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NYPL  RESEARCH  LIBRARIES 


3  3433  08044179  7 


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PAST  AND  PRESENT 

OF 

Winneshiek  County 

IOWA  X 


A  Record  of  Settlement,  Organization,  Progress  and 
Achievement 


By  EDWIN -C, BAILEY 


ILLUSTRATED 


VOLUME  I 


CHICAGO 

THE  S.  J.  CLARKE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 

1913 


THE  KEY/  YORK 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

ASTOR,  LENOX    AND 
TILOEN    FOUNDATIONS 

B  191*  •- 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER    I 
Indian    History    7 

CHAPTER    H 
The  Pioneers 55 

CHAPTER    HI  ,         . , 

Settlements  ok  Foreign  Born;  .vf. , .  v-")-  •  •;•  •*•.■'•;•!  i ', '^5 

County   Organization ^Jl^  j,''-/'s  •;;>  '■, *^7 

)»      >>>     >>>)• 

CHAPTER    \' 
County  Seat  Contests 75 

CHAPTER    \T 
Politics  and  Politioans 85 

CHAPTER  VH 
The  Coming  of  the  Railroads 99 

CHAPTER    \  HI 
The   Boys  in    Blue 105 

CHAPTER    IX 
Agriculture  and  Dairying 121 

CHAPTER   X 
The   Schools    127 

CHAPTER   XI 

The  Newspapers '43 

1 


2  co\Ti:.\rs 

ciiaiti:r  XI 1 

The  Mkdicai.  Puoi-kssidn 147 

(.1).\I'T1-.K  XIII 
TiiF.  LixJAL  Profession 151 

CIlAl'TI'-.k    XI\" 
Banks  and  Ha\ki:ks 157 

CllAriKk   x\- 
Manufacturing    165 

tllAl'ri".R   x\-i 
Parks  and  Puhlic  I!iii.i)im;s 167 


CI  I  APT  MR   X\II 

171 


Geology    171 


CiJAI'illR    X\lll 
The  Churches 175 

Patriotic  and   1'katernal  '5pgiETUii. 183 

CiTv  OK  Decora  11 [{.  /:./.>_  /i  ^;J  |  .,; 189 

CilAI'Ti:R    XXI 

CalMAR   TOWNSIIII'   AM)    ITS    M  l"  N  ICII' AI.ITIES igo 

CIIAI'lllR   XXII 

Spkingfiei.ii     TdVVNSIIII'      21  1 

CllAl'TI-.R   XXIII 

BLOOMFIE.t.D    ToWNSIIir     223 

CIIAI'TI-.R   XX I  \- 
Washington  Townsiiii'   227 

CIIAI'll-R   XX\ 
jMilitarv  Townshii' 23s 

CIIAI'TI-.R  XX\  1 
Bluffton  Township   241 

CiJAI'TI-:R  XX\  II 
Canoe  Townsiiii-    24=; 


CONTENTS  3 

CHAPTER  NXXIII 
Glenwood   Township    253 

CHAPTER  XXIX 
HiGiiLAXD   Township    257 

CHAPTER  XXX 
Hesper  Township 261 

CHAPTER  XXXI 
Frankville  Township    265 

chapt]':r  XXXII 

Lincoln  Township    269 

CHAPTER  XXXIII 
Fremont  Township  273 

CHAPTER  XXXIV 
Bcrr  Oak  Township 279 

CHAPTER  XXXV 
Orleans  Township   283 

CHAPTER  XXXVI 
Pleasant  Township   287 

CHAPTER  XXXVII 
Jackson  Township    291 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII 
Sumner   Township    293 

CHAPTER  XXXIX 

Madison  Township    297 

Chronology    301 


ARV 


AST- 
TIL  c- 


E.  r.  I'.AII.KV 


PREFACE 


In  the  preparation  of  this  article  it  has  been  the  compiler's  aim  to  make  the 
work  as  complete  and  correct  as  possible.  Diligent  search  has  been  made  for 
information,  and  considerable  pains  have  been  taken  to  give  the  people  of  Wm- 
neshiek  county  a  reliable  account  of  the  Indians  who  once  inhabited  this  section 
of  the  country.  The  writer  has  discovered  that  a  number  of  erroneous  state- 
ments in  regard  to  these  Indians  have  unfortunately  found  their  way  into  print. 
In  such  instances  every  effort  has  been  made  to  procure  accurate  information. 

In  gathering  the  data  here  assembled  the  writer  has  had  the  kind  assistance 
of  the  Wisconsin  Historical  Society,  the  Iowa  Library  Commission,  and  the 
United  States  Ethnological  Bureau.  Thanks  are  also  due  to  'Oliver  Lamere  (a 
first  cousin  of  Angel  De  Cora),  who  has  made  diligent  search  for  desired  in- 
formation among  members  of  his  tribe  on  their  reservation  in  Nebraska;  Geo. 
W.  Kingsley,  Angel  De  Cora,  Little  Winneshiek,  and  Antoine  Grignon  (all  of 
whom  are  Winnebago  Indians,  except  the  last,  who  is  part  Winnebago  and  part 
Sioux)  ;  Dr.  Eben  D.  Pierce ;  Roger  C.  Mackenstadt ;  Chas.  H.  Saunders,  and 
H.  J.  Goddard. 

All  of  the  above  have  responded  in  a  most  gratifying  manner  to  requests  for 
information,  some  of  them  taking  the  trouble  to  prepare  long  communications, 
which  have  been  indispensable  in  the  preparation  of  the  following  article  and 
which  the  writer  cherishes  as  among  his  most  valued  possessions.  All  quotations 
credited  to  them  in  this  article  have  been  taken  from  letters  received  by  the 
writer  since  December,   1912. 

In  regard  to  Angel  De  Cora,  a  summary  of  her  career  is  gi\en  in  the  l)ody 
of  the  article,  where  the  main  facts  aliout  Antoine  Grignon's  life  will  also  lie 
found.  That  the  reader  may  form  a  proper  conception  of  the  value  of  the  in- 
formation imparted  by  other  individuals  mentioned  above  (and  all  this  has  a 
bearing  on  the  trustworthiness  of  the  article),  the  following  statements  are 
appended : — 

"During  the  month  of  August,  umi,  there  came  to  Madison  from  the 
Nebraska  reservation  two  Winnebago  Indians,  Mr.  Oliver  Lamere  and  Mr.  John 
Rave.  Both  men  were  in  the  employ  of  Dr.  Paul  Radin  of  the  American  Bureau 
of  Ethnology,  who  for  several  years  past  has  been  conducting  researches  among 
their  tribe  for  the  Government.  They  remained  in  Wisconsin  until  the  first 
weeks  in  September.  Both  were  Indians  of  exceptional  intelligence.  Mr. 
Lamere  is  a  grandson  of  Alexander  Lamere,  one  of  the  group  of  early  Lake 

5 


6  PREFACE 

Koslikonong  fur-traders,  and  a  grandson  of  Oliver  Armel,  an  early  Madison  fur- 
trader.  Mr.  Laniere  [Oliver]  acted  as  Dr.  Radin's  assistant  and  interpreter." 
From  an  article  in  "The  Wisconsin  Archeologist,"  191 1,  by  Charles  E.  Brown, 
secretary  and  curator  of  The  Wisconsin  Archeological  Society,  and  chief  of 
The  State  (Wis.)  Historical  Museum,  Madison,  Wisconsin. 

"George  Kingsley  *  *  *  a  member  of  the  Wisconsin  Branch  of  the 
Winnebago  Tribe  of  Indians,  I  consider  to  be  the  best  authority  on  these  mat- 
ters."— L.  M.  Compton,  superintendent  of  Tomah  School  (United  States  Indian 
Service),  Wisconsin. 

Dr.  Eben  D.  Pierce  is  a  member  of  the  state  (Wis.)  and  county  (Trempea- 
leau) historical  societies.  He  has  written  a  biography  of  Antoine  Grignon,  a 
short  history  of  the  Winnebago  Indians,  and  has  contributed  several  articles  on 
the  history  of  that  section. 

Roger  C.  Mackenstadt,  now  at  the  Uintah  and  ( )uray  Indian  Agenc\-.  Utah, 
was  formerly  chief  clerk  at  the  Winnebago  reservation  in  Nebraska. 

Chas.  H.  Saunders  is  a  white  man  who  has  lived  with  the  Indians  most  of 
the  time  (since  he  was  thirteen  years  old).  He  married  into  the  Waukon  family 
of  Winnebago  Indians,  whose  language  he  speaks  fluently.  He  was  raised  at 
Lansing,  Iowa,  and  was  for  a  numl)cr  of  years  a  resident  of  Wisconsin.  He 
now  resides  in  Nebraska. 

H.  J.  Goddard  of  Fort  Atkinson  has  been  a  resident  of  Winneshiek  county 
since  1849.  Mr.  Goddard  has  willingly  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  writer  his 
well-stored  memory  of  early  recollections.  He  is  a  Ci\il  war  veteran  and  is  thus 
especially  competent  to  speak  with  authority  in  regard  to  military  matters  con- 
nectetl,  with  the  fort. 

Other  old  settlers  have  also  responded  cheerfully  to  requests  for  informa- 
tion. In  most  instances  their  names  appear  in  the  article.  The  writer  acknowl- 
edges a  debt  of  gratitude  to  them  all. 

The  following  authorities  have  been  consulted: 

"History  of  Winneshiek  and  Allamakee  Counties." — W.  E.  Alexander,  1882. 

"Atlas  of  Winneshiek   County." — .Anderson   iS:   Goodwin,    1905. 

"The  Making  of  Iowa." — Henry  Sabin,  LL.  D..   1900. 

"History  of  Iowa,"  v.  i. — G.  F.  Gue,  1903. 

"The  Red  Men  of  Iowa." — .\.  R.  Fulton,  1882. 

"The  Indian,  The  Northwest." — C.  &  N.  W.  Ry..  npi. 

"North  Americans  of  Yesterday." — F.  S.  Dellenbaugh. 

"Handbook  of  .American  Indians." — B.  of  .\.  \-'...  i()ii. 

"Smithsonian  Report,"  1885. 

"Annals  of  Iowa."  ^ 

"The  Wisconsin  .\rchcologist."  - 

cii.\kLi:s  I'liii.ii'  iii:.\(  ).\i. 

June  18,  1913. 


•  Articles  by  Elipli.ilct   FVicc.  C.  A.  Clark,  ami  \\  ar  Dipt    RoooriU  of  I'ort  .Xtkiiison. 
'  "The  Winnebago  'I'ribc."  by  F'.  V.  Lawson,  LL.  B. 


Past  and  Present  of  Winneshiek 

County 


CHAPTER  I 

INDIAN  HISTORY  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY* 

Compiled  by  Charles  Philip  Hexom 

THE   WINNE1!A(»   tribe 

Taki  maka  a-icha  'gha  hena  mita  "wa-ye  lo — Yo,  yoyo! 
Taki  maka  a-icha'gha  hena  mita' wa-ye  lo — Yo,  yoyo! 

— Translation  of  a  Sioux  song. 

The  Winnebago  trilae  is  the  fourth  group  of  the  great  Siouan,  or  Dakota, 
family.  The  Winnebagoes  were  styled  by  the  Sioux,  Hotanke,  or  the  "big- 
voiced  people;"  by  the  Chippewas,  JVinit'uj.  or  "filthy  water;"  by  the  Sauks  and 
Foxes,  U'inil'yayohagi.  or  "people  of  the  filthy  water."  Allouez  spells  the 
name  Ovenihigoutz.  The  French  frequently  called  them  Puans,  or  Puants, 
names  often  roughly  translated  Stinkards.  The  lowas  called  them  Ochimgaraw. 
They  called  themselves  Ochungnrah,  or  Hotcangara.  Dr.  J.  O.  Dorsey,  the 
distinguished  authority  on  the  Siouan  tribes,  states  that  the  Siouan  root, 
"changa."  or  "liaiiga.''  signifies  "first,  foremost,  original  or  ancestral."  Thus 
the  Winnebagoes  call  themselves  Hotcangara.  "the  people  speaking  the  original 
language,"  or  "people  of  the  parent  speech."  Traditional  and  linguistic  evi- 
dence shows  that  the  Iowa  Indians  s]:)raiig  frorn  the  Winnebago  stem,  which 
appears  to  have  been  the  mother  stock  of  some  other  of  the  southwestern  Siouan 
tribes. 

The  term  "Sioux"  is  a  French  corruption  of  Nadozuc-is-kv,  the  name  given 
them  by  the  Chippewa  Indians  of  the  Algonquin  family.  It  signifies  "snake," 
whence  is  derived  the  further  meaning  "enemy."  The  name  Dakota,  or  Dakota, 
by  which  the  jirincipal  tribes  of  the  Siouan  stock  call  themselves,  means  "con- 
federated," "allied." 

Regarding  the  remote  migrations  that  must  have  taken  place  in  such  a  wide- 
spread stock  as  the  Siouan,  dififerent  theories  are  held.  An  eastern  origin  is 
now  pretty  well  established  for  this  stock ;   for  in  Virginia,   North  and   South 

*  Copyright,  1913,  Charles  Philip  Hexom.  Permission  is  granted  E.  C.  Bailey  and  the 
S.  J.  Clarke  Publishing  Company  to  use  this  article  as  a  portion  of  Tlie  History  of  Wiimeshiek 
County  edited  by  Mr.  Bailey  and  published  by  the  S.  J.  Clarke  Publishing  Company. 

7 


8  PAST  AXI)  PRESENT  OF  WTXXI'.SJ  IIIIK  COUNTY 

Carolina,  and  Mississippi  were  the  homes  of  tribes  now  extinct,  which  ethnol- 
ogists class  as  belonging  to  the  Siouans.-'  The  prehistoric  migration  of  these 
Indians,  which  undoubtedly  was  gradual,  proceeded  towards  the  west ;  while 
the  Dakotas,  \\'iiinebagocs,  and  cognate  tribes,  it  ajjpears,  took  a  more  northerly 
course. 

Passing  to  the  authentic  history  of  the  W'innebagoes  the  first  known  meet- 
ing between  this  tribe  and  the  whites  was  in  1634,  when  the  French  ambassador, 
Jean  Nicolet,  found  them  in  Wisconsin  near  (ircen  Bay.  At  this  time  they 
probably  extended  to  Lake  Winnebago.  How  long  the  tribe  had  maintained  its 
position  in  that  territory  previous  to  the  coming  of  the  whites  is  unknown. 
They  were  then  numerous  and  powerful.  Father  Pierre  Claude  .AUouez  spent 
the  winter  of  1669-70  at  Green  Bay  preaching  to  the  W'innebagoes  and  their 
Central  .-\lgonquian  neighbors. 

The  W'inneliagoes  constituted  one  i)arty  in  a  iri])lc  alliance,  to  which  also 
the  Sauks  and  Foxes  belonged,  and  were  always  present  with  the  Foxes  in  their 
battles  against  the  French,  and  their  ancient  enemy,  the  Illinois  Indians.  In  an 
effort  to  combine  all  the  tribes  against  the  Foxes,  the  F'rench  in  some  way  won 
over  ihe  W'innebagoes.  After  being  on  unfriendly  terms  with  the  F'oxes  for 
several  \ears,  the  old  friendship  was  revived ;  yet  the  W'innebagoes  managed  to 
retain  the  friendship  of  the  French  and  continue  in  uninterrupted  trade  relations 
with  them,  for,  following  the  missionary,  came  the  trader. 

In  1763  France  ceded  Canada  to  England.  The  W  innci)agoes.  however, 
were  reluctant  to  transfer  their  allegiance  to  the  I'jiglish  ;  hut  when  they  did. 
they  remained  firm  in  their  new  fealty.  The  linglish  were  known  to  the  W'in- 
nebagoes as  Mo"hi"to"ga.  meaning  "Big  Knife;"  this  term  is  said  to  have  orig- 
inated from  the  kind  of  swords  worn  by  the  F-nglish.-*  When  the  thirteen 
colonies  declared  their  independence  in  1776,  the  W'innebagoes  allied  themselves 
with  the  British  and  fought  with  them  through  the  Revolutionary  war.  They 
partici])ate(l  in  the  border  outbreaks  in  (  )hio  and  were  among  the  savages 
defeated  by  Gen.  .Anthony  Wayne  on  August  20.  1794.  In  the  War  of  1812-15 
they  espoused  the  cause  of  England,  and  m  the  \ears  immediately  following  this 
war  they  became  (|uite  insolent. 

The  so-called  Winnebago  War  of  1S27  was  of  short  duration.  The  energetic 
movements  of  (^oxernor  Cass,  the  proiuptness  of  the  militia  under  Col.  Henry 
Dodge,  and  the  despatch  of  General  .Atkinson  of  the  federal  army  filled  the 
Winnebagoes  with  such  respect  for  the  power  of  the  L'nited  Slates  that  the 
disturbance  was  c|uelled  liefore  it  had  fairly  begun.  .\t  this  time  the  tribe 
numbered  nearly  seven  thousand.  It  might  also  be  mentioned  that  a  few  of  the 
tribe  secretly  joined  the  Sauks  and  I'oxes  in  the  Black  Hawk  War  of  1S3-'. 

Smallpox  visited  the  tribe  twice  before  1S36,  and  in  that  year  nmre  th.m  one- 
fourth  of  the  tribe  died.  Mr.  George  Catlin,  famous  painter  of  thr  Indians, 
made  the  statement,  when  at  Prairie  du  Chien  in  iS3'i.  that.  "The  onl\-  war 
that  suggests  itself  to  the  eye  of  the  traveler  through  their  cduntrv  is  the  war 
of  sympathy  and  l)ity." 

*  "The  Siouan  Tribes  of  the  East,"  by  James  Mooncy,  Rullctiii  Bureau  of  Ktluiology, 
i8q4,  Washington. 

*  "TI10  Onialia  Tribe."  by  .'Mice  C.  b'letdier  and  Francis  La  Fleschc.  lull.  .Ann.  zy,  pg.  6ri. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  9 

RKIKIVAL    TO    IOWA 

Historical  evidence  reveals  the  fact  that  at  one  time  the  northern  part  of 
Winneshiek  connty  formed  a  small  i)art  of  the  vast  hunting;  grounds  of  the 
Sioux  Indians,  and  that  the  southern  portion  was  given  over  to  the  Sauks  and 
Foxes.  In  a  council  held  at  Prairie  du  Chien  August  19,  1825,  a  boundary 
line  was  established  between  the  Sioux,  on  the  north,  and  the  Sauks  and  Foxes, 
on  the  south.  The  principal  object  of  this  treaty  was  to  make  peace  Ijetween 
these  contending  tribes  as  to  the  limits  of  their  respective  hunting  grounds 
in   Iowa. 

This  boundary  line  began  at  the  mouth  of  the  Upper  Iowa  river  and  fol- 
lowed the  stream,  which  traverses  Winneshiek  county,  to  its  source.  In  order 
to  decrease  still  further  the  encounters  between  the  Sauks  and  Foxes,  on  the 
one  hand,  and  the  Sioux,  on  the  other,  the  United  States  secured,  at  a  council 
held  at  Prairie  du  Chien  July  15,  1830,  a  strip  of  territory  twenty  miles  wide 
on  each  side  of  the  boundary  line  already  established  and  extending  from  the 
Mississippi  to  the  east  fork  of  the  Des  Moines.  This  strip,  forty  miles  in 
width,  was  termed  the  "Neutral  Ground."  The  tribes  on  either  side  were  to 
hunt  and  fish  on  it  unmolested,  a  privilege  they  ceased  to  enjoy  when  this 
territory  was  ceded  to  the  Winnebagoes.  In  this  way  the  tract  of  land  now 
known  as  Winneshiek  county  became  a  part  of  the  Neutral  (Iround. 

September  13,  1832,  the  Winnebagoes  ceded  to  the  United  States  their 
lands  south  of  the  Wisconsin  and  Fox  rivers,  east  of  the  Mississippi.  The 
Cio\ernment,  on  its  part,  by  this  treaty  granted  to  the  Winnebagoes,  "to  l)e  held 
as  other  Indian  lands  are  held,  that  part  of  the  tract  of  country  on  the  west 
side  of  the  Mississippi  river  known  as  the  Neutral  Ground,  embraced  within 
the  following  limits."  The  boundaries  specified  confined  the  Winnebagoes  to 
that  jiortion  of  the  Neutral  Ground  extending  forty  miles  west  of  the  Mississippi. 
By  the_ terms  of  this  treaty  they  were  to  be  paid  $[o,ooo  annually  for  twenty- 
seven  years,  beginning  in  September,   1833. 

November  i,  1837,  a  treaty  was  concluded  with  the  Winnebagoes  at  Wash- 
ington, by  the  provisions  of  which  they  ceded  to  the  United  States  the  remainder 
of  their  lands  on  the  east  side  and  certain  interests  on  the  west  side  of  the 
Mississippi  river,  and  agreed  to  remove  to  a  portion  of  the  Neutral  Ground 
in  northeastern  Iowa,  set  aside  for  them  in  the  previous  treaty  of  September 
13,  1832.  This  treaty  of  1837  was  loudly  proclaimed  by  the  tribe  to  be  a 
fraud.  It  was  stated  that  the  delegation  which  visited  Washington  in  that  year 
had  no  authority  to  execute  such  an  instrument.  Chiefs,  also,  who  were  of  this 
party  all  made  the  same  declaration.'"' 

The  first  attempt  to  remove  the  Winnebagoes  was  made  in  1840,  when  a 
considerable  numljer  were  induced  to  move  to  the  Turkey  river.  That  year  a 
portion  of  the  Fifth  and  Eighth  regiments  of  United  States  infantry  came  to 
Portage.  W'isconsin,  to  conduct  their  removal.  Antoine  Grignon  and  others  were 
connected  with  this  force  as  interpreters. 

Two  large  boats  were  provided  to  transport  the  Indians  down  the  Wis- 
consin river  to  Prairie  du  Chien,    Captain  Sumner,  who  later  was  a  commanding 

•'■' VViscon.siii  .Xrclieo'.ogist.  Vol.  6,  No.  .^,  pg.  112. 


10  PAST  AND  J'Rl-.Si:.\T  Ui-   W  IX.XMSllllCK  CuLXTY 

officer  at  Fort  Atkinson,  secured  250  ^^'innebagoes  in  southern  Wisconsin. 
These  were  also  taken  to  Prairie  du  Chien.  They  first  disHked  the  idea  of  going 
on  to  the  Neutral  Ground,  because  on  the  south  were  the  ."^auks  and  Fo.xes, 
and  on  the  north  were  the  Siou.x,  and  with  these  tribes  they  were  not  on  friendly 
terms.  Consi(!eral)le  resentment  was  felt  by  the  Sauks  and  Foxes  towartls  the 
Winnebagoes  for  having  delivered  Black  Hawk  over  to  tlie  whites,  although 
])revious  to  this  occasion  the  Winnebagoes  had  been  in  intimate  relationship 
with  these  tribes.     However,  they  soon  grew  to  love  the  Iowa  reservation. 

SOCIAL    OK(;,\NIZATl()N 

.•\n<I  they  painted  on  the  grave-posts 
On  the  graves  yet  unforgotten. 
Each  his  own  ancestral  Totem, 
Each  the  symbol  of  his  household  ; — 

— Tlie  SoiiK  of  I  liawatlin. 

In  each  tribe  tiiere  existed,  on  the  basis  of  kinship,  a  di\ision  into  clans 
and  gentes.  The  names  given  to  these  divisions  were  usually  those  of  the 
animals,  birds,  rejjtiles.  or  inanimate  objects  from  which  their  members  claimed 
descent,  or  which  were  regarded  as  guardian  deities  common  to  them  all:  these 
were  known  as  their  totems. 

The  term  "clan"  implies  descent  in  the  female,  and  "gens"  in  the  male  line. 
Clans  and  gentes  were  generally  organized  into  phratries;  and  phratries.  into 
tribes.     A  phratry  was  an  organization  for  ceremonial  and  other  festivals. 

The  \\  innebago  social  organization  was  based  on  two  ])hratries.  known  as 
the  Upper,  or  .Mr.  and  the  Lower,  or  I'-.arth.  divisions.  The  Up])er  division 
contained  four  clans:  ii|  Thunder-bird,  (j)  War  Peoi)le,  (3)  liagle.  (4) 
Pigeon  (extinct);  while  the  Lower  division  contained  eight  clans:  (i)  Bear, 
(2)  Wolf,  (3)  Water-spirit.  (4)  Deer.  (5)  l^lk.  (6)  Buffalo.  (7)  Fish.  (8) 
Snake. 

The  Thinider-bird  and  Bear  clans  were  regarded  as  the  leading  clans  of 
their  re.spective  phratries.  Both  had  defmite  functions.  The  lodge  of  the  former 
was  the  peace  lodge,  over  which  the  chief  of  the  tribe  presided,  while  the  lodge 
of  the  Bear  clan  was  the  war,  or  di.sciplinary,  lodge.  Each  clan  had  a  number 
of  individual  customs,  relating  to  birth,  tiie  naming-feast.  death,  and  the  funeral- 
wake.     An  Upper  individual  nni.st  marry  a    Lower  individual,  and  vice  versa. 

When  Carver,  an  early  traveler,  first  came  in  contact  with  the  Winnebagoes. 
their  chief  was  a  woman.  The  man.  however,  was  the  head  of  each  familv. 
Where  clans  existed,  .a  man  could  became  a  member  of  ,inv  ])arlicular  clan 
only  by  birth,  adoption,  or  transfer  in  infancy  from  his  mother's  to  his  father's 
clan,  or  vice  versa.  The  ])lace  of  woman  in  a  tribe  was  not  that  of  a  slave  or 
beast  of  Jjunlen.  The  existence  of  the  gentile  organization,  in  most  tribes  with 
descent  in  the  female  line,  forbade  that  she  be  subjected  to  any  such  indignity. 

Dr.  J.  O.  Dorsey  obtained  a  list  of  the  gentes  of  the  Ilotcangara,  or  Winne- 
bagoes." They  were  (i)  Shungikikarachada  ("Wolfi:  (2)  1  lonchikikarachada 
Ci'lack     Bear');     (3)      I  luw;inikik,-ir:u-liad.i     Cl'.Ik'i:     (4)     W.Mkanikik.n-.ich.id.i 

"  The  late  J.  Owen  Horsey  nf  the  Hnreaii  of  .Americnn  Ethnology,  in  liiill.  .p.  pg.  i/u. 


\:-* 

m 


'S 


WAA-KAUX-SEK-KAA    (Rattle-Snake) 
Painted  at  the  treaty  of  Prairie  du  Cliien,  1833,  by  J.  0. 
Lewis,  and  recently  identified  as  the  portrait  of  Waukon-. 
Decorah  (Wakun-lia-ga,  or  Snake  Skin). 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  i;j 

('Snake')  ;  (5)  Waniiikikikaraohada  ('Bird')  ;  (6)  Cheikikarachada  ('Buffalo')  ; 
(7)  Chaikikarachada  (T)eer')  ;  (8)  W'akclickhiikikarachada  ('Water-monster'). 
The  Bird  gens  was  composed  of  four  suii-geutes,  namely:  (a)  Hichakhshepara 
('Eagle'),  (b)  Ruchke  ('Pigeon'),  (c)  Kerechun  ('Hawk'),  (d)  Wakanchara 
('Thunder-bird').  It  seems  probable  that  each  gens  was  thus  subdivided  into 
four  sub-gentes. 

In  1843  they  were  on  the  Neutral  Ground  in  different  bands,  the  principal 
one,  called  the  School  band,  occupying  territory  along  the  Turkey  river. 

MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS 

The  Winnebagoes  are  distinctly  a  timber  people,  and  always  confined  them- 
selves to  the  larger  streams.  In  early  days  their  wearing  apparel  consisted 
commonly  of  brcechclout,  luoccasins,  leggings,  and  robes  of  dressed  skins.  The 
advent  among  them  of  the  whites  enabled  them  to  add  blankets,  clotiis,  and 
ornaments  to  their  scanty  wardrobes. 

Jonathan  Emerson  Fletcher,  the  Indian  agent  at  the  Turkey  river,  furnished 
Mr.  Henry  R.  Schoolcraft,  LL.  D.,  at  one  time  Indian  agent  for  Wisconsin 
Territory  and  author  of  "Historical  and  Statistical  Information  Respecting  the 
History,  Condition  and  Prospects  of  the  Indian  Tribes  of  the  United  States,"  a 
description  of  the  costume  of  the  Winnebagoes,  from  which  the  following  is 
condensed:"  "\\'hite  lilankets  are  preferred  in  winter,  and  colored  in  the  sum- 
mer. Red  is  a  fa\orite  color  among  the  young,  and  green  with  the  aged.  Calico 
shirts,  cloth  leggings,  and  buckskin  moccasins  are  worn  by  both  sexes.  In 
addition  to  the  above  articles,  the  women  wear  a  broadcloth  petticoat,  or  mantelet, 
suspended  from  the  hips  and  extending  below  the  knee. 

"^^'ampum,  ear-bobs,  rings,  bracelets,  and  bells  are  the  most  common  orna- 
ments worn  by  them.  Head-dresses  ornamented  with  eagle's  feathers  are  worn 
by  the  warriors  on  public  occasions.  The  chiefs  wear  nothing  peculiar  to 
<lesignate  their  office,  excejit  it  be  medals  received  from  the  President  of  the 
United  States. 

"Some  of  the  young  men  and  women  paint  their  blankets  with  a  variety 
of  colors  and  figures.  A  large  majority  o.f  the  young  and  middle-aged  of  both 
sexes  paint  their  faces  when  they  dress  for  a  dance. 

"Old  and  young  women  divide  their  hair  from  the  forehead  to  the  back 
of  the  crown,  and  wear  it  collected  in  a  roll  on  the  back  of  the  neck,  confined 
with  ribbons  and  bead-strings.  The  men  and  boys  wear  their  hair  cut  similar 
to  the  whites,  except  that  they  all  wear  a  small  quantity  on  the  back  of  the 
crown,  long  and  braided,  which  braids  are  tied  at  the  end  with  a  ribbon.  The 
men  have  but  little  beard,  which  is  usually  jjlucked  out  by  tweezers." 

One  style  of  Winnebago  wigwam  consisted  of  an  arched  frame-work  of 
poles  firmly  set  in  the  ground  and  lashed  together  with  strips  of  bark  and  so 
arranged  as  to  give  it  sloping  sides  and  a  rounded  top.  Cross-pieces  of  wood 
secured  the  poles  to  one  another.  The  roof  and  sides  were  covered  with  pieces 
of  bark,  or  matting.  The  general  outline  was  round  or  elliptical.  Conical 
lodges   were   employed   chiefly   in   the   summer   time.      Eur   robes,   matting,   and 

'Wisconsin  Arclieologist,  Vol.  6,  No.  .-5,  pg.  121. 


14  I 'AST  AX  I)   PRESENT  (  )1-    W  1  Wl-Sl  lU'.K  COUNTY 

blankets  served  for  bedding.  Branches  were  heaped  around  the  side  walls,  and 
these,  covered  with  blankets,  served  as  a  bed. 

Mr.  Metcher  stated*  that  the  lodges  at  the  Turkey  river,  Iowa,  were  '"from 
twelve  to  forty  feet  in  length,  anil  from  ten  to  twenty  feet  in  width,  and  fifteen 
feet  in  height  from  the  ground  to  the  toj)  of  the  roof.  The  largest  would 
accommodate  three  families  of  ten  persons  each.  They  generally  have  two 
doors.  Fires,  one  for  each  family,  are  made  along  the  space  through  the 
center.  The  smoke  escapes  through  the  apertures  in  the  roof.  The  summer 
lodge  is  of  lighter  materials  and  is  portable." 

Council  houses  and  other  structures  were  erected  in  each  village.  Mr.  (  )liver 
Lamere  states:  "It  is  said  that  all  of  their  councils  were  held  at  the  Turkey 
ri\er.  as  that  was  their  agency  at  the  time.  Usually  everything  went  as  the 
chiefs  wanted  it."  Regarding  the  vicinity  of  l-'ort  .Atkinson,  Mr.  11.  I.  ( ioddard 
says :  "There  were  tw(j  Indian  camping  grounds  south  of  here,  one  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile,  and  the  other  half  a  mile,  distant.  One  had  about  50  wigwams, 
and  the  other  between  300  and  400.  They  took  poles  and  stuck  them  in  the 
ground,  then  bent  them  o\er  and  ucd  the  tops  together  and  covered  them  with 
bark.  The  bark  was  pealed  from  the  water  or  slijjpery-elm  trees  during  the 
sjiring." 

Bark  served  the  Indians  in  a  nniltitude  of  ways.  It  was  stripped  from  trees 
at  the  ])roper  season  by  hacking  it  around  so  that  it  could  be  taken  off  in 
sheets  of  the  desired  length.  The  Winnebagoes  also  made  a  kind  of  drink  from 
bark.  Mr.  Lamere  says,  "They  also  made  a  matting  from  reeds  sewed  or 
matted  together  with  strings  made  out  of  bass-wood  bark  ;  of  course,  they  used 
canvas  wdien  they  could  purchase  it,  but  their  jjcrmanent  lodges  would  be  of 
bark." 

It  was  the  man's  duty  to  protect  his  \  illage  and  family,  and  by  hunting  to 
])rovide  meal  and  skins.  The  women  diicd  the  meat,  dressed  the  hides,  made  the 
clothing,  and,  in  general,  performed  all  the  household  duties.  The  processes 
employed  for  dressing  skins  were  various,  such  as  fleshing,  scraping,  braining, 
stripping,  graining,  and  working.  In  the  domestic  economy  of  the  Indian, 
skins  were  his  most  \alucd  and  useful  material,  as  they  also  later  became  his 
princiijal  trading  asset.  .A  list  of  the  articles  made  of  this  material  would  em- 
brace a  great  many  of  the  Indian's  principal  possessions. 

Moccasins  and  other  articles  made  of  skin  were  often  covered  with  .irtistic 
bead-work,  re])lete  with  tribal  symbolism.  The  Winnebagoes  also  had.  not 
long  ago,  a  well   developed  porcui)ine  (|uill   industry. 

In  common  with  other  tribes  llie  \\  innebagoes  were  accustomed  to  jireparo 
dried  and  smoked  lish  and  meal.  .\nls.  wild  fruits,  and  erlible  roots  of  various 
kinds  were  also  used  for  food.  Corn  \\;is  raised  and  such  vegetables  as  S(|uash. 
piniipkins,  beans,  jiotatoes  ;m<l  watermelons.  Lorn  was  often  eaten  green, 
l)iit  ustially  after  it  had  been  dried,  ground,  and  made  into  bread;  it  was  some- 
times boiled  witii  meat.  .At  the  Turke\  ri\er  near  Fort  .\tkinson  the  Indians 
cached  their  corn  in  holes  dug  in  the  ground  three  or  four  feel  square  and 
about  three  feet  deep.  Wild  rice  was  raised  and  was  jirejiared  by  being  boiled 
with    meat    and    vegetables,      ."^helled    dried   corn,    dried    hulled    fruit,    and    nuts 

"Wisconsin  .Xrchcologist,  Vol.  6,  Xo.  3,  pg.  124.  condensed  from  information  fnrnished 
to  11.  R.  Schoolcraft. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  15 

were  cached  in  storage  pits  for  futtire  use.  Tobacco  was  raised,  but  only  in 
small  quantities.  Notwithstanding  the  abundance  of  animal  and  vegetal  food 
that  the  fields  and  forest  aft'orded,  the  Indians  suffered  occasionally  from  famine. 
For  wood  the  limbs  of  trees  were  used,  but  not  the  trunk ;  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Fort  Atkinson  evidence  remains  today  of  this  practice. 

Of  the  Winnebago  marriage  customs  Moses  Paquette,  who  went  (1845)  'o 
the  Presbyterian  school  at  the  Turkey  river,  stated"  in  1882:  "Presents  to 
the  parents  of  a  woman,  by  either  the  parents  of  the  man  Or  the  man  himself, 
if  accepted,  usually  secure  her  for  a  partner.  However  much  the  woman  may 
dislike  the  man,  she  considers  it  her  bounden  duty  to  go  and  at  least  try  to  live 
with  him.  Divorce  is  easy  among  them.  There  are  no  laws  compelling  them 
to  live  together.  Sometimes  there  are  marriages  for  a  specified  time,  say  a  few 
months  or  a  year.  When  separations  occur,  the  woman  usually  takes  the  children 
with  her  to  the  home  of  her  parents.  But  so  long  as  the  union  exists,  it  is 
deemed  to  be  sacred,  and  there  are  few  instances  of  infidelity.  Quite  a  number 
of  the  bucks  have  two  wives,  who  live  on  apparently  equal,  free,  and  easy 
terms ;  but  although  there  is  no  rule  about  the  matter,  I  never  heard  of  any  of 
the  men  having  more  than  two  wives.  W  itli  all  this  ease  of  divorce,  numerous 
Indian  couples  remain  true  to  each  other  fur  life."  Manv  of  the  earlv  traders 
took  Winnebago  wives. 

The  Indians  had  their  favorite  pastimes  and  games,  some  of  which  were 
played  by  the  women  and  children.  There  were  also  several  kinds  of  dances 
for  various  occasions. 

Regarding  their  burial  customs,  the  graves  were  in  later  times  protecterl  by 
logs,  stones,  brush,  or  pickets.  With  the  bodies  of  the  deceased  were  buried 
their  personal  possessions  or  symbolical  objects.  With  the  corpse  of  a  woman 
were  buried  her  imjilements  of  labor.  The  graves  of  chiefs  and  persons  of 
distinction  were  sometimes  enclosed  with  pickets.  ( )ver  such  a  grave  it  was 
customary  to  place  a  white  flag.  The  blackening  of  the  face  by  mourners  was 
a  common  custom.  In  the  winter  the  remains  were  encased  and  placed  on  a 
scaffold  and  then  elevated  into  the  branches  of  a  tree,  or  placed  between  two 
trees.  In  the  spring  the  permanent  burial  was  made  in  a  shallow  grave.  Over 
this  was  erected  an  A-shaped  structure,  consisting  of  two  short,  forked  posts, 
which,  placed  one  at  each  end  of  the  grave,  supported  a  cross-piece.  Against 
this  frame-work  were  placed  wooden  slabs. 

Lengthwise  the  graves  at  the  Turkey  ri\er  extended  from  east  to  west,  in 
order  that  the  dead  might  "look  towards  the  happy  land"  that  was  supjKDsed  to 
lie  somewhere  in  the  direction  of  the  setting  sun.  The  body  of  the  dead  was 
sometimes  placed  in  the  grave  in  a  sitting  posture,  the  head  and  chest  extending 
above  the  ground.  .\  pipe  of  tobacco  was  buried  with  an  adult  male,  and  a 
war-club  was  placed  in  the  grave  of  a  warrior.  The  hieroglyphics  painted  on 
the  post  at  the  head  of  a  warrior's  grave  represented  the  exploits  of  those  who 
danced  about  the  grave  at  his  funeral. 

Mr.  Goddard  says:  "There  were  about  a  (hizen  or  more  Indian  graves 
close  to  the  fort,  but  these  have  long  since  been  obliterated.  An  Indian  child, 
about   seven   or   eight   years  .)f   age,   was  put   above   ground   in   a   coffin   placed 

'■>  Wisconsin  .\rclieologist,  \'ol.  6,  No.  3,  pg.  126. 


16 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OE  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 


between,  and  near  the  top  of,  four  cedar  posts  set  in  the  ground.  an<l  ab..ut  seven 
or  eight  feet  high.  I  was  told  by  the  Indians  who  later  traveled  through  the 
country  quite  frequently  that  the  child  belonged  to  a  Chipi-ewa  woman  who 
was  visiting  the  Winnebagoes.  Later,  a  man  who  stopped  at  my  place  took  from 
inside  the  "heavily  beaded  l^lanket,  in  which  the  child  was  wrapped  when  buried, 
a  round  mirror' ornament  with  a  loop  for  suspension,  about  three  inches  m 
diameter,  on  the  back  of  which  was  a  picture  of  General  Jackson. 

••An  Indian  grave  was  on  the  top  of  a  hill  in  Jackson  township,  section  twenty. 
The  Indians  told  me  that  a  chief  calle<l  Black  Rear  was  buried  there :  however, 
there  is  nothing  further  authentic  to  prove  this.  The  grave  was  surrounded 
by  a  stockade  made  of  ])oards  split  out  of  logs  and  was  seven  feet  high ;  it  en- 
closed a  space  about  seven  by  eight  feet  in  area.  The  boards  were  spiked 
together. 

"Near  the  Little  Turkey  river,  a  fork  of  the  Turkey  river,  at  a  poiiu  about 
one  and  one-half  miles  from  \\'aucoma  in  Eayette  county,  was  a  farm  of  about 
one  hundred  acres  broken  up  (supposedly  by  the  Government)  and  owned 
by  a  chief  called  Whaling  Thunder  [evidently  Whirling  Thunder,  but  not  definitely 
known].  Here  Whaling  (  ?)  Thunder  died,  and  on  his  land  was  a  group  of  about 
thirty  graves.  si.\   Indians  being  buried  in  one  grave." 

Hon.  Abraham  Jacobson,  of  Springfield  township,  stated'"  that,  "On  the 
banks  of  the  Upper  Iowa  river  many  Indian  graves  were  found.  The  bodies 
were  buried  in  a  sitting  position,  with  tiie  head  sometimes  above  ground.  A 
forked  .stick  put  up  like  a  post  at  each  end  of  the  grave  held  a  ridge  pole 
on  which  leaned  thin  boards  placed  slanting  to  each  side  of  the  grave.  Thus 
each  grave  presented  the  appearance  of  a  gable  of  a  small  house." 

On  Mr.  L  I.  Tavener's  land  in  West  Decorah  are  three  mounds,  or  artificial 
iiillocks.  now  nearly  ol)literated  by  cultivation.  These  mounds  are  circular  in 
form  and,  before  being  worn  down  by  the  plow,  were  low,  broad,  round-topped 
cones  from  two  and  one-half  to  three  feet  high  in  the  center.  The  largest  of 
the  group  was  about  forty  feet  in  diameter.  Conical  mounds  are,  as  a  rule, 
depositories  of  the  dead.  As  yet.  no  bones  have  been  c.xhumed  from  any  of  these 
mounds,  so  that  it  is  not  known  at  present  what  purpose  they  served:  but  it 
seems  probable  that  Uiey  were  burial  mounds. 

The  early  settlers  furnished  evidence  of  the  existence  of  many  Indian  graves 
throughout  the  county,  notably  where  the  cit>  of  Decorah  is  located.  These 
graves  are  now   almost   imperceptible. 

RliLIGION 

Ve  whose  hearts  arc   fresh   and  simple, 

Who  have   faitli  in   God  and   Nature. 

Who  believe,  that  in  all  ages 

Every  human  licart  is  liunian, 

That  in  even  savage  bosoms 

There  are  longings,  yearnings,  strivings 

I''or  the  good  they  comprehend  not, 

■""Reminiscences  of  Pioneer  Norwegians,"  by  lion.  A.  Jacobson  in  "The  Illustrated 
Historical  .^tlas  of  Winneshiek  County,  Iowa,"'  1905,  Sec.  II.  pg.  i2. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  17 

That  the  feeble  hands  and  helpless, 
Groping  blindly  in  the  darkness, 
Touch  God's  right  hand  in  that  darkness 
And  are  lifted  up  and  strengthened; — 
Listen  to  this  simple  story, — 

— The  Song  of  Hiawatha. 

The  fundamental  religious  concept  of  the  Indian  is  the  belief  in  the  existence 
of  magic  power  in  animate  and  inanimate  objects.  This  gave  rise  to  their  idea 
that  there  are  men  who  possess  supernatural  power.  This  magic  power  is 
called  Ma"'una  ( Earth-maker)  ^i  by  the  Winnebagoes,  and  corresponds  to  the 
Gitclii  Mcuiito  of  the  Central  Algonquian  tribes,  and  VVakanda^-  of  the  Siouan 
tribes.  As  a  verb,  "wakanda"  signifies  "to  reckon  as  holy  or  sacred,  to  worship ;" 
the  noun  is  "wakan"  and  means  "a  spirit,  something  consecrated."  "Wakan," 
as  an  adjective,  is  defined  as  "spiritual,  sacred,  consecrated,  wonderful,  incom- 
prehensible, mysterious."  "Wakan"  and  various  other  forms  of  that  word  are 
of  common   occurrence  in  the  Winnebago  language. 

The  Winnebago  mythology  consists  of  large  cycles  relating  to  the  five  per- 
sonages, Trickster,  Bladder,  Turtle.  He-who-wears-heads-as-earrings,  and  the 
Hare.  Other  deities  known  to  them  are  Disease-giver,  Sun,  Moon,  Morning 
Star,  the  Spirits  of  the  Night.  r)ne-horn,  the  Earth,  and  the  Water. 

The  Indian  had  no  understanding  of  a  single,  all-powerful  deity,  the  "Creat 
Spirit,"  till  the  Europeans,  often  unconsciously,  informed  him  of  their  own 
belief.  He  believed  in  a  multitude  of  spirits  that  were  the  source  of  good 
or  bad  fortune,  and  whom  he  feared  to  ofl^end.'-"'  He  seems  to  have  had  no 
conception  of  a  future  punishment.  The  mortuary  rites  of  the  Winnebagoes, 
and  other  tribes,  testify  to  the  fact  that  they  believed  in  a  life  after  death ;  but 
as  to  the  nature  of  "the  happy  land  of  the  West"  their  ideas  were  vague. 

The  Winneljagoes  liad  two  imjiortant  tril)al  ceremonies,  the  Mankani.  or 
Medicine  Dance,  and  the  U'agigo.  or  Winter  Feast.  The  Medicine  Dance  could 
take  place  only  in  summer ;  and  the  Winter  Feast  only  in  winter.  The  Medicine 
Dance  was  a  secret  society,  ungraded,  into  which  men  and  women  could  be 
initiated  on  payment  of  a  certain  amount  of  money.  The  purpose  of  the  society 
was  the  prolongation  of  life  and  the  instilling  of  certain  virtues,  none  of  which 
related  to  war.  These  virtues  were  instilled  by  means  of  the  "shooting"  cere- 
mony, the  pretended  shooting  of  a  shell,  contained  in  an  otter-skin  bag,  into  the 
l)ody  of  the  one  to  be  initiated.  The  ceremony  was  performed  in  a  long  tent 
occupied  by  five  ceremonial  bands,  whose  positions  of  honor  depended  on  the 
order  of  invitation.  The  general  ceremony  itself  was  public,  but  a  secret  vapor- 
bath  ceremony  preceded,  and  a  secret  ceremony  intervened  between  the  first 
and  second  parts. 

The  Winter  Feast  was  a  war  feast  and  the  only  distinctively  clan  cere- 
monial among  the  Winnebagoes.  Each  clan  had  a  sacred  bundle,  which  was 
in  the  hands  of  some  male  individual,  and  was  handed  down  from  one  generation 
to  another,  care  being  always  taken  to  keep  it  in  the  same  clan.     The  purpose  of 

^'  Bureau  of  American  Ethnolog>-,  Bulletin  30.  part  2,  pg.  960. 
'-  Bureau  of  American  Ethnology,  Bulletin  ^o,  part  2,  pg.  897. 
'■■^  Bureau  of  American  Ethnology,  Bulletin  30,  part  2,  pg.  284. 
v.ii     1—2 


18  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

this  feast  was  to  appease  all  the  supposed  deities  known  to  them.  Mr.  Metcher, 
the  agent  at  the  Turkey  river,  gave  Mr.  Schoolcraft  a  description  of  the  War 
dance   and  the    Medicine   society. 

There  were  a  number  of  other  important  ceremonie.';,  of  which  the  best 
known  were  the  Herucka  and  the  Buffalo  Dance.  The  latter  was  performed  in 
the  spring,  and  had  for  its  purpose  the  magical  calling  of  the  buffalo  herds. 
All  those  w^ho  pretended  to  have  had  supernatural  communication  with  the 
Buffalo  spirit  might  participate  in  the  ceremony,  irrespective  of  clan.  It  seems 
that  the  object  of  the  Herucka  was  to  stimulate  an  heroic  spirit. 

Moses  Paquette  gave  Doctor  Thwaites  of  Wisconsin  a  brief  account  of  the 
Buffalo  Dance,  which  he  describes  as  "Proljahly  the  most  popular  of  iheir 
dances."  "They  represent,"  he  continues,  "themselves  to  be  bisons,  imitating 
the  legitimate  motions  and  noises  of  the  animal,  and  introducing  a  great  many 
others  that  would  quite  astonish  the  oldest  buft'alo  in  existence.  Of  course  it 
has  been  a  long  time  since  any  Winnebagoes  ever  saw  buft'alo ;  their  antics  are 
purely   traditionary,  handed  down   from   former  generations  of  dancers."  '^ 

Other  dances  and  feasts  were  the  Snake,  Scalp,  Grizzly-bear,  Sore-eye.  and 
Gho.st  dances.  Little  Hill,  a  Winnebago  chief,  gave  Mr.  Fletcher  an  account 
of  their  creation,  which,  in  all  its  parts,  bears  testimony  to  their  belief  in  numer- 
ous spirits.*'*  Mr.  Lamere  states  that,  "The  Buffalo  Dance  was  carried  on  by 
the  Winnebagoes  for  a  long  time,  but  the  dance  that  they  seemed  to  have  liked 
and  indulged  in  mostly  while  there  [Iowa]  was  the  Fish  Dance,  which  was  only 
a  dance  of  amusement.  The  Herucka  dance  w^as  adopted  from  some  of  the 
western  tribes  and  was  brought  back  h\  the  Winnel;)agoes  who  enlisted  as 
scouts  during  the  Sioux  outbreak  in  it<6j  and  was  introduced  after  the  Winne- 
bagoes came  here  to  Nebraska;"  he  further  states, — "The  Thunder-tiird  was 
held  in  awe  by  the  Winnebagoes,  and  they  believed  that  thunder-storms  were 
caused  by  these  beings,  the  lightning  being  caused  by  the  opening  and  closing 
of  their  eyes;  the  Winnebagoes  do  not  describe  them  as  birds,  but  beings  of  the 
human  type  and  always  wearing  cedar  boughs  on  their  head,  or  hair,  and  carry- 
ing riat  war-dubs." 

GENEALOGY  AND   HISTORY  OF    rilE  DECORAH    FAMILY 

How  fair  is  Decorah, 

Our  city  named  so 
For  tlie  Indians  tliat  roamed 

O'er  its  bills  years  ago. 
Whose  well  trodden  pathways 

The   story   could   tell 
How  from  all  directions 

They  came  here  to  dwell. 

In  fitting  remembrance 

These  lines  we  inscribe 
To  Wankon  Decorah. 

A  chief  of  their  tribe, 

'*  Wisconsin  Archcologist,  Vol.  6,  No.  3,  pg.  \^o. 
""Red  Men  of  Iowa,"  by  A.  R.  Fnlton. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  19 

Whose  name  is  a  landmark 

And  honored  shall  stand 
I^'or  heeding  the  fiat 

".Move  on,  yield  yonr  land." 

And  Indians  that  peopled 

Tliis  heantifnl  site, 
Reluctant  but  friendly 

Relinquished  their  right. 
They  left  us  this  valley 

With  beauties  untold, 
Gave  way  to  the  settlers, 

Our  pioneers  bold. 

Things  have  changed,  to  be  sure, 

In  this  valley, — still 
'Tis  but  sixty  odd  years 

Since    they    camped    on    yon    hill 
Where  now  stands  the  courthouse 

A  pride  of  our  town. 
The  heart  of  the  county. 

Of  widespread  renown. 

— Mrs.  John  C.  Hc-xom. 

Hopokockau,  or  "Glory  of  the  Morning,'"  also  known  as  the  Queen  of  the 
Winnebagoes,  was  the  mother  of  a  celebrated  line  of  chiefs,  all  of  whoni,  well 
known  to  border  history,  bore  in  some  form  the  name  Decorah.  Her  Indian 
name  is  also  given  as  Wa-ho-po-e-kau.  She  was  the  daughter  of  one  of  the 
principal  \\'inncl)ag()  chiefs.  There  is  no  record  of  the  date  of  her  birth  or 
death. 

She  became  the  wife  of  Sabrevoir  De  Carrie,  who  prol)ably  came  to  Wisconsin 
with  the  French  army,  in  which  he  was  an  officer,  in  1728.  He  resigned  his 
commission  in  1729,  and  became  a  fur-trader  among  the  Winnebagoes,  subse- 
quently marrying  "Glory  of  the  Morning."  He  was  adopted  into  her  clan  and 
highly  honored.  After  seven  or  eight  years,  during  which  time  two  sons  and 
a  daughter  were  born  to  him,  he  left  her,  taking  with  him  the  daughter.  The 
Queen  refused  to  go  with  her  husband,  and  remained  in  her  home  with  her 
two  sons.  "The  result  is  today  that  one-half  or  two-thirds  of  the  Winnebago 
tribe  have  more  or  less  of  the  Decorah  blood  in  their  veins."  ^^  Through  the 
intervening  generations  there  has  been  no  other  mixture  of  Caucasian  blood, 
so  that  the  Decoralis  of  today  are  probably  as  nearly  full-bloods  as  any  Indians 
in  any  part  of  the  country. 

De  Carrie  returned  to  Canada,  reentered  the  army,  and  was  killed  at  Ste 
Foye  in  the  spring  of  1760.  The  daughter  whom  he  took  with  him  became  the 
wife  of  a  trader.  Constant  Kerigoufili,  whose  son,  Sieur  Laurent  Fily  (so-called), 
died   about    1846. 

Capt.  Jonathan  Carver,  who  visited  the  Queen  in  1766,  states  that  she 
received  him  graciously,  and  luxuriously  entertained  him  during  the  four  days 
he  remained  in  her  village,  which  "contained  tifty  houses."  Her  two  sons, 
"being  the  descendants  of  a   chief  on  the  mother's  side,  when   they  arrived   at 

1''  Statement  by  Geo.  W.  Kingsley. 


20  I'AST  AND   I'RICSENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

manhood  *  *  *  assumed  the  digiiil)-  of  their  rank  Ijy  inheritance.  They 
were  generally  good  Indians  and  freciuently  urged  their  claims  to  the  friendship 
of  the  whites  by  saying  they  were  themselves  half  white." 

Choukeka  Dekaury,  or  Spoon  Decorah,  sometimes  called  the  Ladle,  was  the 
eldest  son  of  Sabrevoir  De  Carrie  and  llopokoekau.  The  name  is  also  rendered 
Chau-ka-ka  and  Chou-ga-rah.  After  having  been  made  chief  he  became  the 
leader  of  attacks  on  the  Chippewas  during  a  war  between  them  and  the  W'inne- 
bagoes,  i)ut  he  maintained  friendly  relations  with  the  whites.  lie  was  the 
ancestor  of  the  Portage  branch  of  the  family.  It  was  princijially  through  his 
influence  that  the  treaty  of  June  3.  1S16,  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  was  brought 
about. 

llis  wife.  Elight  of  ( leese.  was  a  daughter  of  Nawkaw  (known  also  as 
Carrymaunec  and  Walking  Turtle),  whose  management  of  tribal  affairs  was 
decidedly  peaceful.  According  to  La  Ronde.  Choukeka's  death  occurreil  in 
1816,  when  he  was  "cjuite  aged."  He  left  six  sons  and  five  daughters.  The 
sons  were:  (1)  Konokah,  or  Old  Gray-headed  Decorah;  (2)  Augah,  or  the 
Black  Decorah,  named  by  l^a  Ronde,  Ruch-ka-scha-ka,  or  White  Pigeon;  (3) 
Anaugah,  or  the  Raisin  Decorah,  named  by  La  Ronde,  Chou-me-ne-ka-ka ;  (4) 
Nah-ha-sauch-e-ka,  or  Rascal  Decorah;  (5)  Wau-kon-ga-ka,  or  tlie  Thunder 
Hearer ;  (6)  Ong-skaka,  or  White  \\'olf,  who  died  young.  Three  of  the  daughters 
married  Indians.  One  married  a  trajjper  named  Dennis  De  Riviere  and  later 
married  Perische  Grignon.     The  other  married  Jean  Lecuyer. 

Cyrus  Thomas'"  makes  the  statement  that,  "From  Choukeka's  daughters  who 
married  white  men  are  descended  several  well  knuwu  families  of  Wisconsin 
and  Minnesota." 

Chali-post-kaa^-kaw.  or  the  lUizzard  Decorah,  was  the  second  son  of  De 
Carrie  and  "Glory  of  the  Morning."-  He  settled  at  La  Crosse  in  17S7,  with 
a  band  of  Wimiebagoes,  and  was  .soon  after  killed  there.  He  had  two  sons: 
(i)  Big  Cancic,  or  One-eyed  Decorah.  and  i  j  i  \\  akun-ha-ga,  or  Snake  Skin, 
known  as  Waukon  Decorah. 

Old  Gray-hcadcd  Dccoralt.  called  by  the  whites  Konakah  (eldest)  ]3ecorah, 
often  mentioned  as  Old  Dekaury,  was  the  eldest  son  and  successor  of  Choukeka 
Dekaury.  His  common  Indian  name  was  Schachipkaka,  or  The  War  Eagle. 
The  signature  "De-ca-ri"  attached  to  the  treaty  of  i'rairie  des  Chiens  (as  the 
word  is  frec|uently  spelled  in  early  documents),  Michigan  Territory.  August 
19,  1825,  is  i^robably  that  of  <  'Id  1  )ckaury.  lie  signed  the  treaty  of  Prairie  du 
Chien,  Michigan  Territory,  .\ugust  1,  1829,  as  "Hee-tsha-wau-sharp-skaw-kaii, 
or  White  War  I'.agle. "  .\niong  those  representing  the  Fort  Winnebago  de])uta- 
tion  at  the  treaty  of  burl  .Armstrong,  l^oek  IsLind.  Illinois,  September  15.  1S32, 
he  signed  as  "l!ee-tsliah-wau-sai])-skaw-skaw,  or  While  War  Eagle,  ne-k;ui- 
ray,  sr." 

Old  Decorah  was  Ijorn  in  1747,  and  died  al  I'elen  well,  the  high  rock  on  the 
Wisconsin  river,  April  Jo,  iS^f).  about  ninety  years  old.  (lid  I  )e-kau-rv's 
town  contained  over  one  hundred  lodges,  and  was  the  largest  of  the  Winnebago 
villages.  Before  he  died  he  called  a  Catholic  jiriest.  who  ba[)tized  him  the  day 
of  his  death. 

Before  his  father's  death,  in  1816.  Old  Gray-headed  Decnraii  bad  joined  a 
band  of  Winnebagoes  who  took  part.  August  2,  1S13,  in  the  attack  led  bv  Gen- 

'"Of  the  Bureau  of  American  Ethnology. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  23 

eral  Proctor,  with  500  regulars  and  800  Indians,  on  Fort  Stephenson  on  lower 
Sandusky  river,  Ohio,  which  was  so  gallantly  defended  by  Alaj.  George  Croghan 
with  a  force  of  150  Americans  and  only  one  camion.  He  also  fought  with 
Proctor  and  Tecumseh,  a  celebrated  Shawnee  chief,  at  the  battle  of  the  Thames, 
Canada,  where  a  great  part  of  the  British  army  was  either  slain  or  captured  by 
the  American  forces  under  Gen.  \\'m.  H.  Harrison,  October  5,  18 13,  and  where 
Tecumseh  was  shot.  Old  Uecorah  was  held  as  a  hostage  for  the  delivery  of 
Red  Bird,  a  war  chief,  during  the  so-called  Winnebago  war.  Old  Decorah 
gave  assurance  to  General  Atkinson,  during  this  war,  of  the  peaceable  intentions 
of  the  Winnebagoes. 

It  was  while  Alaj.  Zachary  Taylor  was  located  at  Prairie  du  Chien  that  he 
received  from  Old  Gray-headed  Decorah  a  peace  pipe  now  in  the  State  Historical 
Aluseum  at  :\Iadison,  \\'isconsin.  This  calumet  is  a  fine  specimen;  the  head  is 
of  catlinite  inlaid  with  lead  polished  to  look  like  silver.  The  stem,  or  wooden 
handle,  is  about  three  feet  long,  rather  rudely  carved. 

Mrs.  J.  H.  Kinzie  described  ^'^  him  as  "The  most  noble,  dignified,  and  ven- 
erable of  his  own  or  indeed  of  any  other  tribe.  His  fine  Roman  countenance, 
rendered  still  more  striking  by  his  bald  head,  with  one  solitary  tuft  of  long  sil- 
very hair  neatly  tied  and  falling  liack  on  his  shoulders :  his  perfectly  neat,  appro- 
priate dress,  almost  without  ornament,  and  his  courteous  manner,  never  laid 
aside,  under  any  circumstances,  all  combined  to  give  him  the  highest  place  in 
the  consideration  of  all  who  knew  him." 

Mrs.  Kinzie  further  states:'-'  "The  nublc  fJld  Day-kau-ray  came  one  day 
from  the  Barribault  to  apprise  us  of  the  state  of  his  village.  More  than  forty 
of  his  people,  he  said,  had  now  been  for  many  days  without  food,  save  bark  and 
roots.  My  husband  accompanied  him  to  the  commanding  officer  to  tell  his 
story,  and  ascertain  if  any  amount  of  food  could  be  obtained  from  that  quarter. 
The  result  was  the  promise  of  a  small  allowance  of  flour,  sufficient  to  alleviate 
the  cravings  of  his  own  family.  \Mien  this  was  explained  to  the  chief  he  turned 
away.  'No,'  he  said,  "if  his  people  could  not  l)e  relieved,  he  and  his  family  would 
starve  with  them,'  and  he  refused  for  those  nearest  and  dearest  to  him  the 
proiTered  succor  until  all  could  share  alike."  During  the  winter  of  1832-33 
food  was  scarce  at  Fort  Winnebago,  and  the  Indians  suffered  severely. 

Old  Day-kau-ray  delivered  an  address  on  education  to  the  agent,  Mr.  Kinzie, 
at  a  conference  held  with  the  Winnebago  chiefs  in  1831,  in  regard  to  sending 
the  children  of  the  Indians  away  to  school.  The  following  quotation  is  from 
["lis  speech:  -"  "The  white  man  does  not  live  like  the  Indian;  it  is  not  his  nature; 
neither  does  the  Indian  lo\e  to  live  like  the  white  man.  *  *  *  This  is  what 
we  think.     If  we  change  our  minds  we  will  let  you  know." 

The  known  sons  of  Old  Dekaury  were  (  I  )  Little  Decorah  and  (2)  Spoon 
Decorah. 

Big  Canoe,  or  Oiir-cyrd  Decorah.  a  son  of  Chatpost-kaw-kah,  told  George 
Gale-'   about  1855  that  he  had  but  one  brother,  Waukon  Decorah.     One-eyed 

"*  "Wau-Bun,"  pg.  89. 

'''■'  Same  reference  as  above,  pg.  484. 

-"  Smithsonian  Report,  1885.  part  2,  pg.  128. 

-■^  A  Wisconsin  pioneer  who  in  1851  removed  to  the  copper  Mississippi  region,  where  he 
was  judge,  state  senator,  etc.,  founding  the  village  of  Galesvillc  and  the  academy  thereat.  He 
wrote  a  history  of  the  Winnebago  Indians,  which  is  still  in  manuscript  form  in  the  Wisconsin 
Historical  Society's  possession. 


24  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WTXXESIIII'.K  COUNTY 

Decorah's  Indian  name  was  \\'adge-liut-la-ka\v,  or  the  Big  Canoe.  The  signa- 
ture, \\'atch-ha-ta-ka\v  (by  Henry  M.  Rice,  his  delegate),  is  attached  to  the 
treaty  of  Washington,  October  13.  1X4^).  and  is  undoubtedly  that  of  One-eyed 
Decorah. 

He  was  born  about  1772,  and  was  fifteen  years  oi  age  when  his  father 
settled  at  La  Crosse.  He  aided  in  the  capture  of  Mackinaw,  July  17,  1S12,  and 
was  with  the  British  in  the  attack  on  Fort  Stephenson,  August  2,  1813,  near 
Fremont,  Ohio,  and  with  ^iIcKay  at  the  capture  of  Prairie  du  Chien.  It  is  said 
that  he  signed  the  treaty  there  in  1825.  The  act  for  which  he  became  celebrated 
was  the  capture  of  lUack  Hawk  and  the  Prophet  in  1832.  I'lack  Ilawk"s  force 
was  pursued  by  General  Atkinson,  who  completely  defeated  him  .\ugust  3, 
1832.  The  famous  Sauk  leader  and  the  i'rophet  escaped  to  the  northward  and 
sought  refuge  among  some  \\  innebagoes,  whither  they  were  followed  and  ca])tured 
by  One-eyed  Decorah  and  Chaetar  (another  Winnebago),  who  delivered  him  to 
General  Street  (a  former  Winnebago  agent)  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  August  27, 
1832.     On  this  occasion  One-eyed  Decorah  made  the  following  speech : -- 

"My  father,  I  now  stand  before  you.  When  we  parted  I  told  you  1  would 
return  soon,  but  I  could  not  come  any  sooner.  We  had  to  go  a  great  distance. 
You  see  we  have  done  what  you  sent  us  to  do.  These  (pointing  to  the  prisoners) 
are  the  two  you  told  us  to  get.  We  ha\e  done  what  you  told  us  to  do.  We 
always  do  what  you  tell  us,  because  we  know  it  is  for  our  good,  h'alher,  vou 
told  us  to  get  these  men,  and  it  would  be  the  cause  of  much  good  to  the 
Winnebagoes.  W'c  have  brought  them,  but  it  has  been  very  hard  for  us  to  do 
so.  That  one  (Black  Hawk)  was  a  great  way  off.  \'ou  told  us  to  bring  ihem  to 
you  alive;  we  have  done  so.  If  you  had  told  us  to  bring  their  heads  alone, 
we  would  have  done  so,  and  it  would  have  l)cen  less  dillicult  than  what  we  ha\-e 
done.  We  would  not  dcli\er  (hcni  in  our  brother,  the  chief  of  the  warriors,  but 
to  you,  because  we  know  you,  and  we  believe  you  are  our  friend.  We  want 
you  to  keep  them  safe;  if  they  are  to  be  hurt,  we  do  not  wish  to  see  it.  Wait 
until  we  are  gone  bef(M-e  it  is  done,  b'allicr.  ni;in\-  little  birds  lia\c  been  Hying 
about  our  ears  of  late,  and  we  thought  they  whispered  to  us  that  there  was 
evil  intended  for  us ;  but  now  we  ho])e  these  evil  birds  will  let  our  ears  alone. 
We  know  you  are  our  friend  because  \-ou  took  our  i)art.  and  that  is  the  reason 
we  do  what  you  tell  us  to  do.  ^'ou  say  you  love  your  red  children :  we  think 
we  love  you  as  much  as.  if  not  more  than,  you  love  us.  We  have  conlldence 
in  you  and  you  may  rely  on  us.  We  have  been  promised  a  great  deal  if  we 
would  take  these  men — that  it  would  do  much  good  to  our  people.  We  now 
hope  to  see  what  will  be  done  for  us.  We  have  come  in  haste:  we  arc  tired 
and  hungry.  We  now  ])Ul  tliese  men  into  your  hands.  We  li:i\c  ijnnc  .-lU  ih.it 
you  told  us  to  do." 

In  1832,  ( )ne-eyed  Decorah  m.irricd  two  wi\cs  ;uid  went  to  li\c  t.n  the 
Black  river,  \\'isconsin.  He  had  .it  least  one  son,  ."-^poon  Hecorah.  Ch;is.  H. 
Saunders  says:  "One-eyed  Decorah  has  one  daughter,  Mrs.  Hester  I.owery, 
still  living  in  Wisconsin.  Her  Indian  name  is  No-jin-win-ka.  She  is  between 
eighty-five  and  ninety  years  old."  One-eyed  Decorah  was  living  in  Iowa  be- 
tween  1840  and   1848.  as  Moses  Paqucltc,  who  went  to  the  Presbvteri.in  .school 

--"Red  .Men  of  low.i,"  pn.  ifo. 


PAST  AND  I'RESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  25 

at  the  Turkey  river,  says  that  he  saw  him  while  he  was  at  school,  and  Decorah 
was  then  an  old  man.    Big  Canoe  disliked  to  leave  their  Iowa  reservation. 

Geo.  W.  Kingsley  says:  "One-eyed  Decorah  or  Big  Canoe,  after  being 
driven  around  by  the  United  States  (3overnment  from  the  Turkey  river  reserva- 
tion, Iowa,  to  Long  Prairie  in  northern  Minnesota,  then  back  to  Blue  Earth, 
southern  Minnesota,  his  family  brought  the  old  chief  back  to  his  native  home 
and  stamping  grounds  in  Wisconsin.  *  *  *  He  requested  his  children  not 
to  bury  him.  but  instead,  to  place  him  on  top  of  the  ground  in  a  sitting  position, 
and  so  it  was  done." 

He  lived  for  a  number  of  years  with  his  tribe  on  Decora's  Prairie,  Wisconsin, 
which  is  named  after  him ;  there  is  also  a  bluff  called  Decora's  Peak  back  from 
the  Prairie  which  was  also  named  after  him.  George  Gale  states:  "The  One- 
eved  De  Carry,  who  is  now  [about  1S64]  about  ninety  years  old,  had  his  cheedah 
(or  wigwam)  and  family  during  the  summer  of  1862  two  miles  west  of  Gales- 
ville,  Wisconsin,  and  a  part  of  the  summer  of  1S63  he  was  near  New  Lisbon." 
On  both  of  these  occasions  Gale  interviewed  him  on  the  traditions  of  his  tribe 
and  familv.  One-eyed  Decorah  (also  written  One-Eyed  Decorah)  died  near 
the  Tunnel,  in  Monroe  county,  not  far  from  Tomah,  Wisconsin,  in  August,  1864. 
A.  R.  Fulton  says  :-'■■•  "\Miile  young  he  [( )ne-eyed  Decorah]  had  the  mis- 
fortune to  lose  his  right  eye." 

Some  histories--*  contain  the  statement  that,  "One-eyed  Decorah,  a  son  of 
W'aukon  Decorah,  was  a  drunkard  and  unworthy  of  his  father ;"  there  is  no 
evidence,  however,  to  show  that  he  was  more  debauched  than  other  chiefs,  for 
nearly  all  Indians  were  more  or  less  addicted  to  firewater.  That  he  was  a  son 
of  Waukon  Decorah  is  an  error,  as  One-eyed  Decorah  himself  testifies  that 
Waukon  was  his  brother. 

n'akuu-lia-ga.  or  Snake  Skin,  a  son  of  Chahpost-kaw-kah,  was  commonly 
known  as  Waukon  Decorah,  '>r  Washington  Decorah  because  in  1828  he  went 
to  Washington  with  the  chiefs;  he  also  visited  Washington  later.  Waukon 
Decorah  was  a  great  council  chief  and  orator  of  his  tribe. 

The  following  treaties  were  signed  by  him:  August  19.  1823.  Prairie  des 
Chiens,  Michigan  Territory,  as  "Wan-ca-ha-ga.  or  snake's  skin ;"  August  25, 
1828,  Green  Bay,  Michigan  Territory,  as  "Wau-kaun-haw-kaw,  or  snake  skin ;" 
August  I.  1829,  Prairie  Du  Chien,  Michigan  Territory,  as  "Wau-kaun-hah-kaw, 
snake  skin ;"  among  those  representing  the  Prairie  du  Chien  deputation  at  Fort 
Armstrong,  Rock  Island,  Illinois.  September  15,  1832,  as  "Wau-kaun-hah-kaw.  or 
snake  skin.  (Day-kau-ray)  ;"  November  1.  1837,  Washington,  D.  C,  as  "Wa- 
kaun-ha-kah,  (Snake  Skin)."  In  1832,  Mr.  Burnett  found  him,  with  the  prin- 
cipal part  of  his  band  from  the  Wisconsin  and  Kickapoo  rivers,  about  sixty  miles 
up  the  Mississippi  from  Prairie  du  Chien.  This  was  during  the  Black  Hawk 
war,  at  which  time  Waukon  Decorah  aided  the  whites.  This  chief  belonged  to 
the  Mississippi  river  bands. 

Mr.  Saunders  says,  "Wakun-ha-ga  had  one  son  named  'Ma-he-ska-ga,  or 
White  Cloud;'  he  is  buried  here  on  this  reservation  [Nebraska.]  This  man  was 
known    around    Prairie    du    Chien   and   Lansing   as   John   Waukon    (there   is   a 

-•■'"Red  Men  of  Iowa,"  A.  R.  I'^ilton ;  "Tlie  Making  of  Iowa,"  Sabin. 
-■*  Same  reference  as  above. 


26  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OP  WTXXESillEK  COUNTY 

Cliarley  W'aiikon  who  is  now  living  at  Lansing.  Iowa,  but  lie  is  no  relation  to 
the  Waukon  Decorah  famihj.  John  W'aiikon  has  one  danghter,  Mrs.  Henry 
Big  Eire,  and  two  sons,  Henry  Smith  ('1  hinting  Man')  and  Jolin  Smith  ('Che- 
wy-scha-ka')  still  living.  John  Waukon  was  my  father-in-law;  my  wife's  name, 
by  birth  and  number  of  female  children,  was  Oc-see-ah-ho-no-nien-kaw.  She 
died  February  21,  1913." 

\\'aukon  Decorah's  portrait  (recently  identified),  painted  by  J.  O.  Lewis-' 
at  the  Treaty  of  Prairie  du  Chien  in  1825.  is  shown  in  Lewis'  Aboriginal  Port- 
folio. He  is  there  called  "Waa-kaun-see-kaa,  or  the  Rattle  Snake."  Its  chief 
distinction  is  a  turban  composed  of  a  stuffed  rattlesnake,  wound  around  the  head, 
on  which  are  some  feathers;  a  blanket  is  draped  around  the  lower  part  of  his 
form,  while  a  bunch  of  hair  (evidently  horsehair )   is  thrown  over  his  arm. 

Waukon  Decorah  evidently  had  adopted  for  his  badge  a  stuffed  snake  skin, 
so  that  by  some  he  was  called  "snake  skin,''  by  others,  "rattlesnake."  the  former 
term,  according  to  historical  data,  being  more  coininonly  used.  Thomas  Mc- 
Kenney,  later  United  States  Lidian  Commissioner,  gives  a  portrait  of  this  chief 
in  McKenney  and  Hall's  "Indian  Tribes."  with  a  biography.  Here  he  is  called 
"Wa-kaun-ha-ka,  a  Winnebago  Chief."  Jn  his  biographic  note  McKenney  speaks 
of  '"Wa-kaun-ha-ka"  as  a  Decorah.  moreover,  he  says  that  the  subject  was  part 
French.  The  Wa-kaun-ha-ka  of  .McKenney  and  tlie  Waa-kaun-.see-kaa  of  Lewis 
are  portraits  of  the  same  person,  and  both  coincide  in  tlic  rattlesnake  turban. 

The  variation  in  Indian  names  is  not  a  formidable  matter  in  identification. 
Air.  Lamerc  states  that,  "The  literal  translation  of  "Wa-kaun-see-kaa"  is  'the 
Yellow  Snake.'"  Mr.  Saunders  says:  "At  times  of  feasts  or  medicine  dances 
Wa-kun-ha-ga  wore  on  his  head  a  cap  [turban]  made  of  yellow  rattlesnake  skins; 
the  feathers  denote  bravery  in  battle."  L.  H.  Bunnell  mentions  that  the  yellow 
rattlesnakes  of  the  Mississippi  bluff's  were  held  as  sacred  by  the  \\'innebagoes  and 
Dakotas,  who  killed  them  only  when  a  skin  was  required  for  a  religious  ceremony 
or  dance.-" 

Miss  Kellogg,  research  assistant  to  Reuben  G.  Thwaites,'-'  reports  as  follows: 
"We  can  unhesitatingly  affirm,  that  there  is  every  probability  that  this  is  the  well 
known  Winnebago  known  as  Waukon  Decorah.  *  *  *  j  ihini^  there  can  be 
no  doubt  that  Lewis's  portrait  is  a  genuine  one,  and  correctly  identified." 

Several  historians  ='*  of  Iowa,  it  seems,  have  taken  their  accounts  of  Waukon 
Decorah  from  a  statement  originally  made  in  the  ".\nnals  of   Iowa,"    1S66,  by 

=*Mr.  J.  O.  Lewis  was  employed  In-  the  Indian  Dcparlment  from  i8j.?  10  iS?4  to  make 
portraits  of  the  Indians,  which  was  in  furtherance  of  the  plan  of  I  Ion.  J.  A.  Harbour,  Secretary 
of  War.  Me  accompanied  Governor  Lewis  Cass  and  Colonel  H.  L.  McKenney  in  their  west- 
ern tours.  1819  and  1829,  and  was  present  at  the  several  treaties  made  by  these  gentlemen  with 
the  Cliippewas,  Winnebagocs,  Siou.x,  Pottawattamies,  and  others.  One  of  the  folios  contained 
a  letter  from  General  Cass  in  September,  1835,  to  Mr.  Lewis,  confirming  the  correctness  of 
his  pictures  and  commending  him  to  the  public.  The  sketches  made  by  Mr.  Lewis  were  depos- 
ited in  the  Indian  Office,  War  Department,  at  Washington,  and  many  of  them  were  afterwards 
copied,  at  two  different  times,  for  the  work  of  McKenney  and  Hall.— Part  2.  Smithsonian 
Report.  1885. 

="  Wisconsin  .Archcologist,  \'ol.  6.  Xo.  3.  pg.  134. 

="  Superintendent  of  the  Stale  Historical  Society  of  Wisconsin. 

'".•\.  R.  Fulton,  "The  Red  Men  of  Iowm  ;"  B.  F.  Cue.  "Hi-iinry  of  Iowa,"  Vol.  i  ;  Sabin 
in  "The  Making  of  Iowa"  also  gives  the  same  account. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  27 

Eliphalet  Price  of  Elkader,  Clayton  county.  This  contains  numerous  errors. 
The  W'aukon  Decorah  described  as  a  very  small  Indian  is  not  the  person  of  that 
name  known  to  Wisconsin  history.  Price  says.^o  "He  was  usually  called  'the 
Blind  Decorah,"  having  lost  his  right  eye ;"  he  further  states  that  the  meaning  of 
Waukon  Decorah  is  "White  Snake."  In  this  he  is  also  mistaken,  as  the  previously 
given  treaty  signatures  testify.  Decorah  is  a  corruption  of  the  French  surname  De 
Carrie. 

George  W.  Kingslev  makes  the  following  statement:  "There  was  a  Jl'hitc 
Snake  also,  but  he  was  not  a  chief,  although  a  very  prominent  Indian.  He  died 
in  Houston  county,  Minnesota,  about  the  time  the  Decorahs  lived  in  Iowa.  His 
remains  were  left  in  a  sitting  position  on  the  point  of  a  hill  about  one  mile  north 
of  the  village  of  Houston.  White  Snake  lost  a  part  of  his  family  in  a  massacre 
on  the  Wapsipinicon  river,  Iowa,  a  few  years  after  the  Black  Hawk  war  while 
on  an  elk  hunt,  by  a  band  of  Sauk  and  Fox  Indians  by  mistake.  White  Snake 
was  part  Sauk." 

The  speech  referred  to  and  party  quoted  in  W.  E.  Alexander's  History  of 
Winneshiek  and  Allamakee  counties,  1882,  and  credited  to  Waukon  Decorah,  is 
obviously  connected  with  this  incident.  Evidently  the  speech  was  made  by 
White  Snake.  He  complained  that  his  tribe  had  been  firm  friends  of  the  whites, 
had  aided  them  in  the  Black  Hawk  war,  and  because  of  this  had  incurred  the 
enmity  of  the  Sauks  and  Foxes,  who  first  struck  at  his  own  family.  He  desired 
some  token  of  remembrance  for  his  services. 

It  is  claimed  by  Alexander  ^"  that,  "The  name  'Wachon  Decorah'  is  found 
translated  in  some  places  as  the  'White  Crow";  this  is  an  error.  There  was  a 
White  Crow  whose  Indian  name  was  Wa-haw-ska-kaw,  also  given  as  Kau-kich- 
ka-ka.  He  was  a  prominent  Winnebago  civil  chief  and  orator  and  died  about 
the  year  1834  in  Wisconsin,  and  was  buried  there.  Spoon  Decorah,  a  son  of  Old 
Gray-headed  Decorah,  stated  that  White  Crow  was  a  one-eyed  chief." 

Eliphalet  Price  took  the  census  of  1850  and  is  credited  by  the  Day  family 
(who  were  some  of  the  first  white  settlers  in  Winneshiek  county)  with  suggest- 
ing Decorah  as  a  very  proper  name  for  the  town  site  that  they  had  in  mind  to 
plat. 3'  In  the  act  of  organizing  the  county  (  1851)  Decorah  is  herein  first  named, 
two  and  a  half  years  before  the  town  plat  was  recorded.  The  d.istrict  represented 
by  Hon.  Eliphalet  Price  consisted  of  Clayton,  Fayette,  Allamakee,  and  Winne- 
shiek counties.  John  Day  made  the  remark  ■'-  that  Decorah  "was  a  small  Indian 
about  five  feet  in  height." 

'Sir.  Price  and  Air.  Day  were  probably  mislead  in  their  identification  of  this 
chief,  as  there  were  other  Winnebagoes  whose  names  began  with  Waukon.  A])- 
parently,  they  were  familiar  with  the  name  Waukon  Decorah  and  had  tiiis  in 
mind  when  it  came  to  selecting  a  name  for  the  new  town.  Mr.  Price  in  his  article 
relates  that,  "Soon  after  the  removal  of  the  Winnebagoes  from  the  Wisconsin  to 
the  Neutral  Ground  in  Iowa,  Decorah  and  his  band  took  up  their  residence  on  the 
Iowa  river  near  the  present  site  of  the  town  that  bears  his  name,  in  the  county 

2"  In  his  article  entitled  "Wakon  Decorah,"  Annals  of  Iowa,  1866. 

30  In  his  History  of  Winneshiek  and  Allamakee  counties. 

31  From  a  paper  prepared  by  A.  K.  Bailey  for  deposit  in  the  corner  stone  of  the  new 
Court  House. 

32  In   Alexander's  History  of   Winneshiek  and   .Mlamakce   counties. 


28  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OE  \\TNNES1I11-:K  COUNTY 

of  Winneshiek."  Antoine  Grignon  states:  "Wakuii-lia-ga  [Waukon  Decorah] 
was  camped  on  the  Iowa  river  [Uj^pcr  Iowa  J  when  I  knew  him.  *  *  *  He 
did  not  remain  in  that  section  long."  Mr.  Saunders  says,  "Wakun-ha-ga,  and  his 
band,  also  had  a  village  at  or  near  Waukon.  Iowa,  where  they  went  in  the  sum- 
mer, and  raised  corn  and  squash,  and  picked  berries  for  winter  use." 

In  a  statement  made  by  Col.  C.  A.  Clark  in  "Annals  of  Iowa."  1903,  he 
remarks  that.  "The  name  of  the  city  of  Decorah  evidently  comes  from  Little 
Decorah."  This  is  very  imi)robable,  as  there  is  nothing  which  corroborates  it. 
Old  Waukon  lived  a  generation  or  two  before  Little  Decorah,  and  was  a  distin- 
guished chief,  while  it  ajjpears  that  the  latter  was  of  lesser  note. 

It  is  evident,  therefore,  that  our  county  seat  is  named  in  honor  of  the  vener- 
able Waukon  Decorah.  Alexander  states,  "Our  neighboring  town  of  Waukon 
gained  its  name  from  the  first  half."  Oliver  Lamere  confirms  this  in  the  follow- 
ing account:  "Waukon  and  Waukon  Junction  ha\e  derived  their  names  from 
Waukon  Decorah.  *  *  *  \  v(^.,-y  prominent  chief  lived  at  the  time  the  Win- 
nebagoes  were  there  [Iowa]  called  'Ah-la-me-ga.'  It  is  thought  that  the  nanie 
Allamakee  is  taken  from  him,  and  therefore  it  is  a  Winnebago  name." 

Waukon  Decorah  was  noted  for  his  large  and  imposing  stature  and  is  said 
to  have  been  a  fine-looking  man.  Colonel  Brisbois  of  Prairie  du  Chien.  who  knew 
him  W'Cll,  speaks  particularly  of  his  stature.  Antoine  Grignon  states  that,  "he  was 
a  large  man  over  six  feet  tall  and  very  powerful;"  he  further  states,  ".Mr.  Price 
is  mistaken, — W'aukon  Decorah  W'as  not  blind."  He  is  said  to  have  had  a  family 
of  several  children  while  here  in  low;i.  hui  the  number  is  not  known.  Wakun- 
ha-ga  was  a  member  of  the  Snake  clan  and  belonged  to  the  Lower  phratry.  It 
is  said  that  his  sons  had  eagle  clan  names  and  claimed  to  i)C  of  the  eagle  clan. 

What  are  said  to  be  the  remains  of  W'aukon  Decorah.  which  have  been  twice 
re-intered,  now  repose  in  the  Court  House  Square,  near  the  northeast  corner. 
These  are,  however,  the  jjones  of  some  other  Indian.  The  first  grave  supposed 
to  be  that  of  Decorah  was  on  ground  now  occupied  by  Winnebago  street,  just 
below  Main,  almost  at  their  intersection.  The  opening  of  the  street  to  travel 
made  it  desirable  that  the  remains  be  removed  to  another  spot.  This  was  done 
by  a  formal  meeting  of  prominent  citizens  .August  4,  1851).  When  the  grave  was 
opened  the  remains  were  found  to  consist  of  human  bones,  a  blanket,  a  toma- 
haw^k.  a  pipe,  and  a  great  number  of  beads.  These  were  taken  out  and  buried 
tmder  Ellsworth  and  Landers'  store,  the  ]ilace  now  occupied  bv  [ohn  L'.  lle.xom 
&  Son.  where  they  remained  for  about  ^ix  nmntlis.  When  the  stone  wall  in 
front  of  the  Court  House  was  completed,  the  remains  were  re-intered.  They 
were  placed  in  the  Court  House  Square,  where  they  lay  undisturbed  for  about 
seventeen  years.  l'>ut  the  grading  and  terracing  of  these  grounds  and  the  build- 
ing of  the  new  stone  wall  compelled  another  re-interment  in  the  summer  of 
1S76.  The  bones  were  taken  out  and  placed  in  a  box  to  be  buried  again  inside 
the  new  stone  wall. 

When  the  remains  were  first  exhumed  in  1S59.  the  skull  had  black  hair;  this 
assertion  is  corroborated  in  a  statement  made  l)y  R.  F.  Gibson,  January  27,  1913, 
to  the  writer  of  tliis  article.  Mr.  ( libson  was  one  of  a  committee  of  three  ai>- 
pionted  to  take  charge  of  the  remains. 

Waukon  Decorah  was  at  this  time  living  in  Minnesota  with  his  ])eoi)le;  this 
fact  has  been  established  beyond  question.     It  is  stated  in   Alexander's  history 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WlNNEStllEK  COUNTY  29 

that  even  prominent  participants  in  the  first  exhumation  of  the  alleged  remains 
of  Decorah  were  confused  with  doubts,  by  rumors,  current  at  the  time,  to  the 
effect  that  Decorah  was  still  living.  He  died  at  the  Blue  Earth  agency,  southern 
.Minnesota,  in  iS68,  and  was  buried  there.  Mr.  Lamere  says,  "He  was  about 
ninety-three  years  old  when  he  died,  and  it  is  said  that  his  hair  was  as  white  as 
it  could  be."  This  is  practically  conclusive  proof  tiiat  the  death  of  Waukon 
Decorah  did  not  occur  here,  and  that  his  remains  are  not  Iniried  in  the  Court 
House  Square. 

Little  Decorah  was  the  oldest  son  of  C)ld  Gray-headed  Decorah.  His  Win- 
nebago name  is  given  as  "Maw-hee-coo-shay-naw-zhe-kaw,"  which  ^Ir.  Kingsley 
interprets  as  "The  pillar  that  reaches  the  clouds."  The  following  treaties  were 
signed  by  Little  Decorah:  November  i,  1837,  Washington,  D.  C,  as  "Ma-hee- 
koo-shay-nuz-he-kah,  (Young  Decori)  ;"  October  13,  1846,  Washington,  as 
"Alaw-hee-ko-shay-naw-zhee-kaw ;"  February  27,  1855,  Washington,  as  "Maw- 
lie-coo-shaw-naw-zhe-kaw,"  one  that  Stands  and  Reaches  the  Skies,  or  Little  De- 
corie;"  April  15,  1859,  Washington,  as  "Little  De  Corrie ;"  March  i,  1865,  Wash- 
ington, as  "Little  Decoria."  It  is  probable  that  "Little  Decorah"  is  simply  another 
term  for  Decorah,  Junior. 

This  chief  established  a  village  on  the  Iowa  river  (Upper  Iowa)  in  1840, 
and  it  is  thought  that  he  was  about  forty  years  old  while  here.  Antoine  Grig- 
non.  who  was  acquainted  with  him,  says,  "Little  Decorah  spent  very  little  time  in 
Iowa — but  li\ed  mostly  in  the  region  of  Portage,  Wis."  He  belonged  to  the 
Mississippi  river  bands  of  Indians.  Waukon  Decorah  and  Little  Decorah  had 
separate  camps  on  the  Upper  Iowa  river. 

Little  Decorah  was  of  medium  height,  five  feet  eight  or  ten  inches,  and  was 
chunky  and  fleshy.  It  is  said  that  he  was  slow  of  action  and  speech,  but  pos- 
sessed of  a  mild  and  kind  disposition  and  was  very  sensible.  He  belonged  to 
the  Cloud  clan.  Little  Decorah  died  near  Toniah,  Wisconsin,  April  i,  1887,  about 
100  years  old. 

Spoon  Decorah  was  a  son  of  Old  Gray-headed  Decorah.  (  It  will  lie  remem- 
bered that  Old  Decorah  had  a  brother  Choukeka,  also  called  Spoon  Decorah). 
Spoon  Decorah  was  born  at  his  father's  \illagc  near  the  mouth  of  the  Baraljoo 
river,  Wisconsin.  In  IMarch,  18S7,  Dr.  Reuben  ( i.  Thwaites  had  an  interview 
with  him.  Lie  was  then  "living  with  his  aged  squaw,"  whose  name,  it  is  said, 
was  Gray  Eagle-eye.  "His  progeny,  reaching  to  the  fourth  generation,  were 
clustered  about  the  patriarchal  lodge  in  family  wigwams."  He  could  only  con- 
verse in  his  native  tongue.  He  related,  "In  1840,  we  were  all  moved  to  the 
Turkey  river  [Iowa]  ;  but  in  the  spring  our  party  went  to  Iowa  [Upper]  river, 
where  Little  Decorah  had  a  village.  We  went  down  soon  afterwards  to  the 
Turkey  river  to  get  our  ammunition,  l)Ut  for  some  reason — perhaps  because  we 
had  moved  to  Iowa  river  without  the  consent  of  the  agent — we  couldn't  get 
any."  3^  He  then  went  back  to  Wisconsin,  where  he  died  October  13,  1889,  in 
a  cranberry  marsh,  near  Necedah.  It  is  said  that  he  was  about  eighty-four 
years  old  when  he  died.  ■'■' 

s' Wisconsin  Historical  Collections. 
3*  Same  reference  as  above. 


30  PAST  AND  I'KllSKX  1    OF  WIXXESIIIEK  COUNTY 

Sf>ooii  Dccorali.  a  cousin  of  the  Spoon  Decorah  interviewed  by  Doctor 
Thwaitcs  in  1887,  was  a  son  of  One-ejed  Decorah.  In  regard  to  him  we  ha\e  no 
further  information. 

Angel  Dc  Cora — known  in  jirivate  Hfe  as  Mrs.  William  Dcitz — is  the  daugh- 
ter of  a  descendant  of  the  liereditary  chief  of  the  Winneljagoes.  The  name 
"Angel"  came  about  througii  an  accident ;  its  bearer  was  carried,  while  a  l)aby, 
to  a  young  kinswoman,  who,  being  asked  to  choose  a  "Christian  name,"  opened 
a  Bible  at  random,  and  the  tirst  word  which  caught  her  eye  was  "angel."  Her 
Indian  name,  which  means  "Oucen  of  the  Clouds,"  identifies  her  with  the 
Thunder-bird  clan,  .\ngel  De  Cora — Deitz  .states:  "Wakan  [Waukon  De- 
corah] was  a  generation  or  two  before  Maw-he-coo-shaw-naw-zhe-ka  [Little 
Decorah].     The  latter  was  my  grandfather." 

Her  education  liegan,  while  very  young,  when  she  was  carried  off  to  Hami)- 
ton.  \'irginia.  A  .strange  white  man  ajijieared  on  the  reservation  and  asked  her, 
through  an  interpreter,  if  she  would  like  tn  ride  on  a  steam  car;  with  six  other 
children  she  decided  to  try  it,  and  when  the  ride  was  ended  she  found  herself 
in  Hampton.  "Three  years  later,  when  1  returned  to  my  mother,"  says  .\ngel 
Dc  Cora,-'-'  "she  told  me  that  for  months  she  wept  and  mourned  for  me.  My 
father  and  the  old  chief  and  his  wife  had  died,  and  with  them  the  old  Indian 
life  was  gone."  She  then  returned  to  llam])lon,  where,  through  the  efforts  of 
a  kind  family  who  ga\e  her  emiilnymcnt.  she  was  enabled  to  work  her  way 
liirough  a  local  ])reparalory  school  for  girls,  and  later  the  art  department  of 
Snn'th  College,  .Vorthampton,  Massachusetts.-'" 

1  ler  husband's  name  is  Wicarhpi  Isnala,  or  Lone  .Star  ;  he  is  one-i]ii;irtcr  .Sioii.x 
and  the  rest  (ierinan.  lioth  are  now  teaching  art  at  the  Carlisle  Indian  School, 
her  husband  having  also  studied  art  and  become  an  artist  of  some  note.  Angel 
De  Cora  has  been  under  the  art  instruction  of  such  men  as  Howard  Pyle, 
I'^rank  I'.rown,  Iose])h  De  Camp,  and  lulmund  Tarbell.  She  has  won  distinction 
in  her  work.  In  1904  her  hu.sband.  Lone  Star,  supervised  the  interior  and  mural 
decorations  of  the  Indian  exhibit  at  the  Louisiana  Purcha.se  Exposition  in  .St. 
Louis.  It  was  while  in  .^t.  Louis  that  he  !)ecame  acquainted  with  .\ngel  De 
Cora.  •■'' 

Roger  C.  .Mackenstadt.  whose  Ijoyhood  was  spent  in  the  cit\-  of  Decorah, 
where  his  parents  still  reside,  says,  "(Jur  best  policeman,  and  one  of  my  intimate 
friends,  was  Peter  Decora,  a  grandson  of  Chief  Wakan  Decorah.  *  *  *  * 
In  the  whole  tribe  I  would  say  that  lifty  are  named  Decora.  Tlie\'  drop  the 
II.  There  are  several  Waukons,  about  ten,  and  twenty  Winneshieks.  The 
W'inneshieks  and  Waukons  are  ;dl  \\'isconsin  Winnebagoes  and  about  half  of 
the  Decoras  are  Wisconsin.  '  Mr.  Mackenstadt  having  received  a  iMomotion, 
is  now  stationed  ;it  the  L'intah  and   <  )uray  .\gency,   Ctah. 

CIIIICI-    WIN.\i:SIIIKK 

And  thoiigli  the  warrior's  sun  lias  set. 
Its  liglit  shall  linger  ronntl  lis  yet. — 

— Translation  from  the  Spanish  liy  11.  W.  Longfellow. 

"■•The  Literary  Digest,  January  27.  1912,  pg.  161. 

""  Same  reference  as  aliove. 

•■"  l-'roni  an  article  in  The  Literary  Digest,  January  27,  1912,  pg.  161. 


CHflS.PHIU 
HEXOM  -13' 

(»/tsr  photo) 


LITTLE  WINXE8HIEK 
Whose    Indian    name    is   No-gin-kah    (meaning,    Striking 
Tree)  ;  also  known  as  YoiinG;or  AYinncsliiek. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  33 

IVitmcshiek,  who  seems  to  be  a  somewhat  shadowy  character,  was  a  notable 
chief  of  the  W'innebagoes.  It  appears  that  there  was  a  family,  like  the  De- 
corah  family,  that  took  that  name.  The  name  Winneshiek  is  evidently  not  a 
Winnebago  name,  but  an  Algonquian  (that  is,  Fox)  name,  and  is  properly  Win- 
nishig,  and  signifies  "a  dirty  person  who  is  lying  down."  He  was  commonly 
known  by  his  Fox  name.  In  his  own  language  he  was  called  "Wa-kon-ja-goo- 
gah,"  meaning  "Coming  Thunder;"  he  was  also  called  "We-lou-shi-ga,"  mean- 
ing "ties  them  up,"  or  "has  them  tied  up."  It  is  also  said  that  his  name  in  his 
own  language  was  "Maun-wau-kon-kaw ;"  ■"'**  regarding  the  last  two  names  Little 
^^"i^neshiek  says,  "I  understand  that  this  name  [We-lou-shi-ga]  is  a  Sioux 
word  for  Wa-kon-ja-goo-gah.  or  Coming  Thunder.  The  name,  Alaun-wau- 
kon-kaw,  is  unknown  to  us."  The  following  treaty  signatures  show  the  name 
to  be  variously  written:  y\ugust  25,  1S28,  Green  Bay,  Michigan  Territory, 
"Wee-no-shee-kaw ;"  February  27,  1855,  Washington,  D.  C,  "Wau-kon-chaw- 
koo-haw,  the  Coming  Thunder,  or  Win-no-shik"  (the  first  Indian  to  sign  the 
treaty.) 

From  A.  R.  Fulton,  in  "Red  ]\Icn  of  Iowa,"  we  learn  that,  "He  was  pro- 
moted to  the  rank  of  a  cliief  when  quite  young,  and  always  maintained  popu- 
laritv  among  his  people.  *  *  *  *  Both  physically  and  intellectually  he  was 
a  remarkably  fine  specimen  of  his  race.  *  *  *  *  As  a  man  he  was  modest, 
kind,  and  courteous;  as  a  chief,  dignified,  firm  and  just  in  the  exercise  of  his 
authority.  *  *  *  *  Winneshiek  was  made  head  chief  of  the  tribe  in  1845 
[at  the  Turkey  river,  Iowa],  an  appointment  that  did  not  aflfect  his  position 
as  chief  of  his  own  p'articular  band."  Alexander  states :  ■'•■'  "He  was  made 
chief  by  order  of  the  United  States  War  Department,  on  account  of  his  ability 
and  fitness  for  the  position.  Under  him  as  head  chief,  there  were  several  chiefs 
of  respective  bands  into  which  the  trilje  was  divided."  When  the  trilje  was  re- 
moved to  Long  Prairie,  Minnesota.  Winneshiek  was  the  head  chief,  and  in  1857, 
when  they  were  at  Blue  Earth,  he  was  called  a  worthy  chief  and  ruler  of  his 
tribe.-"' 

Old  chief  Winneshiek  was  an  intelligent  and  very  kincl  man,  and  had  perfect 
control  over  his  people.  He  belonged  to  the  Thunder  clan,  and  was  a  member 
of  the  Upper  phratry.  Mr.  Lamere  says:  "He  is  said  to  have  been  of  medium 
size,  had  black  mustache  and  chin  whiskers.  He  was  very  handsome,  and  it 
is  said  that  he  always  wore  goggles,  or  dark  glasses.  He  always  carried  a  pipe, 
which  was  made  out  of  a  round  stick  about  a  foot  and  a  half  long  with  the  stem 
hole  liored  through  it,  and  the  bowl  bored  into  the  other  end;  he  carried  this 
most  all  tlie  time,  and  especially  at  council  meetings  would  he  have  it  with  him." 

Mr.  Kinsley  says :  "We-no-shee-kah  was  strictly  a  pagan ;  he  did  not  be- 
lieve in  the  white  man's  way,  therefore  his  band  of  followers,  which  consisted 
of  about  one-half  or  two-thirds  of  the  trijje,  were  known  as  blanket  Indians. 
He  was  a  very  shrewd,  wise,  and  stubborn  man,  but  free-hearted  to  everybody; 
no  person  ever  left  or  entered  the  chief's  great  lodge  without  receiving  some- 
thing to  eat.     These  were  his  teachings ;  he  regarded  all  the  Winnebagoes  as  his 

's  Wisconsin  Historical  Collections. 

"^  In  his  History  of  Winneshiek  and  .Mlaniakee  Counties.  There  is  no  furtlier  authentic 
mention  regarding  this  statement. 

*"  Wisconsin  Archeologist,  Vol.  6,  No.  3,  pg.   156. 


34  I'AST  Axn  i'Ri-:si-.xr  OF  w  iwi:siin:K  couxrv 

children  and  treated  tliem  as  such.  W'e-iio-shcc-kah  was  no  orator,  therefore  in 
council  with  the  government,  or  otherwise,  he  always  had  a  speaker.  He  was  no 
traveler,  although  he  made  a  trip  or  two  to  see  his  Great  Father  at  \\'ashing- 
ton,  President  Polk,  who,  as  a  token  of  friendship,  gave  Wc-no-shee-kah  a 
medal;  struck  on  the  reverse  side  were  two  hands  clasped,  an  Indian's  in  that 
of  a  white  man's  [regarding  this  medal  see  statement  by  Little  Winneshiek]. 
Chief  W'e-no-shee-kah  was  a  great  father  as  well  as  a  head  chief.  lie  had  four 
wives,  who,  with  himself  and  family,  lived  in  one  lodge.  His  principal  home 
was  about  sc\en  miles  west  of  the  village  of  Houston,  on  the  Root  river.  Hous- 
ton county.  Minnesota;  here  he  lived,  during  the  winter,  in  a  dirt  wigwatn." 
Fulton  states'"  :  "He  had  four  wives,  one  of  whom  was  the  reputed  daughter 
of  Colonel  .Morgan,  a  former  oBicer  in  the  United  States  armv ;"  there  is  no 
further  authentic  mention  which  corroborates  this  statement  by  Fulton. 

That  Winneshiek  also  had  a  camp  on  the  Upper  Iowa  river  is  evident,  as 
Antoine  Grignon  says.  "While  he  [Winneshiek]  was  camped  on  the  Iowa  river 
my  brother  Paul  and  one  James  Reed  visited  his  band  to  find  out  about  some 
cattle  the  young  Winnebagoes  had  stolen  from  the  Sioux.  They  were  given  in 
compensation  an  equal  amount  of  cattle,  or  a  number  corresjjonding  to  the  imni- 
ber  that  has  been  stolen,  and  Winneshiek  warned  his  band  not  to  luolest  the 
cattle  as  the\-  were  being  driven  out.  as  the  young  men  were  making  prepara- 
tions to  stampede  the  herd  by  waving  red  blankets  in  front  of  them." 

P.  V.  Lawson.  a  Wisconsin  historian,  says  ■*- :  "The  Indians  in  <t  (irunken 
pow-wow  at  Prairie  dn  Chien  had  killed  his  brotlier.  \'\'()rd  of  this  tragedy 
being  sent  to  him.  he  coolly  loaded  his  pistol,  and  with  it  concealed  beneath  his 
blanket,  went  to  the  place  where  his  brother  lay.  He  had  the  murderer  brought 
beside  his  victim  and  then  suddenly  shot  him  dead ;"  there  is  no  further  mention 
made  of  this  incident.  It  is  stated,'*-'  however,  that  A\'inneshiek  was  in  1829 
head  chief  of  the  Winnebago  village  at  La  Crosse. 

He  was  on  the  British  side  in  1812-15,  and  in  1832  refused  to  assist  the 
Americans  against  the  Sauks.  When  invited  by  the  whites  to  join  them,  the 
matter  was  discussed  with  the  chiefs  and  braves.  "Win-o-she-kaw  was  op- 
posed to  the  measure,  and  declined  having  anything  to  do  with  it.  He  said  the 
Sauks  had  twice  that  season  presented  the  red  wampum  to  tlic  Winnebagoes  at 
Portage,  and  that  they  had  as  often  washed  it  white  and  handed  it  l)ack  to  them ; 
further,  tiiat  he  did  not  like  that  red  thing;  that  he  was  afraid  of  it.  Waudgh-ha- 
ta-kau  [evidently  the  Une-eyed  Decorah]  look  the  wam])um.  and  said  that  he 
with  all  the  young  men  of  the  village  would  go;  that  they  were  an.xious  to  en- 
gage in  the  expedition  and  would  be  ready  to  accompany  us  on  our  return."  '■'' 
A  short  while  after  this  it  was  found  that  Winneshiek  and  Wau-niar  iiar-sar 
had  gone  up  the  river  with  i)art  of  the  band  to  hunt  and  dry  meat. 

His  mother  was  a  sister  of  Wabokieshiek  (White  Cloud),  the  half-.'-^auk, 
half- Winnebago   Pro])hel.   who  assisted    Black    liawk.      l.iiile    Winneshiek    says, 

■"  "Red  Men  of  Iowa,"  pg.  158. 

*- Wisconsin  .■\rclicologist.  Vol.  6.  No.  x  pg.  156;  taken  from  Wisconsin  Historical 
Collections  ,1.  287. 

<■■•  Wisconsin  .A relief >logist.  Vol.  f).  Xo.  3.  pg.  156;  t.iken  from  Wisconsin  Historical 
Collection  3,  287. 

**  Wisconsin  Historical  Collections.  2, — 257,  256. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  35 

"For  this  relationship  he  fought  in  a  number  of  battles  under  Black  Hawk  in 
the  war  of  1832."  Thomas  Clay,  an  aged  Winnebago,  heard  Wiiuieshiek  tell 
this  from  time  to  time  at  death-wakes,  where  the  brave  men,  or  warriors,  were 
supposed  to  tell  the  truth.     Clay's  statement  "*''  is  as  follows : 

"\\'iiuieshiek  was  a  nephew  of  a  Sauk  and  Fox  Indian  called  \Miite  Cloud 
i  Wabokieshiek  I .  that  is  why  Winneshiek  was  an  aid  to  the  Sauk  and  Fox  In- 
dians during  Black  Hawk's  war.  Winneshiek  was  taking,  or  guiding,  the  Fox 
Indians  into  the  Winnebago  country,  or  to  the  village,  and  as  they  were  crossing 
the  Mississippi  river  somewhere  near  where  Prairie  du  Chien  now  stands,  a 
steamboat  came  tip  the  ri\er  and  anchored  in  the  middle  of  the  stream.  Then 
some  one  called  out  from  the  boat  and  asked  if  lilack  Hawk  was  there  among 
them.  'Yes,'  was  the  answer  from  the  Indians.  'Will  he  surrender  or  not?' 
was  the  next  question  from  the  boat.  Then  Winneshiek  spoke  up,  and  said : 
'Uncles  (meaning  the  Fox  Indians,  as  that  was  what  he  always  called  them), 
tie  a  white  cloth  to  a  pole  and  I  will  go  and  surrender."  So  they  made  a  white 
flag  for  him.  but  as  he  was  about  to  get  into  the  stream  to  swim  to  the  boat,  the 
Fox  people  said:  'Perhaps  after  all  you  had  better  not  go,'  and  saying  thus,  they 
held  him ;  and  the  soldiers  in  the  boat  could  see  that  he  was  being  held.  Then 
Winneshiek  said :  'Uncles,  I  meant  to  do  this  that  you  might  live,  but  the  result 
shall  be  your  fault.'  Just  then  the  question  came  again  from  the  boat.  "Will 
you  surrender?'  The  answer  from  the  Indians  w-as  'No!  we  will  not  surrender,' 
and  no  sooner  was  it  said  than  the  soldiers  fired  upon  them,  and  even  at  the 
first  volley  many  of  the  Indians  were  killed.  Then  Winneshiek  said:  'Uncles, 
thus  far  only  am  I  able  to  be  with  you,  as  I  shall  leave  you  here ;'  and  saying 
thus,  he  and  his  real  uncles  went  up  the  bank  of  the  river  and  there  watched  the 
fight.  When  night  came  upon  them,  he  took  his  Fox  uncles  back  to  the  Winne- 
bago village  with  him.  When  they  arrixed  at  the  village,  Winneshiek's  mother 
met  him  crying:  'Oh!  my  son,  Ijecause  you  have  aided  Black  Hawk  in  the  war, 
they  have  taken  your  father  to  the  fort  as  a  prisoner."  When  the  soldiers  learned 
that  Winneshiek  was  back  at  his  own  village  they  came  after  him  and  released 
his  father.  Winneshiek  w'as  questioned  very  severely,  but  he  was  angered  in- 
stead of  frightened,  and  he  would  not  even  speak,  and  for  four  days  he  would 
not  eat  the  food  that  was  given  him.  Then  one  of  the  officers  said  to  his 
fellow  officers:  'You  must  ht  \ery  severe  in  questioning  Winneshiek.  I  will 
question  him  myself,  to-day.'  So  the  ofticer  went  to  him  and  as  he  entered  he 
called  Winneshiek  by  name,  greeting  him  and  shaking  hainds  with  him,  he 
said :  'Winneshiek,  I  understand  that  some  officers  have  questioned  you,  but 
that  you  were  angered  and  would  not  even  speak  to  them,  and  I  told  them  that 
they  must  have  acted  very  ungentlemanly  towards  you  to  cause  you  to  act 
as  you  did.'  W'inneshiek  said :  'Yes,  that  is  the  way  they  have  acted.'  'That 
is  what  I  thought,'  said  the  ofticer,  and  contiiuied.  'Winneshiek,  I  am  going  to 
talk  with  you  with  good  words,'  and  Wimieshiek  assented;  so  the  officer  said: 
'Winneshiek,  as  you  ha\e  been  spoken  to  roughly,  whicii  caused  you  to  not  eat 
for  four  days,  and  as  I  am  going  to  speak  to  you  with  good  words,  therefore  I 
desire  that  you  should  eat  before  we  talk  and  I  will  have  cooked  for  you  a  very 
nice  dog  tliat  I  own  myself,  and  at  noon,  after  you  have  had  your  noon  meal, 

*■'  .\s  given  b\   Mr.  Oliver  Lamere. 


36  PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  \VIXX]-:SII11".K  COUNTY 

then  we  shall  talk."  Then  the  officer  got  some  Indians  that  were  about  the  fort 
10  cook  the  dog  for  him  in  the  way  they  usually  cook  them  for  themselves.  So 
when  it  was  thus  served  to  \\'inneshiek  and  he  had  partaken  of  it,  then  he  and 
the  officer  talked.  The  officer  was  verj'  much  pleased  that  Winneshiek  talked 
with  him  in  a  good  spirit.  Then  he  said:  'Winneshiek,  1  am  going  to  ask  you 
a  question  and  I  would  like  to  have  you  tell  me  the  truth:'  Winneshiek  assented. 
The  officer  asked:  Were  you  with  the  Fo.xes  in  the  war?"  Winneshiek 
said:  'Yes,'  and  the  officer  asked  again:  'Did  you  take  part?"  \\'inneshiek  said: 
'As  you  have  asked  me  for  the  truth,  I  will  tell  it  to  you, — yes,  I  took  part.' 
Then  the  officer  said :  'Winneshiek.  I  thank  you  because  I  asked  you  for  the 
truth  and  you  gave  it  to  me.'  Tlun  the  officer  did  not  question  him  any  more, 
but  left.  \\  inneshick  was  kept  in  prison  one  year  for  being  an  aid  to  Black 
Hawk." 

Kingsley  says:  "We-no-shce-kah  and  his  band  after  being  moved  about 
from  one  reservation  to  another  were  finally  removed  from  Blue  Earth, 
Minnesota,  to  Usher's  Landing,  or  Fort  Thompson,  S.  D.  Here  a  part  of  the 
band  starved  to  death  and  others  died  of  exposure.  He  took  the  remnant  of 
his  band  and  started  down  the  Missouri  river  in  canoes,  in  hopes  of  going  to 
St.  Louis,  and  hence  up  the  Mississippi  to  his  native  haunts  in  Iowa,  Wisconsin 
and  Minnesota;  but  the  old  chief  got  as  far  down  as  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  and  there 
winter  overtook  him  and  his  little  liand.  The  old  chief  took  sick  and  died  very 
suddenly."  At  this  time  the  old  chief  evidently  was  on  the  Kansas  side  of  the 
Missouri,  as  Mr.  Lamere  says:  "He  died  in  Kansas,  or  just  across  the  south- 
ern line  of  Nebraska  among  the  Iowa  Indians."  One  wife  and  the  family  came 
through  the  next  summer.  Little  Winneshiek,  a  son  of  the  old  chief,  says:  "My 
father  traveled  extensively  in  the  interest  of  the  tribe,  he  with  other  chiefs  were 
in  Washington  on  two  occasions  for  the  purpose  of  ceding  large  areas  of  land 
at  each  time  to  the  Federal  Government ;"  he  further  says :  "Your  county  was 
named  in  honor  of  my  father.  Chief  Winneshiek,  who  was  considered  the  head 
of  the  Winnebago  tribe  at  the  time  they  were  occujiying  the  Turkey  river  district 
in  Iowa.  Ours  was  the  family  to  which  Geo.  Kingsley  referred  to  as  moving 
to  Wisconsin  after  my  father's  death." 

No  one  knows  who  gave  the  county  its  name;  tliis.  like  certain  other  things 
concerning  the  earliest  history  of  the  county,  has  apparently  never  been  re- 
corded. At  an  old  settlers'  meeting  held  in  Decorah,  July  4,  1876,  Mr.  A.  K. 
Bailey  delivered  an  address  in  which  it  was  strongly  intimated  that  this  might 
have  been  the  work  of  Hon.  Eliphalct  Price.  Alexander  accepted  this  as  good 
enough  history  and  gives  it  as  such  in  his  history  of  the  county.  However,  Mr. 
A.  K.  Bailey  corrects  this  by  a  later  article  "'•  in  which  he  states:  "The  very 
recent  discovery  that  the  county  was  named  legally  |  February  27,  1847],  '"i"^ 
its  boundaries  described,  more  than  four  years  before  the  organizing  act  [1851] 
was  passed  (which  has  until  now  [1903]  been  considered  as  the  beginning  of 
county  existence),  makes  this  credit  to   Mr.   Price  imiiroI)al)lc." 

VoiDig   li'iiiiicshick,   or    ll'iviicshick   the    Vouiic/cr,   so-called    in    history,   was 

*"  From  a  paper  prcp.ircd  In-  A.  K.  Bailey,  for  deposit  in  the  corner  stone  of  the  new 
Court  House,  and  republished  in  the  "Illustrated  Historical  Atlas  of  Winneshiek  County," 
Sec.  H.  PR.  3. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESTTIEK  COUNTY  37 

a  younger  brother  of  old  Chief  Winneshiek,  or  Coming  Thunder.  It  is  stated  -•" 
that  he  was  a  son  of  the  old  chief,  but  this  is  an  error  and  does  not  refer  to  his 
son  Little  ^^■inneshiek,  who  says,  "Young  Winneshiek  was  named  Ah-hoo- 
sheeb-gah.  or  Short  Wing,  by  his  fellow  tribesmen;  he  was  a  younger  brother 
of  my  father  and  did  not  participate  in  the  Sauk  and  Fox  war  [1832]."'  It  is 
said  ^s  that  during  the  so-called  Winnebago  war,  in  1827.  Young  Winneshiek 
was  held  as  a  hostage  by  Colonel  Dodge  for  the  good  behavior  of  the  tribe. 
This  statement  is  made  by  several  historians,*"  in  which  connection  they  also 
mention  him  as  taking  part  in  the  Black  Hawk  war,  1832;  Mr.  Clay's  narrative 
refers  to  Chief  Winneshiek,  an  older  brother  of  Young  Winneshiek.  Little 
Winneshiek's  statement  (as  given  above)  confirms  Mr.  Clay's  narration.  It  is 
stated  in  Alexander's  history  that  Winneshiek  was  a  noted  orator.  Obviously, 
this  refers  to  Young  Winneshiek,  for  in  the  report  of  the  Indian  agent  for 
1840,-'*"  there  is  a  speech  made  by  Young  Winneshiek  in  which  he  refers  to 
himself  as  "a  boy,"  protesting  against  the  remoxal  to  Iowa.  Kingsley  testifies 
that  old  Chief  Winneshiek  (Coming  Thunder)  was  "no  orator." 

Antoine  Grignon  says,  "Young  Winneshiek  was  a  bright  young  man.  He 
died  rather  young,  at  Black  River  Falls.  Wisconsin."  When  the  Winnebagoes 
were  being  removed  from  Blue  Earth,  the  chiefs  Decorah  and  Winneshiek  (evi- 
dently One-eyed  Decorah  and  Young  Winneshiek)  fled  with  their  families  and 
other  members  of  the  tribe  to  Wisconsin.  Young  Winneshiek  had  a  village  on 
the  Black  river  and  died  there  in  May,  1887. 

No-gin-kah  (meaning  Striking  Tree  and  Younger  Winneshiek)  is  the 
youngest  son  of  Chief  Winneshiek,  or  Coming  Thunder.  He  is  seventy  years 
old  and  is  still  living  in  Wisconsin.  He  is  more  commonly  known  as  Little 
Winneshiek.  No-gin-kah  says,  "John  Winneshiek  and  I  are  the  only  sons  of 
Chief  Winneshiek  living  and  his  other  descendants  produced  by  our  deceased 
brothers  and  sisters  diverge  into  a  very  large  family."  He  further  states  that, 
"The  medals  issued  to  Winnebago  chiefs  by  the  United  States  Government  are 
lost,  the  one  described  by  Geo.  W.  Kingsley  was  lost  by  one  of  my  elder  broth- 
ers. I  have  only  one  medal  in  my  possession,  on  which  is  engraved  King  George 
the  3d  and  Latin  inscriptions  [this  medal  (with  the  exception  of  a  slight  vari- 
ation in  size)  conforms  to  a  description  of  the  one  issued  by  the  British  mili- 
tary authorities  in   1778]." 

John  Winneshiek's  Indian  name  is  Ko-slio-gi-ivay-ka.  meaning  "One  that 
goes  low ;"  he  is  seventy-eight  years  old. 

Old  chief  Winneshiek's  Indian  name  is  given  by  some  historians  ''^  as  Wa- 
kun-cha-koo-kah,  but  this  is  evidently  an  error.  Wau-kun-cha-koo-kah  ^-  is  the 
Indian  name  of  Chief  Yellow  Thunder,  who  migrated  with  his  tribe  to  Iowa. 

<"  Wisconsin   Historical   Collections,  2, — 331. 

■*»  Wisconsin   Historical  Collections,  2, — 331. 

■*»  Fulton,  Cue,  and  Sabin ;  the  latter  two,  it  seems,  have  taken  their  accounts  from 
Fulton.  They  were  probably  under  wrong  impressions  in  reference  to  "Young  Winneshiek" 
as  their  statements  (according  to  historical  data)  seem  to  apply  to  more  than  one  person. 

5"  Wisconsin  Historical  collections. 

51  Fulton,  "Red  Men  of  Iowa;"  Gue,  "History  of  Iowa,"  Vol.  i;  Sabin,  "The  Making  of 
Iowa." 

5-  Bureau  of  American  Ethnology,  Bulletin  30,  pt.  2,  pg.  996. 
Vol.  1—3 


38  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

Yellow  Thunder  did  not  remain  long  at  the  Turkey  ri\er,  for  within  a  year  he 
and  his  wife  (known  in  history  as  "the  Washington  woman")''''  returned  to 
Wisconsin ;  here  he  entered  a  tract  of  forty  acres  as  a  homestead  on  the  west 
side  of  the  Wisconsin  river.  He  died  in  February,  1874.  Yellow  Thunder  was 
greatly  respected  by  his  people,  and  was  an  able  counsellor  in  their  public  af- 
fairs. 

Other  W  innebago  chiefs  known  to  have  been  in  the  county  were  Whirling 
Thunder  (Wau-kaun-ween-kaw)  ;  Little  Hill  (Sho-gee-nik-ka),  who,  at  Long 
Prairie,  became  head  spokesman  for  the  chiefs ;  Big  Bear,  and  Kayrah-mau-nee, 
a  son  of  Carry-maunee  (or  Nawkaw). 

MISSION    SCHOOL   .XND  TRADING    I'GST 

By  the  treaty  of  September  15,  1832,  it  was  stipulated  that  the  Government 
should  annually,  beginning  in  September,  1833,  and  continuing  for  twenty-seven 
years,  give  the  Winncbagoes  $10,000  in  specie,  and  establish  a  school  among 
them,  at  or  near  Prairie  du  Chien,  with  a  farm  and  garden,  and  provide  other 
facilities,  not  to  exceed  in  cost  $3,000  a  year,  for  the  education  of  their  chil- 
dren, and  continue  the  same  for  twenty-seven  successive  years.  Six  agricul- 
turists, twelve  yoke  of  oxen  and  as  many  plows,  and  other  farming  tools  were 
to  be  supplied  by  the  Government.  The  buildings  were  erected  in  1833.  on  the 
Yellow  river,  Allamakee  county,  Iowa,  and  President  Jackson  appointed  Rev. 
David  Lowry,  a  Presbyterian  minister,  to  assume  charge.  The  mission  school 
w-as  removed  in  1840  from  the  Yellow  river  to  a  point  on  the  Turkey  river,  in 
Winneshiek  coimty,  about   four  miles  southeast  of  the   fort  buildings. 

The  erection  of  the  mission  was  superintended  by  Reverend  Lowry.  There 
were  about  tw'enty  buildings  at  the  mission.  One  was  a  large  schoolhouse,  another 
a  small  church,  while  the  rest  were  dwellings.  Early  Catholic  pioneers,  who 
settled  near  the  Turkey  river  (1849),  purchased  these  buildings.  The  small 
church  was  used  as  a  chapel,  hence  the  name  ( )ld  Mission.  In  1853  it  was 
destroyed  by  fire. 

There  was  also  a  mission  one  mile  east  of  the  fort,  on  the  Turkey  river, 
established  by  Catholic  missionaries.  Here  there  were  a  number  of  graves,  and 
at  the  head  of  each  was  a  cross.  It  is  unknown  w-hethcr  any  of  the  graves  were 
those  of  converted  Indians  or  not.  The  buildings  belonging  to  this  mission  were 
burned  down  by  a  prairie  fire  in  the  early  fifties. 

Alexander  states'''  that,  "Reverend  Lowry 's  assistant  was  one  by  the  name  of 
Colonel  Thomas.  To  him  was  turned  over  the  work  of  instructing  the  Indians  in 
agricultural  pursuits.  The  first  year,  under  Colonel  Thomas'  supervision,  a  farm 
of  300  acres  was  opened.  However,  little  work  could  be  got  out  of  them,  and 
the  crops  planted  began  to  show  neglect."  There  was  an  abundance  of  game 
in  the  country  round  about,  and  therefore  the  temptation  for  the  Indian  to 
roam  and  hunt  was  very  strong.  As  a  result  he  became  negligent  about  tilling 
the  soil.  In  1843  Colonel  Thomas,  under  governmental  instructions,  built  the  first 
gristmill   in   Winncsliick   county.      The  mission  aiid    farm   were  continued   until 

■'-■'  Wisconsin  Archeologist,  Vol.  6,  No.  3,  pg.  150. 

'<  In  his  Histors-  of  Winneshiek  and  .Mlaniakce  Counties. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  39 

the  reservation  was  sold  to  the  Government.  Lowry  finally  resigned  to  take 
charge  of  a  mission  in  Minnesota  and,  in  1846,  Mr.  Fletcher  was  appointed 
agent  for  the  W'innebagoes  by  President  Polk,  and  served  in  that  capacity  for 
eleven  years.  During  that  time  he  resided  at  Fort  Atkinson,  Iowa,  Long  Prairie, 
Minnesota,  and  Blue  Earth,  Minnesota.  Under  the  careful  management  of 
Mr.  Fletcher  the  Winnebagoes  attained  to  considerable  proficiency  in  agriculture, 
and  otherwise  improved  their  condition. 

During  his  service  as  Indian  agent  Mr.  Fletcher  was  accompanied  by  his 
wife,  who  engaged  earnestly  in  the  work  of  teaching  the  Indians.  Their  eldest 
son,  Frank  Fletcher,  acquired  such  command  of  the  language  of  the  Indians 
that  he  became  his  father's  interpreter.  General  Fletcher,  while  serving  as 
agent,  contributed  through  the  publications  of  Mr.  Schoolcraft  a  vast  amount 
of  information  concerning  the  religion,  traditions,  and  customs  of  the  Winne- 
bagoes while  at  the  Turkey  river.  In  1858  Mr.  Fletcher  returned  to  Iowa,  where 
he'  died  April  6,  1872,  on  his  farm  near  Muscatine,  sixty-six  years  old. 

