Thurman, Iowa; Thurman is a town of many names, it having the record for the most changes. It was established in 1856, and incorporated in 1879.
It was first called Studyville, then Fremont City. The following year a post office was established under the name Plum Hollow, and continued as such until 1885.
Abraham Fletcher who lived in this vicinity for five years, and owned many acres of land, laid the foundation for Fremont City. There being another town by the same name it was changed to Plum Hollow.
During the first administration of Grover Cleveland in 1885, it was changed to Thurman after the Vice President Thurman.
Abraham Fletcher built the first residence, opened the first store, and was the town's first Postmaster. Thurman was incorporated in 1879, with D.F. Mc Paul as mayor; W.R. Paul,
recorder, H.F. Reel, treasurer and C.M. Graves, marshall.
Around about the town were many plum thickets, and the hollows were full of brushes of all kinds. The plums were of different kinds, some red and some yellow. They were very good to eat.
People gathered many of them and dried them for winter use.
Two roads ran through the town, one north and south, and the other east and west. The first mill was run by water from Plum Creek and belonged to Burson and Taylor;
Seth Burson, and son Henry, and John Taylor and his son-in-law. They ground corn and wheat. A Mr. Ewell had a small dam across the creek and ran a saw mill.
By 1862, the community was quite well established and a few of the early families include the Forneys, Studys, Manns, Pauls and those previously mentioned.
The first school house was a one room frame building located in the southeast near what is known as “Grasshopper Hill”.
Source: by Mrs Fred Flatt
