USA > Iowa > Taylor County > History of Taylor County, Iowa; from the earliest historic times to 1910, biographical sketches of some prominent citizens > Part 21
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The Peoples Bank was opened for business in 1902. Robert Dougherty is president, T. M. Dougherty, vice-president and O. E. Dougherty, cashier. The individual responsibility of the bank is given as sixty thousand dollars. In a statement issued February 1, 1909, the capital stock is given as ten thousand dollars, with deposits of one hundred and twenty-one thousand and fifty-nine dollars and eighty-seven cents.
New Market leads all of the towns of the county, excepting Bedford, in its number of attorneys. E. A. Pace is the oldest in point of residence and practice. T. M. Dougherty is the other. He is our present county attorney.
Three hotels do business in the town. They are managed by Mrs. J. B. Archer, Mrs. Robbins and E. Corbitt, respectively.
Norral Reeves, ex-county recorder, is the only exclusive insurance man in the town. He writes business for the Hawkeye. .
The New Market News was founded by Pierce and Lucas in 1883 and made by them a good paper, with a growing subscription list. It is now known as the New Market Herald, but why it changed its name we were unable to learn. Winton R. Markley has owned and edited the paper for some time. When he took charge, he put in new type and many of the modern accessories to a newspaper office ; built a neat office, and gets out a bright newsy paper, that would be a credit to any town. The citizens appreciate the value of the paper to their town and patronize it liberally.
E. Huddle has a feed mill that is quite a convenience to the farmers of the vicinity.
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, the coal interests in the vicinity of New Market, are of great benefit to the business of the town. We are indebted to Mr. Roderick Campbell, manager of the Campbell Coal Co., for our informa- tion concerning the coal mines. Mr. Campbell is well informed on the subjects of mines and mining, and is the oldest man in the business in New Market. Mr. Campbell says that the coal area underlying the northwest part of Taylor county, belongs to the same field that extends into Adams and Page counties, and is what is termed the Missouri formation, geologically known as the upper coal measures. The vein is from forty to one hundred and sixty feet below the sur- face and is from fifteen to eighteen inches thick, and has but very little dip. In the chapter on Nodaway township, the mines in the vicinity of Hanshaw were mentioned as having practically given out only one or two being in operation at
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the present time. The principal development of the mining industry has been in the vicinity of New Market, where mines have been in active operation since 1880. A number of mines opened in the past have given out. Since the opening of the field here, Mr. Campbell states that there has been in all twenty-nine shafts sunk, at a cost of twenty thousand dollars. At present there are but four mines in active operation, with an output of two thousand bushels a day when running at their full capacity. From seventy-five to one hundred men could be given employment, but owing to the scarcity of labor, the last two or three years, the operators have been unable to get a sufficient number of miners, consequently they have been unable to supply the demand. For furnace or heating purposes, this coal ranks with any mined in the state.
Mr. Campbell informs us that in 1906, there were mined in the county four hundred and ninety-two thousand, three hundred bushels of coal, with a market value of forty-six thousand, four hundred and eighty-one dollars, and seventy- six men were employed. It is estimated that at least eighty-five per cent of this was produced at New Market, so it may be readily seen the benefit it is to the town from a business standpoint, and citizens of the town and vicinity get cheap fuel, the coal costing at the mine but nine or ten cents per bushel. In Bedford, only. fourteen miles away, coal costs from twenty to twenty-seven cents per bushel.
Of the four active mines what is known as number one, is located one-half mile east of New Market, on the Keokuk & Western railroad. It is operated by Howes and Pullen; the shaft is one hundred and sixty feet in depth. A quarter of a mile east of this is the Campbell mine, operated by the Campbell Coal Company. The shaft at this mine in one hundred and fifty feet deep. Just east of this is the old Ben Anderson mine, which is now owned by Y. F. Pace, who leases it to the Union Coal Company. A mile east of this mine near the One Hundred and Two river, is the mine owned and operated by Nathan Easter. The shaft of this mine is but ninety feet in depth. With the exception of the Campbell mine. there have been many changes in ownership in the last few years. The Campbells have been in the business since 1888, and showv no inclination to give up the business.
