USA > Illinois > Shelby County > Stewardson > Stewardson, the first 100 years : history of the village of Stewardson, Prairie Township and vicinity > Part 1
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977.37980904 St48
STEWARDSON
1874 - 1974
STEWARDSOn
ILLINOIS
¥
1914 *
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CEhTabhJALA
ILLINOIS HISTORICAL SURVEY
STEWARDSON The First 100 Years
History of the Village of Stewardson, Prairie Township and Vicinity
Steve Strohl drew the design for the Centennial Emblem on the front of this book. The Centennial Emblem is be- ing used on the commemorative coins, centennial plates, and stationery.
Steve is a 1974 senior at the Steward- son-Strasburg High School. He is the son of Paul and Mildred Strohl of Stew- ardson, Ill. Steve received a savings bond for his winning entry in the Centennial Emblem contest. This con- test was held by the Stewardson Civic Stewards.
Stewardson
I took a walk through time today And to my great surprise I saw a small community form Right before my eyes.
Homes were built of logs and clay Hard work was a common chore It all happened one hundred years ago, And no one could ask for more.
All this time the Village grew Happiness and tragedy going hand in hand
Stewardson, we called our site For us, it was the promised land.
We've weathered six or seven wars Bank failures and depressions, we've had our share We fought and won the hardships Why? Because the people care.
The bell of our grade school rings no more
We miss it's friendly peal Eventually consolidation had to come Regardless of how we feel.
Our churches proudly number four And call from near and far, Serving all people who will respond No matter who they are.
We would not fail to mention The most important part The People! Large, small, young and old They are why Stewardson has a heart.
-By Arnieta Strohl.
What's Inside
PAGE
Mrs. Dora York, Stewardson's Oldest Citizen
1
Plat of Early Stewardson 2
William Stewardson Family 3
Stewardson's Oldest Men
4
Then 'til Now
5
Rincker Siding - the Herborn Story
10
Prairie Township During the Civil War
11
Our Sustaining Faith - Religion
12
Readin', Writin' and Hickory Sticks - Education 17
Sawbones, Hoss Doctors, and Related Professions - Medical 22
Poles, Lines and Cross Talk - Public Utilities
28
Soup to Nuts - General Merchandise
31
Manufacturing, Commerce and Agriculture
34
The Butcher, The Baker, But No Candlestick Maker - -
Skilled Trades
43
Credits and Debits - Financial Institutions
47
Visitors Welcome - Food, Drink, and Shelter at Night 48
Horseless Carriages - The Automobile Story 52
Fun and Frolic in Early Stewardson
54
Haunted Houses, Crime, and other tripe 56
Musings From the Mayor 57
Graveyards On the Lone Prairie
59
Businesses From the Recent Past
60
More Tripe
63
Business, 1974
64
Trivia
71
Organizations
72
Centennial Farms
74
Senior Queens
76
Miscellaneous Pictures, Poems and Information
85
Closing Acknowledgements and Centennial Patrons
86
Aerial Photo of Modern Stewardson
87
1
This book is dedicated to our Oldest Citizen, Mrs. Dora York
Mrs. Dora York, the oldest living Stewardson citizen was born in 1872. She says she was born in a little cot- tage on the north side of Main Street. She was the daughter of Robert Whit- acre. Mr. Whitacre ran a dray. She married Milan York, the son of H. H. York, a prominent citizen in the early history of Stewardson.
As a wedding present the parents of the couple provided the building ma- terial for the brick house at 214 N. Spruce. The house was built in 1895. She and her husband left Stewardson in 1903 and went to East St. Louis. He died in 1963. Mrs. York and her daugh- ter, Jessie moved back to Stewardson in 1967.
She states that at first the town was called Illinois Town and then a Mr. Stewardson gave some land for set- tlers and it was named Stewardson in 1874.
Mrs. Dora York
This picture of Mrs. Dora York and her son, Forrest, was taken in 1897.
