USA > Iowa > Story County > A history of Story county, Iowa: Carefully compiled, from the earliest settlement to the present, March 1, 1887. > Part 24
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44
HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING OF AMES.
It cost about $16,000; has six apartments, and will accommodate about three hundred and seventy-five scholars. It is three stories high, including the basement. It is a good looking brick building and arranged in the different departments for comfort and conven- ience. The building rests on a strong stone basement foundation. It has what some would call four fronts, at least that part above the square indicates it. It has a fine tower containing a well toned bell. The house was built about 1880 or 1881, and is an ornament to Ames. This structure would make a better showing were it on a nice elevation.
VALUE OF BRICK BUILDINGS OR BLOCKS IN AMES.
Bigelow & Tilden's brick block. $12,000
Opera block .. 12,000
High School Building
City Hall .. 16,000
1,350
Giles Cook brick blocks, first one on corner (south side of Onondaga street,).
5,000
Giles Cook brick blocks, next east Onondaga street,. 3,000
3,000
D. Cramblet.
3,900
W. M. Greeley .
2,500
Samuel Lucas' heirs (post-office building)
2,500
T. K. Soper, (south side Onondaga street)
4,000
M. Pheney, 66
3,000
I. B. Frazee, 66 66
3,000
M. Matson, :
4,000
Mrs. W. S. Bradley
The following is a list of improvements made in Ames during the past year,from which it will be seen that there has been a consider-
234
HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
able amount of money spent in the good work of beautifying and adorning the town. If any have been omitted if they will notify us we will make the addition:
C. G. Ives, residence $2,500
J. S. Brooks, residence. 2,000
H. M. Templeton, addition 1,000
Ames City Hall. . 1,350
Cal. Giddings, addition 300
W. G. Wright, addition 400
J. L. Stevens, addition. 750
A. Perkins, addition. 150
J. L. Bartlett, addition.
200
Mrs. L. M. Bosworth, addition 500
William Greeley ..
150
Charles Hamilton, addition 175
William Paxton, addition 100
G. G. Tilden, addition 100
Total. $9,675
The principal street has been improved at great expense and made good.
The Ames Flouring Mill was burnt in 1881, and was rebuilt in 1882, by Haverly and Lanning, its present owners, assisted by citi- zens.
There is one elevator here, and is owned by Henry Wilson.
There are three hotels: the "West House," kept by Wm. West; the "Lawton House," kept by Mr. Little; the "Kaynor House," kept by Kaynor & Son.
The press here, the "Intelligencer office," owned and conducted by Capt. J. E. Duncan, gives us a good paper. The work is done, (the main portion of it,) by steam power. We have a steam power press in Nevada, worked by Rev. Isaiah Reid, in doing the press- work on his paper The Highway. These two steam power presses are the only ones of the kind in Story County.
Ames has an excellent water tank, furnishing abundance of water.
The Northwestern station house is a plain building, but com- fortable for waiting passengers.
The new railroad warehouse, about two years old, is a good build- ing and is south of the station.
The school houses of Washington Township have all taken reg- ular order, with few exceptions.
The business of Ames, Kelley and New Philadelphia will be found by refering to Directories in the Index.
235
HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
This township was settled in early times. Among the early settlers may be named, viz: Shadrick Worrall, Harvey Lewellen, Morgan Keltner, Mr. Vest, Mr. Luther, A. H. Beadle, Lot Loving, C. and E. Thurman, W. H. Foster, Ed. Mckenzie, W. C. Shockly, Amos Simmons, Henry and Cyrus Simmons, John Bracken, G. H. Crossley, I. H. Rees, W. J. Graham, Mr. - Walker, Mr. G. Scott, Calvary Ross, Mr. S. Coffelt, S. M. Corey, W. W. Spring, Mr. -- Eastlick.
The first frame school house built in the county, as claimed, was located in the northeast corner of section 1, township 82, range 24, and was the renowned "Walnut Grove School House," built in 1854-5.
Washington Township has three towns: Ames, Kelley and New Philadelphia.
At the last named town there is but little doing. It was laid out in 1856.
Kelley is a small town but has life about it, and is in the midst of a good country. It is situated on the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 32, was laid off in 1875.
The town "Collegeton," was laid off in 1863 but was not recorded. It would have been recorded if the railroad had been located on the south line of the Agricultural farm. Mr. W. J. Graham, who had worked so faithfully for the location of the farm felt pretty sure of the final location of the road on the south line of the farm-so sure I surveyed the town for him. He offered the Railroad Com- pany sixteen or twenty acres of ground free for depot grounds in case of its location on said south line. Mr. W. W. Walker and others examined, with care, this route, but it was finally rejected. Had it been located on said line Ames would not have been laid off, but it would have been Graham's Town-"Collegeton." This Col- legeton was on the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 9, and directly south of the College building and not eighty rods distant.
