Lyman Truman Barringer Homesteader Diary


Page 1 What follows are excerpts from the diary of my great great Grandfather, Lyman Truman Barringer, who came from Wisconsin to northwest Iowa to homestead in 1870.

He kept this diary the rest of his life and my mother typed a transcription of the originals which were written in ledgers in homemade brown ink and were difficult to read.

What is on these pages are excerpts my mother found interesting which she copied into a separate binder.

She copied all spelling and punctuation as he had it in the diary so you will have to do a little decyphering.

The diary text is in black, comments which my mother added while she was doing the transcription, which she did in the 1950's are in red, and comments I have added at this time are in purple.

Please enjoy this material but note that it is copyrighted by me so please don't reproduce it without my permission.

Gary Riecke

You can email me if you like at: griecke@digisys.net

THE SETTLEMENT OF THE LOST ISLAND LAKE AREA

The Spring of 1870 was the beginning of a heavy emmegration in the Lost Island Lake area west of the Des Moines River. On April 14, 1870 Lyman T. Barringer, the 20 year old son of Peter E. Barringer, left his home in Big Spring, Wisconsin to explore the area around Lost Island Lake, Palo Alto County, Iowa, and perhaps make his home there. It took him 9 days to walk from his home to the East bank of the Des Moines River. The little town of Emmetsburg was then situated on the East bank of the river where the Riverdale Ranch now stands.

The following is taken from a daily diary he kept of his experiences:

"I arrived at the town of Emmetsburg at dusk. It has 3 dwelling houses, one store 12' by 16' and one a size larger. One Blacksmith shop and three or four other buildings scattered over a square mile.

I spent the night at Mr. Coonan's Tavern, and made inquiries of him as the best area that a fellow might settle.

I rented a boat from a gentleman in Emmetsburg and rowed across the Des Moines river. On the west side not a mark of man can be seen. The land is level for a few miles then rises to some hills. I follow the trail of the stage route to the Northwest. I soon find myself on a high hill (this is where Highland Cemetary now is located. A marker is near a lone cottonwood tree there, stating that point is the highest elevation in Palo Alto County and is also the divide between the Missouri and Mississippi rivers) from this vantage point I can see for miles in every direction. The prarie grass on the hills is about three feet high, in the lowlands from whence I just traveled is slough grass higher than my head. The lowland is very marshy and full of hungry misquitoes. It is an inspiring sight to behold. Wild flowers grow thickly among the grasses. It is very quiet, except for the sound of the frogs and the birds, one feels alone in the world. To the South and west lies a lake (elbowlake) with high hills surrounding it, and to the west and north lies the much larger lake of Lost Island. The rolling hills gradually level off at the lake. The trees at the lake and the river are just beginning so show their green leaves.

I follow the trail and find the home of Mr. Anthony on the North shore of the lake. I spend the night with the Anthony's. He tells of the area as it was since he came here about 2 years ago. There is a store and postoffice being kept to the north and west by a man named Lyman Spencer, it is called Bridgewater. Mr. Anthony has a brother-in-law living on the East bank of the lake, a Mr. Freeman.

I hear of an exciting experience they encountered here shortoly after they arrived here. The Anthony's bought their home from a Mr. Carl and were just getting settled when a big redheaded man appeared. He warned them to leave the country. He and an Indian wife lived on the Island on a Trumbull lake and their home and barn were strongly built and completely hidden by trees from any one that might travel through the area. It finally was discovered that he was hiding stolen horses there for horse thieves. The barn was burned and the man and wife have since disappeared.

On the 21st I took a look around and have chosen a spot that I like the location of quite well. I go at once back to Emmetsburg and preempt 160 acres for six months. In the N E 1/4 of sec. 10. township 96 range 34, (The Bill Prichard home). I bought in Emmetsburg a spade, a kettle, a pair of blankets and some traps and go to the lake and stay with Mr. J. Freeman and his mother. Mr. Freeman lives on the East shores of Lost Island lake, he came about 2 years ago. He purchases his shack from a squatter (for a double barreled muzzleloading shotgun). Mr. Freeman's mother "Aunt Polly seemed very nice to visit with and tried in every way to make me comfortable.

I move onto my claim very early and commence building a sod hut. May 9, 1870, (my brother) Theodore arrives here from home today with a team, wagon and plow. We are trying to break (plow) but our plow runs bad. I guess we don't understand it very well. We don't do too much as I haven't gotten my papers on my claim as yet.

We have been building a stable, dug a well and hauling wood from the river. We planted 10 acres of turnips.

A neighbor arrived and is breaking on his land. His name is McLaughlin.

June 1870


20: Take father to Emmittsburg, he starts for Wisconsin Sell 50 lbs. flour 212 cents

21: A shower in the a.m. Plow corn in evening; a heavy rain.

22: Last night heavy rain. It has bin very dry; day rainy. Evening rain. Attend meeting of Township trusteed at my house.

23: Dull and misty; break a little.

24: Misty, go to Emmittsburg, let my crops to T.R. McLaughhlin to harvest for 1/3. Pay for tongue, put in mower 225 cents, for oil 40 cents, sundry expences 43 cents. Receive of Johnson for Buckwheat 150 cents, of J.K. Iad (?) for board 800 cents, of Pone for cornmeal 175 cents.

25: Sunday, dull and misty.

26: Got to Blacksmiths with mowing machine, get it repaired cost 200 cents.

27: Sell to J.T. Somes 100 lbx. cornmeal 300 cents and 4 hens and 11 chickens 255 cents. Sell E.E. Curtis 150 lbx. flour @425, 736 cents break.

28: Break.

"Break" refers to breaking sod - plowing it for the first time.

29: Break. Sell cornmeal @ 3. 195 cents.

30: With team, work on road.

JULY Sell to S. Torrison one sheet 500 cents. Two bushel corn 200 cents, 100 posts for 1000 cents and receive but 300 cents. Go to Emmitsburg receive for buckwheat 560 cents. Sundry exp 40 cents. Drive down the river 20 miles.

August, (brother) Charles arrives from home.

There are a lot of wagons and riders going by nearly every day.

OCTOBER 11, 1870: Mr. Anthony stopped by and said there was a meeting to be held at his home today. I attended. We hold an election and organize our town. Lost Island, Iowa. I meet a Mr. E.E. Curtis who is building a sod hut on Sec. 18, to the south. Also a Mr. Somes, Miller Lang, Hovey, and others are there. Mr Ely has purchased the store goods from Mr. Spencer and has built a shack near Mr. Anthony's shack. A stage stops here every day on its way from Algona and goes on up to Spirit Lake. We hold an election. I have the honor of casting the first ballot. There are 7 Republicans and 2 Democrats voting. The following were elected to serve as officials of the town for the year of 1871:

Town Clerk.......... T.R. Lang

(Lyman Barringer was appointed a short time late to fill this vacancy)

Trustees.................J.T. Somes
T.R. McLaughlin
Supervisor of Roads......Amos Miller
Assessor.................James Freeman
Justice of Peace.........John Anthony


We elected the following to serve on the schoolboard during the year of 1871:

T.R. McLaughlin
J.T. Somes
O.W. Hovey
Treasurer................John Anthony
Secretary................Harry McLaughlin

The schoolboard decided to contract for two sod schoolhouses built to be ready for next year.

