USA > Iowa > Page County > History of Page County, Iowa : also biographical sketches of some prominent citizens of the county, Vol. I > Part 35
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 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46
JOHN BEAM'S HOTEL.
In the early days of Clarinda, the commercial traveler was a scarce article. his visits were few and far between. The bulk of the transient guests were people seeking a location, or desirous of purchasing. locating or disposing of lands.
In considering the hotels of Page county from 1857 to 1869. the West- ern Stage Company is an important factor. This company began opera- tions in central Iowa in 1854. A few years later a line of stages was put on through the southern tier of counties and Clarinda became a station : another was established out at the residence of George Miller some ten miles west of town, and still another at Manti, some two miles south of the present city of Shenandoah. The stage line was under the supervision of such division superintendents or route agents. as Firm Ogden, George Babcock and "Buckskin" Tracey. In those days the fare was ten cents a
362
HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY
mile, and it was said, that the passengers left Ottumwa, then the terminus of the Burlington road, in a four-horse coach, and by the time he got to the Nishmabotna he was walking and carrying a mail sack.
The Delevan House, afterwards known as John Beam's, was the first started, in 1855, by George Ribble, who sold it in 1857 to E. Keeler and he disposed of it to Joseph Cramer, and Cramer in the same year, or possibly a year later, turned it over to C. Winkler, and late in 1858 or early in 1859 Jacob Butler became the owner. Butler sold to Anderson, Anderson to Wash Rawlings, Rawlings to George Baker, and Baker to Smith. During the different ownerships, the building had developed from a log house of the days of George Ribble, to practically as shown in the illustration. John Beam became the purchaser, and took possession on the Ist day of April, 1866. In those days it was seldom if ever called a hotel ; it was generally known as John Beam's, or the tavern, and became, possibly, the best known stopping place in southwestern lowa. Beam's first transaction as landlord and stage agent was the sale of two tickets over the line from Clarinda to Ottumwa at sixteen dollars and a half each, which was then the regular fare, and about the next transaction-and he continued the habit to the end- was impressing the fact upon the traveling public and the regular boarder that it was his hotel, that he was the landlord and was entitled to have something to say about its management. This, to some extent, was a new feature in the affairs of the hostelry, but Beam was persistent and deter- mined, and had a tongue that was characterized by a very rough side. There was more or less friction for a little time, but the Boniface had justice on his side as well as the fact that he had the only hotel, or stopping place, and it wasn't long before the education of the traveler was complete. Mr. Beam, at the very first, placed on a cottonwood tree out east of the house, what is generally known as a farm bell, and there were rung two bells, thirty minutes apart, for all meals. If the guest, or boarder, was not there soon after the ringing of the second bell, Beam usually hunted him up and im- pressed upon the delinquent that Beam's Hotel did not propose to wait for him ; or, that he (Beam) was afraid that his patron had been taken sick. A few visits of this kind was ample for the purpose, and the rule once estab- lished gave but little trouble thereafter. Many a guest discovered to his dis- comfiture that it was not his place to poke the office stove, being informed that he knew but little if anything about a soft coal stove; or, that the land- lord preferred to poke it himself and not have the point of the poker dulled. This, of course, caused explosions other than from the stove, but the wit and humor of the landlord generally left the victim in a fair condition of mind ; but he did not poke the stove a second time.
Mr. Beam was the first landlord in this section of the country to use side dishes in serving meals. It was an innovation that did not set well with some of his patrons; however, the dissatisfaction came mear reaching a culminat- ing point, when the rule was established that no guest would be admitted to the dining room in his shirt sleeves, and many were the contentions over it. The landlord, to appease the wrath of his patrons, kept a supply of coats of various sizes, some old, and some new, so that none need go away hungry.
