USA > Iowa > Jones County > History of Jones County, Iowa, past and present, Volume I > Part 47
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On April 7, 1902, the mayor and council appointed a library board as follows : S. S. Farwell, C. C. Warner, Mrs. W. A. Mirick, Elmer E. Hicks, L. H. Lang, Mrs. O. C. Hunter, Dr. W. W. Hunter, P. H. Conners and Mrs. C. D. Chase. The library board was immediately organized, electing S. S. Farwell, president and Rev. C. C. Warner, secretary.
As soon as possible the plans were received from different architects and the most appropriate one was adopted. The work was commenced immediately and on Friday afternoon, September 11, 1902, the corner stone was dedicated. In obedience to a proclamation, the places of business in the town were closed from three to four o'clock. The children of the public schools to the number of about four hundred took part in the exercises. The program consisted of singing by the children and the grown people. A procession was formed and marched to the library lot-The Monticello Boy Band, veterans of the war, city council, schoolboard, board of library trustees and the public schools, each grade in charge of its teacher and the primary grade in front. It was one of the most interesting spectacles that ever occurred in Monticello.
A platform had been erected for the use of those who took part in the exercises. Major S. S. Farwell, as president of the library board, presided. Prayer was offered by Rev. J. W. Innes of the Presbyterian church. An interest- ing feature of the program was the singing of America and the Star Spangled Banner by the school children under the leadership of Miss Nellie Turner. The songs were printed and between each speech the children sang a verse of the national airs. The first address was on "The Library of the Past in Monticello," by Mrs. F. S. Dunham of St. Augustine, Florida. Mrs. Dunham was an old time resident of Monticello and assisted in the organization of the first library
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association in the town. Her paper was historical and reminiscent. She stated that the first circulating library association of Monticello was organized in 1868, with Mrs. S. Y. Bradstreet as president. It is a significant fact that not one of the charter members is a resident of Monticello and at least one-half of them are dead.
Rev. C. C. Warner delivered an address upon "The Carnegie Library" which recounted the efforts made to secure an appropriation from Andrew Carnegie for library purposes at Monticello and the final success of the enterprise.
Mr. Herrick spoke earnestly and patriotically concerning "The Library of the Future." He confined his attention to a discussion of the future condition of the Monticello Free Public Library. He gave deserved credit not only to Mr. Carnegie, but to Mrs. Clara Wales Stout, for donations which made the library a possibility. He urged upon the community and those having in charge the affairs of the library, zeal in making it what it should be and he hoped that it would never cease to be a rallying point for the intellectual forces of the community. 1
In a cleverly written paper, Mrs. W. A. Mirick treated of "Monticello, the Beautiful." In pleasing word pictures, she amplified the idea that Monti- cello would find its greatest beauty in the harmony and good fellowship of its citizens and she expressed the belief that the creation and maintenance of the library and other institutions in which the people of the community had a com- mon interest would develop and foster the spirit of comradeship and mutual interest essential to the crowning glory of the community.
After the laying of the corner stone, Major S. S. Farwell made a short address wherein he referred to the events of the day as an important epoch in the history of Monticello. He particularly referred to the interest that had been manifested in the enterprise and the readiness with which the people of Mon- ticello responded to the invitation to assist in the laying of the corner stone of what would always be known as the Monticello Free Public Library.
The exercises closed with the dedicatory prayer offered by Rev. W. E. Van Buren, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church.
The work of completing the building was vigorously pressed and before the beginning of winter, the tile roof was in its place. This enabled the inside work to be continued and in the early spring it was practically ready for the final finishing touches ..
It was found that the ten thousand dollars apppropriated for the library would only cover the expense of the reading rooms and the equipment of the library on the first floor. As the library was constructed, a fine high basement was underneath which could be devoted to a great many useful purposes, includ- ing an audience room that would comfortably accommodate at least two hun- dred people. A representation of this condition of the library building was made by Mr. Warner to Mr. Carnegie and he generously donated five hundred dol- lars in addition to fit up the basement for public use.
The building was ready for formal dedication by the first of June, 1903. President, A. B. Storms of Iowa College was secured to deliver the dedicatory address. The citizens were again called upon to unite in celebrating the event
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and they freely responded. The Methodist church was well filled and all of the exercises there were of the most interesting character. The library building on that day was handsomely decorated. There were numerous visitors from abroad who were loud in their praise of the almost perfect arrangement of the reading rooms and the superintendent's room and we suppose it has been the model for several other library buildings constructed in Iowa.
