USA > Iowa > Decatur County > History of Decatur County, Iowa, and its people, Volume I > Part 11
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
107
HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY
edly very popular, and needs no argument to prove its merits. The revival of interest in the arts and crafts has never needed a recom- mendation. We are beginning to realize that our "ten fingers are our best friends." Some very interesting work has been designed and put out by the Graceland shops. We expect Graceland to keep in the van of this movement.
In point of numbers of its devotees perhaps the Business School exceeds all other departments in popularity, with a close second of the Normal School. The short time that some students have to devote to college, limited finance and the desire to get to work in the world and feel the joy of earning are some of the causes that crowd the Business Department. The Normal Department also has a de- serving popularity, for the work of educating for the art of teaching has become more and more imperative. There was a time when almost anyone could "teach school;" but that time has passed, and Graceland realizes with her contemporaries the true worth of the title "Teacher," and is making skillful the hand and the heart that must in some sense control the future citizenship. The Children's Home should in time furnish the students of the Normal Department the necessary "training school," and prove an advantage both to the home and the Normal Department. Too often the entrance of com- mercial and industrial courses side by side with the higher liberal studies results in the deterioration in interest of the latter. We hope that this has not been the case with Graceland. The desire expressed by some to make a commercial school of Graceland has never met with favor from those who rate a life higher than a living. The mad commercial spirit which insists on knowledge that "pays" and even philosophizes on the truth that all knowledge is useful, and distorts it into the idea that useful knowledge consists only in those obvious and visible parts of truth that mean dollars and cents. The spirit has reached us, as it has others, and the School of Liberal Arts cannot be said to be as popular as others in the past. The time will come when the demands of the young people who come to Graceland will require the beginning of a movement for a greater Graceland in the things that count for true scholarship. We must comply with the weights and measures of education that have been selected as standard, and then a "degree" from Graceland will be worthy of honor in the world of men. But in the meantime, while we are wait- ing to grow, Graceland is one of the small colleges which has not and will not refuse to do what she can for those who cling to the time-honored ideal of a liberal education.
108
HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY
The Music Department has been a prominent feature from the inception of the college until now. Miss Nellie Davis was the first head of this department, and she has been followed by the best help available to the trustees from time to time.
The School of Oratory was originally conducted by Mrs. Ruth Lyman Smith, and has since been presided over by Mrs. Evelyn Gurley Kane, Miss Alice Heathcote McElrath, Miss Zaida Gaines and the present director, Miss Lena Lambert. There was a time when the School of Oratory suffered a sort of decline, but it was brought into prominence again by Miss McElrath, whose own inter- est inspired everybody else, and soon made her the idol of the student body. It was Miss McElrath who planned, coached and helped in the execution of the first annual Athenian play, in 1907. It was the old favorite, "Esmeralda," and it was such a signal triumph for the Athenians that the Athenian play has become an annual event.
The school has one literary society-the Athenian-it was organ- ized almost at the beginning of the college and has been thriving ever since. The Athenian Society, besides their own literary improve- ment, have done things. The evidences of Athenian liberality in the matter of gifts to the college is not hard to find, and the list of them would be too long to enumerate. The Athenian Society has met representatives of other schools and colleges in several interschool debates and won her share of them.
The Athletic Associations have held wavering prominence in Graceland's history, but since the appearance in the faculty of Prof. Roy V. Hopkins, who is director of athletics, in addition to being professor of ancient languages in the college, athletics seem to have come into prominence to stay, and have created a college spirit that the old Graceland never knew-that spirit of loyalty to the gold and blue, the college and the team, that lives always.
The first dormitory descended to the boys, and the girls occupy a new one, built in 1909, and named Patroness Hall, after a society of loyal Lamoni matrons formed several years ago for the purpose of helping Graceland. And they did help her, and helped the new dormitory so substantially that when it was finished there was no choice but to name it Patroness Hall. There is a sunny. spacious dining hall in Patroness, and three times a day the people from both dormitories meet there around the long tables.
The students take pride in improving the school. Out of their private funds they have donated liberally for certain school projects, and the latest improvement was the decorating of the dining hall,
109
HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY
which was achieved by a box social given by the girls after a week full of excited planning, crepe paper, ribbon and all sorts of wonder- ful things.
Blair Hall is the farm house and has at different times sheltered some of the students.
Every year the Booster Club furnishes to the public a lecture course which makes a small profit for the college, and also helps the college in its work, with other college recitals, plays and entertain- ments, the college calendar is quite full.
