MUSCATINE COUNTY IOWA HISTORY

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Wilton Business as Seen by a Child
By Elizabeth Martin

Transcribed by Elizabeth Casillas, April 17, 2015

     Wilton (Junction) Iowa where we were born, received our elementary and high school education, taught school and later became employed – oh, what memories we have; our roots are deep in nostalgia.

     Let’s take a tour of downtown Wilton as it was in the early 1900’s. My sisters and I would start downtown on a Saturday morning to do the shopping and the first stop was Mr. H.W. Lamp’s store on the corner where farmers brought in cases of eggs and mounds of homemade butter and traded them for groceries; the peanut butter was in a vat weighed to the customer on a cardboard tray; crackers and a variety of cookies lined the aisles in large boxes and they were sold in bulk; also in this store were bolts and bolts of yard goods and all kinds of lace, buttons, hooks and eyes, ribbons and eyelets. A church or school program always rated a new hair ribbon, to be exact it took 2 yards…

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Picture: First Wilton Power Plant – Courtesy of N.N.C.
This was located where the city hall and fire department now stand on Maurer and Fourth.

…and 4 inches. How we wished we were old enough to wear those rolls over our ears called “Cootie Garages.” Our good friend Lou Miller was head clerk in this store. No self-serve just give the clerk your grocery list.

     On down the street to the south was Nicolaus Bros. Clothing Store. What fun it was when Dad was to have a new suit of clothes and he borrowed the sample book for one night so we could help make the selection of material. This store was operated by Henry E. Nicolaus and George J. Nicolaus.

     Next door was the Wilton Theatre specializing in Wild Western and cowboy pictures. A thin dime was the usual admission until age 12 and local girls vied for the ticket seller job, sitting in the small glass cage. All were silent pictures and Vera Godske Ovesen furnished the background music on the piano.

     Then next we went by Shannon’s Drug Store, later operated by Ralph Harris, and tripped on down past Latchaw’s Music Store. Light bills were also paid here to Frances Kelley, town clerk.

     What fascination in the next building to watch the presses rolling for the next edition of the Wilton Advocate. Although there were previous editors, the one we remember best was Herman Thurston, a real community leader.

     And now we have arrived at the post office (Mert Sullivan – postmaster) where we could buy a postcard for a penny and 2 cents…

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    This page sponsored in memory of Atty. Frederick Alonzo Martin who practiced law in Wilton (Jct.) 4-1905 to 11-1954, by his daughter, Elizabeth Martin.

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Picture: North side of 4th Street in the 100 block – Courtesy of Grace Squires

…mailed a letter. Mail was hauled to the post office from the depot by Frank Piggott with a hand-pulled cart.

    Across the street was the famous Nopoulos Candy Kitchen – 5¢ ice cream cones, 10 ¢ sodas and sundaes. At our house the weekly treat was a 25 ¢ sack of homemade candy, those delicious nougats and peanut clusters that Dad brought home on Sunday morning and we could consume them after Sunday school.

    On the east side of Cedar Street Elmer Weierhauser had a barbershop on the corner and also a laundry agency (the business men wore those stiff starched collars) . William Reid was the harness maker, Louis Grossel the town tailor sitting cross-legged on a stool repairing and remodeling clothing. Since we are talking about sewing and tailoring, Wilton boasted 3 professional seamstresses Miss Mary McNulty, Miss Kate McDermott and Mrs. Kate Miller. They came to your house at 8 in the morning to sew until 5 in the afternoon and the usual pay scale was $1.25 to $2 per day.

    Kautz bread from Muscatine was brought to Wilton on the “Plug” train at 11 in the morning and sold for 9 ¢ per loaf at Scull’s Pool Hall. Atkinson’s also had a lunch counter and billiard room, they sold bread from the Muscatine U.S. Bakery. We could never forget the Atkinson popcorn wagon, an especially busy place on Saturday night when the local concert band played on the street corner.

    Wilton boasted two shoe stores operated by George Holzhauer and Ed Miller. These men also had shoe repair shops in connection with their stores because people had their shoes half-soled and Easter and Christmas generally meant a new pair of high topped shoes or oxfords. Besides shoe polish we found that Vaseline covered up the scratches and a coat of BonAmi rubbed from a bar made white shoes look like new.

