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1907 Past and Present of Greene County, Iowa
Scranton

The town of Scranton owes its existence to the Cedar Rapids & Missouri River Railroad (now the Chicago & Northwestern), which completed its line through Greene county during the year 1866. The distance from Jefferson to the west line of the county is about fourteen miles, hence it was inevitable that a new center of trade should he demanded over on the west side. In January, 1867, the first regular train reached the site of the present town of Scranton, in Scranton township, nine miles west of Jefferson. Not until a year later was the station house built, and the town was not platted until the summer of the year 1869, by the Blair Town Lot Company, who named the new village Scranton in honor of Mr. Scranton, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, who was interested in the big rolling mills of that city, from which was obtained a large portion of the iron rails used in the construction of the railway. Charles H. Dowd bought the first lot January 31, 1870, upon which himself and H. C. Smith built a store. R. P. and D. R. Amsden built a dwelling, and then C. J. Quinn and D. J. Sheldon built on the west side of Main street, and soon after started a lumber yard. The first freight received at the station was in March, 1868. The postoflice was established in the summer of the same year, with M. O. Robertson as postmaster. In 1870, also, a boarding-house and hotel by Daniel and Lydia Vader, a blacksmith shop by John Shimer, and a school house were built. About the first residents of the town may be said to have been John Bolan, M. O. Robertson, C. H. Dowd, H. C. Smith, the Amsdens, Vaders, C. J. Quinn, D. J. Sheldon and Dr. James Pressnell, up to the beginning of 1871. In the autumn of 1869 I. H. Adams built a grain warehouse and shipped the first grain brought to this market. The growth of Scranton was very slow for six years after the advent of the railroad when it seemed to burst upon property owners and outsiders that the location had great merits, that it was nine miles east and sixteen west to a competing town, while north and south the country tributary to it was well nigh limitless. So the year 1874 was one of marked prosperity and new enterprises sprang into existence. Two or three stores and several dwellings were built, the Hunter House and the United Brethren church were erected, a printing office set up and a newspaper (the Gazette) issued. The following year the town built up astonishingly, and some forty buildings were commenced and completed at an aggregate cost of not less than $40,000. The two elevators, school house, four large stores and a large livery barn were among those built. The agricultural population increased in about the same proportion. In June, 1885, the population of the village was 234. Ten years later the state census gave the number of inhabitants to be 714; an increase of more than 200 per cent in ten years. The town has always enjoyed a good local trade, its tradesmen have been liberal and noted for fair dealing. The population at present is about 900. INCORPORATION The incorporation of Scranton as a town was effected in July, 1880, and the first meeting of the council was held July 6 of that year. The oflicers elected each year since have been: 1880 Mayor, Henry Phelps Trustees, I. H. Adams, James Park, H. Coleman, E. P. Phelps, J. J. Allen and John Osborne Recorder, M. L. Lewis Treasurer, B. F. Roberts Marshal, Frank Gibson Street commissioner, George Allen 1881 Same as in 1880, except that the oflice of marshal and street commissioner were consolidated. 