USA > Iowa > Taylor County > History of Taylor County, Iowa; from the earliest historic times to 1910, biographical sketches of some prominent citizens > Part 22
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Getting down to the time of the advent of the railroad, the name Mormon- town was dropped and the town named Blockton in honor of W. T. Block, one of the promoters and principal stockholders of the road. Some of the men of this period who deserve credit for the growth of the town, and the general spirit of progressiveness that marks everything the visitor sees, were P. J. Wisdom, S. B. Hickenlooper, Colonel Babson, W. D. and F. L. Blakemore,
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Thomas King. Dr. King. R. L. Golding and many others, whose names we do not recall.
The town now has two good banks, one owned by Wright Brothers, with I. V. Wright, as cashier. The capital stock of the bank is twenty-five thousand dollars and the deposits are one hundred and ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred and thirty dollars.
The second bank is owned and managed by George Hartley, who at one time conducted a mercantile business. The cashier is George Hartley. The capital stock is ten thousand dollars.
There are four good general stores. One owned by J. N. Freeland & Son, another by W. J. W. Townsend, who for many years had a store at Platteville, and later one at Athelstan ; another by W. E. Hotaling and the fourth by D. Paxton. These stores compare with any in the county. The only exclusive clothing house is owned by William and Frank Melton.
Jene Campbell and Bert Wolf each are proprietors of an exclusive grocery stock. W. M. Nolan has a combined racket and grocery. B. B. Poor, runs a racket store. There is one hardware store, doing business under the firm name of the Blockton Hardware Company, the proprietors are Bentley and Wells. W. N. Harmison and George Carlson handle hardware and implements. O. F. Langford has a complete stock of furniture and undertaking goods. There are two good stocks of drugs in Blockton, one conducted by Claude Sharp and the other by Charles Duff. One of the largest stocks of lumber in the county is to be found here. The proprietor is F. Schoenman. The newspaper of the town, the "Blockton News," was at one time published by H. C. Movers, who later traded with R. S. Bonham for the Free Press of Bedford, which he pub- lished for several years, but Movers, now resides in Alabama. Bonham published the News for a time, but finally sold out to the pioneer in the newspaper busi- ness in this county, H. Lupton. Mr. Lupton is still actively working on the paper. Sometime ago, however, feeling the burden of the entire management of the business too much for him, he sold an interest to Ellis Nulph, an active energetic young man and thoroughly acquainted with the mechanical part of the newspaper business. These men have made money in their business and they deserve all they have made. The News is ably edited, typographically neat, and always full of local news. It has been an important factor in the building up of the town.
W. D. Waldrip deals in poultry, butter and eggs, which, as in other towns, is growing into a business of much importance. There are three restaurants in the town and all appear to do a fair business. One is run by Hall Mackey, another by a Mr. Jackson and the third by a Mr. Roberts. Blockton has three hotels, one more than Bedford. Ed Swartz is proprietor of one, Ura Kline is landlord of another, William Ostrander has lately opened a third hotel.
Colonel Driver and Wildman Brothers, are proprietors of the two livery barns. There are two blacksmith shops, one operated by Simons and Brown, the. other by Ed. Chancy. Nye and Hibbs, are partners in the contracting and building business. A. S. Kennedy also is a contractor and builder. The two dray lines are handled by Cash West, and Edgar Thompson. There are two millinery stocks in the town. Mrs. Ball is proprietor of one and Mrs.
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Mackey of the other. Dr. Thomas does the dental work for the community, while Dr. King, Dr. Malloy and Dr. Terrell, attend to the other physical ail- ments of the people. R. D. Abarr is the resident veterinary surgeon.
Milton O'Neal runs the feed store and M. R. Chandler is a hay and grain shipper. Keenan Brothers, J. V. Shay, R. L. Loutzenhizer and Campbell and Wildman ship stock. Wolf and Meton have the only real estate business of the town. M. C. King has the only exclusive stock of jewelry. He also does re- pairing. Scott Lee runs a harness shop and does general repair work. Sid Severn and Crew have the meat markets. Clark Bowman has established quite a little industry in the manufacture of cement blocks. The postmaster of Blockton is N. O. Hickenlooper and there are three rural routes out of the town. No. I, Jene King, carrier ; No. 2, Bert Seton, carrier ; and No. 3, Will Livingston, carrier.
The city officers: Mayor, H. L. Carr; marshall, Allie Albaugh ; treasurer, M. Wright.
