USA > Iowa > Franklin County > History of Franklin County, Iowa, a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 33
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Another private financial institution is that of the Citizens Bank, of which C. F. Johnston is the proprietor. This business concern was organized in 1891 by G. A. and C. F. Johnston. In 1910, G. A. Johnston died, since which time C. F. Johnston has been sole pro- prietor. Being conducted in a conservative manner, the Citizens Bank is considered one of the most substantial financial concerns in Franklin county. It does a general banking, real-estate and insur- ance business. Since 1911, W. H. Reynolds has been the cashier. The responsibilities amount to $75,000.
The Farmers and Merchants Bank is a private institution, organ- ized in 1900, with a capital of $10,000. The officials are: William Storck, president, who is the principal owner; C. J. Le Valley, vice president and cashier ; C. C. Storck, assistant cashier. The Farmers and Merchants also do a general banking business, together with in- surance, loans and real estate.
SHEFFIELD BRICK AND TILE WORKS
The most important and largest industrial concern in Franklin county is located at Sheffield. Reference is made to the Sheffield
SHEFFIELD BRICK AND TILE COMPANY
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Brick & Tile Company, which was incorporated in 1908, with a capital stock of $150,000. The incorporators were L. B. Carhart, C. C. Carhart, H. L. Carhart and C. L. Smith.
In 1908 the Sheffield Brick & Tile Company purchased the in- terests of E. P. Fox in thirty-five acres of land which he owned, part of which had been converted into a brick and tile yard, together with all machinery then in use. This property is situated about a half mile south of Sheffield and contains an almost inexhaustible supply of a splendid quality of clay for commercial purposes. The new company discarded all the old machinery and immediately commenced building an entire new plant on modern lines. A main bulding, 189x167 feet, was erected, in which is installed the machin- ery. Here also are the drying sheds. Eight circular, down-draft kilns, with inside diameter of twenty-six feet were built. Two more were put up in 1909, two in 1910 and four in 1913, making a battery of sixteen kilns. The machinery is the latest improved. There are three 150-horse-power boilers, one 400-horse-power Allis-Chalmers Corliss engine, and a large steam shovel is used for excavating clay and loading it on cars for transportation to the mixing machines.
The concern employs from forty-five to fifty-five men the year round and in the year 1913 shipped 1,300 cars of brick, drain tile and building blocks to outside customers. For the local trade 750 wagonloads of the company's products were disposed of. Outside shipments are made comparatively easy, as there are two spurs of tracks of the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railroad, 2,200 feet in all, run- ning to the yards.
The officials of the company are: President, C. L. Smith; vice president, L. B. Carhart; secretary and treasurer, C. C. Carhart. Products: Drain tile, hollow building blocks and common brick. Capital stock, $150,000.
GROWTH OF SHEFFIELD
Sheffield began to grow apace as soon as it was platted and con- tinued so to do until 1877, at that time almost every branch of busi- ness being represented. Then came a stagnation period, which con- tinued till the year 1880, when the town took on renewed energy and began a forward stride unchecked up to the present. The town is splendidly located, has good transportation facilities in the Central Iowa Railroad and the St. Paul & Des Moines. Most of its busi-
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ness houses are constructed of brick and are modern in architecture. The streets, though unpaved, are kept in good condition and lighted by electricity. The residences have settings of nicely kept lawns and many of the homes will compare very favorably with those of much larger cities. The men who have contributed to this happy consummation will be here given a passing notice :
John Bolton, who in 1874 built the first hotel in Sheffield, was a native of Knox county, Ohio, and was reared on a farm. Coming to Iowa in the spring of 1865, he settled on a farm in Mahaska county and in 1870 removed to Franklin, entering the livery busi- ness at Hampton. He then removed to a Washington township farm, whence he came in the early '7os and bought a third interest in the Sheffield town plat, then owned by Thompson, Gilman and Bolton. He put up a frame building, 22x26 feet, and engaged in the hardware business, but the demand was so great for a hotel that he abandoned his store and opened the Gilman House, a two-story structure, 26x36 feet. Mr. Bolton was landlord of the Gilman House for a number of years and in the meantime took an active part in the upbuilding of the village. He was one of the school directors when the first school- house was built, helped finish the building and hired the first teacher.