1882 Mayor, F. Ball Trustees, James Presnell, J. J. Allen, John Osborne, James Park, I. H. Adams and H. Coleman Recorder, T. J. Wilhite Assessor, T. Andrews Marshal and street commissioner, George Allen 1883 Mayor, F. Ball Trustees, John Osborne, H. Anderson, P. F. Willoughby, J. J. Allen, I. H. Adams and James Park Recorder, J. W. Vader Treasurer, B. F. Roberts Marshal and street commissioner, George Allen 1884 Mayor, Perry D. Rose Trustees, A. L. Syphers. T. P. LaRue, H. Anderson, James Park, I. H. Adams and John Osborne Recorder, J. W. Vader Treasurer, F. E. Fuller Marshal, P. A. Smith Street commissioner, B. Brader 1885 Mayor, F. E.Fuller Trustees, P. F. Willoughby, S. E. Shaw, John Osborne, A. L. Syphers, H. Anderson and T. P. LaRue Recorder, J. W. Vader Assessor, Scott Barber Treasurer, F. E. Fuller Marshal, P. A. Smith Street commissioner, B. Brader 1886 Mayor, E. P. Phelps Trustees, B. F. Roberts, A. T. Cox, A. F. Young, P. F. Willoughby, Allen Glenn and S. E. Shaw Recorder, J. W. Vader Treasurer, Charles Ensign Marsha1, W. W. Richards Street commissioner, R. Brader 1887 Mayor, E. P. Phelps Recorder, J. W. Fletcher Councilmen, A. F. Young, P. F. Willoughby, S. E. Shaw, W. J. Kinnett, B. F. Roberts 1888 Mayor, E. P. Phelps Recorder, J. W. Fletcher Councilmen, A. F. Young, S. E. Shaw, A. T. Cox, W. J. Kinnett, E. F. Bell 1889 Mayor, P. P. Pitcher Recorder, J. W. Fletcher Councilmen, T. W. Vance, S. E. Shaw, H. J. Worsley, W. J. Kinnett, A. F. Young, E. F. Bell 1890 Mayor, P. P. Pitcher Recorder, J. W. Fletcher Councilmen, T. W. Vance, H. B. Schoonover, H. J. Worsley, S. E. Shaw, J. J. Allen, E. F. Bell 1881 Mayor, Robert Eason Recorder, W. T. Sherman Councilmen, P. P. Pitcher, John Osborne, J. J. Allen, H. B. Schoonover, H. J. Worsley 1892 Mayor, R. Eason Recorder, W. N. Black Councilmen, H. J. Worsley, J. J. Allen, Scott Barber, John Osborne, H. B. Schoonover 1893 Mayor, R. Eason Recorder, W. T. Sherman Councilmen, H. J. Worsley, J. J. Allen, Scott Barber, John Osborne, H. B. Schoonover 1894 Mayor, S. L. Eason Recorder, W. T. Sherman Councilmen, P. P. Pitcher, H. J. Worsley, J. J. Allen, John Dowling, John Osborne 1895 Mayor, John Dowling Recorder, W. T. Sherman Councilmen, John Osborne, J. J. Allen, James Burke, M. Sexton, E. E. Cressler, H. B. Schoonover 1896 Mayor, John Dowling Recorder, W. T. Sherman Councilmen, E. E. Cressler, M. Sexton, James Burke, John Osborne, H. F. Rogers 1897 Mayor, F. E. Foster Recorder, W. T. Sherman Councilmen, E. E. Cressler, John Osborne, J. J. Allen, H. F. Rogers, A. W. Leonard 1898 Mayor, J. B. Garland Recorder, F. E. Foster Councilmen, J. J. Allen, A. W. Leonard, John Osborne, F. Stewart, A. T. Cox, H. F. Rogers 1899 Mayor, J. B. Garland Recorder, W. S. Hall Councilmen, John Osborne, E. E. Cressler, J. J. Allen, H. F. Rogers, F. Stewart, A. T. Cox 1900 Mayor, W. W. Anderson Recorder, John R. Black Councilmen, A. T. Cox, James Burke, H. F. Rogers, James Holden, O. N. Wright, E. L. Phelps 1901 Mayor, W. W. Anderson Recorder, John R. Black Councilmen, A. T. Cox, James Burke, H. F. Rogers, James Holden, O. N. Wright, E. L. Phelps 1902 Mayor, W. W. Anderson Recorder, J. R. Black Councilmen, E. A. Olive, S. G. Barker, H. F. Rogers, H. J. Worsley, J. W. Holden, James Burke 1903 Mayor, W. W. Anderson Recorder, J. R. Black Councilmen, Lee Davis, J. W. Holden, H. F. Rogers, E. A. Olive, Ed. Hall, H. J. Worsley 1904 Mayor, C. C. Quinn Recorder, J. R. Black Councilmen, J. W. Holden, Lee Davis, Ed. Hall, S. Sease, H. J. Worsley, H. F. Rogers 1905.—Mayor, C. Black; councilmen, JC.. WQ.uiHnonl;derne,corLdeeer, DJa.vis, Ed. Hall, S. Sease, H. J. Worsley, H. F. Rogers 1906 Mayor, C. C. Quinn Recorder, H. W. Gould Councilme-n, J. W. Holden, Lee Davis, Ed. Hall, S. Sease, H. J. Worsley, H. F. Rogers 1907 Mayor, C. C. Quinn Recorder, H. W. Goul Councilmen, J. W. Holden, Lee Davis, Ed. Hall, S. Sease, H. J. Worsley, H. F. Rogers GENERAL BUSINESS INTERESTS The Scranton Norman Horse Company was incorporated in December, 1883, with sixteen members and paid-up stock to the amount of $4,000. The first officers were: President, J. E. Moss; treasurer, John Osborne; secretary, B. F. Roberts. The object of the association was to breed superior horses for farm work. Their business grew into extensive proportions and was prosperous for a time, but later owing to the marked depression in the value of horses, they closed out the business of the company. In the year 1885 the Scranton Tile, Brick and Stoneware Company organized and commenced manufacturing products for which there was a steady and active demand. The capital stock was $6,000, all owned by seven men. The yards were located southeast of the station, enjoying good shipping facilities, and a force of ten men were employed the year round. Changes of residence and a lessened