Allamakee co. IAGenWeb

Lansing Postoffice burglary, 1859
On the night of the 23d of February last, the Post Office in Lansing, Alamakee County, was entered burglariously and the mail bags stolen. Circumstances led to the suspicion that one Bill Faulkner and a negro named Peter Montgomery were parties to the crime, and they were accordingly arrested and taken before Justice Merrill, of Lansing, for examination. After his arrest the negro made a full confession, showing Faulkner had been the principal. The amount of booty obtained by the robbery was $2 mailed in Wisconsin for Mr. Coil, of Dorchester, and a package of postage stamps amounting to [?]. The stamps were found concealed after the arrests in a board pile near Faulkner's house. Faulkner was committed in default of bail, and the negro was detained as a witness. -Burlington Hawkeye and Telegraph, March 15, 1859
~Contributed by Cathy Joynt Labath

Wolves, Burlington Weekly Hawkeye, June 30, 1860
From the Waukon Journal we learn that a Mr. James Reed, living near that place, tracked some wolves from his farm to a cave, and then had some rare sport in burning them out. He collected a large lot of birch bark, and placing it in the mouth of the den, set fire to it, thus roasting several of them. Just as he was applying the torch, two young ones came home. One of them he caught while the other scrambled over his back into the cave.
~Contributed by Cindy Bray Lovell

A Brute in Lansing, Burlington Hawk Eye, July 16, 1864
Considerable excitement was lately stirred up in Lansing by the act of a man by the name of Hoberg who whipped an orphan girl, a resident in his family. It is a good long distance from this place to Lansing; but from this remote stand point we take the liberty to call Mr. Hoberg a brute.
~Contributed by S. Ferrall

Murder, Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, April 22, 1865
Gov. Stone has offered a reward of $300 for the apprehension of Garrit Riley, who murdered Thomas Cunningham near Rossville, in Alamakee county, on the 6th day of March, A.D. 1865. Riley is an Irishman, speaks with some brogue -- about forty years of age, five feet eleven inches high, weight, about one hundred and seventy, dark brown hair, small blue eyes, light yellow complexion, pock-marked in the face, walks straight, and full breast. He is a terrible villain.
~Contributed by S. Ferrall (transcriber's note: I believe that Thomas Cunningham is buried in the Cherry Mound cemetery, Linton twp.)

Tiny bits of news items abstracted from the Waukon Standard 1869-1875
April 22, 1869 p. 4 - a mean man - G.W. Allen
July 21, 1870 - storm - J. Shaff
Sept 7, 1871, p. 3 - Delinquent Tax Sale - Shaff, E NW NW sec27 40 acres, 6.95 tax, 1.04 int, 20 cost, 8.19 total, delinq 1870
Oct 27, 1871 - married at Ludlow at ME parsonage by Rev J B Camreon - Mr H.R. [or E. Wood] and Sophia Kirschman
Nov 9, 1871, Thurs. - Board of Supervisors, James Shaff, Trustee, School Fund Loans
May 30, 1872, Tues. - Center School, Ludlow Twp, Mr. James Shaff Director
December 12, 1872 - Emmett Allen of Rossville - died - via Rev J. Hanna
February 26, 1874 - John Barker, engr on D & M RR was around this way for a brief visit with friends
Thursday April 23, 1874, p. 1 - Mrs Lydia Barker sold to A. S. Cochrane NE 28-97-6 $200
March 25, 1875 - Transactions of Real Estate filed in County Recorder during week ending 3-20-1875: Waukon Burying Ground Assn to M. G. Wood - Lot #231 of Burying Ground $10
~Contributed by 'Marie'

A 'bad son' from Ludlow twp., Waukon Standard, March 5, 1874 & April 23, 1874
Out in Ludlow township lives a wealthy farmer worth from $10,000 to $15,000. He owns a fine farm and good buildings. But one thing he does not possess, or the following would not be facts. For some time past his father, 84 years of age, and his mother 84 years of age, have been inmates of our county poor house. Last week the old gentleman died. Word was sent to the wealthy son, with the expectation that he would come and at least give his aged father a respectable burial. The son came to the poor house, and sat for an hour without expressing any intention on the subject. He was finally asked if he was going to take his father away, when he said not, that they might bury his father there in the paupers grave. They did so, the son in the meantime staying in the house enjoying himself by the fire until the job was done. He then took his mother home for a visit, stipulating with Mr Conkey, however, that he would not take her name off the books, so he could return her to the kind care of the county. His reason for this conduct is that he had not house room enough to keep the old folks at home. Comment is unnecessary. ----
Board of Supervisors Meeting April 6th, 1874 session - On motion, O. S. Conkey, was authorized to make a bill for keeping Mr. and Mrs. Shaff at the poor house and all expenses connected therewith, and present the same to James Shaff, son of Mr. and Mrs. Shaff, and demand payment thereof in behalf of the County.
~Contributed by 'Marie' - Marie's note: in the above articles the elderly couple are Moses and Sarah Shaff, and their son James Shaff.