Miss Mary Marvin was chosen librarian and proved a very efficient mana- ger and she continued in that capacity until some persistent doctor from Cali- fornia carried her away and made her his wife and left the library destitute of a librarian. It was not long, however, before a competent librarian was found and the gift of Mrs. Stout of the sum of one thousand, eight hundred dollars and other sums secured in other ways furnished a very generous fund with which to purchase books. The city has been honest and honorable in its pledge for support and the library now receives from it about one thousand, two hundred dollars a year.
The use of the library has been almost a marvel. It has seemed to attract a great number of readers who do not have libraries at home and are constantly using the books from the library. The schools have found it almost an inval- uable adjunct in addition to their regular library, so that to both teachers and pupils, it is almost indispensable. There is no reason why this library should not be always one of the permanent institutions of Monticello and there can be no question but that the pleasant reading rooms and the pure literature with which the shelves are loaded is having an uplifting effect upon our community that will continue, as we hope, for generations to come.
The officers and members of the library board now are: president, E. E. Hicks; secretary, Miss Lydia Whiting; C. J. Northrop, Lewis Lang, Miss Nellie Carpenter, Mrs. Luna Templeton, Miss Helen Young and John J. Locher. Miss Nettie Hazard is librarian.
(Major Farwell on his death left one thousand dollars to this library for the purpose of purchasing pictures and books of a permanent value .- Editor.)
MONTICELLO LIBRARY SOCIETY.
To the thoughtful and enterprising ladies of Monticello, is due the credit for establishing the first library of the town. In the year 1868, the library that had been thought about and talked about, became a living reality. Mrs. M. H. Bradstreet, Mrs. E. A. Proctor, Mrs. K. J. Kinsella, Mrs. S. C. Lang- worthy, Mrs. M. W. Allen, Mrs. S. L. Davenport and Mrs. P. A. Dunham, in that year organized what was to be known as the Monticello Library Society. The first officers were : President, Mrs. Bradstreet; vice-president, Mrs. Proctor; second vice-president, Mrs. S. L. Davenport; secretary, Mrs. S. C. Langworthy; treasurer, Mrs. A. S. Miller. The board of directors : Mrs. S. F. Dunham, Mrs. Davidson, Mrs. Wales, Mrs. Allen, Mrs. Kinsella, Mrs. Carlisle and Mrs. Haran.
A constitution and by-laws were adopted for the government of the society, and the work was begun without a dollar in the treasury. From this beginning the society grew and flourished. Every lady who could pay twenty-five cents
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and could bake a cake, make good coffee and cook oysters, was most cordially welcomed, and the ladies, old friends and new comers, came until the member- ship numbered seventy-two.
Money was in demand. A library could not live without books. The ladies toiled courageously and incessantly to raise funds. The first year two hundred and eighty-five dollars and seventy-one cents was raised, out of which one hundred and forty-five dollars was spent for books. The first festival for raising funds was a sweet one-a maple sugar party which was a soothing lotion to the treasury to the value of forty-one dollars. During the next ten years, over six hundred dollars was raised.
The library and reading room was a source of much profit to the reading people and especially of value to the school children.
Later the library became useful in forming a nucleus for the Free Public Library. Three or four hundred volumes of the library society were donated to this modern institution-the dream of the ladies fully realized.
The interest in literary work which was started and maintained by the ladies of this early library society was very valuable and was an important factor in making possible the present Free Public Library. Some of these same ladies are now actively interested in the later institution and some are now , serving on the board of directors.
THE FRIDAY CLUB.
The Friday Club of Monticello is one of the literary organizations of the city which is closely identified with its culture and literary development. It was organized on April 23, 1887, and was the outgrowth of the Shakespeare Club which had maintained an organization for several years previous. There had also been an Irving Club. These all became merged into the new organi- zation. But why it was called the Friday Club, the records do not state. Pos- sibly the members had been reading Robinson Crusoe, but more likely the organization was so named because of the day of meeting, the meetings being held every two weeks on Friday afternoon.
The club motto: "After the education of the school the education of the hearthstone," is an index of the nature of the work of this society of ladies. Its programs show a literary taste of a high order.
