Allamakee co. IAGenWeb

Over Ninety But Walked Three Miles, Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, Jan. 5, 1903
Waukon, Jan. 5. – Jehiel Johnson, over 90 years of age, celebrated Christmas by walking three miles into town from his farm. He often makes the trip on foot in preference to riding, which he says belongs to the boys whose muscles have not yet hardened.
~contributed by Cheryl Locher Moonen

Summary of Marriages, Deaths & Births, Decorah Republican, June 18, 1903 Page 3 Col 2
There were 150 marriages in Allamakee county last year and 142 deaths. 300 were born, the majority being six for the boys.
~contributed by Bill Waters

Republicans Name City Ticket, The Democrat, Waukon, Wednesday, March 22, 1905
About 100 of the Republican clan assembled at the court house on Thursday evening last in response to a caucus call to name a city ticket. A. T. Tillman presided and R. B. May was secretary. On call for nominations the name of D. H. Bowen was the only one presented for mayor. It was expected that Mayor Beeman would be accorded another nomination, but the thoughts of some of the boys were “diverted” from such a proceeding, and after viewing the caucus the friends of the mayor smiled and passed. H. H. Stilwell’s nomination for solicitor was unopposed and Henry Carter was again given the treasurership, also by acclimation. The only clash was on assessor. S. R. Thompson, E. W. Goodykoontz and R. Wampler were placed in nomination but the latter declined. A vote taken resulted: Thompson, 53 ; Goodykoontz, 36 ; scattering, 7. This completed the ticket and after concurring in the selection of a number of color bearers from each ward the caucus adjourned. For councilman in the First Ward C. L. Bearce was renominated at the party caucus Friday night. The Second Ward caucus named Ellison Orr, but in the Third it was necessary to take a ballot to arrive at a choice, resulting thus: F. G. Barnard 39; R. I. Steele 13; W. H. Ebendorf 1.
~Contributed by Reid R. Johnson

A Small Glimpse into Indenture, Waukon Standard, Thursday, March 30, 1905
Eilert Johnson has just finished his year with James Houlihan and during that time has earned $285. The amount of farming knowledge the young man has obtained during the passing of one sun is worth to him more than twice the monetary consideration, as Mr. Houlihan is one of the most progressive and successful husbandmen in this part of Iowa.
~Contributed by Reid R. Johnson

Waukon Summer School, Monona Leader, July 13, 1905, Monona, Iowa, Page 5
The Waukon Summer School will open July 24th. The school will be conducted by Dr. E.S. Cox, of Parkersburg, W. Va., it will continue for three weeks prior to the opening of the teachers' institute ~contributed by Cindy (Maust) Smith

George Bandle - Horse thief, Elkader Register, Thursday, March 22, 1906, reprinted from the Waukon Standard, undated
Geo. Bandle, who has been employed by Frank Teeple on the farm, rode one of the latter's horses into town Tuesday and sold same to J. D. Layton for $__ (looks like $90.) and then skipped with the proceeds. His whereabouts are unknown. Mr. Teeple will replevin the horse, leaving Mr. Layton out the amount paid.
~Contributed by Reid R. Johnson
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Elkader Register, Thur., November 8, 1906, reprinted from the Waukon Democat, undated
George Bandle, the young man who has been in custody here for some time charged with selling a horse last spring belonging to his uncle, Frank Teeple, and skipping out with the proceeds, plead guilty in court today and received a sentence of eighteen months in the penitentiary.
~Contributed by Reid R. Johnson

