Posts Tagged ‘Duncombe’

28
Aug

Death of Old Resident Occurs

   Posted by: admin    in Death

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 28, 1905

Death of Old Resident Occurs

William J. Williams Died at the Hospital Today at One P.M.

Well Known in This City

Was a Very Familiar Character and Had Won a Great Many Friends During Long Residence Here by His Musical Talent and Disposition

The death of one of Fort Dodge’s oldest residents and most familiar characters, occurred at one o’clock this afternoon wehn William J. Williams passed from this life, at the hospital.

Mr. Williams was a half brother of Mrs. John F. Duncombe and has lived in this city throughout his entire life. He has always been well known by older residents of the city and won considerable popularity in Fort Dodge in earlier days by his ability to play the violin, making use of this talent very often for the benefit of others at gatherings of all kinds.

Of late years Mr. Williams has not been in very good health and has lived at the Duncombe House, working at times at the Fort Dodge Chronicle office. He has been steadily failing for more than a year and was taken to the Fort Dodge General hospital a week ago today, suddenly worse with a complication of diseases.

Since his arrival there he has been sinking steadily and breathed his last this afternoon. He was fifty-three years old at the time of his death.

His body will be removed to the residence of Mrs. Duncombe, but other plans have not yet been completed for the funeral. They will be announced tomorrow.

(Editor’s note: William J. Williams was a son of Maj. William Williams, who founded Fort Dodge.)

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1
Jul

Historical Society to Hold Annual Meeting

   Posted by: admin    in Organizations

The Fort Dodge Chronicle: July 1, 1907

Historical Society to Hold Annual Meeting

Annual Reports Will be Made by Officers and Paper on Pioneer Life Read by Mrs. J.F. Duncombe

The Webster County Historical Society will hold their annual meeting at the Library association rooms at 8 o’clock Tuesday evening, July 9. Annual reports will be heard from the President, Mrs. J.P. Dolliver; from the secretary and treasurer, Mrs. C.B. Hepler, and curator, H.M. Pratt. The rest of the program will consist of a report of the state historical meeting at Iowa City in April to which Curator H.M. Pratt was a delegate.

Mrs. John F. Duncombe will give a paper on early reminiscences of Fort Dodge and several historical documents will be read.

Election of officers will take place at this meeting. It is also planned to have a few musical numbers.

The members of the society and all others interested in the work are cordially invited to be present.

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1
Jul

Automobile Driver is Assessed Second Fine

   Posted by: admin    in Automobile, Police court

The Fort Dodge Chronicle: July 1, 1907

Automobile Driver is Assessed Second Fine

I.R. Campbell, Fined for Exceeding Speed Limit, Will Carry Case to District Court

I.R. Campbell, of the Campbell Automobile Co., was fined $25 (about $577 today) this morning by Mayor Duncombe on charges of exceeding the city speed limit on Saturday and Sunday evenings. He was also unfortunate enough to run over another dog, as on the former time he was fined for driving his puff wagon too fast.

Mr. Campbell refused to plead to the charge and the fine was assessed upon the complaint of the officers and without the taking of further evidence, although Mr. and Mrs. Charles Fisher were present in the court room to testify against him. He maintained he was not running at 25 to 30 miles an hour as reported by the officers, and not even going faster than the city ordinance allows, and for this reason will carry the case to the district court.

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The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 3, 1914

Minkel Renamed for Superintendent of Public Schools

Domestic Science Courses for Vacation Time

New Committees Named

L.H. Minkel was reelected superintendent of schools by the board of education at their meeting Thursday night. Mr. Minkel has been in the city in charge of the schools for the last three years and during that time has helped make them the best in the state.

The board authorized Mr. Minkel to outline plans for a domestic science course to be offered during the summer vacation. The idea of the board is to use the equipment as many months in the year as is possible. Details of the course are now being worked out by Mr. Minkel. Courses offered will be in sewing, dressmaking, millinery and cooking. A small tuition will be charged to pay for the expense of instruction.

President C.F. Duncombe announced new committees at the recent meeting. The committee on Casual Supplies and Equipment is constituted by Messrs. Thompson, Williams, Beresford and McCreight. Teachers and schools – Messrs. Williams, Thompson, Nelson and Files. Buildings and repairs – Beresford, Thompson, McCreight and Nelson. Finance and accounting – Messrs. Nelson, Thompson, Williams and Files. Rules and course of study – Files, Beresford, McCreight and Williams.