363
HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY
If this did not satisfy the kicking guest, he was told he could go up to the grocery, get some cheese and crackers, take a short of pepper sauce, num around the square and call it a warm meal. No man with John Beam's ideas of running a hotel carried a lighted lamp upstairs in his house. The guest could have a candle for illuminating purposes, or he could go in darkness. The line was drawn on the kerosene lamp. John did not propose to have a contagration on account of some man's carelessness or infinmities. Im those days amusements had to be conjured up by the people who wanted to be amused, and Mr. Bean was ever ready to contribute to his own as well as his friends pleasures. There was an old colored man in town in those days, whose remote ancestors were natives of that section of Africa known as Guimea, and this old man had a habit peculiar to his race of "toting" thing's om his head. It was a part of his avocation to thus carry the washing to certain families who were customers of his wife to and from their homes to his own. One day old Jack came along in front of the hotel with a large wash, or clothes hasket on his head, and excited the remarks of some of the guests, when Mr. Beam said to them, "see me scare the coon," and immedi- ately jumped out and yelled, "boo" at the old man, who jerked his head, and im place of a family washing encumbering the sidewalk it was strewn with the choicest lot of china at that time in Clarinda, the property of the them editor of the Herald, who was having it taken home from a church für. The loss, which Mr. Beam grimmingly paid, amounted to between forty and fifty dollars.
Im 1881 Mr. Bean sold the hotel and with the proceeds thereof and the accumulations of his business, for some years thereafter enjoyed the owner- ship of one of the best farms in Page county, and which is today a part of the state farm morth of the city. During the time Mr. Beam was in the hotel, mo other hotel or eating house was able to compete with him, and a member went to the wall. Notwithstanding his peculiarities of temper and character he made a friend of practically every customer ; the rough side of him was the outside. At heart he was the kindest and most generous of iem; mo hungry mam was ever turned away from his doorway; his wants were pro- vided for and, if necessary, John gave him money. If a guest was sick, or unfortunate, John gave him aid, sympathy and care, and it is mo matter of wonder that even im late years, when the patrons of the long ago come this way, about the first inquiry they make is in regard to Mr. Beam. Some years sice he became am invalid, and for the most part of the year is confimed to his room. Yet his knowledge of the present and his recollections of the past, make him am exceedingly interesting personage to converse with. His memory is tenacious, and the events of the days that are gome are as fresh tto him as the happenings of yesterday. He has a good home and with suf- ficient of this world's goods to meet all his wants.
THE LASLE MANUFACTURING COMPANY ..
Im the spring of 1903 S. C. Powers came to Clarinda, upon invitation of am investigating committee of the Clarinda Commercial Club, and megotia-
364
HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY
tions with him proceeded to the stage where it was decided to accept certain propositions of Mr. Powers', which culminated in the organization of the Powers Manufacturing Company, with the following officers : S. C. Powers, president ; R. L. Powers, vice president ; Edwin Lisle, secretary ; L. W. Lewis, treasurer.
Ground was at once purchased for the proposed plant, consisting of two lots, on the corner of Main and Eighteenth streets, and the main building was erected, equipped and ready for occupancy by October Ist of that year. This building is of brick, one story in height, seventy-two feet in width and one hundred and forty feet in length.
During the year 1904 the business gradually developed and in Janu- ary, 1905, Mr. Powers retired from the concern and a reorganization was consummated: C. A. Lisle was elected president ; W. E. Biggs, vice presi- dent ; Edwin Lisle, secretary ; William Orr, treasurer. The name of the plant was changed to the Lisle Manufacturing Company and from this time on the business prospered greatly.
In the summer of 1906 the Lisle Manufacturing Company began the development and manufacture of the Monarch Cream Separator, which is now the principal product of the factory : but at the inception of the busi- ness, the primary object was the manufacture of well boring and well drilling machines, which are today no inconsiderable product of the com- pany's shops.
In 1906 another brick building was erected, fifty-four by one hundred feet, two stories in height and of brick. This is devoted to the manufacture of the Monarch separator. The foundry building went up in the fall of 1907 and is composed of cement. In dimensions the structure is fifty- four by one hundred and twenty feet. Here all the castings for the ma- chines are turned out. A warehouse, forty-four by ninety feet was erected in the spring of 1905. These buildings occupy one-half block. The ware- house is reached from the Burlington's main track by a private switch.
The Lisle Manufacturing Company employs over one hundred men in the shops and twelve on the office force. The shops since the beginning have run on full time the year round and in 1908 the business amounted to $150,000. The company's products go over the entire western and north- western dairy regions and Canada and through its means a number of high class workmen have been attracted to Clarinda, and bringing their families with them, now make the city their permanent homes.
