HISTORY
of
EMMET COUNTY
and
DICKINSON COUNTY
IOWA
A Record of Settlement, Organization,
Progress and Achievement
Volume 1
Chicago, Illinois
The Pioneer Publishing Company
1917
CHAPTER I
PHYSICAL FEATURES, GEOLOGY, ETC.
LOCATION ‐ LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE ‐ BOUNDARIES AND AREA ‐ GENERAL SURFACE ‐ RIVRS AND CREEKS‐ THE LAKES ‐ THE PRAIRIES ‐GEOLOGY‐THE GLACIAL EPOCH ‐ HOW THE SURFACE OF IOWA WAS FORMED ‐ CHARACTER OF THE DRIFT ‐ THE WATER SUPPLY ‐ GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURE AS SHOWN BY DEEP WELL RECORDS ‐ ALTITUDE OF SPIRIT LAKE, ESTHERVILLE AND ARMSTRONG 1
CHAPTER II
THE FIRST INHABITANTS
THE MOUND BUILDERS ‐ DESCRIPTION OF THEIR RELICS ‐ NEARLY INVESTIGATORS ‐ MOUND BUILDERS' DISTRICTS ‐ WHO WERE THEY? ‐ THE INDIANS ‐ DISTRIBUTION OF INDIAN GROUPS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY ‐ THE IOWA ‐ THE SAC AND FOX ‐ BLACK HAWK AND KEOKUK ‐ OTHER SAC AND FOX CHIEFS ‐ POTAWATOMI ‐ WINNEBAGO ‐ PRINCIPAL TRIBES OF THE SANTEE SIOUX ‐ MDEWAKANTON ‐ SISSETON ‐ WAHPECUTE ‐ WAHPETON 15
CHAPTER III
THE PERIOD OF PREPARATION
THE SEEN AND THE UNSEEN ‐ EARLY EXPLORATIONS IN AMERICA ‐ STRENGTHENING SPANISH CLAIMS ‐ WORK OF THE ENGLISH ‐ FRENCH EXPLORATIONS ‐ MARQUETTE AND JOLIET ‐ LA SALLE'S EXPEDITIONS ‐ SETTLEMENT OF LOUISIANA ‐ CONFLICTING INTERESTS ‐ FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR ‐ CLARK'S CONQUEST OF THE NORTHWEST ‐ NAVIGATION OF THE MISSISSIPPI ‐ THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE ‐ TREATY OF PARIS ‐ EXPLORING THE NEW PURCHASE ‐ ACQUISITION OF THE INDIAN LANDS ‐ TREATY OF 1804 ‐ THE NEUTRAL GROUND ‐ TREATY OF 1830 ‐ TREATY OF 1832 ‐ TREATY OF 1842 ‐ TREATY OF TRAVERSE DES SIOUX 35
CHAPTER IV
MILITARY HISTORY
CAUSES LEADING UP TO THE CIVIL WAR ‐ THE SLAVERY QUESTION ‐ THE MISSOURI COMPROMISE ‐ THE OMNIBUS BILL ‐ KANSAS‐NEBRASKA BILL ‐ POLITICAL CAMPAIGN OF 1860 ‐ SECESSION ‐ FALL OF FORT SUMTER ‐ LINCOLN'S PROCLAMATION CALLING FOR VOLUNTEERS ‐SENTIMENT IN IOWA ‐ GOVERNOR KIRKWOOD'S PROCLAMATION ‐ ANSWERING THE CALL ‐ ON THE FRONTIER ‐ CAPTAIN MARTIN'S COMPANY ‐ MINUTE MEN ‐ SIOUX CITY CAVALRY ‐ NORTHERN BORDER BRIGADE ‐ GENERAL ORDERS NO. 1 ‐ FORT DEFIANCE ‐ COMPANY F ‐ SPANISH‐AMERICAN WAR ‐ FIFTY‐SECOND IOWA INFANTRY 61
