TOWNS IN THE COUNTY
HARRIS
This is
a station on the Burlington, Cedar Rapids
and Northern Railroad, on the east side of
the county. At present it does not claim to
be metropolitan, but expects some time in
the future to acquire prominence as one of
the towns in the county. It is well located,
and when the country around it becomes more
settled, the town will grow correspondingly.
It has one general store, managed by Rufus
Townsend, who is also postmaster, and
the store has a good trade. M. B. Smith
has a lumber yard; also a harness shop. J.
Ryckman runs a coal yard and John Walting
is the blacksmith. The station agent is Homer
Richards, and Harris has a decorative
painter, Frank P. Burley. This about
comprises the business interests of Harris,
and no doubt the historian ten years from
now will be able to make an extensive record,
which will come from its future growth.
ASHTON
The
Town of Ashton was laid out by the Land Department
of the Sioux City and St. Paul Railroad Company
in 1872. It was first named St. Gilman, but
afterwards, in 1882, this name was changed
to Ashton. The town is beautifully located,
and on the east side of its business portion
runs the Otter, a beautiful stream, though
not a large one. It is a thrifty town, having
tributary to it a scope of country that for
productiveness and fertility of soil is unexcelled
in the state. The first building on the townsite
was placed there by T. J. Shaw in the
fall of 1872, and the building still stands
there and is now occupied by John Kunnen
for a restaurant. Mr. Shaw is the same
party who, previous to that time, had a store
on Section 32 in Gilman township, and he put
up the building now in Ashton before the town
was laid out, and when lots were to be had,
placed the building on one of them and gave
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it a permanent abiding place.
Mr. Shaw left Osceola County in 1888, and
now resides in Oregon. After Shaw's
store followed a warehouse in 1873, put up
by Brown & Roundsville. Mr. Brown
resides in Nebraska, and Mr. Roundsville
died several years ago. About the same time
the warehouse was built, a lumber yard office
was put up, and this was used afterwards for
various purposes, and, by adding to it, Mr.
David Underhill now has it for a residence.
Then followed a blacksmith shop, run by Charles
Miller, who sold to John Lee, and
in 1878 Lee sold out to I. B. Lucas,
who still continues the same business. Another
store soon followed, a millinery shop, and,
in those days of beer and native wine from
fruits grown in the state, a saloon. A hotel
building was also erected soon after by J.
D. Billings, which still stands in Ashton,
but which has been improved by large additions,
and is now owned by C. W. Freeman and
run by Nick Reiter. When Ashton got
fairly started, it had two stores, a millinery
shop, blacksmith shop, hotel, warehouse, saloon
and two residences. Then came the grasshoppers,
whose ravages are mentioned elsewhere, and
these so discouraged and disheartened the
first business men of the town that one by
one they “Folded their tents like Arabs,
and as silently stole away.” The store-keepers
sold what they could, and packed up the balance
of the stock and departed. The hotelman had
no custom and he went, the saloonkeeper had
to tend both sides of the bar and do all the
drinking himself, the millinery goods were
not in demand, no grain came to market, and
the exodus was thorough and complete.
In 1879, a writer
in the Gazette, said the following
of St. Gilman: “Last week we spent an
hour or two in Gilman. This village is struggling
with all its hopes in the future, waiting
patiently for a depot, an elevator, an express
and telegraph office. A year or two of good
crops will bring it into notice, give it more
buildings, sidewalks, a mayor and all the
paraphernalia of a full-fledged metropolis,
until then it must move quietly and contentedly.
Its only merchant, F. M Bashfield,
was at his post. He is a gentleman, courteous,
social and of much intelligence; is a close
dealer and watches every penny, and indeed
this is the secret of success. Kit Carson,
who is the magistrate, was absent, either
figuring on the increase and improvement of
stock, or else talking politics. Kit
is a host in himself and good company. The
portly form of Lucas, the village blacksmith,
was seen bending over his work which seemed
to lying all around. The old Shaw store
building
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is used for a dwelling and the
familiar countenance of its former and original
occupant is no longer seen in town. Charley
Miller has moved into the country, not
far from Gilman, and now follows the plow
instead of measuring wood and weighing coal.