Robert F. Sullivan left a farm in Jones county in the fall of 1868 and bought 160 acres in Ross township. To this he added 200 acres. In 1881 Mr. Sullivan moved to Sheffield, where he engaged in the implement business. Going to Phoenix, Arizona, in the hopes of regaining his health, he died there December 9, 1905. His remains were brought back to Sheffield for interment.
Mention has already been made of those who first began busi- ness in Sheffield. Those who came later will now be noticed.
C. S. Barney left Michigan for the West in 1875 and located at Hampton, where he worked at the tinner's trade. In 1879 he secured the business of Cresler Brothers, extended the store build- ing deeper and filled it up with a well selected stock of tinware and kindred articles of merchandise.
Richard Wilde was the pioneer lumber merchant of Sheffield, coming here in 1874 at about the time the town was laid out. He opened up a lumberyard and continued in business until 1881, when he retired. Mr. Wilde was a good citizen and had a splendid Civil war record. In 1883 he bought the Thompson and Gilman interests in the town plat, put up a number of buildings and was instru-
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mental in furthering the growth of the town. His successor in the . lumber business was the firm of Thomas & Lawrence. L. Lawrence, the junior member of the firm of Thomas & Lawrence, was born in Wisconsin. He located in Sheffield in 1881 and with his partner bought the Wilde lumber interests. Mr. Wilde died May 6, 1902.
Joseph Thomas took up his residence in Sheffield in 1878. He became a partner in the lumber business with L. Lawrence and in 1882 married Julia Lawrence, a sister of his associate in business.
In 1881 J. T. Wilde and William Parks formed a partnership and engaged in the lumber and coal trade. In 1875 H. D. Abrams opened an agricultural implement warehouse, which he sold to R. F. Sullivan in 1878. Another concern handling implements was started in 1882 by William Parks.
H. D. Abrams was one of the settlers of 1866, coming that year from Lee county, Illinois, and settling on section 5, Clinton town- ship. Part of this land afterwards was within the corporate limits of Sheffield. Mr. Abrams built the first frame house on the north side of South Fork. He lived on the farm until the spring of 1875, when he removed to Sheffield and became one of its influential citizens.
William and Thomas Thomas, under the firm name of Thomas Brothers, engaged in the general merchandise business here in Feb- ruary, 1879. They had a two-story building, 24x60 feet, and were among the busiest men in Sheffield.
Later merchants were O. P. Thompson and H. A. Tompkins, who did business under the firm name of Thompson & Tompkins. They carried a general line of goods, opening the first store in 1883.
H. D. Hocking and J. Slade formed a partnership in the fall of 1882 for the purpose of doing a general merchandise business. They began in a small way and soon had a large establish- ment.
A. H. Bird was a dealer in general merchandise in Sheffield in 1882, forming at the time a partnership with William Combellick. He bought out his partner's interest in 1883 and conducted the busi- ness alone.
B. R. Tilton opened the first exclusive grocery establishment in 1882.
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E. E. Morehouse had begun a grocery business in 1881 but he also carried a stock of boots and shoes. At the time he took into partnership H. Morehouse.
S. E. Spaulding opened a furniture store in Sheffield in 1876. In 1878 he sold out to R. J. Churchhouse, who at the time erected a two-story business building.
Wesley Hall was the first to engage in the livery business and the second was William Ritter, who opened a stable in 1880, and the year following sold to Ford & Gear.
Abner S. Abrams in 1882 opened a harness shop.
In 1879 John Treganza removed from Hampton to Sheffield and engaged in the wagon-making business.
C. E. Wilhelm established a restaurant here in 1878. He was succeeded by J. W. Hall in the winter of 1882-83. O. C. Zimmerman opened a billiard hall in Sheffield. One of the early druggists was William E. Nichols, who located in the town in 1880 and in com- pany with a Mr. Anderson bought out the Dr. J. M. Potter drug store.
A. B. Carter opened a barber shop in Sheffield in 1878, first build- ing a small shop. He was one of the charter members of the local Odd Fellows lodge.
About the first contractor to locate in Sheffield was A. C. Whitney, in 1878, who formed a partnership with L. S. Bullard. This firm put up a great many of the houses in the thriving little citv.
About this same time J. W. Bruce and D. E. Bigg formed a part- nership for contracting and building.
John L. Borst, who had been a Franklin county farmer for five years, located in Sheffield in 1881, at which time he opened a coal vard.