CHAPTER V
SETTLEMENT AND ORGANIZATION
VARIOUS JURISDICTIONS ‐ TERRITORY OF IOWA ‐ STATEHOOD ‐ THE ORGANIC
ACT ‐ THE FIRST SETTLERS ‐ AN EARLY DAY TRAGEDY ‐ INDIAN SCARE OF
1857 ‐ ORGANIZING EMMET COUNTY ‐ THE FIRST ELECTION ‐ LOCATING
THE COUNTY SEAT ‐ REMOVAL TO SWAN LAKE ‐ BACK TO ESTHERVILLE ‐
THE FIRST COURT‐HOUSE ‐ THE PRESENT COURT‐HOUSE ‐ CORRECTING
THE RECORD ‐ INCIDENTS OF EARLY DAYS 80
CHAPTER VI
PIONEERS AND THEIR WORK
THEN AND NOW ‐ PIONEER LIFE AND CUSTOMS ‐ HARDWARE A LUXURY ‐ NONE WORE "STORE CLOTHES" ‐ AMUSEMENTS AND PASTIMES ‐ PERSONAL MENTION ‐ TRAPPING IN EARLY DAYS ‐ THE OLD TRAPPER'S SOLILOQUY 95
CHAPTER VII
TOWNSHIP HISTORY
ORIGIN OF THE TOWNSHIP ‐ CONGRESSIONAL AND CIVIL TOWNSHIPS ‐ FIRST TOWNSHIPS IN IOWA ‐ EMMET COUNTY A PART OF JULIEN TOWNSHIP ‐ GOVERNOR LUCAS' MESSAGE ‐ THE TWELVE CIVIL TOWNSHIPS OF EMMET
COUNTY ‐ ARMSTRONG GROVE ‐ CENTER ‐ DENMARK ‐ ELLSWORTH ‐ EMMET ‐ ESTHERVILLE ‐ HIGH LAKE ‐ IOWA LAKE ‐ JACK CREEK ‐ LINCOLN ‐ SWAN LAKE ‐ TWELVE MILE LAKE ‐ HISTORICAL INCIDENTS CONNECTED WITH EACH ‐ PRESENT DAY CONDITIONS ‐ RAILROADS ‐ SCHOOLS ‐ POPULATION AND WEALTH 108
CHAPTER VIII
CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES
SPECULATION IN EARLY DAYS ‐ FATE OF EARLY TOWNS ‐ ARMSTRONG ‐
BUBONA ‐ DOLLIVER ‐ EMMET GROVE ‐ ESTHERVILLE ‐ INCORPORATING
THE TOWNS ‐ CITY OF THE SECOND CLASS‐ WATER AND LIGHT ‐ SEWER
SYSTEM ‐ FIRE DEPARTMENT ‐ CITY HALL AND FIRE STATION ‐ POST‐OFFICE ‐ ESTHERVILLE TODAY ‐ FORSYTH ‐ GRIDLEY ‐ GRUVER ‐ HALFA ‐
HIGH LAKE ‐ HOPRIG ‐ HUNTINGTON ‐ MAPLE HILL ‐ RALEIGH ‐ RINGSTED ‐ SWAN LAKE ‐ WALLINGFORD 123
CHAPTER XVIII
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF DICKINSON COUNTY.
FIRST DESCRIPTION AND EXPLORATIONS ‐ FIRST SETTLEMENTS ‐ SETTLEMENTS AFTER THE MASSACRE ‐ THE BUILDING OF THE FORT ‐ SUBSEQUENT SETTLEMENTS ‐ SPIRIT LAKE CLAIM CLUB ‐ THE FIRST POSTOFFICE ‐ EMIGRATION IN 1858 ‐ BLACKBIRDS ‐ THE MILL CONTROVERSY ‐ FURTHER SETTLEMENTS ‐ A PERIOD OF DEPRESSION ‐ NEW HOPES ‐ FIRST EVENTS AND VITAL STATISTICS ‐ PIONEER CUSTOMS AND HARDSHIPS ‐ FUEL ‐ TRAPPING ‐ THE HOMESTEAD AND PREEMPTION LAWS 247
CHAPTER XIX.
ORGANIZATION AND GOVERNMENT OF DICKINSON COUNTY.