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The Fort Dodge Daily Chronicle: Sept. 11, 1908

Memories of The Past Are Awakened by Visit to Leipzig

Mrs. John F. Duncombe Writes an Interesting Letter of Her Revisit to the German City She Resided in For Three Years With Her Daughters – Other Matters of Interest.

We are now in good old Leipzig with lovely weather and both of us well, and  having a good time. We have visited the place the girls and I called home for three years and as John and I entered the hall door and walked up the familiar stairs, memories of the past came over me and I could not but feel sad. The friends of long ago, where were they all? Gone, move of them, to that bourne from whence no traveller returns. I remember how pleased your father was with our beautiful little German home, and of his saying, “Well, I heartily approve of this, it if fine,” but that is all in the past.

John and I went all through the great conservatory. All the students have gone for their vacations and the whole place is being renovated and made ready for the fall term. I took John through the Auerbachshof, the wine cellar in which Goethe wrote Faust – made famous by Keller. We enjoyed the collection of renowned Faust pictures, dating back to the year 1525. We also visited the Furinjerhof and the celebrated Thomas Kirche – (church) where we used to go to hear the boys sing on Saturday morning. I called on some of my old German friends and they all knew me at once. We went to find Mrs. Nicholson and Nana, but they are up on the Hartz and will not be back until next week, so we were disappointed and I feel sure they will regret not seeing some one from home. John and I went to view the battle ground of Leipzig, and we saw the fine monument Germany is erecting to the memory of this great victory. They already have a small stone placed where Napoleon stood when commanding his army. It is all very interesting and as the morning was a bright, beautiful one our drive was very enjoyable. We will leave here for Dresden tomorrow, and remain there until we have seen all we care to see;  then on to Berlin and be ready for a plunge into Switzerland.

I hope my cabled greetings tot he old settlers, through Professor Findlay, president of the Historical Society, reached there in time and that the day was fine and all the old settlers living could be present and enjoy it themselves. They certainly deserve it after their long years of privations and hard work.

We h ad a long sea trip of seven  hours crossing over form Queensborough to Flushin, Holland. The sea was very rough and many were very sick. John enjoyed the canals and dykes and and windmills of picturesque Holland. We have been very fortunate as to weather, bright and cool, not one entire disagreeable day since we landed. John often says at eventide, “My, but this has been a grand day to me.” We are book to sail in the Hamburgh (sic) American steamer, The Kaiserine Augusta Victoria, a sister boat to the Amerika, and which sails on Oct. 2nd. When we went up to the steamer offices, we were obliged to answer a number of questions as to occupation, sex, color, etc., etc. When John heard me say white, he remarked: “Put me down green.”

I was very sorry to read of Senator Allison’s death. It seemed very pathetic and too bad that his last days should be embittered by strife in his own state, after so long a service to the public. He died on Tuesday and Thursday morning I was reading about his death in Edinburgh, Scotland. The wireless makes the world seem small.

Mary A. Duncombe

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2
Aug

Fifty Years Since They Saw Ft. Dodge

   Posted by: admin    in People

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 2, 1905

Fifty Years Since They Saw Ft. Dodge

Tuesday Aug. 1 Marked The Half Ceutury (sic) Post For Family’s Record Here.

Vincent Family Are Pioneers

They Came Here in a Covered Wagon From Dubuque Over a Trail Thru Soughs and Rough Roads – City Was Pretty Young Then.

August 1, 1905, marked a milestone in the history of the Vincent family of this city. Fifty years ago on that day they came o (sic) the town of Fort Dodge. Mrs. George B. Sherman, Mr. Webb Vincent and Mr. (sic) Beth Vincent are the surviving members of the family of six and they tell interesting tales of the state and town as they then appeared.

They left the railroad at Dubuque, making the remainder of the journey in a covered wagon which, with a good span of horses they bought in Dubuque for just five hundred dollars in gold. ($11,554 today)

The road across the prairies and through many sloughs was hardly more than a trail so little was it traveled. They came by way of Webster City, then called Newcastle, and made the journey in about a week.

