The Oskaloosa herald., 1909-06-03
IN EARLY OSKALOOSA
w. P. Hellings Relates Some Inter
esting "reminiscences.

Editors Herald: Through the kind
ness of my daughter Mrs. Frank
Novels, OF your city, received few
days ago, a copy OF the Herald con-
tanning an account of the dedication
lof the statue of Chief Mahaska, and
some early history of Oskaloosa, which
was all very interesting to me.
My father many of the old timers
Twill remember Tom Henings, the
blacksmith, came to Oskaloosa early
in "a when | was a bit of lad, and
| lived there until in SO when he moved
onto farm near Lacey. He still lives
in that vicinity, hale and hearty, at 80
years of age.
| I lived in Oskaloosa until 10, when
/ went to Nebraska to grow up with
the country. / mention the foregoing
personal history to show that ! am en-
titled to wear the badge of pioneer in
Iowa as well as in Nebraska. Your
description of Oskaloosa that was
known to William Edmundson," we
1
there were who didn't, called him
l"Uncle Billy"-was all very vivid to
me. Oskaloosa in the late SOS, was
indeed, small place, probably not
more than 1900 population, but live
burg at that. Well do i remember
how merchandise OF all kinds had to
be hauled in wagons from the river
towns and it took several days to
make the trip. And later from Ottum-
wa and still later from Eddyville as
the Des Moines Valley railroad was
built to those places. And when the
most anxiously, everybody awaited the
looming of the old numbering stage
coach from EddyvilIe that brought
the mail and daily papers-the Burl-
Iington Hawkeye and the Keokuk
Gate City. And how they would crowd
lceived them, for copies, and when the
supply ran short as was frequently
THE case, some fortunate one would
read aloud every bit of news to those
: less fortunate, and there was always
many. Though only a boy, | was al
/ ways an interested listener. | couldn't
!, understand it, but it seemed to me the
country was lost-about to sink into
!, some horrible maelstrom. And after
reading the account of some battle,
would go away dazed and the very
learth seemed to sink from beneath
i ftln ~ no
, came to me most realistic when that
? little band of soldiers, headed by Lieut..
Loughridge, seven in all as | now re-
member, came home in '62 and half
/ the town went out on the hill just
I north OF the South Spring mills to
!, from Eddyville, and to escort them to
; the City Hall where an elaborate re-
lception and banquet had been planned
and prepared for them. These seven
! were all to return to Oskaloosa of a
la company of 100 men who had not
Z to the front. Lieut.. Loughridge was
: so i'll, that he could not remain but a
| short time at the reception and was
: taken to the home OF his father, Poul'
} ney Loughridge, few miles east OF
J town, where he died a short time aft
/ erwards.
| AS ! looked at those soldier boys
: gathered upon the platform in the hall
, and, as | then understood, were all
| that was left of the company, the rest
/ having been killed in battle, or sick
/ ened and died and left in the South,
, land, an impression of the horrors oil
war came to me that I shall never
} forget. But | win not take up your
t space to tell of it, and will mention an
amusing incident that occurred little
later on, although intensely serious
at the time, which will be remember
ed by many OF that day.
John w. Faxon, one of OskalooSa s
Heading merchants, was at Ottumwa
and the news reached there that Guam,
ltrell and his men had crossed over
the Iowa line and were pushing their
way north towards Ottumwa and Oska,
loosa as fast as their horses could car,
Try them, leaving death and obstruction
in their wake. Without waiting for
any confirmation of the news, he made
"a Paul Revere ride to Oskaloosa and
gave the alarm. Church bells were
rung and other means of arousing a
half sleeping people were resorted to,
and such was his excitement, fear and
undoubted belief in the news, that
hundreds of men and boys quickly
gathered in the public square with any
kind of shooting iron they could get.
IOfficers of the day were appointed and
Jail roads leading out of town were pick
leted.
Several youngsters and | with pis-
Itols-Q had one of the pepper box
variety)-got on top of one of the brick
buildings on the west side of the
square. and waited for the enemy.
Many dire predictions were made as to
the fate of the guerrillas If they should
ever get into Oskaloosa, not one would
get away to tell the tale. All that day
the citizen soldiers remained under
ARMS about the square and heavy
picket maintained throughout the
night No guerrillas showed up,--in
fart fhnU did mot npma within forty