CHAPTER IX
There is
much of individual heroism in common life
that is lost to history, and which is not
blazaoned among the distinguished deeds which
make some men famous and their names immortal.
Some military chieftain in the nick of time,
and by natural genius and adroitness as well
as personal courage, drives the enemy into
a general slaughter, and his government, with
fulsome praise, sends his name down the ages,
and all time has a hero fearless and undaunted.
Sometimes the greatest of all heroic acts
are manifested by one in the humblest walks
of life, which find no recognition in the
record of history, for it is only in the exalted
stations of life that the names of men glitter
on the scroll of fame, and much that is the
most heroic of all heroism dies with the hero.
We have an old newspaper which recites the
conviction and execution of a negro slave,
in which case Henry Clay was the public
prosecutor. The negro was a faithful servant,
and had not been accustomed to the degredation
of corporal chastisement. During a temporary
absence of his master, he was placed under
the charge of a young and passionate overseer,who,
for some slight or imaginary offense, lashed
him cruelly with a horsewhip, and brought
wicked blows about the head that were unmercifully
given. The spirit of the slave was aroused,
and, seizing a weapon that was near him, he
laid his overseer dead upon the spot. Soon
after, he was borne to the place of execution,
and the pride of character he there displayed
was worthy of a Roman patriot. Being asked
whether he was anxious that his life be spared,
and, answereing under a feeling of the injustice
that had been done him and under the fact
that he was in bondage, he replied proudly
and sternly: "No! I would not live a
day longer unless in the enjoyment of libert."
The pages of history might be searched for
from the beginning to the present, and nothing
in the notoriety of preserved events would
exceed this personal proudness and bravery
of an obscure slave, whose words are lost
in the din of pyrotecnic words over names
which were prominent with the people.
Carrying the thought
still further, one does not need to go to
a battlefield, or to find tragedies in blood,
for the world's greatest heroes. Many unknown
in life, bearing its
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burdens under difficulties and
under depressing circumstances, and under
the crushing conditions of poverty and misfortune,
are heroes, and the women who toil with them
are heroines. The writer in the early seventies
knew several families in Northwest Iowa who
were without money, without friends—for
the world is cold and uncharitable to a borrower—whose
crops were an utter failure, and where existence
was continued by living on anything that was
accessible, and whose diet principally was
corn ground in a coffee mill. We who are living
in the present progress and prosperity of
Osceola County cannot realize the crushed
and despondent heart of many a mother whose
little ones, in the early days of the county's
history, were crying for bread, and wehre
but inch boards protected them from the severity
of winter, huddled around a fire made by twisted
hay, and whose one hope was in a change, which
the future, dark and doubtful, would bring
to them. These early settlers who were thus
battling against the misfortunes of the county
then were heroes.
The early days of Osceola
county, from 1871 on, were hard and trying
to settlers who were endeavoring to make a
home here and establish a farm on the prairie.
Most of them came without means, and depended
on their grit and muscle to pull through.
Those that brought money with them, and were
reasonably well fixed to start on, seemed
to be the most unfortunate after all, especially
when the grasshoppers came, for the reason
that they did not hesitate to use their means
in building good houses and surrounding themselves
with comforts and conveniences, expecting
an early return for their investments. But
when the pocket-book became empty, and no
crops as expected and no value to land, they
were not only discouraged but disgusted, and
soon got out, while the fellows who started
with nothing were more inclined to stay it
through, still hoping to realize and get return
for their labor.
We can easily see how
much grit and determination it took to stay
here several years, one after the other, without
a crop at harvest time, and still stay another
winter and burn hay and take chances one enough
to eat. Money could not be obtained only on
gilt-edged security at a rate of interest
from three to eight per cent. a month, and
sometimes at ten. Many a farm and much live
stock and farm machinery of these early settlers
passed into the hands of these money lenders;
we cannot say unjustly so, but as a matter
of business, because the money was due, the
debtor unable to pay, and that
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insatiate and inexorable Shylock,
the chattel mortgage, must have what its description
calls for, and without delay. Some were crushed
under the burden of debt, and ran away from
it, glad to escape the annoyance of creditors,
and into an atmosphere of peace.