W. F. Mckenzie was a grain dealer here as early as 1878.
John H. Richer, a veteran of the Civil war, settled in Clinton township and later removed to Sheffield. He presided over the Shobe's Grove postoffice in 1868. He engaged in business in Shef- field in company with H. Morehouse in 1881 and was one of the charter members of Mulligan Post.
John Borst came to Clinton township from Wisconsin in 1877 and made heavy investments in land. He removed to Sheffield and put up a fine residence in 1877, and in 1882 a business block which cost him $7,000. He became the possessor of several other busi-
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ness houses and residences and was very active in building up the town. He platted Borst's addition to the village.
Joseph Gilchrist was an early settler of Ross township. He learned the trade of shoemaking, which he followed a number of years. In the year 1861 Mr. Gilchrist removed to Franklin county and in 1862 located on section 10, Clinton township.
W. S. Bowen, the first postmaster and first mayor of Sheffield, and also one of the early editors of the Sheffield Press, removed from Clayton county, lowa, to Franklin county, in 1867, and located on section 5, Clinton township. When the town of Sheffield was laid out he removed to the village. He was elected mayor in 1876, at the first election held in the incorporated town of Sheffield, and remained in office several years. His successors as near as can be gathered from the records remaining after the fire of 1894 were as follows: S. B. Elder, Thomas Thomas, L. B. Carhart, Thomas Thomas, C. F. Johnston, H. D. Hockings, G. A. Johnston, John Treganza, G. A. Johnston, G. R. Miner, L. S. Sullivan and the pres- ent incumbent, A. J. Froning.
Reeve Street. North from Fourth Park Fountain Public Library
Bird's-Eye View, Northwest From Court House Bird's-Eye View. Southeast From Court House
VIEWS OF HAMPTON
CHAPTER XXIII
THE COUNTY SEAT-LAID OUT AND PLATTED IN 1856-JOB GARNER AND GEORGE RYAN, FOUNDERS-GROWTH OF THE VILLAGE-INCOR- PORATED AS A TOWN IN 1871-INCORPORATED AS A CITY OF THE SECOND CLASS IN 1893-THE BUILDERS OF HAMPTON-PUBLIC UTILITIES-MODERN IMPROVEMENTS-BUSINESS HOUSES, ETC.
In writing the history of Washington township, the historian's scope is limited to and embraces that which pertains to Hampton. As has been heretofore related, Washington was one of the first three townships created by the county court, from which, from time to time other townships were separated and organized, namely: Ingham. Mott, Marion, West Fork, Clinton, Ross and Richland. By the disintegration process all left to Washington township are sections 27, 28, 29, 32, 33 and 34, all of which are coextensive with the cor- porate limits of the city of Hampton.
Hampton is situated two miles east of the center of the county, is surrounded by as good farming land as lies out of doors, with well kept thoroughfares leading into it and having railroad facilities that should attract manufacturing enterprises to her doors. The busi- ness buildings are many and substantial and the residences are splen- didly built and attractive. Hampton people have an eye to the beautiful, numerous evidences of which lie in the homes, lawns, paved streets, boulevard lamps, modern churches and school build- ings, parks and a general appearance of thrift and thoroughness.
Job Garner and George Ryan were the founders of Hampton, platting the land on which the city now stands in 1856, and giving to the county forty acres, that by the sale of lots the new subdivision of the state might have the means of building a courthouse and make other necessary improvements. In March, 1856, Hampton was made the seat of government for Franklin county. On the 2d day of June, 1856, H. P. Allen, county surveyor, finished his survey and platting of the village of Hampton, and on that day the plat was recorded, thus carrying out a contract made by the county with the town's
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projectors that it would be responsible for all costs of the survey and platting. Those who assisted Mr. Allen in the work were Asa Platt, who hauled the surveyor's stakes and received $1.75 for his work. Allen Garner, chainman, was paid $4.35; William Esterbrook, chain- man, $3.12; S. B. Jackson, chainman, $4.37; S. K. Freed, chainman, $1.25; Matthias Garner, chainman, $5.87; Allen Garner, for stakes, $4.50. Matthias Garner hauled the stones set up at corners for markers. He and Allen were sons of Job Garner, and Freed was a son-in-law. Jackson was a young lawyer, who had come west to "grow up with the country;" Platt and Esterbrook were probably land seekers.
