Leading Events of the Period from 1858-1866

Before the close of the year 1856, five men, who, because of their
character and ability, had taken leading parts in the life of the
community, were called to their reward.

The death of H. Barendregt and of J. Smeenk has already been mentioned.
That of A. E. Dudok occurred on the 8th day of September, 1856. On the
14th day of October, 1858, J. E. Streng died at the early age of
forty-one years. Jacob Maasdam, a gifted and devout leader in the
religious life of the community, was called home.

These men had all taken a prominent part in the religious, educational
and business life of the colony, and their loss was severely felt and
sincerely mourned for many years.

While the great panic of 1857, the political unrest that preceded the
civil war, and the titanic struggle that followed, naturally had a
detrimental effect on the development of the community, yet there was a
slow but steady growth during the period.

The two-story brick building still standing on the corner of Franklin
street, one block west of the square, was built by F. Botterman and used
as a brewery and vinegar works. The brothers, Dirk and Levi Beintema,
started a pottery works on the lot now occupied by the B. Buerkens home.
Across the street from Beintema Bros., the Mathes Brothers had a stone
cutting plant. In 1859 C. M. McClatchy built and operated a large and
well-equipped woolen mills, the first industry of the kind in Marion
county and, for that matter, in central Iowa. About the same time LeCocq
Bros. started a cigar factory on West Washington street, in the location
occupied for many years for the same purpose by J. F. LeCocq, Sr. In
addition to the plow and wagon shop run by Schif & Veenman from the
first beginning of the settlement, Hendrik De Haan and J. H. Markus
started a similar factory on East Franklin street. Jan Barneveld carried
on an extensive business in stoves, tinware, etc. Mattheus De Haan had
bought out George Henkelar, and carried a full line of stoves and
tinware. He was located just east of the C. Rhynsburger store. Barneveld
was on the corner now occupied by the Van der Meiden blacksmith shop.

In addition to the mercantile establishments that were doing business in
1855, a list of which is found in preceding chapters, the following
business concerns had been started:

GENERAL STORES
J. A. Napjus
P. van der Ley
E. Cowles
Downing & Baker
G. M. Taal
J. E. Alexander
Willem Slob