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

1880 - 1980

4 - H
 
4-H Club work is too great a movement to be claimed by any one person.

Club work is a voluntary and one of the most unique educational programs of our times.

Based on everyday farm living, club work engages enthusiastic club members numbering today two million, and two hundred thousand adult leaders.

4-H is guided jointly by the Agriculture Extension Service of the United States Department of Agriculture and Land Grant Colleges.

4-H started in the early 1900s.

A member of one of the pioneer clubs in this area is Louise (Redman) Perry. Louise was a member in 1927 and 1928.

Madaline Schmidt and Louise won the county demonstration and attended the State Fair. Also, in 1928, Louise attended a 4-H short course on the campus at Ames.

In viewing the Decatur county Achievers historian books which can be found in the Decatur County Historical Building, we found that 100 pages would not hold all the information that should be written on the young people that belonged to this club and the outstanding work they did throughout the years.

Following are some of the members that have been active in the past years:
Leland Crees,Larry Crees,Glen Hembry,Willene Jones
Ray Jones, Wendell Jones, Jimmy Perry,Larry Perry,
Tommy Tompkins, Jon Redman, Jim Redman, Davy Redman,
Danny Jackson, Jon Jackson, Harriett Jackson,Ida Baker,
Gayla Cherington, Dennis Fierce, Larry Jackson, John Van Syoc,
Ronnie Gordon, Donnie Gordon, Kenny Gordon, Larry Bethards,
Linda Beardsley, Bobby Horney, Kathy Adams, Wilda Jones,
Kari J. Redman, Robert Redman, Roland Redman, Billy Rhodes,
Russell Horney, Richard Horney, Mike Adams, Darrell Redman,
Allen Binning, Ray Baker, Rick Gorsline, Ronal Gilbert,
Cherly Imhoff, David Beers, Lisa Beers, Debbie Jones,
Rick Beers, Owen Heckathorn, Brad Kinney, Steve Kinney,
Diana Beers, Lori Beers, Kelly Beers, Mark Beers,
Mark Wierenga, Teri Wierenga, Craig Wierenga, Charlotte Wierenga,
Richard Perry, Rod Schuldt, Randy Schuldt, Wendell (Jr.) Jones,
Billy Griffith, Allen Griffith, Melvin Warren, Renee Warren,
Becky Redman, Kevin Buckingham, Greg Kinney. 
    
Some of the active leaders are:
Don Beers,Don Redman, Nick Hembry,  
Hoyle Crees, Bob Redman, Leonard Redman, 
Raymond Redman, Jimmy Redman, James Horney,  
Bob Tompkins, Russell Fierce. 
Warren Jones, oldest son of David Jones, started the 4-H championship string for his family in 1938, when he showed the Decatur County Grand Champion. He repeated this performance every year through 1942.

The two big years were 1939 and 1942. He had Champion Hereford and Reserve Champion Shorthorn at the Iowa State Fair in 1939 and the Grand Champion at the Interstate in 1942.

The Girls' Decatur County Achievers Club was organized October 26, 1953, with 14 members. Officers elected were:

President, Elaine Catlett
Vice-President, Juliann Eilts
Secretary and Treasurer, Monica McMorris
Historian, Linda Mercer

Other members through the years have been:

Kay Jones, Ida Baker, Susan Driskill, Sandra Perry, Judith Cole, Willene Jones, Sharon Adams, Kari Redman, Marjorie Catlett, Sharon Catlett.

We find that most girls in the girls club were also members of the boys club.

Leaders of the girls clubs have been: Mrs. Hoyle Crees, Mrs. Gerald Bethards, Mrs. A.D. Driskill, Margaret Watson and Louise Perry.
 
AMERICAN LEGION
American Legion Posts were organized in towns of the county after World War I. These were named for the first man from the town to die in action or as a result of wounds. Post No. 236, Van Wert, was Fuller Post. These posts were very active in a social way, and in concern for the welfare of veterans. No records can be found when Post No. 236 disbanded.

Post No. 385, Van Wert, was organized in 1948. The following men were elected to fill officer positions:
Commander, Herman BrownVice-Commander, Owen Bulkeley Adjutant, Raymond Tompkins 
Finance Officer, Ivan CorsbieSargent at Arms, I.C. JacksonChaplain, S.C. Johnson 
 Historian, Elmer Houck.  
    