demand for their wares led to a suspension of the business about fifteen years ago. The leading manufacturingbusiness now carried on in Scranton is conducted by C. J. Quinn & Co. They manufacture a line of novelties in the form of automatic watering basins, chimney tops, calf weaners, etc., and are building up a large and profitable business, employing several salesmen on the road. NEWSPAPERS W. W. Yarman launched the Scranton Gazette upon the sea of journalism in January, 1875. It passed into the hands of a man named Brown, who made it a Greenback organ. He was a free lance, and was in a class all by himself, as far as editorial work has been known in this county. He went for the weak spots in the armor of men in the public eye, and then he transfixed them where the public eye got a good vision of them from the Brown view point. He was caustic and fearless, and no one knew whom he would shake up as his next victim. His paper was eagerly looked for and sought for, just for the satisfaction of knowing what would be said about the “other foolish man.” Probably no man ever on the tripod in Greene county was feared as was Brown. He went to Jefferson with his outfit, but made but a brief stay at the county seat. The Journal was first issued in 1879 by H. O. Beatty, who sold it three years later to H. G. McCulloch & Son. February 8, 1884, the McCullochs sold to P. A. Smith, who has published the paper from that day to the present, nearly twenty-four years. His is the longest continuous term of journalistic service in Greene county, and but few outrank him in this respect in northwestern Iowa. The Free Press was started byM. M. Mahoney in September, 1886, but was a short-lived venture. LAWYERS Scranton has had its full quota of attorneys, but as a rule they have not continued long in practice at that point. Wm. M. Langley was the first to locate. He was soon followed by Lucius Barnes and Perry D. Rose. The last named built up a good practice, was mayor of the city and identified with the material interests of the town, but went to Jefferson to form a partnership with I. D. Howard. John H. Jackson succeeded Rose, coming from Jefferson (where he had been assistant clerk of courts for four years) in the early 90’s. Two years later he sold out to C. E. Reynolds, of Carroll, and went to Sioux City, where he has since been in active practice. He is now state Senator from Woodbury county. After a brief period of practice, Reynolds sold out to B. O. Clark, who remained as the only lawyer at the west end until he was elected county attorney, about four years ago, when he moved to the county seat. He still retains an interest in legal business at Scranton, having formed a partnership with a Mr. Bowman soon after his removal. The firm is Bowman & Clark. Burt Bossert, of Jefferson, also went to Scranton, after a term of service in the county clerk’s office and established himself in the practice of law, but after a year moved to the Pacific coast, locating in Seattle, where he now resides. PHYSICIANS Dr. James Pressnell was Scranton’s first physician, commencing practice in that village in 1872, and continued to enjoy an extensive and successful business until the year 1883. when he died. Doctor Olive made his first visit to Scranton in 1868, but remained only a short time. In 1872 he returned with a view of being a permanent resident, and opened the first drug store in the village soon after his arrival. Two years later, 1874, he established himself in the practice of medicine, continuing the same until the time of his death, in 1893, with excellent results. He was a native of England. Dr. James Saunders commenced the practice of medicine in 1882 and continued as a successful practitioner until the time of his deatn, in 1889. W. C. Davis, B. H. Hoover and E. A. Gleason, each resided here for a time as local physicians, but their terms of service were not long. Dr. B. C. Hamilton came to Scranton in the early 90’s and after a few years’ practice, removed to Jefferson, where he is now one of the resident physicians. At present there are three local doctors rendering excellent service in Scranton: Drs. J. W. Presnell, S. A. Arthur and S. M. Kline, making an honorable record as their predecessors