growing their calves until of sufficient age to derive support from the succulent native grasses. The result is

that today, besides its cheese factories, there are large creameries centrally located and the butter product

alone during the past six months has amounted to fully 500,000 pounds. Besides the dairy product, wonderful

for a population of 6,000, the growth of cattle is no less wonderful. There were last year over 12,000 cattle in

the county, after shipping nearly 80 carloads of fat steers to market. Some idea of the vast crop of hay in the

county may be formed from the statement that at Algona alone six hay presses are engaged in baling hay for

market. It costs only the expense of cutting and hauling, as thousands of acres are free to him who will take it.

To the farmer its cost is absolutely nothing, and it nets him $2.50 a ton. Farmers of Kossuth make a fair profit

when they can sell hogs at $3.00 a hundred. At ordinary prices the profits are immense. These, the great

industries of the county, dairying, cattle and hog raising, have placed its farmers within the few years since

they deserted the exclusive raising of the cereals, on the rapid road to wealth, a goal which, indeed, the

majority of them have already attained.

--Algona Upper Des Moines, 10 January 1883, page 4


Barnet Devine, a Kossuth county cattle dealer, recently sold 510 head, for which he was paid over $30,006.

--The Perry Chief, 26 October 1883, page 2

[Kossuth County Bank, Algona, Iowa. Barnet Devine was one of the directors.]

--Algona Upper Des Moines, 16 January 1884, page 1

IRVINGTON

One of Barney Devine's hired men was severely kicked by a horse last week, breaking several ribs. Dr.

Garfield of Algona repaired the damages.

ST. JOSEPH

B. Devine and wife are the happy parents of a son [Frank Barnett], born to them a week ago Sunday.

--Algona Upper Des Moines, 4 June 1884, page 4

Quite a number of our citizens were called to Algona this week as witnesses in a case wherein Math.

Freilinger is plaintiff and Bronson Brothers and Henry McChain are defendants. [Freilinger married Sarah

Devine, daughter of Barnet and Abigail]

--Algona Upper Des Moines, 3 December 1884, page 4

In last week’s issue an extract appeared from the Algona Republican giving particulars of an attack made

by one Matt. Freilinger upon young Bronson and McChane from this county growing out of a dispute over

hay which the latter parties had a contract for. Yesterday A. Bronson, father of the Bronson boys, showed us

a letter which he had just received from his son, C. T. Bronson. It stated that the grand jury found two

indictments against Freilinger and exonerated Bronson and McChane. Freilinger pleaded guilty to the

indictments and was fined $200 and costs and his father-in-law [Barnet Devine] stated that it would take

over $500 to pay all the expenses. He has probably learned not to attempt to bulldoze Blackhawk county

boys.

--Waterloo Courier, 17 December 1884, page 1

[Note: Waterloo is in Blackhawk County]

TOO COLD FOR COMFORT

Thirty-Nine Degrees Below Here---

Coldest Weather Known Here for

Many Years

. . Coupled with this extremely cold

weather there has been a considerable

snow fall during the week, so that travel

by team outside of town has been very

much impeded. . . . some of the old settlers

who declare that the winter of 1856-7

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Rachel (Scherf) Levine

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