Wheatland Fifty Years Ago - 1908

Source: Buxton's Wheatland Gazette, July 17, 1908

Random Notes.

Dr. Gamble and J. A. Frost have given us copies of the Clinont County Advocate, published in 1866 by Wm. M. Magden, and the Wheatland Weekly News, in 1874 by Carothers & Sansom.  In the Advocate we find the business cards of A. M. Frost, Thos. D. Gamble and Wm. E. Vaney, physicians, E. F. Baxter, N. A. Merrill, John C. Polly, W. E. Leffingwell, Y. A. Bennett, J. Stine and W. M. Magden, attorneys, A. V. D. Bogert, painter and galzier, Marquand's meat market, A. O. Dickensen, general merchandise, Calamus, Wm. J. Mecorney, blacksmith, M. Barnett & Bro., grocery, J. D. Fegan, lumber; John walraven, agricultural implements; E. M. Tucker, hotel; J. E. Carter & Co, hardware and implements, M. L. Rogers & Co, general merchandise; J. Kelly, blacksmith, Churchill & Bradley, wagon makers; Chas. Marquand, auctioneer, Benson & Hutchinson, coal dealers, McLaughlin & ??, general merchandise; H. Bulmer, bakery and restaurant, Geo. P. Matthews, harness shop, Jacob O'Tool, restaurant, J. A. Frost, photographer.

The edition of the Weekly News eight years later shows quite a change in the business lineup of the town.  That paper contains ads for T. W. & D. S. Kidd, proprietors of the Granit Mills; J. Wirth, furniture, W. J. Cecorney had taken John W. Thompson into the blacksmith shop, Drs. W. H. Swander & D. S. Cook, drugists, S. M. Batterson, general merchandise, E. Munson, coal, Manwaring Bros., livery, H. Kohberg, boots and shoes, Jerome Dutton, auctioneer, notary public, insurance and real estate agent, Woods, Hall & Co., lumber, D. B. McCully, general merchandise, W. H. Ba??s, produce, A. Smith, hardware and implements, A. Lohmann, general merchandise, O. J. Thornton, harness, Dr. Thos. D. Gamble, druggist, C. G. Rogers, general merchandise, P. K. A. Chaffee, blacksmith, W. Siegmund, butcher; P. roeger, boots and shoes, Wm. Wilke, restaurant, A. Van De Bogert, painter; W. Bloch, baker, W. H. Baylis, notary, Jesse Stine, attorney, Foster & Rice, attorneys.

Of all the above who were in business in Wheatland during those times, only three of that number are still in active business here.  They are A. Van De Bogert, John W. Thompson and A. Lohmann.  Of the others mentioned, Dr. Thos. D. Gamble, J. A. Frost and A. M. Hall, Sr., are the only retired ones residing here at present.

The Wheatland News of the above date also contained the following short items of interest and a brief sketch of early settlers and recollections of that time:

Dennis Whitney, of Clinton, in the spring of '58 erected a building designed for a store, on the corner adjoining and north of the present post-office building.  To this building M. J. Rogers removed his goods, enlarging his stock to a general variety of groceries and dry goods, and was the first merchant of Wheatlan.  This building was wiped out by fire three years ago.  The hotel being finished, was opened for the accomodation of boarders, and the entertainment of the traveling public.  For the want of a hall or other place for public meetings, caucuses, elections, the organization of religious societies, etc.  Mr. Case being Justice of the Peace as well as landlord, the kitchen was often used as court room, where the landlord not only dispensed justice with an even hand, but united in the legal bonds of matrimony many a happy couple, who preferred the yoke of "married slavery" to freedom.  Mrs. Case, now living in this town, who was the first landlady in Wheatland, has treasured up in her memory many interesting incidents of the early days of the town, which she has given us.  In March, the hotel came near being wiped out by fire.  The stove pipe, for the want of a chimney, was run through the side window of the kitchen, running into a wooden chimney, in the shape of a square box set upright.  This wooden chimney soon becoming thoroughly dried, caught fire one windy day, the wind blowing the flames in the direction of the building.  The hotel was saved only by the determined effort of the citizens who were promptly on hand, some of them getting badly scorched in the operation.

A grain warehouse was built that season by C. Lamb.  This building is yet standing on the same location where built, having been converted into a dwelling and restaurant now kept by Wm. Wilke.  Messrs. Tracy and Toll bought the first load of grain shipped from this place, for which they paid 29 cents per bushel.

FOURTH OF JULY

National independence day was duly celebrated that year, and is claimed by the old settlers now living here to have out done all subsequent celebrations, in the immense gathering of people from the country and towns around.  It being Freedom's day, free liquor and free fights, were prominently the order of the day.  A booth had been erected on the corner of the block, where Batterson's store now stands, with seats and a stand erected for the orators of the day.  Two gentlemen from Clinton, one of them a prominent M. D., who came to speak to the people, mistaking the day for April fools day, had imbibed so freely, as to render their flights of eloquence altogether too high for the comprehension of their audience.  Nature, led by bad whiskey, furnished the music for the occasion.  A free fight followed in the afternoon, calling to requisition scythe snaths and other farming utensils from Roger's store; no damage being done farther than a few bunged eyes and swelled heads.  The day wound up with a grand supper at the ware house, and a dance at the hotel.  In August Mr. L. Munson, with his family, arrived from Clinton and bought out Mr. Case in the hotel business, and continued to entertain the traveling public for five or six years, when he sold out to other parties.