When  the  crop,  planted  under  Colonel  Thomas'  supervision,  began  to  show 
neglect,  a  force  of  garrison  men  were  detailed  to  cultivate  it,  and  were  paid  for 
their  labor  out  of  the  Indian  annuity.  Hon.  A.  Jacobson  states :  °^  "Ole  Hal- 
vorsen  Valle,  undoubtedly  the  first  Norwegian  to  visit  the  county,  was  engaged 
in  the  service  of  the  Government  as  teamster,  hauling  provisions  from  Fort 
Crawford,  Wisconsin,  to  Fort  Atkinson  and  the  Old  Mission;  he  was  also  em- 
ployed in  breaking  up  pieces  of  bottom  land  on  the  Upper  Iowa  river.  One  of 
the  largest  fields  thus  prepared  for  the  Indians  to  plant  their  corn  was  situated 
just  below  the  outlet  of  Trout  Run."  Mr.  Goddard  says,  "An  Indian  chief  had 
a  farm  about  one-half  mile  southwest  of  Spillville,  and  a  considerable  part  of 
the  ground  was  broken  up.'' 

An  Indian  trading  post  was  established  two  miles  southwest  of  the  fort 
by  a  Mr.  Olmstead  and  one  Joseph  Hewitt.  It  seems  that  they  had  a  permit 
from  the  Government  to  trade  with  the  Indians.  The  buildings,  all  one  story 
high,  were  constructed  of  logs.  There  were  five  in  number,  two  large  dwelling 
houses,  one  large  store,  one  storage  house,  and  a  blacksmith  shop.  Capt.  Joseph 
Hewitt's  principal  occupation  was  hunting,  trapping  and  fishing.  In  1851  he 
left  the  country  and  located  at  Clear  Lake,  Iowa,  where  he  experienced  no 
little  trouble  with  the  Sioux  Indians.  In  1849  Josiah  Goddard  bought  the  old 
Indian  trading  post  from  Olmstead,  and  in  1850  moved  his  family  onto  the 
land.     Three  or   four  acres  of  this  land  had  been   broken  up  by  the   Indians. 

FORT    ATKINSON 

Now,  the  boys  in  blue,  you  bet, 
Earn  whatever  praise  they  get. — 

— Joseph  Mills  Hanson,  "Frontier  Ballads." 

In  1840  the  Winnebago  Indians  were  removed  to  their  new  home  on  the 
Neutral  Ground.  In  order  to  protect  them  from  the  incursions  of  their  neigh- 
bors, among  whom  were  the  Sauk  and  Fox  tribes,  as  well  as  from  intrusions 

55  In  his  article  "Reminiscences  of  Pioneer  Norwegians,"  published  in  the  Historical 
,^tlas  of  Winneshiek  County,  1905,  Sec.  H,  pg.  11. 


40  PAST  AND  I'RICSKXT  Ul"  WTXXESHIEK  COUNTY 

of  the  whites,  and  in  Uini  lu  iJicveni  ilicni  from  trespassing  beyond  the  limits 
of  the  reservation,  soldiers  were  stationed  among  them.  A  detachment  of  the 
5th  Infantry  (Company  F)  under  command  of  Capt.  Isaac  I.ynde  left  I'ort 
Crawford  willi  a  comi)lement  of  eighty-two  otficers  and  enlisted  men,  and 
went  into  camp.  May  31.  1840,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Spring  creek  (now 
known  as  Goddard's  creek)  on  the  Turkey  river.  The  camp  was  named  "Camp 
Atkinson"  in  honor  of  Brig.  Gen.  Henry  Atkinson,  U.  S.  army,  the  de])artnient 
commander  who  was  so  prominent  in  military  operations  in  the  upper  Mississippi 
valley.  Barracks  and  quarters  sufficient  to  accommodate  one  company  were 
erected,  and  in  March.  1S41,  the  secretary  of  war  ordered  that  the  station  be 
known  as  I'^ort  .\tkins(in. 

Kumors  of  the  warlike  attitude  of  a  portion  of  the  Sauk  and  Fox  Indians, 
who,  it  was  believed,  intended  sending  out  a  party  against  the  peaceable  Winne- 
bagoes,  caused  Governor  Dodge  of  Wisconsin,  in  a  letter  dated  January  23, 
1841,  and  directed  to  the  commissioner  of  Indian  affairs,  to  urge  strongly  that, 
in  addition  to  the  garrison  there  at  that  time,  a  mounted  force  be  stationed  at 
Fort  Atkinson.     The  following  is  an  extract   from  Governor  Dodge's  letter: — 

"In  compliance  with  the  instructions  of  your  DeiJartnicnt  the  Agency  and 
School  have  been  remo\ed  to  the  new  site  on  Turkey  river  with  about  700  of 
the  Indians  of  the  Winnebago  Nation.  These  Indians,  it  is  confidently  expected, 
will  not  return,  unless  another  blow  should  be  struck  by  the  Sauks  and  Foxes. 
Such  an  e\cnt  may  not  be  looked  for  this  winter,  but  it  is  the  opinion  of  Mr. 
Lowry  that  it  may  certainly  be  calculated  upon  in  the  ensuing  spring  unless  a 
mounted  force  should  be  stationed  at  Camp  Atkinson. 

"Information  was  received  by  Mr.  Lowry  through  Governor  Lucas,  ob- 
tained from  a  portion  of  the  Sauks  and  Foxes  not  unfriendly  to  the  Winneba- 
goes,  that  a  war  party  was  to  have  set  out  against  the  latter  in  November  last.  .\ 
very  extraordinary  snow  storm  is  believed  to  have  ])rcvented  this  attack.  The 
war  party  is  now  on  Red  Cedar  (fifty  miles  west  of  Cam])  .\tkinson);  a  large 
body  of  Sioux  are  also  in  that  vicinity,  and  scouts  of  the  former  have  been 
fired  at  by  the  latter  but  as  yel  no  blood  has  been  shed.  The  ditVicultv  of  keep- 
ing the  Winiiebagoes  at  their  new  homes,  under  these  circumstances,  and  with- 
out an  adequate  force  for  their  protection,  must  be  readily  seen." 

This  letter  was  referred  to  the  War  Department,  where  it  was  in  turn  referred 
to  General  Atkinson  with  instructions  to  use  every  eiTort  to  prevent  any  colli- 
sion between  the  Indians.  General  Atkinson  responded  to  these  instructions 
March  1.  iS4i,as  follows: — 

".'-^ir :  I  have  the  honor  to  rejjort  that  I  have  received  your  letter  of  in- 
structions of  the  15th  ultimo,  accompanied  by  an  extract  of  a  letter  from 
(jovernor  Dodge  of  the  23d  of  January,  in  reference  to  establishing  a  mounted 
force  at  I'ort  Atkinson  for  the  protection  of  the  Winnebago  Indians.  It  is  im- 
possible to  station  a  mounted  force  at  that  ])oint  before  the  middle  of  May, 
as  there  are  no  barracks,  quarters  or  stal)les  for  their  accommodation,  nor  for- 
age for  their  horses.  I  will,  however,  order  the  trooj)  at  Fort  Crawford  to  make 
excursions  through  the  country  of  Turkey  and  Cedar  rivers,  till  the  season 
opens  to  enable  it  to  go  under  tents,  at  which  time  the  grass  will  be  grown  suffi- 
cienllv  to  subsist  the  horses. 


P't  s 

p2.S. 

I-"  S'  - 

X 

=  J  > 

2-'_.  ''^ 

"  o  V. 

=  5  5 
-95 


?2 


3   G. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  43 

"No  time  should  be  lost  by  the  Quartermaster's  Department  in  proceeding 
to  erect  quarters,  barracks  and  stables  for  the  troop  at  the  post  on  Turkey 
river,  or  they  will  not  be  ready  for  their  accommodation  by  the  coming  of  the 
next  winter.  I  request,  therefore,  that  orders  to  that  el^'ect  may  be  given  with- 
out delay. 

"With  great  respect,  Sir,  your  most  obedient  servant, 

"(Signed.)  H.  Atkinson, 

"Brigadier   General   U.  S.  Army. 
"Brigadier  General  Jones, 
"Adjutant  General  U.  S.  Army,  Washington." 

On  the  24th  of  the  following  June,  Company  B  of  the  ist  Dragoons  arrived 
at  the  fort  and  took  up  their  station,  and  from  that  time  until  1847  the  fort 
was  a  two-company  post.  September  nth  Captain  Lynde's  company  was  re- 
lieved by  Company  K  of  the  ist  Infantry,  Capt.  J.  J.  Abercrombie. 

In  the  year  following,  at  various  times,  on  the  recjuisition  of  Governor 
Chambers  of  Iowa  Territory,  detachments  and  patrols  were  sent  out  from  this 
fort  to  remove  squatters  and  other  intruders  from  the  lands  of  the  .Sauk  and 
Fox  Indians  and  to  prevent  their  return.  August  7th  Company  I,  ist  Dra- 
goons, under  command  of  Captain  James  Allen,  arriving  at  the  fort,  whence 
they  proceeded  to  the  Sauk  and  Fo.x  Agency,  where  they  established  Fort 
Sanford.  From  this  time  until  its  abandonment  Fort  Atkinson  was  successively 
garrisoned  by  the   following  organizations : 

Company  B,  ist  Infantry,  Captain  Sidney  Burbank  ;  Company  A,  ist  Infan- 
try, Captain  CJsborne  Cross;  Company  E,  ist  Infantry,  Captain  .\.  S.  Miller;  Com- 
pany A,  1st  Iowa  Volunteer  Infantry,  Captain  James  M.  Morgan;  Company  A, 
1st  Iowa  Volunteer  Dragoons,  Captain  John  Parker;  a  detachment  of  Wiscon- 
sin \'oIunteers,  Dodge  Guards,  under  command  of  Lieutenant  Benjamin  Fox 
(here  was  an  interim  of  several  months  during  which  the  fort  was  not  gar- 
risoned) ;  and  from  September  25,  1848,  until  the  time  of  its  abandonment,  Com- 
pany C,  6th  Infantry,  Captain  F.  L.  Alexander."'" 

The  fort  was  situated  in  the  northwestern  part  of  Washington  township 
(on  the  old  military  road  constructed  from  Fort  Snelling  to  Fort  Gibson)  and 
stood  on  a  rock-ribbed  hill  overlooking  the  site  of  the  town  which  now  bears  its 
name.  This  hill  is  about  eighty-four  feet  above  the  Turkey  river.  The  fort 
buildings  were  two  stories  high,  twenty  feet  to  the  ea\-es.  Each  building  had 
an  upper  porch  along  its  entire  length,  the  one  on  the  officers'  quarters  being 
screened  in  with  the  old  fashioned  movable  wooden  blinds.  The  buildings  oc- 
cupied an  acre  of  ground.  The  stables,  about  forty  feet  wide  and  about  _^oo  feet 
long,  extended  north  and  south  and  were  about  twenty  rods  east  of  the  street.  The 
bakery,  and  the  blacksmith  shop  and  carpenter  shops  were  north  of  the  fort 
on  the  north  side  of  the  street. 

The  main  barracks  consisted  of  the  commissioned  officers'  quarters,  built  of 
stone,  the  non-commissioned  officers'  quarters,  built  of  logs  hewn  flat,  one  sol- 
diers' quarters  (including  hospital  rooms),  built  of  stone,  and  another  soldiers' 

■■'■  War  Department  Records  of  Fort  .'\tkirsoii  in  ".\nnals  of  Iowa,"  July,  1900,  Vol.  IV, 
N'o.  6. 


44  PAST  AND  l'RES!£XT  UF  WIXXESHIEK  COL'XTV 

quarters  (including  church  and  school  rooms),  built  of  flat  hewn  logs.  The 
soldiers'  quarters  were  250  feet  long.  These  four  main  buildings  enclosed 
a  parade  and  drill-ground  (with  a  flag-staff  at  one  endj,  and  in  turn  were 
enclosed  by  a  stockade  twelve  feet  high  and  made  out  of  logs  hewn  flat  and  set 
on  end  in  a  narrow  trench.  The  top  of  the  stockade  consisted  of  spikes  driven 
into  the  sharpened  ends  of  the  logs.  Port  holes  were  cut  at  about  every  four 
feet. 

In  two  corners  of  the  stockade  were  located  cannon-houses;  and  in  the 
other  two  corners,  the  Quartermaster's  store  house  (adjoined  by  the  sutler's 
store)  and  the  magazine,  or  powder-house.  The  guard-house  was  near  the 
sutler's  store,  and  a  sentinel's  beat  was  constructed  near  the  powder-house.  The 
platform  of  the  sentinel's  beat  was  about  three  feet  below  the  top  of  one  side  of 
the  stockade  and  extended  nearly  its  whole  length.  At  one  end,  by  the  maga- 
zine house,  was  constructed  a  small  shelter  for  the  protection  of  the  sentinel 
during  inclement  weather.  The  outer  walls  of  the  Quartermaster's  store  ex- 
tended  somewhat   outside   the   stockade. 

Alexander  states : ''"  "The  material  of  which  it  was  Ijuilt  was  prepared 
at  Fort  Crawford,  Prairie  du  Ciiieii,  Wis.,  and  the  cost  of  making  a  wagon- 
road,  the  same  ever  since  known  as  the  Old  Military  road,  and  transporting  the 
material  to  its  destination,  brought  the  cost  of  building  the  fort  to  S<J3,ooo." 
However,  all  the  material  was  not  prejKired  at  F'ort  Crawford,  as  Mr.  Goddard 
says,  "The  Covernmenl  had  a  sawmill  at  C)ld  Mission,  where  all  the  hardwood 
used  in  the  fort  Was  cut.  The  stone  used  was  quarried  in  the  immediate  vicin- 
ity of  the  fort.  The  \nne  lumber  and  other  material  was  brought  from  Fort 
Crawford." 

Alexander  says:-'^  "The  first  l)lacksniith  in  Winneshiek  county  was  Har- 
mon Snyder.  He  came  from  Prairie  du  Chicn  with  the  force  (of  about  50 
mechanics)  detailed  to  l)uild  the  fort,  and  was  employed,  chiefly,  in  work  for 
the  garrison.  At  the  same  time  he  did  a  great  deal  of  work  for  the  Indians. 
They  would  stand  around  and  watch  him  while  at  his  work,  with  wonder  and 
admiration." 

Antoine  tirignon,  who  aided  in  the  remo\al  of  the  \\  innebagoes  in  1848, 
says,  "Fort  Atkinson  was  quite  a  li\ely  place  when  I  was  there;  there  was  a 
comjiany  of  cavalry  there  at  that  time."  Concerning  the  Indian  agency  which 
was  established  in  connection  with  the  fort.  Mr.  Kingsley  relates  that,  "The 
Winnebagoes  were  given  food,  clothing,  gold,  and  silver.  In  money  they  re- 
ceived $46.00  ])er  head,  twice  a  year.  The  head  of  the  family  represented  his 
family  by  the  number  of  sticks  in  his  hand,  and  the  aimuity  was  disbursed  to 
him  accordingly.  I  ha\e  heard  my  mother  say  that  she  w^as  a  young  girl,  about 
fourteen  years  old,  the  time  of  the  Turkey  river  reservation  days;  her  father, 
being  a  sub-chief,  drew  a  portion  of  the  supplies;  these  were  tied  up  in  a 
buffalo  rojje  and  put  on  a  pony  that  she  rode.  The  cash  amounted  to  between 
$1,000  and  $2,000." 

February  24,  1849,  the  post  was  fnially  abandoned.  It  was  turned  over  to 
the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  for  disposition  January  10,  1851.     At  the  present 

'•'  In  his  history  of  the  cmuily. 
'•'  Same  reference  as  ahove. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  45 

time  all  that  is  still  standing  of  the  fort  is  the  cannon-house  of  the  southwest 

corner. 

"Orders  No.  9. 

"Headquarters  6th  Military  Department. 

"St.   Louis,   Missouri,   February    loth,    1849. 

"In  pursuance  of  General  Orders  No.  3,  of  the  23d  ultimo,  for  the  aban- 
donment of  Fort  Atkinson,  the  Company  of  the  6th  Infantry  stationed  there 
will  be  withdrawn  to  Fort  Crawford,  and  will  form  a  part  of  the  garrison  of 
that  post. 

"The  public  stores  at  Fort  Atkinson  will  be  removed  or  sold,  as  may  be 
found  expedient  under  the  circumstances. 

"P.y  order  Bvt.  Major  General  Twiggs: 

"D.    C.    BUELL, 

"Asst.  Adjt.  Gen." 

Although  the  military  appearance  was  no  longer  kept  up,  the  fort  was  not 
entirely  abandoned  as  a  post.  A  discharged  soldier  of  the  regular  army,  named 
Alexander  Faulkner,  who  held  the  rank  of  first  sergeant,  was  appointed  by  the 
Government  to  look  after  it.  Josiah  Goddard,  who,  with  his  family,  moved  from 
Wisconsin  to  this  section  in  1849,  spent  the  winter  of  1849-50  in  the  old  fort 
when  it  was  in  charge  of  Mr.  Faulkner.  Soon  after.  Faulkner  was  relieved 
by  Geo.  Cooney,  whom  Alexander  says,  -''-'  "was  a  well-known  citizen  of  the 
county,  who  lived  in  the  vicinity  of  tlie  old  fort."  The  fort  became  useless  as 
Government  property,  and  was  sold  at  public  auction  to  one  J.  M.  Flowers  for 
$3,521.  The  reservation  is  described  as  containing  1,920  acres.  This  land  was 
finally  disposed  of  under  the  provisions  of  the  acts  of  Congress  of  July  30, 
1856,  and  June  7,   i860. 

Of  the  ofiicers  who  served  at  this  post,  six,  namely :  Captain  John  J.  Aber- 
crombie  and  Lieutenants  Schuyler  Hamilton,  John  H.  King,  and  Joseph  B. 
Plummer,  of  the  ist  Infantry,  and  Captain  Edwin  V.  Sumner  and  Lieutenant 
Alfred  Pleasanton,  of  the  ist  Dragoons,  attained  to  the  rank  of  general  officers 
in  the  U.  S.  Army  in  the  Civil  war. 

Assistant  Surgeon  William  S.  King  was  retired  as  an  Assistant  Surgeon 
General.  Captain  Osborne  Cross  of  the  ist  Infantry  was  transferred  to  the 
Quartermaster's  Department  and  became  Assistant  Quartermaster  General  with 
the  rank  of  Colonel.  Captain  Sidney  Burbank  of  the  ist  Infantry  commanded 
his  regiment,  2d  U.  S.  Infantry,  during  the  Civil  war  and  was  breveted  for 
gallantry. 

Lieutenants  Simon  B.  Buckner  and  Henry  Heth  of  the  6th  Infantry,  and 
Abraham  Buford  and  Alexander  \\.  Reynolds  of  the  ist,  resigned  their  com- 
missions at  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war  and  became  general  officers  in  the 
Confederate  service.  Assistant  Surgeon  Charles  H.  Smith  served  in  the  med- 
ical department  of  the  Confederate  army.  A.  R.  Young,  father  of  Frank  Young 
of  Decorah,  was  a  soldier  at  Fort  Atkinson,  and  left  with  other  troops  for 
Mexico,  but  returned  soon  after  the  country  was  opened  to  settlers. 

The  first  death  of  a  white  man  in  Winneshiek  county  was  that  of  a  Govern- 
ment teamster  named  Howard,  frozen  to  death  October  4,   1840,  near  Castalia, 

^^  In  his  history  of  the  county. 


46  PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

while  driving  from  Fort  Crawford  to  Fort  Atkinson.  He  was  buried  at  the 
latter  place.  The  first  white  child  born  in  tlie  county  was  Miss  Mary  Jane 
Tapper,  born  at  the  fort  January  i6,  1841. 

RK.M0\"A1.  OF  TIIK  \VI  N  .VICli.VGOKS   1-"R0M    IOWA 

October  13,  1846,  the  Winnebagoes  ceded  "all  claim  to  land,"  and  especially 
their  rights  on  the  Neutral  Ground,  and  were  given  a  tract  of  land  selected  by 
the  chiefs  at  Long  Prairie,  ^linnesota.  Jhe  Indians  were  not  satisfied  with  the 
location,  and  most  of  them  remained  scattered  throughout  the  country. 

Mr.  Henry  M.  Rice  secured  the  contract  to  remove  these  to  Minnesota,  and 
employed  Moses  Paquette,  Antoine  Grignon.  and  others  to  assist  him.  Antoine 
Grignon,  who  is  now  eighty-four  years  old  and  a  resident  of  Wisconsin,  says, 
"I  went  to  school  four  years  with  Moses  Paquette;  he  was  a  Winnebago  mixed 
blood.  I  have  no  Indian  name,  but  am  part  Sioux  and  Winnebago.  I  helped 
locate  camps  for  H.  M.  Rice,  along  the  river,  and  we  gathered  the  Indians  to- 
gether in  La  Crosse,  took  them  by  steamboat  to  St.  Paul,  then  overland  by  wagon 
to  Long  Prairie,  Minnesota.  I  reinained  at  Long  Prairie  until  1854.  Thev  dis- 
liked very  much  to  leave  Iowa.  They  were  removed  in  wagons,  being  guarded 
by  dragoons  from  Fort  Atkinson." 

The  names  of  the  twenty-four  Indian  signers  of  the  Treaty  of  Washington, 
negotiated  with  the  Winnebago  Indians  October  13,  1846,  are  as  follows: 

Hoong-ho-nc)-kaw.  Hakh-ee-nee-kaw. 

Is-ja\v-go-bo-ka\v.  Waw-kon-chaw-ho-no-kaw. 

Co-no-ha-ta-kaw.  Maw--hee-ko-shay-naw-zhee-kaw. 

Naw-hoo-skaw-kaw.  Wo-gie-cjua-kaw. 

Shoong-skaw-kaw'.  Waw-kon-chaw-shc-shick-kaw. 

Kooz-a-ray-kaw.  Chas-chun-kaw. 

Waw-ina-noo-ka-kavv.  .\'aw-hey-kec-kaw. 

Ha-naw-hoong-])er-kaw.  Ah-hoo-zheb-kaw. 

W'aw-roo-jaw-hee-kaw.  Maw-nee-ho-no-nic. 

Baptist-Lasalica.  Maw-ho-kee-wee-kaw. 

Waw-kon-chaw-per-kaw.  Sho-go-nee-kaw. 

Kaw-how-ah-kaw. 

Watch-ha-ta-kaw.   (i)y  Henry  .M .   Kicc,  his  delegate.) 

Mr.  Lamcre  has  translated  most  of  the  abo\e  names;  the  translations  are  as 
follows:  noong-ho-no-kaw%  or  Little  Chief  (also  called  Little  Priest)  ;  he  was  a 
member  of  the  WUlf  clan. 

Co-no-ha-ta-kaw ; — "Co-no"  is  the  name  of  all  the  first  born  male  children 
of  the  Winnebagoes  (the  \\ord  "co-no"  does  not  mean  llrst-born.  but  is  the  name 
of  the  first  born  )  ;  "-ha-ta"  means  "big."  As  there  were  usually  two  or  three 
families  in  a  lodge  and  more  than  one  "co-no,"  they  usually  called  the  older  one 
"co-no-ha-ta-kaw,"  meaning,  "older,  or  big-first-born." 

Maw-hoo-skaw-kaw,  or  White  Sturgeon  ;  this  is  a  Fish  clan  name. 

Shoong-skaw-kaw,  or  White  Dog;  a  member  of  the  Wolf  clan. 

Kooz-a-ray-kaw,  or  the  Created;  a  member  of  the  Hear  clan. 

Waw-ma-noo-ka-kaw,  or  the  Stealer  (Thief)  ;  this  is  a  self-taken  name,  a 
right  the  warriors  had.  especially,  when  they  had  accomplished  anything  of  im- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  47 

portance  in  battle.  This  particular  name  signifies  that  he  overcomes  his  enemies 
so  easily  that  it  is  like  stealing  them. 

Ha-naw-hoong-per-kaw ; — "Ha-naw"  is  the  name  of  the  second  born  male 
child  in  a  family;  "hoong-per"  signifies  "good  chief,"  thus  the  meaning  would  be 
"the  second  born  good  chief;"  his  English  name  was  "White-horse"  and  he  was 
a  member  of  the  Wolf  clan. 

Wo-gie-qua-kaw,  or  "Strikes  them  as  he  comes."  This  is  a  Buiialo  clan  name, 
and  is  taken  from  the  actions  of  a  bull  buffalo  running  a  herd,  when  he  seems 
to  lead  or  drive  them  by  butting,  or  striking  them  about. 

Wau-kon-chaw-she-shick-kaw,  or  Bad  Thunder  (a  Thunder  clan  name). 

Chas-chun-kaw,  or  the  Wave  (a  Fish  clan  name.) 

Naw-hey-kee-kaw,  or  "He  who  makes  trees  dead;"  a  Thunder  clan  name 
taken  from  the  action  of  the  lightning  when  it  strikes  trees,  so  that  they  dry  up 
and  die. 

Ah-hoo-zheb-kaw,  or  Short  Wing  (Young  Winneshiek). 

Waw-roo-jaw-hee-kaw,  or  "Thunders  on  them"   (Thunder  clan  name). 

Waw-kon-chaw-per-kaw,  or  the  Good  Thunder  (Thunder  clan  name). 

Waw-kon-chaw-ho-no-ka\v,  or  the  Little  Thunder  (Thunder  clan  name). 

JMaw-hee-koo-shay-naw-zhee-kaw,  or  Little  Decorah  (One  who  Stands  and 
Reaches  the  Skies). 

Maw-nee-ho-no-nic,  or  Little  Walker   (Eagle  clan  name). 

Maw-ho-kee-wee-kaw,  or  "He  who  goes  along  in  the  sky ;"  the  word  "kaw" 
on  the  end  of  every  name  means  "he"  or  "the." 

Sho-go-nee-kaw,  or  Little  Hill. 

Watch-ha-ta-kaw  (undoubtedly  One-eyed  Decorah). 

About  1300  were  removed  to  Minnesota  at  this  time,  leaving,  it  was  estimated, 
about  400  still  remaining  in  Iowa  and  Wisconsin.     Others  were  removed  in  1850. 

"A  place  of  notoriety  that  existed  in  the  early  history  of  Winneshiek  county 
was  a  spot  called  'Grab-all.'  This  place  was  a  high  bench  of  timber  land,  half 
way  between  the  Iowa  trail  and  Postville.  It  was  given  this  name  because  the 
Government  stationed  a  sergeant's  guard  there  to  'grab  all'  the  Indians  passing 
that  way,  for  removal."  '"' 

It  is  easily  understood  why  the  Winnebagoes,  when  later  removed  to  other 
places,  returned  in  little  bands,  quite  frequently,  to  visit  the  scenes  they  loved  so 
well ;  they  persisted  in  this  until  civilization  shut  them  out  forever.  The  Win- 
nebagoes had  many  favorite  camping  sites  along  the  rivers  of  the  county.  Mr. 
Lamere  says  that  the  Winnebago  Indian  name  for  Iowa  river,  with  reference 
to  the  Upper  Iowa,  is  "Wax-hochc-ni-la,"  meaning  Iowa  river,  also  called  "Wax- 
hoche-ni-sha-nuk-la."  The  Winnebago  Indian  name  for  the  Turkey  river  is 
"Zee-zee-ke-ni-la,"  meaning  Turkey  river,  also  called  "Zoe-zee-ke-ni-sha-nuk-la."' 
James  Smith,  a  Winnebago,  states,'"  "a  river  south  of  Lansing,  Iowa,  is  called 
Yellow  Hair  river  '■-  by  the  Indians ;  the  Winnebago  name  for  this  river  is  'Na- 
jew-zee-ni-sha-nuk-la.'  " 

f'"  Alexander's  "History  of  Winneshiek  and  Allamakee  Counties." 

"1  A  statement  made  to  Mr.  Oliver  Lamere. 

"2  Evidently  the  Yellow  river,  which  has  its  source  in  Winneshiek  county. 


48  PAST  AKD  PRESENT  OF  WTXXESMIEK  COUNTY 

RICMINISCENCES 

When  the  first  homeseckers  came  to  Winneshiek  county  the  remains  of  several 
V\'innel)ago  Indian  villages  were  still  in  existence.  Numerous  Indian  trails  were 
in  evidence  in  nearly  all  parts  of  the  county,  many  of  which  led  to  the  site  of 
the  present  city  of  Decorah. 

In  "Reminiscences  of  Sprin.<,^ficld  Township"  es  Hon.  A.  Jacobson  states: 
"The  Indians  who  had  inlyihited  this  portion  of  the  country  where  we  settled 
were  removed  by  Government  troo])s  two  years  previous  to  our  arrival.  They 
had  evidently  intended  to  return  at  some  future  time  as  tliey  had  made  large 
cellar-like  holes  in  the  ground  in  which  were  deposited  all  kinds  of  goods  covered 
with  the  bark  of  trees.  Such  things  as  corn,  feathers,  axes,  and  kettles  were  in 
good  preservation  when  exhumed  by  the  new  settlers. 

"Quite  large  parties  of  Indians  traversed  the  country,  but  they  had  their  homes 
in  the  territory  of  Minnesota  and  did  not  molest  us  in  the  least.  There  were 
no  settlements  northwest  of  us  the  first  year,  hence  being  on  the  frontier  we 
often  felt  uneasy,  having  heard  that  some  traders  sold  them  whiskey. 

"Indian  trails,  well  marked,  crossed  the  country  in  various  directions,  and 
with  little  deviation  continued  to  be  the  roads  of  early  settlers,  until  the  fencing 
in  of  the  fields  pushed  the  roads  into  the  worst  places." 

Alonzo  liradish,  who  came  to  Decorah  in  1852,  says:''^  "One  of  their  trails 
followed  the  cast  bend  of  Pleasant  Mill  and  left  oiif  at  a  point  about  where  the 
Catholic  church  now  stands  on  East  Broadway.  This  trail  was  well  marked  by 
frequent  travel,  and  in  places  there  were  considerable  depressions  below  the  sur- 
face, caused,  to  a  certain  extent,  by  the  dragging  of  tipi  poles  fastened  to  the 
backs  of  horses   [travois]. 

"In  the  early  days  travelers  had  to  ford  the  stream  where  the  Twin  liridges 
now  span  the  Upper  Iowa.  The  road  leading  from  here  up  through  the  valley, 
to  the  district  now  called  Clay  Hill,  was  known  as  the  St.  Paul  stage  road,  and 
the  valley  was  called  Cruson's  Hollow.  This  route  was  very  frequentlv  traveled 
by  the  Indians.  A  favorite  camping  place  of  the  Indians,  when  traveling  through, 
was  on  the  ground  now  known  as  the  Courthouse  Square. 

"They  always  carried  a  blanket,  and  wore  leggings  that  reached  up  over  the 
thigh,  and  a  clout.  Many  carried  hatchets,  of  which  the  most  were  made  of  iron. 
The  young  Indian  boys  were  expert  marksmen  with  the  bow  and  arrow,  hitting 
pennies  and  nickels  at  fifty  to  sixty  feet  distance. 

"1  had  opened  a  hardware  and  tin  shop,  and  here  the  Indians  occasionally 
came  to  have  their  guns  repaired.  These  guns  were  the  only  kind  used  then  and 
were  known  as  flintlocks,  the  ammunition  being  big  lead  balls.  The  Indians 
were  supplied  with  them  by  the  (iovernment. 

"A  young  Indian  and  his  squaw  were  camped  at  a  sjiot  about  where  the 
stockyards  are  now  located  at  the  east  end  of  Water  street.  The  river  at  this 
time  was  very  low  and  lie  busied  himself  in  making  a  dugout  canoe  from  the 
trunk  of  a  large  cottonwood  which  he  had  felled.  When  the  high  water  came 
they  put  the  boat  in  the  stream  and  getting  in  were  soon  on  their  way  down 

•3  Sec.  II,  pg.  II,  Atlas  of  Winneshiek  County,  1905. 
"*  In  a  personal  interview  with  liim. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  49 

stream,  headed  for  Lansing  at  the  mouth  of  the  Upper  Iowa,  where  a  part  of  the 
tribe  w'ere  encamped." 

Philip  Husted,  an  old  settler,  relates  ^^  that,  "Quite  often  parties  of  Winne- 
bago Indians  would  travel  through  the  country;  one  of  their  favorite  camping 
places  was  on  the  Yellow  river  near  Frankville.  They  would  sell  their  beadwork, 
and  were  very  pleasant  and  peaceable  with  the  whites." 

A  number  of  years  ago  Mr.  E.  C.  Bailey  met  two  Indians  at  the  Methodist 
church  corner,  on  upper  Broadway.  One  was  a  very  old  Indian,  and  the  other 
middle-aged.  Mr.  Bailey  (who  was  then  about  twenty  years  old),  was  asked  if 
he  knew  where  a  Mr.  E.  Anderson  lived.  One  of  them  opened  a  neat  note  book 
in  which  was  written,  "These  Indians  are  good  Winnebago  Indians,  and  they 
are  to  be  trusted." 

(Signed.)  E.  Anderson, 

Sheriff  of  Winneshiek  county. 

It  is  not  definitely  known  what  year  Mr.  Anderson  was  sheriff,  but  his  state- 
ment is  only  another  example  of  the  confidence  early  settlers  placed  with  the 
\\'innebagoes. 

Although  Iowa  was  in  a  maimer  always  neutral  ground  and  escaped  many 
of  the  worst  results  of  the  encounters  between  the  whites  and  the  Indians,  the 
early  settlers  of  Winneshiek  county  had  their  Indian  scare,  and  they  had  good 
reason  to  become  alarmed.  What  led  to  this  was  the  Indian  uprising  and  Sioux 
massacre  in  Minnesota  in  June,  1862. 

They  had  swept  Minnesota  with  bullet  and  brand 

Till  her  borders  lay  waste  as  a  desert  of  sand, 

\\  hen  we  in  Dakota  awakened  to  find 

That  the  red  flood  had  risen  and  left  us  behind. 

Then  we  rallied  to  fight  them, — Sioux,  Sissetons,  all 

\\'ho  had  ravaged  unchecked  to  the  gates  of  Saint  Paul. — 

— Joseph  Mills  Hanson,  "Frontier  Ballads." 

At  this  time  the  Winnebagoes  were  at  Blue  Earth  in  Southern  Minnesota. 
Although  they  took  no  part  in  the  Sioux  massacre,  and  even  though  they  offered 
the  government  their  services  in  punishing  the  Sioux,  the  inhabitants  of  Min- 
nesota demanded  their  removal.  They  were  hastily  removed  to  South  Dakota, 
where  they  suffered  many  hardships. 

This  Indian  scare  was  general  throughout  the  county  and  was  an  occurrence 
well  remembered  by  the  old  settlers.  A  contributor  to  The  Decorah  Journal. 
1882,  states:  "As  I  write  the  word  'Indians,"  my  memory  takes  me  back  to  the 
early  days  of  my  childhood  in  Decorah.  Again  I  see  a  rider  on  a  foaming  steed 
dash  along  Broadway,  as  I  did  twenty  or  more  years  ago,  shouting  at  the  top  of 
his  voice,  "The  Indians  are  coming!'  Again  I  see  the  street  thronged  with 
blanched  faced  men  and  trembling  women,  running  to  and  fro  in  wild  excitement 
and  gazing  with  anxious  faces  off  into  the  west  *  *  *  *  Again  I  hear  the 
whispered  consultation  of  the  men  as  to  the  best  means  of  protecting  their  loved 
ones.     Again  I  feel  my  hand  clasped  in  that  of  my  sainted  mother  as  I  toddle 

^^  In  a  personal  interview  with  him. 


50  PAST  AND  I'RKSEX'J'  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

along  at  her  side,  down  Mill  street  hill,  across  the  old  red  bridge,  and  over  to 
West  Decorah — a  place  of  imagined  safety.  It  was  a  false  alarm,  and  probably 
faded  from  the  memory  of  many  of  our  readers,  and  remembered  by  others  only 
as  the  dim  recollection  of  a  half  forgotten  dream." 

At  Decorah,  men,  women,  and  children  gathered  on  the  Courthouse  Square, 
and  prepared  to  withstand  a  siege.  Settlers  left  their  homes  and  gathered  in 
Decorah  as  a  place  of  refuge,  many  of  them  camping  on  the  flat  now  known  as 
Park  Addition.  Men  armed  themselves  with  any  kind  of  weapon  that  lay 
handy,  and  determined  to  defend  their  families  and  homes,  but  were  greatly 
relieved  when  the  threatened  attack  proved  to  be  only  a  rumor. 

J.  C.  Fredenburg,  of  Canoe  township,  says,""  "I  remember  the  Indian  scare. 
Some  one  came  to  our  house  one  night  about  twelve  o'clock  and  told  father  the 
Indians  were  coming  and  that  they  were  about  twenty  miles  away,  killing  people 
and  burning  all  the  houses.  Father  and  mother  talked  it  over  and  father  said, 
"I  will  go  to  Burr  Oak  and  see  what  is  to  be  done.'  He  left  mother  and  me  at 
home,  and  when  he  arrived  at  Burr  Oak  nearly  all  the  people  were  there  for 
several  miles  around,  some  with  their  teams  and  families.  They  held  a  council 
and  decided  that  all  should  meet  there  and  build  a  fort  for  their  protection,  but 
no  Indians  came,  so  the  people  settled  down  again.  It  was  some  time,  however, 
before  all  fear  had  vanished." 

Other  similar  accounts  might  be  given,  hut  the  preceding  narratives  describe 
the  conditions  as  they  existed,  during  this  scare,  throughout  the  county. 

There  is  no  evidence  to  show  that  any  Indian  murders  took  place  within  the 
boundaries  of  our  county.  There  were,  however,  several  such  murders  com- 
initted  in  the  near  neighborhood :  that  of  the  Gardner  family,  in  Fayette  county ; 
of  Riley,  near  Monona:  and  of  Hereby,  near  the  mouth  of  the  \'olga.  The 
contaminating  influence  of  the  bootlegger  was  the  direct  cause  of  these  murderous 
deeds,  "h'irewater"  was  the  curse  of  the  Indian,  as  it  has  since  been  to  many  a 
white  man. 

Taft  Jones  and  Graham  Thorn  were  two  bootleggers  who  infested  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  Winnebago  reservation.  The  Cjovernment  did  not  allow  such 
characters  to  come  on  the  reservation,  so  they  came  as  near  to  its  boundaries  as 
they  dared  and  established  so-called  trading-posts  in  the  vicinity  of  Monona,  giv- 
ing them  the  names  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah.  The  Indians  used  to  frequent  these 
places  and  always  got  badly  cheated.     Alexander  gives  ""  the  following  account : — 

"An  old  Indian  visited  Taft  Jones'  den,  at  Sodom,  and  traded  in  all  his  worldly 
eflfects  for  whiskey,  he  even  sold  the  blanket  from  his  shoulders.  Becoming 
intoxicated,  he  was  turned  out  of  doors,  and  on  his  way  to  his  lodge  died  from 
exposure  and  cold.  The  next  morning  his  son,  a  youth  of  about  twenty  sum- 
mers, found  the  dead  body  of  his  father  out  in  the  snow,  naked  and  frozen.  His 
revengeful  feelings  were  aroused,  and  going  to  the  whiskey  den  at  Gomorrah,  he 
shot  the  first  man  he  saw  through  the  window.  Unfortunately  it  happened  to  be 
an  inofifensive  man  named  Riley.  A  detachment  of  troops  under  command  of 
Lieut.  David  S.  Wilson  was  sent  out  to  capture  the  Indian  who  committed  the 
murder.     He  was  ajiprehended,  taken  to  Fort  Atkinson,  and  confined   in  the 

""Sec.  II,  pg.   14,  Atlas  of  Wiiincsliiek  County. 
*'  In  his  history  of  the  county. 


OLD  BAKKAas;S,  FT.  ATKINSON 


OLD  CANNON  HOUSE,  NEAR  FT.  ATKINSON 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  53 

guardhouse,  but  by  the  connivance  of  a  sympathizing  white  man  he  escaped  and 
was  never  recaptured.  Jones  Hved  a  short  time  after  this  occurrence  and  died 
from  chronic  alcohohsm." 

Thus  an  attempt  has  been  made  to  give  in  brief  outhne  the  Indian  history  of 
'\\'inneshiek  county.  The  writer  soon  discovered,  after  taking  up  the  study  of 
the  subject,  that  nowhere  was  accurate  information  in  concise  form  to  be  had 
in  regard  to  the  aboriginal  inhabitants  of  the  county ;  their  occupation  of  the 
county  seems  to  have  laeen  an  obscure  period  in  their  history.  The  writer  has 
regarded  it  as  well  worth  while  to  gather  the  data  here  presented,  and  has  had 
in  view  that  this  article  should  faithfully  preserve  the  early  scenes  of  our  pre- 
decessors in  the  county. 

The  river,  whose  peaceful  waters  reflected  the  light  of  their  campfires,  now 
furnishes  the  power  that  lights  the  modern  structures  of  the  white  men,  by  which 
their  wigwams  have  been  supplanted.  But  the  memory  of  the  red  men  will  never 
perish  from  the  minds  of  those  who  have  succeeded  them.  The  names  of  Win- 
neshiek and  Decorah,  that  are  attached  to  our  county  and  county  seat,  will  be  an 
enduring  monument  to  their  former  occupation  of  the  soil. 

Here  still  a  loft_v  rock  remains, 

On  which  the  curious  eye  ma\-  trace 
(Now  wasted  half  hy  wearing  rains) 
The  fancies  of  a  ruder  race. 

Here  still  an  aged  elm  aspires, 

Beneath  whose  far  projecting  shade 

(And  which  the  shepherd  still  admires) 
The  children  of  the  forest  played. 

There  oft  a  restless  Indian  queen 

(Pale  Sheba  with  her  braid  and  hair), 

And  many  a  barbarous  form  is  seen 

To  chide  the  man  that  lingers  there. 

By  moonlight  moons,  o'er  moistening  dews. 

In  habit  for  the  chase  arrayed, 
Tlie  hunter  still  the  deer  pursues, 

The  hunter  and  the  deer — a  shade ! 

And  long  shall  timorous  Fancy  see 

The  painted  chief,  and  pointed  spear. 

And  Reason's  self  shall  bow  the  knee 
To  shadows  and  delusions  here. — 
— Closing  stanzas  of  Philip  Freneau's  "The  Indian  Burying-ground." 


CHAPTER  II 
THE  PIONEERS 

If,  in  the  perusal  of  these  pages,  the  reader  finds  frequent  reference  to  his- 
torical sketches  written  by  others,  it  will  be  because  those  sketches  have  been 
proven  correct  and  their  recorders  are  entitled  to  whatever  honor  may  accrue  in 
having  preserved  them  for  those  who  have  followed  and  are  still  to  follow.  It 
will  be  our  purpose  to  assemble  these  records  in  an  orderly  and  concise  manner 
and,  as  far  as  possible,  amplify  them  and  add  such  happenings  of  later  years  as 
may  be  worthy  of  a  place  in  a  work  of  historical  character. 

It  is  a  happy  circumstance  in  the  life  of  a  community  to  have  had  for  its  first 
citizens  men  of  character, — not  necessarily  brilliant  thinkers  or  doers  of  heroic 
deeds,  but  rather  men  of  thoughtfulness,  unswerving  purpose  and  a  desire  to  do 
the  work  of  and  be  good  citizens  in  the  best  sense  of  the  word. 

The  records  of  Winneshiek  county  do  not  disclose  any  race  for  supremacy 
as  to  priority  in  settlement,  but  it  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  actual  settlement 
began  in  the  summer  of  1848  that  the  white  man  was,  as  usual,  treading  on  the 
heels  of  the  American  Indian  in  his  desire  to  acquire  an  Iowa  home. 

The  settlers  were  not  many  during  the  first  two  years — just  a  handful  in  1848, 
and  a  few  more  in  1849, — but  1850  saw  a  large  influx  and  they  came  from  aM 
quarters.  With  them  they  brought  meagre  equipments  of  household  goods — 
mostly  were  they  endowed  with  rugged  constitutions,  and  Christian  and  phy- 
sical courage  to  wrest  from  nature  the  wherewithal  to  build  homes.  Little  did 
they  care  whether  they  were  first  comers,  but  to  us  who  are  living  today  there 
is  interest  in  these  matters,  therefore  I  shall  endeavor  to  place  them  in  order  as 
far  as  possible.  For  that  purpose  reference  is  made  to  the  cards  of  an  old  set- 
tlers' gathering  held  in  Decorah  in  connection  with  the  Centennial  celebration 
of  the  Fourth  of  July  in  1876.  The  late  Ansel  K.  Bailey  was  secretary  of  that 
gathering  and  it  is  due  to  his  thoughtfulness  that  these  cards  were  preserved. 
They  have  in  times  past  been  a  court  of  last  resort  in  settling  questions  that  have 
arisen  regarding  dates,  ages,  or  other  matters  covered  by  the  information  recorded 
on  them,  hence  we  may  now  accept  them  with  more  than  passing  confidence. 

On  Tune  7,  1848,  Hamilton  Campbell  and  wife  took  up  a  claim  in  what  are 
now  Sections  23  and  26  of  Bloomfield  township,  thereby  becoming  the  first  recog- 

55 


56  PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  WTXXESHIEK  COUNTY 

nized  permanent  settlers  in  the  count)-.  Following  close  upon  these  hardy  pion- 
eers came  Gottlob  and  Gottleib  Krumm,  the  former  accompanied  by  his  wife. 
They  were  just  twenty-two  days  behind  the  Campbells,  the  date  of  their  arrival 
being  June  2y,  1848,  and  they  settled  on  the  northwest  quarter  of  Section  17, 
Washington  township.  On  August  15,  1848,  David  Reed  and  wife  and  Daniel 
Reed  settled  on  the  northwest  quarter  of  Section  25,  Bloomfield  township. 

A.  R.  Young  takes  his  place  at  this  point  in  the  early  settlement  of  the  county, 
although  he  can  scarcely  be  classed  as  a  resident  in  the  same  sense  as  others 
imtil  October,  1850.  Mr.  Young  was  a  soldier  and  came  to  Fort  Atkinson  in 
October,  1848,  remaining  until  March,  1849.  While  there  he  acquired  Govern- 
ment land,  but  when  the  fort  was  evacuated  he  was  transferred  to  Fort  Craw- 
ford, Prairie  du  Chien,  then  to  Fort  Snelling,  Minnesota,  remaining  at  the  latter 
place  until  May,  1850,  when  his  regiment  was  sent  to  Marengo.  Iowa,  and  in 
August  to  Fort  Dodge,  where  he  was  discharged  in  October.  He  then  returned 
to  his  land  near  Fort  Atkinson  and  made  his  home  there  permanently,  lie  mar- 
ried Alary  Jane  Rogers  at  P'ort  Atkinson  in  {•"eliruary.  1849.  She  was  a  daughter 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Francis  Rogers  and  remained  at  F'ort  Atkinson  with  her  parents 
during  the  absence  of  her  husband.  Thus  may  it  be  said  that  Mr.  \'()ung  was  a 
settler  and  resident  in  fact  from  the  fall  of  1848  on. 

W'e  have  attempted  to  secure  accurate  data  regarding  Francis  Rogers,  l)Ut 
the  little  that  is  available  discloses  only  the  certainty  that  he  and  his  family  lived 
at  Fort  Atkinson  in  1848.  Mrs.  ^'oung.  in  recounting  early  days,  once  told  the 
members  of  the  family  of  her  son  Francis  Young  that  during  the  first  winter 
(heir  home  consisted  of  straw  stacks  massed  on  four  sides,  over  which  tiiey 
arranged  a  roof.  In  that  conversation  she  gave  them  to  understand  that  this 
was  the  winter  of  1847-48,  which  would  gi\c  the  Rogers  family  priority  of 
residence  over  all  others.  This  record  is  lacking  that  definiteness  of  dates  which 
characterizes  the  coming  of  the  Campbells,  the  Krumms.  the  Reeds,  and  others, 
so  the  most  that  can  be  said  is  that  their  coming  was  at  least  contemporaneous 
with  those  who  made  settlement  in   1848. 

Right  here  jiermit  me  to  digress  from  the  records  of  the  cards.  It  has  alwavs 
been  claimed,  and  quite  generally  acce])ted.  that  the  Day  family  were  the  first 
settlers  in  Decorah.  They  came  in  June.  1849.  Contradictory  of  this  is  the  state- 
ment that  William  Painter  was  the  first  white  man  to  make  his  home  here.  My 
authority  for  this  record  is  Mrs.  P.  C.  liloomfield  of  Decorah.  a  niece  of  Mr. 
Painter,  .'-^he  tells  me  that  her  nicither  (.Mr.  Painter's  sister)  often  s])oke  of  the 
matter  ;md  named  the  month  of  Octol)er.  1848,  as  the  time  of  his  coming  to 
Decorah.  Some  years  ago  the  writer  heard  a  story  to  the  effect  that  a  member 
the  Day  family  heard  the  sound  of  a  woodman's  ax  as  it  strikes  a  tree,  one  day 
while  out  hunting,  and  upon  investigation  found  Mr.  Painter.  As  1  now  recall 
it  the  occurrence  was  located  .some  distance  north  of  Decorah.  I!e  that  as  it  may. 
the  story  of  Mrs.  Bloomfield  gives  weight  to  the  cl.iim  of  i)rior  residence  by  Mr. 
Painter. 

The  next  date  that  interests  us  is  April  i,  1849.  C)n  that  day  John  .\.  ro])litT 
joined  the  Reed  family,  taking  the  southeast  quarter  of  Section  25,  Bloomfield 
township.  On  the  same  date  .Andrew  Meyer  and  wife  became  distant  neighbors 
of  the  Krumms  in  Washington  township,  settling  on  .Section  5.  June  10,  1849, 
saw  the  Day  family  established  in  Decorah,  while  Phinneas  Banning  settled  in 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  57 

Section  5  of  Bloomfield  township  during  the  same  month,  and  Abner  DeCou  and 
Moses  S.  McSwain  located  at  what  was  subsequently  known  as  Moneek.  O.  W. 
Emery,  who  is  still  living  (on  June  17,  1913,  at  the  home  of  his  son-in-law  Mons 
Askelson  in  Orleans  township),  came  to  Canoe  township  and  made  his  claim  to 
the  northwest  quarter  of  Section  17,  on  August  20,  1849.  Josiah  Goddard,  of 
whom  more  will  be  said  later,  came  to  Fort  Atkinson,  in  the  spring  of  1849, 
bought  the  old  trading  post  and  moved  his  family  there  in  the  fall. 

The  year  1850  saw  an  influx  of  settlers  that  was  very  large  for  those  pioneer 
days,  but  it  was  not  until  June  that  the  tide  of  immigration  swelled  to  more 
than  an  occasional  straggler. 

Springfield  township  became  the  Mecca  of  a  large  settlement  of  Norwegians, 
many  of  whom  came  from  Dane  county,  Wisconsin,  after  a  residence  there  vary- 
ing from  a  few  months  to  three  or  four  years.  Reference  to  a  historical  sketch 
prepared  by  the  late  Abraham  Jacobson  discloses  the  fact  that  during  the  month 
of  June  a  party  consisting  of  Erick  Anderson,  Ole  Tostenson  Haugen,  and  his 
brother  Staale,  Ole  A.  and  A.  O.  Lomen,  Ole  Gullikson  Jevne,  Knut  Anderson 
Bakken,  Andres  Hauge,  John  Johnson  Qvale,  H.  Halvorson  Groven  and  Mikkel 
(Jmli  made  permanent  homes  in  this  townshij).  They  were  followed  on  July  2d 
by  another  party  of  which  Nelson  Jolmson  was  the  leader  and  included  ToUef 
Simonson  Aae,  Knud  G.  Opdahl,  Jacob  Abraliamson  and  Iver  Peterson  Ovale, 
Nelson  Johnson,  E.  G.  and  Albert  Opdahl  came  over  into  Decorah  township  to 
make  their  homes. 

The  settlement  in  Bloomfield  township  received  goodly  additions  during  this 
year  also,  among  the  number  being  Russell  Dean  who  came  in  April,  while  John 
DeCou  and  wife  and  Gideon  Green  followed  in  June. 

Canoe  township  was  claimed  as  residence  by  John  W.  Holm,  David  Kinnison 
and  wife  and  John  Fredenburgh  during  1850.  The  record  cards  show  that  Chris- 
topher A.  Estrem  and  wife  came  to  Frankville  township  on  September  3,  1S50, 
and  Wm.  Padden  and  wife  settled  in  Section  28  of  Frankville  in  November  of 
that  year,  as  did  also  Jacob  Duff  and  Walter  Rathbun  and  wife ;  but  George  M. 
Anderson,  writing  in  Anderson  &  Goodwin's  Atlas  (published  in  1906),  gives  to 
A.  P.  Rosa  credit  for  selecting  land  in  Section  31  in  March,  hewing  timbers  and 
erecting  a  cabin  thereon  for  his  family.  They  had  previously  lived  in  Clayton 
county  for  three  years.  Even  before  this,  in  1849,  Wm.  Day  had  erected  a 
house  near  what  is  known  as  the  ]\IcKay  schoolhouse,  but  found  he  was  on 
school  land  and  moved  to  Decorah. 

Probably  the  most  compelling  circumstance  connected  with  the  final  location 
of  the  Day  family  in  Decorah  was  Mother  Day.  When  she  saw  the  claim  her 
husband  had  staked  out  she  admitted  it  was  good  looking  land,  but  her  preference 
was  for  a  site  beside  running  water,  and  as  her  word  was  law  the  family  moved 
on  until  they  came  to  a  spring  that  bubbled  out  from  the  hillside  above  the  Upper 
Iowa  river.  "Here  is  where  we  will  stay,"  she  declared,  and  it  was  due  to 
her  decision  that  on  the  spot  that  is  now  graced  by  the  handsome  Winneshiek 
hotel  was  erected  the  log  cabin  home  that  formed  the  nucleus  around  which  the 
beautiful  city  of  Decorah  was  built.  Long  ago  the  spring  above  referred  to 
ceased  to  flow,  but  as  long  as  the  story  of  the  coming  of  the  Day  family  to  Decorah 
is  recalled,  mankind  will  honor  the  judgment  of  Mother  Day. 


58  PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OF  WLWI-.SHIEK  COUNTY 

Ole  Germond  Johnson  was  the  first  settler  in  (llenwood  township.  He  came 
with  the  Nelson  Johnson  party  that  landed  here  on  July  2.  1850,  and  selected  the 
southwest  quarter  of  Section  31  for  his  home.  Nels  Thronson  and  Andrew 
(nilbrandson  Haugen  came  in  the  same  year,  but  later,  and  settled  in  Section 
32. 

Benjamin  I..  Bisby  acquired  a  residence  in  Hesper  township  dii  the  first  of 
August,  and  from  all  ai)i)earanccs  he  enjoyed  a  priority  of  some  si.\  or  eight 
months,  for  Ezekiel  E.  .\leader  and  family  have  been  given  credit  as  the  first 
permanent  residents  of  the  township,  and  thev  did  not  arrive  until  the  spring  of 
1831. 

In  August,  1850,  Peter  K.  Langland  ami  wife  came  to  Pleasant  township 
and  settled  in  Section  10.  From  the  record  made  by  Edwin  Hover,  in  the  Ander- 
son &  Goodwin  .Atlas,  it  would  seem  that  John  Klontz  and  \Vm.  Vale  (Germans), 
came  from  Pennsylvania  in  1850  and  settled  in  the  northwest  corner  of  the  town- 
bliip.  They  were  joined  in  1851  by  Hover  Evenson,  Ole  Magneson,  Louis  Peter- 
son, Erick  Erickson,  Knut  L.  Liquin  and  K.  Erickson. 

Orin  Simmons  and  wife  joined  the  Decorah  township  settlers  on  Julv  2.  1850, 
taking  land  adjoining  what  is  now  the  village  of  Freeport.  Edward  Tracy  became 
a  Decorian  the  same  year,  and  ;\radison  township  seems  to  have  acquired  her 
first  settler  on  the  25th  day  of  September  in  the  person  of  John  Evenson,  who 
made  claim  to  the  northeast  quarter  of  Section  32. 

Referring  once  more  to  Anderson  &  Goodwin's  Atlas  of  Winneshiek  county, 
we  find  that  Charles  Kroek  settled  in  Calmer  township,  near  Spillville,  in  1849. 
The  following  year  saw  the  arrival  of  Joseph  Spielman  from  whom  Spillville 
derived  its  name;  also  Thor  Peter  Skotland.  Tor.sen  and  Lars  Land  and  Andre 
P.  Sandager,  who  settled  near  Calmar.  In  the  year  1850  Ole  Shervin,  Sr..  Ole 
Shervin,  Jr.,  Erick  Stovrem,  Ole  P.  Haugen,  .Andrew  L.  Kittelsby.  Thron  H. 
Egen  and  Thora  Bagaarson  augmeiUed  this  colony,  while  George  Herzog  and 
Conrod  Riehle  joined  the  Spillville  settlers.  Among  the  ])ermanent  settlers  who 
came  during  the  succeeding  four  years  were  Lars  P.  Kittelsby  and  his  son  Peter 
L.  Kittelsby  in  1852;  Ole  A.  Flaskrud,  Ole  P.  Bjornstad,  Erick  Flaskrud  and 
Even  Flaskrud  in  1853;  Alf  Clark.  Peter  Clawson  and  John  P.  Landin  in  1854; 
George  Yarwood,  Henry  Wheatman,  Ole  P.  Ramberg,  Sr.,  Ole  O.  Styve,  Jacob 
Stenseth,  John  P.  Hove  and  Lars  Heried  in  1854. 

Military  townshi))  also  received  her  first  settlers  in  1850.  but  there  is  no 
definite  data  as  to  who  they  were. 

In  1 85 1  the  tide  of  ctnigration  and  immigration  had  become  fairly  steady 
and  material  additions  to  the  ranks  of  settlers  were  made.  Among  those  who 
enrolled  at  the  Old  Settlers'  Reunion  the  record  cards  show  the  following  as 
coming  to  Winneshiek  county  in  that  year: — 

Decorah  township — E.  C.  Dunning  and  wife,  Peter  E.  Haugen,  Torkel 
Hanson  and  wife,  Gulbrand  T.  Lomen,  Ole  Kittlcson  and  wife,  Ole  Tollefson 
Vik  and  wife,  and  A.  K.   Drake. 

Madison  township — (nilbrand  Erickson  Vik,  Ole  M.  .Anderson  and  wife, 
rielge  Nelson  Myran,  Herbrand  Onstine,  Iver  G.  Ringstad  and  wife,  Ole  M. 
Asleson  and  wife. 

Springfield  township — E.  E.  Clement.  Rolland  Tobiason  and  wife. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  59 

Glenwood  township — Erick  Olson  Bakke  and  wife,  Isaac  Birdsell,  Wm. 
Birdsell  and  wife,  Philip  Hustad. 

Bloomfield  township — Geo.  Blake. 

Hesper  township — D.  D.  Huff  and  wife. 

Canoe  township — Simon  M.  Leach  and  wife. 

Burr  Oak  township — G.  V.  Punteney.  (Mr.  Punteney  is  still  living  and  in 
fairly  good  health.     His  home  is  at  Cresco  and  he  is  past  ninety  years  of  age.) 

The  year  1852  seems  to  have  furnished  the  first  settlers  in  several  townships 
in  the  northern  part  of  the  county.  In  this  year  Henry  Morse  built  a  saw- 
mill at  Bluffton  and  the  next  year  he  and  his  brother  Lyman  D.  Morse  built  a 
gristmill. 

In  what  is  now  know  as  Highlandville  the  names  of  the  Stoens,  Mikkel 
Solberg,  the  Arnesons,  Brunsvold,  Bersie,  Kjomme,  Kroshus,  Walhus,  and  others 
appear  as  first  settlers.  Fremont  was  also  in  the  1852  class.  J.  J.  Jacobson, 
in  the  Anderson  &  Goodwin  Atlas,  credits  Lars  Hougeberg  with  being  the  first 
settler  in  Lincoln  township,  with  Knudt  Alfson,  Jacob  Knutson  and  Kittel  Sand- 
erson as  following  close  after  him. 

Burr  Oak  township  acquired  her  first  settlers  in  1851,  when  Samuel  Belding 
and  his  half  brother  built  the  first  log  hotel  and  erected  a  lilacksmith  shop,  while 
to  Nelson  Gager  belonged  the  distinction  of  being  first  on  the  ground  in  Orleans 
township  in  1853. 

In  reading  the  foregoing  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  as  yet  the  county 
had  not  been  wholly  divided  as  to  townships,  and  in  mentioning  various  precincts 
we  use  their  present  names  as  a  matter  of  convenience.  There  were  undoubtedly 
many  more  who  came  to  various  parts  of  the  county  during  those  years,  but 
even  as  now  the  population  was  changing — some  were  coming  and  others  were 
going — hence  we  refer  more  particularly  to  those  we  have  named  because  they 
enjoyed  the  distinction  of  being  permanent  in  their  residence. 

SOME    I'lRST    THINGS    OF    THE    COUNTY 

While  we  are  reviewing  the  early  settlers  of  the  county,  it  may  not  be 
improper  to  refer  to  some  "first  things"  that  will  be  of  interest. 

-Sparks'  History  credits  James  B.  Cutler  with  being  the  first  duly  commis- 
sioned  postmaster    in   the   county.      His   commission    was    signed    on    Sept.    18, 

1851,  by  Nathaniel  K.  Hall,  postmaster  general  under  President  Willard  Fill- 
more, and  the  office  was  known  as  Jamestown,  being  discontinued  on  March  31, 

1852.  There  is  reasonable  ground  for  questioning  this  claim.  Judge  M.  V. 
Burdick,  in  Alexander's  History,  is  quoted  as  stating  that  Lewis  Harkins  was 
postmaster  at  Fort  Atkinson  as  early  as  1830,  and  about  the  same  time  John  L. 
Carson  was  serving  at  Old  Mission.  Mr.  Cutler  lived  to  the  rare  old  age  of 
one  hundred  and  one  years  and  seven  months,  making  him  one  of  the  few  cen- 
tenarians the  county  has  known. 

Sparks'  History  tells  this  story  of  the  first  marriage  in  the  county : 

"In  1850  a  young  man  came  from  Norway  to  Iowa  and  found  a  spot  of  ground 

that  suited  him  in  what  is  now  known  as  Madison  township,  Winneshiek  county. 

So  far  as  ascertained,  he  was  its  first  settler.    In  the  year  following  an  older  man 

followed  him,  who  was  the  father  of  at  least  one  girl.    As  young  men  and  maidens 


60  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

will,  tliis  young  man  and  this  maiden  agreed  to  wed.  These  parties  were  Johannes 
Evenson  and  Catherine  Helen  Anderson.  .At  that  time,  as  now,  the  law  re(]uired 
the  parties  to  have  a  license.  In  order  to  obtain  this  a  visit  to  the  judge  was  neces- 
sary. Rev.  N.  Brandt,  then  a  wandering  missionary,  was  in  the  county,  and  would 
perform  the  ceremony.  And  if  this  chance  escaped  them,  no  knowing  when  an- 
other opportunity  would  be  afforded  them.  Mr.  Evenson  straightway  started 
for  Hloomfield  township  to  see  the  judge  and  get  a  permit  to  enter  into  a  matri- 
monial alliance.  The  missionary  had  prcjmised  to  await  his  return.  .Mr.  I'., 
found  the  judge  absent.  He  had  gone  to  Dubuque  on  official  business.  Imagine 
the  sensations  of  that  waiting  bridegroom !  Again  the  question :  Would  that 
minister  tarry?  After  three  days  Judge  Reed  returned,  and  with  his  license  in 
his  pocket,  John  turned  his  footsteps  homeward  a  happier  man.  No  grass  grew 
under  his  feet  on  that  trip.  The  minister  had  remained,  and  the  marriage  ceremony 
was  performed — the  first,  as  the  records  show,  to  have  been  performed  in  the 
county.  The  license  for  this  marriage  was  granted  on  the  5th  day  of  October, 
1 83 1." 

Rev.  J.  Th.  VIvisaker,  in  his  history  of  Luther  College,  states  that  Reverend 
Brandt  was  an  uncle  of  the  bride  in  this  wedding,  hence  it  is  doubtful  if  there 
was  any  cause  for  worry  on  the  part  of  the  would-be-weds. 

The  second  marriage  license  was  granted  on  the  3d  of  November,  1S51.  I'hc 
contracting  parties  w'ere  Erick  Anderson  and  Miss  Ann  Soles. 

The  first  assessment  for  ta.xatinn  jnirposcs  in  the  county  produced  a  total  of 
$1,217.93,  divided  as  follows: 

County  ta.\    $696.68 

State  tax   i75-o8 

School    ta.x    1 15-42 

Road  tax   230.75 

besides  $650  of  poll  taxes.    This  would  make  the  total  assessable  properly  in  the 
county  at  that  time  worth  ,'!;  182,789,  says  Alexander's  History. 

The  richest  man  in  the  county  was  John  McKay,  of  Washington  Prairie.  He 
]jai(l  ilic  eiiiirnious  sum  of  $23.94  in  taxes.  Francis  Teabout  was  close  up  to  him, 
being  down  for  $23.16.  Benjamin  Beard  followed  with  $20.95.  These  three  were 
the  very  rich  men,  for  they  were  the  only  ones  who  paid  more  than  $20 :  or,  rather, 
were  regularlv  assessed  for  sums  that  ainounted  to  precisely  that  ligurc.  The  list 
of  other  ])ersiins  who  paid  over  $10  is  sd  sluirt  thai  we  give  the  n;inu's  in  lull : 

|()se|ili  .Spillman.  Calmar    $18.96 

Levi  Aloore,  I'.urr  Oak 17-68 

Moses  McSwain,  Bloomfield   1^-83 

James  S.  Ackerson.  Burr  Oak 16.00 

James  B.  Cutler,  Frankville 1 5-7^ 

Newell  cS:  Derrick,  L^ecorah   1 5-73 

Ingebret  Peterson,  Decorah  14.82 

Isaac  Callendcr.  I'rankville   '4-32 

Samuel  Allen,  P.loomfield   14-3° 

O.  W.  Emery,  Decorah 13-81 


OLD  CABIN  COL.  TAYLOR'S  FARJL  BUILT  1853 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  63 

Gideon  Green,  Blooniheld    13-59 

C.  E.  Brooks,  Military   1304 

David   Bartlett,   Canoe    12.76 

J.  T.  Atkins,  Frankville   12.29 

Joseph  Huber,  W'asliington   1 1.27 

Abner  DeCow,  Bloomfield   1 1.24 

W.  F.  Kimball,  Decorah    1 1.17 

Wm.  Cummings,  Bloomfield i  i-i3 

Richard  M.  Carson,  Washington i i-i3 

Wm.  Campbell,  Bloomfield 1 1  -05 

Andrew  Mayer,  Washington 10.83 

John  W.  Smith,  Frankville   10.72 

James  D.  ^IcKay,  Frankville 10.09 

This  table  indicates  that  the  wealth  of  the  county  then  centered  on  Washing- 
ton Prairie. 

Henry  M.  Rice,  who  subsequently  became  a  pioneer  in  Minnesota  and  repre- 
sented that  state  in  the  United  States  Senate,  conducted  a  trading  post  on  the  land 
that  is  now  a  part  of  the  Peter  E.  Haugen  estate  in  the  southeast  corner  of  Decorah 
township.  Engebret  Haugen,  father  of  Peter  E.  Haugen,  acquired  the  property 
in  1850  and  for  five  vears  thereafter  occupied  as  a  residence  the  luiiiding  used  by 
Rice  for  his  store. 

In  the  latter  part  of  March,  1899,  C.  W.  Bender  told  how  Washington  Prairie 
received  its  name,  in  an  article  published  in  the  Waukon  Standard.     He  said : 

"Speaking  of  Washington  Prairie,  its  first  Fourth  of  July  ought  always  to  be 
known  as  the  dav  of  its  birth.  As  the  national  day  for  1852  approached,  patriotic 
feelings  swelled  in  the  breasts  of  its  pioneers  and  a  few  made  arrangements  to 
properly  celebrate  the  day.  I  took  a  yoke  of  oxen  and  went  out  north  where  there 
were  some  pine  trees  (on  the  Trout  river  blufifs).  I  cut  two,  drew  them  home 
and  pealed  them.  A  Norwegian  blacksmith  out  north  made  me  two  rings  with 
which  I  spliced  the  pole,  which  made  it  from  si.xty  to  seventy  feet  high.  W'e  went 
over  to  Moneek  and  got  some  red  and  white  cloth  and  a  yard  of  blue,  and  our 
sewing  circle  of  mothers  and  sisters  made  a  fine  flag,  the  first  that  ever  floated  over 
Washington  Prairie  and  probably  the  first  in  the  county.  My  brothers  and  I  took 
our  oxen  and  hauled  the  liljerty  pole  upon  the  ridge  southwest  of  Levi  Hubbell's 
place,  dug  a  pit  and  trench  and  got  everything  ready  for  the  eventful  day.  The 
Fourth  came  bright,  clear,  beautiful.  Aly  brother  and  I,  John  McKay,  and  a  Mr. 
White,  and  a  few  others  whose  names  I  do  not  remember,  met  to  celebrate  the 
day.  We  raised  the  pole,  ran  up  the  flag  amid  much  cheering  and  enthusiasm, 
though  we  had  no  brass  band  or  booming  cannon,  and  one  proposed  'Now  let  us 
name  our  beautiful  prairie,  Washington  Prairie;  three  cheers  for  the  birth  of 
Washington  Prairie,  by  which  it  will  ever  be  known,  and  may  God  bless  her.' 
And  1  believe  He  has,  abundantly."  In  a  footnote  to  this  article  the  editor  of  the 
Standard  adds : 

"Geo.  W.  McKay  tells  us  that,  as  a  boy,  he  was  one  of  the  party  that  helped  get 
the  trees  for  the  pole ;  and  that  the  ox  team  belonged  to  Dwight  Rathbun,  and 
that  members  of  the  Walter  Rathbun,  Alanson  Loomis,  and  perhaps  John  Bateman 
families  took  a  part;  and  he  is  under  the  impression  that  the  'Norwegian  black- 
smith' was  Hans  Olson  or  Hans  Patterson." 


i 


CHAPTER  III 
SETTLEMENTS  OF   FOREIGN  BORN 

Winneshiek  county  was  one  of  the  first  in  Iowa  to  harbor  a  large  and  per- 
manent settlement  of  foreign  born  people.  The  Germans  were  the  first  to  come. 
In  1848  and  1849  the  Krumms,  Andrew  Meyer,  George  Beckel,  John  Gaertner, 
Joseph  Huber,  and  Anthony  Stadle  settled  in  Washington  township.  These  were 
not  merely  the  first  foreign  born  residents,  but  in  the  case  of  the  Krumms  they 
lacked  less  than  a  month  of  being  the  very  first  permanent  settlers  of  any  nationality 
in  the  county.  In  1850-51  another  company  of  Germans  settled  in  the  western 
part  of  Calmar  township.  They  were  Joseph  Spielman,  George  Herzog  and 
Conrad  Riehle.  Charles  Kroeg  preceded  them  in  1849,  ^"d,  with  the  exception  of 
Herzog,  all  brought  their  families.  In  later  years  Military  township  was  a  favored 
spot  among  the  Germans  and  in  its  present  population  may  be  found  many 
descendants  of  this  nationality.  Lincoln  township  claimed  quite  a  number  also. 
Bloomfield.  Frankville  and  parts  of  Pleasant,  Canoe  and  Hesper  are  now  popu- 
lated by  the  Germans,  though  most  of  them  are  properly  entitled  German-Ameri- 
cans, having  been  born  in  America. 

Calmar  township  was  also  destined  to  be  the  home  of  a  large  Bohemian  set- 
tlement. The  first  of  this  nationality  came  in  1854.  In  glancing  over  the  record 
one  sees  the  familiar  names  of  Bouska,  Mikesh,  Novak,  Kubish  and  Payer.  From 
this  beginning  there  grew  up  a  large  company  that  overflowed  into  Sumner,  Jack- 
son and  Washington  townships. 

While  we  are  w-riting  of  the  settlers  of  Calmar  it  is  worth  while  to  remember 
that  almost  all  of  the  Swiss  who  came  to  this  county  resided  in  or  near  Spill- 
ville.  In  1854  J.  H.  Hinterman,  Felix  and  J.  H.  Meyer  and  John  Leeble  settled 
there,  and  I  think  I  am  right  in  including  J.  J.  and  J.  IT.  Haug  in  this  list,  though 
T.  H.  Haug  came  later.  Others  came  at  subsequent  dates,  but  the  rejiresentation 
by  this  nationality  has  never  been  large.  Of  those  above  mentioned  J.  J.  Haug 
is  the  only  one  who  survives. 

In  1850  the  county  welcomed  its  first  Norwegian  settlers.  Reference  is  made 
of  these  people  in  the  chapter  dealing  with  the  first  residents  of  the  county,  but 
the  late  Abraham  Jacobson  has  left  a  very  complete  and  interesting  account  of  the 
band  that  located  in  Springfield  township  and  formed  the  nucleus  of  the  largest 

65 


66  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

body  of  foreign  born  citizens  in  this  part  of  Iowa,  hence  we  refer  the  reader  to 
his  story,  which  will  be  found  under  the  record  of  townships  and  towns.  During 
the  years  immediately  following  this  settlement  the  central  part  of  the  county, 
and  even  well  up  into  Highland  township,  received  steady  and  increasing  acces- 
sions of  settlers  from  Norway.  Today  their  descendants  represent  about  half 
of  the  population  of  the  county. 

Bluffton  township  seems  for  some  unaccountable  reason  to  have  attracted  the 
Irish,  and  while  there  are  Norwegians,  Germans  and  Americans  among  its  resi- 
dents, the  rich,  musical  brogue  of  Friend  Pat  is  the  most  often  heard.  The  first 
settlers  in  the  township  were  largely  Americans,  but  at  just  what  time  the  natives 
of  the  Emerald  Isle  began  to  accjuire  residence  there  is  not  clearly  indicated,  yet 
they  were  there  as  early  as  1855.  Most  of  them  came  from  Illinois,  where  they  had 
residence  for  varying  periods,  I)ut  the  ])arent  stock  of  the  present  generation  were 
largely  foreign  born. 

Winneshiek  county  also  boasted  of  a  goodly  number  of  Englishmen.  Among 
the  earliest  of  these  were  George  Yarwood,  Harry  Wheatmen,  Edward  and  Jack 
Vine  and  John  Pickworth.  who  lived  out  on  the  prairie  beyond  the  Peter  E. 
Haugen  farm  in  the  southwest  corner  of  Decorah  township.  There  was  another 
settlement  in  Lincoln  township,  another  in  Hesper,  while  in  Decorah  there  was  the 
late  Col.  William  Thurlow  Baker  and  his  brothers,  Capt.  Charles  G.  Baker  and 
John  T.  Baker  and  their  families.  R.  F.  B.  Portman  (still  a  resident  here).  A.  J. 
Ashmore,  the  Clive  brothers,  H.  H.  Horn  and  family,  Capt.  S.  Charles  Welsh 
and  wife,  and  a  number  of  others  whose  names  are  not  now  recalled.  Tliey 
brought  with  iliLin  their  customs  and  the  traditions  of  England.  Those  who 
resided  in  Hesper  and  Lincoln  townships  were  a  particularly  li\elv  set  of  fellows. 
mostly  young  men  who  had  come  here  to  engage  in  farming,  but  whose  ]Mcvious 
experience  and  lack  of  knowledge  of  local  rc(|uirements  did  not  hold  out  much 
hope  of  success.  Whatever  may  have  been  their  shortcomings  in  these  respects, 
they  were  generally  plentifully  supplied  with  money  and  knew  how  to  win  their 
way  socially,  so  as  long  as  the  purse  was  free  they  were  not  poor  in  companionship 
or  enjoyment. 

There  have  been  and  still  are  a  few  Scotchmen  in  the  county,  also  a  few  Danes, 
and  occasionally  one  may  find  a  native  of  Sweden,  but  these  are  few.  Thus  is 
completed  the  roll  of  the  foreign  born ;  but  whether  foreign  born  or  native,  almost 
all  are  trying  to  be  loyal  American  citizens,  contributing  their  share  in  working 
out  the  problems  that  face  us  as  a  jieople  and  building  for  a  l)ettcr  civilization. 

Since  the  foregoing  was  written  Decorah  has  acquired  some  new  citizens  of 
Mexican  birth.  That  they  will  remain  and  become  permanent  in  their  residence 
is  not  thought  probable,  however. 


CHAPTER  IV 
COUNTY  ORGANIZATION 

Who  organized  Winneshiek  county,  and  when  did  the  organization  take  place? 

It  has  been  quite  generally  accepted  that  an  organizing  act  passed  by  the  Iowa 
Legislature  on  January  15,  1851,  appointed  John  L.  Carson  as  organizing  sheriff 
with  authority  to  act  on  and  after  March  i,  185 1  ;  that  pursuant  to  the  authority 
so  vested  in  him  he  designated  Monday,  April  7,  1851,  as  the  date  of  election,  and 
set  stakes  at  Louisville,  or  Lewiston,  on  the  Turkey  river,  at  McSwain's  mill 
(Moneek).  and  at  Decorah,  as  the  places  where  the  polls  would  be  open.  As 
further  evidence  that  an  election  was  so  held  we  find  engrossed  upon  the  first  page 
of  the  first  records  of  Winneshiek  county  the  following  testimony : 

'"State  of  Iowa — Winneshiek  county. 

"I  hereby  certify  that  at  an  election  held  in  the  county  of  Winneshiek,  and  State 
of  Iowa,  on  the  7th  day  of  April,  A.  D.  185 1,  Decorah  was  duly  elected  to  lie  the 
county  seat  of  said  county. 

"In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  set  my  hand  the  14th  day  of  April,  1851. 

"J.  L.  Car.son,  Organizing  Sherifif." 

Could  a  more  certain  record  be  expected,  taking  into  consideration  the  fact  th.it 
in  those  days  even  lawmakers  were  not  as  particular  as  they  are  today  in  the 
matter  of  setting  out  statements  and  facts  so  that  no  question  could  arise? 

Yet  after  all  these  years  there  comes  forward,  in  the  form  of  a  notice  of 
appointment,  personal  letters,  and  a  copy  of  a  notice  of  election,  evidence  that 
would  tend  to  contradict  the  foregoing  record  and  give  to  Josiah  Goddard  credit 
for  acting  as  organizing  sheriff. 

As  early  as  1849  the  settlers  began  to  agitate  the  question  of  county  organ- 
ization. It  would  appear  from  the  letters  that  follow  that  the  agitation  reached  a 
point,  early  in  1850,  where  Josiah  Goddard,  acting  for  himself  and  others,  for- 
warded a  petition  to  Judge  James  Grant,  of  the  second  judicial  district  of 
Iowa,  asking  that  Mr.  Goddard  be  appointed  organizing  sheriff.  Reference  to 
papers  and  documents  of  Mr.  Goddard,  now  in  the  possession  of  his  son,  Harrison 
I.  Goddard  of  Fort  Atkinson,  discloses  the  following  notice  of  appointment  given 
over  the  signature  of  Judge  Grant : 

67 


68  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

"To  all  whom  these  presents  may  come. 
■'Greeting. 

"Know  ye,  that  in  pursuance  of  the  laws  of  Iowa,  in  such  case  made  and 
provided,  at  the  request  and  in  pursuance  of  the  petition  of  the  citizens  of  W'inne- 
shiek  county,  I  have  appointed  and  by  these  presents  do  appoint  Josiah  Goddard 
sheriff  or  said  county,  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  said  county  of  Winneshiek, 
to  hold  his  office  uiuil  the  first  special  election  in  said  county,  and  until  his  suc- 
cessor is  elected  and  qualified ;  and  I  do  hereby  appoint  the  .  .  .  day  of in 

the  year  1850  as  the  time  for  the  first  si)ecial  election  to  be  held  in  said  county. 

"Given  under  my  hand  at  Davenport,  in  the  Second  Judicial  District,  on  the 
1 8th  day  of  March,  1850. 

"James  Gr.vnt, 
"Judge  2  jud.   Dis." 

This  notice  was  accompanied  by  the  following  letter  to  .Mr.  Goddard.  in 
which  the  reader  will  observe  that  specific  directions  were  given  as  to  the  mode 
of  procedure  for  the  special  election : 

"To  Josiah  Goddard,  Esq., 

"Eort  Atkinson,  Iowa. 
"Dear  Sir: 

"I  send  you  an  appointment  as  shcrifl'  of  Winneshiek  county.  You  will  find 
all  your  powers  and  duties  pointed  out  by  the  act  of  February  24,  1847. 

"The  first  thing  which  you  will  do  is  to  give  bond  and  qualify  as  any  other 
sheriff:  which  you  can  do  before  the  clerk  of  the  district  court  of  some  adjoining 
county. 

"■S'ou  will  then  divide  the  county  into  precincts,  fix  places  for  holding  the  elec- 
tion therein,  give  names  to  the  precincts  and  dcscrii)e  their  boundaries  and  names 
in  the  notices  of  election.  You  will  give  about  ten  days  notice  of  the  election  by 
posting  three  written  or  printed  notices  in  abcmt  three  of  the  most  public  places 
in  each  jirecinct  in  the  county. 

"You  will  give  notice  for  all  the  imi)ortant  county  officers,  viz:  Three  county 
commissioners,  one  sherifl',  one  conmer,  one  clerk  of  the  district  court,  one  clerk 
for  the  board  of  county  commissioners,  one  ]5rosecuting  attorney,  one  recorder, 
who  is  to  act  as  treasurer  and  collector,  one  fund  commissioner,  and  two  justices 
of  the  peace  and  two  constables  for  each  precinct 

"^'ou  will  appoint  judges  of  election  for  each  i>recinct.  .\ftcr  the  election  vou 
will  receive  the  returns  and  grant  certificates  of  election  to  those  who  have  the 
iiighest  number  of  votes,  and  do  all  such  acts  as  the  commissioner's  clerk  is 
re(|uired  to  do  until  one  is  elected. 

"\ii\\  will  fill  up  the  dav  of  the  election  in  your  ;ii)i)ointment  at  such  time  as 
may  suit  vour  convenience. 

"When  the  board  of  commissioners  meet,  you  will  furnish  them  with  a  copy 
of  your  appointment,  and  a  return  of  your  i)roceedings,  which  it  will  be  advisable 
for  them  to  enter  on  their  records. 

"If  some  of  your  citizens  will  attend  Clayton  court.  I  will  lix  a  time  for  holding 
court  in  your  county.  If  the  citizens  of  Fayette  county  desire  an  organization, 
they  can,  of  course,  have  it  by  a  petition. 

"Your  Obt.  svt., 

"James  Grant, 
"Judge  2  Jud.  Dis." 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  69 

That  Mr.  Goddard  exercised  the  authority  conferred  upon  him  to  call  an 
organizing  election,  and  followed  the  instructions  contained  in  the  foregoing 
letter,  is  evidenced  by  one  of  the  original  copies  of  the  notice  of  election,  found 
among  his  papers.  It  bears  unmistakable  evidence  of  having  been  exposed  to 
the  weather,  the  ink  being  faded  and  the  sheet  spotted  as  by  rain  drops.  The 
notice  reads  as  follows : 

"election  notice 

"Notice  is  hereby  given  that  by  virtue  of  authority  invested  in  me  as  the 
organizing  sheritif  of  the  county  of  Winneshiek,  I  have  this  day  divided  the  said 
county  of  Winneshiek  into  three  election  precincts  with  the  following  boundaries 
to  wit : 

"precinct  no.  one 

"will  be  embraced  in  so  much  of  said  county  as  lies  west  of  the  town  line  dividing 
range  8  and  9  and  south  of  the  town  line  dividing  97  and  98. 

"precinct  no.  two 
"will  be  embraced  in  so  much  of  said  county  as  lies  in  townships  No.  98  and  99. 

"precinct  no.  three 

"will  be  embraced  in  the  residue  of  said  county  of  Winneshiek.  In  precinct  No. 
one  the  polls  will  be  held  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Carson  at  the  agency.  In  precinct 
No.  two  the  polls  will  be  held  at  the  house  of  William  Day.  In  precinct  No.  three 
the  polls  will  be  held  at  the  house  of  S.  W.  McSwain.  The  electors  of  the  above 
named  precincts  will  on  the  day  of  election  choose  their  judges  and  clerks  to 
preside  over  said  election  who  in  the  absence  of  a  justice  of  the  peace  may  qualify 
each  other  to  preside  over  said  election. 

"And  notice  is  further  given  that  an  election  will  l)e  held  at  the  poll  houses  in 
the  above  named  precincts  on  the  5th  day  of  August,  1850,  when  the  following 
state  and  county  officers  will  be  voted  for,  to  wit : 

"One  Governor,  one  Congressman,  Secretary  of  State,  Auditor,  State  Treas- 
urer, Treasurer  of  Public  Works,  one  Senator  and  one  Representative. 

"county  oeeicers 

"One  Sheriff,  Treasurer  and  Recorder,  three  County  Commissioners,  one  Com- 
mission Clerk,  Clerk  of  District  Court,  District  Attorney,  Probate  Judge,  Cor- 
oner, County  Surveyor.  The  judges  of  election  will  make  their  returns  to  this 
office  so  that  the  returns  may  be  canvassed  at  12  o'clock,  noon,  on  Thursday  fol- 
lowing said  election  and  such  county  officers  are  requested  to  meet  at  this  office 
on  Monday  the  . .  .  day  of  August  and  qualify  for  entering  upon  the  discharge  of 
their  several  duties  pertaining  to  their  several  offices. 

"Given  under  my  name  this  20th  July,  A.  D.  1850. 

"Josi.'\H  Goddard, 
"Organizing  Sheriff  of  County  of  Winneshiek." 


70  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

Force  is  given  to  all  of  the  foregoing  by  the  following  letter  from  Hon. 
Eli])halet  Trice  of  Clayton  county  to  Mr.  Goddard : 

■"Gutlenberg,  July  19.   1850. 
"Dear  Sir: 

"I  have  onlv  a  moment's  time  to  say  tliat  I  have  just  had  an  interview  with  the 
Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction  who  informs  me  that  at  the  time  of  electing 
your  county  officers  on  the  first  Monday  in  .\ugust  you  w^ll  also  be  expected  to 
elect  a  School  Fund  Commissioner.  My  imi)rcssion  was  when  with  you  that  this 
ofificer  could  be  appointed  by  the  Sheriff  and  Clerk  of  the  District  Court,  but  .Mr. 
I'enton  says  that  he  could  onlv  recognize  him  if  elected,  which  he  will  do  if  such 
officer  is  elected  and  qualified  in  your  country  at  the  time  of  your  first  election  of 
county  officers.  This  perhaps  will  not  reach  you  until  P'riday  before  the  election. 
You  would  then  have  time  to  notify  the  ])eop1e  in  each  precinct  of  the  fact  and  they 
could  elect  one.  You  will  jilease  let  Horkins  know  of  this  fact  and  lie  will,  I  have 
no  doubt,  assist  you  to  get  up  the  notice  or  give  the  information. 

"In  haste  yours, 

"Eliphalet  Price." 
"J,  W,  Goddard." 

Mr.  Price  at  this  time  was  engaged  in  taking  the  census.  It  is  evident  from 
the  context  of  his  letter  that  he  had  been  in  Winneshiek  on  this  mission,  and  while 
here  had  conferred  with  Mr.  Goddard  concerning  the  organization  of  the  county. 

Up  to  this  point  the  claim  of  Mr.  Goddard's  heirs  that  their  father  was  the 
organizing  sheriff  of  the  county  has  logical  and  conclusive  evidence  to  support  it. 
Something  must  have  occurred  subse(|uently  to  i)ost])one  the  election,  however, 
for  among  Mr.  Goddard's  papers  is  found  the  following  letter  from  Hon,  Joseph 
T.  Fales,  auditor  of  state  : 

"Auditor's  Office,  Iowa., 
"Iowa  City,  September  6,  1850, 
"Josiah  tioddard,  Esq., 

"Dear  Sir : 

"Yours  of  the  _'4th  nil.  came  li>  hand  last  evening  and  1  take  jileasure  in 
rei)lving  and  sending  you  the  laws.  I  had  heard  that  your  county  was  organized 
some  time  since  was  the  reason  of  my  writing  and  sending  blanks. 

"In  the  laws  of  1847,  page  115,  you  will  find  your  duties  as  (  fi-ganizing  Sherifi. 
In  the  appendi.x  of  the  Revised  Statutes,  page  739,  you  will  fmd  the  Xatnndiza- 
tion  Laws  of  Congress. 

"I  will  be  pleased  at  any  lime  to  give  you  any  infdrmation  in  my  power. 

"Yours, 

"JOSICIMI   T.   F.M.I^.S. 

".Auditor  of  State. 

"P.  S,    When  your  county  is  organized  jilease  give  me  notice  with  tiie  names 

of  the  officers  elected. 

"Joseph  T.  F.m.i:s." 

The  reader  will  note  that  this  letter  is  dated  September  C\  1850,  a  month  after 
the  organization  election  was  to  have  been  held.    That  there  can  be  no  mistake  in 


■z, 

z 


^ 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  73 

the  date  is  borne  out  Ijy  the  postmark  on  the  cover,  which  reads  "Iowa  City  Sep  ■ 
6  Iowa." 

The  letter  was  written  on  a  folded  sheet,  double  letterhead  size,  and  folded  so 
as  to  make  the  outer  half  an  envelope,  and  sealed  with  wax.  The  letter  "\"'  stamped 
in  the  same  colored  ink  as  the  postmark  shows  that  the  postage  was  paid  in  the 
sum  of  five  cents,  but  no  postage  stamp  was  affixed,  indicating  that  the  Iowa  City 
postmaster  had  no  stamps.  This  was  not  uncommon  even  as  late  as  1850,  although 
the  Government  began  issuing  stamps  in  1847.  Letters  so  marked  and  bearing 
unmistakable  evidence  of  authenticity,  as  does  the  one  above  referred  to,  are 
highly  prized  by  collectors  of  postage  stamps,  being  regarded  in  almost  the  same 
light  as  a  privately  issued  stamp  bearing  the  sanction  of  the  Post  Office  Department. 

But  to  return  to  our  text.  Here  we  have  the  statement  of  John  L.  Carson  as 
it  appears  on  the  county  record,  supported  by  an  organizing  act  of  the  Iowa 
Legislature.  Against  it  are  the  documents  embraced  in  Mr.  Goddard's  claim. 
Who  is  to  say,  now,  which  of  these  men  is  entitled  to  the  honor?  Of  those  who 
were  residents  here  in  1850  Init  few  remain,  they  are  advanced  in  years,  and  it  is 
doubtful  if  they  could,  from  this  distance,  lie  able  to  settle  the  question. 

A  fair-minded  reader  may  here  see  an  opportunity  to  accord  to  both  Mr. 
Goddard  and  Mr.  Carson  an  ecjual  share  of  honor  for  their  activities.  To  Mr. 
Goddard  may  be  credited  the  initiative  in  starting  the  ball  rolling.  He  it  was  who 
conducted  all  the  correspondence  leading  u]i  to  the  organization,  showing  that  in 
him  was  centered  the  confidence  of  his  neighbors  and  acquaintances.  Certainly 
there  is  honor  in  commanding  such  an  expression  from  one's  fellowmen.  and  the 
appointment  as  sheriff  to  see  that  the  forms  of  law-  were  carried  out  could  add 
nothing  in  esteem  from  those  who  had  already  by  their  confidence  made  him  their 
spokesman.  That  Mr.  Carson  was  also  a  man  of  prominence  and  influence  is 
undeniably  disclosed  through  the  fact  that  he  w^as  probably  the  first  postmaster  at 
Old  Mission,  where  the  Indian  school  and  agency  was  located.  In  any  event  we 
cannot  change  the  record  as  it  appears  in  black  and  white  on  the  books  of  Winne- 
shiek county,  and  right  or  wrong,  he  will  continue  to  be  regarded  1\\'  many  as  the 
one  who  acted  as  organizing  sheriff. 


CHAPTER  V 
COUNTY  SEAT  CONTESTS 

The  most  natural  adjunct  of  an  organizing  election  would  be  a  county  seat 
contest  and  there  is  ample  evidence  that  Winneshiek  county  was  not  exempt  from 
the  excitement  that  attends  such  events. 

In  the  preceding  portion  of  this  chapter  one  reads  of  Decorah,  Moneek  and 
Lewiston  as  the  polling  places  where  voters  might  register  their  preferences. 
These  were  the  only  recognized  towns  within  the  borders  of  the  territory  sought 
to  be  organized,  but  Lewiston  seems  to  have  existed  in  name  only.  It  was 
located  on  land  owned  jointly  by  Lewis  Harkins  and  Francis  Rogers,  about  one 
mile  north  of  Old  Mission  in  Washington  township,  and  never  progressed  beyond 
the  paper  stage  because  of  the  differences  of  opinion  of  its  promoters.  While 
it  was  laid  out  in  due  form  it  may  well  Ije  considered  as  never  having  existed, 
and  subsequently  formed  a  part  of  the  farm  of  A.  R.  Young. 

Moneek  was  different.  Here  the  nucleus  of  a  real  town  had  been  formed. 
Moses  S.  McSwain  and  Abner  DeCou  and  families  were  the  first  settlers,  coming 
in  July.  1849.  They  were  joined  a  year  later  by  John  DeCou  and  wife,  Russell 
Dean,  George  Blake  and  their  families.  These  people  were  all  Canadians  and 
they  seemed  to  have  had  a  townsite  in  their  mind's  eye  from  the  first.  At  any 
rate  they  were  formidable  enough  in  their  rivalry  to  give  Decorah  some  cause 
for  alarm.  Although  it  has  long  since  ceased  to  exist  Moneek  still  lives  in  the 
memory  of  early  settlers  and  one  frequently  hears  it  referred  to  as  a  definite 
locality  at  the  present  time. 

Perhaps  the  story  of  this  defunct  town  is  better  told  in  the  following  con- 
densation of  an  article  printed  in  the  Decorah  Republican  of  March  26,   1875: 

"Moneek  was  situated  on  the  north  fork  of  the  Yellow  river,  on  the  south- 
west quarter  of  section  i  in  liloomfield  township.  Tremendous  hills,  well  wooded, 
surrounded  it,  and  it  nestled  cosily  in  the  valley  on  the  river,  on  a  site  that  orig- 
inally must  have  been  charmingly  beautiful. 

"The  pioneer  settlers  were  Moses  S.  McSwain  and  Abner  DeCou.  To  these 
may  be  added  John  DeCou,  who  joined  them  a  year  later.  .\11  of  them  were 
Canadians,  but  McSwain  had  resided  for  a  while  in  Illinois.  They  had  a  town- 
site  in  their  eyes  from  the  commencement.     The  two  arrived  at   Moneek  with 

75 


7G  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

their  families  in  July,  1849.  and  lived  in  iheir  tent  wagons  until  a  log  house  12x16 
was  built.  They  commenced  the  same  season  to  Iniild  a  saw  mill,  which  was 
afterwards  noted  all  over  the  adjacent  country  as  the  mill. 

"Their  nearest  neighbors  were  Joel  Post,  at  Postville,  and  two  families  who 
had  "squatted'  on  the  .Military  road.  These  were  David  Reed,  the  first  County 
Judge,  and  a  man  named  Campbell.  Besides  these,  there  were  the  Hawks,  and 
Isaac  Callender,  over  in  Frankville.  R.  Tillotson  joined  them  the  same  year. 
He  was  a  millwright,  and  helped  them  build  the  mill.  This  was  completed  in 
July.  1850.  In  the  spring  of  the  latter  year  Russell  Dean  and  Geo.  Blake,  with 
their  families — also  from  Canada — joined  the  new  settlement  June  29,  1850. 
John  DeCou  *  also  moved  in,  he.  too,  coming  from  Canada.  He  found  all  the 
four  families  occupying  the  one  log  house,  above  mentioned,  vet  it  was  large 
enough  to  receive  the  fifth  family,  until  another  house— the  second  in  the  embryo 
city — could  l)e  built. 

"The  same  year  Blake  went  south  and  Dean  west  about  a  mile  and  a  half, 
and  ])ut  up  log  houses  on  'claims'  of  their  own. 

"In  the  spring  of  1831  the  first  frame  building  was  Imilt  by  .\.  and  J.  DeCou. 
This  was  rented  to  a  man  named  Johnson,  from  Illinois,  who  brought  on  a 
stock  of  goods  and  became  the  first  merchant.  His  ca]:)ital  was  small,  the  amount 
of  trade  limited,  and  he  .soon  'busted.'  McSwain  bought  out  his  remnants,  and 
sold  out  the  stock.  Having  neither  money  nor  credit  with  which  to  purchase 
more  goods,  the  mercantile  business  came  to  an  end  for  the  time  being. 

"The  same  year  John  DuflF  came  along,  liked  the  looks  of  the  settlement,  and 
built  a  blacksmith  shop,  which  he  sold  in  the  fall  to  Phil  Lathroj).  The  latter 
united  butchering  to  blacksmithing,  and  soon  after  added  merchandising.  About 
the  same  year  he  built  a  house,  which  when  completed  was  opened  for  the 
entertainment  of  man  and  beast,  and  the  village  had  a  hotel. 

"In  1852  George  Crawford  becaiue  a  member  of  the  communitv.  He  was, 
likewise,  a  Canadian,  and  brought  goods,  mostly  cloths,  with  him.  He  was  a 
tailor  by  trade  and  did  a  thriving  business,  which  soon  rc(|uired  the  aid  of  a 
journeyman.  He  .soon  added  groceries  to  his  .stock — dry  and  ■wcl'— and  pros- 
pered as  long  as  Moneck  was  in  its  glory. 

"James  F.  Andrews,  a  retired  Baptist  minister,  with  two  sons  and  their  fam- 
ilies, became  residents  in  the  same  year.  They  added  another  store.  One  of 
the  sons  was  a  doctor,  and  so  the  town  secured  the  benefit  of  dergv  and  medicine 
by  this  really  large  acquisition. 

"Louis  Boughner,  also  a  Canadian,  but  of  German  descent,  came  along  in  the 
same  year,  opened  his  kit  of  tools,  and  sat  down  ui)on  his  shoemaker's  bench. 
That  winter  the  hamlet  began  to  feel  as  though  it  was  of  sufficient  imjiortance 
to  be  recognized  by  the  (leneral  Government,  and  postal  facilities  were  demanded. 
During  the  winter  or  following  spring  these  were  secured,  and  Boughner  had 
so  far  won  the  confidence  of  the  people  that  he  was  chosen  to  serve  as  the 
village  Nasby.  The  ofiice  was  su|)portcfl  by  'Winneshiek' — a  postoffice  then 
situated  between  Castalia  and  Postville. 

"That  year,  1852,  saw  a  large  increase  to  the  scuUrs  outside,  as  well  as  in 
Moneek.     .Vniong  those  whi>  c;une  was  Col.  D.  1).   Wei)ster,   David   Duff,   Philip 

*  •ludpe  DcCou  ilinl  at  liis  lii>ini>  iii'ur  l)><si:in  I'liily  in   lOIS. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  77 

Husted,*  Andrew  Stewart  and  John  W.  Smith.  About  that  time  Dr.  Riddle,  an 
Ohioan,  settled  in  Moneek.  Dr.  A.  B.  Hanna  followed  a  year  or  two  later,  and 
succeeded  Boughner  as  postmaster,  holding  the  office  until   it   was  thrown  up. 

"Tn  1853  Geo.  \\'.  Esty  settled  there.  He  came  from  New  York,  and  found 
the  village  to  consist  of  eight  dwellings,  one  saw  mill  owned  and  operated  by 
Abner  DeCou,  one  blacksmith  shop,  worked  by  John  Duff,  Jr.,  two  stores 
kept  by  James  F.  Andrews  and  George  Crawford;  a  shoe  shop  and  postoffice, 
managed  by  Boughner,  and  two  liquor  saloons,  one  kept  by  George  Crawford  as 
an  adjunct  to  his  store,  and  the  other  by  a  man  named  Walker,  who  enlisted  when 
the  war  broke  out,  and  died  in  battle. 

"Moneek's  decline  began  in  1855.  Judge  DeCou  saw  it  coming  in  1854,  and 
sold  his  160  acre  claim  adjoining  the  plat  for  $1,800.  The  tax  list  of  1855  shows 
that  the  Aloneek  merchant's  assessment  was  $800  for  four  lots ;  and  Abner 
De  Cou's  tavern  was  valued  at  the  same  figure.  In  Decorah,  at  that  time,  there 
were  only  four  assessments  of  greater  amount,  and  two  others  only  equaled  it. 
The  causes  for  its  decline  were  few  and  simple.  Settlers  were  thronging  into 
the  country,  and  opening  other  sections.  Post  routes  and  lines  of  communica- 
tion were  being  established.  Nature  was  rather  against  Moneek.  It  was  nestled 
away  in  the  valley  of  the  Yellow  river,  surrounded  by  mountainous  hills,  and 
not  easy  of  access.  In  the  meanwhile,  a  busy,  bustling  fellow  named  Frank 
Teabout  had  settled  on  the  ridge,  and  when  the  "state  road'  was  run  he  was 
looking  after  his  interests.  The  line  was  established  on  the  ridge ;  Frankville 
sprang  into  existence ;  and  ere  they  knew  it  the  great  tide  of  emigration  which 
set  in  was  sweeping  by  them,  along  the  ridge  road,  but  bringing  no  grist  to  be 
tolled  and  ground  for  the  benefit  of  Moneek.  Those  who  were  in  trade  one  by 
one  sold  out,  or  abandoned  the  place :  and  by  the  time  it  was  ten  years  old  it 
was  indeed  a  deserted  village.     Early  in  the  sixties  its  postoffice  was  thrown  up." 

Early  historians  have  never  dwelt  with  much  certainty  upon  just  how  the 
county  seat  contest  was  won  by  Decorah.  It  was  said  that  the  secret  was  locked 
in  the  memory  of  one  man  and  we  have  reason  to  regard  this  as  true.  In  fact, 
we  know  it  is  truth.  That  man  was  the  late  Claiborn  Day,  oldest  son  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  William  Day.  Long  years  after  the  contest  he  divulged  the  story 
to  a  chosen  few  of  his  most  intimate  and  trusted  friends,  exacting  from  them  a 
promise  that  not  until  after  his  death  was  the  story  to  be  released.  The  story 
of  the  contest  was  related  by  Attorney  ^I.  A.  Harmon  and  printed  in  the  Decorah 
Republican  early  in  1910,  a  few  weeks  subsequent  to  Mr.  Day's  death.  It  is 
as  follows : 

"If  you  examine  the  written  history  of  Decorah  you  will  find  'An  Organizing 
Act'  was  passed  by  the  Iowa  Legislature  on  January  15,  1851,  approved  by  the 
Governor,  and  became  a  law ;  that  by  the  provisions  of  this  law  468,000  acres, 
bounded  on  the  north  by  Minnesota ;  on  the  east  by  Allamakee  county ;  on  the 
south  by  Fayette  county  and  on  the  west  by  Howard  and  Chickasaw  counties, 
constituted  Winneshiek  county,  with  John  L.  Carson  as  organizing  sheriff, 
directing  him  to  set  stakes  to  points  contending  for  county  seats,  viz :  At  or 
near  Louisville,  on  the  Turkey  river;  at  Moneek  (then  known  as  McSwain's 
Mill);  and  at  Decorah  on   the  Upper   Iowa  river;   the  election  to  be  held  on 

*  Philip  Husted  is  still  living,  his  home  beinn-  in  Decorah  (August  3.3,  1913). 

Vol.  I— .=) 


78  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

ihe  first  Monday  in  April,  185 1.  Much  excitement  prevailed  in  the  hamlet 
of  Decorah,  then  consisting  of  a  few  houses.  Its  future  was  apparently  in  danger. 
The  southern  part  of  the  county  being  more  thickly  settled — emigration  having 
followed  the  'Military  Road"  to  a  great  extent — Decorah  with  all  its  natural 
advantages  for  a  city  was  nearly  off  the  map,  with  the  chances  favoring  Moneek 
as  the  county  seat.  Poll  books  were  prepared  for  the  election  that  had  been 
ordered.  At  this  time  Claiborn  Day,  then  about  twenty-five  years  of  age,  strong, 
vigorous,  energetic  and  public  spirited,  with  some  schooling  and  a  great  deal 
of  knowledge  of  men,  their  hopes,  fears,  desires  and  weaknesses,  though  not 
gifted  with  what  was  known  as  the  gift  of  gab,  but  shrewd,  methodical  and 
resourceful  (which  was  afterward  proven),  commenced  to  take  part  in  the 
proceedings  for  the  location  of  the  county  seat  at  Decorah,  in  the  face  of  what 
seemed  to  be  overwhelming  odds.  When  the  poll  books  for  the  voters  of  Lewis- 
ton  and  Moneek  were  ready  a  messenger  was  sought  to  convey  them  to  their 
respective  destinations.  Finally  at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Day  a  grizzled  trapper 
named  Wiggins  was  presented  to  the  organizing  sheriff  for  that  purpose,  and 
higtily  recommended  as  a  trustworthy  person.  He  appeared  to  be  capable  to 
carry  the  books,  and  as  the  roads  at  that  time  were  not  the  best,  with  the 
attendant  dangers  of  crossing  streams,  Wiggins  was  considered  a  reliable 
messenger.  It  is  needless  to  say  he  had  been  royally  entertained  by  llie  select 
coterie  and  his  expenses  had  been  provided  for  his  journey,  no  small  amount 
cither.  He  was  admonished  by  Mr.  Day  when  he  had  obtained  possession  of 
the  poll  books,  that,  in  crossing  a  stream,  should  the  Injoks  be  washed  away, 
he  was  all  right,  but  if,  by  any  chance,  there  was  a  question  wiiether  it  should 
be  the  loss  of  his  horse  (ir  the  i)oll  liuoks,  to  lie  sure  and  save  the  horse.  Willi 
the  parting  information  that  if  he  betrayed  the  trust  reposed  in  him  he  was 
liable  to  be  shot  by  any  resident  of  Decorah,  he  started  for  Moneek  and  Lewislon. 
"In  the  meantime  the  organization  of  the  voters  and  electioneering  of  settlers 
in  that  section  of  the  county  went  merrily  on,  the  residents  promising  to  support 
Moneek  as  a  unit.  liright  and  early  the  first  Monday  of  .Vpril  185 1.  the  settlers 
about  Moneek  began  to  appear  for  election.  Many  came  from  Fayette  county, 
afterward  claimed  as  visitors  only.  The  o])position  charged  bad  faith.  Be 
this  as  it  may,  there  was  much  handshaking;  old  jokes  and  new  were  exchanged, 
and  nnich  i)oasting  of  the  result  of  election  was  indulged  in,  accompanied  by 
the  comment  generally  'of  course  Moneek  would  win,'  etc.  Time  was  hardly 
felt  to  be  passing  until  eleven  o'clock,  dinner  was  thought  of  and  a  hustle  was 
made  for  grub,  .\fter  diimer  the  fiuestion  arose,  where  were  the  ]ioll  i)ooks? 
Two  o'clock,  no  books  had  appeared.  It  occurred  to  someone,  more  wise  than 
the  rest,  that  unless  they  got  to  voting  pretty  soon  it  would  be  too  late.  The 
owners  of  the  tovvnsite  of  Moneek,  residents  and  \i)tcrs,  were  mostly  from 
Canada,  and  totally  unacquainted  with  our  forms  of  law  and  procedure.  I'inally, 
in  their  des])eration,  no  ])oll  books  having  arrived  or  likely  to,  an  attempt  was 
made  to  hold  an  election,  but  when  the  returns  were  ni.nle  out  no  one  could 
understand  what  they  were,  or  wiio  \oted,  or  for  what.  It  has  been  said  of 
this  report,  'You  would  not  know  what  it  was  if  you  met  it  in  the  road.'  The 
returning  board  rightfully  threw  it  out.  and  Decorah  was  selected  as  the  county 
seat.  The  margin  was  dangerous,  as  it  was  generally  expected  that  Decorah  would 
be  beaten. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  79 

"About  four  o'clock  on  that  same  election  day  in  April,  1851,  there  appeared 
a  grizzled  trapper  at  Fort  Atkinson,  with  a  wet,  dripping,  lame  horse,  and  told 
a  weird  tale  of  how  he  had  lost  some  poll  books  while  crossing  a  stream,  and 
nearly  lost  his  life.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  exertions  of  his  horse  he  would 
have  been  drowned  in  the  quicksands,  and  he  did  not  know  where  the  poll  books 
had  been  washed  to,  or  where  they  were.  He  was  of  the  human  flotsam  and  jet- 
sam of  those  days,  disappeared,  and  was  never  afterward  heard  of,  either  in 
Decorah  or  in  this  county. 

"The  county  seat  election  had  engendered  ill  feelings,  and  left  scars  that 
seemingly  would  not  heal,  and  Decorah's  fight  was  not  yet  over.  Freeport, 
which  had  been  settled  by  men  of  enterprise,  knowing  of  the  soreness  of  the 
disgruntled  ones,  saw  an  opportunity  to  obtain  their  aid,  and  surely  expected  to 
change  the  location  of  the  county  seat  to  that  place. 

"By  the  old  law,  in  order  to  get  a  vote  on  the  question  of  the  relocation  of 
the  county  seat,  it  was  necessary  to  obtain  an  act  of  Legislature,  authorizing  such 
vote. 

"At  the  election  in  the  fall  of  1854  the  adherents  of  Freeport  forced  the 
issue  on  the  election  of  the  member  of  the  Legislature.  Decorah  had  a  candidate 
and  Freeport  was  represented  by  Hon.  James  D.  McKay,  who  was  overwhelm- 
ingly elected,  and  the  friends  of  that  locality  were  consequently  jubilant.  During 
the  1854-5  session  of  the  Iowa  Legislature  Claiborn  Day  had  occasion  to  visit 
Des  Moines,  and  spent  the  time  there  during  the  session.  He  had  good  friends 
in  the  Legislature,  among  others  the  late  Judge  Ruben  Noble,  and  before  the 
session  was  over  he  had  become  personally  acquainted  with  every  member  of 
the  House  and  Senate.  While  it  did  not  appear  that  he  was  endeavoring  to 
work  any  member,  his  apartments  were  always  open  to  all  the  influential  mem- 
bers who  cared  to  resort  with  their  kindred  spirits.  Oyster  suppers  were  the 
rule,  with  something  on  the  side  for  those  with  a  chronic  thirst,  to  while  away 
the  time  and  drive  dull  care  away  after  the  arduous  lal^ors  of  the  day.  Someone 
would  start  something,  sometimes  the  stakes  were  high  and  sometimes  low, 
to  suit  the  financial  conditions  of  those  engaged.  It  was  near  the  end  of  the 
session  when  the  residents  of  Freeport,  becoming  uneasy  about  the  situation, 
sent  a  delegation  consisting  of  B.  O.  Dahly  and  A.  P.  Leach  to  Des  Moines  to 
do  missionary  work  for  their  cause.  The  speaking  member  of  the  delegation 
not  being  advised  of  the  temperament  of  the  members,  or  the  conditions  existing, 
made  a  red  hot,  stereotyped  temperance  oration,  which  did  not  find  favor  with 
the  members,  and  acted  as  a  wet  blanket  upon  the  river  statesmen. 

"When  the  vote  was  called  and  recorded  it  showed  a  large  majority  against 
ordering  an  election  to  change  the  county  seat  from  Decorah.  You  can  imagine 
the  surprise,  chagrin  and  disappointment  of  the  member  from  Winneshiek  county! 
He  was,  in  fact,  a  broken-hearted  politican,  with  no  excuse  to  offer  to  his  con- 
stituents. However,  a  bill  was  passed  to  meet  this  and  other  similar  cases, 
where  there  had  been  frequent  strife  elsewhere  in  the  state,  which  authorized  a 
relocation  on  petition  of  a  majority  of  the  electors,  the  number  of  voters  at  the 
proceding  election  lacing  taken  as  a  basis. 

"In  February,  1856,  the  Freeport  adherents,  smarting  under  the  Legislature 
defeat,  presented  to  Judge  David  Reed  a  petition  for  an  election,  signed  by  a 
majority  of  the  previous  election  which  showed  420  voters. 


80  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  W  INNESHIEK  COUNTY 

"It  was  known  that  Judge  Reed  was  a  firm  friend  of  Decorah,  an  honest 
man  with  a  good  idea  of  right  and  wrong,  to  which  might  be  added  the  quaHfica- 
tions  of  a  good  fellow,  much  more  than  a  familiarity  with  Blackstone  or  Kent. 

"To  meet  this  petition,  a  remonstrance  was  formulated,  which,  after  it  had 
been  signed  by  all  the  friends  of  Decorah  that  could  be  reached  through  the  local 
pride,  promises,  bribes  or  cajolery,  was  taken  by  Day  to  Fort  Atkinson,  where 
there  was  a  resident,  at  that  time,  who  was  expert  with  the  pen  (said  to  be  a 
Canadian),  who  made  signatures  thereon  for  a  part  of  the  day  and  most  of 
the  night,  signing  all  the  names  he  could  think  of,  in  different  colored  inks,  many 
copied  from  'Wild  Cat'  bills,  others  from  bank  notes,  old  deeds,  or  bonds,  with 
occasionally  an  inscription  from  a  tombstone  in  Northern  New  York  or  Canada. 
When  completed  the  remonstrance  contained  about  800  names  written  on  fools- 
cap paper,  pasted  together  at  the  ends,  making  a  very  imposing  roll  nearly 
forty  feet  in  length.  History  states  that  Wm.  Painter  was  oft"ered  the  flattering 
and  honorable  position  of  presenting  the  remonstrance,  and  swearing,  so  far 
as  he  knew,  the  signers  were  residents  of  the  county.  And,  so  far  as  he  knew, 
they  were,  without  a  doubt.  It  is  history,  too,  that  the  case  was  argued,  Levi 
Bullis  appearing  for  the  petitioners  and  E.  E.  Cooley  appearing  for  the  remon- 
strants. 

"After  the  arguments  were  heard.  Judge  Reed  carefully  examined  the  peti- 
tion for  an  election.  On  being  handed  the  remonstrance  he  commenced  to  unroll 
and  examine  the  signatures  of  his  neighbors  and  friends  that  were  familiar 
to  him,  with  more  in  sight,  and  kept  unrolling  until  he  reached  the  wall  of  the 
room,  and  then  had  to  turn.  After  a  mature  deliberation  the  learned  Judge 
decided  that  the  'remonstrance  appeared  to  have  a  large  majority,  almost  two 
to  one,  I  should  judge,  and  I  therefore  decide  to  grant  no  election." 

"Freeport.  ever  tenacious,  was  not  satisfied  and  again  in  July  of  the  same 
year  appeared  with  another  petition,  asking  for  the  election,  which  was  met  b\- 
the  same  tactics  as  on  the  previous  occasion,  and  suft'ered  the  same  fate,  and  the 
matter  was  finally  settlctl  on  a  writ  of  certiorari  by  the  decision  of  Judge  Mur- 
dock,  of  the  District  Court,  allirming' the  decision  of  the  county  court. 

"The  following  year  the  building  of  the  Cdurl  House  was  commenced,  and 
this  contest  was  forever  ended." 

Decorah  has  since  rcniaincil  in  undisputed  possession  of  the  county  seat, 
but  not  without  being  given  a  scare  by  Calmar  in  1898,  when  a  proposition  was 
placed  before  the  peoijle  to  vote  funds  to  erect  a  new  courthouse.  Calmar 
citizens  subscribed  $25,000  to  liuild  a  courthonse  if  the  county  seat  was  trans- 
ferred to  their  town,  but  the  jiroposition  failetl  to  get  a  vote,  it  has  always  been 
contended  by  the  knowing  ones  that  Calmar's  activity  at  that  time  started  as  a 
joke.  However  that  may  l)e,  it  was  not  so  regarded  l)y  .1  m.-ijority  of  those  out- 
side the  two  towns  most  vitally  interested. 

With  the  organization  of  the  county  comjileted  there  naturally  followed  a 
sub-division  into  townships.  This  was  n')t  done  at  once,  however.  The  first 
election  after  the  organizing  election  was  held  in  .April.  1852.  and  by  order  of 
court   the  polling  places   were  designated   as    follows : 

Precinct  No.  i,  at  house  of  Wm.  Day,  Decorah. 

Precinct  No.  2,  at  house  of  I-'rancis  Rogers,  Lewiston. 

Precinct  No.  3,  at  the  house  of  John  DeCou,  Moneek. 


X 


3 

o 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  83 

Referring  to  Alexander's  History  of  Winneshiek  County,  we  find  that  in 
July  following  "the  division  line  between  precincts  2  and  3  was  changed  and  made 
to  run  between  ranges  7  and  8,"  thus  throwing,  as  the  record  says,  one  more  tier 
of  townships  into  the  third  precinct.  From  this  I  infer  that  the  third  precinct 
originally  consisted  of  what  is  now  known  as  Bloomfield  and  Frankville  town- 
ships, and  was  six  miles  wide,  east  and  west,  and  twelve  long.  Precinct  No.  2 
covered  three  times  as  much  territory,  and  was  eighteen  miles  wide,  and  twelve 
long.  This  left  all  the  remainder  of  the  county  in  precinct  No.  i.  March  i, 
1853,  the  latter  was  so  divided  up  as  to  make  what  is  now  Canoe.  BlutYton  and 
Orleans  townships,  with  the  townships  north  of  them,  precinct  No.  4.  February 
5,  1854,  what  are  now  Military  and  Springfield  were  divided  from  Washington 
(now  named  for  the  first  time)  and  created  township  (not  precinct)  No.  5. 

"March  6,  1854,  township  98,  range  7,  was  separated  from  'Decorah  Pre- 
cinct," and  was  called  township  No.  6.     It  is  now  known  as  Glenwood. 

"March  11,  1855,  'Burr  Oak  Precinct'  was  divided,  and  the  entire  tier  on  the 
north  line  of  the  county  was  called  Burr  Oak.  The  remaining  part  of  the  pre- 
cinct was  named  Canoe.  At  the  same  session  of  the  county  court,  township  99, 
range  10,  was  set  ofi  and  given  the  name  of  Pilot  Grove. 

"On  the  tax  list  of  1855,  proper  names  are  given  to  each  of  these  precincts. 
Precinct  No.  i  had  become  Decorah,  CTlenwood,  Canoe,  Burr  Oak  and  Pilot 
Grove;  township  No.  2  appears  as  Bloomfield  and  Summit  (now  Frankville), 
and  No.  3  had  been  divided  into  Military  and  \\'ashington ;  but  no  record  other 
than  I  have  quoted  appears  upon  the  court  minutes  as  to  these  and  subsequent 
changes.  According  to  the  tax  lists,  in  185(1  Pleasant  township  took  its  name 
and  place,  in  1858  Summit  had  become  Frankville,  and  Pilot  Grove,  Orleans; 
Springfield  had  been  separated  from  Military,  Calmar  and  Sumner  from  Wash- 
ington, and  Hesper  and  Fremont  from  Burr  Oak.  In  i860  Madison  was  taken 
from  Decorah,  and  Highland  divided  from  Pleasant;  and  in  1862  the  symmetry 
of  all  the  townships  was  completed  by  the  division  of  Lincoln  from  Sumner,  and 
Jackson   from   W'ashington." 

It  will  be  noted  that  the  early  designation  of  these  townships  was  by  pre- 
cinct number.  The  records  do  not  disclose  the  use  of  names  for  townships 
until  1854. 


CHAPTER  VI 
POLITICS  AND  POLITICIANS 

With  the  organization  of  the  county  perfected,  and  the  location  of  the  county 
scat  disposed  of — temporarily  at  least — the  thoughts  of  the  settlers  turned  to 
county  officers,  and  an  election  was  called  to  be  held  on  August  4,  185 1.  Alex- 
ander's History  says  that  "according  to  the  best  information  obtainable  a  well 
attended  caucus  was  held  in  the  log  cabin  of  Nelson  Johnson,  in  the  southern 
corner  of  Decorah  township."  That  the  settlers  lined  up  on  opposing  sides  is 
shown  by  the  fact  that  there  was  a  contest  for  each  office  with  the  result  that— 
David  Reed  was  chosen  county  judge  over  J.  R.  Morse.  George  Bachel  defeated 
James  F.  Moore  for  sheriff.  Francis  Rogers  won  out  for  supervisor  over  William 
Vail.  Tohn  W.  Kline  defeated  R.  G.  Nuvland  for  surveyor.  Daniel  Kuykendahl 
was  elected  recorder  and  treasurer  over  Philip  Morse.  E.  W.  Aldrich  defeated 
D.  Bender  for  coroner. 

A  total  of  eighty-two  votes  were  cast  and  the  election  was  conducted  by  Isaac 
Underbill,  F.  Joseph  Huber  and  Joseph  Brown,  who  served  as  judges. 

W'hile  he  was  elected  for  a  term  of  two  years,  through  a  chain  of  circum- 
stances related  below.  Judge  Reed  continued  in  office  until  1855.  In  1853 
Toseph  Gibbons  and  J.  T.  Atkins  were  candidates  for  the  judgeship.  On  the 
face  of  the  returns  Gibbons  had  ten  majority,  but  friends  of  Atkins  contested 
the  election  and  the  case  was  heard  before  Judge  Reed.  The  testimony  disclosed 
that  the  trustees  of  Bloomfield  township  changed  the  polling  place  from  Moneek 
to  Castalia  without  giving  proper  notice.  Thirteen  voters  testified  that  they  went 
to  Moneek  to  vote  and,  not  having  been  advised  of  the  change,  were  deprived  of 
their  right,  adding  that  they  would  have  voted  for  Atkins.  In  place  of  throwing 
out  the  vote  of  Bloomfield  township.  Judge  Reed  set  aside  the  election  of  judge, 
declaring  no  one  elected.  As  Judge  Reed  was  elected  to  serve  until  his  successor 
was  elected  and  qualified,  no  vacancy  was  created, — hence  he  continued  in 
office  until  after  the  next  regular  election,  which  was  in  the  fall  of  1855. 

It  is  not  disclosed  why  a  full  compliment  of  officers  was  not  elected  in 
August,  1851,  but  it  seems  from  tlie  records  that  it  was  not  until  April,  1852, 
that  the  offices  of  School  Fund  Commissioner  and  Clerk  of  Courts  were  filled 
by  the  election  of   N.   S.   Gilbert  and  W.   F.  Kimball,  the   defeated  candidates 

85 


86  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

being  John  McKay  and  James  B.  Schenck.  In  the  same  election  James  B. 
Chase  was  elected  Coroner  over  Wni.  Painter.    A  total  of  i8o  votes  were  cast. 

It  is  related  in  Alexander's  History  that  "at  first  the  amount  that  the  officers 
received  on  their  salaries  depended  on  the  amount  of  fees  received;  for  from 
the  first  the  Judge,  Clerk  and  Treasurer  were  accustomed  to  meet  at  stated 
intervals,  each  reporting  the  fees  he  had  received,  and  then  the  money  would 
be  divided  between  them.  The  Treasurer  would  also  report  the  cash  in  the 
Treasury,  which  would  be  divided  with  equal  ini])artiality ;  then  County  Judge 
Reed  would  issue  county  warrants  to  each  one  fur  the  balance  found  due.  As 
soon  as  taxes  were  levied  and  collected  this  system  ceased." 

In  the  August  election  of  1852  M.  B.  Derrick  was  elected  Clerk  of  District 
Court,  James  D.  McKay  was  elected  Prosecuting  .\ttorney  and  H.  K.  .\\erill. 
Surveyor.     One  hundred  and  fifty  votes  were  cast. 

In  April,  1853,  the  fourth  election  occurred,  with  224  votes  cast.  Aaron 
Newell  was  elected  Clerk;  N.  S.  Gilbert,  Treasurer  and  Recorder;  H.  K.  Averill, 
Surveyor;  J.  F.  Moore,  Drainage  Commissioner;  A.  H.  Fannon,  Coroner. 

The  semi-yearly  elections  during  the  first  three  years  showed  peculiar  fluctua- 
tions in  vote  as  is  noted  by  a  falling  off  of  fifty-one  between  April  and  .\ugust, 
1853.  1"  the  latter  contest  173  votes  were  cast.  N.  S.  Gilbert  was  re-elected 
Treasurer  and  Recorder,  and  Elijah  Middlebrook,  Surveyor,  without  opposition, 
lames  F.  Moore  was  elected  Sherifl"  but  failed  to  qualify,  and  Judge  Reed 
declared  the  office  vacant  and  apiinintcii  W  ni.  1''.  Kimball.  Samuel  Kendall  was 
elected   Coroner. 

