1838-1938
| West Liberty History 1838-1938 | |
* Commemorating a Century of Progress in the West Liberty Community *
WEST LIBERTY, IOWA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Centennial booklet was published on June 29, 1938. The entire book is now online, including all the photo's. Norma Rogers did all the transcribing and Dave Dunston scanned the photo's and put in the html coding so this information can be viewed online. This book should be a great aid to anybody doing West Liberty, Iowa research. Good luck in your search!!
| NAME OF SECTION |
| Front Cover |
| Looking Backwards |
| Personal Recollections of the Early Settlement of Wapsinonoc Township--by Asa Gregg |
| Murder of Atwood or A Leaf from the Early History of West Liberty--Personal Recollections |
| West Liberty and its Progress for the last Ten Years |
| LOG CABIN HISTORY |
| Chapter 1--The Passing of the Log Cabin |
| Chapter II--The Sac And Fox Indians |
| Chapter III--Wapsinonoc Creek |
| Chapter IV--A Log Cabin |
| Chapter V--The First White Settler On THe Wapsie |
| Chapter VI--The Mormons |
| Chapter VII--The Atwood Family |
| Chapter VIII--Other Settlers |
| Chapter IX--The Death of Enos Nyce |
| Chapter X--The Territory of Iowa |
| Chapter XI--Indian Town |
| Chapter XII--The Land Sale |
| Chapter XIII--A Prosperous Year |
| Chapter XIV--The First School House |
| Chapter XV--The Counterfeiters |
| Chapter XVI--The Home Life |
| Chapter XVII--Fishing |
| Chapter XVIII--The First Post Office |
| Chapter XIX--The First Saw Mill & Chapter XX--Evolution |
| Chapter XXI--A Prairie Fire |
| Chapter XXII--The First Windmill |
| Chapter XXII (Continued)--The Lost Child |
| Chapter XXIII--Buzzard's Glory |
| Chapter XXIV--The Local Preacher |
| Chapter XXV--The Prairie Breaker |
| Chapter XXVI--A Wolf Hunt |
| Chapter XXVII--Canada |
| Chapter XXVIII--Introduction of Blue Grass (Poa pratensis) |
| Chapter XXIX--The Plum Grove School |
| Chapter XXX--Conclusion |
| ASSOCIATIONS, CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS |
| Eastern Star |
| Temperance League |
| 4-H Girls' Club |
| Temperance Club |
| Co-Operative Shipping Association |
| Mansell L. Phillips Post No. 509, American Legion |
| Townsend Club |
| Ladies' Golf Club |
| Merry Maids |
| Chapter AH, P.E.O. |
| Boy Scouts of America |
| Choral Club |
| Pythian Sister Temple No. 189 |
| West Liberty Rotary Club |
| I. O. O. F. Lodge |
| American Legion Auxiliary |
| Last of the G.A.R. |
| Adah Rebekeh Lodge |
| Masonic Bodies |
| Civic Organization, 42 Years Old |
| Iowa Shorthorn Breeders' Association |
| West Liberty Chapter American Red Cross |
| Knights of Pythias |
| The Chautauqua |
| The Parents Teachers Association |
| Women's Relief Corps |
| Never Sweat Club |
| History of the Forthightly Literary Club |
| W. C. T. U. |
| W. L. Girl Reserve Club |
| Society of Friends |
| Royal Neighbors of America |
| BIOGRAPHIES |
| Asa Gregg |
| Lemuel O. Mosher |
| Pickering Family |
| Across Atlantic In A Sailing Vessel (Bio for John Potter) |
| Fred Shellabarger |
| Miller-Keith Clan One Hundred and Thirty Eight Years of their History by Hal Keith Miller |
| The Romaines |
| Peter Heath |
| The Bagley's (By Elly Louise Farquhar) |
| Sarah Ellen Tharp |
| Whitacre Biography |
| Nancy Wilkins |
| Thomas Richards |
