MUSCATINE COUNTY IOWA HISTORY

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Wilton in 1867
(from old files of the Wilton Chronicle)

Transcribed by Sarah Boye, December 4, 2015

    (The Wilton Chronicle was published by Baker and Thompson and the first number appeared on Sept. 20, 1867)

    "J.L. Reed erected a two story brick building on west Cedar St. for the purposes of a bank. T.C. Ledward was the bank clerk."

    Dry goods stores - Frank Bacon, east side of Cedar St.; F.P. Hubbert, east side of Cedar St. with Mr. Shrope as clerk; W. Wehn, west side of Cedar St.; A.W. and C.S. Stryker in brick on west side of Cedar St.; L.H. Covell, east side of Cedar St. in frame building; Wm. McWilliams, west side of Cedar St. also carries groceries; D. Burk, corner of Cedar and Fourth Sts.; F. Miller on Fourth St. in basement of G.A.R. Hall also carries groceries, clerk is Miss Ada Miller.

    Groceries - T. Lewis on east side of Cedar St,; John Wiley, west side of Cedar; Ledgerwood & Co., north side of Railroad St. with the post office located here; O. Dell also on Railroad St.

    Hardware - E.E. Bacon, east Cedar.

Pg 17
Picture: Looking North on Cedar Street - Courtesy of A. Wacker family

     Drug Stores - L.L. Lane, west side of Cedar St.; Dr. Ross, east side of Cedar St. in 3 story Ross building.

    Clothing - A.C. Blizzard, corner of Cedar and Fourth Sts.; Graff & Sons, west side of Cedar St.

    Boots and Shoes - Windus Bros., east side of Cedar St.; Johnson on Railroad St.

    Stoves and Tinware - Wise's One Horse tinshop on east side of Cedar St.; Theodore Bently in small frame building on east side of Cedar St.

    2 Wagon Shops - John Hartman; S. Keefer.

    Blacksmiths - Ferris and Comstock, on east side of Cedar St.; J. Campbell on Fourth St.; Chas. Kirk on Fourth St.; A. Opitz on Railroad St.

    Furniture - Aaron Park, cabinet shop and furniture store on north side of 4th St.

    Butcher Shop - Thede and Brown, south side of 4th St.

    Millinery and Dressmaking - Misses Lenfest and Covell; Miss Jane Gage; Mrs. Hummell.

    Harness Shops - C. HUcke on north side of Railroad St.

    Carpenters - Matt Park, Owen Syas, David Dixon, Frank Walker, Matt Kean, L. Davis, Wm. Brown, H. Long, and R. Largent.

    Masons and Bricklayers - George Lantz, B. Chatfield, Ha. Cattell and J.B. Sherwood.

    Hotels - R.S. McIntire and Mr. Ours both on Railroad St. a few steps north of the depot.

    Lawyers - J.C. Wate, J.D. Walker, W.W. Witmer.

    Doctors - Dr. Baxter, Dr. Ross, Dr. Salter, Dr. Keefover.

    Eating Places - Bina Bryant's Eating Room, on Cedar St.; The Bakery, kept by Henry Nicolaus on Cedar St.; Ice Cream and Eating Saloon, kept by Mr. Michaels on corner of Cedar and Railroad Sts.; U.P. Scovil's Temperance Restaurant, Fruit and Confectionary Store on Cedar St.

    Livery and Feed Stable - kept by Creitz and Shane north of the McIntire House.

    Picture Gallery of Mr. Rhodes in brick block on Cedar St.

    Auctioneer - Dan Harker, office on Cedar St.

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     Auction and Commission Merchant - H. Avey, office on corner of 4th and Cedar Sts.

    Jeweler - Macomber and Fox, S. Dodge.

    Coal Yard - Robinson, near the depot.

    One paint shop and several painters; 2 barber shops; 1 copper shop, kept by Mr. Spalding; 5 saloons.

    2 Grain Elevators, united capacity of 70,000 bushels. Mr. Reed's elevator is operated by steam, while Mr. Rider's is by horse-power. Facilities for holding grain in Wilton are not surpassed by any town west of the Mississippi river.

    Produce buyers (grain, livestock, etc) - J. Reed; J.J.Rider; Wm. McNaghton; Frank Bacon; A.C. Blizzard; Henry Nicolaus.

    Farmers from the vicinities of Clarence, Tipton, and Wheatland sell their grain in Wilton. On Sept 13, 1867 forty-seven teams were counted in Wilton at one time.

    "The German Lutheran Church, a new and beautiful edifice is rapidly reaching completion. The dimensions are 35 x 60 feet, with a height sufficient to admit of a spacious gallery above and when fully seated will accommodate from five to six hundred people." Wilton Chronicle 1867

     (This is the church that burned int he great Wilton fire of 1874.)

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    "The places of learning (in Wilton) are surpassed by no town of its size in the west. We have a seminary...surpassed by no other in the country. We have a large two-story frame schoolhouse pleasantly located. Mr. Harris has lately started a select school." Wilton Chronicle 1867.

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    "Mr. Illingsworth, who has charge of the shops of the C.R.I.and P.R.R. at this time informs us that the company will erect a mammoth water tank adjoining the shops, also improve the same tracks so as to enable trains on the Muscatine branch to run along side of the main track, thus affording the facilities for the speedy transfer of passengers and freight from one train to the other." Wilton Chronicle, 1867. (It will be remembered that freight was then all transfered in the west end of the Wilton yard, while passengers must tramp a hundred yards to change cars. The water tank was built near the depot. [Wilton Review, 1885.]

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    I remember how, during the depression, it seemed no one had much of this world's goods. In the Methodist Church we had a Mothers, Daughters Club. It included all the women and girls, because if any woman was not a mother, she certainly was a daughter. We took turns being hostesses, and after an evening of games that could be enjoyed by all ages, the hostesses served lunch that was limited to a drink and only one other thing, such as cookies, or sandwich or cake. They were truly enjoyable get-togethers where we learned to know each other better. ~ Lydia Nagel