USA > Iowa > Cass County > History of Cass County, Iowa; together with sketches of its towns, villages, and townships; educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of old settlers and representative citizens. History of Iowa, embracing accounts of the pre-historic races, and a brief review of its civil, political, and military history > Part 107
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Volney O'Bryan may be classed among the early settlers of Atlantic, as he came here in the early part of 1869. He is a native of Vermont, having been born in Middlebury, Addison county, on the 1st day of February, 1827. Here " he was reared, and received his education in the common schools. When quite young he commenced the acquirement of the car- penter's trade, and having learned it, started to travel in the south. He went to Nashville, Tennessee, in 1860, and was engaged in contracting and building when the war broke out. He lost by it everything he had accumulated, selling even his tools. In the spring of 1869, he came to Atlantic, and was soon afterward appointed postmaster, under Grant's ad- ministration. He held the position for eight years. After leaving the postoffice, he went six miles northeast of Atlantic, and laid out the town of Lorah. There he built a store, and embarked in the mer- cantile business. Returning to Atlantic, he purchased a lumber yard, in January, 1882, which he sold to Lamson and Dierk- son. In 1884, he commenced his present business, in the planing mill. He was married in Canada, in 1857, to Amelia C. Hall. They have had three children, none of which are now living. Mr. and Mrs. O'Bryan are members of the Methodist church.
The business of manufacturing cigars
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in Atlantic dates from 1873, when Mr. Thomas established himself in that line. He operated but a short time.
Shields Brothers instituted their busi- ness in the fall of 1875, and have built up a fine trade. They give employment to twelve or fifteen men nearly all the time.
The Atlantic canning factory was erect- ed in 1882, by a company composed of S. F. Martin, J. A. McWaid and R. D. Wilkin. It is complete in all its details, and consists of a main building 40x100 feet in size, two stories high; cooling shed 40x20 feet in area; wareroom 42x20 feet, and a brick boiler room 18x30 feet. The latter contains an engine of twenty-five horse power. The entire plant cost about $10,000. During the packing season they give employment to from seventy-five to one hundred hands, both men and women, and during the season of 1883, put up 210,000 packages, and in 1884, 450,000. In 1888, Messrs. Martin and McWaid pur- chased the interest of R. D. Wilkin, and are now operating the business. This is one of the leading industries of the place, and a great benefit to the working class, who can find employment during the sum- mer months.
J. A. McWaid was born in Logan coun- ty, Ohio, on the 7th day of March, 1836, his parents being Samuel and Clarinda (Gilliland) McWaid, natives of Ohio. Samuel McWaid was a blacksmith by trade, and followed the business for many years. In 1854 he came to Iowa, and at present resides in Linn county. J. A. McWaid was reared on a farm, and re- ceived a common school education. In 1856 be removed to Cedar county, Iowa, where he engaged in farming. In 1857
he was married, in Cedar county, to R. E. Todd, a native of Ohio. In January, 1869, he came to Atlantic, Cass county, and formed a partnership with J. H. Needles, in agricultural implements, and black- smith, wagon and carriage building, which continued for eight years, the firm name being Needles and McWaid. At the ex- piration of the partnership, Mr. McWaid erected a building on Chestnut street and again engaged in the implement busi- ness, which he run for three yeara, then selling to Mr. Newlon. In 1882, he superintended the erection of the Atlantic packing house and the Atlantic canning factory, in both of which enterprises Mr. McWaid was largely interested. He is also the possessor of six hundred acres of fine land, which is run as a stock farm. Mr. and Mrs. McWaid are the parents of seven children-Ida M., Rosa B., Callie, Ella, Minnie, Mabel and Willie A. Mr. McWaid is one of the live business men of Atlantic, and has done much in build- ing the city up to its present prosperous condition. He is a member of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows.
The first blacksmith in the city of At- lantic was J. H. Needles, who opened a shop on Third and Walnut streets, in Jan- uary, 1869.
He was followed shortly after, in 1870, by 'A. C. Tharp. The latter is now at Wiota.
This business has several able repre- sentatives in the town, among whom are F. J. Snouffer, J. H. Needles, Fred. Her- mann, Jacob Hunt, August Mafs and Pel- litier and Smith.
