Iowa Old Press

Postville Review
Postville, Allamakee, Iowa
December 11, 1886

BETHEL CORRESPONDENCE.
-All well hereabouts except N. McWILLIAMS who has one of his rheumatic attacks.
-H.S. HARRIS went to Kansas with J.C. TAYLOR, to look at the country, in view of going there to locate. He will return this week.

LOCAL ITEMS.

Mrs. Z. POST, we are sorry to note, had a severe stoke of paralysis last Monday night. To one of her years it may prove fatal.

Some petty thief has been stealing some of M.Y. McMASTER's ice fixtures.

Mrs. S.J. RUSSELL and her son, John, returned to Spirit Lake last Tuesday. They will move out on their farm near that place next spring.

S.J. RUSSELL was buried here on Friday of last week.

Card of thanks. The undersigned wish hereby to thank their old friends and neighbors for their kind expressions and assistance during the sad rites of burying their beloved husband and father. should these friends ever meet with a like affliction it is their wish that they may find as kind consolers and helpers as they have had. Mrs. S.J. RUSSELL and J.W. RUSSELL.

Levi ARMSTRONG the senior partner of the Waukon and Postville Clothing Houses, made another trip to Chicago last week and the new goods are now arriving and are on the shelves at ARMSTRONG & HOLTER's.

Paul TURNER returned to Fayette the first of the week.

Will DURNO has opened a billiard room in John MOIR's old building.

Paul BRORBY returned from his extended Dakota trip the latter part of last week.

We are told that Dave JACOBIA has been trying John MOIR's lung tester. The boys say he must have very stong lungs as he blew all the lamp black into his face. He is digging a new well which will come handy in such emergencies.

Taken up, by the undersigned, living 2 1/2/ miles south of Grand Meadow station, on Nov. 2nd, 1886, a red heifer with white star in forehead about 2 years old. Owner can secure same by proving property and paying charges. August KUEGEL.

Lost, by the undersigned in Postville, Dec. 7th, 1886, between Gray's jewelry store and the railroad track on the Hardin road, a buckskin pocket book containing $21.00 and some odd change. Finder will be rewarded by leaving the same at this office. Herman PLEHT

Estrayed, a large, rangy red steer, about 2 years old, coming three, with wide horns, turning in. Strayed from my place 4 miles south of Postville, on Monday, Nov. 23rd. $2.00 will be paid on recovery of the steer. Leave notice with Conrad THOMA or with me on the farm. Christ SANDER.

I have rented the Myron Mill and put it in thorough order and am prepared to do custom work in a satisfactory manner. Feed ground for 8 cents per sack. J.P. NEY.

ANNUAL MEETING of the Allamakee Co. Agricultural Society, Saturday, p.m. Officers for the ensuing year were elected:
A.E. ROBBINS, president
Conrad HELMING, vice-president
Geo. J. HELMING, treasurer
Geo. H. BRYANT, secretary

Directors:
James CAVERS, Center twp.
Alex. GRITTON, Fairview twp.
Carter CLARK, Franklin twp.
J. DOUGHERTY, French Creek twp.
Thos. O'BRIEN, Hanover twp.
John T. ROBINSON, Iowa twp.
Mat KELLEY, Jefferson twp.
Louis HIRT, Lansing twp.
E.D. TISDALE, Lafayette twp.
W.H. ADAMS, Linton twp.
James MEIKLE, Ludlow twp.
L. NICHOLS, Makee twp.
Wm. M. KELLY, Paint Creek twp.
W.H. CARITHERS, Post twp.
Geo. JACKSON, Taylor twp.
B. RATCLIFFE, Union City twp.
F. McGOUGH, Union Prairie twp.
Louis COPPERSMITH, Waterloo twp.

MARRIAGES.

We are told that John DOOLAN and Carrie BEUCHER were united in matrimony at the Catholic church, Clermont, Wednesday.

Double wedding. At Anamosa, Io., on Dec 2, 1886, Joseph P. BEUCHER to Miss Lena OLESON, both of Postville. Also at the same time and place, Darius C. WELLS and Freddie OLESON, also of Postville. This double wedding has been anticipated by our people for some time and was no surprise. The contracting parties are all well known here. They have good prospects ahead of them, and we wish with their many friends that the fullest measure of success and happiness may attend them in the multifarious struggles and triumphs of life. Mr. BEUCHER is the son of our old townsman, Matt BEUCHER, and is interested in several enterprises here. "Doc" WELLS, as he is familiarly called, is the proprietor of one of our dray lines. [remainder cut off].