Members of the city council are: J. N. Freeland, John Shay, Clark Bowman, Dick Loutzenhizer and Will Hotaling.
The population of Blockton is estimated at about one thousand. The last assessment rates the property of Blockton and school district at four hundred and sixty thousand, seven hundred and forty-eight dollars.
Blockton has a six-room school building erected about fifteen years ago, at a cost of about six thousand dollars. There are one hundred and eighty-four pupils enrolled in the schools with an average attendance of one hundred and seventy. The secretary gives the value of the school apparatus at three hundred and fifty dollars. Their school library contains two hundred and fifty volumes. Six teachers are employed and they were paid last year two thousand, six hun- dred and twenty-one dollars.
CLEARFIELD.
With the building of the H. and S. Railroad, three towns came into existence, Clearfield, Sharps and Gravity. New Market is practically in the same list, as it was built about the same time, but New Market was really started by the people of old nearby towns, moving over to the railroad.
Clearfield was platted in 1881 and incorporated in 1882. F. Brice was agent for the town company. T. C. Mann was the first mayor and F. Brice the sec- ond. Mr. Brice enjoys the distinction of having been justice of the peace in Clearfield eighteen years.
The school district was organized in 1882, with F. Brice president of the board. Cort Evans and Frank Spurrier were on the board. The first school building had four rooms and cost two thousand, two hundred dollars.
Among the early merchants were Grant McPherrin, R. S. Spurrier, Carson and Vaughn.
Benjamin Jacobs was the first postmaster. Hartman Brothers were among. the early business men and Cort Evans kept the first hotel. The town had a newspaper almost from the beginning, the Clearfield Enterprise being founded in February, 1882. The paper has been owned at different times by Spurrier,
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Lupton. Clark. Tully. Andrews. Constant, Miller and Pollock, Waring and Smith. L. H. Andrews is the present editor and proprietor. The paper is well edited and newsy and receives liberal patronage.
Although Clearfield has not suffered so severely from fires as some of its sister towns of the county, it has a volunteer fire company. Wells are dug at convenient intervals in the business quarter, and the city owns a good hand engine, hooks, ladders and buckets and other apparatus necessary.
The banking business is divided between the Clearfield bank and the Taylor County bank, both do a good business. The Clearfield bank has Grant McPher- rin for its president. Grant was one of the pioneer business men of Clearfield, and is a man who enjoys the confidence of the community, so when he con- cluded to leave the mercantile field and go into the banking business, his old patrons naturally followed him. The bank has capital and surplus to the amount of forty-five thousand dollars; to show the steady growth of deposits, we copy the following from one of the bank statements: Deposits 1903, fifty-four thous- and dollars; in 1908, one hundred and thirty-seven thousand dollars; and in 1909. one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. C. C. Carlton is the cashier.
The Taylor County bank enjoys a good patronage and is in thrifty condi- tion. The capital stock is ten thousand dollars. We were unable to get infor- mation regarding the deposits. Myron M. Jenkins is president of the bank and P. H. Bestor cashier.
The town has but one lumber yard but it is a good one and supplies a large territory with their building material.
There are two fine stocks of hardware, one owned by Mann and Rood, known as the Clearfield Hardware Company, the other by Hartman Brothers. C. B. Parslow and D. D. Baird each carry a fine line of clothing. There are three general stores. Harry Spurrier, Wallon and Oldaker and James Young.
The one exclusive line of groceries is presided over by Ray Morey. There are two fully equipped drug stores. The Stephenson Drug Company and the Clearfield Drug Company, conducted by J. M. Stephenson.
There are two complete stocks of furniture, one owned by A. J. Crew and son, the other by W. H. Vaughn. George Parkins and W. M. Long each run restaurants. There are two real estate firms, Wilbur M. Long and Tope & Lyddon.
Mrs J. P. Corey and Mrs. I. U. Dakin each conducts a millinery establish- ment.
At the present time there are three physicians, Dr. J. P. Maxwell, Dr. H. E. McCall and Dr. J. W. Brown. Two dentists divide the patronage in their line of work, Dr. F. P. Corey and Dr. C. E. Swan.
The town has two good hotels, better than is usually found in much larger towns. The Evans House, managed by John Evans, and the Commercial House, conducted by Mrs. B. F. Beadle.
Reagan and Dutton, each run livery barns. J. D. Barrans is a horse dealer on a large scale. There are three blacksmiths in the town, J. K. Parschall, Andy Nelson and Charles Wirth.