At Webster City they had the pleasure of spending the night in a hotel and sleeping on real beds. Their rest was broken by their first experience of a genuine thunderstorm. A building across the street from the hotel was struck by lightning and the more timid members of the family doubtless wished that they had not “left their happy homes.”

Factory chimneys and church spires being conspicuous by their absence, the site of the Fort Dodge was proclaimed to the travellers by a flag floating from a flagstaff on the height of the hill now occupied by the S.T. Meservey residence.

A bachelor uncle of the party not knowing what fate might have in store for him, made his toilet before entering the town. He shaved himself, using a pail of water as a mirror. If he did it today he would have to use a safety razor.

The inhabitants of the little town all crowded to doors and windows as the party made its way down the street, the addition of two comely women to society’s ranks being especially a subject of interest.

Among the families then living here whose names are still familiar were Mr. and Mrs. Albee, Dr. and Mrs. Olney, Mr. and Mrs. Plum. Mr. Dawley had brought his bride but a few months earlier. Mr. J.F. Duncombe, Mr. Beecher, Mr. Geo. B. Sherman, Mr. C.C. Carpenter were among the young men of whom the greater part of the population was then made up. Young ladies were at a premium.

The inhabitants of the town were settled in the old fort buildings and the Vincent family took up their abode in the theatre building, a relic of the soldier days. They lived in the dressing rooms and on the stage, stored their grain in the “pit” (the only wheat pit the city has ever boasted) and quartered their horses in the refreshment room. The children recall many pranks in this old theatre but the serious work of building a home (the first residence in Fort Dodge) was soon begun. The lumber was hauled from near Dubuque. The house was on the site of the present library building, but not to be confused with the brick house put up later by the family and only recently torn down. Webb Vincent, in a spirit of boyishness, turned the first shovel of earth in excavating for their dwelling so he can now say he did the first stroke of work on a residence building in Fort Dodge.

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18
Jul

Fiftieth Anniversary Episcopal Church

   Posted by: admin    in Church news

The Fort Dodge Messenger: July 18, 1905

Fiftieth Anniversary Episcopal Church

Saturday, July 22 Marks the Day of Organization.

The Church Will Celebrate

Ice Cream Social and Musical Program Will be Given On East Lawn of The Church – Appropriate Sermon Sunday.

This week and the Saturday of this week, mark the anniversary of the organization of the Episcopal parish in Fort Dodge, which occurred July 22, 1855. In commemoration of this coming event, the present prosperous church will give a lawn social on the east lawn of the church Saturday evening and will furnish a fine musical program as well as ice cream and cake. Sunday the present rector, Rev. Biggs, will deal largely with the history of the church in his address.

In a worn and almost yellow edged book, a record is to be found of the principal happenings of the church from the time of its organization.  The first item mentioned is of course, the organization of the church which was accomplished largely by land commissioners who were sent out here by President Buchanan. Names which are signed to the first resolution ever written by this church, will be found to be those old in history of the city as well as the church.

Just a year from the date of organization Bishop George Washington Lee proposed that if the church would raise $1,000 ($23,971 today) he would secure enough more funds to build a chapel, but this proposition was not accepted. Following this move, the first pastor, Rev. H.A. Wilson, but upon hearing that he had publicly denounced Free Masonry he was informed that his services would not be useful in this church and the Rev. Mr. Wilton therefore did not arrive in Fort Dodge.

February 1st in ’58 a committee was erected to raise funds to build a church. They resolved “to build a church 30×45 feet of stone or wood, with Gothic or pointed windows.” J.L. Cheney, E. Bagg and S.B. Olney were on the committee and Rev. Fairchild, who had been elected pastor, was delegated to go to Chicago to raise money for the church among the stronger churches there. On December 23, $1,420 ($35,333 today) had been expended, $699 ($17,392) had been paid out and the church was in debt $741($18,438). A frame church was being erected north of the site now occupied by Tobin college.

December 27th the vestry resolved “that we proceed with work on the church as heretofore, until the windows are in, one more door made, the buttons are one, the roof finished and all cracks stopped. Then suspend work until further action is taken.”

