Buihner,  who  was  born  in  Wittenberg,  Germany,  ]March  30,  1824.  and  died 
in  Wall  Lake,  Sac  county,  Iowa.  September  19,  1903.  He  was  reared  and 
married  in  Germany.  His  wife,  Ursula  Jennewine,  was  born  in  Wittenberg, 
May  10.  182J,  and  died  at  Garwin,  Iowa,  March  6,  1901.  Thev  came  to 
America  in  1854  and  settled  at  Oswego,  Illinois,  where  they  lived  until  1868. 
when  the\-  luoved  to  Tama  count}",  Iowa,  and  in  1891  moved  to  Garwin.  this 
state,  where  the  wife  and  mother  died.  They  were  the  parents  of  seven 
children:  Mrs.  .Annie  Sherwood,  of  Sioux.  Nebraska;  John,  Jr.,  the  father 
of  Bert  B..  whose  history  is  portrayed  in  this  sketch;  Mrs.  Margaret  Long, 
of  Morningside,  Sioux  City,  Iowa;  Jacob  and  George,  of  Tama  countv.  this 
state,  and  Mrs.  Eva  Conant,  deceased. 

The  second  child  of  John  and  Ursula  Buihner  was  John  Buihner.  Jr.. 
who  was  l)orn  March  4.  1852.  in  Wittenberg.  Germany.  As  has  been  men- 
tioned al)ove.  he  came  to  America  with  his  parents  in  1854.  and  of  course 
came  with  them  again  when  thev  made  their  change  to  Tama  county,  Iowa, 
in   1868.     In  this  county  he  was  married,  on  December   16.    1875.  to  Alpha 


454  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Yetley,  the  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Catherine  Yetlew  who  were  natives  of 
Pennsylvania.  Alpha  Yetley  was  born  December  27,  1859,  in  Tama  covinty, 
her  parents  being  among  the  early  settlers  of  that  county.  Thex-  came  from 
Pennsylvania  and  first  settled  in  Freeport,  Illinois,  and  came  tu  Tama 
county.  Iowa,  in  1856.  The  first  wife  of  Jacob  Yetley  died  in  1874,  and  to 
this  first  union  were  born  the  following  children :  Mrs.  Mary  Hamm,  Irwin 
J.,  Mrs.  Alpha  Buihner  and  Mrs.  Lucy  Pifer.  Jacob  Yetley's  second  marriage 
was  to  Mary  E.  Hamm,  and  to  his  second  union  were  born  five  children. 
Grant,  Charley.  Emma.  Lottie  and  Delia.  To  John  Buihner.  Jr..  and  wife 
were  born  three  chiklren :  William  Gill)ert.  jjorn  October  5.  1877.  and  died 
December  4,  1892;  Laura  May  was  born  March  28,  1879,  and  died  .\pril 
24,  1887;  Berton  Bodene,  whose  history  is  the  theme  of  the  present  nar- 
rati\e.  In  1891  John  Buihner,  Jr.,  and  his  family  moved  to  Sac  county, 
where  the  husband  and  father  died  on  October  29,  1909.  He  was  a  great 
worker  in  the  Evangelical  church  and  was  Sunday  school  superintendent  of 
the  Pleasant  Hill  Methodist  Episcopal  church  for  seven  years,  and  superin- 
tendent of  another  Sunday  school  for  twelve  years.  He  was  an  active 
wt)rker  in  the  Epworth  League  and  in  all  the  organizations  of  the  church. 
For  two  years  he  was  president  of  the  Clinton  Township  Sunday  Scliiml 
Association. 

Berton  B.  Buihner,  the  third  in  direct  descent  from  the  first  of  the 
fannly  who  came  to  America,  was  born  April  24,  1888,  in  Marshall  countv. 
Iowa,  and  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  and  upon  his  father's  death 
in  1909  took  active  charge  of  his  father's  farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty 
acres.  He  is  a  young  man  who  has  a  promising  future  before  him.  He  is 
greatly  interested  in  church  work,  as  was  his  father  before  him.  At  the 
present  time  he  is  an  active  member  of  the   Young  Men's  Literar\-  .Societ\'. 


CONRAD  MEYER. 


A  man  of  sterling  worth  and  exemplary  character  is  Ccjnrad  Meyer, 
one  of  the  German  citizens  of  Odebolt,  Sac  county,  Iowa.  Before  coming 
to  this  country  he  served  six  years  in  the  German  army,  and  the  splendid 
training  and  discipline  which  was  acquired  during  thcxse  si.x  years  has  been 
no  small  factor  in  making  him  tlic  successful  man  that  he  has  Ijecome  since 
settling  in  this  township.  Not  only  has  he  been  of  material  benefit  to  the 
progress  of  his  county,  but  in  all  public  enterpri.ses  he  has  taken  such  a  part 
as  ranks  him  as  a  loyal  citizen  of  his  adopted  country. 


SAC    COUNTY,   IOWA.  455 

Conrad  Meyer  was  born  July  i,  1840,  in  Bayern,  Kolembaugh,  Ger- 
many. His  parents,  George  and  Barbara  Meyer,  li\ed  all  their  days  in  the 
land  of  their  birth.  George  Meyer  was  a  farmer  in  Germany,  and  when 
Conrad  Ale\er  was  twfnt}-two  years  of  age  he  enlisted  in  the  regular  Ger- 
man army  and  served  his  allotted  six  years.  Upon  the  e.xpiration  of  his 
enlistment  he  came  to  America  antl  landed  in  New  York  city.  Shortly  after- 
\<'ard  he  went  to  Lee  count}-,  Illinois,  and  worked  on  a  farm  in  that  county 
for  two  years.  He  then  married  and  rented  a  farm,  remaining  in  Lee 
county,  Illinois,  until  October,  1873,  at  which  time  he  came  to  Clinton  town- 
ship, Sac  county,  Iowa,  where  he  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
land  for  five  dollars  an  acre.  He  only  had  one  hundred  dollars  to  pay  down 
on  the  land.  l)ut,  with  the  thrift  which  characterizes  his  countrymen,  he  went 
to  work  with  a  will  and  soon  had  this  land  paid  for.  He  then  bought  four 
hundred  acres  in  section  28,  Clinton  township,  and  after  making  his  second 
purchase  of  land  Mr.  Me\er  began  to  deal  in  real  estate  throughout  the 
county,  anil  has  made  considerable  mone}-  l)y  buxing  and  selling  land,  al- 
ways bu_\ing  his  land  for  cash,  and  has  never  lost  by  any  of  his  numerous 
transactions.  Before  he  divided  his  land  among  his  children,  he  was  the 
owner  of  ten  hundred  and  t\\ent\-nine  acres,  as  follows:  One  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  in  Clinton  township,  three  hundred  and  forty-nine  acres  in  Levey 
township,  one  hundred  and  twenty  in  Wall  Lake  township  and  six  hundred 
and  forty  in  Spink  county.  South  Dakota. 

Wv.  Me\er  was  married  in  1872  to  Anna  Katrina  Engle,  who  died  in 
1907,  leaving  six  children:  Mrs.  Mary  Schulte,  of  Wall  Lake  township, 
who  has  four  children,  Andrew,  George,  Susie  and  Mary ;  Airs.  Anna  Mar- 
tha Souder.  deceased,  whose  Hve  children,  Caroline,  Annie,  John.  George 
and  Alary,  were  reared  1:)\-  their  grandfather;  George,  a  farmer  of  Clinton 
township;  Mrs.  Katharine  Kolbe,  of  Clinton  township;  John  and  Henry, 
farmers  of  Clinton  township. 

Mr.  Meyer  was  married  the  second  time  on  Alay  22,  1908,  to  Airs. 
Alarie  (Hailing)  Pritchard.  a  native  of  Schleswig-Holstein.  Germany,  and 
who  was  Ijorn  on  July  g,  1853,  the  daughter  of  H.  P.  and  Marie  Hailing. 
The  Hailing  family  came  to  America  in  1865,  and  first  settled  in  Clinton 
county,  Iowa,  where  they  remained  for  three  years.  The\-  then  moved  to 
Clarke  county,  Iowa,  and  in  1900  came  to  Sac  county.  Air.  and  Airs.  Hail- 
ing were  the  parents  of  five  children :  H.  P.  and  John,  farmers  of  Cook 
township,  this  county;  Cyrus,  of  .Adair  county,  this  state;  Airs.  Lena  Alollm, 
who  lives  in  South  Dakota,  and  Airs.  Meyer.  Marie  Hailing  was  married 
in  1878  to  James  FVitchard.  who  diefl  at  Ottumwa.  Iowa,  in  1907. 


456  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Mr.  Me}'er  cast  his  first  vote  for  James  A.  Garfield,  and  has  called  him- 
self an  independent  voter  since  that  time,  preferring  to  cast  his  ballot  on 
election  days  for  the  l.iest  men,  irrespective  of  their  politics.  Accordingly, 
in  icjij,  he  voted  for  Woodrow  Wilson,  believing  that  he  was  the  best  man 
for  the  presidency.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  church,  to  which  he 
contributes  liberally  of  his  substance.  In  1909  Mr.  Meyer  moved  to  Ode- 
bolt,  where  he  is  now  lixing  a  life  of  ease  and  comfort  and  enjoying  the 
fruits  of  his  long  years  of  hard  labor.  The  life  of  this  typical  German 
emigrant,  who  came  to  this  county  with  practically  nothing.  afYords  a  strik- 
ing e.xample  of  the  man  who  makes  a  comfortalile  living  for  his  declining 
years  by  the  sweat  of  his  lirow.  In  no  other  country  in  the  world  can  this 
be  accomplished  so  easily  as  in  the  United  States,  and  every  state  in  the 
Union  is  glad  to  welcome  such  men  as  Conrad  Meyer. 


lOSEPH  P.  GOREHAM. 


Forty  ^■ears  of  residence  in  Sac  county  and  living  to  see  the  county 
develop  from  a  \'ast  prairie  country  into  a  populous  and  cultivated  garden 
spot,  with  beautiful  tovvus  and  cities  rearing  their  spires  heavenward,  should 
be  honor  and  glory  enough  for  one  luan,  but  when  he  and  his  faithful 
helpmeet  are  so  blessed  as  to  ha\'e  been  enabled  to  celebrate  their  golden  wed- 
ding anniversary  in  addition,  it  seems  truly  that  Providence  has  especially 
singled  out  a  most  worthy  couple  for  great  favors.  However,  Joseph  P. 
and  Charlotte  Goreham,  with  whom  this  resume  is  concerned,  are  deserv- 
ing of  all  the  good  fortune  and  every  lilessing  which  has  befallen  them  in  a 
long,  happy  and  useful  life. 

Joseph  P.  Goreham  was  born  March  4,  1840,  in  Stockholm,  St. 
Lawrence  countv.  New  York.  He  is  the  son  of  Philo  and  Maria  (Bard) 
Goreham,  natives  of  Vermont,  and  who  moved  to  Canada  in  1845,  and  resid- 
ed there  until  the  spring  of  1861.  They  then  moved  to  Clinton  county, 
Iowa,  where  the  father  died  in  the  year  1888.  There  were  nine  children 
in  the  Goreham  family,  as  follows :  Betsey,  Warren,  Harriet,  Miranda, 
Susannah,  Reuben  and  William,  all  deceased;  Joseph  P.,  and  Mrs  Mary 
Wade,  of  Allen,  Nebraska. 

In  the  fall  of  1861  Joseph  P.  Goreham  left  his  Canadian  home  and 
came  to  Clinton  county.  Iowa,  and  was  there  married,  January  20,  1864,  to 
Charlotte  Hill,  who  was  bom  May  8,    1844,   in   Yorkshire,   England.     She 


MK.   AND   MRS.   JOSEPH    P.   GOREHAM 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  457 

is  the  daughter  of  John  and  Susannah  Hill,  who  emigrated  to  America  in 
185 1  and  first  settled  at  Rockford,  Illinois.  They  reared  a  family  of  four- 
teen children.  The  Hill  family  located  in  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  in  1854, 
and  were  substantial  pioneer  settlers  of  this  county. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Goreham  resided  on  their  farm  in  Clinton  county  until 
the  fall  of  1874  when  they  removed  to  Sac  county  and  purchased  the  north 
half  of  section  2  in  Wheeler  township.  At  this  time  there  were  no  roads  and 
few  settlers  in  their  vicinity.  In  the  spring"  of  1875  they  built  a  Imuse  and 
began  de\'eloping  the  farm.  About  this  time  they  also  bought  the  southeast 
quarter  of  section  36  at  a  cost  of  five  dollars  and  fifey  cents  an  acre  on  ten 
years'  time.  So  industrious  and  frugal  were  this  excellent  couple  that  it  was  only 
a  verv  short  time  until  they  were  free  from  debt  and  added  more  land  to 
their  holdings.  They  were  able  to  give  forty  acres  to  each  of  their  sons  out- 
right and  yet  ha\e  four  hundred  acres  of  fine  land,  including  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres  in  Woodbury  county,  Iowa.  In  1894  they  left 
the  farm  and  remoxed  to  Odebolt  where  they  ha\e  a  comfortable  residence 
in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  city. 

Politicallv,  Mr.  Goreham  is  a  Progressive  and  is  a  memlier  of  the  Ancient 
Free  au'l  .\ccc])ted  Masons.  He  is  the  father  of  eight  children,  as  follows: 
One  died  in  infancy :  George,  who  died  at  the  age  of  three  years ;  Mrs.  Mary 
Coy,  of  Highlands.  California;  Horace,  of  Moville,  Iowa,  and  who  is  the 
father  of  one  child,  Aubrey ;  Leonard,  residing  on  the  old  homestead  and  who 
has  three  children,  Clarence,  Irene  and  Laura;  Edson,  located  on  the  west 
quarter  section  of  the  old  homestead  and  who  has  five  daughters,  Doris  and 
Dorothy  (twins),  Charlotte,  Mildred  and  Gertrude;  Mrs.  Grace  Gunderson, 
who  lives  on  the  southeast  quarter  section  of  the  home  farrn  in  Wheeler  town- 
ship and  is  the  mother  of  seven  children.  Hazel,  \'ernon.  Pierce,  Paul,  Cyril. 
Eva,  Edward;  Mrs.  Mabel  Irwin,  of  Odebolt:  Wilbur,  deceased  in  1878. 

Mr.  Goreham  has  the  distinction  of  having  been  the  first  township  clerk 
in  Wheeler  township  and  assisted  in  the  organization  of  the  township  when 
it  was  set  off  from  Levey  township.  He  also  had  charge  of  the  first  election 
ever  held  in  the  township  and  was  a  prominent  factor  in  Republican  politics 
during  his  many  years  of  residence  in  the  township.  After  serving  as  clerk 
he  was  four  times  elected  township  trustee  and  also  served  as  secretary  of 
the  school  board. 

On  lanuar)-  20,  19 14.  this  pioneer  couple  celebrated  their  fiftieth  wed- 
ding anniversary.  Concerning  this  important  affair  the  Odebolt  Chronicle 
had  the  following  to  say : 

"The  half  century  mile  post  of  wedded  life  stretches  away  off  in  the  dis- 


4S8  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

tance  and  but  few  attain  it.  Mr.  and  Airs.  J.  P.  Goreham,  pioneer  residents 
of  this  community,  were  privileged  to  reach  the  goal,  however,  and  cele- 
brated their  golden  wedding  at  their  Odeljolt  home  on  Tuesday,  January 
20th,  in  a  way  that  befitted  the  importance  of  the  event.  They  reached  the 
goal  in  good  health,  blessed  with  a  happy  home  and  the  possessors  of  an  army 
of  friends. 

"For  a  good  many  years  the  couple  had  looked  forward  to  the  date 
of  January  20,  1914,  which  would  round  out  their  fifty  years  <if  married 
life.  Provided  they  readied  the  goal  in  good  health,  they  had  long  ago 
decided  the  event  should  be  celebrated  as  it  should  be. 

"It  was  their  privilege  to  do  so  and  accordingly  the  e\ent  was  cele- 
brated as  it  should  be.  With  all  of  their  children  about  them,  except  one, 
Mrs.  P.  F.  Coy,  of  Highlands.  California,  they  kept  open  house  from  two 
to  five  P.  M.,  and  between  those  hours  o\er  one  hundred  of  their  friends 
called  to  pay  their  respects,  to  visit  awhile  and  to  wish  for  the  venerable 
pair  continuance  of  good  health  and  longevity. 

"The  home  was  beautifully  decorated  for  the  affair.  .Vll  of  the  rooms 
were  a  perfect  bower  of  roses,  joncjuils  and  carnations.  Smilax,  sent 
all  the  way  from  California,  added  to  the  beauty  of  the  rooms.  Many  of  the 
flowers  were  the  gifts  of  friends.  The  guests  were  received  in  the  spacious 
living  room  and  after  extending  congratulations  filtered  through  the  rooms 
to  make  themselves  comfortable  and  to  enjoy  the  hospitality  that  was  theirs 
to  enjoy.  A  two-course  luncheon  was  served  to  all,  a  total  of  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  being  served. 

"They  were  married  in  Lost  Nation.  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  fift\'  \ears 
ago.  Forty  years  ago  they  came  to  Sac  county  and  bought  the  farm  known 
as  the  north  half  of  section  2  of  \Mieelcr  township.  Coming  at  that  earlv 
date  they  have  a  right  to  be  classed  as  pioneer  residents.  They  saw  the 
country  in  its  newest  state  and  its  subsequent  develojiment  and  have  never 
been  sorry  that  they  cast  their  lot  in  good  old  Sac  count}'.  Until  near!)- 
twenty  years  ago  they  made  their  home  on  the  old  farm,  Avhere  they  reared 
their  family  and  met  with  success  in  a  financial  way.  .Something  o\er  nine- 
teen years  ago  they  bought  the  place  in  town  and  turned  the  farm  over  to 
the  sons.  When  in  a  reminiscent  mood  they  can  recount  some  interesting  ex- 
periences of  the  early  days  and  know  what  pioneering  in  its  most  rugged  sense 
is.  They  still  have  the  handle  of  their  first  broom  in  their  possession  and 
Mrs.  Goreham  still  uses  it  as  a  clothes  stick  on  washdays.  Cake  was  served 
to  the  guests  from  a  platter  that  has  been  in  the  possession  of  the  couple 
since  the  day  of  their  marriage. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  459 

"Numerous  presents  were  received  by  the  couple  Tuesda\".  The  list 
is  as  follows :  Parlor  suite  in  golden  oak,  leather  upholstered ;  gold  bowl 
sugar  shell ;  two  gold  bowl  spoons,  gold  bowl  berry  spoon,  two  gold  handled 
umbrellas,  gold  headed  cane  for  Mr.  Goreham.  gold  thimble  for  Mrs.  Gore- 
ham,  hand  painted  teaiiot,  gold  trimmed:  set  gold  cuff  bottons,  gold  brooch 
and  many  gift  cards. 

"The  out-of-town  relatives  and  friends  present  were  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H. 
W.  Gorehan  and  son,  Audrey;  Mr.  and  .Mrs.  R.  M.  McCarter,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  William  Barto,  Mrs.  W.  E.  Hall,  all  of  Moville;  George  Cressey  and 
daughter,  Mrs.  Robert  Stewardson,  y\rthur :  Mrs.  Ernest  McMillan,  Ruth- 
ven;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  T.  Irwin,  Pleasant  Hill. 

"An  original  poem  by  R.  M.  Stavely,  a  cousin  of  the  couple,  who  re- 
sides in  California,  was  read."  It  is  the  heartfelt  wish  of  their  nianv  friends 
that  they  may  live  to  celebrate  their  diamond  jubilee. 


AUGUST   LUNDELL. 


Sac  county,  Iowa,  has  been  signally  favored  by  so  man_\'  natives  of 
Sweden  becoming  her  citizens  and  thus  bringing  into  the  moral,  material 
and  educational  phases  of  her  community  life  the  high  standards  for  which 
that  country  is  known.  No  country  of  the  world  can  boast  of  better  char- 
acteristics in  its  natives  than  can  the  country  above  mentioned;  no  people 
of  the  world  are  more  frugal,  energetic,  honest  or  worthily  ambitious  and 
the  workings  of  these  same  traits  in  the  rapidly  growing  section  chosen  by 
many  Swedes  as  their  home,  have  had  a  tendency  to  raise  high  the  standard 
of  correct  living.  Among  the  many  natives  of  Sweden  who  have  won  success 
for  themselves  in  Sac  county  and  at  the  same  time  have  conferred  honor  on 
their  locality  none  is  more  widely  and  favorably  known  than  August  Lun- 
dell,  the  recognized  leader  among  his  nationality  in  this  section. 

Mr.  Lundell  was  born  on  August  26,  1848,  on  a  farm  in  Sweden,  be- 
ing the  son  of  Andrew,  who  followed  August  to  America  some  years  later 
and  resided  on  a  farm  in  Wheeler  township,  this  county.  The  mother  was 
Anna  Lundell,  who  joined  the  father  in  hi-,  emigration  to  -\merica,  and  both 
iinisheil  their  li\es  in  Wheeler  township,  where  they  lie  buried.  There  were 
four  children  in  the  family,  those  beside  the  immediate  subject  of  this  sketch 
being,  P.  G.,  who  resides  in  Wheeler  township,  Mrs.  I.undskorg,  and  John, 
who  died  in  the  countrv  some  time  since. 


460  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

Augu.st  Lunclell  came  to  America  in  the  spring  of  1869  and  first  lo- 
cated near  some  of  his  nationahty  in  IlHnois,  where  he  worked  at  farm  la- 
Ijor  for  five  x'ears.  In  the  spring  of  1875  he  first  came  to  Sac  county.  Iowa, 
where  tiie  year  pre\ious  he  iiad  purcliased  a  tract  of  one  hundred  and  si.xty 
acres,  for  which  he  paid  five  dollars  and  sixty  cents  per  acre,  purchasing  on 
time.  In  1873.  while  living  in  Illinois,  he  had  lieen  united  in  marriage  with 
Mar}-  Walter,  also  a  native  of  Sweden,  born  in  Octol.ier  of  1848.  Imme- 
diately after  arri\-ing  in  this  count\"  they  began  the  erection  of  a  home,  and 
li\ed  in  Crawford  coimty  pending  the  comjiletion  of  this  residence.  Mr. 
Lundell  was  getting  things  well  under  way  when  the  grasshopper  pest  first 
came  in  1876.  and  returned  in  1877.  doing  considerable  damage  and  work- 
ing a  terrible  hardship  U])i)n  the  farmers  for  a  few  vears.  However.  Mr. 
Lundell  persisted  in  his  labors,  and  after  the  passing  of  the  pest  commenced 
to  see  his  way  clear  to  greater  achievements.  For  many  years  Mr.  Lundell 
has  kept  a  diary  and  upon  referring  to  this  under  date  of  February  3.  1877, 
a  notation  is  found  stating  that  the  weather  was  so  mild  that  he  had  at  that 
date  Ijegun  his  spring  work.  This  was  near  the  close  of  the  famous  mild 
winter  of  1876-1877.  but.  on  account  of  a  freeze  early  in  March,  no  crops 
were  planted  until  the  2C)th  of  that  month. 

In  1880  Mr.  Lundell  purchased  eighty  additional  acres,  adjoining  his 
hr^t  tract.  pa\ing  ten  dollars  i)er  acre  for  this  later  purchase,  and  in  1890 
he  bought  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  more,  which  latter  tract,  however, 
has  been  di\ided  and  a  portion  sold.  .\t  the  present  time  he  owns  three 
hundred  acres  of  excellent  rolling  land,  located  in  section  30,  Wheeler  town- 
ship. This  farm  is  one  of  the  most  attractive  places  in  the  county,  amply 
attesting  the  unusual  Inisiness  abilitv  and  tireless  energ\-  of  the  owner. 
There  are  two  fine  residences  on  the  farm,  in  one  of  which  his  sons  Richard 
and  Alvin,  who  now  oi^erate  the  farm,  reside.  This  is  a  fine,  modern  struc- 
ture, recently  erected.  There  is  also  an  unusually  large  and  complete  barn, 
size  sixty-four  by  one  hundred  feet,  as  well  as  all  other  necessary  farm 
buildings  which  are  constructed  in  a  most  approved  manner.  The  business 
of  this  farm  is  consideral)le  and  much  attention  is  given  to  breeding  live 
stock.  The  Polled  Angus  cattle  are  the  favored  breed  and  there  are  now 
on  the  farm  sixty-odd  head,  b'ully  one  hundred  and  fifty  hogs  are  marketed 
annualK",  and  in  addition  to  the  time  and  attention  given  to  the  stock,  there 
is  also  much  time  and  labor  expended  upon  producing  crops.  Mr.  Lundell 
is  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  thorough  and  systematic  farmers  of  the 
countv  and  the  products  of  his  farm  uphold  this  reputation. 

In  addition  to  the  large  demands  made  u])on  his  time  and  energies  by 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  461 

liis  business  and  the  rearing  of  his  family,  :\Ir.  Lundell  has  found  time  to 
keep  well  posted  on  current  events  and  to  take  an  active  part  in  the  life  i>f 
the  ccinimunity.  Upon  coming  to  this  country  he  aligned  himself  with  the 
Republican  part}-,  to  which  he  adhered  strictly  until  the  birth  of  the  t'ro- 
o-ressive  partv,  when  he  endorsed  the  principles  of  that  party  as  laid  down 
by  the  convention  at  Chicago.  He  has  served  Wheeler  township  l)oth  as 
trustee  and  clerk  and  was  also  secretary  and  president  of  the  school  boartl 
at  various  times,  and  in  the  discharge  of  the  duties  devolving  upon  him  in 
these  various  offices  he  has  met  only  with  the  highest  approval  of  all.  He 
also  was  a  memljer  of  the  Sac  county  board  of  supervisors  for  the  >-ears 
1896  to  igo2.  inclusi\e,  and  in  every  respect  fully  demonstrated  his  ability 
to  adequatelv  fill  that  chair.  He  is  at  present  the  candidate  of  his  party  for 
the  state  senatorship  from  his  district.  Air.  Lundell,  who  is  a  member  of  the 
Evangelical  Lutheran  church,  is  also  active  in  religions  circles  and  was  one 
of  the  organizers  of  the  Swedish  Evangelical  Lutheran  church,  which  so- 
ciety was  formed  in  1875  and  the  church  built  about  three  years  later.  To 
the  accomplishment  of  this  labor,  Mr.  Lundell  gave  generously  both  of  his 
time  and  means  and  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  leaders  of  that  faith. 

Mr.  Lundell  had  a  family  of  eight  children,  namely;  Albert,  who  was 
born  in  1874  and  died  in  December  of  1882;  Richard,  who  was  born  in 
1875  and,  with  Alvin,  is  now  operating  the  farm;  Anna  O.,  who  was  liorn 
in  1877  and  is  now  Mrs.  C.  W.  Nilson,  residing  in  Hays  township,  Ida 
county,  this  state.  She  is  the  mother  of  three  children,  Gladys,  Royal  and 
Golden,  who  are  the  only  grandchildren  of  Mr.  Lundell.  Emil  was  born  in 
1878  and  is  a  farmer  in  Ida  county.  Minnie  Josephine  and  Lydia  Christina 
are  twins,  ])orn  in  1870.  The  latter  is  deceased  and  Minnie  is  a  stenographer. 
Alvin,  who  was  born  in  1884,  remains  at  home,  and  the  youngest  of  the 
family  was  Ernest,  born  in  i8gi  and  who  died  in  December  of  1807.  ^^''• 
Lundell  is  a  man  of  marked  domestic  traits,  who  takes  much  pride  and 
pleasure  in  his  family  and  realizes  the  responsibility  of  training  his  children 
in  the  right  way  of  living.  He  is  a  man  who  in  every  relation  of  life  en- 
deavors to  measure  up  to  the  full  stature  of  manhood  and  any  man  who  is 
sincerely  possessed  of  this  ambition  is  sure  to  rise  high  in  the  respect  of  his 
fellow  men.  The  success  which  Mr.  Lundell  has  won  is  the  result  of  these 
correct  principles  of  life,  combined  with  many  striking  traits  of  character 
which  mark  him  as  a  man  above  the  average  ability,  of  broad  views,  judi- 
cious in  his  judgment  and  in  every  respect  entirely  worthy  of  the  high  es- 
teem in  which  he  is  held  by  all  who  know  him. 


462  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

JOHN  WESLEY  YOUNIE. 

John  Wesley  Younie,  one  of  tlie  pioneer  settlers  of  Sac  county,  was 
born  in  Montreal,  Canada,  on  July  15,  1849.  He  has  been  connected  with 
the  history  of  this  county  since  1873.  and  has  been  closely  identified  with 
the  history  of  the  county  in  every  way  for  the  forty  odd  years  in  which  he 
has  lived  in  it.  He  has  taken  a  prominent  part  in  various  activi  les  and 
has  always  been  interested  in  everything  which  concerned  the  welfare  of 
his  country. 

John  Wesley  Younie  came  from  Scotch  parentage,  his  father  and  mother, 
Louis  and  Jane  (  Alaxwell)  Younie,  being  born  near  Edinburgh  and  Glas- 
gow, Scotland,  respectively.  His  parents  left  Canada  in  1861,  after  selling 
their  farm  near  Montreal,  and  located  in  Delaware  county,  near  Manches- 
ter, Iowa.  In  1886  the  Younie  family  moved  to  Hawarden,  Iowa,  where 
Louis  Younie  died  in  1892,  and  his  wife  in  1903.  Louis  Younie  and  wife 
were  the  parents  of  twelve  children :  Maggie,  born  in  May,  1848,  died  Decem- 
ber 24,  1863;  John  Wesley;  Mrs.  Ellen  Alby,  born  January  16,  1851,  and 
died  November  7.  1913:  Mrs.  Jeanette  Bruce,  born  October  24,  1852,  now 
living  in  Oklahoma;  William,  born  February  5,  1854;  Louis,  born  Novem- 
ber 20,  1855:  Mrs.  Ann  Churchyard,  born  October  5,  1857,  now  li\ing  at 
Green  Acres,  Washington;  Alexander,  born  July  16,  1859;  James,  born 
October  26,  1861 ;  David,  born  December  25,  1863;  Richard  and  Jane, 
twins,  born  November  6,  1865.  Louis,  Alexander,  James  and  Richard  are 
all  ni)\\-  li\-ing  at  Hawarden,  Sioux  county,  Iowa.  The  father  of  these  chil- 
dren was  born  December  15,  1815,  and  died  in  May,  1892;  the  mother  was 
born  February  28.  1828,  and  died  in  July,  1903.  Their  marriage  occurred 
October  14,   1847. 

lohn  Weslev  Younie  was  educated  in  the  Canada  schools  and  also  at- 
tended two  winter  terms  in  Delaware  county,  Iowa,  after  his  parents  luoved 
to  tliis  state.  In  1873  Mr.  Younie  came  to  Sac  county,  and  invested  in  one 
hundred  and  sixtv  acres  in  old  Clinton  township,  later  Richland,  for  which 
he  paid  five  dollars  and  a  half  an  acre.  He  was  given  si.x  years  to  pay  for  it. 
On  May  12,  1874,  he  returned  with  a  breaking  team  and  broke  seventy-five 
acres,  and  planted  forty  acres  of  wheat  and  twelve  acres  of  sod  corn.  The 
first  cro])  of  wheat  a\-eragcd  twenty-three  and  a  half  bushels  to  the  acre, 
which  he  hauled  twenty-two  nfiles  and  received  fifty  cents  for  each  bushel. 
The  second  vear  he  raised  ninety  acres  of  wheat,  averaging  six  bushels  to 
the  acre.  For  this  he  received  eighty-two  cents  a  bushel,  but  decided  that 
wheat  raising  was  unpriifitalilc  and  (|uit  the  business  and  liegan  raising  stock. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  463 

When  he  first  came  to  this  county  Mr.  ^'l)unie  1)rought  his  shack  with 
him  (in  the  train  and  set  up  liis  twelve-liy-fourteen  home  and  used  this  for 
six  years.  Here  he  and  his  young  wife  started  to  housekeeping,  and  during 
the  first  few  years  there  were  times  when  things  looked  pretty  discouraging, 
but  they  had  brave  hearts,  stout  iiands  and  determined  to  stick  to  the  land, 
and  in  si.K'\-ears  they  were  able  to  luiild  a  new  house,  which  cost  them  nine- 
teen hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  This  was  considered  a  large  sum  in  those 
days.  In  1882  they  sold  the  farm  for  thirty  dollars  an  acre  cash  and  spent 
some  time  traveling  in  Dakota  and  Nebraska,  looking  for  a  location  which 
might  suit  them  better.  Howe\er,  they  found  nothing  which  pleased  them 
an^•  more  than  their  own  comity,  so  the}"  returned  to  Sac  county  and  pur- 
chased one  hundred  and  sixt\'  acres  of  section  31  in  Richland  township,  at 
twenty-three  dollars  an  acre.  It  had  no  buildings  on  it  and  was  unimproved 
in  e\ery  way.  They  improved  it.  built  a  good  home,  barn  and  outbuildings 
and  ha\'e  put.  all  told,  about  six  thousand  dollars  Avorth  of  improvements  on 
the  farm.  He  has  the  farm  well  fenced  with  woven  wire  fence  and  cement 
posts  and  the  farm  today  can  not  be  inirchased  for  less  than  two  hundred  and 
twenty-five  dollars  an  acre.  In  1007  -Mr.  and  Airs.  Younie  moved  to  Ode- 
bolt,  where  the}-  had  ]ireviousl}-  Iniilt  a  concrete  bungalow. 

John  ^Vesle\'  A'oiinie  was  married  on  February  2.  1875,  to  Emma  M. 
Alesscrole,  who  was  born  April  28,  1855,  in  Delaware  county,  Iowa.  She 
was  the  dau.ghter  of  Jacol)  and  JMary  .\nna  (Holcomb)  Messerole,  natives 
of  Brcxjkhn.  New  York,  and  I-oraine  county,  Ohio,  respectively.  The  Mes- 
seroles  came  to  Delaware  county,  Iowa,  in  1854,  four  years  after  their  mar- 
riage in  Ohio.  Jacob  Messerole  was  born  in  Brooklvn,  New  York,  January 
20,  182Q,  and  died  April  6,  1871.  Mary  Ann  Holcoml),  the  mother  of  Mrs. 
Younie,  was  born  September  9.  1830,  in  Loraine  count}',  Ohio,  and  died 
January  20,  181)4.  After  the  death  of  her  first  husband,  Mrs.  Messerole 
married  Reuben  Durrin.  Jacob  Messerole  and  wife  were  the  parents  of  a 
large  famih'  ni  children:  Etlward  J.,  born  Januar}'  18,  1851,  killed  on  rail- 
road June  22.  i86g;  Emma;  William  Ellison,  born  February  5,  1857,  and 
now  lives  at  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa;  Ransom  E.,  born  April  12,  1859,  now 
living  at  I'ierson,  Iowa ;  Florence  Eudora,  who  died  at  the  age  of  five ;  Cur- 
tis Grant.  Ijorn  Januar}-  3,  1864.  and  died  Januar}-  25.  1914.  To  the  second 
marriage  of  Mrs.  Messerole  and  Reuben  Durrin  there  was  born  one  daugh- 
ter. Mrs.  Jasper  Dennis,  who  now  lives  in  Nebraska. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  W.  Y(_>imie  have  reared  a  familv  of  interesting  chil- 
dren, five  of  whom  are  now  living:  Mrs.  Jeanetta  S.  Prusia,  born  December 
Q,    1875,   and  graduated   from  colle.ge  at  Ames,   Iowa,   in    1899;  she   is  now 


464  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

taking  post-graduate  work  at  the  college  at  Ames;  she  has  tour  children, 
one  of  whom  is  deceased,  Cedric  Edmunds ;  Helen  Constance,  deceased ; 
Joyce  Eleanor  and  Lee  Miles.  The  second  child  of  Air.  ami  Mrs.  Younie 
is  Louis,  of  Portland,  Oregon,  Imrn  March  26,  1877,  and  has  one  chiUl. 
Virginia  Caroline,  horn  Eehruary  13,  1914:  Mrs.  Effie  Ethel  Weston,  of 
New  York  state,  born  May  16,  1880.  and  has  two  children,  John  Miller 
and  Marian  Josephine;  Roy  William,  of  Bercsford,  South  Dakota,  born 
August  16,  1883;  Guy  Leslie,  a  farmer  of  this  township,  born  October  16, 
1887,  and  married  August  3,  1910.  to  Minnie  Johnson;  Marian  Abbott, 
born  November  21,  1897,  and  died  June  14,  1898. 

Politically,  Mr.  Younie  is  a  Kcpulilican,  and  has  served  as  schonl  di- 
rector in  his  district  for  the  past  twenty-three  years  and  also  served  as  treas- 
urer of  the  school  board  of  Richland  townsb.ip.  The  famil}-  are  all  members 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  render  it  their  zealous  support.  Fra- 
ternally, Mr.  Younie  is  a  member  of  the  .\ncient  P'ree  and  Accepted  Ma- 
sons, the  Order  of  the  Ea.stern  Star,  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
the  Daughters  of  Rebekah  and  the  Yeomen.  The  career  of  Mr.  Yiiunie 
shows  the  result  of  a  life  of  hard  work  and  good  business  management, 
since  he  started  in  life  with  practically  nothing  and  has  gained  a  verv  com- 
fortable competence  for  his  declining  years.  All  of  this  has  !)een  accom- 
plished without  incurring  the  ill  will  of  any  of  his  neighbors,  and  by  tak- 
ing his  full  share  in  the  public  life  of  the  comnuinit)-  in  which  he  has  resided. 


EDWARD  DREW^RY. 


Scholarly  attainments  broaden  the  mental  horizon  of  the  indi\idual  and 
render  his  pathway  through  life  more  enjoyable  and  success  easier  of 
attainment.  In  all  new  countries  the  citizen  who  is  possessed  of  an  edu- 
cation is  afforded  opportunity  for  advancement  which  can  not  be  adequate- 
ly grasped  by  every  person.  Such  a  man  i^  and  can  lie  a  \ery  useful  atl- 
dition  to  anv  coninuinil\'  as  his  sphere  of  acti\'it_\'  is  practically  unlimited. 
and  avenues  of  procedure  are  opened  for  him  which  arc  otherwise  denied 
the  man  who  does  not  possess  a  literar}-  education.  Then,  too,  it  is  true 
that  the  old  age  period  of  the  educated  man  whose  mind  has  l)een  .taught 
to  read  and  assimilate  at  the  same  time,  is  more  hap])ily  passed  on  this 
account.  Though  old  in  years,  yet  young  in  mental  and  physical  activity, 
Edward   Drewrv,   of   Sac   Citv,    is   one   of   the   trulv    interesting   characters 


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^^^Si^^lLi 

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J^ 

;;jafia 

SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  465 

wliu  has  resided  for  a  long  time  in  the  country  and  has  been  a  valuable  mem- 
ber of  the  body  politic  and  is  yet  active  in  afifairs  which  concern  men. 
Although  having  passed  the  age  of  three  score  years  and  ten.  which  is  said 
to  be  man's  allotted  time  on  earth,  he  is  still  a  vigorous  specimen  of  man- 
hootl  and  keenly  intelligent. 

Edward  Drevvry  was  born  June  5,  1835,  in  Toronto.  Canada,  and  is 
the  son  of  Edward  B.  and  Elizabeth  (Ray)  Drewry,  the  former  a  native 
of  Lincolnshire,  England,  and  the  latter  a  native  of  Ireland.  Edward  B. 
was  born  in  1801  and  left  England  when  eighteen  years  of  age  to  seek  his 
fortune  in  the  New  World  in  company  of  his  parents  who  removed  to 
Canada  in  18 19.  When  he  became  of  age  he  adopted  farming  as  a  vo- 
cation and  followed  it  U)r  several  years  in  Canada.  He  was  appointed  court 
commissioner  in  Ontario  and  held  this  important  office  for  several  years, 
fie  afterwards  upened  a  tavern  which  he  conducted  for  about  six  years. 
After  a  vear's  residence  in  western  Canada  he  migrated  to  Milwaukee,  Wis- 
o;nsin  and  li\ed  there  for  one  and  one-half  years.  He  went  from  Mil- 
waukee to  a  pioneer  farm  in  Sheboygan  county,  Wisconsin,  which  was 
then  a  wilderness.  He  hewed  a  honie  from  the  wilderness  and  died  after 
two  years"  residence  thereon  on  Januar\-  4,  1849.  '^^  the  age  of  forty-seven 
years,  one  month  and  seventeen  days.  Edward  B.  Drewry  was  the  son  of 
(ieorge  and  Elizabeth  Drewry  and  was.  himself,  the  father  of  eight  chil- 
dren, as  follows:  Frances  Elizabeth,  decea.sed ;  David  Bemrose,  deceased; 
Eliza  Jane,  deceased;  Edward;  George,  deceased;  William,  deceased,  who  was 
one  of  the  earl\  settlers  of  I3ouglas  township  and  who  located  in  Sac  county 
as  early  as  1866;  Mrs.  Mary  Ann  Roundsville,  of  Sac  City. 

Edward  Drewry  received  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  native  land 
and  in  the  rural  schools  of  Sheboygan  county,  Wisconsin.  He  also  pur- 
sued a  inisiness  course  m  iNlilwaukee.  He  first  took  u])  the  profession  of 
teaching  and  taught  in  the  rural  schools  of  Sheboygan  count}-  and  also 
filled  the  position  of  town  superintendent  of  schools  and  also  county  super- 
intendent of  schools,  being  the  third  county  supermtendent  of  that  county. 
He  also  served  as  township  clerk.  For  some  years  he  taught  school  during 
the  winter  seasrjn  and  farmed  during  the  summer.  For  three  years  he  had 
charge  of  the  schools  of  Plymouth.  Wisconsin.  In  i860  he  was  elected  county 
superintendent  of  schools  of  Sheboygan  county  and  tilled  this  responsible 
position  for  two  years.  In  the  year  1869  he  removed  to  the  neighboring 
state  of  Michigan  and  purchased  a  farm  which  he  o]jerated  for  some  time 
or  until  1871,  when  he  disposed  of  his  land  and  returned  to  Plymouth.  He 
(29) 


466 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


bought  a  farm  near  his  home  town  and  tilled  it  for  nine  years,  after  which 
he  sold  his  holdings  and  came  to  Liwa,  arriving  here  in  1882.  He  settled 
on  what  was  formerly  known  as  the  Dobson  farm  four  miles  north  of  Sac 
Cit\-,  in  Douglas  township,  and  cultivated  it  for  eight  years. 

In  the  year  [890  Mr.  Drewry  was  elected  county  superintendent.  The 
position  came  to  him  unsolicited  and  he  was  elected  on  the  Democratic 
ticket,  winning  out  over  his  Republican  opponent  by  but  four  votes,  but  over- 
coming a  big  Reiniblican  majority  of  over  twehe  hundred  in  the  county. 
He  filled  this  responsible  position  in  an  able  manner  for  two  vears.  In 
1892,  or  thereabouts,  he.  in  partnership  with  Asa  Piatt,  purchased  a  store 
and  stock  of  merchandise  of  J.  L.  Criss  and  was  engaged  in  the  mercan- 
tile business  for  five  years.  He  then  sold  out  and  retired  from  acti\'e  pur- 
suits, other  than  engaging  in  the  insiu"ince  and  real  estate  business  in- 
dependently. 

i\Ir.  Drewry  was  married  November  14,  1861,  in  Plymouth,  Wisconsin, 
to  Martha  .\.  Dockstader.  who  was  born  in  the  state  of  New  York  De- 
cember 17,  1837,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Benjanu'n  Dockstader,  a  native  of 
Xew  ^'ork  and  who  settled  in  Wisconsin  about  1853.  Three  children  have 
been  reared  by  this  highly  esteemed  couple,  namely :  Benjamin  Edward, 
who  operates  an  automobile  garage  in  Sac  City;  Charles  Francis,  a  bank 
cashier  at  I^os  Banos,  California,  and  who  has  one  daughter  named  Gladys; 
Harold  John,  local  manager  of  the  ^^'.  J.  Dixon  Lumber  Company,  and 
who  is  the  father  of  one  child,  Marjorie  M.  Drewry. 

^[r.  Drewry  is  a  Democrat.  Pie  was  reared  in  the  Episcopalian  church 
of  Canada  and  his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  He  is 
very  pronu'nent  in  lodge  affairs,  being  far  advanced  in  the  ancient  rites 
of  Freemasonry.  Pie  is  a  member  of  Occidental  Lodge  No.  178,  Ancient 
Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  Darius  Chapter  No.  58 ;  Rose  Croix  Command- 
erv  No.  38,  of  wbicli  he  has  been  the  recorder  for  nine  years,  and  has  also 
served  as  secretary  nf  the  chapter  for  the  same  length  of  time.  For  a  long 
time  he  has  been  the  efficient  secretary  of  Occidental  Lodge  of  Masons  and 
his  Masonic  career  extends  over  a  Imig  jK-riod  of  forty  years  or  since  the 
vear  1870.     He  was  a  meml)er  of  the  Odd  l*'ellows  for  o\-er  forty  years. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Drewry  reside  in  a  comfortable  and  cozy  home  in  Sac 
City  and  are  hospitable  to  the  core :  recognized  as  valuable  members  of  the 
community  and  highly  esteemed  and  respected  for  their  culture  and  edu- 
cational attainments.  Despite  his  age  ATr.  Drewry  is  still  a  useful  and 
active  citizen  and  gi\es  promise  of  manv  more  actixe  and  valuable  years. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  467 

w  liich  will  uiiddubtcdiy  be  spent  in  l)ehalf  of  his  fellowmen  in  as  far  as 
his  ability  and  powers  will  allow  him.  It  is  of  such  men  as  he  that  the  biog- 
rapher is  pleased  to  write  for  recording  in  the  annals  of  Sac  county. 


SWAN  ANDERSON. 


Among  the  many  excellent  citizens  of  Sac  county,  Iowa,  of  Swedish 
origin,  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  who,  through  years  of  honest  and  un- 
remitting toil  and  frugality,  is  now  able  to  take  his  place  among  the  well- 
known  farmers  of  this  county,  many  of  whom  have  achieved  most  gratify- 
ing success  in  their  chosen  vocation  and  others  who  are  in  a  fair  way  to 
realize  their  highest  ambitions  in  this  line. 

Swan  Anderson  was  born  on  April  25,  1869,  in  Sweden,  being  the  son 
of  Anderson  Nilson  and  Johanna  Anderson,  neither  of  whom  ever  left  their 
native  country.  An  older  brother  (N.  P.  Anderson),  who  had  been  in  this 
country  for  some  time,  persuaded  Swan  also  to  come  to  America.  N.  P. 
Anderson  first  lived  in  Sac  county  and  later  went  to  Nebraska,  where  he 
died.  Swan  Anderson  emigrated  to  America  in  1885  and  had  but  four  dol- 
lars in  his  pocket  when  he  arrived  in  New  York  City  on  November  15th  of 
that  year.  He  disembarked  one  Simday  afternoon  and  early  Monday  morn- 
ing he  started  out  for  Sac  county,  Iowa.  Upon  arriving  here,  he  secured 
employment  with  P.  B.  Olson,  of  Wheeler  township,  with  whom  he  re- 
mained during  that  winter  and  in  the  spring  of  1886  he  secured  work  on  the 
Cook  ranch,  where  he  remained  for  sixteen  years.  He  proved  himself  a 
faithful  employe,  worthy  of  every  confidence,  and  carefully  saved  all  pos- 
sible out  of  his  earnings,  In  igoi  he  purchased  the  farm  where  he  has  since 
made  his  home,  paying  fifty-three  dollars  per  acre  for  his  land,  and  since 
making  the  purchase  he  has  greatly  improved  the  farm  buildings  and  rebuilt 
the  residence.  This  house  occupies  a  most  lovely  location,  being  set  back 
in  the  center  of  the  tract  in  a  grove  of  trees  and  is  reached  from  the  public 
highway  by  means  of  a  long  drive-way.  Mr.  Anderson  pays  particular 
attention  to  producing  such  crops  as  are  raised  in  this  section,  being  uni- 
formly successful  in  his  endeavors.  He  also  devotes  considerable  atten- 
tion and  time  to  raising  live  stock,  producing  from  eighty  to  one  hundred 
head  of  hogs  annually.  He  prefers  the  Poland-China  breed  and  has  an  ex- 
cellent strain.  In  cattle  he  likes  best  the  Angus  breed,  and  has  at  present 
about  thirty  heacl.      He  keeps  eleven  head  of   horses   for  general   purposes. 


468  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

and  is  well  equipped  fi)r  carrying  im  the  work  of  his  farm.  He  ajjproves 
modern  methods  of  farming  and  to  careful  attention  to  detail  in  this  respect 
he  attributes  his  growing  success. 

On  February  23,  1899,  Mr.  .Vnderson  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Anna  Hakenson,  who  also  was  burn  in  Sweden  and  came  to  this  country  in 
1897.  To  their  union  have  been  born  two  daughters :  Esther,  born  De- 
cember 15,  1899,  and  Edith,  born  July  20,  1901,  both  of  whom  remain  at 
home,  attending  school  and  being  carefully  trained  in  such  knowledge  as 
best  fits  a  woman  for  her  place  in  the  world.  In  politics,  Mr.  Anderson  is 
identified  with  the  Progressive  party,  exhibiting  a  commendable  interest  in 
its  affairs.  The  family  attends  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  also  the 
Swedish  mission,  giving  of  time  and  means  to  further  the  cause.  Mr.  An- 
derson has  won  the  sincere  regard  of  those  with  whom  he  comes  in  contact 
on  account  of  his  upright  principles  and  consistent  manner  of  living.  The 
success  to  which  he  has  attained  has  been  most  fully  deserved  and,  consider- 
ing the  circumstances  under  which  he  began  his  career  in  his  chosen  coun- 
tr\-.  his  course  has  been  most  commendable  in  ever\'  particular. 


ULYSSES  S.  HILL. 


.\mong  the  well-known  farmers  of  Sac  county,  Iowa,  is  Ulysses  S. 
Hill,  who,  since  March  10,  1887,  has  resided  on  his  farm  of  one  hundred 
antl  sixty  acres  in  Wheeler  township.  Mr.  Hill  is  numbered  among  the 
progressive  farmers  of  the  county  and  his  home  farm  is  in  an  excellent  state 
of  cultivation  and  well  improved.  All  barns  and  buildings  are  new.  the 
residence  having  been  completed  in  November  of  1908.  This  is  a  hand- 
some and  commodious  residence,  consisting  of  ten  rooms  and  having  all 
modern  improvements.  There  is  a  private  gas  plant,  furnishing  illumina- 
tion for  the  entire  house,  and  there  is  also  running  water  throughout  the 
baths,  kitchens,  etc.  The  house  sits  in  the  midst  of  fine  grounds,  affording 
every  pleasure  and  convenience  for  the  family,  both  indoors  and  out,  antl  is 
in  every  sense  a  most  attractive  home. 

Ulysses  S.  Hill  was  born  on  .\])ril  3,  1865,  in  Cli-nton  count}-,  Iowa, 
being  the  son  of  John  and  Ruth  (  b'arrell  i  Hill,  the  former  of  whom  was  a 
native  of  England  and  the  latter  born  in  Canada  of  English  parentage. 
John  Hill,  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  in  1823  and  emi- 
grated to  America  in   1851.     His  early  training  in  iMigland  bad  been  along 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  469 

agricultural  lines,  and  to  this  line  of  work  he  devoted  himself  upon  arriving 
in  this  country.  He  came  almost  directly  to  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  and  there 
passed  the  remainder  of  his  life,  dying  in  1895.  I'rom  the  first  he  pros- 
pered, owing  to  nati\e  ability  and  other  excellent  traits,  and  later  purchased 
a  farm  in  Sac  county.  After  taking  up  his  residence  in  this  state,  John  Hill 
met  Miss  Farrell,  who  afterwards  became  his  wife,  and  to  their  union  were 
born  six  children,  the  oldest  l>eing  Ulysses,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  then 
came  Theodore,  who  resides  in  Clinton  county ;  Roland  and  Earl  are  in  Colo- 
rado; Martha  is  the  wife  of  J.  T.  Irwin  and  lives  in  Boyer  Valley  town- 
ship, this  county,  while  Pearl,  who  is  Mrs.  Blue,  resides  in  Cedar  Rapids, 
this  state. 

Mr.  Hill  grew  to  nianh(5od  in  Clinton  county,  where  when  a  youth  he 
attended  the  schools  of  the  district  and  assisted  the  father  in  the  work  about 
the  farm.  On  February  17,  1887,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Lottie  A. 
McMillan,  also  of  Clinton  county,  the  daughter  of  John  McMillan,  and  soon 
thereafter  he  came  to  this  county,  taking  up  his  residence  on  the  farm  where 
he  has  since  resided.  In  the  years  he  has  lived  here  Mr.  Hill  has  made 
marked  and  \aluable  improvements  on  the  place.  His  barns  and  other 
buildings  are  especialh-  line,  the  large  barn  covering  a  space  of  forty-eight 
by  sixty-two  feet  and  containing  many  facilities.  There  is  also  a  large  corn 
cril).  twent}-six  by  forty  feet  in  size,  having  a  capacity  of  twenty-four  hun- 
dred l)ushels.  Mr.  Hill  carries  on  general  farming,  raising  about  the  usual 
cro])s,  and  in  addition  ti)  this  line  of  work  he  also  gives  some  attention  to 
stock  raising.  He  has  something  of  a  reputation  as  a  cattle  breeder,  paying 
particular  attention  to  Shorthorns,  having  at  the  present  time  about  thirty 
head.  He  also  produces  for  the  market  a1)out  fifty  head  of  Duroc-Jersey 
hogs  annually  and  keeps  eighteen  head  of  horses,  being  general  purpose  ani- 
mals. Mr.  Hill  is  progressive  in  his  ideas  and  conducts  his  business  along 
lines  most  approved  bv  modern  science  as  related  to  farm  work.  These 
ideals,  together  with  indomitable  energv  and  a  determination  to  win  out, 
have  placed  him  among  the  ranks  of  successful  men  of  this  county  and, 
while  winning  his  way  along  financial  lines,  he  has  so  ordered  his  life  as  to 
win  and  retain  the  regard  due  from  his  fellow  men  to  a  man  of  sterling 
worth.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hill  have  a  family  of  three  children,  namely:  Ethel, 
Floyd  and  Darrell,  all  of  whom  are  at  home,  the  latter  attending  school. 

In  politics  Mr.  Hill  is  aligned  with  the  conservative  Republican  partv 
and  takes  a  commendable  interest  in  that  party's  affairs  as  related  to  local 
matters.  Fie  is  an  active  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and 
his   fraternal  affiliations  are  with  the  bodv  of  Yeomanrv.      His  career  thus 


47*^  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

far  has  been  a  consistent  and  honorable  one,  and  because  of  his  stanch  in- 
tegrity and  accompHshments  he  is  entitled  to  hold  the  confidence  and  good 
will  of  all  who  know  him.  He  is  one  of  those  solid  men  of  brain  and  sub- 
stance so  essential  to  the  material  growth  and  prosperity  of  a  community 
and  whose  influence  has  been  willingly  extended  in  behalf  of  every  deserving 
enterprise  that  has  for  its  object  the  advancement  of  the  moral  welfare  of 
the  community. 


ALFRED  NELSON. 


Among  the  citizens  of  Sac  county,  Iowa,  who  have  won  competencies 
for  themselves  and  stand  high  in  public  estimation,  is  the  man  whose  name 
forms  the  caption  of  this  article.  Alfred  Nelson  is  a  native  of  Sweden, 
born  on  February  21,  1863,  the  son  of  John  and  Lena  (Olson)  Nelson. 
In  1 871  the  family  emigrated  to  America  and  first  located  in  Marshall 
county,  this  state,  and  in  1877  Alfred  came  to  Sac  county.  Here  they  pur- 
chased raw  prairie  land  in  Wheeler  township  and  set  about  establishing  a 
home.  Their  first  residence  was  a  small  structure,  size  sixteen  by  twenty 
feet,  which  sheltered  the  family  for  a  time,  and  then,  as  prosperity  smiled 
on  them,  this  home  was  considerably  enlarged.  The  land  was  given  every 
care  possible  and  has  been  developed  into  an  excellent  farm.  The  mother 
died  in  February  of  1881,  leaving  eight  children,  namely:  Charles  Oscar, 
deceased:  .Alfred:  Olaf,  wlio  died  at  the  age  of  fourteen;  Mary,  wife  of 
Henry  Banta  and  li\ing  in  California;  Amanda,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
twenty-one:  .\ugust.  who  died  in  childhood,  and  Xels,  who  was  Ijorn  in 
1S77  in  Marshall  county  and  is  now  a  rancher  in  the  state  of  Idaho;  Joseph 
is  also  a  farmer  in  Idaho.  After  the  mother's  death  in  1881,  the  father, 
with  the  younger  children,  moved  to  N^ebraska  and  later  to  Idaho  Falls, 
Idaho,  where  he  died.  John  Xelsun  marriefl  the  second  time  and  had  alto- 
gether twelve  children. 

When  a  boy,  Alfred  Nelson  attended  the  district  scIkxjIs  of  Marshall 
and  Sac  counties  and  l)egan  farming  for  himself  in  1882.  For  several  years 
he  rented  land  and  in  igo8  purchased  a  tract  of  eighty  acres  in  section  27, 
Wheeler  township,  at  a  cost  of  one  hundred  and  five  dollars  ])er  acre.  When 
he  first  began  farming,  he  lived  on  his  father's  farm  and  ni<i\ed  to  his  pres- 
ent location  before  making  the  purchase,  .\ltogether  he  is  farming  two 
hundred  and  eightv  acres,  one  hundred  and   twenty  of  which   is  owned  by 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  47I 

Mrs.  Gorenson,  mother  of  Airs.  Nelson.  In  addition  to  his  comfortable 
dwelling,  he  has  a  large  barn,  size  forty-eight  by  fifty-eight  feet,  which  was 
built  in  191 1,  as  well  as  many  other  buildings  necessary  for  the  carrying 
on  of  the  business  of  the  farm.  The  house  is  attractively  located  in  a  little 
valle}',  about  a  half  of  a  mile  from  the  main  highway.  Mr.  Nelson  has  con- 
siderable live  stock,  to  which  he  de\'otes  particular  attention.  He  has  ten 
head  of  horses  which  are  used  for  general  farm  purposes,  raises  for  the  mar- 
ket about  one  hundred  hogs  annually  and  one  car-load  of  cattle. 

Mr.  Nelson's  political  afifiliaticm  is  with  the  Democratic  party  and  he 
takes  more  than  a  nominal  interest  in  local  politics,  having  served  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  school  1;)oard  and  township  trustee  and  in  the  discharge  of  the 
duties  thu«  devolving  upon  him  he  met  with  the  approval  of  all  concerned. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  l)eing  associ- 
ated with  that  society  through  the  local  lodge  at  Odebolt. 

On  March  14,  1882,  Mr.  Nelson  was  united  in  marriage  with  Anna 
Sophia  Peterson,  who  was  born  in  Sweden  on  May  31,  1864.  She  is  the 
daughter  of  Olaf  Peter  Peterson,  who  died  in  1871,  and  her  mother  married 
C.  A.  Gorenson  after  being  widowed.  In  1880  the  family  came  to  America, 
locating  in  \Mieeler  township,  where  Mr.  Gorenson  died  in  1889.  Mrs. 
Gorenson  was  born  April  14,  1839,  and  is  well  preserved  for  a  woman  of 
her  years.  She  makes  her  home  with  Mrs.  Nelson,  who  is  her  only  child. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nelson  are  the  parents  of  an  interesting  family  of  thirteen 
children,  the  oldest  of  whom.  Albert  Oscar,  remains  at  home,  while  Ida 
E.  is  the  wife  of  H.  Nelson  and  lives  in  Oakland,  California;  Emma  E.  is 
also  married,  being  the  wife  of  O.  E.  Bergren,  of  Wheeler  township;  Will 
A.  is  a  farmer  in  this  same  township;  Esther  M.  (Mrs.  Crownquist)  lives  at 
Gowrie,  Iowa ;  \'ern  M.  resides  at  Holstein,  this  state,  and  the  others  of  the 
family,  Lillian,  Elmer  C.,  Sydney  O.,  Glenn  M.,  Gladys  E.,  Francis  T.  and 
Dorothy  E.,  remain  under  the  parental  roof.  There  are  three  grandchildren, 
being  Cozette  and  Wallace  Bergren  and  Jessie  Nelson. 

Mr.  Nelson  is  a  man  of  marked  domestic  tastes  and  takes  much  pleas- 
ure in  his  home  and  family.  That  he  possesses  good  business  ability,  energy 
and  thrift  are  demonstrated  by  his  accomplishments,  and  the  fact  that  he 
stands  high  in  public  estimation  among  those  with  whom  he  has  lived  for 
many  years,  marks  him  as  a  man  of  sterling  traits  of  character.  Aside  from 
his  business  duties,  Mr.  Nelson  finds  time  to  keep  himself  well  informed  on 
up-to-date  methods  as  related  to  general  farming  and  stock  raising,  and  is 
also  well  informed  on  current  events. 


472  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

HON.  WILL  DRURY. 

IJistorv  consists  of  facts  presented  in  a  readable  form  so  that  all  may 
read.  It  is  but  a  record  of  what  man  has  done  and  is  doing.  Biography 
comprises  a  review  of  the  lives  of  men  who  ha\'e  assisted  in  making  history. 
Some  of  those  of  whom  the  biograiiher  must  necessarily  write,  mayhap, 
occupy  humble  stations  in  life,  but  ha\e  done  their  part  in  making  real  his- 
tory; others  ha\e  been  gifted  abo\e  the  a\'erage  of  their  fellowmen  and  have 
achieved  marked  success  in  their  particular  lines  of  endeavor;  some  have 
risen  to  leadership  and  ha\c  lieen  the  recipients  of  distinguished  prefer- 
ment and  appreciation  b\-  the  people.  All  combined  assist  in  the  creation  of 
narrative  history.  The  biographies  of  citizens  of  any  section  of  the  com- 
monwealth form  a  vital  part  of  the  complete  record  intended  to  be  pre- 
served for  all  time  to  come  and  to  serve  as  an  inspiration  and 
guide  for  the  present  and  future  generations.  He  of  whom  this  review 
is  written  has  been  an  important  factor  in  the  civic  and  official  his- 
tory of  Sac  county  and  is  one  of  her  successful  and  best-known  citizens. 
This  biography  is,  therefore,  a  necessity  in  the  proper  com]Mlation  of  these 
Sac  county  memoirs. 

Hon.  \\  ill  nrur\-,  of  Clinton  township,  was  born  October  2,  1862,  in 
Clinton  county,  Iowa,  and  is  the  son  of  Thomas  Drury,  bi:)rn  in  England 
in  the  }ear  1834.  Llis  mother  was  Elizabeth  Davis,  born  in  the  province  of 
Ontario,  Canada,  the  daughter  of  John  G.  Da\'is  and  Sarah  ( Hopkins ) 
Davis,  earlv  pioneer  settlers  of  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  who  settled  in  the 
county  at  a  time  when  Freeport  was  the  nearest  trading  point. 

Thomas  Drury  emigrated  from  England,  when  seventeen  years  of  age, 
made  his  way  to  Clinton  county  and  there  settled  on  a  farm.  In  1863  he 
was  killed  1)_\'  an  accident  while  working  with  a  piece  of  machinery.  He 
was  the  father  of  three  children,  namely:  Mrs.  Xettie  \\'olf,  residing  in 
Louisiana:  Jiihn  T.,  deceased  in  1893;  ami  Will.  The  mother  of  these 
children  died  in   1906. 

Will  Drury  came  to  Sac  county  in  the  fall  of  1880  in  company  of 
Robert  Wilson,  who  afterwards  became  county  treasurer  of  Sac  county.  In 
December  of  the  same  year  he  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in 
section  ;  of  Clinton  township  at  fifteen  dollars  an  acre,  on  a  time  contract. 
For  this  land  he  made  a  cash  jjaynient  of  tw'o  hundred  dollars  and  agreed 
to  pav  the  remainder  in  ten  years  time.  During  the  first  two  years  he 
"bached"  on  his  land,  while  making  improvements.  He  managed  to  pay 
for  the  farm  in  the  required  time  by  exercise  of  tireless  industry  and  frugality. 


HON.  WILL  DRURY 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  4/3 

Mr.  Wilson  purchased  the  adjoining  quarter  on  section  5.  Mr.  Drury 
lived  on  his  first  farm  until  the  spring  of  1S95  and  then  disposed  of  it  for 
forty-five  dollars  an  acre,  which  was  at  that  time  the  highest  known  price  ever 
paid  for  farm  land  in  Sac  county. 

Previously,  in  the  fall  of  1893,  he  had  purchased  two  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  in  Clinton  township  at  thirty-five  dollars  an  acre  and  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  in  Boyer  Valley  township  at  twenty-five  dollars  an  acre.  He  at  once 
commenced  impro\ing  his  new  jilace,  remodelling  the  luiildings  and  erecting 
necessary  new  ones,  at  a  cost  of  several  thousand  dollars.  This  farm  is 
widely  and  favorably  known  as  "West  Riverside  Farm,"  the  buildings 
of  which  are  situated  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Boyer  river  and  command  a 
pleasing  outlook  over  a  wide  expanse  of  fertile  territory.  The  residence 
is  a  comfortable  one,  reached  by  a  driveway  lined  with  stately  trees.  Three 
large  l)arns  are  located  to  the  west  and  somewhat  in  the  rear  of  the  home 
and  are  Hanked  bv  a  modern  cement  silo.  This  farm  produces  two  hun- 
dred cattle  and  three  hundred  hogs  annually.  Mr.  Drury  believes  in  selling 
the  products  of  his  farm  on  the  hoof  and  thus  building  up  the  fertility  of  his 
land  and  increasing  its  productiveness.  He  was  formerly  a  breeder  of 
Aberdeen  Angus  cattle.  He  owns  a  total  of  three  hundred  acres  of  land  in 
Clinton  and  Bover  Valley  townships  and,  in  partnership  with  his  son,  owns 
two  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  Delaware  township.  For  over  twelve  years  he 
was  in  the  live  stock  and  grain  business  in  the  nearby  town  of  Early,  having 
not  been  engaged  in  grain  buying  and  shipping  for  eight  years  past. 

Mr.  Drurv  is  allied  with  the  Republican  party  and  his  convictions  are 
decidedly  of  the  progressive  order.  He  has  been  given  high  political  pre- 
ferment by  his  fellow  citizens  in  Sac  county,  and  in  every  instance  when  called 
to  public  office  has  acquitted  himself  with  credit  to  himself  and  his  constituents. 
He  was  elected  as  representative  in  the  state  Legislature  in  the  fall  of  1906  and 
was  a  member  of  the  thirty-second  (General  Assembly.  While  serving  in  the 
thirtv-second  session  of  the  Legislature  he  was  a  member  of  the  committees  on 
railroad  and  commerce  and  the  ways  and  means  committee.  He  was  again 
elected  in  iQcS  and  served  in  the  thirty-third  General  Assembly.  In  this 
assemblv  he  was  a  member  of  the  committee  on  public  officers,  at  that  time 
one  of  the  most  important  committees,  owing  to  the  fact  that  several  changes 
in  salaries  of  the  state  offices  were  imminent:  was  a  member  of  the  ways  and 
means  committee:  and  the  committees  of  railroad  and  transportation,  com- 
merce and  trade,  telephone,  public  lands  and  horticulture.  It  can  truthfully 
be  said  of  him  that  he  served  the  people  faithfully  and  conscientiously  during 
his  two  terms  in  the  state  legislative  liody.     Mr.  Drury  has  always  taken  an 


474  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

acti\e  part  in  state  anil  connt)-  ;)olitics  and  has  attended  both  county  and  state 
conventions  in  the  capacity  of  delegate.  His  influence  has  always  been  ex- 
erted for  the  bringing  about  of  tlie  greatest  good  to  the  greatest  number  of 
people.  In  addition  to  holding  the  high  office  of  representative,  he  has 
practically  filled  all  township  offices,  having  served  faithfully  as  township 
clerk,  scb.ool  director,  assessor  and  town  trustee.  In  addition  to  his  \-arious 
activities  as  business  man  and  farmer  he  is  a  stockholder  and  director  of  the 
Citizens  State  Bank  of  Early. 

Hon.  Will  Drury  has  been  three  times  married.  His  first  marriage  was 
on  December  28,  18S2,  with  Sarah  Wilson,  who  died  June  5,  1895,  and  who 
bore  him  four  children,  as  follows:  Mrs.  Maud  L.  Smith,  of  Clinton  town- 
ship; Millard,  a  farmer  in  Delaware  township:  Blanche  M.,  who  is  a  nurse 
and  makes  her  home  with  her  father  when  not  on  duty;  Clara,  formerly  a 
teacher  in  district  8  of  Boyer  Valley  township  and  wife  of  Elmer  E\-ans, 
of  Early,  assistant  cashier  in  the  Citizens  State  Bank. 

He  was  again  married  January  26,  1897,  to  Mae  C.  Dell,  of  Buffalo, 
New  York.  Six  children  were  born  to  this  union  as  follows :  C.  Merrill, 
born  in  November  of  1897,  and  is  a  graduate  of  the  Early  high  school ;  Grover 
E.,  aged  fourteen  years;  Will,  aged  twelve  years;  Sarah,  aged  nine;  Howard 
and  Homer,  twins,  born  June  12,  1908.  The  mother  of  these  children  de- 
parted this  life  on  June  30,  1908,  just  eighteen  days  after  the  birth  of  the 
twins. 

On  September  29,  1909,  Mr.  Drury  was  wedded  to  Laura  Gathman,  of 
Sac  county,  and  who  was  born  in  the  county  and  was  the  daughter  of 
Frank  and  Catharine  (Billenberg)  Gathman,  early  settlers  of  Sac  county. 
This  marriage  has  resulted  in.  the  l)irili  of  one  child.  Joyce,  aged  three 
years. 

Mr.  Drury  is  afiiliated  with  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  values  liighl}-  his 
membership  in  the  Knights  Templar  commandery  of  Sac  City  and  the 
Scottish  Rite,  thirty-second  degree,  and  is  a  Shriner,  being  a  mem- 
ber of  Za-Ga-Zig  Temple,  at  Des  Moines.  He  was  formerly  a  member 
of  the  Knights  of  Pvthias  of  Odcliolt.  While  his  family  are  attendants  of 
the  Methodist  church.  Mr.  Drury  himself  tloes  not  belong  to  any  religious 
organization.  He  aims  to  lead  an  exem])lary  life  and  is  a  firm  beliexer  in 
the  principles  of  right  living  as  embodied  in  the  Golden  Rule  enunciated  by 
the  greatest  of  all  mo;-al  teachers  and  takes  this  as  his  code  to  follow.  He 
believes  in  assisting  his  fcUowmen  where  help  is  needed  and  there  are  many 
instances  in  which  his  helping  hand  has  been  extended  in  behalf  of  some 
fellow  creature  in  need.     He  is  a  well  read  man  who  has  iiractically  educated 


SAC    COUNTY.    I:i\\\.  475 

himself  ali.)ng-  broad  lines  of  thought.  He  has  decideil  progressix'c  leanings 
and  sees  nothing  but  exentual  good  for  all  the  people  in  the  great  reform 
movements  which  are  mnv  sweeping  the  country  and  causing  an  awaken- 
ing in  the  business,  cixic  and  moral  life  of  the  people  everywhere  in  this 
great  free  country  of  ours.  He  is  emphatically  in  favor  of  government 
supervision  and  contrcjl  of  business  and  public  utilities  to  such  an  extent 
that  the  producer  and  the  product  of  his  labor  can  be  brought  into  closer 
contact  with  the  consumer  and  he  predicts  that  in  the  near  future  there  will 
be  more  tillers  of  the  soil  because  of  the  economic  necessity  of  the  times  w'hich 
demands  a  greater  increase  and  a  cheapening  of  the  supplies  of  food  stuffs. 
Mr.  Drury  is  emphatically  a  man  of  pronounced  ideas  along  broad  lines 
of  thought  and  has  the  faculty  of  expression  and  the  ability  to  enunciate 
clearly  so  as  to  have  considerable  influence  in  spreading  abroad  the  ad- 
vancing waves  for  better  and  more  equitable  living  and  a  wider  distribu- 
tion of  the  good  things  of  life.  His  home  is  one  of  the  most  hospitable  in  the 
county  and  the  personnel  of  his  interesting  family  reflects  the  attributes  of 
the  father  of  the  house  to  a  great  extent.  His  sons  and 
daughters  are  alike  intelligent  and  are  becoming  valued  members  of  the 
community.  This  biography  is  written  as  an  appreciation  at  first  hand  of  this 
excellent  and  distinguished  gentleman  and  to  serve  as  a  permanent  record 
for  the  benefit  of  his  children  and  for  the  perusal  by  his  many  warm  friends, 
who  are  legion. 


GEORGE  H.  HANSON. 


^'everal  things  must  be  taken  into  considerati'on  in  the  preparation  of  a 
biography  of  an  individual.  The  writer  must  necessarily  study  the  attri- 
butes and  character  of  the  person  under  review  and  present  to  the  best  pos- 
sible advantage  as  a  matter  of  permanent  record  his  abilities  and  accom- 
plishments. Young  men,  as  a  rule,  have  their  careers  yet  ahead  of  them  and 
are  often  confronted  with  the  difficulty  of  choosing  the  right  \ocation  and 
the  one  wdiich  seems  best  adapted  to  their  powers  and,  above  all,  the  occupa- 
tion which  is  most  likely  to  yield  the  greater  measure  of  substantial  return 
in  exchange  for  their  efforts.  While  many  young  men  have  turned  away 
from  the  farm  and  entered  the  learned  professions,  there  to  achieve  success 
or  fail,  as  the  case  may  be,  a  gradually  increasing  number  are  embracing 
the  science  of  agriculture  in  its  truest  sense  and  adopting  farming  as  a 
permanent  pursuit.     They  are  wise  in  their  generation  and  are  assured  of  a 


476  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

■permanent  occupatiun  and  a  comfortable  and  cuntentetl  existence,  with  a 
practical  certainty  of  wealth  ahead  of  them.  The  young  farmer  of  today 
is  usually  well  educated  and  has  had  the  opportunity  of  special  preparation 
along  the  lines  of  his  chosen  work  not  possessed  by  his  father  who  pre- 
ceded him.  A  farmer  with  well  developed  tastes  for  the  work  and  whose 
faculties  have  recei\ed  cultivation  in  other  lines  to  his  personal  advantage 
is  found  in  the  person  of  George  Hanson,  manager  of  Echo  Valley  farm 
in  \\'heeler  township. 

George  H.  Hanson  was  born  March  2,  1883,  in  Odebolt,  the  son  of 
Henr}'  Hanson,  a  pioneer  settler  of  Sac  county  and  native  of  Sweden,  and 
of  whom  e.xtended  mention  is  made  in  this  volume.  He  was  a  student  of 
the  Odebolt  high  school,  and  then  studied  for  three  years,  1899,  1900  and 
1903,  in  the  State  Agricultural  College  at  Ames,  Iowa.  After  finishing  his 
course  at  Ames  he  went  to  the  city  of  Chicago  and  studied  for  a  term  of 
one  year  in  the  famous  Art  Institute  of  that  city.  On  his  return  he  engaged 
in  farming  in  Wheeler  township. 

Mr.  Hanson's  farm  embraces  three  hundred  and  seventy  acres  in  the 
southern  part  of  Wheeler  township  and  is  decidedly  one  of  the  best  equipped 
farming  establishments  in  Sac  county  or  western  Iowa.  The  buildings  are 
located  in  a  valley  and  are  all  practically  new  and  constructed  mixlernly 
with  everv  convenience  for  facilitating  agricultural  operations  and  insuring 
home  comforts.  A  beautiful  cottage  lies  on  the  north  side  of  the  road,  be- 
ing a  nine-room  structure  built  mostly  of  concrete.  Another  substantial  ten- 
ant tiuilding  is  located  on  the  south  side  of  the  road  which  divides  the  land 
and  separates  the  home  from  the  Ijarns  and  farm  buildings,  which  are  prac- 
tically built  of  concrete  at  considerable  expense.  The  farm  buildings  com- 
prise a  horse  barn,  fifty-four  by  sixty-four  feet  in  dimension,  a  cattle  barn 
sixty-four  by  fifty-two  feet  in  extent,  and  a  granary  or  crib  with  a  capacity 
of  six  thi>usanil  bushels  of  grain.  The  buildings  were  practically  all  erected 
in  1907. 

Mr.  Hanson  is  a  well-known  breeder  of  Aberdeen  Angus  cattle,  of 
which  he  has  a  herd  of  sixty  pure  breds;  he  has  twenty  head  of  grade  horses 
and  one  hundred  and  fifty  head  of  Poland-China  hogs. 

Politicallv,  George  H.  Hanson  is  allied  with  the  Republican  party:  he 
is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  is  fraternally  connected  with 
the  ^Masonic  lodge  at  Odebolt. 

Mr.  Hanson  was  married  June  12,  1907,  to  Zella  Hardy,  of  Denison, 
Iowa,  a  (laughter  i>f  A.  P.  llanlv.  Their  home  life  and  furnishings  be- 
token refinement  and  education.     Mr.  Han.son  is  still  a  student  and  a  reader 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  477 

who  aims  to  keep  abreast  of  the  times  as  well  as  being  a  successful  farmer. 
It  is  a  safe  prediction  that  his  career  will  prove  to  be  an  honorable  and  use- 
ful one  and  that  his  influence  among  his  fellow  men  will  prove  to  be  the 
best  evidence  of  inherited  and  developed  ability. 


ALLIE  J.   PAUL. 


It  is  with  marked  satisfaction  that  the  biographer  adverts  to  the  life 
of  one  who  has  attained  success  in  any  vocation  requiring  definiteness  of 
purpose  and  determined  action.  Such  a  life,  whether  it  be  one  of  calm, 
consecutive  endeavor  or  of  sudden  meteoric  accomplishments,  must  abound 
in  both  lesson  and  incentive  and  prove  a  guide  to  young  men  whose  fortunes 
and  destinies  are  still  matters  for  the  future  to  determine.  The  subject  of 
this  sketch  is  distinctively  one  of  the  representative  agriculturists  of  Sac 
county.  For  a  number  of  years  he  directed  his  efforts  toward  the  goal  of 
success  and  by  patient  continuance  in  well  doing  succeeded  at  last  in  over- 
coming the  many  obstacles  by  which  his  pathway  was  beset,  and  is  todav 
considered  one  of  the  foremost  farmers  and  stock  dealers  of  the  county. 

Allie  J.  Paul,  a  prominent  farmer  and  live  stock  dealer  of  Odebolt,  Sac 
county.  Iowa,  was  born  December  5,  1869.  in  the  state  of  Wisconsin.  His 
parents  were  William  C.  and  Hannah  (Biddick)  Paul.  The  Paul  ancestry 
is  presented  in  the  sketch  of  C.  A.  Paul,  which  is  found  elsewhere  in  this 
volume.  Allie  J.  Paul  was  an  infant  when  the  familv  moved  to  Hardin 
county.  Iowa,  frtim  Wisconsin.  In  1892  the  Paul  family  moved  to  Sac 
county,  Iowa,  and  settled  in  Wheeler  township. 

Allie  J.  Paul  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  Hardin  county,  Iowa,  and 
assisted  with  the  labor  on  the  farm  when  not  in  attendance  at  school.  After 
the  family  moved  to  Sac  count\'.  Iowa,  he  remained  on  the  home  farm  until 
1895,  then  married  and  rented  the  tract  known  as  the  Mitts  farm  for  three 
years,  1895  to  1898,  at  which  time  he  returned  to  his  father's  farm  and 
resided  on  that  place  for  ten  years,  but  removed  to  Odebolt,  where  he  is  now 
living,  and  in  i()Oi  he  purchased  two  hundred  acres  of  land  in  this  county 
known  as  the  Martin  Miller  farm  and  paid  seventy-five  dollars  an  acre  for 
the  farm.  His  land  holdings  now  are  two  hundred  acres  in  Wheeler  town- 
ship, two  hundred  acres  in  Dickinson  county,  Iowa,  and  eighty  acres  in 
I.evey  township,  this  county.  In  addition  to  his  land  holdings,  he  also  owns 
an  entire  block  in  Odebolt.   in  which  his  home  is  located,   opposite  the  city 


478  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

park.  Here  he  has  a  fine,  modern  home  which  is  equipped  with  all  the  up- 
to-date  conveniences.  He  is  now  buying  and  shipping  a  large  amount  of 
li\e  stock  annually,  and  buys  in  this  immediate  neighborhood  at  least  forty 
cars  of  stock  each  year. 

Mr.  Paul  was  married  February  18,  1896,  to  Edith  Sheldon,  who  was 
born  in  Delaware  county,  Iowa,  June  6,  1876.  Her  parents  were  Charles 
Field  and  Jeannette  (Coquillette)  Sheldon,  natives  of  Ohio  and  Chicago, 
Illinois,  respectively.  Her  parents  on  both  sides  were  early  settlers  in  Dela- 
ware county,  Iowa,  and  were  married  in  that  county.  They  came  to  Sac 
county  in  March,  1877,  locating  in  Cedar  township.  They  are  now  living 
in  Texhoma.  Oklahoma,  where  they  moved  in  1900.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Paul  are 
the  parents  of  six  children:  \"ern  Allie,  born  Deceniljer  12.  1896;  Archie 
Lawrence,  born  November  19,  1898;  Grace  Ella,  born  August  13.  1904; 
\\'innie  Evelyn,  born  November  6,  1906;  Milton  Arthur.  Ijorn  March  29, 
1910.  and  Thelma  Eloise,  born  February  7,   1912. 

Politically,  Mr.  Paul  is  a  Progressive,  feeling  that  the  interests  of  the 
nation  at  large  demand  such  principles  as  are  advocated  by  that  party.  He 
and  all  of  his  family  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and 
render  it  faithful  service.  Mr.  Paul  has  been  true  to  his  ideals  in  every  turn 
of  his  life  and  the  respect  and  esteem  in  which  he  is  held  Ijy  his  friends  and 
neighbors  shows  that  he  has  lived  a  life  which  has  been  marked  by  honest 
and  sound  business  principles.  He  is  a  man  of  genial  personality  and  easily 
makes  and  retains  friends  and  no  man  in  the  township  is  more  widely  and 
favorably  known  and  respected  than  is  he.  He  and  his  family  are  the  cen- 
ters of  a  circle  of  friends  who  delight  to  be  entertained  in  their  hospitable 
home. 


CHARLIE  A.  PAUL. 


While  this  book  contains  specific  mention  of  many  of  the  older  citizens 
of  Sac  county,  Iowa,  men  who  have  figured  in  the  growth  and  development 
of  this  favored  locality,  there  are  yet  others  who,  while  they  can  not  be  num- 
Ijered  among  the  pioneers,  yet  have  wielded  a  definite  influence  on  the  best 
growth  and  development  of  later  years.  Among  this  class  of  influential 
citizens  may  be  mentioned  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  Charlie  A.  Paul  re- 
sides in  Wheeler  township  where  he  farms  a  tract  of  one  hundred  and  forty- 
three  acres,  being  a  portion  of  the  William  C.  Paul  estate  of  four  hundred 
and  eighty  acres.     Mr.   Paul  devotes  his  time  to  the  raising  of  grain  and 


SAC    COUNTYj    IOWA.  479 

hogs,  and  annually  disposes  of  from  eighty  to  one  hundred  head.  He  also 
has  twenty  head  of  cattle  and  for  doing  the  work  of  the  farm  he  has  six 
head  of  horses. 

Mr.  Paul  was  born  in  Wisconsin,  Grant  county,  on  October  9,  1867, 
the  son  of  William  C.  and  Hannah  Paul,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of 
England.  William  C.  was  born  in  1846  and  died  in  Wheeler  township,  this 
county,  on  November  6,  1902.  Hannah,  his  wife,  was  born  in  1844  and  at 
present  resides  in  Odebolt.  They  were  married  in  1865,  William  C.  having 
emigrated  to  this  country  in  1857  and  Hannah  in  1849,  being  but  a  small 
child  when  her  parents  left  their  native  country.  The  family  first  resided 
in  Grant  county,  Wisconsin,  and  in  1870  came  to  Hardin  county,  this  state. 
There  they  remained  until  1893,  when  they  became  citizens  of  Sac  county, 
William  C.  Paul  having  come  here  in  the  previous  year  and  purchased  the 
tract  of  four  hundred  and  eighty  acres  above  mentioned.  There  were  orig- 
inally five  children  in  the  family,  l.)Ut  four  of  whom  are  living.  Those  other 
than  Charlie  A.,  the  immediate  subject  of  this  sketch,  are  Ella  (Mrs.  Sar- 
gisson),  who  lives  in  Luton,  Iowa:  AUie  J.,  a  stock  buyer  and  farmer,  lo- 
cated at  Odebolt,  and  Myron  H.,  also  of  Odebolt.  and  engaged  in  the  retail 
meat  business. 

Charlie  A.  Paul  received  his  elemental  instruction  in  the  district  schools, 
later  supplemented  by  individual  study  and  a  course  at  the  Crescent  City 
Commercial  College  at  Des  Moines,  this  state.  The  labor  of  his  mature 
years  has  been  wholly  devoted  to  agricultural  duties.  He  has  been  farming 
the  homestead  since  shortly  after  the  father  purchased  it  and  in  the  fall  of 
1901  the  father  moved  to  Odebolt.  leaving  the  subject  in  full  charge  of  the 
management  of  the  farm.  His  activities  in  this  direction  have  proclaimed 
him  a  man  of  excellent  business  ability  and  undoubted  integrity.  Politically, 
he  is  aligned  with  the  Progressive  party  and,  aside  from  his  private  duties, 
finds  time' to  assume  something  of  the  burden  of  public  service.  He  is  a 
trustee  and  school  director  for  Wheeler  township,  and  is  also  a  director  in 
the  Farmers  Savings  Bank  of  Odebolt.  His  religious  affiliation  is  with  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  to  the  support  of  which  he  contributes  gener- 
ously of  both  time  and  means. 

On  March  20,  1901,  Mr.  Paul  was  united  in  marriage  with  Sarah 
Emma  Crawford,  who  departed  this  life  on  November  26,  19 12,  at  the  age 
of  thirty-four  years.  Mrs.  Paul  was  a  devout  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  and  was  highly  esteemed  by  those  who  had  the  pleasure 
of  her  acquaintance.  She  left  a  family  of  five  children.  Tola  J.  is  eleven 
years  of  age:  Veryl  C,  nine  years  old;  Myrtle  H.,  six  years  old,  and  Lloyd 


480  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

W.  and  Lyle  J.  are  a  fine  pair  of  twin  Ijoys  aged  four  years.  To  the  proper 
rearing  of  this  interesting  family  Mr.  Paul  is  bringing  to  bear  every  elevat- 
ing influence  at  his  command. 

It  is  always  pleasant  as  well  as  profitable  to  contemplate  the  career  of  a 
man  who  has  won  a  definite  station  in  life  and  whose  influence  is  extended 
only  in  behalf  of  the  most  beneficial  phases  of  community  life.  Since  com- 
ing to  this  county.  Mr.  Paul  has  exhibited  a  sincere  interest  in  all  that  re- 
lates to  the  best  good  of  the  community  and  has  discharged  such  duties 
of  citizenship  as  have  fallen  upcn  him  in  a  manner  worth}-  of  commendation 
from  all. 


MARSHALL  D.  FOX. 


The  majority  of  men  who  have  spent  the  better  part  of  their  alloted 
three  score  years  and  ten  in  the  active  pursuit  of  agriculture,  or  in  almost 
any  other  vocation  which  requires  close  application  and  the  expenditure 
of  energy,  are  ready  for  rest  when  they  attain  such  an  age.  We  take  it 
for  granted  that  this  is  the  acceptable  thing  for  the  worthy  retired  citizens 
found  in  practically  eveiy  ccimmunit\-  to  do  and  do  not  expect  much  activity 
in  the  affairs  of  the  community  on  their  part.  There  are  found,  however, 
some  notable  exceptions  to  what  seems  to  have  become  the  general  custom 
among  us.  h'requently,  we  have  individuals,  who,  while  practically  retired 
from  active  pursuits  because  there  is  no  longer  a  necessit}-  fcjr  a  continuance 
of  their  labors,  are  still  active  in  the  affairs  which  concern  mankind  and, 
while  old  in  years,  they  will  be  found  young  in  deeds,  with  hearts  still 
glowing  earnestly  for  the  well-being  of  their  neighbors  and  still  taking  a 
lively  interest  in  the  doings  of  the  body  politic.  An  example  of  this  class  of 
citizens  is  found  in  the  personage  of  M;irshall  I),  b'ox,  retired  \eteran  farmer 
of  Odebolt. 

Mr.  Fox  was  born  May  7,  1842,  in  Trumbull  county,  Ohio.  His  father 
was  Samuel  S.  Fox,  a  native  of  New  Hampshire,  and  who  was  a  son  of 
Amos  Fox,  of  English  parentage.  Samuel  S.  was  born  in  1796  and  died  in 
1878.  He  was  reared  to  manhood  in  old  New  Hampshire  and  there  mar- 
ried Dorothy  Bullock,  who  was  a  member  of  the  famous  Shaker  colony 
of  New  Hampshire-  Lt  the  early  twenties  he  migrated  to  Trumbull  county, 
Ohio,  and  figured  as  a  prominent  factor  in  the  pioneer  life  of  eastern  Ohio. 
He  served  his  country  in  the  War  of  1812,  ami  it  is  recorded  of  him  that  he 
was  a  brave  and  gallant  soldier.     He  was  twice  married  and  was  the  fatlier 


?3 


> 
7". 


^^^^^^^^^^o 

1 

c 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  481 

i,i  fourteen  children  by  his  first  wife  and  three  by  his  second  marriage. 
Ail  the  children  of  Samuel  S.  grew  to  maturity  and  were  married.  Five 
of  then  are  yet  lix'ing.  The  Fox  famil_\-  remoxed  fmni  the  farm  to  Mentor. 
Ohio,  and  from  there  journeyed  to  Illinois  in  1854.  The  mother  tlied  in  the 
year  1856.  In  1856  they  moved  to  Minnesota,  but.  being  dissatisfied  with 
the  outlook  in  this  newer  locality,  they  returned  in  1857  and  migrated  to 
Clinton  county,  Iowa,  in  1859. 

Marshall  D.  Fo.k  enlisted  August  10,  1864.  in  Company  A,  Eleventh 
Iowa  Infantry,  and  '>er\ed  nine  months.  During  his  term  of  service  it  was 
his  good  fortune  to  parlici]xite  in  two  great  battles  and  se\-eral  skirmishes. 
He  was  a  mcml)er  of  the  ann\  that  conducted  the  siege  and  capture  of  the 
city  of  .\tlanta,  and  fought   in  the  battle  of  Jonesboro,  Georgia. 

After  t!ie  close  of  hostilities  he  returned  to  his  home,  in  rijuton  county, 
and  toc")k  up  the  vocation  of  farming.  Here  he  was  married,  May  7, 
1867,  to  Lydia  F.  Bennett,  who  was  born  March  Q,  1850,  in  the  city  of 
Brownsville.  Fayette  county,  Pennsylvania,  a  daughter  of  William  H.  Ben- 
nett, the  son  of  William  Bennett,  a  scion  of  an  old  \'irginia  family.  The 
wife  of  William  H.  was  Mary  Ann  Wood,  the  daughter  of  Quaker  par- 
ents. It  is  recorded  thai  William  II.  IVnnett  was  a  tanner  l)y  trade  and 
made  an  overland  trip  to  the  West  \ia  the  water  routes  down  the  Monon- 
gahela  and  Ohio  rivers  and  thence  up  the  Mississippi  and  tributary  streams. 
He  bought  an  i>x  team  which  he  drove  to  Fnva  Citv  in  1837,  tlien  the 
capital  of  the  slate,  and  later  returned  to  l'enns\l\ania.  He  returned  from 
Pennsyhania  in  the  fall  of  1854  and  located  on  one  hundred  and  .^ixtv  acres 
of  gON'ernment   precminion   land   in   Clinton   countw 

Many  Clinton  coiuU}"  people  were  talking"  of  the  newer  and  cheaijer 
lands  to  l)e  had  in  Sac  county,  and  it  was  only  natural  that  a  number  should 
become  permanent  settlers  in  the  county.  Among  them  was  Marshall  D. 
Fox,  who  was  among  the  first  to  settle  in  Clinton  township.  March  2^, 
1874,  he  arrived  in  Clinton  township.  Sac  county,  preceding  his  wife,  who 
came  to  join  him  in  the  following  May,  after  he  had  finished  the  erection 
of  a  one  and  one-half  storied  house,  sixteen  by  twenty-four  feet  in  size.  On 
October  3,  1874,  disaster  overtook  them  in  the  form  of  a  holocaust  which 
swept  away  the  house  and  barns  and  consumed  practicalh"  all  of  their  furni- 
ture and  outfit.  The  family  bareh'  escapeil  with  their  lives.  This  calamitv 
left  Mr.  Fox  in  exceedingly  hard  circumstances,  but  "a  friend  in  need  is 
a  friend  indeed",  and  it  was  a  very  good  friend  who  came  to  his  rescue 
in  this  time  of  prix'ation.  A  lumber  man  of  Clinton  county,  who  was  his 
(30) 


482  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

warm  friend,  furnished  liini  the  hiniher  w  ith  which  to  rebuild,  witli  tlie  under- 
standing that  lie  was  to  pax-  the  bill  when  able,  and  by  November  3rd  of 
the  same  war  the  new  home  and  buildings  were  completed.  Mr.  Fox  hauled 
the  lumber  for  this  second  home,  a  distance  of  twenty  miles,  from  the  near- 
est railway  station.  His  land  is  located  in  section  J9  and  cost  him  five 
dollars  and  fifty  cents  an  acre  at  the  outset.  He  soon  had  a  beautiful  grove 
and  orcliards  growing  on  the  place  and  gradually  improved  it  until  it  is  now- 
rated  a^  the  must  attracti\e  and  well  kei)t  farm  in  C'lintnn  towushi]).  He  re- 
centl\-  solrl  ll;e  farm  to  his  son,  Harr\-  \  .  The  I^^ox  farm  is  appro|)ri;!tel\' 
named  "Aslilawn  h'arm,'"  and  is  situated  on  the  main  higbw'a\'  between  Lake 
View  and  Odeljolt.  In  i88f)  Mr.  I'ox  added  eighty  acres  to  his  holdings  at  a 
cost  of  thirty  (h)llars  an  acre.  He  was  also  the  .owner  of  a  fine  quarter 
section  (jf  land  m  Delaware  townshi])  which  he  sold  at  a  good  profit. 

Histor}-  records  the  fact  thai  Mr.  Fo.x  built  the  third  house  in  Clint(in 
township  and  took  a  ]5rominent  ])art  in  the  subsequent  organization  and 
nanu'ng  nf  the  township.  In  1875,  he  and  N.  B.  Umbarger  journeyed  to 
Sac  Citv  and  presented  the  jietition  ;i)  the  ciiunt\-  officials  i)raying  for  a 
separate  township  organization.  This  was  granted  and  the  county  auditor 
suggested  that  the  older  settler  of  the  two  give  the  township  its  name. 
This  naturalK'  dexoKed  upnn  Mr.  h"ox  who  thereupon  bestowed  the  name 
"ClintDu"  in  mcuKiry  of  his  old  home  count\-.  In  the  fall  of  1904  he  and 
his  good,  wife  remo\-ed  to  Odebolt  and  built  for  their  future  habitation  a 
fine  Inuigalow  on  Park  a\'enue.  .\t  the  outset  Mr.  Fox  purchased  two  and 
one-half  lots  on  I'ark  avenue  at  a  cost  of  one  tlmusand  seven  hundred  dollars, 
and  later  sold  one  curner  lot  for  a  consideration  of  nine  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars.  Here  he  and  his  faithful  com])anion  thoroughh'  enjoy  their  lives 
and  take  an  acti\'e  part  in  the  social  doings  of  the  neighborhootl.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  library  board,  the  Cemetery  association  and  the  Automobile 
Club.  .\t  the  age  of  seventy  years  he  learned  to  drive  an  automobile.  He 
chops  wDod  t\ery  day  of  his  life  for  needed  exercise  and  is  acti\'e.  healthy 
and  strong  for  one  of  his  age.  As  his  friends  and  admirers  express  it, 
"he  is  se\'ent\'  years  young". 

He  espouses  the  cause  of  the  Trogressi\e  jiarty  and  is  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  Fpiscopal  church.  hTaternallw  he  is  associated  with  the 
Ancient  hVee  and  .Xccejited  Masons,  and  is  a  charter  niemlier  of  Col. 
Goodrich  Post,  ( irand  .\rm\'  (jf  the  Republic,  and  has  served  as  commander 
of  this  post. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fox  have  reared  six  children  on  whom  they  have  be- 
stowed exceptional  educational  arlvantages  and  gi\'eii.  on  their  attaining  fheir 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  483 

respective  majorities,  the  individual  sums  of  one  thousand  dollars  for  a  start 
in  life.  The  children  are  as  follows:  Mrs.  Flora  Thomas,  a  resident  of 
Des  Moines,  and  the  mother  of  two  daughters,  Blaine  and  Kathrvn ;  Chauncey 
B.,  a  citizen  of  Jasper,  Minnesota,  has  four  children,  Helen,  Rachel,  Florence 
and  Bennett:  Mrs.  Jessie  Carpenter,  of  Mesita,  Colorado,  is  the  mother  of 
two  offsprings.  Harrv  F.  and  Dorothy:  Mrs.  Fannie  L.  Quirk,  of  Clinton 
township,  has  one  ciiild,  Edward  L. :  Harrx'  V.,  on  tiie  liDUie  farm,  is  the 
father  of  three,  Eugene  Marshall,  Paul,  Elinor  Elaine:  Howard  M.,  a  resi- 
dent of  Des  Moines. 

A  re\'iew  of  such  a  life  as  the  foregoing  is  worthy  of  a  ]3rominent 
place  in  the  history  of  Sac  county.  While  mere  words  can  not  ade(|uately 
convey  a  just  appreciation  of  his  manifold  virtues  as  a  citizen,  this  chronicle 
is  res]jectfull\'  suhmitted. 


FRED  W.   PETERSMEYER. 

It  is  a  well  authenticated  fact  that  success  comes  as  the  result  of  legiti- 
mate and  well  applied  energw  unHagging  determination  and  perseverance  in 
a  course  of  action  when  once  decided  upon.  She  is  never  known  to  smile 
upon  the  idler  or  dreamer  and  she  never  courts  the  loafer,  only  the  men  who 
have  diligently  sought  her  favor  i>eing  crowned  with  her  blessings.  In 
tracing  the  history  of  the  influential  farmer  and  representative  citizen  of 
Sac  countv.  Iowa,  whose  name  forms  the  caption  of  this  review,  it  is  plainly 
seen  that  the  prosperity  which  he  enjo\-s  has  been  won  by  commendable 
cjualities  and  il  is  also  his  personal  worth  that  has  gained  for  him  the  high 
esteem  of  those  who  know  him. 

Fred  W.  Petersmeyer,  one  of  the  ]3rosperous  farmers  and  substantial 
citizens  of  Sac  county,  Iowa,  was  born  in  Lake  county,  Indiana,  June  7, 
1867.  His  parents  were  Frederick  Wilhelm  and  Caroline  Petersmeyer.  a 
sketch  of  whose  history  may  be  found  elsewhere  in  this  \olume.  In  1872 
the  Petersmever  famih-  moved  to  Sac  county,  locating"  in  Richland  town- 
ship, where  F.  W.,  whose  history  is  here  set  forth,  was  reared  and  educated. 
At  the  age  of  twenty-one  he  fiegan  farming  for  hiniself.  -Although  he  was 
beyond  school  age.  he  attended  school  for  a  few  winters  after  reaching 
the  age  of  twentv-one.  This  shows  a  striking  characteristic  of  Mr.  Peters- 
meyer and  one  which  has  dr]minated  his  whole  career. 

In  1892  Mr.  Petersmeyer  went  to  Cherokee  county,  Iowa,  and  engaged 
in    farnu'ns;    in   that   coimt\-    for  the   next    Five   vears.      He   then   returned   to 


484  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Odebolt.  in  this  county,  and  \vorl<e(!  in  the  grain  elevator  and  also  operated 
a  threshing  outfit  during  the  summers  of  1908,  1909  and  1910,  and  in  1910 
got  approval  of  the  land  and  homestead  claim,  living  upon  it  for  .everal 
years,  proving  his  claim,  finally  got  a  patent  and  now  owns  (ine  In-ndred  and 
sixty  acres  of  excellent  land  in  that  state.  In  19 10  he  returned  j  Odebolt 
and  shortly  afterward  went  to  North  Dakota  with  another  thresL.hg  outfit. 
He  spent  the  winter  of  1913-14  in  Odeboh,  and  in  the  spring  of  1914  re- 
turned to  North  Dakota  to  resume  threshing  and  farm  work. 

Mr.  Petersmeyer  was  married  in  1893  to  Hulda  Rasmus,  who  died  two 
years  later,  leaving  him  one  daughter,  Edna,  who  is  now  a  trained  nurse 
in  the  Henrotin  Memorial  Hospital,  Chicago.  Mr.  Petersmeyer  has  never 
remarried.  In  politics  he  is  independent,  but  is  naturally  progressive  in  his 
tendencies.  He  favors  good  government  and  is  not  particular  which  party 
administers  it.  He  is  not  a  regular  member  of  any  church,  yet  he  attends  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  contributes  to  its  support  liberally.  He  is 
a  man  who  has  worked  all  of  his  life  and  has  always  Ijorne  his  share  in 
the  life  of  the  community  in  which  he  lives.  He  has  many  warm  friends 
who  admire  him  for  his  many  good  qualities. 


HENRY  KESSLER. 


Among  the  many  Germans  who  have  cast  their  lot  in  Sac  county  none 
have  proven  more  worthy  of  the  large  success  their  thrift  has  brought  or 
.shown  themselves  to  l)e  worthier  of  the  confidence  and  respect  reposed  in 
them  by  their  neighbors  and  the  i)ub!ic  in  general  than  Henry  Kessler,  of 
Odebolt,  Iowa,  a  man  who  has  never  permitted  obstacles  to  stand  in  his 
way  and  who  has  been  watchful  of  the  interests  of  the  townshii)  and  county 
in  which  he  resides  while  forwarding  those  of  his  own. 

Henrv  Kessler,  a  retired  farmer  of  Odebolt,  Iowa,  was  born  July  3, 
1841,  in  Cazerona,  Saxe-Weimer,  Germany,  the  son  of  Conrad  and  Margue- 
rite (Baumgartner)  Kessler.  The  mother  died  in  Germany  in  1861.  and 
four  years  later  the  father,  with  eight  children,  came  to  America.  These 
eight  children  were  Barbara,  Margiierita,  .\rtman,  George.  Henry,  Marga- 
ret, Veronica  and  Daniel,  .\rtman  had  been  a  soldier  in  the  Prussian  army 
before  coming  to  this  count).  The  Kessler  fanuly  settled  in  Lee  county, 
Illinois,  and  C(_)nrad  Kessler  died  in  i8Sj  at  tlic  home  of  his  daughter  in 
Benton  count^',  Iowa. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  485 

Ht  ir\-  Kessler  was  fwenty-four  years  of  age  when  his  father  brought 
his  ci  "idren  to  this  country.  Four  _\'ears  after  setthng  in  Lee  county,  IIH- 
nois,  "Henry  married  EHzaljeth  Reudzel,  and  in  1873  moved  to  Benton 
county.  If' va.  Five  years  later  they  moved  to  Sac  county,  this  state,  setthng 
on  one  hi  ,idrcd  and  si.xty-nine  acres  in  section  6,  Chnton  township,  which 
thev  purchased  for  tive  dollars  and  si.xty  cents  an  acre.  }.Ir.  Kessler  proved 
to  be  a  successful  farmer  and  from  time  to  time  added  to  his  land  holdings, 
but  sold  some  of  his  land,  and  he  now  owns  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
of  tine  farming  land  in  Richland  and  Clinton  townships.  Henry  Kessler  anil 
wife  mo\ed  to  Odebolt,  January  8,  igii,  where  he  has  a  handsome  home  in 
the  southeastern  part  of  the  city  on  Park  avenue.  He  has  turned  over  the 
actual  management  of  the  farm  to  his  son.  \lv.  and  Mrs.  Kessler  are  the 
parents  of  eight  children:  George,  who  lives  on  a  farm  in  Richland  town- 
ship; Mrs.  Mary  Frevert,  of  F^loyd  county,  Iowa;  Mrs.  Katie  Bachmann,  of 
Crawford  county,  this  state;  John,  a  merchant  of  Ida  Grove,  Iowa;  Edward, 
of  this  township,  who  owns  a  farm  of  eighty  acres;  Mrs.  Rosina  Einspahr, 
who  lives  on  the  old  homestead  place;  Mrs.  Caroline  Nitzsche,  of  Clay 
countv,  Iowa,  and  Minnie  E.,  who  is  at  home  with  her  parents;  she  is  a 
graduate  in  music  of  Charles  City  College  and  is  a  teacher  of  instrumental 
music  in  Odebolt. 

Politically,  Mr.  Kessler  is  a  Republican,  but  has  never  been  an  aspirant 
for  an\-  public  office,  although  he  has  served  as  road  supervisor  of  his  town- 
ship. The  family  are  all  loyal  and  devoted  members  of  the  German  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  church  and  give  it  their  earnest  support.  Mr.  Kessler  is  a 
man  who  has  worked  himself  from  an  humble  station  in  life  to  a  success- 
ful place  in  the  life  of  his  community  and  has  won  an  honorable  place 
among  the  well-known  farmers  of  the  locality  in  which  he  resides. 


CHARLES   GOODENOW. 

Each  life  seems  to  be  cast  in  a  different  luold,  although  environments 
similar  in  character  surround  all  persons  of  any  one  community.  We  are 
influenced  to  some  extent  in  our  choice  of  a  life  career  by  the  example  set 
by  our  fathers;  if  the  paternal  parent  of  an  individual  has  become  successful 
in  a  good  profession  the  son  is  very  likely  to  follow  in  the  footsteps  of  his 
father  and  to  carry  onward  and  upward  the  work  begun.  Thus  it  is  seen 
that  the  ])arental   influence,   when   wielded   wisely  and    for  the  good   ot   the 


486  SAC    COTNTY,    KJVVA. 

offspring,  is  tlie  greatest  impulse  in  shaping  the  careers  of  successlul  men. 
It  is  even  claimed  by  some  observers  and  writers  that  banking,  for  instance, 
is  an  inherited  occupation  and  if  a  father  is  gifted  with  financial  ability,  this 
trait  is  transmitted  to  the  son  in  a  higher  degree  if  he  possesses  a  personal 
aptitude  for  the  business.  Even  so,  history  records  hundreds  of  instances 
where  this  highly  important  department  of  our  national  financial  system  has 
been  more  successfully  conducted  during  past  centuries  where  the  heritage 
has  been  given  over  to  the  sons  of  the  family  who  but  stepped  into  the  place 
left  vacant  by  the  father  and  acf|uitted  themselves  wonderfully  and  shoul- 
dered the  responsiliilities  of  conducting  such  an  important  business  in  a 
manner  creditable  to  themselves  and  their  predecessors.  In  writing  the 
biography  of  Charles  Goodenow,  banker  and  leading  citizen  of  Wall  Lake, 
Sac  countv,  account  must  be  taken  of  the  fact  that  his  father  was  the  pioneer 
banker  of  this  lucalitv  and  founded  the  Inisiness  which  the  son  has  extended 
and  broadened. 

He  whose  name  forms  the  caption  of  this  chronicle  was  born  August 
13,  1856.  in  Clinton  countw  Iowa,  anil  is  the  son  of  Royal  Goodenow, 
pioneer  settler  and  banker  of  W'all  Lake,  Iowa.  i\oyal  (ioodenow  was  born 
in  the  state  of  New  York,  December  25,  1820,  and  was  the  son  of  Timothy 
Goodenow,  a  descendant  of  an  old  and  highly  respected  family  of  .\e\\  Lng- 
land.  In  the  \'ear  1845  he  migrated  to  Clinton  count}-,  Iowa,  and  settled  on 
a  pioneer  farm.  He  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  this  great  count\-  an<l 
was  preceded  by  a  brother,  John  E.  Goodenow,  who  settled  on  a  farm  lying 
on  the  Jacks(jn-Clinton  county  line  as  earh-  as  1838.  John  \\.  had  the  dis- 
tinction of  lieing  the  first  railroad  land-grant  owner  in  Iowa  and  was  one 
of  three  trustees  (Goodenow,  Clark  and  Cotton)  to  whom  the  land  grant 
was  deeded  in  trust  in  1841.  In  the  year  1875  Ro\al  Goodenow  came  to 
Sac  count\-  and  invested  in  a  tract  of  four  hundred  and  eighty  acres  in  sec- 
tion I.  Clinton  township,  to  which  he  soon  added  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres,  making  an  entire  section  of  land  which  he  owned.  This  was  practic- 
ally virgin  prairie  which  he  had  broken  for  cultivation  and  improved.  In 
1882  he  and  Nelson  Wright  came  to  the  new  town  of  Wall  Lake  and  started 
the  Bank  of  W'all  Lake,  which  was  later  reorganized  as  the  Wall  Lake  Savings 
Bank  in  September  of  1905.  In  his  later  years,  when  old  age  robbed  him  of 
some  of  his  virile  energy,  he  remo\'ed  to  Jackson  county  and  there  s])ent  his 
remaining  davs  amid  the  familiar  scenes  of  his  younger  days,  d\ing  March 
20,  iQii.  He  will  long  be  remembered  in  Sac  county  as  one  of  the  influen- 
tial and  striking  figures  of  the  county.     The  interesting  historv  of  the  found- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  487 

ing  of  the  Wall  Lake  Bank  ami  Its  subsequent  fortunes  is  graphically  told  in 
the  bankmg  chapter  of  this  memoir. 

This  pioneer  citizen  of  the  county  was  twice  married.  His  lirst  wife 
was  born  in  New  York  state  and  was  Marilla  Grifhn,  who  bore  him  one  son, 
Melville  B.,  now  a  resident  of  Nebraska.  His  second  marriage  was  with 
Sarah  Sherwood,  who  was  born  in  Ohio  in  1833.  They  were  married  in 
Clinton  county.  To  this  union  were  l:)orn  the,  following  children:  Charles; 
Mrs.  Marilla  I'hillips,  of  Clinton  county;  Mrs.  Candice  Butterworth,  of 
Jackson  county;  Burt  L.,  a  resident  of  South  Dakota.  He  was  a  Democrat 
politically  and  was  an  exemplary  anil  valuable  citizen  whose  usefulness  in 
the  earl)-  development  of  Sac  county  is  more  than  deser\ing  of  extended 
mention. 

Charles  Goodenow,  the  son,  and  \vilh  whom  this  review  is  directly 
concerned,  received  his  education  in  the  district  schools  of  his  native  county. 
He  came  to  Sac  county  when  the  family  removed  here  and  drove  a  large 
bunch  of  cattle  ahead  of  him.  He  miloaded  the  cattle  from  the  train  at 
Grand  |uncti(ni,  Iowa,  and  drove  them  to  his  father's  ranch  1>\-  way  of  Lake 
Citv  and  Sac  City.  He  assisted  his  father  in  hauling  and  handling  the 
lumber  used  in  the  erection  of  the  farm  buildings  and  did  his  share  in  the 
])rairie  "l)reaking."  In  1S78  he  iournc\-ed  to  Xel)raska  and  remaiue<l  in  this 
newer  state  for  three  and  one  half  \'ears,  engaged  in  ranching.  On  his  return 
to  Sac  county  he  located  in  the  t(.>wn  of  Wall  Lake  and  oi)ened  a  general 
merchandise  store,  which  he  conducted  successfully  for  se\'eral  years.  He 
became  connected  with  the  Bank  of  Wall  Lake,  now  the  Wall  Lake  Savings 
Bank,  some  time  later  and  has  practically  managed  its  affairs  since  1882. 
His  abilit)'  as  a  l)anker  is  unquestioned  and  the  institution  in  his  charge  is 
considered  one  of  the  solidest  and  the  safest  financial  concerns  in  the  county. 

Mr.  Goodenow  has  alwavs  been  interested  in  farming  and  has  never 
allowed  his  interest  to  wander  far  from  the  vocation  to  which  he  had  been 
reared.  He  has  charge  of  the  Goodenow  estate,  consisting  of  six  hundred 
and  fift\'-six  acres  and  the  cultivation  of  which  he  supervises,  and  is  the 
owner  of  a  fine  farm  of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Clinton  countv. 

Charles  Goodenow  was  married  on  February  14,  i88_i.  to  Jessie  Newby, 
formerlv  of  Clinton  countv  and  daughter  of  William  Newbv,  who  removed 
to  Sac  count}-  from  Clinton.  He  is  the  father  of  the  following  children: 
Mrs.  Nellie  Zae  Garrett,  of  Wall  Lake;  Ruth,  at  home  with  her  parents; 
Marilla,  a  student  in  the  State  L^niversity  at  Iowa  City:  Royal,  a  student  in 
the  public  schools  and  aged  thirteen  years. 

Politicallv,  Mr.  Goodenow  is  a  Democrat  and  is  pronounced  in  his  con- 


488 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 


victions;  fraternally,  he  is  a  Mason.  For  a  long  period  of  twentvone  rears 
he  has  serAed  on  the  city  council  of  Wall  I.ake  and  has  ever  been  found  in 
the  forefront  in  advocating  public  inipro\'ements ;  he  has  many  warm  friends 
and  well  wishers,  and  is  one  of  these  whole-souled,  likeable  fellows  who  are 
accommodating  and  hospitable  to  a  high  degree.  Of  such  men  are  the  bes.t 
C(  immunities  composed. 


HUGH  M.  CORY 


The  crowning-  point  of  a  long  and  reasonably  active  life  is  that  perrcxl 
when,  at  peace  with  the  world  and  mankind  and  relieved  of  the  necessity  of 
further  endeavor  to  obtain  a  lixclihndd,  one  is  enabled  to  retire  for  the  re- 
maining years  and  await  the  sunset  period  Life,  with  its  .struggles  and  dis- 
appcjintments,  is  yet  ahead  of  the  younger  generation.  The  activities  inci- 
dental to  the  gaining  of  a  livelihood,  and  amassing  a  competencv  which 
enables  one  to  enjoy  a  peaceful  and  contented  old  age  in  comfort,  are  matters 
for  reminiscences  of  value  in  a  work  of  this  character.  To  ha\e  ser\ed  one's 
country  on  the  frontier  of  civilization  and  to  have  shouldered  a  musket  in 
defense  of  the  Union  is  honor  suFPicient  to  gratify  the  ambitions  of  the  average 
human.  This  combination  of  circumstances  fell  to  the  lot  of  Hugh  Cory,  re- 
tired pioneer  of  Sac  City,  and  Union  veteran  of  the  Civil  War. 

Hugh  Cory  was  born  Januarx  ii,  1844.  on  a  farm  in  Hardin  countv, 
Ohio,  the  son  of  I'Tancis  Al.  and  Isabelle  (  Hitchcock)  Cory,  both  natives  of 
the  grand  okl  Buckeye  state. 

Because  of  the  fact  that  Francis  M.  Cory  was  one  of  the  very  earliest 
settlers  of  Sac  county,  and  was  known  as  a  strong  and  remarkable  character 
in  man\-  ways,  considerable  mention  of  him  in  these  pages  is  necessary  be- 
fore we  proceed  further  with  the  biography  of  the  son,  Hugh.  He  was  born 
in  Ohio  in  the  year  18 18,  and  ched  in  Sac  county  in  1865,  Francis  was  the 
son  of  Alanson  Cory,  who  was  the  son  of  Abner  Cory,  a  native  of  Scotland. 
Alanson  emigrated  to  America  in  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  centur\-  and 
entered  government  land  in  Crawford  county,  Ohio.  He  was  the  father  of 
the  following  sons :  [''rancis  M.,  Abner,  Hugh.  Enos  and  Alanson.  These 
six  sons  were  reared  to  manhood  on  the  farm  in  Crawford  county.  Ohio. 
Francis  M.  first  located  in  Hardin  county.  Ohio,  on  attaining  his  majority. 
Hearing  of  the  new  and  richer  lands  to  the  westward,  lie  set  forth  on  the 
long  journey  with  his  wife  and  eight  children  in  the  spring  of  1854.  His 
children  were  as  follows:     Isaac  A.,  of  Bellingham,  Washington,  the  first 


g 
> 

X 

D 


to 


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IF 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  489 

teacher  in  Sac  county;  Williani,  who  died  in  Texas;  Hugh;  Harvey,  who 
resides  in  North  Yakima,  Washington;  George  I.,  city  marshal  and  water 
commissioner  of  Sac  Citv ;  Joseph,  a  farmer  residing  at  Mulhall,  Oklahoma ; 
Jolm,  proprietor  of  the  Perkins  Hotel,  Plattsmouth,  Nebraska;  Abner,  de- 
ceased; Frances,  wife  of  J.  S.  Tiberghein,  and  who  was  the  first  white  female 
child  born  in  Sac  county. 

The  Corys  were  part  of  an  imniigranl  coniijany  of  five  families  who  be- 
came the  real  ])ioneer  settlers  of  Sac  county.  These  were  the  families  of 
Leonard  Austin,  Joel  Austin,  Jacob  McAfee,  William  LaGourgue  and  Francis 
Cory.  The  family  traveled  overland  with  two  yoke  of  oxen  by  easv  stages, 
hunting  and  fishing  on  the  wa)',  and  taking  in  all  the  sights  of  the  new  and 
strange  country  through  which  they  were  passing,  and  enjoying  the  trip  as  a 
distinct  novelty.  Arriving  within  the  confines  of  the  county,  they  naturally 
selected  a  timbered  tract,  surrounding  what  is  known  as  the  Big  Springs 
along  the  Coon  river.  The  onl)-  inhabitants  of  the  neighborhood  at  that  time 
were  scattering  bands  of  Indians,  who  were  on  friendly  terms  with  the  white 
people  who  were  soon  to  take  awa)-  their  traditional  hunting  grounds.  Mr. 
Cory  took  up  his  land  in  what  is  officially  known  as  the  southeast  quarter  of 
section  36,  township  88,  range  36.  The  land  was  almost  completely  covered 
with  heavy  timber.  They  at  once  set  about  the  hewing  of  logs  from  timber 
newly  felled,  and  erected  a  small  log  cabin.  Every  stick  and  piece  which 
went  into  the  construction  of  the  pioneer  home  was  hewn  out  l>y  hantl.  The 
floor  was  of  puncheon,  and  much  of  the  furniture  was  made  by  hand  from 
branches  and  boards  smoothed  by  the  adz.  This  cabin  was  replaced  in  1855 
by  a  more  commodious  log  dwelling,  sixteen  by  eighteen  feet  in  e.xtent.  It  is 
said  of  Mr.  Cory  that  he  was  a  very  level  headed  man  and  enjoyed  the  con- 
fidence and  esteem  of  the  Indians  with  whom  he  traded.  He  made  a  virtue  of 
his  trading  operations,  and  would  give  the  Indians  meal  and  pork  in  the  right 
quantities  in  exchange  for  their  furs.  These  he  would  take  to  Des  Moines 
and  exchange  for  the  necessities  of  life.  During  the  first  winter  the  settlers 
fared  exceedingly  well  and  v\  ere  happy  and  contented  with  their  lot,  and  were 
of  the  decided  opinion  that  their  lines  had  fallen  in  pleasant  places  and  that 
this  section  of  Iowa  was  a  second  Garden  of  Eden  in  a  certain  sense. 

Hugh  recalls  that  on  a  certain  occasion  a  band  of  twenty-five  Indian 
''bucks"  made  a  visit  to  his  father's  home  from  their  camp  on  the  old  Wad- 
dell  ])lace.  Mr.  Cory,  as  was  his  custom,  took  the  guns  from  the  Indians  and 
stacked  them.  He  then  tried  to  con\'erse  with  their  leaders.  One  Indian,  who 
seemed  to  be  the  leader  of  the  group,  struck  a  beam  with  his  hatchet  and 
tlij^ped  his  hand.      Mr.  Cory  called  out  "Sug!"     The  Indians  answered  in 


490  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

concert,  "Sug."  Tliev  at  once  Ijcgan  trading.  Mrs.  Cory  frequently  cooked 
great  kettles  full  of  corn  or  lioniin\-  for  the  Indians.  This  the}'  partook  of 
gratefully,  h'ish  and  game  abounded  and  the  Cory  boys  were  in  tl]eir  natural 
element  wiien  hunting  and  fishing.  Bea\er  dams  were  plentiful  and  the 
settlers  easily  added  to  their  store  of  goods  by  trying  their  skill  at  trapping  the 
fur-bearing  animals,  which  were  found  in  prolific  numbers  along  the  banks 
of  the  Raccoon  river.  Deer  and  elk  roamed  the  prairies  all  through  the 
timber.  The  Corys  had  a  team  of  trained  elk  which  were  great  pets.  The 
boys,  during  their  idle  moments,  trained  a  team  which  were  as  sensible  and 
easily  driven  as  a  team  of  horses.  It  is  recorded  that  the  father  sold  this 
team  of  elks  to  a  wandering  trader  for  one  hundred  dollars.  Not  having  the 
necessary  cash  with  him,  tb.e  trader  gave  Mr.  Cory  a  check  for  t!ie  aniciunt  on 
a  Des  Moines  bank.  Cory  set  out  at  once  on  horseback  for  the  Capital  city 
for  the  purpose  of  cashing  the  check  and  thus  securing  some  ready  money, 
which  was  a  scarce  article  in  those  days.  Imagine  his  disappointment  upon 
his  arrival  at  Des  Moines  when  he  learned  that  the  l>ank  had  failed  and  his 
check  was  worthless.  Young  Hugh  and  his  brother  George  became  great 
"shots,"  and  frequently  visited  with  the  Indians,  whom  they  amazed  by  their 
ability  to  shoot. 

The  i)rincipal  diet  ot  the  settlers  fur  tlie  first  few  years  of  their  uccu- 
pancy  of  Sac  count}^  is  said  to  ha\e  been  composed  of  game,  crab  apples,  and 
dried  blackberries,  which  grew  rapidly  after  fires  had  swept  the  timber  slash- 
ings. Wild  grapes  grew  prodigiously  and  other  wild  fruit  were  highly  ap- 
preciated, ."'.nother  dix'ersion  of  the  young  fellows  was  (he  hunting  iltiwn 
of  wolves  and  coons  after  nightfall.  The  children  wore  clothing  made  of 
homespvm  woven  on  the  place  by  the  housewife,  and  their  suspenders  were 
made  of  ticking.  Ihe  "fry'"  from  the  fat  coons  furnished  a  substitute  for 
commercial  lard  used  in  the  cooking  and  baking.  According  to  the  suns  of 
Francis  Cory,  "Sac  county  at  all  times  was  the  grandest  place  in  the  world 
for  good  feeding."  Francis  Cory  served  the  county  as  one  of  its  first  treas- 
urers. It  is  said  of  his  wife,  Isabelle  Hitchcock,  that  she  was  the  right  kind 
of  a  mate  for  the  pioneer,  and  was  a  typical  frontierswoman.  She  was  an 
excellent  rifle  shot,  and  could  ride  a  horse  or  handle  a  yoke  of  oxen  ecjually 
well  with  her  sons  or  husband  should  occasion  or  the  necessity  for  her  doing 
so  arise.     She  was  born  in  Ohio  in  the  year  1822  and  (bed  in  .Sac  City  in  1898. 

This  narrative,  however,  directly  cnncerns  Hugh,  the  third  son  of  ]'\  M. 
Cory.  At  the  age  of  twenty  years,  he  enlisted,  on  March  27,  1864,  i"  Com- 
pany K,  Seventh  Iowa  Vf)lunteer  Cavalry,  under  Captain  Coo)ier.  His  com- 
mand was  engaged  principally  in  the  w  est  along  the  frontier.     It  was  the  duty 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  49I 

of  the  liorder  troups  (kiriiiL;'  the  latter  xe.'ir'^  of  tlie  w.tr  to  be  in  i"ea(Hness  to 
check  threatened  Inchan  outbreaks,  and  Captain  Cooper'.s  company  served  for 
one  year  after  enlistment,  keping  vigilant  watch  over  the  red  men  in  antici- 
pation of  outbreaks.  The  command  was  concerned  in  several  small  battles 
and  many  skirmishes  with  r()\inti  bands  ni  hulians.  which  thev  ]3re\'ented  from 
joining  main  bodies  which  would  become  formidable  opponents.  The  oliject 
of  the  Federal  government  during  the  Civil  war  was  naturally  to  keep  the 
several  tribes  isolated  from  each  other  as  far  as  possible,  so  as  to  prevent 
them  from  joining  in  a  concerted  campaign  of  attack,  while  the  countr\-  was 
enduring  the  throes  of  the  Rebellion.  William  Cory  was  also  a  soldier  during 
the  Rebellion  and  served  with  bravery  and  distinction  as  became  the  son  of  a 
pioneer.  William  and  Harvey  Cory  serxed  in  Company  A,  Tenth  Iowa  In- 
fantry, and  were  in  many  great  battles. 

After  returning  from  the  war,  Hugh  Cory  pre-empted  one  hundred  and 
sixtv  acres  of  go\'ernment  land,  but  was  so  unfortunate  as  to  lose  ])ossession 
of  it  in  a  short  time.  In  the  fall  of  1867  he  purchased  the  old  familv  home- 
stead. He  and  his  wife  occupied  the  old  log  cabin,  where  tlie  f.-tmil}'  were 
reared  to  rjianhood  and  womanhood  for  a  time.  As  his  family  increased,  he 
erected  a  comfortable  farm  dwelling,  which  formed  their  home  until  the  re- 
moval of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cory  to  .Sac  City  in  later  years.  This  farm  was  held  by 
Hugh  until  recently,  when  he  disposed  of  it  for  one  hundred  and  f\ity  dollars 
an  acre.  During  his  lifetime,  or  rather  during  his  residence  in  Sac  county,  the 
original  homestead  had  increased  in  value  nearly  one  hundred  and  fift\'  times. 
The  purchase  [Mice  wlien  Mr.  Cory  first  occupied  the  farm  directh'  after  his 
marriage  was  twent\-rt\"e  dollars  an  acre.  This  is  a  tyjjical  illustration  of  the 
rapid  increase  in  the  value  of  Iowa  farm  lands  during  the  last  decade.  To  be 
acciu'ate,  the  Corys  built  their  large  frame  house  on  the  farm  in  1893  and  also 
built  a  commodious  and  modern  barn.  During  their  residence  on  the  land 
it  yielfied  a  comfortable  living  for  a  growing  family  of  six  children,  and  for 
the  last  twenty  years  of  their  occupancy  it  gave  them  a  substantial  profit  over 
and  above  living  expenses,  thus  enabling  them  to  start  out  their  children  in  the 
right  manner  and  lay  by  a  competence  for  old  age.  During  late  years  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Cory  have  taken  several  trips  across  the  country  on  long  visits  to  rela- 
tives and  children  on  the  Pacific  coast,  but  inevitably  return  to  Sac  county  as 
the  one  place  of  residence  which  they  prefer  above  all  other  spots  on  the  face 
of  the  earth. 

On  March  15,  1867.  Hugh  Cory  and  Alice  LaGourgue  were  united  in 
marriage.  Alice  is  the  daughter  of  William  LaGourgue  and  was  born  March 
25,  185 1,  in  the  state  of  Iowa.  William  was  a  native  of  the  island  of 
Jamaica,  and  the  son  of  h'rench  Canadian  pa'^ents.     He  became  a  sailor  when 


49-  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

very  young  and  follnwed  the  seat  until  liis  emigration  to  Ohio,  in  1849.  where 
he  was  married  in  1850,  emigrating  and  taking  up  his  residence  in  Sac  county 
in  1834.  In  September  of  that  year  he  pre-empted  government  land  in  the 
county,  and  soon  became  a  ]3roniinent  figure  in  the  organization  of  the  county 
government.     He  was  the  first  sherilf  of  Sac  county. 

Tt  is  stated  on  good  authority  that  his  daughter,  Alice,  has  resided  in  Sac 
count\-  for  a  longer  period  of  time  than  any  other  woman  now  living.  Her 
oldest  brother,  Horace,  who  died  at  the  age  of  eight  years,  was  actually  the 
first  white  male  child  born  within  the  borders  of  the  county.  'Idie  wife  of 
William  LaGourgue  was  Elizabeth  .\ustin,  a  native  of  Canada.  She  was  the 
mother  of  eight  children:  Airs.  Alice  Cory;  Mary  (Swett),  deceased  in 
1909;  Horace,  deceased:  Frank,  who  resides  at  Anahem,  California:  Isabel 
TEarnest),  of  South  Omaha:  Jane  (  AUsworth),  of  Beatrice,  Xeljraska:  Will- 
iam B.,  a  farmer  in  Nebraska:  and  Minnie  (  .Arnold),  who  lives  near  Denver, 
Colorado. 

William  LaGourgue  wa>  i)orn  in  1S22  and  died  in  October,  1903.  His 
wife  was  born  |ul\"  14,  1832,  .'uid  now  resides  at  Odell,  Nebraska,  to  which 
state  William  removed  in  187:;,  liecause  of  the  "crowded  conditions"'  of  Sac 
county. 

Air.  and  Mrs.  Hugh  Cory  lia\e  had  a  family  of  six  cliildren,  viz. :  Francis 
Al.,  born  in  June.  1868,  and  is  now  a  postofifice  clerk  at  Bellingham,  Washing- 
ton. He  is  the  father  of  three  children,  Berney,  Alice  and  Jean.  Francis 
was  a  soldier  in  the  Spanish-.American  war  and  a  member  of  the  Thirty- 
second  Iowa  Volunteer  Infantry  Regiment,  having  served  in  the  Philippine 
islands  and  Cuba  during  the  periods  of  American  occupancy.  Nora  (Geary), 
wife  of  William  Geary,  was  the  second  child.  She  was  born  June  17,  1871, 
and  married  in  1890.  She  departed  this  life  August  16,  1906.  leaving  three 
children,  Merville,  Iva  and  Hugh,  who  reside  with  their  father  at  Bellingham. 
W^ashington.  The  third  in  order  of  birth  is  Dora,  wife  of  Kelley  Garoutt,  of 
Heron  Lake,  Minnesota.  She  was  born  Alay  4,  1875,  and  is  the  mother  of 
two  children,  Harold  and  Eula.  Leon  is  the  fourth,  born  1885,  and  resides 
at  Los  Angeles,  California.  He  is  the  father  of  one  child,  Leon.  Jr.  Next 
comes  Ella,  wife  of  Bert  Nixon,  Sac  City.  She  was  born  in  1882  and  has  one 
child,  Yetta.  William  Victor  is  the  next  living  child,  born  1890.  He  resides 
at  Bellingham,  Washington. 

In  jiolitics,  Mr.  Cory  is  a  Republican.  He  has  served  as  school  director 
and  road  supervisor.  He  and  Airs.  Cory  are  stanch  members  of  the  First 
Alethodist  Episcopal  church.  Air.  Cory  is  a  member  of  the  Alasonic  lodge. 
and  is  also  a  comrade  of  William  Sherman  Post,  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 


SAC   COUNTYj   IOWA.  4yj 

AKTiiUR  SUMNliK  llAYDEN,  Ai.  D. 

It  is  probable  that  the  average  professional  medical  practitioner  sees 
ntore  of  the  darker  side  of  human  life  than  any  other,  owing  to  the  nature 
of  his  calling,  which  is  to  relieve  suffering  and  to  eradicate  disease  from 
mankind.  He  is  often  self-sacrificing  and  of  necessity  must  be  \er\-  reti- 
cent concerning  the  knowledge  which  comes  into  his  possession ;  frequently 
he  becomes  the  family  adviser  and  counselor ;  it  is  he  who  soothes  the  last 
hours  of  the  dying  and  gently  leads  the  sick  and  ailing  along  the  high  road 
to  recovery  through  the  ministration  of  the  remedies  provided  b\-  nature 
and  often  through  the  exercise  of  his  own  optimism  and  gifts  of  power. 

A  true  representative  of  this  noblest  of  all  professions  is  found  in  the 
person  of  Dr.  Arthur  S.  Hayden,  of  the  town  of  Wall  Lake.  He  is  a  pioneer 
resident  of  Sac  county,  and  his  parents  before  him  were  pioneers.  Doctor 
Hayden  was  born  March  12,  1862,  near  Blackljerr)-  Station,  now  Elburn. 
county  of  Kane.  Illinois.  He  is  the  son  of  Rev.  Rufus  Hayden,  who  was 
born  December  10.  1819,  and  died  December  2"].  1908.  His  mother  was 
Lucia  Muncil,  born  in  1821  and  died  in  1900.  They  were  both  natives  of 
Old  Vermont  and  descendants  of  old  New  England  forbears.  The}-  were 
reared  and  married  in  their  native  state  and  migrated  to  New  Hampshire 
and  thence  to  ,\ul)urn.  New  York.-  Rev.  Rufus  Hayden  was  a  Baptist  min- 
ister and  by  the  necessity  of  his  calling  he  was  required  to  have  many  homes 
and  moved  about  considerably.  From  Auburn.  New  York,  he  went  to  Hills- 
dale. Michigan,  and  from  there  to  Elburn.  Illinois,  in  the  late  fifties. 

In  the  year  1864  he  removed  to  liuchanan  countv.  Iowa,  and  resided 
their  until  1873.  when  he  came  to  Sac  county.  Eor  two  years  he  preached 
the  gospel  in  Sac  City  and  then  bought  a  farm  two  and  one  half  miles  south 
of  the  cit\-.  He  organized  Baptist  churches  throughout  the  county  while 
engaged  in  farming.  He  was  the  pioneer  minister  of  the  Baptist  faith  in 
Sac  county  and  will  long  be  remembered  ])\-  the  older  residents  wlm  had  tliL- 
opportunity  of  listening  to  his  discourses  fr(}m  the  pulpit.  His  \\a>  a  iimI)!^ 
task.  Rev.  Hayden  was  the  father  of  eight  children:  Erancilia,  l)orn  in 
New  Hampshire  and  died  in  Michigan ;  George.  l)orn  in  X'ew  Hampshire 
and  died  in  Toledo  in  1909;  Harlan,  born  in  Michigan  and  died  at  the  age 
of  two  years ;  Lucian,  born  in  Michigan  and  now  residing  at  Little  Rock, 
Arkansas;  Caroline,  wife  of  C.  O.  Strong,  of  near  Sac  City:  Mrs.  May 
Bayne.  born  in  Illinois  and  living  at  Morningside,  Iowa:  Arthur  S. :  Flora. 
wife  of  Charles  Swarm,  born  in  Buchanan  county.  Iowa,  and  living  in 
Windom,   Minnesota. 


494  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Dr.  Ha\(k'ii  was  eleven  years  of  age  when  his  parents  removed  to  Sac 
county.  He  receixed  his  echicatidU  in  the  Sac  City  high  school  and  the 
Western  Normal  College  of  Shenandoah,  Iowa.  He  entered  the  State  Uni- 
versity at  Iowa  City  and  graduated  from  the  de])artment  of  homeopathy  in 
1896.  From  the  time  he  was  seventeen  years  of  age  until  he  attained  the 
age  of  thirty  he  taught  school  in  Sac  county.  He  served  as  principal  of  the 
Lake  View  schools  and  the  schools  of  Wall  Lake.  He  began  his  practice 
in  Wall  Lake  and  has  resided  here  over  thirty  years  in  all.  He  has  an  ex- 
cellent practice  and  enjoys  the  esteem  of  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  ac- 
quaintances. 

Dr.  Hayden  was  married  October  16,  1886,  to  Ethel  Baker,  daughter 
of  W.  L.  Baker,  of  Wall  Lake,  born  near  Belvidere,  Boone  countv,  Illinois, 
August  20,  1868.  In  1878  her  parents  and  their  three  children  moved  to 
Sac  county,  where  her  mother  and  eldest  brother  died  that  same  year.  Her 
father  died  June  20,  igo8.  One  brother,  John  E.  Baker,  lives  at  Lake  \'iew. 
Two  children  were  born  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Hayden:  Beulah,  wife  of  G.  A. 
May,  M.  1).,  of  Audubon,  and  Harold  Baker,  a  resident  of  Saskatchewan, 
Canada. 

Arthur  S.  Hayden  is  a  member  of  the  State  Hahnemann  Society  and 
the  Iowa  .State  Medical  Societ}-.  Politically,  he  is  allied  with  the  Republican 
party,  but  is  progressive  in  his  tendencies.  He  has  served  as  school  director 
of  Wall  Lake  and  is  now  a  member  of  the  city  council.  He  is  affiliated 
with  the  Odd  Fellows  and  the  Modern  Woodmen. 


WILLI. VAl  0\'I':RTOi\   HOWARD. 

It  is  a  well  recognized  fact  that  the  most  powerful  influence  in  shap- 
ing and  controlling  i)u1)lic  life  is  the  press.  It  reaches  a  greater  number  of 
people  than  any  other  agency  and  thus  has  always  laeen  and.  in  the  hands 
of  persons  competent  to  direct  it.  always  will  be  a  most  important  factor  in 
moulding  public  opinion  and  shaping  the  destin\-  of  the  nation.  The  gentle- 
man to  a  brief  review  of  whose  life  these  lines  are  devoted  is  prominentlx' 
cf)nnected  with  the  journalism  of  northwestern  Iowa  and  at  this  tiiue  is 
editor  and  publisher  of  tiie  //'(///  Lake  Blade,  one  of  the  most  popular  jiapers 
of  Sac  county,  Iowa,  comparing  favorably  with  the  best  local  sheets  in  this 
section  of  the  state  in  news,  editorial  ability  and  mechanical  execution. 

William  Overton  Howard,  the  son  of  George  Overton  and  Susan  b'ran- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


495 


CCS  (  Seay  )  Htnvard,  was  born  March  lo.  1874,  at  Drakesville,  Davis  county, 
Iowa.  George  Howard  was  born  in  Ohio  and  was  a  shoemaker  by  trade. 
He  <ned  when  \\  iUiam  was  four  }ears  oi  age.  The  mother  was  a  native  of 
Iowa,  her  parents  coming  originally  from  Tennessee.  .After  the  death  of 
the  father,  Mrs.  Susan  Frances  Howard  moved  to  Clarinda,  Iowa,  to  re- 
side with  her  father.  Rev.  Isaac  M.  Seay,  a  pioneer  Baptist  minister  of  Iowa. 
\Mlliani,  who  is  the  only  living  chilil  of  his  parents,  was  reared  and  edu- 
cated in  Clarinda,  and  when  twelve  years  of  age  entered  the  office  of  the 
/'c/(/c'  Ci)iiiity  Democrat.  He  was  fjuick  to  pick  up  the  printer's  trade,  and 
b}-  the  time  he  was  sixteen  years  of  age  had  a  sufficient  knnwledge  of  the 
business  to  establish  the  Bradyvillc  Xczvs,  and  became  the  youngest  pub- 
lisher in  the  state  of  Iowa.  Se\eral  months  later  young  Howard  entered  the 
trade  as  a  inurne\'nian  and  spent  ten  years  in  Minnesota,  where,  for  a  time, 
he  was  in  the  employ  of  Brown  &  Bigelow,  art  calendar  publishers  at  St. 
Paul.  In  i<)0<S  he  located  at  Forest  City,  Iowa,  where  he  purchased  the  con- 
trolling interest  in  the  Forest  City  SitHiiiiit.  Three  years  later  he  sold  his 
interest  in  this  paper  and  purchased  the  il'all  Lake  Blade,  a  paper  which 
he  is  still  publishing.  He  is  a  Progressive  Republican  and  naturally  ex- 
presses his  political  views  in  his  paper.  In  a  newspaper  of  this  kind  par- 
ticular attentiiin  is  always  paid  to  local  news,  and  his  paper  is  recognized  as 
one  of  the  best  and  cleanest  newspapers  in  that  section  (if  the  state.  He 
gathers  all  the  news  of  importance,  puts  it  into  excellent  reading  form  and 
has  the  necessar\-  typographical  skill  to  give  it  to  his  readers  in  good  shape. 

Mr.  Howard  was  married  New  Year's  day,  1897,  to  Sadie  Peterson, 
will  I  was  a  nati\e  of  Norway.  They  were  married  while  Mr.  Howard  was 
working  in  Minnesota,  and  to  this  marriage  have  been  born  three  sons  and 
one  daughter:  Harold  Madison,  born  May  6,  1898;  Morton  Overton,  born 
July  3,  i8qc);  Francis  Elmo,  born  June  22,  1901,  and  Ruth  Mildred,  born 
September  17,  1904. 

Fratcrnalh .  ^Ir.  Howard  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and  .Ac- 
cepted Masons  and  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  has  always 
taken  an  acti\e  interest  in  the  affairs  of  these  fraternal  organizations.  He  is 
a  man  of  vigorous  mentalit\'  and  torceful  expression  in  his  paper  and  is 
ne\er  afraiil  tn  e-X|)ress  his  views  upon  any  question  which  affects  the  wel- 
fare of  his  community,  and  always  tries  to  make  a  stand  on  the  right  side 
of  every  f|uestion.  and  when  he  once  makes  up  his  mind  to  follow  a  particu- 
lar |:olicy.  he  sets  it  before  his  readers  in  clean  and  convincing  style.  He  is 
a  man  of  genial  jiersonality,  and  althcingh  he  has  been  in  the  community  but 
a  shtirt  time,  \et  he  has  won  a  host  of  friends  who  admire  him  for  his 
many  good  qualities  of  head  and  heart. 


496  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

HARRY   I.   STRAHN. 

An  enumeration  of  those  men  of  the  present  generaticjn  who  ha\e  won 
honor  and  pulilic  recognition  for  thenisehes.  and  at  tlie  same  time  ha\e  hon- 
ored the  locahty  to  wliich  thev  belong,  would  be  incomplete  were  there  failure 
to  make  specific  mention  of  him  whose  name  forms  the  caption  of  this  sketch. 
The  qualities  which  have  made  him  one  of  the  prominent  and  successful  men 
of  Sac  county  have  also  brought  him  the  esteem  of  his  fellow  men,  for  his 
career  has  been  one  of  well-directed  energw  strong  determination  and  honor- 
able methods.  As  a  business  man  he  has  evinced  ability  of  a  high  order  and 
so  managed  his  affairs  as  to  win  large  material  success,  while  as  mayor  of 
Schaller  he  has  so  administered  the  affairs  of  the  city  as  to  earn  the  hearty 
commendation  of  his  fellow  citizens  regardless  of  political  affiliations. 

Harry  I.  Strahn,  mayor  of  Schaller.  Iowa,  and  prominent  real  estate 
dealer,  is  a  native  of  Sac  county,  ha\ing  been  born  on  a  farm  in  Wheeler 
township  July  6,  1875.  He  is  a  son  of  Xels  Strahn,  a  native  of  Sweden, 
born  1843,  who  came  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  in  1873.  Coming  direct  to  Iowa 
from  Sweden,  he  first  located  at  Denison,  but  later  secured  a  farm  on  the  Sac 
and  Crawford  county  lines.  He  came  here  without  a  dollar  and  at  the  time  of 
his  death,  in  1883,  he  owned  two  hundred  acres  of  good  land.  A  part  of  this 
was  purchased  at  twenty-five  dollars  per  acre,  in  1882,  and  was  recently  sold 
by  his  son  for  two  hundred  and  twenty-fixe  dollars  per  acre.  His  widow.  Mrs. 
Nellie  Strahn.  now  resides  at  Kiron,  Iowa.  They  were  the  parents  of  six 
children,  as  follows:  W.  1\1.  Strahn,  of  \'ernfillion.  South  Dakota;  H.  I., 
the  immediate  subject  of  this  sketch;  ( ).  U.  .Strahn,  of  Iroquois,  ."^outli  Da- 
kota; O.  E.  Strahn,  of  Arthur,  Iowa;  Mrs.  Lillian  Amos,  of  St.  Joseph.  Mis- 
souri; Natiian  Strah'.i.  of  Clasgow,  Montana. 

Harry  I.  Slrahn  was  reared  as  a  fartner  boy  and  receix-ed  his  education 
in  the  district  schools,  which  he  attended  until  he  was  twehe  years. old.  \\  hen 
sixteen  years  old  he  left  the  farm  and  took  emplo}nient  in  a  store  at  Arthur, 
Iowa,  where  he  worked  for  five  years  for  Lester  i^  Cole.  He  then  engaged  in 
the  mercantile  business  for  himself  at  .\rthur,  and  was  there  for  one  }  ear, 
and  also  was  in  liusiness  at  Moville  for  a  like  period.  He  spent  one  _\ear  at 
Sioux  City,  Iowa,  and  then,  in  i8g8.  remoxed  to  Ida  Grove,  where  he  lived, 
while  employed  as  a  traveling  salesman,  until  1003.  He  then  came  to  Schaller,, 
Iowa,  and  engaged  in  the  grocery  business  for  three  \ears.  In  1906  he  en- 
gaged in  the  real  estate  and  insurance  liusiness,  in  which  he  has  been  notably 
successful.     He  has  had  the  handling  of  m;my  important  and  valuable  prop- 


HARRY    I.   STRAHN 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  497 

erties,  and  his  judgnienl  i)f  land  values  is  second  to  none  in  Sac  county.  He 
represents  a  number  of  the  old-line  insurance  companies  and  does  a  lucrative 
business  also  in  this  field.  In  1910  he  was  elected  mayor  of  Schaller  and 
re-elected  in  1912  and  1914,  which  is  a  criterion  of  his  popularity. 

Mr.  Strahn  was  married  in  1895  to  Augusta  J.  Danielson,  of  Denison, 
Iowa,  and  they  have  iwd  children,  Horace,  aged  seventeen,  and  Audrey,  aged 
sixteen.  Audrey  gratluated  from  the  Schaller  high  school  in  1914,  with  the 
highest  honor  of  a  class  of  sixteen. 

Mr.  Strahn  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  most  jjrogressive  and  enterprising 
citizens  of  the  community,  a  man  who  readily  gives  his  aid  to  every  move- 
ment for  the  moral  and  material  betterment  of  the  town.  His  success  has  been 
commensurate  with  his  enterprise  and  ability,  and  he  is  the  owner  of  a  fine 
home  in  Schaller,  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  in  Xorth  Dakota,  a 
half  interest  in  six  hundred  and  ninety  acres  in  Minnesota,  and  seven  hundred 
acres  in  Florida  and  equities  in  some  other  properties  in  this  \-icinity.  all  of 
which  is  choice  property. 

Mr.  Strahn  has  been,  in  the  most  significant  sense,  the  architect  of  his 
own  fortunes,  and  the  noteworth\-  success  which  he  has  achie\ed  has  been 
entirelv  through  his  own  eiTorts.  He  well  exemplifies  that  spirit  of  enterprise 
and  progressi^-eness  that  has  conserved  the  splendid  advancement  of  western 
Iowa.  He  has  e\er  stood  exponent  of  lilieral  and  pul)lic-s])irited  citizenship, 
and  commands,  both  personallv  and  ])rofessionally,  a  high  measure  of  jxipular 
confidence  and  esteem. 

Politically.  Mr.  Strahn  gives  his  allegiance  to  the  Republican  party.  He 
is  a  memlier  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  holds  membership  with  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  Woodmen  of  the  \\'orld. 


HENRY    HOFT. 


Germany  has  contributed  more  good  citizens  to  Sac  county  than  has 
any  other  foreign  country.  They  are  among  the  most  substantia!  and  en- 
terprising people  of  the  county.  Henry  Hoft  is  one  of  the  large  number  of 
Germans  who  came  to  this  countr}-  Isefore  the  War  of  the  Rebellion  and 
upon  the  outbreak  of  that  terrible  struggle  threw  his  heart  and  soul  into  the 
Union  cause  and  fought  for  his  adopted  country  with  all  the  fervor  of  our 
native  sons.  He  offered  his  services  and  his  life,  if  need  lie.  during  those 
(31) 


498  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

dark  days  aiul  after  that  fearful  war  was  over  he  returned  to  habits  of 
peace,  became  one  of  Sac  county's  most  honored  citizens  and  has  hved  more 
than  a  half  century  in  this  state  and  more  than  thirty  years  in  Sac  county. 
Henry  Hoft,  a  retired  farmer  of  Wall  Lake,  Iowa,  was  born  in  Hol- 
stein,  Germany,  March  9,  1840.  His  parents,  John  and  Katerina  Hoft, 
were  burn,  reared  and  marrit-il  in  their  nali\e  land,  coming  to  this  country 
when  their  son,  Henry,  was  twenty-one  years  of  age.  Before  Henry  Hoft 
came  to  this  country  with  his  parents  in  1861,  four  sisters  and  one  brother, 
Margaretta,  Louise,  Lena  and  August,  had  already  settled  in  this  state  in 
Clinton  Cduntv.  Accordingly  when  John  Hoft  and  wife,  together  with  their 
son,  Henry,  came  here  in   1861,  they  settled  in  Clinton  county. 

Although  Henr}-  Hoft  had  been  here  only  one  year  after  the  War  of  the 
Rebellion  had  begun,  he  enlisted  for  service  in  the  Union  army  in  August, 
1862,  in  C(inii)an\-  li.  Twentx-sixth  Regiment  Iowa  \  olunteer  Infantry,  and 
served  until  the  close  (if  the  war.  ])articipating  in  the  Grand  Review  at 
Washington  in  the  summer  of  1865.  The  regiment  in  which  he  went  to  the 
front  was  attached  to  the  commanil  of  General  Sherman  and  Mr.  Hoft 
participated  in  all  the  battles  from  Chattanooga  to  the  end  of  the  war  under 
Sherman's  command.  He  passed  through  such  terrible  battles  as  Chatta- 
nooga, Lookout  Mountain,  Missionary  Ridge,  Dallas,  Resaca,  Atlanta,  the 
seige  of  Savannah  and  many  minor  skirmishes  which  marked  Sherman's 
march  north  through  the  Carolinas  to  Johnson's  final  surrender  in  April. 
1865.  near  Grovesboro,  North  Carolina.  After  the  war  was  over  Mr.  Hoft 
returned  to  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  and  took  up  his  trade  as  a  carpenter. 

In  i88n,  three  vears  after  his  marriage,  Mr.  Hoft  decided  to  move  to 
Sac  county,  in  order  to  take  advantage  of  the  cheap  laud  in  this  county. 
•Accordingly  he  purchased  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Viola  township, 
this  county,  and  started  out  to  carve  his  fortune  in  this  county.  German 
citizens  have  always  proved  to  be  excellent  farmers  and  Mr.  Hoft  is  no 
exception  to  this  rule.  The  thrift  and  economy  which  characterizes  these 
German  citizens  are  marked  characteristics  of  Mr.  Hoft.  and  as  the  years 
went  by  he  added  from  time  to  time  to  his  land  holdings  imtil  he  owned  five 
hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  land  in  this  towushiji.  In  the  spring  of  1910  he 
felt  that  the  increasing  years  had  made  it  necessary  for  him  to  retire  from 
active  farming,  so  he  sold  all  but  two  hundred  acres  of  his  land  and  retired 
to  Wall  Lake  to  sjiend  the  remainder  of  his  days  in  ease  and  comfort. 

Mr.  Hoft  was  married  on  November  8.  1866,  to  Betty  Geise,  the 
daughter  of  Peter  and  Katherine  Geise,  who  were  natives  of  Germany. 
Mrs.   Hoft  was  born   December  6,    1847,   '"   Germany  and  came   with   her 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  499 

parents  to  America  in  1854.  They  settled  at  Comanche,  Chnton  county, 
this  state,  and  were  among  the  first  settlers  of  that  county.  She  was  in 
Clinton  count\^  w  hen  the  first  house  was  built  in  Clinton.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hoft  liave  been  born  si.\  children,  Alvena,  Louisa  and  Amel,  who  are  all 
deceased;  Louis,  who  resides  on  the  home  farm;  Mrs.  Clara  W'illhoite,  of 
this  ttiwnship,  and  Mrs.  Ella  Rowedder,  of  Newell,  Iowa. 

In  politics.  Mr.  Hoft  has  always  adhered  to  the  policies  of  the  Re- 
publican ])arty,  while  in  his  fraternal  relations  he  is  identified  with  the 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  l-'ellows  and  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic 
post  of  ^^'all  Lake.  More  than  half  a  century  has  elapsed  since  he  came 
to  this  cciuntr\-  from  German}-  and  his  devotion  to  his  adopted  country  has 
never  been  (piestioned  in  any  way.  Sac  county  is  proud  to  honor  such  citi- 
zens as  he.  and  this  biographical  volume  is  pleased  to  set  forth  in  this 
manner  the  history  of  one  who  has  contributed  in  no  small  way  to  the 
material,  moral  anil  educational  welfare  of  the  comniunitv. 


HIRAM  ADAMS. 

.\mong  the  aged  citizens  of  Sac  county,  Iowa,  Hiram  .\dams,  who  is 
now  living  a  retired  life  at  Wall  Lake,  in  this  county,  is  deserving  of  partic- 
ular mention  in  this  volume.  He  has,  in  addition  to  his  record  as  a  successful 
farmer  in  this  county,  a  war  record  which  entitles  him  to  honorable  mention. 
Mr.  .Adams  is  a  fine  example  of  the  man  who  follows  one  occupation  to 
middle  life  successfully,  and  then  changes  and  makes  a  success  of  a  totally 
ilift'erent  occupation.  Born  in  New  York  state,  October  5.  1836,  he  lived 
in  that  state  for  the  first  twenty  years  of  his  life.  His  father,  Samuel  B. 
Adams,  was  bom  May  19,  1791,  in  New  York  state,  and  died  February  27, 
1864.  His  mother,  Elizabeth  (Haynes)  Adams,  was  also  a  native  of  New 
York,  born  there  on  .\ugust  12,  1801,  and  died  September  19,  1841.  Neither 
of  his  parents  ever  left  the  state  of  New  York. 

In  1856  Hiram  Adams  left  his  nati\e  state  and  located  in  DuPage 
county.  Illinois,  where  he  followed  the  trade  which  he  had  learned  as  a 
youth,  namely  that  of  shoemaking.  He  continued  to  work  in  his  chosen 
calling  until  he  enlisted  for  service  in  the  Union  army  in  Company  C,  One 
Hundred  and  Fifty-third  Regiment  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  after 
an  honorable  service  in  the  war,  he  returned  to  Illinois  and  followed  his 
trade  as  a  shoemaker  until    1880.      He  then   left    Illinois  and   came   to   Sac 


500  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

county,  Iowa,  where  he  purchased  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  lanil 
in  Levey  township,  at  four  and  one-half  dollars  an  acre,  and  this  land  he 
has  grailuall}-  improved  and  developed  until  it  is  now  one  of  the  best  in  the 
township,  and  he  has  also  gradually  increased  his  land  holdings  until  he  is 
now  the  owner  of  five  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  this  county,  as  well  as  a 
tract  of  eight  hundred  acres  in  Alberta,  Canada.  In  1888  he  moved  to 
Wall  Lake,  where  he  purchased  a  residence,  which  he  has  since  remodeled 
into  his  present  attractive  modern  home.  Mr.  Adams  was  in  the  mercantile 
business  in  Wall  Lake  for  eighteen  years,  retiring  from  that  business  in 
1906. 

]\lr.  Adams  has  been  twice  married,  his  first  marriage  being  to  Frances 
Bigelow,  on  July  10,  i860,  and  her  death  occurred  February  i,  1873,  leaving 
three  children:  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Crighton,  who  lives  in  Odebolt;  A.  J.,  of 
Sioux  City,  this  state,  and  who  is  in  the  employ  of  a  railroad  companv,  and 
Francis  Hiram,  of  California.  Mr.  Adams  was  married  the  second  time 
on  May  14,  1874,  to  Sarah  Jane  \\'hite,  a  native  of  Geneva.  Kane  c<iunt\-. 
Illinois,  and  the  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  .Vmsa  White.  Two  children 
were  born  to  the  second  marriage,  but  both  are  now  deceased. 

Mr.  Adams  is  a  Progressive  in  politics,  and  has  always  taken  more  or 
less  of  an  interest  in  political  affairs.  He  served  for  several  years  as  a 
justice  of  the  peace  in  Illinois,  and  since  living  in  Wall  Lake  has  been  the 
mayor  of  that  city.  He  is  a  loyal  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Re- 
public and  takes  an  active  interest  in  the  affairs  of  the  local  post.  He  has 
been  a  man  of  tireless  energy  and  indomitable  courage,  and  has  .won  the  con- 
fidence and  held  the  unqualified  esteem  of  his  fellow  citizens.  He  has  met 
and  encountered  many  obstacles  along  life's  pathway,  but  now  he  can  look 
l)ack  over  his  career  and  feel  that  no  action  of  his  has  brought  sorrow  to 
an\-  of  his   fellow    citizens  or  troul)le  to  anvone. 


CHARLES    W.    DAVIS. 


The  records  of  the  greater  number  of  the  successful  men  in  most  com- 
munities— and  especiallx-  true  is  this  of  the  western  section  of  this  great 
land  of  opportunity — show  that  they  began  their  careers  with  practically  no 
assets  but  their  intelligence  and  brawn.  It  is  likewise  true  that  the  self- 
made  class  of  Americans  make  the  best  citizens  and  are'  essential!)  human 
and  tolerant  in  their  dealings  with  fellow    human  beings.     .\   few  there  may 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  50I 

be  who  apparently  deem  themselves  as  above  their  station  and  ignure  the 
tact  that  once  they  were  poor  and  ambitious,  but  happily  this  class  can  be 
numbered  with  few  numerals.  Charles  \V.  Davis,  proprietor  of  the  Wall 
Lake  Creamer}-,  is  a  self-made  man  of  affairs  who  began  at  the  bottom  of 
the  ladder  without  a  dollar  and  is  now  one  of  the  substantial  citizens  of  the 
city  and  county  wherein  he  resides. 

The  Wall  Lake  Creamery  was  established  hi  1886  and  Air.  Davis  has 
owned  the  plant  since  Februar}-  i,  1909.  It  is  one  of  the  largest  if  not 
the  largest  and  most  successful  creamery  establishment  in  Sac  county.  The 
average  weeklj-  output  of  creamery  butter  manufactured  on  the  premises  is 
fifty-two  tubs,  of  sixty-three  pounds  each.  The  total  output  from  July  i, 
1912,  to  Jul}'  13,  1913,  exceeded  three  thousand  two  hundred  tubs.  Three 
men  are  employed  and  the  capital  invested  exceeds  five  thousand  dollars. 
The  factor}-  is  fitted  with  all  modern  equipment  and  there  is  always  a  ready 
demand  for  the  product.  In  addition  Mr.  Davis  manufactures  an  excellent 
Ijrantl  of  ice  cream,  freezing  in  excess  of  six  thousand  gallons  in  a  single 
season.  He  also  operates  a  retail  ice  business  in  connection  with  the  cream- 
ery and  places  in  storage  about  forty  cars  yearly.  The  creamery  itself  re- 
quires a  total  of  ten  cars  during  the  heated  season.  Twelve  thousand  tons 
of  ice  were  stored  in  the  Davis  houses  during  last  winter  and  supplies  the 
town  of  Wall  Lake  and  vicinity.  Over  twelve  hundred  dollars  is  inx-ested 
in  the  ice  plant  alone. 

C.  \\  .  Da\is  was  born  June  21.  i86(3,  in  Brazil,  Indiana,  the  son  of 
Benjamin  and  Elizalieth  Davis,  natives  of  Ohi<i.  When  Charles  W.  was 
an  infant  six  months  old  the  family  removed  to  ]\Iiddletown,  Ohio,  where 
they  located  on  a  nearby  farm.  Both  of  his  parents  are  deceased,  the  mother 
dying  at  Middletown  in  1888.  Charles  was  educated  in  the  Middletown 
schools  and  (in  the  death  of  his  mother  left  the  city  and  went  to  Owensboro, 
Kentuck}-.  where  he  was  employed  in  a  wagon  factory  for  one  year.  In 
the  fall  iif  the  same  year  he  went  to  Chicago,  and  after  a  six  weeks'  stay 
in  the  cit}-  he  located  on  a  farm  in  Illinois,  remaining  there  for  two  years. 
In  March  of  i8f)0  he  went  to  Wauconda,  Illinois,  and  worked  at  farm  labor 
for  the  ensuing  four  years.  In  Februar}-  of  1894  he  obtained  employnient 
in  the  \\  auconda  Creamerv  and  w-as  tluis  emploved  for  nine  }-ears.  becoming 
thoroughl}-  ])riificient  in  butter  making  and  skilled  in  the  operation  of  the 
establishment.  In  the  year  1003  he  came  west  and  located  in  the  town  of 
Ashton,  Osceola  county,  and  operated  a  creamery  for  six  years  in  partner- 
ship with  another  gentleman,  B.  Kramer.  He  disposed  of  his  holdings  at 
Ashton  in  looq  and  invested  his  capital  in  the  \\'all  Lake  Creamery. 


502  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Mr.  Davis  was  married  May  29,  1895,  at  Woodstock.  Illinois,  to  Lizzie 
Bacon.  To  them  have  been  born  two  children,  as  follows :  Edna,  a  graduate 
of  the  class  of  1914,  Wall  Lake  high  school,  and  Percy,  who  is  attending 
school. 

Politically  speaking,  Mr.  Davis  is  a  Democrat.  He  is  affiliated  with 
the  C.^ongregational  church,  and,  fraternally,  is  connected  with  the  Masonic, 
Odd  Fellows,  the  Modern  Woodmen  and  the  Mystic  Workers  lodges.  He  is 
a  Scottish  Rite  Mason  of  the  thirty-second  degree  and  is  a  member  of  the 
consistory  at  Sioux  City.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Iowa  Buttermakers'  Asso- 
ciation, the  Iowa  Dairymen's  Association  and  the  National  Creamery  and 
Buttermakers'  Association.  He  is  proudest  of  all  of  the  fact  that  he  is 
president  of  the  West  Central  Iowa  Improvement  Association.  Above  all 
things,  he  is  what  is  known  as  a  good  fellow,  an  enterprising  citizen,  and  a 
li\e,  progressive  member  of  the  community  in  which  he  resides.  He  is  well 
and  favorably  known  throughout  the  country  and  his  friends  are  numbered 
l)y  liundreds.  This  brief  review^  can  not  do  justice  to  this  esteemed  gentle- 
man's many  niaiil}'  attrilnitcs,  liut  it  is  an  attempt  ti)  recurd  si>methiug  (if  the 
life  of  a  ni;in  who  is  eiuinentl\'  entitled  to  representation  in  this  Sac  CDuntv 
history. 


HENRY    HASCH. 


All  credit  should  be  gi\en  a  man  like  Henry  Haseli,  one  of  the  pro- 
gressive farmers  and  substantial  citizens  of  W'all  Lake.  Iowa,  a  man  who, 
although  interested  primarily  in  his  own  affairs,  manifests  an  abiding  regard 
for  the  advancement  and  welfare  of  the  community  and  for  anv  measure  or 
enterprise  by  which  his  fellow  men  may  be  benefited.  All  this  is  only  the 
more  commendable  because  he  is  not  a  native  of  "the  land  of  the  free  and 
the  home  of  the  brave,"  but  was  reared  to  honor  another  flag  and  sup- 
ported other  forms  of  administrations;  but  since  coming  among  us  he  has 
quickly  assimilated  our  ci\'ilization  and  adopted  our  customs. 

Henry  Hasch,  a  prosperous,  retired  farmer  living  in  Wall  Lake,  Io«a, 
was  born  May  5,  1840,  in  Holstein,  fiertuany.  His  parents,  Hans  and 
Christina  Hasch,  were  born,  lived  and  died  in  f/iernianv.  Hans  Hasch  was 
a  shoemaker  by  tr.-ide,  while  his  son,  Henry,  was  apprenticed  to  a  brick 
layer  in  his  youth  and  learned  that  trade  l)efore  coming  to  America. 

Henry  Hasch  received  a  good,  elementary  education  in  his  native  land 
and  was  an  expert  brick  layer  and  jilasterer  when  he  came  to  this  countrv  in 


SAC    COTNTY,     IOWA 


503 


1869.  He  lirst  stopped  in  Chicago,  where  he  worked  for  three  nioiiths.  and 
then  made  his  way  to  Davenport,  Iowa,  where  he  worked  until  Septemljer, 

1870,  after  which  he  removed  to  Cedar  Rapids,  this  state,  but  shortly  after- 
wards went  to  Benton  county,  this  state,  where  he  found  plenty  of  work  to 
do  in  his  trade  among  the  farmers  of  that  county.  Here  he  worked  until 
1873,  when  he  married  and  started  on  his  own  successful  career  as  a  farmer. 

The  hrst  experience  of  Mr.  Hasch  on  a  farm  was  in  Uenton  county, 
Iowa,  and  here  he  worked  for  six  years,  learning  the  rudiments  of  the  pro- 
fession and  perfecting  himself  in  all  of  those  details  which  are  the  necessary 
concomitants  of  the  successful  farmer.  He  saved  his  mone\-  and  in  1879 
he  started  to  come  to  Sac  county  and  invest  in  land.  After  making  a  care- 
ful survey  of  the  land  offered  for  sale  in  this  county,  he  tinally  decided  to 
purchase  ninety-six  acres  in  Wall  Lake  township,  at  six  dollars  and  sixty- 
five  cents  an  acre.  This  proved  to  be  a  fortunate  investment  and  a  few  years 
later  he  felt  justified  in  purchasing  one  hundred  and  thirteen  acres  of  land 
adjoining  his  farm  at  six  dollars  an  acre.  He  now  had  over  two  hundred 
acres  of  land  and  a])plied  himself  with  true  German  thrift  and  determination 
to  make  his  farm  a  paying  proposition,  lie  improved  the  farm  b_\-  ditching, 
draining  and  the  construction  of  buildings,  so  that  he  had  a  comfortable 
home  in  which  to  live.  In  1901  he  added  another  farm  of  two  hundred 
acres  to  his  land  holdings,  for  which  he  had  to  pay  forty-five  dollars  an 
acre.  This  two-hundred-acre  farm  was  crossed  by  the  railroad,  which  takes 
out  twelve  acres,  so  that  his  total  land  holdings  are  now  three  hundred  and 
ninety-seven  acres.  In  addition  to  his  own  farm,  he  purchased  farms  for 
his  sons  upon  their  marriage  and  has  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  they 
are  becoming  successful   farmers  and  useful  citizens  of  the  county. 

Mr.  Hasch  was  married  on  Deceml)er  13,  1873,  to  Lena  Kmke,  who 
was  born  in  German}-  in  1854  and  came  to  America  in  1871.  To  this  union 
there  have  been  born  eight  children:  Minnie,  the  wife  of  Louis  Staul),  a 
farmer  in  this  township;  William,  who  lives  (5n  the  home  farm;  Mrs.  Dora 
Melbrech,  deceased;  Mary,  wife  of  John  Lange,  of  North  Dakota;  Henry, 
deceased;  .\ugust  and  Benjamin,  who  are  farmers  of  Clinton  township,  this 
county,  and    Xrthur,  also  a  farmer  living  in  this  county. 

In  1897  Mr.  Hasch  retired  from  active  farm  work  and  nio\e(l  to  Wall 
Lake,  where  he  and  his  wife  arc  spending  their  days  in  a  comfortalile  home 
surrounded  by  all  the  modern  conveniences  of  life.  Such,  in  brief,  is  the 
story  of  one  of  Sac  county's  prosperous  citizens.  Coming  to  this  country 
practically  penniless,  he  has  within  thirty-five  years  risen  to  a  position  of 
affluence  and  wealth  and  his  story  but  repeats  what  has  often  lieen  said  that 


5^4  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

"where  lliere  is  a  will,  tiiere  is  a  way."  Mr.  Hasch  is  a  Democrat  in  poli- 
tics and  a  German  Lutheran  in  his  religious  affiliations.  tie  lias  fullv 
measured  up  to  all  i>f  the  standards  ot  .Vmerican  citizenship  and  has  given  to 
his  adopted  country  a  devotion  no  less  sincere  than  that  of  her  native  sons. 
It  is  needless  to  say  that  he  has  won  the  esteem  and  respect  of  a  large  circle 
of  friends  and  accpiaintances.  for  his  life  has  lieen  one  which  has  been 
entirel\-  al)0\e  censure. 


C.  EVERETT  LEE. 


1  here  is  a  niclie  for  e\er\  man  in  the  ,<.;eneral  makcu])  of  an  American 
community.  He  who  tries  to  till  this  niche  and  to  fit  into  his  proper  sphere  is 
deserving  of  a  measure  of  credit  which  none  can  gainsay  him.  It  it  he  within 
his  power  to  become  of  real  service  to  the  community  at  large,  he  has  fulfilled 
his  mission  in  life  and  has  done  his  destined  part  in  the  creation  of  the  com- 
monwealth. Me  whose  cogiionicn  lieads  this  brief  narrati\-e  belongs  to  that 
great  army  of  journalists  who.se  lives  have  lieen  dedicated  to  the  edification  of 
their  felloAvmen  and  whose  hearts  and  minds  are  thoroughlv  in  svmpathv  with 
the  demands  of  their  great  profession.  For  over  three  decades  C.  Everett 
Lee.  of  Lytton.  Iowa,  has  been  engaged  in  new-spaper  work  and  enjovs  a 
reputation  for  uprightness.  al)ilil\-  and  sterling  integrity  .second  to  none  in  the 
profession. 

C.  Everett  Lee  was  born  in  Federal  City.  .Schoharie  countv,  New  York. 
June  23.  1846.  His  parents,  W'dliam  and  C  hloe  Lee,  were  descendants  of 
that  hard)-  pioneer  stock  that  came  from  luigland  ;uid  Scotland  and  who 
played  an  important  and  glorious  ])art  in  the  settlement  and  development  of 
the  N'ew  England  states,  ^^'hen  a  boy  of  si.xteen  he.  in  company  of  his  mother 
and  brother  \ddison  anil  family,  left  the  bills  and  mountains  of  the  Catskills 
o;i  ibe  i-'tli  ila\  of  .March.  \H()j.  ;md  beg.-ui  the  li>ng  journev  to  Sac  county, 
Iowa.  They  arrived  in  Sac  county  on  .\pril  tjtb  of  the  same  vear.  although  it 
looked  at  times,  when  they  were  wading  sloughs  or  swimming  overflowed 
streams,  as  though  tlicy  would  nex'er  li\c  to  reach  the  coveted  goal.  They 
traveled  via  the  Illin.ois  Central  railroad  to  the  terminus,  which  was  then  at 
Cedar  I'alls.  The  rest  of  the  journey  was  made  by  teams.  Arriving  at  Sac 
City,  Everett  resided  with  the  good  mother  on  what  is  now  the  Frank  Howard 
farm,  one  mile  north  of  Sac  City,  until  the  fall,  wduMi  he  lra\'eled  by  stage  to 
Vermillion.  .South  Dakota,  then  part  of  Dakota  Territorv.  Here  he  spent 
the  winter  with  an  uncle  and  cousin,  and  started  in  to  learn  the  printing  trade 


C.  EVERETT  LEE,  DAUGHTER,  GRANDDAUGHTER  AND 
GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  505 

with  Mahlon  Gore,  afterwards  the  founder  of  the  Sioii.v  City  Journal.  Owing 
to  the  fata!  iUness  of  his  mother,  it  became  necessary  for  him  to  return  to 
Sac  county,  where  he  has  since  resided.  After  the  death  of  his  mother  he 
remained  witii  his  brother,  M.  S.  Lee,  for  the  first  three  months  of  the  summer 
of  1863,  and  receixed  tlie  sum  of  fi\e  dollars  per  month  and  his  board  as  pay- 
ment for  his  labor.  Shortly  after  the  4th  of  July,  he  removed  to  Sac  City, 
and  entered  the  employ  of  Judge  Eugene  Criss  for  ten  dollars  per  month  and 
his  board.  He  remained  in  Judge  Criss'  employ  until  the  school  term  opened, 
with  I.e\i  Davis  as  teacher,  when  he  attended  school  during  the  fall  of  1863 
and  the  winter  of  1864.  In  January,  1864,  he  journeyed  to  b'ort  Dodge,  for 
the  purpose  of  enlisting-  in  the  Union  amiy,  but,  upon  final  examination,  he  was 
rejected.  He  then  returned  home  and  again  entered  school.  When  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Tenth  Iowa  X'oluntcer  Infantry  Regiment  came  home  on  furlough, 
he  joined  them  and  traveleci  as  far  as  Davenport,  where  he  again  enlisted  and 
was  mustered  in  July  18,  1864.  He  served  until  the  close  of  the  Civil  War, 
being  mustereil  out  of  the  service  at  Little  Rock,  Arkansas,  August  15,  1865. 

Mr.  l,ee  embarked  in  the  newspaper  business  in  1880,  at  Newell,  Iowa, 
having  purchased  the  Nez^'ell  Mirror  from  J.  N.  Miller,  then  publisher  of  the 
Sac  S'ui.  He  ]niblished  this  organ  until  the  fall  of  1884.  when  he  sold  the 
paper  to  J.  C.  P.lair,  now  editor  of  the  Early  Ncivs.  Mr.  Lee  then  went  to 
Storm  Lake  and  launched  the  Buena  J'ista  ridctte.  which  he  operated  for  a 
few  years,  and  then  purchased  the  Sac  County  Democrat  of  the  Cory  brothers, 
Isaac.  H.  M.  anri  George  I.  Cory.  After  operating  this  plant  for  a  few  years 
he  sold  the  outfit  and  good  will  to  ?\lrs.  William  Allen,  and  engaged  in  the 
insurance  business,  entering  the  employ  of  the  Banker's  Life  and  the  Brother- 
hood of  .\merican  Veomaii,  which  business  he  followed  a  few  years.  In 
1907  he  again  drifted  into  his  favcjrite  occupation,  and  is  at  this  time  editor  of 
the  I.xtton  Star,  a  newspaper  pulilished  at  Lytton,  on  the  east  line  of  the 
coimt)'. 

i'oliticall}.  Mr.  Lee  is  allied  with  the  Democratic  party  in  Sac  county, 
and  has  long  held  a  high  jilace  in  the  c(:>uncils  of  his  party.  He  is  fraternally 
allied  with  the  Odil  Fellows,  of  which  organization  he  is  one  of  the  leading 
members  of  the  county.  He  also  belongs  to  the  Masonic  fraternity,  blue 
lodge,  chapter  and  commandery.  Lie  is  a  member  of  Gen.  W.  T.  Sherman 
Post,  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 

Mr.  Lee  was  united  in  marriage  with  Esther  Alwida  Tuffs,  October  5, 
1865.  To  this  union  three  daughters,  now  living,  were  born,  namely:  Eva 
I.,  wife  of  H.  McCourt,  of  St.  Louis.  Missouri:  Carrie  E.,  wife  of  H.  D. 
McLagan,  of  Sac  City,  Iowa:  Ada  C,  wife  of  E.  J.  Eveleth,  of  Sac  City, 


506  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

Iowa.  His  first  wife  died  September  6.  1872.  Several  years  later  he  was 
married  to  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Maple,  of  near  Newell,  and  to  this  marriage  two 
sons  were  born :  Melitus  T.  and  Lloyd  T..  both  living  to  early  manhood, 
when  the  mother  and  sons  died  within  a  period  nf  two  years.  He  was  after- 
ward married  to  Elizabeth  C.  Fox,  of  Sac  City,  and  with  whom  he  is  now 
enjoying  the  last  days  of  a  life  that  has  ]5assed  through  the  usual  vicissitudes 
which  fall  to  the  average  lot  of  mankind. 


JOHN  D.  OLUSEN. 


Of  the  many  German  citizens  who  ha\e  cast  their  lot  in  Sac  county, 
Iowa,  and  have  thereby  not  only  benetited  themselves,  but  the  general  pul)lic 
as  well,  John  D.  Oldsen,  a  pioneer  citizen  of  Clinton  township,  is  worthy  of 
special  mention,  for  he  has  always  been  an  honorable,  upright  man,  indus- 
trious, temperate,  economical  and  in  every  way  exemplary  in  his  daily  life 
and  conduct.  lie  has  performed  well  his  part  as  a  factor  in  the  body  politic 
and  ncj  one  questions  his  standing  as  one  of  the  leading  farmers  and  worthv 
citizens  of  the  township  in  which  he  lives. 

John  D.  Oldsen,  a  retired  farmer  of  Wall  Lake,  Iowa,  was  Ixirn  April 
19,  1852,  in  Langhorn,  Germany,  the  son  of  Carsten  and  Susan  Oldsen, 
who  never  left  their  native  land.  John  Oldsen  received  his  education  in  his 
native  country  and  when  nineteen  years  of  age  came  to  .\merica  and  imme- 
diately went  to  Iowa,  locating  in  Clinton  countv.  At  first  he  worked  for 
farmers,  receiving  fifteen  dollars  a  month  and  his  ])oard.  and  after  being 
engaged  in  this  line  of  work  for  three  \ears  he  was  engaged  in  the  well- 
digging  business  for  a  year.  In  1874  he  came  to  Sac  county,  and  bought 
two  hundred  acres  of  land  at  five  dollars  an  acre.  In  1877.  having  in  the 
meantime  married,  he  came  back  to  this  farm  and  built  a  house,  to  which  he 
moved  his  family.  Later  he  added  two  hundred  more  acres  to  his  farm,  at 
a  cost  of  twenty  and  twenty-eight  dollars  an  acre.  He  continued  to  reside 
on  his  farm  until  January  19,  1906,  at  which  time  he  moved  to  Wall  Lake, 
\\lR-re  he  jinrchased  a  home  and  retired  from  active  farm  life.  He  has  ilis- 
posed  of  his  land  to  his  children  and  now  owns  only  eightv  acres. 

Mr.  Oldsen  was  married  in  1876  in  Clinton  countv  to  Anna  M.  Peter- 
son, who  was  born  in  Stadeum,  Germany,  in  1855,  Her  parents,  .\mos  and 
Marguerita  Peterson,  came  to  .America  in  1872  and  settled  in  Clinton  countw 
this  state,  after  which  tbe\-  mo\-ed  to  .'-^ac  countv  rind  here  the\-  continued  to 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  507 

reside  the  remainder  of  their  lives.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Oldsen  are  the  parents  uf 
lour  children:  Mrs.  Sophia  Tadsen,  of  Clinton  township,  this  county;  Carl 
A.,  a  farmer  and  stock  breeder  of  Clinton  township;  Mrs.  .\gnes  lensen,  of 
Jackson  township,  this  county,  and  Malinda.  who  is  still  under  the  parental 
roof. 

Mr.  Oldsen  has  iilentilied  himself  with  the  new  Progressive  party,  be- 
lieving that  the  principles  advocated  by  this  party  will  be  for  the  best  benefit 
of  the  nation.  He  and  the  members  of  the  family  are  loyal  and  faithful 
members  of  the  Lutheran  church,  to  which  they  give  liberally  of  their  time 
and  substance.  Mr.  Oldsen  has  been  a  man  who  has  believed  in  lending 
his  aid  to  all  worthy  enterprises  and  has  been  known  to  his  neighbors  as  an 
industrious  anrl  hard  working  man  of  undoubted  honesty  and  the  highest 
moral  integrity.  He  has  built  up  a  reputation  which  shall  endure  for  years 
to  come,  and  has  always  exerted  a  beneficial  influence  on  those  about  him 
because  of  his  upright  life. 


EDSON    E.    GOREHAM. 

The  biographer  finds  it  a  difficult  task  to  adequately  outline  the  career 
of  a  man  who  has  led  an  eminently  active  and  busy  life,  particularly  if  the 
subject  still  be  numbered  among  the  living,  for  it  is  not  an  easy  matter  to 
gain  the  proper  perspective  of  a  career  still  in  the  making.  And  it  is,  there- 
fore, with  a  full  appreciation  of  the  care  that  is  demanded  and  the  close 
scrutiu}-  to  which  each  statement  must  be  subjected,  that  the  writer  essays 
the  task  of  touching  briefly  upon  the  details  of  such  a  record  as  has  been 
that  of  the  man  whose  career  now  comes  under  review. 

Fairhope  farm,  the  home  nf  E.  E.  Goreham,  has  more  than  a  local 
reijutation  as  iht.-  home  (_)f  an  excellent  strain  of  1 'trcheron  draft  horses.  Mr. 
Gijreham  has  five  mares  and  two  stallions,  all  thoroughbreds,  and  in  additiijn 
has  ten  head  of  grade  horses.  He  is  an  excellent  judge  of  horses  as  well 
as  other  live  stock,  and  from  his  stables  man\-  beautiful  and  valuable  animal■^ 
have  gone  out.  He  also  breeds  cattle,  preferring  the  well  bred  variety,  and 
has  some  graded  milch  animals.  He  also  raises  for  the  market  about  forty 
hogs  annually.  Mr.  Goreham's  home  farm  consists  of  forty  acres,  located 
in  \\'heeler  township.  Sac  county,  and  in  addition  to  this  acreage  he  farms 
other  land,  making  him  about  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  all.  All  the 
buildings   on    the    farm   are   practically   new    and    of    excellent   construction. 


508  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

The  haiiilsuiiic  niudern  home  was  erected  in  1903  and  contains  eight  rooms, 
beautifully  arranged.  The  large  barn,  with  all  modern  conveniences,  has  a 
floor  space  of  iifty-eight  by  sixty-eight  feet  and  the  granary  is  eight  by 
thirty-two  feet.  In  addition  to  the  time  and  attention  devoted  to  the  raising 
of  li\e  stock,  Mr.  Goreham  gives  equal  attention  to  the  raising  of  the  usual 
crops,  in  which  he  is  eminently  successful.  A  statement  of  his  production 
for  the  year  1913  will  give  a  fair  idea  of  the  magnitude  of  the  business  he 
handles.  In  the  season  mentioned,  he  had  twenty-three  acres  planted  to  pop- 
corn, which  produced  from  twenty-five  hundred  to  three  thousand  pounds  to 
the  acre :  he  planted  forty  acres  to  corn,  producing  from  forty-five  to  fifty 
bushels  to  the  acre.  His  oats  yielded  fifty  bushels  to  the  acre,  thirteen  acres 
being  de\oted  to  this  crop.  Fifteen  acres  of  domestic  hay  were  cut  and  the 
same  amount  of  wikl  hay,  all  averaging  from  two  to  two  and  one-half  tons 
to  the  acre.  Mr.  Goreham  believes  in  the  adoption  of  most  up-to-date 
methods  in  managing  such  a  business  as  his,  and  this  fact  together  with 
the  energy  and  enterprise  with  which  he  has  been  so  largely  endowed,  have 
won  for  him  the  degree  of  success  to  which  he  has  attained. 

Edson  E.  Goreham  is  a  native  of  Wheeler  township,  Sac  county,  Iowa, 
born  on  December  8,  1875,  the  son  of  J.  P.  Goreham,  one  of  the  earlier 
pioneer  settlers  of  the  county,  a  sketch  of  whose  life  will  be  found  elsewhere 
within  the  covers  of  this  book.  Mr.  Goreham  received  his  earliest  instruc- 
tion in  the  district  schools  of  Wheeler  township,  later  attending  the  schools 
of  Odebolt.  He  early  gave  his  attention  to  farm  work  and  has  been  en- 
gaged in  this  work  in  his  own  behalf  on  the  location  he  now  occupies  for 
the  past  sixteen  years,  having  taken  up  his  residence  here  in  1897.  On 
October  12,  1899,  Mr.  Goreham  was  luiited  in  marriage  with  INIabel  J. 
Lester,  of  Odebolt,  daughter  of  Mrs.  Julia  Lester.  To  their  union  have 
been  born  five  children.  The  oldest  children  are  twins,  Doris  and  Dorothy, 
born  November  20,  1902;  Charlotte  was  born  December  5,  1905;  Mildred, 
horn  (in  September  25,  1907,  and  Gertrude  was  licirn  November  22,  IQOQ., 
The  fanu'ly  are  attendants  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  of  which  the  subject 
is  a  member.  Mr.  Goreham  keeps  well  informed  on  current  events  and  at 
the  I)irth  n{  the  Progressive  party  he  heartily  endorsed  the  principles  as  laid 
diiwn  in  its  platfurm.  His  fraternal  affiliation  is  with  the  Modern  Woodmen 
of  AnuTica,  in  the  working  of  which  order  he  takes  a  commendable  interest. 

Mr.  Goreham  is  a  member  of  one  of  the  oldest  families  of  the  county, 
a  faniily  which  has  .'d\\a\s  excited  a  beneficent  influence  on  the  life  of  the 
coniniunit\'.  While  primarily  devoting  bis  best  energies  to  furthering  the 
interests  of  himself  and  his  ininiediate  famih'.  Mr.  Goreham  has  ever  borne 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  509 

in  mind  the  essential  principles  of  good  citizenship  and  has  been  interested 
in  everything  that  made  for  the  welfare  of  the  community.  He  is  one  of 
those  stalwart  men  of  Ijrain  and  substance  who  impress  their  personality 
forcibly  upon  the  life  of  their  locality.  Successful  in  business,  he  also  has 
so  ordered  his  manner  of  life  as  to  win  the  trust  and  confidence  of  those 
who  know  him,  and  he  numbers  his  friends  by  the  score. 


HANS    TISCHER. 


The  German  citizens  and  their  descendants  have  been  large  factors  in 
the  material  prosperity  of  Sac  county,  Iowa,  and  no  other  nation  has  fur- 
nished as  successful  farmers  and  business  men  as  has  the  German  nation 
for  this  county.  Among  the  successful  farmers  of  the  German  nationality 
who  have  made  a  pronounced  success  in  the  agricultural  field  in  this  county 
there  is  no  one  who  is  deserving  of  more  credit  than  Hans  Tischer,  retired 
farmer  of  Wall  Lake,  Iowa.  Mr.  Tischer  was  born  July  i6,  1853,  in  .Schles- 
wig,  Germany,  and  is  the  son  of  John  A.  and  Margaret  (Marquardj  Tischer. 
The  Tischer  family  came  to  America  in  June,  1872,  and  located  in  Benton 
countv,  Iowa,  where  John  Tischer  and  his  wife  lived  the  remainder  of  their 
days. 

Hans  Tischer  received  his  education  in  his  native  land  and  on  coming 
to  this  country  with  his  parents  he  worked  with  his  father  on  the  farm  in 
Benton  county,  this  state,  until  1881,  at  which  time  he  married  and  went  to 
housekeeping  on  an  eighty-acre  farm  which  he  bought  in  Sac  county,  in 
Wall  Lake  township.  After  living  here  for  a  year  and  a  half,  he  sold  the 
tract  and  bought  a  farm  in  Bremer  county,  this  state,  where  he  remained  for 
six  years,  at  which  time  he  sold  this  farm  and  returned  to  Sac  county  in 
1889,  where  he  ])urchased  a  half  section  in  Clinton  township,  and  six  years 
later  he  bought  another  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  so  that  he  is  now  the 
owner  of  four  hundred  and  eighty  acres  of  fine  farming  land  in  sections  22 
and  23.  He  continued  to  reside  on  this  farm  until  August.  1909,  when  he 
moved  to  Wall  Lake,  where  he  built  a  handsome  residence  of  twelve  rooms. 
His  home  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  in  the  city  and  is  architecturally  one 
of  the  handsomest  in  this  part  of  the  state. 

Mr.  TLscher  was  married  January  17,  1881.  to  Antje  Schulte,  the 
daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Schulte,  and  her  death  occurred  January  8. 
1910.     To  this  marriage  were  l)orn  four  children:     Mrs.  Matilda  Lenz.  who 


510  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

lives  ill  Delaware  township,  this  county;  William,  who  is  now  residing  on 
the  old  home  farm;  Mrs.  Elma  Eaton,  of  Wall  Lake,  and  Mrs.  Amanda 
Green,  residing  in  Wheeler  township.  Mr.  Tischer  was  married  a  second 
time  on  April  i8,  191 1,  to  Margaret  (Godbersen)  Schmidt,  the  widow  of 
Eric  Schmidt.  Mrs.  Tischer  is  the  mother  of  three  children  by  her  first 
marriage;  Mrs.  Anna  Mohr,  of  Wall  Lake;  Mrs.  John  Zein,  who  lives  in 
Clinton  township,  this  countw  and  Eric,  of  Wall  Lake.  Mrs.  Tischer  was 
bom  in  Schleswig,  Germany,  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Godbersen. 
Her  father  died  when  she  was  a  child  and  her  mother  later  married  Andrew 
Hansen.  In  1873  Mr.  Hansen  and  his  wife,  with  his  wife's  children,  came 
to  -America  and  located  in  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  and  in  1880  permanently 
settled  in  Sac  county. 

