USA > Iowa > Jones County > History of Jones County, Iowa, past and present, Volume I > Part 74
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'Woodman spare that tree, Touch not a single bough ! In youth it sheltered me And I'll protect it now.'
"In that tower hangs the first bell brought to Wyoming. For almost fifty years, this guardian of punctuality has sent out its message to nearly every home. Suppose it should ring today and summon all who have been, in any way, con- nected with our schools-what a company would gather here! There would come all the tax payers of the last fifty years, our fathers and mothers and members of the different school boards. One hundred and twenty-four alumni would join the procession, their tickets bearing the stamp of eleven different states. Ninety- two would come from points in Iowa, fourteen from the Pacific slope and two from. Colorado. They would be joined by two from Wyoming, one from Mon- tana and three from Nebraska. Six would journey from Texas, Kansas and Okla- homa, nor would the number be complete until Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota had contributed five graduates who would tell you of six of the brightest at work in the post-graduate school of the Master. Let the bell ring until it welcomed here the army of boys and girls who once came as pupils. How widely divergent their paths! To answer the summons of that historic bell, Hattie Garrison would hasten from Oregon, Henry Rising from Spokane, Jesse Odgen from Winnipeg. Dr. Arthur Hamilton from Minneapolis, Susie Fordham from Cleveland, Dillon Bronson from Boston, Elden DeWitt would come from New York, Etta Clapp from Virginia, Corinne Williams from Atlanta, Clifford Muhs from Panama, Glen Swigart from Los Angeles, Nora Wherry from the Phillipines and Jerry Brickle, the one colored boy from-who knows where? From within the circum- ference of this circle, would come followers of all the professions, trades, arts and sciences; among them graduates of more than fifty colleges, in many of which the Wyoming boys and girls have taken honors. The instructors of fifty years are next to appear and the pioneer teachers are saying, 'Here we are, a company numbering thousands, including old time pupils. We, their teachers know nothing of mud and toothpicks as aids to education. We were ignorant of fads. Some of us were disciples of Sir William Curtis who, before a London school board gave
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utterance to that oft quoted alliteration 'reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic.' Some of us never even heard of Froebel, Pestalozzi or Spencer, and yet these pupils of ours are everywhere filling position of prominence. Can you, with all your advanced ideas of education, do better in the next fifty years?' The bell continues ringing for Rev. G. E. Delevan who secured money for its purchase ; for R. S. Williams who built the new schoolhouse; for A. G. Brown, the first secretary ; for A. W. Pratt, the first treasurer; for Whitney Brainard, who first began agitating the question of a school, circulated the subscription paper and built the first school- house. Last of all, it rings for that tall man, who fostered all of Wyoming's carly interests; contributed with generous hand, to all her needs; presented her with a park, and who deserves the title 'Father of Wyoming,' Thomas Green, who donated the land on which the first schoolhouse stood.
"The group is complete, promoters and products of the Wyoming public school, during its fifty years history. Does not this assembly, composed of tax payers, generous in their motives, school boards, conscious of their duty, teach- crs, representing an accumulation of culture and ability, and these thousands of men and women, pupils, performing well their part in states remote and near- does not this assembly furnish an answer to the question of 'Billy' Knight, who, when approached by Mr. Brainard for a subscription, accompanied his refusal with the query, 'What do we need of a school?'"
COURSE OF STUDY, 1909.
The following is the present course of study of the Wyoming high school :
First Year-Fall Term: Arithmetic, Ancient History, Civics, Grammar. Winter : Algebra, Ancient History, Civics, Physical Geography, Grammar Spring: Algebra, Ancient History, Physical Geography, Grammar.
Second Year-Fall Term: Latin, Algebra, Rhetoric, U. S. History. Winter : Latin, Algebra, Rhetoric, Bookkeeping. Spring: Latin, Algebra, Botany. Book- keeping
Third Year-Fall Term: Latin, German, Geometry, English and American Literature. Winter: Latin, German, Geometry, Classics. Spring: Latin. Ger- man, Geometry, Classics.
