'A CENTURY OF MEMORIES'
OF VAN WERT, DECATUR COUNTY, IOWA

1880 - 1980

HARNESS AND SHOE SHOPS
 
As early as April 11, 1895, harness and shoe shops were prospering businesses of the town of Van Wert. A man named Charley Berry once had a harness shop and was later bought out by Harl Booth. The location of this shop was the second building North of what is now the Van Wert blacktop on the street which runs behind the Enterprise store. (In other words, the second shop from the southeast corner of Thelma Parmer's lot.)

As early as April 11, 1895, J.A. Roberts had a shoe repair shop. He was followed by J.M. Allen and C.E. Hill who both ran shoe stores in 1909. Mr. Dan Tuttle had a shoe repair shop in this home around 1910.

Among the shoemakers on record are:
Jesse A. Roberts (1899), John R. Tate (1899), L.S. Thomas (1884 - 1885), Charles Hall (1899), and Imhoff and Son 1897- 1898).

The Van Wert Record ran an ad April 7, 1910 stating, "New style shoes - the high arch, the raised toe, and the buttons. Oh! they're just what you've been looking for. They are at Blairs."

Ode Stubbs and John Burnett also repaired shoes.
 
FEED, GRAIN AND PRODUCE
The earliest grain buyer on record appears to be John Gemmill. This was about 1886. In the late 1800s, J.N. McJimpsey had a livery and seed business.

The early 1900s produced several business men who bought and sold grain, feed, coal, hay, cream, eggs, poultry. J.S. Sparks sold feed, grain and coal until March 1910. He then sold his business to L.D. Kelley. Mr. Kelley added the buying of iron and junk to his "Feed, Grain & Coal Store". In 1906, Elmer Smith purchased the Harper and Henry Store which bought grain. W.H. Ransom Feed and Grain Store was located just north of what is now known as the Van Wert Enterprise. He sold his business to C.F. Houck. Another businessman was M.F. Thompson.

Creamery and produce business in the early 1900s included the Beatrice Creamery Company managed by James Wagner until August, 1908, when M.P. Garber became manager. In 1911 this company opened their office at the C.E. Rushing Store. V.E. Beck and Co. bought produce as did the Clarinda P B & E Co. with I.E. Fox, manager. The City Poultry House was owned and operated by J.B. Hampton and his son Elmer. It was located on the east side of main street. His business handled cream, eggs, hides and poultry.

At the same time E.S. Elliot ran the same type of store. He was located the first door south of the Palace Hotel. Mr. Elliot sold his business to J.D. Young on June 6, 1911. At one time a man by the name of W.F. Blair owned a panel truck and, for a short time, had a country route buying cream, eggs and chickens. Others who operated feed and produce businesses were J.L. Humphrey, J.N. Barger, Wm. Gentle, S.C. McKee, G.W. Johnson, Lew Hasting, R.W. Prey, and Sye Stanbrough. C.G. Jones was a poultry breeder during the 1916s through 1919.

It is interesting to note that, according to the Local Markets listed in the Van Wert Record November 23, 1911, the Markets were: Hogs, $5.50 per cwt.; cattle, $4.00 per cwt.; poultry per lb. 7 cents to 8 cents; butter, 20 cents per pound; and eggs 25 cents per dozen. On February 16, 1980, the markets were: Hogs, $38.45 per cwt.; cattle, $69.75 per cwt., poultry, 78 cents per pound, butter, 68 cents per lb. of butterfat and eggs 39 cents per dozen.

Davy Jones started in business in the mid 1920s. He was located on the east side of Main Street just south of the blacktop. Along with the produce business he sold gas. He sold his business to Ode Parmer in the 1950s.

Earl Updike, Spidle Grocery, Buckley & Parmer (Mel) E.L. (Poken) Parmer, M.L. Jones Drug & Grocery and Ralph (Skinny) Houck also bought produce during the 20s thru the 50s.

Earl Updike started his business in 1941 selling feed and buying cream, eggs and poultry for Yorkshire Creamery of Ottumwa. He first was located in the first building south of Bud Owens' barber shop. A few months later he moved to a building just south of the Tuttle building. In 1944 in the building he originally started he had a hatchery. This place later burned destroying all his equipment, 2,000 baby chicks and 22,000 eggs. He did not rebuild.

From July, 1948, to June l957, Dean Stream operated a Feed, Produce and Hardware Store. It was located on the west side of the street, 4th door south of the blacktop. Leonard Mallatt had a feed store from 1963 to 1964. In 1963, James B. O'Hair started a feed business with Pillsbury and also buying beans. In 1964, J.B. O'Hair, Downard Grocery and the Van Wert Furniture and Feed had the feed business together and continued selling until 1966.