Among those who are engaged in indus- trial pursuits in Atlantic is F. J. Snouffer,
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who carries on the business of wagon and carriage manufacturing on Walnut street, between Second and Third. On the 16th of August, 1877, he opened up the busi- ness, his means at that time being very limited. But energy and perseverance brought, in his case, their just reward, and he now has a business of which he may well be proud. His wagon is known as the "Atlantic wagon." He manufac- tures twenty wagons and fifteen buggies and spring wagons per year, besides his repair work. His shop is 50x106 feet in ground area, and in this shop he gives employment, on an average, to seven workmen. Mr. F. J. Snouffer was born in Frederick county, Maryland, on the 2d day of February, 1836, his parents being John and Sarah Snouffer. In the year 1848 his parents removed to Mont- gomery county, Indiana, near Crawfords- ville. When F. J. had reached the age of sixteen years, he was apprenticed to the trade of wagon and carriage-making at Crawfordsville. He spent three years iu learning the trade, receiving his board and clothes for his work. He then work- ed at various places until the war began to draw into the army all of a patriotic nature, and, and he enlisted and served as teamster. He was soon afterward de- tailed as blacksmith at Pittsburg Land- ing. After the war he resumed his trade. In 1874 he came to Atlantic, and he bas since made his residence here, and built himself up in business as before stated. He was married in 1861, Miamitown, Ohio, to Anna Jones. They had three children, two of whom are now living. The names of the latter are William A. and Edward E. Mr. Snouffer's progress
in business has been due solely to his own endeavors, and he has cause to feel proud of his success.
HOTELS.
On the 20th of September, 1868, work was commenced on a hotel, by F. H. Whitney, on the site of the present Rey- nolds House. This was finished by the first of November, and occupied by John Bennett and Son. In December, 1869, the building was purchased by John R. Reynolds, who was then running a lum- ber yard here, and who, in the spring fol- lowing, took the place in which he has figured ever since, that of host of the hotel, then known as the Atlantic House. In the summer of 1870, the name was changed to Reynolds House, which it bears at the present moment. The pioneer hotel was a frame structure, and but small, and as the town grew, large additions were made as occasion required. In 1882, Mr. Rey- nolds commenced the erection of the fine brick hotel, that has taken the place of the old one. This edifice consists of a main building 33x65 feet on the ground and three stories high, an L, 33x62 feet in size, also three stories high, and a frame addition, part of the old house, 32x22 in ground area, two stories high. The building cost $17,000, and contains fifty-five large, airy sleeping rooms, a din- ing room, one of the finest in this section of the State, thirty-three feet square, an office sixty-three feet long and for thirty feet, eighteen feet wide, and the balance of the distance thirty-three feet wide, and a kitchen 24x26 feet, with a cellar under all. The house is newly fur- nished, fitted up with all the modern con- veniences, contains a full system of elec-
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tric bells and fire alarm, and is run in the interests of the traveling public. The cuisine is excellent, and Mr. Reynolds and his son, Charles M., who is clerk, endeavor to make their guests at home and com- fortable in every way.
Among the prominent business men of Atlantic, perhaps there is none that has had a wider range of experience or a larger circle of friends, than John R. Rey- nolds, the genial landlord of the Reynolds House. A son of Elisha P. and Betsy (Stewart) Reynolds, he was born in Wash- ington county, Vermont, on the 28th day of December, 1825. His parents were natives of New York State, but who had removed to the "Green Mountain State." They had a family of twelve children, six of whom were boys. Mr. Reynolds, the elder, was an officer in the American army during the war of 1812-15, and commanded a company at the battle of Plattsburgh, and was of the prominent men of his day, and a staunch Jefferson and Jackson Democrat. He was elected to the office of sheriff of his county, and to other local offices. He died in Decem- ber, 1837, and his wife in 1843. John R. Reynolds was reared upon a farm, receiv- ing his education at the district schools of his native county, and three years spent at the seminary, at Montpelier. When he had attained the age of twenty- one, he removed to Hopkinton, Massachu- setts, where he remained six years, en- gaged in the boot and shoe business. But being of a roving turn of mind, this was too tame for him, so in 1852, he started for California, going by way of Central America and up San Juan river. In the Golden State he remained some
three years, engaged in mining for the auriferous metal. He then returned to the States, by way of New Orleans, and thence np the river to Alton, Springfield and Rock Island, locating in the latter town, where he lived for fourteen years. While this was his home, however, the old roving spirit would come over him and he made another trip to Califor- nia and Oregon, traveling over a large amount of country in the latter Territory. He came home and has had a large share in the construction of railroads through- out this section of the country. At the time of the construction of the bridge at Davenport, and the building of the Chica- go, Rock Island and Pacific railroad from the Mississippi to Des Moines, he furnished a large amount of material. He was also a contractor on the Racine and Mississippi railroad, and a large contractor on the Union Pacific, building a hundred miles of that road from Omaha out, and em- ploying as high as 2,000 men. In 1862, he made another trip to the West, and led a train through from Omaha to Ore- gon. He took the train through unex- plored country more than 480 miles of which was unknown ground, being the first white man to traverse the wild region. In 1867, he again was contracting, in com- pany with his brother, Elisha P. Rey- nolds. In 1869 he came to Atlantic, and entered into the Inmber business, in which he remained one year, when he entered upon his present business. He built the Griswold branch of the C., R. I. and P. railroad. He has largely instrumental in building up the town of Atlantic and has been a member of the city council and of the school board of the Independent dis-
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trict. He was married in Rock Island on the 20th of September, 1853, to Caroline E. Bennett, a daughter of Hazard E. Ben- nett, one of the first settlers of Rock Island, but now a resident of Atlantic. By this union there has been four chil- dren, two boys and two girls. Mr. Rey- nolds is a member of Trio Masonic lodge, Rock Island.
