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

1880 - 1980


BRICK KILNS
 
It is believed that there have been at least three brick kilns located in the surrounding community. One was located west of Bill Hall's present home in Section 16. Another was once on what was known for years as the old Spencer Farm in Section 15. This kiln was operated by Mr. Spencer and the Hedrick boys.

Still another is believed to have been in the far southwest corner of town on the property now belonging to Ruth Simmerman. Unfortunately no more information is available.
 
GRISTMILLS
The earliest gristmill on record was that of P.K. hall in 1884 and 1885. Shortly following was H.M. Hoadley, who also ran a flour mill.

In 2875, a novel and unsuccessful attempt was made to operate a wind powered gristmill in Prairie City. Then later the mill was converted to steam power and became a success.

A mill operated and owned by John Palmer was built in 1912 just west of where a schoolhouse was later built. From the information gathered, this mill was the Yankee Mill. John Hanks owned and operated this mill before 1910. In May of 1910, it was sold to W. Branaum. This was a gasoline powered mill and they ground every Saturday.

During World War II, those who had a bushel of corn ground into meal were given a certificate which could be taken to the store and entitled them to five pounds of flour. In 1918, this mill moved across the road where Mrs. Rob (Ellen) Parmer resides now. The reason for its relocation was the building of a new schoolhouse. The mill was sold in 1925 to Rob Palmer, who moved it to the south side of the lot. At one time the government shipped hundreds of bushels of wheat into Van Wert and Rob Palmer ground it into feed, graham flour and the breakfast food which was called "Georgie Porgie".

Another mill was built in 1883 one quarter of a mile north of the mill village of Van Wert. It was owned and operated by W.W. Morehaed. This mill was closed when the proprietor became "financially involved and discouraged and moved westward".

Still another water powered gristmill was located on Long Creek in Section 16 just south of the bridge. It was operated by Franklin Ramsey but unfortunately no dates are available concerning this mill.
 
BOARDWALKS
At one time a boardwalk followed the east side of Main Street from town to the cemetery. In 1909 cement walks were being installed at various areas of town. Under personal items in the Van Wert Record on June 24, 1909, it said, "Ed Owens and Bob Craft are busily engaged in laying cement. They are at present putting a walk in front of the Gould and H.O. Tuttle properties south of the Corbett House." Again, on August 12, 1909, "Owens and Craft are putting in a new cement walk along the east side of L.D. Kelley's and Mrs. Anna Fierce's residence properties in west Van Wert, and also a new crossing of the same material, across the street north from this walk."

Boardwalks were to become something of the past when this amendment to Ordinance No. 6 came to pass on August 4, 1910, "Be it enacted by the town council of the incorporated town of Van Wert, Iowa, that sections five (5) and six (6) of ordinance number six (6) be repealed, and following substituted therefore. All sidewalks hereafter constructed, bordering on Main Street in front of blocks two (2), seven (7) and eight (8) and south 83 l/3 feet of block one (1) of the incorporated town of Van Wert and the west half of block fifteen (15) bordering on Line Street in the Barr's addition to the town of Van Wert, shall be constructed of material known as cement and shall be ten (10) feet in width. All other sidewalks constructed in the incorporated town of Van Wert shall be built of material known as cement and shall be four (4) feet in width. This ordinance shall be in full force on and after its passage and publication. J.M. Halstead, Clerk. Ed Holt, Mayor".
 
