Iowa Old Press
Birmingham Enterprise
Birmingham, Van Buren, Iowa
Saturday, October 7, 1871
- Mr. Stephen Bechtel, a thrifty farmer in the neighborhood of Winchester, presented us a few days ago with a bushel of the finest apples we have ever seen this season. Mr. B. is an old settler, and has one of the finest farms and best orchards in the county. May he live many years yet to enjoy the fruits of his industrious and amply requited toil of the past thirty years.
- We were present, by invitation, on Saturday last,
at a re-union feast at the house of Mr. and Mrs. James Hope, of this place. A
sumptuous repast was spread and the old people and all their sons and daughters
sat down at the same table for the first time in 18 years. The whole family
represented on this occasion consists of the parents, four sons and their wives,
three daughters and their husbands, and twenty-five grand-children. The
following are the names present: James and Margaret Hope, parents; Robert A.,
Richard M., John S. and Will H., sons; Martha J. Hugus, Margaret E. Calhoon,
Anna H. Moore, daughters; Nathan J. Moore, son-in-law; Elizabeth G. Hope,
Margaret J. Hope and Frank S. Hope, daughters-in-law; Chas. G. Hope, John F.
Hope, Geo. W. Hope, Bird N. Hope, Doc Hope, Walter Hope, Hope Hugus, Hope
Calhoon, James L Moore, grand-sons; Jennie Hope, Sadie Hope, Dap Hope and Jennie
Moore, grand-daughters. The oldest of the children, Robert A., is 42, the
youngest, Will H., is 29. All are married and have families.
Robert A. and his daughter Jennie, who were on a three
weeks visit here started for their home in Westmoreland county, Pa., on Monday
morning last.
WINCHESTER, Oct. 2, 1871.- A somewhat noted philosopher
has said that "the world moves." Winchester moves also. We do not mean
that this ancient village, like one of old, takes up its bed and perambulates
the country o'er, but its citizens are much given to changing from place to
place in quest of more favorable localities or points of trade. The drug store
is being removed to the north part of town, where its owner thinks there is
better chances for driving a handsome trade. The wagon shop of Mr. James Gibson
has been changed to a new and more classical point, having purchased the old
school building for that purpose. Henceforth, instead of "x plus y minus
z," etc., echoing from its walls, there will come forth wagons,
wheel-barrows, churn-dashers, ox-bows, double-shovels and "sich."
The Village Smith, B.F. Ford, like a newspaper when its
circulation outgrows its dimensions, is going "to enlarge his domicil,
employ more help, and make a tremendous effort to keep up with his already
large, and fast increasing custom. On last Friday evening the people of
Winchester and vicinity were favored with a musical concert by Miss Laura Wright
of Mt. Pleasant, consisting of songs, marches, polkas, and waltzes. Miss Wright
is certainly an excellent performer on the organ and possesses a well trained
and musical voice. Quite a large audience was present and each one went home
well pleased with the entertainment.
Birmingham "tooters" and Hillsboro "tootists"
had better look well to their laurels as a band is being organized in this
vicinity. However, this is a free country and there is "no excellence with
out great labor," and if our embryo band should launch forth and
"sweep the platter" there should be no fault finding by any.
Therefore, concerts, festivals, and public gatherings will take notice and
govern themselves accordingly. Address-well you might await further
developments.
But seriously speaking, we do not see why there is not
as much musical talent in this vicinity as any other. All that is lacking is the
energy, which is the most essential element in any undertaking; and could
matters be so arranged as not to interfere with the business of those who will
compose it, we could almost count on it as a certainty.
The work of harvesting the corn has fairly commenced,
and outside of that which is injured by those everlasting cinch bugs, three will
be a satisfactory yield..
"LITTLE ONE."
Bentonsport, its Business, &c.-- Suicide at Gross' Saw-Mill.
Special Correspondence to the Enterprise.
BENTONSPORT, Oct. 4, 1871 - Tuesday evening we started
on our tour to this place. In starting we did not step aboard a Pullman Sleeping
Palace kindly placed at our disposal through the courtesy of the Fairfield,
Birmingham and Bentonsport Railway company, but in our own conveyance we came
this time. The item of greatest interest we observed first was a good night's
sleep, which we secured at the pleasant home of Thos. Siddorn, a resident of
Washington Township, and the man who raised 315 bushels of wheat from 10 1/2
bushels of seed. While here we learned of the sad demise of a young man 47 years
of age, by the name of Charles Elmore, formerly of Keokuk county, but recently
engaged in the quarries on Rock Creek. He claimed that his father drove him away
from home, and that he was "tired of life." So procuring a revolver on
Sabbath evening at 9 o'clock he stepped out from the boarding shanty a short
distance, to the side of Gross saw mill, and shot himself, the ball going nearly
through his body. He lived until Tuesday and was buried to day in the cemetery
near Keosauqua.