Elkader Register & Argus, Thur., November 21, 1907. Luana column.
A sad accident is reported from Yellow River, where through excitement caused by too free use of alcohol and a general scrap among four or five men, Mr. Leon Beals* was overcome, and carried into the house where he soon died. Joe Evans was arrested on a charge of killing him, and the report got out that Mr. Beals neck was broken by a blow from Evans, but at the inquest, no cause of death was found from injury, but it was found that Mr. Beal's heart was enlarged and that heart failure was the cause of death, and Mr. Evans was discharged. The occasion was a dance at the home of Frank Colvin and the trouble was caused by drinking freely from the "little brown jug". Anyone acquainted with heart trouble can readily understand that excessive stimulant aggravates the trouble and the excitement of the quarrel would add to the disturbance of his heart and could easily cause death. The boys have had a lesson which they should heed, and let the vile stuff alone
~Contributed by Reid R. Johnson
*Note: Beall, Aulden G. (1881 Sep 08-1907 Nov 15), buried Oakland cemetery, Waukon. Gravestone spells first name 'Aulden'. He's on the 1900 US & 1905 IA State census with his parents in Jefferson twp., Allamakee. Name is spelled Aldin in both.

Veteran Becomes Exhausted Walking Across County, Correctionville News, June 5, 1913
Mason City, Ia., June 3—Too exhausted to go farther, an old soldier who gave his name as W. H. Barber. And who said he was- reroute to the soldiers home at Marshalltown, was picked up near Charles City on Memorial day. He had fallen on his face and in that position he was found. When revived he said he left Specht's Ferry about two weeks ago to McGregor where he remained a short time. He decided to visit his daughter at Postville but on arrival there found she had gone on a visit, so then determined to seek the home at Marshalltown . He said he had came to Iowa first in 1851 settling near Waterloo. When the war broke out he was in Toledo, Ohio and there enlisted in the 57th Ohio volunteers and served through the war. For years he has been employed as a wood cutter along the river between McGregor and Waukon Junction.
~Contributed by Cindy Bray Lovell

Aged Citizen finds Relatives, Correctionville News, November 12, 1914
Emerson Merril, an aged citizen of Waukon who has been on the retired list for several years and who has sought in vain to find relatives, has finally located them after a search of 18 years, and left the first of the week for New York.
~Contributed by Cindy Bray Lovell

Weidner Released, Correctionville News, January 15, 1915
Jury Finds Alleged Slayer of Martel Not Guilty of Crime.
GREAT INTEREST IN TRIAL
Murdered Man Was Trapper and Fisherman Residing On An Island Near Harper's Ferry and Had Many Bitter Enemies.
Waukon.—After being out an hour and fifteen minutes, the jury in the trial of Ernest Weidner in the district court returned a verdict of not guilty. Wiedner was charged with the death of Cyprian Martel. The body of Martel, aged 31 years. a Frenchman. Following the occupation of a trapper and fisherman, residing on an island in the Mississippi river near Harper's Ferry, was found drifting in his boat in a slough near his island home on the morning of April 10, 1914 with two gun shot wounds in his body. He had left home on the morning of April 9, and as he had not returned home that night his wife became alarmed and notified neighbors. A searching party was organized with the result that the body was found. -Martel claimed title to land along the Mississippi river and had made his home on part of an island. He had considerable trouble with trappers, hunters and fishermen who he claimed, had been using his land against his wishes. He had forbidden fishermen, hunters and trappers from utilizing his property and had thereby gained the enmity of certain of them. Rumors were current that several men had threatened his life. Ernest Wiedner, former Dubuquer, of Harper's Ferry, a fisherman carrying on an extensive fishing business for years, was one of the men alleged to have made threats. It happened that on the day that Martel was killed Wiedner was the only man alleged to have threatened Martel's life, who was in Harper's Ferry or in that vicinity. Suspicion rested upon him, and for that reason Sheriff Larson placed Wiedner under arrest, charged with the murder.
~Contributed by Cindy Bray Lovell (transcriber's note: two different spellings of Weidner's name, not sure which is right.)

Deadly Storm, Correctionville News, June 24, 1915
John Lephert and Miss Lephert were killed in a storm near Waukon. The storm caused $10,000 loss on the house and barn on Bert Gast's farm near Haytman. The depot was blown into the river, heavy damage to crops and property was reported.
~Contributed by Cindy Bray Lovell

William P. Robbe Murdered in California, July 1915
Former Postville Resident Found Slain In California Near Mining Shack.
Heavily armed and ordered to remain in the Big San Gabriel canyon until the slayers of W. P. Robbe, prospector and owner of some valuable gold claims in the canyon, are captured, Deputy Sheriffs Wright and Hamlin were sent to the Big San Gabriel today. An arrest is expected before night.

