Iowa Old Press

Palo Alto Reporter
Emmetsburg, Palo Alto, Iowa
October 25, 1895

IN THE FIELD

     The pleasant sunshine and balmy October air of the first of the week coaxed us again into the field. Leaving Emmetsburg we drove along the old lake road and for four or five miles followed the shore line of the once beautiful Medium lake. Now its waters have left its bed and flags and rushes flourish where once the boats of pleasure seekers or hunters floated on a broad sheet of shimmering water. Here and there we saw a stranded boat upon the old time beach, and amid the dead brown flats one catches only a rare glimpse of water in some spring or solitary pool. We drove to the hospitable home of J.B. Guerdett, in Vernon township. Mr. Guerdett was one of the pioneer settlers of the county. He came here in 1869 and homesteaded a place near where he now lives. then the nearest neighbor was three miles away, and a trip to the mill or market town of Algona was an undertaking of some importance. Mr. G. was one of the organizers of Vernon township and could furnish many interesting stories of early time. His present home is snugly ensconced in a large grove and its hospitable welcome was appreciated by ye hungry scribe. From Mr. G.'s we turned east, and after passing the greetings of the day with Judge Hickey, came to the new home of W.H. Ferguson, who came here from Indiana this spring, and at once moved to his prairie home. Unlike many other new settlers who, investing largely in land are content to put up with small, poorly constructed buildings until prosperous times permit them to build better, he at once proceeded to erect large barns and sheds. His house is a model country home, large roomy and well built. No prettier lying farm land can be found than the section owned by Mr. F. This, with its location upon two of the principal roads leading to the city, and the unusually attractive farm buildings, make the place noticeable to the casual passerby. We would wish to especially encourage the well-to-do, thoroughly competent and experienced farmers of the east, who are cultivating high priced land, to emigrate to this land of greater opportunities. To this class Mr. F. belongs.
     Thos. Jule is a young German farmer living east of Mr. F. He owns an eighty and is working hard for an independence.
     P.C. Duer has for five years been a resident of Vernon township. He has a farm of 200 acres, the entire product of which is fed upon the place. Mr. D. usually feeds a considerable number of steers, but has not purchased many yet for this winter.
     We called upon Jas. Hummel, and found him dustily engaged threshing some flax. He is a new comer, coming from eastern Iowa. he owns an eighty and rents other lands each year.
    R.B. Waggoner, about a year ago, concluded that it was not well for man to live alone. The prospect of turning his own "flapjacks" or "biting" his own "murphies" by the dim light of a greasy lamp was not alluring, so he acted wisely and wooed, won and wed a Miss Carrie Drew, and now they have a neat and happy home near the older Mr. W.
    Z. Waggoner is a large grain farmer. He tills 320 acres of the productive soil of Independence township. He is making some repairs and additions to his house and superintending a large force of corn huskers. He came from Cass county six years ago. He has a large crop this year and if anyone can make grain farming pay well he will.
    H. Rindy is one of the most successful farmers of Independence township. He came from the Badger state five years ago. He now owns 240 acres with excellent improvements. A comfortable home, large, well arranged stables and good herds and flocks in his pastures should make him contented. Even more; his boys own farms adjoining, and their homes are within a short distance of the parental roof. H.O. Lives upon his brother Oscar's place. He has tried merchandising in a Wisconsin town, but this year returns to the farm again, largely on account of the poor health of his wife. John lives on his own farm, just across the road from his brother. He has been on the place but a short time.
     Henry Hanson owns an eighty east of the Rindy's. We were interested in how he was going to straighten out and put up again a steel wind mill that had blown down and yet lay where it fell.
     Andrew Nelson has three forties of good land just across the road from Mr. H.'s. They came from Hardin county four years ago.
    A.L. Watland owns eighty acres of land, as yet unadorned by house or barn. He makes his home with Sam Oleson who owns the adjoining 120 and is as yet untrammeled by matrimonial ties.
    A. A. Hollenschow (Holly for short) who is now on the Hans Ordel place, is rushing his husking preparatory to leaving the country and taking up his residence in Humboldt county. Hans Mattison will farm his place next year.
