153
WOODBURY COUNTY.
CHAPTER XI.
EARLY PHYSICIANS.
THE VALUE OF GOOD PHYSICIANS-PROGRESS IN THE
HEALING ART-THE FIRST DOCTOR IN WOODBURY COUNTY-DR. JOHN K.
COOK, "WHO IS ALSO FOUNDER OF SIOUX CITY-DR. WILLIAM R.
SMITH'S RECOLLECTIONS OF PIONEER PHYSICIANS - A TERRIBLE EPIDEMIC
- DR. CROCK WELL- A LAUGHABLE INCIDENT.
IT is the general impression that no community
can well get along without physicians, and this impression is
well founded, although perhaps a little overestimated. Yet it
would be, indeed, trying and sorry work for any community to
attempt to do entirely without the aid of those who have made
the work of allaying the suffering of the afflicted a life-study
and me-object. The work of the physician, when needed in our
homes, is not to be measured in dollars and cents, and the long
years required in preparing themselves for the emergencies where
life and death are struggling for supremacy, are above value.
As to progress, the medical world has made wonderful
strides, and in the future will doubtless keep up its onward
march. Even to-day, medical science has so mastered its intricacies
that there are remedies for almost every phase of disease; and
if the past rapid progress continues a half century longer,
will certainly see the science of medicine advanced to a wonderful
stage of excellence.
The medical profession of Sioux City in the early
days, as remembered by Dr. William R. Smith, was as follows:
"Dr. John K. Cook, being the founder of Sioux
City, was also its first physician. He, however, during the
years of its early settlement, did not regard himself as a medical
practitioner, for the reason he had no time, and less inclination
to attend to it. The good doctor being an Englishman, was understood
to be a graduate of one of the London medical colleges, and
had seen a good deal of medical service in some of its famous
hospitals. He was a man of excellent judgment, and very competent
to practice, and during the time following the hard
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HISTORY OF WOODBURY AND PLYMOUTH COUNTIES.
Times' of 1857, when the bottom fell out of real-estate
transactions, and nearly everything else, he had quite a large
practice, and no doubt had to do considerable practice from
the first year he came to Sioux City, 1854. He was a government
surveyor, and platted the city in 1854-55, upon his return from
surveying the northwestern portion of Iowa. He died several
years since, having spent an eventful career. He was not only
first in the medical fraternity here, but was also Sioux City's
first postmaster.
"Drs. A. M. Hunt and John J. Saville came
to Sioux City early in 1856, and were in practice together for
a year or two. Dr. Hunt being a skillful dentist as well, combined
that with his medical practice. Both of these gentlemen crossed
the plains, by what was known as the 'Niobrara route,' a route
of their own discovery, to Colorado, in 1859, during the famous
Pike's Peak excitement. Another doctor went with them—S.
B. Thompson—who had been in practice at Sioux City for
a short time. Dr. Saville remained in Colorado, and became,
during the Civil war, surgeon of the Second Colorado cavalry.
He afterward resumed the practice of medicine at Sioux City,
early in 1870. He remained until he received the appointment
as Indian agent of Bed Cloud agency, a responsible position.
During his service at the agency and in 1874, he had a nephew,
Frank T. Appleton, killed by an Indian. Frank was a young man
of fine promise, about twenty-four years of age, and the son
of Hon. A. R. and Mrs. H. T. Appleton, both pioneers of Sioux
City at the time, and Mrs. Appleton still resides here—Mrs.
Appleton and Mrs. Leighton Wynn being sisters of Dr. Saville.
The only excuse the Indian had for this shooting, was, that
some other white man had offended him, and it gave him a hard
heart. Dr. Saville is now located at Omaha.
"Dr. Hunt did not remain long in Colorado;
having left his family in Sioux City, he resumed his practice
here. During the war, he visited Indiana and was commissioned
assistant surgeon for a regiment from that state. After the
war he returned to Sioux City, and was active in local politics,
and a member of the city council for some years. He took deep
interest in the public schools, was director for many terms
and president of the board, and the present 'Hunt School' on
Fourth street was named in honor of him. His first wife, an
estimable lady, was a sister of the late Charles H. Kent, who
was treasurer of Woodbury county for four terms. He died in
1873.