A year or more ago the ladies of this club took up a phase of study which has been to the editor of this history most valuable. The local history of Monticello was studied in its several phases, and papers were prepared and read after long and careful search of the records and traditions of the town. And the editor right here in this connection desires to acknowledge his grati- tude for the valuable assistance these papers have been in the preparation of the history of Monticello. These papers are now on file in the Free Public Library and will become more valuable as the years go by. The ladies have cheerfully placed the results of their labors at our disposal, and thereby the paper by Mrs. Luna Templeton on "The Schools," the paper by Mrs. H. S. Richardson, on "The Press," the paper by Miss Jarman on "The Churches," and the paper
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by Mrs. R. C. Stirton on the "Early Business Houses," have become largely incorporated in this history.
The first records of the Friday Club were destroyed by fire, so that we are unable to give the names of the first officers of the society. The ex-members of the society are: Carrie C. Blanchard, Nancy G. Carroll, Ada D. Davidson, Franc B. Davis, Florence W. Doran, Jennie B. Duer, Phoebe A. Dunham, Cora F. Hicks, Olive M. Howard, Mary M. Janes, Catherine Perley, Jessie C. Scrog- gie, Sarah S. Sherman, Alice Schaeffer, E. Sibyl Street, Margaret M. Warner, Lena K. Wurzbacher.
The deceased members : Agnes B. Noyes, Sarah T. Perley, Edith S. Tasker, Elizabeth M. Stillman.
The present members: Adda F. Breed, Mary F. Carpenter, Harriet C. Coughlin, Miss Nellie L. Carpenter, Jessie F. Doxsee, Miss Gratia Hicks, Miss Mary I. Jarman, Kate C. Mirick, Lillian K. Northrop, Emily N. Richardson, Jennie B. Rohn, Agnes B. Stirton, Imogene D. Stuhler, Luna F. Templeton.
The present officers : President, Mrs. Stirton; vice president, Mrs. Rohn; secretary and treasurer, Miss Carpenter.
CLUB OF 1894.
There is no difficulty in keeping in mind the year of the organization of this excellent club of literary women. The organization is indebted to Mrs. M. L. Carpenter and Mrs. R. P. Smith, as it was through the efforts of these ladies that the organization of the club was effected. The membership of the club is limited to fourteen.
The charter members were: Mrs. M. L. Carpenter, Mrs. Robert Hicks, Mrs. M. W. Herrick, Mrs. S. E. Sarles, Mrs. Robert Henderson, Mrs. R. P. Smith and Miss Maria Wright.
The club meets every two weeks at the homes of the members on Friday afternoon. The ladies took up the study of American Travel the past year and enjoyed a number of very interesting programs. The taste for good litera- ture is kept well stimulated and the ladies are to be highly commended for the part they are taking in the cause of education and in the maintenance of a high social and intellectual standard.
The honorary members of the club are: Nellie Bevington, Mrs. Robert Henderson, Mrs. Frank Pike, Mrs. Robert Clark, Mrs. Marshall Herrick, Mrs. S. E. Sarles.
The deceased members: Mrs. Jean J. Bidwell, Mrs. Christiana Reed, Mrs. Mary Carpenter.
The present membership of the club is as follows: Mary T. Drury, Julia R. Eastwood, Florence D. Foster, Florence G. Foster, Julia H. Gilroy, Mabel H. Hall, Rhoda A. Hicks, Amanda B. Hosford, Blanche Jackson, Laura H. Koop, Lillian Purchas, Martha S. Smith, Jennie F. Voorhees, Ellen P. Wilkens.
The officers for 1909: President, Mrs. F. W. Koop; vice president, Mrs. Herbert Foster; secretary, Mrs. A. I. Jackson ; treasurer, Mrs. G. W. Eastwood.
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YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.
On November 25, 1867, an organization of the Young Men's Christian As- sociation was started in Monticello. Officers were elected and a constitution and by-laws were adopted. An excellent reading room was fitted up, and the organization was maintained for several years. The society grew and flourished and apparently was doing considerable good. But it was found difficult to support the organization in the town the size of Monticello at that time, and through lack of funds to properly maintain the institution, the organization grad- ually declined and in a few years ceased to exist.
VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY.