Fourth Year-Fall Term: Latin, Physics, Political Economy, German. Win- ter: Latin, Physics, Review Arithmetic, German. Spring: Latin, Physics, Re- view Arithmetic, German.
GRADUATES OF THE WYOMING HIGH SCHOOL.
The first class to graduate from the Wyoming high school was in the year 1878, when a class of seven were declared to have finished the course of study prescribed at that time. There was then an intermission of seven years before another class graduated. The names of all the graduates are herewith given, a star preceding a name indicates that such party is deceased.
Class of 1878. Isaac Chamberlain, *Belle Ash, Belle Lillie Johnson, Ida Col- lins Muhs, *Arthur Bronson, Lucy Rising Roche, Thomas Murray.
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Class of 1885. Carroll Williams Kimball, Fred A. McGrew, Henry Rising. Class of 1886. Arthur Wherry, Josephine Chamberlain Riley, Park A. Lillie, *Minnie Field, Ella Lamerton Horton, Lura McGrew Chapin.
Class of 1887. George Barber, *Anna Seaton Bowlin, Zella Biglow, Mabel Loomis Kirkpatrick, Gertrude Green, +Jennie Peck Dobson, George W. Field. Kate Johnson Tasker, Ella McNamara, Lutie DeWitt DeWitt, Fannie Frank.
Class of 1888. John Chamberlain, *Thomas Breheny, Frank Wherry, LeAnna Wherry, Maud Fuller Miller.
Class of 1889. Hattie Fordham Williams.
Class of 1890. Park W. Tourtellot, Julia Halsey Johnson, Alecia Breish McConnell, Mary McNamara, Florence DeWitt Bell, Bertha Halsey Hitchcock. Class of 1891. No class this year.
Class of 1892. Park Chamberlain, Teresa McNamara Hart, Myrtle Phelps Maxson, Kate Halsey Richardson, John L. Frank.
Class of 1893. No class this year.
Class of 1894. Maud Mckean Merritt, Libbie Bennett Dewitt, Ida Frank Waite, Lutie Holmes Helmer, Daisy Bottomstone Lyon.
Class of 1895. Mamie Fordham, W. W. Chamberlain, Clifford B. Paul, W. W. Bronson, Bessie McNamara Leresche, Louis J. Tourtellot.
Class of 1896. Roy C. Paul, Hattie Brainard Garrison, Altha Curry Grant, Elva Rhodes Frank, Blanche Elwood Worl, Bertha Wright Eye, Beulah Mark- ham Wright, Elsie Haynor Reyner.
Class of 1897. Ben H. Chamberlain, Bert Thomas, Carrie Mallicoat Brain- ard, Frank Johnston, Ammie eBnnett, Olive James, Frank Grindrod, Blanche Johnson Tourtellot, Kate Frank Bronson, Emory Smith, Amanda Dellit Prim- rose, Grace Walston Wright.
Class of 1898. Earl Norton, Ann McNamara, Florence Richardson Thomas, Eugene Bruntlett, Etta Fishwild Fordham, Nellie French, Lena Paul Shimerda, Josie Frank Noyes, Iva Tompkins Chamberlain, Hugh Mckean, George Mc- Cready.
Class of 1899. Wellington Fordham, Lillie French, Grace Duncanson Hanna, Reuben Green, Fannie Green Hicks, Minnie Vaughn, Henry Reade, Mae Brain- ard Richards, Pearl Giddings Kruse, Roy Conmey, Erma Babcock Pringle, Mary Paul, Mildred Bates.
Class of 1900. No class this year.
Class of 1901. Henrietta Franks, Wilber Niblo, Olive Sturdevant Paul, Ray Markland, *Grace Reade Morse, Kate McNamara, Winifred Wherry. Millie Paul, Grace Preston.
Class of 1902. No class this year on account of course of study being ex- tended.
Class of 1903. Henry Fishwild, Ethel Richardson Pealer, Minnie Louder- milch, Velma Cohoon Smith. Nettie Day.