Fire in Village Creek, Chicago Tribune, May 22, 1875
A Tribune special from McGregor, Iowa, says the Village Creek woolen mills, near Lansing, Iowa, owned by Howard, Carroll & Ratcliff, were destroyed by fire last night. Loss $30,000. The fire is supposed to have been incendiary.
~Contributed by Sharyl Ferrall

Waukon Standard, 1875
Transaction of Real Estate filed in County Recorder June 10, 1875, Mr. G.M. Wood to B.M. Wood NW NW 13-97-6 $800
~Contributed by 'Marie'

State vs. Misner, Burlington Hawkeye, July 8, 1875
In the case of the State vs. Misner, the defendant being a teacher of Allamakee county who had with some severity whipped Ida Benner, the court gave the following instructions: " If you find from the evidence that defendant committed an assault and battery upon the prosecutrix : and you further find from the evidence that at the time of the assault the prosecutrix had attained the age of twenty-one years, you are instructed that defendant had not the lawful right to make the assault and battery as a punishment for disobedience of the orders of the teacher, or of the rules of the school." The jury found the defendant guilty, and now the case goes to the Supreme Court.
~Contributed by Cindy Bray Lovell

Waukon Standard, 1875 & 1876
Transaction of Real Estate filed in County Recorder November 4, 1875, B. M. Wood to Moses Wood - NW NW 13-97-6 $950
Transaction of Real Estate filed in County Recorder July 13, 1876, US to Wm Shuff N 1/2 NE 31-97-4
~Contributed by 'Marie'

POSTVILLE'S CENTENNARIAN, Postville Review; July 12, 1884
One hundred years ago not far from the banks and braes of Bonny Doon, near the castles of Montgomery, Scotland, a child was born, fair, plump and pretty we are told and in due time was christened, getting the plain simple name of John LAIRD. The lapse of three fourths of a century brings him to Iowa, and now at the age of 100 years he resides among us able to walk, talk and sing his song. Mr. and Mrs. LAIRD are happy as little children, and still welcome all with much cordiality.
~Contributed by S. Ferrall

Excerpts from the Waukon Standard; 1885, misc dates
Thurs, July 2, 1885:
Mrs. Knudt TOBIASON, of Hanover, was brought to Waukon Tuesday to be examined by the insane commission, being considered in a deranged condition. Since writing the above examination has been made, and while her mind seems somewhat affected, whe has given an apparently clear and correct history of her past life. Last fall she had the misfortune to break both bones of a leg in a very bad manner. TOBIASON never called a physician or took any decent care of her and we are told has abandoned her, roaming about the country according to his own selfish desires. There was a mortgage on the place on which she lived, which he permitted to be foreclosed and she turned out of house and home, he making no attempt to provide for her. No wonder her mind is a little demoralized under the inhuman treatment she has suffered at TOBIASON's hands.
--
Thurs August 20, 1885:
-The household of Dr. BOWEN rejoices in the presence of an infant daughter since Friday last.
-Miss Agnes RYAN returned to White Lake, Dakota, last Friday.
--
Thursday, July 2, 1885:
Local and Miscellaneous Waukon Junction, Friday, June 26, 1885.
About 1 o'clock p. m. to-day the house of Esq. HULSE was discovered to be on fire, and was burned to the ground in about thirty minutes. Most all the furniture and goods downstairs saved; about everything upstairs lost. Total loss estimated at about $700 insured for $450 with U. M. BACON's companies, of Lansing. Mr. HULSE is a poor man, has a large family to support, and has the sympathy of the community.
(transcriber's note: I don't know which HULSE this is talking about, but would probably have to be Silas HULSE or Squire HULSE.)
--
Thursday, August 27, 1885
From Frankville: Katy RYAN is living in a very critical condition. Very little hope is given for her recovery.
~Contributed by Patricia Hamarstrom

Oldest Man in Iowa, Morning World Herald, Omaha, Nebraska, February 20, 1893
Mason City, Ia., Feb. 19. -- The oldest man in Iowa and probably in the west, is Mr. Charles L. Pool of Allamakee county, who will celebrate his 107th birthday on the 15th of the coming month. He was born in Congrasbury, Somersetshire, England, in 1786. He was thrice married, his first wife living but nine years. In England his business was farming and speculating in teasles, and after coming to this country he was engaged in farming as he was able to work at all. In 185? he came to this country with his wife and ten children, leaving his oldest son in England. He settled first in Kane county, Illinois, where in 1850 his wife died. In 1851 he removed to Allamakee county, which has since been his home, although he has spent one year in Dakota. Although so advance in years, Mr. Pool can walk about, and with the aid of his glasses can read the tinest print. Two years ago he was hurt by a fall, since which time he uses a cane to assist him in walking. Mr. Pool has seventy living descendants, seven children and sixty-three grandchildren.
~Contributed by S. Ferrall (transcriber's note: Charles L. Pool, 99 years, Iowa township, Allamakee county - from the 1885 Iowa census)

