Iowa Old Press
Palo Alto Reporter
Palo Alto County, Iowa
25 Jan 1884

This is a leap year, and the Reporter proposes to preparet the way for the
young ladies by publishing the names of all the eligible bachelors in
Emmetsburg, their personal characteristics, dispositions, incomes and other
information of an equally interesting and important character. The list is
as full and accurate as possible and it will surprise most people to see the
present advantages of the matrimonal market in Emmetsburg. Any bachelor who
is overlooked may send his name, business, etc., to us, and they will be
added next week. The ladies will please bear in mind that we do not
guarantee the qualifications of anybody, therefore it won't do to rely too
much upon the facts herein set forth, but such as they are we give them
freely.

Chas. ANDERSON, 22 years old, light hair, brown eyes, tony looking. Works in
his father's nursery, and on account of his familiarity with that business
he would be apt to make a good family man.

Chas. G. AMMON, aged 24, tall and stout. Has an interest in a creamery
business and will be a sober, industrious young man to tie to. He used to be
quite bashful but is improving some and will probably not be frightened out
of more than a year's growth if he were to receive a proposal.

H.C. AIKEN, 25 years old, dark hair and black eyes. Has the appearance of a
West Indian millionaire, is a good tinner, is sober and industrious and will
be good to the girl that gets him.

APPLEBY, aged about 21; is but lately arrived from the old country and has
lots of money. He is looking for a farm to invest it in and probably will
want a wife to help him take care of it. Is tall and slim, having the
appearance of an English noble; is also a good checker player.

N. ATKINS, cashier of the Scottish Am. bank; has a good income, is rather
fine looking, and though a thorough Scotchman is fast becoming Americanized
and is a right good fellow in every way. Is very gallant, and has been known
to ride 8 miles to keep an engagement with a lady, though he nearly froze
his feet to get there; will be a good husband.

W.J. BOWDEN, 32 years old, tall and slim and distinguished looking. Is a
stenographer and can earn $75 per month. Is known as the most upright young
man in town and is often mistaken for a minister.

C.P. BOARDMAN, 26 years old, dark hair and light eyes-has the appearance of
a Spanish grandee. Has a good position with Ormsby Bro. in the real estate
department and will make some smart girl a good husband.

W.C. BARNHART, dealer in agricultural implements, has an income of $1,000 a
year. Is fine looking, a graceful skater and looks as though he wants a good
wife.

H.M. BALLON, tinner, in the employ of Shaw & Jamison. Is worth $4,500 and
has a taste for literature and thoroughbred cattle. Is of a retiring
disposition and will probably fight shy of any matrimonal approach.

Wilbur BEEBE, sales in the clothing house of A.TAUB, is tall, slim, and one
of the finest looking young men in town. Has a salary of $1,200 per year and
is very tender toward the fair sex. If he can be captured he will make a
kind and loving husband.

James CASSIDY, aged 25, dark hair and eyes and one of the handsomest boys in
town. Has a good position as clerk, is sober and industrious. We hardly
think Jimmie wants a wife yet, but there's lots of girls want him.

J.J. CARNEY, 24 years old and a decided brunette. Is a clerk in Ormsby's
bank, and a sober, steady young man; looks as if he was afraid of the girl
but is not.

Mart. COONAN, 35 years old, fine looking and well preserved; worth from
$3,000 to $5,000 and is one of the boys. Has an eye for a good horse and
drives several steppers of his own; is fond of dogs, and always manages to
hold three of a kind at poker. It is doubtful if he is in the market but
there's no harm in trying.

John DONOVAN, aged about 28, black hair and elegant moustache. Is often
mistaken for an Italian count; is a great favorite among the ladies and very
gallant to the fair sex, old and young; will make a good husband for the gir
l that can capture him.

Dan DONOVAN, aged about 25, and looks younger than he is. Has a good
position as clerk in a dry goods store and is the pet of the ladies;
approaches toward Dan, should be made cautiously with a view to guarding
against rivals.

