RIVERVIEW CEMETERY WALK VOICES FROM THE PAST

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1 A Publication of the Kossuth County Genealogical Society D-Y-T c/o Algona Public Library 210 North Phillips Street, Algona, IA Website: Volume VI, Summer Issue June, 2012 RIVERVIEW CEMETERY WALK VOICES FROM THE PAST JULY 12, 2012 AT 6:30 PM AT RIVERVIEW CEMETERY IN ALGONA INDOOR PRESENTATION JULY 15, 2012 AT 2:00 PM MASONIC HALL, 1413 N. MCCOY, ALGONA, IOWA

Some well-known names of the area from our pioneer days as well as several not so well known will be featured during the presentation.

2 D-Y-T June, 2012 Page 2 A new element has been added to both begin and end Algona s Founders Day weekend this year. Riverview Cemetery will be the site of a cemetery walk entitled, Voices from the Past which is the production of the Algona AAUW and the Kossuth County Genealogical Society. Some well-known names of the area from our pioneer days as well as several not so well known will be featured during the presentation. Two separate presentations will be held during the Founders Day weekend. The first, scheduled for Thursday evening, July 12 th, will be held at Riverview at 6:30 p.m. The second will be an indoor performance which will be held at the Masonic Hall at 1413 North McCoy in Algona on Sunday, July 15 th at 2 p.m. The Sunday performance will be both handicapped accessible and air conditioned and will also serve as a rain date. Thanks to the sponsorship of the Haggard-Twogood Trust and the Algona Founders Day committee, there will be no charge for the event this year. Riverview Cemetery is the oldest cemetery in Kossuth County. The first burial there took place in 1857 before the cemetery was even officially platted. Those who attend the walk will note the many unique and ornate headstones which decorate the rolling hills on which the burial ground is located. Perhaps the most fascinating feature at the location is the Call mausoleum where Sarah Heckart Call will come forth to tell the story of her life as the wife of Judge Asa C. Call, one of the founders of Algona. There will be six other stops along the way. Captain William Ingham and his wife, Caroline Rice Ingham, will recall the early days of settlement in Kossuth County and their subsequent rise to prominence in the community. Christian and Elizabeth Clarke Hackman will tell of their separate paths leading to Algona and of life following their marriage. You will meet O. A. Atwood who will relate the story of his Civil War service and also describe his days as an insurance salesman in the bustling young town of Algona. One of the early surveyors of our county, David Haggard and his wife, Susie, will share many stories of the abundant game and natural beauty of Kossuth County. Dr. S.G.A. Read, his wife, Lizzie Bunnell Read, and Lizzie s brother, Nathan Bunnell, will also be introduced. Dr. Read practiced medicine in the area while Lizzie was the publisher of the Upper Des Moines newspaper. Col. Robert Spencer will share the tale of his harrowing escape as a prisoner of the Confederacy as well as the story of his distinguished career of service to others. A special feature of Col. Spencer s story will include the unveiling of the saddle he rode in many local Memorial Day parades and, it is believed, during his Civil War service. The saddle was just recently donated to the Kossuth County Historical Society by John Spencer, the Colonel s grandson, and will also be on display at the Wells Fargo building July 13 th and July 14 th. Parking will not be permitted in the west part of the cemetery during the walk. Some parking will be available on the east side of the cemetery and along Pine Street on the south. Carpooling is encouraged. The walk is considered easy, but it is not handicapped or stroller accessible. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended. The program will last approximately 90 minutes. Seating will not be provided, but participants are encouraged to bring portable chairs. Another addition to the Founders Day weekend occurs on Sunday morning, July 15th. The Kossuth County Historical Society is holding a breakfast at the Masonic Hall from 9 to Noon. The menu includes a variety of scrambled eggs, potato wedges, cinnamon rolls, coffee and juice. Tickets are $7 for adults and $4 for children and are available at the Chamber, from any KCHS board member or at the door. Tickets will also be available at the cemetery walk Thursday evening. The funds raised will assist the newly reorganized Society in many preservation projects.

D-Y-T June, 2012 Page 3 Our organization is very lucky to have access to the records that Mabel compiled. A box containing her work was found in the genealogy library at the Algona Public Library.

3 D-Y-T June, 2012 Page 3 Our organization is very lucky to have access to the records that Mabel compiled. A box containing her work was found in the genealogy library at the Algona Public Library. The family trees of fifty-five of the earliest settlers of Kossuth County are set out in long-hand by Mabel herself. One has only to briefly study the genealogies to understand the herculean efforts it must have taken to compile this information when everything was done by studying courthouse records, visiting cemeteries and writing letters asking for information. The task of researching and compiling your own family records can take a lifetime and yet Mabel found the time and fortitude to do not only her own and that of her husband, but to also research 55 additional families. An example of Mabel s work follows: THE FAMILY OF CHRISTIAN HACKMAN Christian Hackman came to Kossuth County in 1855 and settled on a farm south of the settlement of Algona in Cresco township. He was a cabinet maker by trade. He was a buglar in the Northern Border Brigade. Christian Hackman b. Hesse, Dornstadt, Ger. December 26, 1823 d. Algona, Iowa October 14, 1887 m. Algona, Iowa May 24, 1860 Elizabeth Clark b. Indiana December 18, 1831 d. Algona, Iowa December 24, 1909 (Daughter of Malachi and Rachel (George) Clark) Children I. Edward William Hackman b. Cresco Township September 30, 1861 II. George Frederick Hackman b. Irvington Township April 26, 1863 III. Albert Harl Hackman b. Irvington Township December 10, 1865 IV. Lewis Charles Hackman b. Cresco Township January 28, 1868 V. Miles James Hackman b. Cresco Township October 6, 1872 VI. Veronica Martha Hackman b. Cresco Township July 3, 1876