When the country tributary to Gilman is settled,
it will make a snug town and a good business
point.”
J. D. Billings,
now of Sheldon, was the first justice and
one of the first school officers. His daughter
Mary was the first child born in the
town.
In about 1883 business
revived there again, stores were opened, the
hotel once more had a landlord, and St. Gilman
then made another start on the road to wealth
and prosperity. About that time Nick Boor
opened up there in business, and this had
something to do with its new start. The Pattersons
also, A. and G. W., gave the
town an impetus, and since the change in name,
and new parties going in, the town has continued
to grow.
Its leading business
interests are now represented by: J. H.
and C. C. Carmichael, drug store, who
came to Ashton in 1892; H. A. Carson,
son of J. W., who opened a photograph
gallery this present year; furniture store
by F. H. Thompson, established 1891;
clothing store, M. Hingtgen, 1891;
meat market, Ira L. and P. E. Kennen,
1891; harness shop, N. Klees, 1892;
jewelry store, A. L. Hyde, 1892; restaurant,
Henry Wheelhouse, 1890; hardware, C.
W. Rahe, 1890; livery barn, J. Smith
and L. Lamar; blacksmith shop, I.
B. Lucas and W. B. Reagen; hotel,
N. Reiter; wagon shop, J. W. Clark;
general store, Henry Wheelhouse; also
general store, M. Wermerskirchen, 1890;
Nick Boor and W. L. Benjamin
have an agricultural house and an elevator;
H. S. Grant, farm machinery; C.
J. King and L. M. March, blacksmith
shop; Frank DeVoss, barber shop; and
S. M. Brown, a mechanic, and has charge
of the elevator.
The banking interests
are represented by A. and G. W.
Patterson, with G. W. Patterson
in immediate charge.
Ashton's postmaster is
J. W. Reagan. It has three church buildings,
Catholic, Presbyterian and Methodist. One
paper is published there, the Leader,
by C. A. Charles. It is a bright, five-column
quarto, and has a large circulation.
Ashton is a live business
town and one of general prosperity. It has
some very elegant residences, good stores,
and
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thorough business men, and the
town will continue its growth. It is a good
grain market and a good place for general
trading.
Ashton is situated on
Section 15, in Gilman Township; is on the
Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway
line. It has the usual secret societies and
social organizations and its business men
are on a solid basis. J. B. McEnany is its
physician. It also has a creamery, managed
and owned by C. W. Baird and is soon to have
another elevator. Altogether Ashton promises
to be considerable of a place in the future.
Its present municipal officers are:
| Mayor............................................................... |
Joseph W. Reagan |
| |
{W. L. Benjamin |
| |
{C. J. King |
| |
{John Lenn |
| Trustees........................................................... |
{C. W. Rake |
| |
{Peter Wagner |
| |
{P. E. Kiemen |
| Recorder.......................................................... |
J. H. Carmichael |
| Marshal............................................................ |
E. S. Knowles |
OCHEYEDAN
The town
is laid out on a part of Section 2, and a
part of Section 11, in west Ocheyedan Township.
The writer has been unable to ascertain correctly
the origin of the word Ocheyedan, and hence
will not attempt to account for it.
The Burlington,
Cedar Rapids and Northern Railroad crossed
Osceola County in the year 1884. The coming
of this road brought into existence the Town
of Ocheyedan, and in the fall of 1884 building
was commenced. The first building put up on
the town site was a “shanty”which
kind of a building is well understood, though
the word itself is becoming obsolete. This
was put up by James Wood, and he lived
in it and stored his goods there, while a
building was being prepared for occupancy.
Out of his stock, however, he made some sales,
and run a sort of “shanty” trade
until he got straightened out in a more mercantile
condition. This was in the fall of 1884, and
at this time Charles Woodworth had
lumber on the ground for a hardware store;
also did Wood for a general store,
and William Smith for a general store.
