Books of Historical Interest-History of Western Iowa-1882-Discovery and Occupation

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HISTORY OF IOWA.


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SAC COUNTY

The population of this county by the census of 1880 was 9,300, but it is now estimated at over 11,000. This increase is partially due to a narrow gauge railway (a branch of the Wabash) which is in process of construction, and which will run across the county, passing through Sac City, thus giving additional shipping and traveling facilities to the people of the county. Depot grounds for the road have been laid out near the court house in the city named.

As stated elsewhere a complete list of the county officers from date of the organization of the county to present date is not obtainable, but the following are the present officers: Treasurer: Philip Schaller; Auditor, A.D. Peck; Sheriff, H.L. Willson; Clerk of Courts, Chas. E. Lane; Recorder, N.B. Flack; Superintendent of Schools, H.T. Martin; Surveyor, Chas. Pettis; Supervisors, Wm. Hawks, Chairman; H. Reinhart, Peirce Coy.

The general history of Sac County can probably be presented in no better shape than as we give it in the following extract from a well-written article, published in the Sac Sun, of Sac City, December 24th, 1880:

"The immense emigration from the Eastern and East Central States which has for the past two or three years rapidly settled up the lands of Kansas and Nebraska, has during the past two years been diverted to a great extent to the more certainly productive agricultural lands of Northwestern Iowa. Many more of these home-seekers might have been induced to settle in this section had the Iowa people and the Iowa government sooner awakened to the fact that so many thousands of good citizens were passing through Iowa to lands farther from market, and by no means so valuable as those which Iowa had to offer, and all because the Kansas and Nebraska lands were assiduously advertised, while those of Iowa lay undefended under the slanders mentioned in the appended letter. The General Assembly, however, to remedy this evil, appointed Hong. Geo. D. Perkins, of the Sioux City Journal, to the office of Commissioner of Immigration for Iowa, and appropriated a considerable sum for the promotion of immigration to this State. Read what Governor Campbell says:

NEWTON, IOWA, June 15th, 1880

Hon. Geo. D. Perkins, Commissioner of Immigration for Iowa:
DEAR SIR:   Your invitation to the immigration convention at Sheldon, June 22d, received on my return home form an extended

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trip east. I fully realize the importance of the convention, and the great interests to be considered, and I assure you my hearty sympathy goes out toward any effort that will tend to direct public attention to your beautiful country and fertile soil, and point the tens of thousands of homeless ones to that fair country that offers such splendid advantages for permanent homes and prosperous futures. During my visit east I had occasion to "talk up" northwestern Iowa in several localities, and I found:
   1. A total ignorance of the fact that so large a territory in Iowa lies open yet to settlement, the impression having obtained that a State with over a million and a half of population must be well settled up.
   2. I found the 'old grasshopper still sitting on the sweet potato vine,' in the prejudices of many, and it was only a work of a moment to convince them that the 'grasshopper' was long since a 'dead issue' in any portion of Iowa.
   3. The terrible storms and daily hurricanes of wind were held up before me, and I told them they were more a native of Missouri or even of Ohio, than of Northwest Iowa, and that the settlement of our State, the planting of groves, etc., had very materially ameliorated the climate.
These are only a few of the objections urged, but among the most weight, and I name them you may see the objections that obtain in various quarters. There are tens of thousands in the east who would be glad to find homes in Northwestern Iowa, were they fully acquainted with the true condition of affairs, climate, soil, prices of land, terms, etc. With thanks for your invitation, and regret that I cannot be present, I am your well-wisher and friend,

FRANK T. CAMPBELL

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

"The soil of Sac County is a deep black loam, and in its nature is purely a vegetable decomposition. Its depth is from eighteen inches to five or six feet. In some parts of the county the surface is almost perfectly level for long distances, but in general it is of the genuine 'rolling prairie' description. The inexhaustibility of the soil is shown by the fact that farms which have been under cultivation for from twenty to twenty-five years are now as fertile and productive as ever. More than that—the land may be plowed here when it is so wet that it is almost impossible to do work and it will never bake.

"As regards the productiveness of Sac County, perhaps as effective a way of showing whether the detractors of Northwestern Iowa, mentioned in Governor Campbell's letter, are right or wrong, will be to give to our readers the benefit of some of the observations of the Hon. Eugene Criss, pioneer and resident of Sac County for more than a quarter of a century. Judge

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Criss says that his average yield of corn in his twenty-five years' residence has been from forty to fifty bushels to the acre, and the highest yield he has ever had was sixty-five bushels. Average yield of oats, forty to fifty; highest yield, seventy-six bushels. Average yield of wheat, fifteen to eighteen; highest yield, thirty bushels. This is his personal experience, and with fair cultivation only—no fancy farming; that he knows of at least two of his neighbors who have raised as high as forty bushels of wheat to the acre. Others, too, have raised, in more than one neighborhood in the county, from seventy to eight bushels of corn per acre, and, it is said, without more than ordinary tillage. The principal agricultural products of Sac County and this section generally are corn, wheat, oats, flax, barley, rye and grass. Timothy, clover and blue grass grow readily and will make Sac, at an early day,one of the leading stock and dairy counties of Iowa. And Iowa is, with rapid strides, coming to the head of all the States in dairy products. We will put Judge Criss on the stand again in regard to the advantages for stock raising.