Politically,  Mr.  Tischer  is  a  Democrat,  but,  while  always  upholding 
the  ])rinciples  of  his  part)-,  has  never  gone  out  into  the  open  field  and  taken 
an  active  part  in  political  affairs.  He  and  the  members  of  his  family  have 
I)een  loyal  adherents  of  the  Lutheran  church  and  have  interested  themselves 
in  its  various  activities. 


THOALAS  W.  DOWN. 


Sac  county  is  the  home  of  good  farms  and  excellent  farmers  and  the 
material  prosperity  of  the  county  is  tlue  to  the  prosperity  of  the  farmers. 
The  effect  of  a  barl  season  is  felt  on  every  industry  in  the  county,  while  a 
successful  farming  year  means  prosperous  times  for  every  one  else  in  the 
county.  It  has  been  said  that  the  corn  crop  is  the  business  barometer  of 
Iowa,  and  this  agricultural  aphorism  is  certainly  a  true  statement  of  the  situ- 
ation. Among  Sac  county's  farmers  who  have  aided  in  keeping  this  county 
to  the  front  as  an  agricultural  county  there  is  no  one  more  worthy  of  men- 
tion than  Thomas  W.  Down,  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Richland  township, 
this  county. 

Thomas  W.  DoAvn,  the  son  of  Thomas  and  Eliza  (Hodge)  Down,  was 
born  February  20,  1872,  in  Woodford  county,  Illinois,  near  El  Paso. 
Thomas  Down,  Sr.,  was  born  May  4,  1824,  in  Highbickington,  Devonshire, 
England.  His  parents  were  William  and  Elizabeth  Down.  Thomas  Down, 
Sr.,  came  to  America  from  England  in  1849  and  first  settled  in  Batavia, 
New  York.  In  1854  he  came  to  Peoria  county,  Illinois,  and  worketl  as  a 
farm  laborer  near  Kickapoo.  Later  he  went  to  El  Paso  in  Woodford 
countv,  Illinois,  and  while  working  in  this  countv  he  was  married  to  Eliza 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


511 


Hodge  on  January  21,  1863.  She  was  born  in  Devonshire,  England,  Oc- 
tober jS.  18.13.  s"<i  is  the  daughter  of  Richard  and  Mary  Hodge,  who  came  to 
America  in  1852  and  settled  in  Batavia,  New  York.  In  1854  the  Hodges 
left  New  York  and  settled  in  Kane  county,  Illinois,  near  Aurora.  Two 
years  later  went  to  Iowa,  but  returned,  however,  to  Illinois  in  i860  and  lived 
in  Woodford  county,  that  state,  until  the  death  of  Richard  Hodge,  who  is 
buried  in  El  Paso,  Illinois.  Mary  Hodge,  the  mother  of  Mrs.  Down,  died 
in  1846,  and  Richard  Hodge  then  married  Susan  Land. 

After  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  Down,  Sr.,  were  married  in  1863,  they 
moved  onto  their  own  farm  of  eighty-six  acres  in  Woodford  county,  Illinois, 
where  the\-  lived  for  eight  years.  Previous  to  this  residence,  Mr.  Down 
had  spent  three  years  in  California  working  in  the  gold  and  silver  mines  of 
that  state  and  had  saved  enough  money  to  purchase  forty  acres  of  his  farm 
at  twenty  dollars  an  acre.  Later  he  earned  enough  to  buy  forty-six  acres 
additional.  In  the  fall  of  1873  Mr.  Down  came  to  Sac  county  and  bought 
three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  at  five  dollars  and  fifty  cents  an  acre.  They 
sold  their  land  in  Woodford  county,  Illinois,  and  moved  to  Richland  town- 
ship. Sac  county,  Iowa,  in  April.  1874.  Mr.  Down  had  to  haul  the  lumber 
for  his  small  twelve-by-sixteen  home  twenty  miles.  Mrs.  Down  did  not  like 
Sac  county  at  first,  sch  the  family  returned  to  Illinois  for  a  time.  In  1885 
they  moved  back  to  Iowa,  having  purchased  a  farm  one  mile  east  of  Odebolt, 
where  they  lived  until  iSgy.  They  then  purchased  two  and  one-half  acres 
near  Odebolt  and  retired  from  active  work.  Mr.  Down  died  February  2, 
191 1.  He  was  a  Republican  in  politics.  He  and  his  wife  were  loyal  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  Down. 
Sr.,  were  born  four  children,  Ada,  Mary,  Thomas  W.  and  Ella  E.  Ada  is 
the  widow  of  Charles  Hanson,  who  was  accidentally  killed  by  a  falling 
building  on  February  9,  1907.  Mrs.  Hanson  has  two  sons,  Leslie  Ernest 
and  Morris  V.  Mary,  the  second  child,  was  the  wife  of  Albert  Hanson,  of 
Odebolt,  Iowa.  They  have  one  daughter,  Mae.  Ella  E.,  the  youngest  child, 
is  the  wife  of  Edward  Hanson,  a  farmer  of  Richland  township. 

Thomas  W.  Down  was  two  years  of  age  when  his  parents  came  to  Sac 
county,  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  and  in  the  Odebolt  high  school 
and  later  studied  six  months  in  the  Crescent  City  Commercial  College  of 
Des  Moines,  Iowa.  Upon  leaving  the  business  college,  he  went  to  work  on 
his  present  farm  and  has  lived  there  since  1885.  He  purchased  his  first  land 
in  1896,  has  been  a  successful  farmer  and  has  added  to  his  land  holdings 
from  time  to  time  until  he  now  owns  three  hundred  acres  of  good  land  in 
section  36  in  this  countv.     He  also  farms  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of 


512  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

his  mother's  land.  For  several  years  he  has  been  a  breeder  of  Duroc-Jersey 
hogs  and  Shorthorn  cattle.  He  raises  a  large  amount  of  live  stock  every 
year  and  markets  annually  a  car  load  of  cattle,  one  hundred  head  of  hogs 
and  a  few  horses. 

Mr.  Down  was  married  February  19,  1896,  to  Emma  Hanson,  the 
daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nels  Hanson.  His  wife  was  born  in  Oyster  Bay, 
New  York.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Down  are  the  parents  of  nine  children:  Vivian, 
born  in  December,  1896;  Vernon,  born  in  June,  1898;  Lawrence,  born  in 
October,  1899;  Howard,  born  in  November,  1901 ;  Wallace,  born  in  Decem- 
ber, 1903;  Dorothy,  born  in  July.  IQ05:  Charles,  born  on  April  i,  1907; 
Florence,  born  in  May,  1909,  and  Helen,  born  in  May,  191 1. 

Politically,  Mr.  Down  is  allied  with  the  Progressive  party,  having  iden- 
tified himself  with  that  new  party  upon  its  organization  in  the  summer  of 
191 2.  He  and  his  family  are  loyal  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  and  contribute  generously  of  their  means  to  its  support.  Fraternally. 
he  is  a  member  of  the  Yeomen.  He  has  been  interested  in  the  educational 
and  moral  aspects  of  his  community  and  is  now  serving  as  treasurer  of  the 
township  school  board.  Mr.  and  Airs.  Down  have  a  beautiful  home  of  ten 
rooms  which  thev  erected  in  1909.  where  their  friends  always  find  a  hospi- 
table welcome. 


GEORGE  I.  CORY. 


In  the  municipalities  of  the  United  States,  where  the  inhabitants  enjoy 
the  greatest  measure  of  self  go\ernnient.  we  freijuently  find  a  la.xity  of  gov- 
ernment, owing  to  the  attitude  of  those  who  are  directly  concerned  in  the 
administering  of  the  laws  made  1\\'  and  for  the  people,  and  a  disregard  of  law 
and  order  in  some  cases  by  those  whose  duty  it  is  to  see  that  the  laws  are 
obeyed.  Of  late  years,  however,  we  are  witnessing  a  higher  and  better  type 
of  ci\'ic  go\'ernmeut.  owing  to  the  awakening  consciences  of  the  .\merican 
people  and  a  more  active  and  direct  participation  in  the  affairs  of  local  gov- 
ernment than  has  heretofore  prevailed. 

Sac  City  is  extremely  fortunate  in  this  respect,  inasmuch  as  the  officials, 
with  practically  no  exceptions,  are  men  of  high  order  of  intelligence  and 
imbued  with  a  strict  desire  to  attend  to  the  duties  which  have  been  entrusted 
to  them  by  the  people  of  the  community.  The  important  position  of  city 
water  commissioner  and  city  marshal  is  held  by  a  man  who  has  lived  practi- 
cally his  whole  life  within  the  en\irons  of  the  town  and  vicinity.     His  long 


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SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  :^  I  5 

tciiii  ol  sLTviet  in  this  capacity  is  justihcation  nf  the  high  esteem  in  which  he 
is  held  and  is  direct  evidence  of  the  confidence  imposed  in  him  by  the  city 
officials  and  his  fellow  citizens.  George  I.  Cory  has  served  the  people  of  Sac 
City  ably  and  well,  and  is  ambitious  to  perform  the  duties  of  his  appointi\e 
office  to  the  best  of  his  ability,  and  that  is  saying  that  his  services  in  Ijoili 
capacities  are  satisfactory  tu  the  majority  of  his  fellow  citizens. 

The  citizen  and  official  of  whom  this  biograpliy  is  written  was  horn  in 
Hardin  county,  Ohio,  Xo\eml)er  i  i.  1848,  the  son  of  Francis  At.  and  Isalielle 
(Hitchcock)  Cory,  old  pioneer  settlers  of  Sac  county,  of  wIkjui  extended  and 
favorah'e  mention  is  made  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  He  was  si.\  \ears  of  aye 
in  the  autumn  following  the  arrival  of  the  Cory  family  to  the  Cory  grove,  near 
the  present  site  of  Sac  City.  While  very  young  in  years,  he  can  recall  many 
incidents  of  the  pioneer  life  of  the  times  and  personally  knew  the  settlers  of 
the  early  days. 

Mr.  Cory  loves  to  tell  of  his  school  days  and  recalls  that  a  man  named 
Cromer  taught  the  school  situated  about  eighty  rods  from  the  Cory  home. 
George's  father  was  wont  to  hitch  up  the  ox-team  and  drag  a  huge  log 
through  the  great  snow  drifts  on  winter  mornings,  so  as  to  make  a  pathway 
for  the  children  and  enalile  them  to  attend,  school  regvdarh".  This  was  abso- 
lutely necessary,  as  the  children  were  actually  without  comfortable  footwear, 
and  shoes  were  a  luxury  unheard  of  in  the  homes  of  the  early  Sac  county 
pioneers.  George  le.nrued  to  hunt  when  very  young  and  could  trail  his  iker 
or  wolf  as  well  as  the  older  heads.  He  swam  the  Coon  river  when  but  six 
years  of  age.  The  Cory  bovs  are  said  to  have  possessed  a  \eritable  menagerie 
of  wild  animals  which  they  had  caught  and  tamed  to  domesticity.  This 
menagerie  consisted  at  one  time  of  a  pet  coon,  three  coyotes,  some  young 
wolves,  and  two  pairs  of  elk.  The  famous  pair  of  elk,  which  the  boys  tamed 
and  trained  to  harness,  were  known  familiarly  as  "Aleck  and  Jem."  "Aleck" 
was  very  smart  and  given  to  all  kinds  of  tricks,  w  hich  sometimes  made  him  a 
nuisance  in  the  neighborhood.  When  he  was  very  small  he  would  invade  the 
camping  places  of  the  pioneers  and  wood  choppers  and,  nosing  out  their 
dinner  pails,  would  empty  them  and  eat  his  till. 

George  Cory  resided  at  the  paternal  home  until  seventeen  years  of  age, 
when,  on  August  4,  1865,  he  "ran  away"  from  home  with  S.  L.  Watt,  for  the 
purpose  of  seeing  the  great  world  beyond  Sac  county.  The  boys  succeeded  in 
getting  as  far  as  Denison,  thirty  miles  away,  but  .soon  became  homesick  and 
returned  in  October.  After  his  mother's  second  marriage,  Cieorge  hired  out 
by  the  day  to  work  for  neighboring  farmers.  In  the  summer  of  1868  he 
(32) 


514  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

rented  a  tract  of  land  from  Charles  Dart.  He  succeeded  in  getting  a  good 
crop,  and.  in  1870,  he  purchased  forty  acres  of  land  in  Coon  Valley  town- 
ship. Prospering,  he  soon  afterward  added  eighty  acres  to  his  holdings.  He 
jdurncyed  to  the  far  West  in  1872,  and  was  absent  for  a  period  of  thirteen 
nu)nths  in  company  with  Sam  Watt,  with  whom  he  was  employed  on  a  west- 
ern ranch  in  Nevada,  owned  b}'  Charles  AIcDeed.  Being  provident  and  sav- 
ing, he  sent  his  earnings  home  to  be  applied  for  breaking  up  his  prairie  land. 
On  his  return  he  traded  oul-  of  his  forties  for  a  team  of  horses,  and  in  the 
summer  of  1873  was  employed  on  the  farm  of  J.  ( ).  Piatt  Trapping  and 
hunting  was  his  principal  diwrsion  in  winter,  it  being  a  s])ort  which  ap].iealed 
to  him  from  an  enjoyal:>le  as  well  as  commercial  standjioint. 

Mr.  Cory  was  united  in  marriage  in  January,  1875,  with  F'"ances  Helen 
Whitney,  who  was  born  August  7,  1859,  in  Sac  City,  being  the  first  white  girl 
born  in  Sac  City.  She  was  the  daughter  of  O.  F.  and  Martha  Esther  Whitney, 
who  migrated  from  tb.e  state  of  Xew  York  in  1856.  Mr.  Whitney  was  a 
pioneer  farmer,  who  also  carried  the  mail  on  a  star  route  for  a  number  of 
years.  O.  F.  Whitney  died  in  Ajiril,  i8i)2.  Llis  wife  died  October  30,  1905. 
Mrs.  Cor\'  has  one  sister,  Mrs.  Minnie  ^(^ung.  who  resides  on  the  old  W^hitnev 
homestead  in  Cedar  township. 

The  newly-wedded  coupk'  immediatel}-  mo\'ed  into  a  log  shanty  located 
on  their  farm  in  Coon  Valley  township,  and  borrowed  two  cows.  They  also 
rented  part  of  the  farm  of  J.  S.  Tibergheiu,  Init  the  grasshoppers  had  been  in 
tlie  count}-  the  \ear  before,  and  ( ieorge  made  ends  meet  by  hauling  stc^ue  dur- 
ing the  season.  He  became  tlie  ]iossessor  of  a  line  team  of  two-\ear-old  colts 
as  the  result  of  a  l)et  made  with  Tibergheiu,  in  which  George  wagered  that 
the  "ho])pers"  would  leave  the  Sac  county  region  during  the  season.  They 
returned  to  their  own  place  the  following  year  and  lived  in  a  log  house  built 
"ri\e  logs  on  one  side  and  se\en  on  the  other."  In  Juh-  of  1876  they  began 
the  erection  of  a  really  good  house  of  two  stories,  also  built  of  logs.  This  was 
later  supjilanted  by  a  more  pretentious  frame  residence.  However,  in  1877, 
the  grasshoppers  returned  and  took  or  ate  the  crops.  There  was  nothing  for 
them  to  do  but  go  hunting  for  the  remainder  (if  the  vear,  and  the  entire  family 
of  Corys  packed  u]i  and  journeyed  to  the  wilds  of  Pocahontas  countv,  buying 
a  supply  of  provisions  at  h'onda.  This  hunting  trip  netted  them  four  hundred 
dollars  in  hard  cash.  George  resided  on  his  farm  until  1882,  when  he  re- 
mo\-ed  to  the  ue\y  town  of  Early,  and  engaged  in  the  retail  merchandise  busi- 
ness with  his  brother,  Jose]:)h  IT.  In  i88.|  he  again  returned  to  the  farm  and 
remained  two,  wars.     He  then  took-  up  a  ])ermaiieiit  residence  in  Sac  City,  and 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  515 

purchased  the  Sac  County  Dciitocrat  in  partnership  with  his  brother  Isaac. 
Isaac  was  the  editor  of  the  pubhcation  and  George  looked  after  the  mechanical 
end  with  competent  assistance.  Later  his  l>rother,  Hugh,  purchased  a  fourth 
interest  in  the  newspaper.  His  connection  with  the  Democrat  ceased  in  1889, 
at  which  time  he  became  city  marshal.  For  the  past  twenty-five  years  he  has 
served  the  peoiile  of  Sac  City  as  city  marshal  and  deputy.  His  only  vacation 
from  his  official  duties  during-  that  time  was  for  a  period  of  five  and  one-half 
years,  when  he  was  again  re-elected  to  fill  the  position.  His  last  election  to 
the  office  was  in  October  of  igi2.  Air.  Cory  was  appointed  city  water  com- 
missioner in  October,  1Q12,  and  ably  performs  the  duties  of  his  combined 
official  ]X)sitions.  He  is  allied  politically  with  the  Democratic  party:  is  an 
active  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  Odd  Fellows  and  Rebekahs.  Mrs. 
Cor\-  is  also  a  member  of  the  Rebekah  Lodge. 

Two  children  have  been  born  to  this  estimable  couple:  Isabelle  Amer, 
of  Sac  City,  who  is  the  mother  of  three  children,  Helca,  Cory  and  Thelnia; 
the  seciind  child  is  Philo.  who  resides  in  Sioux  Cit\',  Iowa. 


AUGUST  DANNENBERG. 

Xo  one  can  gainsax-  the  fact  that  the  present  prosperity  of  Sac  county. 
is  due,  in  a  large  measure,  to  the  enterprising  Germans  who  have  settled 
within  its  borders.  Every  township  which  has  had  German  settlers  has 
found  them  among  the  most  enterprising  and  prosperous  citizens  of  the 
township.  The  habits  of  thrift  and  industry  which  they  have  inherited 
through  generations  of  ancesters  in  their  fatherland,  .seem  to  have  been 
so  instilled  into  the  present  generation  that  they  have  no  difficulty  in  placing 
themsehes  in  the  front  rank  of  the  prosperous  citizens  of  this  county. 

August  Dannenburg,  a  retired  farmer  of  Odebolt,  Iowa,  was  born 
Tanuarv  2^.  1841,  in  Hanover,  Germany.  He  was  the  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
b'rederick  Dannenberg,  and  spent  his  boyhood  days  in  his  native  land.  His 
mother  died  when  he  was  six  years  of  age.  In  1870,  when  nineteen  years 
old,  he  came  to  America  and  first  located  in  Will  county,  Illinois,  where  he 
lived  three  vears.  In  1873  he  came  to  Lake  county,  Indiana,  where  he  lived 
two  years. 

Air.  Dannenberg  was  married  in  1875  to  Katharine  Biiehler  in  Lake 
count V,  Indiana,  and  to  this  imion  were  born  two  children.  Airs.  Sophie 
Alettier,  of  Des  Aloines.  Iowa,  and   August,  Jr..  whose  history  is  presented 


5 it)  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

elsewhere  in  this  volume.  His  first  wife  died  July  15,  1878,  and  in  March, 
1879,  Mr.  Dannenberg  was  married  to  Mrs.  Louisa  (Wagoner)  Rabe. 
She  was  born  December  20,  1847,  '"  Hanover,  Germany,  and  is  the  daugh- 
ter of  Henry  and  Marie  (  Merink )  Wagoner.  She  came  to  America  in  April 
of  1875,  having  been  previously  married  in  her  own  country  to  Henry  Rabe. 
To  this  second  marriage  of  Mr.  Dannenberg  have  been  born  four  children, 
all  of  whom  are  living:  Mary,  the  wife  of  Henry  Buehler,  of  Richland 
township:  Rosina,  the  wife  of  H.  R.  Stanzel,  of  Odebolt;  Fred,  a  traveling 
salesman  of  Chicagcj,  and  Edward,  who  is  now  living  on  his  father's  farm 
in  Richland  township.  By  her  first  marriage  to  Mr.  Rabe,  Mrs.  Dannenberg 
had  live  children,  three  of  whom  are  living:  Henry,  of  Richland  township; 
William  ¥..  of  Cook  township,  and  Mrs.  August  Reuber,  of  Odebolt.  Mr. 
Rabe  died  in  1877. 

In  1875,  following  his  marriage  in  Lake  county,  Indiana,  Mr.  Dannen- 
berg came  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  and  bought  two  hundred  acres  of  land  for 
twelve  dollars  an  acre.  He  had  to  go  in  debt  for  part  of  it,  and  within  five 
years  he  had  it  all  paid  for.  With  this  to  start  with,  he  gradually  added  to 
his  possessions  until  he  now  owns  about  six  hundred  and  forty  acres  in 
Richland  and  Clinton  townships  in  this  county.  He  moved  to  Odebolt  on 
January  29,  1907,  where  he  is  now  living  surrounded  with  all  the  modern 
conveniences  of  life.  Mr.  Dannenlierg  is  a  fine  tvpe  of  the  German  settlers 
who  made  Sac  county  their  home  in  the  early  history  of  the  county.  He  has 
been  identified  with  the  history  of  the  county  for  nearly  forty  years  and  in 
that  time  has  seen  it  reach  its  jiresent  i^rosperous  conditidu.  Tie  has  taken 
his  full  share  in  l)ringing  this  about  and  while  advancing  his  own  material 
interests  he  has  never  lost  sight  of  the  duty  which  he  owed  to  the  com- 
niunitv  as  a  citizen  of  the  commonwealth. 


HUGH    H.    MEAD. 


The  history  of  a  county  or  state,  as  well  as  that  of  a  nation,  is  chieliy 
a  chronicle  of  the  lives  and  deeds  of  those  who  have  conferred  honor  and 
dignity  upon  society.  The  world  judges  the  character  of  a  community  by 
those  of  its  representative  citizens  and  yields  its  tributes  of  admiration  and 
respect  to  those  whose  words  and  actions  constitute  the  record  of  a  state's 
prosperity  and  pride.  Among  the  prominent  citizens  of  Sac  counl\'  who 
are  well  known  because  of  the  part  they  h:ue  taken  in  jniblic  affairs  is  Hugh 
?T.  Mead. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  517 

Hugh  H.  Mead,  a  prosperous  farmer,  stock  raiser  and  justice  of  peace 
of  Boyer  Valley  township  for  the  past  twenty-five  years,  was  born  on  June 
I,  1864,  i"  tiie  state  of  Wisconsin.  His  parents,  Elijah  and  Sarah  (Hall) 
Mead,  were  natives  of  Vermont,  who  settled  in  Wisconsin  while  it  was  yet 
a  territory.  In  1866  the  Mead  family  moved  to  Minnesota,  and  in  1875  ^'^ 
Sac  county  and  settled  on  the  farm  where  Hugh  H.  Mead  is  now  residing. 
Elijah  Mead  livetl  on  this  farm  until  his  later  years,  when  he  went  to  Early 
and  lixed  with  his  daughter  until  his  death,  in  May,  1906.  To  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Elijah  Mead  were  born  five  children:  Mrs.  Marie  Prentice,  of  Louis- 
iana; Mrs.  Agnes  Prentice,  of  Early;  Hugh  H.,  whose  history  is  related  in 
this  narrative;  Guy  and  Abbie,  who  died  in  childhood. 

Hugh  H.  Mead  came  with  his  parents  from  ^linnesota  to  Sac  county 
and  has  lived  from  that  time  on  the  farm  which  his  father  bought  in  1875. 
He  recei\-ed  his  education  in  the  district  schools  of  Boyer  Valley  township 
and  the  town  school  of  Early.  He  taught  in  rural  schools  and  has  taken  an 
active  interest  in  school  work.  He  WL>rked  with  his  father  on  the  home 
farm  until  liis  marriage.  On  becoming  of  age  lie  bought  forty-six  acres  join- 
ing his  father's  farm,  and  five  years  later  bought  fifty-four  acres,  paying 
forty  dollars  an  acre,  which  was  the  record  price  at  that  time  for  farming 
land  in  Sac  county.  He  bought  his  father's  farm  before  the  latter's  death 
and  has  recently  added  more  so  that  he  now  has  two  hundred  and  forty  acres 
in  this  township.  He  has  taken  a  prominent  part  in  the  afifairs  of  his  town- 
ship for  the  past  twenty-five  years,  being  the  first  to  engage  in  raising  of 
alfalfa.  He  is  of  a  judicial  temperament  and  since  his  early  manhood  has 
served  as  justice  of  the  peace  of  his  township.  In  fact,  he  has  held  some 
township  office  ever  since  he  reached  his  majority. 

Mr.  Mead  was  married  November  30,  1892,  to  Alice  Haradon,  who  was 
horn  on  April  zt,.  1865,  in  Bremer  county,  Iowa.  She  is  the  daughter  of 
Orlin  and  Mary  Ann  (Hartj  Haradon,  natives  of  Vermont  and  Michigan, 
respectively.  Her  parents  came  to  Sac  county  and  bought  land  in  Boyer 
\^alley  township  in  1876.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mead  have  one  daughter,  Mary, 
who  is  now  about  two  years  of  age. 

Politically.  Mr.  Mead  has  long  been  a  Republican,  and  has  been  honored 
time  and  again  by  his  party  with  positions  of  trust  and  honor.  He  is  a 
prominent  fine  stock  raiser,  his  principal  lines  being  Poland-China  hogs, 
Jersey  cattle  and  standard  bred  horses,  having  forty  horses  at  this  time.  He 
is  a  tree  grower  and  trees  from  his  farm  mav  now  be  seen  on  many  lawns 
in  .Sac  and  adjoining  counties.  He  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist  Episcopal    church   and    identify   themselves   with   the    work    of    their 


5l8  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

church  in  this  community.  Mr.  Mead  has  always  been  prominent  m  the 
various  movements  in  his  community  which  concern  the  pubHc  welfare  and 
has  never  shirked  his  duty  in  doing  what  he  thought  would  benefit  his 
locality.  His  whole  career  in  this  township  speaks  for  itself,  and  gives  him 
the  right  to  be  classed  among  our  best  American  citizens. 


JAMES  SHELTOX  STATON. 

The  reader's  attention  is  now  directed  to  a  brief  sketch  of  the  life  of 
James  Shelton  Staton,  who  for  the  past  nme  years  has  been  superintendent 
of  the  Brookmont  farm,  a  ranch  comprising  twenty-two  hundred  acres  lo- 
cated in  Cook  and  Richland  townships,  Sac  county,  Iowa,  of  which  .\.  E. 
Cook  is  proprietor.  In  1872  C.  W.  Cook,  of  Chicago,  Illinois,  came  to  this 
count}-,  where  he  purchased  seven  thousand  three  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
and  started  the  ranch.  However,  portions  of  this  original  purchase  have 
been  sold  from  time  to  time,  until  the  present  acreage  is  deemed  sufiicient 
for  operations  by  the  present  proprietor,  son  of  the  originator  of  the  ranch, 
who  has  had  charge  of  the  farm  for  several  years.  The  business  of  this 
ranch  is  considerable,  and  in  the  discharge  of  the  duties  devolving  upon  him 
as  its  superintendent  Mr.  Staton  exhibits  rare  ability.  From  twenty  to  forty 
men  are  employed  in  the  various  departments;  there  are  nine  dwelling 
houses  on  the  ranch,  numerous  stables  and  other  buildings;  two  grain  ele- 
vators, one  having  a  capacity  of  one  hundred  thousand  bushels  and  the  other 
a  capacitv  of  forty  thousand  bushels,  and  ten  head  of  thoroughlired  Clydes- 
dale draft  horses  are  kept  on  the  rancli,  as  well  as  se\enty-fi\-e  head  of  other 
horses  and  mules.  Two  thousand  hogs  are  produced  and  shipped  annualh', 
five  hundred  head  of  cattle  and  three  hundred  and  fifty  thoroughbred  Here- 
fords  are  at  ])resent  on  the  place.  The  \ear  IQ13  was  considered  an  unusu- 
ally light  year  for  vields,  but  the  production  for  that  year,  nevertheless,  will 
gi\'e  an  excellent  idea  of  the  immensity  of  the  output  of  this  farm.  There 
were  twelve  hundred  acres  planted  to  corn,  which  averaged  forty-five  bushels 
to  the  acre;  fi\e  hundred  acres  of  oats  were  i>ut  in  which  averaged  fifty-two 
bushels  to  the  acre;  one  hundred  acres  were  planted  to  popcorn,  producing 
twenty-five  hundred  pounds  to  the  acre,  and  four  hundred  tons  of  hay  were 
.harxested,  Mr.  Cook  also  owns  twenty-six  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land 
in  .Monona  countv,  this  .state,  wdnch  is  also  under  the  care  of  Mr.  Staton. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  519 

|.  S.  Staton  was  Ijorn  on  Januar)'  7,  1874,  in  Jackson  county,  this  state, 
near  Sac  City,  the  son  of  James  A.  and  NelHe  Jane  (  Tiberghien)  Staton, 
they  being  at  this  time  the  oldest  married  pioneer  couple  of  Sac  county. 
James  A.  Staton  was  born  in  Kentucky  in  1827,  was  parti}  reared  in  In- 
diana and  in  1859  came  to  Sac  county  and  settled  on  the  Raccoon  river  in 
Jackson  township  in  the  timber.  Here  he  built  a  home  and  has  resided  in 
ihe  vicinity  of  Sac  City  for  the  past  tifty-five  years.  Nellie  Jane  (Tiberg- 
hien) Staton  was  born  in  1832,  the  daughter  of  Elias  Tiberghien,  one  of 
the  earliest  settlers  of  the  county.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Staton  have  been  married 
for  more  than  tifty-eight  years  and  are  the  parents  of  four  children,  namely : 
W.  H.  Staton,  who  is  in  Polk  county,  where  he  is  proprietor  of  a  hotel; 
Elias  Grant  is  located  in  Sac  City;  M.  D.  Staton  is  in  South  Dakota  and 
the  other  child  is  James  Shelton,  the  immediate  subject  of  this  sketch. 

When  a  youth,  the  subject  attended  the  school  taught  by  P.  M.  Lewis, 
an  old-time  school  teacher,  in  the  meantime  assisting  in  the  farm  work  of  the 
home,  in  w  hich  he  displayed  a  natural  aptitude.  When  twenty  years  of  age 
he  began  working  for  himself  and  has  since  devoted  all  his  energies  to  agri- 
cultural work.  On  March  i,  1897,  he  entered  the  employ  of  A.  E.  Cook 
as  a  laborer  and  just  se\en  \ears  later  became  the  superintendent  of  his 
ranch,  and  in  10 10  assiuiied  the  management  of  Mr.  Cook's  holdings  in  Mo- 
nona countw  -« 

In  November,  1900,  Mr.  Staton  was  united  in  marriage  with  Grace 
Crowell.  daughter  of  Byron  Crowell,  originally  of  New  York  state.  To 
their  union  ha\e  l)een  given  three  children,  namely:  Mabel  Irene,  aged  ten 
years :  Nellie  Genevieve,  aged  seven  years,  and  Willard  Shelton,  four  years 
old.  ^Ir.  Staton's  political  affiliation  is  with  the  old-line  Republican  partv. 
of  which  he  is  a  stanch  supporter,  and  his  fraternal  affiliation  is  with  the 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  being  a  member  of  that  societv  through 
the  local  lodge  at  Odebolt :  he  is  also  a  member  of  the  encampment  and  the 
Daughters  of  Rebekah. 

To  write  the  personal  record  of  men  who  have  raised  themsehes  from 
humble  circmustances  to  a  position  of  responsibility  and  trust  is  no  ordi- 
nary pleasure.  Mr.  Staton  has  attained  his  present  position  through  close 
application  to  the  duties  that  lay  before  him  and  faithfulness  to  trust  imposed 
in  him.  In  the  administration  of  the  afifairs  of  his  business  he  displays  abil- 
ity of  a  high  order  and  at  the  same  time  retains  the  confidence  and  respect 
of  all  with  whom  he  comes  in  contact. 


520  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 


CHARLES  F.  BROBEIL. 


To  the  enlisting  of  men  of  indomitable  enterprise,  ability  and  integrity 
in  the  furtherance  of  her  commercial  activities  has  been  due  in  no  small  meas- 
ure llie  material  prosperity  of  Sac  county.  .Among  the  prominent  factors 
identified  with  this  work  of  progress  is  Charles  F.  Brobeil,  of  Lytton,  who 
has  long  maintained  a  place  of  prominence  and  influence  in  the  business  com- 
munity and  who  exemplifies  the  highest  type  of  loyal  citizenship.  A  man  of 
impregnable  integrity  of  purpose,  his  life  has  been  one  of  consecutive  en- 
deavor, and  he  has  realized  a  large  and  substantial  success.  His  career  as  a 
merchant  has  been  Ijased  upon  the  assumption  that  nothing  save  industry, 
perseverance,  integrity  and  fidelity  can  lead  to  worthy  success. 

Charles  F.  Brobeil,  who  has  the  largest  general  store  in  Lvtton,  Sac 
CDunty,  Idwa.  is  a  son  of  jo!ir  Rrofieil,  a  native  of  (jermauv,  vvlio  came  to 
America  in  1847,  settling  in  Erie,  Pennsylvania.  In  1852  he  left  Erie  and 
came  by  water  over  the  great  lakes  to  Chicago,  coming  up  the  Chicago  river 
and  portaged  to  the  Illinois  ri\er  and  down  the  Mississippi  river  to  St.  Louis, 
and  thence  up  the  Mississippi  and  Des  Moines  rivers  to  the  city  of  Des 
Moines.  Here  he  engaged  himself  in  farming,  carpentering  and  contracting. 
The  city  was  then  in  its  infancy,  and  he  cut  timber  and  hewed  it  out  for  build- 
ing purposes.  He  prospered  in  Des  Moines,  and  became  one  of  the  pioneers  of 
Polk  count  \'.  riie  family  homestead  in  Polk  countv  was  retained  in  the 
family  until  March,  kju.  when  it  was  sold.  John  Brobeil  married  ^^'ilhel- 
niina  Schull,  who  died  when  Charles  F.  Brobeil  was  ten  years  old.  John 
Brobeil  was  born  in  1821  and  flied  in  k)04.  There  were  ten  children  born  to 
the  above  couple,  named  as  follows :  Germand,  who  died  at  the  age  of  fifteen 
years;  John  J.,  who  lives  at  Ankney,  Iowa;  Mrs.  Cornelia  Miller,  of  Crocker, 
Iowa:  William  G.,  a  retired  farmer  of  Lytton,  Iowa;  Mrs.  Louise  Matter,  of 
Orient.  South  Dakota;  Mrs.  Dora  Kaltenbach,  of  Denver,  Colorado;  Mrs. 
Mary  Jacobs,  of  Des  Moines,  Iowa;  Adam  Brobeil.  of  Coon  Valley  town- 
ship, Sac  county,  Iowa ;  another  son  is  deceased. 

Charles  F.  Brobeil  was  the  youngest  of  this  family  of  children,  all  of 
w  hom  were  born  in  Polk  county,  Iowa,  except  the  three  eldest,  who  were  born 
in  Erie,  Pennsylvania.  Charles  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  of  his 
community  until  he  was  fourteen  years  old,  when  he  became  a  student  at  the 
Des  Moines  schools.  When  old  enough  he  learned  carpentering  with  his 
father.  In  1882  he  attended  the  Iowa  Business  College  at  Des  Moines,  paying 
his  tuition  bv  doing  janitor  work,  and  then   found  emplovment  with  a  Des 


CHARLES  F.   BKUiilOIL 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  521 

Moines  wholesale  firm  as  bookkeeper,  shipper  and  collector,  where  he  re- 
mained for  a  short  time.  He  then  went  to  Fort  Dodge,  Iowa,  and  found  em- 
ployment, but  in  July,  18S4.  his  employer  transferred  him  to  Chicago,  where 
he  spent  one  year,  followed  by  a  year's  work  on  a  farm.  In  1887  his  former 
employer  removed  to  Davenport,  Iowa,  and  Mr.  Brobeil  assisted  him  in 
closing  out  his  stock,  and  then  again  went  on  a  farm,  where  he  worked  for 
the  next  two  years.  In  the  fall  of  1889  he  sold  his  effects  at  public  sale  and 
removed  to  Crocker,  Iowa,  where  he  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  and 
remained  eleven  years,  making  a  substantial  success.  He  was  postmaster 
there  for  four  years  under  President  Cleveland.  In  the  fall  of  1900,  Mr. 
Brobeil  came  to  Lytton,  Sac  county.  He  purchased  a  business  lot  where  his 
store  is  now  located  for  three  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars.  He  then 
bought  the  next  lot  adjoining  and  then  the  third  lot  adjoining.  The  town 
was  just  starting,  and  he  built  a  combined  store  and  dwelling  house.  His 
enterprise  was  successful  from  the  start,  showing  the  wisdom  of  his  judg- 
ment in  the  selection  of  a  location,  and  his  business  ability  and  tact  in  estab- 
lishing and  maintaining  a  large  and  important  store.  In  1906  Mr.  Brobeil 
bought  a  fine  residence  in  Lytton  and  moved  his  family  into  it.  The  house  is 
thoroughly  modern  throughout  and  the  most  attractive  in  Lytton. 

Charles  F.  Brobeil  was  married  in  1886  to  Dora  Buth.  formerly  of  Polk 
county,  Iowa,  daughter  of  Franz  Buth,  of  Orient,  South  Dakota.  They  are 
the  parents  of  three  children.  Frank  J.,  who  was  born  in  1889,  assists  his 
father  in  the  store.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools,  where  he  was  a 
fine  student,  earning  a  free  scholarship,  given  by  the  county  in  1901,  in  Tobin 
College  at  Fort  Dodge,  Iowa,  and  also  a  scholarship  in  the  University  of 
Omaha  and  in  Buena  Vista  College.  He  studied  in  Iowa  Business  College, 
completing  the  prescribed  course  and  entering  his  father's  store.  Minnie  K., 
the  second  child,  is  the  wife  of  Frank  J.  Berkler,  and  is  twenty  years  old. 
They  were  married  in  Deceml)er,  igi2,  and  live  on  a  farm  in  Calhoun  countv, 
Iowa.  Russell  Roy  is  ten  years  old.  Frank  J.  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient 
Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  and  a  member  of  the  Za-Ga-Zig  Temple  of 
Mystic  Shriners  at  Des  Moines. 

Mr.  Brobeil  has  the  largest  general  store  in  Lytton.  He  carries  a  stock 
of  groceries,  dry  goods,  hardware  and  general  merchandise.  This  stock  is 
housed  in  a  two-story  building  twenty-four  by  sixty  feet  for  the  main  store 
and  a  one-story  room,  fifteen  by  eighty  feet,  for  hardware  stock.  The  upper 
floor  of  the  main  building  is  used  for  clothing,  shoes  and  rubber  goods.  He 
carries  an  unusually  large  and  varied  stock,  valued  at  eighteen  to  twenty 


522  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

thousand  dollars.  He  has  another  store  building  which  he  rents  for  an  im- 
plement store.  He  also  handles  poultry  and  tlour,  ha\'ing  a  department  for 
each,  and  also  one  for  produce  and  eggs.  His  business  has  grown  from  a 
small  stock  of  goods  placed  in  Lytton  in  1900  to  the  largest  and  best  assort- 
ment in  the  eastern  part  of  Sac  county. 

Mr.  Brobeil  owns  a  half  interest  in  a  fine  half  section  of  land  in  Cedar 
township,  Sac  county,  which  is  one  of  his  best  assets.  He  is  one  of  the  stock- 
holders and  directors  of  the  Sac  (""unty  Fair  Association.  Politically,  he  is  a 
Democrat,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Lytton  city  council  and  a  member  of  the 
local  school  board.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  h>ee  and  Accepted 
Masons  and  the  Mystic  Shrine,  and  attends  the  Presbyterian  church,  of  which 
Mrs.  Brobeil  is  a  member.  Mr.  Brobeil  is  a  charter  member  of  L\tton  Lodge 
No.  336,  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  of  which  he  is  past  noble . 
grand,  and  has  been  secretary  of  the  lodge  for  the  past  seven  years. 

In  manifold  ways  Mr.  Brobeil  has  touched  with  effectiveness  the  civic 
and  business  activities  of  Lytton  and  Sac  county.  He  possesses  in  marked 
degree  the  ixnver  of  initiative,  and  his  caree'-  has  shown  tlie  wise  ap]ilication 
of  definite  subjective  forces  and  the  control  of  objective  agencies  in  such  a 
way  as  \o  oljtain  results  of  a  large  and  a]ipreciable  \'aluc.  Progressive  and 
energetic  in  the  management  of  his  business  affairs,  he  is  also  pul)lic  spirited 
as  a  citizen  and  holds  an  enviable  place  in  po]3ular  esteem. 


J.  F.  McDonald. 


i'ractical  industry,  wisel_\-  and  \'igor(jusl}-  applied,  ne\er  fails  of  success. 
It  carries  a  man  onward  and  upwartl,  brings  out  his  individual  character  and 
acts  as  a  powerful  stimulus  to  the  efforts  of  others.  The  greatest  results 
in  life  are  often  attained  by  simple  means  and  the  exercise  uf  the  ordinary 
qualities  of  common  sense  and  perseverance.  The  every-dav  life,  with  its 
cares,  necessities  and  duties,  affords  ample  opportunities  for  ac(iuiring  ex- 
perience of  the  best  kind  and  its  most  beaten  paths  provide  a  true  worker 
with  abundant  scope  for  effort  and  self-improvement. 

J.  F.  McDonald,  of  Cedar  township,  Sac  county,  Iowa,  was  born  in  the 
good  old  Hoosier  state  of  Indiana  in  h'ayette  county,  April  14.  1853.  His 
parents,  Simon  and  Anna  (Kenna)  McDonald,  are  both  natives  of  the  Em- 
erald Isle,  born,  reared  and  married  in  the  land  of  their  nati\ity.     They  came 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


5^3 


to  New  Orleans  first,  and  after  two  years  came  to  Indiana  and  settled  in  Con- 
nersville,  Fayette  county,  where  J.  F.  was  born.  In  1855  Simon  McDonald 
and  his  family  went  to  Stark  county,  Indiana,  and  two  years  later  moved 
over  into  Jasper  count}",  Indiana.  From  there  they  moved  to  Macon  county, 
Illinois,  and  bought  a  farm  and  lived  there  the  remainder  of  their  days, 
Simon  McDonald  dying  in  1891  and  his  widow  in  1904.  They  reared  a 
family  of  fifteen  children,  seven  of  whom  are  still  living:  J.  F..  whose  his- 
tory is  portrayed  in  this  connection;  John  T..  of  Hamilton  county,  Iowa; 
W.  H.,  of  Calhoun  county,  Iowa;  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Nice,  of  Valparaiso,  Ne- 
braska; Mrs.  Clara  Bigger,  of  \'arina,  Pocahontas  county,  Iowa:  Daniel,  of 
Beeson,  Illinois;  I'-hmra,  of  Rapid  Citw  Illinois,  ar.d  Isabel,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  eighteen  years. 

J.  F.  McDonald  was  educated  in  the  country  schools  of  Indiana  and 
Illinois,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  rented  a  farm  of  two  hundred  and 
eighty  acres  in  Illinois  and  for  the  next  thirty  years  lived  on  this  rented 
farm.  He  made  money  and,  what  is  more  important,  saved  it,  with  the  re- 
sult that  when  he  came  to  Iowa  in  1896,  he  was  able  to  purchase  two  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres  of  his  present  farm.  He  left  his  brother  in  charge 
of  the  farm  and  returned  to  Illinois,  where  he  stayed  until  March,  1907. 
He  then  moved  his  family  to  Sac  county,  where  he  is  still  residing.  He  has 
erected  a  large  barn  and  other  outbuildings  and  has  done  considerable  tiling. 
His  farm  is  now  worth  at  least  two  hundred  dollars  an  acre.  In  1913  he 
had  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  corn  which  averaged  fifty  bushels  to 
the  acre.  His  year's  production  of  live  stock  included  one  hundred  head  of 
hogs,  thirty-five  head  of  cattle  and  twelve  head  of  horses  and  mules. 

Mr.  McDonald  has  been  twice  married,  his  first  marriage  being  to 
Mary  Nice,  of  Illinois,  in  1876.  She  died  in  December,  1894,  leaving  four 
children:  S.  F.,  of  Oklahoma:  J.  T.,  of  Cedar  township.  Sac  county,  Iowa; 
Elmer,  of  Chicago,  and  Mrs.  Abbie  Krick,  of  Chicago.  In  1896  Mr.  Mc- 
Donald was  marriei]  to  Minnie  Terr}-,  of  Clinton,  Illinois,  and  to  this  second 
marriage  have  been  born  two  children.  Rex  and  Donald. 

WHiile  Mr.  McDonald  has  always  taken  an  active  interest  in  Democratic 
]iolitics,  vet  he  has  never  been  a  seeker  for  any  public  office.  He  is  a  mem- 
lier  of  the  Ancient  l""ree  and  .-Xccepted  Masons  of  Sac  City  and  also  belongs 
to  the  chapter  and  commandery.  His  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Christian 
church  and  gives  it  her  earnest  and  loyal  supp(jrt.  The  industry,  energy  and 
high  moral  traits  of  integrity  which  have  characterized  Mr.  McDonald  since 
he  came  to  this  countv   have   ]jlaced   him   among  the  prominent   citizens  of 


524  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

his  locality.  He  ha.s  lived  a  life  which  measures  up  to  a  high  standard  of 
citizenshiiD,  and  his  influence  has  ever  been  on  the  side  of  light  and  for  the 
best  interests  of  his  communitv. 


HENRY   IvASTNF.R. 


The  subject  of  this  review  is  one  of  those  strung,  self-reliant  and 
determined  characters  who  are  occasionally  met  with  and  who  are  of  such  a 
distinct  type  as  to  seem  to  be  born  leaders  of  their  fellow  men.  Not  that 
Mr.  Kastner  courts  that  distinction,  for  he  is  entirelv  unassuming,  but  his 
great  force  of  character  and  his  zeal  and  energv  in  whatever  he  undertakes 
maturally  place  him  at  the  head  of  the  crowd.  He  has  been  a  potent  factor 
in  the  development  of  Sac  count}',  where  he  has  long  maintained  his  home 
and  where  he  is  well  known  ti>  all  classes  for  his  honorable  and  industrious 
life,  in  lioth  private  and  public  relations. 

Henry  Kastner,  a  retired  farmer  of  Wall  Lake,  Sac  count}',  Iowa,  was 
born  January  25,  1843,  '"  Germany.  His  parents  were  Gottfried  and  Oreka 
Ivastner,  who  came  to  .\merica  in  1869,  settled  in  Benton  county,  Iowa, 
after  which  the  mother  soon  died.  Gottfried  Kastner  then  went  to  Nebraska, 
where  he  took  up  a  homestead  and  lived  until  his  death. 

Henry  Kastner  was  reared  and  educated  in  his  native  country,  and 
came  to  the  United  States  in  1869,  when  he  was  twenty-six  years  of  age. 
He  first  settled  in  Benton  county.  Iowa,  where  he  worked  for  four  years  as 
a  farm  laborer.  In  1873  he  went  to  Crawford  county,  this  state,  where  he 
followed  farming  for  two  years,  and  at  the  expiration  of  that  time  came  to 
Sac  county  and  settled  in  Wall  Lake  township,  where  he  has  since  con- 
tinued to  reside.  He  first  purchased  one  hundred  and  ninety-five  acres  of 
land,  and  later  bought  forty  acres  adjoining  his  first  farm.  He  proved  a 
very  successful  farmer  and,  with  true  German  thrift  and  frugality,  has  been 
enabled  to  pay  for  his  land  and  improve  it  in  a  way  which  has  greatly 
enhanced  its  value.  In  1913  he  sold  his  farm  at  a  good  jirice  and  retired 
to  Wall  Lake,  where  he  is  now  living  a  life  of  honorable  retirement,  sur- 
rounded by  the  comforts  and  conveniences  which  his  former  years  of  hard 
labor  have  secured  for  him. 

Mr.  Kastner  was  married  in  1870  to  Margaret  Nelson,  who  died  in 
1896,  and  to  this  marriage  were  bf>rn  eight  children,  all  of  whom  are  living: 
Mrs.  Mary  Henson,  who  lives  in  Holstein.  Iowa ;  Ferdinand,  of  Saskatche- 


SAC    COUNTY.    I'lWA. 


5^5 


wan,  L'auada;  .Mrs.  .Matilda  Peper,  uf  Wall  Lake  luwiiship,  this  ci.)ui.t\-; 
William,  also  of  Saskatchewan ;  Edward,  of  Saskatchewan ;  Airs.  .Martha 
Watts,  of  Holstein,  this  state;  Charles,  also  of  Holstein;  Mrs.  Margaret 
Schotte,  of  Holstein.  Mr.  Kastner  was  married  a  second  time  on  November 
20,  1901,  to  Minnie  (  Behrens)  Hausmann,  who  was  a  native  of  Germany, 
her  birth  having  occurred  in  that  country  on  September  26.  1852.  and  she 
came  to  .\nierica  when  she  was  twenty-six  years  of  age  in  1878,  leaving 
Germany  October  22d. 

Politically,  .Mr.  K;istner  is  a  Democrat,  Ijut  his  activities  have  Ijeen 
such  as  to  prevent  him  from  taking  an  active  part  in  the  game  of  politics. 
He  and  the  members  of  his  family  have  all  been  stanch  adherents  of  the 
German  Lutheran  church  and  have  rendered  it  loyal  service.  The  life  which 
Mr.  Kastner  has  led  in  this  county  has  been  characterized  bv  honestv  and 
sterling  integrity,  and  for  this  reason  he  holds  a  high  place  in  the  estimation 
of  his  friends  and  neighbors. 


JOHN    G.    WAGNER. 


Some  of  the  best  men  of  broad  and  stalwart  character  are  those  who 
are  self-educated  very  largely,  and  in  many  instances  a  large  part  of  their 
best  training  came  to  them  through  the  study  they  gave  to  the  biographies  of 
great  men.  The  study  of  the  lives  of  enterprising  men,  especially  of  good 
men,  are  surely  instructive,  acting  as  guides  and  incentive  to  others.  They 
furnish  examples  of  steady  purpose  and  steadfast  integrity  which  strongly 
illustrate  what  is  in  the  power  of  each  of  us  to  accomplish  if  we  will  but 
bend  e\ery  effort  of  our  will  to  the  attainment  of  some  worthy  aim.  The 
instances  of  success  in  the  face  of  difficulties  would  almost  seem  to  justify 
the  conclusion  that  self-reliance,  with  a  half  chance,  can  accomplish  any 
reasonable  object.  The  man  whose  life  histor\-  is  herewith  outlined  is  a  man 
who  has  liveil  to  good  purpose  and  achieved  splendid  success.  By  a  straight- 
forward and  honorable  course  he  has  won  for  himself  a  competence  an  1 
takes  his  place  among  the  enterprising  and  successful  men  of  Sac  county, 
Iowa,  who  have  met  success  in  the  vocation  of   farming  and  stock   raising. 

John  G.  Wagner,  a  farmer  of  Richland  township,  this  county,  where 
he  owns  three  hundred  and  seventy-five  acres  of  land,  is  a  native  of  Ger- 
many, born  July  23,  1867,  the  son  of  George  and  Elizabeth  \\''agner.  In 
1885  the  subject  and  his  si.ster,  Martha,  now  Mrs.   Langworth,  of  Chicago, 


526  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Jlliiii>i>.  left  their  lnnne  in  Germany  and  came  to  America,  believing  there 
were  broader  opportunities  for  them  in  this  country  than  in  their  native 
land.  The  father  came  to  this  country  and  to  Sac  county  in  about  1887 
and  still  lives  here,  the  mother  having  died  in  Germany.  When  the  subject 
first  came  to  this  ciiuntr\-  lie  located  in  Lee  county.  Illinois,  where  for  eight 
years  he  worked  at  farm  labor.  In  1893  he  came  to  Sac  county  and  for 
one  year  worked  for  C.  H.  Rinehart.  Then  he  rented  the  Helsell  farm, 
where  he  lived  for  sixteen  years.  During  this  time  he  was  prospering  in  a 
gratifying  manner  and  purchasing  land  in  various  places.  In  1909  he  sold 
eighty  acres  of  land  which  he  owned  in  this  county,  also  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  which  he  had  in  South  Dakota,  and  purchased  his  present  home 
comprising  three  hundred  and  seventy-five  acres  in  Richland  township.  This 
land  is  all  new,  in  an  excellent  state  of  cultivation  and  all  buildings  have 
been  erected  within  the  last  few  years.  The  dwelling  is  modern  and  com- 
modious, convenient  in  e\ery  sense  of  the  word  and  shelters  an  interesting 
family.  At  the  present  time.  Mr.  Wagner  has  thirty-five  head  of  cattle  and 
raises  for  the  market  about  sixt\'  head  of  hogs  annually.  The  raising  of 
stock  is  a  side  line  with  him,  as  he  devotes  most  of  his  attention  to  his 
crops,  in  which  he  is  highly  successful. 

Mr.  Wagner  was  married  on  June  18,  1896,  to  Mary  Weitzel  and  to 
their  uniim  have  been  born  nine  children:  Elma,  Esther,  Arthur,  Frances, 
Ralph.  Raymond.  .Mice,  Helen  and  Glenn.  These  young  people  are  being 
carefuU}'  reared  in  all  that  is  essential  to  noble  and  useful  manhood  and 
womanhood.  Thev  are  members  of  the  Reformed  church  and  in  politics  Mr. 
W^agner  is  a  Republican  nf  the  old  school.  He  is  a  man  of  excellent  quali- 
ties and  his  conduct  in  every  relation  of  life  has  been  above  reproach.  Such 
honest  and  industrious  lives  are  the  warp  and  woof  of  the  stability  of  a 
nation  and  in  their  increasing  numbers  its  hope  for  the  future  lies. 


FRANK  L.  DUNKIN. 


Man  really  has  but  three  wants  on  this  earth,  namely,  food,  clothing 
and.  shelter,  and  it  is  the  farmer  alone  who  is  able  to  supply  these  wants.  A 
total  cessation  of  the  agricultural  interests  of  the  United  States  for  one 
year  would  demoralize  the  whole  country  in  every  way,  so  dependent  is  the 
nation  u])iin  the  product  of  the  fariu.  There  can  be  no  question  but  that 
e\er\'  industry  is  dependent  more  or  less  upon  the  success  of  the  farmer,  and 
fur  this  reason  the  farmer  is  riglith-  the  bulwark  of  our  nation. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  527 

I'rank  L.  IJunkin,  of  Clintuii  tuwiiship.  Sac  county,  Iowa,  was  born  on 
Septeniher  17,  1859,  in  Clintun  county.  Iowa,  and  is  the  son  of  Oliver  Perry 
and  ;\lary  Jane  (Clark)  Dunkui.  Oliver  Perry  Dunkin  was  born  January 
21,  1826.  in  Brown  county,  Ohiii,  anil  died  July  2,  1907,  in  Sac  county, 
Iowa.  He  came  to  Pnva  while  it  was  yet  a  territory,  and  located  in  Jack- 
son C'.iunty.  near  Alaquoketa.  In  this  cnunty  he  was  married,  on  November 
12,  J854,  to  Mary  Jane  Clark,  who  was  born  March  23,  1830,  in  Newark, 
New  Jersey.  In  her  early  childhood,  the  Clark  family  removed  from  New 
Jersev  tn  New  York,  and  subsecjuentlv  to  Ohio.  From  Ohio  they  came  to 
Clinton  county.  luwa.  in  1853.  and  a  year  later  she  married  Mr.  Dunkin. 
She  was  a  lineal  descendant  of  Thomas  Clark,  who  came  to  this  country  in 
the  "Mayflower."  and  one  of  her  uncles,  Alvin  Clark,  has  the  honor  of  mak- 
ing the  great  telescopes  which  are  used  in  the  Lick  Observatory  in  California 
antl  the  Verkes  01)servatory  at  Lake  Geneva,  Wisconsin.  Mrs.  Dunkin  died 
Februarv  16.  1914.  Oliver  P.  Dunkin  and  wife  celebrated  their  golden 
wedding  annixersary  on  No\ember  12.  i<)04.  They  were  the  parents  of 
five  children:  Frank  L..  whose  history  forms  the  theme  of  this  narrative; 
i\Irs.  Sarah  Southwell,  of  McCook,  Xeljraska;  William  W..  of  Clinton 
count)-,  this  state:  George  S.,  of  Clinton  township.  Sac  county:  and  Fred, 
who  died  March  22.  1906. 

Frank  L.  Dunkin  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  Clinton  county,  Iowa, 
and  also  attended  school  after  coming  to  this  county.  He  was  sixteen  years 
of  age  when  his  parents  came  from  Clinton  county  to  Sac  county  and  settled 
in  Clinton  township.  He  assisted  his  father  on  the  home  farm  of  three 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  until  his  marriage,  his  father  giving  him  eighty 
acres  of  the  old  home  place  when  he  reached  his  majority.  On  this  farm  he 
has  built  a  fine  home  and  other  buildings  and  has  improved  the  farm  in 
various  ways. 

Mr.  Dunkin  was  married  April  3,  1889,  to  Magdalina  Angel,  who  was 
born  September  5.  1865,  in  Germany,  and  came  to  America  when  she  was 
two  years  of  age.  She  was  the  stepdaughter  of  Conrad  Meyer,  an  old  resi- 
dent of  Odebolt.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dunkin  were  born  five  children:  Rose 
M.,  born  March  14,  1890:  .\nna  A.,  born  September  3,  1891 :  Ida  M.,  born 
December  9,  1894:  Katharine  S.,  born  September  i.  1903:  Oliver  P.,  born 
January  3,  1906. 

Politically,  Mr,  Dunkin  is  allied  with  the  Republican  party  and  has 
taken  an  intelligent  interets  in  the  success  of  his  party  at  the  polls.  He  has  al- 
ways been  interested  in  the  educational  afifairs  of  the  township,  and  has  served 
as  school  director,  a  position  in  which  he  was  eminently  well  qualified  to 


528  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

serve.  He  is  a  charter  member  of  tlie  Lake  View  ludge  of  Odd  Fellows,  and 
has  taken  a  deep  interest  in  the  affairs  of  this  fraternal  organization.  Mr. 
Dunkin  has  a  host  of  friends  in  his  community  and  owing  to  his  honesty 
in  business  and  his  upright  social  and  private  life,  he  is  much  admired  by  all 
who  know  hiiu  for  his  wholesome  living,  as  well  as  for  his  interests  in  the 
various  public  enterprises. 


EDWIN  M.  YOUNG. 


The  science  of  agriculture — for  it  is  a  science  as  well  as  an  art — finds 
an  able  demonstrator  as  well  as  successful  practitioner  in  the  ])erson  of  lulw  in 
M.  Young,  who  is  widely  known  in  Sac  county,  maintaining  a  very  producti\e 
and  desirable  farm  in  Cedar  township.  He  comes  of  a  very  highly  honored 
family  of  Ohio,  members  of  which  came  to  this  county  a  third  of  a  century 
ago,  and  became  substantial  citizens  ot  the  state. 

Edwin  M.  Young,  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Cedar  township,  in  this  countv. 
was  born  March  13,  1870,  in  Nelsonville,  .\thens  county,  Ohio.  His  parents 
were  McKindree  and  Susan  (Shefifield)  Young,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  Athens  county,  Ohio.  The  ^%:>ung  famil\'  came  to  Sac  count}-,  Iowa,  in 
1883,  leaving  their  native  state  on  March  13,  the  birthday  of  Edwin  M.,  whose 
history  is  herein  recorded.  The  Young  family  first  settled  in  Jackson  town- 
ship, but  later  made  their  permanent  residence  in  Cedar  township,  where  Mc- 
Kindree Young  died  January  15,  191 1,  at  the  age  of  seventy -three.  His  wife 
died  March  17,  1892.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McKindree  Young  were  the  i)arents  of 
four  children:  Mrs.  Jane  Martin,  of  Seattle,  Washington:  i\lrs.  Huldah  A. 
Baier,  of  Seattle,  Washington:  lulw  ni  M.,  and  one  who  died  in  infancy. 

Edwin  M.  \  oung  was  educated  in  tlie  schools  of  his  lionie  ci:)unt\'  in 
Ohio  and  also  attended  the  schools  in  S;ic  county,  after  his  parents  moved  to 
this  state.  U])on  his  mother's  <lcatli,  in  iXc^j.  l-,e  married  and  went  to  work 
on  the  home  farm  and  has  ci)ntinnc<l  to  r(;sidc  there  until  the  ])rosent  time. 
He  became  the  sole  owner  of  the  farm  in  the  fall  of  1905.  and  since  then 
has  im]3roved  the  farm  in  many  v\a}-s,  and  has  brought  it  to  a  st;Ue  of  ])vo- 
ducti\ity  where  it  ranks  with  any  in  his  tov\^nship.  In  11,113  '^^  l''''^''  thirty 
acres  of  corn  which  would  average  sixty  bushels  to  the  acre,  a  yield  whicli 
is  very  satisfactory  for  this  part  ot  the  state.  In  a(l(htion  to  bis  general 
farming,  b.e  also  raises  considerable  li\'e  stock  :uid  thus  adds  a  conifortahle 
sum  to  his  annual  income  from  the  farm. 

Mr.   Young  was  married  April    to,    1892,  to    Minnie    IX    \\'liitne\-.   the 


MR.  AND   MRS.   EDWIN   M.  YOUNG 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  529 

clauiilittT  of  Oscar  1*".  and  Martha  E.  Whitney,  old  settlers  of  Sac  county. 
To  this  marriage  liav^e  been  born  seven  children,  four  of  whom  are  living. 
The  children,  in  the  order  o(  their  birth,  are  as  follows:  An  infant,  born 
January  3,  1895,  who  lived  ten  days;  Cecil  L,  born  June  7,  1897;  Agnes 
Maggie,  born  July  30.  1899;  Lillian  Fern,  born  October  31,  1902;  Edwin 
Bigelow,  born  -March  Ji.  1907.  and  Earl  and  Irma.  twins,  born  Januarv  6, 
1 9 10,  deceased. 

Mr.  Young  is  a  Progressive  in  politics  and  takes  an  active  interest  in 
the  principles  of  the  new  party.  He  attends  the  Baptist  cliurch  witli  his 
family  and  takes  an  earnest  interest  in  the  various  organizations  of  the 
church.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows, Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Daughters  of  Rebekah.  Mr.  Young  is  a 
man  of  pleasing  a]ipearanct  and  has  a  host  of  friends  throughout  the  ccjni- 
nninitv  wlm  ailnure  Ju'ni  for  his  many  good  qualities. 


MARTIN    A.    MESSER. 


One  of  the  liest  known  and  enterprising  of  the  younger  generation  of 
agriculturists  of  Sac  county  is  Martin  A.  Messer,  now  in  the  very  prime  of 
life  and  usefulness,  and  his  influence  as  an  honorable,  upright  citizen  is 
productive  of  much  good  upon  all  with  w  hom  he  comes  in  contact.  His  past 
success  gives  assurance  of  something  yet  to  come,  and  he  is  evidently  des- 
tined to  continue  a  potent  factor  for  substantial  good  for  many  years  to 
come.  He  is  the  owner  of  fine  farming  lands  in  Sac  county,  which  he  con- 
ducts in  a  manner  that  stamps  him  as  fully  abreast  of  the  times. 

Martin  A.  Messer.  the  owner  of  a  fine  section  of  land  in  Richland 
township.  Sac  county,  Iowa,  was  born  January  24.  1880,  in  Benton  countv, 
this  state,  the  son  of  Adam  and  Emma  (Gresie)  Messer.  who  were  both 
natives  of  Germany,  who  first  settled  in  Illinois  upon  coming  to  this  country. 
Adam  Messer  was  a  carpenter  and  followed  that  trade  in  Illinois  for  some 
years.  He  then  came  to  Benton  county,  Iowa,  where  he  purchased  eighty 
acres  of  land  and  in  that  county  met  his  wife,  Emma  Gresie.  In  1881  Adam 
Messer  sold  his  land  in  Benton  countv  and  bought  one  hundred  and  sixtv 
acres  in  Richland  township.  Sac  county,  and  so  successful  was  he  in  his 
agricultural  operations  that  he  was  able  to  buy  additional  land  from  time 
to  time  until  he  is  now  the  owner  of  six  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  this 
township.     Mr.  and  Mrs.  Adam  Messer  are  the  parents  of  seven  children: 


53"  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Airs.  Kate  Hoefling.  a  resident  of  Richland  township,  this  county;  .Mrs. 
Minnie  Sudegar,  of  Lyon  county,  Iowa ;  Harry,  of  Correctionville.  this  state  ; 
Charles,  a  resident  of  Jackson  county,  Minnesota ;  Pearl,  of  Colorado 
Springs,  Colorado:   Mrs.    Edna  Konradi  and  Martin  A. 

Martin  A.  Alesser  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  of  Richland  town- 
ship, where  his  parents  moved  when  he  was  about  one  year  old.  When  he 
was  twenty  years  of  age  he  went  to  Brookings  county.  South  Dakota,  and 
operated  his  father's  farm  in  that  state  for  five  years.  He  then  returned 
home  and  worked  out  for  three  years,  moving  on  to  his  present  farm  March 
I,  1913.  He  is  now  operating  a  farm  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres,  which 
is  well  improved  in  every  way  and  one  of  the  most  productive  farms  of  the 
township.  His  annual  income  from  the  farm  is  divided  between  his  grain 
and  stcick  interests.  In  IQI^  he  raised  on  his  farm  twentv-eight  head  of 
cattle.  f(irty-six  head  of  hogs  and  ten  head  of  horses. 

Mr.  Messer  was  first  married  September  13,  1903,  to  Minnie  Stanley, 
and  to  this  marriage  were  born  three  children.  Pearl,  Iva  and  Ruby.  Mr. 
Messer's  second  marriage  occurred  Januar\-  22.  1913.  his  wife  being  Ruth 
Mead,  the  daughter  of  Hugh  H.  Mead. 

Politically,  Mr.  Messer  is  affiliated  with  the  Democratic  party,  but  has 
never  yet  been  an  aspirant  for  any^  political  office.  Religiously,  his  faith  is 
that  of  the  Presl)yterian  church,  to  which  he  and  his  wife  both  belong.  Mr. 
Messer  is  a  young  farmer  and  has  a  long  and  prosperous  career  before  him. 
With  the  start  which  he  has  already  made,  it  is  safe  to  predict  that  in  the 
years  to  come  he  w  ill  be  one  of  the  most  substantial  farmers  of  the  county. 


TAMES  D.  ROBINSON. 


.\mong  the  enterprising  and  progressive  citizens  of  Sac  county,  Iowa, 
none  stands  higher  in  the  esteem  of  his  fellow  citizens  than  the  gentleman 
w'hose  career  is  delineated  in  this  sketch.  He  has  long  been  actively  engaged 
in  agricultural  pursuits  in  this  county  and  the  years  of  his  residence  here 
have  but  served  to  strengthen  the  feeling  of  admiration  on  the  part  of  his 
fellow  men  owing  to  the  hon<irable  life  he  has  led  and  the  worthy  example 
he  has  set  the  younger  generation.  consef|uentlv  the  publishers  of  this  bio- 
graphical compendium  are  glad  to  give  such  a  worthy  character  representa- 
tion in  this  work. 

James  D.   Robinson,  one  of  the  largest  landowners  of  Sac  county,  Iowa, 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  53I 

and  now  a  retired  resident  of  Schaller,  was  born  November  17,  1858,  in 
W'innna  county,  Minnesota.  His  parents  were  James  and  Elizabeth  (Braith- 
w aite )  R()ljiiiS(jn,  who  came  from  New  York  state  to  Winona  county,  Alin- 
nesota,  in  1856.  They  were  among  the  first  pioneers  of  that  county  and  grew 
to  a  position  of  influence  and  prominence  in  that  county.  Mr.  Robinson,  Sr., 
died  in  1899,  and  was  one  of  the  large  landowners  of  his  section  of  the  state. 

James  D.  Robinson  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  Winona  county,  Min- 
nesota, and  \\< irked  on  the  home  farm  until  he  was  twenty-two  years  of  age. 
In  1880  he  came  to  Sac  county,  this  state,  and  located  on  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  land  in  Cook  township,  and  here  he  remained  until  1905.  Be- 
ing a  man  of  keen  business  ability,  as  well  as  more  than  ordinary  agricultural 
capacity,  he  liegan  buying, and  selling  land  shortly  after  coming  to  this  county, 
and  has  continued  to  deal  largely  in  land  up  to  the  present  time.  He  left  his 
farm  and  moved  to  Schaller  in  1905,  and  is  still  making  large  deals  in  land 
in  this  count\"  and  also  in  other  states.  He  is  now  the  owner  of  more  than 
one  thousand  acres  of  land  in  Sac  county  alone,  besides  two  hundred  and 
forty  acres  in  Minnesota,  and  one  hundred  and  sixty  in  Nebraska. 

Mr.  Robinson  was  married  first  in  1880  to  Isabella  French,  who  died  in 
1891,  leaving  him  three  children,  Mrs.  lunma  Belle  Hixon,  of  Nebraska; 
Gilman  D'Loss,  of  Cook  township,  this  county,  and  Guy  D.,  of  Eureka  town- 
ship. Mr.  Robinson  was  married  a  second  time  on  November  i,  1898,  to 
Mrs.  Mary  (  Bailey)  Nelson,  the  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  I.  S.  Bailey,  old 
residents  of  Cook  township.  Mrs.  Robinson  was  born  in  Moretown,  \'er- 
mont,  and  came  west  with  her  parents  to  this  state  when  she  was  three  years 
of  age,  settling  in  Grinnell,  Iowa,  and  seven  years  later  located  in  Cook  town- 
shipship,  this  county.  Her  mother,  Lucy  (Patrell)  Bailey,  was  a  native  of 
\'ermont  and  died  in  this  state  in  1905.  her  father  dying  in  1900.  Mrs.  Rob- 
inson had  one  child  by  her  first  marriage,  \'ivian  Nelson,  who  is  still  at  home. 
To  Mr.  Robinson"s  second  marriage  have  been  born  six  children :  Leslie  M., 
born  October  19,  1899:  Marshall,  born  August  13,  1903:  Luella,  born  July 
21,  1903;  James,  Ijorn  February  4,  191 1  ;  Elizabeth,  bom  March  7,  1912,  and 
Woodrow,  born  .-Vugust  25,  19 13. 

The  political  afiiliations  of  Mr.  Robinson  have  always  been  with  the 
Democratic  ])arty.  and  as  the  candidate  of  his  party  he  has  been  elected  as- 
sessor and  trustee  of  Cook  township,  this  county,  positions  which  he  filled  to 
the  entire  satisfaction  of  his  fellow  citizens.  Mrs.  Robinson  is  a  faithful 
and  earnest  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  while  Mr.  Robinson 
does  not  actively  identify  himself  with  any  one  church,  yet  he  believes  in  the 
great  value  of  church  work  and   subscribes  liberallv  to  all  churches   in  his 


532  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

coniniunitv.  Mr.  Robinsun  has  been  a  man  of  many  interests  since  locating 
in  this  county,  and  yet  he  has  never  lost  sight  of  his  dut)-  to  the  body  politic 
and  has  never  refused  to  bear  his  share  of  the  burden  in  the  \arious  public 
enterprises  which  engage  the  attention  of  his  township.  He  is  one  of  the 
representative  men  of  his  county  and  his  career  makes  him  eminently  worthy 
of  a  place  in  this  volume. 


AUGUST    E.    DANNENBERG. 

The  history  of  a  county  is  the  history  which  deals  with  the  lives  antl 
activities  of  its  people,  especially  of  those  who  contribute  to  the  advance- 
ment of  their  respective  communities.  There  are  always  men  in  every 
community  who  are  leaders  in  their  profession.  They  are  the  men  who 
make  the  real  history  of  the  county.  Practically  all  of  Sac  county  history 
has  been  made  within  the  past  forty  years,  and  it  is  the  purpose  of  this 
volume  to  set  forth  what  this  county  has  accomplished  within  this  period  of 
two  score  years.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  no  other  citizens  of  the  county  have 
done  more  for  the  material,  moral  and  intellectual  advancement  of  the  county 
than  have  the  Germans  who  have  chosen  this  county  for  their  home. 

August  E.  Dannenberg,  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Richland  township,  in 
this  county,  was  born  July  lO,  1878,  in  the  township  where  he  has  spent  his 
whole  life.  He  is  the  son  of  August  and  Katharine  {  Buehler)  Dannenberg, 
natives  of  Germany. 

August  Dannenberg  was  born  in  Germany  in  Januar\-,  1841,  and  came 
to  .-\merica  when  twenty-seven  years  of  age.  He  first  settled  in  Lake  count\ , 
Indiana,  and  later  came  to  Sac  county  and  purchased  land  in  Richland 
township  in  1874.  Starting  in  life  with  practically  nothing,  he  has  become 
one  of  the  largest  land  owners  in  the  county,  now  owning  four  hundred 
acres  in  Richland  townshij)  and  two  hundred  and  twenty-one  acres  in  Clinton 
township.  :\  few  years  ago  he  and  his  wife  retired  to  Odebolt  where  they 
are  now  living.  They  are  the  parents  of  six  children:  Mrs.  Sophie  Meader, 
of  Des  Moines;  August  E.,  whose  history  is  presented  in  this  connection; 
Mrs.  Marv  Buehler,  of  Richland  township;  Mrs.  Rosina  Stanzel,  the  wife  of 
H.  R.  Stanzel,  of  Odel)olt:  Ered,  a  traveling  salesman,  of  Chicago,  and 
Edward,  \\!i((  is  farming  on  the  nld  hciuie   farm  in  Richland  township. 

.August  E..  Dannenberg  was  educated  in  the  district  school  of  his  Imnie 
neighborhodd,  which  has  the  classical  name  of  "W^illow  Tree  College."     .\t 


SAC    COUNTYj    IOWA.  533 

the  age  of  twenty-five  he  began  farming  for  himself  on  his  father's  farm 
and  remained  there  for  six  years.  In  1909  he  bought  one  hundred  and 
fifteen  acres  at  one  hundred  and  twenty-seven  and  a  half  dollars  an  acre. 
In  the  fall  of  191 3  he  sold  forty  acres  of  his  farm  for  one  hundred  and 
sixty-six  dollars  an  acre.  He  raises  a  number  of  horses  annually  for  the 
market  and  has  been  successful  along  this  line.  In  19 13  he  had  twenty-one 
acres  of  popcorn  «hich  yielded  fifty-five  thousand  pounds.  His  farm  is 
very  productive  and  he  raises  other  crops  in  proportion. 

Air.  Dannenl)erg  was  married  January  27,  1909,  to  Matilda  Frevort, 
the  daughter  of  Air.  and  Mrs.  Henry  Frevort,  of  Odebolt.  To  this  marriage 
have  been  born  two  children,  Melvin,  born  January  4,  1910,  and  Lawrence, 
born  July  5,   191 1. 

The  Progressive  party  has  claimed  Mr.  Dannenberg's  support  since  its 
organization  in  the  simnmer  of  1912.  He  and  his  wife  are  zealous  members 
of  the  German  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  are  interested  in  the  various 
activities  of  that  denomination.  Mr.  Dannenberg  takes  a  considerable  in- 
terest in  the  public  affairs  of  his  community  and  personally  gives  his  earnest 
support  to  such  movements  as  he  feels  will  upbuild  his  community  and  ad- 
vance the  welfare  of  his  fellow  citizens. 


ROBERT  S.  ROBINSON. 

An  honored  and  substantial  citizen  whose  successful  career  designates 
in  a  positi\e  way  the  strength  of  a  strong  and  lo\al  nature  is  R.  S.  Robinson, 
of  Schaller,  Iowa.  To  him  is  accorded  unc|ualified  confidence  and  regard,  in- 
dicating popular  appreciation  of  his  worthy  life  and  worthy  deeds. 

Mr.  Robinson  was  born  in  the  state  of  New  York,  June  15,  1856,  the 
son  of  James  and  Elizabeth  (Braithwaite)  Robinson.  The  parents  removed 
to  \Vinona  county,  Minnesota,  when  R.  S.  was  an  infant,  and  there  the  father 
died  in  1808,  the  mother  now  residing  at  St.  Charles,  Minnesota.  They 
reared  eleven  children,  four  daughters  and  se\en  sons,  named  as  follows: 
John,  who  lives  in  Louisiana;  R.  S.,  the  immediate  subject  of  this  sketch; 
J.  D.,  of  Schaller,  Iowa;  Eli  died  at  the  age  of  five  years;  S.  H.,  of  Idaho; 
George,  who  lives  near  Minot,  North  Dakota ;  Mrs.  Margaret  .\nn  Rahmich, 
of  .South  Dakota;  Emma,  who  is  deceased;  Charlotte  lives  in  Minnesota; 
Mrs.  Pet  Henry,  of  Winona,  Minnesota. 

R.  S.  Robinson  came  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  in  1878.     His  father  had  [nir- 


534  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

chased  in  1876  six  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land  in  Cook  township,  and 
R.  S.  farmed  and  operated  this  land  for  a  period  of  nineteen  years.  In 
1897  'i^  removed  to  Sac  City  and  resided  there  for  two  years.  He  then  re- 
nK)\ed  to  Nebraska,  where  he  resided  for  two  years  on  a  farm  that  he  had 
purciiasecl.  In  1901  he  came  to  Schaller  and  has  made  his  permanent  home 
here  since.  He  has  been  very  successful  in  his  business  affairs,  and  is  the 
owner  of  seven  hundred  acres  of  valuable  and  productive  land  in  Sac  and 
Cherokee  counties.  His  large  material  success  has  been  gained  through  his 
own  good  judgment  and  able  management. 

Mr.  Robinson  was  married  in  1878  to  Hattie  E.  Whitney,  of  Minnesota, 
who  is  a  native  of  New  York  state.  Three  children  have  been  born  of  this 
marriage:  James  H.  Robinson  was  killed  l)y  lightning  in  Nebraska  in  1901, 
at  the  age  of  twentv-one  years.  Mrs.  .\nnie  E.  Currie  lives  in  Eureka  town- 
.sliip,  .Sac  Cduntv.  Opal  W.  is  still  a  member  of  the  home  circle,  and  is  now 
attending  Rockford  Academy,  at  Rockford,  Illinois. 

Politically.  Mr.  Robinson  is  a  stanch  and  progressive  Democrat,  giving 
his  unwavering  support  to  the  administrative  policies  of  President  Wilson. 
Fraternallw  he  holds  membershi]>  with  the  Masons.  He  is  a  progressive, 
wide-awake  citizen  of  the  citmmunit}',  who  willingly  aids  ever}-  cause  for  the 
moral  and  material  advancement  of  the  locality.  He  is  a  man  whose  years  of 
straightforward  and  honest  dealing  have  gained  for  him  the  regard  of  his 
neighbors  and  made  him  a  man  of  distinct  influence  in  the  town  and  county 
honored  b\'  his  residence. 


.\RTHUR  H.   MONTGOMERY. 

Diligence  in  every  effort;  faithfulness  in  the  discharge  of  puljlic  duties; 
l)ra\ery  and  patriotism  displayed  in  the  service  on  the  battlefields  of  the  na- 
tion— these  elements  make  for  a  combination  of  true  .Vmerican  citizenshi]) 
which  can  not  be  excelled.  There  are  no  more  striking  nor  more  venerable 
figures  in  the  different  communities  of  today  than  the  retired  Civil  War  vet- 
erans. The  nation  and  posterity  owe  these  noble  heroes  a  delit  which  can 
never  be  fully  ])aid.  W'e  can  only  seek  to  do  them  honor  while  they  are  yet 
among  us.  The  sur\ivors  of  this  glorious  race  of  fighting  men  who  are  with 
us  yet  are  com])ose<]  of  the  strongest  and  sturdiest  f»f  the  \ast  armies  which 
saved  the  Union  from  destruction.  Man\-  of  them  h;i\e  won  renown  in  civic 
life  in  addition  to  the  eniolument>  which  ;ire  theirs  1)\-  right  of  fearless  facing 
of  death  and  injury  on  the  battlefields.  Of  this  class  is  Lieut,  .\rthur  H. 
Montgomery,  of  Schaller,  a  native  of  the  state  of  New  York  and  an  early 
settler  of  tin-  town  in  which  he  resides. 


SAC    COUNTY,     roVVA,  3:55 

Mr.  Montgomery  was  burn  January  8.  1842.  in  St.  Lawrence  county, 
New  York,  and  i.s  the  son  of  Hugh  and  Elizabeth  (Elliot)  Montgomery,  na- 
tives of  Scotland  and  North  Ireland  respectively.  The  mother  was  born  and 
partly  reared  in  North  Ireland,  the  tlaughter  oi  Scotch  parents  who  first 
emigrated  to  Ireland  and  thence  to  America  when  she  was  a  young  lad\'  in  her 
teens.  Hugh  Montgomery  was  Ixirn  in  1800,  came  to  -\merica  and  settled  in 
New  York  state  in  1822.  He  was  a  man  noted  for  his  educational  attain- 
ments, having  been  educated  for  the  practice  of  law.  .\fter  settling  in  St. 
Lawrence  county.  New  York,  he  followed  the  profession  of  teaching  for  a 
number  of  years,  dying. in  1858.  His  death  orphaned  three  children:  Ar- 
thur H. ;  ElHott,  a  resident  of  Canada  :  Mrs.  Isabella  Briggs,  deceased. 

Arthur  H.  received  his  education  in  the  common  schools  of  hi^  native 
village,  and  when  yet  a  youth  of  twenty  he  hearkened  to  the  call  of  President 
Lincoln  for  troops  to  serve  in  defense  of  the  Union.  He  enlisted  July  25, 
1862,  in  Company  A.  One  Hundrefl  and  Forty-Second  X'olunteer  Infantry 
Regiment  of  New  Y(5rk.  He  served  until  June  7.  1865.  in  the  department 
of  Virginia.  He  particijiated  in  ni;in\  hard-fought  engagements  and  was 
se\-eral  times  wounded  in  hand-to-hand  conflicts.  The  principal  battles  in 
which  this  brave  soldier  was  engaged  were:  Suffolk,  N'irginia;  West  Point, 
Virginia;  Morris  Island,  South  Carolina:  Drury's  liluft",  N'irginia.  He  was 
wounded  three  times  during  the  battle  of  Drury's  Bluff',  in  the  left  arm,  left 
shoulder  and  in  the  left  side,  and  was  incapacitated  for  some  time  after  the 
battle.  He  was  forced  to  lie  in  the  hosjjital  until  the  latter  jjart  of  Septem- 
ber, 1864.  He  received  a  saber  wound  in  the  left  hand  at  the  battle  of  Suf- 
folk. Other  battles  in  which  he  took  an  active  part  were  Chapin's  Farm, 
fought  September  29,  1864,  in  which  he  was  under  fire  continuously  during 
the  engagement,  until  October  27,  1864,  when  the  second  battle  of  Chapin's 
Farm  was  fought.  He  continued  in  service  with  the  .\rniy  of  the  James  until 
December,  1864,  when  he  was  sent  to  make  an  attack  upon  b'ort  Fisher, 
North  Carolina,  December  25,  1864.  He  also  ])articipated  in  the  second  at- 
tack and  subsequent  capture  of  Fort  b'isher,  January  16,  1865.  He  fought 
in  the  battle  of  Bentonville,  North  Carolina,  in  March,  1865.  He  was  hon- 
orably discharged  at  Raleigh,  North  Carolina,  June  7,  1865.  Mr.  Mont- 
gomery first  enlisted  as  a  private  in  the  ranks :  was  soon  promoted  to  a  ser- 
geantcy,  then  was  made  first  sergeant  of  his  company  and  was  commissioned 
first  lieutenant  by  Gov.  R.  E.  b>nton  of  New  York,  February  17,  1865,  as  a 
fitting  reward  for  exceptional  l)ra\ery  and  faithfulness  in  the  discharge  of 
his  soldier's  duties.  After  the  war  he  fanned  in  St.  Lawrence  county  until 
1881,  and  then  came  to  Sac  county  in  Decemlier  of  that  \ear  and  settled  in 
Eureka  township.     His  occtipation  was  primarilv  that  of  mechanic  and  ar- 


536  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

tisan.  with  especial  skill  as  a  wagoinvright.  He  saw  an  opportunity  to  exer- 
cise his  skill  in  this  avocation  and  established  a  wagon  repair  and  manufac- 
turing shop  in  Schaller,  operating  the  same  until  1896.  It  was  only  natural 
that  the  people  should  recognize  his  attainments  in  an  exceptional  manner, 
and  in  1896  he  was  elected  to  the  office  of  auditor  of  Sac  county.  He  was 
again  elected  two  years  later  and  served  in  all  four  years.  .\t  the  close  of 
his  term  of  office  he  returneil  to  his  home  in  Schaller,  where  he  has  lived  a 
retired  life,  though  frequently  being  called  upon  to  serve  the  people  of  the 
community  in  \-arious  capacities,  among  them  being  the  sui)erintendency  of 
the  installation  of  the  water  works  and  sewerage  systems  in  the  city. 

Mr.  Montgomery  has  always  been  allied  with  the  Re]3ublican  partv  and 
has  filled  several  ci\  ic  offices  in  the  town.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
church,  and  is  fraternall\-  associated  with  the  .Ancient  Order  of  United 
Workmen,  the  Grand  Army  of  the  l\(.'])ul)lic  (Trice  I'ost ) ,  and  the  .\ncient 
Free  and  Accepted  Masons. 

Mr.  Montgomery's  first  marriage  occurred  b'el)ruar\-  11,  1869,  to  Jen- 
nie E.  Hall,  of  Li.sbon,  New  York,  and  who  was  his  faithful  wife  until  death 
intervened  in  1886,  leaving  two  children  motherless,  Mrs.  Laura  E.  Jones, 
of  Sioux  City,  and  Richard  L.,  who  died  in  1888.  His  .second  marriage 
was  with  Mattie  C.  Craven,  of  Des  Moines,  in  1892.  Mrs.  Montgomery  is  a 
native  of  biwa.  born  at  What  Cheer,  the  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Lydia 
Ideming  Craven,  natives  of  Maryland  and  Virginia  respectively.  Samuel 
Craven  died  in  .\dams  county.  The  mother  and  daughter  came  to  Sac  county, 
where  Mrs.  Montgomery  taught  school  in  Sac  City  from  1887  to  1891.  She 
is  well  educated  and  a  cultured  and  refined  woman  and  a  fitting  companion 
for  many  of  Mr.  Montgomery's  attaiiunents  and  is  greatlv  interested  in 
church  w(irk. 


fOHX  (;.  BRILL. 


Possessing  a  genius  for  execution  and  management,  |ohn  (1.  Brill,  of 
Cedar  township,  has  proven  himself  to  be  one  of  the  ablest  agriculturists  of 
Sac  county,  having  that  quality  of  personality  which,  accompanied  by  unflag- 
ging determination,  is  bound  to  win.  no  matter  what  the  environment  of  cir- 
cumstances. That  he  is  a  man  of  sterling  characteristics  is  shown  bv  the  fact 
that  he  came  to  a  strange  countr\-,  of  strange  customs,  language  and  institu- 
tions and,  starting  with  no  capital  and  without  the  influence  of  friends, 
climlied  to  a  cotnmanding  eminence  among  bis  fellows,  winning  not  onl\-  ma- 
terial success  but  also  the  esteem  of  all  who  ha\'e  known  him. 


JOHN  G.   BRILL  AND   FAMILY 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  537 

John  G.  Brill,  one  of  the  most  popular  and  substantial  farmers  of  Cedar 
township,  Sac  county,  Iowa,  was  born  in  Germany  July  4,  1856.  and  is  the 
son  of  John  G.  and  Fredericka  Bertha  Brill.  The  family  came  over  to 
America  in  1874.  and  first  settled  at  Streator.  Illinois,  but  a  few  years  later 
located  on  a  farm  eight  miles  south  of  Streator.  near  Cornell,  in  Reading 
township,  Li\ingston  county,  where  the  father  bought  a  farm,  which  is  now- 
owned  by  his  son,  August,  a  resident  of  Streator.  John  G.,  Sr..  died  in  1904, 
and  his  widow  is  still  living.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  G.  Brill,  Sr.,  were  the  parents 
of  a  large  family:  Caroline,  deceased  in  October,  1890;  Augusta  died  in 
T912  in  Germany:  William  now  lives  near  Streator,  Illinois:  Mrs.  Minnie 
Keppleman.  of  South  Dakota :  John  G. :  Mrs.  Paulina  Riss,  who  lives  near 
Streator,  Illinois;  Airs  F.rnestina  Wheeler,  of  .'\ncona,  Illinois:  Bertha,  de- 
ceased: August,  a  farmer  of  Streator,  lUiriois :  Mrs.  Louise  Bciddige,  fnr- 
nierh-  of  LaGrange,  Illinois,  now  of    Oregon. 

John  G.  Brill  was  educated  in  Germany  and  li\ed  on  a  farm  in  his  native 
land  before  coming  to  this  country.  After  coming  to  Illinois  with  his  parents, 
he  began  to  work  on  a  farm,  and  since  1883  has  been  farming  on  his  own 
account.  In  1887  he  bought  a  farm  in  Illinois,  near  Karlville,  LaSalle  county, 
which  he  sold  in  iS8():  then  bought  another,  sold  it,  and  came  to  Sac  county 
and  located  in  Cedar  township  in  !March,  1901,  and  purchased  his  present 
farm  for  fifty  dollars  an  acre,  although  at  that  time  there  was  nothing  on  it 
but  an  old  house.  Since  taking  charge  of  the  farm  in  this  county,  he  has 
spent  over  sixteen  thousand  dollars  for  buildings,  drainage  and  various  other 
improvements.  The  barn  cost  twenty-eight  hundred  dollars,  the  house  four 
thousand,  while  his  drainage  alone  amounted  to  over  five  thousand  dollars. 
.\  modern,  up-to-date  corn  crib  which  he  constructed  cost  him  six  hundred 
dollars,  while  his  fencing  and  windmills,  of  which  he  has  two,  brings  the 
total  up  to  over  sixteen  thousand  dollars.  His  farm  of  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  is  all  of  fine,  rich  soil.  In  19 13  he  had  out  one  hundred  and  ten 
acres  of  corn  and  the  rest  of  his  farm  in  various  other  crops  with  the  excep- 
tion of  fortv  acres,  which  he  rented  out.  He  had  fifteen  horses,  fifteen  cattle 
and  other  live  stock  in  proportion.  In  1912  he  lost  one  hundred  and  forty 
head  of  hogs  of  cholera. 

Mr.  Brill  has  been  twice  married,  his  first  marriage  in  1883  being  t(5  FJiza 
Klein,  who  died  in  1884.  There  were  no  children  by  this  first  marriage. 
March  lO,  1886,  .Mr.  I'rill  was  married  to  Lena  Blecber,  a  native  of  Germany, 
born  January  6,  1867,  but  then  residing  in  Illinois.  She  was  the  daughter 
of  Daniel  and  Elizabeth  Blecher,  who  first  settled  in  Chicago  and  then  in 
Piano.  Illinois,  where  the  father  died  and  the  mother  resides  in  Chicago.     To 


538  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

this  second  marriage  of  Mr.  Brill  have  been  born  three  children :  Leopold, 
born  September  3,  1888;  Paul,  born  July  19.  1890.  and  Gertrude,  iiorn  March 
28,  1893. 

Mr.  Brill  i.s  a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  In  politics, 
he  is  independent,  preferring  to  cast  his  ballot  for  the  best  man,  irrespective  of 
what  his  politics  may  be.  Religiously,  he  and  wife  are  members  of  the 
German  Lutheran  church,  but  since  there  is  no  church  of  that  denomination 
in  their  vicinity,  they  attend  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  at  Sac  City,  oi 
which  the  sons  are  members.  Mr.  Brill  is  an  alert,  friendly  and  obliging  gen- 
tleman, who  makes  friends  easily,  and  altlKnigh  he  has  been  in  this  county  but 
a  comparatively  short  time,  yet  he  has  identified  himself  with  the  various  in- 
terests of  the  community  in  such  way  as  to  gain  a  large  circle  of  friends  and 
acquaintances. 


WILLL\M   J.  HOWARD, 

It  is  the  progressive,  wide-awake  man  of  affairs  that  makes  the  real  his- 
tory of  a  community,  and  his  influence  as  a  potential  factor  of  the  body  pol- 
itic is  difficult  to  properly  estimate.  The  example  which  such  men  furnish 
of  patient  and  forceful  purpose  and  steadfast  integrity  strongly  illustrate 
what  is  within  the  power  of  each  to  accomplish,  and  there  is  always  full 
measure  of  satisfaction  in  adverting  e\en  in  a  casual  wav  to  their  achieve- 
ments and  the  lending  of  their  influence  in  giving  strength  and  soliditv  to  the 
institutions  which  tell  so  much  for  the  jjrosperity  of  the  comnnuiitw  The 
well-known  business  man  of  whom  the  l)iogra])her  writes  in  this  connection 
has  achieved  distinctive  success  in  the  different  spheres  of  effort  to  which  his 
talents  have  been  devoted,  and  as  a  citizen,  interested  in  all  that  concerns  the 
advani'cnicnt  of  his  county  and  the  development  of  its  resources,  he  deserves 
a  deservedlv  consjjicuous  place  in  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  the  public. 
William  J.  Howard  is  a  native  of  Illinois,  born  .\]iril  23,  1858,  on  a  farm 
in  La  Salle  county.  His  parents  were  William  ;uid  Hannah  (  Dalev  )  How- 
ard, who  were  born,  reared  and  married  in  Ireland  and  emigrated  to  .America 
in  185 1,  settling  on  a  farm  in  La  Salle  county,  Illinois.  William  Howard 
died  in  the  month  of  September,  1858,  and  the  rearing  of  a  familv  of  four 
children  (le\dl\ed  n]>on  his  widow.  The  ciiildren  of  this  union  were:  lul- 
wanl,  who  was  killed  on  the  railroad  about  the  year  1877:  Mrs.  lames  W. 
Douglas,  of  .Schaller,  Iowa;  and  Mrs,  Mary  Knepper,  of  St.  Louis,  Missouri. 
Ihe  mother  was  married  the  .second  time  and  bore  five  children  whom  she 
reared. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  539 

W.  j.  Howard  attended  the  district  schools  in  the  neighborhood  in  which 
lie  was  reared  and  resided  in  La  Salle  county  until  he  was  twenty-three  years 
of  age.  In  1881  he  came  to  Sac  county,  equipped  only  with  a  strong  consti- 
tution and  an  ambition  to  succeed  and  prosper  with  the  country's  growth. 
He  located  on  a  farm  five  miles  southwest  of  the  town  of  Schaller,  in  Ida 
county,  on  which  he  resided  for  one  and  one-half  years.  He  them  came  to 
the  new  and  growing  town  of  Schaller  and  became  a  component  and  active 
part  of  its  citizenship.  He  learned  the  art  of  telegraphy,  but  conceived  a  dis- 
like to  this  occupation,  then  sought  and  obtained  employment  in  the  imple- 
ment concern  conducted  by  Searles  &  Bevelhymer.  Within  a  few  months 
after  entering  their  employ,  he  purchased  the  interest  of  Mr.  Searles,  and  one 
and  one-half  years  later  he  bought  out  Mr.  Bevelhymer,  thus  becoming  the 
sole  owner  of  what  he  has  since  developed  into  a  thriving  and  prosperous 
business.  He  has  Ijeen  continuously  engaged  in  the  hardware  and  implement 
business  in  Schaller,  with  the  exception  of  short  periods  when  he  disposed  of 
the  liusiness  to  others,  and  again  eventually  repurchasing  it.  The  mercantile 
establishment  of  Mr.  Howard  occupies  a  large  building,  tifty-six  by  eighty 
feet  in  dimension,  and  consisting  of  two  floors  on  the  main  street  of  the  city. 

Mr.  Howard's  activities  have  been  varied  and  of  a  very  useful  order 
during  his  residence  in  Schaller.  Besides  conducting  his  agricultural  im- 
plement establishment,  he  has  twice  been  engaged  in  the  hardware  business. 
He  was  one  of  the  original  promoters  of  the  Schaller  Savings  Bank  and 
owned  the  controlling  interest  for  some  years,  which  he  traded  eventually 
for  land.  Jn  the  fall  of  1898  he  assisted  in  the  reorganization  of  the  State 
Bank  of  Schaller,  of  which  concern  he  had  been  a  director  and  of  which  he 
has  served  as  president  since  1908.  He  alscj  assistetl  in  the  organization  of 
the  Schaller  Oi^era  House  Company,  which  erected  the  local  opera  house. 
This  was  a  \enture  which  has  resulted  in  supplying  the  citizens  with  a  place  of 
amusement,  but  has  resulted  in  practicallv  no  revenue  for  the  builders,  who 
were  actuated  liy  a  patriotic  desire  to  provide  such  a  place  for  the  l)enefit  of 
the  town  rather  than  as  a  speculative  undertaking.  He  was  also  one  of  the 
promoters  of  the  Schaller  Gas  Light  and  J^\iel  Company.  He  is  a  I^rogressive 
Republican,  with  advanced  ideas  along  the  lines  of  jiopular  government.  Mr. 
Howard  has  served  one  term  as  school  director  and  has  been  a  memlier  of 
the  city  council  for  a  long  period  of  sixteen  years.  He  is  keenly  interested 
in  the  development  and  growth  of  his  adopted  city  and  readily  lends  moral 
and  financial  support  to  every  undertaking  calculated  to  assist  in  making  the 
town  a  better  and  more  comfortable  place  of  abode  for  its  residents. 

Mr.    Howard    is   prominently    identified    with    several    leading    fraternal 


540  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

societies  and  ranks  high  in  the  councils  of  the  Free  and  Accepted  Masons, 
Odd  Fellows  and  the  Knights  of  Pythias.  He  is  a  member  of  the  local  blue 
lodge.  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  the  Knights  Templar  and  the 
Mvstic  Shriners  at  Des  Moines,  being  a  stockholder  in  the  handsome  Shriner 
building  in  Des  Moines.  Mr.  Howard  has  filled  all  the  official  chairs  in  the 
Knights  of  Pythias  lodge  and  is  a  member  of  the  state  grand  lodge  of  Pyth- 
ians.  as  well  as  being  like  connected  with  the  grand  lodge  of  Masons.  He  is 
also  a  member  of  the  grand  lodge  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  is  a  member  of  the 
Eastern  Star  auxiliary  of  the  Masonic  fraternity. 

During  his  entire  experience  Mr.  Howard  has  never  lost  sight  of  the 
possibilities  of  a  great  increase  in  land  values  in  this  section  of  the  country, 
and  is  the  owner  of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  lands  in  Ida  county; 
three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Yellow  Medicine  county,  Minnesota,  and 
seven  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Lyons  county,  Minnesota. 

Mr.  Howard  was  married  January  28,  1886,  to  Mattie  Hodges,  daugh- 
ter of  John  Hodges,  of  Jackson  county.  They  have  had  three  children  born 
to  them,  two  of  whom  are  living:  Mrs.  May  Skinner,  of  Schaller,  whose 
husband  conducts  a  hardware  store;  William,  deceased;  James  L.,  who  is  as- 
sociated with  his  father  in  the  implement  and  vehicle  business. 

It  is  with  gratification  in  the  performance  of  a  pleasant  task  that  the 
biographer  concludes  this  brief  testimonial  in  behalf  of  this  leading  citizen 
of  a  beautiful  and  growing  city,  and  acknowledges  the  fact  that  the  foregoing 
lines  fail  to  do  more  than  common  justice  to  the  excellent  and  manl\-  (|ualifi- 
cations  possessed  by  Mr.  Howard,  whose  career  and  sterling  attributes  entitle 
him  to  recognition  in  this  historv  of  Sac  countv. 


JOSEPH  H.  KING. 


The  student  interested  in  the  history  of  Sac  county  does  not  have  to  carry 
his  investigaticjns  far  into  its  annals  before  learning  that  Joseph  H.  King  has 
long  been  one  of  its  most  active  and  leading  citizens  in  its  agricultural  and 
stock-raising  interests  an<I  that  his  Ial)ors  ha\o  iieen  a  potent  force  in  mak- 
ing this  a  ricii  agricullural  regicjn.  tor  through  sexeral  decades  he  has  carried 
on  general  farming,  gradually  ini])roving  his  valuable  place,  and  while  he  has 
pros])erc-d  in  this  he  has  also  found  time  and  ami)le  opportunit\-  to  assist  in 
the  material  and  civic  development  of  the  county. 

Jose])h  M.  King.  Jr..  one  of  the  prosperous  farmers  in  Eureka  township. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  54I 

Sac  county,  Iowa,  was  born  December  ly,  i860,  in  Clayton  county,  Iowa, 
near  Garnavillo.  His  parents  were  Joseph  and  Rosanna  (Dolanj  King,  na- 
tives of  Ohio  and  Ireland  respectively.  Joseph  King,  Sr.,  was  one  of  the 
pioneer  settlers  of  Iowa,  coming  to  this  state  from  Ohio  in  1845  and  settling 
in  Clayton  county.  In  1883  the  King  family  left  Clayton  county  and  set- 
tled in  Sac  county,  where  they  bought  four  hundred  acres  in  Eureka  town- 
ship. Here  Joseph  King,  Sr.,  died  in  1895.  -^^  the  advanced  age  of  eightv- 
two.  His  wife  died  in  the  fall  of  1909  at  the  age  of  eighty-si.x.  Air.  and 
Mrs.  Joseph  King,  Sr.,  were  the  parents  of  six  children,  all  of  whom  are 
living:  John,  of  La\'erne,  Minnesota;  Charles  D.,  of  Eureka  township; 
Mrs.  John  Reininger,  of  Eureka  township;  Mrs.  John  Meier,  of  Eureka  town- 
ship; Mary,  of  Schaller.  and  Joseph  H.,  Jr. 

Joseph  H.  King,  Jr..  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  of  Clavton 
county  and  later  took  a  course  in  Briggs  .Academy  at  Garnavillo  and  a  course 
in  a  business  college.  He  completed  his  education  bv  attending  Crinnell  Col- 
lege for  a  time. 

The  whole  life  of  Mr.  King  has  been  spent  upon  the  farm  with  the  ex- 
ception of  about  a  year  when  he  was  in  the  welding  Ijusiness.  \\  hen  t\vent\-- 
four  years  of  age  he  began  to  farm  for  himself  on  a  farm  which  his  father 
purchased  for  him  at  a  cost  of  eight  dollars  an  acre.  Young  Joseph  worked 
three  years  for  his  father  in  order  to  pay  for  the  land.  After  locating  on  this 
farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  which  his  father  had  given  him,  he 
worked  hard  in  order  to  add  to  his  possessions  and  from  time  to  time  he  was 
able  to  make  a  substantial  addition  to  his  original  farm.  He  first  bought  out 
his  brnlher  on  the  east  side  uf  the  road  and  after  l)uying  this  eighty,  he  bought 
one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  William  Kelley.  Later  he  bought  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  acres  from  Mr.  Carey,  which  he  sold  in  i<>ii  for  one  hundred 
and  thirty  dollars  an  acre.  He  now  owns  three  hundred  and  sixtv  acres, 
which  he  has  brought  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  improved  in  such  a 
way  as  to  bring  it  up  to  a  high  state  of  pro(lucti\  ity.  In  the  summer  of  1913 
Mr.  King  erected  a  fine  modern  residence  at  the  cost  of  eight  thousand  dol- 
lars. This  beautiful  si.xteen-room  house  has  its  own  heating  and  water  plant 
and  is  as  near  modern  in  every  way  as  is  possible  for  a  house  to  be  built  in 
that  section  of  the  state.  Mr.  King,  in  191 3,  raised  one  hundred  cattle,  one 
hundred  hogs  and  other  stock,  realizing  a  verv  handsome  return  from  his 
sales  of  livestock. 

Mr.  King  was  married  in  1891  to  Matilda  M.  Meier,  the  daughter  of 
Charles  Meier  and  wife.  To  this  union  there  have  been  born  si.x  children: 
Margaret,  deceased ;  Josephine,    who   is   now  a   junior   in   Grinnell   College 


542  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

and  will  graduate  in  the  spring  of  1915;  Clarence,  aged  se\enteen,  who  grad- 
uated from  the  Schaller  high  school  in  June,  19 14:  Harry,  a  sophomore  in 
Schaller  high  school :  Lo\'al  a  freshman  in  Schaller  high  school,  and  Elinor, 
who  is  now  in  the  last  year  of  the  common  schools  at  Schaller.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Schaller  are  exceptionally  proud  of  their  children.  They  have  given 
them  every  educational  ad\-antage  with  the  hojic  that  they  may  hecome  useful 
members  of  society. 

Mr.  King  is  a  Progressive  in  politics,  because  he  believes  that  in  the 
principles  of  the  new  party  there  is  better  hope  for  the  future  of  the  country. 
Religiously,  he  and  all  of  his  family  are  loyal  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  and  render  it  zealous  support.  Mr.  King  has  spent  a  life  which  has 
been  worthy  in  every  respect.  He  is  a  man  who  has  thought  to  do  his  full 
duty  in  all  the  relations  of  life  and  has  performed  his  part  as  a  high-minded 
citizen  in  every  way  befitting  a  patriotic  citizen. 


ALEX.KXDER  HOVER. 


Among  the  self-made  men  of  Sac  county,  Iowa,  who  have  arrived  at 
their  present  state  of  prosperity  solely  through  the  work  of  their  own  hands, 
there  is  no  more  worthy  representative  than  Alexander  Hover,  of  Eden 
township.  Left  an  orphan  at  a  tender  age,  he  has  had  to  make  his  own  way 
all  his  life  and  for  this  reason  deserves  a  great  amount  of  credit  for  the 
life  he  has  lived. 

Alexander  Hover  was  born  in  New  "^'ork  city  on  April  11,  1851,  and 
his  father  died  when  he  was  five  years  of  age,  while  he  lost  his  mother  when 
he  was  only  a  babe  of  two  years,  so  that  when  a  very  young  lad  he  was  left 
without  parental  care.  Upon  the  death  of  his  father  he  was  placed  in  an 
orphans'  home  in  New  York  city  and  two  years  later  was  sent  to  Morrison, 
Illinois,  with  Rev.  J.  M.  Snyder,  a  Methodist  minister.  He  lived  with  Mr. 
Snyder  for  si.\  years,  and  during  this  time  was  given  a  good  common  school 
education  and  the  best  of  care.  When  seventeen  years  of  age  he  started 
out  to  work  for  himself,  working  by  the  day  on  farms.  When  twenty  years 
of  age  he  left  the  Snyder  home  and  went  to  Minnesota,  but  in  less  than  a 
year  he  left  Minnesota  and  went  to  Clayton  county,  Iowa,  where  he  lived 
with  C.  E.  Angier,  for  whom  he  worked  a  couple  of  years.  In  1873  Mr. 
Angier  came  to  Sac  county  and  Mr.  Hover  accompanied  him  and  worked 
for  him  after  he  arrived  here.     In  1875  he  worked  for  J.  H.  Angier,  and  in 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  543 

the  spring  of  1876  he  again  started  to  work  for  C.  E.  Angier,  with  whom  he 
remained  until  1879. 

Mr.  Hover  was  married  in  1880  and  moved  upon  his  present  farm  on 
April  14th  of  that  year.  He  was  married  to  .Amanda  \'an  Buskirk,  the 
daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Samuel  Van  Buskirk,  of  Cedar  county,  this  state, 
and  to  this  marriage  has  been  born  one  daughter,  Marion,  who  is  now  with 
her  parents. 

Mr.  Hover  bought  forty  acres  of  land  in  1876  at  si.x  dollars  and  sev- 
ent\-  cents  an  acre,  and  later  added  forty  acres,  for  which  he  paid  seven  dol- 
lars an  acre.  He  purchased  his  last  forty  acres  in  1893,  and  for  this  he  had 
to  j)a\'  lift}'  dollars  an  acre.  This  was  all  raw  prairie  land  in  the  beginning, 
and  Mr.  Hover  has  cultivated  and  improved  it  until  it  is  now  a  very  valuable 
farm.  He  has  set  out  many  trees  and  has  a  nice  grove  of  evergreens.  He 
has  a  fine  home,  which  was  remodeled  in  1904.  In  1901  he  built  a  large 
and  commodious  barn  and  from  time  to  time  has  added  good  corn  cribs  and 
other  outbuildings. 

Although  a  Republican  in  ]5olitics,  Mr.  Hover  has  never  actively  identi- 
fied himself  with  his  party.  Of  late  years  Mr.  Hover  has  retired  from  active 
farm  operations  and  rents  his  land.  Unlike  many  farmers,  he  prefers  to  live 
upon  his  farm,  although  he  has  retired  from  the  active  management  of  the 
land.  Mr.  Hover's  career  is  a  noteworthy  one,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  he 
started  out  penniless  and  has  attained  to  his  present  prosperity  solely  through 
his  own  efforts.  His  life  is  an  inspiration  to  the  young  men  of  the  coming 
generation  who  are  siniilarh-  placed  at  the  beginning  of  their  careers. 


WILLIAM  SEEK. 


A  native  of  Germany,  a  citizen  of  the  United  States  and  a  prosperous 
farmer  of  Sac  county,  Iowa,  is  William  Seek,  who  is  now  operating  a  three- 
hundred-and-ninety-seven-acre  farm  in  Eden  township,  as  well  as  perform- 
ing all  of  those  duties  which  characterize  the  citizens  of  this  great  common- 
wealth. He  is  one  of  the  hundreds  of  German  families  of  this  county  who 
have  attained  a  definite  degree  of  success  through  the  exercise  of  those  quali- 
ties of  uprightness  and  integrity  which  are  the  uniform  characteristics  of  the 
Germanic  peo]>le. 

William  Seek  was  born  May  16,  1845.  '"  Germany,  and  is  the  son  of 
Charles  and  Isabel   (Saur)   Seek.     His  mother  died  in  her  native  land  and 


544  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

he  came  to  this  country  in  1869,  and  his  father,  with  his  sister  EHzabeth, 
came  a  few  years  later  in  1872.  He  spent  some  months  in  the  state  of  New 
York  after  arriving  here  and  three  months  in  IlHnois,  arriving  in  Clayton 
county,  Iowa,  in  1870.  For  four  years  he  worked  as  a  farm  laborer  in  Clay- 
ton county,  and  in  1874  came  to  Eden  township,  Sac  county,  and  after  work- 
ing on  farms  in  this  township  for  two  years,  he  purchased  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  land  at  five  dollars  an  acre.  He  has  added  to  this  from  time 
to  time,  buying  eighty  acres  in  1888.  eight}-  acres  in  1898  and  eighty  acres  in 
1903.    He  now  has  his  farm  well  improved  and  has  t\\  o  sets  of  buildings  on  it. 

Mr.  Seek  was  married  in  1876  to  Margaret  Merkley,  a  native  of  Canada 
and  the  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Michael  Merkley.  Michael  Merkley  came 
to  Eden  township,  this  county,  in  1875.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seek  are  the  parents 
of  three  children :  Mrs.  Louisa  Chaml^erlain.  of  Eden  township,  who  has 
three  children,  Gladys,  Earl  and  Mabel ;  George,  who  is  with  his  parents,  and 
Curtis,  deceased. 

Mr.  Seek  is  identified  with  the  Republican  party,  but  has  ne\er  been  an 
active  partisan.  The  family  are  loyal  and  consistent  members  of  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  church  at  Schaller  and  rentier  it  their  earnest  support  at  all 
times.  Mr.  Seek  has  always  felt  it  his  duty  to  take  an  active  part  in  such 
enterprises  of  public  welfare  as  he  felt  wt)ul(l  benefit  his  community,  and  for 
this  reason  is  rightlv  regarded  as  one  of  the  representative  citizens  of  his 
township. 


JEREMIAH  SHELTON  TIBERGHIEN. 

From  the  pioneer  period  through  many  decades  J.  S.  Tiberghien  has 
been  identified  with  the  farming  interests  of  Sac  countv.  and  he  has  won  for 
himself  an  iionoraljle  position  in  his  community  by  his  straightforward  course 
in  all  phases  of  life's  activities.  He  is  recognized  as  a  man  of  strong  and 
alert  mentality,  deeply  interested  in  everything  pertaining  to  the  advancement 
of  the  locality  along  material,  civic  and  moral  lines,  and  is  regarded  l)v  all  as 
one  of  the  |)rogressive  and  representati\e  men  of  the  countv. 

J.  S.  Tiberghien  was  born  in  Indiana  in  1841,  where  he  lived  until  he  was 
fourteen  years  of  age.  He  is  the  son  of  Elias  and  Harriet  Melville  (Harri- 
son) Tiberghien,  the  former  a  native  of  Ohio  and  the  latter  of  Kentucky. 
Elias  Tiberghien  was  the  son  of  Zachus  Tiberghien,  a  native  of  France,  who 
settled  in  Ohio  in  1822,  removing  to  Indiana  and  thence  to  Iowa,  settling  first 
in  Jasper  county  in   1855,  but  removing  one  year  later,  in   1856.  to  Jackson 


> 

V, 

o 


X 


33 
Q 


L 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  545 

township.  Sac  county,  where  he  in  due  time  became  a  prosperous  farmer. 
EHas  Tiberghien  was  born  in  1810  and  died  in  1893.  His  wife,  Harriet  Mel- 
ville Harrison,  was  born  in  Shelby  county,  Kentucky,  .\ugust  18,  181 5,  and 
died  .\ugust  lo,  1895.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Eli  Harrison,  who  was  a 
cousin  of  President  Benjamin  Harrison,  and  who  fought  in  the  War  of  1812. 

The  children  of  Elias  and  Harriet  Melville  (Harrison)  Tiberghien  were 
as  follows:  Mrs.  .\'ancy  Slavons,  deceased:  ]\Trs.  Penelope  Staton.  of  (ack- 
son  township.  Sac  county;  James  \\'.,  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Jackson  town- 
ship, Sac  county,  and  mentioned  elsewhere  in  this  volume;  J.  S.,  the  immediate 
subject  of  this  sketch;  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Cory,  who  died  .\pril,  igi  1  ;  Mrs.  Mary 
Julia  Cromer,  tleceased ;  Mrs.  Helen  Jepson.  of  North  Dakota;  Elias,  of  Sac 
City;  Clarice  .Angeline,  of  Sac  county:  Eli,  of  Sac  county. 

J.  S.  Tiberghien  was  reared  on  the  home  farm,  which  he  helped  to  clear, 
enjoying  his  boyhood  days  hunting  deer,  elk  and  small  game,  which  was 
plentiful  in  that  primitive  day.  He  lived  with  his  father  until  he  was  t\\ent\- 
six  years  of  age.  In  1869  he  purchased  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  si.xtv 
acres  and  jjrepared  it  for  cultixation.  December  5,  1871,  he  was  married  to 
Erances  Corw  v>ho  was  born  March  lO.  1856,  being  the  first  white  girl  Ijorn 
in  Sac  count}'.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Francis  McCniire  and  Isaljelle 
(Hitchcock)  Cor\-.  .\s  a  newl\'  married  couiile  thev  first  li\cd  in  an  old  log 
house,  but  in  1884  l)uilt  a  large  and  comfortal>le  home.  To  them  lia\e  been 
born  the  following  children:  Malcolm  died  in  infancy;  Cory  died  at  the  age 
of  twentv-eig'it  \-ears ;  Airs.  Maud  (Lehman)  Crandall  li\'es  on  a  farm  near 
Grant  City.  Jowa.  and  is  the  mother  of  four  children,  Darwin.  Darrell, 
Charles  Ronle\',  and  l-'rancis ;  L'r  died  at  the  age  of  ele\-en  months;  Ray  is  a 
stockman  in  Sac  county ;  Flo)'  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years ;  Leo  is 
rural  free  delivery  carrier  mit  of  Sac  Cit}-,  and  i>  the  father 
of  one  child,  Dorothv  ;  Lois  is  a  teacher  in  the  blind  school  at  \  inton,  lowar 
Claude  is  a  bridge  builder  in  South  Dakota ;  Esther  is  a  V':)cal  music  teacher, 
ha\ing  studietl  four  vears  at  Oskaloosa,  Iowa,  wdiere  she  graduated  in  vocal 
music,  and  now  resides  at  home. 

Mr.  Tiberghien  was  sherifif  of  Sac  county  1869-1871,  and  filled  the  office 
with  credit  and  entire  satisfaction  to  all.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
church,  and  affiliates  with  the  Prohibition  party.  He  has  a  farm  of  eighty- 
eight  acres,  fiftv-hve  ])eing  in  Jackson  township  and  thirty-three  acres  in  Cedar 
township.  He  formerh-  owned  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  but  sold  part  of 
it  in  1912. 

Mr.  Tiberghien  is  a  fine  specimen  of  that  strong,  \irile  .Nmerican  man- 

(34) 


546  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

hood  that  is  noiirisliecl  and  matured  on  the  farm.  He  stands  over  six  feet, 
and  in  his  youth  was  rated  one  of  the  finest  athletes  in  the  state.  Though  now 
in  the  evening  of  Hfe,  he  is  still  hale  and  hearty,  and  enjoys  life  with  the  zest 
of  a  far  younger  man.  His  long  residence  in  .Sac  county  has  gixen  him  a  wide 
acquaintance,  among  whom  he  is  held  in  the  highest  esteem  for  his  many 
commendahle  traits  of  character. 


CHARLES  DOKAN  KING. 

Conspicuous  among  the  representative  men  and  public-spirited  citizens 
of  Sac  countv  is  the  well-known  gentleman  whose  name  forms  the  caption 
of  this  article.  He  has  made  his  influence  felt  for  good  in  his  community 
in  Eureka  township,  of  which  he  was  one  of  the  organizers  in  1871,  being  a 
man  of  sterling  worth,  whose  life  has  been  closely  interwoven  with  the  his- 
tory of  this  township  from  the  day  it  was  organized  and  whose  etTorts  have 
always  been  for  the  material  ad\-ancement  of  the  same,  as  well  as  for  the  so- 
cial and  moral  welfare  of  his  fellow  men.  The  well-regulated  life  he  has  led, 
thereby  gaining  the  respect  and  admiration  of  all  his  fellow  citizens,  entitles 
him  to  representation  in  a  biographical  work  of  the  scope  intended  in  the 
present  work. 

Charles  Doran  King,  one  of  the  oldest  settlers  in  Eureka  township,  was 
born  May  2,  1852,  in  Clayton  county,  Iowa.  Ilis  parents  were  Joseph  and 
Rosanna  (Doran)  King,  natives  of  Ohio  and  Ireland  respectively.  Joseph 
King  was  of  English  and  Irish  ancestry,  while  his  wife  was  of  Scotch-Irish 
parentage.  Joseph  King  came  from  Ohio  to  Iowa  in  1845,  making  the  trip 
by  way  of  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  rivers,  first  .settling  near  Ciarnavillo,  in 
the  eastern  part  of  Iowa,  six  miles  from  the  Mississi])pi  river.  He  came  to 
Sac  countv  in  1872  and  bought  one  section  of  land.  In  1873  he  bought  a 
half  .section,  this  land  l)eing  in  luireka  t<iwnship.  Sac  county,  and  here  Jo- 
se])h  King  li\e(l  the  rest  of  his  days,  and  at  his  death  owned  fourteen  hun- 
dred acres  in  the  township.  Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  Joseph 'King  were  the  parents  of 
the  following  children  :  John,  Mary,  Mrs.  Helen  Keminger.  Charles  Doran 
and  Jose])h  H. 

Charles  Doran  King  drove  across  the  state  of  Iowa  in  1875.  haxiiig 
made  a  pros])ective  trij)  two  years  earlier.  The  country  at  this  time  was  \cry 
sparsely  settled.  Upon  his  marriage,  in  1881,  Charles  received  one  hundred 
and  sixtv  acres   fnnii  his   father,  on   which  he  now    lives.      He  added  to  ins 


SAG    COUNTY,    IOWA.  547 

farm  from  time  tu  time  until  he  now  has  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  ex- 
cellent land  within  this  township.  Mr.  King  helped  organize  Eureka  town- 
ship and  was  the  first  township  clerk  elected  at  the  first  election. 

Mr.  King  was  married  in  1881  to  Catherine  Agney  and  to  this  marriage 
have  been  i)orn  three  interesting  daughters,  all  of  whom  have  been  given  a 
college  education  and  are  now  useful  members  of  society:  Agnes  gradu- 
ated from  Beunavista  College,  Iowa  City  College  and  the  University  of  Wis- 
consin, and  is  now  the  librarian  at  Madison,  Wisconsin;  Grace,  graduated 
from  Buenavista  College  and  is  now  a  Latin  teacher  in  Portland,  Oregon; 
Mary  also  graduated  from  Buenavista  College  and  is  now  a  music  teacher 
in  Portland.  Oregon.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  King  are  justly  proud  of  their  three 
daughters  and  ha\e  taken  a  great  deal  of  pride  in  their  notable  achievements. 

Politicall\-,  Mr.  King  is  a  Republican  and,  although  well  informed  on  the 
public  r|uestions  of  the  day.  he  has  never  felt  inclined  to  take  an  active  part 
in  politics.  He  is  a  man  of  large  influence  and  has  been  identified  with  vari- 
ous kinds  of  enterprise  within  his  township  from  the  date  of  its  organization. 
He  has  seen  it  develop  from  a  sparsely  settled  community  to  its  present  pros- 
perous condition,  and  he  has  had  a  very  important  part  in  the  present  ad- 
vanced standing  of  the  locality. 


WALTER  W.  LITTLE. 


It  is  generally  considered  by  those  in  the  habit  of  superficial  thinking 
that  the  historv  of  so-called  great  men  only  is  worthy  of  preservation  and 
that  little  merit  exists  among  the  masses  to  call  forth  the  praises  of  the  his- 
torian or  the  cheers  and  the  appreciation  of  mankind.  A  greater  mistake 
was  never  made.  Xo  man  is  great  in  all  things  and  very  few  are  great  in 
man\-  things.  Many  by  a  lucky  stroke  achieve  lasting  fame,  who  before  that 
had  no  reputation  beyond  the  limits  of  their  neighborhoods.  It  is  not  a  his- 
tory of  the  luck\-  stroke  which  benefits  humanity  most,  but  the  long  study 
and  efYort  which  made  the  lucky  stroke  possible.  It  is  the  preliminary  work, 
the  metliiiil,  that  serves  as  a  guide  for  the  success  of  others.  Among  those 
in  this  county  who  have  achieved  success  along  steady  lines  of  action  is 
Walter  W.  Little,  who  is  now  rendering  efficient  service  as  cashier  of  the 
State  Bank  of  Early. 

W'alter  W.  Little,  the  present  cashier  of  the  State  Bank  of  Early,  was 
born  September  18,  1887,  on  a  farm  near  Early.  Sac  county.  Iowa.     His  par- 


548  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

ents  are  George  W.  and  Elizabeth  (Ridley)  Little,  who  are  now  living  in 
Indianaola,  and  were  among  the  oldest  settlers  of  Sac  county.  George  Little 
was  born  in  New  Hampshire  in  1850,  and  moved  to  Canada  in  his  youth  with 
his  parents.  Later  he  returned  to  the  United  States  and  settled  in  Wiscon- 
sin, when  about  eighteen  years  of  age,  with  his  father,  John  Little.  In  1870 
John  Little,  with  his  wife  and  only  son.  came  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  and  set- 
tled on  a  farm  in  Boyer  Valley  township,  where  they  bought  eighty  acres 
of  railroad  land,  and  on  this  farm  George  W.  worked  for  a  number  of  years. 
He  then  came  to  Early  and  operated  a  grain  elevator  until  a  few  years  ago, 
when  he  returned  to  the  farm.  In  1907  he  came  to  Early  and  in  September, 
1913,  he  mo\ed  to  Indianola,  where  he  and  his  wife  are  now  living.  George 
\V.  Little  and  wife  were  the  parents  of  three  children ;  Charles  L.,  a  veteri- 
narv  surgeon  of  Lohrville,  Iowa:  Walter  W.,  and  .Mice  .\..  who  is  now  a 
student  at  Simpson  College,  making  a  study  of  music. 

Walter  W.  Little  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  of  his  township 
and  later  finished  his  education  in  the  schools  of  Early.  He  then  entered  the 
bank  at  Early  as  l)ookkee]jer  and  was  promoted  to  the  position  df  assistant 
cashier  and  subsec|uently  to  that  of  cashier. 

The  State  Bank  of  Early  was  first  operated  as  a  private  bank  and  was 
incorporated  in  1890,  with  S.  K.  Euller  as  the  principal  stockholder.  It  was 
first  known  as  the  Bank  of  Earlv  and  upon  its  inc(]rporation  was  called  the 
Early  State  Bank.  S.  K.  Fuller  was  the  first  president  and  was  succeeded  by 
F.  S.  Needham.  The  cashier  of  this  institution  in  the  order  of  their  service 
have  been  as  follows:  N.  O.  Fuller,  E.  M.  Fuller.  J.  H.  McCord,  G.  S. 
Needham  and  Walter  W.  Little.  The  Ijank  now  has  a  capital  stock  of  forty 
thousand  tlollars ;  deposits  of  two  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  dollars  and 
resources  oi  two  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  dollars.  The  bank  owns  its 
own  brick  building,  which  is  also  occupied  by  the  postoffice.  as  well  as  an- 
other brick  building  which  is  rented  for  business  purposes.  In  19 10  the  in- 
stitution changed  its  name  to  the  State  Bank  of  Earlv  and  increased  its  capi- 
tal stock  from  thirtv  to  fortv  th(.)usand  dollars.  The  bank  is  doing  a  pros- 
perous business  and  is  a  financial  institution  which  has  won  the  confidence  of 
the  peo])le  of  the  community  because  of  its  sound  business  metho(ls. 

Mr.  Little  is  a  Republican  in  |)olitics.  but.  owing  to  the  nature  of  his 
profession,  has  ne\er  t;iken  an  acti\x-  part  in  the  game  of  politics.  I'>ater- 
nally.  he  is  a  mcmlier  ol  the  Ancient  I'rcc  and  .\ccepted  Alas<ins  and  of  the 
Mystic  Shrine  at  Sioux  City,  Iowa,  and  also  holds  membership  in  the  Mod- 
ern Woodmen  of  America.  Mr.  Little  is  yet  a  young  luan  and  has  a  long 
and  ])romising  career  before  him,  and  it  is  safe  to  predict  that  prosperity 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA  549 

awaits  him  if  he  continues  to  follow  the  lines  which  he  has  already  marked 
out.  He  is  interested  in  the  various  enterprises  of  his  town  and  community 
and  is  always  fdund  identified  with  the  right  side  of  all  public  questions. 


THEODORE  HUELMAN. 

Iowa  has  the  reputation  of  being  the  greatest  farming  state  in  the  Union 
and  its  corn  experts  are  known  wherever  corn  is  raised  throughout  the  world. 
Professor  Golden,  the  famous  corn  expert,  has  a  reputation  which  extends 
throughout  the  United  States,  as  well  as  those  countries  of  Europe  where 
corn  is  raised.  A  man  of  Sac  county,  Iowa,  today  who  owns  a  farm  has  the 
best  investment  which  money  can  give,  and  one  which  yields  the  safest  re- 
turns on  the  investment.  Sac  county's  farmers  are  as  progressive  as  may  be 
found  in  an\  other  state  in  the  Uninn  and  among  these  Theodore  Huelman 
takes  his  place  as  one  of  the  representative  agriculturists  of  his  county. 

Theodore  Huelman,  of  Eden  township,  this  county,  was  born  May  2, 
1858,  in  Jackson  count)-,  Iowa,  the  son  of  Henry  and  Margaret  (Anderson) 
Huelman.  who  were  both  natives  of  Germany,  and  who  emigrated  to  this 
country  earl\-  in  its  history.  They  first  lived  in  Gincinnati,  Ohio,  and  later 
removed  to  Galena,  Illinois,  where  Henry  Huelman  worked  in  the  lead  mines 
of  that  place.  Erom  Illinois  they  moved  to  Jackson  county,  this  state,  where 
Henry  Huelman  died  in  1898,  and  his  wife  a  few  years  later.  Five  chil- 
dren were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  Huelman:  Mrs.  Margaret  Markers, 
who  lives  in  Jackson  county,  Iowa ;  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Thola,  who  is  a  resident 
of  the  state  of  Washington:  Andreas,  Joseph,  and  Theodore,  of  whom  this 
narrative  speaks. 

Theodore  Huelman  was  reared  and  educated  in  the  schools  of  Jackson 
county,  Iowa,  and  was  given  an  excellent  education.  He  studied  both  Ger- 
man antl  English  in  the  puldic  schools,  and  has  been  a  reader  of  the  current 
topics  of  the  day  ever  since  leaving  the  school  room.  When  he  was  twenty- 
three  years  of  age  he  married  and  located  in  Clinton  county,  this  state,  where 
he  remained  until  he  came  to  Sac  county,  in  1892,  when  he  purchased  a  farm 
of  one  hundred  and  sixtv  acres,  and  he  now  operates  this  farm,  together 
with  three  hundred  and  twentv  acres,  which  is  owned  by  Mrs.  Huelman.  He 
has  a  fine  modern  home,  which  was  erected  in  1906,  and  also  good  barns  and 
outbuildings  on  his  place,  making  it  one  of  the  best  improved  and  valuable 
farms  of  the  township. 


550  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Mr.  Huelnian  was  married  in  1881  to  Elizabeth  l-'ink.  wlm  was  a  native 
of  Wisconsin,  and  the  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  i'ink.  Mrs.  Huel- 
man's  father  died  several  years  ago,  and  her  mother  afterward  married 
Henry  Nurre,  who  resided  in  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  and  whose  son,  Joseph, 
came  to  Sac  county.  Joseph  Nurre  was  one  of  the  largest  individual  land 
owners  in  the  county,  and  died  some  years  ago  in  Oregon.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Huelman  are  the  parents  of  two  children,  Joseph  and  Mary. 

Politicalh',  Mr.  Huelman  is  a  Democrat,  but  has  never  1)een  fascinated 
by  the  game  of  politics,  preferring  to  devote  his  time  and  energies  to  his  agri- 
cultural interests.  His  family  are  loyal  members  of  the  Catholic  church  and 
contribute  liberally  of  their  substance  to  its  support.  Mr.  Huelman  is  a  man 
who  attends  strictly  to  his  own  affairs,  and  by  his  genial  and  unassuming 
manner  has  won  a  host  of  friends  in  the  community  where  he  has  lived  for 
the  past  twenty  vears. 


ELI  HARADON. 


One  of  the  old  patriarchs  and  Civil-war  veterans  and  highly  respected 
citizens  of  Sac  county  is  Eli  Haradon,  who  is  now  living  a  retired  life  on 
his  farm  in  Boyer  Valley  township,  in  Sac  county,  Iowa.  His  life  for  many 
years  was  a  strenuous  one,  and,  whether  engaged  on  the  field  of  battle  in 
defense  of  his  countrys  integrity  or  in  the  more  peaceful  jnirsuits  of  civil 
life,  he  has  ever  been  found  faithful  to  his  calling  and  today  he  enjoys  to  a 
notable  degree  the  respect  of  his  fellow  citizens. 

There  is  no  more  picturesque  figure  in  the  history  of  Sac  countx^  than 
Eli  Haradon,  who  has  passed  his  four  score  years,  and  is  now  patiently  wait- 
ing for  the  final  mustering  in  and  the  roll  call  which  will  ternfinate  his  long 
and  useful  career.  He  was  born  June  20,  1831,  in  \ermont.  the  son  of  Eli 
and  Maria  (Perkins)  Haradon.  In  1845  Eli  Haradon,  Sr.,  and  his  famil)- 
left  \^ermont  and  settled  on  a  farm  near  Joliet,  Illinois,  where  Eli  Haradon, 
Sr.,  and  his  wife  died. 

Eli  Haradon,  Jr.,  learned  the  blacksmith  trade  when  a  xouug  man,  and 
after  the  death  of  his  parents  moved  to  P>remer  cnuntx',  Iowa,  in  1857,  where 
he  followed  the  blacksmithing  trade,  lie  married  and  began  faniiing,  al- 
though he  still  worked  in  his  shop,  and  continued  to  live  in  Bremer  county 
initil  his  wife's  death,  leaving  him  with  one  daughter,  Susan  Ellen,  -\fter 
his  wife's  death  he  returned  to  his  old  home  in  Illinois,  where  he  was  living 
at  the  (jutbreak  of  the  Civil  War.     On  .\ugust  22.  i86j,  he  enlisted  in  Com- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  551 

pany  K,  One  llumlredtli  Iveginient  of  Illinuis  X'olunteer  Infantry,  was  mus- 
tered in  at  Canip  Irwin,  jdliet,  Illinois,  under  Capt.  David  Kelly  and  Col. 
F.  A.  Bartleson.  His  regiment  was  assigned  to  the  Army  of  the  Cumber- 
land in  the  west,  and  was  a  part  of  the  First  Brigade,  Second  Division  and 
Fourth  and  Twentieth  Corps.  His  career  in  the  army  was  of  short  duration, 
but  while  it  lasted  it  was  full  of  severe  fighting  and  exciting  incidents.  He 
participated  in  the  battle  of  Bairdstown  and  Perryville  in  the  fall  of  i8()2  in 
Kentucky  and  in  the  battle  at  Stone  River,  Tennessee,  in  December  of  1863. 
On  January  3d,  that  year,  he  was  injured  by  a  gunshot  wound  in  his  right 
thigh.  The  C(.)nipan\  tn  which  Mr.  Haradon  was  attached  was  guarding  a 
batterv  of  cannon  and  were  (jn  the  ground  near  the  cannon  one  e\ening  about 
sundown,  when  a  bursting  bomb  partially  destroyed  his  hearing.  After  the 
battle  he  was  picked  up  off  the  field  and  taken  to  the  hospital  at  Nashville, 
where  he  lav  until  .\ugust  3,  1863.  He  was  then  discharged  on  account  of 
disabilitv  and  for  two  years  was  unable  t<i  walk  without  the  aid  of  crutches. 

Immediatelv  after  his  discharge  he  returned  to  Bremer  county,  Iowa, 
and  after  recuperating  from  bis  wound,  rented  a  farm  and  l)egan  farming. 
As  soon  as  his  strength  was  regained  he  opened  his  l)lacksmith  shop  and 
followed  that  occupation  for  eight  years.  In  the  meantime  he  had  married 
and  in  187 1  he  decided  to  go  to  Kansas,  where  he  lived  for  the  next  four 
vears.  In  1875  he  came  to  Sac  cciunty.  locating  in  the  town  of  Early,  when 
that  town  was  started.  He  opened  the  blacksmith  shop  and  conducted  it 
continuously  until  igoi,  when  he  retired  to  a  farm  which  he  had  purchased 
in  this  township.  He  has  li\ed  on  bis  one-hundred-and-twenty-acre  farm, 
two  miles  south  of  I'^arh',  for  the  past  thirteen  years  and  takes  an  active 
interest  in  the  superintending  of  his  place. 

The  second  marriage  of  Mr.  Haradon  occurred  ui  1864,  when  he  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Julia  Davis,  of  Bremer  county,  Iowa.  His  second  wife 
(lied  in  1910.  To  this  second  marriage  were  born  five  children:  Leslie, 
Ellis,  Everett,  Mrs.  Edith  Wilson  and  Mrs.  Etna  Hair.  All  of  the  children 
are  residing  in  Early,  except  Ellis,  who  is  on  the  farm  with  his  father.  Mrs. 
Susan  Helen  Bedell,  Mr.  Haradon's  daughter  by  his  first  wife,  is  also  living 
in  Early. 

Mr.  Haradon  has  always  identified  himself  with  the  Republican  party, 
and  has  the  satisfaction  and  honor  of  knowing  that  he  was  old  enough  to 
vote  when  John  C".  b'remont  was  the  first  candidate  on  the  Republican  ticket 
in  1856.  While  he  has  always  taken  an  intelligent  interest  in  the  afifairs  of 
his  party,  yet  the  nature  of  his  business  has  kept  him  from  being  an  aspirant 
for  any  public  olifice.     He  is  a  memlier  of  the  Christian  church  and  renders 


552  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

it  his  zealous  support  at  all  times.  He  is  one  of  the  most  loyal  members  of 
the  Grand  Army  post  at  Early  and  takes  a  keen  delight  in  the  meetings  of 
the  post.  Mr.  Haradon  is  one  of  the  grand  old  patriarchs  of  Sac  county 
and  a  man  who  has  lived  a  life  singularly  free  from  blame  and  censure  in 
every  way.  His  life  has  been  marked  by  many  discouragements,  and  yet 
through  it  all  he  has  been  optimistic  and  done  his  duty  as  he  best  saw  it.  He 
is  highly  honored  and  respected  by  everyone  who  know  him,  and  there  is 
probably  no  man  in  the  township  who  has  more  friends  than  he. 


WALDEN  E.  PURDY. 


The  pioneer  settlers  of  Sac  county  enjoyed  one  advantage  which  will 
never  come  to  the  future  settlers  of  this  county,  and  that  is  cheap  land.  In 
the  seventies  there  was  plenty  of  five  and  ten-dollar  land  for  sale  in  this  county 
and  toflay  there  are  few  farms  whicli  could  be  liought  for  less  than  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dollars  an  acre.  While  the  early  settlers  enjoyed  this  one 
advantage  they  suffered  a  number  of  disadvantages,  and  it  is  probably  true 
that  a  farmer  today  can  pay  for  his  land  in  almost  the  same  length  of  time 
which  the  farmer  of  thirty  rears  ago  could  pay  for  the  land  at  the  price  at 
which  it  w  as  then  purchased.  The  Purdy  family  were  among  the  early  settlers 
of  this  county,  and  is  one  of  the  few  families  in  the  county  who  are  able  to 
trace  their  ancestry  back  through  three  generations. 

The  Purdys  ha\e  traced  their  family  histor\-  in  the  United  States  back 
to  the  year  1656.  when  three  bnithers  of  the  family  came  from  Norway  to 
America  and  settled  in  V.ermont.  One  member  of  the  family.  Reverend  Will- 
iam Purdy,  settled  in  Pennsylvania.  He  became  the  progenitor  of  the  Purdys 
who  came  to  Sac  county,  Iowa.  The  family  have  been  prominent  in  man}' 
states  from  the  earliest  history  of  the  country.  Members  of  the  family 
fought  in  the  Revolutionary  War  and  also  in  the  War  of  1812,  while  a 
number  of  them  were  in  the  Civil  War.  Rev.  William  Purdy.  a  Baptist  min- 
ister of  Pennsylvania,  had  a  son  by  the  name  of  Peter,  w  ho  in  turn  was  the 
father  of  Marshall,  the  father  of  Walden  E.,  whose  history  is  here  delineated. 

Walden  E.  Purdy  was  born  August  14,  1840,  in  Wayne  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, and  is  the  son  of  Marshall  and  Sally  Ann  (fiude)  Purdy,  both  of 
whom  are  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  Peter  Purdy,  the  father  of  Rev.  \\'illiam 
Purdv.  migrated  from  Connecticut  to  Wayne  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1792. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  553 

Marshall  Purdy  lived  and  died  in  Pennsylvania,  dying  in  Wayne  county  in 
1872.  Air.  and  Mrs.  Marshall  Purdy  were  the  parents  of  nine  children: 
Newman  D.,  Walden  E..  Elmer  N.,  Mahlon  D.,  Chester,  Emeline,  Lucinda, 
Celeste  and  Melissa. 

Walden  E.  Purdy  was  educated  in  Abbington  x\cademy  in  Pennsylvania 
and  in  1861  came  to  Floyd  county,  Iowa,  from  his  native  state.  The  next 
year  he  bought  eighty  acres  in  this  county  of  his  father-in-law.  and  lived  on 
it  for  the  next  ten  years,  in  1873  he  came  to  Sac  county,  where  he  purchased 
ninety-se\-en  acres  at  fixe  dollars  and  a  half  an  acre.  This  land  liad  never 
been  broken,  and,  as  Mr.  Purdy  says,  "there  was  nothing  but  prairie  grass  and 
mosquitoes"  to  be  found  on  the  farm.  Since  purchasing  this  farm  he  has 
added  to  his  land  holdings  from  time  to  time,  until  he  now  owns  one  hundred 
and  ninety- four  acres  in  Wall  Lake  township.  His  son  has  forty  acres  in 
Jackson  township  and  eighty-seven  acres  in  Wall  Lake  township,  making  a 
total  of  three  huntlred  and  forty-one  acres  in  this  county. 

Mr.  Purdy  was  married  March  17,  1854,  to  Sarah  A.  Pelton,  who  was 
born  October  23,  1842,  in  Lake  county,  Illinois.  She  is  the  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Lovilla  (Graves)  Pelton,  natives  of  Tom[)kins  and  Washington 
counties.  New  York,  respectively.  Thomas  Pelton  pre-empted  his  land  in 
Lake  county,  Illinois,  and  at  one  time  had  an  opportunity  to  buy  land  at 
Chicago,  but  refused  the  opportunity.  He  did  not  realize  at  that  time  that  the 
land  would  become  very  valuable.  In  1850  the  Pelton  family  moved  to  Floyd 
county,  Iowa,  where  they  li\ed  the  remainder  of  their  days.  Thomas  Pelton 
was  born  in  181 1  and  died  in  1873.  ^^^-  ^'i*^  Mrs.  Thomas  Pelton  were  the 
parents  of  two  children,  Susan  and  Sarah,  the  wife  of  Mr.  Purdy.  They  also 
reared  one  adopted  son,  Frank.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Purdy  are  the  parents  of  nine 
children:  Mrs.  Carrie  Piatt,  of  Minnesota;  Mrs.  May  Delia  Stanzel,  of  Wall 
Lake  township ;  Mrs.  Nettie  Benson,  who  lives  in  Texas,  near  Galveston  ; 
Frank,  at  home ;  Mrs.  Cora  McClintock,  of  South  Dakota ;  Mrs.  Grace  Jen- 
nett,  deceased:  Clarence,  at  home;  Mrs.  Ada  Thaw,  deceased,  and  Mrs. 
V'ernie  Ellwanger,  of  Wall  Lake,  Iowa. 

Mr.  Purdy  is  a  stanch  Democrat  and  a  firm  believer  in  the  principles  of 
his  party.  He  and  his  family  are  all  members  of  the  Baptist  church  and 
contribute  of  their  means  to  its  support.  Mr.  Purdy  is  a  musician  of  ability 
and  has  reared  a  family  of  musicians.  At  one  time  the  family  organized  an 
orchestra,  which  was  known  as  the  Purdy  orchestra.  Mr.  Purdy  has  taught 
a  singing  school  since  coming  to  this  county.  ?Ie  is  a  vocal  teacher  of  merit 
:md  because  of  his  musical  abilitv  has  taught  vocal  music  in  the  Methodist 


554  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

church.  The  family  has  long  l)een  recognized  as  one  which  is  interested  in 
the  development  of  their  c<immunit\-  along  such  lines  as  would  make  a  com- 
munity a  better  place  in  which  to  live. 


JOHN  E.  SANBORN 

Among  the  oldest  pioneers  of  Sac  county,  Iowa,  is  John  E.  Sanborn,  a 
retired  farmer  of  Early.  His  memory  goes  back  to  the  time  when  he  hauled 
and  sold  corn  for  ten  cents  a  bushel  and  oats  at  the  same  price.  He  recalls 
the  time  before  barns  and  cribs  when  he  piled  oats  in  his  front  door  yard 
and  at  one  time  piled  eight  hundred  bushels  up  until  he  sold  it  at  ten  cents  a 
bushel.  Mr.  Sanborn  is  a  pioneer  of  those  days  when  all  produce  sold  at 
ruinously  low  prices,  and  again  when  there  were  other  seasons  when  there 
was  nothing  raised  at  all. 

John  E.  Sanborn  was  born  April  29,  1835,  in  New  York  state,  and  is  a 
son  of  Tristram  C.  and  Abbie  ( Edgerton)  Sanborn.  His  father  was  a  native 
of  Maine  and  his  mother  of  New  York  state.  His  parents  never  left  New 
York.  They  reared  a  family  of  eight  children ;  Elizabeth,  George,  Katie, 
Josephine,  Mrs.  Abbie  E.  Wright,  John  E.,  with  whom  this  narrative  deals, 
and  Alice  B.  The  only  living  children  of  this  number  are  Mrs.  Wright 
and  John  E.  Sanborn. 

In  1862  John  E.  Sanijorn  came  to  DeKalb  count}',  Illinois,  and  located 
near  Sycamore,  where  he  lived  for  seven  years  on  a  farm.  In  1869  he  and 
another  farm  hand  met  one  evening  and,  after  talking"  the  situation  over, 
finally  decided  to  ct)me  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  and  enter  a  homestead,  and 
accordingly  he  and  his  friend,  James  Mayclam,  came  to  Sac  county  and 
located  homesteads  in  Boyer  \^alley  townshij).  They  bought  the  first  land 
in  the  township,  and  paid  three  dollars  and  a  half  an  acre  for  it.  Mr. 
Sanbodn,  J.  V.  Roe,  James  Mayclam  and  Alfred  Hawley  were  the  first  settlers 
in  the  township.  There  was  only  one  house  in  the  township  when  they  came 
there,  and  that  was  built  by  Nathaniel  Prentice  in  1869.  During  the  winter 
of  1870  Mr.  Sanborn  returned  to  Illinois,  but  came  back  to  Sac  county  in 
the  spring  and  built  a  little  house,  twelve  by  fourteen  feet  in  size,  being 
compelled  to  haul  the  lumber  forty-five  miles  from  Carroll.  The  first  year 
he  broke  about  forty  acres  of  his  land,  and  it  was  some  time  before  he  had 
the  money  to  get  all  of  his  land  in  cultivation.  He  lived  on  this  farm  'for 
eight  years  and  then   sold   it   at   a   cash   sale   for  eighteen   dollars  an   acre. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


05D 


clearing  fourteen  dollars  and  a  half  an  acre  on  his  investment.  He  then 
bought  eighty  acres  near  where  the  city  of  Early  is  now  located,  at  a  cost  of 
ten  dollars  and  sixty  cents  an  acre,  and  six  years  later  he  sold  this  tract  for 
thirty  dollars  an  acre.  Three  years  later  this  same  land  was  sold  for  fifty 
dollars  an  acre  and  in  1913  it  sold  for  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  an 
acre.  In  1884  Mr.  Sanborn  bought  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  two 
miles  south  of  Early  for  twenty  dollars  an  acre  and  five  years  later 
sold  it  for  thirty  dollars  an  acre,  then  for  three  years  he  managed  a  jiroduce 
wagon.  In  1892  he  retired  from  active  work  and  settled  in  Earh'.  where 
he  has  since  resided. 

Mr.  Sanborn  was  married  February  8,  1858,  to  Roby  J.  Bennett,  of 
DeKalb  county,  Illinois,  and  they  are  the  parents  of  one  daughter,  Mrs. 
Jennie  Stevens  Berkey,  of  West  Union,  Iowa,  and  she  has  two  daughters, 
Lottie  and  Gertrude. 

Mr.  Sanborn  has  been  an  independent  voter  and  has  never  felt  obligated 
to  cast  his  ballot  for  the  candidates  of  any  one  party.  Mr.  Sanborn  is  one 
of  the  most  highly  respected  pioneer  citizens  of  the  county  and  the  exper- 
iences through  which  he  has  passed  since  his  residence  here  would  fill  a 
small  sized  volume.  He  is  an  interesting  conversationalist  and  can  tell  many 
interesting  incidents  of  the  early  days  in  the  history  of  this  county.  His 
life  has  been  singularly  free  from  all  those  temptations  which  sometimes 
mar  the  lives  of  men,  and  his  life  has  been  as  an  open  book,  where  his  friends 
and  neighbors  mav  see  his  career  as  he  has  lived  it. 


ALBERT  F.  LASHIER. 


It  is  proper  to  judge  of  the  success  and  status  of  a  man's  life  by  the  es- 
timation in  which  he  is  held  by  his  fellow  citizens.  They  see  him  at  his 
work,  in  his  family  circle,  in  his  church,  at  his  devotions,  hear  his  views  on 
public  questions,  observe  the  outcome  of  his  code  of  morals,  witness  how  he 
conducts  himself  in  all  the  relations  of  society  and  civilization  and  thus  be- 
come competent  to  judge  of  his  merits  and  demerits.  After  a  long  course 
of  years  of  such  daily  observation  it  would  be  out  of  the  question  for  his 
neighbors  not  to  know  his  worth,  because,  as  has  been  said,  "Actions  speak 
louder  than  words."  In  this  county  there  is  nothing  heard  concerning  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  but  good  words.  He  has  passed  so  many  years  here 
that  his  worth  is  well  known,  but  it  will  be  of  interest  to  run  over  the  busy 
events  of  his  life  in  these  pages. 


556  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

.\ll)ert  F.  Lashier.  a  proininent  real  estate  agent  of  Early,  Iowa,  was 
horn  I'ebruary  11.  1861.  in  DeKalb  county,  Illinois.  His  parents  were  P.  W. 
and  Elizabeth  (  Hubbell )  Lashier,  natives  of  New  York  state.  Brewer  Hub- 
liell,  the  father  of  Airs.  P.  W.  Lashier,  drove  from  New  York  state  with  an 
ox  team  to  DeKalb  count}-.  Illinois,  and  settled  on  a  farm,  where  he  lived 
for  sixty-si.x  years.  P.  W.  Lashier  was  a  stage  driver  and  one  of  the  earliest 
pioneers  of  DeKalb  county,  Illinois.  Brewer  Hubl)ell  li\e(l  among  the  In- 
dians for  many  years  and  was  on  friendly  terms  with  them.  In  1870,  P.  W. 
Lashier  and  family  moved  to  Poweshiek  count}-,  Iowa,  and  four  years  later 
mined  tn  what  is  now  Cook  township,  Sac  county,  Iowa.  .\t  that  time  there 
were  three  families  in  Cook  township,  the  Lashiers,  the  Wilsons  and  the  Gor- 
dons. In  1876.  P.  W.  Lashier  was  trustee  of  old  Boyer  V'alley  township,  at 
the  time  Cook  township  was  created  into  a  congressional  township,  and  he 
later  served  as  trustee  of  Cook  township  for  a  number  of  years.  P.  W. 
Lashier  moved  from  Cook  township  to  Boyer  Valley  township,  where  he 
died  Novemlicr  30.  1907.  He  was  born  in  1820,  and  his  wife.  Elizabeth 
ilubbell.  was  Ijorn  in  1831.  and  her  death  occurred  February  19,  1913.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  P.  W.  Lashier  were  the  parents  of  iour  children:  W.  H.,  who 
lives  in  Colorado;  Perr}-  H.,  of  Cook  township,  this  county;  Mrs.  Ursula 
Douglas,  (if  South  Dakota,  and  .Albert  F. 

Albert  F.  Lashier  was  thirteen  vears  of  age  w-hen  his  parents  moved 
from  Illinois  to  Iowa.  He  received  his  education  in  the  schools  of  Illinois 
and  later  attended  a  few-  years  in  Sac  county,  Iowa.  He  remained  at  home 
and  cared  for  his  parents  until  he  was  twenty-eight  years  of  age.  He  then 
married  and  bought  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  Cook  town- 
ship, on  which  he  lived  for  five  years.  He  also  owned  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  east  of  Early,  where  he  lived  for  si.x  years.  He  then  bought 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  adjoining  the  city  of  Earlv  and  lived  in  the 
city  for  two  years,  after  which  he  returned  to  the  farm.  l)ul  in  the  spring  of 
1913  he  permanently  settled  in  Early.  He  has  been  dealing  heavily  in  real 
estate  for  several  years,  handling  land  in  Canada,  Iowa  and  Minnesota. 
He  now  owns  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  in  Canada,  three 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Montana  and  two  hundred  acres  in  Iowa. 

Mr.  Lashier  was  married  in  1887  to  Celeste  Weaver,  and  to  this  mar- 
riage have  been  born  four  children,  Edson,  Charles  H.,  Roe  and  Delmar,  the 
last  two  of  whom  are  still  at  home  with  their  parents  in  Early. 

Mr.  Lashier  has  been  a  life-long  Re])ul)lican.  and  has  always  been 
interested  in  the  local  campaigns  of  his  party.  Fie  has  ne\-er  held  any  other 
oftlce  than  that  of  school  director.     The  family  are  members  of  the  Presby- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  357 

leriaii  cliurcli,  and  .t;i\c-  lilierally  of  their  substance  to  its  suppml.  lie  is  a 
member  of  the  IModern  Woodmen  of  America.  Personally,  he  possesses  to 
an  eminent  degree  those  characteristics  which  gain  friendship,  and  he  is 
deservedly  popular  in  the  community  in  which  lie  has  li\'ed  for  so  many 
years. 


EDGAR  C.  MERKLEY. 


A  farmer  of  today  should  be  the  most  contented  man  in  the  country, 
since  he  is  the  only  one  who  lives  an  independent  career.  Every  other  pro- 
fession looks  to  the  farmer  for  support  and  as  long  as  the  farmer  is  success- 
ful the  country  at  large  is  prosperous.  If  the  farmers  of  the  United  States 
should  go  on  a  strike  and  for  one  year  refuse  to  raise  any  crops,  a  panic 
would  sweep  across  this  country  which  would  totally  demoralize  every  other 
business.  In  fact,  it  is  the  farmer  who  makes  it  possible  for  the  Ijanker,  the 
manufacturer,  the  lawyer  and  even  the  minister,  to  live,  and  without  the 
noble  occupation  of  farming  this  country  could  not  exist. 

Edgar  C.  Merklex',  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Eden  township,  Sac  county, 
Iowa,  was  born  March  28,  1861,  in  Ontario,  Canada.  His  parents  were 
William  and  Elizabeth  ( Castleman )  Merkley.  William  Merkley  was  born 
in  1833  in  Canada,  where  he  is  now  living.  His  wife  also  was  a  native  of 
Canada,  born  in  1836,  and  to  the  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  Merkley 
were  born  the  following  children:  Mrs.  Eva  Whittaker,  who  is  in  Canada; 
Mrs.  Ella  Castleman  and  Mrs.  Lucy  Castleman,  both  now  residing  in  the 
state  of  California:  Aden,  also  of  California:  Mrs.  Sarah  Whittaker,  of 
Canada,  and  Edgar  C,  whose  history  is  herewith  presented. 

Edgar  C.  Merklev  was  reared  ami  educated  in  the  schools  of  Canada, 
came  to  Sac  countv  when  lie  was  twenty-two  years  of  age,  and  in  1884  he 
moved  to  Eden  township,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He  has  bought  land 
from  time  to  time  in  this  town.ship  until  he  is  now  the  owner  of  four  hun- 
dred and  eighty  acres  in  sections  jo  and  30  of  this  township.  His  annual 
output  of  stock  includes  ninety  head  of  cattle.  (.)ne  hundred  head  of  hogs  and 
twenty  head  of  horses.  He  is  the  owner  of  a  Percheron  stallion  and  is  a 
breeder  of  Percheron  horses.  Ele  has  a  modern  and  attractive  home  and  good 
buildings  of  all  kinds  on  his  farm,  his  place  being  well  improved  in  e\ery  way. 

Mr.  Merkley  was  married  January  17,  1885,  to  Matilda  Wiley,  a  native 
of  Canada,  and  to  this  marriage  have  been  born  seven  children,  six  sons  and 
one  daughter:    Merle,  of  Eden  township:  Isaac,  who  is  in  Minnesota:  Mrs. 


558  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Stella  Adams,  w  hose  husband  is  a  farmer  of  this  township ;  Lome,  Rosa, 
\'ernon  and  Glen,  the  last  four  named  being  still  with  their  parents  at  home. 
Politically,  Mr.  Merkley  is  a  Democrat,  while  all  the  family  are  loyal 
and  consistent  members  of  the  Lutheran  church.  In  his  fraternal  relations 
he  is  identified  with  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen.  Mr.  Merkley 
is  a  man  who  always  takes  an  interest  in  the  welfare  of  his  community  and 
identifies  himself  with  such  enterprises  as  have  for  their  object  the  bettering 
of  the  community  in  which  he  lives,  and  is  regarded  by  all  who  know  him 
w  ith  honor  and  esteem. 


DA\ID   SHELMERDLX^E. 

It  is  no  small  honor  to  be  a  pioneer  in  a  new  country,  and  this  is  the 
honor  which  belongs  to  the  Shelmerdine  family.  David  Shelmerdine  is  one 
of  the  few  native-born  farmers  of  this  county,  while  his  father,  James,  is 
today  the  oldest  settler  of  Sac  county,  Iowa.  This  family  has  iieen  closely 
identified  with  the  growth  of  the  county  from  its  beginning,  and  today  can 
look  back  over  more  than  a  half  century  of  history,  in  which  they  have  had 
no  small  ])art. 

David  Shelmerdine,  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Boyer  \'alley  township,  this 
county,  was  born  September  24,  1867,  in  Jackson  township,  about  two  and  a 
half  miles  south  of  Sac  City.  He  is  the  son  of  James  and  Nancy  (Maulsby) 
Shelmerdine.  In  1869  James  .Shelmerdine  moved  onto  his  present  farm  in 
Bover  \  allev  township,  where  his  son,  David,  is  now  living.  David  has 
recently  purchased  forty  acres  of  land  adjoining  his  father's  farm,  for  which 
he  paid  one  huntlred  and  fift\-  dollars  an  acre. 

James  Shelmerdine,  the  oldest  settler  of  Sac  county,  a  veteran  of  the 
Ci\il  War.  a  public-s])irited  citizen  and  one  of  the  best  loved  old  patriarchs 
in  the  county,  was  born  in  England,  July  13,  1821.  He  is  the  son  of 
William  anrl  Isabel  (Brunton)  Shelmerdine  and  was  one  of  ten  children 
born  to  his  parents.  When  a  mere  youth  he  learned  the  trade  of  dyer  and 
worked  in  the  cotton  mills  of  his  native  land.  In  1855  he  came  to  .\merica, 
landing  in  New  York  City,  where  he  worked  in  the  print  works  near  that 
city.  In  1856  he  went  west  and  settled  temporarily  in  Mt.  X'ernon,  Iowa,  and 
shortl}'  afterwards  came,  with  Rdhert  Browning,  to  Sac  county  and  located 
near  Sac  City.  At  that  time  there  was  one  house  in  Sac  City,  and  that  was  a 
log  house  which  was  being  built  by  Judge  Eugene  Criss.  Here  James  Shel- 
merdine decided  to  locate,  and  secured  employment  fmni  Mr.  Watt,  who  had 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  559 

a  guvennnent  contract  for  carrying  the  mail  from  Ida  Gro\e  to  Sac  City. 
He  was  in  the  performance  of  this  <kU\-  at  the  opening  of  the  Civil  War, 
when  he  accidentally  met  a  Mr.  Treadway,  a  recruiting  officer,  who  told  him 
of  the  war  and  of  the  imperative  need  for  men  to  go  to  the  front.  Although 
Air.  Shelmerdine  had  been  in  this  count}-  only  two  years,  he  was  always  at- 
tached to  his  adopted  country.  accordingl\"  he  enlisted  in  the  Twenty-sixth 
Regiment  of  Iowa  \'olunteer  Infantry  for  the  three-year  service  and  was 
immediately  sent  to  the  front.  He  participated  in  the  battles  of  Chickasaw 
Bayou,  Arkansas,  December  28-29,  1862:  Arkansas  Post,  January  11,  1863; 
Mill  Creek.  .April  8-12;  Jackson.  Alay  14:  siege  of  Vicksburg,  May  18  to 
Julv  4:  Jackson,  Jul\-  g,  16:  Brandon,  July  18.  20:  Dickson  Station,  October 
20;  Tuscombia,  October  2C1:  Cherokee  Station.  October  21:  Chattanooga, 
Tennessee,  Xo\'eniber  23;  Lookout  Mountain.  N^ovember  24:  Mission  Ridge, 
November  2^:  Ringgold,  Georgia,  November  27;  Resaca,  May  13,  16.  1864; 
Dallas,  Georgia,  May  25  to  June  4 ;  Kcnesaw  Mountain,  June  9.  30. 

In  the  course  of  the  rel)elliou.  .\lr.  .Shelmerdine  was  twice  wounded.  .\t 
the  battle  of  Kenesaw  Mountain  he  was  wounded  in  the  right  shoulder;  in 
the  battle  of  Resaca  he  was  shot  in  the  left  knee.  After  being  wounded  at 
Kenesaw  Mountain  he  was  sent  to  a  hospital  in  Alabama,  but  rapitlly  re- 
coN-ered  and  joined  his  regiment  at  Atlanta.  He  participated  in  the  Grand 
Review  at  Washington.  D.  C.  in  the  summer  of  1865.  and  received  his  final 
discharge  at  Clinton.  Iowa,  in  the  fall  of  that  year. 

.\t  the  close  of  the  Civil  \^'ar,  Mr.  Shelmerdine  settled  on  a  fanu  of 
one  hundred  and  twent\'  acres  in  Bo\-er  X'alley  township,  three  luiles  south 
of  luirlw  where  he  lived  until  March.  1Q<14.  when  he  took  up  his  home  with 
his  daughter,  Mrs.  John  Anthony,  at  Sac  City.  He  was  married  in  .August, 
1866.  to  Nancy  Maulsby.  the  daughter  of  David  and  Isabella  (Case) 
Maulsl)\-.  of  Miami  countw  Indiana.  To  this  marriage  have  been  born  six 
children:  David  Simpson.  Mrs.  Isabel  Haradon  (Flora),  Mrs.  Mary  Eliza- 
lieth  Haradon.  Mrs.  Nancy  .Anthony,  .\rthur,  deceased,  and  James,  deceased. 
.Mr.  .Sheliuerdine  is  a  memljer  of  the  Gen.  \V.  T.  Sherman  Grand  Army 
post  of  Sac  City  and  also  a  Io\al  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 
His  wife  died  Februar\-  16,  1905. 

Mr.  and  Airs.  John  .Anthony  were  married  in  Bo}-er  A'alley  township 
Fel)ruar\-  22.  1899.  John  .Anthon\-  was  born  February  12,  1871,  in  Illinois, 
and  is  the  son  of  Thomas  and  Elizabeth  Anthony,  who  are  now  residents  of 
E'arl}-.  Mr,  .Anthony  has  operated  the  Palm  Cafe,  in  Sac  City,  since  1907, 
and  is  one  of  the  successful  business  men  of  the  town.  Before  engaging  in 
this  business,  he  was  a  farmer  in  this  township.     Mr.  and  Mrs.  Anthony 


560  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

have  had  three  children,  only  one  of  \vh(jni  is  living,  Charles,  burn  June  u, 
1904,  and  V'ern  and  James,  twins,  who  died  at  the  age  of  seven.  James 
Shelmerdine  has  made  his  hunie  with  his  son-ia-law,  Air.  Anthony,  since 
March,   1905. 

David  Shelmerdine,  the  oldest  child  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Shelmer- 
dine, has  lived  for  the  past  forty-four  years  on  his  present  farm.  He  has 
made  a  success  of  his  chosen  vocation  and  is  one  of  the  most  progressive 
farmers  of  his  vicinity.  He  was  married  March  16,  1904,' to  Erminda,  the 
daughter  of  Neils  Nielson,  who  is  now  living  in  Sac  City.  Mr.  and  Airs. 
Shelmerdine  have  one  daughter,  Juiieline  Leona.  who  was  Imrn  August  8, 
1906. 


FRANK  PILLOUD. 


Among  the  earnest  men  whose  enterprise  and  depth  of  character  have 
gained  a  prominent  place  in  the  community  and  the  respect  and  cuntidence  of 
his  fellow  citizens  is  the  honored  subject  of  this  sketch.  A  leading  farmer 
and  stock  raiser  of  the  township  in  w  hich  he  lives  and  a  man  of  decided  views 
and  laudable  ambitions,  his  influence  has  ever  been  exerted  for  the  advance- 
ment of  his  kind,  and  in  the  vocation  tu  whicli  his  energies  ha\e  been  de\"oted 
he  ranks  among  the  representatix'e  agriculturists  of  the  county. 

Frank  Pilloud,  the  son  of  Frank  and  Marv  F.  (  Washburn  )  Pilloud,  was 
born  in  Marshall  county,  Iowa,  November  _' 1 ,  1S71.  Frank  Pilloud,  Sr.,  was 
a  native  of  Switzerland,  born  in  Fribourg  in  i8j8,  and  bis  wife  was  a  native  of 
Ohio.  He  came  to  America  when  a  young  man  and  first  stop])ed  in  I'incin- 
nati,  Ohio,  for  some  time,  after  which  he  came  to  Muscatine  county,  Knva, 
and  from  there  he  went  to  Marshall  countx ,  ibis  state,  but  later  returned  to 
Muscatine  county.  He  fhen  came  to  Sac  ci>unt\'  and  bougiit  ei,t;lity  acres  in 
Coon  Valley  townsbi]!  in  1880,  and  three  years  later  he  sold  this  tract  and 
bought  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  the  same  townshiii.  In  1886  he  came 
to  Cedar  townshi]"),  and  bought  one  hundred  and  sixt\"  acres.  ;ui(l  died  in  that 
township  in  1888.  his  widow  following  him  foiu-  years  later.  Four  children 
were  born  to  Frank  and  Mary  Pilloud:  Mrs.  X'ernie  Strain,  of  Oklahoma; 
Mrs.  Fannie  Glass,  of  Sac  City,  this  county,  and  L.  C.  and  ]<"rank,  who  are  in 
jiartners^hip  on  the  farm.  Two  children  died  in  infancy,  Lillie  .Max,  the 
youngest  born,  died  at  the  age  of  one  year. 

Frank  Pilloud,  Sr..  was  a  soldier  in  the  Union  army  during  the  Civil 
War.     Pie  enlisted  in  Company  E,  of  the  Second  Iowa  Cavalry,  October  i, 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  561 

1 861.  for  a  term  uf  three  years  and  was  discharged  on  the  expiration  of  his 
term  of  service,  October  3,  i8()4.  at  Davenport,  Iowa.  He  was  a  sergeant  of 
his  company,  and  particii^ated  in  the  following  engagements :  Tiptonville, 
Missouri,  Island  Number  Two,  Fort  Pillow,  under  General  Pope;  Hamburg, 
Tennessee:  ( llendale,  Mississippi;  Farmington,  May  Q,  1862;  Boonexille.  May 
30th:  Blackland.  Mississippi:  second  battle  of  Booneville,  July  1st  of  the  same 
year;  and  was  in  many  severe  skirmishes,  among  which  were  Baldwin,  King's 
Creek,  Ri])ley,  Rienzi,  the  battles  of  luka  and  (_"orinth,  Mississippi :  Pa\^ton"s 
Mills,  (irand  Junction,  Hudson\ille ;  Holly  Si)rings:  Lumkins  ]\Iills:  Water- 
ford;  Tallahatchee :  Water  \'alle\-:  L'olTee\-ille,  and  the  battles  around  Mobile, 
Alabama.  Other  engagements  in  which  his  regiment  took  an  active  part  were 
Palo  Alto,  Birmingham,  Fort  Chalmers,  Panola,  Coldwater,  Jackson,  Missis- 
sippi, (dendale  and  the  evacuation  of  Corinth. 

L.  C.  Pilloud,  the  brother  of  h'rank,  was  born  in  Marshall  county,  Iowa, 
October  13,  i86f;.  He  began  farming  for  himself  at  the  age  of  se\enteen 
years,  and,  after  llie  deatli  of  his  father,  managed  the  home  place  for  the 
mother.  b"or  the  past  twent\'  \ears  he  and  his  brother,  b'rank,  ha\e  farmed  in 
])artnership,  and  today  have  one  of  the  finest  farms  in  this  part  of  the  county. 
In  1895  the  brothers  Ijought  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  in  Jackson 
township,  for  which  tlie\'  paid  thirty-six  dollars  and  a  half  an  acre.  Three 
years  later  the\-  addetl  another  one  luuulred  and  sixty  acres  at  twenty-nine 
dollars  an  acre.  In  1909  they  purchased  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  which 
cost  them  eighty  dollars  an  acre,  and  thev  are  now  the  owners  of  five  hundred 
and  fourteen  acres  in  Jackson  townshi]),  ranging  in  \alue  from  one  hundred 
and  hft}'  to  two  hundred  dollars  an  acre.  The  land  is  well  tiled,  well  fenced 
and  has  excellent  buildings  <•*  all  kinds  upon  it.  In  addition  to  raising  large 
crops  of  grain  the\-  handle  large  amounts  of  live  stock  each  year  and  will 
average  ninety  head  of  cattle  and  two  hundred  head  of  hogs  annually,  which 
they  place  upon  the  market. 

The  brothers  are  both  members  of  the  Baptist  church,  to  which  they  give 
their  generous  support.  Politically,  they  are  both  Republicans  and  take  an 
intelligent  interest  in  the  affairs  of  the  day.  Frank  Pilloud  was  married 
August  30,  1909,  to  Ada  Pearl  Waisner,  a  native  of  Sac  county,  antl  a  daugh- 
ter of  James  and  Martha  Waisner,  natives  of  Pennsyh-ania  and  Dallas  county, 
Iowa,  respectively,  and  to  this  union  has  been  born  one  daughter,  Daisy 
Pearl,  born  Augtist  28,  19 10.  The  brothers  can  be  relied  upon  at  all  times  to 
identify  themselves  for  the  supix)rt  of  the  right  side  of  any  measure  for  the 
'(35) 


562  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

welfare  of  the  community.  They  are  genial,  hard-working  men  who  have  in- 
coporated  in  their  Ii\e,'^  the  .sound  principle.s  of  right  ]i\ing,  and  they  are  good 
e.xamjjles  >>{  conscientious  and  ])atriotic  .American  citizens. 


GEORGE  W.  WADSLEV. 

In  past  ages  the  history  L)f  a  country  was  comprised  chiefly  in  the  record 
ot  its  wars  and  conquests.  Today  history  is  largely  a  record  of  commercial 
activity  and  those  whose  names  are  foremost  in  the  annals  of  the  nation  are 
those  who  have  become  leaders  in  business  circles.  The  conquests  now  made 
are  those  of  mind  o\er  matter,  and  the  victor  is  he  who  can  most  success- 
fully establish,  control  and  operate  commercial  interests.  Mr.  VVadsley  is 
one  of  the  men  whose  lives  have  been  an  essential  part  of  the  history  of  Sac 
count}-,  Iowa.  Tireless  energy,  keen  perception,  honesty  of  purpose,  genius 
for  devising  and  executing  the  right  thing  in  the  right  place  and  time  are 
the  chief  characteristics  of  the  man.  These,  combined  with  every-day  com- 
mon sense  and  guided  by  strong  will  power,  are  concomitants  which  will 
insure  success  in  any  undertaking. 

George  W.  Wadsley,  implement  and  vehicle  dealer  of  Early,  Iowa,  was 
born  .August  11,  1866.  in  Delaware  county,  Iowa,  the  son  of  John  L.  and 
Ruth  ( Boutling )  Wadsley,  who  were  both  natives  of  England,  and  were 
married  in  Canada.  In  1854  John  Wadsley  and  his  family  mo\'ed  to  a  farm 
in  Delaware  countw  Iowa,  where  they  lived  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
February  8,  1882.  John  Wadsley  and  wife  were  the  parents  of  five  children: 
C.  .\.,  (jf  Early:  L.  J.,  of  Cherokee,  Iowa:  Mrs.  Louisa  Boots,  of  Delaware 
township,  in  this  county;  George  W..  with  whom  this  sketch  deals,  and 
Joseph  B.,  of  Storm  Lake,  Iowa. 

George  W.  Wadsley  came  to  Sac  county  with  his  mother,  sister  and 
brother,  J.  B.  Wadsley,  in  1885,  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Delaware  town- 
ship. Mrs.  John  Wadsley  died  in  Delaware  township.  Sac  county.  February 
I,  T90C).  George  Wadsle\'  lived  on  this  farm  for  eighteen  years,  or  until  he 
removed  to  Early,  in  1903.  He  had  just  passed  his  fifteenth  year  when  his 
father  died,  and  he  had  the  responsibility  of  managing  the  familv  affairs 
from  that  time.  Mr.  Wadsley  now  owns  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of 
fine  farming  land  in  Delaware  township.  In  1904  Mr.  Wadsley  moved  to 
Early  and  jjurchased  an  im])lement  and  vehicle  business,  which  had  lieen 
pre\iously  established.     It  is  now  located  in  a  large  building  on  Main  street. 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  563 

and  comprises  a  large  stock  of  goods  valued  at  about  ten  thousand  dollars. 
He  carries  a  full  line  of  agricultural  implements  and  a  good  assortment  of 
the  \ehicles  which  are  most  in  common  use  in  this  neighborhood.  He  has 
built  up  his  trade  until  he  now  has  a  fair  share  of  the  patronage  of  Early 
and  vicinity. 

Mr.  ^^'adsley  was  married  July  i,  1891,  to  Mary  Gooding,  the  daughter 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ji.ihn  Gooding,  of  Dubuque  county,  Iowa,  and  to  this  union 
there  have  lieen  ])orn  three  children,  Floyd  M.,  Walter  R.  and  Mildred.  The 
political  affiliations  of  Mr.  Wadsley  have  always  been  with  the  Republican 
party,  and  although  deepl}-  interested  in  the  success  of  his  party,  he  has  never 
lieen  an  active  participant  in  political  life.  The  members  of  the  family  are 
all  adherents  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  Early,  and  interest  them- 
selves in  its  \arions  activities.  Mr.  Wadsley  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient 
Eree  and  .\ccepted  Masons  and  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Eellows. 
Mr.  Wadsley,  as  a  public-spirited  citizen,  has  interested  himself  in  whatever 
has  tended  to  promote  the  welfare  of  Earlv  and  vicinitv,  and  the  social 
and  moral  ad\-ancement  oi  his  fellowmen. 

Mr.  Wadsley  was  a  menil:)er  of  the  town  council  for  seven  years.  He 
has  served  on  the  school  board  for  three  years  and  has  been  re-elected  for 
three  vears  more. 


GEORGE  C.  STANZEL. 

Inherited  traits  which  have  been  transmitted  from  a  successful  parent 
to  his  son,  who  had  followed  in  his  father's  footsteps  in  the  pursuit  of  agri- 
culture, and  which  have  been  of  great  assistance  in  determining  the  course  for 
the  son,  are  a  heritage  which  has  a  greater  value  than  noble  or  princely 
birth.  All  of  us,  as  we  grow  older,  recognize  the  wisdom  of  our  fathers  and, 
in  later  vears,  are  more  likel}'  to  heed  admonitions  long  since  given  than 
while  we  were  i)erniitted  the  personal  counsel  and  ad\'ice  of  the  parent  while 
on  earth.  -\  successful  farmer  of  Sac  county  who  has  jirotited  by  the  ex- 
ample set  by  an  illustrious  parent,  and  who  has  achieved  a  remarkable  suc- 
cess of  his  own  accord,  is  George  C.  Stanzel,  of  Boyer  Valley  township. 

Mr.  Stanzel  is  the  owner  of  over  eight  hundred  acres  of  land,  consisting 
of  several  farms,  as  follows:  Two  hundred  ami  forty  acres  in  his  home 
farm,  which  is  equipped  with  good  buildings  and  a  modern  farm  residence 
of  thirteen  rooms,  erected  in  1903 ;  four  hundred  acres  in  Clinton  township, 
with   fair  improvements;  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,   well  equipped   for 


564  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

carrying  on  farming  operations,  in  Delaware  township ;  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  in  South  Dakota ;  only  recently  he  was  the  owner  of  over  eleven 
hundred  acres,  but  sold  ofT  a  portion  of  his  holdings.  Mr.  Stanzel,  l^eing 
shrewd  and  far  seeing,  deals  to  a  considerable  e.xtent  in  farm  lands  and 
takes  advantage  of  the  constantly  rising  values.  He  usually  buys  a  farm 
which  is  in  need  of  improvements  of  a  more  substantial  character  than  it 
possesses,  improves  it  himself  and  then  sells  at  an  advance  over  the  purchase 
price.     He  is  an  excellent  farmer. 

Mr.  Stanzel  was  born  August  31.  1865,  in  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  and  is 
the  son  of  William  A.  and  Lawrinda  Roxana  (Clark)  Stanzel.  His  father 
was  a  native  of  Germany,  born  in  August  of  1833,  and  died  in  Sac  county 
in  January  of  191 1.  His  mother  was  a  native  of  Ohio,  born'  in  March, 
1842,  and  now  a  resident  of  Odebolt.  William  A.  came  t(j  America  when 
fourteen  years  of  age  and  settled  in  the  timber  country  of  Wisconsin,  near 
the  city  of  Milwaukee,  and  moved  from  there  to  Illinois.  He  came  to 
Clinton  county,  Iowa,  in  1863  and  was  there  married  in  1864.  In  March, 
1876,  the  family  came  to  Sac  cnunty  and  settled  in  Clinton  township,  where 
William  .\.  resided  until  his  death  in  Odebolt.  He  tlied  a  \erv  wealthv 
man  and  a  large  land  owner.  An  extended  account  of  the  life  of  William  A. 
Stanzel  and  his  esteemed  widow  appears  in  this  volume,  so  it  is  unnecessary 
to  enlarge  further  concerning  them  in  this  resume. 

George  C.  Stanzel  began  for  himself  when  he  attained  the  age  of 
twenty-one  years,  and  worked  for  his  father  on  the  home  farm  for  one  year. 
He  then  rented  land  of  his  father  one  year  and  his  father  gave  him  two 
hundred  acres  of  unimproved  land  on  certain  conditions.  He  hail  made  a 
practice  of  giving  each  son  an  improved  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres,  but  gave  George  his  choice  in  the  matter,  and  the  sun  selected  an 
unimproved  tract.  William  A.  Stanzel  divided  in  all  over  one  thousand 
acres  of  land  among  his  children  previous  to  his  demise,  thus  insuring  their 
success. 

He  of  whom  this  chronicle  is  written  cultivated  his  farm  for  two  years 
and  improved  it,  after  which  he  was  emjiloycd  as  a  canvasser  and  salesman 
for  some  time  and  gained  valuable  experience,  which  has  been  of  consid- 
erable benefit  to  him  as  a  result.  He  successfully  sold  lightning  rods  for 
several  years  in  addition  to  carrying  on  his  farming  operations.  On  his 
father's  retirement  from  the  home  farm  to  Odebolt,  George  C.  took  charge 
of  it  and  tilled  the  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  with  the  assistance  of  his 
two  yoimger  brothers  for  one  year.  He  then  lived  for  one  vear  on  the 
Fulcher  farm  in  Clinton  town.ship.     In  i8g6  he  removed  to  his  farm  of  four 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  565 

hundred  acres  in  Clinton  township.  Hi.-i  various  adihtions  tu  his  (jriginal 
farmstead  are  as  follows:  In  1887  he  added  eighty  acres;  in  1890  he  bought 
one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  more,  making  four  hundred  acres  in  all,  which 
cost  him  an  average  price  of  thirty  dollars  an  acre.  For  five  years  he  lived 
in  Clinton  township  and  then  moved  to  Boyer  Valley  township,  where  he  had 
in\-ested  in  eighty  acres  in  1901,  to  which  he  added  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  in  1906.  He  secured  his  South  Dakota  land  in  1912,  at  which  time  he 
also  bought  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  known  as  the  Greenley  place.  Mr. 
Stanzel  has  bought  and  sold  several  farms  in  the  meantime  and  practically 
makes  a  business  of  handling  farm  lands  on  his  own  account. 

Mr.  Stanzel  was  married  I'ebruary  19,  1894,  to  Carrie  Fulcher,  who 
was  born  February  g,  1871,  in  Badingham,  England,  the  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Eliza  (Reed)  Fulcher.  The  Fulchers  came  to  America  in  July, 
1872,  and  first  located  in  DeKalb  county,  Illinois,  where  they  resided  until 
1895,  when  they  removed  to  Sac  county  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year.  The 
father  of  Mrs.  Stanzel  is  deceased  and  the  mother  is  yet  living.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Stanzel  are  the  parents  of  four  children,  three  of  whom  are  yet  living, 
namely;  Thomas  William,  born  March  6,  1895,  'i"'^'  "^hed  May  4,  1902,  at 
the  age  of  seven  years;  George  .-\lbert,  liorn  March  10,  1896;  Freddie,  born 
August  26,  1903;  Florence  Mildred,  Ijorn  January  31.  1907. 

Mr.  Stanzel  is  a  Republican  in  politics.  He  and  his  family  are  affiliated 
with  the  Methodist  church.  His  only  lodge  is  that  of  the  Knights  of 
Pythias,  located  in  the  town  of  Early.  He  is  keen,  intelligent  and  enterpris- 
ing and  is  unixersally  respected  as  an  able  and  progressive  citizen,  who  looks 
careful!}-  after  his  own  affairs,  yet  is  not  unmindful  of  his  duties  as  a  citizen 
of  the  count\-. 


GEORGE  ROSENHAUER. 

Among  the  nKin\-  (ierman  citizens  of  Sac  county  who  have  attained 
notable  success  in  farming  in  this  count\'  there  is  no  one  whu  is  entitled  to 
more  credit  than  George  Rosenhauer,  proprietor  of  a  fine  farm  in  Boyer 
\'alley  township.  He  came  to  this  county  with  only  a  small  amount  of 
money,  and  has  accumulated  a  fine  farm  of  two  hundred  and  thirty-seven 
acres  and  impr<i\'e(l  it  in  such  a  wa_\-  as  to  make  it  one  of  the  most  attractive 
homes  in  this  part  of  the  state.  His  life  has  been  full  of  hard  work  and  he 
richly  merits  his  present  success. 

George   Rosenhauer   was   born    March    31,    1854.    in    Kenosha   county, 


566  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Wisconsin.  His  parents,  John  S.  and  Julia  (Krause)  Rosenhauer,  were 
both  natives  of  Germany,  and  came  to  this  country  early  in  the  history  of 
Wisconsin.  John  S.  Rosenhauer  and  wife  are  the  parents  of  three  children: 
Edward,  of  Wisconsin ;  Mrs.  Catherine  Schaller,  of  Sac  City,  Iowa,  and 
George,  with  whom  this  narrative  deals.  John  Rosenhauer  is  still  living  in 
Kenosha  county,  Wisconsin,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-seven  years,  while 
his  wife  has  been  dead  twenty  years. 

George  Rosenhauer  was  reared  and  educated  in  Kenosha  county,  Wis- 
consin, and  when  twenty-one  years  of  age  he  came  to  Sac  county  on  a  visit 
to  his  sister,  who  was  then  living  here.  He  became  interested  in  this  county, 
and  after  his  marriage,  in  1881,  he  decided  to  permanently  locate  in  Sac 
count V.  In  the  fall  of  1882  he  and  his  wife  came  to  Sac  county  and  spent 
their  first  winter  in  Sac  City.  They  then  moved  on  to  his  sister's  farm  in 
Boyer  Valley  township,  where  they  lived  for  the  next  nine  years.  In  1891 
Mr.  Rosenhauer  bought  one  hundred  and  sixt}-  acres  in  Boyer  X'alley  town- 
ship, which  he  later  traded  for  his  present  farm.  He  now  has  a  farm  of  two 
hundred  and  thirty-seven  acres  in  Boyer  \'alley  township,  which  is  a  model 
farm  in  every  way.  He  has  two  large  barns,  fifty-six  by  seventy-six  and 
thirtA'-six  ])y  fort}--eight  feet  in  size.  The  interesting  thing  a1)out  his  liarns 
is  the  fact  that  they  are  electrically  equipped,  having  electricitx'  for  both 
light  and  power.  There  is  a  flowing  spring  on  his  former  farm,  which  gives 
him  a  never-failing  supjily  of  water,  and  this  one  feature  itself  is  worth  the 
price  of  man^•  acres  of  land.  He  has  a  l)eautiful  and  attracli\e  lionu',  one 
and  one-half  miles  south  of  Early,  which  will  compare  favoral)ly  with  any 
of  the  city  homes  as  far  as  modern  conveniences  is  concerned.  He  has  been 
a  successful  farmer  because  he  has  used  the  best  methods  in  cultixating  the 
soil  and  raising  his  stock. 

Mr.  Rosenhauer  was  married  January  10,  1881,  at  Burlington,  Wis- 
consin, to  Anna  Grass.  To  this  marriage  ha\e  been  born  six  children: 
l-llmer,  who  is  in  the  automobile  business  at  b^arly;  Katie,  ihe  wife  of  Karl 
Fidcher.  of  Clinton  township;  .Martlia:  I'lara,  a  teacher  in  Boyer  X'alley 
townshi]):  William  and  Lola.  Alartha.  William  and  Lola  are  still  at  home 
with  their  ])arents  and  the  two  )'oungest  children  are  now  in  school  at  Early. 
Politically,  Mr.  Ro.senhauer  is  a  Democrat,  and  has  taken  an  active  part  in 
the  local  campaigns  of  his  party.  He  has  ser\ed  as  trustee  of  Boxer  N'alley 
township  and  rendered  faithful  and  efficient  service  to  the  citizens  of  the 
townshi]j  while  in  that  ca])acitv.  fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Modern 
Woodmen  of  .\nierica.  He  was  reared  in  the  faith  of  the  Lutheran  church, 
wliilc  bis  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Catholic  church.      T'ersonalh',  Mr.  Rosen- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  56/ 

hauer  is  a  genial  and  companionable  man  and  enjoys  a  wide  acquaintance 
throughout  this  section  of  the  state.  Because  of  his  energy  in  whatever  he 
undertakes,  he  has  been  a  leader  in  this  community  and  has  naturally  been 
one  of  the  most  potent  factors  in  the  development  of  his  township. 


MICHAEL  DAHM. 

.\mong  the  prosperc.ius  farmer>  uf  German  parentage  who  have  made 
their  home  in  Sac  county,  Iowa,  is  Michael  Dahm,  of  Boyer  N'allev  town- 
ship. Coming  to  this  county  with  practically  nothing,  he  has,  by  the  sweat 
of  his  brow,  carved  out  a  very  respectable  fortune  within  the  past  thirty 
years,  and  is  now  the  owner  of  a  half  section  of  fine  farming  land  in  Boyer 
Valley  township,  this  count}'.  He  is  one  of  the  oldest  pioneers  of  the  county, 
having  lived  here  since  1875,  and  what  he  has  accomi)lished  is  due  solelv 
to  his  energy,  industry  and  sturd\-  persistence,  qualities  which  are  essential 
to  success  wherever  they  are  properly  used. 

Michael  Dahm  was  born  on  No\ember  3,  1848,  in  Cook  count}',  Illinois, 
the  son  of  Anthony  and  Margaret  Dahm.  who  were  both  natives  of  Germany, 
who  came  to  this  country  and  settled  in  Buffalo,  \e\v  York.  Later  they 
went  to  Cook  county,  Illinois,  and  in  1852  moxed  on  west  t<3  Dubuque 
county,  Iowa,  where  the}'  remained  until  1865,  when  thev  moved  to  Clinton 
county,  this  state,  where  the  father  died  in  1884.  Mr.  antl  Mrs.  Anthony 
Dahm  were  the  parents  of  fi\'e  children,  l^'red,  Barbara,  John.  Katherine  and 
Michael.  Katherine  went  with  her  husband  to  Boyer  \  allev  townshi]),  this 
county,  in  1872,  where  she  die<l  man\'  \'ears  ago.  The  other  children  are 
now  living  in  Sac  count}',  Iowa. 

Michael  Dahm  came  to  Sac  count\',  Iowa,  in  1875.  and  located  in 
Boyer  X'alle}'  township.  His  first  work  consisted  of  breaking  raw  prairie 
land,  and  in  1876  he  bought  a  part  of  his  present  farm.  I'ntil  1885,  how- 
ever, he  lived  on  rented  land,  and  in  that  vear  moved  on  to  his  own  farm 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres.  While  it  was  partly  improved  it  had  no 
buildings  on  it,  and  for  this  reason  he  had  not  moved  to  it  sooner.  He  later 
purchased  two  hundred  acres  of  fine  land.  Mr.  Dahm  raises  considerable 
live  stock,  and  in  191 3  shipped  twenty-five  head  of  cattle  and  one  hundred 
and  fifty  head  of  hogs  to  the  markets,  and  he  finds  stock  raising  a  very 
profitable  adjunct  to  his  agricultural  operations. 

Mr.  Dahm  was  married  in    188^  to  Katherine  Engler.  daughter  of  Mr. 


568  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

and  .Mrs.  [dim  l-'iigler,  who  were  the  pruprieturs  of  the  first  hotel  in  Early. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dahni  are  the  parents  of  si.x  children:  Mrs.  Eva  McOuirk, 
who  lives  in  Boyer  \'alley  township,  and  has  four  children,  Cyril,  Joseph. 
Florence  and  Robert:  Anthony  L.,  a  farmer  of  Boyer  Valley  township; 
Mary  A.,  Frederick  B.,  Gertrude  and  Syhester,  the  four  youngest,  who 
are  still  with  their  parents  at  home. 