There are several branches beside Skunk River, (Chicaqua,) that pass through parts of the township: Squaw Fork, Worrall Branch, Walnut Creek, Luther Branch, (and not Clear Creek). Luther Creek was its original name and not Clear Creek. The Clear Creek of Story County is in Collins Township. In early times there was a Mr. Luther living on or near this creek, and in Luther Grove. For groves see the index "Groves." This Luther Creek enters the township east of the northwest corner of section 6, pass- ing through 6, to a point near the northwest quarter section corner of section 6, then southeasterly through section 6, and then easterly through section 5, and then northeasterly through the northwest quarter of section 4, and empties into Squaw Fork some forty or fifty rods north of the north quarter section corner of section 3.
236
HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
For a description of the Tile Factory on this creek, and its busi- ness, see in index, Tile Factories. And for Mills, see Mills in index; and for Groves see index.
There once was some good native growth timber in Luther Grove, Worrall Grove, Walnut Grove and some along Skunk River and Squaw Fork. It has been disappearing yearly; but to more than recompence this, artificial groves are dotting the prairie farms all over the township. Squaw has but little timber, Walnut and Worrall Groves once had some very good timber in them.
West of Walnut Grove is the town of Kelley. A Tile factory is there and an elevator.
There are two or more cemeteries in Washington Township, one at Ames and on the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 2. One at New Philadelphia, the oldest one, situated on the north west quarter of the southwest quarter of section 5. They are on nicely elevated land.
Mr. P. L. Porter, who several years lived close to and west of the College, did quite a brisk trade in the creamery business, and brick making. John McDougall was first in the brick manufactory. The manager now is Mr. J. M. Stark who is doing a good business in tile manufactory. Mr. Stark has the experience and should know how to do good work. Mr. Stark calls the creek on which the tile is made, Clear Creek. Its original and correct name is "Luther Creek." This discrepancy, however, will not harm the work done.
IOWA STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE AND FARM.
This farm was located June 21, 1859, on the west half of section 3, the east half of section 4, and the east half of the west half of section 4, township 83 north, range 24 west of 5th P. M .- contain- ing six hundred and forty-eight acres. The first Board of Trus- tees appointed under the act, consisted of the following gentlemen: Timothy Day, John Wright, G. W. F. Sherwin, Richard Gaines, Suel Foster, J. W. Henderson, E. G. Day, John Pattee, Peter Melendy, Gov. R. P. Lowe, William Duane Wilson and M. W. Robinson.
In order to secure this farm Story County proposed to donate $10,000 in bonds; the citizens of Story and Boone Counties gave in notes and subscriptions $5,340, and nine hundred and eighty-one acres of land deeded and bonded in Story and Boone Counties.
Elsewhere will be found an account of the efforts made, moneys and lands donated, to secure its location in Story County; also the vote on the expediency of the county donating $10,000 for the lo- cation.
After this farm was located in Story County, the College received
8
237
HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
in donations from that and Boone County, and by individual con- tributions in those counties, the amounts named above, including the Story County bonds for $10,000.
Appropriations made by the State have been as follows: In the act establishing an Agricultural College, passed by the "Seventh General Assembly" in 1858, there were appropriated by the State, viz:
For the purchase and improvement of land. .$10,000 For the benefit of the College, and the proceeds of the sale of five sections of land, known as Capital Lands estimated. 16,000
The total previous to the Congressional grant $26,000
In compliance with the conditions of the Congressional Land Grant, there have been appropriated by the State the fol- lowing sums:
1862, by the Ninth General Assembly, ex- tra session, Sept. 11. For location of Con- gressional Grant. . .$ 1,000
In 1864, by Tenth General Assembly, March 22, to aid in the erection of the College building $20,000
In 1866, by Eleventh General Assembly, April 2, for completing College building.
91,000
In 1868, April 3, by Twelfth General Assembly :
For heating and cooking apparatus. 10,000
For Professors' houses . . 12,000
For water, clocks and bell. 2,000
For out buildings and ornamental grounds. .
1,000
For extra work on College building . .. .