The  April  election  of  1S34  witnessed  several  changes  in  the  personnel 
of  county  officers.  John  McKay  was  re-elected  School  Fund  Commissioner, 
James  \'an  Pelt  was  defeated  for  sheriff  by  IClijah  Middlebrook.  Nelson  Burdick 
was  elected  Treasurer  and  Recorder  over  W'm.  F.  Kiml)all,  and  W'm.  Painter 
was  chosen  Drainage  Commissioner. 

James  D.  McKay,  who  had  been  elected  Prosecuting  Attorney  in  1852,  was 
elected  as  member  of  the  lower  house  of  the  Iowa  Legislature  in  .August,  1854. 
.Alljert  B.  Webber  was  elected  to  fill  the  attorneyship,  hut  he  failed  to  (jualify. 
Dryden  Smith.  a])pointed  to  till  vacancy,  resigned,  and  J.  F.  Atkins  accejited 
aiipointmeiit  and  served  out  the  term. 

Readers  i)f  to-day  need  not  think  that  tiie  discussion  of  prohibition  is  a 
thing  of  recent  (leveloj)mcnt.  The  jirincipal  feature  of  the  contest  in  \\'iiuie- 
shiek  county  in  the  election  of  .\pril,  1855,  was  this  same  (juestion  of  prohii)ition, 
and  the  anti-iirohibition  adlicrents  only  won  out  by  the  meagre  majority  of  two, 
the  vote  standing   lOij  against  and   if>7  for  proiiii)ition. 

This  same  coiUest  witnessed  the  introduction  of  two  young  attorne\s  into 
lite  ])olitiial  life  of  the  county — men  who  were  subsequeiuly  to  become  important 
factors  in  the  i)ui)lic  life  of  the  community.  In  May,  1854,  Levi  Bullis  came  to 
Decorah.  He  was  a  native  of  Plattsburg,  New  York,  and  beside  being  endowed 
with  a  good  education  he  possessed  the  fighting  spirit  of  the  successful  lawyer. 
In  October  of  the  same  year  another  New  Yorker,  Ezekiel  E.  Coolcy  also  found 
Decorah  a  goodly  place  to  locate.  He,  too,  was  well  educated,  and  though  no 
less  a  fighter  than  .Mr.  P.ullis.  his  manner  was  in  marked  contrast,  being  smooth 
and  polished,  whereas  his  fellow  lawyer  was  more  of  the  rough  and  ready  tyjie. 
Both  were  candidates  for  Prosecuting  Attorney  in  this  election,  Mr.  Cooley  being 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  87 

returned  a  winner.  Mr.  Cooley  subsecjuentl_y  served  the  county  in  the  Legislature, 
being  elected  in  1857.  He  was  appointed  judge  of  the  Tenth  Judicial  district 
by  Governor  Gear  in  1879,  was  re-elected  in  1880  for  one  term,  and  again  in  the 
ninties  was  elected  Judge  of  the  Thirteenth  District,  serving  with  great  credit, 
ile  was  also  postmaster  of  Decorah  in  1861-63. 

Air.  Bullis  never  achieved  but  one  success  as  a  candidate  for  office,  being 
elected  as  a  member  of  the  first  Board  of  Supervisors  in  i860,  but  as  a  lawyer 
he  won  a  wide  following  and  enjoyed  the  patronage  of  a  large  clientage. 

What  has  hitherto  been  called  the  eighth  election,  but  in  fact  was  the  ninth, 
was  held  August  6th,  1855.  Nelson  Burdick  was  re-elected  Treasurer  and 
Recorder:  lames  \'an  Pelt,  Surveyor,  and  Philip  IMorse,  Coroner.  On  the  ist 
of  April  following  Aaron  Newell  resigned  and  Nathaniel  Otis  succeeded  him 
by  appointment  as  Clerk  of  the  district  court. 

But  one  office  was  voted  on  at  the  spring  election  in  1856,  and  J.  E.  B. 
]^Iorgan  was  elected  School  Fund  Commissioner  in  a  field  of  four  contestants. 
There  were  816  votes  cast,  showing  that  the  county  was  sustaining  a  healthy 
growth  in  population.  The  abolishment  of  the  office  of  School  Fund  Commis- 
sioner during  Mr.  ^Morgan's  term  eliminated  it  from  politics,  but  there  were 
enough  other  offices  to  make  elections  exceedingly  interesting. 

Another  office  that  was  abolished  along  about  this  time  was  that  of  liquor 
agent.  It  was  the  duty  of  this  officer  to  see  that  traffic  in  liquors  was  confined 
strictly  to  sales  for  medicinal  purposes.  L.  Butler,  who  held  the  office,  resigned 
on  June  26,  1856,  and  Dr.  H.  C.  Bullis  filled  out  the  unexpired  term.  The  office 
was  then  discontinued. 

The  election  of  August,  1856,  was  an  important  one  to  Winneshiek  county 
as  it  marked  her  break  into  the  ranks  of  senatorial  representation.  The  county 
was  a  portion  of  the  Thirty-Fourth  Senatorial  district  composed  of  Allamakee, 
Floyd,  Howard,  ]\Iitchell,  and  Winneshiek.  The  total  vote  enrolled  was  2,331 
?nd  T-  T.  Atkins,  who  has  been  nominated  by  the  republicans,  was  elected  by  a 
majority  of  883  votes,  or  167  more  than  the  total  vote  of  his  opponent,  Edward 
Ellis.  L.  W.  Griswold  was  elected  Prosecuting  Attorney  and  Nathaniel  Otis 
was  re-elected  Clerk  of  district  court  in  a  three-cornered  fight,  his  opponents 
being  D.  H.  Hughes  and  G.  W.  Esty. 

The  first  special  election  in  the  county  was  held  on  October  10,  1856,  when 
a  proposal  to  vote  $100,000  to  aid  in  the  construction  of  the  Northwestern  rail- 
road was  carried  by  a  vote  of  926  to  505.     The  road  was  never  built. 

At  the  election  held  in  April,  1857.  James  B.  Smith  was  elected  sherifif, 
George  N.  Holway,  County  Assessor,  and  James  E.  Simpson,  Drainage  Com- 
missioner. 

In  July,  1857,  L.  W.  Griswold  resigned  as  Prosecuting  Attorney  and  Dryden 
Smith  was  appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy.  In  the  election  of  August  following 
he  was  elected  for  a  full  term,  but  the  office  was  abolished  during  the  succeeding 
winter.  The  reason  for  Mr.  Griswold's  resignation  is  seen  in  his  candidacy  for 
the  office  of  County  Judge.  He  was  elected  over  J.  A.  Tupper  who  had  also 
been  his  unsuccessful  opponent  in  the  attorneyship  contest  of  the  year  previous. 
In  this  election  Nelson  Rurdick  was  re-elected  Recorder  and  Treasurer  for  the 
third  term.  L.  W.  Ludlow  was  chosen  County  Surveyor,  and  Amos  Hoag,  Coroner. 


88  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

With  the  creation  of  the  office  of  county  superintendent  of  public  instruction 
the  schools  were  placed  on  a  more  substantial  footing.  Dr.  H.  C.  BuJlis  was 
elected  to  fill  the  office  for  the  term  beginning  immediately  after  the  election 
of  April  14,  1858.  This  was  the  forerunner  of  a  long  public  service  in  which 
Dr.  Piullis  was  chosen  to  occupy  various  positions  of  importance  and  tru.^i.  In 
1865  he  was  elected  to  the  Iowa  Senate  and  served  four  years.  In  1871  he  was 
elected  Lieutenant  Governor.  President  Grant  in  1876  appointed  him  a  member 
of  the  commission  that  negotiated  the  purchase  of  the  Black  Hills  territory  from 
the  Sioux  Indians;  in  iSSo  he  was  elected  Mayor  of  Decorah,  serving  two 
terms,  and  he  was  postmaster  of  Decorah  under  lienjamin  Harrison's  admin- 
istration. 

In  the  election  of  October,  1858,  over  1,300  votes  were  cast,  which  would 
indicate  a  population  of  between  6,000  and  7,000  people  in  the  county.  S.  W. 
Paul  was  elected  clerk  of  district  court,  and  J.  E.  Simpson,  county  surveyor. 

The  successful  candidates  in  the  elections  of  1859  were  Erick  Anderson, 
sheriff:  S.  W.  Mattison,  clerk;  T.  W.  Ijurdick.  recorder  and  treasurer;  H. 
K.  Averill,  surveyor;  John  R.  Howard,  coroner:  W.  F.  Coleman,  county  super- 
intendent. In  November,  i860,  S.  W  .  Maitison  was  re-elected  clerk  of  di.strict 
court.  Up  to  and  including  the  year  i860  the  county  judge  had  the  direction  of 
the  expenditure  of  much  of  the  county  money  and  also  performed  the  duties  of 
county  auditor.  In  this  year  the  administration  of  county  affairs  was  ])laced 
in  the  hands  of  a  ]:)oard  of  supervisors  composed  of  one  member  fr(ini  cacli  town- 
ship. This  body  organized  in  January,  1861,  while  the  county  court  was  retained 
to  handle  jjroljate  and  similar  matters.  The  records  show  that  the  county  court 
continued  until  January  i,  1869,  when  it  was  superceded  by  the  circuit  court 
system.  Between  January  i,  i860,  and  the  discontinuance  of  the  ol'tice  the  fol- 
lowing served  as  county  judges:  1860-61,  I).  H.  Hughes;  1862-1863.  John 
DeCou;  1864-1867,  G.  R.  Willett;  1868,  E.  Cutler.  Mr.  Cutler,  ujion  retiring 
for  the  judgeship  became  ex-ofilicio  county  auditor  and  was  sui)se(iuentl\'  re- 
elected twice. 

With  the  election  of  i860  there  came  a  regularity  in  service  in  the  county 
offices  tiiat  permits  a  record  that  is  more  concise  than  the  foregoing. 

COUNTY    AUDITORS 

Beginning  willi  E.  Cutler  the  record  reads  as  follows:  E.  Cutler,  1869  to 
1873;  11.  A.  Higlow.  1873  lo  I'^/S:  !'•  '■■  H''''^'.  '^75  '"  ''^i^'  :  ''"•  J'--  Egge,  1881 
to  1885;  J.  W.  Daubney.  1S85  to  1893:  (  ).  e'.  Johnson,  1893  to  1891);  F.  .\. 
Masters,  1899  to  19(35;  I.  l.innevold,  1905  to  191 1  :  F-.  W.  Christoi)her,  iwn  to 
1912.  W.  R.  Shea,  elected  in  November,  hh-',  and  entered  ujion  his  duties 
January   i,    1913. 

CLF.RKS    OF    COURT 

S.  W.  Mattison,  who  first  election  brought  him  into  office  January  1,  i860, 
served  until  1867.  Dan  Lawrence.  1867  to  1869;  M.  P.  llalliaw.ay,  1869  to 
1871  ;  S.  E.  Tubbs,  1871  to  1875;  ^-  W.  Brownell.  1875  to  1877;  E.  B.  Hutchinson. 
1877  to  1881  ;  M.  W.  Harden,  i88r  to  1S84;  N.  H.  Nelson,  18S4  to  1891 ;  E. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  89 

D.  Field,  1891  to  1S93;  Henry  Elvidge,  1893  to  1899;  A.  L.  Haakenson,  1899 
to  1905;  S.  E.  Brickner,  1905  to  1911.  Olai  Kallivang,  elected  in  November, 
1910,  re-elected  in  1912,  now  serving  his  second  term. 

SHERIFFS 

Erick  Anderson,  elected  in  1859,  served  until  1863.  He  was  succeeded  by  the 
following:  Armund  Arneson,  1863  to  1867;  A.  S.  Skofstad,  1867  to  1869;  Knut 
Thompson,  1869  to  1873;  C.  H.  Hitchcock,  1873  to  1875;  J.  H.  Womeldorf, 
1875  to  1879;  DeWitt  C.  Moore,  1879  to  December  8,  1881.  H.  M.  Langland 
appointed  December  8,  1881,  to  fill  vacancy;  elected  in  November,  1882,  again 
in  1883,  1885  and  1887.  O.  N.  Norgard,  1890  to  1894;  Clarence  Christen,  1894 
to  1902;  George  Mizener,  1902  to  1907;  T.  J.  Qualley,  1907  to  1913.  L.  J. 
Flemming,  elected  in  November,  1912,  began  service  January  i,  1913. 

TREASURERS 

T.  W.  Burdick  elected  in  i860  and  re-elected  in  1861,  resigned  in  1862  to 
enlist  in  the  army,  and  was  succeeded  by  appointment  by  G.  R.  Willett  who  filled 
out  the  term.  Then  followed:  A.  K.  Bailey,  1863  to  1865;  G.  N.  Holway, 
1865  to  1869;  G.  T.  Lommen,  1869  to  1873;  Edwin  Klove,  1873  to  1882;  N.  H. 
Adams,  1882  to  1884;  C.  E.  Meader,  1884  to  fall  of  1887;  A.  W.  Brownell, 
elected  to  fill  vacancy  in  1887  and  for  full  term,  re-elected  in  1889;  Henry  Yager, 
1892  to  1894;  L.  B.  Whitney,  1894  to  1898;  VV.  O.  Nordheim,  1898  to  1902; 

E.  R.  Haines,  1902  to  1908.  G.  Jorgenson  entered  upon  his  first  term  January 
I,  1908,  re-elected  in  1910  and  1912.     Now  serving  his  third  term. 

RECORDERS 

Up  to  1864  the  Recorder's  duties  were  performed  by  the  County  Treasurer. 
In  that  year  the  two  offices  were  separated  and  John  E.  Powers  was  elected  as 
Recorder.  He  was  re-elected  in  1866  and  served  until  January  i,  1869,  the  suc- 
cessors being  as  follows:  Cyrus  McKay,  1869  to  1875;  Chas.  Steen,  1875  to 
1878;  Wm.  Fannon,  1878  to  1883;  M.  A.  Harmon,  1883  to  1889;  T.  F.  Auch- 
moody,  1889  to  1897;  N.  N.  Quandahl,  1897  to  1899;  C.  H.  Lawrence,  1899  to 
1905;  H.  S.  Stinson,  1905  to  1911  ;  Allen  Wise  elected  in  November,  1910,  entered 
upon  his  duties  January   i,   191 1,  re-elected  in  November,   1912. 

COUNTY    SUPERINTENDENTS 

As  mentioned  in  a  preceding  portion  of  this  chapter  Dr.  H.  C.  Bullis  was 
the  first  County  Superintendent  of  schools.  There  succeeded  him:  J.  M.  Wedge- 
wood,  1S64  to  1872;  Henry  T.  Toye,  1872  to  1874;  G.  N.  Holway,  1874  to  1876; 
Nels  Kessy,  1876  to  1882;  J.  A.  Klein,  1882  to  1884;  Dan  Shea.  1884  to  1890; 
H:  L.  Colifeen,  1890  to  1896;  G.  O.  Haugen,  1896  to  1900;  E.  J.  Hook,  1900  to 
1909;  S.  Reque,  1909  to  1913;  H.  E.  Miller,  1913 — now  serving  first  term. 
The  35th  General  Assembly  made  this  office  appointive  on  a  basis  of  qualification. 


90  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WIXXESHIEK  COUNTY 

COUNTY    SURVEYORS 

James  E.  Simpson,  elected  in  1859,  served  iimil  Jamiary  i,  1862.  E.  Baldwin, 
T862  to  1870;  W.  C.  Adsit,  1870  to  1876;  J.  L.  Cameron,  1876  to  1880;  R. 
B.  Caldwell,  1880  to  1882;  J.  L.  Cameron,  1882  to  1896;  C.  E.  Schenck,  1896 
to  November  i,  1905;  F.  E.  Cratsenberg,  appointed  to  fill  vacancy  November 
14,  1905,  resigned  in  April,  1906.  Elected  in  November,  1906,  and  again  in 
1908,  serving  until  September  i,  1910,  when  he  resigned.  H.  L.  Coffeen  appointed 
April  12,  1906,  to  fill  vacancy,  served  until  January  7,  1907.  W.  M.  Lee,  appointed 
September  10,  1910,  to  fill  vacancy;  elected  for  full  term  beginning  January  i, 
1911,  in  November,  1910.  The  oflice  was  abolished  during  his  term.  Mr.  Lee 
has  since  served  by  appointment  as  County  Engineer,  the  title  by  which  the 
surveyor  is  now  known. 

CORONERS 

John  Howard  served  from  i860  to  1862;  Cyrus  McKay,  1862  to  1872;  F. 
W.  Knox,  1872  to  1874;  A.  C.  Fcrren.  1874  to  1876;  A.  H.  Fannon,  1876  to 
1878:  E.  Mather.  1878  to  1882;  Dr.  W.  F.  Coleman,  1882  to  1888:  W.  U.  Toye, 
1888  to  1890;  A.  C.  Ferren,  1890  to  1892;  E.  Mather,  1892  to  1893:  Dr.  E. 
^L  Heflen,  1893  to  1894;  R.  E.  Gibson,  1894  to  K)oo;  Dr.  P.  M.  Jewell,  1900 
to  1907;  Dr.  A.  J.  Swezey.  1907  to  1913;  Dr.  M.  V>.  Jewell.  11)13 — serving  his 
first  term. 

COl'NTV    SITICRVI.SOUS 

L'nder  an  act  of  Legislature  in  iSfo  the  atTairs  of  the  couiUy  were  jilaced 
under  the  management  of  a  Board  of  Supervisors  consisting  of  one  member  from 
each  township.  This  system  proved  cumbersome,  but  in  spite  of  that  fact  it  held 
sway  until  1870  when  what  is  known  as  the  County  Commission  System  was 
inaugurated  with,  the  county  divided  into  districts.  During  the  first  two  years 
there  were  three  districts  in  \\'inncshick,  hut  in  1S72  they  were  increased  to  five 
districts  com]jrised  as  follows: 

First    District — Bloomfield,    Military,    Springfield,    Frankville. 

.Second  District — Washington,  Jackson,  Sumner,  Calmar. 

Third  District — Lincoln,   Bluft'ton,  Orleans,   Hurr  Oak,   I-"reni<>nt. 

Fourth   District — Pleasant,  Canoe,   Mighland.    iiesper.   (ilenwoixl. 

Fifth  District — Decorah,  Madison. 

M.  .'^.  Drnry,  (ieorgc  C.  \\  insliip  and  A.  .\rncson  comjirised  tlie  first  board. 
Their  terms  were  arranged  to  expire  at  dift'erent  times  so  as  to  avoid  the  possi- 
bility of  an  inexperienced  set  of  men  being  clmsen  to  assume  the  management 
of  county  afifairs. 

As  stated  above,  the  Board  was  increased  to  five  members  by  the  election 
of  1872.  M.  S.  Drury  was  re-elected  and  Florcnzo  G.  Hale  and  Charles  Sydow 
were  chosen  as  the  new  members.  Since  that  year  the  several  distr-jts  have  been 
served  in  order  by  the  following  men  : 


a 


o 
!> 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  93 

FIRST  DISTRICT 

Turner  Callendar,  elected  in  1875;  George  Merrill,  elected  in  1878;  E.  S. 
Lambert,  elected  in  1S80;  O.  T.  Lommen,  elected  in  1881  ;  E.  Schoonmaker, 
elected  in  1884,  re-elected  in  1887;  A.  M.  Anderson,  elected  in  1890;  Geo.  Allen 
elected  in  1893,  re-elected  in  1896;  M.  J.  Nicholson,  elected  in  1899,  re-elected 
in  1902;  George  J.  Cooper,  elected  in  1906,  re-elected  in  1908;  Peter  F.  Meyer, 
elected  in  1910,  began  serving  January  i,   1912. 

SECOND   DISTRICT 

C.  Meyers,  elected  in  1874;  H.  Giesen,  elected  in  1876;  A.  W.  Brownell, 
elected  in  1877,  re-elected  in  1880  and  1883;  Peter  Jacobs,  elected  in  1886;  J.  A. 
Giesen,  elected  in  1889,  re-elected  in  1892;  J.  J.  Haug,  elected  in  1895,  re-elected 
in  1898;  M.  A.  Kubish,  elected  in  1901,  re-elected  in  1904;  G.  A.  Meyer, 
elected  in  1906.  re-elected  in  1910,  term  expires  January  i,  1914;  J.  P.  Kuhn, 
elected  in  1912,  term  begins  January  i,  1914. 

THIRD    DISTRICT 

F.  Brittain,  elected  in  1873;  P.  Morton,  elected  in  1875;  S.  G.  Kendall, 
elected  in  1878;  A.  Rice,  elected  in  1880;  R.  Barnes,  elected  in  1881 ;  D.  N. 
Hoyt,  elected  in  1884;  George  Johnson,  elected  in  1886;  H.  W.  Masters,  elected 
in  1887,  re-elected  in  1890;  M.  S.  Lemon,  elected  in  1893;  S.  Magnus,  elected 
in  1896;  R.  S.  Wolfenberger,  elected  in  1899,  re-elected  in  1902;  Martin  Jones, 
elected  in  1906,  re-elected  in  1908;  Claude  Morton,  elected  in  1910. 

FOURTH    DISTRICT 

O.  W.  EUingson,  elected  in  1876;  Nels  Larsen,  elected  in  1879,  re-elected  in 
1882;  C.  O.  Maltby,  elected  in  1885,  re-elected  in  1888;  A.  T.  Holton,  elected 
in  1891,  re-elected  in  1894;  O.  L.  Wennes,  elected  in  1897,  re-elected  in  1900; 
Edwin  Hoover,  elected  in  1903;  O.  M.  Seines,  elected  in  1906,  re-elected  in 
1908;  A.  P.  Pfister,  elected  in  1912,  began  serving  January  i,  1913. 

FIFTH    DISTRICT 

G.  C.  Winship,  elected  in  1874;  Jacob  Jewell,  elected  in  1877:  G.  L.  Wend- 
ling,  elected  in  1880;  Jacob  Jewell,  elected  in  1883.  re-elected  in  1886;  D.  N. 
Hoyt,  elected  in  1889,  re-elected  in  1892;  John  Greer,  elected  in  1895;  C.  O. 
Moore,  elected  in  1898,  re-elected  in  1901 ;  B.  E.  Jewell,  elected  in  1904,  re- 
elected in  1906;  K.  W.  Knutson,  elected  in  1910,  term  expires  January  i,  1914; 
John  S.  Williams,  elected  in  1912,  term  begins  January  i,  1914. 

THE   COURTS 

Heretofore  we  have  referred  to  the  office  of  County  Judge.  As  already 
explained,  up  to  i860  this  office  combined  the   functions  of  supervisor,  county 


«)4  PAST  AXn  PRKSKXT  OF  WlXXRSlllEK  COUXTV 

auditor,  and  the  handling  of  probate  matters.  Superior  to  this  office,  and  having 
charge  of  all  classes  of  litigation  in  civil  and  criminal  lines,  was  the  District 
Court.  One  judge  was  required  to  do  all  the  work,  holding  terms  alternately 
in  each  county  of  the  district.  Winneshiek  county  was  at  first  a  part  of  the  Second 
Pistrict,  which  embraced  a  large  part  of  the  state. 

As  far  as  we  are  able  to  ascertain,  the  first  term  of  District  Court  tor  ^\'inne- 
shiek  county  coiucncd  in  Decorah  on  July  u.  185J.  wiili  lion.  Thomas  S.  Wilson 
presiding. 

In  1S54  Winneshiek  county  had  become  a  part  of  the  Fifth  district,  com- 
posed of  Allamakee,  Clayton,  Chickasaw,  Fayette,  Howard  and  Winneshiek 
and  Samuel  S.  Murdock  of  Clayton  county  was  elected  in  the  fall  of  that  year. 
Judge  Murdock  was  followed  in  iS5g  by  Judge  Elias  A.  Williams,  also  of  Clay- 
ton, who  served  until  1S67.  Mile  McGlathery  of  Fayette  county  followed 
Judge  Williams  for  two  terms.  Me  proved  most  unpopular  because  of  the 
peculiarity  of  some  of  his  sentences  in  criminal  matters,  and  in  the  election  of 
^.874  when  he  was  opposed  by  Ruben  Noble,  a  staunch  Clayton  county  democrat, 
he  was  easily  defeated.  Judge  Xoble  served  from  1873  until  late  in  1S79,  when 
he  resigned,  and  E.  E.  Cooley  of  Decorah  was  appointed  by  Governor  John 
H.  Gear  to  till  the  vacancy.  Judge  Cooley  assumed  his  duties  in  December,  1879, 
and  was  elected  in  1880  to  succeed  himself.  In  the  election  of  1882  he  was 
op]iosed  by  L.  O.  Hatch  of  McGregor  who  was  electeil.  and  in  1886  and  in  1890 
Mr.  Match  was  re-elected.  With  the  abolishment  of  the  Circuit  Court  in  1887 
an  increase  in  the  number  of  districts  made  this  the  Thirteenth  District.  Judge 
Granger,  who  had  been  the  presiding  otVicer  in  the  Circuit  Court,  became  the 
associate  of  Judge  Hatch  on  the  District  Court  bench.  In  1888  he  was  nominated 
by  the  republicans  as  a  candidate  for  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court,  and  as  nom- 
ination was  equivalent  to  election  he  resigned.  L.  V..  Fellows  of  Lansing  was 
chosen  to  fill  the  vacancy,  but  in  the  election  of  1S89  he  was  defeated  by  W.  A. 
lloyt  of  Fayette.  Five  years  later  (1894)  J"*^',?^  Fellows  was  again  nominated 
by  the  republicans  and  Hon.  A.  X.  Mobson  of  West  Union  was  chosen  as  his 
running  mate.  They  proved  a  popular  pair  and  were  re-elected.  For  term  after 
term  thereafter  they  were  the  choice  of  the  electors,  nuich  of  the  time  without 
ojiposition. 

In  the  early  part  of  lou  while  holding  court  at  Decorah,  Judge  Fellows 
ctMUractcd  a  severe  cold  which  resulted  in  pneumonia.  Although  a  man  of 
advanced  years,  his  rugged  constitution  enabled  him  to  survive  the  attack,  but 
while  in  a  convalescent  stage  his  heart  showed  symptoms  of  weakness  and  on 
July  I7lh  he  passed  away,  full  of  years,  honored  and  revered  by  all  who  knew  him. 

.\ttorney  \\".  J.  Springer  of  Xew  Hampton  was  apjiointed  by  Governor 
Carroll  to  fill  the  vacancy  until  after  election,  and  in  the  election  of  last  fall 
he  defeated  D.  J.  Murphy  of  Waukon  who  opposed  him.  His  term,  and  the 
term  of  Judge  Hobson,  will  expire  January  i.  1015. 

Till-:     (,  IKl.  I    IT     (.  Dl   Kl 

Work  in  District  Court  had  so  increased  that  during  the  session  of  the  Twelfth 
General  .\ssembly  (in  iS(i8^  the  Circuit  Court  was  created.  This  court  exer- 
cised jurisdiction  concurrent  with  the  District  Court  in  all  civil  and  special  pro- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  !)5 

ceedings,  and  was  the  court  of  appeal  from  the  findings  of  inferior  courts,  tribunals 
and  officers  in  civil  matters,  as  well  as  handling  probate  matters.  The  act  of 
legislature  was  signed  April  3,  1868,  and  the  Circuit  Court  became  operative  Janu- 
ary I,  1869. 

M.  \'.  Burdick,  then  one  of  the  most  prominent  members  of  the  Winneshiek 
county  bar,  was  elected  as  Judge  of  Circuit  Court,  serving  for  four  years.  He 
was  succeeded  in  1873  by  C.  T.  Granger  of  Waukon,  who  was  re-elected  in 
1876,  1880,  1884.  and  again  in  18S6.  In  1887  the  Circuit  Court  was  abolished 
and  the  jurisdiction  in  all  classes  of  cases — criminal,  civil,  and  probate — as 
well  as  appeals  from  inferior  tribunals,  was  assumed  by  the  District  Court. 

DISTRICT    AND    COUXTY    ATTORNEYS 

An  adjunct  of  the  District  Court  was  the  office  of  District  Attorney.  Orlando 
J.  Clark  and  Cyrus  Wellington,  both  well  known  attorneys  of  Decorah,  served 
in  this  capacity,  the  former  from  1874  to  1878,  and  the  latter  from  1879  to  1889, 
when  the  office  was  abolisherl  and  the  office  of  county  attorney  was  substituted. 

COUNTY   ATTORNEYS 

John  B.  Kaye  of  Calmar  was  the  first  to  serve  under  this  title.  He  was  elected 
in  the  fall  of  1886  and  re-elected  in  1888.  In  the  election  of  1890  he  was  defeated 
by  M.  J.  Carter  of  Ossian.  who  held  the  office  one  term.  The  order  of  succession 
since  1892  has  been  as  follows:  E.  P.  Johnson,  1893  to  1899;  N.  Willett,  1899  to 
1905;  \V.  M.  Strand,  1905  to  1909:  N.  Willett,  1909  to  1913.  C.  N.  Houck  was 
elected  in  November,  1912,  and  entered  ujjon  his  duties  January  i,  1913. 

CONGRESSIONAL    REPRESENTATION 

Any  history  of  Iowa  will  tell  the  reader  that  up  to  1863  the  state  had  not 
acquired  sufficient  population  to  entitle  us  to  more  than  two  representatives  in 
Congress. 

From  the  time  the  county  was  organized  in  1851  up  to  1863,  Winneshiek  was 
a  part  of  the  Second  Congressional  district,  which  was  represented  as  follows : 

1 85 1  to  1853 — Lincoln  Clark  (democrat)  of  Duliuque. 

1853  to  1855 — John  P.  Cook  (democrat)  of  Davenport. 

1855  to  1857 — James  Thornington  (republican)  of  Davenport. 

1857  to  '^59 — Timothy  Davis  (.American)  of  Dubuque. 

1859  to  1863 — William  Vandever  (democrat)  of  Dubuque. 

From  1863  to  1881  Winneshiek  county  was  a  portion  of  the  Third  district. 
William  R.  .Allison,  of  Dubuque,  was  representative  from  1863  to  1871,  when  he 
was  elected  United  States  Senator. 

At  this  time  the  Third  district  was  composed  of  the  counties  of  Allamakee, 
Buchanan.  Clayton,  Delaware,  Dubuque.  Fayette,  and  Winneshiek. 

W.  G.  Donnan  of  Independence  (Buchanan  county)  succeeded  Mr.  Allison 
and  was  elected  to  the  Forty-second  and  Forty-third  congresses — 1871  to  1875. 

L.  L.  Ainsworth  of  West  Union  was  elected  over  C.  T.  Granger  of  Waukon  to 
the  Forty-fourth  Congress — 1875  to  1877. 


96  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WTXXESHIEK  COUNTY 

The  campaign  of  1876  was  a  memorable  one  in  this  district.  At  the  Con- 
gressional convention  at  McGregor  on  September  6,  Theodore  W.  Durdick  of 
Decorah  was  nominated  by  the  republicans.  Opposed  to  him  on  the  democratic 
ticket  was  J.  M.  Griffith  of  Dubuque,  a  man  of  considerable  wealth  as  well  as 
popularity,  particularly  in  his  home  county,  which  normally  gave  and  has  since 
given  a  large  democratic  majority.  The  contest  that  ensued  was  one  of  the  hot- 
test ever  waged  in  Iowa.  In  every  community  and  school  room  that  was  worth 
visiting  meetings  were  held,  the  district  was  polled  and  repolled,  checked  and 
rechecked  and  the  figures  were  so  carefully  tabulated  that  practically  every  voter 
was  accounted  for.  At  that  time  James  E.  Simpson  was  United  States  Revenue 
Collector  at  Dubuque,  and.  as  a  friend  and  co-worker  with  Mr.  Burdick  in  the 
early  days  of  Decorah  and  ^^'inneshiek  county,  he  took  an  active  interest  in  the 
contest.  On  the  morning  of  election  he  appeared  in  Dubuque  after  devoting  con- 
siderable time  to  a  personal  canvass  of  \\'inneshiek  county  and  a  visit  to  all  parts 
of  the  district. 

"What  will  Winneshiek  do  for  Rurdick?"  he  was  asked. 

"Winneshiek  county  will  give  Theodore  Burdick  twelve  hundred  majority." 
replied  Mr.  Simpson. 

The  Democrats  gazed  at  him  with  wonder  and  incredulity,  and  when  the  fuli 
import  of  his  statement  began  to  sink  in  there  was  a  panic  in  the  Griffith  camp. 
Every  effort  was  made  to  secure  some  contradictory  evidence  with  which  to 
bolster  up  the  democratic  hope,  but  when  the  returns  were  all  in  it  was  shown  that 
Mr.  Burdick  had  been  elected  by  a  majority  of  1267  in  the  district,  his  majority 
in  Winneshiek  county  being  1265.  Mr.  Burdick  served  with  credit  during  the 
Forty-fifth  Congress,  but  refused  to  consider  a  renomination. 

In  1878  Thomas  Updegraft  of  McGregor  was  elected  to  the  Forty-sixth  Con- 
gress, and  was  re-elected  to  the  Forty-seventh  Congress  in  1882. 

In  1881  the  Legislature  redistricted  the  state  and  Winneshiek  became  a  por- 
tion of  the  Fourth  Congressional  district,  the  other  units  being  Allamakee.  Chick- 
asaw, Clayton,  Fayette,  Floyd,  Howard,  and  Mitchell. 

In  1884  Mr.  Updegraff  was  opposed  by  Luman  H.  Weller  of  Nashua.  Mr. 
Weller  had  been  a  greenbacker  and  the  democrats  fused  with  the  members  of 
the  party  in  his  nomination.  He  was  generally  considered  so  erratic  that  his 
candidacy  was  looked  upon  as  somewhat  of  a  joke.  However,  Weller  was  undis- 
mayed, and  while  the  republicans  were  laughing  at  him  he  was  quietly  making  a 
house-to-house  campaign  that  resulted  in  his  election.  He  served  only  one  term — 
during  the  Forty-eight  Congress  f  1885  to  1887) — being  defeated  in  1886  for  the 
Forty-ninth  Congress  by  William  F.  Fuller  of  West  Union,  who  was  re-elected  to 
the  Fiftieth  session  also. 

Joseph  Swenev  of  Osage  was  the  successful  candidate  in  the  election  of  1888. 
He  had  for  his  opponent  Professor  Lars  S.  Reque,  then  as  now  a  member  of 
Luther  College  Faculty,  Decorah.  It  was  Mr.  Sweney's  misfortune  to  come  into 
office  with  a  change  of  administration.  Grover  Cleveland  had  been  defeated  by 
Benjamin  Harrison  and  the  distribution  of  political  plums  was  the  cause  of  Mr. 
Sweney's  undoing,  for  two  years  later  he  was  defeated  by  Walter  H.  Butler  of 
Fayette  county,  who  served  during  the  Fifty-second  Congress. 

In  iSr)2  Thomas  Updegraff  again  aspired  to  the  republican  nomination,  se- 
cured it  and  was  elected.     He  served  in  the  Fifty-third,  Fifty-fourth,  and  Fifty- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  97 

filth  Congresses.  In  1898  a  contest  arose  between  Mr.  Updegraff  and  James  E. 
BIythe  of  Mason  City  for  the  nomination.  In  the  nominating  convention  Gilbert 
N.  Haugen  of  Northwood  appeared  with  the  support  of  his  own  (Worth)  and 
Winneshiek  counties,  holding  the  balance  of  power.  After  a  lengthy  struggle  the 
Updegraff  forces  finally  threw  their  strength  to  Mr.  Haugen  and  he  received  the 
nomination.  He  has  been  successively  elected  to  the  Eifty-sixth,  Fifty-seventh, 
Fifty-eighth,  Fifty-ninth,  Sixtieth,  Sixty-first  and  is  now  serving  in  the  Sixty- 
second  Congress.  Winneshiek  may  justly  claim  some  share  in  this  representation 
because  aside  from  the  support  he  has  received  from  our  votes,  Mr.  Haugen  was 
in  his  early  manhood  a  resident  of  Madison  township  for  several  years. 

It  is  noteworthy  that  between  1863  and  the  present  time  this  district  has  been 
represented  by  democrats  in  but  three  Congresses — the  Forty-fourth  by  L.  L. 
Ainsworth.  the  Forty-eighth  by  L.  H.  Weller,  and  the  Fifty-second  by  Walt  H. 
Butler.  Mr.  Weller  comes  under  the  democratic  classification  only  because  the 
members  of  that  party  endorsed  his  candidacy  and  helped  elect  him.  He  was  a 
greenbacker  or  nationalist. 

LEGISL.^TIVE    RK rRESKXT.\TION 

The  First  Constitutional  convention  of  Iowa  met  in  the  fall  of  18-14  and  was 
in  session  from  October  7  to  November  i.  Their  labors  did  not  prove  eft'ective, 
the  people  rejecting  the  constitution  adopted. 

The  Second  Constitutional  convention  was  held  in  ^lay,  1846.  and  was  in 
session  from  the  4th  to  the  19th.  The  Constitution  then  adopted  received  1 
majoritv  of  45^')  in  a  total  poll  of  18.528  votes.  The  election  was  held  August 
3d,  1846,  and  Iowa  was  admitted  as  a  state  on  December  28.  1846. 

The  Official  Register  of  Iowa  credits  Winneshiek  county  with  representa- 
tion in  the  Third  Constitutional  convention  which  convened  on  January  19,  1857. 
at  Iowa  City  (then  the  state  capitali.  and  adjourned  ^larch  5,  1857.  We  were 
then  a  portion  of  the  Forty-third  district,  which  included  Fayette,  Bremer,  Butler, 
Franklin,  Grundy,  Hardin,  Wright,  \\'ebster,  Boone,  Story,  Green,  Allamakee, 
Winneshiek  and  Humboldt  counties.  Sheldon  W.  Winchester  was  the  representa- 
tive from  this  district. 

Prior  to  this  convention  Winneshiek  county  had  acquired  representation  in  the 
Legislature  through  the  organization  of  the  count)'.  The  most  authoritative 
record  of  members  from  this  district  is  found  in  the  Official  Register  of  Iowa. 

Representative  James  D.  McKay  was  our  first  member  of  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives, serving  during  the  fifth  session.  The  record  does  not  disclose  who 
served  during  the  sixth  session,  hence  we  can  only  infer  that  Mr.  McKay  was 
re-elected.  In  this  respect  the  record  is  incomplete.  Beginning  with  the  Seventh 
session  the  representation  was  as  follows:  Ezekiel  E.  Cooley,  7th;  Amos  Hoag, 
8th;  William  H.  Baker,  9th:  Ole  Nelson,  9th,  loth;  James  H.  Brown,  10th,  nth; 
Horace  B.  Williams,  nth,  12th,  13th;  Jeremiah  T.  Atkins,  12th;  Anders  O.  Lom- 
men,  13th;  Knut  E.  Bergh,  14th;  Warren  Danforth,  14th,  [5th,  i6th;  John  H. 
DeCou,  13th;  Martin  N.  Johnson,  ifith;  Hiram  C,  Manning,  17th:  Henry  A. 
Baker,  17th,  i8th;  Levi  M.  Hubbell.  i8th,  19th;  Drengman  O.  Aaker,  19th,  20th; 
Nels  Larson,  21st,  22d ;  Jacob  Jewell,  23d,  24th;  William  H.  Klemme,  25th,  26th, 
27th;  James  S.  Roome,  28th,  29th;  Abraham  Jacobson,  30th,  31st;  Philo  M. 
Jewell,  32d,  33d;  Lauritz  M.  Enger,  34th.  35th. 


98  PAST  AND  PRESENT  UF  WTXXESHIEK  COUNTY 

A  sketch  of  Representative  Enger  will  he  found  in  the  biographical  volume 
of  this  work. 

SENATORS 

As  stated  in  a  previous  jjlace  in  this  chapter,  Jeremiah  T.  Atkins  was  the  tirst 
direct  senatorial  representative  that  Winneshiek  county  had  in  the  Legislature. 
He  was  elected  in  1856  and  served  in  the  sixth  and  seventh  sessions.  George  W. 
Gray  of  Lansing  was  the  Senator  from  this  district  in  the  eighth  session,  but 
thereafter  until  1SS5  Winneshiek  county  constituted  a  senatorial  district,  separate 
and  distinct  from  all  other  counties.  .Since  the  eighth  session  the  succession  has 
been  as  follows:  Marvin  \'.  Purdick,  9th  and  loth;  Henry  C.  Pulis,  iith,  12th 
and  13th;  C;.  R.  Willett,  14th.  15th  and  i6th:  Martin  .\.  Johnson.  17th  and  i8th; 
Henry  A.  Baker,  19th  and  20th;  Theodore  W.  Purdick,  21st;  *Samuel  .\.  Con- 
verse, 22d;  Ansel  K.  Bailey,  23d  and  24th;  *C.  C.  Upton,  25111  and  26th:  *D.  A. 
Lyons,  27th,  2Sth,  29th,  30th  and  31st;  *.Henry  C.  Burgess,  32d  and  33d;  Philo  M. 
Jewell,  34th  and  35th. 

Since  1885  Howard  county  has  been  linked  with  W'iinieshiek  in  the  I'orty- 
second  senatorial  district.  Those  marked  (*)  were  resident  of  Howard  county. 
Dr.  P.  ^r.  Jewell  the  present  incumbent  of  the  State  Senatorshi])  was  born 
in  Mount  \ernon,  Knox  county,  Ohio,  January  i,  1848.  His  ])arents,  who  were 
of  English  and  (_^erman  descent,  moved  with  their  family  to  Carroll  county,  Illi- 
nois, in  1856.  He  grew  to  manhood  on  a  farm  and  secured  his  education  as  a 
pupil  in  the  Mount  Carroll  Seminary^  a  private  institution  of  learning,  and  later 
attended  the  Mount  Carroll  high  school  for  a  few  terms.  He  began  the  study  of 
medicine  in  1870  in  the  medical  department  of  the  University  of  Michigan,  from 
which  institution  he  graduated  in  March,  1873.  He  has  been  continuously  engaged 
in  the  practice  of  medicine  and  surgery  ever  since;  for  over  six  years  in  White- 
side county,  Illinois,  and  since  Xovember,  1880,  in  Winneshiek  county,  Iowa. 
He  was  married  to  Xama  Livingston  in  1875.  They  have  three  children,  two 
daughters  and  a  son.  He  has  taken  an  active  interest  in  politics  for  many  years 
and  was  appointed  a  member  of  the  United  States  Pension  Board  for  Winneshiek 
county  in  1897,  which  position  he  still  fills.  Senator  Jewell  is  a  republican  in 
politics. 

The  present  corps  of  officials  of  the  county  are  as  follows:  County  .\uditor, 
W.  R.  Shea  of  Decorah ;  Deputy,  E.  C.  Meyer  of  Calinar;  County  Treasurer,  G. 
Jorgeson  of  Springfield ;  Deputy,  L.  C.  Christen  of  Decorah ;  County  Clerk,  Olai 
Kallevang  of  (ilenwood  :  Deputy,  Samuel  Moore  of  Fremont ;  County  Attorney, 
C.  X.  Houck  of  Decorah:  County  Recorder,  Allen  Wise  of  Pleasant;  SheritT,  L. 
R.  Fleming;  Deputy,  A.  M.  Morrison,  both  of  Decorah;  County  Superintendent, 
H.  E.  Miller  of  Calmar;  Deputy,  Karen  I'.randt  of  Decorah;  County  Engineer, 
Will  !M.  Lee;  Deputy,  Frank  .\rneson,  both  of  Decorah. 

nOAUD  OF  SUPKRVISORS 

First  district,  Peter  1".  Meyer  of  Military;  Second  di-;trict,  G.  A.  Meyer  of 
Calmar  (chairman);  Third  district,  Claude  Morion  of  Orleans;  Fourth  district, 
Alwin  P.  Pfistcr  of  Pleasant.     Fifth  district.  K.  W.  Knutson  of  Decorah. 


CHAPTER  \'1I 
THE  CO^HXG  OF  THE  RAILROADS 

The  railroad  history  of  Winneshiek  county  is  confined  largely  to  the  operation 
of  one  company,  though  there  have  been  a  number  of  projects  which  did  not  get 
beyond  the  paper  stage.  Old  settlers  will  tell  you  many  interesting  incidents  of 
the  days  prior  to  1870,  when  the  larger  part  of  their  crops  had  to  be  hauled  by 
ox  team  or  horses  to  Lansing  and  McGregor.  These  are  often  referred  to  as 
"the  good  old  days."  H  a  man  were  fortunate  the  trip  might  be  made  in  three 
days.  During  a  part  of  that  time,  at  least,  he  could  consider  himself  exceedingly 
lucky  if  the  money  in  which  he  was  paid  would  pass  current  the  day  following 
for  the  amount  it  represented.  Private  bank  bills  were  largely  the  medium  of 
exchange  until  the  passage  of  the  National  Bank  Act  in  1863  and  it  was  an  excep- 
tional bank  whose  strength  enabled  it  to  redeem  its  bills  at  face  value. 

If  one  wished  to  go  on  a  journey  he  had  the  alternative  of  three  varieties  of 
transportation,  viz :  by  foot,  by  ox  cart,  or  on  stage  coaches.  The  stage  lines  ran 
from  McGregor  and  followed  the  military  road  established  by  teamsters  plying 
between  Fort  Crawford  at  Prairie  du  Chien  and  Fort  Atkinson.  The  Decorah 
road  branched  off  this  side  of  Joel  Post's  (where  Postville  now  .stands)  and  came 
up  through  Frankville  township.  From  Decorah  one  road  went  w-est  over  Hog's 
Back  (the  north  line  of  the  farm  of  E.  L.  Beard  &  Son,  a  mile  west  of  town),  and 
was  the  thoroughfare  to  New  Oregon  and  west  toward  Osage  and  Otranto. 
Another  road  led  out  of  town  to  the  northeast,  crossing  the  river  between  the  Ice 
Cave  mill  and  the  twin  bridges  and  passed  on  up  the  ravine  to  what  is  now  known 
as  Clay  Hill.  This  was  the  thoroughfare  to  St.  Paul  and  such  intermediate 
points  as  then  existed.  It  can  readily  be  inferred  that  of  these  there  were  a  very 
small  number  and  the  hospitable  log  house  of  some  settler  was  usually  the  hotel 
in  which  the  weary  traveler  found  shelter.  Lucky  indeed  was  he  to  be  provided 
with  a  hoard  floor  for  a  bed  and  his  coat  for  a  pillow. 

The  early  settler  is  ever  impatient  for  improved  conditions  and  the  people 
who  came  to  Winneshiek  county  were  no  exception  to  the  rule.  They  wanted 
transportation  facilities,  and  their  efforts  to  secure  them  were  characteristic  of 
the  times.  A  glimpse  of  their  efforts  is  disclosed  in  the  chapter  on  railroad  build- 
ing in  Spark's  History  of  Winneshiek  County,  as  follows : 

In  1856  everything  was  booming.  The  abundant  resources  of  a  new  country 
had  reached  a  high  state  of  development,  money  was  plenty,  and  the  prospects  for 
the  future  bright.     One  thing  alone  seemed  lacking  to  make  the  people  perfectly 

99 


lUU  PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

satisfied  willi  their  condition — better  facilities  for  transportation,  'i'he  time  had 
passed  when  tlie  jiroducts  of  the  county  could  be  transported  sixty  miles  to  mar- 
ket by  ox  teams  without  suffering  much  inconvenience  and  loss.  The  time  had 
come  when  a  railroad  was  a  necessity.  The  railroad  fever  was  raging  throughout 
the  West,  and  far-seeing  ones  realized  the  immense  value  that  would  sweep  in  on 
iron  rails,  drawn  by  the  iron  horse.  After  a  due  amount  of  talk  and  agitation, 
the  Northwestern  Railroad  Company  was  formed.  Decorah  was  its  hea(k|uartcr.s, 
but  they  took  in  prominent  citizens  of  Clinton.  John  Thompson,  of  Clermont. 
became  president ;  O.  C.  Tee,  a  banker  at  McGregor,  secretary ;  W.  F.  Kimball, 
of  Decorah,  treasurer;  Fb.  llaldwin,  chief  engineer,  and  E.  E.  Cooley,  attornev. 
With  a  mighty  faith  in  the  future,  lousiness  men  put  down  their  names  for  stock 
by  the  thousand  dollars'  worth,  and  $80,000  of  the  capital  was  actually  subscribed. 
Whether  it  all  could  have  been  paid  for  is  another  matter.  With  such  a  start  as 
this,  the  company  felt  it  could  appeal  to  the  public  spirit  of  the  people,  and  the 
county  was  asked  to  bond  itself  to  the  amount  of  $100,000.  Strange  as  it  niav 
seem  to  later  comers,  who  worked  and  toiled  to  gather  together  the  few  thousands 
which  the  railroad  actually  cost  when  it  did  come,  the  people  enthusiastically  came 
forward  and  voted  aye.  The  bonds  w-ere  printed  after  some  delay,  and  were  all 
ready  to  be  formally  signed,  sealed  and  delivered,  when  the  Supreme  Court 
stamped  the  law  under  which  the  bonds  were  being  put  out.  with  the  word  "uncon- 
stitutional." The  scheme  collapsed,  and  the  county  was  saved  a  burden  of  debt, 
which  might  have  retarded  its  progress  for  all  the  years  past,  as  well  as  scores 
to  come.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that  when  the  railroad  did  come  to  us  it  followed  the 
line  marked  out  by  those  pioneers,  and  proved  that  their  plans  were  wise  and  far- 
sighted,  if  they  were  a  dozen  years  ahead  of  the  times. 

Several  attempts  were  made  before  a  railroad  was  finally  built.  The  company 
to  succeed  was  the  McGregor  Western.  This  company  was  organized  January 
19,  iSfiT,.  The  commencement  of  the  road  was  at  North  McGregor.  \\'ork  was 
commenced  in  March,  1863,  and  in  one  year  the  road  was  in  running  order  to 
Monona,  fourteen  and  one-half  miles.  The  work  was  com])leted  to  Postvillc  in 
September.  1864.  to  Castalia  in  October,  1864,  and  to  Conover  in  .\ugust.  1863. 

Decorah,  at  this  date,  had  become  a  thriving  inland  city,  well  supported  with 
newly  started  manufactories.  Her  citizens  looked  upon  the  road  that  was  to  pass 
them  by  with  a  covetous  eye.  Railroad  connection,  with  river  and  lake  transporta- 
tion, was  necessary  to  the  future  ])ros|)erity  of  the  place.  This  was  readily  com- 
prehended, and  every  cfTort  was  put  forth  by  an  energetic  jieople  to  secure  better 
transportation  facilities.  As  a  result,  proi)osals  were  made  to  the  managers  of 
the  McGregor  Western  Railway  to  build  a  branch  line  from  Conover  to  Decorah. 
nine  miles.  The  citizens  of  Decorah  jiledged  themselves  to  furnish  $40,000.  as  a 
bonus,  provided  the  company  would  build  the  nine  miles  of  road,  which  the  luan- 
agers  agreed  to  do.  Nearly  $18,000  was  jiaid  in  by  the  people  of  Decorah,  and,  on 
the  other  hand,  the  road  was  graded  and  bridged,  ready  for  the  superstructure. 
Hut  the  main  line  having  been  leased  to  the  Milwaukee  &  Prairie  du  t'hien  Com- 
pany, work  on  the  branch  was  suspended  in  September,  1865. 

The  road  is  now  operated  under  the  management  of  the  Chicago.  Milwaukee 
&  St.  Paul  Railway  Company,  by  which  name  it  is  known.  The  branch  was  com- 
pleted to  Decorah  in  September,  1869,  in  accor<lance  with  the  agreement  made  by 
the  company  with  the  citizens  of  Decorah.     The  event  was  one  of  great  importance 


SCENE  AT  RAILROAD  YARDS.  CALjSL4R 


SASH  AND   Diini;    I'l.AXT,  CAL.MAH 


[^ 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  103 

to  the  capital  citv  of  the  county.  A  day  of  celebration  and  rejoicing  was  given 
in  honor  of  the  event.  Large  crowds  of  people  thronged  to  the  city,  and  many 
availed  themselves  of  the  opportunity  offered  and  made  excursion  trips  to  Con- 
over  and  back. 

For  a  time  after  the  completion  of  the  railroad  to  Conover  that  town  was  one 
of  the  most  prosperous,  thriving  little  cities  in  this  part  of  Iowa.  Great  things 
were  expected  of  it  by  the  new  residents  and  as  a  market  place  it  outrivaled  any 
of  its  neighbors.  Its  glory  was  short-lived,  however.  In  1866  the  railroad  was 
extended  west  and  north  into  Howard  county  on  its  way  to  St.  Paul,  and  Ridge- 
way  came  into  existence.  The  same  year  that  the  brancli  was  completed  from 
Conover  to  Decorah  (  1869),  the  road  was  extended  westward  from  Calmar,  and 
Fort  Atkinson  thereby  secured  closer  relations  with  the  world. 

During  the  succeeding  ten  years  attempts  were  made  to  secure  other  railroads, 
but  with  negative  results.  In  1879  a  narrow  gauge  road  was  built  from  a  point 
below  Lansing  to  Waukon.  This  line  connected  with  the  river  road  from  Dubuque 
to  LaCrosse  which  was  operated  under  lease  by  the  Chicago  and  Northwestern 
Railway.  Seeing  an  opportunity  to  secure  increased  transportation  facilities,  on 
August  8,  1879.  Decorah  township  voted  a  four  per  cent  tax  to  aid  in  the  extension 
of  this  line  to  Decorah.  Frankville  and  Glenwood  townships,  through  which  the 
line  would  pass,  refused  to  vote  the  tax.  but  the  right  of  way  was  secured,  grading 
was  done,  piers  for  bridges  were  erected,  and  the  laying  of  rails  had  proceeded 
some  distance  beyond  the  confines  of  Waukon  when  orders  were  received  to  cease 
operations.  The  owners  of  the  river  road  had  offered  to  sell  the  property  to  the 
Chicago  and  Northwestern  Company.  They  were  slow  in  entering  into  the  project 
and  while  a  party  of  officials  were  out  on  a  tour  of  inspection  to  determine  its 
worth  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  officials  bought  the  property.  As 
they  already  had  a  standard  gauge  line  running  into  Decorah  it  would  complicate 
matters  to  extend  the  narrow  gauge  to  this  point.  They  could  see  no  profit  in  a 
connection  with  the  river  road  by  this  route,  even  if  the  line  was  made  standard 
gauge,  so  they  ordered  the  extension  discontinued. 

As  the  line  was  never  built  to  Decorah  the  tax  was  never  collected,  and  the 
right  of  way  reverted  to  the  original  owners.  A  few  years  ago  portions  of  this 
grade  were  secured  by  the  county  for  highway  purposes. 

Another  attempt  to  secure  an  outlet  to  the  Mississippi  river  to  connect  with 
the  Chicago  and  Northwestern  near  Lansing  was  made  in  1881-82.  At  that  time 
a  five  per  cent  tax  was  voted  to  the  Upper  Iowa  and  Mississippi  Railway  Company, 
but  when  it  became  evident  that  the  attempt  would  be  fruitless  the  company  had 
the  tax  annulled. 

In  the  meantime  some  of  the  influential  men  of  Decorah  got  in  touch  with 
the  officials  of  the  Burlington,  Cedar  Rapids  and  Northern  and  the  Chicago, 
Rock  Island  and  Pacific  railway  companies  and  opened  negotiations  for  the  exten- 
sion of  the  line  of  the  former  company  from  Postville  to  Decorah.  The  repre- 
sentatives of  Decorah  were  promised  the  extension  of  the  line  on  condition  that 
a  five  per  cent  tax  be  voted  to  aid  in  the  construction.  Decorah  voted  the  tax  on 
.'\pril  4,  1882,  but  Military  township  voted  against  it.  Litigation  followed  and 
through  a  technicality  the  tax  was  annulled.  The  road  was  built,  however,  com- 
mencing at  a  point  three  miles  below  Postville  and  running  north  through  Bloom- 
field,  Military  and  Springfield  townships  to  Decorah,  with  Castalia  and  Ossian  on 


104  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  W  INNESHIEK  COUNTY 

the  line.  The  town  of  Nordness  was  estabhshed  in  Springfield  township.  The 
line  was  completed  into  Decorah  and  the  last  spike  driven  on  October  2^.  1884, 
and  on  November  20th  a  celebration  of  the  event  was  held.  A  special  train  bear- 
ing officials  of  both  the  Rock  Island  and  ISurlington.  Cedar  Rapids  and  Northern 
companies,  and  citizens  of  Cedar  Rapids  and  the  intermediate  towns  to  the  nimiber 
of  several  himdred,  arrived  in  Decorah  at  noon,  and  the  visitors  were  enter- 
tained at  a  banquet  held  in  Steyer's  Opera  House.  It  was  a  gala  occasion  in  which 
the  citizens  of  Decorah  and  surrounding  territory  proved  themselves  most  cordial 
hosts.  Some  years  ago  the  road  was  absorbed  by  the  Rock  Island  Railway,  and 
the  P)Urlington,  Cedar  Rapids  and  Northern  company  passed  out  of  existence. 

While  the  southern  part  of  the  county  was  busy  with  the  various  projects 
heretofore  mentioned,  the  northern  part  of  the  county  was  not  idle.  A  road  known 
as  the  Minnesota,  Iowa  and  Southwestern  was  projected  from  LaCrosse  to  Charles 
City  and  Western  low^a  in  1881.  Hesper,  Burr  Oak,  and  Bluffton  townships  voted 
tax  aid  to  its  construction,  but  a  technicality  in  the  manner  of  ordering  the  vote 
in  Bluffton  township  made  it  illegal.  In  a  new  election  in  1882  the  project  was 
defeated  as  far  as  the  territory  above  referred  to  was  concerned.  The  road  was 
never  built. 

In  the  latter  eighties  the  Chicago,  Burlington  and  Northern  railway  projected 
a  line  from  New  Albin.  where  thev  intended  to  bridge  the  Mississippi  river,  across 
the  northern  part  of  Iowa.  Their  engineers  made  surveys  across  Allamakee  county 
and  through  Winneshiek  to  a  point  about  four  miles  northwest  of  Decorah.  when 
they  were  withdrawn.  The  reason  for  abandoning  the  enterprise  was  never  made 
known,  but  that  it  had  been  definitely  decided  upon  at  one  time  was  assured  in 
the  statement  of  an  official  to  a  friend  who  was  then  one  of  Decorah's  prominent 
business  men.  He  had  made  several  visits  here  and  during  the  last  one  he  said 
"The  next  time  I  come  to  Decorah  I  will  ride  on  our  own  train."  It  was  subse- 
quent to  this  visit  that  the  survey  was  made. 

Another  project  on  which  considerable  time  and  money  was  spent  was  the 
Decorah,  Rochester  and  Red  River  \'alley  line.  The  late  William  H.  \'alleau. 
then  a  prominent  citizen  and  former  mayor  of  Decorah,  was  its  moving  spirit 
and  devoted  several  years  in  an  endeavor  to  finance  it,  even  going  to  London  in 
hope  of  enlisting  English  capital,  but  without  success. 

The  development  of  the  interurban  has  given  encouragement  that  still  further 
transportation  facilities  may  yet  be  our  portion.  A  route  for  such  a  line  was  sur- 
veved  from  Chatfield  to  Decorah,  some  years  ago,  l^ut  the  one  that  holds  out  the 
most  hope  at  the  present  time  is  the  Minneajiolis,  St.  Paul.  Rochester  &  Dubuque 
line,  otherwise  known  as  the  "Dan  Patch"  line.  .\  preliminary  survey  was  made 
five  years  ago.  The  line  was  built  and  has  been  in  operation  from  Minneapolis 
to  Northfield,  Minnesota,  during  the  past  two  years,  and  is  now  being  extended  to 
Faribault.  It  might  have  been  comjileted  ere  this  had  the  promoters  been  willing 
to  issue  bonds  to  finance  it.  but  they  are  ])roceeding  on  the  laudable  plan  of  paying 
the  cost  of  construction  from  sales  or  shares  of  stock  and  thus  retain  ownership 
for  the  shareholders. 

The  topography  of  Winneshiek  county  is  such  that  railroad  construction  is 
not  easy.  It  may  be  attributed  to  that  fact  that  the  northeastern  portion  of  the 
countv  is  one  of  the  few  sections  of  the  state  that  is  noted  for  its  distance  from 
railroad  lines. 


CHAPTER  Mil 
"THE  BOYS  IN  BLUE" 

The  military  history  of  Winneshiek  county  is  one  of  which  a  new  country 
could  well  be  proud.  The  record  has  been  made  by  others  at  a  time  when  its 
accuracy  could  be  assured,  hence  we  quote  without  hesitation  from  previously 
pulilished  historical  works.     Alexander's  History  says : 

"Winneshiek  county  may  well  remember  with  pride  the  patriotism  of  her 
devoted  sons  in  the  war  for  the  Union.  Immediately  on  the  report  of  the  attack 
of  the  rebels  on  Fort  Sumter,  men  stood  ready  to  respond  to  the  call  of  the 
Government  for  troops,  and  within  a  week  steps  were  taken,  at  a  public  meeting 
held  at  the  courthouse,  to  organize  and  offer  a  military  company  to  the  Govern- 
ment. That  the  people  as  well  as  officials  of  the  county  were  prompt  to  encourage 
those  who  should  step  forward  for  their  country's  service,  and  care  for  the 
families  they  left  behind,  is  shown  by  the  following  resolutions  w'hich  were 
passed  at  the  time  by  the  County  Board  of  Supervisors,  and  wdiich  were  fully 
carried  out : 

"  'Resolved,  That  under  the  present  aspect  of  national  affairs  it  is  the  duty 
of  every  community  to  do  its  share  toward  the  defense  of  our  common  country. 

"  'Rcsoh'cd,  That  it  is  the  duty  of  the  county  to  drill  and  cause  to  be  equipped 
at  least  one  company  of  men ;  that  in  order  to  do  so  an  appropriation  by  the 
county,  enabling  every  person  to  aid  in  his  due  proportion  in  the  common  defense, 
is  most  just  and  equitable;  that  the  men  who  risk  their  lives  and  spend  their 
time  should  be  provided  with  the  means  to  be  of  service  as  soldiers,  and  that 
an  appropriation  made  in  pursuance  hereof  should  have  precedence  of  all  other 
claims;  therefore, 

"  'Resolved,  That  the  county  funds  now  in  the  hands  of  the  treasurer  of 
Winneshiek  county,  be  and  the  same  are  hereby  appropriated,  not  exceeding  the 
sum  of  $2,000  for  the  purpose  of.  equipping  the  military  company  known  as  the 
"Decorah  Guard,"  and  that  the  Clerk  of  the  District  Court  be  and  he  is  hereby 
authorized  to  issue  county  warrants  to  Levi  BuUis,  D.  H.  Hughes  and  C.  C. 
Tupper,  who  shall  constitute  a  committee  for  the  negotiation  of  said  county 
warrants,  and  the  purchase  of  said  equipments,  the  said  committee  first  giving 
bonds  to  said  county,  conditioned  that  the  said  appropriation  be  used  for  the 
purpose  designed,  faithfully  and  truly. 

105 


106  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

"  'Resolved,  That  the  families  of  each  member  of  the  "Decorah  Guard" 
receive  the  following  weekly  allowance  during  their  term  of  service,  viz :  Three 
dollars  per  week  for  the  wife,  and  one  dollar  per  week  for  each  child,  to 
the  extent  of  three.' 

"Many  of  the  actors  in  those  stirring  scenes  arc  men  from  among  us,  while 
several  who  remained  at  home  contributed  these  resolutions  to  Sparks'  History, 
and  to  it  we  shall  be  indebted  for  most  of  the  remainder  of  this  chajncr. 

"On  the  20th  of  April,  1861,  just  six  days  after  the  booming  of  cannon,  heard 
at  Sumter,  had  sounded  the  alarm  of  civil  war,  a  meeting  of  the  patriotic  citi- 
zens of  Winneshiek  county,  and  Decorah  in  particular,  was  held  in  the  court- 
house. It  was  held  for  the  purpose  of  giving  expression  to  the  outraged  feelings 
of  a  liberty-loving  people  at  the  atrocious  stroke  made  against  human  freedom 
and  American  liberty,  and  to  declare  their  adhesion  to  the  old  flag  that  waved 
from  the  courthouse  dome  above  them. 

"The  brave  who  died  in  the  mountains  of  Arkansas,  the  marshes  of  Louisiana, 
the  rocky  fastnesses  of  Georgia,  and  the  swamjjs  of  Carolina,  are  remembered 
less  vividly  by  their  old  comrades  as  year  by  year  passes  away,  and  when  this 
generation  has  gone  there  will  be  few  to  recall  the  names  of  the  vouilifnl  iieroes 
of  Winneshiek  county  who  faced  fatigue  and  sickness,  steel  and  ball,  and  died 
in  the  fierce  front  of  battle,  facing  the  foe.  or  fell  victims  to  malarious  diseases. 
But  while  their  individual  memories  will  have  perished,  the  cause  for  which 
they  died,  the  cause  for  which  they  perished,  the  cau.'^e  of  lil)erty  and  humanity 
will  remain,  and  future  generations  will  derixe  fresh  courage  to  struggle  for 
the  right  from  the  glorious  example  of  the  citizen-soldiers  who  crushed  the 
'Great  Rebellion.' 

"It  was  Abraham  Lincoln,  our  noble,  martyred  president,  who  said  at  (Gettys- 
burg, 'The  world  will  not  long  remember  wliat  wc  may  say  here,  but  ihcv  can 
never  forget  what  we  have  done  here.'  And  it  is  a  fitting  tiling  that  the  custom 
of  observance  of  May  30,  of  last  year,  as  Decoration  Day.  has  been  established; 
a  day  when  we  can  strew  with  flowers  the  graves  of  those  who  sleej)  in  our 
cemeteries,  and  revive  the  memories  of  those  who  sleep  in  distant  or  unknown 
graves,  holding  the  names  of  them  all  in  grateful  recollection,  and  rendering 
more  precious  the  heritage  they  have  transmitted  to  us  and  to  our  children. 

"The  meeting  was  called  to  order,  and  Capt.  John  11.  Simjjson  made  chairman. 
This  distinction  was  paid  the  aged  gentleman  because  of  his  efficiency  in  com- 
manding and  his  co-operation  with  tiie  first  militia  cnniii.mv  ever  organized  in 
Decorah. 

"Caj)!.  John  11.  Simpson  was  Ixirn  in  (ianston,  I-.nglnid.  .March  22.  1796, 
and  died  at  Decorah.  July  _>,  1869.  lie  had  i)ecn  a  nHinbcr  uf  the  Koval  Life 
Guards  (Body  Guard  of  the  King)  and  as  one  of  the  battalion,  was  on  his  way 
to  the  field  when  the  battle  of  Waterloo  was  fought.  In  182S  he  came  to 
America  and  settled  in  New  "Vork  City.  He  came  to  Decorah  in  1X50.  and  here 
for  thirteen  years  he  lived  an  honest,  blameless  life.  He  was  elected  captain 
of  the  Decorah  Guards  on  the  formation  of  the  company  in  1859. 

"There  are  men  yet  living  in  Winneshiek  county  who  remember  the  memor- 
able meeting  over  which  he  presided,  and  how  his  patriotism  gave  vent,  in  the 
greatest  effort  of  his  life,  in  a  ])atriotic  speech  that  sent  the  blood  tingling 
through  the  veins  of  every  listener.     In  his  speech  he  tendered  the  remainder 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  107 

of  liis  life  for  the  defense  of  his  country,  though  the  snows  of  65  winters  rested 
on  his  brow.  He  was  not  accepted.  Younger  men,  with  stronger  sinews  and 
harder  muscles,  volunteered  their  services. 

DECORA  H    GUARDS 

"But  one  week  intervened  before  there  was  a  reorganization  of  the  Decorah 
Guards,  and  men  better  fitted  for  the  hardships  of  a  soldier's  life  superseded 
the  members  of  the  original  company.  The  Decorah  (juards,  as  they  originally 
were,  underwent  a  complete  transformation,  only  three  of  the  old  company  being 
retained  in  the  ranks  of  the  new  organization.  The  old  officers  resigned,  and 
new  ones  were  elected.  This  was  the  first  company  of  men  in  Winneshiek 
county  to  enlist  in  defence  of  the  stars  and  stripes.  They  were  men  in  the  full 
vigor  of  life,  men  of  sterling  worth,  the  very  flower  of  our  young  county,  as  the 
following  summary  of  the  company  indicates :  The  oldest  men  in  the  company 
(two  of  them)  were  aged  36,  one  34,  one  32,  one  31,  one  30.  one  29,  two  28, 
three  2-],  three  26,  six  25,  eight  24,  seven  23,  ten  22,  nine  21,  nine  20,  eleven 
19,  ten  18,  making  a  total  of  officers  and  men  of  85,  with  an  average  of  22  years, 
8  months  and  22  days. 

"The  company  was  known  as  the  Decorah  Guards,  until  mustered  into  the 
service ;  then  they  assumed  the  name  of  Company  D,  Third  Regiment  of  Iowa 
Volunteers.     The  officers  of  the  new  company  were : 
"Captain— G.  R.  Willett. 
"First   Lieutenant — Emilius   I.   Weiser. 
"Second  Lieutenant — (Jle  A.  Anderson. 
"Orderly    Sergeant — Geo.    McKay. 
"Second  Sergeant — A.  H.  McMurtrie. 
"Third  Sergeant — C.   W.   Burdick. 
"Fourth  Sergeant — Robert  Ray. 
"First  Corporal — E.  M.  Farnsworth. 
"Second   Corporal — Milton  Ross. 
"Third  Corporal — Charles  P.  Brown. 
"Fourth   Corporal — Joseph   S.   Nefif. 

"This  company  was  enrolled  in  Winneshiek  county,  and  ordered  into  quarters 
hy  the  governor  of  the  state.  May  21,  1861.  The  company  left  Decorah  for 
Keokuk,  their  rendezvous.  May  28,  1861,  and  was  mustered  into  the  United 
States  service  June  10,  i8fii.  The  date  of  the  company's  departure  from  Decorah 
for  the  scenes  of  war  will  remain  a  memorable  one  in  the  recollection  of  the 
hvmdreds  of  citizens  who  met  on  Court  House  Square  to  bid  the  boys  a  last 
farewell.  The  ladies  had  prepared  a  beautiful  flag,  which  was  presented  to  the 
company  by  Miss  Carrie  .McNair,  whom  I  feel  compelled  to  more  than  casually 
mention ;  and  in  order  to  do  so  I  shall  be  obliged  to  digress  from  the  main  subject. 
"Carrie  McNair  was  born  in  Livingston  county,  N.  Y.,  about  the  year  1832. 
She  came  to  Decorah  in  the  year  i860,  at  that  period  in  our  national  existence 
when  the  very  atmos])here  was  deadened  with  treasonable  imprecations  against 
the  Union,  and  when  the  cloud  of  rebellion  had  so  spread  its  mammoth  propor- 
tions as  to  nearly  obscure  the  bright  sunlight  of  freedom.  Being  a  woman 
of  strong  emotional  nature,  a  lover  of  liberty  and  union,  she  early  identified  her- 


108  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

self  with  llic  L'liioii  side  of  the  controversy  that  then  tlireatened  a  sei^aralion  of 
states ;  consequently,  out  of  respect  and  appreciation  of  'her  noble  nature,  and 
her  sympathy  with  the  Union,  she  was  chosen,  of  all  other  w-omen,  better  fitted 
to  make  the  presentation.  In  1862,  following  the  many  bloody  battles,  and  not 
infrequent  disastrous  engagements,  Miss  McNair  felt  that  there  was  need  of  her 
services  in  the  crowded  hospitals.  With  a  heartfelt  desire  to  render  the  Union 
any  services  in  her  power,  and  an  an.xiety  and  willingness  to  alleviate  the  sufler- 
ings  of  bra\e  men  who  had  fallen  wounded  in  their  country's  cause,  she  became 
;i  nurse  in  a  soldiers'  hospital  at  St.  Louis.  She  served  in  this  capacity  until 
the  end  of  the  war,  and  furnished  aid  and  comfort  to  thousands  of  poor  un- 
fortunates. 

"Following  the  presentation  of  the  flag,  there  was  a  presentation  of  Bibles 
and  Testaments.  The  scene  was  such  as  never  had  occurred  before,  and  was 
solemn,  impressive  and  trying. 

"The  company,  in  vehicles,  pursued  their  course  to  McGregor,  and  from 
thence  to  Keokuk,  and  from  here,  soon  after,  they  were  transported  to  scenes 
of  active  service,  in  Missouri. 

"The  first  hard  fought  battle  that  the  company  engaged  in  was  at  Blue  Mills. 
September  7,  1861,  although  jjrevious  to  this  they  had  been  engaged  in  many 
holly  contested  skirmishes.  In  the  IkiIIIc  of  Blue  Mills  the  Unionists  were 
driven  back. 

"W'm.  B.  Miller,  of  Company  1),  was  killed  in  this  engagement  and  Captain 
W'illett,  Second  Lieut.  Ole  Anderson,  and  I'riv.  Win.  B.  Hcckert,  were  seriously 
wounded.  Captain  W'illett's  wound  occasioned  his  resignation,  and  the  promo- 
tion of  Lieut.  E.  I.  Weiser  to  the  captaincy  of  the  company. 

"Lieutenant  Anderson  fell,  wounded  in  the  temple,  and  was  left  on  the  field 
for  dead.  Company  D  having  been  obliged  to  retreat,  he  fell  into  the  enemy's 
hands.  His  body  was  stripped  of  all  clothing  but  the  pants,  and  he  was  robbed 
of  everything  by  the  rebels.  The  next  day  after  the  battle  the  rebels  were  obliged 
to  retreat,  and  then  Company  D  reclaimed  his  body.  Lieutenant  Anderson  lay 
unconscious  three  weeks,  and  it  was  a  question  for  a  long  time  afterwards 
whether  he  would  survive  or  not.  Me  entered  the  army  a  perfect  athlete,  and 
a  perfect  man,  physically  and  mentally,  and  today,  from  the  effect  of  that  wound, 
incurred  at  the  cost  of  duly  and  bravery,  he  is  a  mere  wreck  of  his  former  self. 
As  an  officer  he  was  efficient  and  brave  to  a  fault. 

"The  battle  of  Shiloh,  fought  on  the  fHh  and  "th  of  .April.  1862,  w^as  the 
next  great  conflict  in  which  Com])any  T)  particii)ated.  L'nder  the  hottest  fire 
and  amid  the  most  trying  scenes.  ConiiKiny  I)  behaved  itself  with  coolness  and 
liravery.  After  passing  through  that  fiery  ordeal,  a  summary  of  the  loss  it  sus- 
tained showed  the  following:  Killed — Edward  Knapp,  Hans  11.  Stenson,  and 
Samuel  D.  Smith.  Wounded— Capt.  E.  I.  W'eiser,  Corp.  J.  11.  Farber,  Geo. 
H.  Culver,  Jas.  S.  Daskam,  Hans  Chilbrandsoii.  Thos.  Heath.  Peter  15.  Hulverson, 
Knudt  Knudson,  Matthew^  Kellogg.  Gilbert  Kiuidson,  Henry  II.  Shcldso,  Geo. 
11.  Kelley.  John  Jas.  Fisher.  Hiram  S.  Daskam. 

"The  battle  of  Hatchie,  fought  on  the  5th  of  October,  was  the  scene  of  the 
next  hotly  contested  engagement  in  which  Conii)any  D  took  an  active  part. 

"The  company  lost  the  following:  Wounded — Ca])t.  E.  I.  Weiser,  Corp. 
C.  C.  Watson.  Geo.  Culver.  Martin  l-:.  Oleson  (mortally),  and  M.irtin  Pepper. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  109 

"Tn  the  battle  of  llatchie  the  second  Captain  of  Company  D  was  made  in- 
capable for  active  service  by  a  rebel  bullet. 

"Captain  E.  I.  \\'eiser  was  born  in  York,  Pa.,  April  lo,  1835,  and  emigrated 
from  the  place  of  his  nativity  to  Decorah  in  1856.  Being  possessed  with  a  warm 
lieart  and  a  genial  nature,  and  a  patriotic  love  of  country,  the  threats  of  war 
against  the  Union  aroused  his  impulsive  nature  to  a  desire  to  make  any  sacrifice 
— hardship,  sutTering,  even  life  itself — in  his  country's  cause.  As  a  result,  when 
the  first  cry  of  a  distressed  country  was  heard,  calling  on  her  sons  for  protection 
against  the  assaults  of  traitors,  Capt.  E.  I.  Weiser  was  the  first  and  foremost 
of  her  patriots  in  Winneshiek  County  to  respond.  Capt.  E.  I.  Weiser  was  the 
first  man  to  enlist  from  Winneshiek  County  in  his  country's  service  in  the  late 
Civil  war.  He  enlisted  as  a  high  private  in  Company  D,  and  was  elected  first 
Lieutenant  at  the  first  election  held  by  the  company. 

"Capt.  E.  I.  W'eiser  participated  in  many  warm  skirmishes  and  two  hard- 
fought  battles.  He  was  wounded  at  Shiloh ;  also  at  Hatchie,  on  the  5th  of 
October,  1862.  The  wound  he  received  at  Hatchie  disabled  him  for  further 
active  military  service  during  the  war.  Eight  months  he  was  detained  in  the 
hospital  by  his  wound,  and  seven  of  these  eight  months  he  was  compelled  to  lie 
in  one  position — on  his  back.  He  was  with  his  company  one  week  while  it  was 
at  ^Memphis.  While  here  the  boys  of  Company  D  presented  him  with  a  silver 
pitcher,  as  a  mark  of  their  regard  and  the  appreciation  they  had  for  him  as  a 
soldier  and  commander.  Capt.  Weiser  was  brave,  cool,  efficient,  and  possessed 
all  the  noble  attributes  requisite  in  a  successful  commander.  His  physical  dis- 
ability is  a  glorious  certificate  of  his  bravery. 

"Company  D  next  went  to  ]\Iemphis  where  it  remained  six  months,  and  from 
thence  to  \'icksburg.  They  were  engaged  in  the  siege  of  \'icksburg  up  to  the 
date  of  its  surrender.  Vicksburg  surrendered  July  4,  1863.  The  white  flag  was 
raised  on  every  fort  at  g  .\.  M.  on  the  3d.  The  rebels  sent  out  a  flag  of  truce, 
and  wished  to  surrender  on  conditions.  Gen.  Grant  sent  back  word  that  noth- 
ing but  an  unconditional  surrender  would  be  accepted.  On  the  3d,  when  the 
white  flags  were  hoisted,  all  firing  ceased.  The  rebels  came  outside  of  their 
works  and  held  a  sociable  with  our  boys.  On  the  4th  of  July,  at  10  A.  M.,  the 
rebels  marched  outside  of  their  works,  were  drawn  up  in  a  line,  and  stacked  their 
arms,  and  promptlv  at  11  .\.  M.  the  stars  and  stripes  proudly  floated  over  the 
rebel  works. 

"In  this  siege,  on  the  26th  of  June.  Thomas  Kelly,  of  Company  D.  was 
mortallv  wounded.  He  lived  about  a  week,  having  won,  in  dying,  the  honor  of 
iieing  the  bravest  among  the  brave. 

"The  Third  regiment  received  orders  on  the  5th  to  take  up  their  line  of  march 
for  Black  River,  to  look  after  Johnston,  who,  with  a  large  force  had  been  prowl- 
ing in  the  rear.  On  the  12th  of  July,  1863,  about  225  men  of  the  Third  Iowa, 
among  which  number  were  many  of  Company  D,  made  an  assault  on  reliel 
works,  behind  which  were  ensconced  about  10,000  of  Johnston's  men.  The  result 
of  the  assault  was  a  whirlwind  of  death.  In  the  first  volley  fired  by  the  enemy 
125  out  of  the  original  225  were  almost  instantly  mowed  down.  There  were 
about  800  men  engaged,  but  225  who  ventured  right  into  the  jaws  of  this  fiery 
hell.     The  commander  in  charge  was  immediately  relieved  of  command. 

"On  the  -th  of  July  Johnston  evacuated  Jackson,  the  scene  of  the  last  engage- 


110  i'AST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

ment.  and  here,  in  rebel  hospitals,  were  found  the  wounded  who  had  survived 
the  disastrous  charge  of  the  12th  inst.  Among  the  number  w-as  Lieutenant 
McMurtrie.  who  had  l)()th  legs  broken  by  rebel  shots.  His  right  leg  had  been 
woundecl  with  a  piece  of  shell,  and  was  so  badly  shattered  that  amputation  was 
necessary.    The  left  leg  had  been  broken  by  a  minic  ball. 

"It  was  found  necessary,  on  the  21st  of  July,  to  remove  the  wounded  to  \icks- 
burg.  The  journey  had  to  be  made  in  ambulances.  Lieutenant  McMurtrie  was 
among  the  unfortunates  that  had  to  submit  to  the  removal.  \\'ords  cannot  express 
the  suffering  this  trip  entailed  u])on  him  in  his  weakened  condition. 

"On  the  23d  he  was  placed  on  a  hosjjital  boat  to  be  sent  North,  but  died  before 
the  boat  left  the  wharf,  at  2  p.  m.,  July  25,  1863. 

"Lieutenant  AlcMurtrie  was  born  at  Homer,  Michigan,  June  30.  1X3".  He 
came  to  biwa  in  1856.  He  was  promoted  first  lieutenant  of  Conii)any  1).  May 
21,  1862. 

"Lieutenant  McMurtrie  was  endowed  with  a  great  moral  character,  which 
lost  none  of  its  noble  attributes  by  his  army  career.  He  died  a  brave  soldier, 
lamented  by  his  comrades  in  arms  and  all  who  knew  him. 

"C.  \V.  Burdick  was  promoted  first  lieutenant,  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by 
Lieutenant  McMurtrie's  death,  which  jjost  of  duty  he  held  from  that  time  until  his 
three  vcars  enlistment  had  expired.  .\t  this  time  Lieutenant  I'.urdick  was  the 
onlv  commissioned  officer  in  the  company.  During  three  years'  service.  Lieutenant 
I'.urdick  was  off  duty  but  twelve  days.  He  took  an  active  part  in  every  skirmish 
and  battle  in  which  his  company  was  engaged,  and  was  never  touched  b\'  an 
enemv's  fire.  I'"ew  men.  and  I  doubt  if  any.  in  Iowa  can  show  a  better  record 
than  this. 

"The  engagement  at  Jackson  was  the  last  of  any  note  in  which  Comjiany  D 
took  an  active  part.  The  time  of  enlistment  of  Company  D  exjjired  on  the  loth 
of  June.  1864.  The  Comj^anv  was  stationed  at  Kingston.  Georgia.  .\11  that  did 
not  reenlist.  started  home  to  be  mustered  out  of  the  service.  Many  of  the  boys 
remained.  .\t  the  memorable  battle  of  .Atlanta,  fought  Jul\-  22(1.  the  Third  Iowa 
literally  fought  itself  to  death. 

"The  bovs  of  the  Third  and  Comjiany  1)  went  into  this  battle  w  ith  tiiat  .^-^jiartan 
valor  that  had  characterized  them,  individually  and  collectively,  in  many  a  hard 
fought  engagement.  -As  the  battle  grew  raging  hot  and  desiJeratc,  a  handful  of 
our  undaunted  men.  among  whom  were  a  remnant  of  Company  D.  gathered 
amidst  the  ])elting  shower  of  shot  and  shell,  and  there  around  ciur  llag  .-ind  li,-mncr 
they  stood  its  guard  in  the  most  jierilous  moments.  The  color-bearer,  the  bravest 
of  the  brave,  relinquished  his  hold  by  death  alone,  .'■^till  the  mass  stood  there 
fighting  madlv  for  its  defence.  Their  number  f.ast  decreasing  by  death,  ihcir 
hopes  began  to  fail,  and  as  they  surrendered  themselves  to  the  enemy,  they  tore 
the  emblem  of  our  nationality,  and  regimental  designation,  into  pieces  and  into 
shreds,  which  concealed,  they  proudly  brought  back  to  us,  untouched  and  unsoilcd 
bv  impious  and  traitorous  hands. 

coMPA.w  II — "low  \  i;i<i;v  iiou.nds" 

"Company  H,  Ninth  Iowa  \dluntecr  Infantry,  was  organized  at  Decorah,  in 
the  months  of  .\ugust  and  September.  iW)i,  and  was  nuistered  into  service  at 
Dubuque,  on  the  24th  of  September,  the  same  year. 


CONCRETK  BRIDGK  OVER  UPPER  IOWA  KIVER,  DECORAH 


PIEPIT  ROCK.  DECOKAU 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  113 

"After  remaining  at  Camp  Union,  Duljuque,  until  the  middle  of  October, 
the  regiment  was  sent  to  St.  Louis,  and  went  into  camp  at  Benton  barracks.  A 
few  weeks  were  passed  in  the  usual  routine  of  camp  duty,  when  the  regiment 
was  ordered  to  Pacific  City,  Missouri,  and  passed  some  little  time  in  guarding  rail- 
roads and  arresting  guerrillas.  During  this  time  the  regiment  was  perfecting  its 
discipline;  and  the  diseases  incidental  to  the  climate  and  season,  joined  to  the 
hardships  of  camp  life,  were  thinning  the  ranks  of  all  men  who  were  deficient  in 
physical  vigor. 

"When  the  expedition  against  Price  was  organized,  the  Ninth  was  ordered  to 
Rolla,  Missouri,  and  after  a  week  spent  in  camp  at  that  place,  started  on  the 
march  for  Springfield.  The  march  was  made  in  winter,  and  the  crossing  of  the 
Gasconade,  the  roads  knee-deep  in  mud,  and  the  cold,  inclement  weather  tested 
the  endurance  of  the  men,  and  when  the  regiment  was  placed  in  the  advance, 
after  the  capture  of  Springfield,  it  earned  its  title,  'The  Iowa  Greyhounds,'  by 
marching  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  miles  in  four  days  in  pursuit  of  Price. 
Company  H  received  its  'baptism  of  fire'  at  Pea  Ridge,  and  the  day  before  the 
fight  marched  forty  miles  on  a  half-pint  of  cornmeal  to  the  man.  It  mustered 
fifty-two  men  when  the  fight  opened;  twenty-two  were  unwounded  at  the  close  of 
the  struggle. 

"On  that  field  the  boys,  most  of  them  beardless,  who  six  months  before  were 
laboring  on  farms  and  in  workshops,  showed  themselves  able  to  defeat  the  prac- 
ticed riflemen  of  Missouri  and  Arkansas,  the  rangers  of  Texas,  and  the  trained 
regiments  of  Louisiana. 

"The  march  across  Arkansas,  in  the  suiumer  of  1862,  followed  the  conflict 
at  Pea  Ridge.  Some  time  was  passed  in  camp  Helena  and  in  December  the  regi- 
ment took  part  in  the  first  attack  on  \'icksburg.  The  expedition  up  the  dark 
Yazoo  and  its  unfortunate  results,  were  amply  avenged  at  Arkansas  Post,  Janu- 
ary 10,  1863. 

"In  all  the  operations  that  culminated  in  the  capture  of  \'icksburg  the  Ninth 
was  actively  engaged — from  digging  in  the  canal  to  storming  rifle-pits  and  bat- 
teries. And  in  the  charge  on  the  22d  of  May,  Company  H  lost  eighteen  men 
killed  and  wounded  out  of  a  total  twenty-six  men  in  action,  and  of  these  nine 
were  killed  on  the  field  or  mortally  wounded.  From  \'icksburg  to  Jackson, 
thence  back  to  \icksburg,  up  the  river  to  Memphis,  thence  to  Tuscumbia,  where 
a  severe  conflict  took  place,  then  up  the  sides  of  Lookout  mountain,  under  the 
lead  of  Osterhous,  followed  by  a  rapid  pursuit  of  the  routed  foes,  and  the  fight 
at  Ringgold,  is  a  brief  outline  of  the  work  Company  H  took  part  in  during  1863. 
The  majority  of  the  company  re-enlisted  as  veterans,  and  after  their  return  from 
furlough  the  boys  found  themselves  a  part  of  the  mighty  host  Sherman  was 
about  to  lead  'to  the  sea.' 

"For  seventy  days  from  the  opening  of  this  memorable  campaign,  members 
of  Company  H  who  participated  in  the  operations,  were  constantly  under  fire, 
with  perhaps  slight  intermission  prior  to  the  crossing  of  the  Chattahoochee.  The 
fights  at  Resaca.  New  Hope  church,  Ijurnt  Hickory  and  Kenesaw  mountain, 
showed  the  valor  and  discipline  of  the  Ninth.  On  the  22d  of  July  the  Ninth 
was  one  of  the  Iowa  regiments  that,  under  the  eye  of  Sherman,  recaptured  the 
battery  of  DeGress,  and  drove  the  rebels,  at  the  bayonet's  point,  from  the  en- 
trenched line  they  had  wrested  from  the  loyalists.    At  Ezra's  church,  on  the  28th 


114  PAST  AXD  PRESEXI-  ol-   W  IXXKSHIKK  C(  )UXTY 

of  July,  and  at  Jonesboro.  where  the  fate  of  Atlanta  was  decided,  tlie  Iwvs  of 
Company  H  were  actively  engaged. 

".-\fter  the  capture  of  .Atlanta  and  the  pursuit  of  Tlood,  who  was  left  to  the 
'tender  mercies'  of  Thomas,  the  boys  followed  Sherman  to  the  sea.  and  Com- 
pany H  furnished  its  full  c|uota  of  able  and  accomplished  'bummers.'  From 
Savannah  the  company  marched  through  the  Carolinas,  taking  part  in  any  'little 
unpleasantness'  that  came  in  the  way,  and  actively  particijiating  in  the  closing  fight 
at  Bentonville.  .After  resting  a  few  days  at  Raleigh,  the  regiment  marched  to 
Washington  and  took  y)art  in  the  'Grand  Review,'  and  was  shortly  after  mustered 
out  of  the  service  at  Louisville,  Kentucky. 

"That  Company  H  did  its  whole  duty,  the  following  figures,  taken  from  the 
adjutant  general's  report,  prove: 

"Company  H.     9th  Iowa — Total  killed  and  wounded 53 

"Total  killed  and  died  of  wounds 19 

"Company  D.     3d  Iowa — Total  killed  and  wounded 33 

■'Total  killed  and  died  of  wounds g 

"Com]«uiy  Ci.  12th  Iowa — Total  killed  and  wounded 9 

"Total  killed  and  died  of  wounds 4 

"Company  E,  38th  Iowa — Total  killed  and  wounded o 

"Company  K.  3Sth  Iowa — Total  killed  and  wounded i 

"Total  killed  and  died  of  wounds i 

"Company  D.  3Sth  Iowa — Total  killed  and  wounded i 

"Total  killed  and  died  of  wounds i 

"The  above  table  shows  the  extent  of  the  loss  sustained  by  Company  II  in 
battle,  as  compared  with  the  reported  losses  of  the  other  companies  organized  in 
this  county  from  the  same  cause.  I  do  not  think  the  above  figures  do  full  justice 
to  Companies  E.  K  and  D.  Thirty-eighth  Iowa,  for  no  regiment  organized  in  the 
country  suffered  to  such  an  extent  by  disease.  Stationed  in  localities  where  to 
breathe  the  air  was  to  inhale  death,  the  bovs  of  Comi)anies  E,  D  and  K  per- 
formed their  alloted  duty,  sustaineil  by  naught  save  the  feeling  of  patriotism, 
and  faced  death  uncheered  by  'the  shout  of  victory,  the  rapture  of  the  strife.' 

"Died  of  disease:  Company  D.  3d  Iowa,  to;  Company  II,  oth  Iowa.  15; 
Company  G.  12th  Iowa,  17;  Company  E,  3Sth  Iowa.  34:  Conii)any  IX  3Stli  Iowa, 
y] ;  Company  K,  38th  Iowa,  37. 

"Company  H,  at  the  time  it  was  mustered  in.  was  comiuanded  by  M.  -A. 
Moore,  who  achieved  no  ]iarticular  distinction.  He  resigned  in  the  spring  of 
1863,  and  was  succeeded  by  O.  W.  liliss,  who  enlisted  as  a  private  and  secured 
promotion  by  meritorious  services.  Captain  Pdiss  was  as  true  a  soldier  as  ever 
drew  a  sword.  P.rave.  earnest  and  patriotic,  he  'dared  to  lead  where  any  dared 
to  follow.'  .After  facing  death  on  twenty  fields  he  died  from  injuries  received  by 
a  fall  from  his  horse  while  acting  as  major,  after  the  capture  of  Atlanta.  J.  H. 
Phillips  succeeded  to  the  captaincy,  and  commanded  the  company  until  its  serv- 
ice was  ended. 

"In  writing  this  brief  .sketch  of  the  career  of  Company  H,  embracing  a  i)eriod  of 
nearly  four  years,  and  services  performed  in  eight  states,  from  the  Ozark  moun- 
tains to  the  Atlantic  ocean,  a  hundred  incidents  and  memories  crowd  on  the  mind 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  115 

that  space  will  not  permit  me  to  relate.  Nearly  sixteen  years  have  elapsed 
since  "we  took  the  oath  of  muster  with  right  hand  raised  to  heaven,'  and  in  looking 
back,  the  boys  of  Company  H  will  instinctively  date  their  memory  of  army  life 
from  the  bitter,  persistent  strucjgle  in  the  wild  ravines  of  the  Ozark,  where  their 
first  blood  was  shed.  And  during  all  subse(|nent  campaigning.  Pea  Ridge  was  the 
standard  whereby  to  measure  the  severity  of  the  confiict.  And  the  boys  of  the 
Ninth  will  ever  remember,  with  proud  gratification,  the  tribute  their  valor  re- 
ceived from  the  ladies  of  Boston — a  stand  of  colors  emblazoned  with  the  name 
■  of  their  fiercest  battle. 

COMP.VNY  G,  TWELFTH    IOWA 

"The  third  company  raised  in  the  county  was  one  that  became  Company  G, 
Twelfth  Iowa.  It  was  enrolled  at  Decorah  in  September,  1861.  ordered  into 
quarters  at  Dubuque,  September  30,  and  mustered  into  the  United  States  service 
November  5,  1861.     It  was  officered  as  follows: 

"Captain — C.  C.  Tupper. 

"First  Lieutenant — L.   D.   Townsley. 

"Second  Lieutenant — J.  F.  Nickerson. 

"Orderly  Sergeant — J.  E.  Simpson. 

"The  company  became  a  portion  of  the  regiment  from  the  date  of  its  muster 
in,  and  from  that  time  on  until  disbanded  always  acted  well  its  part.  Company 
G  was  noted  in  its  regiment  for  its  excellent  moral  status  and  soldierly  efficiency. 
It  saw  hard  service,  and  took  an  active  part  in  the  following  hotly-contested 
battles:  Fort  Henry,  Fort  Donelson,  Shiloh,  siege  of  Corinth,  Corinth,  Jackson, 
\'icksburg,  Jackson  siege  and  capture,  Brandon,  Tupelo,  Nashville  and  Brent- 
wood Hill.  Besides  these  battles,  the  company  did  excellent  service  as  skirmish- 
ers. The  company  early  met  with  a  severe  loss  in  the  death  of  its  first  captain, 
C.  C.  Tupper. 

"Captain  C.  C.  Tupper  was  born  at  Auburn,  New  York,  December  24,  1832, 
and  came  to  Decorah  in  May,  1857.  He  had  received  a  liberal  education,  and 
prior  to  taking  a  residence  in  Iowa  had  served  as  agent  of  the  Associated  Press 
and  local  manager  of  the  telegraph  offices  at  Bufifalo  and  St.  Louis.  He  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  soon  after  his  arrival,  but  for  a  brief  time  edited  the  Decorah 
Journal,  a  democratic  newspaper.  When  the  war  liroke  out  he  took  an  active 
and  intensely  patriotic  interest  in  every  movement.  Military  life  was  always  at- 
tractive to  him.  and  he  was  unusually  well  versed  in  the  manual  of  arms.  He 
assisted  in  organizing  the  two  companies  from  Winneshiek  county  that  found 
place  in  the  Third  and  Ninth  regiments,  and  helped  prepare  them  for  the  field. 
When  it  became  evident  that  a  third  company  must  be  drawn  from  the  county, 
all  eyes  turned  toward  Captain  Tupper  to  take  its  lead.  Although  of  a  frail  con- 
stitution, and  physically  unfitted  for  the  severe  trials  of  army  life,  his  patriotism 
overrode  all  prudence,  and  he  consented.  The  company  was  rapidly  recruited, 
and  assigned  to  the  Twelfth  Regiment  of  Iowa  Volunteers.  But  Captain  Tup- 
per's  association  with  the  company  was  only  a  brief  one.  He  was  idolized  by  his 
men,  beloved  by  all  his  associate  officers,  and  thoroughly  respected  by  his  superiors. 
But  these  could  not  protect  and  defend  him  from  disease  and  death.  While  going 
from  Dubuque  to  St.  Louis  with  the  regiment  he  caught  a  severe  cold,  and  in 


IIG  I'AST  A\D  PRESEXT  OE  WLWESHIEK  COUNTY 

six  weeks  died  at  Benton  TlarracUs,  in  St.  Louis,  a  victim  of  capilliary  bronchitis. 
In  his  death  the  terrible  evils  of  war  was  first  brought  directly  home  to  the  com- 
munity of  which  he  had  been  a  member.  He  had  been  the  leader  in  the  best 
social  circles,  the  active  abettor  of  every  public  enterprise,  and  his  death  carried 
sadness  and  mourning  to  almost  every  household  in  the  county.  Of  friends 
who  mourned  his  death  there  were  scores  ujjon  scores;  of  enemies,  none. 

"The  sad  event  narrated  above  necessitated  the  promotion  of  Lieut.  L.  D. 
Townsley  to  the  captaincy  of  the  company,  which  office  he  held  until  mustered 
out  of  the  service,  November  25,  1864.  He  was  taken  prisoner  at  the  battle  of 
.Shiloh,  in  which  engagement  he  sustained  a  severe  wound  in  the  left  arm,  and 
suffered  with  the  rest  of  his  brother  officers  the  hardships  of  prison  life.  .Vfter 
his  exchange  he  was  often  employed  in  important  detached  duties,  which  he  al- 
ways filled  with  credit  to  himself  and  country.  lie  served  out  his  entire  term  of 
service,  and  is  now  residing  in  Chicago. 

"Lieut.  L  L.  Nickerson  was  made  first  lieutenant,  and  was  stumied  at  the 
battle  of  Eort  Donelson  with  what  was  supposed  to  be  a  solid  shot  from  the 
enemy's  batteries.  Erom  this  he  never  recovered,  was  sick  anil  ill  the  morning 
of  the  Shiloh  fight,  but  persisted  in  going  out  with  his  company  to  the  front,  was 
taken  ]jrisoner,  and  died  in  rebel  prison  at  ^^ontgomery,  .Mabama,  May  31,  1862. 
Kind  but  firm,  a  noble,  brave  man,  beloved  by  his  friends  and  all  who  knew  him, 
a  martyr  to  the  cause. 

"Orderly  Sergeant  J.  E.  Simpson  was  promoted  to  be  second  lieutenant,  but 
resigned  on  account  of  ill-health  in  1862,  and  is  now  living  in  Decorah. 

".\.  A.  Burdick,  second  sergeant,  was  made  orderly  and  then  first  lieutenant, 
and  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Tupelo,  July  14,  1864.  He  was  the  quartermaster 
of  the  regiment,  and  had  been  ordered  to  the  rear  with  his  train;  but  after  see- 
ing his  wagons  properly  'parked'  he  came  to  the  front,  and  volunteered  to  assist 
in  bringing  forward  ammunition.  While  thus  engaged  he  was  struck  by  a  shell 
and  instantly  killed.  He  died  as  a  soldier  would  wish  to  die,  with  his  face  to 
the  enemy  and  in  the  heat  of  battle.  Lamented  and  mourned  by  all  who  knew 
him,  no  better  man  or  braver  soldier  ever  oft'ercd  uji  his  life  that  his  country 
might  be  saved. 

"Anton  E.  Anderson,  third  sergeant,  became  sccmid  lieutenant,  served  witli 
credit  to  himself  until  mustered  out,  at  ex])iration  of  term  of  service,  December. 
1864,  and  died  at  his  farm,  some  years  after  the  war,  near  Eldorado,  Iowa. 

"Rol)ert  .\.  Gibson,  fifth  sergeant,  became  unkrly  sergeant,  March  27,  1863. 
was  promo'.ed  to  first  lieutenant  December  2.  1864,  became  captain  of  his  com- 
pany Januarv  23,  1865.  and  for  a  lime  was  captain  and  provost  marshal  at 
Selma,  Alabama,  and  .served  with  iiw:a  credit  to  himsell'  to  tiio  end  nf  the  war. 
He  was  then  apjiointed  second  lieutenant  in  the  regular  army,  and  was  killcil  i)y 
the  accidental  discharge  of  a  ])istol  at  I'ort  Randall  in  18O7. 

"Jacob  H.  W'omeldorf,  first  coriroral.  became  fifth  sergeant,  was  taken  pris- 
oner with  his  company  at  Shiloh  ;  was  held  prisoner  for  some  time,  and  sutTered 
great  hardships  that  so  broke  down  his  health  as  to  compel  iiim  to  return  home 
in  1863.     He  was  afterward  sheriff  of  Winneshiek  county. 

"Nelson  1'..  Burdick  was  eighth  corporal,  and  but  a  youth  at  .school  when  he 
went  into  the  service.  He  contracted  the  measles  at  Benton  liarracks,  and  was 
never  well  afterwards.     He  took  part  in  the  battles  of  I'orl  Henry,  Donelson  and 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  117 

Shiloh.  Warm-hearted,  generous  towards  all,  he  became  a  universal  favorite. 
The  hardships  endured  in  rebel  prisons  were  too  much  for  his  impaired  frame. 
He  reached  home  and  died  among  his  friends. 

"John  Steen,  private,  became  quartermaster  sergeant  in  1864,  and  his  whole 
term  of  service  to  the  end  was  marked  with  ability  and  efficiency.  Since  the  war 
he  has  held  several  positions  of  responsibility  and  trust,  and  is  now  living  at 
Wahoo,  Nebraska. 

"The  regiment  was  ordered  to  Davenport  for  final  pay  and  discharge,  January 
25,  1866. 

THREE   MORE   COMP.XNIES 

"In  1863  Winneshiek  county  again  came  to  tlie  front  and  contributed,  for  the 
suppression  of  the  rebellion,  three  companies  in  addition  to  the  brave  men  she 
had  before  sent.  The  companies  were,  respectively,  D,  K  and  E,  and  formed  a 
part  of  the  Thirtv-eighth  Regiment.  Henry  .A.  Cleghorn  was  captain  of  Com- 
pany E. 

"Company  K  was  officered  as  follows : 
"Captain — Samuel  B.  Califif. 
"First  Lieutenant — Levi  Freeman. 
"The  officers  of  Company  D  were: 
"Captain — George  R.  Humphreys. 
"First  Lieutenant — Newton  Richards. 
"Second  Lieutenant — E.  J.  Barker. 

"These  companies  were  mustered  into  service  at  Camp  Randall,  Dubuque, 
Iowa.  From  here  they  were  transferred  to  Benton  Barracks,  St.  Louis,  JMissouri, 
where  they  spent  Christmas  and  New  Years.  1863-4.  They  were  next  trans- 
ferred to  Fort  Thompson,  which  they  retained  charge  of  nearly  six  months. 

"The  Thirty-eighth  Regiment  was  next  transferred  to  the  main  forces  then 
besieging  Mcksburg.  In  this  siege  the  Thirty-eighth,  including  the  three  com- 
panies from  Winneshiek  county,  formed  the  extreme  left  of  the  Union  line. 
Their  position  was  in  the  very  heart  of  a  malarious  swamp,  and  here  was  con- 
tracted the  germ  of  a  disease  whicli  afterwards  carried  off  these  brave  men  by 
the  hundreds.  Within  ten  days  after  the  surrender  of  \'icksburg  the  Thirty- 
eighth  was  ordered  to  Yazoo  City,  on  the  Yazoo  river.  At  Yazoo  City  the  regi- 
ment remained  about  a  week.  While  there  the  disease  bred  in  the  swamp  oppo- 
site \"icksburg  began  to  break  out,  and  many  men  died.  The  regiment  returned 
to  \"icksburg.  Thev  were  next  ordered  to  Port  Hudson  to  aid  in  the  subjugation 
of  that  place,  but  did  not  reach  the  scene  of  action  until  the  stronghold  had 
fallen.  The  Thirty-eighth  remained  at  Port  Hudson  about  a  month,  and  while 
here  the  disease  contracted  in  the  swamps  broke  out  in  all  its  virulence.  So 
universal  was  the  prostration  of  the  soldiers,  that  during  the  month,  there  were 
on  an  average  from  three  to  fifteen  only  in  the  whole  regiment  that  reported 
able  for  duty.  Almost  hourly  the  death  of  a  companion  in  arms  was  announced 
to  his  sick  and  dying  comrades.  It  was  while  lying  here  that  the  regiment  met 
with  its  severest  losses.     Here  it  was  they  lost  their  beloved  colonel. 

"D.  H.  Hughes  was  commissioned  colonel  of  the  Thirty-eighth  Regiment 
bv  Gov.  Samuel  Kirkwood.     He  was  born  in  Jefferson  county.  New  York,  Sep- 


118  PAST  AND  PRESKXT  OF  WIXXF.SIIIEK  ajUXTV 

tciiiber.  1831.  and  died  Aus,^  7.  1863.  lie  died  from  the  disease  wliich  carried 
almost  universal  death  to  his  entire  regiment.  Colonel  Hughes  graduated  at 
the  Albany  Xormal  Institute  in  1853.  In  1854  he  was  employed  on  the  Trairi..- 
Farmer,  Chicago.  He  married  Adaliza  .Matteson,  in  W'atertown.  Jefferson  county, 
Xew  York,  in  March,  1855,  and  immediately  thereafter  came  to  Decorah,  engag- 
ing in  the  practice  of  law.  Colonel  Hughes  was  a  man  of  commanding  stature, 
tine  presence,  the  soul  of  honor,  and  became  a  lawyer  of  considerable  re])ute. 
He  was  a  democrat  in  politics,  but  was  elected  county  judge  of  Winneshiek  county 
in  the  fall  of  1859.  notwithstanding  the  county  then,  as  now,  was  of  strong 
republican  complexion.  He  was  the  candidate  of  his  party  for  state  senator  in 
the  fall  of  1861,  and  only  failed  of  an  election  of  nine  votes.  The  colonel  was 
a  war  democrat  from  the  outset,  and  pending  the  considerafeioijjjf  a  petition  of 
prominent  republicans  and  democrats  to  become  an  independent  candidate  for 
judge  of  the  district  court  of  the  tenth  judicial  district,  hearing  the  cry  of  his 
country  for  more  troops.  Judge  Hughes  i)rom])tly  cast  aside  his  political  ojipor- 
tunity  to  enter  upon  a  patriotic  duty;  and,  warmly  espousing  her  cause,  made  a 
stirring  canvass  of  the  county  in  that  behalf,  and  thus  drifted  into  the  army. 

"Colonel  Hughes,  while  stationed  at  New  Aladrid,  was  called  to  St.  Louis  as 
judge  advocate  in  some  trials  then  pending,  and  from  his  bearing  on  that  occa- 
sion, and  the  ability  he  displayed,  upon  the  conclusion  of  the  trials  the  court  (and 
it  was  a  court  of  strangers  to  him,  too)  unaniniciusly  recommended  his  i)romotion 
to  brigadier-general,  which  document,  however,  he  would  not  allow  to  go  for- 
ward, alleging  as  a  reason  his  l)ricf  exi)cricnce  as  a  militar\-  commander,  and 
that  there  were  already  lives  enough  under  his  charge.  Such  was  his  modesty 
and  noble  character.  Colonel  Hughes  died  respected  and  beloved  by  all  his  sol- 
diers, and  not  more  universal  was  the  mourning  in  camp  over  the  death  of  their 
commander  than  that  of  his  host  of  friends  at  home. 

"The  Thirtv-eighth  took  their  dejiarture  from  Ton  Hudson  for  Xew  Or- 
leans, where  they  remained  about  three  months,  li  was  next  transferred  lo 
Point  Isabel,  on  the  Rio  Grande  river,  .\fler  leaving  Port  Hudson  Company  E 
was  without  a  commissioned  officer  for  nearly  a  year,  'i'he  regiiuent  was  next 
sent  to  Brownsville,  Texas.  While  here  Quartermaster  T.  R.  Crandall  was  made 
captain  of  Company  E,  and  Walter  Green  was  made  its  first  lieutenant. 

".August,  1864,  again  found  the  regiment  in  New  Orleans.  From  here  it  was 
sent  to  Morganzie  Bend.  While  at  Morganzie  I'.end  the  Thirty-fourth  and 
Thirty-eighth  were  consolidated,  and  afterwards  known  as  the  Thirty-fourth. 
The  new  regiment  numbered  1,056  luen.  Company  E,  of  Winneshiek,  and 
Company  F,  of  Fayette,  were  likewise  consolidated,  and  afterward  known  as 
Company  K.  Captain  Rogers,  of  Company  V,  and  Lieutenant  Green,  were  re- 
lieved of  duty,  and  T.  R.  Crandall  made  captain.  IL  T.  Shumaker,  of  the  original 
Company  F,  was  made  first  lieutenant,  and  O.  J.  Clark  made  second  lieutenanl. 
Companies  D  and  K  were  likewise  consolidated.  The  Thirty-fourth  partici|)ated 
in  the  siege  of  Fort  Gains  and  Fort  Morgan,  on  Mobile  I'ay,  and  here  it  re- 
mained until  these  forts  capitulated.  The  Thirty-fourth  was  also  ])rcsent  at  the 
charge  on  F'ort  Fisher.  The  regiment  was  engaged  in  the  last  battle  of  the  war, 
which  was  the  taking  of  Fort  Pdakesly,  the  day  before  Lee's  surrender.  In  this 
engagement,  in  just  eighteen  minutes,  over   i.3<v-)  I'liion  soldiers  were  slain  and 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  UE  W  INNESHIEK  COUNTY  119 

wounded.     The  regiment  was  mustered  out  of  the  service  at  Houston,  Texas, 
but  did  not  disband  until  it  reached  Davenport. 

COMPA^•^■  I),  SIXTH    InWA   CAXAI.RV 

"Company  D,  Sixth  Iowa  Cavah-y,  was  tlie  last  company  donated  to  the 
Union  cause  by  Winneshiek  county.  Although  the  men  composing  this  company 
enlisted  with  the  intention  and  expectation  of  lighting  rebels,  they  were  trans- 
ferred to  other  fields  of  duty — which  was  even  more  undesirable — that  of  fighting 
Indians.  The  company  was  mustered  into  the  United  States  service  in  l'el)ru- 
ary,  1863,  with  the  following  officers : 

"Captain — T.   W.   Burdick. 

"First  Lieutenant — Sherman   Page. 

"Second  Lieutenant — Timothy   Finn. 

"Orderly  Sergeant — W.  H.   Fannon. 

"The  United  States  forces,  in  which  was  Company  K,  had  several  engagements 
with  the  Indians,  each  time  coming  out  victorious,  with  great  loss  to  the  Indians 
and  small   loss  to  themselves." 

In  1840,  Fort  Atkinson  was  erected  to  i^rovide  head(iuarters  for  the  super- 
vision of  the  Winnebago  Indians  and  to  protect  them  from  predatory  bands 
from  other  tribes.     The  fort  was  commenced  June  2,  1840. 

In  June,  1842,  Old  Mission,  about  four  miles  southeast  of  Fort  Atkinson, 
was  established  for  the  education  of  the  Indians. 

In  1840  a  government  teamster  froze  to  death  between  Joel  Post's  and  Fort 
Atkinson. 

June  f),  1841,  the  first  white  child,  Mary  Jane  Tupjier.  was  born  at  Fort  At- 
kinson. 

In  1843.  hrst  gristmill,  erec'.ecl  Ijy  Colonel  Thomas,  of  (  )ld  .Mission. 

In  1846,  Capt.  E.  \'.  Summer,  afterwards  General  Summer,  who  commanded 
at  the  fort  from  the  first,  left  to  join  the  United  States  army  in  the  ]\Iexican  war, 
and  Capt.  James  Morgan,  of  Burlington,  succeeded  to  the  command  of  the  in- 
fantry, and  Capt.  John  Parker,  of  Dubuque,  to  the  command  of  the  cavalry. 

In  1847,  Captain  Morgan's  company  was  mustered  out,  and  Captain  Parker 
given  charge  of  the  fort  till  the  Indians  were  removed  in  1848. 

In  1848,  Gotlob  and  Gotleib  Kruman  and  others  are  said  to  have  come  and 
settled  near  Fort  Atkinson.     Details  are  given  elsewhere. 

In  1848  the  Winnebago  Indians  were  ordered  removed  and  the  permanent 
settlement  of  the  county  commenced:  for  details  of  which,  see  earlier  chapters 
and  the  township  histories  in  succeeding  chapters. 

Fort  Atkinson  was  abandoned  as  a  military  post  in  1848,  but  it  remained  in 
charge  of  the  Government  until  1853,  when  it  was  sold  at  auction. 

In  1849,  first  settlement  of  Decorah  liy  Wm.  Day  and  family — a  notable  event 
in  county  history. 

THE  SPAXISH-.\MERICAN   WAR 

For  many  years  no  company  of  militia  has  been  credited  to  Winneshiek  county, 
and  for  that  reason  more  than  anv  other  there  is  no  record  that  will  give  accurate 


120  PAST  AND  TRF^SEXT  OF  WIXXlCSlilKK  CUUXTV 

details  of  the  miniljer  who  ciiHstcd  frdiii  lliis  coninmniiy  in  the  Spanish-. \iiicrican 
war  of  189S. 

The  patriotic  spirit  was  not  lackinj^',  however ;  we  recaU  a  nuiiiher  who  joined 
the  companj'  at  Waukon.  Tliere  were  others,  claiming  Decorah  as  their  home, 
who  were  members  of  the  United  States  troops  or  of  the  militia  in  other  states 
who  saw  service  in  the  Philippines.  The  records  do  not  disclose  any  fatalities 
among  those  who  went  from  Winneshiek,  although  several  contracted  fever  in 
camp. 


CHAPTER  IX 
AGRICULTURE  AND  DAIRYING 

It  seems  to  have  been  ordained  from  the  tirst  that  Winneshiek  count)'  would 
be  an  agricultural  comnumity.  As  is  generally  the  case  in  newly  opened  country, 
the  first  settlers  came  here  in  search  of  land.  There  is  a  sense  of  security  about 
the  possession  of  a  farm  that  begets  confidence,  and  when  one  adds  to  this  the 
courage  and  resourcefulness  of  the  average  pioneer  there  is  formed  a  partnership 
that  fails  less  often  that  any  that  may  be  found  in  the  line  of  mercantile  pursuits. 

History  repeats  itself  each  year,  when  the  country  is  new,  in  the  endeavor  of 
the  settler  to  raise  a  wheat  crop.  He  must  eat  to  live  and  his  first  thought,  even 
though  it  may  not  be  breathed  in  prayer  on  bended  knee,  is — "Give  us  this  day 
our  daily  bread."  Forthwith  he  sets  about  breaking  a  patch  of  ground  and  from 
the  little  store  of  grain  he  has  Ijrought  with  him  he  sows  it  to  wheat,  trusting  that 
Providence  will  smile  upon  his  efliorts  and  in  due  time  he  will  be  able  to  take  to 
the  mill  a  crop  that  will  ftirnish  his  family  with  the  staff  of  life  during  the  long 
winter  months  before  he  can  again  reap  a  harvest. 

The  early  comers  to  Winneshiek  county  found  a  country  that  was  fair  to 
look  upon.  First  and  all  important  there  were  streams  of  clear,  pure  water. 
Whether  it  was  on  upland  prairie  or  along  the  banks  of  the  streams  there  was 
an  inviting  growth  of  trees,  shrubs,  grass,  and  flowers,  that  told  their  own  story 
of  a  fertile  soil  that  only  awaited  the  efforts  of  mankind  to  start  it  on  its  mission 
of  feeding  the  thousands  that  were  soon  to  make  their  homes  here. 

Wheat  raising  was  at  first  the  chief  industry.  The  soil  seemed  to  be  espe- 
cially adapted  to  this  grain,  and  while  in  some  years  the  crop  was  lighter  than 
in  others,  there  was  a  general  increase  in  yield  that  soon  made  Winneshiek  one 
of  the  banner  wheat  counties  in  Iowa.  It  is  a  matter  of  record  that  at  one  time 
our  county  was  rated  as  fourth  in  wheat  production  in  the  United  States.  So 
confident  were  the  majority  of  settlers  in  the  aljility  of  the  soil  to  maintain  its 
fertility  that  a  system  of  re-cropping  was  followed  that  amounted  to  what  today 
would  be  considered  the  most  ruthless  soil  roljbery.  There  could  be  but  one 
result  from  this  course.  Failure  was  bound  to  come,  and  come  it  did  along  in 
the  middle  seventies.  Many  were  the  farmers  who  were  caught  in  the  net  of 
over-confidence  and  mismanagement.     Some  were  unable  to  finance  the  change 


122  PAST  AXl)  T'KFSR.Vr  ni-    W  I  XXI'SilTEK  C-()l-XTV 

from  one  method  of  farming  to  anotlier  and  as  a  result  tliey  were  compelled  to 
gather  together  what  the}-  could  from  the  wreck  and  try  their  fortunes  in  a  new 
country.  .Minnesota  and  the  Dakotas,  Nebraska  and  Kansas  claimed  the  larger 
number  of  these,  and  many  of  them,  profiting  by  their  experience  here,  won 
enviable  success  as  pioneers  in  their  new  homes. 

While  the  exodus  was  of  considerable  proportions  Winneshiek  countv  was 
by  no  means  depopulated.  There  remained  behind  that  element  that  had  been 
satisfied  to  make  less  haste,  but  more  permanent  footing  on  the  roacl  to  success — 
thoughtful,  prudent  men  who  had  learned  the  les.son  of  doing  well  that  thing  that 
was  worth  doing  at  all,  and  knowing  first  the  course  they  wished  to  pursue  and 
then  following  it  with  all  the  force  and  intelligence  they  could  bring  to  bear. 
These  men  had  early  seen  the  trend  of  events  and  while  their  grain-raising  neigh- 
bors were  bending  all  their  efTorts  towanl  the  proikution  of  one  cmp,  the\-  had 
quietly  been  busy  trying  out  otlier  grains — barley,  oats,  corn,  flax,  clover. — with 
some  pigs  and  chickens,  horses,  cows  and  sheeji.  intelligently  sandwiched  in  be- 
tween. These  were  the  pioneers  in  diversilied  farming  in  tliis  cumnnniity. 
Soon  they  began  to  give  their  attention  to  dairying  and  when  a  copartnership 
with  Madam  Cow  had  l)een  firmly  established  Winneshiek  couiUy  began  to  come 
into  her  own. 

Long  ere  this  some  of  the  men  of  investigating  turn  of  mind  had  begun  to 
give  their  attention  to  the  development  of  corn  and  in  several  instances  with 
in;irkc<l  success.  ( )ne  of  tlie  most  notable  efforts  in  this  (lircrlicm  was  conducted 
liy  A.  I.,  (ioddard,  one  of  the  sons  of  Josiah  ("loddard,  promineiuly  mentioned  in 
connection  with  the  organization  of  the  county.  The  Goddards  l)rouglU  to  the 
county  some  of  the  first,  if  not  the  \ery  lirst  corn  of  moie  than  passable  quality. 
They  apjireciated  fully  the  value  of  good  seed  and  eacii  year  made  careful  selec- 
tion so  that  the  succeeding  cro])  would  not  fail.  A  few  years  later  .\.  L.  God- 
dard  became  im|)ressed  with  the  idea  of  (lc\eloping  a  kind  of  corn  thai  would 
be  especially  adapted  to  this  climate,  and  his  efforts  were  crowned  with  success 
in  the  ])roduction  of  "I'ride  of  the  Xorth,"  a  varietv  that  was  eagerlv  sought  bv 
farmers  ihrduglinul  tliis  section.  ( )ne  c)f  the  most  ])romiueiu  seed  iiandling  firms 
in  the  United  Stales  purchased  Mr.  (ioddartl's  entire  crop  one  year  and  through 
this  avenue  "l^ride  of  the  North''  became  known  throughout  the  corn  producing 
states  of  tlie  Union.  Great  as  was  Mr.  Goddard's  success  with  this  \ariety.  he 
was  satisfied  that  lie  cnuld  produce  a  better,  and  straightway  set  about  the  task. 
Today  his  "Silver  King"  white  dent  corn  is  grown  in  a  wide  area,  and  at  the 
agricultural  experiment  stations  of  ilie  middle  west  it  is  regarded  as  superior 
in  its  qualities  for  the  northern  climate. 

In  ])aying  this  tribute  to  the  work  of  Mr.  Goddard.  I  li.ixe  degresscd  some- 
wiiat  from  the  main  subject  of  this  cba|)ler.  I'.ut  it  is  nut  ;i  long  stride  from  the 
days  of  those  early  efi'orts  in  dixersilied  farming  to  the  present  time.  Those 
clear-thinking  men  who  saw  in  the  distance  a  day  of  better  things  for  the  farmer 
in  this  community  showed  the  courage  of  their  convictions  by  adding  to  their 
possessions  some  of  those  farms  that  were  abandoned  by  the  wlieat  farmers,  and 
today  their  judgment  is  confirmed  by  the  wealtii  thai  is  e\erywliere  in  e\idence  as 
one  drives  u|)  ihe  valleys  and  out  inl"  llie  hiyh  l.inds. 

Along  with  better  farming  has  grown  the  live  slock  industry.  .\t  one  time 
W'iiuicshiek  county  bfiasled  of  some  of  the  best  and  largest  herds  of  full  blood 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OE  WIXXESlllEK  CoUXTV  12:i 

cattle  in  Iowa.  It  was  not  an  uncommon  tiling  then  for  a  particularly  choice 
animal  to  sell  at  $250.00  to  $350.00.  The  writer  remembers  with  much  interest 
of  listening  to  the  negotiations  that  took  place  one  cla\-  at  the  county  fair  between 
Samuel  Aiken  of  Decorah  and  Mons  Foss  of  Canoe  township  for  a  cow  owned  by 
the  latter.  These  men  were  rival  exhibitors  in  the  Holstein  classes,  but  .Mr. 
Aiken  had  the  larger  and  better  herd.  The  cow  in  question  was  an  exceptionally 
handsome  one,  and  no  one — not  even  Mr.  Aiken — could  resist  admiring  her.  It 
was  while  he  was  thus  engaged  that  I  heard  him  say: 

"That's  a  pretty  nice  cow  you  have  there,  Mons.     Is  she  for  sale?" 

"Yes,  I  think  she  is  a  nice  animal,  but  ]  don"t  care  to  sell  her,"  replied  Mr. 
Foss. 

"How  nuich  will  you  take  for  her?"  was  Mr.  .Xiken's  next  question. 

Mr.  Foss  was  reluctant  to  set  a  price,  but  finally  he  said  that  he  would  have  to 
have  S360.00  for  her.  Gently  rubbing  his  hand  over  her  broad  hips  ]\Ir.  Aiken 
replied  in  a  quiet  tone,  "Well,  Mons,  I  guess  she's  mine." 

I  was  the  only  witness  to  the  transaction — no  others  were  near — and  it  was 
not  a  trick  of  the  trade  to  gain  publicity,  for  at  that  time  I  was  only  a  boy  and 
my  "nose  for  news,"  as  the  expression  goes  among  newspaper  men,  had  not 
been  developeil. 

It  was  such  transactions  as  these  that  made  the  fanc)-  stock  business  Ijuom. 
t  )tlicr  herds  that  were  located  or  owned  in  the  county  were  the  Shorthorns  of 
L.  R.  Brown  and  William  Goocher  of  Orleans  township,  and  John  McMugh,  who 
resided  in  Cresco,  H.  L.  Coffeen  and  Capt,  Gardner  of  Decorah,  A.  Lincoln  and 
John  Wingate  of  Hesper,  the  Red  Polled  cattle  of  S.  A.  Converse  of  Cresco,  the 
Black  Polled  cattle  of  Roljert  Simpson  of  Burr  Oak,  and  the  Jerseys  of  D.  A. 
Leach  of  Freeport.  These  were  notal.ile  herds  that  are  readily  recalled  by  all 
who  were  familiar  with  county  affairs  at  that  time.  Others  were  engaged  in  a 
less  pretentious  way. 