Others still kept working
on, toiling in the hope of better days, and
under a feeling that no matter how black and
hideous were the clouds of adversity, there
was still a silver lining, and that in time
the sunshine of prosperity would change the
condition of things and gladden their hearts.
The days of Osceola County
hardships are over. It has passed the period
of settlement, of hard times, debt and adversity,
and is today one of the most thrifty Counties
in the State. In 1870 its beautiful but unbroken
prairie land was waiting in mute silence for
coming events; today its well cultivated farms,
extensive and magnificent forest trees,w ith
beautiful and comfortable residences show
the wonderful progres and prosperity that
can come to a country by the industry and
thrift of a people, who under a government
like ours know the value of a home. The county
is still advancing, its population increases
each year, its unbroken prairie in diminishing
rapidly, and before another decade not a foot
of wild land capable of cultivation can be
found in the county. Its people are full of
energy, have the best of social qualities,
are intelligent and loyal. Schoold districts
and municipal township governments and the
County administration, are all in the hands
of men who are honest, capable and economical,
and the future of the county is brilliant
in everything that can lead a people up to
the highest condidtions of contentment, happiness
and success. The older settlers, who have
borne the "burden and heat of the day"
and are here yet, have a feeling of pride
in what the years accomplished, and the later
incoming settlers realize that there is no
fairer or more fertile agricultural country
that the sun shines upon or was ever watered
with the dews of heaven. However much of adversity
or hardship our early settlers had to contend
with the clouds hav enow rolled by, and other
people in the experience of a like misfortune
cannot only have our sympathy, but would find
us charitable enough and sufficiently able
to pour into their lap the surplus treasurers
of our own productive soil.
B., C. R. & N. DEPOT, SIBLEY
CHAPTER X
In
May, 1871, W. H. Gates arrived in Osceola
County from Buchanan County. He started with
O. Dunton and T. J. Cutshall,
Dunton and Gates having teams
and outfit of their own, while Cutshall
was sort of a passenger with them. Gates
filed on the southeast quarter of Section
26, Township 100, Range 42, and Dunton
and Cutshall on the south half of Section
32, Township 100, Range 41. They built, to
start on, a sod house on Dunton's claim,
and made that their headquarters. Mr. Gates
returned soon after for his family, and brought
them out in the fall of 1871, and lived in
the Dunton sod house during the winter
of 1871 and 1872, and in the spring of 1872
he built a small house on his own claim, which
is still there, and Mr. Gates still
owns the land. At present he is County Recorder.
In the fall of 1871, after Mr. Gates
had become settled with his 
family,
he met Mr. Glover for the first time.
Glover ventured over to the Gates
household, bringing a tin pail, bearing all
the marks of a siege in batching. He modestly
and timidly inquired it he could get some
milk, which was generously supplied him, and
John was treated so hospitably he ventured
another request, doubtfully asking Mr. Gates
if he could get a piece of pork rind to grease
his griddle for pancakes, and the request
was accompanied with a skillful gesture of
the hand, following the movement usually made
in greasing a skillet for that purpose. Glover
was surprised with a nice piece of pork from
a barrel which Gates had brought with
him, and the ex-Representative went home in
a feeling of supreme delight. Mr. Gates
was very much afflicted that winter with acute
rheumatism, and no physician within forty
miles. After laying helpless for about a month
he got about again.
Cutshall alternated
for several years between his claim and cobblilng
shoes at Sibley. He now lives at Omaha, Neb.
Dunton a few years ago went to Dundee,
Ills., where he now lives.
During the season of
1871 deer and elk were plenty in Osceola County,
and they who were hunters and good marksmen
had plenty of it. The next season, of 1872,
the incoming railroad and influx of settlers
drove them westward, in the
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same direction civilization
pushes the Indians—towards the setting
sun.
This Township, in which
Mr. Gates settled, as will be seen elsewhere,
was first named Fenton and afterwards Viola.