3,000
For use of farm and other purposes. 9,750
47,750
April 8, for completing College building. 10,000 In 1870, April 13, by Thirteenth General Assembly:
For extending and completing wings of College building . 50,000
For building and completing laboratory . 5,000
For erection and completion of work shop 5,000
For erection of gas house 500
For farm improvements .. 2,000
For seeds and plants for experimental grounds . . 500
For tile draining 1,000
For professors' dwelling house. $ 4,500 $68,500
238
HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
Total appropriation since Congressional Land Grant. $228,250
Add previous appropriations 26,000
Total appropriations made since founding of College (April, 1870,). $254,250
The appropriations made since the above date, (1870,) and up to May 1, 1886, amount to nearly or quite.
$211,400
Making a grand total of appropriations of $465,650
There were at the late session of the College nearly or quite three hundred students.
The endowment fund of the College consists (1870) of 204,309 acres of land, embracing all which was received by the State under the Congressional Land Grant. (The Congressional Grant in July, 1862, to Iowa was 240,000 acres of land. At a special session in September, 1862, Iowa accepted the grant.) .
The scheme of leasing the lands was approved by the Legislature and passed into a law which authorizes the trustees to lease for a term of ten years any of the endowment lands. The lessee, by the terms of the act, pays annually, in advance, eight per cent interest on the appraised value of the land, with a right to purchase at the expiration of the lease. In the case of failure in the prompt pay- ment of the interest when due, the land with all improvements re- verts to the College.
It is deemed right and proper to insert here the text of the spec- ial act of our Legislature forbidding the sale of intoxicating liquors within two miles of the College. The following is the act: "Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Iowa, that from and after the Fourth of July next, no person shall open, maintain, or conduct any shop or other place for the sale of wine, beer or spirit- ous liquors, or sell the same at any place within the distance of two miles from the Agricultural College, in Story County; provided, that the same may be sold for sacramental, mechanical, medicinal, or culinary purposes.
Any person violating the provisions of this act shall be punished, on conviction by any court of competent jurisdiction, by a fine not exceeding fifty dollars for each offense, or by imprisonment in the county jail for a time not exceeding thirty days, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Approved, April 7, 1868."
This law has the hearty approval of all good citizens.
150
241
HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
"THE COLLEGE BUILDINGS."
The main building, which contains the dormitories, recitation rooms, chapel, library, museum, etc., is 157 by 61 feet on the ground and four stories high, with a basement for dining room, kitchen, store-rooms, etc. It is located in the center of an enclo- sure of 190 acres, which contains the vegetable garden, vineyard, orchard, nursery, ornamental grounds, and various buildings be- longing to the College. Two new wings of the main building, for which the legislature of 1870 appropriated $50,000, are being con- structed, and will be ready for occupation in the spring of 1872.
The present building supplies dormitories for one hundred and sixty students. When the wings are added it will accommodate two hundred and twenty.
West of the College building are the work shops and laboratory; the former a wooden building furnished with suitable tools, and containing a steam engine, which drives various machines for laun- dry and other purposes; the latter a brick structure sixty by thirty feet, with one story for students in analytical chemistry, and a base- ment which furnishes apparatus and lecture rooms, for general chemistry and physics. Southward from the College at proper dis- tances from each other, are three professors' houses built of brick- one being in process of construction.
"ORNAMENTAL GROUNDS"
The grounds in the vicinity of the College building have been laid out with care, and ornamented with lawns, shrubbery and trees. A broad terrace immediately in front is bordered with flowering plants and shrubs. * *
* "The course of instruction in said College shall include the following branches, to-wit: Natural Philosophy, Chemistry Botany, Horticulture, Fruit growing, Forestry, Geology, Mineral- ogy, Animal and Vegetable Anatomy, Meterology, Entomology, Zoology, Veterinary Art, Plane Mensuration, Leveling, Surveying, Book-keeping and such Mechanical Arts as are directly connected with Agriculture; and also such other studies as the trustees may, from time to time, prescribe not inconsistant with the purposes of the act."
"All students, without regard to pecuniary circumstances, are therefore obliged to perform manual labor as an essential part of College education and discipline and training."
* * "Nothing is more conclusively settled than that those students who are most studious and industrious in class, work the most efficiently, and are the most trust worthy in the performance of their daily work."
"By law each representative district is entitled to send one per- son for each member in the General Assembly. Candidates for ad- mission should, when possible, make application through the Super- intendent of Common Schools for their county, and his certificate
16
242
HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
of good character and scholarship will give preference over other applicants equally deserving. Students are required to work not less than two hours in winter, and three in summer, and each stu- dent will receive compensation therefore, and no student shall be exempt from such labor, except in case of sickness or other inabil- ity. They are paid for their labor at its value to the College, the rate per hour varying from three to nine cents. Students pay act- ual cost for board, fires, lights, laundry, use of musical instruments, damages to the property of the College, when caused by themselves, a fair part of the chemicals consumed by themselves, care and gen- eral repairs of the College buildings and furniture, and for such other incidental expenses as especially belong to them as a body. Students pay nothing for tuition and rent, nor for the general ex- penses of the College. They will, each one, be required to deposit ten dollars with the cashier, on entering the College, as security . for the payment of his bills."