In 1871, the Park House building was built, or part of it, for a hotel, but before it was finished it was deemed inexpedient to open it as such, and the building stood idle for awhile, when, it was rented by the county, at a rental of $1,200 per an- num and used by them as a court house, the old building on the opposite corner proving inadequate to the needs of the county. It was used as such until 1882, when the court house having been com- pleted it stood idle for awhile, when it passed into the hands of the Keyes estate, who made large additions and improve- ments, and it was rented by David A. Williams, the present proprietor. The edifice, a fine imposing one of Milwaukee brick, is 75x115 feet in ground area, and three stories high, and contains forty sleeping apartments.
The Atlantic House was erected in the summer of 1870 by L. Anderson, who was the proprietor of the same for eight years.
The Occidental House, of Atlantic, was erected in 1878. It is a three story frame structure, 70x70 in ground area, and cost $7,765. E. O. Hoyt erected the building and conducted the same until the spring of 1881, when he disposed of the property to R. M. Pearson, who sold the same to Charles Treede in November, 1884.
Richard M. Pearson was born in Penn- sylvania, August 1, 1833, and is the son of Richard and Mary (Merch) Pearson, natives of Maryland. His father was a pioneer of Iowa, being among the first to enter land in all the great Hawkeye State, having settled in Clayton county in 1837, in which county he was judge of the pro- bate court for eight years. He died De- cember 23, 1883. Mr. Pearson's mother died in December, 1881, at the advanced age of eighty-eight. The subject of this sketch came to Clayton county, Iowa, with his parents when six years of age, which at that time was an unbroken wilderness, inhabited by the red man. He remained here until May, 1874, growing to manhood and witnessing the settlement and devel- opment of that country, when he came to Atlantic, where he has since resided. He was married in 1852 to Eliza Bockover, to whom two children were born-Ella and Ida. His wife died December 25, 1858. He was again married to Annetta Bock- over, a sister of his first wife, by whom there has been four children born-Cora, Duey, and Tinney and Minnie, twins. Mr. Pearson was alderman of Atlantic for four years and in politics is a "dyed in the wool" Democrat.
The Pacific House was built by a farmer named Everett, just after the Atlantic House was completed. W. A. Woodworth operated this hotel for some time. It afterward passed into the hands of Henry Moeller, the present proprietor, who changed the name to Commercial House.
The City Hotel was removed from Grove City to Atlantic in 1869, by James Tumbleson. It has had a large number of landlords, and at present is conducted
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by Eli Spry .. At an early day it was classed among the best hotels of Atlantic. A write-up of this building occurs in the history of Grove City.
George Weber, landlord and proprietor of the Farmer's Hotel, in Atlantic, pur- chased his house of Hensen and Dierk- son, in December, 1882. The building was erected by a man named Goodale, for a grocery store, and was first opened as a hotel by Hensen and Dierkson, in March, 1875. The main building is of brick, and its dimensions are twenty-two by forty feet. It has a frame addition on the west, forty by sixteen feet, and another upon the north, forty by fourteen feet. The house contains accommodations for lodging about forty guests. He has almost the entire patronage of the farmers in this vicinity, and averages daily about sixty guests for dinner, frequently feeding as many as two hundred at that meal. Mr. Weber was born and reared in Ste- phenson county, Illinois. His parents were natives of Germany. His father, Jacob Weber, died in Illinois. His mother is still living in Stephenson county, at the advanced age of seventy-seven years. George. Weber came to Atlantic in 1874, and purchased a farm in Union township, which he still owns, and on which he re- sided until he engaged in his present bus- iness. He was married to Lydia Ann Lang, a native of Stephenson county, Illi- nois. They have five daughters.
