Dickinson County News Articles
Addie & Nora Evans
James McIntosh Drowned in Okoboji Lake Two Iowa Young Ladies & Their Escort Perish In Freezing Waters Spirit Lake, Iowa, March 7.
Nora and Addie Evans, aged respectively seventeen and fourteen years, and James McIntosh, of this city, were drowned in East Okoboji Lake yesterday morning. They were returning from Spencer at an early hour, and in crossing near the railroad track drove into an opening in the ice and perished. The water was fifteen feet deep. The bodies and the team were discovered this afternoon. Four years ago two brothers of the unfortunate young ladies were drowned by skating into an opening in West Okoboji Lake. [Chicago Herald, Chicago, IL, Published March 08, 1890, transcribed by Cathy Danielson]
Wm R Campbell Administrator's Notice Notice is hereby given that the undersigned has been duly appointed an qualified as administrator of the estate of Wm R Campbell, late of Dickinson county, Iowa deceased. All persons indebted to the estate are requested to Make immediate payment; and those having claims against the same will present them, duly authenticated to the undersigned for allowance, at his residence in Richland township, in said county. W. C. CAMPBELL, Adm'r. Dated Aug.14th, 1872. (Spirit Lake Beacon Aug 28,1872 - submitted by Janice Rice)
Dickinson County Storm Wind, Hail and Rain Do a Great Deal of Damage
SEVERAL FATALITIES REPORTED Herman Eggstein and Wife, Living Near Spirit Lake, Killed --- Rumors of More Deaths, but Confirmation is Lacking -- Minnesota Suffers Also Lake Park, Io., Aug. 20. Special: Shortly after 6 o'clock Friday evening the worse wind and rainstorm known in recent years struck this vicinity. The storm came from the west, veering to the north in the course of a half hour, and continued for nearly one hour. The damage done to grain in shock and stack is quite heavy. Hay in stack was badly scattered, the corn blown down in bad shape, trees uprooted, some light buildings demolished and a number blown from their foundations. The windmill at the railroad tank that has done duty for many years was blown from the tower and demolished. The lake was raised hourly two feet and now assures an abundance of water for the preservation of the fish during the coming winter. During the night the storm again approached from the northeast, and while the wind was not so severe as it was in the evening, the rainfall was terrific and in some localities northeast of town was accompanied by hail sufficient to injure the corn and the ripe flax to a considerable extent. Several Deaths Reported
Cedar Rapid Io., Aug 20 -- A destructive storm swept through Dickinson county Friday night, devastating everything in its path. The storm came from the northwest and did the most damage between Spirit Lake and superior. The house of Herman Eggstein was blown down and he and his wife were killed. Another family living between Superior and Spirit Lake are reported killed, but it is impossible to get names, as the wires are all down. Several churches were demolished and the house of A.D. Harris, near Superior, was wrecked. Much damage was done to wind mills, barns and small outbuildings. Telegraph poles were blown down and railroad tracks washed out in places. Corn is lying flat and grain stacks have been scattered in every direction. Much damage was also done near West Branch, but there were no casualties there. Date: 1898-08-21
Paper: Sioux City Journal
Transcribed by K. Torp
Mrs.. A. D. Foster The following contains the latest news from Mrs.. A. D. Foster and son who are on their way to Montana. Thinking Will's friends through the county might like to hear directly from him, we insert it, and consider it well written for a lad of nineteen : Pierre, Dakota, June 26th, 1883. Dear Aunt: . . I have not forgotten my promise to write you, but I had not time on the road to do so. My father is feeling better every day, has gained seven pounds since leaving home and I am well as usual. As for the country I can't say much in favor of it, the best farming land I saw after leaving Dickinson county was m Iowa between Sibley and Rock Rapids, as it had a good soil, well watered, with a slope sufficient to give it excellent drainage We struck Dakota at, Moody county, passing thence westward through Lake county and part way through Miner county, and as far as Howard, "striking northwest from there through Miner and across Manchester to Iroquois and there westward to Huron, on the Jim River, and on the C & N. W R. R. The country we saw through the counties just mentioned was interspersed with sloughs and lake beds as they are called, as evidently beds of bygone lakes and after raining every day are almost impassable for some time. On the Uplands where they are any, are some good farming land is found but, the great majority of it is so studded with boulders and "hard heads" that it is worth a farm to clear one of them. Alkali bounds in this section of country but, not in such quantities that but wells will relieve the taste from the water. In some places in the road though it was left in crystals and sheets, being in some places so thick as to cover the ground to the depth of a half inch to an inch in thickness. From Huron west through part of Beadle and Hand, Hyde and Hughes Counties, the land is high and dry and rolling , but the water question is what bothers the farmers, some of them hauling water for eight to fifteen miles. None of the farmers with a few very rare exceptions, have been in the country over two years. and by far the greater majority came this spring, to make their fortunes in the much talked of Dakota. Huron is a baby little town with a good location but, has not the settlements to back it. Pierre is a gathering town of about 600 inhabitants situated on the Missouri river bottom, right in the mud. And it is the muddiest kind of mud, too. Its growth is of a solid description and will continue so for some time to come. As far as I have seen Dakota "I don't want any of it in mine". Grass is short throughout the territory we have seen, and extremely short. Hay is shipped here from Minnesota and Iowa. Yours, Will Spirit Lake Beacon July 13, 1883
[Submitted by Janice Rice]
Geo. D. Peters Geo. D. Peters was called to La Crosse last Monday morning by a telegram announcing the dangerous Illness of a sister. We hope he found the situation more hopeful than anticipated. H. A. Kendal (Date and newspaper unknown - Submitted by Janice Rice)
