Humboldt County
Historical Association
PO Box 162
Humboldt, Iowa
50548
RUTLAND TOWNSHIP
TOWN OF RUTLAND
FEATURES
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Historical features
Rutland Township
Plat Map 1896
RUTLAND TOWN
Located in Rutland Township 1896
From
History of Kossuth and Humboldt Counties, Iowa.
Published by Union Publishing Co., Springfield, Ill., 1884, pp. 866-871
VILLAGE OF RUTLAND
This embryo town was laid out in the fall of 1869, by H.
G. Bicknell, the plat being filed for record on the 4th day of December,
of that year. Mr. Bicknell came to Humboldt county in 1862 from Beaver
Dam, Wis., and took up a claim to 320 acres of land on section 29. He
went from here to Webster City where he was engaged in running a hotel,
but in 1867 he came back and settled on what is now the village plat. At
one time he was the owner of 1600 acres of land in this and the
adjoining township of Avery. He laid out the village, which was to be
the rival of Humboldt, in 1869. In January, 1883, he removed, with his
family, to New York city.
The first store building was moved from Bicknell's farm
and was a small edifice, being only 12x32 feet in size. In this, in
1870, J. C. Helms opened the first stock of general merchandise. This
gentleman came here from the town of Humboldt, with but a small stock of
goods, invoicing not much over $300. He continued in business here for
about six months when he gave it up. He afterward removed to Dexter,
Dallas Co., Iowa, where he died.
The
village was now without a store until 1871 when a company of gentlemen,
from Humboldt, trading under the name and style of the Rutland
Mercantile & Manufacturing Company, opened a general merchandise store.
This corporation was composed of E. A. Wilder, Dr. Ira L. Welch and E.
K. Lord. Shortly after the initiation of the store, D. F. Simmons was
admitted as a partner in the prospective gains. Under this
administration the store was operated for about two years, when it was
purchased by E. A. Wilder, who kept it here about one year longer, and
removed the goods to Humboldt.
After a short time, C. N. King, of Avery township,
essayed his hand at keeping a "country store" at this place, and kept it
up for two years, when he removed the stock to Bradgate.
While Mr. King was revolving the project of removal, A.
W. Creed, of Rolfe, Pocahontas county, removed his stock of goods from
that place to Rutland and opened a store in the same general line. This
he ran for about three years, when he removed to Whittemore, Kossuth
Co.,
In 1879 George Welch, seeing the field for the
enterprise entirely unoccupied, put in a bright new stock and opened a
store in the same old building. After about a year he disposed of his
stock and business to John A. Koob, of Dubuque, who operated it two
years, when he in turn closed out and removed to Dakota City, where he
now lives. Before, however, the store was entirely done away with, E. A.
Wilder, Jr., had started a new one, still in the general merchandise
line. After about six months he admitted as partner in the business,
Frank Britten, and the firm of Wilder & Britten have a monopoly of the
trade of that section, being the only store in the village. The store
building now occupi9ed by them, was built in 1881-82 by J. C. Willey,
and was first occupied by O. D. Legg, who came here from Michigan, and
opened up a hardware and grocery store. This he operated for about six
months when he removed the stock to Gilmore. Messrs. Wilder & Britten,
then took the building, and are doing a good business, in all the
various lines that go to make up a "general store." Mr. Wilder was
raised in Humboldt county and is a good specimen of its citizens, while
Mr. Britten came from Grant Co., Wis.
The pioneer blacksmith of the village was O. F. Shaw,
who came to Rutland from Fort Dodge and established his smithy in 1871.
He remained here about two years, when he abandoned the field and moved
to Nebraska. Shortly after he left, however, as this community cannot be
without its smith, D. C. Sandbo came from Fort Dodge and rekindled the
forge, and the sound of hammer on anvil was again heard in the village.
Eight years he remained, but in 1881 he removed to Bode, where he is
engaged in the avocation of his craft.
In the meantime, in 1877, James Oxborrow, of Walnut,
Ill., had put up the shop that he at present occupies, and where all day
long the sparks fly from his anvil. He is at present the only man of his
calling in the community, and is pressed by work as a consequence.
The flour and grist mill, now idle, was erected in 1871
by the Rutland Mercantile & Manufacturing Company, and contained three
run of buhrs. This mill, which has as good water power as any in this
portion of our beautiful State, was run until 1880, when, on account of
the high water carrying out the dam, it was allowed to come to a
stand-still, and the clatter of its wheel to be hushed. Standing as it
does in some of the finest agricultural territory of the county, it is
only a question of time when it will again be the scene of its former
activity and prosperity.
The hotel was established by Charles Sherman, who came
here from Avery township in 1870.
