A Cleric at rest after founding 23 churches

 The Rev. James Balloch Chase, who died at age 81 on the 9th of June, 1919, at Russell, left behind an amazing record as a pioneering cleric in Iowa and Nebraska. Credited with founding 23 churches and serving dozens of others as pastor, he arrived in Lucas County about 1914 where, although well past retirement age and not in the best of health, he accepted a call to serve the small Presbyterian congregation at LaGrange.

Many of us who grew up in and around Russell remember his two youngest sons and their families, lifelong farmers: Jonathan R. (1899-1985) and Emma (Brain) Chase; and Robert F. (1902-1995) and Stella (Horner) Chase.

Initial efforts to find an obituary that might tell more about The Rev. Mr. Chase failed when I discovered that while the Chariton newspapers had noted his death they did not publish a complete obituary. I'm guessing that the Russell newspaper did, but no issues from that year survive.

But the Rev. Mr. Chase was a graduate of Yale University and that institution for many years tracked its graduates, publishing annual reports of those who had died. So a little Google research took me to the following account published in the "Obituary Record of Yale Graduates" at New Haven during 1920:

Here in considerable detail is the obituary published there, another of those amazing life stories commemorated by tombstones in Lucas County's cemeteries but not always evident or easily accessible. 

James Balloch Chase, B.A. 1862

Born August 12, 1837, in Woodstock, Vermont

Died June 9, 1919, in Russell, Iowa

James Balloch Chase, son of James Balloch and Martha Maria (Kniffin) Chase, was born August 12, 1837, in Woodstock, Vt. Within a year his parents removed to New Hampshire. His father, who was the son of Jonathan and Hannah (Ralston) Chase, later conducted a private school at Lockport, N.Y., and there he was prepared for college. In 1852 he entered Hobart College, but because of poor health remained but one year. The next seven years were employed in farm work in the summer and teaching in the winter. He joined the Class of 1862 at Yale in the third term of its Sophomore year, and was graduated in 1862 with an oration stand.

During the first three years after taking his degree he remained in New Haven, teaching and studying theology. He then went West and entered on a diligent life-work as pastor, preacher, organizer (he organized 23 churches), and teacher in the states of Iowa and Nebraska.

Three years were passed in Council Bluffs, Iowa; then one year in Columbus and two in Fremont, Nebr. His eyes failed, and a two years' vacation from books and writing --- part of it occupied with the work of superintendent of missions in the state --- was followed by a pastorate of four years at Weeping Water. For two years he was a professor in the Congregational German Theological Seminary at Crete, Nebr. Again in 1880 his eyesight failed, and he returned to the ministry, this time at Cherokee, Iowa, his work branching out to various contiguous points. In 1884 he went to Sioux City, where he had an eventful ministry of two and a half years. From 1887 to 1890, in Hull, Iowa, as principal of the Hull Educational Institute, he taught through the week, while preaching three times on Sunday.

In 1890 his wife died. Long anxiety and watching had broken him down, and he was compelled to resign his double task. Some years later, however, he returned to Hull and was there from 1896 until 1899. During the interval between these two periods, he had preached at Iowa Falls, Toledo, and Correctionville, Iowa. In 1900 he removed from Hull to Ocheyedan. From July 1902 to November 1904 he filled pastorates at Sergeant Bluff and Sioux City, Iowa, and he was then an invalid for six months, owing to a severe attack of bronchitis.

In 1907, he went to Sioux City, where one of his daughters was entering college, and remained there until 1910, working as bookkeeper in the hardware store of Friend Brothers & Company and preaching during part of the time for the Presbyterian Home Missionary Board at Plymouth Church in Plymouth County. On April 24, 1910, he was installed as pastor of the Williams Memorial Church (Presbyterian), which had just been organized. There he remained until 1912, when failing strength led to his resignation. He later assumed the pastorate of a small church at LaGrange, Iowa, where he remained for several years. In June, 1918, he had a stroke of paralysis. He so far rallied as to think, talk, and correspond intelligently, and lived for about a year, his death occurring June 9, 1919, at Russell, Iowa, where he was buried.