Home of Mrs. Dora York's parents at the corner of Spruce and North First, 202 North Spruce. The home belonging to Noah Tabbert is at this site now. The picture was taken in 1895. In the picture, from left to right: Robert Whitacre, Jr., and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Whitacre, Sr.
This page sponsored by VILLAGE OF STEWARDSON
A TUNISINO OSVOISIN
W. NORTH FOURTH
400
W. N. THIRD
N. SPRUCE
300
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1. G. W. Voris Residence
2. H. H. York Brick Yard
3. Clover Leaf Depot
4. Friese Cider Mill
5. Voris Elevator
6. Saunders Stable
7. Ulmer Saloon
9. Knox & Jordon Drug Store (First Post Office)
10. Simmering Shoe Shop
11. Gress Furniture Store (Hoffman Block after 1904)
12. A. Peters Shoe Shop
13. Walker & Wilkerson Hardware
14. Wolff Building (Site of First Ford Agency)
15. Thought to be site of Button Hotel
16. Frank William Hardware
17. Belles House Hotel
18. Opera Hall-1893
19. Climax Roller Mill
20. Duddlesten Brick & Tile Factory
21. Stewardson Meat Packing Co.
22. Farmer Co-op Creamery-Church, Black Smith Shop-Belles Wagon Shop
23. 1st Voris Hay Barn
24. Clipper Office
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+ + NORFOLK & WESTERN R.R.
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W. N. SECOND
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W. N. FIRST
E. N.
- FIRST
N. MAPLE
N. OAK
ELM
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200 15)
16 100 18
N. PINE
N. CHESTNUT
N. WALNUT
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W. MAIN ST.
E. MAIN ST.
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13
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W. S. FIRST
E. S. FIRST
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W. S. SECOND
E. S.
SECOND
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S. CEDAR
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S. PINE
W. S. THIRD
E. S. THIRD
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S. VINE
PRAIRIE
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STEWARDSON, ILLINOIS 62463
W. S. FOURTH
E. S. FOURTH
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Plat of Early Stewardson
N. CLOVER
N. VALLEY
N. PARK
N. VINE
N. CEDAR
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S. CHESTNUT
S. WALNUT
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S.SPRUCE
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E. N. SECOND
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THE WILLIAM STEWARDSON, JR. FAMILY-Seated, left to right, Nancy M. Stewardson, 1829 - 1911; Ella Stew- ardson, 1872 - 1920; William Stewardson,
William Stewardson was the son of William and Mary Nicholson Steward- son of Westmoreland County, England. He was born on February 24, 1828, and came to America with his father in 1842 and settled in Stark County, Ohio. The Stewardson family moved to Pu- laski County, Indiana, in 1844 and to Shelbyville Township of Shelby County, Illinois in 1845. Mr. Stewardson mar- ried Nancy M. Douthit, the daughter of John and Margaret Douthit, on No- vember 26, 1851.
Mr. and Mrs. William Stewardson, II moved to a farm in Richland Township on Section 19, soon after their marriage. This is approximately at the same loca-
Jr., 1822 - 1894.
Standing, left to right, John D. Stew- ardson, 1864 - 1927; Isabella Stewardson, 1855 - 1937; Jennie Stewardson, 1857-
tion as the present day William Pikesh farm. The Stewardson family lived in a long, ranch type, comfortable and commodious house with large fireplaces on either end. This home was known as "Belle View." They were the par- ents of Mary, Sarah, Isabelle, Jane, Elizabeth, William N., Anna M., John D. and Ellen Stewardson.
The Stewardson family enterprise, both in England and America, was sheep raising. Mr. William Steward- son, II owned several thousand sheep that grazed over his holdings in Prairie and Richland Townships. The center of his sheep industry in Prairie Township was an old herders shack in a hedge
1897; Elizabeth Ann Stewardson, 1859- 1882; Anna M. Stewardson, 1867 - 1923; William N. Stewardson, 1865 - 1926.
grove located approximately a half mile west of the Stewardson Cemetery. Dur- ing the early years of the Village, Mr. Stewardson built holding pens for his sheep on the south-east corner of South Spruce and West Main Street and also on the north-east corner of South Cedar and South First Street. It is believed that he owned approximately three thousand acres in Prairie Township at the peak of his prosperity. He donated twenty acres of this land to form the nucleus of a Village that was plotted on January 10, 1874. This original twenty acres now lies within the boundaries of North First; South First; Walnut Street on the east and Vine Street on the west.
