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Shelby County |
Home 1915 History Index |
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Shelby County |
Home 1915 History Index |
CHAPTER VI -- PIONEERS (CONT'D)EARLY SETTLERS OF WESTPHALIA TOWNSHIP.A poll list of Sumner township (later known as Westphalia) voters at the election of October, 1874, shows the following names: Winand Krantz, Mathias Kuhl, Thomas Sonntag, A. Miller, Peter J. Hennersbach, F. Miller, Nickolaus Molitor, Joseph Smith, August Kemmerich, Jr., August Kemmerich, Sr., Peter Book, Joseph Blum, Adam Gross, Joseph Kuhl, Henry Miller, Mathias Freund, Fred Loehr, Peter Kaufman. At the election of 1875, thrity-four voters were registered, consisting of the following named persons: Peter Book, Joseph Schmidt, August Kemmerich II, Frederick Loehr, Joseph Kuhl, Michael Wilwerding, William Henne, Valentine Kuhl, Peter Engel, John Gollobitsch, Alexander Miller, Thomas Sonntag, John Pieffer, August Kemmerich, Jr., Mathias Everts, August ----wald (illegible) Michael McCabe, Mathias Freund, Nickolaus Molitor, Henry Muller, Mathias Kuhl, Peter Kaufman, Joseph Book, Michael Muller, Adam Gross, Anton Heimerman, Joseph Picart, Peter Schuchmacker, Adam Schmitz, Joseph Blum, Jacob Langenfeld, Peter Gubbelo, Joseph Nowatzke, Jacob Gubbels. Westphalia township was for a year or so at first known as Sumner township. It is the only township in the county that had a distinctively religious origin, and at the same time a settlement composed almost wholly of persons of foreign birth. It was originally avowedly designed to make of this beautiful tract of purely prairie land, for it had a scarcely a native tree within its borders, a German Catholic settlement where persons of this faith might reside, rear their children, establish happy homes, and worship God according to the usages, traditions, and practices of their fathers for many generations. These people endured many privations, sacrificed much to realize their ideals, have made their township one of the beauty spots of Shelby county, and have borne an unsullied reputation for law-abiding citizenship. This settlement has furnished a number of splendid county officers among whom might be mentioned Joseph H. Kuhl, F. W. Loehr, Adam Schmitz, E. A. Schell, E. M. Hertert and others. The early newspapers of Shelby county gave much space to the early growth of Westphalia township, hence the author is enabled to draw on contemporary records, which are always more satisfactory than other sources of information. It is likewise more interesting to secure when possible a record of settlement made at the time of settlement. The author of this history is fortunate in being able to present below a sketch contributed to the Shelby County Record by a local correspondent at Westphalia on October 29, 1874: WESTPHALIA.“It will, perhaps, be of some interest to your readers to learn a more detailed account of the German colony, Westphalia, than that already known. So I will try to give, through the columns of the Record, a short sketch of the enterprise, from its beginning to the present time. “It is about two years since the enterprise of the above named settlement was actively started. A. H. Ketteler had obtained a whole township of land from the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Company, on which to locate the colony, and had, by contract, bound himself to the railroad company to secure fifty settlers in the first eighteen months, although the land was a vast ocean of prairie, which presented but few attractions to the new-comer. The settling proceeded very slowly, and Mr. Ketteler could not fulfill his contract, and was, at the expiration of the time, discharged. E. Fluesche was appointed to the position, under whose supervision the enterprise has made astonishing progress. Yet it is but two years since this broad expanse of green sward—now ere long to be the smiling home of the husbandman—was converted into rich fields of grain; the wild grass gives way to timothy and clover; the fox and the wolf to the St. Bernard and Shepard dogs, and the deer to the herds of fine horses and cattle. Orchards of fruit and shade trees are springing up with marvelous rapidity to shelter and adorn the new habitations, and save the land from state taxation for the next ten years. The land where the settlement now is has been waiting from the dawn of creation for the hands of men to cultivate and civilize it; yet the hardships of pioneer life have been undergone. A fine school building, now occupied as a temporary church, is erected, and promises, before long, to become too small, and then a stately new church will point its spire toward the blue heavens, and the one now occupied will be used as a high school. There has been donated, near the building, thirteen acres for the exclusive benefit of the church and also five acres for a cemetery. In the center of this flourishing and enterprising settlement, where the church now stands, a town has been laid out, called Westphalia, where building has already taken an active start and another year various branches of business will be represented here, accommodating all classes. There are several beneficial