"We have stated that the tame grasses grow rapidly. Besides that fact, it is also true that the Kentucky blue grass is rapidly coming 'of itself' in places where it has never been sown. Along fences, along paths made by cattle through the brush and in pastures, in spots where the timber and underbrush have been cleared, in door-yards and other places, in some mysterious way that sweetest and best of feed for stock is making its appearance. It is a matter which the present writer does not understand, but it is a good thing, and we are glad to see that this section is so fortunate. Grass is always sufficiently high to turnout stock at a date varying in the different years from April 1st to April 30th. And now we produce Judge Criss's testimony. The Judge is a Virginian by birth, but has had some years experience in the two States, it is his firm belief that both cattle and horses do better 'running out' during the winter months in this part of Iowa than they do in Maryland. This, our readers will observe, is not guess-work or the dictum of a traveler or chance observer, but the carefully considered verdict of experience.

The location of Sac County is on the Great Divide, as the watershed between the Missouri and the Mississippi is called. It is in the west northwestern part of the State, the sixth from the southern, the third from the Missouri River, and the tenth from the Mississippi. Sac City, the center of the government, and not far geographical center, is about fifty miles by wagon road west from Fort Dodge and abut eighty-five miles east of Sioux City.

Sac county's only railway communication with the busy world outside is by means of branches of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad. These branches are the Maple River Railroad and the

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Sac City & Wall Lake Railroad. The former has two stations in the County—Odebolt and Wall Lake. The latter has, as yet, no other stations than it termini—Sac City and Wall Lake, which are twelve miles apart. Another station is now being put in which will be better entitled to the latter name than the town which now bears it, being situated on the shores of the Lake, while the present station at Wall Lake is some four miles distant. It seems to us that the present town will be obliged, in honor, to resign its name in favor of the baby town not yet christened. Sac City is situated twenty-eight and eight-tenths miles from Maple River Junction, on the main line (Chicago & Council Bluffs) of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway, and just thirty-three miles from Carroll, the nearest town of any consequence in direct railway communication. Both these branches have been built within the past three years, and a large part of the present.

[The additional station on the Sac City & Wall Lake Railroad was eventually christened Fletcher. An account of it will be found in the proper place.]

"Sac County contains sixteen congressional townships, west of the Des Moines River. It contains 369,640 acres, nearly all of which is desirable land for either grain or stock farms, and the larger part available for either or both combined. The larger part of these lands are railway property and these can be purchased by home-seekers, who will occupy them at once, on the most liberal terms. Many of the private holders are also selling on nearly if not quite as easy terms as the railway land company. And as to the grasshopper an tornado bugbears, it is perfectly safe to say that the farmers of Ohio and Indiana are as much annoyed by them, and have as much prospect for annoyance from them, as the Sac county grower of grain and stock. Sum up these advantages, and the reader will readily see why the population has been rapidly on the increase ever since the opening of railway communication. Let those who have doubts give the county a visit and they will hesitate no longer. Sac county has not even the drawback so common to these fertile counties of Northwestern Iowa. What this is, is too well understood by the early settlers who located in Northwestern Iowa before there were railways to deliver coal at every man's door. Many counties in this section had little or no timber—Ida County, for instance, had less than a thousand acres within its borders. Sac County had many thousands of acres of oak, black walnut, hickory, ash, elm, maple, box alder, cottonwood, linn (basswood), and many other varieties native to the soil. The Coon River, which traverses the east part of the county, lies buried in woods for almost its entire course. Cordwood is delivered in Sac City at from $4 to $5 per cord according to quality. The timber culture laws of the State—relieving land from tax for ten years in consideration of the culture of a certain portion of forest trees—have also caused so extensive a growth of forest that there is

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probably more timber now in the county than before the first axe was struck on the banks of the classic Coon.