Underlying the coal, is a bed of shale from three to four feet in thickness. Experts say this shale would make a fine quality of pressed brick, and it seems strange that such an industry has not been started. Some time the necessary capital for the development of this industry will be forth-coming, as street paving even in small towns is becoming quite fashionable and good brick making material is scarce.
New Market has four church organizations: Methodist, Baptist, Christian and Mennonite. The membership of the Baptist church is about one hundred. The church was organized in 1882 and the building erected in 1883. J. R. Baker and wife, Judge Harris and wife, J. Covender and wife, Mrs. Parsons, Mr. and Mrs. Fouts, Frank Covender and wife, D. H. Baker and wife and Mrs. Beecher, were among the organizers. Rev. See was their first pastor and Rev. E. B. Osborne is the present pastor.
The organizers of the Memory Methodist church have been mentioned and their early struggles recounted in another chapter. They had a building, which
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at the time it was built was the admiration of all who saw it. When New Market was located, the Methodists were first on the ground with a building, moving it un from Memory in 1882. This structure served their purpose until 1903 when it was replaced with a new, modern church building that adds much to the beauty of the town. Rev. Louis Watson is their pastor, and the church is doing earn- est work in the cause of the Master. The Mennonite church has a large mem- bership, has a comfortable building and carry on all of the various departments of their church work. Rev. E. J. Menaegh is their present pastor. The Chris- tian church was organized in the early history of the town. Ten or twelve years ago they built a substantial church and at present there is a large membership. Elder Harris is their pastor.
Of the civic societies New Market has the strongest I. O. O. F. lodge in the county, outside of Bedford. Their present membership numbers one hundred and twenty-one. There are ten lodges in the county with a total membership of seven hundred and seventy, and Bedford Lodge numbers two hundred and fourteen, so it may be seen that the New Market Lodge outranks the other towns. A year or two ago they built a brick building at a cost of six thousand five hun- dred dollars. It is probably the best building in the town. They have one of the finest lodge rooms in southwest Iowa, on the second floor. The lower floor is rented for a store room. The Masons have a good organization with a growing membership, but as yet have no building of their own.
The railroad business for the town shows the thrift of the community. While it is not possible to give shipments in less than carload lots, this alone speaks eloquently for this part of the county. From the report of the auditor of the Keokuk and Western railroad for the last fiscal year, we find that from New Market were shipped twenty-four carloads of grain, five loads of horses, forty- three of cattle, one hundred loads of hogs and one load of sheep. The last assess- ment of New Market corporation and school district shows a valuation of four hundred and thirty-nine thousand two hundred and fifty-six. The New Market schools are a source of pride to the community. The rapid increase in school population has caused old buildings to be outgrown. When a four-room school- house was built it was thought that would be large enough for their needs for all time, but in 1900 it was found that more room must be provided, so a five-room building was erected at a cost of nearly seven thousand dollars. It is built on mod- ern plans, and is convenient and comfortable but it should have been larger. The same question, that of more room, will soon come up again. There were last year two hundred and twelve pupils enrolled in the school with an average at- tendance of one hundred and fifty-five. In the school library are eighty-one volumes. Last year they paid teachers one thousand six hundred and eighteen dollars.
The teaching corps consists of a superintendent and four assistants. Until lately but eight months' school was held, but the present progressive board has decided to have full nine months hereafter. They have also raised the wage scale, and taken other steps to better their schools.
The course of study is carried up to the tenth year, which gives two years of high school work. If the growth of the town is as rapid in the future as it
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has been in the past, but a short time well elapse until they will have a full high school course.
The present city officers are : mayor, E. A. Pace ; clerk, F. M. Wiley ; mar- shall, S. T. Selby; treasurer, T. M. Dougherty ; members of town council, H. E. Tomlinson, G. A. Plowman, Henry Barker, H. T. Beaver, J. B. Morsell.
GRAVITY.
The town of Gravity is located about eight miles northwest of the county seat. It was platted in 1881 the year the Keokuk and Western Railroad was built through the county. It has grown rapidly, both in population and in a substantial business way. Although so near Bedford the county seat and the largest town in the county, Gravity has steadily grown. Her business men have enlarged their business, and have by their sound business methods, widened their territory and increased their trade. The town draws much trade from the north and west, in one of the wealthiest agricultural sections of the county, which trade formerly went to Villisca and Corning.