While  Mr.  Dahm  is  nominally  a  Democrat,  yet  he  reserves  the  right  to 
cast  his  vote  for  the  best  man  in  his  opinion  at  elections  irrespective  of  party 
lines.  He  is  a  class  of  the  ever-increasing  number  of  men  who  are  inde- 
pendent in  all  of  their  local  elections.  He  and  all  the  members  of  his 
family  are  faithful  and  consistent  members  of  the  Catholic  church  and  give 
to  it  their  earnest  and  zealous  sui)i)ort  at  all  times.  Mr.  Dahm  has  so  ordered 
his  course  at  all  times  as  to  command  the  confidence  and  respect  of  the  people 
of  his  communit}-.  He  is  a  man  of  honorable  business  methods  and  ad- 
vocates the  pronioti<in  of  the  public  welfare  in  anv  wav. 


LOUIS  BAHL. 


Tlif  life  history  of  no  man  can  exceed  in  interest  that  of  him  who  comes 
to  this  land  of  opjxirtunity  as  a  immigrant  and  who.  in  this  great  land,  ham- 
pered by  lack  of  knowledge  of  language  and  custom,  yet  overcomes  all 
obstacles  and  reaches  a  position  of  influence  in  his  adopted  countrv.  Such  has 
been  the  history-  of  Louis  Bahl,  who  is  now  living  a  retired  life  in  Sac  City, 
Iowa.  He  was  Ijorn  June  28,  1840,  in  Prussia,  the  son  of  Frank  George  and 
Anna  Elizabeth  (  Bear)  Bahl.  His  parents  came  to  this  countrv  when  he  was 
fourteen  years  of  age  and  first  located  in  Iowa.  They  came  up  the  Mississippi 
river  from  New  Orleans  and  had  intended  to  locate  in  Arkansas,  near  Port 
Smith,  Init  they  could  not  ascend  the  .\rkansas  river  on  account  of  the  low 
water,  'riierefore,  they  continued  on  their  \\a\-  u]>  the  Mississippi  and  landed 
at  Davenpint,  Iowa,  and  thence  they  went  to  Muscatine  countv,  where  Frank 
Bahl  bouglit  si-\ty-fi\e  acres  of  land  and  built  a  small  house.  He  had  twelve 
hundred  dollars  in  ca.sh  when  he  bought  his  farm  and  paid  six  htmdred  dollars 
of  it  for  bis  land.  The  first  winter  which  they  spent  in  this  coimtrv  was  verv 
mild  and  they  exjierienced  none  of  those  discomforts  which  the\-  suffered 
during  some  of  the  succeeding  winters.  Tlie  famil\-  continued  to  live  in  Musca- 
tine county  until  the  outbreak  of  the  war.  Three  of  the  sons  of  Frank  Bahl, 
William.  Frank  and  Henry,  enlisted  in  the  I'nion  arm\-  and  served  throughout 


> 


> 
■y. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  569 

the  war.  They  engaged  in  forty-two  skirmishes  and  battles  and  came  out  un- 
wounded  at  the  end  of  the  long  struggle.  William  and  Frank,  it  is  interesting 
to  note,  were  twins. 

Louis  Bahl  received  his  elementary  education  in  the  public  schools  of 
Germany  and  also  attended  school  a  short  time  after  coming  to  this  country, 
in  order  to  better  acquaint  himself  with  our  language.  He  worked  on  the 
home  farm  until  he  was  married,  at  the  ai^e  of  twenty-three,  and  then  rented 
land  from  his  parents,  who  had  moved  to  Davenport.  He  also  rented  a  farm 
adjoining  his  father's  farm  after  the  first  }ear,  and  when  his  father  sold  the 
farm  Louis  teamed  for  a  couple  of  years  in  Davenport.  He  then  moved  to  a 
fort\-acre  farm  in  Muscatine  countv.  antl  later  rented  an  eight\-acre  farm. 
After  li\ing  four  years  on  this  farm  lie  rented  a  one-hundred-and-twenty- 
acre  farm  and  lixed  on  it  for  tour  \ears.  In  i  S74  he  mined  to  Cedar  county 
and  li\ed  for  -e\en  years  on  a  two-hundred-acre  farm,  which  he  rented. 
Then  for  the  next  three  \ears  he  rented  a  tliree-hundred-and-twenty-acre  farm. 
In  1800  he  went  to  .Scott  countx'.  where  he  rented  a  farm  for  four  years,  and 
in  i8q4  came  to  Sac  c<iuntv  and  bought  three  hundred  and  twent\'  acres  in 
Douglas  township  for  ihirty-fue  dollars  an.  acre.  There  was  one  set  of  build- 
ings on  this  farm  and  it  was  alread}-  somewhat  improved,  so  that  he  had  an 
opportunit\  to  begin  getting  1  eturns  on  his  investment  at  once.  He  later 
built  another  set  of  buildings.  In  1902  he  bought  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
at  thirtv-six  dolhirs  an  acre,  and  sold  this  farm  four  years  later  for  ten 
thousand  dollar'^.  In  the  s])ring  of  iQoS  he  mo\ed  to  Sac  City,  where  he  has 
a  fine  residence  in  the  northern  part  of  the  city. 

Louis  Bahl  was  married  on  November  20.  1863,  to  Augusta  Ehrecke, 
who  was  born  October  18,  1845.  T^"'  this  union  were  born  twelve  children,  all 
of  whom  are  living:  Charles,  of  North  Dakota:  Mrs.  Frances  Evers,  of 
Douglas  township:  Louis,  Jr..  of  Dickinson  county.  Iowa;  Mrs.  Ida  Royalty, 
of  Butler  count\ .  Iowa:  Mrs.  Hannah  Fisher,  of  Fort  Pierce.  Iowa;  William, 
of  Douglas  township:  Mr-^.  .\nna  Straub.  of  Clay  county,  Iowa:  Edward,  of 
Storm  Lake,  Iowa:  .\lbert,  of  Douglas  township:  Mrs.  .\ugusta  Spinhirni.  of 
Texas:  Frank,  of  Montgomer\-,  Iowa,  and  Flarry,  of  Dickinson  county.  Iowa. 
Mr.  and  Mr-.  Bahl  have  twenty-six  grandchildren.  They  celebrated  their 
golden  wedding  anniversary  on  X(iveml)er  15,  1913. 

Mr.  Bahl  has  alwavs  been  a  Democrat  in  politics,  but  has  confined  his 
political  actixities  to  the  casting  of  his  vote  for  his  party's  candidate.  Mr. 
Bahl  is  a  man  who  has  worked  hard  for  what  he  now  possesses  and  has  won 
a  success  soleh-  through  bis  persevering  industry  and  good  management.    He 


570  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

has  contributed  his  full  share  to  the  material  advancement  of  his  community. 
He  and  his  wife  have  reared  a  large  family  of  children  to  lives  of  honor  and 
usefulness,  and  a  greater  thing  than  this  can  no  American  citizen  do. 


JOHN   H.\NSON. 

There  have  come  to  our  country  from  foreign  lands  many  men  of 
limited  financial  resources,  but  imbued  with  sturdy  independence  and  a 
laudable  determination  to  succeed,  and  who  have  taken  advantage  of  the 
wonderful  possibilities  afforded  1))'  our  free  institutions  and  gradually  step 
by  step  have  arisen  to  places  of  prominence  and  influence.  The  career  of 
John  Hanson  illustrates  most  forcibly  the  possibilities  that  are  open  to  a  man 
who  possesses  intelligence  and  determination,  combined  with  integrity  and 
honor.  It  proves  that  success  is  not  a  thing  to  be  inherited,  but  may  be  won 
by  sheer  force  of  energy,  directed  and  controlled  by  correct  moral  ])rinciples. 
Mr.  Hanson  is  an  American  bv  ado])tion,  l)ut  none  the  less  a  most  ardent 
and  loyal  citizen. 

John  Hanson,  the  oldest  living  farmer  of  Cook  township,  is  a  native  of 
Sweden,  bcjrn  December  20,  1844,  the  son  of  Hans  and  Christina  (  Neilson ) 
Hanson,  both  natives  of  Sweden.  The  niotlier  died  in  her  nati\e  countr}-. 
and  in  1882  Hans  Hanson  came  to  America  and  lived  for  twelve  years  with 
his  son,  John  Hanson.  He  was  a  farmer  and  carpenter  in  the  old  country, 
working  as  a  wagon  maker  and  house  builder  during  the  winter  time.  He 
eventually  removed  to  Harrison,   Xeliraska.  where  he  died. 

John  Hanson  left  Sweden  when  he  was  twentv-one  vears  of  age  and 
landed  in  the  great  city  of  Chicago  in  1867  with  only  two  cents.  He  was  the 
possessor  of  two  willing  hands  and  a  stout  heart,  and  soon  found  work  as  a 
farm  hand  in  DeKalb  couiitv.  Illinois,  where  he  worked  for  three  \'ears.  He 
then  worked  on  a  railroad  for  three  \ears.  b\-  which  time  he  was  able  to  rent 
a  farm  in  DeKalb  countw  Illinois,  which  he  cultivated  for  four  vears.  Tn 
1878  he  came  to  Iowa  and  found  employment  with  B.  -\.  Coy.  who  had  a 
farm  within  two  miles  of  h'arly,  Boyer  \'alley  township.  Here  he  worked  for 
four  years.  During  the  years  he  had  taken  good  care  of  his  earnings,  and 
in  1881  he  was  able  to  pnrchase  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres, 
paying  therefor  fifteen  dollars  per  acre.  On  this  farm  Mr.  Hanson  resided 
for  a  period  of  twent}--two  years.  lie  then  renio\-ed  to  Karly,  where  he 
purchased  ,'i  nice  Ixinie.  turning  the  acli\e  management  of  his  farm  to  his  son. 


SAC    COUNTY.    IilWA.  57I 

Jdhn  Hanson  was  n.arried  March  j,  iHjj.  in  DeKalli  cnuntw  Illimii.s.  to 
Elizabeth  Johnson,  a  native  of  Sweden,  who  came  to  America  in  i86g  with 
her  sister,  Matilda  Hanson,  who  now  lives  at  (jowrie,  Iowa.  Mr.  Hanson's 
brother,  Peter  Hanson,  came  to  .America  in  1871.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hanson 
have  three  children :  Levene,  who  lives  on  a  farm,  is  married  and  has  two 
children,  Clarence  and  Robert;  Mrs.  Annie  Hoff  lives  at  Wall  Lake,  Iowa, 
and  is  the  mother  of  seven  living  chiklren,  Levene,  John,  Veda.  Claudie, 
Vera,  Helen  and  Delbert,  and  Lawrence,  who  is  deceased.  Ida.  the  third 
child,  is  the  wife  of  Frank  Houston,  a  farmer  of  Boyer  Vallev  township, 
and  they  had  three  children,  John,  deceased,  William  and  Lloyd. 

Elizabeth  Johnson,  the  mother  of  these  children,  was  born  in  Sweden 
July  19,  1842,  a  daughter  of  John  Peterson  Johnson  and  Catharine  Johnson. 
The  latter  was  born  in  March,  1821,  and  is  still  living  in  Sweden  at  the 
remarkable  age  of  ninety-two. 

Mr.  Hanson  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order,  and  Ijoth  he  and  his 
wife  are  charter  members  of  the  Eastern  Star.  His  church  membership  is 
with  the  Methodist  church,  while,  politically,  he  affiliates  with  the  Republican 
party.  Mr.  Hanson  is  deserving  of  the  splendid  success  he  has  made  for 
himself.  He  is  a  gentleman  whom  to  know  is  to  respect,  and  the  meed  of 
praise  here  accorded  him  is,  in  the  estimation  of  his  numerous  friends,  most 
worthilv  liestowed. 


THOMAS  EDWARD  GREENLEY. 

It  is  found  that  very  often  in  this  country  high  public  officials  possess 
no  higher  ability  than  thousands  of  other  citizens.  Thev  have  simplv  taken 
better  advantage  of  their  surroundings  than  their  fellows.  And  this  truth 
runs  through  every  occupation.  The  farmer  who  rises  above  his  fellow 
farmers  does  so  because  he  has  foiuid  out  bow  to  rise  above  the  surroundings 
which  hold  others  down.  Such  a  farmer  is  Thomas  PLdward  dreenley,  of 
Delaware  township.  Sac  county,  Iowa. 

Thomas  Edward  Greenley,  proprietor  of  a  three-hundred-and-sixtx-acre 
farm  in  Delaware  township.  Sac  count v,  Iowa,  was  born  November  29.  1872, 
in  Dubuque,  Iowa,  the  son  of  George  and  Susan  Greenley.  His  ])arents  were 
natives  of  England  and  came  to  this  countrv,  settling  in  Dubu(|ue  count}', 
this  state.  In  1898  the  (Ireenley  family  settled  in  Sac  county  on  the  farm 
which  Thomas  E.  now  owns.  They  were  the  parents  of  nine  children,  eight 
of  whom  are  living:     Mrs.  Alice  Roach,  of  Earlv :  Thomas  E.,  with  whom 


57^  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

this  narrative  is  concerned;  Mrs.  Martha  Gooding,  of  Canada;  John,  of 
Canada ;  Mrs.  Cora  Garfield,  of  Lake  View ;  George,  of  Canada ;  Mrs.  Frances 
Oldridge.  of  California;  Mrs.  Matilda  Hicks,  of  Early,  and  Frank,  deceased. 

Thomas  E.  Greenley  came  to  Sac  county  in  the  fall  of  1891,  when  he 
was  nineteen  years  of  age.  He  had  already  worked  at  the  carpenter  trade 
long  enough  in  order  to  be  able  to  do  good  carpenter  work,  and  secured  em- 
ployment as  a  carpenter  and  also  worked  on  a  farm  when  not  carpentering. 
He  worked  for  John  McCormick  in  Sac  county  for  four  months,  in  1891, 
anil  later  worked  for  his  uncle,  Richard  Greenle\-,  in  this  county  for  six 
years.  He  was  not  afraid  of  any  kind  of  honest  toil  and  worked  at  anything 
which  yielded  him  a  fair  wage.  During  this  time  he  saved  all  the  money  he 
possibl}'  could  so  that  he  might  he  able  to  i)urchase  a  farm  later  on  in  life. 
After  leaving  his  uncle's  employ  he  married  and  started  to  housekeeping  on 
a  rented  farm.  Two  years  later  he  rented  his  present  farm,  and  in  Septem- 
ber, 191 1,  he  bought  the  farm.  He  had  previously  ])urchased  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  in  the  northern  part  of  Delaware  township  and  in  191 2  he 
sold  this,  so  that  he  now  holds  three  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Delaware 
township.  Mr.  Greenley  recently  removed  to  the  town  of  Early,  where  he 
purchased  a  nice  home  and  two  acres  of  ground.  He  also  recently  made  an 
important  purchase  of  a  half  section  of  land  in  Bover  \'alley  township  two 
miles  east  of  Early.  He  disposed  of  twelve  acres  of  his  two  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  in  Delaware  township.  During  all  the  years  that  he  has  been 
farming  in  the  county  he  has  a|)ijlied  himself  with  that  ])ersistence  and  energy 
which  are  always  sure  to  bring  success,  and,  although  he  has  had  many  dis- 
couragements to  meet,  he  has  successfully  combatted  them  all  and  now  has 
the  satisfaction  of  feeling  that  he  really  has  accomplishetl  something  in  life. 

Mr.  Greenle\'  was  married  in  1903  to  Elizabeth  Benzer,  the  daughter  of 
George  and  Catherine  Benzer.  His  wife  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  but  came 
with  her  parents  to  Galena.  Illinois,  where  she  was  reared  to  young  woman- 
hood. In  1900  the  Benzer  family  came  to  Sac  county  and  are  now  residing 
in  Delaware  township.  Mr.  .md  Mrs.  Benzer  have  live  children:  Mrs.  Katie 
Rhoads;  George,  deceased;  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Greenley;  John,  of  Montana; 
Edward;  Melvin,  deceased,  and  George. 

The  Republican  party  has  always  claimed  the  \'ote  of  Mr.  (Ireenley, 
while  his  church  afililiations  h.-i\c  been  cast  with  the  Methodist  b'piscopal 
church.  He  has  lixed  a  useful  life  while  in  this  communitv  and  has  com- 
pelled the  admiration  of  his  fellow  citizens,  winning  their  confidence  by  his 
honest  dealings.  He  is  a  man  of  kindly  impulses  and  genial  disposition  and 
easih'  makes  friends  wliere\er  he  goes. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  [^J^ 

JOHN  E.  CHRYSLER. 

J  Some  one  has  said  that  there  are  three  intkiences  which  govern  this 
country,  namely,  the  pulpit,  the  press  and  public  opinion.  This  means  that 
there  are  really  onl_\-  two  controlling  influences,  since  public  opinion  would 
be  of  no  force  unless  it  founil  expression  in  the  iiublic  press.  No  one  can 
gainsay  the  fact  that  the  power  of  the  press  is  one  of  tremendous  influence 
in  shaping  the  affairs  of  the  nation  today,  and  while  we  may  have  legislatures 
who  are  supposed  to  direct  our  government,  yet  the  newspapers  of  the  comi- 
try  really  suggest  to  the  legislature  the  course  which  they  should  pursue.  If 
every  newspaper  in  the  United  States  would  favor  a  given  national  policy, 
there  would  be  an  amendment  to  the  national  Constitution  within  the  next 
two  vears  favoring  that  reform.  The  influence  of  a  good  newspaper  in  a 
community  can  not  be  over  estimated,  and  it  is  to  the  credit  of  the  editors  of 
the  country  that  their  papers  are  usually  found  on  the  right  side  of  most 
public  questions. 

John  E.  Chrysler,  the  editor  of  the  Odcbolt  Chrdniclc.  was  born  l^'ebru- 
ary  29.  1880,  in  O'Brien  county,  Iowa.  His  parents  were  Asahel  B.  and 
Anna  ( l^'.dwards )  Chrysler.  .\.  B.  Chrysler  was  born  in  1848  in  Canada  of 
parents  of  American  iMrth,  his  father  and  mother  ijoth  coming  from  Penn- 
sylvania. His  wife  was  a  native  of  Indiana.  A.  N.  Chrysler  came  to  Iowa 
in  1869  and  homesteaded  in  O'Brien  county,  where  he  resided  until  1891.  He 
then  moved  to  Dickinson  county,  where  he  resided  for  the  next  twenty  years, 
after  which,  in  1910,  he  retired  to  Los  .Vngeles.  He  served  four  years  as 
postmaster  at  Hartley,  Iowa,  and  fourteen  }'ears  at  Lake  Park  in  this  state, 
and  at  the  time  of  the  expiration  of  his  last  term  he  was  the  oldest  postmaser 
in  point  of  service  in  the  state  of  Iowa.  Eour  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  .\.  B.  Chrysler:  F,va,  the  wife  of  W.  W.  Gaunt,  of  Corning.  Iowa; 
John  E.,  newspaper  man  (jf  Odebolt :  C.  B.,  of  Cedar  Falls.  Iowa,  and  I^Tva 
A.,  of  Chicago. 

John  M  Chrysler  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Lake  Park.  Iowa, 
graduating  from  the  high  school  at  that  place.  He  took  his  college  course 
in  Des  Moines,  and  while  living  there  he  became  interested  in  newspaper 
work.  He  had  taken  a  business  course  in  Des  Moines  and  this  threw  him  in 
touch  with  the  newsi^aper  field,  with  the  result  that  he  securetl  a  position  as 
reporter  on  the  Des  Moines  Leader.  Later  he  went  to  Chicago  and  worked 
on  different  papers  there  for  six  years  and  in  this  way  got  the  practical  ex- 
perience which  is  necessarv  to  every  successful  editor  and  publisher.  He 
then  felt  competent  to  conduct  a  pajier  of  his  own  and  went  to  Lake  Park, 


574  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Iowa,  where  he  took  charge  of  a  paper  owned  by  his  father.  He  later  dis- 
posed of  this  interest  and  conducted  a  newspaper  at  Early,  Iowa,  and  in 
1896  went  to  Cody.  Wyoming,  where  he  got  charge  of  the  Cody  Enterprise. 
This  paper  was  originally  founded  and  owned  by  Col.  William  F.  Cody,  more 
familiarly  known  as  "Buffalo  Bill."  On  October  i.  1910,  he  went  to  Odebolt 
and  took  charge  of  the  Chronicle  and  has  been  managing  that  paper  up  to  the 
l^resent  time.  His  paper  espouses  the  principles  of  Progressive  Republican- 
ism and.  althnugh  a  ])ai)er  of  l(.)cal  circulation,  he  does  not  hesitate  to  voice 
his  opinion  in  forceful  English.  The  purpose  of  a  newspaper  of  this  sort  is 
to  gather  local  news  and  present  it  to  its  reader  in  a  plain  and  simple  man- 
ner. This  he  does,  with  the  result  that  his  paper  has  gradually  increased  in 
circulation  and  has  liecome  a  household  necessity  throughout  the  community. 
In  addition  to  his  paper  he  also  runs  a  job  press  and  adds  not  a  little  to  his 
annual  income  from  this  source. 

Mr.  Chrysler  was  married  on  Christmas  day,  1905,  to  Elizabeth  G. 
(iriffin,  of  Sac  City,  and  the  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  S.  Griffin.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Chrysler  have  two  sons,  Gage  and  John,  and  two  daughters,  Shirley 
and  Alice. 

b'raternally,  Mr.  Chrysler  is  a  member  of  the  Imlependent  Order  of 
Odd  I-'ellows  and  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons.  He  also  belongs 
to  the  Mystic  Shrine  of  Siou.x  City.  He  holds  membership  in  the  Modern 
Woodmen  of  .\merica  at  Odebolt.  Mr.  Chrysler  is  a  man  who  easily  makes 
friends  and  in  his  capacit\-  as  a  newspa])er  man  has  built  up  a  wide  acquaint- 
ance throughout  the  county.  He  takes  an  active  interest  in  all  public  en- 
terprises and  never  hesitates  to  express  his  opinion  on  articles  of  local 
interest. 


COL.  .VLBERT  S.  TEAQUIST. 

It  is  within  the  province  of  man  himself  to  become  proficient  along  one 
particular  line  and  so  develop  his  ability  in  a  useful  profession  or  vocation 
so  that  he  can  rise  to  an  eminence  as  an  expert  which  shall  be  unshakable. 
We  are  living  in  a  day  of  specialists ;  the  old  fashioned  "  jack-of-all-trades," 
who  formerlv  was  evident  and  even  plentiful  in  most  comnnmities.  is  fast 
disappearing.  The  man  who  specializes  in  one  particular  thing  and  so 
familiarizes  himself  with  the  intricacies  of  his  vocation  that  the  people  of 
necessity  must  employ  his  services  is  now  in  great  demand.  His  remunera- 
tion is  gauged  to  fit  his  capabilities  and  it  is  generally  without  limit  except 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  5715 

as  to  the  extent  of  his  power  and  abihty.  In  other  worcls,  at  present,  there 
are  nianv  openings  in  which  the  earning  power  (jf  the  individual  is  no  longer 
limited  and  his  financial  success  or  fame  depends  entirely  upon  his  own  in- 
dustry and  intelligence.  This  is  as  it  should  be,  and  it  makes  for  better  serv- 
ice on  behalf  of  both  the  employer  and  the  skilled  professional.  One  of  the 
most  eminent  and  successful  specialists  in  his  particular  line  in  Sac  county 
and  even  western  Iowa  is  Col.  A.  S.  Teaquist,  auctioneer  and  farmer  at  Ode- 
bolt,  Iowa.  He  ranks  as  the  oldest  auctioneer  in  point  of  years  of  service  and 
is  one  of  the  best  known  men  in  the  profession  within  Sac  county.  Mr. 
Teaquist  has  been  crying  sales  in  Sac  county  and  throughout  the  West  and 
Northwest  for  nearly  thirty  years  and  has  developed  a  proficiency  in  the 
profession  and  achieved  a  reputation  throughout  the  country  that  is  truly  re- 
markable. One  must  consider  this  fact,  also,  that  Mr.  Teaquist  is  foreign 
l:)orn  and  is  a  native  of  Sweden.  This  has  proven  to  be  no  handicap,  how- 
ever, as  it  is  conceded  that  of  all  foreign-born  Americans,  the  Swedes  are 
the  quickest  to  adapt  themselves  to  American  ways  and  the  most  apt  in  learn- 
ing our  language  of  all  the  non-English-speaking  races.  The  community  in 
which  Mr.  Teaquist  resides  furnishes  the  best  evidence  of  the  progressive- 
ness  and  general  intelligence  of  the  Swedish-Americans  in  all  walks  of  life. 

Albert  S.  Teaquist  was  born  January  ii,  1866,  in  Skorsburjlan,  Sweden, 
and  is  the  son  of  Abraham  and  Jane  Teaquist,  who  emigrated  to  America  in 
1870.  During  their  first  year  in  this  country  they  resided  at  Jacksonport, 
Wisconsin,  and  then  removed  to  Delaware  county,  Iowa.  In  1877  they  set- 
tled in  Sac  county  in  the  vicinity  of  Odebolt.  .'\braham  Teaquist  was  a  pio- 
neer settler  in  Wheeler  township,  but  died  in  November  of  his  first  year  of 
settlement  in  the  county.  He  was  the  father  of  the  following  children : 
John  A.,  a  rancher  in  Idaho:  Christine,  who  died  in  November  of  1877;  Mrs. 
Anna  S.  Huldeen,  of  Richland  township :  Albert  S. ;  Matilda,  who  died  in 
1880;  Charles  L.,  an  auctioneer  of  Spencer,  Nebraska:  Nellie  H.,  wife  of 
C.  W.  Kistler,  a  blacksmith  living  in  Odebolt.  The  mother  of  these  children 
resides  in  Odebolt  and  is  now  over  eight)-  years  of  age.  She  is  housekeeper 
for  her  son. 

The  family  resided  on  the  Wheeler  township  farm  until  the  year  1899 
and  then  moved  to  Odebolt.  In  1886  Colonel  Teaquist  took  up  the  profes- 
sion of  auctioneer  and  it  is  recorded  that  he  cried  three  successful  sales  before 
he  had  attained  the  age  of  twenty-one  years.  His  work  in  his  profession 
requires  his  activities  in  Sac,  Ida  and  Crawford  counties  and  the  total  num- 
ber of  farm  and  live  stock  sales  conducted  under  his  management  during  a 
season  will  run  from  fiftv  to  one  hundred  in  number. 


576  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Mr.  Teaquist  is  likewise  engaged  in  fanning  and  fur  a  period  of  two 
years  he  conducted  an  implement  business  in  Odebolt.  He  is  the  owner  of 
two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  rich  land  in  Richland  township  which  he  is 
at  present  improving  with  a  new  residence  and  buildings.  His  hue  home 
residence  is  located  on  Lincoln  avenue  in  Odebolt. 

Colonel  Teaquist  was  married  January  7,  1897,  to  Amanda  Bergin. 
who  died  December  13,  1905.  Four  children  have  blessed  this  union,  namely; 
Charles  A.,  aged  sixteen  vears  and  a  bright,  manly  fellow  who  is  a  credit  to 
his  parents;  George  A.,  aged  fourteen  years;  Lloyd  A.  C,  aged  twelve  years; 
Howard  L.,  aged  eight  years.  Colonel  Teaquist  was  married  June  3.  1914. 
to  Ida  M.  Hiune. 

Politically,  Mr.  Teaquist  is  allied  with  the  Republican  partw  but  is  usu- 
ally found  aligned  with  the  cause  of  good  government  which  will  lienefit  the 
greater  number  of  people.  He  is  a  luember  of  the  Sw'edish  Lutheran  church, 
which  is  the  faith  of  his  Swedish  forbears.  He  is  an  intelligent,  ftjrceful 
citizen  and  is  rated  as  a  valued  member  of  the  comnnuut\"  in  which  he  re- 
sides.    To  know  him  is  to  ha\c  a  sincere  liking  for  him. 


REV.  FRANCIS  McNEILL. 

There  is  no  earthly  station  higher  than  the  ministry  of  the  Gospel,  no 
life  can  be  more  uplifting  and  grander  than  that  which  is  devoted  to  the 
amelioration  of  the  human  race,  a  life  of  sacrifice  for  the  betterment  of  the 
brotherhood  of  man,  one  that  is  willing  to  cast  aside  all  worthy  crowns  and 
laurels  of  fame  in  order  to  follow  in  the  footsteps  of  the  lowly  Kazarene.  It 
is  not  possible  to  measure  adec|uately  the  height,  depth  and  breadth  of  such  a 
life,  for  its  influence  continues  to  permeate  the  lives  of  others  through  suc- 
ceeding generations,  so  the  power  it  has  can  not  be  known  until  the 
"last  great  day  when  the  trumpet  shall  sound  and  the  dead  shall  be  raised 
incorruptible."  One  of  the  self-sacrificing,  ardent,  loyal  and  true  spirits 
that  has  been  a  blessing  to  the  race,  who  has  left  in  his  wake  an  influence  that 
ever  makes  the  world  brighter  and  betters  the  lives  of  those  who  follow,  is 
the  Rev.  F"rancis  McNeill,  whose  life  forcibly  illustrates  wliat  energy,  in- 
tegrity and  a  fixed  purpose  can  accomplish  when  animated  by  noble  aims 
and  correct  ideals.  He  has  ever  held  the  unequivocal  confidence  and  esteem 
of  the  people  among  whom  he  has  labored,  and  his  career  can  be  very  prof- 
itably studied  by  the  ambitious  youth  standing  at  the  parting  of  the  ways. 


SAC    COL'NTY.    IOWA.  577 

Rev.  Fatiier  Francis  McNeill,  son  ot  James  and  Bridget  (Dillon)  Mc- 
Neill, was  born  in  Ireland  September  19,  1864.  His  father  died  in  Ireland, 
and  Father  McNeill  came  to  this  country  when  he  was  nineteen  years  of  age. 
He  had  already  received  a  good  elementary  education  in  the  schools  of 
Ireland,  and  a  feAV  months  after  arriving  in  America  he  entered  St.  Vin- 
cent's Seminary  at  (jermantown,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  remained  for  four 
years,  and  then  entered  St.  X'inccnt's  College  at  Los  Angeles,  California, 
where  he  spent  two  years.  He  next  attended  St.  Marv's  College  at  Perry- 
ville,  Missouri,  where  he  spent  three  years.  In  the  meantime  he  had  been  doing 
some  teaching.  He  was  ordained  in  June,  1892,  and  taught  two  vears  at 
Cape  Girardeau,  Missouri.  In  1894  he  was  made  assistant  priest  of  St.  Pat- 
rick's church  at  LaSalle,  Illinois,  where  he  labored  to  noble  purpose  for  a 
period  of  three  years,  and  was  beloved  by  the  entire  parish.  He  then  re- 
turned to  Cape  (jirardeau,  Missoiu'i,  and  taught  two  more  years  as  prefect  of 
St.  Vincent's  College,  and  he  was  in  charge  of  the  parish  chiu'ch  for  one  vear 
of  this  time.  In  i8g()  heather  McNeill  went  to  the  Black  Hills,  in  South 
Dakota,  and  did  missinn  work  on  the  ]:)rairies.  He  lived  with  the  cowboys 
and  miners  and  led  an  'uit-dnor  life  sucIt  as  they  live.  He  built  a  little  church 
in  Central  City,  in  the  Black  Hills,  and  here  worked  and  labored,  doing  an 
incalculaiile  amount  of  good  for  the  next  five  years.  He  made  a  home  at  St. 
Onge,  South  Dakota,  where  he  built  a  house  after  two  years  work  in  the 
Black  Hills,  and  attended  a  circuit  of  one  hundred  miles.  Among  the  missions 
which  he  attended  and  where  he  held  services  as  often  as  he  could  make  his 
rounds,  were  the  following:  S])earfish,  Bellfourche,  Whitewood,  Indian  Creek, 
Morrow,  Camp  Crook.  He  also  attended  the  missions  of  Aladdin  and  Beulah, 
in  Wyoming.  However,  the  exposure  brought  about  a  severe  attack  of  rheu- 
matism, which  took  him  out  of  this  heM  He  then  came  to  Siou.x  City 
diocese  and  was  stationed  at  Onawa,  Iowa,  for  four  years.  Then  he  was 
at  Rolfe,  for  nine  months,  and  was  then  transferred  to  Schaller,  where  lie  is 
now  working.  He  also  supplies  the  church  at  Holstein,  Our  Lady  of  Good 
Council,  on  every  second  Sunday  in  the  month. 

The  Schaller  St.  Joseph  Catholic  church  was  a  mission  from  1884  to 
1904,  and  was  attended  bv  the  priest  located  at  Early.  It  was  created  into  an 
independent  parish  in  1904.  .  Rev.  Father  h^rancis  XVrenn  was  the  first  resi- 
dent pastor  and  built  the  present  jiarish  residence,  ;nid  after  one  year  he 
was  succeeded  bv  Rev.  Father  William  Shannon,  and  two  years  and  a  half 
later  by  Rev.  Father  Francis  McNeill.  .'\  large  new  church,  costing  eighteen 
thousand  dollars,  was  dedicated  on  Thanksgiving  day.  1913.  The  church  at 
(36) 


578  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Schaller  now  has  two  hundred  and  five  persons  enrolled  in  membership. 
Father  McNeill  is  a  verv  companionable  man  and  has  his  heart  in  his  work, 
serves  faithfully  his  Master,  and  the  good  which  he  does  will  never  receive  its 
full  reward  on  this  earth. 


HARRY  BAXTER. 


Sunnyside  farm  in  Cedar  township  is  well  and  aptly  named,  for  here 
resides  one  of  the  most  progressive  and  truly  hospitable  families  in  Sac 
county.  In  every  community  which  is  blessed  with  the  regular  allotment  of 
good  things  meant  for  the  uplifting  of  the  people  ar#  usually  found  some 
wide-awake  citizens  who  are  alive  to  their  opportunities  and  are  happier 
when  they  ai-e  mingling  with  their  neighbors  and  joining  them  in  matters  of 
general  improvement  and  taking  part  in  the  (|uest  for  knowledge.  Harry 
Baxter  is  one  of  the  leaders  in  Sac  count)-  in  the  general  wave  of  better 
farming  which  is  sweeping  the  great  state  of  Iowa.  He  is  firm  believer  in 
making  the  soil  vield  lietter  and  trigger  crops  and  in  trying  to  make  two  blades 
of  grass  grow  where  l^ut  one  grew  l)efore.  No  pleasanter  home  is  found  in 
the  land  than  the  Baxter  homestead,  on  Sunnyside  farm.  The  Baxters  keep 
open  house  for  their  friends  and  acquaintances  and  Mr.  Baxter  is  one  of  the 
leaders  in  the  agricultural  and  official  life  of  Sac  county.  His  farm  is  a 
genuine  model  of  its  kind  and  consists  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of 
the  finest  land  olitainal^le.  equipjied  with  a  modern  residence  and  buildings 
in  accordance  with  a  well-laid-out  plan.  His  farming  operations  cover  two 
hundred  acres  in  all.  During  191 3  he  planted  seventy  acres  in  corn  and 
raised  an  excellent  crop.  For  years  he  has  lieen  a  lireecler  of  Galloway  cattle 
and  has  a  fine  herd  of  about  seventeen  thorough1)reds  on  the  place. 

Harry  Baxter  was  born  September  15.  1871,  in  Feeds,  iMigland,  and  is 
the  son  of  George  H.  Baxter,  who  was  liorn  in  1S45.  and  iunma  Baxter 
wlio  (bed  in  Fngland  when  Harry  was  yet  a  child.  In  1882  George  H.  Bax- 
ter and  son  Harrv  came  to  America  from  Fngland  and  located  in  Cedar  town- 
ship. Thev  were  not  the  first  of  the  Baxter  family  to  emigrate  to  America, 
however,  for  in  1862  Thomas  Baxter,  father  George  H.,  emigrated  to  the 
state  of  Illinois  and  lived  there  until  the  spring  of  1882.  when  he  came  to 
Sac  countv.  Father  and  son  made  the  trip  in  the  month  of  May.  Harry 
was  ten  vears  of  age  and  had  been  attending  the  schools  in  his  native  town 
in  England  previous  to  coming  to  .\merica.  After  coming  here  he  attended 
the  district   scliools  near  tlie  home   farm.      T^e  resided   with   JTis   father  until 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  579 

twenty-one  years  of  age  and  then  took  possession  of  his  grandfather's  farm 
of  forty  acres.  He  improved  the  land  as  he  was  able  and  now  has  one  of  the 
finest  and  best  equipped  farms  in  Sac  county.  He  was  at  one  time  a  very 
extensive  breeder  of  Galloway  cattle  and  owned  a  herd  of  over  sixty  head  of 
grade  stock. 

Mr.  Baxter  is  a  Republican  in  politics.  He  was  elected  auditor  of  Sac 
county  in  the  fall  of  1906  and  entered  office  Januar)-  i.  1907.  and  served  two 
years.  It  is  said  of  him  that  he  was  one  of  the  most  reliable  and  competent 
officials  who  ever  served  in  the  C(jurt  house.  He  has  filled  the  office  of  town- 
ship trustee  and  has  been  secretary  of  the  township  school  board.  During 
his  term  as  county  auditor  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  reside  in  Sac  City,  but 
on  the  expiration  iif  his  term  he  and  the  memljers  of  his  familv  were  more 
than  pleased  to  get  back  to  the  farm  home.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Presby- 
terian church  and  is  affiliated  with  the  z\ncient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons, 
having  attained  to  the  order  of  Knights  Templar. 

Mr.  Baxter  was  married  on  October  12,  1892,  to  Anna  Wilkinson, 
daughter  of  J.  \\'.  Wilkinson,  of  Cedar  township.  John  William  Wilkinson 
was  born  November  11,  1843,  in  Leeds,  iingland,  the  son  of  John  and  Sarah 
Ann  (Kendall)  Wilkinson.  The  father  was  a  blacksmith.  Anna  Kendall 
was  the  daughter  of  John  Kendall,  a  machinist  and  mxentor  w  lio  was  a  me- 
chanic in  the  Marshall  tla.K  mill  at  Leeds.  John  W.  Wilkinson  learned  the 
trade  of  l)lacksmith  and  machinist  and  rose  to  the  foremanshi])  of  a  factory 
in  his  native  city.  On  August  i,  1887,  he  emigrated  to  .\merica  and  came 
to  Sac  county,  purchasing  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Cedar 
township  where  he  now  resides.  He  is  an  independent  in  politics  and  is  a 
great  reader,  keeping  abreast  of  the  tinies  in  every  way  possible.  In  his 
early  life  he  studied  political  economy  and  became  a  convert  to  the  teachings 
of  John  Stuart  Mill.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  Mr.  Wil- 
kinson was  married  in  1865  to  Sarah  Jane  Harrison,  of  Leeds,  who  was 
born  September  i,  1843.  They  are  the  parents  of  five  children,  four  of  whom 
are  }et  living:  Mrs.  Harrv  Baxter;  \\'alter,  who  died  in  Cedar  township  at 
the  age  of  twentv  vears ;  Edward,  a  farmer  in  Stickney  county.  South  Da- 
kota:  Clara,  wife  of  Albert  Body,  who  tills  the  home  farm;  Mrs.  John  Chal- 
fant,  of  Bayette,  Idaho. 

To  Harry  Baxter  and  wife  ha\c  been  Imrn  children,  as  follows:  Clara, 
a  graduate  of  the  Sac  City  high  school,  class  of  191 1.  and  now  a  teacher  in 
Sac  count}- :  George  W.,  who  graduated  from  the  high  school  in  19 13.  took 
first  honors  in  his  class  and  won  the  Ames  scholarship;  May,  a  student  in 
the  hiirh  sch'  ml 


580  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

This  highly  esteemed  couple  are  both  well  educated  and  readers  of  good 
literature.  Their  tallies  and  book  shelves  are  filled  with  high  class  monthly 
periodicals  and  the  classics  of  literature.  The  family  they  are  rearing  is  a 
credit  to  themselves  and  to  the  community.  Their  home  is  aptly  named  and 
the  genial  sociability  and  innate  hospitality  given  the  visitor  to  their  home 
breathes  the  spirit  of  "sunnyside".  The  reviews  in  this  volume  concerning 
Sac  county  people  of  this  character  serve  to  embellish  and  make  more  valu- 
able to  future  posterity  the  memoirs  of  the  county. 


AUGUST  ROSEKE. 


It  has  always  been  a  noticeable  fact  that  the  German  people  are  thriftier 
than  we  and  that,  exerything  being  equal,  they,  as  a  rule,  Ijecome  the  posses- 
sors of  property  earlier  than  the  young  men  of  other  nationalities.  This  fact 
need  not  be  wondered  at  when  we  come  to  consider  the  matter  from  the 
proper  viewpoint,  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  German  is  more  industrious  and 
less  extravagant,  keeping  in  mind  the  aphorism  that  "a  dollar  saved  is  a 
dollar  made."  However,  he  does  not  necessarily  deny  himself  the  necessi- 
ties of  everyday  life,  and  believes  in  having  a  good  sprinkle  of  its  luxuries, 
but  he  has  taught  himself  to  get  along  with  less  of  the  so-called  good  things 
of  the  material  world  than  we  of  the  present  generation  especially.  In  other 
words,  Americans  are  better  spenders,  and  it  is  no  credit  to  us  to  say  that 
we  are,  as  a  rule,  not  willing  to  do  whatever  falls  to  our  lot  with  equal  grace, 
being  inclined  to  rebel  if  we  can  not  secure  just  the  precise  line  of  work  that 
suits  our  particular  fancy,  while,  on  the  other  hand,  the  young  German  com- 
ing to  this  country  will  work  at  whatever  is  honorable  in  order  to  get  a  foot- 
le ild  in  the  world. 

August  Roseke,  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Cedar  township.  Sac  county, 
Iowa,  was  born  .\ugust  11,  1845,  '"  Germany,  and  was  the  son  of  Christian 
and  l-dizabeth  (  Schroeder)  Roseke,  both  of  whom  spent  all  of  their  lives 
in  their  nati\e  land,  .\ugust  was  the  youngest  of  fiye  children,  and  receixed 
a  good  common  school  education  in  his  native  coimtrx .  \\dien  he  was  four- 
teen years  of  age,  he  left  school  and  started  to  work  out  at  farm  labor  in 
Germany  in  order  to  make  a  living,  and  for  the  next  fifteen  years  he  worked 
and  saved  his  money.  He  came  to  .\merica  in  1875.  and  came  directly  to 
the  state  of  Iowa,  where  he  worked  for  the  first  vear  and  a  half  after  his 
arrival  in  Black  Hawk  county,  this  state,  for  fifteen  dollars  a  month.     In 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  581 

1876  he  came  tu  Sac  county,  and  spent  his  lirst  year  as  a  farm  hand.     In 

1877  he  bought  a  team  of  horses  from  his  employer  for  two  hundred  dol- 
lars, paid  one  huntlred  dollars  for  a  wagon  and  then  rented  a  farm  for  one 
year.  He  continued  to  rent  land  until  his  marriage  in  1880,  when  he  bought 
eighty  acres  of  his  present  farm  for  seven  dollars  an  acre  and  started  in  to 
make  his  fortune.  Beginning  with  this  eighty  acres,  which  he  had  to  buy 
on  time,  he  has  added  to  his  land  holdings  from  time  to  time  until  he  is  now 
the  owner  of  t'i\e  hundred  and  thirteen  acres  of  fine  farming  land  in  Cedar 
and  Coon  X'alley  townships,  this  county.  After  he  had  purchased  his  first 
eighty,  he  improved  and  developed  it  and  brought  it  to  such  a  high  state 
of  cultivation  that  he  was  realizing  a  handsome  profit  from  it,  and  then 
bought  fort\-  acres  adjoining  for  twelve  dollars  an  acre.  Later  he  bought 
fort}-  acres  of  swamp  land  at  six  dollars  an  acre,  eighty  acres  at  thirty  dol- 
lars an  acre,  eighty  acres  at  twenty-six  dollars  an  acre,  and  in  1908  he  pur- 
chased one  hundred  and  ninetv-three  acres  at  seventj'-five  ilollars  an  acre. 
His  land  will  now  average  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  an  acre  in  value,  and 
is  increasing  in  value  all  the  time.  In  19 13  he  had  on  his  farm  fifteen  head 
of  horses,  fifty  head  of  cattle,  forty-one  head  of  hogs  and  raised  one  hun- 
dred acres  of  corn,  which  averaged  sixty  bushels  to  the  acre.  His  farms  are 
well  improved  in  every  wa\',  with  two  barns  of  general  dimensions,  fine 
fencing,  good  drainage  and  a  fine,  new  home  which  he  has  recently  con- 
structed for  his  son.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  he  has  prospered  for  the  sole 
reason  that  he  has  been  thrifty  and  economical  in  his  habits  and  has  bent 
e\ery  energy  toward  the  careful  cultivation  of  his  land. 

Mr.  Roseke  was  married  on  October  24,  1880,  to  Friederika  Buchholz, 
who  also  was  a  native  of  Germany,  born  August  12,  1855,  and  came  to  this 
county  with  her  parents  when  she  was  thirteen  years  of  age,  in  May,  1869. 
To  this  marriage  have  been  born  eight  children,  three  of  whom  died  in  in- 
fancy and  five  are  living,  four  of  whom  are  still  at  home.  Those  living  are 
Carl,  Hulda,  Emma  (wife  of  Henry  Hinrichs.  of  Coon  Valley  township), 
Fred  and  Wilhelm. 

In  politics  Mr.  Roseke  is  a  Democrat  and  lends  his  stanch  support  to 
the  candidates  of  that  partv.  He  and  all  of  his  familv  are  loyal  members  of 
the  German  Lutheran  church  and  give  their  honest  support  to  it  at  all  times. 
Mr.  Roseke  is  truly  a  self-made  man  who  has  attained  to  a  respectable  posi- 
tion in  his  community  and  enjoys  the  esteem  and  respect  of  a  wide  circle  of 
friends  and  acquaintances  and  his  success  is  due  sim]jly  to  his  energy  and 
industry  which,  combined  with  sound  judgment,  justness  in  his  dealings  and 
wise  foresight,  have  brought  him  a  just  lueasure  of  success  in  his  new  home. 


582  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

EPHRAIM  ADDISON  WILLIAMS. 

Agriculture  has  been  an  honored  vocation  from  the  earhest  ages  and  as 
a  usual  thing  men  of  honorable  and  humane  impulses,  as  well  as  those  of 
energy  and  thrift,  have  been  patrons  of  husbandry.  The  free  out-of-door 
life  of  the  farm  has  a  decided  tendenc>-  to  foster  and  develop  that  indepen- 
dence of  mind  and  self-reliance  which  characterizes  true  manhood  and  no 
truer  blessing  can  befall  a  boy  than  to  be  reared  in  close  touch  with  nature 
in  the  healthful,  life-inspiring  labor  of  the  fields.  It  has  always  been  the 
fruitful  soil  from  which  have  sprung  the  moral  bone  and  sinew  of  the  coun- 
try, and  the  majority  of  our  nation's  great  warriors,  renowned  statesmen  and 
distinguished  men  of  letters  were  born  on  the  farm  and  were  indebted  largely 
to  his  early  influence  for  the  distinction  which  they  have  attained. 

Ephraim  Addison  Williams,  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Cedar  township, 
this  county,  was  born  July  2,  1845,  i"  Belmont  county,  Ohi(j,  and  reared  to 
manhood  in  Washington  county,  Ohio,  near  Marietta.  His  parents  were 
William  and  Margaret  (Hogan)  Williams,  natives  of  Delaware  and  Mary- 
land, respectively.  When  Ephraim  was  a  small  child,  his  mother  died  and 
his  father  then  married  Mrs.  Nancy  (Gregory)  Lang  and  died  in  Washing- 
ton county,  Ohio.  There  were  ten  children  born  to  William  and  first  wife, 
five  of  whom  are  living:  George  W..  Dennis  H.,  .\ngeline,  Edward  H.  and 
Ephraim  Addison. 

liphraim  Addi.son  Williams  lived  in  ( )hio  until  after  the  war  when  he 
and  his  steiimother  left  the  state  for  I'olk  county,  Iowa.  They  bought  a 
farm  in  that  county  and  remained  there  until  1886.  I'^phraim  went  to  Kansas 
and  lived  in  Wichita  for  two  and  a  half  years.  He  was  there  when  the  town 
was  started  and  h;id  the  honor  of  placing  the  first  bank  safe  into  the  Wichita 
Bank,  perfornung  this  deed  with  block,  tackle  and  a  pair  of  oxen.  He  went 
from  Wichita  to  Polk  county,  Iowa,  and  in  1892  came  to  Sac  county,  Iowa, 
where  he  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  and  two  years  later  brought 
his  family  to  this  county  at  a  total  cost  of  twenty-three  dollars.  He  has 
added  to  his  farm  from  time  to  time  until  he  now  has  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres.  In  1896  he  added  eighty  acres  at  a  cost  of  forty-three  dollars 
and  seventy-five  cents  an  acre  and  in  1906  he  Ixnight  eighty  acres  more  at  a 
cost  of  eighty-two  dollars  an  acre.  His  land  will  now  average  one  hundred 
and  fifty  dollars  an  acre  in  value.  Since  settling  in  this  county  he  has  taken 
an  important  part  in  the  public  affairs  of  his  township  and  has  served  as 
trustee  and  school  director.  He  is  a  ])romincnt  Republican  ot  the  townshi]) 
an<l  takes  an  active  interest  in  the  affairs  of  his  partv. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  583 

Mr.  Williams  was  marrietl  in  1878  to  Lydia  L.  Dietz,  of  Polk  county, 
Iowa.  To  this  marriage  have  lieen  horn  three  children:  Mrs.  Barhara  Effie 
Foster,  whose  hiisljand  is  a  farmer  in  Cedar  township,  Air.  and  Mrs.  Foster 
have  two  children,  Nina  and  Etlna;  John  W.,  the  second  child  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Williams,  was  born  July  6,  1880,  and  is  now  living  on  the  home,  farm 
with  his  parents;  Susanna,  his  )-oungest  daughter,  is  still  under  the  parental 
roof.  The  family  are  regular  attendants  at  church  and  take  an  active  part 
in  the  church  and  social  life  of  their  community.  Mr.  Williams  raises  con- 
siderable life  stock  and  in  1913  had  lifty  cattle,  •eight  horses  and  thirty-five 
hogs  on  his  farm.  He  has  a  beautiful  home  and  attractive  grounds  and  large 
barns  and  good  outbuildings  of  all  kinds. 


WILL  L  MOLSBERRY. 


The  life  of  the  young  dentist  and  public-spirited  man  of  affairs  whose 
name  appears  above  affords  a  striking  example  of  well  defined  purpose  with 
the  ability  to  make  that  purpose  subserve  not  only  his  own  ends  but  the  good 
of  his  fellowmen  as  well.  He  is  building  up  a  distinctive  prestige  in  a  call- 
ing which  requires  for  its  basis  sound  mentality  and  intellectual  discipline  of 
a  high  order,  supplemented  by  the  rigid  professional  training  and  thorough 
mastery  of  technical  knowledge  with  the  skill  to  apply  the  same  without 
which  one  can  not  hope  to  rise  above  mediocrity  in  ministering  to  dental  ills. 

Dr.  Will  R.  Molsberr)-.  (jf  the  dental  hrm  of  Molsljerry  Brothers,  of 
Sac  City,  Iowa,  was  born  in  Worth  county,  Iowa,  February  14,  1884.  His 
parents  were  William  and  Anna  (Heiny)  Molsberry,  natix'es  respectively 
of  Michigan  and  Iowa.  William  Molsberry  was  born  in  1842.  the  son  of 
Benjamin  Molsberry,  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Worth  county.  The 
Molsberrys  came  to  Worth  county  in  1850  and  there  made  their  permanent 
home.  Mrs.  William  Molsberry  died  in  1887,  and  her  husband  is  still  living 
with  one  of  his  children  in  Worth  county.  They  were  the  parents  of  a  fam- 
ily of  ten  children,  all  of  whom  are  living :  Mrs.  Mary  Smith,  of  Worth 
county;  Mrs.  Emma  McMurtrie,  of  Worth  county;  Jesse,  of  Worth  county; 
Mrs.  Effie  Dostal,  of  Miuneap(jlis,  Minnesota;  Mrs.  Minnie  Peshak,  of 
\\^)rth  county;  Frank  R.,  of  the  iirm  of  Molsberry  Brothers;  Mrs.  Bertha 
Crimmins  and  Mrs.  Carrie  Sanderson,  of  Cerro  Gordo  county,  Iowa;  Mrs. 
Irene  Merrill,  of  Wyoming,  and  Dr.  Will  R..  whose  history  is  sketched  in 
this  connection. 


5^4  SAC    COUNTYj    IOWA. 

Doctor  Molsberry  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Worth  county 
and  then  graduated  from  the  Manly  high  school  and  Nore  Springs  Semi- 
nary, of  Floyd  county.  He  then  entered  the  University  of  Iowa,  at  Iowa 
City,  and  graduated  from  that  institution  in  the  department  of  dentistry  in 
the  spring  of  1908.  He  then  came  to  Sac  City,  where  he  and  his  brother 
formed  a  partnership  for  the  practice  of  dentistry.  Frank  R.  graduated 
from  the  State  University  in  1905  and  practiced  in  Sheldon  until  joining  his 
brother.  Dr.  ^^"i]l  R,.  in  Sac  City  in  the  spring  of  1908.  The  young  men  are 
rapidly  building  up  a  lucrative  practice,  because  of  their  technical  skill  and 
courteous  treatment  of  their  customers. 

Doctor  Molsberry  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  but  the  nature  of  his  pro- 
fession naturall)-  prevents  him  from  taking  an  active  part  in  political  affairs. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  to  which  he  renders  sub- 
stantial support.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  .\ncient  Free  and  Ac- 
cepted Masons  and  also  holds  membership  in  the  Eastern  Star. 

Doctor  Molsberry  was  married  in  December,  19 10,  to  Irene  Brownell. 
the  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  R.  Brownell.  Doctor  Molsberrv  is  a  man 
of  energy  and  ambition,  who  is  not  afraid  to  work  and  within  the  short  time 
that  he  has  been  a  citizen  of  this  community  he  has  won  the  confidence  and 
respect  of  those  with  whom  he  is  brought  in  contact. 


JOHN  CURRIE. 


It  is  a  fact  indisputable  that  a  man's  standing  in  the  commimity  is 
determined  by  two  factors :  the  measure  of  personal  good  which  he  has 
accomplished  in  behalf  of  his  fellow  men  and  the  degree  in  which  he  has 
achieved  personal  success  and  fortune  in  his  own  behalf.  There  are 
other  conditions  which  have  a  decided  bearing  upon  the  opinion  wliich  his 
acquaintances  and  friends  have  concerning  him  as  a  part  of  the  bodv  politic, 
such  as  his  faculty  of  making  friends  and  his  neighborliness,  his  moral 
character,  the  weight  of  his  personal  influence  when  exerted  for  the  right, 
and  the  care  which  he  bestows  upon  his  family.  The  man  who  measures 
fully  up  to  these  required  standards  is  truly  a  man  worth  knowing,  and  of 
such  is  genuine  history  written  which  has  a  decided  influence  upon  the  rising 
generation.  Tilling  the  soil  gives  but  little  opportunity  for  a  man  to  become 
unduly  famous  or  widely  known,  except  within  the  borders  of  his  own  county, 
but  of  such  men  are  the  best  communities  created.     The  farmer  measures  up 


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SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


585 


to  the  highest  standards  set  for  the  gauging  of  manhood  if  he  possesses  to  a 
certain  extent  the  foregoing  attribute.  John  Currie,  farmer  of  CHnton 
township,  is  a  citizen  whom  it  is  a  pleasure  to  know  and  who  inspires  respect 
on  acquaintance  and  whose  reputation  is  of  the  best.  He  is  a  pioneer  settler 
of  Sac  county,  one  who  commenced  with  Httle  of  this  world's  goods  at  the 
beginning  of  his  career,  and  who  has  amassed  a  comfortable  competence 
through  diligence,  indefatigable  effort  and  iionest  and  straightforward  dealing 
with  his  associates. 

John  Currie  settled  in  Clinton  township  in  the  year  1874,  on  the  north- 
west quarter  of  section  20.  The  country  was  at  that  time  a  wide  sweep  of 
unbroken  prairie,  with  not  even  a  wagon  track  to  mar  its  even  continuity  of 
surface.  The  waving  grass,  growing  to  a  height  of  three  feet,  covered  the 
land  like  a  vast  inland  sea  of  verdure.  He  was  the  third  settler  in  this 
township.  Two  others  had  preceded  him,  H.  J.  Martin  and  Mr.  Sherwood 
having  previously  settled  in  the  townsliip.  Mr.  Currie  paid  five  dollars  and 
sixty  cents  an  acre  for  his  land  on  a  time  contract.  During  his  first  year  he 
was  able  to  erect  a  very  small  house,  twelve  by  twenty  feet  in  dimension, 
and  raise  a  fine  crop  of  sod  corn  and  potatoes.  His  corn  yielded  sixty  bushels 
to  the  acre  and  he  raised  two  hundred  bushels  of  potatoes  in  this  first  season. 
He  was  enabled  to  dispose  of  the  greater  part  of  his  corn  and  potatoes  to 
good  arlvantage.  He  traded  some  of  the  potatoes  for  two  brood  sows,  which 
gave  him  his  start  in  hog  raising.  He  has  ever  been  thankful  for  the  smiles 
of  Providence  during  this  first  year,  as  he  had  no  money  when  he  came  to 
Sac  county,  and  his  good  fortune  came  as  a  Godsend  to  him  and  his  family. 
Mr.  Currie  recalls  that  money  was  a  mintis  commodity  for  several  years,  and 
there  were  times  when  the  settlers  became  discouraged,  he  among  them,  for, 
in  1877,  when  the  grasshoppers  were  devastating  the  land  and  driving  the 
settlers  eastward  and  westward  by  their  ravages,  even  his  optimistic  attitude 
toward  the  world  was  changed,  and,  becoming  thoroughly  discouraged,  he 
disposed  of  eighty  acres  of  his  land.  Had  a  really  good  excuse  been  forth- 
coming at  this  time  he  would  have  left  the  county  and  remained  away.  For- 
tunately for  him,  there  came  a  change  in  conditions,  and  prosperity  gradually 
smiled  once  more  on  his  efforts,  and  he  was  enabled  to  repurchase  his  former 
"eighty"  in  1878.  December  12.  1875,  his  son,  Malcolm,  the  first  white 
child  born  in  Clinton  township,  first  saw  the  light  of  day.  In  1880  he  bought 
eighty  acres,  containing  improvements,  for  thirty  dollars  an  acre.  In  1883 
he  invested  in  one  hundred  acres  and  in  1886  he  added  sixty  acres  to  his 
holdinsrs.  Since  that  time  he  has  bought  and  sold  several  tracts  of  land.  His 
home  estate  consists  of  four  hundred  acres  of  excellent  land,  on  which  is  a 


586  '       SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

good  home,  erected  twenty-live  years  ago.  He  also  owns  one  hundred  acres 
in  Wall  Lake  township.  In  1912  he  purchased  six  hundred  and  sixty-three 
acres  of  the  Cook  ranch,  which  is  now  in  the  possession  of  his  sons,  who  are 
cultivating  it. 

Mr.  Currie  has  long  been  a  breeder  of  Aberdeen  Angus  cattle,  and  the 
size  of  his  herd  ranges  from  one  hundred  to  three  hundred  head  of  this  ex- 
cellent stock.  He  is  also  a  famous  breeder  of  English  Shire  horses,  and  has 
twenty-hve  head  of  thoroughbred  animals  on  the  farm.  He  purchased  his 
present  home  farm  in  1892,  at  a  cost  of  fifty  dollars  an  acre,  and  has  since 
resided  thereon. 

Biographically  speaking,  John  Currie  was  born  October  20,  1846,  in 
Argyleshire,  Scotland,  and  is  the  son  of  Duncan  and  Alar\  ( Smith )  Currie, 
who  emigrated  to  America  in  1873  and  settled  in  Clinton  county,  Iowa.  John 
had  preceded  his  parents  to  Clinton  county  by  three  years  and  had  sent  them 
such  glowing  accounts  of  tlie  new  country  that  they  were  induced  to  leave 
the  home  of  their  fathers  and  come  to  America.  They  were  the  parents  of 
nine  children,  as  follows:  Neil,  who  resides  in  Scotland;  John:  Malcolm 
died  in  Schaller,  Iowa;  Mrs.  Betsey  Patton,  of  Wright  county,  Iowa:  Mrs. 
Margaret  Calhoun,  who  died  in  April,  1914,  near  Herring,  Iowa;  Hector,  a 
farmer  residing  near  Schaller:  Duncan,  formerly  a  farmer  in  Clinton  town- 
ship, now  deceased;  James,  a  citizen  of  Oregon;  Mrs.  Mary  Fleming,  de- 
ceased. 

When  he  had  attained  the  age  of  twenty-four  years,  John  Currie  bor- 
rowed money  from  relati\es  in  Scotland  and  set  sail  for  America  and  arrived 
in  the  city  of  Quebec  May  1,  1870.  He  managed  to  make  his  way  southward 
to  Whiteside  county,  Illinois,  and  obtained  employment  in  the  construction  of 
a  countv  drainage  ditch  at  a  wage  of  two  dollars  per  day.  In  November  of 
the  same  year  he  journeyed  to  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  and  worked  in  a  saw 
mill,  drawing  wages  of  one  dollar  and  seventy-five  cents  per  day  for  his 
labor.  He  continued  in  this  employment  for  three  years,  and  at  the  time  of 
his  departure,  in  1873,  for  Sac  county,  he  was  drawing  two  dollars  and 
seventy-five  cents  per  day.  Being  of  a  saving  and  thrifty  disposition,  he  had 
manao-ed  to  save  one  thousand  dollars  with  which  to  begin  his  career  in  Sac 
county.     Success  has  been  his  portion. 

Politically,  Mr.  Currie  is  a  progressive  Republican,  but  he  has  never 
souo-ht  political  preferment.  However,  he  has  lent  his  influence  in  behalf  of 
good  government  and  the  selection  of  competent  ofificials  on  every  occasion 
where  he  could  do  so.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  is 
fraternally  affiliated  with  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


:)°/ 


Mr.  Currie  was  married  March  2,  1873,  in  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  to 
Jeannette  McGeachey,  anrl  on  March  4th  he  and  his  bride  started  for  their 
future  home  in  Sac  county.  During  this  long  period  Mrs.  Currie  has  been 
a  true  and  faithful  helpmeet  and  an  excellent  mother  to  her  children.  .She 
is  the  daughter  of  Malcolm  McGeachey,  a  native  of  Scotland,  and  was  born 
February  14,  1849,  in  .Scotland.  This  estimable  couple  have  reared  a  family 
of  eleven  children,  namely :  Malcolm,  county  attorney,  resides  at  Sac  City, 
and  of  whom  further  mention  is  made  in  this  volume;  Duncan,  a  farmer  in 
Richland  township:  Mrs.  Mary  Smith,  also  in  Richland  township;  John,  a 
farmer  in  Cook  township;  Jean,  at  home;  Neil,  a  farmer  in  Cook  township; 
Alexander,  owner  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Cook  township;  Mrs. 
Jessie  Houchins,  who  resides  in  Wall  Lake  township:  Margaret,  a  student  at 
Ames  College ;  Dugald  and  Donald,  at  home. 

Mr.  Currie  is  recognized  as  a  nwn  of  sterling  worth,  whose  life  is  closely 
interwoven  with  the  history  of  the  community  which  he  has  taken  such  an 
active  part  in  building  up,  and  his  efforts  have  always  been  put  forth  in 
behalf  of  the  advancement  of  the  neighborhood.  The  well-regulated  and 
industrious  life  which  he  has  led  entitles  him  to  representation  in  this  work, 
thereby  leaving  an  imperishable  memoir  for  the  future  edification  of  his 
descendants  and  friends. 


BENJAMIN  F.  COI.LENBAUGH. 

In  Sac  county  are  two  classes  of  pioneer  settlers  and  pioneer  families. 
But  few  remain  of  the  first  families  which  came  into  the  county  over  half  a 
century  ago,  but  a  large  and  increasing  number  of  descendants  of  those  who 
settled  in  the  county  in  the  second  settlement  decade  are  found  and  are  occu- 
pying permanent  positions  as  exponents  of  the  science  of  husbandry  in  its 
most  advance  form  in  the  fertile  sections  of  this  great  subdivision  of  a  great 
and  wealthy  state. 

Those  settlers  who  came  in  the  second  migration  to  the  fertile  areas 
within  the  Ijorders  of  the  county,  journeyed  hither  with  the  intention  of  stay- 
ing and  providing  opportunity  for  their  children.  Land  was  then  much 
cheaper  in  Sac  county  and  the  thrifty  husbandmen  from  the  older  counties 
of  Iowa  were  wise  in  their  day  and  generation  inasmuch  as  they  disposed  of 
developed  farms  in  the  older  count\-  and  in\  ested  in  large  tracts  in  Sac  county. 
The  father  of  the  well-known  agriculturist  whose  name  forms  the  caption  of 
this  review  was  among  those  whose  foresight  and  power  of  vision  drew  him 


588  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

ninvanl  from  his  fdrnier  liome  in  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  to  the  newer  lands 
of  Sac  county,  wherein  he  would  lie  better  enabled  to  found  a  home  and  pre- 
sent better  opportunities  for  his  sons  to  follow  in  his  footsteps.  Christopher 
C.  Collenbaugh,  father  of  Benjamin  F.  Collenbaugh,  was  one  of  a  large  num- 
ber of  Clinton  county  people  to  settle  in  Cook  township  in  the  period  which 
includes  the  vear  of  his  migration  in  1883.  B.  F.  later  removed  from  his 
home  township  to  Cedar  township  where  he  now  has  one  of  the  finest  and 
most  productive  farms  in  the  county. 

Benjamin  F.  Collenbaugh,  proprietor  of  the  I""airmont  farm  of  two  hun- 
dred acres  in  Cedar  township.  Sac  county,  Iowa,  was  born  November  22,  1867, 
in  Greene  county,  Indiana.  He  is  the  son  of  C.  C.  and  Rosanna  S.  (Maxwell) 
Collenbaugh,  natives  of  Ohio,  who  were  among  the  early  settlers  in  Indiana. 
C.  C.  Collenbaugh  and  family  left  Indiana  for  Iowa  in  1877  and  located  in 
Clinton  county,  where  they  remained  for  six  years.  In  1883  they  settled  in 
Sac  county,  where  they  bought  a  large  farm  in  Cook  townshijj,  on  which  the 
father  died  August  6,  1905,  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven;  his  widow  is  still 
living  in  Odebolt  in  this  county,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-four  years. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  C.  Collenbaugh  were  the  parents  of  five  children  :  Mrs.  Mamie 
Mathers,  of  Odebolt;  John  M.,  of  Doone,  Iowa;  Mrs.  Alice  Davenport,  of 
Odebolt;  Benjamin  1'"..  whose  history  is  portrayed  in  this  connection,  and 
Charles  M.,  of  Odebolt. 

Benjamin  F.  Collenbaugh  received  his  early  education  in  Indiana  and 
after  his  parents  came  t<:>  Iowa  he  finished  his  schooling  in  Odebolt.  Upon 
reaching  his  majority  he  rented  a  farm  in  Cook  township  for  five  years  and 
later  bought  forty  acres  in  the  same  township  at  forty  dollars  an  acre.  In 
1907  he  moved  to  a  farm  near  Sac  City,  where  he  remained  until  he  moved  to 
his  present  farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres.  He  paid  one  hundred  dol- 
lars an  acre  for  this  land  and  in  19 12  bought  another  eighty  acres,  paying  one 
hundred  dollars  an  acre  for  it.  He  now  has  two  hundred  acres  of  land  which 
is  easily  worth  two  hundred  dollars  an  acre.  In  19 13  he  had  out  sixty  acres 
of  corn  which  averaged  fifty-five  bushels  to  the  acre,  forty  acres  of  oats  which 
averaged  thirty-seven  bushels  to  the  acre,  besides  live  stock,  consisting  of 
horses,  cattle,  sheep  and  hogs.  His  farm  is  well  improved  in  every  way,  has 
a  good  house  set  in  a  handsome  grove  and  a  bank  barn  which  he  constructed 
in  191 1  at  a  cost  of  twelve  hundred  dollars. 

Mr.  Collenbaugh  is  a  member  of  the  Republican  party  and,  although  he 
keeps  well  informed  on  the  current  issues  of  the  day,  he  has  never  taken  an 
active  interest  in  the  deliberations  of  his  party.    Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  58'; 

the  Veonien.  while  he  and  the  members  of  his  family  are  regular  attendants 
at  the  Christian  church. 

Mr.  Collenbaugh  was  married  in  1892  to  Agnes  Falconer,  of  Manchester, 
Iowa,  and  to  this  uninn  have  been  born  five  child.ren  :  May,  the  wife  iif  Newton 
Penninan,  of  Douglas  township,  this  count}- ;  Verna,  who  is  now  eighteen  and  a 
senior  in  the  high  school  at  Sac  City;  Leonard,  who  is  fifteen  and  in  the  high 
school,  class  of  1914:  Gladys  and  Lloyd,  who  are  now  in  the  grade  schools  of 
Cedar  township.  Mr.  Collenbaugh  has,  by  his  conscientious  methods  and  up- 
right dealings,  made  a  success  of  his  farming  and  because  of  his  kindness  of 
nature  and  generosity  of  heart  he  has  won  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  ac- 
quaintances throughout  the  community. 


PERRY  S.  HOSKINS. 


An  enumeration  of  the  representative  citizens  of  Sac  county,  Iowa, 
would  be  incomplete  without  specific  mention  of  the  well  known  and  popular 
gentleman  whose  name  introduces  this  sketch.  A  member  of  one  of  the 
old  and  highly  esteemed  families  of  the  central  part  of  the  state  and  for 
many  years  a  public-spirited  man  of  affairs,  he  has  stamped  the  impress 
of  his  individuality  upon  the  community  and  added  luster  to  the  honorable 
name  which  he  bears,  having  always  been  scrupulously  honest  in  all  his  rela- 
tions with  his  fellow  men  and  leaving  no  stone  unturned  whereby  he  might 
benefit  his  own  condition  as  well  as  that  of  his  neighbors  and  friends,  con- 
sequently he  has  long  ago  won  the  favor  of  a  great  number  of  people 
of  the  count}-  where  he  maintains  his  home. 

I'erry  S.  Hoskins,  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Cedar  township.  Sac  county, 
Iowa,  was  bom  August  16,  1858,  in  Marshall  county,  Illinois,  the  son  of 
C.  W.  and  Elizaljeth  ( Tanquary )  Hoskins,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of 
Pickawav  county,  Ohio.  In  1865  a  colony  of  Ohio  |)eople,  numbering  fifteen 
families  in  all  and  including  Aljner  Hoskins,  the  grandfather  of  P.  S.  Hos- 
kins, left  Ohio,  and  settled  in  Marshall  county,  Illinois.  The  Tanquar}s 
were  among  the  families  who  made  this  change  of  residence.  Here  the 
Hoskins  family  lived  until  1899,  when  the}-  moved  to  Sac  county,  Iowa, 
where  the  parents  died.  C.  W.  Hoskins  and  wife  were  the  parents  of  six 
children:  P.  S.,  whose  history  is  here  given:  Mrs.  Laura  McCully,  of 
Marshall  county,  Illinois;  Cornelius,  of  Cedar  township;  Ed,  who  lives  in 
Buena  Vista  county,  Iowa:  Abner.  of  Portland,  Oregon,  and  William,  of 
Marshall  county,  Illinois. 


590  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

P.  S.  Hoskins  received  his  educatiim  in  the  ]>iibnc  schools  of  Illinois, 
and  when  twenty-four  years  of  age  married  and  began  farming  for  him- 
self. For  the  first  few  years  he  rented  land,  then  his  father-in-law  gave  him 
and  his  wife  seventy-five  acres  of  land  with  the  condition  that  he  should 
improve  and  develop  it.  This  he  did  to  a  very  satisfactory  degree  and 
later  sold  it  and  came  to  Sac  county,  arriving  here  on  l'"eliruary  19,  1907. 
He  immediately  bought  a  farm  of  two  hundred  and  sixteen  acres  in  the 
northeast  quarter  of  section  18,  and  the  north  fifty-six  acres  of  the  south- 
east quarter  of  section  18  in  Cedar  township,  paving  ninety  dc.^llars  an  acre 
for  it.  .\t  that  time  this  was  the  highest  priced  land  in  the  county,  its  value 
being  enhanced  because  of  the  natural  fertility  of  the  soil  and  also  because 
it  had  already  been  partly  tiled.  His  land  is  now  easily  worth  two  hundred 
and  twentv-five  dollars  an  acre.  He  has  improved  the  tract  in  every  way 
by  erecting  new  buildings  and  fencing  and  draining  it.  Since  going  on  this 
farm  he  has  placed  over  six  hundred  rods  of  tiling,  an  improvement  which 
has  more  than  paid  for  the  original  outlay.  In  19 13  he  had  sixty-nine  acres 
in  corn,  which  averaged  about  sixty  bugjiels  to  the  acre.  He  sells  annually 
about  two  car  loads  of  cattle  and  stock.  He  brings  to  his  work  a  fair 
knowledge  of  all  the  phases  of  farming  and  by  means  of  farmers'  institutes 
and  agricultural  magazines,  keeps  in  close  touch  with  all  the  latest  develop- 
ments in  farming. 

Mr.  Hoskins  was  married  in  1882,  to  Adeline  Ingram,  the  daughter 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seth  Ingram,  who  were  both  natives  of  West  \irginia, 
and  to  tlii>  marriage  there  have  been  born  two  children,  Lillian  and  William, 
the  former  of  whom  is  still  at  home  with  her  parents,  while  William  is 
farming  in  Cedar  township,  this  county,  on  his  father's  farm. 

Politicallv,  Mr.  Hoskins  is  a  Republican,  but  owing  to  the  comparatively 
short  time  which  he  has  been  in  the  county,  and  the  arduous  duties  con- 
nected with  his  agricultural  interests,  he  has  never  felt  that  he  had  the  time 
to  mix  niucli  in  the  game  of  politics.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the 
Independent  ( )r(lcr  of  Odd  I'^ellows,  subordinate  lodge  and  encampment. 
He  alsii  lielcmgs  to  the  ivebekah  lodge  and  the  Modern  Wotxlmen  of  America. 
Enough  has  been  said  concerning  his  career  in  this  state  and  county  to  show 
what  can  he  accom]ilished  b_v  a  man  who  determines  to  make  a  success  of 
farming.  There  is  no  better  farming  territory  in  the  world  than  in  this 
countv  and  certainlv  the  farmers  of  this  section  have  proved  equal  in  ability 
to  the  farmers  of  any  other  spot  in  the  world.  Mr.  Hoskins  is  maintaining 
his  reputation  as  one  of  the  best  farmers  who  have  ever  followed  that  voca- 
tion in  this  countv. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  591 

HENRY  F.  DETTMANN. 

The  subject  of  this  review  is  a  representative  farmer  and  stock  grower 
of  Cellar  township,  Sac  county,  Iowa,  and  he  is  known  as  one  of  the  alert, 
progressive  and  successful  agriculturists  of  this  favored  section  of  the  Hawk- 
eye  state.  In  his  lalmrs  he  has  not  permitted  himself  to  follow  in  the  rut 
in  a  blind,  apathetic  way,  but  has  studied  and  experimented  and  thus  se- 
cure<l  the  maximum  returns  from  his  enterprising  efforts,  while  he  has  so 
ordered  his  course  at  all  times  as  to  command  the  confidence  and  regard  of 
the  ]ieop!e  of  the  community  in  which  he  lives,  being  a  man  of  honorable 
business  methods  and  advocating  \vhate\'er  tends  to  promote  the  public  wel- 
fare in  any  way. 

llenry  !■".  Dettmann.  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Cedar  township.  Sac 
county,  was  born  in  1S75  in  Bremer  county,  Iowa.  His  parents  were  Henrv 
and  Mary  Dettmann.  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Germany.  They  came 
to  this  country  and  settled  in  Bremer  county,  Iowa,  shortly  before  the  birth 
of  Henr\-  V..  the  oldest  one  of  their  children,  and  in  1880  moved  near  Sac 
Cit\'  in  Sac  county.  Air.  and  Mrs.  Henr\-  Dettmann  are  the  parents  of  seven 
children,  fi\e  of  whom  are  living:  Henr\'  F. :  Mrs.  Caroline  Heck,  of  Cal- 
houn count)-;  Mrs.  Dora  Reman.,  of  Calhoun  county;  Mrs.  Augusta  Rob- 
bins,  of  Calhoim  count}',  and  Fred,  who  is  nr)w  on  the  old  home  farm. 
Henry  Dettmann  is  still  living  in  Coon  A'alley  township,  but  his  wife  has 
been  dead  several  years. 

Henry  F.  Dettmann  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  Sac  county  and  re- 
mained with  his  parents  on  the  farm  until  his  marriage  in  1899.  He  then 
moved  on  to  the  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  which  he  had  ]5ur- 
ch;ised  in  1898.  He  paid  one  hundred  dollars  for  his  first  one  hundred  and 
sixty  and  later  liought  sixtv  acres  UKire.  for  which  he  paid  eightv-five  dol- 
lars an  acre.  Since  going  on  to  the  farm  he  has  placed  ten  thousand  dollars 
worth  of  impro\-ements,  consisting  of  buildings,  tiling,  ditching  and  fencing. 
In  the  summer  of  1912  he  remodeled  his  house,  making  it  more  convenient 
and  modern  and  in  190J  erected  a  large  barn;  in  1913  he  had  eighty  acres 
of  corn,  w  hich  averaged  forty  bushels  to  the  acre.  He  raises  a  considerable 
amount  of  stock  and  last  year  had  ten  head  of  horses,  fifteen  head  of  cattle 
and  h\e  sheejx  He  now  has  his  farm  of  two  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in 
a  condition  where  it  is  netting  him  handsome  returns  annuall}'.  and  b)-  his 
systematic  course  of  crop  rotation  he  is  able  to  keep  his  soil  up  to  the  high- 
est state  of  productivity. 

Mr.  Dettmaitn  was  married  in   1899  to  Emma  Feggett.  of  Sac  county. 


592  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

and  to  this  marriage  have  been  born  seven  children,  six  of  whom  are  hving: 
Eldora,  born  December  23,  1901 ;  EveHna.  born  August  19,  1904;  Albert, 
born  February  16,  1907;  Harry,  born  June  2,  1909;  Emma,  born  August 
12,  1912;  Theodore,  born  October  11,  1900,  and  died  a  year  later;  Frederick, 
born  November  28,  19 13. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Dettmann  is  independent,  believing  that  the  interests  of 
his  community  and  county,  as  well  state,  will  be  the  best  served  by  voting 
for  the  right  man  at  all  times  irrespective  of  political  affiliations.  He  and 
the  members  of  his  family  are  earnest  adherents  of  the  German  Lutheran 
church  and  give  generously  to  its  support.  Mr.  Dettmann  is  a  man  of  gener- 
ous impulses  and  because  of  his  public-spirited  way  and  mingling  in  all  the 
civic  and  other  enterprises  of  his  community,  he  is  highly  regarded  by  all 
of  those  with  whom  he  is  associated. 


CHRISTIAN   SCHAEFER. 

It  is  not  conceivable  that  a  complete  history  of  Sac  county  could  be 
written  without  taking  due  cognizance  of  the  fact  that  a  sturd}-  and  thrifty 
German  element  has  had  considerable  to  do  with  the  settlement  and  develop- 
ment of  the  county.  At  the  present  time  the  younger  generation  of  the 
German-American  population  are  firmly  intrenched  in  the  component  make-up 
of  the  body  politic  and  are  the  leaders  of  progress  in  their  communities.  The 
older  pioneers  are  a  substantial  class  of  well-to-do  citizens  who  have  borne 
the  brunt  of  the  fight  for  conquest  of  the  wilderness  and  are  now  calmly 
and  contentedly  enjoying  the  fruits  .>f  their  earlier  endea\ors.  Christian 
Schaefer  belongs  to  the  class  of  capable  and  energetic  Germans,  who,  coming 
to  the  United  States,  endowed  with  an  inherited  equipment  for  success  as 
tillers  of  the  soil,  sometimes  achieve  it  in  large  degree. 

Born  in  the  rui'al  district  of  Germany,  December  28,  1S40,  Christian 
Schaefer  came  to  this  country  at  tb.e  age  of  six  years  in  company  with  his 
])arents,  Frederick  and  Fredericka  Schaefer,  in  1847.  The  family  settled  in 
Sheboygan  county,  Wisconsin,  and  there  hewed  a  home  out  of  the  forest 
wilderness.  They  migrated  to  .Mamakee  county,  Iowa,  ni  1804.  Years  later, 
after  seveial  of  the  children  had  located  in  Sac  county,  the  aged  father  and 
mother  followed  them  and  ended  their  days  on  a  farm  in  Eden  townshiji.  The 
Schaefer  children  were:  Christian:  Fred,  a  soldier  in  the  L'ninn  ai-niy  who 
gave  his  life  in  defense  of  his  country,  dying  while   in   the  service:   Mary, 


IfJ 


n 

X 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  593 

deceased  in  Wisconsin;  Siuiun  died  in  Wisconsin;  William,  a  resident  of 
Schaller;  Mrs.  Sophia  Hahne.  of  Schaller;  Mrs.  Lena  Sonneman,  a  resident 
of  Canada ;  Henry,  of  Mascm  Cit\ . 

Mr.  Schaefer  is  the  oldest  lixMng-  settler  of  Eden  township  in  point  of 
years  of  residence  in  the  community.  Alay  17,  1870,  marked  an  epoch  in  the 
history  of  the  northern  jjart  of  Sac  county,  for  it  was  on  this  day  that  a 
little  band  of  homeseekers  from  Alamakee  county,  consisting  of  Christian 
Schaefer,  Christian  Lucke.  Fred  Hahne  and  Adolph  Martin,  crossed  the 
Boyer  river  and  entered  the  promised  land,  "fhe  smiling  prairies  beckoned 
them  onward  and  invited  them  to  abide  with  it  and  teach  the  bosom  of  the 
flower  and  grass-covered  landscape  to  yield  forth  its  riches  of  grain  and 
edibles.  These  men  were  the  first  settlers  of  Eden  townshi])  west  of  the 
Boyer  river,  and  journe\'ed  from  the  town  of  Waukon,  Alamakee  count}'. 
Henry  Luhnian  followed  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year.  Previous  to  this 
migration,  hred  Hahne  ;ind  Christ  Lucke  had  made  a  trij)  to  the  section  in 
July  of  1869  and  spied  out  the  territory  for  the  purpose  of  locating  the  fol- 
lowing year.  These  Gcrman-.\mericans  were  the  actual  and  bona  fide  settlers 
who  remained  to  develo])  the  country;  but  they  had  lieen  preceded  by  two 
men.  a  Air.  Hibner  and  Walter  Toll,  who  did  not  lieconie  i:)ernianent  settlers 
in  the  neighborl'ijod. 

Christian  Sch.aefer  settled  on  the  east  half  of  section  17.  in  Eden  town- 
ship, which  be  ])urcbased  for  five  dollars  an  acre.  His  first  place  of  abode 
was  a  small  shanty,  fourteen  by  sixteen  feet  in  dimensions,  in  which  he  lived 
for  the  first  summer  and  then,  in  the  fall,  erected  a  larger  liouse,  fourteen  by 
twenty-two,  in  which  he  resided  until  1882,  when  be  built  a  large  two-story 
house  on  the  same  site,  and  liere  he  li\ed  and  reared  his  large  family  until 
Jul)',  H)00,  when  he  and  his  faithful  helpmeet  moved  to  a  comfortable  home 
m  the  nearliy  town  of  Schaller.  To  tell  of  the  early  struggles  this  pioneer 
family  endured  in  making  a  home  out  of  the  wilderness  would  require  a 
longer  chapter  than  the  one  which  we  are  writing.  Suffice  to  say,  that 
Christ  Schaefer  overcame  his  earl\'  difficulties  with  true  fortitude,  reared  a 
large  family  and  amassed  a  competence  sufficient  to  insure  comfort  or  even 
lu.xiu'v  in  his  declining  vears  and  enabled  him  to  give  each  of  his  many 
children  a  fitting  start  in  tine  battle  of  life.  He  is  the  owner  of  five  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  of  the  l)est  Sac  coimt\'  land  and  also  possesses  eight  hundred 
acres  of  rich  land  in  .South  Dakota.  He  is  a  progressive  Republican  in 
politics  and  keeps  closely  abreast  of  developments  whicii  are  having  a  ten- 
dencv  to  revolutionize  the  existing  order  of  things  in  this  land,  and  he  is 
(37) 


594  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Iieartily  in  favor  of  good,  lionest  government  in  bclialf  of  all  the  people.  He 
is  a  member  of  tlie  Methodist  clnirch. 

Mr.  Schaefer's  wedded  life  began  on  April  21,  1865,  when  he  took  for 
his  life  hel]3ineet  Minnie  Pertner,  who  was  born  in  Germany  in  1846.  and 
came  to  America  with  her  parents,  Fred  and  Lottie  Pertner,  in  1854.  They 
settled  in  Alamakee  county,  Iowa.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schafer  are  the  proud 
parents  of  fourteen  children,  thirteen  of  whom  are  now  living  and  grown  to 
stalwart  manhood  and  womanhood.  The  children  of  this  estimable  couple 
are:  Mrs.  Alvina  Woodke,  of  Schaller;  Mrs.  Mary  Lemke,  Denison,  Iowa; 
Fred,  a  minister  at  Eureka,  South  Daktota;  Alfred,  a  citizen  of  Warren, 
Illinois;  August,  a  resident  of  Parker,  South  Dakota:  Philip,  also  of  Parker. 
South  Dakota ;  Walter,  a  farmer  near  Windfred,  South  Dakota :  William 
and  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Wendt,  of  Parker,  South  Dakota:  Reuben,  of  Greenville, 
Iowa:  John,  who  cultivates  a  part  of  the  old  homestead  farm;  Leo,  of  Parker, 
South  Dakota ;  Mrs.  Lillie  Buehler,  resiiling  near  Odebolt,  Iowa.  Thev  have 
thirty-six  grandchildren  and  three  great-grandchildren. 

The  biographer  doubts  very  much  if  a  single  settler  in  Sac  county  has 
made  a  more  enviable  and  praiseworthy  record  than  he  of  whom  this  review 
is  written.  For  the  benefit  and  inspiration  of  his  children,  grandchildren  and 
great-grandchildren,  and  for  the  perusal  by  the  many  warm  friends  of  this 
aged  and  respected  couple,  this  chronicle  is  respectfully  submitted.  That  it 
may  be  a  lasting  tribute  to  their  accomplishments  and  be  a  valued  memento 
in  vears  to  come  is  the  wish  of  the  historian. 


EDWARD  S.   RIXGGFNBERG. 

Anv  person  who  will  investigate  the  facts  in  the  case  will  be  surprised 
to  learn  of  the  great  number  of  people  of  Germanic  descent  now  living  in 
the  United  States.  Unquestionably  the  greatest  number  of  emigrants  reach- 
ine;  the  shores  of  the  New  World  comes  from  that  nation,  and  statistics  show 
that  there  is  more  Germanic  bludd  in  the  United  States  than  any  other.  This 
being  a  fact,  it  is  easy  to  account  for  the  prosperity  and  morality  of  this 
country.  Not  only  that,  but  it  will  afford  an  explanation  for  the  love  of 
learning  shown  by  the  people  of  this  vast  nation.  Germany  is  famous  the 
world  over  for  its  remarkable  universities,  for  its  educated  men,  for  its  poets 
and  philosophers,  and  for  the  industry,  patience,  intelligence,  morality  and 
sturdiness  of  its  citizens.     These  qualities  have  been  brought  to  this  country 


SAC   COUNTY.   IOWA.  595 

by  the  ininiigrants.  an<l  are  now  part  and  parcel  of  our  wonderful  nation — 
its  progress  in  domestic  economy,  its  advancement  in  every  branch  of  ma- 
terial improvement  and  its  love  of  country  and  home. 

Edward  S.  Ringgenberg,  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Cedar  township,  Sac 
county,  Iowa,  was  born  in  Polk  county,  Iowa,  on  September  15,  1874,  and  is 
the  son  of  Peter  and  Anna  ( Imboden)  Ringgenberg.  natives  respectively  of 
Ohio  and  Germany.  Peter  Ringgenberg  and  wife  were  early  settlers  in  Polk 
county.  Idwa,  where  they  came  in  the  sixties.  They  reared  a  family  of 
twelve  children. 

E.  S.  Ringgenberg  is  a  fine  type  of  a  successful  German  settler  of  Sac 
count\-.  In  1894  he  left  the  parental  roof  in  Polk  county  and  journeyed  to 
Sac  City  with  fifty  cents  in  his  pocket.  He  then  walked  ten  miles  to  his 
brother's  home  in  Calhoun  county,  and,  due  to  the  fact  that  there  was  a 
short  corn  crop  in  that  county  and  little  work  to  do,  he  came  back  to  Sac 
count}'  and  shucked  corn  for  the  farmers  in  this  county,  saved  every  possible 
cent  and  rented  a  piece  of  ground,  where  from  the  first  he  was  successful. 
T"he  short  space  of  twenty  years,  w  ith  a  working  basis  of  fifty  cents  in  1894. 
has  attained  for  him  at  least  fifty  thousand  dollars,  all  of  which  has  been 
made  by  good,  honest  work.  He  first  bought  eighty  acres  in  Calhoun  county 
at  twent_\--eight  and  a  half  dollars  an  acre  and  lived  on  it  two  years.  This  he 
sold  and  bought  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  at  thirty-five  dollars  an  acre 
elsewhere  in  Calhoun  county;  afterward  he  added  forty  acres  to  this  in  the 
same  county,  paying  seventy-seven  and  a  half  dollars  an  acre.  In  the  spring 
of  1909  he  benight  a  farm  in  Sac  county,  adjoining  Lytton,  for  which  he 
paid  one  hundred  and  twenty-two  and  a  half  dollars  an  acre.  In  February 
of  19 1 4  he  and  his  brothers  bought  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  Buena 
V'ista  countv  at  a  cost  of  one  hundred  and  sixty-six  dollars  an  acre.  The 
Sac  county  land  is  now  easily  worth  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  an  acre 
and  the  Calhoun  land  one  hundreil  and  seventy-five  dollars  an  acre.  In 
1913  his  Sac  county  farm,  which  lies  near  Lytton,  produced  sixty-five  bushels 
of  corn  to  the  acre.  He  had  thirty-five  acres  of  oats  which  averaged  fifty 
bushels  to  the  acre.  He  keeps  on  an  average  of  thirteen  horses,  ten  head  oi 
cattle  and  seventy-five  hogs  each  year.  His  farms  are  well  improved  in 
every  wa}'.  including  good  buildings,  fencing  and  extensive  drainage  systems. 

Mr.  Ringgenberg  was  marrietl  in  the  spring  of  1897  to  Ida  Dunaway. 
of  Calhoun  county,  Iowa,  and  to  this  marriage  have  been  born  six  children, 
all  of  whom  are  still  at  home :  Iva,  Pearl.  Rosetta,  Leon.  Clarence  and  Leota. 
In  politics  Mr.  Ringgenberg  is  a  stanch  Democrat,  but  his  large  agricul- 
tural  interests  prevent  his  taking  an  active  part   in   politics.      He  and   his 


596  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

family  are  members  of  the  Lutheran  church  and  give  it  their  earnest  sup- 
port. Mr.  Ringgenberg  is  a  man  who  is  highly  respected,  because  of  his  cor- 
rect principles  and  clean  manner  of  life.  He  has  conquered  adversity  and 
has  won.  not  only  pecuniary  independence,  but  what  is  far  greater  and 
higher,  the  respect  and  confidence  of  those  with  whom  his  active  years  have 
been  spent. 


WALTER  T.  HIGHLAND. 

Among  the  strong  and  influential  citizens  of  Sac  count}-  the  record  of 
whose  lives  ha\e  become  an  essential  part  of  the  history  of  this  section,  the  gen- 
tleman whose  name  appears  above  occupies  a  prominent  place  and  for  years  he 
has  exerted  a  beneficial  influence  in  the  locality  where  he  resides.  His  chief 
characteristics  are  keenness  of  perception,  a  tireless  energy,  honesty  of  pur- 
pose and  motive,  and  every-da)'  common  sense,  which  ha\e  enabled  him 
not  onl\'  to  advance  his  own  interests,  lint  also  largely  contriliute  to  the  moral 
and  material  advancement  of  the  community. 

Walter  T.  Highland,  ex-trustee  and  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Jackson 
township.  Sac  county,  Iowa,  was  born  on  June  4,  1847,  i'l  Bradford,  Orange 
county,  Vermont.  His  parents  were  Thomas  and  Eliza  (Grow)  Highland. 
In  1866  the  Highland  family  moved  to  Sauk  county,  Wisconsin,  and  ten 
years  later  settled  in  Sac  City,  this  state,  where  the  father  and  mother  both 
died  in  1902.  Thomas  Highland  and  wife  were  the  parents  of  two  children, 
John  M.,  of  Sac  City,  and  W.  T.,  whose  history  is  portrayed  in  this  con- 
nection. 

Walter  1".  Highland  first  came  to  Sac  City  Septemlier  ig,  1872,  by  im- 
migrant wagon,  accompanied  by  his  wife,  and  shortly  afterward  settled  in 
Jackson  township  on  section  i.  He  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  at  ten 
dollars  an  acre,  later  adding  another  eighty,  for  which  he  paid  thirty-one 
dollars  an  acre.  This  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  he  improved  in  vari(^us 
ways,  built  buildings,  and  resided  on  it  until  1902,  then  sold  it  for  eighty 
dollars  an  acre  and  bought  his  present  farm  in  Jackson  and  Cedar  townships 
for  which  he  paid  sixty  dollars  an  acre.  He  also  Ijought  five  acres  with  good 
builclings,  \\ithin  the  corjxirate  limits  of  Sac  Citv,  which  cost  him  three  thou- 
sand dollars.  He  now  owns  ninet)-two  acres  in  all.  and  his  land  is  rapidly 
increasing  in  value  year  by  year. 

Mr.  Highland  was  married  on  January  t8,  1870,  at  Merrimac,  Sauk 
connly,  Wisconsin,  to  Helen  M.  Shell,  the  daughter  of  Air.  and  Mrs.  David 


SAC  COUNTY,  IOWA. 


597 


Shell.  She  was  born  in  Waddington,  St.  Lawrence  county.  New  York,  No- 
vember 8,  1848,  and  removed  to  Sauk  county,  Wisconsin,  in  1850.  To  this 
union  have  been  born  two  children,  Clyde  W.,  who  was  born  in  1878  and  is 
now  a  farmer  on  the  home  farm.  Clyde  was  married  in  1912  to  Ethel  Hav- 
den  and  has  one  daughter,  Maurine.  Ethel,  the  other  child  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Highland,  died  at  the  age  of  fourteen  months  and  eighteen  days. 

Politically.  Mr.  Highland  is  a  Republican  and  has  always  taken  a  promi- 
nent part  in  local  politics.  He  is  a  man  of  good  judgment  and  business  abil- 
ity and  his  fellow  citizens  have  entrusted  him  with  various  ofifices  during 
the  course  oi  his  residence  in  this  county.  An  indication  of  the  respect  and 
esteem  in  which  he  is  held  in  his  township  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  he  has 
been  township  trustee  for  fifteen  years  in  Jackson  township.  In  addition  he 
has  held  other  offices  of  trust,  all  of  which  he  has  filled  to  the  entire  satis- 
faction of  his  constituents,  due  to  his  faithful  and  efficient  administration 
of  the  \arious  duties  connected  with  them.  He  and  his  family  are  regular 
attendants  nf  the  I'resb}'terian  church  and  give  it  their  earnest  support.  Mr. 
Highland  is  a  fine  type  of  the  farmer,  who  is  not  only  able  to  attend  to  his 
a.gricultural  interests,  but  also  takes  an  intelligent  interest  in  the  body  politic. 


JOSEPH  S.  YOUNG. 


In  the  history  of  Sac  county,  Iowa,  as  applying  to  the  agricultural  in- 
terests, the  name  of  Joseph  S.  Young  occupies  a  conspicuous  place,  for 
through  a  number  of  \ears  he  has  been  one  of  the  representative  farmers 
of  Cedar  township,  progressive,  enterprising  and  persevering.  Such  quali- 
ties always  win  success,  sooner  or  later,  and  to  Mr.  Young  they  have  brought 
a  satisfactory  reward  for  his  well-directed  eiifort,  and  while  he  has  benefited 
himself  and  community  in  a  material  way,  he  has  also  been  an  infiuential 
factor  in  the  educational,  political  and  moral  ujilift  of  the  community 
favored  by  his  residence. 

loseph  S.  Young,  a  pnisperous  farmer  of  Cedar  townshii^.  Sac  count}-, 
Iowa,  was  born  March  jo,  1853,  in  Athens  county,  Ohio,  the  son  of  .Vlexan- 
der  and  Caroline  ( Herrold )  Young,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  that 
county.  Alexander  Young  was  born  in  1826,  and  died  in  1895,  being  sixty- 
nine  years,  seven  months  and  twenty-seven  days  old  at  the  time  of  his 
death.  His  widow  died  June  17,  1909.  at  the  age  of  eighty-eight  years,  and 
was  the  oldest  pioneer  woman  of  Sac  county  at  the  time  of  her  death.    They 


59^  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

were  the  parents  of  three  children:  Harriett,  who  died  in  1868;  ^^■.  S.. 
who  is  now  a  farmer  in  the  northwestern  part  of  Alberta,  Canada,  and 
Joseph  S.  Alexander  Young  and  family  left  Ohio  in  1855  and  located  in 

Laporte  county,  Indiana,  where  they  lived  for  ti\e  years.  In  the  fall  of 
i860  the  family  went  farther  \\'est.  locating  in  Louisa  countv,  Iowa,  where 
they  entered  land.  In  1870  the\-  came  to  Sac  county,  and  settled  on  the  farm 
where  Joseph  S.  is  now  living. 

Joseph  S.  Young  has  lived  on  the  homestead  farm  in  this  cimnt}-  ever 
since  his  parents  purchased  it,  with  the  exception  of  three  years  when  they 
lived  in  Sac  City  to  educate  the  children.  His  farm  of  one  hundreil  and 
sixty  acres  was  bought  in  1870  by  his  father  for  five  dollars  an  acre  and  is 
today  worth  at  least  two  hundred  dollars  an  acre.  At  that  time,  of  course, 
there  were  no  fences,  no  drainage,  no  improvements  of  any  kind.  The  farm 
is  now  well  drained,  has  liuildings  of  convenience  and  attracti\e  appearance, 
which  add  greatly  to  the  value  df  the  farm.  Mr.  Young  remodeled  his  home 
in  1903  and  now  has  a  fine  home  which  is  modern  and  up-to-date  in  everv 
way.  He  has  a  large  barn  and  corn  cribs,  which  are  sufficiently  commodious 
to  accommodate  his  crops  and  stock.  He  keeps  on  an  average  about  eight 
head  of  horses  and  eighteen  head  of  cattle  a  year  and  makes  a  specialty  of 
the  breeding  of  Duroc  Jersey  hogs.  Mr.  Young  was  married  in  1880  to 
Mary  Maxwell,  the  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  H.  Maxwell,  of  Illinois, 
and  to  this  union  have  been  born  six  children,  five  of  whom  are  living: 
Howard,  of  Sac  City,  who  is  married  and  has  two  children.  Kenneth  and 
Robert:  Minnie,  who  is  a  twin  sister  to  Howard,  married  Elmer  Cox  and 
lives  in  this  towjiship  on  a  farm  near  Sac  City;  Harriet,  the  wife  of  J.  C. 
Harper,  of  Oakland,  California,  has  one  daughter,  \'i\  ian :  Woinhvard.  wh(j 
was  drowned  in  the  river  at  Sac  City  at  the  age  of  seventeen  }"ears  in  the 
fall  of  1901  while  skating;  Linus,  who  is  with  his  parents  on  the  old  home- 
stead farm,  and  Catherine,  who  was  a  graduate  in  June,  1904.  from  the 
high  school  at  Sac  City. 

Mr.  Young  has  taken  a  prominent  part  in  the  politics  ni  his  township 
and  county  and  has  identified  himself  with  the  Republican  party,  who. 
recognizing  his  worth  as  a  man  and  his  al:)ility  as  an  official,  nominated  him 
for  the  office  of  assessor  and  he  was  elected  as  township  assessor  of  Cedar 
township,  and  jierformed  the  important  duties  of  that  office  to  the  entire 
satisfaction  of  all  his  fellow  citizens,  irrespective  of  party  lines.  He  and  his 
fanfilv  are  loyal  members  of  the  ^Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  render  it 
substantial  support.  He  is  a  member  of  the  .\ncient  ( )rder  of  United  Work- 
men and  takes  a  deep  interest  in  the  delil)erations  of  this  fraternal  organiza- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


599 


tion."  Air.  Young  is  a  man  who  has  gained  the  respect  ami  confidence  of  his 
fellow  citizens  because  of  his  frank  and  upright  manner  at  all  times.  He  is 
a  plain  and  unassuming  man  who  attends  strictly  to  his  own  business  and 
yet  is  always  found  working  for  the  best  welfare  of  his  community. 


THOMAS  LONGMAN. 


To  write  the  personal  rec(jrd  of  men  who  raised  themselves  from 
humlile  circumstances  to  a  position  of  responsibility  and  trust  in  a  com- 
numity  is  no  ordinary  pleasure.  Self-made  men,  men  who  ha\e  achieved 
success  by  reason  of  their  personal  qualities  and  left  the  impress  of  their 
individuality  upon  the  Inisiness  and  growth  of  their  place  of  residence  and 
affect  for  good  such  institutions  as  are  embraced  in  the  sphere  of  their  use- 
fulness, unwittingly,  perhaps,  built  monuments  more  enduring  than  marble 
obelisk  or  granite  shaft.  Of  such  we  have  the  uncjuestionable  right  to  say 
belongs  the  gentleman  whose  name  appears  above. 

Thomas  Longman,  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Cedar  township.  Sac  county, 
Iowa,  was  born  March  13,  1855,  in  Holloman  county.  Ontario,  Canada,  and 
is  the  son  of  George  and  Julia  (Murphy)  Longman.  His  parents  were  na- 
tives respectiveh"  of  England  and  Canada.  George  Longman  and  wife  came 
to  Illinois  in  1869,  when  Thomas  was  about  fourteen  years  of  age,  and  in 
1889  the  parents  moved  to  Nebraska,  where  they  lived  the  remainder  of  their 
lives.  The)"  were  the  parents  of  fourteen  children,  eight  of  whom  are  still 
living. 

Thomas  Longman  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  Illinois,  and  when 
twentv-si.x  years  of  age  began  farming  for  himself  in  that  state.  For  the 
first  ten  years  he  rented  land  and  by  thrift  and  economy  he  saved  sufficient 
money  so  that  he  felt  able  to  go  West  and  purchase  a  farm  of  his  own. 
Accordingly,  in  1893  he  went  to  Nebraska,  where  he  purchased  a  farm,  but 
sold  it  three  years  later.  He  then  came  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  where  he 
rented  land  for  twelve  _\-ears  in  Coon  \'alley  and  Jackson  to\\nships.  and 
such  was  his  success  in  farming  that  he  was  able,  in  1908,  to  buy  his  present 
farm  of  two  hundred  acres,  for  which  he  paid  sixty-six  dollars  an  acre,  and 
has  improved  it  in  various  ways  until  it  is  now  easily  worth  two  hundred 
dollars  an  acre.  In  1913  he  had  eight  horses,  twenty-five  head  of  cattle 
and  other  live  stock  upon  his  farm.  He  has  made  a  notable  success  of  farm- 
ing since  coming  to  this  county,  and  is  rightly  regarded  as  one  of  the  best 


6oo 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 


farmers  of  the  tnwiiship.  He  keeps  well  informed  on  ail  the  latest  develo]!- 
nients  in  agricultural  work  and  does  not  hesitate  to  depart  from  old  and 
established  methods  if  he  believes  he  can  imjjrove  his  farm  in  anv  way. 

Mr.  Long-man  was  marrierl  in  1883  to  Bridget  Maria  Finnegan,  of 
Illinois,  and  tn  this  marriage  have  been  born  five  sons  and  two  daughters, 
Arthur,  Edward,  Leo.  Hugh.  Roy.  Marguerite  and  Winifred.  The  last  four 
children  are  still  at  home  with  their  parents,  while  the  others  are  farming  in 
other  parts  of  this  county.  Tt  has  been  said  that  success  comes  to  those  who 
deserve  it,  and  if  this  be  the  case,  Mr.  Longman  has  certainly  deserved  it. 
as  he  has  worked  hard  for  his  property  and  what  he  has  gained  has  been 
earned  by  the  sweat  of  his  brow,  and  he  is  well  deserving  of  a  place  in  the 
list  of  representative  men  of  Sac  county. 


J.  REESE  DRURY. 

The  gentleman  to  wh(:)ni  Liie  reader's  attention  is  now  directed  was  not 
favored  by  inherited  wealth  or  the  assistance  of  influential  friends,  but  in 
spite  of  these,  b\-  perseverance,  industry  and  a  wise  economy,  he  has  attainefl 
a  comfortable  station  in  life,  and  is  well  and  favorablv  known  throughout  Sac 
county  as  a  restilt  of  the  indtistrious  life  he  has  lived  here  for  many  years, 
being  regarded  by  all  who  know  him  as  a  man  of  sound  business  principles, 
thoroughly  up  to  date  in  all  phases  of  agriculture  and  stock  raising  and  as  a 
man  who,  while  advancing  his  individual  interests,  does  not  neglect  his  gen- 
eral duties  as  a  citizen. 

J.  Reese  Drury,  a  substantial  fanner  of  Boyer  Valley  township.  Sac 
count}'.  Iowa,  was  born  April  25,  1852,  in.  Mercer  county,  Illinois.  His  par- 
ents. Isaiah  and  Margaret  Jane  (Leach)  Onu'v.  were  both  natives  of  Indiana 
and  mo\-efl  to  Marshall  count^'.  Iowa,  in  i8()2,  wiiere  thev  resided  until  1884, 
when  thev  moved  to  Louisiana,  where  Isaiah  l)rur\-  ilied.  Isaiah  Drurx-  and 
wife  were  the  ]iarents  of  nine  children:  ,S;unuel,  of  Marshall  countN',  Iowa: 
Mrs.  Mahala  Daugh.erty,  of  Marshall  county,  J.  Reese,  with  whom  this 
narrative  deals;  Albert,  of  Marshall  county:  Mrs.  Mary  Ellen  Cline.  of 
Louisiana;  Lafayette,  o^  Oregon:  \\'illiam,  of  Nebraska:  Clara,  of  Louisiana, 
and  James  A.,  of  this  township. 

J  Reese  Hrury  was  educated  in  the  district  scho(>ls  of  Marshall  county, 
and  remained  mu  the  home  farm  to  assist  his  father  until  he  was  twent_\--one 
vears  of  age.  He  then  began  farming  for  himself  in  Marshall  count\-  and 
later  owned  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  thirty  acres  in  that  county.     In  the 


H 
H 
Ul 

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SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  6o  I 

spring  of  1880  he  sold  this  farm  and  moved  to  Sac  county,  where  he  pur- 
chased one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  unimproved  land  in  Boyer  Valley 
township  for  eight  dollars  an  acre.  He  planted  fniit  trees  and  improved  the 
place  in  other  ways  so  that  he  was  able  to  greatly  enhance  its  value.  He  con- 
tinued to  operate  this  farm  until  1901,  when  he  sold  it  to  his  brother.  James 
A.,  who  is  now  living  on  it.  Ihe  next  year  he  purchased  his  present  farm  of 
two  hundred  and  forty  acres,  for  which  he  paid  sixty  dollars  an  acre.  He 
had  intended  to  locate  in  Lyon  county,  after  selling  his  farm  in  1901,  and 
bought  a  farm  there,  but  later  decided  to  sell  it  and  return  to  Sac  county. 
The  land  whicli  he  purchased  in  iqoj  in  this  county  for  sixty  dollars  an  acre 
is  now  easily  worth  two  hundred  dollars  an  acre,  so  Mr.  Drury  feels  that  he 
made  no  mistake  in  locating  in  this  township.  He  feeds  the  grain  which  he 
raises  on  his  farm  to  his  own  stock  and  annually  produces  about  fifty  head  of 
cattle  and  orie  carload  of  hogs  for  the  market.  He  has  a  fine  home,  good 
barns  and  outbuildings.  In  order  to  take  care  of  his  stock  througli  the  winter 
months  he  has  erected  a  silo,  and  finds  this  to  be  one  of  the  most  useful 
buildings  on  his  farm. 

Mr  Drurv  was  married  on  March  21,  1875,  to  Sarah  A.  Cline,  who  was 
born  in  Linn  county,  Iowa.  December  27,  185S.  and  is  the  daughter  of  Jacob 
and  Marv  Ann  Cline.  natives  of  Pennsylvania  and  Ireland,  respectively.  To 
this  marriage  tliere  have  been  born  seven  children:  Rush  Leander,  of  Sac 
count\-,  Iowa,  who  was  born  in  1876:  Mrs.  Lewis  Simpson,  who  has  three 
children,  Crvstal,  Leland  and  Millard,  and  they  live  in  Chickasaw,  Iowa;  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  A.  Jensen,  of  Sac  City,  who  has  one  son,  Milton,  aged  four;  Mrs. 
Clara  Steele,  of  Sac  county,  who  has  one  son,  Clarence;  Ruby  May;  Ollie 
Reese  and  Charles  Roosevelt.  The  last  three  children  are  still  with  their 
parents. 

Politically,  Mr.  Drury  is  affiliated  with  the  Republican  party  and  takes 
an  intelligent  interest  in  the  current  issues  of  the  day.  All  of  the  family  are 
attendants  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  gi\-e  to  it  of  their  time  and  means. 
Fraternalh',  he  is  a  niember  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  An- 
cient Order  of  L'nited  Workmen,  Modern  Woodmen  of  America  and  the 
Brotherhood  of  American  Veonien.  Mr.  Drury  has  been  honest  and  suc- 
cessful in  his  chosen  field  of  endeavor,  by  ajjplying  those  principles  of  hon- 
esty and  integrity,  which  always  insures  success  if  rightly  followed.  He  has 
done  his  dutv  as  a  loyal  American  citizen,  bv  taking  his  full  share  of  the 
respo!isil)ilities  of  his  comniunitv  and  .accordingly  is  entitled  to  a  jiosition  m 
this  vohniie  of  representative  men  of  Sac  county. 


602  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA 

JAMES  D-WID  COKSAU'J". 

An  enumeration  of  the  representative  citizens  of  Sac  county  would  he 
incomplete  without  specific  mentinn  of  the  well  known  and  popular  gentle- 
man whose  name  introduces  this  sketch.  A  member  of  one  of  the  old  and 
highly  esteemed  families  of  this  locality  and  for  many  years  a  public-spirited 
man  of  affairs,  he  has  stamped  the  impress  of  his  indiyiduality  upon  the  com- 
munity and  added  luster  to  the  honoral)le  name  which  he  bears,  having  al- 
ways been  actuated  by  a  spirit  of  fairness  in  his  dealings  with  the  workl  in 
general,  and  leaving  no  stone  unturned  whereby  he  might  lienefit  his  own 
condition  as  well  as  that  of  his  friends  and  the  favored  section  of  the  great 
commonwealth  in  which  he  has  been  content  to  spend  his  life.  Straightfor- 
ward and  unassuming,  genial  and  obliging,  Mr.  Corsaut  enjoys  the  good  will 
and  respect  of  a  wide  circle  of  friends  throughout  this  part  of  the  state. 

James  David  Corsaut,  the  son  of  Davi<l  and  Sarah  (Hunt)  Corsaut, 
was  born  January  12,  1870,  in  Michigan.  David  Corsaut  was  born  near 
London  City,  Canada,  in  1839.  His  wife,  Sarah  Hunt,  came  from  Eng- 
land to  Canada  when  she  was  three  years  of  age.  In  1885  David  Corsaut 
and  family  came  to  Butler  county,  Iowa,  and  a  year  later  moved  to  Hamil- 
ton county,  where  they  stayed  for  six  years.  In  the  spring  of  1892  they 
came  to  Sac  county  and  settled  on  a  farm  of  three  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  in  Jackson  township,  where  Mr.  and  Mrs.  David  Corsaut  are  now  li\ing. 
They  were  the  parents  of  six  children.  f\\e  of  whom  are  living:  W"\\\  and 
Charles  King  are  at  home;  James  David,  whose  history  is  herein  delineated; 
Mrs.  Emma  Hendrickson,  of  Sac  City,  Iowa;  Mrs.  Zadie  Kier,  of  Spencer, 
Iowa,  and  Hannah,  who  died  at  the  age  of  two. 

James  Da\'id  Corsaut  received  his  education  in  the  i)ul)lic  schools  of 
Michigan  and  Iowa  and  worked  with  his  father  on  his  large  farm  until  his 
marriage  in  1900.  He  is  cultivating  a  fine  farm  of  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  owned  by  the  family  and  raises  a  consideralile  amount  of  stock- 
in  addition  to  his  general  farming.  He  and  his  father  and  hrdthers  make  a 
specialty  of  the  breeding  of  i'ercherons.  They  have  three  fine  stallions,  one 
of  which.  "Cato."  was  imjiorted  from  Belgium.  In  1913  they  had  nineteen 
head  of  horses  and  forty  head  of  cattle.  They  always  have  a  fine  herd 
of  Shorthorn  cattle,  and  adds  not  a  little  to  his  annual  incunie  from  the  sale 
of  this  cattle. 

Mr.  Corsaut  was  married  Januar\'  10,  [()00,  to  Margaret  Reliecca  Gish- 
willer.  the  daughter  of  Nicholas  Gishwiller.  the  mayor  of  Sac  City.  This 
marriage   has  l)een   blessed   with    four   chililren,   ;ill    nf    whom   are   at   home: 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  603 

Frances  Alvira,  aged   fimrteen;   Dwight  James,  aged  twelve:  Zadie   Emma. 
aged  ten,  and  Lome  Fuller,  aged  eight. 

In  his  p(.)litical  relations,  Mr.  Corsaut  has  allied  himself  with  the  Re- 
publican party,  but,  owing  to  his  many  interests,  he  has  not  been  able  to 
take  an  active  part  in  political  afYairs.  The  family  are  all  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  and  give  it  their  earnest  support  at  all  times.  Mr. 
Corsaut  is  a  member  of  the  Yeomen  and  is  \ery  much  interested  in  the 
activities  of  that  order.  Two  of  his  children,  Dwight  and  Lome,  drew  first 
prizes  in  a  declamatory  contest  recently,  which  was  held  by  the  Yeomen. 
Mr.  Corsaut  is  one  of  the  most  important  stock  raisers  in  the  countv  and 
has  been  identified  with  the  material  growth  and  prosperity  of  this  section 
of'the  state.  By  his  straightforward  and  commendable  course  he  has  won 
his  way  to  a  respectaljle  position  in  the  life  of  his  community  and  has  earned 
a  reputation  as  an  enterprising  man  of  afifairs. 


THEA  HUSER. 


Our  nation  owes  much  of  its  progressiveness  to  the  infusion  of  the 
Germanic  element  amongst  its  population,  for  in  all  walks  of  life  they  have 
been  found  efificient,  energetic  and  patient,  enduring  with  fortitude  the  hard- 
ships of  pioneer  life  and  doing  their  full  share  in  the  work  of  pushing  for- 
ward the  wheels  of  progress  wherever  they  have  located.  There  is  scarcely 
a  locality  in  the  Union  that  has  not  felt  their  strong  and  ameliorating  intlu- 
ence,  consequentlv  the\-  have  ever  been  most  welcome  here  and  all  honor  is 
due  them. 

Thea  Huser,  a  prominent  stock  bu}er  and  farmer  of  Cedar  township. 
Sac  county,  Iowa,  was  born  in  Germany  on  April  29,  1864.  His  parents 
were  David  and  Christina  (Zirike)  Huser.  The  Huser  family  came  to 
America  in  1873  and  settled  in  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  but  shortly  afterwards 
moved  to  a  farm  in  Polk  county,  near  Des  Moines,  where  the  mother  died 
on  March  16,  1878.  David  Huser  died  at  the  home  of  his  son  in  Sac  county 
on  April  2-/,  1895.  David  Huser  and  wife  were  the  parents  of  nine  children, 
six  of  whom  are  living  in  the  United  States:  Frank,  of  Des  Moines;  Mrs. 
Christian  Ashing,  of  Chamberlain.  South  Dakota:  Mrs.  Minnie  Beadle,  of 
Butte,  Montana:  Harry,  of  Teco,  Washington:  Henry,  of  Missoula,  Mon- 
tana, and  Thea. 

Thea  Hu.ser  received  a  verv  limited  education  in  his  native  land  before 


604  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

coming  to  this  country,  and.  i:)\ving  to  the  fact  that  his  parents  were  very 
poor,  upon  their  arrival  in  this  country  he  had  to  start  out  to  help  support 
the  family,  so  the  nine-year-old  Thea  was  bound  out  to  a  neighboring  farm- 
er, who  paid  him  three  dollars  a  month  and  gave  him  his  board  and  clothes. 
As  he  grew  older  his  wages  increased  and  he  saved  every  possible  cent  that 
he  could.  He  did  all  kinds  of  honest  work  and  was  never  afraid  to  tackle 
anything  which  would  give  him  an  honest  wage.  He  came  to  Sac  county 
on  his  marriage  in  the  spring  of  1895  ^"d  bought  one  hundred  acres  of  land 
in  Cedar  township,  paying  thirty-six  dollars  an  acre  for  the  land.  He  has 
put  all  of  the  imjjrovements  on  the  place  which  it  now  has,  and  in  1902,  in 
partnership  with  David  Lewis,  he  bought  a  half  section  of  land  in  Jackson 
township  for  forty-three  dollars  an  acre.  The  next  year  he  sold  this  and 
bought  one  hundred  and  thirty  acres  at  sixty-five  dollars  an  acre.  In  1907 
he  bouglit  forty  acres  in  Jackson  township,  at  seventy-seven  dollars  and  a 
half  per  acre,  and  later  liought  an  adjoining  forty  for  eightv  dollars  an  acre. 
In  the  same  year,  1909,  he  and  C.  F.  Brobeil  purchased  three  hundred  and 
twent\  acres  in  Cedar  township,  for  which  they  paid  one  hundred  and  five 
dr>!lars  an  acre.  .\s  a  result  of  all  of  his  buying  and  selling  of  real  estate  he 
now  owns  four  hundred  and  seventy  acres,  which  lie  in  three  farms.  In 
addition  to  his  large  agricultural  interests,  he  buys  a  large  amount  of  live 
stock  e\ery  year  and  feeds  it  on  his  own  farms,  and  has  averaged  for  the 
past  two  years  over  two  hundred  head  of  live  stuck  annually,  his  sales 
amounting  to  from  twentv  to  twentv-five  car  loads  each  year.  He  has  im- 
pro\ed  his  farm  in  every  way  and  has  spent  thousands  of  dollars  in  tiling 
and  ditclTing  his  land.  His  home  farm  at  the  present  time  is  worth  two 
hundred  and  fift\-  dollars  an  acre  and  could  not  be  purchased  at  that  price. 
^Ir.  Huser  was  married  in  1895  at  Ankeny,  Iowa,  to  Minnie  Swart- 
fager,  of  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  who  was  born  near  Des  Moines  on  November 
27,  1861.  the  daughter  of  Frank  and  Anna  Swartfager,  natives  of  Germany 
and  Pennsylvania,  respectively.  To  this  marriage  has  been  born  one  son, 
Harry,  who  is  now  aged  thirteen  years.  Politically,  Mr.  Huser  is  a  Repub- 
lican, ])ut  his  business  interests  have  prevented  him  from  taking  an  active 
part  in  the  affairs  of  his  partv.  He  and  his  wife  are  zealous  menil)ers  of 
the  Presbyterian  church  and  are  interested  in  the  \arious  acti\ities  of  that 
denomination.  Mr.  Huser  takes  an  acti\c  interest  in  everything  pertaining 
to  agricultural  affairs,  and  is  one  of  the  stockholders  of  the  Sac  County  Fair 
Association.  He  is  at  present  the  president  of  the  association  and  is  doing 
everything  within  his  power  to  make  the  fair  a  real  benefit  to  the  farmers 
of  his  cnunt\-.     Personallv,  Mr.  Huser  is  a  \'er\-  likalile  man  and  has  a  host 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  605 

of  friends  throughout  the  county.  It  is  evident  that  his  selection  as  presi- 
dent of  the  Sac  County  Fair  Association  is  the  result  of  his  popularity 
among  the  farmers  of  the  C(nnity  who  recognized  in  him  a  man  who  was 
deeply  interested  in  agricultural  affairs. 


FRED  LEROY  BLAIR,  M.  D. 

Devoted  to  the  noble  work  which  his  profession  implies,  the  gentleman 
whose  career  we  essay  to  briefly  outline  in  the  following  paragraphs  has  been 
faithful  and  indefatigable  in  his  endeavors  and  has  not  only  earned  the  due 
rewards  of  his  efforts  in  a  temporal  way,  but  has  has  also  proved  himself 
eminently  worthy  to  exercise  the  important  functions  of  his  calling,  by  reason 
of  his  ability,  his  abiding  sympathy  and  his  earnest  zeal  in  behalf  of  his  fel- 
lowmen.  His  understanding  of  the  science  of  medicine  is  regarded  by  those 
who  know  him  as  being  broad  and  comprehensive,  and  the  profession  and  the 
public  accord  him  a  distinguished  place  among  the  men  of  his  class  in  Iowa. 
His  has  been  a  life  of  earnest  and  persistent  endeavor,  such  as  always  brings 
a  true  appreciation  of  the  real  value  of  human  existence,  a  condition  that  must 
be  prolific  of  good  results  in  all  the  relations  of  life. 

Dr.  Fred  Leroy  Blair,  the  son  of  John  B.  and  Sylvia  (Allen)  Blair,  was 
born  March  7,  1879,  in  Elm  Grove  township,  Calhoun  county.  Iowa.  His 
father  was  born  in  Darlington,  Wisconsin,  in  1840  and  died  in  this  town- 
ship August  22,  1912.  The  mother  of  Doctor  Blair  is  still  living  at  Yetter, 
Iowa.  John  B.  Blair  and  his  wife,  with  four  children,  came  from  Wisconsin 
in  1873  to  Calhoun  county.  They  drove  through  with  a  team  and  had  all  of 
their  household  goods  in  the  wagon.  They  first  settled  in  Elm  Grove  town- 
ship and  homesteaded  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres,  where  John  Blair  lived 
and  died.  John  Blair  was  a  gallant  soldier  of  the  Civil  War,  enlisting  in 
Company  I,  Third  Regiment  of  Wisconsin  Volunteer  Infantry,  at  the  out- 
break of  the  war  and  serving  throughout.  He  was  in  the  battles  of  Vicks- 
burg,  Chattanooga,  Lookout  ^Mountain,  Missionary  Ridge,  Atlanta  and  with 
Sherman  on  his  famous  march  to  the  sea.  After  getting  the  land  in  this 
county,  Mr.  Blair  improved  it  in  e\ery  way,  fenced,  drained  and  erected  good 
buildings,  making  it  a  \ery  productive  farm.  John  Blair  and  wife  were  the 
parents  of  eleven  children,  four  were  born  in  Wisconsin  and  the  last  seven  in 
Iowa;  two  died  in  infancy  and  the  other  nine  living  are  as  follows:  Mrs. 
G.  V.  Yepson,  of  Calhoun  county.  Iowa:  Mrs.  Jasper  Yepson,  of  ^'etter,  Iowa; 


6o6  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

Willi.iiii  r>..  who  (lifil  of  apoplexy  in  Soiitli  Dakota  in  igii  ;  L.  J.,  a  farmer 
of  Callioun  county;  F.  C,  a  farmer  of  Calhoun  county;  Dr.  Fred  L. ;  E.  J., 
of  Calhoun  county;  Ralph,  of  Yetter,  Iowa,  and  Harry  A.,  of  Calhoun  county. 

Dr.  Fred  L.  Blair  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  his  home 
township  and  later  attended  the  State  Normal  School  at  Cedar  Falls.  He 
took  his  medical  course  at  the  State  University  of  Iowa,  graduating  June  i6, 
1905,  from  that  institution.  The  day  after  he  was  graduated  he  located  in 
Lytton,  opened  his  oflice  and  has  had  a  lucrative  practice  from  the  first.  One 
week  from  the  time  Doctor  Blair  located  here,  he  was  married  to  Marion 
Reilly,  of  Yetter,  Calhoun  county,  Iowa,  and  to  this  union  have  heen  born 
four  children:  Fred  Leroy,  Jr.,  born  May  2,  1906;  Peter,  born  January  16, 
1908;  Harold,  born  February  6,  1910,  and  Bernardine,  born  June  22,  1913. 

In  politics.  Doctor  Blair  is  a  Republican,  but  the  nature  of  his  pro- 
fession prevents  him  from  taking  a  very  active  part  in  politics.  lie  and  his 
wife  are  regular  attemlants  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  give  to  it  their 
earnest  support.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and  Ac- 
cepted Masons,  and  lias  taken  all  of  the  degrees  up  to  and  including  the 
thirty-second.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Mystic  Shrine  of  Sioux  City,  having 
taken  the  degrees  December  5,  1913  ;  he  is  also  a  member  of  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  Yeomen  and  Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  Doctor 
Blair  takes  a  great  interest  in  his  work,  is  a  member  of  the  various  societies 
and  associations  which  cater  to  the  medical  profession,  among  which  are  the 
Sac  County,  Iowa  State  and  American  Medical  Associations.  Doctor  Blair's 
success  so  far  indicates  that  he  will  have  a  long  and  useful  career  before  him. 


ED.  WILLIAMS. 


It  is  a  pleasure  to  investigate  the  career  of  a  successful,  self-made  man. 
Peculiar  honor  attaches  to  that  individual  who,  beginning  the  great  struggle 
of  life  alone  and  unaided,  gradually  overcomes  unfavorable  environment, 
removes  one  by  one  the  obstacles  from  the  pathway  of  success  and  by  the 
master  strokes  of  his  own  force  and  vitality  succeeds  in  forging  his  way  to 
the  front  and  winning  for  himself  a  competency  and  a  position  of  esteem 
and  influence  among  his  fellow  men.  Such  is  the  record  of  the  popular 
citizen  of  Cedar  township,  Sac  count}^  Iowa,  to  a  brief  synopsis  of  whose 
life  and  character  the  following  pages  are  devoted. 

Ed.  Williams,  one  of  the  older  farmers  of  the  county,  was  born  May 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


607 


-3-  1859.  in  Polk  county.  Iowa,  and  is  the  son  of  John  and  CaroHne 
(Fletcher)  Williams.  John  Williams  was  a  native  of  Sweden  and  came  to 
New  York  city  when  a  small  boy.  His  wife  was  born  in  Ireland,  and  like- 
wise came  to  New  York  city  when  a  young  lady.  The  young  couple  later 
met,  were  married  in  New  York  city,  immediately  came  West  and  settled 
in  Polk  county,  Iowa,  being  among  the  very  first  pioneers  in  that  county,  and 
they  spent  the  remainder  of  their  lives  there,  Mr.  Williams  dying  in  1902, 
and  his  wife  in  March,  1904.  They  reared  a  family  of  eight  children,  six 
of  whom  are  li\ing:  John  and  Mrs.  Ella  Sargent,  of  Polk  county;  Isaac  and 
Ed.,  of  Sac  county,  and  Mrs.  Rose  Allen,  of  Des  Moines. 

F.<1.  Williaius  was  reared  in  Polk  county,  this  state,  receiving  his  educa- 
tion in  the  schools  of  his  home  neighborhood.  He  worked  on  his  father's 
farm  until  he  came  to  Sac  county  in  the  spring  of  1892,  bought  his  farm  and 
rented  out  the  farm  on  which  he  lives  for  a  short  time,  until  fall  when  he 
moved  to  Sac  count}'  to  reside  on  his  present  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres,  for  which  he  paid  thirty  dollars  an  acre.  He  has  thoroughly  drained 
this  fariu  since  purchasing  it  and  imjiroved  it  with  buildings,  fences  and 
tiling  until  the  land  is  today  worth  two  hundred  dollars  an  acre.  At  a  low 
estimate  he  has  placed  over  ten  thousand  dollars  worth  of  improvements 
upon  the  farm  within  the  last  twenty  years.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  he  has 
been  a  successful  fariuer.  In  19 12  he  had  seventy-five  acres  of  corn  which 
averaged  seventy  bushels  to  the  acre.  This  last  year  (1913)  he  had  seventy 
acres  in  corn,  which  averaged  forty  bushels  to  the  acre.  He  keeps  on  an 
average  each  year  five  head  of  horses  and  from  nine  to  seventy-five  head  of 
cattle  annually,  and  raises  seventy-five  to  one  hundred  head  of  hogs.  When 
he  came  to  this  farm  he  had  to  go  into  debt  for  part  of  the  purchase  price 
and  the  farm  at  that  time  had  no  tiling,  little  fencing  and  only  a  small  house 
and  a  straw  stable.  He  owns  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Brookings 
county.  South  Dakota,  near  Aurora.  Mr.  Williams  deserves  great  credit  for 
the  remarkable  im])ro\ements  which  he  has  brought  about  in  the  character 
of  his  farm  within  the  last  score  of  years,  and  it  is  safe  to  say  that  he  has 
done  as  much  within  that  tiiue  as  any  other  farmer  in  the  township  in  public 
as  well  as  his  own  private  affairs. 

Mr.  Williams  has  always  taken  an  active  part  in  the  body  politic  and  as 
a  Republican  has  served  as  township  trustee  for  six  years,  township  school 
treasurer  for  sixteen  vears,  and  has  helil  other  townshi])  offices  of  trust  and 
responsibility. 

Mr.  Williams  was  formerly  a  director  and  organizer  of  the  Farmers 
Savings  Bank;  is  president  of  the  Farmers  Elevator  Company;  president  of 


6o8  SAC    LOL'IVIY,    IOWA 

the  Farmers  Lumber  Company,  and  is  a  director  of  the  J^'arniers  Alutual  In- 
surance Company  of  Sac  county. 

Mr.  VVilHams  has  been  twice  married,  his  first  marriage  occurring  on 
December  4,  1886,  to  Myrtle  Kelhson,  who  died  March  18,  1899,  leaving 
two  children,  only  one  of  whom  is  now  living,  Georgia,  who  is  now  at  home 
with  her  father,  while  Edna  died  at  the  age  of  ten  years.  Mr.  Williams  was 
married  the  second  time  on  May  16,  1900,  to  Fannie  Norton,  of  Marshall 
county,  this  state,  and  the  daughter  of  Levi  and  Catherine  (Gilmore)  Nor- 
ton, who  were  natives  of  Pennsylvania  and  Ireland,  respectively,  and  were 
among  the  early  homestead  settlers  (in  1855)  of  Marshall  county,  Iowa. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Williams  attend  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  of  which 
denomination  Mrs.  Williams  is  a  member,  and  contributes  liberally  of  their 
means  to  its  support.  They  are  genial  people,  who  have  a  large  circle  of 
friends  and  acquaintances  in  the  community,  who  admire  them  for  their 
many  good  qualities. 


JOSEPH  KEISER. 

There  are  several  hundred  Cierman  descendants  in  Sac  county  who  have 
come  to  this  county  to  make  their  homes  because  they  felt  that  it  was  one  of 
the  best  farming  counties  in  the  United  States.  The  success  which  has  at- 
tended them  in  their  efforts  along  agricultural  lines  in  this  county  shows 
that  they  have  not  been  mistaken.  While  it  is  true  that  German  farmers 
could  make  a  good  living  anywhere,  yet,  under  tlie  favorable  conditions  which 
are  found  in  this  county,  a  great  majority  of  them  have  risen  to  positions  of 
affluence.  Among  the  many  substantial  German  farmers  of  this  county, 
Joseph  Keiser  occupies  a  prominent  place, 

Mr.  Keiser  was  born  February  28,  1834,  in  Germany  and  is  tlie  son  of 
Joseph  and  Elizabeth  Keiser.  His  parents  came  to  America  in  1852  and 
stayed  in  New  York  with  an  uncle  for  a  few  years.  They  then  moved  to 
Wisconsin,  where  they  lived  the  remainder  of  their  days. 

Joseph  Keiser  received  his  education  in  the  schools  of  Germany  and 
accompanied  his  parents  to  this  country  and  lived  with  them  in  New  York, 
and  later  in  Wisconsin.  Before  the  death  of  his  parents,  in  Wisconsin,  he 
was  married  on  April  6,  1863,  to  Adeline  Smith.  His  wife  was  born  June  18, 
1840,  in  Switzerland,  and  is  the  daughter  of  John  Martin  and  Magdalena 
(Frei)  Smith.  Her  parents  came  to  America  in  1852,  and  settled  near  Mil- 
waukee, Wisconsin. 


MRS.   ADELINE   REISER 


JOSEPH  REISER 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  GOQ 

Mr.  and  Airs.  Keiser  continued  to  live  in  Wisconsin  until  1S67,  when 
they  went  to  Tama  county,  Iowa.  In  the  spring  of  1876  they  came  to  Sac 
county  and  lived  on  a  rented  place  near  Wall  Lake  for  one  year.  In  the 
winter  of  1877,  they  built  a  house,  fourteen  by  thirty-four  feet  in  size,  on 
their  newly-purchased  farm  of  one  liundred  and  sixty  acres,  purchased  in 
1874  in  Clinton  township,  and  moved  into  it  in  the  spring  of  1877,  in  time  to 
go  through  with  the  "grasshopper  war"  of  that  year.  They  have  been  hard 
workers  and  now  have  all  the  comforts  of  life.  Since  buying  their  first  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land,  they  have  added  two  other  quarter  sections, 
so  that  they  now  own  four  hundred  and  eighty  acres  of  land,  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  which  is  in  Calhoun  county.  They  have  a  fine  home,  set  back 
from  the  highway  in  the  midst  of  a  large  gro\"e  of  stately  trees. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Keiser  have  reared  a  familv  of  ten  children.  It  is  interest- 
ing to  note  that  two  of  the  children  were  born  in  Wisconsin,  two  in  Tama 
county,  Iowa,  and  six  in  Sac  county,  Iowa.  The  children,  in  order  of  their 
birth,  are  as  follows:  Edmund,  of  Spencer,  Iowa,  who  is  married  and  has 
two  children.  Earl  and  Ruth;  Ida;  Albert,  of  Wisconsin;  Ralph,  of  Calhoun 
county,  wlio  is  married  and  has  two  sons,  Clifford  and  Lester;  Mattie;  Mrs. 
Agnes  Weitzel,  who  has  one  daughter,  June  Ida;  Adolph;  Walter;  Maud  and 
Austin.  Of  these  children,  Ida,  Mattit.  Adolph,  Walter.  Maud  and  Austin 
are  still  at  home  with  their  parents.     Clara  died  in  infancv. 

Politically,  Mr.  Keiser  is  a  Rt publican,  but  has  never  taken  an  active  part 
in  political  affairs.  The  members  of  tlie  family  are  al!  faithful  attendants  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  cmtribute  generously  to  its  support. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Keiser  have  lived  together  more  than  fift}-  years,  having  cele- 
brated their  golden  wedding  anniversary  in  April  of  IQ13.  They  have  seen 
this  countv  grow  from  a  broad  prairie  to  its  present  prosperous  condition  and 
have  had  their  full  share  in  bringing  ai:)out  this  change.  They  can  tell  many 
interesting  incidents  of  the  early  life  of  this  county  and  the  many  trials  and 
tribulations  which  were  endured  by  the  early  settlers.  They  are  kindly, 
genial  people,  who  are  hospitable  to  their  friends  and  neighbors,  and  are 
always  willing  to  do  more  than  their  share  to  alleviate  any  suli'ering  nr  dis- 
tress in  their  community.  Such  people  are  a  blessing  to  the  locality  in  which 
thev  live,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Keiser  are  people  of  whom  any  community 
should  be  proud.  Surrounded  by  their  children,  they  are  now  enjoying  the 
fruits  of  their  earlier  arduous  labors  and  are  receiving  the  most  loving  care 
and  attention  from  their  daughters,  who  are  deserving  of  commendation  for 
the  attention  gi\-en  to  their  aged  parents  and  for  their  intelligence  and 
(38) 


6lO  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

a]3titu(lc  in  rflie\inL;  the  parents  from  the  cares  wliicii  liave  Ijeen  theirs  for 
many  years.  The  family  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Josepli  Keiser  is  one  of  which  any 
parents  should  well  be  proud.  The  sons  are  sturdy,  energetic  fellows  who  are 
ambitious  farmers  and  ha\"e  been  trusted  ■with  the  work  of  the  extensive 
Keiser  farm  for  several  years  past.  Could  the  sunset  and  the  e\cnino-  of  all 
lives  be  as  blessed  and  comfortable  as  those  of  Joseph  Keiser  and  his  good 
wife  the  world  would  indeed  be  a  better  place  in  which  to  live. 

An  interesting  postscript  could  be  added  to  this  memoir  of  the  Keiser 
famih-  which  will  prove  to  be  a  matter  of  history.  An  account  of  the  great  fire 
which  visited  the  homestead  in  the  evening  of  ]\Iarch  25,  1914,  is  appropriate 
and  belongs  in  this  family  history.  The  barn  and  outbuildings  were  discovered 
to  be  all  ablaze  on  the  evening  aforementioned,  and  the  efforts  of  the  family 
and  numerous  neighbors  wh(~>  came  to  their  assistance.  A\ent  for  naugiit  and 
the  high  wind  caused  a  veritable  holacaust.  The  great  barn,  corn  cribs  and 
adjacent  buildings  were  burned  to  the  ground.  Four  head  of  cattle  and  thir- 
teen calves  were  lost  in  the  fire,  but  the  great  jiart  of  the  li\'e  stock,  including 
the  farm  hiorses,  were  sa\'ed.  The  buildings  rmd  stock  were  well  insured  and 
during  the  summer  of  1914  a  new  and  modern  barn  with  all  the  latest  con- 
veniences for  storing  the  products  of  the  farm  and  housing  of  the  live 
stock  was  erected.  The  main  building  is  seventy-two  by  forty-eight  feet  in 
e.xtent  and  is  one  of  the  finest  farm  buildings  in  Sac  count}'.  The  tiniel}-  as- 
sistance and  the  kindness  of  the  neighbors  met  with  the  heartfelt  ap])reciation 
from  the  Keiser  family. 


DfAVITT  G.  SC?IF.\CK. 


Among  the  farmers  of  Sac  county,  Iowa,  who  belie\'e  in  following 
twentieth-centurx'  methods  is  DeWitt  (_t.  Schenck,  of  ("e<l;u"  townshi)).  He 
comes  of  a  splendifl  family,  one  that  has  alwa\-s  been  strong  for  right  li\-ing 
and  imlustrious  habits,  for  e<lucation  and  nioralitw  and  for  all  that  con- 
tril)Utes  to  the  welfare  of  the  commonwealth.  .Such  people  are  welcomed  in 
anv  community,  for  they  are  empire  l^uilders  and  as  such  have  pushed  the 
frontier  of  civilization  ever  westward  and  onward.  lea\'ing  the  green,  wide- 
reaching  wilderness  and  the  far-stretching  plains  ])o])ulous  with  contented 
people  and  beautiful  with  green  fields:  they  have  constitute<l  that  sterling 
horde  which  caused  the  great  Bishop  Whipple  to  w^rite  the  memorable  line. 
"Westward  the  course  of  em])ire  takes  its  way." 

DeWitt   G.    Schenck.  proprietor   of  a   twodiundred-acre    farm    in   Cedar 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  5l  1 

township.  Sac  county.  Iowa,  was  horn  in  1869  in  Illinois,  the  son  of  William 
T.  and  Isahelle  (Brown)  Schenck,  who  were  natives  of  Ohio  and  New 
York,  respectively.  His  father  is  of  German  descent  and  his  mother  traces 
her  ancestry  back  to  the  early  English  colonists.  William  T.  Schenck  came 
to  Sac  county  in  1908,  and  has  a  farm  in  Cedar  township.  His  first  wife 
died  in  Jul\-.  1883.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  \\'illiam  T.  Schenck  were  the  parents  of 
four  children:  Mrs.  Laura  Mendenhall.  of  Cedar  township;  Airs.  Armenia 
Belle  Heiserman.  of  this  township;  Mrs.  Grace  Mullins,  of  Jackson  town- 
ship, this  county ;  D.  G,  whose  history  is  here  presented.  By  a  second  mar- 
riage William  T.  had  one  son,  Daniel,  of  Sac  City. 

De\\'itt  G.  Schenck  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  Illinois  and  farmed 
in  that  state  until  the  spring  of  1897,  at  which  time  he  came  to  Sac  county 
and  rented  a  farm  for  the  first  three  years  of  his  residence  here,  after  which 
he  bought  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  at  fortv-seven  dollars  an  acre.  In 
1908  he  purchased  an  adilitional  fort\'  acres,  for  which  he  paid  eightv-eight 
d<illars  an  acre.  His  two-hundred-acre  farm  is  now  well  worth  two  hun- 
tlred  and  twent\-fi\e  dollars  per  acre,  as  he  has  iiuproved  it  in  every  way, 
built  all  the  l)uildings  on  the  place,  which  has  two  houses,  liarns  and  other 
outljuildings.  and  he  has  spent  a  small  fortune  on  tiling  alone.  He  was  the 
first  Illinois  farmer  to  lay  drain  tile  for  the  purpose  of  draining  his  land,  an 
e.Kample  which  has  been  followed  widely  since  the  farmers  of  the  county 
have  noticed  the  success  which  attended  his  farming  of  his  tiled  fields.  He 
hast  put  up  n\er  one  thousand  dollars  worth  of  woven  wire  fencing,  put 
twentv-five  hundred  dollars  into  tiling  and  several  thousand  dollars  into 
buildings,  and  it  is  easy  to  see  why  his  farm  is  now  worth  the  price  men- 
tioned above.  In  1913  he  had  on  his  farm  thirty-five  head  of  cattle,  seven 
head  of  hogs,  se\-enteen  head  of  horses  and  twenty-five  head  of  sheep,  eighty- 
fi\-e  acres  of  corn  which  averaged  forty-five  bushels  to  the  acre,  while  his 
other  crops  were  in  proportion.  In  addition  to  his  grains,  he  is  a  breeder 
of  1)Ioo<led   Shorthorn  cattle,  which  adds  not  a  little  to  his  annual   income.- 

Politicallv.  Mr.  Schenck  is  a  Republican  and  has  taken  an  active  part  in 
the  aft'airs  of  his  ])artv.  He  has  served  as  township  trustee,  township  as- 
sessor and  as  school  director  of  his  school  district,  and  in  all  of  these  ofifices 
he  has  rendered  faithful  and  efficient  service.  Frate/nally.  he  is  a  member 
of  the  Indejiendent  Order  of  Odd  h'ellows,  and  has  been  a  member  of  that 
fraternal  order  for  the  past  twenty-three  years,  hofding  his  membership  in 
Lodge  No.  314,  at  .Maori.  Illinois.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  church 
and  gives  to  it  his  generous  support. 

Mr.  Schenck  has  been  twice  married,  his  first  niarri:ige  Iieing  in    1890. 


6l2  .  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

to  Clara  E.  Mendenhall,  a  native  of  Ohio,  ami  her  death  occurreil  in  1896, 
leaving  two  children,  Mrs.  Ethel  Weohl  and  Homer.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Weohl 
are  now  living  on  the  home  farm,  while  Homer  is  living  on  his  grandfather's 
farm.  In  1897  Mr.  Schenck  was  married  to  hlora  Mendenhall,  also  born  in 
Ohio,  and  to  this  marriage  have  been  born  two  children,  Hilda  and  Robert. 
The  achievements  of  Mr.  Schenck  represent  endeavor  along  lines  where 
mature  judgment  has  opened  the  wa}'.  He  possesses  a  weight  of  character 
and  discriminating  judgment  that  have  won  the  respect  and  approval  of  all 
with  whom  he  has  been  associated. 


JACOB  J.   IBEL. 


Among  the  citizens  of  Cedar  township,  Sac  county,  Towa,  who  have 
built  up  comfortable  homes  and  surrounded  themselves  with  valuable  landed 
estates  and  personal  property,  few  have  attained  a  higher  degree  of  success 
than  he  of  whom  this  chronicle  speaks.  With  few  opportunities  except  what 
his  own  efforts  were  capable  of  mastering  and  with  many  discouragements 
to  overcome,  he  has  made  an  exceptional  success  in  life  and  has  the  grati- 
fication of  knuwing  that  the  community  in  which  he  resides  has  been  bene- 
fited by  his  presence  and  his  counsel. 

Jacob  J.  Ibel,  of  Cedar  township,  this  county,  was  born  August  13, 
1872,  in  New  York  state,  and  was  the  son  of  Henry  and  Anna  Margaret 
(Schueler)  Ibel,  l)oth  of  whom  were  natives  of  Germany.  His  parents  were 
reared  in  Germany,  but  came  to  this  country  before  they  were  married,  and 
were  later  married  in  New  York,  near  Ilion.  Henry  Ibel  was  a  carpenter 
in  his  native  land,  Init  when  he  came  to  this  country  in  1873  he  followed 
the  vocation  of  a  farmer.  Henry  Ibel  and  his  family  arri\ed  in  Iowa  on 
December  24,  1873,  and  first  located  temporarily  at  Cedar  Rapids.  Later 
they  bought  a  farm  in  Benton  county,  but  shortly  afterwards  sold  it  and 
moved  to  Linn  county,  this  state.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  Ibel  have  retired 
from  their  farm  and  now  live  in  Cedar  Rapids.  They  are  the  parents  of 
five  children:  Mrs.  Anna  Phelps,  who  lives  near  Covington,  Iowa;  Mrs. 
Katie  Schrimper,  of  Cedar  Rapids;  Mary,  who  is  at  home;  Mrs.  Louisa 
Ring,  who  resides  on  the  old  homestead  farm  in  Linn  countw  and  Jacob  J., 
whose  history  is  here  portrayed. 

lacob  J.  Ibel  was  educated  in  the  ])ublic  schools  of  Benton  county,  Iowa, 
in  the  district  known  as  the  Hamihon  district.     He  was  married  when  he 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  gl^ 

reached  the  age  of  twenty-three  and  then  fanned  for  three  years  in  Linn 
county,  this  state.  From  there  he  moved  to  Poweshiei<  county,  this  state, 
where  he  followed  farming  pursuits  near  Grinnell.  He  bought  his  first  farm 
in  Calhoun  county  in  1900,  buying  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  for  thirty- 
seven  and  one-half  dollars  an  acre.  In  igoi  he  sold  this  farm  for  fiftv 
dollars  an  acre,  clearing  twehe  and  a  half  dollars  on  each  acre  in  less  than 
one  year's  time.  He  then  purchased  ninety-eight  acres  in  Calhoun  county, 
for  fifty-six  dollars  an  acre,  and  after  farming  it  for  one  year,  moved  to 
Linn  county.  Iowa.  1»ut  returned  in  iqo8  and  sold  his  Calhoun  county  farm 
for  eight_\--two  and  one-half  dollars  an  acre.  His  next  move  was  to  the  state 
of  Washington,  where  he  had  a  one-hundred-and-sixty-acre  wheat  ranch, 
but  he  got  enough  of  Washington  in  one  year,  and  in  igio  he  returned  to 
this  county  and  bought  his  present  farm  of  one  hundred  and  twentv  acres  in 
June.  1910,  for  ninety-six  dollars  an  acre,  and  has  refused  one  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars  an  acre  for  the  land  since  that  time.  Mr.  Ibel  has  made  a  success 
of  his  farming  operations,  and  in  1913  had  forty  acres  of  corn  which  had  a 
good  average  of  forty  bushels  to  the  acre.  He  usually  has  for  sale  twenty 
head  of  hogs  each  year  and  ten  head  of  cattle,  and  finds  this  no  inconsider- 
able part  of  his  annual  income. 

Mr.  Ibel  was  married  b'ebruary  19,  1896,  to  Johanna  M.  Kimm.  a  native 
of  Benton  county,  this  state,  and  the  daughter  of  Rev.  Jacob  Kimm,  a  min- 
ister of  the  New  Jerusalem  church.  Rev.  Jacob  Kimm  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Civil  War,  enlisting  in  Company  E,  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-second  Regi- 
ment, New  York  Volunteer  Lifantry,  and  lost  his  left  leg  while  in  the  service 
in  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness.  At  the  close  of  the  war,  Mr.  Kimm  came  to 
Benton  county,  Iowa,  and  afterwards  owned  a  farqi  in  Iowa  county.  He 
is  now  living  in  the  state  of  Washington,  his  wife,  Magdalena  Eubel,  a 
native  of  Germany,  having  died  April  9,  1897.  Rev.  Jacob  Kimm  and  wife 
were  the  jjarents  of  ten  children:  Leonard,  Mrs.  Anna  Harthill,  both  of 
Wa.shington;  Mrs.  Johanna  Ibel;  Milo,  also  of  Washington;  Lewis,  de- 
ceased; Mrs.  Rosa  Barr,  who  lives  at  Storm  Lake,  Iowa;  Winfield,  Milford 
and  Jesse,  all  of  Washington,  and  Ida,  deceased.  Mrs.  Ibel's  father  was 
married  October,  1898,  to  Sarah  Davis,  and  to  this  second  union  were  born 
three  children,  two  of  whom  are  living,  Kenneth,  Kermit,  and  Elmer,  de- 
ceased. An  uncle  of  Mrs.  Ibel's,  J.  H.  Kimm,  now  living  in  South  Dakota, 
reared  seventeen  children,  nine  of  whom  formed  the  famous  "Kimm  Base- 
ball Nine."  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ibel  are  the  parents  of  two  children,  Benton  J., 
born  June  i,  1898,  and  Marion  C,  born  January  21,  1900. 

Politicallv,   Mr.   Ibel   reserves  the  right  to  cast  his  vote   for  those  men 


6i4  SAC  couNrv,  iowa. 

whom  he  considers  the  best  qualified  to  hold  the  offices  of  his  locality.  He 
votes  for  the  best  men  irrespective  of  party  affiliations,  feeling  that  in  doing 
this  he  is  fulfilling  the  highest  ideal  citizenship,  and  he  is  right,  for  it  is  the 
independent  voter  who  is  always  the  most  intelligent  voter  of  the  com- 
munity. 

Mr.  Ibel  was  reared  in  the  Lutheran  church  and  now  subscribes  to  the 
belief  of  the  New  Jerusalem  denomination.  His  support  may  be  depended 
upon  for  the  furthering  of  any  cause  calculated  to  advance  the  county's  in- 
terests for  the  ])()litical.  industrial,  educational,  religious  or  moral  welfare, 
and  among  his  many  commendable  traits  Mr.  Iljel  makes  and  retains  friends 
easily,  as  does  his  estimalile  wife. 


FRED  HILLMANN. 


Among  the  enterprising  young  men  oi  L}-tton.  Sac  county,  Liwa.  the 
Hillmann  brothers  occupy  a  ver}-  prominent  and  conspicuous  place.  Thex- 
have  l)uilt  up  an  industry  which  touches  the  life  of  every  farmer  in  the  town- 
ship, and  the  success  which  has  attended  their  efforts  has  come  aliout  because 
they  have  given  the  best  of  .service  to  their  patrons.  In  the  enterprising  little 
town  of  Lytton,  which,  by  the  wa}-.  is  the  smallest  town  in  the  state  to  nwn 
its  own  electric  light  plant,  they  Inave  built  up  a  creamery  whicli  is  the  pride 
of  the  community  and  these  two  establishments  are  no  small  factors  in  the 
material  advancement  of  the  community  in  which  they  are  located. 

Fred  and  George  Hillmann,  the  .sons  of  Otto  Hillmann.  were  bi.rn  m 
1887  and  1884,  respectively.  Otto  Hillman  was  ;i  native  of  Germanv  and 
came  to  America  when  a  young  man  and  settled  near  Wa\erl\-.  in  I'.remer 
county.  Iowa.  In  1887  he  came  to  Sac  City  and  opened  a  mercantile  estab- 
lishment with  his  brother,  in  which  business  he  remained  f(ir  three  years. 
He  then  went  to  Manson.  b.wa,  in  1890.  and  started  a  creanierx  and  shortly 
afterwards  had  two  branch  stations  in  the  county  known  as  skimming  sta- 
tions. Jn  1894  he  settled  on  a  farm  south  of  Lytton  and  operated  a  creamery 
and  for  the  next  ten  years  did  a  very  jirofitable  business.  In  1907  he  built  the 
Hillmann  creamery  in  L}-tton.  which  he  managed  until  his  death,  on  Decem- 
ber 2,  1907,  since  which  time  his  sons,  Fred  and  George,  have  been  success- 
fully managing  the  creamer}-.  Otto  Hillmann  married  Ida  Vogt,  a  native  of 
Bremer  county,  Iowa,  and  to  this  union  were  ])orn  six  children:  Alena,  de- 
ceased ;■  Esther :  Priscilla;  b'erdinand,  !i\ing  at  Omaha:  George  and  I'red. 
whii  are  at  home  with  their  mother. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  615 

The  Hillmann  creamery  is  the  most  important  estabhshment  in  Lytton, 
and  one  of  the  best  equipped  creameries  in  the  state.  The  building  is  twenty- 
two  by  eigiit}-  feet  in  size  and  is  equipped  with  all  the  latest  inipro\'ed  machin- 
ery for  the  making  of  butter.  It  has  a  daily  capacity  of  four  thousand  pounds 
and  is  now  manufacturing  from  one  thousand  to  one  thousand  five  hundred 
pounds  of  excellent  creamery  butter  each  day,  and  abotit  one  hundred  tubs  of 
butter  weekl}'.  The  Hillmann  brothers  take  a  great  deal  of  pride  in  their 
plant  and  keep  it  aljsolutely  clean  and  sanitary  at  all  times,  thereby  giving 
their  products  a  name  which  guarantees  it  a  ready  sale  in  the  best  markets. 

The  Hillmann  brothers  are  memljers  of  the  German  Lutheran  church, 
as  are  all  the  members  of  the  family.  George  is  a  member  of  the  .\ncient 
Free  and  Acceirted  Masons,  while  Fred  holds  his  membership  with  the  In- 
dependent Order  of  Odd  I'ellows.  These  young  men  are  fine  examples  of 
American  citizens,  and  have  a  bright  Inisiness  career  before  them.  They 
have  established  a  business  which  is  sure  to  grow  and  become  an  increasing 
factor  in  the  welfare  of  the  community.  They  are  agreeable  men  to  meet 
and  have  a  host  of  warm  and  loyal  friends  throughout  the  township  in  which 
thev  live. 


ROBERT  1R\'1X  WILSON. 

There  is  no  calling,  howe\er  humble,  in  which  enterprise  and  industry, 
coupled  with  a  well-directed  purpose,  will  not  be  productive  of  some  meas- 
ure of  success,  and  in  the  pursuit  of  agriculture  the  qualities  mentioned  are 
quite  essential.  .Kmong  the  well-known  and  highl)-  respected  farmers  of 
Sac  coimtv,  Iowa,  wh.o  have  attained  to  a  definite  degree  of  success  in  their 
line  and  who  at  the  same  time  have  greatly  benefited  the  communit}-  in  which 
Lhey  live  is  the  gentleman  to  a  review  of  whose  life  and  career  we  now  direct 
the  reader's  attention. 

Robert  Irvui  W'ilsou.  one  of  the  prosperous  fanners  of  Cedar  township. 
Sac  countv.  Iowa,  was  born  September  i"].  1S77,  in  Clinton  county,  Iowa, 
the  son  of  John  and  Caroline  (Cook)  Wilson,  natives  of  Canada  and  Xew 
York,  respecti\-elv.  Her  parents  left  their  nati\e  homes  and  migrated  to 
Clinton  countv,  Iowa,  in  the  latter  fifties,  and  there  John  Wilson  met  and 
married  Caroline  Cook.  John  ^\"ilson  was  born  in  1850  and  died  in  June, 
1 888.  They  lived  the  rest  of  their  lives  in  Clinton  county,  this  state,  and  to 
them  were  born  a  familv  of  four  children:     Mabel,  who  died  at  the  age  of 


6l6  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

three  years;  Nathan  J.,  of  Coon  Valley  township;  Robert  1.  and  J.  Lowell,  of 
Sac  township,  the  three  brothers  all  now  living  in  Sac  county. 

The  three  brothers  came  to  Sac  county.  Iowa,  in  March.  1899,  and 
Robert  at  once  bought  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  in  Cedar  town- 
ship for  thirty-six  dollars  an  acre,  the  land  having  few,  if  any.  improvements 
upon  it  at  that  time.  He  has  placed  many  improvements,  consisting  of  tiling, 
fencing,  barns  and  a  new  home,  on  his  farm,  and  expended  about  ten  thousand 
dollars  in  nnprovements  altogether.  In  1909  he  purchased  forty  acres  ad- 
joining his  farm,  for  which  he  had  to  pay  eighty  dollars  an  acre,  and  al- 
though it  was  but  a  few  years  ago.  the  same  land  is  now  worth  about  two 
hundred  dollars  an  acre.  In  191 1  Mr.  Wilson  erected  a  fine,  modern  resi- 
dence, which  has  all  the  latest  con\'eniences.  In  addition  to  his  regular  farm- 
ing pursuits.  Mr.  \\'i!son  raises  from  twelve  to  fifteen  head  of  cattle  for  the 
market  each  year  and  finds  this  a  profitable  part  of  his  vocation. 

Mr.  Wilson  was  married  on  Christmas  eve.  in  1896.  in  Clinton  county, 
Iowa,  to  Florence  Miner,  a  native  of  Jo  Daviess  county,  Illinois,  the  daughter 
of  Albert  and  Ella  A.  Miner,  who  had  come  to  Iowa  in  iSSi.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Wilson  are  the  parents  of  one  son.  Ronald,  who  is  now  fourteen  years  of 
age,  born  September  3,  1899. 

Politically.  Mr.  Wilson  belongs  to  the  Republican  party,  but  the  cares 
of  his  farm  life  have  been  such  as  to  prevent  his  taking  a  very  active  part  in 
the  political  game.  Religiously.  Mr.  Wilson  and  his  family  are  earnest  and 
consistent  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  to  which  they  are 
faithful  attendants  and  to  the  support  of  which  they  are  liberal  contributors. 


JOHN  A.  REYNOLDS. 

One  of  the  world's  noble  army  of  productive  workers  who  left  a  definite 
impress  upon  this  community  by  reason  of  his  high  standing  as  a  successful 
business  man  and  a  loyal  and  progressive  citizen  was  the  late  John  A.  Rey- 
nolds, and  it  is  most  consonant  that  in  this  volume  be  entered  and  perpetuated 
a  brief  tribute  to  his  memory  and  a  record  concerning  the  more  salient  points 
in  his  career.  He  was  a  man  of  many  admirable  traits  and  he  had  a  host  of 
friends  among  those  with  whom  he  labored. 

John  A.  Reynolds  was  born  July  4,  1854.  at  Hudson.  Ohio,  and  was  a 
son  of  William  and  Rebecca  (Tawn)  Reynolds.  He  removed  to  Grinnell, 
Iowa,  in   1863,  and  was  first  married  February  23,   1878.  to  Lottie  Elliott, 


JOHN    A.    REYNOLDS 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  gj^ 

I 

who  died  May  14.  1891,  leavino-  seven  children,  named  as  follows:  Ida,  wife 
of  S.  L.  Howell,  Poweshiek  county,  Iowa ;  Nellie  lives  in  Colorado ;  Walter,  a 
merchant  at  Odebolt,  Iowa;  Charles  and  Ben  have  a  book  store  at  Ames, 
Iowa ;  Flora  is  a  stenograjjher  in  Des  Moines,  Iowa ;  Mrs.  Lottie  Smith  lives 
near  Grinnell,  Iowa.  In  the  fall  of  1878  John  A.  Reynolds  came  to  Odebolt, 
Iowa,  and  started  the  first  blacksmith  and  wagon  shop  in  the  town,  with 
George  Parker  as  a  partner.  Mr.  Parker  retired  in  t886  and  Charles  W. 
Kistler  became  his  partner. 

On  December  24,  1892,  Mr.  Reynolds  was  married  to  Teresa  Sliea,  who 
was  born  in  Lake  county,  Illinois,  April  7,  1870,  daughter  of  Cornelius  and 
Mary  (Delaney)  Shea,  the  former  a  native  of  Ireland  and  the  latter  born  in 
the  state  of  Illinois.  Cornelius  Shea  was  born  in  the  year  1843  and  came  to 
America  with  his  parents  in  1846.  He  removed  to  Sac  countv,  Iowa,  in 
1877,  and  settled  in  Wheeler  township,  where  the  family  resided  on  a  farm 
in  West  Wheeler.  Air.  Shea  built  and  operated  a  hotel  in  Odebolt  after 
leaving  the  farm.  In  188 1  the  Sheas  removed  to  Odebolt,  and  in  1890  re- 
moved to  Nebraska,  where  they  lived  until  1902,  when  they  removed  to  Los 
Angeles,  California.  Mrs.  Mary  Shea  died  in  Odebolt  in  1891.  To  the 
union  of  Cornelius  and  Mary  Shea  the  following  children  were  born :  Tim- 
othy, who  lives  in  Los  Angeles,  California:  Mrs.  Katie  Burnquist,  who  re- 
sides in  Hays  township,  Ida  county,  Iowa:  Teresa,  widow  of  John  A.  Rey- 
nolds, the  immediate  subject  of  this  memoir;  Mary,  wife  of  John  Myers,  of 
Carroll,  Iowa;  Sarah  died  in  iqoo;  Cornelius,  who  lives  in  Spokane,  Wash- 
ington :  Eugene,  who  is  a  priest  in  the  state  of  Michigan ;  William  died  in 
1891 ;  Helen  and  George  live  in  Los  Angeles. 

Mrs.  Reynolds  was  reared  in  the  Catholic  faith.  By  her  marriage  with 
Mr.  Reynolds  five  children  were  born.  These  are:  Mary,  born  June  7,  1894; 
Josephine,  born  March  31,  1897;  Eugene,  bom  March  16,  1899;  Gertrude, 
born  October  23,  1903 ;  Alice,  born  July  7,  1909. 

John  A.  Reynolds  served  as  mayor  of  Odebolt  for  several  terms,  and 
served  in  the  city  council  for  a  period  of  eighteen  years.  He  was  a  man  who 
took  much  interest  in  his  home  community,  and  he  had  the  confidence  of  all 
throughout  his  entire  residence  in  this  locality.  In  his  business  transactions 
he  was  uniformlv  successful  and  was  the  owner  of  a  good  farm  of  three 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Wheeler  township.  He  was  a  Master  Mason 
and  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church. 

Mr.  Revnolds  was  called  by  death  on  July  5.  1910.  He  was  a  plain, 
sincere,  honest  man.  in  whose  death  all  could  feel  a  common  sorrow.     Meas- 


6l8  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

ured  by  its  beneficence,  its  rectitude,  its  fidelity  to  tbe  plain  and  simple  vir- 
tues, his  life  counted  for  niucii.  and  in  his  passing  there  were  man\'  whi.i  truh' 
felt  tliev  had  lost  a  friend. 


FRED  BREHM. 


It  is  not  an  easy  task  to  descri]:ie  adequately  a  man  whi>  has  led  an 
eminently  active  and  busy  life  and  who  has  attained  a  position  of  relati\-e 
distinction  in  the  community  with  which  his  interests  are  allied.  But  biog- 
raphy finds  its  most  perfect  justification.  ne\ertheless,  in  the  tracing  and 
recording  of  such  a  life  history.  It  is,  then,  with  a  full  appreciation  of  all 
that  is  demanded  and  of  the  painstaking  scrutiny  that  must  be  accorded  each 
statement,  and  yet  with  a  feeling  of  satisfaction,  that  the  writer  essays  the 
task  of  touching  briefly  upon  the  details  of  such  a  record  as  has  been  that  of 
the  honored  subject  of  this  sketch,  whose  eminentl\-  successful  career  is  now 
under  review. 

Fred  Brehm.  a  prospeious  retired  implement  dealer  of  Lytton.  Iowa, 
was  born  in  Genuany  in  1848,  the  si)n  of  Fred  and  Mary  (Ritter)  Brehm. 
In  1874  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fred  Brehm.  Sr.,  came  to  the  United  States  and 
located  first  in  Burlington,  Racine  county.  Wisconsin,  where  the}-  engaged  in 
farming  for  about  three  years.  They  then  came  to  Sac  county.  Iowa,  where 
they  sta)'ed  a  short  time,  after  whicli  they  located  in  Calhoun  county,  this 
state,  but  in  1887  moved  back  to  Sac  count}',  li\ing  on  a  farm  near  Wall  Lake 
for  about  five  years. 

When  Fred  Brehm  came  from  Wisconsin  to  Iowa  he  was  accompanied 
by  his  step-father,  who  engaged  in  the  implement  business  at  Lytton.  but 
later  sold  out  to  his  sons,  in  the  spring  of  1913.  In  addition  to  his  implement 
business  he  was  also  largely  interested  in  land  in  this  count}-,  and  is  now  the 
owner  of  one  hundred  and  eighty-five  acres  near  Lytton,  althongh  he  pre- 
viouslv  had  two  hundred  and  ten  acres  near  Sac  City,  which  he  sold  in  1910. 
The  success  which  has  attended  Mr.  Brehm  in  his  business  is  decidedly  shown 
when  jt  is  stated  that  when  he  came  from  Wisconsin  he  had  onl}-  fifteen 
dollars,  but  by  true  German  thrift  and  frugality  he  used  this  slender  amourit 
as  a  working  basis,  and  on  it  l)uilt  his  present  comfortable  fortune. 
.  ,  Mr.  Brelmi  was  married  in  1884  to  Mary  Karges.  who  was  born  in 
Wisconsin,  of  German  parentage.  To  this  marriage  there  have  been  born 
eleven  children:     Fred,  who  is  in  tbe  implement  business  in  L\-tton :  \\';ilter. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  6ig 

a  farmer;  Carl,  a  farmer;  Clarence,  a  farmer;  Hulda.  deceased:  Emma,  the 
wife  of  Augustus  Buth,  of  Lytton;  Mary,  the  wife  of  Chris  Arndt,  an  im- 
plement dealer;  Mrs.  Matilda  Thiclh' irn.  of  this  county;  ^Irs.  Rlizaljeth 
Thielhorn.  of  this  county,  and  Zclma  and  Clara,  who  are  still  at  hume  with 
their  parents. 

Politicalh'.  Mr.  Brelim  is  a  stanch  Democrat,  but  has  never  been  solicit- 
ous as  to  political  honors.  He  and  all  of  the  members  of  his  family  are  loyal 
attendants  of  the  German  Lutheran  church  and  give  freely  of  their  means 
to  its  support.  Mr.  Brehm  is  a  man  who  has  won  success  because  he  has 
applied  those  principles  of  honesty  and  integrity  in  all  lines  of  his  work.  He 
has  lived  a  very  useful  and  busy  life,  having  divided  his  interest  between  his 
implement  store,  farming  and  the  live-stock  business.  For  years  he  has  been 
an  extensive  dealer  in  live  stock,  buying  and  shipping  hogs  and  cattle  by  the 
car  load.  He  is  genial  in  his  manner  and  is  highly  respected  by  every  one 
with  whom  he  comes  in  contact.  He  is  interested  in  the  welfare  of  his  com- 
munity and  is  alwavs  read}'  to  lend  his  hearty  support  to  all  commendalile 
measures  which  are  directed  toward  the  public  good. 


GEORGE  B.  WILLHOITE. 

Specific  mention  is  made  in  the  fulluwing  paragraphs  of  one  of  the 
worthy  citizens  of  Sac  county,  Iowa,  one  who  has  figured  in  the  growth  and 
development  of  this  favored  locality  and  whose  interests  have  been  identified 
with  its  progress,  contributing  in  a  definite  measure  in  his  particular  sphere 
of  action  to  the  well-being  of  the  community  in  which  he  resides  and  to  the 
advancement  of  its  normal  and  legitimate  growth.  Earnest  purpose  and  tire- 
less energy,  combined  with  mature  judgment  and  every-day  common  sense 
in  the  banking  business,  have  been  among  bis  most  prominent  characteristics, 
and  he  has  merited  the  respect  and  esteem  which  are  accorded  him  by  all  who 
know  him. 

George  B.  \\'illhoite,  the  present  cashier  of  the  Farmers  Savings  Bank, 
of  Lytton,  Iowa,  was  born  October  24,  1883,  in  Cisco,  Piatt  county,  Illinois, 
son  of  R.  S.  and  Elizabeth  (Taylor)  Willhoite,  natives  of  Kentucky  and 
Tennessee,  respectively.  The  parents  of  the  Willhoite  and  Taylor  families 
settled  in  Illinois  in  about  1850,  and  R.  S.  Willhoite  and  Elizabeth  Taylor 
were  married  in  that  state.  ,R.  S.  Willhoite  was  the  son  of  Thomas  Willhoite 
and  came  to  Iowa  in   1893,  settling  in  October  of  that  year  in    Wall   Lake. 


620  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

where  the  father  managed  a  harness  manufacturing  estabhshment,  and  they 
remained  here  until  1905,  when  they  moved  to  Schaller.  this  county.  In 
1907  they  went  to  Owanka.  South  Dakota,  where  they  are  now  Hving  with  a 
(laughter.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  R.  S.  Willhoite  were  the  parents  of  five  children: 
A.  P.  and  Gertrude  live  in  Owanka,  South  Dakota;  P.  M.  is  a  farmer  of 
Wall  Lake,  Iowa ;  G.  S.  is  a  ci\'il  engineer  at  Aztec,  New  Mexico,  and  George 
B.,  whose  history  is  here  presented. 

George  B.  Willhoite  was  educated  in  Wall  Lake,  where  he  completed 
the  common  and  high  school  courses  in  that  town,  after  which  he  clerked  in 
stores  in  the  town  and  did  office  work.  His  first  l)anking  experience  was  in 
the  German  Bank  of  Wall  Lake,  and  from  there  he  came  to  Lytton,  in  this 
county,  as  assistant  cashier  of  the  Farmers  Savings  Bank  in  1906.  He  applied 
himself  to  his  new  duties  and  showed  such  a  commendable  spirit  in  grasping 
the  details  of  his  new  position  that  he  was  promoted  liy  the  stockholders  of 
the  bank  to  the  responsible  position  of  cashier  in  the  spring  of  1913.  In  this 
position  he  is  giving  satisfactory  service  to  the  bank  and  he  is  becoming  in- 
creasingly useful  to  the  success  of  the  financial  institution. 

The  Lytton  Savings  Bank  was  organized  in  1902  by  F.  Schug  and  H.  H. 
I'^itch.  with  Mr.  Fitch  as  president  and  Mr.  Schug  as  cashier.  The  bank  was 
started  with  a  capital  stock  of  ten  thousand  dollars,  and  continued  to  operate 
until  June  i,  1906,  when  it  was  taken  over  by  the  Farmers  Savings  Bank,  of 
Lytton,  which  had  I)een  organized  only  a  few  months  previously,  with  a 
capital  stock  of  fifteen  thousand  dollars.  Upon  the  organization  of  that  bank, 
C.  F.  Brobiel  became  president  and  F.  A.  Ayers.  cashier.  When  the  Lytton 
Savings  Bank  was  liquidated  and  taken  over  by  the  Farmers  Savings  Bank 
Frank  Corey  was  elected  president;  John  L.  Hamilton,  vice-president;  F.  A. 
Ayers,  cashier;  G.  B.  Willhoite.  assistant  cashier.  The  present  officers  are 
Frank  Corey,  president;  F.  A.  Ayers,  vice-president;  G.  B.  Willhoite,  cashier; 
C.  H.  Castor,  assistant  cashier.  The  bank  now  has  a  capital  stock  of  twenty- 
five  thousand  dollars  and  in  19 13  had  a  surplus  and  undivided  profits  of  five 
thousand  dollars,  with  deposits  of  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  thousand 
dollars.  The  capital  stock  had  been  increased  from  fifteen  thousand  dollars  to 
twenty-five  thousand  dollars  upon  its  incorporation  in  19TO.  The  bank  is 
now  located  in  its  own  brick  building,  where  it  has  commodious  and  con- 
venient quarters. 

Mr.  Willhoite  was  married  in  December,  1907,  to  Mabel  L.  Trumbauer, 
of  Lytton,  the  daughter  of  Peter  B.  and  Lovina  J.  Trumbauer.  The  Trum- 
bauer family  were  old  settlers  of  Sac  county,  and  among  the  most  prominent 
citizens  of  the  county.     They  came  to  Sac  county  in   1883,  and  owned  the 


SAC    COUNTY.    IDVVA.  6j  I 

land  on  which  the  town  uf  Lytton  was  Iniih.  They  st)U  the  townsite  to  the 
Mihvankee  Land  Company  and  platted  the  Trninl)auer  Addition.  Mr.  Trum- 
bauer  died  in  1909,  and  his  widow  is  now  residing  with  her  daughter.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Willhoite  have  one  son,  Robert  B.,  who  is  now  four  years  of  age. 
In  politics,  Mr.  Willhoite  votes  the  Republican  ticket  and  works  in  har- 
mony with  the  principles  of  that  party.  Mrs.  Willhoite  is  a  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  church.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons  and  also  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  Mr.  Willhoite  keeps 
well  informed  on  all  the  current  topics  of  the  day,  and  is  a  well-mannered, 
genteel,  highly  intelligent  gentleman,  who  has  gained  the  respect  of  all  with 
whom  he  has  been  associated  during  his  comparatively  short  residence  in  this 
county. 


CHARLES  NUEHRING. 


A  business  man  of  Lytton  who  has  in  the  past  two  years  built  up  a 
lucrative  trade  in  the  harness  business  is  Charles  Nuehring,  one  of  the  many 
sons  of  Germany  who  have  made  this  county  their  home.  The  remarkable 
part  of  Mr.  Nuehring's  career  is  the  fact  that  he  left  the  farm  in  middle 
life  and  came  to  Lytton  without  previous  experience  of  any  kind  in  the 
harness-making  business  and  made  a  success  of  his  new  profession.  He  had 
never  had  any  experience  which  might  apply  to  his  new  profession  except 
what  he  had  been  taught  by  his  father  to  operate  a  tailor's  sewing  machine. 

Charles  Nuehring,  a  successful  harness-maker  and  merchant  of  Lytton, 
Iowa,  was  born  in  Clayton  county,  Iowa,  in  1868,  the  son  of  Frederick  and 
Louisa  ( Bohlmann )  Nuehring.  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Germany. 
Frederick  Nuehring  and  wife  were  bom.  reared  and  married  in  Germanv, 
coming  to  this  country  in  1865,  and  in  the  same  vear  located  on  a  farm  in 
Clayton  county,  Iowa.  In  1870  they  located  in  Butler  count}-,  this  state, 
where  they  remained  for  twelve  years.  In  1882  they  moved  to  Sac  county 
and  purchased  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land  in  Cedar  township, 
sections  25  and  26.  Flere  Frederick  Nuehring  died  in  1903.  at  the  age  of 
seventy-seven,  and  his  wife  five  years  later,  at  the  age  of  sevent\-tw(i.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Frederick  Nuehring  were  the  parents  of  eleven  children:  Mrs. 
Wilhelmina  Ehlers,  of  Cedar  township,  this  county ;  Henry  and  Carolina,  of 
Minnesota :  Fred,  of  Wisconsin ;  Mollie,  of  Buena  Vista  county,  Iowa ;  Will- 
iam, of  Calhoun  county,  this  state;  Mrs.  Annie  Albinger,  of  Cedar  township, 
this  county;  Charles,  whose  history  is  here  presented;  Mrs.  Christina  Helm- 


622  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA 

hrecht,  of  Calhuun  county,  this  state,  and  Lewis  and  Augustus,  of  Cedar 
township.  Sac  county. 

Charles  Nuehrino-  hegan  to  work  for  himself  at  the  age  of  twenty-one 
vears,  and  until  1912  farmed  in  this  county,  and  still  owns  a  fine  farm  of 
eighty  acres  in  Cedar  townshij).  which  he  rents  at  the  present  time.  On  May 
Q.  191  J.  Mr.  Nuehring  purchased  an  estahlished  harness  business  in  Lytton, 
and  has  made  a  pronounced  success  of  his  new  occupation  in  the  short  time 
which  he  has  had  control  of  it.  It  is  not  often  that  a  man  of  his  age  can 
enter  a  new  line  of  business  and  manage  it  successfully,  but  that  Mr.  Nuehring 
has  done  this  is  evidenced  by  the  business  which  he  is  now  doing  day  by  day. 

Mr.  Xuehring  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  although  he  has  never  taken  an 
active  interest  in  the  deliberations  of  his  party.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
German  Lutheran  church  and  subscribes  liberally  to  its  support. 

Air.  Nuehring  was  married  in  1903  to  Freda  Fletcher,  of  Buena  Vista 
county,  this  state,  and  to  this  marriage  have  been  l)orn  two  children,  Walter 
and  Rose.  Mr.  Nuehring  is  well  known  throughout  the  township  and  has 
many  excellent  qualities  of  head  and  heart,  which  have  won  for  him  many 
friends,  and  consequently  he  is  one  of  the  representati\e  men  of  his  town  and 
coninninit\-  and  well  merits  a  place  in  this  biographical  volume. 


WILLIAM  W.  HFNNING. 

Among  the  pro.sperous  farmers  of  Jackson  township.  Sac  county,  Iowa,  is 
William  W.  Henning,  who  embodies  all  of  those  characteristics  which  are  the 
marks  of  the  progressive  farmer  of  the  twentieth  century.  Although  he  has 
been  in  this  county  only  a  comparatively  short  time.  }et  he  has  impressed  his 
indi\  idualin-  upon  the  communit\  where  he  settled,  by  virtue  of  the  fact  that 
he  is  a  man  of  strong  convictions  and  upright  cliaracter.  Coming  here  from 
the  state  of  Illinois,  he  made  the  change  because  he  felt  that  this  was  one  of  the 
best  agricultural  sections  of  the  country,  and  that  this  county  offered  the 
farmer  as  good  or  better  o])portunity  for  a  successful  career  than  could  be 
found  any  place  in  the  L'nited  States. 

William  W.  Henning,  of  Jackson  township,  was  born  August  7,  1S60, 
at  I'lano,  Illinois,  and  is  the  son  of  William  and  Marinda  (Brown)  Henning, 
natives  of  New  York.  William  Henning,  Sr.,  is  the  son  of  Cornelius  Hen- 
ning, who  left  his  native  state  of  New  York  and  came  by  the  lakes  through 
Chicaiio.     Cornelius  and  his  family  then  traveled  by  wagon  to  Piano,  two 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  623 

miles  distant  from  Chicago.  They  settled  on  a  farm  in  the  immediate  \icinity 
of  that  cit^^  William  Henning,  Sr.,  was  a  prosjierous  farmer  and  stock- 
raiser  in  Illinois  and  was  one  of  the  most  snhstantial  citizens  in  the  locality 
where  he  li\ed.  Half  nf  the  present  city  of  Piano  wa'^  hnilt  on  tiie  llenning 
farm.  William  Henning.  I^r.,  died  in  iS86.  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  and 
his  wife  died  ten  years  later,  at  tlie  age  of  sixty-nine.  Nine  children,  in- 
clnding  three  sets  of  twin^,  were  liorn  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  Henning,  Sr. : 
Loren,  of  Piano,  Illinois:  dilhert,  deceased:  Mrs.  Clara  Cox.  of  Anrora, 
Nebraska;  Herschell,  of  Marengo,  Illinois;  Hattie,  deceased;  William  W., 
wlios-j  histor}-  is  here  recorded;  Airs.  P\-a  Lanrie,  of  .\nr(ira,  Xeljraslra; 
(_'larence,  deceased ;  Wallace,  deceased,  who  was  a  twin  of  the  subject. 

William  W.  llenning  was  educated  in  the  Piano  public  schools  and  later 
attended  .Aurora  Seminary,  a  Methodist  institution.  He  assisted  his  father 
on  the  home  farm  until  he  was  twenty-three  years  of  age  and  then  managed 
the  family  farm  of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  near  Steward,  Illinois, 
where  he  resided  twelve  years.  In  1895  he  sold  his  farm  and  mo\ed  to 
Piano,  Illinois,  where  he  ser\-ed  as  cit}-  marshal  for  three  years.  In  1901  he 
came  to  Sac  county,  having  purchased,  in  1000,  his  present  farm  of  one  hun- 
dred and  ninety  acres  for  fifty-fi\-e  dollars  an  acre.  He  has  spent  nearly  six 
thousand  dollars  in  ini|)r.)\'ing  the  farm  since  he  purchased  it,  putting  one 
thousand  dollars  on  the  house,  three  thousand  dollars  in  tiling  and  one  thou- 
sand dollars  for  stock  and  machinerw  He  now  has  the  farm  in  excellent  con- 
dition and  values  it  at  two  hundred  dollars  an  acre.  In  1913  he  had  se\enty- 
five  acres  of  corn,  which  averaged  fifty  bushels  to  the  acre.  That  year  he  also 
raised  twenty-five  head  of  cattle,  fort)-  head  of  hogs  and  ten  head  of  horses. 

Mr.  Henning  was  married  February  14,  1884.  to  Adah  Wilcox,  of 
Piano.  Illinois.  She  died  in  January,  iQOC).  leaving  three  children.  Bertha, 
Davis  and  Doroth}-.  Bertha  and  Dorothy  are  with  their  father,  while  Davis  is 
managing  the  farm  for  his  father.  Davis  married  Irene  Masteller.  of  Sac 
county,  and  has  one  son,  \'erlin.  On  .April  24,  [913,  Mr.  Henning  was  mar- 
ried to  Agnes  Bock,  a  former  teacher  of  Sac  count)-,  the  daughter  of  J.  A. 
and  Hetty  .A.  Bock,  both  nati\-es  of  Pennsylvania.  The  Bock  family  came 
from  Penns)-hania  to  Carroll  county,  Iowa,  in  1877,  and  moved  to  Sac 
county  in  1809,  where  they  have  since  resided. 

Air.  Henning  is  a  progressi\-e  Republican  and,  while  interesting  himself 
in  the  various  political  c|uestions  of  the  day,  he  has  never  been  an  aspirant 
for  any  public  office.  His  family  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church, 
while,  fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Fiee  and  Accepted  Masons 
and  Aloderu  AA'oodmen  of  .America,  having  been  a  member  of  the  latter  order 


624  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

since  he  was  twenty-five  years  of  age.  Mr.  Henning  has  been  a  man  of  action 
and  has  lived  a  hfe  which  has  been  in  accord  with  the  Golden  Rule.  He  has 
carried  forward  to  successful  completion  whatever  he  has  undertaken,  and 
his  business  methods  have  been  in  strict  conformity  with  the  standard  ethics 
of  commercial  life.  He  has  never  shrunk  from  his  duties  as  a  citizen,  his 
obligations  to  his  church,  his  neighbors  or  his  friends. 


WILLIAM  W.  RHOADS. 


It  was  once  remarked  by  a  celebrated  moralist  and  biographer  that 
"there  has  scarcely  passed  a  life  of  which  a  judicious  and  faithful  narrative 
would  not  have  been  useful."  Believing  in  the  truth  of  this  opinion,  ex- 
pressed by  one  of  the  greatest  and  best  of  men,  the  writer  of  this  review  takes 
pleasure  in  presenting  a  few  facts  in  the  career  of  a  gentleman  who,  by  indus- 
try, perseverance,  temperance  and  integrity  has  worked  himself  from  art 
humble  station  to  a  successful  place  in  life  and  won  an  honorable  position 
among  the  well-known  and  highly  esteemed  men  of  the  locality  in  which  he 
resides. 

W.  W.  Rhoads,  a  prosperous  fanner  of  Wall  Lake  townsliip,  was  born 
May  25.  1865,  in  Zena,  now  known  as  Woodward,  Dallas  county,  Iowa.  His- 
parents  were  Louis  and  Jane  (McCrarken)  Rhoads.  natives  nf  Ohio  and 
Pennsylvania,  respectively.  Louis  Rhoads  was  born  in  Ohio  in  1845  and 
died  in  September,  1909,  in  Dallas  county.  He  came  with  his  parents  to 
Dallas  county,  Iowa,  in  1852.  The  McCrackens  were  also  early  settlers  in 
Dallas  county. 

W.  W.  Rhoads  received  his  education  in  Dallas  and  Calhoun  counties, 
and  lived  with  his  parents  until  he  was  married,  at  the  age  of  twenty-one.  He 
continued  to  reside  in  Dallas  county  until  1893,  and  then  moved  to  Calhoun 
countv,  where  he  farmed  for  eigiit  years.  In  igoi  he  came  to  Sac  county  and 
bought  his  present  farm  of  one  hundred  .md  thirty-two  acres  in  Wall  Lake 
township.  His  farm  is  well  improved,  and  during  the  twelve  years  in  which 
he  has  lived  on  it  he  has  brought  it  to  a  state  of  cultivation  where  he  re- 
ceives a  handsome  return  on  his  yearly  crops.  He  is  fortunate  in  having 
fifteen  acres  of  timber  land  upon  his  farm,  and  has  an  attractive  residence, 
substantial  and  well-arranged  baiiis  and  other  outbuildings.  He  is  a  pro- 
gressive farmer  in  every  sense  of  the  word  and  in  the  matter  of  rotation  of 


V. 


in 


o 
> 

c 

ITj 


L 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  625 

crops  and  tlic  other  incidental  features  of  successful  agriculture,  he  shows  an 
attitude  which  stamps  him  as  a  man  of  good  practical  judgment. 

Mr.  Rhoads  was  married  on  Christmas  day,  1886,  to  Dora  Beam,  of 
Jasper  county,  Iowa,  daugliter  of  Enoch  and  Helen  Beam.  To  this  union 
have  been  born  five  children :  Mrs.  Effie  Peyton,  of  Sac  City ;  Mrs.  Mattie 
Alice  Long,  of  Cedar  township,  this  county;  Donald,  who  is  now  in  the 
Unitetl  States  nav)',  on  battleship  "Montgomery;"  Neil  and  W^esley,  who  are 
still  at  home  with  their  parents. 

Mr.  Rlioads  has  been  voting  the  Republican  ticket  since  he  cast  his  first 
ballot,  and  while  taking  an  active  interest  in  the  welfare  of  his  party,  he  has 
never  been  an  aspirant  fur  any  public  office.  The  family  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  to  it  they  contribute  liberally  of  their  means, 
i'raternally.  he  is  a  memlier  of  the  Veornen  and  the  ^Modern  Woodmen  of 
America.  During  the  more  than  a  half  score  of  years  which  he  has  lived  in 
this  county,  Mr.  Rhoads  lias  lived  a  life  which  has  brought  him  the  friend- 
ship and  esteem  of  all  who  know  him.  While  successful  in  his  own  private 
affairs,  he  has  also  interested  himself  in  the  welfare  of  others  and  gives  his 
unreserved  support  to  every  enterprise  which  is  for  the  advancement  o>f  the 
welfare  of  his  fellow  citizens. 


DA\TD  CORSAUT. 


One  of  the  most  i)ri)Si)eriius  farmers  and  stuck  men  of  Sac  county  is 
David  Ciirsaut,  of  Jackson  township.  He  has  built  up  a  reputation  as  one 
of  the  leading  horse  men  in  the  state  of  Iowa.  He  has  lieen  interested  in 
the  breeding  of  Percheron  thoroughbred  horses  for  the  past  seven  x'ears. 
buying  his  first  brood  mare  in  1907  at  Sioux  Cit}-,  for  which  he  paid  six 
hundred  and  sixty  dollars.  The  following  winter  he  bought  the  champion 
brood  mare  of  Iowa,  "\'ictorine."  He  now  has  three  of  the  finest  Percheron 
stallions  in  Iowa,  one  of  which  he  imjjorted  in  the  spring  of  1913  at  the  cost 
of  eighteen  hundred  dollars.  This  stallion,  "Cato," 'is  three  years  old  and 
weighs  one  thousand,  nine  hundred  and  sixty  pounds.  He  now  has  over 
twelve  head  of  thoroughbred  Percheron  horses  on  his  farm  and  has  harl  the 
gratification  of  taking  sweepstakes  at  the  state  fair  in  Des  Moines  on  more 
than  one  occasion. 