There  were  also  numerous  indixidual  horses  of  standard  or  draft  breeding 
that  helped  to  sustain  the  prestige  of  the  county  as  a  breeding  center. 

The  prices  of  blooded  cattle  throughout  the  country  became  so  inflated  that 
a  slump  was  inevitable,  and  when  it  came,  nearly  all  the  herds  above  mentioned 
were  dispersed,  but  the  value  of  good  stock  had  been  so  thoroughly  demonstrated 
and  prices  became  so  reasonable  that  many  were  encouraged  to  improve  their 
holdings  by  the  addition  of  full  blooded  animals,  and  it  is  a  fact  beyond  contra- 
diction that  today  there  are  more  full  blood  animals  on  Winneshiek  county  farms 
than  at  anv  pre\ious  time.  This  is  notal)l\  true  of  cattle,  swine,  and  sheep, 
while  the  improvement  in  horses  has  been  very  marked  and  has  resulted  in  mak- 
ing this  an  exceptionally  good  horse  market. 

During  the  past  three  years  interest  has  been  dc\eloped  in  the  growing  of 
alfalfa.  In  191 1  there  were  liut  two  and  three-quarters  acres  reported  by  assess- 
ors, but  the  reports  of  IQ13  show  a  total  of  forty-three  acres.  The  interest  in 
this  crop  is  growing  and  the  next  two  or  three  years  will  see  a  Large  increase  in 
the  acreage  devoted  thereto. 

Proliablv  no  one  industry  has  dnne  lucjre  to  develop  the  worth  of  Winneshiek 
farms  than  dairving.  It  may  be  truthfully  said  that  William  Beard,  one  of  the 
pioneer  settlers  of  Frankville  township,  was  the  foster  jiarent  of  the  business. 
Always   a  great   lover  of   cattle,   long  before  the   agitation   that   developed   the 


124  PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OF  W  IXXESHIl^K  COUNTY 

creamery,  he  was  engaged  in  making  and  selling  from  his  farm  what  was,  for 
those  days,  a  large  amount  of  superior  butter.  Early  in  the  seventies  he  began 
to  give  serious  consideration  to  the  establishment  of  a  creamery  in  Decorah  and, 
encouraged  by  some  of  the  influential  business  men,  he  finally  embarked  in  the 
enterprise.  Like  all  other  new  undertakings  there  were  many  obstacles  to  be 
overcome.  It  was  not  always  easy  to  secure  cream,  and  especially  in  the  con- 
dition required,  while  on  the  other  hand  there  was  a  prejudice  in  the  minds  of 
many  against  man  and  machinery-made  butter.  It  is  no  secret  that  many  times 
Mr.  Beard  was  thoroughly  discouraged  and  sorely  tempted  to  give  up,  but  it  was 
not  his  nature  to  be  overcome  by  a  project,  once  he  had  convinced  himself  that 
he  could  make  it  .succeed,  and  ere  he  passed  to  his  reward  he  had  the  satisfaction 
of  knowing  that  his  confidence  in  the  ultimate  development  of  the  creamery  busi- 
ness had  been  vindicated.  Since  that  day  many  changes  in  methods  have  taken 
place  and  what  was  then  a  model  in  completeness  would  not  now  be  considered 
for  an  instant.  Then  there  were  numerous  small  concerns  working  independ- 
ently, with  an  uncertain  market  for  their  product.  Today  the  industry  has  grown 
to  such  proportions  that  nearly  every  state  has  its  dairy  commissioner.  Iowa  was 
one  of  the  first  and  foremost  states  in  the  movement,  and  Winneshiek  was  a 
pioneer  in  the  enterprise.  There  may  not  be  today  as  many  creameries  within 
our  borders  as  there  were  a  few  years  ago,  but  each  year  sees  a  steady  upward 
trend  in  quantity  and  quality,  while  the  demand  for  good  butter  has  had  the 
tendency  to  develop  a  host  of  good  butter  makers  who  depend  entirely  upon  the 
local  market  for  the  sale  of  strictly  dairy  Initter  to  people  who  for  economic  as 
well  as  other  reasons  prefer  it  to  the  creamery  product. 


Fir  til  Ward  School 


Breckeiiridge  School 


I'ulilif  Scliool 

A  ciiiiii'  111'  iii;(  iii;.\ii  siiiiidi.  iini.DiNcs 


CHAPTER  X 

THE  SCHOOLS 

The  history  of  education  in  \\'inneshiek  coimty,  in  most  respects,  is  not  unlike 
the  history  of  every  other  county  in  Iowa  or  in  the  United  States,  for  that  mat- 
ter. It  may  be  claimed  that  it  was  dissimilar  in  the  early  days,  prior  to  the  com- 
ing of  civilization,  in  that  the  tirst  school  was  a  mission  school  conducted  by  Rev. 
Daniel  Lowry,  a  Presbyterian  minister  sent  here  by  the  Government  to  work 
among  the  Indians.  As  is  related  elsewhere  in  this  volume,  he  built  the  schools 
at  the  mission  five  miles  south  of  Fort  Atkinson  and  conducted  them  for  several 
years.  There  is  no  record  to  show  tliat  any  other  school  existed  in  the  county 
between  the  time  of  his  coming  in  1842  up  to  1852,  except  as  a  school  for  the 
children  of  the  post  may  have  been  maintained  at  Fort  Atkinson. 

THE  FIRST  PUBLIC  SCHOOL 

In  1852  the  first  school  in  the  county  was  taught  by  iMary  Hanson,  in  a  stone 
schoolhouse  erected  almost  on  the  spot  where  tlie  corners  of  Decorah,  Glenwood, 
Springfield  and  Frankville  townships  meet.  Here  the  youths  of  that  section 
were  given  their  first  introduction  to  the  English  language.  One  of  these  youths, 
now  a  man  well  along  in  the  sixties,  tells  me  that  in  this  puhlic  school  he  learned 
his  "a  b  c's,"  while  in  [>rk'atc  from  Miss  Hanson  he  also  learned  his  first  Eng- 
lish sentence.  It  was  "Blow  your  nose,  John,'"  and  he  says  during  the  interven- 
ing years  his  teacher  has  often  reminded  him  of  this  incident. 

Credit  for  the  existence  of  this  school  is  due  to  the  sturdy  Norwegian  settlers 
who  acquired  homes  in  that  section  in  1850.  This  may  be  considered  a  private 
undertaking,  for  at  that  time  the  school  system  was  not  sufficiently  organized  to 
be  on  a  substantial  footing. 

Miss  Hanson  became  the  wife  of  Lieut.  ( )le  A.  Anderson,  and  today  is  living 
a  serene  old  age  at  her  home  in  Decorah,  honored  by  all  who  know  her  for  her 
devotion  to  her  husband.  When  he  enlisted  in  the  War  of  the  Rebellion  he  was 
considered  one  of  the  most  promising  young  men  in  Winneshiek  county.  In  an 
early  engagement  he  received  a  wound  that,  though  he  lived  until  some  four  or 
five  years  ago,  incapacitated  him  for  the  balance  of  his  life. 

127  • 


128  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  W  IX.Xl'.SHIKK  COUNTY 

Jn  the  following  year  (1853)  school  matters  began  to  take  definite  shape. 
A  schoolhouse  was  built  in  Decorah  and  Theodore  \\'.  I'.urdick,  who  had  just 
come  from  Pennsylvania  with  his  parents,  was  engaged  to  teach.  The  succeed- 
ing year  he  entered  the  office  of  the  county  treasurer,  leaving  a  vacancy  in  the 
school  which  was  filled  temporarily  by  a  man  destined  to  be  his  lifelong  friend. 
The  story  of  how  this  teacher  was  engaged  and  his  subsecjuent  resignation  reads 
n.ow  as  an  amusing  incident  and  is  thus  told  in  .Me.xander's  Historv: 

"The  teacher  employed  was  a  young  man  in  the  greenness  of  his  vouth,  fresh 
from  \'ermont,  seeking  a  location  for  the  jiractice  of  medicine.  He  had  come  in 
through  Alonona.  and  was  greatly  discouraged  by  the  residents  here,  .so  far  as 
the  prospects  of  medical  ]iractice  was  concerned,  but  had  the  otTer  of  the  school 
at  $30  per  nidntli.  if  lie  cnuld  pass  examination.  An  examining  committee  was 
appointed  and  a  day  set  for  the  ordeal.  The  day  came,  and  with  it  one  of  the 
committee,  who  examined  him,  found  him  qualified,  and  gave  him  a  certificate. 
He  commenced  school,  taught  a  month,  flagged  a  child  of  one  of  the  directors, 
and  raised  quite  an  excitement  in  the  district  thereby.  By  this  time  his  practice 
had  commenced ;  he  didn't  care  whether  he  taught  or  not.  The  result  was,  an- 
other man  took  the  school  ofi'  his  hands  and  he  devoted  himself  to  his  profession. 
His  name  was  li.  C.  Bullis.  The  committee-man  who  examined  him  and  gave 
him  his  certificate  was  Levi  Bullis." 

Hr.  lUdlis  was  followed  l)y  (.'barley  .Allen,  who  was  for  man\-  \ears  familiar 
to  the  early-day  residents  and  is  still  recalled  by  the  pioneers  remaining  here. 

To  follow  on  down  the  line  and  make  a  chronological  record  of  the  changes 
that  inevitably  followed  in  the  ranks  of  teachers  and  the  methods  of  teaching 
would  be  atlem[)ting  the  im])ossible.  The  record  does  not  exist  and  even  if  it 
did  it  would  be  of  little  value  and  of  less  interest  to  the  readers  of  this  book. 
Sulhce  it  to  say  that  from  those  early  days  to  the  present  lime  the  cause  of  educa- 
tion lias  not  lagged  in  Winneshiek  county  for  the  want  of  ready  supporters. 

l-'rom  the  records  available  at  this  time  we  learn  that  schoois  were  being 
established  (|uite  generally  throughout  the  county  by  the  year  1856.  Pleasant 
township  seems  to  have  been  somcwh.at  ahead  of  others  in  th;it  a  schoolhouse 
was  built  in  Locust  Lane  in  1854. 

nil. II    SCIInol.  SV.STim    KST.M'.I.ISIIICD 

L']i  to  the  later  seventies  all  of  the  scIiocjIs  of  the  county  were  kiKiwn  as  public 
or  graded  schools.  It  was  due  to  the  initiative  of  the  late  11.  1..  Cofleen,  then 
])rincipal  of  the  Decorah  school  ( in  the  early  eighties),  that  the  high  .school  system 
was  introduced  into  the  county.  The  lirst  class  was  graduated  in  1S81 ,  and  the  suc- 
cess that  was  attained  in  Decorah  has  been  influential  in  broadening  the  work  of  die 
schools  throughout  the  county  generally.  Where  there  were  then  meagre  equip- 
ments of  apparatus,  reference  books,  ma|)s.  etc.,  today  the  best  scliools  of  the  county 
have  fine  structures  with  modern  apjiointmen'.s,  et|ui];ments  adetjuate  to  carry 
on  c.xiJeriments  in  the  sciences  where  they  are  taught,  libraries  of  the  best 
reference  and  literary  works,  and  corps  of  teachers  competent  to  guide  tiie  scholars 
thrf)ugh  both  common  and  higher  branches  as  well  as  music,  manual  training, 
drawing,  painting,  etc.  In  the  case  of  Decorah  high  school  a  department  of 
domestic  .science  is  included  in  the  course  for  the  coming  year,  aiul  the  school 


PAST  AND  i'RKSENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  129 

building  is  undergoing  rearrangement  to  provide  space  for  it,  the  building  of  a 
new  heating  plant  and  the  removal  of  the  boilers  from  the  basement  making  it 
possible. 

PRIVATE  SC1I()0L^ 


Anotlier  most  helpful  intluence  in  local  cducatiunal  lields  has  been  the  private 
school. 

In  the  very  early  days  Sherman  Page,  a  prominent  educator,  conducted  the 
Winneshiek  Normal  Institute.  It  was  suspended  during  the  war  and  afterward 
re\i\ed  for  a  short  time. 

DlifOR.XH   INSTITUTE 

About  this  time  John  ilreckenridge  came  to  Decorah  as  principal  of  the  public 
school  and  was  in  all  ways  successful.  While  he  was  busy  in  this  work  there 
revolved  in  his  mind  thoughts  of  the  country  boy  and  girl  who,  for  one  cause  or 
another,  had  failed  to  grasp  or  been  deprived  of  the  opportunities  that  were 
available  in  the  country  district,  had  grown  almost  to  manhood  and  womanhood, 
were  too  diffident  or  bashful  to  take  their  places  in  the  classes  of  scholars  much 
younger  than  they,  and  who  would  undoubtedly  ridicule  them  for  their  ignorance 
and  mistakes.  These  thoughts  crystallized  in  the  founding  of  Decorah  Institute, 
which  opened  in  September,  1874.  Here  the  young  man  and  young  woman 
could  come,  confident  that  they  would  Ije  met  by  others  that  had  fared  no  better 
than  they.  Mr.  Breckenridge  was  quick  to  see  that,  in  a  community  where 
foreign  languages  were  so  commonly  spoken,  success  could  be  courted  by  acquir- 
ing at  least  a  fair  understanding  of  them.  He  had  a  ready  command  of  German, 
and  it  was  not  a  diflicult  matter  for  him  to  add  to  that  a  knowledge  of  Nor- 
wegian that  enabled  him  to  converse  fluently  with  all  who  could  not  understand 
or  speak  English.  Fortified  in  this  manner,  it  was  not  long  liefore  his  school 
acquired  a  splendid  reputation  for  the  excellence  of  instruction  given  and  for  the 
high  moral  and  intellectual  training  that  was  given  its  pupils.  The  ranks  of  teach- 
ers throughout  the  middle  west  muster  scores  of  men  and  women  whose  founda- 
tion in  education  was  acquired  in  Decorah  Institute — men  and  women  who  ha\e 
honored  the  cause  of  education  in  their  attainment  as  citizens,  in  liusiness,  profes- 
sional and  social  spheres. 

Mr.  Ilreckenridge  died  on  .\pril  21,  1899,  during  the  height  of  his  activities 
as  an  instructor.  While  the  school  that  he  founded  has  ceased  to  e.xist,  its  in- 
fluence is  still  manifest  wherever  its  graduates  may  be  found. 

VALDER   COLLEGE 

Another  private  school — one  that  is  still  in  existence  and  whose  vigor  in- 
creases each  year — is  Valder  College,  established  in  1888  by  Prof.  Charles  H. 
\'aUIer.  When  in  his  early  manhood  Mr.  Valder  determined  to  make  education 
his  life's  work,  he  chose  first  to  perfect  himself  as  a  penman.  Mis  success  brought 
him  to  Decorah  where,  for  a  number  of  years,  he  was  in  charge  of  the  depart- 


1:50  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WTXXESHIEK  COUNTY 

ment  of  peiimaiisliip  in  the  Dccorali  ])ul)li(.-  scliools.  He,  too.  liad  a  vision,  hut  it 
was  along  the  lines  of  business  education,  and  lie  first  established  a  school  of 
shorthand,  typewriting,  and  penmanshi]).  While  the  attendance  was  small  dur- 
ing the  first  three  or  four  years,  it  was  a  notable  fact  that  \'alder  graduates  were 
in  demand  on  account  of  their  thorough  preparation.  As  the  success  of  his 
business  school  became  more  assured  Mr.  \'alder  ventured  into  realms  of  normal 
work,  aiming  jjarticularly  at  the  preparation  of  teachers,  and  broadening  the  com- 
mercial school  work.  Himself  an  excellent  teacher,  he  was  not  satisfied  to  employ 
as  his  faculty  any  who  coukl  not  measure  up  to  a  high  standard,  and  thus  he  lias 
built  up  a  school  that  enrolls  from  four  hundred  to  live  hundred  students  annu- 
ally, and  whose  graduates  are  scattered  all  over  the  Northwest,  occupying  posi- 
tions of  great  responsibility  in  every  walk,  but  more  particularly  as  bankers, 
accountants,  stenographers  and  teachers. 

During  the  past  year  \alder  College  has  been  incorporated  and  Prof.  Charles 
A.  Whalen,  who  has  been  a  member  of  the  faculty  for  several  years,  has  become 
associated  financially  in  the  institution. 

DKCOR.MI    liUSIXESS   COLLKC.E 

To  many  who  may  read  this  book  the  mention  of  John  R.  .Slack  will  probably 
mean  nothing,  but  to  pass  on  to  other  topics  v.ithout  at  least  briefly  reviewing 
the  work  of  this  man  as  a  business  educator  would  be  to  ignore  one  who  in  his 
day  was  accounted  one  of  the  foremost  exponents  of  tJic  best  methods  on  book- 
keeping. Mr.  Slack  was  a  native  of  ( )hio  and  ac(|uire<l  his  education  in  Jeffer- 
son College  at  Chambersburg,  Pennsylvania,  lie  came  to  Decorah  in  1856  and 
for  some  years  thereafter  was  a  bookkeeper  in  the  Winneshiek  County  Rank. 
In  1874  he  e.stablished  the  Decorah  Business  College,  which  he  continued  for  a 
score  or  more  of  years.  \\'hile  at  no  time  did  his  school  attain  to  large  propor- 
tions, those  who  came  under  his  instruction  were  given  ;i  grounding  in  the 
fundamental  principles  of  accounting  that  could  be  acquired  in  but  few  schools  of 
that  day.  He  was  the  author  of  "Rationale  and  Practice  of  Bookkeeping."  a 
book  which  was  not  only  the  standard  in  his  own  school  but  was  recognized  gen- 
erally by  accountants  as  a  very  reliable  treatise. 

n•TIIl^u  ror.i.F.ci-: 

A  chapter  on  education  in  W'inneshiek  coiiiily  wnuld  be  iiic(ini])Ietc  did  it  fail 
to  include  the  story  of  Luther  College,  the  leading  educational  institution  of  the 
Norwegian  Evangelical  Lutheran  Synod  of  America.  Like  the  ])rivate  schools 
above  referred  to,  it  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  work  of  the  common  schools  of 
our  county  and  state  further  than  tliat  its  course  of  study  must  conform  to  cer- 
tain requirements  in  order  that  its  graduates  may  enter  the  State  University 
without  passing  an  entrance  examination,  llut  the  history  of  the  institution  is 
linked  so  inseparably  with  the  activities  of  this  community  that  it  rightfullv  com- 
mands space  in  this  cha])ter.  The  story  of  its  founding  has  been  told  manv 
times  but  for  this  record  we  rely  upcju  .i  historical  sketch  jirepared  in  iwi  1  by  the 
college  authorities. 


Main  Building 
Statue  of  Martin  Luther 


SCENES  AT  LUTITEU  fOTXEOE,  DECORAH 


Entrance  to  Grounds 

Gymnasium 
Laur.  Larsen  Hall 


;L!:lic 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  133 

"The  history  of  Luther  College  is  intimately  associated  with  the  history 
of  early  Norwegian  immigrants  in  America.  Norwegian  immigration  to  Amer- 
ica may  be  said  to  have  begun  with  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Kleng  Pedersen  and  one 
companion,  in  New  York,  in  1821.  Three  years  later  Mr.  Pedersen,  filled  with 
enthusiasm  for  prospects  in  the  New  World,  returned  to  Norway,  where  his 
glowing  accounts  of  the  opportunities  offered  in  America  enabled  him  to  organize 
an  emigration-society.  The  society  purchased  a  small  sloop  called  'Restaura- 
tionen,'  which,  with  fifty-two  people  on  board,  set  sail  from  Stavanger,  Nor- 
way, on  its  first  trans- Atlantic  voyage,  July  4,  1825,  and  arrived  in  New  York, 
Sunday,  Oct.  yth.  Some  of  these  immigrants  settled  in  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  but 
most  of  them  went  thirty  or  thirty-five  miles  farther  west ;  and  later  a  number  of 
them  removed  to  Fox  Ri\  er,  111.  It  was  not,  however,  until  in  1836  that  the  main 
tide  of  emigration  from  Xorway  to  the  United  States  began,  but  from  that  time 
to  the  present  day  the  tide  has  continued,  and,  though  spreading  more  or  less 
over  the  whole  country,  has  been  directed  especially  toward  the  northwest  and 
has  poured  hundreds  of  thousands  of  immigrants  into  Illinois,  Wisconsin,  Iowa, 
Minnesota,  the  two  Dakotas,  and  the  territory  extending  thence  westward  to  the 
Pacific  coast. 

"Most  of  these  immigrants — practically  all,  in  fact, — have  been  very  poor 
and  have  sought  this  land  of  opportunity  to  improve  their  economic  condition.  As 
they  have  come  largely  from  the  rural  districts  in  Norway  and  have  left  their 
native  land  at  a  time  when  the  spirit  of  liberty  has  been  strong  among  her  people, 
their  great  desire  has  been  to  gain  possession  of  a  small  portion  of  America's 
fertile  soil  and  live  the  independent  life  of  a  farmer  under  her  free  institutions. 
For  these  reasons  they  have  been  attracted  to  the  homestead  lands  and  the 
cheap  farming  lands  of  the  newer  settlements,  and  have  gladly  assumed  the 
burdens  of  pioneer  life  with  its  proverbial  privations  and  hardships. 

"But,  though  economically  poor,  they  have  not  come  to  America  to  partake 
of  her  blessings  without  possessing  anything  to  oflier  in  return.  They  have 
brought  with  them  a  heritage,  the  best  that  their  adopted  country  could  desire, — 
uprightness  of  character,  habits  of  industry,  a  law-abiding  and  God-fearing  spirit, 
a  patriotism  that  impelled  thousands  of  them  to  take  up  arms  in  behalf  of  the 
Union  during  the  Civil  war,  and  the  desire  to  gi\'e  their  children  the  best  educa- 
tion that  their  scanty  means  afforded.  That  their  children  might  enjoy  proper 
educational  advantages  has  been  to  them  a  matter  of  great  concern,  for  they  have 
all  tasted,  at  least,  of  the  'Pierean  Spring' — have  received  some  schooling  in 
their  native  land — and  they  have  been  eager  that  opportunities  for  improvement 
and  advancement  that  circumstances  rendered  impossible  for  them  should  not  be 
denied  their  children ;  and  the  satisfaction  that  many  of  these  immigrants  have 
had  in  seeing  their  children  enjoy  the  abundant  educational  advantages  of  this 
favored  land  has  been  far  greater  than  the  possession  of  broad  acres  and  fertile 
fields. 

"The  chief  characteristic,  however,  of  Norwegian  immigrants  has  been  their 
deeply  religious  nature,  which  systematic  instruction  in  the  truths  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion  and  the  example  and  precepts  of  pious  parents  early  implanted  in 
their  youthful  souls.  This  characteristic  has  been  the  fundamental  factor  of 
their  existence,  determining  their  view  of  life,  their  sense  of  duty  and  respon- 


l:]4  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

sibility  as  Christians,  parents,  citizens,  and  nieniljers  of  society  in  general.  In 
this  characteristic  more  than  in  any  other  is  to  be  sought  the  exi)lanation  of  the 
l^ospitality  and  other  qualities  that  travelers  in  Norway  are  wont  to  praise  and 
the  qualities  that  render  the  great  majority  of  those  of  them  who  have  come  to 
this  country  the  desirable  citizens  that  they  are  usually  said  to  be.  With  zeal  they 
have  entered  into  the  political  and  industrial  life  of  the  nation.  With  equal  zeal 
they  have  endeavored  to  supply  the  means  of  nourishing  their  spiritual  life  and 
transmitting  it  to  their  posterity  unimpaired.  They  are  as  a  whole  Lutherans, 
and  have  organized  church-bodies  to  ])romote  religious  activity  and  have  estab- 
lished institutions  of  learning  for  the  purpose  of  insuring  a  well-e(|uippcd  min- 
istry and  an  enlightened  body  oi  laymen  to  continue  the  work. 

"Pre-eminent,  by  virtue  of  its  age  and  influence,  among  institutions  of  learn- 
ing founded  by  Norwegian  Lutherans  in  this  country  is  Luther  College,  of 
Decorah,  Iowa.  In  fact,  so  distinct  and  far-reaching  has  been  its  influence  that 
i.  has  been  beyond  comparison  the  greatest  spiritual  and  educational  factor  in 
the  life  of  Norwegians  in  America  and  has  rendered  a  service  to  church  and 
state  that  has  amply  rewarded  every  sacrifice  made  in  its  behalf. 

"Luther  College  was  founded  in  1861.  A  beautiful  tract  of  land  had  been 
secured  for  the  college  by  Dr.  \'.  Koren  in  the  northwestern,  part  of  the  city; 
but.  as  no  arrangements  had  been  made  for  suitable  f|uarters  at  Decorah,  school 
was  commenced  during  tlie  first  year  in  a  large  \acanl  ])arsonage,  which  had 
been  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  Synod  for  this  purpose,  at  Half  Way  Creek, 
Wis.,  about  thirteen  miles  from  La  Crosse,  .'school  opened  .'^ejit.  4.  iSf)i,  with 
;■•  facultv  of  two  teachers,  Pres.  I.aur  Larsen  ;md  an  assistant,  and  an  enroll- 
ment of  five  students.  Later  in  the  year  the  number  of  students  increased  to 
eleven  and  then  decreased  to  nine. 

"In  1S62  the  college  was  transferred  to  Decurali.  and  for  three  years  occupied 
what  is  now  the  St.  Cloud  Hotel,  which  the  Synod  had  purchased.  Later  an 
adjoining  building  was  erected  to  meet  the  increasing  re(|uirenients  for  more 
room. 

"Oct.  14,  1865,  the  new  building  which  the  Synod  had  erected  on  its  32-acre 
tract  was  dedicated  and  henceforth  used  by  the  college.  The  .'^outh  wjng,  which 
was  not  built  at  this  time  and  the  erection  of  wiiich  remained  to  complete  the 
structiux'  according  to  the  original  (ilan,  was.  in  the  course  of  time,  added,  and 
the  college  grew  and  pros])ered. 

".May  }().  18S9,  however,  the  stately  edifice  was  destroyed  by  fire.  The  loss 
was  keenly  felt,  but  it  was  decided  to  rebuild  without  delay.  In  the  meaiuinie 
classrooms  were  fitted  up  in  the  basement  of  the  First  X.  F..  L.  Church  and  in 
other  buildings  in  the  vicinity,  where  lemi^orary  (juarters  had  been  secured,  and 
the  work  of  the  college  was  resumed  the  following  school  year  under  many 
disadvantages.  The  new  building,  reared  on  the  foundation  of  the  old.  and  of 
the  same  dimensions,  was  completed  with  all  possible  speed,  and  was  dedicated 
and  ready  for  occupancy  Oct  14,  1890.  Since  then  the  ef|uipment.  faculty,  and 
number  of  buildings  have  steadily  been  augmented. 

"In  1902,  after  41  years  of  faithful  service.  President  Larsen  requested  the 
.Synod  to  relieve  him  of  the  duties  of  the  jjresidency.  The  Synod  granted  his 
request  and  elected   President   Christian   K.   Preus  as  his  successor. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  135 

EQUIPMENT 

COLLliGE   CAMPUS 

"The  campus  is  a  fine  natural  park  on  tlie  left  bank  of  Upper  Iowa  river, 
about  one  mile  from  the  center  of  the  city.  It  is  a  32-acre  tract  of  comparatively 
level  ground  adorned  by  many  shade  trees,  chiefly  oaks.  It  has  ample  space  for 
liuildings,  driveways,  athletic  fields,  and  pleasant  retreats.  The  adjoining  river, 
bluffs,  and  valley  afford  scenery  of  unusual  beauty  and  interest. 

MAIN   BUILDING 

"Main  Pjuilding  (  170x52,  four  stories  and  basement)  is  a  noble  and  imposing 
structure,  beautifully  situated  on  an  eminence  overlooking  the  city  to  the  east 
and  the  river  valley  to  the  west.  Its  well  liglited  interior  is  very  attractive  and 
affords  room  for  offices,  classrooms,  the  library,  reading  rooms,  chapels,  and 
students'  rooms.  The  students'  boarding  club  has  the  use  of  a  large  part  of  the 
basement,  while  the  rest  is  used  for  various  other  purposes.  The  Iniilding  is 
provided  with  steam  heat,  electric  light,  arrangements  for  artificial  ventilation, 
stand-pipes  with  hose  on  each  floor  ready  for  instant  use  at  all  times  in  case  of 
fire,  lavatories,  and  other  modern  improvements.  The  upper  floors  afford  accom- 
modations for  no  students,  wdio  are  thus  enabled  to  pursue  their  studies  under 
the  most  favorable  conditions. 

I,.\UR  LARSEN   HALL 

"A  commo(li(nis  new  dormitory  (center  50.X40 ;  two  wings,  each  90x40;  all 
three  stories  and  basement )  accoiumodating  upwards  of  200  students  has  recently 
been  erected  on  the  campus  to  the  southeast  of  the  Main  Building.  It  was  ded- 
icated Oct.  13,  1907,  in  the  i)resencc  of  a  great  num1;)er  of  visitors  and  given 
the  name  of  Laur  Larsen  Hall,  in  honor  of  Dr.  Laur  Larsen,  the  former  pres- 
ident of  the  College.  It  is  a  handsome  brick  structure,  and  is  provided  with 
excellent  fire  protection  (the  same  system  as  the  Main  Building)  steam  heat, 
electric  light,  and  modern  conveniences  throughout.  Besides  the  excellent  ac- 
commodations that  it  furnishes  a  large  number  of  students,  it  has  dwelling  apart- 
ments for  a  professor  and  family,  class-rooms,  a  large  room  for  the  use  of  the 
bands  and  other  musical  organizations,  a  chemical  and  physical  laboratory,  and 
a  workshop  for  the  manufacture  and  repair  of  scientific  apparatus. 

LIKRARV    AXn    RI-IADINH    ROOM 

"The  Librarv  and  Reading  Room  occupy  cjuarters  on  the  first  floor  of  the 
Main  Building.  They  contain  16,441  volumes,  besides  jjamphlets,  papers,  and 
other  printed  matter.  Additions  of  the  best  works  in  the  various  departments 
of  study  arc  made  as  rai)idly  as  the  available  resources  permit.  The  Library 
receives  an  annuitv  of  $200  from  Synod,  besides  the  annual  fees  paid  by  the 
students. 

"The  Library  is  furnished  with  a  card  catalogue  according  to  the  Dewey 
decimal  classification  system. 


136  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

"Tlie  Reading  Room  contains  the  encyclopedias,  dictionaries,  and  other  works 
of  reference,  also  such  books  as  are  temporarily  assigned  to  it  by  the  teachers. 
The  Reading  Room  and  the  Students'  Reading  Society,  'Muspelheim,'  receive 
together  more  than  50  foreign  and  American  periodicals,  besides  daily  and  weekly 
newspapers. 

MUSEUM 

"The  Museum  occupies  llie  building  (60.X30,  two  stories)  to  the  northwest  of 
the  Main  Building.  The  scientific  section  comprises  collections  of  minerals, 
mounted  animals,  plants,  birds'  eggs  and  nests.  The  ethnological  section  is  par- 
ticularly strong  in  Norwegian  specimens;  there  are  also  many  specimens  illus- 
trative of  Eskimo  and  Indian  life.  There  arc  many  photographs  of  churches, 
schools,  and  other  public  buildings  erected  by  Scandinavians  in  this  country,  and 
of  ministers,  journalists,  and  other  prominent  men.  The  library  section  contains 
more  than  4,000  numbers,  to  a  great  extent  Scandinavian-American  publications. 
Of  Norwegian-American  papers  and  periodicals  there  are  over  500  complete,  and 
a  very  large  number  of  incomplete,  volumes.  There  is  also  a  collection  of  coins 
and  stamps.  Special  attention  is  paid  to  the  development  of  the  Norwegian  sec- 
tion of  the  ethnological  departmeiU. 

Lir.K.\R'|-  AND  .Mrsici'.M    nrii.DiNc, 

"It  has  l^een  quite  generally  recognized  for  some  time  that  the  (.|uarters 
occupied  b\-  the  liljrary  and  nuiscuni  are  insufticicnt  and  do  not  attord  the  valu- 
able collections  that  they  contain  adeciuate  protection  against  tire.  The  students 
themselves  have  become  so  thoroughly  ali\e  to  this  fact  that  in  the  spring  of 
1900  they  voluntarily  undertook  to  make  27.000  cement  blocks  (the  number  re- 
(juired  for  such  a  building  according  to  the  statement  of  the  architect),  of  which 
17,000  are  already  done.* 

SCIENCK   LAIIOKATORV 

"The  (.'heniical  and  I'livsical  Laboratory  is  located  in  llic  west  wing  nf  l.aur 
Larsen  Hall.  The  i.aboratt)ry  is  a  well-lighted  room,  and  will  accommodate  30 
students  at  one  time.  The  tables  arc  designed  for  laboratory  work  in  Chemistry 
and  riusics,  and  are  su])]ilic(l  willi  gas  and   water. 

"Tlie  lockers  containing  the  individual  apparatus  for  students'  use  are  well 
supiilicd.  .\  lecture  room  adjoins  the  Laboralor}-,  and  contains  most  of  the  chem- 
ical and  physical  library. 

"There  are  two  rooms  for  the  storage  of  ajiparatus  and  cJiemicals.  and  a  well 
equipped  sliop  for  the  manufacture  and  repair  of  a[)paratus. 

HOSPITAL 

"The  Hospital  is  a  small  building  to  the  south  of  the  M.iin  Huilding  and 
was  erected  to  furnish  projjcr  acconnniHiations  in  case  of  illness  among  tiie  stu- 

*  Since  t)iis  statcnnnl  «:i.>^  roinpilcil  (in   I'Mli   llii-  iiiuiilni   lias  incroiisod  to  liO.OOO. 


I 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  137 

dents.     It  is  divided  into  two  entirely  separate  wards,  one  for  contagious  and 
one  for  non-contagious  diseases. 

GYMNASIUM    AND    ALTJITGRIUM 

"This  structure  is  a  substantial  frame  building  (124x75)  pleasantly  located 
to  the  north  of  the  Main  Building,  among  the  shade  trees  of  the  Campus.  It 
was  originally  built  in  1885-6,  and  was  paid  for  with  money  raised  chiefly  through 
the  efforts  of  the  students.  In  the  spring  of  1903  it  was  enlarged  to  nearly 
three  times  its  former  dimensions,  and  in  addition  to  increased  space  for  gym- 
nastic apparatus  and  drills,  basketball  and  kindred  sports,  it  also  furnishes  a 
large  and  commodious  auditorium  for  concerts  and  other  occasions.  It  has  a 
seating  capacity  of  more  than  2,000. 

COLLEGE  LIGHTING  AND  HF.ATING  PLANT 

"The  College  has  its  own  electric  light  plant,  which  was  installed  by  the 
Alumni  Association  some  years  ago  at  an  expenditure  of  about  $2,500,  and  a 
central  steam  heating  plant.  Besides  adding  materially  to  the  comfort  and  con- 
\  enience  of  the  students,  this  method  of  lighting  and  heating  the  buildings  obviates 
a  frequent  source  of  fires,  which  are  often  caused  by  the  use  of  lamps  and  stoves. 

"The  College  is  also  supplied  with  city  water. 

VALUE  OF  COLLEGE  PROPERTY  AND  FUNDS 

"The  value  of  the  college  plant  (campus,  Ixiildings,  and  equipment;  is  now 
$236,968.00.  Its  income-bringing  property  and  funds,  received  mostly  as  lega- 
cies in  sums  varying  from  $300  to  $7,343.23,  amounts  to  $16,688.95,  oi  which  the 
income  of  $800  is  applied  to  professors'  salaries,  the  income  of  $10,493.23  is 
applied  to  student  aid,  the  income  of  $4,000  is  applied  in  the  interest  of  natural 
sciences." 

In  191 1  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  founding  of  the  college  was  celel)rated. 
The  celebration  began  on  October  13th,  with  a  banquet  in  which  several  hun- 
dred members  of  the  Alumni,  and  friends  of  the  college  participated. 

On  the  day  following  the  real  celebration  occurred.  It  included  the  unveil- 
ing of  a  bronze  statue  of  Martin  Luther,  the  gift  of  the  women  of  the  Synod 
churches,  and  the  reading  of  many  congratulatory  telegrams,  cablegrams  and  let- 
ters. Among  the  cablegrams  was  one  from  King  Haakon  of  Norway.  The 
student  singers  of  Norway  cabled  an  invitation  to  Luther  College  Concert  Band 
to  visit  Norway  in  1914  and  participate  in  the  celebration  of  the  one  hundredth  an- 
niversary of  Norwegian  independence.  The  invitation  was  accepted  and  the 
band  leaves  next  April  to  be  in  Christiania  on  ATay  17th. 

A  feature  of  the  evening  was  the  presentation  of  an  $250,000  endowment 
fund.  James  J.  Hill,  the  St.  Paul  railroad  builder  and  financier,  had  promised 
$50,000  on  condition  that  $200,000  more  be  raised  by  the  college.  For  good 
measure  they  raised  $235,000,  and  J.  Pierpont  Morgan,  the  New  York  banker, 
lopped  it  oft'  with  an  unsolicited  check  for  $1,000,  but  the  surplus  $36,000  was 
used  in  liquidating  an  indebtedness. 


138  PAST  AXD  I'KESEXT  (JF  WIXXKSIIIEK  COUNTY 

To  close  this  sketch  here  would  he  to  leave  unsung  a  just  meed  of  ]M-aise  to 
one  who  deserves  all  the  good  things  that  have  been  said  of  him.  We  refer  to 
Luther's  "grand  old  man."  Dr.  Laur  Larsen.  who  for  forty-one  years  ruled 
as  its  president  and  who  today,  having  just  celebrated  his  eightieth  liirthday, 
enjoys  good  health  and  the  reverence  and  esteem  of  friends  and  acquaintances 
whose  numbers  are  legion.  Coming  to  the  college  as  a  ctimparatively  voung 
man.  he  has  devoted  his  life  to  the  training  of  bo\s  and  young  men  in  the  Chris- 
tian virtues  that  have  made  their  mature  years  a  monument  to  his  untiring  labors, 
his  faith,  and  his  every-day  example  of  clean  living  and  lo\e  for  his  fellnw men. 
In  paying  this  tribute  to  Dr.  Larsen  wc  are  not  forgetting  those  who  have  worked 
by  his  side.  They  too  have  done  their  part,  but  always  with  the  knowledge  that 
Luther  College  would  nut  have  attained  to  its  ])resent  high  standing  had  his 
ability  and  influence  been  lacking. 

As  previously  stated,  when  Dr.  Larsen  retired  from  the  jiresidencv  of  the 
college  his  duties  were  placed  upon  the  shoulders  of  Rew  C.  K.  Preus.  who  was 
one  of  Dr.  Larsen's  "boys"  back  in  1S73.  Cnder  his  administration  the  college 
has  continued  to  prosper  in  all  its  departments.  While  the  sjiiritual  develop- 
mcnl  has  nni  been  ])ermittc(l  t.)  l;ig.  ihc  demands  of  business  managemcnl  liaxe 
compelled  Professor  Prcus  to  give  much  time  and  attention  to  this  feature  of  the 
work,  and  he  has  been  eminently  successful. 

During  the  past  eight  years  the  college  faculty  has  been  greatly  strengthened. 
The  best  evidence  of  this  lies  in  the  fact  that  other  and  larger  schools  have  made 
overtures  to  some  of  its  members.  .As  constituted  at  the  jirescnl  time  the  faculty 
is  as  follows : 

A.  M.  Rovelstad.  .\.  ,M..  Latin  language  and  literature. 
T.  E.  Tiioiupson,  .A.  1!.,  luiglish. 

Rev.  Oscar  A.  Tingelstad.  A.  M.,  ])sychology  and  education. 

Rev.  Sigurd  C.  A'lvisaker,  Ph.D..  Cireek  language  and  literature.  Hebrew. 
Greek  testament. 

11..'-^.  I  lilIei)oe.  .\.  .M..  Princi|)al  of  preparatory  department,  education,  psvchol- 
Ogy,  Xorwegian. 

B.  K.  S;evre,  A.  B.,  mathematics. 
Enoch  E.  Peterson,  A.  B.,  Latin. 

n.  ];.  ( )vern,  .A.  B.,  science,  mathematics. 

Rev.  i.  P).  Torrison,  .\.  B..  college  i)astor. 

Rev.  Laur  Larsen,  D.  I).,  president  emeritus. 

Rev.  C.  K.  Preus,  jircsidcnt.  Christianity,  .Augsburg  confession. 

Lars  S.  Recjue.  .A.  M..  I'rench.  Roman  constitution  and  literature. 

Rev.  Chr.  .A.  X;escth.  ,\.  .M..  college  librari.m. 

11.  W".  Sheel,  B.  S.,  .science,  luathematics. 

W  .  Sillier,  A.  AL,  German  language  and  literature.  ( ireek. 

Oscar  L.  Olson,  A.  AL,  Englisli  language  and  literature. 

Knut  Gjerset,  Ph.  D..  Xorwegian  language  and  liter.-iture,  liistory. 

Rev.  Carlo  A.  Sperali.  .\.  B..  nntsicil  director.  Christianity. 

l'.\U(K    III.M.    .SlIIOOI.S 

In  addition  tn  the  |)ul)lic  scliools  of  the  county,  the  Xorwegian  Lutheran  con- 
gregations mainl.iin   parochial   schools.      In   some  i>f   these   the  |)npils   are  given 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  139 

instruction  in  the  common  school  branches  up  to  the  sixth  grade,  in  addition  to 
instruction  in  religion. 

Most  of  the  Catholic  congregations  also  maintain  schools  of  a  similar  nature. 
Their  schools  in  Decorah,  Spillville,  Ossian,  Calmar  and  Fort  Atkinson  are  well 
attended,  and  the  school  properties  are  a  credit  to  their  supporters. 


CHAPTER  XI 
^  THE  NEWSPAPERS 

Winneshiek  county  has  never  been  overlnirdened  with  newspapers.  While 
there  have  been  a  sufficient  number  to  represent  her  weaUh  and  progress,  and  to 
chronicle  the  daily  doings  of  her  inhabitants,  she  has  been  singularly  and  hap- 
pily free  from  a  large  number  of  weak  and  struggling  publications,  such  as  mark 
some  counties  not  far  distant  where  railroad  towns  have  sprung  up  and  grown 
to  proportions  that  demanded  newspaper  representation,  yet  were  not  able  or 
willing  to  accord  the  support  necessary  to  build  up  strong,  substantial  papers. 

Decorah,  as  the  county  seat,  naturally  attracted  the  early-day  disciples  of 
Guttenburg  and  Faust.  Here  in  1855  a  man  named  Tracy  established  the  Chron- 
icle. The  story  of  this  publication  and  its  successor  is  briefly  told  in  the  follow- 
ing item  taken  from  the  Decorah  Republican  of  Oct.  26,   1905: 

"In  looking  over  some  of  his  father's  papers  recently,  H.  P.  Nicholson.  Jr., 
of  Military  township,  came  across  some  papers  that  bore  light  upon  the  early-day 
newspapers  of  Decorah  and  their  efforts  at  existence.  They  also  indicate  that 
Mr.  Nicholson  was  then,  as  he  has  always  l>een  since,  a  believer  in  publicity  and 
an  interested  follower  of  the  news  of  the  day.  The  papers  above  referred  to 
are — all  but  one — receipts  for  subscriptions.  The  first  is  dated  November  23, 
1855,  and  calls  for  a  year's  subscription  to  the  Decorah  Chronicle  beginning 
with  Vol.  I,  No.  4,  and  running  to  Vol.  2,  No.  3.  Tracy  &  Co.  were  its  owners 
and  this  was  probably  the  first  paper  of  Decorah.  A  little  over  a  year  later — 
December  6,  1856 — another  receipt  calls  for  a  year's  reading  of  the  Republican, 
of  which  B.  E.  Jones  was  then  editor,  from  \'ol.  i.  No.  35,  to  Vol.  2,  No.  34. 
This  indicates  that  Tracy  &  Co.  didn't  any  more  than  last  the  year  out.  June  15, 
1858,  is  the  date  of  the  third  receipt  which  was  issued  by  F.  Belfoy  for  one  year 
of  the  Decorah  Gazette,  beginning  with  Vol.  i,  No.  i." 

The  Gazette  was  the  immediate  predecessor  of  the  Decorah  Repu])lic.  In 
the  fall  of  1859,  Wesley  Bailey,  of  Utica,  New  York,  grandfather  of  this  his- 
torian, came  to  Decorah  and  purchased  the  plant  of  the  Gazette,  engaging  Mr. 
Belfoy  to  remain  and  hold  the  field  until  spring,  when,  in  company  with  his  son 
Ansel  K.  Bailey  and  their  families,  he  returned  to  Decorah  and  assumed  con- 
trol of  the  paper,  the  firm  being  Wesley  Bailey  &  Son.     Its  name  was  changed 

143 


U4  PAST  AND  I'RI-.SI'.X  T  ol"  W  I  XXI-.Sl  HICK  COUNTY 

to  tlie  Republic  an<l  the  first  niiiiiljcr  uitUt  tin  new  manaL;emeiU  was  issued  ou 
Ajjril  13,  iSfx).  In  March.  iSdi).  the  name  was  changed  to  the  l\e])uhhcan 
and  it  has  so  remained  (kirini;  tlie  intervening  years,  because  of  faihng  heahh. 
Wesley  Bailey  disposed  of  Jiis  interest  in  tlie  paper  to  his  sons  .\nsel  and  .\lvin 
Stewart  I'ailey  in  i8''k;.  the  firm  name  l)eing  changed  to  .A.  K.  liailcy  &  lirother 
and  remaining  so  until  1S83.  in  tliat  year  Charles  T.  I'.ailey  ]Hirchased  the  in- 
terest of  A.  S.  r.ailey.  and  the  lirm  liecame  .\.  K.  I'.aiiev  iS;  Son.  Two  years 
later  E.  C.  Bailey  purchased  the  interest  of  his  brother,  and  in  i(jo6  the  busi- 
ness was  incorporated,  the  name  remaining  A.  K.  llailey  &  Son.  On  the  death 
of  .\.  K.  Bailey  in  September,  Hjoi),  !•"..  ('.  I'.ailey  assumed  the  coiu])lete  man- 
agement of  the  business  in  both  business  and  editorial  departments. 

The  Decorah  Journal  is  the  second  oldest  newspaper  in  Winneshiek  cnunly. 
Its  history  begins  back  in  1866  with  the  establishment  of  The  Winneshiek  Reg- 
ister by  George  \\'.  Haislet.  Alexander's  History  says  the  oftice  was  destroyed 
by  lire  in  November  of  that  year.  A  new  office  was  jjurchased.  but  in  the  spring 
of  1869  the  paper  was  compelled  to  suspend.  '".August  23.  1809.  he  (  Mr.  Hais- 
let) re-issued  his  paper  under  the  name  of  Register  &  N'eniilator.  afterwards 
dropping  the  first  half  of  the  name.  Several  years  later  W.  X.  liurdick  became 
a  ])artner  with  Haislet,  and  soon  bought  him  out  entirely,  and  in  1874  was  sole 
proprietor,  and  changed  the  name  N'cntilator  to  Winneshiek  Register.  In  Xo- 
vcmbcr,  1874,  Mr.  lUirdick  sold  oiU  to  .\.  .\.  Aiken  and  Henry  Woodrufi'. 
Early  in  I'ebruary,  1875,  the  Saturday  I'.ee  w^as  issued  as  an  extra  from  the  office 
of  the  Register.  In  the  latter  part  of  1875  ^'^^  Register  establisiiment  absorbed 
the  IndeiJendent  (which  was  started  by  Ed.  Wood  and  S.  S.  Haislet  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1874),  the  combined  paper  taking  the  name  Independent-Register.  In 
January.  1876,  .Mr.  .Aiken  sold  out  his  interest.  Henry  Woodruff  becoming  edi- 
tor and  manager  of  the  I'.ee,  which  continued  without  change  till  January,  1879, 
Ed.  Wood  taking  the  Independent-Register,  and  soon  drop])ing  the  word  Register 
from  the  name.  .About  the  first  of  June.  i87f>.  Mr.  Wood  sold  out  and  gave 
place  to  J.  E.  Meagher,  who.  in  the  latter  part  of  July,  stejjped  down  and  out. 
Mr.  Woodruff  of  the  Decoraii  Jnurnal  becoming  its  purchaser,  and  its  subscription 
list  was  united  with  that  of  the  liee.  In  January.  i87().  the  regular  publication 
of  the  weekly  Uecorah  Journal  commenceil.  it  being  virtually  the  succes.sor  of 
the  old  Regi.ster  and  Independent,  and  tlie  I'.ee  office  soon  dropped  its  separate 
character  and  became  part  of  the  Journal  establishment."  Mr.  Haislet  spent 
several  years  in  Cresco.  after  leaving  the  Register,  but  in  .\ugust.  1875.  returned 
to  Decorah  and  started  the  publication  of  the  \  entilaior,  InU  it  susiiemled  in  a 
short  time,  its  editor  going  to  Oubuiiue,  where  he  remained  until  the  fall  of 
1876,  when  he  once  more  engaged  in  business  here,  starting  the  Decoraii  Radical. 
Mr.  Haislet  died  March  ft.  1881.  but  his  widuw  continued  the  imi'er  until  .May 
I.  1882,  when  Charles  II.  Craig  i)urchased  the  jilaiit  and  changed  the  pai)er's 
name  to  the  Decorah  I'antagraiih.  On  Xovember  15.  1884.  \\  .  V..  .\lexaiider 
bought  out  Mr.  Craig  and  the  i)ai)er"s  name  was  changed  to  the  Press,  but  after 
a  few  months  he  sold  out  to  Mr.  Woodruff  of  the  Journal.  In  ii^^i)!  C.  C  Coutant. 
who  had  been  located  at  Calmar  for  several  years,  bought  an  interest  in  the  Jour- 
nal and  two  years  later  acquired  his  partner's  interest  also,  lie  continued  in 
ownershi|)  until  about  six  years  ago.  when  he  sold  out  to  Charles  Meyer  of  Leaf 
River,    lllinoi-^.    and    llure.ifur    followed    three    i>arliierships — .Meyer    &    Mead, 


A.  K.  BATLKV 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  145 

Mever  &  Holmes  (the  latter,  \V.  H.  Holmes,  who  had  been  foreman  of  the  Jour- 
nal for  some  time  ),  and  Holmes  &  Biermann,  F.  E.  Biermann  being  the  purchaser 
of  Mever's  interest.  Air.  liiermann  purchased  Mr.  Holmes'  interest  in  191 1  and 
has  since  been  sole  owner. 

The  third  paper  in  age  in  Winneshiek  county  is  the  Decorah-Posten,  the  lead- 
ing semi-weeklv  Norwegian  newspaper  in  America.  B.  Anundsen,  its  founder, 
came  to  Decorah  in  1867  and  opened  an  office  for  the  purpose  of  printing  the 
various  publications  of  the  Norwegian  Lutheran  Synod.  In  September,  1874, 
he  began  the  jniblication  of  Posten  and  gradually  it  grew  Ijoth  in  size  and  popu- 
larity. In  1882  he  was  sending  out  7,000  copies  weekly,  and  in  the  years  imme- 
diately succeeding  the  subscription  list  grew  rapidly,  passing  successively  in 
short  periods  the  10,000  mark,  15,000,  20,000  and  on  up  until  in  the  "gos  the  paper 
was  going  to  more  than  30,000  subscribers  in  all  parts  of  the  world.  When  it 
was  changed  from  a  weekly  to  a  semi-weekly  its  i>opularity  was  still  further 
increased  and  it  has  continued  to  grow  steadily  and  substantially.  At  the  pres- 
ent time  40,000  copies  are  issued  twice  each  week.  The  equipment  for  printing 
this  large  number  of  papers  is  of  the  modern  type  employed  by  the  city  dailies 
and  is  complete  in  all  departments.  As  is  well  known  to  the  people  of  the  county, 
Mr.  Anundsen  died  in  March,  1913,  after  an  illness  of  about  three  years.  His 
business  had  previously  been  incorporated  under  the  title  of  The  B.  Anundsen 
Publishing  Company  and  is  ably  conducted,  the  business  management  having 
fallen  upon  Robert  B.  Bergerson,  who  was  a  protege  of  Mr.  Anundsen.  In  the 
biographical  volume  of  this  work  will  be  found  a  sketch  of  Mr.  .Amundsen's  life. 

The  Decorah  Public  Opinion,  of  which  Harry  J.  Green  is  owner  and  editor, 
was  first  issued  at  Cresco  by  Fred  L.  Akers.  In  1893  it  was  moved  to  Decorah 
and  the  year  following  Mr.  Green  acquired  an  interest  in  the  business.  In 
1900  he  purchased  Mr.  Akers'  share,  thus  becoming  sole  owner.  The  paper  has 
enjoyed  a  steady  growth  and  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  prominent  republican 
newspapers  of  Northeastern  Iowa.  Like  all  of  the  newspaper  plants  of  Decorah 
its  equipment  is  adec|uate  and  modern  and  its  i)ages  are  always  newsy. 

While  not  strictly  a  newspaper  concern,  the  Lutheran  Publishing  House  is  en- 
titled to  its  share  of  credit  in  the  devolpment  of  the  printing  industry  in  Win- 
neshiek country.  As  its  name  implies,  its  principal  business  is  one  of  publish- 
ing books — prayer  books,  hymnals,  Bibles,  text  and  reference  books — and 
religious  publications,  largely  in  the  Norwegian  language.  It  is  the  printing 
office  of  the  Norwegian  Lutheran  Synod  of  America  and  here  some  seven  or 
eight  church  and  Sunday  school  papers  are  jniblished.  It  has  complete  print- 
ing and  binding  departments ;  and  while  it  does  not  seek  outside  work,  still 
a  large  amount  of  such  work  comes  to  it  unsought.  For  many  years  its  place 
of  business  was  on  Main  street,  at  the  east  edge  of  what  is  now  the  Gov- 
ernment postoffice  site,  but  in  the  '80s  the  former  Arlington  hotel  building  at 
the  west  end  of  Water  street  was  purchased  and  remodeled.  Last  year  it  was 
again  remodeled  and  a  large  addition  built,  and  as  a  result  the  business  is  now 
housed  in  the  most  modern  printing  office  structure  in  Northeastern  Iowa.  Its 
affairs  arc  under  the  direction  of  a  board  of  trustees,  but  L.  S.  Dale  is  the  man- 
ager. 

Calmar  first  acquired  a  newspaper  in  1870  when  T.  B.  Wood  started  the  Win- 
neshiek Representative,  but  after  about  a  year  the  paper  was  moved  to  Ossian 


14G  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WTXXESHIEK  COUNTY 

and  soon  after  it  was  discontinued.  Samuel  S.  Haislet,  brother  of  George  W. 
llaislet,  issued  the  Calniar  Guardian  for  about  two  years  from  April  19.  1876. 
An  interim  of  four  years  followed  when  there  was  no  paper  published  there 
but  in  June,  1882,  the  Critic  came  into  existence,  piloted  by  W.  C.  Eaton.  It 
could  not  have  lived  more  than  a  year,  for  in  the  files  of  the  Decorah  Republi- 
can for  1883  we  find  mention  of  the  starting  of  the  Calmar  Clarion  by  A.  E. 
Winrott  during  the  latter  part  of  July.  Mr.  Winrott  was  a  railway  mail  clerk 
and  spent  his  time  while  not  engaged  on  the  road  in  the  management  of  his 
printing  establishment.  He  also  developed  a  nice  business  in  practice  cards  and 
cases  for  use  by  mail  clerks  in  perfecting  themselves  in  their  work  of  sorting 
mail  for  the  various  routes.  This  dei)artment  proved  so  satisfactory  that  he 
finally  discontinued  his  newspaper  and  moved  to  Chicago,  where  he  subsequently 
became  prosperous  through  the  sale  of  specialties  pertaining  to  railway  mail 
service.  .Soon  after  he  left,  C.  C.  Coutant,  who  had  previously  resided  at  New 
Hampton,  located  at  Calmar  and  started  the  i>ul)lication  of  the  Herald,  which 
he  discontinued  in  1891.  S.  R.  Yager  started  the  Courier  in  1893  and  remains 
at  the  helm. 

Ridgeway  is  the  last  town  in  the  county  that  has  secured  newspaper  repre- 
sentation. In  the  '90s  Herman  W.  Haislet,  younger  son  of  George  \\'.  Haislet, 
who  founded  the  Winneshiek  Register  in  Decorah  in  1866,  established  the  Ridge- 
way Record.  It  had  an  e.xistance  of  about  a  year.  In  1902  E.  W.  r)00ton  estab- 
lished the  Review,  w-hich  he  sold  to  M.  Lee  Hathaway  in  1904.  I'nder  Mr. 
Hathaway 's  management  the  paper  has  steadily  improved,  and  the  office  equip- 
ment is  as  complete  as  any  small  town  can  boast  of.  Fort  Atkinson,  for  some  years, 
had  a  worthy  representative  in  The  Times,  which  was  established  by  .\.  K.  Dodd. 
C.  V.  Summers  later  purchased  an  interest  and  subsequently  I)ecame  sole  owner. 
Seeing  what  he  considered  a  better  opening.  Mr.  Summers  moved  his  ])Iant  to 
Lime  Springs,  and  since  that  time  Fort  Atkinson  has  been  without  a  ]>aper. 
Prior  to  this  two  other  newspapers  had  existed.  In  1875  Erank  L.  Bradley  pub- 
lished the  Fort  Atkinson  News,  and  about  1889  Henry  Hess  publi.shed  "Life 
Bote,"  a  German  paper. 

As  stated  in  the  history  of  the  Calmar  newspaper,  Ossian's  first  ]nil)licalion 
was  the  Winneshiek  Representative.  Among  its  successors  was  the  Herald, 
which  had  an  existence  of  some  time,  but  it  was  not  until  1S85  that  a  ])ermanent 
newspaper  was  acquired.  Early  in  that  \ear  Henry  Woodruff  of  Decorah 
started  the  Ossian  Bee,  and  in  May.  M.  J.  Carter  became  associate  editor.  In 
1887  Mr.  Carter  bought  the  business  and  for  a  number  of  years  thereafter  was 
its  publisher.  A.  C.  Heck  was  its  next  editor.  For  several  years  he  was  sole 
proprietor  and  enjoyed  a  good  patronage.  In  1905,  T.  F.  Schmitz  purchased  a 
half  interest,  the  partnership  continuing  until  1910  when  Mr.  Heck  sold  his  hold- 
ings to  Mr.  Schmitz,  who  has  since  been  in  sole  control. 

In  1906  Alexander  K.  Kaupel  began  the  pulslication  of  the  Ossian  l-.nler- 
prise.  The  town  was  .scarcely  large  enough  for  two  ])apers  and  after  an  existence 
of  ncarlv  four  years  the  pajicr  was  discontinued  on  .August   i.  1910. 


CHAPTER  XII 
THE  MEDICAL  PROFESSION 

The  record  of  the  medical  profession  in  Winneshiek  county,  for  the  earher 
years,  has  proven  difficult  to  trace.  Xo  history  that  has  been  compiled  seemed  to 
consider  these  most  necessary  citizens  worthy  of  separate  consideration.  Here  and 
there  may  be  found  mention  of  them  separately,  but' quite  generally  such  men- 
tion is  made  in  connection  with  some  activity  foreign  to  their  profession.  This 
in  itself  is  indicative  that  the  pioneer  physicians  were  men  of  more  than  ordinary 
character,  whose  aljility  was  not  confined  to  the  treatment  of  the  ills  of  mankind. 

Possibly  one  of  the  tirst  of  the  medical  profession  to  locate  in  the  county  was 
Doctor  Andros  who  spent  some  years  in  Fort  Atkinson  and  Decorah.  The  record 
clearly  indicates  that  Dr.  J.  i\I.  Greene  and  his  brother-in-law.  Dr.  Thomas  J. 
Hazlett,  were  among  the  early  day  practitioners  in  Decorah.  and  it  is  well  known 
■  that  Dr.  Henry  C.  Bullis  came  to  Decorah  in  1852,  making  his  home  here  unti' 
claimed  by  death.  He  was  one  of  the  busy,  successful  physicians,  and  a  man 
who  did  much  in  shaping  the  welfare  of  the  county  and  state.  Beside  his  home 
activities  he  served  as  trustee  and  regent  of  Iowa  State  University,  was  examining 
surgeon  on  the  pension  lioard  from  1865  to  1876,  and  was  also  president  of  the 
State  ^ledical  Society.  Mention  is  found  of  him  in  the  chapter  on  schools  and 
railroad  construction.  Dr.  George  Bolles,  was  also  one  of  the  pioneers  here, 
later  moving  to  South  Dakota  where  he  repeated  his  experience  of  the  earlv 
'SOs  in  this  county. 

In  1857  Dr.  W.  F.  Coleman  joined  the  ranks  of  physicians.  He  became  the 
first  mayor  of  Decorah  after  its  incorporation,  served  on  the  pension  board  and 
as  a  member  of  the  commission  of  insanity.  He  also  served  for  two  years  as 
assistant  surgeon  of  the  17th  Iowa  Infantry. 

Memory  must  serve  partially  in  referring  to  some  of  the  men  who  followed 
the  foregoing,  nor  are  we  writing  to  declare  that  these  were  the  only  ones  who 
were  then  practicing  here.  It  is  the  impression  of  this  writer  that  Dr.  f.  W'ilber 
Curtis  was  here  before  i860.  He  was  a  man  of  many  eccentricities,  but  never- 
theless a  most  capable  physician,  and  with  his  interest  aroused  he  has  heen 
known  to  lead  many  a  forlorn  hope  to  victory.  As  an  obstetrician  he  had  few 
equals. 

147 


148  PAST  AXl)   I'RF.SF.XT  OF  WIXXF.SHIKK  COL'XTY 

Dr.  Fordyce  Worth,  the  last  of  the  early  day  physicians,  came  to  llesper  in 
1856,  where  he  engaged  first  in  merchandising.  He  had  previously  pursued  the 
study  of  medicine,  hut  it  was  not  until  1870  that  he  acquired  his  sheepskin  and 
began  devoting  himself  more  exclusively  to  practice.  He  slill  resides  at  Hesper. 
a  well  preserved  man  of  more  than  eighty-two  years. 

In  the  year  1S66  Dr.  J.  S.  Roome  established  himself  at  Calmar,  and  for  many 
years  he  was  practically  alone  in  that  field.  So  successful  was  he  that  the  resi- 
dents of  a  wide  territory  would  think  of  having  no  other.  He  became  one  of 
Calmar's  most  substantial  and  widely  known  business  men  and  retired  only  three 
years  ago,  moving  to  California  to  s])end  the  balance  of  his  days.  He  represented 
Winneshiek  county  during  two  sessions  of  the  Iowa  Legislature.  Dr.  C.  D. 
Roome,  a  brother  of  Dr.  J.  S.  Roome,  was  located  for  a  time  at  Ridgeway  where 
he  established  himself  in  1874.     He  later  moved  to  Cresco. 

Dr.  \\'.  M.  I'^allows  located  at  Fort  Atkinson  in  1872;  Dr.  C.  W.  Cady,  now 
of  Mabel,  Minnesota,  was  for  many  years  following  1877  the  resident  physician 
at  Burr  Oak ;  Dr.  R.  Small  came  to  Decorah  from  I-"ayette  county  in  the  early 
'70s  and  died  some  years  ago;  Dr.  .\ustin  Pegg  was  a  successful  practitioner 
at  Ossian  at  about  the  same  time;  Dr.  J.  I'.illington  was  for  many  years  located 
in  Decorah.     .At  the  time  he  was  the  only  Norwegian  physician  here. 

The  men  that  have  been  referred  to  were  all  allopath.s — followers  of  the  olil 
school.  Practically  alone  in  his  field  was  Dr.  [idnnnul  C'artwright.  homoeoijaih, 
of  Decorah.  Previous  to  coming  here  he  had  .spent  some  time  at  Lansing.  His 
son  Richard  Cartwright  chose  to  follow  his  father's  profession  and  was  associ- 
ated with  him  for  a  lime  but  for  many  years  lias  been  one  of  the  leading  phv- 
sicians  at  Salem,  Oregon.  Dr.  C.  H.  Strong,  now  of  Toledo,  Ohio,  was  also 
engaged  here  for  a  short  lime. 

.Among  all  the  ])hysicians  that  have  been  mcnlioned  iKrein  none  was  a  s])ecial- 
ist — there  was  little  opportunity  for  such  practice — but  in  the  realms  of  every 
day  service  where  all-round  experience  was  demanded,  thcv  asked  no  odds  of 
any  set  of  men. 

If  memory  serves  aright.  Dr.  .\.  C.  Smith  was  the  first  specialist  to  locale 
here  and  remain  for  a  sufficient  time  to  be  considered  jjermaiient.  Althout;h  he 
would  occasionally  take  a  case  in  general  i)ractice  he  preferred  to  devote  himself 
to  diseases  of  the  eye,  ear,  nose  and  throal,  and  for  many  years  maintained  his 
office  in  Decorah  where  he  enjoyed  a  lucrative  practice.  It  is  only  within  a  few 
years  that  he  has  retired.  His  son.  Dr.  Carsten  C.  Smith,  has  enlered  the  ranks 
of  general  i^ractice  and  is  now  located  in  Minnesota. 

The  i^resent  day  finds  the  local  ranks  well  filled.  In  Decorah  are  P.  .M.  and 
M.  D.Jewell.  .\.  F.  I'.arfoot.  .A.  J.  Swezy,  llarrielt  11.  .Amy,  .A.  C.  Hoeg,  T.  Stabo, 
and  II.  II.  ihomas,  allopaths:  .\.  t".  Woodwaid.  homoeopath,  and  Doctors  Lrban 
i\;  Lrban.  osteoi^atlis.  .At  Calmar  are  located  I"..  .\l.  lleilen;  T.  C.  Hennessy  and 
F.  H.  EUingson.  Ossian  is  served  by  J.  .A.  juen  and  J.  W.  Lynch.  .\t  Frankvillc 
Doctor  Kiesaw  is  alone.  He  was  preceded  there  by  Dr.  E.  T.  Wilcox,  one  of  the 
most  successful  men  tlial  |)art  of  the  country  ever  knew.  Preceding  Doctor  Wilcox 
was  Dr.  !•'.  W.  Daubney,  who  died  in  November,  k^ij,  after  a  residence  in 
Decorah  of  about  twenty-five  years,  during  which  he  enjoyed  a  very  lucrative 
l)ractice.  At  Highlandville  Dr.  J.  D.  Hexom  has  won  a  worthy  success.  Dr. 
W.  H.  Emmons  stepped  into  Doctor  Cady's  place  at  llurr  Oak  and  has  an  cxlen- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  U9 

sive  practice.  Dr.  Gertrude  G.  Wellington  is  practicing  in  Hesper.  The  most 
recent  addition  to  the  profession  is  Dr.  Ilyron  Lewis,  who  in  August,  191 3,  pur- 
chased the  [practice  of  Dr.  L.  J.  Kaasa  at  Ridgeway.  DoctDr  Kaasa  was  the  suc- 
cessor two  years  ago  of  Dr.  J.  C.  Lewis,  who  was  for  many  years  the  main 
dependence  of  the  citizens  in  the  western  part  of  the  count}'. 

THE    DENTISTS 

While  not,  strictly  speaking,  members  of  the  medical  profession,  tlie  tlentists 
are  eligible  to  enrollment  in  this  chapter.  In  Dccorah  are  F.  W.  Conover,  C.  L. 
Topliiif,  T.  C.  Hutchinson,  O.  Boe  and  W.  R.  Toye.  At  Calniar,  J.  F.  Conover, 
and  at  Ossian,  T.  P.  Schneeberger. 

THE    DECOR.\H     HOSPITAL 

During  the  past  summer  (1913)  interest  has  centered  in  the  prospective  estab- 
lishment of  a  hospital  in  Decorah.  William  H.  .Smitli,  a  v.ealthy  retired  farmer, 
made  a  proposal  to  contribute  $10,000  on  condition  that  the  Commercial  Club 
raised  $15,000  more.  This  was  accomplished  and  the  organization  of  a  hospital 
company  is  now  under  way.  Probably  before  this  book  leaves  the  printer's 
hands  the  choice  of  a  location  will  have  been  made  and  announced.  Dr.  J.  R. 
Guthrie  of  Dubu(|ue,  a  man  of  high  rank  in  the  Aiiddle  West,  has  been  engaged 
as  chief  surgeon,  and  all  physicians  of  the  county  will  be  on  the  hospital  stalT. 
The  people  of  Decorah  and  the  county  generally  regard  this  accomplishment  as 
one  of  the  most  worthy  ever  undertaken  local Iv. 


CHAPTER  XIII 
THE  LEGAL  PROFESSION 

"The  First  Things  of  Decorah"  was  the  title  of  a  discourse  delivered  by 
Rev.  Ephraim  Adams  on  Thanksgiving  da)'  (November  28),  1867.  Among  other 
things  he  said:  "In  the  same  year,  July  3,  1851,  the  first  lawyer  made  his  appear- 
ance. Undertaking  to  walk  out  from  Lansing,  he  got  lost  by  the  way  and 
stopped  the  first  night  at  a  Norwegian's  house  six  or  eight  miles  east  of  this.  Start- 
ing on  the  next  morning  he  came  along  about  noon  to  the  log  tavern,  and  inquired 
the  way  to  Decorah,  rejoicing,  no  doubt,  to  be  at  his  journey's  end  ere  he  had 
found  it.  His  name  was  John  B.  Onstine.  The  second  of  his  profession  was 
Dryden  Smith  ;  the  third,  A.  B.  Weblier ;  the  fourtli,  John  L.  Burton ;  and  the 
fifth,  L.  ]^>ullis ;  tiie  sixth,  E.  E.  Cooley,  who  came  in  October,  1854, — and  so  on." 

The  record  made  by  former  historians  discloses  the  name  of  James  D.  McKay 
as  the  successful  candidate  for  Prosecuting  Attorney  in  the  election  of  1852. 
Air.  McKay  resided  on  Washington  Prairie.  In  1855  the  name  of  William  Bailey 
appears  as  an  unsuccessful  candidate  for  the  same  oflice.  In  1856  L.  W.  Gris- 
wold  had  entered  upon  the  scene.     In  1857  G.  R.  Willett  joined  the  local  bar. 

Thus  is  established  the  basis  of  the  legal  profession  in  Winneshiek  county. 
Justice  may  have  been  crude  in  those  days,  Init  from  the  above  list  there  devel- 
oped men  of  more  than  passing  attainment  in  our  local  courts,  and  at  least  one 
gained  a  reputation  before  the  higher  tribunals  that  marked  him  as  the  possessor 
of  an  unusually  keen,  analytical  mind.  We  refer  to  the  late  Judge  G.  R.  Willett. 
Canadian  l^orn,  of  American  parentage.  He  acquired  his  early  education  in  the 
Dominion.  This  was  followed  by  a  law  course  at  the  Albany  Law  School,  and  in 
1857,  a  year  after  his  graduation,  he  came  to  Decorah  where  his  ability  soon  gained 
recognition.  He  was  a  man  of  deep  feeling  for  any  cause  that  enlisted  his 
sympathv.  When  the  call  came  for  volunteers  in  1861  he  was  the  first  man 
to  enlist  in  Decorah,  and  raised  Company  D,  Third  Iowa  Infantry,  of  which  he 
served  as  captain  until  a  Ijullet  wound  in  his  knee  incapacitated  him  for  further 
duty.  He  was  elected  County  Judge  in  1864,  served  in  three  sessions  of  the 
Iowa  Legislature,  was  president  pro  tern  of  the  Senate  and  chairman  of  the  Com- 
mittee on  Constitutional  Amendments  in  1874,  and  chairman  of  the  Judiciary 
Committee  in   1875,  beside  serving  on  other  important  committees.     From  his 

151 


152  I'AST  AXD_i'Rl-:SE\T  OF  W  LWESHIEK  CUUXTV 

first  days  in  tlic  county  Judge  Willett  was  prominent  in  the  activities  of  the  iw^jile. 
hut  it  was  in  his  profession  that  he  won  his  greatest  distinction.  He  delighted 
in  cases  that  presented  the  toughest  legal  knots.  With  such  it  was  his  practice, 
as  he  put  it.  to  "hold  it  up  by  the  four  corners,"  and  if  he  was  satisfied  that  the 
equities  were  on  his  side  he  felt  no  misgivings  of  the  outcome.  Sometimes  he 
was  com])ened  to  go  to  the  highest  tribunals  to  win  his  verdict,  hul  in  a  long 
and  rather  intimate  acciuaintance  with  him  the  writer  cannot  recall  a  ca.se  he 
lost  in  the  Supreme  Court.  ITe  was  a  m;in  of  jolly  disposition,  (juite  given  to 
reminiscent  story  telling,  and  he  had  a  fund  of  them  at  his  command. 

Reference  to  Judge  Cooley  and  Levi  RuUis  will  be  found  under  the  head  of 
" Politics  and  the  Politicians."  They,  too,  were  men  of  force  and  influence.  Mr. 
i'ullis  was  particularly  pojjular  among  young  men.  It  was  his  pleasure  to  have 
them  about  him.  .Mthough  a  man  of  positive  likes  and  dislikes  and  very  out- 
spoken in  is  opinions  of  men  and  events,  he  had  a  following  whose  loyaltv  could 
not  be  shaken. 

Judge  M.  \'.  P.urdick,  elected  as  the  first  Circuit  Judge  in  1869,  was  another 
of  the  early  and  prominent  attorneys.  Prior  to  going  on  the  bench  he  was  a 
])artner  of  Judge  Willett  and  possessed  to  a  degree  the  same  analytical  (|uality 
that  won  success  for  his  partner,  lie  moved  to  Lansing  after  retiring  from  the 
bench,  and  died  May  8.   1886. 

( )ne  of  the  men  who  is  scarcely  e\er  referred  to  now,  but  a  pioneer  lawyer 
of  much  aliility,  was  Seneca  A,  Tupper.  Me  and  his  son  Charles  Tuppcr  practiced 
in  the  local  courts,  the  latter  for  a  comparatively  short  time.  He  entered  the 
;.rmy  and  was  among  those  who  gave  up  their  li\es  in  the  struggle  of  1861-65. 
The  sem'nr  Tup])er  died  some  years  later,  generally  respected  as  a  lawyer  and 
citizen. 

Advancing  a  few  years  we  find  the  names  of  John  T.  Clark,  Cyrus  Wellington, 
('harles  P.  Brown  and  Orlando  J.  Clark  prominently  mentioned.  Of  this  quartette 
John  T.  Clark  was  probably  mo.st  prominent  for  a  number  of  years.  It  was  .said 
of  him  that,  [jrior  to  revision  of  the  Code  of  Iowa  in  1S73,  a  young  attorney  had 
little  show  against  him.  He  was  thoroughly  versed  in  the  Code  of  1S58,  and 
could  carry  a  less  informed  opponent  oft'  liis  feet,  ])arlicularlv  if  the  case  ii;i|)- 
l>encd  to  be  tried  before  a  jur\-. 

Ill  \Xj(<  Ibdwii  (X:  Wellington,  then  ])artners,  won  considerable  distinction 
as  criminal  lawyers  in  their  defence  of  1  lelen  D.  Stickles,  charged  with  the  murder 
of  her  liusband,  JcjIiii  P.  Stickles.  Pitted  against  them  were  O.  J.  Clark,  as  jiros- 
ccuting  attorney,  and  John  T.  Clark.  Stickles  died  under  circumstances  indicating 
strychnine  jxiisoning.  .V  post  mortem  examination  strengthened  this  opinion 
and  resulted  in  the  stomach  being  sent  to  I)r,  P.  M.  Hatfield  of  Chicago  for 
chemical  examination.  His  examination  confirmed  the  sus])icion  and  Mrs.  Stickles 
was  brought  to  trial,  but  while  the  general  belief  of  her  guilt  was  entertained, 
on  tile  trial  the  jury  disagreed,  and  on  a  change  of  venue  to  Fayette  coinitx-  she 
was  acquitted  at  the  second  trial. 

This  trial  brought  Cyrus  Wellington  jjarticularly  before  the  public.  He  suli- 
se<|uently  was  chosen  district  attorney  and  was  holding  office  when  a  change 
in  the  court  system  caused  the  discontinuance  of  the  attorncysliip.  Some  vears 
later  he  moved  to  St,  Paul  where  he  attracted  the  attention  of  James  J.  Hill 
and  became  the  attorney  of  the  Great   Xorlhern   road.     He  was  compelled  by 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  153 

approaching  l)liiuliiess  lo  give  uji  his  duties  and  (hed  se\eral  years  ago  at  a  lake 
resort  in  Wisconsin  where  he  hved  in  retirement. 

Mr.  Brown  also  moved  to  St.  Paul  where  he  dieil.  John  T.  Clark  died  at 
Postville  January   17.   1885. 

The  record  as  to  the  attorneys  is  more  or  less  fragmentary  at  best,  and  a 
searcher  after  historical  data  is  compelled  to  take  much  upon  faith  or  only  glance 
over  all  but  a  few  of  the  more  prominent  personages. 

Among  the  attorneys  who  were  practicing  in  Winneshiek  in  the  '70s 
were  Martin  M.  and  Lewis  Johnson.  They  moved  to  North  Dakota  where  the 
former  became  the  first  Congressman  after  that  state  was  admitted  to  the  Union. 
At  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  serving  as  one  of  the  two  United  States  Senators. 
Previous  to  going  to  North  Dakota  he  enjoyed  experience  in  Iowa  as  Representa- 
tive and  Senator  from  Winneshiek  in  the  Legislature. 

Others  who  joined  the  ranks  of  the  attorneys  about  that  time  were  John 
B.  Kave,  who  located  at  Calmar  in  1872,  and  M.  J.  Carter  at  Ossian,  who  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1877,  and  R.  F.  B.  Portman  of  Decorah,  in  1878. 

Mr.  Kaye  was  an  Englishman  by  birth,  coming  to  America  with  his  parents 
in  1842.  The  family  settled  near  Geneva,  Wisconsin,  in  1848,  and  in  1863  Mr. 
Kaye  went  to  Nevada  where  he  spent  four  years  in  gold  camps.  The  next  four 
years  were  a  time  of  roving  with  him,  but  after  a  year  at  his  old  home  he  came 
lo  Iowa.  He  was  a  student,  not  only  of  law,  but  of  the  Bible  and  all  other  good 
literature,  and  possessed  a  poetic  nature  that  first  found  expression  in  numerous 
bits  of  miscellaneous  verse.  In  his  later  years  he  produced  three  books  of  his 
writings,  the  most  worthy  of  these  bearing  the  title  of  "Vashti."  In  his  legal 
practice  his  literary  tendency  was  apt  to  be  shown  in  his  ready  application  of  quo- 
tations from  various  writers.  He  won  distinction  in  his  defence  of  John  Cater  of 
Burr  CJak,  charged  with  the  killing  of  his  wife,  and  in  his  assistance  on  the  side 
of  the  state  in  the  (Jiitord-Bigelow  murder  trial.  Although  in  each  instance  he 
was  on  the  losing  side,  his  handling  of  the  cases  clearly  demonstrated  an  unusual 
ability. 

Mr.  Carter  began  life  in  this  county  as  a  boy  on  a  Bloomfield  township  farm 
in  1856.  In  1874  he  engaged  in  clerking,  subsequently  studying  law  in  the 
oftice  of  G.  L.  Faust  in  Ossian.  After  being  admitted  to  the  bar  he  opened  an 
office  in  Ossian  where  he  has  since  remained,  enjoying  a  lucrative  practice. 

Of  Mr.  Faust,  little  is  recalled  today.  He  was  prominent  politically  during  his 
residence  in  the  ccnmty,  but  ilid  not  remain  here  for  many  years. 

Mr.  Portman,  like  Air.  Kaye,  was  a  native  of  England.  He  came  to  Decorah 
in  1872,  having  ])reviously  seen  service  in  the  British  navy.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Hrm  of  Horn,  Portman,  Clive  &  Company  in  the  old  Eagle  foundry  for 
about  three  years,  but  in  1876  entered  C.  P.  Brown's  office  to  study  law  and, 
on  being  admitted  to  practice  in  1878,  became  Mr.  Brown's  partner.  Mr.  Portman 
never  aspired  to  be  a  trial  lawyer,  but  confined  himself  largely  to  practice  in 
probate  court  and  as  an  office  attorney.  In  this  he  was  successful,  and  is  today 
one  of  the  three  men  in  Decorah  who  link  the  jiast  with  the  present. 

Another  is  Norman  Willett,  second  son  of  Judge  Willctt,  who  sustains  in  a 
large  measure  the  same  relationship  to  his  clients  and  the  bar  as  did  his  worthy 
father.  For  a  time  in  the  early  '80s,  Mr.  Willett  was  in  his  father's  office. 
A  position  was  ofTered  him  with  one  of  the  pniminent   farm  implement  houses 


154  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OE  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

as  traveling  collector,  and  his  acceptance  was  followed  by  several  years  of  service 
in  this  capacity.  When  he  returned  to  Decorah  it  was  to  become  a  partner  in 
the  practice  that  had  come  to  Judge  Willett.  It  is  not  strange  that  he  inherited 
many  of  the  characteristics  that  made  his  father  an  able  lawyer,  or  that,  working  on 
similar  lines,  he  has  built  for  success  in  his  profession.  He  has  been  accorded 
])olitical  preferment  at  the  hands  of  the  voters,  serving  as  countv  altorney  with 
distinction,  and  has  been  frequently  mentioned  as  possessing  e.Kcellent  (lualifica- 
tioiis  for  the  judgeshij).  but  he  entertains  no  aspirations  in  that  direction,  being 
content  with  his  ]K'rst)nal  business  and  the  pleasant  associations  that  it  permits. 
George  W.  Adams  is  the  third  of  the  trio  above  referred  to.  Mr.  Adams 
began  practicing  law  some  years  before  either  Mr.  Willctt  or  Mr.  Portman, 
ante-dating  Mr.  Carter  of  Ossian.  if  we  are  not  mistaken. 

Among  the  younger  attorneys  whose  names  were  as.sociated  with  the  pioneers 
were  Walter  E.  Akers,  Charles  M.  Cooley  and  William  H.  Fannon.  :\Ir.  Akers 
and  Mr.  Cooley  were  students  in  the  office  of  E.  E.  Cooley  while  Mr.  Fannon 
was  a  law  school  graduate.  The  firm  of  Fannon  &  .\kers  was  in  existence  at  the 
time  that  Judge  Cooley  was  appointed  to  the  bench.  C.  :M.  Cooley,  who  had  been 
in  his  father's  office,  joined  Fannon  &  Akers  and  the  tirni  became  Cooley,  Fannon 
(S-  Akers,  remaining  so  until  1882  when  Mr.  Fannon  was  compelled  to  retire  on 
account  of  ill  health.  :\Tr.  Cooley  also  withdrew  and  went  to  South  Dakota. 
When  Judge  Cooley  left  the  bench  the  firm  of  Cooley  &  Akers  was  formed. 
They  subsequently  moved  to  Minneapolis  where  Roger  W.  Cooley,  the  yomiger 
son  of  Judge  Cooley,  joined  them,  and  the  firm  of  Cooley.  Akers  &  Cooley 
maintained  offices  in  Minneapolis  and  Luverne,  Minnesota.  Mr.  Fannon  sought 
to  recuperate  his  health  on  a  farm  near  Neleigh,  Nebraska,  but  in  this  he  was 
unsuccessful.  C.  M.  Cooley  later  moved  to  ^Minneapolis,  but  manv  years  ago 
established  a  residence  at  Grand  Forks,  North  Dakota,  where  now  he  is  judge  of 
one  of  the  higher  tribunals.  Judge  E.  E.  Cooley  returned  to  Decorah  where 
the  remaining  years  of  his  life  were  spent.  Mr.  .\kers  met  a  tragic  death 
while  still  in  his  ])rinie.  In  attempting  to  go  from  one  coach  to  another  on  a 
fast  moving  train,  while  returning  from  Chicago,  he  was  thrown  from  the 
car  and  killed. 

Roger  W.  Cooley  for  many  years  preferred  to  follow  newspaper  work.  In 
later  years  he  was  associated  with  the  West  Publishing  Company,  of  St.  Paul, 
in  an  editorial  capacity  in  connection  with  their  law  book  publications.  He  became 
an  authority  on  insurance  law,  and  at  the  present  time  is  Dean  of  the  I,aw  School 
at   Grand    Forks.   North   Dakota. 

In  the  more  recent  years  the  name  of  Dan  Shea  appears.  Mr.  Shea  had 
served  as  Superintendent  of  Schools  for  several  terms  and  on  leaving  office  took 
up  the  law.  -At  a  time  when  he  had  just  entered  on  wh.it  jinMiiised  to  be  a 
period  of  great  success  his  career  was  closed  bv  death. 

M.  A.  Harmon,  who  is  still  a  member  of  the  bar,  likewise  followed  service 
as  a  county  official  by  engaging  in  the  legal  i)rofession.  For  a  number  of  j-ears 
he  was  city  attorney  of  Decorah. 

.Arthur  V.  Anundsen,  oldest  S(;n  of  the  late  R.  .\nundseii.  fdiiiickr  ui  Dccorah- 
Posten,  was  a  member  of  the  local  bar  for  a  period  in  the  'i^os  and  the  years 
immediately  following.     He  was  a  man  of  recognized  abilitv,  but  abandoned  his 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  155 

practice  to  go  into  the  banking  business  at  Detroit,  Minnesota,  where  he  died 
three  years  ago. 

The  bar  as  it  is  composed  today  claims  as  its  members  Messrs.  Willett,  Port- 
man,  Harmon,  Carter,  and  Adams,  heretofore  mentioned;  Charles  N.  Houck, 
County  Attorney ;  E.  R.  Acres,  Frank  Sayre,  E.  W.  Cutting,  C.  S.  Boice,  E.  J. 
Hook,'  H.  F.  Barthell,  J.  A.  Nelson,  W.  M.  Strand,  and  E.  P.  Shea,  all  of 
Decorah ;  W.  M.  Allen  of  Ossian,  and  T.  H.  Goheen  of  Calmar. 

The  foregoing  record  takes  no  account  of  a  number  of  the  profession  who 
either  remained  here  only  a  short  time,  or  failed  to  leave  an  impress  upon  the 
public  mind.  Nor  does  it  take  into  account  the  career  of  E.  P.  Johnson,  whose 
disbarment  was  the  sensation  of  the  February  term  of  court  in  1910. 

Possibly  what  has  been  written  may  inspire  some  one  to  complete  the  record. 
It  would  prove  an  interesting  document  for  the  tiles  of  the  Winneshiek  County 
Bar  Association  when  the  organization  of  that  body,  which  was  commenced 
some  years  ago,  is  completed. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

BANKS  AND  BANKERS 

The  chronological  data  of  Winneshiek  county  states  that  in  the  winter  of 
'855-56  there  were  nine  banking  houses  in  Decorah,  from  two  of  which  subse- 
quently developed  the  Winneshiek  County  Bank  and  the  First  National  Bank. 
If  there  is  any  record  of  the  other  se\en  1)anks  we  are  imal)le  to  locate  it. 

THI-:    WINNE.SillEK    COUNTY    STATK    |;AN'K 

It  was  in  1855  that  Horace  Weiser,  then  a  young  man,  came  to  Iowa  from 
York,  Pennsylvania,  and  located  in  Decorah.  \Mth  the  ownership  vested  in  H. 
S.  Weiser  &  Co.,  he  at  once  engaged  in  the  business  of  banking,  choosing  the 
title  of  Winneshiek  County  Bank.  That  he  was  a  shrewd  and  an  able  financier 
is  the  uniform  testimony  of  all  who  knew  him,  and  the  fact  that  his  institution 
weathered  the  vicissitudes  that  imperiled  manv  of  the  banks  of  that  day  is  a  force- 
ful testimonial  to  his  good  judgment.  Yet  with  all  his  conservatism  he  bore  a 
splendid  reputation  for  fairness  and  consideration  of  the  man  who.  through 
misfortune  or  other  cause,  found  himself  in  financial  straits.  For  twenty  years 
he  remained  at  the  head  of  the  bank.  Death  claimed  him  on  July  19,  1875, 
when,  it  may  well  be  said,  he  was  in  the  prime  of  manhood  and  executive  ability. 
The  business  that  he  had  so  successfully  established  passed  into  the  control 
of  his  family,  and  with  the  exception  that  the  title  of  the  firm  became  Mrs.  H. 
S.  Weiser  &  Co.  there  was  no  change.  E.  W.  D.  Holway  became  the  bank's 
cashier  and  C.  J.  Weiser,  assistant  cashier,  and  under  their  management  enjoyed 
splendid  growth.  Mrs.  Weiser  died  November  8,  i8g8.  During  all  these  vears 
the  institution  remained  a  jjrivate  bank.  In  1902  the  owners  decided  to  incorpo- 
rate under  the  state  banking  laws,  and  the  title  was  changed  to  the  Winneshiek 
County  .State  Bank.  Charles  J.  \\'eiser,  who  entered  the  bank  as  a  young  man, 
has  been  with  it  through  its  years  of  greatest  advancement  and  usefulness  to 
the  community,  building  upon  the  foundation  laid  by  his  father  and  planning 
for  years  to  come  when  he  may  have  put  aside  the  active  management  to  give 
place  to  his  sons  that  they  may  carry  on  the  policies  that  have  made  the  bank 
so  successful  and  substantial.     It  is  worthy  of  note  that  the  Winneshiek  County 

157 


158  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

State  Bank  is  the  oldest  bank  in  Iowa,  either  private  or  organized  under  laws  of 
Iowa  or  the  nation,  and  it  has  always  been  under  one  family  management.  At 
the  present  time  the  bank's  resources  are  nearly  a  million  and  three-quarters 
of  dollars  and  its  deposits  are  over  that  amount.  Twenty  years  ago  the  business 
outgrew  the  old  building  that  had  housed  it  so  long  and  a  new  modern  structure  was 
erected.  As  this  history  is  being  prepared  another  new  building  to  take  the 
place  of  the  one  of  twenty  years  ago  is  nearing  comjjletion.  It  will  be  one 
of  the  finest  banking  houses  in  Iowa,  excelling  in  beauty  and  completeness  any- 
thing in  this  portion  of  the  state. 

The  officers  of  the  bank  are — C.  J.  Weiser,  president ;  E.  W.  D.  Holway 
and  R.  Algar,  vice  presidents;  A.  Anfinson,  cashier;  Anna  C.  W'halen,  assistant 
cashier. 

THE   FIRST    NATIONAL    BANK 

In  1854  the  firm  of  Easton,  Cooley  &  Co.,  opened  the  Decorah  Rank.  The 
members  of  the  firm  were  W.  L.  Easton  of  Lowville,  New  York ;  E.  E.  Cooley 
and  Leonard  Standring.  Success  attended  their  activities  from  the  first,  and 
in  1862  James  H.  Easton,  oldest  son  of  W.  L.  Easton,  joined  the  institution, 
I)ecoming  its  president.  The  interests  of  the  other  partners  were  acquired  by 
the  Eastons  and  for  several  years  the  firm  was  known  as  W.  L.  Easton  &  Son. 
In  1870  advantage  was  taken  of  the  National  banking  act  and  the  First  National 
Bank  of  Decorah  took  its  place.  In  the  years  that  followed  it  forged  to  the 
front  and  was  recognizecl  as  the  leading  financial  institution  in  this  portion  of 
Iowa.  It  may  be  said  the  bank  enjoyed  too  nnich  prosperity,  and  as  a  result 
some  of  its  officers  sought  investments  elsewhere.  Almost  witliont  exception 
these  investments  proved  unfortunate,  large  losses  were  sustained,  and  the  bank 
became  so  involved  that  in  November,  i8</),  it  was  forced  to  close  its  doors. 

The  Savings  Bank  of  Decorah  was  an  adjunct  of  the  First  National  Bank, 
organized  in  1873  for  the  jnirpose  of  handling  a  certain  line  of  business  that 
was  not  permitted  under  the  national  banking  act.  After  an  existence  of  thirteen 
years  it  went  into  \oluntary  liquidation,  the  exigency  for  its  maintenance  having 
passed. 

run:  riTizi:Ns  savinc.s  hank 

The  third  i);ink  to  be  opened  in  Decorah  was  the  Citizens  Savings  Bank. 
Its  incori)orators  were  C.  \V.  Burdick,  L.  L.  Cadwell,  (ieorge  Phelps,  .\.  W. 
Grow  and  Nelson  Burdick,  and  it  opened  for  business  on  Fel)ruary  jo.  18S4. 
Its  growtli  w.'is  not  rapid,  but  it  was  steady  and  sui)stantial.  l'\<  to  October, 
1907.  it  was  located  in  the  building  now  occui)ie(i  by  the  Decoraii  Tailoring 
Co.  at  1 1 1  W'imiebago  street,  in  that  }ear  the  building  at  the  corner  of  Winne- 
bago and  Water  streets,  opposite  Ben  Bear's  store,  was  purchased  and  remodeled 
as  a  banking  home  and  office  building.  Here  the  liank  has  continued  to  thrive,  win- 
ning new  friends  and  patrons  each  vear  ;ind  holding  its  old  ones  as  well  l)y  its  sound 
policies  and  courteous  treatment  to  .ill. 

In  Jamiary.  HXM.  C.  \Y.  Burdick,  who  had  l)een  the  l^ank's  president  from 
its  organization,  sold  iiis  interests  to  his  associates,  and  E.  J.  Curtin  was  elected 


OPERA  HOlSi:.  l)i;(JORAH 


NEW  STATE  BANIC,  DECORAIi 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  161 

to  succeed  him.  Mr.  Curtin  became  associated  with  the  bank  as  messenger  and 
bookkeeper  soon  after  it  opened  for  business  and  advanced  steadily,  both  in 
official  capacity  and  in  the  esteem  of  its  patrons,  proving  his  capacity  in  all 
departments.  His  worth  has  also  been  recognized  among  the  bankers  of  the 
state.  Within  the  past  five  years  he  has  served  as  treasurer  and  president  of 
their  state  organization,  as  well  as  on  important  committees  of  the  national 
organization.  He  is  a  member  of  the  board  of  directors  of  the  Iowa  State  Agri- 
cultural Society  and  has  financial  interests  at  Beach  and  Sterling,  North  Dakota, 
in  addition  to  his  local  interests,  which  combine  to  make  him  one  of  Decorah's 
busiest  business  men. 

Associated  with  him  in  the  management  of  the  Citizens  Savings  Bank  are 
Ogden  Casterton,  R.  F.  B.  Portman,  Dr.  F.  W.  Conover  and  John  Curtin  as 
directors.  Ogden  Casterton  is  vice  president,  B.  J.  McKay  is  cashier,  F.  E. 
Cratsenberg  and  Richard  E.  Bucknell  are  assistant  cashiers,  and  Miss  Minnie 
Palmer  as  stenographer  and  bookkeeper  completes  the  personnel  of  the  force. 
The  bank's  resources  are  between  $500,000  and  $600,000  and  each  year  sees  a 
healthy  increase  in  its  volume. 

THE    NATIONAL    BANK    OF    DECORAH 

The  National  Bank  of  Decorah  was  opened  for  business  on  July  12,  1897. 
Anticipatory  of  this  event  the  stockholders  purchased  the  building  of  the  de- 
funct First  National  Bank.  In  so  doing  they  secured  without  the  necessity 
of  construction  a  plant  that  was  ample  in  its  capacity,  admirable  in  its  appoint- 
ments, and  central  in  its  location.  Engaging  in  business  at  a  time  when  there 
was  not  a  little  prejudice  in  the  local  mind  because  of  the  failure  of  the  First 
National  Bank,  it  was  to  be  expected  that  their  growth  would  be  slow.  They 
soon  outlived  this  prejudice,  however,  and  the  close  of  the  first  ten  years  of 
its  existence  found  it  carrying  deposits  of  $425,433.63  and  resources  of  $549,- 
522.62,  its  capital  of  $50,000  having  been  augmented  by  a  surplus  fund  of  $10,000. 
The  men  who  made  this  growth  possible  are  among  the  substantial  men  of  the 
county.  L.  B.  Whitney,  the  president,  began  commercial  life  as  a  member  of  the 
firm  of  Cratsenberg  &  Whitney  at  Burr  Oak.  Subsequently  he  served  as  treasurer 
of  Winneshiek  county  for  four  years,  and  in  these  relations  sustained  a  splendid 
reputation  for  ability  and  integrity.  O.  C.  Johnson,  the  vice  president,  was  for 
many  years  a  merchant  in  Decorah,  later  county  auditor ;  a  man  of  sterling 
character.  H.  C.  Hjerlaid,  the  cashier,  came  to  Decorah  from  the  Cresco  Union 
Savings  Bank  and  at  once  established  the  fact  that  he  was  a  capable  banker.  W. 
F.  Baker,  the  assistant  cashier  has  grown  up  with  the  ijank  and  has  won  deserved 
recognition  both  as  a  bank  officer  and  on  the  city  council  where  he  has  served 
with  distinction  as  alderman  for  several  years.  The  directors  of  the  bank  are 
T.  J.  Haug  of  Spillville,  G.  F.  Gunderson  of  Ossian,  F.  H.  and  A.  C.  Baker  of 
Decorah,  O.  L.  Wennes  of  Highlandville,  and  E.  R.  Thompson  of  Cresco,  all  men 
of  recognized  high  standing  in  their  various  communities. 

Some  years  ago  the  bank  acquired  the  aljstract  books  of  C.  W.  Burdick  and 
these  have  become  a  valuable  adjunct  of  the  business.  They  are  in  charge  of 
Miss  Cora  Auchmoody,  who  enjoys  the  distinction  of  being  one  of  the  most 
accurate  abstracters  in  Northern  Iowa.  Miss  Lilian  Wise  is  Miss  Auchmoody 's 
assistant. 


162  PAST  AXI)  PRESENT  OF  \Vl.\.\i:sl  11I;K  (OLXTV 

Till';  DiauRAH   siAi'i-;   I'.ank 

In  SeptcinlK-r,  ii)i/>.  the  Dccorali  Stati'  I'.ank  was  organized  in  Dccorali.  Its 
incorporators  were  R.  A.  Engbretsun,  A.  1..  I  laakenson.  Ci.  1-2.  Solaiid.  A.  1. 
Dyrland,  T.  O.  Slorla,  iJr.  T.  Staho.  I''..  I.  Hook,  and  !•:.  V.  Johnson,  •{"lie 
bank  opened  alxnit  October  1st.  with  a  caiiita!  of  S25.000,  in  tlie  Sanijjsun  l)nil(Hng 
(at  the  corner  of  Water  and  Washington  streets)  which  had  been  purchased  and 
remodeled  to  meet  its  requirements.  'Hie  equipment  was  modest,  Init  ample  for 
a  considerable  period  of  growth,  and  while  it  has  not  yet  made  a  demand  upon 
its  full  eapacit\.  the  bank-  has  enjoyed  a  steady,  substantial  success  from  the 
first,  liy  many  it  was  not  believed  that  a  fourth  bank  could  lind  a  place  in 
Decorah  witliout  taking  business  from  other  local  institutions,  but  this  prediction 
has  not  been  borne  out.  in  any  respect.  In  fact,  tlie  reverse  has  been  the  result. 
The  business  that  has  come  to  this  bank  has.  in  ;i  large  measure.  l)een  new  busi- 
ness, and  at  the  same  time  the  other  banks  h;i\e  enjoyed  the  most  prosperous 
period  in  their  existence.  When  the  bank  was  first  organized  R.  A.  Engbretson 
was  chosen  as  president;  E.  P.  John.son.  vice  jiresident ;  .\.  L.  Haakenson.  cashier. 
.Mr.  Haakenson  w-as  comiielled  Iiy  ill  liealth  to  resign  two  years  ago,  and  the 
\acancy  was  filled  by  the  election  of  ]•'..  \\.  I'.erg.  who  had  formerly  been  assistant 
cashier.  E.  P.  JohnscMi  retired  from  the  \  ice  presidency  and  moved  to  Minne- 
apolis, L.  S.  Reque  taking  his  place.  .\t  the  annual  meeting  last  January,  .\rthur 
R.  Johnson  was  made  assistant  cashier.  The  board  of  directors  include  Messrs. 
Engbretson.  Reque,  Berg,  C.  E.  .Soland.  Dr.  T.  .Stabo,  h",.  J.  Mook  and  Borgcr 
Hanson.  The  bank  has  capital  and  sur])lus  of  $57,500,  the  deposits  and  loans 
being  about  $200,000  each,  and  total  re.soiu-ces  of  $258,000. 

Affiliated  with  the  Winneshiek  County  State  Rank  of  Decorah,  but  inde- 
]icndent  in  their  management,  are  the  Winneshiek  County  lianks  at  Calmar  and 
ividgeway.  the  Home  -Savings  Bank  at  Fort  .\tkinson,  tiie  Citizens  Bank  at 
Si)illville,  and  the  Canton  State  I?ank  at  Canton.  .Minnesota.  The  Winneshiek 
County  Bank  at  Calmar  was  organized  about  sexenteen  vears  ago  with  ( )le  1'. 
Ode  as  cashier.  He  has  remained  as  the  manager  through  these  successive 
years  and  II.  .A.  Dessel  is  his  assistant,  llie  Kidgeway  i'.ank  was  actjuired  bv 
purchase  in  February,  1902,  from  (ieorge  R.  I'.aker,  who  had  for  se\eral  vears 
been  engaged  in  the  lianking  business  there.  .Sixert  R.  Ringeon  xvas  made  cashier. 
.At  the  jiresenl  time  he  is  being  assisted  by  his  nephew,  l'"lmer  Ringeon.  .\ 
month  following  the  purchase  of  tlie  Ridgexvay  ]5ank,  the  bank  at  l'"ort  .\tkinson 
w^as  purchased  from  W.  F.  Miller.  Several  years  ago  the  business  was  incorpo- 
rated under  tlie  state  law,  the  title  bein'g  changed  to  the  Home  Savings  Bank. 
Frank  J.  Pouska  is  its  cashier  and  I'red  1.  lluber  is  iiis  assistant.  The  Citizens 
i'.;nikof  Spillxille  was  organized  in  HjoH.  i  .ocil  interests  at  .^pillville  joined  xxith 
the  owners  of  tlie  Winneshiek  County  State  liank  in  the  organization,  (has.  E. 
Houscr  was  its  first  cashier,  but  on  iiis  removal  from  ."-Spillxille,  .\.  .\.  .Xoxak 
succeeded  to  the  casliiership.  C.  J.  .Andera  is  his  assistant.  ]■".  .A.  Masters  is 
cashier  of  the  Canton  State  Bank.  .Although  not  a  Winneshiek  county  institution 
we  mention  it  because  of  its  association  with  the  Winneshiek  Countx'  .State 
Bank  and  the  further  fact  tliat  considerable  Winneshiek  county  moiicx'  is  on 
deposit  there.  These  l)anks  have  l)ecn  uniformly  successful,  serx  ing  their  several 
communities  in  a  manner  that  is  in  every  way  satisfactory. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  16:5 

At  the  time  of  the  organization  of  the  Winneshiek  County  Bank  at  Calmar, 
A.  McRobert  was  in  the  Ijanking  Ijusiness.  He  was  compelled  eventually  to 
close  the  institution.  Among  the  early  bankers  of  Calmar  was  John  Scott, 
postmaster  and  druggist. 

In  191 1  the  Calmar  Savings  Bank  was  organized  with  a  capital  of  $io,000. 
The  incorporators  included  some  of  the  officials  of  the  Citizens  Savings  Bank 
of  Decorah  as  well  as  prominent  citizens  of  Calmar.  It  has  established  a  surplus 
fund  of  $1,000.    It  deposits  aggregate  $25,000  and  its  loans  and  discounts  $18,000. 

For  its  size  the  town  of  Ossian  is  as  well  fortified  in  its  financial  interests  as 
any  town  in  this  section  of  the  state.  In  1880  the  Ossian  Bank,  with  Aleyer, 
Carter  and  Figge  as  partners,  came  into  existence.  It  enjoyed  a  steady  and  increas- 
ing patronage  for  about  a  score  of  years,  when  it  was  organized  under  Iowa 
law  as  the  Ossian  State  Bank  with  capital  of  $25,000  and  surplus  of  $5,000.  Its 
deposits,  according  to  a  recent  bank  directory,  are  over  $500,000  and  its  loans 
and  discounts  approximate  $450,000.  Its  officers  are  Fred  J.  Figge,  president; 
L.  A.  Meyer,  vice  president;  J.  W.  Meyer,  cashier;  Cornell  Riveland,  assistant 
cashier. 

In  1901  a  competitor  entered  the  field  in  the  Citizens  Bank  of  Ossian.  Its 
incorporators  were  some  of  the  prominent  business  men  of  the  town.  The  original 
capital  of  $10,000  has  never  been  increased,  but  a  surplus  fund  of  $18,000  has 
been  established.  Its  deposits  approach  the  $400,000  mark  and  its  loans  and 
discounts  are  $300,000  or  better.  R.  W.  Anderson  is  its  president ;  G.  F.  Gunder- 
son,  vice  president ;  M.  J.  Klein  is  its  cashier,  and  E.  H.  Kleisart  is  assistant 
cashier. 

.\t  Castalia,  the  Castalia  Savings  Bank,  organized  in  1902,  may  be  considered 
an  offspring  of  the  Ossian  State  Bank.  It  has  a  capital  of  $15,000,  surplus  of 
$5,000,  deposits  of  $120,000  and  loans  and  discounts  of  $110,000.  L.  A.  Meyer 
is  its  president  and  D.  C.  Malloy  its  cashier. 

Burr  Oak  has  a  substantial  little  organization  in  its  savings  bank  whicii 
was  organized  in  19 10.  Dr.  W.  H.  Emmons  is  its  president,  J.  A.  Thompson  its 
vice  president  and  E.  Kippe  its  cashier.  Its  capital  is  $10,000,  deposits  $61,000 
and  loans  and  discounts  $48,000. 

Another  bank  tliat  has  Decorah  affiliations,  but  which  is  not  strictly  a  Winne- 
shiek county  bank,  is  the  State  Line  Bank  of  Prosper,  organized  in  191 1.  John 
T.  Ask  is  its  president,  G.  O.  Lermo  is  its  cashier,  while  stockholders  in  the 
National  Bank  of  Decorah  are  also  interested  along  with  a  number  of  prominent 
farmers  and  business  men  in  Prosper  and  vicinity. 

For  many  years  it  has  been  a  matter  of  common  knowledge  that  Winneshiek 
count v  has  provided  the  Northwest  with  more  bankers  than  almost  any  county 
in  the  state  of  Iowa.  Scattered  throughout  the  Northwest  are  men  who  have 
received  their  grounding  in  the  banking  business  in  Winneshiek  county  institu- 
tions or  have  entered  the  business  after  leaving  here.  With  few  exceptions 
they  have  won  worthy  successes  and  have  had  much  to  do  with  the  building  up 
of  the  communities  in  which  they  have  located.  Were  it  possible  to  take  an 
accurate  census  of  the  men  who  now  are  and  have  been  engaged  in  banking 
and  once  claimed  Winneshiek  county  as  their  home  we  dare  say  that  the  number 
would  reach  well  up  towards  five  hundred. 


CHAPTER  XV 
MANUFACTURING 

The  record  of  manufacturing  in  Winneshiek  county  has  not  been  one  of 
marked  successes.  Yet  here  and  there  may  be  cited  instances  that  give  evidence 
that  success  can  be  won.  If  the  reader  follows  the  course  of  the  Upper  Iowa 
river  as  it  winds  through  the  county  he  will  be  impressed  with  the  opportunity 
it  affords  for  natural  and  cheap  power.  It  must  have  so  impressed  the  early 
settler,  for  from  Kendallville  down  to  the  east  line  of  Glenwood  township, 
where  it  says  good-bye  to  Winneshiek  and  hurries  on  its  way  through  the 
northern  part  of  Allamakee  county  to  empty  into  the  Mississippi,  there  are  evi- 
dences in  many  places  of  dams  that  were  built  to  supply  power  for  some  primi- 
tive grist  or  saw  mill.  Down  in  the  southern  part  of  the  county  where  the 
Turkey  river  flows  we  find  the  same  thing.  Nor  is  that  all ;  the  smaller  streams 
were  made  to  do  duty  in  a  similar,  though  less  forceful,  way.  The  march  of 
civilization  may  be  blamed  for  the  failure  of  some  of  these  projects. 

Of  the  early  day  mills  on  the  Upper  Iowa,  but  two  remain — the  Kendallville 
mill  and  the  old  stone  mill  in  Decorah.  To  them  may  be  added  the  Ice  Cave 
mill  built  by  James  Hunter  and  John  Greer  in  1873  ^"^  the  Tavener  grist 
mill.  Over  on  the  Turkey  we  find  the  mills  at  Fort  Atkinson  and  Spillville. 
The  Bernatz  family — once  owners  of  Evergreen  mill  at  Fort  Atkinson  (they 
sold  it  to  the  present  owner,  George  Weist,  I  believe),  are  the  leaders  in  milling 
today.  A.  Bernatz  &  Sons  own  the  two  Decorah  mills,  which  have  become 
very  successful  properties  under  their  management,  and  John  Bernatz  owns 
the  Spillville  mill. 

In  the  early  days  of  Decorah  there  grew  up  the  plant  of  Amnion,  Scott 
&  Co.,  manufacturers  of  wagons,  plows,  etc.  One  of  the  adjuncts  of  the  busi- 
ness was  the  old  stone  mill,  where  a  grade  of  flour  was  made  that  commanded 
a  ready  sale.  Their  wagons  and  plows  enjoyed  prestige  also  because  they 
were  made  on  honor,  but  one  morning  the  firm  awoke  to  the  fact  that  they  were 
facing  a  financial  crisis.  For  some  cause  their  flour  was  being  refused  by 
dealers  who  had  handled  it  steadily,  stocks  had  piled  up,  sales  were  few,  and 
every  effort  to  unload  proved  unavailing.  A  run  of  poor  wheat — unsuspected 
and  unknown   until   efforts  to  use  the   flour  made   from   it  proved    futile — had 

165 


166  PAST  AXD  PRESEXT  ()E  W  LXXESHIEK  COUXTY 

so  spoiled  the  reputation  of  tlie  mill's  output  as  to  jeopardize  the  whole  manu- 
facturing enterprise,  and  the  institution  closed  its  doors. 

We  might  go  on  down  the  line,  citing  such  cases  as  the  Decorah  and  Trout 
river  woolen  mills,  the  Ereei)ort  paper  mill,  the  Decorah  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, the  scale  works,  the  windmill  factory,  and  others,  but  why  dwell  upon 
an  unpleasant  subject?  The  various  causes  that  contributed  to  their  failure  or 
removal  would  extend  the  pages  of  this  cliapter  beyond  the  patience  of  the 
reader.  They  may  be  summed  up  in  a  few  words — superior  competitive  equip- 
ment, lack  of  knowledge  of  the  business  undertaken,  mismanagement,  faulty 
sales  management,  to  say  nothing  of  inadequate  transportation  facilities. 

But  let  us  look  at  the  other  side  of  the  picture.  In  Decorah  there  have 
grown  up  five  establishments  in  one  line  whose  combined  pay  rolls  are  probably 
the  largest  of  any  single  manufacturing  business  in  the  county.  We  refer  to 
the  printing  industry.  Few  people  look  upon  a  printing  ortice  as  a  manufactur- 
ing plant,  but  it  is  essentially  of  that  class.  Every  piece  of  work  i)roduced 
is  a  separate  and  distinct  article — a  special  order,  that  is  seldom  duplicated  in 
every  detail.  Whether  it  be  the  issuing  of  a  newspaper  or  the  printing  of  a 
wedding  invitation,  or  any  other  ]}iece  of  printing,  there  may  be  a  general 
outline  or  pattern  to  follow,  but  each  time  the  details  and  results  are  ditTerent. 

Decorah  has  successful  machine  shops,  marble  works,  bottling  works,  valve 
works,  sheet  metal  shops  and  an  ice  cream  factory  that  sends  its  products  all 
over  northeastern  Iowa. 

.'\  notable  success  had  been  attained  in  the  production  of  electricity  for 
commercial  use.  Twice  within  the  past  five  years  the  Upper  Iowa  ri\er  has 
been  harnessed,  and  its  dams  and  power  plants  in  Glenwood  township  are  models 
of  engineering.  From  them  power  and  light  is  radiated  to  Decorah,  Waukon, 
Cresco,  Postville  and  Lansing. 

.\t  Ossian,  P)ullard  Brothers  have  just  established  an  electric  ])lant  to  serve 
the  town. 

The  Decorah  (ias  Company's  ])!ant  and  the  nuinicipal  gas  plant  at  Calmar 
vre    rightly    classed    among   the    manufactories    that    are    successes. 

Calmar  presents  two  cases  of  going  enterprises  in  the  Henry  Miller  wagon 
works  and  the  Calmar  Manufacturing  Co.  The  product  of  both  these  institu- 
tions is  known  throughout  a  wide  territory  and  alone  constitute  a  refutation 
of  the  claim  that  manufacturing  does  not  pay  in  Winneshiek  county. 

The  successful  creameries  of  the  county  emphasize  this  refutation. 

The  time  will  come  when  the  resources  that  surround  this  community  will 
\>c  recognized,  and  they  will  be  put  to  work.  No  magic  need  be  used — all  that 
is  required  is  accurate  knowledge  and  ability  to  apply  it.  For  years  opportunity 
has  been'  calling  for  some  one  to  establish  rock  crushing  ])lants  within  our 
county  lines  and  to  develop  the  building  stone  industry.  The  pioneer  burned 
his  lime  from  the  rock  that  crops  out  in  a  thousand  places  about  the  county, 
yet  today  we  ship  in  our  lime  and  send  nur  money  away  to  keep  the  industry 
prosperous  elsewhere. 

Of  mining  there  is  none,  nor  is  there  any  evidence  of  mineral  wealth  to 
cause  one  to  spend  valuable  time  in  investigation. 


CHAPTER  XVI 
PARKS  AND  PUBLIC  UUILDINGS 

DECORAH    CITV   PARK 

The  ])cople  of  Winneshiek  county  have  never  realised  the  necessity  for  parks. 
A  kind  Providence  caused  the  glacial  How  to  turn  this  corner  of  Iowa  into  a 
series  of  the  most  beautiful  hills  and  valleys  that  can  be  found  in  any  land,  and 
then  he  studded  them  with  nature's  choicest  gifts — trees  of  many  kinds,  flowers 
and  ferns  and  shrubs  of  countless  variety — and  scattered  through  the  valleys 
streams  of  crystal  water  that  wend  their  way  toward  the  Father  of  Waters  that 
forms  one  of  the  boundaries  of  the  state.  With  such  an  environment,  need 
one  think  of  a  park?  It  is  only  within  the  past  three  years  that  a  systematic 
eiifort  to  establish  and  maintain  a  park  has  been  made  at  any  point  in  the  county. 
Three  years  ago  Mr.  Sivert  Larsen  secured  an  option  from  Mr.  Milton  Updegrafl 
upon  a  tract  of  ground  on  the  heights  overlooking  the  Fifth  ward  and  the  valley 
northwest  of  Decorah.  It  held  admirable  possibilities  that  were  not  realized  by 
the  majority  of  the  citizens,  l^ut  when  the  project  was  placed  before  the  Decorah 
Commercial  Club,  that  body  took  steps  at  once  to  secure  the  property.  While 
it  is  yet  in  the  formative  period  much  has  been  done  in  the  way  of  improvement, 
and  its  fame  is  spreading  to  surrounding  counties  and  states.  It  is  first  of  all 
a  natural  park,  and  an  endeavor  has  been  made  to  retain  all  of  its  native  beauty. 
Here  during  the  summer  months  scarcely  a  day  passes  that  does  not  see  little 
gatherings  of  people  bent  upon  wholesome  pleasure.  Mr.  Larsen,  Mr.  L.  B. 
Whitney  and  Mr.  N.  L.  Bailey  are  the  park  commissioners. 

I'lT.LIC    11  Lli. DINGS 

The  first  public  building  in  Winneshiek  county  was  that  little  stone  school- 
house,  built  in  1852  at  the  four  township  corners  southeast  of  the  city  of  Decorah, 
wherein  the  first  public  school  was  taught.  It  is  not  the  writer's  purpose,  how- 
ever, to  go  into  the  details  of  this  structure,  or  to  refer  particularly  to  the  school- 
houses  as  public  buildings  further  than  to  point  to  them  as  evidences  of  the 
belief  of  the  residents  of  the  county  in  schools.     By  some  it  might  be  considered 

1(17 


168  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OE  W  INNESHIEK  COUNTY 

proper  to  include  a  number  of  buildings  such  as  hotels,  in  this  chapter,  but 
importance  could  attach  to  but  few  of  these.  A  notable  exception  would  probably 
be  the  old  Winneshiek  hotel,  built  by  William  Day  in  1854-55.  Its  predecessor 
was  the  Day  log  cabin  home,  which  was  a  family  abode  as  well  as  a  place  of  shelter 
for  the  traveler  until  the  hotel  was  built. 

THE    COURTHOUSE 

Wc  must  begin  in  1857,  when,  after  a  loan  of  $6,000  had  been  voted,  to  be 
collected  with  the  taxes  of  1857  and  1858,  the  construction  of  the  Winnesliiek 
County  Courthouse  was  commenced.  Alexander's  History  tells  of  the  building 
of  the  courthouse  and  jail  in  the  following  paragraphs: 

"The  courthouse  was  completed  in  1857,  a  tax  having  been  voted  in  1856. 
The  courts  previous  to  that  time  were  sometimes  held  in  rented  rooms — though 
for  a  while  at  first  in  the  log  house  of  William  Day,  and  afterwards  in  Newell's 
Hall.  The  cost  of  the  courthouse  buildings,  including  the  jail  in  the  basement, 
was  about  $18,000.  The  land  for  the  grounds  was  donated  by  William  Day 
and  William  Painter,  and  occupies  one  square,  being  bounded  on  the  north  by 
Main  street,  on  the  east  by  W'innebago  street,  on  the  south  by  Broadway,  and 
on  the  west  by  Court  street.  The  courthouse  building  has  a  basement  of  stone 
in  which  were  originally  the  jail  and  sheriff's  residence,  and  above  this  two 
stories  of  brick;  the  courtroom  occujjying  the  upper  floor  and  the  county  offices 
the  remainder  of  the  building.  After  the  erection  of  the  new  jail  the  basement 
was  given  up  to  the  Recorder's  office  with  a  large  fireproof  vault,  the  Clerk's 
ofBce  with  also  a  fireproof  vault,  and  the  office  of  the  County  Surveyor.  The 
offices  of  the  County  Treasurer,  Auditor,  Sheriff',  and  County  Superintendent 
are  now  on  the  floor  above.  The  courtroom  is  on  the  upper  floor  as  originally 
constructed.  In  the  fall  of  1876  a  county  tax  of  $12,000,  to  be  divided  between 
1877  and  1878,  was  voted  for  the  erection  of  a  new  jail.  The  jail  was  commenced 
and  completed  in  1878.  The  cost  of  buildings,  with  cells,  etc.,  was  $11,114.25. 
The  courthouse  was,  for  that  time,  a  magnificent  building,  and  is  still  resjiectable 
looking,  though  a  little  ancient.  Its  position  is  commanding,  overlooking  the 
city  and  surrounding  valley,  and  will  some  of  these  days,  no  doubt,  be  the  site 
of  an  ini]5osing  edifice." 

Alexander  little  realized  how  faithfully  the  prediction  in  the  foregoing  para- 
graph would  be  carried  out.  It  became  evident  along  in  the  'gos,  to  those  who 
were  best  informed,  that  every  office  in  the  courthouse  was  cramped  for  room. 
Many  of  the  most  valuable  records  and  documents  were  without  any  protection 
from  fire  save  what  might  be  accorded  by  the  Decorah  Eire  Dejiartment,  but  it  was 
difficult  to  bring  home  to  the  people  the  gravity  of  the  situation.  The  proposi- 
tion to  issue  bonds  for  a  new  building  was  discussed  for  some  time,  and  in 
1898  the  matter  was  put  to  vote  with  the  result  that  it  was  overwhelmingly 
defeated.  In  1902  the  Board  of  Supervisors  again  ordered  a  vote  taken,  result- 
ing in  a  handsome  majority  for  a  bond  issue  of  $75,000.  In  March,  1903.  the 
old  building  was  abandoned  and  torn  down,  and  work  on  the  new  structure  com- 
menced. It  became  evident  before  the  work  had  jirogressed  far  that  a  larger 
sum  would  be  reciuired  and  the  tax  jiayers  voted  an  additional  $50,000.  Probably 
$25,000  to  $35,000  was  subsequently  spent,  but  the  result  is  a  building  that  will 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  169 

outlive  many  generations,  both  in  its  sul:>stantial  l>eauty  and  its  am]3le  proportions. 
While  there  was  some  feeling  at  the  time  over  the  expenditure  of  such  a  large 
amount,  today  the  wisdom  of  building  for  the  future  is  not  questioned.  The 
building  was  occupied  in  the  fall  of  1905.  The  first  floor  or  basement  provides 
quarters  for  the  Superintendent  of  Schools,  the  County  Engineer,  the  janitor, 
and  ample  storage  space.  One  room  is  also  assigned  to  the  Superintendent  as 
an  examination  room.  This  room  is  also  used  by  the  Decorah  Public  Library. 
On  the  main  floor  are  the  offices  of  the  Auditor,  Treasurer,  Clerk,  SherifT, 
Recorder  and  Pioard  of  Supervisors.  The  third  floor  contains  two  courtrooms, 
the  County  Attorney's  office,  private  offices  for  the  judges,  consulting  rooms, 
rooms  for  witnesses  and  jurors.  All  the  offices  are  equipped  wdth  ample  vault 
room,  and  the  building  is  lighted  by  a  private  electric  light  plant  installed  in  the 
boiler  house.     Gas  is  also  piped  into  the  building. 

THE    COUNTY    F.VRM     AND     HOME 

In  1866  the  necessity  for  a  count}-  farm  and  home,  to  provide  shelter  for 
indigent  people,  became  apparent,  and  a  tract  of  sixty  acres  was  purchased  at 
Freeport.  This  has  been  enlarged  by  several  subsequent  purchases  and  now 
contains  220  acres.  The  buildings  are  all  substantial  and  include  a  separate 
structure  for  incurable  insane  patients.  Every  comfort  consistent  with  reason- 
able expenditure  is  afforded  the  inmates  of  the  home,  and  precautions  for  their 
safety  have  been  provided.  The  structures  are  steam-heated  and  electric-lighted. 
C.  A.  Funke  is  the  steward  at  present. 

THE    DECORAH    POSTOFFICE 

This  building,  which  was  completed  in  March,  1912,  occupies  the  southeast  cor- 
ner at  the  intersection  of  Main  and  Winnebago  streets.  It  was  constructed  at 
a  cost  of  about  $65,000  and  is  generally  conceded  to  be  one  of  the  handsomest 
of  the  federal  buildings  in  Iowa.  Its  equipment  is  complete  in  every  detail,  the 
comfort  of  the  employes  being  considered  no  less  than  the  convenience  of  handling 
mail.  The  business  of  the  Decorah  postoffice  for  the  past  fiscal  year  was  in  round 
figures  $28,000.  Postmaster  F.  E.  Biermann  was  one  of  President  Wilson's 
first  appointees  in  Iowa.  Under  him  are  Deputy  Postmaster  E.  J.  Powers  and 
a  corps  of  six  clerks,  four  city  carriers  and  eight  rural  carriers. 

