Zearing, Iowa 1956 History

Gus M. Tuttle was one of the first storekeepers in Zearing. He served on the town council in 1883.

John Henry Vining Willits was a very prominent early resident of Zearing. He was a druggist. J. H. V. served a term as the mayor of Zearing. He was a township clerk in the 1880's. J. H. V. journeyed to Washington, D.C. to attend the inauguration of Benjamin Harrison.

McConnell was the partner of Charles N. Thatcher in a local store. Manly E. Dakins said that McConnell's first name was Hugh.

Thomas J. McKibben was a Zearing grocer. Thomas was a competent tenor singer. His wife was an excellent soprano. Thomas was one of the first citizens to advocate a bank for Zearing.

A. B. Welton was a Zearing druggist. That is all the information we have about him.

A man by the name of Harter owned a furniture store in Zearing. The records seem to indicate that he lived in Zearing in 1890.

We do not know whether E. C. Wallace was a resident of our community. However, his name appears in some of the local records.

W. Maynard, who apparently came to Zearing from Nevada, Iowa, owned a grocery store in Zearing. Later he opened a restaurant in the same building.

We have a record of a Snider boot and shoe store in Zearing. Morton Kuhn was a real estate man and newspaper editor in the 1880's in Zearing.

C. E. Hayes was a depot agent in Zearing.

There is a record of a man named Rolfe, living in our community. Indications are that he was a farmer.

George E. Airhart was prominent in community affairs in the 1890's. He was a barber.

Martin Lonning lived in our community for many years. His wife, Mary L., died on January 6, 1915. She was buried in the Zearing Cemetery.

Lafayette F. Coverston was a local Civil War veteran. He was born on May 6, 1844, the son of Samuel and Amanda M. Coverston.

E. J. McGrogan, another Civil War veteran, lived in our community in the 1890's. He had a family but we do not have a sketch of the McGrogan family.

Pierce Brothers was the firm name for a furniture store in the early days of Zearing. We have a comment from a pioneer which states that the Pierce brothers were very fine gentlemen.

William H. Shafer was prominent in the local G. A. R. He was a local postmaster. Indications are that he was a bachelor.

William Blackburn was a prominent local farmer. He died on August 17, 1898. Other members of the family buried in the Zearing Cemetery are Rosa and William Leslie. There was also a girl named Mary in the family.

John S. Bartley was a farmer living near Illinois Grove. His name appears in the history of the Evangelical Church. There was a Bolton family living in our community during the