| Stephen Mosher Family |
| Harold Childs and the Race Horse |
| Dr. Hinkhouse |
| Wapsie's Largest Family (Nichols) |
| Foreign Mission Worker (Miss Ortha Lane, Ph. D.) |
| "Dan de Quille" (Bio for William Wright) |
| Forty Years An Instructor (Bio for Linnie Harris) |
| Clark L. Mosher |
| BUILDINGS, BUSINESSES, COMPANIES, PARK & POOL |
| Mining Company |
| Hotels of a Century |
| Our Oldest Building |
| Industries at West Liberty |
| United States Post Office |
| Kimberly Memorial Pool and Mary Kimberly Park |
| Morris Stores |
| Grist Mill |
| The Old Tavern |
| Gibson Commission Co. |
| Opera House |
| From Horse Opera to Movies |
| West Liberty Telephone Co. |
| Our Old Buildings |
| Volunteer Fire Company |
| Milk Factory Fire |
| Fire January 5th 1884 |
| CHURCHES |
| History of the Church of Christ |
| Methodist Episcopal Church |
| First Presbyterian Church |
| St. Joseph's Church |
| FIRST IN WEST LIBERTY |
| Fire Fighting Equipment |
| Soldier's Monument |
| First Blacksmith Shop |
| Highway Safety Patrol |
| Artesian Wells |
| Lawn Mowers |
| Milk |
| West Liberty Meteor |
| Carnegie Free Public Library |
| Bicycles |
| Polled Herefords |
| Golf Course |
| Lamp Posts |
| Rural Telephones |
| Grocery Site |
| Dedication Pavement and Lights |
| Telephone |
| First And Only Steamboat Operating On The Wapsie, 1898 |
| MILITARY CONNECTIONS |
| War Service Flag |
| Military Men |
| John Brown's Sword |
| America's Who's Who |
| Martha J. Rowlen |
| Swimming Holes |
| Never Took a Vacation |
| Early Music in West Liberty |
| The Springs |
| The West Liberty Fair |
| West Liberty Bands |
| West Liberty Boy Takes to the Air |
| The S. W. Jacobs Sale |
| NEWSPAPERS AND NEWSPAPER ARTICLES |
| A Foul Murder--Arthur Mead Shot Down by a Cowardly Robber--Newspaper Article May 14, 1903 |
| The Newspapers |
| Items Taken From Local Newspapers |
| Newspaper Clippings |
| OUR COLORED POPULATION |
| Henry Kelly |
| The Trusty Family |
| The Tenement House |
| Gulliver Wells |
| Dick and Hannah Anderson |
| PROFESSIONALS OF WEST LIBERTY |
| Mayors of West Liberty |
| Legal Profession in West Liberty |
| Doctors of a Century |
| Dentists of West Liberty |
| REMEMBERING THE GOOD OLD DAYS |
| Reminiscences |
| How Many People Remember |
| Old Time Items |
| Do You Know? |
| I Remember! |
| Do You Remember? |
| SCHOOLS |
| West Liberty High School Graduates-1938 |
| High School Band |
| Future Farmers |
| West Liberty School |
| West Liberty High School |
| High School Alumni |
| Quill & Scroll |
| Athletic History |
| West Liberty First Grade School Band |
| School Building Burned |
| STREET SCENES |
| Third Street Looking East From Spencer |
| Third Street In 1888, Looking East From The West End |
| Calhoun Street North From 3rd---1908 |
| Calhoun Street Looking North From 3rd |
| Business District Looking East On 3rd |
| Spencer Street, Looking North From 3rd |
| Business District, Third Street, Looking West From Spencer Street |
| Northeast Corner Calhoun and 3rd Streets, 1908 |
| WAPSIE SETTLEMENT PIONEERS |
| Thomas Birkett |
| Peter Polders |
| Gad James |
| Jacob D. Romaine |
| Pioneer Barclay |
| Parry Family |
| Worrall-Gifford |
| Luse-Nichols |
| Ira G. Baker |
| Hise Families |
| P. R. Evans |
| Joseph M. And Pamela Wright Gibson |
| Hon. John A. Evans |