Class of 1904. Isabel Bennett Day. Guy Thornton, Meinhart Thomsen, Leota Wherry, Don Wherry, Maud Horton, Fred Day, Ida Fishwild.
Class of 1905. Clara Thomsen, Anna Lakar, Hazel Waite Reade, Harold Paul, Janie Inglis, Pixley Smith.
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Class of 1906. Ila Schaefer Harrington, Mary Pealer, Laura Walston Schaefer, Ira Johnson, Elsie Garrison, Iva Mader, Grace Schamel, Herbert Al- den, May Brownell, Edward Holub, Margaret Robertson McMaster, Nona Brainard Kirkner, Elva Smith.
Class of 1907. Minna Rohwedder, Harold Wherry, Elsie Bender, Leslie Fish- wild, Grace Day, Laura Eichhorn, George Fishwild, Dale Paul, Mabel Conley Morse, Edith Ilsley.
Class of 1908. Bessie Reade, Lillian Urban, Jennie Robertson, Beth Wherry, Flossie Lyon, Anna Ballard, Elsie Holub.
Class of 1909. May Statler, Ruth Alden, Sudah Cohoon, Irene Brownell, John Holub, Herman Erickson, Dillon Franks, Jennie Thomsen, Louie Koch, Marie Wherry, Nial Hogeboom, Olive Haddock, Marguerite Wilker, Ada Ames, Paul Levson, Peter Jansen.
The school records were destroyed by fire in 1897, so that an accurate record of these citizens who served as directors cannot be given. Since that date the fol- lowing persons have been members of the board of education, viz: E. M. Bab- cock, A. F. Dellit, J. W. Wherry, Geo. Bronson, A. A. Vaughn, H. N. Fordham, W. S. Garrison, J. H. Schamel, J. W. Kirkpatrick, J. W. Waite, John Thomsen, S. F. Schaefer, W. J. Beckwith, B. H. Chamberlain, Amelia Bates Shaffer, Alice Pattison Wherry. The members of the present board of education are : W. J. Beckwith, president; John Thomsen, S. F. Schaefer, Alice Pattison Wherry, Amelia Bates Shaffer. D. A. White, secretary ; R. Fishwild, treasurer.
The teachers and principals in the early history of the Wyoming schools, are referred to by Mrs. Briggs in her history of the school, and no further mention need be made in relation to the early period. We give herewith the list of prin- cipals during the past twenty years. D. D. Priaulx, September 1884 to June 1887; J. R. McGlade, September 1887 to June 1888; U. D. Runkle, September 1888 to February 1889; F. E. Brown, February 1889 to June 1890; J. J. Billingsly, Sep- tember 1890 to June 1892; H. C. Coe, September 1892 to June 1893; L. Bu- chanan, September 1893 to June 1898; C. E. Stinson. September 1898 to June 1900; C. C. Gray, September 1900 to April 1903; Byron J. Read, April 1903 to June 1905; A. W. Graham, September 1905 to June 1908; J. R. Jenison, Septem- ber 1908 to June 1909; F. R. Ketchum, September 1909.
The teachers in the Wyoming public schools, September, 1909: principal, F. R. Ketchum; Ist assistant, Mattie J. Arns; 2nd assistant, Mabel E. Gabrielson; grammar, Cora Lorenz ; intermediate, Anna Lakar; 2nd primarv, Jennie Streep- er ; Ist primary, Ilene Thorpe.
THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION.
The Alumni Association of the Wyoming high school was organized March 26. 1886, under the principalship of D. D. Priaulx, who died at Maquoketa in 1909. The inspiration of this splendid instructor is yet the subject of remark by those who were under his guidance in the school room. The association has maintained its organization, though the records of its early meetings have passed beyond recovery. The present officers of the Alumni Association are : Mrs. Mabel Kirkpatrick, president; Miss Clara Thomsen, vice-president; Miss Henrietta
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Franks, secretary and treasurer. The annual banquets of the association held about commencement time, are a source of great pleasure to all the members ..