David  Corsaut  was  born  Februarv   10,    1840,   in   London,   Canada,   and 

(39) 


626  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

is  the  son  of  James  and  Alillicent  (  Farrar)  Corsaut.  His  father  was  born 
in  New  York  state,  his  mother  in  Connecticut.  His  mother  came  from  the 
famous  Farrar  family  of  preachers,  who  trace  their  ancestry  back  to  John 
Knox,  a  reformer  of  the  Middle  ages.  Mr.  Corsaut  also  traces  his  ancestry 
back  to  the  Corsauts  of  colonial  times.  His  grandparents  came  from  Hol- 
land and  first  settled  in  New  York.  James  and  Millicent  F.  Corsaut  were 
the  parents  of  eleven  children,  seven  sons  and  four  daughters.  Five  of  these 
children  are  still  living,  namely:  Ebenezer,  of  London,  Ontario;  James,  of 
Anderson,  Indiana:  William,  of  Dakota;  Charles,  of  New  York,  and  David, 
whose  history  is  portrayed  in  this  connection.  Both  of  the  parents  of  David 
Corsaut  died  in  Canada,  his  mother  living  to  the  advanced  age  of  ninetv-one. 

David  Corsaut  received  all  of  his  education  in  the  schools  of  Canada 
and  li\ed  at  Imme  until  he  was  twenty-three  vears  of  age.  In  1863  he  left 
Canada  and  came  to  Michigan,  where  he  hired  out  as  a  farm  hand  for  two 
years,  then  settled  in  St.  Clair  county,  Michigan,  where  he  married  and 
bought  a  farm,  on  which  he  li\-ed  until  1886.  He  then  moved  to  Butler 
count}-,  Io\\a.  and  the  year  following  went  to  Hamilton  c(junty,  in  the  same 
state,  where  he  lived  on  a  rented  farm  for  six  years.  He  saved  his  money 
with  the  intention  of  investing  in  land  at  the  first  op]>ortunity  and  in  1892  he 
came  to  Sac  county  and  i)urchased  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  lantl 
for  twenty-three  dollars  an  acre.  Since  purchasing  this  land  he  has  erected 
all  the  buildings,  thoroughly  tiled  and  fenced  the  farm.  In  1899  he  bought 
three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Cedar  township  at  forty-five  dollars  an 
acre  and  now  owns  six  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  Sac  county,  which  is 
worth  tw(j  hundred  dollars  an  acre. 

Mr.  Corsaut  was  married  April  15,  1867,  to  Sarah  Hunt,  the  daughter 
of  John  and  Mary  (Wilcox)  Hunt,  and  was  born  in  Exeter,  England.  Her 
parents  came  to  America  in  1870  and  settled  in  London,  Ontario,  where  they 
lived  and  died.  To  John  and  Mary  W.  Hunt  were  born  twelve  children,  nine 
of  whom  are  now  living:  Grace,  Thomas,  William,  Elizabeth,  Harry,  Sarah, 
Fannv,  Hunt,  Mary  Jane,  and  .Ann,  Robert  and  Samuel,  deceased. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Corsaut  ha\e  reared  six  children,  one  dying  in  infancy: 
William  and  Charles  are  at  home  with  their  parents;  James  is  a  farmer  of 
Cedar  township,  married  and  has  four  children,  Frances,  Dwight,  Zada  and 
Loren;  Mrs.  Emma  Hendrickson,  of  Sac  City,  who  has  two  children.  Fern 
and  David;  Mrs.  Zada  Keir,  of  Spencer,  Iowa,  who  has  children,  Robert  and 
Ferris;  Hannah  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  months  in  Michigan. 

I'olitically,  Mr.  Corsaut  is  a  Republican  and,  while  taking  an  intelligent 
interest  in  the  political  issues  of  the  day,  he  has  never  been  an  aspirant  for 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  627 

any  public  office.  He  and  his  family  are  loyal  niem1:)ers  of  tlie  I'reshyterian 
churcli,  and  ally  themselves  with  various  interests  of  that  denomination.  Mr. 
Corsaut  has  all  of  those  qualities  which  go  to  make  up  ideal  citizenship. 
Among  those  with  whom  he  associates  he  is  held  in  high  regard.  His 
strong  character,  farseeing  judgment  and  high  purposes  have  won  for  him 
a  large  circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances,  who  admire  him  for  the  hfe  of 
strict  integritx'  and  usefulness  which  he  has  led  since  coming  to  this  countv. 


FRANK  E.  PRATT. 


Specific  mention  is  made  of  many  of  the  worthy  citizens  of  Sac  county 
within  the  pages  of  this  book,  citizens  who  have  figured  in  the  growth  and 
development  of  this  favored  locality  and  whose  interests  are  identified  with 
its  every  jjhase  of  progress,  each  contributing  in  his  sphere  of  action  to  the 
well-being  of  the  community  in  which  he  resides  and  to  the  advancement  of 
its  moral  and  legitimate  growth.  Among  this  number  is  he  whose  name  ap- 
pears at  the  head  of  this  article,  who  has  long  been  recognized  as  one  of  the 
leading  and  substantial  citizens  of  his  locality. 

Frank  E.  Pratt,  proprietor  of  a  prosperous  furniture  and  drug  business 
in  Lvtton,  Iowa,  was  born  August  6,  1874,  in  Benton  county,  this  state,  about 
four  miles  ir-mi  Shellsburg,  the  son  of  Morgan  S.  and  Mary  Pratt,  natives 
of  Vermont  and  Indiana,  respectively.  Morgan  S.  Pratt  came  to  Iowa  when 
about  fourteen  years  of  age  with  his  parents,  reaching  this  state  in  1856.  In 
1905  Morgan  S.  Pratt  and  wife  moved  to  Cedar  Rapids,  this  state,  where  they 
are  now  living. 

F.  E.  Pratt  received  his  education  in  the  common  schools  and  in  the 
Iowa  State  University,  from  which  institution  he  graduated  in  the  de- 
partment of  pharmacy  in  ]\Tay,  1902.  He  started  in  the  drug  business  at 
Cedar  Rapids,  and  came  to  Lytton  in  1908,  where  he  purchased  a  drug  store 
which  was  already  established  in  that  town,  and  has  continued  to  reside  here 
since  that  time.  In  addition  to  his  drug  business  he  also  handles  furniture 
and  is  engaged  in  the  undertaking  business.  He  has  two  floors  completely 
stocked  with  a  good  assortment  of  furniture  and  all  of  the  ordinary  articles 
which  are  found  in  all  first-class  drug  stores.  He  has  an  excellent  business 
and  is  rapidlv  coming  to  the  front  as  one  of  the  substantial  business  men  of 
the  town  and  vicinity. 

Mr.  Pratt  was  married  April  5.  1905,  to  Iva  Simpson,  of  Cedar  Rapids. 


628  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Politically.  Air.  Pratt  i.s  a  Republican,  while  in  his  church  relations  he  is 
allied  with  the  Presbyterians.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Benevolent 
and  Protecti\e  Order  of  Elks  at  Huron.  South  Dakota,  where  he  wi>rked  as 
a  pharmacist  for  a  year  and  a  half  after  his  graduation  from  college.  Mr. 
Pratt  is  a  pleasant  and  genial  man  to  meet  and  by  his  tact  and  courtesy  is 
rapidly  enlarging  his  patronage.  He  is  a  thorough  pharmacist  in  every  sense 
of  the  word  and  carries  a  line  of  drugs  which  enables  him  to  compound  pre- 
scriptions without  any  difficulty.  He  and  his  wife  are  the  centers  of  a  wide 
circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances,  and  their  home  is  a  favorite  gathering 
place  of  these  friends. 


CLARK  COX. 


The  Union  soldier  during  the  great  war  between  the  states  builded  wiser 
than  he  knew.  Through  four  years  of  suffering  and  wasting  hardships, 
through  the  horrors  of  prison  pens  and  amid  the  shadows  of  death,  he  laid 
the  superstructure  of  the  greatest  temple  ever  erected  and  dedicated  to 
human  freedom.  The  world  looked  on  and  called  those  soldiers  sublime, 
for  it  was  theirs  to  reach  out  the  mighty  arm  of  power  and  strike  the  chains 
from  off  the  slave,  preserve  the  country  from  dissolution,  ami  to  keep  furled 
to  the  breeze  the  only  flag  that  e\'er  made  tyrants  tremble  and  whose  majes- 
tic stripes  and  scintillating  stars  are  still  waving  universal  liberty  to  all  the 
earth.  For  all  the  unmeasured  deeds  the  living  present  will  never  repa)- 
them.  Pension  and  political  power  may  be  thrown  at  their  feet;  art  and 
sculpture  may  preserve  upon  canvas  and  in  granite  and  bronze  their  unselfish 
deeds;  history  may  commit  to  books  and  cold  type  may  give  to  the  future 
the  tale  of  their  sufferings  and  triumphs,  but  to  the  children  of  the  genera- 
tions yet  unborn  will  it  remain  to  accord  the  full  measure  of  appreciation 
and  undying  remembrance  of  the  immortal  character  carved  out  Ity  the 
American  soldiers  in  the  dark  days  of  the  early  sixties,  numbered  among 
whom  is  the  gentleman  whose  name  appears  at  the  head  of  this  sketch. 

("lark  Cox,  a  gallant  veteran  of  the  Ci\il  \\'ar,  and  now  a  retired  farmer 
living  in  Sac  City.  Iowa,  was  born  July  25,  1839,  in  Jackson  county,  Indiana. 
He  is  the  son  of  Abner  and  Sarah  (  Shoemaker)  Cox,  natives  of  Kentuckv 
and  Indiana,  respectively.  In  1843  Abner  Cox  and  family  came  to  Iowa 
and  spent  the  first  winter  in  Henry  county,  and  in  the  spring  of  1844  moved 
to  Mahaska  county,  this  state,  where  they  lived  until  185 1,  when  they  moved 
to  Polk  countv,  seven  miles  north  of  Des  Moines,  and  here  they  bought  a 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  629 

farm,  but  later  sold  it  and  nicived  ti>  a  place  mirlhwest  of  Polk  Citv,  wiiere 
Ahner  Cox  and  his  wife  spent  the  remainder  of  their  days.  They  were  the 
parents  of  ten  chiklren.  four  of  whom  are  now  living :  Clark,  with  whom 
this  narrative  deals;  James,  of  Polk  county;  Mrs.  Sarah  Elerfits.  who  lives 
near  Granger.  Iowa,  and  Anna  Jane,  whose  home  is  in  Algona.  Iowa. 

Clark  Cox  recei\-ed  his  elementary  education  in  the  various  counties  in 
which  his  parents  lived  while  he  was  of  school  age,  and  at  the  opening  of  the 
Civil  \Var  he  was  seized  with  the  same  fervor  which  stirred  the  hearts  of 
millions  of  other  men  in  the  Xcjrth  and  enlisted  in  the  Union  army  and 
fought  through  the  long.  Ijloody  struggle  from  start  to  finish.  He  enlisted 
August  I.  1861,  in  Company  A.  Tenth  Regiment  Iowa  Volunteer  Infantrv, 
and  was  in  actual  service  for  four  years  and  fifteen  days.  Among  the  many 
battles  and  skirmishes  in  which  he  took  part,  he  was  in  the  battles  of  Vicks- 
burg.  Corinth.  Helmont.  luka.  Missionary  Ridge,  Chattanooga,  Lookout 
Mountain.  Resaca,  Dallas,  Atlanta  and  the  various  battles  and  skirmishes 
which  General  Sherman  had  to  meet  on  his  march  to  the  sea  and  his  subse- 
cjuent  march  through  the  Carolinas  to  Goldsboro  in  North  Carolina.  Mr. 
Cox  was  in  the  forefront  with  his  company  during  his  whole  career,  was 
never  wounded,  never  seriously  sick,  never  captured  and  has  the  distinguished 
honor  of  partici])ating  in  the  Grand  Review  at  Washington  in  the  summer 
of   1865. 

Immediately  after  the  close  of  the  war  Mr.  Cox  returned  to  Iowa  and 
began  farming  in  Polk  county.  A  year  later  he  married  and  he  and  his  wife 
continued  to  reside  in  Polk  county  until  1885,  when  they  moved  to  Sac 
county,  where  he  liought  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Coon 
\'alle\-  township,  on  which  they  lived  until  IQ03,  at  which  time  they  bought 
a  farm  adjoining  Sac  Cit}-,  on  which  they  lived  until  IQ06.  when  they  moved 
to  Sac  Cit}\  where  thev  are  now  living. 

\It.  Cox  was  married  October  11.  1866,  to  Mary  C.  Howard,  of  Polk 
county.  Iowa,  and  ti^)  this  union  have  been  born  three  children :  Elmer,  a 
farmer  of  this  county ;  Samuel,  a  farmer  of  Calhoun  county,  this  state,  and 
Mrs.  Sarah  Xaomi  Ringgenberg,  whose  husband  is  a  farmer  of  Calhoun 
county. 

Politicall}-.  Mr.  Cox  is  an  independent  voter  and  he  prefers  to  cast 
his  ballot  for  men  rather  than  for  measures.  He  represents  the  large  class  of 
citizens  who  exercise  the  franchise  in  an  intelligent  manner  and  are  not 
bound  by  partisan  politics.  If  all  citizens  would  use  the  same  good  judg- 
ment many  of  the  evils  of  this  country  would  disappear.  Fraternally,  Mr. 
Cox  is  a  loyal  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  post  at  Sac  City, 


630  ■  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

and  is  proud  of  the  fact  that  this  post  is  named  after  the  famous  commander 
who  marched  to  the  sea.  AUhough  a  ijuiet  and  unassuming  man,  Mr.  Cox 
has  contributed  much  to  tiie  material  advancement  of  the  community  by  his 
admirable  qualities  of  iiead  and  heart,  and  the  straight-forward,  upright 
course  of  his  life  has  tended  greatly  to  uplift  the  moral  staniling  of  the  circles 
in  which  he  moves.  He  is  a  man  of  liberal  views,  believes  in  progress  and 
improxement,  therefore  he  does  what  he  can  to  further  these  ends,  taking  a 
live  interest  in  whatever  makes  for  the  material  advancement  of  the  county 
and  the  social,  intellectual  and  moral  good  of  its  people. 


ALEXANDER  WAGER. 


Dependent  very  largely  upon  his  own  resources  from  his  earlv  \'outh. 
Alexander  Wager,  of  Jackson  township,  this  county,  has  attained  no  insignif- 
icant success,  and  though  he  may  have,  like  most  men  of  aiTairs,  encountered 
obstacles  and  met  with  reverses,  yet  he  has  pressed  steadily  forward.  His 
tenacity  and  fortitude  are  due,  no  doubt,  in  a  large  measure  to  the  worthv 
traits  inherited  from  his  ancestors,  whose  high  ideals  and  correct  principles 
he  has  ever  sought  to  perpetuate  in  all  the  relations  of  life. 

Alexander  Wager  was  Ijorn  in  1850  in  Genoa,  DeKalb  countw  Illinois, 
the  son  of  Henry  and  Mehital)el  (llrown)  Wager,  natives  respecti\ely  of 
New  York  and  Ohio.  Alexander  lost  his  mother  when  he  was  two  years  of 
age,  and  his  father  later  married  a  Miss  Deborah.  By  his  first  marriage, 
Henry  Wager  had  four  children:  Lucinda,  deceased;  William  Henry,  who 
lives  in  Michigan;  Mrs.  Julia  Donaldson,  of  Aurora,  Illinois,  and  Alexander. 

Alexander  Wager  grew  to  manhood  in  DeKalb  county.  Illinois,  where 
he  received  a  good  common-school  education,  and  earl\-  in  life  began  to 
assist  his  father  with  the  duties  on  the  home  farm.  In  1882.  on  the  tirst  day 
of  the  vear,  Mr.  Wager  left  DeKalb  county,  Illinois,  and  came  to  Jackson 
township.  Sac  countv,  Iowa,  where  he  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
for  six  dollars  and  a  half  an  acre.  The  land  had  no  improvements  on  it 
whatever  and  everything  which  is  on  the  land  at  this  time  has  been  placed 
there  by  Mr.  Wager.  In  1884  he  purchased  eighty  acres  adjoining  his  farm 
for  ten  dollars  an  acre  and  in  1897  h^'  jnirchased  another  eighty  for  thirty 
dollars  an  acre,  and  is  now  the  owner  of  four  hundred  acres  of  land  which 
is  worth  one  liundred  and  seventy-hve  dollars  an  acre.  He  does  not  attempt 
to  farm  all  of  his  land,  but  rents  some  of  it  out  to  responsible  tenants  and 
farms  the  remainder  himself. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  O3 1 

Mr.  Wager  was  married  December  25,  1876,  to  Anna  Lewis,  daughter 
of  John  and  Catherine  Lewis,  who  were  natives  of  New  York  state  and 
early  settlers  in  Dekalli  county,  lllimiis.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wager  are  the 
parents  of  three  children:  Fretl  Lewis  and  Ruth  Esther,  who  are  at  home 
with  their  parents  on  the  farm,  and  Mrs.  Elsie  May  Gneiss,  of  Chicago, 
Illinois. 

Politically,  Mr.  Wager  is  a  Republican,  while  his  religious  affiliations 
are  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  His  fraternal  relations  are  with 
the  Ancient  Order  of  United  \\^orkmen.  Mr.  Wager  has  reached  his  pres- 
ent position  of  influence  solely  through  the  sweat  of  his  own  brow  and  can 
now  live  his  remaining  days  surrounded  \)y  the  comforts  of  life.  Eighty 
acres  of  his  land  is  situated  within  the  corporate  limits  of  Sac  City.  He  has 
always  raised  considerable  live  stock  and  now  has  thirty  head  of  cattle  on 
his  farm.  Because  of  his  upright  character,  marked  ability  and  genial  dis- 
position. Mr.  Wager  is  nunil>ered  among  the  most  ])opular  residents  of 
Jackson  township.  He  is  mindful  of  the  duties  he  owes  to  his  comniunitv 
and  is  always  found  upon  the  right  side  of  all  questions  affecting  the  welfare 
of  his  fellow  men. 


THOMAS  G.  KEIR. 


The  gentleman  to  a  brief  review  of  whose  life  and  characteristics  the 
reader's  attention  is  herewith  directed  is  among  the  favorably  known  and 
representative  citizens  of  Sac  county.  By  his  indomitable  enterprise  and 
progressive  methods  he  has  contriliutetl  in  a  material  way  to  the  advance- 
ment of  his  locality  and  during  the  course  of  an  honorable  career  has  Iteen 
successful  in  his  Ijusiness  enterprises,  having  been  a  man  of  energ)-,  sound 
judgment  and  honesty  of  purpose  and  is  thus  well  deser\ing  of  mention  in 
this  volume. 

Thomas  G.  Keir,  a  traveling  salesman  for  Wayt  &  Son,  monument 
dealers  of  Sac  City,  Iowa,  was  born  January  31,  1856,  in  the  province  of 
Quebec,  Canada,  on  a  farm,  lie  is  the  son  of  John  and  Helen  (Mc(jregor) 
Keir.  John  Keir  was  born  in  Scotland  in  1S18,  came  to  Livingston  county, 
Illinois,  in  1868  and  there  farmed  until  his  death,  in  October,  1869.  John 
Keir  was  a  veterinary  surgeon,  having  graduated  from  a  veterinary  college, 
and  in  addition  to  farming  and  following  his  profession  as  a  veterinary  he 
also  operated  a  Ijlacksmith  shop.  Helen  McGregor  was  Ijorn  in  Scotland, 
March  26.   i8j6,  and  came  to  Canada  with  her  jiarents  when  she  was  four 


632  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

years-iild.  Jnhn  Kcir  and  llelen  AlcCiregur  were  married  A]>ril  t.  1S44. 
Tliey  reared  a  family  of  twelve  children,  seven  of  whom  are  living:  John 
Keir,  who  died  at  Wellington,  Kansas,  December  10,  1912;  Duncan  B.,  of 
Douglas  township:  Thomas  (i.,  with  whom  this  narrative  deals;  Robert,  of 
Douglas  townshi]):  William,  of  Oklahoma:  Charles,  of  ("olorado,  and  Mrs. 
Clark  Deshler.  of  Wellington,  Kansas.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Keir  also  had 
one  adopted  daughter.  Mrs.  George  IMorton,  who  now  li\es  near  Dalton, 
Kansas. 

Thomas  C.  Keir  was  reared  and  educated  principalh'  in  Illinois.  When 
a  \-outh  he  learned  the  blacksmith  trade  with  his  father  and  for  several  years 
conducted  a  blacksmith  and  wagon  shop.  Later  he  also  managed  a  meat 
market.  In  Decemlier,  1894,  Mr.  Kier  came  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  and  bought 
a  farm  of  one  hunch'cd  and  sixty  acres  in  Jackson  townshi]),  where  he  lived 
until  March  ],  1910.  He  then  moved  to  Sac  City,  purchased  a  residence  and 
entered  the  employ  of  Wayt  &  Son,  monument  dealers,  as  traveling  sales- 
man, b'or  the  past  four  years  he  has  been  connected  with  this  rtriu  and  is 
proving  an  efficient  salesman  for  his  company,  and  has  that  necessar}-  knowl- 
edge of  the  business,  together  with  a  tact  and  diplomacv  which  a  skilled 
salesman  needs  in  order  to  make  him  successful  in  this  particular  line  of 
business. 

Mr.  Keir  was  married.  May  16,  1878,  to  Ellen  Elizabeth  Sackett,  the 
daughter  of  James  and  Ursula  (Makepeace)  Sackett.  Her  parents  were 
nati\-es  of  New  York,  but  later  came  to  Forrest,  Illinois,  where  she  was 
born.  James  Sackett  died  in  1880  and  his  wife  died  on  January  19,  1913.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Sackett  were  the  parents  of  ele\en  children,  eight  of  whom  are  living: 
Hutchinson,  deceased:  John,  deceased:  Lvdia,  deceased;  Airs.  Delia  Jones, 
of  Oklahoma:  Mrs.  Emma  Whitson,  of  .Mbuquerque,  New  !\Iexico;  Jay,  of 
Io|)lin.  Missouri:  Mrs.  Sabina  Ciordon,  of  Columbus,  Kansas:  Mrs.  Mary 
Hopkins,  of  Illinois:  Mrs.  Hattie  Cum])ston.  of  Illinois:  ^\'illiam,  of  Big 
Horn,  Wvoniing,  and  Mrs.  Keir.  the  wife  of  Thomas  G.  Keir.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Keir  reared  two  children;  Lcroy.  a  rancher  of  .\\alon.  Alberta,  who 
is  married  and  bus  one  child.  l.a\"erne,  and  Thomas  (.)tto.  a  farmer  of  \\alon, 
.\11)erta,  Canada. 

Mr.  Keir  lends  his  stanch  sup]iort  to  the  Republican  party  and  has 
Hlled  various  township  offices.  He  has  ser\-ed  as  president  of  the  township 
school  board  in  Jackson  township,  ibis  county,  for  two  years.  Religiously, 
he  and  his  wife  are  loyal  members  of  the  Christian  church.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  .\ncient  b'ree  and  .Accepted  Masons,  including  the  chapter  and 
comm;mderv  at  Sac  Citv:  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd   b'ellows  and  the 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  6^^ 

Modern  W. Kidmen  of  America.  The  life  of  Mr.  Keir  has  l)een  cdntmlled  ])y 
proper  motives  and  he  has  Ijeen  indefatigable  in  his  honest  efforts  and  busi- 
ness pursuits.  .\s  an  employee  of  the  company  for  which  he  is  now  work- 
ing he  has  prcived  entirely  satisfactory.  As  a  member  of  the  body  politic  he 
has  g-i\eu  his  su])port  to  such  public  measures  as  he  felt  would  be  nf  benefit 
to  his  communitv- 


HENRY  FRIESNER. 


Shortly  after  the  Ci\il  War,  Horace  (ireeley,  who  was  then  editor  of  the 
Ne7ii<  York  Trilniiic.  made  himself  famous  and  gave  a  new  impetus  to  Western 
migration  by  the  use  of  two  magic  words,  "Go  west."  These  words  were 
printed  in  large  type,  from  day  to  day,  in  his  famous  newspaper  and  had  a 
wonderful  effect  upon  stimulating  migration  to  the  states  west  of  the  Missis- 
sippi river.  There  can  be  no  question  but  that  thousands  of  young  men  had 
this  cry,  "Go  west,"  dinned  into  their  ears  until  they  really  felt  that  fortunes 
were  scattered  around  over  the  broad  prairies  waiting  for  some  enterprising 
men  to  pick  them  up.  .Xnd  there  were  fortunes  which,  like  the  uncut  dia- 
mond, had  to  be  polished  befcjre  their  real  worth  was  known.  Thousands  and 
tens  of  thousands  of  acres  of  land  in  Iowa  and  other  Western  states  were  sold 
as  late  as  the  seventies  for  five  to  ten  dollars  an  acre  and  this  same  land, 
which  has  now  lieeu  ixilished  as  it  were,  is  now  worth  from  one  hundred  and 
fifty  to  two  hundred  dollars  an  acre.  It  required  only  the  touch  of  man  to 
con\-ert  this  apparently  worthless  land  into  what  is  now  a  garden  spot  of  the 
world. 

Henry  Friesner,  one  of  the  earliest  pioneers  of  Sac  county,  Iowa,  was 
born  January  15,  1830,  in  Fairfield  county.  Ohio,  about  three  miles  east  of 
Lancaster.  His  parents,  Jacob  and  Polly  (Whiel)  Friesner,  were  natives  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  in  i8-|o  the  Friesner  family  moved  to  Coles  county,  Illi- 
nois, and  there  bought  a  farm.  Here  Jacob  Friesner  and  his  wife  spent  the 
remainder  of  their  days.  They  reared  a  large  family  of  children,  only  one 
of  whom  is  li\'ing  besides  the  one  whose  life  history  is  here  portrayed,  Louis, 
a  farmer  of  Calhoun  county,  in  this  state.  Two  of  the  brothers,  Levi  and 
Louis.  ser\-etl  in  the  L'nion  army  during  the  Civil  War. 

In  1867  Henry  Friesner  obeyed  that  call  of  "Go  west,"  and  came  to 
Grant  City,  Sac  township,  Sac  county,  Iowa,  and  bought  forty  acres  for  one 
dollar  and  a  f|uarter  an  acre.  Mr.  Friesner  built  a  small  frame  house,  four- 
teen bv  sixteen  feet,  on  his  farm  in  October,   1869.     The  cost  of  the  house 


634  SAC    COUNTY,    lUWA. 

completely  depleted  his  finances.     He  had  no  money  with  which  to  Iniy  corn 
to  put  out  his  crop,  so  he  went  to  a  neighbor  in  Calhoun  county  and  tried  to 
borrow  some  corn,  but  was  refused.     He  tried  another  farmer  and  met  with 
better  success,  for  the  secontl  farmer  let  him  ha\-e  corn  and  jjotatoes  in  order 
to  enable  him  to  make  a  start.     At  the  Oxen  ford  mill  they  told  him  he  could 
have  anything-  he  wanted  to  carry  with  him.     He  has  ne\er  forgotten  the 
kindness  which  was  shown  him  at  this  time  of  his  life  and  has  many  times 
remembered  this  incident  when  he  saw  some  neighbor  who  needed  help.     In 
this  way  he  got  a  start  and,  while  operating  his  small  farm,  he  worked  out 
for  two  or  three  years  and  gradually  saved  enough  money  in  order  to  buy 
more  land.     When  he  came  to  Sac  county  he  had  one  yoke  of  oxen  and  a 
cow  and  in  the  fall  of  the  first  year  he  bought  another  yoke  on  one  year's 
time  in  Carroll  county.     The  second  yoke  of  oxen  cost  him  one  hundred  and 
thirty-three  dollars,  and  he  gave  a  mortgage  on  the  two  yoke  to  secure  the 
payment  of  the  pair  he  purchased.    After  he  broke  up  his  first  forty  acres  and 
got  his  crops  started  he  commenced  to  bu\'  land  and  soon  had  another  forty 
acres  under  cultivation.    He  and  his  son  broke  prairie  land  for  their  neighbors 
in  order  to  earn  money  to  pay  for  cattle.     He  jnirchased  his  second  forty  acres 
in  1872  at  four  dollars  an  acre,  but  he  only  had  ten  dollars  to  pay  down  on  it. 
In  1874  he  bought  eighty  acres  for  fi\e  dollars  an  acre  and  two  years  later  he 
bought  forty  acres  for  six  dollars  and  six  cents  an  acre.     By  1881  the  land 
had  arisen  in  price  and  the  eighty  which  he  bought  in  that  year  cost  him  ten 
dollars  an  acre.     He  had  now  bought  fixe  separate  tracts  of  laml,  totalling 
two  hundred  and  eighty  acres  and  had  placed  buildings  on  each  of  his  farms. 
The  people  called  him  "land  poor,"  but  he  felt  confident  that  the  land  would 
increase  in  value  and  that  he  and  his  son  would  be  able  to  make  it  net  g(Jod 
returns.     The  subsequent  success  which  attended  him   in   his  efforts  amply 
justified  his  wisdom  in  purchasing  the  land  when  it  was  cheap.     He  now  has 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  and  has  given  his  two  sons  eighty  acres 
apiece,  a  result  which  has  afforded  him  a  great  deal  of  satisfaction  in  his 
declining  years. 

Mr.  Friesner  was  married  in  1857  to  Martha  Swisher,  who  died  in 
1897.  To  them  were  born  four  children,  all  of  whom  are  li\ing:  \\'illiam 
Lewis  and  Andrew,  who  are  farmers  in  this  county :  Mrs.  Eliza  Ann  DeCamp, 
of  Minnesota:  Mrs.  May  Pontious.  who  keeps  house  for  her  father  and  has 
five  children,  Nina,  Hazel,  Edith,  Lillian  and  Gerald. 

Mr.  Friesner  was  voting  the  Democratic  ticket  several  years  l)efore  the 
Republican  party  was  organized.  When  Abraham  Lincoln  came  out  in  oppo- 
sition to  slavery,  in  1860,  he  voted  for  him  and  has  voted  for  every  Republi- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  635 

can  candidate  for  President  from  that  time  down  to  1912.  He  has  always 
taken  an  active  interest  in  politics,  but  has  never  ])een  an  aspirant  for  any 
public  office.  Mr.  Friesner  is  now  eighty-four  years  of  age,  still  hale  and 
hearty  and  enjoying  life.  His  life  has  indeed  been  a  long  and  useful  one  and 
he  can  look  back  over  it  and  feel  that  the  world  has  been  the  better  for  his 
having  lived  in  it.  He  has  a  host  of  friends  who  admire  him  for  his  clean 
character,  for  his  wholesome  life  and  for  the  good  influence  which  he  has 
brought  aliout  him  through  his  long  life  in  this  county. 


ADOLPH  ANDERSON. 


b>om  the  land  of  the  Vikings  have  come  SDine  of  the  most  substantial 
citizens  of  Sac  county  and  the  same  indomitable  spirit  which  characterized 
the  Northmen  of  old  are  to  be  foimd  in  these  sturdy  sons  of  Sweden  todaw 
Adolph  Anderson  offers  another  striking  example  of  the  oft-repeated  state- 
ment that  "America  is  the  land  of  opportunity,"  for  he  came  to  this  country 
when  a  mere  youth  without  money  and  without  friends,  and  yet  bv  the 
sweat  of  his  brow  he  has  risen  to  a  position  where  he  is  classed  among  the 
most  substantial  farmers  of  Sac  county. 

Adolph  Anderson,  of  Coon  Valley  township,  was  born  August  IJ,  1857, 
in  Sweden,  the  son  of  Andrew  and  Hannah  .\nflerson.  who  spent  all  of  their 
lives  in  the  land  of  their  birth. 

When  a  lad  of  sixteen  years,  Adoljih  Anderscju  came  to  America.  The 
subsequent  storv  of  his  life  illustrates  what  can  be  accomplished  by  the 
proper  application  of  industry  and  honest  methods  of  life.  Upon  coming 
to  America  in  1874.  he  came  directly  to  Illinois,  where  he  secured  a  posi- 
tion on  a  farm,  at  the  rate  of  fifteen  dollars  a  month.  A  year  later  this 
young  man,  now  seventeen  years  of  age,  rented  a  piece  of  land  and  for  the 
next  seven  years  worked  diligently  to  save  enough  money  to  buy  a  farm  of 
his  own.  By  the  time  he  was  twenty-four  years  of  age  he  was  in  a  position 
financiallv  to  invest  in  a  farm  of  his  own,  anil  accordingly,  he  came  to  Cedar 
townshi]),  Sac  county,  Iowa,  and  bought  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  for 
five  dollars  and  seventy-five  cents  an  acre.  The  following  year  he  married 
and  at  once  he  and  his  young  bride  settled  on  his  farm  in  Sac  county,  and 
started  to  lav  the  foundation  of  their  future  prosperity.  However,  they  met 
with  many  discouragements.  A  year  later  they  returned  to  Illinois  where 
they  lived  for  the  next  four  vears.     The  year   1886  found  them  back  again 


636  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

in  Sac. county,  where  they  purchased  one  hundred  and  seventeen  acres  in 
Coon  Valle\-  township  for  seventeen  dollars  and  a  half  an  acre.  This  farm 
they  still  own  and,  as  they  felt  able,  they  added  to  their  original  investment 
till  at  line  time  thev  owned  one  thousand  two  hundred  acres  of  land  in  the 
county.  Mr.  .Anderson  has  not  attempted  to  farm  all  of  this  land  and  has 
sold  some  of  it  from  time  to  time,  although  he  still  owns  six  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  in  Coon  Valley  township.  Failure  is  a  word  not  found  in  the 
Anderson  familv  dictionary  and  today  Mr.  Anderson  is  classed  with  the 
most  substantial  farmers  of  his  township.  He  has  improved  his  farm  in 
such  a  way  as  to  net  him  handsome  returns,  and  he  now  has  three  complete 
sets  of  buildings  on  his  land.  Some  years  ago  he  retired  from  acti\e  work 
himself  and  turned  o\er  the  management  of  his  farm  to  his  son.  In  igo8 
he  erected  a  fine  modern  home  on  the  farm  and  removed  to  Sac  City,  where 
he  and  his  wife  are  s]3ending  their  days  surrounded  by  all  of  the  conveniences 
of  the  twentieth  century.  His  farms  are  exceedingly  productive  and  his 
yearh-  sale  of  li\-e  stock  comprises  forty  head  of  horses,  one  hundred  and 
fifty  head  of  hogs  and  from  seventy-five  to  one  hundred  head  of  cattle. 

Mr.  .Vnderson  was  married  in  1881  to  Mary  S.  Peterson,  who  also  is 
a  nati\e  of  .Sweden.  She  came  to  .America  in  1877  when  twenty-eight  years 
of  age.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Anderson  have  been  born  three  children : 
Charles,  who  is  married  and  has  two  children,  Cecil  and  Ethel;  .Albert,  who 
is  married  and  has  three  children,  .Adolph,  Behula  and  Bernice;  Mrs.  .\nna 
DeBorgh,  of  Lytton,  who  has  one  daughter,  Eilleen. 

The  Republican  party  has  claimed  the  support  of  Mr.  Anderson  and  he 
has  seen  no  reason  why  he  should  change  his  party  allegiance  to  any  other 
political  organization.  Religiously,  he  and  his  family  are  loyal  members  of 
the  Lutheran  church  and  give  liljerally  of  their  means  to  its  support.  Mr. 
Anderson  is  regariled  as  a  good  business  man  of  excellent  judgment  and 
foresight,  and  has  been  very  successful  in  managing  his  large  estate.  He  is 
a  stockholder  in  the  Farmers  Bank  of  Sac  City  and  now  owns  five  shares  in 
that  financial  institution.  His  six  hundred  acres  are  easily  worth  one  hun- 
dred and  seventy-five  dollars  an  acre,  and  it  can  be  readily  seen  that  he  can 
now  afford  to  live  a  life  of  ease  for  the  remainder  of  his  days.  However, 
his  whole  career  has  not  Ijeen  dex'oted  solely  to  the  ac(|uisition  of  wealth, 
but  lie  has  kc])t  abreast  of  the  times  and  taken  his  jiart  in  the  public  life  of 
county  fullv  attests.  Me  is  another  of  the  n.iany  descendants  of  the  sturdy 
his  friendly  manner,  his  business  aljility  and  his  upright  living  and  is  there- 
fore a  representative  man  of  Sac  county. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  637 

CHARLES  HECHTNER. 

It  is  evident  from  a  study  of  the  life  of  Charles  Hechtner  that  when 
opportunity  knocked  at  his  door  he  opened  it  and  invited  opportunity  to 
step  in.  Some  wise  man  has  said  that  opportunity  knocks  but  once  at  every 
man's  door  and  tliat  the  subsecjuent  success  of  every  man  depends  upon 
whether  he  answers  the  knock  and  takes  advantage  of  the  one  chance  which 
is  offered  him.  Whether  this  be  true  or  not,  it  is  a  fact  that  the  subject 
of  this  l)rief  review  (bd  not  miss  his  chance,  as  his  successful  career  in  Sac 
count}-  fully  attests.  He  is  another  of  the  many  descendants  of  Germanic 
ancestry  who  have  gained  success  in  Sac  county  and  although  a  native  of 
this  state,  yet  he  inherits  those  characteristics  which  dominates  a  true  son  of 
Germany. 

Charles  Hechtner  was  born  April  lo.  1864,  in  Muscatine  countv,  Iowa. 
His  parents,  Frederick  and  Sophie  Hechtner,  were  born,  reared  and  married 
in  Germany.  They  came  to  this  country  in  1855.  Upon  coming  to  America, 
they  located  first  at  Princeton,  Illinois.  In  1864  they  came  to  Muscatine 
county,  Iowa,  where  Charles  was  born.  bVederick  Hechtner  died  in  1801 
and  his  wife  in  1900.  To  them  were  born  nine  children,  seven  of  whom  are 
living:  Mrs.  Mary  Hector,  of  Avoca,  Iowa;  Mrs.  Emma  Hector,  of  Wal- 
nut, Iowa;  Mrs.  Eliza  Slade,  of  Des  Moines;  Mrs.  Caroline  Shannon,  of 
Nichols,  Iowa;  Charles,  whose  history  is  portrayed  in  this  connection:  Al- 
freda,  of  Chicago;  Mrs.  b^lizabeth  Sauer.  of  Denver,  Colorado. 

Charles  Hechtner  received  his  education  in  the  i)ul:)lic  schools  of  Musca- 
tine county,  Iowa,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-four  he  Ijegan  farming  for  him- 
self in  his  native  countv.  In  1892  he  came  to  Sac  countv  and  purchased  two 
hundred  and  forty  acres  in  Coon  Valley  township,  on  which  he  is  living 
todav.  He  is  an  ex])ert  raiser  of  corn,  and  in  191 3  had  forty  acres  of  corn 
which  averaged  si.\ty-five  bushels  to  the  acre;  is  a  large  raiser  of  live  stock 
and  markets  from  twenty-five  to  fifty  head  of  cattle  and  one  hundred  head 
of  hogs  annually.  He  is  also  a  large  breeder  of  Percheron  horses  and  has 
ten  head  of  these  fine  animals  on  his  farm  at  the  present  time.  He  has  a 
fine  modern  home  which  he  erected  in  1898,  as  well  as  large  liarns  and  other 
outbuildings.  When  he  bought  his  farm,  much  of  it  was  of  such  swampy 
character  that  it  was  not  in  a  condition  to  raise  any  crops  at  all — in  fact, 
onlv  twenty  acres  of  it  was  cultivated  when  he  took  charge  oi  the  farm, 
but  by  a  .system  of  scientific  ditching  he  has  Ijrought  all  of  the  farm  under 
cultivation.  The  land  originally  cost  him  six  thousand  five  hundred  dollars : 
it  is  now  worth  over  sixtv  thousand  dollars.     He  has  spent  sixteen  thousand 


638  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


uc 


hilars  in  iniprcAeiiieiit.  in  the  \va}'  of  buildings,  ditcliing  and  fencing,  and 
he  unw  has  two  complete  sets  of  buildings  on  his  land. 

Mr.  Hechtner  was  married  March  i,  1888,  to  Hattie  Belle  Messenger, 
daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  L.  B.  Messenger,  of  Muscatine  county,  Iowa.  To 
this  union  ha\e  Ijeen  l)i)rn  three  children:  Mrs.  Elsie  May  Brynteson,  of 
Sac  Cit)-.  born  June  5,  1891  :  Charles  Lloyd,  who  was  born  January  21, 
1904,  and  Robert  Raymond,  who  was  born  March  26,  1908. 

Mr.  Hechtner  has  been  active  in  the  Republican  party  for  many  years 
and  has  tilled  many  tnwnship  offices,  as  well  as  the  position  of  county  super- 
visor for  six  years.  He  was  selected  as  county  supervisor  in  1906  and  so 
efficient  was  his  administration  that  he  was  re-elected  in  1909,  terminating 
his  second  term  on  January  i.  1913.  He  and  his  family  are  regular  atten- 
dants of  the  Metho(Hst  Episcopal  church  and  contribute  lilierally  of  their 
means  to  its  support.  Eraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and 
Accepted  Masons  and  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen.  Successful 
in  business,  respected  in  social  life  and  efficient  as  administrator  of  various 
duties  in  ])ul>lic  affairs,  ]\Ir.  Hechtner  has  been  a  ])rominent  factor  in  the 
life  of  his  township  and  county.  He  has  at  all  times  discharged  his  duties  in 
a  TTianner  becoming  an  intelligent  citizen  and  justly  earns  the  high  esteem  in 
which  he  is  held  by  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances  throughout 
the    county. 


TOHX  G.  HECHTNER. 


Every  nation  on  the  face  of  the  earth  has  contributed  to  the  population 
of  the  one  hundred  million  occupying  the  United  States  as  their  home.  Every 
nation  in  Europe  has  contributed  its  (|U0ta  to  the  incoming  tide  of  immi- 
grants who  annuall}-  Hock  to  the  shores  of  this  country.  In  the  olden  times 
people  lived  and  died  in  communities  where  they  were  born,  but  in  the  nine- 
teenth century,  when  the  fame  of  the  United  States  was  broadened  through- 
out the  world,  the  ambitious  people  of  the  world  turned  their  eyes  to  America, 
the  Land  of  Opportunity,  flocking  here  literally  by  the  millions.  Thus  it 
comes  about  that  we  have,  scattered  throughout  the  United  .States,  couples 
who  have  come  togetlier.  whose  native  homes  were  often  thousands  of  miles 
apart.  The  family  history  of  John  G.  Hechtner,  which  forms  the  theme  of 
the  present  narrative,  is  an  illustration  of  the  fact  and  shows  what  the  civiliza- 
tion of  the  nineteenth  century  has  accomplished.     His   father  was  born  in 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  639 

Prussia,  his  mother  in  Switzerland,  while  he  himself  was  born  in  Illinois,  in 
the  United  States  of  America. 

John  G.  Hechtner,  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Coon  Valley  township.  Sac 
county,  Iowa,  was  born  on  December  13,  1868,  in  Bureau  county.  Illinois, 
near  Princeton,  and  is  the  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth  CMehlin)  Hechtner. 
John  Hechtner  was  born  in  Prussia  and  came  to  America  when  he  was 
eighteen  years  of  age  with  his  father,  Godfrey.  Elizabeth  Mehlin  was  born 
in  Switzerland  and  came  with  her  father  to  this  country  when  she  was  six- 
teen years  of  age.  It  so  happened  that  the  fathers  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John 
Hechtner  settled  in  the  same  county  in  Illinois,  and  there  John  Hechtner  and 
Elizabeth  ^Nlehlin  met  and  were  married.  Jrihn  Hechtner  died  in  Princeton, 
Illinois,  in  igoi.  at  the  age  of  sixty-three,  and  his  wife  is  still  living  in  that 
city.  Of  the  children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Hechtner  there  are  seven 
living :  Mrs.  Alarion  Rudigar.  of  Bureau  county,  Illinois ;  Mrs.  Emma  Dre- 
man,  of  the  same  county:  John  G.,  with  whom  this  narrati\'e  deals:  Charles, 
of  Chariton.  Iowa;  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Dreman,  of  Bureau  county,  Illinois:  Mrs. 
Caroline  Yingling,  of  Mannius,  Illinois,  and  Mrs.  Joseph  Johnson,  of  near 
Princeton.  Bureau  county,  Illinois. 

John  G.  Hechtner  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  Bureau 
count}'.  Illinois,  later  attended  a  business  college  at  Da\'enport.  \'Vhen  twent\'- 
two  years  of  age  he  went  to  Chicago,  and  for  ten  years  was  employed  in  the 
circulation  department  of  the  Chicago  Chronicle.  In  1901  he  came  to  Sac 
county  with  his  savings  and  purchased  two  hundred  acres  of  land  at  fifty 
dollars  an  acre.  In  190Q  he  added  forty  acres  to  his  original  purchase  at  a 
cost  of  ninety-si.x  dollars  an  acre.  Since  coming  to  this  county  he  has  spent 
from  ten  to  fifteen  thousand  dollars  in  the  way  of  improvement.  He  has 
built  a  fine  modern  residence,  remodeled  his  barn,  tiled  and  fenced  his  farm. 
His  land  is  today  worth  two  hundred  dollars  an  acre.  In  191 3  he  had  seventy- 
five  acres  of  corn,  which  averaged  sixty-five  bushels  to  the  acre.  He  annually 
puts  on  the  market  from  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  to  one  hundred  and 
fifty  head  of  hogs,  and  raises  other  live  stock  in  proportion. 

Mr.  Hechtner  was  married  November  30,  1892,  in  Tiskilwa,  Illinois,  to 
Jessie  M.  Sheldon.  To  this  union  five  children  have  been  born,  three  of 
whom  are  now  living:  Gertrude,  born  November  21,  1893;  Marion,  born 
October  ly.  1905,  and  Bernard,  born  August  24,  1908. 

Politically.  Mr.  Hechtner  belongs  to  that  intelligent  class  of  voters  who 
are  classed  as  independent.  Though  he  was  reared  a  Democrat,  he  has  exer- 
cised his  right  as  an  American  citizen  and  voted  for  the  best  man  irrespective 
of  their  politics.     Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and  Ac- 


640  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

cepted  Masons,  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen  and  Modern  Wood- 
men of  America.  Mr.  Hechtner  has  established  a  reputation  for  honestv  of 
purpose  in  all  his  dealings  with  his  fellow  men  and  by  being  an  advocate  of 
clean  and  wholesome  principle  in  politics,  in  home  life,  in  everything  which 
touches  the  welfare  of  his  community,  he  has  come  to  be  regarded  as  one  of 
the  representative  men  of  the  county. 


GEORGE  P.  COLLINS. 


Life  holds  possibilities  for  all  of  us,  whether  it  be  in  the  halls  of  the 
learned,  within  the  temples  of  the  great,  in  the  marts  of  trade  and  barter,  or 
in  close  communion  with  nature  in  all  her  various  moods  and  changes  of  tem- 
perament. The  agriculturist  is,  to  the  comprehension  of  the  philosopher  and 
observer,  the  individual  thrice  blessed  in  his  privilege  of  being  closely  allied 
with  nature  in  the  pleasant  and  beneficent  task  of  inducing  the  elements  of  the 
soil  and  the  atmosphere  to  combine  in  yielding  the  necessary  foods  which 
form  the  sustenance  of  all  human  life.  When,  in  the  eventide  of  his  years, 
the  tiller  of  the  soil  retires  to  the  enjoyment  of  a  well-earned  repose,  he  is 
again  blessed  if  he  be  enabled  to  further  enlarge  his  comprehension  by  the  in- 
dulgence of  his  mental  acumen  in  the  assimilation  of  literary  productions 
which  have  always  appealed  to  his  mind.  Such  a  gentleman  is  he  whose  name 
forms  the  caption  of  this  creation  of  the  biographer. 

George  P.  Collins,  of  whom  this  narrative  is  written,  was  born  in  the 
town  of  East  Hartford,  Connecticut,  the  direct  descendant  of  a  long  line  of 
illustrious  New  England  ancestors.  He  belongs  to  the  family  of  Pitkins  on  his 
mother's  side,  and  is  a  near  relati\e  of  Governor  Pitkin,  of  Connecticut.  The 
family  originated  in  America  with  William  Pitkin,  who  emigrated  fn>ni  Eng- 
land in  1659,  ^n*^^  settled  in  Connecticut.  The  present  site  of  the  city  of 
Hartford  formed  a  pasture  in  those  early  days  for  the  grazing  ])r(icli\ities  of 
his  oxen.  The  ancestral  Pitkin  home  was  built  on  the  east  banks  of  the  his- 
toric Connecticut  river.  Several  of  the  Pitkin  family  fought  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary War,  and  later  gave  their  services  in  behalf  oi  their  country  in  the 
War  of  1812. 

The  birthdate  of  George  P.  Collins  is  recorded  as  being  on  July  2,  185 1. 
He  was  the  son  of  Orin  T.  and  Charlotte  Pitkin  Collins.  O.  T.  Collins,  the 
father,  was  born  in  South  Gastonbury,  Connecticut,  and  was  the  son  of  Isaac 
Collins.     His  birth  occurred  January  3.  1823,  and  he  departed  this  life  Septem- 


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SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  64I 

ber  7,  1 90 1.  It  is  recorded  in  the  annals  of  New  England  that  the  first 
ancestor  of  George  P.  to  arrive  in  America  was  a  member  of  the  W'illisfield 
colony  of  freemen  in  the  state  of  Connecticut.  From  him  has  descended  a 
numerous  and  distinguished  progeny.  Charlotte,  wife  of  O.  T.  Collins,  was 
born  August  14,  1821,  and  died  May  7,  1878.  She  was  the  daughter  of 
George  Pitkin. 

O.  T.  Collins  and  family  migrated  to  Bureau  county,  Illinois,  in  the 
year  1855,  and  settled  on  a  farm.  He  became  prominently  identified  with  the 
creation  of  a  component  part  of  the  great  state  of  Illinois  and  lived  a  long  and 
useful  life  in  the  land  of  his  adoption.  He  was  the  father  of  five  children: 
George  P.;  Mrs.  Lottie  E.  Rose,  residing  in  Kansas:  Sophia,  a  resident  of 
Parkridge,  Illinois;  Charles  P.,  of  Redwood  Falls,  Minnesota:  Laura  C.  Col- 
lins, of  Parkridge,  Illinois. 

This  brief  chronicle  directly  concerns  the  life  and  fortunes  of  George 
P.  Collins,  however,  and  we  will  now  resume  the  narrative  direct.  He  was 
educated  in  the  district  schools  of  Westfield  township,  Bureau  county,  Illi- 
nois, and  always  showed  an  aptitude  for  learning.  Further  advance  beyond 
the  common  schools  was  denied  him.  however,  and  he  took  up  the  vocation 
of  farming.  In  the  year  1883  he  left  the  vicinity  of  his  early  struggles  and 
journeyed  to  Ida  county,  Iowa,  and  there  purchased  a  farm  in  Galva  town- 
ship, on  which  he  and  his  family  resided  until  1894.  He  then  disposed  of  his 
holdings  in  the  neighboring  county  and  invested  in  a  fine  farm  of  three  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres  in  Eureka  township,  Sac  county.  He  resided  on  this 
farm  until  December  of  1909,  and  then  removed  to  a  pleasant  home  in  the 
nearby  town  of  Schaller. 

]\Ir.  Collins"  political  affiliations  are  with  the  Republican  party,  and  he 
and  h.is  wife  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  He  is  fraternally 
afifiliated  with  the  Modern  Woodmen. 

Mr.  Collins  was  united  in  marriage  with  Emma  Holler  in  LaSalle 
county,  Illinois,  December  31,  1874.  She  was  born  in  LaSalle  county,  the 
daughter  of  Philip  and  Elizabeth  (Ott)  Holler,  natives  of  Germany  and 
Pennsylvania,  respectively.  Philip  Holler  was  born  in  September,  1820,  in 
the  German  empire,  and  first  settled  in  Pennsylvania  after  his  emigration  to 
the  States.  He  later  became  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  LaSalle  county, 
Illinois,  and  it  is  recorded  that  he  drove  a  six-horse  team  overland  from 
Pennsylvania  to  the  newer  country.     He  died  in  the  month  of  June,  19 13. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Collins  have  reared  an  interesting  family  of  four  children, 
namelv :  Elizabeth,  the  ei^cient  and  capable  manager  of  a  store  in  Kingslev, 
'  (40) 


64-  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Iowa:  Charles,  wlio  is  tilling  the  liDiiiesteacl  acres  aiK.l  who  is  the  parent  of 
two  children,  Georg'e,  Jr.,  and  iNIillicent:  Mrs.  Lncy  Watson,  of  Eureka 
township,  who  is  the  mother  of  three  children,  Elizabeth,  Marjorie  and  John; 
Frank  Collins,  a  farmer  in  Enreka  township,  and  who  has  one  child,  Ruth. 

George  P.  Collins,  by  virtue  of  his  exemplar}-  life  and  his  successful 
career  as  a  farmer  and  husbandman,  is  fully  entitled  to  a  place  of  honor 
among  the  citizens  of  this  county,  and  we  are  pleased  to  present  this  enco- 
mium for  the  perusal  of  his  friends  and  associates.  He  has  been  fortune  in 
his  inheritance  of  preconceived  notions  of  duty  and  abilities  above  the  average, 
as  a  natural  birthright  bequeathed  by  a  long  line  of  stiuxly  and  upright  ances- 
tors, whose  lives  and  the  inspiration  derived  therefrom  have  been  a  guiding 
light  for  him  and  his  in  their  progress. 


J.  J.  SPICER. 


One  of  the  prominent  citizens  of  Coon  Valley  township,  Sac  county, 
Iowa,  who  has  made  a  success  of  two  distinct  vocations  in  life,  is  J.  J.  Spicer, 
formerlv  a  civil  engineer,  now  a  successful  farmer  in  this  township.  The 
experience  and  training  which  he  gainetl  in  that  profession  ha\-e  not  come 
amiss  in  his  farm  work,  and,  again,  his  knowledge  gained  through  extensive 
traveling  while  in  the  employ  of  various  railroad  companies  has  gi\-en  him  a 
better  \iew  and  a  grasp  of  the  bigger  problems  of  life,  which  has  contributed 
not  a  little  to  his  success. 

T.  y.  Spicer  was  born  December  i6,  1870,  in  Iowa  county,  Wisconsin. 
His  parents  were  Francis  and  ^Margaret  (Baker)  Spicer.  His  father  was 
born  December  15,  1833,  in  Devonshire,  England,  while  his  mother  was  a 
native  of  Ohio.  His  parents  came  to  Sac  county  in  March,  1880,  where  his 
father  died  March  16,  1904:  his  mother  later  married  Mr.  Towle.  of  Nemaha, 
Sac  county,  and  is  now  living  in  that  place,  at  the  advanced  age  of  seventy- 
two  years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Francis  Spicer  were  the  parents  of  eight  children, 
onlv  two  of  whom  are  now  li\ing.  Mrs.  Helen  Margaret  Gary,  of  Sioux 
Falls.  South  Dakota,  and  J.  J.,  with  whom  this  narrative  deals. 

J.  I.  Spicer  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Wisconsin  and  Sac 
countv.  Iowa.  He  remained  with  his  parents  until  he  was  twenty-seven  years 
of  age.  helping  his  father  with  the  work  on  the  farm.  He  had  been  interested 
in  sur\-eving  since  a  youth  and  took  up  the  scientific  study  of  the  subject  with 
a  view  of  entering  that  profession.     He  became  qualified  to  enter  the  pro- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  643 

fession  and  entered  the  employ  of  (he  Chicago.  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railway 
and  for  several  years  followed  surveying  in  the  Northwest  and  Canada. 
However,  his  marriage,  in  1899,  caused  him  to  change  his  plans,  and  in  1900 
he  quit  the  surveying  business  and  returned  to  Sac  City,  where  he  later  pur- 
chased two  residence  properties.  Tn  the  spring  of  1908  he  bought  a  fine 
farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Coon  Valley  township,  and  in  March 
of  that  vear  mo\'ed  on  to  the  farm  and  has  continued  to  reside  there  up  to  the 
present  time.  In  his  farming.  Mr.  Spicer  has  been  as  successful  as  he  was  in 
his  civil  engineering,  and  having  had  some  previous  experience  in  agriculture, 
it  was  not  hard  for  him  to  soon  adjust  himself  to  the  latest  methods  of  farm- 
ing. Tn  1QT4  'Sir.  Spicer  rented  his  farm  and  expects  to  move  again  to  Sac 
City. 

Mr.  Spicer  was  married  April  5,  1899,  to  Mary  Fetter,  of  Sac  Cit\',  and 
to  this  union  have  been  born  two  children,  Orville,  deceased,  and  Fanny,  who 
is  now  twehe  years  of  age.  Politicall}-.  Mr.  Spicer  is  a  Rejiublican,  but  the 
nature  of  his  business  up  until  1900  kept  him  out  of  politics  practically  alto- 
gether. Since  then  he  has  been  taking  an  intelligent  interest  in  the  affairs  of 
his  party,  but  has  never  been  a  candidate  for  any  public  office,  being  content 
to  ser\e  in  the  ranks  of  the  organization.  All  of  those  qualities  which  go  to 
make  ideal  citizenship  ]\Ir.  Spicer  is  well  equipped  with,  and  among  those  with 
whom  he  associates  he  is  held' in  high  regard.  His  life  has  been  conducted 
along  the  lines  laid  down  by  the  Golden  Rule  and  his  relations  with  his  fellow- 
men  lia\c  e\'er  l^een  such  as  to  jilace  his  good  name  beNnnd  criticism. 


NESTOR  B.  IRWIN. 


The  ci:untry  toda)'  is  more  dependent  upon  the  work  of  the  farmer 
than  e\er  liefore,  and  with  the  increase  in  population  the  work  of  the  farmer 
is  becoming  increasingly  important.  As  the  country  l)ecomes  older  and  as 
the  soil  in  any  particular  locality  l)ecomes  depleted  in  fertilit\-,  it  iiecomes 
mure  important  that  the  farmer  know  something  about  scientific  farming. 
As  long  as  the  soil  was  fertile  anyone  could  raise  good  crops,  but  after  a 
number  of  years  have  passed  b\-,  the  same  farmer,  using  the  same  methods, 
would  liarely  l)e  able  to  make  a  li\-ing.  Todav  in  the  older  sections  of  our 
country  the  farmer  has  to  feed  his  soil,  the  same  as  feeding  his  live  stock — 
in  other  words,  scientific  farming  has  become  a  necessity.  Originally,  the 
state  of  Iowa  had  as  fertile  land  as  could  be  found  any  place  in  the  United 


644  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

States,. yet  the  time  is  sure  to  come  when  the  fertihty  of  the  soil  will  be  de- 
pleted if  skillful  crop  rotation  and  scientific  methods  are  not  used  to  keep  the 
soil  to  its  highest  state  of  productivity. 

Nestor  B.  Irwin,  a  progressive  farmer  of  Coon  ^^alley  township.  Sac 
county,  Iowa,  and  a  man  who  has  adapted  himself  to  the  advanced  methods 
of  agriculture,  was  born  July  6,  1856,  in  Des  Moines  county,  Iowa.  His 
parents,  Robert  and  IMar_\'  (  Bailes)  Irwin,  were  natives  of  Ohio,  and  came 
to  Tama  county,  Iowa,  in  1868,  where  they  lived  until  their  death,  the 
mother  dying  in  1898  and  the  father  two  years  later.  Mr.  and  INIrs.  Robert 
Irwin  were  the  parents  of  six  children:  M.  A.,  of  Lake  \'iew,  Iowa;  N.  B., 
with  whom  this  narrative  deals;  Emmor,  of  Colfa.x,  Iowa;  George,  of  Albert 
City,  Iowa;  Mrs.  O.  D.  Taylor,  of  Marshalltown,  Iowa,  and  Mrs.  Edward 
Cobb,  of  Green  Mountain,  this  state.  The  two  youngest  were  born  in  Tama 
county,  Iowa. 

Nestor  B.  Irwin  came  from  Burlington  to  Tama  county,  Iowa,  with  his 
parents  when  he  was  eight  years  of  age,  and  received  his  education  in  Tama 
county.  When  he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age  he  came  to  Sac  county  and 
worked  for  a  while.  His  father,  who  was  a  large  land  owner,  ga\e  him  eighty 
acres  in  this  count}',  and  he  worked  on  this  farm  for  some  time,  liut  did  not 
make  a  permanent  home  in  Sac  county  until  his  marriage,  Februarv  2f).  1890. 
After  his  marriage  he  settled  on  the  farm  which  his  father  had  given  him  in 
this  county  in  1890,  and  since  that  time  has  made  all  of  the  impro\ements 
which  he  now  has.  He  has  built  a  new  and  modern  home,  erected  Ijarns  and 
good  outbuildings,  and  brought  the  farm  to  a  place  where  it  is  giving  a  hand- 
some return  annually.  In  addition  to  the  eighty  acres  which  he  owns  in 
Coon  Valley  township,  this  count}-,  Mr.  Irwin  also  has  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  in  Minnesota.  He  recognizes  the  value  of  systematic  crop  rotation  and 
is  always  on  the  alert  for  any  new  methods  by  which  he  thinks  he  can  increase 
his  returns  from  his  farm. 

Mr.  Irwin  was  married  Februar}-  26,  1890,  to  Laura  l''ike,  who  was 
born  in  Benton  county,  Iowa,  the  daughter  of  Moses  and  Emeline  (  Veager ) 
Fike,  both  of  whom  are  natives  of  Penns}dvania.  Her  parents  came  to  Ben- 
ton county,  Iowa,  in  1850.  The  father  of  Moses  Fike  was  Christian  Fike, 
an  earlv  pioneer  of  Benton  count}'  and  one  of  its  largest  land  owners.  He 
reared  a  family  of  thirteen  children  and  gave  to  each  one  of  his  children  a 
farm.  Moses  Fike  died  in  191 1,  his  wife  having  died  when  ^Ir^.  Irwin  was 
a  child.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Moses  Fike  were  the  parents  of  six  children:  Mrs. 
Caroline  Collins,  who  lives  in  Colorado:  Laura,  the  wife  of  Mr.  Irwin: 
Samuel,  of  Vancouver,  British  Columbia ;  Frank,  of  Kingfisher.  Oklahoma : 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  645 

George,  of  Woodward,  Oklahoma,  and  Edwin,  of  Colorado.     Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Irwin  have  no  children. 

The  Republican  party  has  always  claimed  the  support  of  Mr.  Irwin, 
and  although  he  is  well  informed  upon  the  current  issues  of  the  day  he  has 
never  lieen  an  active  partv  man.  Public  office  has  never  held  any  charms  for 
him,  having  always  preferred  to  give  all  of  his  time  to  his  agricultural  in- 
terests. He  and  his  wife  are  attendants  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
and  give  of  their  means  to  its  support.  Mrs.  Irwin  is  a  member  of  the 
Ladies'  -\i(l  Society.  Possessing  a  splendid  l)usiness  ability,  Mr.  Irwin  has 
lieen  successful  in  material  way,  and  because  of  his  sterling  qualities  he  is 
numbered  among  the  representative  men  of  the  community  in  which  he  lives. 


ANDREW  J.  FRIESNER. 

The  importance  that  attaches  to  the  lives,  character  and  work  of  the 
early  settlers  of  Sac  county  and  the  influence  they  have  exerted  upon  the 
cause  of  humanity  and  civilization  is  one  of  the  most  absorbing  themes  that 
can  possibly  attract  the  attention  of  the  local  chronicler  of  histories.  If  great 
and  beneficent  results — results  that  endure  and  bless  mankind — are  the  proper 
measure  of  the  good  men  do,  then  who  is  there  in  the  world's  history  that 
can  take  their  places  above  the  hardy  pioneer?  To  point  out  the  way,  to 
make  possible  our  present  advancing  civilization,  its  happy  homes,  its  arts  and 
sciences,  its  discoveries  and  inventions,  its  education,  literature,  culture,  re- 
finement and  social  life  and  joy,  is  to  be  the  truly  great  benefactors  of  man- 
kind for  all  time.  This  was  the  great  work  accomplished  by  the  earl}'  settlers, 
and  it  is  granted  b)'  all  that  they  builded  wiser  than  they  knew.  Admit  that, 
as  a  rule,  but  few  ever  realized  in  the  dimmest  way  the  transcendent  possibili- 
ties that  rested  upon  their  shoulders ;  grant  it  that  their  lives,  in  certain  in- 
stances, were  somewhat  narrow  and  that  they  realized  but  little  the  great 
results  that  ultimately  crowned  their  efforts,  yet  there  exists  the  supreme 
fact  that  they  followed  their  restless  impulses,  took  their  lives  in  their  hands, 
penetrated  the  wilderness  and,  with  a  patient  energy,  resolution  and  self- 
sacrifice  that  stands  alone  and  unparalleled,  they  worked  out  their  allotted 
tasks,  accomplished  their  destinies  and  today  their  descendants  and  others 
enjoy  undisturbed  the  fruitage  of  their  labors. 

Among  the  worthy  class  referred  to  above,  there  is  no  one  who  deserves 
more  honorable  mention  among  the  citizens  of  Sac  county  than  A.  J.  Friesner, 


646  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

who  was  horn  July  18,  1859,  in  Coles  county,  Illinois.  He  is  the  son  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Henry  Friesner  and  came  to  Sac  county  from  Illinois  in  1S66,  when 
he  was  seven  years  of  age.  He  has  spent  his  whole  life  in  this  county  and 
has  devoted  has  career  to  agricultural  interests.  He  now  has  eightv  acres  of 
excellent  farming  land  in  Coon  \^alley  township,  on  which  he  raises  all  of 
the  crops  peculiar  to  this  climate. 

Mr.  Friesner  was  married  in  1886  to  Matilda  Cleveland,  of  Sac  county, 
the  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  S.  C.  Cleveland.  To  this  union  ha\e  been 
born  fourteen  children,  Noah.  Fred,  Herbet,  Robert,  Joseph,  Archie,  Floyd, 
Henry,  Arnold,  Lester.,  Elsie,  Laura,  Golden  and  Pearl.  .Ml  of  these  children, 
except  the  oldest,  are  at  home  with  their  parents. 

Politically,  Mr.  Friesner  has  always  identified  himself  with  the  Republi- 
can party,  but,  while  taking  an  interest  in  the  success  of  his  party,  has  never 
tak^..  an  active  part  in  its  various  activities.  Mr.  Friesner  is  one  of  the 
farmers  in  Sac  county  who  were  here  in  1870,  and  for  this  reason  he 
thoroughly  appreciates  the  wonderful  advance  which  has  been  made  in  civ- 
ilization in  this  county  in  the  past  forty  years.  He  has  seen  the  countv  grow 
from  a  broad  prairie  tract  to  its  present  prosperous  condition  and  has  taken 
his  full  share  in  bringing  about  this  change.  Being  a  man  of  industrv  and 
strict  integrity,  he  has,  by  his  clean  and  wholesome  life  since  living  in  this 
county,  won  the  esteem  of  a  large  circle  of  friends. 


CONRAD  A.  RITTER. 


The  United  States  is  indebted  to  Cennany  more  than  anv  nthcr  country 
in  Europe  for  the  excellent  citizens  of  that  country  who  have  made  their  per- 
manent homes  in  this  country.  Almost  without  exception,  tiie  people  of 
Germany  who  have  become  citizens  of  this  country  have  become  owners  of 
property  and  been  loyal  citizens  to  their  adopted  country.  Undoubtedlv  much 
of  the  prosperity  of  Sac  comity  today  is  due  to  the  energetic  German  citizens 
who  have  favored  this  country  with  their  residence.  The  Ritters  have  con- 
tributed their  full  share  to  the  ad\-ancenient  of  the  countv.  Conrad  A.  Ritter, 
whose  history  is  here  presented,  is  a  citizen  of  whom  any  countv  should  be 
proud  to  claim. 

Conrad  A.  Ritter,  who  is  farming  two  hundred  and  eightv  acres  of  ex- 
cellent land  in  Coon  Valley  township  and  is  the  owner  of  one  hundred  and 
forty-nine  acres,  was  born  March  2,  1876,  in  Benton  county,  Iowa.     He  is  the 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  647 

son  of  George  and  Elizabt-lh  {  Reifsnyder)  Ritter.  both  of  whom  were  born 
and  reared  in  Cierniany.  They  were  married  in  their  native  land  and  in  1870 
came  from  Germany  to  tlie  United  States  and  immediately  settled  in  Benton 
county.  Iowa.  In  1879  they  removed  to  Sac  county  and  settled  in  Levey 
townshijj.  In  their  old  age,  the  parents  retired  to  Lake  View  to  pass  their 
declining-  years.  George  Ritter  died  in  Dakota  in  1908,  while  on  a  visit,  and 
the  mother  is  still  living  with  her  children.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  Ritter 
were  the  parents  of  seven  children,  one  of  whom  died  in  infancy,  the  remain- 
ing six  children  being  as  follows :  Mrs.  Sarah  Wright,  of  Vermillion,  South 
Dakota;  Mrs.  Mary  Parsons,  of  Craig,  Missouri;  Conrad  A.;  Mrs.  Katie 
Irwin,  of  Devon,  Kansas;  Mrs.  Susan  (ianger,  of  De\on,  Kansas;  .Mrs.  Eliza- 
beth Cleveland,  of  Devon,  Kansas. 

Conrad  A.  Ritter  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  of  Sac  count\'.  At 
the  age  of  eighleen  he  began  to  learn  the  creamer)-  business  and  for  eleven 
years  worked  in  the  Gold  Medal  Creamery,  which  was  located  about  seven 
miles  southwest  of  Early.  For  the  ]iast  eight  years  he  has  been  farming,  buy- 
ing his  present  farm  in  igo8  at  one  hundred  and  ten  dollars  an  acre.  In  1913 
he  had  one  hundred  acres  of  corn  which  averaged  fifty  l)nshels  to  the  acre  and 
twentv  acres  of  pop  corn,  which  averaged  thirty-five  bushels  to  the  acre.  In 
1912,  which  was  a  much  better  season,  ]\Ir.  Ritter  hatl  corn  which  axeraged 
eighty-five  bushels  to  the  acre  and  in  that  year  he  had  fifteen  acres  of  corn 
which  a\'eraged  one  hundred  bushels  to  the  acre.  He  raises  a  large  amount 
of  stock  for  the  market  each  year  and  sells  annually  about  twenty-fi\e  head 
of  cattle  and  from  se\'enty-five  to  a  hundred  head  of  hogs. 

Mr.  Ritter  identifies  himself  with  the  Republican  part\-  and  is  in  sym- 
pathy with  the  Progressive  element  of  his  party.  \A''hile  never  having  been 
a  candidate  for  any  public  office,  he  takes  an  intelligent  interest  in  the  affairs 
of  the  party.  The  Ritter  family  are  loyal  members  of'  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church  and  gi\'e  their  assistance  to  the  various  activities  of  that  denom- 
ination. Fraternally,  Mr.  Ritter  is  a  member  of  the  Yeomen  and  the  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America. 

Mr.  Ritter  was  married  on  August  8,  1900,  to  Myrtle  Irwin,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  Irwin.  Mrs.  Ritter  is  a  graduate  of  the  Odebolt 
high  school  and  taught  school  one  year.  George  Ritter  was  born  in  Pennsyl- 
vania and  can-ie  west  with  his  parents  to  Linn  county,  where  he  married  Mar- 
garet Cook.  They  came  to  Sac  county  in  1885  and  settled  in  Clinton 
township  where  the  father  died  in  1887.  leaving  four  children:  Charles  P., 
of  Devon,  Kansas;  George  H.,  deceased;  Jay  C,  near  Lakexiew.  antl  Myrtle 
Ritter.     To  this  marriage  ha\e  been  born  five  children,   four  of  whom  are 


6z|8  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

living :  Esther  Mabel,  age  eight  years ;  diaries  Wesley,  age  six  ;  Laura  May 
and  Lawrence  ].,  twins,  who  are  now  two  years  of  age.  Mr.  Ritter  has 
always  taken  an  acti\-e  part  in  the  various  phases  of  the  community  life  where 
he  li\es  and  is  well  known  as  a  man  of  excellent  reputation  and  high  char- 
acter. 


lOHN  R.  MARKLEY. 


One  of  Eden  township's  agriculturists  and  stock  men  who  is  deserving  of 
a  place  in  this  volume  is  John  R.  Markley,  a  man  of  courage,  self-reliance  and 
of  the  utmost  integrity  of  piu-pose,  as  a  result  of  which  he  has,  during  his 
entire  life,  stood  liigh  in  the  estimation  of  his  neighbors  and  friends,  whose 
interests  he  has  sought  to  promote  while  endeavoring  to  ad\'ance  his  own. 

John  R.  Markley,  proprietor  of  a  half  section  of  fine  fanning  land  in 
Eden  township.  Sac  county,  Iowa,  was  born  June  6,  1S78,  on  the  farm  where 
he  is  now  residing.  His  parents  were  Isaac  M.  and  Emmeline  (McLaughlin) 
Marklev.  Isaac  A'larkley  was  born  May  5,  1S41,  in  Canada,  and  died  in 
Sac  county,  Iowa,  August  15,  1903.  His  people  left  Canada  and  were  among 
the  early  settlers  of  Alamakee  cnnnt}-,  this  state,  and  came  to  Sac  county  in  its 
earlv  historv.  His  possessions  were  a  mule  team  and  a  yoke  of  oxen.  His 
wife,  Emmeline  McLaughlin,  was  bom  .April  13,  1S38,  in  Palo  Alto  county, 
Iowa,  and  died  in  Sac  county,  this  state,  in  1903.  They  were  the  parents  of 
four  children:  William,  deceased;  Harvey  A.,  of  Storm  Lake,  Iowa;  John 
R.,  whose  history  is  here  presented,  and  Ernest  A.,  of  Buena  Vista  county, 
Iowa. 

John  R.  Markley  has  always  lived  on  the  farm  where  he  is  now  making 
his  home.  He  received  a  good,  common  school  education  and  assisted  his 
father  with  the  management  of  his  large  estate  until  his  father's  death,  in 
1903.  Upon  his  father's  death  the  estate  was  divided  among  the  children 
find  he  received  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  as  his  share. 

Mr.  Markley  was  married  December  18,  1907,  to  Magdalena  Hailing, 
born  March  29,  1888,  in  Richland  township,  Sac  county,  Iowa,  daughter  of 
John  and  Anna  Christina  Hailing.  John  Hailing  was  born  November  28, 
1856,  and  is  now  living  in  Cook  township,  this  county.  His  wife,  Anna, 
was  born  September  23,  1865,  and  died  December  10,  1897.  Both  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  John  Hailing  were  natives  of  Schleswig,  Germany.  They  were  the 
parents  of  six  children,  Oda  May,  Magdalena,  Lillian,  deceased,  John  An- 
drew, deceased,  Ravmond  and  Emily  .Amelia,  deceased.     Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mark- 


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SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  649 

ley  have  two  children,  Hazel  Fay,  born  September  26,  1908,  and  Leslie  Ray- 
mond, born  July  14,  19 12.  Mr.  Markley  has  been  a  Republican  since  casting 
his  first  vote,  but  has  never  felt  inclined  to  be  an  active  participant  in  political 
affairs.  He  and  his  wife  have  a  charming  home  and  are  the  center  of  a  large 
circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances  who  delight  in  their  genuine  hospitality. 


CHRISS  J.  THIRLHORN. 

It  is  the  pride  of  the  citizens  of  this  country  that  there  is  no  limit  to 
which  natural  ability,  industry  and  honesty  may  not  aspire.  A  boy  born  in 
ignorance  and  poverty  and  reared  amidst  the  most  adverse  -surroundings, 
may  nevertheless  break  from  his  fetters  and  rise  to  the  highest  station  in 
the  land.  Thousands  of  young  men  of  German  parentage  have  realized  how 
easy  it  is  for  a  man  of  courage  and  willing  hands  to  rise  in  our  republic  and 
have  accordingly  cast  their  lots  with  us,  with  the  result  that  they  ha\e  bene- 
fited themselves  as  well  as  the  comnnmities  in  which  they  have  settled.  Sac 
county's  German  citizens  bear  witness  to  the  fact  that  America  is  indeed  the 
land  of  opportunity.  Among  the  citizens  of  German  parentage  who  are  now 
prosperous  farmers  in  Sac  county,  Iowa,  there  is  no  one  who  is  more  prom- 
inently identified  with  the  agricultural  interests  of  Coon  \'allev  township 
than  C.  J.  Thielhorn,  whose  brief  history  is  here  given  to  the  reader. 

Chriss  J.  Thielhorn,  the  proprietor  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
land  in  Coon  Valley  township,  was  born  February  18,  1885,  on  the  home 
farm  in  Sac  county,  the  son  of  Christ  and  Fredericka  (Wulkow)  Thielhorn, 
who  were  both  natives  of  Germany,  coming  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  about 
[878.  Christ  Thielhorn  was  born  in  1844,  and  upon  coming  to  this  country 
with  his  family,  he  soon  became  one  of  the  substantial  farmers  of  this 
country.  Three  children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Christ  Thielhorn: 
Mrs.  Lottie  Reaman,  of  Calhoun  county,  Iowa;  C.  J.,  whose  history  forms 
the  theme  of  this  narrative,  and  A.  VV.,  who  was  born  in  the  county  De- 
cember 6,  1886. 

C.  J.  Thielhorn  received  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  home  neigh- 
borhood, and  early  in  life  decided  that  he  would  follow  in  the  footsteps  of  his 
father,  and.  with  this  end  in  view,  he  helped  his  father  on  the  home  farm 
until  his  marriage  in  order  to  become  thoroughly  familiar  with  all  the  details 
of  farm  life.  It  is  said  that  there  are  "tricks  in  all  trades,"  and  this  trite  ex- 
pression is  peculiarly  true  of  the  farmer.     The  successful  farmer  of  today 


650  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

must  not  only  he  a  man  who  can  handle  the  plow,  but  he  must  also  have  some 
knowledf^e  of  a  dozen  other  professions.  In  a  small  way  he  must  be  a  veter- 
inary surgeon,  a  blacksmith,  a  harness  maker,  a  carpenter,  etc.,  and  the  most 
successful  farmer  is  a  man  who  can  do  these  various  things  in  the  best  way. 
Mr.  Thielhorn  was  married  in  1907  to  Matilda  Brehm,  and  to  this  mar- 
riage ha\e  lieen  born  three  children.  Chriss  F.,  Irene  Mildred  and  Fern 
Evlyn.  Politically,  Mr.  Thielhorn  is  a  Democrat,  but  the  affairs  of  his  home 
and  farm  have  demanded  all  of  his  attention,  so  that  he  has  had  little  time  to 
devote  to  political  questions.  In  his  religious  belief  he  and  his  family  are  loyal 
members  of  the  German  Lutheran  church,  giving  to  it  liberally  of  their  time 
and  substance.  Mr.  Thielhorn  has  always  lent  his  aid  to  the  best  interests  of 
his  community,  and  has  given  his  support  to  all  movements  having  for  their 
object  the  welfare  of  his  fellow  citizens.  He  is  not  backward  in  expressing 
his  honest  convictions  on  any  subject  afifecting  the  welfare  of  the  community, 
and  for  this  reason  is  deservedly  popular  with  a  large  circle  ot  friends  and 
acquaintances. 


ALBERT  D.  MINER. 


One  of  the  most  prosperous  farmers  of  Coon  Valley  township,  Sac 
county,  Iowa,  is  A.  D.  Miner,  who  was  born  December  7,  1846,  in  Jo  Daviess 
county,  Illinois.  His  parents  were  Ransom  H.  and  Lucinda  (Post)  Miner. 
Ransom  H.  Miner  was  born  August  25,  1809,  and  was  the  son  of  Asher 
Miner,  a  native  of  New  York  who  bought  land  in  Jo  Daviess  county,  Illinois, 
in  about  1836  from  the  government  at  one  dollar  and  a  quarter  an  acre.  Asher 
Miner  was  born  in  Schoharie  county,  Xew^  "S'ork.  Ransom  H.  Miner  came 
from  New  York  to  Jo  Daviess  county,  Illinois,  when  he  was  twent}-nine  years 
of  age  and  lived  there  until  his  death  in  1853.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ransom  H. 
Miner  were  the  parents  of  eight  children;  Lwelleyns  V.,  deceased;  John  A., 
deceased;  Mary  A.,  deceased:  Gertrude  E.,  deceased;  Beulah  A.,  deceased; 
Mrs.  L.  M.  Scofield,  of  Chicago:  Mrs.  Jennie  Harris,  of  Stockton.  Illinois, 
and  A.  D.,  with  whom  this  narrative  deals. 

A.  D.  Miner  was  reared  and  educated  in  Jo  Daviess  county.  Illinois,  and 
was  married  in  that  state.  About  ten  years  later  he  came  from  Jo  Daviess 
county,  Illinois,  and  settled  in  Jackson  county,  Iowa,  coming  to  this  state  in 
I.S82.  In  1892  he  moved  to  Clinton  county,  where  he  lived  for  eight  vears. 
In  February,  1900,  he  came  to  .Sac  county  and  bought  his  farm  of  one  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres  in  Coon  Valley  township  for  seventy-six  dollars  an  acre. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  65 1 

Later  he  purchased  forty  acres,  for  wliich  he  paid  one  hundred  dollars  an  acre. 
This  land  is  now  easily  worth  two  hundred  dollars  an  acre.  Mr.  Miner  still 
owns  ten  acres  in  Jo  Daviess  county,  Illinois,  which  was  a  part  ot  the  (and 
which  was  homesteaded  by  his  grandfather  in  1836. 

Mr.  Miner  was  married  in  1873  to  Ella  A.  Watts,  of  Jo  Daviess  county, 
Illinois,  and  to  this  marriage  have  been  born  six  children :  Mrs.  Florence  E. 
Wilson,  of  Cedar  township;  Dwight  L.,  of  Jackson  township,  who  is  farm- 
ing one  hundred  and  twenty  acres;  Abby  G. ;  Kingsley  A.,  born  March  29, 
1887,  and  now  engaged  in  real  estate  and  land  business  in  Sac  City;  Paul  R., 
who  is  at  home,  and  Frank  Watts,  a  student  at  Ames  College. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Miner  has  jjeen  affiliated  with  the  Republican  party  since 
he  cast  his  first  vi>tr.  While  living  in  this  state  he  has  held  various  township 
offices,  in  all  of  which  he  perfurmed  satisfactory  service.  Ile-and  his  family 
are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  have  always  taken  a  deep 
interest  in  church  activities.  Mr.  Miner  is  a  member  of  various  fraternal 
insurance  orders.  He  has  always  been  active  in  the  public  affairs  of  his 
community  and  has  performed  his  full  part  as  a  public-spirited  citizen,  and 
in  the  various  ofificial  positions  which  he  has  filled  he  has  used  the  same  sound 
judgment  and  good  business  principles  which  he  has  exercised  in  his  own  per- 
sonal afifairs.  Honest  in  his  various  business  dealings  and  faithful  to  his 
many  friends,  he  has  won  and  retained  the  esteem  of  a  large  circle  of  friends 
and  acquaintances  throughout  the  township  and  county. 


KINGSLEY  ALBERT  MINER. 

One  of  the  enterprising  and  rising  young  men  who  are  native  born  to 
Sac  county  and  who  are  making  names  and  reputations  for  themselves  in  the 
marts  of  trade  and  in  their  chosen  professions,  is  Kingsley  A.  Miner,  the  son 
of  A.  D.  Miner,  one  of  the  substantial  farmer  citizens  of  the  county.  Marked 
aptitude  and  diligence  characterizes  the  activities  of  this  young  man,  who 
is  highly  esteemed  for  his  many  excellent  qualities  and  for  his  quiet,  gentle- 
manly methods  of  transacting  his  business  affairs  in  the  community.  The 
headquarters  of  his  business  is  located  in  Sac  City,  which  place  has  been  his 
home  since  leaving  the  home  place  in  Coon  Valley  township  to  carve  out  a 
career  for  himself. 

Kingsley  Albert  Miner,  of  Sac  City,  was  born  on  a  farm  in  Sac  county, 
March  29,  1887,  and  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  of  his  neighborhood. 


652  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

the  Sac  City  high  schdo!.  the  Atiburn  liigh  school  and  the  Highland  Park 
Seminary.  For  the  past  four  year.s  he  has  followed  the  difficult  profession 
<~)f  sales  and  live  stock  auctioneer  and  is  meeting  with  creditable  success  in 
his  life  work.  He  (le\'otes  his  activities  to  the  promotion  of  land  sales  and 
handles  cnnsideralilc  real  estate  and  also  devotes  some  attention  to  the  insur- 
ance business.  His  specialties,  however,  are  the  sale  and  purchase  of  farm 
lands  and  the  crying  of  public  sales  for  the  people  of  the  surrounding  com- 
munity. Although  Mr.  Miner  is  young  in  years,  he  is  gifted  with  a  poise 
and  ability  common  to  older  heads  and  is  universally  liked  and  esteemed 
for  his  many  sterling  (|ualities  of  heart  and  mind. 

Mr.  Miner  was  united  in  marriage  with  Irene  Furman,  June  10,  IQ14. 
He  is  religiously  associated  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  denomination  and 
is  an  Odd  Fellow.     Politically,  he  is  allied  with  the  Republican  partv. 


THEODORE  JACOBSEN. 

The  little  peninsula  of  Jetland,  in  Europe,  has  furnished  a  few  sturdy 
farmers  for  Sac  county,  Iowa.  The  people  of  Denmark  have  ah\ays  been 
prosperous  and  for  that  reason  a  great  many  of  its  citizens  have  emigrated 
to  this  country.  A  few  of  the  more  ambitious  and  hardy  sons  of  Denmark 
have  come  to  America  and  a  few  of  these  have  made  their  permanent  homes 
in  Sac  county.  History  recounts  that  in  the  medieval  ages,  and  even  before 
then,  the  Danes  were  the  great  rovers  of  the  sea,  and  for  more  than  a  thou- 
sand 3'ears  people  of  the  littlw  kingdom  of  Denmark  have  been  known  as  a 
people  of  sturdv  cjualities  of  character.  Among  the  few  citizens  of  Sac 
county  who  are  of  Danish  descent  is  Theodore  Jacobsen,  a  prosperous  farmer 
oi  Wall  Lake  township. 

Theodore  Jacobsen  was  born  January  28,  i860,  in  Denmark  and  is  the 
son  of  Hans  and  Helena  Jacobsen.  He  received  a  good  practical  education 
in  his  native  land  and  there  learned  the  little  habits  of  thrift  and  industry 
which  have  characterized  his  successful  career  in  this  county.  Upon  reach- 
ing his  majority  in  1881  he  decided  to  come  to  America  to  seek  his  fortune. 
Accordingly  he  came  to  this  country  and  settled  in  Livingston  county,  Illi- 
nois, where  he  lived  until  1902,  working  by  the  month,  and  later  by  renting 
farms.  In  1902  he  came  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  and  bought  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  for  fiftv-five  dollars  an  acre.  The  family  moved  to  the  farm  in 
Wall  Lake  township  in    1903.     In  the  last  twelve  years  this  land  has   in- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  653 

creased  fourfold  in  \alue  and  is  now  worth  at  least  two  hundred  and  t\\ent^•- 
five  dollars  an  acre.  Mr.  Jacobsen  has  always  been  a  hard  working  man  and 
has  been  assisted  by  an  excellent  wife  wlio  has  done  her  full  share  towards 
the  success  of  her  husband. 

Mr.  Jacobsen  was  married  on  March  23,  1883,  to  Margretta  Amomsen. 
of  Illinois.  She  was  born  in  Denmark  and  came  to  this  country  alone  and 
settled  in  Illinois.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jacobsen  have  been  born  six  children: 
Hans  C,  of  Pennsylvania;  Mrs.  Lena  Heath,  of  Sac  City;  Mrs.  Katie  Ouin- 
lan,  of  Wall  Lake  township,  and  John  and  Theresa,  who  are  still  with  their 
parents. 

Mr.  Jacobsen  has  cast  his  vote  for  the  Republican  party  since  he  was 
naturalized,  but  owing  to  his  many  interests  on  the  farm  he  has  never  taken 
a  prominent  part  in  politics.  He  and  his  family  are  loyal  members  of  the 
Lutheran  church  and  help  with  the  various  activities  of  that  denomination. 
Mr.  Jacobsen  has  truly  been  the  architect  of  his  own  fortune  and  upon  his 
entire  career  since  coming  to  this  country  there  rests  no  blemish.  He  has 
been  true  to  the  highest  ideals  of  American  citizenship  and  has  become  one 
of  the  worthy  and  representative  men  of  Sac  county,  Iowa. 


J.  B.  TOURGEE. 

Among  the  younger  members  of  the  legal  profession  in  Sac  county  is 
J.  B.  Tourgee,  of  the  firm  of  Elwood  &  Tourgee,  of  Sac  City.  Although  he 
has  been  in  the  county  only  a  short  time,  yet  he  has  already  impressed  those 
with  wliom  he  has  come  in  contact  as  a  man  of  good  legal  ability  and  one 
who  can  take  his  full  share  in  the  life  of  the  community.  Mr.  Tourgee  was 
born  October  30,  1875,  in  Ashtabula  county,  Ohio,  and  is  the  son  of  H.  H. 
and  Alice  E.  (Morse)  Totirgee.  Both  of  his  parents  were  born  in  Ohio  and 
were  descendants  of  pioneer  New  England  families.  H.  H.  Tourgee  at- 
tended school  in  the  old  Chester  Seminary  and  Oberlin  College,  Ohio.  After 
finishing  his  course,  H.  H.  Tourgee  went  onto  a  farm  in  his  native  state  and 
in  1877  came  with  his  family  to  Ida  county,  Iowa,  and  purchased  a  farm,  be- 
coming one  of  the  successful  farmers  of  the  county.  Two  years  before  his 
death  he  retired  to  Ida  Grove,  where  he  died  in  November,  1905.  His  wife 
is  still  living  in  Ida  Grove.  They  were  the  parents  of  two  children,  Carl  H.. 
of  Ida  Grove,  Iowa,  and  J.  B.,  with  whom  this  narrative  deals. 

I.  B.  Tourgee  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  and  educated  in  the  Sac 


634  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA, 

City  Institute,  from  which  institution  he  graduated  in  igoo.  He  then  entered 
the  State  University  of  Iowa  and  graduated  with  a  degree  of  Bachelor  of 
Law  in  1903.  Upon  his  graduation  he  started  the  practice  of  his  profession 
in  Armour,  South  Dakota,  but  a  year  later  disposed  of  his  practice  and 
located  in  Holstein,  Iowa,  where  he  remained  until  the  fall  of  1912.  On 
September  i,  1912.  he  came  to  Sac  City  and  became  a  member  of  the  firm  of 
Elwood  &  Tourgee. 

Mr.  Tourgee  was  married  January  i,  1906,  to  Dora  B.  Trumhauer.  of 
Lytton,  the  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Peter  B.  Trumbauer.  To  this  union 
have  been  born  two  children.  Mildred  and  Alice.  Politically.  Mr.  Tourgee  is 
a  Republican,  but  has  never  taken  an  active  part  in  politics.  However,  he 
is  a  close  observer  of  the  various  political  cjuestions  of  the  dav  and  has 
decided  convictions  on  the  big  issues  which  are  now  confronting  the  American 
people.  Mr.  Tourgee  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons 
and  has  taken  the  degrees  of  the  chapter.  Being  well  grounded  in  legal  prin- 
ciples and  having  a  comprehensive  view  of  life  gained  from  experience,  Mr. 
Tourgee  is  well  qualified  to  give  to  his  clients  excellent  ser^'ice.  As  a  speaker 
he  is  clear  and  concise  and  efifective  in  presenting  the  issues  of  the  case.  He 
gives  his  support  to  every  movement  which  promotes  the  advancement  of  the 
educational,  moral  or  social  welfare  of  his  community,  and  as  a  citizen  of  Sac 
City  he  is  anxious  to  do  all  in  his  power  to  make  it  a  good  city  in  which  to 
live. 


LE\YIS  T.  QUIRK. 

.\mong  the  men  of  Sac  county,  Iowa,  who  have  lieen  closely  identified 
with  the  material,  moral  antl  educational  advancement  of  its  various  inter- 
ests, is  Lewis  T.  Quirk,  the  present  proprietor  of  Fairacres  farm.  He  has 
not  onh-  l)een  a  successful  farmer  of  this  county,  but  he  has  also  occu|)ied 
man\-  jjositions  of  trust  and  honor  which  have  come  to  him  by  reason  of  his 
al)ilit\'  to  fill  them.  He  has  been  a  public  school  teacher,  a  townshi])  clerk 
and  inwnshi])  assessor,  and  in  all  these  positions  of  trust  he  has  adminis- 
tered their  duties  in  a  manner  which  was  entirely  satisfactory  to  his  constitu- 
ents. Being  a  man  of  education,  he  has  actively  identified  himself  with  all 
measures  which  were  brought  forward  to  advance  the  interests  of  his  com- 
niunilw  ami  Un-  that  reason  he  is  a  representative  man  of  his  township  and 
county. 

Lewis  T.  Ouirk,  the  son  of  Thomas  and  Mary  (Cain)   Quirk,  was  born 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  65=5 

Jamian  _'o,  1874,  in  Clinton  county.  Iowa.  Hi.s  parents  were  1)oth  natives 
ol  the  isle  of  Alan,  a  small  island  lying  between  England  and  Ireland,  where 
they  were  reared  and  married.  They  came  to  .Vmerica  in  1866  and  settled 
in  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  and  in  March,  1875,  |)ermanently  located  in  Sac 
count)-,  on  a  farm  near  where  their  son,  Lewis,  is  now  living.  Thomas 
Quirk  and  wife  were  the  ]iarents  (jf  three  children:  Mrs.  Mary  McW'illiains, 
of  Clinton  township;  Lewis  T.,  with  whom  this  narrative  deals,  and  George, 
of  Cook  townshi]).  Mary  Cain,  the  mother  of  Lewis  Quirk,  had  been  mar- 
ried pre\ious  to  her  union  with  Thomas  Quirk.  Her  first  husband  was  a 
Mr.  Moore,  of  the  isle  of  Man,  wln)  died  in  that  island.  By  her  first  mar- 
riage there  were  two  children  reared,  Sage' E.  Moore,  deceased,  the  wife  of 
Robert  Mylchrist,  deceased,  formerly  of  Cook  township.  After  the  death 
of  her  husba-nd,  Mrs.  Mylchrist  married  a  Mr.  Haves,  and  in.the  summer  of 
1913  Mrs.  Ha\-es  died  in  Rapid  Cit\-,  South  Dakota.  The  other  child  of  the 
first  marriage  of  Mrs.  Thomas  Quirk  was  J.  D.  Moore,  who  is  now  li\ing 
in  Schaller.  Iowa. 

Lewis  T.  (juirk  was  educated  ni  the  district  schools  of  Levey  township, 
this  count}',  and  later  spent  one  year  in  the  Sac  Institute  and  one  year  in 
Morningside  College,  of  Siou.x  City,  Iowa.  He  then  taught  school  for  six 
years  in  Sac  county,  spending  his  summer  vacation  in  farming.  In  189Q  he 
began  farming  for  himself,  having  jjreviously  been  in  partnership  with  his 
father.  In  1906  he  1)ought  his  present  farm  of  eighty  acres,  and  has  so  im- 
proved it  that  it  is  now  worth  two  hundred  dollars  an  acre.  In  1913  he 
erected  a  fine,  modern  bungalow  of  eight  rooms,  at  a  cost  of  three  thousand 
dollars.  In  addition  to  the  raising  of  the  grains  common  to  this  locality, 
Mr.  Quirk  has  been  a  breeder  of  Shorthorn  cattle  for  the  past  twelve  years 
and  now  has  a  herd  of  thoroughbred  Shorthorns,  nunibering  twenty-five. 
He  also  raises  hogs  and  in  1913  produced  lifty  head  which  found  a  ready 
market  at  a  good  price.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Shorthorn  Elreeders  Asso- 
ciation of  Sac  County  and  takes  an  acti\'e  interest  in  the  cattle  department 
of  the  Sac  County  Eair  Association. 

Mr.  Quirk  was  married  on  .\pril  18.  1890,  to  I'"annie  L.  h\:)x,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  M.  D.  Eox.  ami  to  this  union  there  has  Iieen  born  one 
son,  Edward  L..  born  August  20.  1913. 

F'oliticall}',  Mr.  Quirk  is  a  Republican,  and  has  served  two  terms  as 
clerk  of  ("linton  township  and  one  term  as  assessor  of  Le\'ey  townshiji.  He 
filled  both  these  important  ofifices  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  the  citizens, 
irrespective  of  their  political  afifiliations,  and  made  one  of  the  most  satisfac- 
tory officials  these  townships  ever  had.     P>aternaH}-.  he  is  a  member  of  the 


656  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  while,  religiously,  he  and  his  wife  are 
both  loyal  and  earnest  members  of  the  IMethodist  Episcopal  church.  He  has 
thrown  the  force  of  his  strong  individuality,  sterling  integrit\-  and  upright- 
ness into  the  advancement  of  the  interests  of  his  township  and  his  efforts 
have  not  failed  of  appreciation  im  the  part  of  his  fellow  citizens.  He  has 
had- his  full  share  in  bringing  his  township  to  the  front,  and  has  the  satisfac- 
tion of  feeling  that  his  work  has  been  acceptable  to  the  best  citizens  of  his 
comnrLUiitv. 


COL.  FESTUS  J.  GREEN. 

There  are  some  professions  which  demand  a  certain  amount  of  nati\"e 
talent,  and  without  this  no  man  can  make  a  success  of  that  particular  pro- 
fession. Some  one  has  said  that  man  can  train  himself  for  practically  any 
line  of  business,  but  there  is  one  profession  which  takes  a  number  of  qualities 
of  a  peculiar  nature  in  order  to  bring  about  success  in  that  particular  line.  It 
is  safe  to  say  that  the  profession  of  the  auctioneer  demands  certain  innate 
characteristics  which  are  not  possessed  by  every  man.  A  man  must  be  a  good 
judge  of  human  nature,  a  psychologist,  in  order  to  judge  what  to  do  and 
how  to  do  it  at  the  proper  time.  The  auctioneer  must  first  of  all  have  a  good 
voice,  which  means  that  he  must  be  a  man  of  good  physique :  secondly,  he 
must  have  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  goods  which  he  attempts  to  sell : 
and,  thirdly,  he  must  be  a  reader  of  human  nature  in  order  to  carry  his  con- 
versation so  as  to  keep  his  buyers  in  a  liapp}'  frame  of  mind ;  and.  lastly,  he 
must  be  absolutely  honest,  or  he  will  soon  lose  the  confidence  cif  the  citizens  of 
a  community. 

Col.  Festus  J.  Green,  a  retired  farmer,  successful  business  man.  and  one 
of  the  most  prominent  auctioneers  of  this  section  of  the  country,  has  all  of 
the  characteristics  which  go  to  make  up  the  successful  auctioneer.  He  was 
born  March  29,  1857.  in  Somersetshire,  England.  His  parents  were  Harr}' 
and  Elizabeth  (Popham)  Green,  his  father  being  a  tailor  by  trade  in  his 
native  land.  Neither  of  Colonel  Green's  parents  ever  came  to  this  countr\  and 
both  have  long  since  passed  away.  He  was  self  educated,  for  the  reason  that 
he  had  no  opportunity  to  attend  the  schools  in  his  country,  but  ne  has  read 
and  studied  at  home  until  he  now  is  well  c|ualified  to  speak  upon  an\'  of  the 
current  topics  of  the  day.  The  nature  of  his  profession  demands  that  he 
keep  in  close  toucli  witli  a  great  \-ariety  of  interests,  and  the  success  which 


COL.    FESTUS    J.    GREEN 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  (J57 

lias  attended  his  eltorts  on  the  block  indicate  that  his  reading  has  not  been  in 
vain. 

Colonel  Green  came  to  America  in  1872,  at  the  age  of  fourteen  \ears, 
and  located  at  Manchester.  Iowa.  Before  leaving  his  native  country  he  had 
learned  the  brick  and  stone  trade  and  followed  this  profession  in  jManchester 
for  live  years.  In  187S  he  returned  to  England,  liut  came  back  to  this 
country  seven  months  later  and  located  at  Dyersville,  Iowa,  where  he  farmed 
until  1894,  then  mo\ed  to  Early,  in  Sac  county,  where  he  has  since  resided. 
He  purchased  a  farm  of  two  hundred  and  eighty-five  acres  two  miles  from 
Early,  and  has  ijeen  engaged  in  breeding  thoroughbred  Hereford  cattle,  and 
he  has  shown  his  cattle  in  various  county  fairs,  as  well  as  the  state  fair  of 
Iowa,  and  has  taken  many  prizes.  He  has 'been  one  of  the  most  prominent 
members  of  the  Sac  County  Eair  Association,  and  has  been  superintendent  of 
the  cattle  (lei)artment  e\'er  since  the  associatirjn  was  organized. 

\Miile  Colonel  Green  has  been  a  success  as  a  farmer,  his  greatest  reputa- 
tion has  been  won  in  the  auctioneer's  held.  He  is  strictly  a  self-taught  man  in 
this  profession,  and  since  he  started  in  1824  his  fame  has  increased  until  he  has 
cried  live  stock  sales  in  California,  South,  Dakota,  JNlinnesota,  Illinois,  Ne- 
braska, as  well  as  all  over  his  own  state.  He  recei\'es  the  highest  salary  as 
an  auctioneer  of  an\-  man  in  the  state  of  Iowa.  His  record  of  farm  sales  runs 
from  sevent\--h\'e  to  one  hundred  a  season,  and  every  year  he  has  a  sale  for 
every  day  in  Decemjjer.  His  fame  as  an  auctioneer  is  such  that  people  come 
for  miles  to  hear  him  talk,  who  have  no  other  reason  for  coming  than  to  hear 
the  admirable  way  in  which  he  conducts  his  sales. 

Colonel  Green  was  married  in  188^  in  Duliuque  county,  Iowa,  to  Ada 
House,  and  to  this  union  there  ha\e  !)een  born  sex'en  children  :  Harrv,  a 
r.ancher  ot  Montana;  Alonzo,  a  salesman  in  a  dry  goods  store  in  Mobridge, 
South  Dakota :  Elmer,  of  Storm  Lake,  Iowa,  where  he  is  operating  a  meat 
market;  liov.  a  professional  ball  plaver  with  the  Storm  Lake  baseball  club; 
Charles,  who  is  a  student  in  the  high  schof)l  at  Early  ;  Blanche,  who  is  a  book- 
keeper in  a  hard\\-are  store  at  Early,  and  Hazel,  who  is  at  home  with  her 
parents. 

Colonel  Green  is  a  follower  of  the  Re|.)ublican  part\".  l)ut  has  ne\'er  been 
a  candidate  for  any  public  otifice.  In  his  religious  belief  he  adheres  to  the 
Presbyterian  church,  as  do  the  other  members  of  his  family.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  of  Early,  and  a  member  of  the 
chapter  and  commandery  at  Sac  Cit}-,  and  of  the  Mystic  .Shrine  at  Des 
Moines.  He  is  also  a  memljer  of  the  Knights  of  Pvthias  at  Earh-.  In  1908 
(41) 


65<^  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Colonel  Green  made  a  trip  to  England,  and  visited  the  London  horse  show, 
as  well  as  his  old  home.  Colonel  and  Mrs.  Green  have  a  fine  home  in  Early, 
where  they  dispense  genuine  hospitality  to  their  many  friends.  He  is  a  pro- 
gressixe  and  suhstantial  citizen  wln)  is  always  interesting  hinr«elf  in  rhe  wel- 
fare of  his  JKinie  cit\'. 


DONALD  McCORKINDALE. 

In  Donald  Mcl'orkindalc,  of  Clinton  township,  we  had  a  true  repre- 
scntati\'e  of  the  empire  liuiklers  and  one  who  accomplished  more  than  the 
ordinary  man  since  he  came  into  the  county  nearly  forty  years  ago  and  pur- 
chased a  tract  of  unbroken  prairie  land.  His  herds  of  cattle  and  droves  of 
horses  now  feed  over  thousands  of  acres  of  Sac  cotmty  land  where  at  first 
it  was  necessarv  for  him  to  be  content  with  a  few  hundred  acres  pmxhased  on 
a  time  contract  similar  to  that  of  the  other  settlers  in  his  neighborhood.  He 
was  known  far  and  wide  as  one  of  the  largest  land  owners  and  one  of  the 
ablest  financiers  of  the  section  in  a  decade — yet,  he  was  just  a  plain  farmer, 
shrewd  and  intelligent,  a  son  of  Scotland  who  natural!}-  inhcriied  the  ex- 
cellent traits  peculiar  to  his  forbears. 

Mr.  McCorkindale  was  born  on  the  14th  day  of  the  month  of  March. 
1842,  in  Killean  parish,  Argyleshire,  Scotland,  the  son  of  Donald  and  Jean- 
nette  ( McNevin)  McCorkindale.  His  father  was  a  farmer  in  the  old 
country  who  emigrated  to  America  in  the  \ear  18(^)3  with  his  family  and 
settled  in  Clinton  county,  Iowa.  Here  Donald,  Jr.,  worked  in  a  sawmill  for 
a  period  of  five  years  and  in  1870  Donald.  Sr.,  remo\etl  to  White  county. 
Illinois,  and  purchased  a  farm.  He  resided  in  White  county  for  five  years 
and  then  moved  to  Odebolt.  Sac  county,  in  1875.  ^'^  ^^'^^  doubtless  in- 
fluenced to  make  this  mo\e  because  of  the  fact  that  nearly  all  of  his  children 
were  settled  in  Sac  county  near  Odebolt  and  he  wished  to  be  near  them  in  his 
remaining  days.  The  father  died  in  1895.  He  reared  fi\e  sons  and  two 
daughters,  namely :  Donald ;  Neil,  deceased :  Malcolm,  now  a  resident  of 
Nebraska:  Mrs.  Richard  Shileto,  of  Alberta,  Canada;  Airs.  Catharine  Stuart, 
of  Wall  Lake,  Iowa;  Angus,  who  died  in  Clinton  township  in  June.  1912; 
John,  a  rancher  in  Alberta,  Canada,  deceased  in  the  spring  of  1914. 

Donald  McCorkindale  was  twent\-three  \ears  of  age  when  he  came  to 
America,  lantling  in  New  York  City  in  tiie  month  of  June.  1865.  He  came 
west  and  was  employed  in  the  saw  mills  at  Clinton.  Iowa,  for  a  period  of  five 
years.     He  went  to  Illinois  in   1870  and  s])cnt  two  years  there  engaged  in 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  659 

fanning  in  White  county.  In  the  spring  of  1874  he  came  to  Sac  county  and 
invested  his  savings  in  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  in  CHnton 
township  at  four  dollars  and  fifty  cents  an  acre.  During  the  first  two  years 
of  his  residence  here  he  boarded  and  then  married.  Se\'eral  years  after  mar- 
riage he  made  his  next  purchase  of  land  and  continued  making  additions  to 
his  holdings  until  he  had  over  two  thousand  eight  hundred  acres  in  all.  His 
most  recent  purchase  was  a  portion  of  the  Cook  ranch,  which  he  bought  in 
1909,  and  consisting  of  five  hundred  and  sixty  acres  at  prices  ranging  from 
one  hundred  and  twenty-five  to  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  dollars  an  acre. 
As  early  as  1885  he  began  breeding  fine  draft  horses  and  met  with  wonderful 
success  in  this  venture,  having  been  at  the  time  of  his  death  the  largest  live 
stock  breeder  in  the  county.  On  his  farm  are  two  imported  Clydesdale  stal- 
lions which  cost  in  the  thousands  of  dollars  to  import;  thirty-five  head  of  fine 
thoroughbred  draft  animals  which  liave  been  exhibited  at  the  county  fairs 
and  have  carried  oil'  riljbons  cjn  several  occasions.  ^He  was  also  a  breeder  of 
Aberdeen  Angus  cattle  and  had  over  three  hundred  and  fifty  head  of  pure 
breds  on  his  home  farm.  In  addition  be  was  an  extensixe  feeder  and  shipper 
of  live  stock,  handling  from  three  to  five  carloads  annually. 

Mr.  McCorkindale  was  the  owner  of  a  total  of  two  thousand  seven  hun- 
dred acres  of  farm  lands,  two  thousand  five  hundred  acres  of  which  is  in  Sac 
county  and  two  hundred  acres  in  Crawford  county.  This  land  is  now  being 
farmed  entirelv  by  the  sons  of  Mr.  McCorkindale.  Practically  all  of  the 
land  is  being  devoted  to  the  live  stock  breeding  and  now  is  rented  out  ex- 
cept the  Cook  and  Wall  Lake  lands.  It  is  the  second  largest  farm  in  the 
county  which  has  been  cultivated  almost  entirely  by  the  owner  and  is  at  the 
present  time  the  second  largest  farm  in  Sac  county  in  the  number  of  acres 
devoted  to  exclusive  farming  and  live  stock  raising. 

Mr.  McCorkindale  was  married  in  October,  1876.  to  Mary  Bremner, 
also  a  native  of  Scotland,  born  Decemlier  10,  1856,  a  daughter  of  James  and 
Margaret  (Kennard)  Bremner,  who  emigrated  to  America  from  Scotland 
in  1866  and  settled  in  Cedar  county  for  seven  years  and  then  came  to  Craw- 
ford county  in  1873,  where  both  lie  buried.  The  following  children  have 
been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McCorkindale :  Mrs.  Jennie  Morton,  of  Alberta, 
Canada;  Daniel,  on  one  of  the  home  farms;  Mrs.  Margaret  McOuistin,  of 
Nebraska;  Mrs.  Mary  Nicholson,  of  JeiTerson,  Dakota;  James,  at  home; 
Isabel.  William  and  Anna,  at  home  with  their  parents. 

Mr.  McCorkindale  was  an  independent  in  politics  and  hrul  definite  and 
pronounced  views  on  matters  afifecting  the  government  of  the  people.  He 
usuallv  voted  for  the  man  who  seemed  best  fitted  for  the  office  than  for  the 


66o  SAC    COaNTY,    IOWA. 

representative  of  any  political  part}'.  He  and  the  members  of  his  family 
have  naturally  e.spoused  the  religion  of  their  forbears  and  were  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  church  of  Odebolt.  His  devoted  and  competent  wife,  who 
has  been  a  wise  and  careful  mother  to  her  children,  is  still  hale,  hearty  and 
intelligent,  despite  her  adxanced  age.  It  might  well  be  said  of  them  that 
they  were  not  old  excepting  in  years.  The  home  is  a  comfortable  and 
hospitable  one  and,  despite  the  tendency  of  the  times  for  the  farmer  to  retire 
to  a  life  of  ease  and  comfort  in  the  towns,  they  preferred  to  remain  on  the 
farm.  Donald  desiring  to  be  near  the  farm  work  and  his  fine  live  stock,  and  the 
mother  desiring  to  care  for  and  look  after  the  welfare  of  her  sons. 

Donald  McCorkindale  passed  away  Monday  night,  May  i8,  1914,  at 
about  ten-thirty  o'clock  before  medical  aid  could  be  summoned.  On  the 
Sunday  preceding  he  had  attended  church,  as  was  his  custom,  ,Tnd  had  ap- 
peared to  be  in  the  best  of  health.  The  funeral  services  were  held  on  the 
Thursday  following.  May  21st,  from  the  Odebolt  Presbyterian  church  in  the 
presence  of  a  large  concourse  of  relati\es  and  friends.  Rev.  Roljert  Mc- 
Inturfif  officiated  at  the  ceremony.  Burial  followed  in  the  Odebolt  cemetery. 
Rendition  of  the  services  with  song  and  discourse  was  beautiful  and  im- 
pressive and  in  keeping  with  the  character  of  the  deceased. 


WILLI. \AI  LEWIS  FRIESXER. 

Among  the  native  sons  of  .Sac  cijunty,  who  ha\e  spent  their  entire  li\es 
within  the  limits  of  this  county  is  William  Lewis  I'Viesner.  whose  many  years 
of  residence  here  ha\e  1)ut  served  to  strengthen  the  feeling  of  admiration 
on  the  part  of  his  fellow  men  owing  to  the  honorable  life  he  has  led  and 
the  wortlu'  example  he  has  set  to  the  younger  generation.  He  has  ever  en- 
joyed the  respect  and  esteem  of  those  with  whom  he  has  associated  and  no 
one  stands  higher  in  the  admiration  of  his  fellow  citizens  than  be  whose  life 
is  here  presented. 

William  Lewis  I'Viesner.  a  farmer  of  L'oon  N'alley  townsbi]).  was  born 
P^ebruary  26,  1870,  in  the  township  where  he  has  spent  ])ractically  all  of  his 
life.  He  is  the  son  of  Mr.  ami  Mrs.  Hem-y  iM-iesner.  .\fter  receiving  a 
good  common  school  education  m  the  school  of  his  neighborhooil,  he  con- 
tinued to  reside  with  his  jjarents  until  his  marriage,  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
three  years,  and  since  that  time  he  has  lived  on  part  of  the  old  home  tarni 
which  he  received  from  bis  father,  and,  with  the  exception  of  one  year  when 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  66l 

he  li\e(l  in  Greene  county,  this  state,  he  has  spent  his  entire  life  on  the  same 
farm.  He  is  a  practical  and  methodical  man  in  all  he  does  and  his  efforts 
ha\e  lieen  rewarded  by  a  fair  share  of  success.  He  knows  no  such  thing  as 
idleness  and  has  never  slackened  his  efforts  in  ortler  to  maintain  his  farm  at 
tile  hi,y;hest  possible  standard  of  cultivation  and  agricultural  excellence. 

Mr.  Friesner  was  married  in  1893  to  Gertrude  Richards,  of  Sac  county, 
and  to  this  union  have  been  Ijorn  four  children.  Viva,  Gladys,  Ruby  and 
Dorothy,  all  of  win. mi  are  under  the  parental  roof. 

Mr.  I'Viesner  has  always  identified  himself  with  the  Republican  party 
and,  l)ecause  of  his  recognized  ability,  his  party  has  called  upon  him  to  serve 
in  \arious  official  positions.  He  has  been  a  school  director  for  ten  vears  in 
his  tii\vn->hii),  and  is  now  ser\'ing  as  trustee  of  Coon  \'allev  township,  filling 
the  latter  position  with  eminent  satisfaction  to  his  fellow  citizens,  irrespec- 
tive of  party  affiliati(.)ns,  liecause  he  takes  an  active  interest  in  all  of  the 
duties  which  i>  a  part  of  this  important  office.  In  his  religious  relations  he 
and  his  faniil\-  are  all  loyal  memljers  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  ciiurch. 
Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen  and 
the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  His  actions  have  always  been  the  result 
of  careful  and  conscientious  thought  and  in  all  the  relations  of  life  he  has 
d<.)ne  his  full  duty.  He  is  acti\e  in  social  life  and  as  a  citizen  and  neighbor 
he  discharges  his  dut\-  in  a  manner  becoming  an  intelligent  American  citi- 
zen, and  has  earned  and  retains  the  good  will  and  regard  of  all  who  know 
him. 


AUGUST  BETTIN. 


The  German  immigrants  to  this  couiitr\'  ha\e  been  distinguished  above 
all  others  lor  iheir  thrift,  economy  aiul  pcrse\erance,  qualities  which  ha\e 
gained  for  them  success  almost  wilh(.iut  fail  in  whatever  situation  they  have 
been  placed  and  have  made  the  communities  settled  l.iy  them  prosperous  lie- 
yond  the  a\erage.  These  men  have  become  devoted  to  their  adopted  coun- 
tr}-  and  take  as  active  an  interest  ni  the  welfare  of  this  nation  as  they  did 
in  their  native  land,  .\niong  the  typical  German  citizens  of  Sac  county, 
Iowa,  a  man  widely  and  favorably  known  among  the  people  of  Clinton  town- 
shii),  and  much  beloved  for  his  excellent  character  is  August  Bettin,  who 
was  born  in  Germany  in  1853. 

August  l^ettin  was  reared  to  voung  manhood  in  his  n;itive  land,  his 
father    dving    while    he    was    voung,    after    which    his    mother.    Wilhelmina 


662  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

Bettiii,  came  to  .\nierica.  When  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age  his  mother 
and  lier  husljand  and  Mrs.  Ernestine  Kuhn.  a  sister  of  .\ugnst.  and  now  a 
resident  of  Benton  county.  Iowa,  came  to  America,  setthng  in  Lee  county, 
IHiiKiis,  in   1874,  where  his  mother  spent  the  rest  of  her  life. 

.Vugust  Bettin  married  in  Lee  county,  Ilhnois,  in  1876.  and  in  1884 
m(i\ed  to  Sac  county,  Ljwa,  and  rented  a  farm  for  the  first  three  years  after 
his  arrival  here.  He  then  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixtv  acres  in  section 
23,  Clinton  township,  for  which  he  paid  thirty-one  and  a  cpiarter  dollars  an 
acre,  and  to  this  original  ]iurchase  he  has  added  other  tracts  at  intervals  un- 
til he  is  now  the  owner  of  four  hundred  acres  in  this  township.  The  dates 
of  his  purchases  and  the  prices  paid  for  the  land  are  here  set  forth,  and  are 
especially  interesting  in  view  of  the  fact  that  the  land  has  increased  so  rap- 
idly in  value.  His  second  purchase  of  eighty  acres  in  1896  cost  him  forty- 
two  anrl  a  half  dollars  an  acre;  the  first  purchase  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  in  1901  was  bought  for  fifty-six  dollars  an  acre;  the  last  purchase  of 
forty  acres  in  igog,  necessitated  an  outlay  of  ninety  dollars  an  acre,  and  this 
gi\-es  him  a  total  of  four  hundred  and  fort\-  acres  of  fine  farming  land, 
which  today  is  easily  worth  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  an  acre.  He  now 
lias  three  sets  of  buildings  on  his  land  and  every  improvement  which  makes 
for  better  farming.  He  came  to  this  county  a  poor  man  and  is  now  one  of 
the  wealthiest  men  of  his  township,  and  has  only  one  regret,  namely,  that  he 
did  not  buy  more  land  when  it  was  cheap.  When  he  came  here  and  bought 
his  first  land  in  1887,  it  was  a  prairie  tract,  destitute  of  trees,  buildings  or 
any  improvements.  He  has  erected  the  buildings,  fenced  and  drained  the 
land,  set  out  orchards  and  jilanted  several  gro\es  of  trees.  He  raises  large 
crops  of  grain  and  feeds  most  of  it  to  his  live  stock,  marketing  at  least  twenty 
head  of  cattle  and  eighty  head  of  hogs  annually.  Mr.  Bettin  possesses  a 
keen  sense  of  humor  and  believes  in  e\'eryl)ody  enjoying  themselves.  He 
has  now  reached  a  position  where  he  is  able  to  take  life  easy  and  has  turned 
the  management  of  his  farms  over  to  his  .suns.  He  believes  in  providing 
well  for  his  children,  so  that  he  can  ha\e  them  near  him  in  his  later  days. 

Mr.  Bettin  was  married  in  1870,  in  Illinois,  to  Kate  Glein,  a  native  of 
("lerni.-my,  and  {•>  this  marriage  have  been  born  fcjur  daughters  and  four  sons, 
all  of  whom  are  living  and  are  useful  members  of  society:  Charles,  a  farmer 
-of  Boyer  Valley  townshi]);  Will,  a  farmer  of  Clinton  township,  this  county; 
Mrs.  Mary  Ogren.  of  this  townshi]^;  Mrs.  Emmie  Lentz,  of  Clinton  Valley 
township;  |obn  V...  who  li\es  in  Clinton  township;  Mrs.  Lizzie  Blass  of 
Boyer  N'alley  townshi]).  ruid  Vred  and  Caroline,  who  are  still  with  their 
oarents. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  663 

The  Democratic  part\-  has  claimed  Air.  Bettin's  vote  from  the  time  that 
he  cast  his  first  ballot,  and  he  has  never  seen  any  reason  why  he  should  vote 
for  the  principles  of  any  other  party.  The  members  of  his  family  are  all 
loyal  adherents  of  the  Reformed  German  church,  and  give  to  it  their  zealous 
support.  Mr.  Bettin  is  a  man  who  C(5ntributes  his  success  solely  to  the  fact 
that  he  has  wDrked  early  and  late  and  treated  his  neighliors  as  he  would 
have  them  treat  him.  In  other  words,  he  has  applied  the  Golden  Rule  to  his 
life  and,  as  a  result,  has  earned  the  warm  commendations  of  his  friends  and 
neighbors. 


CHRISTOPHER  M.  HOPKINS,  M.   D. 

In  (leh'ing  into  the  past  history  of  Sac  county,  it  is  found  that  in  the 
building-up  period  of  the  county's  growth  there  were  a  few  talented  profes- 
sional men  who  dex'oted  the  better  part  of  their  lives  in  behalf  of  their  fel- 
low men.  The  pioneer  physicians,  for  insta,nce,  were  men  of  hardihood  who 
braved  the  terrible  storms  and  ciild  of  the  severe  winters  to  alleviate  the 
sufferings  of  the  settlers  and  unselfishly  gave  of  the  best  that  they  were  able 
in  healing  the  sick  and  relieving  the  suffering.  Their  careers  in  the  main 
were  exemplar}-,  for  while  there  were  not  many  educated  medical  men  who 
ministered  to  the  sick  and  ill  during  this  earlier  period,  these  physicians 
were  men  of  energy  and  wide  experience  who  were  able  to  take  advantage 
of  the  opiiortunities  presented  for  the  exercise  of  business  talents  and  who 
had  the  good  fortune  to  amass  a  competence  aside  from  the  pecuniary  re- 
ward for  the  practice  of  their  profession,  which,  very  often,  was  of  small 
conse<|uence  in  comparison  with  the  labor  and  hardships  involved  in  prac- 
ticing in  a  new  ccjuntry. 

Dr.  Christopher  M.  Hopkins,  deceased,  was  a  notable  representative 
of  this  class  of  jiioneer  physicians,  antl  his  record  as  a  citizen  and  ]ihysician 
of  eminence  and  nicire  than  ordinary  attainments  is  thrice  wi.irth}-  of  repre- 
sentation in  this  volume,  dedicated  to  the  pioneers  long  since  departed  and 
about  whom  hangs  a  halo  of  honor  and  glory  for  the  noble  tasks  which  the\- 
accomplished  singlv  and  in  concert    for  the  redemption  of  a  wilderness. 

Doctor  Hopkins  was  born  in  the  \-ear  1853  on  a  farm  in  DeKalh  county, 
Illinois.  He  was  the  son  of  Thomas  M.  and  Julia  A.  Hopkins,  the  former  a 
native  of  Xew  York  and  the  latter  a  native  of  Missouri.  The  parents  were 
earlv  pioneer  settlers  in  Dc  Kalb  county. 

Christopher   M.    Hopkins  was   educated   in   the   ccnnmon   schools   of   his 


664  "^AC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

nati\e  C()unt\',  attended  the  nearl)\-  high  scliocil  and  entered  the  Chicago 
Medical  College,  it  being  early  decided  h}-  himself  and  his  ambitiuus  parents 
that  he  should  become  a  physician.  During  his  school  days  it  developed  that 
he  was  an  rqit  and  diligent  scholar,  who  imbibed  learning  easily,  so  it  was 
natural  that  his  career  should  thus  be  decided  for  him.  Later  de\elopments 
proved  the  wisdom  of  his  choice  in  seeking  to  become  a  member  of  the  oldest 
and  noljlest  of  all  professions.  After  his  graduation  from  the  Chicagu 
Medical  College,  he  iirst  essayed  the  practice  of  his  calling  in  the  town  of 
Lake  Citv,  Iowa,  whither  he  came  in  the  year  1876.  One  year  later,  in  1877. 
he  came  to  the  new  town  of  Wall  Lake  and  here  made  his  permanent  home. 
The  town  was  then  in  the  infancy  of  its  growth  and  of  necessit)-  the  xoung 
doctor  had  an  extensive  cuuntrx-  practice  among  the  farmers.  He  was  the 
earliest  pioneer  doctor  of  the  southern  portion  of  Sac  county  and  the  very 
tirst  physician  to  locate  in  Wall  Lake.  .\t  that  time  there  were  but  ver)-  few- 
houses  in  the  embryo  city,  but  it  had  great  expectations  for  growth  inasmuch 
as  the  railroad  had  just  entered  the  town  site. 

Doctor  Hopkins  practice<l  medicine  here  continuously  until  the  year 
1890,  when  he  remo\-ed  with  his  family  to  Omaha.  He  resided  in  the  me- 
tropolis for  three  \ears  fmly  and  then  returned  to  Wall  Lake.  For  some  tune 
his  evesight  had  been  failing  him  and  medical  treatment  received  in  Omaha 
had  failed  to  prevent  the  gradual  failure  of  his  powers  of  vision.  Conse- 
i|uentlv.  on  his  return  to  Wall  Lake  he  tlecided  to  ai^andon  his  practice  and 
thereupon  engaged  in  the  implement  and  machinery  business.  In  this  voca- 
tion he  achiexed  a  considerable  degree  of  marked  success.  It  is  not  often 
that  a  professional  man.  who  has  spent  the  best  years  of  his  life  in  the  prac- 
tice of  his  profession,  can,  on  the  attainment  of  middle  life,  abandon  his 
calling  and  enter  the  realms  of  business  and  achieve  success,  but  Doctor  Hop- 
kins was  one  of  those  individuals  who  were  endowed  with  unusual  talents 
which  enabled  him  to  succeed  in  spite  of  misfortune.  He  likewise  turned 
his  attention  to  land  investment.  Like  other  wise  men  in  his  time,  he  fore- 
saw the  inevitable  rise  in  land  values  and  in\ested  heavil\'  m  lands,  which  are 
still  held  bv  Mrs.  Hopkins  and  which  lia\e  steadily  increased  in  value  as  the 
years  have  passed.  He  left  an  estate  of  over  six  hundred  acres  of  good  land, 
the  greater  part  of  which  is  now  owned  by  his  widow.  The  demise  of  Chris- 
topher M.  Hopkins  occurred  on  June  i  i  ol   looi. 

Doctor  Hopkins'  wedded  life  began  June  _'n.  1877.  when  he  es])oused 
for  hi-  life  helpmeet  X'iola  Rexnolds.  who  surxives  him.  Mrs.  Hopkins  was 
boni  lune  0.  i8f,o,  at  Lake  Cit\ ,  Calhoun  countv ,  Iowa.  She  is  the  daughter 
of   lames  and  Olive  (Hutchinson)   Reynolds,  natives  of  Cass  county,  Michi- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  665 

gaii.  and  wlm  were  earh-  settlers  in  CalliDun  cnuntw  janies  Reynolds  was 
a  soldier  in  the  great  Rebelliun  and  ga\'e  his  life  in  defense  of  the  Union. 
He  enlisted  in  1861  as  a  soldier  in  the  Thirty-Sixth  Iowa  X'olunteer  In- 
fantry Regiment  and  died  at  Birtl's  I'oint.  Missouri,  in  1862.  Doctor  Hop- 
kins was  the  father  of  three  children,  as  follows :  Alice  K.,  a  graduate  of  the 
De  Kail)  State  Normal  School  and  who  resides  with  h.er  mother;  Roscoe  C, 
who  was  eilucated  in  the  Iowa  State  Uni\ersity  and  resides  at  home:  Julia, 
who  died  in  l^'ebruary.  iSq^,  at  the  age  of  seven  years. 

Mrs.  Hopkins,  with  lier  son  and  daughter,  resides  in  the  heautifid  home 
erected  1)_\'  her  husband  during  his  latter  _\'ears  in  Wall  Lake  and  carefully 
looks  after  the  interests  left  in  her  charge.  Her  home  is  the  abode  of  retine- 
ment  and  culture  and  she  is  active  in  church  work  and  social  affairs  and  is 
lo\'ed  and  resp.ected  bv  her  friends  and  neighbors,  as  was  her  talented  and 
lamented  husband,  whose  memor\-  is  rc\cred  by  those  who  knew  him  in  life. 

Doctor  Hopkins  was  a  Rei3ul)lican  in  politics;  he  served  two  terms  as 
coroner  of  his  count\-,  and  was  a  memljer  of  the  Missouri  \'alle}'  Medical 
Association  and  the  Iowa  .State  Medical  Association.  He  was  affiliated  with 
the  Presbyterian  church  and  assisted  in  the  building  and  organization  of  the 
Presbvterian  church  at  Wall  Lake,  to  which  he  was  a  liberal  donator.  He 
was  a  Mason,  ha\ing  taken  manv  degrees,  including  that  of  the  Knights 
Teiuplar  commandcry  at  Sac  City. 


CHARLES  W.   IRWl.X. 


The  life  story  of  every  successful  man  contains  a  lesson  which  in  itself 
is  an  inspiration.  \\'hile  each  man,  in  all  probabilit\',  works  out  his  destiny 
along  a  different  line  than  that  folbjwed  by  others,  the  summing  up  of  the 
aggregate  indicates  that  energy,  good  judgment,  native  ability  and  ambition 
are  the  principal  reifuisites  for  achievement.  This  is  taken  for  granted  by 
the  ])hilosophic  student  and  the  biographer  and  is  the  conclusion  which  has 
been  reached  by  a  stucl\'  of  the  life  records  of  many  men  of  consecjuence. 
However,  while  there  mav  he  a  similarit\'  in  the  successes  and  methods  em- 
pli.\eil  \>y  in(li\-iduals  in  general,  while  attaining  the  goal  as  they  are  engage<l 
in  the  same  vocation,  each  indi\idual  chronicle  brings  out  a  specific  lesson 
which  better  explains  the  character  of  the  man  and  proves  that  he  is  en- 
dowed with  a  distinctive  ability  somewhat  dift'erent  from  the  others.  In 
Charles   \\'.    Irwin,  agriculturist   and  banker,   recentl\-   of   Clinton   townshii). 


666  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

but  iiiiw  a  resident  uf  Sac  Lit}-,  we  hnd  emljudied  the  highest  essentials  of 
citizenship  and  progressive  abihty.  The  life  story  of  Mr.  Irwin  is  an  inter- 
esting one  and  is  a  presentation  of  what  can  be  accomplished  hv  the  indi- 
vidual who  steadily  sets  his  mind  to  the  attainment  of  a  certain  object  anfl 
accomplishes  results  which  are  gratifying  to  his  own  ambition  and  which  in 
the  doing  have  likewise  benefited  his  fellow  men. 

Charles  W.  Irwin  was  born  April  22,  1858,  on  a  farm  in  Mercer  county, 
Pennsyhania.  He  is  the  son  of  William  H.  and  Mary  (Waugh)  Irwin,  the 
former  a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and  the  latter  a  native  of  Ireland.  In  the 
year  1867  the  Irwin  family  removed  from  the  old  home  in  Pennsylvania  and 
located  in  Clinton  county,  Iowa.  The  children  are  as  follows:  George  A., 
deceased:  L.  E.  Irwin,  a  resident  of  Sac  City;  Charles  W. ;  Waller  D.,  a 
farmer  in  Wall  Lake  township;  Mrs.  Letta  M.  Vaughn,  of  Sioux  City; 
William  H.,  of  Clinton  township:  James  T.,  a  farmer  in  Boyer  Valley  town- 
ship; .\.  J.,  a  resident  of  Odebolt :  Mrs.  Eva  Jane  Davenport,  of  Richland 
township. 

L.  F,.  Irwin  was  the  first  member  of  the  family  to  come  to  Sac  county, 
locating  here  in  1878:  C.  W.  followed  two  years  later:  then  came  the  other 
members  of  the  family.  It  was  only  natural  that  the  parents  should  dispose 
of  their  holdings  in  Clinton  county  and  eventually  come  to  Sac  countv  for 
their  final  resting  place,  so  as  to  lie  near  their  children  and  grandchildren. 
In  1895  the\"  came  here  and  matle  their  residence  in  Odebolt,  where  William 
H.,  Sr.,  died  on  Deceml)er  Ji,  iQii.  The  mother  still  holds  her  home  in 
Odebolt.  but  resides  with  her  daughter  in  Sioux  City  the  greater  jjart  of 
the  time. 

Charles  W..  while  the  son  of  a  pioneer  settler  of  Clinton  county,  is  like- 
wise a  pioneer  him.self  in  Sac  county.  In  March  of  1880  he  came  to  Clinton 
townshiji  and  ]nirchased  eighty  acres  of  unbroken  prairie  land  at  five  dollars 
an  acre.  He  and  his  ])rother  L.  E.  farmed  their  lands  together  for  a  period 
of  ten  years,  bringing  it  up  to  a  good  state  of  cultivation  and  gradually 
adding  to  their  holdings  until  at  the  time  of  the  dissolution  of  their  part- 
nership in  i8go  each  received  two  hundred  acres  as  his  share  of  the  general 
holdings.  Each  brother  has  alike  prospered  and  both  are  large  landed  estate 
iKilders  at  the  present  time. 

.\t  the  present  time  Mr.  Irwin  has  over  eight  hundred  acres  of  the  best 
land  in  Sac  county.  There  are  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  his  home 
farm.  The  total  acreage  comprises  five  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Clinton 
townshi])  and  two  humlred  and  forty  acres  in  Boyer  A'alley  townshi]).  There 
are  four  sets  of  good  farm  buildings  on  his  land,     b'or  a  good  many  years 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  667 

]\Ir.  Irwin  has  been  a  large  stockman,  rarely  selling  the  products  of  his  farms, 
but  preferring  to  feed  the  grain  and  hay  into  live  stock  production  and  ship- 
ping his  cattle  and  hogs  to  the  markets  b\-  the  carload.  This  plan  of  farm- 
ing is  conceded  to  be  the  surest  way  of  insuring  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  and 
is  in  manv  respect  the  most  profitable  in  the  end.  Mr.  Irwin  makes  a  prac- 
tice (if  bu}ing  feeders  and  stockers  and  fattening  them  for  market.  He  dis- 
poses of  four  car  loads  of  cattle  from  his  home  farm  each  year.  His  total 
production  of  cattle  for  any  one  year  will  exceed  eight  carloads,  while  the 
total  profluction  of  hogs  will  reach  four  carloads. 

Mr.  Irwin  has  lieen  connected  with  the  State  Bank  of  Lake  View  since 
its  cirganization  and  is  at  present  a  director  of  the  bank;  he  has  also  been 
connected  with  the  Early  and  Gushing  banks.  He  has  always  taken  an 
active  and  interested  part  in  the  Sac  County  Fair  Association,  having  served 
as  a  directnr  since  191  i,  and  has  been  superintendent  iif  the  poultrv  de- 
jtartment  of  the  annual  county  fair  for  some  time.  Mr.  Irwin  has  the  dis- 
tinction .jf  lieing  one  of  the  pioneer  promoters  in  the  establishment  of  the 
first  mutual  telephone  line  systems  in  Sac  county.  In  1890  he  and  twenty 
other  citizens  organized  themsehes  into  the  first  independent  mutual  tele- 
phone ccini])an\-  in  Sac  county  and  since  that  time  the  mutual  companies 
have  multiplied  until  the  county  is  i)ractically  gridironed  with  telephone 
systems. 

In  October.  1882,  Charles  W.  Irwin  was  wedded  to  Sarah  C.  Crozer, 
who  was  liorn  on  May  6,  1858,  the  daughter  of  Reason  Crozer,  an  early  set- 
tler of  \\  all  Lake  township,  whose  wife  was  Hannah  Hawlev.  Reason 
Crozer  was  a  natixe  of  Columbiana  county,  Ohio,  the  son  of  Thomas  and 
Sarah  Crozer.  Reason  Crozer  was  born  August  22,  1830,  and  died  August 
25,  1896.  The  marriage  of  Airs.  Irwin's  uarents  occurred  in  Cedar  county, 
Iowa,  September  g,  1854.  Hannah  Hawley  Crozer  was  born  August  20, 
1835,  the  daughter  of  Caleb  and  Catharine  Hawley,  of  Stark  county,  Ohio, 
and  came  to  Cedar  county,  Iowa,  in  185 1  with  her  parents.  The  Crozer 
family  came  to  Sac  county  and  settled  in  W'all  Lake  township  in  1879.  The 
children  if  this  pioneer  family  were  as  follows:  James  Emmet,  deceased; 
Mrs.  -Sarah  Catharine  Irwin;  Orison  E.,  a  resident  of  Marengo,  Illinois; 
Louis,  of  Salem.  Oregon;  Charles,  of  Minnesota;  Thomas,  a  citizen  of  Cali- 
fornia; Edna,  deceased;  Albert,  in  P^awnee  Station,  Kansas;  Wilfred,  at 
Newberg,  Oregon. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Irwin  have  reared  five  sons  and  a  daughter,  as  follows: 
T\Trs.  b'dna  May  Davis,  residing  on  a  farm  in  Buyer  \"alley  township;  Jesse 


668  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

Lero}-.  a  fariiK-r  in  Clinlon  township;  George  R.,  Louis  E.,  Frank   D.  and 
Orla  E..  residents  of  Clinton  township. 

I'oHtically.  Mr.  Irwin  is  a  I'rogressiNe  RepuljHcan,  who  feels  that  the 
highest  principles  of  go\ernment  can  best  be  brought  about  by  placing  the 
best  and  airiest  men  in  office  and  the  enactment  of  wise  progressive  legisla- 
tion. His  influence  is  alwavs  found  nn  the  right  side  of  all  movements  hav- 
ing a  ten(!enc\-  to  bring  about  the  betterment  of  wrong  conditions.  He  is  a 
Mason  of  high  degree,  being  a  member  of  the  Lake  View  Lodge,  and  the 
chapter  and  commandery  at  Sac  City,  as  well  as  Za-Ga-Zig  Temple  of  Mys- 
tic Shriners  at  Des  Moines.  He  is  versatile,  well  read  and  broad  minded, 
and  liis  children  are  a  credit  to  themselves  and  their  parents  and  are  becom- 
ing valued  and  stable  members  of  the  community  through  the  wise  moral 
guidance  and  example  given  them  liy  their  father  and  mother.  Mr.  Irwin 
is  wi(iel\-  and  favorablv  known  throughout  Sac  count\'  for  his  liljerality  and 
progressiveness  and  his  energetic  interest  in  movements  having  a  pronounced 
intent  of  bettering  and  making  more  comfortable  the  lives  of  his  fellow  citi- 
zens in  this  prosperous  county.  Probably  no  citizen  of  the  county  has  a 
wider  circle  of  good  and  fast  friends  or  has  a  higher  standing  than  he  of 
A\honi  this  chronicle  is  written. 


HON.  ASA  B.  SMITH. 


Time  softens  and  mellows  a  tndy  nol)le  character,  and  as  the  fleeting 
years  speed  onward  fond  memories  of  the  halcyon  days  of  long  ago  cluster 
around  the  hearth  and  the  heart  expands  with  feelings  of  all  kindliness  and 
loving  thoughts  of  friends  and  children  whose  pattering  footste])s  have 
been  replaced  in  turn  b\'  the  children  of  the  second  generation,  .\round  the 
home  of  the  aged  L^nion  veteran  there  is  a  glorious  reminiscent  feeling  of 
the  long-agf)  days,  when  he  was  a  stalwart  and  brave  soldier.  Retrospec- 
tion brings  to  mind  the  thunder  of  the  cannon,  tlie  screaming  of  the  war 
eagle,  the  rattle  of  niuskctr\-,  and  strains  of  martial  music,  and  the  waving 
of  the  bright  and  lieautiful  battle  flags  in  whose  defense  thousands  of  brave 
Americans  fought  and  died.  This  is  the  glorious  side  ami  the  one  with 
which  the  \-ounger  generation  has  gained  familiarity  through  the  ])erusal  of 
the  pages  of  historw  There  is  another,  which  the  \eteran  can  tell  it  he 
will,  which  will  descrilje  the  shrieks  oi  the  wounded,  the  groans  of  the  dead 
and  the  dying,  the  weary,  forced  marches,  the  gallant  charges  in  the  face  of 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  6(X) 

a  flying  hail  of  Inillets,  the  terrible  exposure  and  the  deaths  from  disease, 
the  wails  and  sufferings  of  widows  and  orphans  and  all  the  terrible  after- 
math of  war  in  all  its  desolation.  Saddest  of  all,  is  the  fact  that  but  few; 
veterans  in  comparison  with  the  vast  army  which  passed  in  the  Great  Re- 
view at  the  close  of  the  Rebellion  in  1865  are  remaining.  One  bv  one  they 
are  traveling  onward  to  face  Him  who  will  judge  them  finally  as  to  their 
deeds  on  earth  and  assign  them  a  final  resting  place.  Memories  cluster 
around  the  home  of  .\sa  B.  Smith,  Union  \eteran  and  substantial  pioneer 
settler  in  Clinton  township.  Sac  covmty — memories  which  are  pleasant  and 
which  recall  the  deeds  done  in  a  long  and  useful  life, 'part  of  which  was  spent 
in  defense  of  his  country.  JNlemory  recalls  that  for  over  thirty-five  years 
he  has  resided  in  Sac  county,  and  served  the  people  faithfully  for  a  few 
years  during  that  period  in  the  halls  of  the  state  legislative  body. 

Asa  B.  Smith  was  born  January  27,  1841,  in  Morgan  county,  Ohio,  and 
is  the  .son  of  \Mlliam  and  Sarah  (  Beal )  Smith,  natives  of  Belmont  countv, 
Ohio.  The  mother  of  .\sa  B.  Smith  died  in  1848,  leaving  a  family  of  six 
children,  as  follows:  John  .\.,  a  resident  of  Dewitt,  Iowa;  Mary,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  eighteen  years:  Asa  B. ;  Mrs.  Sarah  E.  Mostiller,  of  Correc- 
tion\-i]le,  Iowa :  Mrs.  Edith  Thorne.  of  Dewitt,  Iowa :  William,  of  DeWitt, 
Iowa.  William  Smith  was  married,  after  the  death  of  his  first  wife,  to 
Mary  J.  Hill,  who  bore  him  seven  children,  as  follows:  Roliert  M.,  a  resi- 
dent of  Dewitt,  Iowa;  Thomas,  of  Lahari),  Ivansa?^:  Airs.  Xettie  Seifert,  of 
Page  county,  Iowa;  Rebecca,  deceased  in  Dewitt,  Iowa;  James,  of  Sioux 
City,  Iowa;  Frederick,  who  died  in  infanc}-;  Charles,  who  died  at  the  age 
of  seventeen  in  Dewitt.  Iowa. 

In  the  year  iNdj;  William- Snfith  renioxed  with  his  faniil\-  to  Clinton 
county,  Iowa.  During  his  later  years  he  made  his  residence  in  the  town  of 
Dewitt  and  there  died  July   14,   189Q. 

.\sa  B.  Smith  enlisted  .\ugnst  8,  1862,  at  McConnelsvillc,  Ohio,  in 
Conijiany  C,  Ninet\-se\enth  Ohi(.i  X'olunteer  Infantr\-  Regiment,  under  the 
command  of  Captain  Scott  and  later  of  Capt.  W.  P.  Gilly.  He  served 
throughout  the  war  and  until  June  10,  1865,  when  he  received  an  honorable 
discharge  from  the  service  and  was  mustered  out.  He  participated  in  the 
following  battles:  Perryx'ille,  Kentucky:  Stone  River,  Tennessee:  Missionary 
Ridge:  Rocky  Face  Mountain,  Gecjrgia;  Dalton,  Georgia;  Resaca,  Adairs- 
ville  and  Dallas,  Georgia ;  New  Hope  Church,  Georgia ;  Kenesaw  Mountain, 
first  and  second  assaults;  siege  of  Atlanta;  Lovejoy  Station,  Georgia:  Spring 
Hill.  Tennessee;  Franklin  and  Nashville,  Tennessee,  besides  a  number  of 
minor  engagements.     He  was  wounded  through  the  left  temple  at  the  battle 


670  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

of  Missionary  Ridge  and  was  confined  to  the  hospital  for  three  months. 
Altogether,  his  was  a  most  enviable  soldier's  record. 

Asa  B.  Smith  came  to  Clinton  connty  and  rejoined  his  i)arents  after 
the  close  of  the  war  and  there  resided  until  1878,  when  he  came  to  Sac 
county.  He  purchased  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  in  sections 
33,  32  and  28  in  Clinton  township  at  a  cost  of  five  dollars  and  fifty  cents  an 
acre.  There  were  no  improvements  on  this  land,  which  was  unbroken  prairie. 
During  his  first  season  he  erected  a  small  house  eighteen  by  twenty-eight 
feet  in  dimension  and  twelve  feet  in  height.  He  intended  this  building  for 
a  granary  until  he  could  erect  a  better  home,  which  he  eventually  succeeded 
in  doing.  This  estimable  gentleman  has  so  prospered  that  he  was  enabled 
to  give  outright  a  farm  of  eighty  acres  to  each  of  his  two  sons  and  a  daugh- 
ter. This  has  enabled  him  to  be  blessed  with  his  children  and  grandchildren 
near  him  all  the  time  and  enjoy  their  companionship. 

Mr.  Smith  was  married  in  1866  to  Xancy  E.  Mummey,  who  was  born 
in  Morgan  county,  Ohio,  in  1834,  a  daughter  of  Joshua  and  Catharine  Mum- 
mey. Joshua  Mummey  died  in  Ohio  and  the  mother  and  daughter  came 
overland  to  Clinton  county,  Iowa.  The  aged  mother  died  at  the  home  of 
her  daughter  in  1894.  at  the  extreme  age  of  ninety-nine  years,  eight  months 
and  twenty-two  days.  Joshua  Mummey  was  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812. 
It  is  also  well  to  record  here  that  John  Clancey,  the  great-grandfather  of 
Asa  B.  Smith  and  one  of  his  maternal  ancest(jrs.  fought  in  the  .\nierican 
war  for  independence.  It  is  recorded  in  the  government  archi\es  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  that  he  enlisted  in  the  Continental  army  March  23,  1777,  and 
served  until  peace  was  finally  declared.  He  enlisted  at  Logtown,  in  the  state 
of  Maryland  and  served  under  Capt.  Levine  Winder  and  Capt.  John  Stone. 
John  Clancey  took  part  in  the  following  historic  engagements :  Staten  Island, 
Brandywine.  battle  of  Germantown,  battles  of  Stony  Point  and  Paulus  Hook. 
He  was  the  father  of  Mrs.  Beal,  grandmother  of  Asa  B.  Smith. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  have  been  born  three  children,  naniel)  ■.  Charles 
Howard  Smith,  a  farmer  of  Clinton  township ;  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Chandler,  of 
Brooklyn,  New  York,  the  wife  of  Rev.  Sydney  Chandler,  a  former  dean  of 
Morningside  College;  Harland  A.,  a  resident  of  Malacca,  Minnesota. 

Mr.  Smith  has  been  a  life-long  Republican.  He  was  elected  representa- 
tive from  Sac  county  in  the  fall  of  1899  and  served  one  term  in  the  State 
Assembly.  He  and  his  wife  are  stanch  members  of  the  Methodist  church 
and  are  devout  Christian  peoi)le,  who  have  reared  their  childern  to  respect 
both  man  and  God.  He  values  highly  his  membership  as  a  comrade  of 
Goodrich  Post,  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  and  belongs  to  no  other  frater- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  bjl 

nal  organizations.  During  his  long  life  his  home  has  been  his  lodge  and 
club  room  and  he  has  enjoyed  the  companionship  and  faithful  assistance 
of  the  truly  nolile  woman  who  is  his  wife  and  helpmeet.  Asa  B.  Smith  is 
one  of  the  grand  old  men  of  Sac  county,  who  will  live  always  in  the  hearts 
and  minds  of  those  who  know  him  best  and  who  have  become  familiar  with 
his  manly  qualities  and  his  just  and  upright  methods  of  conducting  his  busi- 
ness afifairs.  This  memoir  is  fittingly  intended  as  a  just  and  deserving  trib- 
ute to  this  soldier  pioneer  and  it  is  intended  as  a  valuable  memento  to  be 
treasured  by  his  children  and  descendants  in  the  years  to  come  and  to  be 
read  and  appreciated  liy  his  many  lifelong  friends  in  Sac  county. 


JACOB  BUEHLER. 


Among  the  German  residents  of  this  coimty  of  a  past  generation,  who 
entered  largely  into  the  life  of  this  county,  is  the  late  Jacob  Buehler,  of  Ode- 
bolt,  Sac  county,  Iowa.  He  is  ,a  typical  example  of  the  ambitious  young 
sons  of  Germany  who  came  to  this  country  before  the  Civil  War  with  nothing 
but  their  own  hands  and  willing  hearts  for  their  capital,  and  by  their  own 
thrift  and  frugalit\-  became  prosperous  citizens  of  this  commonwealth 
wherever  they  chose  to  settle. 

Jacob  Buehler  was  born  in  Wurtemberg,  Germany,  October  25,  1835, 
and  died  in  Odebolt,  Iowa,  March  21,  1907.  He  was  a  son  of  Jacob  and 
Mary  Katherine  Buehler,  who  came  to  America  in  1855,  settling  in  Lake 
county,  Indiana,  when  Jacol)  was  only  twenty  years  of  age.  In  i8fi6  Jacob 
Buehler  married  Eliza  Einspahr,  a  native  of  Germany  and  the  daughter  of 
Frederick  and  Katherine  Einspahr.  Pier  parents  came  to  America  in  the 
spring  of  1853  and  settled  in  Lake  county,  Indiana. 

In  1872  Jacob  Buehler  and  his  wife  left  Lake  county.  Indiana,  and, 
going  to  Iowa,  located  in  Sac  county,  where  they  bought  two  hundred  acres 
of  land  in  Richland  township,  for  which  they  paid  only  four  dollars  an  acre. 
Thev  prospered,  as  all  the  German  settlers  have,  and  added  to  their  original 
purchase  from  time  to  time  until  they  owned  four  hundred  and  eighty  acres 
in  this  county. 

Jacob  Buehler  and  wife  were  the  parents  of  eight  children:  John,  who 
now  lives  in  California,  is  married  and  is  the  father  of  two  children,  Lyle 
and  an  unnamed  infant :  Jacob,  a  farmer  of  Richland  township,  this  county, 
who  is  married  and  has  two  children,  Lillian  and  Orville;  Mrs.  Emma  Sproul, 


672  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

who  also  is  a  resident  of  California;  William,  a  farmer  of  this  township, 
who  has  eight  children,  Florence,  Verne,  Lucetta,  Emmett,  Gladys,  John, 
Katherine  and  Ellen;  Emil.  who  resides  in  California,  married  and  has  one 
son,  George;  Katherine,  who  is  now  living  with  her  mother,  Mrs.  Eliza 
Buehler;  Mrs.  Florence  Hartley,  of  Battle  Creek,  Iowa,  who  has  one  daugh- 
ter, Frances  Elise;  Benjamin,  who  lives  on  the  home  place,  is  married  and 
has  three  children,  Ruth,  Robert  and  Benjamin.  Three  of  these  sons,  Ben- 
jamin, Jacol)  and  William,  are  represented  In-  l)ini;raphies  elsewhere  in  this 
volume. 

Jacob  Buehler  was  a  Republican  in  his  politics,  but  his  large  landed  inter- 
ests kept  him  so  busy  that  he  was  not  able  to  take  an  active  part  in  public 
affairs.  He  and  his  wife  were  loyal  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  and  rendered  it  their  earnest  and  zealous  support  at  all  times.  He 
was  a  man  who  tried  to  do  his  duty  day  by  day  as  he  saw  it.  During  his  life 
in  this  county  no  action  of  his  e\'er  alienated  the  confidence  of  his  friends 
and  neighbors.  He  died  as  he  has  always  lived,  a  man  who  was  faithful 
to  his  fellow  men,  to  his  home  and  to  his  God. 


HENRY  CLARK  ROBINSON. 

The  lives  of  great  men  do  n.ot  go  out,  they  go  on,  anel  tliis  statement  is 
true  of  the  late  Henr\  Clark  Robinson,  who,  for  many  years,  occupied  a 
prominent  place  in  the  historv  of  (_lintiin  township,  Sac  count}',  Inwa.  He 
was  a-man  whom  it  was  a  pleasure  to  meet,  and  in  all  the  affairs  of  life  he  so 
conducted  himself  that  he  left  Ijehind  a  record  which  was  free  from  blame. 
He  came  to  this  coimty  with  practically  nothing,  but  he  and  his  g(jod  wife 
wiirked  faithfully  until,  in  t!ie  course  of  years,  they  ac(|uire(l  a  comfortable 
home  and  extensive  farming  interests.  Such  men  are  a  blessing  to  the  com- 
munity in  which  tliej'  live,  and  with  bis  death  there  passed  from  his  county  a 
man  wIkj  never  failed  ti)  do  bis  duty  as  he  saw  it. 

Henrv  Clark  Robinson  was  born  Ala\-  1,^,  1848,  in  Lee  cnunt\',  Illinois, 
and  died  on  his  farm  in  Wlieeler  tinvnslii|\  Sac  county,  Iowa,  February  18, 
1912.  He  was  the  son  nf  William  Clark  and  Harriett  Matilda  (Hansen) 
Robinson,  natives  of  Penns)'lvania  and  Maine,  respectively.  William  C.  Rob- 
insDU  and  wife  were  the  ])arents  of  the  following  children:  George  \\'.  and 
Georgiana,  twins,  deceased ;  Mrs.  Sophia  Lehman,  of  Valesca,  Iowa,  and 
Henrv  Clark,  whose  history  forms  the  theme  of  this  narrative. 


2 

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SAC    COUNTY.    KJWA.  673 

Henry  Clark  Roljinsoii  received  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his  home 
county,  and  li\'ed  with  liis  parents  until  his  marriage,  which  event  occurred 
on  New  Year's  day,  1874,  when  he  was  united  to  Jeannette  Spiller,  the  daugh-, 
ter  of  Truman  and  Laura  (Peaslee)  Spiller,  who  were  natives  of  New 
Hampshire,  and  came  to  Lee  county.  Illinois,  in  about  1864.  The  mother 
died  in  New  Ham])shire,  and  the  father  in  Lee  count}',  Illinois.  JNlr.  and 
Mrs.  Spiller  were  the  parents  of  six  children :  Charles,  deceased :  Willis,  of 
Belvidere,  Ogle  county,  Illinois;  Arthur,  deceased;  Mrs.  Mary  Robinson,  of 
Belmont,  Iowa;  Jeannette,  wife  of  Henry  C.  Robinson,  and  Nathan,  of 
C^deholt,  Iowa. 

In  1878  Henry  C.  Ro!)inson  and  family  came  to  Sac  county,  and  in 
Alarcli  of  that  year  bought  eighty  acres  of  prairie  land  in  Clinton  township. 
^Vhile  building  their  house,  which  was  to  be  sixteen  by  fourteen  feet,  they 
li\ed  in  a  hastily  constructed  shack  \\-hich  was  only  eight  by  sixteen  feet.  Six 
years  later  they  were  able  to  build  a  larger  house  with  much  better  conven- 
iences. When  they  came  to  this  township,  in  1878,  geese  and  ducks  were 
flying  overhead  and  other  game  was  ])lentiful,  and  Mr.  Robinson  ciften  went 
out  and  killed  wild  game  fur  the  table.  In  'Slay.  1803,  Mr.  Robins(.in  bnught 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Wheeler  township,  at  a  cost  of  forty 
dollars  an  acre.  His  land  !iad  no  im]iro\'ements  u]Jon  it  at  that  time,  but  they 
built  a  house  and  constructed  barns  and  other  outbuiklings  and  lived  here  for 
the  next  eighteen  years.  In  1901)  Mr.  Robinson  sold  eighty  acres  and  in  tlie 
same  year  bought  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Richland  township,  on 
which  Olden  C,  one  of  his  sons,  is  now  living. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  C  Robinson  were  the  ])arents  of  five  children: 
Mrs.  Harriet  Matilda  Perry,  oi  Wheeler  township,  this  countw  wlm  has  three 
children,  Henry  George,  Llden  Wilbur  and  Evelyn  Hojie ;  Olden  C,  a  farmer 
of  Richland  township,  now  living  on  the  old  homestead  farm ;  Roscoe,  a  suc- 
cessful farmer  of  S])encer.  Iowa,  wiio  is  married  and  has  four  children, 
Roscoe  Wayne,  Esther  Florence,  Mary  Helen  and  Henry  Clark ;  Elmer,  a 
garage  man  at  Spencer,  Iowa;  and  Mary  Ellen,  the  wife  of  James  Preston 
Pilount,  of  Wheeler  township,  this  county,  has  one  child,  Bessie  Jeannette. 

]\!r.  Roljinson  was  a  Republican  in  politics,  Init  never  felt  inclined  to 
participate  in  political  affairs.  However,  he  was  a  well-informed  man  upon 
the  current  issues  of  the  day  and  was  able  to  "discuss  them  intelligentl}-.  He 
and  his  wife  were  loyal  attendants  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and 
subscribed  to  the  support  of  that  denomination.  His  death  removed  from  Sac 
count\-  one  of  her  sulistantial  and  highh-  esteemed  citizens,  and  the  m,'m\-  kind 
(42) 


674  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

words  which  were  spoken  of  him  at  that  time  attested  to  the  abiding  place 
wliich  lie  liatl  in  the  hearts  and  affections  of  those  who  knew  him.  The  death 
of  sucli  a  man  is  a  great  loss,  not  only  to  his  immediate  family,  but  to  his 
neighbors  with  whom  he  had  lived  and  labored  for  so  many  years.  He  left  to 
his  family  the  rich  memory  of  an  unstained  name  and  to  his  county  he  left 
a  record  of  a  long  and  well  spent  life. 


THOMAS  OUIRK. 


There  are  as  many  as  a  score  oi  foreign  countries  who  have  contributed 
to  the  present  citizenship  of  Sac  county,  Iowa,  but  it  is  probable  that  there 
are  only  a  few  men  in  the  count)'  who  were  born  on  the  isle  of  Man,  which 
is  located  off  the  western  coast  of  England.  From  this  little  isle  came  a 
young  man  about  fifty  years  ago  who  is  now  a  prosperous  retired  farmer 
of  this  county,  a  man  who  has  made  his  fortune  in  the  fertile  fields  (if  this 
county. 

Thomas  Quirk,  a  retired  fariuer  of  I.evey  township,  this  coiuit\',  was 
born  in  1844,  on  the  isle  of  Man,  England,  and  was  a  son  of  Thomas  and 
Elinor  Quirk.  His  people  were  farmers  and  lived  all  of  their  lives  in  the 
island  of  their  birth.  In  this  small  island  Thomas  Quirk  received  his  educa- 
tion, which  was  very  linuted,  and  when  twenty  years  of  age  he  went  across 
to  Liverpool,  England.  He  returned  home,  and  remained  there  until  his 
marriage,  at  the  age  of  twenty-two,  in  Liverpool,  and  then  sailed  for  Xew 
York. 

Thomas  Quirk  was  married  in  Liverpool.  England,  in  1870  to  Alary 
Cain,  also  a  native  of  the  isle  of  Man,  and  immediately  the  young  Ijridal 
cou])le  took  passage  for  America,  landing  at  Halifax  in  March,  1870,  They 
had  very  little  money,  but  they  bad  stout  hearts  and  willing  hands,  and  with 
these  assets,  they  felt  confident  of  making  a  home  for  themselves  in  this 
country.  They  immediately  came  west  to  Daxenport.  Iowa,  arriving  here 
on  April  i,  1870,  and  soon  afterward  took  charge  of  a  farm  in  Clinton 
countv,  Iowa,  on  the  shares.  They  lived  on  this  place  for  six  years,  after 
which,  in  1876,  they  bought  railroad  land  in  Sac  county.  Clinton  townshij). 
They  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  section  35,  for  five  dollars  an 
acre,  paying  one-fifth  down  and  providing  for  the  remaining  payments  with 
time  contracts.  Since  there  were  no  buildings  on  their  land  they  lived  on  an 
adjoining  farm,  which  they  rented    for  a  year.      Not  liking  the  first   farm 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  675 

which  he  purchased,  he  Ijought  another  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres, 
where  he  now  Hves  and  on  which  he  l)nih  his  home.  They  worked  hard  and 
were  frugal  in  their  habits,  with  the  resuh  that  in  the  course  of  a  few  years 
they  had  tlieir  farms  of  two  hundred  and  eighty  acres  all  paid  for.  They 
ha\'e  lived  on  their  present  farm  for  the  past  thirty-seven  years,  and  have 
seen  it  increase  in  value  from  hve  dollars  an  acre  to  two  hundred  dollars 
an  acre. 

Mr.  and  .Mrs.  Uuirk  are  the  parents  of  three  children:  L.ewis  T.,  whose 
history  is  presented  elsewhere  in  this  volume ;  Mrs.  Mary  McWilliams,  and 
George  \\^,  of  Cook  township,  this  count}'.  A  brother  of  Mr.  Quirk  came 
to  Sac  county  in  1876.  and  has  become  a  jjrosperous  farmer  in  this  county. 
Mr.  Quirk  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  h'ree  and  .\ccepted  Masons  at  Wall 
Lake,  while,  religiouslv,  he  and  his  wife  are  loyal  and  faithfvd  members  oi 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  gi\-e  to  it  their  earnest  support  at  all 
times.  Owing  to  his  splendid  success,  his  genuine  worth  and  genial  disposi- 
tion, Mr.  Quirk  has  won  many  friends  and  has  retained  them  because  of 
his  man\'  good  (pialities.  His  life  has  been  a  busy  one,  a  life  Idled  with  hard 
Wf-irk,  Ijut  he  has  ne\-er  shrank  from  his  duties  as  a  citizen,  his  obligations  to 
the  church,  hi^  neighbors  or  his  friends. 


CARL  A.  OLDSEN. 


Of  late  years  farming  has  come  to  be  recognized  as  a  science  and  a 
distinct  vocation  in  itself  in  contrast  to  the  old,  haphazard  methods  in  which 
our  fathers  indulged.  The  progressive  farmer  of  today  takes  no  chances  on 
the  possible  failure  of  his  land  to  produce  as  it  should  and  nowadays  the 
younger  generation  of  agriculturists  are  fast  taking  up  the  vocation  as  a 
science  and  a  sure  and  certain  means  of  extracting  more  than  a  livelihood 
from  their  acreage.  The  old  methods  are  going  fast  and  a  newer  and  wiser 
set  are  gaining  control  of  the  farming  areas.  The  science  of  agriculture  and 
animal  husbandry  as  taught  in  the  colleges  and  state  universities  has  at- 
tracted many  voung  students,  who  have  gone  direct  from  the  farms  and  re- 
turned after  having  studied  their  inherited  occupation  from  a  different  an- 
gle; then  applied  the  knowledge  they  have  learned  in  connection  with  a 
practical  aptitude  for  the  work  and  have  made  wonderful  successes  in  tilling 
the  soil  and  the  breeding  of  domestic  animals. 

One  of  the  notable  examples  of  success  in  farming  and  live  stock  raising 


676  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

from  a  scientific  standpoint  is  represented  in  the  career  of  Carl  A.  Oldsen. 
of  Clinton  township.  Mr.  Oldsen  is  a  widely  known  live-stock  breeder.  He 
has  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  of  which  he  is  the  owner,  and 
cultivates  eighty  acres  in  addition  to  this.  There  is  no  better  equipped  farm 
for  the  purpose  in  Sac  county.  The  barns  and  outbuildings  are  large  and 
well  kept.  In  1912  Mr.  Oldsen  erected  a  fine,  modern  home  with  every 
convenience,  consisting  of  ten  rooms  in  all :  this  home  occupies  a  command- 
ing site  and  is  visible  for  miles  across  the  landscape. 

Mr.  Oldsen  is  a  successful  breeder  of  registered  Shorthorn  cattle.  It  is 
in  this  special  vocation  that  his  training  at  the  State  Agricultural  School 
stands  him  in  good  stead  and  he  has  achieved  a  wonderful  success  in  the  few 
years  that  he  has  been  breeding  cattle  for  the  trade  and  for  the  use  of  neigh- 
boring farmers  in  improving  their  herds.  The  farm  produces  forty  head 
of  pure  bred  Shorthorns  annually.  This  is  a  profitable  business  for  the 
breeder  and  it  is  a  matter  of  note  that  on  December  10.  1913.  Air.  Oklsen 
held  a  sale  at  his  farm  wlTich  was  attended  by  l:)U}-ers  from  all  parts  of  the 
state,  resulting  in  the  disposal  of  thirty-eight  head  of  registered  stock  at  an 
average  price  of  one  hundred  and  eighty-two  dollars  per  head. 

C.  A.  Oldsen  was  born  April  20,  1881.  on  the  farm  where  he  now  re- 
sides. He  is  the  son  of  John  D.  Oldsen.  of  whom  extended  and  favorable 
mention  is  given  in  this  volume  and  who  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of 
Sac  county.  John  D.  Oldsen  is  a  native  of  Germany,  who  came  to  .Vmerica 
when  eighteen  years  of  age,  locating  in  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  in  1873.  He 
bought  land  in  Clinton  township.  Sac  county,  in  1875  '^"''  kiter  moved  his 
family  there.  He  became  the  owner  of  four  hundred  acres  of  land  and 
moved  to  the  town  of  Wall  Lake  in  1906.  He  married  .\nna  Peterson, 
also  a  native  of  Germany,  and  who  bore  him  four  children,  nameh- :  Mrs. 
?o])liia  Tadsen.  of  Clinton  township;  Carl  .\. :  Airs.  Agnes  Jensen,  residing 
on  a  farm  three  miles  west  of  Sac  Cit\",  and  ]\la\linda.  at  lionie  with  her 
parents. 

Carl  A.  Oldsen  received  his  priiuary  education  in  the  district  scliools 
of  his  native  township  and  pursued  a  course  in  the  Agricultural  College  at 
Ames,  Iowa,  completing  the  course  in  animal  husbandry  in  1903  after  four 
years'  study  in  all.  His  success  as  a  farmer  and  stock  lireeder  is  very  pro- 
nounced and  is  (hic  in  great  part  to  the  intimate  knowledge  of  his  work 
which  he  obtained  in  the  state  college.  He  is  a  member  of  the  American 
Shorthorn  Breeders'  Association  and  the  Iowa  Shorthorn  Breeders'  Asso- 
ciation. 

Mr.  Oldsen  was  married  in  January,  1906,  to  Lulu  J.  Sutton,  of  Ode- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  677 

holt.  Iowa,  a  daughter  of  WilHam  Sutton.     He  is  the  father  of  one  child, 
P'aul  Oldsen,  born  in  April,  1908. 

Mr.  Oldsen,  like  many  other  young  men  of  the  present  day  in  Sac 
Cdunty,  has  allied  himself  with  the  Progressive  party  and  is  an  exponent  of 
and  a  firm  believer  in  progressive  principles  of  government.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Masonic  lodge  in  the  town  of  Wall  Lake.  He  is  undoubtedly  one 
of  the  rising  young  men  of  Sac  county,  possessing  intelligence  and  education 
which,  combined  with  an  innate  courtesy  of  demeanor  and  bearing,  makes 
him  a  man  \v(irth  while  and  worth  knowing  in  the  community. 


WILLIAM  L.  UMBARGER. 

Among  the  younger  farmers  of  Sac  county  who  are  forging  themselves 
to  the  front  as  successful  agriculturists  is  William  L.  Umbarger,  of  Rich- 
land township,  who  was  born  May  23,  1879,  on  the  farm  where  he  now 
resides,  and  is  the  son  of  Nathaniel  Brown  and  Mary  A.  (Brown)  Umbar- 
ger. Nathaniel  Brown  Umbarger  was  born  January  4,  1845,  in  Wythesville, 
Wythe  county.  A'irginia,  and  died  October  26,  191 1.  He  was  the  second 
son  of  Stephen  Uml larger,  who  enlisted  in  the  Union  army  and  was  captured 
and  iniprisijued  at  Andersonville,  where  he  died  in  the  spring  of  1865.  His 
son,  Nathaniel  B..  the  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  drafted  in 
1S6-I.  by  the  Southern  recruiting  officers  and  compelled  to  serve  in  the  Con- 
federate army.  He  was  assigned  to  Company  B,  Thirtieth  Regiment  Vir- 
ginia Infantr}-,  and  fought  under  Gen.  Jubal  A.  Early.  He  was  captured  at 
the  battle  of  Newmarket  and  imprisoned  at  Elmira,  New  York,  where  he 
remained  until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  then  took  advantage  of  free  gov- 
ernment transportation  and  came  westward  to  Iowa  to  visit  an  uncle  by  the 
name  of  Kegley,  and,  after  looking  over  the  territor\-  in  the  eastern  part  of 
Iowa,  he  decided  to  invest  and  accordingly  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  in  Jones  county.  He  then  returned  to  X'irginia  and  in  March,  1868. 
married  Mary  Agnes  Brown.  He  and  his  wife  immediately  came  to  Iowa 
and  located  at  Monmouth,  Jackson  county,  and  in  1873  they  moved  to  Sac 
county,  where  they  bought  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Richland 
township,  where  they  lived  for  the  next  thirty-two  years,  and  became  the 
owner  of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land.  In  1906  they  moved  to 
Odebolt,  where  Mr.  Umbarger  died  in  191 1.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nathaniel  Um- 
barger were  the  parents  of  seven  children  :     A  daughter  who  died  in  infancy: 


678  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Samuel  Stephen,  who  died  at  the  age  of  thirteen;  James  Francis,  who  hves 
at  Ringsted,  Iowa;  WiUiam  L..  whose  hte  history  is  here  presented;  Clara 
L.,  of  Odelxilt;  Mrs.  Florence  L.  Norris,  who  resides  in  Oelwein.  Fayette 
count}-,  this  state,  and  .\rthur  G..  of  Moline,  Illinois.  Nathaniel  B.  Um- 
l)arger  was  an  elder  in  the  Pre,s1)yterian  church  and  a  great  believer  in  the 
work  which  was  accomplished  by  the  church.  Fraternally,  he  Was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  -Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons.  He  had  been  a  prominent 
man  in  the  affairs  of  his  township  since  its  organization,  and  was  one  of  the 
leading  citizens  at  the  time  it  was  organized.  He  died  in  the  hospital  at  Ida 
Grove,  Ida  county,  on  October  26,  191 1.    His  widow  is  still  living  in  Odebolt. 

William  L.  Umbarger  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  of  his  town- 
ship and  later  graduated  from  the  Odebolt  high  school.  He  has  lived  on 
his  present  farm  since  he  was  born,  and  now  has  one  of  the  most  attractive 
farms  in  the  county.  He  was  married  May  23,  igo6,  to  Mabel  Smith,  daugh- 
ter of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Smith,  of  Oelwein,  Iowa,  and  to  this  marriage 
have  been  jjorn  three  children:  Helen,  deceased;  Alice,  born  June  25,  191 1. 
and  James  William,  born  March  12,  1914. 

Politically,  Mr.  Umbarger  is  a  Republican,  but  his  farming  interests 
have  demanded  so  much  of  his  time  and  attention  that  he  has  not  taken  an 
active  part  in  political  affairs.  He  and  his  wife  are  zealous  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  and  to  this  denomination .  they  contribute  liberally  of 
their  time  and  substance. 


SEBASTIAN  BUEHLER. 

Although  Sebastian  Buehler  has  been  called  to  another  field  of  action 
beyond  this  vale  of  shadows,  yet  his  memory  is  fresh  in  the  minds  of  his 
many  friends  of  Sac  county,  who  were  the  recipients  of  his  pleasant  greet- 
ings and  valued  friendship  during  his  life  time.  He  was  one  of  the  large 
number  of  Germans  who  have  come  to  this  county  and  Ijeen  important  factors 
in  developing  the  county  and  bringing  it  to  its  present  prosperous  condition. 
He  believed  in  lending  whatever  aid  he  could  in  pushing  forward  the  cause 
of  civilization  and  at  his  death  the  county  lost  a  man  who  never  shirked  his 
duty  as  a  citizen  of  the  commonwealth.  Additional  honor  is  due  him  be- 
cause of  the  fact  that  he  served  in  that  long  and  bloody  struggle  which  was 
necessary  in  order  that  ibe  Stars  and  Stripes  should  float  fr(]ni  the  (ireat 
Lakes  to  the  Gulf.  Although  he  was  a  mere  lad  of  sixteen  when  he  enlisted, 
Tie  served  throughout  the  whole  four  years  of  the  war,  and  the  exposure  to 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  679 

whicli  he  was  subjected  during  that  struggle  left  him  in  such  physical  condi- 
tion that  he  was  never  in  good  health  again. 

Sebastian  Buehler,  the  son  of  Jacob  and  Alary  Katherine  Buehler,  was 
born  in  Wurtemberg,  Germany,  March  30,  1845.  He  came  with  his  parents 
to  America  when  he  was  ten  years  of  age  and  settled  in  Lake  county,  Indi- 
ana. His  parents  were  still  living  here  in  1861  and,  although  he  was  a  mere 
lad  of  sixteen,  he  proffered  his  services  for  the  support  of  his  adopted 
count}'  and  enlisted  in  the  Twenty-fourth  Regiment  Indiana  Volunteer 
Infantr\'  on  September  28,  1861,  being  mustered  in  at  Indianapolis,  Indiana, 
on  October  22,  1862,  as  a  private  in  the  Twenty-fourth  Cavalry  under  the 
leadership  of  Capt.  J.  A.  Sims.  His  battery  was  assigned  to  the  First 
Brigade  of  the  Twenty-third  Corps,  and  was  attached  to  the  Army  of  the 
Ohio.  He  was  taken  sick  near  Glasgow,  Kentucky,  on  March  of  the  next 
year  and  was  in  the  hospital  for  twenty-nine  days,  and  was  then  removed  to 
Louisville,  Kentucky,  and  placed  in  Hospital  No.  7  for  thirty-four  days, 
after  which  he  was  taken  to  Indiana  and  placed  in  the  hospital  and  upon 
his  recovery  was  transferred  to  the  Invalid  Corps  and  sent  to  Washington, 
D.  C,  for  detailed  duty.  He  served  at  Washington  until  May,  1864,  when 
his  company  was  transferred  to  Company  K,  Twelfth  Regiment  of  Veteran 
Reserve  Corps,  and  served  with  this  corps  until  his  discharge  July  27,  1865. 

Mr.  Buehler  returned  to  his  home  at  the  close  of  the  war,  a  veteran  in 
service,  but  a  youth  of  twenty  years,  who  had  actually  spent  his  boyhood 
days  serving  his  country.  Sebastian  Buehler  was  married  in  Chicago  on 
March  17,  1869,  to  Mary  Obrecht,  who  was  born  August  8,  1845,  i"  New 
York  state.  Her  parents,  Jacob  and  Louisa  Obrecht,  were  natives  of  Alsace- 
Loraine.  Germany,  who  came  to  America  in  the  early  forties.  In  1852  the 
Obrecht  family  moved  to  Lake  county,  Indiana,  where  the  mother  died,  and 
in  1872  her  father  moved  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  where  his  death  occurred. 

In  July,  1871,  Sebastian  Buehler  and  his  wife  arrived  in  Sac  county, 
Iowa,  and  bought  two  hundred  acres  of  land  in  Richland  township,  at  four 
dollars  an  acre.  Mr.  Buehler's  brother-in-law,  O.  Rudolph,  accompanied 
him,  and  the  two  were  the  first  settlers  in  Richland  township.  Mr.  Rudolph 
was  later  caught  in  a  blizzard  in  Ida  county,  Iowa,  and  some  years  later  died 
in  Indiana,  as  a  result  of  the  terriiic  exposure  to  which  he  had  been  sub- 
jected in  the  storm.  Although  Mr.  Buehler  was  not  in  good  health,  due  to 
his  exposure  during  the  Civil  War,  yet  he  prospered  and  from  time  to  time 
added  to  his  land  holdings  until  at  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  the  owner 
of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  well  improved  land  in  this  township, 
and  there  is  now  a  total  of  four  hundred  acres  in  the  estate. 


68o  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sebastian  Buehler  were  the  parents  of  nine  children,  six 
of  whom  are  living:  Henry,  who  is  a  farmer  of  Richland  township,  this 
county,  is  married  and  has  three  children,  Louise,  Mildred  and  Dorothy; 
Mrs.  Julia  Kuehl.  who  lives  in  Heron  Lake.  Minnesota,  has  six  children, 
Alfred,  Alice,  Leonard,  Everett,  Raymond  and  Elsa ;  Mrs.  Emma  Hix,  a 
resident  of  Richland  township,  this  county,  has  two  sons,  Warren  and 
George;  Sebastian,  who  is  married  and  lives  on  the  old  home  place  in  Rich- 
land township,  is  the  father  of  two  children,  Mary  and  Fern;  Mrs.  Anna 
Hix,  also  a  resident  of  Richland  township,  has  two  daughters,  Marian  and 
Louise :  Louise,  the  youngest  of  the  nine  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Buehler, 
is  still  with  her  mother. 

Mr.  Buehler  was  a  stanch  adherent  of  the  Republican  party,  and  served 
his  party  in  an  official  capacity  for  many  years,  filling  the  office  of  township 
trustee  for  nine  years,  also  serving  on  the  school  board  of  his  township,  and. 
in  these  important  positions  he  rendered  faithful  and  efficient  service  to  all 
of  the  citizens  of  the  township,  always  taking  an  active  interest  in  every 
measure  which  he  thought  would  benefit  his  township  and  community.  He 
was  a  stockholder  and  director  of  the  Farmers  Creamery  Company  of  his 
township,  an  institution  which  has  been  of  great  benefit  to  the  farmers  of  this 
locality.  He  was  a  valued  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  post 
and  took  much  pleasure  in  attending  its  meetings.  His  religious  affiliations 
were  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  to  which  he  rendered  faithful 
and  loyal  service  during  his  life.  Up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  on  March 
T2,  1899,  he  took  a  prominent  part  in  all  enterprises  which  had  for  their 
object  the  welfare  of  the  community  and  was  never  found  wanting  in  those 
qualities  which  characterize  the  public-spirited  citizen.  His  life  was  such 
that  it  reflects  honor  upon  himself  and  he  left  a  name  which  will  be  revered 
by  his  children  in  the  years  to  come. 


AUGUST  C.  PETERSMEYER. 

In  everv  comnninitv  are  to  be  found  indixiduals  who,  by  reason  of  pro- 
nounced ability  and  forceful  personality,  rise  superior  to  the  majority  and 
command  the  homage  of  their  fellows : ;  who,  by  revealing  to  the  world  the 
two  resplendent  virtues,  perseverance  in  effort  and  directing  purpose,  never 
fail  to  attain  positions  of  honor  and  trust  and  become  in  the  full  sense  of  the 
tenv  leaders  of  men.     Of  this  class  is  the  well-known  gentleman  and  success- 


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SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  68 1 

fill  grai:i  merchant  whose  name  a])pears  above,  a  man  who  ranks  among  the 
leading  citizens  of  Odebolt,  and  who  for  a  number  of  years  has  borne  an 
influential  part  in  the  affairs  of  the  city  and  county  in  which  he  resides. 

A.  G.  Petersmeyer,  a  prosperous  grain  merchant  of  Odebolt,  was  born 
November  21,  1863,  in  Lake  county,  Indiana.  He  is  the  son  of  Frederick 
and  Caroline  (Saak)  Petersmeyer,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Germany. 
Frederick  Petersmeyer  was  born  in  about  1825  in  Germany  and  came  to 
America  when  a  young  man,  settling  in  Lake  county,  Indiana.  Here  he  fol- 
lowed the  trade  of  a  carpenter  until  after  his  marriage,  when  he  became  a 
farmer.  In  1871  he  came  to  Sac  county  and  bought  land.  The  following 
spring  he  brought  his  family  to  this  county  and  in  a  few  years  was  a  farmer 
of  means  and  influence  in  Richland  township.  He  added  to  his  land  holdings 
from  time  to  time  until  he  had  four  hundred  and  eighty  acres  at  the  time  of 
liis  death,  in  1900.  In  1886  he  moved  to  Odebolt,  where  he  spent  his  declining 
days.  His  wife  died  in  1910.  Frederick  Petersmeyer  and  wife  were  the  par- 
ents of  fourteen  children:  Caroline,  the  deceased  wife  of  Henry  Frevert; 
Henry  W.,  of  Los  Angeles,  California,  who  has  large  land  interests  in 
Canada;  ^Nlrs.  Flora  Walter,  of  Vaughn,  Montana;  August  C,  with  whom 
this  narrative  deals;  Fred  W.,  of  Hillsboro.  South  Dakota;  Mrs.  Sophia  Sea- 
right,  of  Odebolt ;~Mrs.  Emma  Cook,  of  Pipestone,  Minnesota;  Doctor  Will- 
iam, of  Ashton,  Illinois;  Edward,  of  Oklahoma  City;  Mrs.  Lydia  Roland, 
whose  husband  is  employed  as  roadmaster  for  the  Chicago  &  Northwestern 
Railroad ;  ]..illian,  who  is  employed  in  Davidson's  department  store  in  Sioux 
City;  Clare,  of  Odebolt;  Alvin,  who  died  in  1890,  and  one  child,  which  died  in 
infancy. 

A.  C.  Petersmeyer  received  his  education  in  Lake  county,  Indiana,  and 
Sac  county,  Iowa.  He  also  received  a  commercial  course  at  the  German- 
English  College  at  Galena,  Illinois.  He  remained  with  his  father  on  the  farm 
imtil  1889,  when  he  came  to  Odebolt  and  engaged  in  the  grain  business.  He 
has  been  remarkably  successful  in  this  line  of  work.  He  and  his  brother,  H. 
W.  Petersmever,  established  tlie  business  in  1890,  and  since  1902  A.  C.  has 
had  the  entire  ownership  of  tlie  business,  llie  present  capacity  of  the  storage 
plant  is  seventy  thousand  bushels,  and  in  19 ro  an  addition  was  built  to  in- 
crease this  capacitv.  The  annual  shi]Mnent  of  grain  includes  from  forty  to 
se\'entv-five  car  loads  of  corn,  seventy-five  to  a  hundred  car  loads  of  popcorn 
and  fortv  to  seventy-five  car  loads  of  oats.  Air.  Petersmeyer  also  maintains  a 
seed  distributing  house.  The  popcoi-n  is  the  great  crop,  and  he  employs  three 
men  to  handle  this  part  of  his  business.  His  plant  now  represents  an  invest- 
ment of  over  twentv-five  thousand  dollars.     While  engaged  primarily  in  the 


082  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

grain  business,  he  also  buys  live  stock  and  ships  annually  from  fifty  to 
se\-enly-hve  car  loads  of  hogs. 

Mr.  Petersnieyer  was  married  June  ii,  1896,  to  Wilhelmina  Meyer,  a 
nati\e  of  Missouri,  and  the  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  Meyer.  Henry 
]\Ie}er  was  born  in  Germany  and  came  to  America  when  a  young  man  and 
located  in  Missouri.     In  1894  he  came  to  Odebolt,  where  he  is  now  residing. 

Politically,  Mr.  Petersnieyer  is  a  Republican,  but  owing  to  his  heavy 
interests,  be  has  never  bad  the  time  to  indulge  in  the  game  of  politics.  He 
and  his  w^ife  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  give  to  it 
freely  of  their  means.  Mr.  Petersmeyer's  record  has  been  one  replete  with 
dutv  well  done.  He  has  l)een  an  advocate  of  wholesome  li\-ing  and  a  Ix'Iiever 
in  clean  politics,  and  has  always  stood  for  the  highest  and  best  interests  of  his 
communitv. 


L.  H.  McCREA. 


One  of  the  prosperous  farmers  of  Wall  Lake  township,  who  has  built 
up  a  comfortalfle  home  for  himself  and  risen  to  a  position  of  affluence  in  the 
county,  is  L.  H.  McCrea,  who  was  born  September  12,  1868,  in  Michigan 
and  is  the  son  of  Leander  A.  and  Anna  (Berm)  McCrea.  Leander  McCrea 
was  born  in  1S35  in  New  "^'ork  of  Scotch-Irish  parentage.  In  1878  Leander 
McCrea  and  his  family  moved  from  Michigan  to  Iowa  and  settled  in  Sac 
county  on  a  farm  near  Carnarvon,  and  the  town  of  Carnarvon  is  now  built 
on  part  of  the  land  which  Mr.  McCrea  purchased  in  1878.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Leander  McCrea  are  "now  living  in  Butler,  Missouri,  where  they  moved  in 
1898.  They  were  the  parents  of  eight  sons  and  one  daughter:  Frank,  of 
Arthur,  Iowa;  Perry,  of  Terry,  Montana;  William:  Joseph,  of  Ashton, 
Illinois;  L.  H.,  whose  history  is  here  recorded;  Alfred,  of  Westbrook,  Illi- 
nois; Roy,  of  Auburn,  Sac  county;  Jay,  of  Baxter  Springs,  Kansas;  Leander, 
of  Rockerville,  South  Dakota;  Mrs.  Nellie  Feeley,  of  Missouri. 

L.  H.  McCrea  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Michigan  and  Sac 
county,  Iowa.  He  finished  his  education  at  the  schools  of  Carnarvon  in  Wall 
Lake  township.  He  stayed  at  home  until  he  was  twenty  years  of  age  and 
then  began  working  out  by  the  month.  Upon  his  marriage  in  1890  he  rented 
land  and  continued  to  rent  until  he  purchased  his  present  farm  of  one  hundred 
ninety-one  and  a  half  acres  in  191 1.  His  farm  cost  eighty-seven  and  a  half 
dollars  an  acre,  and  is  one  of  the  best  productive  farms  in  the  township. 
Practically  all  of  the  farm  is  under  cultivation.     In  19 13  he  raised,  in  addi- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  683 

tion  to  his  corn  and  other  crops,  forty  head  of  cattle,  seventy-seven  head  of 
hogs  and  thirteen  head  of  horses.  He  is  making  a  pronounced  success  of 
his  stock  raising,  and  finds  the  larger  portion  of  his  annual  profits  lying  in  that 
direction. 

Mr.  McCrea  was  married  in  1890  to  Minnie  Morton,  the  daughter  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  L.  Morton,  of  Sac  City.  To  this  marriage  have  been  born 
fourteen  children,  ten  of  whom  are  now  living:  Ruby,  Barbara.  Gordon, 
Merl,  Louis,  Vivian,  Sherman,  Marjory,  Henrietta  and  Burl.  Ruby  is 
clerking  in  the  store  at  Lake  View,  Sac  county,  while  Barbara  is  a  public 
school  teacher.    All  of  the  remaining  children  are  still  with  their  parents. 

Mr.  ]\IcCrea  was,  up  until  1012,  a  Republican,  and  in  the  division  which 
came  about  in  the  Republican  party  at  that  time  he  cast  his  influence  in  favor 
of  the  Progressive  party.  He  is  now,  like  thousands  of  other  voters,  some- 
Avhat  undecided  as  to  which  party  he  will  support,  although  he  is  progressive 
in  his  views.  He  and  his  family  attend  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and 
contribute  of  their  substance  to  its  support.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of 
the  Yeomen.  Mr.  McCrea  is  one  of  the  sterling  and  substantial  citizens  of 
his  township  and  a  man  with  genial  disposition  and  optimistic  way  of  view- 
ing life,  which  has  endeared  him  to  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances 
throughout  his  community. 


DAVID  CORRELL. 


This  biographical  appendix  to  the  history  of  Sac  county  is  for  the  ex- 
press purpose  of  preserving  the  records  of  the  men  worth  while  in  this 
county,  and  especially  the  records  of  those  citizens  who  have  done  their 
share  in  the  developing  of  the  county  and  assisted  in  a  substantial  way  in 
having  their  adopted  county  attain  the  enviable  prestige  which  it  holds  among 
the  ninety  and  nine  divisions  of  the  great  state  of  Iowa.  It  is  meet,  there- 
fore, that  we  write  this  brief  review  concerning  David  Correll,  a  citizen  of 
the  city  of  Odebolt  and  one  of  its  valued  residents. 