institutions, for the advancement of the prosperity of the colony, which it is not at present necessary to mention. “A tide of immigration has been drawn hither, and the opening of another Spring will see new settlers arriving daily, especially from the province of Westphalia in Germany, from whence the town and settlement derives its name. About ten thousand acres have been disposed of to actual settlers, all honest, hardworking people, who will, in due time, become well off. Indeed the township lately organized under the name of Sumner promises, at no distant day, to be one of the best settled and most flourishing townships in Shelby county. Frequent comments have been made by newspapers and travelers upon the astonishing success. Indeed, the progress has been so unparalleled that it would deserve a place in history, and the people of Shelby county should feel proud to have this energetic colony in their midst.” Adam Schmitz tells me that when Rev. Knepple, the first priest, was on his way from Harlan to the Westphalia parish, he was met by practically the whole people from this parish on the township line at a point on the old road that ran from Harlan northwest. This road, by the way, ran on the ridge past the home of Charles Book above the old C. C. Redfield home, then on to near the home of Joseph Bauer, thence to Joseph Book’s premises, thence to the old Fluesche place, now the Wegemann place, then to the Zimmerman farm, then through section 15 near the home of Mr. Snyder, whose land is now owned by Henry Lienen, then to the creek where Mr. Biessen lives, thence a short distance along the creek to where Henry Heese lives now, then on to the bridge over the next creek, where Trim Pratt lived (Henry Rosener lives there now), and on to the old village of Shelbyville, in the east part of Grove township. A Westphalia correspondent of one of the Harlan Papers in February, 1879, has this to say of the new bell then just secured for the first church at Westphalia: “The new church bell for the Catholic church at Westphalia arrived on the 21st inst. It is indeed an ornament that would give credit to many a large city. It weighs with hangings and fixings two thousand three hunded pounds and the bell alone one thousand seven hundred pounds; it cost four hundred and forty dollars, the purchase money all being raised by subscription. On one side is inscribed in Latin, ‘Praise God,’ and on the other side, ‘Santa Michael ora pro nobis’ (St. Michael, pray for us). On the upper side is “J. G. Stuckstede, St. Louis, Mo., 1879.’ “The bell when properly arranged will be rung in the morning at six o’clock, at noon and at six o’clock in the evening, and can be heard for miles around. Great credit is due to many of the other denominations for donating liberally towards purchasing this very valuable ornament.” Arrangements were being made in the fall of 1880 to erect a fine new church at Westphalia. A Harlan newspaper of October 30, 1880, refers to these arrangements as follows: “It is with pleasure we note the rapid improvement and progress now being made in Westphalia township in various branches of industry. The latest undertaking there is to build a magnificent church forty by one hundred feet, with a twenty-five foot ceiling. It is designed to build it of brick and finish it throughout in first class style with all the modern improvements and designs in architecture, at a cost of fifteen thousand dollars. “Rev. Father Weber, the new priest at Westphalia, late of Dubuque, in company with Emil Flusche, was in Harlan yesterday soliciting contributions at aid in the erection of a new church at Westphalia next spring. Reverend Weber is a very pleasant, refined and well educated gentleman whom we were pleased to meet, and hope he will meet with the success at the hands of Harlan’s citizens that is unquestionably due him and his people, who contribute largely to the town’s business prosperity.” The contract for the mason work on the church at Westphalia was let in the early summer of 1881 to Cockerell & Hines of Harlan. A Harlan newspaper of November 16, 1882, contains the following account of the dedication of the new church at Westphalia: “Yesterday morning, in company with C. E. Henry, we visited Westphalia, and there learned that the evening before the Bishop’s escort from Harlan was met two miles out from Westphalia by a procession on foot extending for over one mile and the most cordial courtesies extended him upon his arrival at Father Weber’s, where he delivered a brief address. When we arrived we found the elegant church edifice literally packed with people, not less than one thousand five hundred being present. The main street which the church fronts was spanned by beautifully decorated arches of evergreen, crowned with emblematic symbols and mottoes, and the interior of the church presented a gorgeous appearance. The dedicatory sermon was preached in English by the Rt. Rev. Bishop McMullen, of Davenport, assisted by Rev. G. H. Luckrsmann, of Lyons, Iowa, and Father Mackan, of Rock Island, Iowa, acting as deacons, and Father Wegmann, of LaSalle, Iowa, acting as sub-deacon to the two latter gentlemen. The confirmation followed, when two hundred and thirty-five