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Audubon County |
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CHAPTER V.THE FIRST SETTLERS. (Cont'd)From History of Audubon Co., Iowa (1915)
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A NOTED CHARACTER.(8) Later, at a public gathering in Oakfield, Shults spied his quarry, removed his coat and handed it to his good old wife, "Aunt Julie," remarking that he had a duty to perform, and then waded in and proceeded to "tan Frost's dog skin." That exercise performed, he proceeded to ride in haste to Exira in search of a justice to whom he might "plead guilty." But he was pursued by the constable, John Crane, and arrested for assault and battery. It was said that Crane was so desirous of gaining popularity that he overrode and injured a fine horse in making the arrest. And it was also said that his promptness in the matter afterwards cost him an election to office. Mr. Frost was easily a party leader locally. He held the ear of Governor Kirkwood, with whom he was personally acquainted at Iowa City, and stood in with the administration at Washington. He made the weather and crop reports, etc.; received his contingent of government documents, seeds, etc., which he conscientiously distributed among the faithful. He was one of the first to raise an apple orchard and other tame fruit in the county. He was prompt and zealous in attending to party affairs and in managing the Republican political machinery in the county, being sometime chairman of the county central committee. But, after a disagreeable factional contest with the Ballards and others in a county convention at Green's school house, in 1868, he soured on party work and never afterwards took an active part in politics. He went to Nebraska with his son, Carlos, about 1884, when very aged. Carlos E. Frost came here with his father from Iowa City in 1853, and was a farmer. He lived in the northwest quarter of section 35, Exira township. He was a Republican and a popular gentleman. He was clerk at the first county election, April 2, 1855; county treasurer, 1864-5, and during that period lived in Exira, in the Charles Chapin house, which was on the site of the present John Mertis residence, block 16, Exira. In 1883 he was a merchant in Brayton, where his store was burglarized by the "Crooked Creek Gang." His son, Lew C. Frost, and son-in-law, Dan P. McGill, held the office of county surveyor. He moved to Stuart, Nebraska, about 1884. His children were, Lew C., who married Alice Hartman; Salina; Eva, who married Dan P. McGill; Edward, Eliza and another daughter. Richard Gault, son of Francis and Deborah (Stewart) Gault, was born in Belfast, Ireland, August 21, 1830, and was married in Audubon county, May 1, 1860, to Mary Leffingwell, daughter of Alvin and Paulina (Leffingwell) Herrick, and who was born in Massachusetts about 1832. Mr. Gault came to Philadelphia with his parents, about 1837; thence to Wisconsin in 1851; to Appanoose county, Iowa, in 1853, and to Hamlin's Grove in 1854. He served as clerk for Nathaniel Hamlin, and was clerk for the district court in 1861-2. About 1863 he settled on a farm in section 9, Exira township, where he lived many years and where his wife died. During the last years of his life he resided in Exira. He was a Democrat and Odd Fellow and a Knight of Pythias. He died in Exira, April 13, 1904. His children, who were born in Audubon county, were: Henry Franklin, who married first, Dora Smith, and second, Melissa Cook; Augusta Collins, married Naomi Campbell; Mildred Ann, married John B. Hash; Charles Richard, who first married Maud Wilcutt, and second, Anna Glasscock; Caroline, married Ernest D. Powell; Anna Belle, married Charles W. Houston; Mary Leffingwell, married Albert Britner. |