Benjamin was the name chosen by both Garner and Ryan for the new town, and it was so known at the time of the first location of the county seat. But R. F. Piatt, the first person to assume the practice of law in Franklin county, and who took a prominent part in its formative period, objected to the name and, probably through his influence, Judge Reeve was induced to name the town Hampton. Orson G. Reeve maintains that the reason the change in names was made was owing to the fact that there was already a town in the state called Benjamin.
When Job Garner located on the town site of Hampton, he put up a log cabin within the limits of the town, in the grove on Squaw creek, near a flowing spring. He moved into the building in Septem- ber, 1855, and this was the old pioneer's home for some time there- after. The cabin performed its duties as a home for many years and tenanted several different families.
The first building to be erected in Hampton after the town was platted was put up by T. T. Rawson and his brother-in-law, Frank Geiger. The building was constructed of logs, a story and a half in height, and stood on lot 5, block I. It was finished June 1, 1855, and here was installed a stock of merchandise, consisting of groceries, dry goods, hardware and whiskey. This was the first store in Hamp- ton and was kept by Frank Geiger until 1857, when the stock was sold to Isaac N. Dodd, who was considered but little more than half- witted. In a short time Dodd and his store ceased to be identified with the place, and Frank Geiger, who had been its first manager, removed to Muscatine.
In June, 1856, a very necessary addition to the growing little trad- ing point was that of a blacksmith shop, built by Jacob Shideler. The structure was a very primitive affair, but for a time answered
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its purpose. A shack about ten feet square and built of poplar poles, was the extent and character of this shop, and it stood on a lot north of the early residence of William G. Beed. Shideler sold out in 1858 to a blacksmith named Clark, and removed to Colorado, where he prospered in the cattle business.
James Thompson, who became one of the foremost men in the county, arrived in Hampton from Vinton in June, 1856. He had made arrangements early in the spring with Everett Keyes, a Vinton merchant, to look up a business location, but upon his arrival in Hampton he was told by R. F. Piatt and Isaac Miller that all the business lots had been disposed of. Discouraged, he went to Mason City and other places on his quest and not being successful returned to Hampton and managed to buy one lot. Repairing to Vinton he bought two wagonloads of lumber, which in August of the same year he brought to Hampton and put up a frame building 16x24 feet, one story in height. This modest structure long stood on its original site, on South Main street, opposite the present city park. But Mr. Thompson's troubles were not over with the completion of his building. The stock of goods for the store had been purchased Before the merchandise arrived, however, Mr. Thompson was in New York city and shipped before the building was finished. appalled upon receipt of the intelligence that his partner, Mr. Keyes, had met his death in a sawmill accident at Vinton. He also learned about the same time that his stock of goods had been destroyed by fire while in transit on the lakes. At this angle of his misfortune, Mr. Thompson about despaired of accomplishing his purpose. But Amory Keyes took the place of his son in the arrangements. The insurance received on the merchandise with added capital bought new goods and on September 1, 1856, the firm of Thompson & Keyes opened its store to the public. In 1859 Mr. Thompson purchased his partner's interest in the venture and William G. Beed became a member of the firm, which assumed the name of Thompson & Beed. Eventually, the building was enlarged and the business was car- ried on by the firm of Beed Brothers, James Beed being the new member after the retirement of James Thompson.
In 1855, and soon after the organization of Franklin county was completed, A. Freetoe located in Hampton. Bringing with him machinery for a steam sawmill, he put up a good building on a five- acre plot of ground lying just east and adjoining the northeast cor- ner of the town plat, which had been given him by George Ryan
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for the purpose. This was the first mill erected in the county and the equipment could not have been better in those days. With an engine and circular saw, the mill had a capacity of 3,000 feet of lumber per day, and the settlers for a time patronized it quite lib- erally. The patrons of the industry were too few, however, to make it profitable, so that after a year's hopeful, but discouraging, opera- tion, the building was dismantled of its machinery and the latter moved to Horse Neck, in Butler county.
George Beed, Andrew D. Cannam, James H. Beed, D. W. Mott and Charles Beed came to Franklin county in 1856 and settled in or near the future county seat, and all became prominent in the af- fairs of the community.