"The early settlers of Sac, though they had the advantage of being able to try fruit-raising under the protection of a considerable belt of timber, had small faith in the county as adapted to the growth of fruits. consequently it was not until some ten or twelve years after the settlement of the county began that any attention was given to this important branch of the industries of the county. When proper attention was given to the matter, it was speedily demonstrated that Sac County was well fitted for fruit growing, and there are now many orchards, vineyards and fruit garden dotting the fair surface of Sac-shire. Apples, grapes, plums, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, currants, gooseberries, etc., grow rapidly and yield surely and abundantly, and the quality is unsurpassed anywhere. We are informed that pears are also successfully grown in parts of the county. In the line of vegetables there is nothing usually grown in a temperate climate which will not grow here and that in extraordinary perfection. This section is the garden of Iowa, as Iowa is the Garden State of the Union. The dry, pure air of our unexcelled climate gives to trees and plants a healthy growth, and the fruits and vegetables are solid and delicately flavored and tinted, as far excelling the coarse flavor and blowzy coloring given to the same fruits by the hot an d humid air of California and Oregon as the apple excels the pumpkin. You say the California fruit is larger than ours! Oh, well, the pumpkin is larger than the apple; but the pumpkin requires a good deal of cooking and spicing before it is eatable, and if you get a California apple you had better use that for cooking also. But our northern Iowa apples are of the medium size, of the finest flavor and will keep longer than any apple grown in a warm climate. Therefore the Iowa apple is in the near future the apple of commerce and it is not unlikely that the principal future industry of Iowa, may be fruit-frowing [growing]. Apples are not the only fruit which the Iowa soil and climate give a finer flavor than elsewhere. Nowhere does the Concord grape come to such perfection as in Iowa. And although our fruits and vegetables do not rival those of the Pacific coast in size, they are unsurpassed even in that minor particular by those of any other section in the Mississippi Valley or any section on the Atlantic slope.

"The first settlement was made by Otho Williams, who came from Michigan in the autumn of 1854, with his family, and took up a claim in the timber near Grant City, in the southeastern part of the county. He and his family were the first white inhabitants of Sac county, but during the two succeeding years quite a number of settlers made their homes either in the same neighborhood or in the vicinity of Sac City, and Otho Williams, at the end of about two years, complained that 'folds are gittin' to thick 'round yer,' and he and his family 'folded their tent like the

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Arab, and silently stole away.' In other words, they sold their claim and disappeared in the direction of the setting sun. No one knows where they went. If they still live and preserve their aversion to near neighbors, they must be somewhere in the Rocky Mountain region. In the spring of 1855, Leonard Austin, F.M> Cory, Wm. Wine and David Metcalf, with their families, W.M. Montgomery, with his mother and sister, and S.W. Wagoner and Henry A. Evans, single men, took up claims in the county. On the 5th of August Eugene Criss and family arrived in the county, and located near Sac City. A few days later William H. Hobbs located in the same neighborhood. During the fall the population of Sac County was augmented by the arrival and settlement of John Condron, Joseph Lane, Joseph Williams and S.L. Watt, with their respective families. This, so far as we can learn, is a complete list of the population of the county up to the close of 1855.

"In the spring of 1858, the settlers in congressional townships 87,88 and 89, in range 36, now forming the townships of Wall Lake, Jackson and Delaware, thought that there was good reason to fear that all vacant land in those townships would be bid in by speculators at the annual land sale at Sioux City, thus preventing its immediate settlement. Nearly all the settlers, though not ready at that time to buy, wanted some of this land for their own use. They therefore met together and arranged matters, and when the day of sale came, the room in which the sale was held was packed full of settlers, and no others could make their way in. No bids were made, and the land was kept open for preemption.

"The first mill in the county was built by Wm. Lane, on the Coon river, near Grant City, late in the fall of 1856. That winter was so very severe that it has ever since been known as the 'hard winter,' but nevertheless, corn was hauled to the mill from Sac City and vicinity on hand-sleds. Many families ground their own corn in coffee mills. Provisions, flour, etc., were generally brought from Des Moines.

"In 1856, Sac County, which had previously been attached to Greene County for all administrative purposes, was granted a separate jurisdiction. S.L. Watt was the first County Judge—and the County Judge of those days was an autocrat, performing the functions of the present Board of Supervisors and County Auditor, and also, in part, those of the Judge of the Circuit Court. H.C. Crawford was first County Clerk, and F.M. Cory was first Treasurer and Recorder."

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SAC CITY

The population of Sac City is now estimated to be 800. The place is one of the most flourishing in this section of Iowa.

The present town officers are: Mayor, John Alexander; Recorder, Charles L. Early, Trustees: R.H. Lamoreux, Phil Schaller, P.H. Hankins, N.B. Flack, Jos. H. James.

In 1856 Sac City was laid out on land belonging to Hon. Eugene Criss, and was selected as the seat of government for the county. It is situated on the Coon River, about five or six miles northeast of the center of the county. The business part of town lies on level ground, on the first rise from the bottom lands along the river, while the residences are principally on higher ground, overlooking the business streets.

The townsite is handsome and picturesque. In fact, it would be difficult to find in our prairie country a more beautiful location for a town. The Coon River, lined by a narrow strip of bottom land, half encircles the town. Native forest trees are scattered over the whole town site, so that even the later comers may have enough shade around their homes to take away the disagreeable bareness usually belonging to a new residence in a prairie country. It would be difficult for even the most fastidious to find fault with the appearance of Sac City, taking its age and size into consideration.

Sac City was incorporated in 1865, and Judge Criss, the founder of the town, was, quite appropriately, its first Mayor. The town is, in every respect, in a prosperous condition—growing rapidly and gaining every season in handsome and permanent buildings, and last, though not least, it is out of debt and has money in its treasury.