But few of the 1871 and 1872 settlers are
left in the Township. In 1871 John Stamm
and Robert Stamm 
came
to the County, driving through with teams
from Jefferson County, Iowa. John settled
on the southwest quarter of Section 34, Viola,
and Robert on the northeast quarter of Section
4, Holman. We will now continue as to Viola
Township. John Stamm is still a resident
of the County, and was elected Sheriff in
1891. Frank Vanamburg settled in 1871
on the southeast quarter of Section 34. The
same year Theodore Stage took a part
of Section 30. Mr. Stage now lives
at Little Rock. Also in 1871, John Smith
and his mother took the northwest quarter
of Section 20, he taking one and his mother
the other eighty. On this same section C.
C. Collerson also settled in 1871. H.
W. Tinkhum settled the same year on a
part of the northeast quarter of Section 26.
Mr. Tinkhum is now at Barraboo, Wis.
The remaining part of the northeast quarter
of Section 26 was taken by Eleazer Headley
in the spring of 1872. He is now in Indiana.
On this same Section 26, J. S. Patterson
in 1871 took the northwest quarter. He came
from Cerre Gordo County, Iowa, and still lives
on the same piece of land. On the southwest
quarter of Section 26, J. W. Blair
settled in 1871. He still owns the same piece
and resides in Kansas. J. W. Nimms
filed on the northeast quarter of Section
34, in 1871. On the northwest quarter of same
section, J. T. Barclay settled in 1872,
and put up the usual shanty. He sold the land
afterwards to W. E. Ripley, and Mr.
Barclay resides in Sibley. Also in the
spring of 1872, H. Jordan settled on
the souteast quarter of Section 28. Mr. Jordan
was afterwards a lawyer in Sibley, and died
in ____. The remainder of Section 28 was taken
by George Carew, the northeast quarter;
D. B. Wood, the northwest quarter;
and Mr. Willie, the southwest quarter.
Mr. Carew still lives in Sibley, and
his claim is now owned by Jacob Brooks.
Mr. Wood now lives in Springfield,
Missouri.
The northwest quarter of Section
32 was taken by James Dalton in 1871.
He now lives in Buchanan County, Iowa, and
Mr. Shapley owns the claim. George
S. Downend, in the spring of 1872, filed
on the northeast quarter of Section 32, and
still lives on the land, with good improvements.
Mr.
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Downend was from New
York, was in the war, and went home on crutches.
Patrick Piesley
came to the county in 1871, and took the southeast
quarter of Section 32. He returned to his
former home in Wisconsin, and was married
there July 3, 1873, and still lives in Osceola
County on the same piece of land. The southwest
quarter of this same section was taken by
Abraham Shapley in the spring of 1870.
Mr. Shapley drove through by team from
Clayton County, and along with him was N.
D. Bowles and John Gray. He put
up a comfortable house; hauling his lumber
from Worthington. Mr. Shapley had a
blacksmith shop, and, like the rest, had a
hard time at the start. After he had got through
June of that year, he had just three nickels
left; but he had other capital, consisting
of grit, of muscle and ambition. Mr. Shapley
still lives on the same place, has fine improvements,
owns a section of land in the county, and
this year will establish his resdience in
Sibley, and take life easy.
Asa Vanblorcon
settled on the east half of the west half
of Section 30, in 1872, and is still living
in the same place. On this same section, Mr.
Knowlton took the southeast quarter
in 1871. Mr. Shapley now owns the land.
The northeast quarter of Section 30 was taken
in 1872 by Henry Graham, who has since
died. On a part of Section 20 Mr. Samuel
Smith filed and settled in 1872. He put
up first a sod house, and now has a fine residence
and is still living on the place.
John Pann also
filed on a part of Section 20 in 1872, and
sold the land this year (1892). On the east
half of the northeast quarter of Section 20,
Edwin Smith filed in 1872. Mr. Smith
still holds the land, and is engaged in the
hardware business at Little Rock.
