The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 31, 1903

Rockwell Young Man Elopes With School Girl

Young People Take Their Romance in Their Own Hands and Leave Town Together.

Rockwell, Iowa, March 31 – Rockwell is experiencing a decided sensation in the elopement of two of her young people: Miss Zell Smith and Guy Davis. Miss Smith is an unusually prepossessing young lady not quite 18 years of age, and has been attending the public school here this winter and rooming in the second floor of the Mallory block. she is an only daughter of Mr. and Mrs Isaiah Smith, well-to-do people living six miles northeast of Rockwell and who, it seems objected to the attentions of young Davis.

The  young couple boarded the 8:20 train north Wednesday evening and nothing has been seen or heard of them since. The continued absence of Miss Smith from school aroused suspicion and yesterday noon friends broke into her room and discovered a note addressed to her parents telling them of the step she was about to take and begging forgiveness for the sorrow and heartache she would cause them.

The young lady’s father was immediately notified, but he is completely at sea as to her whereabouts. Mr. Davis is a son of respected parents living in the country a short distance from town.

Professor Mahannah is grieved at the occurrence, as Miss Smith was one of the brightest pupils in the whole school. People generally regard the affair as unfortunate and regret that the young people had not acted with less rashness.

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The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 3, 1903

Takes Runaway Couple Home

Stern Father Locates Daughter, a 17-year-old Bride of Six Days

Ran Away From School to Wed

Isaih F. Smith, of Rockwell, Says he will See What Virtue There is in the Law

Marshalltown, April 3 – The curtain was drawn in this city Wednesday afternoon on a little domestic tragedy, which had its beginning a week ago when Ivan Guy Davis, a 19-year old boy living near Rockwell, eloped with pretty Lola Zelle Smith, aged 17, a student in the Rockwell high school, from which she was to graduate next June. The couple was married at St. Anthony, Friday, March 27, by Mayor Samuel Meekins.

Isiah F. Smith, a well-to-do farmer living six miles northeast of Rockwell, in Bath township, who is about to retire from the farm and move to Mason City to reside is the father of the bride.

Miss Smith was in school at Rockwell and on Wednesday, March 25, obtained an excuse from the principal on the grounds of  illness. The illness was caused from the bacilli of love, a fresh culture of which had found fertile ground in the heart of her affections. Ivan Guy Davis, aged 19, son of S.R. Davis, formerly a farmer living three miles north of Zearing, but now living near Rockwell.

The young people didn’t ask either Papa and Mamma Smith, or Papa and Mamma Davis, but took French leave, going to Mason City. At that place they boarded the fast night train of the Iowa Central, No. 6 coming to this city. On Friday they obtained a license at the office of Clerk of Courts Knisely, Ralph Le Fever of St. Anthony, minor son of A.D. LeFever, a farmer living about midway between St. Anthony and Zearing, acting as sponsor and searing to the affidavit in which the legal ages of the young people was the most important.

The happy pair, congratulating themselves on their capability of outwitting the old folds, took the Story Branch train in the evening for St. Anthony, where Mayor Meekins was induced to tie the nuptial knot.

At the Rockwell end of the line the scene was not so happy. Mr. Smith was about two days late, but when he found that his daughter had left school he was pretty sure what had happened. He also found that young Davis was not at home and at once began the search. He came to this city and consulted the marriage record and a few little notations under the “D’s” told him all he wanted to know.

He went to Zearing Wednesday morning, with the idea of tearing the bride from her young husband. Davis refused to be torn and accompanied his wife and her father to Rockwell Wednesday evening.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 30, 1903

Dog Fight Led to Fist Fight

Con Fogerty (sic) Was Heavily Fined for Striking Mrs. Montgomery

Was a Busy Police Court

Busy Monday Attested the Fact That Spring Has Come Again – Six Drunks Docketed.

A dog fight resulted in a fist fight Sunday afternoon and the fracas culminated in police court this morning when Con Fogarty was fined $25 and costs for striking Mrs. Montgomery a blow on the forehead which to use Mrs. Montgomery’s own words, penetrated “plumb to the bone.”

On Sunday afternoon Con Fogarty’s dog encountered Mrs. Montgomery’s canine pet and proceeded to literally eat up his adversary, being incited in so doing, it is claimed by Fogarty. Mr. Montgomery tried to make peace but Fogarty objected. Then Mrs. Montgomery appeared on the scene and Fogarty struck her with brutal force on the forehead, the wound being plainly visible when the lady appeared against Fogarty in police court this morning. James O’Hare, who was also implicated, was fined $5 and costs. both Fogarty and O’Hare being unable to pay their fines were sent to the city jail.