"Students supply themselves with bedding and towels, and with carpets, if they desire them. All other furniture, including mat- tresses, is supplied by the College. A fair estimate for a year may be set down as follows:
"For board thirty-six weeks, at $3 per week, $108 .. $108
"For laundry .. . from 5 to 15
"For fire and lights. 9 .. 9
"For repairs and incidental expenses 9.00 9.00
"For books and stationery 10.00. 20.00
Total expenses per year. $141.00. . . $161.00
"Students' earnings vary with their age, health, strength and pre- vious knowledge and skill, the time they devote to labor, and their general efficiency. The past year students have earned, in some instances, as much as $120, and have by economy, fully paid their College expenses. An average of earnings for the past year, (1870,) has been fifty-four dollars, including the young, sick, and the in- experienced."
The corners proper to the Farm of 648 acres were fixed by the writer hereof, November, 1867, at the request of the Superintend- ent, Hon. H. M. Thompson. The stones for the corners were nicely dressed, and about five by eight inches square at the top with an X cut thereon. The stones are of the same kind of material as those in the College building, and was dressed by the workmen on the building for the express purpose of being used in the corners of the Farm.
One and one-quarter miles west of this farm are the villages of New Philadelphia and Ontario. The former is in Washington Township-the latter in Franklin Township. New Philadelphia was laid off in April 1856, on the east half of the northeast quarter section 6 and three blocks of section 5, township 82, range 24. For'
243
HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
a few years it had considerable trade; but as soon as Ontario was laid out as the railroad town, New Philadelphia improved but little
There is a creamery at Ames owned by Mr. Burgess, but is about to sell to Mr. Hawley, of Colo, for $4,000. Have no report as to its business.
There is a creamery at Kelley under the control of the Board- man Brothers or Mr. Wortman.
Kelley was laid off as a town April, 1875, on the south west quar- ter of the southeast quarter section 32, township 83, range 24.
There is a stone quarry about thirty rods southeast from west quarter section corner, section 4, township 83, range 24.
The Tile factory is controlled and owned by C. S. Giddings. This factory turns out about 150,000 tiles and about 50,000 brick during the season. See "Tile Factories."
An addition to Kelley in the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 5, township 82, range 24, gives a share of the town to Palestine Township. There is a good elevator at Kelley, and is operated by steam.
Those who ship stock and grain are named as follows:
William Clark, Ross Mason, Henry Wilson, Mr. McCoy, John T. Gray, Perkins & Son, Cook & Shields, and perhaps others.
Those who raise and feed stock may be, in part, the following:
A. J. Graves, C. S. Giddings, Lyman Crane, H. F. Woodruff, John J. Keigley, Asa F. Eastwood, Richard Jones, W. H. Johnson, Amos Hurst, William Scott, Prosper Templeton, Edwin Rex, Henry Keltner, C. G Leesing, John Brumigin, Isaac Thomas, Wm. Beedle, T. J. Keigley and Albert Slater.
A list of farmers, mechanics and others of energy and stir is here appended, viz:
J. J. Keigley, Z. T. Jones, A. G. Jones, J. Rex, Wm. Beedle,, F. M. Finch, W. A. Gossard, I. B. McElyea, W. H. Fitchpatrick John H. Keigley, Daniel McCarthy, Henry McCarthy, Parley Sheldon, L. Q. Hoggatt, Milo McCartney, Michael Price, W. H. Foster, E. Thurman, T. B. Keeney, J. M. Stark, Wm. Menhenet, W. F. McCarthy, J. F. Long, H. Christman, E. B. Plumb, J. A. Gunder, Jas. Hutchinson, M. Roberts, L. Rozenfeldt and A. McFarlane.
Business men of Ames, Ontario and Kelley will be found in their respective Directories. See "Directory."
The first post-master in Washington Township was Dr. Bull- man, post-master at New Philadelphia. He was succeeded by W. H. Foster, then Dr. Sharper, then W. H. Foster, then Hiram
244
HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
Scott, while Scott was post-master the name of the post-office was changed to "Ontario." Scott resigned and Frank M. Coffelt was appointed post-master and is still acting. Later-just removed.
