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History of Cerro Gordo County,
Iowa
Ed. and comp. by J. H.
Wheeler. 2 vols. Chicago: Lewis Pub Co., 1910
Contents
Transcribed by Kay
Ehlers
CHAPTER
I.
LOCATION
AND NATURAL FEATURES
Political and Physical Geography — Flora and Fauna — Mineral System — The
age of Ice — Cerro Gordo A Product of the Glaciers — Climate and Topography
Before the Coming of the Glaciers — The cause of the Age of Ice — The Change
from Pre-Glacial to Glacial Conditions — Appearance of the Country During the
Ice Age — The Four Glacial Periods — The Age of the Glacial Epoch in Cerro Gordo
Reduced From Time Periods to Years.
3-10
CHAPTER
II.
THE
CHAIN OF TITLE.
Land Titles Traced Back to Government patent — the Title of the United
States to Iowa Land — Two Chains of Title, the American or Indian and the
European or White Man�s Chain of Title — The Indian or American Title — The
European Title.
11-19
CHAPTER
III.
EARLY
SETTLEMENT.
The
Early Settlement — Who the First Settlers Were and their Place of
Settlement — Troubles With the Indians — Resulting Hardships of the
Settlers — Important Events in Early History of the County.
20-27
CHAPTER
IV.
COMING
OF THE WHITE MEN.
The Country Prior to the Coming of the White Men — A Changeless Land for
Ten Thousand Years — The Coming of the White Aryans — The Aryan Revolution — The
Pioneers.
28-34
CHAPTER
V.
INDIAN
TROUBLES.
Early Settlement Around Clear Lake — The Feud Between the Sioux and
Winnebagoes — The coming of the Sioux and Fears of the Winnebagoes — The
Treachery of the Sioux and Murder of a Young Winnebago — further Treachery of
the Sioux — final Retreat of the Sioux — The �Grindstone War.� 35-42
CHAPTER
VI.
ORGANIZATION
Political Events
Preceding the Creation of Organization of Cerro Gordo County — The Creation of
Cerro Gordo County — The Name — Cerro Gordo a Civil Township of Floyd
County — The Organization of the County — First Election — The County
Seat — County Court — Township Organization — The Board of Supervisors — County
Officers From Organization of County to 1910.
43-65
CHAPTER
VII.
REPRESENTATIVE
GOVERNMENT.
The Act of 1847 Dividing Iowa Into Congressional Districts — The Act of
1862 Placing Cerro Gordo in the Sixth Congressional district — Act of 1872
Places Cerro Gordo in Fourth Congressional District---Act of 1882 Places Cerro
Gordo in Tenth Congressional District — Act of 1886 Cerro Gordo is Finally
Placed in Fourth Congressional District — The State Legislature — Act of
1851 — Act of 1853 — Act of 1855 — Act of 1857 — Act of 1860 — Act of 1862 — Act
of 1864 — Act of 1866 — Act of 1868 — Act of 1870 — Act of 1872 — Act of
1876---Act of 1878 — Act of 1882 — Act of 1890. 66-75
CHAPTER
VIII.
COUNTY
ELECTIONS.
Electoral History — Prohibition.
76-84
CHAPTER
IX.
CERRO
GORDO DURING THE CIVIL WAR.
�War
Times� — Conditions in Cerro Gordo at Breaking out of the War — The �Home
Guards� — The Patriotic Uprising — War Meetings — The Men and the War and the
Women and the War — The Boys and Girls in �War Time� — The War Songs — What
the War Meant to the Men at the Front and What it Meant to the Women at
Home — The Darkest Hour of the War — Patriotic Action of the Board of
Supervisors — Going of the First Volunteers — Roster of Cerro Gordo
Soldiers — �Dead on the field of Honor.�
85-96
CHAPTER
X.
AGRICULTURE.
The First County Fair — Contrast With Present Day �Agricultural
Expositions� — First attempt at a Legally Organized Society — First
Incorporation and Officers — First Fair Grounds — Present Fair
Association — Cerro Gordo Agriculture and Agricultural Products — Agricultural
Statistics.
97-107
CHAPTER
XI.
POPULATION.
