USA > Iowa > Story County > History of Story County, Iowa; a record of organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 8
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The corner now occupied by the Ringheim block (recently purchased by the Masonic order ) was first occupied by Dr. J. H. Sinclair's frame store building, which was temporarily set in the street until the new brick block could be gotten ready for occupancy. It was then removed to Mr. Ringheim's residence block, where it was used by the Lutherans for a house of worship until their present church was erected. On the present site of the Boardman Bros. (Swift & Co.) brick block there were formerly several small frame buildings, some of them occupied by families and some as meat shops and grocers' shops. The late Sam Roe was one of the best remembered residents of that locality. Mr. David Child and Jonas Bechtel had meat-shops there. There was a small frame residence on the lots now
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occupied by the Boardinan Block in which E. G. Day lived for a number of years. It was taken away to make room for the present business. About 1858 there were two frame one-story residences built on the lots now oc- cupied by Mrs. Murphey and Mr. Fegtly (the Murphey and Fegtly home- steads). They fronted to the east. Mr. Murphey removed one of these houses to the corner and afterwards added a second story, (his has this spring, 1911, been moved to the rear of the lot for a barn by Lafe McKim with a view to building on the corner). The other was occupied at dif- ferent times as a residence by E. G. Day, John Dowling, Smith Goodin. It was burned when occupied by Goodin. James Fairman built the first house on the lots now owned and occupied by Mr. Gates. This was re- moved to the south end of town. S. S. Webb built a residence on the corner now occupied by the Patton (Dillin) block. This frame building was removed and is owned and occupied by M. C. Allen (now a tenant house on north end of Allen lots). J. W. Cessna built the residence property now occupied by the parish priest of the Catholic church. George A. Kellogg built the residence now owned and occupied by Mrs. Major Hix. Asa Copoc built the first residence on the Frank Ogden corner (Greenawalt) which has been enlarged and improved, removed and succeeded by a better house. S. S. Webb built his first residence on what is known as the Waldron corner, now owned by S. E. Briggs estate. It was for a time the residence of T. C. McCall. Mr. Waldron removed the building and added thereto. and it is now the residence of Mr. Ambrose (since removed to the lots south of the water tank). O. Hambleton first built on the lots now occupied as a residence by Mr. Wingert (the garages). George W. Hambleton built and long resided on the corner now occupied for business on Linn street by Lyman & Co., W. T. Hand, Ed. Statler and others. This house is now two blocks west on Chestnut street. The residence of Alba Hall, senior, before mentioned ( on the Belknap corner ) was near the corner now occupied by the furniture store of Mr. Borgen, and was a commodious residence for its times. It was built by George Child for Mr. Hall. It was burned while oc- cupied as a residence by Rev. S. J. Mills.
The widening of Linn street between Snyder's shop and the Lyman corner, and several blocks further, which was done by setting the houses then on the west side of the street twenty feet back from the original front line. was a notable improvement and did much to encourage permanent building. This was done about 1870 and was at the expense of those oc- cupying both sides of the street. (The editor's understanding is that the property owners on the west side gave the twenty feet, while those on the east side paid the expense of moving the buildings.) The building facing Dr. Munk's residence on the west side of Linn street (the A. C. Elliot house ) was built about 1872 by a stock company for a cheese factory. The present residence of Dr. Chamberlin was built by Mr. J. B. Mellose, the brick maker, now of Boone. It was afterwards owned by Dr. Farrar and by Dr. Smith. Chas. Schoonover built the house next south of Dr. C. E.
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Hoag's residence. It was sold by him to W. G. Allen, who occupied it for a number of years. Hon. E. B. Potter also owned it and occupied it for many years.
J. S. Frazier built on and occupied the D. S. Snyder corner, at south- east corner of court house block, as a residence and office until he removed to his place west of the creek, (now the Abbott place). Hon. George A. Kellogg built and occupied the house now owned and occupied by Lant Lockwood, on the original Alderman site on southwest corner of court house block. J. G. Tanner built and occupied the first house west of the lower bridge on the south side of the street. He sold to Mr. Z. Shugart. (This is now the L. A. Hanson property ). E. G. Day built and lived in the house now owned by John Waldron. Rev. Mr. Beckley built the house next west of Mr. Waldron (on the feed shed corner), and lived there till he removed to Wisconsin. Adolphus Rood built the house next north of the George Child residence and lived there for a number of years. George Helphrey built the first house on the corner now owned by E. S. Bamber- ger. He sold to Mr. B. J. Dunning, who enlarged it and lived there for many years. Mr. Dunning sold to Mr. Bamberger, who sold the building to Mrs. Neasham for removal to lots facing the east side of the park, to make room for his contemplated residence. (Later it was removed to the east side of the same block to make room for the Minkler residence). Chas. D. Berry built the house long owned and occupied by J. C. Mitchell as a residence, now owned by Mr. Lyman, ( Frank Poage).
