'A CENTURY OF MEMORIES'
1880 - 1980 |
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 Scouting in Van Wert (both girls and boys) has lacked the
cooperation and leadership of adults, consequently, Scouting has been
started but always dropped.Boy Scouts started in 1951 and 1952 with Paul Heckathorn and Kenneth Perry as leaders. Members were:
Once again in 1961, Troop Charter No. 108 Boy Scouts was started with the cooperation of the community Club. Darwin Damewood was Scoutmaster. Members were:
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 Later leaders were J.B. O'Hair and Dennis Fierce.Cub Scouts was started with Weldon in the late 1960s. However, when the boys were old enough to go into Scouts, male leaders were not available and once again Scouting was dropped. Mary Fulton and Norma Reed were Den Mothers. Members were: Ricky Fulton, Chuck Reed, Monti Reed, Brad Kinney, Doug Cook, Richard Perry and Wayne Jones. No records can be found of Girl Scout Troops being chartered in Van Wert. However, the Van Wert girls that have been in Brownies and Girl Scouts in the Weldon Troop are: |
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| I.O.O.F. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Van Wert Lodge No. 212 was organized and granted charter on October 5, 1887, with the following charter members: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| The first officers of the lodge were: E.E. Garton, Noble Grand; W.H. Todd, Vice Grand; E.J. Blair, Secretary; and G.W. Hall, Treasurer. Membership in 1914 was 85 and with the following officers: Martin Myers, Noble Grand; Orbin Hanks, Vice Grand; I.M. Fry, Secretary; Joe Hampton, Treasurer; E.J. Blair, Chaplain In 1924, Weldon Lodge No. 441 was consolidated with Van Wert Lodge No. 212. An advertisement in the Van Wert Record September 3, 1908 read: IOOF Meet Every Saturday Evening; Transient Members are invited to attend. E.N. Hampton, V.G. Protem I.M. Fry, Secretary |
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| REBEKAHS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
 One of the main objects and purposes of the Rebekah Lodge is to visit and care for the sick, to relieve the distressed, to bury the dead, and in every way to assist their own members, and to assist subordinates and Sister Rebekah Lodges in kindly ministrations to the families of Odd Fellows when in trouble, sickness, or want. Rebekah Lodge No. 158, Van Wert, was active in the early 1900s. Officers in 1914 were: Leora Hedrick, Noble Grand; Artie Smith, Vice Grand; Mary Hampton, Secretary; Mattie Walker, Treasurer |
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| PROFESSIONAL MEN | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At Van Wert, there was a Dr. Darmeille in 1855 and 1856 and a Dr.
Powell after him. Very early in the town's history there camped by the
side of the road one night an emigrant by the name of Dr. Powell. The
next morning the neighbors were shocked to learn that during the night
his little baby had died. This raised the questions of a suitable place
to bury not only this baby, but all others that death was sure to claim
as time went on. At this time, Mr. Irving, ever in the forefront, gave
one acre of land located in the southwest corner of his quarter section
to be used as a public burying ground. Dr. B.R. Walker practiced at this point for over thirty-five years. Dr. Pugh came here from Green Bay Township, Clarke County, remained a short time and left in 1882. N.J. Hyatt came in 1882, also a Dr. W.H. Todd. Dr. Lindsay and Dr. Tallman came in 1885. Ads in the Van Wert Record of 1906 through 1908 state "V.T. Lindsay, M.D., Physician and Surgeon. All calls answered day or night. Van Wert, Iowa. Phone office or home."  Dr.
Tallman's ad also of the years through 1906 - 1908 said "Dr. G.D.
Tallman, M.D. Physician and Surgeon. All calls promptly attended. Van
Wert, Iowa."Dr. George Tallman was born at Burlington, Iowa, April 7, l862. He graduated from Marion Sims Medical College in April, 1898, St. Louis, Missouri. He first started his practice at Arispe, Iowa, coming soon after to Van Wert where he brought his bride Mary E. Barrett in 1909. Dr. Tallman made house calls with a horse and buggy. He finally did get a car, but his wife did not like to ride in the car. Dr. Tallman assisted at the birth of a lot of the people still living in 1980. He was known by his "white shirt and suspenders" in about every group picture. Sometimes he stayed all night in the homes of expectant mothers, then went about his house calls and came back again the next night if the baby took that much time. Dr. Tallman constructed a blacksmith shop for the town of Van Wert. Then rented it to Charlie Mallatt to help in the industry of our town. Dr. Tallman's home, which he also built, is the house one block east of Main Street known in 1980 as Rosamond Ramsey house. His office that he built was part of the brick building that is now a Post Office. He died February 1, 1936 at Decatur County Hospital and is buried at Green Bay Cemetery in Clarke County.  Dr.
