Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1871-08-24
fcoxrfNeIb IRON vissr rAoE.l

kCoNrfSGID FROM FIRST FACE
rivsled richnsss. The whole plst Of the
town 10 foi med u gentle nndulations, CIV
ing 20 the place the very best drainage pos
sibls. From the summit Of this elevation
broad expanse Of country lies ihxpfed
out before you,--beautiful land scapes niadS
up Of hills, valleys. WOODLANDS Atd run
ming brooks. Br0xd sxpauscs Of prairie
gre Also visible in many directions, oil
He,ted with the farms and houses Of thrifty
farmers. Ths broad waving. eorkhelds.
The golden patches just bereft Of rich
harvest Of small grain, and the numerous
stacks, ail reveal to the behc1der good
proof Of what We have said d the rich
fatmine. country which Surrounds our
beautiful city.
To the west mile distant, line II bold
bluffs obstruct the vision and mark the
western bank Of Deer Creek and its close
approach to the Iowa River. At the foot Of
these bluffs, and winding like . silver
thread aud sparkling in the bright sun
light, the creek winds it's way through
garniture Of green verdure and bright
nowers-ths home Of numerous specimens
81 the 6nny tribe.
TIT nearest approach Of the Iowa River
10 Toledo is near Tama City and is dista at
from this place three miles, The Iowa has
no mill privileges neat, the .ct.rrsnt being
very slu ,gisl. AOeve Toledo few miles
= 6ne mill site II located Oh DSet Greek;
The current Of this .stteem ~ tntth tofe
rapid thah that II tie lSAa aud affords 1t
short distances very good mill powers. Il
Is Of incslealable behe6t directly to this
city.
Now, having located eur city, let US tura
back to the beginning and people 1t.
ITO uIaroRr
is not extensive. Only few paragraphs
are necessary to give an understanding Of
what comet after II. When the Commis-
siousrs located the Couaiy Seat it seems
that the selection fell on land owned BY
Solomon lludord, John spohr and Peter
McRoberts. II had been included in the
school lands asd although those men had
purchased il they had not yet received pat
shts for the same from the Government.
The land vas entered by Judge Vermilya,
who was at that time County Judge, and
the original owners of the land received
pay for 4 part Of il, donating . portion to
lhe county. The plat was soon after laid
OF into town lots BY Judge Vernilys, DR..
Daniels. now living ct buckingham, per- |
forming The part Of surveyor. This was in
,lhs Fall Of 1853, and as yet. the place |
had n, an inhabi:ant. The original own>
.ers lived near the old plat and insids Of
what is now the city.
During the summer Of 1854 the the build
ing of the towa commented, though msny
sfo,s had been sold st auction the summer
previous. The first purchases were made
by John Zehrung and . Mr.. Calling, Of In.
dianapolis The first improvement on the
plat was made by George Ware. he moved
= building int the place. 1t vas small
cabin and served him - dwelling. The
next building was erected BY I. J. Staley.
], was the house now occupied by DR.. II. I.
I,aldy. The third building ON the town plat
was erected BY John Zehrung for . store
and dwelling house. He put into it the first
stock Of goods ever opened IL Tams county,
purchasing bis stock either OF Davenport Or
Mu.ca,ine. 1his building which WAS A.
burned, stood on or near the
northwest corner Of the square. The next
improvement vas made BY Jacob Yost in
The shape Of . log cabin srected hsar whore
Mcssrs. W. r. Johnston & Co.'S sture now
stands. The building forms . part of .
warehouse now used by Johnston / Go,
and stands Just back Of their store build.
iht. TIE summer Of 1854 had approached
sHi PARTLY gone, and the timber and lum-
Der for the court house having arrived, the
erection Of that building Was commenced.
Judge Graham, stin . resident Of Toledo,
had The contract for building the court
house, and the building he put up was
ereditable in the extreme for that early
day. The pine lumber Was purchased in
Iowa City and brought across the country |
in wagons, while the frame timbers were |
.bawed by mill which had been built just
south of town the summer before. The |
building was completed in the summer Of |
1855. Il cost 81 200. 1t 10 now used % . |
meat market and dwelling and stands just
north of the Foster House.
Another of the fret buildings will be re>
ynclnbcred long. 1t WAS called the old
blackberry Tavern. 1t stood whore Doctor
Thompson dwelling house now stands. 1t
Mas quite primitive in its construction and !
came into existence through the instrumen>
tally Of Samuel Mitchell. This was the |
FIRST hotel the county had.
Several other houses were built during |
ME fall Of 1854 but they are not remember.
..J BY bur informant.
In the spring IF 1855 quite little village
had formed hefe, ard aiming those residing
here At that tire eh6hld b mentioned A. b.
Mason, c. G. Buttkereis, Thomas Murray,
now. living at Tsms City, John Zsh ring,
William Garner, Samuel Mitchell, Thomas
A. Graham, and several others with fsmi-
lies. Mr.. Graham also built house here
in.ls54. Judge Vermilys lived close BY
Toledo on farm, but did business in the
town. D. b. Appellate was here then, be-
sides many other young men.
Before the courthouse VAS built and
1~sr he e.
its construction, the citizens Of town and
vicinity put up sort Of shelter and held
religious meetings and Sabbath school un.
der IT, Thus, il will DO seen that our high
moral sentiment Of to-day Was iaculcatsd
nt the inception Of the town Ind from that
day forward scarcely . time can b re-
,ncmbered when the place Was without re-
ligous neetinss. The Baptist church was
built only few yssrs later.
The FIRST school WAS held in the little red
school house which is now used for coal
And Ne6d house for the schools. II was
butt in 1855 BY . man named Skinner
Jeremiah Hosden first yielded the birchen
sceptre-wss Tolsdo's first school master.
Our school matters have made some pro.
efess sinss then.
The second stock Of goods Was opened in
the old Cour. House ia 1856 BY Mr.. A. Phil
':ps. Later it WAS moved u building on
shs north side Of the square. John Nixon
was employed in the store Ms clerk tor some
tins, and afterwards purchased the stock
and run ii there for several years.
From 1855 to 1857 Toledo grew rapidly
and At the latter date quite . village hsd
vrswu up. Mxrshslltown WAS started
about the Same time and until the railroad
was built through that place Toledo was
the letter town Of the two. In 1851, how
ever, tn growth Of the pace was somewhat
ehscksd BY the hard times and close money
kaar&eA II hat snd the next year. Since
then, sLe lswa has continued 10 increase
with tbs development Of the surrounding
country. The place yrs incorporated ~ =
towR several years ago.
New having shown tase career Of tie
town from III early establishment up ~ the
a,rc arm ,s,s,z. We III arn n,,r At nssnh ~