We find the following members on roster in 1949:   
Raymond Tompkins, Herman Brown, James Upfield, Paul Simmerman,
Robert Boles, Warren Jones, Edmond Price, Clarence Jackson,
Donald Kelley, Russell Reed, Ivan Corsbie, Elmer Houck,
Malcolm Tiedje, William Tiedje, David Jones, James Gould,
Donald Price, Owen Bulkeley, Robert Upfield, Nelson Rhoads,
S.C. Johnson, Charles Eischen, Herb Scadden, Joshua Jackson,
S.J. Edwards, Donald Bybee, John Zoffka, G.W. Wade,
Bennie Stubbs, Jesse Logsdon, and Hoyle Anderson.
 
AUXILIARIES
Auxiliaries consisted of wives, widows, sisters and daughters of those in the Legion or of deceased servicemen. The first Auxiliary was organized along with Post No. 236. The Auxiliary now in existence was organized in January, 1950.

Women elected officers were:

Lillian Jones, President; Helen Price, Secretary; Helen Tompkins, Treasurer.

The Van Wert Auxiliary is still an active club in our community. Following are the officers in 1980:

Elizabeth Carpenter, President; Nadine Redman, Vice-president; Edith Upfield, Secretary and Lucille Brown, Treasurer.
 
LIONS CLUB
The Van Wert Lions Club was organized in September of 1974. Harold Fullerton was a member of the Osceola Lions and was the main person in getting the Van Wert Club organized.
The charter members were:  
Harold Fullerton, President; Dean Houck, Secretary-Treasurer; Gerald Johnson, tail twister
Denny Schuldt, Layton Schuldt, Earl Stiles,
Owen Heckathorn, Larry Gegner, Ron Fry,
Larry Fry, Paul Heckathorn, Don Beers,
Denny Webb, Troy Updike, Bill Tiedje,
Malcolm Tiedje, George South, Chet Reed,
Jimmy Perry, Don McClure, J.C. O'Hair,
J.B. O'Hair, Howard Kastler, Dwaine Houck
 and Terry Hainline.  
   
The current members are:  
J.C. O'Hair, President; Harold Fullerton, Vice-President; Bill Rhodes, Secretary-Treasurer;
Bill Carroll, tail twister; Oral Boles, Dean Houck,
Kenny Sickles, Bill Tiedje, Malcolm Tiedje,
Gerald Akes, David Jones, Darwin Thayer,
Don Beers, Lyman Schuldt, Mike Rowe,
Merlin Pelsor, Denny Baker, J.B. O'Hair,
Don McClure and Don Kennedy.
The Lions met at the community hall until 1978 when they purchased a building of their own. The main fund raisers the Lions have had over the years are the concession trailer and weekly bingo games in the winter.

Some of the projects in the past are: sponsoring several cleanup days in conjunction with the Assembly of God Church, sharing the cost of Christmas movies and treats, and placing trash barrels around town. Some of the other things included collecting glasses for Iowa Blind Commission and fund raising for the Kim Overton family after their house burned.

The Lions have remodeled their building, adding a kitchen and lowering the ceiling. The building is open to people or organizations to use.

Some things in the future include building up the membership and spending more money for community projects.
 
THE COMMUNITY CLUB
The Community Club of Van Wert was organized in December of 1946, for the betterment of the community. Officers at that time were Wm. Spidle, secretary; and Wayne F. Thompson, treasurer.

The first project was the giving away of turkeys for Christmas. Also, the free show and candy bars for children. This project was yearly until the interest of the club was not sufficient enough to warrant a club.

Members in 1963 - 64 were:
Conda Downard, Nolan Foland, Ralph Lamoree, Neal Sink,
Kenneth Perry, Dean Houck, Wm. Tiedje, Bob Upfield,
Malcolm Tiedje, Don Beers, Gerald Johnson, Clay Wellman,
Wayne DeVore, Russell Fierce, Horace Redman, Paul Heckathorn
and Jimmy Redman.
 
MUTUAL IMPROVEMENT CLUB
The Mutual Improvement Club was organized in September, l9l9, and federated in November, l9l9, with 20 charter members.

Mrs. J.M. Halstead was installed as the first president. The charter members were:
Mrs. J.M. Halstead, Mrs. J.A. Hawkins, Mrs. Myron Phelps, Miss Margaret Edwards,
Miss Myrtle Edwards, Mrs. Harry Traupel, Mrs. Will Tiedje, Mrs. Clyde Gould,
Mrs. E.O. Stearns, Mrs. J.E. Prather, Mrs. W.F. Briner, Mrs. W.F. Blair,
Mrs. O.E. Burkey, Mrs. Harry Fisher, Mrs. C.G. Jones, Mrs. A.L. Belding,
Mrs. George Tallman, Mrs. Charles Fierce, Miss Rose Lamoree and Miss Eva Galloway.
The club disbanded in 1970 after 50 years of being an active social and service organization for the women of Van Wert and vicinity. For many years the M.I. Club sponsored a library in Van Wert. The books were donated by members, and supplemented by the State Traveling library in Van Wert.

