Iowa Old Press

LeMars Sentinel
Friday, January 9, 1903

DIED:

August Niehus, of Marion township, died on Monday after a brief illness from
pneumonia, and the funeral was held on Wednesday at Remsen. The deceased
leaves a widow and four children. He was 37 years of age. He was highly
respected in the community where he lived. Mr. Niehus contracted the
illness, which proved fatal, about two weeks ago, when he went east to
attend the funeral of a relative. At the funeral, he contracted a cold and
returned home, the cold settling on his lungs developing into pneumonia from
which he died.

A FATAL KICK

Hans Rex, a livery man at Remsen died on Monday night from the effects of a
kick he received from a horse on New Year's Day. The horse kicked Rex in
the region of the heart, while he was walking behind the animal in its
stall. Rex has conducted a livery stable in Remsen for the past four years.
He leaves a wife and one daughter, Mrs. Fred Lemke, of Sioux City. The
funeral was held in Remsen on Wednesday.

BLEW A FIERCE GALE

LeMars and vicinity was visited by a terrific windstorm on Tuesday evening,
which lasted nearly all night, and continued, throughout the day on
Wednesday.

The wind sprang up on Tuesday afternoon about four o'clock after a day which
had been characterized by a Chinook wind and January thaw. The wind
increased in violence during the evening and at times blew with a velocity
exceeding seventy miles an hour and at intervals particles of snow and dirt
made a blinding blizzard.

Everything on the streets were swept whirling. It was dangerous for
passerby on the streets as the wind played havoc with a number of signs, and
outside lamps hanging from stores. The big sign at the Dalmonico restaurant
was blown to pieces and the glass in the opera house doors was smashed. A
number of plate glass windows were cracked by the force of the wind and in
several residence windows frames and lights were blown in. The tops of
chimney in various parts of town were blown down, and a number of small
buildings and sheds were blown over or moved from their foundations.

The large hay and ice house of John Saner near the Union Depot was badly
twisted by the force of the wind and his ice house on the river was also
damaged, the front portion of the building being blown in. A large barn
belonging to Charles Kluckhohn in the north part of town was blown from its
foundations. The electric light, telegraph and telephone wires were badly
tangled by the wind and the service was greatly interfered with on Wednesday
and yesterday.

At midnight on Tuesday the wind was blowing a shrieking, howling gale, and
in the morning the thermometer had dropped twenty degrees, and business was
practically suspended on Wednesday owing to the extreme disagreeableness
caused by the icy gale of wind from the north. The rural mail carriers were
unable to make their trip on Wednesday. Some of the started out but
returned. Wm. Brigg's wagon, who carries the mail on route No. 1 was blown
over before he got out of the city limits.

PIANO TUNING

L. J. Lister, the well known tuner, will be in LeMars about the 1st of
February, 1903, for a few weeks. Orders may be left at J. N. Mathias' quik
store.

PERSONAL.

O. F. Herron went to Onawa on Business on Wednesday.

William Nicholson went to Fonda on Thursday on Business.

Mrs. A. P. Brown was taken seriously ill on Wednesday.

Mrs. Henry Klinkerfnes has returned from a visit to St. Paul.

Dr. R. R. Hammond, of Alta, was visiting in LeMars on Saturday.

Mrs. B. F. Hodgman was visiting friends in Sioux City this week.

Miss Essie Smith of Maurice is spending a few weeks in town.

John Huxtable left on Monday night on a visit at Mineral Point, Wis.

Attorney J. T. Keenan was a business visitor at Akron on Tuesday.

Miss Argo, of Sioux City, is visiting in LeMars, the guest of Mrs. H. W.
Wilcox.

Pat Culhain, of Canton, S. D., arrived in LeMars on business on Tuesday.

Mrs. S. E. Hicks and Miss Clara Nemmers were Sioux City visitors yesterday.

Frank Glesen attended the implement dealers' convention at Omaha this week.

D. S. Cross went to Omaha on Tuesday to attend the implement dealers
convention.

A. Y. Weir and Charles Allen went to Quimby and Cherokee on business on
Tuesday.

Harold Neilsen, of Minneapolis, visited this week with Mr. and Mrs. John
Kass.

Joe Hentges is visiting with his brother, Ed Hentges, at Yankton, S. D.,
this week.

Anton Didier returned on Tuesday from a six weeks visit at Bellevue with his
mother.

Mr. and Mrs. G. A. Gottach have returned from a visit to their old home at
Gladbrook.

Wm. A. Young, of Chicago, one of the pioneer residents of LeMars, is
visiting in the city.