    We spent an hour or more in Forsythe. This is a small village in Denmark township, Emmet county, just upon the county line. The Forsythe creamery was built in 1894 by the Forsythe Creamery Co. The officers are H.A. Gordie, Pres.; H. Rindy, Sec.; H.J. Huskamp, Treas.; Douglas Beck and Hans Bunickson, directors. The plant cost $3,000 and is finished with good equipments. The daily receipts of milk now is about 4000 pounds. Sever Gordon is in charge. E.T. Sorum established a country store December 1, 1894 and enjoys a large and remunerative trade. He is also the postmaster of the village. He has a good farm near the corners which is now occupied by a tenant.
    Jans. Peterson has a small blacksmith shop here and picks up a good livelihood at his forge and anvil.
     A wagonmaker, from Armstrong, is erecting a new building which he will occupy as a wagon shop.
    H. Sorum, a bother of the village storekeeper, owns a farm adjoining the village. We noticed that he has a good string of handsome, heavy draft horses and that they were most carefully cared for. His large herd of hogs are evidently well bred and cared for.
    J.H. Townsand and family came in from Linn county this spring and have a new farm a mile from the creamery. They are the only American family in the neighborhood. Mrs. Maggie Cummings, of Red Cloud, Neb., Mrs. T.'s mother, is visiting with them for a couple of weeks.
    O.S. Houg is one of the prosperous farmers of Emmet county who keeps abreast of the times by reading the REPORTER. He has one of the beat farms of the neighborhood.
    T.H. Matheny lives upon a farm of 120 acres. He is an American and came from Marion county in 1894. Under his care the farm is being rapidly brought under a good state of cultivation. His crop of flax this year was large and paid him well.
    We visited the grain ranch of C.I. Haynes, in Emmet county. Mr. Haynes has 1120 acres in his own farm and controls the lands of several of his Illinois friends who have invested in Iowa real estate lately. Altogether there are several thousand acres. This year Mr. Haynes harvested 700 acres of flax, several hundred acres of wheat and corn and oats in proportion. Some forty head of horses are kept on the farm, and a small army of men  are employed. We found Mr. H. finishing up the cutting of his flax crop. He uses a Craver header, the only machine of its kind in use in the county. He keeps his own threshing machine and uses his own men to run it. He came from Grundy county, Ill., three years ago, but we are afraid will not find grain raising here as profitable as in Illinois.
    Away back yonder, when Father Time was only a kid, Burner Bradly settled in his present home in Vernon township. Back so far the the memory of the oldest inhabitant runneth not to the contrary, the little frame house of Barney Bradly has stood upon the hill, and its thickening grove has been a landmark for the emigrant or land seeker. The trials that led away over the prairies were made with Burney's place as a landmark. Time has passed since then and  has touched with frosty fingers the locks of the pioneer of Vernon township. As the seeds he planted long ago have grown into sturdy trees, interlacing their branches to shield him from the winter blasts, so around him have grown up a family of sturdy, husky lads and blooming Irish girls, and amid the comforts of a pleasant home and his children, he cares not how the world wags on in the busy whirl of life without. He has just finished the construction of a kitchen addition to his house. Of course it was dedicated by a dance. By the way somebody who didn't know and he surmised to the somebody who thought he knew, who said he was about sure to the somebody who knew all about it, who told us he knew that there would be a wedding in the neighborhood soon.
    S.J. Speer, who with his wife left five weeks ago on a visit to Mrs. S.'s. parents in Oelwien, Iowa, has been quite sick with typhoid fever. Latest news from Mr. S. are to the effect that he is slowly recovering. We called at the Speer home and found only the children at home.
    We stopped and had a short talk with C. Sickles. He informs us that he expects to move his family to northwest Missouri this fall, if possible, to either sell or rent his place.
    P. P. Schmidt was busy drawing water from a neighboring well for his house use, but not too busy to subscribe for the only good paper in Palo Alto county. He has had two deep wells sunk but has had bad luck in striking a permanent flow. We noticed the lumber for a new house upon the property near Mr. Schmidt's, but did not learn the name of the newcomer.

