Before the town of Tingley was here, this area was prairie covered with bluestem and other native grasses. Pioneer settlers described the endless sea of native bluestem grass as standing higher than a horse's back. Fires would burn the prairie frequently and control the brush. Much of the bottom land consisted of timber, which in time was cleared by the pioneers. A firebreak would be plowed around the cabins and buildings to protect them from the prairie fires.

By 1849 land was surveyed. The section corners were marked with stones, posts, pits or mounds. In 1855 Ringgold County had approximately 100 new families.

In the beginning most Ringgold County farmers planted sod corn as their first crop. Corn and oats soon became a staple feed for cattle, hogs, sheep, and horses. Blue Grass was brought to Ringgold County in the early years and now is considered native. It was the basis for stock farming. When properly cut and cured, it made excellent hay. It grew naturally and luxuriantly.

In 1870 there were 24,651 acres under cultivation, harvesting 24,482 bushels of wheat, 426,840 bushels of corn, and 51,401 bushels of oats. During the Civil War, sheep raising was important because of the wool products. Despite of the wolves, and due to the war demands, the sheep herds increased until there were 16,577 sheep in the township. In 1858, a law was passed to provide for a bounty for wolves. Charles K. GRIMES was one of the early sheep raisers. There were 9,362 hogs and 5,961 cattle.

In 1870 the herd law was passed, so the number of sheep and hogs dwindled; the open range was no longer allowed, and the farmers couldn't afford the expense of fencing. Farmers began to breed horses that later made the county well known in the Eastern markets. There were 2,659 horses in the county, 116 oxen, and 204 mules.

In 1870 farmers were fighting grasshoppers. In 1876 and 1877 farmers had a bad time with hog cholera. In the 1880's interest in dairying increased.

When railroads were extended through Ringgold County, stock raising became still more profitable. Long hauls by wagon or long drives to market at Fairfield, Ottumwa, and St. Joseph were no longer necessary.

One of the most successful enterprises in Tingley Township was that of John BLAUER, who lived south of Tingley. He came to Ringgold County in 1881 and established the Evergreen Dairy Farm. In 1883 he netted $450 on the sale of butter from 12 cows alone. When farmers found out about this income, several increased their dairy herds. Angus cattle were first brought to Ringgold County in 1890 by T. A. STEVENSON in Jefferson Township, a half mile from Tingley Township.

In 1876 E. N. DeWITT was a successful breeder of fine matched teams of horses. He and his brothers ran the livery stable in Tingley. Some of their fine stallions took top prizes in county fairs and the Illinois State Fair. The DeWITTS frequently paid as high as $2,500 for breeding stock. D. D. McGREGOR of Tingley had the reputation of raising the best horses in the county. He bred draft horses and had specimens in his stable that weighed from 1800 to 2300 pounds each. One team of dapple grays was reported as ideal for a city fire department.

About this time the Tingley Percheron Horse Association was organized and the Tingley Shire Horse Company. Another was the Liberty Township Horse Company.

Many farmer's sons or daughters were assigned the job of leading the "hay horse" that was hooked to the hayrope to pull the fork full of hay up the side of the barn and on into the hay mow.

Farmers would work furiously to dig a tranch along side of the fields, then pour oil in the trenches in an attempt to ward off the hordes of chinch bugs that were moving in to destroy the crops.

In the winter, the farm family would wrap up in lap robes, quilts, and blankets with a rock or iron tucked in that had been warmed by the fire, then head to town after supplies. They would listen to the squeak and crunch of the hooves of the horses and wagon wheels on the hard crusted snow. In the spring and summer, the horses had to strain to keep their footing to pull the wagons through the mud and water - somethings the tracks were really deep.

Many country folk remember following the path to the outdoor "bathroom," and then trying to find the dry spot to sit down after snow or rain had blown in from the night before.

As I expect to quit farming, I will sell at public sale at my farm one mile west of Tingley, commencing at 10 o'clock a.m. on

The following property: 7 head of cattle consisting of 4 five-year-old cows one with calf by side, others to be fresh soon, and 3 two-year-old heifers; 4 head of horses consisting of bay mare 3-years-old, black mare 4-years-old, bay mare twelve-years-old, and yearling horse colt; 8 head of hogs consisting of 6 Duroc-Jersey brood sows, 4 to farrow April 1, and two to farrow May 15, and 2 Duroc-Jersey male hogs five-months-old, both eligible to record; Farm Machinery including farm wagon, top buggy nearly new, Black Hawk corn planter nearly new, George Brown corn planter, Ohio riding cultivator nearly new, John Deer 16-inch riding stirring plow nearly new, Derring mower, harrow, 3 feed bunks made of two-inch lumber 16-feet long; Grain, Hay, etc. including about 20 tons of timothy hay in barn, about 50 bushel of corn in crib, 40 shocks of fodder, and many other articles not mentioned.