THE VETERANS OF VAN WERT
"WE SALUTE YOU"
Bernard Michael Adams; Hoyle Anderson; Comrade Allison; Leonard Alms;
Dennis Baker; Edd Baker; Gerald Baker; Harold Baker;
Willard Baker; Don Beers; Richard Beers; Ira Bergin;
Eldon Binning; Michael Binning; Ralph Binning, Vern Binning;
Floyd Bishop; Jeff Blades; R.E. Blades; Edmund Blair;
Thomas Bludsoe; Mary Boatman; Harvey Carter; Rex C. Cisco;
Donald L. Collins; Fuel Collins; Ivan Corsbie; Merlin Corsbie;
David Cowden; Charles Cox; David M. Cox; Harold Critchfield;
Eugene Davenport; Glen H. Deemer; James R. Deemer; Gene DeVore;
Leo L. DeVore; William A. DeVore; Alvin Roy DeWild; Art DeWild;
Clarence Edge; Robert Edge; Shannon Edwards, Jr.; Charles Eischen;
Less Flaggard; Darel Foland; Donald Fry; Dwight Fry;
Earl Fry; Raymond E. Fry; Robert D. Fry; Roy Fry;
Luther Fuller; Marion Fuller; Ronald Fuller; Willard Fuller;
Carl Fullerton; Donald Fullerton; John Gibson; Frances E. Githens;
Marvin K. Gordon; Meryle L. Gordon; Ronald I. Gordon; Jim Gould;
Carroll E. Grimm; Dale E. Grimm; Robert Boatman; Everett A. Erb;
Carl Bradshaw; Earl Erickson; Robert E. Brand; Edd Erickson;
Fred Erickson; Herman Brown; Louis Evans; Owen Bulkeley;
Max Evans; O. Richard Bulkeley; Raymond Evans; Albert Bullard;
Err Fierce; Mott Buller; Bruce Finkbone; Comrade Hand;
Harold E. Jones; Harold Harlan; James R. Jones; Lowell Harlan;
John Jones; Orange V.L. Harper; Julian Jones; Leonard Hastings;
Walter Jones; H. Burbank Hatfield; Donald D. Kelley; Alan Heckathorn;
Earl E. Kempf; Loyd Heckathorn; A.O. Kennel; Guy A. Hess;
Donald Keyser; John Hildor; Gene King; Ronald E. Hoadley;
Kenneth Kinney; Lewis Holt; Lynette D. Kinzie; Clyde Hall;
Lawrence Hall; Ora Hall; Rolly Hall; Wilburn O. Hall;
Con C. McDowell; Gary L. McDowell; Ray D. McDowell; Fred McElwee;
Lyle McElwee; Carroll McKee; George M. McJimpsey; J.M. McJimpsey;
Frank McMurtrey; Howard H. Mills; D. Norman Moren; Joseph R. Moren;
Carl M. Morris; Donald D. Morris; Robert J. Horney; Bill Kirkpatrick;
Duane Houck; Kenneth Kirkpatrick; Elmer Houck; Robert E. Lee;
F. Dean Houck; Mart Leffler; Henry Houck; Dennis Lewis;
Howard Houck; Russell Lewis; Ralph R. Houck; William Lewis;
Forrest Housh; Jessie Logston; Charles Imhoff; Eldon Mallatt;
Earnie Irving; Glen Mallatt; Vernie Irving; Harry Mallatt, Jr.;
C.I. (Ike) Jackson; Max Mallatt; June Jackson; Wildan Kyle Mallatt;
Clyde Johnson; William R. Matheny; Robert Johnson; Richard McCarl;
Stan Johnson; Guy W. McCarty; Steve Johnson; Dean McConnell;
David Jones; Milo McConnell; Eugene H. Jones; Robert McConnell;
Ebenezer Price; Frank South; Edmund Ira Price; Ira Paul South;
Thomas Price; John Spencer; Paul O. Ramsey; Nelson Spencer;
Melvin Ramsey; Duane Spidle; Vego Rasmussen; Don Stark;
David Redman; Paul O. Stiles; Fredrick Redman; Larry Stream;
Maurice C. Redman; Benjamin Stubbs; Morris Redman; John Thompson;
Norman Redman; Marion Thompson; Leon Reed; Robert Throckmorton;
Russell Reed; Henry Tiedje; Paul W. Reeves; Malcolm Tiedje;
Frank Rush; William R. Tiedje; J.E. Rushing; Bobby Tompkins;
Herb Scadden; Raymond Tompkins; Gale M. Schuldt; Howard Schuldt;
Richard Tompkins; Louie Schuldt; Carrell O. Turner; Roscoe Scott;
Wildan Tuttle; Mankin Rey Sink; Arbor Twitzel; Ralph Sink;
Dorman Updike; Ray Sink; Randall Updike; Bert Simmerman;
Rowland Updike; Paul Simmerman; Barbara Upfield; Wray Simmerman;
James Upfield; Alfred Smith; Murray Upfield; Marion Morris;
Butler Mote; Comrade Mote; Lewis K. Murray; Denny D. O'Hair;
Dale O. Osenbaugh; Jeff A. Osenbaugh; Howard Palmer; Lloyd Palmer;
Paul Palmer; Lawney D. Parmer; Thomas Patterson; Irving Max Pelsor;
Merlin E. Pelsor; Larry Perry; Warren Petty; Donald Pierce;
Ronald Pierce; Donald Price; Avery T. West; Elba L. West;
Ira West; Willard West; Orlando Whitticar; H.O. Wilson;
William Wilson; Darryl Winn; Merlin D. Winn; Perry Winn;
Cecil Young; Clifford Young; Frank Young; Rick Schuldt;
and Hugh Reed; Fred Smith; Jack Smith; Harry Snider;
Lowell M. Snider; Richard Upfield; Robert Upfield; Worth Upfield
Harry Brown and Lowell Watson.
 