There is one honor scholarship conferred each year for the best oration. For the time the donor of the scholarship did not wish his name revealed, but somehow the scholarship has beeome universally spoken of as the Pitt scholarship and everybody knows that the ben- efactor is William Pitt, of Independence, Mo.
The history of Graceland is a little bit of a misnomer, for as yet she has not had a score of years in which to make history; the longest and best part of her history is in the future, still Graceland has lived long enough to earn many lifelong friends in the students whom her old brick walls have sheltered. That indefinable something that ties a man to his school has bound us Gracelanders forever to Grace- land days and Graceland ways, however commonplace they may seem to others. There are some of us whom the memory of a violet- dotted eampus and the songs of the meadow lark on the Graceland hills will follow all our lives; then how can we forswear allegiance? Like Goldwin Smith, who by the way was no sentimentalist, said of Magdalen College when at fourscore he wrote, "My heart has often turned to its beauty, and often the sound of its sweet bells have come to me across the ocean-a little Eden in a world where there are none too many of them;" so will many of us say in the eventide of our lives, when we look back to our Graceland.
There are people-even of our own church-who doubt Grace- land and her mission; that prejudice must be laid aside by those who go out from her walls. We will show them that Graceland does not send into the world mere intellectual deformities, but men and women ready for the world's struggles and triumphs, with broad, generous, views of life, that will tend to make life better worth living-fitted intellectually, spiritually, and physically to cope with the world's problems.
CHAPTER X
THE CITY OF LEON .
EARLY SETTLEMENT AND GROWTH
Leon is now a city of 1,800 inhabitants. When the town was first surveyed it was given the name of Independence, but as the county seat of Buchanan County, Ia., bore the same name the postal authorities objected, so the new town was given the name South Independence. In the winter of 1854-5 the Legislature of the state changed the name to Leon in compliance with a petition drawn by a committee consisting of S. C. Thompson, Dr. J. P. Fin- ley and G. L. Moore. It is said that the name Leon was suggested by W. H. Cheevers who became attracted by it while serving as a soldier in the Mexican war.
Thomas H. East built the first residence in Leon. It was a log cabin located in the rear of the present opera house. After the town was surveyed Dr. S. C. Thompson built a log house sixteen feet square where the opera house now stands and occupied the same for a residence. He also put a small building up for use as an office. I. N. Clark put up a store building for Cleveland & Winn on the site later occupied by Clark & McClelland's store. Into this building the goods from the store on the Oney farm were moved and Mr. Clark sold the first dollar's worth of goods to Reuben Hatfield. The build- ing was 20 by 40 feet in dimensions and constructed of rough logs. One of the firm, Winn, in recent years conducted a store at Higgins- ville, Mo.
Soon a sufficient number of settlers arrived to justify the estab- lishment of a postoffice and Joshua Davis was the first postmaster. He was a brother-in-law of Johnny Patterson and had his office on the north side of the square. Among other pioneer business men were: Dr. Frank Warford, Moore & Richards, Samuel Harrow & Son, W. W. Ellis, Dr. J. P. Finley, Stillwell & Stevens, Ira B. Ryan, and Reuben Shackleford. The latter kept the first hotel then
110
111
HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY -
located on the site of Mrs. Konkle's residence. Isham Fuqua also kept an hotel in an early day. John M. Richardson conducted the first flouring mill. The first attorneys were John Warner, George A. Hawley, P. H. Binkley, Judge Samuel Forrey and "Timber" Wood.
In 1854 the first school building was erected in Leon. At the close of that year the town had four stores and about forty residences. From this time until the commencement of the Civil war the growth in population was quite rapid and the town enjoyed a lucrative trade. New stores multiplied rapidly and by 1860 the town had 600 inhab- itants. In 1870 the town numbered 820 people; in 1880 there were 1,367; in 1890, 1,565; in 1900, 1,620; and in 1910 there were 1,800 people living here. The town in the last five years has grown pro- portionately.
Among the old settlers here was W. T. Fishburn. He came from Van Buren County in 1856. By trade he was a millwright and con- tractor. That year he built a grist mill for Uncle Billy Davis, the founder of Davis City. He built a grist mill in Terre Haute in 1858 for himself and managed it for nearly three years. The mill was partially destroyed in 1860 and so he returned to Leon, where he owned and occupied a residence on the present site of the Advent Church. He was an accomplished mechanic and put the machinery in the Little grist mill in the east part of Leon. He supervised the placing of the town clock in the church at Davis City.
