By Mike AvittI first ran this photo on September 6, 2012 and have some updated information on it. Lynnette Knight Hunt supplied this picture
and that is her great-aunt Mabel Wells in the center.
A paragraph in the March 19, 1924 Mount Ayr Record-News says Mabel Wells married Carl Hogue
on March 11, 1924 and that Mabel had worked at Amos Collins' Palace of Sweets for a year prior to getting married. That's Sarah Collins on the left and her
husband, Amos "Fatty" Collins, on the right.
"Fatty" came to Mount Ayr in 1880 from Burlington, Iowa. He cooked in a local hotel before starting his own bakery on Thanksgiving Day 1881. His new business
was called Palace of Sweets and was located at 118 West Madison by the 189s. In June of 1896 customers could get free samples of a new beverage on the market
that claimed to relieve fatigue and headaches. That product was Coca-Cola.
Mr. Collins erected a new brick building at his old location and moved into
it about December 4, 1902. Previously, he had been in a one-story frame structure.
"Fatty" made several attempts to sell his business over the years.
The first information about this I have is in November 1914 when Haldeman &Fuller took over the Palace of Sweets from Al Lesan and William Newton. Mr.
Collins remained the lead baker in these business transactions and the ones that follow.
In January 1915, Al Lesan bought out his partner but
"Fatty" ended up getting the restaurant back and sold it to T. C. Reynolds in late May 1915. Two months later Mr. Reynolds traded the Palace of Sweets to
George Rains for his automobile company.
In January 1917, George Rains sold the restaurant to Fuller &McClanahan. By January 1918 the newspaper says
"Fatty" has remodeled the Palace of Sweets and is again the owner. Mr. Collins operated the business until his passing in 1933.
The Collins building was
later home to Piper's Grocery Store (1934), Pine's Dairy (1945), and the Mount Ayr Locker before becoming the western half of Irving's Clothing Store's double
storeroom. The building was torn down in April 1988.
Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa, Thursday, November 20, 1914
A deal was consummated last evening whereby Al Lesan and William Newton became owners of the "Palace of Sweets," on the north side of the square.
The Messers. Haldeman and Fuller, who have conducted the business for some time, have not announced their intentions. A.F. "Fatty" Collins, of whom
there is no better baker in the state of Iowa, will remain with the new firm.
Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa, Thursday, April 02, 1915
Maurice Tennant has resigned his position with Price &Agree to accept a position with Al Lesan, proprietor of the "Palace of Sweets," and began work this morning. Maurice is a member of the graduating class of the local high school and has been employed with the Messrs. Price and Agee for the past two years, working outside of school hours.
Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa, Thursday, May 21, 1915
Maurice Tennant, who for several weeks has been employed in the "Palace of Sweets" as fountain expert and head waiter, resigned his position Saturday evening
in order that he might better attend his school work. Otto Bevington has accepted a position in the restaurant and bakery and began work the first of the week.
Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa, Thursday, May 28, 1915
A deal was made Wednesday whereby the "Palace of Sweet Dreams" as sold by A. F. Collins to T. C. Reynolds, of Adel. The $3,000 stock was invoiced yesterday and possession was given at once.
Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa, Thursday, July 23, 1915
Mr. and Ms. George Harding and Emmell, of Humeston, came Saturday evening to make their home in Mount Ayr. Mr. Harding has accepted a position in the "Palace
of Sweets," as baker and began work yesterday. A. F. Collins recently resigned his position as baker in the "Palace of Sweets," owned by T. C. Reynolds.
Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa, Thursday, July 30, 1915
A deal was completed Tuesday whereby the "Palace of Sweets," owned and managed by T. C. Reynolds, was traded for the Rains Garage, owned by the Rains Auto
Company. Mr. Reynolds expects to take personal care of the new garage business and his son, Harry, will assist in the mechanical department. The firm name
of the "Palace of Sweets" will be RAINS &HARGIS, as Mr. Rains' son-in-law, Asa Hargis, will assist and also owns an interest. A. F. Collins, who has a good
reputation for the superior quality of his pastry and bread, will do the baking.
NOTE: Amos Finlay COLLINS was born November 1857, Jefferson County, Iowa, and died at the age of 76 years in 1933.
Sarah A. "Sally" Collins was born in August, 1855, Illinois, and died in 1936. They were interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Mount Ayr.
Amos F. Collins
Photographs courtesy of Mount Ayr Record-News &Mount Ayr Depot Museum
Transcriptions and note by Sharon R. Becker, September of 2015