The volunteer fire company of Monticello was organized in 1872 with a mem- bership of forty-five and as a result of quite a little practice, are now in good condition to combat the element of fire. The fire laddies have not been called into service very much the past few years, and all good citizens hope the serv- ices of the fire company may never be needed.
The fire company is in three divisions, the first and second are hose com- panies, and the third is the hook and ladder company. Pat Conners is chief of the fire company, and R. Young, assistant chief.
The members of Hose Company No. I are: Foreman M. V. Kehoe; Alva Lambert, Fred Hardin, John Lambert, Ike Suter, John Webster, William Long, Gus Hudson, Ernest Skelly, Charles Jones, Lou Scherer, Joe Scherer.
Hose Company, No. 2: Foreman, W. Podhaski; J. H. Perrine, Lewis Lang, John Rouf, S. A. Ulferts, George Hubbard, H. Kettlitz, J. K. Schneider, Roy Clark, Frank Altman, Frank Ferring, Frank Starry, Clem Liddy.
Hook and Ladder Company: Foreman, Thomas Carson; Hiram Lee, Wil- liam Sloan, Fred Kellum, Frank Stockwell, Charles Stockwell, Vic Dautremont, Frank Locher, Urban Haeussler, Gus Ricklefs, Charles Scherer, John Carmichael, Peter Prahm, Fred Fagan.
Each of the fire laddies who respond to the call of fire receive the sum of one dollar from the city. When responding to a false alarm, the sum of fifty cents each. The boys are ready to render good service when called upon. Owing to the facilities afforded by the water works of the city, the use of the fire engine is not necessary, except at points more than a thousand feet from a hydrant.
The first officers of the fire company in 1872, were: Foreman, J. A. Chandler ; first assistant, N. W. Austin; second assistant, Dexter Page; third assistant, James Young; secretary, George Whiting; treasurer, C. A. Whiting.
THE DIAMOND CREAMERY COMPANY.
The Diamond Creamery at Monticello, Iowa, was the first creamery built and operated in Jones county, and the second in Iowa. The founder of the
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creamery was H. D. Sherman, who has contributed a chapter on "Early Dairy- ing," which will be found on another page of this history. The creamery started in 1875. H. D. Sherman in joint account with Simpson McIntire & Company of Boston, Massachusetts, began the manufacture of butter and the purchase of milk from the farmers. The creamery has been in constant operation since 1875, paying many millions of dollars for milk and cream to the farmers of Jones and surrounding counties, during the past thirty-five years without pass- ing a pay day.
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The Diamond Creamery Company has been an important factor in the development and maintenance of the dairy industry in Jones county. The company has paid the highest prices for milk and cream, and its numerous pa- trons have never failed to receive their check when pay day came. In the evo- lution of the dairy industry, the Diamond Creamery Company, has kept up to the times. For several years, the company operated creameries in different parts of the county; these were later converted into skimming stations, at which the milk was received, the cream separated and shipped to Monticello to be manufactured into high grade butter. With the introduction of the hand separators, cream routes were established, covering almost the entire county, the cream being collected at the homes of the farmers, and hauled to some shipping point and delivered at the central plant at Monticello. The plant at Monticello is a busy place. Special refrigerator cars deliver the cream in carloads. Numerous employees. are given employment in and around the plant. From a commercial standpoint, this industry is one of considerable moment to Monticello. W. J. Purchas, the local manager, is a man of broad ideas and of recognized business ability. Under his management, the industry is flourishing and is profitable, both to patrons and proprietors.
The Diamond Creamery butter is famous the world over. The butter has been exhibited in many of the large international exhibitions and expositions, and in every case it has been given the highest award in its class, gold, silver and bronze medals. Among the awards received might be mentioned: New York City, 1878-1879; Melbourne, Australia, 1880; Atlanta, Georgia, 1881; New Orleans, 1885-1886; Boston, 1890; Jamaica, W. I., 1891; Augusta, Georgia, 1891 ; Kimberly, South Africa, 1892; World's Fair, Chicago. 1893; World's Fair, Paris, France, 1900; World's Fair, St. Louis, 1904.
A large amount of the butter made has been packed in tins of various sizes for use in hot climates. The Diamond Creamery butter has supplied the large markets in the east and west. The company has also filled many contracts with the United States for use in the army and navy, and also filled orders in all parts of the world.