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WOODBURY COUNTY.
"Dr. F. A. Wilmans was an early settler
of Sioux City, and engaged in the practice of medicine, somewhat
irregularly, in the spring of 1857. He was called here to amputate
the frost-bitten limb of a gentleman, who afterward became a
prominent judge, Judge Brookings of Dakota. It was told for
truth that the doctor performed the amputation of both limbs
with a bowie knife and a carpenter's tenon saw. The doctor drifted
into the army as a surgeon, and never returned to Sioux City.
"Dr. Justus Townsend, a brother of Mrs. John
H. Charles, now a resident of this city, came here in 1856.
He made a pre-emption of the tract now known as 'Smith's Villa
Addition' (my present residence) , and while paying special
attention to real estate, at first, he afterward engaged in
the practice of medicine. At one time he was largely interested
in what was considered the flourishing town site of Logan, a
few miles down the Missouri river, in what was then Nebraska
territory. In a few years, however, the town site owners found
their lots had been transferred, by the ever-changing stream,
to the far-off Gulf of Mexico, and the place that once knew
them knew them no more. The doctor was a careful, prudent practitioner.
He had one case that excited much attention. An old German fell
head foremost against a buzz-saw in Sanborn & Follett's
saw-mill, and had his skull and brain sawed almost from top
to base, and yet made a good recovery. It was even asserted
that the old gentleman's mental faculties were somewhat increased
by the injury, but he never cared to take a dose of buzz-saw
again. The doctor moved to Yankton, finally, and married a sister
of Gov. Jayner. He now resides at Springfield, Ill.
"Dr. S. P. Yeomans, the first register of
the United States land office at Sioux City, was a scholarly
man and a prominent politician, but seldom or ever practiced-
medicine here. He was commissioned surgeon of the Seventh Iowa
cavalry during the Civil war, and of late years has been engaged
in his profession at Charles City, Iowa.
"Dr. Frank Wixon, of the school of homeoopathy,
came with Dr. Cook and pre-empted what is now known as North
Sioux City. He never followed his profession here, but later
on did at Yankton, S. D. He died several years since.
"In the early days we had a famous character
known as Dr. Crockwell, who practiced medicine in Sergeant's
Bluff, who on his card, which was a double one, had a real estate
card, with President James
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HISTORY OF WOODBURY AND PLYMOUTH COUNTIES.
Buchanan and all his cabinet as references, and
announced on the medical side of the card that he practiced
medicine on the 'indicational, inspirational and philosophical
plan.' He occasionally used, as a substitute for a carriage
horse, a short-horn quadruped, which he drove single, but his
transportation outfit was afterward ruthlessly interfered with
by some young men who questioned the good taste of the doctor's
primitive method of transit, in visiting his patients. The doctor
was a very large man, and came near being killed while being
initiated into the order of the festive Sons of Malta, a flourishing
order in those magnificent days of leisure, when it required
great ingenuity to fill up the time. The doctor finally found
his affinity and inspiration among the Mormons of Utah.
"I came to Sioux City in the summer of 1856,
and was engaged in the practice of medicine until 1868, though
absent a good deal of the time, and especially during the period
of the Civil war. One of the striking and startling incidents
connected with my practice, was the sudden invasion of a disease
(about December 15, 1862), which, for want of a better name,
we called spotted fever, an eruptive fever of peculiar character
and fatal tendencies, usually ushered in by a severe chill of
marked congestion, which was so marked a symptom, that in other
places afterward invaded by the same disease, they termed it
the "cold plague." In the neglected and severe cases
the patient rarely survived one, forty-eight hours, and often
died in twenty-four hours. The cerebro spinal meningitis of
the present day is about the same disorder. That fatal disease
was the only one ever visiting Sioux City, other than ordinary
complaints, but that epidemic was fearful while it lasted.
