The writing of this history was not a planned operation. It developed gradually.
I was discharged from the Army on October 22, 1945. Several months later I was appointed Historian of Zearing Post 116, The American Legion. I was recommended for that office by William B. Gardiner. The job was easy because Clifford J. Greenberg had written an excellent history of the post which covered the period from 1919 to 1938.
I decided to expand the post history into a complete military history of our community. It would cover the veterans of all the wars. It would also include all of the veterans organizations of our community.
I had no idea at the beginning of publishing any history. I expected to file all of the history with the records of Post 116. The military history was not completed until the spring of 1954. It was in the spring of 1954 that I decided to enter the military history in the history contest sponsored by the Department of Iowa of The American Legion. In order to do so I had the military history printed. My entry won the Maurice Cahill trophy in 1954. The history won the Maurice Cahill trophy again in 1955.
Now let us return to the community history. I had decided after considerable work on the military history that perhaps I should record a few facts about our community. These facts would be filed with the military history. This was a fortunate decision. I received the story of the naming of Zearing, Iowa, from George W. Phillips before his last illness.
In 1953, Nevada, Iowa, celebrated its centennial. Nell McNichols asked me to furnish some local history for the centennial paper. I was ashamed of the history I furnished. It was totally inadequate. I vowed that I would complete a community history that would be accurate and detailed.
A great many people have helped me obtain the necessary information. I could not name all of them. It mattered not if substantial information was needed or some minor facts, there was always someone willing to help. For example, Lena Richardson Warner furnished the story of the founding of Zearing, Iowa. Clay Reed wrote an article about Illinois Grove. Albert W. Crain made a twenty mile trip to Hubbard, Iowa, to obtain two dates for me.
It was the interest displayed by so many people that brought me to the decision that I should publish the history. I knew it would be a difficult job. However, I was convinced that the publication would be appreciated.
When I started the community history I thought that I would include family sketches of the important families living in our community prior to 1910. I soon came to the conclusion that 1 could not judge which families contributed most to the welfare of