Pioneer Days in Floyd Township

The Alton Democrat - February 18, 1954

The author is called "Koolbeek" in the article.  His name is actually "Koolbeck".

Mention of Dominic Moes and the area when first settled.
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"Pioneer Days In Floyd Township

Those who think Iowa winters are sever enough today should realize what the pioneers in this country went through.

In his "History of Floyd Township" in the Sioux County Atlas published by The Alton Democrat, the late Jacob Koolbeek tells how the Henry Schnee family procured provision for the winter of 1880-1881.

The first snow came in October, with more every few days and high winds.  The drifts were so deep no horse or wagon could get through them.  When the Schnee family had exhausted their supply of flour, as told by a daughter, Mrs. Gerst, the father bolted some barrel stave on a hand sled and "taking the rope in his hands drew the sled to the nearest town, which was Sheldon - a distance of 14 miles - procured his flour and then drew it home the same way."  This trip was repeated a half a dozen times during the winter.  Corn was in the field all winter and spring.  Mr. Schnee finished his corn picking on July 4th and "all the hands went to town to celebrate."

Mr. Koolbeek said the first houses in Floyd township were built in the fall of 1870 by Math harens and John Perlot.  The lumber was hauled from LeMars.  The first child born "in the German settlement" was Math Perlot, son of John Petlot.

Some of the first settler were Wauter Van Rooyen, H. Boersma, K. Wieringa, Adam Haag, Evert Hoeven, Math. Harens, Jacob Koolbeek, E. J. G. Bloemendaal, John Selig, John Perlot, Bart Van Zyl, Fred Krause, Peter Nye, Henry Remacle, Joseph Krebs, John and Gregory Gerst, Henry Schnee, Peter Christiany, John Jemming, Harry Jemming, D. Moes, L. Boeve, L. Dyk, H. Hofmeyer, J. Wiekamp, W. Walgenbach, John Auchstetter and others.

The original 17 men who came to Floyd Township with Theo. Gehlen traveled by oxen and wagons in the spring of 1870, frequently getting stuck in the sloughs.  At one time it took five yoke of oxen to draw out one team and wagon from the deep mud.  Sod breaking was done with oxen - "two yoke to a fourteen inch plow."  No crops were planted the first year.

It was a rugged life and required courage, strength and fortitude as well as trust in the Almighty.  These Floyd township settlers typify the sturdy pioneers who made possible the thriving farms and towns, the schools and churches, the prosperity and progress of our Midwest communities today.  We owe them much."