"To prove that our pioneer settlers could
stand much grief I will state the case of a Frenchman, named
Lafleur, who, either in 1858 or 1859, got into a row with one
of the rough spirits who at that day congregated on the frontier,
and in consequence was set upon with a hatchet, receiving five
distinct wounds on the head, each one penetrating the skull.
In their tumbling around they had got out of the house and Lafleur
lay prostrate in the woodpile on his back. The villain picked
up an ax and struck him with it, the whole bit of the ax striking
him just below the nose, making a very ugly wound. "In
addition to the above injuries he had received numerous other
cuts. Physicians will appreciate the placid character of my
patient, when I
 F.
J. Lambert
(click image for full size)
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WOODBURY COUNTY.
state that he made an excellent recovery, with
the loss of a portion of the upper jaw and some teeth; his pulse
never went above eighty during the whole treatment.
"My immediate professional successors were
Drs. Vanderhule, Beggs, Knott, Guyton and Bailey, whose history
I can not now give."
Dr. Smith is excusable for not elaborating more
upon his own professional career, but it should here be added,
in justice to the doctor, that upon his arrival here, in 1856,
he commenced and built up a very extended and, we may also say,
lucrative practice. He was for many years the leading physician
in Woodbury county, and had frequent calls at points fifty and
one hundred miles away. A sketch of the doctor, giving more
details, will be found in the biographical department of this
work.
Physicians of To-day.—Since Sioux
City has become a large and rapidly changing city, scores of
physicians have come and gone, as well as at other points in
Woodbury county. The biographical department of this work will
give much information concerning the whereabouts of the medical
profession of to-day.
CHAPTER XII.
THE NEWSPAPER PRESS.
ITS GREAT CIVILIZING POWER-THE FIRST NEWSPAPER
IN WOODBURY
COUNTY-SIOUX CITY NEWSPAPERS FROM EARLY DAYS TO 1890-DEFUNCT JOURNALS-AN
ODD PAPER- THE CORRECTIONVILLE "NEWS" -SMITHLAND "EXPONENT
"-DANBURY "CRITERION" -SLOAN "STAR" -MOVILLE
"MAIL "-OTO "LEADER" AND MERRILL" RECORD."
THE PRESS, the railroads and telegraphs have been the most potent
factors in American civilization. No intelligent county can be
found in this entire nation to-day, where the thud of the local
press is not heard in the production of a newsy paper, which is
read with interest around the home fireside of the masses. By
the tone of a newspaper do we come to know the sentiments, politics,
and religion of any people. A few party leaders formulate political
platforms, while the newspaper press sounds the key-note to every
rural section,
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HISTORY OF WOODBURY AND PLYMOUTH COUNTIES.
hamlet, town and city, and the election results are molded largely
by the voice of the press. No power is stronger to build or demolish
correct principles than the printing press. A pure press is the
nation's safeguard.
The First Newspaper in the County.-As early as July 4,1857, the
Sioux City" "Iowa Eagle" made its appearance in
this locality. Considering the time in which it was founded, it
was a marvel, both typographically and editorially. The mechanical
work was indeed better than half the journals of the present day,
and its local columns were replete with genuine news paragraphs,
concerning the coming and going of the few hundred settlers in
Woodbury and Plymouth counties.
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image was glued to this page, next to the paragraph below. No
name, but I am assuming it is Seth W. Swiggett. (click image for
larger size). DJC
Its editor and proprietor, Seth W. Swiggett, came to Sioux City
via Missouri river, in the spring of 1857, bringing with him the
material of this pioneer printing office. He came from Cincinnati,
Ohio, where he now lives, though a property owner in Sioux City.
