Zeaman Magoon- American Carp King
Zeaman Magoon was the face of the decades long effort from 1910 to 1930 to significantly reduce the carp population in Clear Lake. The following transcribed Associated Press Article that appeared in numerous publications in July 1923 described the carp removal process and Zeaman’s role
Associated Press Article-
Clear Lake, July 24, 1923.— “I would rather be a carp king in America than a carping old king in Europe,” says Zeaman Magoon, friend of the American fisherman, captain of the Iowa carp fleet and one of the Midland’s best-known men.
Hailed “Carp King.”
Captain Magoon, who is devoting his life to ridding America’s freshwater lakes of German carp, a pirate fish hated by every true sportsman, recently completed a four years’ contract with the Iowa fish and game department calling for the extermination of carp in the waters of Clear Lake; and so well has Magoon fulfilled his part of the stupendous undertaking that he has been acclaimed “American Carp King” by the national chapter of the Isaac Walton League of America.
Moreover, sportsmen in all parts of the west have expressed the firm belief that Magoon’s recent victory over German carp at this place will spell the eventual doom of the hated pirate fish in every American freshwater lake.
Is Insane Pirate Fish.
While not a pirate fish in the sense that it preys on the living young of other fish, German carp is a menace because of its rapid increase, and doubly so because of a strange insanity that impels it during spawning season to rush upstream in tumbling hordes, lashing the water into foam and thus breaking from their mooring the eggs of other fish, which, when loosened, drift ashore where they are destroyed by birds, reptiles and insects.
Magoon’s four year battle with German carp at this place has been watched with interest by sportsmen from coast to coast. At the expiration of his contract with the state, when his final drive was made, many noted anglers from the east, together with official representatives of the fish and game departments of adjoining states were present to see the 30,000 foot carp fence make its last slow swinging sweep across the floor of the lake.
Not a Carp Remains.
In places the mammoth seine was pulled more than 20 feet of water, yet when hauled in not a single carp had been caught. Many tons of game fish were caught, however, in the tight-woven meshes. Under the supervision of deputy fish wardens, who have been on the scene every hour since Magoon began his operations here four years ago, these were thrown back into the water.
The passing of the pirate fish here marks Clear Lake as the only carp-free body of fresh water in the Midwest; and already preparations are under way to stock it with 1,000,000 game fish each year. When it became evident to officials that the lake would eventually be carp free, a large fish hatchery was erected here and now that the carp have been entirely removed, this hatchery will be trebled in size. The bulk of this output will go into Clear Lake and the balance into the carp-free meandering waters in the northern part of the state.
Enormous Catch in Day.
Magoon’s biggest catch in his four-year campaign was made last fall when a 30 days’ run netted him 225,000 pounds, or nearly eight car loads of carp. The entire catch was shipped alive to New York’s lower East Side, where this species of fish is used by the foreign-born population in the observance of religious rites during Lenten season.
It was while in New York with a cargo of living carp not long ago that Captain Magoon uttered the words that have been repeated in the press of two continents and drew him into the spotlight of the world news. Magoon, so the story goes, was dining with a New York friend when accosted by a correspondent for a London newspaper. At the close of the talk that followed, the newspaper man remarked:
Magoon Native Iowan.
“Captain, you are too big a man to be a king, even a carp king. Our kings over in Europe are smaller men, but very clever, don’t you know?” Magoon, who is nearly six feet and a half, rose to his full height. “Perhaps they are,” he replied, “but just the same I would rather be a carp king in America than a carping old king in Europe.” Zeaman Magoon is a native of Iowa and was born in Cerro Gordo County 48 years ago. His parents died when he was three years old and since then Magoon has shifted for himself.
Zeaman Magoon Obituary
From the Clear Lake Reporter dated February 29, 1928
Zeamon Magoon
Zeamon Magoon, who had lived in and around Clear Lake much of the time since a boy, passed away at Park hospital, Mason City, last Saturday morning. About a week previous to his death he had submitted to a critical operation from which he did not have the strength to rally.
For many years Mr. MaGoon had worked during the summer on the lake and at times operated a seining net to free the lake of carp. He owned a very large and expensive seine and was quite successful in this line of work. Last season he operated the Ritz launch which carried passengers from the dock at the White Pier to the dock at Oakwood. During the ice season he also acted as foreman of the channel crew.
Mr. Magoon was born Feb. 14, 1873. When a small boy four years of age his parents died, and he lived in various homes during his boyhood. During these years he experienced extreme hardships known by but very few people. But he grew up to be a good citizen. In his boyhood he became acquainted with J. F. Boeye, whose father took a friendly interest in him and rendered him great service. As a result he requested that Rev. J. F. Boeye of the First M.E. church, Mason City, preach his funeral sermon. The funeral was held here at the Methodist church Monday forenoon at 11 o’clock, interment being made in the Clear Lake cemetery.
Additional Notes
Zeamon Magoon was born to Jonathan Magoon who arrived in Clear Lake in the late 1860’s after leaving his wife and children in Vermont. Jonathan died Aug 19, 1877 and is buried in the Clear Lake Cemetery. He had married Mary Dilabough in 1875 but left Clear Lake soon after Jonathan died. Zeaman established a partnership with Charlie Ritz beginning in 1910 jointly owning a restaurant. When the opportunity to harvest and sell carp, they initially sold the carp at Charlies Yellow Front store at the end of Main Street. As the volume of fish expanded, they purchased the Steven’s Boat House at the of Main Street with holding cages. Zeeman built the Magoon Fish Company into a thriving business, closing it down in 1925 as the carp population dimished. He married Myrtle Jane Manley Morgan in 1925. They had no children. Myrtle died in 1948 in Oregon.