Woodworth moved into his building first
with his stock of hardware, so that this building,
which Mr. Woodworth still
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occupies, may be said to be
the first business house in the town. Wood
put his stock also in Woodworth's building
temporarily, and as soon as his own was finished
moved into that. Mr. Smith got his
building finished in October, and put in a
general stock. This same fall of 1884 the
Kout brothers, Joseph and Dominick,
put up a store building and filled it with
a general stock of goods. L. B. Boyd
also put up a building that fall, in which
he opened a general store, and these four
general stores, with the hardware, constituted
the mercantile business of the town in the
winter of 1884-'85. We will add, however,
that Dr. C. Teal erected the building
now occupied by Ed. Becker as a barber
shop, in the fall of 1884, and opened up a
drug store, also practiced as a physician.
Dr. Teal moved from Ocheyedan a few
years ago, and now lives in North Carolina.
William Smith sold out a year or so
afterwards to D. J. Jones, who carried
on a general store until the spring of 1891,
when he died. Mrs. Jones continued
the business after her husband's death until
this present year, when she sold out to Bunker
Bros., who now occupy the building with
a stock of groceries. Wood sold out
to M. J. Young, who carried a general
stock, and in the fall of 1891 Young
sold out to J. W. Thomas & Son,
who now run a general store in the same building.
The Kout Bros. sold out building and
stock to R. J. O. McGowan, who now
occupies the same stand with a general store.
The L. B. Boyd building first had a
general store, and is now occupied by W.
F. Stimpson for a restaurant. In the fall
of 1884 also Archibald Oliver put up
the livery barn now owned and occupied by
E. D. Cleaveland. Mr. Oliver
was then, and was the first, station agent
in Ocheyedan.
There was also erected
in the fall of 1884 two warehouses for grain
and coal. One was put up by French &
Hayward, and the other by D. L. Riley.
These business houses, with a few dwellings,
was what constituted the town of Ocheyedan
until the spring of 1885. There was, however,
in 1884 a lumber yard started by D. L.
Riley, and run by Fred Wheeler.
In the spring of 1885 C. A. and M.
A. Tatum erected the building now occupied
by A. J. Coulton. Tatum's opened
a feed store and butcher shop, and afterwards
sold it to Coulton. Peter Graves
opened a general store in 1885, and erected
the building now occupied by John and
Mary Graves. Also the same year John
Wilson put up the W. J. Robinson
building, now occupied by L. D. and
E. P. Johnson. The hotel building,
called the Ocheyedan
House, was built in
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1885 by John Wilson,
who run it a few months and was then succeeded
by Charles Carnes, and he by H.
Runyon. I. N. Daggett soon after
purchased the building and run the hotel himself
a short time, and was succeeded by J. F.
Pfaff. Pfaff was succeeded by S.
A. Dove, who bought the property in 1891,
and is still owner and landlord. Mr. Dove
has recently sold and will move to Missouri.
Ocheyedan celebrated
the first year of its existence on the 4th
day of July, 1885. It was given out beforehand
that a great time was to be had, and the country
around looked upon the coming celebration
as an event of considerable importance, and
it was. People flocked into Ocheyedan in great
numbers on that day, and it seemed as if the
whole country was there. Archibald Oliver
was president of the day and C. A. Tatum,
marshal. W. J. Robinson read the declaration
of independence, and Henderson, a farmer
living south of Ocheyedan, delivered the oration.
The music consisted of fife and drum; also
playing upon the organ and singing. There
was a foot race, sack race and a horse trot.
Will Peters won the foot race purse,
and in the sack race Joel Rice took
first money and Frank Daley second.
The Tatum's carried off the honors
in the horse race, M. A. taking first
money and H. C. second. The contestants
in the horse race were M. A. and H.
C. Tatum, Broadfoot, Adam Sterling, Smith
and Claus Yess. There was considerable
excitement over it, but did not let their
angry passions rise to the extent of an open
fight, but at times were near to it. The day
wound up with a bowery dance; Joseph Hall
played the violin and there was other music.
The dance lasted all night and towards morning
the remaining participants in this first celebration
went home to recruit up after this enthusiastic
siege.
The drug store building
recently occupied by A. E. Smith was
built by John Webster and was placed
between Cleveland's livery and the
railroad track, and it was used there for
a saloon. It was built in 1866. In 1887 it
was moved to where it now stands. It is now
used by T. H. Davis for a clothing
house.
