Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book
Stories of Early Nichols
Pioneer Nichols Resident Recalls
Some Of Early History of Community
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, page 127
The following was copied from an old newspaper clipping found in a scrapbook.
It was undated, probably from the Muscatine Journal.
Nichols – Some incidents in the early history of the Nichols community have been recorded by Mrs. Abiah Younkin Hesser, pioneer Nichols woman who served at one time as Journal correspondent or this area.
She writes: “Through the kindness of Samuel Nichols, who granted the title to the then B., C. R. & N. company to build the branch line between Muscatine and Montezuma, crossing the main line at this point, the town was named Nichols. After some time the first depot was erected, the first operator being a Mr. Pierce. His helper was Thomas Clifford, who built a home where the present residence of Dr. Carl now stands. Mrs. Clifford boarded the hands working on the branch. Thomas Hawker was the first car repairer.
“As the town began to grow, a small warm school house was erected, one room up and one down, and a small elevator constructed to hold storage. Father and Mother Coyner, then Baptists, arranged a meeting to be held in the upper room of this elevator. A minister from Davenport was invited to speak, and it was our pleasure to attend, this being the first religious meeting to be conducted in Nichols. This was 67 years ago.
“The first train on the branch was run by George Mohler, as conductor; Mr. Cassidy, the engineer; Mr. Lee, expressman; and Charles McBride and Fred Washburn, brakemen.
“The first doctor locating here was Dr. Smith, who was very successful in his practice. Mr. Kirchner opened the first store where the spacious home, now occupied by his son, Henry Kirchner, stands at present.
“Several buildings were soon under construction, the first churches, the Catholic and Christian, being built during the same year. The brickyard where the T. B. Nichols barn now stands, was operated by Charles Wishy, and from it came the brick from which the first churches were constructed.
“B. F Nichols had the contract for building the hotel. As the structure neared completion, Mr. Nichols invited a number of friends to a dance in his new building. It was our pleasure to attend. Van and Amy Mills furnished the music, and did we dance! A table in the dining room with bottled beer, coffee cake and splendid coffee furnished refreshments. The Mills boys were veterans of the Civil war, and could play the violin. They were jolly fellows. Van said ‘The more coffee he drank the better he could play.”
Nichols had three known newspapers -- the News, the Gazette and the Courier, which folded about 1920.
OLD SETTLERS’ DAY
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, pages 122-123Following are excerpts from the speech made by President Walton of the Muscatine County Old Settlers Association. The story was printed in the Muscatine journal on Friday, 21 August 1891. The meeting was held at Hechtner’s Grove in Pike Township. [To read the full account of the day click here]
Three coaches on the regular B., C. R. & N. train were well filled with a happy crowd this morning and as Conductor Fox gave the signal for starting, the old engine gave a puff and a snort and steamed easily out with its precious load.
On reaching the grove, quite a number of residents of the surrounding country were on hand to greet the crowd from the city and help make them comfortable. After a ramble through the beautiful grove and general exchange of greetings and small talk, the gathering was called to order and the exercises opened with a beautiful prayer by Rev. A. B. Robbins . . .
From President Walton’s speech:
We don’t like to close without mentioning some of our recollections of this locality.
Early in the autumn of 1849 we commenced building the first frame building in Pike Township. It was a regular old fashioned frame, with forty pieces of square timber in it, most of them hewed; all were oak. The corner posts were rabbited. We don’t build houses that way now. It was built for Mr. Gamaliel Olds, who has owned it until quite recently. This house was covered with plowed and dropped one inch pine siding. As there were no planning mills in Iowa at that time, I had to rip, plane and groove it by hand. I find in my diary: “took 9 ¾ days to work 1,500 feet of siding.” This cost Mr. Olds not less than $15, the same work could have been done at our planning mills now for $1.50. I also find in my diary that I worked two days on the road, so you see I have been a contributor to the revenue of Pike Township.
The grove we now occupy was known as part of the Old Caruthers farm. The old log cabin now standing in the field was the first house built in the township, and was the home of seven men and three women. On the north were the brick house now stands, Jesse and David Purington lived.
The Frank boys lived further up the creek. On the east and south Major Remer, Elias Adams, Abner Coble, William Sanders, the blacksmith, and one or two of the Caruthers. West of the creek were Samuel Nichols, John Rock, John Criffield, Gamaliel Olds and the Weston boys. Further down the prairie were the Watkins, the Stretches, the Younkins and the Brockways. These constituted the extent of the neighborhood, which reached for nearly ten miles north and south.
Sickness was very prevalent at that time. On one occasion I went with Mrs. Olds to a cabin some two miles east of here to help take care of the sick. It was a large log cabin with a huge fire-place in one end. There were four beds in the room. In the corner on the right of the fire-place, the father occupied one bed, laid up with the inflammatory rheumatism so bad that he could not help himself. The bed on the right of the fire was occupied by the mother who was suffering with pneumonia; one of the two beds in the rear of the room held a very sick child, the other contained the remains of a child who had recently died. Sickness was expected by all the early settlers, but this was the worst afflicted family I ever saw. During the first few months of my stay I made three coffins for this small neighborhood.
Let us look at the brighter side. We came here to build a house for Mr. Olds. We were then young and bashful. The ‘Squire had two very charming daughters, who, in point of culture, were much in advance of the times. He had a good team and a light wagon and he was about as old then as now. Of course I was to drive the team. Mr. Nichols had two or three daughters and a son; Mr. Rock had a daughter; Mr. Watkins had his boy, “Greenblade,” the Stretch family had five or six girls and boys; the Younkins and Brockways had three or four more. These, with the older ones who could be persuaded to turn out, made quite a gathering. Previous to this time there had been no social meeting except Sunday School and preaching. The young people were ready for some amusement. We had been here but a few days when we were invited to go out on an evening visit with Mrs. Olds and the girls. We went down to Mr. Stretch’s. Acting on my suggestion, a spelling school was arranged for. Spelling was not my forte, but it answered the purpose of getting the young folks together.
The school district was constructing a log school house, the first one in the township. We helped to finish it off. As soon as it was completed, we organized a “debating school,” the older members of the community taking a part. It became popular; visitors came from all around the country. This school house was used for holding religious meetings at least once in two weeks. Among the number of itinerant preachers that appeared, Hon. James Harlan was a very regular one.
In the early days horse stealing was very prevalent. Every one having a good horse lived in fear to a great extent of having his horse stolen. In the summer of 1849 this neighborhood was considerably exercised on that account.
‘Squire Olds lost a couple of horses. Runners were put out on the track and the culprit was caught in Jones County. He was brought back and lodged in jail. He soon made his escape by outside assistance. There were circumstances that looked toward implicating one of the neighbors with the theft. So all the others were sleeping on their arms watching their horses. No more were stolen. I think this was the year previous to the organization of the Cedar County Regulators. That pretty effectually put a stop to horse stealing, but not until several thieves were hung. The horse-stealing excitement had hardly died away before another one came. A project for building a bridge across Cedar river was started. Everybody was forced to take stock. The bridge was commenced by putting in the false work. It was planked over and answered a good purpose. About the time that the bridge proper was being completed a storm came along and blew it down. No effort was made to rebuild it.
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