Archive for the ‘Vital records’ Category

2
Jan

Joseph Lynch is buried Monday

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Fort Dodge Messenger and Chronicle, Jan. 2, 1918

Joseph Lynch is buried Monday

The funeral of Joseph Lynch, who died Saturday after a short illness with pneumonia, took place Monday morning at 9;30 at Corpus Christi church. Monsignor J.T. Saunders officiated. During the requiem mass Bernard O’Leary sang Ave Maria, Miss Ursula Ryan sang Salutaris and a duet by Miss Ryan and Mrs. Len Carter was given.

Burial was in the Corpus Christi cemetery. the bearers were Eugene Conway, Hugo Hetter, Lou Brunenkant, Emmett OConnor, Walter Lynch, and John Hogan, all boyhood friends of the deceased.

Mrs. Edwin Dwyer of Chicago, a sister, and Mrs. P. Gilday of Council Bluffs, an aunt, were here for the funeral.

4
Jan

Divorced Couple Remarried in City

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Fort Dodge Messenger: Jan. 4, 1906

Divorced Couple Remarried in City

J.W. and Mrs. Dora Leighton Divorced in 1903 Remarry Yesterday.

One of the most peculiar marriage incidents on record in this vicinity occurred in this city yesterday when Rev. George C. Fort united in marriage J.W. Leighton and Mrs. Dora Leighton, both of Livermore.

The story of the strange romance is that Mr. and Mrs. Leighton were divorced in 1903, the decree being granted from the Humboldt county district court. Mr. Leighton, who was a prosperous hardware merchant of the town of Livermore, took to drink some years ago and according to evidence given at the hearing of the divorce proceedings, made life miserable for his wife and family for several years prior to the action for separation. The decree was granted, despite the protests of Leighton who did everything within his power to prevent it.

Sobered and saddened by the action that his wife had found necessary, he began rapidly to mend his ways, maintained strict sobriety, and sought to repair the wrong that he had done. In the end a reconciliation was brought about between himself and wife which has ended in their marriage in this city yesterday. Mr. Leighton is a cousin of E.I. and L.L. Leighton, of the firm of Leighton Bros. of this city and is well known to many Fort Dodge residents.

26
Oct

Two Pretty Weddings

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The Lehigh Valley Argus: Oct. 26, 1906

Two Pretty Weddings

Mr. Hay and Miss Russell; Mr. McAnally and Miss Daniels

Both Weddings Held Wednesday.

The marriage of Miss Letitia Maud Russell, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Russell of this place, and Mr. Archie Hay, of Coalville, occurred at the home of the bride’s sister, Mrs. Sam Reynolds, at high noon, on Wednesday, October 24th, 1906, Rev. H.C. Nissen of the M.E. church officiating. Only the relatives of the contracting parties attended the wedding. The bride was attired in a becoming gown of cream henrietta, trimmed in lace and silk applique and looked very handsome. The wedding march was played by the bride’s sister, Miss Ethel, while the happy couple took their places where solemn vows which made them man and wife were spoken. They were attended by the bride’s sister Miss Maggie Russell and Mr. Wm. Jordison. After the ceremony the company sat down to a bountiful wedding dinner.

The bride is well and favorably known in Lehigh and vicinity. Until recently she was one of the efficient “hello” girls of the Lehigh Telephone company in which capacity she has been employed during the past three years. She is a popular young lady holding the highest esteem of all acquaintances and friends, and is endowed with those womanly traits of character which make her loved and respected by all.
The groom is an industrious young man and is held in high esteem by those who know him well. This popular young couple will go to keeping house at Coalville, where the groom has prepared a home. The best wishes of a host of friends for a happy married life is given the happy couple.

■ ■ ■

The marriage of Miss Mollie Agusta Daniels, daughter of Mrs. W.H. Daniels, to Mr. Earl Baker McAnally, both of this place, occurred at the home of the bride’s mother on Wednesday evening, October 24th, 1906, Rev. H. C. Nissen of the M.E. church officiating. About sixty invited guests were present and the wedding was a very pretty affair. The house was prettily decorated with autumn foliage. The bride was attired in a beautiful gown of white silk. The happy couple was attended by Miss Maria Elsberry and Mr. James McAnally. Lohengrin’s wedding march was played by Mr. N.H. Tyson as the young couple took their place before the assembled guests. After the ceremony had been performed and congratulations had been given the happy couple, all sat down to an elaborate wedding supper of eight courses.

The bride is a member of one of Webster county’s prosperous and highly respected families and has a large circle of close friends. The groom is an industrious and thrifty young man who also has a large circle of friends and acquaintances. Both are popular Lehigh young people who are beginning their journey together in the brightest of life’s mornings. They have gone to keeping house at the home of the bride’s mother where they will remain this winter.

The Argus joins with the many friends of both couples in wishing them a happy and contented married life.

