West Liberty History 1838-1938

Source: One Hundred Years of History
* Commemorating a Century of Progress in the West Liberty Community * WEST LIBERTY, IOWA
THE ROMAINES

In 1640 the first Romaine homestead in this country was established in Franklin County, N. J., by emigrants from Amsterdam, Holland.

Three brothers, John, Jacob and Cornelius Romaine came from that homestead to establish their homes on South Prairie while this country was still young.

Cornelius and Margaret Romaine were the parents of three children, Amelia Charity Frear, Amanda Katherine Smith and Arthur Romaine of West Liberty. Amelia was one of the first teachers of the Normal Training School at Iowa City, which later was moved to Cedar Falls. Mrs. L. J. Inghram, a neice, has a letter written Sept. 18, 1861, by Amelia, in which she tells of her work in getting the normal school started, and which includes mention of the salary and number of pupils. In her classes was the late Dr. C. B. Kimball, father of Dr. J. E. Kimball.

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