DECEMBER, 1870: Everyone has been busy readying themselves for the winter. When I first arrived I could not see a man or a man's shack or a stack of hay in any direction from my claim. Now I can see both shacks and stacks of hay scattered here and there. I have attended meetings at Anthony's and met many of the settlers and they all appear to be good christian gentlemen.

Theodore, Charles, and myself are as comfortable as we can make ourselves in our hut. So far the winter has been quite mild. Some things I want to make note of: I started for Iowa with $44.00 in my pocket. My homestead filing papers and etc. were $16.40. There have not been many more outstanding expences so far, except for the few supplies we have bought at the store, lamps, flour, chimney and etc. We have been able to shoot enough fish and wild game for our food.

SPRING 1871

We were quite fortunate this last winter. We did not have very much snow. Although we did have to haul a lot of wood to keep ourselves warm.

Father (Peter E. Barringer) arrived this spring with team, wagon and a few pieces of machinery.

We hauled some lumber from Emmetsburg and lay out the body of my house. It is 12' x 16'. We finish it in a few days, complete with a Sod Chimney and roof.

We take a day from our work and all go to Elbow lake. It is my first visit to the lake.

Elbow Lake was about a mile southeast of the present town of Ruthven, Iowa it was drained in the early 1900's. His taking so long to visit the lake is interesting as it was only about 3 miles south of his homestead.

5th. Take team and wagon and go to Emmetsburg, cross the river and follow the trail to Fort Dodge (a military trail that followed the East bank of the river). Buy 37 bushels of corn at 58 cents per bushel, 100 pounds of flour for $4.95, and other supplies.

I contract with a gentlemen for 1/2 barrel of fish at 5 cents a pound to be delivered on my next trip to Fort Dodge.

I had gone but a short distance up the river, about 13 miles, when I broke my neckyoke, buy one gentleman and start on my way home in the dark. I get off the trail and find myself lost on the prarie, finding my trail again near dawn. I arrive home on the 9th. Set out a sign to sell corn. Plant some 29 plumb trees and willow sprouts and raspberries that I purchased near Fort Dodge.

We are all busy breaking and planting and selling seed.

MAY:

Make another trip to Fort Dodge. Bring back a load of supplies for myself and some neighbors. Bought corn, meal, sugar, kerosene, etc. On my return home the trail was very muddy, I got mired down and broke one set of whiffletrees. Have them repaired then camp on the trail. During the night a dog carries off my lunch so I catch a cow and have milk for breakfast. Spend the last night on my way home at Soda Bar with Mr. Hefley.

On the 16th, a meeting is called at Lost Island and I am appointed to fill the vacancy of the office of Town Clerk. I am contracted by the Road of Supervisors to see about getting some roads built. I and a gentleman from Emmetsburg survey and stake out some roads. I am busy for several days mowing the staked out roads. Mr. Colton and Mr. Curtis have been helping me with my breaking and I have been helping them with theirs in return. Mr. Hackett was here overnight, he intends to build a home here.

JUNE:

I am contracted to haul and put down 448 feet of plank on crossings for $5.00. I take a job to put up three side boards for $6.00. I put up the side boards and the plank down on the two crossings.

JUNE 28, 1870: Today is our washday. Theodore washes, Charles lays them outside to dry. I am working on my books, Father is doing the cooking.

I have hauled many loads of seed corn and wheat seed and flour from Fort Dodge and SpringVale this Spring. Everyone is too busy to go so I get their supplies too. My books were showing that I was not going to be able to bring supplies without being reimbursed for them; everyone is without cash. I make agreement to take livestock or baking or a note on the merchandise, to everyones satisfaction.

JULY 18: Mr. Silas Ryder and Mr. Howe are staying at my place, looking over land.

AUGUST 15, 1871: Mr. Howe and Mr. Ryder leave early this morning. Mr Ryder leaving for Franklin County, Indiana for his family.

We had a very severe storm last night. I had three oxen killed by lightening. A very heavy downpour of rain and much wind. A Mr. Root and an old gentleman stayed with me last night; they are looking over the land. I am 22 years old today.

SEPTEMBER:

I have been busy mowing on the roads and working about the place. Nearly every day or so someone stops by to spend the night and look over the land hereabouts.

Mr. Ryder arrives tonight with his family. Seven in number including his mother-in-law, Mrs. Howe. They all move into my small house with Theodore and I.

(Mr. Peter Barringer and son Charles had returned to Wisc. during the summer for school).

We pack up our things as closely as convenient. It is quite a change in my quarters with five ladies where before there were none. They seem to domesticate the appearance of my house one hundred percent.

Mr. Ryder and I go to Spencer. This is my first visit to Spencer and am well pleased with the country. There is to be a dance at the Spencer Store on Friday and I plan to attend if my work and weather permits.

Mr. Ryder and I jump accounts and I commence boarding with him in my house for 75 cents a week. We reconned the cost of boarding the eight in the family for a week and I pay the onefifth that being 75 cents. I enlarge my stable. Mr. Ryder and I make arrangements for him to let my place to work next year.

Millions of butterflies fly past and at night the light and cover my buckwheat, corn and prarie flowers. It is a very pretty sight. We all watched them until it was so dark we couldnot see an more. We are not very well. Several have the ague in the neighborhood. I go to dance at the Spencer Store, buy 10 yards of calico and trimmings for $1.50 and make a present of the goods to Mrs. Howe for a dress. Attend a caucus at Mr. Somes home. I am appointed delegate to the county convention. I am nominated for Town Clerk, Lost Island, Iowa for 1871 Sept. 30. I put a box slucing in the bridge.

OCTOBER, 1871:

Attend election at Lost Island, Iowa at Anthony's.

Our town is fast improving this year. Mr. Anthony has been appointed postmaster.

(It is said that he kept all of his postal supplies in a cigar box)

Mr. Ely has improved his store. We have laid out some roads and have held an election. At our second election the following were elected to serve through the ear of 1872:

Town Clerk...............Lyman Barringer
Assessor.................J. T. Somes
Trustees.................George Ham
John Crookshank
J. W. Hovey
Supervisor of Roads......Joseph Damon
Silas Ryder


Those elected to the schoolboard to serve through the year of 1872 weree:

J. A. Anthony
Silas Ryder
George Ham
J. W. Hovey
In our township we now have settlers in sections, 4,2,8,10,12,14,22,28,32 and 34 (Lost Island Township at this time comprised both 96 and 97, and all referred to as Lost Island Township. It was divided later on into two, Highland being named the lower (96) There are man located also to the north in the township some of whom I have not met as yet. Those I know, that live nearby are Millers, Spauldings Crookshanks, and etc.