The regular Baptist Church has a society that held its
first meetings for the celebration of divine service in August, 1873, in
the school houses in the township under the ministrations of John and
William Sheridan. The Church was organized on the 18th of December,
1875, by Reb. George W. Freeman, of Fort Dodge, with a membership of
nine. As the years have rolled on this has increased, until the infant
Church can boast of twenty members upon its rolls, after fourteen being
dismissed to form Bradgate's Church. The first pastor that ministered to
the spiritual wants of the little flock, was Rev. R. Persons, who took
charge in January, 1880, and officiated in that capacity for three
years. He was succeeded by Rev. E. G. O. Groat of Dakota, in April,
1882. The first officers were the following named: John Maloney and
Patrick Sheridan, deacons; Patrick Sheridan, clerk: J. F. Leedom, J.
Maloney and Eli Pavey, trustees. The officers at present consist of the
following: Patrick Sheridan, deacon and clerk: W. J. Barton, R. N.
Entwhistle and John M. Ferris, trustees. The Church owns two town lots.
Rev. Reuben Persons is a native of Cortland Co., N. Y.,
and was born April 21, 1818. In his youth he attended Cortland Academy,
at Homer, after which he pursued his studies at Madison University, a
literary and theological school, at Hamilton, Madison Co., N. Y. He was
ordained in August, 1848, at Georgetown, Madison county, where he had
charge of a Baptist Church four years, then went to Victor, Cayuga
county, and preached two years, then at Henderson, Jefferson county,
three years. He then removed to DeKalb Co., Ill., and preached seven
years at Johnson's Grove, and for seven years was pastor of a Church in
Clinton Center, now Waterman, in the same county. He next went to
Shabbona Grove and preached four years, and in December, 1879, came to
Humboldt county and located, preaching at Manson, Calhoun Co., Iowa, and
at Rutland and different points in Humboldt county. In November, 1882,
he organized a Church at Bradgate, with sixteen members. He also
preaches at Gilmore City every alternate week. Mr. Persons was married
Aug. 14, 1845, to Abigail Mack, daughter of Benjamin and Martha C.
(Smith) Mack, of Cayuga Co., N. Y. They have had nine children, eight of
whom are living--Judson M., Ellen M., R. Newell, Martha M., Amelia,
Eugene, Morton and Hattie S. Charles Edward died Sept. 19, 1863, aged
five months and two days. All of the family are members of the Baptist
Church. Mr. Persons resides in Rutland village, where he has residence
property.
The Free Baptist Church was established in Rutland
village on the 1st of October, 1881, by J. H. Moxom, assisted by S.
Summerland, of the Home Mission Board. At the date of its organization,
it had some twelve members, which have increased, in the interim, to
twenty. Meetings were held in the school house, but in July, 1883, the
society commenced the erection of the church edifice. This is 30x40
feet, with a vestibule 8x12 feet, and cost in the neighborhood of $1400.
A cupola or spire, pointing the road all would go, towers above it
reaching a point some sixty feet from the ground. The first officers,
which hold their positions at present, were: Eli Pavey, Sr., deacon: W.
H. Locke, clerk: R. A Pavey, Daniel DeGroote and Eli Pavey, Jr.,
trustees.
The depot of the station of Rutland was erected in
1881, and opened for business on the 2nd of January, 1882. At that time
J. J. Auld was appointed station agent, and continues to hold the
position to the present moment.
The iron bridge at Rutland was built in the spring
1874. In September, 1880, Fred. Needimyer, of Corinth township, was
crossing the bridge with a steam engine of a threshing machine. He
passed the main span safely, though cracking the timbers that held up
the road bed, but in crossing the approach, he broke through. The engine
fell on top of Needimyer and it took some time to extricate him. He died
in a few hours.
The first Sunday school was organized at Rutland in
July 1869. It was then union, and is so still. W. F. Pike was
superintendent: B. F. Barkley, assistant: W. H. Sherman, secretary: P.
Sheridan, treasurer: R. Entwhistle, librarian.
W. O. Atkinson was born in Marshall Co., Ill., March 4,
1842. His parents were Charles and Mary W. Atkinson. The former was a
Methodist preacher, and removed frequently from one place to another. In
1859 Mr. Atkinson, the subject of this sketch, taught school. In 1860,
he taught in Carthage, Hancock Co., Ill., after which he went to
Vermont, Fulton Co., Ill., and clerked in the store of E. & P. Hamer,
five years. He then came to Iowa, located in Humboldt county, and
purchased 160 acres of land on section 366, of Rutland township, also
eighty acres in Pocahontas county. In 1868 he built a nice house on his
farm in this county. In 1871. he returned to Fulton Co., Ill., and
taught school one winter, then went into Hamer's store, and clerked one
year. The next year, he clerked for H. Mershon & Son., and for the next
seven years, was engaged in the same capacity, in the hardware store of
E. & E. Dilworth. In the fall of 1880 he came back to his farm in
Humboldt county, which has since been his home. He was married April 3,
1873, to Annie M. Haines, Of West Grove, Chester Co., Penn., daughter of
William E. and Maria Haines. Mr. Atkinson was the first clerk of Rutland
township, which was in 1867. His father, Charles Atkinson, was born in
county Sligo, Ireland, in 1815. His mother was a native of Ohio. Mrs.
Atkinson's parents are both dead, and buried in Pennsylvania.
