Dakota City City

Dakota City City

(/Ounty seat of Dakota county, was temporarily surveyed in 1855, and the foUowinj^ year it was re-snrveyed under tliB direction of the Dakota City Company, of which Augustus Kouncze, afterwards a wealthy banker of New York, was president. A plot of the town was tiled for record September 20, 185r3, by J. D. M. Crockwell, agent for the Dakota City Company, and the city was incorporated by the county commissioners April 5, 1858 with the foUowiiiL^ limits: East one-half of section 8, and sections U and lO, township 2S, range 1), east. On the same day trustees were appointed as follows: Barnabas Bates, (too. a. Hiiisdale, Wm. H. Jaines, E. Wakely and John C. Turk. S.inuel Whitehoru, W. H. S. Hno-hes and Jaines W. Virtue were also selected as judges for the first towii election, held on Monday, Mhj 3, 1858, at which time the abo\-e trustees were re-elected, with the exception of E. Wa]<eiy, and he was superseded by J. D. Ivi. Ciockwell. At a special election held February 7, 1S59, which Mas the fiist to select town officei's, the followincr were elected: Barnabas Bates, m:;yor; James W Virtue, recorder; CliarlesF. Echhart. assessor; J . M. Yanauhen. marshal; Thomas T. Collier, treas-urer; J. IS'. PI, Patrick, Wm. PI. James. John 0. Tiu-h, E. F. ]\Jason and John B. Zeiplei-, aldeiinen.

Bates House. - The 'd>ooin" had struck Dakota City and the town was full of life and activity. A large three-story l)otel was erected, with a two-story wing, in 1858, at a cost of ^16,000, and called the Bates House, with E. F. Mason as proprietor. The structure was built by the "Town Compai-y.'" At times tliis imuiense bnildiiig was crowded to its utmost capacity with boarders, but it was doonied to decay. After the close of the war things were not as active hei-e as they had bean and the large hotel was no longer needed, which was abandoned and toi'n down in 1879, and sold as old lumber. It stood on the corner of Bruadway and thirteenth streets.

CnuRcuKs.-^The first denomination to hold divine woi'ship in Dakota C^ity was tlie Presbyterians, with Rev. Thomas Chestnut of Sioux City, Iowa, as minister, who conducted the first services ever held tiiere in the spring cf 1857, in a snndl log hou:>e that stood on Broadway, opposite the Chihuahua IJonse. John j\;ilfziger and wife, F. A. Robinson and wife^ and about a dozen others attended this meeting. Other Pi-esbyterian ministers have since held sei'vices in the town l)nt no edifice of their ow;i was ever built. In 1881 Rev. II. Wilson was a resident n.inister, who in October of that year took charge of a new educational institution at 0;d<dale, Nebraska, since which time they \\n\e had no ministei'.

The Methodists next orgarized here, in June. 1857, and their ministers from the earliest times down to the present were: Revs. Doi'sey. AVm. M. Smith. Y. B. Turmann, Munhall, Amsbiirv, Reed, S. P. Yandoozer. J. II. DeLaMatyi-, JohnS.'On-, Gearheai-t, J. M. Richards, Joel A. Sinitli, 1). Maiipiette, W. 11. Carter, Wm. II. VVorley, II. W. C.>i,Uy, ,] . W.Jennings, D. AV. McGregor and 11. C. Myers^ In 1878 the present brick Methodist church was built at a cost of ^4,000.

Dakota City

Rev. II. W. Kuhns, a inissioiiai-y sent to Nebraska Teri'itt^ry, preached the fir^t Lutheran sermon at Dakota City in the front room of the Rates House, in November, 1858, and on the 22nd day of July, 1859 he (organized a church society there. The foHowiuiij names were given in for membership and were the founders of the church :it tliat place: John B. Ziegler, Caroline Ziegler. Charles F. Eckhart, Elizal)etli Eckhart, Conrad Arnibreclit, Melosine Armbrecht and Augustus Ilaase. Tiie members at once began preparations for a liou'e of wor>iiip. A store building was purcliased in tlie abandoned town of Pacific City, but it v.-as burned by praii-ie tire while being moved to Dakota City. In tlie spring and summer of 1860, tlie present Lutheran cliurch was erected by Augustus Haase at a cost of t^2,000. This was the tirst Lutheran church in the town, county and state, and it to-day the oldest church edifice, ofany denomination, now standing in Nebraska, Inconsequence of the above facts a lai-ge photograph of this church was sent to the World's Fail*, at Chicago in 1893. Their ministers have been H. W. Kuhns (1858), Samuel Augliey, J. F. Kuhlman, J. Zimmerman, J. C. Brodfuh"rer,'j. P. Schnure, W. C. iVicCool, C. Baird, D Sprecher and II. J. Ilapeman. The . territorial court was held in this church for many years.

