| Early Arrivals | Date | Information |
| Farlow, Leander | 1853 | With several companions came into the territory to hunt and trap. |
| Bearse, Thomas | 1855 | Was first to bring his family into the county, settled on land owned by John L. McMillan of Mason City. |
| Tennis, Philip | 1854 | Visited Winnebago to hunt and trap. Induced Thomas Bearse, who was living at Rhodes' Mill, Cerro Gordo County, to locate in Winnebago. |
| Bearse, Thomas | 1855, Spring | Came with his family and built a log cabin on the east side of a mile directly east of where Forest City now stands. Mr. Bearse lived in the county for twelve successive years, then moved into Hancock County. |
| Bearse, Thomas | 1882 | Returned to Winnebago County and became a resident of Norway Township. Mr. Bearse was a genial, warm-hearted fellow, and was well liked and held the office of County Coroner for one term. At an early day Mr. Bearse had a severe encounter with two bears. |
| Thomas, George W. | 1855, Spring | Came soon after Mr. Bearse, settled north of Rice Lake, about one mile southeast of the present site of Lake Mills. Mr. Thomas has lived on the same farm ever since. He has made many improvements and now has one of the finest homes in the county. His father, who came with him to the county, died some years ago, in about 1857. |
| Gilbert, William | 1855, Spring | Came and entered the northwest quarter of section 31, township 98, range 23. Ge was a native of New York State. In 1862 or 1863, he went to Dakota, and when last heard from, in 1882, was at Elk Point on the Missouri River. |
| Maben, John | 1855, Fall | And family settled on the southwest quarter of section 25, township 98, range 24, and remained several years, then settled on a farm about three miles south of Forest City, in Hancock County. He is a native of New York State and when he came to the county, had a wife and two sons, Charles & Jay. Was at one time, sheriff of the county, and was one of the substantial men of his day. He is the present treasurer of Hancock County. |
| Gilchrist, John | 1855, Fall | Arrived with his family. Was a native of Indiana. He staked out a claim on the northeast quarter of section 26, township 98, range 24, and after a stay of three years returned to his native State. |
| Bonar, James C. | 1855, Fall | Located on the east half of the northeast quarter of section 26, township 98, range 24. In 1857 he attended the land sale at Osage, and purchased land in Hancock County and located there soon after. In 1880 he emigrated to Todd Co., Minn., and in 1883 went to Kansas. |
| Tennis, Philip | 1856, Spring | Settled on the southeast quarter of section 26, township 98, range 24, where about the same time John Jeffords settled. Of course both could not own the same land, so, on the matter being left to other parties to determine who should have it, it was decided in favor of Mr. Jeffords. Mr. Tennis then located in the north part of the county and entered land. In a few years he sold to his brother, William Tennis, and went farther west into the region of the Big Sioux River, where he and a comrade by the name of Patted were killed by the Indians. They had been hunting and trapping for some time, and had accumulated a large quanity of furs, for which the Indians killed them. |
| Clark, Robert | 1856 | Located the land where Forest City now stands, and made that his home until his death. Mr. Clark was the first county judge, and is noticed at length in that connection. |
| Blowers, John S. | 1856 | Located on section 23, township 98, range 24; and lived there about a year and a half, then moved into Forest City. He purchased a half interest in the saw mill at that place and ran it for several years, then sold and located on section 16, township 98, range 24. He improved this farm, lived on it about one years, and then sold, removing to section 25, same township and range. He is now living on section 9, township 97, range 25, Hancock County. |
| Cole, A. T. | 1856, March | Located on section 26, township 98, range 24. Mr. Cole has been a resident of the county ever since. He was the first county assessor, and has held various other offices of trust. |
| Allen, Henry | 1856, Spring-Summer | And his brother, Edward Allen, located near Forest City, but did not remain long. |
| Allen, Edward | 1856, Spring-Summer | And his brother, Henry Allen, located near Forest City, but did not remain long. |
| Stephens/Stevens, Robert | 1856, Spring-Summer | Began pioneering on section 12, of township 98, range 24. Mr. Stevens was a native of Indiana and after two years of experience here returned to his native State. |
| Hitt, James L. | 1856, Spring-Summer | Another of the pioneers that came from Indiana and lived for about one year on section 23, township 98, range 24. He then left for Alden, Hardin County, this State, and he now resides in Nebraska. |
| Byford, F. M. | 1856, Summer | F. M. Byford and his brother, John, came and went into quarters in the edge of the timber, a short distance north of the present site of Forest City. Their stay was short, however, and inside of a year they left the county. |
| Andrews, Thomas | 1856, Spring-Summer | Located on the northwest quarter of section 35, the same section on which a part of Forest City now stands. He was of a roving disposition, and soon sold out, going to Mason City. From that place he went to Missouri, and from there to Oregon. |