The first religious society in Wheatland, was organized in August of that year by rev. Daniel Clark of Lyons, who organized a Presbyterian Society, the place of meeting being in the dining room of the hotel.  There being no convenient place for worship, at that time, the depot, for a time was used for that purpose.  The railroad track at the east end of the bridge having been washed away, leaving an engine, baggage and passenger car on the west side, meetings were held in the car, on account of seats and facilities for warming.  Rev. Platt, Curtis and Gibson continued throughout the year to preach to the people here, meeting in various places for public worship, sometimes in a car, the depot, school house, warehouse and finally as a more permanent place, the hall over M. L. Roger's store.  rev. J. Gibson was sent by the Home Mission Society to remain here one year, preaching here every two weeks, and at Onion Grove the alternate Sabbath.  On the tenth of July 1859 the first Sabbath school was organized, with 18 scholars.  Rev. Gibson Supt., Mr. and Mrs. S. H. Rogers, Mrs. Farrington and Miss Taylor as teachers.  In August Mr. Gibson left town, on account of ill health, and Mr. Rogers took charge of the school, and held the office of Supt. up to the time of his death.  The people were without regular preaching until Nov. 20th then Rev. Joseph Lowry came, and remained until March 1869.  The Germans built a church in March '59.  Rev. Mr. Oswald was their first preacher.

The church directory contained the names of Rev. H. L. Stanley, pastor of Presbyterian;  Rev. S. Aldrich, of the Methodist Episcopal; REv. J. Rettig, of the German Reformed; Elder Hartzel, of the Christian; no pastor specified for the Universalist, and Rev. B. F. Snook, who held services in the hall.

Wheatland had a lyceum, of which F. Griffith was president and Chas. W. Rice, secretary.  C. M. Bice, Dr. Warner and H. C. Cordes were on the program for the meeting.

Lucy Curtis, County Superintendent of Schools was holding public examinations throughout the county at that time.

Wm. Hoey, Geo. Wadsworth and M. K. H. Reed, of Clarence, John Richolson of Calamus, John Dawson, of Olive Twp., John Heller, prorietor of the Toronto Mills; were mentioned as callers in town that week.

Source: Buxton's Wheatland Gazette, July 17, 1908

Wheatland Fifty Years Ago.  Random Notes.

Dr. Thos. D. Gamble is one of Wheatland's oldest pioneers, and in conversation with him recently, he recounted some of his early experiences, which we have jotted down.  He started to practice medicine and surgery in Sabula, Iowa, and then seized with the desire to start in a new territory and grow up with the country, he came out from Clinton on the Northwestern to this place, which was known then as Yankee Run, and was the end of the line.

At that time there were only about a dozen residences here, and school was held in the school house at the Davisson corners, one mile south of the station.  The depot at that itme was merely a box car at the side of the track.

He stopped at the Waubansee hotel, run by Chas. A. Case and Lucius Munson.  Case was here but a few months after that.  He went into the army, serving as sutler, and died in service.  Munsn remained here for several years and then moved to Des Moines, where he died.

M. L. Rogers was the first merchant, and he had a hall 20 x 40 above the store in which the girls and boys of those days held dances galore.  The old hoop skirts were then in vogue, and the doctor tells of one instance when one of the girls at a dance had the misfortune to break her hoops which were made of grapevine as a substitute for the more expensive wire contrivances.  Not daunted by her accident, she merely paused a moment, pulled out the offending grapevine and resumed her dance.

Mr. Rogers moved to Marshalltown about 24 years ago, where he was interested in a large lumber yard, which was burned out.  He then moved to California, where he is living a retired life.

Edwin W. Bennett, another resident of those times who was mentioned by the doctor, went west and died at Ft. Larned, Wyoming.  He also mention our present citizen, Judge J. S. Stowes, who was first a noted teacher in the school of the country, and then studied law and became the first judge of Clinton county, and was located at DeWitt.

Celebrations were held then in what was known as Berg Grove, the property now occupied by Theo. Jeppe, A. M. Hall, Sr., and others opposite the Presbyterian church.  There was a large grove there and all picnic were held there.  At one Fourth of July celebration he recalls the fact that D. D. Rorick, of Oxford Junction, was the speaker.

When the doctor arrived here July 19th, 1858, a large bowery, covering one whole block from the corner of Jefferson street north, still stood, showing that the town had arranged to furnish some amusement for their visitors on the Fourth.  He also mentioned Gen. N. B. Baker, ex-governor of New Hampshire, as speaker either that Fourth or the one following.

When asked about the destructive fire that swept the main part of Wheatland, July 4th, 1874, the doctor and L. B. Manwaring were both able to tell considerable, a portion of which we repeat.

The parade had started in the morning between nine and ten o'clock, from Berg Grove, and was proceeding toward the main part of town, when the alarm of fire was turned in.  L. B. Manwaring was marshal of the day, and headed the parade.  It seems that some youngster had been shooting fire crackers in the rear of Dr. Gamble's drug store and sparks started a blaze in boxes and refuse.  The flames were fanned by a brisk wind, and the hard work of the bucket brigades hastily formed, could not hold the fire in check, which swept east along what was then the most thickly settled part of town.  On solid business block and 30 or 40 residences and other buildings were destroyed.  We print a picture of the ruins of that fire taken while the fire was yet in progress.  We are indebted to Claude W. Dutton for the picture which is now slightly faded and rather difficult to get a good half tone from.  (We would Love to see a copy of that picture!!)  It was taken looking up Railroad street from the railroad tracks, showing a portion of the flameswept district.  The two buildings at the right of the picture belonged to Jesse Stine, and were moved in later years to the rear of the bank building where they now stand.  The office equipment of the Wheatland Weely News stands prominently in the foreground.

Souvenir postals with this view will be on sale at different places here on or before the big semi-centennial celebration July 3rd and 4th.  Get one as a keepsake, and compare Wheatland as it was then with the town as it is today.

Many little incidents of earlier days are clear in the minds of the old pioneers, but it is difficult to secure them in the proper manner.  We would apprecieat much any article written regarding the earlier days of Wheatland.