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—illustrated historical atlas of worth COUNTY, IOWASEC. 2, PAGE 11KRL1GIOUS.The fust religious services were the funela| services of John Trcbilcock, by ihe Rev, Mr. -Mason, of Mason City, a minister of the. Congregational Church of that place. Mr. Trcbilcock, being a member of llm particular faith, Elder .Mason, during his last sickness, visited him several limes, and upon one of these, Mr. Trebil-cock engaged him to preach Ins funeral sermon, which lie did on the 8th of February, 1B63, at Ihe house of tlie deceased.The first regular preaching was at the school house in district No. 2, known 35 the Willow Creek sellout house, by the Rev. C. W. Wiley, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church/in IR74. An organization was effected at that time.In 1874 the Rev. George Coffee, an evangelist, or Free Methodist, came to this township and held services and effected the organization of a society or class, under his leadership, of eight: Robert Trcbilcock and wife, Mrs. John Trebil-eock, George Trcbilcock and wife, Jesse Cooper and wife, and Amanda Trcbilcock. Mr. Coffee held regular services during the following years of 1875, 187H and 1577,The Union Sabbath School of Danville township was organized in May, 1878. in the granary, on the farm of Jonathan Williams, on the southwest quarter of section 28.POSTOFFICEHirondcllc posioffice was established on the 20th of July. 1880, and Mrs. J. M. Lang was appointed postmistress. The office was kept ar her dwelling on the southeast corner of the northeast quarter of section 30. Mails were received from Manly JuncLion twice a week, until in July, 1889, when the route was changed so that they received its mail from Northwood twice a week,HANLONTOWN.Sim ilia neon sly with the advent of the C. N. W. Railway into this connLrv, Ifanlontown has been conspicuous noon the Worth county map. The eight years oT incorporation have shown rapid strides in advancement. With long lines of cement walks, street lights, a good creamery, good store and residence buildings, fine church and school buildings, unsurpassed by any in this part of llic county, they ask, and will bear investigation. The country surrounding Hanlon-town is of virgin soil, having been tilled and kept in condilion by some of the sturdiest and most proficient farmers ever having settled in any community, numbering among whom may be found some of the oldest settlers in Worth county. There are fine residences and large red barns dotting in every dircclion, the owners oF which arc all well-to-do, and wlio take more than a natural pride in their home town, as 13 evidenced in every way.Hanlontown extends superior advantages to the investor and citizen alike, and in no distant day will demonstrate this fact. Passing the three hundred mark in population now. with nearly all young men, in the vigor of manhood, at the business helm, who can brave the most tempestuous seas on the ocean of commercial acLh’Uy, with its keen competitive forces of today, they thrust an open challenge in Ihe (nee of fair competition from every point of I lie compass and are reaping their reward.FERTILE TOWNSHIP.This district comprises all of congressionaltownship 08 north, of range 22. west of the 5th principal meridian, am! is ll.c cstereme southwestern of the whole county. U J5 hounded on the north by Bristol, and or. the east by Danville townships: on Hie west and south l»y \\ nebago and Ccrro Gonlo count.es. H » «*» watered by several streams. Grass creek entering the northern pari of the township on section 4. traverses, in a general southeasterly direction, sections 3, 10, 15, 23, u and a«. and makes a junction with Lime creek, jnsl over the 1 me i„ (lie next township. Beaver crock Iraverses he southern part of the towwhip, from wcs! lo cast, until it empties into I.ime creek, on secUon S^ This stream of Lime creek eotncs from CcrroGordo eotmly, on Lhc south, nud runs but a short distance through the lower sections of the township. A good water-power is here developed at the village of Fertile. Considerable limber is also found in all the southern sections of the precinct, although the general character of the whole lowiisliip is rolling prairie. In the western part there is some broken land, covered with groves and sloughs. All along the banks of Beaver and Lime creeks, lhc land was once covered willi heavy bodies of limber, but most of il is now cut off. The soil is a black, sandy loam, having the same general characteristics as the balance of lhc county.EARLY SETTLEMENT.The first settler in this township was William Rhodes, who came to Iowa in 1*856, and after stopping for a short time in Charles Cily, came to Fertile township. While he was in Mason City, he became acquainted with a man, who, in conversation, told him of the existence of a mill sile in lliis locality, and he, therefore, started out on a voyage of discovery. When he arrived at the spot, which was at or near the present site or the riling? of Fertile, he admired the location, and determined to become the owner thereof. lie returned to Charles City, and making lhc nccessarj' arrangements, purchased tools, supplies, etc,, loaded up his wagon drawn by oxeit and sinned for this, then, boundless wilderness. He arrived here Aug. 6, 1856. His first labor was lo build a grindstone frame to grind his scythe that he might cut grass for his oxen. Here he erected an humble log cabin, going to Owens Grcve, in Ccrro Gordo county, for lumber to rool it in. This mansion was 14x18 feet in size, with a Hutch fireplace at one end. In this house :ic took up his residence, three weeks, at a time often passing without looking upon the face oT his fellow creatines, nor a single specimen of lt;H*m, The laleh-striiiR was always hung out, and when lie had occasion to be absent from home, it was his custom lo chalk upon the door, “Walk in and help yourselves.” This fall deer were plenty, wild fruits of all kinds were abundant, and lie lived “in clover,” as the saying is, if his nearest neighbor was eight miles away. Mr. Rhodes was at this time a single man. After completing his house and fixing up about it, he commenced to put in a