Ringgold Roots
Ringgold County Genealogical Society
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County
Vol. 1, Pp. 9-10.
April, 1980

Ringgold Roots salutes the town of Delphos, Iowa, this quarter.

This little town was laid out in 1880. Delphos was situated on the C.B.&Q Railroad between Mt. Ayr and Redding - five miles from Redding,and 8 miles from Mt. Ayr. Four trains went through Delphos daily, two passenter and two freight, one going each way. There was a large stockyards there and all the yards in the community had to be fenced in as the stock was brought through the town to the stockyards. One of the first station agents was W. H. PALMER, and around 1900 the station agent was Frank I. HILLHOUSE. This railroad flourished for 65 years, and in 1945 gave way to the trucking system.

The town first started out with the name "Borneo" but only had the name from September 23, 1880 to November 18, 1880 when the name was then changed to "Delphos" meaning "brother." This town, in its early years had many thriving businesses. Frank JORDON was the first person to take up residentce. He also put up a blacksmith shop, then M. HARRINGTON later had a blacksmith shop, and around 1900 W. M. POOLE and son Trolley POOLE blacksmithed. The last blacksmith was Arthur "Art" STEINMAN who ceased business around 1963.

M. RUSH was the first merchant. Soon after there were two more stores - by J. W. BOWMAN and M. EVANS, and around 1900 J. S. STEDMAN was a merchant. The SEATON store that was established in 1899 is now owned and operated by Joe SEATON. The present building was built in the 1920's.

I. M. LONG had the elevator, T. BOLT had a wagon shop, and D. SCHLAPPIE had the hotel. In 1900 Frank CROPPER ran a boarding house and served meals, and he was also a shoe cobbler.

The first postmaster was Mike RUSH, also Frank SEATON was postmaster. Around 1900 Fannie F. STEDMAN was postmistress. Presently [1980], the post office is in the Joe SEATON store.

Also around 1900 there was a lumberyard by Allen JACKSON, a sawmill by W. H. LAMB, and John NYE, R. BARKER, and Jacob BEAN were carpenters.

Percy L. PRENTIS was thought to be the first physician. Later other physicians were Dr. KING and Dr. HOUGH.

B. F. SEATON was a clerk and also ran a huckster wagon for J. S. STEDMAN. Samuel H. SEATON was a druggist. George E. WRIGHT had an insurance office and was a notary public. C. D. BOWLES lived on the big farm. Presently, besides the Joe SEATON store, there is the Troster Welding & Body shop, and also the PRITCHETT Body Shop.

The first telephone was installed in 1896 in the George W. WRIGHT residence. The last operator, when it gave way to the dial systerm in 1966, was Mrs. Robert (Ruth) SAVILLE.

Delphos' first school was half-a-mile south of town at the crossroads. The second town school house was 1/4 mile south of town. This was a two-room school house, which at one time had 70 pupils attending. The third school house was built in 1915 in the town of Delphos, and is presently standing. [NOTE: The school is now gone.] In 1961, the school consolidated with the Mt. Ayr school district.

In 1883, the First Baptist Church was built at a cost of $800. The minister was Rev. William GOLDING of Redding. Services were held every two weeks. The second church building, the one presently standing, was built in 1921, on the same location as the first, at a cost of $11,000, where services are still held. The Christian Church was built in the late 1880's. This church is still standing and is now presently owned and being used by the Seventh-Day Adventists.

Delphos, like so many of the smaller town communities, has been affected by the change in trend in recent years of leaving the smaller farms and moving tothe heavier populated and more industrialized areas. So because of this, Delphos' population has been greatly affected.

On Saturday, June 28, 1980, the little community of Delphos will come to life again, with possibly more people than it's ever seen at anyone time, as they celebrate their 100th Anniversary, with a free barbecue and all the Centennial trimmings on an occasion of this sort. The following day, on Sunday, June 29, the town's regular reunion will be held. So plan to attend to relax and have fun and reminisce of days gone bay and support your small town community of Delphos. Our congratulations to Delphos on it's 100th Anniversary!

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, May of 2010