Population of Cerro
Gordo County as Given by each Census from 1851-1910 — Decrease in Rural and
Increase in Urban Population — Population by Townships for 1880 and for
1905 — Sex, Number and Place of Birth of native Born Population in 1905 — sex,
Number and Place of Birth of Foreign Born for 1905 — Conjugal Relations---Cerro
Gordo�s First Love Story and First Marriage — marriage Statistics — The
Divorce Evil — Causes of the Evil — Remedies.
108-117
CHAPTER
XII.
CERRO
GORDO COUNTY SCHOOLS.
Education and the Schools and Teachers of Long Ago — All Changes in
Methods Not Improvements — The Old Log School House — Early Interest in the
Cause of Education — First Schools and Teachers — The Public School and the
Sectarian School — Each has Drawbacks as Well as Advantages — Judgement Between
two Systems Depends on Viewpoint — Difference in Primary Purpose and Ultimate
Effect. 118-126
CHAPTER
XIII.
THE
MEDICAL PROFESSION.
Doctors Most Useful of First Immigrants — But Little Reward for First
Physician-Dr. Silas Card Pioneer of Medical Profession in Cerro Gordo — Other
Pioneers of Medical Fraternity — Hardships of Medical Practice in 50s and
60s — Dr. Stanbery — Medical Profession in the 70s — Dr. J. B. Dakin — Dr. C. H.
Smith — Dr. J. B. Charlton — Cerro Gordo Medical Society — When and by Whom
Founded — Present Membership — Mason City Hospitals — City Park Hospital — Storey
Hospital — Medical Fraternity — Training School for Nurses.
127-140
CHAPTER
XIV.
THE
PRESS OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY.
Press a Prime Factor in History Making — Criterion by Which to Judge a
People — Accuracy of Press Annals — Datus E. Coon — The Cerro Gordo County
Republican — List of Journalists Connected With it — Clear Lake
Independent — Clear Lake Mirror — Mason City Express — The Freeman — Mason City
Times — Mason City Gazette — Mason City Daily Globe — Rockwell
Phonograph — Clear Lake Reporter — Other Newspapers
141-150
CHAPTER
XV.
BENCH
AND BAR OF CERRO GORDO.
Early Judicial
Districts — First Term of Court in County — Early Judges — Early District
Attorneys — List of Judges Who Have Occupied Bench — List of District
Attorneys — List of County Attorneys — List of Attorneys Who Have Practiced in
County Now Deceased — Those Who Have Moved Away and Known to Be Living in
1910 — Those Whose Whereabouts are Unknown — Present Bar — Court Annals and
Human Interest Which Attaches to Them — Humor and
Pathos — Anecdotes — Orthography — Witnesses — Geo. W. Ruddick, First Circuit
Judge — His Death — Cliggitt�s Eulogy Delivered Before the Supreme Court.
151-164
CHAPTER
XVI.
REMINISCENCES
OF PIONEERS.
Contrast
Between Past and Present — Locals of 1860 — Indian Talk — A Settler�s
Experience — Early Days in Cerro Gordo — A Case of Horse Stealing. 165-177
CHAPTER
XVII.
THE
GREAT BLIZZARD OF 1855.
Deceiving Weather Conditions on Morning of Blizzard — Rapid Approach of
the Storm — Its Terrible Fury — Losses in Life and Property — Freezing of Long
and Meyers — The Tragedy of John Van Aiken — The Freezing of Abbott and
Wicks — The Blizzard of 1872 — Saved by a Hair�s Breadth — Case of Matthew
Humphrey — Ice Crust of 1856 — Destruction of the Big Game — Freezing of Mr. and
Mrs. Ralph — The Flood of 1878. 178-191
CHAPTER
XVIII.
CIVIL
SUBDIVISIONS.
Creation and Organization of the County — Division into Townships — First
Division — Second Division — Final Division into Sixteen Townships — History of
Bath Township — History of Union Township — History of Grant Township — History
of Owen Township. 195-212
CHAPTER
XIX.
LAKE
TOWNSHIP.