[transcribed by S.F., August 2003]

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Postville Review
Postville, Allamakee Co. Iowa
December 18, 1886

BETHEL CORRESPONDENCE.
-A.B. COOK teaches in Cherry Valley; J.A. COOK in West Grove; Lillie LAUGHLIN in Minert and Miss Mattie WHITE in Evergreen.
-Esq. SWENSON took the oath of office for J.P. Saturday.
-Nelson DEAL has moved into a part of W.J.A. BRAINARD's house.
-Mrs. E.J. SICKLES is sick with some kind of throat trouble.

LOCAL ITEMS.

Mrs. WINGATE, of Monona, is visiting at the McMASTER residence.

Matt BEUCHER was seriously indisposed for a few days but is around again.

Johnny SCHMIDT had what seemed to be a slight shock of paralysis this week, but is recovering.

B.F. TAYLOR writes us that he has left Clearwater and is now sojourning in the metropolis of Witchita.

Mrs. POST is said to be slowly failing. But little hope is entertained of her recovery. Her son is here.

See Sheriff Sale in this issue, the first we have had in 2 or 3 years.

SHERIFF's SALE.
....in favor of A. GOETS & Sons, against Ellen CARRIGAN and Thomas CARRIGAN...will sell to the highest bidder, at public auction, at the front door of Court House in Waukon......January 14,1887.....lots nos. 7 & 8 in block 16, in the town of Postville.....to satisfy writ of execution and accruing costs. Signed C.A. LEITHOLD, sheriff; L.B. LANE, by F.S. BURLING, att'y for pl'ff. [note: extracted from lengthly article]

MARRIED.
At the residence of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. O.W. OWEN, near Fletcher, Io., Nov. 24th, by Rev. Mr. HAYDEN, Mr. Lile McGILVER to Miss Alice V. OWEN. Quite a number of relatives and friends were present at the wedding and presented them with a goodly number of nice and appropriate presents. Of Mr. McGILVER we know nothing, but that he has secured an estimable young lady and a good wife. They will occupy Mr. McGILVER's residence near Fletcher.

[transcribed by S.F., August 2003]

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Postville Review
Postville, Allamakee Co. Iowa
December 25, 1886

At last we have had a case of diphtheria in Postville, though so far it has turned out well. Roy, the son of Rev. FERNER, was taken with it on Tuesday and was quite sick on Wednesday. He was much better on Thursday and is doing well, under the treatment of Dr. BROWN. Steps were immediately taken to quarantine the house and it is hoped that htere will be no more cases to which everybody responds 'amen'.

The father and mother of Mrs. FERNER have been stopping with the latter for some time, but the fact had escaped our observation heretofore.

Jas. SHEPHERD and Dr. J.A. NEILL came in from Iowa City for their holiday vacation on Tuesday. They will return on the 5th to finish their studies.

W. DONALDSON has opened a wagon shop in connection with SHORTREED's blacksmith shop. He is now making sleighs and in the spring he will commence the manufacture of wagons. Repairing done to order.

We have a kind letter from our young friend, J.H. GRIFFIN, of Charles City including another year's subscription, and asking us to give his regards to all friends here.

Dr. AMSDELL was out at the new town of Elma last week. He reports a regular Kansas boom out there in the southwest corner of Howard, but everything already overdone.

I will be out of my office from the 22nd of Dec. till the 4th of January. All those wishing dental work done call early and make appointments to avoid leaving any unfinished work. J.A. NEILL.

Dr. L.F. KELLOGG, D.D.S., of Waukon, will be at the Commercial House, Postville, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 28th, 29th and 30th, for the practice of dentistry.

Mr. and Mrs. E.N. BAILY are visiting relatives and friends in this vicinity.

S.S. POWERS, Esq. has a newly drilled well 58 feet deep and plenty of water.

Mr. LULL is improving in health all the time, though he has not been out yet.

The German Lutherans have their christmas tree at their church this evening.

Mayor McEWEN accompanied Mr. McWILLIAMS and son to Independence this week.

Reub. DOUGLASS has been under the weather for the past 3 days. Hope to see him out again soon.

The TURNER's will give their annual Christmas tree and dance at their hall on Monday evening the 27th.

E.E. BURDICK, who has been helping this us out for a month, expects to go to Cedar Rapids soon after New Years.

DEATHS.