have done. BANKS T. P. LaRue established the Bank of Scranton in 1877, and conducted its interests successfully until 1885, when he sold to Robert Eason, who managed it in connection with his son Willis Eason as cashier for about ten years when they went to California, engaging in the banking business at Pasadena. The capital of the Bank of Scranton was reported to be $40,000. The Easons sold out to John Minchin; and he, about the beginning of the new century, transferred his interest to W. W. Anderson, who, in company with Charles Bofink and Henry Haag, reorganized the bank of which he is the cashier. Its dependable capital is $50,000, and it is enjoying a large and increasing patronage. In the early 90’s, Perry Pitcher established a bank under the firm name of Perry Pitcher & Co., which has since been under his exclusive management. It has won the confidence of the community and is doing a good business. Those who are interested in comparisons will note great changes in the business interests of Scranton and the men managing the same during the past twenty years. The following were actively engaged, as indicated, in 1886: Adams & Saunders, millinery J. J. Allen, harness A. Arkwright, restaurant Mrs. O. S. Baldwin, millinery J. Brader, carpenter and house builder H. O. Brock, billiard hall M. Butler, shoe shop A. H. Carey, general merchandise, grain, lumber, coal and lime Arthur Carney, restaurant H. Coleman, livery C. W. Cressler & Co., general merchandise D. G. Cromwell, notary public and insurance J. Dorcas, musical instruments and sewing machines J. Dowling, general merchandise F. D. Dunbar, livery D. D. Dunning, carpenter and house builder R. Eason, Bank of Scranton T. W. Egbert, painter Charles Ensign, drugs Fuller & Carey, hardware E. Hansel, jeweler M. Johnson, jeweler H. P. Jones, carpenter and house builder I. H. Jones, postmaster Lewis, Stiegerwalt & Co., general merchandise Lewis, Theodore & Co., hardware J. Lucraft, Scranton House M. M. Mahoney, editor Free Press R. McNeil, billiard hall T. B. Moore, attorney R. Olive, druggist and physician John Osborne, grain, lumber, coal and lime M. S. Patten, carpenter and house builder Park & Dawson, agricultural implements Henry Phelps, grain, lumber and hardware S. Randall, carpenter and house builder W. W. Richards, wagon maker B. F. Roberts, drugs Schoonover & Frost, blacksmiths S. Sease, meat market W. L. Sexton, blacksmith P. A. Smith, editor Journal J. Stribling, painter A. L. Syphers, meat market Vroman & Willoughby, furniture W. M. Warner. general merchandise T. J, Wilhite, barber A. J. Wood, general merchandise Scranton is rated as one of the best business points in Greene county. It has two good elevators, connected with which are lumber yards and coal sheds. They are conducted by Davis & Milligan and John Osborne. The various stores are well equipped for business, the oldest dry goods house being the Cressler’s, which has been doing business actively for a quarter of a century. POSTMASTERS M. O. Robertson was Scranton’s first postmaster. He carried the office - or at least the mail - in his pocket, delivering letters, etc., in the streets as he would meet people. He was succeeded by H. C. Smith; he by Miss C. A. Vader; she by I. H. Jones; he by P. A. Smith; he by J. B. Lower; and the present incumbent is W. E. McCracken. FIRE PROTECTION No regularly organized fire company has ever served the city of Scranton, but in 1883 the municipality purchased a force pump, hooks and ladders, hose cart and 350 feet of hose. It is a strange fact that one of the most serious fires ever occurring inside the city limits was a disastrous happening the spring after this fire protection plant was bought. At that time the Scranton House, a furniture store, drug store and two unoccupied buildings were destroyed, inflicting a damage of $10,000, with insurance a little more than one-half that amount. The fire occurred in the spring of 1884. The hotel was soon rebuilt and while on fire once since, it still stands and has been continuously in service. Scranton’s second serious fire was the burning of the Cressler elevator, and fortunately the building being in a way isolated, no further damage was done. The loss was quite heavy, but