"The History of Decatur County, Iowa: 1839 - 1970"

by Himena V. Hoffman
Published by Decatur County Historical Society, Leon IA, 1970
 
Businesses, Part III, Pages 86 - 87
Transcription by Carmelita
 
Over at Davis City, the town of John Clark, J. E. Teale had a store in 1881 in which Carter Scott was a clerk, which in time became the general store of Scott and McClaren. Carter Scott was an "ardent Democrat." He was also interested in community affairs, particularly the public schools.

Prominent, too, in the affairs of Davis City was the Radnich family. Stephen Radnich, president of the Davis City Farmers' Bank at the close of the century, was a Hungarian. He, too, was much interested in education and was president of the school board of Davis City for fifteen years.

Over at Pleasanton, Royal Richardson was a leading businessman, just as he had been since its settlement. Mr. Richardson had varied interests. As has been mentioned earlier, he was a miller, a land owner, and the landlord of a hotel. In 1898 he opened a private railroad through Pleasanton. The fact that he was mayor of Pleasanton for thirty years indicates what he meant to Pleasanton and what it meant to him. Like William Loving, he was an ardent Methodist and also, Like Mr. Loving. he had no children of his own but took into his home children who needed a home. Unlike Mr. Loving, who moved to Leon to spend his last years, Royal Richardson remained in Pleasanton.

In Decatur City among the businessmen were John Lake, grocer, Gill and Tullis who had a general store, Chauncey Stanley, druggist and Kohlman, druggist. Sam Schenk was a wagoner, and James Ownby kept a hotel.

In Garden Grove there were many in business besides the Stearns. Charles D. Mallette operated the Garden Grove cheese factory for twenty years as well as owning land. T. J. Shaffer had a furniture store. H. J. Culver had a clothing store and in 1895 advertised men's shoes on sale at fifty cents, patent leather shoes at $1.75 and for $4.00 a pair of pants made to order. J. J. McClug had the city livery stable and, again in 1895, W. J. Knapp bought the City Transfer Line from B. A. Wilson and hauled freight to and from the depot.

In the affairs of Garden Grove more than in other towns, the families of the early settlers, continued to be influential, the Arnolds, the Judds, the McLeans, and the Kelloggs were still people of influence. In 1890 its population was 556 and 1895 it was 597.

In Lamoni the leading man was David Dancer who as one of the agents of the United Order of Enoch purchased land in Decatur County in 1877. He arrived with money to invest for he had sold nine hundred acres of land just before he arrived.
 
 
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