Citizens who are in position to closely estimate the population of the town give it as eight hundred and fifty or nine hundred. The town was incorporated in 1883 and T. J. Davis was the first mayor-Falen was the first town clerk and he also edited the first paper, the Gravity Express.
Frank Duncan was the first city marshall. The first city council was com- posed of John Stouder, George Brookman, Sam Robinson, Frank Johnson, Wil- liam Millinger and Howe Penn.
The first postmaster was Frank McColm. Dr. J. T. McColm put in the first stock of drugs, and Stouder and Son the first general store. Samuel Taylor was one of the early business men. George Brookman and W. W. Clark were the first contractors and builders and are still following their trade in Gravity. C. L. Brookman bought the first lot and built the first house, the present resi- dence of Dr. T. J. Davis.
In the early day Gravity had two attorneys, Artz and Dennis. Attorney Artz afterward located in Kansas where he entered politics, and at one time was on the governor's staff.
T. O. Wilson, W. D. Burge and S. D. Churchill, are among the pioneers of the town and lent their help to its advancement. The fraternal orders are well represented in Gravity. The first to organize a lodge were the Odd Fellows. The Masons followed in a short time, then the old veterans established a Grand Army of the Republic Post; afterward a Knights of Pythias lodge was organized and last but not least, came the Modern Woodmen of America.
Miles Morris established the first bank, which he conducted for several years. Wishing to retire he sold to the Bedford Bank and it is still owned and operated by the stockholders of that institution. W. E. Crane is president of the Gravity Bank and Charles B. Bailey, cashier. The bank enjoys a substantial patronage. It has a capital stock of twenty-five thousand dollars; surplus nine- teen thousand, three hundred and eighty-three dollars and sixty-nine cents ; de- posits to the amount of one hundred and sixteen thousand, eight hundred and fourteen dollars and eighty-two cents.
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The mers and Merchants Savings Bank has been established but a short time. but . ing som ibstantial local men, as officers and directors, it has a very satis ory patro L. B. Payne is the president and Claude Thomas, cashier. The capital st k is ten thousand dollars.
Gravity supports more churches than any other town in the county. The Methodist people organized and built a church in 1883, but lately they rebuilt at a cost of five thousand dollars. They have a good building and one of the largest congregations in town. Rev. Palmer is the pastor.
The Christian church was organized at Cottage Grove schoolhouse by John Stouder, George Brookman, D. C. Starkweather and others. W. L. Dunlavey was the pastor there, also the first pastor after the removal to Gravity in 1883. Elder Dunlavey has served nine years as pastor of the church. The member- ship of the church numbers one hundred and sixty-five. They have a good building and are doing active work, the present pastor being Eber.
The Presbyterian people are not very strong numerically at this time, there being but about fifty members. But they have one of the neatest church buildings in the county. At present they have no regular pastor.
The Baptists have a good church building, although it is one of the oldest ones in the town. They always, or at least until quite recently, have had a good active working church with a membership of about forty, their present pastor being Rev. Hancock.
The Free Methodists have had an organization in Gravity for some time, while they are not strong numerically, numbering only about fifty members. They carry on all of the regular church work. Their pastor is Rev. Ahrens.
The Adventists organized a church in 1893, with forty members. H. Swan- der, William West and A. F. Hopkins were among the organizers. The present pastor is W. C. Williams.
A school district was organized in 1883 and a two-room building erected at a cost of two thousand dollars. In 1900 a four-room house costing five thous- dollars was built and this building is already too small to accommodate the in- creased school population, and the board is again called upon to furnish more room. From the county superintendent's annual report we find that there are one hundred and forty-three pupils enrolled in the school with an average attendance of one hundred and two. They have apparatus valued at five hun- dred dollars and have three hundred and twenty-seven volumes in their library. Last year they paid one thousand, nine hundred and eighty dollars to teachers.
