Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, April 16, 2015, Page 11

By Mike Avitt

Thanks to Lonnie Horne for this week's photo. Lonnie's grandfather Charlie Horne started this business in 1928. Charlie's father was a well-respected Mount Ayr physician, Dr. William Horne. Charlie's sister, Minnie, married probably the wealthiest man in Ringgold County at the time, Frank Sheldon.

Charlie was a go-getter and got into the hardware business soon after graduating high school in Mount Ayr in 1908. I have a newspaper article saying he went to work for the Mount Ayr Lumber Co. in November 1909. Charlie's boss was I. J. Dalbey, owner of many lumber yards in the area. After serving as manager of the lumber yard in Redding, Mr. Horne was transferred to Davis City to take charge of the yard there in January 1916. He had married Marian Bachman in 1913 and they moved back to Mount Ayr in 1917.

In July 1918, Charlie bought into a grocery business with Harry and Arthur Liggett. They bought H. H. Wilson's grocery store at 112 W. Madison in Mount Ayr. The Liggett brothers continued this business until shortly before Hy-Vee bought the building in 1947. But Charlie got back into the hardware business in March of 1928 when he bought C. R. Keating's hardware store on the east side of the square. I have evidence to suggest the location was 106 S. Taylor, later the home of Lion Auto Supply. Keating located here in December 1922. Previously he had been at 106 W. Madison.

Charlie's son, Charles William Horne, was born August 27, 1921 and the Horne family moved their business to the Odd Fellows building in April 1933. This location later became Lucky Lanes bowling alley. Charles William "Bill" Horne entered into the Navy and, after serving his country in World War II, joined his father in Horne Hardware.

Bill Horne married Barbara Minnick Gordon December 24, 1948 and three children, Gary Gordon, Ann and Charles Lonnie Horne, came to bless the family. Charles Law "Charlie" Horne passed away March 31, 1960. Two weeks later, Bill moved Horne Hardware to the 108 W. Madison, or the current location of Country Blossoms.

The business continued at this location until 1996. Bill passed away June 2, 1993 and Barb left us June 18, 1998. Many a garden was planted with the Burpee Seeds purchased at Horne Hardware.

Photograph courtesy of Mount Ayr Record-News
Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, September of 2015