There are two barber shops, one operated by Grant and Warfle, the other by Wheeler and Goodman. Harvey and Henderson run a second hand store.
STREET SCENE IN CLEARFIELD
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Dora Beemer deals in musical instruments and Dora Beemer and son handle farm machinery. H. J. Buckner has the exclusive harness business of town, and James Crew owns and runs the only meat market the town " _ at present.
The Clearfield Elevator is operated by R. S. Spurrier and Hartman Brothers. The Clearfield Creamery has for some time done a big business. They have a large territory and the past year did a one hundred thousand dollar business. Ex- supervisor Joe Doubet is one of the promoters of the creamery, and he has worked hard to make it the success that it is.
H. T. Swope is the present postmaster and seems to satisfy the patrons of the office. There are two rural routes out of Clearfield. C. C. Moore is the carrier on route one and G. F. McLowery the carrier on route two. R. M. Wilson is the railroad company's agent at the Clearfield station.
The Standard Oil Company have a station at Clearfield with a tank capac- ity of twenty thousand gallons. Robinson and Fullerton conduct a poultry and egg business and also handle seeds. Their poultry and egg business for 1908 was seventeen thousand, two hundred and forty-nine dollars and eighty-five cents.
Clearfield has one of the finest sale pavillions in this section of the state. It was built by a company of citizens of the town and vicinity and is known as the Sale Pavillion Company. Grant McPherrin is the president of the company and M. M. Jenkins secretary.
Clearfield has a photograph gallery owned by J. M. Rinard. H. Plummer is the resident attorney for the town and vicinity and enjoys a good practice. Harvey and Henderson are the ice dealers of the town and also handle poultry.
Clearfield people have always taken great pride in their schools, and have elected officers from year to year who have labored to bring their schools up to a still higher standard of efficiency. During the superintendency of H. S. Ash, the writer of this was quite well acquainted with the schools, and con- sidered them among the best he had ever seen, and so far as we can learn, the same conditions prevail. The first building has been mentioned. It soon proved too small and additions were attached, and in time this enlarged building was inadequate, and four or five years ago the question of a new building was brought up and all agreed they needed a new building and needed it badly, but the question of location excited much discussion. The board decided on a location a little east of the old school building on the south side of the street. Patrons of the school living north of the railroad asked that the school be located on the north side. The school board appealed to the county superintendent, who, after hearing the arguments, selected a site west of the old building, about eighty rods or more and on the north side of the road, which location was about the center of the district. The case was then appealed to the state superintend- ent, who with some minor suggestions affirmed the decision of the county superintendent. The matter was then brought into the court by the advocates of the other sites and the lower court affirmed the decision of the county super- intendent. The case was appealed to the supreme court, and the decision of the lower court reversed, which also set aside the decision of both the state and county superintendents. The opinion rendered in the case stated that neither
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the county superintendent nor the state superintendent had any jurisdiction in the matter of locating school houses, such power being vested in the board alone.
After this decision the board proceeded to make preparations for building. Instead of the site originally selected by them, they chose a site directly south of the old building. The old grounds were retained, and the street between the two tracts was vacated, so that the district has very fine play grounds. In ISOS, the new building was built at a cost of twenty thousand dollars. It is built of pressed brick, has eleven rooms, and is a strictly up-to-date modern building in every respect. The high-school course of study provides for the full four years work and the school is on the accredited list. Six teachers are employed and last year there was an enrollment of two hundred and thirty-four. The last report shows that the superintendent was paid eight hundred and fifty- five dollars and the total amount paid teachers was three thousand, three hun- dred and seventy-five dollars. The apparatus in the school is . valued at two hundred dollars and the library contains three hundred and eighty volumes.
The present postmaster is H. T. Swope, who has served the patrons of the office faithfully for several years. There are three rural mail routes out of Clearfield, which supply daily mail to the residents of the surrounding territory.
The town has one of the neatest opera houses in the county. It has a good stage, with all of the appurtenances in the way of scenery, and it is well seated and well lighted. The citizens take sufficient interest in outdoor sports to have a fine ball park with a large amphitheatre in connection.
