Recalls Early Days
by C. C. Stringfield
Glenwood, Iowa
The old settlers reunion being past, please allow a former, old timer of Mills County a few jottings.
I came to Mills County with my wife in 1853. I built the first house, with one exception, to be seen on the high dividing ridge between the Missouri and Nishnabotna rivers. This exception was an old stone building that stood where the poor farm now stands and in which Beeley White had once sold goods. The early settlers kept near the timber.
I remember very distinctly that my first debut into Mills County was with an ox-team, driven from Sidney up to the old Glenwood mill to get a load of flour for a Mr. Pearman of Sidney.
I received my first mail in Glenwood through the hands of him who was afterwards Judge Tyson. I bought my first goods in Glenwood of Joseph Coolidge out of the building afterwards used as a paint shop by H. A. Tolles.
I bought goods of Nuckells Bros, Hawk Bros, Tutt Bros, Russell Bros, Tootle & Green, Tootle, Green & Staude, Staude & Anderson, Heinsheimer Bros, and Martin Nebe.
I would especially call your attention to some of my recollections of old time Glenwood men. One of these was Tony Lufkin. He and I were once sent up into the hills, west of Glenwood, at midnight to get a load of cord wood to keep an old steam mill breathing until daylight. The mill was down on the flat and was operated by the Claibourn Bros. Afterwards Tony went into the butcher business, and I sold him cattle, sheep, hogs and corn. I have taken money of that man until I was ashamed of myself. He was generous and good hearted.
When we were sick we were cooled and blistered and plastered and condoled by Doctors Rodgers, Wheeler, Akin, Donelan, Street, Hamilton, Bosbyshell and Shriver.
Furthermore, the first vote I ever cast for President of the United States was cast in Mills County for John C. Freemont, and I think I was eye witness to the raising of the first Republican Liberty pole in Glenwood, and it was mounted with a metalic horse, representing the "Wooly Horse."
And now that the denizens of Mills County may grow happier as the years go by, and "may your shadows never grow less," is the wish of a Kansas "short grasser." C. C. Stringfield
Contributed by Deb Hascall
