Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1913-12-09
WILLIAMS TWP. ].
IN EARLY DAYS
Illinois Central Railroad Built in
That Township in 1868-Some
of the First Settlers.
II. H. BROWN THE FIRST P. M.
The Town of Williams was Laid Out
in 1869 by John I. Blair
First Store.
H. BROWN THE FIRST P. M

First Store.
From the History of Hamilton
County by F. @. and j. w. Lee: Will
liams township occupies township
80, range 20. The first settler in
the township was Henry Draper, who
took up a homestead on section Is,
in the spring of 1868, and during
that year there settled in the town
ship Isaiah Jaycox, Tom Duffy. Mike
Mcdonald, Geo. Mann, Pete Laford,
Calvin Wheeler, VIM. Pabboldt, E..
S. Saerls, James Francis, James Con-
ley and a. Mr.. Wilcox. The Illinois
Central railroad was built through
the township in 1868. Early in the
spring other settlers began to arrive,
among them being E. Crabtree, H. S.
Orris, l. H. Brown, Samuel H. Rob-
bins, ]. E. Frost, Mrs. C. A. Wyatt
and her sons, S. D. and J. K. Wyatt,
P. Doyle, Steve Clayton and Michael
Cunningham. During the winter of
1869 the building of the present
railroad depot was commenced, and
nearly completed by Taylor Brothers
of Alden, but it was not finally COM
pleted and opened for business until
in August or September, 1869. l..
H. Brown became the station agent
and soon afterwards a postoffice was
established and Mr.. Brown became
the first postmaster.
Among the first settlers that took
up a residence within the township
were S. NJ. Shaeffer, family and
mother, E. Webster, Henry Frank. B.
Haijsman, Frank Leigh and father
and Geo. Frost, Albert Spena, Jas.
Drizhal, Zimmons, Robeck, Sooboby
and ]. M. Houghtaling.
In the years thereafter came into
the township and opened up farms or
started business in the village until
now all of the lands in the township
are taken up and improved.
The town of Williams was laid
out in 1869 by John l. Blair, and
Pete Afford has the distinction of
being the first resident within the
limits of the town. His was the only
house in the town at the time of the
building Of the depot. In the spring
of 1870 Geo. Frost settled in the
town and opened the first store. tt
was a general store, carrying in its
line not a large, but varied stock,
including almost everything that
was called for by the settlers. He
also opened lumber yard and
bought grain, and sold coal and
wood. He held the field alone for
about two years. In the fall of 1871
or the winter of 1872 the Changers
built a warehouse and were making
arrangements to buy grain. Prior
to that time the grain purchased
had been stored in the ware rooms
of the depot. In 1872 o. J. Dutton
settled in Williams and opened a
general store and purchased the
Grange warehouse and began to deal
in grain. In 1874 L. l.. Cady came
and opened the first blacksmith and
repair shop.
In 1875 the firm of Smelser &
Martin bought out the Dutton stock
and building and moved the build
ing to Main street. This was the first
building located on Main street,
where almost all the business is now
transacted.
During the winter of 1S74-5 C. M.
Mattice built the large elevator on
the railroad grounds at the north
end of Main street, east side, and
also opened a larger lumber yard
and began an extensive business in
grain and lumber in the summer of
1875.
During the spring and shortly af-
ter Smelser & Martin had moved to
Main street, T. D. Wilson, and w.
A. earns came and built the second
business building on Main street and
opened a general store. These build
ings were on the west side of the
street. A little later J. w. Thomp-
son came and built upon the east |,
side of Main street, the first build
ing on that side, and opened hard
ware store. Fenton & Stone put up
The next building on the west side !
If the street and opened drug store :,
and following him closely came J. G.
building house and
opening in it furniture store. Dur
ng this year GS75) o. N. Silver
lail built the first hotel, very
much needed and welcome improve