Action was indeed suspended and nothing more was done until after the war – to be exact until Easter, 1867. Rev. John Hochuly was next called to the Fort Dodge church. He (didn’t have?) any idea of how to manage affairs here, leaves a voluble record of his rectorate and resigned with almost nothing accomplished. Then nothing more was done until 1870 when Rev. E.H. Harlow was called to this place. The question of debt came up during this year, but nothing was accomplished, as Rev. Harlow had scarcely any idea of hom (sic) to manage affairs and extremely little idea of the value of money. He remained a year and having resigned, nothing was done until 1873, when Rev. Charles Stout was called.

Rev. Stout was a young man and  this was his first parish. He did excellent work and accomplished much toward liquidating the debt. The church had found themselves in dire straits when some of its creditors B. Grayson, H. Beecher, Webb Vincent, Beth Vincent, S.B. Olney and J.F. Duncombe donated their claims, almost wiping out the debt. Rev. Stout stayed about three years and the debt was about cleaned up. He asked the vestry if he might have services in Webster City and they conceded that he might do so one Sunday in six, “until such time as the railroad company changed its time tables.”

Rev. Stout’s resignation was received “most reluctantly” and following him, Rev. W.C. Mills was called and acepted (sic). During his pastorate there was the first informal talk of a new church. His pastorate was the longest the church had ever known and was prosperous in every way. Rev. Mills resigned in September, 1880, and no rector was called until all obligations could be wiped out. This was evidently accomplished by February, 1882, because Rev. C.C. Adams was called to the church and accepted. He remained a year and was succeeded by P.C. Wolcott, who also stayed about a year. Then the church was closed again for about a year.

Robert J. Walker was the next rector, and he began his pastorate by asking the vestry for a loan of $250 ($5,987). The records show that they considered it so long that it was dropped. Eight months later Rev. Robert Walker resigned. Rev. J.W. Paige followed him and was there until his death, serving the longest of any rector of the church. The records show his time of service to have been the most fruitful and prosperous the church had known and he was much beloved by all.

In January, 1892, the old church burned and measures were taken at once to secure a new church. The money on hand after the lot was sold and the insurance collected was $2,900 ($69,458). A subscription list was passed around and in a year the church aggregated the sum of $10,340 ($247,655). Plans were considered for a building to cost $10,000 and the contracts were about to be let when Rev. Paige died. At that time everything went slack and the new church matter was dropped. In April, 1893, the former plans were discarded and a new building committee, consisting of J.C. Cheney, Webb Vincent and A.J. Arthur were appointed with power to proceed with the original plans or adopt new ones. New plans were adopted and the present church as built. The architect was Clinton Nourse of Des Moines and the contract was let to Hepler and Brown. During the time of its erection, Sunday school services were kept up in what is now the Salvation Army hall. Mr. Rutka being the prime factor in this movement. He was ably assisted by Mrs. J.F. Duncombe, Misses Maude Lauderdale and Blanche Burnam.

Rev. A.V. Gorrell was the first pastor in the new church, remaining about a year after which Rev. C.H. Remington was called. Under his rectorate, the church was enlarged, the organ instituted and the church was successful in every way. His term of service was long and the church deeply regretted that failing health made his resignation necessary in 1904.

Rev. C.L. Biggs, the present rector, came to Fort Dodge the first of this year and has proved as excellent choice thus far in his work here.

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5
Jul

Duncombe House Was Bombarded by Rockets

   Posted by: admin    in Crime, Fire

The Fort Dodge Daily Chronicle: July 5, 1913

Duncombe House Was Bombarded by Rockets

Fire Truck Makes Two Runs – No Damage

The Duncombe hotel received a regular old-fashioned bombardment last evening about 10:30 oclock (sic) when a party of hilarious celebrators began shooting sky rockets from the Third street viaduct. A veritable shower of rockets began to fall about the hotel and W.E. Duncombe complained to the police; but before the celebration could be stopped a rocket lit on the roof of the hotel and burned a large hole in the south roof of the building.

An alarm was turned into the Central fire station but the fire was extinguished before the truck arrived.

Earlier in the evening some celebrator touched off a rocket and sent it hurling thru two panes of window glass into a room in the hotel. The fire gained a good start but was extinguished by a bucket brigade. The damage was slight.

“Such a manner of celebrating should be stopped,” said Mr. Duncombe this morning. “The shooting of rockets onto dry shingle roofs should be made a punishable offense. It endangers life and property and is absolutely inexcusable.”