Leon was incorporated as a city in 1858. The early records of the city have been lost, so it is not possible to ascertain just who the first officers were: however, in 1874 the office of mayor was held by M. A. Mills.
The office of postmaster has been held successively by Joshua Davis, Alexander Updegraff, Mr. Snyder, P. O. James, John P. Finley, Jr., W. H. Robb, J. L. Harvey, W. J. Sullivan, E. K. Pit- man, J. R. Conrey, John Ledgerwood, Millard F. Stookey. The office is in the third class, with no city delivery, but with five rural route carriers. In the near future, however, the Leon office will be changed to the second class.
NEWSPAPERS
The Leon Pioneer was published by Binckley Brothers, P. H. and George, in the autumn of 1855. It was a seven-column folio, issued on Thursday. It was democratic in politics. Binekley Brothers
112
HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY
sold out to Joe Parsons and he to Sam Caster. The next proprietor was John Finley who changed the name to the Democratic Reporter. Jackson & Howard finally succeeded Finley and in 1866 the paper came into the hands of Detrick & Penniwell. A Mr. Garrett after- wards bought the interest of Penniwell and then the whole was sold to G. N. Udell. Frazier & Jackson were the next in the list of owners and they restored the name of Pioneer to the sheet and during the last of 1870 sold to Ed D. Pitman who published the paper in 1871-2. He then disposed of the office material to Shinn Brothers and the latter moved it to Hutchinson, Kan.
The Democrat was started in January, 1879, by O. M. Howard and W. C. Jackson and was a few months later consolidated with the Reporter, another young sheet, the new paper being called the Dem- ocrat-Reporter. On February 26, 1880, the Decatur County Press was issued for the first time by the Press Printing Company with J. C. Stockton as editor and publisher. On October 26, 1881, this paper was united with the Democrat-Reporter. Mr. Stockton was editor of the new combination and J. A. Ray was business manager until August, 1884, when a company was formed. Lon H. Boydston was then editor. Up until this time it had been a greenback paper, but now it changed to the democratic color.
On January 1, 1887, Boydston sold to J. D. and O. E. Hull. The new owners dropped the name used and called the paper The Reporter, which title has been used continuously ever since. On October 1, 1887, J. D. Hull sold his interest to E. W. Curry and the firm name was then Curry & Hull. This lasted until May, 1889, when L. H. Boydston purchased Curry's interest. On December 1, 1890, O. E. Hull bought out Boydston and came into full owner- ship which he has retained until the present time. The paper is democratic, six columns, weekly issue running from twelve to sixteen pages. The circulation is about two thousand seven hundred.
The Leon Plain Talk was first issued April 3, 1886, as an inde- pendent sheet, and was the successor of the Voice and Echo which was published from September to December, 1885, by Brannon & Flanders. This paper ran but a few months, then died.
Die Wage was a German paper printed for a few weeks in 1869, to encourage German settlers to come to this county.
The Decatur County Advocate was started in the spring of 1873 by D. Frank Knapp. He published it one year as an anti-monopoly paper. In 1876 he returned and started the Lèon Clipper, a repub- lican paper. This he published for a period of three months.
113
HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY
The Fact was started in Leon in 1887 by the firm of Stockton & Watsebaugh. This paper, independent in politics, continued to run successfully until 1897, when it was abandoned.
Forty-eight years ago the Journal was first issued in Leon by P. O. James, a practical printer and an experienced newspaper man. It has since been published continuously and thus is the oldest paper in the county. The old Washington hand press and other material was hauled to town in a wagon by the late R. E. Dye. At that time the population of the town was about seven hundred and the county not over nine thousand.