| Plummer, Ira | 1856, Summer | Settled in the timber on the east side of Lime Creek, about two miles north of Forest City. His land was located on section 23, township 98, range 24. He sold in about one year and moved to Hardin County. |
| Lamm, John | 1856, Spring-Summer | Was a native of Ohio and was jovial, whole-souled fellow, whom to know was to like. On coming here he located on section 23, of township 98, range 24, and began making improvements. He broke some of his land, built a log house and remained two years and a half, when he sold out and went to Missouri. |
| Martin, Daniel | 1856, Summer | Located in the south part of the county and remained a year or two, then went back to Indiana, his native State. |
| Bray, Josiah T. | 1856, Summer | Came to frontier life, locating on section 24, township 98, range 24, in the timber. He built a log cabin, and after a stay of about three years turned his farm over to his father, who is still living there. Mr. Bray is now in Colorado. |
| Murray, Archibald | 1856, Fall | Located in the north part of the county. He did not remain long. |
| Tennis, Samuel | 1856 | One of several that arrived in Winnebago County in the Spring and Summer. |
| Cole, A. T. | 1856, March | One of the pioneers of Winnebago County, was born in Franklin Co., Ohio, Dec. 21, 1833. He accompanied his parents, in 1838, to Adams Co., Ind., where he was reared. When quite young he clerked in a store at New Corydon, Ind., for two years, and in July, 1855, settled in Cerro Gordo Co., Iowa. He remained there but a short time, and in March, 1856, came to Winnebago County, where he has been an active and enterprising citizen. On Aug. 18, 1862, Mr. Cole enlisted in the Union Army, and was discharged July 7, 1865, as a paroled prisoner, at Camp Fort Tyler, Texas. He is a blacksmith by trade, and a member of Truth Lodge, No. 213, A.F. & A.M., of Forest City, Iowa. He was married in Jay Co., Ind., Aug. 8, 1852, to Phoebe J. Corrington of Cincinnati, Ohio. They are the parents of nine children--Luella, Mahala, Allen, George W., Douglas, Mary E., Thomas S., Hattie and Maud. |
| Byford, John | 1856, Summer | John Byford and his brother, F. M., came and went into quarters in the edge of the timber, a short distance north of the present site of Forest City. Their stay was short, however, and inside of a year they left the county. |
| Heath, Matt | 1856, Spring | Located on section 23, township 98, range 24. He remained one year, then returned to Indiana, from whence he came. |
| Furney, John M. | 1856, Fall | Located in Forest City. He did considerable speculating in lands and stayed about two years, then went south in search of a warmer climate. |
| Campbell, G. W. | 1856 | Located in Forest City. He remained about one year. |
| Pulver, Philip A. (1) | 1856 | Located at Forest City. He was the butt of fun for the whole community and several good stories are told of him. He was an innocent kind of a fellow and was imposed upon a great deal. At one time he fell in love with a lady at Clear Lake and several of the young men told him that the girl was deeply smitten with him and all that was necessary was for him to get a license and repair to Clear Lake and be married. He was too green to see the joke that was being played on him and started out on foot to Mason City to procure a license. He inquired for Judge Long, on reaching that place, but learned that he was away from the city. He was then sent around to all the county officers, clerk, treasurer, surveyor, coroner and all, but did not succeed in getting what he wanted. Finally he was directed to the postoffice, where some one would give him what he was after. He went to the postoffice, stated to the brisk young clerk what was wanted, and that functionary told him that he was just the one who could do it. |
| Pulver, Philip A. (2) | 1856 | After asking a few questions a paper was given to Pulver, which was stamped with the office stamp and contained the following words: "The bearer, Philip Pulver, is of marriageable age, and any one who meets him may mary him. Signed by ___ _____. Agent of the United States Postal Service. He took the precious document and started for Clear Lake, but there discovered the hoax, and returned to Forest City completely disgusted with himself and everybody in general. He had to treat the whole community, and it was a long time before he heard the last of Clear Lake. |
| Pulver, Philip A. (3) | 1859 | Pulver became thoroughly discouraged with the way things were going, and finally concluded to start out on a peddling tour. He went to John Blowers, bought a lot of worthless brass jewelry, and got Mr. Blowers to help him to fit out a wagon for his trip. Blowers searched the town and found four worn-out wagon wheels, which he put together regardless of thier proper places, then went out into the woods and cut a couple of hickory poles for thrills. Pulver then bought a poor, dilapidated piece of horseflesh and was ready to go. His pack of jewelry was put into the old shay and with many a cheer following him from the crowd of towns people, he started off to seek his fortune on a peddler's cart. He has never since been heard from and it is supposed that he made his fortune, got married and is now living at his ease (?). |
| Smith, Charles D. | 1856, Fall | Settled in the immediate vicinity of Lake Mills, is still a resident of the county, and was for a number of years a member of the board of supervisors. |
| Porter, William | 1856, Fall | Settled in the immediate vicinity of Lake Mills and remained a few years, then went to Kansas. He was one of the first justices of the peace in the county. |
