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Winneshiek County History and Information

VEIW FULL SIZED D.O.T. COUNTY MAP

Winneshiek was created on 1847 (Organized in January 15, 1851) from Unorganized Territory. The County was named for Winneshiek, a chief of the Winnebago Native American tribe. The County Seat is Decorah.

Counties adjacent to Winneshiek County are Fillmore County, Minnesota (northwest), Houston County, Minnesota (northeast), Allamakee County (east), Fayette County (south), Chickasaw County (southwest), Howard County (west), Clayton County (southeast). Winneshiek County Cities and Towns Include Calmar, Castalia, Decorah, Fort Atkinson, Jackson Junction, Ossian, Ridgeway, Spillville. Townships Include Bloomfield, Bluffton, Burr Oak, Calmar, Canoe, Decorah, Frankville, Freemont, Glenwood, Hesper, Highland, Jackson, Lincoln, Madison, Military, Orleans, Pleasant, Springfield, Sumner, Washington.

In 1847 the early settlers asked for the organization of the county. On April 7, 1851 elections were held and the county seat was voted upon. The choices of county seats were Lewiston, Moneek and Decorah. The favorite to win was Moneek, but due to voting fraud and lost ballots, Decorah won with only 63 total votes being cast. This election was followed by several other bids for the county seat. Bids came from the town of Freeport, from 1854 to 1856. In 1898 Calmar also made an attempt to gain the county seat, but it also failed.

The first courthouse was completed in 1858 at Decorah. The final cost was approximately $18,000. In 1890 there was an attempt to replace this building with a more appropriate one. After pleading with county officials, it was placed on the ballot in 1898. It was overwhelmingly defeated. On November 3, 1902 it was again voted on. This time the count was 2,580 for a new courthouse and 1,584 against. The voters approved $75,000 for the new courthouse, and one year later they approved an additional $50,000 to complete the already-started project. The cornerstone was laid August 22, 1903, and the new building was occupied in November 1904 and is still in use today. In 1974-75 all new windows were put in the courthouse.

A renovation project was done to the 2nd and 3rd floors of the courthouse in 1990 and 1991 with a portion paid through grant funding. The courthouse was also repainted back to its original colors. In 2000 a new jail was built adjacent to the Sheriff's office. See also County History for more details.

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

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Extended History

If, in the perusal of these pages, the reader finds frequent reference to historical sketches written by others, it will be because those sketches have been proven correct and their recorders are entitled to whatever honor may accrue in having preserved them for those who have followed and are still to follow. It will be our purpose to assemble these records in an orderly and concise manner and, as far as possible, amplify them and add such happenings of later years as may be worthy of a place in a work of historical character.

It is a happy circumstance in the life of a community to have had for its first citizens men of character,--not necessarily brilliant thinkers or doers of heroic deeds, but rather men of thoughtfulness, unswerving purpose and a desire to do the work of and be good citizens in the best sense of the word.

The records of Winneshiek county do not disclose any race for supremacy as to priority in settlement, but it is evident from the fact that actual settlement began in the summer of 1848 that the white man was, as usual, treading on the heels of the American Indian in his desire to acquire an Iowa home.

The settlers were not many during the first two years--just a handful in 1848, and a few more in 1849,--but 1850 saw a large influx and they came from all quarters. With them they brought meagre equipments of household goods--mostly were they endowed with rugged constitutions, and Christian and physical courage to wrest from nature the wherewithal to build homes. Little did they care whether they were first comers, but to us who are living today there is interest in these matters, therefore I shall endeavor to place them in order as far as possible. For that purpose reference is made to the cards of an old settlers' gathering held in Decorah in connection with the Centennial celebration of the Fourth of July in 1876. The late Ansel K. Bailey was secretary of that gathering and it is due to his thoughtfulness that these cards were preserved. They have in times past been a court of last resort in settling questions that have arisen regarding dates, ages, or other matters covered by the information recorded on them, hence we may now accept them with more than passing confidence.

On June 7, 1848, Hamilton Campbell and wife took up a claim in what are now Sections 23 and 26 of Bloomfield township, thereby becoming the first recognized permanent settlers in the county. Following close upon these hardy pioneers came Gottlob and Gottleib Krumm, the former accompanied by his wife.
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They were just twenty-two days behind the Campbells, the date of their arrival being June 29, 1848, and they settled on the northwest quarter of Section 17, Washington township. On August 15, 1848, David Reed and wife and Daniel Reed settled on the northwest quarter of Section 25, Bloomfield towpship.