Besides the dog fight case, six drunks were docketed. David Fuller, who was charged with carrying knuckles besides being drunk, admitted that the knuckles were his possession, but said that he had them by accident. He was fined $7.10 and left his gold watch as security, having no cash. Simon Fodge who resides in the country was charged with being drunk but was dismissed on payment of a dollar and on promise of going home. James West, John Hanson, Sam McElroy and James Hallison were charged with being drunk. All please guilty and were accordingly given the customary $7.10 fine. West left a watch in place of cash. John Hanson was discharged and McElroy, who when asked by His Honor what was his business, replied, “I ain’t got no business,” was committed to jail. Hallison was also sent to jail.

This morning’s docket was the heaviest in some time and those connected with police court are beginning to feel that spring has really come.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 30, 1903

Home and Society

On Tuesday, March 24, a surprise party was successfully carried out at the resident (sic) of Mr. and Mrs. C.W. Mavity on Seventh avenue north in honor of Miss Myrtle Donald who soon departs for Havelock, Iowa, to make her future home. The evening was spent in playing stock exchange and other games. The hostess was presented with a gold souveneir (sic) spoon. Light refreshments were serve.

The invited guests were as follows:

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Mrs. E. Olson entertained on Thursday evening for Miss Olga Christopherson of Thor, who has been visiting in this city. A delightful evening was passed, Mr. Klinehaus and Miss Oleson furnishing some well appreciated musical numbers. Those present were Messrs. –

(Editor’s note: I think that Carl Christopherson in the second notice was accidentally put in with the Misses category or the name is wrong. I try to transcribe what I see, only making note of what looks wrong, so I left the name where it was.)

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 29, 1905

An Old Coin is Found Here

Mrs. Henry Preston While Raking up in the Yard Makes the Discovery.

Lost a Quarter of Century

Bit of Money Bears Date of 1808 and Shows Head of George III, on One Side With Irish Emblem on Other Side – Is Well preserved.

While clearing up in the yard Mrs. Henry Preston of this city, found an old English copper cent that had in all probability been lost there for more than a quarter of a century. The date of the coin was a little indistinct, but could be easily made out and showed that it come from the die of 1808. It bore on one side the head of George III and the date and on the other the Irish emblem.

The Prestons have been on the place where the coin was found for more than fourteen years and it is certain that it was not lost by them. the place was purchased by Mr. Preston from Mrs. McNeilly, who was a resident of Fort Dodge thirty-five years ago and who owned the place up to the time that it was sold to the Prestons. It is the supposition that the coin was lost by her.

While the piece is an old one, this is not the remarkable feature of the story. The fact that it has lain so long on the surface of the ground undiscovered to turn up after a quarter of a century or more is the strange circumstance.

When found the bit of money was so dirty and filled that it could scarcely be recognized as such, but was easily cleaned and is in a fair state of preservation. The head of King George III is especially clear and plain.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 29, 1904

Shot in the Hand by an Unknown Gunner

Ed Johnson Suffers a Peculiar Experience While Standing in His Yard.

Ed Johnson, an employe (sic) of the Fort Dodge Light & Power company, living in the Oleson addition in the southeast part of the city, is suffering from a peculiar and unexplainable accident. While standing in his yard, he felt a sting in his hand. He look and his hand immediately became covered with blood. Dr. Saunders was called, and a piece of metal was found in the wound. It is supposed that the hurt was caused by a stray shot from a twenty-two calibre (sic) rifle, but no report was heard and no person was in sight in any direction. The wound is not a serious one, and Mr. Johnson will be able to be at work in a few days.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 28, 1905

Small Blaze Another Sermon

This Morning Brings Out Need of New Wagon

The Loss by Water Was Heavy

Chemicals Would Have Put out All Fires in Months With Exception of Two, and Would Have Prevented a Great Deal of Loss in all of Them.

Fire was discovered in the Peter Reilly house on North Seventh street this morning at seven o’clock, and the fire department made one of the best runs that has been made in a long time. it was not more than five minutes after the alarm was turned in till the team was on the ground and the hose stretched. The damage to the house was comparatively slight, amounting to in the neighborhood of $100. On the furniture, however, on account of the water, it amounted to between $300 and $400. The house was occupied by the George Gilman family. The losses were fully covered by insurance.