| George Jackson Bowlsby |
| Conrad Hormel (1837-1915) |
| Walker Family |
| Galentine Gatton |
| William C. Evans |
| Samuel Hendrickson |
| Enos and Charlotte Barnes |
| Grand Children of First Settlers |
| John Lafrentz |
| Mercer M. Hall |
| John S. Smith |
| WEST LIBERTY AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES |
| North Prairie |
| South Prairie |
| Town of West Liberty |
| Cedar Valley |
| Union Valley |
| ADVERTISING PAGES |
| Page One West Liberty State Bank ~ R. S. Kirkpatrick, Pres.; James C. Carey, V.P.; Irwin Msher, Cashier; Charles E. Mackey, Teller; Nellie Schooley, Stenographer; John Fitzgerald, Bookkeeper; Ed E. Pries, Custodian; Directors: Robert Brooke, Preston W. Brown, Chas. J. Mackey, HOward Simpson, Jesse H.Swart, James C Carey, R. S.Kirkpatrick |
| Page Two Sketch of Town Hall ~ Chas. J. Mackey, City Manager; Dr. W. B. Jayne, Mayor; Irwin Mosher, Treasurer; Town Council: John Boden, F. T. Lawton, M. a. Sander, Ed Sullivan, J. H. Swart |
| Page Three Morris Furniture Store; Shuman Meat Market; Earhart Hardware |
| Page FourW. L. Auto Parts & Salvage Company, L. E. Lewis Co.; Irey & Nichols Lunches, Tobacco, Candies, Cigarettes |
| Page Five Ruess Bros. ~ Pure Bred Pland China Hogs; Carlisle's Garage; A.L. Dice & Co. Building Supplies |
| Page Six Tivoli Café and Shell Service Station; L. R. Wiese Garage; Benteco Food Stores |
| Page Seven John G. Kleinert Garage; Star Drug Company; West Liberty Sheetmetal Works |
| Page Eight L. E. Papenthien Co. ~ Chevrolet Cars & Trucks; Scotty's Service Station and Lunch Room; West Liberty Index |
| Page Nine Wapsie Produce Co. ~ buyer of Poultry, Cream & Eggs; L.H. Forsyth Transfer ~ Local & Long Distance Hauling for Livestock and Household Goods; Ashton's Hatcheries ~ Baby Chicks, Started Chicks, Broilers |
| Page Ten Compton's Cold Storage and Locker Service; M. P. Reed; Ray Wuestrenberg Insurance Agency |
| Page Eleven W.W. Anderson ~ Grocer |
| Page Twelve West Liberty Co-Operative Creamery Company |
| Page Thirteen Policy Holders Mutual Casualty Co. |
| Page Fourteen West Liberty Shipping Association of Livestock; Morris & Eister ~ Printing, Office Supplies & Equipment Sales; Howard Simpson, Dry Goods |
| Page Fifteen New York Life Insurance Company ~ Ray Whittacre, Rep.; Potter & Weber Coal & Ice; West Liberty Group of Professional Men ~ Dr. L.A. Royal, M.D., Dr. T.A. Robertson, M.D., Dr. J.E. Kimball, M.D., Dr. A.E. Ady, M.D., Dr. H.A. Knott, Dentist, J. E. McIntosh, Attorney at Law, Harold O. Keele, Attorney & Counselor at Law |
| Page Sixteen Dr. J. Carey, Veternarian; F. L. Rust, Chiropracter; Little's Lunch Room; Mrs. Elmer Faires ~ Dealer in Antique Glass & Furniture; Mike Ryan ~ Carpenter & Builder; Hendrick's Barber Shop; George Hines ~ Painting and Paper Hanging |
| Page Seventeen W. C. Anderson & Son ~ Breeders of Shorthorn Cattle and Poland China Hogs; Smith's Corner Care; Shell Service Station ~ E.W. Dunker, Prop. |
| Page Eighteen Prudential Life Insurance ~ Mrs. Myrtle B. Sessel; Standard Oil Co. Products ~ Mel Sander, Distributor; Conner Funeral Home & Private Ambulance ~ Mr. & Mrs. J. W. Conner |
| Page Nineteen Hotel Moylan ~ F. J. Moylan, Prop.; Nichols Furnance, Air Conditioning Systems, Welding and Plumbing; Elmenhurst Farm, George Steen ~ Farming & Livestock Breeding |