A. R. Young takes his place at this point in the early settlement of the county, although he can scarcely be classed as a resident in the same sense as others until October, 1850. Mr. Young was a soldier and came to Fort Atkinson in October. 1848, remaining until March, 1849. While there he acquired Government land, but when the fort was evacuated he was transferred to Fort Crawford, Prairie du Chien, then to Fort Snelling, Minnesota, remaining at the latter place until May, 1850, when his regiment was sent to Marengo, Iowa, and in August to Fort Dodge, where he was discharged in October. He then returned to his land near Fort Atkinson and made his home there permanently. He married Mary Jane Rogers at Fort Atkinson in February, 1849. She was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Francis Rogers and remained at Fort Atkinson with her parents during the absence of her husband. Thus may it be said that Mr. Young was a settler and resident in fact from the fall of 1848 on.

We have attempted to secure accurate data regarding Francis Rogers, but the little that is available discloses only the certainty that he and his family lived at Fort Atkinson in 1848. Mrs. Young, in recounting early days, once told the members of the family of her son Francis Young that during the first winter their home consisted of straw stacks massed on four sides, over which they arranged a roof. In that conversation she gave them to understand that this was the winter of 1847-48, which would give the Rogers family priority of residence over all others. This record is lacking that definiteness of dates which characterizes the coming of the Campbells, the Krumms, the Reeds, and others, so the most that can be said is that their coming was at least contemporaneous with those who made settlement in 1848.

Right here permit me to digress from the records of the cards. It has always been claimed, and quite generally accepted, that the Day family were the first settlers in Decorah. They came in June, 1849. Contradictory of this is the statement that William Painter was the first white man to make his home here. My authority for this record is Mrs. P. C. Bloomfield of Decorah, a niece of Mr. Painter. She tells me that her mother (Mr. Painter's sister) often spoke of the matter and named the month of October, 1848, as the time of his coming to Decorah. Some years ago the writer heard a story to the effect that a member the Day family heard the sound of a woodman's ax as it strikes a tree, one day while out hunting, and upon investigation found Mr. Painter. As I now recall
it the occurrence was located some distance north of Decorah. Be that as it may, the story of Mrs. Bloomfield gives weight to the claim of prior residence by Mr. Painter.

The next date that interests us is April 1, 1849. On that day John N. Topliff joined the Reed family, taking the southeast quarter of Section 25, Bloomfield township. On the same date Andrew Meyer and wife became distant neighbors of the Krumms in Washington township, settling on Section 50 June 10, 1849, saw the Day family established in Decorah, while Phinneas Banning settled in

Section 5 of Bloomfield township during the same month, and Abner DeCou and Moses S. McSwain located at what was subsequently known as Moneek. O. W. Emery, who is still living (on June 17, 1913, at the home of his son-in-law Mons Askelson in Orleans township), came to Canoe township and made his claim to the northwest quarter of Section 17, on August 20, 1849. Josiah Goddard, of whom more will be said later, came to Fort Atkinson, in the spring of 1849, bought the old trading post and moved his family there in the fall.

The year 1850 saw an influx of settlers that was very large for those pioneer days, but it was not until June that the tide of immigration swelled to more than an occasional straggler.

Springfield township became the Mecca of a large settlement of Norwegians, many of whom came from Dane county, Wisconsin, after a residence there varying from a few months to three or four years. Reference to a historical sketch prepared by the late Abraham Jacobson discloses the fact that during the month of June a party consisting of Erick Anderson, Ole Tostenson Haugen, and his brother Staale, Ole A. and A. O. Lomen, Ole Gullikson Jevne, Knut Anderson Bakken, Andres Hauge, John Johnson Qvale, H. Halvorson Groven and Mikkel Omli made permanent homes in this township. They were followed on July 2d by another party of which Nelson Johnson was the leader and included Tollef Simonson Aae, Knud G. Opdahl, Jacob Abrahamson and Iver Peterson Qvale, Nelson Johnson, E. G. and Albert Opdahl came over into Decorah township to make their homes.

The settlement in Bloomfield township received goodly additions during this year also, among the number being Russell Dean who came in April, while John DeCou and wife and Gideon Green followed in June.