W. E. Knight built the north hotel, afterwards known as the Vincent House, (and Central House, now removed). Tobias Kindlespire built the residence now occupied by Ab. Elliot (John H. Apple) as a residence. Mr. Callahan built on the skating-rink corner the two story shop recently removed to the block next south of the foundry lots by Thomas Pool. S. H. Templeton built and resided in the Pierce property in the north part of town. M. C. Allen built the house now owned and occupied by A. M. Norris (H. G. Ambrose). It was for a time owned and occupied by Dr. Schooler. Mr. Edwards, the merchant, built and lived in the house now occupied by W. F. Swayze (Arthur Dean). Moses Hunt built the house afterwards long occupied by John R. Hays (on the Clara McCall corner), and also the original house enlarged and improved by Am. Banks. J. H. Talbott built for a residence the place now owned and occupied by Solo- mon Young, (L. H. Padellford), also for a vinegar factory the brick on the corner next north. Andrew Bales built the Edgecomb log house up to "the square" and sold it in that condition to Henry Bailey. The latter put the roof on and occupied it with his family. He was at work on the house when the storm came up in which his daughter was killed by light- ning.
There was at one time, about 1863, a considerable business done near the site of the county jail (the Judge Dyer residence property). O. & G. W. Hambleton had a general store in that locality. David Child's first meat
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shop was in the same row. The first house that was built on the lots now occupied by Mrs. Jackson in Wood's addition was sold to Wm. Lockridge, who removed it to his farm south of town, now owned by J. S. Hutchins. The house next south of John Storm's ( B. S. Dickey's) place was built for Simon Moore in 1855 by J. P. Robinson. It may be mentioned that Squire Robinson furnished the logs for a large number of houses built in Nevada during the early days. One of the old landmarks which has been so long removed as to have been almost forgotten is the house that was built by Mr. Hackley on the lots of Mr. Storm. It was a long one- story house with two doors on its north front. Mr. llackley lived in it until he moved from town. It was afterward owned and occupied by John Parker. In war-times one part of this house was occupied by Mr. E. S. Hoag and the other by the family of Cornelius Joor. When this property, with that of W. E. Aldredge, was bought by De Witt C. Bishop the Hackley house was moved to its place and faced west as it now stands. Part of the old Hackley house was placed on the rear of the lots now occupied by Dr. C. E. Iloag ( George Robison) and used as a stable ; but it went to pieces and has disappeared.
J. C. Lovell built a residence on the site of Boyd's ( Tarman's) meat market in the fall of 1856. This house was prudently set upon blocks and the door was reached by a short flight of steps. During a part of his resi- dence there he found some of the conveniences afforded in Venice- among others the opportunity of reaching his door by a boat. He was known to boast of the convenience of filling his tea kettle from the door step.
John McLain built for a residence the present home of W. S. Garrett (the Garrett homestead). John Elliot built the residence now occupied by Mrs. Bates (south of M. C. Allen's). It stands on the site of the first house built in that part of town by Levi Schoonover. Smith Goodin bailt the house now owned and occupied by Samuel Bates as a residence (op- posite M. E. church ). This lot at one time belonged to the ladies of the Methodist church, and it was expected that a parsonage would be built thereon.
Among the changes it may be mentioned that a Mr. Hart, a wagon-maker, who had been in business in Ames, removed his dwelling and shop in parts from that town to Nevada about 1867. The dwelling comprises the pres- ent wing of the Methodist parsonage ( Mrs. Margaret White's homestead ). and the shop is the building that stands against the east end of the White & Bamberger block ( removed for the Gates blacksmith shop).
