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John P. Oakes Pioneer
Long time Cattle Business Man
John P. Oakes |
OXFORD TOWNSHIP PIONEER PASSES 87TH MILESTONE
John P. Oakes
celebrated his eighty-seventh birthday last Sunday by motoring over to
Lisbon to visit with an old-time friend, George William. He was
accompanied by his son and daughter, William and Florence.
Mr.
Oakes is one of the oldest residents in this part of the county, having
come here when he was yet a young man and before Oxford was in
existence. The only town in the west part of Johnson County at that
time was Greencastle, at which place he settled and lived for several
years.
Mr.
Oakes has, in truth, “grown up with the country’ for it has been within
the span of his lifetime that western Johnson County – and most of Iowa
for that matter – has been transformed from open prairie to a thickly
settled farming region with towns and villages dotting the country
every few miles. | During
the early days of his residence here there were no automobiles and not
even railroads west of Iowa City. He came from the east edge of the
state to Iowa City on a train that did not travel as fast as the
stagecoach which plied between the two points. And that was its regular
speed, too. So, perhaps, when no. 9 or No. 10 or some other of the Rock
Island trains are a few minutes late it might be well to think of the
time that Mr. Oakes rode the same line from Davenport to Iowa City and
then be thankful that the railroads have improved some at least.
Since
those early days this section has improved wonderfully and Mr. Oakes
was one of the pioneers who helped in that improvement. He has ever
been one of our most progressive citizens, took an active interest in
politics and has always looked forward to and helped in bringing about
anything that would be of benefit to his neighborhood, his county, his
state and his nation.
May he enjoy in health and happiness many more birthdays. (Source: Oxford Leader, published in Oxford, Iowa, Thurs, June 8, 1922, pg. 1)
John Oakes Is 90 Years Old Today; Receives Many Cards
Today
John Oakes is celebrating his 90th birthday, and to help him remember
that, it is his birthday, scores of folks in Oxford and the vicinity
have planned a postal card shower. Many post cards were received by Mr.
Oakes.
At the age of 90, Mr. Oakes enjoys unusually good health, and
it is no uncommon sight to see him driving his faithful old horse down
Augusta Avenue all alone. Mr. Oakes is one of the very few persons in
Johnson County today who have reached this ripe old age. (Source:
Oxford Leader, Thurs, Jun 4, 1925, pg. 1)
Observes Birthday Anniversary
Mr.
John P. Oakes, living near Oxford, celebrated his ninetieth birthday at
his home Thursday. The occasion was remembered by a host of friends
from all sections of the country who sent cards and letters of
greetings and a profusion of flowers.
Mr. Oakes has lived near
Oxford for fifty-nine years on the same farm and has been prominently
engaged to the cattle business for the past sixty-eight years. He
recalls driving herds of cattle from Minnesota, Kansas, Colorado and
other states to his Iowa farm and later to the Chicago market. In
contrast, he mentions the rapidity with which some of his birthday
greetings reached him y air-mail from far east and western states.
A
number of relatives spent the evening at the Oakes home last evening.
An elaborate birthday cake with ninety lighted candles was a feature of
the refreshments which concluded the party. Mr. Oakes’ children,
William and Florence, were both present. (Source: Iowa City Press-Citizen, Fri, Jun 5, 1925, pg. 3) |
John P. Oakes, 96, Johnson Co. Pioneer Passed Away Tuesday
A long time resident of Johnson County has answered the final summons. Mr. Oakes passed away Tuesday March 15 at his home north of Oxford.
Death came as a peaceful slumber climaxing his many years of active
service. If he had lived until June 4 of this year, he would have been
97 years old.
Born near the old Coolidge home in Grafton,
Vermont, June 4, 1835, he spent his early years in New England. He came
west as a young man and lived for some time in Minnesota, in fact,
locating on land which is now the site of Austin. October 11, 1865,
he was united in marriage to Mary Isabelle Wray, daughter of C. B. Wray
of North Liberty. This union was blessed with one son, Albert C. Oakes.
On December 17, 1875, death entered the home and took from Mr. Oakes
his beloved wife.