Canoe township was claimed as residence by John W. Holm, David Kinnison and wife and John Fredenburgh during 1850. The record cards show that Christopher A. Estrem and wife came to Frankville township on September 3, 1850, and Wm. Padden and wife settled in Section 28 of Frankville in November of that year, as did also Jacob Duff and Walter Rathbun and wife; but George M. Anderson, writing in Anderson & Goodwin's Atlas (published in 1906), gives to A. P. Rosa credit for selecting land in Section 31 in March, hewing timbers and erecting a cabin thereon for his family. They had previously lived in Clayton county for three years. Even before this, in 1849, Wm. Day had erected a house near what is known as the McKay schoolhouse, but found he was on school land and moved to Decorah.

Probably the most compelling circumstance connected with the final location of the Day family in Decorah was Mother Day. When she saw the claim her husband had staked out she admitted it was good looking land, but her preference was for a site beside running water, and as her word was law the family moved on until they came to a spring that bubbled out from the hillside above the Upper Iowa river. "Here is where we will stay," she declared, and it was due to her decision that on the spot that is now graced by the handsome Winneshiek hotel was erected the log cabin home that formed the nucleus around which the beautiful city of Decorah was built. Long ago the spring above referred to ceased to flow, but as long as the story of the coming of the Day family to Decorah is recalled, mankind will honor the judgment of Mother Day.

Ole Germond Johnson was the first settler in Glenwood township. He came with the Nelson Johnson party that landed here on July 2, 1850, and selected the southwest quarter of Section 31 for his home. Nels Thronson and Andrew Gulbrandson Haugen came in the same year, but later, and settled in Section 32.

Benjamin L. Bisby acquired a residence in Hesper township on the first of August, and from all appearances he enjoyed a priority of some six or eight months, for Ezekiel E. Meader and family have been given credit as the first permanent residents of the township, and they did not arrive until the spring of 1851.

In August, 1850, Peter K. Langland and wife came to Pleasant township and settled in Section 10. From the record made by Edwin Hover, in the Anderson & Goodwin Atlas, it would seem that John Klontz and Wm. Vale (Germans), came from Pennsylvania in 1850 and settled in the northwest corner of the township. They were joined in 1851 by Hover Evenson, Ole Magneson, Louis Peterson, Erick Erickson, Knut L. Liquin and K. Erickson.

Orin Simmons and wife joined the Decorah township settlers on July 2, 1850, taking land adjoining what is now the village of Freeport. Edward Tracy became a Decorian the same year, and Madison township seems to have acquired her first settler on the 25th day of September in the person of John Evenson, who made claim to the northeast quarter of Section 32.

Referring once more to Anderson & Goodwin's Atlas of Winneshiek county, we find that Charles Kroek settled in Calmer township, near Spillville, in 1849. The following year saw the arrival of Joseph Spielman from whom Spillville derived its name; also Thor Peter Skotland, Torsen and Lars Land and Andre P. Sandager, who settled near Calmar. In the year 1850 Ole Shervin, Sr., Ole Shervin, Jr., Erick Stovrem, Ole P. Haugen, Andrew L. Kittelsby, Thron H, Egen and Thora Bagaarson augmented this colony, while George Herzog and Conrod Riehle joined the Spillville settlers. Among the permanent settlers who came during the succeeding four years were Lars P. Kittelsby and his son Peter L. Kittelsby in 1852; Ole A. Flaskrud, Ole P. Bjornstad, Erick Flaskrud and Even Flaskrud in 1853; Alf Clark, Peter Clawson and John P. Landin in 1854; George Yarwood, Henry Wheatman, Ole P. Ramberg, Sr., Ole O. Styve, Jacob Stenseth, Jolm P. Hove and Lars Heried in 1854.

Military township also received her first settlers in 1850, but there is no definite data as to who they were.

In 1851 the tide of emigration and immigration had become fairly steady and material additions to the ranks of settlers were made. Among those who enrolled at the Old Settlers' Reunion the record cards show the following as coming to Winneshiek county in that year:---,

Decorah township-E. C. Dunning and wife, Peter E. Haugen, Torkel Hanson and wife, Gulbrand T. Lomen, Ole Kittleson and wife, Ole Tollefson Vik and wife, and A. K. Drake.
Madison township---Gulbrand Erickson Vik, Ole M. Anderson and wife, Helge Nelson Myran, Herbrand Onstine, Iver G. Ringstad and wife, Ole M. Asleson and wife.
Springfield township-E. E. Clement, Rolland Tobiason and wife.
Glenwood township-Erick Olson Bakke and wife, Isaac Birdsel1, Wm. Birdsell and wife, Philip Hustad.
Bloomfield township-Geo. Blake.
Hesper township-D. D. Huff and wife.
Canoe township-Simon M. Leach and wife.
Burr Oak township-G. V. Punteney. (Mr. Punteney is still living and in fairly good health. His home is at Cresco and he is past ninety years of age.)