In 1872, A. B. Graves
filed on the southeast quarter of Section
18, and has since died. A part of the northeast
quarter of Section 18 was taken in 1872 by
A. Averhill, who now lives in LeMars,
but who still owns the land. Sidney Beckwith
and Mr. Barnard took the northwest
quarter of Section 18 in 1872, which quarter
is now owned by Mr. Beckwith, and upon
which he still resides. He has other land
around, since purchased. The south half of
the southwest quarter of Section 18 was taken
by Mr. Beeman in 1871. Mr. Beeman
perished in the February, 1872, blizzard.
He was hauling logs and was lost in the storm.
David Averhill
and Obid Averhill took the south half
of Section 8 in 1872. David died about
two years ago and Obid moved from the
county.
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On the
west half of the southwest quarter of Section
10, William Rubow filed in 1872. He
till owns the land, but lives in Missouri.
On this section alos, Eugene and Charles
Bennett settled in 1872. Charles
returned to Illinois a few years after, and
Eugene still lives in teh county on
the same land and is a prosperous farmer.
On Section 22 M. D. Hadsell took the
northeast quarer, John Hart the southeast
quarter, J. P. Hawxshurst the southwest
quarter, and C. C. Hadsell and John
Joseph the northwest quarter. These all
filed in 1872. The Hadsell's are in
Nebraska, Josephs in Kansas and J.
P. Hawxshurst resides in Sibley. Peter
Shaw and Charles Shaw came in 1872,
and filed between them on the northeast quarter
of Section 14. Prof. J. F. Ranson filed
in 1872. He left the county some years ago,
and lives in Florence, Kansas. Also, in 1871,
C. C. Ogan filed on the southeast quarter
of Section 14. He died since in California.
On the southwest quarter of Section 14, John
H. Douglass filed. This gentleman is elsewhere
mentioned.
The Scribner family
among themselves took Section 12 in 1872,
and have since moved away.
On Section 24, N. J.
Wetmore filed on a part of the southeast quarter,
Merritt Winchester on the southwest quarter,
G. W. Ketchum on the northwest quarter, all
in 1872. Mr. Wetmore is in DeKalb County,
Illinois, Mr. Winchester in Des Moines, and
Mr. Ketchem went to Sioux City; he is now
preaching on the Pacific Coast. Levi Shell
settled on the southeast quarter of Section
36 in 1872. Mr. Shell has been here ever since,
and is now in the lumber trade a [at] Sibley.
Joseph Ferrin, C. F. Torrey and Rev. Jones
also filed in 1872 on other parts of the same
section. These parties who filed on Section
36, except Mr. Shell, have been away from
the County for several years. These settlers
in Viola who are still here have weathered
the disagreeable hardships of the first years
of pioneer life, and are now comfortable and
well off. Mr. John Stamm's first wife died
in the county in 1885. Viola is a thrifty
township, and one of the most prosperous in
the County. Among its leading farmers, in
addition to those already mentioned, are the
following named gentlemen: A. Ackerman,
B. Ackerman, W. M. Achenbach, C. Barnum, R.
Black, S. M. Bullington, T. Boyenga, C. Bauman,
W. Beckman, H. Branidt, W. Christian, J. W.
Councill, Henry Douglass, S. R. Dunwoody,
W. Downs, D. Dexter, E. Fisher, Geo. Gates,
H. HIncuch, H. Hatterman, L. Hoffman, J. Hollenbach,
E. C. Hollenbach, H. Hall, H. M. Heindres,
H. Houke, John
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Iverson, G. C. Iverson, B.
Koolman, I. Kimball, W. Kuhn, P. Keer, F.
E. Kennedy, A. Kiser, C. Kreager, A. Lusk,
H. Luterman, J. M. Likes, H. Likes, J. Mont,
D. H. Morse, S. Newman, T. P. Norman, N. Olson,
J. Peters, B. Robert, J. Rain, F. Rubow, P.
Rehms, J. Rohger, S. B. Smith, H. Soins, C.
Shroder, W. F. Smith, H. Temmeman, T. W. Tarbell,
John Tann, S. S. Thatcher, H. Vietmeyer, C.
Vink, W. J. Wohleater, A. A. Wyant, T. Wyant,
R. Wyant, T. P. Waldran, Fred Witt, J. H.
Harbets, J. Harbets, W. Harbets.
Academy of Music Block, Sibley