This page sponsored by STEWARDSON LIONS CLUB
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Mr. R. A. Peters
The Centennial Book is dedicated to our oldest citizen, Mrs. Dora York, who was born here in July 1872, one and one- half years before Stewardson was char- tered as a Village of the State of Illi- nois.
Since we are honoring our oldest lady citizen, we felt we should give recogni- tion to the oldest man in our com-
Stewardson's Oldest Men
munity. The oldest living man, who was born in Stewardson, and still lives here is Mr. R. A. Peters. Mr. Walter Wascher is the oldest man living in Prairie Township.
R. A. Peters, son of Albert and Loretta Peters, was born in Stewardson on De- cember 23, 1883, the eldest of a family of five. Mr. R. A. Peters is the oldest living, and perhaps one of the more ac- tive, male citizens, to be born in the Village of Stewardson.
Mr. Peters graduated from the Stew- ardson High School in 1903. He taught in some of the local schools after at- tending Eastern Illinois Teachers Col- lege. Mr. Peters worked in the Farm- ers and Merchants Bank in Stewardson, the Citizens Savings and Loan Associa- tion, and conducted a General Insur- ance business. He served as Police Magistrate and Township Clerk.
Mr. Peters married Lora May Robi- son in 1911. He was a partner with his father-in-law, T. N. Robison, in the Drug Store business in Stewardson for several years and then operated the store, as sole owner, until 1939. It was known as the Quality Drug, Book and Jewelry Store.
Mr. Peters returned to Stewardson in 1966, after working in the State Bank of Chrisman for twenty-two years.
Mr. R. A. Peters' Drug Store with Charlie Fromle, a jeweler, to the left, and Mr. Peters to the right.
He served as secretary of the Stew- ardson Commercial Club from 1917 to 1922. Mr. Peters is an active member of the United Methodist Church and the Stewardson Lions Club.
Mr. Walter Wascher
Mr. Walter Wascher who lives on a farm northwest of Stewardson was born Sept. 23, 1882 near Champaign, III. He lived near Strasburg for awhile and then in 1911 he moved to the farm where he lives now with his son, Wal- ter Wascher, Jr.
He is shown in the picture of the new trucks in this book as one of the pur- chasers of one of the trucks and he says that they hauled the first loads of bulk milk to a plant in Shelbyville, Ill.
Along with operating his farm Mr. Wascher was active in community ac- tivities, politics and the Lutheran Church.
Mr. Roy Baker
Roy Baker was born in Sigel Town- ship Jan. 14, 1882. When he was still a baby his parents moved to Steward- son and lived here for about five years. They moved about four miles south east of Stewardson where he has lived since then.
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5
Then 'til Now
The southeastern part of Shelby County was one of the last areas to he settled. Prairie Township was a wet, swampy land covered with prairie grass as high as a horse and rider and as thick as quills on a porcupine's back. Willow sprouts were intermingled with prairie grass and an occasional cotton- wood dotted the landscape. The town- ship was only slightly wooded in the northwestern and southeastern sections with a grove of trees in Section 30 near Brush Creek, and two small groves ,n Wolf Creek. Undoubtedly, the few set- tlers that were foolhardy enough to ven- ture into the jungle of prairie grass were quickly chased out by the green fly and the bluetail fly, if they did not suc- cumb to the rattlesnake and malaria.