The year 1852 seems to have furnished the first settlers in several townships in the northern part of the county. In this year Henry Morse built a sawmill at Bluff ton and the next year he and his brother Lyman D. Morse built a gristmill.

In what is now know as Highlandville the names of the Stoens, .Mikkel Solberg, the Arnesons, Brunsvold, Bersie, Kjomme, Kroshus, Walhus, and others appear as first settlers. Fremont was also in the 1852 class. J. J. Jacobson, in the Anderson & Goodwin Atlas, credits Lars Hougeberg with being the first settler in Lincoln township, with Knudt Alfson, Jacob Knutson and Kittel Sanderson as following close after him.

Burr Oak township acquired her first settlers in 1851, when Samuel Belding and his half brother built the first log hotel and erected a blacksmith shop, while to Nelson Gager belonged the distinction of being first on the ground in Orleans township in 1853.

In reading the foregoing it must be borne in mind that as yet the county had not been wholly divided as to townships, and in mentioning various precincts we use their present names as a matter of convenience. There were undoubtedly many more who came to various parts of the county during those years, but even as now the population was changing-some were coming and others were going-hence we refer more particularly to those we have named because they enjoyed the distinction of being permanent in their residence.

SOME FIRST THINGS OF THE COUNTY

While we are reviewing the early settlers of the county, it may not be improper to refer to some "first things" that will be of interest.

Sparks' History credits James B. Cutler with being the first duly commissioned postmaster in the county. His commission was signed on Sept. 18, 1851, by Nathaniel K. Hall, postmaster general under President Willard Fillmore, and the office was known as Jamestown, being discontinued on March 31, 1852. There is reasonable ground for questioning this claim. Judge M. V. Burdick, in Alexander's History, is quoted as stating that Lewis Harkins was postmaster at Fort Atkinson as early as 1850, and about the same time John L. Carson was serving at Old Mission. Mr. Cutler lived to the rare old age of one hundred and one years and seven months, making him one of the few centenarians the county has known.

Sparks' History tells this story of the first marriage in the county:

"In 1850 a young man came from Norway to Iowa and found a spot of ground that suited him in what is now known as Madison township, Winneshiek county. So far as ascertained, he was its first settler. In the year following an older man followed him, who was the father of at least one girl. As young men and maidens

Winneshiek county was one of the first in Iowa to harbor a large and permanent settlement of foreign born people. The Germans were the first to come. In 1848 and 1849 the Krumms, Andrew Meyer, George Beckel, John Gaertner, Joseph Huber, and Anthony Stadle settled in Washington township. These were not merely the first foreign born residents, but in the case of the Krumms they lacked less than a month of being the very first permanent settlers of any nationality in the county. In 1850-51 another company of Germans settled in the western part of Calmar township. They were Joseph Spielman, George Herzog and Conrad Riehle. Charles Kroeg preceded them in 1849, and, with the exception of Herzog, all brought their families. In later years Military township was a favored spot among the Germans and in its present population may be found many descendants of this nationality. Lincoln township claimed quite a number also. Bloomfield, Frankville and parts of Pleasant, Canoe and Hesper are now populated by the Germans, though most of them are properly entitled German-Americans, having been born in America.

Calmar township was also destined to be the home of a large Bohemian settlement. The first of this nationality came in 1854. In glancing over the record one sees the familiar names of Bouska, Mikesh, Novak, Kubish and Payer. From this beginning there grew up a large company that overflowed into Sumner, Jackson and Washington townships.

While we are writing of the settlers of Calmar it is worth while to remember that almost all of the Swiss who came to this county resided in or near Spillville. In 1854 J. H. Hinterman, Felix and J. H. Meyer and John Leeble settled there, and I think I am right in including J. J. and J. H. Haug in this list, though J. H. Haug came later. Others came at subsequent dates, but the representation by this nationality has never been large. Of those above mentioned J. J. Haug is the only one who survives.

In 1850 the county welcomed its first Norwegian settlers. Reference is made of these people in the chapter dealing with the first residents of the county, but the late Abraham Jacobson has left a very complete and interesting account of the band that located in Springfield township and formed the nucleus of the largest: body of foreign born citizens in this part of Iowa, hence we refer the reader to his story, which will be found under the record of townships and towns. During the years immediately following this settlement the central part of the county, and even well up into Highland township, received steady and increasing accessions of settlers from Norway. Today their descendants represent about half of the population of the county.