The  foregoing  comprise  the  only  buildings  in  the  county  that  come  strictly 
under  the  head  of  public  buildings.  The  Grand  Opera  House  of  Decorah,  the 
Auditorium  at  Ossian,  and  the  town  hall  at  Castalia  are  also  public  buildings, 
but  are  owned  by  stock  companies,  as  is  the  Winneshiek  Hotel  of  today,  but 
these  are  all  more  or  less  commercial  enterprises. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

GEOLOGY 

Students  of  geology  find  in  Winneshiek  coimty  some  of  the  most  interesting 
outcroppings  and  hmestone  formations  of  the  middle  states.  Here  one  may  find 
the  lower  sandstone,  the  lower  beds  of  the  Galina  limestone  or  the  lower  Mag- 
nesian,  hut  the  Trenton  limestone  predominates  and  in  it  are  imbedded  fossils  of 
odd  and  i:)eautiful  shape.  At  many  points  along  the  Upper  Iowa  river  the  banks 
rise  in  perpendicular  l)lufi's  faced  with  this  rock  for  a  height  of  one  hundred  feet 
or  more.  The  glacial  deposits  have  licen  clearly  traced  by  geologists  and  their 
researches  form  an  interesting  volume.  Here  and  there  throughout  the  county 
may  be  found  outcroppings  of  iron  ore.  but  nothing  to  excite  more  than  passing 
curiosity  or  warrant  investigation. 

topo(;rai'!iv 

The  late  Samuel  Calvin,  state  geologist,  made  a  careful  survey  of  this  por- 
tion of  Iowa.  Its  beauty  was  always  an  allurement  to  him  and  caused  him  to  refer 
to  it  in  a  printed  article  as  "The  Switzerland  of  Iowa."  The  appellation  is  a 
most  accurate  one,  for  the  topography  of  the  counties  of  Allamakee,  Clayton  and 
Winneshiek  is  largely  a  succession  of  high  hills,  and,  consequently,  deep  valleys. 
Winneshiek,  while  lacking  nothing  in  the  beauty  that  such  topography  suggests. 
is  less  objectionable  from  the  standpoint  of  crop  cultivation  than  her  sister 
counties.  The  land  is  rolling,  and  along  the  rivers  and  small  streams  there  is 
much  of  it  that  presents  problems  to  the  owners :  still,  as  one  gets  back  onto  the 
highlands,  broad  prairies  stretch  out  and  present  a  most  inviting  scene.  Whether 
it  be  vallev,  hillside  or  prairie,  the  soil  is  fertile.  One  of  the  reasons  why  the 
land  in  Winneshiek  county  has  not  advanced  as  rapidly  in  price  as  has  some  of 
the  less  rolling  sections  is  because  the  prairie  farmer  does  not  appreciate  the 
possibilities  that  here  await  him  and  is  too  timid  to  take  a  chance  as  a  general  rule. 

CLIM.\TOLOGY 

The  climatic  conditions  of  Northeastern  Iowa   ( and  that  means  Winneshiek 
county  as  well  as  others)    are,  in  the  main,  admirable.     There  are   seasons  of 

171 


172  PAST  A\D  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

extreme  cold,  when  the  mercury  seeks  the  bulb  and  registers  from  20°  to  30° 
below  zero ;  and.  by  the  law  of  average,  it  can  be  expected  that  the  summer 
months  will  supply  the  other  extreme.  I  can  say  most  truthfully  that  our  expec- 
tations are  seldom  disappointed,  for  we  have  days  when  90°  to  100^,  and  occa- 
sionally higher  temperatures,  are  recorded.  But  between  these  seasons  there  are 
long  periods  of  the  most  delightful  temperatures,  with  growing  rains,  glorious 
sunshine  and  clear  atmosphere.  The  conditions  for  profitable  crop  culture  and 
good  health  are  here  combined  to  a  degree  that  leaves  little  to  be  desired. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

THE  CHURCHES 

It  has  often  been  said  that  "The  sword  follows  the  flag."  The  history  of 
every  nation  seems  to  bear  out  this  declaration.  It  is  equally  true  that  the  mis- 
sionary is  not  far  behind  the  sword  and  many  times  he  is  some  distance  in 
advance  of  the  flag. 

iowa's  first  preacher 

The  records  seem  to  indicate  that  long  before  the  white  man  thought  to 
occupy  this  territory  efforts  were  being  made  to  Christianize  the  Indian.  In  1842 
Rev.  David  Lowery,  who  had  been  appointed  agent  for  the  Winnebago  reserva- 
tion, began  the  erection  of  a  mission  school  at  Old  Mission.  He  was  subsequently 
transferred  to  Minnesota,  and  though  the  mission  was  continued  under  other 
management,  history  does  not  record  that  any  material  advancement  was  achieved 
in  the  cause  of  Christianity.  However,  it  is  worth  while  to  perpetuate  the  fact 
that  Reverend  Lowery  was  probably  Iowa's  first  preacher.  He  was  a  Kentuckian 
and  a  Cumberland  Presbyterian. 

THE  CATHOLIC  CHURCH 

The  most  trustworthy  authorities  available  at  this  time  give  to  the  Catholic 
church  credit  for  the  erection  of  the  first  church  edifice  in  Winneshiek  county.  At 
the  risk  of  being  accused  of  repetition  we  refer  to  the  paragraph  in  Harrison 
Goddard's  sketch  of  Washington  township,  written  for  Anderson  &  Goodwin's 
Atlas  and  republished  in  the  chapter  on  towns  and  townships.  Mr.  Goddard  says 
most  of  the  settlers  of  1849  were  strict  adherents  of  the  Catholic  faith;  that  they 
purchased  lands  and  Indian  huts,  and  that  the  largest  of  the  huts  was  converted 
into  a  chapel.  Father  G.  H.  Plathe  being  sent  to  minister  unto  them.  In  1853, 
when  this  little  church  was  destroyed  by  fire,  a  site  was  secured  at  Twin  Springs. 
We  refer  the  reader  to  Mr.  Goddard's  sketch  for  the  full  details,  which  will  be 
found  interesting. 

Besides  the  Twin  Springs  congregation  there  are  large  and  flourishing  churches 

in  Fort  Atkinson,   Calmar,   Ossian,  and   Spillville.     The   Decorah  and    Bluffton 
Vol.    I— 10 

173 


174  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WTXXESHIEK  COUNTY 

congregations,  while  maintaining  separate  churches,  are  practically  one  i)arish 
with  Rev.  J.  Hawe,  assisted  by  Father  Ranier,  who  was  recently  transferred  from 
Marshalltown,  at  their  head.  The  Decorah  church  was  built  in  1864  and  occupied 
on  October  22d.  It  cost  about  six  thousand  dollars.  At  the  present  time  plans 
are  maturing  for  the  construction  of  a  new  church  to  cost  $25,000,  the  old  one 
having  become  too  small.     F'lyniouth  Rock  also  has  a  church. 

THE    FIR.'^T    EV..\N(-.r.LICAI.    LUTHEK.AX    CHURCH 

Close  upon  the  heels  of  the  Catholics  came  the  Lutherans.  The  settlement 
by  Norwegians,  which  began  in  1850  and  grew  and  spread  rapidly  in  the  next 
eight  or  ten  years,  naturally  invited  ministers  of  their  faith  to  come  and  be 
pioneers  with  them.  Rev.  X.  lirandt.  who  subsequently  became  a  professor  at 
Luther  College,  was  probably  the  first  minister  of  the  Norwegian  Lutheran  church 
of  America  to  visit  the  county.  He  was  located  in  Wisconsin  at  the  time  and 
was  doing  missionary'  work  over  a  wide  and  constantly  widening  territory.  He 
is  credited  with  visiting  this  territory  and  holding  services,  and  it  is  well  knoun 
that  in  1850  he  performed  the  first  marriage  to  lake  place  in  ^ladison  township. 

It  was  not  until  1853  that  the  Norwegian  Lutheran  Synod  of  America  was 
organized  and  the  county  acquired  its  first  resident  Lutheran  pastor.  In  that 
year  Rev.  \'ilhelm  Koren,  fresh  from  the  University  of  Christiania,  brought  his 
bride  to  Washington  Prairie  (Springfield  township)  and  established  residence 
in  a  log  cabin  that  was  at  once  a  home  and  a  house  of  prayer.  At  the  same  lime 
there  was  hospitality  for  the  wayfarer  who  might  be  storm  stayed  or  overtaken 
by  darkness.  While  nominally  he  was  pastor  to  the  little  colony  that  had  settled 
on  the  prairie,  his  parish  knew  no  limitations  except  the  ^Fississippi  river  on  the 
east.  He  was  the  only  Norwegian  Lutheran  pastor  west  of  the  river  and  soon 
his  charge  became  known  as  Little  Iowa,  and  he  would  make  long  trips  uji  into 
Minnesota  as  well  as  throughout  this  part  of  Iowa,  ministering  to  the  s])iritual 
welfare  of  his  countrymen.  Reared  in  a  home  of  refinement  and  true  aristoc- 
racy. Reverend  Koren  was  still  democratic  enough  to  welcome  the  hardships  of 
the  i)ioneer,  and  to  meet  and  overcome  obstacles  that  another  would  have  shunned. 

.\s  the  country  became  more  thickly  settled  others  came  to  join  him  in  his 
religious  work,  congregations  grew  up  here  and  there  and  churches  were  built, 
but  Reverend  Koren's  labors  were  not  curtailed.  Recognizing  in  liim  a  leader, 
he  was  made  president  of  the  Iowa  district,  later  he  l^ecame  vice  president  of 
the  Synod,  and  finally  the  presidency  came  to  him  Ijoth  as  a  reward  for  and  a 
heritage  of  his  service.  While  he  was  ijerformiiig  his  official  duties  he  was  also 
serving  as  pastor  to  the  congregation  that  claimed  him  as  their  leader  in  1S33. 
F'or  fifty-six  years  he  delivered  a  Christmas  sermon  to  his  tlock.  using  as  his  text 
the  story  of  the  coming  of  the  Christ  child,  each  year  drawing  from  it  a  new 
message. 

It  was  due  to  the  foresight  of  Re\erend  Koren  that  Luther  College  came 
into  possession  of  the  beautiful  grounds  where  lier  buildings  are  now  located. 
Even  before  it  was  determined  to  move  the  college  to  Decorah  he  had  jiaved 
the  way  to  their  acquisition,  and  the  Synod  has  many  times  been  thankful  that 
among  their  numbers  there  was  one  whose  judgment  had  been  so  wise  and  hel])- 
ful.    Reverend  Koren  had  a  rare  faculty  with  young  men.  and  when  be  died  in 


I!E\'.  \'.  KOliEX 
First  i-psideiit  Xovwej;iaii  Lutheran  clergyman  west  of  Jlississippi  River, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  177 

191 1  no  man  could  have  lieen  more  truly  mourned.     His  influence  was  not  con- 
fined to  his  own  nationality,  but  extended  to  all  who  knew  him. 

THE    NORWKi^I.VN   METHODISTS 

Not  all  of  the  Norwegians  were  of  Lutheran  faith,  however,  For  a  number 
of  years  there  were  several  small  congregations  of  Norwegian  Methodists,  but 
by  the  time  the  younger  generations  began  to  take  the  place  of  the  pioneers  they 
had  acquire  '  such  facility  in  the  English  language  that  more  and  more  they 
affiliated  witii  the  English  churches,  until  the  membership  of  the  Norwegian 
congregations  was  completely  absorbed. 

THE    UNITED   LUTHERAN.S 

Even  among  the  Lutherans  there  was  not  a  unanimous  sentiment  upon  the 
matter  of  creed.  Sixty  years  ago  what  was  then  known  as  the  Hauge  branch 
established  a  church  on  Washington  Prairie,  and  through  all  the  intervening  vears 
it  has  prospered  and  is  today  one  of  the  strong  congregations  of  the  countv. 

The  differences  that  arose  among  members  of  the  Lutheran  Synod  some 
thirty  years  ago  resulted  in  a  division  of  congregations  and  the  establishment 
of  many  new  churches  known  as  the  United  Lutherans.  At  the  time  it  was  feared 
that  serious  harm  would  surely  follow,  but  the  record  of  the  years  does  not  Dear 
out  that  prediction.  There  may  have  been — undoubtedly  was — a  temporary  strug- 
gle in  which  the  financial  side  of  the  controversy  loomed  large,  but  where  there 
is  spiritual  strength  to  weather  such  a  storm  there  need  be  little  fear  of  the  ulti- 
mate outcome.  It  is  a  matter  of  much  gratification  to  all  concerned  that  today 
both  the  Synod  and  United  Lutheran  congregations  of  this  county  are  stronger 
than  ever  before,  and  there  can  be  seen  a  day  not  far  distant  when  the  differences 
of  the  past  will  have  been  forgiven  and  forgotten,  and  their  members  will  again 
be  marching  under  one  standard. 

THE    METHODIST    CHURCH 

"The  Methodist  Episcopal  church  was  introduced  into  Dccorah,  Iowa,  when 
there  were  but  three  so-called  houses  here,  viz :  Air.  Day's,  Mr.  Painter's  and 
that  of  Father  and  Mother  Morse.  It  was  at  the  house  of  the  last  named  that 
Rev.  Albert  Piishop  knocked  one  rainy  evening  in  September,  1851.  IMother 
Morse  opened  the  door,  and  seeing  a  stranger  drijiping  with  rain,  was  accosted  as 
follows:  'Does  Brother  Morse  live  here?  I  am  a  missionary  seeking  for  the 
lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel.'  'You  have  found  them,'  said  she,  'this  is  the 
place,  walk  in.'  " 

The  foregoing  is  a  quotation  from  an  historical  sketch  of  the  First  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  of  Decorah  prepared  by  Rev.  ( i.  W.  I'.rindle,  one  of  its  early 
l)astors.  The  record  goes  on  to  state  that  the  next  day  the  first  religious  service 
was  held  in  the  Morse  cabin,  and  during  the  week  Elder  llishop  remained  here  the 
church  was  organized  with  a  class  of  four,  consisting  of  Philip  and  Hannah  Morse 
and  E.  .\.  Coger  and  wife.  The  missionary's  circuit  included  Lansing,  Monona, 
and  all  the  intervening  territory.     He  served  for  two  years,  being  followed  by 


17«  PAST  AND  l'RI-:SI-:XT  UF  \\lX.\liSHll£K  CUUXTV 

Reverends  L.  S.  Ashbaugh  and  II.  S.  Rrunson  in  1853.  and  by  Rev.  John  Webb  and 
Brother  Davis  in  1854.  In  1855  Rev.  E.  E.  Byam  was  appointed  to  serve  the 
Decorah  congregation  and  during  his  pastorate  he  raised  funds  and  l)uih  the  lirst 
church  building  the  town  had  known.  It  was  completed  and  dedicated  in  1856. 
L.  L.  Couse,  as  clerk  of  the  church,  has  in  his  possession  the  original  subscription 
list,    .\lonzo  I'radish  is  the  only  survivor  among  the  list  of  contributors. 

In  the  early  '70s  this  church  had  become  too  small  and  the  congregation 
decided  to  build  a  larger  one.  The  building  was  sold  to  the  late  Col.  W.  T.  Baker 
and  Edwin  I'^arnsworth,  who  moved  it  onto  lots  directly  south  of  the  courthouse, 
where  it  served  as  the  home  of  the  Christian  church.  Later  it  was  sold  to  John 
Breckenridge  who  converted  in  into  a  school  building,  though  the  Christian  church 
continued  to  use  it  during  the  remainder  of  their  short  existence.  The  removal 
of  this  structure  from  its  former  location  permitted  the  erection  of  the  large  brick 
building  that  has  served  the  Decorah  congregation  since  December  20,  1874,  the 
date  on  which  it  was  dedicated.  I'ire  has  twice  damaged  this  building,  and  more 
recently  it  was  damaged  by  wind  and  hail,  but  these  have  only  served  to  test  the 
faith  and  loyalty  of  its  members,  and  in  neither  have  they  been  found  waiuing. 

Among  the  men  who  have  served  as  ])astor  here  the  names  of  Rev.  G.  W. 
Rrindle,  Rev.  F.  E.  Brush  and  Rev.  S.  (i.  Smith  arc  fre<|uently  recalled.  Of  this 
trio  Rev.  Smith  is  the  only  survivor.  I'or  many  years  he  has  been  the  jiastor  and 
'eading  spirit  of  the  People's  church  of  .St.  I'aul,  Minnesota,  and  has  gained  an 
mternational  reputation  as  a  pulpit  orator  and  worker  along  sociological  lines. 

The  establishment  of  the  church  in  Decorah  was  the  entering  wcd,ge  that 
was  instrumental  in  its  establishment  in  almost  every  center  of  importance  in 
the  county.  ."Xs  far  back  as  forty  years  ago  I-'reejiort  had  its  church  building. 
Calmar,  Ossian,  Ridgeway,  Burr  (^ak,  Hesper,  and  Kendallville  are  served  regu- 
larly, and  Frankville  occasionally.  Ridgeway  has  a  handsome  little  church  built, 
a  few  years  a.go  that  is  an  ornament  to  the  town. 

The  German  Methodists  also  maintain  services  at  Decorah,  Canoe  and  in 
1  .incoln  township,  owning  church  homes  in  each  of  these  localities. 

TH1-:  coX(;Rr.c,\TinN.\L  ciiUKCii 

The  Congregational  church  is  now  rei)resentcd  by  one  congregation — that  at 
Decorah.  Rev.  .\.  M.  Eastman  came  to  Decorah  only  a  few  weeks  after 
Elder  Bishop  in  1851,  and  established  monthly  meetings  which  were  held  in  the 
log  tavern  of  the  Day  family.  In  1853  the  church  was  organized,  and  Rev.  W.  .\. 
Keith,  living  at  I'^reeport,  was  the  lirst  jiastor.  1  le  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Ephraim 
Adams  in  1857,  services  being  held  in  the  courthouse  until  November  17,  1861, 
when  a  church  building,  which  had  been  under  construction  (luring  iSfio  and  1861, 
was  dedicated. 

Reverend  Adams  was  a  man  marked  for  a  great  service,  both  to  the  Decorah 
church  and  Congregationalism  in  Iowa.  He  was  a  member  of  the  "Iowa  B.and," 
a  com))any  of  fourteen  young  men  who  came  to  Iowa  in  1843  from  Andover 
College.  Of  this  company,  V.  I.  Herriott,  of  Drake  University,  in  his  article 
on  "The  Nativity  of  the  Pioneers  of  Iowa,"  i>ublishe(l  in  Iowa  Official  Register 
of  191 1-12  says:  "In  1843  came  the  'Iowa  P>and,'  a  little  brotherhood  of  .\iido\er 
missionaries  and  preachers,  graduates  of  Amherst.  Bowdoin.  D.irtnioulh.  1  larvard. 


REV.  EPHKAlir  ADAMS 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  W  INNESHIEK  COUNTY  181 

New  York  City  University,  Union  College,  the  Universities  of  \'ermont  and  Yale. 
It  may  be  doubted  if  any  other  group  of  men  has  exerted  a  tithe  of  the  lieneticial 
influence  upon  the  life  of  the  state  that  was  exerted  by  those  earnest  workers. 
The  two  oldest  educational  institutions  in  the  State  owe  their  inception  and  estab- 
lishment to  the  far-sighted  plans  and  persistent  self-sacrifice  and  promotion  of 
Asa  Turner  and  the  Iowa  Band.  It  it  not  extravagant  to  presume  thai  it  was 
the  emulation  aroused  by  those  apostles  from  New  England  that  created  the 
'passion  for  education'  among  the  pioneers  of  Iowa,  tliat  resulted  in  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  fifty  academies,  colleges  and  universities  between  1838  and  1852. 
From  this  fact  doubtless  Iowa  came  to  he  known  as  the  "Massachusetts  of  the 
West.' 

"The  election  of  James  W.  Grimes,  Goverrjor  of  Iowa,  in  1854,  and  the 
revolution  in  the  political  control  of  the  state  which  that  event  signified,  first 
attracted  the  attention  of  the  nation  to  Iowa.  Prior  to  that  date  Iowa  was 
regarded  with  but  little  interest  by  the  people  of  the  northern  states.  She  was 
looked  upon  as  a  solid  democratic  state  and  was  grouped  with  Illinois  and  Indiana 
in  the  alignment  of  political  parties  in  the  contest  over  the  extension  of  slavery. 

*  *  *  "In  the  accomplishment  of  this  political  revolution,  New  England- 
ers,  energized  and  led  largely  by  members  of  the  'Iowa  Band,'  were  conspicuous, 
if  not  the  preponderant  factors." 

Reverend  Adams  remained  v\'ith  the  Decorah  church  until  1872,  when  he 
resigned  to  take  up  missionary  work,  and  until  his  health  compelled  him  to  cease 
his  labors  he  was  attached  to  the  Iowa  Home  Missionary  Society.  Of  that  little 
band  of  fourteen  he  and  Rev.  William  Salter  of  Burlington  were  the  last  sur- 
vivors. Reverend  Adams  and  his  wife,  who  was  his  efficient  helper  as  well  as 
beloved  companion  through  a  long  and  happy  service,  rest  in  Phelps  cemetery, 
Decorah. 

The  Decorah  church  was  subsequently  served  by  Rev.  H.  B.  Woodworth,  for 
ten  years.  Rev.  John  Willard  of  Newtonville,  Massachusetts,  was  called  by  the 
church  in  December,  1882,  and  assumed  the  pastorate  early  in  1883.  For  the 
past  fifteen  years  or  more  Rev.  Mahlon  Willett  has  been  pastor.  Reverend 
Willett  was  a  youth  in  the  Congregational  Sunday  School  when  Reverend  Adams 
was  its  pastor.  After  graduating  from  theological  school  he  served  an  Illinois 
church  for  a  short  time,  going  from  there  to  Texas,  where  he  was  pastor  of  the 
first  White  Congregational  church  in  that  state,  and  thence  to  California  where 
he  held  long  and  successful  pastorates  in  several  ]Darishes. 

In  1895  a  crisis  faced  the  church.  The  building  erected  in  1860-61  had  out- 
lived its  expectancy.  It  was  not  merely  an  old  structure — it  was  inadequate,  and 
fears  were  entertained  that  it  might  fall,  its  walls  having  become  badly  cracked. 
Subsequent  events  proved  these  fears  groundless,  but  the  society  decided  the 
time  had  arrived  when  their  steps  must  take  one  of  two  courses,  and  they  chose 
the  forward  movement.  A  building  committee  was  appointed  and  funds  were 
solicited,  resulting  in  the  erection,  at  a  cost  of  about  sixteen  thousand  dollars,  of 
the  present  edifice.  The  church  was  dedicated  in  February,  1896,  and  in  many 
ways  it  is  a  model  in  its  compactness,  convertibility  for  large  or  small  gatherings, 
comfort  and  beauty. 

Two  other  Congregational  churches  were  maintained  at  dififerent  times  in 
the  county.    One  at  Burr  Oak  was  ministered  unto  by  Reverend  Bent,  father  of 


182  PAST  AND  I'KI'.Sl'XT  Ol"  W  IXXI'.SI  Ill-.K  ("OUXTY 

George  P.  Bent,  the  Chicago  piano  maker,  and  a  German  church  at  Fort  Atkinson 
for  many  years  claimed  Reverend  Hess,  father  of  Mrs.  W.  M.  Strand  of  Decorah, 
as  its  pastor,  but  these  churches  were  never  strong  and  their  congregations  gradu- 
ally scattered. 

TllIC    KI'ISCOPAI.    CIURCH 

Grace  church  is  the  only  Episcopal  organization  in  the  counlv.  Us  existence 
traces  back  into  the  '70s  and  for  several  years  its  services  were  held  in  the  Con- 
gregational church,  but  in  1875  and  1876  the  edifice  on  Broadway  was  built,  and 
dedicated  on  March  14th.  Its  congregation  has  never  been  large,  but  its  mem- 
bers have  made  up  in  faith  what  was  lacking  in  numbers.  Of  its  several  rectors, 
Rev.  F.  J.  Mynard,  and  Rev.  Wellington  Mc\'ettie,  the  present  incumbent,  have 
been  the  most  successful,  and  the  church  today  is  in  a  heallhy  and  nourishing 
condition. 

OTHER    CHURCHES 

The  Friends  and  Presl)yterians  are  each  represented  by  a  congregalmn — the 
former  at  Hesper,  where  Rev.  H.  C.  Carter  is  the  pastor,  and  the  latter  at  hVank- 
ville.  At  the  time  this  sketch  is  being  penned  the  Frankvillc  church  is  without 
a  pastor,  but  the  society  is  maintained  loyally. 

The  Friends  have  maintained  their  church  at  1  lespcr  since  an  early  day.  Many 
of  the  pioneer  settlers  were  members  of  that  faith  and  they  were  men  of  sturdy 
character.  They  and  their  decendants  have  died  or  moved  away,  but  their  places 
have  been  taken  by  others  who  zealously  uphold  the  faith,  in  the  chapter  on 
towns  and  townships  will  be  found  a  sketch  of  Springwater  (Canoe  townshi))), 
by  Mr.  Edgar  Olson  of  I'.nihauli.  Minnesota,  and  i>rinted  in  the  Decorah  Repub- 
lican of  August  21,  1909,  at  the  time  of  the  Home  Coming.  In  it  are  mentioned 
the  names  of  many  of  these  Quaker  pioneers. 

The  Seventh  Day  Adventists  are  represented  by  ;i  congregation  at  I'.iirr  Oak 
that  has  had  a  long  existence,  .\ccessions  to  their  ranks  have  lieen  numerous, 
though  the  services  of  a  pastor  have  not  been  maintained  at  all  times.  During 
the  past  two  vears  services  have  been  held  in  Decorah  and  a  sm.ill  congregation 
has  been  organized. 

At  Castalia  the  United  Brethren  have  a  prosperous  church,  and  services  are 
held  by  the  Christian  Scientists  in  Decorah.  so  it  may  be  truly  said  that  Winne- 
shiek county  is  not  lacking  in  churches  or  devotion  to  religious  work.  As  a  general 
rule  the  various  denominations  contribute  liberally  to  the  sup]iort  of  benevolences 
such  as  home  and  foreign  missions,  etc.  The  work  of  the  -Sunday  school  is 
maintaine<l  bv  most  of  the  organizations,  and  societies  of  Christian  I'.ndcaxdr. 
Epworth  League  and  Luther  League  flourish  in  many  of  the  towns. 

At  the  present  time  there  is  no  Baptist  congregation  in  the  county.  In  iSijr 
the  society  organized  a  church  in  Decorah  which  flourished  for  a  time  anfl  built  a 
church  building,  but  for  several  years  it  has  been  inactive  and  the  properly 
reverted  to  the  state  organization.  The  I'nitarians  were  also  acli\e  in  Decorah 
for  some  years  during  the  '90s  and  up  to  four  or  five  years  ago.  Last  year  tlieir 
church  home  on  Main  street  was  sold  to  the  Decorah  Lodge  of  Elks,  and  during 
the  present  vear  it  has  been  remodeled  and  enlarged  into  a  lodge  home. 


CHAPTER  XIX 
PATRIOTIC  AND  FRATERNAL  SOCIETIES 

PATRIOTIC  SOCIETIES 

But  three  patriotic  societies  may  be  said  to  exist  in  Winneshiek  county  at  the 
present  time,  though  four  have  had  organizations. 

On  May  8,  1883,  Colonel  Hughes  Post,  No.  168,  G.  A.  R.,  with  its  Woman's 
Relief  Corps,  was  organized.  In  selecting  a  name  the  boys  in  blue  honored  the 
memory  of  one  of  the  early  volunteers  from  Winneshiek  county — Col.  D.  H. 
Hughes — whose  record  and  date  of  death  will  be  found  in  the  military  history 
given  elsewhere.  Maj.  Charles  H.  Hitchcock  was  the  first  commander. 
Capt.  E.  I.  Weiser  was  the  second  commander,  serving  consecutively  for  ten 
years.  Then  in  succession  of  one  year  each  the  commanders  were  L.  L.  Couse, 
L.  L.  Cadwell,  Patrick  McCusker  and  H.  L.  Coffeen.  Captain  Weiser  was  again 
elected  and  served  until  his  death  on  October  2,  1902.  Altogether  he  was  com- 
mander for  fourteen  years  and  he  was  beloved  as  was  no  other  among  the  mem- 
bers of  the  post.  On  his  death  L.  L.  Couse,  as  senior  vice,  again  took  the  com- 
mander's chair  and  served  four  years  thereafter.  L.  L.  Cadwell,  the  present 
commander,  has  served  since  January  i.  1907. 

The  Relief  Corps  has  enjoyed  a  prosperous  existence.  It  has  grown  steadily, 
and  particularlv  in  late  years  its  membership  has  been  augmented.  Miss  Jessie 
McKay,  one  of  its  prominent  workers,  served  for  two  years  as  treasurer  of  the 
state  organization. 

The  Sons  of  ^'eterans  was  the  third  patriotic  body  to  be  organized  locally, 
but  its  charter  has  been  permitted  to  lapse. 

Garfield  Circle.  Ladies  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Repulilic.  was  formed  four 
years  ago  and  is  a  thriving  organization.  Although  one  of  the  younger  circles  in 
Iowa  it  has  already  received  recognition,  Mrs.  I\Iary  J.  Couse  of  Decorah  having 
served  as  its  state  president  for  the  year  that  closed  in  June. 

FR.\TERN.\L    SOCIETIES 

Of  the  fraternal  societies  that  maintain  lodges  within  the  borders  of  Winne- 
shiek county,  two  stand  out  prominently — the  Masons  and  the  Odd  Fellows. 

18:^ 


18-4  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

The  Masons  have  lodges  in  Decorah,  Cahnar,  Ossian,  Frankville  and  Burr 
Oak.  To  Frankville  belongs  the  distinction  of  having  the  first  Masonic  lodge. 
At  just  what  date  Union  Band  Lodge  No.  66  was  organized  we  are  unable  to  state, 
but  Sparks'  History  of  Winneshiek  County  said,  among  other  things,  "As  an 
illustration  of  the  importance  Frankville  attained  when  at  its  acme  it  will  only 
be  necessary  to  state  that  the  Free  Masons  of  Decorah  used  to  go  to  the  former 
place  to  hold  lodge  meetings."  It  is  known  that  Frank  Teabout  was  instrumental 
in  the  organization  of  the  Frankville  lodge,  consequently  it  is  safe  to  assume 
that  the  date  was  in  the  early  '50s. 

Decorah  Lodge  No.  98  was  the  second  in  order,  but  it  became  extinct  in  1861. 
In  1866  Great  Lights  Lodge  No.  181  received  its  charter.  Taking  them  in  their 
numerical  order  Arcturus  Lodge  No.  237  of  Ossian  was  the  next  to  be  organized. 
Copestone  Lodge  No.  316  of  Calmar  followed  and  Cement  Lodge  No.  567  of 
Burr  Oak  was  the  last.  The  dates  of  organization  of  the  Ossian,  Calmar  and 
Burr  Oak  lodges  are  unknown  to  us.  King  Solomon's  Chapter  No.  35.  R.  A.  M., 
was  organized  in  Decorah  in  1867;  Beausaunt  Commandery  No.  12  in  1869,  and 
Decorah  Chapter  No.  73,  O.  E.  S..  came  into  being  in  1888.  These  lodges  have 
experienced  liberal  accessions  to  their  membership  and  the  lodges  arc  all  in  a 
healthy,  growing  condition.  The  fraternal  spirit  is  ever  in  c\-idence  whctlicr  in 
lodge  room  or  elsewhere. 

THE  ODD  FELLOWS 

It  is  a  matter  of  douljt  as  to  whciher  the  Masons  or  the  Odd  Fellows  were  the 
first  fraternal  order  to  establish  a  lodge  in  this  county,  but  it  is  a  matter  of 
definite  knowledge  that  Moneek  Lodge  No.  58,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  was  instituted  at 
Moneek  on  October  26,  1854,  with  .Xbner  DeCou  as  its  first  Noble  Grand.  When 
the  death-knell  of  Moneek  was  rung  by  the  establishment  of  the  Military  road 
to  Frankville.  permission  was  granted  to  remove  the  lodge  from  Moneek  to  Ossian. 
This  was  in  1855.  In  November,  1857,  another  removal  was  granted  and  this 
lime  the  lodge  was  established  at  Decorah.  Its  name  was  c-hanged  tn  Winne- 
shiek Lodge  No.  58,  and  it  so  remains.  Today  among  the  men  who  were  mem- 
bers of  the  lodge  in  the  '50s  there  remain  Philii>  Ilusted.  who  joined  in  1856.  and 
Alonzo  Bradish,  who  joined  in  1858.  George  Draper  joined  in  1868,  Jacob  .\mmer 
in  1875,  R.  F.  Gibson,  who  was  a  mcmlier  of  the  0<ld  Fellows  in  Ohio  as  early 
as  1851,  joined  by  card  in  1876. 

On  October  15,  1889,  Decorah  Encampment  No.  133  reclaimed  a  surrendered 
charter  and  once  more  came  into  existence.  ( )n  <  )ctober  20.  1800.  Oneonta 
Rebekah  Lodge  No.  175  was  organized. 

The  only  other  Odd  Fellows  lodge  in  the  county  is  located  at  liurr  Oak. 
For  a  lodge  located  in  a  rural  community  the  Burr  Oak  lodge  is  one  of  the 
large  and  prosperous  ones  of  the  state.  They  have  owned  their  lodge  hall  for  a 
good  many  years.  Usona  Rebekah  lodge  is  the  auxilLiry  at  Burr  Oak.  ;ind  tiiis 
lodge  as  well  as  the  lodges  in  Decorah  are  enjoying  prosjieritv  in  its  best  fraternal 
sense. 

THE    E.VCLES 

A  lodge  of  this  order  was  organized  some  years  ago  in  Decorah,  but  its  life 
was  brief  and  the  charter  was  Ions'  since  surrendered. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  185 

BENEVOLENT    AND   PROTECTIVE   ORDER   OF   ELKS 

The  Elks  lodge  of  Decorah — Decorah  Lodge  No.  443 — may  be  rightly  con- 
sidered something  more  than  a  local  organization.  It  was  established  on  June  22, 
1899,  ^"d  Ii'is  grown  steadily.  Its  membership  embraces  many  of  the  prominent 
business  and  professional  men  of  Decorah  and  includes  residents  of  other  towns 
in  the  county  as  well  as  good  representations  in  Waukon,  West  Union  and  cities 
in  other  nearby  counties.  Two  years  ago  the  lodge  took  up  the  question  of 
securing  a  permanent  lodge  home  and  negotiations  were  opened  for  the  purchase 
of  the  Unity  church  building.  The  building  was  acc|uired  early  in  1912  and  plans 
were  perfected  for  remodeling  and  enlargement.  These  are  now  nearing  com- 
pletion and  it  is  the  expectation  of  the  lodge  that  they  will  soon  be  dispensing 
good  cheer  and  extending  the  hand  of  fellowship  to  visiting  brothers  in  their  new 
quarters.  The  building,  which  cost  over  ten  thousand  dollars,  is  located  on  the 
northwest  corner  of  Main  and  River  streets,  just  outside  of  the  business  district 
and  is  admirably  adapted  to  lodge  requirements.  Its  present  membership  is 
about  two  hundred  and  fifteen. 

THE   OWLS 

The  Owls  is  the  youngest  fraternal  order  to  be  established  in  the  county,  the 
Decorah  nest  being  the  only  representative.  It  has  lodge  rooms  in  the  Hutchinson 
building  on  Washington  street  and  a  membership  of  about  eighty. 

KNIGHTS   OF    PYT1IL\S 

Lodges  of  this  society  are  maintained  in  Decorah  and  Calmar.  'The  Calmar 
lodge  is  the  older  of  the  two.  A  quarter  of  a  century  ago  a  lodge  was  organized 
in  Decorah,  but  after  a  short  existence  surrendered  its  charter.  In  1902  a  new 
charter  was  sought  and  on  September  5th  the  lodge  was  organized.  It  has  since 
been  maintained,  its  growth  being  not  large,  but  steady  and  substantial. 

OTHER    SOCIETIES 

Scattered  through  the  county  are  a  number  of  lodges  of  the  various  mutual 
insurance  companies.  First  and  foremost  among  them  is  the  Modern  Woodmen 
of  America,  which  is  likewise  the  oldest.  There  are  also  healthy  lodges  of  Wood- 
men of  the  World,  Brotherhood  of  American  Yeomen,  Degree  of  Honor,  Macca- 
bees, the  Catholic  Order  of  Foresters,  Royal  Neighbors  and  possibly  others. 


wiNM:i:A(.n  sTiiKi-rr.  nKnnjAii 


WATKR   STUKKT   l.()()K]X<^.  KAST.  DKfoRAM 


CHAPTER  XX 
CITY  OF  DECORAH 

The  following  sketch  was  prepared  by  A.  K.  Bailey  for  Anderson  &  Good- 
win's Atlas.  It  is  now  adopted,  with  such  corrections  as  a  lapse  of  eight  years 
requires : 

White  men  ma_\'  ha\e  camped  on  the  site  of  the  city  of  Decorah.  the  shire 
town  of  Winneshiek  county,  previous  to  June  lo,  1S4Q,  but,  if  so,  they  left  no 
evidence  of  their  visit.  Tradition  refers  to  such  visitors  with  the  hint  that  they 
were  of  the  class  that  prefers  the  borders  of  civilization  to  civilization  itself. 

It  was  on  the  above  date  that  a  homeseeker's  wagon  halted  beside  a  magnificent 
spring  that  existed  for  many  years  several  rods  in  rear  of  the  present  "Winneshiek 
House."  That  spot  became  the  future  home  of  the  Day  family.  Thev  were 
Virginians  of  the  enterprising  class  and  were  seeking  a  location  with  larger 
advantages  than  their  earlier  home  had  afforded  them.  This  company  consisted 
of  the  wife  and  mother  of  the  family  (who  was  also  its  master  spirit)  and  three 
sons.  "Mother"  Day's  keenness  of  observation  had  noted  that  cities  and  villages 
were  mostly  located  on  living  streams  or  beside  considerable  bodies  of  water  ;  hence 
she  sought  that  advantage  as  a  desirable  addition  to  good  farming  lands.  In  the 
charming  Upper  Iowa  river  valley  and  the  splendid  spring  beside  which  the 
party  had  halted,  it  was  then  and  there  settled  that  here  was  to  be  tlic  future 
home  of  the  Day  family. 

The  remains  of  the  largest  village  of  the  Winnebago  Indians  were  still  in 
existence.  This  tribe  left  their  Iowa  home  reluctantly,  but  the  fiat  had  gone  forth 
that  they  must  "move  on,"  and  the  formality  of  a  treaty  had  settled  this  question 
two  years  previous.  Perhaps,  nay,  probably,  the  Indian  trails  that  everywhere 
centered  towards  this  spot  had  something  to  do  in  leading  their  white  successors 
to  the  favorite  village  of  the  ^^■innebagoes.  lie  that  as  it  may.  the  same  influences 
in  tutored  and  untutored  minds  led  to  a  choice  which  proved  wise  and  profitable 
to  the  whites  who  succeeded  the  Indians. 

The  family  01  William  Painter  followed  soon  after  and  located  close  by  in 
the  same  valley,  a  little  west  of  the  Day  homestead,  so  close  that  when  the  village 
plat  of  Decorah  was  made  it  was  located  on  lands  owned  by  both  these  pioneers. 
The  tide  of  traveling  land  seekers  followed  them.     The  Days  kept  open  house. 

189 


1!K)  PAST  AND  PRKSEXT  OF  \VIXXi:Sl  II1:K  COUNTY 

Their  log  cabin  became  a  hotel  of  widespread   fame,  at  a  convenient   jjoint  on 
the  overland  stage  route  from  Dubuque  to  St.  Paul. 

In  1851  the  county  of  Winneshiek  was  organized  (as  told  in  the  history  of 
Winneshiek  county)  by  John  L.  Carson,  legally  a])pointed  organizing  ofificer 
or  sheriff.  By  the  legislative  act  for  organizing  the  county  "Decorah"  was  named 
as  one  of  the  points  to  be  voted  for  as  the  county  seat  of  Winneshiek  county.  .Mr. 
Carson's  certificate  (the  first  paper  of  any  kind  in  the  official  records  of  the 
county)  duly  certifies  that  "on  the  7th  day  of  April,  A.  D.  1851,  Decorah  was  duly 
elected  to  be  the  county  seat  of  said  (Winneshiek)  county."  The  legal  e.xistence 
of  Decorah  did  not  begin,  however,  until  1853;  for  it  was  not  until  August  17th 
of  that  year  that  William  Day  made  and  entered  of  record  a  plat  and  deed  of 
renunciation  to  pulilic  use  of  the  "east  half  of  Decorah,"  and  September  7th 
following  William  Painter  e.xecuted  a  like  plat  and  deed  for  the  "west  half  of 
Decorah."  The  name  was  borrowed  from  the  Winnebago  Indians.  Winneshiek 
was  a  distinguished  chief  of  that  tribe,  and  Waukon  Decorah  was  a  lesser  chief. 
The  name,  however,  is  not  of  wholly  Indian  origin,  but  is  believed  to  have  come 
from  the  French  and  Sioux. 

The  earliest  historian  of  Decorah  was  Rev.  Epbiaiiii  .\danis,  a  Congregational 
clergyman  who  came  to  Decorah  in  1S57  as  the  first  resident  pastor.  In  the 
Thanksgiving  sermon  delivered  ten  years  later  on  "The  First  Things  of  Decorah," 
he  drew  this  picture  of  the  future  city  in  185 1-2: 

Let  us  see  what  we  have:  Three  log  cabins,  one  hotel;  a  lawyer  and 
two  merchants,  partners  in  trade;  with  other  families  that  might  be  named, 
though  the  census  would  not  be  large;  the  water  power  beginning  to  be 
improved ;  regular  preaching  once  a  month  by  two  different  denominations ; 
and  a  county  seat  with,  of  course,  regular  sessions  of  the  county  court. 
It  was  in  this  year  that  Decorah  postoffice  was  established,  with  C.  Day 
postmaster. 

In  1853  the  first  schoolhouse  was  built.  Ji  was  located  on  the  lot  now 
occupied  by  the  First  Norwegian  Lutheran  church;  and  the  first  teacher  was 
Theodore  W.  Burdick,  who  for  many  years  was  one  of  the  most  prominent  citi- 
zens of  the  city.  For  one  term  he  represented  this  district  in  the  lower  branch 
of  Congress. 

In  1834.  according  to  Rev.  Mr.  .Adams,  above  (|Uoted.  the  three  cabins 
of  1851  had  expanded  to  "a  little  village  of  fifteen  to  twenty  buildings,  counting 
hotels,  stores,  stables,  shops  ;m<l  buildings  of  all  kinds."  In  the  years  1854-5  the 
first  Winneshiek  House  was  erected  by  Wm.  Day,  on  the  original  site  selected 
by  Mrs.  Dav.  In  .X.  D.  1877  this  was  enlarged,  made  really  a  second  "Wimie- 
shiek,"  and  al  the  lime  this  is  written  the  third  W  inneshiek  is  nearing  its  com- 
pletion— a  structure  such  as  the  pioneers  never  dreamed  of.  for  railways,  electric 
light  and  communication,  steam  heat,  and  all  of  the  modern  conveniences  were 
then  unknown  qualities. 

In  1855  Congress  passed  a  law  locating  a  land  office  at  Decorah.  This 
opened  December  24,  1855,  and  brought  hither  a  throng  of  land  speculators, 
bankers  and  others,  which  gave  the  town  such  an  impetus  that  when  the  census 
of  i860  was  taken  tiie  poinilation  had  grown  to  i.2i">.  It  is  said  there  were  nine 
bankers  and  land  offices  doing  business  here  while  the  land  office  was  open  and 
as  long  as  any  land  remained  for  entry.     One  of  these  survived  the  panic  of 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  191 

1857,  and  all  subsequent  financial  perils.  The  "Winneshiek  County  Bank,  capital 
?5,ooo,"  was  opened  by  two  Pennsylvanians — Horace  S.  Weiser  and  Thos.  J. 
Filbert.  The  latter  retired  a  few  years  later,  and  the  bank  was  continued  by 
the  senior  partner  until  his  death  twenty  years  later.  "The  Winneshiek  County 
State  Bank"  is  the  legitimate  successor  of  this  pioneer  bank,  and  has  now  reached 
its  fiftieth  year  of  successful  life.  Charles  J.  Weiser,  son  of  the  founder,  is 
now  the  president,  and  the  stock  is  largely  held  by  him  and  his  two  sisters.  The 
original  $5,000  of  capital  has  grown  to  $100,000,  with  a  surplus  fund  of  $25,000, 
and  a  property  value  behind  it  a  hundred  times  greater  than  the  original  fund. 

The  first  newspaper  started  in  1855,  and  was  known  as  the  Decorah 
Chronicle.  In  the  ensuing  few  years  it  had  a  new  publisher  almost  every  year 
until  in  i860  it  became  the  property  of  W.  Bailey  &  Son.  It  is  now  conducted 
by  A.  K.  Bailey  >&  Son,  the  junior  of  that  period  being  the  senior  of  the  present 
time. 

The  village  grew  continuously,  and  in  1857  had  aspirations  for  municipal 
honors.  This  resulted  in  a  decision  reached  by  vote  of  electors  on  the  first 
Monday  in  April  of  that  year  to  incorporate  as  a  town  under  the  state  law.  Hon. 
E.  E.  Cooley  was  chosen  mayor,  with  full  corps  of  municipal  officers. 

In  1870  the  census  disclosed  a  population  of  2,110.  This  being  a  sufficient 
population  to  make  it  "a  city  of  the  second  class,"  steps  were  taken  to  enter  that 
grade  of  municipalities,  and  that  event  was  completed  by  an  election  in  187 1  of 
Charles  T.  Allen  as  mayor,  with  a  council  of  eight  members  representing  four 
wards.  The  boundaries  of  the  city  have  twice  been  enlarged,  the  last  time  by 
uniting  to  it  the  town  of  West  Decorah.  which  had  been  incorporated  in  1879, 
including  all  that  part  of  the  city  lying  on  the  west  side  of  the  Upper  Iowa 
river.  The  city  has  never  enjoyed  a  boom ;  its  growth  has  been  steady  and  normal, 
advancing  only  as  fast  as  the  necessities  of  the  surrounding  country  demanded. 
In  i860  its  pnjnilation  was  1,219;  '"  I'^/O.  2,110:  in  1880,  2,951;  in  1900  with 
West  Decorah  added,  3,777;  in  1910,  3,592. 

Strenuous  eft'orts  were  made  for  many  years  to  build  up  manufacturing  enter- 
prises, but  for  various  reasons  most  of  these  were  unsuccessful,  although  large 
sums  of  money  were  expended  in  the  effort.  In  the  meanwhile,  without  especial 
endeavor,  there  grew  up  an  unusual  success  along  a  line  many  communities 
have  expended  large  sums  only  to  meet  failure  in  the  end.  The  city  became  an 
educational  center. 

In  1862  Luther  College  came  hither.  It  was  founded  in  1859-60.  and  passed 
its  first  year  in  Wisconsin.  Then,  as  now,  this  county  was  a  center  of  a  numerous, 
intelligent  and  generous  Norwegian  population,  and  when  a  permanent  location 
was  desired  by  the  Norwegian  Lutheran  Synod  of  North  America  for  a  high 
class  educational  institution  Decorah  was  elected.  A  l:)eautiful  site  was  provided 
for  it  on  the  western  border  of  the  city.  While  the  first  college  building  was 
being  erected  the  building  now  used  by  the  St.  Cloud  Hotel,  and  one  dormitory 
adjoining  it,  was  ample  for  the  students  who  first  sought  its  benefits.  In  1863 
the  college  grew  in  numbers  as  well  as  enlarged  its  facilities  for  doing  the  work 
of  preparing  young  men  for  lives  of  usefulness  demanding  culture,  intelligence 
and  consecration.  A  very  high  percentage  of  its  graduates  passed  on  into  the 
theological  seminary,  and  thence  to  the  service  of  the  Norwegian  Lutheran 
church.    In  1889  the  first  building  was  destroyed  by  fire,  and  for  a  time  removal 


1!)2  PAST  AND  rUllSKXT  Ol-   W  IXXI-.SllIEK  COUXTY 

was  coiitemplated.  Tlie  final  decision  of  the  synod  was  to  rebuild,  and  t)in  of 
the  trial  by  tire  grew  stronger  than  ever  for  the  great  work  to  be  done. 

In  1874  John  Breckenridge,  who  had  been  a  successful  teacher  in  the  ]niblic 
schools  of  the  city,  decided  to  start  an  academic  school,  and  in  that  manner  the 
Decorah  Institute  was  born.  It  has  maintained  a  very  successful  career  of 
more  than  a  quarter  century ;  and  the  young  men  and  women  it  has  helped  to 
higher  ])ositions  than  they  could  otherwise  have  reached  are  counted  by  the 
thousands.  .Among  its  graduates  arc  state  and  county  superintendents  of  schools, 
teachers,  lawyers,  doctors,  and  others  filling  useful  places  in  the  work  of  the 
world. 

In  iSSS  Mr.  C.  11.  \  alder,  another  teacher,  whose  specialty  was  in  penman- 
ship and  luLsiness  training,  conceived  the  idea  of  establishing  a  business  college. 
To  this  was  soon  added  a  normal  de]iartment.  and  it.  too.  has  aided  other 
thousands  into  positions  of  high  rank  in  the  business  world.  Year  after  year  its 
enrollment  has  been  upwards  of  400;  and  its  graduates  are  scattered  all  over 
the  Xortlnvesl  from  Chicago  to  the  Pacific  coast.  A  lesser  institution  came  also 
without  solicitation — the  Sisters'  School,  or  Academy  of  the  Immaculate  Concep- 
tion, and  its  work  has  been  helpful  to  a  large  body  of  youth. 

Meanwhile  the  pulilic  school  has  never  been  neglected.  Step  by  stej)  a  school 
has  been  built  up  that  carries  its  students  to  the  doors  of  the  colleges  of  the  state 
and  the  universities  of  Wisconsin  and  Minnesota.  The  school  property  of  the 
district — coequal  with  the  city  limits — exceeds  in  value  $50,000.  These  schools 
jirivileges  are  so  highly  appreciated  that  in  the  winter  season  nearly  a  thousand 
students,  not  residents  of  tlic  city,  are  attracted  here  for  the  advantages  these 
institutions  afford. 

The  printing  industry  is  one  not  fostered  by  cajjilal  that  has  grown  to  such 
jjroportions  that  there  is  no  other  city  of  4,000  people  that  can  compare  with  it. 
The  location  of  Luther  College  in  Decorah  made  this  the  educational  center  of 
the  Norwegian  Lutherans  of  America.  It  also  was  the  main  factor  in  causing 
the  establishment  of  the  Synod  Publishing  House.  This  is  what  its  name  im- 
I)lies  in  its  fullest  extent.  It  is  sujiplied  with  the  i)est  ])urcliasablc  cqui])ment  in 
type-setting  machines,  printing  ])resses,  and  binding  implements,  and  its  output, 
in  addition  to  its  church  weekly,  includes  the  making  of  Bibles,  jirayer  and  hynm 
books,  theological  works,  etc.  It  is  cquipi)ed  for  ,iny  work  the  big  city  otlices 
can  do. 

TIr-  I  >ccc)r;di-l'osten  is  also  another  great  success  in  ihc  jiriniing  art.  After 
years  of  desperate  struggles,  Mr.  H.  .\nimdscn.  its  ])ublislier.  achieved  the 
enviable  position  of  .securing  the  largest  circulation  of  any  Norwegian  newspaper 
])rinted  in  this  coimtry.  Twice  a  week  the  Posten  sends  to  over  39.000  i)atrons 
the  product  of  a  corps  of  six  editors,  and  an  equipment  that  inckules  two  per- 
fecting presses,  three  linotypes,  and  other  up-to-date  facilities  of  the  printer's 
art.  The  local  newspapers  are  the  Decorah  Rei)ul)lican.  the  lineal  descendant 
of  the  Chronicle,  started  in  1855;  the  Decorah  Journal.  pul)lished  by  I'red 
I'iermann,  and  representing  the  democratic  faith:  and  the  Decorah  Public  ( Jpin- 
ion,  published  by  H.  J.  Creen.  republican  in  its  faith,  h-ach  of  these  offices  has 
excellent  equipments. 

The  church  accommodati(5ns  of  Decorah  are  large  and  fully  ample  for  the 
needs  of  a  city  of  5.000  people.     There  are  seven  diflferent  organizations,  all 


ACADE:\IV  of  TlIK  I.M.\IA(  ll.ATK  f()X( 'Kl'TK  )X.  DErORAH 


NEW  POST  OFFICE.  DECORAII 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  195 

represented  in  houses  of  worsliip.  The  picmeer  church  was  of  the  Methodist 
faitli,  organized  by  Rev.  Albert  Bishop  in  September.  1851.  Its  first  house  of 
worship  was  buiU  in  1856.  and  is  now  in  use  as  the  Boy  Scout  headquarters  and 
as  a  gymnasium.  The  brick  building  now  occupied  was  erected  in  1874.  The 
second  church  was  of  tlie  Congregational  order,  established  in  June,  1854.  Rev. 
E.  Adams  became  its  pastor  in  1857,  and  remained  in  this  relation  for  fourteen 
succeeding  years.  Its  first  house  of  worship  was  erected  in  i860  and  1861,  being 
dedicated  November  17th  of  the  latter  year.  This  structure  gave  place  to  a  new 
and  more  modern  church  in  the  years  1895-6.  These  were  followed  in  due  time 
by  the  Catholic,  Episcopal,  First  Norwegian  Evangelical  Lutheran,  German 
Methodist,  Baptist,  and  United  Lutheran  (  Nrjrwegian ) ,  all  save  one  sustaining 
pastors  and  holding  regular  Sabbath  services. 

The  banking  facilities  of  the  city  are  supplied  by  the  Winneshiek  County 
State  Bank,  heretofore  referred  to,  the  Citizens  Savings  Bank,  organized  under 
state  laws,  and  the  National  Bank  of  Decorah,  operating  under  the  national  bank- 
ing law.  Their  business  relations  with  the  people  of  this  city  and  surrounding 
territory  are  indicated  by  the  following  statistics  taken  from  the  last  published 
statements  made  in  compliance  with  legal  requirements : 

Winneshiek  County  State  Bank. — Capital,  surplus  and  undivided  profits,  $206,- 
111.49;  aggregate  resources,  $1,656,345.93.  Otficers — C.  J.  Weiser,  president; 
R.  Algver  and  E.  W.  D.  Holway,  vice  presidents;  A.  Anfinson,  cashier;  and  A. 
C.  Whalen,  assistant  cashier. 

Citizens  Savings  Bank. — Capital,  surplus  and  profits,  $79,416.07;  total  re- 
sources, $572,118.50.  Officers — E.  J.  Curtin,  president;  ( )gden  Casterton,  vice 
president ;  B.  J.  McKay,  cashier ;  F.  E.  Cratsenberg  and  Richard  E.  Bucknell, 
assistant  cashiers. 

National  Bank  of  Decorah. — Capital,  surplus  and  profits,  $64,088.90;  total 
resources.  $549,522.62.  Officers — L.  B.  Whitney,  president ;  O.  C.  Johnson, 
vice  president ;  H.  C.  Hjerleid,  cashier ;  W.  F.  Baker,  assistant  cashier. 

Decorah  State  Bank. — Capital,  surplus  and  profits,  $61,382.77;  total  resources, 
$258,788.71.  Officers — R.  A.  Engbretson,  president;  L.  S.  Reque,  vice  president; 
E.  F.  Berg,  cashier;  Arthur  R.  Johnson,  assistant  cashier. 

Aggregate  resources  of  all  banks,  $1,485,997.53. 

The  railway  history  of  Decorah  began  as  early  as  1856  by  a  local  organization 
known  as  the  Northwestern  Railroad  Company,  but  nothing  like  the  whistle 
of  a  locomotive  was  heard  inside  the  borders  of  the  county  until  1864.  The 
McGregor  Western  Railway  in  time  was  merged  into  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee 
&  St.  Paul  Railway  Company.  In  September,  1869,  a  branch  line  was  built  into 
Decorah.  to  the  intense  gratification  of  all  its  citizens.  There  were  those,  however, 
who  seriously  questioned  whether  it  would  prove  a  permanent  line.  They  argued 
that  a  daily  stage  line  was  ample  for  all  the  passenger  traffic,  and  the  freight 
business  gave  employment  to  only  a  few  teamsters.  Why,  they  said,  one  com- 
bination coach,  making  a  daily  trip  in  and  out,  would  suffice  all  the  needs  of  the 
town.  Today  over  that  line  there  are  five  daily  trains  in  and  out,  consisting  of 
one  or  more  passenger  cars,  a  combined  baggage  and  smoking  car,  a  U.  S.  mail 
coach,  and  not  infrequently  trains  of  a  half-dozen  or  more  of  freight  cars.  In 
1883  an  extension  of  the  Burlington,  Cedar  Rapids  &  Northern  Railway  from 
Postville  was  secured.     This  has  since  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Rock  Island 


196  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

System,   thereby  affording  to  the  city  all   the   resources  of   two   of   the   largest 
railway  organizations  operating  in  the  West. 

In  1881-2  the  necessity  of  better  fire  protection  than  a  chemical  engine  and 
a  bucket  brigade  caused  the  citizens  to  vote  the  city  authorities  permission  to 
bond  the  incorporation  for  $16,000  and  construct  a  waterworks  system.  The  sur- 
rounding hills  gave  the  best  possible  opportunity  to  make  and  use  the  gravity 
system.  A  reservoir  ample  for  all  present  needs  was  built  on  the  bluffs  above 
the  city  (in  the  natural  drainage  of  the  land),  that  gives  a  force  upon  the  mains 
in  tlic  Ijusincss  portion  of  the  city  exceeding  a  pressure  of  a  hundred  pounds  per 
inch.  The  fire  protection  afforded  is  ample,  and,  as  the  popular  saying  goes, 
the  system  paid  for  itself  several  times  over  by  the  power  and  force  of  the  direct 
pressure  it  affords.  A  fire  department  of  three  hose  companies  and  one  hook 
and  ladder  company  has  been  all  the  city  has  needed.  Additions  to  the  original 
system  have  been  made  until,  at  this  time,  nearly  every  point  inside  the  city 
limits  is  within  reach  of  the  fire  department  with  3,000  feet  of  hose. 

The  unity  of  purpose,  public  spirit  and  enterprise  of  the  citizens  is  marked 
by  two  conspicuous  examples.  In  1891  it  seemed  necessary  to  secure  a  safe, 
comfortable  and  suitable  public  building  in  which  to  hold  public  gatherings, 
concerts,  theatricals,  and  conventions.  The  original  opera  house  had  been  out- 
grown ;  there  was  danger  in  filling  it  as  such  structures  often  are.  and  manv  of 
the  older  citizens  could  not  endeavor  to  lift  themselves  up  and  down  two  long 
flight  of  steps.  A  canvass  of  the  city  was  made,  and  nearly  every  one  approached 
joined  in  a  proposition  to  build  a  suitable  opera  house — one  in  fact  as  well  as 
name.  .At  that  time  a  complete  structure  for  $25,000  was  unknown.  To  build  it 
was  an  experiment.  It  was  a  success.  Hundreds  have  since  been  erected.  This 
was  the  pioneer.  There  were  over  a  hundred  owners,  and  few  owned  any  large 
portion.  It  was  a  new  era  in  city  history.  It  meant  a  higher  class  of  entertain- 
ment, and  the  dropping  out  of  the  chea|U'r  ones.  We  all  took  comfort  in  it.  In 
the  mid-summer  of  1898  its  interior  was  destroyed  by  fire.  The  owners  and  man- 
agers were  not  discouraged.  They  rose  to  the  occasion.  They  rebuilt  it  and 
enlarged  its  capacity  fully  one-fourth,  thcrcljy  m;iking  it  more  pn])ul;ir  than 
ever. 

In  a  somewhat  similar  manner  when  it  became  evident  that  the  tra\oling 
public  was  shunning  our  city  i)ecause  the  hotel  cquii)menls  were  crowded  and 
did  not  meet  their  demands,  plans  were  forniecl  in  11^)4  to  su])])lv  this  deficiency. 
An  organization  was  perfected  .-ind  fifty  stockholders  united  in  like  sjjirit.  The 
result  is  a  new  Winneshiek,  built  during  the  ensuing  fall  and  winter.  It  was 
informally  ojjened  April  ist,  and  formally  opened  on  the  27th  dav  of  April. 
Wli;it  the  ()j)era  house  was  to  its  ])atrons.  the  Winneshiek  is  to  the  traveling 
public — new  throughout,  from  foundation  stone  to  ca])-stone — a  fift\-room  hotel 
of  city  characteristics  in  every  respect. 

In  1902  a  system  of  permanent  paving  was  begun,  l-light  blocks  of  it — it  being 
from  the  west  end  of  Water  street  to  Dry  Run  bridge,  with  two  blocks  on  two 
side  streets — were  laid  with  (lalesburg  brick.  In  the  following  year  four  addi- 
tional blocks  on  Washington  street  were  similarly  ])a\ed.  and  in  1903-4  another 
portion  of  the  same  street  that  had  been  troublesome  and  vexatious,  was  per- 
manently im])roved  and  made  a  feature  of  the  city  which  citizens  take  pleasure 
in  showing  to  visiting  friends. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  197 

Since  the  foregoing  improvement  was  completed  paving  has  been  done  alxjut 
Courthouse  square,  on  Main  street  from  Winnebago  to  Washington  street  and 
from  Water  to  Alain  on  Court  street,  a  total  of  six  blocks. 

The  year  191 3  has  witnessed  another  noticeable  improvement  in  the  lighting 
of  the  business  portion  of  the  city.  Handsome  electroliers  have  taken  the  place 
of  the  old  arc  lights  and  the  city  presents  a  metropolitan  appearance. 

The  city  hospital  that  is  to  be  is  referred  to  under  the  head  of  Public  P>uild- 
ings.  \Miile  this  is  in  a  measure  a  local  enterprise,  the  city  of  Decorah  expects 
that  the  people  of  the  county  generally  will  avail  themselves  of  its  beneficial 
features. 

All  public  buildings  and  many  of  the  residences  are  lighted  by  electricity 
or  gas  furnished  by  private  corporations.  The  Standard  Telephone  Company 
(now  owned  by  the  "Bell"  interests)  maintains  a  local  exchange  that  is  well 
sustained,  and  through  the  toll  lines  and  independent  farm  lines,  every  town 
in  the  county  and  hundreds  of  farm  homes  are  in  easy  communication. 

The  city  officials,  chosen  at  last  spring's  election,  are:  H.  J.  Green,  mayor; 
councilmen — ist  ward,  John  O'Niel;  2d  ward,  W.  F.  Baker;  3d  ward,  R.  Buck- 
nell ;  4th  ward,  L.  L.  Cadwell ;  5th  ward,  W.  T.  Symonds ;  at  large,  Peter  Jenson 
and  C.  E.  jMcKinney.  F.  M.  Hughes  is  city  clerk,  J.  A.  Nelson  is  city  attorney, 
R.  Algyar  is  city  treasurer,  and  E.  J.  Gillett  is  assessor. 


CHAPTER  XXI 
CALMAR  TOWNSHIP  AND  ITS  MUNICIPALITIES 

From  an  article  prepared  by  John  B.  Kaye  for  Anderson  &  Goodwin's  Atlas  of 
Winneshiek   County,  with   additions   of  recent   data. 

Calmar  township,  although  directly  in  the  path  of  the  Government  Military 
Road  between  Fort  Atkinson  and  other  western  and  northern  points,  and  Fort 
Crawford  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  Wisconsin  (said  from  Bloody  Run  northward  to 
be  the  best  natural  highway  in  the  world),  was  not  occupied  by  actual  settlers  as 
early  as  Frankville  and  several  other  townships  in  the  county.  In  1851  the  county 
was  organized,  and  the  tax  assessment  list  for  that  year  (the  first  ever  made  in 
the  county)  of  all  persons  whose  property  tax  was  over  $[o,  contains  only  one 
name  for  what  afterward  became  Calmar  township,  and  that  was  Joseph  Spielman, 
who  afterward  became  the  founder  of  Spillville.  His  assessed  tax  was  $18.96, 
which  showed  him  then  to  be  the  fourth  richest  man  in  the  county ;  only  John 
AIcKay,  Frank  Teabout  and  Benjamin  Beard,  all  of  Frankville  township,  ex- 
ceeding him  in  assessable  property. 

Thor.  P.  Skotland,  the  richest  Norwegian  settler  of  the  township,  arrived  in 
1850,  and  with  T-  J-  Haug  of  Spillville  and  others,  organized  the  township  in 
1858,  the  Scandinavian  influence  contributing  the  name;  that  having  been  first 
applied  to  the  village. 

In  the  tax  list  for  185 1,  Mr.  Skotland's  name  does  not  appear  among  those 
whose  tax  was  more  than  $10,  so  he  evidently  put  all  of  his  personal  means  into 
land,  and  had  not  yet  gotten  his  title  from  the  Government. 

It  is  an  unusual  fact  that  Calmar  township  was  settled  in  the  first  instance 
almost  exclusively  by  foreigners.  The  western  half  of  the  township  seems  to  have 
been  settled  about  the  same  time  as  the  eastern,  and  was  occupied  mostly  by 
Germans,  Swiss  and  Bohemians,  while  the  latter  portion  attracted  the  Scandina- 
vians, mostly  Norwegians,  but  there  was  a  sprinkling  of  Swedes  and  Danes.  Most 
of  these  came  directly  from  their  fatherland  but  some  came  from  other  states, 
notably  Wisconsin,  and  two  at  least  from  California,  where  they  had  been  attracted 
by  the  gold  fever  of  1848-50  and  stopped  off  on  their  return  eastward  from  the 
gold  fields. 

199 


200  PAST  A\D  PRESEXT  OF  WIXXESHIEK  COUNTY 

Anionjj^  the  first  of  these  Xorsenien  to  settle  in  Calmar  township  or  at  least 
on  ground  now  occupied  by  it.  were  Thor.  P.  Skotland,  Torsen  Land.  Lars  Land 
and  Andre  P.  Sandager,  all  of  whom  arrived  in  1850.  and  with  the  exception  of 
Lars  P.  Land,  who  at  last  accounts  was  residing  in  the  State  of  Washington, 
have  now  passed  over  into  the  "undisccnered  country."  In  1S51.  these  were 
reinforced  by  Ole  Shervin,  Sr..  Ole  Sher\in,  Jr.,  ]'".rick  Stovern.  (  )le  P.  llaugen. 
Andrew  L.  Kittlesby.  Thron  11.  luigcn  and  Thora  Bagaarson.  Of  these  there 
now  survive  only  Andrew  L.  Kittlesby,  who  resides  in  the  town  of  Cahnar. 
enjoying  a  competency  laid  u\)  while  on  the  farm  which  he  still  owns,  a  n)ile 
south  of  town.     Mr.  Kittlesby  is  hale  and  hearty  at  the  age  of  seventy-five. 

In  the  following  year,  1852,  Mr.  Kittlesby  was  joined  by  his  brother,  Peter  L. 
Kittlesby,  and  his  father,  Lars  P.  Kittlesby.  The  former  is  still  living  and  also 
resides  in  Calmar. 

In  1S53  Ole  A.  Flaskerud  (father  of  the  Maskerud  brothers),  Ole  P.  Lijornstad 
(father  of  Pete  Olson  and  brothers),  Erick  Flaskerud  and  Even  Fristad  (father 
of  H.  E.  Fristad)  joined  the  settlement,  but  of  that  quartette  not  one  now 
remains. 

In  1854  Alf.  Clark,  Peter  Clawson  and  John  P.  Landin  arrived.  They  and 
Charles  G.  Ilallieck.  who  arrived  a  year  or  two  later,  became  the  nucleus  of  the 
village  of  Calmar. 

In  1855  George  Yarwood  and  Menry  W'hcatman,  both  English,  Ole  P.  Tenold, 
Ole  H.  Trickerud.  Ole  O.  Kamberg,  Sr.,  John  P.  Hove,  Ole  O.  Styve,  Jacob  Sten- 
seth  and  Lars  Heried  put  in  an  appearance.  Ole  P.  Tenold  invested  in  land  near 
the  village,  most  of  which  land  is  still  owned  by  the  family.  Mr.  Tenold  was  a 
shoemaker  by  trade,  and  afterwards  moved  into  Calmar  and  engaged  in  the  boot 
and  shoe  business,  which  he  continued  for  a  number  of  years.  Of  the  settlers 
of  the  year  above  named,  all  have  passed  away.  Harold  EUingsen,  one  of  the 
oldest  settlers  now  remaining,  did  not  arrive  until  1857,  wh.en  he  engaged  in  the 
blacksmithing  business  in  Calmar.  and  has  followed  it  continuously  ever  since. 

The  earliest  settlers  of  the  western  part  of  the  township  made  Spillviiie  a  busi- 
ness center.  These  were  Charles  Kroek,  who  settled  in  1849.  Joseph  Spielman  in 
1850,  George  Herzog  and  Conrad  Riehle  in  1851.  Of  these  Kroek  and  Richie  were 
Germans,  as  also  w-as  Sjjielman,  being  a  Bavarian,  while  Herzog  was  an  Alsatian. 
All  of  these  were  married  men.  and  all  sa\c  llcrzog  brought  their  families  with 
them. 

Spielman  l)uilt  a  lo.g  house  directlv  after  his  arrival.  It  was  the  first  building 
in  Spillviiie.  Soon  afterwards  he  erected  a  sawmill  on  S])ielman's  creek  near  its 
confluence  with  the  Turkey  river.  This  was  washed  away  by  a  flood  in  1853. 
but  in  1854  was  rebuilt,  and  a  grist  mill  was  built  also — a  collection  of  buildings 
which  was  then  called  S])ielville.  afterwards  spelled  Si)illville. 

At  this  date  Spielman's  creek  is  said  to  have  carried  as  nnich  water  as  the 
Turkey  river  affords  at  the  present  time. 

The  first  P>ohemian  settlers  arrived  in  the  spring  of  1854:  they  were  Martin 
P>ouska,  Frank  Payer  and  Wenzil  Mikcsh,  .Andrew  Kubesh  and  John  Xovak  and 
families.    Of  these  Mikesh  still  survives  and  is  living  in  Spillviiie. 

In  1834  also  J.  J.  Haug,  Jacob  Stelzer,  J.  H.  llinterman,  I'clix  Mcver  and 
J.  H.  Meyer  and  John  Leebl  and  family  arrived  and  settled  near  the  Sumner 
township  line.    These  were  all  from  Switzerland,  and  with  the  exception  of  Haug 


^j^' 


iiii^Hil 


STEEET  SCENES.  C.VLMAi; 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  203 

and  Stelzer  had  families.  Of  these  J.  J.  Haug  is  the  only  one  who  survives.  He 
is  now  living  in  his  elegant  home  in  Spillville,  a  town  which  he  aided  much  in 
building  up,  and  for  many  years  was  at  the  head  of  that  community,  and  was 
general  business  factor  for  most  of  its  people,  whose  confidence  in  him  was,  and 
still  is,  unbounded.  Mr.  Haug  with  Thor.  P.  Skotland  and  Lars  Land,  were  the 
first  trustees  of  the  township  and  Charles  G.  Halbeck  was  the  first  township  clerk. 

On  the  1 2th  day  of  September,  1904,  the  remnant  of  the  Bohemian  first  com- 
ers to  the  township  joined  their  friends  in  Washington  township  and  others  of 
the  surrounding  country,  in  celebrating  at  Fort  Atkinson  the  jubilee  anniversary 
of  their  first  settlement.  It  was  a  notable  occasion,  and  a  gathering  of  local  his- 
toric significance. 

The  town  was  full  of  people  who  had  come  to  greet  these  local  patriarchs 
of  a  foreign  race,  as  well  as  other  early  settlers  who  were  attracted  by  the  occa- 
sion. Nearly  all  of  these  were  represented  by  children  and  grandchildren,  who 
had  come  to  fill  their  places,  and  carry  on  the  work  vmder  easier  conditions,  that 
their  ancestors  had  begun  fifty  years  before.  A  banquet  in  the  grove,  music  by 
marching  bands  at  the  head  of  civic  societies,  and  many  citizens,  paraded  the 
streets.  The  making  of  speeches,  the  recitation  of  early  experiences  by  the  old 
settlers,  and  a  game  of  baseball  w^ere  a  part  of  the  program  of  the  day. 

CONOVER 

As  running  waters  even  in  arid  lands  are  marked  by  belts  of  vegetation,  so 
railways  have  called  into  being  villages,  towns  and  cities.  Conover  was  born  of 
hope,  and  engendered,  in  the  fall  of  1864,  by  tlie  approach  of  the  track  of  what  is 
now  the  I.  &  ^I.  division  of  the  Chicago.  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railway. 

The  original  plat  of  the  village  was  filed  October  6,  1865.  Conley's  addition 
followed  October  21,  1865,  and  Peterson's  addition  October  24.  1865. 

It  would  seem  as  though  at  that  time  the  municipal  fever  was  raging  hot  in 
the  bosoms  of  the  adjoining  land-proprietors.  For  a  couple  of  weeks  there  seems 
to  have  been  a  rush  among  them  to  get  their  fields  laid  off  into  town  lots  with 
bisecting  streets  and  significant  corner  stones.  It  doubtless  all  looked  very  im- 
posing when  traced  out  on  the  paper  plats  with  the  accompanying  field  notes  and 
explanations  of  the  surveyor,  and  the  statements  of  the  proprietors  dedicating  the 
streets  and  alleys  to  the  public,  duly  acknowledged,  and  certified  by  notary  whose 
seal  perhaps  spoke  officially  over  a  red  or  blue  wafer,  and  the  whole  marked 
"filed"  by  the  registrar  of  deeds. 

It  was  a  dream  for  the  community  up  the  road — a  dream  of  joint  official  and 
municipal  splendor.  After  arriving  at  Conover,  the  building  of  the  road  ceased 
for  a  while,  and  this  added  zeal  to  the  faith  of  the  inhabitants  in  the  future  great- 
ness of  the  town. 

It  was  just  after  the  close  of  the  great  Civil  war,  and  ex-soldiers — officers  as 
well  as  privates — swarmed  the  streets  of  the  new  town  and  dominated  its  busi- 
ness activities.  The  people  were  young,  there  were  no  grey  heads  or  stooped 
shoulders  in  the  community.  Life  was  roseate,  and  fortune  was  on  the  way  with 
gifts  for  all  within  the  new  metropolis. 

The  place  was  the  produce  market  for  forty  miles  around  in  every  direction, 


204  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNT'' 

except  to  the  east.  There  was  a  stage  Une  estabHshed  to  and  from  Decorah  with 
dailj'  coaches. 

Thirty-two  saloons  helped  to  keep  the  community  from  stagna  on.  Crops 
and  prices  were  good,  and  the  inhabitants  were  jubilant. 

just  before  the  turn  of  the  tide,  a  petition  signed  by  sixty-three — a  majoritj — 
of  the  resident  electors  of  the  village,  was  presented  to  County  Judge  G.  R. 
Willett,  by  the  Hon.  David  Noggle.  agent  and  attorney  for  the  petitioners,  ask- 
ing that  the  village  be  incorporated  and  constituted  a  town.  Due  notice  was  given 
and  a  day  fixed  for  hearing  and  on  the  17th  day  of  October,  1866.  by  the  order 
and  finding  of  Judge  Willett,  the  village  became  an  incorporated  town  by  the 
name  of  "CONO\'ER."  as  the  order  and  finding  has  it  spelled  out  in  capitals.  So 
was  the  thriving  village  born  into  municipal  life,  but  the  seeds  of  decav  were  ger- 
minating in  its  vitals  even  while  the  ink  was  yet  undried  on  the  judge's  vitalizing 
order. 

Of  course  the  agent  and  attorney  of  the  electors,  who  as  \\  e  understand,  was 
right-of-way  agent  for  the  railway  company,  and  owner  of  a  pa.n  of  the  plat, 
could  not  be  supposed  to  have  known  that  the  railway  com])any  would  push  the 
construction  of  the  railroad  northward,  to  the  demoralization  of  the  trade  of 
Conover.  but  this  it  immediately  proceeded  to  do.  and  the  rapid  decline  which 
then  set  in  ended  in  death  of  the  new  town  when  the  "Decorah  branch"  was  built 
in  1869. 

The  town  elected  its  first  and  only  officers  late  in  the  fall  of  iiS66  or  in  the 
spring  of  1867.  and  before  their  terms  were  out  they  serxed  as  pallbearers  to  the 
defunct  municipality. 

Capt.  C.  V.  Jacobs  was  the  first  mayor,  and  as  he  never  had  a  successor,  his  title 
and  office  as  sole  mayor  of  a  town  was  an  unique  distinction,  and  only  falls  to 
the  lot  of  but  few  men. 

Captain  Jacobs  afterwards  removed  to  Cresco.  and  died  there.  Col.  G.  D. 
Rogers.  Lieut.  Charles  Sydow.  and  I  think  Capt.  Geo.  Q.  Gardner  were  among 
the  couiuilnicii.  but  as  the  town  records  were  burned  in  a  fire  which  occurred 
soon  afterwards,  the  names  of  all  the  officers  can  not  now  be  definitely  ascer- 
tained. It  seems  that  under  the  law  as  it  then  existed,  the  township  clerk  and 
trustees  acted  as  the  first  election  board  for  the  new  town.  I.  f.  Haug.  who  was 
township  clerk,  informs  me  that  after  the  election  was  over,  there  were  not 
sufficient  funds  in  the  treasury  of  the  new  town  to  cash  the  claims  of  the  elec- 
tion board  for  their  services.  Mr.  Haug  himself  thereupon  volunteered  to  cash 
the  claims  of  his  fellow  judges,  wliich  he  did.  and  took  an  assignment  of  ihcir 
several  accounts.  I'.ut  he  never  found  anything  in  the  city  treasury  aflerwar<ls. 
and  he  sorrowfully  states  that  these  election  expenses  are  still  unpaid. 

Ivrc  .md  the  moving  of  buildings  and  .ibandnnment.  followed  soon  the  loss 
of  trade.  Some  of  the  farmers  re-occupied  and  cro|)i)ed  their  "additions"  to  the 
town,  and  in  a  couple  of  years  the  town  had  shrunk  back  into  the  little  village 
that  it  now  is.  a  nKuirnful  reminder  of  a  municipalitv  that  failed. 

Of  the  familiar  names  that  ajjpear  on  the  ]ietition  for  incori)oration,  E.  Mather 
heads  the  li.st  and  Col.  G.  D.  Rogers  is  second.  Others  are  George  Q.  Gardner. 
Charles  Sydow.  Mat  Graf,  William  Summers.  J.  11.  Baker  and  F.  E.  Baker,  H. 
Giesen  and  .\.  Wheeler. 


VAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  205 

SPILLVILLE 

The  or' ^'inal  plat  of  the  village  of  Spillville  was  filed  for  record  April  14, 
i860.  The  place  is  very  pleasantly  situated  on  the  right  or  south  bank  of  the 
Turkey  river,  and  is  one  of  the  prettiest  towns  in  the  county.  One  of  its  principal 
charms  is  the  river,  which  in  its  entire  course  through  the  county  has  no  more 
pleasing  curves  or  graceful  shadowy  stretches  than  it  exhibits  in  its  course  past 
and  through  Spillville. 

In  1894  the  village  became  an  incorporated  town  and  has  given  a  good  account 
of  its  municipal  privileges,  as  is  evidenced  l^y  its  tidy  streets  and  well  kept  walks. 
The  election  on  the  question  of  incorporation  was  held  on  the  9th  day  of  No- 
vember, 1894,  and  was  carried  by  the  close  vote  of  39  ballots  for  and  37  against 
incorporating.  The  first  mayor,  elected  at  a  special  election  soon  after  the  in- 
corporation, was  J.  G.  Mashek.  His  successors  have  Ijeen  O.  Kapler,  J.  J.  Ko- 
varik,  G.  F.  Heuser  and  Stephen  Krucheck,  the  present  incumbent.  Mr.  Kapler 
was  again  mayor  from  1906  to  1908,  being  followed  for  one  term  by  Charles  E. 
Houser,  who  in  turn  was  succeeded  in  19 10  by  G.  F.  Heuser  and  re-elected  in 
1912.  A.  A.  Novak  is  town  clerk,  and  J.  W.  Hrushka.  J.  C.  Cekal,  W.  C.  Kovarik, 
A.  Balik  and  A.  G.  Fisher  are  councilmen. 

Spillville  has  a  population  of  about  four  hundred,  and  has  many  handsome 
business  buildings  and  fine  residences.  Most  of  its  people  are  Catholic  in  their 
religious  afiiliations,  and  their  place  of  worship  is  one  of  the  finest  and  largest 
church  edifices  in  the  county.  It  stands  upon  a  commanding  eminence  overlook- 
ing the  town,  and  there  is  a  fine  jiarsonage  and  parochial  school  in  connection. 

A  great  majority  of  the  early  residents  of  Spillville  were  from  Bohemia,  as  a 
majority  of  those  who  still  com])rise  its  citizens  are  the  children  of  liohemians. 
Even  with  this  second  generation  in  possession,  there  is  enough  of  the  foreign 
flavor  and  piquancy  about  the  place  to  make  it  one  of  the  most  interesting  munic- 
ipalities in  the  northeastern  corner  of  the  state. 

Quite  a  number  of  its  early  settlers  had  seen  service  in  the  Austrian  army, 
and  some  of  them  had  belonged  to  the  musical  bands  in  that  organization,  and 
had  quite  a  thorough  knowledge  of  music  and  its  principles.  This  fact  had  its 
efifect  in  making  Spillville  the  musical  center  of  the  county  for  many  years,  and 
that  town  has  given  to  the  country  several  eminent  musicians,  one  of  them,  Mr. 
Joseph  Kovarik,  having  been  for  a  number  of  years  a  leading  instructor  in  music 
is  one  of  the  great  eastern  conservatories. 

CALM.XR 

The  town  of  Calniar,  in  Calmar  township,  is  the  second  largest  municipality 
of  the  county,  Decorah  only  exceeding  it  in  population.  In  the  United  States 
census  of  1900,  the  population  is  given  as  1,003.  The  town  is  located  on  a  pic- 
turesque stretch  of  upland — one  of  the  highest  points  in  the  state.  The  original 
village  plat  which  consisted  of  only  sixteen  blocks — four  each  way,  had  its  North 
street,  now  Lewis  street,  on  which  the  Railroad  Hotel  .Annex  and  the  Potter 
and  Peter  Meyer  residences  now  face.  This  jilat  contained  forty  acres,  and  was 
surveyed  and  platted  by  one  \'ictor  Youngstadt,  a  surveyor  from  Dubuque.  It 
includes  land  in  the  adjoining  corners  of  sections  25,  26,  35  and  36. 


206  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

The  ])Iat  signed  by  said  surveyor  at  Dubuque,  September  15,  1854,  was 
acknowledged  by  Alfred  Clark  on  November  15,  1854,  before  Aaron  Newbold, 
district  clerk;  ordered  of  record  November  ji,  1854,  by  David  Reed,  county  judge, 
and  tiled  for  record  by  Nelson  Burdick,  recorder  of  deeds  of  Winneshiek  county, 
November  21,  1854. 

Thirty-two  (32)  blocks  were  added  by  a  plat  filed  on  the  22d  day  of  November, 
1856,  the  same  surveyor  as  shown  by  the  record  having  done  the  platting,  and 
Alfred  Clark  and  Charles  G.  Halbeck  acknowledged  the  plat  and  dedication  of 
this  addition  on  June  20,  A.  D.  1856. 

These  two  plattings  constitute  forty-eight  (48)  blocks  which  comprise  what  is 
now  generally  called  the  original  plat.  This  addition  of  thirty-two  blocks  pushed 
North  street  and  its  name  up  to  its  present  location.  By  some  oversight  of  the 
surveyor  in  the  first  plat — probably  not  making  allowance  for  the  variation  of 
the  compass  from  the  true  pole — the  streets  vary  slightly  in  their  direction  from 
the  cardinal  points.  This  peculiarity  w'as  afterwards  carried  out  in  the  platting 
of  Peterson's  addition,  filed  for  record  May  9,  1857,  and  of  the  Western  addi- 
tion, filed  for  record  July  8.  1857. 

Both  of  these  plats  were  acknowledged  by  John  F.  Peterson.  Though  this 
variation  was  originally  a  mistake,  it  fits  well  with  the  topography  of  the  locality, 
and  North  street,  for  its  greater  jiart,  traverses  the  ridge  of  a  water-shed — the 
water  to  the  north  flowing  northward  and  finding  its  way  into  the  Oneota  river, 
while  that  to  the  south  of  it  flows  in  the  opposite  direction  and  finds  its  way  into 
the  Turkey  river.  Singularly  enough,  this  same  ridge  marks  at  this  place  a  well- 
defined  boundary  line,  or  rather  a  part  of  it.  between  the  driftless  and  the  drift 
regions  in  the  northeast  corner  of  the  state — between  the  "Switzerland  of  Iowa" 
and  the  balance  of  Hawkeyedom. 

The  writer  of  this  history  being  a  lover  of  the  old  granite  floaters,  had  a  six- 
ton  boulder  hauled  from  south  of  the  street  and  deposited  on  his  grounds  abut- 
ting on  its  north  side,  and  so  has  the  only  glacial-drift  specimen  in  town  on  that 
side. 

Alfred  Clark,  one  of  the  founders  of  the  town,  was  a  Swede,  and  came  to 
this  part  of  the  country  from  California.  Clark  at  first  named  the  place  Marys- 
ville.  after  the  California  town  of  that  name,  but  afterward  the  name  Calmar 
was  chosen,  after  Calmar  on  Calmar  Sound,  Clark's  old  home  on  the  southeast 
coast  of  Sweden,  which  was  made  famous  by  the  so-stylcd  "Union  of  Calmar'' 
on  July  20,  I3')7.  by  which,  llirough  delegates  from  the  councils  of  state  of  each 
of  the  three  countries,  for  a  long  time  all  of  the  .^candinavi.in  kingdoms  were 
united  under  one  crown. 

.Alfred  C  lark  and  one  Peter  Clawson.  a  Dane,  who  came  with  him  from  Cali- 
fornia, put  up  the  first  building  in  the  village.  This  was  early  in  1854.  This 
building  was  only  a  temjiorary  affair,  but  served  the  double  ]iur|)ose  of  a  store 
building  and  residence.  Clark  and  Clawson  were  the  first  merchants  as  well  as 
the  first  residents  of  the  village. 

This  was  before  the  village  w'as  surveyed  or  iilatted.  Later  in  the  same  year 
John  P.  l.anilin.  also  a  .Swede,  came  in  the  \illage.  Landin  hap|)ened  along  at 
Fort  Atkinson  about  that  time.  an<l  on  making  in(|uiry  of  'S(|uire  Cooney  of  that 
place  as  to  the  nearest  ])<)int  where  he  could  Imd  some  of  his  countrymen,  was 
directed  by  Mr.  Cooney  to  .Alfred  (lark,  whom  he  said  kept  a  store  at  Whiskey 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  207 

Grove.  Landin  then  came  up  and  so  got  acc|uaintcd  with  Clark  and  his  partner. 
Whiskey  Grove  was  the  name  given  to  a  grove  of  small  trees  about  a  half  mile  east 
of  the  store,  and  so  the  name  got  mixed  with  the  village.  \'arious  explanations 
are  given  as  to  the  origin  of  this  name,  the  most  plausible  being  that  a  couple  of 
early  bootleggers  were  secretly  selling  whiskey  to  the  Indians  and  to  the  soldiers 
quartered  at  the  fort.  A  posse  was  accordingly  sent  out  from  the  fort  to  search 
for  and  capture  the  liquor,  but  the  bootleggers  heard  of  it,  and  at  night  buried 
their  stock,  a  barrel  of  whiskey,  in  this  grove. 

Landin,  shortly  after  his  arrival,  as  he  a  long  time  afterwards  informed  this 
writer,  helped  to  survey  the  village  plat  by  aiding  to  carry  the  chain,  and  when 
the  plat  was  completed  it  was  found  that  Clark  &  Clawson's  store  was  squarely 
in  Main  street.  Before  the  winter  set  in,  Clark  and  Clawson  had  erected  three 
other  buildings  each  more  substantial  than  the  first.  The  first  of  these  was  "The 
Calmar  House,"  a  hotel  which  burned  down  in  1873.  This  stood  on  the  corner 
now  occupied  by  the  Winneshiek  County  Bank.  The  second  was  another  store 
building  and  the  third  a  saloon  building. 

Clark  &  Company  then  moved  their  stock  into  the  new  building,  and  the  store 
on  Main  street  was  torn  down  and  moved  off  the  street.  Clark  was  the  first 
postmaster  of  the  village  and  after  him  came  P.  M.  Stanberg,  D.  S.  Lovejoy, 
John  Scott,  W.  L.  Bass,  S.  V.  Potter,  John  T.  Ahern  and  E.  C.  Walker,  the  present 
incumbent,  in  the  order  named. 

In  1855  Landin  had  so  thrived  that  he  put  up  a  frame  building  on  a  part  of  the 
ground  now  covered  by  the  Anderson  &  Landin  block,  the  old  building  being 
torn  down  to  make  room  for  the  new  block  in  1873.  In  this  old  building  Landin 
opened  up  a  store,  and  sold  groceries,  both  wet  and  dry,  as  was  common  in  those 
days,  and  soon  became  well-to-do. 

The  year  1868  saw  the  beginning  of  the  building  of  the  I.  &  D.  branch  of  the 
Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railroad,  with  Calmar  as  its  eastern  terminus  and  junction 
with  the  main  line,  which  latter  had  been  Iniilt  as  far  as  Conover  in  1865-6.  The 
I.  &  D.  division  was  built  as  far  as  New  Hampton  that  year  (1868),  and  added 
importance  and  brought  business  to  Calmar  as  it  was  continued  westward  into 
the  interior. 

In  1869  the  village  of  Calmar  became  an  incorporated  town  by  proper  legal 
proceedings,  and  in  organization  as  such  was  completed  by  the  election  of  munic- 
ipal officers  in  March,  1870.  John  Scott,  who  had  settled  here  about  the  close  of 
the  Civil  war,  was  chosen  mayor  and  was  re-elected  in  1871.  The  mayors  since 
then  have  been  John  W.  Tower,  1872;  S.  V.  Potter,  1873-4;  A.  E.  Manchester, 
1875;  E.  Pennington,  Sr.,  1876;  John  Scott,  1877;  V.  E.  Strayer,  1878;  Tim 
Ahern,  1879;  V.  E.  Strayer,  1S80;  A.  Dostal,  1881  :  C.  W.  Giesen,  1882;  A.  L. 
Kittlesby,  1883;  T.  Ahern,  1884;  John  B.  Kaye,  1885-6;  John  Scott,  1887;  A. 
McRobert,  1888,  1889  and  1890:  J.  S.  Roome,  1891-2;  H.  Miller.  Jr.,  1893-4;  E. 
M.  Heflen,  1895-6;  Geo.  H.  Belding,  1897-8-9;  S.  R.  Yager,  1900-1  ;  Jacob  Meyer, 
1902-3-4-5-6,  resigned  in  1907.  Dr.  J.  F.  Conover  elected  to  fill  vacancy  and  rt^- 
elected  in  1908,  serving  until  April  i,  1910.  Jacob  Meyer  was  again  elected  ir, 
1910  and  re-elected  in  1912. 

The  years  as  here  indicated,  up  to  i8g8,  commenced  on  the  second  Monday  in 
March.    In  1898  they  began  one  week  after  the  third  Monday  in  March. 


208  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

Calmar  has  an  excellent  and  efficient  waterworks  plant  with  several  miles  of 
mains  reaching  in  their  circuit  every  building  in  the  original  forty-eight  blocks, 
besides  every  building  but  one  on  the  north  side  of  North  street.  The  town  has 
a  water  tank  of  2,000  barrels  capacity,  with  an  elevation  of  100  feet.  It  has 
its  own  weW  and  pumping  house  and  apparatus  comi)letc,  has  hose,  hooks  and 
ladders  and  truck,  and  a  regular  organized  fire  company.  Jn  loii  the  first  steps 
toward  a  sewage  system  were  taken  and  last  year  (iyi2)  a  municipal  gas  ])lant 
for  street  lighting  was  installed. 

The  ])ublic  school  building  of  the  town,  wliicli  was  erected  in  iSg8  at  a  cost  of 
$12,000,  is  a  model  for  ventilation,  heating  and  convenience.  The  high  school 
department  for  many  years  past  has  annually  turned  out  its  class  of  graduates. 
These  have  been  in  constant  demand  as  teachers,  as  well  as  in  other  lines  where 
mental  discipline  and  painstaking  effort  are  the  requirements  needed. 

The  church  organizations  are  the  Norwegian  Lutheran,  the  German  Lutheran, 
the  Catholic  and  the  Methodist  Episcopal,  each  of  which,  save  the  German  Lu- 
theran, owns  its  own  edifice,  while  the  latter,  which  has  but  few  members,  wor- 
ship in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  building. 

.\11  of  these  religious  institutions  are  well  attended  and  liberally  patronized, 
and  are  exercising  continued  and  successful  efTorls  for  good. 

The  fraternal  spirit  of  the  times  is  represented  by  the  Free  Masons,  Knights 
of  Pythias,  Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  Royal  Neighbors  and  Catholic  For- 
esters. 

The  business  interests  of  the  town  are  well  and  fully  represented,  and  the 
professions  are  by  no  means  in  the  background  among  communities  of  the  same 
size.  The  Calmar  Manufacturing  Com]jan\-  and  the  1  knry  Miller.  Jr.,  Wagon  and 
Plow  Works  are  institutions  whose  product  and  reputation  reach  beyond  the 
borders  of  the  state. 

The  object  of  this  sketch,  however,  is  not  to  advertise  the  things  and  institu- 
tions that  to-day  are,  nor  those  who  are  in  the  active  o|)eration  of  them,  but  to 
preserve  in  outline  and  characteristics  some  of  the  things  and  people  that  are  slip- 
ping away  from  present  human  contact  and  memory ;  and  more  especially  of  the 
men,  and  no  less  their  life  partners,  who  shared  their  names,  their  hardships  and 
privations  in  the  beginning  of  civilization  in  this  one  township  and  its  town.s — 
this  little  square  plot  of  ground  in  the  counterpane  of  a  great  state. 

These  arc  thcv  who  Icarncrl : 


The  virtue,-^  winch  t.ikc  root  in  ]K)verty — 

Careful  econoniv  and  sciscming  tnil. 

P>rave  self-reliance,  cheerful  industrw 

Mope,  never  vain  when  builded  on  the  soil — 

Patience  to  overcome,  courage  to  meet 

The  border  trials  and  forestall  defeat. 

These  blessings  had  they,  which  by  changeless  laws 

Grown  intn  h.ibits  and  becoming  fixed. 

Remf)vcd  the  only  evil  of  their  cause 

.\nd  left  the  sure  resultant,  good,  unmixed. 


CATHOLIC  SCHOOL,  CALMAR 


HIGH  SCJlOtJL.  C.U.iLVR 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  211 

Sleep  soundly  in  sweet  peace,  dead  pioneers ! 

Your  rugged  worth  in  a  wild,  stranger  land 

Endears  you  to  its  soil,  and  coming  years 

Add  strength  and  growth  to  all  that  you  have  planned ; 

Your  labor  made  the  wilderness  to  laugh 

To-day's  abundance — your  best  epitaph. 

The  Town,  the  County,  and  the  crowning  State — 

A  pyramid  that  Cheops  may  not  peer 

Is  your  sure  monument ;  and  you  who  wait 

Will  join  the  van  without  regret  or  fear 

But  with  tired  satisfaction  as  doth  one. 

Take  to  his  couch  when  the  dav's  toil  is  done. 


CHAPTER  XXII 
SPRINGFIELD  TOWNSHIP 

REMINISCENCES   OF   PIONEER    NORWEGIANS 
By    Hon.    A.    Jacobson* 

[Under  the  head  of  Settlements  by  Foreign  Born  Citizens  the  chapter  written  by  Hon.  A. 
Jacobson  for  Ander.soM  &■  Goodwin's  Atlas  is  referred  to.    We  quote  it  entire.] 

INTRODUCTION 

Inasmuch  as  this  township  was  settled  by  Norwegians,  and  furthermore  from 
the  fact  that  people  of  this  nationality  have  from  the  earliest  times  formed  an 
important  part  of  the  population  of  Winneshiek  county,  it  will  not  be  out  of 
place  here  to  give  a  brief  history  of  Norwegian  immigration  to  America  and 
to  Iowa. 

The  discovery  of  America  by  the  Norwegian,  Leif  Ericksen,  in  the  year  1,000 
is  a  conceded  fact  acknowledged  by  all  prominent  historians  of  our  day,  but 
as  it  brought  no  immediate  results  to  the  world  at  large,  only  preparing  the  way 
for  the  later  discovery  of  Christopher  Columbus,  no  further  notice  of  it  will  be 
taken  in  this  connection. 

What  may  be  termed  as  the  first  beginning  of  Norwegian  immigration  to  this 
country  took  place  in  1825,  when  a  sloop  of  forty-five  tons  from  Stavanger  brought 
fifty-three  passengers  who  landed  in  New  York.  This  vanguard  settled  in 
Kendall,  Orleans  county.  New  York,  where  they  remained  until  the  most  of  them 
later  on  moved  out  \\'^est  and  settled  in  Illinois. 

From  that  time  up  to  1840  emigrant  vessels  from  Norway  were  few  and  far 
between.  From  1840  to  1850  they  became  more  numerous,  but  from  1850  up  to 
the  present  time  a  constant  stream  of  immigration  has  steadily  been  bringing  hun- 
dreds of  thousands  of  emigrants  from  Norway  into  the  United  States. 

The  first  Norwegian  settlement  in  Iowa  was  evidently  that  formed  at  Sugar 
Creek  in  Lee  county,  not  far  above  the  mouth  of  the  Des  Moines  river,  a  few 
miles  west  of  Keokuk.  About  1840  Story  county  and  other  central  portions  of 
the  state  were  next  settled  by  Norwegians  and  later  on  the  northern  and  western 
borders. 

213 


214  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

The  Norwegian  that  first  visited  Winneshiek  county  who  afterwards  also 
found  a  home  on  its  soil,  is  undoubtedly  Ole  Halvorson  \alle.  At  the  age  of 
twenty  he  came  to  America  from  his  native  land  in  1841. 

Stopping  in  Wisconsin  one  year  he  then,  in  1842,  came  to  Iowa,  where  he  was 
engaged  in  the  service  of  the  government  as  teamster,  hauling  provisions  from 
Fort  Crawford  at  Prairie  du  Chien  to  Fort  Atkinson  and  the  Old  Mission.  He 
was  also  employed  in  breaking  up  pieces  of  bottom  land  on  the  Upper  Iowa 
river.  One  of  the  largest  fields  thus  prepared  for  the  Indians  to  plant  their 
corn  was  situated  just  below  the  outlet  of  Trout  Run.  now  be.sl  known  as  the 
Peter  Roney  farm. 

Mr.  \'alle  died  at  his  home  in  Canoe  townshij)  a  few  years  ago.  Some  mem- 
bers of  his  family  survive  him. 

This  township  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Decorah  township  and  in  the  gov- 
ernment survey  is  designated  as  range  8  and  township  97;  hence  it  is  situated 
seventeen  miles  south  from  the  Minnesota  line  and  a  distance  of  thirty  miles 
west  of  the  Mississippi  river.  The  town  is  diversified  with  prairie,  timber, 
hill  and  dale,  in  picturesque  variety.  The  various  branches  of  Trout  creek  are 
nearly  all  within  its  limits,  making  the  surface  uneven,  yet  the  greatest  part 
consists  of  a  rich  and  tillable  soil.  On  account  of  its  many  springs  and  streams 
of  clear  water  it  is  well  adapted  for  raising  stock  as  well  as  for  general  farming. 

The  first  settlement  of  the  township  found  place  in  1850.  There  were  two 
parties,  one  led  by  Erick  Anderson  and  with  him  were  Ole  Tostenson  (Haugen) 
a'nd  his  brother  Staale,  Ole  A.  Lomcn.  A.  ().  Lomen.  Ole  Gullikson  (Jevne), 
Knut  Anderson  (P.akken),  Andres  Hauge,  John  Johnson  (Qvale),  H.  Halvorson 
(Groven)  and  Mikkcl  Omli.  All  of  these  made  permanent  homes  in  the  town- 
ship the  latter  part  of  June,  1850.  .\nother  party  from  Wisconsin,  headed  by 
Nels  Johnson,  arrived  in  the  county  July  2d.  and  of  these  the  followMng  selected 
claims  in  what  is  now  Springfield  township:  Tollef  Simonson  (.\ae),  Knud  G. 
Opdahl,  Jacob  Abrahanison  and  Iver  Peterson  (Qvale).  The  rest  of  the  Nels 
Johnson  party  settled  in  Decorah  and  Glenwood  townships. 

The  first  list  of  landed  assessments  in  Winneshiek  county  has  among  others 
these  names:  Jacob  Abrahamson,  Knud  Guldbrand.son  (0])dahn.  Ole  (kiUik.^on 
(Jevne),  Egbert  Guldbrandson  (Solland),  Erick  Clement  (Skaali),  Halvor  Hal- 
vorson (Groven).  O.  A.  Lomen,  Ole  Larsen  P.ergan.  Mikkcl  Omli.  Tollef  Simon- 
son  (Aae),  T.  Hulverson  and  Ole  Tostenson. 

This  list  must  have  been  for  1852.  The  writer  has  a  tax  receipt  from  thai 
date,  showing  that  his  father,  Jacob  Abrahamson.  was  among  the  first  ta.x  jiavers. 

The  heads  of  all  these  families  above  enumerated  died  many  years  ago,  with 
the  exception  of  the  Hon.  .\.  O.  Lomen  *  and  ex-sherifT  Erick  Anderson,  both 
residing  in  Decorah.  In  most  cases  the  descendants  of  the  old  settlers  are  now 
occupying  the  farms  where  their  ancestors  lived  and  died.  Some  of  them  have 
moved  to  other  parts  of  the  country,  mostly  northwestward. 

In  the  year  1851  quite  a  number  of  new  .settlers  came  in  and  in  the  next  suc- 
ceeding few  years  the  influx  was  large,  far  beyond  all  expectations,  so  that  all  the 
public  lands  were  taken  in  a  very  short  time.  This  was  c|uite  contrary  to  what 
the  first  settlers  had  imagined  possible.  When  they  arrived  in  what  was  then 
a  wilderness,  they  thought  large  portions  of  the  country  would  never  be  settled, 

•  Both  Mr.  Lomen  and  Mr.  Anderson  are  now  dead. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  215 

but  would  remain  as  a  common,  that  could  be  used  for  pasture.  The  large  strips 
of  prairie  without  wood  and  water  were  supposed  to  belong  to  this  class  of  land. 

The  first  birth  in  the  township  was  that  of  Ole  A.  Lomen,  who  now  resides  in 
the  State  of  Oregon.    He  is  the  son  of  Hon.  A.  O.  Lomen. 

The  first  death  that  occurred  in  our  midst  was  that  of  Mrs.  Christine  Aae,  the 
wife  of  ToUef  Simonson  Aae.  She  died  of  consumption  and  would  have  been 
buried  on  her  husband's  farm  (northeast  quarter  of  section  i,  Springfield  town- 
ship), if  it  had  not  been  that  the  land  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  township  line 
was  considered  a  better  site  for  a  bur3'ing  ground.  This  was  on  the  southeast 
quarter  of  section  36,  Decorah  township,  and  belonged  to  ToUef's  brother,  Aslak 
Simonson  Aae. 

The  first  public  schoolhouse  in  the  county  was  erected  in  the  southwest  cor- 
ner of  Glenwood  township.  These  corners  were  at  that  time  the  central  point  of 
the  settlement.  An  old  settlers"  monument  was  erected  here  in  1887,  consisting 
of  a  marble  shaft  of  large  size,  placed  on  a  limestone  base  four  feet  high  and  six 
feet  square.    The  inscriptions  on  the  monument  are  these  : 

IN   MEMORY  OF 

EARLY  NORWEGIAN  SETTLERS, 

who  to  the  number  of  fifty  or  more 
lie  buried  here. 

ERECTED  BY  FRIENDS  AND  RELATIVES 

A.  D.  1887. 

"Ihe  wages  of  sin  is  death;  but  the  gift  of  God  is  eternal  life  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord." — Rom.  6,  23. 

On  the  monument  are  carved  names  of  the  following  pioneers : 

EAST   SIDE 

Kristine  E.  Aae.     1831 — August,  1850. 

Marit  O.  Rue.    April,  1850 — March,  1852. 

Anne  H.  Anderson  Rude.     December,  1833 — April,  1852. 

Aslak  Simonson  Aae.     1819 — November,  1852. 

Thora  P.  Wik.     1826— August,  1853. 

Nels  E.  Ramsey.     August,  1853 — September,  1853. 

Nels  H.  Bakke.    August,  1791 — March,  1854. 

Anna  Margarette  Wigesland.     June,   1853 — June,  1854. 

Ole  A.  Aakre.     1813— July,  1854. 

NORTH  SIDE 

Carl  A.  Aarnes.     March,  1826 — October,  1854. 

Anne  J.  Busnes.     i8ig — 1854. 

Martin  H.  Ilakloa.     March,  1826 — November,  1854. 


216  PAST  AXD  PRl^SICX'l'  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

llalvor  Olson  Lien.     October,  1854 — March,  1855. 
I'eler  E.  Ramsey.    October,  1854 — June,  1855. 
ISerthe  Heleiie  X'oldeng.     Augut,   1852 — August,  1855. 
Cijerniond  G.  Hoyme.     1805 — October,  1855. 
Thorgrim  Bjortuft.    May,  1853 — November,  1855. 
Sii(ri(i  E.  Tostenson  Haugen.    Septemlier,  1834 — Octo!)er,  1856. 
Marken  (Jualley.    Born  November  8,  1871.    Entered  into  rest  April  2y,  187 — . 
"I  shall  rise  again." 

WEST   SIDE 

Gurine  T.  Busnes.     August,  1848 — October,  1857. 

Ingeborg  E.  Nefstad.     1813— 1858. 

Christine  A.  Estrem.     June,  1856 — March,  1858. 

Ole  N.  Brakestad.    January,  1858 — April,  1858. 

Anne  O.  Abrahamson.     1822 — May,  1858. 

Anders  H.  Estrem.     February,  1825 — December,  1858. 

Helga  G.  Bakhus.     1854— March,  1861. 

Nels  Ostrem.    March,  1862 — March,  1862. 

Ole  Johannes  T.  Haugen.     May,  185 1 — .August,  1863. 

Josejih  T.  Haugen.     March,  1859 — August,  18O3. 

John  G.  Johnson.     December,  1834 — .\pril,  1864. 

The  names  are  placed  in  chronological  order  as  to  time  of  death.  The  first 
dates  of  course  express  the  time  of  birth.  It  will  be  noticed  that  the  death  list 
numbers  very  few  names  among  the  early  settlers. 

The  sifting  jiroccss  to  which  they  had  been  subjected  before  reaching  the 
western  frontier  left,  as  a  rule,  only  a  strong  and  sturdy  set  of  people  to  found 
the  new  communities  in  the  W^est. 

The  honor  of  having  taught  the  first  district  school  in  Winneshiek  county  can 
in  a  way  be  divided  between  the  two  daughters  of  Nels  Hanson  Katterud.  Mary, 
the  younger,  had  attended  a  normal  school  at  I'latteville,  Wisconsin,  and  after 
being  examined  by  John  McKay,  who  acted  as  county  suiierintendent,  she  re- 
ceived a  certificate  and  entered  upon  the  work  of  teaching.  Being  only  some  fifteen 
years  of  age,  inexperienced  and  timid,  she  prevailed  on  her  elder  sister  Larine  to 
help  the  first  few  days  until  the  school  was  fairly  started.  She  afterward  taught 
many  terms  at  various  places. 

The  first  Norwegian  Lutheran  congregation  for  this  and  adjoining  townships 
was  organized  in  the  summer  of  1832.  and  ever  since  1853  it  has  been  served  by 
its  present  pastor,  the  Rev.  Dr.  \'.  Koren.*  This  gentleman  deserves  more  than 
a  passing  notice.  He  was  born  in  1826  and  came  to  this  country  in  the  autumn  of 
1853.  His  field  of  labor  for  many  years  included  not  only  the  adjacent  counties 
in  Iowa,  but  likewise  those  of  Minnesota.  Of  all  Norwegian  Lutheran  clergymen 
now  living  he  is  the  most  widely  known  by  his  countrymen  in  .America.  For  many 
years  he  has  served  as  jjresident  of  the  Norwegian  synod,  the  functions  of  which 
office  about  e<|ual  those  of  a  bishop  in  all  but  in  n.imc.  In  1903  he  was  created 
a  doctor  of  (livinitv  and.  bv  the  King  of  Norway  and  Sweden,  Oscar  II,  he  was 

•Rev.  Koron  died  in   1011. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  217 

in  the  same  year  decorated  with  the  cross  of  St.  Olaf ,  as  knight  of  that  order  in 
recognition  of  his  long  and  faithful  service  in  his  calling.  The  second  Lutheran 
church  organized  was  that  which  now  is  connected  with  the  United  Lutheran 
church  and  is  served  by  Rev.  K.  E.  Bakken.-j- 

The  Norwegian  Methodists  organized  a  congregation  in  185 1  under  the  leader- 
ship of  O.  P.  Peterson,  then  a  missionary,  later  called  the  father  of  Methodism 
among  the  Norwegians.  Their  church  is  situated  on  section  12.  The  member- 
ship, however,  is  so  depleted  by  deaths  and  removals  in  later  years  that  they  have 
no  settled  pastor. 

The  Americans,  Germans  and  Bohemians  in  the  southern  and  western  por- 
tions of  the  township  are  members  of  Catholic  or  Protestant  churches  in  Ossian 
and  Calmar.  It  can  be  truthfully  said  that  the  people  are  all  church  members  and 
law-abiding  citizens. 

REMINISCENCES   BY  A.   J.'\COBSON 

In  the  spring  of  1850  my  parents  left  Muskego,  Racine  county,  Wisconsin, 
joining  company  with  a  number  of  other  families,  intending  to  move  out  west. 
The  leader  of  the  party  was  Nels  Johnson,  the  father  of  M.  N.  Johnson,  then  an 
infant  and  later  Congressman  from  North  Dakota.  He  had  a  large  military  wagon 
drawn  by  six  o.xen.  This  had  a  big  box  on,  filled  with  household  goods  and  cov- 
ered with  white  canvas.  On  the  outside  was  placed,  lengthwise  of  the  wagon 
box,  several  joints  of  stovepipe,  so  the  outfit  with  a  little  stretch  of  imagination 
looked  like  a  man  of  war.  No  wonder  these  rigs  received  the  name  of  "prairie 
schooners."  The  rest  of  the  vehicles  were  of  all  sizes  and  shapes,  from  truck 
wagons,  the  wheels  of  which  were  made  of  solid  sections  of  oak  logs,  down  to 
our  own  cart  on  two  wheels.  Our  progress  west  was  slow  and  tedious.  At  Kosh- 
konong,  Dane  county,  Wisconsin,  we  received  large  additions  to  our  company, 
so  that  it  comprised  in  all  more  than  a  hundred  souls,  two  hundred  head  of  cat- 
tle, with  a  few  hogs  and  sheep,  one  mare  and  a  colt.  ^ladison  was  only  a  small 
village;  the  "state  house"  was  a  two-story  frame  structure  situated  where  the 
massive  capitol  building  now  stands. 

Up  to  this  time  our  point  of  destination  had  been  Coon  Prairie,  Vernon  county, 
Wisconsin,  but  near  Wingville  we  met  a  man  by  the  name  of  Wm.  Painter, 
who  had  settled  in  Iowa,  where  Decorah  aferwards  was  built.  He  was  going 
to  Mineral  Point  for  machinery  in  order  to  init  up  a  gristmill  at  his  new 
home.  He  gave  such  a  glowing  description  of  the  country  west  of  the  Mississippi 
in  general  and  of  the  locality  in  which  he  was  settled  in  particular,  that  our  com- 
pany when  we  came  to  the  Wisconsin  river  resolved  to  send  out  a  deputation 
of  its  wisest  men  to  cross  the  river,  explore  the  country  and  report.  In  conse- 
quence of  this,  the  company,  when  arriving  at  Prairie  du  Chien,  divided,  one-half 
going  to  Vernon  county,  Wisconsin,  near  where  Viroqua  and  Westby  are  situated, 
the  other  half  crossing  over  into  Iowa.  The  Wisconsin  river  had  to  be  crossed 
on  a  small  ferry  boat,  the  propelling  power  being  furnished  by  a  horse  placed  on 
a  tread-power  which  worked  the  paddle  wheels.  Only  one  wagon  and  a  team 
at  a  time  could  be  taken  aboard.     The  herd  of  loose  cattle  had  to  swim  over  the 

t  Rev.  Bakkcn  now  resides  in   Minnesota. 
Vol.  1—12 


218  PAST  AXU  I'RESENT  OF  W  INXICSHIEK  COUNTY 

river,  all  of  which  was  accomplished  w  ilhout  any  accident  worthy  of  note.  The 
ferry  boat  at  l^rairie  du  Chien  was  larger  and  propelled  by  a  four-mule  power, 
but  the  water  being  high,  the  Mississippi  river  was  nearly  two  miles  wide  and 
much  time  was  taken  to  get  all  to  the  western  bank.  Thirteen  miles  northwest 
from  McGregor  at  Poverty  Point,  since  called  Monuna,  another  halt  of  a  week  was 
made.  The  scouting  party  before  alluded  to  had  visited  several  localities  and 
opinions  were  divided  as  to  which  was  the  best  point  to  settle  down.  The  com- 
pany was  now  divided  into  three  divisions,  we  going  with  the  original  leader  to 
the  vicinity  of  Decorah,  landing  on  our  claims  on  the  3d  of  July.  The  journey  had 
taken  five  weeks,  counting  from  the  time  of  starting.  Those  who  had  room 
enough  slept  under  the  wagon  covers.  The  others  slept  on  the  bare  ground  under 
the  wagons. 

If  time  and  subsistence  are  taken  into  account,  then  our  journey  was  quite 
expensive.  It  was  indeed  a  tine  country  where  we  settled.  Rolling  prairies  with 
fertile  soil,  interspersed  with  groves  of  timber  and  springs  of  pure  water.  For 
miles  there  were  no  houses  nor  roads  or  other  traces  of  civilization  to  be  seen. 
Indian  trails,  well  marked,  crossed  the  country  in  various  directions,  and  with 
little  deviation  continued  to  be  the  roads  of  the  early  settlers,  until  the  fencing 
in  of  the  fields  pushed  the  roads  into  the  worst  places,  where  they  now  remain. 
It  was  high  time  to  break  up  prairie  so  as  to  be  able  to  plant  and  sow  next  year, 
also  to  put  up  hay  for  the  cattle  for  the  coming  winter.  This  occupied  the  time 
at  first  so  the  building  of  log  houses  was  put  ofif  until  late  in  autumn.  Alany  of 
us  were  not  under  roof  from  the  middle  of  May  until  September  or  October, 
yet  all  were  in  good  health. 

The  question  of  subsistence,  that  is,  something  to  eat  and  to  wear,  was  for 
many  of  us  the  most  difficult  to  answer.  The  small  stores  brought  could  not  last 
long.  The  nearest  trading  place  on  the  Mississippi  was  fifty  miles  away,  where 
a  barrel  of  tlour  cost  $12  and  a  bushel  of  corn  seventy-five  cents,  other  things  in 
proportion.  .My  father  worked  what  time  he  could  spare  from  his  own  home  for 
fifty  cents  a  day,  while  all  '<i  my  lime  was  ]nn  in  at  driving  a  breaking  team  of  eight 
oxen  for  twenty-five  cents  a  day.  At  this  rate  it  \vas  hard  to  make  ends  meet. 
Hunting  and  fishing  were  resorted  to,  and  gave  some  helj).  Men  who  could  be 
away  from  their  homes  spent  the  first  winters  u]>  in  the  W'iscnnsin  pineries  or  down 
along  the  Mississippi  cutting  cordwood.  My  father  took  me  along  on  an 
expedition  of  this  last  named  descri])tion  two  weeks  before  Christmas,  1850.  A 
heavy  fall  of  snow  knee  dee])  set  in  just  as  we  started  fr^ni  lumic.  Walking 
some  twenty-eight  miles  to  where  we  stopped  over  night  was  no  easy  task.  Up- 
stairs in  a  log  cabin  covered  by  clapboards  was  the  jilace  given  us  to  sleep.  Dur- 
ing the  night  a  high  wind  made  the  snow^  fiy  through  all  the  cracks  and  crevices, 
so  in  the  morning  our  bed  and  the  clothes  we  had  laid  otT  were  covered  with  no 
less  than  eight  inches  of  snow. 

Arriving  the  next  dav  to  where  we  had  heard  employment  was  to  be  had, 
we  found  the  terms  so  niggardly  hard  that  we  could  not  consent  to  take  up  work 
there.  This  was  four  miles  u])  the  river  from  McGregor.  It  was  late  in  the  day, 
but  we  thought  a  walk  along  the  edge  of  the  river  to  the  last  named  place  would 
not  be  dangerous,  even  after  dark.  Having  proceeded  half  way  to  where  North 
McGregor  is  now  situated,  we  saw  our  mistake.  .\  stream,  the  Bloody  Run. 
enters  into  the  river  at  this  point  and  we  could  not  cross  this  stream  before  trudg- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  219 

ingup  along  its  banks  ever  so  far.  Then  by  felling  a  tree  that  reached  over  it,  we 
concluded  to  take  a  short  cut  over  the  blui¥s  to  reach  McGregor  instead  of  fol- 
lowing the  water's  edge.  In  this  we  made  a  terri1)le  mistake.  The  steep  hills  cov- 
ered with  timber  and  brush,  together  with  the  deep  snow,  impeded  our  progress 
so  that  we  did  not  reach  our  destination  before  long  after  midnight.  Fortunately 
for  us  a  dancing  party  at  the  little  hotel  was  using  the  small  hours  in  merry- 
making. This  gave  us  access  to  a  warm  room  for  the  rest  of  the  night.  When 
called  to  breakfast  the  next  morning  my  appetite  was  keen  enough,  having  had 
nothing  to  eat  since  the  previous  morning,  but  my  stiff  and  sore  limbs  could 
hardly  be  made  to  carry  me  to  the  table.  We  took  a  job  of  cutting  wood  at  50 
cents  a  cord,  boarding  ourselves.  No  cheap  place  for  us  to  stay  could  be  found,  so 
we  had  to  board  at  the  hotel.    The  only  high-toned  part  of  the  hotel  was  the  bill. 

In  the  matter  of  clothing,  we  were  put  to  about  the  same  straits  as  mentioned 
in  the  way  of  food.  I  remember  distinctlv  that  during  the  first  two  winters  neither 
underclothing  nor  overcoats  were  worn,  for  the  good  reason  that  there  were  none 
to  wear,  and  overshoes  were  a  thing  scarcely  heard  of,  much  less  seen.  Neverthe- 
less good  health  was  always  enjoyed  by  young  and  old. 

The  land  on  which  we  settled  did  not  come  into  market  the  first  year,  but  the 
settlers  agreed  upon  a  plan  by  which  they  could  defend  each  other  in  the  posses- 
sion of  their  homes  against  unwelcome  intruders.  "Club  claim"  expressed  this 
method  exactly,  both  because  it  indicated  a  joining  or  clubbing  together,  and  at  the 
same  time  reminded  one  of  clubs  and  cudgels  as  the  most  ready  weapons  of  de- 
fense, if  need  be.  When  the  Government  proclaimed  the  lands  in  market,  $200 
in  gold  was  the  price  of  a  quarter  section.  Land  warrants  given  to  soldiers  of  the 
Mexican  war  were  used  extensively  for  the  entering  of  land,  as  they  were  sold  and 
bought  at  a  less  price  per  acre  than  that  demanded  by  the  Government.  To  get  the 
necessary  funds  with  which  to  pay  for  the  lands  was,  for  many,  a  difficult  thing  to 
do.  Those  who  had  money  would  not  lend  it  for  less  than  three  or  four  per  cent 
per  month  on  good  security.  Generally  the  owner  of  the  money  bought  the  land  in 
his  own  name  and  gave  the  possessor  a  bond  for  the  deed.  Fortunately  for  the 
poor,  land  was  not  supposed  to  be  worth  much,  there  being  so  much  of  it  and  no 
reasonable  prospect  of  its  becoming  settled  for  a  long  time  to  come.  Hence  there 
was  at  first  no  great  rush  at  the  land  office  in  Dubuque,  to  which  our  district  be- 
longed. This  state  of  things  did  not,  however,  last  very  long.  People  poured  into 
the  country  much  faster  than  anticipated.  The  consequence  was  that  a  scrambling 
for  getting  good  land  ensued  which  defies  description.  In  our  midst  no  bloody  en- 
counters found  place,  but  some  ludicrous  scenes  were  enacted  to  the  merriment  of 
the  lookers  on,  though  serious  enough  to  the  actors. 

There  was  at  that  time  no  limit.  A  person  could  purchase  all  the  land  he  wanted 
if  he  had  the  money  to  pay  for  it.  This  afforded  speculators  an  opportunity  to 
buy  large  tracts,  to  the  detriment  of  actual  settlers,  the  evils  of  which  are  felt 
even  to  the  present  day. 

The  "Preemption  Law,"  giving  a  year's  time  to  pay  for  the  land  on  which  a 
person  had  settled  and  made  improvements,  was  of  much  help  in  acquiring  homes 
for  those  who  were  poor,  but  the  "Homestead"  law,  enacted  in  the  sixties,  was 
more  than  all  other  things  the  cause  of  speedily  peopling  the  great  West.  Just  think 
of  it !  get  a  farm  anywhere  on  the  public  domain  for  the  troulile  of  taking  it  in 
possession ! 


220  PAST  AND  PRESF.XT  OF  WIXXKSHIKK  COUNTY 

The  first  political  convention  in  Winneshiek  county  was  held  in  the  spring  of 
1851,  right  in  our  Norwegian  settlement.  The  parties  then  existing,  democratic, 
free  soil  and  whig,  were  all  represented,  but  not  a  word  of  party  politics  was  ut- 
tered. The  all  absorbing  question  was  county  organization,  county  officers  and 
county  seat.  Nominations  that  resulted  in  the  election  of  men  to  offices  of  trust 
were  based  solely  on  their  honest  looks ;  handsome  dress  and  silver-tongued  oratory 
played  no  figure.  Overhearing,  as  1  did,  some  of  the  caucus  talk  which  dis- 
criminated against  a  man  because  he  wore  a  stovepipe  hat,  reminds  me  of  the 
fact  that  trivial  causes  may  have  important  consequences.  For  the  ]>ublic  wel- 
fare it  might  have  been  better  if  some  of  the  officers  elected  had  been  in  posses- 
sion of  as  much  ability  as  honesty.  All  being  strangers  to  each  other,  it  truly 
was  a  wonderful  example  of  how  successfully  pojmlar  government  can  be  initiated 
where  the  prime  principles  of  law  and  order  are  understood  and  resjaected. 

The  fact  that  the  first  district  schoolhouse  was  erected  among  the  Norwegians 
in  our  county  shows  that  they  had  the  prerequisites  for  becoming  intelligent 
American  citizens. 


Xonvogiaii  C'luiroli  and  SHiooI 
Cntliolio  riiiirch 

A  niidll'dF  <'.\l,.\l  Ai;  I  III  i;(  iiics 


Mcllioilist  K|iis((ipjil  C'liurcli 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

BLOOMFIELD  TOWNSHIP 

(As  recorded  in  Anderson  &  Goodwin's  Atlas  by  M.  P.  Riggs.) 

It  is  conceded  by  all  that  Hamilton  Campbell,  Sr.,  was  the  first  settler  in 
Bloomfield,  having  moved  here  June  lo,  1848. 

They  settled  on  what  subsequently  proved  to  be  the  west  half  of  section 
23 ;  also  northwest  quarter  of  26,  township  96,  range  7,  west  of  the  5th  P.  M., 
Winneshiek  county,  Iowa,  said  county  not  having  been  surveyed  until  the  year 
!849.  Mr.  Campbell's  postoffice  was  Dubuque,  Iowa,  about  sixty  miles  distant. 
His  first  milling  was  down  at  or  near  McGregor  landing  on  Bloody  Run.  Millers 
would  not  grind  his  wheat  but  instead  would  buy  the  wheat  at  25  cents  per  bushel 
and  sell  in  return  fl?ur  at  $10.00  per  hundred. 

Mr.  David  Reed  was  the  next  settler  in  Bloomfield  township,  settling  on 
section  25.     He  was  better  known  as  Judge  Reed. 

Phineas  Banning  was  the  next  to  settle,  in  June  10.  1849.  He  with  his  wife 
and  four  children  settled  on  sections  5  and  6.  Mr.  Banning  traded  a  gun  and 
only  wagon  for  his  claim.  Thus  for  two  years  his  only  mode  of  conveyance  in 
visiting  his  distant  neighbors  was  a  pair  of  oxen  and  sled. 

From  now  on  settlers  began  to  gather  in  Bloomfield  like  bees  to  their  hive; 
among  those  arriving  were  Mr.  Townsden,  John  DeCou,  Abner  DeCou,  Mose 
McSwain  and  Gideon  Green.  The  latter  brought  boards  from  Milwaukee  to 
make  the  only  door  in  his  log  cabin. 

The  first  born  in  Bloomfield  was  Miss  Sarah  Campbell  in  the  year  1849, 
who  still  resides  on  the  same  section. 

