Iowa
Old Press
Jackson Sentinel
Maquoketa, Jackson Co., Iowa
May 11, 1934
Sparks From Train Destroys Old Iowa Landmark
Bellevue-(Special)- The supposition is that a spark form a train
set fire to the country home of A. L. Yeager Sunday night and
destroyed one of the old landmarks in this locality. The house
was located four miles north of town and Yeager, who lives alone,
had retired. About 9:00 o’clock he was awakened by the glare
on the outbuildings and discovered the upper part of the
structure was enveloped in flame, and he was able to save only a
very few of his belongings. Much of the furniture destroyed was
antique and was handmade of walnut by Yeager’s grandfather,
the late J. F. Snyder.
The house had a history, as part of it was the original pioneer
log cabin built in 1836, the year Iowa became a territory, by a
man by the name of David Smith. It was remodeled in 1888 by J. F.
Snyder and later made into a two-story house by his son-in-law,
J. G. Yeager.
[Transcribed by K.W., February 2011]