Bluffton township seems for some unaccountable reason to have attracted the Irish, and while there are Norwegians, Germans and Americans among its residents, the rich, musical brogue of Friend Pat is the most often heard. The first settlers in the township were largely Americans, but at just what time the natives of the Emerald Isle began to acquire residence there is not clearly indicated, yet they were there as early as 1855. Most of them came from Illinois, where they had residence for varying periods, but the parent stock of the present generation were largely foreign born.

Winneshiek county also boasted of a goodly number of Englishmen. Among the earliest of these were George Yarwood, Harry Wheatmen, Edward and Jack Vine and John Pickworth, who lived out on the prairie beyond the Peter E. Haugen farm in the southwest corner of Decorah township. There was another settlement in Lincoln township, another in Hesper, while in Decorah there was the late Co1. William Thurlow Baker and his brothers, Capt. Charles G. Baker and John T. Baker and their families, R. F. B. Portman (still a resident here), A. J. Ashmore, the Clive brothers, H. H. Horn and family, Capt. S. Charles Welsh and wife, and a number of others whose names are not now recalled. They brought with them their customs and the traditions of England. Those who resided in Hesper and Lincoln townships were a particularly lively set of fellows, mostly young men who had come here to engage in farming, but whose previous experience and lack of knowledge of local requirements did not hold out much hope of success. Whatever may have been their shortcomings in these respects, they were generally plentifully supplied with money and knew how to win their way socially, so as long as the purse was free they were not poor in companionship or enjoyment.

There have been and still are a few Scotchmen in the county, also a few Danes, and occasionally one may find a native of Sweden, but these are few. Thus is completed the roll of the foreign born; but whether foreign born or native, almost all are trying to be loyal American citizens, contributing their share in working out the problems that face us as a people and building for a better civilization.

Since the foregoing was written Decorah has acquired some new citizens of Mexican birth. That they will remain and become permanent in their residence is not thought probable, however.

Who organized Winneshiek county, and when did the organization take place? I t has been quite generally accepted that an organizing act passed by the Iowa Legislature on January 15, 1851, appointed John L. Carson as organizing sheriff with authority to act on and after March 1, 1851; that pursuant to the authority so vested in him he designated Monday, April 7, 1851, as the date of election, and set stakes at Louisville, or Lewiston, on the Turkey river, at McSwain's mill (Moneek) , and at Decorah, as the places where the polls would be open. As further evidence that an election was so held we find engrossed upon the first page of the first records of Winneshiek county the following testimony:

"State of Iowa-Winneshiek county.

"I hereby certify that at an election held in the county of "Winneshiek, and State of Iowa, on the 7th day of April, A. D. 1851, Decorah was duly elected to be the county seat of said county.

"In testimony whereof, I have set my hand the 14th day of April, 1851.

"J. L. CARSON, Organizing Sheriff."

Could a more certain record be expected, taking into consideration the fact that in those days even lawmakers were not as particular as they are today in the matter of setting out statements and facts so that no question could arise?

Yet after all these years there comes forward, in the form of a notice of appointment personal letters, and a copy of a notice of election, evidence that would tend to contradict the foregoing record and give to Josiah Goddard credit for acting as organizing sheriff.

As early as 1849 the settlers began to agitate the question of county organization. It would appear from the letters that follow that the agitation reached a point, early in 1850, where Josiah Goddard, acting for himself and others, forwarded a petition to Judge James Grant, of the second judicial district of Iowa, asking that Mr. Goddard be appointed organizing sheriff.

Winneshiek County Courthouse

The first courthouse was completed in 1858. It cost $18,000 to build. The two-story building housed the sheriff's residence, jail, offices and a courtroom until 1902.

The second and present courthouse cost $125,000 to build. There are beautiful stone carvings above the entrances. The price tag was a bit too steep at the time, but today the citizens of Decorah are very proud of their courthouse.

Winneshiek County History and Information

Records at the Winneshiek County Courthouse

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Winneshiek County Vital Records

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Winneshiek County Census Records

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Winneshiek County Maps & Atlases

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Winneshiek County Military Records

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Winneshiek County Tax Records

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Winneshiek County Genealogical Addresses

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Winneshiek County Church & Cemeteries

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

Extended History