News Clippings, September 1, 1893
-Bryce L. Baldwin is the name of the gentlemen who succeeds to the management of the Postville Graphic. He is an original writer, knows much about the trottin’ hoss and appears to be a hard worker.
-Believe all reports you hear about the dust these days. They can’t be overdrawn. It is like riding through a sand bank every where. A ride in the country with Coroner Nopper Tuesday, convinces us fully that the traveler has a hard time of it now, something similar to driving through blinding snow.
-A man named Kaiser, employed on Nachtweys’s farm, while grubbing one day last week, cut off his two toes. As the grub hoe had not done a very smooth job, Kaiser completed it by putting his foot on a stump and trimming the toes to suit his taste. He then carried the amputated members in his pocket and came to the doctor to have the foot dressed.
~Contributed by Kathy Maurer

Clippings from a Waukon newspaper, June 1895
-We, (The Standard) have been asked to “advertise” a Sunday base ball game. We cannot do that. We are not opposed to base ball or other athletic games; we believe in them and cheerfully publish notices of coming games, or reports of past games; but we do not believe in the descecration of Sunday by such means, and must refuse to help along what we hold to be unlawful and very demoralizing to the public by advertising them.
-The motto for the Class of ’95 of the Waukon High School was “In Ourselves Our Future Lies.” Commencement exercises were held June 14, 1895, in Boomer Opera House.
~Contributed by Kathy Maurer

Lucky John Witmer, 1895
Des Moines, July 18 - John E. Witmer, a deputy sheriff, has secured 160 acres of land in Allamakee county under an original homestead entry made at the land office, and all the place cost him was $18, the usual fee for filing on the land. The land is under cultivation and has been for twenty years. It is on the Mississippi river bottoms, not more than four miles distant from the river and about the same distance from two railroad towns, and is worth at least $8,000. A man who has been interested in the contest for a piece of land in the west part of the city in looking over the records found that two certificates had been issued for the same tract to the same man, and told Witmer of it. He investigated and found that in 1847 the land was entered by an original settler under the old homestead laws, but that the entry was an error on the part of the clerks in the office, as he had taken and was living on another piece of land. In 1861 the settler discovered the mistake and was permitted to correct his entry. This left the title to the piece originally entered with the government, and no one seems to have discovered it until recently. The land has been occupied all the time and it is presumed that some one bought it at a tax sale and thought they had a good title. On April 10, Witmer called at the land office and made a demand to be permitted to enter the land and tendered the fees of $18. The register and receiver doubted his right to enter it and refused to permit the entry to be made until they could look up the records. An inspection of the records seemed to satisfy them that the land was subject to entry, but they preferred to have the department officials at Washington look into the matter and forwarded the papers to them. They have just been returned with a decision to the effect that the land was subject to entry and Witmer made his original homestead entry. -Northwood Anchor, July 25, 1895
~Contributed by S. Ferrall, (transcriber's note: I can't find Mr. Witmer on any census in Allamakee co., he must have lived elsewhere)

Iowa's Centenarians, Fort Dodge Messenger, November 22, 1895
[extracted from the full article] The state of Iowa posses 508 people who are 90 years of age or over. Polk county has fifteen. There are twenty-one in the state 100 years or over, none of whom reside in this county [Webster]. Eleven of the centenarians are women and ten are men. Elizabeth Paulson, Allamakee county, 102
~Contributed by Karen de Groote-Johnson

Iowa's Earthquake, Brooklyn Eagle, June 7, 1897
Lansing, IA., June 7 -- An earthquake startled many citizens of Lansing between 4 and 5 o'clock yesterday morning. The shock, which lasted several seconds, was accompanied by a rumbling noise heard at Waukon, eighteen miles away.
~Contributed by S. Ferrall

Klondike Gold Hunter, Waukon Standard Wednesday, March 9, 1898
Mrs. Belle WILLIAMS of St. Louis Park, Minn., is visiting the family of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. R. PRESCOTT. Mr. WILLIAMS becomes a Klondike gold hunter.
~Contributed by Patricia Hamarstrom

Tid-bits from the Waukon Standard Wednesday, March 16, 1898
New Albin Courier -Miss Anna HAMARSTROM of Lansing is vising the C. G. Bock family this week.
Lansing -Prof R. E. RICE of Dixon, Ill., arrived Saturday to attend the funeral of his father who died suddenly Friday morning, aged 79 years.
~Contributed by Patricia Hamarstrom

Grace Waukon, Cedar Rapids Gazette, March 21, 1898
Grace Waukon, a granddaughter of the Indian chief after whom the town of Waukon was named, is a teacher in the Indian school at Tomah, Wis.
~Contributed by Diana Henry Diedrich