Everytning seems to come sooner than we expect and time keeps rolling steadily on and progress with it.

At a schoolboard meeting during the summer the lower Township was divided into 4 school districts, 3 miles square. The two sod school houses that were built were inspected by the officials and were not accepted.

(Only one was completed)

We hold a meeting of the Township Trustees at my house. There is general settlement of road matters.

OCT.

We are all fighting prarie fires. The fires burned around my house. I cannot save 1 stack of hay. The prarie is nearly all burned in the entire area. It is blown by a brisk wind and the grasses are very dry. It is burning so fast it is impossible to save much of the grain. No homes were burned that I know of, we are fortunate.

All is as smooth in my house as water on a still summer's day, although there are 9 of us in my 12'x16' house.

It is hard to believe that there has been such a change in our Township and county in this short period of time. Where I could see no one when I first arrived, there are families all throughout the area.

Emmetsburg, with it's now seven stores and all together eighteen business houses including a large tavern has grown fast to greatness. Two papers have been edited there for about one year. Now, everything pertaining to business and improvments is fast progressing.

People throughout the area are generally hard up, there is very little cash. Everyone seems full of happy anticipation as to what the future will bring to our community.

I have taken an Invoice of my Property today December 10, 1871

Homestead of 80 acres at $5.00 per acre in it's wild state ...................................................$400.00
32 acres of breaking on Homestead at $3.50 per acre.112.00
House and Stable on same............................100.00
One Span Horse and Harness..........................200.00
One Lumber Wagon.................................... 60.00
Outstanding notes and other obligations.............149.93
One Pump.............................................15.00
One Breaking Plow....................................25.00
One Crossing Plow....................................24.00
Grain, Potatoes, and coarse feed.....................62.00
1/2 barrel syrup.....................................15.00
Timber for 86 posts...................................8.60
House Furniture......................................25.00
$1196.54
I owe 475.00
Total balance 721.54
Cash on hand 33.25
Total complete $754.78

The great and general incidents of the times is Chicago burned, great fires in NE Wisconsin and NW Michigan, great loss of life and property.
1872

The winter has been quite open. Mr. Ryder, McLaughlin and Theodore (Barringer) and I have been hauling several loads of corn from four miles East of Emmetsburg. We have been hauling it over the river on the ice. The livestock has seemed to wintered well.

Last year at this time everyone's horses and oxen were very poor. Corn and oats very high and hard to get. Very few had raised sufficient grain for themselves. Most of the farmers arrived too late in the year of 1870 to have any kind of crops planted to harvest in the fall. All of them had to build homes for their families and did not have sufficient equiptment to work the land. Many lived in their wagons through the year until the had their shacks built for winter. This winter has shown a great change. There are very few poor horses or oxen. Grain of all kinds is plentiful and every farmer, nearly, in 1871 raised his own and more or less some to spare. It is fast being proved that the prarie in Palo Alto County is the place that excells in productive farm land.

APRIL:

Attend Board of Trustees meeting and school board meeting at Mr. Millers. Attend a dance at our sod schoolhouse

(the one not accepted by the schoolboard the year before, for school purposes)

Along with Mr. Goff, Hadley and others we make a trip to Algona. We buy seed at .75 a bushel. I buy and bring home 300 maple trees, around 1,500 poplar and cottonwood tree cuttings and some willow twigs which I plant about my land.

MAY 11, 1872: The members of the schoool board came to see me today and I agree to build an addition onto my house and let the same for school purposes for 5 1/2 months for the sum of $15.00 per month. I go to Mr. Goffs and buy 225 ft of lumber and one 6 lighted window for $7.50. I sell 21 gophers we have trapped for 21 cents.

The schoolboard officials sign a contract with Theodore (Barringer) to teach school here. School is to commence at once, so he teaches in my house while I work on the addition. I sign the contract on the agreement for addition to my house. It is to be 8' x 12' in size. The contracts were made out by Silas Ryder, director of schoolboard.

It has been very rainy here for some time. The roads are nearly impassable. I spend a few days with team and wagon trying to fill in some bad holes in our road. People are generally behind with their work. I go to Emmetsburg in the rain and pay for building--tarpaper $3.50, lumber $3.55, nails and latches $1.70 for blacksmithing 50 cents. The Des Moines River is very high, we cannot ford and have to take the ferry. With Theodore's help before and after school classes we finish the addition for the school. School classes are held in the schoolroom beginning on the 22, May.

JULY:

I have been working on the road, with team, wagon and plow. I get the news that I with many others are on swamp land.

(Jan, 11, 1873 note,: swampland turns out all right)

JULY 13: The board of Trustees meets at my house. The give me orders to purchase 3 scrapers for this Township for road purposes.

We have been having very heavy rains for many days, we are trying to keep the road passable. All is mud and water, the oats and wheat is bady lodged.

Theodore stops school for this and next week to enable us and everyone else to harvest hay and what grain we can.

I order the 3 scrappers for the township from W. H. Roper in Emmetsburg.

SEPT. 14, 1872: Theodore closes his school for the season.

SEPT. 17: Mr. Ryder finishes enclosing his house, he commences moving his family out of my house. It is very quiet and lonesome here tonight with just Theodore and I here after having the Ryders here for over a year. We feel we have lost part of our family. They were nice people to have around the place.

SEPT. 28: Attend a meeting of Township school officials in District #5. I take of the district a contract to build one outhouse 5'x8'--6' high of rough materal for the sum of $30.00, to be completed b Nov. 1, 1872. Mr. Ham is sick, we neighbors band together and stack his hay and grain for him.

OCTOBER 18: Prarie fires have been burning about here since the 10th. Today Mr. Damon looses ten tons of hay. Very high southwest winds and the fire burns with great fury. Make a bargain with Charles Harris to build him a house 12'x16', he to help me, for $25.00. I am digging a cellar at my home. Brother Emmett arrives from home (Wisc.) today--Oct. 18. We are hauling loads of wood from the river every day we can. I work at framing timber for Mr. Harris house. Mr. Leads and Mr. Lyman Spencer buy some corn from me.

OCT.25: We finish Mr. Harris' house today. I bought from Mr. Oliver some lumber. Pay Mrs. Ryder $1.00 for making me a broom, and finishing a pair of pants I was working on.

OCT.29: We complete the registery for election. Mr. John Eaton comes and stays overnight. He is looking over the land. Theodore and I and Emmett build the backhouse for Schooldistrict #5. Twp. 97.