Among the arrivals in 1857 were Chauncey Gillett and J. D. Thompson. Gillett that year put up a building on the corner of Fourth and Main streets, which became part of the Phoenix Hotel, and in the fall of 1859 formed a partnership with George Beed. They erected a gristmill west of near the northeast corner of the town plat, the material being of stone. A boiler was purchased of Jesse R. Dodd, then in Oakland, and with engine, three run of stone, and circular saw, the mill was equipped not only to take care of the settlers' grist but also to turn out about two thousand feet of lumber a day. The Beed & Gillett mill started operations in 1859, but it could not be said to have been a paying institution. Prices were low but fuel comparatively high. Water power was tried as a saving venture, a crude ditch having been dug, through which an unsatisfactory supply of water flowed. The mill was run until 1863, when Mr. Gillett died. The property was then sold to W. R. Jamison, of Union Ridge, Butler county, who took away the machin- ery and left the building to its fate.
J. D. Thompson was district judge in 1857; in fact, he was the first jurist to preside over the court in Franklin county. He came to Hampton in 1857, having bought an interest in the town site, and erected a story-and-a-half grout, or concrete and stone, building on Reeve street. For some little time, Judge Thompson made this his residence and then returned to Eldora, his former home.
George Beed was born in Devonshire, England, June 25, 1832, and at the age of sixteen years was employed as clerk in a large im- porting house in London. In 1856 he came to America and settled in Hampton, Iowa, purchasing the tract of land now owned by Adam Messelheiser in Mott township. In 1858-59 he was engaged in
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a sawmill at Hampton, which proved a failure financially, taking all his means. In 1860 he was appointed deputy county treasurer and recorder, and in 1862 he was elected treasurer and served as such eight years. In 1870 he went out of office and devoted his entire at- tention to handling real estate, in which he had invested largely. In 1875 he organized the Citizens Bank (now the Citizens National Bank) and was its president for a long term of years. Mr. Beed died in January, 1897. George Beed was without doubt the most public- spirited man that Hampton has ever had. He, more than any other man, was instrumental in bringing the first railroad to the town. He was always willing and ready to help build up Hampton. Every in- dustry started received financial aid from him. He was the heavi- est stockholder in the Hampton Plow Works, the Aluminum-Alloy Metal Company, both of which proved failures, through no fault of his, but to his serious loss. In the '8os George Beed was accredited the wealthiest citizen of Franklin county. He died comparatively poor in purse but left a record filled with good deeds.
William G. Beed located at Hampton in 1856, coming from England. In 1862 he entered upon the mercantile business and in 1865 admitted his brother, James, as a partner and the firm for a long term of years was known as William G. Beed & Brother. In 1864 he purchased the Franklin Flour Mills, and for a period of forty-five years devoted his time, energy and money in constantly improving the mill. He had unbounded faith in the business and spent a large fortune in keeping up the property, and but for the decline in wheat raising and discrimination in freight rates, would have realized his expectations. He kept the mill running until the winter of 1887-8, when the business became so unprofitable that he was compelled to close the doors. It is said that no worthy person ever approached William Beed asking for succor and was turned away empty handed. He thought everyone honest and the dollars due him from unpaid book accounts would in the aggregate make a modest fortune. He died January 2, 1912.
James H. Beed was one of the early county recorders, pioneer merchants and leading men of Hampton. He served his country in the Civil war and returning to Hampton became active and promi- nent in his home town.
O. F. Kitchell was a native of Bridgeport, Vermont. In 1858 he arrived in Hampton and for a home remodeled a barn belong- ing to Chauncey Gillett, into which he moved his family. The build-
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ing subsequently burned down. Kitchell remained in the county several years and then returned to his former New England home.
The Franklin Mill was erected on section 20, Mott township, in 1859. It was a stone structure with original ground dimensions 36x36 feet, one story high, containing one run of stone sufficient for the work of those early days. The mill made a good reputation from the start and ground the grist for settlers who came from many miles away by horseback and ox teams. T. K. Hansberry built the mill at a cost of $4,000. It was purchased by William G. Beed in 1864 and enlarged to a two-story building, with an addition, also an elevator 20x36 feet. In 1882 the roller system was installed, the mill being equipped with three run of buhrs and twelve sets of rollers. Later Mr. Beed built another elevator 28x50 feet and a warehouse 26x50 feet. A splendid description of the mill and the times will be found in another article in this work.
T. B. and H. H. Carpenter, merchants of Cedar Falls, estab- lished a branch store in Hampton in February, 1859. Their build- ing was erected by John E. Boyles and stood on the northeast corner of Reeve and Fourth street, now the site of the Rule Hotel. It was a little frame structure, 16x24 feet. J. T. Stearns was the manager of this branch establishment.
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