The Oskaloosa herald., 1916-07-20
N EARLY OSKALOOSA
C. P Seaile Recalls Some Incidents
of Years Ago.

In a letter to the Herald, Captain
G. P. Searle, now of Santa Barbara,
California, touches some early expert.
ences in Oskaloosa. Among other
things he says:
The second day after landed in
Oskaloosa, engaged to l.. e. Hardy
as dry goods clerk, who had just
come there from Bloomfield, ILL.,, and
opened dry goods store in little
old frame building on the s. Z. corner
OF High avenue and "A street, opposite
OF A 5. Nichols old blacksmith shop
which stood where the interurban
station now is. Across High and op
posite our store was DR.. Dawson'f
two story brick house. and west from
there on the other corner was Geo
w. Jones brick dwelling. On thu
corner where the First National banl
now stands was the old frame couT
house. The first Sabbath spent II
Oskaloosa, as was walking past the
court house, the doors being open
looked in and saw some dfgnified look
ing person on the platform expound
ing the Scriptures; it sounded prett.
good to me and went in and took
seat away back. At the close of thu
services the speaker came down ant
very cordially shook hands. asking
my name. where from, commentint
on the beautiful spring day, etc.: saiC
his name was Thomas Ballinger
Ever after Uncle Tommie and were
good friends, in fact Uncle Tommit
Ballinger" as he was familiarly cali
ed. was friend to everybody. If h,
had an orarny ", the o0,,,,fvy All
know him. During the supnmer
1854 Uncle Ben Johnson built us
store room, where the present court
house now stands, and next to Joe
Macon's drug store on the south. In
moving TO this new store room the
partnership of Hardy, Searle & Young
was formed tmy dear departed friend
Andy G. Young, who gave his life for
his country on the battlefield of Don
elBonJ, where we continued business
for some years. In the meantime
we added the queensware business in
which department an incident occur.
red which still sticks in my memory.
A lady came into the store who want
ed a full set of dishes We had the
white, mulberry and blue. She was
a good deal puzzled to know which to
take but finally decided on the color
ed, because they would not show the
dirt 50 easy. Enough of this personal
history. Suffice il to say that ! have
Witnessed great changes in Old Ma
haska and in which / shall always feel
an interest and that interest is kept
alive by the Oskaloosa Herald, of
which / have been a constant reader
for 81 years, subscribing for it soon
after going there, when John r. Need
ham was editor and Jim Knox was in
some way connected with it, about
that time, ad Jim Brown, w. A. Hunt
er. then DIR. C. Beardsley, during the
Civil war, then Col. G. w. Fisher,
Henry Leighton, all having passed to
the great beyond Last but not least
of all, the noted proprietors of the
Herald, the HOFFMAN, Brothers. Long
may they continue to flourish and dali
ly furnish the news for its many read
ers We are still enjoying reason.
able health and this delightful spot of
earth with its delightful climate; at
the present time enjoying the visit of
our daughters. Alice and Harriet, with
them granddaughter Helen Holmes
] would like very much to go back TO
the old Oskaloosa home ON visit
once more. but when one is on his
e6th ZAP, II is difficult to tell when or
where there will be a puncture or a
blowout. and all would be over here"