THE HAWES HOUSE

Last summer I led a historic tour of Algona for a leadership class sponsored by the Algona Chamber of Commerce.  This was a combination of several tours that had been done in the past by Mayor Lynn Kueck and Jane Nettleton.  Several of the stops along the tour were unfamiliar to me and I decided when I had the time, I was going to dig a little deeper into their history to learn more.  One of those stops concerns a house in the south part of town.

  

THE HOUSE 

At 418 South Harlan Street in Algona, you will find a lovely Victorian house that was constructed by Fred W. Hawes and his wife.  Fred was born on August 9, 1845 in Corinna, Maine and came to Algona around 1870.  His wife, Lovica B. Wilson Hawes, (commonly known as Harriet), had been born in 1852 in Genoa, Illinois.  Together they would have one child, Frederick Wilson Hawes, who was born February 13, 1873.

Fred was soon a part of the bustling downtown business district.  An article in the May 5, 1872 edition of the Upper Des Moines stated that he was putting up a large harness shop on State Street. In addition to selling and repairing harnesses, bridles, saddles and other horse accessories, the store handled trunks, traveling bags, buffalo robes and other items for its two-legged customers.  Fred was also in the market for hides, furs and wool.

From Algona Republican, July 23, 1879

Later articles hail Fred as a hard-working, industrious businessman who was successful at his profession. His success must have been great enough that in 1877 the Hawes decided to build a new home and purchased a tract which lies at the corner of Kennedy and Harlan streets.  Abram Wolfe was chosen as the builder.  He would later go on to build the Congregational Church.  Construction of the house began in 1878.  That would also be a year of unforeseen struggle for the Hawes family.

1878

In March of 1878, Harriet Hawes contracted diphtheria.  A bacterial infection that spreads very easily, diphtheria causes sore throat, fever, swollen glands and weakness.  At its worst, it can lead to difficulty breathing, heart failure, paralysis and even death.  Today it is easily treatable with antibiotics, but in 1878 it posed a real danger to those who contracted the disease. Newspaper reports state that Mrs. Hawes was quite ill.  This must have been a tough time for the family—dealing with her illness, building a new house, running a busy business enterprise and chasing an active five year old.  Despite Harriet’s illness, construction of the house proceeded.  The June 6^th edition of the Upper Des Moines reports that rapid progress was being made on the house and that it would be one of the finest residences in Algona when completed.

After several months of recovery, July found Mrs. Hawes reunited with her family.  An article in the July 25, 1878 edition of the Upper Des Moines states that “Fred Hawes is again happy in the presence of his wife.  They are occupying temporarily the rooms over his store, awaiting the completion of their house.”

I could not determine exactly when the Hawes family moved into their new home, but I can only imagine what it must have been like seeing the finished design details.  Brick manufactured here in Algona was used for the exterior.  Inside, a curved plaster wall in the kitchen accommodates the curved staircase on the opposite side.  The staircase features a black walnut banister that wraps around the open upstairs.  The rooms have 10 foot ceilings, arched doorways and hardwood floors. 

By that fall, things seemed to finally have settled down.  Harriett had recovered from her bout with diphtheria, they had settled into their new home, and business was good.  In early November, Fred joined Ambrose Call, A.D. Clarke, and J. H. Hawkins on a deer hunt in northern Kossuth County.  Their trip was successful as they all managed to bring home some venison to enjoy during the upcoming winter.

Just a few days later, however, another misfortune occurred.  Around 7 p.m. on November 23, 1878, a fire was spotted in the barn behind the Hawes’ harness shop.  At the time of discovery, flames had already broken through the roof.  The barn contained a cow belonging to John Goeders, hay, several pieces of equipment and other miscellaneous articles. A gusty west wind was blowing which threatened the entire city.  With no organized fire department, it was up to the citizens to save their town.  Able bodied townspeople rushed to the scene to fight the fire, buckets in hand.  Pail after pail of water was thrown on the conflagration until it was contained, miraculously without spreading to a single neighboring building.

This blaze ignited a discussion in the community about the need for fire protection in Algona.  Depending on unorganized locals to turn out with their buckets to put out a raging inferno did not seem to be the best of plans.  The most practicable suggestion made was the formation of two companies—a bucket company and a hook and ladder company.  It was felt that the young men of the town would enthusiastically band together to create a hook and ladder company while the older men were numerous and strong enough to operate a bucket brigade. Further it was suggested that the necessary buckets and other equipment could be stored in the basement of the courthouse with the ladders stored in an adjoining shed. Despite the outcry, a number of years would pass before an organized fire department would be formed.

When 1878 came to a close, the Hawes family must have been glad to step off the roller coaster ride that it had been.  They began to enjoy their home. In 1879 they hosted a combination social/church festival on June 17^th for the Episcopal Church of which they were active members.  One can picture the members of their congregation gathered on the front lawn enjoying conversation and homemade ice cream and strawberries.

FEATURED IN “PICTURESQUE ALGONA”

Fred’s business continued to grow and in 1880 he added on to his shop to make a place to display his stock of clothing and accessories for gents.  A very sad incident occurred in the fall of 1882 when the infant daughter of the couple died when she was just a few days old.

In April of 1883, they sold their lovely home to Mary J. Clarke.  She in turn sold it to E. J. Gilmore in 1890 and it was featured in “Picturesque Algona” as Gilmore’s home when that booklet was published in 1900.

THE HAWES FAMILY LEAVES ALGONA

As the decade of the 1880s came to a close, Fred must have begun to feel a wanderlust.   The Hawes sold their home in the area and moved to Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) where they became pioneer settlers.  Another leather goods business was opened in Henryetta, Oklahoma, which eventually was taken over by their son, Fred, who was a veteran of the Spanish American War. 

Fred, Sr., passed away on April 16, 1911, and was buried in West Lawn Cemetery in Henryetta.  His son became a prominent businessman and active community member.  He took care of his mother until her passing in May of 1916.  She was laid to rest beside Fred, Sr.

INVITATION

Next time you drive through the intersection of Harlan and Kennedy streets, I invite you to take a moment to study the beautiful brick home located in the northwest corner.  At the age of 140 years, the stately home remains one of the most charming residences in Algona.  It stands in tribute to the quality workmanship of its builder, Abram Wolfe, as well as in honor of Fred and Harriet Hawes, its first occupants. 

Until next time,

Kossuth County History Buff

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