Ocheyedan, as a town
location, is unexcelled. It is on a gradual
rise from the railroad track, and most of
the town is on the elevation. This enables
it to have clean streets, and a complete drain
for water.
Other building followed
along in the course of construction, and in
1885 A. V. Randall erected a business
house on
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the corner of Main Street, which
is now used by Walton Brothers for
a furniture store. In 1890 C. A. and
M. A. Tatum put up a building for livery
barn, now occupied by Tatum Brothers
for an agricultural house. The elevator, now
owned and occupied by A. W. Harris
& Co., was placed there in 1885. In 1890
Bowersock Brothers, consisting of Asa
and E. Bowersock, bought out D.
L. Riley's lumber yard, and are still
running the same business. In 1891 John
Porter & Son, of Reinbeck, Iowa, started
the second lumber yard in Ocheyedan, which
is still running, under the management of
W. F. Aldred.
The bank building, now
occupied by the Ocheyedan Bank, was erected
by I. N. Daggett, who sold out to the
Northwestern State Bank, of Sibley, and it
was then placed in charge of E. Baker,
now vice president of the Northwestern State
Bank. They sold to the Ocheyedan Savings Bank,
of which C. S. McLaury is president,
W. M. Smith, vice president, and J.
L. McLaury, cashier, under whose management
it now is.
The present year, 1892,
John Porter & Son also established
a bank, which, in connection with their lumber
business, is under the management of W.
F. Aldred, whose name appears as cashier.
Ocheyedan has grown gradually
each year since its first starting. It has
never been boomed, but has made its way quietly
as the country demanded its growth. This year
of 1892 it has pushed ahead considerably.
Kout Brothers have erected a very fine business
house, which is now occupied by A. E. Smith
for a drug store. A. V. Randall has
added a business building to Main Street,
as has also E. N. Moore. Several elegant
dwelling houses have also been erected by
C.
A. Tatum, W.
F. Aldred, Dr.
W. E. Ely, Mrs. D. R. Jones, Charles Woodworth
and others. In 1891 Asa
Bowersock put up a very fine residence
house, as also did M.
A. Tatum.
In 1889 several of the
farmers around established in Ocheyedan a
creamery, which is a joint stock corporation.
The association was formed in 1889, and the
following year buildings were erected and
business started. Its present officers are:
President, J. C. Moar; secretary, W.
E. Ely; treasurer, J. L. McLaury;
directors, Dick Wassman, Geo. W. Thomas,
W. A. Cooper, Henry Bremer, J. C. Ward.
At the close of last
year the secretary, W. E. Ely, published in
the local paper the following report:
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|
“The Ocheyedan
Creamery has just finished the second
season of its existence, and as there
is some inquiry concerning its workings
and profits, we will endeavor to give
a short account of what has been done.
Active work commenced about the middle
of April and continued until the middle
of September, or about five months in
all. During that time we have received
526,430 pounds, making 21,435 pounds
of butter, or an average of 4.07 pounds
per hundred. Our cream wagon has gathered
6,703 inches of cream, making the total
amount of butter manufactured 28,138
pounds. For milk we have paid the shareholders
at the rate of 55 cents per hundred
for May, June and July; 68 cents for
August, and 80 cents for September,
or a grand total of $3,098.99, averaging
59 cents per hundred for the season.
For gathered cream we paid 13 1/2 cents
per inch in May and June, 12 1/2 cents
in July, 16 3/4 cents in August, and
17 3/4 cents in September; in all $920,66,
oar an average of 13 3/4 cents per inch
for the season. All of our butter has
been sold in New York at Elgin prices—the
gathered cream excepted, that grading
lower and bringing from 1 to 3 cents
per pound less.
“It has been
clearly demonstrated that a creamery
pays, and in proportion to the amount
of patronage it receives. Four hundred
pounds can be manufactured each day
as cheap as 100 pounds, and reduces
the expense accordingly. When milk can
be brought to the creamery in good condition
for separating, that system pays better
than the gathered cream system, while
the latter on the whole is more profitable
than the home dairy. But a creamery
is like any other business concern,
to be successful it must have patronage,
and if its own incorporators stand back
waiting for it to become a paying concern
before they put their shoulder to the
wheel, how can they expect outsiders
to take any interest or invest any capital
in the concern. Two years' work has
demonstrated sure success, and if each
shareholder does his duty during the
coming season I am sure he will find
that not only will the creamery relieve
his family of the drudgery of butter
making, but will pay him more cash than
he could possibly make out of his milk
himself.