George Child's residence was the first house on the block where it now stands. When first built it fronted south but it was afterwards enlarged and changed to its present form. On the east half of that block, now oc- cupied by the homes of the brothers Shedd ( MeCall, Bishop, Neasham and Shuttleworth ) Rev. Stewart, a Presbyterian missionary, in an early day built a small house, in which he lived. It was occupied during the war
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period by the family of Walter Brown, later by Jonathan Meyers, Cor- poral S. A. Daniel, and Mr. Waring.
When Russell McLain came to the county he built a house three miles southeast of Nevada on the site of H. H. Robinson's home. John Mc- Lain's family lived in the same house while the hotel was in process of building.
To put up these rude log houses was not so easy as at first thought might be supposed. The old time house raising made necessary the attendance of all able-bodied men from every direction within reasonable hail. The settlers on Skunk river, as well as those on East Indian creek, gave generous help to the pioneers of the new county-seat.
A comparison of the present with the past may illustrate the progress of thirty-two years (1856-1888) in the history of the town. Now there are very few more nicely graded and drained streets in any unpaved town than is Linn street in Nevada from the railway station to the south side of the park. It is smooth, dry, tiled, of grade and easily kept in repair. In 1856 it was several feet higher than it is now at the Vincent House, in front of the court house, and in front of Mr. E. S. Hoag's place (opposite Ad- ventist headquarters). It was much lower from Mr. Lyman's ( Hand's) corner to the Farmers' Bank and from the Boardman (Swift) block to Dr. Munk's. Between the latter points the sod had not been broken, and a fence-board could have been set down in the quivering peat bog without touching bottom. From the site of the office of the Representative (over Miss Rankin's millinery store) to the Methodist church lot and north to Leffingwell's blacksmith shop (on public library lots) and most of the way to the next street on the north there were depressions which in wet seasons were ponds of considerable depth. The surface outlet to these ponds passed in the rear of the opera block, thence near Mrs. Burdick's ( Mrs. Dillin's) residence, thence across the George Hutchins ( the Presby- terian church) lots and across where Mrs. Kellogg's garden is now. In the street west of Mrs. Kellogg's it was joined by a depression that drained some lots to the north. Thence there was and is a natural depression to the great Slough. In the wet season of 1858 all these ponds were so as to afford a boating place for the boys, and a steady stream flowed from them for many days in succession. Mr. Alba Hall, senior, had connected his cellar with the nearest low grounds by a covered drain. During the long continued rains the ponds filled, and it is said that Mr. Hall found living fish in his cellar.
THIE EARLY SCHOOLS.
Pupils of our present graded school, as well as their parents, ought to know something of the school system of Nevada in its infancy. Such knowledge may assist them to a reasonable appreciation of our present school facilities. The property of the town has paid in thirty-five years for school purposes not less than fifty per cent of its present appraised
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value. This enormous amount has been from time to time cheerfully voted and not grudgingly paid. In return for all this, we now have a system, buildings and corps of teachers in all of which we have much pride. In the meantime, many promising young men and women have gone out from our schools, who are and will be citizens of great value wherever their lots may be cast.
THIE FIRST TEACHER.
Was William Margeson. He taught in the winter of 1854-5, in a log house that stood near where Mr. Calhoun now lives, south of the J. S. Frazier property. The school district was not then organized, and he was paid by subscription. In the summer of 1855, a school was taught for one term by a man whose person is well remembered, but whose name in not now recalled. (Asa Griffith, son of a preacher near Bloomington.) The school was in the house where Margeson taught during the previous win- ter, and the teacher boarded with Dr. Kellogg's family. He was a quiet, gentlemanly man, rather disposed to avoid the loiterers on the streets, and is remembered by only a few whom he met. Probably the third school was taught, for a short term, in the log house on the Hutchins Hotel corner by Randolph Goodin in 1855. This building was used alternately for schools and residence for several years. There was a school in it when Mr. Cessna moved into it, and afterwards when Mr. Price moved in.