Winneshiek  postoffice  was  established  in  1851  on  section  26.  Castalia  post- 
office  the  same  year  and  Moneek  postoffice  in  1852.  Winneshiek  and  Moneek 
have  been  discontinued  for  many  years. 

The  first  schoolhouse  was  built  in  1853.  No.  3,  or  commonly  known  as  the 
"red  schoolhouse,"  was  built  in  the  fall  of  1854.  Castalia  schoolhouse  was 
built  in  the  spring  of  1855.     No.  i,  or  "white  schoolhouse,"  was  built  in  1855. 

School  taught,  where  and  by  whom:  District  No.  i  was  a  little  log  house 
on  Jacob  Hohenshielt's  land  on  section  9,  a  structure  10x14  feet,  where  every 
scholar  had  to  furnish  his  own  seat.     It  was  taught  by  Mrs.  Abigail  Meyers. 

223 


224  PAST  AXl)  rR[:Sl-:XT  OI-   W'lXXF.SIIIKK  COUNTY 

District  No.   5  was  taught  by   Miss  Green  in  section   14  in    1853.     Castalia 
school  was  taught  in  the  suninier  of  1855  Ijv  Mrs.  Abigail  Meyers. 

The  first  church  was  built  in  1856  by  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ,  on  sec- 
tion  16.     Fine  horse  vehicles  were  not  to  be  seen  but  instead  ox  teams  and  a 
class  of  people  who  always  extended  their  hospitality  to  everyone. 
The  following  weddings  were  recorded  from  1848  to  1858: 
(ieorge  Cooper  to  Miss  Emily  Logan,  March   14,  1854.     Lathrup,  J.  P. 
David  Meyers  to  Miss  Abigail  Baird.  Xovember  14,  1854.     Rew  John  Brown 
officiating. 

Sam  Allen  to  Sarah  Ilolcomb.  May  3.   1853. 

David  Polly  to  Martha  \\'indell,  January  21,  1855.     Lathrop,  J.  P. 
Enos  Lambert  to  Esther  Ann  Holcomb,  April  19,  1855.     Rev.  John  Brown 
officiating. 

Edward  Harvey  to  Lucy  Polly,  March  31,  1855.     Rev.  Fathergill,  ]«stor. 
Geo.  Foster  to  Ellen  Bates,  August  21,  1855.     L.  W.  Smith,  J.  P. 
Milton  P.  Riggs  to  Mrs.  .Abigail  Me\ers,  June  10.  1857.     Rev.  Geo.  Larkins, 
pastor. 

Wm.  Oxley  to  Miss  C.  A.  Townsden,  Dccemiier  19,  1857.  Rev,  W.  W. 
Richardson,  pastor. 

Bloomfield  township  was  first  known  as  township  No.  96.  On  April  2d  a 
meeting  was  held  at  Moneek  for  the  purpose  of  electing  judges  of  election  and 
voting  u]wn  a  name  other  than  No.  96. 

The  following  judges  were  selected:  Daniel  B.  Pierce,  Gideon  Green  and 
Nelson  liurdick.  At  a  vote  following  the  name  Bloomfield  received  the  largest 
number  of  \otes,  giving  it  its  present  name. 

The  following  is  the  list  of  first  voters  at  an  election  ever  held  in  Bloomfield 
township : 

Henry  W'alralh,  Samuel  B.  Jones,  .\.  C.  .\ndrews,  John  Webster,  1..  \\  . 
Smith,  T.  A.  W'indell,  Nathaniel  Cornell,  J.  W.  Larkins,  1).  Webster,  X.  .\1. 
Webster,  A.  P.  Cornell,  Joel  Cailiff.  C.  B.  Riggs,  X.  Banning.  S.  Sherman,  N.  K. 
Hubbell,  M.  S.  Drury,  C.  W.  Bucknani.  S.  B.  Pierce,  C.  Dean,  Alexander  Stew- 
art, Russell  Dean,  Wm,  Taylor,  Sam  Brush,  P.  C.  Huft'man,  Fred  Larkins, 
Daniel  D,  Webster,  Levi  ( irandy,  Steven  Allen,  W.  D.  Pierce,  G.  W,  Fstey. 
Gideon  (Ireen,  .M,  Townsden.  J,  (iibson.  J,  Doane,  .Andrew  Shawns,  L  Dufi',  .\, 
DeCou,  llarvey  Knowles,  1.  Cailiff, 

The  following  township  officers  were  elected : 
Justices — L.  W.  Smith,  Lewis  Boughner. 

Trustees — Thomas    Ralhborne,    Phineas    Banning.    Henry    Wahath, 
Town  Clerk — P.  C.  flufi'man. 
Assessor — M.  S.  Drury. 
Constables— T.  A.  \\  indell.  J.  Stewart, 

The  foregoing  record  by  Mr.  Riggs  tells  of  the  early  days.  The  Bloom- 
field townshi])  of  today  i)resents  a  far  dilTereiU  sight  than  greeted  the  eyes  of 
the  pioneers.  Where  then  was  an  occasional  log  Init  now  there  are  modern 
homes  and  the  farms  are  among  the  thriftiest  in  the  county.  The  best  methods 
in  crop  culture  liave  many  students  among  her  citizens  and  they  are  keeping 
abreast  of  the  times  in  all  tilings. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  225 

CASTALIA 

This  town  is  one  of  the  oldest  in  this  section  of  Iowa,  and  is  also  one  of  the 
youngest.  It  came  into  actual  existence  in  the  days  when  the  Military  road 
was  the  only  thoroughfare  into  Northeastern  Iowa,  but  it  did  not  arrive  at  a 
state  of  real  prosperity  until  1902,  when  it  incorporated.  Since  then  many 
improvements   have  been   brought   about,   and    more   are   being   steadily   added. 

It  makes  the  boast  of  having  more  cement  sidewalks  for  its  size  than  any 
town  in  this  portion  of  Iowa.  In  fact,  it  has  nothing  but  cement  sidewalks,  which 
is  a  mark  of  enterprise  on  the  part  of  its  citizens.  A  town  hall  that  was  erected 
some  years  ago  is  owned  by  a  stock  company  and  affords  a  splendid  place  for 
entertainments  and  public  gatherings.  It  is  one  of  the  best  live  stock  markets; 
its  business  houses  are  all  prosperous,  and  enjoy  a  good  trade,  largely  because 
it  is  located  in  one  of  the  most  fertile  agricultural  districts  in  the  state. 

Its  business  houses  are  eleven  in  number  and  are  as  follows :  Garage,  Harvey 
Brothers;  general  stores,  W.  H.  Haefner,  W.  H.  Roe;  hotel  and  grocery,  N. 
Schoonmaker ;  drug  store,  \V.  K.  Riggs ;  Castalia  Savings  Bank,  D.  C.  Malloy, 
cashier;  restaurants,  Chas.  Schara,  Thos.  Kane;  blacksmith  shop,  Ed.  Mann; 
butcher  shop,  J.  P.  Bachelder ;  hardware,  Geo.  R.  Neuenswander. 

A.  C.  Tatro  is  mayor;  D.  C.  Malloy  is  clerk;  VV.  K.  Riggs  is  treasurer;  and 
W.  H.  Haefner,  H.  H.  Meyer,  J-  H.  Kneeskern,  Chas.  Schara,  and  Geo.  R.  Neu- 
enswander are  councilmen. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

WASHINGTON  TOWNSHIP 

I,  Excerpts  from  a  sketch  written  by  Harrison  Goddard  for  Anderson  &  Good- 
win's Atlas.) 

Washington  is  the  southern  township  of  next  to  the  western  tier  of  town- 
ships, is  beautifully  rolling  and  richly  productive.  The  Turkey  river,  which  runs 
southeasterly  through  the  township,  furnishes  the  power  for  the  Evergreen 
Roller  Mill. 

The  township  has  two  villages,  Fort  Atkinson  and  Twin  Springs.  Fort 
Atkinson  village,  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  township,  near  the  western 
line,  took  its  name  from  the  fort  of  that  name,  which  stood  on  a  hill  overlook- 
mg  the  site  of  the  present  village.  The  fort  was  named  after  the  famous  and 
successful  fighter  of  the  Indians,  General  Atkinson,  the  hero  of  the  Black  Hawk 
war. 

Twin  Springs  village  was  platted  and  the  plat  recorded  October  17,  1856, 
by  Andrew  Meyer  and  wife.  It  lies  in  a  beautiful  valley  five  miles  south  of 
Calmar.  The  German  Catholic  church  here  is  a  very  large  building,  and  has  a 
school  connected  with  it. 

In  the  month  of  September,  1849,  a  number  of  families  emigrated  from 
Aldenberg,  Indiana,  and  settled  near  the  Turkey  river  to  found  homes.  These 
pioneers  were  strict  adherents  to  the  Catholic  faith,  and  after  selecting  home- 
steads centered  their  thoughts  in  the  founding  of  a  church.  They  were  Jos. 
Huber,  Anton  Stadel,  Andrew  Meyer,  Geo.  Beckel,  Jos.  Spillman  and  Jacob 
Rausch.  After  purchasing  land  and  Indian  log  huts,  the  best  of  these  huts  was 
assigned  to  the  use  of  a  chapel,  which  after  being  dedicated  derived  the  name 
Old  Mission,  by  which  name  it  is  known  to  this  day.  The  priest  sent  to  take 
charge  of  the  huml)le  church  was  G.  H.  Plathe. 

In  1853  the  little  church  was  destroyed  by  fire.  Instead  of  rebuilding  on  the 
old  site  it  was  deemed  advisable  to  build  two  miles  further  north.  This  new 
site  is  now  called  Twin  Springs,  and  is  the  same  place  where  the  present 
magnificent  church  was  built.  The  present  priest  is  Rev.  August  Sauter,  who 
has  presided  since  the  13th  day  of  March,   1877.* 

*  Reverend  Sauter  lias  retired,  and  Rev.  .7.  Kiilily  i.s  the  priest  in  cliarge. 

227 


228  I'AST  AXD  rRESiiXT  Ub'  WlXXHSlllHK  CUUXTV 

A  previous  event  worthy  of  mention  was  the  erection  of  the  chapel  built 
on  the  site  upon  which  stood  the  first  church,  dedicated  June  15th,  1885,  the 
expense  liein.t;  l)orne  1)v  John  Gartner  and  the  family  of  Joseph  Huber. 

In  the  spring  of  1849  Josiah  Goddard  came  to  Washington  township  to  look 
up  a  new  home.  He  bought  the  old  Indian  trading  post  from  a  man  by  the  name 
of  ( Jlmstead  situated  on  section  iS.  township  96,  range  9  (which  was  the  only 
name  the  township  had  at  that  time),  two  miles  southwest  of  the  fort.  He 
then  went  back  to  his  old  home  in  (ireen  county,  Wisconsin.  In  the  fall  of  the 
same  year  he  moved  his  family.  His  et¥ccts  were  loaded  into  two  wagons,  each 
drawn  by  a  j)air  of  horses.  Besides  this  they  brought  with  them  six  head  of 
cattle.  They  arrived  at  Fort  Atkinson  on  the  20th  day  of  October,  1849.  The 
writer  was  I)Ut  nine  years  of  age  at  that  time. 

We  camped  out  most  of  the  time  on  the  journey,  and  I  well  remember  that 
some  of  the  nights  were  quite  cold  and  frosty.  The  last  night  we  camped  about 
one  and  one-half  miles  east  of  where  Galmar  now  stands,  arriving  at  the  fort 
the  next  dav.  We  sj^ent  the  winter  of  1S49  and  1850  in  the  old  fort,  .\lex- 
ander  Falconer  had  charge  of  it  at  that  time.  My  father  went  back  to  Wiscon- 
sin some  time  in  December,  1849,  to  get  some  hogs  and  wheat  which  he  had  left 
there.  lie  butchered  the  hogs  and  salted  the  meat  in  barrels ;  the  wheal  he  had 
ground  into  flour,  then  the  pork  and  flour  were  loaded  into  the  wagon  and 
hauled  to  Fort  Atkinson,  a  distance  of  nearly  twi>  innidred  ami  tifiy  miles. 

The  nearest  place  to  get  groceries  was  ]\Ic(iregor,  a  distance  of  about  fifty 
miles,  a  long  distance  to  go  to  trade,  but  not  so  bad  as  the  lack  of  money  to  do 
it  with.  In  lune.  1850,  Josiah  Goddard  nio\ed  his  family  to  the  old  trading 
post.  Three  or  four  acres  of  land  had  been  broken  up  by  the  Indians.  This 
was  planted  to  corn  and  jmnipkins,  and  in  the  fall  we  harvested  a  good  crop. 
With  this  and  what  father  brought  from  Wisconsin  we  had  enough  to  carry  us 
through  until  the  next  summer.  The  corn  was  ground  into  meal  by  rubbing  the 
ears  over  tin  graters,  then  made  into  corn  bread  or  mush;  the  pumpkins  were 
cut  into  strips,  dried  and  used  during  the  winter  for  jiies  and  sauce,  which  made 
pretty  good  fodder.  In  the  summer  of  1850  a  l)and  of  Indians  came  to  our 
place.  We  had  a  small  patch  of  early  corn  which  was  in  roasting  ears.  They 
pointed  to  it  and  said  they  wanted  some.  One  of  them  could  talk  English.  I 
gathered  a  sackful  and  then  asked  them  how  much  they  wanted.  They  said 
they  would  take  all  1  would  give  them.  They  would  have  carried  oflf  the  whole 
patch  if  I  had  given  it  to  them,  which  showed  the  nature  of  an  Indian.  They 
would  eat  you  out  of  house  and  Immc.  if  you  would  give  it  tn  them. 

The  first  school  in  the  township  was  at  the  old  ( )lmstead  trading  jiost.  taught 
by  my  sister,  Mary  (ioddard.     There  were  six  scholars. 

The  first  postoffice  in  Washingtnn  tiiwnshii>  wa-  established  in  1S51  or  1852 
at  Louisville,  two  and  one-half  miles  southeast  of  Fort  .\tkinson.  at  liie  house 
of   Francis  Rogers.     Josiah  Goddard  was  postmaster. 

In  1852  there  was  a  postoffice  at  the  <  )ld  Mission.  Josei)h  Ilul>er  was  post- 
master.    In  these  days  it  took  fr.mi  \o  to  25  cents  postage  to  send  a  letter. 

The  first  male  white  child  i)orn  in  the  township  since  the  first  permanent 
settlement  was  Geo.  A.  Meyer,  near  the  Old  Mission,  August  i.  1849.  Mr. 
Meyer  is  now  a  resident  of  Oklahoma.     The  first   female  child  burn  was  Mary 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  229 

Krumni  at  Fort  Atkinson,  August  5,  1849.     Her  father,  Gottlob  Krumni,  came 
to  Fort  Atkinson  in  1S48. 

In  the  spring  of  1849  Joseph  Huber,  Andrew  Meyer,  George  Beckel,  Anthony 
Stadel,  John  Gartner  and  Gottheb  and  Gottlob  Krunim  settled  near  the  Old  Mis- 
sion. Mr.  Falconer  was  a  discharged  soldier  of  the  regular  army.  He  held 
the  rank  of  first  sergeant. 

FORT    ATKINSON 

Before  any  other  town  existed  in  Winneshiek  county,  Fort  Atkinson  was  a 
definite  and  important  center.  We  refer  now  to  the  fort  itself,  but  only  for  the 
purpose  of  bringing  out  the  fact  that  here  was  formed  the  nucleus  of  the  civiliz- 
ing forces  that  brought  Winneshiek  county  to  its  present  state  of  prosperity. 
Of  the  fort  more  is  said  in  the  first  chapter  of  this  book,  in  which  its  military 
importance  is  detailed. 

Fort  Atkinson  town  came  into  existence  early  in  the  fifties  and,  because  of 
the  previous  occupation  of  the  Government  post,  enjoyed  not  a  little  growth. 
"Sparks'  History  of  Winneshiek  County"  contains  the  following  account  of 
the  years  that  followed:  "After  the  removal  of  the  Indians  in  1848  there  was 
no  further  necessity  for  keeping  up  military  appearances,  consequently  the  fort, 
as  a  military  rendezvous,  was  dispensed  with ;  yet  the  Government  did  not 
entirely  abandon  it.  Alexander  Falconer  was  appointed  to  look  after  it.  Soon 
after  Falconer  was  relieved  by  Geo.  Cooney,  a  well-known  citizen  of  the 
county.  In  1853,  after  the  removal  of  the  Indians,  the  fort  became  useless  as 
Government  property,  and  the  administration  then  in  power  decided  to  dis- 
pose of  it  at  public  auction. 

"On  the  reception  of  this  news,  in  July,  1853,  one  of  the  Day  boys  visited 
Mr.  Cooney  at  the  fort  and  informed  him  that  the  fort  would  be  sold  at  auction 
the  next  Wednesday.  By  previous  agreement  he  had  promised  to  inform  cer- 
tain parties  of  the  sale  when  it  should  take  place ;  and  he  immediately  dispatched 
a  messenger  with  the  intelligence  to  H.  D.  Evans  and  S.  A.  Clark  of  Prairie  du 
Chien,  and  another  to  the  bishop  at  Dubuque.  On  the  morning  of  the  sale 
these  parties  were  present,  bringing  with  them  $4,000  in  gold  to  purchase  it  with. 
John  M.  Flowers,  Captain  Frazier  and  a  gentleman  from  \Miite  Pigeon  were 
also  on  the  ground  in  hopes  of  purchasing  the  fort. 

"The  Flowers  were  extraordinary  characters,  and  played  no  little  part  in  the 
history  of  Fort  Atkinson.  There  were  two  brothers  of  them,  and  were  classed, 
with  Charley  Clark,  Coleman  and  Tavernier,  as  'the  Canadians.'  These  Cana- 
dians came  to  the  fort  with  the  intention  of  making  a  living  easily.  They 
had  somehow  got  the  impression  that  Fort  Atkinson  was  destined  to  be  a  great 
city,  and  thought  it  afforded  a  rich  field  in  which  to  exercise  their  wit  and 
shrewdness  to  benefit  themselves.  In  language  not  to  be  misunderstood,  they 
were  sharpers. 

"Flowers  wanted  to  get  possession  of  the  fort  property,  and  induced  a  widowed 
English  lady  by  the  name  of  Newington  to  purchase  it — he  bidding  the  same  of?. 
As  the  bidding  progressed  and  the  price  advanced  in  the  fort.  Flowers  became 
fearful  that  he  would  not  be  able  to  make  the  purchase,  and  asked  those  bid- 
ding against  him  what  they  would  take  to  stop  where  they  were.     Clark,  Evans 


230  PAST  AXn  PRKSEXT  OF  WIXXESHIEK  COUXTY 

and  the  others  held  a  consultation,  and  as  a  result  agreed  to  take  $25.  Flowers 
said  he  would  give  it.  and  accordingly  wrote  his  note  for  the  amount.  Said  note 
read  as  follows : 

"  '1  owe  you  $25  for  value  received. 

"  "1.  M.  Flowkrs. 

"  'Dated  Fort  Atkinson,  1853.'  " 

"Four  years  after  this  note  was  given,  Mr.  Evans  placed  it  in  Mr.  Cooney's 
hands  (who  was  a  justice  of  peace  at  the  time)  for  collection.  Three  years  later 
Mr.  Cooney  got  his  pay  out  of  Flowers  in  sawing. 

"The  fort  was  sold  to  Flowers  for  $3,521. 

"In  1857  a  grist  mill  was  commenced.  Finkle  &  Clark  were  the  builders, 
and  they  received  a  certain  portion  of  the  town-plat  for  building  the  mill,  getting 
a  warranty  deed  for  the  same.  Mr.  McMillan,  a  resident  of  Fort  Atkinson, 
who  resided,  previous  to  1857,  in  Canada,  and  an  acquaintance  of  Finkle,  was 
induced  by  Finkle  to  accompany  him  to  the  United  States,  and  aid  in  the  con- 
struction of  the  mill,  with  promises  of  a  fair  remuneration.  The  mill  was  com- 
pleted in  November,  but,  owing  to  some  miscalculation  of  the  architect  in  laying 
out  the  foundation,  when  the  water  was  let  through  the  flume  it  tnidermined 
the  wall,  and  rent  the  mill  in  twain,  precipitating  a  portion  of  it  into  Turkey 
river.    The  mill  was  reconstructed  shortly  afterward. 

"It  is  estimated  that  in  1857,  when  the  fort  was  at  the  summit  of  its  grand- 
eur, it  had  a  population  of  500  souls.  A  public  school,  of  course,  would  be  a 
necessary  adjunct  to  so  thriving  a  community.  Consec|uently  one  was  organized, 
and  an  estimable  and  capal)le  teacher  was  found  in  the  person  of  Dr.  K.  Hazen. 

"To  Doctor  Hazen  belongs  the  credit  of  teaching  the  flrst  school  at  the  fort. 

The  doctor  had  met  Mr.  McKinney  and  wife,  at  the  commencement  of  Oberlin 
College,  and  was  advised  by  them  to  emigrate  west.  He  was  then  a  young  man 
and  had  graduated.  Mr.  1.  P.  McKinney,  assisted  by  his  wife,  taught  the  second 
term  of  .school  at  the  fort.  The  school  session  was  held  in  one  of  the  fort  build- 
ings, and  their  enrollment  of  scholars  numbered  nearlv  one  hundred. 

"A  Mr.  Sharp,  from  ]-"ayettc  county.  kc]it  ihc  first  lintel  in  the  ])lace.  Me 
dispensed  his  hospitality  in  one  of  the  Fort  buildings. 

"The  new  town  of  Fort  .Atkinson  was  commenced  in  i86q.  The  same  vear 
the  railroad  entered  the  place.  J.  T.  Clark's  .Xdditidii  was  made  lo  the  town. 
August  28,  1869.  This  addition  was  formerly  known  as  the  Taveniier  I'arm, 
and  was  sold  to  J.  T.  Clark  at  slierifl"s  sale  several  \ears  previous. 

"About  this  period  the  first  cluircii  building  was  erected.  It  was  located 
north  of  the  old  fort,  and  built  by  the  aid  of  subscriptions.  The  Methodist 
church  was  built  soon  after.  It  is  located  on  the  old  town  site,  and  was  built 
liy  the  aid  of  S.  B.  I)nnli>ii.  ,1  we.iltliy  fanner,  and  largely  with  his  money." 

Fort  Atkinson  was  incorporated  in  18(^5  and  Win.  Becker  was  the  first  mavor. 
Aside  from  the  historic  interest  that  allaclies  to  the  town,  it  may  be  said  that 
it  has  always  enjoyed  a  good  market,  tlie  sliiiniiciits  of  live  stock  being  for  niaiiv 
jears  a  leading  industry.  .Ml  lines  of  business  are  well  re|)resente<l  bv  the 
following  merchants  and  professional  men:  Home  Savings  Bank.  h".  J.  Pouska, 
cashier;  loans  and  real-estate.  Frank  .\.  .Schreiber;  general  merchandise,  I'rank 
C.  Smith.  F.  P.  Chizek.  Joe  A.  Iluber;  drug  store,  llorlon  P>ros.  Co.;  jewelry 
store,  .'\.  J.  Sciireiber ;  butcher  shop.  Joe  W'andes ;   furniture  and  undertaking, 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  \\TNNESHIEK  COUNTY  231 

Joseph  Chekal;  veterinary  surgeon,  S.  H.  Bush;  barber,  Amos  Stribley;  black- 
smith shop,  Louis  Houdek ;  lumber  dealers,  Frudden  Lumber  Co. ;  hardware 
dealer,  George  A.  Bieber;  live  stock  dealers,  Glass  &  Summers;  farm  produce, 
Farmers  Co-operative  Produce  Co. ;  hotels,  Adolph  Hlubek,  Theodore  Smith ; 
postmaster,  VVm.  Summers;  Catholic  pastor.  Rev.  Charles  Dragoun ;  Shattler 
Auto  Co. ;  Shissel  Implement  Co. 

The  town  officers  are  as  follows:  Mayor,  Wentzel  Kohout ;  clerk,  A.  J. 
Schreiber;  treasurer,  Jacob  Chekal;  councilmen,  Fred  Houdek,  A.  B.  Leibold, 
Wm.  Rausch,  Joseph  Schreiber,  and  John  Heine;  marshal,  George  E.  Cooney. 


'ATIIOLIC  SCHOOL,  OSSIAN 


l'.\i;iH  IIIAI.  St  llool..  OSSIAN 


CHAPTER  XXV 
MILITARY  TOWNSHIP 

When  one  essays  to  record  the  history  of  Mihtary  township  and  the  town  of 
Ossian,  which  is  its  only  municipality,  he  is  impressed  with  the  lack  of  facts  and 
figures  necessary  to  convey  adequately  the  progress  of  this  unit  of  the  county. 
H.  P.  Nicholson,  who  made  a  brief  sketch  for  the  Anderson  &  Goodwin  Atlas, 
remarks  upon  his  inability  to  find  only  meagre  data,  but  writes  in  this  manner : 

The  history  of  Military  township  is  not  dyed  with  any  blood-curdling  tales 
of  Indian  massacre;  no  dire  calamity  ever  befell  the  aborigines  that  white  man 
has  record  of ;  neither  is  it  filled  with  tales  of  romance  or  sentiment,  but  simply 
the  converting  of  a  wilderness  covered  with  tall  prairie  grass  and  scrub  oak, 
interspersed  with  hazel  brush  and  other  wild  bushes,  into  the  beautiful  fields 
and  homes  of  the  prosperous  farmer  and  merchant  of  today. 

Topographically  speaking.  Military  township  is  a  rolling  prairie  with  an  in- 
clination to  be  bluffy  along  the  creeks,  for  no  river  traverses  within  its  borders. 
It  abounds  in  fertile  fields  and  clear  spring  water,  and  has  a  limited  supply  of 
timber  mostly  grown  since  the  ravages  of  the  prairie  fires  were  controlled. 

The  first  settlements  were  made  along  the  creeks,  whose  steep  sides  abounded 
in  good  springs  and  were  covered  with  a  growth  of  timber  sufficient  unto  the 
needs  of  the  pioneer.  Not  being  equipped  with  the  tools  for  making  deep  wells 
or  converting  timber  into  a  commercial  state,  he  naturally  accepted  the  gifts 
which  nature  had  bestowed  upon  him  and  improved  upon  them  to  the  best  of  his 
ability. 

The  first  settler  came  in  1850,  but  who  he  was  is  not  within  the  knowledge  of 
this  writer.  The  march  of  the  pioneer  was  steady  and  continuous  and  no 
marked  event  recorded  his  advent  into  the  newer  fields.  Neither  was  the  birth 
of  the  first  white  child  worthy  of  a  page  in  history,  for  such  events  were  the 
same  then  as  today,  of  every-day  occurrence.  The  occupation  of  the  lands  within 
its  borders  was  very  rapid,  for  as  early  as  1S54  no  unoccupied  land  was  to  be 
had.  Settlers  either  entered  it  as  school  land  or  bought  it  outright  at  $1.25 
per  acre.  Prices  advanced  rapidly  as  improvements  were  made  and  values  as 
high  as  $4.50  and  $5.00  per  acre  were  reached  by  1854.  In  order  to  give  the 
reader  an  insight  into  the  methods  used  and  the  privations  experienced  by  the 

235 


236  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  W  IXNESHIEK  COUNTY 

peo[)le  of  an  early  day,  it  will  he  necessary  to  relate  some  personal  experiences. 

This  writer's  father  started  from  Northwestern  Pennsylvania  in  Decemljer, 
1854,  with  team,  lumlier  wagon,  and  a  i)oard  for  a  seat,  to  come  to  what  was 
then  the  far  West  to  seek  a  home  in  which  to  spend  his  future  days,  lie  was 
accompanied  by  a  brother  with  similar  con\e\ance,  bent  on  a  like  mission.  They 
were  not  seeking  something  they  knew  naught  of.  for  others  preceded  them  and 
delivered  glowing  accounts  of  the  opjinrtunities  offered  in  the  newer  fields.  The 
trip  was  not  worthy  of  s])ecial  mention  but  no  doubt  grew  monotonous  to  the 
participants  in  the  short  winter  days.  The  Mississippi  ri\er  was  reached  at 
last,  however,  and  was  found  to  be  clear  of  ice.  but  as  the  weather  turned  cold 
that  day  a  crossing  was  etYected  the  next  morning  by  leading  one  horse  across 
at  a  time  and  drawing  the  wagon  b\-  hand.  The  journey  was  continued  on  the 
day  following,  as  far  as  Uecorah,  a  parly  at  McGregor  wishing  transportation 
to  that  place.  The  route  traversed  was  via  Moneek  and  Frank\ille,  at  tiiat 
lime  two  prosperous  villages. 

CJn  January  8,  1855,  the  drive  from  Decorah  to  what  proved  to  be  a  home 
for  over  half  a  century,  was  made.  The  road  taken  ran  out  through  Madison 
township,  to  where  Calmar  now  stands,  and  so  on  down  the  Military  ridge 
from  which  this  township  takes  its  name. 

At  an  early  date  land  was  selected  and  purchased  of  an  earlier  settler  for 
^4.50  per  acre  and  preparations  were  made  for  settlement  in  the  sjiring  follow- 
ing. The  horses  were  sold  and  the  return  trij)  was  commenced  on  foot  as  far 
as  Dubu(|ue.  where  transportation  was  taken  back  to  Pennsylvania.  He  with 
his  family  and  some  of  the  necessaries  of  life  remo\ed  in  April  by  rail  as  far 
as  Galena,  Illinois,  thence  by  boat  to  McGregor  and  overland  the  rest  of  the 
way. 

Wealth  was  not  sought  by  these  ])eople.  They  were  simply  looking  for  a 
home  in  which  they  could  secure  a  competence  in  their  later  years,  and  an 
opportimity  for  their  offspring.  Their  surroundings  were  primitive,  indeed. 
A  log  house  twelve  by  thirteen  feet,  with  no  attic,  was  kitchen,  dining  room, 
bed  room  and  ])antry  com!)ined.  A  small  lean-to  and  an  attic  were  afterwards 
added  and  in  these  surroundings  seven  children,  all  robust  and  healthy,  were 
reared  until  better  accommodations  could  be  afforded.  Not  alone  the  family, 
but  visitors  were  entertained  and  strangers  were  often  sheltered  within  its  walls. 
And  those  were  the  days  of  hoop  skirts,  and  who  can  imagine  the  neighborhood 
ladies  gathered  together  for  an  afternoon  visit  witii  good  old-fashioned  families 
added.  T\w  roof  was  protected  by  oaken  shingles  which  shed  water  well 
enough,  hut  when  ;i  genuine  blizzard  raged  nuich  snow  was  sifted  through  the 
chinks  and  (jur  nrrlim  brdthers  and  sisters  upmi  arising  in  the  morning  would 
have  to  seek  a  place  to  ])lant  their  bare  feet  to  miss  the  little  snow  banks  scat- 
tered promiscuously  upon  the  Hoor. 

The  spinning  wheel  and  loom  were  also  in  evidence,  for  no  home  was  com- 
plete without  the  wherewithal  to  be  self-su])i)orting.  Long  strings  of  oxen  were 
hitched  to  large  breaking  i)lows  and  the  natural  sod  was  brttken,  cro])s  were  i)ul 
in  by  hand  and  harvested  with  the  cradle.  The  building  of  flour  mills  quickly 
followed  the  advent  of  the  pioneer  and  a  sustenance  was  achieved  within  the 
reach  of  all.  The  next  thing  was  the  market  for  the  surplus.  This  was  foniul 
at  McGregor,  a  drive  of  forty  miles,  wiiich  took  three  days.     \\  Inic  the  m.-m  of 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  237 

the  house  was  gone  on  these  necessary  trips  the  wife  and  mother  was  governor- 
general  and  general  roustabotit  combined. 

In  the  spring  of  1836  a  small  prairie  fire  started  in  the  southern  part  of  the 
township  and  extended  nearly  the  whole  length  north  and  south,  destroying 
fences  and  numerous  buildings  in  its  path.  When  we  consider  that  fences  were 
made  from  rails  split  from  burr  oak  we  can  realize  what  loss  they  were  to  the 
farmer  of  those  times. 

Following  this  we  have  the  terrible  winter  of  1856  and  1857,  a  winter  never 
to  be  forgotten  by  the  pioneer.  Snow  fell  to  a  depth  of  four  feet,  followed  by 
rain  which  formed  a  crust  on  the  snow,  encasing  everything  in  its  grasp.  It 
became  impossible  to  get  a  horse  or  ox  of?  from  the  beaten  path,  and  fire 
wood  had  to  be  procured  by  hand.  This  also  marked  the  fall  of  the  deer  and 
elk.  They  became  famished  and  were  an  easy  prey  to  hunters  on  foot,  the 
crust  not  being  strong  enough  to  sustain  the  deer's  weight.  The  settlers  here, 
as  in  nearly  every  other  place,  had  their  Indian  scare.  It  was  reported  the 
Indians  were  coming  slaughtering  and  burning  all  before  them.  Many  people 
turned  out  their  stock  to  shift  for  themselves,  and  loading  their  valuables  and 
families  into  their  wagons  started  for  iMcGregor ;  others,  whether  from  more 
thoughtful  disposition  or  more  stubborn,  refused  to  leave  and  prepared  to  stand 
a  siege  if  such  there  came,  but  it  proved  only  a  rumor  enlarged  by  nervous 
peo])le  and  everyone  soon  returned  and  resumed  his  place  and  pursuits. 

In  times  of  adversity  when  prices  were  low,  many  times  a  man  would  be 
compelled  to  go  home  without  a  much-needed  article  on  account  of  the  expense 
of  the  trip. 

O-SSIAN 

Of  the  town  of  Ossian  "Sparks'  History"  gives  the  following  facts : 
"The  original  town  site  of  Ossian  was  laid  out  by  its  founder,  John  Ossian 
Porter,  on  the  southeast  corner  of  the  section.  It  consisted  of  three  blocks,  in 
all  fourteen  lots.  It  was  acknowledged  by  J.  O.  Porter  and  wife  on  the  13th 
of  April,  1855,  and  was  filed  for  record  in  the  recorder's  office  of  Winneshiek 
county  on  the  30th  of  April,  the  same  year.  Mr.  Elijah  Middlebrook  did  the 
surveying.  Two  years  later,  on  the  8th  of  April,  Capt.  C.  E.  Brooks  acknowl- 
edged the  plat  of  the  first  addition  to  Ossian,  which  was  accordingly  placed  on 
the  proper  record.  It  consisted  of  six  blocks,  containing  sixty-three  lots.  On 
the  8th  day  of  October,  1864,  Capt.  C.  E.  Brooks  acknowledged  the  plat  of  his 
second  addition  to  Ossian,  which  consisted  of  thirty  blocks,  divided  into  lots. 
This  plat  was  properlv  recorded.  On  the  4th  day  of  May,  1869,  he  laid  out  ten 
additional  blocks,  and  called  it  Brooks'  Western  Addition  to  Ossian.  This,  so 
far  as  the  records  show,  was  the  last  addition  to  the  place,  and,  minus  the  vaca- 
tion of  a  few  blocks  by  Mr.  Brooks,  is  the  Ossian  of  today. 

"The  year  1865  marked  a  new  era  in  the  history  of  Ossian.  That  which  was 
the  death-blow  of  Frankville — the  railroad — gave  fresh  life  to  Ossian.  During 
this  year  the  railroad  was  built  past  its  door.  The  year  before,  C.  E.  Brooks 
made  a  fresh  addition  to  the  place,  which  was  far-sighted,  for  town  lots  were  in 
demand  immediately.  The  following  year  the  construction  of  numerous  dwell- 
ings was  commenced,  and  business  interests  of  various  kinds  multiplied. 

Vol.  1—13 


238  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

"Ossian  was  nearly  twenty-one  years  of  age  before  a  single  church  edifice 
had  been  erected.  The  Catholics  erected  a  building  for  worship,  which  was 
the  first,  about  the  year  1869.  About  two  years  later  the  Methodists  built  a 
church." 

In  this  connection  it  may  be  added  that  some  years  ago  the  Catholic  congre- 
gation erected  a  magnificent  new  church,  and  this,  with  their  priest's  home  and 
the  parochial  school,  constitutes  one  of  the  most  substantial  church  ])ro])erties 
in  the  county. 

Ossian  has  not  in  late  years  experienced  a  remarkable  growth,  yet  at  all  times 
it  has  maintained  its  place  in  the  progress  of  events,  and  it  harbors  within  its 
borders  business  men  of  enterprise  and  sagacity  who  are  ever  on  the  alert  for 
the  best  interests  of  their  community.  It  has  two  banks — the  Ossian  State 
Bank  and  the  Citizens  Bank  of  Ossian — with  ample  capital  and  resources.  A 
good  representative  in  the  newspaper  field  in  the  Ossian  Bee;  and  ere  this  book 
is  issued  its  streets  will  be  lighted  by  electricity,  as  at  a  recently-held  election 
a  large  majority  was  recorded  in  favor  of  granting  a  franchise  to  Ballard  Broth- 
ers, to  erect  and  operate  a  plant. 

T.  F.  Schmitz,  editor  of  the  Bee,  is  serving  his  .second  term  as  mayor. 
The  other  city  ofificials  are :  Councilmen — E.  H.  Anderson,  O.  L.  Gunderson, 
S.  C.  Oxley,  L.  Bernatz,  J.  M.  Cahill ;  town  clerk,  Charles  Green. 


n 

z 

X 


CHAPTER  XXVI 
BLUFFTON  TOWNSHIP 

Bluffton,  appropriately  so  named,  embraces  in  its  meaning  the  most  prom- 
inent natural  features,  which  undoubtedly  inspired  its  application,  says  John 
F.  Murtha,  in  a  sketch  in  "Anderson  &  Goodwin's  Atlas."  It  occupies  the  sixth 
place,  being  in  the  third  tier  from  the  east  and  the  second  from  the  north, 
among  the  sister  townships  in  the  county,  and  fourth  in  the  third  supervisor's 
district.  The  village  of  the  same  name  is  centrally  located,  from  east  to  west, 
and  one  mile  north  of  the  center,  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Upper  Iowa  river. 
In  it  there  is  one  general  store  and  postoffice,  a  refreshment  or  club  room, 
blacksmith  shop,  hotel,  schoolhouse  and  church.  The  village's  most  prosperous 
times  were  her  earliest,  continuing  on  through  the  wheat-growing  period  which 
ended  with  the  blight  or  wheat  failures  of  1876  and  1878.  Since  that  time  it 
has  been  going  the  way  of  nearly  all  the  smaller  towns  the  country  over,  and  in 
these  recent  years  the  institution  of  rural  delivery  of  mail  is  the  second  serious 
blow  to  its  prosperity. 

The  passing  of  the  mill  recently  sold,  now  razed  to  the  ground,  marks  the 
end  of  its  usefulness.  The  founders  were  the  Morse  brothers.  Henry  built 
the  sawmill  in  1852;  the  following  year  they  built  the  small,  or  baby,  grist  mill, 
around  which  Lyman  D.  built  the  large  one  in  1856,  thus  keeping  pace  with  the 
rapidly  increasing  patronage  and  requirements  of  the  new  settlers  far  and  wide. 
Even  then,  in  the  busiest  season,  patrons  had  to  wait  from  two  to  four  weeks 
for  their  turn  at  grinding.  *  *  *  *  Settlers  as  far  west  as  Albert  Lea, 
I\Iinnesota,  used  to  come  with  ox  teams  to  get  milling  done.  The  old  mill  had 
a  good  many  ups  and  downs,  Mr.  Morse  remaining  owner  until  around  the 
seventies,  when  he  sold  to  Blackmarr  &  Meader. 

In  general,  the  land  is  owned  by  those  who  live  here  and  whose  well  tilled 
fields — iron  and  steel  bound — fine  houses  and  barns,  and  herds  of  cattle,  horses, 
sheep  and  swine ;  last  but  not  least  the  numerous  large  and  happy  families  born 
and  reared  here,  in  conjunction  with  natural  advantages  of  native  forest,  good 
water  and  fertile  soil,  give  evidence  of  what  our  fathers,  the  pioneers,  have 
wrought. 

The  physical  features  of  the  township  are  strongly  marked  by  the  course  of 
the  Upper  Iowa  river.     This  enters  just  a  half  mile  south  from  the  northwest 

241 


242  PAST  AND  PRESKiVT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

corner.  It  almost  laps  upon  itself  in  three  great  loops,  the  second  of  which 
enters  Burr  Oak,  returning,  resumes  its  flow,  while  making  about  ten  miles 
in  every  direction  of  the  compass,  has  only  made  two  miles  headway,  continu- 
ing in  a  southeasterly  direction  jiasses  into  Canoe,  making  aliout  twenty  miles 
of  river  in  this  township. 

Bluffton,  as  a  whole,  is  generallx'  hroken  and  rolling;  the  rougher  i)arts 
being  covered  with  native  forest,  insuring  abundance  of  timber.  It  is  fairly 
well  adapted  to  general  farming  and  slock  raising  and  the  same  is  now  carried 
on  in  a  full  measure. 

The  population  is  a  composite  of  Irish,  Norwegian,  German  and  b'nglish. 
They  are  rugged,  honest,  industrious,  economical  and  prosperous. 

The  opportunities  for  the  youth  to  obtain  a  common  school  education  are 
as  good  as  in  any  rival  community.  Three  of  her  young  men  have  gone  into 
the  Catholic  ministry — Michael  I'oley,  Peter  Gallagher  and  John  Courtney. 

The  first  wave  of  immigration,  setting  in  with  George  Smith,  Lyman  Morse, 
G.  R.  Emery,  Chas.  McLaughlin,  Alichael  Gilice,  Barney  Sutton  and  Terrence 
McConnell,  in  1851,  is  considered  to  have  existed  up  to  the  commencement  of 
the  Civil  war.  A  great  many  of  these  came  from  Northern  Illinois  with  covered 
wagons  drawn  by  ox  teams,  and  bringing  a  few  head  of  cattle  and  other  belong- 
ings necessary  to  begin  life  in  the  new  country. 

The  civil  tf)\vnshii)  was  organized  in  1S56  and  on  .April  7th  of  that  year, 
the  first  election  was  held  at  the  house  of  LMuan  L).  Morse  in  the  \illage.  choos- 
ing the  following  officers:  justices,  Abner  Stevenson  and  Alfred  Jones.  Con- 
stable, L.  H.  Brink.  Trustees.  Franklin  Fletcher  and  M.  M.  Ferguson.  Road 
Supervisor,  Win.  II.  .Mcintosh.  .Assessor,  Edwin  Snell.  Clerk.  Joseph  F. 
Nickerson.      The  numeration  then  taken  shows  a  population  of  196. 

The  greatest  e\cnt.  tlic  one  by  which  we  feel  the  most  honored,  was  the 
patriotic  response  of  our  boys  forty-five  years  ago,  to  their  country's  call.  The 
enrollment  for  service  was  John  Gallagher  and  _son,  John  Thomas.  Asberry 
Lanty,  Warrick  Brisco.  Lewis  Richmond,  Dan  \\'ash,  Lut  Barrett.  Wm.  Mur- 
dock,  Dan  and  Ben  Lewis,  Moritz  Lange.  I'atrick  Nolan  and  son  Denis,  Owen 
Smith,  Abner  Stexcnson.  John  Jones.  Jonathan  Reynolds,  F^rank  Foley,  Joseph 
F.  Nickerson.  Rube  and  I'rank  Palmer,  Simon  Gates,  Al.  Perry,  Harrison  Stock- 
dale,  Albert  Richmond.  Will  Powers  and  llezekiah  Brisco. 

That  the  first  settlers  i)rought  with  them  their  religion  and  were  soon  fol- 
lowed by  ministers  and  jjriests  is  a  well-known  traditional  fact,  for  before  any 
churches  were  erected  divine  services  were  held  in  many  of  the  log  houses  in 
the  settlement.  In  1858  the  little  log  church  was  built  on  Mr.  Nolan's  land. 
It  was  considered  large  enough  to  accommodate  the  attendance,  but  in  a  few 
years  a  frame  addition  in  front,  making  it  as  large  again,  was  required  by  the 
growing  congregation.  This  sufficed  uiilil  1877  when  the  present  fine  brick 
edifice  was  built  on  a  new  site.  The  parish  has  always  been  attached  to  Decorah. 
It  also,  in  an  early  day,  included  Plymouth  Rock,  and  as  far  West  as  Granger, 
making  an  extensive  field  for  the  early  pastors,  who  could  not  make  the  regidar 
attendance  of  these  days.  Of  Revs.  Father  Hoar,  Kinsley  and  DeCailey  little 
is  known.  Father  Farrell  being  frail  and  in  poor  health  did  not  remain  long. 
Father  Lowrey  ministered  ciuitc  a  few  years,  and  went  away  universally  re- 
gretted by  his  people  and  all  who  knew  him.     Then  came  h'atiur  i.cnilian.  who 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  243 

in  late  years  became  bishop  of  Cheyenne.  Fathers  Butler,  McNulty,  Garrahan 
and  the  present  Father  Hawe  followed  in  succession.  Religion  in  the  village 
seems  to  have  had  a  varied  existence  from  the  beginning.  Although  other 
points  not  far  off  had  been  frequently  visited  by  ministers  of  the  M.  E.  church 
much  earlier,  this  place  was  not  put  on  the  list  of  speaking  points  until  1855. 
A  Congregational  society  was  organized  by  Rev.  Chas.  Wiley  of  Burr  Oak  in 
1878.  The  Adventists  started  a  society  with  Rev.  John  Ridley  of  Burr  Oak 
as  pastor  in  1881.  1884  brought  in  the  Friends  society  with  Rev.  Ezra  Pierson 
pastor.  To  their  efforts  is  due  the  erection  of  the  fine  frame  church,  dedicated 
at  the  close  of  the  year  1889.  The  Baptists  made  an  organization,  an  out- 
growth of  revivals  by  Rev.  James  of  Decorah  in  1895.  All  of  the  foregoing 
church  circles  have  gone  out  of  existence  by  removal  of  adherents  or  remote 
residence ;  even  the  I-'riends  society  has  only  a  nominal  existence,  but  the  church 
is  open  to  the  service  of  other  denominations  or  those  not  belonging  who  aided 
its  erection. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 
CANOE  TOWNSHIP 

Canoe  township  adjoins  Bluffton  on  the  east  and  is  immediately  north  of 
Decorah.     J.  C.  Fredenburgh  describes  the  township  as  follows : 

The  west  half  of  Canoe  township  is  very  fine  farming  land.  The  northwest 
quarter,  known  as  Franklin  Prairie,  is  gently  rolling,  and  is  productive  of  all 
kinds  of  crops.  The  southwest  quarter  is  more  hilly  and  quite  bluffy  along  what 
is  known  as  the  Upper  Iowa  river.  The  uplands  on  the  hills  are  a  clay  soil, 
while  the  bottom  lands  are  sandy.  There  is  an  abundance  of  timber  on  the 
bluffs  along  the  streams.  Canoe  creek  which  flows  from  near  the  northwest 
corner  of  the  township  in  a  southeasterly  direction,  heads  about  three  miles  north 
of  the  north  line  of  Canoe,  in  Hesper  township. 

Continuing  his  sketch,  which  appeared  in  the  "Winneshiek  County  Atlas,"  pub- 
lished in  1905,  Mr.  Fredenburgh  gives  some  interesting  reminiscences.  We 
quote  a  portion  of  them. 

"In  the  year  1850  when  David  Kinnison  and  John  Fredenburgh  came  west 
to  seek  their  fortunes,  they  came  to  northwest  Canoe  township.  They  found 
Canoe  creek  with  its  clear  sparkling  waters  and  fish  in  abundance.  I  have 
heard  them  tell  about  wading  through  the  water  and  the  fish  would  part  ahead 
of  them  and  close  in  behind  them,  they  were  so  thick.  In  those  days  there  were 
springs  of  pure  water  on  nearly  every  farm  and  as  many  as  three  or  four  on 
some  of  them. 

"With  the  exception  of  along  the  streams,  timber  was  scattering,  with  open- 
ings here  and  there.  They  called  them  white  oak  openings.  In  these  openings 
the  blue  grass  grew  to  the  height  of  many  feet.  There  were  a  few  Indians  here, 
but  they  were  friendly.  They  would  steal  a  little  sometimes,  but  that  was  all  the 
harm  they  did.  There  were  some  deer,  bear,  quail,  pheasant  and  prairie  chicken. 
When  these  early  settlers  wanted  lumber  and  provisions,  they  had  to  haul  it 
from  Prairie  du  Chien,  their  one  conveyance  being  ox  teams.  It  usually  took 
about  a  week  to  make  the  trip.  As  the  county  grew  older  they  went  to  Mc- 
Gregor and  Lansing  and  later  to  Conover  and  Decorah. 

245 


246  PAST  AXD  i'RJ£Sl':NT  OF  W  LWESlllKK  CUUXTY 

"The  first  wheat  I  can  rememljer  my  father  marketing  was  hauled  to  Con- 
over,  and  the  first  train  of  cars  1  ever  saw  was  at  that  jjUice. 

"Canoe  has  never  had  a  town  of  her  name  to  boast  of.  She  has  had  some 
country  postoffices  and  two  taverns.  One,  kept  by  a  man  by  the  name  of  Har- 
mon and  later  by  a  Mr.  Leach — The  Leach  Tavern.  The  frame  is  still  doing  serv- 
ice, as  it  has  been  re-sided  and  a  new  roof  ])ut  on.  It  is  owned  and  occupied  by 
W.  C.  McLain.*  It  was  known  by  the  name  of  the  1  lalf-way  1  louse,  being  about 
half  way  between  Burr  Oak  and  Decorah. 

"In  the  early  '60s  we  sowed  our  grain  by  hand,  dragged  it  in  with  an  .\- 
shaped  harrow,  planted  our  corn  with  a  hoe.  and  cultivated  it  with  one  horse  and 
a  two-shovel  plow ;  planted  our  [lotatoes  and  dug  them  with  a  hoe.  We  cut  hay 
with  a  scythe,  spread  it  out  with  forks,  let  it  dry  and  then  raked  it  uj)  with  a 
hand-rake,  and  stacked  it  by  hand.  Our  grain  was  cut  with  a  cradle,  raked  and 
bound  by  hand  and  treaded  out  with  horses  and  flail.  I  remember  when  a  boy 
of  dropping  corn  by  hand  for  25  cents  per  day,  from  half  past  six  or  seven  in 
the  morning  until  sundown  at  night. 

"The  first  reaper  I  ever  saw  was  about  1807.  It  took  two  men  and  a  team 
to  run  it.  One  man  drove  the  horses  and  the  other,  with  a  fork,  raked  the 
grain  off  in  gavels.  Two  or  three  years  later  came  the  self-rake,  next  the  har- 
vester. Two  men  stood  on  the  platform  and  bound  the  grain.  The  next  labor- 
saving  improvement  in  this  line  was  the  self-binder,  which  has  been  improved 
upon  and  is  still  in  use  at  the  present  time.  In  looking  back  over  years  that  have 
come  and  gone  since  I  first  saw  Canoe  township,  we  are  led  to  exclaim,  "what 
a  change!'  Thus  we  acknowledge  that  we  have  a  blessed  heritage  and  should 
be  thankful  and  happy." 

Lars  L.  Iverson  was  the  first  white  cliikl  born  in  Canoe  township  and  still 
resides  on  the  farm  where  he  first  saw  the  light  of  day  on  December  7,  1852. 
He  tells  the  following  circumstance  concerning  the  tirst  mill  stones  used  in  that 
township,  his  father,  Lars  Iverson,  Sr.,  being  the  man  who  made  them : 

When  Lars  Iverson  came  to  Winneshiek  count \-  in  1852  the  mills  were  few 
and  far  between.  When  grists  were  brought  to  the  mill  they  would  be  there  so 
long  before  being  ground  that  the  mice  and  rats  would  cut  the  sacks  and  waste 
the  grain  and  the  grist  would  diminish,  so  that  the  farmers  would  look  around 
for  something  that  would  remedy  this  inconvenience  and  loss. 

Mr.  Iverson  had  thought  of  this  difficulty  when  he  left  Norway  and  as  hand 
mills  were  in  use  there,  more  or  less,  and  being  familiar  with  their  construc- 
tion, he  brought  with  him  the  irons  for  such  a  mill.  The  stone  which  he  used 
was  selected  from  rock  found  on  his  farm  in  Canoe  township.  With  hammer  and 
chisel  they  were  trimmed  into  proper  form.  The  mill  was  turned  by  hand  by 
two  men,  and  would  grind  corn  fine  enough  so  one  could  ha\c  corn  meal  mush. 
This  was  considered  good  enough  in  those  days. 

The  mill  was  not  only  used  by  Mr.  Iverson,  but  after  a  while  the  neighbors 
would  come  three  or  four  miles  to  get  their  corn  ground. 

These  mill  stones  measure  two  feet  three  inches  in  diameter,  the  lower  one 
weighs  160  pounds  and  the  upper  one  250  pounds.  They  are  kept  as  a  relic  of 
pioneer  days  on  L.  L.  Iverson's  farm,  on  section  2,  Canoe  township. 

*  Mr.  McLnin  lias  since  passed  away,  niiii  Du-  finin  I.*  now  coiidiiotod  l>y  one  of  }ii.s  sons. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  247 

IN  MEATORY  OF  SPRINGWATER 

THE  TALE  OF  A  PIONEER  COMMUNITY  OF  WHICH   ONLY   TRADITION   REMAINS 

Not  a  Hint  of  It  on  the  Latest  County  Map  of  Canoe  Township 
B\<  Edijar  Odsoii 

During'  this  Home  Coming  time  and  backward  gl,ance  at  auld  lang  syne  in 
Winneshiek,  a  few  glimpses  of  pioneer  days  and  the  people  of  Springfwater  may 
be  of  interest  to  some  readers  liefore  memory  of  the  beginnings  of  that  settle- 
ment become  quite  extinct.  In  the  intellectual  realm,  in  educational  matters  in 
those  days  when  the  s])clling  school  was  a  test  of  superiority,  Springwater  was  a 
community  to  be  reckoned  with. 

Its  beginning  was  a  saw  and  grist  mill  erected  about  1850.  This  mill  soon 
after  passed  into  the  possession  of  Ansel  Rogers,  a  preacher  and  leader  in  the 
colony  of  Quakers  that  gathered  about  it  in  the  early  '50s.  A  number  of  families 
of  Friends  were  attracted  to  the  site  by  a  description  written  by  a  member  of 
that  denomination  while  on  a  prospecting  tour  beyond  the  Mississippi  and  pub- 
lished in  a  Friends  paper  in  the  East.  Delighted  by  the  picturesque  beauty  of 
the  locality  the  writer  created  the  impression  that  here  might  be  founded  an- 
other Eden. 

People  in  the  older  communities,  especially  in  New  England,  were  begin- 
ning to  move  uneasily  in  their  cramped  home  conditions  and  to  turn  their  eyes 
to  the  West.  Beyond  the  Mississippi  was  then  sufficiently  distant  to  lend  en- 
chantment to  the  view  and  to  seem  what  it  proved  to  be. 

Quakers  in  the  older  settlements  reading  about  this  spot  which  later  became 
Springwater,  with  its  glorious  climate,  its  wooded  hills  swarming  with  deer — 
its  magnificent  springs — its  crystal  brook  (the  Canoe) — full  of  rainbow  trout 
— decided  that  this  was  the  spot  they  long  had  sought,  and  left  their  old  homes 
to  locate  on  it.  They  came  in  considerable  numbers,  without  concerted  action, 
from  widely  separated  localities.  The  following  names  of  members  of  the  col- 
ony will  be  remembered  by  some  of  the  older  settlers  in  Winneshiek  county : 
Ansel  Rogers,  Moses  Gove,  Lorenzo  Blackmarr,  Nathan  Chase,  Sanuiel  King, 
Joseph  Mott,  Aaron  Street,  Ezra  King,  Amos  and  Flenry  Earle,  Henry  Chappell, 
the  Gripmans,  John  Tavernier,  David  West,  John  Odson,  etc.  These  were  men 
with  families  more  or  less  numerous  and  all  but  two  were  Quakers. 

Younger,  unattached  members  of  the  community  were  A.  A.  Benedict,  Charles 
Gordon,  Joseph  Brownell,  Nathan  Rogers,  Lindley,  Josiah  and  John  Chase,  Lucre- 
tia  Bean,  Mary  Gove,  Rachel  and  Abbie  Mott,  Zilpah  Gordon,  Rhoda  and  Eunice 
Gripman,  Lydia  Grisell,  Mary  and  Carrie  Chase.  Several  of  these  young  people 
did  not  long  remain  unattached.  Somewhat  later  the  colony  was  increased  by 
the  arrival  of  Harvey  and  Lovinia  Benedict  and  their  children  Aiden  and  Eva; 
Washington  Epley,  with  a  family  and  two  nephews,  George  and  John  Epley ; 
Isaac  Gidley  and  family ;  Joseph  Cook  and  family. 

Maine,  New  Hampshire,  Vermont,  Rhode  Island,  New  York,  Pennsylvania, 
Ohio,  Indiana,  Virginia,  Michigan,  England  and  Norway  were  represented  among 
these  early  settlers. 


248  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WIXXESHIEK  COL'XTV 

Plain  living  (enforced)  and  high  thinking  was  the  order  of  the  day  in  the 
settlement.  The  years  immediately  i)receding  had  been  a  time  of  political  unrest 
in  the  Old  World  and  of  intellectual  ferment  in  the  New,  finding  outlet  in  rebel- 
lions, Eourierism  and  transcendentalism.  Springwater  did  not  escape  the  conta- 
gion, and  so  the  younger  set  at  once  organized  a  literary  society  which  met  at 
stated  intervals  to  read  j)apers  and  discuss  weighty  matters.  The  society  also 
published  a  paper — in  longhand — which  probably  was  the  first  publication  issued 
in  the  county,  The  Atheneum  Banner.  At  any  rate  it  antedated  the  Decorah 
Republican  published  by  the  present  owners  by  several  years.  The  writer  never 
had  the  good  fortune  to  see  a  copy  of  this  journal  aii<l  it  is  doubtful  if  one  is  now 
in  existence. 

THE  COLOXV  BUILT  A   "MEETING    HOUSE"   OF  COARUS  SAWED   AT  THE    MILL 

For  a  number  of  years  this  served  as  a  house  of  worship  and  as  a  schoolhouse. 
In  this  building  Joseph  Brownell — one  of  the  first  if  not  the  first  young  man  to 
be  married  within  its  walls — taught  several  terms  of  private  school,  public  schools 
not  having  yet  come  into  existence.  In  the  barn-like  structure  the  Friends  met 
every  Sunday  (First  Day)  for  religious  worship,  which  consisted  chiefly  of  silence 
and  meditation — of  the  right  sort.  The  "elders"  occupied  the  high  places  dur- 
ing the  meeting — that  is,  the  two  or  three  benches  elevated  some  feet  above  the 
floor  of  the  main  body  of  the  church  and  facing  the  audience.  These  dignitaries 
sat  with  hats  on  or  ofl^,  according  to  individual  caprice.  Sometimes  hats  were 
worn  during  the  first  half  hour  and  then  laid  aside.  The  leader  sat  at  the  head 
on  the  rear  bench — the  benches  were  elevated  one  above  the  other  in  tiers — 
and  when  it  was  time  to  close  the  service  he  turned  toward  his  neighbor  and 
gravely  shook  his  hand.  This  was  the  signal  that  meeting  was  over,  eyes  bright- 
ened, smiles  appeared — especially  among  the  younger  members — a  hum  of  voices 
replaced  the  silence  and  everybody  became  ordinary  humans  once  more. 

Rut  these  meetings  were  not  always  ])assed  in  silence.  Memliers  had  the 
privilege  of  exhorting  sinners  and  others  whenever  the  spirit  moved  and  as  the 
years  passed  the  spirit  seemed  to  move  more  and  more  frequently.  There  was. 
of  course,  no  ordained  minister.  Midweek  services  were  held,  generally  on 
Wednesdays,  and  school  was  dismissed  at  1 1  A.  M. ;  pupils  were  expected  to  attend, 
but  attendance  was  not  compulsory. 

The  sexes  sat  sc])arate(l  on  opposite  sides  of  the  main  room,  which  cduld  !)e 
(li\idi'il  into  two  distinct  conii)artnients  by  a  movable  upper  partition  wliich  was 
lowered  onto  a  stationarv  lower  iiartition  fixed  to  the  floor.  The  latter  was  about 
four  feet  high.  During  religious  meetings  the  upper  section  was  raised — by  means 
of  ropes  and  piillc\s — so  th.it  the  whole  congregation  was  in  \icw.  Hut  when 
"monthly  meetings"  were  held — meetings  for  the  transaction  of  church  business 
and  for  disciplining  members  who  had  been  naughty — the  sexes  were  rigidly 
separated  b\-  the  p.irtition  and  they  could  communicate  with  each  other  only  by 
messenger.  .\t  times  members  were  haided  over  the  coals  for  shortcomings,  but 
not  often.  It  was  a  ])rettv  good  conmumity — and  died  young.  The  meeting  house 
was  hot  in  summer  and  cold  in  winter.  During  the  latter  season  the  feminine  por- 
tion of  the  congregation  often  brought  heated  Ijricks  to  keep  their  feet  warm  and 
their  minds  in  a  proper  state  of  meditation. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  249 

The  Springwater  school  in  those  days  must  have  been  the  most  advanced  of 
any  in  the  county,  and  in  the  spelUng  contests  it  always  gave  a  good  account  of 
itself.  Independent  of  the  regular  school,  a  peculiar  geography  class  flourished, 
conducted  by  Charles  Gordon  at  so  much  per  head  for  the  term.  A  set  of  large 
wall  maps  was  used  containing  all  the  geographical  knowledge  then  extant  and  the 
pupils  met  on  certain  evenings  in  the  week  to  chant  in  unison  the  lesson  under 
consideration.  The  members  of  the  class  were  mostly  young  men  and  women. 
It  was  a  pretty  good  method  of  fixing  geographical  locations  in  the  mind,  and  in- 
teresting because  the  world  was  new  and  the  pupils  were  interested  in  each  other. 
Some  of  the  elders  looked  askance  at  this  class  on  account  of  the  singing — not 
by  any  means  too  hilarious — because  they  regarded  music  in  any  form  as  a  snare 
devised  by  the  adversary  of  man  to  entangle  human  souls.  ,  They  thought  it 
essential  to  salvation  that  all  the  aspects  of  life  should  be  drab  colored. 

This  view,  however,  was  held  by  a  minority  of  the  congregation  only,  and 
was  more  or  less  a  bone  of  contention.  A  school  entertainment  in  the  winter  of 
1857-8,  perhaps,  produced  a  rift  within  the  lute,  which,  while  it  did  not  widen 
sufficiently  to  produce  discord  that  could  be  discerned  by  outsiders,  it  still  im- 
paired the  harmony  of  the  life  there  more  or  less.  One  of  the  features  of  this 
disrupting  entertainment  was  music  from  an  accordian  or  concertina,  or  what- 
ever the  instrument  was,  and  Miss  Mary  Gove  was  the  performer.  In  the  midst 
of  one  of  her  selections,  one  of  the  elders,  sitting  on  the  other  side  of  the  lower 
partition — the  two  rooms  had  been  thrown  into  one — placed  his  hands  upon  it 
and  vaulted  over  with  the  agility  of  a  boy  who  has  been  robbing  an  orchard,  and 
rushing  up  to  Miss  Gove,  seized  her  hands  exclaiming,  "Does  thee  know  that  this 
is  the  house  of  God  ?"  The  entertainment  ceased  then  and  there  and  that  elder 
did  not  enhance  his  popularity  in  the  community  by  his  zeal.  He  was  one  of 
the  first  to  move  away.  David  West,  who  was  not  a  Quaker,  in  relating  the  in- 
cident, said :  "\yhy,  when  the  old  man  vaulted  over  the  fence,  his  coat  tails  snap- 
ping in  the  breeze,  I  thought  it  was  a  part  of  the  performance,  d d  if  I  didn't !" 

An  interesting  Sunday  school  was  maintained  for  a  number  of  years  in  which 
everybody,  young  and  old,  showed  much  interest  and  nearly  every  member  of 
the  community  became  an  expert  in  bible  knowledge.  In  connection  with  this 
school  a  circulating  library  was  maintained  by  individual  contributions.  This 
literature,  as  a  matter  of  course,  was  highly  flavored  with  Quakerism,  but  books 
were  scarce  and  it  served.  The  autobiography  of  John  Woolman  was  one  of  the 
books. 

An  intellectual-devotional  diversion  was  a  "reading  circle"  held  on  Sunday 
afternoon  in  summer  and  in  the  evening  during  winter.  At  these  gatherings 
members  took  turns  in  reading  aloud  recent  books  of  an  instructive  nature,  biogra- 
phies, travels,  etc.,  alternating  with  purely  religious  matter. 

At  a  somewhat  later  period  a  peripatetic  writing  master  drifted  into  Spring- 
water  and  taught  some  terms  of  writing  school.  He  was  a  good  penman  but  a 
bad  citizen  and  subsequently  married  and  deserted  one  of  Decorah's  fair  daugh- 
ters. 

The  sentiment  in  regard  to  music  eventually  changed  to  such  an  extent  that  a 
singing  school  was  allowed  in  the  schoolhouse,  conducted  by  James  W.  Mott,  who 
had  previously  qualified  by  taking  singing  lessons  in  Decorah.  A  musical  wave 
rolled  over  the  community  and  in  almost  everv  home  some  instrument  was  under- 


250  PAST  .\XD  PRESENT  OF  W  IXXESIIIEK  COUNTY 

going  torture  at  the  liands  of  would-be  musicians.  But  there  were  children  who 
were  coni])elled  Id  lake  to  the  woods  to  practice,  out  of  sight  and  hearing  of  their 
dissenting  jjarents. 

The  New  \'ork  Tribune  was  about  the  only  secular  paper  read  in  Springwater. 
It  was  ever3'bod\''s  friend,  philosopher  and  guide  in  worldly  matters,  and  Horace 
(ireelev  was  a  prophet  in  that  locality.  The  abolition  sentiment  was  strong  and 
during  the  T.incoln-1  Douglas  campaign  e\'eryone  became  a  republican  except 
David  West,  who  was  a  democrat,  and  did  not  care  who  knew  it. 

The  dress  usually  worn  was  the  conventional  Ouaker  drab — drab  gown  and 
bonnet  for  the  women,  severely  plain  habiliments  with  broad  brimmed  black  hat 
for  the  men.  The  only  color  allowed  the  Ouaker  maidens  was  that  which  glowed 
in  their  cheeks,  and  bright  eyes  were  their  only  ornaments — but  these  sufticed. 
At  the  time  of  the  bloomer  outbreak  that  costume  was  occasionally  seen  on  the 
Springwater  hills,  but  not  for  long. 

One  of  the  very  first  pioneers  of  the  place — forgotten  in  the  enumeration 
above — was  a  character  known  by  the  sobriquet  of  "Greasy  Ole."  He  was  a 
Ijachelor  who  lived  Ijy  himself  in  a  (1x4  shanty  and  wore  a  pair  of  leather  breeches 
which  were  never  changed  or  washed.  He  came  to  the  locality  so  early  that 
he  slipt  a  bear  on  what  later  became  the  Odson  farm.  One  story  about  liim 
was  that  being  invited  to  dinner  by  one  of  his  Quaker  neighbors  at  one  time,  he 
showed  that  he  was  not  devoid  of  table  manners  by  wiping  his  knife  on  his 
breeches  before  inserting  it  into  the  coiumunal  butter. 

The  first  white  child  born  in  Springwater  was  the  present  su])erintendent  of 
the  well  known  Minnesota  school  for  feeble  minded  at  Faribault,  Dr.  A.  C. 
Rogers. 

The  first  death  was  that  of  Eunice  Gripman,  a  fine  young  woman  of  eighteen 
or  twenty.     Her  grave  was  the  first  in  the  Springwater  burial  ground. 

The  first  postoffice  was  called  .\(|uila  (irove,  Nathan  (.'base,  postmaster. 

The  first  member  of  the  old  guard  to  desert  the  ranks  was  .\nsel  Rogers,  who 
sought  other  and  better  pastures. 

No  one  accunuil.ited  a  swollen  fortune  there.  No  member  of  the  colony  dis- 
graced himself  l\v  becoming  a  malefactor  of  great  wealth.  The  best  wheat  in  the 
United  States  was  raised  on  those  hills,  l)ut  it  was  a  slow  and  strenuous  ])rocess 
to  grub  out  the  stunted  oak  sliruljs  and  prejiare  the  soil  for  the  plow,  and  there 
was  no  home  market  for  the  grain.  It  had  to  be  hauled  to  the  Mississippi  at  Mc- 
Gregor or  Lansing,  and  when  the  draft  animals  were  oxen  it  required  three  or 
four  days  to  make  the  trip. 

So  most  of  the  settlers  became  tired  of  the  hard  work  and  the  meager  results 
and  by  the  end  of  the  first  decade  the  comnumity  was  ra])i<!ly  disintegrating. 
Death  claimed  some  but  most  were  lured  away  by  the  greater  ojijiortunities  else- 
where. 

(3nly  two  of  the  oldest  group  lived  there  to  the  end  of  their  d;i\s.  John  r)dsor. 
and  Joseph  Mott.  and  onlv  one  still  survives,  Mrs.  John  Odson.  who  now  li\es  in 
Decorah. 

Of  the  younger  group  next  in  age,  Charles  Gordon  became  an  inventor  and 
made  a  fortune  in  New  "S'ork  and  Brooklyn;  A.  A.  Benedict  liecame  a  rolling 
stone  who  gathered  considerable  moss :  Lindley,  Josiah  and  John  Chase  are 
somewhere  in  the  West  and  doing  well;  Miss  Eucrctia  r>ean  married  one  Thomas 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  251 

Truman  and  lived  and  died  in  West  Decorah ;  Nathan  Rogers  went  to  the  Pacific 
coast.    The  whereabouts  of  others  is  to  the  writer  unknown. 

Those  who  were  the  children  in  the  settlement  are  now  gray-haired  men  and 
women,  the  radiant  light  of  the  world's  morning  long  since  faded  from  their 
faces.  Some  departed  never  to  grow  old.  James  Mott  went  west  but  returned 
and  died  in  his  prime.  His  widow  is  the  well  known  Decorah  business  woman. 
Milton  Gove,  one  of  the  champion  spellers  of  Springwater  in  the  days  of  spelling 
schools,  lives  in  Decorah.  Aiden  Benedict  became  a  theatrical  manager  and  lived 
in  New  York  during  the  last  years  of  his  life  and  died  there ;  his  sister,  Mrs. 
Rathl)(ine.  is  at  riioenix,  Arizona,  j.  I.  Tavernier  is  the  West  Decorah  miller. 
Bailey  Street  is  a  citizen  of  Hesper.  Lucy  Mott,  Maria  Chase  and  Janie  Chap- 
pell  died  when  on  the  threshold  of  promising  womanhood. 

Mrs.  Annis  Mott  Ellingson  is  the  only  descendant  of  the  original  settlers  who 
now  lives  in  Springwater. 

Such  are  a  few  glimpses  of  a  brief  pliase  in  the  history  of  one  settlement  in 
old  Winneshiek. 

"  'Tis  all  a  checker-board  of  nights  and  days. 
Where  Destiny  with  man  for  pieces  plays : 
Hither  and  thither  moves,  and  checks  and  slays. 
And  one  bv  one  back  in  the  closet  lavs." 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 
GLENWOOD  TOWNSHIP 

Of  several  sketches  of  Glenwood  township,  none  are  better  than  that  pre- 
[lared  in  1905  by  O.  P.  Rocksvold,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  township.  It  was 
printed  in  the  "Atlas  of  Winneshiek  County,"  published  that  year  by  Anderson  & 
Goodwin.     Mr.  Rocksvold  says,  in  part : 

"Gjermund  Johnson  was  the  first  Norwegian  settler  in  township  q8  north, 
range  7  west,  which  was  the  way  the  township  was  known. 

"He  located  in  the  southwest  quarter  of  section  31,  and  built  the  first  dwell- 
ing house  in  the  township.  Nels  Throndson  and  Andrew  Gulbrandson  Haugen 
came  later  the  same  year,  and  settled  on  section  32.  These  were  the  only  set- 
tlers in  the  southwest  part  of  the  township.  In  1S51  Knut  Evenson  and  others 
settled  in  the  same  neighlmrhood.  In  the  southeastern  corner  of  the  township, 
Hans  O.  Eggebraaten  and  family,  Hans  Blegen  and  wife,  Ole  and  Hans  Pat- 
terson, their  three  sisters  and  their  old  father  were  the  first  Norwegian  settlers 
in  the  east  part  of  the  township. 

"Claims  were  made  by  Philander  Baker,  L.  Carmichael,  John  Brant,  Jack 
Brant,  George  Coney,  John  Bush,  Wm.  and  John  Barthell  and  others,  but  they 
soon  sold  their  claims  to  Norwegian  settlers  and  disappeared.  Samuel  Drake 
came  in  1850  to  the  northwest  part  of  the  township,  and  settled  on  section  7; 
his  father  and  brother  Nathan  came  in  1851.  Other  families  settled  in  the 
neighborhood  but  moved  away  in  a  short  time.  In  185 1  Timothy  Fuller,  Rus- 
sell and  Benjamin  (ioodwater,  Wm.  Smith  and  Levi  Barnhouse  settled  in  the 
township,  but  Russell  soon  sold  out,  the  others  remaining  for  a  number  of  vears. 

"In  1852  the  Norwegian  emigrants  began  to  come  direct  from  Norway,  and 
continued  to  come  until  the  outbreak  of  the  war,  which  checked  the  emigration 
for  some  time.  A  few  years  later  they  began  to  come  in  large  numbers,  so  that 
soon  every  acre  of  available  land  in  the  township  was  taken  up. 

"William  Smith  Iniilt  a  sawmill  on  Trout  river  in  1853  3nd  sup])lied  the 
first  settlers  with  lumljcr ;  before  that  time  they  had  to  split  logs  for  the  floors, 
doors  and  other  purjjoses.  Glenwood  was  well  supplied  with  wood  and  water, 
the  two  main  objects  for  which  the  settlers  were  looking.  Iowa  river  running 
along  the  north  border   of   the   townshij).   Trout   river   from   the   south   through 

253 


2r)4  PAST  AND  PRESI'.XT  OF  W  IXXESHIEK  COUNTY 

its  center,  Coon  creek  from  the  southeast,  all  emptied  into  the  Iowa  ri\er  at 
the  north  part  of  the  township  on  section  J. 

"All  of  these  streams  were  well  stocked  with  tish,  the  two  last  mentioned 
with  speckled  trout.  Even  in  the  Iowa  river  a  good  many  trout  were  caught. 
Wild  game  was  plentiful,  red  deer  could  he  seen  every  day,  and  I  often  saw 
them  grazing  among  the  cattle  in  the  summer.  Game  birds  were  also  numerous, 
such  as  prairie  chicken,  i)artridges,  (juail  and  wild  pigeons.  The  latter  were 
ofteii  so  numerous  in  the  spring  of  the  year  that  a  flock  would  almost  shade 
the  sun.  In  1866  a  flock  came  along  and  picked  up  the  seed  on  a  ten-acre  field 
that  had  been  sown  by  hand  by  the  writer  of  this  sketch,  so  it  had  to  be  sown 
over  again. 

"Glenwood  contained  very  little  ])rairie  land:  the  most  of  it  was  timber 
with  some  open  patches  here  and  there,  consequently  was  hard  to  clear  for 
farm  purposes.  The  soil  is  of  the  best  kind — black  loam,  underlaid  with  clay. 
After  fifty  years  of  cultivation  it  proiluces  the  liest  of  crops.  The  timber  varie- 
ties are  burr  oak,  white  oak,  black  oak.  black  walnut,  butternut,  elm.  poplar. 
and  many  other  varieties. 

"I  find  from  the  census  of  1880  lliat  ( ilcnwood  had  a  population  of  i.iyo. 
That  year  the  W'aukon  and  Decorah  railroad  branch  was  graded,  so  many  of 
the  professional  railroad  hands  were  enumerated  as  citizens  of  Cjlenwood,  where 
they  did  belong  at  the  lime  being.  In  i8(jo  the  population  was  1 .034  and  in 
1900  just  about  the  same.*  Ilundreds  of  good  citizens  have  emigrated  to  .Min- 
nesota and  the  Dakotas,  where  land  was  cheap. 

"At  the  outjjreak  of  the  Civil  war,  Glenwood  was  not  slow  to  send  her  sons 
to  the  front.  Four  companies  of  infantry  and  one  of  cavalry  were  organized  in 
the  county,  going  into  the  regiments  as  follows:  First  company  in  the  Third, 
second  in  the  Ninth,  and  the  third  into  the  Twelfth,  the  fourth  into  the  Thirty- 
eighth  and  the  fifth  into  the  Sixth  Cavalry.  All  of  these  companies  were  more  or 
less  soldiers  from  Glenwood  township.  A  few  soldiers  also  went  into  the  Fif- 
teenth Wi.sconsin  as  a  Scandinavian  regiment.  It  was  soon  found  that  all  of 
these  boys  were  of  the  right  kind  of  material  of  which  to  make  good  soldiers. 

"A  certain  familv.  Thrond  .Steen  and  wife  of  (ilenwood,  sent  six  sons  to 
the  front,  one  to  the  h'irsi  Minnesota,  three  in  the  Twelfth  Iowa,  one  in  the 
Thirty-eighth  Iowa,  and  one  in  the  F'ifteenth  Wisconsin,  and  the  seventh  and 
oldest  brother  was  drafted  in  1864.  init  when  it  became  known  that  he  had  six 
brothers  in  the  army  before,  they  let  him  go  home  to  take  care  of  his  old  ])arents. 
Glenwood  has  more  than  furnished  its  quota  of  soldiers,  but  Decorah  got  the 
credit  of  a  good  many  of  them,  as  they  did  not  think  of  demanding  their 
enlistment  as  a  credit  to  Glenwood  township,  so  in  1864  when  a  draft  was 
ordered,   four  men  were  drafted  in  the  township. 

"There  arc  three  Norwegian  Lutheran  churches  in  the  township,  'ihe  first 
was  built  in  1857  and  remained  until  1870,  when  the  congregation  had  outgrown 
it,  then  a  large  stone  church  was  built  that  year  b\  the  side  of  the  old  one  at 
a  cost  of  $13,000.  A  few  years  later  a  part  of  the  congregation  seceded  and 
built  a  church  for  themselves  in  i88().  Two  years  later  others  joined  them, 
so  thev   ren)()\ed   it   to  a  better  location  and   remodeled   it   at   a  cost  of  $3,000. 

*  Population   in   1910,  871. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  255 

Another  church  was  built  in  the  southwest  part  of  the  township  about  the  same 
style  and  cost  as  the  one  above  mentioned. 

"There  have  been  two  flour  mills  erected  in  Glenwood  township.  One  was 
built  in  1868,  known  as  the  stone  mill  on  the  Trout  river,  and  had  adequate 
water  power  for  a  number  of  years.  Another  was  built  in  1872  by  B.  B. 
Sander  on  the  same  stream  further  down,  but  after  a  few  years  the  water 
gave  out,  so  the  machinery  was  sold  as  scrap  iron  and  the  building  was  con- 
verted into  a  creamery.  The  stone  mill  mentioned  above  was  run  for  several 
years  by  steam,  but  finally  was  closed,  as  it  did  not  pay  expenses." 


CHAPTER  XXIX 
HIGHLAND  TOWNSHIP 

Nels  Larson,  a  pioneer  of  Highland  township,  is  the  author  of  this  sketch. 

Before  Highland  township  was  organized  it  was  at  first  a  part  of  Pleasant 
township  and  the  west  part  of  the  township  was  commonly  called  "Pleasant 
prairie."  In  1852  or  1853  (according  to  recollections)  the  first  settlers  began 
to  come  in  and  locate  in  the  south  part  of  the  township.  The  first  settlers  were 
the  Stoens,  Brunsvold,  Arnesons  and  Mikkel  Solberg;  and  in  the  north  and 
east  part  were  located  Peter  Uldvikson,  Paul  Dagfinson,  Bersie,  Kjomme, 
Kroshus,  Mikkel  Walhus  and  some  others.  In  the  west  part  were  Wennes, 
Halland,  Luros,  Svenung  Bergan  and  Ole  Johnson  Svartebratten.  The  two 
latter  soon  sold  out  to  Elihu  Talbert  and  Thomas  Painter.  Shortly  after  that 
time  the  township  was  organized.  It  borders  on  the  state  line  of  Minnesota 
and  contained  only  a  little  over  thirty  sections  of  land. 

In  those  early  days  there  was  no  mill  nearer  than  Decorah  and  Freeport, 
about  twenty  miles  distant.  With  ox  teams  it  took  one  day  to  go  and  another 
to  come  back,  besides  waiting  from  one  to  three  days  at  the  mill  to  get  the 
grist.  Some  time  later  a  mill  was  built  on  the  Canoe  river,  known  as  Spring- 
water,  about  ten  miles  ofif;  and  still  later  a  mill  was  built  inside  the  township 
at  what  is  now  known  as  Highlandville.  This  mill  was  discontinued  because 
the  water  power  failed.  The  mill  was  owned  by  one  Peter  Olson,  who  died  a 
short  time  ago.  From  the  beginning  and  up  in  i860,  nearly  all  parts  of  the 
township  were  more  or  less  settled.  In  the' winter  of  1857  there  was  a  big  snow 
on  the  ground  from  two  to  three  feet  deep.  A  rain  on  the  top  of  that  and  cold 
weather  made  an  ice  crust  about  one  inch  thick,  so  that  no  teams  could  move 
without  first  crushing  down  the  ice.  Some  people  had  their  hay  stacked  out 
on  the  prairie  where  it  was  mowed,  and  the  writer  of  these  lines  has  seen  men 
on  snow  shoes  with  a  hand  sled  drawing  their  hay  home,  a  distance  of  about 
two  miles,  on  the  top  of  that  ice.  Such  were  the  pioneer  days  for  the  first 
settlers. 

The  first  school  in  the  township  was  taught  by  Addison  Hoag  in  a  private 
house  belonging  to  N.  N.  Kjomme,  but  soon  after  a  log  schoolhouse  was  built 
on  the  four  corners  near  the  center  of  the  township.     The  first  teacher  in  that 

257 


258  PAST  AXD  PRKSEXT  OK  W  I.\XI:S1  III: K  COL'XTV 

schoolhousc  was  Samuel  Aikins,  a  well  known  resident  in  mi  over  the  line  in 
Minnesota.  Another  schoolhouse  was  shortly  after  built  in  the  west  part  of 
the  township,  on  section  7,  by  private  subscriptions,  and  that  schoolhouse  was 
afterwards  mo\ed  one  mile  south. 

At  the  present  time  the  township  is  well  provided  with  schools,  having  six 
on  a  territory  of  twenty-six  and  one-half  sections  of  land.  A  small  part  of  the 
township  belongs  to  Pleasant  township  for  school  matters. 

During  the  W'ar  of  the  Rebellion  the  township  furnished  several  soldiers  as 
volunteers  and  some  substitutes  who  were  paid  a  liberal  bounty  by  the  residents 
to  save  the  township  from  drafting. 

There  is  no  record  old  enough  to  show  who  were  the  first  township  officers 
but  among  some  of  the  oldest  officers  were  K.  Tobiason,  John  Anderson  Kros- 
hus,  Xels  N.  Kjomme,  Aad  Xordheim,  F.  M.  (nmning,  Amnum  Arneson  and 
some  others. 

There  is  only  one  town  inside  the  township,  the  platted  village  of  Ilighland- 
ville.  It  has  a  population  of  a  little  over  one  hundred.  It  is  a  town  without 
any  railroad,  and  yet  it  is  doing  a  lively  business  as  a  country  town.  Besides 
a  postoffice  there  are  three  general  stores,  one  blacksmith  shop,  one  creamery, 
one  doctor,  two  or  three  establishments  for  the  sale  of  farm  machinery,  besides 
mechanics,  and  last,  but  not  least,  a  new  modern  schoolhouse,  built  lately  at  a 
cost  of  about  twenty-five  hundred  dollars.  The  building  looks  well  and  is  an 
improvement  to  the  town. 

There  is  one  Lutheran  church  inside  the  township  and  two  creameries  doing 
good  business.  The  farmers  of  the  township  have  made  good  progress  and  as 
a  rule  are  well  to  do.  Highland  township  had  808  residents  in  1S90;  829  in 
lyoo,  and  785  in   1910. 


Methodist   Kpisoopal   C'liiircli 
Catliolic  (^Imicli 


First   Norwcg'ian   Lutlifinn   Cliure'h 
I'liitcil  I.ntlicran  I'lnirch 
Coiiprepitioiml  (  Inirrli 

\  i:i;iii  I'  III'  i)i:((iK  All  (ill  i;(  IIK8 


CHAPTER  XXX 
HESPER  TOWNSHIP 

Sparks'  History  gives  an  extended  account  of  the  settlement  of  Hesper 
township,  but  because  its  important  features  are  given  in  more  condensed  form, 
and  others  Sparks  did  not  record,  we  prefer  to  use  a  sketch  prepared  by  the 
late  E.  jM.  Carter.     Mr.  Carter  says : 

"E.  E.  Meader,  with  his  wife  and  four  sons,  were  the  first  permanent  set- 
tlers of  Hesper  township.  They  came  from  Southern  Indiana  in  the  fall  of 
1S50  and  spent  the  winter  on  the  Volga,  in  Fayette  county.  In  the  spring  of 
1851  they  came  to  northern  Winneshiek,  and  in  the  early  days  of  April  reached 
their  destination.  .]\Ir.  Meader  immediately  began  the  erection  of  a  log  house, 
and  although  the  section  lines  were  not  established,  the  house  stood  on  almost 
tlie  same  spot  as  where  now  stands  the  commodious  residence  which  was  the 
home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Meader  until  his  death  February  i_^,  i8g6.  Mrs.  Meader, 
who  is  nearing  her  ninetieth  year,  still  occupies  the  home  as  a  summer  residence. 

"When  the  official  survey  of  the  line  between  Iowa  and  Minnesota  was  made 
the  chief  engineers  of  the  surveying  party  boardcil  at  the  Meader  home.  Some- 
times chiefs  of  a  different  kind  would  call  at  the  door  and  demand  something 
to  eat,  but  'poor  Lo'  soon  found  that  Mrs.  Meader  was  a  woman  who  would 
much  sooner  respond  to  an  a]jpeal  than  to  a  demand. 

"During  the  summer  of  185 1  a  .^Ir.  ^^'heeler  built  a  log  house  on  the  slope 
in  the  north  part  of  the  present  \illage,  and  near  a  big  spring  that  was  for  many 
years  the  main  water  supply  of  the  village.  This  was  the  first  residence  within 
the  limits  of  the  present  village  plat.  Among  others  this  humble  cabin  sheltered 
some  of  the  'first  families'  of  Hesper  but  was  finally  abandoned,  and  torn  down. 

"In  the  spring  of  1853  David  C.  Tabor  and  family  came  from  Vermont 
and  were  for  a  time  occupants  of  the  Wheeler  cabin.  Uncle  David  and  Aunt 
Harriet  now  live  in  the  beautiful  home  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Main  and 
Center  streets. 

"Russell  Tabor,  an  older  brother  of  David  Tabor,  came  from  Vermont  in 
the  fall  of  1855,  built  himself  a  house,  and  also  built  a  combined  saw  and  grist 
mill,  the  latter  near  tiie  spring  above  mentioned. 

"In  those  days  most  of  the  freight  from  the  East  came  down  the  Ohio 
and  up  the  Mississippi,  stopping  at   McGregor  or  at   Lansing.     In  the   fall  of 

261 


262  PAST  AND  PRFSF.XT  OF  WINNESHIFK  COUXTV 

'855  David  C.  Tabor,  with  three  young  men  as  assistants  and  with  a  heavy  wagon 
to  which  were  attached  four  yoke  of  oxen,  went  to  Lansing,  about  twenty-tive 
miles  east,  to  get  the  l)oiler  for  the  mill.  They  were  on  the  road  eight  days, 
and  during  two  days  of  the  home  trip  they  made  but  eight  miles.  They  came 
\ia  Decorah  and  Burr  Oak,  coming  into  Hesper  from  the  west,  as  by  that  route 
Ihey  could  fort!  the  U])per  Iowa  and  other  streams  and  avoid  some  of  the 
worst  roads  and  sloughs. 

"Russell  Tabor  was  the  original  projirietor  of  'The  \'illage  of  Hesper  as 
platted  by  Ed.  Pew,"  in  1857.  The  deeds  gi\en  by  Mr.  Tabor  contained  a 
clause  forever  prohibiting  the  manufacture  or  sale,  as  a  beverage,  of  intoxi- 
cating lif|uor  upon  the  premises  conveyed.  As  Hesper  has  never  harbored 
an  open  saloon,  the  validity  of  the  deeds  has  never  been  tested  in  the  courts. 

"In  ihe  early  summer  of  1856,  L.  N.  W'ilson  and  family  came  from  Jackson 
county,  this  state.  Mr.  Wilson  immediately  began  the  erection  of  a  frame 
house  on  the  southwest  corner  of  Main  and  Center  streets.  Before  the  house 
was  fairly  enclosed  they  began  entertaining  the  traveling  public,  and  until  old 
age  compelled  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wilson  to  retire  from  active  service,  the  wayfaring 
man  was  sure  of  a  warm  welcome  and  a  square  meal. 

"Of  the  early  settlers  of  Hesper  and  of  'the  village,"  just  across  the  line  in 
Minnesota,  including  the  Aliens,  Batteys,  Blackmarrs,  Cooks,  Aldriches,  Bene- 
dicts. Streets,  Pikes,  Haines,  Painters,  McMullens,  Worths,  Mitchells,  Morri- 
sons, Whaleys,  Wickershams,  Talljerts,  Johnsons  and  others,  the  majnritv  were 
members  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  most  of  whom  did  not  believe  in  \ocal  or 
instrumental  music  as  part  of  their  church   service. 

"However,  in  1869  or  thereabout,  a  part  of  the  celebrated  Hutchinson  family, 
temperance  abolition  singers,  who  'came  from  the  mountains  of  the  old  granite 
state,'  visited  their  relations,  the  family  of  Tristram  .Mien,  a  leading  member 
of  the  church.  On  Sunday  near  the  closing  hour  Randall  Stuart  fell  ii  borne 
in  ujxjn  him  to  remark  to  the  effect  that  if  any  of  the  visiting  friends  had  any- 
thing to  offer  in  the  way  of  'psalms,  hymns  or  s])iritual  songs,"  he  jircsumed 
their  offering  would  be  acceptable.  The  visiting  Friends  accepted  the  in\ita- 
tion  and  favored  the  congregation  with  several  of  their  choice  songs  suited  lo  the 
occasion.  Mattie  tiidley  of  the  Springwater  meeting,  and  Zeno  Battey,  son 
of  Amos  Battey.  who  was  for  many  years  'head'  of  the  Hesper  meeting,  occa- 
sionally gave  their  testimony  in  song,  but  not  until  quite  recent  \ears  has  singing 
become  a  part  of  the  regular  service. 

"At  the  time  of  the  Sioux  uprising  in  1863,  several  of  the  young  men  of 
Hesper  organized  under  the  command  of  Dr.  Wm.  C.  Battey  and  went  in 
search  of  the  hosliles.  They  went  beyond  Austin,  Minnesota,  but  encountered 
no  Indians.  Hesper  and  \  icinity  furnished  its  full  quota  of  those  who  did 
loyal  service  in  the  army  during  the  dark  days  of  '61 -'65.  and  the  remains  of 
twenty-two  of  the  'boys  in  blue'  and  of  one  enlisted  nurse.  Cynthia  Cameron, 
are  at  rest  in  our  cemeteries. 

"Tiie  first  meeting  house  in  the  township  was  built  by  one  branch  of  the 
Friends  church  on  the  northwest  corner  of  section  17,  a  mile  west  of  the 
village.  The  other  branch  of  the  church  met  in  Russell  Tabor's  house.  A 
union  of  the  two  branches  having  been  effected,  the  meeting  iiouse  was  mo\ed 
into  the  village,  and  is  now  occupied  as  a  dwelling  by  J.  M.  Camp.     The  Friends 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  263 

meeting  house,  which  burned  October  22,  1904,  was  built  in  1871.  At  about 
the  same  time  the  Norwegian  Lutherans  and  the  Methodists  built  comfortable 
and   commodious   places   of   worship. 

"At  an  early  day  in  its  history  Hesper  township  attracted  many  Scandi- 
navians within  its  borders,  among  them  Helgrim  Larsen,  Ole  B.  Anderson,  Burre 
Olson  and  others,  their  descendants  now  being  among  our  prominent  citizens. 

"Politically  speaking  Hesper  has  always  been  hopelessly  republican,  and 
has  had  assigned  to  it  a  fair  share  of  the  county  officers.  Among  them  William 
Johnson,  George  N.  Holway  and  H.  L.  Coffeen,  superintendents  of  schools; 
C.  E.  Header  and  E.  R.  Haines,  treasurers ;  and  James  L.  Cameron,  who  was 
surveyor  twenty-two  years.  H.  B.  Williams  also  represented  the  county  in 
the  state  Legislature  in  the  late  sixties. 

"In  the  spring  of  1868  the  Philomathian  Library  Association  was  organized 
and  at  this  date  it  has  about  five  hundred  books  in  its  library. 

"During  its  nearly  fifty  years  Hesper  has  had  four  postmasters.  The  first 
one.  Dr.  W.  C.  Battey,  was  succeeded  in  187 1  by  Dr.  Fordyce  Worth,  who 
held  the  office  twenty-five  years,  less  two  months,  with  a  break  of  one  year, 
during  which  time  Lewis  Harkness  was  the  incumbent.  Dr.  Worth  was  suc- 
ceeded June  5,   1896,  by  Elling  J.  Void." 

The  population  of  Hesper  township  was  849  in  1890;  882  in  1900,  and 
823  in  1910.  Hesper  township  stipports  two  general  stores — Burre  Burreson 
is  the  proprietor  of  one  and  E.  J.  \'old  manages  the  other.  Doctor  Worth 
still  conducts  his  drug  store.  R.  J.  White  handles  farm  machinery;  Robinson 
Reid  is  the  village  blacksmith  ;  Roy  Dart  runs  a  restaurant ;  Dr.  Gertrude  G. 
Wellington,  a  former  resident,  has  returned  to  practice  medicine ;  the  meat 
market  is  run  by  B.  Franklin,  John  McMillan  conducts  a  sawmill  and  feed 
mill  at  his  farm  a  half  mile  from  the  village. 


CHAPTER  XXXI 
FRANK\'ILLE    TOWNSHIP 
(By  Geo.  M.  Anderson  [Linnevold]  in  "Anderson  &  Goodwin's  Atlas,"  1905.) 

Frankville  is  the  eastern  township  of  next  to  the  southern  tier.  Of  the 
early  settlers  of  this  township,  there  is  now  living  one  who  came  to  the  county 
as  a  soldier  in  1846,  and  was  stationed  at  Fort  Atkinson  until  his  discharge. 
He  settled  in  Frankville  township  in  1851  on  section  31,  where  he  has  resided 
ever  since.  I  refer  to  James  Daniels.*  His  family  consists  of  eight  children — 
six  boys  and  two  girls — all  born  in  this  township,  the  oldest  boy,  George  W., 
born  Decemljer  5,  1851,  was  probaljly  the  first  white  child  born  in  tiie  town- 
ship. 

The  first  house  built  in  the  township  was  built  by  Wm.  Day  near  where  the 
McKay  schoolhouse  now  stands.  This  was  before  the  land  was  surveyed,  so 
when  the  surveyor  ran  their  lines  he  found  himself  in  a  school  section,  so 
he  then  moved  to  Decorah. 

A.  P.  Rosa  was  one  of  the  earliest  comers  into  the  township.  He  came  to 
Iowa  in  1847,  ''"d  farmed  it  in  Clayton  county  for  three  seasons.  In  March, 
1830,  he  selected  lands  in  section  31,  hewed  timber  for  a  log  house,  which  he 
built  and  moved  into  that  year.  He  acquired  a  farm  of  t.ogo  acres,  which 
after  his  death  was  divided  among  his  seven  sons  and  one  daughter.  The 
first  reapers  and  threshing  machines  were  l)ought  l)y  him  and  used  on  this  farm. 
At  one  time  it  was  a  notable  sight  to  see  his  three  reapers  and  a  company  of 
harvest  hands  following  them  in  his  wheat  fields  of  over  a  section  in  one  body. 

W'm.  Birdsell  came  to  the  township  in  185 1  and  settled  on  the  southwest 
quarter  of  section  28.  He  raised  a  family  of  nine  boys.  Four  of  the  boys 
saw  service  in  the  War  of  the  Rebellion.  W^m.  Beard  located  on  section  14 
in  July,  185 1,  moved  his  family  by  team  from  LaPorte  county,  Indiana,  in 
November,  1852,  and  spent  the  first  winter  in  a  cabin  on  section  23,  in  which 
Hammond,  his  third  son,  was  born.  In  February  of  that  year  Beard  rode  on 
horseback,  following  an  old  Indian  trail  to  Dubuque,  to  perfect  his  title  to  his 

*  Since  died. 

265 


266  I'AST  AXl)   I'RF.Sl-:XT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

eighty-acre  farm,  hi  May,  1S53.  the  family  moved  into  their  new  house  on 
section  14,  which  became  the  family  homestead  for  the  next  fourteen  years. 
In  1878  Mr.  Heard  rented  his  farm  and  moved  to  Decorah  and  in  1879  he  and 
his  son  started  the  first  creamery  in  tlie  county,  which  in  the  next  ten  years 
helped  the  farmers  to  pay  ofif  more  mortgages  than  all  previous  wheat  crops 
had  done  for  them  by  raising  the  grade  of  their  home-made  butter  worth  5 
cents  ])er  pound  to  the  best  creamery  worth  16  to  20  cents  per  j)i)und.  He 
was  of  a  practical  turn  of  mind,  he  invented  and  put  into  effective  use  a  corn 
plow,  corn  planter  and  a  grain  harvester.  He  was  a  model  farmer,  a  stanch 
republican,  a  Christian  and  a  model  father. 

The  first  Norwegian  to  settle  in  the  .southwest  part  of  the  township  was 
Knudt  Tollefson.  He  settled  on  section  30  in  1850  and  lived  there  until  1854, 
when  he  sold  out  to  Isaac  .Allen.  Knudt  (iodmundson  settled  in  the  same 
neighborhood.  He  built  a  mill  and  ground  corn  for  his  neighbors  free  of  toll : 
!)revious  to  the  Godmundson  mill,  the  people  a  great  many  times  had  to  depend 
on  the  women  for  their  grinding,  which  the\-  did  with  what  they  named  "'the 
.Armstrong  mill,'"  said  mill  consisting  of  a  piece  of  tin  punched  full  of  holes 
and  nailed  to  a  board,  on  which  thev  grated  the  corn. 

J.  B.  Schenck  settled  on  section  5  in  1S51.  He  raised  a  f:uiiily  of  six  boys 
and  one  girl,  all  born   in   Frankville  township. 

The  north  part  of  the  township  was  mostly  settled  by  Norwegians  who 
came  there  in  1850,  1851  and  1852.  Some  settled  across  the  township  line  in 
(llenwood.     ATost  of  them  came  from   Wisconsin. 

This  township  has  one  village,  FTankville.  It  was  founded  by  Frank  Tea- 
bout  in  1 85 1 -J.  It  is  located  in  the  southeast  part  of  the  townshij)  on  wliat  is 
known  as  the  state  road.  .As  it  is.  I'rankville  is  a  pleasant  village  which  at 
one  time   figured  conspicuously   in   tiie   history  of   the  county. 

FR.\NK\ILLK   NIl.L.VC.E 

This  village  once  promised  to  be  one  of  tlie  good  towns  of  the  county,  and 
had  it  been  fortunate  in  securing  a  railroad  it  would  have  been  the  metropolis 
of  the  east  side  residents.  One  may  judge  of  its  activity  from  the  sketch 
appended  hereto,  taken   from   .'^|iarks'  History: 

"In  1851-2-3  the  county  was  deluged  with  a  healthy  immigration.  They 
were  men  noted  for  their  integrity,  perseverance,  and  a  determination  to  suc- 
ceed. They  came  in  their  covered  carts  drawn  l)y  oxen,  with  the  f;imilv  sup- 
port iiitched  on  Ijcliind  in  the  possession  of  a  good  milch  cow.  A  great  many 
of  these  men  found  their  homes  on  Washington  prairie.  The  earliest  jiioneers 
were  tiie  llawkes,  Moses  Hostetter,  J.  Callendar,  Christopher  Anderson  I'.strem. 
Wm.  I'adden,  the  Rose  family,  Jacob  Duff',  Waller  Ralhbun,  and  others.  These 
came  in  1850  or  early  in  1851.  .Among  tiie  number  who  drifted  into  the  county 
in  the  years  1851-2  were  J.  T.  .'\tkins,  the  Beards  and  Cutlers,  John  and  James 
I).  McKay,  Joel  Pagin,  Wm.  Birdsell.  Philii)  Husted,  Isaac  Birdsell,  Erick 
Olson  Bakke,  James  IS.  Schenck,  and  others  too  numerous  to  mention,  'j'iiis 
immigration  had  the  effect  to  change  the  wild  i)rairie  of  a  year  or  two  ])re- 
vious  into  the  garden  of  Winneshiek  county.  The  construction  of  houses  was 
carried   on   until   they   dotted   the   prairie   from   every   conceivable  point   of   the 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  267 

compass.  Deer  were  numerous,  prairie  chickens  plenty,  the  small  streams 
abounded  with  speckled  trout,  while  larger  fish  were  to  be  obtained  from  the 
Iowa  river.  With  these,  and  what  they  were  able  to  raise,  it  would  seem 
these  hardy  pioneers  fared  sumptuously. 

"Along  with  the  tide  that  rolled  over  the  country  in  1S31  was  a  man  noted 
lor  his  wealth,  energy  and  perseverance.  Pie  came  to  stay,  bringing  with  him 
0  herd  of  cattle.  Among  others  who  preceded  him  was  one  Timothy  Fuller, 
whose  claim  he  purchased  and  settled  on.  This  man  is  known  all  o\er  the 
country  as  Frank  Teabout,  the  founder  of  Frankville. 

'Tn  1852,  Frankville  was  little  more  than  a  trading  point,  at  which  lived  the 
onlv  inhabitant  and  proprietor,  Mr.  Frank  Teabout ;  but  about  this  time  an 
event  transpired  which  gave  to  it  life  and  brighter  prospects  for  the  future. 
A  commission  had  been  appointed  to  locate  the  state  road  for  the  benefit  of 
immigrants  seeking  homes  in  Northwestern  Iowa  and  Southern  Minnesota. 
Frankville  secured  the  road. 

"The  location  of  the  road  is  the  greatest  event  in  the  history  of  Frankville, 
for  without  it,  in  all  likelihood,  the  place  would  never  have  been  anything  more 
than  the  residence  of  ]\Ir.  Frank  Teabout.  As  it  is,  Frankville  is  a  pleasant 
village,  and  at  one  time  figured  conspicuously  in  the  history  of  the  county. 

"It  was  near  night  when  the  commission  arrived  at  Mr.  Teabout's  residence, 
;ind  they  of  course  accepted  his  hospitality  until  the  next  morning.  On  the 
next  day  Mr.  Teabout  lead  the  commissioners  to  Decorah,  they  declaring  their 
line  of  march  to  be  the  location  of  the  new  road.  There  were  other  parties 
besides  Mr.  Teabout  who  studied  self-interest  in  the  location  of  the  state 
road.  Among  the  numljer  was  John  McKay.  He  secured  the  passage  of  this 
desired  highway  through  his  farm.  Mr.  McKay  had  the  same  ambition  for  a 
town  that  actuated  his  neighbor.  His  first  work  in  that  direction  was  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  postoffice,  which  was  effected  on  the  discontinuance  of  the  James- 
town office.  He  also  secured  the  location  of  a  store  at  this  place.  This  town 
bore  the  name  of  Trout  River,  and  at  one  time  was  a  strong  competitor  of 
Frankville.  The  postoffice  was  continued  at  this  place  for  nearly  two  years, 
whence  it  was  moved  to  Frankville.  It  is  claimed  that  this  move  was  eft'ected 
through  a  compromise  entered  into  Ijetween  the  respective  founders  of  the  two 
towns. 

'Tmmediately  on  the  location  of  the  road,  as  if  by  magic,  a  town  grew  u|i 
about  the  nucleus  that  had  previously  been  built,  and  was  given  the  name  of 
Frankville.  Frankville  very  soon  became  the  great  center  of  attraction.  Moneek 
became  discouraged,  and  moved  the  greater  part  of  its  worldly  eflfect  up  to 
the  new  town. 

"The  Pathroi)  House,  an  imjjressive  three-story  frame  building,  was  built  by 
Philip  Lathrop  in  the  year  1854.  This  hotel  was  well  provided  for,  and  did  a 
good  business.  The  building  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  the  winter  of  1857-8. 
Mr.  Lathrop  was  absent  at  the  time  of  the  burning  of  his  house,  at  Des  Moines, 
lobbying  through  .a  bill  asking  the  location  of  the  deaf  and  dumb  asylum  at 
Frankville,  the  people  of  that  place  pledging  land  and  material  in  aid  of  its 
construction.  Mr.  Teabout  replaced  the  building  destroyed,  by  another,  which 
long  afforded  hospitality  to  the  traveler. 


268  PAST  AND  PRF.S1-:XT  Ol"  WIXXESIIIKK  COUNTY 

"Much  of  the  early  success  and  prosperity  of  Frankville  is  justly  accredited 
to  its  founder,  Mr.  Frank  Tcabout.  He  possessed  wealth,  and  lavished  it  on 
the  various  enterprises  that  benefited  his  town.  In  1852  he  built  the  Presby- 
terian church,  and  gave  it  to  that  denomination — the  first  house  of  worship 
built  in  the  village.  This  church  edifice  was  early  occupied  by  Rev.  D.  W. 
Lyon,  a  preacher  who  divided  his  time  between  McGregor,  Monona,  Frankville 
and  other  points. 

"In  1854  Mr.  Teabout  built  a  sawmill  at  a  cost  of  $1,500.  This  mill  did  a 
good  business,  its  owner  finding  a  ready  sale  for  all  the  timber  it  could  saw. 
The  mill  was  sold  to  Mr.  Cutler.  No  trace  of  it  remains  today.  In  1856  ^Ir. 
Teabout  built  a  large  steam  grist  mill,  of  two  run  of  stone,  at  a  cost  of  $10,000. 
The  mill,  during  the  first  few  years  of  its  existence,  was  a  financial  success.  It 
was  finally  sold  by  the  proprietors  to  Messrs.  Beard  and  Cutler,  who  trans- 
ferred the  machinery  to  the  Springwatcr  Mill,  on  the  Canoe.  Parties  used  to 
come   from   Southern   Minnesota  to  get   their  grist  ground  at  this  mill. 

"The  Methodist  church  was  built  in  1873.  This  denomination  had  held  serv- 
ices previously  in  other  buildings.  To  the  Reverend  Mr.  Webb  is  said  to  belong 
the  honor  of  being  the  first  minister  of  this  denomination  to  officiate  in  the 
place.  Frankville  continued  to  pros])er  until  the  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Rail- 
road cut  it  off;  then  came  its  decline." 

Frankville  today  is  what  it  always  has  been,  a  ])leasant  liitle  village.  Its 
residents  are  among  the  best  people  of  the  county,  industrious  and  progressive. 
Some  day  a  railroad  may  find  its  way  across  the  ])rairic  and,  tarrving  at  its 
door,  invite  it  to  keep  its  promise  of  pioneer  days. 

Frankville  township  is  credited  with  874  ])L'o])le  in   kjio. 


CHAPTER  XXXII 
LINCOLN  TOWNSHIP 

The  best  historical  sketch  of  Lincohi  township  that  is  available  at  the  present 
time,  so  far  as  it  covers  the  early  days,  is  found  in  Sparks'  History.  It  consists 
of  notes  taken  from  the  writings  of  S.  Pike,  a  Ridgeway  pioneer,  and  is  as 
follows : 

"The  first  settlement  was  made  in  Lincoln  township  in  the  spring  of  1852; 
Knud  Alfson  built  a  small  house  and  broke  up  a  few  acres  on  section  27,  while 
Lars  Thompson  commenced  about  the  same  time  on  section  34.  In  the  fall  of  the 
same  vear,  Jacob  Knudson  and  Kittle  Sanderson  established  themselves  on  sec- 
tion 22.  The  next  year  Gunder  Kittleson.  Albert  Kiltleson,  Gullick  Thompson, 
Tove  Thompson  and  Thomas  Thompson  settled  in  the  immediate  neighborhood, 
while  John  Seleir,  Michael  Parrel,  Charles  Straun,  John  Holehan,  Nels  Olson, 
Charles  Junck,  H.  W.  Klemme,  Andrew  Michael,  Philip  Kratz  and  Wm.  Black- 
burn came  in  during  the  two  or  three  years  following.  The  township  of  Lin- 
coln was  formerly  reckoned  as  an  integral  part  of  Decorah,  an  arrangement 
that  did  not  last  very  long,  as  a  reconstruction  of  the  map  was  soon  effected,  by 
which  the  present  township  was  apportioned  to  Sumner,  and  upon  the  authorized 
survey  and  platting  of  townships,  was  given  its  present  name." 

Of  Ridgeway,  the  trading  center  of  the  township,  ^Ir.  Pike  made  this 
record:  "In  1866  Ridgeway  existed  only  in  name.  About  this  time,  the  Chicago, 
Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railway  having  reached  there,  the  railroad  company 
built  a  house  for  their  accommodation,  and  Mr.  S.  Pike  soon  after  took  charge  of 
it.  The  building  was  16x32  feet  base,  one  and  a  half  stories  high,  divided  into 
several  compartments,  and  ceiled  throughout  with  good  matched  flooring.  Mr. 
Pike  with  his  wife  moved  into  the  house  December  4,  i86<5,  a  day  ever  to  be 
remembered  in  their  experiences  of  housekeeping.  Though  the  ground  had  been 
frozen  for  some  time  previous,  the  heavy  rains  that  had  fallen  the  preceding 
week  had  thawed  the  earth  again,  and  the  different  gangs  who  were  grading  the 
prospective  grounds,  and  also  a  gang  of  track  layers  who  were  putting  in  a  switch 
and  laying  a  spur  of  track  for  present  accommodation,  had  made  the  house  a  place 
of  resort  for  shelter  during  the  heaviest  of  the  rains,  and  when  they  reached  there 
about  dark  of  that  rainy  December  night,  the  prospect  was  dreary  enough.    Fred 

269 


270  PAST  AXl)   l'Ri:Si:.\T  ( ;1-   W  IXXKSHIEK  COUNTY 

Gasliorn  and  James  Kinney  antedate  .Mr.  I 'ike's  claim  to  the  title,  'oldest  inhab- 
itant,' by  about  two  or  three  weeks.  They  did  not  live  within  the  limits  of  the 
present  village,  however,  Ijut  were  ab(_nit  a  hundred  rods  below.  The  winter  was 
unusually  severe  and  protracted,  the  last  passage  of  the  snow  plow  being  on  March 
28,   1876,  and  that  after  a  three  days'  effort  from  McGregor." 

Alexander's  History  says:  "No  effort  was  made  in  the  way  of  improve- 
ments until  about  a  year  after  the  road  was  completed  to  Cresco.  In  July, 
1S67,  J.  L.  Flowers  built  a  grain  warehouse,  and  Gilchrist  &  Co.  another  soon 
afterward.  A  drug  store  by  .\.  M.  Blakcman.  and  a  general  merchandise  store 
v.ere  built  the  same  year,  and  a  postot'ticc  established.  A  small  depot  Ijuilding 
was  also  erected  in  1867.  The  ne.xt  year  there  were  many  other  improvements, 
«nd  business  greatly  increased." 

Continuing  Mr.  Pike's  narrative,  he  says: 

"In  the  spring  of  1874  (May  9),  Ridgeway  was  swept  by  a  fire  that  threat- 
ened to  wipe  out  the  entire  village.  The  fire  started  in  a  small  untenanted  wooden 
structure.  A  continuous  blast  from  the  south  swept  across  the  square,  tak- 
ing everything  in  the  line  of  the  wind.  The  weather  had  been  very  dry  for 
some  time  previous,  and  the  densely  packed  wooden  row  fronting  the  railroad 
was  simply  a  line  of  tinder  boxes  through  which  the  fire  swept  without  let  or 
hinderance,  and  one  hour  from  the  time  llie  alarm  was  given,  four-fifths  of  the 
business  interest  of  the  town  were  in  ashes.  The  fire  originated  with  two  little 
boys,  four  years  old,  lighting  a  cigar." 

The  record  shows  that  Ridgeway  at  that  time  contained  eighty-nine  buildings 
and  thirty-four  of  them  were  burned.  The  loss  was  stated  at  $48,730,  insurance 
$11,850. 

The  Independent  School  District  of  Ridgeway  was  organized  in  1875.  The 
town  was  incorporated  in  the  early  '90s  and  its  limits  extended  in  1900.  It  is 
surrounded  by  a  rich  territory  and  enjoys  a  good  trade.  The  Methodists  some 
years  ago  built  a  very  comfortable,  cosy  little  church,  which  is  also  used  for  such 
entertainments  as  would  be  permitted  in  a  church.  .\11  lines  of  business  are  well 
represented  by  the  following : 

General  merchandise — Baker-Johnson  Company,  the  leading  store,  Rollin  G. 
Baker,  G.  R.  Baker  and  S.  G.  Johnson,  owners;  Hopperstad  &  lirekke :  L.  H.  G. 
Larson ;  Mrs.  E.  A.  Bakken  &  Co. 

Restaurants — E.  H.  Albertson ;  11.  11.   l-jelstul. 

Hotel — S.  C.  Helms,  proprietor. 

Barber  shop — .\rthur  Johnson. 

Telephone  office — Arthur  Johnson,  operator. 

Meat  market — Mr.  Armstrong. 

Plumbing  and  heating — \V.  James  Paley. 

Drug  store — Dr.  G.  W.  Hoffman 

Winneshiek  County  Bank — S.   i\.   Kingeon,  cashier. 

Hardware  store — Henry  Butz. 

Harness  shop — Jno.  Wonderly. 

Blacksmith  shops— Otto  Keeker;  .Mfrcd  Orum. 

Lumber  yard — W.  H.  Klemme. 

Poultry  house — L.  T.  Fosse. 

Creamery — L.  T.  Fosse — Lincoln  Creamery  Company. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  271 

Livery  barn — Chas.  Beucher. 
Feed  mill — R.  A.  Griswold. 
Garage — R.  A.  Griswold. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 

FREMONT  TOWNSHIP 

At  the  June  session  of  the  county  court  in  1856  a  petition  was  presented  by  a 
large  number  of  the  voters  of  town  100,  north  of  range  10,  praying  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  an  electoral  township  to  be  known  as  Fremont  township.  The  name 
is  said  to  have  been  suggested  by  Elijah  Middlebrook  in  honor  of  John  C.  Fremont, 
who  was  a  presidential  candidate  at  that  time,  says  Ellison  F.  Chase  in  his  sketch 
of  Fremont  township  in  the  "Atlas  of  Winneshiek  County"   (1905). 

The  court  ordered  that  an  election  be  held  at  the  house  of  Richard  Barnes  in 
said  township  on  the  first  Monday  in  August.  1856,  for  the  purpose  of  electing 
three  township  trustees,  one  township  clerk,  two  justices  of  the  peace,  and  two 
constables,  and  also  to  vote  for  the  county  and  state  officers  to  be  elected  at  that 
time.  Thus  was  the  township  organized  This  election  came  off  as  ordered. 
Mr.  Barnes'  house  in  which  this  first  election  was  held  was  a  log  cabin  with  one 
principal  room  fourteen  feet  square  with  an  annex  twelve  feet  square  at  the 
back,  into  which  Mrs.  Barnes  and  their  three-months-old  baby,  E.  M.  Barnes, 
who  is  now  the  present  owner  of  the  old  homestead,  were  hustled  to  make  room 
for  the  voters,  who  numbered  forty-nine. 

Joseph  H.  Eddy,  Datus  E.  Shelmidine  and  J.  P.  Johnson  were  appointed 
judges  of  the  election,  and  Joseph  F.  White  and  Richard  Barnes,  clerks. 

The  following  were  elected  to  fill  the  township  ofifices :  DeWitt  Brady,  D.  E. 
Shelmidine  and  J.  P.  Johnson  for  trustees ;  W.  F.  Daskam  for  town  clerk ;  Joseph 
H.Eddy  and  W'm.  Fifield  for  justices  of  the  peace;  C.  Parmalee  and  Wm.  Gager 
for  constables. 

There  were  six  elections  held  at  this  same  house  during  years  of  1856  and 
1857.  Some  of  these,  however,  were  special  elections.  Afterwards  there  were 
four  elections  held  at  the  house  of  Elijah  Clark,  one  at  Plymouth  Rock,  and  six- 
teen at  the  red  schoolhouse,  district  No.  6,  after  which  they  were  held  at  the 
Grange  hall  in  KendalKille. 

]\Ir.  Richard  Barnes  is  the  sole  survivor  from  among  the  eleven  officers  who 
conducted  the  first  election  in  the  township. 

Vol.  I— IS 

273 


274  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

When  the  Civil  war  broke  out  Freinont  township  responded  to  tlie  call  for 
volunteers  to  offer  their  services  in  defense  of  tlic  flag  with  her  full  quota  of 
brave  men.  Leaving  their  families  and  friends,  perhaps  never  again  to  see  their 
faces,  these  resolute  flag  defenders  took  their  places  at  the  front.  One  man  left 
his  wheat  stacks  standing  unthreshed  on  his  claim. 

The  business  upon  which  the  early  settlers  of  Fremont  township  depended 
for  a  livelihood  was  raising  wheat  for  the  market.  They  sowed  the  seed,  har- 
vested the  crop  and  threshed  it,  then  plowed  the  ground  for  another  year's  ciup 
or  as  much  of  it  as  possible  before  the  ground  froze.  Then  the  business  of  the 
day  was  to  take  their  crop  to  market,  which  for  a  long  time  was  at  ^IcGregor. 
Iowa,  a  long,  tedious  trip  in  cold,  stormy  weather,  with  neither  overcoat  nor 
overshoes.  But  these  sturdy  pioneers  prospered  and  thrived  upon  what  would 
make  the  present  generation  look  like  a  pumpkin  vine  the  next  day  after  a  good 
hard  frost  had  struck  it  for  the  first  time. 

The  boys  as  well  as  the  girls  were  taught  all  kinds  of  housework,  including 
sewing  and  knitting.  A  man  who  at  the  present  lime  is  a  very  prominent 
citizen  of  Chicago  and  a  most  skillful  ])hysician.  as  a  jjoy  living  on  a  farm  in 
Fremont  township  for  many  years  made  all  his  own  clothing  as  well  as  hel])ing 
his  mother  make  garments  for  other  members  of  the  family. 

Fremont  township  is  situated  in  the  northwest  corner  of  Winneshiek  county. 
It  occupies  the  congressional  township  No.  lOO  north,  range  lo,  west  of  the  5th 
principal  meridian,  with  the  exception  of  the  northern  tier  of  sections,  which  is 
within  the  boundary  line  of  Minnesota.  The  surface  is  undulating,  and  in  central 
])art.  bluffy.  The  Upper  Iowa  river  runs  southeasterly  through  the  lnwiishii). 
entering  near  the  northwest  corner  of  section  7.  and  jnirsuing  a  winding  course 
to  the  southeast,  leaving  the  township  on  the  south  line  of  section  35  and  return- 
ing at  near  the  southeast  corner  of  section  36.  The  river  is  clear,  rapid,  and  in 
its  winding  descent  affords  numerous  favorable  mill  sites.  The  banks  arc  skirted 
by  forests  of  a  great  variety  of  deciduous  trees.  excei)t  here  and  there  where  the 
land  has  been  cleared  for  farming  purposes.  Here  and  there  ujion  the  bluffs 
on  the  eastern  and  northern  side  of  the  stream  are  clusters  and  large  groves  of 
pine,  spruce  and  cedar,  some  of  it  having  been  utilized  in  the  early  davs  of  settle- 
ment for  building  purposes.  The  siding  for  the  old  Winneshiek  House  in  De- 
corah  was  sawed  from  pine  logs,  wiiich  grew  in  brcmonl  townshi])  .'ind  was 
sawed  at  the  Carter  sawmill  at  Plymouth  Rock  in   1853-54. 

It  is  difficult  to  discriminate  exactly  as  to  whom  belongs  the  lionor  of  being 
the  first  permanent  white  settler  in  Fremont  township.  It  i)robably  belongs  to 
Wm.  I-'ifield  and  wife,  who  settled  upon  section  2^  in  1S54  and  put  up  a  "shanty" 
and  began  a  struggle  for  a  home  in  what  was  then  a  lonely  wilderness.  The  farm 
has  remained  in  the  family  name  lo  the  present  time,  and  is  now  owned  by  their 
son,  W.  C.  Fifield.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  b'ifield,  in  common  with  others  living  out  on 
the  frontier,  endured  many  hardships  and  great  privations.  At  one  lime,  for  a 
space  of  two  weeks,  they  saw  nothing  in  the  way  of  food  exce|)t  while  beans. 
Others  had  been  recluced  lo  middlings  and  .salt  as  the  only  means  of  suste- 
nance for  their  families.  Being  located  a  long  distance  front  market  or  mill  it  was 
often  the  case  that  winter's  snows  siiut  them  out  from  the  rest  of  the  world  for 
weeks  at  a  time.  The  life  of  the  early  selller  was  not  all  hardship  and  i)ri va- 
tic m.      ihe  spelling  schools  and  singing  schools  afforded  much  ])leasure  and  en- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  275 

joyment  for  all,  as  these  gatherings  were  attended  and  participated  in  by  old 
and  young. 

The  first  postoffice  in  the  township  was  at  the  house  of  Billings,  on  section 
23.  It  was  called  Willamantic,  and  was  supplied  from  Decorah  once  a  week. 
This  office  was  discontinued  after  about  one  year,  and  one  established  at  Twin 
.Springs,  which  was  afterwards  changed  to  Kendallville.  Twin  Springs  postoffice 
was  kept  by  I^Iiss  Caroline  Ladd,  who  came  to  be  known  in  the  community  as 
"Nasby."  At  one  time  Twin  Springs  postoffice  was  supplied  by  a  stage  line 
running  from  Decorah,  Iowa,  to  Austin,  Minnesota,  which  made  the  round  trip 
once  per  week.  The  last  proprietor  of  this  stage  line  was  A.  M.  Perry,  and  when 
the  route  was  discontinued  Plymouth  Rock  and  Kendallville  offices  were  supplied 
from  Decorah,  the  mail  being  carried  to  Burr  Oak  and  then  I^rought  across  by 
a  boy  on  horseback. 

Plymouth  Rock,  situated  in  the  southeast  corner  of  the  township,  had  its 
beginning  probably  as  early  as  in  1852,  when  it  is  said  a  dam  was  built  across  the 
river  at  that  place,  and  the  following  year  Selden  Carter  built  a  sawmill  on  the) 
site.  The  land  had  not  vet  been  surveyed.  Later  the  sawmill  was  discontinued 
and  a  flouring  mill  built  by  Mattock  &  Kelly  and  others.  Mattock  &  Kelly  sold 
their  interests  in  the  jjroperty  afterwards  to  Bean  Bros.  For  a  time  this  mill 
made  money  for  its  owners,  but  when  wheat  failed  the  milling  business  failed  too. 
The  property  subsequently  came  into  Mr.  G.  \'.  Puntney"s  hands,  who  later  sold 
to  Geo.  Sears.  In  1902  floods  so  damaged  the  dam  that  it  was  not  considered  worth 
while  repairing.  Mr.  Sears  moved  the  machinery  and  lumber  of  which  tlie 
building  was  constructed  to  Ridgeway,  Iowa. 

S.  G.  Kendall  came  to  this  county  in  i860  from  Mississippi.  He  had  some 
i'ai)ital  invested  in  Plymouth  Rock  mills  with  Bean  Bros.  He  afterwards  built 
the  mill  at  KendalKille  which  was  known  as  Twin  Springs.  He  had  his  mill 
in  oi)eration  in  1862.  From  that  time  on  the  place  was  called  Kendallyille, 
and  the  name  of  the  i)ostoffice  was  changed  from  that  of  Twin  Springs  to 
Kendallville. 