Peter Orlando James had been an employe of the Des Moines Register, where he formed the acquaintance of Frank W. Palmer who had an ambition to serve the people of this district in Congress. It is said that Palmer bought the press and type and presented them to Mr. James. At any rate the paper was started in the interests of Mr. Palmer and successfully so. Mr. James had served during the Civil war in the Fourth Iowa Infantry and was an excellent soldier. He was a prominent Odd Fellow and took great interest in the order. He filled in succession all of the offices of the lodge and was chosen several times as a representative to the grand lodge. Mr. James became postmaster in 1871. Mrs. M. E. James continued the pub- lication of the Journal and also served as postmistress. In 1875 Mrs. James sold the paper to W. T. Robinson, now deceased. He conducted the paper for ten years, during which time he improved the mechanical department and increased the patronage and circula- tion. He was assisted in the local work by S. C. Mitchell and J. A. Keaton. Mr. Robinson was an experienced printer and newspaper man and was held in high esteem by all who knew him. In August. 1885, Mr. Robinson sold the paper to Marion F. Stookey, Millard F. Stookey and W. S. Johnson, with the latter in control as editor. On January 1, 1893, the paper became the joint property of the two Stookeys, and on January 1, 1904, a joint stock company was organ- ized, composed of the following stockholders: Marion F. and Mil- lard F. Stookey, James F. Harvey, Thomas Teale, Capt. J. D. Brown, Stephen Varga. The stock held by these men has been grad- ually taken over by Will F. Lindsey and James F. Harvey, these two men now owning the entire paper, the former acting as editor. The paper is published weekly, is republican, six columns, and gen- erally runs from twelve to sixteen pages each issue. The office and plant is equipped with the latest machinery, including a modern lino- type. Vol. I-8
114
HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY
TELEPHONES
The Leon Telephone Company established an exchange in Jan- uary, 1896, in the building now occupied by the Exchange National Bank. Miss Lou Craigo was the operator. The exchange remained in the above location until February 22, 1898, when it was removed to the Caster Building at the corner of Main and Commercial streets. The Leon Telephone Company was the property of C. A. Hawkins of Chicago and W. R. Ellinwood of Leon. Leon now has the service of both the Bell and Mutual companies.
ELECTRICITY
The Leon light plant was constructed in 1888 by the City of Leon and managed by the city until November, 1904, when the plant was sold to Curtis & Chase, the consideration being $5,000. This deal was closed on November 15th and the new proprietors began operat- ing the plant under the title of the Leon Electric Light, Heat and Power Company, with George W. Sears as superintendent and treas- urer. Lewis Nies of Oskaloosa was secured as electrician. In March, 1909, J. F. Smith and Sam C. Johnston of Omaha, Neb., bought out the company and changed the title to the Leon Electric Com- pany. This company now supplies Decatur City and Garden Grove with electricity.
WATER
The question of a municipal water supply first came before the people of Leon in 1909. On June 10th of that year a special election was held on the proposition of issuing $35,000 in bonds for the con- struction of a system of water works. This proposition was defeated by a majority of 195 votes.
On December 14, 1909, the question was again submitted to a general vote. By a vote of 626 to 253 the people declared in favor of issuing bonds to the extent of $35,000 and by a vote of 336 to 130 in favor of establishing a system of water works.
IMPROVEMENTS
Within the last decade a start has been made in equipping the City of Leon with adequate paving, sewerage and other improvements necessary to a growing town. In the years 1913-4 fully three miles
115
HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY
of good briek paving was laid. In 1909 the sanitary sewerage system was installed under the main streets, the sewage being disposed of by artificial means. There are six miles of water mains in the city, all municipally owned. In the summer of 1915 there will be nine miles more sewerage laid in the city.
The new Burlington depot at Leon was opened to the public Jan- uary 23, 1911.
The Waubonsie Trail was put through Leon in the spring of 1911.
The first meeting to consider a Young Men's Christian Associa- tion in Leon was held December 16, 1879.
BANKS
The Farmers and Traders State Bank of Leon was organized in 1894 as a private bank by J. E. Thomas of Davis City, A. H. Teale of Kellerton. They bought the bank building of L. P. Sigler. In the same year Thomas Teale bought their interests in the bank and it was incorporated as a state bank January 1, 1895, Judge John W. Harvey being a partner and stockholder and later becoming presi- dent. There has been no change in ownership as the estate of Judge Harvey still retains a half interest. The present officers are: Thomas Teale, president; Mrs. John W. Harvey, vice president; Fred Teale, cashier; T. S. Arnold, S. G. Mitchell and C. E. Stuber, assistant cashiers. The bank started with a capital of $25,000, increased to $50,000 in 1903, and to $100,000 in 1913. It is the largest capitalized bank in the county at the present time.
The Exchange National Bank of Leon was started as the Ex- change Bank in February, 1885, with the following first officers: S. W. Hurst, president; I. N. Clark, vice president: C. E. Gardner, cashier. The present officers are: A. L. Ackerly, president: O. E. Hull, vice president; E. G. Monroe, cashier: Carl Monroe, assistant cashier. The capital stock is $35,000; and the deposits are $190,000.
