Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1912-08-07
TOUR PROGRESSIVE
INLAND | |. AN TOWN own
colesburg Steadily Growing Without
Railroad Facilities. Oldest
Town in County.
HOME OF MANY OLD and ESTABLISHED
ENTERPRISES.

wild, unbroken prairie, covered wit
tau waving slough grass and inhabi
Ell only by Indians, the intrepid hun
ers trayersed the country In scare
OF game long before the first SCI
tiers came.
It is said the Julian Dubuque, tn
founder of the city of Dubuque. ha
cabin near the present site Of
Colesburg.
Colesbrrg has the distinction Q
being the oldest town in Delawar
county. It is situated in the extrem
northeastern part of the county i
Colony township and has maintaine
steady growth as an inland town Il
spite OF the lack Of railroad facilities
In 1889 Silas Gilmore settled nea
he present site Of Colesburg. Late
in the year another party Of men ar
Give. and this settlement was Gale,
Colony. In 1899 David AIoreland will
q party of Pelnsylvanians settled
near the place. In 1916 postoffic,
was secured and David Moreland wa!
he first postmaster.
In 1S4s the present Colesburg wa.
Plated by James Cole and consisted
81 thirty OTIS. In 1851 the town O.
Colony was plated directly south O.
Colesburg, the same road serving as
the main street of both towns. Fol
many years these two towns existed
separately although practically one
There was always contest as to the
location CT the postoffice and it was
alternate" between the towns.
The first store was opened up by
lI'ram Cole who erected the first
building in he village. Jacob More
an. erected another store in what
was then Colony in 1851.
n P. G. Bolsinger opened up gen.
aral store in 1851 and is still engag-
u in business.
The Colesburg pottery was built by
David Roberts in 1857 He saw the
adaptability of the clay of this To-
cality which could be procured in
sreat abundance For a number of
gears all kinds Of fancy pottery was
but of late this has
seen merged exclusively into the
Of flower pots and hol.
,ow building bricks. David Roberts
vas the father Of George Roberts,
who was for number of years d.
.ector of the United States mint and
an authority on banking
ind monetary conditions. This ad-
yocate of the Central bank claims
Colesburg as his birthplace.
The present oldest inhabitant Of
he: village is Jacob Lands who set
LED there in 1912 coming from Penn
;ylvania and has been there nearly
.eventy years. A personal interview
eyealed many interesting remin-
SCIENCES Of by-gone days Of this old
own. He stated that upon his arriy-
/! there were but four or five set
lers in the district and the present
lie of Colesburg was large grove.
rhe prairie grass waved breast high
ii an endless sea to the west. One
winter this intrepid settler while
plitting rails in grove near his
.nme, with his rifle provided the
neat for the table without loosing
ime from his work. At night the
.cbble Of the wild turkey could be
,eard in the distance or in the glow
i the setting sun a drove Of deer
ould be seen on the horizon. When
iarkness had spread its mantle, the
;ioneer family huddled in front OF
be old stone fireplace could hear
he none too distant howl of wolves
,.oken now and then by the blood
'ngling cry of the panther. These
we're the common scenes in the ev-
ny day life OF the pioneer settlers
t Delaware county.
The first school house was built
n 1889 or 40. This was burned and
mother erected and for many years
school was kept" in the old fashion
i way. At present commodious
hree room schoc. building accomo-
ates the needs of the young people
ns only the best instructors are Sc
ured.
The first religious services in the
cupty were held in Colesburg by
simeon Clark, bee hunter, but an
arrest preacher. In 1916 Con-
church was organized
nd a church erected three years af-
er. At present services are aband-
ned. The Methodist Episcopal
hurch was organized in school
louse in 1912. The present church
vas built about seventeen years ago
nd although the congregation is
mall yet services are held every
sunday, with Rev. G. A. Harvey as
astor. The Catholic church was
uilt in Colesburg in 1857 and the
resent building erected in 1877. The
Tendance is small and services are
ED every three weeks by Father
1inogue of Elkport.
The little village has some of the
ldest secret societies in the county
nd most Of them existing at the
resent time. Among those repre-
ented are the Masonic, Eastern
tar, Rebeckas. Odd Fellows and
Iodern Woodman orders.
Colesburg at present is thriving
illage Of about three hundred and
q spite Of the lack of railroad tac1l-
lies has had steady and prosper
us growth. The town was incor-
Grated in 1893, which included the
own of Colony for it had ceased to
xist as separate village. The
resent mayor is G. Craig, one OF