During the three years which the "Eagle" was conducted,
Mr. Swiggett spared no pains to bring this portion of Iowa into
prominence. He was a forcible, brilliant writer, and had many
original ways of putting things. The heading of his paper, which
was a seven-column folio all home print (this was long prior to
patent insides), extended clear across the first page, and the
sub-heading read "Independent Local Journal devoted to the
interests of the great northwest, particularly of Iowa. It will
contain the local news of Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and Kansas."
The subscription price was $2 per year, in advance. A complete
file of this pioneer journal is now kept at the public library
in Sioux City, and many points of historic value have been gleaned
therefrom by the writers of this book. Its first number (printed
on a Washington hand press) is dated July 4, 1857. The same number
contains an account of Sioux City's first "Fourth of July
celebration, which took place the first press day of the "Eagle."
Among the "local paragraphs" the following appeared,
and to-day they seem odd enough, indeed.
"Our public school is ably presided over by Miss Wilkins."
"Regular preaching services by the Presbyterians and Methodists
at Sioux City each Sabbath."
"There are twice as many buildings in our young city to-day
as Cincinnati, Ohio, had in 1802."
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WOODBURY COUNTY.
"We learn a paper is to be established at Sergeant's Bluff-also,
another at Fort Omaha, Nebraska Ty. Pitch in, there is room for
all of us!"
"We now have a tri- (try) weekly mail from the east, and
one to Fort Dodge weekly."
"Town lots which sold in Sioux City for forty dollars eighteen
months ago, sell for twelve hundred dollars to-day. Hurrah for
Sioux City!"
"Board has been reduced at the hotel to eight dollars per
week."
"A steamboat went sixty miles up the Big Sioux last week,
and we think boats can run even a hundred miles up."
The "Western Independent," the second paper founded
in Woodbury county, was established at Sergeant's Bluff in August,
1857, by Cummings & Ziebach. It ran seven months, and in 1858
was moved to Sioux City, and the name changed to the" Sioux
City Register."
This was the second paper to be established at Sioux City. It
was a democratic sheet, founded July 22, 1858, by F. M. Ziebach,
now a government officer at Yankton, S. Dak. In 1859 William Freney
became associate editor, and in 1860 the "Eagle" was
consolidated with it. In 1862 Ziebach retired, leaving Mr. Freney
sole proprietor of the "Register," who continued to
operate the same until 1871, when the paper died a lingering death!
In March, 1860, Pendelton & Swiggett started a republican
paper) called the" Sioux City Times," but after a short
and precarious existence its publication ceased.
The "Sioux City Journal" was established as a weekly
paper in 1863, but after a few issues was suspended, owing to
the ill health of Mr. Stillman, its editor. August 29, 1864, it
was revived, under the management of J. W. Baugh, and its publication
has been regular ever since. After one month Baugh was succeeded
by S. T. Davis, the register of the United States land office
at this place. Mr. Davis remained in charge until after the general
election of 1864, then the plant passed to Mahlon Gore. In 1868
B. L. Northrop took an interest in the paper, but soon retired.
Gore continued to publish the paper until 1869, when he sold to
George D. Perkins, its present editor. January, 1870, H. A. Perkins
bought a half interest, and the firm was then Perkins Bros. In
April, 1870, they commenced the publication of a daily. H. A.
Perkins was out of the
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HISTORY OF WOODBURY AND PLYMOUTH COUNTIES.
paper two years, then came back and was one of the proprietors
until his death, November 22, 1884. February 20, 1885, a stock
company was formed, with George D. Perkins president. To-day the
"Journal" (daily and weekly) stands high among the press
of the great northwest. In July, 1890, its editor (Perkins) who
has so long fought for republican principles, was nominated for
congressman.
The "Sioux City Daily and Weekly Times" dates it publication
from May 25, 1869. It is neutral in politics and was commenced
by a company of printers from Omaha, with Charles Collins as editor.