Society and society customs were in a crude state at this time. Accus- tomed as we now are, to have the school board employ a corps of ten teach- ers to carry on our excellent schools, with a janitor to look after the fine school building, heated by steam in winter, nicely ventilated in summer, with commodious grounds, we are liable to forget that it was not always thus. At the time of which we write the public funds were only sufficient to employ one or two teachers for a portion of the year. During the remain- der of the available period, it was customary for such women as had the am- bition to do such work and the room to spare in their dwellings, to open select schools in their homes. It was the rule in such cases for the family to crowd into the rear rooms and have the schools in the front. Mrs. Berintha M. Mitchell, wife of R. H. Mitchell, taught a term in the spring of 1856 in the building in which Mr. Goodin had taught previously. Mrs. Vashti Lewis, wife of Abner Lewis, taught during the summer of that year in her house, which stood north of the present residence of Mrs. M. M. Ross (north of Mrs. Lowrey's). John Snelling taught a term in the new court house during the fall of the same year. J. W. Cessna and Vincent Tomlinson taught in the court house during the following summer. In the suminer of 1857, S. E. Briggs taught in the Webb & Child store building, which stood east of the opera block. Mrs. Norris, wife of the county sur- veyor, taught in the Hackley house on the corner where Mr. Storm now lives, (the B. S. Dickey place ) in the spring of 1857. She afterwards taught in the old buikling that then stood near John Stone's present (late) residence
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and was assisted by her daughter, Miss Henrietta. The latter terms were in 1858. J. S. Blickenderfer taught in the court house during the early part of 1857. Mrs. B. M. Mitchell taught a select school in her newly erected and yet unfinished home in the fall of 1857. She was assisted temporarily by Miss Maggie Stephens. The building stands yet, just north of the west end of the place now occupied by Judge Mitchell. During the ensuing winter R. H. Mitchell and wife taught the district school in the court house. In the summer of 1858, Miss VanWormer taught. In the same year Mrs. Shaw, wife of either A. D. or P. H., taught in the Abner Lewis property, above named. In the winter of 1858-9, R. C. McOmber, assisted by Laura A. Rhoades, had the schools in charge. The term was begun in the upper room of the Alderman block, east end of the opera block ; but it was found neces- sary to divide the school and Miss Laura was given a portion of the pupils in the court room. The McOmber school was so popular as to attract a number of scholars from the country, notwithstanding the building and the appointments were not at all suited to school purposes. Colonel H. H. Rood of Mt. Vernon, who attended Mr. McOmber's school, gives his teacher words of praise that should rise as incense over his grave. He says that Mr. McOmber was a graduate of a college in Vermont and had not only a superior education, but also the faculty of interesting his pupils in their studies, and imbuing them with a determination to be wiser and better men and women. Among the pupils were Jason D. Ferguson, Harry Boyes, Addison Davis and others from the country.
During the summer of 1859 the school was taught by Miss Kate C. Woods, from Kenton, Ohio, and Miss Edna M. Riston, recently from St. Lawrence county, New York. This term was begun in the Cumberland Presbyterian church, which stood on the lots east of Mr. Gates' place. For about four weeks both teachers worked together in the church, when it was found necessary to divide the school. In this emergency Miss Woods took half the school to the Alderman block. This division was not made on grades but without any regard to scholarship.
THE OLD BRICK SCHOOL HOUSE.
Was built in the summer of 1859, on the lots east of the old court house. It was ready for occupancy in time for the winter term of 1859-60. Dr. Fuller of Hardin county, an educator of reputation, was employed as prin- cipal, and Miss May E. Moore as assistant. Dr. Fuller and Miss Moore were married before the close of the term.
For the summer term of 1860, by request of David Child, the local director, a popular election was held for teachers and resulted in the choice of Miss Kate C. Woods and Mrs. Gossard. A fall term was taught in 1860 by Miss Edna M. Riston as principal, and Miss Abbie Price as assist- ant. The winter term for 1860-1, was taught by R. H. Mitchell, assisted by Mrs. Brigham, George Brigham's mother.
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There seems to be some uncertainty as to the order in which certain teachers had charge of the schools during the war period. Miss M. E. Diffenbacher, Miss Carrie Allen, Miss Riston, Mrs. Gossard, Mrs. Brigham. F. D. Thompson, Rev. J. G. Beckley, Mrs. Beckley, William White, Miss AAbbie Price, and perhaps others were at different times engaged. Mr. Thompson taught in the fall of 1862. In November of that year he and Miss Price were married and both taught during the year next following.