The following gentlemen compose the official list and board of direc- tors: C. A. Lisle, president : P. B. Woolson, vice president ; Edwin Lisle, secretary ; William Orr, treasurer; W. S. Alger. E. R. Bailey, George Ferris. C. A. Lisle, William Orr, P. B. Woolson, directors.
THE ELECTRIC LIGHT WORKS.
The electric light plant of Clarinda is one of the most important indus- trial institutions within the confines of Page county, as it furnishes not only light, but heat, power. artificial ice and refrigeration for the city and its
MEG CORLARINDA JA.
LISLE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, CLARINDA
1
CLARINDA POULTRY, BUTTER AND EGG COMPANY
361
HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY
patrons. This plant was built and put in operation in the fall of 1902 and from the start to the present has been a pronounced success.
The plant furnishes to the city of Clarinda eighty are lights that burn every might and until one o'clock in the morning. In September, 1905, day service was added, which furnished continuous light and power day and might.
The central steam heating system was installed in the fall of 1904 and now practically all of the business houses around the public square, in- cluding the court house, are depending on the company for heat. The steam heating main has been extended to the new Carnegie library and it is anticipated the new federal building will be heated from the central station. Every manufacturing concern in Clarinda with one exception is using elec- tric service for power, and every business house in the town is a patron of the company.
In 1906 a fifteen-ton ice factory was put in operation and has many pa- trons, both wholesale and retail In 1908 two cold storage rooms were fitted up and this feature of the plant has met every anticipation of the builders and patrons.
The Lee Electric Light Company is the name of the concern doing all these things, and Rufus E. Lee is the general manager. The company was first a copartnership, consisting of J. Ren Lee and Rufus E. Lee. In 1905 this was changed to a corporation, with the original name. The present officers are: William Orr, president ; G. William Richardson, vice president ; Rufus E. Ice, general manager, secretary and treasurer. These, together with A. F. Galloway and J. Ren Lee, make up the board of directors.
This company has at the present time seven thousand lights connected, and fifty motors, aggregating two hundred horse power, The plant occu- pies one-fourth of a block and is crowded for room. The main building is brick. Twenty people are given employment.
CLARINDA POULTRY, BUTTER AND EGG COMPANY,
In 1894 the above organization came into existence and in 1900 was incorporated and capitalized at two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The business was first started on the square at Clarinda and later as it developed, it was necessary to locate near the railroad tracks. Still later this concern built plants at Creston, Leon, Shenandoah, and Lincoln, Nebraska, and today it maintains forty branch houses in the best towns in southern Jowa and northern Missouri and in addition thereto has offices in Chicago and New York city. The products are marketed in various cities through- out the United States, in Liverpool, London, Birmingham, England, and Glasgow and Edinburg, Scotland. The affairs of this great institution have so developed that it markets annually in the neighborhood of three mil- lion dollars worth of products. The pay-roll annually amounts to about two hundred thousand dollars.
The business of this concern was started by W. T. S. White, who is now president of the company and resides in Chicago, having charge of market-
368
HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY
ing the products. Mr. White was associated with S. P. Bond of Keokuk, lowa, who was one of the pioneers in the produce business. Mr. White is also president of the S. P. Pond Company of Keokuk, Iowa, and the Iowa Cold Storage Company of Clinton, Iowa. These are separate corporations but all do a large business in poultry, butter, eggs and cream, also cold storage.
THE A. A. BERRY SEED COMPANY.
A. A. Berry, the originator of the A. A. Berry Seed Company, came to Page county with his parents, who settled in Amity township on a farm, when he was six years of age. On this homestead he began writing for agricultural papers when twenty years of age and in 1894 he started rais- ing and selling seeds, and from the start his mail order business was a success. Two years later he purchased the Van Arsdol farm, southwest of the corporation line, and since then has devoted its one hundred and four acres to the raising of seeds for the market, the principal products being onion sets, sweet corn and vine seeds. He rented a store room and employed one stenographer and three clerks. This was the beginning of the great Berry Seed Company.