Mr. Cressler rebuilt as soon as practicable, and continued to conduct the grain and lumber business for several years thereafter, when he sold the entire traffic to Messrs. Davis and Milligan, who are at present owners of the plant. The third and most destructive by far of the fires that invaded Scranton territory occurred in September, 1901. It broke out about 10 o’clock in the evening, and a strong south wind was blowing. The facilities for fighting fire were not first class, and it got beyond control in a short time. Before it could be checked, twenty-one buildings had been destroyed, entailing a loss of about $40,000. For a time it seemed as if the destruction would be still greater, as twice it crossed the street, setting fire to the hotel and other buildings which were finally saved. Twice the station was on fire, but the flames were extinguished. It is to the credit of Scranton that as a town it has recovered from the effects of this terrific confiagration and is better built than before. It has been seriously scourged by the fiery element. PUBLIC SCHOOLS The privileges of the Scranton public schools up to the year 1885 were not first class. No grades had been established, and yet there were nearly two hundred pupils in the district. The year mentioned a two-story frame school house, with four rooms, was built at a cost of eight thousand dollars, and it still answers the needs of the district. Six teachers are employed, and the course of study and progress made is fully abreast of the other provincial schools of the county. The first principal was E. S. Bell; grammar school, Mamie Coleman; intermediate, Mrs. Josie McGowan; primary, Elsie Lucraft. The teaching corps for 1907-’08 are: Principal, K. C. Lancelot; high school, Grace S. Kane and Belle Westervelt, the last named being also music teacher; grammar, Gertrude Barnard; intermediate, May Sayer; second primary, Katherine Bayley; primary, Clara B. Johnson. The board of education is: President, W. E. Marchant, C. W. Cressler, A. H. Fey, L. Bartlett, H. J. Hockett. CHURCHES UNITED BRETHREN - The first religious society organized in Scranton was the United Brethren, under the ministerial leadership of Rev. John Chase, during the year 1871. This society, with the generous assistance of others, erected the first house of worship in the town in 1874, dedicating it between Christmas and New Year’s of that year. It is a substantial structure, 26 x 44 feet, and cost $1,700. The pulpit has been filled by the following pastors: Revs. Roberts, Bufkin, Crawford, Buxton, Young, Curtis, Snyder, Cronk, Talbott. For the past ten years the church has been steadily losing members, and is now in a very much weakened condition financially and also in a numerical sense. Its future is a bit problematieal. Rev. G. N. Arnold is the present pastor. METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH - The Scranton circuit was established in April, 1871, a little more than one year after the first lot was sold in the town. The parsonage was built before the church, during the pastorate of Rev. E. P. Vail, in 1875, at a cost of $600. Three years later the first church was built, while Rev. J. D. Moore was occupying the pulpit and cost $2,400. The pastors since the organization of the church have been as follows: Rev. L. Boran, 1871-’72; Rev. L. McK. Campbell, 1872-’73; Rev. G. W. Shelby, 1873-’74; Rev. E. P. Vail, 1874-’75; Rev. B. T. Durfee, 1875-’77; Rev. W. C, Smith, 1877-’78; Rev. J. D. Moore, 1878-’80; Rev. A. B. Shipman, 1881-’82; Rev. A. G. Foreman, 1882-’83; Rev. D. O. Stewart, 1883-’85 ; Rev. W. Abraham, 1885-’87; John Elliott, 1887-’88; R. J. Tennant, 1888-’89; D. O. Stewart, 1889-’90; John Hestwood, 1890-’91; J. E. Nichol, 1891-’96; A. M. Lott, 1896-’99; R. W. Smith, 1899-1900; W. H. H. Smith, 1900-’02; F. Homan, 1902-’04; J . W. Taylor, 1904-’06; W. H. Barton, 1906-’07. The man now on the field is Rev. E. M. Hoff. During the year 1905, the society having outgrown the old church, built a new and elegant edifice at a cost of about $15,000. While it is not the largest, it is one of the best appointed and handsomely furnished churches in the county. It has a splendid chorus choir, under the leadership of Mr. John Black, and