Changing from Pillsbury to Nutrena, Mr. O'Hair continued to sell feed until 1970. He is still buying grain. He is in business with his son James C. O'Hair under the name of O'Hair Grain Company or O & W Ag. Enterprises, Inc. of Van Wert.

In July, 1971, Bob Cutchall of Winterset started Tri More Sales, Inc. It was located at the old schoolhouse. They sold feed, chemicals, and machinery. They closed March 1, 1980.

Also selling feed, have been Elmer Gilbert and Cox's General Store. The Van Wert Enterprise is still selling feed.
 
BLACKSMITHS
A very necessary part of every pioneer town was the local blacksmith. The first was erected by an Irishman named Gallagher. It was located at the extreme south end of the row of surveyed lots. (This would be near where Hazel Fry lives today.) Gallagher was followed by a Mr. Medkiff. He in turn by Frank Manuel and still later by Steve Mills.

From the Iowa Gazette we have in 1884 - 85 and 1887 - 88, W.E. Stiles and D.E. Tuttle. E.K. McPherson was also a blacksmith in 1895 - 96. In 1897 - 98, James Bower. Then in 1899, James Bower went into partnership with R.E. Ball. Also, Daniel Tuttle was still listed as a blacksmith in 1899.

Other names that residents can remember in the blacksmith business was H.D. Bell, Christopher, Ward and C.D. McKee.

In 1921, Charles Mallatt rented a building from R. Ball starting a blacksmith shop. Then moved the shop in back of the building on the corner, formerly Jones Station. Dr. Tallman built a building for Mr. Mallatt which would be on the north side of Highway 248.

John Pettis bought the shop from Mr. Mallatt in the 1940s and was in business until the Van Wert School bought the shop and tools for the school shop in 1956.
    
 
FARRIER


As the Blacksmith Shop was sold in 1956, Lane Schuldt started his "Horse-shoeing" as a trade in 1956. Learning the trade from his father, Louis Schuldt, at the early age of twelve years.

In the start he would go to their place but as business increased, he remodeled an old garage at his home in the west part of Van Wert and the horses were brought here.

As Lane states: "It's hard work and back breaking, but I enjoy working with horses. Horses are my life." With the help of Lane's sons, Ricky, Rodney and Randy, they also break horses to ride and drive.
 
BAKERIES
An early baker mentioned in the Van Wert Record was on the north side managed by J.B. Allen. Doris O'Hair established a bakery in her home in the early sixties. She taught cake decorating to other students in her home. Jenny Perry being one that went on to establish her own business. Doris O'Hair, with the assistance of her daughter, Janis, also taught cake decorating at adult education for several years at Clarke Community Schools and later at Interstate 35 School.

Most of the bakery business was made-to-order birthday, anniversary and wedding cakes. The wedding cakes had to be delivered and put together at the church. Some were as high as five tiers, others incorporated an electric water fountain, while others some times had four-leaf clover supplementary cakes.

On special occasions people called in orders for rolls, cookies, popcorn balls, mints or Christmas wreath bread. Mrs. O'Hair sold her equipment and discontinued the bakery business in January 1978. Jenny Perry had a hobby of cake decorating for several years and it turned into a business when she started getting orders from family and friends to bake wedding and anniversary cakes. She started her business about 1968, working from her home.

In 1979, Jenny purchased a cake shoppe inventory from a Mt. Ayr shop. The business is under the name of "Jenny's Cake Shoppe and Supplies". Along with cake decorating she also makes fancy molded chocolates and sells supplies for making them. In January, 1980, she taught adult cake decorating class through Southwestern Community College.
 
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Late in the l800s, S.K. Dennis was a photographer in Van Wert. V.A. McGrew was here in the early 1900s. Others have been Isabelle Sink and H.O. Tuttle. Earl Clark is Van Wert's current amateur photographer. He has a dark room in his home and does excellent work.
 
REAL ESTATE, INSURANCE, INCOME TAX
During the early years of our community of Van Wert, real estate offices were quite common. Insurance and income tax service could be found at the local bank. In the year 1854, James Irving of New Jersey settled on the northeast quarter of Section l3. He paid the Federal Government $125 per acre.

Real estate on August 6, 1868, for unimproved land could be bought in Decatur County for prices ranging from $300 to $600 per acre, and some even as low as $250. During the years 1887 and 1888, E.J. Blair sold insurance in this community for the Council Bluffs Insurance Company.

Records show that Mr. Blair sold insurance in this area from 1887 through 1913. In 1897, P.K. Hall became a Notary for this area. The offices of Smith and Wilson Real Estate Agents was also opened that year.

On September 16, 1909, E.S. Elliott and H.O. Tuttle formed the Blue Grass Farm Exchange. They later went their separate ways, but each continued in business.