A few courageous Englishmen slowly drifted into the township along its tim- bered edges. David and Mary Keller of Tennessee were the first known Cau- casians to settle in Prairie Township. They settled on the north side of Rattle- snake Creek on Section 13 during the year of 1835. Mr. and Mrs. Keller were soon followed by other stalwart English- men including George Reams, William Leach, George Rouse, Thomas Mckib- ben, Preston Ramsey, William Colston, Jessie Welton, John Brown, Squire Houtchin, and others. The vast interior was left vacant with a majority of men doubting the township would ever be set- tled except on the timbered fringe.
Sometimes the settlers seemed to clus- ter in pockets that resembled small communities. One of these settlements was located north of Rattlesnake Creek and east of the present homes of Jessie Keller and Arlyn McCormick. David's son, George Keller, later lived in the original homestead and completed the pattern that produced the name of the settlement. There was a total of eight known houses in Georgetown with five of the houses located south of the road in Section 13, and three houses north of the road in Section 12. The Carters', the Kellers', and the Davis' are the only names that still echo down through the years while the other five Georges have long been forgotten.
It was thought that a sod that could not be broken, a land that could not be drained, could not be farmed. The early settler had only a crude wooden plow tipped with a piece of iron that could not unlock the treasures of the new fertile prairie. But settlers came, fought, and won against the Prairie.
Frank Shumard, followed by his broth- er, George Shumard, and another
This log cabin was located north of Georgetown. George Shumard moved to this early farm home in the early 1870's.
man Lilly, came to Prairie Township in 1855 and were soon followed by thrifty, discliplined, hardworking, unyielding Germans during the 1860's and 1870's. Mr. Shumard began improvements in 1855 on Section 3, approximatey one- half mile south of the old packing plant, near the future Wabash right of way. His brother, George, lived approximate- ly one-fourth of a mile north, or ap- proximately one-half of a mile west, of Roy Harrington's house. Mr. Lilly set- tied high on a hill west of Stewardson on Section 33 behind the present day home of Russell Moran. According to the history of Shelby and Moultrie Counties of 1873 to 1881, the first Germans came to Prairie Township in 1862. These first German families included John Rosine, William Wangaline, G. Bolt, John Kuster, J. Kassang, and J. C. Casting.
Most of the early homes appeared to be built on the furthermost point from any road as if almost by design; but there were no roads present, and the early settlers simply looked for the best- looking building sites without thought to future roads. The "dugout" home was a rather commonplace sight on the prairie. Christian Fluga, a native of Germany, settled in Prairie Township in 1872, just north of Stewardson, on the present-day Mode road. He dug a hole and covered it with willows. There his family lived until he could build a
house. Mr. Fritz and Mr. Zalman built sod-covered houses for their families. The settlers near the timber built log cabins while most of the early settlers built frame houses sided with slabs of rough sawed lumber.
Very early travel was done by follow- ing the timbered fringe, because there were no roads across the prairie. The first limited travel across the prairie was at night to avoid the swarms of green flies and other pests. In those early years, many settlers stopped at the home of Arch Beals to spend the night and to ask the way to Shelbyville. Mr. Beals lived east of the Village of Stewardson along the present-day Route 32, just south of the Clover-leaf tracks. It is reported that Mr. Beals plowed a furrow from his house to Shelbyville so the travelers could find their way.
Two stagecoach roads did pass through the general area during the early and mid-nineteenth century. One stage route ran roughly from Spring- field, Illinois, to Effingham, Illinois, passing over the corner of Oscar Milch- man's farm and between Shelby Thomp- son's house and Wolf Creek. There was a deep waterhole in Wolf Creek near Shelby's where the wanderers stopped to water their horses. The road con- tinued in a generally northwesternly direction to Williamsburg; passing near the present site of New Mode. South by southeast of Mode
This page sponsored by MAX E. TABBERT FAMILY, Auctioneer
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the tracks of the old road can still be faintly seen as it winds its way around a timbered hill. The hill is now covered with brown leaves and pros- trate tombstones. The name of "Stitt" and "Died" 1851" are still legible on one of these stones. Legend states a stagecoach driver was shot in an ambush by highwaymen at the base of the hill and buried in the old cemetery during the latter 1840's or early 1850's. The U.S. Mail was car- ried over state roads such as this one. Frequently, these roads were so rough that the mail was carried in a box on an axle between two wheels. It was often necessary to use four to six horses to drag this contraption through the mud. This was certain- ly a far cry from our seventy-mile- an-hour Interstate.