Myron Phelps came to Van Wert in 1893. He attended the State University
of Iowa and was graduated in the class of 1891. He began his medical
practice at Harlan, where he stayed two years before coming to Van Wert.Dr. Phelps started practicing in the Van Wert area in the horse and buggy era. A clipping from the 1947 Journal-Reporter states Dr. Phelps related, "I used to know all the cow paths in this part of the country. I harnessed by horses three times in one night back in the early days of my practice." Dr. Phelps used to pull a lot of teeth when he first started in practice in Van Wert, because there was only one dentist in the county. Van Wert Community Club honored Dr. Phelps in February, 1947 on his 81st birthday that marked his fifty-fifth year as a physician. Within five minutes after arriving home from dinner held in his honor, he was called to the Wendell Turner home near Van Wert and it was the genuine pleasure he delivered twin daughters to Mr. and Mrs. Turner. Dr. Myron Phelps passed away in 1952 at the age of eighty-six. Mrs. Phelps died in 1959. Dr. Phelps' office was the lower half of the Telephone Company building one-half block east of Main Street. Dr. Enos Mitchell was in Van Wert in 1896. Ena Leffler Mahrenholtz Hoff was named after him. "Van Wert has a Dentist - December 23, 1909" was the heading from the Van Wert Record: "It is with the greatest pleasure that we announce to the people of Van Wert that we have a new dentist. This is a business that we have needed for a long time as many hundreds of dollars have been spent elsewhere for dental work by our Van Wert people. Dr. and Mrs. Roush are young people of Carlisle and wish to make this their home but that will depend on you. While we have the greatest respect for the neighboring dentists, who we have had to patronize at different times, yet we do want a resident dentist who will be a Van Wert citizen and spend his money here. Dr. Roush will have his office at the Palace Hotel for the present, until better accommodations can be found. Take him your work today and show us that your heart is on the right side." On January 13, 1910, "Mrs. Roush went to Carlisle Wednesday morning via Des Moines. She will immediately attend to have the doctor's office equipment shipped to Van Wert. The Doctor will equip the east room upstairs in the Barr Building, making it one of the best furnished offices in this section." A September 15, 1910 ad in the paper said 'Dr. C.M. Roush, Resident Dentist, office upstairs with Dr. Tallman, Weldon-Tuesday and Saturday until 4 p.m. phone 31.'  Dr.
C.L. Wing (1886 - 1965) lineage can be traced back ten generations to
Matthew Wing (1584 - 1614) of Branbury, England. His first ancestor in
America was Stephen Wing (1621- 1710), one of the founders of the town
of Sandwich Massachusetts. The Wing family home still stands in
Massachusetts and is a restored historical site which can be toured
today.Dr. C.L. Wing was known to family and friends as "Doc Wing" or "Lee". He was a kind and caring man. His grandchildren have many happy memories of the house on the hill across from Davy Jones place. Lee spent most of his 79 years of life in Van Wert, Decatur County, and in Lucas County. As the country vet, "Doc Wing" was a familiar sight driving his Model-T and Model-A Ford in all kinds of weather on the dirt roads of Iowa, carrying his little black bag. Lee's parents, C.W. (Casper Wistor) and Fannie (Allard) Wing moved to Derby in Lucas County, Iowa in 1869 and lived there for 41 years. Lee spent his childhood in Lucas County schools and went on to further education at the Chicago Veterinary College where he graduated on April 7, 1912. He began his veterinary practice at Derby and then came to Van Wert where he continued his practice for nearly fifty years. Lee married Alice (Lazear) Wing March 12, 1913. Their son, William F. Wing, grew up, going to Van Wert Schools and then on to further education at Drake Law School and University of Iowa Law School, graduating on June 5, 1942. "Doc Wing's" epitaph written by his son, William, in 1965 and felt deeply by his grandchildren as well, was very appropriate. "He spent his life alleviating pain in his family and friends as well as in the animals he cared for." As a result he received the love and respect of his many relatives and friends. He was a member of Jacinth Lodge No. 443 A.F. & A.M. of Weldon for over fifty years. Masonic graveside services were conducted at Derby, Iowa. A few memories about the loveable Dr Wing, who truly loved his occupation and worked for the public were: When Dr. Wing first started his practice, there were supposedly plenty of rough characters in the area. He once carried a gun on his trip west of Van Wert. His team ran away and Dr. Wing had to walk all the way home. He carried the gun home and put it away -- always said it was too heavy and didn't need it after that. Even the children loved Dr. Wing. If he was passing by when the kids were walking to or from school, he always stopped and gave them a ride. One time when the B.F. Redman family had a sick steer, Dr. Wing was called to come. The Redman family also had a lot of sheep. It was common to give the baby lambs some whiskey when they were first born and weak, so Dr. Wing asked if there was some whiskey available. They had about 1/2 pint of whiskey so when they gave the whiskey to Doc, he said, "That steer is just the same as dead so the whiskey won't help him a bit." Doc then uncorked the whiskey and drank it himself. Pages 90 - 94 |
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