Posts Tagged ‘Olney’

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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15
Jul

County Doctors are Organized

   Posted by: admin    in Medical matters, Organizations, People

The Fort Dodge Messenger: July 15, 1903

County Doctors are Organized

First Regular Meeting of the Webster County Medical Association is Held Tuesday.

Society to Meet Quarterly.

Next Session Will Be Held First Tuesday in September – Board of Censors Appointed and Other Business Transacted – Officers of Association.

The fifth regular meeting of the Webster County Medical association was held in the coroner’s office in the court house Tuesday afternoon. the purpose of the session was to compete the organization of the society which was formed a few weeks ago. Among other business transacted it was decided to hold quarterly meetings, the date of the next session being the first Tuesday in September.

The following were appointed a board of censors:

Dr. H.G. Ristine, Fort Dodge.
Dr. C.H. Mulroney, Fort Dodge.
Dr. G.C. Riordan, Barnum.

It will be the duty of this board to determine who is eligible for membership into the society and to investigate any alleged unprofessional conduct on the part of the members. As recently stated in the Messenger, every county organization in the state are units of the Iowa State Medical society, according to the provisions embodied in the constitution of the American Medical association of New Orleans a few months ago, and those attached to the constitution of the Iowa State Medical Society when that body met in Sioux City and a county society membership is necessary to obtain admission into the state organization.

The Webster County Medical association has a membership of twenty-two, the basis on which it was organized, providing for membership from all schools of medicine, including all licensed physicians who admit that they do not practice religion or faith as a healing power for disease.

The following are the officers of the association:

President, Dr. Robert Evans, Fort Dodge.
Vice President, Dr. E.O. Evans, Gowrie.
Secretary, Dr. W.W. Bowen, Fort Dodge.
Treasurer, Dr. F.B. Olney, Fort Dodge.

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16
Jun

The Jolly Peanut Club

   Posted by: admin    in Entertainment, Organizations, People, Society news

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 16, 1904

The Jolly Peanut Club

A New Fun Finding Organization is Organized.

Eight Young Ladies Band Together As Eight Kernels in a Peanut Shell.

Seven members of the Jolly Peanut club, accompanied by Mrs. Harry Vincent as chaperon and Bruno Schroeder as coachman, left the city this morning in a large carryall for Humboldt, where they will spend the day in the various manners of enjoyment best known to young girls. The club was organized some time ago, but this is the first expedition into other lands as an organized band of funfinders.

The young ladies, eight in number, spent the night at the Schroeder residence, sleeping all in one bed, arranged by laying two big mattresses on the floor side by side. This was done in an attempt to live up to their name, it is supposed, like eight little kernels in a peanut shell. The girls were up at 4 o’clock this morning to be ready for their lark, and all in their big carryall passed thru the streets at 6 a.m. , rousing the town from its slumbers with the  hubbub of tin horns secured by them the night before the occasion.

The Peanut club was organized by the  young ladies for a good time organization, and they plan to follow as closely as possible the life and doings of “Eight Girls and a Dog.” The dog is not as yet forthcoming, but the club is otherwise complete with eight as lively girls as are often seen in a bunch.

The members of the club are as follows: Doris Olney, Hazel Schroeder, Olive Maher, Lulu Kepner, Talma Kitchen, Jean Marquette, Beth Wright, Hazel Clark.

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