ORGANIZATION ‐ C. F. HILL'S LETTER ‐ JUDICIAL ELECTION ‐ FIRST TERM OF THE DISTRICT COURT ‐ THE COUNTY JUDGE ‐ SUPERVISORS ‐ GOVERNMENT SURVEYS ‐ COUNTY OFFICERS: COUNTY JUDGES, TREASURER AND RECORDER, TREASURERS, RECORDERS, DISTRICT COURT CLERKS, AUDITORS, SHERIFFS, COUNTY ATTORNEYS, SURVEYORS, SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS, CORONERS, SUPERVISORS ‐ THE COURT HOUSE ‐ JAIL ‐ THE COUNTY HOME ‐ SWAMP LANDS 270
CHAPTER XX
DICKINSON COUNTY TOWNSHIPS
282......FORMATION OF TOWNSHIPS--SPIRIT LAKE TOWNSHIP SETTLEMENT--OKOBOJI TOWNSHIP--TUSCULUM TOWNSHIP--CENTER GROVE TOWNSHIP--LAKEVILLE TOWNSHIP--RICHLAND TOWNSHIP--LLOYD TOWNSHIP--DIAMOND LAKE TOWNSHIP--SUPERIOR TOWNSHIP--SILVER LAKE TOWNSHIP--MILDORD TOWNSHIP--EXCELSIOR TOWNSHIP--WESTPORT TOWNSHIP
CHAPTER XXI
THE SPIRIT LAKE MASSACRE
THE MASSACRE AND THE EVENTS WHICH LED UP TO IT.
INKPADUTAH ‐ WHY INKPADUTAH DESIRED REVENGE ‐ EVENTS ALONG THE
LITTLE SIOUX RIVER ‐ AT SMITHLAND ‐ AT PETERSON ‐ AT GILLETT'S
GROVE ‐ APPEALS FOR HELP ‐ THE INDIANS ARRIVE AT THE LAKES ‐ THE
FIRST MORNING ‐ THE START OF THE MASSACRE ‐ FATE OF THE MATTOCK
HOUSEHOLD ‐ AT THE HOWE CABIN ‐ MURDERS AT THE THATCHER
HOME ‐ WILLIAM MARBLE'S DEATH ‐ THE INDIANS LEAVE A RECORD 289
CHAPTER XXII
THE SPIRIT LAKE MASSACRE
(Continued)
AFTERMATH OF THE MASSACRE AND THE EXPEDITION
MORRIS MARKHAM'S RETURN ‐ FORMING THE EXPEDITION ‐ THE START ‐
SPRINGFIELD REFUGEES ‐ THE BURIALS ‐ THE RETURN ‐ LIEUTENANT
MAXWELL'S ACCOUNT ‐ GOV. C. C. CARPENTER'S ACCOUNT ‐ FROM W. K.
LAUGHLIN'S ACCOUNT 304
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE SPIRIT LAKE MASSACRE
(Continued.)
DEPREDATIONS IN MINNESOTA AND THE FATE OF THE CAPTIVES. DISAPPEARANCE OF THE INDIANS.
THE AFFAIR AT SPRINGFIELD ‐ THE TROOPS ARRIVE ‐ THE INDIANS FLEE ‐
MURDER OF MRS. THATCHER ‐ MRS. MARBLE'S RELEASE ‐ THE DEATH OF
MRS. NOBLE ‐ PREPARATIONS FOR RESCUE ‐ ABBIE GARDNER'S RELEASE ‐
GOVERNMENT LACK OF SYMPATHY — ^ATTEMPTS TO CAPTURE INKPADUTAH
LAST HEARD OF INKPADUTAH AND HIS SONS ‐ THE MONUMENT ‐ INSCRIPTIONS 321
CHAPTER XXIV
THE CITY OF SPIRIT LAKE
LOCATING THE TOWN ‐ THE FIRST PLAT ‐ FIRST BUILDING ‐ FIRST FOURTH
OF JULY CELEBRATION ‐ FIRST STORE AND HOTELS ‐ TOWN SITE QUESTION
‐ A NEW ERA ‐ INCORPORATION OF TOWN ‐ UTILITIES ‐ POSTOFFICE ‐ A
STORM 340
CHAPTER XXV
LAKE PARK, MILFORD, SUPERIOR, TERRILL AND OTHER
TOWNS
LAKE PARK ‐ FIRST SETTLEMENT ‐ FIRST STORES ‐ BANKS ‐ INCORPORATION
‐ MILFORD ‐ FIRST BUSINESS INTERESTS ‐ REMOVAL OP TOWN SITE ‐
MILLS ‐ BUSINESS IN NEW TOWN ‐ BANKS AND INCORPCORATION ‐