(Editor’s note: I find the differences in the descriptions of the two weddings to be interesting. You can tell the different social and economic statuses of the two couples even before being told that the second bride’s family is prosperous, just by the descriptions of the wedding dresses and wedding suppers, the number of guests at each wedding, and the fact that Leticia Russell worked before she was married.)

Saturday Evening Post: Oct. 21, 1893

Life’s Eventful Drama

Touches of Tragedy and Chunks of Comedy to the Passing Play on the World’s Great Stage of Human Action.

The Players’ Entrances and Exits.

A Faithful Reproduction of Seven Days’ Scenes And Incidents in Local Life in Which We all Are Actors.

The “Midway Plaisance,” the name under which the social at the armory was given last Wednesday evening, was by no means a misnomer, for the hall was decorated, adorned and populated as one who had never seen the original Midway would imagine it might look. Booths attended by charming maidens adorned in various oriental costumes were scattered about over the large hall and the wares they handled went like red lemonade at a circus. The novelty of the name was the means of drawing a large crowd, and the result was a neat sum secured to the society, for whose benefit it was given.

A man who had been fleecing the counties of Kussuth (sic) and Humboldt with wolf skins, claimed to have been killed in these counties, and who had already worked Webster county for $35 in the same manner, was arrested here Wednesday while trying to work Auditor Cunningham for bounty on three more skins. He was taken to Kossuth county for prosecution.

Judge Hyatt granted an injunction this week restraining the county auditor from entering Rosanna Arnold’s property upon the tax book for guttering and curbing assessments. The description is lots 7 and 9 block 16 and the amount assessed was $441.00 (about $11,734 today). The property owner claims damage to the property by the grading that was done.

The Swedish Grieg Mandskor went to Badger last Tuesday to give one of their musical entertainments there for the benefit of the Norwegian Lutheran church. This organization is a very strong one, the chorus consisting of nearly twenty voices.

The committee on bridges let the contract last Tuesday for repairing the Lehigh bridge. Bids were as follows: J. Daniels & Co., $380; O.H. Larson, $447; C.T. Gustafson, $565; J.T. O’Connor, $595. The contract was given to Daniels & Co., who reside at Lehigh.

It appears that the prohibitionists of Webster county have reconsidered their endorsement of C.W. Newton for county treasurer and placed upon their ticket Mr. D.K. Lincoln instead. This is the way the ticket is filed with the county auditor.

The university of Iowa foot ball team got beautifully wallopped (sic) by the Denver atheletic (sic) club team in Denver last Saturday. The score stood 58 to 0. Should think the boys would be ashamed to come home.

Mrs. Jacob Mericle, of Holiday creek, one of Webster County’s pioneer settlers, died at her home last Wednesday, aged 72 years. She leaves a husband and a large family of children to mourn her loss.

A man in Meadville, Pa., has invented a barometer which not only indicates the weather in advance, but will sound a continuous alarm before the approach of cyclones and other death dealing storms.

The ladies of the Presbyterian church gave a most enjoyable social at the Armory last Friday evening. A large crowd was highly entertained by the very excellent musical program provided by the ladies.

John Koll has broken ground for a two story brick building, 22×30, on First avenue south, adjoining O.M. Oleson’s warehouse. Mr. Oleson will begin in a few days to veneer his with brick.

M.F. Byrne and Miss Kate McClarney were married at the home of the bride’s mother in this city Wednesday morning. The young couple left for Chicago on a wedding trip.

Four new recruits for the U.S. army have been secured in this city, as follows: S.A. Brown, Will H. Brown, Robert Curliss and Roscoe King. They all enlist for three years.

The vault door of the American Express company was closed a couple days this week, because the combination would not work. It had to be drilled open.

A. W. Braley has resigned his position with the Mason City Times and was spending a few days calling upon Fort Dodge friends the first of the week.

Fort Dodge Semi-Weekly Chronicle: Jan. 3, 1905

Seven Women Ask For Divorce

The Popularity of the Divorce Court Rapidly Growing

Allegations Set Forth in Petitions Practically the Same as Those of Old

That the Webster county matrimonial sea is no less turbulent than that in other counties, is made manifest by the number of divorce applications filed with the clerk of the district court for hearing this term. In number they are seven, and in every instance excepting one of this seven, the application is the gentler member.

The allegations set forth in the various petitions for separation are not greatly dissimilar, and are about the same as the usual ones set forth in any divorce petition. Now that the wave of divorce has struck this section of the state, having for its headquarters Des Moines, it is likely that the courts will be kep tbusy listening to the things that he did, and that she did, and the charges of cruelty and non-support, intermingled with many other charges of like nature. At the present rate, Webster county will not be long in gaining the same matrimonial notoriety that Sioux Falls has gained, and that Des Moines is fortunate in having.

The applicants and the defendants in the seven actions to be heard this term are:

Mary Laura Anderson vs. August L. Anderson.
Lena A. Hanrahan vs. Michael Hanrahan.
Mary Duehring vs. Julian Duehring.
J.M. Williams vs. Cora Williams.
C. Bella Culver vs. Harry E. Culver.
Minnie Weeks vs. Garvield Weeks.
Bertha Overbye vs. Andrew Overbye.