Mr. Berry's business increased and for several years almost doubled in volume each succeeding year. In 1899 he erected his first warehouse, a two-story brick, thirty by eighty feet. The following year an office and mail order building was put up. It is a two-story brick, with basement, twenty-five by one hundred and twenty feet. He has since built two more warehouses and a corn elevator, having a capacity of five hundred bushels of assorted and shelled seed corn. The warehouses and elevators cover five lots, and a private switch from the Burlington tracks reaches them.
This concern ships on an average of two carloads of seeds from the warehouses a day and has for territory all parts of the United States and foreign countries.
The business became so great that five years ago, 1904, the concern was incorporated under the name of the A. A. Berry Seed Company and capitalized at $75,000, with the following officers: A. A. Berry, president ; R. M. Ansbach, vice president ; W. C. Affold, secretary; A. F. Galloway, treasurer.
The present officers are: A. A. Berry, president; F. R. McKee, vice president ; J. F. Sinn, secretary ; A. F. Galloway, treasurer. The office force consists of twelve people. There are twenty-five packers in the ware- house and on the farm, in the busy season, from one hundred to two hundred hands are employed. The company secures its seeds from all parts of the world.
CLARINDA LAWN MOWER COMPANY.
Having secured a patent on a front-cut, high-grass lawn mower, G. A. Culver, Charles Tunnicliffe and Lon Swisher, in March, 1908, formed a copartnership for the manufacture of the new machine. At once work
369
HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY
was commenced on the erection of a suitable factory building and in the fall of that year the machinery in the building was running and forty men employed, who soon were turning out forty finished mowers a day. The buildings are of cement and brick. The main building is twenty-four by sixty feet and two stories. A wing to this biulding is cement, two- story and sixteen by forty-eight feet.
This concern started out under the most favorable auspices. It made its first shipment January 1, 1909, and the orders have come in such num- bers as to make it necessary for the plant to run night and day. The shop is fitted with the latest designed and most expensive machinery inade for the purpose and is in charge of expert mechanics. The front-cut mower is an innovation in machinery of that class and the demand for it is very gratifying to the company manufacturing it. As its designer says: "It is different from all other machines."
HOTEL LINDERMAN.
The Linderman is one of the modern hotels of southern Iowa and is under the management of Wilson Reed. It is a three story brick, steam- heated and electric-lighted and contains fifty rooms. The location of this hotel is unsurpassed, being on a corner of the public square, at Clarinda, and in the heart of the business district.
THE HAWTHORNE HOTEL.
The Hawthorne at Clarinda is a popular house, both with the traveling public and the people of the county who come to Clarinda. The hotel has twenty guest rooms, which are nicely furnished and the cuisine is very satisfactory. T. J. Hawthorne has been the manager since 1905.
THE HENSHAW HOUSE.
Oscar F. Henshaw came to Clarinda from Erie county, New York, and about 1874 started a boarding house in a small cottage that stood on the grounds now occupied by The Henshaw House, which gave way later to the present building. Mr. Henshaw conducted the hotel until 1900, when he leased the property to G. W. Koons, who conducted the hotel five years and then bought the property. In 1905, Mrs. Annie Taylor, daughter of Mr. Henshaw, returned to Clarinda, and has been in charge of the hotel ever since.
THE CELEBRATED C. B. & Q. BAND OF CLARINDA.
Professors Brothers and Duncan, about 1867, organized the Clarinda Silver Cornet Band, which soon became one of the best organizations of its kind in southwestern lowa. A few years later another band was formed, known as Keller's Cornet Band, which was composed of some of the best
370
HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY
business men of Clarinda. A splendid set of instruments was purchased and Professor F. J. Keller, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, became instructor. He was a man of note as a teacher and the author of many musical publications. The two bands became celebrated in 1879 under the title of the Excelsior Band. From this time on the band became noted all over the west. At Blaine's great political meeting in Des Moines it took a prominent part and also at Grant's reception at Burlington, Iowa, and at Chicago political gatherings. In 1880 the name of the band was again changed, this time to that of the C. B. & Q. Band. New uniforms were purchased at a cost of six hundred dollars, and new instruments, at a cost of fifteen hundred dollars. They had a band wagon which cost six hundred dollars. The success of the new organization was due largely to Frank P. Parish, their manager. At the inaugural of President Garfield, in 1881, the band took a very prominent part and the National Republican, published at Wash- ington, D. C., had the following to say regarding the band, which, through the kindness of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad officials, had free transportation to Washington :
"Secretary Kirkwood, Senator Allison and the office of the National Republican were serenaded last evening by a band of twenty-five instru- ments from Clarinda, Page county, Iowa. The members of the band reside in the southwestern part of that great state and the band is known all over Iowa as the C. B. & Q. Band. While here these gentlemen won great praise for themselves. The band was escorted by about seventy-five men from Iowa, who selected General Belknap as marshal for the evening. Col. W. P. Hepburn presented the band to Secretary Kirkwood and made an eloquent presentation speech." This remarkable band was formed in 1867, with F. J. Keller as leader and Frank P. Parish as manager. Pro- fessor Keller died about 1882. From that time on the band existed with indifferent success, partly on account of Professor Keller's death and perhaps more because the band was largely made up of active business men, whose time and interests were otherwise absorbed. Hence, it was, that one of Iowa's best bands went into decline and finally disbanded. Today Clarinda has a band that . throws no little credit upon the city of Clarinda and Page county generally.