Court House. --For more than fifteen years the county records were scattered around in log cabins and rented houses. January 2, 186U, the county commissioners ordered that steps be taken for the Iniilding of a, C(Mirt house and jail, but the project failed for the want of sufficient funds. A special county election was held June 18, 1870, to vote on a proposition to bond the county for the erection of a !i^l5, 000 court house, $5,000 to be paid by Dakota City, at wliich time there were 170 votes for and 165 against bonds. Commissioners ordered bonds issued September 15, 1870,

Contract let to A. H. Baker and A.. T. Haase. October 8, 1870, for the construction of said court house, bi'ick to be manufactured and furnished by Geo. T. Woods. October 25, 1871, court house was completed and turned over to the sheriff of said county.

Post Office. - The postmasters at Dakota City have been James W. Virtue, C. F. Eckiiart, Barnal)as Bates, Helen Bates, M. O. Ayres, Henry Herweg, D. C.Stinson and Mell A. Schmied. This is a postal note ;in<l money order ofKce. The post office was first kept in the Chihuahua House, then moved to a building opposite the Bates House on Broadway, then to a house east of the old Griffey residence, from here it was taken to C. F. Eckiiart's store, then to Bates House, to Col. B. Bates' residence on Walnut street, to M. O. Ayres* stores on Broadway, to Stinson & Herweg's stoi-e on corner of Broadway and Fifteenth street, tiien to its present location on corner of Broadway and Fourteenth street.

Schools. - The present tvvo-storv brick school house M-as erected in 1866 at a cost of $4,500 and the frame building neai- it, which was used as a high school was built in 1874. Prior to this time, in 1857, the first school was taught by Mrs L. C. Packard in the old logcourt house oti tiie corner of Broadway and Nineteenth street. In 1892 bonds of $4,000 were voted and in the fail of that year an elegant frame two stoiy building was completed.

Societies, - Among tlie tirst societies of Dakota City was the Sons of Malta, of which Col. 13. Bates was the principal factor, and he relates many amusing incidents of the doings of that organization. See biographical sketch of his life elsewhere in this book.

The CI. A. R. Crittenden Post, No. 170, was organized in 18S3, and was re-organized h\ter and called McBeath Post, in honor of AV. C. McBeath. The charter was surrendered in 1892.

The Dakota County Teachers' association was organized November 28, 1875, at the high school building in Dakota City, with Jolin T. ISpencer cluxirman and Rev. J. Zimmerman secretary. Prior to this, however, on Septeml)er 5, 1870, the Teacliers' Institute of Dakota County whs organized at the same place.

The Dakota County Bible society was organized April 28, 1869, by Rev. Wm. McCandish, General A gent for the Amei-ican Bible society of JS'ew York. The following w(!re its first officei's: Rev. Sau)uel Aughey, president; P. Mikesell, vice president; Mrs. JohnG. Ogden, corresponding secretai-y; John P. Bayha^ txeasiirer. This society is not a thing of the past but still lives.

Land Offick. - The land office was established in Dakota City in March, 1857, and closed at 4 o'clock p. m., August 31, 1875. when it was moved to Niobrara It aoain closed at that place July 1, 1888 and moved to O'Neil, where it was opened July 16 and still remains there. Tlie f(>llo\ving have been its officers and the year in which they wej-e appoinied: in the town, and the sec<*nd in the county. The first issue was jiublislud July 15. 1857, by Joseph B. Sti-ickland, and edited by luiliei't A. llow.-ird. From this issue is <(ju()ti'(l the following exci-aet in descril>ing the 1th of

"A meeting was held in a largo unoccupied room fitted up for the occasion. Upon motion of Dr. M. Siiville, of Logan. Gen. Jos. Ilollman w,i» called to the chair. He made a few pertinent reuiarks, stating the object of th» meeting and the propriety of the peoplethus uniting together, liiying asideall jealousies to rejoice in a common privilege. He concluded by introducing to thciuulienco Mr. J. F Warner, of Logan, who re:id in an eloquent manner the Dec'iiration of Independence. The orator of the day, W. G. Crawford, Esq., of Dakota City, w:is then pie.-entcdby the president."