ATLANTIC WATER WORKS.
One of the works of which Atlantic can well be proud, is the water-works, and which, from its inception to its comple- tion, demanded all the pluck and energy
of the best business men of the city. The works, which are of the Holly system, are complete in every respect. It became apparent, a few years ago, that the supply of water was wholly inadequate for even domestic purposes, and the want of the proper amount of that element, in cases of conflagration, disastrous; so means were taken to provide against this, and the first step was the formation of a com- pany, for the purpose of building the works. A corporation was formed in 1882, with a capital of $100,000, and the work commenced under the supervision of J. R. Reynolds, and in October of that year was completed and put in operation. The company have a fine brick building just east of town, in a loop of Troublesome creek. This edifice is 60x36 feet in size, 16 feet high, and contains the necessary machinery. This consists of a Holly Quadruplex engine and pump, that has a capacity of raising two million gallons of water every twenty-four hours, and, in case of stress, this can be reinforced by a duplex pump of the same manufacture, with a capacity of one million gallons in a full day. The power to drive the silent but powerful engines is derived from two Holly boilers, each sixty inches in di- ameter and sixteen feet long. For some time after its completion, the water sup- ply was taken from the creek, but that stream in times of rain becoming turbid, and the filters not working satisfactorily, drive wells were put down all over the bottom, and connecting them together with a spider, they were put under the control of the engine, and now furnish the city with clear, fresh water. In case of fire, or any other great demand for this
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element, connection can still be made with the creek, and the water sent through the mains.
The company has now down five and a half miles of mains throughont the city, varying in size from four to sixteen inches in diameter. J. W. Love and C. S. Man- ville are the engineers in charge of the works, and are faithfully found at their post throughout the hours of their duty. The works are connected with the city by electric alarms, so that in case of any sudden demand for water, it can be fur- nished. The corporation is officered, at present, by J. C. Yetzer, president; Lafay- ette Young, secretary, and W. A. Wilken, superintendent. The outlay has met with the hearty appreciation of the people of the community, and is one of the boasts of this flourishing, active, go-ahead town of Atlantic.
J. W. Love was born in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, January 6, 1846, and is a son of Robert and Eliza J. (Crooks) Love. His father is a native of Pennsylvania, and his mother of Ohio. In 1876 his father came to Cass county, Iowa, where he remained until 1883, when be removed to Beedle county, Dakota. When sixteen years of age the subject of this sketch be- gan engineering in his father's saw mill, which he followed until twenty-two years of age, when he spent seven and a half years in a planing mill. He then went to Butler county, Pennsylvania, where he took up engineering again, which he fol- lowed until he came to Atlantic in 1879, where he is at present engaged as en- gineer of the water works. He was mar- ried, September 8, 1869, to Sarah E. Hann, who was born in Mercer county, Pennsyl-
vania, November 16, 1846. By this union there has been three children-Mary M., Nellie F. and Harry P. Mr. Love is a member of the A. O. U. W., I. K. of H., and A. F. and A. M. societies.
Charles S. Manville was born in St. Clair county, Michigan, September 6, 1857. He is a son of Charles S. and Ada- line (Burney) Manville, who at present reside in Toledo, Ohio. Mr. Manville is sailing on the lakes, an occupation be has followed since he was thirteen years of age. Charles S. went with his parents to Toledo in 1866, and when twenty years of age entered the brass works and ma- chine shops of Wolcutt and Row. In May, 1879, he came to Atlantic where he has since resided, being employed by S. M. Childs and Company, and afterward by Yetzer and Rapp, while at present he is employed by the City Water Works company. He was married February 24, 1880, in Atlantic, to Bessie Haley. They have two children- Charles F. and William J.
