Mrs. Hiram Ashing Is Old Settler

ASHING, BURROWS

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 1/25/2011 at 10:58:48

The Grinnell (IA) Herald (1932)

MRS. HIRAM ASHING IS OLD SETTLER

Mrs. Hiram Ashing (Melissa Burrows) has some interesting recollections of early Grinnell and vicinity. When she came to Blue Point in '56 there was in the settlement a post office, a little store and a blacksmith shop.

Before 1860 the post office was moved to Grinnell and they came here to trade. Mrs. Ashing remembers just three stores of those days. They were the Bliss and Cooper store on South Broad, the Anor Scott store, also on South Broad a little north of the Bliss store, and a small millinery shop which she thinks was on the east side of Main street.

The location of the shop was of small consequence, the important thing was that the little girl had her hat made over and some ornaments added.

When Melissa Burrows first went to school at Blue Point in 1863 the children sat on long split logs. On these seats, with neither backs behind nor desks in front, they sat to study.

When they recited they went to the front bench, which was made not of logs but of sawed boards. This luxurious bench had one board for a seat and another for a back.