The waterways, no matter how small, also served as highways for the early travelers. No story of early Prairie Township would be complete without the account of one man who used Wolf Creek as a guide for his travel. His journey suddenly ended with a bullet hole in his skull in a grove of trees southwest of Stewardson, near the old Wolf Creek church yard, in Section 8. It is thought he met his death in the early part of 1838-1839, and his clothed skelton was found the following year. Apparently, the man had come from Ohio to look for land. The murderers ripped off his money belt, but overlook- ed a cash-laden wallet in his pocket. His clothes were later identified by his wife. The remains of the unknown man were buried near where he was found, giving the surrounding area the lasting name of "Dead Man's Grove."
Early life on the prairie was impossi- ble; hardships were numerous; and a family's energy was consumed in stay- ing alive. But the settlers were a de- fiant band who refused to admit de- feat. The stubborn German would not accept the belief that the sod could not be broken. He brought his spade to replace the plow, and apparently spaded a place to plant a small crop. The more fortunate had a plow known as a "prairie breaker," which was much like a previously described plow except it was of a strong, massive wooden frame that could withstand great stress. Apparently, it was equipped with a steel shear and wheels on the front to regu- late the plow depth. The early farmer tamed the prairie, plowing through sod and willow, with this improvement pulled by six oxen.
Livestock roamed at will and munch- ed on the nutritious prairie grass.
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These three items were shown in ads in a farmer's ready reference book published in 1907. The book was distributed by D. M. Sechler Car- riage Company, Moline, Illinois.
The top one was a Black Hawk Drill, with a fertilizer attachment.
The second picture was listed un- der the caption, "Carts for all Pur- poses", as a "Pole Cart."
The third picture was a Black Hawk Manure Spreader with these selling points listed: lightest draft, least complication, no cogs or opin- ions, simple to operate, greatest range of feed, 3 to 70 loads per acre.
Frank Anderson's wife, as a young girl, used to ride as far as a watering hole west of Leo Rincker's house every eve- ning, looking for their cattle. Some- times, the cattle would range as far west as Mode. The coyote and timber wolf would venture onto the prairie at night, preying on the young domesti- cated animals. Frank Shumard was only one of the settlers that lost hogs to these hungry beasts. Drought, chinch bugs, cholera, malaria, and other dis- eases only added to the early settlers' woes.
Settlers found the prairie to be fertile, and the population of Prairie Township grew to the unbelievable number of 1,218 by the 1870 census. Already rum-
ors of a possible railroad were being circulated, and perhaps some of the survey work had been completed by 1869. The people of Prairie were eager for a source of transportation for their agricultural products and joined with the townships of Windsor and Richland to contribute $200,000 as an inducement to the Northern Cross Railroad to build tracks south from Bement, Illinios. Finally, the Chicago and Paducah branch of the Great Western was com- pleted through Moultrie and Shelby Counties in 1873 and 1874. Depots were soon completed in Shelby County at Windsor, Strasburg, Stewardson, and Herborn, Illinois, in 1878.
With the coming of the railroad, the people of Prairie Township felt it would be beneficial to have a local com- mercial center. The major problem seemed to be the location of the new community. Two gentlemen from Prairie Township and one from Rich- land Township, with large land holdings in Prairie, were the major contenders to provide the site. Apparently, Mr. Rincker and Mr. Shumard were the two strongest contenders with each man making very liberal propositions. A convention was scheduled in Prairie Township so the proposals could be placed before the voters. But, alas, both men had equal support, throwing the convention into a deadlock. Final- ly, one of the major contenders threw his support to Mr. Stewartson, and a town sprung up where his sheep had previously grazed.