On November 29, 1879, he was married to Joanna
Walker, daughter of William and Mary Walker. This union was a happy and
lasting one. Three children blessed the home, John, Florence and
William. On February 9,1919, Albert C. Oakes was called beyond; followed on
August 7, by John W. Oakes. His passing leaves to mourn, his wife, one son, William, one daughter,
Florence; three daughters-in-law,seven grandchildren and four great
grandchildren.
Funeral services were held this afternoon at the
house with burial at North Liberty cemetery. Rev. A. L. Jordan of the
Oxford M. E. church officiated. Was Colorful Figure
No
more interesting figure could be found in this vicinity than John P.
Oakes. His reminiscences of early days both in Iowa and Minnesota were
always a source of great entertainment to his listeners. When
he was 91, he had a desire to return to Austin, Minn., where he had
spent his early twenties. It was a great occasion for him. His visit
was graphically described in the Austin Daily Herald in the issue of
July 30, 1925. A portion of the article is quoted below: “A
man with a long grey bear stood on the court house steps this morning
and gazed with piercing black eyes upon the busy scene before him. It
was sixty-three years since he had looked upon Austin, almost seventy
years since he had come to Austin as a boy of 22 years, and now at the
age of 91 he had come back to look upon the scenes of his early
efforts. Straight as the ramrod of the first gun he carried when he
shot prairie chickens over the land where this city now stands, he
exclaimed, “Great Juniper berries, I wouldn’t know the place.”
Came as Trapper, Hunter 
John
P. Oakes, is the name of this Minnesota pioneer, this early settler of
these parts, who came here when the red men had their camps on the
Cedar River to catch fish and trap the fur bearing animals. He knew
Austin when it was the home of the hunter and trapper, when there were
but a few shacks scattered along the river bank, when the one great
highway was the territorial road that wended its way from the plains of
Iowa, through what is now Le Roy and entering Austin across the Dobbin
near Sutton park, crossing the Cedar at the ford, where the Water
Street bridge now stands and thence to St. Anthony Falls.
Name on Many Land Titles
The
name of John P. Oakes is a familiar one to those who have to do with
the clearing of titles of lands of Mower County. His name is not only
associated with the early beginnings of the township of Lansing but of
Six Mile Grove settlement, for he had farms in both places. He
lives at Oxford, Iowa, and drove up with this son, William Oakes, this
morning. He went to the court house where he found Sheriff Nicholsen.
He wanted information about William Baudller with whom he used to
“batch” when he first came here. Mr. Nicholsen called County Attorney
Baudler, who is a son of William Baudler. In his story of the early
days, he spoke of William Simpson, Henry Baudler, John Cook, Ormanzo
Allen, Ira Jones, Charles Davidson, Jerry Yates, Lewis Dobson and
others. “All dead and gone. I guess I am the last of them all”, he said
after recalling the names of those who did so much as pioneers to make
this land.
Recalls Melon Thefts
“I
remember stealing watermelons from Ira Jones. No, I didn’t have a hand
in stealing them, but I know all about it. Jones had the biggest melons
I ever saw and among them was the biggest, the darndest melon that ever
grew. Great Juniper berries! How big that melon was. Jones had a picket
fence around his melons but we could see that big melon thru the
pickets. When it was ripe I was in the shack when my brother and
William Baudler came in with the melon. They stole two melons, the big
one and a small one. They took the seeds of the little melon and
scattered them along on the grass until they came to Charley Davidson’s
house. There, they threw a piece of rind on the grass. The next morning
Ira missed his melon and we saw him following the trail to Davidson’s.
He was mad when he found the rind and he accused Davison of stealing
the melon. It created a big row. Great Juniper berries how we enjoyed
it.”
Drove Cattle to Chicago
"I
spent about eight years of my life in driving cattle to Chicago. I
would buy up the stock and then drive on day after day, letting the
cattle have food and rest on the way,” he said.
He
told how he joined the gold rush to Pikes Peak, but did not get there
in time. “I met the late ones returning and I bought their cattle and
drove them to Chicago. I have spent all my life with cattle. We have
just sold our cattle in Chicago and decided to run up to Austin and see
how it looks after all these years.”
“Where
was I born? Oh, I just grew up like Topsy. Let me see, I was born in
Grafton, Vermont, and I came west when a boy. I came to Winona by boat
from Moline. After spending a winter in Winona, I came here,” he said.