James M. McKitrick, son of John and Jane McKitrick, was born near
Dromore, county Down,, Ireland, Aug. 18, 1826. He followed farming until
eighteen years of age, when he came to America, locating in
Philadelphia, Penn., where he remained about eight months, when went to
Seneca Co., Ohio, where he engaged in Farming until 1868, thence came to
Humboldt county, and located on section 2, Springvale township, or what
is now called Corinth township. In 1878 he sold his stock of household
goods, etc., and went back to Seneca Co., Ohio. He only remained there
six months, when he came back to Humboldt county. This time he purchased
160 acres of land on section 24, Rutland township. He purchased
this land while back to Ohio. He has erected a large and commodious
two-story frame house, and has one of the nicest lawns of any
farmer in the township. He was married May 8, 1851, to Miss M. J.
Kelley, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Kelley, of Seneca Co., Ohio.
They have had nine children, seven of whom are living--Eliza J., Anna
M., Mary J., James W., Ella M., Frances I. and Archie A. One of their
sons, William J., died April 28, 1881, aged twenty-four years. He was a
school teacher, but at the time of his death was engaged in keeping
books for a firm in Humboldt. His loss was mourned by a large number of
friends and acquaintances. He was a bright and promising young man. All
of Mr. McKitrick's children are teachers except two. Mrs. McKitrick was
born in county Armaugh, Ireland. Mr. McKitrick is a republican and has
held the offices of road supervisor, school director, etc.
Orvill J. Hack was born in Brandon, Rutland Co., Vt.,
Nov.1, 1834. He remained in the home of his childhood until twenty-one
years old, then engaged in railroading. In 1858 he went to Nashville,
Tenn., and worked at the same occupation. IN the spring of 1861 he
returned to Vermont, remaining until fall, then went to Louisville, Ky.
In 1862 he returned to Nashville and again went to work on the railroad,
this time employed by the government. He worked in Tennessee, Alabama
and Georgia, and in 1867 went back to Vermont, lived one year, and then
went to Owatonna, Minn., where he remained two years, engaged in the
manufacture of agricultural implements. From Owatonna he came to
Humboldt county, and purchased 350 acres of land in Grove township. He
erected a steam saw and grist mill upon his farm, which he operated for
three years, then moved it to Algona, Kossuth county. In 1877 he sold it
to J. J. Wilson, and went to Illinois, where he aging engaged in
railroading working through Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee.
In 1852 he returned to Humboldt county and settled upon his farm in
Rutland township, which he had traded for, some years before. It
contains 160 acres. Hr. Hack was married Feb. 27, 1866 to Maggie E.
Dashiell, daughter of John S. and Barbara (Graham) Dashiell, of
Nashville, Tenn. They are the parents of four children, three of whom
are living--Leon D., Daisy M., and Zadie May. There is a stone
quarry upon Mr. Hack's farm which is likely to prove one of the finest
in northwestern Iowa, making the best of white lime, and will take a
polish equal to any marble.
C. W. Prettyman is the owner of one of the best farms
in the county, consisting of 160 acres on section 24 of Rutland
township. He was born in Lewes, Sussex Co., Del., Feb.13, 1839 where he
lived until 1873. He then moved to Bushnell, McDonough Co., Ill., and
followed farming near that place until 1882, when he came to Humboldt
county and settled upon his farm. He was married Dec.6, 1871 to Zella
Haines, of Chester Co. Penn. They have one child--Etta Marie. Mr.
Prettyman's mother died in March 1866 and his father May 30, 1881. They
are buried in the home burying ground, near Lewes, Del. Mrs. Prettyman's
mother died Aug. 7, 1873 and her father April 7, 1881. They are resting
side by side in Kimbleville Cemetery, Chester Co., Penn. In 1861 Mr.
Prettyman enlisted in company H, of the 3rd Delaware Volunteer Infantry,
in which he served as orderly sergeant. He participated in the battle of
Harper's Ferry, seven days fight under Pope on the Potomac, Bull's Run,
Antietam, and many other engagements of minor note. He was
discharged in 1863 on account of disability and returned home. In 1864
he helped organize the 5th Delaware Infantry and was commissioned as 1st
lieutenant, served a few months and resigned on account of ill health,
in consequence of which he was unable to work for two years after his
return from the army.
Henry Marso was born in Luxemburg, Germany, June 23,
1843. He lived there until twenty-eight years of age, when he came to
America. While in Luxemburg he followed farming; also worked in a mill
for three years. After coming to America he lived near Chicago, Ill.,
for six months. Then he went to Jackson Co., Iowa, where he followed
farming for about two years. In 1874 he came to Humboldt county. In 1877
he purchased eighty acres of land on section 4, township 92, range 29,
Rutland township, where he now lives. In 1880 he bought another eighty
acres on the same section. In 1875 he was married to Catharine Renland,
born in Luxemburg, Germany. They have had seven children, six of whom
are living--Henry N., Anna, Maggie, Mary, Joe and Catharine. Mr. and
Mrs. Marso are members of the Catholic Church. His parents are dead. Her
mother lives in Luxemburg. Her father died in 1863.