past few years it has been the custom of Mr. Devine to spend the winters in California, and until

Mrs. Devine's death about four years ago, they had lived for several years at Pomona. Perhaps no

citizen of Kossuth county had a wider or better acquaintance than did Mr. Devine. For many years

he was engaged in the stock business and it was his custom to buy and fatten cattle for the Chicago

market. He owned many acres of Kossuth county land and for a number of years was considered

the wealthiest man in the county. He was a typical pioneer in his day, shrewd in his business

deals, but honorable in his transactions.

From the Courier we glean that Barney Devine.........." [see article from Courier]

--Upper Des Moines -Republican, Wednesday, 24 November 1915

Barney Devine, of Algona, one of the oldest settlers in Kossuth county died last Tuesday night

after an illness of several weeks. Mr. Devine was one of the few who bought land extensively in

the earlier days and held onto it until the advance in value made them comparatively wealthy.

During the last years of his life, Mr. Devine was often heard to remark that from the first day he

set foot on Kossuth county soil he had never lost faith in it. He was probably better known

throughout the county than any other individual we know of."

--Bancroft Register, 25 November 1915

Mrs. J. M. McCowien, who has been visiting with her daughter, Mrs. F. L. [Eliza] Odell for the past two

months, returned to her home in Algona Friday.

--Bancroft Register, 13 January 1916

PAID DEBT AND PROSPERED

Anton Kajewski of Fairfield was in Emmetsburg yesterday. He and Gregor Gappa came from Germany in

1881 and when they reached Emmetsburg each was $12 in debt for his passage Mr. Kajewski worked a

month for N[ ]s Jeremiahson for $13 and paid the debt. He was employed by John and Barney Devine of

Kossuth county for several years. Mr. Kajewski is now the owner of 480 acres of land that is worth at least

$150 per acre. He has six sons. One of his sons lives on one of the quarters. Mr. Kajewski admires the

bravery and the skill of the Germans who are fighting for the fatherland, but he would not, he says, care to

serve in the German army. He left the old country to avoid service when he would become old enough to be

taken as a soldier.

--Emmetsburg Democrat, 19 January 1916, page 3

[Anti-German hysteria during World War I led to Iowa’s Gov. Harding issuing his “Babel proclamation” in

1915 making foreign languages illegal. Newspapers, telephone conversations, schoolbooks and ethnic

churches had to be in English only.]

Frank McCowien, who is now living at his mother’s home in Algona, came up last Saturday with the

intention of driving his car down. He finally decided that the roads were unfit and returned to Algona via

the C. & N. W.

--Bancroft Register, 17 February 1916

It is sad to see an old man sent to jail for petty larceny, but even that sometimes occurs. John McCowien

when charged with taking a sack of corn from Vincent’s crib at the stock yards admitted his guilt, saying he

was not like a man who would lie about it. Mr. Vincent hated to prosecute him but he also hated to have his

corn stolen. Justice Hutchison hated to commit him to jail and offered to assess a very small fine, but Mr.

McCowien said he had not much to do now and would rather “lay it out” than pay cash. He is serving a 15

day sentence. His son paid the old gentleman’s fine and he has been discharged.—Courier

--Bancroft Register, 24 February 1916

Mrs. John McCowien of Algona will move onto her farm west of town about the first of March.

--Bancroft Register, 2 March 1916

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