The murder of Robbe is one of the most peculiar in the history of the sheriff's office.
A report to the sheriff from Azusa early today stated that Robbe was apparently slain in his cabin in the canyon about 25 miles from Azusa. His head was partially shot away by a shotgun. The body was then carried a long distance, either by the slayers' own hands or on the back of a burro. The body was then deposited in a clump of brush and a heavy log, bigger then one man could lift, was placed on top of his head. Another log, slightly larger than the first, was placed across the body, apparently to make it appear that the logs had fallen upon him.

The prospector's pockets were empty.
The body was discovered last Thursday, but owing to the difficulty experienced in getting to and from the scene of the slaying the verification of the fact that Robbe had been slain was not known until today. The story of the discovery and the investigation of the crime which followed was told today by Deputy Sheriff Manning as follows:
"Last Thursday John Coulter, a partner of Robbe in the gold claims, was going up the canyon to visit the claims when he discovered the body. Coulter was accompanied by two other men. Coulter had heard that Robbe had not been seen around his cabin for several days or weeks and he feared that something might have happened to him. Considerable information that is expected to throw light on the crime has been obtained and arrests may be expected soon, one of them perhaps before night. The coroner will hold an inquest this afternoon and charges of murder may then be made to the district attorney. Robbe was about ?5 years old and came to California about ten years ago from Fort Collins, Colo. F.A. Robbe, a son, now lives at Fort Collins."-- Los Angeles Evening Herald, July 6.

San Pedro, Cal., July 8, 1915
Friend Bert:- I am enclosing you clippings of two Los Angeles papers giving account of the murder of Will P. Robbe, who you will remember. He came to Los Angeles from Fort Collins about a year before I came here. He has been up in this canyon for several years and finally discovered this mine. It joins a very valuable mine, called the Allison mine, that sold for $600,000, and is on the same strand of gold. Will had put $30,000 into it and was just getting machinery installed to work it profitably. He has been selling shares to get more money to develop it on a bigger scale. He also has a partner. He was down to my house May 11th and showed us some of the ore, and gave us an invitation to come up and stay a few days, or week and assured us that we would be well taken care of by the lady and husband running the boarding house. Will had a cabin and lived alone some distance away from the mine. I have seen him quite often, and you would have to hunt a long time to find a more pleasant, good, all around fellow than Will Robbe. I am inclined to believe that his murder was connected with the mine some way. Regards to all.
J.A. Parker.

Los Angeles, Cal., July 7, 1915
Dear Friend Art: - I am sending you some papers under separate cover with marked articles of the death of W. P. Robbe. I drove over to Azusa today to confirm the report as to its being the W. Robbe formerly of Postville, and on talking with the undertaker who had the case and buried him, I am satisfied that it is the man whom we all knew in the past. The undertaker tells me that the man he buried yesterday was from Colorado, had a family of children in Colorado, and had been engaged in the real estate business in Glendora, had located some mines in one of the canyons near Mt. Baldy, had put up a shack and had been living up in the canyon for some time past. That papers on his person and in the shack gave his name as W. P. Robbe, all of which tallies with his doings as he told me when I have met him from time to time. I think he was in a real estate office in Long Beach or San Pedro for a short time, but the last time I saw him was some time last fall or early winter and at that time he was trying to interest people in his mine in order to get money to develop it. The undertaker tells me that from their best judgment he had been dead for about three weeks when found; that the body was in a bad state of decomposition, hardly recognizable; that he was found 100 or 150 feet from his shack by the side of the small stream of water, one side of the body partly in the water. That they could not tell definitely how the murder was committed; that his skull was not broken; that there was a heavy log across the body, larger and heavier than one man could handle. That his shack was about 35 miles from Azusa and there not being many roads they had to pack the body on burrow for 15 miles.