Judge Criss built the first house in Sac City. It was a log house and was built in 1855 and is still standing.

The Sac City Creamery was established in 1879. It was formerly situated one and one-half miles from town. The proprietor, G.M. Parker, has subsequently built a fine brick building 24x40 feet, with ice-house 20x32 feet, steam power engine and washroom 16x30 feet, erected in 1882. The creamery is to be supplied with all the modern improved machinery. The cost of construction was about $5,000. It is to be run on the cream-gathering plan. The new creamery is to be known in future as the Pearl Creamery, and will begin operations in April, 1882.

The classification of business in Sac City is as follows: General stores, three; groceries, three; dry goods, one; boots and shoes, one; clothing, one; fancy goods, one; millinery, three; hardware, two; drugs, three; meat markets, two; blacksmiths, three; wagonmakers, two; banks, two; furniture, two; photograph gallery, one; restaurant, one; hotels, two; physicians, four; attorneys, four;

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harness, two; livery, two; shoemakers, two; tailor, one; lumber and coal, two; elevators, three; cigar factory, one; mattress factory, one; stock dealers, three; saloons, four; iron foundry, one.

The Court House is 84 x56 feet, solidly and handsomely built in brick, with limestone foundations and is one of the best county buildings in the northwest. It cost $30,000. The first floor is fitted up for the county officers, with vaults for the county records, etc. The upper story has the court-room, jury-rooms, etc. With the court-room fitted up for a session of court there are about 400 sittings, but in use as a hall for lectures or political speaking, there is sitting room for 600 people. The basement is only partly in use. One room is fitted up with floor, stove, chairs, tables, etc., and is in use as a jail. A cage of boiler iron, containing two cells, fills about half the room and makes the jail a pretty secure one.

On coon River, adjoining the town, and only a quarter of a mile from the Court House, are the City Mills, the property of Hon. Eugene Criss. The mills have three run of stone (including one for the manufacture of patent flour), and are run by water power. Judge Criss, in 1857, built a steam saw mill, and in 1862 dammed the coon and used the water-power for his saw mill. The building of railroads, and the consequent cheap transportation of pine lumber, made the saw mill no longer a necessity, and in 1872 the conversion of the Sac City Mill into a flouring mill was completed and in December of that year the first "grists" were ground. Since that time it has been the leading mill, and one of the most important institutions of Sac County, as well as a source of profit to its proprietor.

Sac city has a very pleasantly situated cemetery, just at the north edge of town, and on the bank of the Coon River, but abut ten feet above high water mark. It has quite a number of native oak trees, and some of the burial lots have had considerable care bestowed upon them.

Sac City, has but one newspaper, and has been able to give it a fair living support. As a rule, it is the fault of the community if the local newspaper is a poor one. Give it a better patronage and it will be improved. It takes money to make any kind of business "go." Th Sac Sun was first issued July 11th, 1871, as a seven column folio, and was enlarged July 1st, 1878, to an eight-column folio, its present size. It is, and always has been, Republican in politics. Always among the handsomest papers in the State, typographically the Sun has also been always carefully edited and with special attention to those matters which are the life of country newspaper. Mr. James N. Miller has been the editor and the publisher during its whole existence, and the Sun itself is the best evidence of his qualifications for that position.

Sac City had two newspapers for about six weeks near the close of the year 1877. Kelly & Yarham issued the first number of the Reporter at Sac City on the 22d of October of that year, but removed it to Odebolt on the 6th of December.

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CHURCHES, SCHOOLS AND SOCIETIES

M.E. Church Society—The M.E. Church of Sac City was the first church building erected in the town. It was built in 1873, and is a frame structure 30x50 feet. The building is located on the corner of Ninth and Main streets, and cost $3,000. The present pastor is Rev. Robert Smylie. The Society has a membership of sixty. There is a Sabbath School in connection, with an average attendance of fifty pupils. A.D. Peck is Superintendent, J.L Comstock Assistant Superintendent, Mrs. C.L. Lane, Treasurer, and Miss Winnie Lane Secretary.

The Presbyterian Church Society—The Presbyterian Society of Sac City was organized in 1875. The present officers are J.N. Miller, H.M. Conner, Elders; J.T. Bushnell was the first pastor, then came Rev. Baxter. A.S. Foster is the present incumbent. The church has a membership of thirty-three. There is also a Sabbath School with an average attendance of fifty pupils. J.N. Miller is Superintendent. The church has an elegant brick church building, erected in 1875, and dedicated the following year. It is 34x56 feet on the ground and contains about 300 sittings.

Sac City Lodge No. 323, I.O.O.F.—Instituted November 5th, 1878. The charter members were V.M. Crummett, H.W. Crandall, G.N. Pratt, W.H. Hobbs, J.H. Thomas, John Dobson, H.W. Mix, E. Wadell, D. Sargent, D.F. Gifford, M. Peyton. First officers: M. Peyton, N.G.; D. Sargent, Secretary; D.F. Gifford, V.G.; W.H. Hobbs, Treasurer. Present officers: D.F. Gifford, N.G.; Martin Glass, V.G.; J. Koder, Secretary; M. Peyton, Treasurer. This lodge has a membership of thirty and meets every Thursday evening in Masonic Hall. The Lodge is in a flourishing condition.

