History of Watterson, Ringgold County, Iowa

TODD, WATTERSON, JAMES, DAVIS, HACKER, SHIELDS, BUTLER, DYER, LUCAS, DENNIS, SCOTT, GUESS, SACKETT, MICKAEL, SHAFFER, HARDEN, COLE, MOTSINGER, WILSON, CALDWELL, DEBOLT

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 6/22/2009 at 23:06:33

Watterson, Ringgold County, Iowa

During the beginning of the 1900's, Watterson was known as Poyneer. The little village, located eight miles south of Mount Ayr in Lotts Creek Township. The post office was closed in October of 1894 with the mail delivered to Ringgold City. Poyneer's post office was re-established in February of 1895. William A. TODD of Mount Ayr was assigned the task of re-naming the re-opened post office. Mr. TODD, who had invited politican Henry WATTERSON to deliver a lecture at Mount Ayr's opera house, named the post office WATTERSON in his honor.

Local children in grades 1 through 8 attended Oak Ridge School No. 5, located one mile southeast of town. Evelyn JAMES was the last to teach at Oak Ridge School.

Businesses in Watterson included Vern HACKER and the GATES Brothers' garage, two used furniture stores owned and operated by Hazel DAVIS and Vera HACKER, a blacksmith shop at one time. Residents included Vern and Ida SHIELDS, Ham and Mandy BUTLER, Charlie DYER, O. B. and Hazel DAVIS, Frank LUCAS, P. I. DENNIS, Jack SCOTT, Vern GUESS, and Vern and Vera HACKER.

The central hub of activity at Watterson has always been the general store, providing dry goods, ice, and groceries to the locals. The ice house stood behind the store and at least one gasoline pump stood at the store.

Those who ran the Watterson Store include Charles and Pearl MICKAEL, M. W. SHAFFER, A. M. SACKETT, Thomas HARDEN, Bill COLE, Elmer MOTSINGER, a Mr. WILSON, Glen CALDWELL, O. B. and Hazel DAVIS, and Vern and Vera HACKER who were the last owners. Elmer DeBOLT, Watterson's last resident, moved away sometime around the year 2001.

The closest church was Fry Chapel, located approximately one mile north of town.

SOURCES:
Mount Ayr Record-News, Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa. January 13, 2005.

AVITT, Mike. Pages and Pictures from the Past . . . Ringgold County, Iowa: 1885-2005 p. 13. Paragon Publications, Inc. Mount Ayr, Iowa. 2009.