CHAPTER XII.
GRANT TOWNSHIP (CONT'D).

CITY OF ANITA.

The site of Anita is situated southwest of the central point of Grant township, on section 21 and 28. It was originally the property of Lewis Beason, who caused a town to be surveyed and platted, as named, in 1869; but in 1870 he disposed of it to Frank H. Whitney, B. F. Allen and John P. Cook, who were also the principal proprietors of the city of Atlantic, and who filed the plat of Anita for record on the 10th of November, 1870. To the original plat Mr. Whitney made an addition on the 24th of September, 1874, and Norman Haskins another, on the 13th of March, 1879.

THE NAMING OF THE TOWN.

The naming of the place came about in this way: One day in the summer of 1869 a number of railroad officials were taking dinner at Lewis Beason's house (which stood on an eminence in the midst of the future town), when the subject of the new station and its probable name were being discussed. The railroad men proposed to call it Beason, but that gentleman, out of modesty, objected. Mrs. Beason suggested that the town be called Anita, in honor of her niece, Anita Cowles, of San Francisco. The subject was then dropped, but soon afterward Mr. Beason was informed by the railroad officials that his wife's suggestion had been adopted and the town had been christened accordingly. The name is Spanish, and should be pronounced as though spelled with an "e" instead of an "i." Translated it means "little Anna."

INCORPORATION OF THE CITY.

The city of Anita was incorporated on the 10th of June, 1875, and the following were elected officers of the new municipality: Edwin Cate, mayor, Martin Bach, J. P. James, H. C. Saunders, Charles Young and George Todd, trustees; Martin Bach, treasurer and collector. The first ordinance was passed on the first of the following July, and was in relation to sidewalks.

PIONEER ESTABLISHMENTS.

The first dwelling house erected on the town site, after the laying out of the plat, was that of C. D. Bartlett, in the spring of 1869. This he ran as a boarding house for about a year and [a] half, when he built what was known as the "Anita House," and operated it as a hotel for many years. He afterward went into the insurance business, was justice of the peace for nearly ten years, and a leading citizen generally.

The first general store in Anita was opened by Keith, Cate & Company on the 20th of June, 1869, the building standing on the corner of Chestnut and Main streets. In the following year O. C. Keith retired and the firm name was changed to Cate & Hamlin, and in 1877 Mr. Hamlin withdrew from the business. Edwin Cate was not only the pioneer merchant of Anita, but was acknowledged to be its leading business man. He was elected its first mayor, and was one of the strongest citiens of the county.

In the early part of 1869 John Moreland opened a small grocery store, but after a few years became financially embarrassed and left the county. In 1871 John Morrison opened a store of the same character, remained in business for some years, and then disposed of it to Gates Brothers, who afterward conducted a more general establishment. Among the other early firms, known as general merchants, may be mentioned Cormack & Mosher, Lattig Brothers and Worthing Brothers; as grocers, J. B. McGrew and L. M. Bosely.

R. W. Calkins bought a large farm immediately adjoining the site of Anita, the year before the town was laid out, and after it was platted entered into partnership with Lewis Beason and (in 1869) opened the first lumber yard there. After conducting it for two years they sold it to J. P. James, and the business has since been in the hands of R. D. Vernon, E. S. Hoyt and others. Beason & Calkins also established an agricultural implement store, in 1870, being the first to engage in that line at Anita.

In the fall of 1870 Dr. V. D. Rood established the pioneer drug store. S. C. Rood & Company opened the first exclusive hardware store at about the same time. Lewis Beason shipped the first car load of stock in 1869. John B. Allen shipped the first car load of wheat, and received the first car load of freight of any kind (salt). In 1870-1 S. J. Applegate, of Atlantic, built the first grain warehouse in Anita.

H. C. Saunders, long a resident of Anita, erected the second building in the town in 1869, and there established the pioneer blacksmith shop. His health was broken from Civil War service, and after five years of work at his trade he was obliged to abandon it and enter the real estate business, at which he is said to have accumulated a competency.

Dr. V. D. Rood located in the town during 1870 and was its pioneer physician. E. E. Major taught the first school, in 1869, the building, owned by Frank H. Whitney, being the only one which could be useed for this purpose, as well as for all meetings of a public nature. In 1882 the city erected a fine school house.

"Compendium and History of Cass County, Iowa." Chicago: Henry and Taylor & Co., 1906, pg. 152-154.
Transcribed by Cheryl Siebrass, July, 2018.