Herman M. Huntoon (1938)

HUNTOON, NOURSE

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler - Volunteer (email)
Date: 12/28/2007 at 18:57:58

Winterset Madisonian - November 23, 1938

Winterset, Iowa

HERMAN M. HUNTOON DIES IN DES MOINES

Father of H. V. Huntoon Helped Build First Telegraph Across Iowa

Herman M. Huntoon, aged 86, of Des Moines, died last Saturday at the Iowa Lutheran hospital there. He was the father of Harold V. Huntoon of Winterset.

Mr. Huntoon held the distinction of having helped to build the first telegraph line across the state of Iowa. He was born in Unity, N. H., on Feb. 24, 1852, and came to Iowa because of the low land prices after the Civil war. With his bride, he settled at Atlantic in 1873.

Mr. Huntoon worked under his elder brother, Eli Huntoon, in stringing the first telegraph line across Iowa, from Davenport to Council Bluffs, in 1874. He also preceded the railroad into Nebraska and South Dakota, running a telegraph line to the Black Hills. Later he was division manager for the Western Union Telegraph company between Stuart and Council Bluffs. He moved to Des Moines in 1887, living there until 1908, when he moved to Colorado. He returned to Des Moines in 1927 to make his home with his daughter, the late Mrs. Gertrude Huntoon Nourse, former instructor of piano at Drake university. In recent months he had made his home with his son, Dr. Gardner A. Huntoon of Des Moines.

Mr. Huntoon's wife died three years ago. He is survived by the three sons, Dr. Gardner A. and Raymond C. Huntoon of Des Moines and Harold V. Huntoon of Winterset.