4 D-Y-T June, 2012 Page 4 * * * * * I. Edward William Hackman b. Cresco Township September 30, 1861 d. - September, 1937 m. - August, 1887 Etta Allen b. -May 5, 1866 d. - September, 1909 Child A. Pearl A. Hackman b. Algona, Iowa m. Portland, Oregon Peter Lambert II. George Frederick Hackman b. Irvington Township April 26, 1863 d. Irvington Township Feb. 10, 1943 m. Algona, Iowa March 3, 1893 Sarah Vian Mullica b. Grand Junction, Iowa Feb. 25, 1876 d. Algona, Iowa April 4, 1940 (Daughter of French and Mary Jewett Mullica) Children A. Leota May Hackman b. Algona, Iowa December 9, 1893 m. Algona, Iowa September 27, 1916 Fred Geigel b. Renwick, Iowa January 20, 1894 (Son of Frank and Anna Bumgartner Geigel) Children i. Georga Ann Geigel b. Algona, Iowa - March 29, 1918 m. Algona, Iowa - April 10, 1942 Gerald Voigt b. Fenton, Iowa August 6, 1916 ii. Robert Geigel b. Algona, Iowa October 1, 1924 m. Iowa City, Iowa August 21, 1947 Vera Lackender B. George Hackman, Jr. b. Algona, Iowa February 19, 1900 d. Galesburg, Tenn. August 5, 1946 m. Knoxville, Tenn Martha Akin b III. Albert Harl Hackman b. Irvington Township December 10, 1865 d. November 21, 1932 m. April, 1892 Elizabeth Ann Ray b. St. Benedict, Iowa May 19, 1869 d. May 30, 1928 IV. Lewis Charles Hackman b. Cresco Township January 28, 1868 d. June 20, 1933 m. December, 1902 Lulu McConkey b. July 10, 1878 V. Miles James Hackman b. Cresco Township October 6, 1872 d. -April 15, 1935

5 D-Y-T June, 2012 Page 5 VI. Veronica Martha Hackman b. Cresco Township July 3, 1876 d m. - December 26, 1892 William F. Mullica b. Fairbury, Illinois June 27, 1867 d. Ortonville, Minn. October 16, 1933 Children A. John M. Mullica b. Algona, Iowa 1893 m. Lake City, Iowa 1921 Minnie L. Gregg B. Myrtle A. Mullica b. Algona, Iowa 1895 m. Ortonville, Minnesota 1915 Herbert J. Oatland One additional generation is contained in the family tree prepared by Mabel; however, it contains the names of living individuals who may or may not want to have their personal information printed so they have been omitted. We salute Mabel Kennedy Tjaden for her tireless efforts to preserve the genealogies of the founding fathers and mothers of Kossuth County. *************************************** Quick-Tip of the Month for Preservation--Ideas for Storing Those Old Family Garments *************************************** S v c d u and special occasion items such as wedding dresses and ancestral quilts that need appropriate attention to ensure their longevity. The Minnesota History Center has a very informative website offering tips on how to display, store, and clean clothing and textiles. There are many other worthwhile websites that can help address nearly any preservation need involving clothing and other material items, including a video d P v Ou C d T x H D Michael Marendy. At a run time of two minutes and thirty-five seconds, qu ck c

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7 D-Y-T June, 2012 Page 7 SWEA CITY SCHOOL INTERMEDIATE ROOM IN Undated clipping from Swea City Herald