The  first  store  was  kejit  bv  David  Bennett.  While  the  flouring  business 
failed  with  the  wheat  failure,  ihe  mill  at  KendalKille  now  owned  1)}-  W.  E. 
Renter  was  doing  a  large  feed  grinding  business,  at  times  having  a  steady  run 
night  and  day.* 

At  the  present  time  Kendallville  has  two  stores,  a  blacksmith  shop  and  a 
creamery.  Betsy  Peterson  keeps  a  general  stock  and  is  postmistress ;  J.  C.  Young 
carries  a  stock  of  cigars,  candies,  etc..  and  does  a  restaurant  business ;  Peter 
Ellingson  is  the  village  smith,  and  A.  J.  Hoiness  is  the  creamery  man. 

Plymouth  Rock  i?  no  more.  Its  name  clings  to  the  s])ot  where  once  the  mill 
did  a  good  business,  but  the  town  is-only  a  memory. 

*  Cliai-le.s  Smith  now  runs  tlic  mill,  renting  from  ^fr.  IJiMitor. 


'I'llK    M-:\V   WINXKSIIIKK    lloTKI..   DKiiiRAH 


J 


WATKI!  sTltKKT.  l)K<ni;.\|| 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 

BURR  OAK  TOWNSHIP 

W.  H.  Reed  in  "Anderson  &  Goodwin's  Atlas,"  1905 

In  1851  Samuel  Belding  and  his  half-brother  Wheeler  erected  the  first  log 
hotel,  which  they  soon  sold  to  John  Wagoner,  and  also  put  up  the  first  black- 
smith shop  with  Mr.  Belding  as  our  first  blacksmith. 

This  hotel,  located  just  north  of  the  present  Central  Hotel,  was  purchased  by 
E.  Blackmarr  and  H.  O.  Benedict  in  :\[arch.  1856.  during  which  year  they  built 
on  the  south  side  what  is  now  the  ofiice  to  the  Central  Hotel,  Benjamin  Ward  and 
Warner  Matteson  doing  the  carpenter  work.  John  Wagoner  again  came  into 
possession  in  1857  and  continued  the  hotel  business  for  a  number  of  years. 

Hiram  Planning,  Sr.,  built  the  log  house  north  of  the  village,  later  known  as 
the  Relihan  House,  in  1853. 

Hiram  Willsie  and  his  nephew.  John  Bigelow,  opened  the  first  store,  across 
the  street  from  this  hotel,  in  1851.  ilr.  Tinkham  soon  after  opened  another, 
and  William  Henry  Willsie  later  bought  out  Willsie  &  Bigelow  and  built  the 
store  just  south  of  the  Burr  Oak  Hotel. 

The  postoffice  was  established  September  6,  1853.  with  Marshal  B.  Sherwin 
postmaster,  and  Cal.  Ferguson  the  first  mail  carrier. 

In  this  vear  we  find  the  names  of  the  families  John  Stead,  George  Walker, 
WilHam  Crissie,  Clark  Wicks.  Robert  Thompson,  Charles  Barker,  James  Fosberg, 
James  Sharp  and  probably  others  added  to  our  settlers'  list. 

It  became  necessan,-  during  this  year  to  select  that  place  in  our  young  village 
which  has  become  a  sacred  spot  to  so  many  of  us,  and  this  site  for  our  beautiful 
cemeter}'  was  furnished  bv  William  H.  Willsie.  Plere  was  first  placed  at  rest 
the  wife  of  Warren  Hardin,  who  died  October  25.  1853,  followed  a  few  days  later 
by  Suzana  Jane,  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  Stead. 

In  Tune,  1852.  John  Cassel.  J.  Allan  Dufield  and  Harrison  Turner  came  with 
their  families.  G.  \'.  Puntney,  now  living  in  Cresco  at  the  age  of  eighty-five,  came 
to  this  county  in  1851.  He  built  the  sawmill  for  Cutler  &  Beard  on  the  Canoe 
four  miles  north  of  Decorah  in  what  is  now  Canoe  township,  completing  same  in 
Julv.  1852.    In  April  of  this  year  he  made  a  claim  on  what  proved  to  be  sections 

279 


280  PAST  AXl)   l'Ki:SI-:.\T  ()!•   \\T.\.\I-:SI  III-.K  COUXTY 

31  and  32  in  Uurr  Oak  townshii),  when  it  was  surveyed.  The  state  hnc  l)etween 
Iowa  and  ^linnesota  was  surveyed  and  the  township  run  off  into  sections  during 
this  year  and  the  hind  came  into  market  in  1S53.  .In  1854  Mr.  I'untnex-  l>uilt 
his  sawmill  on  the  southeast  quarter  of  31.  securing  water  power  by  damming 
Coldwater  creek,  which  gushes  from  beneath  a  high  cliff  a  half  mile  above  the 
mill,  the  largest  and  most  picturesque  spring  in  the  county. 

The  first  schoolhouse  in  the  western  half  of  the  township  was  built  in  1856 
(Mike  Gaul  now  lives  in  the  ))uilding).  and  although  better  known  as  the  Cold- 
water  school,  was  District  Xo.  53  under  the  old  Iowa  school  laws. 

Looking  backward  we  often  wonder  why  these  early  settlers  first  chose  this 
rough  land  while  the  more  level  prairie  was  taken  later.  The  reason  is  that 
locations  near  water  were  very  desirable  before  well  drilling  machinery  and  wind- 
mills were  introduced,  and  an  acre  of  timber  land  was  then  considered  worth  at 
least  five  acres  of  prairie  land,  for  all  buildings  were  then  hewed  or  sawed  from 
local  timber,  and  each  field  as  ])repared  for  crop  must  be  protected  with  a  "stake 
and  rider"  fence  of  rails  gotten  out  in  winter  a  la  Lincoln.  Lven  the  shingles  were 
of  oak,  rived  out  and  shaved  to  shape,  and  many  a  young  person  today  would 
take  down  the  dictionary  on  hearing  the  words  "froe"  or  "slathers." 

In  the  s]M-ing  of  1854  Josei)h  Mctcalf  located  on  the  southwest  (|uarter  of  18. 
being  the  lirsl  settler  in  the  northwest  c[uarter  of  the  township.  In  Septeml^er 
of  this  vear  he  was  followetl  by  three  more  families,  viz.,  li.  Webster  on  the 
northeast  quarter  of  19,  where  his  son  C".  .\.  Webster  still  resides,  Charles  Hitch- 
cock, wife  and  three  sons  (all  of  wlumi  have  crossed  the  silent  river),  located 
on  the  northwest  c|uarter  of  18,  and  John  1 1.  Pierce  on  the  north.east  cjuarter  of  18. 

The  early  blacksmiths  in  the  village  were  Xeri  Taylor.  John  Miller  and  J.  ll. 
Hardin,  with  John  Heckle  and  Joe  Lavalley  to  take  their  places.  Ira  Johnson 
was  our  tirst  wagonmaker  and  John  Feyler  our  first  shoemaker. 

In  1854  came  Charles  Ward  and  family,  whose  sons,  TSenjamin  and  Joint, 
have  built  more  than  their  sh;ire  of  tin.'  l)Uil(lings  in  this  ami  adjoining  tow'nshi])s. 

Other  prominent  settlers  of  the  early  '50*  wert'  l),i\id  Jewel.  James  Ervin, 
Richard  ."^niith.  .\lbert  Sage,  William  Peacock,  l.e\  i  Moore.  Jared  Ferguson, 
and  John  .\ckerson.  followed  by  1'homas  Willsie  in  1854,  .\lpha  Manning  in 
1857.  and  .\sa  Wingale  in  1858,  while  Nicholas  ."^UMler,  who  settled  on  the  south- 
east c|uarter  of  18  in  1835  was  the  jjioneer  of  the  numerous  Snyder  and  Goss- 
man  f;iniilies  who  followed  him  from  <  )hio  a  few  years  later.  And  we  can  read 
many  interesting  things  between  the  lines  m  the  story  told  of  how  Joseph  Met- 
calf  went  on  foot  all  the  way  to  nubu(|ue  to  file  on  this  piece  of  land,  to  find  on 
reaching  the  land  office  that  .Snyder  h.id  made  entry  for  the  land  a  day  or  two 
before. 

The  American  Hotel  was  binll  during  the  summer  of  1856  and  tlie  old  stone 
schoolhouse  in  the  burr  oak  grove  in  the  north  part  of  the  village,  long  known  as 
the  Relihan  grove,  and  for  which  the  village  was  named,  was  also  erected  that 
summer  and  the  first  school  in  the  village  was  taught  that  w  inter  by  Moses  l^race. 
There  had  been  a  term  or  two  taught  in  a  log  building  down  the  creek  southwest 
of  town,  previous  to  this  time. 

During  the  smnmer  of  185(1  William  I'eard  ;ind  Lewis  I'erguson  ran  a  steam 
sawmill  near  the  creek,  where  Hanson  Bridge  later  manufactured  brick. 


PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  281 

During  1853  '^'''d  1S54  the  township  filled  up  rapidly  and  many  others  soon 
became  residents  whose  names  I  have  missed  or  have  no  accurate  account  of. 

Burr  Oak  today  is  a  prosperous  village.  It  is  one  of  the  smallest  towns  in 
Iowa  possessing  a  bank.  Einar  Kippe  is  its  cashier.  It  has  two  general  stores 
— The  Burr  Oak  Mercantile  Company  and  Thompson  &  Kippe's.  E.  M.  Reed 
sells  farm  implements ;  C.  A.  Reed  conducts  a  general  repair  shop ;  Dr.  W.  H. 
Emmons  handles  drugs  in  connection  with  his  medical  practice ;  John  Bergsrud 
runs  the  butcher  shop  and  feed  mill ;  Ward  &  Son  conduct  a  novelty  store ;  Her- 
bert Ward  is  the  village  barber  and  postmaster ;  Fred  Koenig  and  Fred  Pahl  are 
the  blacksmiths ;  Madding's  Hotel  cares  for  the  travelers ;  Johnson's  pool  hall 
furnishes  amusement  for  those  who  enjoy  table  games,  and  Silver  Creek  Creamery 
makes  butter  that  sells  at  good  prices  on  the  eastern  market. 


CHAPTER  XXXV 

ORLEANS  TOWNSHIP 

This  record  of  Orleans  township  is  the  composite  work  of  C.  C.  Brown,  H.  F. 
McBride  and  the  late  Elmer  Gager,  published  in  1905  in  "Anderson  &  Goodwin's 
Atlas  of  Winneshiek  County." 

So  far  as  can  now  be  learned  the  first  settler  in  Orleans  township  was  Nelson 
Gager,  who  arrived  here  from  Upper  Canada  in  the  fall  of  1853.  After  making 
a  short  stay  on  several  different  pieces  of  land,  and  selling  his  "squatter's  rights" 
to  them,  finally  located  in  185J.  on  the  northeast  quarter  of  section  9.  The  next 
year,  1855,  he  built  a  log  house,  where  he  kept  bachelor's  hall  until  1859.  when 
he  married  Mary  Gager.  Here  Mr.  Gager  still  lives  with  one  of  his  children, 
his  wife  having  passed  away  to  that  better  land  September,  1904. 

During  the  year  1854  a  number  of  families  came,  among  them  Wm.  Rowlee. 
This  family  with  Norris  Humphrey  left  Johnstown  Center,  Ohio,  with  teams 
September  14,  1854,  and  crossed  the  Mississippi  river  at  Bellevue,  Illinois,  October 
6th.  Leaving  the  women  and  children  at  Bellevue  the  men  proceeded  on  a  voyage 
of  discovery.  Traveling  by  way  of  Dubuque,  Elkader,  Postville  and  Burr  Oak 
Springs,  they  finally  settled  on  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  28,  Orleans  town- 
ship, the  place  where  they  wished  to  build  their  home.  This  decision  made,  they 
returned  to  Bellevue  for  the  family,  and  again  reached  their  claim  October  30th, 
and  lived  in  their  covered  wagons  while  the  house  was  being  built.  Mr.  Rowlee's 
picture  appears  in  the  atlas,  but  1)0th  himself  and  wife  have  passed  away.  The 
old  home,  however,  is  still  owned  and  occupied  by  his  son,  John  O.  Rowlee. 

Coming  in  1854  Charles  McCartney  settled  on  section  10.  The  following  year 
twin  girls  were  born  to  them,  who  are  supposed  to  be  the  first  children  born  in 
this  township.  One  of  them  died  in  infancy,  the  other  is  still  living.  Shortly 
afterward,  January  24,  1856,  a  boy,  Wm.  Lewis,  was  born  to  :\Ir.  and  Mrs. 
Thomas  Lewis,  whose  home  had  been  just  across  the  line  in  Howard  county,  but 
who  built  a  log  house  in  this  township  in  the  fall  of  1855  and  lived  there  during 
the  winters  of  1855  and  1856  for  the  purpose  of  holding  a  claim,  and  moved  back 
into  Howard  county  in  the  spring.  Thomas  Parrel  came  that  year,  bought  land, 
built  a  log  house  on  section  14,  which  is  still  standing,  and  is  the  oldest  house  in 
the  township.  Here  a  large  family  was  reached,  some  of  whom  are  still  living 
among  us.     Mr.  and  Mrs.  Parrel  died  years  ago.     Other  arrivals  in   1854  were 

283 


284  PAST  AXI)  I'RF.S1-:XT  ol-   W'lXXI'.Sl  I II-.K  COUNTY 

Aniasa  Owen.  .Mr.  Stanton,  Setli  .Murray,  Mr.  Kobbins,  and  a  man  by  the  name 
of  .Morijan  I  Inward,  from  wlioni  Morgan  school  district  received  its  name. 
Tiie  iunise  Iniilt  b_\-  Mr.  Howard,  on  tlie  farm  now  owned  liy  j.  P.  Hehner.  was 
probably  the  first  house  built  in  the  township.  At  this  time  the  postoftice,  where 
the  settlers  received  their  mail,  was  at  Decorah.  soon  afterward  at  Xew  Oregon. 
Still  later  a  pcstoffice  was  established  at  Seth  Murray's  house,  also  one  at  Mor- 
gan  Howard's  called  Alorgan  postofhce. 

In  1855  came  Hugh  McP.ridc  and  James  Murtha.  They  located  on  adjoining 
pieces  of  land. 

Tliere  also  came  in  185:;  D.  W.  C.  Towne.  .-\mos  Rugg,  'Mr.  Johnson,  Ezra 
liourne.  and  others  whose  names  we  are  nnalile  to  give.  In  i85()  came  the  great 
rush  of  settlers,  the  (Government  land  remaining  unsold  being  nearly  or  quite 
all  taken  that  year. 

It  seems  to  have  been  about  the  first  impulse  of  the  American  [jionecr  wherever 
located  to  provide  a  i)lace  where  his  children  could  attend  school,  and  the  settlers 
cif  (  )rleans  were  no  exception  to  the  rule.  \\'hile  the  public  schools  were  not 
organized  until  1858.  some  five  years  after  the  first  settlement,  the  children  were 
taught  in  ])ri\ate  schools  two  years  earlier.  During  the  summer  of  1856  a  school 
was  taught  in  the  .'ibimdoned  log  house  before  mentioned  as  built  b\'  Thomas 
Lewis.  The  teacher  was  Miss  .Maria  M.  Murray,  now  Mrs.  Fenton  of  Lime 
Springs.  A  school  was  also  held  during  the  same  summer  at  the  house  of  O.  E. 
Green  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  to\\nshi]i.  .Mrs.  (ireen  (afterward  Mrs. 
Enoch  Robinson)  being  the  teacher.  The  next  winter  a  school  was  lield  in  the 
Quaker  meeting  house  near  the  center  of  the  township.  Thomas  Johnson  teacher. 
The  only  record  we  have  of  the  early  histor\-  of  tlic  public  school  interests  is 
found  in  the  proceedings  of  the  school  board  ke])t  b\'  k'.benezcr  Rice,  the  first 
secretary.  The  first  school  meeting  was  held  at  the  house  of  (iales  M.  Forbes 
on  the  third  day  of  .Mav,  1858.  .\t  this  meeting  Enos  George  was  elected  pres- 
ident, W'm.  Slei)henson  \  ice-president,  Ebenezer  Rice  secretary  and  W.  B. 
Chamberlain  trcasin-er.  The  first  board  of  directors  was  elected  at  a  meeting 
held  .It  wliat  was  called  the  Quaker  schoolhouse,  .\]iril  7.  i860,  and  consisted 
of  tiie  following  persons:  Sub-district  No.  i,  Ezra  liourne;  No.  2,  Parlev  K. 
Foote :  No.  3,  James  P>rown :  No.  4.  Joshua  Brooks;  Xo.  5.  Robert  .Metcalf; 
No.  6.  W.  B.  Chamberlain. 

The  first  school  in  No.  i  was  held  in  h.zra  Bourne's  house  and  taught  bv  Miss 
Emily  Miller  in  the  summer  of  i8f)0.  Miss  .V.  Libbey  taught  the  school  in  Xo. 
6thesame  smnmer  in  part  of  W.  P.  Ch.imberlain's  Innisc,  and  Miss  Minerva  Hill 
taught  in  No.  2,  but  in  what  house  we  cannot  determine. 

J.  S.  Neflf  taught  the  first  school  we  have  any  record  of  in  Xo.  4.  though 
there  was  undoubtedly  a  school  taught  the  w  inter  before  by  Philo  Thatcher.  The 
school  taught  by  Ncff  was  held  in  a  jiart  of  the  house  owned  by  a  Mr.  Hansel 
Becker  in  the  winter  of  i860  and  1861.  The  schoolhouse  in  sub-district  No.  4 
was  built  in  the  summer  of  1861.  Gilbert  P.  \\  atros  tauglit  the  first  school  the 
following  winter. 

In  1856  came  some  ten  or  twelve  families  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  or  Quak- 
ers, and  to  them  must  be  given  the  credit  of  organizing  the  first  religious  society 
and  building  the  first  church  in  the  township.  The  founders  of  this  church  were 
the    families   of   Enos  George.   Levi    Middleton.   F'llis   George,    Isaac   Jay,   John 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  285 

Hanson.  L.  Easterling.  Mary  Carson,  Jeremiah  l'>arker,  Mr.  Pearson  and  Mr. 
I^anih.  The  church  was  a  small,  one-storv  huilding  al)ciut  twenty  by  thirt)-  feet, 
anil  was  located  on  the  southeast  quarter  of  section  20.  on  what  was  known  as 
the  Eli  Carson  farm,  now  owned  by  C.  J.  Watms.  The  building  was  destroyed 
b\'  hre  in  1864  and  ne\er  relniilt.  Shortly  after  the  urganizers  nio\ed  away 
and  there  are  probably  none  of  them  left  in  the  township  at  the  present  time. 
A  large  per  cent  of  the  present  population  of  the  township  are  of  Norwegian 
descent,  and  these  citizens  were  organized  as  the  Norwegian  Evangelical  Lu- 
theran congregation  of  Orleans  township,  and  in  1874  built  a  church  which  was 
dedicated  June  6.  1875,  by  Rev.  J.  Moses,  pastor,  assisted  by  Rev.  V.  Korfen, 
Prof.  L.  Larson.  Reverend  Reque  and  Rexxrend  Larson.*  This  church  is  still 
a  good  building  and  a  large  congregation  regularly  worship  there.  In  our  his- 
torv.  as  in  that  of  a  great  part  of  the  West,  the  itinerant  Methodist  preacher 
closeh'  followed  the  pioneer  and  held  serxdces  in  the  schoolhouses  at  an  early 
day.   ' 

Sexeral  societies  ha\e  l^een  organized  in  what  is  known  as  Ridgeway  circuit, 
but  (inl\-  two  e.xist  in  the  township  at  the  present  time.  The  one  known  as  the 
Morgan  class,  under  the  leadership  of  Rev.  Thos.  Oliver  (preacher  in  charge), 
built  a  church  in  1885,  and  the  one  known  as  the  Morton  class  in  1890,  Rev.  John 
Gammons  preacher  in  charge.  These  are  both  good  buildings  and  are  regularly 
used  for  religious  purposes. 

Early  in  1855  a  township  meeting  was  held  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  a 
civil  township  and  choosing  a  name  for  the  same.  There  were  proposed  as  names 
I'ilot  (irove,' Orleans  and  Pleasant  Prairie.  The  township  was  called  Pilot  Grove 
for  two  or  three  years,  but  in  1858  had  become  Orleans,  by  what  means  or  at 
exactly  what  date  there  seems  to  be  no  record  to  show. 

The  grove  was  located  in  the  extreme  southern  part  of  the  township  on  the 
main  road  to  McGregor,  which  was  traveled  by  settlers  and  teamsters  living  a 
longdistance  west,  and  was  a  prominent  landmark.  Seth  Murray's  house  was 
also  on  this  road,  aljout  a  mile  northwest  of  the  grove,  and  it  was  his  custom  to 
keep  lighted  candles  in  the  windows  at  night  as  a  guide  for  travelers.  The  grove 
was  a  [lilot  by  day  and  the  candles  by  night.     Thus  the  name  Pilot  Grove. 

The  first  election  was  held  in  November,  1855,  at  the  house  of  Wm.  Rowlee, 
Init  no  record  of  this  election  remains.  It  is  said,  however,  by  the  old  settlers, 
that  there  were  not  enough  available  voters  to  fill  all  the  offices. 

The  first  record  we  have  of  legal  proceedings  in  Pilot  Grove  township  (now 
Orleans)  is  from  the  justice  docket  of  Edwin  M.  Farnsworth,  first  justice  of  the 
peace  in  Orleans,  at  that  time  Pilot  Grove.  On  June  12,  1856,  one  Nancy  Sharp 
brought  suit  against  Thomas  Wanless  to  collect  pay  for  some  pine  logs. 

Some  of  the  settlers  in  the  eastern  half  of  Pilot  Grove  township  in  1856  were 
Chas.  Curtis,  Smith  Broadway,  James  Stitt.  Dan  Gates,  James  Murtha,  Hugh 
McBridge,  Calvin  Farnsworth  and  his  son  Edwin  M.,  mentioned  as  justice. 
Ebenezer  and  Almon  Rice  came  in  1856,  secured  land  and  moved  their  families 
here  in  1857. 

Ale.xander's  History  refers  to  the  fact  that  Orleans  township  was  in  the 
early  '80s  the  home  of  several  herds  of  full  blooded  cattle,  the  notable  ones  Ijeing 

*  Tliis  clilircli  was  trim  dnwii  and  a  now  diic  lniilt  during  tlic  year  I9i:!. 


286  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

the  Shorthorns  of  L.  R.  Brown  and  W.  B.  Goocher  and  the  Holsteins  of  Charles 
Crapser.  The  latter,  one  year,  cajitured  all  of  the  best  premiums  at  the  Min- 
nesota State  Fair.  Todav  Orleans  townshi])  is  one  of  the  must  prosperous  in 
the  county.    Its  population  in  iqio  was  550. 


CHAPTER  XXXVl 

PLEASANT  TOWNSHIP 

From  Sparks'  History,  revised  by  Edwin  Hover 

Pleasant  township  took  its  name  and  place  in  1856.  It  is  the  eastern  one  of 
the  second  tier.  Locust  postoffice  is  near  the  extreme  northwestern  corner.  In  the 
year  1850  two  Germans  from  Pennsylvania,  John  Klontz  and  William  Vale,  pitched 
their  tents  in  the  northwest  corner  of  the  township.  Vale  chose  for  his  homestead 
what  has  since  been  known  as  the  Locust  Lane  farm,  deriving  its  name  from  the 
locust  trees  that  were  planted  on  each  side  of  the  road  immediately  after  the 
land  was  fenced  in.  John  Klontz  took  up  his  ranch  on  the  south  of  Vale,  and 
both  went  to  work.  They  made  money,  as  everything  they  had  to  sell  brought 
iheni  good  prices.  Mr.  Vale  at  one  time  enjoyed  the  privilege  of  holding  all  the 
township  offices,  except  constable,  at  one  and  the  same  time.  He  was  the  first 
justice  of  the  peace,  the  first  assessor,  and  the  first  clerk  the  township  ever  had. 
He  also  built  the  first  brick  dwelling  in  Winneshiek  county.  Klontz  and  Vale 
have  both  since  sold  their  farms  and  moved  to  Missouri.  In  the  following  year 
the  first  influx  of  Norwegians  commenced.  They  were  Hover  Evenson,  Ole 
Magneson  and  Erick  Erickson,  who  came  here  from  Cambridge,  Dane  county, 
Wisconsin.  Hover  Evenson  was  the  first  blacksmith  in  the  northern  part  of 
the  county.  He  took  up  his  ranch  on  the  east  of  \'ale  and  ran  a  blacksmith 
shop  in  connection  with  farming. 

Peter  K.  Langland,  Lewis  Peterson,  Knudt  K.  Liquen  and  K.  Erickson  came 
from  Illinois.  Ole  Magneson  and  E.  Erickson  settled  in  the  northeastern  part 
of  the  township.  Erickson  built  a  house  which  has  become  somewhat  noted  from 
the  fact  that  it  was  entirely  built  from  one  pine  tree.  The  walls  are  a  solid  plank 
six  inches  thick,  and  only  three  such  planks  from  the  floor  to  the  ceiling  in  the 
first  story,  and  two  above.  The  floors,  roof-boards,  windows  and  door  casings 
are  from  the  same  tree.  It  was  all  sawed  up  with  a  handsaw,  as  the  logs  could 
not  be  moved  from  the  place  where  the  tree  grew  on  Pine  creek.  Ole  Magneson 
introduced  the  first  reaper  into  the  neighborhood,  and  was  also  the  owner  of  the 
first  threshing  machine  in  the  township. 

287 


288  PAST  AXD  r'Ri:S]'..\"T  OF  WIXXl'.SI  ITICK  COUNTY 

In  the  year  1853  there  was  another  influx  from  Dane  county,  Wisconsin, 
prominent  among  whom  were  Bottolf  Olson.  Magne  Langland,  H.  Hendrickson, 
Sven  Olson,  Olc  Thorson,  and  others.  In  1858  Ole  V>.  Olson  was  one  of  the  first 
settlers  of  Dakota  territory,  and  was  elected  the  first  judge  of  the  territory,  which 
position  he  occupied  until  his  death  in  1875.  Krick  B.  Olson,  the  younger  brother, 
was  one  of  the  first  four  men  who  climbed  the  mountains  of  Colorado  in  search  of 
gold  in  1859. 

The  first  schoolhouse  was  Iniilt  at  Locust  Lane  in  1854,  and  it  served  also 
as  a  church  for  every  denomination.  The  second  schoolhouse  that  was  built  was 
known  as  the  F.llingson  schoolhouse.  This  was  built  of  logs  quite  large,  and 
intended  to  serve  as  a  church  for  the  Lutheran  congregation  that  was  then  organ- 
ized in  connection  with  Highland  and  Sirring  Grove.  It  was  built  mostly  by  private 
funds;  every  farmer  would  bring  so  many  logs  and  work  so  many  days.  This 
district  consisted  of  portions  of  four  townships,  viz. :  Pleasant  and  Highland,  in 
Winneshiek  county,  and  Waterloo  and  Hanover,  in  Allamakee.  The  first  school 
was  taught  liy  James  Lennon,  of  Frankville  township. 

In  1855  and  1856,  almost  all  the  land  had  been  taken  up,  and  what  was  not 
was  bought  up  by  si)eculators  while  the  land  office  was  in  Decorah. 

Our  present  county  su])ervisor  in  District  Xo.  4,  F.dwin  Hover,  is  a  son  of 
Hover  Fvenson.  was  l)orn  in  Xorway  February  5,  1845.  came  with  his  parents 
to  America  in  1848.  and  in  1832  came  to  Iowa  and  settled  on  the  west  half  of  the 
iiortliwcst  (|uartcr  of  scctii)n  3.  townshi]}  99.  north  range  7.  west  of  the  5lh  prin- 
cipal meridian,  where  he  still  resides. 

ui-:mimscences  of  1852-34.  i!V  sam   wise 
( .\nderson  .Jt  Goodwin's  Atlas) 

Pleasant  tuwiislii|i  licing  a  wooded  township,  cs])ecially  along  the  Canoe  creek, 
made  it  necessary  in  the  early  days  for  the  settlers  to  build  sawmills  to  transform 
their  huge  logs  into  building  material.  The  first  one  of  these  mills  in  the  township 
was  built  on  the  Canoe  creek  in  1852  by  John  I'.randt.  who  later  sold  out  to  David 
Womeldorf.  Conrad  Brandt  and  his  nephews  Fli  and. joe  Brandl,  Robert  Lyons 
and  Wm.  Basset,  also  built  mills  on  the  Canoe. 

.\mong  the  first  settlers  were  Wilson  and  George  Daubney,  Jacob  Fie.  James 
Morehead,  Wm.  French,  1  Icnrv  Hendrickson.  Bullcr  r)k'son.  Peter  Langland. 
H.  and  Ole  Halslcnson. 

The  .schools  (of  which  the  townshii)  is  inoud )  have  grown  from  the  little 
schoolhouse  in  the  northwest  corner,  and  the  old  log  schoolhouse  in  the  northeast 
corner,  to  eight  fine  buildings,  four  of  which  are  brick,  one  frame,  and  three  of 
blue  limestone,  of  which  stone  the  townshij)  has  several  line  <|uarries  in  al)nnd- 
ance  to  build  great  cities.  .Ml  of  these  schools  have  slate  ijiackixiards  and  nio<lcrn 
im])rovements. 

Our  cinirches  lia\e  grown  from  the  old  schoolhouse  to  tliree  fine  churches, 
one  being  of  brick  and  two  of  frame.  The  brick  is  llie  Norwegian  Lutheran, 
while  those  of  frame  are  (Jerman  Lutheran  and  Norwegian  Methodist.* 

*  Siiicp  the  foicfroiii;.'  wns  written  nnotlior  Nonvp^rinii  LiitliiMiiii  cjuircli  Iidh  hopii  Iniilt  in 
tlip  Hoiitliciii  piirt  111  the  l<nviislii|>  in  tlio  D.  II.  Miisscr  iioijiliborhood.  iinil  is  supplied  by  l!iv. 
S'    \   <i  :ii\  ii' (if  (;ltMnvo()(l  touiisliip. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  \MNNESHIEK  COUNTY  289 

Some  of  the  settlers  of  1855  and  1856  were  Nels  Thompson,  Andrew  and 
Nels  Nelson,  Lars  Gjetley,  Christian  Christiansen,  S.  Wise,  Sr.,  Philip  Pfister,. 
Simon  Broghammer,  Adam  Kern,  Diebold  i\Iikel,  Diebold  Stoskopf,  Valentine 
Earth,  Sr.,  and  many  others. 

Pleasant  township  has  furnished  her  share  of  county  officers  and  school 
teachers.  One  good  feature  of  the  township  is  its  law-abiding  citizens.  x\ 
justice  of  the  peace  or  constable  cannot  make  his  salt  out  of  the  fees. 

To  the  foregoing  should  be  added  the  fact  that  since  an  early  date  the  town 
of  Locust  has  been  the  mail  distributing  point  for  a  considerable  territory.  In 
these  days  when  the  rural  free  delivery  has  and  continues  to  cut  oft'  many  post- 
offices,  Locust  holds  her  own  and  is  the  starting  point  of  Locust  Route  1. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII 

JACKSON  TOWNSHIP 

The  early  history  of  Jackson  may  be  said  to  have  been  so  closely  linked  to  that 
of  Washington  township  as  to  be  one  and  the  same.  Whatever  impetus  it  received 
at  that  time  as  a  place  of  abode  arose  through  the  visits  of  early  travelers,  bound 
for  Fort  Atkinson.  Located  in  the  extreme  southwestern  corner  of  the  county, 
it  was  not  until  the  railroad  was  pushed  west  from  Calmar  that  it  began  to  be 
largely  settled.  Up  to  1862  it  was  a  portion  of  Washington  township.  Who  the 
first  settlers  were  we  have  no  means  of  knowing,  as  no  record  seems  to  have  been 
made.  For  as  long  as  this  writer  can  recall  the  names  of  the  Jack  family,  Joseph 
Holmes  and  the  Lawrence  family  were  associated  with  the  township.  Lee  Jack, 
one  of  the  sons,  remains.  Like  Sumner  township,  the  Bohemians  have  acquired 
large  holdings  of  lands  and  have  won  prosperity  from  the  soil.  When  the  Cal- 
mar and  Davenport  liranch  of  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railroad 
was  built,  Jackson  Junction  came  into  existence.  Nothing  has  ever  happened  to 
cause  it  to  grow  beyond  hamlet  size.  Some  years  ago  the  town  was  incorporated. 
At  the  time  enough  territory  was  included  within  the  corporate  limits  to  permit 
the  building  of  a  town  of   1,000  souls.     Its  population  in  1910  was  160. 


Vol.  1—1  6 

291 


CHAPTER  XXX\TII 

SUMNER  TOWNSHIP 

Up  to  1862  Sumner  and  Lincoln  townships  were  linked  together  as  a  voting 
precinct.  In  that  year  tliey  were  separated  and  given  tlie  names  l)y  which  they  have 
since  been  l<no\vn.  Early  in  Sumner's  existence  a  settlement  of  Norwegians  was 
established  on  the  Turkey  river  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  township.  The 
Germans  occupied  the  eastern  section.  The  Bohemians  were  the  third  of  the  for- 
eign born  residents  to  occupy  land  in  this  township  and  they  have  remained  to 
graduallv  acquire  a  large  portion  of  the  township.  Alva  Tracy,  who  was  a  resi- 
dent of  Decorah  for  many  years  prior  to  his  death,  was  the  first  man  to  settle 
on  the  open  prairie.  This  was  in  1858.  The  Turkey  river  flows  southeast  through 
the  northeastern  part  of  the  township,  its  banks  being  wooded  with  heavy  timber. 
The  land  in  this  section  is  rolling,  but  as  a  whole  the  township  is  rich  in  the  fer- 
tility of  its  soil.  Its  population  in  iqio  was  748,  a  loss  of  sixty-two  in  twenty 
years. 


293 


"-'.>'/?««>^. 


55 

o 


o 


> 


CIFAI'TI'.R  XXXIX 
MADISON  TOWNSHIP 

Madison  townslii])  enjoys  the  ])resligc  of  the  second  marriage  in  the  county. 
Johannes  Evenson  settled  there  in  1850,  and  early  in  October  of  that  year  Cather- 
ine Helen  Anderson  became  his  bride,  Rev.  N.  Brandt  performing  the  ceremony. 
The  late  Benjamin  T.  Barfoot,  a  pioneer  in  Decorali  and  a  landowner  in  1855 
in  Madison  township,  credits  one  Brisco  as  the  first  permanent  resident  of  Madi- 
son cMid  gives  the  year  1849  ^s  the  date  of  his  coming.  In  Mr.  Barfoot's  article, 
which  was  published  in  the  ".\tlas  of  Winneshiek  Comity,"  1905,  he  gives  the\ 
following  account  of  other  settlers : 

"James  Mcintosh  and  his  sons  left  Wellsville,  Ohio,  on  ckctidii  day,  in  1854,  to 
loiik  up  a  new  home.  After  traveling  over  Wisconsin  for  two  days  they  failed  to 
lind  a  suitable  location.  They  crossed  the  Mississippi  river  at  DeSoto,  came 
to  Winneshiek  county  and  located  on  a  large  tract  of  land  in  what  is  now  known 
as  Madison  townshi]).  In  ihe  s])ring  of  1855  he  moved  his  family  to  Decorah 
and  .'ibout  ten  days  later  to  his  new  home  in  Madison  townshi]).  Previous  to 
the  ;irri\al  (jf  .\li'.  .Mcintosh  several  families  had  already  located  in  the  town- 
shi]). These  were  I!,  and  Tosten  Il;uigen.  two  families  of  Nestes,  John  Even- 
son,  Tver  Rigstad,  I'.rick  I'.gge  and  .Matliiew  Bentley.  In  1835  William  Vree- 
l;uid  located  on  what  is  now  known  as  'the  .Stone  House  I'arm.'  lie  kept  what 
was  called  the  Four-mile  House  as  a  hotel. 

"Mr.  Ole  Fulsaas  came  from  Wisconsin  In  Iowa  and  located  in  Aladison 
townshi])  in  iS3_>,  lie  Ixiut^lit  forty  acres  of  land,  which  was  all  he  was  able 
1o  l)u\-  at  thai  tinu'.  Mr.  I''u1saas  had  three  .sons,  I  k-ilir.ind,  I'eter  and  Harvey, 
who  located  and  Ixjught  land  in  the  same  neighborhood.  Ilerbrand  bought  120 
acres,  Peter  and  Harvey  120  together.  .Mr.  1'.  and  his  sons  have  all  ])assed  over 
the  river  and  at  the  time  of  their  death  were  considered  very  wealthy.  Among 
other  early  settlers  worthy  of  mention  were  the  Cilbertson  family — Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Gill)ertson,  four  sons  and  one  daughter.  Tliey  were  very  successful  as  farmers, 
but  there  are  only  two  of  the  family  living  at  this  time.  ,\nother  old  settler  was 
Ilerbrand  Ansten,  who  settled  here  in  1857;  also  big  Ole  Gulbranson.  'Big  Ole' 
was  a  land  speculator.  He  owned  several  farms  at  different  times  in  this  town- 
ship, and  finally  sold  all  out  and  moved  to  Kansas,  where  he  died. 

2!I7 


298  PAST  AXI)   I'RESENT  Ol'    W  I.\.\1-:SI  1 1  l-.K  C(  )U.\"1V 

"Ole  P.akkcn  came  U)  Winneshiek  county  and  settled  in  Irankville  township 
in  1854  (his  w  ife  coming;  in  1S51  ).  where  they  resided  for  four  years.  Then  they 
moved  to  -Madison  townslii])  and  located  on  sections  it  and  12.  where  they  liave 
resided  ever  since.  Mr.  liakken  started  fanning  on  a  lOO-acre  farm  and  added 
on  to  this  until  he  owned  1.200  acres,  which  he  has  divided  among  his  children. 
Mr.  Bakken  lives  in  a  large,  comfortable  house,  enjoying  his  old  age  in  a  good, 
quiet  way. 

"E.  R.  Scott  settled  on  section  ifi  in  1X5S.  and  has  lived  on  tiie  same  farm 
ever  since.  Mr.  Scott  was  the  only  .\merican  in  the  northwest  cjuarter  of  the 
township  for  o\er  twenty  years. 

"Mr.  Brisco  was  the  llrst  permanent  settler  in  .Madison  township,  lie  set- 
tled in  the  timber  in  i<S4g.  When  the  writer  came  to  Madison  townsliip,  there 
was  plenty  of  game,  such  as  deer.  ])artridge  and  ])rairie  chicken,  and  the  streams 
were  full  of  all  kinds  of  tish.  l'"arming  was  not  very  extensive  until  about  iSfxj, 
when  it  took  (|uite  a  boom  anfl  things  went  along  at  a  good  rate  until  tiie  war 
broke  out,  then  there  were  a  few  years  in  which  it  was  hard  to  get  help.  Since 
tiien  farming  has  been  a  good  business. 

"Nels  Gilbcrtson  and  1  cut  the  first  load  of  hay  in  the  townshi]);  it  was  cut 
on  section  10,  the  old  farm  they  purchased  from  the  Government. 

"Helge  Gunderson,  the  father  of  Joim  Gunderson  Helgeson,  came  to  Iowa  and 
settled  in  Madison  township  in  1834.  lie  bought  160  acres  of  land  from  the 
Government. 

"Ox  teams  were  used  in  breaking  the  jirairie  and  nianv  of  the  settlers  would 
join  teams,  hitching  four  yoke  of  oxen  to  a  breaking  i<low.  There  was  but  very 
little  corn,  so  the  oxen  were  turned  out  on  grass  during  the  noon  Itour  and  ati 
night.  The  harvesting  was  done  with  the  old-fashioned  cradle  and  what  little 
wheat  we  had  to  sell  we  hauled  to  McGregor  and  sold  it  for  40  or  50  cents  ])cr 
bushel." 

SOME  RECOLLECTIONS  IN   1855 

"On  the  sixth  day  of  .\pril,  1S55.  1  went  throui;!!  Madison  townshi])  in  search 
of  Government  land,  with  Doctor  Shannon  for  my  guide.  Wo  passed  Slener  O. 
Hellerud's  place :  here  we  found  two  men  sawing  out  boards  for  a  floor.  Thev 
used  a  whip  saw,  one  man  standing  on  lop  of  a  log  and  the  other  on  the  ground. 

"I  located  on  160  acres  in  section  30;  then  we  drove  southeast  through  tiie 
tow-nship  and  passed  I.  Ringstad's,  J-  Evcnson's  and  Mr,  Egge's.  In  1855  and 
1856  nearly  all  the  Government  land  had  been  taken  by  speculators,  and  that 
practically  put  a  slop  to  the  settlement  for  two  or  liiree  years,  in  1858  and  185c) 
business  began  to  im])rovc,  and  the  settlements  began  to  grow  .  1  w  cut  out  through 
the  township  several  times  but  could  not  tind  any  landmarks  to  show  mc  where 
my  land  was.  In  1859  I  went  out  again  and  met  .Mr.  joim  Crawford,  l)uil<!ing 
fence  about  three-ciuarters  of  a  mile  from  my  land,  and  he  tlien  showed  me  wliere 
my  farm  was. 

"There  was  c|uite  a  settlement  at  wh;it  was  known  as  P>urr  Oak  .Springs.  The 
parties  who  owned  the  land  laid  out  a  small  town,  and  it  grew  for  four  or  live  years  ; 
but  as  soon  as  the  railroad  was  graded  to  Decorah  the  town  dried  up  and  blew 


PAST  AND  i'RESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  299 

away.  It  was  a  pretty  rough  place  for  several  years,  and,  to  my  knowledge,  was 
the  only  place  in  the  township  where  liquor  was  sold  in  any  quantity. 

"I  did  not  move  into  Madison  township  until  1868,  so  cannot  give  a  very  good 
description  of  the  earliest  settlement.  It  was  organized  in  about  1859.  'Squire 
Miller  of  Decorah  was  the  organizing  officer.  The  first  schoolhouse  was  built 
near  the  hrkk  church  in  1858.  At  that  time  the  township  was  organized 
into  four  school  district,  nine  sections  in  each  district.  General  elections  were  held 
in  the  first  schoolhouse  for  several  years,  or  until  about  1863.  Since  then  it  has 
been  held  in  districts  by  turns." 

To  ]\Ir.  Barfoot's  record  may  be  added  the  fact  that  during  the  past  two  years 
Madison  township  has  become  possessed  of  six  new  schoolhouses.  For  many 
years  differences  of  opinion  on  schoolhouse  matters  prevented  much  needed  build- 
ings, but  the  matter  was  finally  adjusted  in  a  way  that  bids  fair  to  be  satisfactory. 
Three  of  the  schoolhouses  are  now  in  process  of  erection  and  will  be  completed 
soon. 


Chronology 


October  4,  1840 — The  first  deatli  occurred ;  a  Government  teamster  named 
Howard  was   found   frozen  near  the  ])resent   site  of   Castalia. 

January  16,   1841 — Mary  Jane  Tapper,  first  white  child  born  in  county. 

1842 — Rev.   D.   Lawery  appointed   Indian   agent. 

1843 — Colonel  Thomas,  under  instruction  from  the  Government,  built  the 
first  grist  mill   in   Winneshiek  county. 

June  7,  1S4S — Hamilton  Campbell  and  wife  settled  on  sections  23  and  26, 
Bloomfield  township.  Twenty  days  later  the  Krumm  families  arrived  from 
Indiana  and   settled   in   Washington  township. 

1848 — Indians  were  removed  from  their  reservation  in  this  county. 

February  ir,  1849 — Aaron  Young  and  Mary  Jane  Rogers  married.  First 
wedding  in  the  county. 

February,   1849 — Fort  Atkinson  abandoned. 

June,    1849 — Day    family   settled   in  Uecorah. 

Wm.  Painter  commenced  running  a  small  grist  mill  at  the  present  site  of  the 
Spring  mill,  or  Dunning's  mill.  Decorah. 

First  settlers  at  Moneek  in  July,   1849. 

The  same  year  quite  a  number  of  other  families  settled  in  the  county,  as 
will  be   seen   by   records   in   first   chapter. 

1850 

Settlements  were  made  in  what  are  now  Decorah.  Bloomfield.  Springfield, 
Glenwood,    Canoe,    Pleasant,    Madison.    Frankville   and    Military   townships. 

Burr  Oak  was  probably  settled  at  about  the  same  time;  for  in  the  fall  of 
1851,  Judge  M.  V.  Burdick  visited  the  place  and  found  where  the  village  of 
Burr  Oak  is  now  located,  a  hotel,  a  store  and  a  blacksmith  shop. 

ludge  Burdick  also  found  in  1850,  at  the  present  site  of  Spillville,  Mr. 
Spillman  to  be  the  only  settler ;  while  at  what  is  now  Twin  Springs  or  Festina, 
then,  there  was  a  saloon. 

The  same  year,  1850,  the  Federal  census  was  taken,  showing  a  population 
of  570. 

First   immigration  of   Norwegians  took  place   this  year. 

301 


302  PAST  AXD  PRF.SF.XT  OF  WIXXFSI II  F.K  COL-XTV 

1851 

An  .nt  of  the'  Legislature,  organizin;,'  Wiiiiiesliiek  countv,  was  a[)[)roved 
Januar\  13,  1851.  It  appointed  John  L.  Carson,  organizing  shcrift'.  to  assume 
duties  March   ist. 

April  7,  Decorah  was  elected  to  he  the  county  seat.  [Interesting  details  of 
the   fight   witli   Moneek  are  given   elsewhere.] 

In  1851,  the  first  postoffice  in  the  county,  excepting  those  at  Fort  .\tkinson 
and  Old  Mission,  was  estahlished  at  Jamestown,  in  what  is  now  Frankville  town- 
ship.     James    B.    Cutler    postmaster.      His    commission    was    dated    September 

On  October  5,  185 1,  occurred  the  lirsl  marriage  in  the  coimt_\- — Johannes 
Evenson  to  Catharine  Helen  Anderson.* 

August  4,  1851,  l)a\id  Reed,  who  had  come  to  this  county  in  1S48,  was 
chosen  county  judge,  and  held  the  positioti  till  1S55. 

Geo.  Bachel,  first  county  sheriff,  and  other  county  officers  elected,  as  recorded 
elsewhere. 

Ilesper  and  Jlighland  townships  were  settled  this  year. 

In  September,  1851,  the  first  county  court  was  o])ene(l  at  the  log  house  of 
Wm.  Day,  Decorah.  There  being  no  business,  it  adjourned  to  the  lirst  .Monday 
in  October,  when  the  first  marriage  license  was  granted. 

The  Ileivly  water  power  was  improved  by  Mr.  Painter  and  "L'nclc  i'hilii)" 
Morse,  who  arrived  here  in  185 1,  and  built  the  sawmill,  some  of  the  ruins  and 
the  race  which  are  to  be  seen  between  tlie  present  .\rlington  House  and  the 
old  stone  grist  mill. 

In    |iil\    tile  firsl  lawyer  came  to  Decorah. 

This  year  also  saw  the  first  mercantile  lirm  in  Decorah.  .\aron  Xewell  and 
his  ])artner,  named  Derrick.  They  opened  their  goods  in  the  smoke  house  on 
the  premises  of  the  Winneshiek  House,  afterwards  removed  to  a  slab  shanty, 
and  soon  built  the  first  frame  building  in  town — a  store  known  as  the  Pioneer 
Store,  which  has  since  burned.  It  stood  on  the  present  site  of  the  store  of 
Mott  t^:  Co.,  on  the  southwest  corner  of   Washington  aii<l   Water  streets. 

This  same  year,  1851,  came  to  Decorah  the  first  minister  of  the  Gospel, 
bolder  Mishop,  j^reaching  here  monthly  on  a  circuit  described  elsewhere.  .\ 
few  weeks  afterwards  a  Congregational  minister,  A.  .M.  !■  .istm.in.  c.imc  an<l 
established  monthly  meetings  at  the  log  tavern,  b'rom  these  spring  the  Meth- 
odist and   Congregaticjnal   churches  of   Decorah. 

The  tirst  mails  came  to  Dccurali  in  Jmie.  1851.  C.  Dav,  postmaster,  .-md 
Lewis  ilarkins,  ni.-iil  carrier. 

1852 

Lincoln   township  was  settle<l  duiing  this  year. 

.\t  the  .April  election  180  votes  were  cast  in  the  county;  at  the  August 
election    150. 

*  Thin  marriiiKc  iiiiist  refer  to  tlic  first  iiinriiiigc  after  the  county  was  or}iani/.od.  Aaron 
Yoiiii);  iiiirl  Miuy  .1.  I!<);;ith  were  iiiarrieil  at   I'dit   Atkiiismi  late  in  the  winter  ot   l"-!'.!. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  3013 

March  S,  1852.  the  county  court  ordered  elections  to  l)e  held  at  three  pre- 
cincts. First,  at  the  house  of  W  m.  Day,  Decorah ;  second,  at  the  house  of 
Francis  Rogers,  Lewiston,  in  the  southwest  part  of  the  county;  third,  at  the 
b.ouse  of  John  DeCow,  Muncck.  For  further  and  later  divisions  of  the  county, 
see  a  preceding  chapter. 

IMoneek  was  surveyed  and  i)latte(l  in  Januar}-,  hut  the  plat  was  not  recorded 
till  Novemher. 

The  Pioneer  Store  building  in  Decorah  commenced  in  1851,  was  completed 
in    1852,  a  public  hall,  known  as  Newell's  Hall,  being  in  the  second  story. 

In  August  and  Sejitember,  there  was  Iniilt  by  Philip  Morse,  the  first  frame 
dwelling  in  Decorah. 

The  first  term  of  district  court  for  this  county  was  held  in  Decorah  on 
Friday,  July  9,  1852,  Thos.  S.  Wilson,  judge.  The  firs.t  indictment  found  by 
the  grand  jury  was  against  Francis  Teabout,  for  gambling;  the  second  against 
Philander  S.  Baker,  for  selling  intoxicating  liquors ;  the  third  was  against 
James  T.  Moore,  for  gambling.  Each  were  held  to  bail  to  the  next  term  of 
court  in  the  sum  of  $100.00. 

1853 

The  number  of  votes  cast  in  the  county  in  Ai^ril,  1853,  was  224;  and  tlie 
number  steadily  increased  in  successive  years,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  record 
elsewhere. 

The  present  city  of  Decorah  was  surveyed  and  platted  in  August  of  this 
)ear. 

The   village   of   Frankville   was   surveyed   and   platted   in   October. 

This  year  Amnion  &  Co.  came  to  Decorah  and  were  the  first  to  add  steam 
power  to  our  water  power,  finally  resulting  in  their  foundry,  machine  shop, 
and  wagon  manufactory. 

The  Government  property  at  Fort  Atkinson  was  this  year  sold  at  auction 
and  Mr.  Cooney,  who  was  in  1852  appointed  to  take  charge  of  the  old  fort  and 
Government  buildings,   found  his  "occupation  gone." 

In  the  winter  of  1853-4  the  first  Bohemian  settlers  came  in  and  settled  not 
far  from  Fort  Atkinson.  To  those  settlers  the  present  village  of  Spillville 
largely  owes  its  existence. 

The  village  of  Freeport  was  platted  in   May. 

The  first  building  in  Calmar  was  erected  this  year ;  and  the  village  of 
Calmar  was  platted  in  November. 

The  Decorah  House  was  built  this  year,  and  also  the  Tremont  House, 
which  was  burnt  in  1857,  and  which  stood  on  the  site  of  the  Lutheran  Pub- 
lishing House,  Decorah. 

The  famous  Decorah  hotel,  the  Winneshiek  House,  was  built  in   1854-5. 

1855 

Early  this  year  Ossian  was  platted  as  a  village,  and  the  plat  recorded 
April  30th. 


304  PAST  AXD  I'RKSF.XT  OF  WIXXESHIEK  COUNTY 

Decorah.  wliicli  had  become  quite  a  villa,s;e.  received  an  additional  inipettis 
by  tlie  land  oftice  being  established  here,  the  ollice  being  opened  the  dav  ijefore 
Christmas,  1835.  It  was  removed  the  following  year,  but  much  of  the  business 
which   it   brought   remained. 

In  the  winter  of   1855-6,  there  were  nine  banking  houses  in   Decorah. 

The  year  1855  also  gave  the  county  its  first  newspaper,  the  Decorah  Chron- 
icle. It  was  edited  and  published  by  a  man  named  Tracy,  but  very  soon  Judge 
M.  V.  Burdick  became  the  editorial  writer.  It  had  its  ups  and  downs,  and 
the  Decorah  Repul)lican  of  today  may  be  considered  as  its  successor,  \\'esley 
liailey  and  son  bu\ing  out  the  establishment,  and  issuing  it  as  the  Decorah 
I\ei)ublic,  in    i8f)o.  and  afterwards  clianging  the  name  to  Decorah    Kepublican, 

1856 

This  year  witnessed  the  famous  but  unsuccessful  fight  of  tiie  then  flourish- 
ing and  enterprising  village  of  Freeport  U>  take  the  county  seat  from  Decorah; 
this  contest  is  told  in  detail  elsewhere. 

A  county  loan  of  $6,000  was  also  voted  this  year  to  Inuld  a  courthou.se  at 
Decorah,  the  tax  to  be  levied  in  the  years  1857  and  1858. 

A  special  election  was  also  held  October  loth,  and  the  county  voted  $100,000 
in  bonds  to  aid  in  the  building  of  the  Northwestern  Railroad :  there  being  926 
votes  cast  for  the  ta.x.  and  505  against  it.  .\s  the  road  was  not  built  the  couiilv 
was  not  burdened  with  the  ta.x. 

1857 

'J'hc  courthouse  was  commenced   this  year  and   lini.slu-d   the    following   vear. 

This  year  witnessed  the  burning  of  the  Trenioni  House,  Decorah,  then  a 
well  known  hotel. 

This  year,  also,  Decorah  became  an  organized  town.  A  meeting  for  incor- 
poration was  held  on  the  first  vMonday  in  April,  and  at  the  election  of  ofticers 
on  tile  30th  of  June,  E.  E.  Cooley  was  chosen  president. 

The  Legislative  act  of  incorporation  was  not  passed  till   1S71. 

1858 

The  plat  of  the  village  of  Hesper — the  township  having  l)een  first  settled 
in  1851— was  recorded  on  the  25th  of  February,  185S,  the  plat  having  been 
drawn  December  27tli  of  the  preceding  year.  The  town-hip  of  llcsper  was  also 
organized  in   1858. 

The  county  had  grown  so  tlial  the  number  of  votes  cast  in  October  of  this 
)ear  was  1,288. 

'  )n  the  18th  of  .April,  1858.  the  fir.st  county  superintendent  was  elected, 
1  )r.  11.  C.  Bulis  was  chosen. 

1859 

The  close  of  this  year  brings  us  up  to  the  commencement  of  a  decade  which 
opened  with   some  changes  in  the  manner  of  county  government,  made  nece.s- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  305 

sary,  or  at  least  desirable,  by  the  increase  of  population  and  the  prospective 
growth  and  importance  of  the  county.  By  the  census  of  1850,  the  population 
was  540,  while  it  was  now  by  the  census  taken  in  i860 — 13,942.  ^^'e  will  not, 
howc\er,  anticipate,  but  briefly  note  the  important  events  as  they  occur. 

i860 

During  this  year  a  change  was  made  in  the  management  of  county  affairs, 
up  to  this  time  administered  by  the  county  judge.  A  board  of  supervisors, 
consisting  of  one  from  each  township,  was  elected,  the  change  taking  effect 
on  the  1st  of  January,  186 1. 

In  -\]iril.  i860,  the  firm  of  Bailey  &  Son,  consisting  of  Wesley  Bailey  and 
his  son,  Ansel  K.  Bailey,  purchased  the  Decorah  Republic,  succeeding  B.  F. 
Jones,  as  publishers  of  that  paper.  The  first  number  under  their  management 
appeared  April   14th. 

In  the  first  issue  are  notices  of  Decorah's  institutions  as  follows:  "Popula- 
tion of  Decorah,  estimated,  from  1,600  to  2,000.  It  has  a  brass  band,  17 
stores,  3  harness  shops,  6  Ijlacksmiths,  5  cabinet-iuakers,  3  wagon  makers, 
2  plow  and  horticultural  implement  manufactories,  2  jewelers,  2  milliners, 
2  tanneries,  i  lumber  yard,  2  bakeries,  i  daguerreotype  artist,  2  meat  markets, 
1  distillerv,  i  brewery,  i  gunsmith,  a  dozen  lawyers,  3  doctors,  i  dentist,  2 
barbers,  a  Methodist  church  in  their  own  Ijuiiding,  and  a  Congregational  church, 
holding  services  in  the  courthouse,  their  church  not  yet  being  completed." 

Hesper  has  a  literary  society  that  meets  once  a  week. 

May  3d.  five  ]jrisoners  escape  from  the  county  jail,  one  in  for  horse  stealing, 
one  for  counterfeiting,  and  the  others  for  minor  oft'enses. 

April  29th,  the  house  of  Postmaster  Stanberg,  of  Calmar,  was  burned. 

May  17th,  a  Norwegian  celebration  of  their  national  anniversary  occurred  at 
]*eterson's  trading  post,   B.  O.  Dahly  delivering  the  address. 

In  June,  the  Landers  residence  on  Broadway  was  commenced,  also  the 
Francis   residence   on   Broadway,   now  owned   by   A.   Bradish. 

Fourth  of  July  was  celel^rated  in  Decorah,  the  orator  being  Douglas  Leffingwell. 

By  the  census  then  being  taken  the  population  of  Decorah  township  and  city 
was  given  as  follows : 

Population   of   Decorah    904 

Population  of  West  Decorah 315 

Rest   of   township    706 

Total 1,925 

August  7th,  Wm.  Day  died  at  the  Winneshiek  House,  in  the  si.xty-ninth 
year  of  his  age.  He  built  the  first  house,  for  some  years  the  only  hotel,  and 
afterwards  built   the   Winneshiek   House. 

August  30th,  Fitz  Henry  Warren  (republican)  spoke  at  Decorah,  Judge 
Clark,  of  Dubuque,  opposing  him. 

The  Congregational  church  of  Decorah  was  in  process  of  erection  this 
season. 


306  PAST  AXl)  l'Ki:Si:XT  OF  W.IXXI-.SHIF.K  COUNTY 

September  21st,  count}-  fair  was  held  in  Decorah. 

October  5th.  a  daily  mail  was  established  between   .\Ic(;rei,'or  and   Decorah. 

i86i 

At  the  opening  of  liie  year,  the  board  of  su])ervisors,  one  from  each  lown- 
sliii),  in  order  that  the  terms  of  oltice  mi<,'ht  not  expire  at  the  same  time,  thcv 
cast  lots  to  sec  which  should  hold  office  for  one  year,  and  which  for  two  \ears. 
The  result  was  as  follows : 

For  one  year — Levi  I'ullis  in  place  of  Dan  Lawrence,  who  was  elected  ,'ind 
resij^ned,  for  Decorah;  J.  i'agin,  j-'rankville :  J.  T.  (ialby,  .Sumner;  1.  West. 
Canoe;  G.  N,  Holloway.  Hesjier;  |.  C.  .\ckerson.  15urr  Oak;  S.  Christen,  .Madi- 
son ;  Lars  T.  Land,  Calmar ;  Levan  W'anless,  Bluffton. 

For  two  years — W.  IT.  Baker,  liloonifield ;  F.  S.  Xorthup,  Glenwood ;  Ole 
Xelson,  I'leasant;  W.  1!.  Chamberlain.  ()rleans:  .\mmon  .\mmundson.  Highland; 
D.  E.  Shelmadine,  Fremont;  M.  I.  W'oolsey,  Military:  A.  O.  Lommen.  Spring- 
field; Orville  Jennison,   Washington. 

(].  X.   llolloway  was  elected  presi<lent  of  the  board. 

-March  ,^d,  the  remains  (if  ;i  .Norwegian,  named  her  Knudsen  Jouen.  were 
found  near  the  foot  of  the  blutt  at  tlie  head  of  Trout  Run.  lie  started  home 
from  Decorah  on  Christmas  evening.  Going  over  the  road  past  the  cemetery, 
it  is  thought  that  he  lost  his  way.  rolled  down  the  blufi'  and  froze  to  death. 

The  Decorah  cemetery  grounds  were  laid  out  this  year. 

.April  8th,  a  public  meeting  was  held  and  the  Decorah  Ciuards  organized,  be- 
ing the  first  company  to  enter  the  service  in  the  War  of  the  Rebellion.  The  rec- 
ord of  this  and  other  comi)anies  from  the  couiuy  will  be  found  in  a  preceding 
chapter. 

June  14th.  E.  E.  Cooley  received  the  ai^pointment  as  postmaster  of  Decorah 
and  took  ])ossession  July  1st. 

June  iith,  the  county  su])ervisors  voted  $3.00  ])er  week  to  each  of  tlie  families 
of  the  Decorah  Guards. 

lune  17th.  L.  Standring  turned  the  first  scraper  full  of  dirt  into  the  i^ecorah 
branch  of  the  Xorthern  Iowa  Railroad.  Gangs  of  men  were  set  at  work  at  De- 
corah. Calmar.  Ossian  and  Monona  but  the  work  was  di.seontinued. 

In  [ulv  the  plastering  ,ind  mason  work  of  the  Congregation.il  church  was 
completed. 

The  Norwegian  Lutheran  .Svnod  decided  to  build  a  college  on  the  site  selected 
in  West  Decorah. 

August  22d.  W'imieshiek   Xormal   Institute  incorporated.  -S.   I'age.  principal. 

September  27th  and  28th.  county  fair. 

November  17th.  Congregational  church.  Decorah,  dedicated.  E.  .\dams.  jiastor. 

Tiie  Livengood-Telyea  murder  trird  comiuenced  near  the  close  of  tliis  year 
and  continued   into    i8C)2. 

1862 

Fourth  of  July  celebration  in  Decorah.  lion.  M.  \'.  Ilurdick  delivering  the 
oration. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  307 

August  30th,  saloon  of  W'm.  Olcson,  Decorah,  burned  and  George  Gulbran- 
son  burned  to  death  and  others  badly  injured. 

Sei)tember  6th.  Aaron  Xewell,  an  old  resident,  died. 
In  September  the  Luther  College  opened  in  Decorah. 

1863 

June  4th,  work  on  the  Norwegian  Lutheran  College  commenced.  The  build- 
ing to  be  150x20  feet  on  the  ground  and  three  stories  high  above  the  basement. 

Population  of  county  bv  assessor's  returns  in  1863,  15,035.  Population  of 
Decorah,  2,165. 

Fourth  of  July  celebrated  in  Decorah ;  addresses  by  home  talent. 

November  3d,  Elisha  Hurlbut,  postmaster  of  Decorah,  died.  Joseph  Hutch- 
inson, assistant,  continued  in  office  until  a  successor  was  appointed. 

1864 

February  9th,-  J.  R.  Slack  was  appointed  postmaster  of  Decorah  and  took 
possession  February  28th.     George  W.  Adams  was  appointed  his  assistant. 

June  20th,  the  $40,000  necessary  secured  and  engineers  commenced  locating 
a  railroad  to  Decorah. 

A  grist  mill  was  built  by  D.  Addicken  and  commenced  running  that  year. 

June  30th,  corner  stone  of  the  Norwegian  College  laid. 

October  3d,  Capt.  J.  R.  Moore,  Decorah,  died  suddenly  in  his  bed. 

October  12th,  celebration  of  the  arrival  of  the  railroad  at  Castalia. 

October  22d,  the  Catholics  of  Decorah  occupied  their  new  chinch. 

December  22d,  Decorah  gets  a  through  mail  from  Chicago. 

1865 

-March  20th,  flood  in  Dry  Run  did  considerable  damage.  High  waters  in 
the  river  carried  away  the  West  Decorah  liridge  and  also  the  Freeport  bridge. 

.April  8th,  a  rousing  celebration  in  Decorah  of  the  taking  of  Richmond,  in 
which  enthusiasm  extravagantly  boiled  over  in  wild  and  jjeculiar  freaks. 

April  27th,  funeral  services  in  Decorah,  Castalia  and  other  places  on  the  death 
of  Lincoln. 

June  15th,  railroad  completed  to  near  Calmar. 

July  4th,  Fourth  of  Julv  celebration  at  Decorah,  Col.  D.  P..  Henderson  orator. 

July  20th,  railroad  completed  to  Conover. 

In  September,  Methodist  parsonage  at  Decorah  completed. 

October  15th,  dedication  of  the  Norwegian  Lutheran  College,  one  wing  four 
stories  high,  with  basement  being  completed.  Prominent  Norwegians  from  all 
parts  of  the  country  were  present. 

1866 

The  Decorah  jniblic  school  building  was  built  this  year. 

April  1st,  Decorah  postofifice  removed  to  first  floor  of  new  brick  building  on 
Winnebago  street. 


308  PAST  AND  PRESExX'T  OF  V.IXXF.SHIEK  COUNTY 

April  5th,  greatest  flood  since  1859,  carrying  otT  numerous  bridges  and  doing 
considerable  damage  in  the  county. 

July  4th,  celebrated  in  Decorali.  M.  \'.  Burdick  and  R.  Swearingen  orators. 

November  1st,  great  fire  in  Decorali.  loss  from  !> ,^0,000  to  840,000.  burning  out 
Dennis  &  Hulverson,  P.  S.  Smout,  Green  &  Morss  and  others,  also  the  office  of 
the  \\  inneshiek  Register,  established  in  1866.  Ilaislet  Bros.,  jiroprietors. 

November  iith,  countv  supervisors  bought  the  ])resent  poor  farm  of  C.  E. 
Dickerman. 

This  year  the  railroad  reached  the  site  of  Ridgeway  and  gave  it  its  first  start. 

1867 

The  new  Masonic  hall,  Decorali.  dedicated.  It  was  jironounccd  the  best  in 
Iowa. 

January  30th,  Fremont  House  and  barn  burned. 

February  12th,  meeting  to  organize  a  fire  company  in  Decorah. 

May  17th,  Norwegian  celebration.  Addresses  by  B.  O.  Dahly,  K.  E.  Bergh, 
O.  .M.  I.uckcn  and  John  .Stcen. 

May  27th,  Decorah  graclcd  school  established. 

October  3d  and  4th,  county  fair  held  at  Decorah. 

During  this  year  the  residences  of  E.  E.  Cooley,  D.  B.  EUsworih.  Mrs.  1  Inghes 
and  J.  Hunter  and  the  Dickerman  building  were  erected  or  commenced. 

The  telegraph  line  to  Decorah  was  completed  this  year. 

November  28th,  Rev.  E.  Adams  preached  his  Thanksgiving  sermon,  entitled 
"The  first  things  of  Decorah." 

Near  the  close  of  the  year  1867,  B.  Anundson  established  a  Norwegian  jirint- 
ing  office  in  Decorah,  printing  several  publications  for  the  college.  .\  few  years 
later  he  commenced  the  iniblication  of  the  Decorah  I'osten. 

1868 

I'cbi  ii;iry  1st,  Decorah  secures  two  mails  a  da\'. 

This  winter  Decorah  secures  a  course  of  lectures  by  Fred  Douglas,  Theodore 
Tilton.  llenry  X'incent  and  E.  P.  \\niipple. 

I'eljruary  2d,  Norwegian  Methodist  F.])iscopal  church  nn  Washington  I'rairie 
dedicated. 

.\l)ril,  Decorah  Democrat  established,  P>ob  .^^luirley,  editor. 

May   17th,  .Norwegian  celel)ration  ;  oration  by  Professor  I-arsen. 

jul\-  4th.  celeliration  at  Decorah;  Rev.  Ilendcrsdii.  of  l)iil)ni|uc.  orator. 

October  7tli,  8th  and  <;th,  county  fair  at  Decorah. 

In  18^)8.  by  the  creation  of  the  circuit  court  as  jireviou.sly  described,  the  county 
court  ceased  to  exist.  The  countv  judge  became  ex  officio  county  auditor,  the  new 
state  of  things  taking  effect    Imu-  i.  iSfx). 

1869 

On  New  Year's  day  Charles  Magoffin  fell  over  the  bhilY  overhanging  the  dug- 
way.  He  was  getting  some  cedar  branches  and  stejiping  on  ice,  slippcil  and  Icll 
down  the  blufl"  and  was  killed. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  309 

January  12th,  Odd  Fellows  occupied  their  new  hall  in  the  Dickerman  building, 
Decorah,  now  the  Marsh  Music  House. 

March  isth,  paper  mill  company  at  Freeport  organized. 

May  I2th,  work  commenced  in  earnest  on  the  Decorah  branch  of  the  railroad. 

May  9th,  depot  and  six  grain  warehouses  at  Ossian  burned. 

June  /th,  .'\.  K.  Bailey  appointed  postmaster  at  Decorah. 

June  13th,  Kramer's  store  burned  and  depot  and  Lambert's  store  at  Castalia 
robbed. 

July  4th,  celebrated  at  Ossian  and  Hesper. 

July  I2th,  Calmar  is  incorporated  as  a  village  of  the  second  class. 

August  24th,  David  Self  was  killed  by  his  wagon  tipping  over  into  river,  on 
the  dugway,  Decorah.  He  was  thrown  under  the  wagon;  his  wife  and  children 
escaped. 

September  15th,  first  regular  train  ran  into  Decorah.  It  was  a  day  of  celebra- 
tion and  rejoicing. 

September  22d,  23d  and  24th,  county  fair  at  Decorah. 

October  28th,  Edgar  Harden,  son  of  H.  J.  Harden,  was  fatally  stabbed  at  Burr 
Oak  by  Jasper  Jewell,  who  became  irritated  by  the  badinage  of  a  party  of  thresh- 
ers with  whom  he  was  working. 

December  2d,  Beauseant  Commandery  of  Knights  Templar  fully  organized 
and  officers  installed  at  Decorah  with  a  grand  parade,  display,  etc. 

The  Decorah  \^entilator  established  this  year. 

This  year  the  railroad  reached  Fort  Atkinson  and  the  building  of  the  new  town 
commenced. 

1870 

In  1870  the  old  supervisor  system  of  one  from  each  township  gave  place  to 
the  present  system  except  that  at  first  there  were  but  three  supervisors,  but  this 
was  changed,  in  1872,  to  five,  the  present  number. 

In  February,  S.  S.  Haislet  bought  E.  C.  Huntington's  interest  in  the  State 
Press  newspaper,  recently  established  at  Decorah. 

In  March  woman's  suffrage  lectures  were  de'livered  in  Decorah  by  Elizabeth 
Cady  Stanton. 

A  4th  of  July  accident  occurs  at  Spillville  by  the  premature  explosion  of  an 
anvil,  by  which  four  men  were  badly  hurt. 

August  17th,  the  publication  of  the  Winneshiek  Representative  was  com- 
menced at  Calmar  by  Bent  Wood. 

Steyer's  hall,  Decorah,  was  completed  this  year. 

1 87 1 

February  2d,  a  fire  in  Decorah  destroyed  Goddard  &  Henry's  store,  the  Howell 
and  Heivly  building  occupied  by  P.  S.  Smout  and  Mrs.  G.  W.  Adams'  millinery 
store. 

February  24th,  by  legislative  enactment.  Decorah  was  incorporated  a  city  of 
the  second  class.  Its  first  election  was  held  March  6,  1871.  The  first  mayor  was 
Charles  F.  Allen. 


310  PAST  .VXD  i'KESKXT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

The  number  of  county  supervisors  was  increased  from  three  to  five,  as  a* 
present. 

June  23(1.  tlu-  Winneshiek  Representative  at  Calmar  suspended  jnihlication. 

Decorah  celebrated  the  4tli  of  July,  Mahlon  Willet,  orator.  Mr.  Willet  is  now 
pastor  of  the  Congregational  church. 

September  6th,  a  homicide  occurred  in  the  evening  in  Frankville  township. 
Wm.  McClintock  was  scolding  his  nephew  about  some  piece  of  mischief  when  a 
man.  named  Seeley,  rode  up  and  said:  "Take  one  of  your  size.''  .And  in  a  quar- 
rel that  followed  Seeley  knocked  McClintock  down  with  a  club.  McClintock  died 
three  hours  afterward.  Seeley  was  held  to  bail  in  the  sum  of  $1,000  and  after- 
wards sent  to  the  penitentiarv. 

The  county  fair  was  held  at  Decorah  in  September. 

Thd  Decorah  Democrat  was  discontinued,  and  the  material  taken  to  Mc- 
Gregor for  a  paper  there. 

1872 

January  17th,  old  settlers  of  the  county  organized. 

March  27111.  Ole  I'.ull  comes  to  Decorah.  gi\es  two  concerts  and  a  matinee, 
and  is  given  a  grand  public  reception  by  the  people. 

July  4th,  Fort  .Atkinson  celebrates  with  W.  H.  Bennett  as  orator. 

Decorah  celebrates  with  Rev.  Casebeer  as  orator  and  Mrs.  TI.  Bottsford  as 
reader. 

County  fair  at  Decorah,  September   17th,   iSth,   njth  and  20th. 

■87.? 

The  great  storm  and  snow  blockade  commenced  January  7th,  continuing  about 
a  week.  It  was  in  this  storm  that  conductor  Mob  Jamieson  organized  a  rescue 
party  and  went  from  Calmar  carrying  provisions  to  passengers  in  a  blockadeil 
train  a  little  south  of  Ridgeway.  They  made  their  way  through  the  blinding 
storm  by  starting  from  one  telegraph  pole  to  another,  the  one  who  found  the  pole 
first  shouting  to  the  others.  It  was  nearly  two  weeks  before  tlie  blockade  was 
finally  lifted. 

January  20th,  the  new  schoolhouse  at  Fort  Atkinson  was  burned. 

February  28th,  .Andrew  lohnson  of  Pleasant  township,  starting  to  go  home 
from  Decorah,  froze  to  death  on  his  way. 

March  12th,  W.  N.  P.urdick,  of  Cresco,  purchased  half  the  interest  in  the 
Decorah  \'entilator. 

May  I7tli.  Xorwegian  celebraliim  at  Decor.ih.  .\ddresscs  bv  ]\ev.  I.arsen  and 
L.  S.  Reque. 

June  7th,  Ole  P.ull  again  visited  Decorah  and  gave  a  concert. 

September  iXih.  the  district  fair  was  held  at  Hesper. 

County  fair  was  held  .-it  r>eccir;di.  September  2,vl,  J4th  ;md  ji'nh. 

1874 

March  31st.  death  of  C.  J.  Henry,  of  the  linn  of  Goddard  &  Henry,  Decorah. 
April  5th.  death  of  F.  K.  Ruth,  of  the  firm  of  Ruth  Bros.,  Decorah. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  311 

Alay  24th,  about  this  date  the  business  part  of  Ridgeway  burned.  Twenty- 
five  buildings  were  destroyed  and  $50,000  worth  of  property. 

Fourth  of  July  celebrated  in  Decorah.  Rev.  H.  B.  Woodworth,  pastor  of 
Congregational  church,  orator. 

July  31st.  new  bridge  over  Iowa  river  at  Decorah  was  finished. 

August  nth,  Decorah  Independent  started  by  Ed.  Wood  and  S.  S.  Haislett. 

August  13th.  corner  stone  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  laid. 

September  nth  and  12th,  state  line  fair  at  Hesper, 

September  15th,  i6th  and  i~th.  county  fair  at  Decorah. 

October  3d,  H.  H.  Buck,  of  Decorah,  committed  suicide. 

November  3d,  A.  A.  Aiken's  Trot  Run  woolen  factory  burned. 

Greer  &  Hunter's  mill  was  completed  this  month. 

December  2d,  completion  and  dedication  of  one  wing  of  the  Norwegian  College. 

December  20th,  new  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  Decorah  dedicated. 
Bishop  Andrews  of  Des  Moines,  presiding. 

In  November,  1874,  Aiken  &  Woodruff'  purchased  the  Winneshiek  Register, 
published  at  Decorah  (which  was  the  successor  of  the  Decorah  \'entilator),  of 
Geo.  W.  Haislet.  In  February,  1875,  the  Saturday  Bee  was  published  from  the 
Register  office  and  during  the  snow  blockade  about  that  time  and  afterwards,  at 
times  when  occasion  demanded,  it  was  issued  daily.  The  present  Decorah  Journal, 
F.  E.  Biermann,  editor  and  publisher,  is  the  successor  to  the  Register,  having 
absorbed  the  Independent ;  the  Bee  also  becoming  a  part  of  the  Journal  estab- 
lishment. 


1875 


February  4th,  a  snow  blockade  continued  several  days. 

March  3d,  Ole  Anderson,  who  lived  north  of  Hesper,  going  home  from  De- 
corah froze  his  hands  and  feet.  A  suit  against  H.  D.  Solberge  followed  in  which 
$6,000  damage  was  awarded  Anderson's  wife. 

March  31st,  it  was  decided  to  erect  a  new  Episcopal  church  in  Decorah  this 
year. 

May  9th,  Rev.  Father  McNulty,  pastor  of  the  Catholic  church,  Decorah,  died. 

June  23d,  this  night  occurred  the  great  flood  of  Dry  Run,  supposed  to  have 
been  caused  by  a  water  spout.  Three  small  dwellings  were  carried  away  and  five 
bridges  over  Dry  Run ;  Washington  Street  bridge  being  the  only  one  saved.  All 
the  bridges  and  much  of  the  railroad  track  between  Decorah  and  Conover  were 
washed  away. 

July  2d,  presiding  elder  Wm.  Smith  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  died. 

July  7th,  county  supervisors  provided  for  new  iron  bridges  in  various  parts 
of  the  county. 

July  17th,  death  of  D.  Addicken  of  Decorah. 

July  19th,  death  of  Horace  S.  Weiser  of  Decorah. 

September  21st,  22d  and  23d,  State  Line  Fair  at  Hesper. 


312  PAST  AND  PRESEXT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

..  1876 

January  41I1.  jnhn  11.  Stickles  died;  ii  was  sui)iiosed  thai  lie  was  poisoned. 
The  famous  niunler  trials  resultinjJ'  from  his  death  are  recorded  in  jjrevious  chaj)- 
lers. 

Januar\-  9th,  Charles  Meyers.  su])ervisor  from  second  district,  died. 

January  31st,  J.  Ellen  Foster  lectured  at  the  courthouse  on  temperance. 

March  3d,  first  accident  on  the  Decorah  branch  of  the  railroad.  Train  was 
ditched  three  miles  from  the  city.     Eleven  persons  were  hurl  hut  none  was  killed. 

March  14th,  the  new  Episco])al  church  at  Decorah  was  dedicated. 

April  Jill,  Peter  Dufifin,  an  old  settler,  died. 

June  18th,  Luther  church,  Decorah,  was  dedicated. 

July  4th,  centennial  celebration  at  Decorah  with  oration  by  II.  P).  Wood- 
worth  and  meeting  of  the  old  settlers  in  the  afternoon. 

October  10,  1876,  Geo.  W.  Ilaislet,  who  had  been  engaged  in  various  news- 
paper enterprises  in  Decorah,  Cresco,  Lansing,  McGregor  and  lately  for  about  a 
year  at  Dubuque,  came  back  to  Decorah  and  established  the  Decorah  Radical,  which 
he  published  till  the  time  of  his  death  in  the  spring  of  1881  as  recorded  under  that 
date. 

July  9th.  in  Fraiikville  township  Simeon  Oleson  shot  and  killed  Anderson 
Theonson,  who  came  to  a  party  uninvited.    After  two  trials  Oleson  was  acquitted. 

September  6th,  Capt.  T.  W.  Burdick  was  nominated  for  Congress,  being  the 
first  Representative  from  Winneshiek  county,  and  was  elected. 

Sejjtember  iQlh,  20th  and  21st,  fair  at  Hes])er. 

At  the  November  election  a  $12,000  tax,  divided  between  two  years,  was 
voted  to  build  a  new  jail. 

December  21,  1876,  near  Locust  Lane,  while  several  teams  were  on  the 
way  home  from  Decorah,  a  quarrel  arose  and  llelge  NeUson  struck  Ed.  Torfin 
a  fatal  blow  on  the  head  with  a  clul).  Nelson  escaped  with  six  months  in  the 
penitentiary. 

1877 

February  ist,  a  new  hotel,  the  .Xrlington  1  louse,  was  opcneii  at  Decorah. 

May  30th,  tirst  observance  of  Decoration  Day  in  Decorah.  11.  .^.  Henderson, 
orator,  and  C.  Wellington,  reader. 

June  8th.  death  of  Joseph  Grinsell.  station  agent  at  Decorah,  his  body  being 
found  in  an  unoccupied  house  at  Prairie  du  (hien. 

June  14th,  in  the  district  court  llelge  .Nelson  was  convicted  of  manslaughter 
in  killing  ICdwin  Torfin,  December  21,  \f^~Ci. 

July  4th.  celebrated  bv  old  settlers,  reuniun  ;it  Weiser's  grove. 

July.  James  Relf,  a  pioneer,  died. 

July  4,  Howard's  livery  stable,  Decorah,  burned  and  other  property  greatly 
endangered. 

This  same  month  it  was  concluded  to  have  an  artesian  well  in  Decorah. 

July  3ISI,  Recorder  Charles  .\.  Steen,  who  was  wounded  at  Gettysburg,  died 
in  Decorah,  aged  40  years,  ii  months  ,ind  i  day.  Cyrus  McKay  was  appointed 
to  fill  the  vacancy  until  the  next  election. 

October,  fair  held  at  Ilesper. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  313 

October  i8th,  a  fire  at  Calmar  burned  four  business  houses,  including  Mc- 
Alullen's  drug  store,  a  shoe  store,  restaurant  and  saloon. 

November  3d,  Charles  Hartsing,  of  Castalia,  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Win- 
neshiek county,  died,  aged  sixty-five  years. 

November  29th,  Adams'  Block,  Decorah,  burned,  Inirning  out  Ben  Bears' 
clothing  store,  Coleman  &  Toye's  drug  store,  J.  C.  Meuser's  jewelry  store,  New- 
ton's grocery  and  some  other  tenants. 

Decorah  had  a  lecture  course  the  following  winter  with  General  Kilpatrick, 
Henry  W'atterson,  Mrs.  Livermore  and  Will  Carleton. 

1878 

January  28th,  work  on  the  artesian  well,  Decorah,  stopped,  it  having  reached  a 
depth  of  1,200  feet,  and  the  water  being  thirty  feet  from  the  top. 

April  4th,  the  board  of  supervisors  having  this  spring  provided  for  the  con- 
struction of  a  new  jail  contracted  for  Pauley's  steel  cells. 

.April  iith,  plans  for  the  new  jail  adopted,  the  site  of  which  is  located  on  the 
southeast  corner  of  the  courthouse  grounds. 

July  1st,  contract  awarded  for  building  a  new  county  jail  which  was  erected 
the  same  year. 

September  17th,  i8th,  19th,  fair  at  Ilesper. 

October  loth,  Harvey  Benedict  fell  from  the  house  of  his  brother,  A.  A. 
Benedict,  and  was  killed. 

November  21st,  the  bodv  of  H.  A.  Hegg  of  Decorah  was  found  in  the  creek 
at  the  railroad  bridge  near  Standring's  cut.  The  coroner's  jury  found  that  his 
death  was  caused  by  strychnine  and  that  it  occurred  before  he  fell  into  the  water. 
The  mystery  of  his  death  was  never  solved. 

1879 

February  15th,  Blue  Ribbon  movement  organized  by  John  W.  Drew  in  De- 
corah and  reform  club  established. 

May  17th,  Norwegian  celebration ;  orations  by  Professors  Sander,  X'eblen 
and  others. 

May  30th,  Decoration  Day  in  Decorah ;  oration  by  H.  B.  Woodworth. 

June  22d,  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  the  Congregational  church  of  Decorah 
observed. 

July  4th,  celebration  in  Decorah,  John  T.  Stoneman,  orator.  Celebrated  at 
Ossian,  Rev.  Sherin,  orator. 

August  7th,  Decorah  township  voted  a  4  per  cent  tax  to  induce  the  Waukon 
narrow  gauge  railroad,  which  was  then  leased  to  the  Northwestern,  to  come  to 
Decorah.  The  roadbed  was  graded,  but  the  Milwaukee  company  bought  it  up 
— it  did  not  come — and  Decorah  saved  its  tax. 

September,  fair  at  Hesper  this  year. 

November  12th,  Janauschek,  the  actress,  appeared  at  Decorah. 

December  ist.  Judge  E.  E.  Cooley  appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by 
the  resignation  of  Judge  Reuben  Noble. 

June  13th,  the  railroad  depot  at  Conover  burned. 


314  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

July  41I1,  celebration  at  Ilesper.  Rev.  H.  B.  W'oodworth,  orator.  Ossian 
also  celebrated. 

|ul\-  23d,  at  the  Peter  Coogan  schoolhousc,  three  miles  north  of  Uecorah, 
Willard  Van  Pelt  shot  George  Rastetler  through  the  side,  the  latter  having  been 
abusing  and  threatening  Van  Pelt.  Both  were  young  men.  Van  Pelt  was 
arrested  and  held  for  trial,  when  he  was  finallv  fined  $20  and  costs.  Rastetler's 
wound  was  at  lirst  thought  to  be  dan;^erous.  hut  he  recovered. 

August  igth,  Thomas  L'pdegraff  was  unanimously  renominated  for  Con- 
gress by  the  republican  convention  at  McGregor,  and  was  re-elected. 

September  12th,  Henry  Diers  was  stabbed  by  Mike  Holehan.  whom  he  iiad 
ordered  away  from  Addickcn's  brewery  on  Sunda\-.  Diers"  wound  was  thought 
to  be  fatal,  but  he  recovered.  Holehan  was  held  in  !^5,ooo  bail,  and  on  trial 
was  sentenced  to  one  year  and  si.x  months  in  the  penitentiary. 

Sejitemljer  15th,   16th  and  I7lh.  fair  at  Hcsper. 


February    i^tli,   Rcmen\i,  the  great  \iolinist,  gave  a  concert   in   Decorah. 

February  iXtli,  meetings  held  in  Decorah  to  organize  Citizens'  Association, 
which  organization  was  afterwards  ettected. 

March  ''ith.  (George  W.  Haislet,  an  old  newspajier  man  and  editor  of  the 
Decorah  Radical,  died.  The  publication  of  the  Radical  was  continued  for 
about  one  year  by  Mrs.  Haislet,  and  in  the  spring  of  18S2  was  ]Hirchased  by 
C.  H.  Craig,  who  changed  its  name  to  the  Decorah  Pantagraph. 

March  iith.  \\"m.  Telford,  an  old  settler  of  Decorah,  fifty-one  years  of  age, 
fell  dead  at  a  fire  at  the  foot  of  Pleasant  Hill. 

March  28th,  James  McConnell.  an  old  resident  of  P.lufTton,  was  killed  by 
being  thrown  from  his  wagon  on  his  way  home  fmm  Decorah. 

March  29tli,  Chicago,  Decorah  iS:  Alinnesota  Railroad  Coni|ianv  incor]>orated. 

April  1st.  Professor  Jacobson,  of  l.uther  College,  died. 

May  Mth.  tiie  city  council  of  Decorah  voted  to  build  \\alcr\v(irk>,  which 
were  completed  that  year. 

May  30th,  Decoration  Day.  Decorah;  1''.  l'>.  Daniels,  of  Dubucjue,  deliver- 
ing the  oration.  F.  E.  Brush,  pastor  of  the  M.  E.  church,  Decorah,  delivered 
the  address  at  the  cemetery. 

June  loth,  observance  at  i"rank\illc  of  the  one  hmidredth  annivcrsarv  of 
Father  Cutler's  birtlnlay. 

August,  contract  let  for  waterworks  in  Decorali. 

August   I2tli,  Decorah  postoflice  moved  into  its  new  building. 

Sejitember  20th,  21st  and  22(1,  county  fair  at  Decorah. 

November  9th,  Decorah  township  voted  .1  5  per  cent  ta.\  to  the  r])pcr  bnva 
&  Mississipjji  Railroad  Company,  conditioned  on  its  building  a  railroad  to  the 
Mississippi,  at  or  about  Lansing.  The  road  was  not  built  and  the  tax  was 
forfeited.  It  is  now  stated  tliat  the  Chicago,  Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railroad 
Company,  who  are  widening  the  gauge  to  Waukon.  will  continue  the  work  to 
Decorah,  thus  giving  them  another  outlet  via  Calmar  from  the  west,  rather  than 
to  build  a  double  track  from  Calmar  to  McGregor. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  315 

Hesper,  Burr  Oak  and  Bluffton  townships  also  voted  taxes  to  a  road  run- 
ning through  them  to  be  built  from  La  Crosse  to  the  southwest  through  Charles 
City,  and  the  right  of  way  for  the  road  is  being  secured. 

1882. 

February  22d,  Decorah  waterworks  trial,  parade  and  celebration. 

April  14th,  Decorah  township  voted  a  5  per  cent  tax  to  a  railroad  to  con- 
nect with  the  Burlington,  Cedar  Rapids  &  Northern,  to  be  completed  before 
September,   1883. 

June  4th,  murder  in  Glenwood  township.  Peter  Peterson  Krogsund  was 
shot  and  killed  by  Hans  Hanson  Skjerdahl. 

June  22d,  Decorah  Drum  Corps  wins  first  prize  at  the  State  Military  En- 
campment at  Waterloo.     The  Decorah  Light  Guards  also  took  a  prize. 

June  27th,  prohibitory  amendment  adopted  in  Iowa.  Vote  of  Winneshiek 
county  was  1,411   for,  1.696  against  the  amendment. 

July  4th,  celebrated  in  Decorah.  with  oration  by  F.  E.  Brush,  of  Davenport. 
At  Ossian.  oration  by  T.  J.  Sullivan.     It  was  also  observed  at  Fort  Atkinson. 

July  Sth,  Turner  Callender,  an  old  resident  of  Frankville,  died.  He  came 
to  the  county  in  1849. 

August  29th,  the  Decorah  Drum  Corps  wins  a  victory  at  the  Inter-State 
Military  Encampment  at  Dubuque,  being  victors  over  the  Chicago  Drum  Corps, 
and  winning  the  first  prize  of  $500. 

October  19th,  C,  M.  &  St.  P.  Ry.  secures  right  of  way  from  depot  site  on 
Railroad  avenue  to  the  Ice  Cave  Mill,  Decorah,  for  purpose  of  extending  tracks 
and  securing  passenger  depot  location  on  Water  street.  Work  began  October 
23d. 

November  5th,  new  Methodist  church  at  Freeport  dedicated. 
November  23d,   Masonic  bodies  of   Decorah  complete   fitting  up  of   new  lodge 
rooms  in  Barthell  building. 

November  20th,  John  Elliott  of  Bluffton  sells  forty-eight  hogs  weighing  16,- 
815  pounds  for  $1,011.65 — a  big  sum  in  those  days. 

November  27th,  electric  lights  first  shown  in  Decorah.  Stock  company  was 
formed  to  build  plant,  on  December  6th. 

November  31st,  Jacob  Hegg  of  Calmar  township  is  accidentally  killed  while 
on  his  way  home  from  town. 

December  3d,  William  Beard,  pioneer  of  Frankville  and  father  of  creamery 
movement  in  this  city,  passed  away. 

December  19th,  Congregational  church  of  Decorah  calls  Rev.  John  Willard 
of  Newtonville,  Massachusetts.  James  Henry  Baker,  well-known  grain  buyer, 
and  Wm.  H.  Fannon  die. 

During  this  year  the  marriage  of  the  following  well-known  people  occurred : 
(October  i8th),  Ex-Sheriff  D.  C.  Moore  and  Ella  Heivly ;  Minnie  Webber 
and  T-  Fairbanks  of  Clarion;  (October  25th j,  James  W.  Hogan  and  Grace  Finn; 
(November  ist),  Julius  J.  Hopperstad  and  Emma  Wilson;  (December  17th), 
Louis  B.  Whitney  and  Ella  L.  Cratsenberg,  both  of  Burr  Oak;  (December  20th), 
Rev.  J.  W.  Magelson  of  Rushford,  Minnesota,  and  Thora  Larsen,  eldest  daugh- 
ter of  Prof,  and  Mrs.  Laur  Larsen  of  Luther  College. 


316  PAST  AND  TRKSKXT  OF  WIXXESHIEK  COUNTY 

1883 

January  ist.  Sheriff  II.  M.  I.anglaiid  and  Ella  Sloan  married.  While  the 
wedding  was  in  progress,  Mrs.  Garvey,  held  on  a  murder  charge,  escaped  from 
county  jail  but  was  captured  the  next  day  at  the  home  of  Thomas  Dugan  in 
Glenwood  township.  She  was  subsequently  tried  at  Waukon,  convicted  and 
sentenced  to  the  penitentiary  for  life. 

January  18th  to  23d.  give  six  days  of  continuous  cold  weather.  On  the  18th 
the  mercury  at  8  A.  M.  showed  17'^  below  zero.  It  moderated  to  14°  above  at 
8  P.  M.  and  stood  at  zero  the  morning  of  the  lyth.  At  noon  that  day  it  was 
6°  below  and  from  then  on  until  the  morning  of  the  24th  the  mercury  did  not 
rise  above  zero,  the  coldest  reading  being  28°  below  on  the  morning  of  the 
2ist.  At  Hesper  36°  below  was  recorded,  and  Calmar  reported  37°  below.  On 
January  31st  it  was  again  28°  below  in  Decorah. 

February  5th,  Calmar  school  is  closed  on  account  of  diphtheria. 

February  22d,  the  sale  of  land  in  Hesper  township  at  $20.00  per  acre  is 
recorded  as  an  indication  that  real  estate  is  moving  at  fair  price. 

March  25th,  M.  E.  church  at  Calmar  dedicated  by  Chaplain  .McCabe. 

April   1 2th,  contracts  let  for  building  new  poorhouse  at  Freeport. 

May  8th,  Colonel  Hughes  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  organized,  with  Major  C.  11.  Ilitch- 
cock  as  commander. 

May  i4tli,  Decorah  Drum  Corps  depart  for  the  National  Encampment  at 
Nashville,  Tennessee,  where  they  captured  the  honors  and  a  pair  of  gold  mounted 
drum  sticks  for  the  best  martial  music. 

May  28th,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cyrus  Williams,  pioneers  of  Washington  Prairie, 
celebrated  their  fiftieth  wedding  anniversary. 

June  1st,  the  Iowa  district  meeting  of  the  Norwegian  Lutheran  .'-^ynod  is  held 
at  Calmar. 

June  14th,  Winneshiek  county  is  free  from  debt  with  a  $20,000  net  surplus 
in  the  treasury.  X.  H.  .Adams  resigns  as  county  treasurer  and  C.  I^.  Meader, 
his  deputy,  succeeds  him.  with  C.  E.  I'arfoot  of  Madison  township  as  his 
assistant. 

June  17th,  severe  storm  sweeps  over  county.  In  .^umner  township  buildings 
were  blown  down  and  unroofed.  .\t  the  Crawford  farm  at  lUirr  Oak  Springs 
nearly  all  the  outbuildings  were  destroyed.  In  Decorah  shade  trees  were  blown 
down  and  ujirootcd,  buildings  were  moved,  and  water  from  the  river  was  car- 
ried ten  feet  u])  its  bank  by  the  wind. 

July  20th  to  23d  was  a  storm  period  during  which  0.2')  inches  of  rain  fell, 
causing  large  property  losses  in  Decorah  along  Dry  Run.  .\  number  of  bridges 
were  washed  out,  county  roads  were  rendered  impassable,  .mil  li^hining  caused 
the  destruction  of  considerable  farm  property. 

Julv  24th,  Daubersmith"s  mill  near  Kidgeway  burns. 

August  3d,  eight  horses  and  colts  killed  and  two  others  badly  injured  by  the 
Calmar  train  in  Madison  township.  They  belonged  to  (^le  N.  Bergen  and  had 
escaped  from  their  pasture.     Loss  $1,500. 

August  6th,  Sarah  King,  an  imbecile,  attacked  and  ravished  by  Arthur  Mc- 
Intyre,  Charles  Wedgewood,  \'inccnt  and  Jerome  Bartlett.  Mclntyrc  and  Jerome 
P.artlett  were  sent  to  the  penitentiary  for  the  crime. 


.       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  317 

September  6th,  three  cases  of  leprosy  reported  in  the  county. 

September  nth,  Winneshiek  County  Fair  opens  with  the  cattle  and  horse 
show  equalling  that  of  the  State  Fair.  Upwards  of  7,000  people  attended  on 
the  13th. 

October  2qth.  the  Decorah  Manufacturing  Company  organized  with  $25,000 
capital.     Its  life  was  short,  owing  to  mismanagement  and  lack  of  business. 

November  9th,  Dick  Arthur,  a  notorious  offender,  arrested  at  Spillville  by 
federal  officers  for  washing  and  selling  used  U.  S.  stamps. 

November  17th,  four  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  birth  of  Martin  I.uther 
celebrated  by  churches  of  Decorah. 

November  2gth,  the  old  safe  in  the  county  treasurer's  oflicc,  used  since 
1855,  is  sold  to  Huber  Brothers,  of  Fort  Atkinson,  for  $35.00. 

December  loth,  Frank  Jessmer,  incendiary  and  horse  thief,  wanted  for  burn- 
ing David  Perry's  barn  in  Bloomfield  township  in  October,  1879,  is  arrested  in 
Minneapolis. 

December  19th,  B.,  C.  R.  &  N.  Ry.  promises  to  build  to  Decorah  if  tax  is 
voted.  Township  trustees  meet  and  order  election.  President  Tracy  states  the 
road  will  be  built  "and  shall  not  remain  there."  Unfortunately  Mr.  Tracy  died, 
else  Decorah  would  now  be  on  a  through  railroad  line,  because  he  always  kept 
his  word. 

During  the  year  many  prominent  old  people  and  pioneers  were  called  to  their 
last  rest.  On  January  i6th  Father  Cutler  of  Frankville  died  at  the  age  of  loi 
years,  7  months  and  6  days.  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Day,  "the  mother  of  Decorah." 
died  February  12th.  James  Hutchinson  of  Hesper  (1854)  died  March  12th. 
Mrs.  J.  W.  Holm,  a  Canoe  pioneer  of  1854,  on  March  25th,  and  Mrs.  Anna 
Johnson,  wife  of  Nelson  Johnson  of  the  Norwegian  pioneers  in  Decorah,  on 
March  27th,  were  the  next  to  be  claimed  by  death.  They  were  followed  on 
April  1st  by  Mrs.  .\nna  Maria  Siege!  of  Military,  aged  ninety-two.  Josiah  God- 
dard,  Sr.,  who  located  near  Fort  Atkinson  in  1849,  died  on  April  20th,  and  his 
namesake,  Josiah,  Jr.,  who  came  with  him,  died  October  6th.  The  record  shows 
others  as  follows:  Henry  Giesen  of  Fort  Atkinson,  April  26;  James  Hunter, 
of  the  old  Greer  &  Hunter  milling  firm,  April  28,  at  Mitchell,  S.  D. ;  Catherine 
Sherry,  of  Washington  Prairie,  the  same  day. 

There  were  eight  tragic  and  accidental  deaths  recorded  also. 

1884 

January  loth,  A.  Bernatz  &  I!ro    take  charge  of  Ice  Cave  Mills. 

February  20th,  Citizens  Savings   Bank  of  Decorah  commences  business. 

February  14th,  the  old  log  cabin  built  in  Decorah  by  "Uncle  Billy"  Day  in 
7849  is  discovered  on  the  farm  of  John  S.  Nelson  in  Glenwood  township.  It 
was  in  use  as  the  home  of  Mr.  Nelson  and  his  family. 

■  February  loth.  Military  township  gives  the  B.,  C.  R.  &  N.  Ry.  tax  proposi- 
tion a  majority  of  fifty-nine,  in  the  second  election.  The  first  election  was  void 
because  of  defects  in  the  notice  of  election. 

March  3d,  W.  H.  \'alleau  elected  mayor  of  Decorah.  W.  G.  W.  Sawyer 
mayor  of  West  Decorah. 

March  9th,  Ridgeway  creamery  burned.     Loss  $3,000. 


318  TAST  AXn  PRESENT  OF  WIXXESHIEK  COUNTY 

March  17th,  district  court  opens  with  a  calendar  whicli  includes  trials  for 
murder,  rape,  assault  with  intent  to  commit  rape,  assault  with  intent  to  commit 
great  bodily  injury,  larceny,  theft,  arson,  and  illegal  sales  of  liquor. 

May  15th,  tlie  first  dividend  of  the  coming  of  the  B.,  C.  R.  &  N.  Rv.  is  a 
cut  of  about  16  per  cent  in  freight  rates, 

June,  mortgage  for  $6,000,000  covering  the  11.,  L".  R.  iS:  X.  Ry.  is  recorded 
in  Winneshiek  county. 

June  1 2th.  design  and  bid  for  soldiers'  monument  approved  and  accepted. 

July  14th,  firm  of  S.  W.  Landers  &  Son  make  assignment.  Indebtedness 
$25,762. 

August  22d,  fire  at  the  home  of  James  Kitchen  results  in  severe  injury  to 
Mrs.  Kitchen  and  two  children,  the  daughter  Arvilla  dying  from  her  burns. 

September  1st,  M.  W.  llanlen,  county  clerk,  resigns  to  engage  in  banking  liusi- 
ress  at  Grafton,  N.  1). 

October  9th,  John  G.  Carlisle,  Speaker  of  House  of  Representatives,  is  main 
speaker  at  Democratic  rally  in  Decorah. 

October  idtli,  John  Cmtiii.  Dcconib  pioneer,  liveryman,  sells  out  and  becomes 
capitalist. 

October  22d,  Twenty-tifih  amiiversary  of  Prof.  Larsen's  connection  with 
Luther  College  celebrated. 

October  23d.  last  rail  of  H.,  C.  R.  &  X.  extension  is  laid.  Dr.  11.  C.  Bullis 
and  T.  W.   lUirdick  dri\c  the  last  sjiike. 

November  20th,  celebration  of  completion  of  B.,  C.  R.  iV  X.  Rv.  to  Decorah. 
Train  service  began  Xovemlier   loth. 

December  2d,  Trout   Run  mill  (leslroNcd  bv  fire. 

During  ICS84  the  following  old  residents  and  pioneers  died: 

February  22d.  Mrs.  Iver  G.  Ringstad  (1851);  February  2yth,  .Austin  Mat- 
tison  and  Jolm  Blackinton ;  Mrs.  Groe  Eggerud  Abrahamson  (Springfield,  1850)  ; 
July  24th,  Prof.  Cornelius  Narve.son  of  Luther  College;  October  24tli.  Michael 
Bernatz,  of  Fort  Atkinson. 

Six  tragic  deaths  occurred  during  the  year. 

1885 

January  ist.  Wm.  P.eard  &  Son's  Ice  Cave  Creamery  ships  34,000  pounds 
of  butter  to  New  Orleans,  part  of  it  for  exhibiticMi  at  the  fair. 

January  19th  to  22d  was  a  cold  spell,  the  iherinometer  registering  from  ;^2- 
lo  42^  below  zero. 

January   i()lh.  Judge  and  .Mrs.  J.  G.  Morss  celebrate  golden  wedding. 

January  Jijtii.  word  received  that  the  .Xortheastern  Iowa  Creamery  .\s.so- 
ciation  captured  first  i)reniium  in  Class  D  for  largest  display  of  butter,  quality 
considered,  and  the  Beard  creamery  captured  first  for  individual  exhibits  and 
second  in  the  pro  rata  premium  at  the  Xew  (Vleans  Exposition. 

March   19th,  Lutherans  of  Calmar  prej-iare  to  build  a  new  church. 

April  2d,  Robert  Simpson  returns  from  .Scotland  where  he  purchased  three 
head  of  Aberdeen  Angus  cattle  which  are  addwl  to  his  herd  at  Burr  (  )ak  :  fire 
destroys  store  at  Plymouth  Rock. 


.       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  319 

April  5th,  John  Lane  and  family  of  West  Decoiah  narrowly  escapes  asphyx- 
iation from  coal  gas  escaping  from  a  stove  in  their  home. 

June  1 2th,  schoolhouse  in  sub-district  No.  6  Bluff  ton  township,  struck  by 
lightning:  teacher  and  pupils  are  stunned,  but  otherwise  no  serious  damage  was 
done. 

June  1 8th,  A.  K.  Bailey,  postmaster  of  Decorah,  received  notice  that  he  had 
been  removed  for  "offensive  partisanship,"  and  John  Finn  would  be  his  succes- 
sor. Mr.  Bailey's  removal  was  the  iirst  in  Iowa  after  Grover  Cleveland  became 
president.  Mr.  Bailey  retired  on  July  4tli,  having  served  sixteen  years  without 
opposition  or  asking  for  the  appointment.  Rev.  H.  B.  Woodworth,  former  pastor 
of  the  Congregational  church  of  Decorah,  appointed  as  professor  of  Math- 
ematics, Physics  and  Astronomy  in  the  University  of  North  Dakota.  Reverend 
\\'oodworth  subsequently  became  president  of  the  university,  retaining  his  posi- 
tion until  his  death. 

July  28th,  hard  wind  storm  does  great  damage  to  business  section  of  Decorah, 
tearing  up  tin  roofs,  leveling  smoke  stacks,  signs,  etc.,  and  in  some  instances 
tearing  out  parts  of  buildings.  At  the  Henry  R.  Thomas  farm  West  of  Decorah 
a  granary  and  a  barn  were  moved  from  their  foundations  and  his  hired  man 
lifted  into  a  tree.  The  storm  hit  Decorah  at  four  o'clock  and  Dubut]ue  at 
5  :20,  traveling  at  the  rate  of  a  mile  a  minute. 

August  26th,  Mrs.  Joshua  Hartwell  of  Bluffton  died.  No  one  knew  her 
age,  but  as  near  as  could  be  ascertained  she  was  in  the  neighlrorhood  of  no 
years. 

September  loth,  Day  Brothers,  sons  in  Decorah's  first  family,  sell  their 
lumber  yard  and  moved  to  Wausau,  Wisconsin. 

August  26th,  John  Scott  is  relieved  as  postmaster  at  Calmar  after  serving 
fifteen  years.     W'.  L.  Bass  was  his  successor. 

November  12th,  W.  T.  Symonds  purchases  Decorah  greenhouses  and  removes 
them  to  West  Decorah.     This  was  the  beginning  of  a  very  successful  enterprise. 

November  19th,  one  Decorah  bank  pays  out  over  $7,000  during  the  week 
for  swine  purchased  by  one  firm. 

November  28th,  Leonard's  book  store  burned  in  Decorah.  Loss  $10,000; 
insurance,  $7,300. 

November  2Qth,  new  Lutheran  church  at  Calmar  dedicated. 

December  23d.  the  marriage  of  Nettie  Casterton,  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Ogden  Casterton,  to  Granville  Fawcett,  was  a  social  event  in  Highland  township. 
Deaths  during  the  year:  January  17th,  John  T.  Clark,  pioneer  lawyer,  at  Post- 
I'ille;  January  21st,  Mrs.  N.  Brandt,  for  years  the  "mother"  at  Luther  College, 
at  Cleveland.  Ohio:  March  22d,  Archa  Dennis  (1854);  April  iTith,  Samuel 
Aiken,  well-known  breeder  of  Holstein  cattle;  iSIay  i8th,  Tiedman  Aldrich 
(Hesper,  1859)  ;  Julv  ist.  Nelson  Burdick  (  I'"reeport,  1853),  treasurer  of  county 
from  1854  to  i860,  and  charter  member  of  Decorah  Congregational  church; 
David  P.  West  of  Canoe ;  also  four  tragedies. 

1 886 

January  13th,  a  church,  eight  residences,  an  office,  several  store  houses  and 
3  score  of  other  buildings  comprise  the  huilding  activities  at  Calmar  in   1885. 


820  PAST  AND  PRESENT  (JF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

January  I2tli,  E.  Webster,  a  well-known  buyer,  shi])s  eight  cars  of  stock, 
aggregating  $8,000  in  value,  the  result  of  one  week's  purchases. 

January  21st,  A.  W.  Kramer  at  Castalia,  H.  Towner  at  Fort  Atkinson,  and 
A.  J.  Cratsenberg  at  Burr  Oak  are  relieved  of  their  duties  as  postmasters  to 
make  room  for  three  democrats  who  want  the  jobs. 

January  28th,  the  Winneshiek  County  Farmer's  Mutual  Insurance  Company 
reports  no  losses  for  the  year  1S85.  and  the  expenses  of  doing  business  only 
?i9.oo. 

January  28tli,  Hon.  T.  \\  .  Ilurdick,  Senator  for  Winneshiek  county,  intro- 
duces bill  in  Legislature  jiroviding  for  the  erection  of  a  Soldier's  Home.  It  was 
passed  and  Marshalltown  secured  the  location.  C.  \V.  Burdick  was  named  one 
of  the  commissioners,  and  George  Draper  superintended  its  construction. 

Fourteen  days  in  January  show  temperature  of  zero  or  lower,  the  coldest 
being  28°  below.  F^'ebruary  ist  to  4th  show  successively  12°,  23^,  25°  and  29° 
below. 

February  13th,  Peter  Olson,  Calmar's  leading  merchant,  fails,  his  liabilities 
aggregating  between  $30,000  and  $40,000  with  assets  scheduled  at  $32,700. 

February  15th,  the  postofiKce  at  Woodside  is  discontinued. 

March  i8th,  John  Finn,  new  democratic  postmaster  of  Decorah,  indicted  for 
illegal  voting.  When  the  Australian  ballot  law  came  into  effect  Mr.  F'inn  could 
not  produce  his  naturalization  papers  and  he  went  before  the  court  at  Waukon 
and  took  out  new  papers.  He  claimed  his  old  ones  were  lost  and  on  trial  was 
acquitted. 

May  6th,  Iowa  and  .Minnesota  Tele|)li()ne  Company  are  building  lines  tiirough 
Winneshiek  county.     Calmar  Telephone  Company  is  building  line  to  Decorah. 

May  30th,  the  German  Methodist  church  in  Decorah  is  dedicated. 

May  27th,  the  George  Pheliis  monument  arrives  and  is  being  erected  in  De- 
corah cemetery.  It  was  cut  from  two  blocks  of  granite  weighing  sixty  tons  and 
was  considered  to  be  uneciualled  in  Iowa.  Dr.  F.  S.  Xorthrup.  murdered  in 
Hancock  county,  was  the  hrst  township  clerk  of  Glenwood  township  where  he 
resided  from  the  earlv  '50s  to  iSru;.     Winneshiek  soldiers'  monument  (.■oni])leted. 

June  loth,  camps  of  Modern  Woodmen  of  .America  are  being  organized. 

June  27th,  terrific  hail  storm  passes  over  northern  part  of  county.  In  Hes- 
per  township  between  500  and  750  acres  of  corn  and  grain  were  destroyed  and 
great  damage  was  done  to  windows.  In  jjlaccs  hail  stones  drifted  to  a  deiith  of 
four  feet. 

July  2i){h.  new  Methodist  I'.piscopal  church  to  be  built  in  (  )rleans  townshi]>. 

August  1st,  Rev.  F.  J.  Mynard  closed  his  pastorate  at  (jrace  Episcopal  church 
in  Decorah.     1  le  moved  to  California  and  subsei|uently  became  bisho])  of  Montana. 

.SeiHember  7th.  soldiers'  monument  dedicated  by  Col.  W.  P.  Hepburn.  5.000 
estimated  attendance. 

September  8th,  Barnum  &  I'.ailey's  circus  visits  Decorah  for  first  time  .ind  is 
attended  by  crowds  aggregating  24.000  at  two  performances. 

Sejiteniber  loth,  Winneshiek  county  fair  closed  with  a  total  of  996  entries  in 
the  stock  department.     Rain  and  the  Barnum  circus  make  it  a  financial  failure. 

October  14th,  Luther  College  celebrates  twenty-fifth  anniversary. 

October  6*.h,  Home  of  Dr.  P.  M.  Jewell  of  ( )ssian  is  burned.     A  hot  fight  is 


-    PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  321 

waged  between  Levi  Rullis  of  Decorah  and  John  B.  Kaye  of  Calmar  for  the  county 
attorneyship.     Kaye  was  elected  by  seventy-seven  majority. 

November  nth,  nuire  or  less  diphtheria  is  reported  throughout  the  county. 
Five  children  of  A.  R.  Anderson  of  Springfield  township  died  from  the  disease. 

November  i6th,  winter  sets  in  early  with  snow  storm  that  delays  trains. 

November  25th,  W'iiuicshiek  school  census  is  8,365,  with  6.057  enrolled  in 
schools,  daily  attendance  3,050.  Cost  of  operation  $44,548.82,  cost  of  buildings, 
etc.,  $3,849.84.  total  $48,398.66.  This  represents  about  42'7(  of  all  taxes  collected 
in  the  county. 

December  4th,  a  half  ton  of  butter  disappears  from  the  Ridgeway  Creamery 
and  was  never  recovered. 

Deaths  of  the  year :  January  22d,  Ingebor  Asgrimson  Sorbor  ( Springfield, 
1850);  April  2ist,  Dr.  W.  F.  Coleman,  veteran  of  Seventeenth  Iowa  Infantry; 
April  25th.  Abigail  Hall  Dickerman-Smith  (Decorah,  1856);  April  30th,  Mrs. 
H.  H.  Hinterman  (Spillville,  1855)  ;  May  8th  Judge  M.  V.  Burdick,  pioneer  law- 
yer and  editor;  May  23d,  D.  B.  Dennis  (Decorah,  1858),  well  known  grocer; 
Tune  29th,  Ex-recorder  Anton  P.  Rocksvold,  Glenwood  township  ;  September  25th, 
Robert  Griffin  (Pleasant,  1855)  ;  October  5th,  James  W.  Mott,  miller  at  Trout 
Run.    Also  five  tragic  deaths. 

December  23d,  Mrs.  Zeuriah  Post,  widow  of  Joel  Post,  first  settler  on  the 
prairie  just  east  of  Castalia,  passed  away.  She  and  her  husband  conducted  the 
Half-way  House  on  the  old  ^Military  road,  from  1840  on. 

1887 

January  14th,  Decorah  Institute  closed  for  two  weeks  on  account  of  outbreak 
of  diphtheria. 

January  26th,  fire  destroyed  stock  of  P.  H.  Whalen,  Decorah ;  loss  $6,000, 
insurance  $3,100 

February  loth,  violators  of  the  prohibitionary  law  to  the  number  of  twenty- 
one  in  Decorah,  five  in  Ossian.  eight  each  in  Calmar  and  Spillville,  three  each  in 
Conover  and  Fort  Atkinson,  two  in  Jackson  Junction  and  one  each  in  Ridgeway 
and  Festina  are  served  with  notice  of  suit.  When  they  found  they  were  "on  the 
rocks,"  all  agreed  to  "arbitrate"  and  after  submitting  to  an  injunction  paid  the 
costs  and  agreed  to  sin  no  more. 

March  5th,  youngest  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  L.  A.  Blodgett  sits  down  in 
pail  of  boiling  water  and  dies  from  scalding. 

March  24th,  D.  P.  Hawes  is  one  of  the  successful  participants  in  the  Louisiana 
state  lottery,  drawing  $15,000,  one-tenth  of  the  capital  prize.  Dexter  W.  Nicker- 
son,  a  former  Blufifton  boy,  nominated  by  republicans  for  city  treasurer  of  Chi- 
cago. 

April  7th,  Farrell,  a  Bluffton  saloon-keeper,  fined  $500  for  violating  a  liquor 
injunction,  as  was  also  a  Mrs.  Dahl. 

May  31st,  Decorah  Wind  Mill  Company  in  process  of  organization. 

July  17th,  Gusta  Otteson.  domestic  in  the  family  of  A.  Herman,  died  from 
heat. 

July  22d,  Lieutenant  and  Mrs.  Ole  A.  Anderson  celebrate  silver  wedding. 


;J22  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  W  iXXESIIIEK  COUNTY 

July  26tli.  Daniel  Ilauky.  Irtepoii  iiioncer  of  1855,  and  builder  of  tirst  Win- 
neshiek county  courihousc.  jiassed  away  at  his  home  in  Decorah. 

July  30th,  the  Lutheran  and  Methodist  churches  at  Calmar  are  struck  i)y 
lightning  and  the  fornK-r  burned. 

Sep'.cniber  loth,  b(jdy  of  C.  E.  Mcader,  county  treasurer,  found  in  l'])dcgraff 
grove  with  bullet  hole  in  his  head  and  revolver  lying  by  his  side.  Sui)se(|uent 
investigation  disclosed  shortage  of  over  $5,000  in  his  accounts. 

October  5th  and  6th.  Thirty-eighth  Iowa  Regiment  holds  rcmiion  in  Decorah 
with  attendance  of  one  hundred  and  twenty. 

October  14th,  Decorah  Drum  Corps  returns  from  Chicago  with  lirst  prize  of 
ten  rosewood  shell  drums  and  eight  ivory  headed  piccolos,  offered  by  the  Daily 
News  at  the  National  encami)nient. 

December  20th,  Addicken  P.rewery  closed  by  suiircine  court  of  Iowa. 

During  the  year  1887  occurred  the  death  of  a  number  of  pioneers.  Among 
them  were  the  following:  Jaiuiary  ist.  Johanna  Stortz,  Canoe,  i<S59.  Patrick 
Nolan.  Bluffton.  February  ijlh.  Airs.  Abigail  M.  Cleveland,  Hesper,  1853. 
.March  28th,  Erick  G.  Egge,  Madison.  1853.  March  29th.  \Vm.  Mitchell.  Hesper. 
.April  21  St.  Lars  Ilaakenson.  Decorah,  1855.  May  2d,  Nathaniel  Cornell,  lUooni- 
field,  1854.  May  12th,  A.  Howell,  Decorah,  1854.  Lars  Iverson,  Canoe,  1850. 
F.  B.  Landers.  Decorah.  1856.  Rachael  Hitchcock,  Burr  Oak,  1855.  S.  M.  Leach, 
Canoe,  1851.  Mrs.  S.  1'..  Dunlaj).  Washington,  1853.  E.  C.  Lennon.  Erankville, 
1855.  Mrs.  G.  T.  l.omen.  Decorah.  John  O.  Miles.  (  )rleans,  1855.  Frank  B. 
Snell,  liluffton,  1855.  .Mrs.  William  l'.;iker,  Bloomtield,  1857.  .Andrew  Sheetz, 
Decorah,  1852. 

1888 

January  15th,  tire  at  Ridgeway  destroys  Allen  &  Prann's  drug  store.  Tuck's 
liardware.  and  (].  R.  Baker's  general  store.     Loss  $23,000;  insurance  $8.ax). 

January  13th,  14th  and  15th.  Ijlizzard  with  thermometer  registering  from 
15°  to  27°  below  zero.  Between  the  nth  and  the  25th  the  mercury  ranged 
from  zero  to  27°  below-. 

March  3d.  news  comes  of  death  of  hVancis  Tealjout.  pioneer  and  originator 
of  town  of  I"rank\ille.  at  Sanborn. 

April  5tli.  Up])er  Iowa  river  flooded.  G.  V.  Puntney  states  but  once  in 
thirty-six  years  had  he  seen  the  water  higher  in  the  river. 

April  15th.  J.  S.  Hickey  of  Ridgeway  took  his  life.  Domestic  difficulties 
were  the  cause. 

May  7tii,  a  rain  and  wind  siorni  of  great  violence  does  great  damage.  Magne 
Langland.  a  Highland  townslii])  lad.  is  sw'ept  away  and  drowned  in  torrent  in 
liear  Creek. 

July  1st.  B.  I  >.  iiaines  of  iiesiier  on  his  way  to  Decora!)  to  take  the  train 
for  Allison,  Iowa,  to  engage  in  business,  finds  his  pocketbook  missing.  It  con- 
tained $1,000.  Decorah  postoffice  becomes  second-class  and  salary  of  ])ostmaster 
increases  from  $1,900  to  $2,000. 

July  4th,  Ossian  creamery  burned. 

August  2(1.  Rev.  .Miraham  Jacob.son.  Springfield  townshi])  ])ionecr  who  returned 
to  Norway  on  a  visit,  writes  tliat  on  shipboard  he  was  thrown  violently  by  the 


.      PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  323 

lurching  of  the  ship  and  one  of  his  hips  broken,  necessitating  his  detention  in 
a  hospital   for  five   weeks.     He  completed  his   visit   nevertheless. 

August  9th,  firm  of  Olson  &  Thompson,  general  merchants,  Decorah,  dis- 
solves after  twenty-five  years,  Mr.  Olson  retiring. 

September  7th,  Knut  Larson,  a  Military  township  pioneer,  is  killed  by  the 
cars  as  he  was  driving  into  Ossian. 

September  27th,  announcement  made  that  Prof.  L.  S.  Reque  of  Luther 
College  had  been  nominated  by  the  democrats  of  the  fourth  district  for  Congress. 
He  was  defeated  at  the  polls  by  J.  H.  Sweney  of  Osage. 

September  21st,  three  hundred  neighbors  help  Mr.  and  Mrs.  B.  M.  Lien 
of  Hesper  celebrate  silver  wedding. 

October  21st,  fire  damaged  Decorah  ^L  E.  church  to  extent  of  $1,400. 

November  2d,  a  hot  political  campaign  closed  with  a  monster  county  republican 
rally  participated  in  by  hundreds.  Its  equal  was  never  held  in  this  part  of 
Iowa. 

During  the  year  1888  the  following  deaths  occurred  among  the  old  residents 
of  the  county:  March  3d,  Elizabeth  H.  Strayer,  Freeport,  1853.  March  21st, 
Elijah  Clark,  Fremont,  1853.  June  29th,  Christopher  A.  Estram,  Frankville, 
1850.  July  6th,  Mrs.  Mary  Thornton,  Bloomfield,  1858.  September  loth,  S.  B. 
Dunlap,  Washington,  1855.  September  30th,  Frank  P.  Jones,  Hesper,  1855. 
October   loth,  Roleun  Chamberlain,  Freeport,   1S55. 

1889 

April  (;th,  friends  and  neighbors  assisted  Mr.  and  Mrs.  T.  N.  Wilson  of 
Hesper  celebrate  the  sixtieth  anniversary  of  their  wedding.  They  were  Hesper 
residents  since  1856. 

April  24th,  firm  of  Leonard  &  Son,  Decorah,  takes  place  of  firm  of  Jas. 
Alex.  Leonard. 

April  23d,  lightning  struck  Elevator  "B"  at  Decorah,  which  destroyed  same. 

May  19th,  Luther  College  burned.  Lou  and  Dell  Coleman,  sons  of  Dr.  W.  F. 
Coleman,  severely  burned.     The  latter  died  from  his  injuries. 

lune  14th,  German  church  two  and  one-half  miles  southeast  of  Ridgeway 
dedicated. 

September  19th,  record  of  land  sale  at  $40  per  acre;  this  was  considered  above 
the  average  in  this  county. 

September  19th,  fire  destroyed  building  of  Julius  Meyer  at  Decorah.  Charred 
remains  of  Meyer  found  after  the  fire  had  been  extinguished. 

September   19th,  new  United  Lutheran  church  at  Decorah   dedicated. 

October,  Tarvold  Evenrud  found  dead  on  his  farm  at  Glenwood.  Sup- 
posed suicide. 

November  i8th,  Sherifif  Langland  severely  wounded  Ijy  a  shot  from  a  tough 
he  was  arresting. 

December  7th,  X.  H.  .Adams'  seed  warehouses  wiped  out  by  fire. 

December  20th,  farm  home  of  Winfred  Baker  in  BlufYton  township  burned. 

December  30th,  Todd  Peck  killed  by  the  cars  in  C,  M.  &  St.  P.  yards  in 
Decorah.  He  was  engaged  in  tagging  cars,  slipped  on  the  end  of  a  tie  and  went 
p.nder  the  wheels. 


324  i'AST  AND  TRESliXT  U1-"  WIXXESlllKK  COUNTY 

Among  the  iiaines  of  the  pioneers  who  passed  away  during  iSSy  we  find  the 
following:  January  4lh,  Mrs.  T.  W.  Burdick,  Freeport.  1856.  January  17th, 
Mrs.  S.  B.  Ervin,  north  of  Decorah,  1850.  January  27th.  Wm.  Birdsell,  Frank- 
ville,  1831.  Paris  R.  Baker,  Blufifton ;  Sven  J.  Folkedahl ;  and  Sever  Gilbert- 
son,  Highlandville,  1859.  February  5th,  R.  N.  Sawyer,  Ossian,  1855.  March, 
Rollin  Wilson,  Decorah,  1855.  March  25th,  Albert  Stonson  Grindeland,  High- 
land, 1852.  June  2d,  Ira  Blooiiifield,  Decorah.  1854.  June  17th,  Isaac  G. 
West,  Freeport,  1855.  June  2yth,  Robert  Kirkland,  Freeport,  1855.  J^'b'  ^d, 
B.  F'.  Giles,  Canoe,  1852.  July  9th,  Charles  Brady,  Bluffton,  1853.  October 
i8th.  Silas  Dayton,  Decorah,  June,  1856.  November  25th.  Wilson  W.  McIIenry, 
Decorah,  1855. 