One column is devoted to the proceedings of a Democratic Mass Convention, of which Win. H. James was president, held at St. Johns on tlie 11th of July. 1857. A committee consisting of Hfirlon 13aird,(if the Bluffs, Daniel D.iggau,(.f Elk Creek, Haughey, «.f Cvington. Gen. Ilollman, of Dakota City, Jose[)h Brannan, of St. Johns, D. T. J^ramble. of At>way Creek. Dr. M. Saville. of Login, Junies t'arrell, of l^'ranklin City, and C. llowai'd, of l-'aeiHc City, was appoinred to nominate couutv ofhcers hut after further consideration the convention adjoui'iied to meet at the same place on the 18th of July.

The Herald w=is afterwards sold to Diley .^ Foley ami published Jibmir one vear, when it was disfoiirjnued. It was again revived in March. ISoU. by Daniel McLaughlin and apj>eaf.s to have been discontiniieil tor a while wIicm that gentleman re>nmed its pnblieation March 80, 18()1, un<ler the name of the

On Tuesday night Harlon Baird, Esq., phiced four trnps on the edge of the lake ;m'l on the fulluwin,' iiioining found jceuiely f.istened in them three large beavers and one uiink."

Chns, Goodfellow. of i^t. Jolin'.<, has, we learn, the best crop oi' Rio ijrnnde wheat in his vicinity. It will average a little over tliirty bushles to the acre."

Among tlie advei'tisei'S in tin's issue arc: Henry Reaui, proprietor of the Eates House; C. F. Eckhnrr, dry goods and gi'ocei-y store; Willirims & Very, })roprietors of new i'ei'i'y bttween Dnkotti City and Sergeant's Blnfts; J. B. Zieglei-, proprietor of Dakota City pottery; John Tafie, T. L Griffey and A. II. Jackson, attoineys fit law; J. W. Virtue, cashier Bank of Dakota; John lUigy. proprietor Ilngy Plouse, Sioux City, Iowa; H. A. Fuller, pi'oprietor Wauregan House, Sioux City, Iowa; L. D. Parmer, di-y goods, etc., Sioux City, Iowa.

"Tbo brick fo.- the new ouur>iy court house is being riipiilly IiiiiiIimI on tlie grouml by th'; contrarlor, Mr. Woo'l.-. The brick was biii-ot'il by. Mr. Woiids ill bis Kihi, in this city, niid is of a tir-t c'a.-s quality - equal to any in this s<<!lion ol'tbo countiy and cxocllcd by n^ne.

C. F. BH3'ha took charge of the Mail October 27, 1871, and the paper was again sold to John T. Spencer, October 9, 1874, who employed Will S, Jay as assistant (MJitor December 15, 1870 to i\ iignst 17, ' 1877. The Dakota City Mail was suspended September 28, 1877 and revived in Covington, Deceml)er 21st of the sanu; year niider the name of the Mail, and its publication was forever discontinued March 1," 1S7S, the good will and subscription list being purchased by Hart & Martin, who consolidated it with The Kagle, of Dakota City. John T. Spencer on retiring from the journalistic field said in his valedictory; began its publication at Dakot>^ City, May 24, 1870, with Atlee Uart and Will S. .lay as editors, and the following appealed in its salutatory:

J). Martin October 80, 1877. Col. Martiti commenced the publication of a lomantic continued story August 24tii of that year, entitled. '-The Conflict - Love or Money/' The Kagle was enlarged to an eight-column folio papi-r Maivh 8, 187S. March 18th of the same year Alcs>rs. Hart cV' Martin l.onght the Mail, which was coii^olidnted with The Kagle.^ CD. Martin sold his interest t<. (^eo. T. Woods May 2, 1871), who, after one is^ne^ol.l to Will S. Jay. j'ldy 15, 1881, Jay sold his half to Hart, who l)ecaM:e sole owner of the paper. On May 20, ISSO. I'beKaule was enlarged to a sixcolninii"<piarto. On tiic 7tli day of A])ril, 1882, John T. Sj)^jncer houo-ht one-half interest in The Kagie and sold t<» (ieo. Herb, January 1, 1884, who sold hnclc to

Hart May 15, 1884, tliis date being the commeiicenient of the ninth voliinie. On March 26, 1885. The Eagle assumed an entire change in typographical appearance, putting on an entii'e new dress and on March 24, 1887, another improvement was made hy tlie pi'oprietoi'S putting in a new power cyh'nder press, the only one in tiie county. Aiell A. Sclimied Ixnight one-half interest in The Eagle January 1, 1889, and tiie papei- is now owned hy IJart & Schmied, the senioieditor remaining with the institution since its establishment. May 15, 181lO, it was again, enlarged to a sevencolumn quai'to, which makes it one oftlie lai'gest countiy weekly newspapers puhlisiied in Kebraska.