The Farmers and Traders Bank mentioned above was originally started in 1869 as the First National Bank and five years later was purchased by the Decatur County Banking Association, namely, D. and A. B. Stearn and L. P. Sigler, who named it the Farmers and Traders Bank. Sigler was president and T. S. Arnold cashier.
There is in process of organization a new bank in Leon to be known as the Leon Savings Bank. It is to be located in the Sigler Building at the corner of Main and Ninth streets. The articles of
116
HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY
incorporation are at this date filed. Marion F. Stookey will be presi- dent; Frank N. Hansell and G. W. Baker, vice presidents; and George T. Ogilvie, cashier.
LODGES, SOCIETIES AND CLUBS
Grand River Lodge No. 78, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, was organized under dispensation November 30, 1855, with the fol- lowing charter members: Samuel C. Thompson, worshipful master; George T. Young, senior warden; J. R. McClelland, junior warden; D. O. Ball and Thomas Silver. John P. Finley, Peter C. Stewart and Samuel Forrey were the first initiates and were received January 15, 1856. The charter was granted June 5, 1856, and Samuel C. Thompson was named as worshipful master; George T. Young, senior warden; F. M. Wafford, junior warden.
Leon Chapter No. 33, Royal Arch Masons, was organized Octo- ber 25, 1866, with the following officers: C. S. Stout, high priest; S. C. Thompson, king; John P. Finley, scribe; H. W. Peck, captain of hosts; C. G. Bridges, principal sojourner; John E. Chaney, royal arch captain; William M. Duncan, master third vail; George T. Young, master second vail; W. B. Montgomery, master first vail; J. H. Woodbury, secretary; Thomas Johnson, guard. George Woodbury was the first man elected to membership.
Independence Chapter No. 28, Order of Eastern Star, was organ- ized in November, 1884, with a membership of about twenty-five.
Hesperia Lodge No. 33, Knights of Pythias, existed several years before the fire of 1879, when the records were all destroyed with the exception of the charter which was returned to the grand lodge. The lodge was reorganized June 21, 1886, under the former name. The lodge was reorganized with eight of the original members, namely : A. E. Chase, W. A. Brown, E. W. Curry, W. T. Cartwright, S. A. Gates, L. W. Forgraves, G. L. Harvey, C. W. Hoffman. The fol- lowing also became charter members at this time: J. L. Young, H. C. Van Werden, C. M. Murray, L. Van Werden, Albert Gafford, W. J. Sullivan and John F. Hamilton.
Leon Lodge No. 84, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was organized by dispensation February 7, 1856, and chartered October 8th of the same year. The charter members were: John F. Finley, Sr., W. H. Cheever, J. H. Clark, Arnold Childers and C. R. Lap- ham. The lodge flourished until 1861 when, by reason of numerous enlistments in the army, meetings were discontinued. The last meet-
BURLINGTON DEPOT. LEON
!
117
HISTORY OF DECATUR COUNTY
ing was on March 9th of that year and the next recorded meeting was held on July 27, 1868.
Leon Post No. 251, Grand Army of the Republic, was organized November 22, 1883, by W. T. Wilkinson, mustering officer. The following were the first officers: J. A. Ray, commander; S. P. Nott, senior vice commander; C. W. Beck, junior vice commander; W. J. Sullivan, quartermaster; Ed K. Pitman, adjutant; W. L. Kelly, surgeon; I. P .. Morton, chaplain ; John P. Finley, officer of the guard; E. W. Curry, officer of the day; J. M. Sylvester, sergeant-major; J. B. Garrett, quartermaster-sergeant.
Leon Lodge No. 88, I. O. G. T., was organized in the autumn of 1885 with forty-six charter members. The charter was received December 12th, following.
1
CHURCHES
In the fall of 1850 John Patterson, Parnela Patterson, John Jor- dan, Artemesia Jordan, William Burt, an exhorter, Cynthia Burt, Lou Annie McIlvaine, Abner Harber, Ishmael Barnes, Levi Clark, ten in number, organized a Methodist class, and in September, 1850, Decatur County was organized. In March, 1851, the Methodist Epis- copal Church was to be organized at John Patterson's cabin, the original chapel of Methodism in Decatur County, size 11 by 11 by 6, center to comb, but the preacher, Brother Klepper, from Missouri, was sick and could not get nearer than John Jordan's on Eden Prairie, near the Richard Meek place, so John Patterson walked down there that day in a snow storm from his home where the Leon cemetery now is, and they organized the church.
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.