Vaughan, Henry M. 1856-1930

VAUGHAN, SEYMOUR, ENT

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 1/19/2012 at 10:52:25

Funeral Services for H. M. Vaughan to be Held Friday

First President of Chamber of Commerce Dies of Heart Attack

Funeral services for Henry M. Vaughan, 74, Newton pioneer, who died at his home at 701 East Fifth Street North yesterday following an illness of a week from a heart attack, will be held tomorrow afternoon at the Morgan Funeral Home at 4:20 with Dr. W. R. Moore of the Presbyterian Church in charge. Burial will be in the Newton Cemetery.

Mr. Vaughan, a pioneer in Newton business and commercial circles, was chiefly known for his work in running a hardware store and for establishing the first electric light plant in Newton. He was also the first president of the Newton Business Men’s Association, now known as the Senior Chamber of Commerce. The group was organized on Feb. 12, 1897 with Mr. Vaughan as the head.

Worked at Maytag

Always a power in the community Mr. Vaughan continued interested in the business and civic affairs until his death. He had been employed in the bookkeeping department of the Maytag Company for the six years immediately prior to his death. He had been enjoying good health for the past months, and did not experience any sever sickness until about a week ago when he suffered a heart attack at that time and became seriously ill. While rallying at intervals, he gradually declined until death.

Henry M. Vaughan, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Vaughan was born in Clinton, Mich., June 3, 1856. At the age of three months the family came to Newton, where he made his home for the greater portion of his life. He was away from Newton for about eight years in various business and civic enterprises.

In Hardware Business

Mr. Vaughan grew to manhood in Newton, becoming interested in the hardware business, which he carried on with his father and brother, Fred W. for many years. The firm was located on the east side of the square in the place that is now being occupied by the Postal Telegraph Company. The large Maytag Building was not in existence at that time.

It was while operating the hardware store that Mr. Vaughan became interested in the electric business, later being instrumental in bringing the first light company to Newton. He was selling some light fixtures in his hardware business the time, and conceived the idea of operating one of the branches of the Thompson-Houston Company, which long since became the General Electric Company.

Until that time, the canning factory here in Newton had operated all of the street lights that there were. Four are lights, the early kind used for outdoor lighting purposes then, were located on the courthouse and two were situated on a tower in the street by the E. G. Smith residence. When Mr. Vaughan, in partnership with Charles Wilder, took over the plant in (date is illegible), they placed 12 arc lights about the square, the total street lighting facilities for Newton at that time.

Opened in 1887

The plant was started on July 4, 1887, lighting the lights and several hundred lights in the houses of the town. The plant was located in the site of the city gas works. It was sold out, however, about three years later, and Mr. Vaughan continued with the hardware business.

It was while he was still connected with the hardware store here that Mr. Vaughan became interested in the commercial development of the city. Agitation was rife for the construction of paved streets within the city, and it appeared to many of the business men that the organization of some sort of a club for promoting civic enterprises would meet the need.

Accordingly in 1897, the idea of the Chamber of Commerce Club was worked out and the group known as the Newton Business Men’s Association was formulated. Mr. Vaughan became the first president, taking the oath of office on Feb. 13, 1897.

Gives Famous Toast

That the association was going to become an important part of the activities of the community was evident from the very first meeting. At that time property owners of the town gathered with the association to work out places for the laying of the first pavement in the city. And on that night, Mr. Vaughan made the toast, which has alone become famous in the city history: “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we pave.”

And with a few years, the dream that he had expressed on that first meeting night had been realized. Paving the streets of Newton was the first enterprise of the association.

A few years later, Mr. Vaughan sold out his hardware business and moved away from Newton. During that time he, with William A. Huster, also of Newton, established another Thompson-Houston Light plant at Belle Plaine. After running this for a few years, the two men became connected with the Men’s Reformatory at Anamosa.

Mr. Hunter was warden of the reformatory, and Mr. Vaughan was deputy warden and bookkeeper.

During the next years, Mr. Vaughan was employed with various companies as salesman or as a member of the accounting department. He was with the Oliver Typewriting Company for a time, later joining the Maytag Company at Waterloo, Ia.

Returns to Newton

About eight or nine years ago he returned to Newton to make his home. For the first two years, he was working the Automatic Washer Company and then the Woodrow Washing Machine Company. Six years ago he joined the Maytag Company and has been employed by that firm in the bookkeeping department until the time of his death.

In addition to being prominent in the civic work of the community, Mr. Vaughan was connected with several local organizations. He was active in Masonic work, being a Knight Templar and a member of the Easter Star Organization.

Marries Lucy Ent

Mr. Vaughan was united in marriage to Miss Lucy W. Ent of Newton on June 3, 1879, who survives him. Three children were born, Harry M., William, and Lucille, all of whom preceded him in death.

He was particularly known for his strong personality and power of leadership. His life was (word illegible) with instances in which his dominating spirit carried him through situations that one of less power and stamina would have been unable to weather. ~ The Newton Daily News, Thurs 28 August 1930.

Transcriber note: The following is from Newton Union Cemetery Records; Vaughan Henry M. Wednesday, August 27, 1930 son of William & Almira (Seymour) Vaughan; husband of Lucy (Ent) Vaughan; born 1856-established Newton’s first electric light plant