CLARINDA WOOLEN FACTORY.
In 1855 a carding machine was placed in operation by Hutton & Martin of Clarinda. It was propelled by ox-power. J. C. McCandliss, G. W. Maiden & J. W. Piper built a large woolen factory about 1863 and took over the carding machine, which they placed in a large woolen factory built by them at about that time. A large building was erected, a steam engine installed, a set of manufacturing cards, a roll card, a spinning ma- chine, two looms and other woolen machinery were put in operation. Shortly after Mr. Piper sold his interest to A. S. Meek and in 1867 McCandliss' interests went to Maiden & Meek, who carried on the business until 1869, when Meek retired to give place to James Gartside and the
37:
HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY
firm of Maiden & Gartside operated the mills until March, 1886, when Gartside sold to A. H. Morgan. This woolen mill did quite an extensive business and was considered of much importance to the city and Page county in general until destroyed by fire over a quarter of a century ago.
FLOURING MILLS OF CLARINDA.
In 1860 a man by the name of Joseph Wickidal erected the first flour mill in Clarinda, in which were placed two runs of buhrs, which was located in the central part of the city and was a frame structure of goodly proportions. This frame work was taken from the native tree growing in the vicinity, much of which was hewed out and put up in old style. The motive power was steam. It passed through many hands. The machinery was up-to-date. This was termed the City Flouring Mills and was operated by N. M. Hutton. It had a daily capacity of seventy-five barrels. The present mill is run by Shambaugh & Son.
NODAWAY TOWNSHIP.
As now constituted, Nodaway township is described as congressional township 69, range 37 west, and a fractional half of 69, range 36. In all, its territory contains about fifty-eight sections of land. Originally it took in all the north half of Page county. The surface characters of the eastern and western halves of this long township are widely at antipodes and the geological features correspondingly diverse.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
As it now stands, Nodaway was first settled in 1850 by Isaiah Hulbert, on what is known as the Neff farm. In the spring of 1852 came Henry D. Farrens and soon thereafter Messrs. Stafford, W. Lavering and John Dod- son, who settled where Thomas Jones lived several years since. In 1854 came Isaac Van Arsdol, who is still an honored resident. In 1856 came "Sol" Round, Cyrus Creel, James McCowan, Alexander Davie, T. T. Pen- dergraft, Henry Hakes, Henderson Cooper, James Jackson, John Thorn- berry and a great many others.
SCHOOLS.
The pioneer school of this township was taught at Clarinda. As the country has developed decade after decade, schoolhouses of an excellent style have been provided. The best of teachers have been employed and good progress is the happy result.
CHURCHES.
Aside from the two churches at the village of Yorktown in the western part of the township and those found in the city of Clarinda, Nodaway has
372
HISTORY OF PAGE COUNTY
a large German society and five church edifices on its extreme northern line, also a Methodist Episcopal church on section 18, called Summit church.
The German Lutheran church (Evangelical) is known as Emanuel church. This society was early in the field. The few families of this faith held services at private houses. One would read a sermon and then prayer and social exercises were had. This commenced in 1868. It was no hard matter to conduct such services, for all the older ones had been trained to worship from their infancy in their fatherland.
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.