1890 

January  ist.  Rev.  P.  Garrahan  of  Decorah  Catholic  church  fleparts  for  Ire- 
land on  a  health   recui)eralion   trip. 

January  2d,  John  Kavorik,  a  farmer  residing  near  Conover,  found  dead 
in  the  road  under  circumstances  indicating  he  had  been  kicked  by  one  of  his 
horses. 

January  4tii.   Mrs.  W.  H.  \'allcau  of  Decorah  passes  away. 

January   i6th,  two  eagles  trapped  near  Bluffton. 

April  4th,  fire  in  Calniar  swept  away  property  valued  at  $11,000.  The 
losers  being  John  Scott,  Jos.  Wallendcr,  and  Town  hall. 

May  9th.  Alice  Glover  received  fatal  injuries.  The  buggy  in  which  she  was 
riding  was  struck  by  the  cars  at  the  Broadway  crossing  in  Decorah.  She  died 
two  days  later. 

June  23d,  heavy  rains  cause  floods  that  do  damage  to  great  dams  and  bridges 
along  the  Upper  Iowa  and  its  tributaries. 

September  22d,  Mrs.  Daniel  Borst  of  Frankville,  aged  seventy-nine  years, 
burned  to  death. 

October   14th,  new   Luther   College  building  dedicated. 

Among  the  list  of  deaths  we  find  the  following  pioneers:  January  22d.  1-".  M. 
Farnsworth,  Orleans,  1855.  February  9th,  Mrs.  T.  M.  Hoyt,  Freeport,  1855. 
February  lOth,  Xarve  Gilbertson,  Madison.  February  3d,  Gullick  I.  l'>erg.  Decorah, 
1850.  March  13th,  Thomas  Headington,  Canoe,  1859.  April  "th,  Mrs.  Anna 
Morse.  Bluffton,  1852.  .\pril  nth,  l-4)hraim  Webster,  Piurr  Oak,  1855.  June 
3d,  Mrs.  Frank  Snell,  Bluffton,  1854.  June  28th,  Dr.  John  M.  I'ireen,  Decorah. 
1856.  July  2ist,  Mrs.  A.  O.  Lomen,  Si)ringfield,  1850.  August  2d,  Mrs.  Mary 
Painter.  Ilesi)er.  1856.  August  5th.  William  I'itield,  Fremont,  1834.  .August  31st, 
James  I".  Moore,  Washington,  before  1851.  September  1st.  her  Erickson,  1857. 
December  4th,  William  Rowlee.  Orleans,  1854.  December  6th,  Frank  E.  Fletcher, 
Bluffton,  183^.  December  31st,  lames  P..  Smith  (died  at  Sioux  Falls^,  Decorah, 
1855- 

1891 

January  i8th.  Unity  church  at  Decorah  dedicated. 

February  12th,  an  eagle  was  caught  on  Captain  Gardner's  farm  that  measured 
six  feet  and  six  inches  from  tip  to  tip. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  325 

March  lyth,  new  opera  house  proposition  on  foot  at  Decorah.  Subscription 
of  $10,000  secured  in  two  days.    Resulted  in  building  of  Grand  Opera  House. 

April  20th,  revival  meetings  begun  by  Rev.  D.  P.  P.rown  which  resulted  in 
the  organization  of  a   Bajjtist  church  in  Decorah. 

June  2d,  George  Bernatz's  flour  mill  at  Fort  Atkinson  burned  to  the  ground. 
Loss  $15,000.     Insurance  $9,000. 

August  2(1,  Ole  Hopperstan  killed  by  lightning  while  in  a  lield  engaged  in 
harvesting. 

August  13th,  B.  PI.  Sherdahl  rolibed  of  $117  while  in  a  saloon  in  Decorah. 

October  17th,  Michael  Maley  found  dead.  Evidently  while  driving  home  with 
a  load  of  lumber  the  team  got  out  of  the  road,  sending  the  wagon  over  a  slight 
bank  and  throwing  him  under  the  load. 

During  the  year  the  names  of  the  following  old  settlers  are  found  among  the 
deaths:  January  4th,  James  B.  Smith  (died  at  Sioux  Falls),  Decorah,  1855. 
January  6th,  Augustus  P.  Leach,  Freeport.  1854.  January  17th,  Thomas  N. 
Wilson,  Hesper,  1856.  February  23d,  Wesley  Bailey,  Decorah,  1S60.  March  4th, 
Mrs.  James  Bucknell,  Blufifton,  1855.  April  3d,  Mrs.  Benjamin  Headington,  1858. 
April  4th,  ]\Irs.  Lydia  Lawrence,  Decorah,  1858.  April  oth.  Rev.  J.  M.  Wedge- 
wood,  Ossian,  1858.  April  12th,  Mrs.  Mary  Kenyon  Glimps,  Hesper,  1853. 
April  23d,  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Williams,  Decorah,  1856.  April  23d,  Mrs.  Abigail 
Letchford,  Frankville,  1854.  i\Iay  17th,  James  Bucknell,  liluffton,  1855.  Tvlay 
29th,  Mrs.  Harriett  Beard,  Bluf¥ton,  1856.  June  9th,  Mrs.  Phoebe  .Aldrich, 
Hesper.  1858.  August  14th,  Robert  Kennedy,  Burr  Oak.  1858.  August  21st, 
Ira  Garfield,  1857.  August  29th,  Michel  Omlie,  Springfield,  1850.  September 
8th,  Nicholas  Battey,  Hesper,  1856.  November,  Erastus  V.  Andrus,  1858. 
November  29th,  Mrs.  Charlotte  Winship,  Decorah,  1855. 

1892 

January  6th,  opening  of  the  Grand  Opera  House  at  Decorah.  Speaches  by 
prominent  business  men,  also  Hon.  C.  T.  Granger,  judge  of  Iowa  Supreme  Court. 

January  13th,  Gottlieb  Krumm,  first  pioneer  in  Washington  township,  who 
arrived  there  with  his  family  in  1848,  passed  away.  Ernest  Pim  drove  over 
embankment  on  Dug  road.  Decorah,  and  died  later  from  injuries. 

March  22d,  lacob  Schwartz,  while  walking  on  the  track  near  Nordness,  was 
killed  by  the  cars. 

May  15th,  Henry  15akke  was  killed  by  lightning  while  engaged  in  work  as  a 
cream  gatherer. 

June  22d,  Sumner  and  Jackson  townshi|)s  visited  l)y  small  cyclone.  Over 
$io,ooo  damage  done. 

June  23d,  Flood  in  Dry  Run  inundated  one-third  of  the  city  of  Decorah,  and 
much  damage  was  done  to  propert)'  along  tlie  line  of  Dry  Run  and  Upper  Iowa 
river.    Over  twenty-nine  bridges  in  the  county  washed  away  or  badly  damaged. 

July  2ist,  Morrow  Paper  Manufacturing  Company  organized  to  operate  the 
Freeport  mill. 

August  nth,  Florence  Morrison  and  Burton  .Shroyer  of  Castalia  drowned  in 
Turkey  river  at  Clermont.  A  party  of  six  attempted  to  ford  the  stream  and  drove 
into  a  deep  hole. 


326  PAST  AXD  rRESEXT  Ul-   WlXNKSIilHK  COUXTV 

Sejiteniber  19th,  \alleau  elevator.  Decorah.  burned. 

September  26th.  Free  delivery  of  mail  in  Uecorali  ordered  to  begin  IJecember 
1st.    S.  E.  J.  Halvorson  and  B.  H.  .Adams  were  the  first  carriers. 

October  /til.  Corner  stone  of  Decorah  iiaptisl  church  laid. 

November  9th,  Martin  Ulake  makes  his  advent  as  a  country  wrestler.  He 
subsequently  proved  to  be  "Farmer"  Burns,  world  champion. 

November  23d,  E.  E.  Meader,  llesjier  i)ioneer,  wakened  by  burglars  wdio  com- 
ix'l  him  to  open  his  safe  and  give  over  its  contents,  several  hundred  dollars. 

December  22d,  Frankville  township  land  sells  for  $50  per  acre,  a  record  price. 

Deaths  of  pioneers  :  May  2d,  Mrs.  Charlotte  L.  .McHenry.  Decorah,  1S56.  .May 
loth,  lion.  H.  B.  Williams,  Hesper,  185S.  May  nth,  D.  D.  Webster,  Washington 
Prairie,  1852.  May  12th.  John  McKay,  P>ankville,  1854.  May  29th,  Mrs.  Mira 
D.  Wheatnian,  Calmar,  1859.  May  30th.  James  Mcintosh,  Madison,  1S55.  June 
8th,  Mrs.  Ira  Bloomfield,  Decorah,  1852.  July  20th,  H.  1:1.  llintermann.  Spill- 
ville,  1854.  July  20th,  Elizabeth  H.  Groves,  Springfield.  1850.  September  16th, 
Jos.  Zahasky.  Sumner.  1857.  October  2d.  Malhias  Knecskern.  I'rankville,  1858. 
October  7th,  J.  S.  Daskam,  Fremont,  1854.  October  nth,  Mrs.  I!ertha  II.  Even- 
son,  Pleasant,  1851.  November  i6th,  Mrs.  Olson,  Conover.  1852.  November 
18th,  Mrs.  Betsey  A.  Walker,  Burr  Oak,  1855.  November  20lh,  Thoma.-  Trnman, 
Fremont,  1855.     November  22d.  Mrs.  John  Kessell.  Fremont.  1853. 

January  ist,  E.  I.  Weiser.  pioneer  druggist  t  1838).  retires,  and  his  son.  E.  J. 
\\'eiser,  succeeds  him. 

January  28th.  Walter  E.  Akers.  former  well  known  atluniey.  killed  in  rail- 
road accident  near  Kent,  Illinois.  Twenty  days  of  below  zero  weather  in  January, 
the  coldest  being  26°  below. 

February  19th,  John  C.  Pearson  killed  by  accidental  firing  of  a  gun  at  Rock- 
vale,  Colorado. 

March  ist.  Dr.  E.  B.  Hutchinson,  Decorah  inoneer  of  1858,  and  count v  clerk 
for  four  years,  died  at  Taopi,  South  Dakota. 

March  9th.  word  received  that  Col.  J.  E.  Simpson.  Winneshiek  pioneer,  is  made 
connnandcr  of  Nebraska  Soldier's  Home. 

March  6th,  C.  N.  Goddard,  pioneer  merchant,  elected  mayor  of  Decorah. 

March  7th.  .Mr.  and  Mrs.  .Alva  Tracy,  Sumner  township  ])ionecrs,  celebrate 
liftictli  wedding  anniversary. 

March  20th,  Calmar  .M.unifacturing  CDmpany  is  organized  with  $20,000 
capital. 

.March  26th,  llelmer  Johnson.  Calmar  boy.  killed  bv  the  cars. 

June  10th,  Prof.  L.  S.  Reque  of  I.uther  College  apimiiitcd  consul  at  Rotterdam, 
Holland,  by  President  Cleveland. 

June  lotli.  Dr.  .Anton  Dvorak,  world  faniDUs  Bohemian  composer,  comes  to 
Winneshiek  county  to  spend  three  months  at  Spilhille.  It  was  while  here  that 
he  wrote  his  celebrated  New  World  symi)hony.  He  also  composed  a  (|uintette 
which  he  called  ".'-^pillville." 

June    19th.   in  the  announcement   nf  .-iw.-irds   in   the   dairy  butter   cimtest    fnr 


-     PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  327 

June  at  the  world's  fair  in  Chicago,  Airs.  D.  H.  Leach  of  Erceport  is  first  in 
Iowa  with  a  score  of  ninety-six  points. 

June  29th,  Decorah  Windmill  Company  receives  orders  for  mills  to  be  shipped 
to  Yucatan,  Mexico,  and  Rio  de  Janeiro,  Brazil. 

July  13th,  Plans  for  new  M.  E.  church  at  fiurr  Oak  completed. 

August  4th,  Capt.  M.  A.  Moore,  who  organized  Company  H,  Ninth  Iowa 
\'olunteers,  while  residing  at  Burr  Oak,  dies  at  Omaha. 

August  17th,  Patrick  Roney  died  at  home  of  G.  Severson  in  Canoe  township 
under  circumstances  that  caused  Severson's  subsequent  arrest,  trial  and  convic- 
tion of  manslaughter.     Roney  had  lived  in  the  county  since  1853. 

.August  22d,  Hexom  Brothers,  in  the  Hutchinson  building  on  Washington 
street,  Decorah,  burned.     Loss  $9,500.     Insurance  $6,500. 

October  21st,  George  Cooney,  pioneer  of  Decorah  (1850)  and  Fort  Atkinson 
(1853),  passed  away.  Mr.  Cooney  was  appointed  agent  to  take  care  of  the  fort 
property  until  it  was  sold  by  the  Government. 

October  28th,   Public  Library   Association   formed. 

November  ist,  Ezekiel  Cutler,  first  auditor  of  Winneshiek  county,  dies. 

December  14th,  Prof.  H.  W.  Shiel  of  Luther  College,  explores  Glenwood  cave 
and  reports  length  of  2,400  feet  with  a  stream  navigable  for  1,400  feet. 

Deaths  of  pioneers  during  the  year  as  follows:  January  16th,  Cyrus  Williams, 
Washington  Prairie,  1855.  January  28th,  Benjamin  Beard,  Washington  Prairie, 
1851.  (In  Fresno,  Cal. )  March  ist,  Arvilla  Pagin,  Frankville,  1852.  March 
30th,  Mrs.  W.  M.  Ranken,  Frankville,  1856.  (At  Tonganoxie,  Kas.)  April  6th, 
Phineas  Banning,  Bloonifield,  1849.  April  21st,  Alva  Tracy.  Sumner,  1858.  April 
28th,  Leonard  Standring,  Decorah,  1855.  April  28th,  Patrick  Courtney,  Bluffton, 
1855.  Jime  25th,  John  Herrick  Coleman,  Decorah,  1857.  August  i8th,  Mrs.  F.  D. 
Sawyer,  Ossian,  1858.  August  13th,  Christopher  Todd,  Fremont,  1855.  August 
15th,  Hiram  Wilson,  Frankville,  1858.  August  23d,  Mrs.  Wilson  Daubney.  Pleas- 
ant, 1855.  September  3d,  Lewis  L.  Cooke,  Glenwood,  1S53.  September  15th, 
David  Kinnison,  Frankville.  1849,  Canoe,  1850.  October  <)th,  Violet  McMurtrie 
Burdick,  Decorah,  1858.  October  14th.  Mrs.  Magne  Langland,  Pleasant,  1853. 
November  6th,  Mrs.  Jacob  Zuchmayer,  Decorah,  1858.  November  19th,  Amos 
Harris,  Castalia,  1859.  November  24th,  Amos  C.  Earl,  Springwater,  1858.  No- 
vember 29th,  Willard  Converse  (at  Cresco),  Sumner,  1856. 

1894 

January  15th,  Hon.  Henry  M.  Rice,  who  ran  a  trading  post  on  the  Peter 
E.  Haugen  farm  southwest  of  Decorah  in  1840,  dies  at  San  Antonio,  Texas. 

February  ist,  \Vinneshiek  county  has  eighteen  creameries.  There  were  two 
each  on  Washington  prairie  and  Kendallville.  The  Ossian  Creamery  Co. 
operated  one  each  at  Castalia,  Ossian,  Festina  and  Nordness.  Wm.  Beard  & 
Son  operate  one  at  Decorah,  one  at  Ridgeway,  and  one  at  Frankville,  and  the 
others  were  located  at  Burr  Oak,  Calmar,  Glenwood,  Hesper,  Locust,  Spillville, 
and   Highlandville. 

February  1st.  the  death  of  Gjermund  Johnson,  the  leader  of  the  second 
jiarty  of   Norwegian  pioneers  who  came   to  the  county   in    1850,   passed  away. 


328  I'AST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

Fchniary  iith.  Jared  I'ergiison  of  Dccorali  celebrates  his  one  luiiKlredth 
liirtlulay    anniversary. 

February  25th,  Mrs.  Sarali  M.  ']"hune  i>f  Washington  I'rairie  dies  i"roni 
fright  caused  by  actions  of  a  horse  attached  to  Iniggy  in  which  she  was  riding. 

Marcli  6th,  S.  C.  Treat,  ])ioneer  Dccorah  l)aker  (1856),  retires  from  busi- 
ness. Russell  Tabor,  founder  of  Hesper  village,  jjassed  away.  He  was  a 
pioneer  of  1854. 

March  12th,  Snyder's  store  and  Ereeport  postotfice  burglarized  and  building 
batlly  damaged  by  blowing  open  safe. 

March  8th,  James   Malloy,  prominent   resident   of  Ossian,   jiassed   away. 

April  4th,  Plymouth  Rock  mill,  one  of  the  early  ones,  bought  by  George 
Sears. 

March  30th,  Hon.  D.  <  >.  Aker,  Burr  Oak  Springs  pioneer  of  1854  and  for- 
mer state  representative,  died  at  his  home  at  Ridgeway. 

April  I2th,  a  damage  suit  for  $5,000  brought  by  the  wife  nf  a  man  named 
Reihle  against  the  county,  settled  for  $1,000.  Reihle  was  one  of  two  brothers 
whose  threshing  outfit  went  through  a  county  bridge  near  Si)illville  and  he  was 
killed. 

March  30th.  town  of  Ridgeway  votes  to  incorporate. 

April  1 8th,  Sheriff  Christen  searches  homes  of  Frank  Ferguson,  George 
Strauss  and  John  Flickey  at  Calmar,  securing  large  amount  of  loot  stolen  from 
freight   cars.     Arrest  and  conviction   followed. 

May  1 2th,  first  mulct  consent  petition  taken  under  new  law  is  fded  with 
board  of  sujiervisors.  It  contained  the  names  of  78.2  per  cent  of  the  voters 
at  the  last  general  election.  Decorah  city  council  Noted  to  make  the  tax  $800, 
bidding  $200  to  the  amount  stipulated  by  law. 

May  20th.  Capt.   George  Q.   Gardner  died. 

June  7th,  Mrs.  Gabriel  I.  Osmondson  of  Pleasant  township  killed  in  a 
runaway. 

June  13th.  James  Shea  of  Burr  r)ak  died  while  under  the  influence  of  chloro- 
form administered  to  perform  operation. 

June  26th.  Kate  Jennish  of  Decorah  killed  by  lightning.  In  a  hard  storm 
she  started  to  run  from  the  home  of  her  sister  to  her  father's  home  and  it  is 
supposed  she  was  killed  by  a  bolt   that  struck  a  tree  near  by. 

July  20th,  Judge  L.  <  ).  llatcli,  of  this  district  court,  dies  at  his  home  at 
Mc(  Iregor, 

August  1 6th.  extreme  dr\  weather  makes  the  tire  hazard  great.  .\t  Ossian 
on  August  2(1.  a  spark  from  the  i)assiiig  engine  sets  fire  to  dry  grass  and  the 
town  is  menaced.  In  Sumner  township  on  the  6th  a  threshing  engine  sets  fire 
I0  a  field  oil  1',.  C.  Wingard's  farm  .nid  it  was  necessary  to  ])1ow  around  it  to 
|)Ut  out  the  blaze.  On  the  morning  of  the  7th  the  Gilchrist  elevator  in  l")ecorah 
I>urned.  During  the  week  of  .XuLjust  o-u  he;it  eN|);iiided  the  rails  on  a  newlv 
I.'iid  track  ;it  Calmar  so  they  curved  fnur  feet  nut  of  .ilignment.  (  )n  the  7th  :i 
little  son  of  J.'is.  Tverson.  1  tesper,  was  prostrated  w  illi  heat  w  bile  driving  to  Mabel, 
and  died. 

September  2d,  bodies  of  George  Wemcit  and  Mrs.  John  Cater  of  I'.iur  Oak 
discovered.  Circumstances  point  to  murder,  .iiid  John  Cater  is  subsequently 
convicted  of  the  crime  and  sent  to  the  penitentiary   for  life. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  329 

October  15th,  new  M.  E.  church  at  Burr  Oak  is  dedicated. 

Deaths:  January  21st,  Samuel  Hunter,  Bloomfield,  1855.  January  23d, 
Ellen  Fleming,  Decorah,  1856.  January  26,  Dr.  Austin  Pegg,  prominent  physi- 
cian and  resident  of  Ossian.  February  6th,  John  Stead,  Burr  Oak,  1853.  Feb- 
ruary 2d,  Andrew  Mcintosh,  Madison,  1855.  March  23d,  B.  O.  Dahly,  Free- 
port,  1854.  March  i6th,  Joseph  Huber,  early  Sumner  pioneer.  March  30th 
Albert  Weiser  (at  Preston),  Decorah,  1856.  May  i8th,  Silas  Gripman,  Canoe, 
1855.  May  2ist,  John  Twamley,  Fort  Atkinson,  1857.  July  26th,  John  Ken- 
nedy, Decorah,  1858.  September  nth,  Mrs.  Crescentia  Rastetter,  Spillville, 
1851.  October  6th,  Mrs.  B.  Harmon,  Franklin  Prairie,  1850.  December  22d, 
Mrs.  Mary  Carter,  Bloomfield,  1856. 

1895 

January   nth.  ten-year-old  son  of  Torston  Johnson  of  Glenwood   frozen  to 
death.     It  is  supposed  that  while  skating  he  broke  through  the  ice  and  was  so 
exhausted  when  he  got  out  he  could  not  go  home. 
January  31st,  agitation  for  a  new  courthouse  began. 

February  3d,  J.  J.  Marsh's  machinery  houses  burned.  Loss  $10,000.  Insur- 
ance $1,100. 

February  5th,  stores  of  Levi  Fossum  and  J.  C.  Tarvestad  and  photo  gallery 
of  J.  E.  Borlaug,  Decorah,  ruined  by  fire. 

March  4th,  Doctor  Daubney  elected  mayor  of  Decorah,  beginning  a  service 
of  eighteen  years  in  the  office. 

March  15th,  Alonzo  Houck,  proprietor  of  Burr  Oak  stage  line,  died  suddenly 
from  heart  disease. 

February  22d,  word  comes  of  the  death  of  Ernest  Willett,  blind  son  of  Judge 
G.  R.  \Mllett,  in  Germany,  where  he  was  studying  music. 

March  27th,  AI.  W.  Carey,  superintendent  of  county  poor   farm,   died. 
April   i6th,  Decorah  Congregationalists  vote  to  build  new  church. 
April  26th,  Winneshiek  Lodge,  No.  58,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  celebrates  seventy-sixth 
anniversary  of  Odd  Fellowship  in  America.     Dr.  F.  Andros,  pioneer  physician, 
died   in    Minneapolis.      He   was   physician   to   the    \\'innebago    Indians    at    Fort 
Atkinson  in  1846. 

May  9th,  Doctor  Cartwright  secures  for  Grace  Episcopal  church,  Decorah, 
the  bell  in  the  old  Episcoijal  church  at  Waukon.  The  bell  was  a  present  to  the 
Waukon  church   from  Jay  Cooke,  noted  Philadelphia  banker. 

June  20th,  the  census  of  Winneshiek  county  is  23,041,  a  gain  of  513  in 
five  years. 

July  1st,  George  Q.  Gardner  Camp,  Sons  of  Veterans,  installed  in  Decorah. 
A  camp  at  Hesper  had  been  installed  previously. 

July  3d,  Wm.  Updegrafif  lays  out  Updegrafif's  addition  to  Decorah.  A  por- 
tion of  the  tract  is  now  included  in  the  city  park. 

July  9th,  farm  home  of  Michael  F.  McCabe,  near  Plymouth  Rock,  with  its 
contents,  destroyed  by  fire. 

July  22d,  Sumner  W.  Matteson,  pioneer  of  1857  and  clerk  of  courts  1860- 
1864,  died  in  St.  Paul. 


330  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

August  I4tli.  Peter  Peterson  of  Calmar  has  leg  crushed  by  cars  in  Cahnar 
yards. 

August   22(\   and   23d.  old   settlers  reunion   held   in   Decorah. 

August  30th.  Jacob  Cipera  of  Spillville  arrested  for  shooting  Frank  Novotney. 
He   was   convicted   of   assault. 

September  14th,  Baker's  store  at  Kidgeway  burglarized  of  S300  worth  of 
goods.     It  was  entered  again  October  2d  and  a  large  amount  of  stock  taken. 

September  iTith.  Rev.  and  Mrs.  Ephraim  .-Xdams,  pioneer  jiastor  and  wife, 
celebrate    fiftieth    wedding    anniversary. 

September  jC)th,  Decorah  becomes  central  station  for  Winneshiek  county 
telephone  lines. 

October  2d,  Jared  Ferguson  of  Decorah  dies  at  the  age  of  loi  years,  7 
months  and  21  days.     Pioneer  Norwegians  hold  first  reunion. 

October  22d,  Mrs.  D.  F.  Knowlton  celebrated  ninetieth  birthday. 

October  8tli,  D.  C.  Tabor  and  wife  of  Ilesper  celebrate  golden  wedding 
anniversary. 

December  26th,  T.  J.  Crawford  of  Frankville  has  a  $1,300  pig.  He  bought 
it  at  the  state  fair  and  subsequently  it  was  found  it  had  cholera.  The  disease 
was  transmitted  to  Mr.  Crawford's  herd  and  his  losses  rejjresented  the  above 
sum. 

December  24lh.  John  Kern's  home  at  Locust  burned.  It  was  a  landmark, 
having  been  built  t)\-  W'm.  \'ail,  one  of  the  first  settlers. 

Among  the  deaths  of  pioneers  during  the  year  we  find  the  names  of  the 
following:  January  i8th.  Mrs.  l.ucinda  Carlield.  1857.  January  23d.  Sarah 
Jane  Taylor,  Canoe,  1853.  Janu;u-y  241I1,  W  ni.  X'reeland  (at  Spirit  Lake), 
Decorah,  1855.  Jan.  27th,  Sarah  Smith  Sharp,  Canoe.  1851.  January  28th. 
Mons  K.  Foss,  Pleasant,  1853.  February  ist,  Judge  E.  E.  Cooley.  Decorah. 
1854.  February  5th,  James  Cameron,  Military,  1854.  February  7th.  Jeremiah 
T.  Atkins,  Decorah,  1851.  February  13th,  Gilbert  K.  Opdahl,  Decorah,  1850. 
F'ebruary  14th,  Martha  M.  McMuUen,  Canoe,  1854.  March  25th,  Mrs.  Amelia 
Packard,  Frankville,  1856.  April  19th,  Mrs.  Maria  Hogan,  Decorah,  1858. 
June  i8th,  Michel  Dibb,  Madison,  1856.  July  12th,  I,orenz  Stortz.  Canoe. 
1859.  August  9th,  Mrs.  Judson  E.  Dean,  Military,  1851.  August  13th,  John 
1  Ringstad,  Madison,  1852.  September  6th,  Mrs.  James  Headington,  Canoe, 
1859.  September  3th.  Mrs.  Isabelle  Blanchard,  Canoe,  1840.  September  I2tli, 
Jos.  McMahon,  Decorah,  1855.  October  nth,  Richard  Ciri])man,  Canoe,  1855. 
November  12th.  Mrs.  John  McKay,  Frankville,  1852.  November  i8th,  Ralph  C. 
Pike,  Decorah,  1856.  December  12th.  John  llcnry.  Canoe.  1854.  December 
13th,  B.  L.   Bisby,  Ilesper,   1851, 

1896 

January  ist,  news  comes  of  the  death  at  Denver  of  Rev.  W.  .\.  Keith,  who  was 
the  organizer  and  the  first  minister  of  the  Congregational  church  at  Decorah. 
He  came  to  Decorah  in  June,  1854. 

January  28th,  burglars  entered  the  store  of  J.  A.  Giesing  at  Calmar  and  one 
was  killed  by  a  shot  fired  at  random  from  ;i  son  of  Mr,  (  nesing.  who  was  in  a 
room  upstairs. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  331 

February  6th,  the  city  council  considers  a  proposition  to  'ight  the  city  by  elec- 
tricity. It  was  submitted  to  the  voters  and  on  March  3cl  won  a  substantial  major- 
ity. Franchise  was  given  to  a  -Mr.  Rolf,  but  this  was  forfeited,  and  on  .-Vugust 
19th  the  council  gave  the  franchise  to  Burtis  &  Howard  of  Minneapolis. 

February   12th,  residence  of  Mrs.  Esther  Pegg  at  Ossian  consumed  by  fire. 

February  i6th,  new  Congregational  church  at  Decorah  dedicated. 

April  5th,  fire  destroyed  barn  of  John  Wingate  at  Burr  Oak.  Seven  horses 
and  several  head  of  cattle  burned. 

May  24th,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cyrus  McKay  celebrate  their  golden  wedding.  Lived 
in  Decorah  for  thirty-six  years. 

June  25th,  hard  storm.    Rain  fall  was  2.02  in.  in  one  hotir. 

June  24th,  reorganization  of  Cemetery  Association.  Six  acres  purchased  to 
enlarge  Phelps  cemetery.     Archway  to  be  erected  by  Mr.  Phelps. 

June  28th,  Baptist  church  at  Decorah  dedicated. 

July  1st,  contract  let  for  new  school  house  at  Decorah. 

July  4th,  Jacob  Segmiller,  Jr..  thrown  from  the  back  of  a  horse  on  to  cement 
side  walk  and  killed. 

July  27th,  Congregational  church  at  Decorah  calls  Rev.  Mahlon  \Villett.  their 
present  pastor. 

August  i8th.  little  Schellhammer  boy  of  Castalia  fell  from  a  sixty  foot  wind- 
mill tower,  died  two  hours  later. 

September  2d,  Luren  Singing  Society  won  honors  at  the  annual  Saengerfest 
held  at  Omaha. 

October  22d,  word  is  received  of  the  death  of  Wm.  Fannon,  at  Neleigh, 
Nebraska.  He  was  a  pioneer  in  this  county,  and  served  four  years  as  county 
treasurer. 

November  12th,  after  thirty-four  years  of  existence  the  National  Bank  of 
Decorah  sticcumijs  to  adversity.     Closed  by  bank  examiner. 

November  27th.  Y.  M.  C.  A.  rooms  opened  in  Decorah. 

December  14th,  J.  H.  ]\lackenstadt's  tailor  shop  at  Decorah.  looted  and  goods 
to  the  amount  of  $1,200  stolen. 

Among  the  deaths  during  the  year  we  find  the  following  names  of  pioneers: 
January  18th,  Mrs.  Jane  Grout  Coleman,  Decorah,  1857.  January  22d,  Dr.  William 
Parliman,  Decorah,  1857.  February  12th,  A.  W.  Brownell  (at  Salem,  Ore.). 
February  13th,  Ezekiel  E.  Meader,  Hesper,  April  12,  1861.  Mrs.  Richmal  Pollett, 
Burr  Oak,  1855,  February  17th,  N.  S.  Marsh,  Decorah,  1856.  Alarch  7th, 
Deighton  B.  Ellsworth,  Decorah,  1855.  Mrs.  Sophia  Hoffstrom.  Decorah,  1856. 
N.H.Williams  (at  Mitchell,  S.  D.),  Decorah,  i860.  March  loth,  \'incent  Kapler, 
Spillville,  1855.  March  23d,  Thomas  Mitchell,  Hesper,  1836.  May  2d,  James 
McEnerny,  Decorah,  during  the  '50s.  May  15th,  Mrs.  Cynthia  Bachelder,  Bloom- 
field.  May  24th,  Mrs.  Ingred  Haugen,  Madison,  1850.  June  ist,  ^fary  Ann 
Gorman  Birdsell,  Frankville,  1854.  June  29th,  H.  J.  Harden,  Burr  Oak,  1857. 
July  1st,  Mrs.  N.  C.  Earl.  Decorah,  i860.  August  5th,  Henry  Heivly,  Decorah, 
1856.  August  14th,  Charles  H.  Jennish,  Decorah.  September  ist,  George  Daub- 
ney.  Pleasant,  1854.     October  13th,  Amos  Smith  (at  I'.eloit.  Wis.),  Decorah. 


332  PAST  AND  PRF.SEXT  OF  WIXXESIIIEK  COUNTY 

1897 

Jaiuiarv  jih.  war  is  declared  between  the  Iowa  and  Standard  tele])hone  com- 
panies, resulting  in  the  latter  being  built  to  all  ])arts  of  the  county.  The  Decorah 
Electric  I-ight  Company  organized.  This  was  the  forerunner  to  the  L'jiper  Iowa 
Power  Company  division  of  the  Inter  State  Power  Com])any. 

January  13th.  Sarah  Campbell,  first  settler  in  Winneshiek  county,  died  at  her 
home  near  Castalia. 

January  20th.  Cater  nuirder  case  sent  back  for  retrial  because  of  error  in 
Judge  Cooley's  instructions  to  the  jurv.  Change  of  venue  taken  to  Fayette  county 
and  Cater  was  again  convicted  and  sent  to  jienitentiary  for  life. 

January  25th,  new  Decorah  High  School  building  occupied.  The  building 
cost  $33,752. 

January  27th.  Samuel  Murdock.  judge  of  tenth  district  in  1855,  ilied  at  his 
home  in  Clayton  couiUy. 

January  29th,  \\  .  II.  O.xley,  well  known  nioomlicld  pioneer,  killed  in  runaway 
accident. 

January  30th,  Ibm.  John  Mcllugh,  prominent  banker,  stockman  and  politician, 
died  at  Cresco. 

I'"el)ruary  "th.  Decorah  Electric  Light  Company  begins  ojieration  of  i)lant. 

Februarv  18th.  announcement  made  that  Rev.  Thomas  I.inelian  is  apjioinied 
bishop  of  Ciieyenne.  He  was  a  priest  of  the  Decorah- lUulTton  charge  m  1869-70, 
his  tirst  charge. 

March  iith.  Mrs.  Jofl  I'crry,  daughter  of  .Mrs.  .^arrdi  Campbell  who  died 
Jaiuiary  13th,  found  dead  in  bed.  She  came  to  the  count)  with  her  ])arents  in 
June.  1848. 

March  20th,  Citizens  ."Savings  LUmk  bu}s  b'inn  building,  corner  of  \\  ater  and 
Winnebago  streets,  Decorah,  and  announces  it  will  be  remodeled  for  new  bank 
home.  -At  a  citizens"  mass  meeting  at  Calmar  it  was  unanimously  voted  to  build 
a  new  eight  room  schoolhouse  with  basement  under  the  whole  building. 

March  22d,  Judge  Hobson  declares  Mulct  petition  h  short  of  required  65 
per  cent. 

June  0th,  what  was  thought  to  be  an  earthquake  shock  was  felt  throughout 
this  region. 

July  5th,  Decorah  celebrated  day  of  national  independence  with  Sen.  I.  J. 
Ingalls  of  Kansas  as  orator.  It  was  the  greatest  celebration  ever  held  in  this 
part  of  Iowa. 

.August  5th,  .American  Pul]).  Linen  &  Fibre  Company  bu\-  IVeeport  Paper 
Mill  and  pre])are  to  convert  it  into  a  tlax  fibre  plant. 

August  25th,  I-^.  W.  Daubney  nominated  by  republicans  for  Senator  for  Winne- 
shiek and  Howard  district.  .At  the  time  a  suit  was  pending  against  him  in  which 
Charlotte  Daubney,  his  aunt,  demanded  the  return  of  $7,cxx)  of  securities  from 
the  estate  of  her  husband.  He  was  defeated  for  the  senatorship  by  D.  A.  Lyons 
of  Cresco  and  the  court  ordered  him  to  turn  o\er  the  securities  he  claimed  as 
a  gift  from  his  uncle. 

October  i6th,  fire  on  Peter  Roney's  farm  at  Trout  Run  burns  barn,  seven 
horses,  500  bushels  of  oats  aufl  other  property. 

Deaths  of  pioneers  during  the  year  were  as  follows:    January  "th,  Stci)hen 


■      PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  333 

Allen,  Bloomfield,  1855.  January  23d.  Mrs.  Salmon  Shroj'er,  Bloomfield,  1856. 
January  24th,  Airs.  J.  H.  Burhans.  Bloomfield,  1855.  January  27th,  Wm.  B. 
Goocher,  Orleans,  1855.  January  31st,  Peter  AIcMartin,  Bloomfield,  1855.  Feb- 
ruary fith.  Lyman  Seeley,  Decorah,  early  '50s.  February  26th,  Lucretia  C.  Tal- 
bert,  Hesper,  early  '505.  February  28th,  Sarah  A.  Husted.  Aloneek,  1851.  March 
22d.  Mrs  Mary  Holcomb,  Bloomfield,  1854.  March  29th,  Dr.  Wm.  C.  Battey, 
Hesper,  1855.  April  7th,  Geo.  Heckle,  Burr  Oak,  1855.  April  12th,  Joseph  AI. 
Langhlen,  Burr  Oak,  1857.  April  20th,  ATrs.  H.  Holverson,  Springfield,  1S54. 
Alay  2d,  Jacob  Rotner,  Canoe,  1854.  June  14th,  Thomas  Russell,  Canoe,  1854. 
Tune  2ist,  Airs.  Elizabeth  Botsford,  Decorah,  1837.  July  ist,  Ella  F.  Gripnian, 
Canoe,  1854.  July  25th,  Walter  Rathbun,  Frankville,  1850.  August  i8th.  Airs. 
J.  H.  Porter,  Burr  Oak,  1857.  September  ist,  Wm.  Russell,  Canoe,  1855.  Sep- 
tember 7th,  Dr.  H.  C.  Bullis,  Decorah,  1854;  James  Tyler,  Decorah,  1853.  Sep- 
tember 14th,  James  \'an  Pelt,  Decorah,  1853.  October  7th,  Wm.  L.  Iverson, 
Canoe,  1851.  October  nth,  J.  X.  Kelley,  Bluffton,  1856.  November  ist.  Airs. 
John  DeCou,  Aloneek,  1850.  November  6th,  C.  Van  Wey,  Frankville,  1856. 
December  6th,  Jens  Christopher,  Springfield,  1854.  December  20th,  Airs.  Alva 
Tracy,  Sumner,  1858.     December,  W.  W.  Wheelock,  Decorah,  1855. 

1898 

February  loth,  John  Scott,  first  mayor  of  Calmar  and  well  known  merchant, 
passed  away. 

February  12th.  jury  in  tlie  case  of  F.  W.  Daubney,  asking  .$10,000  for  libel 
from  A.  K.  Bailey,  returns  verdict  for  defendant.  Another  case  of  $io,ooj 
against  the  Decorah  Republican  never  got  beyond  the  notice  of  suit  being  served. 

February  i8th,  worst  snow  storm  in  years. 

Alay  19th,  city  of  Decorah  orders  eight  blocks  on  Water  street  paved. 

June,  among  the  \\'inneshiek  county  boys  who  served  their  country  in  the 
Spanish-American  war  we  find  the  names  of  Charles  T.  Bailey,  Fred  Gellerman, 
Lester  Rice,  Charles  Larson,  Ole  Evenson,  Lou  Half,  Herbert  Haskel,  Julius 
Schwarz,  Hans  Endustad,  Will  Asseln,  Weld  T.  Burdick,  Charles  Drake,  Charles 
Dwyer,  Robt.  Reynolds,  AI.  Olson,  E.  Elzea,  Wm.  Coan. 

June  2gth,  G.  C.  Krunini  and  wife  at  Fort  Atkinson  celeljrate  the  fiftieth  anni- 
versary of  their  location  in  Washington  township,  Winneshiek  county. 

July  1 8th,  The  Grand  Opera  House  at  Decorah  gutted  by  fire.  Loss  $15,000, 
fairly  well  covered  by  insurance.  In  August  a  contract  was  let  for  rebuilding. 
Finished  in  December. 

July  26th,  Airs.  Bertha  Nelson  of  Aladison  township  burned  to  death.  A 
spark  from  her  pipe  set  fire  to  her  clothing. 

October  4tli,  .Xatlian  Peckliam  of  Castalia  killed  in  a  runaway. 

October  7th,  Julius  iluber  of  P^ort  Atkinson  buried  alive  in  a  pit  while 
engaged  in  road  work,     .'^mothered  to  death  before  he  could  be  dug  out. 

December  loth,  seven  indictments  returned  by  Winneshiek  grand  jury  against 
J.  H.  Easton  charging  fraudulent  Ijanking.  Five  other  indictments  were  previ- 
ously secured.  Trial  of  the  cases  was  postponed  until  the  statute  of  limitations 
expired. 


334  PAST  AND  PRILSEXT  OF  WlXXESllIEK  COUNTY 

December  12th,  George  R.  W'illctt,  pioneer  attorney  and  legislator,  passed 
away.    He  came  to  Decorali  in  1857. 

December  I5tli,  John  Kjerland  of  Higbland  township  in  a  iealnus  rage  kills 
Lars  G.  Aarhus.     Subsequently  he  killed  himself. 

Among  the  deaths  of  the  pioneers  during  this  year  we  tind  the  names  of 
the  following:  January.  Mrs.  Aaron  Street,  Hespcr.  1854.  l-"ehruary  iSlh, 
Almira  Mason  liurdick,  Freeport,  1852.  February  i6th,  Hci)r\  \\int,'atc.  lUirr 
Oak,  1859.  February  25th,  Christian  Lower.  Frankville,  1855.  .Vpril  30th, 
August  Draws  (at  Staples,  Minn.),  Decorah,  1853.  April  10th,  Mrs.  I'.ridgot 
Wilson,  Decorah,  1854.  .\i>ril  14th.  George  C.  Winshij)  (at  Tekoa,  Wash.), 
Decorah,  1855.  April  20lh.  Mrs.  DeWitt  Smith,  Frankville.  early  '50s.  May 
13th,  Robert  F.  Greer,  Decorah.  1858.  May  23d.  \\'iniam  Henry  liaker,  Bloom- 
field,  1854.  May  27th.  Magnus  .Anderson  Linnevold,  FVankville,  1853.  June  6th, 
Charles  Henry  Hitchcock,  1856.  July  15th,  Mrs.  Gertrude  fJidne,  Pleasant.  1853; 
F.zckiel  \\"ebb,  Canoe,  1854.  July  i6th,  Theodore  Weld  Pairdick.  Decorah.  1853; 
Peter  Sampson,  Pleasant,  1852.  October  3d,  John  W.  Humphrey,  1859.  Oliver 
Kenyon,  Hesper,  1858.  November  8th,  Mrs.  Louise  .\iu)-  W'eiser.  Fort  Atkinson. 
1857,  Decorah,  1859.  Levi  Moore  (at  Red  Cloud,  Neb.),  Burr  Oak,  1851. 
November  i6th,  Ole  Evenson  Hann,  Springfield,  early  '50s.  November  30th, 
Mrs.  W.  W.  \Mieelock.  Decorah,  1855.  December  i8th,  Mrs.  Philip  Pfister, 
Locust,  1855.  I)eccml)er  24th.  John  R.  Slack,  Decorah,  1856.  December  28th, 
Mrs.  C.  P.  Gibbs.  Glenwood,  1852. 

1899 

January  27th  lo  l-\-bruary  i3lh,  eighteen  days  of  e.\treme  weather,  the  average 
low  readings  of  the  thermometer  being  20.33^  below  zero.  On  I'ebruary  loth 
the  mercury  registered  34  '  below. 

Tebruary  20th,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Simon  Broghammer  celebrate  golden  wedding. 

March  jd.  Decorah  and  Calniar  are  engaged  in  lively  fight  over  courthouse 
question. 

March  9th,  C.  N.  Goddard  installed  as  postmaster  of  Decorah.  In  1856  he 
was  dei)uty  ])ostmaster  to  "Bill"  Kimball. 

.\pril  2ist.  John  Brcckenridgc.  well  known  cducatdr  ;md  founder  of  Decorah 
Institute,  dies. 

May  iith,  the  estate  of  John  I'isher,  pioneer  Military  citizen,  on  demand  of 
county  treasurer  Nordheim,  pays  $848.27  in  back  taxes  for  four  years  on  sums 
varying  from  $i6,cxX3  to  $22,000. 

May  26th,  Wm.  H.  A'alleau,  former  mayor  oi   Decorah,  died  in  Chicago. 

June  6th,  Woodmen  of  .Xortheastern  Iowa  hold  picnic  in  Decorah,  with  an 
attendance  of  eight  to  ten  thousand  people. 

June  8tli.  l.uren  Singing  Society  of  Decorah  celebrate  tweniy-fifili  anniversary. 

June  loth,  Decorah  is  fifty  years  old. 

September  19th,  banc|uet  of  B.  .Xnundsoii  on  llie  att.iinment  of  liis  twenty-fifth 
anniversary  as  editor  of  Decorah  Posten  is  a  public  affair  attended  by  members  of 
the  Scandinavian  Press  Association  and  other  promineiU  Norwegians  from  all 
over  the  Middle  West. 


PAST  Ax\D  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  335 

September  30th,  Mrs.  Sewall  Knowlton,  lilufftoii,  pioneer  ( 1859)  died  at  the 
age  of  ninety-four  years. 

October  9th,  paper  mill  at  Freeport  burned.  Loss  $15,000.  Insurance  $6,500. 
(It  was  rebuilt. ) 

October  29th,  Lavina  I'..  Benedict,  founder  of  Benedict  Home  at  Des  Moines, 
passed  away. 

Among  the  deaths  of  pioneers  during  the  year  1899  ^'^^  ^'^d  the  following 
names:  January  3d,  John  W.  Thune,  Glenwood,  1850.  January  25th,  Moses 
Gove,  Hesper,  1856.  February  iStli,  E.  Blackmarr,  Hesper,  1854.  February, 
Mrs.  Carrie  Allen,  Decorah,  early  '50s.  February  17th,  Timothy  E.  Fuller,  Frank- 
ville,  1848.  February  27th,  Geo.  N.  Holway,  Hesper,  1853.  Alarch  17th,  J.  H. 
Burhans,  Bloomfield,  1855.  April  loth.  Mrs.  H.  R.  Thomas,  Decorah,  1858. 
April  26th,  Charity  E.  Wingate.  Burr  Oak,  1859.  May  20th,  Wm.  B.  Updegratf, 
Canoe,  1854.  June  22d,  Enos  S.  Lambert,  Bloomfield,  1854.  July  25th,  Mrs.  John 
Greer,  Decorah,  1857.  .\ugust  22d,  Mrs.  Simson  Drake,  Decorah,  1856.  Sep- 
tember loth,  Peter  C)lson,  Highland,  1854.  September  25th,  Mrs.  O.  P.  Tenold, 
Cahnar,  1855.  October  15th,  Eliza  B.  Todd,  Fremont,  1856.  October  15th,  Philip 
Kratz,  Sr.,  Lincoln,  1859.  October  17th,  Adam  Steinmann.  Decorah,  1853. 
October  23d,  Mrs.  J.  C.  Strong,  Fort  Atkinson,  1858.  October  19th,  Mrs.  Tollef  H. 
Larsen,  Springfield,  1855.  December  8tli,  Ole  P.  Tenold,  Calmar,  1855.  Decem- 
ber 9th,  DeWitt  Smith,  Frankville,  1855. 

1900 

January  1 8th,  fire  at  Ossian  damages  the  Ossian  Band  and  M.  I.  Carter's  law 
-library. 

January  29th,  Dr.  C.  W.  Amy  died  at  Decorah.  He  came  here  in  1857  and 
in  1861  enlisted  with  the  Second  Colorado  Cavalry,  serving  under  General  Blunt 
and  Kit  Carson. 

February  ist,  Winneshiek  County  Medical  Society  organized  with  Dr.  P.  M. 
Jewell  as  president. 

January  31st,  Capt.  Hamiibal  Tower,  prominent  citizen  of  Fort  Atkinson, 
passed  away. 

February  loth,  Corp'l  Willis  Mc]\Iartin,  Company  G,  Forty-fifth  LI.  S.  Infantry, 
died  in  Philippines  from  malaria  fever.     He  was  a  Castalia  boy. 

February  14th,  People  of  Fort  Atkinson  start  movement  for  a  state  park 
to  include  site  of  old  fort,  btit  nothing  ever  came  of  it. 

March  24th,  Col.  William  Thurlow  Baker,  retired  officer  of  the  English  army, 
passed  away.  He  was  a  survivor  of  the  Sepoy  mutiny  in  India,  and  for  his 
eflforts  in  restraining  the  spread  of  disaffection  among  his  own  men  he  was 
rewarded  by  being  given  permission  to  organize  the  Fourth  Regiment  of  Ghoor- 
kas  and  he  was  made  their  commander.  After  coming  to  Decorah  in  1865  he  was 
prominent  in  the  Decorah  Woolen  Mill  Company  during  its  greatest  activity. 

April  4th,  Mrs.  Olinda  C.  Willett,  widow  of  Judge  G.  R.  Willett,  pioneer  law- 
yer, passed  away. 

April  7th,  Theodore  Thorson  of  Canoe  comes  to  Decorah  and  disappears. 
His  body  was  found  several  days  later  in  the  river,  death  having  been  due  to 
accidental  drowning. 


336  PAST  AND  PRESKXT  OF  WIXXF.SHIRK  COUNTY 

April  6th.  Dr.  E.  Cart \v right,  well  known  jihysician.  dieil. 

April  25th,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  B.  T.  Barfoot.  )iioncers  of  Uecorah  and  .Madison 
townships,  celebrate  golden  wedding. 

Mav  loth.  j.  L.  W'indell,  Castalia  resident,  writes  relatives  that  he  has  disposed 
of  mining  interests  at  Nome,  Alaska,  for  $20,000. 

May  22d,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  David  Dorn  of  Ridgeway  celebrate  fiftieth  wedding 
anniversary. 

May  23d.  Rural  Free  Delivery  Route  Xo.  i,  Decorah.  the  first  route  in  the 
fourth  congressional  district,  is  approved  and  recommended  established.  Rev. 
I'aul  Koran  was  instrumental  in  securing  the  service,  which  began  Inly  1st,  with 
llenry  \  istc  as  carrier. 

June  3(1.  C.  L.  I.ott  kidnajis  his  daughter,  who  was  being  cared  for  bv  her 
uncle  and  aunt.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  W.  F.  Coleman.  He  was  caught  at  Canton.  Min- 
nesota, and  the  child  restored. 

June  12th,  Mrs.  Xancy  Self  celebrated  her  one  hundred  and  lillii  birthday. 
She  had  been  a  resident  of  Decorah  for  forty-three  years.  (  She  w  as  the  mother 
of  Mrs.  Wm.  Painter  [Decorah,  1849].  who  died  May  2S.  igoo,  at  Dexter.  S.  D. 
Mrs.  Self  died  Xovcmber  29.  1900. _) 

July  9th,  J.  J.  Marsh  of  Decorah  departs  for  Oyster  I'.ay.  .\ew  York.  He 
w'as  chosen  as  one  of  the  committee  of  forty-live  to  notifv  Theodore  Roosevelt 
of  his  nomination  for  the  vice-jiresidency. 

August  1st,  Decorah  city  council  orders  leaving  on  Water  and  Winnebago 
streets.    Washington  street  was  ordered  paved  to  the  bridge  later  in  the  year. 

.August  15th,  Mrs.  Toger  Landsrud  of  Springlield  gored  ly\-  a  bull  and  dies. 

.\ugust  22d.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Daniels  of  Centennial  celebrate  golden 
wedding. 

October  23(1.  Rev.  R.  Swcaringen,  pastor  of  1  )ecnrali  M.  F.  clnirch  in  1872 
and  presiding  elder  of  Decorah  district.  1873-76.  died  at  .Marshalltown. 

Xovcmber  4th.  .\ndrew  Meyer,  who  settled  near  l-'ort  .Atkinson  .April  i,  1849, 
passed  away. 

Deaths  of  pioneers  during  the  year  1900:  January  4th,  Airs.  J.  R.  Slack, 
Decorah,  1855.  January  5th,  Airs.  Xed  Walsh,  Decorah,  1850.  January  i/tii, 
Mrs.  Henry  Adams,  Decorah,  1835.  January  26th,  Mrs.  Christian  Lower.  Frank- 
ville,  1855.  February  26th,  C.  W.  .Allison,  Decorah,  1856.  March  6th.  C.  (  inis- 
tian.  Pleasant.  1856.  Alarch  22d.  John  Fredcnburgh,  Canoe.  1850.  .\])ril  131I1, 
Mrs.  Jens  Christojiher,  Si)ringtield,  1853.  .April  8th.  ("..  W.  (^xlev.  liioomlield, 
1854.  May  I2tli.  Mrs.  F.mm;i  I'erry,  Canoe,  middle  '5o>.  July  I'uli.  J.  1,.  Cameron, 
Hcsper  1838.  July  23d.  .Mrs.  P.  Lyons.  Jackson.  1836.  July  31st.  Jnhn  Kno.v. 
Burr  Oak,  1836.  .August  17th,  .Mrs.  Chas.  (lok.  Decorah.  1837.  Septeml)er  loth, 
Mrs.  Samuel  Bolger,  Canoe,  early  "50s.  October  (nh.  .Mrs.  W  ( i.  W.  Sawyer, 
Decorah,  1835.  Xovcmber  19th.  Lydia  .A.  Blackinton.  Decorah,  1836;  Filing  O. 
Ramsey,  Frankville.  1852.  November  22(1,  d.  \V.  Russell.  Canoe.  1834.  Xovembcr 
.30th,  Mrs.  C.  A.  McClintock,  Frankville,  i84<).  December  ujth,  (uilbrand  T. 
Lomen,  Decorah,  1831.  December  20th.  Mrs.  lUit^.  Lincoln,  early  '50s.  December 
22d.  Lewis  W.  I'pdegrafl'.  Hesper.  1838:  Cuttorm  .Allen.  Springfield.  1834. 
December  27th,  James  Headington,  Canoe,  1839. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  337 

lyoi 

January  3d,  census  bulletin  shows  Winneshiek  county  has  -33,731  people,  a 
gain  of  1.203  or  5.3  per  cent  in  ten  years. 

January  5th,  Locust  postoffice,  discontinued  because  the  postmaster  thought 
he  could  hold  up  the  Government  for  .$300  a  year,  is  restored. 

]\Iarch  31st,  Ben  liear  celebrated  (juarter  century  as  Decorah  merchant. 
April  15th,  Citizens  Bank  of  Ossian  begins  business. 

May  3d,  James  D.  McKay  (  Frankville.  1851),  pioneer  lawyer  and  Representa- 
tive of  Winneshiek  and  Allamakee  counties  in  the  Legislature  of  1854  and  1856, 
passed  away. 

June  7th,  8th,  Union  Filire  Company  take  over  Free])ort  paper  mill  and  begin 
manufacture  of  flax  fibre. 

July  4tli,  George  Phelps  gives  orders  for  the  erection  of  a  receiving  vault  at 
Phelps  cemetery. 

July  28th,  a  season  of  extreme  heat,  which  began  on  June  23d,  is  ended. 
The  average  high  reading  for  thirty-six  days  was  96.28"^.  There  were  but  five 
days  in  the  term  when  the  mercury  showed  lower  than  90^  and  twenty-seven 
days  showed  96°  or  higher.  ( )n  ten  days  the  record  was  100"  or  higher,  and  the 
readings  on  July  20th  to  2(ith  were  105°,  107°,  100°,  105°,  107°,  105°  and  103°, 
or  an  average  of  104.6°.     Crops  were  not  damaged  l)v  the  heat. 

August  5th,  E.  P.  Johnson  nominated  for  state  senator.  He  was  defeated  at 
the  polls  by  Senator  D.  A.  Lyons  of  Cresco. 

September  14th,  ]\Irs.  Gertrude  M.  Olson  of  Pleasant  township  found  in  :i 
deep  ditch  with  broken  hip.  She  became  lost  in  the  woods  the  .Saturday  previous, 
had  fallen  in  the  ditch,  and  laid  there  during  three  nights  and  two  days  of  cold 
rainy  weather. 

October  24th,  Ole  Halvorson  \  allc  of  Pleasant  townshijj  died.  In  1844  he 
was  employed  by  the  Government  to  plow  for  the  Indians  located  on  the  reserva- 
tion in  Winneshiek  county,  some  of  the  plowing  being  done  at  Trout  Run. 

November  25th,  ]\Iichael  McCabe  of  Plymouth  Rock  killed  by  cars  at  North 
McGregor. 

During  the  year  the  following  old  residents  celebrated  the  fiftieth  amiiver- 
sary  of  their  weddings :  February  2d,  Mr.  and  .Mrs.  S.  C.  Treat,  Decorah. 
February  13th,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wm.  Puntney,  Canoe.  April  24th,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
C.  B.  Riggs.  Castalia.     May  5th.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  R.  F.  Gibson,  Decorah. 

During  the  year  we  find  the  following  deaths  of  pioneers  recorded :  Janu- 
ary 5th,  Hans  E.  Sivesind,  Glenwood,  1853.  January  8th,  Mrs.  Sarah  W. 
Landers,  Decorah,  1856.  January  23d,  Mrs.  Anna  J.  Spilde,  Canoe,  1859.  Jan- 
uary 30th,  Filing  E.  Void,  Madison,  1853.  February  7th,  K.  Vigen,  Washington 
Prairie.  1853.  February  13th.  Mrs.  Ole  Burrison,  Hesper,  earlv  fifties.  April 
1st,  Mrs.  Stephen  Berry,  Burr  Oak,  1856.  April  i8th,  Jacob  Haas,  Decorah, 
1857.  April  25th,  Jacob  Thorgrimson  Bjortuft,  Springfield,  1853.  April  23d, 
Rachel  Hutchinson,  Hesper,  1854.  May  13th,  George  Tyler,  Decorah,  1857. 
May  28th,  Tarine  W'ennes,  Highland,  1854.  August  9th,  Ezra  Schoonmaker, 
Military,  1855.  August  i6th,  Henry  F.  Dean,  Bloomfield,  early  fifties.  Septem- 
ber 4th,  Calvin  Brown,   1855.     October  loth,  Anon  Anderson,  Frankville,   1857. 


338  PAST  AXIJ  I'RESLIXT  UF  WTXXESHIEK  CUU.XTY 

1902 

Januarv  i2tli.  Rev.  K.  Seelnuis'  congregation  in  Highland  lownslii])  vote 
to  build  a  new  church. 

January  loth,  Winncsliiek  Co.  Rank  of  Dccorah  buys  d.  R.  Baker's  bank 
at  Ridgeway. 

January    13th,    David    Dorn,   proniineni    RidgcWay   citizen,   dies. 

February  5lh,  Chinnock's  slice  store  in  Dccorah  burned.  F'stimatcd  loss 
$11,000.    insurance  $8,000.     Incendiarism   was   suspected   as   the  cause. 

February  i6th,  new  Methodist  churcii  at  Ridgeway  dedicated.  This  parish 
was  the  nursery  of  a   number  of  prominent  ministers  in  the  church. 

February  20tli,  J.  J.  Marsh  celebrates  fortieth  anniversary  as  Decorah  busi- 
ness man. 

F'ebruary  25th,  announcement  of  the  organization  of  the  Castalia  Savings 
Hank  is  made.     It  opened  for  business  in  March. 

March    ist.  Thomas  Letchford,  prominent  F'rankville  resident,  died. 

March  9th,  K.  I.  Haugen  celebrates  quarter  century  of  merchandising  in 
Decorah. 

March  24th.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ogden  Casterton,  Highland  township  pioneers, 
celebrate  golden   wedding. 

April  22d,  fire  destroys  feed  mill  and  other  property  of  Joiin  McMillan, 
Mesper,  causing  loss  of  $5,000.  In  the  property  consumed  was  a  Percheron 
stallion  raised  by  Mr.  McMillan  that  was  a  first  i)rize  winner  at  the  International 
Live  Stock  Show  the  previous  fall. 

April    I  Jib.  Adolph  Meyer,  prominent  citizen  of   Calmar,  died. 

April  22(1,  Mrs.  David  Kinnison,  wife  of  Canoe  pioneer,  passes  awav.  She 
came  to  the  county  with  her  husband  in  the  fall  of  1849. 

May   8ili,   (|uestion   of   building   new   courthouse   is   again    under   discussion. 

May  2 1  si,  Hood  in  Dry  Run  does  greatest  damage  in  history  of  county. 
Milwaukee  railroad  track  and  bridges  from  Peterson's  grove  to  Decorah  practi- 
cally all  demolished,  only  one  bridge  left  intact  in  Decorah.  Thousands  of  dol- 
lars in  pr(j])erty  destroyed;  the  infant  child  of  Charles  Clark  drowned;  John 
Garver  died  from  heart  failure  caused  by  fright;  Richard  liucknell  and  family 
taken  from  hole  cut  in  ronf  cif  bis  house,  which  was  carried  two  l)locks  from  its 
foundation  and  landed  against  Mrs.  Ellen  Curtin's  house,  and  M.  T.  Torsen 
narrowly  escapes  drowning.     The  loss  in  county  bridges  alone  was  $40,000. 

May  27th,  Dr.  I".    T.  Wilcox  of  Frankville  died. 

lune  ijlb.  survey  of  ])ro])osed  Decorah-Prcston  electric  line  commenced. 
(^ Aside  from  the  survey  it  never  progressed   farther.) 

July  1st,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  O.  W.  Emory,  Canoe  pioneers,  celebrate  golden 
wedding. 

July  2(1,  Joseph  Mott,  of  the  pioneer  band  of  Quakers  (  Springwater,  1855), 
dies. 

July  2ist,  Levi  BuUis,  pioneer  lawyer,  dies.     He  came  to  Dccorah  in    1854. 

July  26th,  Win.  Painter,  who  was  a  first  settler  in  DecDrah  with  the  Day 
family  in    1849,  dies  at   Dexter,  South  Dakota. 

August   i3tli,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  M.  B.  Ousley  celebrate  golden  wedding. 


.       PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  339 

August   I  "til,  First  Lutheran  cliurch  of  Decorah  celebrates  twenty-fifth  anni- 


versarv 


August  j8th,  Albert  Severson  killed  by  cars  at  Ossian,  August  22d,  and 
Charles  Hargraves  suffers  same   fate  at  Decorah,  August   27th. 

September  17th,  board  of  supervisors  issue  statement  concerning  the  old 
courthouse  and  announce  that  the  question  of  building  a  new  one  will  be  placed 
before  the  voters  at  the  November  election.     (It  carried  by  966  majority.) 

September  29th,   K.    P.   lodge  organized   in   Decorah. 

October  7th,  at  a  special  election  the  town  of  Decorah  and  West  Decorah 
vote  to  annex.     The  school   districts  were  also  annexed. 

October  15th,  C.  N.  Goddard  celebrates  fortieth  anniversary  as  pioneer  mer- 
chant of  Decorah. 

October  30th.  ten  deaths  are  recorded  during  the  preceding  week.  The 
most  prominent  one  among  them  is  Capt.  E.  I.  Weiser,  pioneer  druggist  (1856), 
soldier  and  citizen  of  Decorah.  Others  were  Simon  Broghammer,  Pleasant  town- 
ship, 1857:  Peter  T.  Tvenge,  Springfield,  1853;  Mary  Ann  Huber,  Fort 
Atkinson  ;  Lizzie  Martinek,  Washington  township,  1857 ;  August  Schrubbe,  De- 
corah, 1862;  Ernest  G.  Hegner :  Ragnor  J.  Monrad,  an  editor  on  Decorah 
Posten ;  Mina  C.  Aasen,  Decorah,  and  Ole  A.  lllegen,  one  of  the  pioneers  of 
Glenwood. 

November  6th,  Winneshiek  Comity  Bank  will  incorporate  after  a  life  of  forty- 
six  years  as  a  private  institution. 

November  ist,  Rev.  M.  S.  Drury,  one  of  the  first  members  of  the  board  of 
supervisors,  dies  in  California. 

Other  deaths  of  pioneers  recorded  during  the  year  of  1902:  January  ist, 
John  Theilich,  Decorah,  1853.  January  4tli,  James  Stringer,  Decorah,  1856. 
January  27th,  Francis  Tucker,  Freeport,  1854.  January  30th,  Mrs.  Caroline 
Allen,  Hesper,  1857.  February  6th.  John  S.  Losen.  Hesper,  185 1.  February 
J4th,  Margaret  Olson.  Pleasant,  1854.  March  i8tli,  Mrs.  Thomas  Mitchell, 
Hesi)er,  early  fifties.  .March  30th,  D.  L.  Richards,  Bloomfield,  1855.  May  3d, 
Ole  Anfinson  Tweet,  Pleasant,  1854.  May  18th,  Mrs.  Wm.  Telford,  Decorah, 
1859.  June  6th,  Marit  Rovang,  Springfield,  1850.  July  9tli,  J.  C.  Strong, 
Fort  Atkinson,  1857.  July  12th,  Mrs.  Geo.  N.  Holway,  Hesper,  1832.  July 
i6th,  S.  O.  Wilson,  Decorah,  1854.  Tuly  nth,  Mrs.  Joseph  Adams,  Frankville, 
1855.  August  (>th,  Mrs.  Harriett  Smith,  i3Iutifton,  1857.  September  ist,  Law- 
rence Falck,  Fort  Atkinson,  1853.  Septemijer  13th,  Mrs.  Dominick  Curran, 
Glenwood,  1858.  October  2d,  P.  McCusker,  Frankville,  1858.  November  i8th, 
George  Yarwood,  Calmar,  1855.  December  14th,  Mrs.  Peter  Aye,  Decorah, 
1857.  December  15th,  Peter  L.  Wennes,  Highland,  1854.  December  23d,  Tim- 
othy Finn,  Decorah,  1855.  Decemlier  19th,  George  W.  McKay,  Frankville,  1851. 
December  25th,  Mrs.  Jeddidiah  Miller,  Canoe,  1856. 

1903 

February  17th,  Calmar  postofl-'ice  burglarized  and  between  $300  and  $500 
taken. 

March  4th,  contract  for  Iniilding  new  courthouse  awarded  to  O.  H.  Olson  of 
Stillwater  for  $74,875.     (  This  only  built  the  shell.    Another  bond  issue  of  $50,000 


1340  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

was  necessary  to  complete  it.)  Workmen  in  tearing  down  the  old  building  tind 
hidden  in  the  northeast  cornice  two  old-fashioned  folding  silk  sunshades  of 
1850  vintage,  live  combs,  five  plaited  linen  shirt  fronts  and  a  bolt  of  tape.  How 
ihey  got  there  the  oldest  inhabitant  couldn't  say. 

March  21st,  Congressman  Haugen  announces  he  will  reconimeml  1.  I.  .Marsh 
for  postmaster   at    Decorah.      (Mr.    Marsh   held   the   office   nearly   nine   years.) 

April  14th.  Mrs.  Frederica  Sellman  of  Locust  dies  at  the  age  of  eighty-eight 
years.     She  came  to  Winneshiek  count)-  in   i860. 

May  "th,  word  comes  of  the  death  at  Center  Cirove.  Minnesota,  of  Thor 
Peter  Skotland,  first  Calmar  pioneer. 

May  8th,  Mrs.  A.  K.  Sogen  died.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Anton  Hegg  and  was  born  December   16,   1855,  in  Springfield  townshi]j. 

May  i8th.  Tim  .Ahern  of  Calmar,  roadmaster  of  I.  &  M.  division  of  C, 
M.  &  St.  1'.  Ky.,  killed  by  being  knocked  from  train  at  Cresco. 

June  i8th,  the  fiftieth  anniversary  meeting  of  the  Norwegian  Lutheran 
Synod  of  America  held  in  Decorah.  Thousands  of  visitors  attended  the  meet- 
ing, which  lasted  a  week.  Rev.  J.  .\.  Otteson,  Re\-.  H.  A.  Stub  and  Rev.  N. 
Brandt,  three  of  the  seven  original  ministers,  survixc.  The  occasion  is  also  the 
anniversary  of  the  marriage  of  Rev.  and  Mrs.  \'.  Koren.  and  of  their  coming 
to  Winneshiek  county.  King  Oscar  of  Sweden  and  Norway  honors  Reverend 
Koren  by  conferring  upon  him  the  degree  of  commander  of  the  order  of  St.  Olaf, 
and  Rev.  11.  A.  Preus  and  Dr.  Laur  T-arsen  are  made  Knights  of  St.  Olaf. 

August    1 8th.  Rev.  \'.   Koren  and  wife  celebrate  golden  wedding. 

August  22d,  cornerstone  of  new  courthouse  laid. 

Se])tember    ist,   Decorah   Methodist   church   celebrates   semi-Centenial. 

September  loth,  Decorah  city  council  lets  contract  to  pave  Washington  street 
from  bridge  to  Milwaukee  tracks. 

Septemlicr  iith.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  11.  P.  Nicholson  of  Militar\  town>lii|i  celcl)rate 
golden  wedding. 

Septcinher  iwtli.  I.  I.  .M;ir>li.  pioneer  dealer  in  f;u'm  ini]ilcments.  retired  from 
business. 

October  iith.  United  Lutheran  cluirch  in  ."Springfield  township  celebrated 
fiftieth  anniversary. 

Novemi)er  30th,  Samuel  Rosa,  I-"rank\illc  pii nicer,  fell  from  lo.id  of  hay  and 
his  neck  was  broken. 

December  23d.  C  O.  Rustad,  who  came  to  Decorah  in  1855,  passed  away. 
He  was  treasurer  of  the  Lutheran  .Synod  from   1862  to   iiptx 

December  31st,  in  the  Iro(|uois  theatre  tire  in  Chicago,  Miss  Relle  Christo- 
pher of  Decorah  and  Wilma  Porter,  daughter  of  Mrs.  Nellie  Landers  Porter, 
lost  their  li\es.  Mrs.  W.  F.  Cnlcni;ni  (now  Mrs.  15.  11.  Adams)  was  jiainfnlly 
injured. 

Deaths  of  pioneers  during  the  year  were  as  follows:  January  1st,  Mrs. 
G.  W.  Estey.  Moneek,  1854.  January  loth.  Tollef  \'ick,  Sr.,  .Springl'ield,  1854. 
January  22d,  Norris  Miller,  Decorah,  1855.  January  31st,  Mrs.  M.  P.  Riggs, 
Castalia,  1854.  February  14th,  Mrs.  Mary  L.  Boyd,  Decorah,  1851.  February 
I5fh,  Robert  Burrows,  Blufifton,  1852.  February  27th,  Moses  Hosteller.  I'r.mk- 
viile,  1851.  March  loth,  Mrs.  Gunhild  Bakke,  Frankville,  1851.  .March  14th, 
Joseph  Bowland,  Calmar,  1856.    March  nth,  Moses  M.  Lockwood,  Fort  .\tkin- 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  341 

son,  1856.  March  31st.  Almon  Rice,  Bluffton,  1857.  April  22d,  C.  B.  Riggs, 
Bloonitield,  1854.  i\pril  24th,  W'ni.  King,  Burr  Oak,  1854.  July  8th,  Henry  R. 
Thomas,  Decorah.  1854.  July  i6th,  Airs.  Andrew  Smith,  Burr  Oak,  early 
fifties.  July  28th,  Gulhrand  Gulbrandson,  Decorah,  1852.  July  29th,  Mrs.  Milo 
Emory,  born  in  Canoe  in  1853.  August  2d,  Betsey  A.  Snell,  BlutYton,  1854. 
August  8th,  John  McMartin,  Bloomfield,  1851.  August  31st,  Mrs.  A.  C.  Ferren, 
Decorah,  1857.  September  i6th,  jMrs.  Oline  O.  Ellingson,  Calmar,  1858.  Octo- 
ber, John  Odson,  Springwater,  1857.  November  4th,  Mrs.  Eliza  M.  Decker. 
Decorah.  1850.  November  9th,  Peter  Roney.  Decorah,  1855.  November  8th, 
John  Walton,  Sr.,  Orleans,  1855.  November  4th,  Elijah  Briggs,  Burr  Oak, 
1855.  December  2d,  John  Lawrence,  Jackson,  1852.  November  22d,  John 
Cameron,  Orleans,  1854.  December  14th,  James  P.  McKinney,  Fort  Atkinson, 
1857.     December  i6th,  Airs.  Jane  W'ilsie.  Burr  Oak,   1854. 

1904 

January  29th,  funds  to  build  new  Winneshiek  Hotel  in  Decorah  raised  in 
one  day.     (The  work  was  begvm  July  ist  and  was  completed  April  20,   1905.) 

February  nth,  Edna  Lawrence  succeeds  her  father,  John  Lawrence,  as 
postmaster  at  Navin.     He  held  the  office  thirty-four  years. 

February  26th,  Prof.  H.  T.  Ytterboe  of  St.  Olaf  College,  Northfield,  dies. 
He  was  born  November  25,   1857,  in   Springfield  township. 

May  21  St,  in  district  court  Mrs.  Lucy  A.  Fairman  is  given  the  estate  of 
Almon  Rice  valued  at  $30,000.  Plaintiff  introduces  letters  to  prove  she  is  the 
illegitimate  daughter  of   Rice. 

July  6th,  C.  J.  Weiser  presents  a  clock  to  the  county  to  be  installed  in  the 
tower  of  the  new  courthouse.  It  is  made  in  honor  of  his  father  and  mother, 
both  of  whom  were  early  pioneers. 

August  6th,  news  comes  of  the  death  at  Franklin  Park.  Illinois,  of  Henry 
Woodrufif,   editor  of  Decorah   Journal   from    1874  to    1893. 

August  loth.  at  10:40  .\.  Al.  the  last  stone  on  the  exterior  of  the  new 
courthouse  was  laid. 

August   i6th,  Thomas  Haugen  of  Springfield  burned  i)y  traction  engine. 

September  23d,  Capt.  James  E.  Simpson,  pioneer  county  surveyor  and  for 
many  years  U.  S.  revenue  collector  at  Dubuque,  died  at  Norfolk.  Nebraska. 
Mrs.  Simpson  died  a  week  later.  C.  P.  Brown,  former  well  known  attorney, 
died  at  St.  Paul. 

September  29th,  St.  Mary's  Catholic  ciiurch.  Festina.  celebrates  fiftieth  anni- 
versary. 

October  nth  to  13th,  annual  conference  of  Unitarian  churches  of  Iowa  held 
in  Decorah. 

October  22d,  Friends'  church  at  Hesper  burned.  (It  was  subsequently  re- 
placed by  a  new  structure. ) 

October  29th,  Jacob  Aal  Otteson,  one  of  the  seven  charter  member  ministers 
of   the  Norwegian  Lutheran  church  of  America,   died  in  Decorah. 

November  5th,  H.  A.  Bigelow,  early  day  resident,  murdered  by  T.  I.  GiiTord 
in  a  (|uarrel  over  a  trivial  matter.  Gifford  subsequently  escaped  punishment, 
the  jury  finding  he  committed  the  crime  while  insane. 

Vol.  1—19 


342  PAST  AND  PRKSEXT  OF  WIXXESI  IIF.K  COUNTY 

November  24tli,  new  Winneshiek  county  courtiiouse  completed  and  occupied. 

During  the  year  golden  weddings  were  celebrated  as  follows:  July  3d, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Peter  Hamre,  Springfield  township.  August  6th,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Isaac  Falck,  Calniar.  .Se])tember  24th.  Mr.  and.  .Mrs.  llalvor  Garden.  S])ring- 
field  township.     September  27th,  Mr.  and  .Mrs.  D.  N.  Hoyt,  Decorah. 

The  following  names  of  pioneers  appear  in  the  record  of  deaths;  January 
23d.  Almira  Allen  Russell,  born  in  Frankville,  1858.  January  31st,  Jolm  .Vdam 
Kern,  Pleasant,  1855.  February  25th,  Mrs.  Rowena  Libbey,  Orleans,  1857. 
February  24th,  Wm.  Brinkman,  Lincoln.  March  2d,  Eliza  King  Leach,  Canoe, 
1854.  March  22d,  Mrs.  Claiborn  Day,  Decorah,  1857.  March  17th.  Jane 
McMillan  Hallock,  Hesper,  1852.  March  22d,  D.  T.  Manning,  liurr  Oak.  1853. 
April  i6th,  Charles  Rudolph,  Decorah,  1839.  Ai)ril.  Henry  C.  Palmer,  llurr 
Oak,  1855.  April  17th,  S.  S.  Wade.  Burr  Oak.  1856.  April  26th.  John  Heckel. 
Burr  Oak,  1855.  May  23d.  O.  \V.  Ellingson.  Pleasant.  1854.  Mny,  Peter  J. 
Falstad,  Hesper.  1856.  June  2d,  Mrs.  A.  C.  Smith,  Springfield.  1853.  June 
14th,  Thomas  K.  Morrison.  Bluffton.  1855.  June  14th.  .Andrew  Bakken.  Madi- 
son, 1854.  June  23d,  Caroline  Russell  Giles,  Canoe,  1855.  July  loth,  Doniinick 
Curran,  Glenwood,  1858.  July  23d,  Mrs.  C.  W.  Rowe,  Hesper.  August  ist, 
Mrs.  Silas  H.  Hendrickson,  Glenwood,  1852.  .\ugust  6th,  Melvin  Green,  Bloom- 
field,  1850.  September  6th.  Mrs.  Charles  Rudolph,  Decorah,  1859.  September 
i5th,  Mrs.  M.  J.  Boland,  Hesper,  1858.  September  Knli.  Mrs.  .Mjbie  Malanaphy, 
Bluffton.  1854.  September  25th,  John  I!arth,  i'lcasaiit,  1855.  October  loth, 
Israel  Birdsell,  born  in  Frankville  in  1852.  Octol)er  21st.  T.  .\.  W'indell,  Bloom- 
field,  1853.  November  16th.  .Mrs.  John  Heckel,  Burr  Oak,  1857.  December 
23d,  J.    Pickworth,  Calmar.  early   fifties. 

1905 

January  51I1,  Winneshiek  County  Stale  I'.ank  celebrates  fiftieth  anniversary. 

January  7tli.  W'.  S.  Bucknell.  Decorah  architect,  dei^arts  for  Panama  to  be 
employed  on  the  big  canal. 

April  27th.  New  Winneshiek  Hotel   formally  opened. 

Mav  24tb,  John  C.  Todd.  promineiU  farmer  of  Fremont  townshij),  passed 
away  suddenly 

June  7th,  Decorah  cil\-  council  orders  paving  of  seven  l)locks  of  city  streets 
and  alley  in  blocks  lo  and  11. 

June  1 2th,  Student  Singers  of  Norway  visit  Decorah  and  give  concerts. 

June  20th,  Burr  Oak  old  settlers'  picnic  brings  reunion  of  large  number  of 
old  residents. 

June  22d,  Freeport  paper  mill  burned. 

June  22d  and  2^d.  North  Iowa  X'eterans'  .Association  meets  in  Decorah  and 
is  attended  by  six  score  old  soldiers. 

July  nth,  Elizabeth  Douglass  .Adams,  wife  of  Rev.  Ephraim  Adams,  pioneer 
pastor  of  Decorali  Congregational  church,  dies  at  Waterloo. 

August  I2th,  Mrs.  Gottlob  Krumm  of  the  second  pioneer  family  to  locate  in 
the  county  (June  29.  1848)  dies  at  her  home  at  I'ort  .Atkinson.  She  was  the 
mother  of  eight  chiUlren.  seven  of  whom  survived  her.  At  the  time  of  her  death 
she  was  eighty-six  years  of  age. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  343 

August  23d,  Iver  Larson,  Decorah  merchant  and  Canoe  township  pioneer 
of  185 1,  passed  away. 

August  22d,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Daniels  (  h'rankville,  i<S5J|  celelirate  their 
fifty-fifth  wedding-  anniversary. 

Septemljer  2d,  ^^"ilhanl  Jennings  Bryan  lectured  in  Decorah. 

Se])teml)er  14th,  census  of  Winneshiek  county  is  24,109,  a  gain  of  378  in 
five  years.     Decorah"s  population,  4,018. 

September  17th,  Airs.  Andrew  Aleyer,  who  came  to  Winneshiek  in  1849, 
celebrates  eightieth  birthday. 

October  21st,  Henry  Schulze,  well  known  contractor  and  builder  of  Decorah, 
died  suddenly  at  Mabel,  [Minnesota. 

November  ist,  E.  O.  Schjeldahl  celebrates  thirtieth  anniversary  as  merchant 
at  Highlandville.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  W.  Kramer  of  Castalia  celebrate  golden 
wedding. 

October  29th,  New   I<"riends  church  at  Hcsper  dedicated. 

November  14th,  board  of  supervisors  let  contract  for  l)uilding  of  concrete 
bridge  to  cost  $15,000  over  Upper  Iowa  river  in  Decorah. 

November  i6th,  C.  N.  Coddard,  pioneer  merchant,  announces  that  he  will 
retire  from  business,  closing  a  career  of  fifty  years. 

November  20th,  C.  C.  Fiates,  veteran  horseman,  died  at  his  home  in  Decorah. 
In  "Thalberg"  he  owned  one  of  the  most  noted  horses  in  the  Midille  West. 

S.  W.  Field,  aged  eighty  years,  died.    He  came  to  Decorah  in  the  early  '(^os. 

November  2C)th,  corner  stone  of  new  Lutheran  church  laid  in  Ridgeway. 

December  7th,  Jane  Amy  AIcKinney,  pioneer  of  Fort  Atkinson  in  1857,  died 
at  Cleveland,  C)hio.  She  was  an  ardent  member  of  the  W.  C.  T.  U.  and  enjoyed 
something  more  than  a  local  reputation  as  an  able  champion  of  that  work  and 
the  fight  for  equal  suffrage. 

Deaths  of  pioneers  recorded  during  the  year: 

January  2d,  Mrs.  Susan  A.  Reed,  1854. 

January  24th,  James  Sharp,  Hesper,   1853. 

January  29th,  D.  C.  Taber, "Hesper,  1855. 

February  5th,  James  McKernan,   lUoomfield,  early  '50s. 

February  22d,  Mr.   Hrockman,  "\Iilitary,  early  '50s. 

February  15th,  James  McMillen,  Hesper,  1852. 

March  20th,  Charles  Golz,  Decorah,  1857. 

]\Iarch  1 2th,  Thomas  Daly,  Fremont,  1852. 

March  21st,  George  Strayer,  Freeport,  1858. 

A]iril  19th,  Louis  Nolte,  Decorah,  1859. 

.■\pril  2ist,   Franklin   Dean,   Dloomfield,    1854. 

April  22d,  Lydia  C.  Aldrich,  Hesper,  1856, 

yiay  1st,  Amos  J.  McKay,  Freeport,  1856. 

.April  26th,  C.  E.  Dickerman,  Decorah,  1855. 

May  6th,  Ellen  Giles,  born  in  Canoe,  1856. 

— ,  John  H.  Fierce,  I'.urr  Oak,  1854. 

July  30th,  Mrs.  Anna  M.  Christianson,  I'leasant,  1854. 

— ,  Mrs.  L.  P.  Frazine,  Decorah,  1856. 

August  31st,  Tollev  Halvorson,  Military,  1854. 


344  PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY 

August  22cl.  Mrs.  Jolm  Ainnion,  Decorah,  1852. 
September  21st.  Mrs.  .M.  Forde.  Pleasant,  1856. 
November  12th.  Mrs.  C.  F.  Miller,  Spillville.  1855. 

1 906 

January  2d,  Decorah  city  council  raises  mulct  tax  from  $600  to  $1,200. 

January  9th,  'Sirs.  A.  liradish  celebrated  lier  eightieth  birthday  on  the  5th 
and  R.  F.  Gibson  celebrated  his  eightieth  l)irthday  on  the  8th.  (Both  are  still 
living  and  in  fair  health.) 

Februar\  loih,  Mrs.  David  Taber  celebrated  her  iiinclielh  l)irthday.  Settled 
in  Hesper  in  1S55. 

April  1 2th,  papers  of  this  date  record  the  death  of  Alexander  McKay,  a 
prominent  citizen  and  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  county,  having  settled  in  De- 
corah in  1 85  J.     lor  several  terms  he  served  as  a  member  of  the  city  council. 

May  13th,  Knut  Thomjison,  who  came  to  Decorah  in  1854,  passes  away.  He 
was  sheriff  of  Winneshiek  county  from  1869  to  1873. 

June  6th,  cyclone  hits  Canoe  and  Highland  townships  with  total  damage  of 
$50,000.  The  heavy  losers  are:  E.  T.  Selness,  $10,000;  G.  I'awcett,  Carrie  Euros 
and  Kittle  Severson,  $3,000  each :  Nels  Earson,  $800;  Lewis  Larson,  $300. 

July  3d,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  IS.  I'".  Newcomber  of  Hesper  celel)rate  golden  w eli- 
ding.   (Mrs.  Newcomber  died  July  28.) 

July  25th,  old  F'ort  building  at  Fort  Xtkinson.  used  by  .Mrs.  .\.  Cooney  as  a 
residence,  narrowly  escapes  btirning. 

August  3d,  Swenson  X'alve  Company.  Decorah.  incorporated. 

June  2d,  board  of  supervisors  buy  twenty-seven  voting  machines  from  L'.  S. 
Standard  \'oting  Machine  Company.     The  act  was  reinidiated  by  the  voters. 

June  23d,  I'Iric  Anderson  and  John  W.  Sliies.  prominent  Decorah  citizens, 
pass  away.  Mr.  Anderson  came  to  Springl'ield  townshiii  in  1850  and  was  sheriff 
from  1861  to  1865.  Mr.  Stiles  came  to  Decorah  in  1855  and  was  ])ioneer  livery- 
man, later  engaging  in  hotel  business. 

June  30th,  Congress  ajJi^ropriales  $5,000  to  buy  postoffice  site  in  Decorah. 

June  27th,  Rev.  C.  A.  Marshall  die>l  at  Cresco.  He  was  an  early  day  pastor 
of  the  Burr  Oak  Congregational  church. 

June  30tli,  Luther  College  Concert  r.;incl  departs  on  its  Tirst  trip  to  the  I'acilk- 
coast. 

August  21st.  Mr.  ,ni(l  Mrs.  Daniel  Reed  celebrate  tifty-lifth  wedding  anni- 
versary. 

September  29th,  Aaron  R.  'S'oung  died  at  Waucoma.  He  was  a  soldier  at 
Fort  Atkinson  in  1848,  and  his  marriage  to  Mary  .\.  Rogers  on  I'ebruary  11. 
1849,  was  the  first  ceremony  of  its  nature  in  the  county.  He  was  transferred  to 
Fort  Snelling  a  few  weeks  later  and  did  not  return  to  take  up  liis  iiermanent  resi- 
dence in  the  ct)unty  until   1851. 

October  22(1,  .\.  W.  Kramer,  pioneer  merchant  of  Castalia.  jiasses  away. 

October  2C)th.  Mrs.  E.  E.  Mcader.  the  pioneer  woman  of  Hesper  townshiii, 
died. 

November  2(jlh.  .\Ir.  and  .Mrs.  Lambert  Dresselhaus  celebrate  golden  wed- 
ding. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  345 

December  1 1  th,  Decorah  State  Bank  opens  for  lousiness. 

December  21st,  Rev.  H.  B.  W'oodworth,  pastor  of  Decorab  Congregational 
cliurch  from  1872  to  1882,  dies  at  Grand  Forks. 

December  23d,  Reed  &  ]\Iay's  implement  stock  in  J,  J.  Marsli  building.  De- 
corab, burned.     Loss  about  $7,000. 

Record  of  deaths  of  pioneers  during  the  year  1896  as  follows : 

January  25th,  Nels  X.  Ouandahl,  Sr.,  Pleasant,  1856. 

January  31st,  Joel  Dayton.  Decorah,  1856. 

February  5th,  Mrs.  A.  K.  Bailey,  Decorah,  i860. 

February   i8th.   Grandma  Torgrimson,   Springfield,    1851. 

February  iqth,  F.  T.  ^'tterljoe,  Springfield,  1854. 

!\Iarcb  3d.  Anders  O.  Lomen,  Springfield,  1850. 

March  8th,  John  Amnion,  Decorah,  1854. 

April  igth,  F.  E.  Lomen,  Springfield,   1850. 

.\pril  Jijth,  Mrs.  Eunice  Cooney,  Fort  Atkinson,  1854. 

Alay  2ist,  William  MclNIullen,  Canoe.  1854. 

June  yth,  D.  N.  Hoyt,  Freeport.  1854. 

August  3d,  Mrs.  J.  M.  Green.  Decorah,  1856. 

August  i6th,  A.  A.  Benedict,  Springwater,  1856. 

August  19th,  George  Pennington,  Decorah,  1858. 

August  24th,  Mrs.  Signe  B.  Christen,  Decorah,  1854. 

August  30tii,  A.  H.  H.  Perkins,  Decorah,  1854. 

September  nth,  Airs.  James  Sharp,  Hesper,   1853. 

September  12th,  Mrs.  S.  S.  Wade,  Burr  Oak,  1852. 

November  2d,  George  Bolles,  Bluffton,  1857. 

November  9th,  H.  S.  Tucker,  Canoe,  1855. 

November  17th,  Mrs.  Maria  C.  Daniels,  Frankville,  1852. 

November  30th.  Wm.  McLain,  Canoe,  1857. 

December  14th.  Mrs.  S.  C.  Treat,  Decorah,  1857. 

1907 

January  7th,  James  .A.  \\'atterson,  Ijrother  of  the  late  Bishop  Watterson  of 
the  Catholic  church,  and  cousin  of  Henry  Watterson  of  Louisville  Courier- 
Journal,  dies  at  home  of  his  son-in-law,  J.  P.  Wangler. 

January  loth,  Prof.  Elmer  L.  Coffeen,  a  Decorah  boy.  chosen  as  superintend- 
ent of  the  Lyman  School  for  Boys  at  Westboro,  Massachusetts.  This  school 
is  a  reformatory  for  wayward  boys  and  the  selection  of  Professor  Coffeen  as  super- 
intendent marks  him  as  one  of  the  foremost  workers  in  the  "boy  movement"  in 
America. 

January  14th,  King  Haakon  of  Norway  confers  degree  of  Knight  of  St.  Olaf 
upon  B.  .\nundsen,  editor  of  Deeorah  Posten. 

February  15th,  O.  P.  Thompson,  retired  merchant  and  one  of  Decorah's  best 
known  citizens,  died. 

I'^eljruary  14th,  Judge  Hobson  sentences  Ambrose  Duffv  to  forty  years  in  the 
Anamosa  penitentiary.  Dufify  confessed  to  assault  ujion  a  iJrominent  lady  of  the 
county  and  of  burglary  at  Immaculate  Conception  Academy,  Decorah. 

March  8th.   K.    I.    Haugen  cclcl)rates  tliirlielli   annix'crsarv  as  Decorah   nier- 


346  PAST  AXD  PRESENT  Ol"  W  IXXI-.Sl !  IRK  COUNTY 

chant.  The  rclirciiicnt  of  C.  N.  Cioddard  leaves  Mr.  llaugcn  as  the  ranking  pio- 
neer. 

-March  jist,  secretary  of  treasury  selects  the  I,e\i  IluUis  office  corner  as  site 
for  new  federal  building  in  Decorah. 

March  24th.  the  foundation  of  big  dam  built  In'  Upper  Iowa  Company  in 
Cilenwood  township  i)roves  defective  and  the  structure  is  undermined  and  demol- 
ished.   Loss  upwards  of  $40,000. 

April  13th,  the  Colonel  Taylor  cabin  in  Canoe  burned.  l"or  many  years  it 
was  the  summer  home  of  Col.  J.  W.  Taylor  and  contained  many  relics  of  the  war. 

-April  25th,  James  Porter,  Mrs.  Susan  Johnson  and  Mrs.  P.arnes,  all  old  resi- 
dents of  I)urr  Oak.  die  within  the  week. 

April  28th.  new  .Synod  Lutheran  church  in  .Madison  townshi])  dedicated. 

May  28th,  Prof.  Thron  Polhne  and  J'rof.  I^yder  Siewers  die  a  few  hours 
apart.  They  had  been  co-workers  as  teachers  at  Luther  College,  and  at  the  time 
of  their  deaths  were  both  doing  editorial  work  on  Decorah  Posten — both  men  of 
unusual  talents. 

May  25th.  lire  and  water  cause  loss  of  $25,000  to  stocks  of  Larsen  P>rothers 
and  .\.  Nicsh  &  .'^ons.  Decorah. 

June  i.itli.  C.  J.  Milts.  r)ssian's  postmaster,  dies. 

June  23d,  Sheriff  Qualley  catches  Harry  V.  Kurb.  who  i)asses  worthless  checks 
in  Decorah.    The  fellow  proved  to  be  a  noted  check  forger.    Kurb  got  ten  years. 

June  27th,  Rev.  II.  .\.  .""^tub.  one  of  the  founders  of  .Norwegian  Lutheran 
Synod  of  America,  and  jiaslor  of  the  P>ig  Canoe  church  for  twenty-si.x  years, 
from  1865.  jiasses  away.  (  He  Uas  the  father  of  Rev.  11.  (1.  Stub,  ]iresent  i)resi- 
dent  of  the  Synod.  1 

August  5th,  Mrs.  r.  J.  Oualley.  wife  of  sheriff,  detects  Ilary  Kurb  attenii)ing 
to  saw  bars  of  jail  windows.  Nels  Duff  was  sul)se(|uently  arrested  and  convicted 
of  supplying  saws  to  Knrb.  and  sent  to  I'nrl  Madison. 

October  I3lh.  Laur  Larsen  llall  at  Luther  (."ollege  dedicated. 

October  i6ih.  new  mill  dam  built  by  Geo.  W'cist  on  Turkey  river  at  I'orl  .At- 
kinson is  uuflermined  and  demolished. 

October  28th,  owing  to  panic  in  money  market  the  banks  of  Decorah  go  into 
a  clearing  house  basis  and  issue  clearing  house  certiticates.  The  office  of  the  De- 
corah Re|)ublican  was  "the  mint"  for  about  twenu-four  hours,  during  which 
$100,000  of  certificates  were  printed. 

November  6th.  (leorge  Phelps,  pioneer  wagon  maker  ami  hl.icksmilh.  died 
in  Cheltenham.  I'jigland.  lie  came  to  Decorah  in  1854  and  here  laid  the  founda- 
tion of  his  fortune  that  had  grown  to  a  half  million  dollars  at  the  lime  of  his 
death.  I!\  the  terms  of  his  will,  Phelps  cemetery.  Decorah,  was  endowed  with 
a  sum  sufficient  to  ]irovide  handsoiuely  for  its  future  care  and  uivkce]). 

November  21st,  Capt.  Roald  Annnidsen,  .\rctic  e\'i'lorer,  is  guest  of  his  coun- 
trymen in  Decorah. 

November  20th,  Rev.  ]'4)hraini  Adams,  pioneer  pastor  of  Decorah  Congre- 
gational church,  died  at  Waterloo. 

December  I4tli,  Rev.  O.  E.  Schmidt  welcomed  as  pastor  of  L'nile<l  Lutheran 
church  at  Decorah. 

Decem!)er  25111.  Mr.  and  .Mrs.  Terrence  Carolan  of  I'.lurflon  celebr.ale  golden 
wedding. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  347 

December  30th,  Mrs.  John  G.  Melaas,  Orleans  pioneer,  died. 
During  the  year  1907  the  following  names  of  pioneers  are  found  recorded 
among  the  deaths : 

January  10th,  C.  L.  Beebe,  Freeport,  1855. 

January  13th,  Martin  Bottsford,  Decorah,  1855. 

January  24th,  Knut  G.  Nordheim,  Pleasant,  early  'sos. 

January  25th,  W'm.  Hess,  Festina,  early  '50s. 

February  Qth.  C.  W.  Rowe,  Hesper,  1854. 

February   14th,  Anna  M.  \'olding,  Glenwood,  1853. 

February  17th,  H.  J.  Brickner,  Decorah,  1857. 

March  4th,  John  J.  Wold,  Decorah,  1834. 

March  6th,  Mrs.  Gilmore  Kendall.  Kcndallville,  i860. 

April  nth,  Hiram  Rosa,  Frankville,  early  ■50s. 

April  17th,  Magne  Langland,  Pleasant,  1853. 

April  22d,  James  Daniels,  Frankville,  1852. 

May  9th,  Geo.  W.  Shattuck,  Frankville,  early  '50s. 

May  14th,  Grandpa  Mikish,  Spillville,  early  'sos. 

Mav  2i;th.  Mrs.  Mercy  Chamberlin,  Frankville,  1852. 

June  2d,  Mrs.  Henry  F.  Dean,  Bloomfield,  1854. 

June  20th,  Mrs.  C.  B.  Riggs,  Bloomfield,  1854. 

July    1 2th,  Jacol.)  Headington,  Canoe,   1858. 

Jtdy  26th,  Mrs.  Harriett  C.  Tabor,  Hesper,  1855. 

July  31st,  W.  H.  Bently,  Bluffton,  early  '50s. 

August  loth,  Mrs.  Wm.  Cdover,  Canoe,   1853. 

October  loth,  John  \\"ard,  Sr.,  Burr  Oak,   1854. 

October  25th,  John  \'an  Pelt,  Decorah,  1853. 

October  29th,  Diebold  Stoskopf,  Pleasant,  1856. 

October  28th,  George  W.  Daskam,  born  in  Fremont,  1857. 

November  29th,  Daniel  Price,  Pleasant,  1855. 

1908 

February  3d,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  McMasters  celebrate  golden  wedding. 
They  were  married  at  Freeport. 

February  5th,  contract  for  new  school  building  for  Inmiaculale  Concei)tion 
Academy,  Decorah,  awarded  to  Geo.  l^.runner,  at  $5,490,  without  heating  and 
plumbing. 

February  loth,  Sanuiel  Magiuis,  Civil  war  veteran  and  former  member  of 
board  of  supervisors,  dies  at  Ridgeway. 

February  13th,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wm.  Puntney  of  Canoe  celebrate  fiftv-seventh 
wedding  anniversary. 

April  2d,  Dan  Shea,  former  county  superintendent  and  lawyer,  died  in  De- 
corah. 

April  23d — During  the  week  Mrs.  Wm.  Beard  (  l''rank\'ille,  1852),  T.  M.  llo\t 
(Freeport,  1853),  Heber  Robinson  (Freeport,  1854),  and  Andrew  Williams,  an- 
other old  resident,  pass  away. 

April  30th,  three  more  pioneers  die — Mrs.  Jnhii  Tlieilich  I  1S53),  Mrs.  Zilpha 
Prnthroe  (Decorah,  18561.  and  Ilalv(jr  ( larden,  pioneer  of  Springfield. 


348  PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OF  WTXXESHIEK  COUNTY 

May  6tli,  Cornelius  Jennings  of  Ossian,  sentenced  to  penitentiary  for  life  for 
criminal  assault  upon  his  own  daughter. 

May  I4lh,  Congress  appropriates  $60,000  for  government  building  in  Uecorah. 

May  23d,  Henning  Larson  and  Lauritz  Ylvisaker  of  Luther  College  take  state 
championship  in  collegiate  tennis  tournament  at  Ceiiar  Rapids. 

June  20th,  tornado  sweeps  through  Winneshiek  county  from  northwest  to 
southeast  in  a  path  twenty  miles  wide.  Crops  were  pounded  into  the  ground  and 
trees  were  denuded  of  leaves  and  bark  by  hail,  telephone  lines  were  wrecked, 
bridges  were  washed  out.  In  Decorah  buildings  were  demolished  or  unroofed 
and  thousands  of  panes  of  glass  were  broken.  Hail  stones  were  piled  u])  in  drifts 
all  along  the  path  of  the  storm  and  on  July  4th  following  a  large  pile  of  them  that 
had  been  washed  into  a  gully  and  covered  with  leaves  were  found  and  used  in 
freezing  ice  cream. 

June  2ist.  Harry  Crawford  in  a  lit  of  jealousy  attcmjjts  to  kill  Mrs.  l£dw. 
Ottaway  and  takes  his  own  life. 

July  ijlh.  -Mrs.  Mitchell  Debb,  pioneer  of  .Madison  township,  celebrated 
eightieth  birthday  (  .Mrs.  Debl)  still  lives  and  is  in  good  health. ) 

.\ugust  29th,  Henry  \\'.  Klemme,  pioneer  Lincoln  township,  farmer,  died  at 
Elma.     (His  wife  followed  him  in  death  Sei)lember  20th). 

October  22d,  Henry  A.  I'.aker,  lUoomlield  pioneer  of  \>^^<)  antl  former  legis- 
lator, died  at  Siou.x  City. 

November  1.9th,  J.  C.  Rollins  (  Burr  Oak,  1864),  and  Jacob  Jewell  (Decorah, 
1830)  die  on  13th  and  iCith,  resi)ectively.  Mr.  Rollins  won  prominence  as  an 
im])orter  of  horses  and  .Mr.  Jewell  was  a  member  of  the  board  of  supervisors 
for  several  terms  and  of  the  Iowa  Legislature. 

James  Murr,  Decorah,  burned  to  death.  It  is  supposed  be  set  fne  to  his 
bedding  while  smoking  after  retiring. 

December  iSth,  Ijurglars  steal  $400  worth  of  goods  from  store  of  F.  P.  Cizek 
at  Fort  .Atkinson.  John  Ilogan  and  Richard  Martin,  two  tramps,  are  arrested 
for  the  crime  and  subsequently  convicted.  When  they  apjieared  before  Judge 
I  tobson  he  recognized  Hogan  as  an  old  offender  who  had  been  sentenced  by  him 
twice  before  and  he  gave  him  a  term  in  the  jicnitentiary  that  will  keep  him  con- 
fined the  balance  of  his  life. 

Record  of  deaths  of  pioneers  during  the  year: 

January  9th,  Moritz  Lange,  IJluffton,  1856. 

January  iith,  James  H.  Easton,  Decorah,  1858. 

January  nth,  Lars  Severson,  Decorah.  1856. 

January  30th,  Erick  Uakke,  Decorah,  early  "^os. 

I'ebruary  22d,  Johannes  W'ernsen,  Highland,  early  '50s. 

I'ebruary  24th,  Joseph  Todd,  Decorah,  1838. 

.March  9th,  Henry  Adams,  Freeport,  1853. 

March  9th,  Henry  Yager.  Pleasant.   1837. 

March  23d.  Almiram  .Smith,  hVankville.   1831. 

March  24th,  Wm.  Murdock,  HlulTton.  1835. 

April  23d,  Halvor  K.  Pioe,  Calmar.  1857. 

May  6th,  David  Easier,  h'remont.  1837. 

May  9th,  A.  C.  Ferren.  Decorah,  1837. 

May  24th,  Lars  O,  Hergeson,  Glenwood,  1834. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  349 

June  17th,  A.  H.  Groves,  Springfield,  1850. 
June  13th,  ]\Irs.  Geo.  Miles,  Hesper,  1855. 
July  18th,  Mrs.  R.  F.  Greer,  Decorah,  1856. 
July  236,  Mrs.  Noris  Miller,  Decorah,  early  '50s. 
August  23d,  John  Klemish,  Sr.,  Spillville,  in  the  '50s. 
September  5th,  Alyron  Dean,  Bloomfield,  1853. 
September  5th,  Mrs.  John  VanPelt,  Decorah,  1853. 
September  5th,  Mrs.  Sigre  B.  Busness,  Frankville,  1850. 
September  23d,  C.  T.  Hoyne,  Springfield,  early  '50s. 
October  4th,  Jacob  Exe,  Highland,  early  '50s. 
November  21st,  Mrs.  Jacob  Haas,  Decorah,  1856. 
November  28th,  Mrs.  Geo.  Yarwood,  1854. 
December  17th,  Linus  Curtis,  Orleans,  1853. 
December  2i)th.   lacol)  Zuckmeyer,  Decorah,   1837. 

1909 

February  10th,  a  Sons  of  \'eterans  camp  is  organized,  with  William  l.innivuld 
as  commander. 

March  20th,  Nathan  Drake.  Glenwood  pioneer,  passes  away.  Among  others 
who  died  during  the  year  are  William  Renken  of  LaCrosse;  Mrs.  John  W.  Thune; 
Mrs.  Mary  Ann  Feltin  of  Burr  Oak ;  John  B.  Kaye,  Calmar's  talented  lawyer 
and  poet ;  Hulver  Hulverson.  Decorah  ;  Cyrus  Wellington  at  Belsam  Lake,  Wiscon- 
sin ;  John  S]5riggs  of  Blufli'ton  ;  Adeline  \'.  Alinert,  Frankville  ;  John  L.  Kittlesby  of 
Calmar;  A.  J.  .McClaskey,  Decorah:  James  T.  Relf,  Decorah;  Mrs.  Lucy  Briggs, 
Burr  Oak;  Henry  Moore,  Frankville;  Andrew  T.  Gunderson,  Ossian ;  Mrs.  Anna 
Martinek,  Fort  Atkinson:  Mrs.  Harriett  Todd,  Kendallville ;  William  M.  Bar- 
thell,  Decorah;  William  I'untley,  Canoe;  E.  Al.  Carter  of  Hesper;  E.  R.  Scott 
of  Madison;  Mrs.  II.  A.  Thornton  of  Castalia;  Mrs.  Ann  M.  Houck,  Burr  Oak; 
John  Thurlow  Baker  in  St.  Paul;  Mrs.  E.  E.  Cooley,  pioneer  of  Decorah;  Mrs. 
Z.  B.  Landon  of  Burr  Oak;  Mrs.  J.  C.  Rollins,  Decorah.  On  September  20th 
Ansel  K.  Bailey,  senior  editor  of  the  Decorah  Re])ublican,  passed  away.  On  No- 
vember i2th,  Clark  N.  Goddard.  pioneer  merchant  and  former  postmaster  of 
Decorah,  died. 

The  big  event  of  the  year  was  the  first  Llome  Coming,  (^ver  seven  hundred 
former  residents  of  the  county  registered  during  the  week.  They  came  from  the 
Atlantic  and  Pacific  coasts,  from  as  far  south  as  Galveston,  and  from  as  far  north 
as  Northwestern  Canada. 

The  Nordness  creamery  was  burned  during  the  summer;  loss,  $4,000. 

1910 

January  3d,  10"  below  zero  and  an  e.xtra  foot  of  snow  gives  Winneshiek  county 
two  feet  on  the  level  and  all  trains  are  blockaded. 

January  24th.  Cresco  papers  announce  the  death  of  Mrs.  William  Webster,  one 
of  the  pioneer  mothers  of  western  Winneshiek. 

lanuary  29th,  Lieut.  Ole  .A.  Anderson  died  at  his  home  in  Decorah  at  the  age 
of  seventy-six  years. 


3c0  PAST  AXD  PRESENT  OE  \VL\XI-:S11IEK  COUNTY 

February  4th.  Kcv.  O.  E.  Schmidt  hrint^s  cliarges  against  E.  P.  Johnson  and 
proceedings  for  disbarment  will  begin  before  Jiulge  llobson.  Eater  found  guilty 
and  disbarred. 

I''el:)ruary  4th,  Mrs.  R.  F.  Gibson  passed  away.     .\  pioneer  of  Decorah  in  1858. 

I'ebruary  loth,  .Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jacob  Seegmiller  celeljrate  golden  wedding. 

I"'ebruary  1  ith,  CMaiborne  Day,  the  last  resident  member  of  the  lirst  white  family 
in  Decorah,  died  at  his  home  in  Decorah,  aged  83  years  6  months  and  5  days. 

March  2d,  Germond  Merrill  died  at  his  home  in  Erankville  township. 

March  6th,  Mrs.  Anton  Hegg  dies  at  family  home  in  Decorah.  .\  resident  of 
the  county  since  1855. 

March  31st,  by  vote  of  480  to  10  Decorah  decided  to  grant  a  franchise  to 
J.  J.  Donelan  of  Waverly  to  erect  a  gas  plant. 

A])ril  15th,  .Simeon  \'.  Potter,  for  many  years  agent  of  the  Milwaukee  railway 
in  Decorah,  died  in  Calmar  after  an  illness  of  ten  weeks.  He  was  undoubtedly 
the  oldest  employe  in  steady  service  on  the  Milwaukee  road  in  the  state. 

/\pril  18th,  Moses  Oren,  a  i)ioneer  of  Highland  township,  passed  away. 

.Xliril  2(i{h.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  I!.  T.  Parfooi  celebrate  the  sixtieth  anniversary  of 
their  vvedding. 

.May  15th,  Rev.  Abraham  Jacobson,  one  of  the  pioneer  Norwegians  of  the 
county  (Springfield  township,  in  1850),  passed  away.  He  was  a  former  member 
of  the  Iowa  Eegislature. 

Mav  i6th,  lion.  Ove  Gude,  Norway's  minister  lo  the  L'nited  States,  is  given  a 
banquet  at  the  Winneshiek  Hotel.    He  delivered  17th  of  May  address  in  Decorah. 

May  20th,  Mr.  and  .Mrs.  J.  J.  Marsh  celebrate  their  golden  wedding. 

Jinie  23CI,  the  Calmar  Savings  Hank  incorporates  with  I"..  J.  Curtin  as  jircs- 
ident  and  S.  E.  Brickner  as  cashier. 

.August  I2th,  A.  J.  Cratsenberg  dies  suddenly  ;it  the  home  of  his  son-in-l.iw, 
!..  H.  Whitney,  at  Decorah. 

.'^e|)tcmber  i^th,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  I,.  L.  L'adwell  celebrate  their  golden  wedding. 

( )clober  15th,  the  Silver  Creek  creamery  at  P)Urr  Oak  is  destroyed  by  fire. 

October  24th,  work  under  the  superintendency  of  .Mr.  I  iarmon  is  begun  on  the 
Decorah  postoffice. 

November  12th.  I'.ernard  Dresselhans  dies  at  his  home  in  i'leasant  township. 
He  was  a  ])i(jneer  of   1850. 

.\ovcml)er  14th,  the  Highlandville  schoolhouse  is  destroyed  by  fire. 

December  i<)th.  Rev.  V.  V.  Koren,  president  of  the  Eutheran  Synod  of  .\mer- 
ica,  pioneer  Lutheran  minister  of  1853,  :ind  beloved  pastor  of  the  Washington 
Pr.'iirie  cbiirch  .ill  the  \ears  since.  ])asscd  away  in  his  eighty-third  year. 

iiji  I 

huring  the  vear  i<;ii  the  following  well  known  and  nUl  residents  jiassed  away: 
January  2th,  Peter  E.  Ilaugen  and  U.S.  E.  Renken  of  Decorah  :  Jamiary  4th.  Mrs. 
John  Scott,  Calmar,  frozen  to  death;  Jainiary  24lh,  Daniel  .\.  Reed  of  Decorah, 
ranking  |)ioneer,  one  of  the  early  sef^'crs  in  Rloomfield  township:  Robert  Waters, 
Erankville;  February  lolh,  Mrs.  Duncan  McMartin,  Caslalia;  February  i8th, 
Henrv  I'.roghiunmer.  Ilesper ;  h\-bruary  28th,  Mrs.  D.  II.  Hughes,  widow  of  Col. 
D.  II.  Hughes,  Decorah;  May  6th.  Silas  P.  l^rvin  of  Decorah,  age  ninety  years; 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OF  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  H51 

May  i6th,  Mrs.  H.  J.  Green,  wife  of  Editor  (ireen  of  Decorah  Public  Opinion; 
June  Jtli.  Anton  Hegg.  Springfield  township  jiioneer ;  August  iqth.  W.  (">.  W. 
Saw\er  of  Decorah  ;  September  (jth,  Wilhani  1  b)hnes  of  Decorah,  ninet)  -one  years 
old.  ^Ir.  Holmes  helped  to  build  the  Whitby  cK:  Pickering  railroad  in  England  and 
rode  on  Stephenson's  "Rocket;"  helped  build  the  (irand  Trunk  railroad  in  Canada 
and  the  Northern  Pacific  railroad:  Septenil>er  17th,  H.  L.  Colleen,  Decorah;  Octo- 
ber 5th,  John  McAndrews,  Decorah,  killed  by  the  Milwaukee  train;  Octolier  22d, 
James  M.  Lennon,  \\'ashington  Prairie ;  Decemljer  7th,  Edward  \'ine,  and  Decem- 
ber 8th,  Thomas  Graham,  both  of  Decorah. 

The  following  people  celebrated  their  golden  weddings  during  the  year:  Feb- 
ruary 14th.  :\lr.  and  Mrs.  R.  .\.  Miller,  Decorah:  March  7th.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wm. 
Summers,  Fort  .\tkinson;  April  1  rth,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wm.  Gellerman,  Decorah; 
July  5th,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  Einwalter,  Fort  Atkinson;  August  15th,  Mr  and  Mrs. 
Wm.  Knowlton,  Decorah;  October  29th,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  G.  Heuser,  Decorah. 
January  ist.  Law  and  (  irder  Eeague  organized. 

January  4th,  I'^lizalieth  Wendling  falls  on  ice  in  her  yard  and  is  not  found  until 
badly  frozen.  She  died  April  20th.  May  3d,  while  examining  her  home  $3,400 
in  cash  is  found. 

January  24th,  Dr.  Laur  Larson  retires  from  active  teaching  after  fifty  years 
on  Luther  College  faculty. 

I'eijruary  16th.  Decorah  (las  Company  begin  operating  their  jilant. 
Fel)ruary  i6t]i,  Carl  Moen,  of  Washington  IVairie,  dies  from  injuries  Ijy  a  wood 
sawing  machine.     (  March  8tli,  George  Johnson  of  Glenwood,  killed  by  the  same 
machine.) 

March  8th.  K.  I.  Haugen  celebrates  thirty-fifth  anniversary  as  Decorah  mer- 
chant.    Work  on  Decorah  federal  building  begins. 

April  25th,  corner  stone  of  Decorah  federal  building  laiil  b>-  Masonic  fraternity. 
Grand  Master  Graig  and  Grand  Secretary  Par\in  have  charge.  Odd  Fellows 
assist  in  exercises. 

?^Iay  2d.  Judge  h'ellows  decides  Thinnas  J.  (jualley  is  the  duly  elected  sheritt 
of   Winneshiek  county.     Philip  Carolan  was  the  contestant. 

.May  fith.  lien  Bear  celeljrates  thirty-fifth  anniversary  as  Decorah  clothier. 
May  2cjth,  Henry  Wesselman  and  fannly  of  Calmar  have  collision  with  Mil- 
waukee train  near  Fort  Atkinson.     Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wesselman  sustained  fractured 
skulls  and  a  son  and  daughter  are  killed. 

June  loth,  E.  J.  Curtin.  president  of  Citizens  Savings  I  lank  of  Decorah,  is 
elected  president  of  Iowa  Hankers  Association. 

June  2ist,  Luther  College  holds  fiftieth  commencement  exercises. 
June  22d,  Luther  College  Concert  I'and  starts  on  trip  to  Pacific  coast. 
July  1st.  I'Vankville,  second  oldest  postoffice  in  the  county,  is  discontinued. 
July  20th,  Sivert  Larson,  Decorali  clothier,  secures  a  tract  of  ground   from 
Prof.  M.  UpdegrafY  for  city  park. 

August  loth,  Upper  Iowa  Power  Co.  decide  to  liuild  a  second  dam  in  Glenwood 
township. 

October  14th,  Luther  College  celclirated  semi-centennial.  King  Haakon  of 
Norway  sends  greetings.  Endowment  fund  of  $250,000  is  raised,  of  which  James 
J.  Hill  contributes  $50,000. 


352  TAST  AXl)  PRESENT  OF  WIXXESHIEK  COUNTY 

October  26tli.  Mrs.  Anna  liaker  of  Glenwood  township  celebrates  yoth  l)irtli- 
day. 

1912 

January  41I1.  while  workinjj  around  the  McMillen  gristmill  at  llesper.  Ole 
Ness  was  caught  in  the  machinery  and  had  both  legs  broken,  and  was  injured 
about  the  head,  causing  death. 

January  i  ith.  the  record  shows  thai  the  thermometer  has  not  risen  above  zero 
since  December  21st. 

January  i8th.  word  comes  from  Frank\ine  that  tieo.  M.  Andersen  fell  and 
struck  his  head,  injuring  the  optic  nerve  so  blindness  ensued.  He  is  a  pioneer 
and  veteran  soUlier. 

January  25th,  on  Saturday  last  .Mrs.  \\  illiani  Thurlow  Baker  died  at  the  family 
home  in  Decorah  from  the  infirmities  of  old  age. 

February  ist.  the  Decorah  I'armer's  Ice  Cave  Creamery  is  an  established  fact. 

February  4th.  M.  11.  Merrill  died  at  his  home  in  Decorah  after  a  lingering  ill- 
ness. 

February  15th,  the  new  postoftice  is  completed  and  accepted  by  the  government. 

March  12th,  Mrs.  B.  T.  Barfoot  passes  away,  after  a  long  illness.  Mr.  Bar- 
foot  followed  her  April  2d.  They  came  to  Madison  townshiji  in  1S55.  having 
lived  in  Decorah  before  that  year. 

March  16th.  Mrs.  John  T.  Baker,  a  resident  of  Decorah  for  the  greater  part  of 
her  life,  passed  away  at  St.  Paul. 

June  13th,  Mrs.  Loretta  Webster  Tullle,  of  Decorah,  passed  aw-ay. 

June  27th.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Julius  Jacob  Schaub,  of  Decorah.  celebrated  their 
golden  wedding. 

July  17th,  Judge  I,.  1*'..  Fellows  of  the  District  Court,  died  at  his  home  iii 
Lansing. 

July  26th,  in  the  morning  several  large  balloons  were  seen  sailing  over  Decorah. 
b'rom  messages  drop])ed  it  was  learned  they  started  from  St.  Louis  in  the  Jas. 
Gordon  Bennett  race. 

July  29th.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Xels  Larson,  of  Highland  township,  celebrated  their 
golden  wedding  with  some  500  guests  and  twenty-five  grandchildren. 

.\ugust  23d,  E.  I'.  Johnson,  formerly  attorney  at  Decorah,  passed  away  at 
his  home  in  Minneapolis. 

September  9th,  Hans  P.  Johnson,  a  well  known  harness  dealer  in  Decorah, 
died  at  the  LaCrosse  hospital. 

September  13th.  .Anderson  liros."  liarn  at  Decorah  was  entirely  consumed  by 
fire.  Twentv-two  valuable  horses  and  a  span  of  mules  were  burned.  Loss 
$15,000. 

SeiUember  i4tli,  ])ostoffice  at  Calmar  robbed  during  the  night.    $75,000  secured. 

October  3d,  owing  to  a  second  crop  of  strawberries,  several  families  in  the 
county  enjoyed  short  cake  at  this  time  of  the  year. 

Deaths  of  three  well  known  residents  are  recorded  this  week.  Mrs.  C.  J. 
Ambli,  Decorah;  Mrs.  John  Odson.  Decorah,  and  Jos.  Beiderman,  a  resident  of 
the  county  for  many  years. 

October  I5tli.  Jcihn  (1.  I'larliu-ll.  a  farmer  resident  nt  I  )cc(ir;il).  died  at  ( )cean 
Grove,  N.   |. 


PAST  AND  PRESENT  OE  WINNESHIEK  COUNTY  353 

November  ist,  Jilayor  F.  W.  Daubney  of  Decorali  passed  away  after  a  critical 
illness  covering  nearly  three  weeks,  diabetes  being  the  cause.  His  funeral  the 
following  Sunday  was  one  of  the  largest  ever  held  in  the  city. 

November  8th.  A.  D.  Thomas,  a  well  known  resident  of  iJecorah,  passed  away. 
Tie  came  to  Decorah  in  1859. 

Novemljer  17th.  Jacob  Haas,  of  Decorah,  died  suddenly  of  heart  failure. 

November  20th.  Dr.  ^^^  D.  Kellogg,  a  pioneer  dentist,  died  at  his  home  in 
Decorah. 

November  J4th,  Mrs.  Peter  E.  Haugen,  a  resident  of  Decorah  township  in 
1S55,  passed  away. 

December  5th.  the  nudct  petition  has  been  abandoned  because  of  failure  to 
secure  the  necessary  signers. 

Decemljer  21st,  Judge  John  DeCou  dies  at  the  home  of  his  son  near  Ossian. 
Judge  De  Cou  was  a  pioneer  of  Frankville  township,  coming  there  with  his  bride 
!n  1850.    He  was  County  Judge  and  also  served  one  term  in  the  State  Legislature. 

Decemlier  29th.  fire  destroys  N.  R.  Groff's  hardware  store,  the  law  olilice  of  E. 
W.  Cutting  and  W.  M.  Strand  in  Marlow  buildings,  and  does  considerable  damage 
to  \\'angler  Drug  store,  and  the  Trzcinski  and  E.  I.  ^^'eiser  buildings.  Loss 
$40,000,  fairly  well  covered  by  insurance. 

1913 

Tanuarv  1st,  Dr.  Laur  Larson,  president  emeritus  of  Luther  College,  lays  down 
his  pen,  and  retires  to  private  life  after  fifty-one  years  in  school  room,  pulpit  and 
editorial  chair. 

January  3d,  as  a  result  of  the  Groff  fire,  the  Winneshiek  County  State  Bank 
secures  the  E.  I.  W'eiser  property  and  takes  steps  to  erect  a  new  building.  (Sept. 
23d,  as  these  notes  are  being  written,  the  building  is  nearing  completion.) 

January  14th,  ]\Irs.  James  Stringer,  pioneer  Decorian,  badly  burned  when  her 
dress  catches  fire  from  the  stove.     She  died  several  weeks  later. 

January  8th,  Decorah  firemen  vote  to  purchase  lots  at  corner  of  Water  and 
River  streets  as  site  for  future  auditorium. 

January  13th,  E.  O.  Schjeldahl.  pioneer  Highlandville  merchant,  dies  after  long 
illness  from  typhoid  fever. 

January  19th,  C.  B.  Lonnon,  pioneer  citizen  of  I'rankville  (1855),  dies  in 
Decorah. 

January  i8th.  Miss  Matilda  Smith  ( J'lufTton.  1855).  dies  in  Decorah. 

January  29th.  E.  A.  Bakken.  Ridgeway  merchant,  died  suddenly. 

February  22d,  bov  scouts  organize  in  Decorah  and  Decorah  Institute  building 
is  secured  as  headquarters  and  gymnasium. 

March  7th,  C.  ^^'.  Burdick,  pioneer  of  1853,  dies  at  his  home  in  Decorah. 

JMarch  2d,  ]Mr.  and  Mrs.  X'alentine  Stoskopf  of  Decorah  celebrate  their  fifty- 
fifth  wedding  anniversary. 

March  i6th,  Torniod  Ilolton,  who  settled  on  Washington  Prairie  in  1849,  dies 
at  the  age  of  ninety  years. 

April  3d.  death  of  George  .'\llen,  former  member  of  board  of  supervisors  and 
Castalia  resident,  reported. 

April  17th,  movement  to  secure  electroliers  for  Decorah  street  lighting  meets 
^vith  success. 


354  PAST  AXl)  I'RI^SEXT  OF  WINNESIIIKK  COUNTY 

Ai)Til  131I1,  Daniel  1'.  Ilawes,  widely  kiKiwn  settler  of  i<%o  on  \\'ashington 
Prairie,  passed  away. 

A])ril  I3tli,  Mrs.  .Matilda  r.rogluunmer.  nifcd  Ossian  woman,  killetl  by  the  cars 
while  on  her  way  to  church. 

.April  loth.  J.  11.  llaiijj,  leading  merchant  and  ca])italist  of  SpilKille.  dies  in 
Milwaukee  hospital. 

May  15th.  Will.  il.  ."^niitli  offers  Sio.ooo  for  a  hosijital  if  citizens  of  Decorah 
will  raise  $15,000  more.     The  proposition  is  accepted,  and  the  money  raised. 

June  3d,  Gov.  A.  O.  Eberhart  of  Minnesota  is  guest  of  citizens  of  Decorah 
and  makes  address  at  Luther  College. 

June  22(1.  riiitcd  I.utheran  church  in  .Springlield  townshii)  celebrate  sixtieth 
anniversary. 

July  7th,  George  Harter  of  Locust  has  foot  l)adly  mangled  in  a  mower  accident 
and  dies  three  weeks  later.  His  parents  were  in  Germany  at  the  time  am!  did 
not  reach  home  until  after  his  death. 

July  iDtli.  Jesse  Schoonmaker  badly  injured  by  mower  when  team  runs  awav 
with  him  in  Decorah.  The  accident  results  in  damage  suits  against  Hlmer 
Rosa,  the  boy's  cousin,  for  $20,000  and  $4,000,  Newton  Schoonmaker  being  the 
plaintiff  for  his  son  and  himself. 


DEC  9  -  193^i 


mmxm'.  i\ 


.V