8 D-Y-T June, 2012 Page 8 NEWS FROM KCGS As you know from the opening article our first ever cemetery walk is almost here. After months of research, script writing, actor seeking, costuming and all the other important details, we are excited to see the date approach. We hope you will be able to attend. Please help spread the news and invite a friend or two (or more) to come along. Admission is free this year and we guarantee if you enjoy local history, you will have a great time. This past winter KCGS applied for a grant from the Kossuth County Foundation for funds to purchase a projector to be used at meetings and for presentations. In the past we have had to beg, borrow or steal (yikes!) to have a projector for various projects. We are pleased that we did receive the grant and the society is now the owner of a brand new Epson projector. It will set sail on its maiden voyage at the indoor presentation of the cemetery walk. We look forward to enjoying its use for many years to come. In addition, we received $100 to be put toward the purchase of a camera. We have been narrowing down our choices and hope to soon have a camera for the society as well. This will come in handy to catalog all of our research materials as well as for use during programs and presentations. It will be another useful tool to bring information to our members. Summer is a great time to follow the trail of those pesky ancestors who have been eluding you to date. A walk in the cemetery might be just the ticket. Most cemeteries are so beautiful this time of year almost picture-perfect. Much more so than in days of yore. While researching the cemetery walk, news articles were found about caring for family plots in Riverview. Did you know that at one time owners/families were required to mow and care for their own lots? Controversies of various degrees arose over the care (or lack thereof) of grave sites. Many cemeteries such as Riverview were designed to have the appearance of a park and visitors were encouraged to picnic and spend time there. However, if families failed to care for their lots, it had a detrimental effect on the overall appearance of the cemetery. All of us have visited cemeteries without perpetual care. When you see a cemetery overgrown it adds another level of sadness to the story of your ancestors buried there. Fallen headstones remind us that time marches on and sometimes there is no one left to provide the care needed. On the other hand, it is interesting to see how active some cemeteries are. Joggers, dog walkers, bicyclists and, of course, genealogists all enjoy the quiet surroundings. Life goes on even in a cemetery. If you are in Kossuth County doing research this summer, don t forget to stop by the KCGS library at the Algona Public Library and see what s new on our shelves. Be sure to leave a note to let us know you were there and tell us what you found most interesting or what you d like to see in the future. BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Letty Henricksen, Pat Klemm, Jean Kramer, Manita Murphy & Nancy Yeoman

9 D-Y-T June, 2012 Page 9 From the book, Service Record - World War I and II - Titonka and Community Property of the Kossuth County Historical Society

10 D-Y-T June, 2012 Page 10 WEBSITES OF INTEREST From the Iowa Genealogy Society Newsletter Locating Immigrant Ship Pictures: Ancestry.com is just one avenue to follow if you re looking for photos of a specific immigrant ship. You can also try: An ordinary Google search if your ancestors arrived via New York between the 1890s and 1920s The Palmer list of Merchant Vessels at One warning: since ship names are not necessarily unique, confirm that the ship you find was in service during the correct dates and that it was operated by the correct shipping company. Do you have favorite genealogy websites? Please send them to us so we can share with our members. FOR SALE 1896 KOSSUTH COUNTY PLAT BOOK Printed in black & white With index 1901 KOSSUTH COUNTY PLAT BOOK With Index Each of the above are $25 + $1.75 tax and $5 P&H To order your copies, contact Jean Kramer at jkramer1976@hotmail.com or KCGS by mail Recent Additions to the Genealogy Room: Family Histories: Colonel Robert Henry Spencer Family History Plat Books: Farm Operators Rural Residence Map Kossuth County 1958 Other publications: Prairie Heritage Kossuth County Times Remembered Algona (2 nd copy) St. Cecelia s Catholic Church, Algona, Iowa 2012 directory Bishop Garrigan High School 2006 Alumni Directory Kossuth County, Iowa Marriages, Ann., Engagements for 1983

D-Y-T June, 2012 Page 11 KOSSUTH COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY The Kossuth County Genealogical Society was incorporated in June of 2007 and is a chapter of the Iowa Genealogical Society.

11 D-Y-T June, 2012 Page 11 KOSSUTH COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY The Kossuth County Genealogical Society was incorporated in June of 2007 and is a chapter of the Iowa Genealogical Society. The goal of our members is to archive the family records of Kossuth County, Iowa, and make them available to the general public. We collect and maintain genealogy material which is stored in the genealogy room at the Algona Public Library. We do research and answer queries regarding Kossuth County and its residents. We hold occasional meetings with an annual meeting in March. The society also publishes a newsletter several times throughout the year. To submit items for publication in newsletter, please to kossgensoc@hotmail.com including newsletter in the subject line or mail items to KCGS, c/o Algona Public Library, 210 North Phillips Street, Algona, IA MEMBERSHIP: Dues are $10 per year individual/$15 couple and run from March 1 to the last day of February. Membership includes subscription to the newsletter (one per membership). In addition to membership dues, KCGS welcomes donations, both of money and/or genealogical materials. MEETINGS: The annual meeting is held each March with occasional other meetings throughout the year. RESEARCH CHARGES: The Society charges a minimum of $5 for one-half hour of research and $10 per hour thereafter, plus copying costs and postage. Your research requests can be mailed to KCGS at the address listed on the front of the newsletter or can be submitted via to Nancy Yeoman at ncyeoman3@hotmail.com. When the materials requested have been located, a bill will be sent to you and upon payment receipt, the materials will be mailed to you. Application for Membership: Send this application and the annual dues to Kossuth County Genealogical Society, c/o Letty Henriksen, P.O. Box 16, Lone Rock, IA Donations are also welcome. Name: Address: City: State Zip Code Phone: Surnames Researching: Amount $ Year: Check #: Date Received: ( ) New ( ) Renewal

A CIVIL WAR SOLDIER S LETTER

A CIVIL WAR SOLDIER S LETTER D-Y-T A Publication of the Kossuth County Genealogical Society c/o Algona Public Library 210 North Phillips Street, Algona, IA 50511 kossgensoc@hotmail.com Website: www.kossuthcountygenealogicalsociety.com