Other projects were a Junior Club called "Treasure Seekers", career education, community club projects, and county and state federation programs. On three occasions, members of this club attended the national convention.

Three years after the club disbanded reunions were held for former members and their families. Mrs. E.O. Stearns of Los Angeles, California, is the only charter member still living.
 
MODERN WOODMEN OF AMERICA
This is a beneficiary society founded in 1884. Its membership in the early 1950s was 434,000.

The only information found on Van Wert Camp No. 4515 was the officers in the early 1900s:

Harry Traupel, VC; W.R. Fuller, WA; J.M. Allen, Clerk; J.E. Price, Banker; C.A. Walker, W.M. Wailes, and I.M. Fry, Managers.
 
GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC
An American Patriotic Organization, consisting of United States Armed forces Veterans of the Civil War, founded in Decatur, Illinois, during the winter of 1865 - 66. the organization, founded for the commemoration of dead comrades and the practice of fraternity and mutual assistance, held its first national "Encampment" in Indianapolis, on November 20, 1866; two years later the G.A.R. instituted Memorial Day.

(Note: Comrade used in veterans section on names that the first names were not known.)

Van Wert Post No. 205, G.A.R., was mustered in July 1883, with some thirty members. John Gimmel was the first commander. The officers in 1866 were:

Lewis Holt, commander; Nelson Spencer, senior vice-commander; J.N. Gibson, officer of the day; E.C. Wilson, adjutant.

Meetings were held on Saturday evening on or after each full moon.

Officers in 1914 were:

Lewis Holt, commander;
Will Fuller, Secretary; o
fficer of the day, J.N. McJimpsey;
officer of guards, Martin Leffler;
junior commander, Harvey Wilson;
junior vice-commander, J.E. Rushing;
and chaplain, John Woods.
 
BROTHERHOOD OF AMERICAN YEOMEN
This organization was taken from the British. It is comprised of a veteran company, consisting of old soldiers employed on grand occasions in conjunction with the Gentlemen-At-Arms as the bodyguard of the British Sovereign. The only information on the Van Wert Brotherhood of American Yeomen was the officers in 1914:

J.M. Halstead, hon. foreman; Frank C. Clanton, master of ceremonies; Frances Allen, correspondent;
I.M. Fry, master of accounts; C.M. Belding, chaplain; Mary Fry, overseer;
Hester Clanton, Lady Rowena,and Nettie McBee, Lady Rebecca.
 
THE GRANGE
We would have to believe that "The Grange" traditionally known as the "Order of the Patrons of Husbandry" was one of the first, if not the first, organization in this area. The Grange was established in 1868, in Iowa, Long Creek. Grange No. 619, was established on July 10, 1873. However, we do not have the records showing how long No. 619 was in existence. We do know that in Decatur County the Grange was still an educational impetus up until the 20th century in Iowa.

'The Granger's Ten Commandments'

(1) Thou shalt love the Grange with all thy heart and with all thy soul and thou shalt love they brother Granger as thyself.

(2) Thou shalt not suffer the name of the Grange to be spoken evil of, but shall severely chastise the wretch who speaks of it with contempt.

(3) Remember that Saturday is Grange Day. On it thou shalt set aside thy hoe, and rake, and sewing machine, and wash thyself, and appear before the Master of the Grange with smiles, and hearty cheer. On the fourth week thou shalt not appear empty handed, but shalt thereby bring a pair of ducks, a turkey roasted by fire, a cake baked in the oven, and pies and fruits in abundance for the harvest feast. So shalt thou eat and be merry, and "Frights and Fears" shall be remembered no more.

(4) Honor thy master, and all who sit in authority over thee, that the days of the Granges may be long in the land which Uncle Sam hath given thee.

(5) Thou shalt not go to law. (Lawyers).

(6) Thou shalt do no business on tick (Time).

(7) Thou shalt not leave straw but shalt surely stack it for the cattle in the winter.

(8) Thou shalt support the Granger's store for thus becometh thee to fulfill the laws of business.

(9) Thou shalt by all means have thy life insured in the Grange Life Insurance Company, that thy wife and little ones may have friends when thou art cremated and gathered unto thy Father.

(10) Thou shall have no Jewish middlemen between thy farm and Liverpool to fatten on thy honest toil, but thou shalt surely charter thine own ships, and sell thine own produce, and use thine own brains. This is the last and best commandment. On this hand all the law, and profits, and if there be any others they are these.

Choke monopolies, break up rings, vote for honest men, fear God and make money. So shalt thou prosper and sorrow and hard times shall flee away.
Pages 84 - 90
 
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