Occidental Lodge A.F. & A.M.—Instituted August, 1865; charter granted June, 1866. Charter members: D.C. Early, J. Williams, W.V. Lagourgue, G.H. Wright, J.W. Fiberghien, T.M. Cory. First officers: D.C. Early, W.M.; J. Williams, S.W.; G.H. Wright, J.W.; W.V. Lagourgue, Treasurer; F.M. Cory, Secretary. Present officers: P.Schaller, W.M.; C.E. Lane, S.W.; J.H. Thomas, J.W.; W.M. Allen, Treasurer; C.E. Read, Secretary. Present membership, seventy-two. The Lodge meets the Saturday night on or before each full moon, in their hall.

Rose Croix Commandery No. 38, K.T.—Was instituted Dec., 1881. The charter members were: D.C. Early, P.H. Hawkins, E.R. Duffie, W.H. Hobbs, M. Childs, B.W. Trout, R.T. Shearer, M.M. Gray, H.S. Briggs and Sidney Smith. First officers: D.C. Early, E.C.; E.R. Duffie,Glo.; R.T. Shearer, C.G. The present officers are: D.C. Early, E.C.; Phil. Schaller, Glo.; Levi Davis, C.G.; W.H. Hobbs, S.W.; M. Childs, J.W.; Sidney Smith, Secretary; C.L. Early, Treasurer. The present membership is thirty. This society meets the second Tuesday in each month. It is a flourishing condition.

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Darius Chapter No. 50, R.A.M.—Was instituted February 1st, 1871. The charter members were: Wm. McKay, W.H. Hobbs, E.R. Duffie, E.R. Chase, S.S. Armstrong, J. Orr, and Oliver Birt. First officers: E.R. Chase, H.P.; J.E. Armstrong, K.; E.R. Duffie, S. The present officers are: Levi Davis, H.P.; D.C. Early, K.; J.E. Armstrong, S.; R.H. Lamoreux, Treasurer; Sidney Smith Secretary. Present membership, seventy. The Lodge meets on the Monday evening on or before the full moon in each month.

Sac Collegium, V.A.S., No. 75—Instituted August 21st, 1881. First officers: A.d. Peck, Rector; Geo. Schaller, Scribe. Present officers: A.D. Peck, Rector; Frank C. Knights, Scribe. The membership is twenty-one. Meet the first Friday in each month.

Sac City Public Schools—Sac City became an independent school district in April, 1876. The first school house was built in 1855. The present teachers are: D.J. McDaid, Principal; Mrs. G.M. Parker, Miss Lizzie Baxter, Assistants. Present school board: A.D. Peck, President; D.C. Early, E. Criss, Phil. Schaller, W.H. Hobbs, Directors; C.E. Lane, Secretary; R.H. Lamoreux, Treasurer. The first officers were: B.W. Trout, Levi Davis, H. Baxter. The public school building in Sac City is a fine brick edifice, with a stone foundation, built in 1871 at a cost of $14,000. It contains three rooms, the whole upper story being devoted to the high school department, while the intermediate and primary departments are accommodated on the first floor. The building is well built and handsomely furnished, and is well ventilated, comfortable and more than ordinarily well lighted. The schools are in the best order, well disciplined and progressing most satisfactorily in the various branches of study.

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ODEBOLT

This town is situated in the western part of Sac County on a branch of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway. It was laid out by the Blair Town Lot and Land Company in 1877. M.H. Henipen is not only the first business man of Odebolt, but is one of the earliest settlers, having been engaged in selling supplies to the laborers before the town was laid out or the railroad completed. The first house erected in the town was built by W.Van Duesen, and served both as a store and dwelling. He was soon followed by Geo. McKibbin, and James Ross. The railroad was completed to this town in 1877. The first regular train reached this point November 19th, 1877.

H.T. Martin is among the early settlers of Odebolt. He organized the first Sabbath School in December, 1877, and was the first commissioned Notary Public in the place.

The depot was built in 1877. J.T. Martin was appointed the first depot agent, and Miss Emma Martin was the first telegraph operator.

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The town of Odebolt was incorporated in March, 1879, James Ross being the first Mayor, and J.M. Zane, Recorder; J. Flanders, J. Keterer, E. Geist, C. Dalbkymer, C.B. Hatfield, and J. Bowles served as Councilmen. James Ross still holds the position of Mayor, W.V. Sindt, Recorder; J. Flanders, J. Ketterer, E. Geist, H. Rheberger, J.W. Fairbanks, and C.S. Lee, are the present Councilmen.

The population of Odebolt is now estimated at 1,200 souls.