Mr. Chase was twice married, his first marriage taking place in New Haven, July 30, 1863, to Mary Jane Reynolds. She died June 30, 1890. Of their four children, the eldest Mary Eliza, died in 1869, aged four years; the second, James Barnett, died in 1879, age nine; the third, William Ezra (B.A. Iowa 1891) is a farmer in Canada; and the fourth, Arthur Reynolds, who graduated from the University of Iowa with the degree of B.A. in 1895 and completed an engineering course at Cornell in 1905, was killed in an accident December 4, 1905. 

Mr. Chase was married June 16, 1891, in Sioux City to Elina N., daughter of Richard Harter and Nancy D. (Wheeler) Friend. She survives him, as do their four children: Grace Elina (B.A. Morningside 1910), the wife of Arvil G. Hinshaw of Fontenelle, Iowa; Ruth Evangeline, principal of the grammar department in Fontenelle; Jonathan Richard; and Robert Friend. Nine grandchildren are living.

The rise and decline of Russell's Keystone Mill

 

Long ago, when I was a kid and giants roamed the land --- before Russell's first water tower --- this building's successor, constructed during 1915 by the Eikenberry Grain & Lumber Co., dominated the skyline. Although long abandoned, it had endured more than a century when it was destroyed by fire during August of 2019.

The first part of this older structure had been built about 1870, three years after Russell was founded along the new tracks of the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad, at a time when the agricultural economy was substantially different. Wheat was a major cash crop in Iowa then and flour was not shipped to grocery stores by rail --- it was milled locally.

That all changed after 1870, when Turkey red wheat was introduced to the plains of Kansas by Russian Mennonite immigrants and Iowa's flouring mills for the most part became redundant in the years that followed, shifting instead to the handling of other grains.

Eikenberry & Stewart acquired the mill about 1890 and built the elevator additions, then 25 years later, during 1915, decided to replace it with an entirely new structure, as reported in The Chariton Leader of April 22:

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W.A. Eikenberry has commenced the erection of a new mill and elevator at Russell, similar to the one the firm has at Chariton, which is to be supplied with all modern appliances and machinery. The old mill and elevator there is to be torn down, having served their days of usefulness.

The main building was erected a little more than 45 years ago and was known as the Keystone Mills and for a time was conducted by G.C. Boggs and Frank Morgan, later Mr. Morgan retiring from the firm.

In the early days this mill did a big business, but when the system of agriculture changed and wheat culture declined the business at the mill fell off, and passed into other hands. Some 25 years ago, the firm of Eikenberry & Stewart came in to possession of the property and erected the elevator additions.

The original mill was built by Mr. Frye, a Pennsylvania gentleman of means and given to his son and son-in-law, Mr. Boggs, who afterwards represented Lucas county in the legislature and never has a better or more congenial man ever resided in Lucas county. The activities of the new country was attractive and Russell was selected as the site for this milling industry.

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The builder of that first mill was West Frye, a prominent and prosperous Washington County, Pennsylvania, famer. It was built as an investment and was to be managed by his son, Robert B. Frye, and son-in-law, George Craghead Boggs. The name was a nod to Pennsylvania, known then and now as the "Keystone State."

The Robert B. Fryes didn't stick around long, moving first to Kansas, then to Colorado, back to Pennsylvania and finally to Colorado again.

G.C. Boggs (left) remained in the grain business, with partners, in Russell until 1884, when he was elected to serve in the Iowa House of Representatives, where he completed two terms. After that, he settled in Des Moines and shifted his business interests to real estate before eventually departing for Texas. He died during 1927 in San Antonio at the age of 80 and his wife, Martha Etta (Frye) Boggs, during 1931.

The only reminders in Russell of the Boggs are the graves of two of their infant children in the Russell Cemetery, Mattie Mildred, born and died during 1873, and Harley, 1881.