Miss Georgia Mathias returned on Wednesday to Morningside college where she
is studying.

Mrs. Ferd Reichmann, of Geddes, S. D., left yesterday after a visit with
LeMars relatives.

Mr. and Mrs. L. E. Bryant, of Garretson, S. D., have returned home after a
visit with relatives.

Miss Edna Wasmer will leave on Sunday on a visit to relatives in Waterloo
and Toronto, Canada.

Miss Mary Tubbs, who has been visiting at the home of H. S. Ewers, has
returned to Wall Lake.

George E. Pew went to Omaha on Tuesday to attend a convention of
agricultural implement dealers.

Will Zimmermann and J. G. Keonig, Jr., attended the implement dealers
convention at Omaha this week.

Math and Nic Kraul and Math Eichen, of Ruthven, Minn., are visitors this
week at the home of Henry Fieldler.

J. U. Sammis went to Dubuque on Wednesday night on business connected with
the office of revenue collector which he holds.

Jas. Tierney left on Tuesday night on a three weeks' trip to Seattle and the
west. Nic Gehlen of Sioux City accompanied him.

Ferd Reichmann of Geddes, S. D., returned to Sioux City, on Tuesday, after a
visit here. Mrs. Reichmann remained for a longer visit.

Chas. K. Miller left for Deadwood, S. D., on Wednesday, and may visit other
points in search of a location in which to open a blacksmith shop.

Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Wernli returned to their home at Grand Encampment, Wyo., on
Monday night, after a few weeks visit with LeMars relatives.

Miss Grace Sullivan, who has been a teacher in the public schools of this
city for some time, has gone to Carroll to teach in the schools at that
place.

Mr. and Mrs. Heye Winkel returned on Monday to their home near Ashton after
a brief visit at the home of the former's sister, Mrs. E. Penning of Seney.

Russel and Lucile Laux left for Council Bluffs on Sunday to resume their
studies. Mrs. Laux went as far as Sioux City with them and visited friends.

Mrs. Peter Emmert and granddaughter, Henrietta Emmert, of Hungerford
township, are visiting their relatives, the Winter family, at Beaver City,
Nebraska.

Clarence Kramer, of Remsen, who has been in LeMars the past few weeks under
the care of Dr. P. Schwind, for a dislocated knee, was able to return to his
home on Tuesday.

Claud Brown, of St. Paul, was in LeMars on Monday to attend the wedding of
his brother, Cliff Brown and Miss Marie Good. He returned home immediately
after the ceremony.

Mrs. Fred Herman, of Merrill, visited in LeMars on Wednesday, with Mrs. Jos.
Love, and while here made arrangements to have her daughter take music
lessons with Mrs. Kaup.

Ira Betsworth, of Tomah, Wis., arrived in LeMars on Wednesday evening. He
came here to see his father in the latter's last illness, but arrived two
hours after the old gentleman's demise, owing to delays of trains throughout
the northern section of the country. Mr. Betsworth formerly lived here but
went to Wisconsin five years ago and is now farming in Monroe county.

**********

On November 4 and 18, Dec. 2 and 16, Jan. 6 and 20, we will sell one way
second class colonists tickets to points in Arkansas, Colorado, Indian
Territory, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota
and Texas, at two dollars higher than one half of the standard one way
rates. No rate less than $9.45. No stopovers allowed. Any other
information in regard to these rates will be gladly furnished at the union
depot.

H. H. Freeman
Ticket Agent.

WAS A PIONEER RESIDENT
Captain Betsworth Responds to the Final Summons.
FIRST RESIDENT OF LEMARS.

He Built the First House in this City and Lived in this Vicinity for Nearly
Forty Years--Had Reached the Four Score Mark Several Years Ago.

Captain B. F. Betsworth, one of the oldest and best known residents of
LeMars, passed away on Wednesday afternoon, after an illness lasting several
weeks. For the past few days it has been patent that the end was near and
the gallant old man was ready and even anxious to respond to the call which
would relieve him of earthly ills and summon him to the realm where there is
neither sorrow nor care. Until a few weeks ago the old man enjoyed that
good health which has been one of his chief joys through a long and useful
life, and no malady in the pharmacopeia hastened his end, which was due
rather to the wearing out of the virile forces, the strength of which were
characteristic of the man from youth to good old age. He had outspanned the
allotted time given to man on earth by the scriptures by several years, and
until the illness, which proved his last, was possessed of unusual vigor and
heartiness. He was known and beloved by every man, woman and child almost
in the city, and his cheery nod and hearty greeting on the streets will be
missed by many. Until the last he took an active and hearty interest in the
doings of the world at large, and also in the welfare of his numerous
friends and in the daily happenings of the community where he had been known
and had lived for almost forty years. In the words of the prophet "his days
were long in the land and he lived until a ripe old age, and died full of
years and honor and was gathered to his fathers, in the fullness of time."

Captain. B. F. Betsworth was born in Somerset county, Maryland, on May 27,
1817, and was the third child of B. F. and Rebecca Betsworth. His father
was reared in Baltimore and was by trade a shoemaker, and his mother's
people were natives of Maryland, and among the pioneers of that state. She
was one of eight children--four boys and four girls. Capt. Betsworth
received only a limited education, as at an early age he was obliged to
assist in the task of bread winning for the large and struggling family.
His early experiences doubtless molded his character which was sturdy,
independent, and self reliant. When a youth of seventeen he was apprenticed
to the ship caulker's trade, and three years later he was engaged
principally in the fruit and oyster trade, and was owner and captain of a
trading schooner for fifteen years. After leaving his native state he made
his home in Bergen Point, near New York City. In 1856 he caught the
emigration fever and decided to move west and located near St. Charles, Kane
county, Illinois, where he became a farmer and tilled 350 acres of land. In
1866 he came to LeMars and with his wife and sons started to make a home for
them and himself on the virgin prairie. He homesteaded the land which is
today the city of LeMars with its more than five thousand people, its
manufactories, business houses and fine residences. He built a log house
where the brick yards now stand, on the Floyd river. He broke the first
sod, built the first school house, where school was taught by his eldest
son, and also erected the first frame house. One of these frame houses was
located on Franklin street and the other was located where the St. Joseph's
church now stands. The latter was destroyed by fire. The other is a
portion of the house now occupied by E. T. Bedell.

When Capt. Betsworth located here the Indians roamed up and down the Floyd
valley and had a camp on the river just west of town. Sioux City was a
frontier outpost and was the only trading point for miles around, and
provisions were freighted from Boone to that town. When the route of the
Illinois Central railroad was surveyed through here, Mrs. Betsworth owned
the southwest quarter of section nine, and was induced by the corporation to
exchange his farm for another tract, receiving from the company 240 acres in
exchange for his quarter section of land. This land was situated in section
17, and is now known as the Brown place. Here the Betsworths lived until
1887, when the farm was sold to A. Y. Weir. The captain then determined to
retire after a long life devoted mainly to agricultural pursuits and built
himself a fine residence on Cedar street, which he sold last year to Johnson
Pemberton, moving into a smaller house on Sixth street.

Captain Betsworth was married twice. He was united in marriage on December
28, 1839, to Alvira Dougherty, of Somerset county, Maryland. This union was
blessed with fifteen children, twelve of whom survive. They are: John, who
lives at Los Angeles, California; Mrs. Henry Cammickle, Granite, Ill., Mrs.
H. Hammond, Los Angeles; Mrs. D. P. Hammond, LeMars; Stephen, Pensacola,
Florida; Anthony, Meriden; William, Perry, O. T*.; Jasper, LeMars; Mrs. E.
S. Prescott, Spokane Falls; Ira, Tomah, Wis.; Warren, Washington.
[Transcriber's note--"O. T." denotes "Oklahoma Territory".]

Captain Betsworth's second wife was Mrs. Andrews to whom he was married June
(damaged copy) 1896, and who survives him. She devotedly attended him and
soothed him in his declining years.

For the past several weeks the Captain has been confined to the house, he
gradually becoming weaker and weaker and was unconscious the three days
previous to his death.

Captain Betsworth was a devout and consistent church member and affiliated
with the Methodist church. He was a regular attendant and was in his pew
every Sunday, rain or shine. He contributed regularly to the church funds
and since he has been confined to the house, gave his weekly contribution
every Saturday night to the pastor of the church, whose ministration he was
pleased to receive during his last days. The funeral will be held from the
First Methodist church this afternoon at half past two o'clock, Rev. W. T.
McDonald officiating.

LeMars newspaper dated Jan. 14, 1903

Miss Clara Diehl and George Sweasinger both of Lincoln township were married
Tuesday.

Miss Tusse Henn, daughter of Rev. and Mrs. Jacob Henn, was united in
marriage on Wednesday to Albert W. Blackburn.

Miss Ethel L. Tracey was married New Year's Day at the home of her parents
in Elkhorn township to J. O. Higday, son of O. H. Higday of Union township.
The young couple will live in South Dakota.

A new grocery store has been opened up in the John Orban building in Merrill
by John Miller, of Cushing, Iowa, and J. M. Pierce, of Centerville, S.D.