Respectfully,
“W. E. ELY
“Secretary.”
|
Ocheyedan
has two church organizations, the Methodist
and Congregationalist. The Methodist organization
was first completed in the country outside
the town before the town started, and for
awhile had two buildings, one of them still
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standing and used near Mr. Mowthorpe's
place. Judge McCallum, in giving us
the history of the building, says that in
1876, or thereabouts, when he was holding
down his claim near Ocheyedan, himself and
L. G. Ireland, with F. H. Hunt,
D. H. Boyd, Wm. Mowthorpe and others concluded
that they wanted a sanctuary for worship and
some place to got to church. Ireland, McCallum
and some others were sort of outsiders and
not sound in the faith, and the question arose
as to the location, and upon this they were
divided. A meeting was held at Mr. Hunt's
and the majority sat down completely on any
location, except that where a church building
now stands, near Mr. Mowthorpe's. The
McCallum crowd were bound to have a
church anyhow where they wanted it, so they
went at it, and inside of three weeks they
had a building all ready for occupancy on
a corner of Ireland's claim. The other
fellows, not to be outdone, also went at it
and built their church near Mr. Mowthorpe's,
where it now is. One was called grit and the
other grace—the McCallum one being
grit. After they were erected, however, the
brethren dwelt together in unity, and, with
the help of Brother Mallory, their
spiritual welfare was looked after, and all
were satisfied. The McCallum church
was moved into Ocheyedan when the town started.
When the building was
moved into Ocheyedan, the church pastor was
Rev. R. Hild. He was succeeded by Rev.
Keister, he by Rev. J. M. Woolery
and then Rev. S. C. Olds, the present
pastor. The church building is far too small
for the present accommodations and one larger
and more spacious will be erected in the near
future.
The Congregational society
was organized in the spring of 1889. For awhile
its exercises consisted of a Sunday school
and occasional preaching from some clergyman
sent from the state missionary society and
this continued until 1890 when Rev. L.
R. Fitch became its established pastor
and is such now. This society now holds its
services in the school house in the upper
story, but will at no distant day erect a
church building and they are very much in
need of one. Rev. Thomas Pell was at
one time pastor and is a forcible preacher.
Ocheyedan became an incorporated
town fully, upon the election of its first
officers in April, 1891. In March of that
year, the previous month, the question of
incorporation or no incorporation was submitted
to the people. Public opinion was about equally
divided and a discussion of the question previous
to the vote being taken, had warmed the contending
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parties into a strong and almost
belligerent controversy. Incorporation carried
by a few votes and as soon as the conflict
was over, the opposers submitted gracefully,
and the feeling then was undivided in all
interests that would promote the welfare and
progress of Ocheyedan. Soon public improvements
were entered into, ordinances for the better
government of the town, an din promotion of
its welfare were passed, and internal improvements
became the order of the day. The town's greatest
need then was a system of sidewalks and these
came along in good time, are now on all streets
where business or residences require them.
There is an eight-foot walk which adds not
only to the convenience of the town, but to
its appearance as well. The present town officers
were the first officers elected in April 1891,
with one exception, which is that of Mr. Aldred,
and he was elected at the election held in
the spring of 1892. The present officers are
as follows:
| Mayor...................................................................... |
W. E. Ely |
| Recorder................................................................. |
A. E. Smith |
| Treasurer............................................................... |
J. L. McLaury |
| Assessor.................................................................. |
R. J. Jones |
| Street Commissioner............................................ |
George Rupner |
| Marshal.................................................................. |
George Rupner |
| |
{C. M. Manville |
| |
{S. A. Dove |
| |
{Charles Woodworth |
| Trustees................................................................ |
{W. F. Aldred |
| |
{Asa Bowersock |
| |
{C. A. Tatum |
Ocheyedan
has one newspaper, published by Mr. Perkins.