“Do
I use tobacco? Well, I chew some. I never cared much about smoking. I
was for several years rafting and boating on the Mississippi River but
it was not until I was past 30 years of age that I ever took a drink. I
never did like beer but I had a hankering for a little whiskey. I have
lived a pretty temperate life. I don’t care for tea and coffee
either.”
“I
used to own the John Mathieson farm. Those were days of real hardship
but we didn’t seem to care. It was what was coming to all of us then. I
remember that John Mathieson worked on the railroad grade for
twenty-five cents a day and took his pay in goods from the company’s
stores.
Finds Home Occupied
“I
had gone one time to McGregor to get a lot of stuff we needed,
groceries and dry goods. It was a long time before I got back. The
river was high and I could not come in the usual way so I drove to
Lansing and got there at night. I camped there and the next day I waded
about in the cold water trying to find a ford. When I came in sight of
the old shack, I noticed that someone was in there. I unhitched and
went in. A woman was at work and thought I came for something to eat.
She told me she had but little give me, but I was welcome. So, I sat
down and began to look over the place. It was easy to see that women’s
hands s had been at work while I was gone. Everything was clean and set
to rights. There were little touches of cloth about the windows, sort
of curtains. I just sat there and look for a time.
“Then
the woman looked as though it was time for me to move on. Then I said,
“This is quite an improvement since I left here.” I was sorry for that
woman. She and her family had come overland from the east and they
found my shack and thought it had been deserted. We fixed it up so they
stayed on until they could get another home.”
Interest at 40 Per Cent
“I
used to loan money at 40 per cent to the early settlers. I had the
money sent me from Vermont and I took land as security at from two to
two and a half dollars an acre. I got the money at 6 per cent. I stood
to make some good money. But the loans were not repaid and the land
could not be sold. When the pay day came, I wrote back to Vermont that
all I had was $163 and four oxen. That was all I had.”
“It is
about 200 miles to Oxford, Iowa, but Mr. Oakes stood the trip
remarkably well. He is not old, only in years. He has all his faculties
and is a most interesting man to meet.
“Come Willie,” he said to
his son, “it is about time we begin to mosey back home.” “But he didn’t
go right home. He drove up to the spot where the old shack stood that
sheltered him and Mr. Baudler in the far away days, when all this land
was young.” (Source: Oxford Leader, Thurs, Mar 17, 1932, pgs. 1 & 4)
JOHN P. OAKES HAS LONGEST RECORD AS CATTLE FEEDER
(From Drovers Journal)
“Who has produced a carload of beef or more a year for the longest period of time and is still producing?”
So
far as can be learned, from voluntary answers to this question, the
record is held by John P. Oakes, of Oxford, Johnson County, Iowa. Mr.
Oakes is 95 years old and has fed cattle for market continuously for 71
years! We have an idea that record would not be surpassed even though a
house-to-house canvass were made.
What a wonderful record it is. Congratulations to Mr. Oakes! And may he add many more years to it!
The
question at the top of this column first appeared in the Drovers
Journal on Jan. 26. Interest was at once apparent, and the answers
began to pour in. From them the Honor Roll, appearing for the last time
in today’s papers, was compiled. On that list will be found the names
of 38 feeders who have records of a half century or more, and many
others who deserve recognition for long-time production. No doubt
modesty has kept the list down, somewhat, but it is a question whether
there are very many others who could rightfully lay claim to a place in
the half century group. These are the real veterans of the cattle
feeding industry.
Oakes a Vermonter
John
P. Oakes was born in Grafton, Vermont, on June 4, 1835. His birthplace
was near the old Coolidge home, which he remembers well as a boy. He
came to the west as a young man and lived for some time in Minnesota;
in fact, Austin, Minn., is built on land he once owned. He later
settled in Johnson County, Iowa, where he has lived ever since.
He
came to Iowa first as a raw youth from the Vermont hills, and arriving
at Clinton, and being not over-supplied with funds, he decided to walk
to Council Bluffs, following the stage route. Picking up information
along the way, he concluded that there was an opportunity to go into
business for himself, and on his arrival made his first business
venture. The Mormons were moving west and they needed cattle, horses
and supplies.
