Kossuth County, Iowa Community News Wesley Day Big Success Parade Pleasing Feature of the Day The community parade was a huge success in which 200 or more children young ladies and others took part. It was sponsored by no organization in particular but was put on under the direction of Mrs. F. A. Bonnstetter, with other ladies of the community assisting. Line up in Parade First: ponies; color bearer, J. P. Studer in uniform; Uncle Sam, Mayor Hutchison; Miss America, Dorothy Kraus, and the 48 states with Margaret Looft as Iowa. Second: Jimmy's wedding, a group of three to five year old youngsters; Mother Goose by LaVon Gerdes and her characters; baby buggy parade; gypsies; 4-H Club; Movie actresses and actors, Mae West, Chic Sale, Kate Smith, etc.; Pilgrims; clowns; Hill billies and various other characters. They were all dressed to fit their characters with plenty of humorous attires. Prizes awarded to groups were as follows: 1st, Jimmy's Wedding; 2nd, Uncle Sam, Miss America and the states; 3rd, Pilgrims; 4th, hill billies. Prizes awarded to individuals were as follows: Mae West, Jack Dempsey, Hawaiian, Negro Mammy. The ball games were won as follows: Wesley vs. Titonka with a score of 4 to 5 in favor of Titonka; Webster City vs. Forest with a score of 7 to 11 in favor of Webster City. The games drew out a large attendance who were well pleased with the exhibition. We must here extend a word of thanks to the Corwith band who were on the job all day and spared no effort in furnishing good music to the large gathering. The street sports and free acts were well staged and furnished welcome entertainment during their periods. The big bowery dance was certainly well attended, even though the evening was rather chilly. The businessmen and Legion boys are very well pleased with the outcome of Wesley Day and feel that their efforts to make the day a success were well rewarded. They wish to extend thanks to all who in any way aided in the necessary work. The attendance was very good and all seemed to enjoy themselves [Kossuth County News 1934, submitted by a Friend of Genealogy] Mrs. Hazel Gerdes New Wesley P. M. Wesley Aug. 22 - received appointment as acting postmistress a week ago and took charge Saturday. Marie Hansen, experienced clerk, is retained. Mrs. Gerdes, who is the daughter of Ben Hopkins and the wife of I. A. Gerdes, former Wesley banker, succeeded Editor W. W. Sturdivant in the postoffice. [Kossuth County News 1934, submitted by a Friend of Genealogy] Those from Wesley who attended the thirty-sixth quarterly meeting of the American Legion Auxiliary at Algona Wednesday included Miss Laura Wolf, the Mesdames Will Garman, Kate Kennedy, Ann M. Kunz, Viola Studer, George Aldrich, Helen Johnson, H. H. Flom, Halvor Flom, Jr., Robert Welter, Frank Kouba, Jr., Leo Bleich, Mary Gibson, F. A. Bonnsteter, E. M. Huber, Alfred Erdmann and L. L. Lease. The Wesley unit received the award for having the largest representation outside of the entertaining unit, Algona, who were represented by forty-three members. [Kossuth County News 1934, submitted by a Friend of Genealogy] FAIR NEWS Those from the Wesley community who attended the Clay County Fair at Spencer last week included J. T. Meurer and wife, Lee Goetz and wife, Louis Lickteig and wife, A. M. Lease, George Goetz, Joe Goetz, Vincent Cruise, Ann Besch, and Homer Lawson [Kossuth News 1934, submitted by a Friend of Genealogy] - - - - - - - - - - Paul Engen, Wesley buttermaker, won first on a butter entry at the county fair, and his assistant Fleher, won fifth. Mr. Flehler won first at the state fair. If you have ever seen the Wesley creamery, you know that, like the Algona creamery, it is an outstanding main street brick building. The Wesley community started dairying somewhat late, but has made a big success of it. [Kossuth News 1934, submitted by a Friend of Genealogy] - - - - - - - - - - Wesley Winners at Kossuth Fair Ben Studer made a very good showing at the Kossuth county Fair this year with Shorthorn cattle, Duroc and Poland china hogs and three breeds of sheep. He won around 25 first prizes, 30 seconds and a few championships at Algona. He also exhibited his stock at Mason City, Humboldt, Cresco, and is this week at the Spencer Fair. In speaking of the class of stock in competition this year Ben says it was very keen and he is well pleased with his winnings. [Kossuth News 1934, submitted by a Friend of Genealogy] - - - - - - - - - - Wesley Butter Awarded Prize Iowa Creamery Ranks First at Portland Wesley, Ia. - The buttermaking championship of the western portion of the United States at the Pacific International exposition and dairy products show at Portland, Ore., was won by Paul G. Engen, manager of the Wesley, Ia., Farmers' Creamery. The Wesley butter was the best of 85 entries from 10 states. Engen won a gold meal and a gold watch. Entries from northern Iowa, Minnesota and Oregon carried off leading honors with butter competing also from Wisconsin, California, Washington, Utah, South Dakota, Montana and Idaho. Second place went to Lyle Hammock of Portland, and Francis Shorter of Dodge Center, Minn., was third. R. A., Bartlett of Whittemore, Ia., V. I. Rule of Clear Lake, Ia., Oral Bonstead of Graettinger, Ia., and George A. Johnson of Eagle Bend, Minn., tied for seventh. [Kossuth County News 1934, submitted by a Friend of Genealogy] - - - - - - - - - - The county (Kossuth) fair had attracted 11,658 people Thursday. M. C. Matern's horses won several blue ribbons. [Kossuth County News 1935, submitted by a Friend of Genealogy] - - - - - - - - - - Ten Years Ago Files of September 3, 1925 M.C. Matern and son were exhibiting Shorthorns at Humboldt and Kossuth fairs. [Kossuth County News 1935, submitted by a Friend of Genealogy] - - - - - - - - - - Matern Bros. Have Stock At Fort Dodge Sale The Matern Bros. of Wesley will be one of the consignors of Shorthorn cattle to the Shorthorn Breeders Sale to be held at the Fort Dodge Fair Grounds Sale Pavilion today. Following in their fathers footsteps, the Matern Bros. are well-known for their high-class herd of stock. [Kossuth County News, 1936, submitted by a Friend of Genealogy] - - - - - - - - - - Loebig Stock Brings Fair Prices at Sale Stock and especially the 15 horses brought fair prices at the sale Friday for the estate of the late E. N. Loebig. One team went over the $300 mark. The highest individual horse brought $174. [Kossuth County News, 1936, submitted by a Friend of Genealogy] - - - - - - - - - - Will Neuroth Sale to be Held March 11 The Will Neuroth farm sale, advertised in this issue, will be held next Wednesday, at the first farm on the north side of highway 18 west of the Titonka road. Mr. Neuroth has been unable to find a farm. Carl Froehlick (Froehlich) will occupy the farm. The sale begins at 12:30. [Kossuth County News, 1936, submitted by a Friend of Genealogy] Three Farms Are Sold in Kossuth Three farms have been sold in three weeks by D. L. McDonald. Chris Jensen bought 186 acres five miles west of Algona on No. 18, known as the Murtha farm at $120 an acre. It was owned by the Northwestern Life. J. C. Mawdsley, well known Irvington farmer, bought two other farms as investments: the William Weiner farm of 193 acres, north of St. Benedict, at $100 an acre, and the Han N. Wilberg 120 acre farm, three miles north and a mile west of Fenton, at $110 an acre. [Kossuth News 1934, submitted by a Friend of Genealogy] A. L. Kleinpeter To Retire; Sons To Manage Store. A. L. Kleinpeter, well-known merchant of Wesley, is retiring from active business January 1. His two sons Leroy and Vincent, will assume responsibilities at the store on that date. Mr. Kleinpeter has been a merchant here since 1894, beginning as a harness maker and branching into groceries and general merchandise. Both his sons are widely experienced in merchandising. The young men, both raised in this community, worked at their father's store for a number of years. Vincent for the past two and a half years has been manager of the Basket grocery at Algona. Leroy managed a shoe store at Storm Lake for some time, and until recently was connected with the Maytag company at Ida Grove. [Kossuth County News 1934, submitted by a Friend of Genealogy] Twenty-Two Killed The Wind Was Unusually Ferocious Near Algona, Ia.Algona, Ia., Sept. 23 – A cyclone passed through this county about 9 o’clock last night. So far as reported twenty-two people are killed and nineteen injured, several of them fatally. The little town of Cylinder, twenty miles west of this place on the Milwaukee road, it is reported, literally swept from the face of the earth. About twenty-five miles north of that place a family named Goulden, four in number, was killed. The town of Whittemore, twelve miles west of Algona, was unharmed, but Robert Stevenson, living four miles north, was killed and his wife probably fatally injured. Eighteen people who sought shelter in the house of Durant Pane were more or less hurt and one woman will probably die.. They were going home from a country fair. A little farther on fourteen others were huddled into the Begetmair house. Here Carl Barrick was badly hurt and his wife probably fatally injured. Charles Lee and wife and five children were very badly hurt. The wife and children of Fred Pompe in Fenton township were in the house which was completely wrecked, but they were not covered up by the falling wall and not one of them was hurt. The barn was completely blown away. Five horses were unharmed. George W. Beavers, living three miles north of Algona, had just returned home from the fair. He got into the house with his wife and two children and an adopted son and was just getting down in the cellar when the cyclone struck the house, completely demolishing it.. The whole family was carried with the ruins about four rods into the road. Beavers had the baby in his arms and with it he made his way north to the house of Christian Dau, his father-in-law, for help. His wife was just dying when he returned and his little girl gasped “Papa, papa,” and expired. The wreck here was complete, nothing remaining of the handsome house and barn. The sight at Myron Schencks was even a more complete picture of desolation. Two immense barns and two houses were reduced to kindling wood. His wife and child were carried 100 feet and when found were under a heavy oak beam. Both were hurt and Mrs. Schenck was unconscious. Horace Schenck was covered up with some lumber. He had a severe scalp wound, was injured in the back and otherwise injured. His condition is serous as he is 70 years old. [Dallas Morning News, Published September 23, 1894] Submitted by Dale Donlon Copyright © Genealogy Trails All data on this website is Copyright by Genealogy Trails with full rights reserved for original submitters.