THE DEPOT.
One of the busiest places and one largely frequented at regular intervals, is the depot. The old structure erected sixty rods or more south of the present station, was a land mark for nearly thirty-five years. It was built about the time the railroad entered Wyoming, in 1872, and was erected on what was thought would be the right of way of the Midland railroad, which the friends of the latter hoped would run through Wyoming instead of through Onslow from Maquoketa to Anamosa. It was thought the grading which had been prepared for the old Central Air Line railroad in the '50s would be used. T. R. Marshall was the agent for twenty-nine years. He was followed in turn by Geo. Putnam, L. W. Graham, B. E. McConaughy, and the present agent, J. N. Swordes, the latter beginning his duties October 5, 1904.
Through the agitations of the Wyoming Civic League, and the demands of the agent and the traveling public, the railroad company were persuaded to erect a new depot and locate it more convenient for the needs of the people. The de- mand of the people was granted, and the new depot was opened for business in October, 1906.
The volume of business transacted at the depot is an index to the commercial interests of the town. For the year ending June 1, 1909, depot receipts have been as follows :
Freight received
$14,755.94
Freight forwarded
11,882.21
Tickets, local
4,175.21
Tickets, coupon
1,028.01
Total receipts for year $31,841.37
HISTORY OF BANKS IN WYOMING.
The first banking institution in Wyoming, without dispute, was established by Fred A. Butterick and Edward F. Schultz, under the firm name of Butterick & Schultz. This institution was established some time during the year 1870, and was in operation something over a year. The bank disposed of its holdings in the latter part of the year 1871, and its history closed.
The next banking institution was established by W. T. Fordham, A. G. Mc- Grew and O. L. Thompson, under the firm name of A. G. McGrew & Co., of which W. T. Fordham was president and A. G. McGrew was cashier. This bank was estabished about the year 1871 and continued in business until about 1875. For a time the banking office was in the rear of John Nichols place of business. the building being the one now used by E. M. Babcock as a drug store.
The third bank established was the First National Bank, which was organized January 26, 1872, with the following directors: Stephen Hamilton, Thomas Green. William H. Holmes, Whitney J. Brainard, Hiram Smith, John K. Pixley
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and Josiah W. Sloan. Hiram Smith was president, W. T. Foote, vice-president, and John K. Pixley, cashier. Mr. Pixley continued as cashier for about thirty years, and upon his retirement from this active position he was elected president of the bank, which office he held for two or three years when his health required him to withdraw from the active duties of the bank. Mr. Pixley died April 18, 1908. This bank has prospered and flourished, and is yet one of the sound bank- ing institutions of the county, being the oldest national bank doing business in the county at the present time. Its capital is fifty thousand dollars, the same as when organized. A. A. Vaughn is cashier, and J. S. Robertson, assistant cashier.
The next bank organized after the national bank was a private banking house conducted by Robert Somerby, and established in 1882. This institution continued in business until about 1890, when its career ended rather abruptly. Mr. Somerby conducted the business personally, assisted by his adopted daughter, Stella.
On October 25, 1894, The Citizens Bank opened its doors for business with a cash capital of twenty thousand dollars. C. J. Ingwersen was president and P. S. Jansen, cashier. This institution has steadily grown in favor and patron- age, and is now one of the soundest private banks in the county. A few years ago the institution found it necessary to enlarge its quarters, and with new bank fixtures and the interior remodeled, the Citizens Bank enjoys a comfortable home. During the past thirteen years, the Citizens bank has received the money for four thousand, two hundred and twelve cars of stock, namely, two thousand, two hun- dred and forty-nine cars cattle and one thousand, nine hundred and sixty-three cars hogs, the total amount of money for which was in the aggregate four million, four hundred and fifty nine thousand, three hundred and seventy dollars and thirty-two cents.