The North Nebraska Argus

was the next paper established at Dakota Citv. May 7, 1880, by C. D. Martin and J. 11 Goslu.rn, t'he bitter selling his intei'est to the fti!»nei- in September following. January 1, 1887, Will C. Dibble bought one-half interest in the Argus, selling back to Martin January 1,1888. The p:iper was sold to Eugene P.. AVilbur September 28. 1888. who, in his salutatory says:

Ilarrv A. McCormick leased the p-aper fi-om May 3, 1889, until January. 1891 when its MWJier took chai-ge otthe paper, and moved it to South Sioux City, November 9, 1891.

one bank, M. O. Ayres; two hotels, William Foltz and Mrs. W. I. Broyhill; two agricultural implement stores. George Barnett and M. M. Ream; one tm shop, Frank Ayres; one meat market, Woodward & Smith; one i-estaii rant, James Willis; one barber shop, C. E. Doolittle; two shoemakers, Peder Hammer and Henry Niebnhr; surveyor, Alex Abell; one livery barn, J. E. Easton; one blacksmith shop, William Plammett; two physicians, C. H. Maxwell and D. C. Stinson; one billiard hall, William Foltz; three contractors, August T. JLiase, Julius Messeidioeler and William Foltz; five carpenters, Howard Crozier, Daniel Hager, Edward Phillips, George and Henry Niebuhr; live stock and grain, E. H. Gribble and J. W. Fern, confectionery, Smith and Woodward; Dakota City feed mill, Atlee Hart; one I'.ewspaper, Eagle, with Hart & Schmied as publishers; dressmaking. Misses Mamie ^dair and Lettie Hammond; two draymen, William Bennett and Charles Phillips; three masons, A. H. Baker, B. Bates and O. C. Crone; windmills, and drive wells, M. M. Ream; monuments, Henry Niebuhr; sewnng machine agent, Mrs. Mary R. McBeath; four music teachers, Carl Schriever, Nina M. Ream, Mell A. Schmied and D, W. Griffey; lumber and coal, Edwards & Bradford Lniuher Co.; ocean steamer agency, Mell A. Schmied; n^.anufacturer of patent corn planters, Adam Wenzel; real estate and live stock, Atlee Hart; insurance, J. N. Hamilton; three school teachers, J. S. Buckley, - principal. Miss Ethel Durgen and Mrs. Annie E. Frazer; two ministers, Revs. H, J. Ha]jfeman and H. C. Myers; seven lawyers, Mell C. Jay and Mell C. Beck of the firm of Jay& Beck, John T. Spencer, Kelly W. Frazer, W. P. Warner, J. J. McAllister and John E. Kavanaugh; abstractors, Dakota County Abstract Co.

City, Iowa. It was first taken as a town site in 1856, by tiie old Sioux City Company, of wliicli Dr. John K. Cook was president, and was called Harney City, after Gen. Harney, wdio at that time had charge of troops in this vicinity. The town site M'as jumped by a company, consisting of Thomas L. Gritt'ey, James Kelehan, John Feenan, J. M. White, W. W. Culver, William Kapp, Jacob Ludvvig, Gustave Pecaut and John T. Copelan, and the name was changed to Newport, plotted January 19, 1857, located in sections 21 and 16, township 29, range 9, east. But before it was filed fov record February -1, 1857, thy name was airain chano;ed to Covington, and was incorporated by the county commissioners April 5. 1858, who appointed Thomas L. Grififey, Gust-i.ve Pecaut, James Ploy, Jacob Ludvvig, and William Kapp as its first trustees, and at the first town election, May 3rd of the same year, all the above named trustees were elected except James Hoy, John Feenan taking his place. On the 1st of September. 1858, the county commissioners incorporated South Covington, with the following limits: