MUSCATINE COUNTY, IOWA

Page 84

SKETCH OF WEST LIBERTY.     West Liberty is a town of 1,800 inhabitants, situated in the northwestern corner of Muscatine county, at the junction of the main line of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad and the main line of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railway, 19 miles northwest of Muscatine, 38 miles west from Davenport and 37 miles southeast of Cedar Rapids.      It has two banks, two weekly papers, an opera house, two elevators and a third very large one contemplated; five churches, two schools, a splendid electric light plant and water works, both owned by the city.      The town is inhabited by a very wealthy class of people, mostly retired farmers.      West Liberty is known all over the United States for its fine breed of horses, as well as other fine stock.      The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad contemplates making extensive improvements of its property adjoining the city to enable them to better handle the traffic, and the city will reap the benefit there from.      The first settlement at West Liberty was made in 1836, but no material increase could be noted until after the building of the M. & M. R. R. in 1856, from which time on its progress has been rapid.      West Liberty to-day is one of the best residence towns in the west. SKETCH OF NICHOLS.     The town of Nichols proper was laid out in 1869 by B. F. Nichols. Since then several additions have been added. It has good stores, handling all manner of goods. The town was fortunate in having as its founders and early residents, men of broad views and great enterprise. Samuel Nichols came to Pike township from Ohio, in 1838. The founder of the town was a self-made man in every respect. When he came to this township, fully one-half of it was a swamp, but since then several ditches have been dug at great expense and the land thus reclaimed has grown valuable and is very productive. B. F. Nichols was the eldest son of Samuel Nichols and died November 5th, 1893. The younger son, Townsend B. Nichols, is at present a resident of Chicago, but he still retains his large property interests in and around Nichols. His Business interest in Iowa are managed by John Nicola, who grew up from childhood in the Nichols family and who also has the push and enterprise of the Nichols family.     Quite a number of the first residents still live in the township. Among them are Dr. S. H. Smith, the first physician in this part of the county; John Nicola, Elias Adams and Thomas Newton.     The people living in and around Nichols are of the pushing, enterprising class who do their trading at home and are interested in the welfare of the town. Enormous quantities of grain and produce are annually shipped from here. With the railroad facilities and the enterprise of the citizens, the future of Nichols is assured and its growth in the future will no doubt be rapid.     Nichols is now an incorporated town of about 500 inhabitants, located at the junction of the main line and the Muscatine Division of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railway, in Pike township, Muscatine county, 7 miles south of West Liberty, 55 miles north of Burlington, and 16 miles west of Muscatine, the county seat. It has four churches, Methodist Episcopal, Methodist Protestant, Catholic and Christian; a graded school employing three teachers; several stores, hotels, implement dealers, livery stable, elevator, lumber yard, and a weekly newspaper, the Gazette, published by T. A. Merrill and T. L. Miller. The following are the present officers of the town: Mayor, V. Reynolds; Recorder, John Fulmer; Marshall, Hez Smith; Street Commissioner, T. B. Horton; Treasurer, L. Kern; Assessor, John Stephens; Councilmen, W. S. Baker, Robert Black, T. E. Norris, John Nicola, J. W. Rummels jr. and Hiram Nelson. THE NICHOLS GAZETTE $1.00 A YEAR MERRILL & MILLER, Publishers. We can do your Job Work in good shape. Write us for Prices. They are the Lowest.

IOWA STATE BANK, WEST LIBERTY, IOWA. COMMENCED BUSINESS FEBRUARY, 1897. OFFICERS. A. A. AIKENS, President.      I. A. NICHOLS, Cashier. C. M. NICHOLS, Vice-Pres.      A. J. WESTLAND, Ass’t. Cr. DIRECTORS. A. A. Aikens.      Dr. C. B. Kimball.     H. Vogel, Jr.      John Nicols.      Jno. S. Taylor.      W. M. McFadden. C. M. Nichols.	THE PEOPLE'S STATE BANK, ESTABLISHED 1868. CAPITAL, $50,000 SURPLUS, 8,000 WEST LIBERTY, IOWA. THOS. BIRKETT, President.      GEO. WOOLEY, Vice-Pres’t. HOWELL HISE, Cashier.     W. S. Luse, Ass’t Cashier. DIRECTORS. Wm. Mather.      G. W. Hippenstall.     Aaron Smith. W. Doty.     A. H. McClun.     P. R. Evans. Albert Whitacre.
E. C. NICHOLS, Attorney at Law WEST LIBERTY, IOWA.	THE REVIEW WEST LIBERTY, IOWA. Published Every Friday. C. E. DINWIDDIE, Publisher. Job Printing a Specialty.
FLORENCE STUDIO. V. R. LANE, Photogropher WEST LIBERTY, IOWA. Our work is First-Class and of the latest style. All of our work is guaranteed.	J. E. McINTOSH, Attorney at Law, WEST LIBERTY, IOWA.
R. I. HAWTHORN, Livery, Feed AND SALE STABLE WEST LIBERTY, IOWA. Baled Hay, Straw and Grain for sale	THE PEOPLE'S FURNITURE STORE. C. H. MILNES, Licensed Embalmer and Funeral Director. WEST LIBERTY, IOWA.
C. M. NICHOLS, DEALER IN: Dry Goods Only, WEST LIBERTY, IOWA.	J. L. CIVANS, LIVERY, Feed and Sale Stable, WEST LIBERTY, IOWA.
NICHOLS ADVERTISEMENTS.	NICHOLS ADVERTISEMENTS.
H. J. BROWN & CO., -DEALERS IN- Farm Implements, Pumps And Buggies of All Kinds. Binder Twine and Oil. Agents for Plano Binder and Mower. Pattee Plow Co.'s Culticators and Riding Plows, and Bradley Sulky and Gang Plows and Cultivators.      NICHOLS, IOWA.	B. F. SWICKARD, - DEALER IN – All Kinds of Building Material, Lumber, Sash, Doors, Blinds, Lath, SHINGLES, MOULDINGS, SCREEN DOORS, Fence Posts, Wood, Lime, Brick, Cement, Plastering Hair, Building Paper and Stone. NICHOLS, IOWA
L. KERN, General Blacksmithing. -AND DEALERS IN- AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS. NICHOLS, IOWA. Agent for Deering Union Binders. J. I. Case Sulky Plows And all Standard Farm Machinery.	W. R. TRAUTMAN, General Repair Shop, Three Miles South and One Mile West of Nichols.
E. J. STAFFORD, Postmaster. Also Dealer in Confectionery, Stationery, Groceries, Cigars and Tobacco. Also, Depository for County School Books. INSURANCE, Will insure your property against Fire and Tornadoes by placing you in good and reliable companies. Give me a trial when you want insuring done.	V. REYNOLDS, -PROPRIETOR OF- NICHOLS HOTEL. First Class Accommodations.
SALES HEINZLE, Manufacturer of and Dealer in Harness, Saddles, Blankets, Whips, ROBES AND SADDLERY HARDWARE, NICHOLS, IOWA. Harness Repairing Promptly attended to.	DESCRIPTION AND PEDIGREE. PAPILLION 1060 was foaled April 10, 1886. Imported in 1887. Color, black: 16 hands high, and weighs 1820 pounds. He was Sired by Bayard 56: he by Laus Pariel 50. Dam, Favorite: she by Coure de Hayes 53. These horses are fine actors and have proved To be first-class, sure foal-getters. Their colts are al “straight goods.” DOLLAR KING is a full blood Norman Draft Stallion, color, dark bay, 16 ½ hands high, and weighs 1980 pounds. He was sired by imported Bayard. Dam by imported Leopold. Gran dam by Dick Oglesby. FOSTER & BODMAN, Owners and Keepers.

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