David  Correll  was  born  April  6,  1853,  '''^^''  *^he  city  of  Wooster,  Wayne 
county,  Ohio,  the  son  of  Jacob  and  Catharine  (Floyd)  Correll,  natives  of 
Pennsylvania.  Jacob  was  born  on  January  17,  1815,  and  departed  this  life 
June  16,  1892.  His  wife  Catharine  was  born  August  11,  1814,  and  died 
April  15,  1903.  Jacob  migrated  with  his  parents  to  Ohio  when  a  youth  and 
became  orphaned  at  a  very  early  age.     He  learned  the  trade  of  tailor  and  fol- 


684  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

lowed  it  as  a  merchant  tailor  in  Wooster.  Ohio.  After  working  at  his  trade 
for  some  years  he  purchased  a  farm  near  Wooster  and  moved  thereon  and 
from  that  time  on  he  followed  the  vocation  of  agriculturist.  In  1854  he 
remo\ed  to  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  and  purchased  a  farm.  He  was  a  pioneer 
settler  of  this  county,  which  has  furnished  a  large  number  of  the  best  families 
in  Sac  county.  He  ended  his  days  on  his  Clinton  county  farm  and  became 
very  prosperous  previous  to  his  demise,  leaving  his  family  well  provided  for 
and  bequeathing  them  a  heritage  of  right  living  and  a  high  standard  of 
morals. 

Jacob  Correll  was  the  father  of  eight  children,  as  follows:  Abram  died 
in  Maquoketa,  Iowa,  December  20,  1909;  Daniel,  a  resident  of  Marion, 
Iowa;  Samuel,  of  Parsons,  Kansas;  Levi,  also  a  citizen  of  Parsons,  Kansas; 
Maria,  a  resident  of  Maquoketa,  Iowa;  Amanda,  who  died  March  29,  1873; 
Mrs.  Catharine  O'Brien,  deceased  June  3,  1882;  David. 

David  Correll  was  reared  and  educated  in  Clinton  county  and  was 
united  in  marriage  on  September  2,  1880,  with  Laura  Isabel  Davenport,  who 
was  bom  April  13,  1855,  in  Winamac,  Indiana.  She  was  the  daughter  of 
Charles  L.  and  Mary  Da\enpi)rt.  She  departed  from  the  scene  of  her 
earthly  career  July  15,  1913.  She  was  a  good  and  faithful  wife  and  a  kind 
and  loving  mother  to  her  children.  Her  demise  was  deeply  mourned  by  the 
members  of  her  family  and  many  friends  and  acquaintances.  She  had  been 
a  member  of  the  Methodist  church  from  the  time  she  was  sixteen  years  of 
age  and,  was  a  devout  and  true  Christian  woman.  She  was  very  active  in 
the  church  work  and  took  a  leading  part  in  the  women's  home  deiiartment, 
the  Foreign  Missionary  Society  and  the  Ladies'  Aid  Society  and  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Ingleside  Clul).  a  literary  organization.  She  was  the  mother  of 
the  following  children:  Esther,  wife  of  I'red  Gilbert,  of  Odcbolt ;  Zula, 
wife  of  Percy  Brown,  residing  in  Eugene,  Oregon. 

After  the  marriage  of  David  and  Laura  Isabel  Correll  in  the  town  of 
Elwood,  Iowa,  they  came  direct  to  Sac  county,  arriving  at  Odebolt.  They 
located  on  a  farm  of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  in  Clinton  town- 
ship which  cost  twenty  dollars  an  acre,  part  of  which  was  already  broken 
for  cultivation.  The  father  of  Mrs.  Correll  had  previously  invested  in  an 
entire  section  of  land  and  had  divided  it  among  his  four  children.  David 
bought  an  additional  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  and  he  and  his  wife  held 
the  land  in  common,  finally  increasing  their  holdings  until  they  owned  four 
hundred  acres.  In  addition  to  this  excellent  holding  of  Sac  county  land, 
Mr.  Correll  was  the  owner  of  four  hundred  and  eighty  acres  in  the  Dakotas. 
They  lived  on  the  farm  until  February,  1908.  when  they  removed  to  Odebolt 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  685 

and  erected  a  fine  two-room  residence  which  is  one  of  the  l)est  in  tlie  cit\'. 
located  on  beantiful  Paris  avenne  in  the  west  part  of  the  cit)-. 

Mr.  Correll  is  a  Repubhcan  politically:  he  is  a  stanch  meml)er  of  the 
Methodist  Iqjiscopal  church  and  is  affiliated  with  the  camp  of  Modern  Wood- 
men. He  is  well  read,  sociable  and  is  universally  recognized  as  a  man 
among  men,  one  who  has  lived  an  honest,  industrious  and  upright  life.  His 
character  is  above  reproach  and  he  is  highly  esteemed  by  all  who  know  him. 


EMETT  STARNER. 


Every  active  man  of  affairs  looks  forward  in  anticipation  of  the  time 
when  he  can  retire  to  a  comfortable  home  and  live  in  comfort  for  the  re- 
mainder of  his  days,  unmarred  or  undisturbed  by  thoughts  of  need  which 
intrude  themselves  ipto  the  horizon  of  the  improvident  or  struggling  ones 
whose  career  is  yet  in  the  making.  This  is  a  most  worthy  ambition  and  one 
which  should  imbue  every  individual  head  of  a  family  in  order  that  he  might 
adequately  perform  and  complete  his  mission  on  earth.  Sometimes  we  find 
that  retirement  is  not  conducive  to  contentment  if  the  successful  person  has 
not  cultivated  sufficiently  the  educational,  mental  and  aesthetic  side  of  life  as 
he  should.  Life  hangs  heavily  upon  the  man  who  is  without  di\ersion  or 
aim  and  is  left?  without  purpose  or  ability  to  properly  exercise  his  faculties 
after  the  need  of  bodily  and  mental  exertion  to  further  enhance  his  fortunes 
has  passed.  Happy  indeed  is  the  man  who  possesses  a  hobby,  or  several  of 
them,  in  fact,  for  he  can  s])end  hours  in  pleasurable  recreation  and  can  con- 
tinue to  take  a  real  and  genuine  interest  in  things  worth  while  during  his  days 
of  repose.  He  whose  name  forms  the  caption  of  this  review,  while  retired 
from  acti\f  mercantile  pur-^uit^-.  princijiall,-  on  account  of  there  lieing  no 
necessity  for  him  to  longer  continue  in  business  from  a  financial  standpoint, 
takes  a  keen  interest  in  affairs  and  has  much  to  occupy  his  mind  and  atten- 
tion, because  of  worthy  and  beneficial  procli\'ities  engendered  by  the  posses- 
sion of  a  well  trained  mind  and  well  developed  faculties  along  original  lines. 
Emett  Starner,  retired  merchant  and  pioneer  of  the  city  of  Odebolt,  is  per- 
haps better  versed  in  the  happenings  in  his  neighborhood  during  his  long 
residence  in  Sac  county  than  any  living  person.  For  years  he  has  kept  a 
careful  diary  of  daily  occurrences  and  has  kept  an  accurate  weather  report, 
principally  for  his  own  diversion,  but  which  is  now  valuable. 

Emett  Starner  was  born  January  8,   1852,  in  Adams  county,  Pennsyl- 


686  SAC    COUXTY,    lUVVA. 

vania,  the  son  of  Isaac  and  Sophia  (Worley)  Starner,  both  native  born  to 
that  state.  They  resided  in  Pennsylvania  until  the  year  1894  and  then  re- 
moved to  Odebolt  so  as  to  be  in  close  proximity  to  their  children  when  old 
age  came  creeping  on  them.  The  father  died  in  Odebolt  and  the  aged 
mother  still  resides  here  with  her  son  and  a  daughter,  Mrs.  William  Ream. 

Mr.  Starner  received  his  early  training  on  a  farm  in  his  native  state 
and  managed  to  secure  a  good  education  in  the  schools  of  his  neighborhood. 
this  education  having  since  been  augmented  and  broadened  by  much  private 
reading.  In  1876  he  left  home  and  located  in  Illinois  and  spent  four  months 
in  the  towm  of  Moweaqua.  He  then  went  to  Ames,  Iowa,  and  located  in 
the  farming  section  of  Story  county,  there  working  at  farm  labor  for  nearly 
two  years. 

On  March  14,  1878,  Mr.  Starner  arrived  in  Odebolt,  or  rather  on  the 
site  of  the  town  which  had  just  been  projected  and  planned.  He  was  given 
employment  on  the  Wheeler  ranch  and  remained  in  I\Ir.  ^Vheeler's  employ 
for  a  period  of  fourteen  years,  four  years  of  which  time  he  was  assistant 
superintendent  and  during  the  last  six  years  of  his  service  he  was  the  efficient 
and  valued  superintendent.  When  one  considers  that  this  famous  ranch 
comprised  over  seven  thousand  acres,  and  even  now,  when  it  is  owned  by  the 
Adams  family  and  consists  of  ten  sections  of  land  or  a  total  of  sixty-four 
■•  hundred  acres,  the  responsibility  engendered  and  assumed  by  the  head  of 
such  an  immense  plant  is  significant.  He  measured  fully  up  to  the  require- 
ments of  his  position,  however,  and  was  such  a  favorite  with  his  employer 
and  had  given  evidence  of  such  pronounced  executive  ability  that  Mr. 
Wheeler  tried  to  induce  him  to  take  entire  charge  of  his  immense  ranch  in 
southern  Texas  which  he  later  bought  after  disposing  of  his  Sac  countv 
holdings.    • 

In  1893  Mr.  Starner  embarked  in  the  furniture  and  undertaking  busi- 
ness in  Odebolt  and  was  very  successful,  the  exercise  of  the  same  talents 
which  had  given  him  success  as  a  farm  superintendent  contributing  to  his 
business  success.  He  disposed  of  his  furniture  and  undertaking  establish- 
ment in  September,  1912,  and  retired  from  active  pursuits,  having  n0(  other 
cares  at  the  present  time  but  looking  after  his  property  interests,  which  are 
considerable.  He  is  the  owner  of  three  hundred  and  twentv  acres  of  land 
in  North  Dakota  and  has  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  South 
Dakota.  He  also  owns  three  building  lots  and  residence  properties  in  the 
city  and  has  recently  erected  a  fine,  modern  bungalow  with  e\ery  comfort 
and  convenience  installed. 

Mr.    Starner's    wedded    life    began    on    February    26,    1885,    when    he 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  68 


(3- 


/ 


espoused  in  hnl\-  wecHnck  Helen  C.  Sprague,  a  daughter  of  Oliver  C.  Si)rague, 
a  native  of  New  York  and  who  settled  in  Sac  county  in  the  year  1879. 
Oliver  Sprague  owned  a  farm  in  Wheeler  township  and  made  his  home  in 
Odebolt,  residing  with  Mr.  Starner  until  his  death.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Starner 
have  one  son,  Arthur  V.,  now  in  Los  Angeles,  California. 

Politically,  Emett  Starner  has  been  allied  with  the  Republican  party. 
By  virtue  of  his  birth  and  the  Reformed  church  being  the  faith  of  his  for- 
bears, he  was  brought  up  in  the  Reformed  faith.  He  is  an  attendant  and 
supporter  of  the  Methodist  denomination,  of  which  Mrs.  Starner  is  an  active 
member.  He  is  a  member  of  no  fraternal  societies  and  considers  his  home 
as  his  club  and  lodge  room  for  all  purposes  of  recreation. 

He  of  whom  this  brief  resume  is  recorded  is  one  of  Oilebi)lt"s  substantial 
and  enterprising  citizens.  He  has  seen  the  city  grow  from  its  very  inception 
and  has  kept  a  record  of  events  and  happenings  in  the  town  and  vicinity  since 
1876.  He  is  genial,  hospitable,  well  read  and  an  excellent  and  interesting 
conversationalist  who  is  well  versed  on  many  topics  of  interest.  His  col- 
lection of  antiques,  gathered  in  the  course  of  a  lifetime,  is  veiw  valuable, 
among  them  being  a  magnificent  great  hall  clock  which  was  brought  from 
England  in  1795  and  is  very  old,  but  in  fine  condition.  His  library  is  verv 
extensive  and  is  adapted  to  a  home  of  culture  and  refinement  such  as  he  and 
his  wife  maintain. 


WILLIAM  AUGUST  STANZEL. 

One  of  the  retired  farmers  of  Odebolt,  Iowa,  who  has  acquired  a  fine 
farm  in  this  county,  is  William  A.  Stanzel,  the  proprietor  of  two  hundred 
and  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Richland  township,  in  this  county.  Mr.  Stanzel 
was  born  November  27,  1872,  in  Clinton  county,  this  state,  and  is  the  son  of 
William  A.  and  Laurinda  R.  Stanzel,  pioneers  in  Sac  county.  The  reader  is 
referred  to  tlie  history  uf  William  A.  and  L.  R.  Stanzel,  elsewhere  in  this 
volume,  for  further  details  concerning  the  Stanzel  ancestry. 

William  A.  Stanzel  was  four  years  of  age  when  his  parents  came  fmni 
Clinton  county  to.  Sac  county.  He  was  reared  on  the  home  farm  and 
attended  the  district  schools  of  his  township,  and  has  li\ed  within  this  coimt\- 
since  March,  1876.  When  he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age  his  father  gave 
him  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land,  and  on  this  farm  he  lived  until 
1903,  at  which  time  he  bought  a  farm  in  Jackson  township,  on  which  he 
lived  five  vears,  when  he  sold  it,  and  mox'ed  to  his  farm  in   Richland  town- 


688  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

ship,  and  in  January,  1913,  moved  to  Odeljolt.  where  he  is  now  living.  He 
is  now  the  owner  of  two  hundred  and  eighty  acres  of  excellent  land  in  sec- 
tion 33  in  Richland  township,  his  farm  lying  about  one  mile  west  of  Ode- 
bolt.  He  is  not  now  actively  operating  his  farm,  yet  he  is  superintending  it 
and  has  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  it  yield  handsome  returns  each  year. 

Mr.  Stanzel  was  married  March  10,  1897,  to  Fannie  S.  Fulcher,  of  Sac 
county,  who  was  a  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  Fulcher.  Thomas 
Fulcher  and  Eliza  Reed  Fulcher  were  natives  of  England  and  emigrated  to 
Illinois  and  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  in  1894,  settling  on  a  farm  in  Clinton  t(jwn- 
ship.  Thomas  died  March  23,  1904.  He  was  the  father  of  seven  children, 
six  living:  Mrs.  George  C.  Stanzel:  Mrs.  Orrie  Irwin:  Mrs.  Burton 
Huftalin,  of  Illinois:  David  Fulcher,  of  Michigan:  Carl  Fulcher,  on  the 
home  farm;  one  deceased.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stanzel  have  been  born  three 
children,  Candace,  Clara  and  Mary. 

Politically,  Mr.  Stanzel  is  a  Republican,  but  has  never  been  prominently 
identified  in  the  councils  of  his  party.  He  and  his  family  are  attendants  of 
the  Presbyterian  church  and  contribute  of  their  substance  to  its  supjiort. 
Mr.  Stanzel  is  well  known  throughout  this  comity,  and  in  the  circles  in  which 
he  mingles  he  is  held  in  the  highest  regard  because  of  his  upright  life  and 
successful  career. 


JOH.\'  BINGES. 

The  prosperity  of  the  agricultiu'al  sections  of  our  country  is  due  to  a 
considerable  extent  to  the  honest  industry,  the  sturdy  persistence,  the  un- 
swerving perseverance  and  wise  economy  which  so  prominently  characterize 
the  farming  element  of  the  Hawkeye  state.  While  this  population  is  made  up 
of  cosmopolitan  elements  in  many  localities,  it  is  found  that  in  many  sections 
of  the  west,  the  German-Americans  form  a  large  and  important  quota  of  the 
general  total  and  have  exerted  a  preponderant  influence  in  shaping  and  de- 
\'eloping  the  resources  of  this  rich  and  fertile  reginn.  Xo  better  class  of  in- 
telligent, wide-awake  Ciermrin-Anierican  larmers  are  to  l)e  found  in  this  l>road 
land  than  those  who  have  had  the  distinction  of  settling  up  certain  portions  of 
Sac  countv.  A  prcnninent  and  worthy  re|)resentative  of  this  diligent  class  of 
citizens  is  John  Hinges,  of  Odebolt. 

Mr.  Dinges  is  one  of  the  )iioneer  farmers  of  the  southwest  part  "f  the 
county  and  is  one  of  the  ])rosperous  and  well-to-do  retired  citizens  of  the  city 
of  Odebolt.     He  was  born  February  6,  1846,  in  Prussia,  German  empire,  and 


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SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  689 

is  of  High  Ciernian  extraction.  He  is  the  son  of  John  and  Christian  (Port) 
Dinges.  wiio  emigrated  iu  America  in  1854,  and  first  settled  in  Lee  county, 
IlHnois.  They  were  pioneer  settlers  of  Lee  county  and  formed  a  component 
])art  of  a  large  German  settlement.  The  father  died  in  Lee  county  in  June  of 
1908.  They  were  the  parents  of  four  sons  and  three  daughters,  namely: 
Peter,  the  eldest :  Juhn  ;  Airs.  Gertrude  Geiers,  of  Illinois;  Frederick,  residing 
in  Illinois;  Mrs.  Caroline  Henrich,  Odebolt;  Mrs.  Mary  Burkhardt,  of  Illinois; 
and  Joseph,  also  residing  in  Illinois.  John  was  reared  to  young  manhood  on 
the  Lee  county  farm  and  there  recei\-ed  his  schooling  in  the  district  schools 
of  the  neighborhood.  He  tilled  the  soil  in  his  home  county  until  the  vear 
1874,  when  he  made  a  trip  to  Sac  county  and  invested  his  savings  in  an 
entire  section  of  land  in  Richland  township,  which  cost  him  six  dollars  an 
acre.  He  made  his  first  payment  on  this  land  and  then  returned  to  Illinois, 
t(^  await  the  iiuilding  of  the  pr(.ijected  railroad  through  the  southern  part  of 
Sac  county.  In  1879  he  again  came  to  .Sac  county  and  erected  his  house  and 
barn  on  tlie  land.  In  the  following  year  he  moved  his  family  and  household 
goods  to  liis  new  ranch  and  iiroceeded  to  develop  his  broad  acres.  How  well 
he  succeeded  is  attested  by  the  fact  tliat  he  has  given  each  of  his  grown  sons 
a  farm  of  eighty  acres  and  is  ]jossesscd  of  considerable  property  in  addition. 
He  is  the  owner  of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  the  best  Sac  countx  land 
and  also  C'wns  one  '.nindred  and  sixty  acres  in  Dickinson  countv.  Iowa.  Since 
March,  1905,  lie  has  made  his  residence  in  Odebolt,  where  he  has  one  of  the 
finest  residences  in  the  city.  Mr.  Dinges  specialized  in  cattle  raising  while 
engaged  actively  in  agriculture  and  was  a  well-known  horse  breeder  for  many 
years. 

Mr  Dinges  is  a  stanch  exponent  of  the  principles  of  the  Democratic 
party,  and  has  filled  the  office  of  trustee  of  Richland  townsliip.  He  is  affil- 
iated with  St.  Martin's  Catholic  church  of  Odebolt. 

Mr.  Dinges  was  married  January  3,  1869,  '"  I-*?e  countv.  Illinois,  to 
Katharina  Beitz,  a  native  of  Prussia,  born  November  22,  1845,  'i^'^i  who  came 
to  America  with  lier  jjarents  in  the  same  ship  which  carried  her  future  hus- 
band in  1854.  The  Beitz  family  likewise  settled  in  the  same  neighborhood 
in  Lee  county  and  were  neiphbnrs  of  the  Dinges  fann'lv.  Tohn  Dinges  and  his 
estimable  and  ca])able  wife  are  the  proud  pareiits  of  eight  children,  and 
probably  has  a  greater  nimiber  of  grandchildren  than  any  living  citizen  of 
Sac  county.  His  children  are  as  follows :  Joseph,  residing  on  the  home  farm, 
is  the  father  of  nine  children,  Alfred,  Edward,  Romaine,  Pearl,  Trma,  Marie, 
Burnet,  Joseph  and  George;  John,  Ti'.,  who  resides  on  a  farm  in  South 
(43) 


'>90  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

Dakota,  has  ten  children,  Gertrnde,  Florence,  Agnes,  Frank,  Fern,  Clarence, 
John,  Dorothy,  Edna  and  Rnth ;  Peter,  who  tills  a  portion  of  the  old  home- 
stead, and  is  the  fathei"  of  the  following  children,  Joseph,  Helen,  Theo, 
William,  Clement,  Mary,  Esther,  Florence,  and  Rena ;  Mrs.  Margaret  Kel- 
ir.cr,  deceased  May  7,  1908,  was  the  mother  of  five  children,  Isabelle,  Ber- 
nice.  Hazel,  Leslie  and  Floyd;  Mrs.  Julia  Keeler,  a  resident  of  Odebolt.  is 
the  mother  of  eight  children,  Raymond,  Hilda,  Miriam,  Lulu,  Eva,  Esther, 
HaroUl  and  Paul;  I*' red  and  Katharine,  the  youngest  of  the  familv,  are  at 
home  with  their  parents.  .All  the  foregoing  olfspring  have  enjoyed  excep- 
tional advantages  and  are  intelligent  and  well  fitted  for  the  spheres  of  life 
in  which  the}-  are  engaged  or  for  which  the\-  are  preparing.  Thev  are  proud 
of  their  parentage,  and  well  they  may  be,  for  a  more  wliole-souled,  genial 
gentleman  than  John  Dinges  is  not  to  be  found  anvwhere. 


CHARLES  A.  BURNOUIST. 

Far-away  Sweden  has  contributed  some  of  the  most  enterprising  citizens 
who  are  now  living  in  Sac  county,  Iowa.  The  people  of  Sweden  are  known 
the  world  over  for  their  honesty  in  business  and  good  citizenship,  and  Sac 
county  today  boasts  of  no  better  citizens  than  the  native  sons  of  Sweden. 
Among  the  men  who  have  come  from  that  far-away  land  and  made  their 
home  in  this  county,  there  is  no  one  who  deserves  more  honorable  mention 
in  this  biographical  volume  than  Charles  A.  Burnquist,  who  was  born  Octo- 
ber 4,  1854,  in  Sweden.  His  parents  were  Peter  and  Betsy  (Johnson) 
Burnquist,  who  came  to  America  in  1863  and  located  at  Andover,  Henry 
county,  Illinois,  on  a  farm.  About  five  years  later  they  moved  to  Webster 
county,  Iowa,  where  Peter  Burnquist  died  about  the  year  1879.  His  widow 
is  still  living  with  her  son,  Charles  A.,  in  Odebolt.  She  was  born  August  i, 
1825,  and  is  now  in  her  eighty-ninth  year.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Peter  Burnquist 
were  the  jiarents  of  five  children,  four  of  whom  are  living:  Charles  A., 
with  whom  this  narrative  deals;  Mrs.  Caroline  Wamberg,  of  Marshalltown, 
Iowa ;  Mrs.  Matilda  Chinburg,  of  Sioux  City,  Iowa,  and  John,  a  farmer 
of  Ida  county. 

Charles  A.  Burnquist  received  part  of  his  education  in  Sweden  before 
coming  to  this  country  and  later  attended  school  a  short  time  in  Webster 
county,  Iowa.  He  moved  from  that  county  to  Marshall  county  in  1878, 
settling  on  a  farm.     Later  he  operated  a  mercantile  establishment  at  Dillon, 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  69 1 

Iowa,  for  three  years.  In  1881  he  came  to  Odebolt  and  purchased  a  mer- 
chandise store  which  he  conducted  for  the  next  twelve  years.  He  then  sold 
out  and  became  interested  in  the  real  estate  business,  buying  and  selling 
land  throughout  this  section  of  the  state.  He  bought  an  entire  section  of 
land  in  Battle  and  Logan  townships  in  Ida  county  and  has  four  hundred  and 
eighty  acres  in  Cook  township,  this  county,  now  owning  over  one  thousand 
acres.  Mr.  Burnquist  has  a  handsome  home  on  Lincoln  avenue  in  Odebolt 
and  for  several  years  has  not  been  actively  engaged  in  business. 

Mr.  Burnquist  was  married  November  25,  1886,  in  Marshalltown, 
Iowa,  to  Jessie  Johnson,  the  daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth  Johnson.  Her 
parents  were  natives  of  Sweden  and  came  to  America  in  1879.  They  first 
settled  in  Chicago,  but  two  years  later  moved  to  Wall  Lake,  where  they  both 
died.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burnquist  have  four  children :  Edward,  a  merchant  of 
Grinnell,  Iowa ;  Jessie,  a  student  in  Ames  College ;  Ellinor,  a  student  in  Ames 
College,  and  Fern,  who  is  in  the  high  school  at  Odebolt. 

Mr.  Burnquist  is  a  Republican  in  politics  and  has  served  his  party  as 
city  alderman  of  Odebolt  for  six  years.  He  and  his  family  are  members  of 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  church  and  give  liberally  of  their  means  to  its  support. 
Mr.  Burnquist  possesses  a  pleasing  personality  and  is  easily  approached; 
strong  and  forceful  in  his  relations  with  his  fellow  men,  he  not  only  makes 
his  presence  felt,  but  has  also  gained  the  good  will  and  confidence  of  both 
his  associates  and  the  general  public.  He  has  always  maintained  his  reputa- 
tion among  men  for  integrity  and  high  character  and  has  never  lost  that 
dignity  which  is  the  birthright  of  the  true  gentleman. 


JOHN  H.  WAGNER. 

One  i)f  the  men  who,  for  the  past  thirty  years,  has  been  prominently 
identified  with  the  business  life  of  Odebolt  and  Sac  county  is  J.  H.  Wagner, 
who  is  now  living  at  Marshall,  the  county  seat  of  Lyons  county,  Minnesota. 
Mr.  Wagner  has  been  identified  with  the  business  interests  and  agricultural 
interests  of  Sac  county  since  1881.  and  in  that  time  has  built  up  a  repuation 
as  a  man  of  honesty  and  uprightness  in  all  of  his  financial  transactions. 
This  county  lost  a  most  excellent  citizen  when  his  business  interests  called 
him  to  Minnesota. 

John  H.  Wagner  was  born  September  15,  1855,  in  Berks  county,  Penn- 
svlvania,  and  is  a  son  of  John  S.  and  Mary  (Haag)  Wagner,  both  of  whom 


692  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

were  natives  of  Pennsylvania  and  spent  all  of  their  lives  in  that  state.  John 
S.  Wagner  and  wife  had  a  family  of  eight  children,  fix'e  of  whom  are  li\ing: 
J.  H.,  with  whom  this  narrative  deals,  Frank,  James.  Jacob  and  Isabella. 
The  deceased  children  are  Elias.  Benjamin  and  Mary. 

J.  H.  Wagner  received  a  good,  practical  education  in  the  schools  of  his 
home  county  in  Pennsylvania,  and  in  1881  came  to  Toledo,  Ohio.  A  few 
months  later  he  came  west  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  and  settled  in  Odebolt,  arriv- 
ing here  in  January.  He  took  employment  in  a  retail  meat  market  as  a 
meat  cutter  and  continued  in  the  meat  business  until  1897,  at  which  time  he 
engaged  in  the  business  with  P.  O.  Edwards,  and  for  the  next  fourteen  years 
they  operated  a  retail  meat  market  in  Odebolt.  However,  this  has  only  been 
one  of  Mr.  Wagner's  interests.  He  has  always  been  engaged  in  the  buying 
and  selling  of  farm  lands  since  coming  to  this  county,  and  he  now  owns  two 
hundred  and  seventy-eight  acres  in  Lyons  county,  Minnesota,  which  is 
located  one-half  mile  from  Marshall,  the  county  seat  of  that  countw  He  also 
owns  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Yellow  Medicine  county,  Minnesota. 
Until  recently  Mr.  Wagner  also  owned  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in 
Wheeler  township,  this  county,  but  recently  sold  this  tract.  He  is  also  the 
o\\ner  of  a  handsome  residence  nn  Park  avenue  in  (Jdebolt. 

Mr.  Wagner  was  married  k'ebruary  28,  1884,  to  Rose  Rorabaugh,  a 
native  of  Jasper  county,  Iowa,  the  daughter  of  Lewis  and  Elizaiieth  (  \\'ea\er) 
Rorabaugh.  Her  parents  were  natives  of  Pennsylvania  and  migrated  to 
Jasper  county,  this  state,  about  1863.  In  1880  Mrs.  Wagner's  jjarents  left 
Jasper  .county  and  located  on  a  farm  in  Cook  township,  this  county.  Seven 
children  have  l)een  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lewis  Rorabaugh,  Rebecca,  .\gnes. 
Rose,  Emery,  Phoebe,  Mary,  and  Harry,  deceased.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wagner 
are  the  parents  of  seven  children :  l<"rank  Earl,  of  Lytton.  Iowa :  Edith 
Pearl,  a  teacher  of  Clarion.  Iowa ;  Mary  Alice,  also  a  teacher :  Edna  Harriett ; 
Iva  Lillian;  Florence  Marian  and  Bessie  Maude.  The  three  youngest  daugh- 
ters are  still  in  school. 

Politically,  Mr,  Wagner  has  teen  a  life-long  Republican,  and  has  been 
prominently  identified  with  his  party  in  this  county.  For  si.x  years  he  served 
as  a  member  of  the  city  council  of  Odebolt,  and  while  in  that  position  he 
rendered  faithful  and  efficient  service  to  the  city.  Mr,  Wagner  was  reared 
to  the  Lutheran  belief,  while  his  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church.  Fraternally,  Mr.  Wagner  is  a  member  of  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  he  and  his  wife  are  both  affiliated  with  the 
Daughters  of  Rebekah.  Mr.  Wagner  and  his  family  will  he  missed  from 
Odebolt,  where  they  have  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances,  who 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  693 

admire  them  for  their  many  good  qualities.  Their  hospitable  home  was 
always  open  and  they  entertained  their  many  friends  with  that  kindliness 
which  marks  people  of  culture  and  refinement. 


JAMES  L.  BRUCE. 

Among  the  enterprising  bu-siness  men  of  Odebolt.  who  are  assisting  in 
the  development  of  the  industrial  and  commercial  life  of  this  town  and  com- 
munity is  J.  L.  Bruce,  of  the  firm  of  Reuber  &  Bruce,  dealers  in  grains  and 
seeds.  This  firm,  which  is  one  ofi  the  largest  of  its  kind  in  this  section  of 
the  state,  is  of  immense  benefit  to  the  farmers  of  Sac  county,  and  it  annually 
distributes  several  thousand  dollars  to  the  farmers  of  the  county. 

James  L.  Bruce  was  born  May  lo,  1873,  in  Delaware  county,  Iowa, 
and  is  the  son  of  J.  S.  and  Nettie  O.  (Younie)  Bruce.  J.  S.  Bruce  was 
born  in  1851  in  Scotland  and  came  to  America  in  1834  with  his  father,  John 
Bruce,  who  first  settled  in  Schenectady.  New  York,  but  three  years  later 
came  to  Delaware  ccamty,  Iowa,  and  became  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of 
that  county.  In  1871  he  came  to  Sac  county,  where  he  bought  land  in 
Wheeler  township,  but  did  not  move  his  family  from  Delaware  county  until 
the  spring  of  1874.  John  Bruce  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  in  Wheeler 
township  and  died  in  Odebolt  April  7,  1895.  ^^  ^"  advanced  age.  Four  sons 
accompanied  John  Bruce  to  Sac  county:  John,  deceased:  Rul^ert.  deceased; 
Andrew,  who  lives  near  Kingsley.  Iowa,  and  J.  S.,  father  of  the  subject  of 
this  brief  review. 

J.  S.  Bruce  was  married  in  Delaware  county.  Iowa,  and  settled  on  his 
farm  there.  He  lived  on  this  farm  of  two  hundred  acres  for  about  one 
year,  and,  then,  in  the  spring  of  1874,  removed  to  Sac  county  and  lived  on 
his  farm  in  \Vheeler  township  until  he  moved  to  Garber,  Oklahoma,  in  the 
fall  of  1900.  He  added  to  his  land  holdings  from  time  to  time  and  when 
he  left  this  state  he  was  the  owner  of  six  hundred  acres  of  fine  farming  land 
in  Wheeler  township,  and  has  since  acquired  four  hundred  and  eighty  acres 
in  Oklahoma.  The  children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  S.  Bruce  were  as  fol- 
lows:  James  L..  whose  life  history  is  here  given;  Lewis  Edward,  of  Garber, 
Oklahoma:  Mrs.  Jennie  Potter,  wife  of  Dr.  W.  L.  Potter,  a  dentist  of  Garber, 
Oklahoma:  Verrian,  of  Garber.  Oklahoma:  Bertha,  of  Fort  Worth,  Texas; 
Mrs.  Blanche  Brunken.  of  Garljer,  Oklahoma:  Harr}-.  of  the  same  place. 

James  L.  Bruce  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  Wheeler  township, 


694  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

this  county,  and  received  a  limited  education  in  the  district  schools  of  his 
township.  In  1896  he  began  farming  for  himself,  purchasing  part  of  the 
old  home  place.  In  the  fall  of  1904  he  sold  his  farm  and  in  the  spring  of 
1905  he  moved  to  Odebolt,  where  he  took  employment  in  the  hardware  store 
of  Mattes  Company.  After  working  for  this  firm  for  two  years,  he  was 
manager  of  the  Trans-Mississippi  Grain  Elevator  for  three  years,  and  in 
the  fall  of  1909  he  purchased  a  half  interest  in  the  grain  business  of  A.  H. 
W.  Reuber,  which  is  noted  in  detail  elsewhere  in  this  volume  in  the  sketch 
of  Mr.  Reuber. 

Mr.  Bruce  was  married  January  3,  1900,  to  Nellie  Johnson,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  W.  Johnson,  of  DeVVitt,  Iowa,  and  they  are  the  par- 
ents of  one  daughter,  Rosmer  Loraine,  who  was  born  October  6,  1901.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Bruce  are  loyal  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  while 
Mr.  Bruce  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and  .Accepted  Masons. 

Politically,  Mr.  Bruce  has  been  identified  with  the  Republican  party  and 
is  now  a  member  of  the  city  council  of  Odebolt.  He  is  a  man  of  high  ideals 
and  clean  character  and  is  well  worthy  of  mention  in  a  l)iographical  volume 
of  this  nature,  which  is  intended  to  include  the  representative  men  of  Sac 
county. 


HENRY  FREY. 


One  of  the  earliest  German  settlers  of  Sac  county.  Iowa,  was  Henry 
Frey,  who  came  to  this  county  forty  years  ago.  and  he  has  been  a  witness 
of  the  remarkable  change  which  has  come  about  in  this  count\-  from  the 
time  that  the  first  land  in  this  ccainty  was  tilled  down  to  the  present  time,  when 
it  is  co\ered  with  some  of  the  finest  farms  to  be  foiuul  an\-  place  in  the 
world.  He  was  born  February  17,  1836,  in  Germany,  his  parents,  John 
and  Katharine  (Schwartz)  Frey,  In-longing  to  the  class  known  in  Germanv 
as  High  Germans.  His  parents  were  farmers  and  his  father,  John  Frey, 
was  ambitious  for  his  children  to  make  a  success  in  life.  Accordingly,  in  the 
autumn  of  the  year  1851,  John  Frey  and  his  whole  family,  consisting  nf  his 
wife  and  six  children,  John,  Henry,  I'hillip.  George,  Christina,  Barbara  and 
Katharine,  crossed  the  ocean  and  landed  in  New  York  on  Xovember  8.  iSsi- 
They  came  over  in  an  old-fashioned  sailing  vessel  and  their  xoyage  was  nine 
weeks  in  length.  They  came  direct  from  New  York  City  to  Chicago,  landing 
there  in  the  midst  of  winter.  They  at  once  settled  in  Lake  count}-,  twenty- 
two  miles  out  of  Chicago,  where  John   h'rey  bought  a    fortv-acre   farm.     A 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  695 

_\cai  later  Ik-  ino\'ecl  to  Lee  CDiintv.  Iowa,  where  he  bought  anotlier  fann. 
J 11  this  county  John  Frev  and  his  wife  looth  passed  the  remainder  of  their 
days. 

Henry  FYey  was  fifteen  and  one-half  years  of  age  when  his  father 
decided  to  come  to  this  country  with  iiis  family.  He  had  received  the  best 
education  which  the  local  schools  of  his  C(imnuinit\'  in  (lerniany  afiforded, 
and  upon  coming  to  this  country  he  began  to  help  his  father  upon  the  farm. 
He  was  married  in  Lee  county,  Illinois,  and  lived  there  imtil  1874.  On 
April  30th  of  that  year  he  bought  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land 
in  Clinton  township.  Sac  county.  pa}-ing  five  dollars  an  acre  for  the  land. 
Eleven  years  later  he  bought  eighty  acres  more,  for  which  he  paid  twenty- 
five  dollars  an  acre,  and  still  owns  the  four  hundred  acres  which  he  pur- 
chased in  this  township.  He  has  two  complete  sets  of  buildings  on  his  land. 
When  he  first  purchased  these  tracts,  the  land  was  raw^  prairie  and  the  hand 
of  man  had  never  touched  it.  His  nearest  trading  place  was  Storm  Lake, 
and  in  order  to  get  the  lumber  to  build  his  first  home  he  had  to  haul  it  from 
Vail,  Iowa.  As  he  was  the  first  settler  in  his  part  of  the  township,  he  was 
looked  upon  as  a  man  of  judgment  when  it  came  to  advising  other  farmers 
what  to  do  and  how  to  manage  their  crops  in  the  new  locality.  Alany 
people  came  from  Lee  county  and  settled  in  Sac  county,  and  the  Frey  home 
became  the  center  of  many  new  incoming  families.  Mr.  Frev  continued  to 
reside  upon  his  farm  until  1903,  when  he  moved  to  Odebolt.  where  he  has 
smce  lived,  having  a  pleasant,  modern  home  in  that  city.  ef]uipped  with  all 
the  latest  conveniences. 

Mr.  Vrt\  was  married  in  i860  to  Katrina  Luft,  a  nati\'e  'if  (ierman\-, 
whose  death  occurred  in  1908,  at  the  age.  of  seventy-two.  They  were  the 
parents  of  ten  children,  only  one  of  whom  is  living,  George  Henry,  who 
was  born  in  Lee  county.  Illinois,  ■March  11.  1874.  He  is  the  owner  of  the 
automobile  shop  and  garage  in  Odebolt,  and  married  Katharine  Alehlbrech, 
and  they  have  two  daughters.  Florence  and  Anna.  The  children  who  are 
deceased  are  Jacob.  William,  Mary.  Katharine  and  fi^•e  who  died  in  infancy. 

Mr.  Frey  has  long  been  identified  with  the  Republican  part\"  in  this 
county  and  was  one  of  the  early  trustees  of  his  township.  Religiously,  he 
and  his  family  have  long  been  members  of  the  German  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  and  render  it  substantial  assistance  in  e\'ery  way.  The  career  of 
Mr.  i'rev  in  this  county  has  been  one  well  worthy  of  emulatinn.  because  it 
shows  what  can  be  accomplished  by  a  man  who  applies  himself  with  the 
proper  determination. 


bgO  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

willia:^!  a.  STANZEL. 

We  are  taught  that  the  immortahty  of  tlie  soul  is  the  divine  gift  to  hu- 
manity; that  life  does  not  end  when  the  body  ceases  to  breathe,  and  when  we 
are  no  longer  in  the  flesh  on  this  earth  into  which  we  are  born,  the  immortal 
soul,  freed  of  its  earthly  casing,  soars  onward  and  upward  to  the  unknown 
realms  wherein  there  is  neither  strife,  nor  sorrow,  nor  tra\'ail,  nor  pain — 
there  to  be  judged  and  taken  to  the  bosom  of  the  great  Ruler  of  the  Universe 
fore\er  and  e\-er.  Be  it  so — it  is  a  comforting  thought  to  those  of  us  who 
rernaii:  on  earth  to  live  out  our  allotted  span  of  years  and  to  do  our  work  as 
assigned,  that  we  shall  meet  again  with  loved  ones  in  the  Great  Beyond  from 
which  no  man  has  yet  returned.  Th.e  departure  of  the  soul  of  William  A. 
Stanzel  from  its  earthly  habitation  marked  the  close  of  a  long  and  honorable 
career  as  a  pioneer  settler  of  Sac  county,  a  kind  and  provident  father  and  a 
highb-  esteemed  citizen. 

William  A.  Stanzel  was  born  August  31,  1833,  in  Schonnecow,  Prussia, 
in  the  highlands  of  Germany.  He  was  the  son  of  Martin  and  Eva  Rosanna 
Stanzel,  t!ie  father  being  a  miller  by  trade.  In  1847  I""'*  mother  died  and  the 
father,  accnmpanied  1)\-  Ins  family  of  b\e  sons  and  two  daughters,  set  sail  for 
America.  Some  of  his  family  had  preceded  him  and  had  located  near  the 
cit\-  of  Oshkosh,  Wisconsin.  Here  the  immigrants  likewise  settled  and  there 
William  A.  lived  for  a  time.  A\^hen  still  a  youth  he  left  home  and  journeved 
westward  in  search  of  fortune.  After  a  stay  of  some  months  in  the  citv  of 
St.  Paul,  he  came  southward  to  Illinois.  Here  things  apparently  did  not 
satisfy  him  and  opportunity  seemed  remote,  so  he  came  on  into  Iowa  and 
settled  do^vn  to  the  serious  and  commendable  pursuit  of  fanning  in  Clinton 
county.  He  prospered  and  was  rewarded  for  his  diligence  and  industrv  and 
was  doubly  blessed  when  he  took  to  wife  Mrs.  Laurinda  R.  (Clark)  Kenyon 
on  the  27th  day  of  August,  1864.  This  was  a  fortunate  day  for  him,  as  later 
events  proved. 

Laurinda  Iv.  (  Clark)  Kenyon,  witli  whom  this  narrative  is  also  intimatelv 
concerned,  was  born  March  13,  1842,  on  a  farm  in  Delaware  countv  of  the  old 
Buckeye  state.  The  parental  farm  was  located  in  Berkshire  township.  She 
is  the  daughter  of  Barnabas  and  Submit  (Hitchcock)  Clark,  and  is  a  descend- 
ant of  an  old  and  illustrious  American  family  which  dates  its  origin  back  to 
the  days  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  and  the  best  blood  of  New  England  flows  in 
the  veins  of  her  and  her  children.  The  Clark  family,  according  to  authentic 
record,  begins  in  America  with  Thomas  Clark,  a  first  mate  of  the  historic  ship 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  697 

"Mayflower."  It  is  recorded  in  history  that  he  was  the  first  of  the  Pilgrims 
to  land  on  the  bleak  shores  of  New  England.  Beginning  with  Barnabas  Clark, 
father  of  !\Irs.  Stanzel,  and  tracing  backward,  we  find  that  he  was  the  son  of 
Alvin  Clark  and  was  born  September  ii,  1799;  was  married  in  May  of  1824 
to  Submit  Plitchcock,  who  was  born  on  January  2,  1801,  and  died  May  6,  1878. 
Barnabas  learned  the  trade  of  wagonniaker,  but  also  worked  as  a  skilled  crafts- 
man in  the  engraving  art.  He  settled  in  Delaware  county.  Ohio,  and  re- 
moved from  there  to  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  after  his  marriage.  He  died 
September  27,  1890.  His  children  were  as  follows:  Samuel  Hall  Clark, 
deceased;  Mary  Jane  Dunkin.  deceased:  Sabra  Clapp  (Wade),  of  Elwood; 
Frederick  Hanks,  postmaster  of  Lake\-iew :  Mrs.  Laurinda  Roxana  Stanzel. 
It  is  worthy  of  note  that  Prof.  Alvin  Clark,  the  famous  telescope  manufacturer 
and  astronomer,  of  world-wide  fame,  was  a  brother  of  Barnabas  Clark. 

William  A.  Stanzel  and  his  cajjable  wife  resided  on  a  farm  in  Clinton 
county  until  1876.  when  they  Sdkl  nut  their  holdings  and  on  March  1st  came  to 
Sac  county.  Their  welcome  in  the  county  was  not  a  very  pleasant  nor  an  in- 
viting one,  as  they  arrived  here  while  a  blizzard  was  raging  with  all  the 
characteristic  fierceness  and  extreme  cold  which  accompanies  the  northwestern 
winter  storm.  This  blizzard  followed  an  exceptionally  mild  winter.  They 
invested  their  capital  in  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  good  land  in  Clin- 
ton township.  With  only  a  small  frame,  unlined  and  unplastered  house  to 
shelter  them,  the}-  li\ed  here  during  the  terrible  cold  and  with  the  thermom- 
eter registering  twenty  degrees  below  zero.  Mrs.  Stanzel  was  then  nursing  a 
child  but  six  months  old.  Their  first  year's  crops  were  very  poor,  the  corn 
being  small  and  tiie  wheat  xery  light.  To  add  hardships  to  their  bad  luck,  the 
grasshoppers  came  in  the  fall  and  stripped  the  place  of  everything  edible  and 
left  a  barren  waste  in  their  wake.  However,  they  saved  a  little  from  the 
wreck,  for  ]\lrs.  Stanzel  gathered  in  the  cabbage  heads  as  fast  as  the  greedy 
"hoppers"  stripped  oflf  the  outer  lea\'es.  \\'hen  it  came  time  to  sow  the  crops 
for  next  season  it  devolved  upon  Judge  Criss,  ever  the  firm  friend  of  the 
farmers,  to  offer  advice  which  was  acceptable  and  resulted  in  a  good  wheat 
cvop  for  the  ensuing  year.  Judge  Criss  advised  Mr.  Stanzel  and  others  to 
sow  their  wheat  very  tliick  so  as  to  prevent  the  "hoppers"  from  getting  into 
the  field  in  order  to  eat  the  grain  and  the  plan  worked  to  perfection. 

Mrs.  Stanzel  recalls  vividly  the  terrible  winter  of  1880  and  1881  as  being 
the  most  severe  in  Sac  county  of  all  her  experience.  From  early  October 
to  late  in  the  spring  the  snow  was  very  deep  and  did  not  disappear  from  the 
ground  until  April  17th.  Another  \ery  heavy  snow  came  on  .April  20th. 
Nearlv  all  of  the  early  settlers  in  CliiUon  township  came  from  Clinton  county. 


(XjH  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Iowa,  and  the  township  was  named  in  honor  of  CHnton  county.  For  over 
forty  years  these  brave  and  liardy  pioneers  lived  on  their  tine  farm  and  in  May 
of  1907  they  removed  to  Odebolt,  where  Mr.  Stanzel  died  in  January  of  191 1. 
Mrs.  Stanzel  resides  in  the  fine  residence  which  they  purchased. 

This  estimable  and  worthy  couple  have  reared  the  following  children ; 
George  C,  a  prosperous  fanner  in  Boyer  Valley  township;  Silas,  a  farmer 
living  in  Wall  J^ake  township;  Mrs.  Eve  S.  Fuller,  of  Odebolt;  William  A.^ 
Jr.,  a  prosperous  farmer  living  in  Odebolt:  Mrs.  Mary  Hannah  Scott,  of 
Boyer  Valley  township;  Herman  R.,  a  merchant  in  Odebolt;  Mrs.  Harriet 
Hooper,  of  Boyer  Valley  township ;  Barnabas,  on  the  old  home  place  in  Clinton 
township.  The  mother  of  these  children  had  been  previously  married  and 
widowed  before  her  union  with  Mr.  Stanzel.  She  was  first  married  on  July 
9,  1857,  to  Phineas  Kenyon,  a  native  of  New  York  state  and  an  early  settler 
in  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  coming  there  in  about  1S55.  He  was  a  Union  soldier 
and  served  his  country  in  Company  B,  Twenty-sixth  Regiment  of  Iowa  Volun- 
teer Infantry.  He  was  a  corporal  in  the  army  and  served  for  one  year.  He 
died  September  23,  1863,  leaving  fatherless  two  children,  Charles  E.,  who  died 
in  1901,  and  Alvan  B.,  a  resident  of  Ringgold,  Iowa. 

Mr.  Stanzel  was  one  of  the  wealthiest  farmers  and  one  of  the  largest 
landowners  in  Sac  county  at  the  climax  of  his  successful  career.  He  owned 
in  excess  of  one  thousand  acres  of  land,  most  of  which  was  improved.  Be- 
fore his  demise  he  gave  each  grown  son  a  deed  to  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  improved  land  and  gave  outright  to  each  daughter  eighty  acres  of  land, 
and  gave  a  third  daughter  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  on  account  of 
the  fact  that  she  remained  at  home  and  cared  for  her  parents  in  their  old  age. 
This  showed  his  wonderful  wisdoiii  and  foresight,  as  every  child  is  a  resident 
of  Sac  county,  and  all  are  prominent  and  \-alued  citizens  of  the  neighborhoods 
in  which  they  reside. 

Mr.  Stanzel  was  a  life-iong  Republican  in  jjolitics  and  capably  lilled  the 
office  of  trustee  of  his  tnwnship,  served  as  treasurer  for  a  nunil)er  of  years  and 
was  also  the  honored  president  of  the  township  school  board.  He  was  one 
of  the  leading  figures  in  the  civic  life  of  tlie  township  and  county  for  a  long- 
period  and  was  universally  respected  and  admired  by  a  wide  circle  of  friends 
and  acc]uaintances.  He  was  reared  in  the  faith  of  his  fathers,  that  of  the 
Evangelical  Lutheran  church,  but  during  his  residence  in  Sac  county  he  be- 
came afiiliated  with  the  Congregational  church.  Mrs.  Stanzel  is  a  devout 
Christian  ladv  who  values  her  membership  in  the  Methodist  church  and  is  a 
liberal  giver  to  the  cause  of  religion.  .She  is  one  of  the  kindliest  and  most 
intelligent  of  women,  who,  despite  her  more  than  three  score  years  and  ten    is. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  6^9 

Still  vigorous  and  hearty  and  keenly  alive  to  the  desiraliilitv  of  niaintaininj^'  an 
interest  in  the  every-day  occurrences  of  this  progressive  age. 

This  biographical  narrative  is  respectfully  dedicated  to  the  memory  of 
her  husband  and  as  a  tribute  to  the  wonderful  record  which  she  and  her  hus- 
band have  made  in  Sac  comity ;  again,  it  will  prove  to  be  a  priceless  memoir 
to  her  children  and  grandchildren  in  the  years  to  come  and  serve  as  an  inspira- 
tion to  tlie  present  and  coming  generations.  It  is  of  such  noble  people  as  tliev 
of  whom  the  historian  is  nleased  to  write. 


JOHN   N.   SCHMITZ. 

A  truly  capable  man  but  fulfills  the  plan  of  his  Creator.  The  life  of 
man,  while  to  a  certain  extent  dependent  for  its  breadth  and  altruism  upon 
man  himself  and  the  exercise  of  God-given  talents  in  Ijehalf  of  himself  and 
his  fellow  human  beings,  is  inevitably  controlled  by  a  power  unseen,  but 
felt  in  all  of  its  significance.  The  individual  being  is  but  an  instrument 
in  many  respects  who  seems  naturally  endowed  to  perform  certain  deeds ; 
this  done,  and  his  life  work  apparently  accomplished,  the  Creator  calls  him 
homeward,  to  be  judged  according  to  his  deserts.  The  life  of  man,  when 
measured,  not  by  years  alone,  but  rather  by  a  purpose  achieved  and  by 
good  deeds  accredited  to  it,  is  true  and  comforting.  While  we  sorrow  be- 
cause of  the  departure  of  a  loved  one  from  our  midst,  and  feel  many  times 
that  he  could  not  be  spared,  we  console  ourselves  with  the  knowledge  that 
it  was  inevitable.  The  grim  messenger  heeds  not  and  we  are  left  to  mourn 
and  accept  submissively.  Such  thoughts  naturally  arise  when  we  contem- 
plate tlie  life  work  and  notaljle  career  of  John  N.  Schmitz,  pioneer  banker 
of  Odebolt,  Iowa,  and  who  was  a  useful  citizen  in  every  sense  of  the  word. 

Mr.  Schmitz  was  born  December  2,  1843.  '"  Cermany.  He  was  the  son 
of  Nicholas  Schmitz,  a  farmer  by  occupation,  who  came  to  America  and  set- 
<;led  in  Dubucjue  county,  Iowa,  in  the  year  i860.  John  N.  enlisted  in  the 
Union  army  in  January,  1862,  when  he  was  but  nineteen  years  old  and 
served  his  country  on  the  battlefields  of  the  great  Rebellion  for  three  long 
years.  He  was  engaged  in  the  great  battles  of  Chickamauga,  Chattanooga, 
Memphis  and  Nashville,  Tennessee,  and  many  others,  while  in  the  Union 
service.  When  the  war  closed  he  returned  to  his  home  near  Dubuque  and 
endeavored  to  finish  his  interrupted  education.  He  studied  in  a  Dubuque 
commercial  college  so  as  to  equip  himself  for  success  in  the  marts  of  com- 


70O  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

merce  and  trade  and  fitted  himself  in  other  ways  for  a  life  of  active  en- 
deaxor.  He  taught  in  the  schools  of  Dubuque  county  for  over  twelve  years. 
In  April,  18S2.  he  came  to  Sac  county  and  embarked  in  the  retail  merchan- 
dise business  in  partnership  with  his  brother,  Leonard  Schmitz,  in  Odebolt, 
who  also  was  a  Union  veteran.  In  1886  the  brothers  dissolved  partnership 
and  John  N.  established  an  insurance  and  loan  business,  which  was  later, 
in  January,  1901,  followed  by  the  opening  of  the  German  Bank.  Mr. 
Schmitz  became  prosperous  and  wealthy  while  engaged  in  business  in  Ode- 
bolt,  and,  like  other  far-seeing  men,  he  in\ested  heavily  in  farm  lands,  which 
rose  rapidly  in  value.  At  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  possessed  of  over 
eight  hundred  acres  of  good  Iowa  lands,  for  which  he  paid  variable  prices 
ranging  from  thirty  dollars  to  forty  dollars  an  acre.  He  had  unbounded 
confidence  in  the  inevitable  great  future  of  western  Iowa  and  was  one  of 
the  most  consistent  o])timists  in  the  community  in  which  he  had  cast  his 
lot.  He  had  a  sublime  and  confiding  faith  in  the  ultimate  prosperity  of 
the  community  and  invested  his  funds  according  to  his  faith.  He  was 
always  a  liberal  supporter  of  public  enterprises  and  his  purse  was  ever 
open  to  assist  a  worthy  undertaking  for  the  benefit  of  the  community.  He 
was  a  Democrat  in  politics,  but  always  took  an  independent  position  in  local 
and  county  political  affairs  and  generally  cast  his  influence  and  vote  in 
favor  of  the  most  able  and  capable  men  according  to  his  judgment.  He 
was  a  leading  member  of  St.  Martin's  Catholic  church  of  Odebolt  and  as- 
sisted materially  and  liberally  in  defraying  the  expenses  incidental  to  the 
erection  of  the  handsome  buildings  owned  by  the  congregation.  He  held  an 
honored  place  as  a  comrade  of  Goodrich  Post,  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 
His  demise  occurred  Jul\-  31,  1905,  and  he  was  sincerely  mourned  b\'  a  large 
circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances,  it  being  felt  that  the  city  had  lost  one  of 
its  strongest  characters  and  a  most  able  citizen, 

Mr  .Schmitz  was  married  October  2S.  1873,  to  Mary  .\nna  Weiland. 
who  was  born  in  Germany  in  the  year  1852  and  emigrated  to  .\merica  with 
her  parents  in  1853,  being  reared  in  Dubuque  county,  Iowa,  Mr,  and  Mrs. 
Schmitz  reared  five  children,  Augustine  J,  N.  Schmitz,  Mary,  A.  F.  P. 
Schmitz.  Katharine  and  A.  J.  P.,  all  residents  of  Sac  county.  The  sons  of 
this  excellent  and  worth}-  gentleman  are  following  in  their  father's  foot- 
steps and  conducting  the  banking  business  which  he  established  in  a  capable 
and  able  manner.  Their  standing  in  the  community  as  upright  and  con- 
.scientious  men  of  affairs  is  assured. 

The  German  -Savings  Bank  is  a  successor  to  the  German  Bank,  estab- 
lished in    i()oi   b\-    John   X.   Schmitz  and  succeeded  the   loan   business    form- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  JOl 

erly  conducted  by  this  gentleman.  It  was  first  operated  as  a  private  concern 
and  known  as  the  German  Bank.  In  September,  1905,  the  German  Savings 
Bank  was  incorporated  by  his  sons.  A  handsome  new  building,  built  of 
Bedford  stone  and  pressed  brick,  in  dimension  thirty  by  fortv-eight  feet, 
was  erected  at  cost  of  over  seven  thousand  dollars.  Modern  fixtures  were 
installed  and  well  appointed  conveniences  for  the  transaction  of  business 
were  placed.  In  addition  to  a  modern  vault,  the  bank  is  equipped  with  safety 
deposit  vaults  which  will  accommodate  boxes  to  the  number  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty-five.  An  insurance  and  farm  loan  department  is  also  conducted 
by  the  proprietors.  The  farm  loan  business  has  always  been  an  extensive 
department  of  the  business  and  the  sons  are  gradually  increasing  its  scope 
and  also  further  developing  the  insurance  department.  This  bank  has  a 
capital  of  fifty  thousand  dollars,  a  surplus  of  five  thousand,  and  deposits  and 
resources  totalling  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand.  The  officers  are  as  fol- 
lows:  Augustine  J.  N.  Schmitz,  president:  A.  F.  P.  Schmitz.  cashier,  and 
A.  J.  P.  Schmitz,  assistant  cashier. 

There  is  jjrol^ablv  no  institution  of  its  kind  ci  inducted  in  Sac  cmintx-  with 
more  care  and  better  business  judgment  than  the  German  Savings  Bank  at 
Odebolt.  Its  managers  have  been  instilled  with  habits  of  rectitude  and  up- 
rightness in  their  business  dealings  through  the  influence  of  the  example 
set  by  their  illustrious  parents.  Aside  from  this,  these  young  men  are 
known  favorablv  for  their  individual  sterling  worth  and  are  possessed  of 
attributes  and  capabilities  above  the  average,  facts  which  commend  them 
to  their  fellow  citizens. 


R.  C.  SEBERN,  M.  D. 


One  of  the  recognized  leaders  in  the  medical  profession  of  Sac  county 
is  Dr.  R.  C.  Sebern,  of  Odebolt.  Though  a  comparatively  young  man.  Doctor 
Sebern  has  well  established  himself  in  his  calling,  for  which  he  has  admirably 
equipped  himself,  and,  with  judicious  discrimination,  he  has  kept  fully  abreast 
of  the  best  medical  thought  of  the  times.  His  success  offers  the  most  ef- 
fective voucher  of  his  ability  and  has  been  of  the  most  unequivocal  order. 

Dr.  R.  C.  Sebern  was  born  in  Lake  Gity,  Iowa,  June  25,  1881.  the  son  of 
T.  H.  and  Martha  (McNish)  Sebern,  the  former  a  native  of  Indiana  and  the 
latter  of  New  York  state,  of  Scotch-Irish  ancestry.  T.  H.  Sebern  was  a 
stock  buyer  and  shipper  and  removed  from  Indiana  to  Iowa,  locating  in  Lake 
City,  where  he  resided  for  many  years. 


/<-'-  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Doctor  Sebern  received  his  primary  education  in  the  Lake  City  high 
sviioul.  His  collegiate  training  was  received  at  the  medical  department  of  the 
Iowa  State  Uni^'ersity  at  Iowa  City,  from  which  institution  he  graduated  in 
1904.  He  established  himself  in  Odebolt  the  same  year,  and  has  been  en- 
gaged here  continuously  in  the  practice  of  his  profession.  In  the  fall  of  1913 
he  pursued  a  post-graduate  course  in  New  York  City.  Thus  thoroughly  forti- 
fied for  the  work  of  his  exacting"  vocation,  his  success  has  been  on  a  parity 
with  his  distinctive  technical  ability.  The  Doctor  is  an  appreciative  and 
\'alued  member  of  the  Sac  County  Medical  Society,  the  Northwestern  Iowa 
Medical  Society  and  the  American  Medical  Association.  He  is  also  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Chicago  (S:  Northwestern  Railroad  Surgeons  Association,  being 
the  local  surgeon  in  Odelvjlt  for  that  railroad. 

Politically,  Doctor  Sebern  gives  his  allegiance  to  the  Republican  party, 
and  fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order. 

Doctor  Sebern  is  essentially  progressive  and  public  spirited  as  a  citi- 
zen, and  while  all  other  interests  have  been  subordinate  to  his  devotion  to 
his  profession,  he  has  not  failed  in  any  civic  duties,  and  willingly  supports 
every  cause  having  for  its  object  the  betterment  of  the  community. 


JOSEPH  PARKINSON. 


An  historical  volume  always  has  a  place  of  honor  for  the  pioneer  settler; 
to  him  is  due  the  credit  of  having  braved  the  hardships  which  accompany 
the  first  hard  struggles  endured  as  necessary  in  the  herculean  task  of  wresting 
a  home  from  out  of  the  vast  emptiness  of  the  prairie  and  paving  the  way 
for  the  influx  of  immigration  which  usually  follows  the  advent  of  the  first 
brave  and  hardy  conquerors  of  the  wilderness.  He  it  was  who  lived  in  a 
board  shack  for  a  home,  or  mayhaj)  a  dugout,  and  eked  out  his  existence  by 
hunting  and  trapping  the  wild  game  and  lived  for  months  far  away  from 
the  centers  of  civilization  and  at  a  long  distance  from  neighbors.  The 
pioneer  family  are  of  the  "salt  of  the  earth"  and  are  deserving  of  honors  and 
prestige  in  the  community  for  the  noble  work  accomplished  in  behalf  of  rest- 
less and  every  moving  humanity.  Joseph  Parkinson,  of  the  city  of  Lake 
View,  Sac  county,  enjoys  the  distinction  of  being  the  oldest  pioneer  settler  in 
point  of  years  of  residence  in  the  county  residing  in  his  home  town  and 
township. 

Mr.  Parkinson  was  born  in  1836  at  Ramsbottom,  Lancashire,  England, 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  7O3 

the  son  of  Lawrence  and  Fannie  ( Wolwork )  Parkinson.  The  father  of 
Fannie  Wolwark  was  a  fighting  soldier  in  the  British  army  at  the  time  of  her 
birth. 

Joseph  Parkinson  came  to  America  in  1851  and  located  in  Philadelphia. 
He  was  first  married  at  Chester,  Delaware  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1861,  to 
Sarah  Dover,  a  native  of  England,  who  was  born  in  183 1.  Their  children 
are  as  follows:  John,  born  at  Upland,  Pennsylvania,  in  May,  1862,  and 
died  in  1895 ;  Mrs.  Mary  Jane  Sherwood,  bom  in  Walworth  county,  Wis- 
consin, July  6.  1863.  and  resides  in  the  town  of  Wall  Lake;  Mrs.  Har- 
riet Sonnichsen,  born  in  Grant  county,  Wisconsin,  in  April,  1864,  and  re- 
sides in  \Vall  Lake  township;  Priscilla,  born  in  Sac  county  in  1869  and  died 
in  1874;  Emma,  born  in  Sac  county  in  1872  and  died  of  scarlet  fever  in 
1874  (both  are  buried  in  the  Grant  City  cemetery)  ;  William,  born  in  1877, 
residing  in  Viola  township;  Frank,  born  in  1880,  lives  in  Sac  county.  The 
mother  of  these  children  died  in  1882.  Her  mother  was  Mary  Dover,  who 
had  three  children,  Thomas,  Sarah  and  Mary  Ellen. 

Mr.  Parkinson's  second  marriage  took  place  in  1889  with  Eliza  Birch,  a 
daughter  of  Henry  and  Agatha  (Troutman)  Birch,  natives  of  Germany, 
who  emigrated  to  America  and  settled  in  Ohio  in  the  year  1849.  Mrs.  Park- 
inson was  born  in  Springfield.  Ohio.  To  this  union  have  been  born  the 
following  children :  Florence,  born  January  25,  1890,  and  died  January 
29,  1913 ;  Fred,  born  in  1892  and  died  when  five  months  of  age. 

In  the  year  1861  Mr.  Parkinson  was  called  out  by  the  governor  of 
Pennsylvania  to  fight  for  the  LTnion  and  first  drilled  in  a  company  of  eighty 
men  at  Upland,  near  Chester,  under  Captain  Kirkman.  He  was  mustered 
into  the  Fifty-second  Regiment,  A'olunteer  Infantry  of  Pennsylvania,  in 
September  of  1861.  His  nephew,  Thomas  Parkinson,  enlisted  in  the  same 
company.  The  call  went  forth  for  sixty  thousand  volunteers  from  the  state 
of  Pennsylvania  at  this  time  and  it  was  intended  to  use  this  vast  array  of 
militia  to  repel  the  threatened  invasion  of  the  state  by  the  Rebels.  Happily 
the  invasion  of  the  state  by  the  Confederate  soldiers  was  forestalled  at  this 
time  and  the  company  was  returned  to  LIpland. 

In  1863  Mr.  Parkinson  removed  to  Racine,  Wisconsin.  In  1864  he 
mo\ed  to  a  farm  in  Walworth  county  and  two  year?  later  he  settled  in  Grant 
countv,  where  he  and  his  family  resided  until  1868.  He  and  a  good  sized 
company  of  emigrants,  relatives,  friends  and  neighbors,  thirteen  in  all,  set 
out  for  Sac  county  in  the  spring  of  1868.  arriving  at  the  old  town  of  Grant 
City  on  the  30th  day  of  April,  1868.  The  party  set  out  from  the  town  of 
Eloomington,    Wisconsin.      Accompanying   the   pioneer   were    his    wife   and 


704  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

three  eldest  children,  and  a  brother  and  sister  as  follows :  Christopher,  whose 
son  Walter  is  a  resident  of  Lake  View,  and  who  was  likewise  accompanied 
by  his  daughter,  Elizabeth ;  Thomas  Nadico  Parkinson,  who  had  a  son  named 
James.  There  were  also  two  children  in  the  Dover  family  included  in  the 
party  with  their  parents  as  aforementioned.  The  partv  left  Bloomington 
on  April  16,  1868.  and  were  ensconsed  in  two  great  "prairie  schooners."  The 
trip  was  uneventful,  but  was  greatly  enjoyed  by  the  migrants.  Joseph  took 
up  some  railroad  land  at  a  cost  of  seven  dollars  an  acre,  situated  at  the 
eastern  shores  of  Wall  lake.  He  sowed  five  acres  to  wheat  during  the  first 
season  and  received  a  crop  of  fort}-eight  bushels  from  his  fi\e  acres.  He 
paid  five  dollars  for  the  threshing.  The  family  resided  in  a  house  owned  by 
George  Hicks,  of  Grant  City,  during  their  first  year's  residence  in  Sac  county. 
In  the  fall  he  set  about  the  erection  of  a  log  cabin,  sixteen  by  twenty  feet  in 
dimension,  hauling  the  logs  from  Grant  City.  Under  this  cabin  he  ex- 
cavated a  cellar  seven  feet  in  depth  and  walled  it  up  with  "nigger  heads" 
picked  up  on  his  land.  This  served  as  their  place  of  abode  for  several  years 
and  was  later  replaced  by  a  larger  frame  structure.  The  family  resided  on 
this  farm  until  1900  and  then  Mr.  Parkinson  and  his  faithful  wife  retired  to 
a  pretty  cottage  in  Lake  View  for  a  well-earned  rest  in  their  remaining 
years.  He  disposed  of  two  hundred  acres  of  his  land  in  October,  191 1,  at 
an  excellent  price  and  then  invested  in  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  located  four  miles  south  of  Sac  City.  He  is  also  the  owner  of  three 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  good  land  in  Saskatchewan,  Canada,  near  .the 
city  of  Watson. 

Politically,  this  well  respected  pioneer  citizen  has  generallv  been  allied 
with  the  Republican  party,  and  has  served  as  a  member  of  the  school  board. 
His  good  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational  church  and  thev  both  are 
known  for  their  deep  religious  convictions  and  as  upright  moral  members 
of  the  community  in  which  they  reside  and  are  universally  respected  and 
loved. 


DAVID  S.  HUSTON. 


Many  citizens  of  Sac  county.  Iowa,  have  come  from  the  good  old  Key- 
stone state  of  Pennsylvania  and  wherever  they  are  found  in  this  county  they 
are  among  the  most  prosperous  citizens.  It  is  a  fact  that  it  is  the  most  ven- 
turesome and  the  most  ambitious  people  who  have  the  courage  to  make  their 
homes  in  a  new  country,  and  this  accounts  in  great  measure  for  the  splendid 
prosperity  which  has  come  to  Sac  county  in  its  history.     The  fact  that  its 


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SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  7O5 

citizens  are  men  of  courage  and  determination,  who  came  here  to  better  their 
condition,  has  given  this  county  a  citizenship  which  has  made  for  prosperity 
in  every  particular. 

David  S.  Huston,  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Boyer  Valley  township,  in  Sac 
county.  Iowa,  was  born  March  25,  1864,  in  Perry  county,  Pennsylvania.  His 
parents,  John  W.  and  Mary  Jane  Huston,  were  natives  of  Pennsylvania,  who 
came  to  Sac  county  in  1882.  They  purchased  eighty  acres  of  land  north  of 
Early  in  this  township,  and  later  Ijought  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  Cook 
township  and  later  bought  eighty  acres  which  David  afterwards  purchased. 
In  their  old  age  Mr.  and  iMrs.  John  W.  Hu.ston  moved  to  Early,  where  they 
both  died  in  1909,  his  death  occurring  on  September  5th  and  hers  on  March 
30th.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  W.  Huston  were  the  parents  of  six  sons,  all  of  whom 
are  li\'ing:  David  S.,  with  whose  history  we  are  concerned  ;  E(hvard  T..  a  resi- 
dent of  Cook  township,  this  county;  Abner  B.,  of  Early;  Erank,  a  farmer  of 
Boyer  Valley  township ;  Charles,  of  Spencer,  Iowa,  and  George,  of  Cook  town- 
ship, this  county. 

David  S.  Huston  was  eighteen  years  of  age  when  his  parents  came  from 
Pennsylvania  to  Sac  county.  He  received  his  education  in  the  schools  of  his 
native  state  and  as  soon  as  he  came  to  this  county  he  began  to  work  on  his 
father's  farm.  When  he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age  he  began  farming  for 
himself,  and  eight  years  later  bought  eighty  acres  from  his  father  in  Cook 
township.  As  soon  as  he  was  married,  in  1888,  he  located  on  his  mother's 
farm  of  eighty  acres  in  Cook  townshij),  wliere  he  lived  for  eleven  vears.  In 
1899  he  began  buying  his  present  farm  of  twi)  hundred  and  fort}-t\vo  acres, 
paying  fifty-five  dollars  an  acre  for  ■  me  hundred  and  f()rt\'-twi)  and  <.)ne-half 
acres  in  1899  and  one  JnuKlred  aiid  sixteen  dollars  for  one  hundred  acres  in 
1909.  This  land  is  now  worth  two  liundred  dollars  an  acre,  because  of  the 
many  im]>rovements  which  he  lias  put  upon  the  land,  as  well  as  the  natural 
increase  which  has  come  to  all  of  the  land  in  this  section  of  Iowa.  In  1910  he 
erected  a  new  barn,  forty  by  seventy  feet,  in  order  to  care  for  his  stock  in  a 
better  manner.  He  prepares  a  large  amount  of  stock  for  the  markets  each 
year,  and  averages  two  car  loads  of  cattle  and  one  car  load  of  hogs  annually. 
Mr.  Huston  has  lately  made  substantial  additions  to  his  fine  home  near  Early, 
having  added  verandas,  cement  walks,  and  raised  the  ele\-ation  of  the  residence 
and  completely  wired  his  home  and  barns  for  electric  lights.  With  the  instal- 
lation of  a  furnace  for  heating  purposes,  he  has  now  completely  modernized 
his  home.  Electric  power  is  now  utilized  in  doing  the  work  about  the  home. 
His  many  improvements  have  cost  to  exceed  one  thousand  six  hundred  dollars. 
(44) 


job  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Mr.  Huston  was  married  on  September  6,  1888.  to  Mary  L.  Ruffcorn,  of 
Delaware  townsliip,  in  tliis  county,  and  to  this  union  there  liave  been  born 
four  children:  ^Slrs.  Olive  Simpson,  whose  husband  is  a  farmer  in  Boyer 
Valley  townshiii:  Vaughn  H.,  who  was  born  March  30,  1899:  David  and 
Leland,  born  January  18,  1906,  and  Harriet  Avis,  born  February  18,  1909. 
The  last  three  children  named  are  still  under  the  parental  roof.  Mrs.  Olive 
Simpson  is  the  mother  of  one  child.  Dale  Orlando,  born  May  16,  1914. 

Politically.  Mr.  Huston  is  an  independent,  althousfh  his  leanings  are 
toward  the  Democratic  party,  and,  like  millions  of  other  voters  in  191 2,  he 
voted  for  Woodrow  Wilson,  believing  that  the  principles  advocated  b\-  Mr. 
Wilson  were  such  as  to  insure  the  greatest  prosperity  to  our  country.  Fra- 
ternally, he  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  takes 
an  active  part  in  all  the  work  of  this  fraternal  organization.  Mr.  Huston  is  a 
kind  and  obliging  gentleman,  who  is  an  independent  thinker  on  all  topics. 
He  has  always  had  the  interest  of  his  community  at  heart  and  has  never  failed 
to  identifv  himself  with  any  enterprise  or  measure  which  he  felt  would  re- 
dound to  the  best  interests  of  his  locality. 

On  September  4,  1913.  the  Wachs  family  reunion  was  held  at  Mr. 
Huston's  home  and  descendants  and  members  of  the  Wachs  family  to  the 
number  of  fifty-three  were  present.  On  the  same  evening  friends  to  the  num- 
ber of  two  hundred  and  forty  gathered  at  the  home  to  assist  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Huston  in  celebrating  their  twent\--fifth  wedding  anni\'ersary.  The  next 
Wachs  familv  reunion  will  be  held  in  Oklahoma. 


EDWARD  H.  CRAXE,  M.  D. 

Citizenship  in  its  highest  sense  calls  for  the  be.st  that  there  is  in  the  indi- 
vidual. It  requires  the  exercise  of  talents  which  too  often  are  allowed  to 
lie  dormant  on  account  of  timidity  or  la.ssitude  on  the  part  of  those  upon 
whom  the  well  lieing  of  the  people  of  any  community  depends.  The  learned 
ph\sicians  have  e\er  been  a  potent  factor  in  public  affairs  when  especially 
gifted  with  a  desire  to  assist  in  the  betterment  of  conditions  and  when  en- 
dowed with  (|ualities  of  leadership.  They  are  usually  found  in  the  forefront 
of  movements  having  a  tendency  to  elevate  the  standard  of  citizenship  and 
wield  a  powerful  influence  in  shaping  public  affairs  in  man}-  communities.  A 
proper  presentation  of  the  manifold  attributes  and  accomplishments  of  Dr. 
Edward  H.  Crane,  of  Odcbolt,  reveals  the  ostensible  fact  that  he  is  a  young 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  7O7 

man  blessed  with  endowments  far  above  the  usual  and  commonplace  and 
gifted  with  the  powers  of  leadership  to  a  marked  degree. 

Doctor  Crane  was  born  December  i8.  1875,  on  a  farm  in  Cedar  county. 
Iowa.  His  parents  were  Thomas  and  Elizabeth  (Jones)  Crane,  natives  of 
the  Isle  of  Man  and  the  state  of  Kentucky,  respectively.  Thomas  Crane 
was  born  on  the  isle  of  Man  in  the  year  1844.  When  ten  years  of  age  he 
and  his  orphaned  brother  came  to  America  in  company  with  an  uncle,  who 
settled  in  Jones  county,  Iowa.  Thomas  took  up  the  struggle  for  subsistence 
when  very  young  and  it  is  said  that  he  drove  the  breaking  team  which 
turned  the  prairie  sod  on  the  site  of  the  city  of  Monticello.  Iowa.  When 
he  attained  his  niajorit}-  he  married  Elizabeth  Jones,  a  native  of  Kentucky 
and  who  was  of  Welsh-Irish  descent.  After  his  marriage,  Thomas  Crane 
located  in  Cedar  county,  where  he  resided  and  prospered  until  1876.  when 
he  reni()\  ed  tn  the  town  of  Battle  Creek.  Ida  county,  and  there  became 
prominently  identified  with  the  pioneer  life  of  the  community.  He  be- 
came the  owner  nf  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  Ida  county  lands, 
which  he  tilled  until  1904  and  then  removed  to  Battle  Creek  to  lead  a  life 
of  repose  in  his  remaining  years.  He  is  also  the  owner  of  three  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  of  good  farm  land  in  South  Dakota.  He  is  the  father 
of  se\en  sons  and  one  daughter:  Elmer,  a  ranchman  in  Oklahoma:  Erank, 
a  resident  of  Den\'er :  \\'illiam,  a  merchant  in  Battle  Creek;  Jeimie,  who 
is  her  father's  housekeeper :  Charles,  also  at  home :  Dr.  Edward  H. :  and  Dr. 
Odell  Crane,  who  enjoys  a  lucrative  practice  in  Spokane,  Wash- 
ington. The  mother  of  this  family  died  in  December  of  1913.  It  can  be 
truly  said  of  the  mother  that  she  was  a  noble  woman  and  a  kind  parent  who 
instilled  into  the  hearts  and  nunds  of  her  children  thoughts  and  habits  of 
rectitude  that  have  been  of  the  highest  assistance  in  enabling  them  to  occupy 
high  places  in  the  esteem  of  their  fellow  citizens  in  their  respective  places 
of  abode.  She  was  finely  educated  and  was  widely  and  favorably  known  for 
her  literary  ability. 

Doctor  Crane  studied  in  the  district  schools  and  spent  his  evenings 
poring  over  his  books  under  the  guidance  and  instruction  of  his  capable 
mother.  He  prepared  himself  to  teach  school  and  spent  three  and  one-half 
years  in  the  useful  avocation,  in  the  meantime  advancing  himself  b}-  com- 
pleting a  course  in  the  Iowa  Teachers"  College  at  Cedar  Ealls.  He  was 
granted  a  ^-tate  teacher's  certificate  in  1900.  While  a  student  in  the  Teachers' 
College  he  took  an  acti\e  part  in  college  athletics,  was  a  leader  of  his  class 
and  graduated  with  high  honors.  He  matriculated  in  the  College  of  Medi- 
cine, Iowa  State  University,  at  Iowa  City,  in  the  fall  of  1900  and  graduated 
therefrom  in  the  spring  of   1904.     While  a  student  here  he  won  the  state 


708  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

championship  for  putting  the  shot  and  was  the  class  orator  for  the  Middle- 
tonian  Society  of  the  university.  For  a  period  of  two  years  after  gradua- 
tion he  practiced  his  profession  at  Correctionville,  Iowa,  and  in  the  fall  of 
1906.  accompanied  by  his  wife,  he  entered  the  Harvard  Medical  College 
and  pursued  a  post-graduate  course  for  one  year.  At  the  expiration  of  his 
Harvard  course  he  located  in  Odebolt  and  has  achieved  a  remarkable  suc- 
cess as  a  physician  and  in  the  establishment  of  the  Odebolt  Hospital. 

The  Odebolt  Hospital  is  the  only  one  of  its  kind  in  two  counties  and 
was  established  by  Doctor  Crane  in  1913.  It  is  located  in  a  large,  white 
frame  building  on  the  main  street  of  the  city  and  is  completely  fitted  up 
for  the  care  of  the  sick  and  for  surgical  operations.  The  building  contains 
twenty  rooms,  including  well  appointed  offices  and  operating  rooms.  Ten 
patients  can  be  accommodated  and  cared  for  at  one  time.  From  one  to  four 
professional  nurses  are  in  attendance  at  all  times,  and  the  hospital,  with  its 
appurtenances,  is  at  the  disposal  of  the  local  physicians  and  nurses  and 
those  of  the  surrounding  towns.  Over  one  hundred  patients  are  annually 
treated  within  its  doors  and  the  institution  bears  a  favorable  and  growing 
reputation  throughout  the  neighborhood. 

Doctor  Crane  holds  membership  in  the  Sac  County  Medical  Societ^■.  the 
Missouri  \"alley  Medical  Society  and  the  Iowa  State  Medical  Society.  He 
is  a  pronounced  Progressive  in  politics  and  is  gaining  a  wide  reputation  as 
one  of  the  state  leaders  of  the  party.  At  the  present  time  he  is  county  secre- 
tary of  the  Sac  county  Progressives  and  is  widely  known  as  an  active  worker 
in  behalf  of  Progressive  principles.  Doctor  Crane  is  the  Progressi\e  candi- 
date for  Congress  in  the  eleventh  Iowa  district,  the  largest  in  territorial  ex- 
tent and  population  in  the  state.  Being  a  speaker  of  recognized  oratorical 
ability,  he  is  in  great  demand  in  the  meetings  of  the  Progressi\e  followers 
in  an  advisory  and  speech-making  capacity.  He  is  affiliated  with  the  Metho- 
dist Iqjiscopal  church  and  is  fraternally  connected  with  the  .\ncient  I-"ree  and 
Accepted  Masons,  and  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  l""ello\\>,  and  \arioiis 
other  secr.4  societies. 

Doctor  Crane  was  married  in  Seiitember,  1906,  to  Flizabeth  Thorn,  of 
Correctionville,  who  has  borne  him  four  cliildren :  Margaret,  aged  six 
years ;  Edward,  who  is  four  years  old ;  Elizabeth,  aged  two  }ears,  and  a  son 
four  months  of  age. 

The  career  of  this  capable  and  rising  young  man  will  liear  favorable 
observation.  His  qualities  of  leadership  and  pronounced  ability  have  marked 
him  for  high  preferment  by  his  associates  and  friends  in  all  walks  of  life. 
This  bistor\-  wnuld  be  incomidete  did  it  not  contain  this  f(Tregoing  re\iew. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  7O9 


ALBERT  DAVENPORT. 


It  is  a  tine  thing  when  a  man  can  retire  in  his  old  age  with  the  satisfac- 
tion that  he  has  attained  enough  of  this  world's  good  in  order  to  live  his 
declining  years  in  comfort.  Hundreds  of  Sac  county's  best  farmers  have 
retired  within  the  last  few  years,  after  having  lived  lives  marked  by  hard 
work  and  are  now  enjoying  their  last  years  in  peace  and  quiet.  Among  the 
man_\-  retired  farmers  of  Odebolt,  who  ha\'e  laid  by  a  competency  sufficient  to 
maintain  them  in  their  declining  vears.  there  is  no  one  more  highly  honored 
and  respected  than  Albert  Davenport,  who  was  born  September  25,  1857,  in 
Clinton  county,  Iowa.  He  is  the  son  of  Charles  L.  and  Mary  (Parnell)  Dav- 
enport, nati\es  respectively  of  Ohio  and  England. 

Charles  L.  Da\enport  was  born  January  15,  1830,  in  Ohio  and  died 
in  Odebolt  August  i,  1905.  He  was  the  son  of  John  Davenport,  a  native  of 
Ohio  and  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  that  state.  In  1838  John  Davenport 
emigrated  to  Indiana,  where  he  died.  In  the  spring  of  1857  Charles  L. 
Davenport  came  to  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  and  was  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers 
of  this  state.  In  1883  he  came  to  Sac  County,  settling  in  Odebolt.  He  was 
one  i>f  the  most  prosperous  farmers  of  the  township.  Mary  Parnell,  the 
mother  of  Albert  Davenport,  was  born  in  England  in  1833  and  came  with 
her  parents  across  the  ocean  to  Ohio  when  she  was  only  six  weeks  old.  She 
died  in  Sac  county,  Iowa,  in  1888.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  Davenport  reared 
a  family  of  five  children:  Mrs.  Laura  Correll,  who  was  born  April  15,  1855, 
and  died  in  Odebolt  July  13,  191 3;  Albert,  whose  history  is  herein  recorded; 
Agnes,  who  died  at  the  age  of  six;  Lincoln  H.,  a  farmer  living  one  mile 
east  of  Odelx)lt ;  Jesse  C.  of  Clear  Lake.  Iowa. 

Albert  Davenport  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  of  Clinton  count\' 
and  later  attended  Mt.  Vernon  Academy.  Upon  his  marriage  in  1882  he 
came  to  Sac  county  and  located  on  a  one-hundred-and-sixty-acre  farm  given 
him  bv  his  father.  Later  he  purchased  an  additional  quarter  section  of  land 
and  for  the  next  twenty-six  years  successfully  farmed  the  half  section  of 
land  in  Clintiin  township.  He  improved  his  farm  by  drainage  and  fencing 
and  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  successful  farmers  of  his  community.  In  the 
spring  of  1908  he  moved  to  Odebolt  and  purchased  a  large  modern  resi- 
dence where  he  is  now  living.  He  owns  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land 
in  South  Dakota  and  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  North  Dakota. 

Mr.  Davenport  was  married  February  15,  1882,  to  Alice  Collenbaugh. 
the  daughter  of  Christopher  Collenbaugh,  a  native  of  Indiana.     See  the  sketch 


7IO  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

of  B.  F.  Collenbaugli  elsewhere  in  this  volume  for  additicmal  inforniatinn 
on*  the  Collenbaugh  family.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davenport  have  one  child  living, 
Hazel,  and  one  deceased,  Grace  A.,  who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty  vears  in 
1904. 

Politically,  Air.  Da^-enijort  is  a  Re])ul)lican  and  has  served  as  assessor  of 
his  home  township.  lie  and  his  wife  are  stanch  members  of  the  Methodist 
lipiscopal  church  and  give  it  their  support  at  all  times. 


HARRY  B.  FOX. 


The  development  of  Sac  county  has  now  reached  the  stage  that  prac- 
tically calls  for  the  retirement  of  the  pioneers  who  have  borne  the  brunt  of 
the  hardships  and  have  conquered  the  wilderness  for  all  time.  The  burdens 
of  responsibility  are  gradually  being  shifted  upon  younger  shoulders.  The 
sons  of  the  pioneers  are  taking  the  places  formerly  occupied  bv  their  sturdv 
parents.  They  are  "making  good"  and  are  profiting  in  great  measure  bv 
the  scientific  knowledge  now  obtainable  for  the  promotion  of  agriculture  and 
are  endeavoring  to  increase  the  yields  of  the  soils  and  progress  along  new 
lines. 

Harry  B.  Fox,  son  of  Marshall  D.  Fox,  and  who  succeeded  his  father  in 
the  possession  of  the  Ashlawn  farm,  which  has  long  been  the  Fox  homestead 
in  Clinton  township,  is  a  progressive  farmer  and  stockmen  of  decided  abilitv. 
He  owns  two  hundred  acres  of  land,  which  is  equipped  with  a  fine  residence 
and  excellent  modern  buildings.  He  has  recently,  in  the  fall  of  191 1,  com- 
pleted a  modern  swine  pen,  which  is  built  of  stucco.  His  large  barn  is 
thirty-six  by  forty-two  feet  in  extent  and  the  adjacent  shed  is  twentv-two  by 
thirty-six  feet  in  size.  In  addition  to  these  buildings,  the  farm  boasts  a  silo 
built  of  hollow  tile  in  the  summer  of  1912.  He  is  a  breeder  of  Aberdeen 
Angus  cattle  and  the  farm  produces  about  twenty-five  head  annually.  It 
also  produces  from  eighty  to  ninety  marketable  hogs  each  \ear. 

Harry  B.  Fox  was  born  No\'ember  28.  1878,  on  the  farm  where  he  now 
lives  and  is  the  son  of  Marshall  D.  and  Lj-dia  ( Bennett )  Fox,  pioneer 
settlers  of  Clinton  township,  and  concerning  whom  the  biographer  has  written 
an  appreciation  in  the  pages  of  this  \-olume.  He  was  educated  in  the  district 
schools  of  the  neighborhood  and  the  Odebolt  high  school.  He  has  licen 
operating  the  hcjme  farm  since  1908.  In  1913  he  purchased  the  tract  of 
two  hundred  acres  from  his  father. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  7II 

Mr.  Fox  is  politically  allied  with  the  Progressive  party  and  is  now 
serving  a  three-year  term  as  township  trustee,  hax-ing  been  elected  to  this 
office  in  the  fall  of  1912.  He  belongs  to  the  Methodist  church  and  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons.  He  holds  the  position  of 
vice-president  of  the  Sac  County  Farmers  Institute,  an  important  and  in- 
duential  assembly  of  Sac  count\'  agriculturists. 

Mr.  Fox  was  united  in  the  holy  bonds  of  matrimony  with  Lydie  C. 
Buehler,  November  28,  1900.  She  is  the  daughter  of  George  and  Lucy  M. 
Buehler,  of  Odebolt.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Vox  have  three  children:  Eugene  Mar- 
shall, born  September  18,  IQ03:  Paul  (ieorge,  born  December  6,  1907,  and 
Elinor  Elaine,  born  Octolier  16,   1910. 

\Vhile  young  in  years,  this  talented  young  man  is  alreach'  making  his 
]iresence  and  caiialiilities  felt  in  the  neighborhood  in  which  he  has  sjjcnt  his 
entire  life.  He  stands  hitjh  in  the  esteem  of  the  people  who  know  him  and 
his  inlluence  ;niiong  his  fellow  citizens  is  considerable.  Following  in  the  foot- 
steps of  his  esteemed  father,  he  bids  fair  to  become  one  of  the  intluential 
figures  of  Sac  county. 


SANKEY  CHRISTLAN  SONNICHSEN. 

A  descent  of  sturdy  Germanic  ancestry  is  S.  C.  Sonnichsen,  a  farmer  of 
Wall  Lake  township.  Sac  county,  Iowa.  Since  coming  to  this  county  in 
1895  he  has  accumulated  farm  property,  which  is  netting  him  a  handsome 
return  each  year.  His  career  has  always  been  marked  by  those  character- 
istics which  ha\e  made  all  of  the  Germans  of  this  county  such  desirable 
citizens.  Not  only  has  he  been  a  successful  tiller  of  the  soil,  but  he  has 
also  taken  his  full  share  in  the  public  life  of  his  community. 

S.  C.  Sonnichsen  was  born  March  24,  1868,  in  Marion  county,  Iowa, 
antl  is  the  son  of  M.  M.  and  Jetty  Caroline  (Datlefsen)  Sonnichsen,  both 
of  whom  were  natives  of  Germany.  M.  M.  Sonnichsen  was  born  in  Schles- 
wig  Holstein  in  1835,  and  served  in  the  Germanic-Danish  war  in  1863,  eight 
years  in  all.  After  his  marriage  in  1857,  he  came  with  his  wife  and  three 
children  to  America  in  1866  and  on  the  voyage  to  this  country  one  child 
was  born,  Hannah,  who  died  in  January,  1907.  The  other  three  children 
who  came  with  their  parents  in  1866,  were  Martin,  of  Colorado  City.  Colo- 
rado: Dora  Hamilton,  of  Pocahontas  county,  and  Mary  Williams,  of  Custer, 
Oklahoma.  The  Sonnichsen  family  settled  in  Marion  county,  Iowa,  in  the 
year  1867  and  after  settling  in  this  state  four  more  children  were  born:    S. 


712  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

C,  with  whom  this  narrative  deals;  Anna  (Forsythe),  of  Sac  county,  Iowa; 
Henry,  of  Hancock.  Minnesota,  and  Jetty,  deceased.  The  wife  of  M.  M. 
Sonnkhsen  died  in  1876,  and  he  Hved  near  Knoxville.  Iowa,  until  May  of 
1914,  when  he  came  to  Sac  county  to  reside  with  his  son,  S.  C.  His  second 
Avife  was  Amy  Delp,  who  died  May  14,  1914. 

S.  C.  Sonnichsen  was  reared  and  educated  in  Marion  county.  Iowa,  and 
came  with  his  parents  to  Sac  count}-  in  the  spring  of  1889.  Shortly  after 
coming  to  Sac  county,  M.  M.  Sonnichsen  went  to  Oklahoma,  but  returned 
in  a  few  years  to  Sac  county.  In  1892  S.  C.  Sonnichsen  removed  to  Newell, 
Buena  Vista  county.  Iowa,  where  he  lived  three  years.  In  the  spring  of 
1895  h^  came  to  Sac  county,  renting  a  farm  on  the  river  for  three  years. 
He  owned  two  farms  in  this  county  before  he  purchased  his  present  farm 
of  eighty  acres  in  1906. 

Mr.  Sonnichsen  was  married  Xovember  27.  1890.  to  Harriet  Parkin- 
son, the  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Sarah  (Dover)  Parkinson.  Her  father  was 
a  native  of  England  and  is  now  li\'ing  in  Lake  View  in  this  county.  To  this 
marriage  have  been  born  two  children.  Emma,  who  was  born  March  18, 
1896,  and  one  child  who  died  in  infancy. 

Mr.  Sonnichsen  has  always  given  his  support  to  the  Democratic  party 
and  has  been  honored  by  his  party  by  being  nominated  and  elected  to  various 
local  offices,  among  which  was  that  of  school  director.  He  has  always 
taken  an  active  interest  in  politics  and  keeps  well  informed  upon  the  cur- 
rent issues  of  the  day.  l^'raternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  A'eomen  and  is 
deeply  interested  in  the  success  of  that  fraternal  organization.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Sonnichsen  are  hospitable  people  who  have  a  host  of  friends  in  this 
community  who  admire  them  for  their  many  good  qualities. 


T.   P.  THERKELSEN. 


It  is  an  axiom  in  Sac  county  that  a  German  settler  is  a  prosperous  citi- 
zen. History  does  not  record  a  single  case  of  a  German  settler  who  has 
come  to  this  county  and  not  succeeded.  This  is  especially  true  of  Sac  county 
and  among  the  three  thousand  citizens  who  have  made  this  their  home 
there  is  not  one  but  who  can  be  classed  among  the  solid  and  substantial 
citizens  of  this  favored  spot  of  the  state. 

I.  P.  Therkelsen.  a  prosperous  farmer,  merchant  and  banker  of  Lake 
View.  Iowa,  was  born  September  16,  1850,  in  Schleswig,  Germany,  and  is  the 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  7I3 

son  of  Thirkel  Nelson  and  Christina  Otto  Therkelsen.  His  parents  never 
came  to  this  country,  but  a  brother  and  sister,  Jasper  and  Mrs.  Lena  Han- 
sen, are  now  Hving  in  the  city  of  Seattle,  Washington. 

J.  P.  Therkelsen  moved  to  America  in  1871  and  located  immediately 
in  Clinton  county,  Iowa.  His  first  employment  was  in  a  mercantile  estab- 
lishment and  he  remained  there  a  year.  Upon  the  country-wide  call  for  la- 
bor after  the  Chicago  fire  of  1871,  he  went  to  Chicago  to  help  in  the  stupen- 
dous task  of  removing  the  wreckage  and  debris  from  the  streets  of  that 
ill-fated  city.  Later  he  followed  various  kinds  of  work  in  Chicago,  in  fact, 
doing  anything  which  would  earn  him  an  honest  penny.  For  four  years  he 
worked  in  Chicago,  the  last  three  years  being  employed  in  a  store.  With  a 
thrift  that  characterizes  all  his  people,  he  saxed  his  money  and  in  1876  went 
to  Des  Moines  and  started  a  store  of  his  own.  Four  years  later  he  moved 
to  Lake  View  and  opened  the  second  store  in  that  new  town.  For  the  next 
thirty-one  }ears  he  was  constantly  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  in 
Lake  View  and  still  owns  the  store,  which  is  now  occupying  a  large  new 
brick  building,  erected  hv  Mr.  Therkelsen  in  1S93.  Tn  addition  to  his  mer- 
cantile interests  Mr.  Therkelsen  has  invested  some  of  his  money  in  land 
and  now  has  four  hundred  and  five  acres  in  two  farms.  One  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  is  located  near  Lake  View  and  this  he  oversees  personally;  he 
also  has  two  hundred  and  forty-five  acres  in  Winona  county,  this  state. 

Mr.  Therkelsen  was  married  March  3,  1881,  to  Anna  Knudson,  a  native 
of  Denmark  and  the  daughter  of  Rasmus  and  Caroline  Knudson.  Her 
parents  came  to  America  in  1870  and  later  settled  in  Sac  county  in  May. 
1896.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Therkelsen  are  the  parents  of  eleven  children,  all  of 
whom  are  living  in  Lake  View :  Clarence,  who  is  married  and  is  cashier 
of  Lake  View  State  Bank;  Christina;  Helena;  Robert;  Fred,  who  is  teller 
in  Lake  View  State  Bank  ;  Frank  ;  Naomi ;  Lynn ;  Jasper ;  Eugene,  and  Will- 
iam, deceased.  Christina  married  W.  F.  Brower  and  lives  in  Lake  View. 
William  died  at  the  age  of  two  years.  All  of  the  remaining  children  are 
still  living  with  their  parents. 

Politically,  Mr.  Therkelsen  is  a  Republican  and  has  always  taken  an  ac- 
tive interest  in  politics.  The  indication  of  the  esteem  in  which  he  is  held 
by  his  fellow  citizens  is  shown  in  the  fact  that  he  has  served  as  city  council- 
man, a  member  of  the  school  board  and  mayor  of  Lake  View,  and  in  all 
of  these  various  oflices  he  has  acquitted  himself  with  credit  and  has  never 
failed  to  identify  himself  with  every  enterprise  which  he  felt  would  benefit 
his  home  town.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  .A.ncient  Free  and  Ac- 
cepted Masons,  having  attained  the  degree  of  Knight  Templar,  and  is  also 


714  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

a  member  of  the  Mystic  Shrine  at  Des  Moines.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Therkelsen 
hve  in  a  large,  handsome  home,  and  are  giving  their  children  the  best  of 
educational  advantages  witii  the  idea  of  making  them  useful  members  ot 
society  later  on.  Mr.  Therkelsen  is  a  man  of  pleasing  personality  and  is  one 
of  the  most  popular  men  of  Lake  View.  His  life  history  is  marked  by  high 
motives  which  ranks  him  as  a  true  American  citizen. 


REV.  L.   SCHENKELBERG. 

The  most  self-sacrificing  men  are  those  who  minister  to  the  spiritual 
wants  of  men,  and  while  they  may  not  secure  their  reward  in  this  world, 
they  are  always  sure  that  their  reward  will  eventually  come.  The  work 
which  the  men  of  this  class  do  is  of  such  a  nature  that  its  good  cannot  always 
be  calculated,  and  is  never  measured  in  dollars  and  cents.  The  successful 
business  man  may  measure  his  success  by  his  bank  roll,  while  the  minister 
of  the  gospel  measures  his  by  the  souls  he  saves  and  the  good  he  does  in  any 
community.  Each  man  has  his  work  to  do,  and  both  are  essential  to  the 
civilization  of  our  country,  and  it  is  not  within  the  province  of  man  to  say 
that  the  worth  of  one  is  more  than  the  other. 

Rev.  L.  Schenkelberg,  the  pastor  of  St.  Martin's  Catholic  clnirch 
at  Odebolt,  Sac  county,  Iowa,  was  born  February  9,  1874,  in  the  pro\'ince  of 
Rhien,  in  Germany,  and  is  a  son  of  William  and  Catharine  (Olpertz)  Schen- 
kelberg. In  his  native  country  he  secured  the  elements  of  a  common  school 
education,  and  when  eighteen  years  of  age  came  to  this  county,  arri\ing  here 
on  April  28,  1892.  He  immediately  came  to  Carroll  county,  Iowa,  where  he 
stayed  for  a  short  time  with  relatives.  A  few  years  later  he  began  to  prepare 
for  the  priesthood,  by  entering  St.  Lawrence  College,  Mt.  Cahary,  Wis- 
consin. He  completed  the  classical  course  at  this  institution  and  then  pur- 
sued the  philosophical  course  at  St.  Joseph's  College  at  Dubuque,  Iowa, 
graduating  with  the  class  of  1900.  Then,  in  order  to  prepare  himself  the 
better  for  his  chosen  life  work,  he  went  to  Montreal,  Canada,  and  entered 
the  Grand  Seminary  at  that  place.  Here  he  pursued  the  theological  course 
for  the  next  three  years  and  three  months,  at  the  close  of  which  he  was  or- 
dained a  priest  by  the  Most  Rev.  Paul  D.  Brushesi,  the  archbishop  of  Mon- 
treal. His  ordination  occurred  on  December  19,  1903,  and  on  the  24th  of 
the  same  month  he  became  assistant  pastor  at  St.  Joseph's  church,  at  Le 
Mars,  Iowa.     Fourteen  months  later  he  became  the  pastor  at  Ogden.  Iowa. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  715 

and  remained  in  this  place  for  three  and  one-half  years,  after  which  fol- 
lowed a  short  period  of  service  at  Maryhill,  Iowa,  after  which  he  went  to 
Charter  Oak.  this  state,  taking  charge  of  the  St.  Boniface  church  at  that 
place  on  October  28,  1908.  The  church  at  this  place  had  burned  August  5, 
1908.  and  upon  his  taking  charge  of  the  parish,  he  immediately  began  prepa- 
rations for  building  a  new  church.  In  the  spring  of  1909  the  congregation 
and  Father  Schenkelberg  erected  a  magnificent  new  building  of  brick,  at  a 
cost  of  about  nineteen  thousand  dollars  and  a  residence  at  a  cost  of  four 
thousand  dollars.  These  buildings  are  entirely  modern  throughout  and  are 
among  the  finest  in  Crawford  county,  Iowa.  Father  Schenkelberg  was  trans- 
ferred to  Odebolt,  Sac  county,  Iowa,  on  October  30,  1913.  and  has  since  been 
ministering  to  the  needs  of  the  congregation  at  that  place. 

Father  Schenkelberg  has  two  lirothers  in  this  country.  P.  W.,  who 
resides  in  Carroll  county,  and  is  the  county  supervisor,  and  Henry,  who  is 
a  prosperous  farmer  also  living  in  Carroll  county,  this  state.  Fatlier  Schen- 
kelberg is  a  man  who  possesses  that  simplicity,  purity  and  humility  of  char- 
acter which  wins  the  afifections  of  his  parishioners  and  stands  for  the  best 
things  and  with  the  large-hearted,  optimistic  view  which  he  takes  (if  life,  he 
finds  fa\c)r  not  onlv  with  the  members  of  his  own  church,  but  with  all  other 
people  with  whom  he  is  associated. 


EARL  C.  ROGERS. 


The  two  most  strongly  marked  characteristics  of  both  the  East  and  the 
West  are  combined  in  the  residents  of  the  section  of  country  of  which  this 
volume  treats.  The  enthusiastic  enterprise  which  overleaps  all  obstacles 
and  makes  possible  almost  any  undertaking  in  the  comparatively  new  and 
vigorous  Western  states  is  here  tempered  by  the  stable  and  more  careful 
policy  that  we  have  borrowed  from  our  Eastern  neighbors,  and  the  comlai- 
nation  is  one  of  peculiar  force  and  power.  It  has  been  the  means  of  placing 
this  section  of  the  country  on  a  par  with  the  older  East,  at  the  same  time  pro- 
ducing a  reliability  and  certainty  in  business  affairs  which  is  frequently  lack- 
ing in  the  West.  This  happv  combination  of  characteristics  is  possessed  by 
the  subject  of  this  brief  sketch. 

E.  C.  Rogers,  the  owner  and  manager  of  the  Lake  View  Creamery,  was 
born  December  14,  1857,  in  Broome  county.  New  York.  His  parents  were 
Earlman  and  Cornelia  L.  (Austin)  Rogers,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of 
New  York  state  and  Connecticut,  respectively. 


7l6  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

In  1878  Mr.  Rogers  came  to  Iowa  and  located  at  Alden  in  Hardin 
county  and  taught  school  one  year  and  returned  to  New  York.  In  1881  the 
entire  family  came,  and  E.  C.  began  farming.  As  a  farmer  he  prospered  and 
rapidly  accumulated  a  fine  farm,  to  which  he  devoted  all  of  his  time  and 
energy.  In  1893  h^-  became  interested  in  the  organization  of  a  co-operative 
creamery  at  Alden  and  became  the  first  president  and  later  business  manager 
of  the  plant.  In  1898  he  purchased  a  creamery  in  Ocheyedan,  which  he 
managed  for  two  years,  then  sold  it  and  traveled  for  a  creamery  supply 
house  for  one  year.  In  1901  he  returned  to  his  farm  of  two  hundred  and 
twelve  acres  at  Alden,  where  he  remained  for  the  next  five  years.  In  1906 
he  sold  his  farm  and  went  to  Spartansburg,  Pennsylvania,  as  butter  maker 
in  the  largest  creamery  in  that  state.  A  year  after  entering  the  employ  of 
the  creamery  company  in  that  state  he  was  injured  in  his  right  arm  and  left 
leg  by  an  explosion  in  the  factory  and  was  compelled  to  resign  his  posi- 
tion. While  recuperating  he  purchased  the  Lake  View  Creamery  in  partner- 
ship with  his  son,  who  began  operations  in  January,  igo8.  He  then  came  to 
Lake  View,  in  Sac  county,  Iowa,  after  purchasing  the  creamery  in  this 
])lace  which  had  been  established  in  1893.  Mr.  Rogers  and  son  took  full 
charge  of  the  creamcrv  in  the  s])ring  of  1908  and  have  continued  to  manage 
it  up  until  the  present  time.  The  building  is  twenty  by  fifty  feet  and  has 
a  capacity  of  eight  hundred  pounds  of  butter  and  two  hundred  gallons  of 
ice  cream  daily.  The  season's  output  of  butter  amounts  to  over  thirty  thou- 
sand dollars  in  value  and  is  shipped  to  New  York  City.  Most  of  the  ice 
cream  is  used  for  local  consumption.  The  factory  manufactured  fourteen 
hundred  gallons  in  1900  during  the  months  of  July  and  August. 

Mr.  Rogers  was  married  in  1880  to  Ida  M.  More,  a  school  girl  friend  of 
his  in  his  native  state.  To  this  marriage  have  been  born  three  children: 
Harold  M.,  who  was  connected  with  his  father  in  the  creamery  business  and 
now  a  farmer  in  Wisconsin ;  Frank  L.,  in  the  creamery  at  Lake  V^iew,  and 
Richard  L.,  a  freshman  in  Grinnell  College. 

Mr.  Rogers  is  a  Progressive  in  politics,  but  the  nature  of  his  business 
has  been  such  as  to  keej)  him  out  of  the  active  service  of  his  party.  How- 
ever, he  takee  an  intelligent  interest  in  political  affairs.  He  and  his  family 
are  loyal  members  of  the  Congregational  church.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  mem- 
ber of  tlie  Ancient  l*>ee  and  Accepted  Masons,  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and 
the  Modern  Wootlmen  of  America.  Mr.  Rogers  is  a  man  who  has  made 
a  scientific  study  of  the  butter  making  industry  and  is  regarded  as  one 
of  the  most  expert  men  in  his  line  in  the  state.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Iowa  P>utter-Makers'  Association  and  takes  a  deep  interest  in  all  the  mat- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  717 

ters-  which  come  befure  that  body.  While  he  has  been  acti\ely  identitied  with 
the  creamery  business  for  many  years  and  has  made  a  success  of  his  chosen 
vocation,  yet  he  has  not  neglected  his  duty  as  a  citizen  of  the  community  in 
which  he  lives;  is  a  man  of  honesty  and  integrity  and  has  won  a  host  of 
friends  since  becomins;  a  resident  of  Lake  \  iew. 


W.  M.  DEAN. 


It  can  not  be  other  than  interesting  to  note  in  the  series  of  personal 
sketches  appearing  in  this  work  the  varying  conditions  that  have  compassed 
those  whose  careers  are  outlined,  and  the  effort  has  been  made  in  each  case 
to  throw  well  focused  light  onto  the  individuality  and  to  bring  into  proper 
perspective  the  scheme  of  each  respective  career.  Each  man  who  strives 
to  fulfill  his  part  in  connection  with  human  life  and  human  activities  is  de- 
serving of  recognition,  whatever  may  be  his  field  of  endeavor,  and  it  is  the 
function  of  works  of  this  nature  to  perpetuate  for  future  generations  an 
authentic  record  concerning  those  represented  in  its  pages,  and  the  value  of 
such  publications  is  certain  to  be  cumulative  for  all  time  to  come,  showing 
forth  the  individual  and  specific  accomplishments  of  which  generic  history 
is  ever  engendered. 

W.  M.  Dean,  of  the  Lake  View  Auto  Company,  was  I'orn  February  3. 
1877,  in  Castalia,  Winneshiek  county,  Iowa.  His  parents  were  Franklin  and 
Lucy  (Morse)  Dean.  His  father  died  in  .\pril,  1908,  and  his  mother  is 
still  living  in  Lake  View.  Franklin  Dean  and  wife  were  the  parents  of 
three  children:  George,  who  died  at  the  age  of  twelve:  Charles,  of  Ros- 
well.  South  D;ikota,  and  W.  M..  whose  history  is  here  presented.  Franklin 
Dean  and  his  wife  moved  to  New  York  state,  where  they  lived  for  a  time 
and  then  came  to  Tama  county.  Iowa,  ami  later  settled  in  Lake  \'iew.  Sac 
county,  in  1903. 

W.  M.  Dean  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  Winneshiek  and 
Tama  counties,  Iowa.  He  also  was  in  the  high  school  at  Toledo,  Iowa,  and 
later  spent  two  years  in  the  Western  College  at  Toledo,  the  county  seat  of 
Tama  county,  Iowa.  In  the  spring  of  189S  Mr.  Dean  enlisted  in  the  Forty- 
ninth  Regiment  Iowa  \'olunteer  Infantry,  and  served  from  .\pril,  i8g8.  to 
June,  1899.  He  saw  service  in  Cuba,  in  and  around  Havana.  Upon  his 
return  home,  he  spent  one  year  on  the  farm  near  Toledo,  in  Tama  count}-, 
Iowa,  and  then  worked  two  years  for  the  John  A.  Owen  Inirniture   Stcjre 


yiH  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

in  Toledo.  In  1902  he  came  to  Lake  View  and  operated  a  furniture  store 
until  19 1 3,  when  he  sold  out  and  devoted  all  his  attention  to  the  automobile 
business. 

In  1908  Mr.  Dean  and  R.  N.  Mover  established  the  Lake  View  Auto- 
mobile Company.  In  1909  Mr.  Moyer  sold  his  interest  in  the  firm  to  A. 
Armstrong  and  Peter  Smith.  In  1911  Armstrong  and  Smith  sold  their  inter- 
est to  C.  P.  Armstrong,  the  firm  now  consisting  of  Mr.  Dean  and  C.  P. 
Armstrong.  The  firm  has  a  large  building  and  sales  rooms,  as  well  as  a  re- 
pair shop,  with  all  of  the  necessary  tools  and  machinery  for  repair  work. 
The  firm  handles  the  Rambler,  Maxwell  and  Ford  automobiles  and  employs 
four  men  all  the  time.  The  company  has  a  capital  stock  of  twelve  thousand 
dollars  and  sells  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  machines  annually.  Besides 
its  sale  of  machines,  it  does  a  large  business  in  the  repair  line. 

'Sir.  Dean  was  married,  November  27,  1902,  to  Ellen  Ramsdell,  of 
Tama  county,  Iowa.  To  this  marriage  has  been  born  one  son,  Graham,  who 
is  now  nine  years  of  age.  Politically,  Mr.  Dean  is  a  Republican  and  identi- 
fies himself  with  the  Progressive  wing  of  the  party.  He  was  appointed  city 
clerk  in  1902  and  served  two  terms  and  has  also  served  four  terms  as 
mayor  of  Lake  View.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and 
Accepted  Masons  of  Lake  View  and  also  belongs  to  the  chapter  at  Sac 
City.  He  has  also  been  district  lecturer  of  the  Iowa  Masonic  body  since 
1907.  He  served  as  master  of  Laurel  Lodge  517,  at  Lake  View  during 
1905-^1-7.  Mr.  Dean  is  a  man  of  pleasing  personality  and  lias  a  witle  circle 
of  accjuaintances  thri)ughout  Sac  county,  who  admire  him  for  his  upright- 
ness in  business  dealings  and  his  interest  in  public  affairs. 


JOHN  P.  WELLS. 


The  following  is  a  sketch  of  a  plain,  honest  man  of  affairs,  who  by 
correct  methods  and  a  strict  regard  for  the  interests  of  his  patrons  has  made 
his  influence  felt  in  Lake  View  and  won  for  himself  distinctive  prestige  in 
the  business  circles  of  that  city.  He  would  be  the  last  man  to  sit  for  romance 
or  become  the  subject  of  fancy  sketches,  nevertheless  his  life  presents  much 
that  is  interesting  and  valuable  and  may  be  studied  with  profit  bv  the  voung. 
whose  careers  are  yet  to  be  achieved.  He  is  one  of  those  whose  integrity 
and  strength  of  character  must  force  them  into  an  admirable  notoriety  which 
their  modesty  never  seeks,   who   command  the  respect  of   their  contempo- 


SAC    COUXTY.    IOWA.  Jig 

raries  and  their  posterity  and  leave  the  impress  of  their  individuahty  deeply 
stamjjcd  npon  their  community. 

John  P.  Wells,  a  prosperous  merchant  of  Lake  View,  Iowa,  was  born 
Julv  4.  1859,  in  Davis  county,  Iowa.  His  parents.  C.  C.  and  Sarah  J. 
(AVare)  Wells,  were  natives,  respectively,  of  Kentucky  and  Indiana.  C. 
C.  Wells  was  born  in  1826.  and  died  in  .\pril,  1908.  His  wife  was  the 
daughter  of  James  W'are,  who  settled  in  Davis  county,  Iowa,  in  about 
1835  and  lived  among  the  Indians.  C.  C.  Wells  came  to  Davis  county,  Iowa, 
with  his  father,  S.  D.  Wells,  in  1838,  and  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  in 
that  countv.  C.  C.  \Vells  and  his  wife  spent  the  reinainder  of  their  days 
in  Davis  county,  where  they  reared  a  family  of  six  children:  J.  P.,  with 
whom  thi>,  narrative  deals:  Mrs.  Mary  Brewster,  of  Davis  county;  Mrs. 
Tempv  Martin,  also  of  Davis  county;  Mrs.  Ona  Brewster,  of  Kansas,  and 
Ora,  of  Keokuk,  Iowa. 

Mr.  Wells  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  Davis  county,  this  state, 
and  spent  his  boyhood  days  on  his  father's  farm.  Upon  his  marriage,  in 
1882,  Mr.  Wells  began  to  farm  in  Davis  county,  and  continued  there  until 
1902,  when  he  traded  his  one-hnndred-and-twenty-acre  farm  for  his  present 
store  in  Lake  \'iew.  He  began  business  on  October  10,  1903,  with  a  stock 
of  fi\  e  hundred  dollars  worth  of  goods.  He  has  gradually  increased  his  stock 
until  he  now  carries  from  eighteen  thousand  to  twenty  thousand  dollars 
worth  of  goods  at  all  times.  He  has  a  fine  brick  building  on  Main  street  and 
uses  two  floors,  including  the  basement.  He  employs  four  clerks  at  all  times 
and  doubles  his  force  on  Saturdays  and  big  trading  days.  He  carries  all  of 
the  goods  usually  found  in  general  stores  and  by  his  courteous  treatment  of 
his  customers  and  afifable  manner,  has  built  up  a  large  and  lucrative  trade 
in  Lake  View  and  the  surrounding  country. 

Mr.  Wells  was  married  in  February,  1882,  to  Bertha  Bandle,  a  native 
of  Davis  countv,  Iowa,  and  to  this  union  there  have  been  born  five  children : 
Fred,  whn  is  in  the  store  with  his  father:  Paul,  of  Sac  City;  Mrs.  Fay  King, 
who  lives  in  California:  Pearl  and  Ruth.  The  members  of  the  family  are  all 
faithful  adherents  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  Politically,  Mr.  Wells 
is  a  member  of  the  Democratic  party.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  at  Lake  View.  Mr.  Wells  has  made  a 
decided  success  in  business  in  this  locality  because  of  his  honesty  of  pur- 
pose in  all  of  his  dealings  with  his  fellow  men.  He  is  an  advocate  of  clean 
and  wholesome  principles  in  home,  society  and  politics,  and  because  of  his 
excellent  character  and  splendid  business  ability  he  has  earned  and  enjoys 
the  respect  and  esteem  of  all  who  know  him. 


720  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

PETER  SMITH. 

There  is  a  little  country  in  Europe  by  the  name  of  Denmark  whose 
citizens  are  among  the  most  progressive  and  alert  of  any  on  the  continent  of 
Europe,  and  they  are  in  a  great  measure  ver\'  prosperous,  this  fact  accounting 
for  the  few  immigrants  from  that  country  who  have  made  their  homes  in  the 
United  States.  Occasionally  one  of  the  native  sons  of  Denmark  comes  to  this^ 
country,  and  wherever  they  are  found  they  are  usually  among  the  most  pro- 
gressive and  substantial  men  of  their  community.  Sac  county  boasts  of  very 
few  native  sons  of  Denmark,  but  among  these,  Peter  Smith,  a  successful  stock 
buyer  of  Lake  View,  Iowa,  gives  a  striking  example  of  what  may  be  ac- 
complished by  a  foreigner  who  comes  to  this  country  with  no  financial  back- 
ing, but  with  willing  hands  and  heart. 

Peter  Smith,  retired  farmer  and  now  a  successful  live  stock  dealer  of 
Lake  View,  Iowa,  was  born  June  3,  1850.  in  Denmark,  the  son  of  Fred  and 
Anna  (Petersen)  Smith,  who  were  born,  lived  and  died  in  Denmark.  They 
were  the  parents  of  seven  children,  five  of  whom  came  to  America,  namelv : 
Thomas,  of  Council  Blufifs,  Iowa;  Fred  S.,  deceased:  Christ  Frederickson,  a 
half  brother  of  Peter  Smith ;  Peter,  with,  whom  this  narrative  deals,  and  Mrs. 
Sine  Nelson,  of  Iowa. 

Peter  Smith  received  a  practical  education  in  his  native  countr\-  and  at  an 
early  age  he  began  to  work  for  himself.  As  a  young  lad  he  helped  his  father 
on  the  farm  operated  by  the  latter  and  there  learned  the  rudiments  of  farming. 
When  he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age  he  came  to  America  and  located  at  Cedar 
Falls,  Iowa,  but  six  months  afterwards  he  went  to  Chicago  at  the  time  of  the 
great  fire,  and  WDrked  at  manual  lab(ir  on  the  streets  of  the  cit\',  receiving  good 
wages  and  saving  his  money  with  the  intention  of  later  buying  western  land. 
He  then  spent  two  years  in  the  pine  lumber  camps  of  Saginaw,  Michigan,  and 
in  1873  went  to  Lee  county,  Illinois,  where  he  worked  on  a  farm.  After  his 
marriage  in  1874  he  rented  a  farm  for  one  year  and  then  decided  to  come  to 
Sac  county,  Iowa,  with  a  view  of  investing  in  land.  For  the  first  few  vears 
he  rented  land  and  in  1882  bought  eighty  acres  for  ten  dollars  an  acre.  He 
has  added  to  his  land  holdings  from  time  to  time  until  at  one  time  he  owned 
four  hundred  acres  in  this  county.  The  second  eighty  cost  him  sixteen  dollars 
and  a  half  an  acre,  the  third  eighty  cost  him  twenty-seven  dollars  and  a  half 
an  acre,  the  fourth  eighty  thirty-five  dollars  an  acre,  the  fifth  eightv  forty- 
eight  dollars  an  acre.  In  iqio  he  sold  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  to  his  son- 
in-law  and  still  has  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  Clinton  townshi]).  wliicli  is 
worth  one  hundred  and  seventy-fi\e  dollars  an  acre.      He  continued  t<i  oi)erate 


g 

> 
Z 

o 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


721 


his  farm  until  1903,  when  lie  came  to  Lake  View  and  here  built  a  tine  resi- 
dence, where  he  has  since  resided.  Since  moving  to  I-ake  View  he  has  been 
engaged  in  buying  and  shipping  live  stock  in  partnership  with  Alden  Arm- 
strong. In  addition  to  his  agricultural  interests  he  has  money  invested  in  the 
Lake  \^iew  State  Bank  and  is  now  a  director  of  that  financial  institution. 

Mr.  Smith  was  married  in  1874  to  Elsa  Hansen,  a  native  of  Denmark 
and  a  resident  of  Lee  county,  Illinois,  at  the  time  of  her  marriage,  and  to  this 
union  have  been  born  four  children,  all  of  whom  are  married  and  prospering. 
These  children,  in  the  order  of  their  birth,  are  as  follows :  Mrs.  Hattie  Jones, 
of  Clinton  township,  this  county,  who  has  five  children,  Raymond,  Leo,  Ernest, 
Fem  and  A.  Peter;  Ferry,  who  is  living  on  the  home  farm  in  Clinton  town- 
ship, and  has  three  children,  Elsa,  Eveline  and  Elva ;  John,  who  has  been  in  the 
live  stock  commission  business  at  Chicago  since  T906,  has  three  sons,  Lloyd, 
Edmund  and  Theodore;  Edward  P.,  who  is  now  living  in  Denver,  Colorado. 

Mr.  Smith  is  a  Republican  in  politics  and  has  served  his  party  as  city 
councilman  of  Lake  View  for  the  past  ten  years.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  member 
of  the  Ancient  iMxe  and  Accepted  Masons,  and  is  also  a  member  of  the  chap- 
ter, commandery  and  Mystic  Shrine,  at  Des  Moines,  Iowa.  He  is  an  attend- 
ant of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  of  which  his  wife  is  a  member,  and 
contributes  liberally  to  its  support.  Mr.  Smith  keeps  well  abreast  of  the  times 
on  all  subjects,  being  a  wide  reader  of  current  topics,  and  has  the  respect  and 
esteem  of  all  who  know  him  for  his  friendly  manner.  Lie  has  keen  business 
ability  and  is  regarded  by  all  as  one  of  the  most  advanced  and  progressive 
citizens  of  his  section  of  the  state. 


OLIVER   TENSEN. 


Successful  men  uf  Danish  birth,  nr  whose  parents  ha\e  lieen  nati\es  of 
this  progressive  European  country  and  who  have  emigrated  to  western  Iowa 
and  become  very  prosperous  as  tillers  of  the  soil,  are  much  in  evidence  in 
this  section  of  the  country.  \Vhere\er  they  may  be  found  they  take  front 
rank  among  the  citizens  of  the  various  communities  in  which  thev  reside. 
Oliver  Jensen,  substantial  retired  farmer  of  the  town  of  Lake  View,  is  the 
son  of  Danish  parents  who  came  to  America  and  found  fortune  in  the  rich 
prairie  lands  of  western  Iowa  and  Sac  county. 

Oliver  Jensen  was  born  August  q,  1870,  in  Clinton  countv,  Iowa,  and 
(45)      ' 


722  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

is  the  son  of  Olaf  V.  Jensen,  who  was  born  in  1836  and  died  in  October  of 
19 10,  His  mother's  maiden  name  was  Carohne  Nicholson,  who  was  born  in 
June,  1836.  Olaf  and  Caroline  Jensen  were  both  born  on  the  small  island 
■of  Fahr  in  the  North  sea  and  which  was  a  Danish  possession  at  that  time. 
Here  the\'  were  both  reared  and  married.  They  came  to  America  in  1865. 
Olaf  V.  was  a  sailor  who  followed  the  sea  for  fourteen  years  from  the 
time  he  was  fourteen  years  of  age.  At  the  time  of  the  breaking  out  of  the 
Civil  ^^'ar  he  was  in  the  city  of  New  Orleans.  To  avoid  impressment  in 
the  Confederate  service  he  sailed  away  from  New  Orleans  on  a  lumber 
vessel  bound  for  San  Francisco  and  the  Puget  Sound  region.  He  followed 
the  western  seas  for  some  time  thereafter  and  was  engaged  in  sealing  far 
up  in  the  Bering  sea.  During  his  seaman's  career  in  America  he  made 
several  trips  around  Cape  Horn  and  during  his  life  he  traveled  or  sailed  en- 
tirelv  around  the  world.  While  a  sailor  he  saved  over  nine  hundred  dol- 
lars in  gold.  With  this  small  fortune  he  returned  to  the  island  of  Fahr  to 
get  married  and  then  brought  his  wife  to  America.  He  traveled  westward 
by  way  of  Chicago  and  after  a  stay  of  about  three  months  in  that  city  he 
located  in  Clinton  county,  where  he  purchased  one  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  of  partly  impro^■ed  land  in  1866.  He  sold  out  his  holdings  in  Clinton 
county  in  1881  and  came  to  Sac  county,  buying  a  half  section  of  land  in 
Boyer  Valley  township.  After  living  here  for  some  time,  he  went  to  Dixon 
county,  Nebraska,  and  invested  in  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land. 
Later  he  purchased  another  half  section  in  Boyer  Valley  township  and  also 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Cook  township.  He  afterwards  added  three 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Delaware  township  to  his  extensive  farm  inter- 
ests. 

It  is  recorded  that  when  he  first  contemplated  a  trip  to  Sac  county  his 
neighbors  in  Clinton  count}'  told  him  that  the  Indians  would  kill  him  and 
advised  him  not  to  venture  northward,  but  he  was  desirous  of  getting  hold 
of  cheaper  land  in  Sac  county  and  future  events  showed  the  wisdom  of 
his  choice.  At  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  the  owner  of  one  thousand  one 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Sac  county.  In  the  spring  of  1896  he  re- 
moved to  his  second  farm  in  Boyer  Valley  township  and  resided  thereon 
until  1900,  w^hen  he  retired  to  the  town  of  Early,  where  he  died. 

Olaf  V.  Jensen  was  the  father  of  the  following  children :  Oliver,  the 
eldest;  Charles,  a  farmer  in  Boyer  Valley  township;  Mrs.  Anna  Struchen, 
of  Boyer  Vallev  township :  Julius,  deceased. 

He  of  whom  this  review  is  written  was  educated  in  the  common  schools 
and  was  reared  to  farming  as  a  vocation.     When  he  became  twentv-five 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  723 

years  of  age  he  took  charge  of  the  home  place  in  Boyer  Valley  township 
and  cultivated  his  broad  acres  until  March  i,  191 2,  when  he  moved  his 
family  to  the  town  of  Lake  View  and  purchased  a  fine  residence  in  the  south- 
eastern part  of  the  town,  on  the  shore  of  Wall  lake.  Mr.  Jensen  is  the 
owner  of  a  half  section  of  well  improved  land  in  Boyer  Valley  township. 

Mr.  Jensen  was  married  in  September,  1895,  to  Ethel  Russell,  who  was 
Ijorn  and  reared  on  a  farm  in  Buyer  Valley  township,  the  daughter  of 
Andrew  and  Neita  Russell,  the  former  a  native  of  Ohio  and  the  latter  a 
native  of  Indiana.  The  father  is  now  deceased  and  the  mother  lives  in 
Washington.  Mrs.  Jensen  is  the  mother  of  a  family  of  eight  children,  as 
follows:  Violet  A.,  George  Dewey.  Sylvia  Neita,  Viola,  Millard  (deceased), 
Orian,  Ellinor  and  Charlotte. 

Mr.  Jensen  is  interested  in  a  financial  way  in  the  Early  Concrete  Stone 
Company,  recently  located  in  Lake  View.  He  is  politically  allied  with 
the  Republican  party  and  has  filled  various  township  offices.  He  is  affili- 
ated with  the  Presb}terian  church  and  is  a  member  of  the  Brotherhood  of 
American  Yeoman.  He  is  widely  and  favorably  known  for  his  geniality 
and  his  many  sterling  qualities  which  go  far  toward  making  a  good  and  use- 
ful citizen  in  his  adopted  community. 


WASHINGTON  McCARTER. 

Among  the  prosperous  retired  farmers  of  Sac  county,  Washington  Mc- 
Carter  is  one  who  has  played  a  prominent  part  in  the  upbuilding  of  his  com- 
munity. A  man  of  excellent  education  and  high  ideals,  he  has  been  a  benefit 
to  the  community  in  which  he  has  lived.  While  he  has  been  interested  many 
rears  in  luh  ancing  his  own  material  interests,  he  has  never  forgotten  the  duty 
which  he  owes  to  his  fellow  citizens.  He  was  born  September  9,  1847,  in 
Canada  and  is  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Phoebe  (Hawley)  McCarter.  Joseph 
McCarter  was  born  in  1821  in  New  York  and  died  March  i.  1898:  his 
wife,  Phoebe  Hawley,  was  born  December  12.  1827.  in  Canada  and  is  the 
daughter  of  Tina  and  Phoebe  (Palmer)  Hawdey,  natives  respectively  of 
Vermont  and  Delaware.  The  grandfather  of  Phoebe  Palmer  was  Peter 
Brown,  a  Revolutionary  soldier  and  a  participant  in  the  raid  of  John  Brown 
at  Osawatomie.  Joseph  McCarter  left  Canada  in  the  year  1863  and  located 
in  Sac  county,  Iowa,  where  he  lived  until  1878.  He  then  moved  to  Iowa 
county,  where  he  died  in  1898;  his  wife  is  now  living  with  her  son,  Wash- 


724  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

ington,  in  Lake  View,  this  county.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Joseph  [NlcCarter  were 
the  parents  of  five  children:  Washington,  with  whom  this  narrative  deals; 
Mrs.  Jessie  Atkinson,  of  Iowa  county;  Van  Daca,  who  died  in  Ohio  in  191 3; 
Alceste,  deceased,  and  Phoebe,  deceased. 

Washington  McCarter  received  his  education  in  the  schools  of  Canada 
and  New  York  and  taught  school  for  several  terms  in  Iowa  when  a  young 
man.  He  came  with  his  parents  to  Clinton  covmty  in  1863  and  went  with 
them  to  Iowa  county  in  1878.  In  1888  he  came  to  Sac  county  and  located 
in  Boyer  \'alley  township,  where  he  purchased  eighty  acres  for  seven  dol- 
lars and  fifty  cents  an  acre.  He  sold  this  farm  in  1900  and  mo\"ed  tii  a  farm 
in  the  east  end  of  Wall  Lake.  He  paid  thirty-six  dollars  an  acre  for  the 
farm  of  one  hundred  acres  and  sold  it  in  1908  and  moved  into  Lake  \'iew. 
where  he  has  since  continued  to  reside. 

Mr.  McCarter  was  married  in  1887  to  Anna  Disterhoft,  of  luwa  countv, 
and  to  this  marriage  have  been  born  three  children  :  Daca,  a  teacher  of  this 
county;  Bertha,  bookkeeper  in  a  bank  at  Moville  in  Woodburn  countv,  and 
Frances,  a  teacher  in  Sac  county. 

Politically,  Mr.  McCarter  has  been  a  life-long  Democrat,  but  has  never 
taken  an  active  part  in  political  affairs.  Personally  he  is  a  man  of  pleasing 
address  and  kindly  manner,  who  by  his  very  presence  inspires  hope  and 
contentment  among  his  friends.  His  life  has  been  marked  bv  high  purposes 
and  a  diligent  tle\'ntion  to  dutw  He  is  a  man  wlioin  it  i^  a  ])leasure  to  meet, 
being  genial  and  straightforward,  and  a  man  wIkhii  tn  kimw  is  t(.)  tru^t 
and  respect. 


JOHN  WESTROM. 

The  life  history  of  some  men  contains  enough  interesting  incidents  to 
make  a  novel  of  several  hundred  pages  in  length.  The  history  of  some  men 
who  are  living  in  Sac  county  would  make  a  very  readable  romance.  Given 
a  small  boy  of  fourteen  years,  with  twenty-five  cents  in  his  pocket,  with 
no  knowledge  of  the  English  language,  a  total  stranger  in  a  strange  land, 
but  a  boy  with  a  clear  brain  and  sound  body,  and  with  such  a  foundation. 
a  good  novelist  would  make  a  story  which  would  rival  "David  Copperfield" 
or  "John  Halifax,"  tw(>  masterpieces  of  English  fiction.  The  life  history 
here  presented  is  that  of  John  Westrom,  a  native  of  Sweden  and  now  a  re- 
tired farmer  of  Lake  View,  Iowa. 

John  Westrom  was  born  April  16,  J851,  in  Altsochen,  Sweden,  in  the 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


/-."> 


State  of  Jarrlebordslen.  He  is  the  son  of  Peter  and  Breta  Westrom.  Peter 
W'estrom  and  wife  were  the  parents  of  four  children :  Peter,  of  Lake  View, 
Iowa;  Olaf,  of  Stratford,  Iowa;  John,  whose  Hfe  history  furnishes  the 
theme  for  this  narrative,  and  Eric,  who  died  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years. 
The  father  of  these  children  died  in  1852,  leaving  his  widow  with  four 
young  children. 

lolin  Westrom  receixed  a  meager  education  in  the  land  of  his 
birth  and  when  fourteen  years  of  age  joined  a  colony  of  two  hundred  peo- 
ple of  his  countr)-,  who  came  to  America  together,  led  by  Reverend  Belman. 
The  second  chapter  of  the  interesting  history  of  John  Westrom  opens  when 
he  landed  in  New  York  with  twenty-five  cents  in  his  pocket.  His  history 
from  that  time  to  the  year  1914  has  been  full  of  incidents,  many  of  which 
are  thrilling  in  character.  He  has  arisen  from  absolute  poverty  to  a  place 
where  he  is  now  easily  worth  seventy-five  thousand  dollars,  and  yet  some 
people  wonder  why  America  is  called  the  Land  of  Opportunity.  After  land- 
ing in  New  York,  John  Westrom  went  with  the  rest  of  the  colony  to  Illi- 
nois and  located  first  at  Galva,  in  Henry  county,  that  state,  where  he  worked 
at  the  tailor's  trade  for  a  year.  His  father  had  been  a  tailor  and  that  was 
the  only  trade  he  knew  sufficiently  well  at  which  he  might  obtain  employ- 
ment. After  working  at  the  tailor's  trade  for  a  year  he  began  to  work  on 
a  farm,  and  after  a  year  of  farm  labor  he  began  to  work  on  the  railroad. 
Thrift  and  economy  were  his  watchwords  from  the  beginning,  because  the 
young  lad  wanted  to  save  enough  money  as  soon  as  possible  to  bring  his 
mother  to  this  country  with  him.  By  1867,  only  two  years  after  he  had 
landed  here  «ith  twenty-fixe  cents  in  his  pocket,  he  had  saved  sufficient 
money  to  pay  his  mother's  passage  to  Illinois.  He  and  his  mother  then  went 
to  Chicago,  where  he  worked  for  a  wholesale  grocery  concern  at  No.  41 
Wabash  avenue,  for  the  next  nine  years.  Before  he  quit  work  in  Chicago 
he  had  comt-  to  Sac  count\-  and  bought  eighty  acres  in  Wall  Lake  township 
in  1877.  In  the  spring  of  1881  he  permanently  located  on  his  farm  and 
from  that  time  forward  has  ranked  as  one  of  the  prosperous  farmers  of 
Sac  county.  He  now  owns  two  hundred  and  eighty  acres  in  \Vall  Lake 
township.  The  various  additions  to  his  land  holdings  are  as  follows :  His 
first  eightv  acres  cost  him  eleven  dollars  an  acre;  the  second  twent\-.  fifteen 
dollars  an  acre;  the  third  one  hundred,  thirty-one  dollars  an  acre  and  his 
final  purchase  of  fifty  acres  cost  fifty  dollars  an  acre.  The  two  hundred 
and  eighty  acres  is  now  easily  worth  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars 
an  acre  and  is  one  of  the  best  farms  in  the  state  of  Iowa  today.  It  is  need- 
less to'  say  in  this  connection  that  he  has  been  a  successful  farmer,  for  his 
standing  today  bears  witness  to  the  fact. 


726  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.   . 

Air.  W'estrom  was  married  in  1876  to  Anna  C.  Swanson,  a  native  of 
Sweden  and  a  resident  of  Chicago  at  the  time  of  their  marriage.  To  this 
union  have  been  born  seven  children :  Wesley,  a  farmer  of  Canada ;  Arthur 
C,  who  is  now  on  his  father"s  farm;  Frank  S..  a  farmer  of  Canada;  Fred  S., 
a  farmer  and  coal  operator  of  Alberta,  Canada;  Mrs.  C.  M.  Butterfield,  of 
Wetron,  .Vlberta,  Canada:  Airs.  James  Crawford,  of  Clear  Lake,  South 
Dakota,  and  Mabel,  the  wife  of  Reck  Keck,  of  Sandy  Point,  Texas.  Mr. 
Westrom  owns  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Alberta,  Canada,  and  lived 
there  one  )ear. 

One  of  the  mo.st  interesting  chapters  of  Mr.  Westrom's  life  historv  is 
concerned  with  his  trip  to  the  Klondike  region  in  1898.  This  trip  of  six 
months  contains  more  exciting  experiences  than  falls  to  the  lot  of  an  ordi- 
nary man,  and  the  historian  regrets  that  he  cannot  do  justice  to  this  exciting 
chapter  in  the  history  of  Mr.  ^^'e,strom.  He  left  Sac  county  in  1898  with 
five  other  men,  and  to  this  small  company  were  added  three  more  in  Oregon. 
The\'  met  disaster  before  they  reached  Alaska,  being  shipwrecked  on  their 
way  from  Oregon  and  ha\ing  to  jnit  in  at  I'ort  Townsend  for  repairs. 
After  reaching  .Alaska  they  had  a  terrible  experience  in  making  their  way 
into  the  headwaters  of  Copper  ri\er.  They  prospected  for  three  hundred 
and  fifty  miles  and  for  three  mouths  slept  on  the  snow  every  night.  At  one 
time  they  were  snowed  in  with  seven  feet  of  snow  and  for  seven  days  were 
in  a  ])erilous  condition  on  the  side  of  a  mountain,  not  knowing  an\-  hour 
but  that  the  next  would  be  their  last.  At  one  time  the\-  saw  the  famous 
"red  snow,"  which  they  came  across  on  the  top  of  a  mountain.  They  climbed 
glaciers,  scaled  mountains,  piled  through  snow  drifts  and  yet  lived  to  tell 
the  tale.  Mr.  Westrom  returned  to  Lake  View  after  being  gone  six  months, 
well  satisfied  to  live  the  remainder  of  his  days  in  Lake  View,  where  glaciers 
come  not  and  raging  ri\'ers  are  never  seen.  It  is  interesting  to  note  here  that 
Mr.  W'estrom  has  decided  that  his  next  vacation  will  be  spent  in  Texas. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Westrom  is  a  Republican,  but  he  has  always  been  con- 
tent to  serve  as  a  private  in  the  ranks  of  his  party,  never  having  been  an 
aspirant  for  any  public  office.  He  and  his  family  are  members  of  the  Con- 
gregational church  and  are  interested  in  the  increased  usefulness  of  that 
church  in  their  community.  In  1906  Mr.  Westrom  moved  to  Lake  View, 
where  he  purchased  a  residence,  which  he  has  since  rebuilt  and  made  it  into 
a  comfortable  and  convenient  home.  He  is  now  taking  life  easy  and  is  enjoy- 
ing the  fruits  of  his  many  years  of  hard  work.  Such  is  the  life  historx-  of  the 
poor  immigrant  boy  of  fourteen  with  twenty-fi\e  cents  in  his  pocket,  but  with 
a  he;irt  which  has  ne\'er  riuailed  and  a  hand  ne\'er  turned  from  honest  labor. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  727 

MAURICE  D.   RICH. 

One  of  the  many  farmers  of  Sac  county  who  have  prospered  in  this 
fertile  section  is  Maurice  D.  Rich,  of  Cedar  township.  He  is  recognized  as 
line  of  the  energetic  fanners  of  Sac  county,  who,  by  his  enterprise  and  pro- 
gressive methods,  lias  contributed  in  a  material  way  to  the  agricultural 
development  of  the  locality  where  he  li\es.  He  has  followed  farming  during 
all  of  his  life  and  has  met  with  abundant  success,  due  to  the  fact  that  he  has 
used  those  good  qualities  of  sound  iudgment  and  strict  integrity  which 
accompan}'  the  successful  man. 

Maurice  D.  Rich  was  Ijorn  .March  12.  1S71,  iu  Lixingston  ciiunl\-,  Illi- 
nois, and  is  the  son  of  Jnhn  and  Helen  (Paddock)  l\ich.  Jnhn  Rich  was 
horn  Feljruary  iS,  1S43,  in  Somersetshire,  England.  He  came  in  the  early 
fifties  with  his  parents  to  this  country  and  settled  in  Lake  county,  Illinois. 
Later  the  Rich  family  moved  to  Livingston  count^',  in  this  state,  and  were 
among  the  pioneer  settlers  of  that  county.  They  now  reside  in  Saunemin, 
Illinois.  Mrs.  John  Rich  had  three  brothers  who  were  in  the  Ci\il  War. 
To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Rich  were  born  six  children:  Maurice  D. ;  Mrs. 
Jennie  Kimball,  of  Saunemin,  Illinois;  Mrs.  Ada  Spafford,  of  Saunemin. 
Illinois,  whose  husliand  is  count\  supervisor;  Arthur  J.,  who  is  a  Iniilder 
and  contractor  in  Chicago.  li\ing  at  ^lorgan  Park;  Mrs.  Mayme  Rhine- 
smith,  of  California,  and  Mrs.  Agnes  Rilley.  of  Depue.  Illinois. 

M.  D.  Rich  was  reared  and  educated  in  Livingston  county,  Illinois, 
receiving  a  good  common  school  educatirm.  .\t  the  age  of  seventeen  }'ears 
he  passed  an  examination  entitling  him  to  a  teacher's  certificate,  and  at 
nineteen,  the  age  recpiired  by  law,  he  began  teaching  school,  which  he  fol- 
lowed for  five  years.  L'pon  reaching  his  majority  he  married  and  rented  a 
farm  in  Lixingston  county,  Illinois,  on  which  he  lived  until  the  spring' of 
IQO,^,  when  he  located  on  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  at  Nemaha,  Iowa, 
which  he  had  previously  purchased,  and  on  March  i,  191 1.  moved  to  his 
present  beautiful  farm  home  in  the  east  edge  of  Sac  City.  In  the  meantime 
he  had  bought  and  sold  a  number  of  farms  and  at  present  owns  his  home 
farm  of  ninety-three  acres,  where  he  resides,  also  a  very  choicely  located 
farm  in  his  native  county  in  Illinois. 

Mr.  Rich  was  married  in  Xovember.  1892.  to  Viola  Carrithers.  She 
was  born  near  Lakin.  Marshall  county.  Illinois,  and  was  educated  in  the 
schools  of  Livingston  and  Marshall  counties,  that  state,  and  Grand  Prairie 
Seminary   at   Onarga.    Illinois,   after   which   she   successfully   taught   school 


728  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

for  a  iuiml)er  of  years.  Maurice  and  \'iola  Rich  are  the  parents  of  five 
children,  namely:  Lela,  a  graduate  of  the  Sac  City  high  school:  Merrill, 
Sinah  and  John,  who  are  in  high  school,  and  Nellie,  who  has  not  reached 
school  age.  Mrs.  Rich  is  the  daughter  of  J.  G.  and  Sinah  (Wallace) 
Carrithers.  James  Carrithers  was  horn  Xovember  3,  1844,  near  Sullivan, 
Indiana,  and  his  wife  was  born  in  Greensburg.  Indiana.  The\'  are  both  now 
li\ing  in  Livingston  county.  Illinois,  near  Sauneniin.  They  are  the  parents 
of  the  following  children:  Mrs.  \'iola  Rich:  Mrs.  Nellie  Mitriiefl.  of 
Saunemin.  Illinois:  Prof.  Harry  \\'.  Carrithers,  of  Walkerton.  Indiana; 
Prof.   Ira  'i".  L'arrithers,  of  Coe  College,  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa. 

In  politics.  Mr.  Rich  has  identified  himself  with  the  Pregressive  wing 
of  the  Republican  partv.  He  and  his  faniih-  are  loval  niemliers  of  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  church  and  take  an  active  part  in  such  interests  as  are  allied 
with  that  denomination.  ]\Ir.  Rich  has  devoted  his  lifetime  to  the  agricul- 
tural profession  and  has  met  with  success  commensurate  with  his  efiforts. 
He  is  practical  in  his  work  and  gi\-es  his  personal  attention  to  e\ery  detail  of 
his  farm  work,  with  the  result  that  he  has  an  enviable  standing  in  the  com- 
munitv,  because  of  his  abilitv  and  success  in  his  chosen  vocation. 


ALDEN  ARMSTRONG. 


It  is  the  progressive,  wide-awake  man  of  affairs  that  makes  the  real  his- 
tory of  a  community,  and  his  influence  as  a  potential  factor  in  the  body  politic 
is  difficult  to  estimate.  The  examples  such  men  furnish  of  patient  purpose 
and  steadfast  integrity  strongly  illustrate  what  is  in  the  power  of  each  to  ac- 
complish, and  there  is  always  a  full  measure  of  satisfaction  in  adverting,  even 
in  a  casual  way,  to  their  achievements  in  advancing  their  own  interests  and 
those  of  their  fellow  men  and  giving  strength  and  solidity  to  the  institutions 
which  make  so  much  for  the  prosperity  of  the  community.  Such  a  man  is 
Alden  Armstrong,  a  stock  dealer  and  business  man  of  Lake  View,  Sac  county. 
Iowa,  and  it  is  eminently  proper  that  a  re\iew  of  his  interesting  career  be  ac- 
corded a  place  among  the  representative  citizens  of  Sac  county. 

Alden  Armstrong,  a  prosperous  stock  dealer  of  Lake  View,  Iowa,  was 
born  in  Canada.  August  24,  1853.  He  is  the  son  of  Piatt  and  Amelia  (Mc- 
Carter)  Armstrong,  the  former  being  the  founder  of  Lake  View.  Amelia 
McCarter  was  the  daughter  of  Robert  McCarter,  of  St.  Lawrence  county.  New 
York.      Piatt    .\rnistrnng   left    Can:\da    in    Ma\-,    1834.    witli    his    family   and 


MRS.  EMMA  ARMSTRONG 


ALDEN  ARMSTRONG 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  729 

settled  at  Lost  Nation,  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  where  his  wife  died  within  a 
short  time.  Alden  Armstrong  was  reared  in  Chnton  county  and  in  the  fall  of 
1874  he  left  Clinton  county  in  company  with  another  man  on  a  well-digging 
expedition.  However,  they  could  find  no  work  to  do,  so  his  partner  took  the 
team  back  to  Clinton  coimty  and  Mr.  Armstrong  took  the  train  from  Cedar 
Rapids  and  stopped  at  Ogden,  Iowa.  Shortly  after  this  he  entered  the  em- 
ploy of  Joseph  Gorham,  of  Odeljolt,  and  worked  for  him  about  six  weeks. 
He  then  went  to  work  on  the  Wheeler  farm  and  later  spent  a  short  time  in 
Ida  county.  By  this  time  he  had  become  convinced  of  the  value  of  farming 
land  in  Sac  county,  and  wrote  his  father,  asking  for  financial  assistance  in 
locating  land  in  this  county.  With  his  father's  help,  he  bought  all  of  section 
13  in  Clinton  township,  tor  which  he  ]iaid  six  dollars  and  sixtv-five  cents  an 
acre.  In  tlic  spring  of  1875  Mr.  Armstrong  came  back  to  Sac  county,  after 
wintering  in  his  old  home  county,  and,  with  the  assistance  of  Oran  Haskins, 
broke  up  one  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land  on  his  Sac  county  farm.  In  the 
fall  of  1875  Alden  Armstrong  and  his  father  came  from  Clinton  county  to  Sac 
county  and  built  a  house,  but  returned  to  Clinton  coimty  for  the  winter.  In 
February  of  1876  Mr.  Armstrong  married  and  in  the  spring  returned  to  Sac 
county,  where  he  has  continued  to  reside  up  to  the  present  time.  He  had  to 
haul  his  lumber  from  West  Side,  Crawford  county,  and,  since  there  were  no 
roads  at  that  time,  he  had  to  haul  it  by  way  (jf  the  old  Levey  bridge.  For  five 
years  he  worked  on  tliis  farm,  then  his  father  gave  him  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  the  land,  and  at  the  same  time  gave  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  to 
each  of  his  other  sons.  Mr.  Armstrong  lived  on  his  farm  for  twelve  years, 
when  he  sold  it  for  ten  thousand  dollars  and  moved  to  Lake  View  in  1887. 
Upon  removing  to  Lake  V'iew,  Mr.  Armstrong  engaged  in  the  grain  and  live 
stock  business.  He  continued  to  follow  lioth  lines  until  1900.  when  he  dis- 
posed of  his  grain  business  and  devoted  all  of  his  attention  to  his  live  stock 
trade.  He  has  also  been  interested  in  the  hardware  and  automobile  business 
in  Lake  View  and  is  also  one  of  the  stockholders  and  directors  of  the  Lake 
View  State  Bank. 

Mr.  Armstrong  was  married  February  24,  1876,  to  Emma  G.  Pollack, 
of  Gnuidy  county,  Missouri,  the  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robert  Pollack. 
To  this  union  have  been  born  two  children,  Lillian  and  Claude  P.  Claude  P., 
who  is  in  tlie  automobile  business  in  Lake  View,  is  married  and  has  three 
children,  Alden,  Velma  and  Robert  A  Hie. 

Mr.  Armstrong  was  a  Republican  up  until  June,  19 12,  when  he  left  the 
old  party  anrl  joined  the  new  Progressive  party.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  member 
of  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  and  is  a  Mystic  Shriner  of  Sioux 


730  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

City,  Iowa.  He  is  also  a  Knight  Templar  at  Sac  City.  Mr.  Armstrong  has 
lived  nearly  forty  years  in  this  county,  and  has  seen  it  grow  from  a  broad 
expanse  of  prairie  to  its  present  thriving  and  prosperous  condition.  He  re- 
calls the  time  when  he  shot  as  many  as  fifteen  deer  at  (ine  time  in  the  vicinity 
of  Wall  lake.  When  he  came  here  the  country  was  all  unimproved,  and  his 
house  was  the  first  one  built  between  his  site  and  Sac  City.  His  house  is  built 
on  the  divide  between  the  Missouri  and  Mississippi  rivers.  Mr.  Armstrong 
has  so  ordered  his  course  at  all  times  as  to  command  the  confidence  and  regard 
of  the  people  of  his  community.  He  is  a  man  who  has  always  followed  the 
most  conscientious  methods  in  his  business  dealings,  and  has  ne\er  neglected 
to  advocate  whatever  he  felt  would  promote  the  public  welfare  of  his  locality 
in  any  way. 


WILLIAM  PITSTICK. 


In  this  volume  there  are  many  biographies  of  farmers  who  were  either 
born  in  Germany,  or  the  descendants  of  parents  who  came  from  that  country, 
and  there  is  not  one  of  the  many  German  families  who  have  settled  in  this 
county  who  have  not  prospered  in  this  favored  region  of  the  LTnited  States. 
No  one  of  them  has  used  better  judgment  and  attained  to  a  more  substantial 
prosperity  than  William  Pitstick,  a  prominent  farmer  of  Jackson  township, 
this  county.  Success  has  attended  him  at  every  turn  and  in  all  of  his  ventures 
he  has  shown  that  rare  judgment  and  good  Inisiness  acumen  which  charac- 
terizes the  successful  man.  The  thrift  which  characterized  his  ancestors  is 
strikingly  present  in  his  make-up,  and  yet.  while  he  has  been  advancing  his 
own  material  interests,  he  has  not  overlooked  the  duty  which  he  owes  to  his 
county  and  state  as  a  member  of  the  body  politic.  He  has  identified  himself 
with  various  public  enteqirises  and  in  each  has  contributed  his  share  to  the 
bringing  about  of  better  conditions. 

William  Pitstick  was  born  .\pril  12,  1865,  in  Illinois,  the  son  of  John 
and  h'rances  ( Billingsfeldt)  Pitstick.  John  Pitstick  was  born  in  December, 
1836.  in  Germany,  and  died  in  Calhoun  county,  Iowa,  in  December.  1912. 
while  his  wife,  Frances  Anna  Billingsfeldt,  was  born  in  German\-  in  Decem- 
ber, 1841.  and  died  in  Calhoun  county,  this  state,  in  A]3ril.  1013.  When 
William  was  eleven  months  of  age  his  parents  moved  to  Pf)lk  countv,  Iowa, 
friini  Illinois,  where  thev  li\-ed  seventeen  \'ears.  The  faniilv  then  niii\e(i  to 
Calhoun  county,  this  state,  where  John  Pitstick  became  a  prosjierous  and 
substantial   farmer,  accumulating  four  hundred  and  eighth'  acres  of  excellent 


SAC    COUNTY,     IOWA.  7_^  [ 

farming  laiui.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Pitstick  were  the  parents  of  ten  children : 
Charles,  of  Calhoun  county,  Iowa;  Louisa,  deceased;  Frances,  of  Rockwell 
City,  this  state;  William,  with  whom  this  narrative  deals;  Lizzie  and  Emma, 
both  deceased;  John,  of  Calhoun  county;  Ella,  of  Sac  City;  Edward,  who  is 
living-  in  Indiana,  and  Mrs.  Josephine  Clark,  of  Jackson  township. 

\\'illiam  Pitstick  received  his  education  in  the  Polk  county.  Iowa, 
schools,  remaining  with  his  parents  until  he  was  twenty-two  years  of  age. 
In  1890  he  had  bought  a  farm  in  Calhoun  county,  near  Lake  Cit>',  l>ut  sold 
this  tract  later.  In  1891  he  bought  one  hundred  and  seventy  acres  in  Scott 
countv,  Iowa,  on  which  he  resided  for  eleven  years.  In  1902  he  came  to 
Sac  county  and  bought  two  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  exceptionally  good 
land  in  Coon  Valley  township,  paying  sixty-live  dollars  an  acre  for  the  land. 
Some  time  later  he  sold  eighty  acres  of  this  tract  for  seventy  dollars  an  acre. 
In  1909  he  moved  to  Sac  City  in  order  to  give  his  children  the  benefit  of  the 
excellent  schools  of  that  city.  His  farm  of  one  hundred  acres  in  Jackson 
town,ship  lies  within  the  corporate  limits  of  Sac  City,  and  on  this  he  has  lived 
since  1909.  He  paid  one  hundred  and  ten  dollars  an  acre  for  this  land,  and 
it  is  now  easily  worth  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  an  acre,  although  it  is 
not  for  sale  at  any  price.  This  farm  overlooks  the  valley  of  Coon  river  and 
it  is  one  of  the  Hnest  improved  farms  in  the  county.  It  has  a  handsome 
residence  on  it  and  excellent  buildings  of  all  kinds,  which  are  set  in  attract- 
ively kei)t  grounds.  In  addition  to  this  farm,  Mr.  Pitstick  is  the  owner  of 
one  hundred  and  forty-eight  acres  in  Coon  Valley  township,  and  has  an 
interest  in  two  hundred  acres  in  Minnesota. 

Mr.  Pitstick  was  married  on  March  3,  1889,  to  Helen  Snider,  of  Scott 
countv.  She  is  the  daughter  of  Ephraim  and  Eliza  Jane  (Randall)  Snider, 
who  were  natives  of  New  York  and  Maine,  respectively,  and  pioneers  of 
Scott  county,  of  this  state.  Both  her  parents  are  now  deceased.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Pit.stick  are  the  parents  of  seven  children :  Mrs.  Janie  Mendenhall,  a 
o-raduate  of  the  hieh  school  at  Sac  City  and  a  student  of  the  Teachers'  Col- 
lege  in  Cedar  Falls,  this  state.  She  was  a  former  teacher  in  the  public 
school  of  Sac  City ;  May,  a  graduate  of  the  high  school  and  a  teacher ;  Mrs. 
Frances  Mendenhall.  also  a  graduate  of  the  high  school,  now  lives  in  Cedar 
township,  this  county;  Henry,  a  graduate  of  the  high  school  and  now  a  stu- 
dent in  1.  C.  S. ;  Nellie  and  Virgil,  who  are  students  in  the  high  school  at 
Sac  City ;  Ruth,  the  youngest,  who  finishes  the  eighth  grade  this  year ;  Scott 
is  deceased.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pistick  are  iustly  proud  of  their  fine  children. 
and  have  sought  to  give  them  the  advantage  of  the  best  education  possible 
and  it  is  a  satisfaction  to  the  parents  to  know  that  their  children  have  take'^ 


732  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

achantage  of  the  opportunity  gi\en  them  and  have  equipped  themselves  lo 
liecnme  useful  members  of  society.  When  the  three  younger  children  get 
through  the  high  school,  there  will  have  been  seven  children  of  the  same 
family  graduated  from  the  same  high  .school,  a  record  which  doubtless 
cannot  be  duplicated  any  place  in  the  state  of  Iowa,  if  any  state  in  the  Union. 
Mr.  Pitstick  has  been  engaged  in  various  enterprises  besides  his  agricul- 
tural interests,  having  been  one  of  the  originators  and  leading  promoters  of 
tlie  Farmers  Elevator  Company  of  Sac  City.  In  fact,  he  was  the  founder  of 
the  company,  and  it  was  his  plan  which,  carried  into  execution,  has  made 
the  company  the  prosperous  firm  which  it  is  today.  He  is  a  stockholder  in 
the  Sac  County  Fair  Association  and  is  now  superintendent  of  the  horse 
department.  Mr.  Pitstick  is  a  man  of  keen  business  judgment  and  every 
organization  with  which  he  has  been  connected  has  found  in  him  one  who 
quickl}"  comprehends  the  intricate  features  of  the  business  in  hand  and 
suggests  ways  whereby  the  business  can  be  increased.  Politically.  Mr.  Pit- 
stick  is  a  Republican,  but  has  been  so  busy  with  his  many  interests  that  he 
has  not  had  time  to  engage  to  any  great  extent  in  politics.  However,  he 
kee])s  well  posted  on  the  current  issues  of  the  day  and  takes  an  intelligent 
interest  in  the  political  questions  before  the  American  people.  Religiously, 
the  family  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  to  this  de- 
nomination they  contribute  of  their  time  and  substance.  Fraternally,  he  is 
a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  Owing  to  his  splendid 
success,  his  genuine  worth  and  his  genial  disposition,  Mr.  Pitstick  easily 
wins  friends  and  always  retains  them.  He  enjoys  a  marked  degree  of  popu- 
larit\'  in  the  I'icalitv  where  so  many  of  his  vears  have  been  spent. 


GEORGE  W.  MENDENHALL. 

The  office  of  biography  is  not  to  give  voice  to  a  nian"s  modest  estimate 
of  himself  and  his  accomplishments,  but  rather  to  leave  upon  the  record  the 
verdict  establishing  his  character  by  the  consensus  of  ojiinion  on  the  part  of 
his  neiglib.ors  and  fellow  citizens.  In  touching  upon  the  life  histor}-  of  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  the  writer  aims  to  avoid  fulsome  ecomium  and  extrav- 
agant i)raise ;  vet  he  desires  to  hold  up  for  consideration  those  facts  which 
have  .shown  the  distinction  of  a  true,  useful  and  honorable  life — a  life  char- 
acterized l)y  i)erseverance,  energy,  broad  charity  and  well  defined  purpose. 
To  do  this  will  be  to  reiterate  the  dictum  pronounced  upon  the  man  by  the 
people  wlio  have  known  him  long  and  well. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  J^ii 

George  W.  Mendenhall,  a  retired  farmer  of  Sac  City,  Iowa,  being  a 
former  resident  of  Cedar  township,  was  born  in  Butler  county,  Ohio,  March 
I,  i860.  His  parents  were  W.  B.  and  Mary  Ellen  (Neff)  Mendenhall.  His 
father,  VV.  B.,  was  born  in  Preble  county.  Ohio,  of  English  ancestry,  in 
1834,  and  his  mother  was  born  in  Ohio  in  1841  and  died  in  March,  1909. 
W.  B.  Mendenhall  and  family  left  Ohio  in  about  1883  and,  after  stopping 
for  two  years  in  Illinois,  located  in  Rice  county,  Kansas,  where  W.  B.  Men- 
denhall is  still  living.  ^V.  B.  Mendenhall  and  wife  were  the  parents  of  five 
children,  who  are  living:  Charles  M.,  of  Lyons,  Kansas;  Joseph  O..  of 
Wichita,  Kansas;  Mrs.  E.  G.  Schenck,  of  Sac  county,  Iowa;  Mrs.  Effie 
Aiason,  of  Hutchinson,  Kansas,  and  George  VV.,  whose  history  is  portrayed 
in  this  connection. 

George  W.  Mendenhall  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Butler 
county,  Ohio,  and  when  twenty-one  years  of  age  left  home  to  seek  his  for- 
tune. He  went  to  Illinois  and  located  in  Macon  county,  where  he  rented  a 
farm  and  also  engaged  in  the  hardware  and  furniture  business  in  Macon 
county.  Shortly  after  he  came  to  Macon  county,  Illinois,  his  parents  also 
moved  there.  In  1907  Mr.  Mendenhall  moved  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  and 
bought  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  Cedar  township,  for  which  he  paid 
sixty-four  dollars  an  acre.  Later  he  bought  forty  acres  adjoining  this  farm, 
at  eighty  dollars  an  acre,  and  now  has  two  hundred  and  eighty  acres  of  fine 
land  in  Cedar  township.  In  igii  he  erected  a  fine  residence,  and  in  the  seven 
years  in  which  he  has  lived  in  this  township  he  has  built  a  bam  and  has  done 
a  large  amount  of  fencing  and  draining.  The  land  in  Cedar  township,  in 
order  to  be  the  most  productive,  demands  scientific  drainage  and,  since  com- 
ing to  this  farm,  Mr.  Mendenhall  has  spent  over  two  thousand  dollars  in 
tiling  and  considers  the  money  well  spent.  His  land  has  rapidly  increased 
in  value  and  is  now  worth  at  least  two  hundred  dollars  an  acre.  In  Novem- 
ber, 1913.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mendenhall  left  the  farm  in  charge  of  their  sons, 
Harrv  and  Ralph,  and  moved  to  Sac  City,  where  they  purchased  a  fine  resi- 
dence. 

George  W.  Mendenhall  was  married  in  1886  to  Laura  Schenck,  of 
Macon  county,  Illinois,  the  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  T.  Schenck.  Mr. 
and  Mr.  Mendenhall  have  seven  children,  all  of  whom  are  living:  Harry 
and  Ralph  are  managing  their  father's  farm;  Glen  is  in  the  schools  at  Sac 
City;  Grace,  Fern  and  Bernadine  are  still  with  their  parents,  and  Iva  mar- 
ried F.  G.  Hall  and  lives  northeast  of  Lytton,  in  this  county. 

Mr.  Mendenhall  has  always  allied  himself  with  the  Repulilican  i)arty 
and,  while  taking  a  deep  interest  in  local  politics,  yet  has  never  been  a  candi- 


734  S-^f"    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

date  tor  any  public  office.  He  and  the  meml^ers  of  his  family  are  regular 
attendants  at  the  ^Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  give  it  their  earnest  sup- 
])ort.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons, 
Order  of  the  Eastern  Star,  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  the 
Daughters  of  Rebekah,  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Rathborne  Sisters  and 
the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men.  Mr.  Mendenhall  is  a  quiet,  plain  and 
kind-hearted  man,  respected  by  all  who  know  him,  and  one  who  has  always 
been  regarded  as  honest  and  upright  in  all  his  dealings.  Personally,  he  is  a 
pleasant  man  to  meet,  affable,  obliging  and  a  man  who  is  esteemed  wherever 
he  is  known  for  his  many  good  qualities. 


T.  H,  LOW. 


It  is  a  well  attested  maxim  that  the  greatness  of  a  community  or  a  state 
lies  not  in  the  macliinerv  of  go\'ernment  nor  even  in  its  institutions,  but 
ralliL-r  in  the  sterling  (pialities  of  tlie  individual  citizen,  in  his  capacity  for 
high  and  unselfish  effort  and  his  devotion  to  the  public  welfare.  In  these 
particulars  he  whose  name  appears  at  the  head  of  this  review  has  conferred 
honor  and  dignity  upon  his  locality,  and  as  an  elemental  part  of  history  it  is 
consonant  that  there  should  be  recorded  a  resume  of  his  career,  with  the 
object  in  view  of  noting  his  connection  with  the  advancement  of  one  of  the 
most  flourishing  and  progressive  sections  of  the  commonwealth. 

J.  H.  Low,  a  retired  farmer  of  Douglas  township,  Sac  county,  Iowa, 
was  born  July  15,  1850,  in  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania.  His  parents  were 
William  and  Sarah  (Chapman)  Low,  natives  of  New  Jersey  and  Pennsyl- 
vania, respectively.  William  Low  was  born  in  1818  and  died  in  i8gi.  His 
father  was  John  Low,  an  uncle  of  the  Hon.  Seth  Low,  former  mayor  of 
New  ^'o^k  City.  The  Lows  were  all  seafaring  men,  and  William  followed 
the  sea  until  he  was  thirty-seven  years  of  age.  He  then  settled  in  Philadel- 
phia, where  he  was  in  the  employ  of  a  chemical  company  for  thirteen  years. 
Later  he  came  to  Indiana  and  settled  in  New  Albany,  where  he  engaged  in 
the  commercial  business  until  1869,  then  settled  in  Carroll  county,  Illinois, 
where  he  died  in  1891.  Sarah  Chapman,  the  mother  of  J.  H.  Low,  was 
born  in  Pennsylvania  in  1822,  of  Quaker  parentage,  the  daughter  of  John 
Cha| man,  who  was  a  cajitain  in  the  Revi>!utionary  War.  She  died  in  1902 
in  Marshalltown,  Iowa,  at  the  home  of  her  son. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  Low  were  the  parents  of  six  children :     James, 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  735 

deceased:  William,  deceased;  John  H..  whose  history  is  delineated  in  this 
connection;  Charles  G.,  of  Burlington,  Iowa;  Thomas  P.,  of  Marshalltown, 
Iowa,  and  Eliza  D.,  deceased. 

T.  H.  Low  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  Pennsylvania,  but 
never  attended  school  after  he  was  nine  years  of  age.  When  he  was  nine- 
teen he  began  railroading,  with  his  headquarters  at  Louisville,  Kentucky, 
was  rapidlv  promoted  because  of  his  efficient  work  and  was  soon  a  conductor 
on  the  Louisville  &  Nashville  Railway,  a  position  which  he  held  for  ten 
years.  In  1879  he  came  to  Carroll  county,  Illinois,  and  hired  out  as  a  farm 
laborer,  where  he  worked  for  seven  years.  He  then  began  farming  for  him- 
self, and  in  1884  moved  to  Marshall  county,  Iowa,  wl^ere  he  bought  a  farm. 
This  he  sold  two  years  later  and  went  to  Sioux  county  and  located  at 
Hawarden.  In  1889  Mr.  Low  came  to  Calhoun  county  and  in  the  following 
year  came  to  Sac  county  and  bought  a  farm  in  Douglas  township  for 
twentv-six  and  a  half  dollars  an  acre.  He  sold  this  farm  in  the  fall  of  1913 
for  one  hundred  and  thirty-seven  and  a  half  dollars  an  acre,  clearing  one 
hundred  and  ten  dollars  an  acre  (in  his  investment.  He  then  purchased  a 
home  in  Sac  City,  moved  his  family  there  and  is  now  retired  from  active 
work.  He  is  a  stockholder  and  one  of  the  most  influential  directors  in  the 
Sac  County  Fair  Association.  He  still  holds  two  hundred  and  eighty  acres  in 
Douglas  township,  which  he  rents. 

Mr.  Low  was  married  in  1877  to  Sophia  E.  Kingry,  of  Mt.  Carroll, 
Illinois  Til  this  marriage  have  been  born  four  sons:  Jesse  W.,  an  automobile 
dealer  of  Sac  City;  William,  who  is  living  on  a  farm  in  Jackson  township; 
Charles  G.,  a  farmer  in  South  Dakota;  Harry,  a  banker  and  automobile 
dealer  in  Lytton.  Mr.  Low  has  recently  invested  in  considerable  property 
in  Sac  Citv  and  has  become  interested  in  the  automobile  business,  conducted 
by  his  son.  He  has  assisted  him  financially  and  has  had  the  justification  of 
seeing  his  son  prosper  in  this  line  of  business.  All  of  Mr.  Low's  sons 
proved  to  be  successful  business  men  and  have  made  good  wherever  they 
have  located.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Low  take  a  great  deal  of  interest  in  their  sons 
and  are  naturally  proud  of  their  achievements. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Low  is  an  independent  voter,  preferring  to  cast  his 
vote  for  the  best  man  in  all  cases,  irrespective  of  political  affiliations.  He  is 
a  fine  tvpe  of  an  ever-increasing  number  of  American  citizens  who  vote  for  the 
best  men.  Fraternally,  Mr.  Low  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias. 
Mr.  Low  has  attained  his  present  success  because  of  his  natural  ability,  in- 
dustry and  honesty,  and  although  he  has  encountered  many  obstacles  m  the 
course  of  his  long  career,  yet  he  has  overcome  them  all  and  today  looks 
back  over  a  career  that  has  been  well  spent  in  every  particular. 


730  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

COL.  WILLIAM  C.  LOOKINGBILL. 

The  careers  of  self-made  and  successful  men  all  abound  with  lessons  from 
which  those  of  the  present  rising  generation  can  take  comfort  and  profit.  It 
is  by  no  means  an  easy  task  to  describe  within  the  limits  of  this  all  too  brief 
review  a  man  who  has  led  an  active  and  eminently  useful  life  and  by  his  own 
individual  exertions  reached  a  position  of  honor  and  trust  in  the  line  of  the 
profession  and  industry  with  which  his  interests  are  closely  allied.  But 
biography  finds  justification  in  the  tracing  and  recording  of  the  salient  facts 
of  such  a  life  history-,  inasmuch  as  the  public  claims  a  certain  proprietory 
interest  in  the  career  of  ever}'  individual  and  the  time  invariably  arrives  when 
it  becomes  advisable  to  give  the  right  publicity.  It  is,  then,  with  considerable 
satisfaction  that  the  biographer  enters  upon  the  writing  of  the  biography  of 
Col.  W.  C.  Lookingbill,  eminent  auctioneer  and  breeder  of  fine  live  stock,  who, 
from  a  humble  beginning,  has  achieved  a  reputation  little  short  of  marvelous 
in  the  short  space  of  time  given  him  to  accomplish  his  aniliition  and  secure  a 
place  in  the  body  politic  as  a  successful  man  among  a  host  of  successful  citizens 
in  this  wonderfully  developed  community.  Colonel  Lookingbill  resides  in  one 
of  the  most  beautiful  homes  in  the  eastern  portion  of  a  city  noted  for  its 
attractive  environs  and  handsome  structures.  Years  ago,  when  he  first  came 
to  Sac  City  to  win  fortune  and  renown,  he  was  attracted  by  the  features  of  a 
beautiful  stretch  of  woodland  elevated  in  such  a  manner  as  to  provide  an 
unexcelled  setting  for  a  home.  This  land  was  then  owned  by  Judge  Criss, 
who  at  first  refused  to  consider  an  offer.  It  was  Colonel  Lookingbill's  good 
fortune,  however,  to  eventuallx  hecDme  the  owner  of  this  desirable  propertv, 
which  consists  of  fifty-seven  and  five-tenths  acres  of  land.  He  erected  his 
home  at  the  brow  of  a  bluff  overlooking  the  fair  grounds  and  the  city.  This 
tract  is  part  of  his  original  purchase  of  sixty  acres  and  has  steadily  risen  in 
value  since  his  purchase  of  the  tract  for  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars 
an  acre  in  1908.  His  farm  and  home  are  within  the  corporation  limits  of  Sac 
City.  A  large  and  modern  barn  is  located  in  the  rear  and  to  the  east  of  the 
residence  with  other  buildings  suitably  grouped.  He  is  a  well-known  breeder 
of  pure  bred  Shorthorn  cattle.  Poland  China  swine  and  .Shropshire  sheep. 
His  stock  is  practically  all  registered  as  thoroughbreds.  Once  each  month 
Colonel  Lookingbill  conducts  a  great  sale  of  live  stock  on  his  place,  which  is 
largely  attended  and  patronized  by  the  neighboring  stockmen. 

W.  C.  Lookingbill  was  born  in  the  year  1873  '^'i  ^  farm  in  ( iuthrie  countv. 
He  had  the  advantages  of  a  fair  public  school  education  and  graduated  from 
the  high  school  when  still  a  youth,  following  up  his  educational  advantages 


COL.  WILLIAM  C.  LOOKINGBILL 


& 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  I},-/ 

by  graduating  from  Guthrie  College  in  June,  1890.  He  followed  farming  in 
his  home  county  until  1893  when  he  located  in  Calhoun  county.  In  1895  he 
came  to  Sac  county  and  purchased  a  small  farm  in  Cedar  township  on  time, 
investing  his  savings  in  an  initial  payment.  He  met  with  serious  misfortune 
during  his  first  year  and  found  himself  reduced  to  penury,  with  no  means  of 
going  on  with  his  fanning  operations.  He  rented  out  his  land  for  the  season 
and  went  in  searcli  of  employment.  Jobs  were  scarce,  but  he  eventually  suc- 
ceeded in  obtaining  a  job  with  Mr.  Robbins,  who  was  then  engaged  in  the 
erection  of  an  addition  to  his  mill.  During  the  first  week  he  received  the 
munificent  sum  of  fifty  cents  per  da}- :  the  second  week  he  demanded  one  dollar 
per  day  and  received  it ;  in  the  third  week  his  wages  were  advanced  to  one 
dollar  and  fifty  cents  per  day.  So  well  did  he  satisfy  his  employer,  who  had 
at  first  scoff'ed  at  his  inability  to  earn  living  wages,  that  he  was  placed  on  a 
salary  of  one  dollar  and  seventy-five  cents  per  day  for  the  remainder  of  his 
term  of  employment  under  Mr.  Robbins.  This  labor  eventually  enabled  him 
to  regain  his  feet  financially,  and  his  aggressiveness  and  tireless  dynamic  in- 
dustry have  pushed  him  to  the  front.  In  May  of  1900  he  purchased  a  small 
farm  in  the  south  part  of  Sac  City  fi:)r  two  thousand  dollars,  which  proved  to 
be  an  excellent  investment.  In  1909  he  removed  to  his  present  location  after 
he  had  erected  his  handsome  home. 

Mr.  Lookingbill's  birth  occurred  February  13,  1873,  as  aforesaid,  in 
Guthrie  county.  He  is  the  son  of  Henry  Lookingbill,  a  native  of  the  state  of 
Maryland  and  who  was  born  in  March,  1836.  His  mother  is  Elizabeth  Holt 
Lookingbill,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  born  in  1837.  The  Lookingbill  fannly 
first  migrated  to  Illinois,  and  later  became  very  early  settlers  in  Guthrie  county. 
Iowa.  The  family  is  highly  regarded  in  the  community  in  which  the>-  reside. 
Henrv  is  a  strong,  \  irile  persi.mage,  noted  in  his  younger  days  for  his  great 
strength  and  wonderful  powers  of  endurance.  His  greatest  lieritage  be- 
queathed to  his  son  has  been  an  excellent  physique  and  like  powers  of  endur- 
ance. 

It  is  as  a  professional  auctioneer  that  he  of  whom  this  is  recorded  has  best 
excelled.  In  December  of  1905  he  graduated  from  the  famous  school  of 
auctioneering  in  the  city  of  Da\-enport,  Iowa,  which  school  is  now  located  in 
Chicago.  Colonel  Lookingbill's  success  in  his  chosen  profession  has  been 
phenomenal,  when  one  considers  the  short  period  of  time  which  he  has  devoted 
to  the  exercise  of  his  attainments  in  a  profession  which  calls  for  accurate  judg- 
ment, a  wide  knowledge  of  agriculture,  and  a  keen  discernment  of  the  values 
of  live  stock  such  as  is  necessary  for  a  successful  sale  crier  to  possess.  His 
(46) 


738  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

field  is  practically  unlimited  and  hi.s  services  are  in  demand  in  Iowa,  Nebraska, 
the  Dakotas  and  Minnesota.  His  specialty  when  called  away  from  his  home 
conntx-  is  in  conducting  pure  bred  horse  sales,  in  which  difficult  vocation  he  is 
widely  known  as  an  expert.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican ;  religiously,  he  is  a 
Presbyterian,  and  is,  fraternally,  allied  with  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons  and  the  Mystic  Workers. 

Colonel  Lookingbill  was  united  in  inarriage  with  Luella  McDermott,  of 
Buena  Vista  county,  Iowa,  December  i,  1898,  and  is  the  father  of  two  chil- 
dren, Lillian  Ellen  and  Llewelyn  McHenry  Lookingbill.  His  farm  is  appro- 
priately named  "Oakland  Stock  Farm." 

Mr.  Lookingliill  is  a  strong  man.  physically,  r.ientally  and  morally, 
who  has  never  known  the  taste  of  tobacco  or  strong  drink  in  any  form.  His 
standino-  in  the  community  is  of  the  highest  and  he  is  known  widely  and  favor- 
ably for  his  enterprise  and  public  spirit.  It  is  the  records  of  such  men  as  he 
that  add  value  to  these  memoirs  of  .Sac  county. 


DUNCAN  B.  KEIR. 


All  calling.-,  whether  humble  or  e.xalted,  may  be  productive  of  some 
measure  of  success,  if  enterprise  and  industry,  coupled  with  a  well-directed 
purpose,  form  the  motive  force  of  the  person  directing  the  same,  and  in  no 
case  is  this  fact  more  apparent  than  in  agricultural  pursuits.  It  is  a  well 
authenticated  fact  that  success  comes  as  the  result  of  legitimate  and  well 
applied  energy,  unflagging  determination  and  perseverance  as  well  as  the 
above  enumerated  qualities.  When  a  course  of  action  is  once  decided  upon 
these  attributes  are  essential.  Success  is  never  known  to  smile  upon  the 
idler  or  dreamer  and  she  never  courts  the  loafer,  only  thcjse  who  have  dili- 
gently sought  her  favor  being  crowned  with  her  blessings.  In  tracing  the 
history  of  the  prosperous  and  influential  agriculturist  whose  name  forms  the 
caption  of  this  biographical  review,  we  find  that  the  above  named  elements 
have  entered  largelv  into  his  make-up  and  therefore  we  are  not  surprised  at 
the  large  and  e\  er-growing  success  which  he  has  attained. 

Duncan  B.  Keir,  one  of  the  most  prosperous  farmers  of  Douglas  town- 
ship. Sac  county,  Iowa,  was  born  October  22,  1849,  in  Dalesville,  Canada, 
about  sixtv  miles  northwest  of  Montreal.  His  parents  were  John  and 
Helen  (McGregor)  Keir,  both  of  whom  were  of  Scotch  descent.  John 
Keir  was  born  in  Canada  in   1813,  the  son  of  John  Keir,  who  came   from 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  739 

Scotland  to  that  country.  Helen  McGregor  was  the  daughter  of  John 
IMcGregor,  a  native  of  Scotland  and  a  member  of  the  McGregor  clan  of  the 
Highland  region.  ]\lrs.  Keir  traces  her  ancestry  back  to  Rob  Roy,  of  his- 
toric fame.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Keir  were  the  parents  of  twelve  children 
and  also  reared  one  adopted  child,  and  six  of  these  children  are  living: 
Robert,  of  Aspen,  Colorado:  Duncan  B. :  William,  of  Okemah,  Oklahoma: 
Charles,  of  Madison,  Colorado;  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Dashler,  of  Wellington, 
Kansas,  and  Thomas  G.,  of  Sac  City,  this  state.  The  adopted  daughter  is 
Mrs.  Margaret  Morton,  of  Oxford,  Kansas.  The  deceased  children  are 
Peter,  James,  Helen,  John  and  Roy. 

Duncan  B.  Keir  came  to  Illinois  when  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age 
and  settled  in  Livingston  county  in  1867,  and  there  he  lived  until  1883,  then 
went  to  Wellington,  Kansas,  where  he  resided  until  1889.  He  was  a  black- 
smith by  trade  and  followed  his  profession  in  these  different  places,  meeting 
with  a  large  measure  of  success.  He  saved  his  money  with  the  idea  of  in- 
vesting it  in  western  land,  and  came  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  on  October  i, 
1889,  where  he  bought  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Douglas  town- 
ship, the  old  Lee  homestead,  at  thirty-fi\T  dollars  an  acre.  He  improved 
this  and  later  added  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Delaware  township  in 
1896  at  twenty-four  dollars  an  acre,  and  is  now  the  owner  of  four  hundred 
and  eight}-  acres,  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Douglas  township  and 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Delaware  township.  His  farms  are  well 
impro\ed  with  a  good  dwelling,  large  and  commodious  barns,  good  fences 
and  extensive  drainage.  In  19x3  he  raised  on  his  farm  twenty-eight  head  of 
horses,  fifty  head  of  cattle  and  eighty  head  of  hogs,  besides  fine  crops  of 
grain. 

Mr.  Keir  was  married  in  1877  to  Lizzie  Sackett,  of  Fairburg,  Illinois, 
who  died  in  1883,  leaving  one  son,  Roy,  who  is  now  living  at  Spencer, 
Iowa.  He  is  married  and  has  two  children,  Robert  MacArthur  and  Hazel. 
Mr.  Keir  was  married  the  second  time  on  November  20,  1887,  to  Chloe 
Lanora  Lee.  who  was  born  in  the  h(ime  wliere  she  now  lives  on  .\ugust  3, 
1863,  the  daughter  of  Melitus  S.  and  Caroline  (Travis)  Lee.  To  his  second 
marriage  ha\e  been  born  two  children,  Lamont,  of  Ida  Grove,  Iowa,  and 
Mrs.  Hazel  .Miernathv,  oi  Xemaha,  Inwa.  whd  has  (ine  child,  Maxine.  Mrs. 
Keir  has  resided  all  of  her  life  in  this  county,  her  parents  being  among  the 
others  Republicans.  Aoted  for  Woodrow  Wilson  in  1912,  because  he  thought 
Mr.  Wilson  was  the  best  man  for  the  presidency.     It  takes  courage   for  a 

Mr.  Keir  is  a  Republican  in  politics  nominally,  but.  like  thousands  of 
earh'  settlers  of  the  countv. 


740  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

man  to  break  away  from  his  old  party  and  vote  his  convictions,  and  the  men 
who  do  are  to  be  congratulated  upon  their  good  judgment  and  high  ideals  of 
what  citizenship  really  means.  The  Keir  family  adhere  to  the  Baptist  church 
and  render  it  their  earnest  support.  Mr.  Keir  is  a  man  who  has  been  a 
hard  worker  all  of  his  life  and  now,  in  his  declining  years,  can  look  back 
over  a  life  which  has  been  spent  in  the  service  of  his  fellow  man.  He  can 
feel  that  he  has  never  wronged  any  one  of  his  fellow  citizens,  but  has  tried 
to  live  up  to  the  Golden  Rule  in  all  of  his  dealings.  During  his  career  in  this 
county  he  has  lived  an  upright  and  wholesome  life,  which  has  won  for  him 
the  esteem  and  commendation  of  all  those  with  whom  he  comes  into  contact. 


ELMER  COX. 


The  history  of  him  whose  name  heads  this  biographical  sketch  is  closely 
identified  with  the  history  of  Sac  county,  Iowa,  which  has  long  been  his 
home  He  began  his  career  in  this  locality  and  throughout  the  subsequent 
years  he  has  been  closely  allied  with  its  interests  and  upbuilding.  His  life 
has  been  one  of  untiring  acti\'ity  and  has  been  crowned  with  a  degree  of 
success  commensurate  with  his  efforts.  He  is  of  the  highest  type  of  pro- 
gressive citizens  and  none  more  than  he  deserves  a  fitting  recognition  among 
those  whose  enterprises  and  ability  have  achieved  results  that  have  awakened 
the  admiration  of  those  who  knew  them.  The  cause  of  humanity  never  had 
a  truer  friend  than  Elmer  Cox,  and  in  all  the  relations  of  life — family, 
church,  state  and  society — he  has  displa\-ed  that  consistent  Christian  spirit 
that  natural  worth,  that  has  endeared  him  to  all  classes.  His  integrity  and 
fidelity  ha\'e  been  manifested  in  every  relation  of  life,  an  example  which  has 
been  an  inspiration  to  others,  and  his  influence  has  been  felt  in  the  community 
honored  by  his  citizenship. 

Elmer  Cox,  a  prosperous  farmer  near  Sac  City,  Cedar  township,  Iowa, 
was  born  July  22,  1867,  in  Missouri.  His  parents  are  Clark  and  Mary 
(Howard)  Cox,  both  of  whom  are  now  living  in  Sac  City. 

Mr.  Cox  was  educated  in  the  country  schools  of  Polk  Cdunty,  Iowa,  to 
which  county  his  parents  moved  the  year  after  his  birth.  After  receiving  a 
good  common  school  education,  he  continued  to  work  on  his  father's  farm 
in  Polk  county  until  1885,  when  he  came  to  Sac  county  and  began  farming 
for  himself.  He  first  rented  land  in  Coon  Valley  township  and  later  i)ouglit 
one  hundred  and  sixty-four  acres  in  Calhdun  county,  gi\ing  his  first  pay- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  74I 

ment  of  four  hundred  dollars  and  giving  a  mortgage  for  the  rest  of  it.  An 
indication  of  his  success  as  a  farmer  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  in  nine  years 
he  had  earned  enough  off  his  farm  to  entirely  liquidate  the  debt  which  was 
accrued  in  the  purchase  of  the  farm.  He  continued  to  live  on  this  farm  of 
one  hundred  and  sixty-four  acres  until  1898,  when  he  rented  it  until  March, 
iQio.  Then  he  sold  it  for  ninety-five  dollars  an  acre.  In  1898  he  rented  his 
farm  near  Sac  City  until  191  o.  in  which  year,  immediately  after  selling  his 
Calhoun  count}-  farm,  he  liought  his  present  farm  of  ninety  acres,  near  Sac 
City,  for  which  he  paid  one  hundred  and  thirty-three  dollars  and  thirtv-three 
cents  an  acre.  His  farm  is  well  improved  in  every  wav,  with  fine  buildings, 
excellent  wo\en  wire  fencing  and  a  fine  system  of  underground  drainage. 
Here  Mr.  Cox  raises  all  of  the  crops  peculiar  to  this  latitude  and  also  raises 
a  considerable  amount  of  small  fruit. 

Mr.  Cox  was  married  in  1906  to  Minnie  Young,  the  daughter  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  J.  S.  "S'oung.  Politically,  Mr.  Cox  is  a  Democrat  and  is  a  firm 
belie\er  in  the  principles  enimciated  by  President  Wilson.  Although  he 
takes  an  acti\e  interest  in  politics,  he  has  never  been  a  candidate  for  any 
public  oftice.  He  has  always  felt  that  his  agricultural  duties  were  such  as  to 
demand  his  entire  attention.  PTe  has  alwavs  tried  to  measure  up  to  the 
stantlard  of  correct  manhood,  and  this  locality  is  proud  to  number  him  among 
its  progressive  and  representative  residents. 


ROBERT  D.  BECHLER. 


There  are  individuals  in  nearly  every  community  who,  by  reason  of 
pronounced  ability  and  force  of  character,  rise  above  the  heads  of  the  mass 
and  command  the  unbounded  esteem  of  their  fellow  men.  Characterized  by 
perseverance  and  a  directing  spirit,  two  virtues  that  never  fail,  such  men 
always  make  their  presence  felt  and  the  vigor  of  their  strong  personality 
serves  as  a  stimulus  and  incentive  to  the  young  and  rising  generation.  To 
this  energetic  and  enterprising  class  the  subject  of  this  brief  review  very 
properlv  belongs.  Having  never  been  seized  with  the  roaming  desires  that 
have  led  many  of  Sac  county's  young  men  to  other  fields  of  endeavor  and 
other  states,  where  they  have  sought  their  fortunes,  Mr.  Bechler  has  de- 
voted his  life  to  industries  at  home  and  has  succeeded  remarkably  well,  as 
may  be  seen  by  a  study  of  his  life  history. 

Robert   D.    Bechler,   one  of  the   most   successful    farmers   of   Douglas 


742  SAC    COUNTY,    KlWA 

township.  Sac  county,  was  born  on  June  15,  1856,  in  Union  county,  Penn- 
sylvania. His  parents,  George  and  Hannah  (Yohn)  Bechler.  were  both 
natives  of  that  state  and  moved  to  Illinois  in  an  early  day,  settling  in  Jo 
Daviess  county  in  1866.  Wishing  to  take  advantage  of  cheaper  as  well  as 
better  land,  they  went  to  Iowa  and  settled  in  Douglas  township.  Sac  county, 
where  the  parents  both  died.     George  Bechler  died  in  1905  and  his  wife  in 

1913- 

Robert  D.   Bechler  was   twenty-four  years  of   age   when   he  began   to 

farm  for  himself.  First  he  rented  land  for  four  years,  and  by  thrift  and 
frugality  he  saved  his  money,  so  that  he  was  able  to  invest  in  land  of  his 
own.  He  first  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  adjoining  his  present 
farm,  in  the  spring  of  1882,  for  which  he  paid  twelve  dollars  an  acre.  In 
1885  he  bought  an  additional  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  which  cost  him 
thirt\-  dollars  an  acre.  This  land  he  has  improved  in  such  a  way  as  to 
enhance  its  value  many  fold,  as  well  as  to  increase  its  producti\ity  in  every 
way.  Mr.  Bechler  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  most  successful  farmers  in 
Sac  county,  for  the  reason  that  he  is  fully  abreast  of  the  times  in  all  agri- 
cultural lines.  He  is  quick  to  make  use  of  the  latest  machinery  to  assist  irt 
his  farming  operations  and  never  fails  to  take  ad\antage  of  the  most  im- 
proved methods  for  increasing  his  crop  production.  He  also  raises  a  large 
amount  of  cattle  and  hogs  annually,  which  makes  a  substantial  part  of  his 
vearly  income.  He  has  invested  in  a  handsome  residence  in  Sac  Cit\",  near 
the  center  of  the  town,  in  addition  to  his  farm  property. 