Eight o'clock Wednesday morning brought us to this Gem
of the Des Moines river, Bentonsport, which is a city of 800 inhabitants,
situated on the left bank of the river. It was first settled in 1830. This city
is thirty-nine miles from Keokuk, via the D.V. Railroad, and its citizens are
heavy buyers in that place. It is situated in the midst of a fine agricultural
country, and its "vine-clad hills," together with the picturesqueness
of its surroundings, so enchanted us with its beauty, that had we taken the
precaution of placing $10,000 in our impecuneous wallet before starting from
home, we would have been tempted to invest largely in real estate.
The school house is a good, stout structure, built of
brick, two stories high, and located "high and dry" in which is being
conducted a splendid school, under the general superintendence of Prof.
McDonald, ably assisted by Miss Lottie Shriner and Miss Anna Criswell, the
Professor at a salary of $60 per month.
Ben Rebkopf is maker and dealer in horses, and keeps a
good assortment in his line.
C. Wood & Daughter are still working away in their
grocery, toy and provision store. Mr. Wood looks as well as when we saw him as
an officer in the army, squelching the rebellion. We dined at his house.
G.W. Jack keep a grocery, provision and dry goods
store, and is doing splendidly. Mr. J. came to Bentonsport but a few years ago,
and now has plenty of friends and customers.
Geo. L. Moore has a good dry goods and grocery store,
and also keeps cloth and yarn for sale. At his store is the office of the woolen
factory of Brown & Moore, situated here.
H.F. Greef & Bros. hardware, dry goods and
grocery store is doing a large business. Their stock is fresh and well assorted,
and calculated to please the most fastidious. These gentlemen are certain to
please their customers and take in the cash.
C.H. Middleton, the only exclusive druggist in the
city, is doing a fine business.
Brow, Keck & Bro. have a large grist mill and do
their full share of grinding.
G. & J. Green have a paper mill which does a good
business in its line.
R. Creswell, jr.& Co. are in the dry goods business and
have a good run of custom.
S.W. Hedge, a "colored possen" is the barber.
Drs. Cowls and Middleton labor incessantly to keep matters
"regular" in and about Bentonsport and C. Heintz, tailor, labors with
equal zeal to keep them "neat and tidy."
Bentonsport is the home of many good, substantial and
reliable Republicans, among whom are Sloan Keck, O.b. Brown, and last, though
not least, R.L. Clark, who is to be our county Treasurer.
As leading representative of the Democratic faith we find A.
Lippencott, T. McVity and the Messrs. Green and Greef; but the true essence of
Democracy in Bentonsport is moth-eaten, ulcerated, torpid, sluggish,
self-consuming, and "sleeps on," untroubled, unheeding, impassive,
receiving no impression from the rest of the world, and making but little
impression upon it. However, we exhorted them that if they desired this
government sustained, and with its heaven-born institution of freedom, its
glorious reminiscences and its present and prospective greatness stamped with
perpetuity and transmitted to unborn generations, to vote the Republican ticket.
MISS KATE GOODALL,
MILLINER & DRESS MAKER,
North of A.A. Frys Store,
Winchester, Iowa,
Is just receiving a handsome stock of Millinery
Goods, which she proposes to sell as cheap as
the cheapest. She will give her undivided at -
tention to the business. Giver her a call.
ASHLAND HOUSE
Geo. W. Mason, Proprietor.
BENTONSPORT.
First-class accommodations and moderate charges.
SHERIFF'S SALE.
STATE OF IOWA
Van Buren County
In the District Court of Van Buren County, State of Iowa.
Judgment against defendant in the District Court for
Van Buren County, Iowa, rendered at the August term, 1871, for $1200.04.
By virtue of a special execution issued from the office of
the Clerk, of the District Court of Van Buren county, State of Iowa, in favor of
L.L. Moore and against Geo. C. Allender, et al. I have levied upon the following
described real estate as the property of said defendant, to wit; lot 3 in block
3, and east 2/8 of lot 4 in block 1, and lots 1,2,3,7 and 8 in block 7, in the
town of Vernon, in Van Buren county, Iowa, and I will offer said property for
sale at public outcry at the door of the door of the court house in said county,
on the 28th day of October, 1871, between the hours of nine o'clock a.m. and
four o'clock p.m., commencing at one o'clock p.m. of said day, to the highest
bidder for each in hand, for the purpose of satisfying said judgment,
interest and costs.
Dated this 28th day of September, 1871.
GEO. W. SOMMERVILLE.
Sheriff of Van Buren County, Iowa.