After a time Mr. Collins became sole proprietor, and the daily
issue was changed from a morning to an evening paper. After three
years the daily was dropped, and Collins continued the weekly
some two years longer, then sold to H. L. Warner and Mahlon Gore,
who changed the name to the "Sioux City Tribune," which
name it is still published under. Warner & Gore issued the
first number of the "Tribune," March 24, 1876. In November,
Warner retired, being succeeded by O. R. Smead, who, after August
10, 1877, conducted it alone until December of that year, when
Albert Watkins purchased a half interest and took editorial charge.
Watkins & Smead continued until May, 1879, when Smead sold
to Watkins, who ran it until January 1, 1880, when J. C. Kelley,
of the "Des Moines Leader," bought the plant. The daily
was started September 15, 1884, as an evening paper. Mr. Kelley
is still editor and proprietor. He has enlarged the journal from
six to seven columns, and added a Gross Perfecting Press to his
machinery.
The "Daily Times" was started in August, 1881, by Charlie
Collins, the best known newspaper man in the northwest country.
In June, 1884, J. R. Kathrens bought an interest. Many improvements
have since been made, including a fine three-story brick office.
About January 1, 1890, the plant passed into the hands of E. O.
Strong, J. X. Brands and J. R. Kathrens.
The "Sioux City Stock Exchange" (daily) made its appearance
in December, 1887. Its aim is to reflect the business done at
the Union Stock Yards. S. D. Cook is editor and manager.
Weekly and Monthly Papers.—In addition to the "Weekly
Journal" and "Tribune," Sioux City has the following
weeklies:
The "Sioux City Courier," a German democratic sheet,
started in 1870 by Wetter & Danguard. It changed hands frequently,
and in
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WOODBURY COUNTY.
1877 was the property of F. Barth, who conducted it until his
death, June 17,1886, when it was run under the management of his
widow.
"Sioux City Volksfreund," a German paper, was founded
May 7, 1885, by Prof. C. Alexander, who died April 7,1886. Oscar
A. Hoffmann succeeded to the business, and in October transferred
it to a company, he being retained as a member and its editor.
"The Sunday Telegram" began its career November 1,
1884. It was started by three young men: E. H. Brown, John P.
Hinkel and Walter H. Ludlow. It soon fell to Brown who still conducts
it.
"The Saturday Chronicle," published by W. R. Valentine,
is devoted to society matters, and was established in the fall
of 1888 by Valentine & Grady. It is still a live sheet, fulfilling
its journalistic mission well.
"The Stylus," circulated free, managed by Mrs. H. E.
Hunt, and edited by Kittie Hunt, made its first appearance in
the summer of 1889. It is devoted to social, dramatic and personal
matters.
"The Grand Army Record and National Guardsman" was
issued July 4, 1889. It is devoted to Grand Army and kindred topics.
It is owned by a stock company and edited by Dr. N. C. A. Rayhouser.
"The League of the Cross," a Catholic paper, began
publication in August, 1889. W. A. Phelan is its editor. In a
short time this paper took to itself the" Harp," another
similar paper.
"The Western Farmer and Stockman," an agricultural monthly,
was founded in 1887. W. S. Preston is editor and the Western Farmer
Publishing Company, owners.
"The Industrial Review" is another monthly publication,
devoted to the industrial interests of Sioux City, and especially
of Leeds. It was started in 1890, by the Leeds Publishing Company.
Defunct Newspapers.—The following papers have been
published, each a short period:
The "Sioux City Herald" started in 1887 and ceased
after six issues; "Daily News," founded by Albert Watkins
in 1881, it suspended in 1882; "Temperance News" was
published for seven months; the "Presbyterian" (religious),
a semi-monthly sheet, was edited by Revs. Knox and Herring;"
Mayflower-Pilgrim" was the name of a Congregational church
organ of Sioux City; the "Vesterheimen" was a Norwegian
paper established in 1887. A. M. Olmen was editor, and the plant
finally went to Dakota; the" Columbia," a Ger-
164
HISTORY OF WOODBURY AND PLYMOUTH COUNTIES.