Mr.  Bechler  was  married  April  22.  1883,  to  Emma  Heller,  the  daughter 
of  S.  S.  and  Catherine  (Miller)  Heller,  who  was  born  in  the  state  of  Penn- 
sylvania, as  were  her  parents,  and  came  to  Iowa  in  1873,  when  she  was 
seven  vears  of  age.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bechler  are  the  parents  of  eight  sons  and 
one  daughter:  Guy  W.,  born  in  1883;  Omer  R.,  born  February  16,  1884, 
deceased;  Wallace  R.,  born  January  23,  1887,  who  lives  in  Sac  City;  Roy 
D.,  born  June  4,  1889;  Catherine  R.,  born  Septemljer  11.  1892;  Lloyd  M., 
born  lanuarv  14,  1899:  George  S.,  born  February  23,  1902:  Julian,  born 
December  26,  1905,  and  Marvin  M.,  born  December  19,  1907. 

Mr.  Bechler  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  but  confines  his  political  activity 
to  the  casting  of  his  ballot  for  his  party's  candidates  on  election  day,  as  his 
interests  have  been  so  man\  and  varied  that  he  has  not  had  time  to  take  an 
active  part  in  the  political  game.  The  Bechler  family  are  Presbyterians  in 
faith,  and  contribute  liberally  of  their  substance  to  the  support  of  that  de- 
nf)mination.  Mr.  Bechler  has  attained  to  a  prominent  place  as  a  farmer  and 
public-spirited  citizen  of  the  county,  because  he  has  never  neglected  an  op- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  743 

portmiity  to  idcntifx  himself  with  ah  those  influences  which  make  for  a 
better  community.  His  interest  in  pubhc  affairs  and  the  honest  methods 
which  he  has  pursued  since  he  has  become  a  resident  of  this  county  have 
naturally  wmi  for  him  the  esteem  of  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  acquaint- 
ances. 


HENRY  VV.  ROGERS. 

The  methods  followed  by  Henry  W.  Rogers,  farmer  and  stock  raiser  of 
Douglas  township.  Sac  county.  Iowa,  are  those  which  e\'er  insure  ultimate 
success :  they  are  the  methods  of  an  up-to-date  tiller  of  the  soil  and  a  man 
who  believes  in  relentlessly  pursuing  those  ideals  and  principles  which  bring 
not  only  material  success,  but  which  are  calculated  to  rediiund  in  various 
blessings.  He  seems  to  be  most  loyal  to  this,  his  adopted  state,  and  has 
ne\er  been  known  to  refuse  to  support  all  worthy  movements  looking  to  the 
general  good  of  the  community  in  which  he  has  cast  his  lot.  He  has  there- 
fore made  many  lasting  friends  here. 

Henry  W'.  Rogers,  one  of  the  prosperous  farmers  of  Douglas  town- 
ship, this  county,  was  born  July  24,  1859,  in  Jefferson  county,  Wisconsin. 
His  parents  were  Nathaniel  and  Mary  (Rief)  Rogers.  Nathaniel  was  a 
native  of  Ohio  and  of  New  England  descent.  Mary  Rief  was  a  native  of 
Switzerland,  and  came  to  the  L'nited  States  in  the  early  fifties,  the  mother 
settling  in  Douglas  township.  Sac  county,  Iowa,  in  1872.  They  were  the 
parents  of  three  children:  Harrison,  of  Newell,  Iowa;  Mrs.  Orville  Lee,  of 
Sac  City,  Iowa,  and  Henry  W.,  of  whom  this  chronicle  speaks.  Nathaniel 
Rogers  died  in  Wisconsin  in  1865,  and  the  mother  later  married  E.  A. 
Knapp,  and  she  died  in  1910  in  Sac  county. 

Henry  W.  Rogers  received  his  common  school  education  in  Wisconsin 
and  when  he  was  thirteen  years  of  age  he  accompanied  his  parents  to  this 
county.  At  the  age  of  twenty-two  he  bought  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  land  in  Delaware  township,  this  county,  for  which  he  paid  five  dollars  an 
acre.  In  1883  he  bought  eighty  acres  in  Douglas  township  for  sixteen  dollars 
an  acre  and  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  1890  at  twenty  dollars  an  acre, 
and  he  now  has  a  total  of  four  hundred  acres  of  fine  land  in  Douglas  and 
Dela'.^'are  townships,  in  this  county,  which  he  manages.  Since  1890  he  has 
lived  in  Sac  City,  but  still  takes  an  active  interest  in  his  farming  operations 
and  superintends  its  management.  He  raises  all  of  the  crops  peculiar  to  this 
locality  ;uid  no  farmer  iu  the  county  gets  better  results   from  the  soil  than 


744  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

i\Ir.  Rogers.  He  has  iinpro\ed  his  farm  in  every  way  by  erecting  buildings, 
putting  up  fences  and  instalh'ng  an  extensive  system  of  drainage. 

Mr.  Rogers  was  married  on  September  7,  1884,  to  May  N.  Pierce,  who 
is  a  native  of  Nevada,  and  the  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Howard  A.  Pierce. 
The  Pierce  family  settled  in  Sac  county,  Iowa,  in  1865,  and  Mr.  Pierce  died 
in  Louisiana  in  1900.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rogers  has  been  born  one  child, 
Howard,  an  attorney,  born  in  1885.  a  graduate  of  the  Sac  City  high  school, 
and  Coe  College  of  Cedar  Rapids,  and  a  graduate  in  the  law  department  of 
Yale  University :  he  is  now  a  resident  of  Omaha,  Nebraska.  Howard  mar- 
ried, in  191 1,  Catherine  Fantz,  of  Nevada.  Iowa,  a  graduate  of  Coe  College, 
Cedar  Rapids. 

Mr.  Rogers  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  but  his  extensive  farming  inter- 
ests have  claimed  his  attention  to  such  an  extent  that  he  has  not  felt  it  con- 
venient to  indulge  in  the  game  of  politics.  He  and  his  wife  are  loval  and 
faithful  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  render  it  substan- 
tial assistance.  Mr.  Rogers  has  taken  an  active  part  in  the  community  life  of 
Sac  City  and  has  impressed  his  individuality  upon  his  fellow  citizens  in  such 
a  way  as  to  gain  their  confidence  and  esteem. 


IMARTIN  SHELEY. 


All  values  are  based  upon  land.  It  is  the  inevitable  beginning  of  all 
wealth  and  its  productiveness  is  the  source  of  all  income  and  in  the  inherent 
capabilities  of  the  land  to  provide  the  necessities  of  life  lies  the  prosperity  of 
the  nation.  Land  investment  is  attracting  more  jjeople  today  than  ever  before. 
Real  estate  is  the  best  security  of  all.  It  shows  tlie  largest  profit  when  selected 
carefully.  More  men  have  acquired  a  competence  through  wise  land  invest- 
ments than  in  any  other  manner.  Land  values  haVe  grown  rapidly  within  the 
l?ist  decade  in  this  section  of  this  great  country.  He  who  has  possessed  the 
foresight  and  acumen  to  continually  invest  his  [jiofits  in  more  and  more  land 
is  today  counted  among  the  wealthy  and  ])rosperous  citizens  of  this  vicinity. 
This  chronicle  abounds  with  tales  of  men  who  came  from  the  Eastern  sections, 
with  no  means  at  hand  but  their  willing  hands  and  brains  and  have  accom- 
plished results  which  are  well  nigh  astounding,  when  one  considers  the  brief 
span  of  years  in  which  tliey  have  been  actively  engaged  in  developing  the 
country.  A  striking  example  of  what  determined  energy  and  grit,  combined 
with  good  business  acumen  can  accomplish,  is  the  career  of  Martin  Shelev. 
whose  name  heads  this  review. 


X 

a 


PI 


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«! 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  743 

Martin  Slieley  is  a  native  of  the  old  Bnckeye  state,  and  was  born  on  a 
farm  in  Fayette  county,  Oiiio,  September  i,  1843.  His  father  was  Samuel 
Sheley,  a  native  of  Ohio.  His  mother  was  Margaret  Sesler.  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania  and  the  daughter  of  German  parents.  In  1856  the  family 
migrated  from  Ohio  to  a  farm  in  Poweshiek  county,  Iowa,  and  near  the  town 
of  Montezuma.  Here  they  made  their  home  and  the  family  was  reared  to 
young  manhood  and  womanhood.  The  father  died  April  6,  i860.  Some 
years  afterward,  while  Martin  was  in  the  far  West,  the  mother  departed  to 
the  great  beyond. 

Martin  Sheley  responded  to  the  need  of  his  country  for  defenders  of  the 
Union  and  enlisted  in  the  Union  armv,  February  t6,  1864,  and  served  fifteen 
months.  He  was  a  member  of  Company  C,  Twenty-eighth  Iowa  Infantry 
Regiment,  and  took  an  active  part  in  sixteen  engagements  during  the  brief 
period  of  his  service.  He  fought  in  three  great  battles,  Winchester,  Cedar 
Creek  and  Snicker's  Gap.  He  was  a  member  of  the  famous  Red  River  expedi- 
tion. He  was  wounded  in  the  right  foot  during  the  battle  of  Cedar  Creek, 
Virginia.  The  right  foot  was  struck  by  a  portion  of  a  bursting  shell  and  he 
was  permanently  disabled  for  the  remainder  of  his  li  fe  by  the  loss  of  a  portion 
of  the  foot.  After  his  return  from  the  war,  he  resided  in  Poweshiek  county 
and  was  there  engaged  in  farming  until  the  year  1877.  He  then  came  to 
Sac  countv  and  purchased  one  hundred  acres  of  good  land  in  Cook  township, 
paying  therefor  the  sum  of  five  dollars  and  fifty  cents  per  acre.  This  was 
raw.  unbroken  prairie  land  at  the  time  of  his  purchase.  He  at  once  erected  a 
small  house  and  set  about  improving  his  land,  on  which  he  resided  until  1900. 
In  that  vear  he  removed  to  another  farm  of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
located  north  of  the  town  of  Schaller,  of  which  he  was  the  owner  and  which 
he  bought  with  his  savings  in  1S81.  Here  he  made  his  residence  until  1905, 
when  he  removed  permanently  to  Schaller,  where  he  has  a  fine  modern  resi- 
dence fitted  with  every  comfort  and  convenience. 

Mr.  Sheley  is  the  owner  of  one  thousand  three  hundred  and  eighty- 
five  acres  of  land  in  Sac  county,  all  of  which  is  good,  tillable  land  of  the  best 
and  richest  quality,  and  noted  for  its  high  productive  capacity.  He  began 
practically  with  nothing  thirty-si.x  years  ago,  and  it  is  truly  remarkable  what 
he  has  accomplished  when  one  considers  that  since  the  Civil  War  he  has  been 
seriously  handicapped  by  physical  misfortune  which  would  have  caused  many 
men  to  retire  earlier  and  attempt  to  live  upon  the  bounty  of  the  government. 
He  purchased  his  first  tract  of  land  in  May,  1877,  on  the  payment  plan. 
During  his  first  season  he  made  his  first  payment  and  stocked  up  the  place, 
erected  a  small  house  which  was  later  succeeded  by  a  more  pretentious  resi- 


746  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

dence.  He  has  practically  specialized  in  the  production  of  live  stock  and  his 
fortune  has  been  earned  by  the  exercise  of  good  judgment  in  this  important 
occupation  and  the  power  of  discernment  in  buying  and  selling  at  the  proper 
times.  He  is  rated  as  one  of  the  wealthiest  citizens  of  Sac  countv.  At  the 
present  time  he  is  doing  his  part  in  relieving  the  congestion  of  population  in 
Schaller  and  building  a  number  of  houses  to  serve  as  places  of  residence  for 
new  comers  desiring  to  locate  here.  .He  ccnild  choose  no  better  way  to  invest 
his  surplus  capital.  While  Mr.  Shele\'  has  attained  the  age  of  three  score 
years  and  ten,  he  is  really  seventy  years  young,  being  as  active  and  spry  as 
most  men  at  fifty. 

Mr.  Sheley  is  a  Republican  in  i^olitics,  has  never  sought  nor  held  office 
and  has  confined  his  activities  solely  to  his  farming  and  stock-raising  industry. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  is  affiliated  fraternally  with 
the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen. 

Mr.  Sheley  was  joined  in  Imly  wedlock  with  Mary  A'irginia  Meniffee, 
of  Ohio,  county  of  Fayette,  and  who  came  to  Iowa  with  her  mother.  This 
marriage  occurred  in  1872  and  has  been  blessed  with  six  children:  E.  A.,  of 
Schaller;  Mrs.  Dora  Howard.  r)f  .Schaller:  Homer,  l(x-ated  on  the  old  home- 
stead: Arthur,  residing  on  one  of  his  father's  farms  near  Esther\ille,  Iowa; 
Earl,  an  agriculturist  living  north  of  Schaller;  Vernon,  at  home. 

For  the  benefit  and  inspiration  of  the  young  men  and  women  of  the  )3res- 
ent  generation  and  as  an  appreciation  of  a  fitting  representation  of  the  best 
citizenship  with  which  Sac  county  is  blessed,  this  foregoing  review  is  pre- 
.sented.  Martin  Sheley  is  wholly  and  fully  entitled  to  proper  recognition  as 
one  of  the  substantial  and  progressive  members  of  this  division  of  the  com- 
monwealth. 


MORRIS  M.  FYFE. 


There  is  something  about  the  life  story  of  a  pioneer  settler  in  this  west- 
ern section  of  our  great  country  that  especially  appeals  to  the  imagination 
and  which  we  are  prone  to  look  upon  from  a  romantic  standpoint.  For 
such  it  was.  They  came  in  the  age  of  romance,  when  the  prairie  was  as  yet 
unconquered  and  wilderness  reigned  supreme,  waiting  for  the  labors  of  man 
to  cause  the  rich  earth  to  yield  forth  the  sustenance  for  the  support  of  the 
ever-increasing  multitudes  of  the  nation.  The  pioneers  came,  they  saw.  they 
remained  and  conquered,  and  those  who  were  strong  enough  to  stay  and 
fight  the  battle  through  the  first  lean  years  and  endure  the  hardships  of  a 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  747 

life  out  on  the  great  prairie,  prospered  exceedingly  and  their  acres  are  now 
numbered  in  the  hundreds. 

Prominent  among  the  sturdy  pioneers  who  builded  up  a  section  of  the 
great  state  of  Iowa  and  caused  it  to  blossom  as  a  garden,  was  Morris  M. 
Fyfe,  late  of  Douglas  township,  Sac  county.  Mr.  Fyfe  was  one  of  the 
early  homesteaders  in  Douglas  township,  coming  here  from  Wisconsin  with 
his  young  wife  when  there  were  but  few  settlers  in  the  county  and  residing 
here  for  a  long  period  of  years  until  his  death,  August  20,  1913.  He  was 
one  of  the  Almighty's  best  creations  and  was  universally  respected  and  ad- 
mired for  his  many  sterling  qualities  and  departed  this  life  sincerely  mourned 
by  the  hundreds  who  knew  him  but  to  lo\e  him. 

M.  M.  Fyfe  was  born  in  Orleans  county,  New  York,  September  27, 
1834,  and  was  the  son  of  James  Fyfe,  a  native  of  Vermont,  and  grandson  of 
John  Fyfe,  a  native  of  Scotland  and  a  Revolutionary  soldier.  The  mother 
of  .M.  M  Fyfe  was  Electra  Sanford,  a  daughter  of  Reulien  Sanford.  n!  \'er- 
mont.  James  Fyfe  and  his  wife  removed  to  Sheboygan  county,  Wisconsin, 
where  the  wife  died  at  the  age  of  fifty  years  and  the  father  died  in  1863,  at 
the  age  of  sixty-nine.  Here  it  was  that  M.  M.  Fyfe  was  reared  and  edu- 
cated in  the  primitive  schools  of  this  wilderness  country.  He  spent  three  or 
inore  winters  in  the  great  woods  of  Wisconsin  engaged  in  timljering  and 
lumbering. 

At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War,  Mr.  Fyfe  enlisted,  in  1861,  in  the 
Fourth  Wisconsin  Infantr\-  and  was  later  transferred  to  the  caxalry.  His 
command  formed  a  part  of  the  Department  of  the  Gulf,  and  the  soldier  par- 
ticipated in  the  battles  around  Baton  Rouge  and  the  capture  of  Port  Hudson. 
He  was  wounded  at  Clinton,  Louisiana,  receiving  a  ball  in  the  breast,  which 
passed  entirely  through  his  body  and  emerged  from  the  back.  He  was  taken 
to  the  hospital  and  was  discharged  at  Madison,  Wisconsin,  July  28,    1864. 

Immediately  after  his  discharge  Mr.  Fyfe  began  to  work  in  Wisconsin 
in  order  to  get  enough  money  to  pay  for  transportation  to  the  West,  where 
he  intended  to  found  a  home.  He  was  married  in  the  spring  of  1866  and  set 
out  for  the  land  of  his  desire  and  settled  in  Douglas  township.  Sac  county, 
where  he  and  his  young  wife  located  on  a  homestead.  Their  first  home  was 
a  small  affair,  twelve  by  twenty  feet  in  dimension.  They  set  out  fine  groves 
of  trees  which  are  now  monarchs  in  size.  A  fine  orchard  was  soon  growing 
on  the  place  and  later  large  and  commodious  barns  housed  his  grain  and 
live  stock.  Near  their  place  was  situated  Lake  Rush,  which  at  that  time 
was  the  habitue  of  ducks  and  fish,  which  furnished  the  settlers  with  plenty  of 
game  food.     This  lake  has  since  been  drained,  as  have  been  practically  all 


74"^  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

tiie  lakes  and  sloughs  which  formerly  covered  the  fiTtile  area  of  Douglas 
township  to  a  considerable  extent.  The  Fyfes  kept  a  considerable  dairy  and 
Mr.  Fyfe  was  one  of  the  earliest  fine  stock  breeders  of  Sac  county.  For 
many  years  he  was  a  well-known  breeder  of  Polled  Angus  cattle  and  had  a 
fine  herd.  Mr.  Fyfe  was  a  man  of  tireless  industry  and.  assisted  by  his  faith- 
ful and  noble  helpmeet,  he  became  the  owner  of  a  considerable  estate  of  five 
hundred  acres  of  fine  land. 

I\[r.  Fyfe  was  married  on  March  4,  1866,  to  Elizabeth  Seekins,  who  was 
born  on  ]\Iarch  25.  1848,  in  Sheboygan  county,  Wisconsin,  and  is  the  daugh- 
ter of  William  E.  and  Lydia  E.  (Knapp)  Seekins.  natives  of  New  York 
state.  The  mother  of  Mrs.  Fyfe  died  in  Sac  county  in  1869.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
M.  M.  Fyfe  were  the  parents  of  a  large  family  of  children:  Mrs.  Jennie 
Horine.  of  North  Dakota:  Franklin  M.,  of  Sac  county,  and  who  is  tilling  a 
farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Douglas  township ;  Mrs.  Celia  E. 
Hunter,  of  Douglas  township:  William  A.,  of  Buena  Vista  county,  Iowa: 
James  Dennis,  who  is  now  li\ing  on  the  old  home  farm ;  Emma  Dell  and 
Mary  A.,  deceased.  M.  M.  Fyfe  passed  away  August  20,  1913.  He  was  a 
life-long  Republican  in  his  political  convictions,  but  was  so  busv  with  his 
personal  affairs  and  the  management  of  his  large  farm  that  he  never  sought 
political  preferment  outside  of  accepting  some  local  township  office.  He 
took  a  prominent  part  in  the  organization  of  Douglas  township  and  held  the 
honorable  post  of  justice  of  the  peace  and  served  as  township  trustee  for  a 
number  of  years.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic, 
Post  No.  416.  His  loss  was  felt  by  the  members  of  his  family  and  his  many 
friends,  and  his  demise  marked  the  passing  of  one  of  the  sturdy  and  familiar 
figures  of  the  pioneer  days  of  Sac  county. 

Frank  M.  Fyfe,  a  son  of  M.  M.  Fyfe,  was  born  October  30.  1872,  in 
Sac  county.  He  was  married  January  28,  igor,  to  Sarah  \^'allace,  daughter 
of  John  and  Louisa  Wallace.  They  have  three  daughters,  Opal  Alice,  Fern 
Mav  and  Pervl  Lucille. 


ADELBERT  E.  WEBB. 


To  a  great  extent  the  prosperity  of  the  agricultural  sections  of  our 
country  is  due  to  the  honest  industry,  the  sturdy  persistence,  the  unswerving 
perseverance  and  the  wise  economy  which  so  prominently  characterize  the 
farming  element  of  the  state  of  Iowa.  Among  this  class  may  be  mentioned 
the  subject  of  this  brief  review,  who,  by  reason  of  years  of  indefatigable 
labor  and  honest  effort,  has  not  only  acquired  a  well  merited  material  pros- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  741) 

perity,  but  has  als(j  richly  earned  the  highest  esteem  of  all  with  wliom  he  is 
associated. 

Adelbert  E.  \\'el)li.  of  Douglas  township,  Sac  county,  Iowa,  was  horn 
Xo\enil)er  g,  iSOi,  in  Lenawee  county,  Michigan,  and  was  the  son  df  I.  11. 
and  Ellen  Webb,  who  were  natives  of  New  York.  The  Webb  famil}-  came 
to  Lenawee  county,  .Michigan,  early  in  its  histor\-  and  remained  there  until 
1873.  They  then  moxed  to  Jasper  county,  Iowa,  and  eight  years  later 
located  in  Cedar  townshi]j.  this  county.  J.  B.  Webb  was  born  in  1830  and 
died  in  1906  in  this  county.  His  wife  was  born  in  1836  and  died  in  1910. 
They  reared  a  family  of  two  children,  j\lrs.  Carrie  Hamilton,  of  L}'tton, 
Iowa,  and  .'Vdelbert  E.,  whose  history  is  here  portrayed. 

Adelbert  E.  \\'ebh  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  of  his  native 
county  in  Michigan,  and  since  he  was  onlv  twelve  vears  of  age  when  his 
parents  moved  to  Iowa,  he  attended  school  for  a  few  years  after  reaching 
this  state.  He  assisted  his  father  with  the  work  of  the  farm  until  his  mar- 
riage, at  the  age  of  twent3'-eight,  although  he  had  bought  a  farm  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  some  time  before  his  marriage.  That  land  he  sold 
and  bought  his  present  farm  after  marriage,  for  which  he  paid  thirtv-four 
dollars  and  thirty-seven  and  one-half  cents  an  acre,  and  with  the  tine  home, 
excellent  barns  and  outbuildings,  together  with  extensive  fencing  and  ditch- 
ing which  he  has  put  upon  the  place,  has  increased  the  value  of  the  tract  until 
it  is  now  worth  at  least  five  times  what  it  cost  him  in  the  beginning.  In 
addition  to  his  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Douglas  township,  he  has 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Minnesota.  He  is  a  farmer  of  more  than 
ordinary  ability  and  successfully  combines  his  grain  and  stock  raising  with 
the  result  that  his  farm  affords  a  comfortable  profit  each  year.  He  averages 
about  twenty  head  of  cattle  and  twelve  head  of  horses  each  year  for  the 
market,  besides  bogs  and  other  animals. 

Mr.  W'elib  was  married  December  4,  1889,  to  Barbara  A.  Carter,  the 
daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  M.  Carter.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Webb  have  one 
daughter,  Mary  Jeannette,  who  is  still  with  her  parents.  In  his  political 
affiliations,  Mr.  \\ebl)  has  always  allied  himself  with  the  Republican  party, 
but  has  never  aspired  to  public  office.  Fraternallv,  he  is  a  member  of  the  In- 
dependent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  takes  an  interest  in  the  various  local 
activities  of  that  fraternal  order.  His  well  directed  efforts  in  the  practical 
affairs  of  life,  his  capable  management  of  his  agricultural  interests  and  his 
sound  judgment  have  brought  his  prosperity,  and  his  life  demonstrates  what 
may  be  accomplished  by  a  man  of  energy  and  ambition  who  is  not  afraid  to 
work.  In  all  the  relations  of  life  he  has  commanded  the  confidence  and 
respect  of  those  with  whom  he  has  been  brought  into  contact. 


750  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

WILLIAM  R.  POLAND. 

The  occupation  of  farming,  to  which  the  major  part  of  the  business  hfe 
of  ^^'illiam  R.  Poland,  one  of  the  well-known  and  popular  citizens  of  Sac 
county,  has  been  devoted,  is  the  oldest  pursuit  for  a  livelihood  of  mankind, 
and  the  one  in  which  he  will  ever  be  the  most  independent.  Mr.  Poland  has 
long  l)een  inseparably'  connected  with  the  general  growth  of  Sac  county, 
where,  in  fact,  he  has  spent  most  of  his  life.  While  primarily  attending  to 
his  own  varied  interests,  his  life  has  been  largely  devoted  to  his  fellow  man, 
ha\ing  been  untiring  in  his  efforts  to  inspire  a  proper  respect  for  law  and 
order  and  ready  at  all  times  to  uplift  humanity  among  civic  and  social  lines. 

William  R.  Poland,  the  son  of  Chevalier  Hamilton  and  Mary  Jane 
(Moore)  Poland,  was  born  within  four  miles  of  Iowa  City,  Iowa,  on  July 
20,  1852.  His  parents  were  both  natives  of  Ohio,  and  settled  in  that  state 
when  their  farm  was  a  wilderness.  Chevalier  H.  Poland  was  one  of  the 
earliest  settlers  of  Iowa,  coming  to  this  state  when  young,  in  1849.  He  first 
settled  in  Johnson  county,  Iowa,  and  then  settled  in  Calhoun  county  and 
bought  a  farm  a  few  years  later,  in  or  near  Fonda,  in  1868.  In  later  years 
Tie  returned  to  Johnson  county,  Iowa,  where  his  death  occurred  in  April, 
1899,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-seven.  C.  H.  Poland  and  wife  were  the 
parents  of  seven  children:  S.  H.,  who  resides  in  California:  J.  W.,  of 
Oxford.  Ontario,  Canada:  J.  M..  of  Battle  Creek,  Michigan:  W.  R.,  of 
Douglas  township:  Mrs.  Samantha  Bowers,  of  Iowa  City,  Iowa;  Hubert  L. 
and  Lorenzo,  who  both  dietl  in  infancy,  and  Margaret  Isabelle,  who  has 
made  her  home  with  Mr.  Poland  since  1892. 

William  R.  Poland  received  all  of  his  school  education  in  the  district 
schools  of  Johnson  county,  Icwa,  Sac  City  high  school  and  Cornell  College, 
and  when  sixteen  years  of  age  accompanied  his  parents  to  Calhoun  county, 
this  state,  where  he  worked  with  his  father  on  the  home  farm.  In  1880  he 
bought  a  farm  for  himself  in  Calhoun  county  and  managed  it  for  nine  years. 
He  then  sold  this  farm  and  came  to  Sac  county,  where  he  bought  land  in 
Douglas  township  at  four  dollars  an  acre.  He  later  sold  this  tract  and 
bought  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  for  twenty  dollars  an  acre,  and  this 
farm  he  has  improved  by  erecting  buildings  of  all  kinds  and  putting  up 
fences  and  installing  a  system  of  drainage,  which  adds  greatly  to  the  pro- 
ductixity  of  the  soil. 

Mr.  Poland  was  married  in  1890  to  Eliza  Jeannette  Hughes,  the 
daughter  of  Pinckney  and  Eliza  Jane  (Campbell)  Hughes,  and  to  this  mar- 
riage have  been  born  two  daughters,  who  are  still  at  home  with  their  par- 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  -5 1 

ents,  Mabel  Antoinette  and  "Edith  Laverne,  graduates  of  Sac  City  high 
school  in  1910  and  both  of  whom  have  been  teaching  for  the  past  four 
years. 

Politically.  Mr.  Poland  is  a  Republican,  while  his  fraternal  affiliations 
are  with  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen.  Mr.  Poland  has  won  his 
success  solel}-  through  his  own  efforts  and.  although  he  has  had  many  dis- 
couragements to  overcome,  he  has  made  a  success  of  life  and  in  his  declining 
years  has  the  gratification  of  knowing  that  the  community  in  which  he  lives 
has  been  benefited  by  his  residence.  He  has  worked  his  way  to  a  position  of 
trust  in  the  locality  and  has  won  the  esteem  of  his  friends  and  neighbors. 


E.  M.  SCHXIRRING. 


E.  'SI.  Schnirring,  a  ])ros])erous  farmer  of  Cedar  township,  this  county, 
Avas  born  I'>l)ruary  4,  1867,  in  S])ringfield.  Illinois.  His  ]:)arents,  Mathaus 
and  Catherine  Schnirring.  were  both  natives  of  Wittenberg,  Germany,  where 
Mathaus  Schnirring  was  born  in  1838,  coming  to  the  United  States  when  he 
was  eighteen  years  of  age.  He  was  a  brick  maker  by  trade  and  worked  at 
Springfield  until  1867.  when  he  moved  to  Decatur.  Illinois,  and  remained 
there  until  his  death  in  1901.  His  wife,  Catherine,  came  to  America  when 
she  was  nine  years  of  age  with  her  parents.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mathaus 
Schnirring  were  the  parents  of  eight  children,  two  of  whom  died  in  infancy: 
George  John,  of  ^^'all  Lake  township,  ihis  count}':  Emma,  deceased:  Louisa, 
■deceased:  Edward  AI.,  whose  history  is  here  related:  .\lbert  L. :  .\melia; 
Fred  O. :  Walter  H.,  of  Cedar  township. 

E.  AL  Schnirring  was  reared  and  educated  in  the  rural  schools  of  Macon 
count\-.  Illinois.  In  1896,  sex'eral  years  after  his  marriage,  Mr.  Schnirring 
left  Illinois  and  came  to  Sac  countv,  Iowa,  where  he  bought  eighty  acres  of 
land  at  thirtv-six  dollars  an  acre.  In  1898  he  bought  another  eight\-  at  the 
same  price  and  ten  years  later  he  added  his  third  eighty  acres,  for  which  he 
"had  to  pav  eighty-five  dollars  an  acre,  and  he  is  now  the  owner  of  two  hun- 
dred and  fort\-  acres  of  excellent  farming  land,  with  two  sets  of  buildings. 
He  makes  a  specialty  of  stock  raising,  handling  Aberdeen  Angus  and  Jersey- 
cattle.  In  1913  he  had  twent\-  pure  bred  Aberdeen  and  two  pure  bred  Jer- 
sey cpws.  In  that  year  he  raised  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  hogs  and 
twentv-five  sheep.  He  has  a  residence  which  is  one  of  the  most  attractive 
in  the  township. 


752  SAC    COUNTY.    lUWA. 

Mr.  Schnirring  was  married  in  1890  to  Anna  M.  von  Bargen,  who  was 
born  in  Germany,  the  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  von  Bargen,  and 
to  this  marriage  have  been  born  three  chiltlren :  Milton  G.,  born  in  February, 
1893;  Flora  C,  liorn  in  1901.  and  Leo  Henry,  burn  in  March.  1909.  Mr. 
Schnirring  is  a  Republican  in  politics.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men.  Alodern  Woodmen  of  America.  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the  Royal  Neighbors. 

Mr.  Schnirring  is  a  man  who.  while  advancing  his  own  interests,  has 
not  neglected  his  duty  to  be  kind  and  considerate  toward  his  neighbors  and 
associates.  He  has  always  helped  to  further  any  laudable  undertaking  for 
the  public  welfare  and  has  therefore  enjoyed  the  good  will  and  esteem  of  all 
classes  of  people. 


JAMES  B.  DAKIN. 


Trade  and  commerce  have  e\er  had  an  attraction  for  the  class  of  indi- 
viduals who  seem  best  adapted  to  succeed  in  this  oldest  of  callings.  Of  neces- 
sity, man  himself  is  compelled  to  bu\- :  likewise,  it  is  necessar\-  that  utiiers  do 
tlie  selling;  the  raw  material  is  previously  prepareil  by  skilled  artisans  so  that 
the  buyer  can  use  it  at  first  hand  to  supply  his  needs  in  eveiy  particular.  A 
few  out  of  the  vast  aiTny  of  those  engaged  in  merchandising  seem  chosen  f  nnii 
among  the  aggregate  for  marked  preference  and  are  notetl  as  lieing  more  suc- 
cessful than  the  average.  We  are  often  puzzled  In-  this  apparent  discrepancy 
and  wonder  why  more  persons  do  not  succeed  in  this  attractix'e  occupation; 
but,  upon  investigation,  we  find  that  tlie  underlying  causes  for  the  success  of 
one  individual  and  the  possible  failure  of  the  other  to  ath'ance  is  due,  in  pari. 
to  the  possession  of  different  ([ualifications,  in  some  measure  to  heretlitv,  and, 
above  all,  to  the  decided  ability  of  the  successful  one  to  win  \vhere  others  may 
be  contented  with  a  mediocre  return  for  his  exertions.  It  is  e\  ident  that  he 
of  whom  the  biographer  is  pleased  to  w  rite  is  a  successful  business  man  and  an 
excellent  citizen.  J.  B.  Dakin,  merchant  of  Schaller,  is  one  of  those  warm- 
hearted indi\"iduals,  wiiose  friends  are  loyal  ;ui(l  who  has  succeeded  lieyond 
the  average  in  building  up  a  substantial  and  rcnumerativc  business.  Coming- 
of  a  long  line  of  distinguished  ancestors  who  figured  prominently  in  the  early 
history  of  the  Eastern  states,  he  is  a  fitting  reiiresentative  of  a  class  who  have 
been  emjiire  builders  for  centuries. 

The  I  );ikin  department  store  occupies  a  large  room,  fronting  on  tlie  two- 
main  streets  of  the  town  of  .Schaller.  each  room  lieing  eight\-   feet  in  extent. 


JAMES   B.   DAKIN 


SAC    COUNIY,    lUVVA.  753; 

Ihe  shelves  are  tilled  with  a  complete  line  of  staple  goods,  dr_\-  goods,  clothing, 
groceries  and  other  necessities  arranged  on  the  departmental  plan.  The  base- 
ment floor  of  the  building  is  also  occupied  with  goods,  and  Mr.  Dakin  carries 
a  stock  e.xceeding  fifteen  thousand  dollars  in  value.  Mr.  Dakin  l)egan  busi- 
ness in  Schaller  with  a  small  stock  of  goods  located  in  a  smaller  room  in  the 
year  1900  and  mo\ed  to  his  present  location  in  1905.  He  employs  five  sales- 
man. 

J.  B.  Dakin  was  born  in  Dexter,  Jefferson  county,  New  York,  August 
15,  1859.  He  is  the  son  of  James  B.  and  Mary  L.  (Bassett)  Dakin,  natives 
of  Massachusetts  and  Xew   Y'ork  respectively. 

The  name  "Dakin"  is  deri\ed  from  the  ancestral  name  of  an  old  Norman 
estate  near  Louviers,  a  village  which  is  still  in  existence  and  now  bears  the 
name  Accpiigny  (Akenney).  Lord  D'Accjuigny,  a  Frenchman,  accompanied 
William  the  Conqueror  on  his  victorious  expedition  for  the  conquest  of  Britain 
and  fought  in  the  battle  of  Hastings,  October  14,  1066.  The  Battle  Abby 
Roall  gives  his  name  as  Dakeny.  The  battle  was  fought  in  a  wheat  field,  the 
enemy  hiding  among  the  wheat  stocks.  The  King  called  out  "Strike,  Dakin, 
strike,  the  devil's  in  tlie  hemp."  It  was  in  this  peculiar  manner  that  the  name 
came  into  existence.  Sir  Thomas  Dakin,  ex-lord  mayor  of  the  city  of  Lon- 
don, was  a  direct  descendant  of  this  historic  ancestor. 

The  paternal  parent  of  J.  B.  Dakin  was  born  March  2,  1804,  in  Concord, 
New  Hampshire,  and  married  Mary  L.  Bassett,  of  Watertown,  New  York. 
He  was  the  son  of  Amos  and  Phoebe  Bowman  Barrett  Dakin.  Amos  Dakin 
was  born  August  20,  1770,  and  was  the  father  of  six  children,  Elbridge, 
James  B.,  Phoebe,  Hannah,  George  and  Charles  B.  Amos  was  the  son  of 
Samuel,  Jr.,  and  Elizabeth  Billings  Dakin.  Samuel  (I)  was  the  son  of 
Joseph  Dakin,  who  took  to  wife  Dorothy  Wooster,  of  Concord.  Joseph  Dakin 
was  the  offspring  of  Thomas  Dakin,  who  married  Susan  Stratton,  of  Con- 
cord. Thomas  Dakin,  the  founder  of  the  family  in  America,  was  born  in 
England,  the  son  of  John  and  Alice  Dakin,  who  sailed  from  the  land  of  their 
ancestors  in  the  good  ship  "Abigail"  July  2,  1635,  with  the  ostensible  purpose 
of  locating  in  New  England.  They  eventually  became  ]iart  of  a  colony  which 
settled  in  the  vicinity  of  Concord,  Massachusetts. 

James  B.  Dakin,  father  of  J.  B.  Dakin,  located  in  New  York  state,  where 
he  died.  He  was  the  father  of  three  children:  Mrs.  Minnie  L.  Gilmore,  of 
Sackett's  Harbor,  New  York:  Mrs.  Katie  Snook,  of  Watertown.  New  Y'ork; 
James  B. 

James  B.  Dakin  was  educated  in  the  public  and  high  schools  of  Dexter, 

(47) 


754  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

New  York.  At  the  early  age  of  seventeen  yars  he  moved  westward  and  was 
employed  in  a  merchandise  store  at  Toledo,  Ohio.  Here  he  remained  until 
he  attained  the  age  of  nineteen  years,  then  returned  to  New  York  and  was 
employed  for  four  }ears,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  embarked  in  business 
for  himself  in  the  village  of  Barnes'  Corners,  New  York.  In  the  year  1898 
he  came  to  Des  Moines  and  was  engaged  in  the  grocery  business  for  two  years, 
and  in  1900  he  located  permanently  in  Schaller.  It  is  here  in  Sac  county  that 
his  greatest  successes  have  been  obtained,  his  previous  experience  being  but 
the  preliminarv  for  the  exercise  of  talents  which  have  enabled  him  to  forge 
ahead  rapidly  and  take  first  rank  among  the  business  men  of  the  county. 

Mr.  Dakin  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  is  an  acti\e  member  of  tlie  city 
council  and  has  ser\ed  as  a  member  of  the  school  board.  He  takes  a  keen 
interest  in  municipal  affairs  and  is  always  found  in  the  forefront  of  innova- 
tions which  will  have  a  tendency  to  imj^rove  conditions  in  his  ado]ited  city. 
He  is  a  prominent  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  takes  an 
active  part  in  religious  matters,  being  himself  a  moral  and  upright  man  in 
every  sense  of  the  word.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  h^-ee 
and  Accepted  Masons,  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the  Yeomen. 

Mr.  Dakin  has  been  twice  married.  In  1883  he  married  Jennie  E.  Can- 
field,  who  died  in  October,  1888,  and  was  the  mother  of  one  child,  James 
Chauncey,  born  April  26,  1887,  and  who  is  his  father's  right  hand  assistant 
in  the  store.  His  second  marriage  occurred  in  May,  1897,  with  Myrtle  M. 
Snell,  of  New  York.  Two  children  have  blessed  this  union,  Mildred  May, 
aged  thirteen  years,  and  Cora  Fern,  aged  ten  years. 

This  brief  review  is  placed  herein  for  the  perusal  of  the  many  friends  and 
acquaintances  of  this  whole-souled,  genial  gentleman,  who  has  lived  a  life  of 
usefulness,  is  an  exemplary  citizen  and  is  especially  deserving  of  a  tribute  in 
the  pages  of  this  history. 


ROBERT  J.  PAEPER. 

It  has  always  been  a  noticeable  fact  that  the  Cerman  people  are  thriftier 
than  we  and  that,  e\ery thing  being  e(|ua],  they,  as  a  rule,  become  the  possess- 
ors of  property  earlier  than  the  young  men  of  other  nationalities.  This  fact 
need  not  be  wondered  at  when  we  come  to  consider  the  matter  from  the 
proper  viewpoint,  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  German  is  more  industrious 
and  less  extravagant,  keeping  in  mind  I  he  aiihorism  that  "a  dollar  savetl  is  a 
dollar  earned."     However,  he  does  not  necessarily  deny  himself  the  neces- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  -55 

sities  of  e\'eryda}-  life,  and  lielie\es  in  having  a  good  sprinkle  of  its  luxuries, 
but  he  has  taught  himself  to  get  along  with  less  of  the  so-called  good  things 
of  the  material  world  than  we  of  the  present  generation  especially.  In  other 
words,  Americans  are  better  spenders,  and  it  is  no  credit  to  us  to  say  that 
we  are,  as  a  rule,  not  willing  to  do  whatever  falls  to  our  lot  with  equal  grace, 
being  inclined  to  rebel  if  we  cannot  secure  just  the  precise  line  of  work  that 
suits  our  particular  fancy,  while,  on  the  other  hand,  the  young  German  com- 
ing to  this  countr}-  will  work  at  whatever  is  honorable  in  order  to  get  a  foot 
hold  in  the  world. 

Robert  J.  Paeper,  the  son  of  Christopher  and  Caroline  (Reno)  Paeper 
was  born  August  13.  1S60,  near  Berlin,  Germany.  His  father  was  born  in 
183 1,  and  died  in  this  county,  October  8,  1903.  Caroline  Reno,  the  mother 
of  the  subject  of  this  review,  died  in  1868,  in  Michigan  City,  Indiana. 
Christopher  Paeper  and  his  family  came  to  America  in  1861.  and  first  settled 
at  Michigan  City,  Indiana,  where  Christopher  Paeper  secured  employment 
with  the  Michigan  Central  railroad,  and  here  the  family  remained  through 
the  war  and  until  after  the  death  of  the  mother  in  1868.  Christopher  Paeper 
and  bis  children  then  moved  to  Ford  county,  Illinois,  where  they  lived  on  a 
farm  owned  by  his  brother  for  two  years.  While  living  here  he  was  married 
to  Mrs.  Emma  Bishop  in  the  fall  of  1872.  The  next  spring  Christopher 
Paeper  and  his  family  came  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  where  he  purchased  three 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  section  2,  Richland  township,  and  they  lived  on 
this  farm  until  the  spring  of  1881,  when  Mr.  Paeper  sold  out  and  bought  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Douglas  township,  in  section  22.  To  this  tract 
he  added  more  land  from  time  tn  time  until  he  was  the  owner  of  four  hun- 
dred acres  in  the  township  at  the  time  of  his  death  in  1903.  Christopher 
Paeper  was  a  public-spirited  man,  was  actively  identified  with  the  public 
affairs  of  his  community  and  served  his  fellow  citizens  by  filling  very  credit- 
ablv  several  township  offices.  By  his  first  marriage  Christopher  had  six 
children:  C.  A.,  of  Sac  County:  R.  J.,  whose  history  is  here  portrayed; 
Mrs.  Louisa  Schumaker,  of  Sioux  county,  this  state:  Caroline  and  Alinnie, 
both  deceased:  Mrs.  Mary  Winkler,  of  Luverne,  :\Iinnesota.  To  Mr. 
Paeper's  second  marriage  there  were  born  four  daughters,  all  of  whom  are 
living-  in  Douglas  township,  Mrs.  Emma  Henrich,  Mrs.  August  Henrich, 
Mrs.  Anna  Larsen  and  Mrs.  Freda  Anderson. 

Robert  T-  Paeper  was  educated  in  the  pulilic  schools  of  Indiana,  Illinois 
and  Iowa.  Marrving  at  rhe  age  of  twenty-three,  he  at  once  began  to  fann 
for  himself  and  for  the  first  fifteen  years  rented  a  farm  in  this  county.  He 
then  bought  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  'land  at  thirty  dollars  per  acre, 


756  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

and  now  has  this  tract  well  improved  in  every  way  and  in  a  condition  where 
it  yields  satisfactory  returns  to  the  owner.  He  has  built  a  fine  residence  and 
ijarn,  as  well  as  installed  a  system  of  drainage  which  has  enabled  him  to  raise 
better  and  larger  crops.  His  income  is  largely  augmented  by  the  annual 
sales  of  his  cattle  and  hogs.  In  1913  he  raised  forty  head  of  Shorthorn 
cattle  for  the  market,  besides  a  big  drove  of  Chester  White  hogs. 

Mr.  Paeper  was  married  January  12,  1883.  to  Inez  Cole,  daughter  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Madison  Cole,  of  Douglas  township,  and  to  this  union  haxx 
been  iDorn  five  children,  all  of  whom  are  still  at  home  with  their  parents. 
The  oldest  son.  William,  is  a  farmer  of  this  township,  and  the  other  children 
are  Edward  H.,  Roy.  Fred  and  Christopher. 

Politically,  Mr.  Paeper  is  a  Republican  and  has  taken  an  active  part  in 
the  afYairs  of  his  home  township.  He  has  been  trustee  for  two  years  and 
was  president  of  the  school  board  for  fifteen  vears.  The  members  of  the 
famih'  are  all  stanch  adherents  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  to  which 
they  give  their  zealous  support.  Mr.  Paeper  is  a  man  who  has  won  the  con- 
fidence of  his  neighbors  because  of  his  upright  dealings  and  the  frank  man- 
ner in  which  he  conducts  all  of  his  business  transactions.  .As  a  public  official 
he  served  his  constituents  well  and  faithfully,  and  in  every  measure  w  hich  has 
for  its  object  the  jjublic  welfare  he  is  always  found  lending  his  active  sup])ort. 


WILLIAM  W.  STOKES. 


In  examining  the  life  records  of  self-made  men.  it  will  invarialjly  be 
found  that  indefatigable  indu.stry  has  constituted  the  liasis  of  their  success. 
True,  there  are  other  elements  which  enter  in  and  conserve  to  the  advance- 
ment of  personal  interests, — perseverance,  discrimination  and  mastering  of 
expedients, — but  the  foundation  of  all  achiexement  is  earnest,  persistent 
labor.  At  the  outset  of  his  career  as  a  nurseryman  Mr.  Stokes  recognized 
this  fact,  and  he  did  not  seek  any  royal  road  to  the  goal  of  prosperity  and 
independence,  but  began  to  work  earnestly  and  diligently  in  order  to  advance 
himself,  and  the  result  is  that  he  is  now  numbered  among  the  progressive, 
successful  and  influential  men  of  Sac  county. 

William  W.  Stokes,  a  prosjjerous  nurseryman  of  Sac  City.  Iowa,  was 
born  May  18,  1874,  in  England.  His  parents  were  George  and  Jane  ( Bugg) 
Stokes,  natives  of  England.  In  1876  the  Stokes  family  left  England  for  the 
United  States  and  first  .settled  in  Illinois,  Init  a  year  later  moved  to  Carroll 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  J^- 

count)',  Iowa,  where  they  permanently  settled.  The  father  was  accidentally 
killed  at  a  railroad  crossing  June  30,  1881.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  Stokes 
were  the  parents  of  se\en  children :  Charles,  of  Carroll  county.  Iowa :  Mrs. 
Ada  Simpson,  of  Shelb\-  county,  Iowa;  George,  of  Petersburg,  Nebraska; 
W.  W.,  of  \\hom  this  narrative  speaks:  Mrs.  Agnes  Howard,  of  Sac  county, 
Mrs.  Minnie  Hogge,  of  Lake  View.  Iowa:  Walter,  also  of  Lake  View,  and 
one  adopted  child,  Jennie. 

\Villiani  W.  Stokes  received  his  educati(in  in  the  parochial  schools  of 
Carroll  county,  Iowa.  The  family  li\ed  in  a  Catholic  ciammunitv  and,  al- 
though they  were  Presbyterians  in  faith,  they  were  glad  to  avail  themselves 
of  the  excellent  schools  which  were  conducted  by  the  Sisters  of  Charity  in 
their  home  community.  Mr.  Stokes  received  an  excellent  practical  educa- 
tion before  his  parents  moved  to  Sac  county  in  1896.  Upon  coming  to  this 
county  Mr.  Stokes  rented  land  and  in  1897  moved  to  Cedar  township,  where 
he  lived  on  a  rented  farm  for  seven  years.  In  1904  he  moved  to  Coon 
Valley  township,  where  he  remained  until  he  moved  to  his  present  farm. 
He  now  has  one  hundred  and  ten  acres  near  .Sac  City,  which  he  purchased 
in  1907  for  seventy  dollars  an  acre.  In  191 1  he  purchased  a  nursery  and 
since  that  time  has  been  rapidly  stocking  his  nursery  with  trees,  both  fruit 
and  ornamental,  which  can  be  grown  in  this  locality.  He  now  has  twenty- 
six  different  \arieties  of  apples,  fi\e  varieties  r>f  cherries,  six  varieties  of 
plums,  and  many  varieties  of  currants,  gooseberries,  raspberries,  blackberries, 
strawberries  and  other  kinds  of  small  fruits.  He  has  taken  a  great  deal  of 
pride  in  getting  only  the  best  and  hardiest  trees  and  shrubs  for  his  nursery, 
and  his  rapidly-growing  trade  shows  that  he  has  succeeded  to  a  marked  de- 
gree. He  is  working  up  a  parcel  post  business  throughout  this  part  of  the 
state  and  is  already  gratified  with  the  results  which  have  attended  his  efforts 
in  this  line.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  his  business  is  well  established  and  in  the 
coming  years  will  prove  increasingly  profitable. 

Mr.  Stokes  was  married  February  i,  1898,  to  Christina  Hogge,  of  this 
county,  the  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Elizabeth  Hogge.  Both  of  his  wife's 
parents  were  nati\-es  of  Iowa  and  are  now  deceased.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stokes 
are  the  parents  of  four  children.  Elizalieth.  W'ilmer.  Roy  and  Pearl. 

In  politics.  ]\Ir.  Stokes  is  a  Republican,  but  has  been  so  busy  with  his 
varied  interests  that  he  has  not  had  time  to  identify  himself  actively  with  the 
deliberations  of  his  party.  Religiously,  the  family  are  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  churcli  and  render  to  it  their  earnest  and  zealous  support. 
]Mr.  Stokes  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  the 
Daughters  of  Rebekah  and  the  ^fodern  Woodmen  of  America.     He   is  a 


758  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

man  who  has  not  allowed  the  pursuit  of  wealth  to  warp  his  kindly  nature, 
but  has  preserved  his  faculties  and  the  warmth  of  his  heart  for  the  broaden- 
ing and  helpful  influence  of  human  life,  and  is  a  kindly  friend  and  genial 
gentleman  whom  it  is  a  pleasure  to  meet. 


ROBERT  ENGELHARDT. 

The  state  of  Illinois  has  contributed  a  number  of  the  best  agricultural 
citizens  of  Sac  county  from  her  teeming  population.  With  few  exceptions, 
the  migrants  from  this  older  state  ha\e  made  good  in  Iowa  and  have  become 
important  and  influential  members  of  the  communities  in  which  they  reside. 
Bringing  with  them  improved  methods  of  farming  and  evidences  of  culture 
and  refinement,  in  many  instances  they  ha\-e  had  a  salient  and  beneficent 
effect  in  being  assimilated  into  the  more  or  less  cosmopolitan  body  politic  of 
Sac  county.  The  family  of  Robert  Engelhardt,  of  Jackson  township,  came 
originally  from  Illinois  and  are  well  and  favorably  known  in  Sac  county  for 
their  many  excellent  qualities  and  the  acti\'ity  of  the  various  members  of  this 
excellent  familv  in  using  their  influence  in  the  promotion  of  the  educational, 
religious  and  social  life  of  their  neighborhood  and  in  Sac  City. 

Mr.  Engelhardt  has  a  fine  farm  of  eighty  acres  in  Jackson  township,  a 
few  miles  north  of  Sac  City.  He  is  a  breeder  of  Poland-China  hogs  and  has 
a  fine  herd  of  thoroughbreds  on  his  place,  which  is  one  of  the  most  attractive 
and  well  kept  farms  of  the  neighborhood. 

Mr.  Engelhardt  was  born  December  24,  i860,  in  LaGrange,  Illinois, 
the  son  of  Charles  and  Mary  (Harnisch)  Engelhardt.  natives  of  Germany 
and  who  were  born  on  a  farm  sixty  miles  from  the  town  of  Leipsic,  Saxony. 
CharlL's  \\a-  Ixirn  in  1833  and  came  to  America  in  1851.  In  183;,  he  returned 
and  brought  his  father  (Charles)  and  family  back  with  him  and  settled  at 
La  Grange,  Illinois.  The  Engelhardts  went  to  Kansas  in  1878  and  home- 
steaded  in  Allen  county,  where  the  father  died  in  December,  1888.  The 
mother  died  in  August,  1906,  on  the  Allen  count\-  homestead.  There  were 
the  following  children  in  the  family:  Charles,  deceased  in  1876:  Alfred,  of 
Los  Angeles,  California;  Robert:  Gustavus,  a  resident  of  Allen  county, 
Kansas;  Frank,  in  Chicago;  Mrs.  Flora  Cornell,  who  died  in  Wyoming,  in 
1908;  Edward,  a  citizen  of  Chicago:  Fred,  of  Sherman.  California,  and 
Charles,  a  resident  of  Chicago. 

Robert  Engelhardt  followed  farnnng  near  Maroa,  Illinois,  previous  to 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


759 


coming  to  Sac  county  in  1903.  He  at  first  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  in  Sac  county,  but  later  disposed  of  eighty  acres.  In  1885  he  journeyed 
to  western  Kansas  and  homesteaded  in  Stevens  county,  the  family  residing  in 
a  typical  dug(.)ut  for  some  years.  In  1887  they  returned  to  Allen  county, 
Kansas. 

Mr.  Englehardt  is  a  Progressive  in  politics;  is  a  member  of  the  Christian 
church,  and  is,  fraternally,  connected  with  the  Modern  Woodmen  and  the 
Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen. 

Mr.  Engelhardt  has  been  twice  married,  the  first  marriage  taking  place 
in  December,  1884,  with  Clara  Ham,  of  Indiana,  who  died  in  1888,  leaving 
one  daughter,  i.lar;i  Robert,  a  talented  teacher  in  the  Sac  City  schools,  a 
graduate  of  the  Sac  City  high  scIiudI  and  a  former  student  uf  l)ra!<e  Cni- 
versity  and  the  college  at  Normal,  Illinois.  Mr.  Engelhardt's  second  mar- 
riage occurred  December  17,  1S90,  with  Eva  M.  Williams,  of  Maroa,  Illinois, 
a  daughter  of  W'.  O.  and  Emily  J.  W^illiams.  Two  children  have  been  born 
to  this  union,  namelx' :  Vera  Bernice,  a  graduate  of  the  Sac  Citv  high  school 
and  of  Drake  University,  class  of  1913.  She  is  a  teacher  in  the  Kirkham 
high  school :  Helen,  deceased  in  1898  at  the  age  of  twenty  months. 

William  O.  and  Emily  J.  Williams  were  natives  born  to  Illinois,  having 
been  born  near  Jacks(in\ilk-.  William  was  burn  and  reared  on  a  farm  in 
Morgan  county,  Illinois,  the  son  of  John  and  Margaret  J.  (Craig)  Williams. 
John  Williams  was  a  Kentuckian  by  birth  and  served  in  the  Black  Hawk 
War.  In  ]82j  he  came  to  Sangamon  county,  Illinois,  and  some  time  after- 
ward moved  to  Morgan  county,  where  he  was  married.  In  1835  he  removed 
to  Cass  county  and  in  1857  settled  permanently  in  Macon  county.  He  died 
April  26,  1862.  He  served  as  assessor  of  his  township  in  Cass  county.  Mrs. 
Williams  died  in  November,  1856.  John  was  the  parent  of  the  following 
children:  William;  James  D.,  a  soldier  in  the  Forty-first  Illinois  Volunteer 
Regiment,  Union  army,  during  the  Civil  War,  and  was  killed  at  Fort  Donel- 
son  in  1862;  John  E.,  also  a  soldier  in  the  same  regiment,  died  at  Jackson, 
Mississippi;  Mary  J.  died  in  1872;  Anna  E.,  wife  of  Elisha  Holmes,  and 
deceased  in  1897  in  California;  Sarah,  deceased  in  1863;  David  H.,  of 
Memphis,  Tennessee.  William  O.  Williams  made  his  residence  in  Macon 
county  after  1857,  settling  in  Maroa  township  in  1858.  He  owned  a  farm 
of  eighty  acres  on  which  he  resided  until  1888,  and  then  removed  to  another 
farm  which  he  had  purchased  in  the  same  township.  He  was  married  July 
3,  1862,  to  Emma  J.  Hedger,  who  was  born  in  Parke  county,  Indiana,  on 
April  2T^.  1841,  a  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Jane  (McAlli.ster)  Hedger.  of 
German  and  Scotch  descent  respectively      In  the  Hedger   family  there  were 


760 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


eight  cliiklren:  Alincrxa.  William.  John.  Mary.  Emma  J..  Harriet,  Sarah  E. 
and  Joseph.  Mrs.  Hedger  died  Octoher  r6,  1865.  and  Mr.  Hedger  died  in 
January,  1887.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  O.  ^^'illiams  were  the  parents  of 
four  children:  Addie,  deceased  September  8,  1865;  ^Ifs.  Eva  Engelhardt; 
Jennie,  a  teacher  of  music,  the  wife  of  Charles  E.  Barracks,  of  Anderson, 
Indiana:  Fred,  who  died  Octoher  2^.  1872:  Grace,  who  died  April  6,  1881. 
They  were  members  of  the  Christian  denomination.  A\'illiam  O.  (bed  in 
March.  189Q.  His  wife  .still  survives  him  in  the  old  home  in  Illinois,  mak- 
ing her  home  partly  in  Indiana  and  with  Mrs.  Engelhardt  in  Sac  county. 

It  is  recorded  that  the  first  child  born  to  Robert  Engelhardt  and  his  first 
wife  came  to  them  in  a  dugout  on  their  Kansas  claim  in  Stevens  county. 
The  hardships  which  they  were  forced  to  undergo  in  holding  down  their 
homestead  in  Kansas  would  fill  a  good  sized  volume  in  itself,  although  it  was 
one  of  the  happiest  periods  of  tiieir  lives.  Mrs.  Englehardt  is  a  cultured  and 
refined  lady  who  has  had  the  advantages-  of  a  good  home  in  her  early  life 
and  recei\-ed  a  good  education — attributes  which  have  been  of  great  assist- 
ance to  her  in  the  upbringing  of  her  interesting  familv.  She  is  very  active 
in  social  and  religious  work,  both  she  and  Mr.  Engelhardt  being  members  of 
the  Sac  City  Christian  church.  They  are  also  members  of  the  Country  Club, 
composed  of  their  neighliors  and  friends  who  meet  '^emi-monthlv  for  .social 
discussion  and  recreation.  It  is  one  of  the  well  known  institutions  of  Sac 
count\    \v  hose  example  is  being  f(illo\ved  in  cither  sections. 


CHARLES  \VESLEV  BALLARD. 

He  whose  name  stands  aljiwe  is  a  nienil)er  of  a  famih-  which  has  loner 
been  identified  with  the  growth  and  development  of  Sac  countv,  each  having 
contrilnited  in  lu's  i:)ecu!iar  wa\  to  the  moral,  educational  and  material  ad- 
vancement of  bis  time.  Charles  \\'.  Ballard.  ])roprietor  of  the  Glendale 
farm,  consisting  of  one  hundred  and  si.xty  acres  located  in  section  2^  of 
\\'heeler  townshi]),  was  born  on  September  i.  1859,  in  Colchester,  Lamoine 
township,  McDonough  county,  Illinois,  the  son  of  George  Haven  Ballard  and 
Adaline  .\.  Belles,  his  wife.  George  H.  Ballard  was  born  on  November  .^, 
1836,  in  Perry,  Lake  count),  <  )hio,  the  son  of  William  L.  (born  in  I78())  ;uid 
Susan  (lialdwiiii  Ballard,  the  latter  born  in  1703.  George  H.  Ballard, 
father  of  the  immediate  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  married  in  1856,  while  a 
resident   of  Syc;nnore,   Illinois,  tlie  marriage  taking  place  at   .Malta,    Illinois, 


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SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  761 

the  liniiif  of  Miss  Bellts.  wlm  was  Imni  Sejitember  22.  183^.  ( leorge  H. 
Ballard  was  a  man  of  more  than  urdinary  ability  and  great  aptitude.  He  had 
a  natural  bent  for  mechanics  and  when  (|uite  young  mastered  the  cabinet- 
maker's trade,  in  which  his  ability  amounted  tn  nothing-  short  of  genius.  He 
frequently  contracted  fur  building  houses  entire,  ]nitting  nian\-  unusual 
touches  into  the  finishing  rif  same.  He  was  also  more  or  less  familiar  with 
steam  engineering  and  frequentlv  operated  engines  of  this  class.  For  a  period 
of  eight  years  he  was  connected  with  the  Marsh  Harvesting  Machine  Com- 
pany in  the  capacity  of  subforeman  ;md  time-keeper  and  also  was  responsible 
for  the  ]irriner  working  of  the  \'arious  lines  of  machinerv.  In  the  spring  of 
187S,  desiring  to  better  his  financial  condition  and  possibly  secure  an  ex- 
cellent location,  he  left  Illinois  with  a  colony  which  settled  in  Stafford  county, 
Kansas.  Howe\'er,  he  did  not  find  conditions  there  at  all  to  his  liking  and 
twii  years  later,  in  the  fall  of  1880,  he  came  to  Odebolt,  this  county,  and  took 
up  his  residence  on  a  farm  about  two  and  (^me-half  miles  north  of  that  city. 
Shortly  after  coming  to  this  localitx",  he  purchased  the  Union  restaurant  and 
for  a  period  of  nineteen  years  fleyoted  his  time  and  attention  to  the  manage- 
ment of  that  Inisiness.  He  is  now  li\ing  in  comfortable  retirement  in  Ode- 
liolt,  haying  gi\-en  up  connection  with  the  active  labors  of  life.  In  spite  of 
his  \ears,  he  retains  a  keen  interest  in  altairs,  both  local  and  otherwise,  and 
his  mental  and  ]ihysical  acti\it\'  would  do  credit  to  a  man  se\'eral  }-ears  his 
junior.  There  were  originally  six  children  in  the  Ballard  family,  one  of 
whom,  \Mlliam,  died  in  childhood.  Those  other  than  the  immediate  subject 
of  this  sketch  are  Frank  Seymour,  wlio  resides  in  Duff,  Rock  county. 
Xebrriska  ;  Fdizabeth  M.  (Mrs.  Bailey  1.  residing  in  Osmond,  Pierce  county, 
Nebraska,  and  Etta  Emeline  (Mrs.  Traver),  wlio  lives  in  Wel)ster  City, 
Hamilton  county,  Iowa.  In  his  younger  da}s.  George  H.  Ballard  had  a 
reputation  as  a  sportsman  and  fisherman  of  more  than  usual  ability  and  as  he 
advanced  in  years  he  spent  weeks  and  montlis  at  his  cottage  on  the  shore  of 
Wall  lake,  where  he  maintained  his  rejuitation  of  earlier  days.  He  has  a 
great  store  of  reminiscences  which  he  takes  pleasure  in  recounting  to  the  de- 
light of  his  friends. 

Charles  W.  Ballard,  the  immediate  subject  of  this  sketch,  received  his 
education  in  the  schools  of  DeKalb  count} ,  Illinois,  and  later  at  Sycamore  in 
the  same  county.  He  taught  one  temi  of  scho(jl  in  Kansas  and  after  coming 
to  this  county  he  assisted  in  operating  the  paternal  farm  for  six  years  and 
during  that  time  and  later  taught  fourteen  terms  of  school  in  Richland. 
Clinton  and  Wheeler  townships,  this  county.  Tie  proved  particularly  pro- 
ficient in  the  education  of  youth  and  exerted  a  wholesome  influence  over  his 


762  SAC    COITNTY,    IOWA. 

pupils  in  the  formation  of  ciiaracter.  During  sixteen  years  of  tlie  time  his 
father  was  engaged  in  the  restaurant  business,  he  was  associated  with  him, 
Iiaving  practical  charge  of  the  business,  especiahy  at  such  times  as  the  father 
would  be  absent  on  some  of  his  famous  hunting  trips.  The  winter  of  1903- 
1904  he  spent  in  California  and  upon  returning  to  this  locality  he  retired 
from  active  business  and  for  two  years  resided  in  Odebolt.  In  the  spring  of 
1907  he  took  up  liis  residence  on  liis  present  farm  in  Wheeler  township  which 
he  had  purchased  in  the  spring  of  1900  at  a  cost  of  forty-seven  dollars  per 
acre.  He  made  this  investment  after  disposing  of  his  farm  in  Richland 
township  for  five  thousand,  seven  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  for  the  entire 
farm. 

Mr.  Ballard  engages  in  general  farming,  in  which  he  is  eminently  suc- 
cessful and  pays  particular  attention  to  live  stock.  He  has  from  twelve  to 
fifteen  head  of  high  grade  Shorthorn  cattle  and  has  seven  milk  cnws.  He 
operates  a  private  dairy,  disposing  of  his  cream  to  the  creamery.  He  also 
produces  for  the  market  about  one  hundred  head  of  hogs  annually.  He  has 
an  excellent  strain  of  thoroughbred  Poland  China  swine,  all  of  which  are 
eligible  to  registration.  For  the  general  work  of  the  farm  he  keeps  two 
liorses  and  in  the  season  of  1913  from  sixty  acres  planted  to  corn  he  pro- 
duced thirty-five  hundred  bushels.  The  management  of  this  farm  is  such 
as  to  constitute  another  proof,  if  proof  there  need  be,  of  the  undoubted  busi- 
ness ability  of  the  owner  and  proprietor. 

On  November  17,  1897.  in  Orange\ille,  Stephenson  count} .  Illinois,  Air. 
Ballard  was  united  in  marriage  with  Mary  Esther  Riem,  born  in  that  town 
on  July  27,  1873,  a  daughter  of  George  Franklin  and  Clara  Eh'ira  (Cross) 
Riem,  the  fomier  of  whom  was  a  nati\'e  of  Pennsylvania  and  the  latter  born 
and  reared  in  Illinois.  After  several  years"  residence  in  Illinois,  George  F. 
Riem  and  wife  moved  to  Los  Angeles,  California,  where  his  death  occurred 
on  January  28,  1903.  He  was  in  his  sixtieth  year,  having  been  born  on 
February  26,  1843.  The  widow,  whose  birth  occurred  on  June  16,  1851,  still 
resides  in  that  city.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ballard  have  two  interesting  daughters, 
Blanche  Eleanor,  born  November  20,  1898,  still  in  school,  and  Alyrtle 
Amanda,  born  on  March  6,  1905. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Ballard  is  aligned  with  the  Progressive  party  and  his 
religious  affiliation  is  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  which  the  family 
attends.  Fraternally,  lie  is  a  member  of  the  order  of  "^'eomain-y  and  the 
Intlependent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  through  the  local  organizations  at  Ode- 
bolt.  Mr.  Billiard  has  long  been  numbered  among  the  jirogressive  and 
public-spirited  citizens  of  this  county  and  is  in  every  way  one  of  the  substan- 


SAC   COUNTY,    IOWA.  763 

t.ial  men  of  the  conimunitv.  Endowed  by  nature  with  strong"  mental  powers 
and  possessing  the  courage  and  energy  to  direct  liis  facuhies  in  proper  chan- 
nels, he  early  became  a  man  of  resourceful  capacity,  as  the  able  management 
of  his  private  affairs  abundantly  testify.  He  possesses  the  happy  faculty  of 
not  onlv  making  friends,  but  binding  them  to  him  by  his  good  qualities  of 
liead  and  heart. 


SAMUEL  HAHNE. 


There  is  no  positive  rule  for  achieving  success,  and  yet  in  the  life  of  the 
successful  man  there  are  always  lessons  which  might  well  be  followed.  The 
man  who  gains  prosperity  is  he  who  can  see  and  utilize  the  opportunities  that 
come  in  his  path.  The  essential  conditions  of  human  life  are  ever  the  same, 
the  surroundings  of  individuals  differing  but  slightly,  and  when  one  man 
passes  another  on  the  highway  of  life  to  reach  a  goal  of  prosperity  before 
others  who  perhaps  started  out  tefore  him.  it  is  because  he  has  the  power  to 
use  advantages  which  probably  encompass  the  whole  human  race.  Today 
among  the  prominent  citizens  and  successful  men  of  Schaller  stands  Samuel 
Hahne.  The  qualities  of  keen  discrimination,  sound  judgment  and  executive 
ability  enter  very  largely  into  his  make-up  and  have  been  contributing  ele- 
ments to  the  material  success  which  has  come  to  him. 

Samuel  Hahne,  the  cashier  of  the  State  Bank  of  Schaller,  Iowa,  was 
born  August  27,  1883,  in  the  town  where  he  is  now  living.  His  parents  were 
F.  H.  and  Sophia  M.  (Schaefer)  Hahne,  natives  of  Germany  and  Wiscon- 
sin respectively.  F.  H.  Hahne  was  born  in  Germany  in  1847  and  died  in 
1900.  He  came  to  America  with  his  parents  when  a  child  and  settled  in  Wis- 
consin. In  the  early  seventies  the  Hahne  family  came  to  Sac  county,  Iowa, 
and  settled  in  Eden  township,  on  land  for  which  they  paid  one  dollar  and  a 
half  an  acre.  The  country  at  that  time  was  all  a  barren  prairie,  but  it  needed 
only  the  magic  touch  of  the  human  hand  to  convert  it  into  the  garden  spot  of 
the  world.  F.  H.  Hahne  was  one  of  the  first  citizens  of  Schaller  and  was 
prominently  identified  with  the  material  prosperity  of  the  town  and  com- 
munity. He  served  as  county  supervisor  for  two  terms  and  was  one  of  the 
largest  land  owners  of  the  township.  At  one  time  he  owned  nearly  one 
thousand  acres  of  land  and  at  his  death  was  the  owner  of  four  hundred  and 
e'ghty  acres.  In  his  latter  years  he  was  interested  in  the  banking  business  at 
Schaller  and  was  president  of  the  organized  private  bank  which  became  a 


764  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

State  bank  in  1889.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  H.  Hahne  were  the  parents  of  seven 
children.  Mrs.  Matilda  Aldrich.  Mrs.  Marie  Jenkins,  Mrs.  Sarah  King,  Hulda 
(deceased),  Samuel  and  Joseph. 

Samuel  Hahne  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  Schaller  and 
later  graduated  from  the  high  school  of  that  place.  He  entered  the  bank 
in  1902,  when  only  nineteen  years  of  age.  as  assistant  cashier  and  became  the 
cashier  of  the  bank  in  1913.  The  State  Bank  of  Schaller  was  originally 
operated  as  a  private  bank,  and  dates  its  existence  from  1880.  It  was  con- 
ducted as  a  private  bank  from  the  time  of  its  organization  until  1899,  when 
it  was  reorganized  and  made  a  state  bank,  with  F.  H.  Hahne  president  and 
A.  W.  Bicknell.  cashier.  The  capital  stock  was  forty  thousand  dollars.  In 
1900  F.  H.  Hahne  was  succeeded  by  H.  L.  Leland  as  president,  which  posi- 
tion he  held  until  1907,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  W.  J.  Howard,  who  is 
still  president  of  the  bank.  Mr.  Bicknell  was  succeeded  by  J.  T.  Edson  as 
cashier,  and  in  19 13  Mr.  Hahne  assumed  that  responsible  position.  The 
present  officers  of  the  bank  are  as  follows :  W.  J.  Howard,  president :  J.  H. 
Meier,  vice-president;  Samuel  Hahne,  cashier;  E.  W.  Sacaefer,  assistant 
cashier.  The  directors  of  the  bank  are  C.  O.  Porter,  William  Spindler,  W. 
J.  Howard.  J.  I).  Currie.  J.  T.  Edson.  Sanuiel  Hahne,  J.  H.  Meier  and  J.  T. 
Edson.  The  bank  has  a  capital  stock  now  of  forty  thousand  dollars  and  in 
1913  deposits  of  three  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  dollars  and  a  surplus 
of  ten  thousand.  The  l.iank  is  housed  in  a  large  brick  Iniilding,  wliich  is 
owned  li}-  the  l):uiking  compau}-. 

In  addition  to  his  banking  interests,  Samuel  Hahne  owns  three  hundred 
and  twent\'  acres  of  land  in  Minnesota  and  has  recently  disposed  of  several 
tracts  of  land  which  he  owned  in  this  county.  Politically,  he  is  a  Republican 
and  is  at  present  the  treasurer  of  the  city  of  Schaller.  Mr.  Hahne  and  his 
family  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  to  which  they  give  an  earnest 
and  zealous  sujiport.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  .^ncient  Free  and 
Accepted  Masons. 

Mr.  Hahne  was  married  in  1906  to  Cora  M.  McLaughlin,  of  Schaller, 
the  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Joseph  McLaughlin,  and  they  have  one  son, 
Everett  Lincoln,  born  February  12,  1908.  Mr.  Hahne  is  rapidly  coming  to 
the  front  as  one  of  the  prominent  business  men  of  his  community.  He  is 
forging  his  way  to  the  front  ranks  by  reason  of  his  innate  force  and  superior 
ability,  and  shows  intelligence  and  judgment  of  a  high  order.  He 
has  applied  himself  closely  to  the  intricacies  of  the  banking  business  with  a 
determination  which  speaks  well  for  the  future.     He  is  now  at  the  thresh- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  765 

hold  of  a  long  and  useful  career,  and  the  life  which  he  has  lived  so  far  in  the 
community  has  proved  that  his  career  in  the  future  will  be  one  which  will 
reflect  credit  upon  himself  and  redound  to  the  honor  of  the  community  in 
which  he  lives. 


WILLIAM  L.  COLE. 


Tin-  gentleman  wlu/se  name  heads  this  sketch  is  wideh'  knuwii  in  Sac 
county  and  is  one  of  the  honored  citizens  of  Douglas  township,  where  he  is 
living  after  a  strenuous  life  of  activity  in  connection  with  agricultural  pur- 
suits. His  well  directed  efforts  in  the  practical  affairs  of  life,  his  capable 
management  of  his  bu.siness  interests  and  his  sound  judgment  have  brought 
to  him  ])rosi)erity,  and  his  life  demonstrates  what  may  be  accomplished  by 
any  man  of  energy  and  ambition  who  is  not  afraid  to  work  and  has  the  perse- 
verance to  continue  his  labors  in  the  face  of  any  disaster  or  discouragement 
that  may  arise.  In  all  the  relations  of  life  Mr.  Cole  has  commanded  the 
confklence  and  respect  of  those  with  whom  he  has  been  brought  into  ccjntact 
and  a  biographical  history  of  this  locality  would  not  be  complete  without  a 
record  of  his  career. 

William  L.  Cole,  of  Douglas  township.  Sac  county.  Iowa,  was  born 
September  5.  1862.  in  Clinton  county.  Iowa.  His  parents.  Madison  and 
Sarah  Jane  (Swing)  Cole,  were  lioth  natives  of  the  Hoosier  state  of  Indiana. 
Madison  Cole  was  born  in  Indiana,  in  June.  1826.  and  died  August  26.  1903. 
Sarah  Jane  Swing  was  born  March  13.  1835,  and  died  March  13.  1900. 
Shortly  after  their  marriage  Madison  Cole  and  his  wife  came  to  Clinton 
county.  Iowa,  about  the  year  1858,  where  they  remained  until  1881.  when 
they  settled  on  the  farm  in  Douglas  township.  Sac  county,  where  W.  L.  Cole 
is  now  living.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Madison  Cole  were  the  parents  of  a  large 
family:  Mrs.  Malinda  Jane  Shadle,  deceased;  Mrs.  Laura  Glidden.  de- 
ceased: Mrs.  Abigail  Cook,  of  Clinton.  Iowa;  Mrs.  Fannie  .\Ilison.  of 
Wichita.  Kansas:  John,  of  Jackson  township.  Sac  county:  W.  L..  of  whom 
this  sketch  speaks:  Mrs.  Inez  Paeper.  of  Douglas  township,  in  this  county; 
Charles,  of  Varina.  Iowa:  A.  U..  of  Cedar  township,  this  county,  and  Mrs. 
Ola  Block,  who  lives  in  Douglas  township,  this  county. 

William  L.  Cole  was  reared  and  educated  in  Clinton  county,  this  state. 
and  when  nineteen  vears  of  age  his  parents  moved  from  Clinton  county  to 
Sac  county,  and  he  has  since  resided  on  the  farm  where  his  parents  settled 
upon  their  arrival  in  this  county.      .Since  1889  he  has  had  entire  charge  of 


766  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

tlie  farm,  haxing  purchased  the  farm  from  his  father.  He  has  erected  a  fine, 
modern,  ten-room  house  in  the  last  two  years,  has  good  barns  and  outbuild- 
ings of  all  kinds.  He  has  a  barn  \\hich  measures  thirty-two  by  forty-eight, 
with  a  fourteen-by-sixteen-foot  addition.  He  raises  a  large  amount  of  stock 
each  year  and  has  about  twenty-five  head  annually  for  the  markets. 

Air.  Cole  was  married  February  2,  1892,  to  Lena  Galbraith,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Alexander  Galbraith.  The  Galbraiths  were  early  settlers 
of  this  county  and  first  settled  on  the  farm  where  their  daughter  is  now 
living.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cole  are  the  parents  of  four  children:  Guy,  born 
December  20,  1895  ;  Lola,  born  in  November,  190 1  ;  Reo,  born  in  June,  1903, 
and  Lucile,  bi)rii  in  January,  1909. 

Politically,  Mr.  Cole  is  a  member  of  the  Republican  party  and  has  taken 
a  very  active  interest  in  the  affairs  of  that  organization.  -\n  indication  of 
the  esteem  in  which  he  is  held  by  his  fellow  citizens  is  shown  in  the  fact  that 
he  has  lieen  elected  as  trustee  and  assessor  of  his  township,  both  offices  com- 
ing to  him  as  a  recognition  as  a  business  man.  He  is  interested  in  the  Sac 
County  Mutual  Insurance  Company  and  was  a  director  in  that  organization 
for  eight  years.  In  fact,  Mr.  Cole  is  interested  in  any  public  enterprise  which 
seeks  to  better  the  condition  of  the  farmers  of  his  locality.  The  members 
of  the  family  are  adherents  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  give  it 
their  zealous  and  earnest  support.  Mr.  Cole  has  lived  a  useful  and  honor- 
able life,  a  life  characterized  by  perseverance  and  well  defined  purpose,  and 
he  has  established  his  character  as  a  man  who  measures  up  to  the  type  of 
the  good  American  citizen. 


WILLIAM  G.  BROBEIL. 


In  the  respect  that  is  accorded  to  men  who  have  fought  their  own  way 
to  success  thnuigh  unfavorable  environment  we  find  an  unconscious  recogni- 
tion of  the  intrinsic  worth  cf  a  character  which  cannot  not  only  endure  so 
rough  a  test,  but  gain  new  strength  through  the  discipline.  The  gentleman 
to  whom  the  biographer  now  calls  the  reader's  attention  was  not  favored  by 
inherited  wealth  or  the  assistance  of  influential  friends,  but  in  spite  of  this, 
by  perseverance,  industry  and  a  wise  economy,  he  has  attained  a  comfortable 
station  in  life,  making  his  influence  felt  for  good  in  his  community  in  Lytton, 
Sac  county,  Iowa,  where  he  has  maintained  his  home  for  the  past  twenty 
years. 

William  G.  Brobeil,  a  retired   farmer  of  Lytton,  Iowa,  was  born  May 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  76/ 

]3,  1855,  in  Polk  conntv,  this  state.  His  parents,  John  and  Mary  Christina 
(Schulh  Brobeil,  were  both  born  at  Wittenberg.  Germany,  and  they  were 
reared  and  married  in  their  native  country,  coming  to  the  United  States  in 
1850.  They  first  located  in  Pennsylvania,  but  two  years  later  went  west 
and  settled  in  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  where  John  Brobeil  worked  at  his  trade  as 
a  carpenter.  He  saved  his  money  and.  with  true  German  thrift,  was  soon 
able  to  purchase  a  farm  ten  miles  north  of  Des  Moines.  He  died  at  the  home 
of  his  son-in-law,  George  Miller. 

William  G.  Brobeil  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  Polk  county,  Iowa, 
and  worked  on  his  father's  farm  until  his  marriage.  When  he  was  twenty- 
seven  years  of  age  he  rented  his  father's  place  and  operated  it  for  the  next 
seven  years,  after  which  he  rented  his  father-in-law's  farm  and  lived  on  it 
for  eight  years.  In  1894  he  moved  to  Sac  county,  this  state,  although  he  had 
been  there  the  previous  year  and  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
land  at  thirty-six  dollars  an  acre.  Such  was  his  success  as  a  farmer  that 
within  six  years  he  was  able  to  purchase  another  quarter  section  adjoining  his 
first  farm,  so  that  he  now  has  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  in 
Cedar  township.  In  1908  he  retired  from  the  active  labor  of  the  farm  and 
purchased  a  residence  in  Lytton,  where  he  is  now  living,  surrounded  by  the 
comforts  and  conveniences  of  life.  His  two  sons,  Charles  and  Fred,  are 
now  operating  the  home  farm. 

Mr.  Brobeil  was  married  on  December  25,  1880,  to  Barbara  Elsa  Deitz, 
of  Polk  county,  this  state,  the  daughter  of  Conrad  and  Susan  Deitz,  who  were 
natives  of  Germany  and  among  the  early  pioneers  of  Polk  county.  The  Deitz 
family  settled  in  Polk  county  in  1847,  making  the  long  overland  trip  from 
Pennsylvania  to  Iowa  in  emigrant  wagons  in  that  year.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bro- 
beil are  the  parents  of  two  children  living,  their  sons,  Charles  and  Fred,  on 
the  home  farm.     Minnie  Blanche  died  at  the  age  of  eight  years. 

Mr.  Brobeil  is  one  of  the  stockholders  in  the  Farmers  Elevator  Com- 
pany, of  Lytton,  a  co-operative  enterprise  which  is  rendering  the  farmers  of 
this  section  of  the  county  good  service.  Politically,  Mr.  Brobeil  is  a  Demo- 
crat and  has  served  as  trustee  of  Cedar  township  for  several  terms.  He  and 
his  wife  are  regular  attendants  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  are  liberal 
contributors  of  their  means  to  its  support.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brobeil  made  a  trip  a 
few  years  ago  to  the  Pacific  coast  and  had  an  enjoyable  tour,  visiting  many 
points  of  interest  on  the  coast  and  having  a  very  pleasant  time.  Mr.  Brobeil 
belongs  to  that  class  of  men  who  are  able  to  overcome  apparently  insurmount- 
able obstacles,  and  owes  his  success  today  to  the  fact  that  he  has  never  known 


768  SAC    COUNTY,    lOV/A. 

what  defeat  in  business  means.  He  is  truly  a  self-made  man  who  has  gained 
a  comfortable  competency  solely  through  his  own  efforts,  and  in  doing  this 
he  has  never  compromised  between  right  and  wrong,  but  has  always  stead- 
fastly adhered  to  thi*  right  principles  of  honor  and  integrity.  For  this  rea- 
son he  well  merits  a  place  in  this  biographical  volume. 


CHARLES  F.  BERG. 


One  of  the  best  known  fanners  in  Sac  county,  Iowa,  is  Charles  F.  Berg, 
owner  of  a  farm  consisting  of  two  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Wheeler 
township,  section  34.  Mr.  Berg  first  came  to  this  county  thirty-five  years 
ago  and  is,  therefore,  one  of  the  (jlder  pioneers  of  the  county,  having  endured 
many  of  the  hardships,  privations  and  experiences  of  those  who  enter  a  new 
country.  Mr.  Berg  is  a  native  of  Sweden,  having  been  born  in  that  country 
in  1835.  His  earlier  life  was  passed  in  an  orphans'  home  in  Stockholm,  but 
when  five  years  of  age  he  was  taken  into  the  house  of  a  farmer  in  the  country 
near  that  city  and  was  reared  as  his  own  son.  He  received  careful  training 
in  the  secrets  of  successful  husbandry  and  when  quite  a  young  boy  was  able 
to  do  a  considerable  amount  of  work  about  the  farm.  This  knowledge  and 
early  experience  stood  him  in  good  stead  in  later  years  when  trying  to  win 
a  competence  from  Dame  Fortune  in  his  adopted  countr\'.  In  1864  Mr. 
Berg  was  united  in  marriage  with  Katerina  Ekstrom,  also  a  nati\"e  of  Sweden, 
born  in  1839.  Five  years  after  marriage  they  emigrated  to  .\merica  and 
for  the  first  six  months  lived  in  Indiana.  They  did  nut  find  conditions  to 
their  liking  in  the  Hoosier  state  and  so  moved  westward  into  Iowa,  locating 
in  Boone  county.  Here  they  lived  for  seven  years,  meeting  with  fair  suc- 
cess in  their  chosen  field  of  agriculture.  In  1878  thev  came  to  Sac  county 
and  purchased  a  tract  of  eighty  acres  in  \\^heeler  township,  for  which  tliev 
paid  six  dollars  and  sixty  cents  per  acre,  buying  on  time.  The  various  pur- 
chases of  land  Mr.  Berg  has  mafle  from  time  to  time  very  clearly  indicate  the 
rise  in  the  price  of  land  in.  this  territory  from  that  of  the  pioneer  days  to  the 
high  figure  which  is  now  demanded.  Mr.  Berg's  second  purchase  was  forty 
acres,  for  which  he  paid  sixteen  dollars  per  acre.  After  a  few  short  years 
he  was  again  able  to  add  to  his  holding's,  again  purchasing  a  tract  of  fortv 
acres,  but  this  time  Iiaving  to  give  a  price  of  thirty  dc^lhrs  per  acre,  and  hy 
the  time  he  made  his  last  purchase  of  si.xty  acres  he  was  compelled  to  pa\- 
forty-five  dollars,  several  times  the  price  of  the  land  he  first  bonglit. 


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SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  769 

Air.  Berg  has  practically  retired  from  the  active  duties  of  life  and  the 
management  of  the  homestead  is  almost  wholly  in  the  competent  hands  of 
his  son  Martin,  wlio  di\ides  his  attention  between  prain  and  stock  raising. 
The  farm  is  an  excellent  producer  and  figures  for  the  year  1913  will  give  a 
good  idea  of  what  is  raised  annually.  In  the  year  mentioned  there  were  pro- 
duced four  thousand  bushels  of  corn  and  two  thousand  Inishels  of  oats. 
Forty  tons  of  hay  were  harxested  and  in  addition  to  the  above  there  were  two 
hundred  and  fifty  bushels  of  wheat  and  the  same  amount  of  barley  prcxluced. 
In  addition  to  this  excellent  showing,  there  were  one  hundred  hogs  marketed 
and  ten  head  of  cattle. 

Martin  Berg  was  born  on  the  farm  he  now  operates  on  August  i,  1879, 
and  is,  therefore,  a  native  of  Sac  count}-.  He  received  his  earlier  education 
in  the  district  schools  near  the  homestead  and  later  took  a  corrse  at  the  Sac 
City  Institute.  Politically,  he  is  a  Democrat,  and  was  an  ardent  advocate  of 
the  policies  of  Woodrow  Wilson  in  his  campaign  for  presidential  election. 
His  religious  affiliation  is  with  the  Swedish  Lutheran  church,  of  which  he  is  an 
active  and  consistent  member.  He  carries  insurance  in  the  Bankers"  Asso- 
ciation. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  F.  Berg  are  the  parents  of  six  children,  namely : 
Amanda  Sophia,  who  is  the  wife  of  P.  G.  Lundell.  of  Wheeler  township,  this 
county;  Matilda  Carolina,  who  is  Mrs.  Sherman  Stolt,  and  resides  in  Sioux 
City,  this  state;  Charles  O..  who  is  also  located  in  Wheeler  townshi]);  .\nna 
Charlotte,  who  is  the  wife  of  S.  Salmonson.  of  South  Dakota;  Henry,  who  is 
engaged  in  the  practice  of  law  in  Idalni,  and  Alartin,  who,  as  above  stated, 
manages  the  liome  farm  for  the  fathei.  .\11  of  the  children  have  been  given 
excellent  educations.  recei\ing  elemental  training  in  the  district  schools  near 
home,  supplemented  with  later  and  more  advanced  studies  at  Sac  City  Insti- 
tute, and  in  addition  to  that  course,  Henry  took  a  course  in  the  study  of  the 
law  at  the  L'ni\ersitv  of  Lincoln.  Nebraska.  Mr.  Berg  has  Ijeen  one  of  the 
most  conscientious  of  fathers  and  has  endeavored  to  prepare  both  his  boys  and 
girls  for  useful  stations  in  life.  On  December  24,  1914,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Berg 
will  celebrate  their  lifiieth  or  golden  wedding  anniversary. 

While  not  taking  an  active  interest  in  politics,  he  is  a  quiet  though  stanch 
supporter  of  the  Republican  party,  and- his  religious  affiliation  is  with  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  church,  in  the  faith  of  which  his  family  has  been  reared. 
While  giving  his  main  attention  to  the  rearing  of  his  famii\-  and  the  athance- 
ment  of  his  material  interests.  Mr.  Berg  has  ever  borne  in  mind  the  princi- 
ples of  true  manhood  and  stands  one  of  the  stalwart  men  of  brain  and  charac- 
(48) 


770  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

ter  who  have  done  so  much  to  advance  the  interests  of  this  comparatively  new 
section.  Conscientious  in  tlie  discharge  of  the  various  obligations  of  life,  of 
undoubted  integritv,  he  many  years  ago  won  the  trust  and  confidence  of 
those  with  whom  he  came  in  contact,  and  throughout  the  years  this  tribute  of 
respect  to  genuine  worth  has  only  grown  as  time  passed  by. 


J.  E.  O'GRADV.  D.  D.  S. 


A  man  of  excellent  attributes  of  character  and  one  ni  the  representa- 
tive citizens  of  a  community  known  for  the  progressive  spirit  it  manifests  in 
the  business  world  is  Dr.  J.  E.  O'Grady.  the  popular  dentist  of  Schaller,  Iowa. 

Doctor  O'Gradv  is  a  native  of  the  funpire  state,  born  at  Courtland, 
New  York.  Eebruarv  4,  1878,  the  son  of  I^dward  Daniel  and  Elizabeth 
(Flavin)  O'Grady.  both  natives  of  county  Kerry.  Ireland.  Edward  Daniel 
O'Gradv  is  a  farmer  and  emigrated  to  America  alxnit  1871;  in  the  winter 
of  1881  he  came  to  Mason  City,  Iowa,  where  he  bought  a  farm.  In  1907 
the  family  removed  to  Mason  City,  where  they  still  reside  and  are  highly 
respected  citizens  of  that  community.  Mrs.  O'Graily  came  to  .America  aliout 
the  close  of  the  Civil  War.  h'our  children  ha\e  been  born  to  Edward  Daniel 
and  Elizabeth  (  Idavin )  O'Grady.  named  as  follows;  Mr^.  Mary  Bell  and 
Mrs.  Johanna  Care\'.  of  Mason  City;  Mrs.  Bessie  Bonnyman.  of  Minneapo- 
lis, and  Dr.  J.  ]\.  O'Grady,  the  immediate  subject  of  this  sketch. 

Dr.  (TGradv  received  his  primarv  education  in  the  schools  of  Mason 
Cit\-.  Iowa,  where  he  was  rearetl.  His  collegiate  training  was  recei\ed  at  the 
\\'estern  Dental  College,  Kansas  City,  Missouri,  from  which  institution  he 
was  graduated  in  1903.  He  practised  his  profession  at  Kensett,  Worth 
county,  and  at  Dumont  and  1 'arker.sburg.  Butler  conntw  and  in  Septeml.)er, 
igo6.  came  to  Schaller,  Iowa,  where  be  has  contiiuialb'  [iractised  since.  He 
also  maintains  an  office  at  Galva.  an<l  enjoys  an  e.Kcellem  practice  at  both 
towns. 

While  de\-oted  to  his  professional  duties.  Doct(5r  0"Grad\-  has  found 
time  to  deal  extensi\el\'  in  real  estate,  in  the  handling  of  which  he  has  shown 
marked  aptitude.  He  is  the  owner  of  some  very  valuable  properties,  consist- 
ing of  two  fine  farms  in  Traverse  county,  Minnesota,  one  of  three  hundred 
and  sevent3'-four  acres  and  another  of  three  hundred  and  fifteen  acres.  He 
also  has  one  hundred  and  seventv  acres  in  Sac  countw  Iowa,  and  eight  hun- 
dreil  acres  in   Pine  countw  ^linnesol;i,   which  he  |)nrcbased  in    ii)o6.      He  is 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  77 1 

a  man  of  exceptionally  fine  judgment  of  land  values,  gifted  with  the  rare 
faculty  of  being  able  to  foretell  the  future  outcome  of  a  present  transaction. 
Professionally,  Doctor  O'Grady  keeps  fully  abreast  of  the  best  thought 
of  the  times,  and  he  is  an  appreciative  member  of  the  District  Dental  Asso- 
ciation, the  Iowa  State  Dental  Assoi:iati(in  and  the  American  Dental  Associa- 
tion. He  also  holds  memliership  in  the  Dental  Protective  .Association  of  the 
United  States  and  the  .\lumni  .Association  i>f  Western  Cnllege.  He  is  inde- 
pendent in  his  piilitical  con\'ictinns.  and.  religiously,  gives  his  allegiance  to 
the  Catholic  church. 


AUGUST  D.  \\'OODKE. 


l-"rcini  the  (jerinan  empire  has  come  to  this  broad  land  of  the  free  the 
best  and  truest  of  its  population,  who  have  entered  into  the  life  of  their 
adopted  country  with  all  the  zest  and  ambition  of  conquest  of  the  difficulties 
presenting  themselves  in  their  pathway,  and  have  become  the  ver\'  bone  and 
sine\\'  of  man\'  communities.  In  all  de])artments  of  the  ci\ic  entirety  they 
are  to  be  found,  not  laggards,  following  the  procession  or  being  led  by 
others,  but  they  have  pushed  to  the  forefront  in  agriculture,  commerce,  the 
professions,  and  manufactures,  and  are  found  among  the  leaders  in  the  de- 
velopment and  well  being  of  any  community  in  which  they  have  located. 
Among  the  man\-  representatives  of  this  race  in  Sac  county,  who  ha\-e  done 
their  jiart  in  creating  homes  and  competencies  for  themselves  and  families, 
and  assisted  in  the  ])rogress  of  the  section  which  is  their  adopted  home,  is 
found  .\ugust  D.  W'oodke.  of  wlmm  the  historian  is  pleased  to  write  this 
review. 

.\.  1).  W'oodke  was  liorn  in  Germany,  June  26.  i8(n.  the  son  of  John 
and  Johanna  W'oodke.  The  family  emigrated  to  America  in  1866  and  set- 
tled at  Crown  Point,  Lake  county,  Indiana,  in  the  year  of  their  arrival  here. 
They  resided  on  a  farm  in  Lake  county  until  1876,  when  they  migrated  to 
Sac  county  and  became  prominently  identified  with  the  pioneer  life  of  Eden 
townshi]).  Thev  settled  in  section  31  of  Eden  township,  and  here  the  son. 
August  D.,  was  reared  to  young  manhood.  In  their  old  age  the  parents  re- 
tired to  a  life  of  well-earned  leisure  in  the  town  of  Lemars,  the  father  going 
to  his  long  rest  in  1899,  and  the  mother  following  him  to  the  great  beyond 
in  February,  1902.  They  were  the  parents  of  five  children:  William,  of 
Breckenridge.    Minnesota:    Mrs.    Bertha   Frevert.    of    Odebolt,    Iowa:    Otto 


772  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Wuodke,  Tiffin.  Iowa:  Charles,  residing  in  Le  JMars;  Herman,  in  Auslralia. 
and  -August  D. 

Mr.  Woodke  resided  on  the  home  farm  in  Sac  county  until  he  attained 
the  age  nf  twenty-six  years.  He  then  took  charge  of  his  father's  farm  and 
operated  it  on  the  share  system  until  he  purchased  it.  By  the  exercise  of 
diligence  and  rare  husiness  ability  he  soon  succeeded  in  paying  for  the  land 
and  added  substantially  to  his  possessions.  He  is  the  owner  of  two  hundred 
and  f()rty-fi\e  acres  of  finely  improved  farm  land  in  Eden  township  and  has 
another  farm  of  eighty  acres  in  Eureka  township.  In  March,  1913,  he  re- 
moved to  Schaller  and  is  interested  in  the  automobile  business,  conducted 
under  the  name  of  A.  D.  Woodke  &  Son.  This  firm  has  been  established 
since  191 1.  It  is  located  in  a  large,  commodious  room  on  the  main  street 
of  Schaller  and  they  deal  in  automobiles  and  auto  parts  and  supplies.  A 
private  repair  shop  is  also  maintained  lor  the  benefit  and  convenience  of  their 
many  patrons. 

l'"or  the  past  twenty  years  Mr.  Wooilke  has  been  engaged  in  the  produc- 
tion of  pu].i  corn,  \\hich  is  one  of  the  most  lucrati\'e  crops  of  this  locality. 
For  some  years  he  was  a  successful  grower,  but  in  1907  he  branched  out 
in  the  buying  and  shipping  of  this  grain  to  the  Eastern  markets.  By  fair 
and  honest  dealing  with  patrons  he  has  built  u|)  a  thriving  business.  He  trav- 
els in  season  over  a  large  section  of  territorv  devoted  to  the  production  of 
this  toothsome  edible.  He  buvs  from  the  farmers  in  the  vicinity  of  the  towns 
of  Galva,  Early,  Holstein,  Superior,  Estherville,  and  as  far  west  as  Nebraska 
p(jints.  During  the  year  1913  he  purchased  and  shipped  to  eastern  points 
over  sixt\'-fi\e  carloads  of  this  grain. 

It  is  recorded  of  Mr.  Woodke  that  in  his  younger  days  he  learned  the 
trade  of  plasterer  and  worked  at  his  trade  for  a  number  of  years.  This  ac- 
complishment stood  him  in  good  stead  during  his  younger  da}-s  in  Sac  county 
and  his  ojjerations  while  pl}'ing  the  trowel  extended  o\-er  considerable  terri- 
tor\-.  lie  ])lastered  houses  in  Odebolt  and  other  towns  of  the  coiuit\-  when  a 
young  man. 

Mr.  Woodke  has  always  been  allied  with  the  Republican  ])art\'.  Orig- 
inally he  was  brought  U])  in  the  Eutheran  faith,  but  joined  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  on  conung  to  America.  He  is  a  director  and  jiresident  of 
the  Eden  Township  Mutual  Telephone  Comjiauy. 

Mr.  Woodke's  wedded  life  liegan  Fel)ruar\-  10,  18S7.  when  he  espoused 
Alvina  C.  Schaefer,  daughter  of  Christ  Schaefer,  the  first  pioneer  settler  of 
Eden  tnwnshi]"),  of  whom  extended  and  favorable  notice  is  gi\-cn  in  this  vol- 
ume.     Mr.   and    Mrs.    Woodke   are   the    ])arents   of    tlie    following   children: 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  ■]-j;i, 

John  H.,  of  Schaller,  Iowa;  Edwin  A.,  in  the  automobile  business  in  Schal- 
ler;  George  C,  who  is  tilling  the  home  farm;  Paul  H..  a  student  in  Morn- 
ingside  College,  Sioux  City;  Leonard  Leslie,  in  high  school;  Albert  M..  a 
student  in  the  Schaller  high  school.  Mr.  Woodke  is  known  as  a  kind  and  in- 
dulgent parent  who  believes  in  assisting  his  children  by  means  of  a  good 
education,  the  right  kind  of  parental  guidance  and  in  other  ways  to  advance 
themselves  along  well  chosen  paths.  He  is,  among  all  of  the  Sac  countv 
citizens  whose  life  and  accomplishments  are  herein  presented,  fully  entitled 
to  this  brief  re\-iew  and  the  biographer  takes  pleasure  in  writing  this  tribute 
in  behalf  of  one  who  has  "made  good"  in  the  performance  of  his  duties  as 
an  excellent  family  head  and  a  citizen.  A  study  of  his  deeds  and  upright  and 
honorable  life  will  reveal  much  to  the  student  of  human  character  which  will 
be  of  benefit  to  one  who  is  seeking  insiiiration  for  his  guidance  in  the  battle 
for  success  and  standing  among  his  fellow  men. 


JOHN  B.  McLaughlin. 

The  biographies  of  successful  men  are  instructive  as  guides  and  in- 
centives to  those  whose  careers  are  yet  to  be  achieved.  The  examples  they 
furnish  of  patient  purpose  and  consecutive  endeavor  strongly  illustrate  what 
is  in  the  power  of  each  to  accomplish.  The  gentleman  whose  life  story  here- 
with is  briefly  set  forth  is  a  conspicuous  example  of  one  who  has  lived  to 
good  purpose  and  achieved  a  definite  degree  of  success  in  the  special  sphere 
to  which  his  talents  and  energies  have  been  devoted. 

John  B.  McLaughlin,  a  retired  farmer  of  Iowa,  was  born  January  2, 
1856,  in  Mercer  county,  Illinois.  He  was  the  son  of  Allen  Henry  and 
Lovina  J.  (Morford)  McLaughlin.  Allen  H.  McLaughlin  was  born  De- 
cember 22,  1830.  near  Greenville,  Mercer  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  died 
November  21.  1Q13,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-two  years,  ten  months  and 
twenty-nine  days.  In  the  spring  of  1S53  Allen  H.  McLaughlin  decided  he 
would  seek  a  home  in  the  West  and,  in  the  company  of  others,  started  west- 
ward, making  the  trip  by  the  long,  tedious  overland  trail.  They  first  located 
in  Jackson  county,  Iowa,  and  within  the  first  year  after  young  Allen  H. 
reached  this  county  he  was  married,  on  September  15,  1853,  to  Lovina  J. 
Morford,  of  Jackson  count}-,  Iowa.  The  next  month  they  moved  back  to 
Mercer  countv,  Illinois,  where  they  continued  to  reside  until  the  spring  of 
1877,  when  they  came  back  to  Iowa  and  located  in  Clinton  county.     In  the 


774  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

early  spring  of  1879.  Allen  H.  and  his  family  again  turned  their  faces 
towards  the  setting  sun,  and  another  overland  journey  brought  the  family  to 
Sac  county,  where  they  settled  on  a  farm  one  and  one-half  miles  southwest 
of  Schaller,  although  the  town  at  that  time  had  no  existence.  Here  they 
continued  to  reside  until  the  spring  of  1907,  when  they  retired  from  the  farm 
and  spent  the  latter  days  of  their  life  in  quiet  retirement.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Allen  H.  McLaughlin  were  the  parents  of  six  children,  only  one  of  whom  is 
deceased.  The  living  children  are:  Mrs.  J.  B.  Harris,  John  B.,  Henrv  A., 
Francis  M.  McLauglilin  and  Ben  H.  Allen  H.  McLaughlin  and  wife  were 
married  more  than  sixty  years,  and  it  is  remarkable  that  in  this  three  score 
years  of  their  married  life  his  was  the  third  death  in  'all  of  the  McLaughlin 
family,  out  of  six  children,  twenty-five  grandchildren  and  thirteen  great- 
grandchildren. 

John  B.  McLaughlin  came  with  his  parents  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  in 
1879,  when  he  was  twenty-three  years  of  age.  His  father  had  traded  his 
Clinton  county,  Iowa,  farm  for  a  section  of  land  in  Eureka  township  and  J. 
B.  McLaughlin  settled  on  a  part  of  this,  his  father  giving  him  eighty  acres. 
Later  he  bought  another  eighty  adjoining,  built  a  home  and  resided  on  this 
farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  until  the  spring  of  19 10,  when  he  moved 
to  Schaller  and  retired  from  active  farming.  After  buying  his  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres,  he  added  more  land  until  he  now  has  two  hundred  and  fifteen 
acres  in  Sac  county,  besides  a  fine  residence  in'  Schaller  near  the  park. 

Mr.  McLaughlin  was  married  in  1876,  in  Mercer  county,  Illinois,  to 
Mary  L.  Smith,  who  was  born  in  that  county  in  1857.  To  this  marriage 
seven  children  were  born,  six  of  whom  are  living:  William  Locke,  who  is 
on  the  home  farm,  married  and  has  two  children,  Lucille  and  Jeanette :  John 
Herman,  deceased:  Henry  Allen,  who  lives  near  Dennison,  Iowa:  Joseph 
Marian,  a  farmer  living  north  of  Schaller,  is  married  and  has  three  children, 
Charles,  Ruby  and  Irvin;  Willard  F.,  operating  a  furniture  and  undertaking 
establishment  in  Schaller,  Iowa,  and  the  father  of  one  child.  Florence  Mary, 
an  infant;  ]\Irs.  Etta  McOuigg,  living  on  a  farm  southwest  of  Schaller,  has 
one  daughter,  Lenora ;  Mrs.  Nina  Woodke,  whose  husband  is  a  farmer  in 
Edin  township,  is  the  mother  of  one  son,  George  Willard,  an  infant. 

Mr.  McLaughlin  is  an  adherent  of  the  Republican  pari\-  and,  although 
he  is  interested  in  the  general  principles  of  his  party,  he  has  never  taken  an 
active  interest  in  its  deliberations.  Religiously,  he,  as  well  as  the  other 
members  of  his  family,  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and 
gives  to  it  his  earnest  support.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient 
Order  of  United  Workmen  and  takes  an  intelligent  interest  in  the  work  of 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  775 

that  order.  I\Ir.  McLaughlin  has  lived  a  life  which  has  been  characterized 
by  energy,  industry  and  a  high  sense  of  honor.  Since  he  believes  in  doing 
well  what  he  has  to  do,  all  who  know  him  speak  of  him  as  a  prompt,  free- 
spoken  man,  who  has  been  wide  awake  in  business,  shrewd  in  dealings,  but 
honest  and  straightforward  in  all  matters.  He  is  a  man  of  pleasing  per- 
sonality who  has  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  accjuaintances  in  the  com- 
munity where  he  has  spent  so  many  years. 


OZRO  J.  KRAMER. 

Ef^ciency  in  public  service  is  demanded  of  the  official  incumbent  in  these 
days  of  rigid  exactitude  in  the  performance  of  all  obligations  to  the  public 
in  general.  When  an  official  can  combine  thoroughness  and  aptitude  in  the 
discharge  of  the  daily  routine  engendered  by  the  incumbency  of  a  govern- 
ment position,  with  a  genial  and  obliging  disposition,  he  is  a  valued  and 
popular  public  servant  and  is  given  the  esteem  and  commendation  of  the 
patrons  of  his  department  of  the  government  service.  Ozro  J.  Kramer, 
the  efficient  and  obliging  postmaster  of  the  town  of  Schaller,  while  young 
in  years,  is  endowed  with  a  well  developed  turn  of  mind  which  enables  him  to 
perform  the  duties  of  his  office  with  satisfaction  to  all  concerned. 

Mr.  Kramer  was  born  August  21,  1887,  in  Platteville,  Wisconsin,  the  son 
of  William  A.  and  Dora  (Jackson)  Kramer,  natives  of  Wisconsin  and  Indi- 
ana respectivelv.  William  -\.  Kramer  followed  the  trade  of  barber  and  re- 
moved from  Platteville  to  Schaller  with  his  family  in  1901,  conducting  a 
barbering  establishment  there  until  his  death  in  1903.  He  was  the  father  of 
three  children:  Mrs.  Rosa  Rigge,  of  Appleton.  Minnesota;  Leona,  who  is 
assistant  postmistress,  and  Ozro. 

Ozro  Kramer  was  graduated  from  the  Schaller  high  school  in  1906. 
Later,  he  entered  Buena  Vista  College,  Storm  Lake,  Iowa,  and  graduated 
from  the  commercial  department  in  1908.  In  June  of  the  same  year  he 
became  assistant  postmaster  of  Schaller  and  was  appointed  to  take  full 
charge  of  the  office  in  May,  191 2.  This  office  is  now  a  third-class  office  and 
maintains  three  rural  routes  for  the  convenience  of  the  patrons  in  the  farm- 
ing section  surrounding  the  town. 

Mr.  Kramer  is  a  Republican  in  politics.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church  and  is  affiliated  with  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted 
Alasons  and  the  Modern   \\"(iodmen.     He  is  unmarried  and  makes  liis  resi- 


^^(i  sac    county,    IOWA. 

dence  with  his  mother  and  sister.  He  is  a  young  man  of  exemplary  habits, 
clean  cut,  honest,  thorough  in  liis  discharge  of  his  obHgations  to  the  pubhc, 
and  is  destined  to  make  his  way  in  the  world  on  the  rising  path  of  upward 
progress. 


GL'ST  HAMMERSTROM. 

To  a  great  extent  the  gratifying  degree  of  prosperity  which  reflects 
from  the  broad  and  smiling  acres  of  Sac  county,  Iowa,  is  due  to  the  honest 
industry,  the  sturdy  persistence,  the  unswerving  perseverance  and  the  wise 
economy  which  characterize  that  portion  of  the  farming  element  of  this  countv 
which  traces  its  origin  to  the  land  of  Sweden,  across  the  seas.  Among  the 
natives  of  that  land  who  ha\"e  won  a  pleasing  measure  of  success  for  them- 
selves and  at  the  same  time  conferred  honor  and  dignity  upon  their  chosen 
locality  by  their  commendable  course  in  life,  may  be  mentioned  the  subject  of 
this  sketch. 

Gust  Hammerstrom,  residing  on  his  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
in  section  IQ,  of  Wheeler  township.  Sac  county,  Iowa,  has  made  something  of 
a  name  for  himself  as  a  breeder  of  live  stock.  He  favors  the  Shorthorn  breed 
and  keeps  on  hand  twelve  animals  of  this  pure  strain,  having  at  the  present 
time  about  fifty  head  altogether.  He  also  has  about  seventy-five  hogs  and 
makes  a  specialty  of  the  Chester  White  strain,  supplying  the  demands  of  the 
breeders  in  Sac.  Crawford  and  Ida  counties. 

Mr.  Hammerstrom  was  born  in  Sweden  on  January  20.  1869,  being  a  son 
of  John  and  Anna  Hammerstrom,  botii  of  whom  died  in  their  native  countn-. 
The  elder  Hammerstrom  was  a  farmer  in  that  country,  and  Gust  was,  there- 
fore, reared  on  a  farm,  coming  to  America  in  1889,  when  twenty  years  of  age. 
He  located  first  in  Minneapolis,  where  he  remained  only  for  a  short  time  and 
then  came  to  Wall  Lake  and  thence  to  the  southwestern  portion  of  Sac  county. 
Here  he  engaged  in  farm  work  for  some  time,  and  in  1892  went  to  Denver, 
Colorado,  where  he  secured  employment  with  the  street  railway  company  of 
that  city.  He  remained  there  for  two  years,  returning  to  this  county,  where, 
for  six  years,  he  rented  farming  lands.  About  the  year  1900  he  saw  his  way 
clear  to  make  an  investment  in  land  for  himself  and  purchased  a  tract  con- 
taining eighty  acres,  lying  across  the  line  in  Ida  county,  for  which  he, paid  fifty 
dollars  per  acre.  This  he  sold  in  the  spring  of  1909  at  one  hundred  and  forty 
dollars  per  acre,  when  he  purchased  his  present  farm,  for  which  he  paid  one 
hundred  and  thirty-five  dollars  per  acre.     Since  obtaining  possession  of  this 


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SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  y-J-J 

land  he  has  greatly  improved  it  and  today  it  stands  worth  mucli  more  than 
the  amount  at  which  he  obtained  it.  For  a  time  he  and  his  Ijrother,  August, 
owned  a  farm  of  one  Iiundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Union  county,  South  Dakota, 
but  after  retaining  it  for  about  three  years  they  disposed  of  it  to  advantage. 

On  December  it,  1891,  Mr.  Hammerstrom  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Emma  Linquist,  born  in  Sweden,  the  daughter  of  Jonas  Anderson  and  Caro- 
line Larson,  who  came  to  America  in  the  fall  of  18S8  and  located  in  Ida 
county.  To  their  union  have  been  born  five  sons  and  one  daughter.  Roy,  the 
eldest,  is  a  student  at  the  Ames  .\gricultural  College  and  has  studied  at  the 
Sac  Cit}'  Institute,  having  also  completed  courses  at  the  Buena  Vista  College. 
The  other  members  of  the  family,  namely:  Ralph,  a  student  in  the  Dennison 
University,  Russell,  Howard.  Wesley  and  Garnett  remain  under  the  parental 
roof.  Mr.  Hammerstrom  is  a  man  who  keeps  himself  fully  informed  on  cur- 
rent events,  and  at  the  birtl:  of  the  Progressive  party  he  endorsed  the  platform 
laid  down  by  its  leaders.  His  religious  affiliation  is  with  the  Swedish  Baptist 
church  at  Arthvu",  and  he  is  considered  one  of  the  best  members  of  that  society. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  touch  fully  upon  the  struggles  of  the  earlier 
years  Gust  Hammerstrom  passed  in  this  country  and  the  many  hardships  he 
endured  in  order  to  get  a  start,  but  his  later  successes  have  justified  whatever 
sacrifices  he  may  have  made  at  the  beginning.  He  is  a  man  of  sterling  quali- 
ties of  character,  even-tempered,  patient  and  scrupulously  honest  in  all  the  rela- 
tions of  life,  hospitable  and  charitable,  and  he  has  gained  the  approval  and 
high  esteem  of  his  fellow  citizens  because  of  his  upright  life. 


FRANK  H.  McCRAY,  M.  D. 

Sac  county.  Iowa,  has  reason  to  take  pride  in  the  personnel  of  her  corps 
of  medical  men  from  the  earliest  days  in  her  history  to  the  present  time,  and 
on  the  roll  of  honored  names  that  indicates  the  services  of  distinguished 
citizens  in  this  field  of  endeavor  there  is  reason  in  reverting  with  gratification 
to  that  of  Dr.  Frank  H.  McCray,  of  Schaller,  who  has  attained  eminence 
in  his  chosen  calling  and  for  a  number  of  years  has  stood  among  the  scholarly 
and  enterprising  physicians  in  a  community  long  distinguished  for  the  high 
order  of  its  medical  talent.  He  realized  early  that  there  is  a  purpose  in  life 
and  that  there  is  no  honor  not  founded  on  worth  and  no  respect  not  founded 
on  accomplishment.  His  life  and  labors  have  been  eminently  worthy,  be- 
cause they  have  contributed  to  a  proper  understanding  of  life  and  its 
problems. 


778  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Dr.  Frank  H.  McCray,  of  Schaller,  Iowa,  was  born  November  30,  1866, 
in  Henry  county,  this  state,  the  son  of  Francis  and  Esther  (Van  Vost)  Mc- 
Cray. Francis  McCray  was  born  in  Warren  county.  Ohio,  in  181 5,  and  his 
wife  was  a  native  of  Indiana.  Her  mother's  maiden  name  was  Carroll,  her 
grandfather  being  a  Revolutionary  soldier.  In  1844  Francis  JMcCrav  and 
family  came  to  Iowa,  settling  in  Henry  county,  and  were  among  the  pioneer 
families  in  that  county.  As  a  youth  Francis  McCray  taught  school  in 
Mississippi,  and  as  a  result  of  his  interest  in  education  he  ga\e  all  of  his 
children  a  good,  practical  educational  training  himself.  Francis  McCray 
and  wife  reared  a  family  of  seven  children:  Albert,  deceased:  Orlando,  of 
Great  Falls.  Montana ;  Mrs.  Sarah  Phoneta.  deceased,  who  left  two  sons, 
Carl  and  Earl,  and  a  daughter.  Lulu;  John  N.  is  now  living  on  the  old  home- 
stead place  in  Henry  county,  Iowa ;  Mrs.  Mary  Hart,  whose  husband  is  a 
professor  in  Amherst  College.  Massachusetts,  and  she  herself  was  a  former 
teacher  in  the  State  Normal  School  of  Iowa ;  Martha,  deceased  at  the  age  of 
seventeen  years;  Joseph  G..  of  Trenton.  Iowa,  and  Dr.  Frank  H.  The 
mother  of  Doctor  McCray  was  born  on  November  25.    1832.  and   died   in 

1905- 

Doctor  McCray  was  educated  in  the  high  school  at  Trenton,  Iowa,  and 
then  took  a  course  in  the  college  at  Sioux  City  and  Elliot's  Business  College, 
Burlington,  Iowa.  He  then  entered  the  Northwestern  ^Medical  College, 
Morningside.  Sioux  City,  and  took  the  three  years'  course  offered  by  that 
institution,  at  the  same  time  being  interne  at  Samaritan  Hospital.  Upon  his 
graduation  April  i,  1896.  he  immediately  began  the  acti\e  practice  of  medi- 
cine in  Sioux  City,  and  continued  in  the  practice  there  for  one  year,  at  the 
end  of  which  time  he  came  to  Schaller  and  has  been  in  continuous  practice 
here  since  April,  1897.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Sac  County,  Iowa  State  and 
American  Medical  Associations  and  has  been  secretary  of  the  Sac  County 
Medical  Society  for  the  past  four  years.  He  takes. a  great  deal  of  interest  in 
all  of  the  associations  which  have  to  do  with  his  profession  and  keeps  well 
informed  upon  all  the  latest  developments  in  medical  science.  He  has  a 
large  and  lucrative  practice  and  a  full  share  of  the  business  of  his  community. 

Doctor  McCray  was  married  in  1896  to  Elizabeth  Nicholson,  who  was 
formerly  a  nurse  in  the  hospital  at  Sioux  City.  She  is  the  daughter  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Alexander  Nicholson,  of  Holstein,  and  was  born  in  Scotland.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  McCray  are  the  parents  of  one  son.  Francis  F..  who  was  born 
October  12,  1899. 

Doctor  McCray  is  a  Republican  in  politics  and  has  served  on  the  city 
council  for  the  past  six  years.     He  and  his  wife  arc  loyal  and  consistent 


SAC   COUNTY.    IOWA. 


779 


members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  give  to  it  their  zealous  sup- 
port at  all  times.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and  Ac- 
cepted Masons  and  was  master  of  the  local  lodge  for  three  years.  He  is  also 
a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  In  addition  to  his  credit- 
able career  as  a  member  of  the  most  useful  and'exacting  of  professions,  he  has 
also  proved  an  honorable  member  of  the  body  politic  and  has  gradually  risen 
in  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  the  ])ul)lic  nf  this  communit\-  since  Ijecomint^' a 
resident. 


GEORGE  W.  JOHNSON. 

The  life  of  a  veteran  pioneer  is  full  of  interesting  details  which  are  not 
usuallv  (liscernil)le  in  the  writings  concerning  the  comm<jnplace  and  mediocre. 
The  story  of  the  settlement  of  Sac  county  and  western  Iowa  will  alwavs  have 
a  fascinating  effect  upon  the  discriminating  reader.  What  at  one  time  was 
ignorantly  referred  to  as  the  Great  American  Desert  has  l)een  transfijrmed 
into  a  garden  of  luxuriant  fertility  unsurpassed  in  the  American  continent. 
Many  of  the  early  pioneer  settlers  were  Union  veterans,  who.  becoming 
restless  with  the  environments  of  their  earlier  homes,  moved  westward  with 
the  tide  of  empire  and  became  important  fixtures  in  stable  conditions  which 
later  followed  the  redemption  of  a  wilderness  and  its  subsequent  transforma- 
tion. One  of  these  who  has  lived  a  useful  and  honorable  life  and  is  still  en- 
joying the  power  of  enjoyment  and  possessing  a  keen  zest  for  all  that  is  good 
and  desirable  in  living  is  George  W.  Johnson,  of  Schaller.  Iowa. 

Mr.  Johnson  was  born  September  lo,  1836,  on  a  farm  in  b'ranklin 
county,  Ohio.  His  father  was  William  Johnson,  a  native  of  New  York,  and 
who  (bed  in  July,  1890,  at  the  great  age  of  one  hundred  anil  one  years.  His 
mother  was  Mahala  Thomas,  whose  nativity  was  in  the  state  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. She  lived  to  the  age  of  ninety-four  years,  dying  in  March.  1893.  I" 
the  \ear  1838  William  Johnson  migrated  to  Belmont.  Grant  county,  Wiscon- 
sin, and  erected  the  first  territorial  ca])itol  Imilding  for  Wisconsin  in  the 
town  of  Belmont.  He  then  traveled  to  what  is  now  Sauk  county,  Wiscon- 
sin, across  the  Wisconsin  river,  and  settled  upon  an  immense  prairie  farm. 
Habitations  were  few  and  far  between  in  the  earl}-  days,  but  William  John- 
son was  a  pioneer  by  virtue  of  his  upbringing  and  ancestry  and  he  had  a 
broad  and  favorable  outlook  of  what  the  future  would  eventually  bring  to 
him  and  his.  Thev,  the  father  and  sons,  cultivated  an  entire  section  of  land 
in  Sauk  countw  ami   in  time  built  a  l)eautiful  and  sulistantial   home   in   the 


jSo  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

midst  of  the  estate.  William  became  very  wealthy  and  was  one  of  the  innu- 
ential  and  commanding  figures  of  his  part  of  Wisconsin.  He  and  his  eight 
stalwart  sons  tilled  their  land  with  oxen,  as  horses  were  not  plentiful  in 
those  days  and  the  ox  was  the  best  beast  of  burden  on  many  pioneer  farms. 
He  was  the  father  of  the  following  children:  John:  Benjamin:  Roswell,  de- 
ceased; George  W. :  ThMiiias,  deceased;  William  and  Joseph,  of  Baraboo, 
Wisconsin ;  Janies,  a  resident  of  Rice  Lake,  Wisconsin.  George  W.  was  a 
member  of  the  Twenty-third  Indiana  Regiment;  Benjamin  was  a  member 
of  the  Third  Regiment  of  Union  \'olunteers ;  William  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Eleventh  Wisconsin  Regiment,  and  Joseph  enlisted  in  the  Forty-seventh 
Wisconsin  Infantry  Regiment. 

George  W.  Johnson  enlisted  August  13,  1862,  in  Company  K,  Twenty- 
ihird  Wisconsin  \'olunteer  Infantry,  and  served  for  two  years  and  eleven 
months,  or  until  the  close  of  the  conflict.  He  participated  in  sixteen  im- 
portant engagements,  among  them  iieing  the  great  battle  of  Vicksburg,  Sa- 
bine Cross  Roads,  Carrion  Crow  Bayou,  Jackson,  Mississippi,  Jackson,  Louis- 
iana. b^)rt  Blakelv  and  the  liattle  of  Mobile  Bay.  It  can  be  truthfully  said 
cif  him  that  he  was  a  faithful  and  willing  soldier  whu  uncomplainingly  bore 
the  hardships  of  the  soldier's  life  and  was  ever  ready  to  take  his  place  in  the 
fighting  ranks  of  the  army. 

In  September,  1865,  Mr.  Johnson  came  to  Iowa  and  located  on  a  farm 
near  Grinnell.  Poweshiek  county,  where  he  resided  until  1877.  He  then  mi- 
grated to  Sac  county  and  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in 
section  23,  Cook  township,  for  a  consideration  of  one  thousand  seven  hun- 
dred dollars.  He  later  invested  in  eighty  acres  in  section  25,  just  over  the 
line  in  Boyer  Valle\'  townshi]).  paving  fourteen  dollars  and  fifty  cents  for  his 
second  investment.  In  the  fall  of  1892  he  disposed  of  his  land  holdings  at 
forty-five  dollars  per  acre  and  moved  to  Alta  in  the  spring  of  1893,  '^"^  one 
year  later  he  removed  to  Schaller  and  has  here  made  his  home.  Mr.  John- 
son's wealth  is  wisely  and  safely  invested  in  desirable  residence  properties 
located  in  Schaller  and  Storm  Lake,  which  yield  him  a  good  income  from 
rentals.  He  devotes  much  of  his  tiine  to  personal  supervision  of  his  prop- 
erties and  to  keeping  them  in  good  repair.  He  and  his  faithful  wife  have 
traveled  extensively  of  late  years  and  enjoy  their  winters  in  California  and 
Florida  each  season. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnson  are  both  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 
Mr.  Johnson  is  a  Progressive  Republican,  and  is  a  member  of  Price  Post 
No.  392,  Grand  .\rmy  of  the  Republic,  and  is  fraternally  connected  with  the 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  781 

Ancient  i^'rcc  and  Accepted  Masons  and  liastern  Star,  nf  the  latter  ol  wli.cli 
Airs.  Johnson  is  an  active  memlier. 

Mr.  Johnson  was  married  March  20,  1861,  to  Mary  L.  Baldwin,  a 
daughter  of  Philander  and  Charlotte  Baldwin,  natives  of  New  York,  and 
who  migrated  to  Wisconsin  in  1836  and  became  pioneer  settlers  of  that  great 
commonwealth.  This  worthy  and  progressive  couple  are  the  parents  of  the 
following  children;  George,  a  prominent  citizen  of  Siou.x  City,  who  served 
as  chief  government  inspector  of  the  Sioux  City  stock  yards  for  over  si.xteen 
years  and  who  is  now  engaged  in  the  cereal  manufacturing  business;  Mrs. 
Myrtilla  A.  Satchell,  of  Schaller,  Iowa;  Orville  C,  who  died  in  June,  1903, 
at  the  age  of  twentv-eight  years.  He  was  the  father  of  one  child,  Orville  C, 
who  was  born  four  months  after  his  father's  death.  This  son  followed  the 
illustrious  example  of  his  father  and  enlisted  as  a  soldier  in  the  Union  army 
for  services  in  the  Spanish-American  War.  His  lamented  death  was  caused 
l)y  his  contraction  of  typhoid  fever  on  the  eve  of  his  embarkation  for  service 
in  the  Philippines  and  which  weakened  his  health  to  such  an  extent  that  he 
never  reccwered. 

In  the  plenteous  and  even  serenity  of  enjoyment  of  their  declining  years, 
secure  and  peaceful  in  the  knowledge  that  they  have  lived  a  useful  and  hon- 
orable life,  we  leave  this  grand  old  veteran  pioneer  and  his  faithful  wife  to 
live  many,  manv  years  more  in  the  esteem  of  their  fellow  citizens.  This 
tribute  is  given  with  the  hope  that  a  perusal  of  this  review  will  be  an  inspira- 
tion to  the  reader. 


HERMAN  HAHNE. 


This  land  of  ours  owes  a  debt  of  gratitude  to  the  stalwart  and  hardy 
luu-opean  races  whose  sons  have  come  in  large  numbers,  especially  during  the 
past  half  centur)',  where  there  was  a  cr\ing  need  of  fearless  men  to  assist 
in  the  work  of  winning  and  developing  the  Western  states  from  their  primi- 
tive wildness.  The  people  of  Germany  iiave  formed  a  large  contingent  and 
have  ever  been  most  welcome  owing  to  their  willingness  to  give  their  best  ef- 
forts to  this  work,  being,  almost  without  exception,  industrious  and  law- 
abiding,  willing  to  upbuild  and  support  our  institutions  and,  while  holding 
in  grateful  remembrance  the  native  land,  yet  at  the  same  time  cherishing  the 
Stars  and  Stripes.  In  their  ranks  were  numbered  Herman  Hahne,  one  of 
Schaller's  best  known  business  men  and  one  of  Sac  county's  highly  respected 
citizens. 


j%2  SAC   COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Herman  Hahne,  a  retired  farmer  of  Schaller,  Sac  county,  Iowa,  was 
born  October  19,  1855,  in  Sheboygan  county,  Wisconsin.  His  parents  were 
Frederick  and  Sophia  (Dohnieier)  Hahne.  who  were  born,  reared  and  mar- 
ried in  Germany.  Shortly  after  their  marriage  they  came  to  America  and 
settled  in  Sheboygan  county  in  1848.  In  1863  the  Hahne  family  moved  to 
Allamakee  countv,  low  a.  and  ten  years  later  settled  in  Sac  county  on  section 
17  in  Eden  township.  They  were  among  the  first  settlers  of  the  township, 
and  lived  here  until  their  death,  Frederick  dying  in  1890  and  his  wife  in 
1882.  Ele^•en  children  were  born  to  Frederick  and  Sophia  Hahne,  of  whom 
two  died  in  infancy.  The  other  nine  are:  Frederick  H.,  deceased;  Simon 
C.  deceased;  :\lrs.  Sophia  Schorer,  of  California;  Henry  J.,  of  Storm  Lake, 
Iowa;  Herman;  Mrs.  Mina  Luhman,  of  Schaller;  August,  a  farmer  of 
Eureka  township,  this  county;  Mary,  deceased,  and  William,  who  is  now 
farming  the  old  home  place. 

Herman  Hahne  was  seventeen  years  of  age  when  his  parents  came  to 
Sac  countv.     He  received  a  good  common  school  education   and  remained 
with  his  father  on  the  farm  until  he  was  twenty-three  years  of  age.     He  then 
moved  to  the  farm  which  he  now  owns,  being  the  southwest  comer  of  sec- 
tion 6  and  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  7.     Part  of  this  first  farm  was 
gi\en  him  hx  his  father,  being  swamp  land  which  he  had  Ijought  for  two 
dollars  and  a  half  an  acre.    Herman  put  up  a  shack  on  the  farm  and  "bached" 
for  three  years,  residing  on  the  farm  until  the  fall  of  1882,  and  then  lived 
with  his  brother  Fred  in  Schaller  until  the  spring  of  1886.     He  then  moved 
to  Kansas  and  ranched  for  four  years,  returning  to  Schaller  in   1890.     He 
went  out  to  Kansas  during  its  Iwom  days,  but  after  some  experiences  in  that 
state  he  decided  that  Iowa  was  a  better  state,  so  he  returned  to  his  farm  of 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Eureka  township  and  cultivated  it  untd  1902. 
He  then  lived  in  Schaller  for  a  cou])Ie  of  years  where  he  engaged  in  the  stock 
business,   then   spent    fourteen   months   in   Cidifornia,   two  years  at   Beatrice, 
Nebraska,  six  vears   in   Lincoln,   Nebraska,   while  his  son,  Ernest  Herman, 
was  in  the  State  University.     He  then  returned  to  Schaller.  where  he  is  now 
living.     -\t  the  present  time  he  owns  two  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Sac 
count)-,   two   hundred   and    forty  acres   in   Osceola   and   three   hundred   and 
twent}-  acres  in  Jefferson  county,  Nebraska. 

Mr.  Hahne  was  married  March  4.  1889.  to  \irgie  Kitchen,  of  Russell 
county,  Kansas.  She  died  March  27,  u)i2,  at  the  age  of  forty-eight,  leav- 
ing one  son,  Ernest  Herman,  who  was  born  October  20,  i8go.  Ernest  H. 
Hahne  graduated  from  the  Universitx    of  Nebraska  in  the  law  department 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  783 

and  is  now,  1914,  a  student  in  Harvard  University  at  Camliridge,  Massachu- 
setts. In  his  poHtics,  Mr.  Hahne  is  an  Independent  Repul)Hcan.  He  is  a 
nienilier  nf  the  Presljvterian  cliurch. 


ROSS  MAYH.\LL. 


Gi.iihI  newspaper  men,  like  poets,  are  Ijorn.  not  niaile.  Tlie  complex 
•duties  of  a  newspaper  man  re(|uire  the  utmost  in  energy,  courage  and  judg- 
ment, as  well  as  that  indetinaljle  quality  we  call  tact.  .\  journalist  has  many 
oppnrtunities  denied  those  in  other  walks  of  life.  His  relation  to  the  com- 
munity is  peculiarly  one  of  responsibility.  His  profession  makes  him  a  pub- 
lic man,  in  a  sense,  and  his  opinion  upon  current  topics  becomes  ofttimes  of 
paramount  importance  to  his  community.  A  chronicler  of  events,  a  dis- 
penser (if  news,  he  is  also  the  greatest  single  factor  in  moulding  public 
opinion. 

(  )ne  of  the  enterprising  }-oung  journalists  of  western  Iowa  whose  heart 
and  brain  and  \ersatile  pen  are  readily  enlisted  in  behalf  of  every  worthy 
cause  of  the  connnunity.  is  Ross  Mayhall,  editor  and  publisher  of  the  Sac 
Ci'iinty  Riillctiii.  of  Sac  City,  Iowa.  'Sir.  Mayhall  is  a  nati\-e  of  Missouri. 
having  been  born  at  Xew  London,  Ralls  county,  that  state,  on  November  8, 
1875.  H^  '*  the  son  of  W.  S.  and  Sarah  Jane  (Ross)  Mayhall,  natives,  re- 
spectivelv,  of  New  London,  Missouri,  and  Ohio,  Illinois. 

\\'.  S.  Maxhall  removed  to  Illinois  in  1872,  where  he  lived  three  vears. 
and  then  returned  to  New  London,  Missouri,  where  he  remained  one  \'ear, 
after  which  he  located  on  a  farm  near  Ohi(.i,  Illinois,  where  the  family  made 
their  home  until  1895.  Removing  then  to  Walnut.  Illinois,  W.  S.  Mayhall 
there  conducted  the  Walnut  Motor.  Disposing  of  this,  he  originated  the 
J\Iail  and  Express,  which  he  also  later  disposed  of,  and  in  IQ04  he  removed 
to  Tamarack,  Minnesota,  where  he  now  resides. 

Ross  Mavhall  was  educated  in  the  public  school  near  Walnut,  Illinois. 
and  the  Walnut  high  school  and  at  Eureka  College,  pursuing  special  work 
and  taking  a  commercial  course.  .After  completing  his  schooling  he  worked 
for  one  \ear  in  the  ofifice  of  the  .1/(7;'/  and  Express.  He  then  accepted  em- 
plo\-ment  as  a  clerk  in  the  Chicago  p(istoffice,  where  he  was  employed  for  a 
period  of  seven  }'ear,s.  In  1907  he  purchased  the  Sac  County  Democrat,  and 
in  1910  he  changed  the  name  of  the  paper  to  the  Bulletin. 

Mr.   Mayhall  was  married   in  June,   190.S.  to  Anna  Throne,  of  DePue, 


784  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Illinois,  and  to  them  two  children  have  lieen  Ixirn.     One  ciiikl  died  in  in- 
fancy, and  J.  Ogden  ^-layhall  was  born  in  July,   1906. 

Mr.  Mayhall  is  a  memlier  of  the  Christian  church,  and  holds  membership 
with  the  Modern  Woodmen  and  the  Mystic  Workers.  Politically,  he  is  a 
progressive  Democrat.  Thrc.nigh  the  Bulletin  he  expresses  his  views  in  an 
able  and  fearless  manner  and  champions  all  things  for  the  betterment  of 
his  commnnitv. 


ANDREW  E.  JOHNSON. 

Andrew  E.  Johnson,  proprietor  of  the  Forest  Hill  stock  farm,  located  in 
section  19  of  Wheeler  township.  Sac  county,  Iowa,  is  one  of  the  most  widely 
known  farmers  of  the  county,  having  resided  in  the  one  township  for  almost 
forty  years.  He  is  one  of  the  more  prominent  members  of  the  Swedish 
colony  and,  like  many  others,  has  reached  his  present  station  through  his  own 
efforts.  His  large,  attractive  residence  is  thoroughly  modern  in  every  respect 
and  is  most  beautifully  situated,  being  placed  on  a  beautiful  hill  and  sur- 
rounded by  trees,  mostly  evergreens,  which  have  been  artistically  grouped 
and  arranged  by  the  proprietor,  some  of  these  trees  having  been  lirought  o\t\- 
from  his  native  country.  In  addition  to  the  material  attractiveness  of  this 
home,  it  breathes  an  air  of  genuine  hospitality  which  is  extended  to  friend  and 
casual  stranger  alike. 

Mr.  Johnson  was  born  in  Sweden  on  August  12,  1846,  being  a  son  of 
John  Engleson  and  his  wife  Essina.  The  father  died  in  the  home  country 
and  the  mother  emigrated  to  America  with  the  children,  locating  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, where  she  died.  The  subject  still  has  two  sisters  residing  in  that  state. 
It  was  in  1871  that  Mr.  Johnson  came  to  America,  landing  at  the  port  of  New 
York  with  but  thirty-five  cents  in  his  pocket,  representing  the  full  amount 
of  his  worldly  goods,  but  he  had  other  assets  upon  which  no  monetary  estimate 
can  be  placed,  attributes  of  character  and  marked  cliaracteristics  which  have 
enabled  him,  alone  and  unaided,  to  attain  his  present  enviable  ])osition.  His 
first  work  in  this  coimtry  was  obtained  at  Smithville,  New  Jersey,  where  he 
stayed  for  a  few  months,  later  working  several  months  in  Franklin,  the  same 
state.  Then  he  was  in  New  York  state  for  a  short  time  and  then  went  to 
Canada,  where  for  a  time  he  worked  not  far  from  the  town  of  Niagara  Falls. 
It  was  in  1874  that  he  first  came  to  tb.is  state  and,  in  company  with  Henrv 
Hanson  (an  account  of  whose  career  will  be  found  elsewhere  in  this  volume), 
he  purchased  a  tract  of  land  containing  three  hundred  an<l  twenty  acres.     This 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  785 

they  owned  and  operated  in  partnership  for  four  years,  when  they  separated, 
the  subject  taking-  the  northeast  quarter  of  section  19  and  Mr.  Hanson  taking 
the  balance.  For  tliis  land  they  had  ]3aid  six  dollars  and  sixty  cents  per  acre. 
Mr.  Johnson  continued  to  work  for  others,  and  in  1878  moved  on  the  land 
which  has  since  been  his  home.  His  first  residence  was  a  small  house  with  a 
floor  space  of  fourteen  by  twenty-two  feet,  which  he  later  enlarged  as  he 
prospered,  and  this  a  few  years  since  was  superseded  by  the  handsome  home 
the  family  now  occupies.  This  home  farm  consists  of  four  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  and  running  through  it  is  a  fine  stream  of  water,  a  most  co\'eted  object, 
especially  where  much  live  stock  is  raised.  Mr.  Johnson  raises  for  the  market 
about  fifty  head  of  Aberdeen-Angus  cattle  annually  and  one  hundred  or  more 
hogs.  To  assist  m  the  work  of  the  farm  he  keeps  eighteen  head  of  fine 
Percheron  horses,  and  for  the  proper  housing  of  his  live  stock  he  has  three 
large  buildings,  with  all  possible  equipment,  as  well  as  numerous  other  farm 
buildings.  Mr.  Johnson  approves  modern  methods  of  agriculture  and  this, 
together  with  the  excellent  management  he  displays,  results  in  unifomih-  fine 
crops.  In  addition  to  the  acreage  of  the  home  farm,  he  also  owns  two  hundred 
acres  in  section  20  of  Wheeler  township,  on  which  his  son  Emil  resides,  which 
brings  his  total  possessions  in  land  up  to  six  liundred  and  sixtv  acres. 

In  October  of  rSSo  Mr.  Johnson  was  united  in  marriage  with  .\ugusta 
Lundberg,  also  a  native  of  Sweden,  born  April  14,  t86i,  and  to  their  union 
have  been  born  twelve  children,  out  of  which  family  two  daughters,  Josephine 
and  Lillian,  are  deceased,  the  latter  dying  May  29,  1914,  at  the  age  of  twentv- 
nine  years.  Emil  is  married  and  resides  on  the  farm  in  section  20,  as  above 
stated;  Seth  is  also  married  and  is  engaged  in  farming  in  Wheeler  township. 
The  rest  of  the  family  are  still  at  home,  namely :  Elmer,  A-Iabel,  Esther, 
Henry,  Enoch,  Minnie,  Evaline  and  Joseph.  There  is  one  grandchild,  An- 
drew, the  son  of  Emil.  T\Ir.  Johnson  is  a  man  of  marked  domestic  traits  and 
finds  in  his  home  and  family  his  truest  enjoyment.  To  the  rearing  of  his 
family  he  gives  the  most  careful  and  earnest  consideration,  greatly  desiring  to 
fit  both  sons  and  daughters  for  useful  lives  as  they  pass  from  under  his 
guidance  to  assume  their  indixidual  ])laces  in  the  world. 

Upon  becoming  a  citizen  of  this  great  republic,  Mr.  Johnson  found  the 
principles  laid  down  by  tiie  Republican  party  most  closely  approaching  his 
ideals,  and  for  many  years  was  a  stanch  supporter  of  that  party,  but  of  late 
he  has  been  disposed  to  favor  the  more  progressive  attitude.  He  has  ever 
taken  an  active  interest  in  politics  as  related  to  his  community,  and  for  thirteen 
vears  served  as  a  school  director.     His  religious  aftiliations  are  with  the  Rap- 

(49) 


786  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

tist  church,  of  wliich  he  is  an  active  and  consistent  memher.  Throughout  the 
years  of  his  residence  here,  Mr.  Johnson  has  proven  liimself  to  be  of  the 
highest  type  of  manhood,  trustworthy  and  high-minded  in  every  respect.  His 
accomphshments  and  the  high  regard  in  which  he  is  lield  by  all,  prove  beyond 
any  c|uestion  his  true  qualities,  and  throughout  his  community  his  influence 
has  been  only  for  the  best  and  highest  in  e\-ery  phase  of  life. 


SILAS  STANZEL. 

The  man  who  estal)lishes  a  comfortal)le  home,  rears  a  family  of  chil- 
dren and  performs  his  duties  as  an  American  citizen,  is  the  kind  of  a  man 
wild  makes  for  better  ci\ilization  and  a  better  nation.  Such  a  man  is  Silas 
Stanzel,  who  has,  b\-  honest  toil  and  energ}-,  accumulated  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  of  land  in  this  county,  reared  an  interesting  family  of  children 
and  is  performing  those  duties  which  are  the  privilege  of  every  American  citi- 
zen. Starting  in  life  with  nothing,  he  has  made  a  name  for  himself  as  a  man 
of  sterling  honesty  and  uprightness  and  has  always  so  conducted  himself  that 
he  has  never  brought  censure  upon  himself  or  done  anything  which  would 
militate  against  his  character. 

Silas  Stanzel  was  born  November  28,  1867,  in  Clinton  county,  Iowa. 
He  is  the  son  of  William  August  and  Laurinda  R.  (Clark)  Stanzel,  natives, 
respectively,  of  Germany  and  Ohio.  His  father  was  born  in  1838  and  died 
in  Odebolt,  Iowa,  in  191 1.  He  left  his  native  land  with  his  parents  when 
he  was  fourteen  years  of  age  and  had  the  misfortune  to  lose  his  mother  during 
the  vo}-age  to  this  country.  His  father  traveled  considerable  after  reaching 
this  countrv,  worked  for  a  time  in  Illinois  and  later  found  em])lovment  on  the 
Mississippi  river.  William  Stanzel  saved  his  mone\-  and  invested  it  in  a 
farm  in  Clinton  count}-,  Iowa,  and  in  1876  moved  to  Sac  county,  wdiere  he 
first  settled  in  Clinton  township.  With  the  exception  of  one  and  one-half 
years  which  he  spent  in  Ringgold  county,  this  state,  William  Stanzel  lived 
in  Sac  count}  from  1X76  until  his  death  in  HHI.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  A. 
Stanzel  were  the  parents  of  eight  children :  George,  of  Boyer  \'alley  town- 
ship; Silas,  with  whom  this  narrative  deals;  Mrs.  Eva  Fuller,  of  Odebolt; 
William  .\.,  of  Odebolt;  Mrs.  Anna  Scott,  of  Boyer  Valley  towmship;  Her- 
man R.,  of  Odebolt;  Mrs.  Harriet  Hooper,  of  Boyer  Vallev  township,  and 
Barnabus,  of  Clinton  township. 

.Silas  Stanzel  attended  schodl   in   Clinton  countv  and  in  Sac  count\-  in 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  787 

the  hdiiie  of  A.  F.  Rav,  his  first  teacher  being  Airs.  Ray.  He  continued  to 
help  his  father  on  the  farm  until  he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age,  when  he 
made  his  first  venture  into  l)usiness.  He  bought  a  corn  sheller  and  shelled 
corn  for  the  farmers  in  his  locality.  The  next  year  he  began  farming  for 
himself,  although  he  still  operated  his  corn  sheller.  He  continued  to  prosper 
and  a  few  years  later  he  bought  a  threshing  machine,  which  proved  to  be  a 
very  profitable  investment  for  him.  He  bought  his  first  farm  in  Clinton 
township,  this  county,  and  in  the  spring  of  1909  he  bought  his  farm  in  Boyer 
Willev  township,  bought  eighty  acres  for  seventy  dollars  an  acre,  forty  acres 
in  Wall  I.ake  townshi])  for  ninety-five  dollars  an  acre  and  two  hundred  acres 
at  ninetv-seven  dollars  an  acre.  He  is  now  living  on  his  fort}--acre  farm  in 
Wall  Lake  township  and  he  rents  his  two-hundred-and-eighty-acre  farm  in 
Boyer  Valley  township. 

Mr.  Stunzel  was  married  August  27,  1889,  to  Madella  Purdy,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Mr.  and  Airs.  W.  E.  Purdy.  To  this  union  have  been  born  six  chil- 
dren :  (Jenia  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  years,  in  Colorado,  in  January, 
191 1  ;  Bernard  died  at  age  of  five  and  one-half  years;  Bernice,  Wayne,  Paul 
and  Lola. 

The  Republican  party  has  always  claimed  the  support  and  vote  of  Mr, 
Stanzel,  but,  lievond  casting  his  vote  for  the  candidates  of  his  party  on  elec- 
tion (lav,  he  has  not  had  the  time  to  engage  in  political  campaigns.  Mr.  Stan- 
zel is  a  man  who  has  always  believed  in  rendering  what  aid  he  could  to  his 
neighbors  and  the  general  public;  at  the  same  time  he  has  been  advancing  his 
indi\-idual  interests  and  consequently  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  best  citizens 
of  his  comniunitv. 


W.  K.  WHITESIDE. 


No  calling,  save  the  ministry  alone,  has  been  such  a  potent  factor  in  the 
ui)building  of  our  modern  civilization  as  that  of  journalism,  and  certainly 
no  calling  exacts  such  manifold  ((ualifications.  Even  the  humble  and  unpre- 
tending newsijaper  that  goes  regularly  into  the  home  contributes  impercepti- 
bly, but  none  the  less  mightily,  to  the  moral  and  intellectual  growth  of  all 
the  people  therein.  The  modern  newspaper  molds  pulilic  opinion,  crystalizes 
sentiment  and  influences  definite  action,  and  is  usually  the  largest  single  in- 
fluence in  any  community. 

W.  K.  Whiteside,  editor  and  publisher  of  the  Schaller  Herald,  of  Schal- 
ler,  Iowa,  is  one  of  the  enterprising  and  progressive  newspaper  men  of  west- 


788  SAC   COUNTY,    IOWA. 

ern  Iowa,  and  his  Herald  is  a  power  to  be  reckoned  with  in  local  affairs,  al- 
ways fighting  valiantly  for  every  public  enterprise.  Mr.  Whiteside  is  a  native 
of  the  Buckeve  state,  liorn  at  Seville,  Medina  county,  Ohio,  January  7,  1859, 
and  the  son  of  James  R.  and  Maria  (Cotton)  Whiteside,  both  also  natives 
of  the  state  of  Ohio.  James  R.  Whiteside  was  born  in  the  year  1835  and  mi- 
grated to  Huntington,  Indiana,  in  1866,  and  later  to  Ft.  W^ayne.  Indiana. 
He  was  a  car])enter  Ij)'  vocation.  When  a  young  man  he  went  to  Grinnell, 
Iowa,  and  there  he  assisted  in  building  the  first  house  erected  in  that  city^ 
His  father,  Abram  Whiteside,  was  an  old  citizen  of  Ohio,  who  also  located  at 
Iowa  City.  James  R.  Whiteside  returned  to  Ohio  after  a  few  years  in 
Iowa,  and  was  engaged  in  furniture  and  cabinet  making.  He  also  followed 
this  business  in  Huntington,  Indiana,  and  later  was  employed  in  the  car 
shops  in  Ft.  Wavne,  Indiana.  In  September,  1880,  he  again  removed  to 
Iowa,  and  was  em])loyed  at  Iowa  City  and  at  Cedar  Rapids.  He  later  spent 
a  few  years  in  the  state  of  Kansas.  He  then  returned  to  Ohio,  and  after  his 
wife's  death  located  at  Batavia,  New  York.  Here  he  spent  five  years  as  a 
rural  free  delivery  carrier.  In  iQii  he  made  a  trip  overlantl  in  his  automo- 
bile from  Buffalo,  New  York,  and  he  died  at  the  home  of  his  son  at  W'ake- 
field,  Nebraska,  in  November,  1911.  His  wife,  who  was  born  in  1836.  died 
in  1893.  Of  the  seven  children  born  to  them  only  two  are  now  living,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  and  E.  A.  Whiteside,  of  Emerson,  Nebraska. 

W.  K.  \\'hiteside  was  educated  in  the  jiublic  schools  of  Huntington,  In- 
diana. .\s  a  boy  he  was  employed  for  a  few  years  in  his  father's  cabinet 
factory  there.  His  first  experience  in  the  jjrinting  business  was  in  Hunting- 
ton, where  he  secured  a  small  amateur  outfit,  for  which  he  traded  a  pistol 
and  two  dollars.  He  soon  found  employment  in  Ft.  Wayne,  Indiana,  where 
he  worked  for  some  time,  and  in  1881  came  with  his  parents  to  Iowa  Citv, 
Iowa.  He  was  employed  as  a  printer  at  Wilton  Junction  and  at  West  Lib- 
erty. He  came  to  Sac  City,  Iowa,  December  31,  1885,  and  was  employed  in 
the  ofifice  of  the  Sac  Sun  until  October,  1892,  when  he  purchased  the  Sclial- 
ler  Hei-ald.  He  was  employed,  however,  at  one  time  as  foreman  of  the  Re- 
publican ofiice  at  Harlan,  Iowa. 

Mr.  Whiteside  was  married  in  1886  to  Ida  Faires.  of  Shelbv  countv, 
Iowa,  and  the\'  have  two  children,  \\';ilter  and  Merle.  He  is  a  nK-nil)er  of  the 
Baptist  church,  and  holds  membership  in  the  Masons,  Odd  Fellnws  and  .Mod- 
ern Woodmen.      I'oliticalh',  he  is  a  Progressive  Re]jublican. 

.Mr.  Whiteside  is  held  in  high  esteem,  not  only  for  what  he  has  done 
for  the  community  through  the  medium  of  the  Herald,  but  also  fur  his  hon- 
orable and  upright  life. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  ySl) 

HON.  JOSEPH  MATTES. 

Kminent  business  talent  is  composed  of  a  combination  of  high  mental 
and  moral  attril>utes;  although  these  are  essential,  there  must  be  sound  judg- 
ment, breadth  of  capacity  and  rapidity  of  thought,  justice  and  firmness,  the 
foresight  to  perceive  the  drifting  tides  of  business  and  the  will  and  ability 
to  control  them  to  the  individual's  advantage.  It  is  often  found  that  the 
successful  business  man  becomes  a  faithful  public  official.  It  is  an  oft-re- 
peated maxim  among  our  people  that  if  more  of  our  men  of  business  turned 
their  attention  to  governmental  affairs  and  there  ajjplied  the  same  tenacity 
and  grasp  of  purpose,  and  exercised  their  talents  on  behalf  of  good  govern- 
luent  t(i  an  equal  extent  with  that  which  is  so  necessary  to  insure  their  success 
in  a  com])etitive  line  of  business,  ^\■e  would  enjoy  much  better  government 
and  have  laws  more  in  sympathy  with  the  general  welfare  at  large.  As  a 
merchant  and  legislator,  Hon.  Joseph  Mattes,  of  Odebolt,  Sac  county,  has 
attained  a  certain  eminence  which  has  firmly  lieen  established  in  the  esteem 
of  his  fellow  citizens.  He  ranks  as  one  of  the  pioneer  merchants  of  this  pro- 
gressive and  hustling  city,  and  has  made  a  marked  record  in  the  legislative 
halls  as  a  true  representati\'e  of  the  people.  He  is  self-made,  as  are  practi- 
call\-  all  iif  nur  citizens  who  are  born  of  German  parents,  and  endowed  with 
but  little  oi  this  world's  goods  at  the  outset  of  their  career  in  this  land  of 
opportunity. 

Joseph  .Mattes  was  born  October  i,  1855,  in  the  town  of  Comanche, 
Clinton  county,  Iowa,  the  son  <if  Roman  and  Mary  (Moore)  Mattes,  natives 
of  Germany.  They  were  liorn,  reared  and  married  in  the  fatherland,  and 
emigrated  to  America  in  the  year  1854,  settling  in  Comanche,  where  the  fa- 
ther conducted  a  grocery  business  until  1861,  when  they  remm-ed  to  Lyons, 
Iowa.  Roman  and  Mary  Mattes  reared  a  family  of  nine  children:  Mrs. 
F.  P.  Motie,  of  Spokane,  Washington;  Mrs.  E.  Stoessenger,  also  of  Spokane; 
Mrs.  George  Reiser,  of  Eureka,  Califi)rnia;  J.  R.  and  Joseph,  of  Odebolt, 
and  four  deceased.  The  mother  of  these  children  died  in  1904,  and  the  fa- 
ther in  T905.  Joseph  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Lyons,  Iowa. 
After  leaving  school  he  was  in  the  employ  of  Armstrong  &  Company  for  a 
period  of  seven  vears.  He  came  to  Odebolt  in  1879  and  was  employed  for 
the  first  five  months  by  Mr.  A'an  Dusen.  the  hardware  merchant.  He  then 
became  a  partner  of  J.  H.  Ketterer,  the  new  firm  purchasing  the  stock  and 
good  will  owned  by  Van  Dusen.  This  partnership  continued  until  1887, 
when  Mr.  Mattes  became  the  sole  proprietor  of  the  business  which  has  de- 


790  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

velopecl  into  one  of  the  largest  in  the  county.  In  1891  he  erected  a  large 
two-story  brick  building  in  which  the  business  is  conveniently  located.  In 
1899  he  became  a  stockholder  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Odebolt  and 
was  elected  vice-president  of  this  institution  in  1901.  He  ser\-ed  as  \-ice- 
president  until  1907,  when  he  was  elected  president  of  the  bank,  a  positidn 
which  he  hcilds  at  the  present  time. 

Politically,  Mr.  Mattes  is  a  Republican.  He  has  held,  during  his  resi- 
dence in  Odebolt,  se\eral  minor  offices  such  as  school  treasurer  for  a  term  of 
eleven  years,  and  has  served  as  a  member  of  the  school  board  for  over  si.x- 
teen  years.  He  was  elected  a  member  of  the  Legislature  in  the  fall  of  1900 
and  served  as  representative  in  the  twenty-ninth,  thirtieth  and  the  thirtv- 
first  General  Assemblies.  In  1906  he  was  elected  to  represent  the  people  in 
the  Iowa  State  Senate,  and  was  re-elected  in  1910.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
committee  on  retrenchment  and  reform  in  the  thirtieth,  thirtv-first,  thirty- 
fourth  and  thirty-tifth  General  .\ssemblies  and  was  chairman  of  the  commit- 
tee on  appropriations  in  the  thirtieth  and  thirty-first  General  Assemblies. 
He  was  also  chairman  of  the  Senate  committee  on  ajjpropriations  during  the 
thirt\-fourth  and  thirty-fifth  sessions  of  the  General  .\ssemblv. 

Mr.  Mattes  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  is  fraternally 
connected  with  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons  and  the  Modern 
Woodmen  at  Odebolt.  He  was  married  in  1879  to  Catharine  Shelley,  of 
Lyons,  Iowa.  To  this  uni(jn  have  been  liorn  four  children,  namelv :  Grace 
E.,  wife  of  Joseph  A.  Young,  of  Bellevue,  Iowa:  Howard  J.,  a  lumber  mer- 
chant of  Rearden,  Washington;  George  H.,  who  is  associated  with  his  father, 
and  Hattie  E.,  who  died  in  1894. 


L.  B.   RAKE. 


Success  is  only  achieved  by  the  exercise  of  certain  distinguishing  traits 
and  it  can  not  be  retained  without  effort.  It  is  often  found  that  heredit\-  has 
an  important  bearing  upon  the  destiny  of  the  indi\idual.  but,  in  the  main,  his 
success  depends  to  the  great  extent  upon  the  cultivation  of  his  talents  and 
the  exercise  of  persistent  and  indefatigaljle  energy  toward  a  certain  goal  in 
life.  Those  who  have  succeeded  in  reaching  a  ])lace  of  prestige  and  have  re- 
tained the  esteem  of  their  fellow  men  jiaxe  1)egun  early  in  life  the  struggle 
for  supremacy.  Nowadays  men  usually  attain  official  position  in  their  home 
community  through  being  the  known  possessors  of  ability  such  as  will  com- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  79I 

iiifiitl  tliein  peculiarl}-  Id  the  successful  conduct  oi  the  duties  to  which  they 
are  assigned  Ijv  the  penple.  A  luan  i)t  this  class  is  L,  B.  Kake,  treasurer  of 
Sac  county,  who  is  a  pronounced  examijle  of  self-made  manhood  and  who 
enjoys  the  reputation  of  being  a  conscientious,  dignified  and  honest  public 
official  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  county. 

Mr.  Kake  was  liorn  January  29,  1861,  on  a  farm  in  iiunterton  county. 
New  Jersey,  and  is  a  son  of  Izer  G.,  who  was  born  in  1833,  and  died  in 
1875,  and  who  took  to  wife  .\m\'  Buchanan,  of  New  Jersey.  .\my  Buchanan 
was  the  daughter  of  German  parents.  She  became  the  wife  of  William 
Swallow  after  the  death  of  Mr.  Rake's  father,  departing  this  life  at  Trenton. 
New  Jersey,  in  1905.  Her  parents  took  up  their  residence  in  the  city  of 
Trenton  in  1857.  There  were  nine  children  in  the  Rake  family:  Andrew 
H.,  of  Detroit,  Michigan;  L.  15.;  Mrs.  Amy  C.  Ilorton,  of  Trenton,  \ew 
Jersey;  Aaron  R..  of  Trenton,  New  Jersey;  William  C.,  a  resident  of  Los 
Angeles,  California;  Sarah  Etta  Cezar,  also  a  resident  of  Trenton;  Theo- 
dore, of  Chicago;  Lewis  B-.,  who  resides  in  Rice  Lake,  Wisconsin;  one  child 
tiied  in  infancy.  Izer  G.  Rake  was  a  L'nion  soldier.  He  enlisted  in  the 
Thirty-first  New  Jersey  Volunteers,  along  with  two  Ijrothers,  John  and 
Aaron,  ami  served  throughout  the  war,  participating  in  many  battles.  It  is 
a  remarkable  fact  that  the  father  of  Izer  G.,  who  was  named  Elias,  was  also 
a  soldier  in  the  same  regiment.  The  Ijrothers  of  Mrs.  Rake  and  her  brothers- 
in-law  also  fought  for  the  Union  in  the  Thirty-first  New  Jersey  Regiment. 
It  is  very  evident  that  L.  B  Rake  comes  of  a  race  of  bra\e  and  patriotic 
forliears,  which  is  a  distinction  of  which  any  American  can  well  be  proud. 

L.  B.  Rake  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  Locktown,  Xew  Jersey. 
During  his  youth  he  worked  on  farms  for  five  dollars  per  month  and  board. 
Before  attaining  his  maiorit\'  he  tra\'eled  in  the  Carolinas  and  the  South  in 
the  emijlov  of  a  commission  llrm  engaged  in  the  purchase  and  selling  of 
game,  poultry  and  j^roduce.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one  years  he  left  the 
scenes  of  his  l:)o\houd  days  and  journeyed  to  Illinois  where  he  was  employd 
as  a  farm  hand  for  a  ]ieriod  of  two  3'ears  at  twenty  dollars  per  month.  He 
again  turned  his  attention  to  the  poultr\'  and  produce  business,  and  in  season 
purchased  and  shipped  farm  products,  including  poultry  and  ha)-,  for  the 
Eastern  markets.  He  eventually  formed  a  ])artnership  with  his  brother-in- 
law,  George  Glass,  and  the  firm  did  a  thri\ing  business  in  the  purchase  and 
shipment  to  Boston  of  produce,  i)()ultr\-  and  hay,  which  they  purchased  in 
southern  Illinois  and  Indiana  in  quantities  to  make  up  carload  lots.  This 
business  was  not  without  its  fre(|uent  trials  and  re\-erses.  .\t  one  time,  while 
buying  produce   in  the  South,  an  entire  stock  shipment  was  spoiled  and   he 


792  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

suffered  a  severe  loss  which  chscouragecl  him  to  such  an  extent  that  he  aban- 
doned the  Inisiness  and  returned  home.  His  accuracy  in  guessing  weights 
and  determining  quahty  became  proverbial  while  engagetl  in  stock  buying. 
While  waiting  around  his  home  town  for  something  to  turn  up,  he  was  one 
of  a  gruu])  gathered  around  a  shipment  which  included  fifteen  hogs.  \'ari- 
ous  ])ersons  proclaimed  their  ability  to  guess  accurately  the  weight  of  the 
hogs  and  he  was  in\ited  to  participate.  As  was  the  custom,  the  men  pooled 
guesses  at  ten  cents  each.  JMr.  Rake  won  the  pool  b\-  guessing  the  e.xact 
weight  of  the  fifteen  porkers  which  totaled  fi\-e  thousand  nine  hundred  and 
thirt\'-one  jiounds.  This  good  fortune  marked  the  turning  point  in  his  ca- 
reer. He  recei\'ed  the  sum  of  fifteen  dollars  and  sixtv  cents,  which  amount 
was  sufficient  to  defray  his  expenses  to  iVlorris,  Illinois.  On  his  arrival  in 
the  Illinois  town,  he  immediately  sought  and  obtained  emplo\-mcnt  at  good 
wages. 

In  the  S])ring  of  1892  Mr.  Rake  left  Illinois  and  journeyed  to  Sac  county 
for  the  express  purpose  of  investing  his  savings  in  a  farm.  Very  soon  after 
his  arrival  he  invested  in  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  undrained  land  west 
of  Sac  City,  in  Jackson  township,  at  thirty-five  dollars  an  acre.  He  at  once 
set  about  the  task  of  inipro\-iug  his  land  so  as  to  increase  the  \'ield  and  en- 
hance its  \alue  as  a  farm  proposition.  He  did  this  by  ditching,  laying  tile 
and  thoroughly  ilraining  every  rod  where  it  was  possible  to  do  so.  In  doing 
this,  he  profited  liy  the  experience  gained  during  his  residence  in  Illinois. 
It  is  no  exaggeration  to  state  that  to  the  incoming  farmers  from  the  drained 
sections  of  Illinois  belongs  the  credit  of  introducing  a  new  era  of  farming 
progress  in  Sac  county.  Mr.  Rake  soon  added  eighty  acres  adjoining  his 
holdings,  which  he  bought  for  fifty-seven  dollars  and  fiftv  cents  an  acre. 
The  Rake  farm  is  one  of  the  finest  in  Sac  county.  It  is  fullv  e(|uippe(l  with 
all  modern  conveniences  for  successful  and  profitable  farming,  and  is  out- 
fitted with  a  fine  set  of  buildings  which  have  all  been  erected  and  remodeled 
by  the  owner.  The  farm  residence  is  situated  upon  an  eminence  which  gives 
a  glimpse  of  the  city  in  the  distance  anfl  is  surroumled  bv  beautiful  evergreen 
and  deciduous  trees,  which  were  planted  and  grown  on  the  place.  The  farm 
land  is  devfited  princijially  to  the  production  of  grains  and  is  verv  produc- 
tive. The  yield  averages,  in  corn,  from  sixty  to  ninety  bushels  to  the  acre. 
Until  recently,  Mr.  Rake  was  the  owner  of  one  hundred  and  sixtv  acres  of 
land  in  Minnesota,  which  he  sold  at  a  considerable  profit. 

I'olitically,  Mr.  Rake  is  aligned  with  the  Republican  partv.  He  has 
served  the  i)ublic  in  various  capacities  and  has  held  several  townshi])  offices. 
He  served  for  nine  years  as  assessor  of  Jackson  townshi])  and  was  secretary 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  793 

of  the  township  school  board  for  the  same  length  of  time.  He  has  served  as 
president  of  the  Sac  County  Mutual  Insurance  Company  for  a  number  of 
years  and  is  at  present  secretary  of  the  I^'armers  Lumber  Company  and  the 
Farmer^  Ele\ator  Company,  all  of  which  are  co-operative  concerns.  He  is 
also  a  ilirector  in  the  First  National  Bank  of  Sac  City.  The  foregoing  are 
but  e\i(lences  of  the  confidence  imposed  in  him  by  his  fellow  citizens  and  an 
illustration  of  the  rewards  which  are  destined  to  accrue  to  a  man  of  ability 
and  cnnceutration  of  purpose.  He  was  elected  county  treasurer  in  Novem- 
ber. iQio,  and  re-elected  in  1912.  His  performance  of  the  duties  of  this  very 
important  and  responsible  office  have  been  eminently  satisfactory.  Mr.  Rake 
is  a  stanch  niemljer  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  Sac  City  and  is 
affiliated  with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  He  was  married  in 
the  \-ear  i88^  to  Xellie  .\.  Glass,  of  Illinois.     Thev  ha^'e  no  children. 


ROBERT  LF.IGH  McCORD. 

A  member  of  the  bar  of  Sac  county  who  has  shown  ability  in  and  de- 
votion to  his  profession  is  Robert  Leigh  McCord.  Mr.  McCord  is  a  native 
of  Toulon,  .Stark  county.  Illinois,  born  March  13,  1875,  to  the  marriage 
union  of  Robert  Leeper  and  Helen  (Hopkins)  McCord,  both  natives  of  the 
state  of  Illinois  and  descendants  of  Scotch-Irish  ancestry.  His  paternal 
grandfather,  James  Bennett  McCord,  was  a  native  of  Georgia,  representa- 
ti\e  of  that  line  old  Scotch- F^re.sljyterian  stock  that  settled  numerously  in 
that  state  in  an  early  day. 

R(jl)ert  Leeper  McCord  remo\-e(l  to  Calhoun  county,  Iowa,  in  1892,  and 
he  ilied  in  Deceml)er,  1909.  Of  the  six  children  born  of  his  marriage  with 
Helen  Hopkins  three  sons  are  living.  These  are  Joel  H.  McCord,  of  Spen- 
cer, Iowa:  James  B.  McCord,  of  Durlian.  South  .\frica,  and  Roliert  Leigh 
the  immediate  subject  of  this  sketch. 

Robert  Leigh  McCord  was  educated  at  Olierlin  College,  Oberlin,  Ohio, 
and  the  Iowa  State  L'niversity  at  Iowa  City,  Iowa,  receiving  from  the  latter 
institution  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  .Vrts  in  1897,  and  the  degree  of  Bache- 
lor of  Laws  in  iSog.  In  OctolK'V,  1900,  he  came  to  Sac  City,  Iowa,  where 
he  has  since  been  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law,  a  profession  which  he  has 
ever  found  worth}-  of  his  best  efforts  and  unqualified  allegiance,  Mr.  Mc- 
Cord was  appointed  county  attorney  in  1908,  and  was  twice  electefl  after- 
ward by  the  people  to  this  locally  important  office. 


794  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Mr.  McCord  was  married  in  June,  1910,  to  Lily  Jane  McArthur,  for- 
merly of  Lake  City,  Iowa,  and  to  them  have  come  two  children,  Helen  and 
Ruth  Eleanor. 

Fraternally,  Mr.  McCurd  Imlds  memljership  with  the  Masons  and  the 
Knights  of  Pythias.  Politically,  he  is  a  Repulilican.  He  is  a  high-minded, 
progressive  citizen  who  takes  jileasure  in  assisting  every  worthv  enterprise 
that  will  adxance  the  moral  and  material  well-being  of  the  community. 


J.  WILBUR  NEAL. 


Among  the  strong  and  influential  citizens  of  Sac  comity,  Iowa,  the 
record  of  whose  lives  have  become  an  essential  part  of  the  history  of  this  sec- 
tion, J.  Wilbur  Neal  occupies  a  deservedly  prominent  place.  Lie  has  exerted 
a  beneficial  influence  in  this  locality  for  manv  vears,  and  is  at  present  serving 
as  auditor  of  Sac  county,  the  duties  of  which  responsible  position  he  is  filling 
to  the  satisfaction  of  all,  irrespective  of  party  afliliations.  He  is  a  representa- 
tive of  one  of  the  oldest  and  best  known  families  in  Sac  county,  and  a  citizen 
whose  honor  and  integrity  is  unassailable. 

J.  Wilbur  Neal  was  born  in  Marion  county,  Iowa,  May  3,  1868,  the  son 
of  James  A.  and  Susan  Emily  (  Cleveland )  Neal,  the  former  a  native  of  Illi- 
nois and  the  latter  of  AVisconsin.  James  A.  Neal  was  born  in  1842  and  is 
the  son  of  Granville  D.  Neal,  who  was  a  i:)ioneer  settler  in  Illinois  and  who 
married  Julia  Balch,  a  native  of  Kentucky.  James  A.  Xeal  migrated  from 
Illinois  to  Iowa  about  1837,  locating  in  Clarion  county,  where  he  liought  a 
farm.  In  March,  1881,  he  came  to  Sac  county  and  bought  a  farm  in  Coon 
Valley  township.  Here  he  became  a  prosperous  and  successful  farmer  and 
in  due  time  became  the  owner  of  about  five  hundred  acres  of  ^•aluable  land. 
He  gave  to  each  of  his  children  eighty  acres  of  this  land,  retaining  two  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres.  He  served  as  county  supervisor  for  six  }'ears,  from 
1892  to  189S.  The  following  children  were  born  to  James  A.  and  Susan 
Emilv  (Cleveland)  Neal:  Frank,  deceased:  Mrs.  Elgie  E.  Comstock,  of 
Wall  Lake  township,  Sac  county.  Iowa;  George  D..  who  lives  on  the  old 
homestead,  and  J.  Williur,  the  immediate  subject  of  this  sketch. 

J.  Wilbur  Neal  was  educated  in  the  district  schools,  the  Sac  City  high 
school  and  Shenandoah  C^ollege  at  Shenandoah.  Iowa.  He  followed  the 
active  life  of  a  farmer  until  his  removal  to  Sac  City,  except  one  \car  and  a 
half  when  he  was  a  resident  of  .\uburn.  where  he  cnnducted  a  lumber  \ard. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  7Q5 

He  was  elected  auditor  of  Sac  county  in  1910  and  re-elected  in  igu,  and  he 
has  made  one  of  the  best  officials  the  county  ever  had,  a  fact  readily  con- 
ceded by  all  who  are  familiar  with  the  histor_\-  of  the  coimty. 

Mr.  Neal  was  married  in  1894  to  Eliza  Batie,  daughter  of  Thomas  Batie, 
and  they  have  three  interesting  children,  Frank,  Adam  and  Emma. 

Politically,  Mr.  Neal  is  an  ardent  Republican,  and  has  taken  an  active 
interest  in  the  welfare  and  success  of  his  party.  Fraternally,  he  holds  mem- 
ber.shi])  in  tlie  Ancient  Free  and  -\cce])ted  Masons,  Lodge  No.  178,  Chapter 
No.   ;8  and  L'nmmandery   No.  38. 


MALCOLM  CURRIE. 


An  enumeration  of  those  young  men  of  the  present  generation  who  have 
won  honor  and  public  recognition  for  themselves,  and  at  the  same  time  have 
hont  red  ihe  locality  to  which  they  belong  would  be  incomplete  were  there 
failure  to  make  specific  mention  of  him  of  whom  this  biography  treats.  The 
qualities  which  have  made  him  one  of  the  prominent  and  rising  young  men 
of  Sac  county  have  also  brought  him  the  esteem  of  his  fellow  men,  for  his 
career  has  been  one  of  vv-ell  directed  energy,  with  a  well  defined  goal  in  view, 
combined  with  strong  determination  and  honorable  methods.  As  a  lawyer, 
Malcolm  Currie  has  evinced  ability  of  a  high  order,  while  as  a  public  official 
he  has  won  the  respect  and  good  wishes  of  his  fellow  citizens  for  his  con- 
tinued success  in  climbing  the  ladder  of  success.  He  has  so  administered 
the  affairs  of  the  office  of  county  attorney  as  to  win  the  hearty  commenda- 
tions of  his  fellow  citizens  regardless  of  politics. 

Malcolm  Currie  was  born  December  5,  1875,  on  his  father's  farm  in 
Clinton  township.  Sac  county.  He  is  the  son  of  John  and  Janet  (Mc- 
.  Geachey)  Currie,  pioneer  residents  of  the  county  of  whom  an  extended  and 
well  merited  mention  is  made  in  the  sketch  of  John  Currie  on  other  pages 
of  this  volume.  The  parents  of  Malcolm  Currie  were  natives  of  Scotland, 
who  emigrated  to  America  and  settled  in  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  m  1872, 
and  removed  to  Clinton  township.  Sac  county,  in  the  year  1874.  He  of 
whom  this  biography  directly  reads  attended  the  district  school  in  his  neigh- 
borhood, varying  the  time  wMth  farm  labor.  He  was  not  only  an  apt  student, 
but  he  was  an  energetic  worker  on  the  farm.  After  completing  such  courses 
as  the  district  school  afforded,  he  attenderl  the  Odebolt  high  school:  then 
entered  Coe  College  of  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa,  and  pursued  the  literary  and 


796  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

classical  courses,  graduating  from  this  institution  with  the  class  of  1901, 
and  was  granted  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts.  In  the  fall  of  the  same 
}ear  he  began  his  studies  in  the  University  of  Missouri,  at  Columbia,  and 
graduated  with  honors  from  the  law  department  of  this  famous  institution 
in  the  spring  of  1905.  He  was  immediately  admitted  to  the  practice  of  law 
in  Sac  county  and  took  up  his  residence  in  Sac  City.  Turning  his  attention 
to  politics  in  1906,  he  was  elected  to  the  office  of  sheriff  of  the  county  in  the 
fall  of  that  year  and  served  four  years,  two  terms  in  succession,  or  until 
January,  191 1.  He  was  elected  to  the  office  of  county  attorney  in  the  fall 
election  in    1912  and  took  up  the  duties  of  his  official  position   in   January, 

1913- 

Air.  Currie  is  a  tireless  pleader  of  pronounced  eloquence  and  is  known 
as  an  earnest  and  thorough  worker  in  his  chosen  profession,  to  which  he 
seems  peculiarly  adapted,  by  reason  of  his  power  of  concentration  and  natural 
gifts.  Since  assuming  the  responsibility  of  his  office  he  has  attracted  the 
attention  of  the  people  of  his  native  county  by  his  able  and  masterly  conduct 
of  the  matters  entrusted  to  his  care  officially.  His  law  offices  are  con- 
veniently located  in  the  State  Bank  building.  He  is  a  director  of  the  Sac 
Coimty  State  Bank.  In  politics  he  is  a  pronounced  Progressive  Republican 
and  one  of  the  leaders  in  the  progressive  movement  for  better  government. 
Descending  from  a  long  line  of  Scotch  Presbyterian  ancestors,  Mr.  Currie 
has  naturally  adopted  the  religious  faith  of  his  fathers.  He  is  prominent  in 
lodge  circles,  being  a  member  of  the  Sac  City  lodge  of  Masons,  and  also 
holding  membership  in  the  chapter  and  commandery  at  Sac  City. 

]\Ir.  Currie  was  married  November  18,  1908,  in  Pittsburg.  Pennsx'lvania, 
to  Clara  M.  Austin,  a  talented  teacher  of  music.  Mrs.  Currie  is  the  daugh- 
ter of  Nathaniel  Austin,  whose  people  were  among  the  first  settlers  of  .\shta- 
bula  county,  Ohio,  and  after  whom  the  town  of  Austinburg  was  named.  Two 
sons  have  blessed  this  happy  union.  Robert,  aged  four  years,  and  Bruce,  aged 
two  vears. 


CHARLES   BRYNTESON. 

T\k-  annals  of  the  counties  of  western  Iowa  aliound  with  tales  of  young 
men  who  ha\c  forged  ahead  of  the  regular  procession  as  a  natural  sequence 
of  their  destined  end  and  have  reaped  rewards  for  their  sterling  endeavor 
which  have  seldom  been  equalled  in  any  other  section  of  the  great  country. 
Manv  of  them  have  l^een  the  sons  of  foreign-born  parents  or  have  had  their 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  TQ/ 

birth  on  foreign  soil.  Sac  county  is  peculiarly  fortunate  in  having  several 
bright  and  rising  young  citizens  of  the  latter  class,  among  them  being  the 
sons  of  Swedish  immigrants,  who,  it  is  rightly  said,  become  assimilated  into 
the  great  cosmopolitan  body  of  Americans  more  quickly  than  the  average 
race  of  Europeans.  Sac  county  is  proud  of  its  Swedish-American  citizens, 
who  have  achieved  wonderful  progress  along  all  lines  of  endeavor  since  the 
great  immigration  began  over  forty  years  ago.  Charles  Brynteson.  druggist, 
of  Sac  City,  is  a  striking  example  of  what  can  be  accomplished  in  a  material 
and  ci\ic  sense  by  a  young  man  gifted  with  ambition  and  the  necessary 
energy  to  progress  along  well  defined  lines.  He  was  born  in  Sweden.  Septem- 
ber 25,  1884.  His  parents  were  Peter  and  Christina  (Olson)  Brynteson.  who 
emigrated  to  America  in  1887,  when  Charles  was  but  three  years  old.  The 
family  arrived  in  the  town  of  Odebolt  in  June.  1887.  and  there  Peter  fol- 
lowed his  trade  of  carpenter.  For  over  twenty-five  years  he  has  been  en- 
gaged in  carpenter  work  and  contracting  in  this  thriving  city.  Peter  Brynte- 
son was  born  in  1855:  his  wife,  Christina,  was  born  in  i860,  and  died  in 
1906.  They  have  reared  a  family  of  nine  children,  namely :  Brynte,  of 
Minneapolis;  Olaf,  who  recently  proved  up  a  claim  near  Willard.  Colorado; 
Charles:  Jennie,  a  stenographer,  now  employed  in  Minneapolis;  Paul,,  also  a 
resident  of  Minneapolis;  Josephine,  who  is  her  father's  housekeeper:  Flor- 
ence, Ted  and  Harold,  in  school. 

Mr.  Brynteson  graduated  from  the  Odebolt  high  school  at  the  age  of 
seventeen  years  and  then  attended  Highland  Park  College.  He  studied  phar- 
macy in  1905,  was  admitted  to  the  practice  of  pharmacy  in  July.  ic)0^,  and 
in  the  following  August  he  took  charge  of  a  drug  store  in  tlie  town  of 
Schaller.  He  held  this  position  until  June.  1907.  He  was  appointed  county 
recorder  on  June  3,  1907,  in  order  to  fill  a  vacancy,  removing  to  Sac  City  to 
take  up  the  duties  of  his  office  on  June  4th  of  the  same  year  and  serving  for 
a  term  of  three  vears  and  seven  months.  In  the  fall  of  1908  he  was  nom- 
inated and  elected  to  the  office  on  the  Republican  county  ticket.  In  Septem- 
ber, 1910,  before  his  retirement  from  the  oflice,  he  purchased  his  drug  busi- 
ness in  Sac  City.  His  place  of  business  is  located  in  a  large  room  on  the 
main  street  of  Sac  City  in  the  heart  of  the  business  district.  It  is  completely 
stocked  with  the  very  best  of  drugs  and  druggi.sts"  sundries  and  is  widelv 
and  favorably  known  as  the  Rexall  store.  People  easily  get  the  habit  of 
trading  at  Brynteson's  through  a  personal  liking  for  the  courteous  proprietor 
and  his  clerks,  and  on  accoimt  of  the  fairness  in  which  all  transactions  are 
conducted. 

Mr.   Brvnteson  is  prominently  identified  with  the  Republican  party  in 


798  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Sac  county  and  is  county  chairman  of  the  Republican  central  committee. 
Fraternally,  he  is  affiliated  with  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Alasons  at 
Schaller  and  the  Fastern  Star  chapter. 

Air.  Brynteson  was  married  on  September  17,  1913.  to  Elsie  Hechtner, 
daughter  of  Charles  Hechtner,  of  Coon  Valley  township,  a  leading  farmer 
of  the  county  and  former  county  supervisor,  of  whom  deserxing  mention  is 
made  in  tlie  pages  of  this  history. 

]\Ir.  Brynteson's  friends  are  legion  and  he  is  possessed  of  a  faculty 
which  enables  him  to  succeed  in  practically  any  undertaking  in  which  he 
embarks.  He  is  keenly  alive  to  the  necessity  of  keeping  his  home  city  to  the 
forefrunt  in  industr\-  and  commerce  and  is  usualh-  found  in  support  of  all 
movements  which  are  calculated  to  increase  the  trade  prestige  of  the  mer- 
cantile associations  of  the  city  and  bring  about  a  better  and  bigger  Sac  City 
in  every  sense  the  phrase  implies.  He  is  one  of  the  cleanest  and  one  of  the 
most  straightforward  young  men  with  whom  the  biographer  has  had  the 
good  fortune  to  become  acquainted,  and  mere  words  fail  to  do  iustice  to  his 
man\'  sterling  cjualities. 


FRANCIS  E.  GORDON. 


It  is  the  progressi\-e,  uide-awake  man  of  afifairs  that  make  the  real  his- 
tory of  a  community  and  their  influence  as  potential  factors  of  the  body 
politic  is  difficult  to  estimate.  The  examples  such  men  furnish  of  patient 
purpose  and  steadfast  integrity  strongly  illustrate  wliat  is  in  the  i)ower  of 
each  to  accomiilish,  and  there  is  alwavs  a  full  measure  of  satisfaction  in 
adverting  even  in  a  casual  way  to  their  achievements  in  advancing  the  in- 
terests of  their  fellow  men  and  in  giving  strength  and  solidity  to  the  institu- 
tions which  make  so  much  for  the  prosperity  of  a  community.  Such  a  man 
is  Prancis  E.  Gordon,  and  as  such  it  is  distinctly  pro])er  that  a  re\iew  of  his 
career  be  accorded  a  ijlace  anK.nig  the  rejjresentatix'e  citizens  of  the  citv  and 
county  in  which  he  resides. 

Francis  E.  Gordon,  secretary  of  the  Sac  Connt\-  Farmers  Mutual  Fire 
Insurance  Association,  was  born  June  26,  1856,  in  Schoharie  county.  New 
York,  the  son  of  S.  E.  and  Anna  (Freese)  Gordon,  both  of  whom  were  also 
natives  of  Schoharie  county,  New  York,  who  emigrated  to  Sac  county, 
Iowa,  in  March,  1866.  S.  E.  Gordon  was  a  soldier  during  the  Civil 
War,  with  a  New  York  regiment,  and  took  up  a  soldier's  homestead  in  Sac 
county,  on  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  36  in  Douglas  township.     He 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  799 

purchased  a  piece  of  timber  land  in  the  same  locaHty,  sawed  the  himber  and 
buik  a  good  frame  house  on  his  homestead,  and  here  he  Hved  until  his  death, 
January  29,  1890.  His  wife  died  in  1900.  He  served  as  county  supervisor 
of  Sac  county  for  three  terms.  He  was  a  prosperous  and  successful  farmer 
and  a  highly  respected  citizen.  His  landed  estate  consisted  of  four  hundred 
and  eighty  acres,  gained  through  his  dwo  thrift,  industry  and  good  judg- 
ment. Five  children  were  born  of  the  marriage  of  S.  E.  Gordon  and  Anna 
Freese.  Francis  E.,  the  oldest,  is  the  immediate  subject  of  this  sketch.  H. 
C.  Gordon  resides  at  Newell,  Buena  \'ista  county,  Iowa.  M.  L.  Gordon 
lives  at  Brooklyn,  Iowa.  Mary  Gordon  died  in  1894.  Mrs.  Nellie  (Gordon) 
Hazard  also  lives  in  Buena  Vista  county,  Iowa. 

Francis  E.  Gordon  received  a  good  common  school  education,  attending 
the  little  "school  house  on  the  prairie."  He  was  reared  on  the  farm  and  amid 
this  healthful  influence  early  learned  the  value  and  dignity  of  honest  toil. 
In  1878  he  became  a  farmer  for  himself,  his  father  having  given  him  eighty 
acres  of  land,  and  he  followed  the  active  life  of  a  farmer  until  1894.  In  the 
fall  of  1893  he  was  elected  secretary  of  the  Sac  County  Farmers  Mutual 
Insurance  Association,  assuming  the  duties  of  this  office  January  r,  1894. 
Since  1900  he  has  also  been  president  of  the  Town  Mutual  Dwelling  House 
Insurance  Association,  a  large  concern  operating  in  the  state  of  Iowa,  with 
headquarters  at  Des  Moines. 

?\Ir.  Gordon  was  married  in  1878  to  Athelia  ]\I.  Davis,  of  Lake  City, 
Iowa.     They  have  no  children. 

Politically,  Mr.  Gordon  is  a  Republican,  and  he  holds  membership  with 
the  Ad\'ent  Christian  church,  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons.  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen. 

Mr.  Gordon  is  a  man  of  vigorous  mentality  and  strong  moral  fibre  who 
possesses  the  necessary  energx'  and  business  qualifications  to  discharge  worth- 
ily the  duties  of  any  responsibility  with  which  he  may  be  intrusted.  He  has 
achieved  eminent  success  in  the  special  field  to  which  he  has  directed  his 
efforts  and  won  for  himself  an  enviable  place  among  the  leading  men  of  the 
citv  and  county  honored  by  his  citizenship. 

The  Sac  County  Farmers  ^lutual  Fire  Insurance  Association  was  or- 
ganized in  August,  1875,  by  S.  E.  Gordon  and  others.  The  first  meeting  was 
held  Tune  v  1875,  when  a  constitution  and  by-laws  was  adopted.  The  first 
annual  meeting  was  held  June  5.  1876.  The  officers  then  elected  were: 
Phil  Schaller,  president;  J.  N.  Miller,  vice-president ;  Joseph  L.  Dobson. 
secretary  :  Tames  Taylor,  treasurer.  The  directors  were  F.  N.  Hahne,  Thomas 
Batie,    T-   \\'-   McClellan,  A.   B.   Holmes,   S.   E.  Gordon,  J.   P.   Carr,   Oscar 


800  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Staley,  E.  S.  Fanning,  C.  Martin,  S.  Beeler,  William  Cory,  Williani  Warren, 
C.  N.  Levy,  John  Bence,  A.  C.  Abies  and  A.  Young.  The  executive  com- 
mittee was  3.  E.  Gordon,  William  Hawks  and  John  Bence.  The  records 
show  that  at  the  beginning  of  the  year  June  7,  1878,  the  number  of  policies 
in  force  was  sixty-two,  representing  insurance  to  the  amount  of  $50,717.66. 
Thirty-six  policies  were  issued  during  the  year,  of  a  value  of  $34,910.99. 
S.  E.  Gordon  was  chosen  vice-president  in  1878.  The  present  officers  are 
R.  M.  Long,  president;  L.  E.  Irvin,  vice-president;  F.  E.  Gordon,  secretary; 
J.  Y.  Campfield,  treasurer.  The  directors  are  C.  A.  Drewry,  Dennis  Mc- 
Teague,  F.  E.  Smith,  George  B.  Gould,  John  Hailing,  A.  Mason,  E.  L. 
Ahrens,  Ed.  Williams,  Charles  Hechter.  W.  W.  Rhoades,  C.  L.  Wade,  S.  E. 
Peck,  William  Nutzman,  Earnest  A.  Walrod,  W.  F.  Charles  and  L.  P. 
Lowry.  The  number  of  policies  now  in  force,  one  thousand  seven  hundred. 
Insurance  in  force,  $3,857,806.00.  The  company  has  had  a  steady  and  con- 
tinuous growth,  and  is  now  firmly  established  as  one  of  the  best  insurance 
companies  in  the  state  of  Iowa. 