     Bacon’s General Merchandise store stood on the corner of 4th Street and Cedar; we always bought our coffee at Bacon’s store so we could watch Charles Bacon or Ernest Murrison operate the coffee grinder, what a strong arm it took to turn the big wheel. In the rear of this store was a hand-operated elevator to transport the freight to the second floor.

     Above the Bacon Store we found the Wilton Telephone Company, owned by Ben Agee, with the faithful operators answering “number…

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…please” when we turned the telephone crank, and in case of illness or tragedy Mary Thurston, Mrs. Dan Dwyer, Hulda Schroeder, or Kate Creitz were very alert and helpful. If you were to be out of town for a few days ,who did you tell? The telephone operators, of course.

     They seemed to have an uncanny ability to locate any of the five doctors, Dr. A.R. Leith, Dr. G.G. Leith, Dr. H.P. Mason, Dr. Wm. Cooling and Dr. L.C. Winter. A severe toothache and they located Dr. Dwight Smith, Dr. James or Dr. Scholten. All ills seemed to be cured with the doctor’s admonition, “Stick out your tongue.”

     The Star Drug Store was operated by Rudolf Farner whose slogan was “Rudolf Your Druggist – Thanks Call again.” Uncle Farner was our neighbor and at holiday time always gave us samples of Colgate’s toothpaste and violet scented perfume.

     Dr. F.S. Abbott was the congenial veterinarian for the community.

     We had three banks where we were always greeted with a cheery smile; Union Savings Bank we remember William D. Harris and Clarence Budelier; Wilton Savings Bank – William Lang; and Farmers Savings Bank – F.C. Wickes and Arthur J Wacker. They encouraged saving even if it meant a small deposit from a little iron bank and interest on savings was 4%. Then, as now they catered to a rural community with loans on real estate and livestock.

     Lyle Brumbaugh, L.R. Dunker and Harry Stevens operated a barber shop on Fourth Street. Next door Luke Cockshoot had a tire vulcanizing shop with benches and nail kegs in front of the building for downtown visitors to renew acquaintances.

     Under the Axe we found A.T. Nelson Hardware Store with Duard Smull as his assistant. In the spring of the year we were amazed at the large variety of garden and flower seeds sold in bulk. This was truly a community hardware center.

     Sitting on stiff-backed chairs with smiles on our faces we had our pictures taken by S.H. (Sam) Wise.

     None of the grocery stores and also Fred Maurer General Merchandise Store, Heabner’s Grocery and the food store operated by Bill Looney sold meat but we had a meat market. On Saturday afternoons the specialty was homemade bologna, 10 ¢ a ring, fresh from the vat. This market was operated by Herman Jarr and Beryl Grings.

     A nostalgic bit from Maurer’s General Store where they had that twirling candy machine: our hats are off to Ruth Schneckloth who had infinite patience in turning the machine while we picked out penny candy, red licorice, candy bananas, imitation cream cones and sen-sen.

     John Roederer’s bakery sold those delicious coffee cakes and cinnamon rolls besides bread of all kinds and cookies that tasted like homemade – 3 dozen for a quarter. Never before nor since such a delicious fruit bar cookie, the recipe a secret.

     Wilton boasted two good restaurants operated by Mrs. McCartney and Lola Dunker. Good home cooking and a nutritious meal for less than 50¢.

     We pause by the window of Ella Smith’s millinery store. Ribbons and feathers on straw and velvet hats. If nothing in stock pleased the lady customer, Mrs. Smith designed and made a hat.

     Grouped on Fourth Street and Maurer Street was the industrial…

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…part of the community – Wacker Implement Company with John Wacker, Peter Wacker and Herbert Wacker repairing and selling farm machinery (mostly horse-drawn) and Velie automobiles. The chief mechanic, Tip Hill was surely the farmer’s friend. Ed. F.W Maurer occupied a repair shop in the south end of their building. Nearby was the blacksmith shop operated by Art Darting. He spent many long hours shoeing horses. John Luethye, the tinsmith and plumber had his place of business across the street. Earl Whitmer had a welding shop.