a flourishing Sunday school, of which Mr. Harvey L. Greene is the eflicient superintendent. THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH was organized in the spring of 1886 with twenty-seven members and within a year had increased the membership to one hundred and twenty-seven. The Presbyterian society had built a church in 1879 at a cost of $2,500, but finding it impossible to keep up the expenses of their organization, sold their church edifice to the trustees of the Christian church for $1,250. The first pastor was Rev. John A. Linder, of Coon Rapids, and the first Sunday school superintendent was S. E. Loomis. The school at that time numbered about one hundred on its rolls. The church is now under the pastoral care of Rev. D. S. Thompson, has more than one hundred members. and is well unified and prospering. The Sabbath school and young people’s societies are well maintained and are increasing in numbers and usefulness. CATHOLIC CHURCH, Scranton, was organized in January, 1871, in the early days of the history of the town. The first house of worship was built in 1890, and having had no settled priest, they have been supplied from other parishes. A few years ago they were associated with Jefferson, and receive ministrations every Sunday from Rev. Father O’Reilly, whose home is in Jefferson. Hence, with regular services, their growth has been steady and they are now a large and prosperous congregation. The larger portion of the membership are farmers living in the vicinity of Scranton. CHRIST'S SCANDINAVIAN CHURCH was organized in Scranton, July 31, 1898, with a membership of twenty-two. It has prospered and grown in strength from its beginning, and now numbers seventy members. The Danes are very loyal to their faith. M. Johnson, the jeweler at Scranton, is the foreman and Sunday School superintendent. The meetings are held in the west end of town in a building formerly used as a house of worship by the Free Methodists, whose dissolution is a part of the history of years agone. CIVIC SOCIETIES GOLDEN GATE LODGE, No. 402, A. F. & A. M., was organized in Scranton June 18, 1880, with the following list of charter members and officers: W. M., Hardin Hatch; S. W., Frederick Ball; J. W., James Park; secretary, I. H. Adams; Harmon Anderson, A. Strong, W. M. Langley, Theodore Funk, T. P. La Rue, Dr. James Presnell, Andrew M. Carr, S. H. Templeton, D. B. Haight, John W. Cornish, William Hunter and John Brown. The lodge now numbers sixty members in good standing, and is in splendid working order. The present officers are: W. M., Willis E. Fielding; S. W., W. W. Anderson; J. W., F. W. Matthews; secretary, A. E. Adams; treasurer, Scott Barber. CRESCENT CHAPTER No. 7, O. E. S., the auxiliary of Golden Gate lodge, has had an existence for many years, and is in a flourishing condition. SCRANTON LODGE No. 357, I. O. O. F., is the oldest of all the Scranton civic societies, having been organized October 30, 1876, with Henry Hensen, who is still a resident of Scranton, as its first noble grand. The lodge has now upon its rolls ninety members in good standing and is in a prosperous condition socially and financially. THE ORDER OF AMERICAN YEOMAN, No. 126, opened its doors for the reception of members January 16, 1899, and has a steady, strong and healthy growth. It is one of the vigorous orders and is prospering finely. THE MODERN WOOMEN OF AMERICA LODGE was organized in Scranton on the 31st day of September, 1894, with a charter membership of twenty-one. Now it has upon its rolls a list of one hundred and forty-five members in good standing, and is in a very flourishing condition. Its auxiliary, “The Royal Neighbors,” is gaining in membership and very prosperous. HAWKEYE HOMESTEAD No. 11 is the youngest of Scranton’s benevolent and fraternal institutions, having been organized in March, 1906. It has not much of a history, but a bright future, as its growth has been very encouraging to those who have stood by its destinies during the past year. Two accidental deaths and one suicide form a sad chapter in Scranton township happenings: Three men - lawyers Beals, Perry D. Rose and a man named William Wilkinson - left Scranton early one morning (Saturday, December 3, 1885), on a