The fire started from sparks that fell on the roof next to the kitchen chimney, and nothing was known of it by the family until the alarm had been turned in. The roomers, Frank Boyle and J.H. McDermott, heard the crackling on the roof as the shingles were burning, but thought it was hail and paid no further attention to it.

This fire is another argument that is in favor of the chemical wagon that is so badly needed by the local fire department. Had they been equipped with chemicals this morning, there would have been no need of turning on the water at all, and there would have been none of the loss that resulted to the furnishings.

With regard to the matter, one of the members of the fire department said to a Messenger representative this morning. “It certainly is a shame that the department has no chemical wagon. It is a fact that with the exception of just two fires, every blaze that we have had the past several months could have been controlled in less time and with not more than one tenth the damage to the furnishings by use of chemicals. The chemicals properly used on a small fire do the work quickly and completely and with absolutely no damage to other parts of the house, while it takes but a few seconds for a two and a half inch stream of water to get into all parts of a residence and damage everything.”

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 27, 1903

Mrs. Bacey Made Sudden Flitting

Left Home on Second Avenue North Between Monday Night and Tuesday Morning

Her Whereabouts Unknown

Took Away Most of Furniture and Carrie Nationized the Rest

Mrs. Bacey has gone. The house on Second avenue north, between Twelfth and Thirteenth streets, which has been her home for the past few months, turns a vacant and unseeing gaze on the street, and can throw no light on the mystery of the hasty flitting of its former occupant.

Mrs. Bacey has not only gone, but she went between two days. On Monday evening, she was there; on Tuesday morning she had disappeared. With her had gone most of the furniture. The remainder had been so broken up and dismantled as to be without value. Mrs. Bacey and a hatchet had apparently held high revelry before the time came for moving. Her aim appeared to have been to leave nothing behind her which it would be of any value to any one to appropriate.

Rumor has it that Mrs. Bacey was in arrears some three months on her rent, which is believed to account for her sudden action.

The Bacey family, consisting of the mother and two children, has made its home on Second avenue north for some two or three years, but Mrs. Bacey had few friends in the neighborhood, and no one is able to give any particulars about the moving. That she has moved, and moved unexpectedly, is a fact which cannot be denied.

(Editor’s note: Carrie Nation was a member of the temperance movement. She was known for entering an establishment that served alcohol and applying her hatchet to the premises.)

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 27, 1905

Lehigh Shows a Constant Growth

936 Persons There According to the Census Just Completed.

Ahead of the 1900 Count

The Corporate Limits Do Not Take In All Persons Entitled to Rank as Citizens – Lehigh Next to Fort Dodge in Size in County.

County Auditor Harry Holm has received the census returns from Lehigh and they evidence the fact that the town has grown to some extent during the past five years. The present census shows a gain of 130 people over the returns of 1900.

According to the present census, there are just 936 persons in the city as against 806 in 1900. It is a fact, however, that the incorporate limits do not cover all of the town, and that there is a considerable settlement down on Crooked Creek that is not counted as a part of the above figure. This settlement would add at least another hundred to the total and bring it up to more than a thousand inhabitants.

Outside of Fort Dodge Lehigh is the largest city in the county, and there is every prospect that there will be considerable advancement there the coming summer, as it is almost assured that at least one of the railroads that enter the place will be put on thru during the next few months.

This will mean the further development of their many natural advantages and a good growth will be the result. It is a well known fact that there is a heavy vein of coal underlying the whole town and surrounding country that has never been worked. This with the big supply of the best of clay for both brick and pottery purposes an immense amount of the finest kind of silica, or glass sand and the other natural features of advantage, should make the little city on the south.

(Editor’s note: According to a Wikipedia article, Lehigh had 497 residents in the 2000 census. The town also has a Facebook page.)

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 27, 1906

Aged Woman Breaks Hip

Mrs. Margaret Wilkinson Sustains Severe Accident This Morning.

Mrs. Margaret Wilkinson, who resides at the home of her daughter, Mrs. W.A. Roper, on Ninth Street and Seventh Avenue North sustained a severe accident this morning through a fall on a slippery sidewalk.

Mrs. Wilkinson started to walk from the house and had proceeded but a short distance when she slipped and fell heavily to the ground. A physician was called and it was then learned that she had sustained a broken hip. Mrs. Wilkinson is eighty two years old and the injury will go hard with her.