     Those men we saw hurriedly walking down the street with a lead pencil behind the ear were the builders or more commonly called the carpenters of Wilton – George Wagner, William and Kirk Grunder, Robert Wilkerson and Charles Crisman, J.G. (Judge) Crispin was an expert plumber and Elmer Maurer and Emil Schroeder, the electricians. Not very many “Do It Yourselfers” for painting and paper hanging so we called on Pirkey Brothers (Will and Bert) or Perry Bridges. They made the lovely woodwork, floors, and walls in the elegant homes of Wilton compare with city mansions.

     In connection with all these building and improving programs most of the materials were supplied by the Economy Lumber Company (David Burrows, owner and Edith Burrows, bookkeeper) and Wilson Lumber Yard (later to be acquired by Wilton Lumber and Fuel Company with H.F. Lauser as manager. Charles Hart was the yardmaster for the Economy Lumber Company and he drove the faithful old horse named Major on the delivery wagon.

     Independent producers in Wilton were C.H. Jacobsen, who had a cigar factory north of the Union Bank building; (Youngsters loved to stop there and chat and watch him make the hand rolled cigars).

     The Kelley Hatchery was several blocks south of the depot and operated by George and Jennie Kelley. This was a great place to go on a Sunday afternoon in the spring and observe the activities in the incubators.

     Traveling toward the east was the Friederichsen Florist Shop whose owner was Leonard Friederichsen and he was ably assisted by Jens Hansen. One could close your eyes and imagine you were in the midst of a perfume factory, so sweet the odor from all the blooming plants.

     Back to the vicinity of the railroad depot and there to watch with curiosity M.J. Doyle, the station agent sending messages by click and tap on the telegraph. There were so many trains a day for Mr. Doyle to keep track of, and what a spooky place when we had to wait for an evening train. We could go to Moscow or Durant on an afternoon train and return in the evening. Across the street from the depot was the Commercial Hotel for overnight visitors.

     The White Pigeon Insurance Company was very active in the town of Wilton and surrounding rural area. Henry Wildasin was secretary and later George Karns took over his duties when he retired.

     What fun to go to a household goods sale on a Saturday afternoon and hear the auctioneering chants of John Osmers and H. W….

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     “Sleigh bells of every description at Ed Bacon’s”
         Wilton Exponent, Dec. 25, 1874

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…Kretschmar. They also sold real estate as did T.P. Russell.

     Piano studios were operated by Olive Burrows and Louise Maurer in their respective homes and the highlight of the year was the annual recital.

     Why were all professional offices located on the second floor of the buildings? A.R. Whitmer had a law office in the Maurer building and our dad, Fred A. Martin conducted his law office from the Farmers Savings Bank Building second floor. A wood-burning stove in the office located in 2 small rooms – rent $10 per month.

     We lived in the beginning of motorized travel. William Baker had a filling station with hand operated pump. It was fascinating to see him wind the handle and the 5 gallon glass case on top would fill with gasoline, then let go of the handle and the gas would run through a rubber pipe into the car gas tank which was located under the front seat of our Model T Ford. Arthur C. Hucke also had a garage and station, and who could ever forget Mr. Hucke sailing down the street in his long gray duster coat.

     On the city hall corner in the center of downtown stood the power plant that supplied electricity for the community. George Kanoff was the man with spikes in his boots who climbed the electric poles. Electrical appliances were unheard of since we obtained ice for refrigeration from Merkley Brothers or Hickey Ice Wagons.

     Birth and death in Wilton was a home project. Mothers gave birth to their offspring in their homes with the doctors so ably assisted by Mary Schroeder and Aunt Betty Snider Hain. Those dear women generally stayed in the home a week to twelve days.

     But what was death? Our grandfather went to sleep at the time when we were small children. Mr. William Griffith came to grandma’s and in hushed tones went about his duties. Then in a few days they took Grandpa away in a large windowed carriage drawn by a fine team of horses. Mr. Griffith wore a “Stiff Katy” hat. Later Matt McDermott came to the house to talk about a tombstone. Such a mystery to a small child.

     Smile at a child and treat the youngsters with kindness and the future of the business community of Wilton is secure. They won’t forget when they become adults.

     “I have to live with myself and so I want to be fit for myself to know.”