man democratic sheet, established in August, 1889, soon ceased
to be; the "Cosmopolite" was a monthly journal of sixteen
large quarto pages, and ceased in December, 1880; the "Industrial
Press," a greenback organ, was started by A. McCready in
1877, but "went to the wall" in 1888; the "Gazette"
was the name of a small sheet started by R. Goldie & Son,
in 1877; the "Weekly Call," a society sheet, was issued
by Gray & Billing in 1884. It was sold in 1887 to F. S. Lattimer
and he sold to E. C. Overman, in whose hands it died; the "Hawk.
eye," a society sheet like the "Call," came out
in March, 1887, and died the same year on the hands of E. C. Overman;
a novel sheet known as the "Child's Paper" was published
in March, 1866, just after the war. The sample copy shown the
writer is a curiosity. It is a folio paper four inches by eight,
published by James & Murray Hunt, edited by Nina Hunt. It
contains church and Sunday-school directory of Sioux City, business
cards, riddles and child's stories.
The "Sloan Star" was founded October 15, 1883, by A.
B. Thatcher, It was then a four-column quarto, but is at this
writing an eight-column folio. The subscription price is $1.50
per year. Its political standing is independent republican. C.
C. Ashby was a partner in 1886-87. J. S. McSparran & Co. became
proprietors of the plant in September, 1888. At this time J. S.
McSparran is the editor. The "Star" is a creditable
local sheet, full of "local" as well as general news
items, It is printed on a Washington hand-press; a paper called
the "Independent" was published during 1888 at Sloan;
the "Sioux Valley News" was founded by Chapman &
Freeman in 1882. In 1883 Mr. Freeman purchased Chapman's interest
and has owned the property ever since, it is now leased by William
R. Mill, who has been connected with the paper for seven years.
At first this paper was a seven-column folio, but was subsequently
changed to an eight-column folio. The yearly subscription price
is $1, having been reduced from $1.50. It is printed on a Campbell
power-press and presents a neat mechanical appearance, and is
a live local weekly paper which advocates republican doctrines.
The "Criterion," published at Danbury, was established
by the Danbury Publishing Company in 1882, with J. S. Shoup as
its editor. The same year the company bought the "Danbury
News," published by J. L. Kroesen. The paper they then published
was the "Maple V alley Scoop," which, after four years,
the company sold to C. P. Bowman, who published it for about one
year under the name of
165
WOODBURY COUNTY.
the "Danbury Vidette." He then sold the plant to J.
H. and Ernest Ostrom, who again changed the name to the"
Maple V alley Scoop," which name was changed to the "Criterion"
in 1888. The size of the paper when first established was a seven-column
folio; its present size is that of a six-column quarto. In politics
the paper is independent republican. The yearly subscription is
$1.25; publication day is Friday. It is now printed on a Washington
hand-press.
The "Leader" is a live local journal published at the
village of Oto, by F. A. Cutting. No historical data is accessible
in time for publication in this chapter.
The "Farmers' Exponent," is an excellent local paper
published at Smithland. It was founded November 24, 1889, by Jenness
& Hills. It was at first a seven-column folio, but soon enlarged
to an eight-column. It is independent in politics, ever working
for the farmers' best interest. It is printed on a Washington
hand-press. The subscription price is $1.50 per year. Its columns
are well filled with spicy editorial and local news, while the
great issues of the day are handled in a most fearless manner.
It is one of the brightest papers in Woodbury county.
The Moville "Mail" was established in July, 1887, by
O. M. Thatcher, who continued its publication until August 1,
1889, when he sold the plant to his brother, A. B. Thatcher, who,
in partnership with the foreman of the office, S. H. Ashby, has
conducted it ever since. The size was at first a seven-column,
changed to a six-column for a few months, but finally restored
to its original size. Politically it is an independent. Its proprietors
have always been republicans. The subscription price is $1 per
annum. The founder of this paper sold out in order to take a position
as postal clerk. The "Mail" is an enterprising local
sheet, and well sustained by the business men, and also widely
read by the farming community.
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