The present mayor of the city is L. B. Payne. Elmer Brown is clerk, Henry Nott, marshall and J. P. Jones, street commissioner. The members of the council are : S. B. Smith, L. T. Reed, J. F. Hanna, L. G. Blakeslee, J. G. Savage and C. E. Ledgerwood.
The assessed valuation of Gravity corporation and the independent school district is four hundred and eighty-five thousand, nine hundred and twenty- eight dollars.
We mentioned earlier in this article the name of the first postmaster. James Moneyham was at one time postmaster. Scott Johnson served in that capacity for a number of years and the present incumbent is W. P. Pierson. There
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, GRAVITY
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are three rural mail routes out of Gravity. The carrier on route one is Albert Dugan, on route two, Henry Johnson and on route three, A. O. Shank.
Gravity is the home of the greatest number of fraternal orders of any town in the county, except Bedford. The Masons have a strong organization with an Eastern Star Lodge in connection. The Odd Fellows have perhaps the strongest organization in point of number in the town, the membership being about fifty, with a lodge of Daughters of Rebekah in connection. The Odd Fellows own their lodge room and it is one of the best in the county. The Knights of Pythias probably come second among the lodges in point of members. They own their lodge room and the members are all enthusiastic Knights. There is an organization of Rathbone Sisters in connection.
The Woodmen have a good strong active working camp in Gravity, as they have in nearly every town in the county. They have a uniformed drill team of Foresters, that excites the admiration of all observers, and which adds much to the interest of their work. They have an active sister lodge of Royal Neigh- bors. More recently there has been organized in the town, a Yeoman Lodge, which has a good membership for the time it has been established.
Last but not least we mention the G. A. R. Post and the Ladies Relief Corps. Quite a number of the heroes of 1861-65 are living in Gravity and vicinity. There is, perhaps, no man so faithful at his lodge meetings, as the old veteran of the civil war. There be meets his old comrades and for the time he lives over again the dark days of the rebellion. This fellowship means much more to him than lodge fellowship does to the man of later generations. He knows it can last but a brief time now, as he sees his comrades fast dropping from the ranks. The Gravity Post holds regular sessions, and the members keep up their past work with the same vim and enthusiasm they displayed while following the flag through Dixie. The ladies of the Relief Corps are what their name implies, and the ladies lack none of the vim of the veterans of the G. A. R., of which their order is a branch ..
At the beginning of this chapter are mentioned some of the pioneer business men of the town. Thirty years hence it may interest children of today to see a list of the present line of business and their proprietors. Sam Taylor, one of the first business men is still in business, looks to be good for years yet to come. He conducts one of the three general stores.
J. W. Chitty and Hanna and Stewart are proprietors of the other two. The stores just mentioned carry large and complete stocks of up-to-date goods and the proprietors are men of business ability. They deserve good patronage and get it. G. Poston and Son carry a stock of hardware and also a stock of gro- ceries. There is one exclusive hardware stock, owned until recently by M. C. McMahill, who traded it to parties outside the county. B. F. Chandler and his son F. M., are proprietors of the lumberyard. In addition to a complete line of lumber, they carry a stock of hardware, also paints, oils, lime, cement; in fact everything in the building line. They have also put in a plant for the manu- facture of cement building blocks. The firm name is the Chandler Lumber Co.
L. McGregor is proprietor of the only exclusive furniture store. He carries a fine stock of goods and enjoys a good trade. He has an undertaking department in connection. He is well equipped for the business and recently purchased a
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fine funeral car. John Jones is proprietor of the hotel. As a rule, traveling salesmen are shy of hotels in small towns, but the hotel at Gravity is an excep- tion. Among the knights of the grip, it has the reputation of being among the best hotels on their route.
Two livery barns find business in Gravity. There are two barber shops, Savage and Clark are the proprietors of one and Richard Johnson, the other. The Clarinda Butter and Egg Company, have a station at Gravity where they buy eggs, poultry and cream. Frank Duning also, has a cream station there.
There are two real estate firms in the town, Lewis, Seymour and Ledger- wood constitute one firm and Menoher and Stover the other.
Elmer Brown is a justice of the peace for the township of Washington, and he is also a notary public. In connection with his other duties he looks after collections and insurance.