Mr. William Stewartson donated the land for the original town that was plotted by County Surveyor, Elias Smith, on January 10, 1874. The origi- nal town encompassed the land bound by North First Street, South First Street, Walnut Street, and Vine Street, with possibly some of the outlaying area. The pride of the town, the old Chicago and Paducah Railroad, ran from north to south through the center of the village.
No sooner had one controversy been settled when another one started. Most of the early settlers were either English or German. The Germans lived in the northern part of the township while most of the English, with a few German Families, settled in the southern part of the township. Of course, the Ger- mans, fond of their ancestral home, re- ferred to the new town as "Metz" after Metz, Germany. The English prefer- red to name it after the town's founder and referred to the town as "Stewart- son."
The town was incorporated on Sep
This page sponsored by HAROLD and LELA ULMER MR. and MRS. WILBUR WATERS, Stewardson
7
tember 30, 1874, as the Village of Stewartson. It was not until June 25, 1883, that the postoffice was changed to "Stewardson." By the start of 1875, the new town had grown to the size of "Old Mode" with twenty-five inhabit- ants. However, unlike Mode, the town grew rapidly to a population of 500 peo- ple in 1878 and 750 by 1887. For many years, the town continued to be known by its official name of Stewardson, and by the name of Metz. Mail was ad- dressed to both Metz and Stewardson and still found its way to the correct destination.
The years of 1874 - 1879 were times of rapid expansion with people moving in and new businesses starting. In fact, the town had such a bright future that "Big John" Tull, the lumberman, was sure that it would be a county seat in five years, governing a new county made up of Prairie Township and parts of Cumberland and Effingham Counties. George Washington Voris built his scale office, the first building with a roof on it, near the present site of the Opera Hall. The scale house faced North Pine Street on the east. Mr. Voris was quickly followed by Shafter, Turner and Baldwin, Fagan and Pfluger, Jacob Leader, Noah Hosteter, and Knox and Jordon. Shafer, Turner, and Baldwin opened the next business house and stocked it with hardware. William Pfluger followed almost immediately with a store stocked with general mer- cbandise. Jacob Leader built his "American Hotel" and ran it success- fully until his death. Apparently, his death occurred before 1878. Knox and Jordan built a drug store on the north side of East Main Street and received quick competition with a drug store run by Press Bennett. Apparently, the drug business was lucrative in those days or man's ambitions were not great. The June 22, 1878, issue of the "Stew- ardson Enterprise" stated that both Mr. Bennett and Mr. Jordan soon retired after making a quick fortune. Mr. Knox remained in business for several years and added several facets to his business, including a postoffice, a doc- tor's office, real estate, and a variety of merchandise.
Mr. William Pfluger also built his "Stewardson House" hotel in about 1874 and was the landlord for approximately four years. William Pfluger's hotel was home to many of the single men who came to Stewardson to seek their for- tune in the years of 1874 and 1875. Mr. T. N. Robinson lived with this group of men while he established his drug busi- ness on South Pine Street. The single young men of Stewardson House were
This is a picture of a farmer cul- tivating his corn with the up-to-date method for that time. This picture was probably taken in the late 20's or early 30's. The farmers didn't have hybrid seeds and fertilizers to help grow bounteous crops like they raise now.
a jovial, fun-loving crew who fre- quently enjoyed playing practical jokes on one another. T. N. Robinson was the recipient of one of these jokes when he returned late one evening, after court- ing, as the story goes, and was sur- prised with an overturned bucket of wa- ter as he opened the door to his room. Needless to say, Tom was all wet.
Needs for general merchandise were met by such firms as York and Mautz, Henry H. Wolf, Tull and Hoese, H. R. Keller, and others. Appetites for fresh pork were fed through the butcher shops of J. F. Kull and Wilson and Conroy. No doubt much of this fresh pork came from the new square-framed packing plant built by the partnership of F. X. Gress and William Steidle.
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