Thos. P. EGAN, aged 27, is an exceedingly nice young man; is proprietor of
one of the largest general stores in the city and is a thorough business man
worth $3,000. Tommy wants a wife badly but does not dare to make a choice of
one girl lest all should be mad at him.

John EGAN, brother of Tom, and in very much the same fix, only more so; is
noted for his fine curly hair and heavy moustache. Who ever gets John must
expect to live in Dakota, as he intends to engage in business somewhere in
the alkali desert next spring.

Fred GIDDINGS, aged 21 and is still growing; is a book-keeper in Brown's
bank with a good salary; is a great musician and has few equals as a
trombone player; is also of a literary turn of mind, being a great novel
reader. It is whispered that one of the fair sex has filed a pre-emption on
Fred, but we presume he is still open to conviction.

F.E. HUBBARD, photographer, age uncertain, has a good business and is a
thoroughly good fellow in every way, except that he is very much afraid of
the ladies and doesn't like babies.

P.C. HART, aged 28, agnt of the C.M. & St. P. Ry., at this point, and won
the smoking jacket at the fair on account of his popularity. Is a graceful
dancer, a skilful skater and a real nice boy in every way. No lady need
hesitate to court Pete, because he is a railroad man and consequently not
likely to get near any danger if he knows where it is.

J.R. HUGHES, aged 26, cashier in Brown's bank and teacher of a class in
Sunday school; has long been known as the toniest young man in town and
generally takes his pick of the girls. If obliged to refuse any offers this
year he will be apt to do so in the kindest manner possible. Is quite an
artist and specimens of his work in oil painting are highly prized in some
of the best families in town. J.R. is the boss catch on the list and we
shall be surprised if 1885 finds him still a bachelor.

John JENSWOLD, Jr., aged 28, dark hair and blue eyes and a sort of
want-a-wife-if-I-can-get-her expression on his face, that should touch the
heart of every lady in town. John is a rising young lawyer with a large and
growing practice which yields a good income. He is sober, industrious and
highly respected by all who know him.

Chas. JOHNSON, aged 27, dark hair, blue eyes and a face that is fair to gaze
upon. Is a lumber merchant, doing a good business, and a right good fellow
in every way. It has been said of him that his is the finest figure in town.
There have been no end of chances for Charley to end his bachelor days but
he seems to be indifferent on the subject. The ladies will now have a fair
chance at him for a year and it is their own fault if he is not captured.

B.E. KELLEY, aged 26, auburn hair, blue eyes, light complexioned, not
especially beautiful, but smart and capable; is a good lawyer with a fair
practice and ought to do well by his wife.

W.L. LINDERMAN, aged 27, tall, fine looking, light hair and eyes. Is a
recent addition to the legal fraternity of the Burg and has scarcely become
acquainted, yet does not appear bashful, but is shy of the fair sex and
evidently thinks most of "the girl I left behind me." Not a likely subject.

N.E. MAXON, aged about 35, light hair, blue eyes and is rather fine looking.
Has a good business and is a steady, quiet gentleman; seems to be a
confirmed single man but might be brought to see the error of his ways.

T. McCLUSKY, aged 26, blue eyes and light hair, pretty moustache; a baker by
trade and a good one. The girl that gets Tom will never to have to bother
about pies 'n things. He is financially will fixed, has a good business and
a five-acre orange grove in Florida with "millions in it".

H.A. POWERS, aged 27, blue eyes and curling hair, elegant moustache, etc. A
rising young physician with an extensive and remunerative practice. He owns
a fine lot in the best part of town and is only waiting for a wife to help
him plan a new house to be put thereon.

P.O. REFSELL, 27 years old, light hair, blue eyes, rosy cheeks and blushing
nose. A great favorite among the ladies and a genuine good fellow in every
way; is cashier in Ormsby's bank with a good salary. Pete will make a good
husband for the girl that succeeds in capturing him alive.

[transcribed by C.J.L., April 2005]

 


Iowa Old Press
Palo Alto County