The Citizens Bank continues as one of the two banking houses in Wyoming at the present time. Hans Jansen is president, P. S. Jansen, cashier, and Chris J. Ingwersen, assistant cashier.
For a more particular statement of the financial condition of The First Na- tional bank, and The Citizens Bank, see the chapter on "Banks and Banking" on another page of this volume.
THE FIRST MEMORIAL DAY IN WYOMING.
The first Memorial Day exercises held in Wyoming were on Friday, May 27, 1883. From printed reports of the occasion, the day was a model one for the gathering of the people in commemoration of the national defenders, and the strewing of garlands over the graves of the country's departed soldiers. The records of the Ben Paul Post, G. A. R., show that C. B. Hopkins and Hiram Ar- nold were the committee on martial music; A. M. Loomis, committee on vocal music; committee on marking graves, M. J. Mullet and J. F. Parks ; floral com- mittee, N. B. Noyes, H. F. Paul, M. H. Morse, Will Hopkins, R. S. Williams, C. B. Hopkins, S. R. Mackrill.
Early in the forenoon people from far and near filled the town and at one o'clock Main street was filled with a surging multitude of people. Promptly at half past one o'clock, Commander A. M. Loomis formed the procession as fol- lows : First-The drum corps. Second-Ben Paul Post, G. A. R., of Wyoming,
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and H. Robinson Post, of Oxford Junction; these posts formed a line of over one hundred veterans, all in uniform. Third-The Madison cornet band. Fourth -The floral galaxy, led by N. B. Noyes, and consisting of some forty daughters of veterans, dressed in white bearing many garlands of beautiful flowers to be offered as a tribute of love to the memory of the departed soldiers. Fifth-Post No. 5, Sons of Veterans, of Wyoming, some thirty strong, in uniform and com- manded by A. D. Williams. Sixth-People in carriages and on foot, a vast throng that reached from Main and Washington streets to the cemetery.
The line of march was west on Main street to State street, north on State to Green street, then west to the majestic memorable oak, under whose venerable and wide-spreading branches the veterans formed a square, and were addressed by Hon. M. H. Calkins, president of the day.
At the conclusion of this address, the procession moved forward to the ceme- tery where the veterans formed a square around the grave of Uncle Nial Brain- ard, a veteran of the war of 1812. The president of the day, Hon. M. H. Calkins, delivered a short address. The same speaker also delivered a short address at "The Unknown Grave."
Then the floral galaxy paid their tribute, and the soldiers fired a volley over the mound in honor of those who gave up their lives for their country. Gar- lands were strewn over other soldier's graves, the president giving a short bio- graphical sketch of each departed soldier.
The veterans and people then marched east into the grove where a stand had been erected for speakers, around which abundant seats had been provided for the assembled people. After some martial music, a prayer was offered by Rev. A. Bronson, chaplain of the day. Then followed a national air by the band, after which the president introduced H. W. Hazen, of Mt. Carroll, Illinois, the orator of the day. At the close of the address of the day, the people, led by Capt. Loomis, sang "America." It was a grand chorus of several hundred voices, and the music echoed grandly through the grove as this national anthem was offered up by a grateful and patriotic people.
Hon. W. P. Wolf, of Tipton, closed the exercises with a short address of great power and eloquence, after which the veterans marched back to the post headquarters where they disbanded. The observance of the day was complete.
HISTORY OF DAIRY INTERESTS.
Poets have sung of milk maids and prose writers have sought to fix for them- selves a place in literary history in their endeavor to characterize in appreciative terms the good old family cow and the maid who attended her. The long es- tablished milk pan and the familiar barrel churn have been pictured to us in home scenes, and truly they have been the twin counterpart with the good old cow in producing wealth and the physical comforts of the appetite.
The first departure from the primitive methods in Wyoming, was about the year 1869, when Chas. Gilbert and S. L. Gilbert, erected and operated a cheese factory within the present corporate limits of the town of Wyoming. Here milk was received and manufactured into cheese of the best varieties. This cheese factory was located near where the barn now stands, opposite the present resi-
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dence of R. M. Heasty. In the spring of 1871, this cheese factory was removed to its location near Onslow.