Mrs. Elizabeth MINNICK died at her daughter's residence in Custer county, Nebraska, Dec. 15th, 1886, aged about 75 years. Her remains were interred at Rising City, Beb., by the side of her husband. Mrs. MINNICK was formerly well known here, being a resident of this vicinity for a number of years.

DIED. In Postville, on Wednesday, Dec. 22nd, in her 80th year, of paralysis, Mrs. Zeruih POST. Mrs. POST was perhaps better known in Northeastern Iowa than any woman now living, as she had been a continuous resident of Postville for about forty-seven years, and was considered the mother of Postville, having been here years before there was any town here or even any settlement round about. We extract the following brief account of her life from the history of Allamakee county:
Zeruih POST, a native of Jefferson Co., N.Y., was born in 1807. Her maiden name was STEVENSON. She was married to Joel N. POST in 1831; he was a native of Vt. In 1836 they immigrated to Green Bay, Wis., remaining there till the summer of 1838, when they again started westward in a canoe down the Wisconsin River, being two weeks before they landed at Prairie du Chien. They located in Clayton Co., Io. In 1840, Mr. POST was selected by General BROOKS to take charge of a station known as the Half-Way-House, on the military road between Prairie du Chien and Fort Atkinson, they first located about one mile east from where she now lives. Subsequently General SUMNER granted them a permit to relocate where the town of Postville now stands. At the time their nearest neighbor was twelve miles east, where the town of Monona now stands, Fort Atkinson being 24 miles west, that being the place where the Indians received their supplies from the Government. Their only neighbors from 1840 to 1848 were the Indians, who were removed during the latter year. In 1849 the postoffice was established and called Postville, Mr. POST being commissioned as postmaster, but before the commission arrived Mr. POST died, leaving the duties of the postoffice to Mrs. POST's brother. After the death of her husband Mrs. POST purchased from the Government 480 acres of land, the same being the land upon which they had located and partly improved, the town of Postville being located upon part of it. Mrs. POST has five children living: Joel N., now in Dakota; Mary SWITZER, now in California; Margaret SHERWOOD, now in Minnesota; Lydia LaCOOK, in Colorado, and Lucy ROLL, of Postville, but soon to leave for Montana. she lost one son, John S., who died while in the service of his country during the late rebellion. The funeral of Mrs. Z. POST will be held from the Methodist church at 10:30 Sunday morning.

[transcribed by S.F., August 2003]

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Waukon Standard
Waukon, Allamakee County, Iowa
Wednesday, December 29, 1886

Union City Items
Union City, Dec. 27th, 1886

Christmas day has come and gone and as we notice the date of this letter we are reminded that only a few days more remain of the year 1886.

The exercises on Christmas eve at the church passed off pleasantly, and many presents for young and old were distributed. The entertainment at the German M. E. church on the ridge was well attended and all seemed interested in the program of the evening.

As Dec. 25th was also the anniversary of the day on which John and I took each other for better or worse, (tho John sometimes says there is a good deal of worse about it) we received some very nice reminders of the occasion, not the least of which was one labeled "To Mary Ann Smith from old John." Now there he'd like to pose, as a much injured and henpecked husband, just because I can't help but moralize on his sayings and doings sometimes.

Quite an accident occurred on the Sabbath morning on the road down the long hill as it is called. Nicholas Fink with his wife and baby were at Jacob Hoffman's over night and started home in the morning with Mr. Hoffman's team. Going down hill the tongue of the cutter ran through the ring in the neck yoke causing the cutter to run forward on the horses heels. This started them to kicking and increasing their speed, they went at a break neck rate down the road, there being no chance to turn them from the road, after a few rods Mr. and Mrs. Fink were thrown with great force upon the ground and the horses kept on their mad flight till one of them fell into a deep ditch, and was much bruised and lacerated from its frantic struggles to release itself from the rocks and brush. The other animal went on and being noticed by some of the neighbors, a party set out to investigate matters. They found Mr. Fink quite badly bruised so that he is confined to his bed, but his wife and child unhurt. The cutter was demolished and the other horse lamed.

J. G. Ratcliffe and men put in the bridge over Clear Creek last week.

Mr. and Mrs. Jake Lane were the guest of Mr. and Mrs. John Dowling on Christmas.

Rev. Mr. Manning, of Waukon, lectures on temperance at the English Bench schoolhouse this evening.

W. H. Ransom, of New Albin, will be at the Ratcliffe school house to organize a class in singing if he can get a sufficient number to join such a class.

On Friday evening a social will be held at G. P. Bellows and that closes the program for 1886.

JOHN SMITH's WIFE

[transcribed by M.D., June 2008]

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