2
Jan

Died of diptheria

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Iowa North West: Jan. 2, 1866

Died:

In this place, of Diptheria, Dec. 31st – Fred B., aged 5 years and 8 months, son of A.M. & N. Dawley.

(Editor’s note: Fred’s initial may be D., but it looks closer to B.)

1
Jan

Wedding in Gowrie

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The Gowrie News: Jan. 1, 1891

Wedding

On Sunday Evening last, Dec. 28, at the home of the bride’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. M. Smith, in Gowrie, occured [sic] the marriage of Miss Minnie Smith to Mr. Charles Patterson, all of Gowrie. Prompt at 7 o’clock the bridesmaid and groomsman marched into the parlor followed by the bride and groom who took their place at the west part of the room, and Rev. D.G. Youker pronounced the ceremony, w hich was followed by congratulation of their friends. The guests were then invited to partake of a delicious supper which had been prepared for the occasion by Mrs. Smith. After spending a few hours very pleasantly together the guests departed for home and the newly married couple went to his home west of town. The News extends congratulation [sic].

List of presents

Set of glassware — Misses Martha Fawver and Iona Connett.
Pair of fine linen towels  —  Mrs. Magnusson and son, Master Chas.
Parlor lamp — Messrs. John and Chas. Marshall
Pair of beautiful gilt vases —

(Editor’s note: The article does leave off as shown here.)

28
Jun

Children Find Mans Body in Pool of Water

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The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 28, 1913

Children Find Mans Body in Pool of Water

While playing around the old Crawford mill in Gypsum this afternoon shortly after 2:00 two little boys looked into the shaft which is now filled with about forty feet of water and saw the body of a man, face down, floating on the surface of the water. County Coroner Lowry was summoned from this city and men are now taking the body out. It is thought that he committed suicide. Nothing is known about his age or who he is.

3
Jun

Obituary: Luther Clark Bentley

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The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 3, 1095

Obituary

Luther Clark Bentley, oldest son of B.P. and S.L. Bentley, died at the hospital, May 26, at 6:40 p.m., at the age of 35 years, 7 months, and 22 days. He was born in Floyd county, October 4th, 1869 He leaves a father, mother, sister and five brothers to mourn his departure, Jennie, Clarence, Frederic, Samuel, Curtis and George, the three former brothers are in Washington and could not be present at the funeral He was a kind and loving son and brother.

8
Sep

$200,000 for Webster City

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The Fort Dodge Messenger: Sept. 8, 1903

$200,000 for Webster City

By Demise of Mrs. Kendall Young Webster City Gets Princely Sum

The Story of the Bequest

It Was Made by Her Husband, Who Was Wealthy Pioneer of Webster City

Webster City, Sept. 8 The death of Mrs. Kendall Young in Battle Creek, Mich., Monday, was announced in this city today. By the death of Mrs. Young, Webster City will received $200,000 (about $5,032,308 today) to be used in the building of a library as a monument to the memory of Mr. and Mrs. Kendall Young. The fund has been in trust since 1896, when Mr. Young died, but could ot be used until the death of his wife.

The will provided that upon the death of Mrs. Young, $25,000 ($629,038) should be expended for a fire proof building. The remainder of the fortune must remain intact, and only the income of it, or so much of it as the trustees may see fit, is to be used for library purposes.

Kendall Young was born in Maine, and his wife in County Kent, England. The two were married in this city in 1858, and with the exception of a short residence in Irvington, have lived here ever since. At the time they were married here, the population of the city was but 400, and of the county 1,600. Through Mrs. Young’s generosity, the Kendall Young library on a small scale was established in 1898. At that time it became apparent to her that the annual income form the estate was more than she required or desired for her personal use. She very generously offered the use for library purposes of the magnificent Kendall Young home on Wilson avenue, beautifully situated and surrounded by spacious ornamental grounds, together with its furnishings, including many valuable paintings and pictures. She also proposed that the surplus income form the estate should be devoted to the immediate establishment and maintenance of the library.

At the February, 1898, term of the district court, upon the joint application of Mrs. Young and the executor, it was ordered that the executor annually turn over to the library trustees the surplus income from the estate, to be by them used for library purposes. At this time Mrs. Young was confined in the Battle Creek, Mich., sanitarium, on account of her health, where she remained until she died.

Mr. Young laid the foundation for his fortune during the California gold craze of 1849, and with this start began business in Hamilton county, where the balance of his fortune was made. Since the death of her husband, Mrs. Young has been cared for by the trustees of the estate. These gentlemen have seen to it that she has had all the comforts that money could buy. She has wanted for nothing, and yet, good soul that she was, she has often talked with them about the cutting down of her personal expenses in order that the money might be saved to the estate. She was 73 years of age. The funeral will be held in the city Thursday from the old Young home, now the library building.