False Alarm

Some joy-riders, thinking to cause a little excitement, turned in an alarm from Third avenue south and 6th street about 10:30 Thursday night. The fire truck made the run in fast time, which probably satisfied the celebrators, as no more trouble was encountered during the night.

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1
Jul

Mine is Lighted by Electricity

   Posted by: admin    in Coal mining, Gypsum mining

The Fort Dodge Messenger: July 1, 1903

Mine is Lighted by Electricity

United States Gypsum Company Inaugrates (sic) Improvement at Mineral City Mill.

Is Running Day and Night.

Both Mill and Mine are Thoroughly Lighted – Drilling is Also Done by Electricity – Improvements at Blanden Mill.

Improvements have just been completed in the Mineral City mill and mine of the United States Gypsum company, which the officials of the company in this city claim,  make it the most modern and best equipped mill in the country.

Both mill and mine have been fitted up with electric lights thruout, and the work is now carried on there day and night without intermission. The drilling is also done by electricity. These improvements have only just been completed, and the mill is now running under them.

The Blanden mill has also been greatly improved by the addition of new machinery.

One of the mills and mines of the company has been closed down and the men transferred to the Mineral City mill, but Manager Duncombe stated this morning that this was merely temporary and quite in accordance with the usual policy of the company when it was necessary to close the mill for repairs. The company had some trouble with water in the mines during the heavy rains, but this is now entirely over, and the damage done is less than was expected.

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14
May

Personals

   Posted by: admin    in Miscellaneous notices, People, Society news

The Webster County Gazette: May 14, 1880

Personals

Frank Quinby was in town Tuesday.

Mrs. Duncombe went to Ottumwa, Tuesday.

Warwick Price, of Cleveland, is in the city.

M.D. O’Connell is in Des Moines this week.

D.W. Halstead has been out west all week.

Mrs. Steele, of Omaha, is in town this week.

G.B. Reynolds went to Des Moines Monday.

Mrs. Manly Brown, of Dakota, is in town this week.

James Black has returned from his Colorado trip.

Mrs. Getchell went down to Cedar Falls Wednesday.

Dr. Reed, of Manson, was in the city over Sunday.

Miss Grace Wood left Tuesday for Geneva, Illinois.

Sanders, formerly of the Fort Dodge House is in town.

E.M. Dunning goes east Sunday night to buy buggy horses.

J.H. Deming is in the city. Arrived Wednesday. His wife remains east.

Miss Cornele Sherman has gone to Chicago to obtain treatment for her eyes.

Rev. Coyle went to Cherokee, Thursday to assist in the services of ordination.

Miss May Brown and Mrs. C.F. Demuth are visiting O.M. Hazard and family at Newell.

J.M. Boyer, ensign U.S.N., accompanied by his wife will reach Fort Dodge Saturday, on a visit to their relatives here.

T.H. Wright discovers that the Sioux City end of his division needs a great deal of attention of late. There is calico on the track. (Editor’s note: I’m guessing they are implying that he is seeing a woman in Sioux City. Anyone else have an explanation?)

Mrs. David Davis and Miss Nettie left Wednesday morning for Boston. They spend the summer in the east, most of it at Martha’s Vineyard.

George Smith is bossing his train on the Des Moines road after a week’s visit in Keokuk. George is the fellow who has run on his line 13 years and never rode a mile on any other road in the state.

J.M. Berry surprised everybody by walking in Tuesday afternoon, just a day or so behind a letter that promised his return about the 1st of June. Mr. Berry is looking very hearty, and feeling strong.

Mr. D.M. Diggs, general agent of the C.R.I. & P. refrigerator line, was in the city on Saturday, in the interest of that company, the cars of which are running in connection with the D.M. & Ft. D.R.R. to this city.

Rev. R.F. Coyle pastor of the Presbyterian church at Fort Dodge, preached Sabbath morning and evening at Joyce’s hall. He is an admirable speaker, earnest, enthusiastic and eloquent. His language is forcible, and he states his propositions uncompromisingly. One cannot fail to see that he believes thoroughly what he says, and his sermons have that force which only intense individual conviction of truth can give. Mr. Coyle appears to be still a young man and has a brilliant career before him. -Carroll Herald.

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