Zearing, Iowa 1956 History

Charles Buffington, Carl M. Petersen, Clarence E. Erickson, C. N. Christiansen, Jack Reed, Lynn Hull, and Clarence Emhoff.

Since World War II the dairy business in our community has slumped. Many farmers keep one cow, some buy milk for their own use. As a result the Zearing Creamery Company closed the creamery in 1955.

Russell W. Carver was the last president of the Zearing Creamery Company. Margaret Baiotto Comfort was the last secretary.

Cyrus P. Bean served the creamery for the longest period of time. He was secretary for twenty-eight years.

On April 5, 1956, Virgil Hill opened a cheese factory in the creamery building. He sells the cheese to the Kraft company.

We do not have the exact date the local telephone company was organized. The first office was a small booth in the Ingledue drug store. Elwood C. Ingledue died in 1902. So we know that there was telephone service in Zearing before that date.

Orpha Higgason worked in the drug store. A part of her duties was to take care of the switchboard. Orpha said that there was little activity at first. She said that when the bell rang it always startled her.

The first rural line was constructed northwest from Zearing. James A. Ruxton joked about that. He said that the reason was his interest in the telephone operator, Orpha. James and Orpha were married but we do not know how great a part the telephone played in the romance.

Actually, the only reason for the first line being constructed northwest of town was the fact that construction had to start some place. Arthur Clark built the first rural lines.

The telephone office was moved from the drug store to a very small building on the south side of Main Street, near Pine Street. Later the present office was established southwest of the intersection of Main Street and Pine Street. The office has been remodeled since it was established. A business office has been constructed west of the telephone office.

We are not certain that we have a complete list of managers and linemen who have served the telephone company. Sometimes they have been called managers. Sometimes they have been called linemen.

Leo L. Wing served as the manager in the early 1900's. James Johnson was another manager during that period. A man named Jackson was another early manager. We do not have Jackson's first name. Because of his beard, he was nicknamed, "Whiskers."

Other managers and linemen have been Frank Boylan, Ora F. Fish, Floyd Moon, John Beeman, William Myers, Robert Streitler, John Kummerfeldt, Vernon Jessup, and Lorenz F. Schoenbeck.

Lorenz F. Schoenbeck is the lineman in 1956. Mildred Johnston Good is the 1956 bookkeeper.