Clearfield has four strong church organizations: The Methodist Episcopal church, Rev. Carl Brown, pastor ; the United Presbyterian, Rev. J. M. Weingart, pastor ; the Christian church, Elder S. H. Reynolds, pastor. There is a Bap- tist church with a fair membership but at present they have no regular pastor. The Methodist Episcopal, United Presbyterian and Christian organizations each have excellent buildings all practically new and costing from five thousand to eight thousand dollars each. Each congregation numbers two hundred or more.
The history of the town would not be complete without, at least a brief mention of the civic societies. The Ed. Otis Post, G. A. R., has a membership of thirty; P. C., R. Henderson; Adjutant, C. W. B. Yaryan. Woman's Relief Corps, No. 343 ; president, Mrs. T. H. Miller; secretary, Etta Stevenson. Rose- wood Camp, No. 3503, Modern Woodmen of America, has a large membership; James Crew is V. C., and L. M. Hadden, clerk. The Royal Neighbors have a good membership and meet regularly in the Woodmen hall twice each month. Mrs. Marth Beatty is the oracle and Mrs. Etta Stevinson, recorder. Clearfield Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, is strong in membership; L. E. Hartman is the N. G. and L. A. Tope, secretary. Cypress Rebekah Lodge, No. 549, I. O. O. F., is in thrifty condition; N. G., Mrs. Anna Beadle; secretary, Mrs. Martha Beatty. Noble Lodge, No. 458, A. F. & A. M., meets regularly and has a good membership; W. M., C. J. Harvey ; secretary, L. A. Tope.
The assessed valuation of Clearfield corporation is three hundred and ninety- one thousand, two hundred and forty-eight dollars and of Clearfield Independent one hundred and thirty-one thousand, nine hundred and thirty-six dollars.
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Clearfield is situated in one of the richest sections of the county. The land is productive and there are many wealthy farmers and stock raisers in the vicinity. The shipments in carload lots the past year as shown by the railroad company's report, were : grain, eighty-three cars; horses, seventeen cars; cattle, eighty-one cars; hogs, one hundred and seven cars; sheep, one car; butter, four- teen cars.
The present city officers and members of the council are: Mayor, J. R. Plummer ; clerk, C. C. Carlton ; members of council : R. E. Busby, J. D. Barrans, Dr. J. T. Maxwell, M. M. Jenkins, J. S. Walton and C. B. Parslow.
ATHELSTAN.
Athelstan is located in Jefferson township, the state line and dates its exis- tence from the building of the Chicago Great Western Railroad. This railroad is one of the best in the state, hence Athlestan furnishes exceptional shipping facilities for farmers of the vicinity. While the town is in a very productive territory, its trade is restricted owing to the close proximity of Blockton on the Iowa side, which is only five miles away, while Sheridan in Missouri, is almost as close. The population of the town as shown by the last census was one hundred and fifty-seven, but it is thought to be near two hun- dred now. While there is but a small number of people there, most lines of business are well represented.
D. L. Fluke and W. O. Markee, each conduct a general mercantile business and carry large stocks. J. S. Parker has the only exclusive grocery store. J. E. Freemeyer, handles hardware and farm machinery. Clyde Hayes is proprietor of the harness shop. The restaurant business is in the hands of George Barber and Ray Barber is proprietor of the hotel. The town has always had a livery barn and D. J. Hayes is the present proprietor. S. E. Squires is the grain buyer and Adams Brothers and S. O. Campbell are the local stock buyers. The black- smith work of the town and vicinity is done by F. L. Kemery. E. B. Bowens is the resident carpenter. I. N. Booker is the present postmaster. A. D. Nye was station agent at Athelstan from the building of the railroad, until his elec- tion to the office of county treasurer a year ago. Athelstan has two churches, the Baptist and Holiness, each has about one hundred members.
The present mayor of the town is H. M. Ramsey. The assessed valuation of Athelstan corporation and school district is one hundred and fourteen thou- sand, seven hundred and seventy-two dollars. The number of pupils enrolled in the school is sixty-six, with an average attendance of fifty-one. The building has two rooms and is valued at two hundred dollars. The apparatus in the school is valued at eighty-five dollars and the secretary reports sixty-nine vol- umes in the library. The teachers for last year were paid seven hundred and one dollars and seventy-five cents.
LENOX.
In 1871 after the completion of the Creston Branch of the Chicago, Burling- ton and Quincy Road, the town was platted, but it was not until February, 1872,
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that actual settlement began. N. J. Allen, A. S. Beymer, and G. L. Brooks, were the first residents and others soon followed. It seems that at first the town was platted on the east side of the railroad. For some reason the site was re- surveyed and replatted and this necessitated the removal of some buildings to the west side. This retarded the town the first year, but after that the growth has been remarkable.
