Chapter XIX
Returning again to Ocheyedan Township, we find the
settlement in 1871 was not extensive, but its incoming settlers
in 1872 were quite numerous. In July, 1872,Daniel H. Boyd filed
on the west half of the northwest quarter of Section 2. Himself
and son Charles first looked the county over, and, when final
place of location was fixed upon, Mr. Boyd went to Cedar Falls,
where his family were, and all came back with him to the claim.
In the spring of that year, 1872, Mr. Boyd, with the desire to go
west which seized many people then, left the State of New
Hampshire, that beautiful country of scenery that Bayard Taylor
called the "Switzerland of America." Mrs. Boyd first
put up a small building on the shack order, and in the fall built
a better house-the one he still resides in on the original
claim-and, after a lapse of twenty years, he has a beautiful home
there, overlooking the thrifty town of Ocheyedan, and where its
magnificent forest trees add to its attractiveness and beauty.
Along in September of 1872, Mr. R.S. Hall and Albert March came
to the Boyd place, they, too, fresh from the Granite State. Mr.
Hall, a few years ago, went to Long Pine, Nebraska, where he
still resides. Mr. March still lives on the original claim.
On the morning of the January 7 (1873) blizzard, Mr. March, who
was putting up a building on his claim, started from Mr. Boyd's
to work that day. As stated elsewhere concerning the blizzard,
the morning was beautiful, and Mr. March went with clothing for
only ordinary weather, as he was to return again at night. His
partially built shack was two miles east from Mr. Boyd's, and
before Mr. March reached it the blizzard had commenced, so that,
once there, he did not long remain, but started back from Mr.
Boyd's house. He lost his way and wandered for over two hours,
not knowing which way he was going, with the storm increasing and
the atmosphere growing intensely colder. Mr. March went down upon
his knees, and in the face of death offered up a prayer for his
deliverance. Soon after rising he saw, not far from him, in a
lull of the storm, a small shanty, which proved to be that of Mr.
Sutton, which was about two miles southeast from Mr. March's own
claim. Mr. Sutton had been caught in the storm at Mr. Ireland's
place, and Mr. March remained with the other members of the
Sutton family until the third day, when the storm was over.
On the second day of that blizzard Mr. Boyd and Mr. Hall started
from the Boyd place to go to March's shack to look after him. It
was a hazardous undertaking to go two miles in that terrible
blizzard and back, but these two men had concluded that March was
still there and might still be alive, and that they might save
him. They carried a string with them, stretching it out about
forty rods, and at the end of this, by going slowly and
carefully, they followed the blind road which had been made by
some hauling to the March place, and at last reached the shack,
but there was no occupant. These two disappointed men concluded
that March was lost, and that, rigid with freezing and with
death, he lay out somewhere upon the prairie. The task of
returning was then before them. Mr. Hall was about exhausted and
wanted to lie down, but Mr. Boyd-of an iron constitution and good
pluck, and fearful that Hall would give out on the way-encouraged
his companion to make the venture, which they did, and, after a
few hours of tedious plodding and in a feeling of apprehension
for their own safety, they arrived back at the Boyd residence.
On the third day, after it had cleared up some, Charles Boyd was
about to go, under the direction of his father, to the Sutton
place to see if March was there, when March himself, to the
delight and astonishment of the Boyd household, opened the door
and walked in, alive and well.
On this same Section 2, upon which Mr. Boyd filed, Frank Taylor
took the east half of the northeast quarter in 1872, Charles R.
Boyd the east half of the northwest quarter. The southeast
quarter of this same section was a tree claim, filed on by Mr.
Ruttenburg, but which D.H. Boyd subsequently became the owner of.
The southwest quarter was settled upon originally by Mr.
Greenleaf. James Goodwin, of Spencer, afterwards became the owner
of it, and sold to Lorenzo B. Boyd, who still owns it and there
resides, except fifty acres on the east side conveyed to Mrs.
Tracy, and upon the south half of this Section 2 is a part of the
Ocheyedan Townsite. Lorenzo B. and Charles R. Boyd are sons of
D.H. and the Boyd family in one of sterling integrity, and are
among the best citizens in the county. Mr. A.B. Elmore still
resides on his original Ocheyedan Township claim, and, quoting
from a former work on Northwestern Iowa, it is said of him:
"He is an energetic, hard-working farmer, possessed of broad
ideas, and is well known as an honorable upright citizen."
Geo N. Taylor and S.S. Parker left Minnesota, where they were
then living about sixty miles northwest of St. Paul, on the 6th
day of May, 1872, and landed on the bank of the Ocheyedan on the
28th. They both took claims on Section 6, Township 99, Range 40.
Mr. Parker was afterwards elected Recorder and moved to Sibley,
where he still resides. Mr. Taylor lives in Ocheyedan. Taylor's
first crop, or a part of it, was two acres of wheat intended for
family bread. He harvested just one bushel, the grasshoppers had
harvested ahead. Mr. Taylor lost a yoke of oxen in the January,
1873 blizzard. Luke Horrobin settled in Ocheyedan Township in
1872, and came here from Ohio. He first settled on Section 6 and
afterwards removed to Section 14, where he now resides. About
1873, Mr. L. Tatum, with his son, C.A. Tatum, drove through from
Floyd County, and arrived in Osceola in May. L. Tatum filed on a
part of Section 14, in West Ocheyeddan, and in the same Township
C.A. Tatum filed a homestead on a part of Section 24. L. Tatum is
now in Nebraska, and C.A. Tatum still owns his original homestead
and resides in the Town of Ocheyedan. A picture of his residence
is on another page. W.H. Barkhuff, who has a very fine farm in
this township, came from Fayette County in March, 1872. He has
braved the new country adversities with final success. John
Hesebeck came in 1872, and still lives on the original claim.