ANTON  E.  GUNDERSON. 

Among  the  most  progressive  and  thoroughly  up-to-date  agriculturists  of 
Sac  county,  Iowa,  is  the  immediately  subject  of  this  sketch,  who  is  engaged  in 
farming  in  Wheeler  township,  where  he  owns  a  homestead  comprising  three 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  excellent  land  and  in  addition  to  the  arduous 
duties  devolving  upon  him  in  the  proper  care  and  management  of  his  business, 
Mr.  Gunderson  finds  time  to  devote  to  public  interests.  Besides  being  secretary 
of  the  Co-operative  Store  Company  and  a  director  of  the  Farmers  Savings 
Bank  of  Odebolt,  he  is  township  clerk  of  Wheeler  township  and  also  president 
of  the  school  board,  and  to  the  duties  of  these  offices  he  gives  conscientious 
care  and  attention. 

A.  E.  Gunderson  was  born  on  July  29,  1875,  in  Chicago,  Illinois,  the  son 
of  John  and  Anna  May  Peterson,  both  natives  of  Sweden,  where  Jolin  was 
born  in  1844  and  Anna  May  in  1853.  It  was  about  the  year  1868  when  John 
emigrated  from  Sweden,  coming  directly  to  Chicago,  and  Anna  May  came  one 
year  later.  They  were  married  in  Chicago,  where  they  lived  for  several  }'ears, 
and  in  the  spring  of  1880  came  to  this  county,  where,  in  1875,  they  had  pm- 
chased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  being  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  7, 
in  Levey  township.     They  were  among  the  earlier  pioneer  residents  of  this 


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SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  8oi 

count}',  anil  un  this  farm  they  passed  the  remainder  of  their  h\'es,  John  dying 
in  1893  and  the  wife  passing  away  on  July  20,  1901.  When  they  purchased 
their  homestead  it  was  raw  prairie  land  and  through  unremitting  care  and 
labor  they  con\erted  it  into  excellent  farming  land.  They  were  the  parents  of 
eleven  children,  but  five  of  whom  came  to  mature  age  and  of  these  three  are 
now  deceased,  Ijeing  Hulda,  Gnstave  and  .\mil.  Besides  Anton  E.,  the  imme- 
diate subject  of  this  sketch,  there  is  still  li\-ing  Esther  ( ]\Irs.  Roscoe  Robinson), 
who  resides  in  Spencer,  Iowa. 

When  a  youth,  Mr.  Gunderson  attended  the  district  schools  of  their 
vicinity,  supplementing  this  later  with  a  course  at  the  Odebolt  high  school  and 
also  the  Carroll  Normal  School.  In  1890  his  father  purchased  a  mercantile 
business  in  Odebolt,  known  previously  as  the  E.  W.  Lester  store,  and  the  firm 
was  known  as  Gunderson-Larson-Erickson  Company,  and  in  this  btisiness 
Mr.  Gunderson  spent  three  years,  developing  the  excellent  1)usiness  ability, 
which  has  characterized  his  later  activities.  When  he  was  about  eighteen 
vears  old,  his  father  died  and  he  consequently  assumed  charge  of  the  family 
interests,  disposing  of  the  mercantile  business  and  taking  charge  of  the  estate. 
In  1898  Mr.  Gunderson  moved  from  the  old  home  place  to  land  which  he  had 
purchased  in  section  2  of  Wheeler  township,  which  purchase  comprised  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres,  for  which  he  paid  forty-nine  dollars  per  acre.  The 
year  previous  he  had  purchased  the  same  acreage  adjoining  at  forty  dollars 
per  acre.  This  tract  of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  he  has  since  made  his 
home.  In  1908  he  built  an  elegant  residence  of  eight  rooms,  thoroughly  mod- 
ern in  every  sense  of  the  word,  possessing  every  convenience  possible.  On 
his  ranch  he  has  two  barns,  one  forty-eight  by  seventy  feet  and  the  other 
forty-eight  by  sixty  feet :  he  has,  in  fact,  two  complete  sets  of  buildings 
throughout.  He  has  fift}-  head  of  Shorthorn  cattle,  some  of  i)ure  bred: 
produces  one  hundred  liead  of  Duroc  Jerseys  annuall}-  and  has  twelve  head 
of  fine  Percheron  horses.  iNIrs.  Gunderson  also  has  a  fine  flock  of  chickens 
and  confines  her  efforts  to  one  good  breed,  preferring  the  White  Plymouth 
Rocks.  Mr.  Gunderson  has  resided  on  this  farm  for  fifteen  years,  and  in  that 
time  has  made  wonderful  improvements,  bringing  it  up  to  a  high  state  of  per- 
fection. 

On  January  18,  1899,  Mr.  Gtmderson  was  united  in  marriage  with  Grace 
Goreham,  daughter  of  J.  P.  Goreham,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  this  county.  To 
their  union  have  been  born  seven  children,  namely:  Hazel,  born  December 
30,  1899:  Vernon,  born  Augitst  i,  1901 ;  Pierce,  born  May  18.  1904;  Paul, 
born  Julv  27,  1906;  Cyril,  born  May  2.  1909:  Eva,  born  Eebruar\-  4.  1910.  and 
(50) 


802  SAC    COUNTYj    IOWA. 

John  Edward,  born  December  25,  1912.  This  interestino^  family  of  children 
are  being  reared  along  proper  lines,  are  receiving  good  educations  in  the 
Odebolt  public  schools  and  in  every  way  are  being  trained  to  take  their  places 
in  the  world  as  useful  and  intelligent  citizens.  The  family  are  attendants  at 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  of  which  Mr.  Gunderson  is  a  faithful  mem- 
ber, and  are  being  raised  in  strict  accordance  with  the  tenets  of  that  faith. 
Mr.  Gunderson's  fraternal  affiliations  are  with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America  and.  politically,  he  gives  his  support  to  the  Republican  party,  being 
decidedly  progressive  in  his  views.  He  is  a  man  of  strong  personal  qualities, 
who  realizes  fully  his  responsiljilities  in  every  phase  of  life  and  seeks  to  dis- 
charge the  duties  falling  to  his  lot  in  a  fitting  manner.  Aside  from  his  busi- 
ness cares  and  the  rearing  of  his  family,  he  gives  his  heartv  co-o]ieration  to 
every  movement  having  as  its  object  the  ultimate  benefit  of  the  moral,  material 
or  educational  life  of  the  communitv. 


C.  M.  WHITTED. 


Among  those  who  have,  by  virtue  of  their  strong  individual  qualities, 
earned  their  way  to  a  high  standing  in  the  estimation  of  their  fellow  citizens, 
and  by  force  of  character  won  their  way  to  a  place  of  influence  and  iiromi- 
nencc  in  the  community,  is  C.  Al.  W'hitted.  the  jiresenl  efficient  clerk  nf  the 
district  court  of  Sac  county. 

Mr.  Whitted  was  born  at  Monroe,  Jasper  county,  Iowa,  October  29, 
1882,  the  son  of  John  and  Harriet  I  Taylor )  Whitted.  John  Whitted  was 
born  in  1856,  in  the  same  house  and  on  the  same  farm  where  the  son,  C.  M., 
Avas  born.  John  Whitted  is  the  son  of  Joseph  Whitted,  a  native  of  England 
and  a  very  early  settler  of  Jasper  county,  Iowa.  The  farm  which  he  home- 
steaded  is  still  in  the  family,  being  owned  by  E.  E.  W'hitted,  a  brother  of 
John.  John  \Vhitted  married  Harriet  Taylor,  the  daughter  of  William 
Taylor,  a  native  of  England  and  a  pioneer  of  Jasper  county.  Iowa.  He  sold 
his  farm  in_  Jasper  county  and  settled  in  Calhoun  county,  Iowa,  in  1888. •  His 
wife  died  in  1003  and  he  now  resides  in  Des  Moines,  Iowa.  They  were  the 
Y)arents  of  three  children:  C.  A.  ^^■hitted  is  a  farmer  near  Lake  City,  Iowa; 
Mrs.  J.  T.  Edson,  of  Lake  Side  farm.  Storm  Lake,  Iowa,  and  C.  M.  Whitted, 
the  immediate  subject  of  this  sketch. 

C.  'S\.  Whitted  was  reared  on  the  farm  and  received  his  education  in  the 
country  schools  and  the  Lake  City  high  school.      He  came  to  Sac  county. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  803 

Iowa,  March  3,  1903,  and  became  identified  with  the  Shull  Lumber  Company, 
of  Schaller,  Iowa.  He  was  elected  clerk  of  the  district  court  of  Sac  City  in 
the  fall  of  1910.  and  assumed  the  duties  of  his  nftlce  January  i,  igii.  He 
was  re-elected  in  1912,  and  he  is  now  discharging  his  public  duties  in  a 
manner  highlv  creditable  to  himself  and  to  the  satisfaction  of  all. 

Air.  Whitted  was  married  Xovemlier  16,  1005,  to  Gertrude  .Sellers,  of 
Schaller,  Iowa. 

Politically,  an  ardent  Republican,  Mr.  Whitted  takes  an  acti\-e  interest 
in  the  affairs  of  his  party.  Although  a  partisan,  with  firm  convictions  and 
well-defined  opinions  on  questions  on  which  men  and  parties  divide,  he  has 
the  esteem  and  confidence  of  the  people  of  Sac  county,  regardless  of  party 
ties.  Fraternall}-,  he  is  a  Mason,  and  he  holds  membership  with  the  Pres- 
bvterian  chmxh. 

Mr.  Whitten  is  a  man  of  sagacity  and  good  business  ability,  elements 
which  have  contributed  materially  to  his  success.  Genial  and  accommodating, 
he  has  made  friends  of  all  who  have  come  in  contact  with  him,  and  no  more 
popular  official  is  in  the  Sac  county  court  house  than  he. 


ALFRED  C.  SCHULTZ. 


This  is  an  age  of  progress  and  material  acti\ity,  and  the  initiative  man 
forges  to  the  front  in  the  industrial  world.  One  to  whom  is  due  the  upbuild- 
ing of  an  industrv  which  is  one  of  the  most  important  in  Sac  county,  is 
Alfred  C.  Schultz,  manager  of  the  Sac  City  Creamery  Company,  an  enter- 
prise that  has  benefited  the  communit\-  in  man}-  ways.  As  secretary  of  this 
compan}-,  ^Mr.  Schultz  has  displa}ed  an  aptitude  for  successful  management, 
conducting  all  his  business  matters  carefully  and  systematically,  and  the 
creamery  is  today  rated  one  of  the  substantial  enterprises  of  the  locality. 

.\.  C.  Schultz  was  Ijorn  on  a  farm,  twenty-seven  miles  from  Chicago,  in 
Cook  county.  lUmois,  January  20,  1871.  the  son  of  Charles  F.  Schultz,  a 
native  of  Germany,  who  came  to  America  when  sixteen  years  old.  He  died 
in  1908.  Mr.  Schultz's  mother  came  to  America  when  eight  years  old.  and 
now  resides  in  Cook  county,  Illinois. 

A.  C.  Schultz  left  the  farm  when  he  was  seventeen  years  old,  and 
worked  as  an  official  bookkeeper  fur  the  Cook  county  public  service  until  he 
was  twentv-three  vears  of  age.  Giving  up  this  work  on  account  of  ill  health, 
he  went  to  Platteville,  Wisconsin,  and.  in  partnershi])  with  his  brother-in-law. 


804  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

engaged  in  the  dairying  and  creamery  business.  He  was  thus  engaged  for  a 
period  of  eighteen  years,  or  until  1913,  when  he  came  to  Sac  City,  Iowa. 

Mr.  Schultz  was  married  in  June,  1896,  to  Ahna  K.  Schmidt,  of  IIHnois, 
and  they  have  five  children,  Edwin,  Robert,  Elizabeth,  Estelle  and  Dorothea. 

Mr.  Schultz  is  a  member  of  the  Masons  and  the  Modern  ^Voodmen. 
He  is  also  prominent  in  the  National  Butter-Makers'  Association,  having 
been  elected  president  in  1910.  Mr.  Schultz,  with  his  associates,  is  operating 
six  creameries  in  Grant  county,  Wisconsin. 

The  Sac  City  Creamery  Company  was  established  April  27,  191 3.  It 
is  quartered  in  a  new  concrete  building,  thirty-six  by  sixty  feet  in  size,  and 
the  plant  is  equipped  with  the  most  modern  butter-making  machinerA-.  The 
capacity  of  the  plant,  with  present  equipment,  is  two  thousand  pounds  daily. 
An  additional  vat,  which  has  been  recently  added,  has  increased  the  capacity 
from  one  to  two  thousand  pounds  daily.  The  product  is  now  ti\e  thou- 
sand pounds  of  creamery  butter  each  week.  During  the  favorable  season  ten 
thousand  pounds  is  made.  During  June,  1914,  the  creamery  was  run  at  full 
capacity. 

The  Sac  City  Creamery  is  a  great  aid  to  the  farmers  of  the  community, 
providing  a  ready  market  for  their  milk,  and  is  an  enterprise  worth\'  the 
patronage  and  support  of  the  people  at  large. 


WILLIAM  H.  TOWNSEND,  M.  D. 

Tlie  medical  profession  is  one  of  the  most  ancient  and  the  nolilest  of  the 
learned  occupations.  It  numbers  among  the  fraternity  examples  of  the  high- 
est type  of  manhood  and  is  composed  in  general  of  self-sacrificing  indi\iduals 
who  have  dedicated  their  lives  to  the  alleviation  of  human  suffering  and  the 
amelioration  of  the  condition  of  the  human  family  in  a  sanitary  and  physical 
sense.  The  family  physician  is  one  in  whom  we  place  the  highest  confidence; 
we  value  his  skill,  which  at  times  seems  to  border  upon  the  miraculous ;  we 
seek  his  advice  in  intimate  family  aft:'airs;  in  him  we  fre(|uently  confide  our 
troubles  and  rely  upon  bis  matured  judgment,  knowing  absolutely  that  he  is 
incapable  of  violating  the  secrets  which  are  naturally  intrusted  to  his  con- 
fidence in  the  course  of  his  practice.  The  Inographer  is  gratified  to  present 
herein  a  record  of  one  who  has  not  only  achieved  distinction  in  the  pursuit 
of  his  profession,  but  has  served  the  people  of  Sac  count}-  in  an  official 
capacity.     It  can  be  said  of  Dr.  W.  H.  Townscnd  that  he  has  been  worthy 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  805 

on  e\'ery  occasion  of  tlie  trusts  reposed  in  him  and  measured  up  to  the  re- 
sponsil)i]ities  placed  upon  him  at  various  times  in  a  manner  worthy  of  the 
highest  commendation.  Intellectually,  morally,  professionally  and  officially, 
he  holds  high  rank  as  a  citizen  of  Sac  City  and  his  adopted  county. 

Doctor  Townsend  was  born  on  a  farm  in  Webster  county,  Iowa,  January 
19,  1869.  His  parents  were  Isaac  and  Melissa  A.  (Bradshaw)  Tuwnsend, 
natives  of  Maine  and  Canada,  respectively.  He  is  a  product  of  a  fusion  oi 
the  best  blood  of  old  New  England.  His  grandfather,  William  Townsend, 
migrated  westward  from  Maine  in  a  very  early  day  and  settled  in  the  state  of 
Wisconsin.  Here  his  parents  were  married,  and  in  the  year  1867  they  jour- 
neyed to  W"ebster  county,  Iowa,  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  permanent 
home  and  rearing  a  family  in  the  great  and  growing  state.  They  succeeded 
beyond  their  expectations  in  amassing  a  competence  and  bringing  up  a  de- 
sirable family,  e\ery  one  of  which  has  succeeded  in  becoming  a  valued  mem- 
ber of  the  body  politic.  Isaac  Townsend  died  in  1888,  his  wife,  Melissa, 
dying  in  1893.  The  children  are  as  follows:  Charles,  a  prosperous  farmer 
and  stDcknian  in  Nebraska:  Samuel,  residing  in  Webster  county;  Ida.  de- 
ceased: Leroy  J.,  of  Webster  county;  Ernest,  living  in  Chicago;  George,  of 
Webster  county,  Iowa :  Ray,  of  Cherokee  county,  and  Dr.  \\' illiam  H.,  of 
Sac  City. 

He  of  whom  this  chronicle  reads  received  his  education  in  the  public 
and  high  schools  of  Fort  Dodge  and  in  the  Collegiate  Institute  of  the  same 
city.  He  became  ambitious  to  enter  the  profession  of  medicine  and  therefore 
matriculated  in  the  Medical  College  of  the  State  University  of  Iowa,  grad- 
uating therefrom  in  the  spring  of  1897.  Doctor  Townsend  practiced  at 
Lehigh,  Webster  count}-,  for  a  period  of  two  }'ears.  In  1898  he  hearkened  to 
the  call  of  President  ]\IcKinley  for  the  enlistment  of  troops  for  service  in  the 
Spanish-American  war  and.  on  June  26,  1898,  enlisted  as  a  private  soldier  in 
Com]iaiiv  G,  Fiftv-second  Regiment  of  United  States  Infantry.  He  was 
soon  appointed  an  assistant  surgeon  and  served  at  Chickamauga  Park. 

He  was  released  from  duty  at  the  close  of  hostilities  and  in  the  year 
1899  located  in  Odeljolt,  where  he  practiced  his  profession  until  1900,  when 
he  established  his  office  permanently  in  Sac  City.  His  practice  is  unusually 
large  and  he  has  a  clientele  numbered  among  the  best  and  most  substantial 
residents  of  the  city  and  county.  He  is  allied  fraternally  with  the  Sac  County 
Medical  Society,  the  Iowa  State  Medical  Society  and  the  American  Medical 
Association.  His  political  affiliations  have  long  been  with  the  Republican 
party.  Doctor  Townsend  has  served  one  term  as  mayor  of  his  adopted  city, 
and  four  terms  as  county  coroner.     In  fact,  he  has  served  as  coroner  of  the 


8o6  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

county  since  January  i,  1903.  By  virtue  of  his  office,  he  became  acting 
sheriff  of  the  county  on  May  30,  191 1.  upon  the  death  of  Sheriff"  Alexander 
Rogers,  and  ser\ed  until  his  successor  was  duly  appointed.  During  his  in- 
cumbency of  the  coroner's  and  sheriff's  offices,  a  serious  murder  was  com- 
mitted m  the  neighborhood,  and  it  devolved  upon  this  versatile  gentleman  to 
actuallv  perform  the  duties  of  three  important  offices.  He  did  this  ably  and 
to  the  satisfaction  of  the  people.  The  inquest  was  duly  held  and  the  mur- 
derer apprehended  without  loss  of  time.  Doctor  Townsend  is  the  owner  of 
a  fine  farm  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  Sac  county  and  two  hundred 
and  eighty  acres  in  Calhoun  county,  Iowa,  both  being  stocked  with  registered 
Polled  Angus  cattle.  He  has  an  elegant  home  On  the  heights  above  the  down- 
town section. 

Doctor  Townsend  and  his  family  are  attendants  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church,  and  the  Doctor  is  a  liberal  supporter  of  all  church  denomina- 
tions. He  is  fraternally  connected  with  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the 
Ancient  Free  and  .Accepted  Masons  at  Sac  City. 

In  the  year  1900  the  Doctor  was  united  in  marriage  with  Eva  Roosa, 
of  Sac  City,  the  daughter  of  Mrs.  E.  E.  Lewis.  They  have  one  child.  Harold 
Wavne  Townsend,  who  was  born  No\ember  30,  1901. 

Doctor  Townsend  is  a  genial,  well-balanced  gentleman,  who  jxissesses  a 
highly  developed  sense  of  personal  responsiljility  in  the  performance  of  his 
public  duties  and  in  the  practice  of  his  profession.  He  numbers  his  personal 
friends  bv  hundreds  and  has  little  difficulty  in  retaining  tlie  friendship  of  men 
with  whom  he  is  thrown  in  daily  contact  during  the  course  of  his  ministering 
careei 


ELLAS  TIBERGHIEN. 


The  life  historv  of  him  whose  name  heads  this  biographical  sketch  has 
been  closelv  identified  with  the  history  of  Sac  county,  Iowa,  which  has  long 
been  his  home.  He  came  here  in  the  pioneer  days  and  throughout  the  years 
has  been  closely  allied  with  its  interests  and  upbuilding. 

Elias  Tiberghien.  retired  farmer  of  Sac  City,  Iowa,  was  born  in  LaPorte 
county,  Indiana,  July  24,  1851,  the  son  of  Elias  and  Harriet  Melville  (Harri- 
son) Tiberghien,  the  farmer  a  native  of  Ohio  and  the  latter  of  Kentucky. 
Elias  Tiberghien  was  the  son  of  Zacheus  Tiberghien,  of  supposedly  French 
descent,  who  moved  from  Ohio  to  Indiana,  where  Fllias  and  Harriet  were 
married.      Elias  migrated  to  Iowa  in   1S56.  with  eight  children.      The   long 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  S07 

trip  was  made  across  country  with  ox  team.  Ten  yoke  of  oxen  hauled  the 
wagons,  with  five  famiHes.  They  also  had  one  span  of  mules,  owned  by  Mr. 
Rose.  It  required  the  ten  yoke  of  oxen  to  pull  the  wagons  through  the  Iowa 
sloughs.  The  Tiherghiens  settled  near  Cory's  Grove,  two  miles  south,  in 
Jackson  township,  where  they  li\ed  until  about  1876,  when  the  old  people 
mo\'e(l  on  their  sdu's  place,  near  Sac  City.  Elias  Tiberghien  was  born  in 
Miami  county,  Ohio,  September  7,  1810,  and  died  December  19,  1883.  His 
wife,  Harriet  Melville  Harrison,  was  born^in  Shelby  county,  Kentucky,  Aug- 
ust 18,  1813,  and  died  August  10,  1895.  Their  children  were  as  follows: 
Mrs.  Nancy  Slavons,  deceased;  Mrs.  Nellie  Stat(_in,  of  near  Sac  City:  James 
S.,  of  Sac  county;  Jeremiah  Shelton,  of  Sac  county;  ]\lrs.  Elizabeth  Cory, 
who  died  in  191 1  ;  Mrs.  Julia  Cromer,  deceased;  Mrs.  Ellen  Jepson,  of  North 
Dakota;  Elias,  the  immediate  subject  of  this  sketch;  Clarissa,  of  Sac  county; 
Eli.  of  Sac  county. 

Elias  Tiberghien  was  married  on  September  12,  1880,  to  Thalia  Dart, 
\\'ho  was  born  in  W'isconsin  on  May  24.  1858,  the  daughter  of  Charles  J. 
and  Naomi  Jane  (  Buttertield)  Dart,  natives  of  Vermont,  of  New  England 
ancestry.  Charles  J.  Dart  was  the  son  of  James  Dart,  whose  ancestors  fought 
in  the  Revolutionary  War.  The  Dart  family  left  Wisconsin  in  1865  and 
settled  in  Sac  county,  Iowa,  near  Cory's  Grove,  on  the  east  side  of  the  ri\er. 
Charles  J.  Dart  was  born  in  1824  and  died  in  1907.  His  wife,  Naomi  Jane 
Butterfield,  was  born  in  Eebruary,  1826,  and  died  October  13,  1902.  They 
were  the  parents  of  six  children,  named  as  follows:  Mrs.  Thalia  Tiberghien; 
Erastus  Dart,  who  lives  five  miles  southeast  of  Sac  City,  Iowa;  Mrs.  Frances 
Williams,  deceased;  Mrs.  Emma  Ahrens,  of  .Sac  City,  Iowa;  George  and 
Warren  both  died  in  infancy. 

When  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Elias  Tiberghien  A\ere  married  the}'  settletl  on  a 
farm  of  forty  acres  two  miles  south  of  Sac  City,  on  which  they  li\ed  two 
years,  and  then,  in  1882.  sold  out  and  bought  eighty  acres  of  wild  prairie 
land  in  Coon  Valley  township.  Here  they  built  a  home,  improved  the  land 
and  resided  until  1896,  when  they  sold  out  and  removed  to  Missouri,  where 
the\-  bought  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  forty-three  acres.  In  1900,  after  a 
residence  of  four  years  in  Missouri,  they  returned  to  Sac  county  and  bought 
forty  acres  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  known  as  the  Warner  place,  where 
they  lived  for  five  years.  In  1908  they  again  sold  out  and  this  time  removed 
to  Sac  Citv.  Four  children  have  been  born  to  Elias  Tiberghien  and  wife, 
named  as  follows :  Mark,  iVIina  and  Miles  are  deceased,  and  Mabel,  who  was 
born  in  Missouri,  is  a  student  at  the  Sac  City  high  school. 

Mr.  Tiberghien  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church  and.  politicall}',  he 


8o8  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

is  a  Republican.  As  one  of  the  sturdy  pioneers  and  substantial  citizens  of 
his  locality,  he  is  well-known  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  Sac 
county  and  is  a  man  respected  and  honored  for  his  daily  life.  His  reputation 
among  men  for  integrity  and  high  character  has  gained  for  him  the  good 
will  and  commendation  of  not  only  his  friends  and  neighbors,  but  of  all  who 
have  had  dealings  with  him. 


CHARLES  W.  FIRTH. 

One  of  the  most  prominent  farmers  and  largest  stock  breeders  of  Levey 
township,  ,Sac  count\',  Iowa,  is  Charles  W.  Firth,  who  was  born  Ma\'  7.  1866, 
in  Yorkshire,  England,  the  son  of  George  and  Margaret  (Ridgedale)  Firth, 
and  his  father  and  mother  are  still  living  in  England,  the  father  being  seventy- 
three  years  of  age  and  his  mother  seventy.  To  George  and  Margaret  Firth 
have  been  born  five  children,  who  are  living:  James,  of  California;  George, 
of  Nebraska;  Charles  William,  whose  life  history  is  here  presented;  Mrs. 
Sarah  Hugh,  of  Hull,  England,  and  Margaret,  who  is  still  with  her  parents. 

Charles  W.  Firth  came  to  this  country  in  1885.  at  the  age  of  nineteen 
years.  He  had  no  money,  but  he  had  what  was  still  better,  a  determination  to 
succeed  and  an  unusual  amount  of  ability  in  business  lines.  He  first  located  in 
Crawford  county,  Iowa,  and  was  engaged  in  the  stock  business  with  another 
man  for  a  year.  In  1886  he  began  business  for  himself  and  in  two  years 
moved  to  Sac  county,  after  which  he  engaged  in  the  stock  business  in  partner- 
ship with  P.  Sargisson,  and  this  connection  continued  for  the  next  eight  years, 
and  he  and  Mr.  Sargisson  own  ten  thousand  acres  of  land  in  Nebraska  and 
one  section  in  Iowa.  In  i8g8  Mr.  Firth  moved  onto  his  present  farm,  where 
he  built  a  large  house  in  wliicli  he  is  now  living.  He  owns  six  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  of  land  in  Levey  township  and  eighty  acres  in  Jackson  county, 
Iowa.  He  is  the  largest  stock  raiser  and  shipper  in  the  county,  shipping  three 
thousand  head  of  cattle  annually.  At  the  time  this  data  was  secured  for  his 
personal  sketch,  he  had  five  hundred  and  forty-six  head  of  cattle  on  his  land, 
which  he  was  feeding  at  that  time  for  the  markets.  In  addition  to  his  cattle 
business,  he  also  buys  and  sells  hogs  and  averages  eight  carloads  annually. 
He  is  undoubtedly  the  largest  cattle  and  hog  man  in  Sac  county,  and  probably 
handles  more  stock  than  any  other  man  in  northwestern  Iowa.  He  employs 
a  force  of  thirty  men  to  attend  to  his  large  herds  of  cattle  in  Iowa  and 
Nebraska. 


CHARLES   W.   FIRTH 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  809 

Mr.  Firth  has  been  twice  married,  his  first  marriage  occurring  August 
22,  1893,  to  Bessie  Bancroft,  who  died  September  14,  1895.  She  was  bom 
September  14,  1872,  in  Anderby,  Lincolnshire,  England,  and  was  a  daughter 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  Bancroft.  She  came  to  America  with  her  parents 
in  1888,  and  settled  in  Madison  county,  Iowa.  To  Mr.  Firth's  first  marriage 
was  born  one  daughter,  Leona  Esther,  who  is  now  twenty  years  of  age.  She 
graduated  from  the  West  Side  high  school  and  also  from  Denison  College,  and 
is  now  a  teacher.  The  second  marriage  of  Mr.  Firth  was  to  Hester  Jane 
Jolly,  which  occurred  November  18,  1896.  She  is  the  daughter  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  R.  R.  Jolly,  of  Wall  Lake,  pioneer  settlers  of  this  county,  and  to  this 
second  marriage  have  been  born  eight  children :  Charles  Robert,  born  April 
3.  1898;  Grace  Geneva,  born  May  30,  1899;  Arthur  Valvern,  born  June  i, 
1900;  Margaret  Lucile,  born  November  4,  1907;  Isla  Jane,  born  December 
28,  1908;  Helen,  born  August  30,  1910;  Bernice  Jeannette,  born  March  17, 
1912.  and  Pearl,  born  June  8,  T913.  Mrs.  Firth  was  born  April  3,  1877,  in 
Clinton  township,  this  county,  and  is  a  woman  of  charming  personality  and 
pleasing  manners.  Few  residents  of  Sac  county  are  as  well  and  favorably 
known  as  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Firth  and  none  stand  higher  in  the  esteem  and  con- 
fidence of  the  community  in  which  they  reside. 

Politically,  Mr.  Firth  is  a  Republican,  but  his  many  business  interests 
have  pre\ented  him  from  taking  an  active  part  in  politics.  He  and  his  family 
are  loyal  members  of  the  Presbyterian  cliurch,  and,  fraternally,  he  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons  and  maintains  his  membership 
in  the  Scottish  Rite,  in  Parvin  Consistory  No.  5,  at  Sioux  City.  His  influence 
has  alwa\s  been  on  the  side  of  right  lixing.  and  while  he  has  been  more  than 
ordinarily  successful  in  business,  yet  he  has  never  forgotten  the  duties  which 
"he  owes  to  his  family,  his  state  as  a  citizen,  or  to  any  of  the  higher  duties 
which  make  the  best  American  citizens. 


GEORGE  LUCL\N  STOCKER. 

One  of  the  distinctive  functions  of  this  publication  is  to  take  recognition 
of  those  citizens  of  the  community  who  stand  representative  in  their  chosen 
:spheres  of  endeavor,  and  in  this  connection  there  is  propriety  in  according 
consideration  to  George  Lucian  Stocker.  a  pioneer  citizen  of  Sac  county 
who  has  figured  in  the  varied  life  of  this  locality  for  a  long  lapse  of  years. 

George   Lucian   Stocker  was  born  at  Coldwater,   Michigan,   March  9, 


8lO  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

1841,  and  reared  in  Steuben  county.  Indiana.  He  is  the  son  of  George  and 
Charlotte  E.  Brown  (Lee)  Stocker,  the  former  a  native  of  near  Rutland, 
^^ermont.  and  the  latter  of  New  York  state,  who  removed  to  Steuben  county, 
Indiana,  in  1842.  and  about  1867  removed  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  settling  on  a 
farm  in  Douglas  township.  Here  George  Stocker  died  in  1885  and  his  wife 
died  in  1889  at  Salem,  Steuben  county,  Indiana,  where  she  had  gone  on  a 
visit  to  relatives,  after  her  husband's  death.  Mrs.  Stocker  had  been  previous- 
ly married  to  a  Mr.  Lee,  liy  whom  she  had  one  son.  Clark  E.  Lee.  who  died  in 
the  service  of  the  Union  arm\  during  the  Civil  War.  Three  children  were 
born  to  her  second  marriage,  as  follows :  George  Lucian,  the  immediate 
subject  of  this  sketch,  and  Mrs.  Mary  Carver  and  John  L.,  both  of  whom  are 
deceased. 

George  Lucian  Stocker  came  to  Sac  county.  Iowa,  from  Steuben  county, 
Indiana,  in  June.  1856.  He  took  up  the  task  of  breaking  up  forty  acres  of 
prairie  land  which  his  father  had  bought  in  1855.  During  these  days  he  did 
a  great  deal  of  hunting  and  trapping,  varying  the  time  with  occasional  trips 
back  to  his  Indiana  home.  In  i8fi8  he  settled  on  section  4  in  Douglas  town- 
ship. 

During  the  Civil  War  Mr.  Stocker  enlisted  for  service  in  tlie  Lnion 
army  but  was  rejected.  He  journeyed  to  Cedar  county  and  resided  with  an 
uncle.  In  the  fall  of  1862  he  joined  a  gmernment  train  and  went  tn  Mar- 
shalltown,  Iowa,  where  he  hired  out  for  four  years.  He  was  a  "bull  whacker" 
up  and  down  the  Missouri  river  and  in  the  Dakotas,  going  up  the  Missouri 
river  as  far  as  Fort  Thompson. 

On  February  20.  1866,  Mr.  Stocker  was  married  to  Mary  Jane  Barclay, 
a  native  of  Unadilla,  Otsego  county.  New  York,  daughter  of  Hugh  Barclay, 
an  early  settler  of  Sac  county.  She  was  born  July  8.  1841.  In  March,  1881, 
they  removed  to  Sac  City,  where  Mr.  Stocker  engaged  in  the  livery  business 
for  two  years.  He  served  as  deputy  sheriff  under  H.  L.  \ViIson  for  three  and 
one-half  years,  under  Tom  Beattie  for  one  and  one-half  years,  under  Had 
Allen  for  three  and  one-half  years,  and  under  Adam  Teppel  for  about  four 
vears.  He  was  also  constable  during  this  time.  For  five  years  Mr.  Stocker 
was  night  marshal  of  the  university  grounds  at  Ames,  Iowa. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stocker  have  two  children  and  one  adopted  child.  Nellie 
died  in  1882;  Fred  is  boss  of  carpenter  crew  at  the  college  at  Ames.  Iowa, 
and  Ebenezar  Cook,  an  adopted  son,  is  county  auditor  at  \\'ashhurn.  North 
Dakota. 

Politically,  Mr.  Stocker  is  a  Progressive,  and  he  holds  membershi])  with 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  8ll 

the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the  Knights  of  Pythias.  He  is  a 
past  chancellor  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  past  noble  grand  nf  the  Odd 
Fellows. 


JAMES  ELMER  AUSTIN. 

One  of  the  enterprising  men  of  Sac  City  who,  by  close  attention  to  busi- 
ness, has  achieved  success  and  risen  to  an  honorable  position  among  the  pro- 
gressive men  of  the  county  with  which  his  interests  are  identified,  is  J.  E. 
Austin,  city  marshal  of  Sac  City,  Iowa.  Mr.  Austin  is  one  of  those  estimable 
citizens  who  commands  respect  because  he  has  performed  well  his  duty  in 
all  relations  of  life. 

Mr.  Austin  was  born  January  22,  1S63,  and  is  a  native  of  the  state  of 
Nebraska.  He  is  a  son  of  John  Gilbert  and  Maria  (Tufts)  Austin,  the  for- 
mer a  native  of  Ohio  and  the  latter  of  Wisconsin.  John  G.  Austin  was  born 
in  the  year  1835  and  came  to  Sac  county  with  his  father,  Leonard  Austin,  in 
1852.  Maria  Tufts  was  the  daughter  of  Joseph  Tufts,  an  early  settler  in 
Sac  county,  and  she  came  to  this  county  with  an  uncle.  John  G.  Austin  and 
Maria  Tufts  were  married  in  Sac  county  and  went  to  Nebraska,  but  returned 
here  in  .April,  1863,  and  had  a  farm  near  Sac  City,  where  they  lived  until 
about  ]8i)().  They  were  the  parents  of  five  children,  named  as  follows:  John. 
who  lives  in  South  Dakota :  Mrs.  Almina  Fletcher,  who  also  lives  in  South 
Dakota;  William  V.,  of  Fonda,  Iowa:  Edward,  who  is  the  Standard  Oil 
Company's  representative  at  Sac  City ;  James  Elmer,  the  immediate  subject  of 
this  sketch.  John  G.  Austin  died  in  1901.  At  the  time  of  his  death  he  was 
city  marshal  of  Sac  City,  and  he  was  a  man  who  had  the  respect  of  all  who 
knew  him. 

T.  E.  Austin  was  reared  on  the  parental  farm  and  foIlo\\ed  the  acti\'e 
life  of  a  farmer  until  i8q8.  .\t  the  age  of  twenty-three  he  married  and  rented 
a  farm  in  Jackson  township,  where  he  lived  for  three  years.  He  then  li\ed 
for  fi\e  vears  on  his  father's  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  adjoining 
Sac  Citv.  after  which  he  bought  a  residence  in  Sac  City  and  removed  to 
town,  and  for  the  following  three  years  was  in  the  employ  of  the  Chicago, 
Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railroad  Company.  In  1907  he  became  deputy  sheriff 
of  Sac  county  under  Sheriff  Currie,  and  served  in  this  capacity  for  three 
years,  or  until  tqio.  He  is  now  serving  as  city  marshal  of  Sac  City,  having 
succeeded  his  father  in  this  position  at  his  death.     He  is  generally  conceded 


8 12  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

to  be  a  very  efficient  and  tnistwortliy  official,  and  has  the  support  and  confi- 
dence of  the  community. 

yir.  Austin  was  married  in  1886  to  Nellie  M.  Nichols  and  they  are  the 
])arents  of  five  children;  Clarence  lives  at  Lake  A^iew,  Iowa;  Leonard:  Mrs. 
Eveline  Stutzman.  of  Corning,  Iowa;  Charles  and  Lloyd. 

Politically.  Mr.  .Vr.stin  is  a  Republican,  and  he  is  a  member  of  the 
Woodmen  of  the  World. 


\MLLTAM  J.  FIXDLEY,  M.  D. 

It  is  not  always  easy  to  discover  and  define  the  hidden  forces  that  move 
a  life  of  ceaseless -activity  and  large  professional  success:  little  more  can  be 
done  than  to  note  their  manifestations  in  the  career  of  the  individual  under 
consideration.  In  view  of  this  fact,  the  life  of  the  able  physician  whose  name 
a]:)pears  al)o\-e  affords  a  striking  example  (vf  a  well  defined  purpose  to  succeed 
along"  the  lines  of  the  noblest  of  professions,  for  which  he  was  inclined 
through  native  abilitv  and  a  natural  heritage.  A  long  and  successful  career 
in  the  practice  of  medicine  has  broadened  and  widened  his  sphere  of  influence 
until  Dr.  William  J.  k'indley  stands  in  the  forefront  of  the  medical  profession 
through  sheer  worth  and  excellence  of  his  inherent  qualities.  Twenty  years 
of  continuous  exercise  of  his  talents  in  the  alleviation  of  the  pain  and  suffer- 
ing of  his  fellow  human  beings,  several  years  of  this  experience  being  under 
the  direct  guidance  of  his  eminent  father,  who  ranks  among  the  most  widely 
known  of  the  pioneer  physicians  of  Iowa,  has  eminently  fitted  him  for  the 
maturity  of  his  calling. 

Dr.  William  J.  Findley,  of  Sac  City,  was  born  January  i,  i860,  in 
Warren  county,  Iowa.  His  birthplace  was  in  the  town  of  Green  Bush,  now 
lietter  known  as  Spring  Hill.  His  parents  were  Dr.  David  Findley.  who  was 
liorn  .\ugust  ,^i,  1830,  and  Martha  J.  Barr  Findley.  a  nati\'e  of  Wash- 
ington county,  Pennsylvania.  David  Findley  was  a  native  of  Guernsey 
county,  in  the  old  Buckeye  state,  and  was  a  graduate  of  Keokuk  College  of 
Medicine.  He  came  west  when  a  young  man  and  first  studied  medicine  in 
the  office  of  Dr.  William  .Anderson,  of  Warren  county.  He  had  previously 
married  in  Ohio  and  traveled  to  the  west  in  a  prairie  schooner  in  1859.  He 
removed  to  Gro\'e  City,  Cass  county,  in  1862,  and  the  following  vear  re- 
moved back  to  Indianola,  Warren  county,  and  after  one  year  there  returned 
to  Lewis,  Cass  county,  where  he  lived  for  the  following  twelve  years.  In 
1876  he  removed  to  Atlantic,  Iowa,  and  it  is  recorded  of  him  that  he  prac- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  813 

I  iced  medicine  in  Cass  county  for  the  long  period  of  fortv-seven  vears :  in 
lact.  lie  continued  in  the  exercise  of  his  calling  until  his  death,  in  1910.  His 
highly  successful  and  honorable  career  is  extensively  recorded  in  the  annals 
of  his  adopted  county.  Doctor  and  Mrs.  Findley  were  the  parents  of  se\en 
children,  five  of  whom  are  yet  living,  namely :  S.  C.  Findley,  of  Atlantic, 
Iowa:  Dr.  W.  J.  Findley;  Mrs.  G.  W.  Noble,  of  Omaha,  Nebraska:  Dr. 
Palmer  I-"indley,  of  Omaha,  Nebraska,  and  Miss  Mayme  Findley,  of  Atlantic. 
The  mother  of  these  children  died  August  2,  1912. 

He  with  whom  this  biography  is  intimately  concerned  was  educated  in 
the  .Atlantic  schools  and  graduated  from  the  high  school  of  his  nati\e  citv. 
He  then  studied  in  the  collegiate  department  of  the  State  University  at  Iowa 
City  and  later  completed  a  course  in  the  New  York  School  of  Pharmacy. 
For  a  period  of  twelve  years,  from  1879  to  1891.  inclusive,  he  practiced 
pharniac}-.  In  the  fall  of  1891  he  entered  the  Northwestern  Uni\-ersity  of 
Chicago  and  graduated  from  the  medical  department  in  1894.  He  practiced 
with  his  father  for  five  years  at  Atlantic,  and  in  1899  located  at  Sac  City. 
Success  has  attended  Doctor  Findley  from  the  beginning  of  his  career  in  Sac 
City,  and  his  clientele  is  considerable.  Since  the  date  of  his  graduation,  he 
has  pursued  several  post-graduate  courses  in  Chicago  and  keeps  abreast  of  all 
new  dexelopments  in  his  chosen  profession.  Doctor  Findley  is  yet  a  student 
and  is  ever  seeking  to  better  and  broaden  his  knowledge  of  the  science  of 
medicine  and  surgery.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Sac  County  Medical  Society, 
the  Iowa  State  Medical  Association  and  the  American  Medical  Association. 
By  virtue  of  his  position  as  local  surgeon  for  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St. 
Paul  Railway,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Association  of  Railway  Surgeons. 
Politically,  he  is  allied  with  the  Republican  party.  He  has  filled  various  local 
offices  in  the  city  and  has  always  taken  a  li\e  interest  in  civic  affairs  which 
concerned  the  well-being  of  his  neighbors  and  fellow  citizens  of  the  munici- 
[ialit\  He  lias  served  as  a  menil)er  of  the  local  school  board  and  is  a  member 
of  the  Presbyterian  church. 

Doctor  Findley  was  united  in  marriage  with  Elizalieth  Truesdale.  for- 
merlv  of  Atlantic,  Iowa,  in  1899.  They  have  two  children,  who  are  attending 
the  public  schools,  namely :  Ellinor,  aged  sixteen  years,  and  Evelyn,  aged 
fourteen.  Doctor  Findley  is  also  a  registered  pharmacist,  and  has  had  hospi- 
tal experience  in  the  Cook  County  Hospital  and  the  Merry  Hospitals,  located 
in  Chicago. 

Reverting  to  the  subject's  ancestral  record,  it  may  be  stated  that  Dr.  David 
Findlev  was  the  son  of  Rev.  Samuel  Findley,  a  minister  of  the  I'nited  Presb}'- 
terian  faith,  and  who  was  a  traveling  missionary  in   biwa  as  earl_\-  as   184-?. 


8l4  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

It  is  recorded  of  him  that  he  tra\'eled  from  Ohio  to  Iowa  on  horseback  and 
for  a  time  spread  the  gospel  according  to  the  Presbyterian  faith  among  the 
early  settlers  of  the  new  and  growing  state.  Rev.  William  T.  Findley,  a  son, 
had  charge  of  a  church  in  Newark.  New  Jersey,  and  cared  for  his  father  in 
his  old  age  until  his  death.  The  wife  of  Rev.  Samuel  Findley  was  Margaret 
Ross,  a  native  of  Ireland.  Dr.  David  Findley  was  married  August  26,  1856, 
to  Martha  J.  Barr,  of  Monongahela  City,  Pennsylvania,  and  daughter  of 
James  Barr.  He  first  studied  medicine  under  Dr.  W.  M.  Anderson,  of  An- 
trum, and  came  to  Iowa  in  1859,  recei\-ing  a  diploma  from  the  Keokuk  Col- 
lege of  I\[edicine  a  few  }ears  later.  He  was  one  of  the  original  "Forty- 
niners"  who  made  the  trip  from  New  York  through  the  Isthmus  of  Panama 
to  San  Francisco  in  1852  and  was  shipwrecked,  having  a  narrow  escape  from 
death  when  the  good  ^h\p  "Inde])endence"  was  wrecked  on  the  south  coast 
of  California  in  1853.  two  hundred  and  fifty  out  of  five  hundred  passengers 
being  drowned.  The  ancestors  of  Martlia  J.  Barr,  on  her  mother's  side,  were 
named  Kennedy,  and  came  to  America  from  county  Antrim,  Ireland.  They 
first  settled  at  old  Fort  Pitt,  Pennsyhania,  in  1781.  and  entered  land  in 
W'ashington  county,  Pennsylvania,  which  is  yet  held  by  their  descendants. 
Her  father.  James  Barr,  w'as  a  captain  of  volunteers  in  the  Seminole  War. 
He  enlisted  in  tlie  United  States  army  two  different  times  and  died  of  fever 
contracted  in  the  Seminole  swamps. 


ABSALOM  CUNNINGHAM. 

The  office  of  biography  is  not  to  give  xoke  to  a  man's  modest  estimate 
of  him.self  and  his  accomplishments,  but  rather  to  leave  upon  the  record  a 
concise  account  of  his  career  from  birth  to  the  final  rounding  out  of  a  life  of 
usefulness  such  as  has  Ijeen  enjoyed  In-  the  citizen  whose  name  is  inscrilied  at 
the  head  of  this  brief  narrative.  His  character  has  been  estalilished  through 
the  estimation  in  which  he  is  held  b\'  neighbors  and  friends.  Like  many 
successful  men  of  the  West,  he  is  sel  fmade  and  from  a  modest  and  small 
beginning  he  has  amassed  a  considerable  competence  through  the  exercise  of 
industry  and  close  aii]ilication  to  the  promotion  of  his  agricultural  operations. 
Absalom  Cunningham  is  one  of  the  respected  and  substantial  retired  citizens 
of  Sac  C"ity.  and  during  bis  time  was  one  of  the  best  known  and  most  suc- 
cessful tillers  of  the  soil  within  the  confines  of  the  countv.  His  sterling 
worth  and  great  personal  integrit}-  is  beyond  questirm  in  tlie  land  of  his 
adoption. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  815 

A.  L'uniiinghani  was  born  in  i860  on  a  farm  in  McLean  county,  Illinois. 
His  [jarents  were  J.  AI.  and  Eliza  (  Buxton  )  Cunningham,  natives  of  the  great 
state  of  Pennsylvania.  J.  M.,  the  father,  settled  in  McLean  county  on  a 
farm  of  considerable  area  in  the  year  1858  and  there  reared  his  family  and 
departed  this  life.  His  family  numbered  four  sons  and  four  daughters,  as 
follows:  Adeline,  deceased:  William,  of  DeWitt  county;  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Hubbell,  of  Illinois;  Mrs.  Hannah  Carr.  iif  Illinois;  Frank  Cunningham,  de- 
ceased ;  .\bsaloni ;  Cora,  deceased. 

He  of  whom  we  are  narrating  these  facts  was  married  in  1880  to  Jennie 
Ellis,  of  De\A'itt  county.  After  a  wedded  season  of  twenty-five  years,  the 
wife  died,  m  March,  1905,  leaving  eight  children,  namely:  Clovis,  now  de- 
ceased; Mrs.  Clotilda  Pullen.  of  Sac  county;  Clem  E.,  a  resident  of  Sac  City; 
W.  Ashley,  also  a  resident  of  Sac  City:  Carl  A.;  Helen  and  Josephine.  After 
leaving  De\\'itt  countv,  ]\fr.  Cunningham  resided  on  a  farm  upon  which  he 
removed  in  1862.  In  1898  he  removed  to  Sac  county  and  in  the  spring  of 
that  vear  he  made  a  purchase  of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  fine  land 
in  Cook  township,  located  four  miles  west  of  the  town  of  Early.  He  used 
the  skill  and  a  natural  aptitude  for  agriculture  in  its  highest  sense  which  is 
possessed  h\  the  greater  number  of  the  Illinois  farmers  who  have  located  in 
Sac  countv  of  late  years  and  brought  his  farm  land  up  to  a  high  state  of 
cultivation.  It  is  well  improved  with  excellent  buildings  and  is  known  favor- 
ablv  as  one  of  the  best  crop-producing  tracts  of  land  in  a  county  famous  for 
its  fine  farms.  In  191 2  Mr.  Cunningham  decided  to  retire  and  he  came  to 
Sac  Citv  and  purchased  a  fine  residence  in  the  west  part  of  the  city.  In 
December  of  the  same  \-ear  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Mrs.  Ida  (  Pren- 
tice)  W  illard.  the  daughter  of  Hosea  Prentice,  a  nati\e  of  Vermont  and  a 
descendant  of  an  old  New  England  family  which  traces  their  ancestry  back  to 
colonial  days.  H'isea  Prentice  earlv  migrated  to  southern  Wisconsin,  and 
thence  to  Illinois.  He  came  to  Iowa  in  the  year  1874  and  settled  in  Sac  City 
where  he  became  prominenth  identified  with  the  uplmilding  of  the  city.  He 
was  both  farmer  and  merchant,  succeeding  well  in  both  lines.  He  broke  prairie 
land  when  he  first  located  in  the  county  and  later  engaged  in  mercantile  pur- 
suits in  die  city.  In  1869  be  made  a.  trip  to  the  county  and  purcha.sed  the 
hnul  where  the  town  of  Earb;  now  stands — in  fact,  the  town  is  located  on 
the  original  Prentice  farm.  Hosea  was  married  to  Diantha  Surdam,  of  New 
York,  who  died  in  1887.  He  again  married  and  was  the  father  of  eight 
cliildren.  four  of  whom  were  reared  to  maturity:  Harlow  Prentice,  of  Cleg- 
horn.  Iowa;  George  W..  of  Bakersfield.  California;  Ann  Eliza  Stafford,  now 
deceased,    and    Mrs.    Cunningham.     Mr.    Prentice    was    the    second    mayor 


8l6  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

elected  in  Sac  City  and  was  a  member  oi  the  town  council  for  a  numlaer  of 
years.  He  was  a  useful  and  inHuential  citizen  who  is  j'et  remcml^ered  as  one 
of  the  best  men  who  assisted  in  bringing  the  city  to  the  high  prestige  which 
it  now  enjoys.  He  died  December  5,  1910,  at  the  age  of  ninety-one  rears. 
It  is  such  men  as  Mr.  Cunningham  that  ha\e  been  instrumental  in  bringing 
the  agricultural  possibilities  of  Sac  county  to  the  front  among  the  fertile 
counties  of  western  Iowa  and  words  fail  in  this  instance  to  express  the  biog- 
rapher's appreciation  of  his  capable  and  useful  life  as  exemplified  bv  his 
accomplishments. 


WILLIAM  OUIRK. 


From  the  little  isle  of  Man,  which  lies  between  England  and  Ireland, 
there  have  come  to  this  country  some  very  enterprising  and  successful  citizens. 
The  Quirk  family  is  probably  the  only  family  in  Sac  county  who  were  born  in 
this  island.  William  Quirk,  pioneer  settler,  was  born  on  March  6,  1848,  and  is 
the  son  of  Thomas  and  Eleanor  Quirk,  who  also  were  natives  of  the  isle  of 
Man.  When  Mr.  Quirk  was  nineteen  years  of  age  he  decided  to  leave  his 
native  land  and  come  to  America.  He  had  already  received  a  good,  practical 
education  and  had  saved  up  enough  money  to  pay  for  his  passage  to  this 
country.  Accordingly,  in  1867,  he  crossed  the  ocean  and  went  direct  to 
Chicago,  where  he  worked  for  three  years.  He  was  in  that  city  at  the  time 
of  the  great  fire,  having  previously  lived  in  Davenport,  Iowa,  for  a  short  time. 
While  in  the  latter  city  he  was  a  market  gardener.  Later  he  went  to  Omaha, 
where  he  worked  for  a  year,  and  in  i87_i  came  to  Sac  county  and  remained 
here  for  a  few  months.  Then  he  returned  to  the  isle  of  Man,  and  in  1S75  he 
permanently  settled  in  Sac  county,  renting  a  farm  in  Levey  township.  A  year 
later  he  bought  eighty  acres  of  railroad  land  at  a  cost  of  six  dollars  an  acre, 
and  in  1876  he  bought  forty  acres  and  in  1883  he  added  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  to  his  farm,  and  he  is  now  tlie  owner  of  two  hundred  and  forty 
acres  of  fine  farming  land  in  Clinton  township,  in  section  34.  He  erected  an 
attractive  home  in  1886,  which  is  set  back  from  the  road  amidst  a  large  grove 
of  evergreen  and  deciduous  trees.  He  has  set  out  a  gro\e  of  evergreen  and 
deciduous  trees  and  an  orchard  and  his  woods  has  now  grown  to  such  an 
extent  that  he  is  now  sup])lied  with  firewood  and  lumber  from  the  trees  which 
he  had  planted  nearly  forty  years  ago.  He  raises  and  feeds  a  large  number  of 
cattle  and  hogs  each  year.  In  T913  he  had  about  one  hundred  head  of  cattle 
and  seventy-five  head  of  hogs  for  the  market. 

Mr.  Quirk  was  married  in  t88o  to  Margaret  Christian,  who  died  four 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  Si/ 

years  later,  leaving  tour  children,,  Charles,  Walter,  Maud  and  Minnie.  Maud 
is  a  nurse  in  Marshalltown,  Iowa,  and  the  other  three  children  are  still  living  in 
this  county,  Walter  and  Minnie  being  with  their  father.  In  1886  Mr.  Quirk 
crossed  the  ocean  and  was  married  to  Elizabeth  Hudson,  who  also  is  a  native 
of  the  isle  of  Man,  the  daughter  of  William  and  Elizabeth  Hudson.  Mr. 
Quirk  returned  to  his  home  in  Sac  county  in  the  summer  of  1886  with  his 
bride  after  his  second  marriage,  and  there  they  have  since  resided.  To  this 
second  marriage  have  been  born  six  children :  Madge,  a  trained  nurse  of 
Marshalltown,  Iowa;  Archie,  a  farmer  living  in  Clinton  township,  this  county; 
Ella,  who  is  attending  the  Teachers  College  at  Cedar  Falls,  Iowa,  and  Percy, 
Harry  and  Francis,  the  last  three  named  being  still  at  home  with  their 
parents. 

Politically,  Mr.  Quirk  has  always  been  identified  with  the  Republican 
party  and  has  taken  an  active  interest  in  politics  since  becoming  a  resident  of 
this  township.  He  has  held  no  less  than  four  different  offices  in  his  township, 
a  fact  which  testifies  to  the  high  esteem  in  which  he  is  held  by  his  neighbors 
and  fellow  citizens.  He  served  as  justice  of  the  peace,  assessor,  township 
trustee  and  school  director,  and  in  all  of  these  four  official  positions  he  has 
discharged  his  duties  in  a  manner  highly  satisfactory  to  his  constituents. 
Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons  at 
Wall  Lake,  and,  religiously,  he  and  his  family  are  earnest  and  loyal  members 
of  the  Iklethodist  Episcopal  church,  and  are  interested  in  the  various  activities 
of  that  denomination.  Mr.  Quirk  represents  that  type  of  men  who  push  their 
way  to  a  position  of  affluence  solely  through  their  own  efforts.  He  came  to, 
this  county  with  practically  nothing,  and  is  now  one  of  the  enterprising  and 
substantial  citizens  of  his  community  and  township.  ^ 

Mr.  Quirk  has  twice  visited  the  scenes  of  his  boyhood  in  Europe  or  Eng- 
land and  has  crossed  the  ocean  five  times  during  his  lifetime,  a  distinction 
which  has  been  conferred  on  but  few  Sac  county  pioneers. 


WILLIAM  HENRY  CRISS. 

The  history  of  Sac  county,  as  an  integral  part  of  the  great  common- 
wealth of  Iowa,  reveals  the  handiwork  of  many  a  great  and  noble  soul  who 
wrought  heroically  and  unselfishly.  Her  splendid  homes,  her  fine  institutions, 
her  happy,  prosperous  people  speak  volumes  of  some  one's  steadfastness  of 
purpose,  of  some  one's  strength  of  arm,  courage  of  heart,  activity  of  brain— 

(50 


8l8  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

of  some  one's  sacrifice.  But  time,  that  grim  obliterator,  before  whose  de- 
stroying" fingers  even  the  stubborn  granite  must,  in  the  end,  succumb,  is  ever 
at  his  work  of  disintegration.  Beneath  his  bhghting  touch  even  memory 
fails,  and  too  often  a  life  of  splendid  achievement  and  good  works  is  for- 
gotten. "Lest  we  forget."  then,  these  words  are  written  in  tribute  to  the 
late  Hon.  Eugene  Criss.  distinguished  father  of  William  Henry  Criss,  whose 
name  heads  this  sketch.  Hardy  pioneer,  successful  farmer,  trusted  public 
official,  brave,  kindly,  generous  man,  it  must  be  the  desire  of  all  who  knew 
him  that  his  deeds  and  his  character  be  recorded  for  the  benefit  of  those  who 
follow  after.  He  was  rich  in  a  thousand  thronging  memories  of  the  early 
rugged  days  in  Iowa,  when  hardy  men  stood  shoulder  to  shoulder  and  fought 
for  the  best  interests  of  their  community.  Those  who  survive  him  are 
blessed  in  the  memory  of  this  good  man,  whose  long  life  in  this  communit}^ 
was  a  blessed  benediction  on  those  who  came  under  its  influence. 

Hon.  Eugene  Criss  was  born  in  Preston  county,  ^^^est  Virginia,  July  ly, 
1822,  and  he  was  a  son  of  iNIichael  and  Maria  (Armstrong)  Criss,  the  for- 
mer a  native  of  Virginia  and  the  latter  of  Ireland.  Michael  Criss  was  a 
Methodist  Episcopal  minister.  Maria  Armstrong  was  reared  in  the  city  of 
Philadelphia,  whither  she  had  accompanied  her  parents  from  Ireland  when 
she  was  three  years  of  age.  Judge  Eugene  Criss  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  of  Maryland.  He  came  west  in  1844  and  settled  in  Galena,  Illinois, 
where  he  worked  in  the  lead  mines  for  five  years.  He  then  farmed  for  two 
years.  He  later  opened  a  general  merchandise  store  at  Shullsburg,  Wiscon- 
sin. In  August,  1855,  he  came  to  Sac  City,  Iowa,  making  the  trip  from  Wis- 
consin in  a  wagon  and  traveling  four  months  on  the  journey.  He  erected  the 
first  log  building  in  Sac  City,  sixteen  by  twenty  feet  in  size,  hauling  the  doors 
and  windows  from  Dubuque,  a  distance  of  two  hundred  and  seventy  miles. 
He  also  built  a  saw  mill  and  a  flour  mill.  He  pre-empted  a  claim  of  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  Sac  county,  and  by  thrift  and  good  manage- 
ment added  to  his  holdings  until  his  landed  estate  consisted  of  one  thousand 
five  hundred  acres.  He  was  one  of  five  men  who  entered  the  land  where  Sac 
City  now  stands.  He  donated  the  land  for  the  first  cemetery  in  Sac  City.  In 
the  early  days  he  was  an  Indian  trader,  and  was  the  first  fur  buyer  north  of 
Des  Moines.  He  helped  organize  the  First  National  Bank  of  Sac  City,  and 
for  many  years  was  its  vice-president.  Politically,  he  was  first  a  Whig  and 
later  a  Republican,  and  he  took  an  active  and  influential  part  in  the  political 
affairs  of  his  county  and  state.  He  served  as  provost  marshal  during  the 
Civil  War.  and  at  different  times  served  as  county  supervisor  and  sheriff  of 
Sac  countv.     He  also  served  one  term  as  county  judge,  and  in  1868  repre- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  819 

sented  the  northwestern  Iowa  district  in  the  Legislature.  Judge  Criss  was 
identified  with  nearl\-  every  important  movement  of  his  day  in  Sac  county — 
in  fact,  his  Hfe  was  so  closely  interwoven  with  all  the  vital  forces  of  civic 
welfare  that  to  lay  stress  upon  any  particular  achievement  would  be  but 
random  acknowledgment  of  a  career  singularly  fruitful  of  just  and  honorable 
deeds. 

Judge  Criss  was  married  March  9,  1843,  to  Frances  Hall,  of  Preston 
county.  West  Virginia,  who  was  born  May  16,  1823.  in  Monongahela  county, 
West  Virginia,  the  daughter  of  Jesse  and  Sarah  Hall.  Six  children  were  the 
fruits  of  this  marriage,  named  as  follows :  Mrs.  j\Iary  Jane  Wine,  born 
February,  1846,  lives  at  Mason  City,  Iowa;  James  S.  Criss,  born  November, 
1846.  lives  at  Omaha,  Nebraska;  Mrs.  Helen  B.  Davis,  born  1848.  is  de- 
ceased: Mrs.  Nancy  Emeline  Lamoreux,  of  Houston,  Texas;  William  H. 
Criss,  of  Sac  Cit)-;  ]\Irs.  T.ola  M.  Beimer  died  in  December,  1897. 

Judge  Eugene  Criss  died  March  11,  1903,  in  his  eighty-first  year.  His 
eightieth  birthday  was  celebrated  by  a  big  barbecue  at  the  fair  grounds, 
which  he  then  owned.  Thousands  of  people  attended  this  gathering  as  a 
testimonial  of  their  affection  and  esteem  for  their  fellow  townsman,  full  of 
honors  and  rich  in  the  wealth  of  a  legion  of  friends.  Judge  Criss  fed  this 
entire  assemfily,  whose  merriment  during  the  day  made  him  very  happy.  He 
died  with  his  splendid  individual  powers  matured  to  the  point  of  large  and 
worthv  accomplishment,  and  to  those  who  follow  he  left  the  priceless  heritage 
of  a  good  and  honored  name. 

William  Henry  Criss,  the  son  of  Judge  Eugene  and  Frances  (Hall) 
•Criss,  was  born  in  Sac  City,  Iowa,  July  17.  1857.  He  received  his  education 
in  the  schools  of  Sac  City,  and  when  a  young  man  he  assisted  his  father  in 
his  farming  operations  and  cattle  raising.  He  was  the  only  one  of  the  chil- 
dren to  remain  at  home.  With  a  wisdom  worthy  of  emulation,  he  has  never 
caught  the  lure  of  wanderlust,  but  has  Ijeen  content  to  make  the  most  of  the 
opportunities  that  may  always  be  found  at  home.  For  fifty-six  years  he  has 
lived  in  Sac  City,  and  during  this  long  and  eventful  time  he  has  not  been  out 
of  the  town  but  about  six  weeks.  He  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  best  and  most 
substantial  citizens  of  the  community.  He  has  a  farm  of  eighty  acres  near 
Sac  City,  well  stocked  and  well  improved,  and  was  formerly  an  extensive 
stock  raiser. 

William  H.  Criss  was  married  October  24,  1886,  to  Alice  L.  Bechler, 
who  was  born  in  1864,  daughter  of  George  and  Hannah  Bechler,  natives  of 
Pennsylvania,  who  emigrated  to  Illinois  in  1867,  and  eight  years  later,  in 
1875,  came  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  and  settled  on  a  farm  five  miles  north  of 


820  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Sac  City.  George  Bechler  died  September  lo,  1905,  and  Hannah  Bechler, 
his  wife,  (hed  September  3.  1913.  These  parents  had  eight  children,  two 
dying  in  infanc}-.  The  (Others  are:  Mrs.  EmeHne  Emmett,  who  H\es  in 
Pennsylvania:  Calvin  Bechler,  who  resides  in  the  north  part  of  Sac  City: 
Mrs.  Sarah  Staley.  who  li\-es  in  Blinois; -Robert  Bechler.  a  farmer  in  Doug- 
las township.  Sac  coimt)- ;  Mrs.  Elizalieth  XeitherwDrth.  uf  Sac  Ck\.  and 
Alice  L.,  the  wife  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

William  H.  Criss  and  wife  have  six  children,  as  follows:  Leon  is  at 
home:  Mrs.  Cna  Chapman,  of  Kearney,  Nebraska;  Eugene  and  Georgia  are 
twins,  and  the  former  is  at  home  and  the  latter  lives  at  Ivearney,  Nebraska; 
Glen  li\-es  at  home,  as  does  also  Verlyn. 

Politically,  Mr.  Criss  is  a  Republican,  and  he  and  his  wife  and  children 
are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  ]\[r.  Criss  also  holds  membership 
with  the  Mystic  Workers.  Measured  by  the  true  standard  of  worth.  Mr. 
Criss  belongs  to  that  praiseworthy  class  which  has  furnished  much  of  the 
bone  and  sinew  of  the  country.  Personally,  he  is  whole-souled  and  genial,  a 
man  who  all  are  always  glad  to  meet,  and  he  is  held  in  the  highest  regard  in 
the  communit\-  which  has  been  honored  by  his  residence  for  over  half  a  cen- 
turv. 


ERNEST  L.  AHRENS. 


Self-educated  and  self-trained  men  in  all  walks  of  life  are  usualh-  found 
to  be  of  a  high  type  of  indi\'idual  in  practically  every  community.  Their 
horizon  has  been  broadened ;  their  faculties  have  been  highly  developed ; 
their  mental  calibre  is  found  to  be  of  the  strongest,  and  their  business  abilit_\' 
is  generallv  recognized  as  abo\e  the  a\'erage.  Where\'er  we  find  a  successful 
merchant,  it  is  discovered  that  the  results  of  his  attainments  are  due  to  his 
close  application  to  the  details  connected  with  his  business  and  his  success 
due  in  a  great  measure  to  his  personal  integrity  and  energy  in  o\'ercoming 
obstacles  which  ma_\'  ha\e  tluring  the  past  [ilaced  themseh'es  in  his  path.  E. 
L.  Ahrens,  senior  member  of  the  tirm  of  Ahrens  &  Lowry,  Sac  City,  belongs 
])roperly  in  the  highest  class  of  progressive  men  of  business.  To  his  fore- 
sight and  business  acumen  we  can  safely  gi\e  the  credit  for  the  establishment 
of  one  of  the  most  successful  and  prosperous  establishments  in  a  city  noted 
for  its  fine  and  well  stocked  stores.  Although  not  liorn  nor  reared  to  a  life  of 
mercantile  pursuit,  he  has  demonstrated  that  he  possessed  the  necessary 
ability  to  establish  and  build  up  a  thriving  concern  which  is  a  credit  to  the 
conimunitv.  ■ 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  82 1 

The  hardware  business  of  Ahrens  &  Lowry  -was  begun  in  a  limited  way 
by  Mr.  Ahrens  in  the  year  1899,  when  he  left  the  farm  and  started  a  plumb- 
ing shop  on  the  main  thoroughfare  of  the  city.  This  shop  met  with  instan- 
taneous success,  and  a  line  of  hardware  was  gradually  added  to  accommodate 
the  e\er-increasing  patronage.  L.  P.  Lowry  became  a  partner  in  the  year 
1906,  and  additional  capital  pro\ided  by  his  entrance  into  the  partnership 
enabled  the  new  firm  to  branch  out  and  install  a  larger  and  more  varied  stock 
of  goods.  The  firm  owns  its  own  handsome  brick  building,  the  main  show 
room  being  twenty-two  by  one  hundred  and  thirtv-two  feet  in  extent.  They 
carry  a  complete  and  modern  stock  of  hardware,  plumbing  and  heating  ap- 
paratus and  supplies.  A  completely  fitted  plumbing  shop  is  also  tnaintained, 
the  business  rei[uiring  the  services  of  five  emploves. 

Biographically  speaking,  E.  L.  Ahrens  was  born  on  February  2,  i860, 
at  Belle  Plain.  Iowa.  He  is  the  son  of  German  parents,  his  father,  Christian 
Ahrens.  ha\ing  been  born  and  reared  in  the  fatherland.  His  mother  was 
.Amelia  .Schroeder.  likewise  a  nati\'e  of  Germany.  His  parents  emigrated, 
with  their  respective  families,  to  Iowa  in  an  earlv  day.  Thev  met  and  were 
married  in  the  same  neighborhood  of  the  original  place  of  settlement.  Both 
died  in  the  town  of  Belle  Plain.  Christian  was  the  father  of  six  children, 
namely:  Mrs.  Amelia  Tischer,  of  Sac  Cit}- ;  \Y.  W.,  of  Plain  A'iew,  Ne- 
braska: Ernest  L. :  Samuel,  of  Belle  Plain.  Iowa:  C.  A.,  of  Marshall.  Alinne- 
sota.  and  G.  R..  also  a  resident  of  Belle  Plain.  Iowa.  E.  L.  .Ahrens  received 
his  primruw  education  in  the  district  schools  near  Belle  Plain  and  was  reared 
on  a  farm,  learning  the  secrets  of  soil  cultivation  from  his  German  parents. 
In  the  year  1880  he  removed  to  Sac  county  and  established  himself  on  a 
farm  in  \\'all  Lake  township,  consisting  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres, 
which  his  father  had  previ(_nisl\'  purchased  in  his  Liehalf  with  the  understand- 
ing that  the  son  was  to  repay  him  from  the  proceeds  of  his  farming"  opera- 
tions. This  was  an  excellent  arrangement,  wdiich  is  deserving  of  emulation 
by  e\-ery  father  who  has  sons  whose  desire  it  is  to  succeed  along  agricultural 
lines.  We  nnist  credit  Christian  Ahrens  with  remarkable  foresight  and  a 
keen  parental  desire  to  see  his  children  prosper  while  the  father  was  yet  among 
the  living.  E.  L,  did  not  belie  the  parental  expectations,  and  it  is  to  his  credit 
that  he  soon  paid  off  his  indebtedness  and  has  added  to  his  original  acreage 
from  time  to  time.  He  is  now  the  owner  of  four  excellent  farms  in  Sac 
county,  consisting  of  the  original  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  one 
of  eighty  acres,  one  of  one  hundred  and  thirty  acres,  and  another  very  good 
one  of  one  hundred  and  forty  acres,  making  a  total  acreage  of  five  hundred 
and  ten  acres.     AH  of  these  farms  are  well  improved  and  are  provided  with 


822  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

good  buildings  and  fencing.  Air.  .Mirens  has  them  rented  out  to  responsible 
tenants.  So  diligently  did  he  apply  himself  to  the  task  of  cultivating  his  land 
that  his  health  gradually  failed  him  and  he  found  it  necessary  to  discontinue 
farming  and  removed  to  Sac  City  in  the  year  1897.  During  his  residence  in 
the  country  he  had  taken  up  tlie  study  of  penmanship,  bookkeeping  and  com- 
merce, so  that  he  came  to  the  city  well  fortified  to  engage  in  a  pursuit  for 
which  he  had  a  natural  aptitude.  During  his  spare  time  and  of  evenings  he 
studied  diligently  and  increased  his  knowledge  so  that  he  would  be  better 
prepared  t<i  embark  in  a  business  pursuit  when  it  would  become  necessary  for 
him  to  abandon  agriculture  permanently. 

Politically,  Mr.  Ahrens  is  allied  with  the  Republican  party.  He  takes  an 
active  interest  in  municipal  affairs  and  believes  it  to  be  the  duty  of  every 
citizen  to  assist  in  every  possible  manner  in  pushing  forward  the  growth  and 
progress  of  his  home  city.  He  has  served  as  school  treasurer  of  Wall  Lake 
township  and  has  filled  the  oftice  of  city  councilman.  He  is  one  of  the  best 
known  members  of  the  Christian  church  of  Sac  City.  Fraternally,  he  is 
affiliated  with  the  Brotherhood  of  American  Yeoman,  the  Odd  Fellows  and 
the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  in  which  he  is  a  Knight  Templar. 

Mr.  Ahrens  was  married  in  1883  to  Emma  Dart,  a  daughter  of  C.  J. 
Dart,  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Sac  cotmty.  He  is  the  father  of  the  fol- 
lowing children:  Pearl,  the  wife  of  Homer  B.  Ford,  merchant  of  Seattle, 
\\'ashington ;  Ida  Y.,  a  student  in  the  State  Agricultural  College,  at  Ames, 
Iowa. 


JAMES  \\"ILLIA:\I  TIBERGHIEN. 

Specific  mention  is  made  in  the  following  paragraphs  of  one  of  the 
worthy  citizens  of  Sac  county,  Io\\  a — one  who  has  figured  in  the  growth  and 
development  of  this  favored  locality  and  whose  interests  have  been  identified 
with  its  progress,  contributing  in  a  definite  measure  in  his  particular  sphere  of 
action  to  the  well-being  of  the  community  in  which  he  resides  and  to  the 
advancement  of  its  normal  and  legitimate  growth.  Additional  interest  at- 
taches to  his  career  from  the  fact  that  his  life  from  boyhood  until  now  has 
been  passed  within  the  l)orders  of  this  county.  Earnest  purpose  and  tireless 
energy,  combined  with  mature  judgment  and  every-day  common  sense,  have 
been  among  liis  most  prominent  characteristics  and  he  well  merits  the  respect 
and  esteem  which  are  accorded  him  by  all  who  know  hini. 

J.  \\".  Tiberghien,  one  of  the  well-known  farmers  of  Jackson  township, 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  823 

Sac  county,  Iowa,  was  born  in  Alontgomery  county,  Indiana,  March  17, 
1838,  the  son  of  EHas  and  Harriet  Melville  (Harrison)  Tiberghien,  the  for- 
mer a  native  of  Ohio  and  the  latter  of  Kentucky.  Elias  Tiberghien  was  born 
in  .Miami  county,  Ohio,  in  18] o,  and  he  was  the  son  of  Zacheus  Tiberghien,  a 
native  of  France,  who  settled  in  Ohio  in  1822.  He  subsequently  removed  to 
Jasper  county,  Iowa,  and  later  to  Sac  county,  arriving  May  19,  1855,  making 
the  iourney  overland  1)_\'  ox  team.  I-'our  families  and  part  oi  another 
family,  twenty-one  people  in  all,  made  the  trip,  which  required  nineteen  days, 
a  distance  of  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  miles.  Pie  settled  in  Jackson  town- 
ship and  became  one  of  the  substantial  citizens  of  his  locality.  His  death 
occurred  December  19,  1883.  His  wife,  Harriet  Melville  Harrison,  was 
born  in  Shelby  county,  Kentucky,  August  18,  1815,  and  died  August  10, 
1895.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Eli  Harrison,  a  cousin  of  President  Benjamin 
Harrison  and  who  fought  in  the  War  of  1812. 

J.  W.  Tiberghien  was  a  boy  of  seventeen  years  when  the  family  settled 
in  Sac  county,  and  he  has  thus  lived  to  witness  the  wonderful  transformation 
that  has  taken  place  in  western  Iowa.  He  came  here  in  a  primitive  day, 
when  the  red-skinned  Indians  roamed  the  country  and  when  the  opening  up 
of  a  new  country  required  the  utmost  bravery  and  persistence.  Reared  on  the 
farm,  he  vividly  recalls  the  great  sport  of  hunting  in  that  early  day.  He  re- 
mained at  home  imtil  he  was  twenty-eight  years  old,  helping  clear  the  land  and 
developing  a  farm  from  the  wilderness. 

On  March  9,  1862,  Mr.  Tiberghien  enlisted  in  Company  H,  Tenth  Iowa 
\'olunteer  Infantry,  and  served  three  years  and  twenty-five  days.  He  was  in 
the  battle  of  Farmington,  Mississippi,  when  his  regiment  and  four  companies 
of  another  regiment  under  Colonel  Purcell  were  ordered  out  to  move  the 
Union  picket  line.  The  first  time  he  was  under  fire  was  at  Vicksburg,  Missis- 
sippi. He  was  in  the  hospital  at  the  time,  but  begged  his  captain  to  allow  him 
to  fight  one  day.  He  was  afterward  sent  to  Jefferson  Barracks  and  then 
transferred  to  the  invalid  corps,  forming  the  reserve  in  Company  D,  and 
served  to  this  corps  until  mustered  otit  in  Chicago,  April  5,  1865. 

i\Ir.  Tiberghien  returned  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  after  the  war,  and  on 
Januar\'  10,  1867.  he  was  married  to  Louisa  Travis,  who  was  born  in 
LaPorte  county,  Indiana.  October  15,  1839,  a  daughter  of  Curtis  and  Mary 
Ann  (]\Iiller)  Travis.  She  came  to  Sac  county  in  1861,  on  a  visit  to  her 
sister,  and  here  met  Mr.  Tiberghien.  Louise  Travis  Tiberghien  was  one  of 
the  first  school  teachers  in  Sac  county  and  is  the  oldest  living  pioneer  teacher 
at  the  present  time  residing  in  Sac  county.  Settling  on  his  own  farm  of  two 
hundred  acres  in  Douglas  township,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tiberghien  lived  there  for 


824  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

some  time,  but  finally  rented  their  farm  and  removed  to  town  in  order  to 
better  educate  his  children.  He  spent  three  years  ranching  in  Kansas.  In 
1899  he  sold  the  farm  and  in  1900  removed  to  his  present  place  in  Jackson 
township. 

Seven  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  Tiberghien,  only  three  of 
whom  are  living.  Willie  J.  died  August  u,  1889,  at  the  age  of  twenty-one 
years,  five  months  and  fifteen  days.  Lee  \'elda  and  Emmett  R.  were  twins. 
Lee  \'elda  was  jjorn  July  15,  1868,  an<l  died  April  9,  1912.  Emmett  R. 
died  in  infancy.  Dr.  Eugene  Tiberghien,  who  was  a  soldier  in  the  Spanish- 
American  \\'ar.  is  an  osteopath  at  Julesburg,  Colorado,  and  is  the  father  of 
three  children,  Ruth,  Helen  and  lone.  Mrs.  Pearl  Ellis  resides  at  Bakers- 
field.  California,  and  is  the  mother  of  five  children,  Ruby.  Marv,  Opal,  James 
I\'  and  Ernest.  James  Earl,  who  was  a  twin  brother  of  Pearl,  is  deceased. 
Garland  Travis  lives  at  Bakersfield.  California. 

]\lr,  Tiberghien  is  a  Republican  in  political  faith,  and  had  the  honor  of 
casting  a  vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln.  He  has  ser\'ed  as  township  clerk,  ius- 
tice  of  the  peace  and  school  director.  He  has  been  a  Master  Mason  since 
1859,  being  the  only  charter  member  living  of  the  Sac  City  Masonic  lodge. 
He  is  also  a  member  of  Gen.  W.  T.  Sherman  Post,  Grand  Armv  of  the  Re- 
pul)lic,  and  the  Christian  church. 

A  product  of  the  pioneer  epoch,  and  he  himself  a  pioneer,  Mr.  Tiber- 
ghien is  one  of  those  estimable  citizens  whose  labors  and  self-sacrifice  have 
made  possible  the  advanced  state  of  civilization  and  enlightenment  for  which 
the  great  state  of  Iowa  has  long  been  noted.  His  life  forcibly  illustrates 
what  a  life  of  energy  can  accomplish  when  actions  are  governed  by  right 
principles  and  high  ideals.  He  is  one  of  the  kind  that  can  be  relied  on  in 
the  world's  affairs,  a  splendid  specimen  of  the  manv  that  do  the  real  work  of 
the  world  in  places  of  passing  importance,  and  do  it  well.  His  is  a  life  that 
does  not  attract  attention  for  any  picturesque  or  erratic  qualities,  but  the 
kind  out  of  which  the  warp  and  woof  of  the  substance  that  goes  to  make  u]) 
the  continuous  achievement  of  humanity  is  made.  Plain,  unassuming, 
straightforward,  his  life  has  been  consistent  in  motive  and  action,  and  he  has 
earned  and  holds  the  high  regard  of  a  large  acquaintance. 

His  favorite  recreation,  even  at  his  advanced  age,  is  fishing — the  pursuit 
of  Presidents  and  men  of  all  walks  of  life.  On  bright,  sunshinv  davs  this 
fine  old  gentleman  can  be  found  along  the  shaded  banks  of  the  beautiful 
Raccoon  river  plying  his  reel  and  net. 

.V  worthy  avocation  to  which  he  has  dedicated  the  active  part  of  his 
declining  years,  is  the  care  of  Cory's  Grove  cemetery,  the  last  resting  place 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  82t 

of  the  earliest  pioneers  of  Sac  county.  Reverently,  and  w  itli  loving,  tender 
hands,  he  looks  after  this  beautiful  plot  of  burial  ground  which  lies  within  a 
stone's  throw  of  his  cottage  home,  and  which  contains  the  remains  of  those 
wh(7  were  dear  and  near  to  him  in  his  boyhood  da}s.  The  Eternal  Being 
blesses  such  nolile  characters  as  James  W.  Tiljerghien. 


FRAXCIS  S.  NEEDIIAM. 

Banking  is  a  business  and  profession  which  calls  for  talent  of  a  high 
order.  To  succeed  in  this  oldest  of  commercial  pursuits  recjuires  a  high 
degree  of  intelligence,  a  great  measure  of  personal  integrity,  a  modicum  of 
absolute  honesty,  and  a  broad  sense  of  citizenship  which  enaliles  one  to  cap- 
ably judge  human  nature,  and  at  the  same  time  retain  the  confidence  and  re- 
spect of  those  with  whom  he  is  dailv  thrown  in  contact  in  the  course  of  the 
conduct  of  his  business.  Fraticis  S.  Needham  is  a  true  type  of  the  broad- 
minded  1)anker  who  has  achie\T(l  a  standing  and  eminence  in  the  l)anking 
world  through  his  own  efforts,  beginning  in  a  small  way.  I'rom  a  reason- 
ably small  lieginning  in  the  banking  business  he  has  risen  to  the  control  of 
several  of  the  leading  banking  concerns  of  Sac  county,  and  enjoys  a  prestige 
among  his  fellow  citizens  rarely  exceeded. 

Mr.  Xeedham  occupies  the  important  jjosition  of  president  of  the  Farm- 
ers Savings  Bank,  of  Sac  City,  the  State  Bank  of  Early,  the  Schaller  Sav- 
ings Bank  and  the  Lake  \'iew  State  Bank. 

The  P'armers  Savings  Bank  was  organized  in  1906  with  a  capital  of 
ten  thousand  dollars.  The  capital  stock  was  increased  to  fifty  thousand  dol- 
lars in  19 10,  to  accommodate  the  rapid  and  substantial  growth  of  the  institu- 
tion, which  nuni1)ers  among  its  st(jckholders  many  of  the  most  prosperous 
and  well-to-do  farmers  and  citizens  of  the  count}-.  The  business  is  housed 
in  a  handsme  brick  structure  owned  and  erected  by  the  banking  company. 
The  interior  is  fitted  with  modern'  fixtures.  The  deposits  of  the  bank  now 
exceed  the  total  of  two  himdred  and  thirty  thousand  dollars,  and  it  enjoys 
a  measure  of  confidence  among  its  patrons  exceeded  by  no  similar  institu- 
tion in  the  county.  The  present  ofificers  of  the  bank  are :  F.  S.  Needham, 
president;  L.  E.  Irwin,  vice-president;  C.  E.  Harding,  cashier;  J.  T.  Dolli- 
son,  W.  F.  Block,  S.  M.  Elwood,  J-  H-  Grohe,  directors. 

Francis  S.  Needham  was  born  November  2,  1864,  in  Staceyville,  Mit- 
chell county.  Iowa,  the  son  of  Gerrit  S.  and  Mary  L.  (Smith)  Needham,  who 


826  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

were  natives  of  New  Vork  and  Massachusetts,  respectively.  The  parents 
were  very  early  settlers  in  Mitchell  county,  locating  there  in  1852.  The  mar- 
riage of  Mr.  Needham's  parents  occurred  in  i860.  Gerrit  S.  was  the  son  of 
Dwight  Needham,  who  is  chronicled  among  the  early  and  prominent  pioneer 
settlers  of  Mitchell  count)-.  Gerrit  moved  to  Dickinson  county  in  1869,  and 
after  a  few  years'  residence  there  removed  to  the  state  of  California.  He 
resided  on  the  coast  from  1874  to  1876,  and  then  returned  to  take  up  a  resi- 
dence at  Grinnell,  Iowa,  where  he  engaged  in  the  grocery  business.  In  1881 
he  removed  to  Chicago  for  the  purpose  of  engaging  in  the  red  clover  busi- 
ness. He  returned  west  in  1903  and  made  his  final  residence  in  Early,  Iowa, 
where  he  died  November  6,  1912.  His  wife  died  in  1908.  They  reared  a 
family  of  three  children,  namely:  Mrs.  Mary  Stowe,  deceased;  Mrs.  Mabel 
A.  Grim,  of  Union  Post  Office,  ^lontana,  and  Francis  S. 

The  elder  Needham's  purpose  in  settling  in  Grinnell  for  a  time  was  un- 
doubtedly to  give  his  children  the  opportunity  of  securing  an  education  such 
as  was  afiforded  by  the  excellent  institution  of  higher  learning  in  existence  in 
the  city.  Francis  entered  Grinnell  College  and  graduated  therefrom  in  the 
scientific  course  in  18S7.  During  the  summer  of  1887  he  was  employed  as 
a  member  of  a  surveying  corps  by  tlie  Santa  Fe  Railroad  Company.  He 
taught  school  during  the  fall  ami  winter,  and  after  this  he  assisted  his  father 
in  conducting  his  business  for  one  year.  He  came  to  Lake  View,  Iowa, 
in  1889,  and  opened  the  Lake  \^iew  State  Bank,  which  was  soon  afterward 
incorporated  as  a  state  bank.  He  resided  in  the  town  of  Lake  \'iew  until 
1907,  and  then  remo^^ed  to  Sac  City.  Since  1900  he  has  been  connected  with 
the  State  Bank  of  Early.  In  1902  he  purchased  a  bank  at  Sioux  Rapids, 
lovva,  which  he  later  sold.  He  bought  the  controlling  interest  in  the  Gushing 
Savings  Bank  in  1903  and  successfully  conducted  this  institution  for  a  term 
of  years,  eventually  disposing  of  his  holdings.  He  liecame  the  owner  of  the 
Schaller  Savings  Bank  in  1904,  and  still  holds  a  large  interest  in  that  pros- 
perous concern.  In  March.  1913,  he  obtained  a  large  interest  in  the  Farm- 
ers Savings  Bank,  and  is  now  the  official  head  of  this  influential  banking  con- 
cern. Mr.  Needham's  career  in  the  banking  world  has  met  with  success 
which  is  well  merited.  Individually,  he  is  possessed  of  a  strong  versatilitv 
and  the  ])ower  of  concentration  which  enables  him  to  carrv  out  his  operations 
in  a  masterly  way.  He  has  had  the  forethought  to  surround  himself  with 
gifted  and  al)le  young  men  who  have  confidence  in  him  and  esteem  his  ex- 
cellent judgment  and  advice. 

Mr.  Needham  is  descended  from  a  long  line  of  religious  workers,  from 
whom   he   n.-iturallx-   inherited   a   deep,   religious  conviction   and  a  desire  to 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  827 

affiliate  prominently  with  his  favorite  church  organization  and  to  assist  in 
every  possiljle  manner  in  the  furtherance  of  a  religious  sentiment  in  the 
community.  His  moral  uprightness  on  all  occasions  speaks  for  itself  and  is 
evidence  of  his  desire  to  live  a  blameless  and  irreproachable  life.  His  father 
was  originally  one  of  the  pioneers  in  the  organization  of  the  Congregational 
church  and  its  subsequent  spread  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  Iowa, 
but  later  became  a  Presbyterian.  Francis  was  one  of  the  principal  organizers 
and  a  liberal  supporter  of  the  Congregational  church  in  tlie  town  of  Lake 
View,  and  is  now  prominently  identified  as  a  leading  lay  member  of  the  Sac 
City  Presbyterian  church.  He  is  politically  allied  with  the  Republican  party 
and  has  served  as  treasurer  of  the  school  board  of  Lake  View. 

Mr.  Xeedham  was  wedded  in  1888  to  Eugenie  E.  Schaller,  daughter  of 
Phil  Schaller,  one  of  the  prominent  figures  in  the  upbuilding  and  develop- 
ment of  Sac  county,  and  of  whom  extended  and  favorable  mention  is  made 
elsewhere  in  these  pages.  Five  children  have  Ijeen  l>orn  to  them,  namely: 
Emeline,  aged  twenty-two  years :  Leonard,  who  died  at  the  age  of  eleven 
years ;  Frances,  aged  seventeen  years ;  Philip,  aged  thirteen  years ;  Elizaljeth, 
aged  two  years  and  the  infant  of  this  interesting  family. 


GEORGE  A.  T.WLOR. 


Conspicuous  among  the  representative  men  and  public-spirited  citizens 
of  Sac  county  is  George  A.  Taylor,  a  man  who  has  made  his  influence  felt 
for  good  in  his  cummunity  and  whose  life  has  been  closely  interwoven  with 
the  history  of  the  community  in  which  he  resides  and  whose  efforts  have 
always  been  for  the  material  advancement  of  the  same,  as  well  as  for  the  so- 
cial and  moral  welfare  of  his  fellowmen. 

George  A.  Taylor,  enterprising  real  estate  dealer  of  Sac  City,  Iowa,  is 
a  native  of  LaPorte  county,  Indiana,  born  in  the  year  1849,  the  son  of  Will- 
iam and  Marv  Tavlor,  the  former  a  native  of  \'irginia  and  the  latter  of  Penn- 
svlvania.  William  Taylor  was  a  pioneer  merchant  of  LaPorte  count)-,  In- 
diana. He  was  in  business  there  in  the  thirties,  and  had  a  log  store  building 
about  ten  miles  west  of  LaPorte.  He  was  an  extensive  shipper  of  hogs  and 
cattle.  He  came  to  Indianola,  Warren  county,  Iowa,  in  1863,  and  had  a 
store  and  a  nicely  improved  farm  there.  In  his  earlier  years  he  had  been  a 
traveling  salesman,  and  in  his  later  years  he  felt  the  lure  of  the  road  and 
again  traveled  for  some  years,  having  headquarters  in  New  York  City.  He 
died  in  1873. 


828  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Georg^e  A.  Taylor  was  fourteen  years  old  when  he  came  to  Iowa.  He 
was  reared  on  the  farm,  lint  took  up  railroading  when  a  young  man,  which 
he  followed  for  some  time.  He  first  came  to  Sac  county  in  1S71  on  a  \-isit. 
hut  remained  awhile.  In  1882  he  located  permanently  in  the  county,  settling 
on  a  farm  of  forty  acres  four  and  one-half  miles  southeast  of  Sac  City.  He 
later  disposed  of  this  land  and  removed  to  Sac  City  in  Octoher,  1901.  In 
1900  he  had  heen  elected  auditor  of  Sac  count>-,  and  he  served  two  terms  of 
two  years  each  in  this  responsible  position,  his  administration  of  the  office 
being  such  as  to  reflect  credit  upon  himself  and  his  constituents. 

Mr.  Taylor  is  now  acti\-eh-  engaged  in  the  real  estate  business  in  Sac 
City,  in  which  he  has  lieen  uniformly  successful,  handling  many  important 
properties.  He  makes  a  specialty  of  Iowa  and  Minnesota  lands,  and  at  pres- 
ent is  dealing  extensively  in  southern  Minnesota  land.  His  transfers  amount 
to  several  hundred  acres  annually.  He  also  deals  in  local  real  estate,  includ- 
ing town  realty.  He  has  well-ecjuipi)ed  offices  in  the  Platte  Ijuilding.  Mr. 
Taylor  owns  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  South  Dakota. 

In  1880  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Taylor  and  Xannic  Rothwell, 
daughter  of  James  Rothwell,  formerly  of  Indianola,  Iowa.  They  are  the 
parents  of  three  children,  as  follows :  Flora  E.  is  a  deaconess  in  the  Metho- 
dist mission  at  Sioux  City,  Iowa ;  Mrs.  Tena  M.  Marple,  of  Buena  Vista 
count}',  Iowa,  and  Thomas  M.,  who  is  at  home. 

Mr.  Taylor  is  a  man  of  high  moral  character,  unimpeachable  integrity 
.and  excellent  business  judgment,  and  throughout  the  locality  where  he  is 
known  he  occupies  an  enviable  position  among  his  fellowmen,  among  whom 
he  is  universally  esteemed. 


CHARLES  HATFIELD. 


The  biographies  of  successful  men,  especially  of  good  men,  are  incen- 
tives and  guides  for  the  instruction  of  others.  The  examples  they  furnish  of 
patient  purpose  and  steadfast  integrity  strongly  illustrate  what  is  in  the  power 
of  each  to  accomplish.  Some  men  belong  to  no  exclusive  class  in  life,  yet 
have  succeeded  in  overcoming  apparently  iinsurmountable  obstacles  which  in 
many  instances  have  awakened  their  latent  powers  and  ha\e  served  as  stimulus 
which  has  carried  them  onward  to  success  while  yet  in  the  prime  of  life. 
Self  reliance,  when  given  half  a  chance,  will  win  out  in  the  end.  Sturdy 
colonial  ancestry  has  frequently  inbred  in  descendants  the  power  to  do  and 
build  where  others  fail.    .For  a  man  to  have  struggled  onward  to  attain  a 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  iSjQ 

comfurtahk-  conipett-nce  wiiich  eiial)lcd  him  and  his  beloved  wife  to  sit  in  com- 
fort and  enj(\v  the  setting  of  life's  journey  by  their  own  fireside  in  peace  and 
contentment  with  the  world  at  large,  is  the  greatest  of  successes,  to  the  mind 
of  the  historian.  Such  an  e.xample  is  the  aged  gentleman  of  whom  it  is  a 
pleasure  to  record  the  ensuing  facts. 

Charles  Hatfield,  of  Sac  City,  Iowa,  was  born  February  14,  1839,  in  the 
old  state  of  Massachusetts,  the  offspring  of  Horace  Hatfield,  of  Massachusetts, 
and  .Mnu're  (Kellogg)  Hatfield.  He  was  left  fatherless  when  twenty-two 
years  of  age,  and.  ha\ing  previously  married,  he  assumed  the  care  of  his 
mother  during  the  remainder  of  her  life.  Charles,  having  been  reared  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  great  paper  mills  of  his  native  state,  learned  the  trade  of  paper 
maker  in  the  mills  and  was  employed  at  his  trade  for  a  period  of  eight  vears. 
He  was  married  in  1858,  taking  to  wife  Lovenia  Warren,  wlm  was  Ijorn  in 
Massacliusetts  on  March  5,  1839.  Mrs.  Hatfield  is  a  descendant  of  an  old 
New  England  family.  She  is  the  daughter  of  Pliny  and  Mary  (Tanner) 
Warren,  u  hose  immediate  ancestors  crossed  the  Atlantic  in  the  "Mayflower." 
One  of  her  direct  ancestors  was  Dr.  William  Warren,  who  fell  at  the  Imttle 
of  Bunker  Hill. 

The  mother,  son  and  wife  set  out  for  the  West  in  1864  and  located  in 
Wisconsin,  where  they  resided  for  two  years  on  a  farm.  In  1866  they  came 
to  Iowa,  locating  in  Butler  county.  They  were  very  poor,  and  it  was  neces- 
sary for  Charles  to  work  out  at  farm  labor  for  two  years  in  order  to  obtain 
a  livelihood.  This  enabled  him  to  obtain  some  tools  and  live  stock  and  he 
rented  a  farm  in  Butler  county  for  tweh'e  years.  The  family  were  thriftv 
and  sa\-ing — cpialities  which  enabled  him  to  come  to  Sac  count)'  in  1879  and 
purchase  eighty  acres  of  good  land  in  Jackson  township  for  six  dollars  and 
sixty  cents  an  acre.  He  at  once  began  breaking  his  land  and  sowed  it  to 
crops  and  erected  a  small  house  which  ser\-ed  as  their  habitation.  Some  years 
later  he  purchased  an  additional  fort}'  acres  at  a  cost  of  thirty-two  dollars 
an  acre.  In  1891  he  sold  his  entire  holdings  in  Jackson  township  at  sixty- 
five  dollars  an  acre  and  invested  in  one  hundred  and  seventy-one  acres  in 
Douglas  township  at  a  purchase  price  of  forty-four  dollars  an  acre. ,  He 
rented  this  farm  for  a  little  over  twenty-one  years  and  in  1891  removed  to 
a  cottage  in  Sac  City  where  he  and  his  estimable  wife  are  enjoying  a  com- 
fortable and  peaceful  old  age.  In  the  year  1912  Mr.  Hatfield  disposed  of  his 
farm  holdings  for  the  considerable  sum  of  one  hundred  and  fifteen  dollars  per 
acre.  .  This  well  respected  couple  ha\e  reared  two  daughters  to  beneficent 
womanhood,  namely :  Mrs.  Cora  Reynolds,  who  resides  in.  northwestern 
Nebraska  and  is  the  mother  of  three  children,  Charles  Reynolds,  of  Omaha. 


S3O  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

and  father  of  two  children.  .Miktni  and  Robert;  ]\Irs.  Cora  Dalv.  of  Nebraska, 
who  is  the  mother  of  one  child.  Helen;  Leroy  Reynolds,  unmarried.  The 
second  daughter  is  Mrs.  Nellie  Corderman,  of  Cedar  to\vnshii).  who  is  the 
mother  of  seven  children,  namely ;  Alvin  Corderman.  who  is  married  and 
lives  in  Cedar  township.  Sac  cnunty:  Louis:  Ellis,  who  is  married  and  has  one 
child,  Beryl;  Walter;  Warren;  Elsie,  and  David.  Mr.  Hatfield  has  always 
been  allied  with  the  Republican  party  and  has  served  as  trustee  of  Jackson 
township.  He  and  his  wife  are  both  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  and  are  affiliated  with  the  Order  of  the  Eastern  .Star.  ]\Ir.  Hatfield  is 
a  Free  Mason,  l)eing  a  member  of  the  chapter  and  commanderv.  and  is  a 
member  of  the  Yeomen. 


L.A.RKIN   P.   LOWRY. 


An]ong  those  men  of  fine  character  who  have  impressed  their  personaHty 
upon  the  community  of  their  residence  and  have  borne  their  full  share  in  the 
upbuilding  and  development  of  Sac  county,  mention  is  deservedly  due  Larkin 
P.  Lowry,  one  of  the  enterprising  merchants  of  Sac  City. 

Larkin  P.  Lowry.  of  the  firm  of  Ahrens  tS:  Lowrw  hardware  merchants 
of  Sac  City,  Iowa,  was  born  December  6,  1845,  ''''  Madison  county,  Illinois, 
the  son  of  John  and  Elizalieth  (Sharp)  Lowrv,  the  former  a  native  of  North 
Carolina  and  the  latter  of  Kentucky.  John  Lowry  removed  to  Macoupin 
county,  Illinois,  in  1856,  and  there  he  enlisted  in  the  Union  army  when  the 
Civil  ^^'ar  came  on.  He  was  a  member  of  Company  I  of  the  Thirty-second 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  particiijated  in  the  great  battle  of  Shiloh, 
after  which  he  became  seriously  ill  and  died  on  his  way  home  at  Carlinville, 
Illinois.  The  mother  reared  the  family  and  spent  her  later  days  with  her 
children,  of  whom  there  were  four,  as  follows;  A.  J.  Lowry,  of  Corning, 
California;  W.  W.  Lowry,  of  Auburn,  Sangamon  county,  Illinois;  Mrs. 
Josephine  McMillen,  deceased,  and  Larkin  P.  Lowry.  the  immediate  subject 
of  this  sketch. 

Larkin  P.  Lowry  was  born  and  reared  on  the  farm  and  has  spent  much 
of  his  life  as  an  active  farmer.  ■  Lie  removed  to  Sangamon  county,  Illinois, 
in  1878,  and  in  1882  came  to  Sac  county,  Iowa.  He  resided  on  a  farm  north- 
east of  Sac  City,  which  he  owned  until  1899.  He  had  rented  land  until  1888, 
when  he  bought  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Douglas  township,  which 
he  still  owns.     In  the  spring  of  1899  he  removed  to  Sac  City  to  reside.     He 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  83 1 

engaged  in  the  hardware  business  in  1903,  and  is  now  a  member  of  the  firm 
of  Ahrens  &  Lowry,  one  of  the  leading  hardware  stores  of  the  county,  who 
carry  a  full  and  complete  line  of  hardware  and  enjoy  a  large  and  growing 
patronage. 

Mr.  Lowr}'  was  married  in  18S5  to  Anna  M.  Hughes,  who  was  born  and 
reared  in  Illinois.  They  are  the  parents  of  two  children,  E.  P.  Lowry.  a 
bank  cashier  at  Marathon,  Iowa,  and  Mrs.  Myrtle  Montgomery,  who  resides 
at  home  with  her  parents. 

Politically,  Mr.  Lowry  is  an  independent  Republican.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  First-Day  Adventist  church,  and  holds  membership  with  the  Brother- 
hood of  American  Yeomen,  a  fraternal  order. 


GUY  SWEARINGEN,  M.  D. 

One  who  has  won  honorable  distinction  in  the  ranks  of  the  medical  fra- 
ternity of  Sac  county  is  Dr.  Guy  Swearingen,  of  Sac  City.  That  his  ability 
and  skill  as  a  successful  practitioner  have  been  duly  recognized  is  well  attested 
by  the  liberal  share  of  public  patronage  which  he  enjoys  and  the  conspicuous 
place  he  occupies  among  the  most  advanced  professional  men  of  the  city  and 
county  where  he  lives. 

Doctor  Swearingen  is  a  native  of  Homer,  Illinois,  born  July  3,  1881,  and 
he  is  a  son  of  William  and  Flora  (  Wrisk)  Swearingen,  laoth  natives  of  the 
state  of  Illinois,  and  now  residing  at  Homer,  that  state.  William  Swear- 
ingen was  a  successful  farmer  for  many  years.  He  and  his  wife  reared  a 
family  of  two  children,  Mrs.  Daisy  Eikman,  of  New  Palestine,  Indiana,  and 
he  of  whom  this  sketch  is  narrated. 

Doctor  Swearingen  received  his  primary  education  in  the  common 
schools  of  his  community.  He  later  entered  the  University  of  Indiana 
Medical  College  and  pursued  his  studies  at  this  institution  during  the  years 
1903  and  1904.  He  then  entered  Drake  University,  at  Des  Moines,  Iowa, 
from  which  well-known  college  he  was  graduated  in  191 1,  after  a  student 
term  of  two  years.  Following  his  graduation  he  spent  one  year  as  interne 
at  Mercy  Hospital,  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  and  in  the  fall  of  19 12  located  at  Sac 
City  for  the  practice  of  his  profession.  Here  he  has  built  up  a  substantial 
and  representative  practice,  and  the  same  has  ample  basis  on  his  unquestioned 
ability  in  both  the  theoretical  and  practical  phases  of  his  profession. 

Doctor  Swearingen  was  married  in  1903  to  Flora  Robbins,  of  the  state 


832  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

of  Minnesota,  and  their   home  lias  been  blessed  by  one   son,    Ralph,   aged 
seven  years. 

The  Doctor  is  a  member  of  tlie  [Masonic  order.  He  is  a  gentleman  of 
pleasing  personality  and  a  loyal  and  high-minded  citizen,  whose  support  is 
willingly  given  to  every  cause  having  for  its  object  the  moral  and  material 
betterment  of  the  community. 


DONALD  McGEACHY. 


The  s(jns  of  Scotland  who  have  come  to  America  and  made  homes  in 
this  country  have  been  among"  the  most  prosperous  citizens  wherever  they 
settled.  Some  of  these  have  come  to  Iowa,  and  Sac  county  is  proud  to  number 
a  few  of  these  thrifty  people  among  her  number.  The  McGeachys  who  have 
come  to  this  country  from  Scotland  have  been  reckoned  among  the  most  pros- 
perous and  substantial  people  of  the  county  and  have  shown  those  character- 
istics which  have  made  their  native  land  famous  in  history. 

Donald  McGeachy,,  the  son  of  Malcolm  and  Jean  McGeachy,  was  born 
November  12,  1850,  at  Glenbar,  Argyleshire.  Scotland.  He  received  a  good 
common  school  education  in  liis  native  country,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-three 
3ecided  to  come  to  America  and  seek  his  fortune.  Upon  reaching  this  country 
he  immediately  went  to  Iowa  and  settled  in  Clinton,  Clinton  county,  where 
he  worked  in  a  saw  mill  for  six  years.  He  wanted  to  invest  in  land,  and  with 
this  in  view  he  saved  his  money  in  order  to  make  a  cash  payment  on  his  iirst 
purchase.  In  1879  he  came  to  Sac  county  and  lived  on  a  farm  in  the  western 
part  of  Clinton  township  for  eleven  years.  In  1890  he  came  to  his  present 
farm  of  two  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Clinton  township,  where  he  was 
farming  at  the  time  of  his  death,  on  January  10,  1907.  He  was  a  thrifty 
farmer  and  used  good  judgment  in  all  his  agricultural  Axntures.  In  addition 
to  raising  all  the  crops  of  this  locality,  he  raised  considerable  live  stock  each 
year. 

In  1891  Mr.  McGeachy  returned  to  Scotland  and  married  Jeannette 
Huie,  who  was  born  February  21,  1862,  in  Argylesliire,  Scotland.  To  this 
marriage  have  been  born  seven  children:  Maria  Stuart;  Jane  L.,  a  graduate 
from  the  Odebolt  high  school  and  is  now  a  teacher;  Malcolm,  who  works  on 
the  home  farm ;  Jeannette,  a  graduate  of  the  Odebolt  high  school ;  Margaret 
and  Mary,  who  are  now  in  the  Odebolt  high  school,  and  John,  who  is  still  in 
the  common  school.     All  of  the  children  are  still  at  home  with  their  mother. 


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SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  833 

Mv.  and  Mrs.  McGeachy  gave  to  all  of  their  children  a  good  education,  feeling 
that  there  was  nothing  which  would  fit  them  better  for  the  coming  }'ears  of 
life  than  a  good  education. 

Mr.  McGeachy  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  i-endered 
it  his  earnest  support  at  all  times.  He  was  a  warm-hearted,  generous  friend 
and  modest  and  unassuming  in  all  his  relations  with  his  fellow  men.  He  was 
a  man  of  sound  conviction,  and  no  one  ever  had  any  doubt  as  to  where  he  stood 
upon  any  question.  The  memory  of  such  a  man  will  be  cherished  by  his 
friends  and  honored  by  his  children.  Mr.  McGeachy  was  a  man  of  sterling 
worth.  Thoroughly  honest,  his  word  was  as  good  as  his  bond.  Quiet  and 
unassuming,  his  good  impulses  were  always  uppermost  and  his  friendship  was 
valued  by  those  who  knew  him  well.  He  was  devoted  to  his  wife  and  children, 
and  they  to  him. 


JOHN  WALTER  CRISS. 

Citizens  are  called  to  perform  various  duties  which  lie  within  their 
capabilities.  Usually,  the  indix'idual  himself  selects  that  line  of  duty  for 
which  he  possesses  a  natural  aptituile  and  in  which  calling  he  is  more  cer- 
tain of  success.  He  who  is  called  to  fulfill  the  exactions  and  demands  of 
public  office  has  a  two-fold  mission  in  life;  he  must  conduct  himself  in  an 
exemplary  manner  as  a  member  of  the  citizen  body  and  so  perform  his  offi- 
cial duties  as  to  merit  the  approval  and  esteem  of  his  fellow  men  to  whom  he 
is  responsil)Ie.  A  fitting  representative  of  the  official  body  in  Sac  county  is 
he  to  whom  this  brief  review  is  devoted.  Sheriff  J.  Walter  Criss  is  a  faith- 
ful county  official  who  has  ably  applied  his  abilities  to  the  proper  conduct  of 
the  duties  of  his  high  office. 

Mr.  Criss  was  born  March  17,  1878,  in  the  state  of  West  Virginia.  He 
is  the  grandson  of  Isaac  Criss,  who  was  born  in  1827,  and  died  in  October, 
1902,  in  Sac  City.  He  was  joined  in  wedlock  in  \\'est  Virginia  with  Sarah 
Jane  Means  (Marquess).  He  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Union  army,  en- 
listing in  the  spring  of  1862  in  Company  H,  Fourteenth  West  Virginia  Regi- 
ment of  A'olunteers.  He  served  until  the  close  of  the  Rebellion  and  was  en- 
gaged in  manv  hard-fought  Ijattles  and  skirmishes.  In  1883  he  removed  his 
family  to  Sac  county  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Jackson  township,  about  two 
and  one-half  miles  west  of  Sac  City.  In  June,  1883,  he  moved  on  a  farm 
owned  by  his  cousin.  Judge  Eugene  Criss,  but  not  long  afterward  he  pur- 
(52) 


834  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

chased  a  farm  of  his  own  in  Jackson  township  on  which  lie  resided  until 
1899,  when  he  retired  to  a  residence  in  Sac  City.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Grand  Armv  of  the  Repulilic.  Lsaac  Criss  was  the  father  of  nine  children, 
namely:  Rebecca,  Sarah,  William,  John,  Elmer,  James,  Luther,  Bertha  and 
J.  W^  Luther  came  to  Sac  county  with  his  parents  and  is  now  a  farmer  neat 
Nemaha.  Bertha  is  the  wife  of  R.  E.  Williams,  of  Staples,  Minnesota,  and 
with  whom  the  mother  makes  her  residence.  The  father  of  Sheriff  Criss 
was  William  H.  Criss,  still  a  resident  of  West  \"iroinia.  His  mother  died 
when  he  was  an  infant  and  his  grandparents  reared  him. 

J.  W.  Criss  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  and  did  farm  work  on 
his  grandfather's  farm  during  his  boyhood  days.  When  still  a  youth,  he 
learned  the  trade  of  granite  and  marble  cutter  and  was  employed  in  the  shops 
for  a  period  of  ten  years.  He  was  appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy  in  the  sher- 
iff's office  in  Sac  county,  June  5.  191 1.  He  was  elected  tci  the  office  on  the 
Republican  ticket  in  the  fall  election  of  the  }'ear  191 2.  He  and  his  family 
are  attendants  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  he  is  fraternally  connected  with 
the  Modern  Woodmen,  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Ancient  Free  and  Ac- 
cepted ]\Iasons.  He  values  highly  a  meml^ership  in  the  Sac  City  commandery 
of  Knights  Templar,  and  the  Abu  Bekr  Shrine  of  Sioux  City. 

Mr.  Criss  was  married  in  1904  to  Susan  J.  Young,  of  Buena  Vista 
county,  who  has  borne  him  one  child.  Fern  Irene,  aged  seven  years.  We  know 
of  no  young  citizen  of  Sac  county  who  is  more  deserving  of  this  review  as  a 
true  representative  man  of  the  county  than  Mr.  Criss.  He  has  many  friends 
and  well  wishers  who  take  a  just  pride  in  the  able  manner  in  which  he  has 
conducted  the  duties  of  his  high  office. 


REUBEN  LEWIS. 


Specific  mention  is  made  of  many  of  the  worthy  citizens  of  Sac  county 
within  the  pages  of  this  volume,  citizens  who  have  figured  in  the  growth  and 
development  of  this  favored  locality,  each  contriliuting  in  liis  sphere  of  action 
to  the  well-being  of  the  community  in  which  he  resides  and  to  the  advance- 
ment of  its  normal  and  legitimate  growth.  Among  this  number  is  Reuben 
Lewis,  one  of  the  leading  stock  raisers  and  large  land  owners  of  Sac  county. 
By  years  of  labor  and  honest  effort  he  has  not  only  acquired  a  well-merited 
material  prosperity,  but  earned  the  high  regard  of  all  with  whom  he  has 
associated. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  835 

Reuben  l.ew  is,  live  stock  buyer  and  shipper,  was  born  August  14,  1854, 
in  the  state  of  New  York,  son  of  John  H.  and  Catharine  (  Collitan)  Lewis, 
both  also  natives  of  the  Empire  state.  John  H.  Lewis  left  the  state  of  New 
York  in  1866  and  settled  in  DeKalb  county.  Illinois.  In  the  spring  of  1883 
he  came  to  Sac  county.  Iowa,  and  settled  in  Jackson  township,  where  he  died 
in  1891.  I-'ive  children  were  born  to  Jolm  H.  and  Catharine  (Collitan) 
Lewis,  named  as  follows:  Mrs.  Emma  M.  Olmsted,  of  Genoa.  Illinois;  Mrs. 
Anna  Wager,  of  Jackson  township.  Sac  county,  Iowa;  Reuben,  the  immediate 
subject  of  this  sketch;  D.  C,  who  died  in  Sac  City  in  1907,  and  Ceorge  B., 
of  Sioux  City,  Iowa. 

Reuben  Lewis  received  a  pulilic  school  education  in  DeKalb  county, 
Illinois,  where  he  followed  the  active  life  of  a  farmer.  In  the  fall  of  1881 
he  came  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  preceding  his  father  by  two  vears.  He 
located  on  section  8  in  Jackson  township,  where  he  bought  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  of  land,  paying  five  dollars  per  acre  for  eighty  acres  and  six 
dollars  for  the  forty  acres.  This  was  what  was  known  as  railroad  land,  and 
was  purchased  at  the  time  of  a  great  influx  of  settlers  in  western  Iowa  who 
were  seeking  this  desirable  land.  Mr.  Lewis  improved  this  land,  erected 
buildings  thereon  and  cultivated  a  portion  of  it,  and  here  he  resided  for 
twenty-one  years,  except  for  a  short  time  when  he  lived  on  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  in  section  9  of  Jackson  township,  which  he  purchased  in  1891  at 
twenty  dollars  per  acre.  Previous  to  this,  however,  in  1882,  he  bought  forty 
acres  at  seventeen  dollars  per  acre.  In  1900  he  bought  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  in  section  21,  at  forty-five  dollars  per  acre;  in  1903  he  secured 
eigiity  acres  in  section  21  at  fifty  dollars  per  acre;  in  1909  he  purchased  forty 
acres  in  section  20  at  one  hundred  twelve  dollars  and  fiftv  cents  per  acre,  and 
in  1912  he  bought  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  section  i()  at  a  cost  of  one 
hundred  fifty-seven  dollars  and  fiftv  cents  per  acre.  His  landed  estate  thus 
consists  of  seven  hundred  and  sixty  acres  \-alued  at  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
five  dollars  per  acre. 

In  1902  Mr.  Lewis  removed  to  Sac  City,  where  he  built  one  of  the 
finest  modern  homes  in  the  city,  being  located  near  the  college. 

Mr.  Lewis  was  married  in  the  state  of  Illinois  in  1877  ^"^  Mary  Mulcahe}^ 
a  native  of  that  state.  To  this  marriage  have  been  born  three  children,  only 
one  of  whom  is  li\-ing,  Mrs.  Grace  Grifiith,  of  Sac  City,  formerly  of  Den\-er. 
Colorado.  She  is  the  mother  of  two  children,  Grace  Esther  and  Reuben. 
Charles  R.  Lewis  died  at  the  age  of  thirty-one  years,  and  Catharine  Lewis 
died  at  the  age  of  nineteen  3'ears. 

Politically,  Mr.  Lewis  is  a  Republican,  and  he  has  held  \arious  township 


836  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

offices  in  Jackson  township.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows  and  the  ]\I(idern  Woodmen  of  America.  He  is  one  of  the 
largest  buyers  and  shipiJers  of  stock  in  western  Iowa,  shipping  one  hundred 
car  loads  of  hogs  and  cattle  annually.  In  his  special  line  of  effort  probably 
no  man  in  this  local it\-  lias  achieved  a  more  pronounced  success  nor  a  better 
record.  For  over  thirty  years  he  has  been  one  of  the  leading  citizens  of  Sac 
county,  and  because  of  the  eminent  success  he  has  achieved  he  has  gained  a 
reputation  which  extends  far  beyond  the  borders  of  his  own  community. 
Sound  judgment,  Avise  discrimination  and  good  common  sense  have  so  entered 
in  his  make-up  as  to  enable  him  to  carry  on  his  business  along  lines  that  have 
instired  his  success.     Personallv,  he  is  a  warm-hearted,  genial,  kindlv  man. 


CHARLES  A.  SCHULTE. 

A  man's  reputation  is  the  property  of  the  world,  for  the  laws  of  nature 
have  forbidden  isolation.  Every  human  being  either  submits  to  the  con- 
trolling influence  of  others  or  wields  an  influence  which  touches,  controls, 
guides  or  misdirects  others.  If  he  be  honest  and  successful  in  his  chosen 
field  of  endeavor,  investigation  will  brighten  his  fame  and  point  the  way 
along  which  others  may  follow  with  like  success.  The  reputation  of  Charles 
A.  Schulte,  one  of  the  leatling  citizens  of  Sac  county,  having  been  unassailable 
all  along  the  highways  of  life,  according  to  those  who  have  known  him  best,  it 
is  believed  that  a  critical  study  of  his  career  will  be  of  benefit  to  the  reader, 
for  it  has  been  not  only  one  of  honor  but  of  usefulness  also. 

Charles  A.  Schulte,  of  the  firm  of  Nutter  &  Schulte,  of  Sac  City,  Iowa, 
was  born  in  Carroll  c<iunt\-,  Iowa,  on  XoNcmber  i^,  1875.  He  is  the  son  of 
Arnd  and  Mae  (Telcami)i  Schultz,  l)oth  of  whom  are  natives  of  Germany. 
After  their  marriage  in  Germany  they  came  to  this  country  in  1865  and 
settled  in  Grund\-  counts,  this  state.  Ten  years  later  they  settled  in  Carroll 
countv,  where  they  lived  until  1880.  They  then  came  to  Sac  county  and 
bought  a  farm  in  Sac  township,  where  they  remained  until  they  retired  to 
Lake  View  to  spend  their  declining  years.  Arnd  Schulte  died  in  1910.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Arnd  Schulte  were  the  parents  of  fi\e  childreia :  Abraham,  a 
farmer  of  Sac  county;  ]\lrs.  L.  G.  Xewby,  of  Wall  Lake;  Mrs.  E.  P.  Hixon, 
of  Peoria,  Illinois;  Mrs.  H.  A.  Low,  of  Lake  City,  Iowa,  and  Charles  A., 
whose  life  history  is  here  sketched. 

Charles  A.  Schulte  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  of  Sac  countv 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  837 

and  later  attended  a  business  college  at  Des  ?iIoines  and  the  Dixon  Normal 
School.  i\t  the  age  of  twenty-one,  he  went  to  Sioux  Falls  and  was  employed 
in  a  clothing  store  for  three  years.  Then  he  came  back  to  Lake  View,  where 
his  parents  had  moved,  and  worked  ui  a  clothing  store  for  two  years.  In 
1900  he  came  to  Sac  City  and  was  employed  in  the  store  of  the  Alschuler 
Clothing  Company  for  three  years.  In  1903  he  formed  a  partnership  with 
Mr.  Nutter  in  the  clothing  business  and  men's  furnishing  of  all  kinds.  They 
have  a  well  equipped  store  and  carry  a  full  line  of  goods  which  are  handled 
by  merchants  dealing  in  this  line  of  business.  They  have  a  large,  lucrative 
trade  and  a  full  share  of  the  patronage  of  Sac  City  and  ^icinitv. 

Mr.  Schulte  is  a  Republican  in  politics  and  has  served  on  the  citv  council 
of  Sac  City.  He  and  his  wife  are  regular  attendants  of  the  Presbvterian 
cliurch  and  give  liberally  to  its  support.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the 
Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  iNIasons,  belongs  to  the  commanderv  at  Sac  City 
and  the  Mystic  Shrine  at  Sioux  City. 

Mr.  Schulte  was  married  in  July,  1907,  to  Mabel  Wilson,  of  Sac  City, 
the  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Wilson.  To  this  union  have  been  born 
two  children,  Janice  and  John.  Mr.  Schulte  is  a  wide-awake  business  man 
and  has  belief  in  honesty  in  all  of  his  dealings.  Because  of  his  courtesy  and 
winning  personality  he  has  been  very  successful  since  becoming  a  member 
of  the  present  firm.  He  has  a  host  of  friends  throughout  this  countv  who 
adnu're  him  for  his  many  good  qualities. 


CHARLES  O.  BERG. 


In  every  community  there  are  individuals  who  by  reason  of  pronounced 
ability  and  force  of  character  rise  above  many  others  of  even  greater  oppor- 
tunities and  command  the  unbounded  respect  and  esteem  of  their  fellow  men. 
To  the  man  who  is  both  energetic  and  enterprising  and  possessed  of  honor- 
able impulses,  success  is  bound  to  come.  To  this  desirable  class  of  citizens 
very  properly  belongs  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

Charles  O.  Berg  was  born  in  Boone  county,  Iowa,  on  January  18,  1871, 
the  son  of  Charles  F.  Berg,  a  sketch  of  whose  career  will  be  found  elsewhere 
in  this  volume.  Charles  F.  Berg  and  Katerina,  his  wife,  had  been  in  the 
country  not  much  over  a  year  when  the  subject  of  this  sketch  first  saw  the 
light  of  day.  Both  were  natives  of  Sweden  and  the  subject  therefore  be- 
longs to  that  class  of  citizens  of  Sac  county  who  trace  their  origin  back  to  the 


S.^S  SAC    COUNTY,,    IOWA. 

land  of  the  midnight  sun.  The  suljject  has  his  home  on  a  farm  of  some- 
tliing  o\  er  eighty  acres  in  section  27  of  Wheeler  township.  The  farm  resi- 
dence is  beautifully  situated  on  a  hill  and  is  reached  by  a  long  lane  leading 
from  the  main  highway.  A  large  portion  of  the  land  is  given  over  to  the 
cultivation  of  fruits,  there  being  large  orchards  and  an  excellent  \ine}'ard. 
The  average  production  of  this  vine}'ard  is  something  like  seven  thousand 
pounds  of  grai>es,  representing  in  amount  approximately  two  hundred  dol- 
lars. The  orchards  also  are  quite  productive  and  in  this  line  of  horticulture 
]\Ir.  Berg  is  highly  successful.  He  also  gives  attention  to  the  raising  of 
grains  and  li\-e  stock  and  markets  about  forty-five  or  fifty  hogs  annually. 
The  season  of  19 13  he  had  in  forty  acres  of  corn  which  averaged  better  than 
fifty  bushels  to  the  acre.  Mr.  Berg  is  a  most  careful  and  painstaking  agri- 
culturist and  endea\'ors  to  keep  pace  with  the  times  in  his  chosen  \-ocation. 

The  sul)ject  was  seven  years  of  age  when  his  parents  came  to  Sac  county 
and  therefore  his  education  was  recei\-ed  in  the  district  schools  of  this  county, 
supplemented  by  ninre  ad\'anced  studies  at  the  Sac  City  Institute.  Since 
1898  he  has  Ijeen  engageil  in  farming  for  himself,  for  the  first  three  years 
managing  the  Berg  homestead  in  AMieeler  township,  which  is  now  in  charge 
of  his  brother  Martin,  the  father  having  practically  retired  from  active  labor. 
In  1909  Charles  O.  Berg  purchased  his  present  farm,  paying  one  hundred 
and  fifty  dollars  per  acre,  but  he  did  not  bring  his  family  to  the  farm  until  in 
191 1. 

I'oliticall}-,  Mr.  Berg  is  a  Democrat  and  is  proud  i>f  the  fact  that  be  voted 
for  President  Wilson.  His  religions  afliliation  is  with  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
church,  in  which  faith  he  was  reared  and  in  which  he  is  in  turn  rearing  his 
familv. 

( )n  l-'ehruary  24.,  1899,  Mr.  Berg  was  imited  in  marriage  with  Jemiie 
I'eterson,  daughter  of  Peter  Peterson,  of  Odebolt.  She  was  born  in  Canada, 
the  child  of  Swedish  parents.  To  their  union  ha\e  Iieen  born  fi\e  children, 
namely:  Jennings,  bom  March  8,  1900;  Eveline,  deceased;  Helen,  born 
November  i,  1905:  Frank,  Iwrn  March  6.  1908,  and  Edna,  born  April  30. 
791  I.  These  children  are  all  to  recei\'e  good  educations  and  will  be  carefullv 
trained  in  all  that  constitutes  perfect  manhood  and  womanhood.  Mr.  Berg 
is  a  man  who  takes  an  interest  in  all  the  leading  questions  of  the  dav  and 
gives  earnest  support  to  all  movements  for  the  upbuilding  of  the  communitv 
socially,  morally,  materially  and  educationally.  The  result  is  that  in  a  large 
measiire  he  enjoys  the  sincere  regard,  confidence  and  good  will  of  all  who 
know  him. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  839 

WALTER  A.  NUTTER. 

Walter  A.  Nutter,  of  the  firm  of  Nutter  &  Schulte.  dealers  in  men's 
clothes  and  furnishinf,'-s.  was  born  in  Sac  City,  Iowa,  in  1869.  He  is  the  son 
of  John  \\illiam  and  Addie  (Armstrong)  Nutter,  natives  of  New  Hampshire 
and  Wisconsin  respectively.  James  W.  Nutter  went  to  Wisconsin  when  a 
young  man  and  was  employed  as  a  lumber  man  for  some  years.  He  helped 
to  load  lumber  rafts,  which  were  tloated  down  the  Wisconsin  river  to  the 
Mississippi.  Later  he  came  to  Sac  county,  locating  in  Sac  City  and  engaged 
in  business  here  in  the  sixties.  He  was  married  on  October  24,  1869,  to 
Addie  Armstrong,  a  native  of  M'isconsin  and  the  daughter  of  J.  E.  and 
Dollie  A.  Armstrong,  who  were  natives  of  New  York.  Mrs.  J.  W.  Nutter's 
parents  came  from  New  York  to  Wisconsin  and  later  came  to  Sac  City,  low'a, 
in  1868.  J.  E.  Armstrong  was  born  December  11,  1830,  in  Lisbon,  New 
York,  and  when  a  }-oung  man  worked  on  the  Erie  canal.  When  less  than 
twenty  years  of  age  he  went  to  ^^'isconsin  with  a  brother  and  engaged  in  the 
lumber  and  timbering  business.  They  owned  the  Grundy  mill  at  Princeton, 
Wisconsin.  In  1861  J.  E.  Armstrong  enlisted  in  the  Eighth  Wisconsin 
Battery  and  was  made  first  lieutenant.  He  was  later  promoted  to  the  rank 
of  captain,  but  became  ill  and  resigned  from  his  command  on  July  2,  1862. 
The  wife  of  J.  E.  Armstrong  w'as  Dollie  DeMott;  who  was  born  at  Morris- 
town.  New  York,  October  5,  1833,  ^"^  died  July  29,  1909.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J. 
E.  Armstrong  were  the  parents  of  two  children.  Mrs.  J.  W.  Nutter  and  Mrs. 
D.  M.  Lamoreux,  of  Sac  City.  J.  W.  Nutter,  father  of  ^^'alter  Nutter,  was  a 
Mason,  and  had  taken  all  the  work  up  to  and  including  the  Royal  Arch  degree, 
and  was  also  a  member  of  the  Eastern  Star.  He  served  as  countv  recorder 
of  Sac  count}-  for  ten  years.  j\[r.  and  Mrs.  J.  W.  Nutter  were  the  parents  of 
two  children,  Walter  A.,  of  whom  this  chronicle  speaks,  and  J.  Edward,  a 
banker  of  Jolley,  Iowa.  , 

Walter  A.  Nutter  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  Sac  Citv  and  has  been 
in  the  business  either  as  a  clerk  or  on  his  own  account  since  earlv  manhood. 
The  firm  of  Nutter  &  Schulte  w-as  organized  in  February,  1902,  and  is  now 
located  in  a  large  brick  corner  store  room,  thirty-five  by  seventy-five  feet, 
with  basement  of  the  same  dimensions.  The  store  is  fitted  throughout  with 
the  latest  fixtures,  including  chifferobes  for  men's  clothing.  They  carry  a 
large  and  complete  stock  of  men  and  boys'  clothing  and  furnishings  and 
cater  to  a  large  trade  in  Sac  City  and  throughout  the  county. 

Mr.  Nutter  was  married  on  June  5,  1895.  to  Laverne  Drewry.  a  native 


840  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

of  Plymouth,  Wisconsin,  and  to  this  marriage  has  iaeen  born  one  daughter, 
Lucile,  who  is  now  sixteen  years  of  age.  PoHtically,  Mr.  Nutter  is  a  Pro- 
gressive, but  owing  to  tlie  nature  of  his  business  has  never  taken  an  active  part 
in  pohtics.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  the 
Ancient  Order  of  ITnited  ^^■orkmen  and  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons. 


GEORGE  B.  GOULD. 


This  is  the  era  of  the  installation  and  use  of  modern  machinery  and  the 
prolific  use  of  the  automobile  in  lightening  the  former  heavy  task  which  fell 
to  the  lot  of  the  average  farmer.  No  one  knows  the  value  of  labor  saving 
machinery  better  than  the  modern  farmer.  In  every  department  of  his  work, 
from  plowing  the  land  to  harvesting  the  crops,  inventive  genius  has  sought 
to  save  him  time,  expense  and  labor,  and,  at  a  reduced  cost,  increase  and 
improve  his  products  and  add  to  the  productive  value  of  his  land.  As  a  re- 
sult, the  farm  of  toda}-,  when  completely  erjuipped,  affords  its  owner  an  ease 
and  facility  of  operation  that  his  father  before  him  would  never  have  dreamed 
was  possible.  The  automobile,  too,  has  done  much  to  add  to  the  ease  and 
profit  of  farm  life  and  work.  Time  is  money  to  the  farmer  as  much  as  to 
the  man  in  any  other  walk  of  life.  To  "hitch  up"  and  drive  to  the  nearest 
town  takes  time;  the  automobile  saves  three-fourths  of  it.  It  serves,  too, 
in  carrying  small  produce  to  market  and  it  affords  a  quicker  means  of  trans- 
portation from  one  part  of  the  farm  to  another  than  the  horse  affords.  Ap- 
parently the  most  highly  developed  industry  in  Sac  county  and  western  Iowa 
akin  to  the  developm.ent  of  agriculture  and  indicative  of  the  great  prosperity 
of  the  region  is  the  automobile  business.  No  town  is  too  small  to  afford  its 
garage  and  place  of  distribution,  and  some  of  them  boast  several  finelv  equip- 
ped sales  rooms  and  repair  departments.  In  this  connection  we  find  that  an 
agriculturist,  George  B.  Gould,  quick  to  see  to  what  extent  this  industry 
would  be  developed  on  account  of  the  demands  of  the  times,  established  the 
Gould  automobile  sales  rooms  and  garage  in  Schaller  in  191 1.  The  fore- 
sight and  business  acumen  which  made  him  a  successful  farmer  has  alike 
enabled  him  to  make  a  success  of  this  business  venture.  In  the  fall  of  1912 
he  began  the  erection  of  a  large  concrete  structure,  thirty-five  bv  seventv-five 
feet  in  dimension,  for  a  sales  room,  with  a  modernly  equipped  repair  shop 
twenty-five  by  fifty  feet  in  extent,  and  completed  the  building  in  May,  1913. 
Three  men  are  employed.     This  concern  sells  such  well  known  makes  as  the 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  84 1 

Jeffrey  line,  which  inckules  the  Ramljler  and  the  New  Jeffrey  car.  the  Moon, 
the  Overland  and  the  Maxwell. 

George  B.  Gould  was  born  June  6,  1S55,  in  Grant  county.  Wisconsin, 
the  son  of  Chauncey  and  Flavia  A.  (Brusseau)  Gould.  His  father  was  a 
native  of,  Vermont  and  his  mother  is  a  native  of  Canada,  of  French  ancestry. 
Her  father  was  a  Frenchman,  who  married  a  lady  of  English  birth. 
Chauncey  Gould  left  Vermont  in  about  the  year  1853,  journeyed  to  Wiscon- 
sin and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Grant  county.  In  1885  he  migrated  to  Sac 
county  so  as  to  be  in  the  proximity  of  his  son  George.  For  some  years  he 
resided  on  a  farm  near  Schaller  and  then  retired  to  the  town.  He  died  in 
December,  1900.  Mrs.  Gould  resides  with  her  daughter  in  Correctionville, 
Iowa,  and  is  over  eighty  years  of  age.  Two  children  were  born  to  them, 
George  B..  with  whom  this  narrative  deals,  and  Mrs.  I^mma  Rorah,  who  re- 
sides on  a  farm  about  four  miles  from  Correctionville. 

He  whose  name  forms  the  caption  of  this  review  came  to  Sac  county  in 
the  month  of  May,  1876,  while  not  yet  of  age,  and  settled  on  three- hundred 
and  twenty  acres  of  land  in  section  33,  Eden  township,  paying  therefor  five 
dollars  and  forty  cents  an  acre,  the  year  previous  to  his  real  settlement  in  the 
county.  His  first  dwelling  place  was  a  small  house  sixteen  by  twenty-four 
feet  in  dimension,  which  he  has  twice  remodeled  from  the  original  plan.  It 
is  a  remarkable  fact  and  a  typical  illustration  of  the  great  rise  in  land  values 
that  the  annual  rental  which  Mr.  Gould  now  receives  from  this  farm  is  more 
than  the  original  cost,  the  rental  being  eight  dollars  an  acre.  Later  he  bought 
six  hundred  and  forty  acres  additional  at  seven  dollars  and  fifty  cents  an  acre, 
in  Minnesota,  which  has  since  become  very  valuable.  He  resided  on  his  Eden 
township  farm  for  twenty-five  years  and  in   1903  he  removed  to  Schaller. 

Mr.  Gould  is  a  Progressive  Republican  politically.  While  not  a  member 
of  any  church,  he  firmly  believes  in  the  usefulness  of  church  organizations 
as  having  an  excellent  moral  effect  in  any  community  and  is  a  liberal  giver 
to  the  cause  of  religion.  The  members  of  his  family  are  attendants  at  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and 
Accepted  Masons  and  the  Modern  Woodmen. 

Mr.  Gould  has  been  twice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Margaret  Borah, 
of  Wisconsin,  whom  he  espoused  in  1875,  and  who  died  in  1891  at  the  age  of 
thirty-three  years,  leaving  three  children:  Samuel  C,  a  dentist  in  Ashton, 
Illinois:  Pearl  L.,  wife  of  Professor  Eells,  superintendent  of  the  Rolfe,  Iowa, 
public  schools :  Margaret,  whose  birth  was  the  unfortunate  time  of  her 
mother's  death,  and  who  likewise  died  in  19 11  at  the  age  of  twenty  years. 
Mr.  Gould  was  again  married  on  December  4,  1895,  to  Ella  Parrott,  a  lady 


842  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

of  English  nativity  and  who  came  to  America  with  her  parents  when  thirteen 
years  of  age  and  settled  at  Dyersville,  Iowa,  and  later  came  to  Schaller.  One 
child  has  blessed  this  union,  Doris  A.,  who  is  a  student  in  the  Schaller  high 
school.  Pronounced  attainments  and  recognized  ability  in  two  well  defined 
and  important  lines,  in  each  of  which  he  has  been  successful,  characterizes 
the  life  work  of  this  estimable  and  worthy  gentleman. 


JAMES  A.  CRANSTON. 


Within  the  sight  of  the  city  of  Odebolt,  in  the  county  of  Sac,  stands  a 
beautiful  country  home  which  o\'erlooks  a  broad  expanse  of  well  tilled  and 
the  most  fertile  land  in  all  Iowa.  This  is  the  residence  of  a  pioneer  settler 
of  Richland  township,  and  it  has  been  the  abiding  place  for  over  thirty-six 
years  of  a  citizen  who  has  a  high  and  unimpeachable  standing  in  the  com- 
munity. The  first  home  which  James  A.  Cranston  built  out  on  the  unbroken 
prairie  in  1878  was  a  small,  single-story  frame  building  of  three  rooms,  in 
dimension  sixteen  by  twenty  feet.  He  has  since  added  to  this  and  re- 
modeled the  house  until  he  has  a  completely  modernized  residence  of  ten 
rooms.  Mr.  Cranston  came  t<:)  the  southwestern  part  of  Sac  county  when 
the  land  was  but  thinly  settled  and  the  prairie  stretched  unbroken  in  every 
direction.  His  first  purchase,  in  1873,  was  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  land  at  a  cost  of  five  dollars  and  fifty  cents  an  acre.  In  1888  he  bought 
forty  acres  at  a  cost  of  thirty  dollars  an  acre;  in  1892  added  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  costing  thirty-eight  dollars  an  acre;  the  next  addition  being 
forty  acres  at  thirty-five  dollars  an  acre.  This  made  a  total  of  three  hundred 
and  sixty  acres,  although  his  holdings  now  comprise  but  two  hundred  and 
eighty  acres,  eighty  acres  being  owned  and  tilled  liy  his  second  son. 

James  A.  Cranston  was  born  September  27,  1850,  in  Guernsey  county, 
Ohio,  the  son  of  John  B.  and  Margaret  (Campbell)  Cranston.  John  B. 
Cranston  was  the  son  of  James  Cranston,  a  native  of  north  Ireland  and  of 
Scotch  Presbyterian  parentage.  James  was  born  in  1785  and  was  married 
on  Februar)'-  20,  1812,  to  Elizabeth  Ferguson.  This  was  one  year  after  he 
came  to  America.  He  first  lived  in  the  Southland  and  then  settled  in  Ohio, 
living  there  many  years  in  Guernsey  county,  afterwards  coming  to  Benton 
county,  Iowa,  where  he  died.  He  was  the  father  of  six  children,  the  first  of 
wdiom  were  twins,  John  B.  and  William,  born  No\^ember  20,  1816;  then 
came  Foster,  Mary  A.,  Jane  and  James  A.    John  B.  Cranston  was  married 


MR.  AND  MRS.  JAMES  A.  CRANSTON 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  843 

June  29,  1841,  to  Elizabeth  Johnson,  niotlier  of  Da\id  Johnson  Cranston  and 
Ehza  Jane  Cranston,  of  Dewitt,  Iowa.  She  died  not  Ion?  after  marriaee. 
His  second  marriage  took  place  April  25,  1848,  with  IMargaret  Campbell, 
who  bore  him  the  following  children:  William  Campbell,  born  April  19, 
1849,  and  died  in  Oklahoma;  James  A.;  Celissa  Ann,  born  July  17,  1852; 
John  Clark,  born  April  13,  1854,  now  a  resident  of  Huron,  South  Dakota; 
Robert  Alexander,  born  April  2^,  1859,  who  resides  in  North  Dakota; 
Foster  Addison,  born  June  13,  1862,  resides  at  Spencer,  Iowa. 

In  1853  John  B.  Cranston  migrated  to  Iowa  and  located  in  Scott  county 
for  a  period  (jf  two  years  and  then  removed  to  Clinton  county  in  1855  and 
resided  near  Dewitt.  In  1868  he  remo\-ed  to  a  farm  in  Benton  county,  where 
he  resided  until  1887,  at  which  time  he  came  to  Sac  county  and  made  his 
final  home  with  his  son,  James  A.,  dying  on  December  28,  1899.  Margaret 
Cranston  was  born  July  28,  1820,  and  died  August  25,  1893.  She  was  the 
daughter  of  William  and  Anne  (Lawrence)  Campliell,  former  residents  of 
Guernsey  county  antl  likewise  descendants  from  old  Scotch  Presbyterian 
families.  The  Campljells  remo^'ed  from  Ohio  to  Clinton  count\-  in  1855 
and  there  lie  buried. 

James  A.  Cranston,  with  whom  the  biographer  is  directly  concerned, 
received  his  etlucation  in  the  common  schools  of  Clinton  covmtv  and  also 
those  of  Benton  county,  where  his  parents  removed  in  1868.  He  was  reared 
on  the  farm  and  knew^  no  other  vocation  than  that  of  farming.  Five  years 
after  his  marriage,  in  1878.  he  came  to-  Sac  county,  ha\-ing  made  bis  first 
trip  here  in  1873  for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  land.  Like  manv  others 
who  came  about  the  same  time,  he  returned  home  and  awaited  the  ad\ent  of 
the  railroad  before  coming  permanently  to  develop  his  farm. 

Mr.  Cranston  was  married  on  December  24.  1873,  to  Sarah  Alice 
JMcCreiglit,  who  was  liorn  July  15,  1853,  near  the  city  of  Aledo,  Illinois. 
She  departed  this  life  September  14,  1893.  During  life  she  was  a  good  and 
faithful  wife,  a  Christian  woman  in  every  respect,  a  fond  mother,  and  an 
excellent  helpmeet  to  her  husband.  She  was  the  daug'hter  of  Ephraim  F. 
and  j\Iarv  lane  (\"oris)  McCreight,  both  natives  of  the  Buckeye  state.  For 
five  years  after  marriage  James  A.  and  wife  resided  on  a  farm  in  Benton 
county  and  then  came  to  Sac  county. 

The  following  children  were  born  to  this  union :  Bert  Allen,  born 
lunc  29.  1876,  and  was  married  on  January  12,  1898,  to  Birdina  Traver, 
who  was  born  January  6,  1877,  and  is  the  mother  of  the  following  children: 
Lee  Allen,   born   December  22,    1898;  Warren   Everett,   born   October   22, 


844  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

1900;  James  Howard,  'corn  May  2,  1904:  Harold  Eugene,  born  January  5, 
1 910.     This  family  resides  in  Huron,  South  Dakota. 

Archie  Preston  is  the  second  son,  born  December  5,  1877,  ^^^  was 
married  on  February  5,  1902,  to  Grace  Traver,  who  was  born  October  6, 
1882.  They  have  one  child,  Kenneth  Preston,  born  December  16,  1912. 
Archie  Preston  resides  in  Richland  township. 

Leroy  James,  of  Huron,  South  Dakota,  third  son  of  James  A.,  was 
born  January  30,  1880,  and  was  married  December  2,  1903,  to  Delia  Gray, 
who  was  born  September  20,  1879.  They  have  three  children:  Alice,  born 
August  13,  1905.  died  August  15,  1905;  Ethel  Helen,  born  August  28,  1906, 
and  died  April  14,  191 1 ;  James  Lewis,  born  June  17,  1908. 

The  fourth  child  of  this  marriage  is  Mrs.  Ella  Florence  Frevert,  born 
August  17,  1 88 1,  and  was  married  December  27,  1905,  to  Edward  Frevert, 
who  was  born  .\pril  13,  1882,  and  is  the  father  of  the  following  children: 
Raymond  Frederick,  born  March  8,  1907 ;  Alice  Catherine,  born  June  8, 
1908;  Kathryn  Florence,  born  July  16,  1912. 

The  fifth  child  of  this  marriage  is  Ethel  May,  born  December  30,  1883, 
who  is  now  a  resident  of  South  Dakota. 

Clifford  Earl,  the  sixth  in  order  of  birth,  was  born  July  15,  1885,  and 
was  married  February  8,  191 1,  to  Nina  Brown,  who  was  born  February  17, 
1884.     They  have  one  child.  Nina  Mae,  born  January  23,  1912. 

Charles  Lewis,  seventh  b}'  birth,  was  born  August  11,  1887. 

John  Ray,  the  eighth,  was  born  August  i,  1889,  and  was  married 
December  31,  19 12,  to  Zylpha  Peck,  and  is  the  father  of  one  child,  Robert 
Kieth,  born  February  15,  1914. 

Leslie  Verl  is  the  youngest  of  the  family,  born  September  11,  1893. 

Mr.  Cranston's  second  marriage  occurred  December  14,  191 1,  to  Carrie 
E.  Cranston,  of  Miller,  .South  Dakota,  who  was  born  December  7,   1873. 

He  of  whom  this  review  is  written  is  a  pronounced  Progressive  in  his 
political  afliliations  and  is  a  political  worker  of  considerable  strength  and 
influence  in  the  county.  He  has  served  as  township  trustee  and  township 
clerk.  He  is  a  ruling  elder  of  the  Odebolt  Presbyterian  church,  is  trustee  of 
the  Sac  County  Farmers'  Institute,  and  is  a  director  and  stockholder  of  the 
First  National  Bank  of  Odebolt. 

Mr.  Cranston  is  a  citizen  of  wide  sympathies  and  recognized  abilit}', 
whose  circle  of  friends  is  large  and  loyal.  He  is  broad-minded,  intelligent 
and  keeps  fully  abreast  of  the  developments  of  the  times:  his  activity  in  civic, 
agricultural  and  church  affairs  betokens  him  as  a  leading  member  of  his 
community  and  one  who  invokes  an  instinctive  liking  on  the  part  of  those 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  845 

wliijin  he  meets.  This  chroniele  and  genealogical  record  is  intended  as  a 
memoir  for  his  children  and  grandchildren  in  perijetuity,  and  is  a  distinct 
recognition  of  his  inherent  right  as  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  the  county 
to  have  a  place  in  the  annals  of  his  county  which  he  has  assisted  in  developing 
and  bringing  to  the  forefront  during  his  long  and  useful  residence  here. 


CHARLES  JENSEN. 


Agriculture  has  been  an  honored  \ocation  from  the  earliest  ages  and  as 
a  usual  thing  men  of  honorable  and  humane  impulses,  as  well  as  those  of 
energy  and  thrift,  have  been  patrons  of  husbandry.  The  free  out-door  life 
of  the  farm  has  a  decided  tendency  to  foster  and  develop  that  independence 
of  mind  and  self-reliance  which  characterizes  true  manhood  and  no  truer 
blessing  can  befall  a  boy  than  to  be  reared  in  close  touch  with  nature  in  the 
healthful,  life-inspiring  labor  of  the  fields.  It  has  always  been  the  fruitful 
soil  from  which  have  sprung  the  moral  bone  and  sinew  of  the  country,  and 
the  majority  of  our  nation's  great  warriors,  renowned  statesmen  and  distin- 
guished men  of  letters  were  born  on  the  farm  and  were  indebted  largely  to  its 
early  influence  for  the  distinction  which  they  have  attained. 

Charles  Jensen,  one  of  the  representative  farmers  of  Boyer  Valley  town- 
ship, Sac  county,  Iowa,  was  born  February  22,  1875,  in  Clinton  county,  Iowa. 
He  is  the  son  of  O.  V.  and  Caroline  Jensen.  The  ancestral  history  of  the 
Jensen  family  is  given  in  the  history  of  Oliver  Jensen,  which  is  found  else- 
where in  this  \-olume. 

Charles  Jensen  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  of  Clinton  county 
and  Sac  county.  He  was  six  years  of  age  when  his  parents  moved  from 
Clinton  to  Sac  county  and  has  resided  since  the  spring  of  1881  in  Boyer  \'alley 
township.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one  he  moved  upon  his  present  farm  and 
has  improved  it  to  a  great  extent,  since  taking  possession.  He  now  has  two 
sets  of  excellent  buildings  and  has  the  farm  equipped  with  all  of  the  modern 
appliances  and  accessories  necessary  for  the  successful  farmer.  Though  he 
raises  all  the  grains  common  to  this  locality,  he  makes  a  specialty  of  the 
breeding  of  black  Aberdeen  Angus  cattle.  For  the  past  twenty  years  he  has 
made  a  specialtv  of  this  breed  of  cattle  and  has  been  very  successful  in  his 
efforts.  He  now  has  a  herd  of  twelve  cows  and  produces  annuall}-  about 
twelve  head  for  the  market.  There  is  no  question  but  what  there  is  a  big 
demand  for  well-bred  stock  and  Mr.  Jensen  has  felt  that  it  was  possible  in 


846  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

more  ways  than  one  to  keep  only  good  cattle,  for  this  reason  he  has  taken  a 
great  deal  of  pride  in  keeping  his  breed  up  to  a  good  standard. 

Mr.  Jensen  was  married  March  22,  igoi,  to  Elizabeth  Ann  Drury,  the 
daughter  of  J.  Reese  Drury  and  wife,  of  this  township.  The  genealogy  of 
the  Drury  family  and  their  interesting  history  is  set  forth  elsewhere  in  this 
volume  in  the  sketch  of  J.  R.  Drury.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jensen  have  one  son 
living,  ]\Iilton  Reese,  ^\]ln  was  born  April  25,  1910;  they  had  one  daughter, 
Eveline  Adele,  who  was  born  on  March  19,  1907,  and  died  in  early  infancy. 

Mr.  Jensen  cast  his  first  ^•ote  for  William  ]McKinley  in  1896,  and  has 
been  casting  his  ballot  regularly  for  the  Republican  party  since  that  time. 
He  and  his  wife  are  attendants  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  render  it  such 
assistance  as  is  within  their  power.  Mr.  Jensen  takes  an  active  interest  in 
the  affairs  of  his  community  and  is  justly  regarded  as  one  of  the  representative 
men  of  his  township,  who  are  always  on  the  alert  to  promote  the  general 
welfare. 


A.  B.  GULLIEORD. 


One  of  the  successful  farmers  of  Cook  township.  Sac  county,  Iowa, 
who  has  made  his  impress  upon  the  community  in  which  he  has  lived  for 
many  years  is  A.  B.  Gulliford,  the  proprietor  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  excellent  farming  land  in  this  township.  His  career  has  been  marked  by 
hard  work  and  strict  attention  to  business,  which  has  resulted  in  his  attaining 
to  a  fair  degree  of  success  and  the  securing  of  a  goodly  share  of  this  world's 
goods. 

Mr.  Gulliford  was  born  on  September  22,  1862,  in  Grant  county,  Wis- 
consin, the  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Francisco)  Gulliford.  John  and  Mary 
(Francisco)  Gulliford  were  both  natives  of  New  York  and  were  reared  and 
married  in  \\'isconsin  before  coming  to  Iowa.  They  came  to  Iowa  in  1874, 
locating  three  miles  south  of  Odebolt.  in  Wheeler  township,  this  countv, 
where  they  entered  prairie  land.  In  1880  they  moved  to  Cook  township, 
this  county,  where  they  li\ed  until  iSgf'.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gulliford  were  the 
parents  of  five  children:  ^Irs.  Isaac  X.  Mead:  Mrs.  Henrv  McLaughlin: 
Mrs.  Charles  Higgins,  decea.sed ;  Mrs.  Elsie  McCline,  deceased,  and  A.  B., 
whose  histor_\-  is  here  presented.  John  Gulliford  was  an  invalid  for  many 
years  on  account  of  injuries  received  during  his  service  in  the  Civil  War. 
He  was  in  the  Twenty-second  Regiment  Wisconsin  Volunteer  Infantr\-  and 
served  for  three  vears.     He  nearlv  lost  his  e-\'esight  while  in  the  service  and 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  S47 

suffered  from  eye  trouble  during  the  remainder  of  his  Hfe.  He  died  in 
Schaller.  Iowa,  in  1906. 

A.  B.  Guhiford  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  of  his  township, 
and  began  farming  for  himself  in  1886  on  the  home  farm.  Later  he  lived 
for  one  year  in  Schaller,  Iowa,  but  returned  at  the  expiration  of  that  time  to 
the  farm  and  has  continued  to  reside  there  since.  In  1903  Mr.  Gulliford 
purchased  his  present  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Cook  town- 
ship, and  in  1909  he  erected  a  large  concrete  home,  which  is  modern  in  every 
respect,  contains  twelve  rooms  and  is  fitted  with  all  the  modern  conveiences. 

Air.  Gulliford  was  married  in  1886  to  Hattie  Weaver,  and  to  this  union 
there  ha\'e  been  born  three  children,  James,  Elda  and  ]\Iary.  Politically, 
Mr.  Gullifi>rd  is  a  stanch  Democrat  and  is  heartily  in  sympathy  with  the  prin- 
ciples set  forth  by  President  \\' ilson.  He  has  won  the  respect  of  a  large  circle 
of  friends  and  acrpiaintances  because  of  his  cpiiet  and  unostentatious  life 
since  living  in  this  county.  He  is  a  citizen  who  can  always  be  depended  upon 
to  be  on  the  right  side  of  such  questions  as  affect  the  welfare  of  his  com- 
munitv. 


EDWARD  H.  HANSON. 

History  tells  us  that  the  Norsemen  were  the  first  white  men  to  see 
America  and  that  Lief,  the  Lucky,  visited  the  shores  of  Greenland  and 
Labrador  in  about  the  year  1000.  From  the  earliest  part  of  the  Christian 
era,  the  people  of  Norway  and  Sweden  have  been  among  the  most  venture- 
some of  the  many  different  nations  of  Europe  and  the  energy  which  charac- 
terizes these  people  has  made  them  one  of  the  most  prosperous  nations  of 
Europe.  A  few  of  the  descendants  of  these  old  sea  kings  of  Norway  and 
Sweden  have  settled  in  Sac  county,  Iowa,  and  among  these  is  Edward  H. 
Hanson,  a  farmer  of  Richland  township. 

Edward  H.  Hanson  was  born  March  31,  1879,  at  Oyster  Bay,  New 
York.  He  is  the  son  of  Nels  and  Anna  (Nelson)  Hanson,  who  were  both 
born  in  Sweden.  Nels  Hanson  was  born  in  May,  1839,  and  died  in  May, 
1902,  while  his  wife  was  born  in  April,  1847,  and  died  in  November,  1913. 
They  were  married  in  the  land  of  their  birth  and  came  to  America  in  1868, 
and  for  a  period  of  two  years  lived  in  New  York,  then  located  in  Oyster 
Bay.  where  the  father,  Nels  Hanson,  was  a  caretaker  for  a  summer  estate. 
Here  the  family  lived  until  the  spring  of  1883,  when,  wishing  to  better  their 
condition,  they  came  direct  to  Odebolt,  Sac  county,  Iowa.     After  a  year's 


848  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

residence  in  Odebolt,  the  family  moved  to  a  farm  of  a  brother  of  Nels,  who 
had  previously  come  to  this  county.  Two  years  later  Mr.  Hanson  moved  to 
his  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Richland  township.  In  1891  he 
purchased  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres.  In  1902  he  moved  to  Odebolt, 
where  he  died  in  May  of  that  year.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nels  Hanson  were  the 
parents  of  nine  children,  of  whom  Edward  H.  is  the  fifth. 

Edward  H.  Hanson  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  of  his  home 
township  and  has  lived  the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  Sac  county.  Twenty 
years  of  his  life  have  been  spent  on  his  present  farm  near  Odebolt.  He  was 
married  March  3,  1909,  to  Ella  Down,  the  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas 
Down,  of  Sac  county.  To  this  marriage  have  been  born  two  children,  both 
of  whom  are  deceased. 

Politically,  Mr.  Hanson  is  affiliated  with  the  Republican  party  and 
identifies  himself  with  the  Progressive  wing  of  the  party.  He  and  his  wife 
are  both  stanch  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  interest 
themselves  in  the  various  works  of  that  denomination.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons.  He  has  won  the  respect  and  esteem 
of  all  who  know  him,  because  of  his  friendly  manner,  his  business  ability  and 
his  upright  living. 


HENRY  A.  KLUCKHOHN. 

Statistics  show  that  among  the  very  finest  foreign-born  members  of  our 
cosmopolitan  population  are  many  who  are  natives  of  the  great  German 
empire.  Their  influence  upon  our  national  life  has  been  marked,  disseminating 
as  they  have  their  national  virtues  of  industry,  fragality  and  honesty.  These 
characteristics  have  been  handed  down  from  father  to  son  so  that  our  native- 
born  Americans  of  German  descent  possess^  these  same  admirable  traits, 
coupled  with  our  world-famous  occidental  ability  and  push,  and  fortunate  is 
the  man  whose  character  possesses  these  marked  traits.  All  this  can  truth- 
fully be  said  of  the  man  whose  name  initiates  this  paragraph,  to  a  short  sketch 
of  whose  life  the  attention  of  the  reader  is  now  directed. 

Henry  A.  Kluckhohn,  who  has  retired  from  the  active  duties  of  life  and 
is  now  living  quietly  at  his  beautiful  home  in  Odebolt,  Sac  county,  Iowa, 
was  born  on  February  10,  1855,  "^  Grant  county,  Wisconsin,  the  son  of 
August  and  Wilhelniina  Saak,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Germany. 
August,  who  came  to  America  in  1848,  when  twenty-one  years  of  age,  was 
born  on  February  22,  1827,  in  Lieden-Hausen,  Oen-Hausen,  Detmold.     Upon 


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SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  849 

attaining  his  majority,  he  decided  to  seek  his  fortune  in  the  New  ^^'orld  and 
left  his  liome  in  Gemiany  on  Alarch  19,  1848,  arriving  in  New  York  on  May 
8th  of  the  same  year.  His  marriage  occurred  on  July  2J,  1853,  while  living  in 
Chicago,  Illinois,  and  the  same  year  he  and  his  bride  settled  in  Grant  county, 
Wisconsin,  where  he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  was  the  father  of 
thirteen  children,  the  oldest  of  whom  was  Henry  A.,  the  immediate  subject 
of  this  sketch.  The  others  are:  Sophia  (Mrs.  JNIiner),  who  resides  in 
Odebolt;  Minnie  and  Lydia,  deceased;  Caroline  (Mrs.  Hoffman),  who  lives  at 
Eagle  Grove,  Iowa:  August,  a  farmer  of  the  same  place;  Henrietta  (Mrs. 
Christ),  of  Lake  City,  lovva:  Emma,  who  lives  in  Grant  countv,  Wisconsin; 
Hilda,  living  in  Montana,  as  is  also  Arthur;  Edward,  of  Rockford,  Iowa; 
Albert,  of  Blackfoot,  Idaho,  and  Clarence,  of  Grant  county,  Wisconsin. 

Henry  K.  Kluckhohn  was  reared  on  the  parental  homestead  in  Wiscon- 
sin and  was  there  married,  on  Eebruai-y  25,  1879,  to  Caroline  Christina 
Boerner,  of  the  same  county,  born  February  26,  1857,  in  Chicago,  daughter  of 
John  A.  and  Matilda  Danim  Boerner,  natives  of  Germany,  who  emigrated  to 
America,  finally  settling  in  Grant  county,  Wisconsin.  A  few  years  after  their 
marriage  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kluckhohn  came  westward  and  located  in  Ida  county, 
this  state,  where  they  lived  for  thirteen  years.  Upon  coming  here,  Mr.  Kluck- 
hohn purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land,  and  in  the  thirteen  years 
he  resided  in  Ida  county  he  increased  his  holdings  to  four  hundred  and  eighty 
•  acres  in  that  county,  which  he  still  owns.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers 
of  Silver  Creek  township,  being  located  four  miles  Avest  of  Cook  Center,  but 
he  did  his  trading  at  Odebolt.  In  1892  he  purchased  a  fanu  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty  aci^es  in  Richland  township,  this  county,  on  which  the  family  re- 
sided until  February  of  1909,  when  he  moved  into  the  home  which  he  had 
erected  in  Odebolt.  This  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful,  spacious  and  complete 
homes  in  the  city  and  is  located  on  Park  avenue,  one  of  the  show  streets  of 
the  town.  Mr.  Kluckhohn  h.as  succeeded  well  in  his  chosen  vocation,  and  his 
activities  have  stamped  him  as  a  man  of  unusual  business  ability,  unswerving 
honor  and  integrity. 

In  politics,  ]Mr.  Kluckhohn  has  for  years  been  a  firm  adherent  of  the 
policies  of  the  Republican  party,  but  lately  he  has  evinced  a  tendency  to  be 
independent  in  such  matters,  having  an  inclination  to  support  tlie  man  as  an 
individual  rather  than  the  party's  representative,  tie  is  a  consistent  member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  his  fraternal  affiliations  are  with  the 
ancient  order  of  Freemasonrv-  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kluckhohn  are  the  parents  of 
three  children,  namely:     Ellis  L.,  a  farmer  of  Richland  township.     He  has 

(53) 


850  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

one  son,  Edwin,  who  has  been  reared  by  the  grandparents,  owing  to  the  fact 
that  Ellis  L.  is  a  widower.  Ottmar  is  married  and  lives  on  the  old  Ida  county 
homestead.     Emil,  the  youngest  son,  is  located  at  Seattle,  Washington. 

Mr.  Kluckhohn  is  a  man  in  every  sense  worthy  of  the  name,  and  through- 
out the  years  of  his  residence  in  this  locality  his  influence  has  ever  been 
exerted  for  the  best  good  of  the  various  phases  of  community  life. 


JAMES  A.  DRURY. 


The  student  interested  in  Sac  county.  Iowa,  does  not  have  to  carry  his 
investigation  far  into  its  annals  before  learning  that  James  A.  Drury  has  long 
been  an  active  and  leading  representative  of  its  agricultural  interests  and  that 
his  labors  have  proven  a  potent  force  in  making  this  a  rich  farming  region. 
Through  several  decades  the  subject  has  carried  on  farming,  gradually  im- 
proving his  valuable  place,  and  while  he  has  prospered  in  this,  he  has  also 
found  ample  opportunity  to  assist  in  the  material  development  of  the  county, 
and  his  co-operation  has  been  of  value  for  the  general  good. 
^  James  A.  Drury,  of  Boyer  Valley  township,  was  born  July  16,  1874.  in 
Marshall  county,  Iowa.  He  was  the  son  of  Isaiah  and  Margaret  Jane  (Leach) 
Drury,  who  were  both  natives  of  Indiana.  His  parents  moved  to  Marshall 
county,  Iowa,  from  Indiana  in  1862  and  in  1884  they  moved  to  Louisiana. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Isaiah  Drury  were  the  parents  of  nine  children :  Samuel,  of 
Marshall  county,  Iowa;  Mrs.  Mahala  Daugherty,  of  Marshall  county;  J. 
Reese,  whose  history  is  portrayed  elsewhere  in  this  volume;  Albert,  of  Mar- 
shall county,  Iowa;  Mrs.  Mary  Ellen  Cline.  of  Louisiana;  Lafayette,  of 
Oregon;  William,  of  Nebraska;  Clara,  of  Louisiana,  and  James  A.,  with 
whom  this  narrative  deals. 

James  A.  Druiy  received  his  first  education  in  Marshall  countv,  Iowa, 
and  when  eleven  years  of  age  accompanied  his  father  to  Louisiana,  where  he 
attended  school  until  he  was  seventeen  years  of  age.  His  mother  had  died 
before  he  went  to  Louisiana  and  his  father  died  after  he  had  been  in  Louisiana 
six  years.  When  he  was  seventeen  years  of  age  he  came  to  Sac  countv  and 
lived  for  a  year  with  his  brother,  then  returned  to  Louisiana  and  remained 
a  year,  but  permanently  located  in  Sac  county  in  1893.  ^n  1898  he  was  mar- 
ried and  purchased  his  first  farm  in  Delaware  township,  this  countv,  but  a 
year  later  sold  it  and  returned  to  Boyer  Valley  township,  where  he  purchased 
one  hundred  and  sixtv  acres  for  fifty  dollars  an  acre.     This  land  is  now 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  8^1 

worth  two  hundred  dollars  an  acre,  and  his  corn  in  1913  averaged  fifty  bushels 
to  the  acre.  His  farm  has  natural  drainage  and  this  makes  the  soil  easier  to 
cultivate,  therefore  less  expensive  to  manage.  The  farmers  in  this  county 
who  are  compelled  to  spend  thousand  of  dollars  in  drainage  can  appreciate 
what  it  means  to  have  a  farm  which  is  naturally  drained. 

Mr.  Drury  was  married  on  September  ji,  1898,  to  Grace  Kellev,  the 
daughter  of  Frank  and  Elizabeth  Kelley,  natives  of  Pennsylvania,  who  came 
to  Cedar  county  in  the  late  fifties.  In  1868  the  Kelley  family  settled  in 
Dallas  county,  and  in  1873  they  permanently  located  in  Douglas  township, 
Sac  county.  JMr.  Kelley  died  in  1909  and  his  wife  in  1884.  Mr.  and  ^Irs. 
Drury  ha\-e  one  daughter,  Gladys  May,  who  was  born  on  May  25,  1905. 

In  his  political  affiliations,  Mr.  Drury  has  allied  himself  with  the  new 
Progressive  party.  He  keeps  well  informed  on  the  current  issues  of  the  day 
and  can  intelligently  discuss  the  political  questions  of  the  hour.  His  family 
are  regular  attendants  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  contribute  liljerally  to 
its  support.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Yeofnen  and  is  interested  in 
all  the  social  activities  of  that  fraternal  organization.  Mr.  Drury  started  out 
in  life  with  practically  nothing,  and  by  his  own  grit  and  determination  has 
reached  a  position  where  he  has  a  fine  farm  and  a  comfortable  living.  He 
takes  an  active  part  in  the  affairs  of  the  community  and  is  rightly  regarded 
as  a  representative  man  of  his  Iocalit^•. 


BARNABAS  C.  STANZEL. 

One  of  the  younger  farmers  of  Sac  county,  who  is  now  operating  a  farm 
of  his  own  is  Barnabas  Stanzel,  of  Clinton  township.  Sac  county,  Iowa.. 
Early  in  life  he  decided  that  he  wished  to  follow  the  vocation  of  a  farmer, 
and  with  this  end  in  view  he  began  to  interest  himself  in  all  of  those  details 
which  in  the  aggregate  make  up  the  vocation  of  the  successful  farmer.  He 
was  born  September  27,  1886,  on  the  farm  where  he  is  now  living  and  has 
lived  on  this  place  continuously  since  that  time,  with  the  exception  of  about 
one  year,  which  he  spent  in  the  southern  part  of  Iowa  and  one  year  in  Lake 
View.  He  is  a  son  of  William  A.  and  Lavina  R.  (Clark)  Stanzel,  who  were 
pioneers  of  Clinton  township. 

Barnabas  Stanzel  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  Clinton  township  and 
the  high  school  at  Lake  View.  When  not  in  school  during  his  boyhood  days, 
he  was  assisting  his  father  on  the  home  farm,  and  when  twenty  years  of  age 


852  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

began  fanning  for  himself  on  a  farm  of  one  hnndred  and  sixty  acres  which 
he  recei\ed  from  iiis  father. 

IMr,  Stanzel  was  married  February  10,  1909,  in  Ida  Grove,  Iowa,  to 
Bertha  (irace,  the  daughter  of  Thomas  and  OHve  Grace,  who  are  now  resi- 
dents of  Sac  Cit}-.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stanzel  has  been  born  one  son,  Gerald, 
on  January  11,  1910. 

Politically,  Mr.  Stanzel  is  a  Republican,  but  has  confined  his  political 
activities  to  the  casting  of  his  ballot  for  the  candidates  of  his  party.  Mr. 
Stanzel  is  now  in  the  prime  of  life  and  has  a  long  and  useful  career  open  be- 
fore him.  The  record  which  he  has  made  so  far  in  his  communit\'  indicates 
that  in  the  years  to  come  he  will  become  a  man  of  influence  for  good  in  his 
community.  He  is  always  reasonable  ai^d  just  in  all  of  his  business  transactions 
and  has  never  violated  in  the  slightest  degree  the  confidence  which  his  fellow 
citizens  have  reposed  in  him. 


FRANK  CAWIEZEL. 


The  little  republic  of  Switzerland  furnishes  \'er_y  few  emigrants  to  the 
United  States,  for  the  reason,  probably,  that  the  people  of  that  country 
enjoy  as  democratic  a  form  of  government  as  do  the  people  of  this  country. 
Switzerland  has  the  oldest  republic  in  Europe,  and  for  several  hundred  years 
they  ha\'e  enjoyed  the  freest  democratic  go\ernment  in  the  world.  In  the 
small  mountain  state  of  Switzerland  the  initiative,  referendum  and  recall 
were  born,  which  today  are  being  so  widely  agitated  throughout  the  United 
States.  The  people  of  Switzerland  are  among  the  most  prosperous  of  any 
people  in  the  world,  and  the  few  Swiss  emigrants  who  ha\e  made  their  hfime 
in  the  United  States  have  prospered  wherever  they  have  settled. 

Frank  Cawiezel,  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Sac  county,  was  born  April  7, 
1847,  in  Switzerland.  His  parents,  Lucius  and  Mary  Cawiezel,  lived  all 
their  li\-es  in  Switzerland.  Frank  Cawiezel  came  from  his  nati\'e  country  to 
Iowa  in  1868,  and  followed  the  trade  of  a  carpenter,  which  he  had  learned  in 
his  native  land,  continuing  in  this  Inisiness  until  the  time  of  his  marriage, 
which  occurred  in  r875.  In  1869  he  went  to  Nebraska  and  took  up  a  home- 
stead ihere,  but  shortl\'  ;ifter\\  ards  went  to  St.  Louis,  and  here  followed  his 
\^ocation  as  a  carpenter  for  three  }ears,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  went  to 
Shreveport,  Louisiana,  and  worked  for  some  time  at  that  place,  after  which 
he  returned  to  St.   Louis.     He  then  married  and  came  to  Sac  county,  Iowa, 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  853 

in  1S75.  where  he  rented  a  farm  for  the  first  two  years  on  the  site  now 
occupied  b}-  the  city  of  Early,  then  bought  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  for 
fifteen  iiundred  dollars,  and  he  has  added  to  this  tract  from  time  to  time  until 
he  and  his  wife  own  together  nine  hundred  and  eight  acres  of  fine  farming 
land  in  this  county  and  Buena  Vista  county,  this  state.  He  has  prospered 
from  the  l>eginning  of  his  farming  experience,  and  his  whole  career  in  this 
county  testifies  of  the  man  who  wished  to  perform  his  full  duty  as  a  citizen 
of  his  adopted  country.  He  has  a  fine  modern  home  of  se\-en  rooms,  which  is 
situated  on  the  bluff  above  Boyer  river.  He  raises  large  crops  of  all  the 
grains  comuK'n  to  this  locality  and  also  markets  a  consideralile  amount  of 
live  stock  each  year. 

^Ir.  Cawiezel  was  married  in  1875  to  Mary  Durisch,  of  Clinton  county, 
Iowa,  and  to  this  marriage  have  been  born  nine  children :  Stephen  and 
Lucius,  deceased ;  Mrs.  Fannie  Yander,  of  Carroll  county,  Iowa ;  ]\Irs.  Mary 
Toohey,  of  Buena  Arista  county,  this  state;  Mrs.  Katie  McKenna,  of  Murray 
county,  Minnesota :  Frances,  Frank,  Ida  and  Elinor,  the  four  youngest  chil- 
dren being  still  with  their  parents  on  the  farm. 

Politically,  Mr.  Cawiezel  is  an  independent  voter.  ha\-ing  always  be- 
lieved that  the  best  interests  of  his  community  would  be  best  served  by 
voting  for  the  best  man.  He  and  his  family  are  all  loyal  and  consistent 
members  of  the  Catholic  church  at  Schaller,  and  are  interested  in  the  various 
acti\ities  of  that  denomination.  ]\Ir.  Cawiezel  has  a  charming  home  and  he 
and  his  family  entertain  their  many  friends  with  genuine  hospitality. 


AUGUST  H.  W.  REUBER. 

Among  the  prosperous  business  men  of  Odebolt,  Sac  county,  Iowa,  who 
have  been  prominently  identified  with  the  commercial  life  of  the  county, 
there  is  no  one  who  stands  higher  in  public  esteem  than  August  H.  W. 
Reuber,  of  the  firm  of  Reuber  &  Bruce,  dealers  in  grains,  seeds  and  popcorn. 
Mr.  Reuber  is  one  of  the  many  representatives  of  the  substantial  German 
element  of  this  county,  and  brings  to  bear  in  his  business  those  sterling 
qualities  which  characterize  the  Germans  wherever  they  are  found.  Seven 
years  after  landing  in  this  country  and  at  the  early  age  of  twenty-three  years, 
he  engaged  in  the  popcorn  liusiness  in  Odebolt.  He  saw  that  thir,  industry 
had  great  possibilities  and,  with  keen  foresight,  has  built  up  a  trade  which  is 
second  to  none  in  this  part  of  the  state 


854  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

August  H.  W.  Reuber  was  born  March  31,  1866,  in  Hanover,  Germany, 
the  son  of  August  and  Fredericka  Reuber,  and  belonged  to  the  High  Ger- 
man class.  When  August  Reuljer  was  sixteen  years  of  age  his  parents  came 
to  America  and  first  located  in  Grant  county,  Wisconsin,  where  his  father 
followed  the  shoemaker's  trade.  Four  years  later  August  H.  W.  came  to  Sac 
county.  Iowa,  and  the  family  followed  three  years  later,  locating  on  a  farm 
one  mile  north  of  Odebolt.  Two  years  later,  upon  the  marriage  of  August, 
his  parents  moved  to  a  small  farm  of  twenty  acres  in  Richland  township,  and 
two  years  later  they  moved  to  an  eighty-acre  farm  in  Delaware  county, 
Iowa,  where  the  mother  died  in  1901.  The  father  afterward  resided  with 
his  son  for  three  years,  and  in  1904  returned  to  Germany,  where  his  death 
occurred.  Three  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  August  Reuber,  Sr. : 
Mrs.  Henry  Lutz,  of  Storm  Lake,  Iowa;  Carl  H.,  of  Schaller,  Iowa,  and 
August  H.  W.,  with  whom  this  narrative  deals. 

August  H.  W.  Reuber  was  well  educated  in  his  native  country,  and 
when  a  mere  youth  was  apprenticed  to  a  printer,  where  he  learned  the  trade 
of  typesetting.  However,  he  never  followed  this  profession  in  this  country, 
but,  owing  to  his  poor  health,  engaged  in  farm  work  as  soon  as  his  parents 
landed  in  this  county.  In  1888  he  rented  a  farm  in  Richland  township,  and 
here  he  planted  his  first  crop  of  popcorn,  and,  fortunately,  his  first  yield 
netted  him  a  handsome  return  on  his  investment.  In  1890  he  purchased  one 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  in  Cook  township  at  a  cost  of  thirty-one 
dollars  an  acre,  and  engaged  in  the  raising  of  popcorn  on  a  larger  scale. 
Two  years  later  he  discontinued  the  raising  of  popcorn  himself  on  account 
of  unfavorable  seasons,  and  went  to  feeding  cattle.  However,  he  returned 
to  the  popcorn  culture,  and  soon  afterward  began  to  buy  and  ship  popcorn, 
and  as  early  as  1898  he  had  the  sobriquet  of  "Popcorn  King."  In  1905  his 
business  had  grown  to  such  an  extent  that  he  felt  justified  in  moving  to 
Odebolt  and  engaging  in  the  l)uying  and  shipping  of  popcorn.  In  1909  he 
took  in  J.  L.  Bruce  as  a  partner  and  added  a  regular  grain  department  to  his 
business.  In  1910  they  erected  a  large  elevator  with  a  capacity  of  thirty- 
eight  thousand  bushels.  During  the  past  four  years  the  firm  has  shipped 
about  seventy-five  cars  of  popcorn  annually,  and  handles  a  total  of  other 
grains  amounting  to  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  thousand  to  one  hundred 
and  eighty-five  thousand  bushels  annually.  In  191 3  the  firm  had  sixty  thou- 
sand dollars  invested  in  popcorn  alone,  and  about  twenty  thousand  dollars 
in  other  grains.  The  equipment  is  now  worth  twenty-three  thousand  dollars 
and  in  1914  the  firm  expects  to  erect  a  large  double  crib  which  will  have  a 
capacitx'  of  two  millinn   i)(iunds   of  p()])corn  annually.      The  plant  extends 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  855 

over  twenty-one  city  lots  in  Odebolt,  and  this  fact  alone  gives  some  idea  of 
the  magnitude  of  the  business. 

Mr.  Reuber  was  married,  February  5,  1891,  to  Louise  Katherine  Rabe, 
of  this  county,  who  was  born  in  Germany,  coming  to  America  when  five 
years  of  age  with  her  parents.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reuber  are  the  parents  of  two 
children,  Edgar  H.,  who  is  a  farmer  of  Cook  township,  this  county,  and 
Minnie,  who  is  still  in  school. 

Politically,  Mr.  Reuber  is  a  Progressive  and  takes  an  active  interest  in 
politics.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  school  board  of  Odebolt  since  1909. 
The  famil\-  are  loyal  and  consistent  members  of  the  German  Methodist 
church,  and  contribute  liberally  of  their  substance  to  its  support. 


J.  F.  UMBARGER. 

Among  the  farmers  of  Sac  county  who  have  been  prominent  in  the 
agricultural  profession  is  J.  F.  Umbarger,  who  is  now  living  upon  a  five- 
hundred-acre  farm  near  Ringsted,  in  Palo  Alto  county,  this  state.  He  was 
born  May  11,  1872,  in  Monmouth,  Jackson  county,  Iowa,  and  is  the  son  of 
Nathaniel  Brown  and  Mary  A.  (Brown)  Umbarger. 

Nathaniel  B.  Umbarger  was  born  Januarv'  4,  1845,  'n  Wythe  county, 
Virginia.  He  received  his  early  education  in  a  rude  log  school  house,  and 
later  attended  Wytheville  Academy.  Nathaniel  B.  was  the  son  of  Stephen 
and  Mary  Umbarger.  Stephen  Umbarger  enlisted  in  the  Union  army  during 
the  Civil  War  and  was  captured  and  made  prisoner  at  Andersonville,  dying 
in  Andersonville  prison.  In  1864  Nathaniel  B.  was  drafted  in  the  Con- 
federate army  and  assigned  to  Company  B,  Thirtieth  Regiment  of  Virginia 
Regulars.  He  fought  under  Gen.  Tubal  A.  Early  until  his  capture  at  New 
Market.  He  was  then  made  a  prisoner  of  war  and  confined  at  Elmira,  New 
York,  where  he  remained  until  the  war  closed.  He  then  came  to  Iowa  on 
free  government  transportation  issued  to  discharged  soldiers,  where  he  stayed 
a  few  months  with  an  uncle  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  state.  He  then  re- 
turned to  Virginia,  where  he  was  married  on  May  23,  1867,  to  Mary  Agnes 
Brown,  of  Wytheville.  In  March,  1868,  he  came  to  Jackson  county,  Iowa, 
and  settled  near  Monmouth.  In  1873  he  moved  to  Sac  county  and  in  1874 
settled  on  the  old  homestead  farm,  where  he  lived  for  thirty-two  years.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Nathaniel  Browai  Umbarger  were  the  parents  of  a  large  family  of 
children:     Two  daughters,  who  died  in  infancy;  Lemuel  Stephen,  who  died 


856  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

at  the  age  of  thirteen;  J.  Francis,  of  Odebolt;  Clara  L. ;  Wilham  L. ;  Mrs. 
Florence  L.  Norris,  of  Oelwein,  and  Arthur  G.,  of  Moline,  IlHnois.  In 
1906  N.  B.  Umbarger  moved  to  Odebolt,  where  he  lived  until  his  death, 
October  26,  191 1. 

J.  F.  Umbarger  was  educated  in  the  Odebolt  schools  and  later  spent  one 
year  in  Miami  University  and  one  year  in  Carthage  College,  at  Carthage, 
Illinois.  He  was  married  in  1S96  and  since  then  has  been  farming  for  him- 
self. For  three  years  he  rented  before  moving  on  his  farm  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  in  Richland  township.  On  March  i,  191 3,  he  moved  to  Palo 
Alto  county  and  settled  on  a  five-hundred-acre  farm,  where  he  is  now  living. 

Mr.  Umbarger  was  married  February  29,  1896,  to  Winifred  D.  Ballard, 
the  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  C.  Ballard,  of  Odebolt.  To  this  union  have 
been  born  six  children,  one  of  whom  died  in  infancy.  The  remaining  five 
children  who  are  living  are  Morris,  Max,  Percy,  Margaret  and  Frank. 

Mr.  Umbarger  has  always  been  interested  in  politics  and  was  the  leader 
in  the  Republican  party  until  the  organization  of  the  Progressive  party  in 
the  summer  of  1912.  He  then  became  a  member  of  the  Progressive  party 
and  took  an  active  part  in  its  organization  in  this  county.  He  served  one 
term  as  township  clerk  and  as  school  director.  Religiously,  he  and  his  family 
are  loyal  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  contribute  of  their  sub- 
stance to  its  support.  Mr.  Umbarger  has  been  prominently  identified  with 
the  life  of  his  community  up  to  the  time  when  he  left  the  county.  He  en- 
joyed, to  a  marked  degree,  the  esteem  of  his  neighbors  and  friends,  because 
he  was  a  true  type  of  an  enterprising  citizen  who  is  interested  in  the  welfare 
of  his  community.  This  county  lost  an  excellent  citizen  when  he  moved  to 
Palo  Alto  county. 


OLDEN  C.  ROBINSON. 


A  prosperous  farmer  of  Richland  township.  Sac  county,  Iowa,  is  Olden 
C.  Robinson,  who,  although  he  has  been  deprived  of  his  hearing  from 
childhood,  yet  is  one  of  the  most  prosperous,  as  well  as  one  of  the  most  highly 
respected,  citizens  of  his  township.  He  was  born  No\ember  2,  1881,  in 
Odebolt,  Iowa,  the  son  of  H.  C.  and  Jeannette  Robinson,  who  were  old  pio- 
neer settlers  of  Sac  county.  The  history  of  Jeannette  Robinson  gives  the 
family  genealogy  of  the  Robinsons  and  will  be  found  elsewhere  in  this 
volume. 

When  a  child  Olden  C.  Robinson  met  with  an  accident  which  deprived 


SAC    COUNTY,    rOWA.  857 

him  of  his  hearing.  Consequently,  he  \vas  educated  in  the  School  for  the  Deaf 
at  Council  Bluffs,  Iowa,  where  he  left  in  1901.  Notwithstanding  this  handi- 
cap, he  is  happ}',  contented  and  a  genial  man  to  meet.  He  began  farming 
operations  in  1902.  on  a  rented  farm  in  Clinton  township,  and  in  1910 
l)ought  his  present  farm  adjoining  the  western  side  of  Odebolt,  for  which  he 
paid  one  hundred  and  thirty-one  dollars  and  a  quarter  for  the  land,  and  it  is 
now  easily  worth  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  an  acre.  He  is  a  breeder  of 
fine  horses,  and  in  1913  produced  fifteen  head  of  horses  for  the  market.  In 
addition  he  raised  twenty-nine  head  of  cattle  and  about  fifty  head  of  hogs. 

INIr.  Robinson  was  married  February  11,  1904,  in  Lamoni,  Iowa,  to 
Loretta  Stednian,  the  daughter  of  Eli  and  Adelia  L.  Stedman,  natives  of 
Ohio  and  Xew  ^'ork.  respecti\'ely.  His  wife  was  also  educated  in  the  School 
for  the  Deaf  at  Council  Bluffs,  Iowa,  where  they  met.  They  are  a  devoted 
couple  anrl  thoroughly  enjoy  life  in  all  its  aspects.  'Mrs.  Robinson  supple- 
mented the  training  received  at  Council  Bluffs  by  further  educational  work 
in  Faribault,  Minnesota,  and  she  and  her  husband  are  great  readers  and  both 
keep  thoroughly  informed  on  the  march  of  civilization  as  reflected  in  the  best 
literature  of  the  day.  Mrs.  Robinson  is  of  a  fine  family,  her  father  being  of 
English  descent  with  a  trace  of  Indian  blood  in  his  \-eins.  Her  mother  was 
of  Scotch-Irish  parentage.  Mr.  Robinson  is  a  member  of  the  ]\Iethodist 
church  and  gives  to  it  his  earnest  support.  Mrs.  Robinson  belongs  to  the 
Churrh  of  Latter-day  Saints.  Politically,  INIr.  Robinson  is  a  Republican,  but 
has  never  taken  an  active  part  in  the  political  arena. 


TAMES  HAMAND. 


The  present  age  is  essentially  utilitarian  and  the  life  of  ever_\-  successful 
man  carries  a  lesson  which,  told  in  contemporary  narrative,  is  productive  of 
much  good  in  shaping  the  destiny  of  others.  There  is,  therefore,  a  due 
measure  of  satisfaction  in  presenting,  even  in  brief  resume,  the  life  and 
achievements  of  such  men,  and  in  preparing  the  following  history  of  the 
progressive  farmer  and  enterprising  citizen  whose  name  appears  above,  it  is 
with  the  hope  that  it  may  prove  not  only  interesting  and  instructive,  but  also 
serve  as  an  incentive  to  those  who  contemplate  making  agriculture  their  life 
work. 

lames  Haniand,  one  of  the  largest  individual  land  owners  of  Sac  county, 
Iowa,  was  born  March  i,  1839,  at  Zane.sville,  Muskingum  county,  Ohio,  the 


858  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

son  of  James  and  Eliza  Hamand.  \\ho  were  natives  of  Perr}'  county,  that 
state,  and  at  the  time  of  his  birth  James  Hamand  was  a  merchant  in  Zanes- 
\'ille,  and  later  was  engaged  in  the  mercantile  luisiness  in  Columlnis,  Ohiii. 
Lexington,  Kentucky,  and  Mount  Vernon,  Ohio.  In  1849  James  Hamand 
went  to  California,  with  the  "Forty-niners"  and  died  there.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
James  Hamand,  Sr.,  were  the  parents  of  four  children:  James,  Jr.,  with 
whom  this  narrative  deals;  John;  Thomas,  and  Jane,  who  now  lives  with 
her  brother,  James. 

James  Hamand,  Jr.,  was  reared  in  Somerset,  Perry  county,  Ohio,  by 
his  paternal  grandfather,  John  Hamand,  who  was  a  leading  citizen  of  that 
county.  He  attended  the  common  schools,  as  well  as  the  high  school  at 
Somerset,  and  was  given  a  good  educational  training.  At  the  age  of  twenty 
he  took  a  tour  west  to  the  Rocky  mountains,  and  when  twenty-one  years  of 
age  settled  in  Macon  county,  Illinois,  on  a  farm.  Here  he  lived  and  pros- 
pered until  1882,  when  he  came  to  Sac  county  and  purchased  six  hundred 
and  forty  acres  of  land  at  six  dollars  an  acre.  In  1902  he  purchased  three 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  across  the  road  from  his  previous  purchase,  for 
which  he  paid  eighty  dollars  an  acre.  In  1907  he  bought  one  hundred  and 
twenty-seven  acres,  paying  one  hundred  and  forty  dollars  an  acre,  and  he 
is  now  the  owner  of  ten  hundred  and  eighty-seven  acres  of  fine  land,  with 
nine  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  it  in  one  large  farm  south  of  Schaller,  this 
county.  He  has  about  twenty  sets  of  buildings  on  his  farms  and  until  a  few 
years  ago  Mr.  Hamand  had  personal  supervision  of  his  extensive  farming 
operations.  He  now  has  four  tenants  on  his  farms,  being  compelled  by  ad- 
vancing age  to  relinquish  some  of  his  former  activities.  He  has  a  fine,  large 
home  and  since  coming  to  this  county  he  has  planted  large  groves  of  trees 
and  orchards  over  his  land,  and  so  prolific  has  been  the  growth  that  some  of 
the  trees  in  the  open  measure  as  much  as  two  feet  in  diameter.  He  has  raised 
large  herds  of  cattle  and  hogs  and  farmed  on  an  extensive  scale  with  very 
profitable  results. 

For  many  years  Mr.  Hamand  and  his  sister,  Jane,  have  lived  together. 
She  has  been  his  faithful  companion  and  housekeeper  and  has  helped  him 
with  her  advice  and  counsel  in  a  way  which  has  been  beneficial  to  him.  She 
is  an  intelligent  and  cultured  woman  who  has  a  large  circle  of  friends  and 
acquaintances  in  the  county. 

Politically,  Mr.  Hamand  is  an  independent  Republican  and  reser\es  the 
right  of  the  free-born  American  citizen  to  cast  his  vote  as  he  pleases.  In 
1896  he  voted  for  Bryan  and  in  1912  he  voted  for  Wilson.  He  is  well  in- 
formed upon  all  current  issues  of  the  day  and  is  a  man  who  has  an  en\iable 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  859 

name  for  his  honesty  and  upright  character.  His  career  has  been  noteworthy 
in  view  of  the  fact  that  he  has  attained  such  a  pronounced  success  in  agricul- 
tural hnes  in  this  county.  He  has  always  been  a  hard  worker  and  until  a  few 
years  ago  he  was  always  to  be  found  in  the  fields.  He  can  now  look  back 
over  a  life  which  has  been  well  spent  in  every  particular  and  feel  that  he  has 
lived  such  a  life  as  will  have  redounded  to  his  honor  and  been  a  benefit  to 
his  fellow  citizens. 