persons received the rites of confirmation. The sermon during high mass was delivered in German by Father Urbanna, of Carroll. During the entire services the choir, led by Prof. Bernhardt Kample at the organ, was impressive and solemn. After the services were closed, by the kind invitation of our friend, J. H. Kuhl, we visited the residence of Father Weber, the pastor in charge, and were introduced to the above reverend gentlemen and N. Gopper, editor of the Lizzenberg Gazette, and Iowa of Dubuque. In their cheerful, social company we passed nearly three hours very happily, during which time we joined in a most sumptuous feast at Father Weber’s cordial invitation. Our visit with these large-hearted, genial and highly cultured gentlemen will be cherished as a most profitable and pleasant occasion. While at Westphalia we noticed the old church was turned into a house of feasting for this occasion, where all the strangers and friends might satisfy their hunger to the uttermost. This was a most excellent foresight of the kind-hearted ladies of the colony and made the vast crowd of over one thousand five hundred realize that German Catholic hospitality in Shelby county is practical. We might elaborate by the column, but our time and space will not permit as this is our day of issue. Suffice it to say that the exercises were a grand success and that the colony may justly feel proud of their magnificent twenty thousand dollar church, placed, as it is, in the midst of an industrious, hospitable people and upon one of the grandest elevations of Iowa’s lovely prairies.” This church known as St. Boniface’s church, at Westphalia, originally cost not less than seventeen thousand dollars. Its dimensions are fifty by ninety-five feet, not including steeple, or buttresses. The height of the steeple measured to the foot of the cross, is one hundred and twenty-six feet. The crucifixion group on the main altar, and the statues of the Blessed Virgin and of St. Joseph, were imported from Munich, Bavaria, and the other statues were made in America. A reference is again made in a Harlan paper of May 21, 1879, to the rapid development of Westphalia township, as follows: “Through the courtesy of Chris Wyland we enjoyed a ride through Westphalia a few days since. We stopped a short time at the residence of Emil Fluesche, who has made wonderful improvements in his place in the last few years. He has a fine grove of young maples, and in the centre of this garden is a nice grade arbor, shady and refreshing in these hot days. The colony has improved wonderfully since 1874, as well as other parts of the country.” The citizens of Westphalia township very early gave proof of their interest in American citizenship, since on July 4, 1882, they celebrated the Fourth of July, which celebration a Harlan editor of the time thus describes: “This morning, true to American instincts and the traditions of our fathers, we closed our places of business, and with a pocket full of cigars, in company with a few friends, we went forth to celebrate. Thinking perhaps a visit to our friends in the country might be enjoyable, we headed our carriage for Westphalia; and, as we drove over the prairies where a few years ago we chased the deer over the virgin soil untouched by human hands, we gazed with delight as far as the eye could reach over fields of grain, waving golden promises to the husbandman and kissing the sunbeams sent by the Creator to quicken their magic growth, and marveled at the fruits of honest toil. Arriving at the town of Westphalia, we found the Germans from the surrounding country assembled there to do honor to their adopted flag. We said the Germans. Yes, there were Germans, yet Americans; for everything seemed to put on American airs except the oration, which was in German, and the sentiment of that was American. In fact, the whole scene looked very much like an old fashioned Fourth of July celebration, when the inner man was consulted in regard to the festivities of the occasion, for one of the principal attractions was an immense table displaying as fine a dinner as ever made the heart of a hungry man rejoice. The boiled ham, roasted chicken, fine cakes and pies seemed to have felt the touch of American institutions. And, last but not least, the flag that waved over the whole scene was American, and while partaking of the good things bountifully spread before us we could contemplate the fraternizing influence of our flag unsullied by fanaticism, and enjoy a Fourth of July with as order-loving people as ever assembled to do it honor. Although beer was plenty, there were no signs of intoxication to mar the pleasure of the occasion.” The early poll lists of the townships furnish an accurate list of the pioneers of the township. In most instances the early poll lists of the various townships of the county are lost or destroyed. In the person of Adam Schmitz, Westphalia has had a clerk who has taken real interest in preserving some of the early history of the county. Through his courtesy I am enabled to copy a poll list of persons (named elsewhere) who voted at the first election of Westphalia township, held October 13, 1874.
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