The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1915-04-01

&C Olu newspapers.
Dewey Longs paper.
Leon Public Schools"
James and Louise were in their
grandmother's room looking at some
OF the pictures in her books.
'Can you remember when Leon
looked like that?" asked James,
pointing to picture.
Remember it! Why, l remember
it as we'll as if it were yesterday
answered grandmother.
"Will you tell us about it," asked
Louise, who never tired of grand
mothers stories.
"All right" she began, "you be
real quiet and l will tell you of the
early history Of Leon"
81 lived in Decatur City before l
came here. 1t was at that time the
county seat of Decatur county,"
"Why did they change it," Louise
asked.
In 1851 when the commissioners
surveyed the county there was a
great flood and the men could not
reach the place. They though they
knew about where the center of the
county was, so they had it laid out
and named Decatur City. Later it
was found that this was not the CEN
ter of the county, and as many OBJ
jected it was ordered to more CEN
trail location. A town was laid out
and given the name of independence.
This was afterwards changed to
South Independence, as the county
seat of Buchanan county had the
CO mo In ho int Of a.
SIS the name was again changed and
this time to Leon
"Well' how did they ever think of
that funny name?" Louise asked
"A man who was visiting here had
just come home from California and
had become acquainted with the
name out there When the people
were trying to decide upon a name
he suggested Leon. They all SEEM
ed to like it so they named it that"
And who built the first house
here?" James asked.
in 1851 before we came here,
Thomas Fl. East was living on the
town site. At that time the southern
state line of Iowa was not definitely
known Mr.. East thinking that he
lived in Missouri owned several
slaves. When the men came to sur
vey Decatur county he was told he
lived in Iowa and must free his
slaves" she told them. But the first
residence built after the town was
laid out into lots was built of logs,
was sixteen feet square, and owned
by S. C. Thompson"
Are any of the houses still stand
sing?' asked Louise
Mrs. Benetiel's house, the first
one south of the Baptist church, the
building east Of Kraft's clothing
store, and McClelland's house, the
brick house south of Mrs. Harvey's,
are all old buildings"
"Who owned the first store?' ask
ed James.
1.-The first store was owned by
Clark, VIM & Co., was twenty feet
wide and forty feet long. |. N. Clark
sold the first goods to Reuben Hat
field in September, 1853 They en-
joyed fine trade with the Indians
who belonged to the Sac and Fox
tribes. They came in numbers as
high as five and six hundred. The
Indians hunted and fished, then
brought their game and fish to the
store"
"Were you afraid of the Indians?'
Louise wanted to know.
g We were little afraid Of them
at first, but they never hurt any of
U.S."
did you have court house
then?' asked Louise.
Eyes, on the twelfth of May, 1858,
a court house was ordered built and
the contract was let to Peter G.. Stew
ard for $1,65OO0. 1t was located on
the site now occupied by Stephen
Vargas residence. 1t was after
wards sold to William Blair for
home But before it was sold a new
one was built in 1854. 1t was built
of brick, was twenty feet wide, forty
feet long and two stories high. 1t
had three rooms, two on the first
floor and one on the second. The two
lower rooms were used for Offices
and the other one for court room.
This court house was built on the
site of Kraft's clothing store.
did children have to go to school
them" asked James, who was not
any too fond of school.
eve thought we had fine schools,
she answered, ''our first school was
held in the top of the court house.
The first school house was built in
1854, on Gospel Ridge in east Leon,
where Mrs. Cox's residence now
stands. And shall I tell you few
things about the building of our first
school house?"
Eyes, dol" they both exclaimed.
The men that built it borrowed
four panes of glass of Mormon FAM
lily who we're going to Salt Lake, !
made a puncheon floor, stuck legs
into split logs for seats, and built a
stick and mud chimney. Those seats
grew hard when you had to sit on
them all day"
"Who were your first teachers?"
H. " wainwright was our first
teacher. He was followed by Nellie
in 1861
"Were there any babies them"
asked Louise.
Yes, of course. Bell Thompson
was the first child born here their
told them.
Were there manufactures here i,
them" James inquired.
Yes, there We're. The first one |