Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-04-25
Manchester, Iowa, from 1855 to 1863.

The town now known as Manchester,
in Delaware county, state of Iowa, was
plated or laid out in the spring of A.
ID. 1856, under the name of burlington,
in honor of Levings burlington, farm
er living near its site who donated
portion OF tho land upon which it was
laid out. Its name was soon changed
to Manchester. The principal reason
for the change was that letters, parcels,
ETC., intended for its citizens were often
sent to Burlington, Iowa, the similarity
of names being the frequent cause of
mistakes in forwarding
The original proprietors of the por-
ton first laid out were James Dyer and
VIM. Chesterman. Additions were
afterward made by Levings Burlington,
N. G. and B. NJ. Amsden, and by the
Iowa Land Company. The first store
was erected in the spring of 1855 by
James Dyer. Another was built and
opened by A. r. Loomis the following
August. The first hotel was erected in
the spring of 1856 on the cornerof Main
and Franklin streets, and was owned
and kept by Messrs. Toogood & Bethel.
Another was built later In tho season
and kept by John Baldwin, located on
Fayette street. Dwelling houses we're
built thN ssame season by A. r. Loomis,-
Marshall Hancock, Edison Merrill, H. j.
Brown and others. The Dubuque 6
Pacific Railroad afterwards known as
the Dubuque & Sioux City Rlilroad)
was completed to Manchester in the fall
OF 1859, at which time the cars COM
menced running to the place. At the
present time. August IL, 1858. the vii
lage contains population of about
eight hundred souls. 1t has seven re-
tail dry goods and general variety stores,
kept by H. M. Cougar & Bros, Paxson,
Thompson & Seeds, A. r. Loomis, Ans
den & Wheeler, Henry Hutchinson,
Charles Burnsides and Robert Rule; two
grocery and provision stores, kept by
John Tierney and Lawrence McCarty;
two manufacturers and dealers in tin
and sheet iron ware, Adams & Freelove
and j. U. Butler; one dealer in agricul-
tural implements, Noble Ruggles; one
boot and shoe store, kept by Kellar &
Brown; also two drug stores, kept by
NJ. Cotton and DR.. j. w. Robbins. The
principal mechanics arc: j. M. Smart
and Enos Hamlin, wagonmakers; Edison
Merrill, II. N. Bates, VIM. Brown and
VIM. Foster, blacksmiths; S. w. Green,
cooper; Pardon Wells, Charles Tren-
chard, w. j. Doolittle and Ira Flem-
ming. carpenters and house builders:
Peter Case and George r. Hartwell
chair manufacturers; George E. Too
good, William Board and w. C. Caw-
ley, saddlers and harness makers.
The township officers for 1868 flor
Delaware township are: Supervisor
Noble Ruggles; clerk, Thomas Dodson;
trustees, N. H. johnson, Hassel Munson
and Pardon Wells; assessor, H. L. Ryan:
justices of the peace, j. @. Skinner, +.
l.. Eaton and L. A. Loomis; constables,
f. j. Skinner and g. w. Boyd. The
clergymen are Rev. A. I. Loring, Con.
gregationalist, and Rev. Jetfreys, Meth
odist; physicians, John Acers and j. w.
Robbins; attorneys, s. l.. Doggett and
A. S. Blair; postmaster, H. N. Cornish;
notaries. H. N. Cornish, A. S. Blair, r.
w. Thrill, S. l.. Doggett and Vincent
| Childs.
In the war for the Union, now pend
ing, the citizens of Manchester are very
generally loyal to the old flag, a large
majority of them hailing President Lin
coins proclamation OF freedom an6
emancipation as the dawn of brighter
day for the republic seeing in the tern
bic military necessity that was the i'm
mediate cause of its PRONUNCIATION thu
plannings Of the great Disposer o
events and nationalities for the good o
mankind and the amelioration of human
woes.
L. A. LOOMS.
| Manchester, August IL, 1868.