In the spring of 1878, J. R. Graft started the first creamery in Wyoming. He operated it two years and then sold a one-half interest in the business to Thomas Lee, and for several years the business was conducted by the firm of Graft & Lee. In the year 1880, the same firm erected and operated a cream- ery near what is known as the McBurney place about three miles northeast of town.
About twenty years ago, the Diamond Creamery began doing business in Wyoming, having purchased the old stand formerly occupied by Graft & Lee. This was continued until the year 1908, when in the evolution of the dairy methods, the expense of operating the creamery became too burdensome for profit.
Formerly milk routes had been established, and men employed to haul the milk to the creamery and haul the skimmed milk back to the farmers. It was not long until the cream separator, a most wonderful machine, was installed in the creamery, and then the milk hauler, with his load of fresh warm milk "waited" while the separator extracted the pure, rich cream running it into one vat, and the skimmed milk into another from which the hauler filled his cans and returned the same to the several farmers along his route, warm, sweet and fresh for the waiting and hungry pigs and calves. Later, the farmers began installing hand cream separators by which they extracted the cream at home without hauling both milk and cream to the creamery, and the cream alone was hauled to the central churning station. Cream routes instead of milk routes became the feature of the dairy industry and this is the method under which the dairy business is conducted today.
The Diamond Creamery Company closed their plant in Wyoming in the spring of 1908. The cream which was gathered in by the cream haulers, was shipped to Monticello to be manufactured into butter and shipped out to the eastern markets in carload lots where its superiority was long ago recognized and has always commanded the highest market price.
This is the present status of the dairy business in Wyoming, and in fact, in a large part of Jones county. At the present time, there is no creamery in operation in either the town or the township of Wyoming. The Farmers Co- operative Creamery has formed an important part in the dairy industry in this part of the county and its history is herewith given.
WYOMING COOPERATIVE CREAMERY ASSOCIATION.
The Wyoming Cooperative Creamery Association was an organization of farmers interested in the dairy business on the mutual or cooperative plan. The first meeting of the farmers was held informally in the town council room in Wyoming, September 24, 1894. Considerable interest was manifest. The general complaint was that they were not getting a sufficient price for their milk. The articles of incorporation were formally adopted at the meetings held October 8, and October 20, 1894. The by-laws were adopted November 3, 1894. The object of the organization was stated in the articles of incorporation to be
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the "manufacture of butter, cheese or other dairy products, and the grinding of feed or grain, including the purchase of milk and the sale of the manufactured product."
The incorporators were : Robt. Conwell, J. S. Brownell, Robt. Mckean, New- ton French, T. M. Burch, Ab Elwood, John Day, Will James and G. W. James. These men were also the first directors. The first officers were: President. J. S. Brownell; vice-president, Robt. Conwell; secretary, J. H. Schamel; treas- urer, A. A. Vaughn. Mr. Vaughn was the treasurer of the association during its entire existence.
The creamery building was erected in the fall and winter of 1894, south and west of the stock yards, and on February 7, 1895, the first milk was re- ceived. The milk of prosperity flowed freely at first and this continued for a number of years; but the new era in the dairy industry had begun to dawn, the hand cream separator was no longer an experiment and the hauling of cream began to supplant the hauling of milk. The maintenance of milk routes was too expensive for profit. The plant was leased for two years. On May 9, 1908, by order of the stockholders and directors, the creamery property was sold at public auction. After the payment of indebtedness, the stockholders realized eight and one-quarter cents on the dollar on the stock invested. The officers of the association at the time of dissolution, were: President, J. F. Tasker; secretary, J. S. Robertson ; treasurer, A. A. Vaughn; directors : J. S. Brownell, Sol Anderson, Fred Koch, S. G. Hutton, John Thomsen, P. C. Levsen, J. F. Tasker. On October 26, 1908, the association was formally dissolved by vote of the stockholders.
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