Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-06-09
The Editor Among the People.

In traversing the county we are
made painfully aware of the disap-
pearances of those who We're here forty
years ago. At Vernon Springs a day
or two since enjoying the hospitality
of Mr.. and Mrs VIM. Miller. the aues-
tion was asked as to who resided en-
their place when we came to the coun-
ty. In casting about for an old settler
to give the desired information, the
only one there is John NJ Field, with
G. W. Sawyer and VIM. Kellow Sr.,
the only ones we can recall now in
Cresco, and perhaps Elder Fall. The
Harris family, Schoonmaker. Judge
Gilcrist, Elder Whitman, G. w. Irwin,
the father and mother OF j. NJ Bowers,
with DR.. Bowers then occupying the
place where Mr.. Miller resides and
Elder Brown and family where John
Shultz resides.
In travelling the road from Vernon
springs directly north toward the state
line, with the exception OF Elder Fall
and q. NJ. Carver, none remain. Uri
Doolittle, Shapleys, Neinstedts, Jas.
| Nichols, Geo. Smith, Oliver Arnold,
are all dead or residents elsewhere,
the latter 80 years of age the 5th of
May, now a resident of Strouseton, S.
d. The Neinstedt farm is now the
home of P. |. DeLange and family,
Mrs. DeLange being the daughter of
Mr.. and Mrs. Geuth has been How
ard county resident since 1855, when
but four years old. w. C. Nichols,
now in Cresco, j. M. Phillips, Jro.
Wygandt, S. Cole, Alfred j. Mintey,p.
B. Mitchell and wife, Judge Upton and
Ed Gillett about complete the list of
those remaining who were here forty
years ago. The work begun by them
forty years ago has been taken up by
a more numerous host of ready and
willing hands, and our wide and wild
range of prairie lands are dotted with
beautiful groves, elegant homes, large
substantial barns, fine herds of cattle,
and the best work horses on the con-
tinent are grown within it's borders.
In neat cattle it is the home of such
noted herds as the Jerseys, the Short
Horns, the Holstoins, tho Ahardeen-
Polled Angus. the Red Pnlled.. Of tle-
two latter, the county has the largest
herds in the country. In sheep the
county has sent breeding animals from
its imported breeds into nearly every
stIte in the Union from the flock of
w. C. Nichols & Son.
On the Oakley, the Drum, the Taft,
the Holcomb farms, new and young
blood has been introduced and the
work began by the pioneers goes
vigorously on. The Bigalks, family
consisting of several brothers, own
large farms in the northeast part OF
Albion and are among the most enter
prislng in the town, John, Il younger
brother, the owner of 300 acre farm
of as fine land as was ever put out
doors, recently married, has built a
fine residencessuited to farm of it's di-
mensions and is having barn put up
24X3S, posts % feet, with leantos on
three sides 16 feet in width, and
machine and tool house 16x54 feet.
He is entering into farming with a
spirit that means success. John l..
les is pushing the work on his build
ings all of which will be occupied be-
fore the harvest begins.
OF the old stock of early settlers,
Joseph Hayes, Hugh Larkin, VIM.
Owens, Job Darrow, w. j. Hardy,
Moses N. Holcomb, j. A. Holcomb,
Henry Holcomb, MIR. Peckham, G. b.
Ashley, Albert Wallace, Martin Belts,
Z. A. Bents, VIM. Hammond. the
Smith family and that of John Porter
and daughter of Prosper Lloyd, Mrs.
E. w. Davis, remain or the farms or
in the vicinity where they or their
parents, in the prime of life, began to
fight life's battle forty years ago. May
they and their progeny own and en-
joy these happy homes for many
generations.