The Odebolt Reporter was started in Sac City in 1877, by W.W. Yarham, and was moved to Odebolt the same year. Frank Kelley purchased the paper from Yarham. It was afterwards bought by Taylor & Mann, and still later purchased by A.J. Mann. g.A. Kikok afterwards purchased the paper and sold it to F.L. Dennis in April, 1881. This paper is republican in politics, is an eight-column quarto, and has a circulation of 600.

the Odebolt Observer is a neat six-column quarto weekly paper. It was started in July, 1880, by Martin & Bennett. Bennett soon bought Martin's interest, and is now the sole proprietor. This paper is Democratic, and has a circulation of 500 copies.

the Central Western Iowa District Fair Association—This comprises the counties of Sac, Ida and Crawford, and was organized August 1st, 1881, with W.W. Field as President, P.Coy, W. Van Duesen, H.C. Wheeler, A.D. Peck, I.S. Bailey, E.P. Masser, E.A. Benenett and S. Peterson as Vice-Presidents; F.L. Dennis, Secretary; W.J. Summerville, Treasurer. This society owns twenty-five acres of land, situated one-half mile north east of the town, and will hold their first fair in the fall of 1882.

Odebolt Fire Company—The Hook and Ladder Company was organized in the spring of 1880, and consists of forty members, all uniformed. J. Mattes, Foreman; E.e. Hamlin, Secretary; W.V. Sindt, Treasurer; Dave W. Flack, Assistant Foreman.

Odebolt boasts of a flax mill which was established in 1880 by Winslow & Son. this is a large frame building with steam power. John Dement is the proprietor.

Odebolt has the finest public hall in Sac County. It was erected in 1881, by John Wright. It is a brick structure, 50x90 feet with five hundred sittings.

The business of Odebolt may be classified as follows: Seven general stores, three groceries, two harness shops, two hardware stores, three drug stores, two jewelry stores, two furniture stores, three restaurants, two banks, three hotels, three elevators, three lumber yards, four agricultural implement dealers, three livery stables, four blacksmith shops, two wagon shops, three millinery stores, three barber shops, two meat markets, one photograph gallery, two printing offices, one ready-made clothing house, one exclusive dry goods store, three saloons, postoffice.

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CHURCHES, SCHOOLS AND SOCIETIES

Methodist Episcopal Church Society—Was organized in 1877. This society organized with only three or fur members. Rev. Mr. Faus, acting as first pastor, was succeeded by Rev. W.W. Brown, he by Rev. D.M. Beams, he by Rev. R.S. Fysh. The present incumbent is Rev. William Preston. It has a Sabbath School with an average attendance of seventy pupils. R.M. McDowell is Superintendent. The society has no church building but holds services in the Masonic Hall. The present officers are: E. Geist, A.B. Smith, M.D. Fox, J. Bowker, J.W. Savage, Trustees; J.L. Brown and E. Geist Stewards. There is a parsonage which was erected in 1877 at a cost of $450, and a lot upon which is contemplated the erection of a church building this year.

The Catholic Church Society—Was organized in the spring of 1879, by Rev. Father Pape. The first officers were: M.B. Lynch, Treasurer; J. Conradi, L. Suntz, J. Miller committee. The Rev. Father Norton is present pastor. The present officers are H.J. Muxen, Secretary and Treasurer; H. Wester and N. Thies, committee. The society now numbers about fifty families. They have a fine frame building 40x60 feet erected in 1879, at a cost of $1,300. This was the first church building in Odebolt.

Presbyterian Church Society—Was organized in 1879, by Rev. Fullenweider. The first and present officers are: John Bruce, James Taylor, C.w. Sutton, G.W. McKibbon, W. Van Duesen, Trustees, and W. Matthews and W. Simpson, Elders. Rev. Fullenweider was succeeded by Wm. Porter, he by Rev. Gilkerson. S.N. Vail is the present incumbent. This society numbers sixty. There is in connection a Sabbath School with an average attendance of sixty pupils, with C.W. Sutton as Superintendent. There is also a good, substantial frame structure 30x50 feet, with 250 sittings, which was dedicated in May, 1881. The cost of the building was $3,300.

Odebolt Public School—This school became an independent district in April, 1880. The first school taught in Odebolt was taught by Jacob Gable. The first school board consisted of W.W. Stanfield, Z.G. Sparkes, H. Hansen, J. Flanders and J. Ketterer, Trustees; Wm. Graham, Secretary; J.T. Martin, Treasurer. The present officers are the same, except in place of J. Ketterer, who has been succeeded by John Wilson. Mr. Taggert is the Treasurer at present. C. Messer is the Principal of the school, and Anna Beekman and Mrs. Emma Gill, assistants. The enrollment is 220 pupils, with an average attendance of 150. They have a neat frame building containing three rooms, which was erected in 1880 at a cost of $3,000.

Wheeler Lodge No. 398, A.F. & A.M.—Instituted October, 1879, and worked under dispensation until June, 1880, when their

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charter was received. The charter members are and first officers were: J.M.Zane, W.M.; W.A. Helsell, S.W.; H.T. Martin, J.W.; Frank Burleigh, Treasure; F.A. Cobb, Secretary. H.C. Wheeler, W.W. Field, Geo. Belt, and Mr. Douglas were among the charter members. The present officers are: E.P. Messer, W.M.; W.A. Helsell, S.W.; J.M. Zane, J.W.; C.W. Sutton, S.D.; E. Grist, J.D.; Wm. Graham, Secretary; Frank Burleigh, Treasurer. The society has a membership of thirty, and is in a flourishing condition. This society meet once each month in their hall.

Harmony Collegium No. 5, V.A.S.—Was instituted December 3d, 1881. The charter members were: F.L. Dennis, Aaron Young, A.G. Errenborn, C.D. Boardman, W.E. Mill, C.A. Stoops, D.A. Watterman, C.R. Dingman, J.A. Gibson, H.B. Preston, J.H. Wagner, H.f. Wnneke, Irwin Austin, W. Jacob, E. Schmidt, H. Anderson, L. Halboth, George Halboth, A.B. Cooley. The first and present officers are: F.L. Dennis, Rector; Aaron Young, Vice-Rector; A.G. Errenborn, Scribe; C.D. Boardman, Questor; W.e. Mill, Usher; C.A. Stoops, Speculator; D.A. Wtterman, C.R. Dingman and J.A. Gibson, Curators. the society has about twenty-five members, and holds meeting once a month.

Odebolt Lodge, A.O.U.W., No. 217—Instituted May 25th, 1880. The first officers were: J.W. Dubbs, P.M.W.; J.W. Burnside, M.W.; C.S. Lee, Foreman; W. Van Dusen, Recorder; C.B. Francisco, Financier; H. Hansen, Receiver; T.M. Keever, Guide; J.E. Emspohr, O.W.; A.E. Matthews, J.W.; A. Groman, and C.D. Boarman, Medical Examiners. The present officers are: W. Van Duesen, M.W.; F.L. Dennis, Foreman; Ed. Colvin, Overseer; G.M. Tagget, Recorder; C.D. Boardman, P.M.W.; J. Mattes, Guide; C.H. Babcock, Receiver; L. Olney, O.W.; C.B. Francisco, Financier. There is a membership of about forty, and the Lodge meets once in two weeks.

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WALL LAKE

Wall Lake is situated in Sac County, on the Maple River Railroad, seventeen miles from the Junction. This town is three miles south of the Lake. It is situated on a beautiful plateau, which slopes gently from the summit of the surrounding hills, which form a part of the great watershed that passes entirely through the state. To the south and west is a beautiful sheet of water, containing a surface area of three square miles. This inland sea is frequently termed the "goose pond."

The town of Wall Lake was laid out and platted by the Blair Town Lot and Land Company in 1877. The Town plat consists of two additions containing 300 lots. Perhaps it would be of interest to our readers to relate a coincidence between Storm Lake and Wall Lake. The first lot in Storm Lake was sold the same

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day of the month, the same hour in the day and for the same money, as was the first lot in Wall Lake just seven years afterwards.

Wall Lake is surrounded with a splendid farming country. The soil is a rich black loam. Splendid water can be easily obtained. The population of Wall Lake may be fairly estimated at 400. Arrangements are now being made to erect a large steam grist mill in this town, which will add much to its interests.

April 1st, 1977, Mr. Donaldson erected the first building for the purpose of a saloon, the building material being brought across the county from Storm Lake. The next actual settler was O.A. Anderson, who came April 15th, 1877. Mr. Peck completed his residence July 2d, 1877. P.A. Elpstrand opened a boot and shoe shop, July 7th, 1877. F. Rohm, of Alta, opened the first blacksmith shop. the first religious services held in Wall Lake were held at the residence of Mr. Palmer, on Sunday evening, August 15th, 1877, by Rev. W.P. Griffin. On the 20th of July work was begun on the depot, which was completed August 15th, 1877. the first lot was sold to D. Wayne, & Co., of Carroll, who erected a fine warehouse and purchased the first load of wheat sold at Wall Lake of a Mr. North, at 75 cents per bushel, September 10th, 1877. Wayne & Co., shipped the first car load of wheat. The fist lumber yard was started by Wilcox Bros., in August,1877. September 19th, 1877, G.M. Parker received and sold the fist goods in Wall Lake. August 7th, 1877, the fist child was born in Wall Lake to Mrs. O.A. Anderson. April 2d, 1878, the first death occurred in the family of C.E. Wentworth. April 21st, 1878, a destructive tornado passed through the city and vicinity. Seven buildings near, and two in the town were entirely destroyed, eight more being considerably damaged. The amount of damage done was $30,000.

The fist telephone was constructed February 11th, 1878, between J.C. Fletcher's and C.E. Wentworth's places of business. Ehlers and Wentworth did the scientific part of the work.

Wall Lake was incorporated in March, 1881. A.D. Herrig was elected first Mayor, w.L. Ehlers, Recorder; D.M. Bingman, Geo. Burgan, F.E. Cheney, H. Mohr, H.J. Simpson and T.E. Wilcox served as Trustees. These are the present municipal council.