TERMS - 10 month's time on sums over $5, purchaser giving bankable note with interest at 6 percent if paid when due; if not paid when due to draw 8 percent from date of sale. All sums of $5 and under, cash. On all sums over $5 a discount at the rate of 3 percent per annum will be given for cash paid on date of sale. No property to be removed until settled for with the clerk.

February 7, 1907 - The celebrated Duroc-Jersey male hog Proud Advance died Saturday morning on the farm of Grant WHITE 5 miles north of Tingley. The animal was valued at $3,000, being the most valuable hog in the world. He weighed 700 pounds and was four-years-old last November. The loss is severe to breeders.

March 28, 1907 - The Vindicataor editor stopped at D. D. McGREGOR'S farm Monday while on his way to Mt. Ayr and was shown through the horse feeding barns by Mr. McGREGOR. He has 23 head of horses which he is now feeding regularly five times a day, commencing at 5 o'clock in the morning and regularly every three hours thereafter during the day, viz. 9, 12, 3, and 6 o'clock. He does not put the animals on full feed for the first week or two but as soon as practicable he gets them there and then you can almost see the animals grow. They average 1870 pounds in weight Monday and nearly half of the number are a ton in weight. He has one exceptionally large black horse that weighs over a ton and is always hungry.

Mr. McGREGOR feeds a chop mess, no condiments or medicines, and does not take the animals out of the stalls for exercise. The only time they leave their stalls are for the purpose of weighing them and when some horse buyer comes to see them.

He recently refused $400 for a beautiful dapple gray that weighs 2100 which he bought of Ben JOHNSTON near Ellston.

For his next carload, Mr. McGREGOR has had offers from Denver, Chicago, Pittsburg, and New York.

[Mr. McGREGOR named his farm "The Home of the Draft Horse." This was painted on the horse barn.]

April 25, 1907 - NELSON &NELSON have on the floor of their implement house one of the "swellest" rigs ever seen in Tingley. It is called a bike wagon, has an automobile seat and cushioned rubber tires. It is a beauty.

November 21, 1907 - C. H. FRICKEY, who lives northwest of Tingley, found a big red ear of corn while husking last week. It was 11 1/2 inches long, 10 inches around the butt of the ear, weighed 24 ounces, and had 20 rows with 60 kernels in a row.

November 28, 1907 - Otto PETERSOHN, who made an average of 94 bushels per day for a week in corn that made 44 bushels per acre, wants to challenge any Ringgold County man to husk corn against him. He last week one day husked and cribbed 100 bushels in 8 hours.

February 6, 1908 - About 30 to 40 men gathered Saturday afternoon at Capt. STEWART'S office to plan for a circle wolf hunt in Tingley township. No rifles or revolvers are to be used. Our hunters are supposed to be all gentlemen, and we expect no whisky drinking during the hunt. Don't use heavier than BB shot for your guns; this is for the protection of the human race. No firing of guns after the line is one mile square, except a wolves.

February 20, 1908 - About 400 men attended the wolf hunt last Thursday. They killed 42 rabbits which they sold for $2.50 which was sent to the Orphan's home. The Young People's Christian Union of the U.P. Church served lunch at the round-up one mile northeast of town. They took in a little over $23.

September 2, 1913 - A 23-year-old horse belonging to Mr. BERRY north of Tingley was scared to death by autos in east Tingley yesterday. The animal was between an east and west bound auto, reared up, and fell over dead.

May 13, 1915 - The cash produce house of F. G. HAUSZ has shipped since March 15 to Corydon, Centerville, Bloomfield, and Knoxville a total of 2,883 cases of eggs or 86,490 dozen of 1,037,880 eggs. They made over six car loads and brought the neat sum of $15,856 to our poultry raisers.

SOURCE: Tingley, Iowa Centennial: 1883 - 1983. Pp. 16, 21-32, 101-05. PSI, Inc. Belmond IA. 1983.
Courtesy of Mount Ayr Public Library, September of 2011

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, September of 2011