LETTSVILLE.

pg 314

ONONWA was laid out by Joseph A. Green, October 6, 1855, in sections 5 and 6, township 75 north, range 3 west.

Denegre's addition to Ononwa seems to have been laid out immediately east of the original town on December 2, 1857, by James D. Denegre.

Linn's addition to the town of Letts, formerly the town of Ononwa, was laid out by O. H. P. Linn, January 18, 1893.

The greater part of the history of Lettsville embraces a period which is within the memory of most of those now living there, and which it has not been our intention to include in this work, except in a very general way. It was laid out about the time of the advent of the Mississippi and Missouri River Railroad Company, now the Rock Island, and has ever since been a place of considerable local importance, and a shipping point for a number of the leading cattle raisers and cattle feeders of the county. The name of the town originally was, as shown by the plat, Ononwa. In April, 1868, S. C. Curtis presented to the board of supervisors a numerously signed petition asking that the name be changed from Ononwa to Lettsville because its similarity to Onawa in the western part of the state caused a large per cent of its mail to be missent, and often caused delays in freight and express matter. The board of supervisors ordered the necessary steps to be taken to change the name, and on April 23, John Hale, clerk of the board of supervisors, issued a notice stating that such a petition had been presented, and that the matter would be heard at the June session of the board; at that session the petition was granted and the name changed to Lettsville, although the post office was given, and still retains the name of Letts.

The railroad was finished as far as Lettsville some time in 1856. Among the first hotelkeepers was Seth C. Curtis. The first doctor in Lettsville was A. L. Bayard.

W. K. Trabue was the first railroad agent, and also the first postmaster.

The following communication by the then Ononwa correspondent to the Muscatine Journal will be interesting to the people of Lettsville. It was written May 10, 1859, and will give some idea of the conditions existing then:

"As news is not very plenty in this goodly city of Ononwa, I will make known the wants of the people through your valuable paper. Wanted, in Ononwa school district, one or more school teachers, who can come well recommended—one who is willing to furnish a schoolhouse, and whose influence will pay his board, as he will have to board around. There is also a good opening for a saloon, as there are only two in the place, and nary church. Any person wishing a good situation will find steady employment and good wages. Pay after the next crop.
"P. S.—It is expected that whoever gets the job will attend some one of the churches in Ononwa. Application made in person to the director."

Lettsville now has good schools, good churches, and is a thrifty and law-abiding community, with a good bank, a good opera house, and a live newspaper. It also has a good button factory.

It was incorporated in by the Circuit Court in 1877. A petition for that purpose was filed May 26, 1877, stating that there were 226 persons then residing ...

pg 315

... there. Watters & Goble, a law firm of Columbus Junction, represented the petitioners, and W. H. Moles, A. Megrew, Dr. N. W. Mountain, T. M. Curtis and J. L. Small were appointed commissioners. An election was held on July 28th, 1877, and the vote was forty-five for incorporation to seventeen against. Isaac Shellabarger was the first mayor.

In this same year (1867) James N. Schofield built a large flouring mill, costing about $10,000, and the Methodists built a church.

The present town officers are: Mayor, V. G. Shellabarger; recorder, C. C. Snyder; councilmen, Hon. A. M. Garrett, Ulric Garrett, H. M. Rasley, W. K. Ross, Bert Coder.

The Masons have a good lodge—Triangular Lodge No. 245—which was chartered in 1867. Its present officers are: J. H. Collins, W. M.; M. J. McCormick, J. W.; L. U. Gipple, S. W.; Ulric Garrett, secretary; E. R. McCormick, treasurer.

The statistics of population of Lettsville are as follows: 1870, 88; 1880, 300; 1885, 307; 1890, 325; 1895, 348; 1900, 387; 1905, 410; 1910, 433.

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