Rev. J. S. Prescott Error Corrected. Several weeks since an article appeared in the Red Wing (Minnesota) Gazette, making various charges against the Rev. John S. Prescott, a gentleman who has many acquaintances and friends in this section. It claimed him with having "jumped the claim" of one of the victims in the Indian massacre at Spirit Lake, last Spring, and with having plowed over the graves of the deceased. The facts as stated by the county Judge of Dickinson County, Iowa, and many other prominent citizens, fully exonerate Mr. P. We cheerfully comply with the request to, publish their statement: Soon after the massacre and some time in April, Mr. Prescott purchased of Wm. R. Wilson and his wife, the claim of Rowland Gardiner. Mr. Gardiner and part of his family had been killed by the Indians, and Miss Eliza Gardiner, who was afterward married lo Mr. Wilson, was the only known heir of Mr. Gardiner. Another, (daughter, Miss Abigail Gardiner, is missing and known either to hare been killed or in captivity. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson warranted the claim and agreed to satisfy the demands of Abigail Gardiner if she ever returned. As is known to the public, she was at the time, a prisoner, and has been since recovered from her captors. On her return she went to the home of her surviving sister, Mrs. Wilson, in Franklin County, and has never made any demand of Mr. Prescott for the claim, and, as for as we are aware, was satisfied with the sale. The price paid by Mr. Prescott (five hundred dollars) we regard as an adequate one for the value of the claims at the time and was all that was asked by Mr. and Mrs. Wilson. As to the plowing over the grave, we are informed by Mr. Prescott's workmen, that he was absent at Sioux City at the time of the plowing, and before leaving, directed that the grave in which were buried the families of Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Harvey Luce should be enclosed by his garden fence, which was done. While plowing the garden, the plow won accidentally dragged across the grave. Mr. Prescott on his return, went to the grave which had become much sunken, and with his own hands raised over it a suitable mound. The Badger State Oct 2, 1857 The undersigned, citizens of Dickinson County, Iowa, having seen in several newspapers a, slanderous attack upon the character of Rev. John S. Prescott, one of our most esteemed fellow citizens, charging him with having jumped the claim of one of the victims of the Indian Massacre and also with having plowed over the graves of the deceased, and knowing the falsity of these charges wish to make public refutation The articles referred, to are most of them copied from the Red Wing, (Minnesota, Gazette, which paper gives the name of John Day for its authority. The facts arc these; Soon after the massacre and some time in April, Mr. Prescott purchased of Wm. R. Wilson and his wife, the claim of Rowland Gardiner. Mr. Gardiner and part of his family bad been killed by the Indians, and Miss Eliza Gardiner, who was afterward married to Mr. Wilson, was the only known heir of Mr. Gardiner. Another daughter, Miss Abigail Gardiner, was missing, and known to either have been killed or in captivity. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson warranted the claim and agreed to satisfy the demands of Abigail Gardiner if she ever returned. As it is known to the public, she was at the time, a prisoner, and has been since recovered from her captors. On her return she went to the home of her surviving sister, Mrs. Wilson, in Franklin County, and has never made any demand of Mr. Prescott for the claim, and, as far as we are aware, was satisfied with the sale. The price paid by Mr. Prescott for the claim, (five hundred dollars) we regard as an adequate one for the value of the claims at the time and was all that was asked by Mr. and Mrs. Wilson As to the plowing over the grave, we are informed by Mr. Prescott's workmen, that he was absent at Sioux City at the time of the plowing, and before leaving, directed that the grave in which were buried the families of Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Harvey Luce should be enclosed by his garden fence, which was done. While plowing the garden, the plow won accidentally dragged across the grave. Mr. Prescott on his return, went to the grave which had become much sunken, and with his own hands raised over it a suitable mound. Mr. Prescott has never exhibited any disposition to appropriate or encroach upon the claims of any of the victims of the late tragedy here, and ever been quite unwilling that others should do so, and it is possible, that his efforts in this matter, have been the cause of that vile falsehoods so extensively circulated. - His conduct among us has been that of a kind neighbor, a good citizen, an upright man and a consistent minister of the gospel. We do not not know whether the fabrication of the standers referred to, is chargeable upon the paper which first published them or to the person whom it represents as its authority, but it does appear to us, that at the time that they were made ,John Day must have known that they were utterly false. Orlando C, Howe. County Judge; Robertson, M A. Blanchard, Treasurer and Recorder ; Wm. Sweet, R. A. Smith. Clerk of District Court; Jareb Palmer, Wm. G. Carsley, Daniel Hawkins, Geo. Rodgers, Dan. Caldwell, T. S Rett ,S W. Harris, L Daugherty, Lawrence Ferber, Moses Miller, Spirit Lake August 26th, 1857 -- Horicon Argus
[Submitted by Janice Rice]
Miss Maggie Robertson Miss Maggie Robertson has for several weeks past been confined at her home at Lake Park by illness. Many friends of the worthy lady about the lakes sincerely sympathize with her (Date and newspaper unknown - Submitted by Janice Rice)
Charley Taylor Charley Taylor, an old-time Dickinson county boy, was about the old "stamping ground" last week. He now lives in Humboldt county, and we hope he is prospering. (Friday, July 13, 1883 Spirit Lake, Iowa - Submitted by Janice Rice)
Upper Iowa Medical Association SPIRIT LAKE, IOWA. - The Upper Iowa Medical association voted to meet next year at Spencer, and elected the following officers: President, Dr. W. E. Ely, Ocheyedan; vice president, Dr. E. Stover, Bigelow, Minn.; Secretary and treasurer. Dr. C. S. Schultz, Spirit Lake. [The Minneapolis Journal, Minneapolis, Minn., August 21, 1905, submitted by KT=fofg]
Copyright © Genealogy Trails
All data on this website is Copyright by Genealogy Trails with full rights reserved for original submitters. |