NOV. 4: Attend school meeting at Mr. Hams. I take of the directors a job to put up pattent seats in the two school houses, and clean the same for $10.00

NOV. 5: Clerk at election held at Lost Island, Iowa. The following officers were elected to serve through the year 1873:

Town Clerk................J. T. Somes
Assessor..................L. T. Barringer
Trustees..................Horace Scott
James Freeman
E. E. Curtis

The school board officials elected were:

James Freeman Silas Ryder
J. W. Hovey Horace Scott
Reports were read by the schoolboard of 1872. Four schoolhouses were built. Two were shanty houses 12'x16', roughly clapboarded and with rough seats at a cost of $85.00 apiece, in cash. Two permanent school houses 18'x28' were built at6 $818.00 apiece. They were without seats or outhouses. One was in District #1 and one in District #5. Said houses were furnished with pattent seats and rough out houses built. The total cost about $1,000.00 each.

NOV. 12: Go to Ely store, buy tea .38, 1 barrel $1.25, salt .55, kerosene .25, lamp chimney .10. We set up some of the pattent seats in the school house. I bought 1 pair of boots from Mr. Charles Harris for $3.00 and trade overcoats with him, he is staying with me while we seal up his house.

DECEMBER 1872:

Another year has ended, with our families haveing quite sturdy 1 room shacks built. Better stables for their livestock. Produce stored in their dugout cellars for the winter. Schoolhouses built and roads cleared enough so one could follow them. Most farmers have saved suffecient seed for planting the next spring.

Our township is becoming quite populated. Tiny trees are beginning to show their presence throughout the area. Some houses and grain sheds are being beautified with a coat of paint!

We have held some sings and dances at our Sod Schoolhouse this winter. Some preaching meetings were held there throughout the summer too, as we have no preacher--"The best talker is the preacher and the loudest singer is the one that leads the singing" as Theodore says. I did not qualilfy for either.

Everyone seems confident they have chosen the most beautiful and most productive area in the State of Iowa.

As those elected Road Supervisors for the coming year did not qualify Joseph Damon and Silas Ryder have been appointed to fill that vacancy. The most notable events of the times is that U. S. Grant is elected to a second term of Presidency by a majority of some 500,000 ballots. A complete Republican victory.

The raging of the Epizuntic, a horse disease which has swept throughout the country is a great worry hereabouts. It has swept through the east causing much anxiety and a great threat to business especially in the cities. Whole neighborhoods and cities being affected at once and scarcely a well horse left. Drayage and other city business in this line was motionless except for carts drawn by men or oxen. It seems to last from 7 to 12 days. The disease spread westward with almost lightning speed. It broke out in Emmetsburg last week. As yet our horses have escaped although it is in the immediate vicinity.

I, along with Mr. Eaton go to Palmer Roots south of Virgin lake, I have not been to this lake before.

I received $32.50 from the board of county supervisors as pay for services rendered as Town Clerk in 1872. I buy deming .25, thread .20, and begin a shirt tonight.

We are putting up [attent seats in the school houses nearly everyday.

We have killed between 150 and 200 rats around our stable and grain house this year and we are now full to overflowing with rats and mice now. We have to watch our seed grain constantly, so they won't eat all of it.

I borrowed a book from James Freeman. "The Indian Massacre in Minn. which gives the tales of and woe that filled with terror the whole of western Minnesota. It has been severly cold for several days. We read books we have borrowed, patch old clothes and tend the stock.

1873

JANUARY 1: I baked two New Years cakes and 2 surprise cakes today. The surprise cakes are heavy and black owing to the whortleberry sauce used in their composition.

JANUARY 7: It was very warm and pleasant in the A.M. Almost like a late spring day. I started for the postoffice, but a storm suddenly came up and amid drifting snow I retreated for home. The storm grew in violence throughout the day and night. It is very severe, the worst I can remember experiencing. We have to dig throughj the snow drifts to find our stable. The storm and blowing lasts for many days. It is very difficult to feed the stock.

JANUARY 24: I finally got to the postoffice today. I hear of many freezing to death in the snow storm in Iowa and Minnesota, and many hardships in our area. I guess I was quite fortunate. It was during this storm of Jan 7, 1873 that many were caught far away from their homes gathering wood and supplies for their families.

A note written by America J. Root (Barringer) to her daughter Aletha is the following account of the death of her father:

"One beautiful bright morning in January 7 of 1873, your father (Palmer J. Root) started to the little Sioux River to get wood for fuel. About 1 P.M. a terrific blizzard swept the country coming upon us almost like a flash of lightning from the sky, growing worse all the afternoon. We had almost dispared of him making his way home across the unmarked prarie and hoped he had found some p[lace to stop, when about sundown your father drove into the yead. My brother and wife and a cousin were staying with us at the time. When we heard the squeaking of the wagon wheels we hurried out and found your father nearly frozen. His face was covered with ice, with a breathing place around his mouth and holes for his eyes. He cound not have gone much farther. He had made the last few miles by using the load of wood as a windbreak and letting the horses take their own course. In March he was taken sick from which he did not recover. The doctors said it was from the effects of the exposure in that storm." Palmers death left a 21 year old widow with a 1 year old daughter.) FEBRUARY 1873: The results of the census I have just completed in Township 96 and 97 are:
There are residing in our Township:
159 males
137 females
52 voters
66 crossbreads
35 foreigners

Crops raised and improved land:

1,648 acres of improved land
4,206 bushel wheat raised
4,275 bushel corn raised
3,739 bushel oats raised
70 bushel of barley raised

We are busy threshing.

(The grain had been cut and stacked in the fall and in the winter months the neighborhood formed a crew and went from place to place threshing out the grain.)

I loan Mr. Christensen my horse to ride to Emmetsburg for a doctor tonite. We are busy in the evenings patching clothes, sewing pants and shirts and making brooms.

MARCH: Go to Lost Island. There is a great deal of excitement of news of a railroad crew that has set up headquarters at Elbow lake. Mr. Ely is moving his store there.

APRIL: I go to Elbow Lake and talk to Mr. Langdon, he being a railroad contractor and find he is selling off his supplies on account of orders from headquarters not to build the railroad through here. The contracts are all let from Algona to Spencer. Mr. Langdon has the shanties built and plows, scrapers and carts and some workmen on the grounds and ready to commence work. Now by order of the company all is stopped. The reason given is that they are to build a railroad in Wisconsin, where a land ground is given. Lake Superior and St. Croix River being the starting and ending points. I buy a cow of Mr. Langdon for $30.00, 10 lbs. of apples, $1.00, three fourths barrel salt for $2.75, 8 1/2 lbs. sugar $1.00, 1 lb. tea $1.20, 1 pail of rice and pail for $1.50. Mr. Langdon has a large pile of lumber stacked that he was going to build with, to sell to. While I am there Mr. Ely's store catches fire, we help him save what we can, which is very little. He had just finished building his store and had just set up his stove. He started a fire in the stove and the many sparks from the chimney caught fire to the thick, dry slough grass that is all around the lake shore. He is a very discouraged man.