hunting trip. They were in quest of ducks and went directly to a pond - or slough - not far from the village. While in a boat, they heard the sound of flying ducks, and doubtless to get steadier territory from which to shoot, the craft was run up to a muskrat house and Wilkinson stepped on the top of it pulling his gun toward him as he left the boat. In some way the hammer caught, the gun was discharged and the contents entcred his body, producing instant death. He was a steady, industrious young man, held in high esteem by all who knew him. On a summer day of the year 1893, George B. Amsden, a son of D. R. Amsden, living west of Scranton, came to the village on an errand. In returning home he followed the railway track, which led him close to quite a pond which had been made by the excavating of a large amount of gravel used for ballasting purposes. Here he found a number of young friends bathing and in the thought of good fellowship he joined them. Shortly after he was missed and search being made, his body was found, but life was extinct. The causes that led to his sad and sudden death will never be well known, but he was doubtless taken with a cramp and helplessly perished within sight and call of his companions. He was nearly twenty-two years of age, a young man of the home, representing the best there is in a hopeful young manhood. The sorrow on account of his death was universal, reaching bevond the family circle where he had been an ideal son and brother. One of the inexpressibly sad events happening in Scranton township was the tragic death of Mr. Thomas W. Rhoads, a man highly respected in the community where he lived, by his own hand on the 18th of January, 1902. Not long prior to this date he had sold his farm one mile east of the village and bought another, and after the deal was made, he seemed to grow despondent, unlike his former self. The family noticed the change in his general demeanor, but could apply no helpful remedy. It is thought that in a season of temporary insanity, the result of his unhappy broodings, he took his gun and shot himself through the heart. He was a man fifty years old and leaves a widow and seven children to mourn the death of a kind, generous husband and an indulgent father. Jerome W. Teitsort, a veteran of the civil war, was instantly killed at Scranton in Sep tember, 1903, by a passing railway train. He moved to the west part of the county not long after his discharge and was spending his remaining years in happy content. In addition to the weight of years, he was very deaf, yet he managed to get down into the business district nearly every day. He was usually quite cautious when crossing the tracks, but the morning of his untimely death a strong wind was blowing and he failed to see the approaching train until it was too late to save himself. He was thrown a number of feet by the force of the moving train, and never regained consciousness. He was a good citizen, and had an honorable record as a soldier - enlisting in the Tenth Infantry. A TORNADO OF THE LONG AGO The climatic conditions of Greene county, as a rule, are above and beyond criticism, yet in an early day the “mad elements” now and again raged. June 18, 1871, witnessed one of these terrible storms over in the west part of the county. The day was pleasant, a delightful Sabbath, and the inhabitants of Scranton township had been to the village bearing that name for worship in the little old schoolhouse in use at that time, and safely returned to their widely separated homes. Slowly the clouds began to spread over the sky, and as the afternoon merged into evening, the heavens took on an inky blackness and the storm burst through the apparently open gates from the west upon a narrow strip of country and the tornado was on in its indescribable fury. The work of destruction began a short distance west of the village of Scranton and the cyclone moved in a southeasterly direction, and nothing in its path escaped. Only because the region of its irresistible swirl was sparsely settled was the world spared the story of a devastation that would have been appalling. The hair breadth escape, sufferings and losses of one family go far toward making the event tragical. This fated household, more