J. S. Francis has been editor of the Gravity Independent for some time and seems to be keeping the paper up to the high standard attained by his predecessor, Stoddard. There are two restaurants, one conducted by Joseph Wisencop, the other by Ledgerwood.
Gravity at the present time has no resident attorney. Artz and Dennis have been mentioned elsewhere in this article as practicing law here in the earlier years of the town's history, but they both sought other fields long ago. R. T. Burrell practiced here for a time after his admission to the bar, but he finally came to Bedford and now is a partner of Hon. L. T. McCoun.
There are two practicing physicians in Gravity, Dr. O. V. Long and Dr. L. T. : Reed. Dr. Long was for several years a partner of Dr. J. T. McColm. Both have a good practice.
Dr. W. L. Dunlavey has been Gravity's dentist, almost since the founding of the town. He has a well equipped office. Keeps up with the times in his profession and has a good patronage.
Dr. T. J. Davis, is the resident veterinary surgeon. Dr. Davis was on the ground when the town was platted and has always had all of the work in his line he cared to do.
BLOCKTON.
It has been mentioned elsewhere in this work that before the building of the Chicago Great Western railroad there was a lively little town on the east bank of the Platte River in Jefferson township, called Mormontown. It was founded in 1861 by about a dozen families of Mormons, who came here from Fremont county. These disciples of Joseph Smith were not satisfied with their location in this county, so in 1865 they left us, returning to Fremont county. Why they were not pleased here we do not know. It could not have been on account of the surrounding country, as the soil is rich and along the river much good timber is found. It must have been on account of their remoteness from their fellow Mormons. While here, they built two mills, a water mill and a steam mill, but they have long since disappeared and their location is known to but a few of the oldest settlers. Before the Mormons, there were a few settlers in
PUBLIC SCHOOL
PUBLIC SCHOOL, BLOCKTON /
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the neighborhood of Mormontown. The first were Jonathan Cooksey and M. B. and P. J. Wisdom.
Dr. A. White was the first physician to locate in the town. Dr. G. W. Bellus, came later and had an extensive practice until his death a few years ago.
Rev. J. W. Bott is said to have been the first preacher in Mormontown. He was a preacher of the Methodist church. In 1865, about the time the Mormons left, the Methodists of the town and vicinity effected an organization, S. B. Hickenlooper and W. H. Norris have the honor of being the starting members. Rev. Bott mentioned above, was installed as their first pastor, The church was under the Bedford charge until 1870. Among the old time pastors of the church were Revs. Elliott, Heinebaugh, Kern, Lovejoy, Randolph, DeTar and Bur- leigh. This is probably the strongest organization in the town, numbering about one hundred and there is a large Sunday-school in connection. All departments of the church work are kept up. They have a neat and commodious building, covered with ornamental sheet iron, that adds much to the exterior appearance of the building. Rev. Woods is the present pastor.
The Christian people had an organization a short distance south of Mormon- town as early as 1874. After the building of the railroad and Mormontown merged into Blockton, part of this congregation uniting with others, perfected an organization, which has grown until now they have an excellent building, finished in much the same style of the Methodist church. Their building is comparatively new, having been built but seven or eight years. The member- ship is about the same as that of the Methodist church. This is one of the most enthusiastic and hardworking churches in the county. They have always been fortunate in the selection of pastors, usually selecting students from Drake University, bright active young men, which accounts for their rapid growth and the enthusiasm of the members. Elder Van Horn, was for a time pastor of the church. Their present pastor is Elder Purdy, who is an ernest worker and is doing much good.
The United Brethren have a church in Blockton now, but its organization does not date back so far as the above mentioned churches. Their pastor is Rev. Mitchell.
For years the Baptists have had an organization here, and among them lab- ored for many years the Rev. Willam Golding, who was recently called to his reward at a ripe old age. At present the Baptists have no regular preacher.
For many years Thomas King had a fine flouring mill on the banks of the Platte, and still later a steam mill flourished, but owing to the small amount of wheat raised in this immediate section, the business was not profitable, and at present the town has no mill at all.
The first newspaper published in Blockton, was The Motor. This was in 1877 and M. A. Farr was the editor.
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