(Many years later when Mr. Ely is mentioned the reports given state that when the railroad did not go through in 1873 that he left the area completely. He moved back to his store at Lost Island and continued in business there for several years.)

I make a deal with Mr. Langdon to buy his lumber and shantys. Begin hauling it home and tearing down the shanties.

Mr. E. E. Curtis and each take jobs from the school directors to build two shanty schoolhouses 12'x 16' for $245.00 apiece.

I also sold lumber to McLaughlin, Alanson Curtis, L. S. Ely, Mr. Lewis, Currans, D. Goff, and John Eaton lumber to build homes with.

MAY 10, 1873: Attend a township meeting. The letting of two jobs to bridge and build approaches across the inlets of Lost Island and Elbow lakes are contracted. Jobs let for $100.00 for Lost Island and $133.00 for Elbow.

Mr. Miller gives me some fish, many fish are being caught at the inlet to Lost Island Lake now.

JUNE: Mr. Orson Whitney called at my house tonight. He wants to sell his Homestead and move to Kussoth County.

We finished the schoolhouses the 30th, the schoolboard inspected them and the are both accepted. The crops look good even though we have had a great deal of rain through the spring and summer. There are homes being built all over the area. Many of them are being built of the lumber from the railroad camp at Elbow lake, being it is better lumber than what can be gotten at the river.

JUNE 2nd: Today a great black mass nearly covered the sky. It was grasshoppers. They swarmed over everything, one could hardly keep away from them even inside the buildings.

JUNE 3: The grasshoppers left towards the East this evening. They have eaten nearly every bit of grain, gardens, bark from my little tress and anything else they desired.

JUNE 4: Attend a meeting at Lost Island. Hear of the great loss of everyone from the grasshoppers. We are all very concerned as most of our money has gone into the planting of our crops. We fear we may not harvest enough for seed for next year. All of us are deeply in debt. At our meeting Lost Island Township was divided and Township 96 was set off from 97 and named Highland Township. I now find myself a resident of Highland Township.

JULY: We build an addition on the side of our house 8'x24', shanty roof. We are harvesting in the neighborhood, yield appears to be very discouraging.

SEPT: The last few weeks have been very busy for everyone, fixing up stables, cutting sod corn and plowing has been the principal work. The sod corn was not ripe, being the latest we planted. The first we planted was almost entirely destroyed by grasshoppers. Father (Peter Barringer and mother and family arrived today.)

Mr. Crowley and Mr. Card were here to buy some lumber today.

OCTOBER 14, 1873: Election at Lost Island, Iowa. The following were elected as officials to serve through 1874:

Town Clerk..............J. M. Zook
Assessor................J.M. Carpenter
Trustees................E.E. Curtis
Amos Miller
James Currans
Justices................E.E. Curtis
S. White

NOV. 29: A petition has been circulated to hold school classes in the winter. At a school meeting today the petition was read, voted on and was not accepted.
V OCTOBER 31, 1873: As father's agent I traded to Orson Whitney--one note I hold amounting to $177.00, one horse, harness and cutter valued at $300.00 in all, for his Homestead. 35 acres being broke and a small house on the place.

DECEMBER 1873: The winter has been very mild and agreeabale this far. It seems a divine favor for this unfortunate section owing to the wetness of the past season and the ravages of the grasshoppers. The north western part of Iowa has been left very destitute of provisions for man and beast excepting an abundance of good hay for the livestock. Some are receiving aid from abroad, and counties are helping their poor. To add to this misfortune people are generally heavily in debt and are being more or less harrassed by their creditors. Some burn hay and a great many burn willows. Coal costs $10.50 a ton in Emmetsburg and is too high to be reached by but a very few.

1874

JANUARY: Mr. E. E. Curtis and myself decide to call a meeting of the farmers in vicinity to discuss the propriety of organizing a Farmer's Club. Time set for the meeting is for January 10, 1874 at 10 A.M. at the Lake View schoolhouse.

JAN. 10: We organize a club called the "Farmers Co- operative Club" of Highland Township, Palo Alto County Iowa. Fourteen members join at the first meeting. We set about framing a constitution. I am asked to write it up.

Hold another meeting of the Farmer's Cooperative Club". The constitution I framed was accepted and adopted. (This was very lengthy and to involved to copy here)

We elected the following officers:

President ............Horace Scott
Secretary ............Theodore Barringer

I am asked to write an article for the Palo Alto Patriot in Emmetsburg telling of the club and inviting farmers through the county to join our club. This I did and the following is a copy of the article prepared by me and which was the first public announcement of the Farmer's Club which received much well deserved praize and the results of the club were beyond our wildest expectations.

FARMER'S CLUB

To the Editor
Palo Alto Patriot

We beg to say to the farmers of Palo Alto county through your paper that the farmers of Highland at a meeting held on the 17th affected an organization to be known as the "Farmer's Co-operative Club" of Highland, Palo Alto County, Iowa. Horace Scott was elected president and Theodore C. Barringer secretary for the ensuing year. A constitution with rules and regulations was adopted.
The object of the club is to combine the farmers of the county in an organization that shall work on a cooperative plan in the purchase of dry goods, groceries, and farming utensils, also the selling of their produce. The club has in view the starting of a cooperative store to provide goods cannot be purchased from present dealers at satisfactory rates.
Article 5 of the constitution provides that in no case shall members of this club enter into a suit at law until they present a plain statement of their differences to the club, and shall have allowed them an opportunity to adjust them if possible.
The club appointed a committee to invite the farmers of the county to collect at their respective places of general business and organize into cooperative bodies for the purpose of effecting a general cooperative movement and as one of such committee I invite you to organize at once.
The impression is fast gaining ground that farmers have been already too long silent and have suffered a few to monopolize and govern both the buying and selling prices. The tillers of the soil have the power and should use it to the extent of establishing equility and justice to all men.
The farmers of this place are fully aline to the work, and feel confident that their farming neighbors will readily lend their energies and arm of support.