This leaves myself and family in the usual health. We spent the Fourth in Venice and the 5th in Long Beach. Met and had dinner with the Ward girls and met Mr. and Mrs. A.L. Meier aud Amy. We had the pleasure of a visit with Oda Hall of Centerville, Iowa, a former assistant principle of the Postville schools. Best regards to all the boys.
J. B. Hart

Mr. Robbe was a stone cutter for a number of years at Wilkes Willams' Dolomite Quarries south of Postville. Later he worked at the stone mason trade in Postville and vicinity. He was married here to Mary Stockman of this city and about twelve years ago they moved to Fort Collins, Colorado.
~Note: the article was hand dated July 16, 1915. It was published in the Postville Review on that date, pg 1. Typos and misspellings as printed.
~Contributed by LA

Waukon Accidents, Correctionville News, December 16, 1915
-W. C. Bender and Frank Russell had a narrow escape from death when their auto turned turtle near Rossville. An axle broke as they were going up hill and the car upset pinning them underneath. Russell got a bad gash in his leg and Bender sustained a painful injury to his hip.
-Andrew Helgeson, an 11 year old boy was painfully injured when he was struck by an auto in Waukon. It was at first thought Helgeson was fatally injured but he is recovering nicely.
~Contributed by Cindy Bray Lovell

Bitten by Dog, Maquoketa Excelsior, July 24, 1917
William, the little son of Mrs. Megorden, who is here from Waukon with his mother and enjoying a visit in the D. A. Fletcher home, met with misfortune Sunday afternoon while out walking. In passing the Thomas Trout home on Locust Street, the bull dog belonging to the Godfrey family ran out and in a vicious manner, grabbed the little lad by the ear and badly lacerated the member. The child was carried into the D. H. Anderson home and Dr. J. C. Bowen was called. Several stiches had to be taken to close the wound.
~Contributed by Ken Wright

111 years old and still smiling, Nashua Reporter, June 20, 1918
Patrick Gallagher of Hanover township, Allamakee county, is the oldest man in Iowa and he's proud of it. He can talk or joke as brightly as any colleen back in Mohill, Ireland, where he lived before coming to America eighty-four years ago.
~Contributed by Sharyl Ferrall

Waukon Woman's Literary Club, The Dubuque Sunday Times-Journal, February 16, 1919
The Woman's Literary club, which is the second oldest woman's club in the state, celebrated its 35th anniversary at the home of Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Alexander. The present members are Mesdames Carrie Alexander, Elvida Allison, Hattie Bowen, Margaret Bryant, May Burnham, Mary Dayton, Ellen Earle, Emily Eddy, Charlotte Hancock, Augusta M. May, Althea Robbins, Ellen Reed, Helen Sawyer, Phoebe Walker and Miss Emma Townsend. The roll call of honor of the deceased members is: Mesdames May Stewart, Mirian Barnes, Sarah Boomer, Susan Huffman, Adele Barnard, Callie Pratt, Ann C. Greer, Henrietta Hale, Hannah Adams, Mary Stone, Anna Stillman, Anne Hersey, Margaret Hall, Emily Hayes, Laura Lowe, Maria Dayton, Celia Spaulding, Judith Stoddard, Jennie Hubbell, Laura Dapton and Mato Smith.
~Contributed by Mary Durr

Loses Hand In Corn Shredder, Postville Herald, Friday, December 19, 1919
Last Saturday afternoon while shredding corn at the Mat Desmond farm northeast of Waterville, Albert Jacobson, son of M. T. Jacobson, got his glove caught in the rollers and his right hand was drawn into the knives, lacerating it so badly that amputation was necessary at the wrist joint. Mr. Jacobson was feeding the corn into the shredder and had lost several mittens at various times. This time the corn became jammed in the feeder, and in attempting to release it, his mitten became caught, and he was unable to free himself before his hand was drawn into the rolls.- Waukon Standard.
~Contributed by Reid R. Johnson