| Page Twenty Walter Mackey Insurance & Real Estate; Schaapveldt's Repair Shop; North Point Trailer and Cabin Camp ~ Mr. & Ms Vernon Meyer, Props.; E. T. Stokes Barber shop; A. L. Sissel ~ Cigars, Tobacco, Beer; Mike Sullivan Trucking; Nickle Inn ~ Sandwiches, Drinks; Booke Beauty Shop; Danny's Barber Shop |
| Page Twenty-One H. J. Grandjean ~ Painting and Decorating; Dr. E.E. Hale ~ Dentist; Robert Brooks ~ General Pratice of Law in State and Federal Courts; J. M. Addleman, Insurance Agency |
| Page Twenty-Two Mr. & Mrs. S. C. Snider ~ Licensed Embalmers & Funeral Directors; Evans Cleaners; West Liberty Motor Sales ~ F. J. Moylan in Sales and C. J. Laton in Service |
| Page Twenty-Three Globe Café ~ 1886-1938; Guthrie & Brooke Texaco Products ~ Andrew Gutrie & Findlay Brooke; Scott & Carter Paint and Body Repair Shop |
| Page Twenty-Four Cline Farm Equipment Co.; Liberty Café ~ J. S. Milton, Prop.; Schafer Grain Co.; Henderson Shoe Shop |
| Page Twenty-Five Ruthenberg Clothing Co. ~ W.G. Eichensuer, John G. Boden & Edwin Baldwin |
| Page Twenty-Six Article on Here Come The Jerseys, Breed by five members of Jesey Parish District No. 4 ~ L. A. Whitacre, Jones Bros, Roy Tipton, A. M. Spencer & Ivan N. Gates |
| Page Twenty-Seven The Muscatine Journal; L. E. Bingham ~ Plumbing & Electrical Work; West Liberty Fair Union District Agricultural Society 1862-1938 ~ Leslie Stein, President Ray Wuestenberg, Secretary |
| Page Twenty-Eight Boone Wrecking Co.; Diamond Products ~ J. J. Mathews - station service, Earl Jehle - task wagon service; S. I Kirby Monuments & Markers |
| Page Twenty-Nine Swart & Brooke Texaco Station |
| Page Thirty Ditmars, Kerr & Co. ~ Selling Lumber Coal and Implements |
| Page Thirty-One Smarts Jewelery & Gift Store; W. T. Johnson & Son ~ Local & Long Distance Hauling; Hutchinson's Ice Cream |
| Page Thirty-Two Jumbo Heath ~ New Pulic Address System for Fairs, Celebrations, Merchants & Political Rallies; Ames Hybrid Seed Corth ~ J. G. Heath; Ben Franklin Department Store ~ owned by C. H. McDermott |
| Page Thirty-Three Fred B. Nesper, Sheriff of Muscatine County; Ida E. Grimm, Muscatine County Recorder; Ballard B. Tipton, Muscatine County Clerk of District Court; A. J. Nichols Muscatine County Treasurer |
| Page Thirty-Four B. F. Snyder, Muscatine County auditor & Secretary of Baord of Supervisors; George Sauer, F. G. Wolford, Fritz Belter, John Foley & Ralph P. Evans, Supervisors of Muscatine County |
| Page Thirty-Five Bennett Transfer ~ Local & Long Distance Hauling; Dr. W. B. Jayne, Dentist; Watters Drug Store ~ Precriptions and Soda Fountain |
| Page Thirty-Six Peter Pan Fresh Bread; West Liberty Oil Co. Conoco Tank Wagon Service ~ Call Fedale McIntosh at Kirby's Service Station |
| Page Thirty-Seven The P. N. Gibson Commission Company Livestok Auction ~ P. N. Gibson, Fred Almin, Dewey Gibson, L. C. Fitzpatrick, S. A. Buckman, Clara Beckman, Althea Geison |
| Page Thirty-Eight Eliason Seed Sales ~ Allen Eliason; The A. B. Chesebro Market Groceries & Meats |
| Page Thirty-Nine Peterson Hardware; Hazlett's Dairy ~ D. C. Hazlett, Prop.; Sinclair Oils ~ Roy E. Misel |
| Page Fourty Carr's LunchCar; The Strand Theatre ~ Paul Tobias, Mgr.; West Liberty Telephone Co. |
| Page Fourty-One J. Leroy Farmer Canning Company |
| Page Fourty-Two Bates Studio |