Lyman T. Barringer

The Palo Alto Patriot of Emmetsburg had this article printed in comment of the club:

"The farmers of Highland have inaugerated a noble movement and the sturdy men of that township know no such thing as fail. We are glad to note that the farmers of Palo Alto County are awakening to a sense of their own interests. Too long have they laid sublimly on on their backs hugging the delusive phantom of hope until their enemies have bound them hand and foot. They have since the organization of the county, surrendered to the unreasonabale demands of monoplists and middle men, and to a certain extent become the victims of speculating sharpers and politicl mountebanks, but now they propose to stand up man like, godlike, statesmanlike and patriot like in earnest difiance of their own interests regardless of partisian clans, cliques.
Let every farmer of those whose interests are identified with their prosperity come out to the meeting on the 7th of March and consult as to the best means of promoting and encouraging the agricultural interests of this county."
The club now numbers 69. Meetings have been called in Silverlake twp. and Emmetsburg and farmers are making up to their interest. Lost Island twp. has joined with our Highland club.

club meeting, J. A. Anthony, Horace Scott and myself were appointed a committee to make temporary arrangements with some dry goods and grocery dealer for the trade of the club. We go to Emmetsburg, in that city, Mr. Roper offers the greatest inducements for trade of our club being he will sell merchandise at 10 percent the actual cost of price, on all hardware, on farming impliments and machinery he will sell at 7 percent. The members of the club of this place are now getting their dry goods and groceries and hardware at a large discount on them. They have contracted their trade with Toben Kirby and DeShields drygoods and Grocery and with W. H. Roper Hardware Stores of Emmetsburg.

The trading done has proved highly satisfactory to the members.

On Feb. 18,
Mr. Horace Scott and I conclude to call a meeting to consider what moves will be taken to obtain seed grain for the destitute of the Wisconsin for the purpose of soliciting aid for the needy of the organization. It was decided that if aid be obtained that the present needy members of the club be served first.
The following was issued:
Highland Palo Alto, Co., Iowa
February 24, 1874

Gentlemen:

This is to certify that at a meeting of the Farmer's Club of this place held the 21st day of this month for the purpose of devising some means of obtaining seed grain and feed for those members of the club that have none, whose crops were ruined by the grasshopper raid of last season.
Horace Scott was requested by the unanimous voice of the club to go to Wisconsin and solicit aid from those able to give for the purpose of the above mentioned.

Horace Scott
President
T. C. Barringer, secretary
(The following was circulated among the businessmen in Emmetsburg)

We, the undersigned, having from personal acquaintence with the above named Horace Scott perfect confidence in his truth and veracity, would respectfully assure those of whom he may solicit that they may rely in confidence upon what he says as the truth.

Emmetsburg, Iowa
Palo Alto County, Iowa
February 24, 1874
Name Occupation
Barnham Ormsby & Company......Bankers
A.D. Gallop...................Liveryman
W.H. Roper....................Hardware Dealer
T.W. Harrison.................Attorney at law
George B. McCarty.............Attorney at law
D.W. Chamberlain..............Grocer
Thomas C. Davis...............Postmaster
D.DeShields...................Merchant
M.L. Brown....................County Treasurer
C.A. Hoffman..................Agricultural Agent
J.A. White....................Lumber Merchant
J.D. Hall.....................Merchant
E.E. Ketchum, C. Lehhart......Clothiers
Matt Joice....................Grocer
O.C. Bates....................Editor, Palo Alto Patriot
G. Godfrey....................Jeweler
F.S. Roper....................Hotel Keeper
P. Joice......................Merchant
L.C. Church...................Butcher
T.E. McMurtis.................Medical Doctor
J.J.Whitney...................Medical Dodtor
C.W. McKinley.................Agriculture Dealer
P.I. Hays.....................Hotel Keeper
J.H. Mathers..................Artist
J.M.Church....................Saddler
E.G. Pond.....................Miller
J.A. Anthony..................Countyy Supervisor

Money was donated and Mr. Scott along with George Ham left for the east on March 2, 1874.

MARCH 9, 1874: Annual schoolmeeting of the district township. The electors appointed a committee composed of, E.E. Curtis, Talmadge, T.C. Barringer, J. Currans, and L.T. Barringer to investigate the proceedings of the schoolboards from the organization of Lost Island Iowa up to the present time and report on same March 16, 1874. At investigation of committee above named it was found that some of the school records were very difficult to understand. The money spent was not recorded clearly. We make out a report from records and from what we know from personal experience, and also recommend to the meeting that rules be laid down for the schoolboard members to follow so that all records are kept in the same manner as prescrived by law enabling the official into whose hands the books next falls into, can clearly understand the previous proceedings.

Our report was read and accepted. At a schoolmeeting held at the home of Mr. Carpenter, this is a subdistrict meeting, Joseph Damon was elected subdirector. The district directors voted to have a three months summer and winter school for the ensuing year. A tax of 15 mills on the dollar of the assessed property value, Said tax to be used for the erection of a schoolhouse in this subdistrict.

MARCH 26: Attend a special meeting of the Farmer's Cooperative Club. Mr. Scott and George Ham have returned from Wisconsin. They return the money remaining from their expences while they were gone.

Mr. Anthony reported that he had received letters from seed dealers stating that they had shipped seeds free gratis to be distributed among those needing them. One firm said they had shipped $150.00 worth at retail price. Another firm $60.00 worth, another did not state the value. Mr. Anthony has been ordered to write, as he did, thank you letters to these companies.

Mr. Scott and Ham indicated that more could be expected from Wisc. and parts of Iowa.

We owe much thanks to Mr. Scott, Ham, and The Business men of Emmetsburg for this unbelivable results of this venture.

After the meeting was closed the crowd had a very nice social hour. The relaxation of the tensions of many men here is very evident tonight in their manner.

1874--continued:--

APRIL 4: At a meeting of the Farmers Club today garden seeds were distributed free gratis. They were sent from Eastern seed growers on account of our Grasshopper suffering. Mr. John Anthony, Simon Toreson and J.W. Hovey were appointed to distribute the seeds in their respective neighbnorhoods. J.M. Carpenter, Simon Toreson and Mr. Tallmadge were appointed to distribute such articles as had been donated to the club to those most in need. The articles consisted chiefly of flour, pork and second hand clothing.

On May 8, 1874 a tornado struck the shanty schoolhouse that was located South East of the home buildings of Lyman Barringer (Bill Prichard home). The teacher, Theodore Barringer had just dismissed the students and had all stepped out of the door of the house when a tornado lifted the schoolhouse up and completely crushed it. None of the students were injured.

MAY 21: Peter and Lyman Barringer contract to build a bridge and approaches across a marsh for township.

MAY 24: Attend sabbath school. S.S. Ormsby and others from Emmetsburg help us organize.

, JUNE 8: Tornado goes through country. A man by Spencer was killed by flying timber.

JUNE 27, 1874: The grasshoppers are on the wing. The air seems to be alive with millions of flying grasshoppers. They fill the air daily from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. Our crops are being destroyed by them.

OCTOBER 14, 1874: (This has nothing to do with the grasshoppers)

A dark day lights were nessessary until afternoon. A dark yellow or redish cloud or mist spread casting a yellowish or redish tint on everything.

1875

MARCH 1: Attend sub-district school meeting. F.O. Howe was elected school subdirector.

1876

APRIL 1876: There was a great outbreak of measles at this time. Mrs. Peter Barringer died. Whole families would be sick at a time. There were quite a few deaths.

