Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-01-19
My Home Town - Libby
By Edna Havens

bedI JulllOTS.
| Am sending you the history OF my
| home town.
| When the railroad was established
the tracks crossed each other here,
and the railroad officials thought it
would be a good site for town. All
the land belonged to Mr.. Will Brown
except where the stOckvards stand and
it belonged to Mr. Thomas Under
The land was surveyed by Mr. B. +.
Grail.
Libby got its name from Mr..
Thomas Under
The first house built was the sec
!tion house west of the depot.
| Mr.. Frank Hoover was the first per-
son that lived here He built the
house where Mr. B. E. Clark lives
now. He was the depot agent at that
time
Dudgeon & Gambol built their store
in 1903. 1t was afterward sold to
Wilbur Braden and then to Charles
Sheets. 1t was destroyed by fire
November 10. 1913, and was rebuilt
by r. l.. Scott & Co. in 1914
Mr. Joseph Nelson moved his store
from Abingdon up here.
The next dwelling house was moved
to town by Mr.. J. A. Clingman Mr..
Rockwell rented it and kept boarders.
The land was bought for the church,
so in 1906 Dudgeon & Gambol pur-
chased the addition. There was only
one road from the south and no road
from the north into town.
Mr.. Floyd Gambol built the house
in which Mr.. Joseph Nelson lives.
Also the house in which Mrs. Steele
lives in 1910. The elevator was built
by A. !. Rowland in 1908. The streets
were opened up the same year.
Linby today. in 1916, has a popula-
ton of IA.
There are three stores. owned
bv B. E. Clark, R. L. Scott and
Charles Cobble
The bank is run by Mr. Charles
Under, and the barber shop run by
Florin Grow.
The blacksmith shop is run by Mr..
VIII Barngrover. the elevator and
lumber ward is owned by Mr. Oscar
Steiehleder of Packwood
The interlocking switch was built
by Edward Weld. There are two rail
roads. the c. p. & Q, or the Chicago,
Burlington e. Quincy, and the Chi
cago. Milwaukee &, St. Paul. The c. B.
& O. has no ticket office.
The agent is Mr.. S. A. Allen. and
two operators, Frank Roberts and
Mr. lungs.
The livery barn is owned by Mr.. H.
restaurant is run by Mr. David Smith.
The tile factory is run aby George
Giheant, the garage is run by Otto
steele.
Or, Stepp located In LiDbv in 1915.
He has well equipped modern office.
In 1916 one hundred and thirty trees
were got at the river and set out by
Mr. T. A, Clingman and son, Ira.
The nostoffice was robbed in 1907.
They broke in the store and took the
safe out in cornfield and blew it
open and small amount of money
was taken.
The bank was built in 1908. They
made an unsuccessful attempt to rob
II in 1911.
The church was built in 1906, dedi.
Gated the first Sunday in June.
In 1912, while R. l.. Brown was
kindling the fire in the elevator
stove with what was supposed TO be
coal oil, but was coal oil and gaso-
line mixed. the stove blew I'D and Mr.
Brown caught fire and died later
from the. injuries.
The first Fourth of July celebra-
ton was in 1916.
Ansel Hoover was the first baby
born in Linby. February 9, 1905.
Anna Morgan's was the first death
The first marriage held in the
church was Maggie Under and L. V.
Brown.
A new school house is being built
by Mr.. VIII Barngrover. The teacher
is Miss Blanche Craig.
Edna Ravens. aged IL.
Libby. Iowa. Box &c.