AUGUST  HAHNE. 


Although  the  character  of  the  immigrants  that  come  to  America  today 
seems  to  be  changing,  yet  there  is  not  a  single  doubt  but  that  in  years  past 
some  of  the  most  sturdy,  energetic  and  progressive  people  living  upon  our 
soil  were  the  ones  that  came  to  us  from  foreign  lands.  They  have  brought 
to  us  not  only  the  spirit  of  thrift  and  endurance,  but  have  contributed  to  the 
loyal  American  spirit  to  a  degree  which  can  hardly  be  overestimated. 

August  Hahne,  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Eureka  township,  in  Sac  county, 
Iowa,  was  born  in  September,  1859,  in  Sheboygan  county,  Wisconsin.  His 
parents,  Frederick  and  Sophia  (Domeier)  Hahne,  were  both  natives  of  Ger- 
many, who  came  to  America  in  the  later  thirties  and  hewed  out  a  home  for 
themselves  in  the  dense  forests  of  Wisconsin.  In  1863,  when  August  was 
only  four  years  of  age,  they  moved  to  Allamakee  county,  Iowa,  where  they 
stayed  for  eight  years.  In  1871  the  family  moved  to  Sac  county,  where  the 
parents  spent  the  remainder  of  their  lives.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frederick  Hahne 
have  four  sons  and  two  daughters  living:  Henry;  Herman,  whose  history  is 
delineated  elsewhere  in  this  volume;  William;  August;  Mina  and  Sophia. 

August  Hahne  went  to  school  in  Allamakee  county,  Iowa,  and  Sac 
county,  and  from  his  earliest  boyhood  helped  with  the  work  on  the  home 
farm.  At  the  age  of  twenty-two  he  started  to  seek  his  fortune,  and  picked 
up  land  in  Eureka  township,  in  this  county,  which  he  now  owns.  On  his 
farm  of  two  hundred  and  forty-seven  acres  he  has  built  a  fine  home,  excellent 
barn  and  other  outbuildings.  He  has  fenced,  drained  and  impro\ed  it  in 
such  a  way  as  to  increase  its  productivity  as  well  as  add  to  its  value.  He  has 
put  out  groves  and  orchards  and  has  one  of  the  most  attractive  places  in  the 
township.  While  he  raises  all  the  crops  peculiar  to  this  locality,  he  makes  a 
specialty  of  stock  raising  and  produces  annually  for  the  market  twenty  head 
of  cattle  and  one  hundred  head  of  hogs.  In  his  forty-two  years  of  farming 
in  this  countv,  he  has  acquired  a  reputation  as  one  of  the  most  progressive 


86o  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

and  up-to-date  farmers  of  the  county,  one  who  is  ahvays  at  the  forefront  in 
every  laudable  enterprise  concerning  the  pubhc  welfare. 

Mr.  Hahne  was  married  December  i8,  1888,  to  Margaret  Van  Atta,  a 
native  of  Wisconsin  and  the  daughter  of  Joseph  Van  Atta  and  wife.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Hahne  have  seven  children  li\ing,  all  of  whom  are  at  home: 
Walter,  Clarence,  George,  Henry,  Leonard,  Bernice  and  Gladys.  The  five 
younger  children  are  still  in  school  and  are  being  given  the  best  educational 
advantages  which  the  local  schools  provide. 

Politically,  Mr.  Hahn  is  a  Republican,  hut,  like  thousands  of  other 
Republicans,  in  191 2  he  changed  his  ballot  for  the  first  time  and  voted  for 
Woodrow  Wilson.  The  Western  states  particularly  seemed  to  have  had 
thousands  of  men  who  were  not  blind  partisans,  but  who  realh'  A-oted  their 
convictions  and  cast  their  ballot  for  men  and  principles  which  they  believed 
to  be  for  the  best  interest  of  the  country  at  large.  Mr.  Hahne  is  a  man  who 
has  won  the  respect  and  admiration  of  his  fellow  citizens  because  of  tlie 
wholesome  life  he  has  lived  in  this  township.  He  and  his  wife  are  hospitable 
people  and  have  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances  in  the  commimitv. 


HENRY  HIX. 


One  of  the  few  native-liorn  farmers  of  Richland  township.  Sac  county, 
Iowa,  is  Henry  Hix,  who,  by  thrift  and  econonn?,  has  attained  to  a  position 
of  influence  and  prominence  in  his  home  township.  He  is  the  descendant  of 
German  parentage  and  has  inherited  those  sterling  characteristics  of  the 
Germanic  race  whicli  ha\e  made  them  such  valuable  citizens  in  this  countv. 
While  he  has  been  advancing  his  own  material  interests,  he  does  not  neglect 
his  part  in  that  higher  life  wliich  makes  a  man  the  most  \-aluable  mcml)er  of 
his  community. 

Henry  Hix,  of  Richland  township,  was  born  May  30,  1876,  in  Boyer 
Valley  township,  this  county.  His  parents,  John  and  Margaret  fReitzel) 
Hix,  were  both  natives  of  Germany.  John  Hix  came  to  America  when  a 
young  man  and  settled  in  Sac  county,  Iowa,  where  he  married  Margaret 
Reitzel.  and  shortly  after  their  marriage  they  moved  to  Boyer  Valley  town- 
ship, where  he  died  in  18S0,  leaving  his  widow  with  seven  children:  Mrs. 
Eva  Dusenberg,  of  Garner,  Iowa :  George,  of  Storm  Lake,  this  state:  Charles, 
a  resident  of  Sac  City ;  Conrad,  of  Storm  Lake ;  Henry  and  Edward,  twins, 
who  l^oth  li\e  in  Richland  township,  this  county,  and  Caroline,  who  is  living 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  86l 

with  lier  mother  in  Odebo'.t.  :\lrs.  Hix  and  her  children  moved  to  Richland 
township  al30ut  1890.  where  the  mother  hxed  nntil  she  mo\-ed  to  Odebolt.  in 
the  spring  of  1908. 

Henry  Hix  has  had  charge  of  the  home  farm  since  he  was  grown  to 
maturity,  and  in  addition  to  farming  the  eighty  acres  of  the  liome  farm  he 
has  pnrchased  eighty  acres  of  his  own  adjoining  the  old  home  place,  for 
which  he  i^aid  one  hnndred  dollars  an  acre  in  1906,  and  has  had  the  satisfac- 
tion of  seeing  it  greatly  ad\-ance  in  \alne  since  it  has  come  into  his  possession. 
He  is  a  successful  farmer  by  virtue  of  the  fact  that  he  combines  his  grain 
and  stock  raising  in  such  a  way  as  to  net  him  the  largest  returns. 

Mr.  Hix  was  married  January  6,  1908,  to  Anna  Buehler,  the  daughter 
of  Sebastian  and  Alary  Buehler.  who  were  old  pioneers  of  Richland  town- 
ship, and  to  this  marriage  have  been  born  a  son,  ]\Iarion,  born  July  4,  1910, 
and  a  daughter,  Louise,  born  A'farch  12,  1913.  The  history  of  the  Buehler 
family  is  found  elsewhere  in  this  \-olimie,  under  the  sketch  of  Sebastian 
Buehler,  deceased, 

Mr.  Hix  has  identified  himself  politically  with  the  Republican  party  and, 
although  deeph^  interested  in  the  chief  political  cjuestions  of  the  day,  he  has 
never  been  an  aspirant  for  office  at  the  hands  of  his  party.  He  and  the 
members  of  his  family  are  loyal  adherents  of  the  German  ]\lethodist  Episco- 
pal church,  and  render  to  it  their  earnest  and  zealous  support  at  all  times. 
Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Royal  Highlanders.  Since  the  world  at 
large  judges  a  community  by  the  character  of  its  citizens,  it  is  but  fair  to  say 
that  Mr.  Hix  is  one  of  the  large  representative  class  of  American  citizens  in 
his  township,  who,  in  the  aggregate,  ha\-e  placed  their  township  on  a  par 
with  any  in  the  county. 


ARCHIE  P.  CRANSTON. 

"Like  father,  like  s(_in."  The  lime-tried  and  ne\'er-foinid-wanting 
adage,  \\here  conditions  have  been  right  in  the  upbringing  of  children  with  a 
high  regard  for  the  moral  rectitude  of  living  and  with  an  excellent  example 
of  the  highest  sort  of  citizenship  as  a  guide  to  the  best  development  of  in- 
herited talents,  will  apply  to  the  Cranston  family  specifically  and  generally. 
Archie  P.  Cranston,  son  of  James  and  Fanny  (Clapp)  Cranston,  of  whom 
this  work  is  pleased  to  give  extensive  mention,  is  one  of  the  progressive  and 
rising  young  farmers  of  Richland  township. 

Archie   P.   Cranston   was   born  December   5,    1877,   in   Benton   county. 


86j 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


Iowa,  and  came  to  Sac  county  with  liis  parents  in  1878.  He  received  his 
education  in  the  nearby  district  school  and  the  Odebolt  high  school.  He  as- 
sisted in  tilling  his  fathers  acreage  until  1901,  when  he  moved  on  the  place 
which  he  now  owns  and  began  farming  on  his  own  responsibility.  In  1909 
he  purchased  eighty  acres  comprising  his  farm  from  his  father,  paving  there- 
for the  high  price  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  an  acre.  This  farm  pro- 
duces in  excess  of  twenty  head  of  Shorthorn  cattle  vearlv  and  from  forty  to 
one  hundred  head  of  hogs. 

Mr.  Cranston  is  a  Progressi\e  in  politics  and  is  now  serving  his  second 
term  as  clerk  of  Richland  township.  He  is  allied  with  the  Presbyterian 
faith,  which  has  been  the  faith  of  his  forefathers  for  many  generations. 

Mr.  Cranston  was  married  on  February  5,  1902,  to  Grace  Estella  Traver, 
who  was  born  in  Illinois,  the  daughter  of  Luther  Traver,  a  native  of  New 
York,  whose  wife,  Fanny  Traver,  was  a  native  of  England.  To  the  Crans- 
tons  has  been  born  one  son.  Kenneth  Preston,  l)orn  December  16,   1912. 


HERMAN  C.  HESS. 


Among  the  successful  farmers  of  Sac  county  there  is  a  surprisingly 
large  number  of  citizens  of  German  descent.  \\'hile  many  nations  have  con- 
tributed to  the  population  of  this  county,  there  is  no  nation  which  has 
furnished  more  or  better  citizens  than  has  Germany.  Wherever  they  have 
settled  in  this  county  they  ha\e  quickly  identified  themselves  \\iih  the  various 
interests  of  their  communit}'  and  have  given  to  their  adopted  country  the  same 
loyal  support  which  thej'  accorded  to  their  native  land  before  coming  to  this 
country. 

Herman  C.  Hess,  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Cliiitfm  township,  this  county, 
was  born  August  9,  185S,  in  Germany,  on  the  islo  o:'  Ruegen  in  the  East 
Baltic  sea.  He  is  the  son  of  August  and  Caroline  (P>lisath)  Hess.  August 
Hess  was  liorn  Octolier  19,  1819,  and  died  in  July,  1904.  The  wife  of 
August  Hess  died  when  Herman  C.  was  less  than  two  }-ears  of  age,  and 
August  Hess  later  remarried.  In  1873  August  Hes>'  and  his  family  came  to 
America  and  settled  in  Cedar  county.  Iowa,  and  three  years  later  permanenth- 
located  in  Clinton  township,  .Sac  county, 

Herman  C.  Hess  received  his  elementary  education  in  the  schools  of 
Germany,  but  upon  coming  to  this  country  assisted  bis  father  on  the  home 
farm  until  his  marriage,  in   1885.     Pie  then  built  a  home  on  his   farm  in 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  863 

Clinton  tiAvnship  and  in  1903  Ijuilt  a  new  house  with  ah  modern  improve- 
ments. He  put  out  orchards,  groves  and  other  trees  upon  his  farm,  thereb}' 
adding  greatly  to  its  value.  He  raises  all  of  the  crops  peculiar  to  this 
locality  and  in  addition  supplements  his  income  b}'  marketing  considerable 
live  stock  each  year. 

^[r.  Hess  was  married  in  1885  ^^  ^linnie  Zein,  the  daughter  of 
Cliristupher  and  '\Tary  Zein.  The  father  of  Mrs.  Hess  is  dead  and  Iier 
mother  is  still  living  at  Wall  Lake  in  this  county.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hess  are 
the  parents  of  seven  children.  William.  Marw  Henr_v,  Caroline,  Martin. 
Herman  and  AA'ilma.  Mar}",  who  is  married  and  li\-cs  in  Minnesota,  has  one 
child,  Marvin. 

Politically.  Mr.  Hess  is  a  Re]:iublican,  but  has  never  felt  that  he  had  the 
time  to  engage  in  politics,  althnugh  he  casts  an  intelligent  vote  and  takes  an 
interest  in  the  public  cjuestions  which  are  now  confronting  the  American 
people.  He  and  his  family  are  earnest  members  of  the  German  Lutheran 
cTiurch  and  give  liberally  to  its  support.  Mr.  Hess  is  a  fine  example  of  the 
many  German  citizens  who  have  been  so  influential  in  making  Sac  county'  the 
prosperous  section  it  is  today.  He  has  many  friends  throughout  the  town- 
ship and  county  who  admire  him  because  of  his  honesty  and  wholesome  life. 


WILLIAM  HAHNE. 


Among  the  prosperous  farmers  of  Sac  county,  who  are  of  German 
descent,  is  William  Hahne,  of  Eden  township,  who  is  now  operating  a  fine 
farm  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  this  township.  He  was  born  Novem- 
ber 12,  1867,  in  Allamakee  county,  Iowa,  and  is  the  son  of  Frederick  and 
Sophia  (Dohmeier)  Hahne. 

Frederick  Hahne  and  his  wife  were  both  born,  reared  and  married  in 
Germany  and  emigrated  to  this  country  in  1848.  They  first  settled  in 
Shebovgan  county,  Wisconsin,  and  in  1863  moved  to  Allamakee  county, 
Iowa.  They  purchased  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  in  that 
county  and  lived  there  for  ten  years,  and  in  1873  they  sold  this  tract  for  sixty 
dollars  an  acre  and  moved  to  Eden  township.  Sac  county,  where  they  invested 
in  land  in  section  17.  Frederick  Hahne  died  in  1890,  and  his  wife  in  Septem- 
ber, 1882.  They  were  the  parents  of  eleven  children:  Frederick  H.,  de- 
ceased; Simon  C,  deceased;  Mrs.  Sophia  Schorer,  who  is  a  resident  of  Cali- 
fornia: Henrv  T-.  who  lives  in  Storm  Lake,  Iowa:  Herman;  Mrs.  Mina  Luh- 


864  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

man,  of  Schaller,  this  county;  August,  a  farmer  of  Eureka  township;  Mary, 
deceased;  and  WilHam,  whose  history  forms  the  theme  of  this  narrative. 

WilHam  Hahne  was  five  years  of  age  when  his  parents  moved  to  Sac 
county  from  Allamakee  county,  Iowa,  and  has  lived  on  the  farm  which  his 
parents  bought  in  1873  ""t'l  the  present  time.  He  attended  the  district 
schools  near  his  home,  and  later  graduated  from  the  Business  College  of 
Iowa  City  University  in  18SS.  At  the  close  of  his  college  career  he  took 
charge  of  the  home  farm  and  in  1892  engaged  in  the  implement  business  in 
Schaller.  After  conducting  this  business  for  nine  years  he  sold  out  and 
returned  to  the  farm,  where  he  has  since  lived. 

■Mr.  Hahne  was  married  in  the  fall  of  1889  to  Lillian  Eliza  Perrott, 
daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cornelius  C.  Perrott,  of  Schaller,  and  to  this 
union  there  has  been  born  otie  son,  William  Frederick,  w^ho  was  born  Janu- 
ary 27,  1899. 

Politically,  Mr.  Hahne  is  a  Republican  and  has  been  honored  by  his 
party  by  being  nominated  for  township  trustee  and  subsequently  elected  to 
that  important  position,  and  he  is  administering  the  affairs  of  that  office  to 
the  entire  satisfaction  of  all  of  the  citizens  of  his  township,  irrespective  of 
party  lines.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America,  in  which  order  he  takes  an  active  interest.  Mr.  Hahne  has  always 
taken  an  active  and  interested  part  in  the  public  affairs  of  his  township  and 
believes  that  the  true  American  citizen  best  serves  his  community  who  takes 
his  full  share  of  the  responsibilities  of  the  official  life  of  his  community. 
For  this  reason  he  has  felt  that  in  performing  the  duties  of  tov^'nship  trustee 
he  has  been  serving  his  fellow  citizens  in  the  best  possible  manner.  He  is  a 
man  of  genial  manner  and  pleasing  personality  and  has  a  large  number  of 
loyal  friends  and  acquaintances  who  admire  him  for  his  many  good  qualities. 


CHARLES  AUSTIN  EUSON. 

Specific  mention  is  made  of  many  of  the  worthy  citizens  of  Sac  county 
within  the  pages  of  this  work,  citizens  who  have  figured  in  the  growth  and 
development  of  this  favored  locality  and  whose  interests  have  been  identified 
with  its  every  phase  of  progress,  each  contributing  in  his  sphere  of  action  to 
the  well-being  of  the  community  in  which  he  resides  and  to  the  advancement 
of  its  normal  and  legitimate  growth.  Among  this  number  is  he  whose  name 
appears  above,  peculiar  interest  attaching  to  his  career  from  the  fact  that 
thirty  years  of  his  life  have  been  spent  within  the  borders  of  this  county. 


CHARLES  A.  EDSON 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  865 

Charles  A.  Edson,  a  prosperous  farmer,  public-spirited  citizen  and  dis- 
tinguished Son  of  the  Revolution,  was  born  in  September,  1847,  i"  eastern 
Canada,  on  the  Vern-ont  line.  He  is  one  of  the  fortunate  few  who  are  able  to 
trace  their  ancestry  back  to  the  body  of  American  citizens  who  came  over  in 
the  "Mayflower"  in  1620.  Alexander  Edson,  the  great-grandfather  of  C.  A. 
Edson,  was  in  the  Revolutionary  War  and  his  grandfathers  on  both  sides, 
Alexander  Edson  and  Timothy  Wyman,  were  in  the  War  of  1812.  After  the 
War  of  1812.  Alexander  Edson  settled  on  the  Vermont-Canada  line,  where' 
they  lived  the  remainder  of  their  days.  The  parents  of  C.  A.  Edson  were 
Truman  and  Amanda  Edson,  who  were  natives  of  Maine,  and  never  left  their 
native  country.  They  were  the  parents  of  three  children,  who  are  still  living : 
C.  A.,  whose  history  is  portrayed  here;  Mrs.  Mary  Dexter,  of  Portsmouth, 
New  Hampshire,  and  Mrs.  Eliza  Boynton,  of  Tacoma,  Washington. 

C.  A.  Edson  left  the  parental  home  when  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age, 
came  west  and  located  near  Toliet,  Illinois,  in  AVill  county.  He  stayed  in 
Illinois  until  after  his  marriage,  in  1870,  and  came  to  Sac  county  in  1885, 
where  he  bought  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  his  present  fami,  in 
Eureka  township,  for  which  he  paid  thirty-seven  and  a  half  dollars  an  acre. 
The  land  at  this  time  was  but  partially  improved,  and  since  he  has  acquired  it 
he  has  built  a  new  house  and  barn,  and  fenced  and  drained  it  in  such  way  as 
to  increase  its  value.  Since  buying  the  first  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
he  has  never  felt  tliat  he  could  successfully  manage  any  more  land,  and  con- 
sequently has  devoted  all  his  energy  to  the  development  of  this  half  section. 
He  raises  a  large  amount  of  stock  each  year,  specializing  in  cattle  and  hogs. 
In  1913  his  farm  produced  seventy  head  of  cattle  and  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  head  of  hogs,  for  which  he  found  a  ready  market  at  a  good  price. 

Mr.  Edson  was  married  vSeptember  11,  1870.  to  Elizabeth  Barr,  a  native 
of  Ireland.  Mrs.  Edson  lost  both  her  parents  when  she  was  an  infant,  and 
she  came  to  this  country  from  the  north  of  Ireland  when  fourteen  years  of 
age  with  her  sister  and  three  brothers.  ]\Ir.  and  Mrs.  Edson  are  the  parents 
of  four  children:  John  T.,  who  now  manages  the  Lakeside  farm  at  Storm 
Lake,  and  was  for  many  years  a  banker  at  Schallcr,  Sac  county;  Willis  C, 
who  is  an  attorney  in  Storm  Lake,  Iowa;  Mrs.  Margaret  Mandeville,  of 
Brookings  county.  South  Dakota,  and  Emma,  who  is  still  with  her  parents. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Edson  has  always  allied  himself  with  the  Republican 
party,  but  in  1912  he  felt  that  the  best  interests  of  the  country  demanded  a 
return  of  the  Democratic  party  at  the  head  of  national  affairs  and,  in  accord- 
ance with  this  belief,  he  voted  lor  Woodrow  Wilson.      He  has  always  taken  a 
(54) 


866  SAC    COUNTYj    IOWA. 

prominent  part  in  local  politics,  and  has  served  as  school  director  and  town- 
ship trustee  for  ten  years  in  his  township.  He  has  filled  these  positions  to  the 
entire  satisfaction  of  all  of  the  citizens  of  the  township,  irrespective  of  their 
politics.  Mr.  Edson  has  been  a  man  of  strict  integrity  and  a  high  sense  of 
honor.  In  the  score  and  a  half  years  which  have  elapsed  since  he  became  a 
resident  of  the  township  he  has  built  up  a  reputation  which  has  won  for  him 
the  confidence  and  esteem  of  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances. 


ANGUS  McCORKINDALE. 

Human  life  is  like  the  waves  of  the  sea;  they  flash  a  few  brief  moments 
in  the  sunlight,  marvels  of  power  and  beauty,  and  then  are  dashed  upon  the 
remorseless  shores  of  death  and  disappear  forever.  As  the  mighty  deep  has 
rolled  for  ages  past  and  chanted  its  sublime  requiem  and  will  continue  to 
roll  during  the  coming  ages  until  time  shall  be  no  more,  so  will  the  waves  of 
human  life  follow  each  other  in  countless  succession  until  they  mingle  at  last 
with  the  billows  of  eternity's  boundless  sea.  The  passing  of  any  human  life, 
however  humble  and  unknown,  is  sure  to  give  rise  to  a  pang  of  anguish  to 
some  heart,  but  when  the  "fell  destroyer"'  knocks  at  the  door  of  the  useful 
and  great  and  removes  from  earthly  scenes  the  man  of  honor  and  influence 
and  the  benefactor  of  his  kind,  it  not  only  means  bereavement  to  kindred  and 
friends  but  a  public  calamity  as  well. 

The  late  Angus  AlcCorkindale  was  born  Septenil^er  15.  1850,  in  .\rgyle, 
Argyleshire,  .Scotland,  and  died  in  Sac  county,  Iowa,  on  June  10,  1912.  He 
came  to  America  with  his  parents,  four  brothers  and  two  sisters  in  Julv.  1S65, 
and  settled  in  Clinton  county,  Iowa.  In  1878  the  f.nmilv  mo\ed  to  Sac 
county  and  located  a  farm  in  Richland  township. 

Mr.  McCorkindale  received  his  elementary  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  .Scotland  and  on  coming  to  this  country  assisted  on  the  home  farm 
until  his  marriage.  He  was  married  on  September  21,  18S2,  to  Florence 
A.  Maloney,  of  Mt.  Carroll.  Illinois.  She  was  born  in  Carroll  county,  Illinois, 
April  17.  1862,  and  is  the  daughter  of  J.  S.  and  Frances  Maloney,  natives  of 
Delaware  and  Canada,  respectively.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McCorkindale  were 
born  nine  children :  Mrs.  Kate  Pelton.  the  widow  of  Dr.  H.  C.  Pelton,  who 
died  January  i,  1912,  is  now  living  with  her  mother  and  has  one  son,  Robert 
A.  The  otlier  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McCorkindale  are  Jessie,  Donald, 
Florence,  William,   nnroth\',  Kenneth  and  two  who  arc  deceased,  Florence 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  867 

Grace  and  John  Howard.     Jessie  is  now  in  the  Uni\-ersity  of  \\'isconsin, 
attending-  the  school  of  domestic  science. 

Mr.  McCorkindale  was  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons,  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the  Knights  of  Pythias. 
Religiously,  he  was  a  life-long  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  was 
earnest  in  the  faith  as  exemplified  by  that  denomination.  He  was  a  man 
whom  to  know  was  to  admire  and  because  of  his  many  good  qualities  of  head 
and  heart  he  had  a  host  of  friends  throughout  the  communit\-  where  he  spent 
so  many  years  of  his  life.  In  addition  to  his  widow  and  the  children,  he  was 
survived  by  one  brother  and  two  .-listers:  Malcolm,  of  ^^■akefie!d.  Nebraska: 
Mrs.  Catherine  Stuart,  of  Wall  Lake,  and  Mrs.  Richard  Shilleto,  of  Canada. 
Mr.  McCorkindale  was  a  plain,  simple  and  dignified  man,  his  devotion  to 
every  duty  was  intense,  -while  his  perfection  of  truth  and  worth  made  him  a 
man  who  was  esteemed  by  everyone.  Always  calm  and  straightforward, 
his  life  was  a  steady  effort  for  the  worth  of  Christian  doctrine,  the  purity 
and  grandeur  of  Christian  principles  and  the  duty  and  elevation  of  Christian 
character. 


PAT  OUINN. 


It  is  probably  true  that  no  people  on  earth  have  suffered  more  indig- 
nities and  have  had  more  discouragements  to  n-ieet  than  have  the  people  of 
the  little  island  of  Ireland.  For  more  than  three  hundred  years  they  have 
been  under  the  domination  of  England  and  until  within  the  last  few  years  it 
was  practically  impossible  for  a  nati\-e  of  the  island  to  own  land  in  fee  simple. 
The  result  has  been  that  its  most  enterprising  citizens  have  left  the  country 
by  the  thousands,  and  there  is  not  a  state  in  the  Union  but  what  claims  some 
of  these  sturdy  people  of  the  Emerald  isle  among  its  citizens,  .\mong-  the 
settlers  of  Sac  county,  Iowa,  who  are  of  Irish  descent  and  have  made  a 
phenomenal  success  in  the  agricultural  line  in  this  county,  there  is  no  one 
who  is  more  deser\'ing-  of  mention  than  Pat  Quinn.  a  farmer  and  stock 
breeder  of  Viola  township,  this  county. 

Pat  Ouinn  was  born  April  4,  1855.  in  count}-  Kilkenny,  Ireland,  and  is 
the  son  of  Edward  and  Johanna  (Burke)  Ouinn.  Mrs.  Edward  Quinn  died 
in  Ireland  in  1913,  at  the  advanced  age  of  ninety  years.  Three  sons  and  one 
daughter  were  born  to  Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  Edward  Ouinn:  Pat,  of  whom  this 
narrative  speaks:   ^Michael,   now   living  on   the   old   home    farm    in    Ireland; 


S6S  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Thomas  J.,  who  lives  in  Nebraska:  Kate,  who  died  at  the  home  of  Mr.  Ouimi 
and  is  buried  at  Wall  Lake,  Iowa. 

Pat  Ouinn  received  a  very  meager  education  in  his  home  country  and 
when  sixteen  years  of  age  left  home  for  the  New  World,  and  upon  arrival 
in  this  country  he  at  once  went  to  DeKalb  county,  Illinois,  where  he  lived 
for  nine  }ears.  In  1880  he  and  his  wife  came  to  Sac  count}-,  Iowa,  and 
bought  eighty  acres  of  land,  but  later  sold  this  tract  and  then  purchased  the 
farm  where  he  is  now  li\'ing  in  Viola  township.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ouinn  have 
been  successful  from  the  start  of  their  agricultural  career  in  this  country  and 
are  now  the  owners  of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  fine  farming  land 
in  Viola  township,  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  Boyer  Valley  township, 
four  hundred  and  eighty  acres  in  Nebraska  and  the  five  eldest  children  own 
six  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  Colorado,  which  gives  them  a  total  of  one 
thousand  five  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land,  truly  a  remarkable  acreage, 
which  they  have  acquired  solely  through  his  own  thrift  and  industry.  ]\Ir. 
Ouinn  has  been  a  large  breeder  of  Aberdeen  Angus  cattle  since  1893  and  is 
now  the  owner  of  a  herd  of  one  hundred  cattle,  including  twentv  thorough- 
bred  registered  animals.  He  has  been  breeding  Percheron  horses  since  1889, 
and  now  has  twenty-five  head  of  these  animals.  He  has  a  fine  farm  in  A'iola 
township  within  sight  of  the  town  of  Wall  Lake. 

Mr.  Ouinn  was  married  at  Clinton,  Iowa,  in  N()\cmber,  1882,  to  Mary 
King,  the  daughter  of  James  and  Anna  (\A''ynne)  King.  James  King  was  a 
native  of  Ireland  and  came  to  America  in  1848,  was  married  in  this  country 
and  first  settled  in  Chicago.  Later  the  King  family  moved  to  Clinton,  Iowa, 
and  in  1890  came  to  Sac  county  and  settled  in  Viola  township,  where  James 
King  died  January  28,  1897 :  his  wife  had  preceded  him  in  death  in  Xo\  ember 
of  1892.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  King  were  the  parents  of  ten  children,  six  of  whom 
are  living:  Patrick,  a  resident  of  Oklahoma:  Mrs.  Eleanor  McDermot,  of 
Union  City,  Pennsylvania:  Mary,  the  wife  of  Mr.  Ouinn:  Elizabeth,  who 
lives  in  Chicago:  Catherine  and  Thomas,  both  residents  of  \^iola  township, 
this  county.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ouinn  are  the  parents  of  ten  children :  James 
Richard,  of  Boyer  Valley  township,  who  is  married  and  has  one  daughter, 
Muriel  Dorothy:  Edward  \  incent :  Anna  Eleanor;  Johanna  Agatha:  jNIary 
Cecilia:  Elizalicth  I'rances:  Catherine,  deceased:  Jnlm  \\'\nne:  Eleanor 
Margaret  and  Patrick  Francis. 

]\Ir.  Ouinn  is  a  Democrat  in  politics  and  has  been  honored  by  his  part}' 
by  l.)eing  nominated  for  the  office  of  township  trustee  and  was  elected  to  this 
important  position,  serving  for  one  term  to  the  enn'nent  satisfaction  of  all 
the  citizens  of  ihe  township.      He  and   his    family  arc   earnest   members   of 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  869 

the  Catholic  clmrch  and  give  of  their  time  and  means  to  the  support  of  the 
church  of  their  clioice.  Mr.  Ouinn  is  an  admirable  citizen  in  every  wav  and 
has  always  taken  an  active  interest  in  the  various  enterprises  of  his  township. 
He  is  interested  in  schools  and  in  the  moral  and  religious  life  of  his  com- 
munity, as  well  as  every  enterprise  which  promises  to  better  the  conditions 
of  his  locality.  He  has  a  host  of  friends  and  acquaintances  thronghnut  the 
township  and  county,  who  admire  him  for  his  many  good  qualities. 


TAMES  T.  IRWIN. 


Among  the  representative  farmers  of  Sac  county  is  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  who  is  the  owner  of  a  fine  landed  estate  in  Boyer  Valley  township  and 
is  carrying  on  the  various  departments  of  his  enterprise  with  that  discretion 
and  energy  which  are  sure  to  find  their  natural  sequence  in  definite  success, 
having  always  been  a  hard  worker,  a  good  manager  and  a  man  of  economical 
habits,  and,  being  fortunately  situated  in  a  thriving  farming  community,  it  is 
no  wonder  that  he  stands  today  in  the  front  rank  of  the  agriculturists  of  this 
favored  locality. 

James  T.  Irwin,  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Boyer  Valley  township,  Sac 
county,  Iowa,  was  born  December  4,  186S,  in  Clinton  county,  Iowa.  His 
parents,  William  Henry  and  Mary  ( Waugh)  Irwin,  were  both  natives  of 
Pennsylvania  and  settled  in  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  in  about  1866.  Here 
thev  remained  on  a  farm  until  the  spring  of  1895,  when  they  moved  to  Sac 
county,  where  the  father  died  December  22,  1910;  the  mother  is  still  living 
and  makes  her  home  with  her  children.  To  William  H.  and  ]\Iary  Irwin 
were  born  nine  children:  George,  deceased;  Edward,  of  Sac  City;  Charles 
W.,  of  Clinton  township,  this  county;  Walter,  of  Wall  Lake  township:  Mrs. 
Aletta  A'aughn.  of  Sioux  Citv :  Mrs.  Jennie  Davenport,  of  this  county:  Will- 
iam, of  Clinton  township;  James  T.,  whose  history  is  herein  portrayeil.  and 
Austin,  of  Odebolt. 

James  T.  Irwin  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Clinton  county  and 
remained  on  the  home  farm  until  his  marriage  in  1895.  His  parents  then 
moved  to  Sac  county,  while  he  remained  on  the  old  home  farm  in  Clinton 
county  for  the  next  three  years.  In  1898  he  moved  to  Sac  county  and  bought 
one  himdred  and  sixty  acres  of  forty-dollar  land  in  Boyer  Valley  township. 
To  this  he  added  eighty  acres,  which  he  purchased  in  1907  for  one  lumdred 
and  eight  dollars  an  acre.     He  has  impro\-ed  his  farm  in  various  ways  b\-  the 


870  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

erection  of  new  liuiklings  and  llie  linilding  of  a  great  <leal  of  fencing  as  -.veil 
as  the  inslallation  of  a  s\-stem  of  drainage.  He  has  practically  reliuilt  all  his 
barns  and  (Hitbuildings  and  in  11)04  erected  a  new  ten-room  house,  which  is 
modern  thronghoiit.  He  has  his  own  private  electric  plant,  which  furnishes 
him  pi.n\er  and  lighting  for  his  own  use.  a  con\enience  which  is  enio_\ed  b}- 
few  farmers  in  this  section  of  the  state.  His  farm  is  very  producti\e  in  both 
grains  and  li\'e  stock  and  his  annual  shipment  of  stock  includes  a  car  load 
of  cattle  and  one  hundred  head  of  hogs  each  year. 

Mr.  Irwin  was  married  in  1895  to  ^lartha  D.  Hill,  ihc  daughter  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  John  Hill,  of  Clinton  county.  Iowa.  To  this  uiarriage  have  been 
born  four  children:  Ralph  J.,  born  December  11.  1895:  F.arl  H..  born  Febru- 
arv  6.  tQOo;  Helen  M.,  born  September  11.  1907.  and  William  Henry,  born 
April  7,  191 1. 

Mr.  Irwin  is  a  Republican  of  progressive  tendencies  and  has  always 
kept  himself  well  informed  on  the  various  political  issues  which  confront  the 
American  people.  The  family  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  anfl  render  it  such  assistance  as  is  in  their  power.  Mr.  Irwin  is  a  fine 
tvpe  of  the  self-made  man  who  has  taken  advantage  of  conditions  and  by  his 
energy  and  persistence  made  a  home  for  himself  in  this  region  of  the  United 
States. 


FRANCIS  T.  MARTIN. 


One  of  the  successful  farmers  and  stock  breeders  of  Viola  township. 
Sac  county,  who  has  risen  to  a  position  of  prominence,  and  is  surrounded  by 
extensive  land  holdings  and  commodious  buildings  of  \arious  kinds,  is  Francis 
T.  Martin,  who  has  a  fine  home  located  aliout  midwa\-  between  the  towns  of 
Wall  Lake  and  Lake  View.  The  distance  between  these  two  towns  is  four 
and  one-half  miles,  and  Mr.  Martin's  hijme  is  on  the  main  thoroughfare  and 
enables  him  to  transact  business  at  either  point  with  but  little  incon\'enience. 
On  his  farm  two  residences  are  maintained,  barns  of  ample  size,  cmtbuildings 
of  all  kinds,  silos,  and  ever\'  modern  equipment  which  is  usually  found  on  a 
farm  of  this  kind. 

Being  essentiall}'  a  farmer,  Mr.  ]\Iartin  has  made  his  greatest  success 
in  the  breeding  of  pure  bred  jMjerdeen  Angus  cattle.  I  lis  father,  the  late  M. 
A.  Martin,  was  one  of  the  pioneer  breeders  of  Angus  cattle,  and  the  success 
that  he  achie\'ed  would  form  an  interesting  chapter  in  the  history  of  the 
breed.     At  the  time  of  the  dispersion  of  his  herd  in  1899  the  work  was  ttu-ned 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  8/1 

over  to  his  son,  Francis  T.  Martin,  who  is  now  entering  upon  the  twenty- 
eighth  year  that  lie  has  been  identified  with  the  breed.  But  httle  attention 
was  paid  to  the  pubhc  exhibition  of  his  stock,  but  cattle  that  were  bred  on 
the  farm  won  distinguished  careers  in  the  greatest  shows  of  the  country. 
Probably  his  greatest  success  in  this  line  was  the  Imll  "X'aliant  Knight  _'d," 
bred  on  the  farm  and  who  was  first  in  his  class  for  three  successive  years  at 
the  International  show  at  Chicago.  This  is  the  only  Inill  of  the  breed  that 
has  won  this  honor  up  to  the  present  time. 

Francis  T.  ^Martin  was  born  March  18.  1874,  in  St.  Croix  county.  Wis- 
consin, the  son  of  M.  A.  and  Catherine  Martin,  both  of  whom  were  natixes 
of  Ireland,  and  who  emigrated  to  America  at  an  early  date,  first  settling  in 
Ohio,  and  later  in  \\'iscnnsin.  The  senior  Mr.  ^Martin  came  to  Sac  county 
in  the  }-ear  1875,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  the  owner  of  seven  hun- 
dre.l  and  iortv  acres  of  land,  with  improvements  on  each  quarter  section. 

Francis  T.  ^Martin  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  and  later  in  the 
Wall  Lake  high  school.  He  has  been  a  wide  reader  on  all  matters  pertaining 
to  progressive  agriculture  and  to  impro\'ed  live  stock  production.  He  has 
always  displayed  unbounded  faith  in  live  stock  and  land,  and  the  Lakeside 
farm,  tipon  which  he  resides,  has  been  known  for  a  third  of  a  century  as  the 
home  of  the  '  est  imi)roved  stock  that  skill  and  judgment  could  produce. 

Mr.  Martin  was  married  April  24,  191 1,  to  Ada  Albright,  the  daughter 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Albright,  of  Boone,  Iowa.  Their  union  has  been  blessed 
with  a  daughter,  ]\Iary  Catherine,  now  two  years  of  age. 

Politicallv.  3[r.  ]\Iartin  is  a  member  of  that  large  and  increasingly 
numerous  body  of  men  who  prefer  to  cast  their  ballot  for  the  best  men  at 
election,  irrespective  of  party  affiliations.  The  day  of  partisan  politics  is 
past,  fortunatelv,  and  men  are  now  voting  their  convictions.  Instead  of 
stamping  the  eagle  or  the  rooster,  they  are  now  glancing  down  the  list  of 
candidates,  and  are  using  judgment  in  selecting  men  who  will  represent  the 
best  interests  of  the  people  as  a  whole.  He  is  not  a  member  of  any  fraternal 
organization,  but  is  active  in  the  affairs  of  the  National  Aberdeen  Angus 
Breeders'  Association,  as  well  as  the  Iowa  State  Breeders"  Association. 

I\Ir.  ]\Iartin  has  established  a  firm  reputation  for  honesty  of  purpose  in 
all  his  dealings  with  his  fellow  men,  and  is  a  thorough  believer  in  the  work- 
ings of  the  Golden  Rule  and  of  its  application  to  every  day  life.  His  qualities 
of  head  and  heart  are  of  commendable  character,  and  he  has  always  striven 
to  contribute  something  that  is  worth  while  to  the  community  in  which  he 
has  spent  practically  every  day  of  his  life.  The  work  that  he  has  accomplished 
is  worthy  of  specific  mention  in  a  volume  of  the  character  of  the  one  in  band. 


872  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

JOHN  H.  GOSCH. 

There  are  no  thriftier  people  in  Sac  county  today  than  those  who  are 
of  German  descent  and  while  they  have  always  been  successful  in  their  busi- 
ness affairs,  they  have  also  taken  their  full  share  in  the  public  life  of  their 
respective  communities. 

John  H.  Gosch,  one  of  the  most  prosperous  farmers  of  Levey  township, 
Sac  county,  Iowa,  was  born  September  9,  1857,  in  Schleswig,  Holstein, 
Germany.  He  is  the  son  of  Peter  Frederick  and  Mary  (Kuhr)  Gosch,  who 
spent  all  their  lives  in  the  land  of  their  liirth. 

John  H.  Gosch  received  a  good  practical  education  in  the  public  schools 
of  Germany  and  when  twenty-five  years  of  age  left  his  native  land  and  came 
direct  to  Odebolt,  Sac  county,  Iowa,  landing  here  on  October  9th.  A  few 
years  later  he  married  and  went  on  a  rented  farm  in  Levey  township,  where 
he  li\-ed  for  three  years.  In  1888  he  bought  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
of  land  for  twenty-six  dollars  an  acre  and  in  1894  he  added  forty  acres  ad- 
joining at  the  cost  of  fifty  dollars  an  acre,  bought  from  J.  H.  Knappen.  The 
next  purchase  was  in  1899,  when  he  bought  eighty  acres  at  fifty  dollars  an 
acre  from  C.  E.  .Mien:  in  1906  he  added  eighty  more  acres  adjoining  at  a 
total  cost  of  sixtv-four  hundred  dollars,  purchased  of  Josias  Skinner.  In 
1909  he  purchased  a  quarter  section  in  Osceola  county,  this  state,  for  which 
he  paid  fiftA-five  dollars  an  acre.  He  has  been  prosperous  from  the  start 
and  is  now  recognized  as  a  progressive  farmer  who  never  neglects  to  take 
advantage  of  the  latest  improvements  in  machinery  or  the  newest  methods  in 
crop  production.  In  1910  he  Iniilt  a  new  home,  enlarged  his  barn,  erected 
a  large  corn  crib  and  other  buildings.  In  1914  he  erected  a  new  barn,  fifty 
by  sixty  feet  in  size.  He  markets  from  seventy-five  to  a  hundred  head  of 
cattle  and  one  hundred  head  of  hogs  annually. 

^Ir.  Gosch  was  married  March  10,  1885,  to  Mary  M.  Fleck.  She  was 
born  September  12,  1863,  in  Germany  and  is  the  daughter  of  Johann  Henry 
and  Sophia  :\Iagdalena  (Seeman)  Fleck.  She  came  to  this  country  from 
her  native  land  in  1883.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gosch  have  been  born  ten  chil- 
dren: Fred,  who  was  accidentally  killed  while  plowing  on  September  30. 
191^,  was  twenty-seven  vears  of  age,  married  and  left  his  widow  with  two 
children.  Alfred  Robert  and  Christian  August:  Johannes  D.,  of  Osceola 
county,  who  is  married  and  has  one  son,  ^Marvin  Herman ;  Edward,  of  Levey 
township,  who  is  married  and  has  one  daughter.  Vera  Edna.  The  remain- 
ing seven  children,  still  with  their  parents,  are  Lorena  ]\tary,  Elsie  Wilhel- 
mina,  Wilhelm,  Elbert,  Edna,  Robert  and  Arthur. 


SAC    COUXTY,    IOWA.  873 

Mr.  Gosch  has  identified  himself  with  the  Democratic  party  since  coming 
to  this  country,  but  is  not  a  Wind  partisan,  reserving  the  right  to  cast  his  ballot 
for  the  right  man  irrespective  of  politics.  Since  settling  in  his  township  he 
has  served  six  years  as  township  assessor  and  filled  this  position  to  the 
entire  satisfaction  of  all  of  his  fellow  citizens.  He  and  his  family  are 
earnest  members  of  the  German  Lutheran  church  and  contribute  generously 
of  their  substance  to  its  support.  Mr.  Gosch  reserves  a  great  deal  of  credit 
for  his  success,  which  has  come  about  -solely  through  his  own  efforts.  He 
came  to  this  county  with  no  money  and  in  the  course  of  a  few  years  was 
recognized  as  one  of  the  substantial  farmers  of  his  township.  He  is  a  man 
who  takes  things  easy  and  because  of  his  clean  and  wholesome  life  is  highly 
regarded  by  e\ervone  with  whom  he  is  associated. 


CHARLES  A.  MARTIN. 


Among  the  prosperous  farmers  and  stock  breeders  of  Viola  township, 
Sac  count}',  Iowa,  who  have  made  a  notable  success  in  their  line  of  business, 
is  Charles  A.  Martin,  who  was  born  December  25,  1867,  in  St.  Croix  county, 
Wisconsin,  near  New  Richmond.  He  is  a  son  of  Michael  A.  and  Katherine 
(Donahue)  Martin,  who  were  both  natives  of  Ireland. 

Michael  Martin  and  Catherine  Donahue  came  to  America  with  their 
parents  when  they  were  children.  They  met  in  ^^'isconsin  and  were  married 
in  that  state.  In  1875  they  came  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  settling  in  section  5, 
of  this  township,  where  they  accumulated  six  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
land.  [Michael  Martin  was  born  in  1839  and  died  in  August,  1913,  while 
his  wife  is  still  living  in  Carroll,  Iowa.  [Michael  Martin  and  wife  were  the 
parents  of  seven  children:  Nora,  the  wife  of  J.  J-  Kemper,  of  Carroll,  Iowa; 
D.  E.,  of  Roswell.  New  ]^Iexico;  Charles  A.,  with  whom  this  narrative  deals; 
G.  E.,  of  Aurora,  Illinois;  Francis  T.,  a  stock  breeder  of  this  township; 
Clarence  N..  of  Carroll  county,  this  state,  and  Mrs.  J.  F.  Holland,  also  of 
Carroll  count}". 

Charles  A.  [Martin  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  of  ^^'isconsin  and 
Iowa,  coming  to  Iowa  with  his  parents  when  he  was  eight  years  of  age  and 
attended  school  for  some  time  after  coming  to  this  state.  He  assisted  his 
father  on  the  work  of  his  large  farm  until  his  marriage  in  1898.  He  and 
his  brother  bought  a  farm  in  partnership  in  that  year  and  continued  to  operate 
it  together  until  the  spring  of  1909,  when  he  sold  out  his  interests  in  the 


8/4  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

farm  and  purchased  his  present  farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in 
Viola  township,  in  sections  5  and  8.  For  many  years  he  has  been  a  breeder 
of  registered  live  stock,  making  a  specialty  of  Aberdeen  Angus  cattle,  and 
had  in  1913  sixty-five  head  of  registered  stock  of  this  kind.  His  farm  is 
well  impro\'ed  in  every  way  and  he  has  a  large  and  commodious  barn  and 
other  outbuildings. 

Mr.  Martin  was  married  in  September,  1898,  to  Xellie  Duffy,  of  Water- 
loo, Iowa,  a  daughter  of  ?^ir.  and  Mrs.  John  Duffy,  and  t(j  this  unidu  have 
been  born  four  children:  Margaret,  aged  eleven  years;  Cyril,  aged  eight; 
Charles,  aged  five,  and  Arnold,  who  tlied  in  infancy. 

While  Mr.  Martin  is  nominally  a  Democrat,  vet  he  is  independent  in 
his  voting.  He  reserves  the  right  to  cast  Ins  IxiUot  for  the  best  man,  irre- 
spective of  publics.  If  c\erv  voter  in  the  Cnitetl  States  \v(.)uld  exercise  the 
same  judgment  much  of  the  outcry  against  our  officials  would  cease.  He 
and  his  family  are  all  earnest  and  devoted  members  of  the  Catholic  church 
and  contribute  liberally  of  their  substance  and  time  to  the  support  of  their 
denomination.  He  is  a  man  of  liberal  views,  believing  in  progress  and  im- 
l^roven-ient,  and  does  what  he  can  to  further  these  ends.  He  takes  an  inter- 
est in  whatever  he  thinks  will  make  for  the  material  ad\'ancement  of  his 
county,  as  well  as  its  social,  intellectual  and  moral  good. 


ALEXANDER  McGEACHY. 

From  the  nations  of  Europe  ha\'e  come  many  of  tlie  best  citizens  of  Sac 
county,  Iowa,  and  among  these  there  have  been  a  few  who  have  claimed  far- 
away Scotland  as  their  natix-e  land.  While  that  country  has  furnished  only 
a  few  settlers  for  this  county,  yet  the  few  who  have  come  here  have  pros- 
pered and  made  gc:)od  homes  for  themseh'es  in  this  countv.  In  their  home 
country  they  learned  habits  of  industr)'  which  they  inxariabl)-  Ijrought  with 
them  to  this  country  and  wherever  they  have  settled  they  have  soon  become 
among  the  most  substantial  citizens  of  their  respective  communities.  Among 
the  citizens  of  Sac  county  who  are  of  Scottish  ancestry,  the  late  Alexander 
McGeachy  stands  as  a  prominent  example. 

Alexander  McGeachy  was  born  at  Glen  Barr,  Killian  parish,  Argyle- 
shire.  Scotland,  on  July  7,  1847,  and  died  in  this  county  on  January  18,  1902. 
His  parents  were  Malcolm  and  jean   (  McCorkin.dale)   McGeachy,  the  first  of 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  875 

whom  lived  and  died  in  his  native  land.  Jean  came  to  America  in  1873  and 
died  a  few  years  later  in  Sac  count\'. 

Alexander  McGeachy  came  to  America  in  1870  and  immediatelv  went 
to  Illinois,  where  he  settled  temporarily  near  Rockford.  In  the  fall  of  the 
same  year  he  went  farther  west  and  settled  in  Clinton  count  v.  Iowa,  where 
he  remained  until  his  marriage,  in  1878.  Pie  and  his  young  wife  then  came 
to  Sac  count}'  and  located  on  a  farm  of  one  hundred  acres  on  section  31, 
Clinton  township.  Six  years  later  they  were  able  to  add  sixtv  acres  to  their 
farm  and  ])y  the  time  of  Mr.  McGeachy"s  death  in  1902  they  owned  a  fine 
farm  of  two  hundred  acres  in  this  township.  The  land  at  first  was  a  vast 
unbruken  ]irairie,  l)ut  they  applied  themsehcs  with  true  Scottish  determina- 
tion to  the  task  of  bringing  the  land  under  cultivation  and  succeeded  hevond 
their  expectations. 

Mr.  McGeachy  was  married  on  January  ro,  1878,  in  Monroe  countv, 
Iowa,  to  Isabelle  McOuistan,  who  was  liorn  (jn  Feliruary  14,  1852,  at  Saddell. 
Scotland,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Edward  and  Margaret  (McAllister)  Mc- 
Ouistan. The  McOuistan  family  came  to  America  in  1873  and  first  settled 
at  Rockford,  Winnebago  count)-,  Illinois.  In  1881  the_\-  came  to  Sac  county, 
where  they  li\ed  the  remainder  of  their  lives.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McOuistan 
were  the  parents  of  ten  children:  ^Irs.  John  McLean,  of  this  county:  Donald, 
of  Pender,  Nebraska;  John  and  Ronald,  of  Bloomfield,  Nebraska;  Marv,  of 
Sioux  City,  Iowa;  Mrs.  John  McCullum,  of  Bloomfield,  Nebraska,  and  Mrs. 
Andrew  Bruce,  of  Kingsley,  Iowa.  To  ]\[r.  and  Mrs.  McGeachy  were  born 
seven  children:  Malcolm,  Edward,  Jean,  Alexander,  Margaret,  Agnes  and 
Isabelle,  who  died  at  the  age  of  five  years.  Malcolm,  Margaret  and  Alex- 
ander are  still  with  their  mother ;  Edward  is  a  farmer  in  Levey  township, 
this  county;  Jean  married  Earl  Manly,  a  farmer  of  Clinton  township,  and 
Agnes  is  a  student  in  the  college  at  Cedar  Rapids,  this  state. 

Mr.  McGeachy  was  a  man  of  high  civic  ideals  and  a  warm  supijorter  of 
all  measures  and  enterprises  which  were  to  promote  the  general  welfare  of 
his  community.  P'olitically,  he  was  a  Republican,  but,  while  interested  in  the 
great  political  questions  of  the  day,  he  never  felt  that  he  had  the  time  to 
engage  in  politics.  He  and  his  family  were  life-long  members  of  the  Presby- 
terian church  and  contributed  liberally  of  their  means  to  its  support.  Mr. 
AIcGeachv  was  a  man  of  great  force  of  character  and  personality  and  enjoyed 
a  wide  degree  of  popularity  in  the  community  where  he  spent  so  many  years. 
He  left  a  good  name  which  will  be  honored  by  his  friends  and  cherished  by 
his  descendants. 


876  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

GEORGE  WISEMAN. 

The  historian  knows  of  no  more  pleasing  or  satisfactory  accomphsh- 
ment  on  the  part  of  the  indi\idual  than  to  have  amassed  a  competence  suffi- 
cient to  enable  him  to  live  a  contented  life,  free  from  care  or  annoyance,  as  a 
tiller  of  the  soil.  Owing  to  the  fact  that  each  year  sees  an  increase  of  the 
htmdreds  of  thotisands  of  the  populace  who  have  to  be  sustained  from  the 
products  of  the  soil,  the  science  of  agriculture  has  grown  in  importance 
until  it  now  takes  the  lead  of  all  occupations.  A  worthy  example  of  the 
successful  agriculturist  who  is  now  retired  from  the  actual  lab<ir  necessarv  to 
produce  the  crops  annually  }-ielded  liy  his  fertile  acres  is  George  \\'iseman, 
of  Sac  Cit}". 

Mr.  Wiseman  was  born  on  a  farm  in  Grant  county.  A\'isconsin.  on  Aug- 
ust 4,  185S.  His  parents  were  John  AViseman.  a  native  of  Ireland,  and 
Sarah  Lloyd  Wiseman,  a  native  of  New  York  state.  The  father  of  George 
Wiseman  came  to  America  in  the  year  1847,  when  past  fifty  years  of  age. 
He  first  located  in  Grant  county,  Wisconsin,  on  a  farm  and  was  there  mar- 
ried to  Sarah  Lloyd.  He  died  in  Grant  county  in  1877.  He  was  the  father 
of  four  hildren :  George :  Mrs.  Mary  Crouch,  residing  near  Wall,  South 
Dakota,  and  two  deceased.  Mr.  Wiseman  had  nine  half  brothers  and  sisters. 
At  one  time  there  were  six  brothers  in  Sac  county  among  the  early  settlers, 
coming  here  as  early  as  1867,  namely:  Robert,  of  Auburn,  Towa ;  John  A., 
of  Auburn ;  Joseph,  a  farmer  in  Calhoun  county,  having  come  here  in  the 
year  1868;  David,  who  resides  now  in  Missouri;  William,  a  resident  of  the 
state  of  Nebraska:  Thomas,  deceased:  a  sister,  Mrs.  Tanson  Tillison,  de- 
ceased; Edward,  who  died  in  Grant  county,  AA^'sconsin ;  James,  who  lives  in 
Kansas. 

George  Wiseman  made  his  first  trip  to  Iowa  in  1879,  traveling  the 
length  of  the  state  in  order  to  view  the  country  and  probably  find  a  suitable 
place  for  settlement.  Evidently,  he  decided  upon  Sac  county,  for  he  located 
here  in  1881.  He  purchased  one  hundred  and  thirty  acres  of  land  in  Coon 
Valley  township,  on  which  he  resided  for  over  twent}-  years.  Owing  to  his 
frugality  and  industrv  he  has  become  the  possessor  of  two  ver}-  fine  farms, 
totalling  four  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  all,  well  improved  and  in  a  high 
state  of  cultivation.  He  is  the  owner  of  eighty  acres  of  land  in  Calhoun 
countv.  He  removed  to  Sac  City  in  1901  and  here  resides  in  a  handsome 
modern  hinue.  I-Iowc\-er,  Mr.  Wiseman  exercises  careful  sujierx-ision  over 
his  farms  in  order  that,  under  tenancy,  the  lands  might  not  deteriorate  in 
fertility  or  value. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  ^yj 

Mr.  Wiseman  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Metho- 
dist church.  Fraternally,  he  is  affiliated  with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows  and  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  blue  lodge  and  chapter. 

Mr.  ^Viseman  was  united  in  marriage,  in  Grant  county,  with  Mary  Bean, 
in  the  year  1885.  Mrs.  Wiseman  is  a  native  of  Grant  countv,  Wisconsin, 
and  is  the  mother  of  four  children:  Mrs.  Maud  \Vhitnell,  of  Kingsley, 
Iowa;  Georgia  Wiseman,  a  teacher  in  Nebraska;  Ernest  and  Albert,  at  home. 

By  the  exercise  of  indefatigable  industr>-  and  good  business  judgment 
he  has  accomplished  in  a  decade  what  usually  requires  a  lifetime  to  complete. 
His  first  land  in  Sac  townshi])  cost  him  fifteen  dollars  per  acre.  It  had  but 
few  improvements.  On  the  place  was  a  small  house,  twelve  by  sixteen  feet 
in  extent,  which  had  been  erected  by  a  pioneer  in  1867.  He  remodeled  this 
dwelling  and  later  supplanted  it  with  a  more  commodious  residence.  In 
1895  he  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  additional  and  also  a  piece 
of  timber  land  liordering  on  the  Coon  river  for  fifteen  dollars  an  acre. 


FIENRY  T-  ROBERTS. 


A  farmer  of  Sac  county  who  has  contributed  his  share  to  the  material 
advancement  of  his  community  is  Henry  J.  Roberts,  of  Wall  Lake  township, 
who  was  born  July  28,  1874,  in  Cedar  county,  Iowa,  and  is  the  son  of  Joseph 
Johnson  Roberts  and  Martha  (Kelch)  Roberts.  Joseph  Johnson  Roberts 
was  born  in  April,  1831,  in  Morristown,  New  Jersey,  the  son  of  Joseph 
Roberts,  and  came  west  to  Iowa  from  New  Jersey  in  1868  and  settled  in 
Cedar  county,  this  state,  and  in  1880  permanently  settled  in  Wall  Lake  town- 
ship, Sac  county.  Martha  Kelch  was  born  in  Germany,  on  October  27,  1833, 
the  daughter  of  Nicholas  and  Catherine  Kelch,  both  of  whom  were  natives 
of  Germany.  Joseph  J.  Roberts  and  Martha  Kelch  were  married  on  March 
20,  1855,  and  they  were  the  parents  of  nine  children:  Joseph  Francis,  born 
June  16,  1856,  died  August  27,  1856;  Charles  C,  born  August  12,  1857,  and 
died  June  12,  1891 ;  William  Martin,  born  ]\Iay  7,  1859;  George  De  Forest, 
born  January  2,  1862,  died  March  10,  1872;  Hannah  F.,  born  January  19, 
1864,  died  December  29.  1903 ;  Joseph  Harvey,  born  February  24,  i'8r)7.  died 
October  25,  1907;  Mrs.  Catherine  Reinhart,  born  April  17,  1869,  shot  b\-  her 
husband  June  6,  1900;  Nicholas  J.,  born  February  7,  1873,  died  August  15, 
1873;  Henry  Johnson,  whose  history  is  here  presented,  born  July  28,  1874. 
Of  these  nine  children  there  are  only  two  living,  William  Martin  and  Henry 


8/8  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Johnson.  The  marriages  of  the  Roberts  family  are  as  follows :  Charles 
C.  and  Lydia  Wilcox,  on  March  14,  1883,  have  one  child,  Myrtle;  Hannah 
Roberts  and  John  E.  Franklin,  March  16,  1887,  have  three  children,  Willie, 
Harx'ey.  and  a  daughter  who  died  in  infanc^• :  thev  li\e  in  Tacoma,  Washing- 
ton;  William  M.  and  Eva  Fuller,  December  23,  1888,  have  two  children,  Irene 
and  Gladys,  living  in  Clinton,  Iowa;  Katherine  E.  and  Perry  F.  Bricker, 
March  27,  1888,  two  children,  Percy,  li^•ing  in  St.  Paul,  Minnesota,  and  the 
first-born,  Henry  Johnson,  who  died  in  infancy:  Joseph  Harvey  and  Mabel 
Van  Trump,  July  3,  1893,  one  child;  Eugene,  living  in  Portland,  Oregon. 
Katherine  E.  P>ricker  was  married  the  second  time  February  3.  1900,  to 
Charles  Reinhart,  and  three  months  afterwards  was  shot  by  her  husband. 

Henry  J.  Roberts  has  lived  in  ^^'all  Lake  township  since  he  was  six  years 
of  age,  and  has  accordingly  received  his  education  in  this  county.  He  was 
never  married,  but  lives  on  the  old  home  place  with  his  uncle,  Nicholas  Kelch, 
who  was  born  April  30,  1846,  in  Morristown,  New  Jersey.  Nicholas  Kelch 
came  to  Illinois  in  1865,  and  to  Cedar  county,  this  state,  in  1884.  In  1902 
he  came  to  Sac  county  to  reside. 

Henry  J.  Roberts  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  but  has  never  been  active 
in  tiie  Cduncils  of  his  jxirty.      Religioush',  his  ])arents  were  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  their  family  always  attended  that  church. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons  and  also  belon., 
to  the  Yeomen. 


T.  W.  WILSON. 


Fealty  to  facts  in  the  analyzation  of  the  character  of  a  citizen  of  the 
type  of  J.  W.  Wilson,  a  well  known  and  successful  business  man  of  Sac 
county,  is  all  that  is  required  to  make  a  biographical  sketch  interesting  to 
those  who  have  at  heart  the  good  name  of  the  community  honored  by  his 
residence,  because  it  is  the  honorable  reputation  of  the  man  of  standing  and 
affairs,  more  than  any  other  consideration,  that  gives  character  and  stability  to 
the  body  politic.  While  advancing  his  individual  interests,  he  has  never  lost 
sight  of  his  obligations  to  the  community  in  general,  where  for  manv  vears 
he  has  held  a  high  place  in  popular  confidence  and  esteem. 

J.  W.  Wilson,  of  the  firm  of  Harter,  Wilson,  Brownell  &  Company, 
of  Sac  City,  lo\\a,  was  born  behruary  23,  11^31,  in  .Montezuma.  Powesln'ck 
county,  Iowa.  His  parents  were  Isaac  N.  and  Elizabeth  (Hardin)  Wilson, 
both  of  whom  were  natives  of  Iowa.     The  Wilson  and  Hardin  families  left 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  h/C) 

Indiana  and  settled  in  Jefferson  county,  Iowa,  Isaac  Wilson  being  one  of  the 
pioneers  of  Poweshiek  county  and  assisted  in  laying  out  the  town  of  Monte- 
zuma, in  that  county.  In  1863  Isaac  Wilson  went  to  Newton,  Iowa,  where 
he  was  in  the  mercantile  business  for  a  time,  then  left  Newton  and  removed 
to  Des  Moines  for  three  years.  He  then  settled  in  Jefferson  county,  where 
he  retired  from  active  business,  spending  his  declining  years  with  his  son, 
J.  W.,  at  Sac  City,  and  died  in  that  place  in  1904.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Isaac  INI. 
Wilson  were  the  parents  of  five  children :  Matthew  B.  and  Fred,  who  are 
in  the  West;  James  W.,  with  whom  this  narrative  deals;  Mrs.  Margaret  E. 
Morris,  a  widow  of  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  and  Mrs.  Ida  M.  Sifford,  of  North 
Dakota. 

j.  W.  Wilson  moved  from  Jefferson  county  to  Carroll  county,  Iowa,  in 
1870,  and  farmed  in  that  county  for  the  next  ten  years.  In  1880  he  located 
in  Wall  Lake  and  engaged  in  the  implement  business.  After  a  period  of 
eleven  years  of  successful  business  in  Wall  Lake,  he  moved  to  Sioux  City  in 
1891  and  engaged  in  the  li\e  stock  and  commission  business  in  the  stock 
yards  of  that  city  with  Henry  Rinehart,  under  the  firm  name  of  Rinehart  & 
AVilson.  Two  vears  later  he  sold  out  and  returned  to  Wall  Lake,  where  he 
made  the  race  for  county  auditor  on  the  Reijublican  ticket.  He  proved  to 
be  an  effective  campaigner  and  was  elected  and  gave  such  an  efficient  ad- 
ministration during  his  first  term  that  he  was  re-elected.  LTpon  the  expira- 
tion of  his  second  term  in  i8<)8  he  was  appointed  postmaster  of  Sac  City 
and  served  for  the  next  eight  years  in  that  capacity.  LIpon  retiring  from 
the  postofiice,  he  became  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Harter,  Wilson,  Brownell 
&  Company,  which  deals  in  agricultural  implements,  harness,  wagons,  bug- 
gies, etc.  The  firm  handles  a  complete  stock  of  agricultural  implements  and  ve- 
hicles and  carries  a  twenty-thousand-dollar  stock  in  Sac  City,  besides  a  branch 
office  at  Nemaha,  where  they  have  an  equal  amount  of  capital  invested  in  the 
same  business.  They  also  have  a  branch  house  at  Lytton,  this  county.  The 
Sac  City  firm  was  established  by  Harter  and  Wilson  in  1904  and  in  1905  F. 
R.  Brownell  entered  the  firm.  Prior  to  1904  the  business  had  been  conducted 
bv  L  L  Harter  for  several  years.  The  firm  is  now  located  in  a  large  con- 
crete and  brick  three-story  building,  occupying  half  a  block  on  Fifth  street 
in  Sac  City.  The  firm  employs  from  eight  to  twelve  men  all  the  time  and 
does  a  large  and  flourishing  business  throughout  this  section  of  the  state. 

Mr.  Wilson  was  married  on  February  27,  1879,  in  Carroll  county,  Iowa, 
to  Maria  Jane  Herring,  who  was  born  in  Cedar  county,  Iowa.  To  this  union 
have  been  born  six  children :  Maud,  who  is  with  her  parents :  Mrs.  Mabel 
Shulte,  of  Sac  Citv,  Iowa;  Mrs.  Beatrice  Schmererham,  of  Omaha:  Ina,  a 


88o  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

nurse  employed  in  the  hospital  at  Omaha ;  James,  Clifford  and  Fred,  who 
are  still  at  home  with  their  parents. 

The  Republican  party  has  claimed  the  support  of  INIr.  Wilson  since 
he  has  been  old  enough  to  vote  and  he  has  always  been  an  active  worker  in 
his  party.  Being  recognized  as  a  man  of  sterling  worth  and  character,  he 
was  elected  to  the  office  of  county  auditor  and  as  a  result  of  his  efficient  work 
in  that  office,  as  well  as  his  work  for  the  party,  he  received  an  appointment 
as  postmaster  of  Sac  City.  All  of  the  members  of  the  family  are  faithful 
attendants  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  render  it  zealous  support  in  its 
various  activities.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and 
Accepted  Masons  at  Sac  City.  For  many  years  jNIr.  Wilson  has  been  a  potent 
factor  in  the  civic  life  of  his  community,  and  no  man  stands  higher  in  the 
estimation  of  the  people  than  he. 


PLATT  ARMSTRONG. 


To  have  the  honor  of  establishing  a  city  does  not  fall  to  the  lot  of  every 
man,  and  yet  Piatt  Annstrong,  of  Lake  View,  is  the  father  of  that  prosperous 
little  city  by  the  lake.  He  had  the  foresight  to  see  that  the  site  which  he 
chose  would  be  a  good  location  for  a  town,  and  the  subsequent  history  of 
Lake  View  has  justified  his  judgment.  Lake  View  is  one  of  the  beauty  spots 
of  Iowa  and  is  situated  on  the  shores  of  Wall  lake.  Mr.  Armstrong's  resi- 
dence occupies  a  commanding  and  beautiful  site  overlooking  the  broad  and 
rippling  waters  of  the  lake. 

Piatt  Armstrong  was  born  September  lo,  1832,  in  Canada.  He  is  the 
son  of  Henry  and  Martha  (Guernsey)  Amistrong,  the  latter  being  the  daugh- 
ter of  JNIr.  and  Mrs.  Samuel  Guernsey,  of  Vermont. 

Mr.  Armstrong"  was  reared  and  educated  in  Canada  and  married  before 
he  left  his  native  country.  Li  1S54  he  came  with  his  family  to  Freeport, 
Illinois,  then  the  tenninus  of  the  Illinois  Central  railroad.  Here  they 
secured  wagons  and  drove  o\'erland  to  their  Iowa  destination  from  Freeport. 
He  was  accomi)anietl  by  his  wife  and  one  son,  Alden.  whose  liiograph)'  is 
given  elsewhere  in  this  voltime.  From  Freeport  they  journeyed  to  Clinton 
county,  Iowa,  and  settled  at  Lost  Nation.  He  purchased  a  farm  of  two 
hundred  and  forty  acres,  im])roved  it  and  resided  in  Clinton  county  until 
1S77.  He  then  sold  his  Clinton  county  ])roperty  and  moved  to  Sac  county, 
having  previously  bought  land  in  Wall  Lake  township.      In   1880  he  bought 


MRS.  AMANDA  ARMSTRONG 


PLATT   ARMSTRONG 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  88 1 

one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  additional,  but  sold  this  in  1884,  except  ten  acres 
of  this  quarter  section,  which  he  platted  as  part  of  the  present  town  of  Lake 
View.  He  platted  Lake  View  in  1882  and  has  seen  it  thrive  from  the  barren 
prairie  to  its  present  opulent  condition.  Li  1892  he  bought  sixt_\'  acres  on  the 
north  end  of  Wall  lake  and  platted  it  for  a  residence  section.  In  addition  to 
his  real  estate  holdings  in  Lake  View,  Mr.  Armstrong  has  also  handled  land  in 
Le  Mars,  in  Plymouth  county,  an.d  Pierson,  Woodbury  county. 

Mr.  Armstrong  has  the  honor  of  serving  his  countr\'  faithfully  and  well 
during  the  long  struggle  in  the  sixties.  He  enlisted  from  Clinton,  Iowa, 
September  3,  1862,  in  Company  I,  Twenty-sixth  Iowa  Infantry,  under  Capt. 
Edward  Wimple  and  Col.  ]\Iilo  Smith.  He  was  before  Vicksburg  until  July 
12,  1863,  and  after  participating  in  many  engagements  anil  skirmishes  be- 
came ill  and  was  sent  to  Jefferson  barracks,  at  St.  Louis,  and  then  invalided 
to  the  federal  hospital  at  Keokuk.  Here  his  faithful  wife,  who  had  been  left 
with  the  care  of  .five  children  during  the  war,  came  on  to  care  for  and  nurse 
him  back  to  healtli  and.  strength.  He  was  honorably  discharged  June  15, 
1865.  His  compan\-  was  attached  to  the  First  Brigade,  First  Division  uf  the 
Fifteenth  Army  Corps,  and  participated  in  the  following  engagements: 
Chickasaw  Ba}ou,  h^nrt  Hindnian  nr  Arkansas  Post,  Deer  Creek,  Black  Bayou 
expedition.  Jackson,  Vicksburg.  and  many  minor  engagements,  such  as  Clin- 
ton, Jackson,  Raleigh,  Rienzi,  Brandon,  Bear  Creek  and  Tuscombia,  Cherokee. 
The  compan}'  was  also  engaged  in  the  great  battles  of  Chattanooga,  Lookout 
Mountain.  Mission  Ridge,  Ringgold  and  Pea  Vine  Creek,  the  famous  march 
to  the  sea,  the  capture  of  Savannah,  and  at  Columbia,  South  Carolina.  He 
was  also  in  the  subseciuent  Carolina  campaign,  and  marched  in  the  (jrand 
Rex'iew  at  Washington,  D.  C,  after  having  served  until  June  12,  1865. 

In  recent  vears,  Mr.  Armstrong  has  been  attending  to  his  large  farming 
interests.  He  is  now  farming  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  near  Lake 
View.  He  has  also  been  engaged  in  the  banking  business  at  Moville,  Iowa, 
but  has  now  disposed  of  his  interest  in  that  bank. 

Mr.  Armstrong  was  married  a  second  time,  on  November  25,  1856,  to 
Amanda  McCarter,  a  sister  of  his  first  wife,  and  who  was  born  July  23. 
1829.  in  Lislwn.  St.  Lawrence  county.  New  ^'ork.  To  this  second  marriage 
have  been  born  seven  children  :  Kimball,  a  farmer  of  Lake  \"iew ;  Moody, 
who  was  killed  by  a  horse  on  July  4,  1899;  Rufus.  of  ]\[edicine  Hat.  Canada; 
Mrs.  Millie  Thayer,  of  Denver.  Colorado;  Mrs.  Nina  L.  Mann,  who  is  at 
home  with  her  parents;  Lowry,  of  Lyle,  Washington,  and  Guernsey,  who 
died  in  infancy.     Mrs.   Armstrong  is  the  daughter  of  Robert  and   Amanda 

(55) 


062  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

(Marshall)  McCarter.  who  were  of  Scotch  descent.  Her  grandfather  was  a 
native  of  .Scotland,  who  emig-rated  to  Ireland.  Mr.  Armstrong  and  his  wife 
have  traveled  extensively  and  have  had  many  unique  experiences  during  the 
course  of  travel.  They  were  caught  in  the  railroad  wreck  on  Novemher  i, 
1913,  while  on  their  way  to  Brookings,  South  Dakota,  and  Mrs.  Arnistrnng 
was  slightly  injured.  They  have  made  several  trips  to  the  state  of  W^ashing- 
ton,  as  well  as  other  points  on  the  Pacific  coast. 

Mr.  Armstrong  was  old  enough  to  cast  his  first  vote  for  John  C.  Fre- 
mont in  i8£;6,  and  voted  foi'  Abraham  Lincoln  at  the  front  in  Georgia,  and 
has  never  seen  an}'  reason  why  he  should  cliange  his  political  faith  to  any 
other  than  that  of  the  Reimblican  party.  Tn  his  religious  affiliations,  he  be- 
longs to  the  Christian  Scientist  church  and  contributes  liberally  to  its  support. 
He  is  a  loyal  member  of  tlie  Grand  Army  ]iost  at  Lake  View.  Mr.  Arm- 
strong's life  has  been  one  (if  continudus  activity  from  his  earliest  boyhdod  and 
because  of  his  good  business  judgment,  he  has  acquired  a -very  comfortable 
competency  for  his  fleclining  years.  His  life  has  been  full  of  good  work,  and 
many  people  have  cause  to  be  thankful  because  he  has  li\'ed  in  this  com- 
niunitv.  He  has  always  had  the  welfare  of  his  city  at  heart,  and  as  "  the  father 
of  the  city"  his  name  will  go  do\\'n  to  succeeding  generations  as  the  luan  who 
put  Lake  View  on  the  maj)  of  the  United  States. 


CHARLES  n.  GOLDSMITH. 

If  a  resume  were  to  be  written  of  the  successful  and  influential  attorneys 
of  the  northwestern  part  of  Iowa,  the  name  of  Charles  D.  Goldsmith,  of  Sac 
county,  would  occu]>y  a  high  position.  In  the  legal  profession  he  has  sup- 
plemented the  practice  of  the  essentials  with  a  wealth  of  common  sense.  In 
every  profession  theories  and  rules  cannot  be  literally  interpreted :  they  act 
as  guides  alone  and  the  human  equation  is  the  force  that  impels  decisions  of 
merit.  In  judicious  foresight,  cool  calculation  and  prompt  initiative,  Mr. 
Goldsmith  has  excelled.  He  stands  for  the  lawyer,  in  the  true  sense  of  that 
word,  that  is  to  say,  the  man  who  advocates  a  sympathetic  reading  of  the 
law,  and  not  a  merciless,  steely  and  unyielding  interpretation.  Charles  D. 
Goldsmith  has  won  for  himself  a  reputation  for  high  integrity,  and  his 
courteous,  affable  nature,  savored  with  a  brilliant  fund  of  wit,  have  won  for 
him  countless  friends  and  clients  among  the  good  people  of  Sac  county  and 
this  section  of  Iowa. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  88^ 

Charles  D.  Goldsmith,  ex-district  judge  and  now  a  practicing  attorney  of 
Sac  City,  Iowa,  was  lx)rn  December  i6,  1841,  in  Middletown.  New  York. 
He  is  the  son  of  John  M.  and  Martha  A.  (Davis)  Goldsmith,  natives  of 
Orange  county,  New  York,  and  descendants  of  old  New  England  families. 
John  M.  Goldsmith  was  a  contractor  and  builder  in  New  York. 

Charles  D.  Goldsmith  received  his  education  in  the  schools  of  New  York 
and  in  August,  1861,  enlisted  in  Company  I,  Fifty-sixth  Regiment  New  York 
^^Jlunteer  Infantry,  and  served  for  four  years  and  four  months.  He  was  in 
the  Peninsula  campaign  of  1862.  when  Gen.  George  B.  McClellan  attempted 
to  take  Richmond.  Thence  he  was  transferred  to  South  Carolina  and,  with 
his  regiment,  was  stationed  in  this  state  until  the  end  of  the  war,  being  mus- 
lered  out  October  15,  1865.  In  January  of  the  following  year  he  was  mar- 
ried and  came  to  Iowa  a  year  later,  locating  in  Hamilton  county,  where  he 
was  admitted  to  the  bar.  After  practicing  five  years  in  this  county  he 
located  in  Newell,  Buena  Vista  county.  Iowa,  where  he  practiced  for  six 
years.  In  1879  h^  came  to  Sac  City  and  for  six  years  was  in  partnership 
with  William  H.  Hart.  In  1889  he  was  appointed  district  judge  of  this 
county  and  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  was  elected  to  this  office.  He  re- 
ceived his  commission  January  i,  1S90,  and  served  a  term  of  four  years,  to 
the  entire  satisfaction  of  the  county.  Since  that  time  he  has  not  been  a  candi- 
date for  anv  public  office,  preferring  to  devote  all  of  his  attention  to  his  in- 
creasing legal  practice.  He  has  a  reputation  in  this  part  of  the  state  as  one 
of  the  keenest  lawyers  who  has  ever  appeared  before  a  jury  and  in  the  various 
cases  which  he  has  cf)ndncted  he  has  shown  a  rare  knowledge  of  the  intrica- 
cies of  legal  procedure. 

Mr.  Goldsmith  was  married  in  Januar)-.  1866,  to  Delia  E.  Borland,  and 
in  December,  1883,  to  Emilv  Baxter.  To  these  unions  have  been  born  three 
children:  Delmont,  who  is  president  of.  the  Salem,  South  Dakota,  Bank; 
Karl,  an  attorney  and  a  member  of  the  law  firm  of  Horner,  Martens  &  Gold- 
smith, at  Pierre,  South  Dakota,  and  also  president  of  the  Pierre  National 
Rank.  Tbe  third  child  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cioldsmith  was  Mrs.  Blanche  Mur- 
ray', deci-ased. 

Politically,  Mr.  Goldsmith  is  a  Democrat  and  has  always  taken  a  deep 
interest  in  political  affairs,  although  he  has  never  been  a  candidate  for  any 
public  office  since  retiring  from  the  judgeship.  He  and  his  wife  are  regular 
attendants  of  the  Episcopal  church  and  contribute  of  their  substance  to  its 
support.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons  and  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen.  As  a  lawyer.  Mr. 
Goldsmith  has  ever  maintained  a  high  standing,  never  descending  beneath 


884  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

the  dignity  of  his  profession  or  compromising  his  usefuhiess  by  practicing 
any  but  noble  and  legitimate  practice.  Personally,  he  is  a  pleasing  gentleman 
to  meet,  honest  and  upright  at  all  times,  not  only  held  in  high  esteem  for  his 
superior  professional  ability,  but  for  his  public-spirited  nature  and  whole- 
some private  life. 


TOHN  SPURRELL. 


Many  people  from  many  climes  ha\e  found  a  permanent  home  in  Sac 
county,  Iowa.  Nearly  every  nation  in  Europe  is  represented  in  the  cosmo- 
politan population  of  this  county,  among  whom  are  a  few  nati\-e-born  Eng- 
lishmen. The  citizens  of  English  ancestry  in  this  county  have  been  among 
the  most  stibstantial  and  enterprising  people  of  the  count\-  and  have  plaved 
an  im]iortant  part  in  the  development  of  their  adopted  countr\'. 

An  Englishman  who  became  a  pioneer  in  Sac  county,  and  now  resides 
at  Wall  Lake,  is  John  Spurrell,  who  was  born  in  the  count\'  of  Xorfolk. 
England,  August  i8,  1848,  and  came  ti)  .\nierica  with  his  parents,  James  and 
Eliza  Spurrell,  in  1853.  The  family  lived  a  short  time  in  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
wliere  the  father  was  employed  on  the  Lake  Shore  railroad,  but  later  came 
to  Iowa,  landing  at  Sabula.  Jackson  county,  January  5.  1854.  The  following 
March  they  moved  to  a  farm  in  sectinn  18,  Deep  Creek  townsliip,  Clinton 
county,  Iowa. 

On  May  26.  1874,  John  Spurrell  was  married  to  Charlotte  Rossiter,  the 
daughter  of  James  and  Ellen  Rossiter,  natives  of  England.  Mrs.  Spurrell 
was  born  in  Scranton,  Pennsylvania,  .\pril  ji,  1834,  and  accompanied  her 
parents  in  1855  from  her  native  state  to  Washington  township,  Clinton 
county,  Iowa.  John  Spurrell  and  his  family  removed  to  Sac  county,  Iowa, 
in  the  month  of  April,  1875,  settling  on  the  southwest  quarter  of  section  6, 
Viola  township,  where  they  lived  until  April  16.  1912,  when  Mrs.  Spurrell 
died.  To  this  marriage  six  children  were  born,  four  of  whom  died  in  infancy. 
The  surviving  children  are  Ruby  E.  Spurrell  and  John  A.  Spurrell. 

Mr.  Spurrell  has  a  farm  consisting  of  almost  two  hundred  and  sixty- 
seven  acres.  He  fenced  forty  acres  of  this  farm  with  hog-tight  fencing  in 
the  spring  of  1876,  and  it  is  thought  that  this  was  the  first  forty  acres  so 
fenced  in  Sac  county.  It  consisted  of  three  boards  and  two  smooth  \\'ires. 
The  lumber  was  all  hauled  from  the  west  side  of  the  county  and  the  posts  from 
Grant  City.  There  was  at  that  date  only  one  bridge  between  his  farm  and 
Grant  Citv  and  that  was  across  the  Coon  ri\cr. 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  885 

Mr.  Spurrell  has  been  highly  successful  in  agriculture  and  stock  raising, 
and  is  an  excellent  citizen  of  the  township  and  county  in  which  he  resides. 
His  son,  John  A.  Spurrell.  has  written  the  acceptable  article  on  the  "Animals 
and  Birds  of  Sac  Countv."  which  is  found  elsewhere  in  this  work. 


FRANK  R.  MOLSBERRY.  D.  D.  S. 

There  are  many  avenues  open  toward  the  goal  of  success  for  the  young 
men  of  the  present  day.  Not  all  who  are  called  to  enter  the  various  lines  of 
endeavor  are  rewarded  with  success.  The  learned  and  skillful  professions 
have  e\'er  been  attractive  to  the  young  individual  who  would  seek  to  ad\-ance 
himself  from  among  the  average  of  mankind.  Nowadays,  where  there 
seems  to  be  a  tendency  to  increase  the  numbers  of  those  whose  profession  is 
to  leaven  and  ease  the  sufiferings  of  mankind,  the  successes  are  ofttinies 
notable  and  clearly  defined.  Though  newcomers  to  Sac  City,  in  a  certain 
sense.  Molsberry  brothers,  practicing  dentists,  have  already  established  them- 
selves as  a  component  and  useful  part  of  the  community  bodv.  Dr.  F.  R. 
Molsberry,  with  whom  this  biography  is  particularl)'  concerned,  is  certainly 
entitled  to  a  place  of  prominence  in  the  pages  of  this  history,  plainly  because 
of  his  sterling  worth,  educational  attainments,  pronounced  ability  in  the  prac- 
tice of  his  chosen  profession,  and  his  general  and  specific  usefulness  as  a 
citizen. 

F.  R.  Molsberry  was  born  in  Plymouth.  Worth  county.  Iowa.  June  ii, 
1876.  His  father  was  William  P.  Molsberrv.  a  native  of  Ohio  and  the  son 
of  J.  M.  and  Jane  (Jordan)  Molsberrw  W.  P.  was  born  on  March  8.  1840, 
and  migrated  to  Iowa  with  his  parents  in  1854.  He  was  reared  to  young 
manhood  on  a  pioneer  farm  in  Worth  comity  and  there  married  Anna  Heiny. 
a  native  of  Bohemia.  Austria,  who  emigrated  to  America  with  her  parents 
when  a  young  girl  in  her  teens.  The  senior  Molsberry  followed  farming  as  a 
regular  occupation  until  of  late  years,  when  he  l:as  practicall\-  retired.  Until 
recentlv  he  made  his  home  in  Wyoming,  but  spends  the  major  portion  of  his 
declining  vears  in  sojourning  among  his  children,  with  whom  he  is  always 
welcome.  He  moved  from  \\'orth  county  to  Wyoming  in  1904.  He  is  the 
father  of  ten  children,  namely:  Mary,  wife  of  E.  L.  Smith,  of  Kensitt. 
Iowa:  Emma,  wife  of  John  IMcMutrie.  of  Maley.  Iowa:  Minnie,  wife  of  V.  E. 
Pesak.  of  Manley,  Iowa:  J.  J.,  a  resident  of  Plymouth,  Iowa:  Effie,  wife  of 
J.  F.  Dostal.  of  Minneapolis;  Bertha,  wife  of  James  Crimmons.  of  Grafton. 


886  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Iowa;  Irene,  wife  of  A.  R.  Merrill,  of  Therniopolis,  Wyoming:  Dr.  F.  R.  and 
Dr.  W.  I.  Molsberry,  of  Sac  City. 

Doctor  Molsberry  was  edncated  in  the  district  schools  and  in  the  Ply- 
mouth high  school  and  the  high  school  of  North  Springs,  Iowa.  He  entered 
the  State  University  after  the  necessary  preparation  in  the  public  and  high 
schools  and  graduated  from  the  dental  department  in  1005.  For  a  period  of 
three  years  he  practiced  his  profession  in  the  city  of  Sheldon,  Iowa,  and  in 
1908  removed  to  Sac  City,  where  he  was  soon  joined  by  his  lirother.  He 
enjoys  an  extensive  and  lucrative  practice  and  is  one  of  the  most  popular 
young  professional  men  of  the  city.  His  qualifications  are  of  a  \aried  order, 
he  being  an  accomplished  musician.  This  talent  being  inevitably  discovered 
by  his  associates  in  the  city,  he  was  selected  as  manager  and  director  of  the 
Sac  City  Commercial  Club  Band,  a  ])osition  in  which  he  is  ser\ing  without 
pecuniary  reward.  This  band  was  organized  in  December,  igi  2,  and  is  com- 
posed of  an  excellent  array  of  talented  players  and  musicians.  The  credit  of 
the  efficiency  of  the  band  and  its  continual  growth  in  popularity  is  due  in  a 
large  measure  to  the  excellent  management  and  direction  giA-en  it  bv  Doctor 
Molsberry.  He  is  a  Republican  in  politics.  Fraternally,  he  is  a  memlier  of 
the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons  at  Sac  City. 

Doctor  Molsberry  was  married  on  June  i.  191 1,  to  Elma  Pearl  Cooper, 
of  Sac  City.    They  have  one  child,  a  daughter,  named  Floris  Evelyn. 


ALEXANDER  GALBRAITH. 

From  the  l;md  of  "'iJobljie  I'.urns"  h;i\'e  come  thousands  upon  tliousancN 
of  the  sturdy  sons  of  Scotland  who  have  ranked  among  the  liest  and  most 
worthy  of  the  citizens  of  this  cosmopolitan  country,  wherein  the  best  blood 
of  the  Old  World  has  fused  in  the  creation  of  a  race  of  men  whose  achieve- 
ments have  been  the  wonder  of  the  ages.  Most  of  the  sons  of  Scotland  who 
have  journeyed  far  from  the  lands  of  their  fathers  have  been  poor  in  lliis 
world's  goods,  but  have  been  endowed  with  wonderful  .gifts  which  have 
enabled  them  to  bear  bravely  the  vicissitudes  incidental  to  the  life  of  the 
pioneer  and  to  become  successful  in  the  true  meaning  of  the  word.  Sac 
county  has  within  its  confines  a  number  of  excellent  and  well-born  Scotch- 
American  families  whose  sons  rank  among  the  best  citizens  in  the  \\'est.  In 
the  setting  of  his  years,  but  still  possessing  much  of  the  mental  and  physical 
vigor  which  has  enabled  him  to  found  a  home  and  family  in  this  new  conn- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  S87 

try.  we  find  Alexander  Galliraith.  of  Sac  City,  a  fitting  and  deserving  per- 
sonage who  is  entitled  to  recognition  as  one  of  the  sturdy  pioneers  of  Scotch 
birth  who  has  done  his  part  in  the  development  of  Sac  county  and  bequeathed 
to  posterity  a  heritage  of  honesty  and  uprightness  which  will  be  long  re- 
membered. 

Alexander  Galbraith  was  born  in  the  city  of  Edinburgh,  Scotland.  :\Iay 
12,  1833.  He  is  the  son  of  Alexander  and  Sarah  Demery  Galbraith,  who 
emigrated  to  America  and  settled  in  the  old  state  of  Connecticut  in  the  year 
1841.  Alexander,  Sr.,  died  in  Scotland  in  the  year  1838.  The  widow,  de- 
siring to  settle  in  the  new  land  of  promise  in  order  that  her  children  might 
have  a  better  opportunity  (if  gaining  a  livelihood  and  amassing  a  competence, 
crossed  the  ocean  with  her  two  children,  Alexander  and  Samuel  in  1841. 
Two  older  daughters,  Ann  and  Xancy,  remained  in  Scotland.  As  soon  as 
they  became  old  enough  for  manual  labor  the  two  sons  were  emploved  in  the 
Colt  fire-arm  factory  in  Connecticut  and  were  still  at  work  in  the  factory 
when  the  Ci\il  War  broke  out.  .Vlexander  longed  fur  the  new  lands  of  the 
West  and  was  ambitious  to  possess  a  farm  and  homestead  of  liis  own.  Con- 
sequently, we  find  this  sturdy  young  Scotch  lioy,  in  the  year  1864,  on  his  way 
to  Iowa.  On  February  22,  186.4,  or  thereabouts,  he  arrived  in  Cedar  county, 
and  remained  there  for  seven  years  engaged  in  farming.  In  March.  1871, 
he  joined  the  large  influx  of  migrants  and  located  in  Sac  county.  He  bought 
a  farm  in  Douglas  township,  and  at  present  enjoys  the  distinction  of  being 
the  oldest  living  settler  of  this  township.  Like  all  the  new  comers  of  that 
day.  he  was  very  poor.  However,  the  thrift  and  perseverance  which  was  his 
by  right  of  heritage,  enabled  him  to  exentually  prosper  and  forge  ahead.  He 
became  a  landed  proprietor  of  moderate  wealth  and  influence  and  owned, 
before  his  retirement,  four  hundred  and  eighty  acres  of  rich  farming  land  in 
the  northwest  part  of  Douglas  township,  of  which  his  sons  now  own  the 
greater  part.  In  the  year  1902  he  retired,  with  his  estimable  wife,  to  a  resi- 
dence in  Sac  Cit\-.  where  he  is  enjo\ins;  the  fullness  of  a  well  rc.nded  and 
useful  life  to  the  utmost.  Mr.  Galbraith  has  been  a  lifelong  Republican,  but 
in  the  election  of  1912  he  aligned  himself  with  the  Progressixe  ])art\'.  because 
he  firmly  believed  that  it  best  represented  his  political  principles  and  beliefs. 
He  and  his  good  wife  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  Mr.  (ial- 
braith  is  fraternalh'  connected  with  the  Indejiendent  Order  of  Odtl  Fellows, 
lodge  and  encampment,  and  the  Daughters  of  Rebekah. 

Mr.  Galbraith  was  married  on  February  17,  1864,  to  Sarah  Demery, 
who  was  born  in  Scotland  on  September  28,  1837.  This  aged  and  respected 
couple  celebrated  their  golden  wedding  anniversary  on   February    17,    IQ14. 


888  SAC    CCIUNTY.    IOWA. 

A  host  of  relati\es,  cliildren,  s^randchiklren  and  friends  were  at  hand  to 
tender  their  congratulations  and  extend  their  orood  wishes.  They  have  reared 
seven  chilchen  and  have  sixteen  grandchiklren.  The  children  are  as  follows: 
\Villiam,  a  grain  dealer  at  Owens,  Iowa,  and  who  is  the  father  of  two 
children,  Earl  and  May;  George  Henry,  a  farmer  of  Calhoun  county,  who 
has  five  children.  Fay,  Leon,  Robert,  Sadie  and  Doris ;  Frank  Galbraith,  a 
farmer  in  Douglas  township,  who  is  the  parent  of  three  children.  Julian. 
Cecil  and  Vera ;  Rutherford,  a  resident  of  Newell,  Iowa,  and  who  is  the  father 
of  one  child,  Naomi ;  Mrs.  W.  L.  Cole,  of  Douglas  township,  the  mother  of 
four  children,  Guy,  Lola,  Reo  and  Lucille;  Charles  Galbraith.  of  W'hittier, 
California,  who  has  one  child,  Kenneth;  Mrs.  Bessie  Walters,  of  Delaware 
township. 


F.  R.  HIERSCHE. 


Among  the  retired  farmers  of  Sac  City  who  are  li\'ing  lives  of  comfort 
after  many  years  of  hard  labor,  there  is  no  one  who  is  more  deserving  of 
mention  in  this  volume  than  F.  R.  Hiersche.  He  is  one  of  that  large  class 
of  German  citizens  who  ha\'e  made  Sac  county  their  home  and  he  has  all 
those  excellent  qualities  which  characterize  the  successful  German  citizens  of 
the  countv.  He  was  born  March  6.  i860,  in  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  and  is 
the  son  of  Rudolph  and  Sadie  (Barton)  Hiersche,  natives  of  Germany  and 
New  York  state,  respectivel)'. 

Rudolph  Hiersche  was  born  in  1844  in  Germany  and  came  to  .\merica 
in  the  spring  of  1854.  He  first  settled  in  Clinton  county,  hjwa,  and  while 
living  in  this  county  he  was  married,  after  which  he  continued  to  Wve  the  life 
of  a  farmer  in  Clinton  county  until  t88_|.  in  which  year  he  mo\'ed  to  Sac 
countv  and  settled  in  Lake  View,  where  he  became  engaged  in  the  lumber 
business.  In  1900  he  went  to  Oklahoma,  where  he  died  on  March  :;  i ,  1902. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rudolph  Hiersche  were  the  parents  of  six  children:  F.  R., 
whose  life  history  is  here  portrayed;  Mrs.  Hattie  Cain,  who  lives  in  Paullina, 
Iowa:  Fred  B.,  of  Mankato,  Minnesota:  George  W.,  of  Gerry,  Oklalinnia; 
Charles  R.,  of  Watonga,  Oklahoma,  and  Louis  H..  of  Dale,  Oklahoma. 

F.  R.  Hiersche  received  his  education  in  the  schools  of  Clinton  county, 
this  state,  and  remained  with  his  jiarents  until  his  marriage,  in  1883.  He  and 
his  }-nung  wife  then  came  tn  Clintnn  tnwnshii),  this  county,  where  they  \n\r- 
chased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  section  34.  Two  years  later 
thev  moved  to  Lake  View,  where  Mr.  Hiersche  engaged  in  the  lumber  busi- 


SAC  COUNTY,  IOWA.  88g 

ness  with  his  father.  Later  he  went  back  to  his  farm  and  managed  it  for 
three  years,  then  sold  this  tract  and  bought  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  in 
Boyer  Valley  township,  in  sections  ir  and  14.  In  191 1  he  moved  to  Sac 
City  and  retired  from  the  active  cares  of  life. 

Mr.  Hiersche  was  married  February  21,  1883.  in  Maquoketa,  Jackson 
county,  Iowa,  to  Clara  Bolton,  a  daughter  of  Isaac  and  Rebecca  Bolton,  who 
were  early  settlers  of  Jackson  county,  yiv.  and  Mrs.  Hiersche  are  the  par- 
ents of  three  children.  Earl  F.,  a  farmer  of  Boyer  Valley  township,  this 
county,  and  Irma  B.  and  Lora  May,  who  are  still  under  the  parental  roof. 

Politically,  Mr.  Hiersche  is  identified  with  the  Republican  party,  but 
has  confined  his  political  activities  to  the  casting  of  his  ballot  for  his  party's 
candidate  at  election  time.  He  and  his  family  are  loyal  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  take  an  interest  in  all  of  the  various  activities 
of  their  particular  denomination. 


WILLIAM  F.  BUEHLER. 

Sac  county  can  boast  of  as  nian\-  German  citizens  to  its  population  as 
any  other  county  in  the  state  of  Iowa,  and  it  is  safe  to  say  that  there  are  no 
more  prosperous  farmers  in  this  county  than  those  of  German  descent.  The 
late  Jacob  Buehler  has  three  sons  who  are  prosperous  farmers  in  Richland 
township,  and  William  F.  Buehler,  whose  history  is  here  presented,  is  no  less 
prosperous  than  his  two  brothers. 

\Villiam  F.  Buehler  was  born  in  Richland  township,  this  county,  on 
Februarv  6,  1876.  The  reader  is  referred  to  the  ancestral  history  of  the 
Buehler  faniilv  in  the  sketch  of  Jacob  Buehler,  deceased,  which  appears  else- 
where in  this  volume. 

William  F.  Buehler  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  of  his  home 
township,  attending  the  school  known  as  the  Petersmeyer  district  school. 
Early  in  life  he  decided  to  follow  the  vocation  of  his  father,  who  was  a  suc- 
cessful farmer,  and  when  twenty-two  }ears  of  age  he  started  out  for  himself. 
In  1900  he  bought  eighty  acres  of  land,  for  seventy-five  dollars  an  acre,  and 
later  added  fortv  acres  more  to  this,  for  which  he  paid  one  hundred  dollars  an 
acre,  and  he  is  now  the  owner  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  his  own, 
and  is  farming  fortv  acres  in  addition.  In  the  fall  of  1900  he  erected  a 
concrete  house,  which  is  thoroughly  modern  in  its  equipment,  containing  ten 
rooms  and  has  all  the  conveniences  which  characterize  an  up-to-date,  com- 


8qO  sac    county,    IOWA. 

fortable  home.  Mr.  Buehler  has  found,  as  have  most  of  the  other  farmers  of 
this  county,  that  in  order  to  get  the  most  from  the  soil,  it  is  necessary  to  feed 
as  much  stock  as  possible.  The  successful  farmer  feeds  most  of  his  own 
grain  to  his  stock  and  thus  enriches  his  soil,  as  well  as  fills  his  own  purse. 
Mr.  Buehler  always  keeps  a  good  breed  of  stock  and  is  now  handling  Short- 
horn cattle  and  Duroc-jersey  hogs,  both  of  which  he  has  found  profitable. 

Mr.  Buehler  was  married  April  6.  1898.  to  Sadie  Blass,  the  daughter  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  Blass,  early  settlers  of  Sac  county.  The  Blass  family 
first  lived  in  Crawford  county,  this  state,  but  later  settled  in  Sac  county.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Buehler  have  an  interesting  family  of  eight  children :  Florence  and 
Vernon  are  in  the  Odebolt  high  school :  Etta,  Enimett,  Gladys  and  Catharine 
are  in  the  district  schools,  while  the  youngest,  Ellen  and  John,  are  still  at 
home. 

Mr.  Buehler  is  a  Republican  in  politics  and  casts  his  ballot  on  election 
days  for  the  candidates  of  that  party.  He  has  been  honored  by  his  party  by 
being  elected  to  the  township  school  board  and  is  now  acting  as  president  of 
that  body.  He  and  the  members  of  his  family  are  adherents  of  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  church  and  render  it  their  faithful  and  liberal  support.  He  is 
a  man  who  takes  an  active  interest  in  the  welfare  of  his  comnnuiity,  lending 
his  sympathetic  aid  to  all  such  enterprises  as  he  deems  worth\-  and  con- 
ducive to  the  betterment  of  his  localitv. 


JOSEPH  KOXRADI. 


There  are  today  in  Sac  county.  Iowa,  representatives  of  more  than  a 
dozen  foreign  nations,  but  the  Germans  outnumljer  any  other  class  of  citizens 
who  have  settled  in  this  county  from  foreign  shores.  Some  one  has  called 
the  United  States  the  "melting  pot"  of  the  world,  and  when  one  considers  the 
case  of  a  typical  county  like  Sac  county,  where  a  dozen  nationalities  are 
welded  together  into  a  body  politic  which  is  imbued  with  the  genuine  Ameri- 
can spirit,  it  can  be  readily  seen  why  the  United  States  deserves  the  name. 
These  men  from  across  the  Atlantic  come  here  for  the  sole  reason  that  they 
think  this  is  the  best  country  in  the  world  in  which  to  cast  tlieir  fortunes,  and 
the  prosperity  which  has  attended  the  efforts  of  these  men  in  this  country 
justifies  their  belief  that  this  is  so. 

Joseph  Konradi,  one  of  Sac  county's  prominent  German  citizens,   was 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  St)  I 

born  in  Se-ptemlier.  1852,  at  Frankfort-on-AIain.  Germany,  the  son  of  John 
and  EHzabeth  I  Beitz)  KonracH,  who  came  to  this  country  after  their  son, 
Joseph,  made  the  trip. 

Joseph  Konradi  came  to  America  from  his  native  land  in  1868.  with  his 
grandfather,  Peter  Beitz,  who  paid  his  passage  to  this  country.  In  the  same 
party  was  Peter  I~)inges,  a  prosperous  farmer  of  this  county,  and  upon  ar- 
riving in  this  country  they  immediately  went  westward  and  located  in  Lee 
county.  Illinois.  Shortly  afterwards  the  remainder  of  th.e  Konradi  family 
came  from  Germany  and  settled  in  Crawford  county,  Iowa.  In  1875  John 
Konradi  came  to  Sac  county,  and  in  1876  bought  three  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  of  prairie  land  in  section  to,  Richland  township,  for  fifteen  dollars  an 
acre,  and  this  farm  is  now  owned  by  a  half-brother  of  Joseph  Konradi.  John 
Konradi  is  now  past  ninety  years  of  age  and  lives  with  his  son.  Jacob.  John 
Konradi  and  wife  were  the  parents  of  five  children:  Jacob,  of  Sac  county: 
Anna,  who  lives  in  Nebraska ;  Lannie  and  Randolph,  also  residents  of  Ne- 
braska, and  Mrs.  Susie  Flynn,  of  this  county.  Mr.  Konradi  has  been  twice 
married,  his  second  wife  being  Mary  Schmidt. 

In  1883  Joseph  Konradi  began  farming  for  himself  on  eighty  acres 
which  his  father  gave  him.  Since  then  he  has  bought  eighty  acres,  so  that  he 
is  now  the  owner  of  a  fine  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  all  of  which 
is  excellent  land.  He  has  a  fine  orchard,  plenty  of  shade  trees,  and  a  good 
home,  which  is  set  back  from  the  road  and  presents  a  very  attractive  appear- 
ance to  the  passersby.  Since  taking  over  this  farm,  Mr.  Konradi  has  erected 
all  the  buildings  and  set  out  all  the  trees. 

Mr.  Konradi  has  been  twice  married.  His  first  wife,  to  whom  he  was 
married  in  1878,  died  in  t88t,  leaving  one  daughter,  Clara,  who  was  the 
wife  of  Rov  Johnson,  of  near  Galva.  Iowa,  and  who  died  in  1913.  On  May 
27,  1881,  Mr.  Konradi  was  married  to  Elizabeth  Anchstetter.  of  Sac  county, 
and  to  this  marriage  have  been  bnrn  elexen  children :  John,  of  Jackson, 
Minnesota:  Mrs.  Katrina  Henrich,  whose  husband  is  a  farmer  of  Richland 
tovv'nship :  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Ahlbrasch,  also  a  resident  of  Richland  township: 
Mrs.  Minnie  Messer,  who  lives  in  Jackson  county,  Minnesota :  Joseph  Peter, 
a  farmer  of  Richland  townshi]),  this  county,  and  Antone,  Margarctta,  Nicho- 
las, Jacol).  Emma  and  Romaine  Faldine.  who  are  still  at  home  with  their 
parents. 

Politically,  Mr.  Konradi  is  a  Democrat,  while  in  his  religious  affiliations 
he,  with  his  familv,  are  loyal  and  earnest  members  of  St.  Martin's  Catholic 
church  at  Odebolt,  to  which  they  give  their  zealous  support  at  all  times. 


892  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

HENRY  RABE. 

The  descendants  of  German  citizens  in  this  county  are  useful  and 
prosperous  citizens  wherever  they  are  found.  There  are  a  number  of  the  best 
and  most  substantial  citizens  of  the  county  who  have  been  born  in  Germany, 
and  still  a  larger  number  whose  parents  were  natives  of  the  fatherland.  A 
large  majority  of  the  German  population  of  the  county  is  engaged  in  farming 
and  there  are  no  more  efficient  fanners  in  the  county  than  are  these  sons  of 
Germany.  Among  the  Germans  who  came  to  this  country  and  started  in  with 
practically  nothing,  there  is  no  one  who  has  attained  to  a  more  pronounced 
prosperity  than  has  Henry  Rabe,  who  is  now  the  proprietor  of  fine  farming 
lands  in  Richland  township. 

Henry  Rabe,  the  son  of  Henry  and  Louisa  (Wegner)  Rabe,  was  born 
September  21,  1865,  in  Neuschstadt,  Riebenbacsh,  Germany.  His  parents 
came  to  this  country  in  1874  and,  after  stopping  temporarily  in  Chicago,  they 
settled  in  Sac  county,  Iowa,  in  the  spring  of  1873,  on  the  place  where  the 
son  is  now  living.  They  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  forty  of 
which  was  railroad  land,  for  which  they  paid  se\'en  and  eight  dollars  an  acre. 
On  this  they  erected  a  frame  house,  eighteen  by  twenty-four  in  size,  building 
it  out  of  lumber  which  they  brought  from  Chicago  with  them.  Henry  Rabe, 
Sr.,  died  the  following  year,  in  February,  1876,  leaving  his  widow  with  five 
children:  Henry,  whose  history  forms  the  theme  of  this  narrative;  Mrs. 
Louisa  Rcuber,  of  Odebolt ;  Ferdinand,  decea.sed;  William,  a  farmer  of  Fiich- 
land  township,  and  Wilhelmina.  deceased.  A  few  years  after  the  death  of 
Mr.  Ral)e.  his  widow  married  August  Dannenberg.  of  Odebolt.  and  now  lives 
in  that  city. 

Henr\'  Rabe  receised  most  of  his  schooling  in  Germany  and.  although 
he  was  only  eleven  \-ears  of  age  at  the  time  of  his  father's  death,  yet  he  man- 
fullv  shared  the  responsibility  of  caring  for  his  mother  and  the  younger 
children  of  the  family.  Upon  reaching  his  majority  he  purchased  the  home 
farm,  in  section  8.  which  his  mother  purchased  after  the  father's  death,  and 
added  another  eighty  in  section  9  to  this,  making  him  a  total  of  one  hundred 
and  forty  acres  of  land,  which  is  now  easily  worth  two  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars  an  acre.  He  has  a  fine  farm  home,  which  is  modern  in  every  respect, 
has  twelve  rooms  and  is  so  constructed  as  to  render  it  a  very  attractive  home. 
In  191 1  Mr.  Rabe  added  to  his  land  holdings  by  purchasing  three  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  in  sections  3  and  4,  in  this  township,  and  with  his  five  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  of  land  he  raises  a  large  amount  of  live  stock  each  year, 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  893 

and  averages  at  least  one  car  load  of  cattle  yearly.  He  has  shipped  as  many 
as  four  car  loads  of  hogs  annually. 

Mr.  Rabe  was  married  on  February  3,  1889,  to  Mary  Hausman.  a  native 
of  Illinois,  and  the  daughter  of  Conrad  Hausman,  an  early  .settler  of  Sac 
county,  Iowa.  To  this  marriage  there  have  been  born  five  children,  Louie, 
Alfred,  Rosina,  Louisa  and  Ralph;  all  of  these  children  are  still  under  the 
parental  roof  except  Alfred,  who  is  operating  a  farm  in  Richland  township. 

Politically,  Mr.  Rabe  is  independent  in  politics,  preferring  to  cast  his 
ballot  for  men  and  their  principles  rather  than  for  party  and  its  emblems. 
He  and  his  family  are  loyal  members  of  the  Lutheran  church  and  render  it 
their  zealous  and  earnest  support. 


PETER  H.  DINGES. 


Among  the  younger  generation  of  farmers  who  are  coming  to  the  front 
as  prosperous  agriculturists  is  found  Peter  H.  Dinges,  of  Richland  town- 
ship, who  is  operating  a  two-hundred-and-forty-acre  farm  in  section  17,  this 
townsliip.  He  was  born  January  31,  1874,  in  Lee  covmty,  Illinois,  the  son  of 
John  and  Catharine  Dinges. 

Peter  H.  Dinges  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Richland  town- 
ship and  supplemented  his  educational  training  by  taking  a  course  in  the 
Valparaiso  Normal  School,  at  Valparaiso,  Indiana.  In  the  meantime  his 
parents  had  moved  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  in  1880,  and  after  leaving  school 
began  farming  for  himself  in  1897.  Upon  his  marriage,  in  that  year,  his 
father  gave  him  eighty  acres  of  land,  and  since  that  time  lie  had  added  one 
hundred  and  sixtv  acres,  .giving  him  a  total  acreage  of  two  hundred  and  forty 
acres  of  tine  farming  land.  He  paid  sixty-five  dollars  an  acre  for  his  first 
eight V  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  an  acre  for  his  second  eighty.  In 
1906  he  remodeled  the  old  homestead  and  built  a  new  barn.  He  has  a  corn 
crib  with  a  capacity  of  seventeen  thousand  bushels,  which  is  considered  the 
largest  corn  crib  in  Sac  county.  He  erected  this  in  1913,  at  a  cost  of  nearly 
three  thousand  dollars.  It  is  roofed  and  sided  with  sheet  steel,  and  contains 
a  horse-power  engine  to  be  used  in  filling  and  emptying  the  immense  bins. 
There  is  a  pit  in  the  cril)  which  holds  two  hundred  bushels  of  corn  and  when 
this  is  filled  it  is  carried  by  elevator  power  to  various  parts  of  the  crib. 

In  October,  1897,  Mr.  Dinges  was  married  to  Mary  Langin.  a  native  of 
Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa,  the  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  (Breen)   Langin,  who 


(S(J4  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

are  now  residing  in  South  Dakota.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dinges  are  the  parents  ot 
eleven  ciiildren:  Joseph,  born  August  13,  1898:  Helen,  born  December  14, 
1899;  Leo,  born  May  20,  1901  ;  William,  born  October  11,  1902;  Clement, 
born  February  13,  1904;  Mary,  born  December  20,  1905;  Alice,  born  August 
17,  1907,  and  died  December  15,  1909;  Florence,  born  October  13,  1909; 
Esther,  born  March  3,  191 1;  Rita,  born  October  7,  191 2. 

Politically,  Mr.  Dinges  is  an  adherent  of  the  Democratic  party  and  lends 
his  support  to  the  candidates  of  that  party.  He  and  his  family  are  loyal 
members  of  the  St.  Martin's  Catholic  church  at  Odebolt,  while  he  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Knights  of  Columbus  at  Carroll.  Mr.  Dinges  is  one  of  the  most 
progressive  farmers  of  his  township,  as  is  evidenced  b\'  the  success  which  has 
attended  his  efforts  since  beginning  to  farm  in  this  township.  His  corn  crop 
in  1913  was  ninetv  acres  and  averaged  fifty-five  bushels  to  the  acre,  and  this 
included  a  considerable  acreage  of  popcorn.  His  career  as  a  farmer  in  his 
comnVunit\'  has  been  ir,s])iralional  because  of  the  progressi-\-e  methods  which 
he  uses  and  vhe  study  of  his  career  by  the  young  men  of  his  count)-,  and 
shows  \\hat  can  be  accomplished  by  scientific  farming  in  this  part  of  the  state. 


VALENTINE  HENRICH. 

The  gentleman  whose  life  history  forms  the  theme  of  this  narrative  is 
one  of  the  many  German  settlers  who  have  made  Sac  county,  Iowa,  the  pros- 
perous community  which  it  is  today.  Landing  in  this  country  at  the  age 
of  nineteen,  when  his  capital  consisted  solely  of  his  strong  hands  and  a  willing 
heart,  he  has  attained  to  a  position  of  influence  in  this  county,  which  has 
been  accomplished  solely  through  his  own  efforts.  The  study  of  the  career  of 
such  a  life  should  be  an  inspiration  to  those  of  the  coming  generation  who 
little  realize  the  privations  and  discouragements  which  often  faced  our  fore- 
fathers in  settling  up  a  new  country. 

Valentine  Henrich,  retired  farmer  of  Odebolt,  Iowa,  was  born  June  12, 
1850,  in  Hesse-Nassau,  Germany.  His  parents,  Philip  and  Elizabeth  Hen- 
rich,  belonged  to  the  High  German  class  of  their  native  land  and  lived  all  of 
their  days  in  the  land  of  their  birth. 

Valentine  Henrich  came  to  America  with  a  group  of  friends  in  1869, 
landing  in  New  York  City  in  March  of  that  year.  He  immediately  went  to 
Chicago,  where  he  worked  for  a  year  and  a  half  at  his  trade  of  carpentering. 
He  then  located  in  Lee  coimtv.  Illinois,  and  worked  as  a  farm  laborer  until 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  895 

1875.  He  then  married  and  began  to  rent  land  in  Lee  count}-,  Illinois,  with 
the  intention  of  later  on  going  farther  west  and  purchasing  a  farm  of  his 
own.  Accordingly,  in  1882,  he  came  with  his  family  to  Sac  county,  Iowa, 
and  for  the  first  two  years  rented  land  in  Richland  township.  Feeling  that  it 
would  be  to  his  interest  to  own  a  farm  of  his  own,  he  purchased  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  in  section  8,  in  Richland  township,  for  twenty-fi\'e  dollars  an 
acre.  He  went  into  debt  for  the  total  amount,  built  a  small  house  and  started 
in  to  pay  for  his  land.  It  was  not  an  easy  task,  for  he  had  the  grasshoppers, 
storms,  drought  and  many  other  discouragements  to  meet,  but  he  stuck  to 
his  farm  with  characteristic  German  determination  and  within  fifteen  years 
had  it  all  paid  for.  One  thing  which  nifide  it  difficult  to  pay  off  the  debt  anv 
sooner  was  the  fact  that  he  had  to  pay  the  high  rate  of  eighteen  per  cent, 
interest  on  his  borrowed  money.  As  soon  as  he  had  his  farm  paid  for,  he 
bought  another  cjuarter  section  in  Boyer  Valley  township  for  fifty  dollars  an 
acre,  but  later  traded  this  farm  for  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  near  Ode- 
bolt,  and  he  is  now  the  owner  of  two  hundred  and  eighty  acres  of  well  im- 
proved land  in  Richland  township,  and  realizes  a  very  profitable  return  from 
his  land  holdings.  He  also  owns  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in 
South  Dakota.  He  moved  to  Odebolt  in  March,  1907.  where  he  owns  a 
modern  home  with  all  of  the  conveniences  of  life. 

Mr,  Henrich  was  married  November  25,  1875,  in  Sublet,  Lee  county, 
Illinois,  to  Caroline  Dinges,  who  was  born  March  30,  1855,  in  that  county. 
To  this  marriage  there  have  been  born  seven  children,  all  of  whom  are  living: 
Mrs.  Christina  Roeder,  of  Ida  county,  Iowa,  who  has  seven  children.  Caro- 
line, Albert,  Francis,  Esther,  Leonard,  Raymond  and  Marguerite;  Mrs.  Mary 
Zeigmann.  who  lives  in  Levey  township,  this  county,  who  has  seven  children, 
Albert,  Leo,  Gertrude,  Joseph,  Bernard,  Margaret  and  Lawrence;  Peter,  of 
South  Dakota,  who  is  married  and  has  eight  children,  Frances,  Romaine, 
Dorothy,  Helen,  Marguerite.  Carroll,  Floyd  and  Leo;  John,  of  Richland 
township,  this  count}-,  is  married  and  has  three  children,  Gertrude,  Leona  and 
Howard;  John,  who  died  in  infancy;  Mrs.  Jo.sephinc  Mandernach,  of  Rich- 
land township,  has  two  daughters.  Hazel  and  Lorene;  Joseph,  a  farmer  of 
Richland  township,  who  has  three  children,  Leonard,  Florence  and  Ellis; 
Gertrude,  the  voungest  child  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henrich.  is  still  with  her  par- 
ents in  Odebolt. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  two  brothers  of  Mr.  Henrich  who  came  to 
this  country  have  likewise  prospered,  Balthazer  is  a  prosperous  farmer  of 
Minnesota,  while  Martin  is  equally  flourishing  in  LeMars.  Iowa.     The}-  came 


896  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

to  this  county  in  1881  and  are  highly  respected  citizens  of  the  communities 
in  which  they  are  hving. 

Mr.  Henrich  gives  his  vote  to  the  Democratic  party  and  subscribes  to 
the  principles  as  set  forth  by  the  leaders  of  that  organization.  He  and  all  the 
members  of  his  family  are  adherents  of  the  Catholic  church  and  render  to  it 
their  earnest  and  loyal  support.  They  are  members  of  the  St.  Martin's  parish 
and  take  an  active  interest  in  all  the  affairs  of  their  church.  In  1910  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Henrich  made  a  trip  to  Europe,  visiting  in  England,  France,  Switzer- 
land and  Germany.  They  called  on  their  old  friends  and  relatives  and  had 
the  pleasure  of  seeing  the  famous  "Passion  Play"  at  Oberammergau,  in 
Austria. 


JUERGEN  P.  GOSCH. 


The  farming  profession  has  been  re\-(jlutionized  within  the  last  fifty 
years,  and  the  fannei'  of  today  in  Iowa  has  so  modernized  the  former  methods 
of  agriculture  that  he  has  very  few  of  the  disadvantages  of  a  past  decade  to 
contend  with  in  tilling  the  soil.  The  pioneers  themselves  now  living  in  Sac 
county  have  come  up  through 'this  great  transformation  in  agricultural  meth- 
ods and  have  prospered  accordingly.  Scores  of  inventions  ha\'e  been  put  on 
the  market  which  enable  the  farmer  to  lead  a  life  of  ease  as  compared  with 
the  hardships  of  an  earlier  day.  The  farmer  is  certainly  the  most  independent 
man  of  the  country  and  all  other  professions  must  bow  to  him.  Iowa  is  known 
throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  this  country  as  one  of  the  leading- 
agricultural  states  of  the  Union  and  Sac  county  is  one  of  its  best  subdivisions. 
Among  the  many  excellent  farmers  of  this  progressive  and  wealthy  county 
who  is  of  German  birth  none  occupies  a  more  prominent  place  than  Juergen  P. 
Gosch,  who  arose  from  a  poor  immigrant  to  l;)ecome  one  of  the  wealthy  and 
infliiential  figures  in  the  county. 

Juergen  P.  Gosch  has  resided  on  his  large  farm  of  five  Imndred  and 
twenty-three  acres  in  Levey  township  since  the  year  1880  and  has  de\eloped  it 
from  prairie  land  to  one  of  the  best  equipped  and  most  productive  in  the 
county.  He  was  born  March  2,  1848,  in  Schleswig,  Germany,  and  is  the  son 
of  Peter  and  Mary  Gosch.  When  he  was  twenty-four  years  of  age  he  came 
to  America  and  in  the  spring  of  1872  located  in  Jackson  county.  Iowa,  where 
he  worked  at  farm  labor  for  a  period  of  five  years  and  saved  his  money. 
While  a  resident  of  Jackson  county  he  married  and  then  decided  that  it  was 
time  to  become  a  land  owner  and  tiller  of  his  own  land.     First,  he  rented  a 


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SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  897 

farm  for  two  years,  then  came  to  Sac  county  and  invested  his  savings  in  one 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  in  Levey  township,  which  formed  tiie 
nucleus  of  his  present  large  acreage.  This  first  tract  of  land  cost  him  twenty 
dollars  an  acre  and  was  purchased  on  a  time  contract,  as  was  the  custom  in 
that  early  day.  Very  few  settlers  came  to  Sac  county  with  much  money,  and 
Mr.  Gosch  was  as  poor  as  his  neighbors  at  that  time.  A  few  years  later  he 
bought  one  hundred  and  eighty-eight  acres  at  a  cost  price  of  twenty-eight 
dollars  an  acre.  In  1889  he  again  invested  in  a  tract  of  two  hundred  and 
twenty-three  acres  at  a  cost  of  thirty-nine  dollars  an  acre.  The  Northwestern 
railroad  cuts  diagonally  through  Mr.  Gosch's  section,  hence  the  odd  acreage. 
Mr.  Gosch  has  from  time  to  time  invested  in  lands  in  Dakota,  Kansas  and 
Iowa,  and  has  usually  sold  out  at  a  profit.  At  the  present  time  he  is  the 
owner  of  an  entire  section  of  land  in  Kansas  and  owns  a  half  section  of  fine 
farm  lands  in  Dakota.  On  his  Sac  county  farm  are  three  sets  of  farm  build- 
ings, all  in  excellent  condition.  His  home  farm  is  a  very  fine  one  and  the  resi- 
dence is  exceptionally  good,  as  will  Ije  seen  by  the  view  herein  presented. 
Nearly  all  the  buildings  have  laeen  built  or  renKjdeled  by  Mr.  Gosch  and  are  kept 
in  very  good  condition.  He  also  owns  a  nice  residence  in  Wall  Lake,  where  it 
is  his  intention  to  retire  very  soon  and  take  life  easy,  as  he  can  well  aft'ord  to 
do.     Of  late  years  he  has  entrusted  the  work  of  the  farms  to  his  children. 

For  a  number  of  years  Mr.  Gosch  has  been  a  breeder  of  Percheron 
horses  and  has  a  band  of  forty  head  of  fine  thoroughbred  stock  on  his  farm. 
He  has  always  paid  considerable  attention  to  the  raising  of  live  stock  for  the 
market  and  is  a  live-stock  farmer.  Among  his  forty  head  of  fine  horses  are 
about  twenty-five  head  of  registered  Percherons,  which  are  worth  fancy  prices 
in  the  market.  • ; 

In  the  year  1877  this  successful  farmer  was  luai-ried  to  Mrs.  Mary  Mohr 
Sonderman,  a  widow  who  had  two  children  by  a  former  marriage.  Ella,  de- 
ceased, and  Mrs.  Minnie  Putbres,  of  Sac  county.  There  have  been  born  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gosch  the  following  children :  Fred  and  Henry,  who  are 
tilling  the  home  farm ;  Mrs.  Anna  \\'unscher,  of  Delaware  township ;  Mrs. 
Margarita  Patee,  of  Eden  township ;  Carl  and  August,  at  home ;  Mrs.  Katie 
Plautz,  of  Clinton  township;  Alvena  and  Detlef,  at  home  with  their  parents. 

The  mother  of  these  children  was  born  in  1853  on  the  ocean  aboard  a 
sailing-  vessel  enroute  to  America  from  Germany.  She  was  the  daughter  of 
Fred  and  Elzaba  INIohr,  who  first  settled  near  Davenport,  down  the  river  in 
the  timber  belt  of  Jackson  county.  This  was  in  the  year  1853,  when  settlers 
were  few  and  far  apart  in  that  section  of  Iowa,  and  the  Mohrs  endured  many 
(56) 


898  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

hardsliips.  They,  the  parents  of  Mrs.  Goscli,  were  among  the  very  earliest 
pioneer  settlers  of  Jackson  county  and  lived  and  died  in  the  county,  well  re- 
spected by  all  who  knew  them. 

ISIr.  Goscli  himself  lias  not  succeeded  to  his  present  position  of  affluence 
without  liardsiiips  of  a  serious  character  at  times,  and  his  success  lias  been  due 
to  hard  work  and  thrift,  combined  with  keen  financial  ability  and  rare  business 
acumen.  One  of  the  most  serious  disasters  with  which  he  had  to  contend 
was  in  1889,  when  his  barns  and  outbuildings  were  destroyed  by  fire.  At 
that  time  he  had  the  largest  barn  in  Sac  county,  and  his  loss  was  considerable. 
Five  horses,  five  thousand  bushels  of  corn,  ninety  tons  of  hay,  and  buggies 
and  harness  were  lost  in  the  holocaust. 

'■«  Mr.  Gosch  is  allied  with  the  Democratic  party  and  has  served  his  town- 
sliip  as  trustee  and  president  of  the  school  board.  Like  many  other  successful 
men  of  affairs,  he  finds  time  and  has  the  inclination  to  take  an  active  part  in 
local  politics,  and  his  influence  has  generally  been  on  the  side  of  right  and 
progress.  Having  a  large  family  of  children  himself,  lie  has  ever  been  in 
favor  of  a  good  school  system,  and  located  on  the  corner  of  his  farm  is  one  of 
Sac  county's  modern  district  school  buildings.  He  and  his  family  are  mem- 
bers of  the  German  Lutheran  church  and  Mr.  Gosch  is  a  liberal  contributor  to 
the  support  of  this  denomination,  which  at  present  is  erecting  a  fine  modern 
church  edifice  in  the  town  of  Wall  Lake.  His  long  residence  in  Sac  county, 
his  marked  success  as  a  citizen  and  agriculturist  and  stockman  makes  him 
eminently  entitled  to  representation  in  this  valuable  work. 


CLAIRE  A.  DREWRY. 


Iowa  is  one  of  the  newer  states  of  the  Union  and  Sac  county  is  one  of  the 
youngest  counties  of  the  state.  While  the  father  of  Claire  A.  Drewry,  whose 
history  is  presented  in  this  connection,  was  one  of  the  first  pioneer  settlers  to 
brave  the  prairie  fires  of  Douglas  township,  this  county,  it  is  probable  that 
Claire  A.  Drewry  is  the  first  and  oldest  farmer  now  living  who  was  born 
within  the  precincts  of  this  township,  consequently  the  Drewry  family  have 
been  witnesses  of  the  remarkable  growth  which  this  county  has  experienced 
in  the  fifty-odd  years  which  have  elapsed  since  its  organization. 

Claire  A.  Drewry,  son  of  W.  P.  and  Sarah  Jane  (Roundsville)  Drewry, 
"was  born  in  a  log  cabin  built  by  his  father  in  Douglas  township.  Sac  county. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  899 

Iowa,  on  March  lo,  1869.  W.  P.  Drewry  was  born  in  September,  1839,  and 
was  the  son  of  ]\Ir.  and  Mrs.  Edward  Drewry.  W.  P.  Drewry  was  reared  in 
Sheboygan  county,  Wisconsin,  where  his  parents  moved  in  1844,  and  came  to 
Sac  county,  Iowa,  in  1866,  and  homesteaded  on  the  quarter  section  farm  now 
owned  by  his  son,  C.  A.  On  this  homestead  he  constructed  a  rude  log  cabin 
on  April  12,  1866,  although  he  had  previously  lived  in  a  tent.  He  lias  the 
honor  of  being  the  first  settler  on  the  prairie  in  Douglas  township,  as  the  other 
settlers  stayed  by  the  timber  along  the  river,  but  he  broke  the  waj'  by  boldly 
pushing  out  into  the  open,  prairie  and  digging  out  his  homestead.  Other 
settlers,  seeing  the  success  uf  his  effurts.  rapidly  l)egan  entering  tiie  land 
around  him,  with  the  result  that  his  example  was  soon  followed  by  a  sufficient 
number  of  settlers  to  occupy  all  the  land  in  the  township.  W.  P.  Drewry 
taught  school  in  connection  with  his  farm  duties  in  the  winters  for  about 
twenty  years  after  locating  in  Sac  county  and  had  the  distinction  at  one  time 
or  another  of  assisting  nearly  all  of  the  earlier  generation  of  children  to  at 
least  a  part  of  their  education.  He  also  served  as  county  superintendent  of 
schi.Kjls  one  term  and  was  representati\-e  from  this  county  in  the  twenty-fourth 
General  Assembly  in  1892.  W.  P.  Drewry  and  wife  were  the  parents  of  four 
sons  and  one  daughter:  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Drewry,  of  Sac  City,  Iowa;  Willis 
B.,  of  Windom,  Minnesota;  Edward  O.,  of  Montana:  C.  A.,  of  whom  this 
chronicle  speaks,  and  Ray  F.,  of  Bison,  South  Dakota. 

Claire  A.  Drewry  has  lived  his  whole  life  on  one  farm.  His  father 
owned  seven  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  in  one  tract  at  one  time  prior 
to  his  death,  in  1904,  and  gave  to  each  of  his  sons  a  quarter  section,  Claire  A. 
receiving  the  farm  on  which  the  house  had  been  built.  He  has  improved  his 
home,  built  a  large  barn,  sixty  by  sixty- four,  with  concrete  floors,  and  other- 
wise improved  the  farm  with  fencing  and  ditching  until  it  is  one  of  the  most 
productive  in  the  township.  He  raises  a  large  number  of  cattle,  hogs  and 
sheep  in  addition  to  his  grain  crops,  and  has  been  remarkably  successful  in 
all  of  his  enterprises. 

Mr.  Drewry  was  married  in  October,  1902,  to  Lavanda  L.  Abbott,  of 
Rushville,  Nebraska,  and  to  this  marriage  have  been  born  two  children,  Sarah 
T.  and  Mamie.  Politically,  Mr.  Drewry  is  a  Republican,  but  has  never  held 
any  public  offices.  Tlie  family  are  members  of  the  Christian  church  and  give 
it  their  earnest  support.  Fraternally,  ]\Ir.  Drewry  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient 
Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  of  Sac  City.  By  a  straightforward  and  com- 
mendable course,  Mr.  Drewry  has  made  his  way  to  a  respectable  position  in 
the  agricultural  world  and  has  won  the  hearty  admiration  of  the  people  of  his 


gOQ  SAC   COUNTY,   IOWA. 

township  as  h  progressive  man  of  affairs.  He  is  a  man  of  pleasing  person- 
ality and  has  a  host  of  friends  and  acquaintances  throughout  the  township 
and  community  in  which  he  has  spent  his  entire  life. 


BENJAMIN  M.  BUEHLER. 

One  of  the  youngest  of  the  substantial  farmers  of  Richland  township, 
Sac  county,  Iowa,  is  Benjamin  M.  Buehler,  one  of  the  three  sons  of  Jacob 
Buehler,  deceased,  who  are  \Wmg  in  this  same  township.  Mr.  Buehler  is  a 
bright,  active  young  farmer  who  is  interested  in  life  from  every  standpoint. 
He  is  full  of  energy  and  enthusiasm  and  that  love  for  humanity  which  char- 
acterizes the  typical  American  citizen. 

Benjamin  M.  Buehler,  the  son  of  Jacob  and  Eliza  Buehler,  was  born 
October  25,  1885,  in  the  house  where  he  is  now  living.  Since  the  history  of 
the  Buehler  family  is  related  in  the  sketch  of  Jacob  Buehler,  deceased,  the 
reader  is  referred  to  that  article  for  further  particulars  on  this  interesting 

family. 

Benjamin  M.  Buehler  received  his  education  in  the  schools  of  Richland 
township,  in  what  is  known  as  the  Willow  Tree  school  house.  After  leaving 
school  he  worked  on  the  home  farm  with  his  father  until  his  marriage,  which 
occurred  on  February  14,  1907,  at  which  time  he  was  married  to  Lillie 
Schaefer,  the  daughter  of  Christopher  Schaefer  and  wife,  residents  of  Schal- 
ler.  The  Schaefers  were  early  settlers  in  Sac  county,  and  the  reader  is  re- 
ferred to  the  history  of  Christopher  Schaefer,  elsewhere  in  this  volume,  for 
additional  information  on  the  family.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Buehler  are  the  parents 
of  three  children:  Ruth,  born  December  12,  1907;  Robert,  born  April  7, 
1909,  and  Ben,  born  March  14,  1912. 

Mr.  Buehler  now  owns  eighty  acres  of  land  of  his  own  and,  in  addition 
to  this,  farms  eighty  acres  more,  \\  hich  he  rents.  In  addition  to  his  farming 
operations  he  also  manages  a  threshing  machine  outfit  during  the  summer 
season  and  finds  this  a  profitable  investment.  He  is  a  breeder  of  Polled 
Durham  cattle  and  takes  a  great  deal  of  justifiable  pride  in  his  high  grade  of 
live  stock,  which  he  finds  a  very  valuable  adjunct  to  his  agricultural  interests. 
Mr.  Buehler  came  into  possession  of  the  home  place  in  1907,  and  since  that 
time  has  improved  the  ])lace  in  many  ways.  He  has  two  excellent  barns  and 
a  large  corn  crib,  and  all  nf  his  Iniildings  are  thoroughly  up-to-date  and  con- 
venient for  the  housing  of  his  stock,  being  roofed  with  .sheet  steel. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  9OI 

Mr.  Buehler  has  allied  himself  with  the  new  Progressive  party  and  takes 
an  intelligejit  interest  in  all  of  the  political  issues  of  the  day.  He  is  a  stanch 
and  acti\'e  member  of  the  German  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  Richland 
township  and  gives  to  it  his  earnest  support,  both  in  time  and  substance. 
This  church  is  probably  the  oldest  church  of  the  township  and  has  been  a 
power  for  good  since  the  time  of  its  organization.  While  Mr.  Buehler  is  a 
busy  man  with  his  various  interests,  he  has  found  time  to  develop  himself  into 
an  amateur  photographer  of  real  ability.  He  follows  this  vocation  for  the 
benefit  and  pleasure  of  himself  and  friends,  and  is  possessed  of  unusual 
artistic  abilitv. 


CHARLES  M.  COLLENBAUGH. 

The  office  of  biography  is  not  to  give  voice  to  a  man's  modest  opinion  of 
himself  and  his  accomplishments,  but  rather  to  leave  upon  the  record  the 
verdict  establishing  his  character  by  the  consensus  of  opinion  on  the  part  of 
his  neighbors  and  friends.  In  touching  upon  the  life  history  of  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  the  writer  aims  Id  a\-()id  fulsome  encomium  and  extravagant  praise; 
yet  he  desires  to  hold  up  for  consideration  those  facts  which  have  shown  the 
distinction  of  a  true,  useful  and  honorable  life — a  life  characterized  by  per- 
severance, energy,  broad  charity  and  well-defined  purpose. 

Charles  ]\I.  Collenbaugh,  a  prosperous  farmer  of  Cook  township.  Sac 
countv,  Towa.  was  born  in  the  good  old  Hoosier  state  of  Indiana  in  March, 
1871.  His  parents  were  Christopher  and  Rosanna  (Maxwell)  Collenbaugh, 
who  were  natives  of  Ohio  and  later  became  early  settlers  in  Owen  county,  In- 
diana. In  1877  the  Collenbaugh  family  moved  to  Clinton  county.  Iowa,  and 
six  years  later  they  settled  in  Sac  county,  where  they  purchased  a  farm  in 
Cook  township.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Collenbaugh  lived  on  this  farm  until  1903, 
when  they  moved  to  Odebolt.  where  Christopher  Collenbaugh  died  in  .\ugust. 
1905,  and  his  widow  still  resides  in  Odebolt.  They  were  the  parents  of  five 
children:  Mrs.  Marie  Flathers,  of  Odebolt:  John,  of  Sioux  county,  Iowa; 
Mrs.  Alice  Davenport,  a  resident  of  Odebolt;  Frank,  a  farmer  of  Cedar 
township,  this  county,  and  Charles  M.,  whose  history  forms  the  theme  of  this 
narrative. 

Charles  M.  Collenbaugh  was  educated  in  the  district  schools  of  Cook 
township,  and  has  lived  on  his  present  farm  since  March,  1883.  Upon  the 
death  of  his  father,  in  1905,  he  bought  the  interests  of  the  other  heirs  in  the 
old  homestead  farm,  and  has  added  land  from  time  to  time  to  this  tract  until 


902  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

he  now  has  an  estate  of  one  hundred  and  forty  acres.  In  the  spring  of  1912 
he  erected  a  fine,  modern  home  with  eleven  rooms  and  has  his  home  fitted 
out  with  all  the  modern  conveniences.  He  has  a  large  number  of  trees  on 
the  farm,  which,  together  with  splendid  fencing  and  good  outbuildings,  gives 
the  farm  a  very  attractive  appearance.  He  raises  a  considerable  amount  of 
live  stock  and  markets  annually  about  one  hundred  head  of  hogs  and  thirty- 
five  head  of  cattle. 

Mr.  Collenbaugh  was  married  in  March,  1903,  to  Mary,  the  daughter  of 
William  Rhule,  of  this  county,  and  to  this  marriage  have  been  born  three 
children,  Manie,  Laura  and  Inez,  who  are  all  in  school.  Politically,  Mr. 
Collenbaugh  lends  his  influence  and  vote  to  the  Republican  party,  but  has 
never  been  an  aspirant  for  any  public  office.  He  and  his  family  are  members 
of  the  Congregational  church.  Mr.  Collenbaugh  takes  an  interest  in  the  public 
questions  of  the  day  and  is  well  informed  on  all  current  issues  which  are  to- 
day before  the  American  people.  He  is  not  afraid  to  express  his  opinion  on 
any  subject,  and  yet  he  is  considerate  of  the  views  of  his  fellow  citizens. 
His  life  has  been  lived  in  strict  conformity  with  high  ideals  of  citizenship, 
and  for  this  reason  he  is  justly  regarded  as  one  of  the  representative  citizens 
of  this  county  and  is  eminently  entitled  to  mention  in  this  volume. 


ISAAC  N.  MEAD. 


The  biographer  is  especially  gratified  when  he  finds  before  him  the  task 
of  preparing  even  a  brief  sketch  of  the  life  of  a  man  who  by  his  own  unaided 
efforts  has  raised  himself  from  humble  circumstances  to  a  pleasing  competence 
and  high  regard  in  the  esteem  of  his  fellowmen.  Success  in  this  life  almost 
always  comes  to  the  deserving.  It  has  been  repeatedly  proven  that  one  gets 
out  of  this  life  what  he  sincerely  puts  into  it,  plus  a  reasonable  interest  on  his 
investment,  and  to  the  young  man  who  starts  out  in  life  with  a  firm  determina- 
tion to  win  a  place  for  himself,  and  regulates  all  his  affairs  of  life  by  the  cor- 
rect principles  of  living,  success  is  sure  to  come.  This  is  success  of  the  highest 
type,  which  cannot  be  truly  appreciated  by  many  so-called  successful  men 
who  at  the  very  outset  of  life  found  themselves  surrounded  by  many  ad- 
vantages procured  for  them  by  a  kind  and  indulgent  parent.  Men  of  this 
latter  cla.ss  can  nut  appreciate  the  effort  ])ut  forth  l)\-  the  man  who  starts  in  life 
unaided  and  by  sheer  force  of  will  forges  ahead  and  at  length,  through  manv 
disappointments  possibly,  arrives  at  a  place  of  honor  among  his  fellow  citi- 


SAC    COl'NTY,    KtW'A.  9O3 

zens.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a  creditable  representative  of  the  class 
last  named,  a  class  which  has  furnished  much  of  the  bone  and  sinew  of  the 
country  and  added  to  the  stability  of  our  government. 

Isaac  N.  Mead,  farmer  of  Cook  township.  Sac  county,  Iowa,  was  born 
on  February  7,  1852,  in  the  state  of  New  York,  the  son  of  Almond  and 
Elizabeth  (Ricks)  Mead,  the  former  of  whom  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  and 
the  latter  in  England.  In  1856  Almond  Mead  decided  to  become  one  of  the 
pioneers  of  the  great  and  growing  West,  and  brought  his  family  to  the  state 
of  Wisconsin,  settling  in  Grant  county.  Here  he  engaged  in  farm  work  and 
was  making  fair  progress  in  business  matters  when  the  Civil  War  broke  out, 
and,  being  a  man  of  strong  patriotic  principles,  he  enlisted  as  a  private  in  the 
Thirtv-third  Regiment  Wisconsin  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  died  while  in  the 
service,  never  having  been  able  to  return  to  his  home.  This  left  his  young 
widow  with  the  problem  of  raising  her  three  children  without  a  father's  help. 
The  oldest  child  was  Isaac  N,,  of  whom  this  narrative  speaks,  who  at  the 
tender  age  of  eleven  began  working  out  in  an  effort  to  assist  his  mother  in 
supporting  the  others.  He  succeeded  well  in  his  earnest  efiforts  and  with  his 
assistance  the  mother  was  able  to  keep  the  little  family  together.  One  child, 
Tanie,  died  at  the  age  of  nine  years,  and  the  third  child  of  the  family  is 
Andrew,  who  is  engaged  in  farming  in  Ida  county,  this  state.  Mr.  Mead's 
mother  continued  to  make  her  home  in  Wisconsin  and  died  there  in  March, 
1910. 

In  the  spring  of  1874  Mr.  Mead  first  came  to  this  state,  coming  directly 
to  Sac  county,  and  secured  employment  on  a  farm  located  about  three  miles 
south  of  Odebolt.  Here  he  remained  for  si.x  years,  working  by  the  niunth. 
He  saved  his  money  and  in  the  fall  of  1878  was  able  to  purchase  a  tract  of 
land  of  one  hundred  and'  sixty  acres,  for  which  he  paid  seven  and  one-half 
dollars  per  acre.  He  continued  at  his  place  of  employment  for  two  years 
more,  and  in  the  spring  of  1880  moved  onto  the  land  which  he  had  bought, 
which,  being  raw  prairie  land,  he  proceeded  to  clear  and  cultix'ate  in  true 
pioneer  style.  He  erected  a  small  but  comfortable  dwelling,  sixteen  by 
twenty-four  feet  in  size,  and  has  since  made  this  his  home,  making  additions 
and  improvements  to  the  original  house  at  two  different  times.  While  he  has 
not  increased  the  acreage  of  his  home  farm,  he  has  purchased  a  tract  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  the  Red  River  valley  in  Minnesota.  For 
the  past  several  years  he  has  been  retired  from  the  active  work  of  the  farm, 
which  is  in  the  competent  hands  of  his  son. 

On  December  30,  1879,  Mr.  Mead  was  united  in  marriage  with  Mellia 
Leota  Gulliford,  which  union  has  been  blessed  with  one  child,  Lester,  the  son 


904  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

above  referred  to,  who  is  married  and  resides  on  the  home  farm.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Mead's  religious  affiHations  are  with  the  Christian  church  at  Schaller, 
and  in  the  affairs  of  that  societj'  they  take  a  commendalile  interest.  In 
poHtics  he  is  a  Repubhcan,  inchned  to  progressive  ideas.  Mr.  Mead  is  a  man 
who  easily  makes  friends  and  retains  them.  United  in  his  composition  are  so 
many  elements  of  a  provident,  practical  nature  that  throughout  the  years  they 
have  earned  for  him  a  place  among  the  enterprising  men  of  his  county  and  a 
just  recognition  of  his  worthiness. 


F.  E.  WILLIAMS,  M.  D.  C. 

Professional  success  results  from  merit.  Frecpiently  in  commercial  life 
one  mav  come  into  possession  of  a  lucrative  business  through  inheritance  or 
gift,  but  in  what  are  known  as  the  learned  professions  advancement  is  gained 
only  through  painstaking  and  long  continued  effort.  Prestige  in  the  healing 
art  is  the  outcome  of  strong  mentality,  close  application,  thorough  mastery 
of  its  great  underlying  principles  and  the  ability  to  apply  theory  to  practice 
in  the  treatment  of  diseases.  Good  intellectual  training,  thorough  professional 
knowledge  and  the  possession  and  utilization  of  the  (jualities  and  attributes 
essential  to  success,  have  made  the  subject  of  this  review  eminent  in  his 
chosen  calling  and  he  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  veterinary  surgeons 
in  northwestern  Iowa. 

Dr.  F.  E.  Williams,  a  veterinary  surgeon  of  Odebolt,  Iowa,  was  born  in 
the  town  where  he  is  now  practicing  on  January  29,  1880.  His  parents  were 
John  and  Hannah  (  Peterson  )  Williams,  both  of  whon  were  natives  of 
Sweden,  [ohii  Williams  was  liorn  in  1847  ami  came  to  America  in  aljout 
1865.  His  wife  came  to  this  countr}-  in  1866,  when  she  was  about  sixteen 
years  of  age.  John  Williams  operated  a  general  store  in  Odebolt,  in  the 
early  eighties,  but  retired  from  business  in  1898,  though  still  remaining  in 
Odebolt.  John  Williams  and  wife  were  the  parents  of  seven  children:  Al- 
bert J.,  of  Omaha;  Emma,  deceased;  Dr.  Charles  D.,  of  Woodbine,  Iowa; 
Dr.  Frank  E.,  \\hose  history  is  delineated  here;  George  V.,  of  Omaha;  Ed- 
ward H.  and  Harry  ().,  of  Blencoe,  Iowa. 

Dr.  I'rank  !•'.  Williams  received  his  commcMT  and  high  sdmol  education 
in  the  Odebolt  schools,  graduating  from  the  Odebolt  high  school  in  1898. 
After  graduating  he  engaged  with  his  brother,  Charles,  in  the  flour,  feed  and 
coal  business  in  Odebolt,  also  assisted  his  brother  in  the  drug  business.     He 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  (JQ:; 

served  for  a  time  as  assistant  postmaster  of  Odebolt.  However,  he  decided 
that  lie  wanted  to  Ijecome  a  veterinary  surgeon,  sd  with  this  end  in  view  he 
began  to  investigate  the  merits  of  the  \-arious  veterinarv  schools  in  the  coun- 
tr_\- ;  he  finally  selected  the  Chicago  Veterinary  College  as  one  u  ith  an  estalj- 
lished  reputation  and  entered  there,  graduating  with  the  class  of  1907.  Upon 
graduation  he  started  the  jiractice  of  his  profession  in  Villisca,  Iowa.  l)ut  a 
year  later  returned  to  his  native  town  and  located.  He  has  met  with  success 
in  the  six  years  which  he  has  been  established  at  Odebolt.  So  pronounced  has 
been  his  success  that  he  felt  justified  in  erecting  a  \eterinarv  hospital  in  1909, 
where  he  could  more  satisfactorily  treat  the  worse  cases.  His  practice  now 
covers  a  territury  of  se\'eral  miles,  his  trips  making  him  seventeen  miles  south, 
ten  miles  east,  ten  miles  north  and  ten  miles  west,   from  Odebolt. 

Doctor  Williams  was  married  in  January,  191 1,  to  Anna  N.  Hanson,  the 
daughter  of  Mr.  and  ]\[rs.  Xels  Hanson,  who  were  pioneer  settlers  of  this 
township:  they  have  one  son.  Brooks  Edward,  who  was  born  May  30,  191 3. 
In  politics,  Doctor  Williams  is  a  Progressive  Republican,  but  the  nature  of 
his  business  keeps  him  from  taking  an  active  part  in  politics.  He  and  his  wife 
are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  ci.ntribule  lil)erally  to  its 
support.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons  and 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America.  In  his  chosen  field  of  endeavor.  Doctor 
Williams  has  achieved  a  notable  success  and  has  an  eminent  standing  among 
the  veterinar\-  surgeons  of  this  state.  In  addition  to  his  creditable  career  in 
one  of  tl'ie  most  useful  professions,  he  has  also  iirox'cd  a  strong  :r.';mi)L:r  of 
the  body  politic,  who  is  always  willing  to  perform  his  share  of  the  duties 
which  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  American  citizen.  He  is  a  man  of  genial  person- 
ality and  has  a  host  of  friends  scattered  throughout  a  wide  territory. 


JACOB  G.  RUEHLER. 


The  descendants  of  the  German  settlers  of  this  county  are  always  char- 
acterized by  those  traits  which  rendered  their  fathers  successful.  Heredity 
seems  to  have  given  them  a  fair  share  of  the  good  qualities  which  made  their 
fathers  so  successful.  Among  the  younger  farmers  of  this  county,  Jacob  G. 
Buehler  is  fast  coming  to  the  front  as  one  of  the  most  substantial  agricul- 
turists of  his  township  and  community. 

Jacob  G.  Buehler  was  born  May  5,  1871,  in  Lake  count}-.  Indiana,  the 
son  of   Jacob  and  Eliza  Buehler.   who   were  both  natives  of  Germany,   and 

(57) 


906  SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA. 

came  to  Sac  county.  Iowa,  when  Jacob  G.  was  only  one  year  old.  The  history 
of  the  Buehler  family  is  given  in  the  sketch  of  Jacob  Ruehler.  deceasetl.  who 
is  represented  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 

Jacob  G.  Buehler  was  reared  and  educated  in  Richland  township.  Sac 
countv.  Iowa,  recei\ed  most  of  his  education  in  the  Willow  Tree  school, 
near  his  old  home,  and  spent  his  summers  in  assisting  his  father  on  the  farm. 
At  the  age  of  twenty-seven  he  started  to  farm  for  himself  with  eighty  acres 
which  his  father  gave  him,  and  in  1907  he  added  forty  acres,  and  the  \'ear 
following  erected  a  fine  home  on  his  farm.  He  raises  all  the  crops  which  are 
common  to  this  section  of  the  state,  and  in  addition  gives  a  great  deal  of 
attention  to  the  breeding  of  live  stock,  which  adds  greatly  to  his  annual  in- 
come. In  1013  he  had  forty-five  acres  of  corn,  which  averaged  fifty  bushels 
to  the  acre,  and  this  was  a  remarkalile  yield,  considering  the  nature  of  the 
1913  season.  In  1913  he  also  marketed  twenty-five  head  of  cattle  and  forty 
head  of  hogs,  and  usually  averages  at  least  that  much  each  year. 

Mr.  Buehler  was  married  in  I-~pl.iruar\-  i.  icro.  t'l  Minnie  Ilanstin.  th" 
daughter  of  ^^^illiam  and  ATary  fBurgert)  Hanson,  of  Ida  county.  Iowa, 
and  to  this  union  there  have  been  born  two  children.  Lillian,  born  No\'ember 
23,  1901,  and  Orville,  born  Januarv  19,  1903.  The  Progressive  party  has 
claimed  the  ballot  of  Mr.  Buehler  since  it  was  organized,  in  the  summer  of 
1912.  while  in  his  religions  faith  he  and  his  family  are  loyal  and  earnest 
members  of  the  German  INIethodist  Episcopal  church  and  gi\e  to  it  their 
earnest  and  liberal  support  at  all  times. 


HARRY  H.  HANSON. 


One  of  the  youngest  and  most  prosperous  farmers  of  Sac  countv  is 
Harry  II.  Ilanson.  who  is  the  owner  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  fine 
I:uid  adjoining  the  town  of  Odebolt.  Kicliland  tinvnship.  He  is  a  fine  type  of 
the  agriculturists  who  have  received  a  good  high  school  education  and  then 
returned  to  the  farm.  Too  many  of  our  young  men  today  feel  that  farming 
does  not  offer  the  opportunity  that  may  be  found  in  other  jirofessions,  and  it 
is  an  important  thing  to  note  thai  an  increasing  number  of  our  voung  men 
have  been  born  on  the  farm,  returning  to  it  even  though  tbev  have  received  a 
splendid  education. 

Harry  H.  Hanson  was  born  November  21.  1887.  in  Richland  township. 
Sac  county,  and  is  the  son  of  Nels  nnd  Anna  Hanson,  who  were  natives  of 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  9O7 

Sweden.  Harry  H.  Hanson  was  eclncated  in  the  district  schools  of  his  town- 
ship and  in  1906  graduated  from  the  Odebolt  high  school.  For  two  years 
after  he  graduated  from  the  high  school  he  was  employed  in  a  hardware 
store  in  Odebolt.  He  then  married  and  moved  on  to  his  present  farm  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty  acres,  where  he  is  fast  building  up  a  reputation  as  one  of 
the  most  progressive  farmers  of  the  county.  In  the  summer  of  1912  he 
erected  a  fine  barn  of  cement  block,  which  is  thirty-two  by  sixty  feet  in  size. 
The  barn  has  concrete  floors — in  fact,  is  one  of  the  very  few  barns  in  Sac 
county  which  are  practically  all  concrete.  This  barn  was  erected  at  a  cost  of 
two  thousand  dollars  and  is  a  model  of  convenience  and  stability. 

Mr.  Hanson  was  married  on  September  2,  1908,  to  Margaretta  E.  New- 
com,  the  daughter  of  George  W.  and  Sarah  M.  (McKim)  Newcom.  To  this 
union  ha\'e  been  born  two  (laughters,  Sarah  Kathleen  antl  Doris  Anna. 

George  W.  Newcom,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Hanson,  Was  born  August  i, 
1852,  in  Scotland  countv.  Missouri,  and  is  the  son  of  W'ilman  T.  ami  Mar- 
garetta Xewci:m,  nati\es  of  Kcntuck)'.  His  parents  came  from  l\entuck\-  to 
Missouri  and  from  thence  they  moved  to  Crawford  county,  Iowa,  in  about 
1865.  In  that  county  George  W.  Newcom  was  reared.  In  1874  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Sarah  M.  McKim,  who  was  born  in  1853  in  "N'ork  county.  Pennsyl- 
vania, the  daughter  of  Ethan  A.  and  Elizabeth  McKim.  The  McKims  came 
from  Pennsylvania  to  Crawford  county,  Iowa,  in  1861  and  were  aiuong  the 
pioneer  settlers  of  that  county.  Mr.  McKim  had  previously  made  a  trip  to 
Iowa  in  1857  and  wa^  convinced  that  the  county  would  soon  l)L'Come  one  of 
the  most  prosperous  of  the  state.  Ethan  A.  McKim  prospered  on  his  farm 
in  Crawford  county,  and  in  1900  mo\'ed  to  the  village  of  Deloit,  where  he 
died.  Plis  widow  is  still  living  in  Deloit.  in  her  eighty-third  year.  George  W. 
Newcom  and  wife  farm.ed  in  L'rawford  countv  until  18S4.  and  then  nio\'ed 
to  Nebraska,  where  they  resided  eight  years.  In  1892  they  sold  out  their 
hardware  store  in  Gage  county,  Nebraska,  and  located  in  Sac  county  on  one 
hundred,  and  sixt\'  acres  adjoining  Odebolt  on  the  north,  Mrs.  Newcom  still 
owns  the  t^\■o-hundred-acre  farm  in  Crawford  count}',  this  state,  on  which 
they  lived  for  ten  years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Newcom  were  the  parents  of  four 
children:  Gertrude,  deceased;  Jessie,  deceased;  Clifton  T.,  deceased,  and 
Margaretta,  the  wife  of  Harry  H,  Hanson. 

Mr.  Hanson,  like  many  other  men,  felt  in  the  summer  of  1912  that  the 
new  Progressive  party  was  destined  to  bring  about  a  revolution  in  the  afifairs 
of  this  country-.  Accordinglv.  he  lent  his  influence  to  this  new  party  and  has 
not  regretted  the  step  made  at  that  time     He  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the 


9o8 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


Methodist  Episcopal  churcl:  and  contribute  freely  of  their  substance  to  its 
support.  The}-  rnose  in  the  best  social  circles  of  this  conmuuiitx-.  and  being 
genial  and  unassuming  in  their  relations  with  their  friends.  thc>-  have  a  large 
and  loval  circle  of  friends,  who  cherish  them  for  their  many  good  qualities. 


A.   H.   ELLIS. 


The  gentleman  to  a  review  of  whose  life  the  reader's  attention  is  now 
respectfully  directed  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  energetic,  well-known  busi- 
ness men  of  Sac  county,  who,  by  his  enterprise  and  progressive  methods,  has 
ccjutributed  in  a  material  way  to  the  commercial  advancement  of  tlie  locality 
where  he  lives.  In  the  course  of  an  honorable  career  he  has  been  successful 
in  the  manifold  lines  to  which  his  efforts  have  been  directed  and,  enjoying 
distinctive  prestige  among  the  representative  men  of  his  community,  it  is 
eminently  proper  that  attention  be  called  to  his  achievements  and  due  credit 
be  accorded  to  his  worth  as  an  enterprising  citizen. 

A.  H.  Ellis,  secretary  of  the  Sac  City  Canning  Company,  was  born  in 
Benton,  Iowa,  in  1879,  and  is  the  son  of  W.  C.  Ellis,  president  and  chief 
stockholder  of  the  Sac  City  Canning  Company.  W.  C.  Ellis  was  born  in 
Indiana,  but  has  resided  in  Benton,  Iowa,  practically  all  of  his  life.  He  has 
been  a  man  with  large  business  interests,  being  interested  in  lumber  and  bank- 
ing in  addition  to  his  canning  interests. 

The  Sac  City  Canning  Company  was  incorporated  in  1900,  with  the 
following  incorporators:  C.  Ellis,  W.  C.  Ellis,  H.  H.  Allison,  D.  E.  Hollet 
and  others.  It  started  out  with  a  capital  stock  of  thirty  thousand  dollars  and 
since  then  the  capital  stock  has  been  increased  to  one  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars. In  1908  the  com|)any  purchased  the  canning  factory  at  Storm  Lake 
and  (operate  it  in  connection  with  the  one  at  Sac  City.  The  president  of  the 
compaii)  is  W.  C.  Ellis,  who  is  also  the  chief  stockholder.  The  first  secretary 
was  II.  II.  Allison,  who  was  succeeded  in  1911  by  A.  H.  Ellis:  L.  H,  Marietta 
is  superintendent  of  the  Sac  City  plant.  The  two  plants,  combined,  have  a 
capacity  of  eighty  thousand  ca.ses,  nr  two  millii.n  cans,  annualix  and  employ 
three  hundred  people  during  the  canning  season.  The  normal  acreage  con- 
tributing to  the  Sac  City  plant  exceeds  one  thousand  acres,  having  run  as 
high  as  thirteen  hundred  acres.  The  i)lant  at  Sac  City  is  uKKlern  in  every 
way,  occupies  a  three-story  building,  one  hundred  and  forty-five  by  sixty  feet. 
The  boiler  rooms  are  thirty  by  thirty  feet  and  are  equipped  with  two  one- 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  yCK) 

hundred-and-fifty-horse-power  boilers.  There  is  a  two-story  brick  warehouse, 
fifty  by  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  where  the  canned  goods  are  stored  until 
placed  upon  the  market.     The  company  also  operates  a  seed  house. 

A.  H.  Ellis  was  married  in  1908  to  Josephine  Kirk,  of  Benton,  Iowa. 
Fraternally,  Mr.  Ellis  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons 
and  takes  a  great  deal  of  interest  in  the  affairs  of  that  fraternity.  He  is  a 
young  man  of  exceptional  business  ability  and  since  taking  charge  of  the 
affairs  of  the  firm  with  which  he  is  connected  he  has  been  instrumental  in  in- 
creasing" the  output  and  improving  the  condition  of  the  company  in  various 
ways.  He  is  a  pleasant  and  genial  man  to  meet  and  one  who  has  a  host  of 
friends  in  this  communit\-. 


JOHN  REINHART. 


There's  a  difference  in  men,  for  the  standards  of  ability  are  different. 
The  measures  of  success  vary  with  the  individual ;  many  of  the  most  success- 
ful are  self  made  and  proud  of  their  achievements:  others  have  become  emi- 
nently successful  by  adding  to  their  heritage.  It  requires  a  certain  amount 
of  intelligence  and  energv,  ccjmjjined  with  godd  judgment  and  financial  al)il- 
ity,  to  increase  a  competence  until  it  becomes  a  fortune,  as  well  as  to  begin  at 
the  bottom  and  work  upward  to  the  top.  In  western  Iowa  and  Sac  county 
there  are  representatives  of  the  two  classes  of  men  mentioned  in  the  pre- 
ceding lines  and  to  which  the  writer  refers:  First,  the  pioneers  who  came 
and  endured  the  hardships  incidental  to  the  making  of  a  hotne  and  of  whom 
many  became  extensi\'e  land  owners :  second,  their  sons,  who  have  followed 
in  their  footsteps  and  maintained  the  prestige  of  the  family  and  ha\-e  indicated 
that  the\-  have  inherited  the  gifts  of  their  illustrious  parents.  In  John  Rein- 
hart,  extensive  farmer  and  stockman  of  Boyer  Valley  township,  we  ha\e  a 
successful  son  of  a  widel^'-known  and  successful  German  jaioneer  settler  in 
Sac  couut\'.  "Like  father,  like  son,"  has  been  exemplified  in  the  life  history 
of  John  Reinhart  and  his  father. 

John  Reinhart,  of  Boyer  Valley  township.  Sac  county,  was  the  owner  of 
two  thousand  acres  of  land  until  recently,  when  he  sold  some  of  his  land.  He 
is  the  owner  of  six  farms  in  Boyer  Valley  and  Eden  townships.  His  home 
farm,  in  Boyer  Valley  township,  comprises  five  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  four 
hundred  and  eight v  acres  of  which  is  in  section  16  and  eighty  acres  in  section 
21.    Mr.  Reinhart  raises  and  feeds  over  five  hundred  head  of  cattle  annuallv. 


QIO 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 


and  also  produces  over  three  hundred  hogs  for  the  markets  each  year.  He 
resides  in  a  tine,  modern  home  of  twelve  rooms,  erected  in  T894,  and  has  two 
large  stock  barns  and  .t^rain  elevators  on  the  place.  No  grain  is  sold  from 
his  farms,  as  ever\'thing  the  land  produces  is  fed  to  live  stock,  which  is  sold 
on  the  hoof.  Mr.  Reinhart  is  also  the  owner  of  a  tract  of  land  on  the  shores 
of  Spirit  lake,  Iowa,  which  will  i^rohably  l)e  transformed  into  a  stock  farm 
and  buffalo  and  deer  range,  he  being  the  owner  of  a  herd  of  buft'alos,  pur- 
chased in  1913. 

.Mr.  Reinhart  was  Ix.rn  Septemlier  22.  1866.  in  Lee  count}-.  IlHn(Jis.  the 
son  of  Henry  and  Martha  (Hudzell)  Reinhart,  natives  of  Prussia,  Germany. 
Henry  came  to  America  with  his  parents  when  ten  years  of  age.  Martha 
Hudzell  came  about  the  same  time,  in  comp;my  with  her  parents.  The  fami- 
lies settled  in  Lee  conntv,  Illinois,  ^vhence  Henry  came  to  Sac  count}-  in  1877. 
He  settled  in  Clinton  township,  where  he  prospered  exceedingly  and  became 
the  owner  of  over  three  thousand  acres  of  rich  farming  land.  During  his 
later  years  he  made  his  residence  in  Sioux  City,  where  he  died  in  1897.  From 
being  a  poor  boy  to  becoming  the  owner  of  one  of  the  largest  farms  in  Sac 
county  and  being  rated  as  one  of  the  county's  richest  citizens,  is  a  long  step 
forward,  and  the  results  were  due  to  foresight,  tireless  energy  and  keen  finan- 
cial abilitv.  Mrs.  Henry  Reinhart  died  in  1907.  They  were  the  parents  ot 
seven  children,  as  follows :  Mrs.  Catharine  Fuchs,  deceased,  former  wife  of 
John  P'l'.chs,  of  Odebolt :  (_  i:ristina,  wife  ijf  (jeorge  Stephan,  of  Boyer  \"alle}' 
township,  now  deceased;  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Beiser,  of  Nebraska:  John;  Mrs, 
Anna  Smith,  of  Sioux  City:  Charley,  deceased;  Oscar,  of  Birmingham,  Ala- 
bama. 

John  Reinhart  received  his  education  in  the  district  schools  of  Clinton 
township  and  was  brought  up  to  lead  the  life  of  a  farmer.  When  he  attained 
the  age  of  twenty-one  years  his  father  gave  him  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  land  outright ;  this  was  an  ample  start  for  the  son,  inasmuch  as  he  has 
added  continuouslx-  to  his  acreage  and  fullowed  in  the  footsteps  of  his  father, 
who  set  him  the  example  of  the  best  methods  of  conducting  his  farming 
operations  and  of  taking  care  of  the  financial  end  of  a  large  and  growing 
business.  His  first  addition  of  two  hundred  and  ten  acres  to  his  first  holdings 
cost  him  thirty  dollars  an  acre ;  he  has  paid  for  his  land  at  prices  ranging  as 
follows:  Fifty  dollars,  fifty  dollars  and  fifty  cents,  seventy-five,  eighty-five 
and  ninety  dollars  per  acre.  This  land  is  now  selling  at  prices  ranging  from 
one  hundred  to  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  dollars  an  acre. 

Mr.   Reinhart  was  married  in   1888  to  Paulina  Tlilleman,  of  Marshall 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  9I I 

county,  Iowa,  who  has  borne  him  eight  children,  as  follo\\s  :  Zephra,  who  is 
married  and  h\es  in  South  Dakota,  Earl,  Henrv,  Ahce,  Ehiier.  lidna,  Mil- 
dred and  Mabel,  ail  at  home. 

Mr.  Reinhart  is  a  Progressive  Republican  in  politics  and  believes  in 
progressive  principles  of  government,  being  generally  found  aligned  with  the 
better  elements  in  pnlitical  campaigns.  Mr.  Reinhart  espouses  the  Presby- 
terian faith,  this  church  ha\'ing  been  that  of  his  ])arents  and  forl)ears  for 
many  years.  He  is  essentially  a  home  man  and  is  not  a  member  of  any 
lodges  or  fraternal  societies  of  any  consequence.  Ever  ready  to  assist  in  a 
worthy  undertaking,  approachable  and  unassuming,  he  is  an  excellent  citizen 
in  every  respect.  While  Mr.  Reinhart  is  one  of  the  largest  land  owners  in 
the  countv  and  one  of  the  most  successful  stockmen  in  western  Iowa,  he  is 
just  a  plain  farmer,  honest  to  the  innermost  being,  who  lo\'es  the  soil,  his 
home  and  his  vocation. 


OLIVER  MACKEY. 


Sac  count}',  Iowa,  is  greath-  indebted  to  the  Irish  element  which  has 
come  here  from  time  to  time  and  l^ecame  incorporated  in  the  body  politic  of 
this  count)'.  These  loyal  sons  of  the  Emerald  isle  ha\'e  assisted  in  the  de- 
velopment of  this  locality  from  a  wild  prairie  to  its  present  high  standing 
among  its  sister  counties  in  the  Plawkeye  state.  These  nien  of  Irish  descent 
came  to  this  country  in  order  to  get  to  live  in  a  country  where  freedom  was 
the  paramount  thing,  and  where  they  could  eventual!}-  become  owners  of  a 
home  to  themselves,  a  thing  which  is  practically  impossible  in  their  native  land. 

Oliver  Mackey,  one  of  the  substantial  farmers  of  Clinton  township.  Sac 
county,  Iowa,  was  born  May  7,  1840.  in  Londonderry,  Ireland.  His  parents. 
\^'illiam  and  Elizabeth  (Lindsay)  Mackey,  came  to  this  country  in  1861, 
settling  in  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania,  where  they  lived  the  remainder  i)f  their 
lives.  William  Mackey  was  a  da}-  laburer  but  \\-as  always  al>le  to  earn  an 
honest  living  for  his  family.  \\'illiam  Mackey  and  wife  reared  a  family  of  six 
children:  Mrs.  jane  McLaughlin,  who  died  in  Minnesota;  Eliza,  who' died  in 
Ireland;  Lindsay,  who  died  in  Minnesota;  Katherine  Mary,  who  died  in 
Philadelphia;  James,  of  Minnesota,  and  Oliver,  with  whom  this  narrative 
is  concerned. 

Oliver  Mackey  received  a  -s-ery  nieager  education  in  the  schools  of  Ire- 
land, and  when  a  very  young  lad  started  to  work  in  order  to  assist  the  family. 
This  young  boy  had  visions  in  his  youth,  and  before  he  was  fourteen  years 


-gi2  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

•of  age  he  had  been  thinking  of  coming  to  America  and  casting  his  fortunes  in 
this  "land  of  the  free  and  home  of  the  brave."     Before  he  was  fourteen  years 
of  age  his  mind  was  made  up  and,  with  four  pounds  of  EngHsh  money,  he 
purchased  his  passage  to  America  on  one  of  the  old-fashioned  sailing  vessels. 
May  I,  1854,  was  a  red-letter  day  in  the  history  of  Oliver  Mackey,  for 
,on  that  day  he  landed  in  this  country  and  when  he  walked  down  the  streets 
of  New  \'()rk  this  little  Irish  boy  little  dreamed  that  one  tlay  he  would  become 
one  of  the  ])rosperous  farmers  of  the  great  state  of  Iowa,  but  history  can  tell 
strange  stories  and  there  is  no  stranger  story  than  one  which  tells  of  the 
career  of  Oliver  Mackey  aand  thousands  of  other  young  men  who  have  come 
from  foreign  lands  to  this  country  under  similar  conditions.     He  had  enough 
monev  after  working  a  year  in  New  York  to  reach  Minnesota,  and  as  soon 
as  he  reached  that  state  he  homesteaded  a  farm  and  after  two  }ears  was 
able  tc  prnve  his  claim.     He  at  once  sold  it  for  seven  hundred  dollars  and  a 
drove  of  cattle,  and  two  years  later  he  was  in  Postville,  Allamakee  county, 
Iowa.     By  this  time  he  was  married  and  something  of  the  courage  of  this 
young  Irish  lad  may  be  gathered  from  the  fact  that  he  was  married  when 
he  was  <niy  sixteen  vears  of  age.     .\fter  landing  in  Allamakee  count\',  this 
state,  in  1858,  he  at  once  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  good  land, 
where  he  lived  until  18S9.     He  improved  his  land  in  various  ways,  and  when 
he  sold  it  he  realized  sixty  dollars  an  acre  for  it  and,  with  the  nine  thousand 
six  hundred  dollars  in  his  pocket,  he  came  to  Sac  county,  Iowa,  and  bought 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  in  Clinton  township,  for  which  he  paid   forty 
dollars  an  acre.     On  this  farm  he  has  continued  to  reside  up  to  the  present 
time,  having  greatly  improved  it  in  the  way  of  erecting  new  buildings,  im- 
proving the  old  ones,  and  building  fences  all  over  the  farm,  so  that  he  has 
increased  the  value  of  the  tract  until  he  has  been  offered  two  hundred  dollars 
an  acre  for  it.      I'he  house  on  this  farm  was  destroyed  by  lire  and  he  rebuilt  in 
1906,  placing  a  fine,  modern  and  up-to-date  residence  on  his  farm.     In  1913 
Mr.  Mackey  took  off  one  crop  from  one  eighty  acres  which  netted  him  one 
thousand  dollars,  so  it  can  be  readily  seen  why  this  land  is  worth  two  hundred 
dollars  an  acre. 

Mr.  Mackey  has  been  three  times  married.  His  first  marriage  was  in 
1856,  to  Mary  Love,  who  died  in  1873,  and  to  this  marriage  there  was  born 
one  son,  John,  who  died  in  November,  191 1.  The  second  marriage  of  Mr. 
Mackey  occurred  in  1874,  to  Helen  Mitchell,  who  died  in  1883,  and  to  this 
marriage  there  were  three  children  born:  Mabel,  the  wife  of  George  Long, 
a  farmer  of  this  township:  Mrs.  Edna  Fox,  of  Jasper,  Minnesota,  and  Mrs. 


SAC    COUNTY.    IOWA.  9I3 

Alta  Downey,  of  Bloomfield.  Nebraska.  Mr.  Mackev  was  again  married 
February  20,  1886,  to  Laura  Deering,  who  was  born  June  28,  1867,  in  Berlin, 
Germany.  Her  parents  were  Charles  and  Caroline  Deering,  who  came  to 
America  and  located  in  Marquette.  Michigan,  in  1867.  Her  father  was  a 
copper  and  iron  miner.  He  saved  his  money  and  in  1876  came  to  Postville, 
Allamakee  county,  Iowa,  and  purchased  a  farm,  where  both  of  the  parents 
died.  There  were  four  children  born  to  the  third  marriage  of  Mr.  Mackey : 
Ray,  a  farmer  of  Clinton  township ;  Ethel,  who  married  A.  W.  Quick,  Febru- 
ary 20,  1912.  Mr.  Quick  is  the  son  of  William  Quick,  one  of  the  early 
pioneer  settlers  of  .Sac  county;  Leonard,  a  farmer  of  Clinton  township:  Laura, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  six  months,  and  Leland.  who  is  still  at  home. 

The  Republican  party  has  always  claimed  the  ballot  of  Mr.  Mackey 
and  he  has  always  taken  an  intelligent  interest  in  the  political  questions  of  the 
day.  His  services  as  a  pulilic  (official  ha\-e  been  confined  to  the  office  of  road 
supervisor,  which  office  he  held  while  living  at  Postville,  in  Allamakee  county. 
Fraternally,  he  is  a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  while  in 
his  church  relations  he  is  found  identified  with  the  Methodist  church  at 
Bethel.  Mr.  Mackey  has  had  few  opportunities  except  what  his  own  efiforts 
have  brought  him.  and  the  success  which  has  attended  his  career  in  this  county 
is  proof  of  the  fact  that  he  has  fully  mastered  every  opportunity  as  it  pre- 
sented itself  to  him.  He  now  has  the  gratification  of  knowing  that  he  has 
a  crim|jetenc\-  ti)  insure  against  future  want  and  that  he  is  held  in  high  regard 
by  the  community  where  he  has  so  long  lived  and  labored. 


RAYMOND  CLEMENT  .SHAFFER,  M.  D. 

One  of  the  popular  and  essentially  representative  physicians  of  Sac  county 
is  Dr.  Raymond  Clement  Shafifer,  of  Odebolt,  who  is  a  native  son  of  the 
Hawkeye  state.  It  has  been  through  his  own  exertions  and  the  applications 
of  his  own  powers  that  Doctor  Shaffer  has  risen  to  a  position  as  one  of  the 
successful  members  of  his  profession.  Imbued  with  self-reliance,  courage 
and  ambition,  he  has  made  steady  progress  in  one  of  the  most  exacting  call- 
ings to  which  man  may  devote  his  energies. 

Raymond  Clement  Shaffer  was  born  at  Cascade,  Iowa,  June  27,  1885, 
the  son  of  William  R.  and  Margaret   (McKeeren)    Shaffer,  both  of  whom 


914  SAC    COUNTY.    KIWA 

were  also  natives  of  Cascade.  William  R.  Shaffer  was  born  in  i860,  the 
son  of  Nicholas  Shaffer,  a  native  of  Loraine,  France,  who  came  to  America 
when  a  youth  and  settled  in  Pennsylvania,  where  he  married.  He  came  to 
Cascade,  Dubuque  county,  Iowa,  in  the  late  forties,  being  one  of  the  sturdy 
pioneers  of  that  locality.  He  had  a  large  farm  and  also  owned  and  operated 
a  livery  stable.  He  was  a  man  of  considerable  influence  in  his  community 
and  served  as  mayor  of  Cascade  and  justice  of  the  peace  for  three  terms. 
He  died  in  1899,  at  the  age  of  se\'enty-six.  Tlie  father  of  Margaret  Alc- 
Keeren  was  Peter  McKeeren.  a  native  of  county  Mayo,  Ireland,  who  emi- 
grated to  America  after  his  marriage  and  settled  in  Cascade.  Inwa,  about 
1861.     He  was  a  farmer  by  occupation.     His  sons  fought  in  the  Civil  War. 

William  R.  and  Margaret  (McKeeren)  Shaffer  reared  seven  children, 
four  sons  and  three  daughters,  named  as  follows:  Dr.  R.  C,  the  immediate 
subject  of  this  sketch:  William  R.,  a  traveling  salesman  of  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri; Josephine  Shaffer,  who  is  a  stenographer  for  Dun  &  Bradstreet,  of  St. 
Louis,  Missouri :  Benice  Shaffer,  who  is  a  stenographer  for  the  Texas  Oil 
Company,  St.  Louis ;  Mrs.  Gladys  Brieding,  of  St.  Louis ;  Thomas,  who  is  a 
drug  clerk  in  St.  Loui.s:  Julia  is  attending  schoril  at  St.  Louis  and  resides 
with  her  mother  in  that  city.  The  father  of  these  children  died  December  21, 
1906. 

Doctor  Shaffer  received  his  primary  education  in  the  public  schools  of 
the  city  of  St.  Louis,  his  parents  having  removed  to  East  St.  Louis,  Illinois, 
when  he  was  fifteen  months  old.  His  father  was  employed  as  fireman  for  the 
Chicago,  Burlington  &  Ouincy  Railroad  Company  in  East  St.  Louis,  but  in 
1890  he  gave  up  this  position  and  removed  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  secured  a 
position  as  a  stationary  engineer.  Here  the  boy  was  educated  in  the  St. 
Louis  high  school,  and  upon  completion  of  his  studies  he  took  enipIo\-ment 
as  a  compositor  or  typesetter  and  worked  in  this  capacitv  for  a  number  of 
years  in  the  employ  of  the  C.  E.  Darnell  Printing  Company  and  other  firms. 
He  had  a  laudable  ambition  to  study  medicine,  and  during  the  eight  vears  that 
he  worked  as  a  typesetter  he  studied  medical  books  and  prepared  himself  for 
college  work.  He  thus,  by  his  own  individual  efforts  and  tireless  energy, 
was  enabled  to  enter  the  St.  Louis  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  from 
which  institution  he  was  graduated  April  27,  1908.  For  three  vears  he  prac- 
ticed his  profession  in  the  city  of  St.  Louis,  and  on  December  21,  1911,  he 
located  in  Odebolt,  Iowa,  and  has  been  engaged  in  successful  practice  here 
since.  He  is  licensed  to  practice  medicine  in  the  states  of  Missouri.  Illinois 
and  Iowa.    The  Doctor  is  also  a  licensed  embalmer. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  Q  I  :^ 

Doctor  Sliaft'er  was  married  April  24.  1913,  to  Theresa  Nolte,  of  St. 
Louis,  Missouri.  Not  only  does  Doctor  Shaffer  have  high  standing  as  a  phy- 
sician, but  he  is  also  held  in  high  esteem  as  a  broad-minded,  liberal  and  pro- 
gressive citizen,  devoted  to  the  best  interests  of  his  communitv. 


W.  LOUIS  MEHLBRECH. 

There  could  be  no  more  comprehensive  history  written  of  a  citv  or 
ci)unt_\-,  or  f\en  o!"  a  state  and  its  people,  than  that  w  hicli  deals  with  the  lift- 
work  of  those  who,  by  their  own  endeavor  and  indefatigable  energy,  have 
placed  themselves  where  they  well  deser^■e  the  title  of  "progressive,"  and  in 
this  sketch  will  be  found  the  record  of  one  who  has  outstripped  the  less  active 
and  less  able  plodders  on  the  highway  of  life,  one  who  has  not  been  subdued 
by  the  many  obstacles  and  failures  that  come  to  every  one,  but  who  has  made 
them  stepping  stones  to  higher  things  and  at  the  same  tiux-  that  he  w;i^  win- 
ning his  way  in  niriterial  affairs  of  life  gained  a  reputation  for  tiprightness 
and  honor. 

W.  Louis  Mehlbrech,  one  of  the  prosperous  young  farmers  of  Clinton 
township.  Sac  county,  Iowa,  was  born  in  Lee  county,  Illinois,  on  September 
iTi,  18S1.  His  parents,  Jilm  and  Gertrude  Mehlbrech,  \\ere  born,  reared  and 
married  in  Germany.  They  came  to  the  United  States  and  settled  in  Lee 
county,  Illinois,  where  they  lived  until  the  spring  of  1882.  Thev  then  moved 
to  Sac  county  and  settled  on  the  southwestern  part  of  section  16,  in  this  town- 
ship, where  they  lived  until  1906.  They  then  moved  to  South  Dakota,  where 
they  are  now  residing.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Mehlbrech  were  the  i)arents  of 
ten  children:  Henry,  Mrs.  Catherine  Frey,  W.  Louis,  John,  Elizabeth,  Mrs. 
Anna  Elstrom,  May,  George.  Augusta  and  Will.  Three  of  the  children, 
Louis,  Elizabeth  and  .\nna.  are  in  Sac  count}':  all  of  the  others  are  now  living 
in  South  Dakota. 

W.  Louis  Mehllirech  was  reared  and  ethicated  in  Clinton  township  and 
early  in  life  began  to  work  upon  his  father's  farm.  He  was  married  in  the 
year  his  parents  mo\'ed  to  South  Dakota  and  remained  there  one  vear.  In 
1913  Mr.  Mehlbrech  bought  three  hundred  acres  of  land  in  Clay  countv,  two 
and  one-half  miles  northeast  of  Spencer,  for  one  hundred  and  twentv-six 
dollars  an  acre  and  sold  his  Clinton  township  land  for  Iwo  hundred  dollars  an 
acre.  He  moved  to  his  Clay  county  farm  on  March  i,  i()i-|,  where  he  is  now- 
residing. 


Olfl  SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA. 

Mr.  Mehlbrech  was  married  on  January  17,  1905.  to  Lucelia  Fuchs.  the 
(laughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Fuchs.  Mr.  Fuchs  is  the  county  supervisor 
of  Sac  county  at  the  present  tinie.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mehlbrech  have  four  chil- 
dren:  Glen,  born  January  23,  1907:  Elwin,  born  March  21,  1909;  Fay,  Ijorn 
July  31,  191 1,  and  Fern,  born  October  19,  1913. 

The  Republican  party  has  held  Mr.  Mehlbrech  in  its  ranks  since  he  be- 
came of  voting  age  and  while  he  has  never  taken  an  active  interest  in  his 
party,  yet  he  has  kept  himself  well  informed  on  the  main  political  questions 
of  the  day.  He  and  his  wife  are  loyal  members  of  the  German  Reformed 
church  and  gi\e  liberally  of  their  means  to  its  support.  Fraternally,  he  is  a 
member  of  the  Ancient  Free  and  .Accepted  Masons. 


C.   P.   ARMSTRONG. 


The  gentleman  lu  a  brief  re\iew  of  whose  life  tlie  reader's  attention 
's  herewith  directed  is  among  t!.e  foremost  Inisiness  men  of  Lake  \  iew.  Sac 
county,  Iowa,  and  has  iiy  his  enter])ri>e  and  jirogressix-e  methods  contributed 
in  no  small  measure  tc^  the  industrial  and  commercial  advancement  of  his 
communit}-.  Possessing  splendid  executive  and  lousiness  abilities,  he  has 
been  successful  in  a  material  way  and  I)ecause  of  his  sterling  (|ralities  he  is 
nunii>ered  among  the  representative  men  of  the  city  in  which  he  lives. 

C.  P.  -Armstrong,  a  member  of  the  Rakeview  .\uto  Com]ianv.  was  horn 
Januar\-  15.  1877,  on  the  old  .\rmstrong  lioniestcad  in  Wall  Lake  township, 
Sac  county.  Iowa,  tlie  son  of  Alden  Armstrong  and  the  grandson  of  Piatt 
.Vnnstrong. 

C"  P.  .Vrnistrong  has  resided  in  Lake  \'ie\v  for  the  past  twenty-six  years 
with  the  exce]nion  of  seven  years  which  he  spent  in  Minnesota  on  a  farm. 
He  went  to  Minnesota  in  1905,  and  remained  there  until  be  became  con- 
nected with  the  Lake  \'iew  .\uto  Cdmpanv  as  one  of  the  managers  and  own- 
ers in  the  fall  of  1012.  .\t  that  time  he  purchased  the  interests  of  .\lden 
Armstrong  and  P.  Smith.  The  company  sells  automobiles  and  also  has  a 
well  e{|uipped  rejxiir  dejiartment.  Tliey  employ  skilled  mechanicians  and 
are  enuipped  to  do  all  kinds  of  automobile  repairing. 

Mr.  .Armstrong  was  married  in  July,  1902,  to  Mabel  L.  llone\nian.  of 
Dallas  Center,  Iowa,  and  to  this  union  ha\e  lieen  born  three  children:  \'elma, 
aged  ten;  Alden,  aged  seven,  and  Robert,  born  February  28,  1914. 

Politically,    Mr.    Armstrong    is    identified    with    the    Progressi\c    partv. 


SAC    COUNTY,    IOWA.  (JIJ 

having  joined  that  now  political  party  upon  its  organization  in  the  summer  of 
lyiJ.      '''i-aternall} ,    he    is    a    member    of    the    Ancient    Free    and    .\ccei)ted 

.Masons. 


HENRY  BUEHLER. 

To  a  great  extent  the  prosperity  of  the  agricultural  sections  of  our 
country  is  due  to  the  honest  industry,  the  sturdy  persistence,  the  unswerving 
perseverance  and  the  wise  economy  which  so  prominently  characterize  the 
farming  element  of  this  state.  Among  this  class  may  be  mentioned  the  sub- 
ject of  this  life  record,  who,  by  reason  of  years  of  indefatigable  labor  and 
Honest  effort,  has  not  only  acc^uired  a  well-merited  material  prosperit}^,  but 
has  also  richly  earned  the  high  esteem  of  all  with  whom  he  is  associated. 

Henry  Buehler.  a  farmer  of  Richland  township.  Sac  county,  Iowa, 
owning  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  located  just  north  of  Odebolt. 
was  born  on  .\pril  i,  1876,  on  the  old  Buehler  homestead  in  Richland  town- 
ship, being  the  son  of  Sebastian  and  Mary  Buehler,  who  were  earlv  pioneer 
settlers  of  this  county.  They  came  here  in  1872.  did  their  share  in  bringing 
about  the  settling  and  improvement  of  this  county,  and  elsewhere  in  this 
volume  will  be  found  an  extended  sketch  of  their  lives  and  activities.  Henry 
Buehler  received  his  early  education  in  the  Willow  Tree  school,  one  of  the 
educational  landmarks  of  the  county,  and  this  was  supplemented  1)\-  one  season 
in  the  schools  of  Odebolt.  He  had  early  received  from  his  father  training  in 
the  secrets  of  successful  husbandry  and  at  an  early  age  began  putting  his 
knowledge  into  practice.  For  the  last  twelve  years  he  has  been  engaged  in 
farming  for  himself,  when,  in  1901.  he  moved  on  the  farm  he  now  owns  near 
Odebolt.  Here  he  carries  on  general  farming,  as  practiced  in  this  section, 
giving  especial  attention  to  the  raising  of  sheep,  bavins^'  at  ])rescnt  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  head.  He  also  has  an  excellent  strain  of  hor.ses.  and  is  one 
of  those  up-to-date  farmers  who  believe  that  no  breed  of  li\e  stock  is  too  good 
for  general  farm  purposes.  Mr  Buehler  has  on  his  farm  one  of  the  \ery 
finest  barns  in  the  county.  This  he  erected  in  1913,  at  a  cost  of  two  iliou^and 
dollars.  It  covers  a  space  of  forty-four  bv  sixty  feet  and  is  composed  of  con- 
crete blocks  and  sheet  steel.  It  has  been  most  carefully  and  scientifically 
planned  as  to  ventilation,  stalls,  etc.,  and  is  a  structure  of  which  the  owner 
might  pardonably  be  proud. 

Mr.  Buehler  holds  his  religious  affiliation  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  at  Richland,  being  one  of  the  faithful  and  consistent  members  of  that 


y  1 8  SAC  CO  c  N  r  Y ,  low  A . 

bodv  and  contributing  of  time  and  means  toward  the  support  of  the  society. 
In  politics,  he  is  a  Repubhcan  of  the  old  school,  while  his  fraternal  affiliation 
*s  with  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America. 

On  February  26.  1902,  Mr.  Buehler  was  united  in  marriage  with  Marie 
Dannenberg,  daughter  of  August  Dannenberg,  of  Odebolt,  and  their  union  has 
been  blessed  with  three  children,  namely:  Louise,  born  February  24,  1903; 
Mildred,  born  November  14,  1905,  and  Dorothy,  born  April  13,  191 1. 

Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Buehler  stand  high  in  the  respect  of  their  fellow 
citizens  and  their  manner  of  living  is  such  as  to  fully  deserve  this  high  regard. 
Mr.  Buehler  is  up-to-date  in  the  manner  of  conducting  his  business  and  is  in 
every  respect  honest  and  industrious.  The  early  and  proper  development  of 
Sac  county  has  been  due  to  the  sterling  quality  of  its  citizenship  and  inasmuch 
as  it  has  not  yet  attained  its  highest  possibilities,  such  men  as  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  have  much  before  them  still  in  raising  the  moral,  educational  and 
material  phases  of  the  community  to  the  very  highest  plane. 


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