| Anderson, John | 1856, Fall | Settled in the immediate vicinity of Lake Mills. |
| Long, Alexander | 1856, Fall | Called "Uncle Alex," came from Mason City, located near Forest City. Built a log cabin where the depot now stands, and lived there about one year and a half. He was a middle aged man, fatherly in his ways, and was quite popular with the early settlers. He was a nephew of John Long, first county judge of Cerro Gordo County. In the winter of 1856-57, Mr. Long was commissioned to go to the State capital and make effort to have the General Assembly attach the north tier of townships in Hancock County to Winnebago County. December 2, he started out with a team of horses and sleigh to go to Iowa City, a young man by the name of George Myers accompanying him. In the afternoon of their first day a severe snow storm overtook them about half way between Forest City and Upper Grove, Hancock County. The storm soon developed into a "blizzard," they became lost and both he and his comrade were frozen to death, and also the horse. Their bodies lay on the prairie until in April following, when a company, sent out from Mason City for that purpose, found them and took them to that place, where they were buried. |
| Stockton, E. D. | 1857, Spring & Summer | E. D. Stockton came and tried his skill at mercantile business for about a year. He then tried farming and other occupations with varied success. He was a member of the first board of supervisors in the county. In 1862 he left for parts unknown. An amusing story is related to Mr. Stockton, which will be trite to illustrate the character of the man. It seems that in the winter of 1857-58, Judge Clark and others made up a purse of about $900 and sent Mr. Stockton off to Dubuque to purchase a supply of provisions. Stockton stayed about a month, used up a great portion of the money in "seeing the sights," and returned with a barrel of whiskey as the bulk of his cargo. The people had a jolly time, but were rather short for rations. |
| Lackore, William | 1857, Spring & Summer | Along with his family, located in Forest City, where they have since lived. |
| Lutz, Charles | 1857, Spring & Summer | Along with his brother, David Lutz, did considerable speculating in lands and other property and made their home in Forest City. They were genial fellows. Charles held the office of county sheriff for one term. Charles in now in Dakota. |
| Lutz, David | 1857, Spring & Summer | Along with his brother, Charles Lutz, did considerable speculating in lands and other property and made their home in Forest City. They were genial fellows. David is now in Nebraska. |
| Baker, Avery | 1857, Spring & Summer | Was a trapper and a sort of jack-of-all-trades. His land was south of Forest City, where he made his home. In 1862 he left for Dakota. |
| Beebe Family | 1857, Spring & Summer | The Beebe family commenced pioneer life in the timber about a half mile north of Forest City. They did not bear a good reputation and left the county in about 1859. |
| Bray, Darius | 1858 | Settled on the farm east of town with his son, Josiah T. Bray. Mr. Bray was a native of Maine, and was one of the oddest specimens of humanity that ever came to the county. He came in 1858 and settled on a farm. He was thought by many to be a trifle crazy, so unheard of were some of his actions. One story related of him is too good to be lost. It seems that in 1861, Mr. Bray became tired of the west and concluded to return to Maine, his native State. He decided to drive through with a yoke of cattle. Accordingly he fixed up a sled and hitching the oxen thereto, started off on his long trip. His journey was destined to be short, however. The country at that early day was very sparsely settled, and a traveler could go miles and miles without seeing the first signs of a habitation. When he got down into the center of Hancock County, he became lonely and very thirsty, so in order to quench his thirst he killed one of his oxen and drank its blood. He had a remarkably strange taste, but this escapade was in keeping with many of his actions. He is still a resident of the county. |
| Bumgardner, Martin | 1857, (about) | A pioneer settler, is well remembered by many of the present settlers of the county. He it was, who built the court house in Forest City. He is now a resident of Hancock County. |
| Peterson, Oliver | 1856 | Family was one of nine Norwegian families that settled in the northeast part of the county. Still residents of the county. |
| Larson, Colburn | 1856 | Family was one of nine Norwegian families that settled in the northeast part of the county. Still residents of the county. |
| Johnson, John | 1856 | Family was one of nine Norwegian families that settled in the northeast part of the county. Still residents of the county. |
| Knudson, H. J. | 1856 | Family was one of nine Norwegian families that settled in the northeast part of the county. Still residents of the county. |
| Iverson, John | 1856 | Family was one of nine Norwegian families that settled in the northeast part of the county. Still residents of the county. |
| Anderson, Christian | 1856 | Family was one of nine Norwegian families that settled in the northeast part of the county. Still residents of the county. |
| Nelson, Louis | 1856 | Family was one of nine Norwegian families that settled in the northeast part of the county. He died in 1870. |
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