Supplies the Mormons
Being
a horseman as well as a cowman, John Oakes soon developed a good
business with these people. He gathered at his Missouri River
headquarters cattle and horses and there supplied replacements for
those who needed them. He was just a little late for the gold rush of
’49, however, managed later to get along as far as Pike’s Peak, where
he continued his supply business and gathered together a great number
of cast-off cattle which he assembled and drove back to the Chicago
market, letting them feed as they came along. “These cattle actually
got fat on the trip,” he said, “and they made me pretty good money.”
His
wanderings took him to lower Minnesota, in the vicinity of Austin,
where he established himself for a time. In those days, Mr. Oakes
gathered a bunch of cattle and drove them to LaCrosse, Wis. From which
place he shipped them on to Chicago. This was before the days of
commission men. “Each railroad had its own yards,” said Mr. Oakes, “and
it was up to the shipper to sell his own cattle as best he could. I
made just $34 on that bunch of cattle, which wasn’t so very much for
the amount of time and work I had put in on them.”
A Venture in Horses
While
down in Illinois on that trip, he determined to find some way to make
his last venture more successful from a financial standpoint, so he
purchased a carload of horses, among them some very fine specimens.
These he proposed to ship back to Minnesota and there resell them at an
advanced price. The freight rate came near spoiling the whole deal even
after the horses had been assembled for shipment… “it was so high that
I knew there would be nothing left for me, so I just decided that those
horses could walk a few hundred miles and that they would be all the
better for it. So, I hired a helper and we set out for the northwest. I
knew many of the settlers along the way and managed to go by many of
their places. I had a hard time keeping the best ones, for every time I
stopped, someone would want to buy them. I sold some along the way and
bought others. After reaching my destination I soon sold out the whole
outfit and more than doubled my money on them.”
However, he had
inherited a Yankee trait that really proved his downfall. “You
know how I went broke the first time?” he asked as a smile crept across
his face, “Well sire, you may not believe it, but this is how it
happened. I borrowed money down east at 4 percent and loaned it out in
Minnesota at 40 per cent, and that is how I went broke. You see I
loaned it to a lot of fellows who failed to repay me and I had to make
my loans good, so that’s how it came about.”
Some of this
information comes to us direct, and some from an article published in
the Aberdeen Angus Journal last summer, and written by Fred Hahne,
editor, as does the following comment on Mr. Oakes’ present feeding
operations:
Raises Angus Calves
“Mr.
Oakes had about 60 head of Aberdeen Angus grade calves on feed and with
them a few calves of off color that had been added from neighboring
farmers’ herds for the purpose of filling the lot to the desired
number. These calves are fed in the open and have the privilege of
going inside a large barn should they care to escape severe weather.
The feedlot is situated on either side of a creek which supplies
running water the year round and likewise gives the yards excellent
drainage. In one corner of this dry lot is a clump of trees which
supply ample shade from the hot summer sun – in fact, these calves have
an ideal home and the bulging cribs give the impression that these
youngsters will be treated kindly at the feed bunk.
“Across the
way were other barns and out from them the pastures where 50 or 60 head
of registered and high-grade breeding cows were working over the field,
gleaning here and there a choice morsel. The calves had just begun to
come, several already being in evidence. The Oakes Angus cows are of
the thick, low-set sort that bring forward good lusty feeder calves
which never fail to give a good account of themselves when they go to
market. These cows are kept for the purpose of g rowing calves for the
Oakes feed lots and the herd has proved very successful over a long
period of years. (Source: Oxford Leader, Thurs, Feb 26, 1931,
pgs. 1 & 4)
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VETERAN STOCKMAN HERE
John P. Oakes Has Fed Cattle for Fifty-six Consecutive Winters
John
P. Oakes of Oxford, Ia., who is 80 years old and looks only 70, is
among the visitors to the state fair. Mr. Oakes is a farmer and stock
man and believes his record as a cattle feeder is unequaled in Iowa in
point of time. He began in a modest way in 1859 and has been at it ever
since. That is to say, fifty-six consecutive years. He is extremely
modest about his accomplishments but it is easy to see that he has been
highly successful. (Source: The Des Moines Register, Thu., Sep 2, 1915,
pg. 10)
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