Mrs. Fuller had in the meantime become a widow, and in 1864 returned as Mrs. Boynton. She was soon thereafter induced to take a position as teacher. Miss Dilla Letson was also engaged as teacher about the same time. Miss Letson's work continued almost without intermission, until she became Mrs. Waldron, while Mrs. Boynton is still in the work. In 1864-5. A. S. Condon, now Dr. Condon of Salt Lake, Utah, was principal, and Miss Dilla Letson, assistant. Miss Minnie Braden and Miss Emma Gar- rett taught in the summer of 1865.
In 1865 the frame building which now stands west of William Moran's (P. E. Shugart ) place, (and was long used as a barn on the present Dry- bread lot ) was built in the street just north of the brick school house and used in conjunction. More rooms called for more teachers, and Messrs. Me Phecters and Beckley, assisted by Miss Rachel Trumbull and Mrs. Beck- ley, had the young ideas in charge during the winter of 1865-6. In the summer of 1866, Miss Adeline B. Cheeney was chosen principal and was assisted by Mrs. Boynton and Miss Trumbull.
The last corps of teachers previous to organizing as an independent district consisted of a Mr. Clapp as principal, with Mrs. Boynton, Miss Letson and Miss Viola Pierce, as assistants. This brings the story of the schools down to May 6, 1867, when Mr. Weller. as principal, and Mrs. Boyn- ton, Miss Minnie Braden and Miss Viola Pierce, as assistants, opened the schools under the independent district system.
SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
In the original organization of the school districts, it was not thought best to leave any of the entered lands without a taxable interest in the schools. The school district of Nevada was permitted to extend to the north and east lines of the county, taking in a large portion of lands now in Richland, Warren and Lincoln townships. The wild lands in that part of the district were assessed at from three to five dollars per acre, while improved farms were usually rated at from six to ten dollars. The non- resident taxpayers had abundant opportunity for contributing to the cause of education.
The correspondence of our local land agents showed great hopefulness on the part of the absent owners when they acknowledged the reception of their tax receipts, their letters often referring to the liberal taxes they paid for the erection of school houses and congratulating themselves on the
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rapid improvement of the country as shown by such facts. But when they visited their lands with a view to sale or settlement the fine school house was liable, greatly to their disgust, to be more than a dozen miles distant from the lands taxed to erect it. Meantime the boundaries of the district would be changed and another school house would be needed. Thus the school house tax on non-resident land was a steady thing, continuing until every hill-top was duly supplied with its educational temple. However un- satisfactory this arrangement may have been to the possibly impoverished speculator, it helped to reduce the percentage of illiteracy.
CHAPTER VIII. REMINISCENCES BY COL. SCOTT-(CONTINUED).
THE GOOD PIONEERS.
The hardships of the early settlers in the town were greatly alleviated by the generous aid and pleasant courtesy of a number of the early citizens of the county. Among these Mr. George Kirkman, who was so brutally murdered May 9. 1875. is most kindly remembered. He lived near the south line of Indian creek township, and had surrounded himself with some of life's necessaries before the settlement of Nevada began. He was al- ways ready on call to leave his plow or other labor to furnish bread, meat. vegetables or what else he might have, to those who must be fed until they could begin to live on their own resources. And when it is remem- bered that no surplus of productions was to be had this side of southern Jasper and Mahaska Counties, this generosity will be better appreciated. It was not an exceptional thing to haul corn from Mahaska County that had cost there more than one dollar per bushel. John Keigley, Thomas Jones and Samuel Heistand and some others who lived on Skunk river and Squaw creek, also deserve mention in this connection. Watt Murphey and H. F. Murphey, also Major Hawthorn and John Lackey, all of whom then lived near Johnson's Grove, were ever ready to start with their teams to Iowa City, Muscatine, Davenport or Rock Island and draw supplies for the merchants. Without the help of these men the dwellers in the town would often have been in extremity.
One of the pleasant customs of the early days was lending and divid- ing liberally the family supplies. The grocers would sometimes run short of such necessaries as flour and corn meal, and it might happen that none could be had until the roads woukl admit of sending teams a long distance to procure them. During the sickness and death of Dr. Kellogg. the supply of flour failed in the house, and there was none in town for sale. Mrs. K. narrates with gratitude that Mr. Aklerman brought her all the flour he had in his own house, (about twenty-five pounds) leaving himself and his large family to subsist on corn-bread, until flour could be obtained. Long
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may the pioneers live among us to illustrate love and courage in woman and pious tenderness and unselfishness in man !
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