About 1861 or '62 W. H. Fitchpatrick was appointed post- master at "College Farm" but resigned in 1864, and A. J. Graves succeeded him. While Mr. Graves was acting the office was moved to Ames and the name of the office, in accordance. The first post-master in Ames was Henry F. Kingsbury, in 1865. Mr. Kingsbury was also the first express agent and first station agent at Ames.
The post-office at Kelley was created about 1875 or 176. J. S. McCoy is the present post-master at Kelley, and S. S. Arnold is ticket agent.
There are two church buildings at Kelley, one a Baptist and the other a Congregational.
It is claimed Noah Webster built the first dwelling house at Ames which was late in the fall of 1865. . Dr. Phipps was the first physician. L. Q. Hoggatt, L. Irwin and - Rainbolt built the first warehouse for grain. J. Q. Leffingwell was the first black- smith. As to the first dwelling houses in or where Ames now is, I will name two; Rev. I. H. Rees lived in a log house near Squaw Creek and in what now is southwest Ames, some ten years before Ames was surveyed. Mr. Rees settled there about 1854. The other house referred to was also a log house and built about 1856, by George H. Crossly, (Major G. W. Crossley's father,) and stood near a spring near the summit of the hill. The house stood nearly precisely where Mr. Born's house was afterwards built, and was on the summit above the spring. This Crossly house was in section 2, township 83, range 24, and was near the south line of said sec- tion and a few rods west of the southeast corner of the section. This was built some eight years before Ames came up. The Kintzley house was built near the same time and stood near where Esq. J. H. Keigley now resides; perhaps a little west.
Ames was incorporated in 1869. Its first Mayor was Wm. West, a man who was well qualified for its first Mayor. W. D. Lucas was the second; Wm. Clark, third; C. E. Turner, fourth; Walter Evans, fifth; Wm. Clark, sixth; Geo. A. Underwood, seventh; E. R. Chamberlain, eighth; Geo. G. Tilden, nineth; Henry Wilson, Jr., tenth; Henry Wilson, Jr., eleventh; J. Watts, twelfth; John Watts, thirteenth; Parley Sheldon, fourteenth; M. C. Jones, fifteenth, the present one, January, 1887.
The list of post-masters for Ames is as follows: Henry Kings- bury, 1865, was the first; second, L. Q. Hoggatt; third, Samuel L. Lucas; fourth, Mrs. Hattie Lucas; fifth, John Watts; sixth, Par- ley Sheldon, who is the present (1886) post-master for Ames.
The new warehouse is about fifty-five or sixty feet south of the ticket office.
-
245
HISTORY OF STORY COUNTY, IOWA.
I will here name an instance of female energy that occurred some twenty-two or twenty-three years ago, in Washington Town- ship. Here it is: Mrs. C. O .. Duff, living near where Ames was afterwards located, by an understanding between herself and the Railroad Company, bought 320 acres of land for the Company, some of which was used, (40 acres) for the town site of Ames, which was laid off in lots and blocks late in 1864. The Company or John I. Blair and others made some fruitless efforts to get some land for a station where Ontario now is. This was prior to Mrs. Duff's purchase at Ames. It is therefore presumed they desired to try the next purchase by an agent for the Railroad Company -.- supposing land could be had at much lower figures by some one not known as being interested in the company. Mrs. Duff was therefore selected as the agent, and she made the purchase. Some of the early history of this and of Ames will be found elsewhere. Mrs. Duff boarded the hands while they were building the depot in 1865. Had the first efforts of the company succeeded in getting the land where Ontario now is, the town would have been there. She was an active and untiring worker in trying to get up a church organization at Ames for the Congregationalists. The church was built as you will learn, and Mrs. Duff was the untiring worker. For the dedication of the church Mrs. Pierce, (mother of Mrs. J. A. Fitchpatrick,) composed the dedicatory hymn. So it is said.
CHICAGO & NORTHWESTERN RAILWAY TIME CARD AT AMES-September 23, 1886.
GOING EAST.
No. 2 Marshalltown Passenger, except Monday 4:50 A. M.
66 4 Atlantic Express 1:45 A. M.
66 6 Mail 5:00 P. M.
=
14 Freight .. 8:20 A. M.
16 Way Freight 10:20 A. M.
66 18 Freight. 3:00 P. M.
66 20 7:00 P. M.
GOING WEST.
No. 3 Pacific Express 1:45 A. M.
5 Mail 11:30 A. M.
" 25 Freight 10:20 A. M.
" 23 Freight 6:30 A. M.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.