The Wall Lake Journal, a neat, seven-column folio weekly paper, was started August 29th, 1878, by F.L. Dennis, as a six-column quarto. Cook & Gregg purchased the paper April 1st, 1881, and ran it as a five-column quarto. T.J. Newburg took charge, October 1st, 1881. J.L. Kroesen, the present editor and proprietor, purchased the paper December 1st, 1881. Mr. Kroesen runs a neat job office in connection with his paper, which is Republican in politics and has a circulation of 600.

The business of Wall Lake may be classified as follows: General stores, three; hardware, two; restaurants, three; hotels, two;

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lumber yards, two; agricultural implements, four; livery stable, one; harness shops, one; elevator, one; grain dealers, three; saloons, three; furniture store, one; shoe shop, one; millinery stores, two; bank, one; barber shop, one; post-office; drug store, one; meat market, one; blacksmith shops, three; wagon shops, two; printing office, one.

CHURCHES, SCHOOLS AND SOCIETIES

There are several different religious sects represented in Wall Lake, but there is no regularly organized society. Steps are being taken to organize a society soon. A building for public worship is in contemplation.

Wall Lake Public School—Wall Lake is an independent school district and has been so for several years. The school building is a neat, frame structure, erected in the summer of 1879. It is 22x36 feet and cost $750. This building is insufficient to accommodated the large attendance of pupils, and the Masonic Lodge room is used for one department. Emma M. Flanders and Allie Border are the teachers.

Lake Lodge, No. 390, A.F. & A.M.—Dispensation granted June 4th, 1878. Charter granted June 4th, 1879. The charter members were C.N. Levey, H.B. Allen, D.M. Bingman, L.J. Gifford, F.W. Weed, A.D. Herrig, B.E. Allen, C.M. Smith, W. D. Forbes, and Wm. Throssel. The Lodge's first officers were C. N. Levey, W.M.; H.B. Allen, S.W.; D.M. Bingman, J.W.; A.D. Herrig, Secretary, and B.E. Allen, Treasurer. The present officers of the Lodge are: C.N. Levey, W.M.; W.L. Ehlers, S.W.; H.B. Allen, J.W.; P.L. Edson, Secretary; and T.E. Wilcox, Treasurer. This Lodge has a membership of thirty-two and is in a flourishing condition. Meetings are held every Wednesday evening on or before each full moon.

Fire Department—The Wall Lake Hook and Ladder Company was organized September 25th, 1878. It has erected a large engine house and purchased uniforms at a cost of $700. Wall Lake is as well protected from the fire fiend as any other town in Western Iowa.

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FLETCHER

The first settlement in Fletcher was made by Robert Throssel and son, in the spring of 1867. They were followed by Joseph Parkinson, Noah Borah, Wm. Johnston, Thomas Waddicor, and Geo. Trainer, who settled on the east and south of the lake. W.A. Robinson came in the year 1869, and settled on a farm three miles from the present town site. This town was laid out by J.C. Fletcher, in 1880. The town was named after him. The first house on the townsite was moved from Wall Lake by W.H. Robinson in the fall of 1880. J.C. Fletcher and Harry Seevers

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opened the first store in Fletcher. Then followed C.E. Gard and A.J. Thompson. W.H. Robinson erected the first elevator in 1881. J.P. Therkleson opened a hardware store in 1881.

The town of Fletcher is situated in Wall Lake Township, Section 33, and located on the west side of Wall Lake. This beautiful, placid sheet of water is about three miles in length, and one-fourth mile in width. It is said to have derived its name from the fact that the surrounding country is much lower than the surface of the Lake, which is surrounded by a wall of earth and gravel about fur feet above the surface of the water. This Lake, in its onward course, does not extend in a direct line, but in such a manner as to form a kind of a horse-shoe shape. the water is as clear as crystal, and abounds in fish of different kinds, and is a most beautiful sight to behold. This location will, in no far distant future, become a beautiful summer resort.

The railroad was completed to this point in the fall of 1879. The depot was erected in the fall of 1880.

the first hotel was opened by W.H. Robinson in 1880, and was known as the Lake House. The first lumber yard was opened by H.L. Briggs. The first postmaster was W.A. Robinson, who was appointed in December, 1880. He is also the present postmaster.

The population of the town is now estimated at 300. This town contains: Three general stores, two hardware, one furniture, one lumber yard, one meat market, one hotel, two saloons, one barber, two elevators, two agricultural implement warehouses, two blacksmith shops, one wagon shop, one livery stable, one drug store, one boot and shoe store, one restaurant.

there is no regular organized religious sect in this place. The Baptists hold meetings every Sabbath; W.N. McKendrick serves in the capacity of pastor. This society contemplate building a church this spring, when it is hoped they will have a regular organization.

Fletcher School—A School of twenty-four pupils, with Miss Anna Searle as teacher, is held in Fletcher. There is no school building.

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