A Miss. Stemer taught school at the schoolhouse on sec. lo and boarded at the Lyman B. Home.

JULY 27: The grasshoppers came from the north.

The 30th: The grasshoppers during their short stay have done great damage. They have eaten nearly every leaf off of 80 rods of willow hedge I set out and poplar trees at the front of my house. They are cutting the heads off of the oats and are fast destroying the corn. They number is many millions. I went to my place at Virgin lake and there is hardly any grasshoppers there.

6th AUG: Most of the grasshoppers left here the 2nd. They cut the heads off of my late oats entirely ruining them. Father (Peter) lost 10 to 15 acres of oats. Grasshoppers flying south and the air is thick with them. They are massed as high up as the eye can reach. They form one vast cloud so thick at times in places as to hide the sky. The air was filled with this vast cloud of grasshoppers from 8 to 9 A.M. until about 5 P.M. Their number in the millions of millions.

AUG. 13: The grasshoppers have destroyed late corn through this section by eating the tassels and silk. Theodore lost 15 acres, Father 15 acres and I eleven acres.

20th: Grasshoppers have left the area today. This was thrashing time.

Mr. Barringer had bought a threshing machine and thrashed throughout the township. Some he thrashed for were Bargstrom, Evans, German, Berk, Lee, Currans, Christiansons, Smiths, Ryder, Colton.

For a "Life Lengthened"
May 27, 1876
(from diary of Lyman T. Barringer)
Simply observe all of these rules:

1. Cultivate an equal temper (even); many a man has falled dead in a fit of passion.
2.Eat regularly, not over thrice a day, and nothing between meals.
3. Go to bed at regular hours. Get up at soon as you wake yourself, and do not sleep in the daytime--at least, not longer than ten minutes before noon.
4. Work always by the day and not by the job.
5. Stop working before you are very much tired--before you are "fagged out".
6. Cultivate a generous and accomodating temper.
7. Never cross a bridge before you come to it; this will save you half the troubles of life.
8. Never eat when you are not hungry, nor drink when you are not thirsty.
9. Let your appetite always come uninvited.
10. Cool off in a place greatly warmer than the one in which you have been exercising; this simple rule would prevent incalculable sickness, and save millions of lives every year.
11. Never resist a call of nature for a single moment.
12. Never allow yourself to be chilled "through and through" it is this which destroys so many every year, in a few days sickness, from pneumonia, called by some lung fever, or inflamation of the lungs.
13. Whoever drinks no liquids at meals will add years of pleasurable existence to his life. Of cold or warm the former are the most penicious; drinking at meals induces persons to eat more than they otherwise would as anyone can verify by experiment; and it is excess in eating which devistates the land with sickness, suffering and death.
14. After fifty years of age, if not a day laborer and sedentary persons after forty, should not eat but twice a day--in the morning and about four in the afternoon; for every organ without adequate rest will "give out prematurely".
15. Begin early to live under the benign influence of the christian religion; for it "has the promice of life that now is, and of that which is to come."
from the Journal of Health.

1877

Mr. Cedarhome was hired by many to do masonry work on buildings.

DECEMBER 28, 1877: A house and 2 children burned about 5 miles west of here.
A note of the times** March 1876, Theodore and wife are staying at my house. Theo. is building on his homestead. The fore part of the winter was cold but quite free from storms. The middle part is ntoed for it's extreme warmpth. The latter part is very moderate.

There is a large number of persons in NorthWest Iowa who are anxious to rent cows and young stock paying from $6. to $8. a year for cows taking for a term of years and making good all losses. Cows sell from $18. to $25. Prices are firm. Horses are dull and range at about $100. for good on from 6 to 12 month time. Work oxen are dull at $75. to $100. per yoke on time. Yearlings cash at $6 to $7 . Wheat firm about $1.00, oats at .30.

The ground is well filled with grasshopper eggs and much doubts and fears are felt as to the safety of the coming crops of grain in consequence.

R.B. Hayes was sworn in president of the United States March 3, after a very close and exciting contest.

Times are unusually dull and hard here at present owing principally to the grasshoppers raid of last season and the doubtfull prospects for the coming seasons crops owing to the large deposit of grasshopper eggs here and for several hundred miles north, west and south.

MARCH 30: Attend special election, we asked that a road be laid north and south through the county.

MAY, 1877: The grasshoppers have hatched out in countless millions. They appear to move about considerabale in large boddies, especially do they seem to collect together in great numbers in raint weather & nights.

JUNE 13, 1877: I go to Emmetsburg and haul home the coal tar and 15 sheets of sheet iron that has been furnished to this township by the county to catch grasshoppers. The grasshoppers are not doing much damage here now they having become scattered over all of the prarie. Small grain looks excellent, corn is backward. Coal tar and sheet iron is being distributed through the grasshopper country for the purpose of catching them. It is used by smearing it over the sheet-iron plate which is drug along by hand. The hoppers jump up and into it and stick fast. It seems to be a very practical method but should be used when they first hatch for the greatest success.

JULY: The grasshoppers are flying every day--going with the wind.

WINTER: The winter has been quite mild. The settlers were plowing their fields in December, when it did snow it melted as soon as it hit the ground.

1878

JAN 8, 1878: Attend Methodist quarterly meeting.

JAN. 26: Warm and bright as May. Coats or mittins are not needed outdoors.

MARCH 29, 1878: Attend to my official duties as constable.

APRIL: Many are making trips to the river to gather maple and ash seeds to plant on their homesteads.

MAY 28, 1878: Have been breaking on the farm at Virgin Lake. When I was on my way home I stopped at the railroad shanties by Elbow to see how the work was progressing. I talked to a Mr. Crabtree there and tonight he brought his sick wife to my house out of a railroad shanty where she had lain sick for sometime. The shanty roof was leaking and she would be wet all of the time. She is a very sick woman. Mate puts her in our bed but she is very weak.

JULY 10: A very heavy rainfall last night, heaviest I've ever seen. On checking I find the bridges are washed out on our roads.

JULY 23, 1878: Stop at the railroad to see how the railroad tracks are coming. The railroad is now laid to Emmetsburg. I buy a pup wolf for $1.00 from one of the railroad workers.

JULY 28: We have been having a very unusual amount of rain of late, the grain is ripe but the ground is so soft that it is almost impossible to get it. The reapers mire on a large part of the fields. Oats are badly lodged, wheat which two weeks ago promised a very large yeild has blighted badly and will scarely be 1/2 a crop. Some pieces are not being worth cutting. Bridges have in nearly every instance been carried off by high water and to travel about is very difficult.

AUG.: We are busy thrashing E.E. Curtis homestead. There is quite a bit of excitement about the railroad coming here, although most of the conversation pertains to the weed crops we are harvesting instead of wheat and oats.

SEPTEMBER 17, 1878: Rainy, attend the trial of Ruthven vs Langdon.