The paper was started in 1891, and its first
issue on the 7th day of August. The paper
was started by D.
A. W. Perkins, who intended it for
his son, George W. Perkins, but while
the material was still in the boxes at the
freight depot, the boy was drowned in Silver
Lake, near Lake Park. Mr. Perkins,
however, under the shadow of this terrible
misfortune, proceeded with its publication
and after an intermediate change it is still
published by Mr. Perkins. The paper
is a five-column quarto and the public spirit
of Ocheyedan people is well manifested by
giving the paper a liberal patronage which
they have since the first issue, and its circulation
is large and constantly increasing. The town
is not numerous with secret societies, but
a Masonic lodge has a complete organization,
with a hall finely furnished in the upper
story of the building built by Joseph
and Dominick Kout. Which
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what is called the Ocheyedan
Lodge, I.O.G.T., of which C. M. Higley
is C. T., and Mary McCallum, secretary.
This society meets each week. The first postmaster
in Ocheyedan was D. H. Boyd, who was
succeeded by A. V. Randall and he by
E. N. Moore, the present postmaster.
The town of Ocheyedan
is in nearly the center of the eastern part
of Osceola County, and hence as a trading
point is favorably located. It has a fine
farming country around and tributary to it,
and its future is exceedingly promising. Everything
is peaceable in the town, at the same time
full of business activity. Ocheyedan socially
is a model town.
Its present most prominent
business interests and citizens are as follows:
| Elevators—A. W. Harris &
Co. (manager, John Harris); A.
E. Brown (manager, A. D. Moreland.) |
| Lumber—Bowersock
Brothers; John Porter & Son
(manager, W. F. Aldred). |
| General Stores—Mary Graves;
J. W. Thomas & Son; Bunker
Brothers; R. J. O. McGowan. |
| Banks—Ocheyedan Bank; John Porter
& Sons. |
| Drug Store—A. E. Smith. |
| Hardware—Charles Woodworth. |
| Hotel—S. A. Dove. |
| Restaurant—W. F. Stimpson. |
| Meat Market—C. Bowersock. |
| Feed Store—A. J. Coulton. |
| Livery Barn—E. D. Cleaveland. |
| Agricultural House—Tatum
Bros.; Frank Cleaveland; Bowersock
Bros. |
| Harness Shop—C. A. Tatum
& Son. |
| Millinery—E. P. Johnson. |
| Barber—Ed Becker. |
| Contractors and Builders—Zeug
Bros.; Fred Wheeler; C. L. Buchman;
Kout Bros.; T. M. Spencer;
McLagen & Son. |
| Blacksmith—C. A. Spencer;
Fred Meyer. |
| Mason—E. N. Moore. |
| Stock Buyers—C. M. Manville;
Bowersock Bros. |
| Furniture—Walton Bros. |
| Newspaper—Ocheyedan Press. |
| Postmaster—E. N. Moore. |
| Physician—W. E. Ely. |
| Lawyer—D. A. W. Perkins. |
| Painter—Elmer Spencer. |
| |
|
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|
| |
| Clothing Store—T. H. Davis. |
| Well Borer—C. R. Boyd. |
| Stockmen—C. A. Tatum; David
Eicher. |
| Clergymen—S. C. Olds; L. R.
Fitch. |
| Station Agent—O. L. Beck. |
| Assistant Station Agent—A. O.
Beck. |
Mr. T. R. Stewart, formerly
in the land business here, is now with John
Porter & Son; C. M. Higley,
formerly of Sheldon, is in the Ocheyedan Bank,
and Frank Bumgardner is engaged in
General farming and stock dealing.
The interests of the
Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern in its
track repairs are represented by John Wallace
and P. Cramer.
Eustace Manville
is also in business here, and the creamery
is under the management of Peter Jensen.
A. V. Randall has a crockery store
and Mr. A. Arend has a shoe store.
The Zeug Brothers have a building as
a work shop and in which is a public hall.
Daniel Weaver, though living in the
country, is the Ocheyedan jeweler.
The prospect is
that Ocheyedan will continue to have a substantial
growth and will be a town of some importance.