RECREATION
The people of our town were industrious and hardworking, but they had their times of fun, too, as they still do today. Several types of establishments have been opened from time to time with relaxation and enjoyment in mind. Then, too, many make out with what is around us every day, we make do with what we have and have a lot of fun while we're at it.
 
POOL HALLS
Pool halls have been housed in at least two places, each with several different operators. The earliest billiard parlor we could find record of was owned and operated by Roy black in 1921. It was located directly north of the Burkey Drug Store. Owners of the establishment following:
Roy Black include Ben Collins, Neil Sink, Burbank (Bunk) Hatfield (1938 - 39), Earl Clark (1939), Eddy Wilson, and in the 1950s, Ed Wynn.

After Wynn's hall closed, Melvin and Thelma Palmer started a grocery store, later sold it to John Doff, who in turn sold out to Conda and Darlene Downard. Dale and Renee Houck ran a recreation center here during the summer in approximately 1976 and 1977. Today the building is owned and maintained by the Van Wert Lions Club.

During the winter months, the community enjoys Bingo games each Saturday night sponsored by the Lions.

After Updike's Produce and Hatchery burned in 1943, a pool hall was built in its place. In the early 1950s, Ed Wynn moved his billiard parlor from north of the drug store here. Those later running the business in chronological order were:
Lefty Geist, Frances Hoham, Leonard Mallatt (l935), Lonnie Cowden (l954), Clay Wellman and Dennis Houck.

For a number of years (approximately 1974 to 1979) there have been men and women's pool tournaments in the local tavern. Each time contestants would play for approximately six weeks before a champion ruled. Both single and doubles tournaments were held. One double team winner was Jerry and Dorothy Parmer in 1977. Some of the singles champions and trophy winners are as follows:
Don McClure, 1974; Gloria McClure, 1974; Janie Hatfield, 1975;
Jerry Parmer, 1975, 1977 & 1979; Deanie Parmer, Erwin Parmer,
Gayle Norman, Randal Cox, Darlene Cox,
Rod Schuldt, Randy Schuldt, and Karen Schuldt.
 
SKATING
Winter months of by-gone days often found the youth of our community at the Reservoir fondly called "the Rez", located northeast of town, engaged in the sport of ice skating. Apparently, no one made it to the Olympics, but they still had a good time.

For a short time roller skating tried to make its mark near where Barger's Hardware was located. A few skates were purchased but it failed to "catch-on" with the community.
 
CARD SHACKS
A gentleman by the name of Roll Balls had a shop in the early 1950s where the men went to play cards. Later Harry DeVore's old barber shop, located on the northeast corner of Main Street became the Card Shack for a number of years until the little building met its fate at the mercy of a bulldozer blade.


Pages 122 - 129
 
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