OCTOBER 5, 1878: I have been busy working on the roads and bridges between here and Emmetsburg that were washed very badly. Tonight around ten o'clock I am called by Dr. Whitney to go with him to the F.O. Howe home. Mr. Howe has shot himself in his arm and it was mangled so badly that I had to assist in holding him while Dr. Whitney and Dr. Perkins amputate it.

OCT. 7: Attend funeral of F.O. Howe.

OCTOBER 15: We had a very cold high wind and rain storm and probably a cyclone, but no one cound see for sure because of all of the dust. The schoolhouse by my place and brother's Emmet and Charles' house blow down.

OCT. 18: I receive letters of administrator in the Estate of J.O. Howe deceased.

NOV. 19: Thirteen of us neighbormen met with the schoolboard last week, and get an old schoolhouse to fix up for Mrs. Howe.

1879

FEBRUARY: We have had the doctor (Dr. Cody) from Emmetsburg here at Father's because of sickness. A great many are sick about here on account of the spring like weather we are having.

APRIL 20, 1879: The season is very dry. There has not been any rain this Spring to speak of and very little snow was on the ground to melt. I am busy setting willow hedges on the west and S.E. corner of my gardenlot.

MAY 10, 1879: A long heavy noise was heard at about 3 P.M.. It proves to have been made by a large meteor which fell striking near Esterville in Emmet County, 20 miles distant, some 700 pounds of has been dug up. It made a hole 12 feet deep.

MAY 26: Do little. Fruit tree men take up my time--Governor and High Sheriff!

May-June 28: I have finished setting posts at the school house

(In a map he has drawn of his homestead (Bill Prichard home) he shows the school house to be located at the South end of his land along the road) This is located two miles north and three miles east of the present town of Ruthven, Iowa

JULY 1879: I have been plowing and hoeing the trees at the lake farm and staying overnight at the Davis' home.

(South edge of Virgin lake was where the farm was)

Virgin Lake is about two miles south of Ruthven

AUG: I now have 13 swarms of bees on my place. They are laying up considerable honey. We had the first for dinner today. Wheat and barley are poor, oats and corn are excellent, I am beginning to believe it does not pay to raise wheat. Stay overnight with Smiths.

8th: To Emmetsburg, selling honey. I sell all I have with me for 20 cents per pound.

17th: I have builting a barn and land. In the morning today I cut buckwheat. This afternoon I extract honey. I have taken from my best swarm 69 1/2 pounds of comb honey which I have sold for $16.44 in cash and 34 1/2 pounds of extract honey at .20 per pound making a total of $23.34. This was a new hive made July 4th last. I can sell the swarm if I choose for $10.00. My next best swarm gave me 62 pounds of extract honey. I have left in each swarm about 40 pounds of honey. Helped Mr. J.T. Eaton move a house.

SEPTEMBER 20, 1879: Attend convention of Supervisors Dist No. 5. I received the nomination for supervisor without opposition. Loose a swarm of bees. I saw them fly away while I was working on the road today.

OCTOBER 1, 1879: I work in the barn. Father (Peter) and Emmet and Charles loose about 800 bushel of grain by fire besides their harness, stable and 40 tons of hay. It has been very windy and a lot of prarie fires these days.

NOV.: Thrashing. I have thrashed our 33 bushel buckwheat, 125 bushel wheat, 225 bu. oats and 108 bushel barley on my homestead thus far.

13th: I hauled my oats to Ruthven today and sold them.

1880

JANUARY 1: We go to visit the Ruthven's this evening. Snow is nearly all gone. We leave our doors open. A springlike day in appearance.

15th: We hold a prayer meeting at our house tonight. I painted my barn roof today.

25th: Very fine meetings. Close which have been holding for the past 2 weeks by Elder Goodrich.

The weather has been so fine for 2 or 3 weeks past that we do not wear mittens while choring. Pork is worth about 4 cents a pound. 26th: G. Gunderson (brother-in-law) is thrown from a buggy and badly hurt today. I set up with G. Gunderson at Knudt Toresons (27th) who is at the point of death from injuries received from being thrown from a buggy. George died at Toresons tonight (28) at about one oclock. He was unconcious from the time of his fall untill his death, the brain being badly shattered.

30th: Attend the burial of George Gunderson. It is snowing.

31st: Go to Dan Chaffee's.

FEB. 21: Husk corn. Attend donation at Lake view school for Elder Goodrich. The wild geese are flying it is warm as spring.

22: Visited at D.L. Roots at Virgin Lake tonight.

MARCH 5: Go to Ruthven. Get a cow I rented to C.L. Davis. I loose a 2 year old heifer which fell in an open well.

22: Go to visit Sederholms (Cedarhomes?)

APRIL 10: I am setting a pasture fence with willows and a crowbar. Get 400 Ash trees from the river.

JULY 1880--4th: Go to Lost Island to celebrate. I have been working on the roads.

AUG. 21: Go to Gillets Grove gathering plumbs. Haul cane to the mill at Dan Chaffee's

18th: Extract honey. I take 165 pounds from one hive, 106 of comb honey and 59 pounds of extract.
We are thrashing at Fathers, Theodore's, Hansens, Dwight Goffs, Ryders.

OCT. 9: We thrashed until noon when we quit on account of high wind, large prarie fires. I hurry to Virgin Lake farm to protect young timber from fire.

OCT. 16, 1880: Snow and blizzard. A terrible storm. 5 hens, and 7 pigs of mine freeze to death by tonight the snow is drifted 4 feet deep where yesterday we had no snow but (During rest of month) made corn crib, dug potatoes, husk corn, go to Spencer, husk corn.

NOV. 10: Snow, drifting cold.

12: Very cold. Go to the mill at Emmetsburg.
14: A very deep snow last night and today.
15: Go to Ruthven with a load of hogs (I am putting such in to help as to the time certain business' may have started in Ruthven--

In some other old records I have read that the first store in Ruthven was the shack used by the railroad workmen in 1878, which was later turned into a saloon. It looks as though there was a lumber yard in late 1878 or early 1879 and also a hog buying station. Dad said (Carver) when he came here in 1919 he and Leonard Wigdahl unloaded about 30 head of horses at the stockyards and they had plenty of room to keep them there for them for several days. Also there were quite a few creameries, hotels but not one saloon as far as he knew in 1919. On July 4th that year he went to Lost Island and rode on the steamboat, maybe he has told you that. My uncle Lester Barringer, said there were 5 livery barns in town--when he was a kid, one where Rienders were, one on East corner of block (North East) by legion hall is (this is mentioned in the 1891 or 1892 pages of Lyman's diary)

DEC. 21: Very cold. Blizzard.
DEC. 26: Stormy.
27: Very cold
28: Blizzarding, very cold.
29: Blizzarding, very cold.
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