John has had a hard time of it like the rest of us, but is a
successful farmer. In this township also resides Hans Graves, who
is mentioned as one of the Graves family, most of whom settled in
Baker Township, also John Graves. Hans and John came in 1872, and
both have as fine farms as can be found in the state. Claus Yess,
living in this township, also came in 1872. Mr. Yess now lives in
a fine residence, across the road from which stands the original
cabin which he first built.
Geo. Raynor has a very fine place, having purchased it from one
of the Scotch settlers, so called, for at one time there was a
Scotch settlement in Ocheyedan Township, which scattered from
misfortune or inexperience in farming. G.A. Peter, who still
lives in this township and is a good farmer, is a son of one of
the Scotch settlers. On the east side of the township are C.E.
Benson, E.J. Benson and F.E. Benson. E.J. has been some time in
the township. Other residents are John Armstrong, I.N. Beanger,
A.C. Barnett, A.A. Barnett, Anton Barta, C.H. Button, C.S.
Buchner. George Bremmer is an old resident of this township and
lives in the southwest part of it. J.J. Callender has been here
about six years, Edmund Devine about three years and John Ginnie
about two years. James Hall, on the east side, is something of an
old settler, enough so as to have had a touch of the grasshoppers
and has been here about fourteen years. F.H. Hunt, along with
H.C. March, came in 1875 from New England. Mr. Hunt purchased the
Luke Horrobin place and now has an elegant home. Mr. March is
well situated, and had the misfortune about a year ago to lose
his wife by death. Richard Harrison, living south of town, has
resided there about three years. Others have been here as
follows: M.N. Herbert about five years, Joseph Korth about seven,
while J.H. Kerby has been here considerably longer. H.J. and R.C.
Lutson have been residents about five years, D.J. Smith about the
same; also B.J.J. Morritz, O.J. Barkhuff and J.F. and E.J.
Bradley. Among other residents of a latter date are M.J. Swazy,
Thomas Wise, I.W. Olmstead, Wallace Olmstead, John A. Smith, Otto
Rumford, Charles F. Porter, Manley Pickett, J.S. Floyd, Ira
Swaney, George Dearhalt, T.B. Fletcher, who lives near the noted
Ocheyedan Mound, came about five years ago, as also did W.A.
Cooper.
C.N. Moar is considerable of an old settler, as is also Gilbert
and Milan Gee. Hope Graham has been here about ten years, and
William Siver is considered an old settler. Among other residents
are W.A. Cook, J.H. Kuntz, N. Richardson, N.I. Peter, Albert and
Charles Shephard, P.H. Tierney, Cornelius Tierney, R.S. Thompson,
J.H. Welsh and George Waldholm, F.L. James and A.W. Stephens are
old settlers; also Walter Woolridge and C.C. Webster has been
here about four years. James Thomas, who is considered an old
settler, lives on the east side of the township. P.L. Thompson, a
recent settler, and neaar him H. Tjden. Tjden, in addition to
farming, is in the insurance business. J.P. Tower is an early
settler and is still living on the original claim which he
settled upon in 1872. John S. Robinson, on the west side, has
lived there about five years, and Joel Carl, after an experience
in Dakota, settled in the south part of the township about two
years ago. J.J. Lintner has been here quite a number of years.
There are also E.T. Evins, E.J. Lee, who has lived in the
township about two years; also A.H. Paddock. We might further
mention David Kratzer, H.M. Trumbauer, W.E. Phinney, W.C. Ondler,
Andrew Naab. O.J. Nenno is an old settler, M.N. Smith has lived
in the township several years and C.R. Marsh about two years and
H.W. Anderson about the same. Edward Everett lives near
Ocheyedan, in this township. He first settled in the county in
1871, east of Ashton, in Gilman Township, and has been identified
now for over twenty years in Osceola County affairs. His wife is
of a literary turn of mind; has written some very elegant poetry
and will soon publish a volume of her poems. Mr. Everett was one
of the first justices in Gilman township and the first Sunday
school superintendent in that part of the township, and indeed we
believe the first in that part of the county. Ocheyedan has
gained very much in settlement in the past two years and is a
thrifty, productive township. On Section 17, west of Ocheyedan,
is I.C. Stewart and M.M. Hulburt, and on Section 18 Charles
Moore, and Max Decker on Section 33. Joseph Smith lives in the
southeast part of the township. Ocheyedan Township, as a part of
Osceola County, would still be incomplete without a mention of
C.B. Knox. Mr. Knox, it is true, lives in Dickinson County, on
the banks of Silver Lake but not a great distance from the east
line of Ocheyedan. He came from Wisconsin in 1869 and camped for
a few weeks on the banks of Spirit Lake, and in that same year
settled upon the northeast quarter of Section 28, Township 100,
Range 38, where he still resides. Mr. Knox had occasion to pass
across Osceola County several times when not a white man was
living in the county and when he encountered bands of Indians and
saw nothing but the original untrodden prairie, an occasional
wild animal and the roving red man. Mr. Knox has a lovely home
overlooking the placid waters of that beautiful lake, and there
enjoys life in contentment and with the respect of his neighbors
and fellow citizens.