SUPERIOR ‐ START OP TOWN ‐ FIRST STORES ‐ POSTOFFICE, BANK AND
INCORPORATION ‐ DESTRUCTIVE FIRES ‐ TERRILL ‐ START OF TOWN AND
RAILROADS ‐ FRANKS ‐ MONTGOMERY ‐ BANK ‐ OTHER VILLAGES IN DICKINSON COUNTY 349
CHAPTER XXVI
TRANSPORTATION
EARLY ROADS ‐ NEAREST RAILROAD STATIONS ‐ A LOCAL COMPANY ‐ ANOTHER
ATTEMPT ‐ THE C. & N. W. PLAN ‐ BURLINGTON, CEDAR RAPIDS & NORTHERN
‐ THE DES MOINES & NORTHWESTERN ‐ CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE &
ST. PAUL ‐ MINNEAPOLIS & ST. LOUIS ‐ MANITOBA & GULF RAILROAD ‐
BRIDGES 356
CHAPTER XXVII
EDUCATION IN DICKINSON COUNTY
THE PRESS
THE FIRST SCHOOLS ‐ THE FIRST SCHOOL AT SPIRIT LAKE ‐ THE CENTER
GROVE SCHOOL ‐ THE OKOBOJI SCHOOL ‐ SCHOOLS IN TUSCULUM ‐
OTHER EARLY SCHOOLS ‐ TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION ‐ CONSOLIDATED
SCHOOLS ‐ STATISTICS ‐ THE SPIRIT LAKE BEACON ‐ DICKINSON COUNTY
HERALD ‐ OTHER SPIRIT LAKE NEWSPAPERS ‐ MILFORD NEWSPAPERS ‐
LAKE PARK PAPERS ‐ TERRILL TRIBUNE ‐ SUPERIOR NEWS 361
CHAPTER XXVIII
CHURCHES OF DICKINSON COUNTY
THE FIRST MEETING ‐ SPIRIT LAKE CHURCHES ‐ MILFORD CHURCHES ‐CHURCHES OF LAKE PARK AND TOWNSHIP ‐ OTHER CHURCH SOCIETIES 372
CHAPTER XXIX
DICKINSON COUNTY SOCIETIES
THE FIRST SOCIETY IN THE COUNTY ‐ LODGES IN SPIRIT LAKE‐ MEMORIAL TABLET AT SPIRIT LAKE ‐ MILFORD LODGES ‐ LAKE PARK LODGES ‐ OTHER ORGANIZATIONS 379
CHAPTER XXX
MEDICINE, LAW AND COURTS
THE FIRST DOCTORS ‐ FIRST PHYSICIAN IN MILFORD ‐ FIRST DOCTOR AT LAKE
PARK ‐ UPPER DES MOINES MEDICAL SOCIETY ‐ LAW ‐ FIRST ELECTION
UNDER NEW CONSTITUTION ‐ FIRST TERM OP DISTRICT COURT ‐ THE
JUDGES OP DISTRICT COURT ‐ PRESENT BAR 385
CHAPTER XXXI
DICKINSON COUNTY RESORTS
APPRECIATION BY FIRST SETTLERS ‐ THE FIRST HOTELS ‐ SPIRIT LAKE
RESORTS ‐ ORLEANS HOTEL ‐ OKOBOJI RESORTS — THE VARIOUS BEACHES
AND HOTELS ‐ THE FIRST NAVIGATION ON THE LAKES ‐ SAIL BOATS ‐ THE
FIRST STEAMER ‐ LATER STEAMBOATS 388
CHAPTER XXXII
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
THE LAKE NAMES ‐ STORMS AND BLIZZARDS ‐ THE GRASSHOPPER INVASION ‐
VERSE, CHARGE OF THE GRASSHOPPER BRIGADE ‐ GAME — FISH ‐ CENSUS ‐
REMINISCENCES ‐ A FAMINE 395
CHAPTER XXXIII
CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY.
IMPORTANCE OF DATES IN THE STUDY OF HISTORY ‐ INFLUENCE OF EVENTS
ON THOSE THAT FOLLOW ‐ EXAMPLES ‐ THE SUMMARY ‐ LIST OP
EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE ORGANIZATION OF EMMET AND DICKINSON
COUNTIES ‐ IMPORTANT OCCURRENCES SINCE THE FIRST SETTLEMENT 419
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