than any others, were in the very teeth of the storm. On section 26, township 83, range 32, a pioneer named J. W. Huntington, had recently settled. A house and barn had been constructed, crops were growing and while the resident owner was teaching the village school at Scranton, a brother-in-law was working the farm. He had a wife and one child; a sister lived with them with three small children - one an infant - and the grandfather of these children and Mr. Huntington made up a group that was in the house when it was set upon by the relentless fury of the storm. In that cyclone was a howling tempest of wind, rain falling in tortents, hail, clouds of earth from the loose prairie soil and accompanying displays of lightning between whose lurid and blinding flashes there was no interval, and peals of thunder whose reverberations were lost in the hurricane’s roar. The terror stricken occupants waited breathlessly for the work of dreadful ruin to commence, and it soon came, but not one of the number can tell the story as to how the house was wrecked or the freaks of the storm in that hour. They were helplessly buried, most of them under the fallen timbers and several of their number must have perished had it not been for the splendidly loyal service rendered by one man, Mr. Lorenzo Amsden, who by some peculiar inspiration, born of the hour, became so strongly impressed by the fact that there was trouble over at Huntingtons, that in spite of the reiterated assertions of a number who had come together after the storm had passed, he said the house three miles away was surely gone. Acting on this belief, he mounted a horse without saddle or bridle and sped toward what he believed to be the wrecked home. The crowd waited for his report. When half way to the place, from a little eminence he could see the ruins and with a mighty shout, he gave the alarm, those behind hurrying as fast as possible to the rescue. On arriving, they found that house and barn had collapsed into one miscellaneous heap, and under the broken, splintered timbers were imprisoned men, women, children and horses. The latter were not much injured and were soon set free. After release had come to the human sufferers and they were made comfortable, the cry went up, “Where is Mrs. Slark and her baby. The rest are all accounted for.” Three were bleeding and helpless. One little girl of three years was found in a cornfield some distance from the house, not much hurt and her cry was for her mother who was missing. All night long the crowd gathers to join in the search, some coming from Coon Rapids on the south, and all along the Coon river on the north. Joy came before the morning light dawned, for the two missing ones were found. Three miles to the southeast, Mr. Jaques had left a light burning in a window, and the mother, with a broken arm, clinging to her babe, saw the light, providentially, for without such a guide she must have perished in the deep sloughs and the tall, thick grass. There was something remarkable about the sympathy and helpfulness of neighbors in those pioneer times. No age or generation will ever excel it. The dead are quietly and tenderly laid away in their dreamless sleep, and under the care of best physicians the wounded were put in line of speedy recovery. The ministry of good will went farther than this, for it provided temporary homes for the families whose homes had been wrecked by the power of the storm. A few weeks only passed when the citizens of Jefferson and vicinity quietly and generously erected a new house on the very spot swept so clean by the cruel cyclone. And so the remnant of the tornado victims were again at home. This story would not be complete without adding that Mr. J . W. Huntington is a resident of Jefferson, cashier of the savings bank. The vision of the awful tragedy of that June summer evening has, in a way, passed away, but for years the memory settled upon him with the sombreness of life’s darkest days.

Source: Past and Present of Greene County, Iowa, by E. B. Stillman,
Chicago, Illinois: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1907

Transcribed by Lynn Diemer-Mathews and uploaded May 1, 2025.

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