They built the first schoolhouse in 1874, when the enrolled pupils numbered fifteen and in 1880 the number had increased to two hundred and thirteen. Lenox is in what was No. 3 school district of Platte township and the inde- pendent district was organized in 1873, and as before mentioned they built in 1874. The schoolhouse was a two-room frame structure, which was ample for the needs of the district for many years. A school was taught in the summer of 1874 by a Mr. Cole, with about twenty-five pupils. The regular term be- ginning in September, 1874, was taught by G. W. Howe and he had about sixty- two pupils enrolled. The first school board under the new organization was: Hon. N. S. Hornady, L. B. Wilson, H. S. Woods, J. T. Wherry, W. A. Scott and John Baxter. The school population increased so rapidly that in 1881, bonds were voted for the erection of a new brick building which was ready for use in September, 1882. This is the building now in use, with an addition built on a few years ago. It is a good building and is well equipped but the town has about outgrown it again, so it is likely a new building will be asked for in the near future.
The schools are a source of much pride to the town and this pride is par- donable as the work done will compare favorably with any school in the state. They have the regular four year high-school course, and the school is on the accredited list, so that graduates may enter the state university and receive full credit for work done in the Lenox school.
The last report gives the enrollment at three hundred and ten and the aver- age attendance two hundred and fifty. The building is valued at fourteen thousand, five hundred dollars; apparatus at five hundred dollars. The library contains three hundred and fifty volumes. Besides the superintendent, they have eight assistants. They paid their corps of teachers last year four thou- sand, one hundred and forty dollars.
Lenox is the second town in the point of population, which is about one thousand, five hundred. This has given Lenox political prestige and the town has been represented by several men in county and state politics. Hon. John Madden was elected to the legislature in 1875 and the Hon. N. S. Hornady in 1879. In 1876, G. L. Brooks was the eighth district delegate to the republican convention at Cincinnati, that nominated Hayes. Hon. George Van Houten later received the republican nomination for lieutenant governor with Wheeler and although defeated, ran considerably ahead of the ticket. This was the year that Horace Boies led the democratic ticket to victory. Mr. Van Houten was elected to the legislature in 1895, and has since held important appointive offices. T. H. Hull, a former county clerk, was elected from Lenox in 1882. A. C. Brice was elected county treasurer in 1889; J. H. Humphrey, sheriff in 1903; E. E. Kuhn the present county superintendent elected in 1906; J. B. Dunn county attorney, elected 1902 and the present state senator of the Adams-Taylor district,
STREET IN LENOX, IOWA
PUBLIC SCHOOL, LENOX
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is Dr. T. W. Bennett of Lenox. A. M. Blackstone, surveyor in the early sev- enties was also a Lenox man. Among the first business men of the town were A. S. Beymer, G. L. Brooks and N: J. Allen.
A copy of the Lenox Time Table of July 4, 1876, gives the following list of business men: F. S. Winkley, painter; J. H. Humphrey, livery barn; H. B. Hansen, boots and shoes ; Morrell and Anderson, grocery and restaurant; M. M. Bechtell, Lenox Mills; Osborn and Brooks, hardware; Tyler & Howell, real estate; Harlan and Saunders, hardware; A. C. Woodard, meat market; G. E. Norwood, implements ; J. W. Maher, real estate; A. C. Brice & Co., undertakers ; Humphrey & Co., druggists ; Allen, Spear and Lane, dry goods and implements and John Madden, general merchandise.
The town has had a newspaper almost from the first. H. Lupton, now one of the proprietors of the Blockton News, was one of the founders of the Lenox Time Table, which paper has had a continuous existence since. It has changed hands several times, Hon. George Van Houten being its publisher for a time. Crosson & Smith published it for a little more than a year, Lupton followed and he sold to Cochran, who in turn sold it to other parties. The paper is now owned and published by W. J. Clark. The town has at various times had two papers. One Cole several years ago started a second paper called the New Era. Cole did not stay long but sold out and finally the paper was discontinued. There is a second now which has been published for some years. Frank McCoy was at one time its editor. Glenn Willits also published it awhile, Walter Van Houten succeeded Willits as owner of the paper and he in turn sold to J. E. Rogers, who is the present proprietor. At one time a paper was started which bore the name of the Lenox Gleaner.
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