Mexico weekly ledger., 1920-04-01
PASSING OF CONCORD
, Is ALMOST COMPLETE
r. II. Fowler, Former Mayor of Full.
ton, Tells of Prosperous
Days of Past
GAVE WAY TO AUxvAssE
Coming of Railroad Changed Trade
Center-Last Store Has Just
Moved Away.

While railroads have been building
many towns they have been killing
others ,and all over the country can
no doubt be found numerous little in
land villages Of by-gone days-yil-
lagos which now are composed of
empty houses, tumbled-down store
buildings and deserted blacksmith
shops. Could these little hamlets but
speak, how many of them there would
be that would cry out that they were
not always thus, that there had been
times when they were of consequence
in their localities, that they are mar
trys of moderninventions and progress
and that they are to be respected and
not scorned for their forlorn appear
ances.
In a few cases there is an old set
tier left who can speak for the for
saken village, and can champion its
cause because of the fact that he has
seen its rise and the fall and knows
whereof he speaks. Such a village,
which has passed from infancy to
prime and from prime to tottering old
age, is Concord, of Galloway County,
a close neighbor Of Mexico, and such
a champion, who was pioneer MERCK
ant there, is r. H. Fowler, for many
years mayor of Fulton and also of
Mexico.
The recent removal of John ".
Bailey from Concord to AuXvasso,
after having been a merchant in the
former town for several years, marks
the passing of the last store from the
once prosperous village; and the in
cident called forth from Mayor Fow-
Ter "reminiscences concerning Concord
before it became stripped Of its uGe,
fulncss through the building up oi
Auxvasse by the Chicago and Alton
railroad on a branch Of which il
sprang up.
According to the Fulton Sun tnc
incidents of the good old days" were
recalled by Mr.. Fowler, who was ID
business in. Concord from 1850 to 1874
in the following manner:
81 can recall the time when Concord
had two groceries, two general stores
two blacksmith and wagon making
shops, carding mill, grist mill anc
a saw mill. Now there is no business
of any kind in the village. Why, a.
one time in the early seventies Con
cord drew business as far south a!
Richland Creek. We had good bus
mess men there ard it was a liVeli
little inland village for a number o,
years. Then came the railroad an'
the prestige Of the town began f.
wane. AuXvassc was made 4 station
by the railroad company and a tow
soon sprang up. At that time ther,
was nothing there in the way Of
town, a blacksmith shop having gon
out of business short time before"
Concord once had an active branci
of the Masonic order but this charte
was given up number of years age
The Concord Presbyterian church
which was organized there at the tim
the town was founded, is still in ex
istence and one of the oldest in tn
county. Only few houses remain a
Concord to mark the once flourishin!
town..
Mr.. Fowler says that can no
recall person who was in busines
with him during the early days of tn
town, especially in the sixties and sew
enties, To the best of his knowledg
he is the lone remaining merchant c
those pioneer days and he says h
often gets into reminiscent moo
and recalls the good old days. He
now past so years of age and is sti
active in his shop on Nichols street j
Fulton.