The Diamond Creamery Company was incorporated in 1907, under the laws of the State of New York, with the home office at Massena, New York, the capital stock being one hundred thousand dollars. The officers of the incorpora- tion are : President, H. P. Harris, Salem, Massachusetts; vice president, J. O. Hyde, Massena, New York; secretary, W. G. Kellogg and treasurer, R. J. Donahue, both of Ogdensburg, New York; resident manager, W. J. Purchas, Monticello, Iowa.
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THE JONES COUNTY FAIR ASSOCIATION.
This agricultural society, though called a county association, has become, in the lapse of years and circumstances, a Monticello organization, promoted and maintained largely by the business men of this progressive town.
The Jones County Agricultural Society had its beginning, early in the his- tory of Jones county. The horse race so graphically pictured in the writings of Barrett Whittemore in the Richland township history on another page, may have been connected with this society, that being conjecture, however. The records of the beginning of the society have fallen too deep into the archives of the past to be reached by the long arm of the historian, but from other sources, it has been determined that the first fair was held in 1853, or near that date. The meetings were held at Anamosa for a number of years, and the first record we have of the county fair being held at Monticello, gives the date as 1874. In that year, the Jones County Agricultural Society took on a new lease of life, and reorganized with the following officers: President, S. S. Farwell, Monticello; vice president, E. V. Miller, Viroqua (Morley) ; secretary, C. W. Gurney, Monticello; treasurer, A. M. Loomis, Wyoming. The reorganized so- ciety began without a dollar in the treasury. Money was borrowed and with these funds, the Floral Hall and other buildings on the grounds of the Monti- cello Union Park Association, were erected, and are today used for fair purposes. The first few years after this organization began, the weather man had his in- nings, and the rain drowned the fair. But with perseverance, the fair has lived through the period of turbulence and has met with success.
The fair grounds are conceded to be the finest and best for fair purposes in the state. Shady groves and luxuriant shrubbery now adorn the main part of the grounds, where visitors can enjoy themselves, and where many a picnic dinner has been eaten by the farmers and their families. The natural amphi- theater on the grounds has made the grounds one of the most popular in the state. Facing the east, and close to the race track, shaded from the afternoon sun, with a grassy sod, with a comfortable incline, the farmers, after viewing the stock and agricultural exhibitions in the forenoon, could spend the after- noon on this slope, visit with their friends and watch the racing and sports. .
In 1902, however a large amphitheater of strength and generous seating capacity was erected at a cost of four thousand dollars. This has detracted from the former pleasures of the natural amphitheater, though it has added to the seating capacity. The new race track was also constructed in 1902 at a considerable expense, and is pronounced by the horsemen to be a perfect ex- ample of the latter day track construction.
Fond memories of the visits with former friends and neighbors on the grounds of the county fair, cling around many a heart. In the after-harvest period, the farmer and the merchant, could side by side, mingle freely on the fair grounds and view the results of the season's industry, and note the growth of husbandry and invention. Those who can remember back thirty years or more can recall the time when the great attraction was the high-wheeled, nickel- plated Columbia bicycle, with its short handle bar, its high wheel in front and its low wheel behind. The automobile was not then a disturbing element even
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in dreams. Horse power devices, the self rake reapers, the old Marsh-Whitney self-binders, the high wheel sulkies, and other exhibitions of primitive agri- culture, were gazed at with wonder by the youth. The stock and crop exhibi- tions, then exceeded the exhibitions of the present day. There was more rivalry, the state of perfection was not so advanced, and the transition in the methods of farming was studied with interest.
The Jones County Fair is now held five days, usually the latter part of August and the first part of September. The vaudeville attractions which have been added. add to the pleasure of the fair visitors. The agricultural and Floral Hall exhibitions have fallen off to some extent the past few years, but the attendance at the annual fair is as large as ever.
The officers of the Jones County Fair for 1909, are: President, J. E. Bate- man; vice president, A. W. Steiner; treasurer, L. W. Lovell; secretary, Fred W. Koop; marshal, Jake Arduser; directors: H. M. Carpenter, E. E. Hicks, A. W. Steiner, J. W. Doxsee, J. E. Bateman, O. H. Soetje, R. C. Stirton, W. Sandhouse, J. J. Locher. The officers and directors all live in Monticello, and represent the wide-awake and enterprising business men of the city.
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