     Edward McClellan is an old time supporter of the REPORTER. We did not stop at his home but noticed from the road that he has arranged to carry on a large dairy business easily and profitably. He has large investments in live stock and has been very successful in this line.
    A. Todd is a shrewd Scotchman, who came to this country at an early day and purchased land of the Scottish-American Land Company. Proverbial Scotch thrift and a careful study of his business has led Mr. Todd to be one of the most successful and wealthy farmers in the county. His 640 acres of farm land are occupied by his herds and flocks. He believes in having only the best and one cannot but more than admire the four-footed beauties that surround him. His sheep are worthy of special mention. There are over 200 in the flock, all high grade Leisters. One, recently sold, weighed 116 pounds,and the next one, 114 pounds. His cattle are also well bred up, and were scattered in different pastures about the place. His horses, we understand, are beauties, and indeed they must be to be up to the rest of his stock. Mr. Todd, it is necessary to add, has surrounded himself with all the domestic comforts of home, not forgetting his dumb animals' shelters. The place is known as the Rowen Lea farm, and we hope to visit it again when we have more time to see more of it.
    We made a short stop at the comfortable home of C.T. Ellis, who has a 160 acre farm and good improvements. He came here from near Storm Lake one year ago. Like every one else he prefers the REPORTER for reliability and news.
    R.H. Ober will shortly remove to his home in Somerset county, Pa., has had but a short residence here but prefers his old associates and neighbors of the east. A Mr. Elliot has rented his place. The REPORTER will follow him.
    J.A. Schmeltzer was found at work preparing his cribs for the bounteous crop he has yet to gather. He is a hard worker but will find time to read the REPORTER this winter.
    W.I. and E.J. Boxi are two young men who came into the neighborhood last spring and settled upon the W.H. Stepp farm. They have 360 acres to care for and run three teams during the summer. They came from Mr. S.'s farm near State Center in Marshall county.
    C.N. Davis was found at work digging and sorting potatoes. Mr. D. has raised 1300 bushels of potatoes this year. Part of them he has contracted for 25 cents per bushel. He proposes to plant forty acres of potatoes next year. He also has given considerable attention to poultry raising and has several hundred chicks, some of them but a week or so old, on hand. He hatches them with an incubator and has a warm house for raising them. He says they pay better than farming.
    The Nolan Bros. are this year farming the 360 acre farm opposite Mr. Blair's. That they are good farmers, we do not doubt as we found upon their place the largest and best samples of corn we noticed in Independence or Vernon townships. Messrs. Nolan will cultivate the Blair farm next year.
    We understand that Mr. Elliot will move upon the Ober place next spring.
    I.W. Nessa came from the pine belt of Wisconsin five years ago and bought him a quarter section among his compatriots. His home is neat and cozy and the large amount of stock that surrounds him is evidence of his prosperity.
    Thos. Oleson, who farmed the Gorder place this year, has about determined to return to the Sunflower state. He will start next week by the Rock Island to investigate the prospects there, and if favorable, will emigrate there this fall. Andres Finnstien, of Livingston county, Ill, has rented the place for next year.
    Ole B. Saboe, who had the misfortune to lose his home by fire last spring, has a larger and better one now completed on the old site. We found him busy completing the cellar. He has a good farm and is making money on it too.
    Close beside Mr. Saboe's home we passed the elegant new church building of the Cylinder Creek congregation of the Norwegian Lutheran church. This house of worship is built upon the modern city plans and would be a credit to any city. It is 40x34 and is surmounted by a steeple and belfry. It was built on 1893 but is not quite complete on the interior furnishings. Pastor Vardie of Lost Island is in charge of the congregation.
    Sequart Nelson is a prosperous young Norwegian farmer who moved upon his prairie home three years ago. Now he has it under cultivation and nicely improved.
    B.H. Benson is one of four brothers who came here from Wisconsin seven years ago. He has a pretty home and many buildings for the shelter and care of his stock, of which he has considerable. We found him busy erecting a commodious house for his hogs to winter in.
    One of the largest barns and small but neatest of houses, with large sheds and yards, all warmly nestled in a large grove, that we saw in Little Norway, was upon the farm of Sever Rustebeck. He has tilled its fertile acres for sixteen years, being among the earlier of the Norwegian settlers.
    Eight years before Mr. Rustebeck run his section lines, Paul Haugsteen broke ground in the adjoining section. His present farm of 120 acres is in a high state of cultivation, and his large grove is yet one of the landmarks of the neighborhood. Andrew Anderson now occupies his house and carries on his place. Mr. and Mrs. H. make their home among their children.
    Close behind the elder Mr. H. his son Thomas has his pretty home and his farm of 120 acres.
    The handsome St. James Norwegian Union Lutheran church, of Fairfield township, is nearing completion and will be dedicated Sunday, November 17th, with appropriate and imposing ceremonies. Rev. Hymer, Formand of the Norwegian Union Lutheran church of America and a number of other prominent divines of the church will be present. The meetings will be held on three days and services will be held in both the Norwegian and English languages.

Submitted by: #000525