A Hymn Composer from Russell

 

Gospel music trivia --- and Russell

A column entitled "What People Are Saying" was a regular front-page feature in The Chariton Leader during the tenure of long-time editor and publisher Henry Gittinger. It consisted of a series of short items that were presented as person-in-the-street quotes from his subscribers.

The following, attributed to Russell's Thomas Stuart Crozier (1842-1919), was published on Sept. 26, 1910: "When I used to live on the farm in Washington township, there was a neighboring boy we called "Lew." His name was L.E. Jones. He was the only child of my closest neighbors and concluded he could compose music. We didn't think he would make any headway at the time but he fooled us. I notice in the hymn books we use in the Presbyterian church at Russell, there is a hymn composed by him and the music 'There is Power in the Blood,' and it is frequently sung."

As it turns out, L. E. Jones was Lewis Edgar Jones, only child of Lewis W. and Frances A. (Taber) Jones, who was born Feb. 8, 1865, in Yates City, Illinois. Federal census records show that the small family moved from Illinois to the Russell vicinity about the time the town was founded, in 1867, and lived on a farm in that vicinity until after 1880. The trio is listed in both the 1870 and 1880 census enumerations. Lewis reportedly lived on the farm near Russell until he turned 21 in 1886.

Chicago's Moody Bible Institute was founded by evangelist Dwight L. Moody in 1886 and at some point after that, Lewis enrolled and graduated. His brief biographies generally state that he graduated with Billy Sunday, perhaps Iowa's best-known evangelist. But there's a problem here --- there's no record that Sunday ever attended the institute.

Writing hymns was just a hobby for Jones --- he devoted his life to YMCA work, first as physical education director for the YMCA in Davenport, where he married; and then moving to Fort Worth, Texas, where he served as general secretary. In 1915, he became general secretary for the YMCA in Santa Barbara, California, where he worked until retirement. He died in Santa Barbara on Sept. 1, 1936.

I've written briefly about Lewis before --- thanks to Charles Wright, who shared the following information back in 2011:

"Your blog (an entry about Lucas County's connection to 'The Old Rugged Cross') brought to memory a fact that I doubt many Lucas Countyans know. Twice in the diary of my Grandmother Mollie Goltry Wright (1868-1954), she refers to a childhood friend and schoolmate named Lewis Edgar Jones. It's not clear from her October 10, 1940, entry whether they attended school together in the town of Russell or at Hawkeye rural school. She wrote that her father 'bought property in Russell and moved there so we children could go to school,' because their farm home was too far from the closest country school. She states that was in 1875 and 1876 while the Hawkeye Schoolhouse was being built 'for we started to school there in the Spring of 1876 after moving back to the farm.' Recalling this brought to her mind her schoolmate Lewis Edgar Jones, who composed the popular revival hymn 'There is Power in the Blood.' "

The family left Lucas County during December, 1889, according to another entry in Mrs. Wright's diary, according to Charles.

Although hymn writing was a hobby for Mr. Jones, he was prolific --- more than 100 are listed in online sources. Charles cites five others that were popular in their day: "I've Anchored in Jesus," "Lean on His Arms," "The Old Book Stands," "We Shall See the King Some Day," and "You Must Be Redeemed." 

So there you have it,  links between Lucas County and two of those great old gospel songs --- Power in the Blood and The Old Rugged Cross --- if you're interested in playing Lucas County Trivia.

Unmarked graves in Greenville Cemetery

 

Unmarked McKinley graves at Greenville Cemetery

 

Yesterday's post, "A brief visit to Greenville Pioneer Cemetery," included a few stories related to some of those buried in one of Lucas County's oldest cemeteries, located southeast of Russell in Washington Township.

But there are many other stories there, too --- including some not related to tombstones because families either did not get around to or could not afford to mark the final resting places of their loved ones. That's the case with Samuel and Mary McKinley.

Xury E. and Polly West and their family were the first to arrive at what became Greenville during May of 1848, but the McKinleys and their five children --- Lorenzo Dow, Zerelda, