J. P. Selig, proprietor of the Star restaurant, was born in West Va. in 1856; moved to Iowa in 1871, and settled near Sheldon; removed to Sheldon in 1879, and established the City restaurant; came to Sanborn in 1881, and engaged in his present business.

Charles Smith, M. D., was born in Middlesex county, Mass. In 1861 he enlisted as bugler in Gen. Sickles' brigade, and served until 1863. After the war he located at Washington, D. C., and was employed in the treasury department as messenger to Secretary McCullough. He graduated from the National Medical College in 1876, and engaged in the practice of medicine in Washington, D. C.; remained eighteen months, and then removed to Sanborn.

G. D. Williams, manager for the Oshkosh lumber company at Sanborn; established in 1881; dealers in all kinds of builders' supplies and fencing material. The only first-class lumber yard in

town.

OSCEOLA COUNTY.

Osceola County is in the northern tier, and second from the western boundary of the State, and contains 392 square miles, or 250,880 acres. It is watered and drained by the east fork of Rock River, Ocheydan, Otter and several smaller creeks. These streams meander through valleys of great fertility, producing luxuriant crops of excellent grass. The soil is generally a dark loam, with a slight mixture of clay on the table lands, and a small quantity of sand and vegetable mould in the valleys. Osceola is emphatically a prairie county, composed of a gently undulating surface, sufficiently rolling to break the monotonous sameness of the level plain, with a rich inexhaustible soil, yielding an abundance of crops. There is but little timber in the county, though it is sufficiently plenty for fuel. Stock raising here, as in adjoining counties, is an imporant and lucrative industry. Though one of the younger counties, it is fast taking rank with the larger and more populous ones in the northwest quarter of the State. The schools in the county are in a flourishing condition, every township and sub-district having a school house. There are at present forty-five frame school houses in the county, and during the year 1881, according to the report of the State Superintendent, $11,300 were expended for school purposes, and according to the census taken during the same year by the secretaries of the various sub-districts, there were 746 children of school age, of whom 602 were enrolled as attendants upon the public schools. Schools are in session, on an average, six months in the year.

Capt. E. Huff was the first white man who settled in the county, coming in the fall of 1870, and locating on Otter Creek, in the southwestern part of the county. He did not remain over winter, but returned to his claim the following spring, 1871. He was accompanied by C. M. Brooks, D. L. McCausland, W. W. Webb, F. Stiles, M. J. Campbell and A. M. Culver, all of whom located claims. All the vacant lands were soon taken up, either by homesteading or pre-empting. The county was organized in 1871, having been previously attached to Woodbury County for revenue and judicia! purposes, the latter connection being still maintained. The first election for county officers was held October 10th, at the house of A. M. Culver, when the following officers were elected: F. M. Robinson, Auditor; A. M. Culver, Treasurer; C. M. Brooks, Clerk of Courts, D. L. McCausland, Recorder; Frank Stiles, Sheriff; Delila Stiles, Superintendent of Schools; John Beaumont, Drainage Commissioner, and J. H. Winsherr, George Spaulding and H. R. Fenton, Board of Supervisors.

The present officers are: R. S. Hall, Treasurer; W. M. Moore, Auditor; H. N. Moore, Deputy Auditor; Alice C. Hill, Recorder; J. S. Davisson, Clerk of Courts; H. N. Moore, Deputy Clerk of Courts; J. R. Elliott, County Superintendent; J. B. Lent, Sheriff; M. J. Campbell, Surveyor; W. H. Burkhuff, Coroner; G. S. Downend, Robert Stamm, H. C. Allen, Wm. Mowthorpe, W. Boor, Board of Supervisors.

The population of the county, as given by the census of 1880, was 2,219, but as there has been an uninterrupted tide of immigration to the county since, its present population is fully 3,000. The Sioux City & St. Paul Railroad enters the county near the center of section 9, in township 100, range 41, about 3 miles west of the center of the north line of the county, and takes a diagonal course across the county, leaving it near the center of the south line of section 33, township 98, range 42, about 93 miles west of the center of the south line of the county. The road-bed was

graded through the county during the summer of 1871. The track was laid early in the summer of 1872, being completed through to Le Mars in July, 1872, at which time the trains commenced running regularly.

SIBLEY.

Sibley, the most important as well as the oldest town in the county, was laid out and platted by the Sioux City & St. Paul Railroad Company in October, 1872, though several houses had been built on the town-site previous to its being platted, as early as 1871, the first belonging to F. M. Robinson, one of the pioneer settlers. The first business house was erected in the fall of 1871, by H. R. Rogers, who put in a stock of general merchandise.

The town was incorporated in 1876, and its first officers were: D. L. Riley, Mayor; C. E. Brown, H. S. Brown, H. S. Emmett, D. Cramer, G. S. Murphy, Trustees. The present city government is composed of D. L. Riley, Mayor; D. D. McCallum, Recorder; L. Shell, Treasurer; J. B. Lent, Assessor; W. P. Rhodes, Street Commissioner; C. M. Richards, Marshal; L. Shell, M. J. Campbell, H. C. Hungerford, E. Huff, N. Neill, H. S. Brown, Trustees.

The county seat was located at Sibley in 1872 by the following Commissioners appointed from adjoining counties, to-wit: Carson Rice, of Dickinson; C. W. Inman, of O'Brien; and J. S. Howell, of Lyon. The principal streets run east and west, most of the business houses being located thereon. Sibley's business establishments, briefly classified, are as follows:

Drug and groceries, 2; general stores, 3; millinery, 2; harness, 2; agricultural implements, 3; blacksmith shops, 3; wagon shops, 1; lumber yards, 3; meat markets, 2; shoe shops, 1; hotels, 3; billiard hall, 1; printing offices, 2; banks, 2; abstract and loan, 1; insurance, 6; barber shop, 1; grocery store, 1; hardware, 3; jewelry, 1; livery

stable, 1; butter, wood and bide depot, 1; restaurant, 1; stationer, 1; furniture, 1; grist mill, 1; photograph galleries, 2; book store, 1; elevators, 2; law firms, 3; physicians, 2; dentist, 1.

The population of Sibley is now estimated at from 500 to 600, including East Sibley.

The Sibley Gazette, the first, and until 1881, the only newspaper published in the county, was established by L. A. Barker, and the first paper was issued in July, 1872. In May, 1873, it passed into the hands of Riley & Brown, who continued it for about three months, when they disposed of it to Craig & Glover. In July, 1874, Mr. Craig retired, the firm becoming Glover & Hauxhurst, they continuing it until the fall of 1875, when W. B. Reed purchased the interest of Mr. Glover, and they published it until March, 1876; when Hauxhurst retired, and Ira C. Edward assumed the management of the paper. Later in the year, the paper got back into the hands of its former proprietors, Messrs. Reed & Glover, but the partnership continued only a few months, Reed retiring. Glover remained as proprietor until the fall of 1877, when he sold out to George Carew, who conducted it until October, 1879, and then disposed of it to D. A. W. Perkins. Six months later, O. M. Foster purchased a half-interest in it, and the following April, he became sole proprietor. During the same month, however, he disposed of it to George Carew, who has continued its publication ever since. Notwithstanding the many changes in its proprietorship, usually so fatal to newspapers, it has been enlarged several times, and is now a seven-column quarto. The Gazette is Republican in politics, carefully edited, and a journal in every way creditable to the county. It has a circulation of about 400 copies.

September 29th, 1881, the Sibley Tribune made its appearance, with Charles E. Crosby as editor and proprietor. It is an eightcolumn folio, Republican in politics, ably edited, and devoted to local interests of Osceola county. It has a circulation of 400.

CHURCHES, SCHOOLS AND SOCIETIES.

The Congregational Church Society.-Organized in 1872, by Rev. B. A. Dean. He was succeeded by Rev. D. J. Baldwin, who continued in charge until 1881, when he in turn was succeeded by Rev. Thomas Pell, the present pastor. The church has a membership of forty. There is also a Sabbath School with an average attendance of forty pupils. C. M. Bailey is Superintendent. Rev. Mr. Pell also has charge of two societies in the country. The church building is located on two lots donated by the railroad company in 1874, and was erected in the fall of the same year at a cost of $1,800. It is a frame building, of semi-gothic style, 32 feet by 40 feet in dimensions, with a seating capacity of 200. It is nicely furnished and has a good organ. At the time of the dedica

tion, November 29th, 1874, the building was entirely free of debt. There is also in connection with the church a comfortable parsonage. The present officers of the society are:_O. Dunton, Clerk; Samuel Herbert, B. Wood and J. F. Glover, Trustees.

Baptist Church Society. This society was partially organized in March, 1873, by Rev. W. Wood, of Cedar Falls, with a membership of twelve persons. A permanent organization was effected in February, 1876. The first officers were: T. O. Wilbern, A. Churchill, A. W. Mitchell, Deacons. The first pastor was Rev. T. H. Judson, followed by E. M. Heyburn, the present pastor, who took charge in 1880. Membership, forty. This society has no building of its own, but holds its services in the school house. The Sabbath School has an average attendance of twenty-five; T. O. Wilbern is the Superintendent; C. D. Wilbern, Secretary and Treasurer. Church officers: T. O. Wilbern, Deacon; C. D. Wilbern, Secretary, J. F. Glover, Trustee.

Methodist Episcopal Society.-Organized in April, 1872, at the house of A. M. Culver. The first quarterly conference of the Sibley Mission was held October 5th, 1872, by Rev. Aldrich. Rev. John Webb was appointed the first pastor, and was succeeded by Rev. Ira Brashears, September 20th, 1873. The church was served successfully, by Revs. W. W. Mallory, J. W. Rigby, J. W. Lothian and S. P. Marsh, the present pastor, who took charge in September, 1880. Membership, 120, including a class in the country. The first officers of the first class were: R. Stamm, Class Leader; L. Shell, William Thomas, E. Morrison, D. L. Riley, L. C. Chamberlain and S. C. Vanhorn, Stewards: J. P. Hauxhurst and B. Davis, local pastors; J. L. Robinson, M. J. Campbell, A. M. Culver, R. Stamm, L. Shell, D. L. Riley, H. K. Rogers, Trustees. Present officers: J. P. Hauxburst, Class Leader; D. L. Riley, L. Shell, W. M. Moore, E. Huff and S. A. Wright, Stewards; D. L. Riley, R. Stamm, Levi Shell, S. A. Wright, W. M. Moore, Trustees; B. Davis, Local Deacon. The society has a flourishing Sabbath School with an attendance of seventy pupils; number of teachers, fifteen; S. P. Marsh, Superintendent. There is also a commodious parsonage in connection with the church. The M. E. church building is located on two lots just west of, and fronting eastward towards, the Court House Square. These lots were donated by the S. C. & St. P. Railroad Company, in the spring of 1873. The building is 32x50 feet. The building was commenced in the spring of 1873, but was not completed until September, 1874, when it was dedicated. It cost $2,200, and is well furnished.

Catholic Society-Celebrated Mass in Sibley as early as 1873, Rev. Father B. C. Lenehan, of Sioux City, officiating. The society now comprises some sixty families, and services are regularly held every two weeks in the Court House. The society is now in charge of Father Thomas Riley, of Sheldon, who contemplates the erection of a substantial and commodious church building at an early day.