WHITNEY'S BLOCK,
Among the ornaments of the city of At- lantic, there is none that deserves mention more than the building known as the "Whitney Block." This is a magnificent three story brick building situated on the east side of Chestnut street, between Fourth and Fifth streets. The building covers two lots, making a frontage of fifty feet and extending back to a depth of one hundred feet. The first story is all in one room, 50x100 feet, and is occu- pied as a retail boot and shoe store, and a grocery store. The story is eighteen feet between floors. The second story has been fitted for occupancy, and a number
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of grand rooms for offices may be found there, among which is the Knights of Pythias Lodge. In the third story is the Masonic Hall, a description of which ap- pears elsewhere. The front of the build- ing, while being plain is grand and im- posing. The style of the architecture is what is called the Queen Anne and which is Modernized Classic. The street en- trance to the Masonic Hall is very bold and consists of heavy cut piers, solid moulded bases and solid stone caps with stone frieze in which is engraved "Ma- sonic Hall." The balance of the first story is of plate glass of very large size. The front above is built of the best quality of St. Louis pressed brick, laid in black mortar with steel joints and oiled. The front is trimmed with cut stone and gal- vanized iron. These are pilasters extend- ing from the top of the first story to the cornice. These have Corinthian caps. There are two moulded heavy belt courses. The main cornice is a cantetil- ever cornice and very massive. In the center is a gable, in the tympanum of which are placed, "F. H. Whitney's Block, 1882," in raised letters and gilded. This gable is surmounted by a flag-staff fifteen feet high, with a gilded copper ball on the top. Above the cornice is a paneled [balustrade four feet high, with moulded paneled pedestals and on them classic vases. The windows for the front, above the first story, are nine feet wide, and those for the upper story, or Masonic Hall are fourteen feet high, and have semi-circular tops, with stone transom rail and cap with key-stones. The en- trance to the upper story is enclosed by a handsome iron gate secured by a padlock.
This gate is painted a bronze green and the points gilded. The glass for the front side are entirely of the best English pol- ished plate, except for the transom lights. These are of ornamental stain cathedral hammered glass of appropriate designs. The height of the front of the building above the sidewalk is sixty-five feet, and it presents a lofty appearance, being as sightly as any building in the city, not ex- cepting the new court house. The entire building and lots cost but little less than $35,000.
Bacon's Opera House, which is located on the corner of Fifth and Poplar streets. was erected in 1880, by H. E. Bacon, A. A. Hubbard and E. Simmons Before its completion, however, Mr. Bacon, pur- chased the interests of his partners, be- coming sole owner. It was finished and thrown open to the public on the 20th of September, and was dedicated- by John Dillon, in "Electric Light." The edifice is 47x100 feet in size, built of brick, and is architecturally an imposing structure. It has a seating capacity of 600, with a stage 32x44 feet in size, well equipped with scenery and curtains. The audito- rium is supplied with folding opera chairs and is well lighted and ventil- ated. Mr. Bacon, the proprietor, has been prominently identified with the county in official capacity, and has been, already, mentioned in that connection.
POST OFFICE.
The Atlantic Post Office was established in 1868, with S. T. McFadden, as post- master. He was succeeded in 1870, by V. O'Brien, who held the office for eight years. H. A. Disbrow was next post- master, being appointed in 1879, who :
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served until the appointment of L. F. Mullins, in June, 1883, the present in- cumbent.
Captain L. F. Mullins, postmaster of Atlantic, is a native of Kentucky, being born in that State, October 10, 1839. He is a son of Jonathan and Lucy (West) Mullins, the former being a native of Tennessee and the latter of Alabama. The subject of this sketch was reared upon a farm in Kentucky, and when about ten years of age, 1849, went with his parents to Marion county, Iowa, where he remained until July, 1862, when he enlisted in Company C, Twenty-second Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and in the fall of 1863 was mustered in as captain, at New Orleans, which position he held until the close of the war. He served in a number of prominent battles and was wounded May 22, 1863, at the assault on Vicksburg, Mississippi, and again at Ce- dar Creek, Virginia, October 19, 1864, spending five months in the hospital at Vicksburg, Mississippi, and Memphis, Tennessee. He was mustered out at Sa- vannah, Georgia, in August, 1865, and returned to his home in Marion county, Iowa, where he was married November 5, 1867, to Elizabeth J. Simpson, of Indi- ana. They have one child-Ulysses S. In 1876, he removed to Cass county, Iowa, and settled in Benton township, where he improved a farm. At the meeting of the Seventeenth General As- sembly of Iowa, he was appointed ser- geant-at-arms of that body and served one term, after which he returned to his home in Benton township, and in the fall of 1879, was elected to the office of sheriff of the county and was re-elected to the
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