dam across the creek, for his mill. This lie completed satisfactorily and had tlic mill up, machinery all in and a sawmill ready for operation by the next July He ran Ibis mill until the spring of 1658, when the high water cut around the south end of the dam. Business was compelled to halt for a short time while this was repaired. Everything seeming in good condition when this break was. fixed, the mill was again started, but the fates were lmprupittuus, for that same night rain set in, and poured down in torrents, and when the morning had dawned, it was discovered that the creek had again swollen, and had again cut riiGuriJ tlic dam, aiid made a clean sweep of some forty feet of the embankment. Mr. Rhodes says that was the only time in his life that he felt sick or discouraged over any loss or sct-back, but it was no use grieving over what could not be helped. This year of 1058 was known to all the old settlers as the “wet season, and T.imc creek was not fordable at any lime during that summer, and of course, no work could be done on the dilapidated dam. In tlic month of February, news came to Mr. Rhodes of the death of his father, in Roscoc-, ill., and he now debated in his own mind, as to whether it would be better to leave the country, and let his creditors fall heir to all his mill property, or to stick to it manfully, and work it through. Tn the end he concluded to adopt the latter alternative, sink or swim. Accordingly, in the latter part of February, 1859, he got some help, cut out the ice in the creek, and extended his mill-dam fifty feet and again started Lhc mill. He now met no further obstacles and continued to operate it with considerable success until Aug. 22, 38G2, when he enlisted in company R., 32nd Iowa Infantry, with which he served until 1BH5, when, aTlcr liis discharge, he returned to ihis township. He now went to work again, and ran the 9aw-mill, which he had improved, until 3 8G3, when he erected a grist mill on its site, This building is 34x42 feet in dimension, two and a half stories high, has three run of stone and a capacity of turning out some fif;y barrels of first-class flour per diem.The next to settle in the township was William K. Fankell, in 1857. He located on Ihe southwest quarLer of section 38; was a single man and came from Wisconsin, but had formerly liveil in Ohio. He brought his mother and sis-ler with him, who kept house for him here.E. S. Winan, a brother-in-law of FankelFs, came at the same time and settled on the northeast quarter of section 36. He built a log cabin, and with his family, consisting of two children, look up his residence therein, lint that same fall returned to Wisconsin, and did not return to this township until 3865. In 1S62 Mr. Winan enlisted and entered the service of the Government.These were all ihe settlers until 1U85. Just after the war Henry and Charles Platts came into the township from Bristol, and settled on the northeast quarter'of section 26. The former ot llicse I)fid a family, lhc other none, but boarded with liis brother.ORGANIC.Fertile township was organized by an order from Jamts Keeler, at that time the county judge, dated.Oct. 20, I860, in which all of congressional township 98, range 22, wilh four sections, 29, SO, 31 and 32, from Bristol township, was to be formed into a civil township, under the name of Fertile. In this order, the county judge authorized John Morris to post notices,calling a meeting of the legal voters of the township, which was to be held at the house of Warren Caswell, on the first Tuesday of November, 1860. This eleclion was held accordingly on the 5th day oT November, and five ballots were cast. The officers chosen at that time are as follows: John Morris, supervisor; John Morris, Warren Caswell, William K. Fankell, trustees; William Rhodes, clerk; William J. Clark, assesor; William Rhodes and William J. Clark, justices; William K. Fankell, constable.The first election held in what is now Fertile township, was at the house of William Rhodes, the second Tuesday of October, 1661. The following were the officers elected:Warren Caswell, William K. Fankell and William J. Clark, trustees; William Rhodes, clerk; William K. Far.kcll, assessor and H. H Flatl*, supervisor. There were six votes cast at tbii election.FIRST ITEMS.The first birth within the limits of tlic township was that of John Fenton, a son of William and Hannah Rhodes, who was ushered into existence, Dec. 3, 1863. This young man is still a resident of his native township.TliP first marriage was that of Marcus O. Blackmorc and Louise Fankell, which took place July 2, 1668. The nuptial knot was tied by Elder Mason, a Congregational minister.The firs* dcaLh was a daughter of Luther Plact, which took place during the severe winter of 1056-7. The child was about seven years of age and died with a fever. The roads were so badly blacked by the drifting snows, that is was impossible to get a team through, so it was necessary to go to Mason City with a hand sled, for a coffin for the little one She was buried on Mr. Rhodes’ land. This family was one in the employ of Mr. Rhodes.The first blacksmith was David W, Fisher, who came from Lyons, Iowa, in the spring of 1864. He built a shop and was the first workman at this Lradc in the township. This business he followed for about five years, when he purchased some land, tlic east half of the southeast quarter of section 34, which he tilled, and where he resided until the day of hia death, in the spring o[ 1680.The first breaking in the township was done by Gabriel Pence, for William Rhodes, in 1050, foT a garden. On this patch was raised the firit vegetables. The first wheat was raised by William K, Fankell in 1B50. He had same fifteen acres of it, and is reported to have had an excellent return for his labors.Tlic first Norwegian school was taught by Betsy Rcsta, di ring the summer of 1H73.
Newspaper Details
Standard Historical Atlas of Worth County Iowa
Northwood, Iowa, US
Wed, Jan 01, 1913
Page 87
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 30 Mar 2022
Other Publications Near Northwood, Iowa
Standard Historical Atlas of Worth County Iowa
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