Lake Township — The Founding of Livonia and the County Seat
War — Livonia�s Defeat and Obliteration — Speculation as the Respective
Fortunes of Livonia and Mason City Had the Result of the County Seat Contest
Favored the Former Instead of the Latter — Thomas O. Howard — �Dead on the
field of Honor.�
213-220
CHAPTER
XX
FALLS
TOWNSHIP
History of Falls Township — First Settlement by Elijah Wiltfong — The
Gregory Family — The Village of Plymouth — Shell Rock Falls — Its Fine Water
Power.
221-233
CHAPTER
XXI.
PORTLAND
TOWNSHIP
History of Portland Township — First Settlement and Early Settlers — the
Portland Mill — the village of Portland.
234-240
CHAPTER
XXII.
MT.
VERNON, LINCOLN AND GRIMES.
History of Mt. Vernon Township — First Settlers — Difficulty of Securing
Organization — Lincoln Township — Early Settlement — Industries — Grimes
Township — Early History — The Railroad — Thornton — Meservey.
241-251
CHAPTER
XXIII.
LIME
CREEK TOWNSHIP.
History of Lime Creek Township — Its Early Settlement — Its Early
Schools — Religious History.
252-259
CHAPTER
XXIV.
MASON
TOWNSHIP
History of Mason Township — Early Settlement — One of the First Townships
Settles — One of the First to Be Organized — Its Early Schools.
260-265
CHAPTER
XXV.
GENESEO
TOWNSHIP.
History of Geneseo Township — Early Settlement — Organized as Linn
Township — Name Changed to Geneseo — Town of
Rockwell — Creamery — Schools — Churches — Societies.
266-279
CHAPTER
XXVI.
DOUGHERTY
AND PLEASANT VALLEY TOWNSHIPS.
CHAPTER
XXVII.
CLEAR
LAKE TOWNSHIP.
History of Clear Lake Township — Early Settlement — The Shores of Clear
Lake the First to Attract Settlers — The Reason Why Settlers Came to Clear Lake
and Cerro Gordo County — Character and Mingled Motives of First Settlers — The
Town of Clear Lake — Founders of the Town — Early Additions — Early
History — Early Mails — Story of Amos Garrett — Clear Lake Schools — Societies
— Religions — Hotels -- Campmeeting Grounds — Business — Banks — As a
Summer Resort. 291-311
History of Dougherty Township — village of Dougherty — Schools — Churches — Societies — Business — Pleasant Valley Township — Early Settlement — Organization — Early Schools — village of Swaledale. 280-290
CHAPTER
XXVIII.
MASON
CITY.
Location of Mason City — the Beauties of Early Scenery — The Found of the
City — Reasons for Its Location — First Called Shiboleth — The First House and
First citizen — first Plats — Political History — county Seat War — Incorporated
as a Town — Personnel of Government For 1870-1910 — Old Mason City — Business
History Down to 1870 — Various Matters Pertaining tot he Old Town — The New
City — Commerce — Industrial — Hotels — Transportation — Postoffice — Theaters — Societies — Banks — Grand
Army Post, Etc. — Co. A — Clubs — Why Special Mention is Made of Women�s
Clubs — The City Library — Mason City Schools — Churches — Parks--Public
Buildings — Police — Fire Department. 312-365
CHAPTER
XXIX.
ROCKWELL
CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY.
Quotation from
Pittsburg Dispatch — Organization of Rockwell Co-operative Society — First
Officers — Early Difficulties — fight Against the Powerful
Corporations — Victory — Reasons for Success — Mr. McManus Gives Credit Where
Credit is Due — State Association — Reasons for State Organization — Its
Success. 366-372
ILLUSTRATIONS Mason City in 1870, 24
Island From Grand View, Clear Lake, 37
Central School, Mason City, 48
Cerro Gordo County Court House, 74
Main Street, Mason City, 109
Sacred Heart Academy, Rockwell, 125
Sunset on Clear Lake 166
High, School, Mason City, 175
Parker�s Mill, 190
Willow Creek, 217
Boating on Beaver Dam 242
Stone Arch Bridge, Mason City 261
High School, Rockwell, 269
Sacred Heart Church, Rockwell, 274
Outlet, Clear Lake, 292
Mason City Drain Tile Company, 315
Kuppenger�s Mill, 332
Northwestern States Portland Cement Company 338
Public Library, Mason City, 354
Memorial University, Mason City 362
Odd Fellows Orphan Home 364
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