H.O. Tuttle selling insurance for Iowa State Insurance Company. I.N. Skidmore also sold insurance that year, he was an agent for Ancor Insurance Company. In 1912 and l1913, E.J. Blair, E.T. Owens, E.O. Stearns and H.O. Wilson were each involved in insurance. H.O. Wilson was also a real estate agent. Records show that in 1914 and 1915, E.O. Stearns sold insurance. H.O. Wilson was involved in real estate as well as insurance.

In 1916, A.J. Owens opened a real estate office. He continued in business at least through 1923. Also in 1916, Price and Mote had an office. They continued in business for several years.

Records show that E.O. Stearns was especially active in insurance affairs during the years of 1912 and 1923, as well as being cashier at the bank. During that same year of 1916, Thompson and Briner opened offices for real estate and were in business for several years.

In 1919, the Van Wert State Bank put out an income tax and farm record book. The book was called "The Perfection Income Tax and Farm Record Book".

During the late 1920s and early 1930s Harry DeVore and Joe Best were active in the insurance business, selling accident, fire and hail insurance. Harry DeVore continued selling insurance until the early 1960s. Harry was an agent for Ringgold Mutual.

From 1945 until the early 1970s, Elmer Houck did bookkeeping and income tax services for this community. He also drew the county atlases for several years. F. Dean Houck began doing bookkeeping and income tax from his home part time in l96l, and began full time in 1968. He moved his office uptown on the west side of Main Street in 1970. In May of 1973 he began selling insurance for MFA Insurance company, as well as continuing on in the bookkeeping and tax business.

From 1965 to 1975, Paul Beardsley sold insurance. He was an agent for continental Western, he also sold Square Deal Hail Insurance, and Farmers Mutual Insurance. For a short time in 1970, Clarence Courtney sold Circle Key Life.
 
BEARDSLEY'S ORCHARD
Just south of Van Wert the Beardsley Orchard is presently in full production. Paul Beardsley and his wife Mary, own and operate the orchard. There are about nine hundred apple trees on eleven acres. The semi-dwarf spur type fruit trees developed by Stark Brothers Nurseries were some of the first to be grown anywhere. Some of the trees were grown here for experimental purposes.

At the present time the spray schedule is coordinated by Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. Trees are sprayed about fifteen times each season to eliminate orchard pests.

Harvesting is accomplished with the help of Lon Hess, Doris Clemens, Janie Hatfield, Enid Heckathorn and Vilna Kennedy, all from Van Wert. Apples are sorted, boxed and sold at the orchard. A facility for packing and storing apples was erected in 1979.
 
ANTIQUES AND SPECIALTY SHOPS
What is an antique? What is a collectible? What is a Flea Market? What is an Antique Show?

One definition of antique used by a law of Congress decrees that anything one hundred years or older could qualify as an antique. Then there's the dictionary that uses various terms such as old, old fashioned, by-gone style or time; and relic in its definition.

In the antique world of today, there is a full time circuit of Antique Shows and Sales sponsored on a regular basis along with smaller Flea Markets that deal in what is called collectibles. Collectibles can be anything that happens to be of interest, so crafts and newer recycled items appear in flea markets. Antique dealers use the shows to sell and also to replenish their stock of merchandise. Dealers also attend estate and farm auctions and buy privately.

Most dealers specialize in one field of antiques and become very well versed on their favorite specialty, while most every dealer keeps learning as the stock is constantly changing. Antiques are like land, "they just aren't making any more". Thus, quality antiques are good investments.

Trends in today's market are moving toward the less decorative art forms. We are experiencing a concern for the history of the average man, rather than a history of the elite society. Art, pottery, country furniture, primitives and Americana in any form are in demand and porcelains and Victorian furniture are good investments.

O'Hair Junktiques was established on a small basis in the basement of Doris O'Hair's home in 1970 in rural Van Wert. This was in connection with a line of bakery items and decorated cakes. The bakers was sold in l978. They now have three buildings of antiques and sell only at the premises. The Junktique Shop features primitives, toys, wooden wares, quilts, farm tools, and a general line. In the past ten years they have had registered buyers from eighteen states as well as a good local trade.

George Manahan had a shop known as the "Trading Post" in the basement of the old schoolhouse for a year or two. He closed the shop in 1979. JoAnn Parmer started J & J Ornaments in December, 1978 in the old Tiedje Garage building at the north end of Main Street. She featured concrete and plaster-of-paris ornaments and tropical fish.

She moved her business to her home on the Van Wert blacktop in September, l979. She discontinued the fish business and has added antiques, with her main feature being usable and used dishes. Mr. Clyde McVey has been in the business of making small authentic replicas of the old fashioned high-wheeled wagons for the past two years. He buys plastic horses and produces handmade harness and collars for them. He also buys a plastic man to drive "the team and wagon". He makes good use of a pocket knife and pleases many people with his offering.

Pages 106 - 111
 
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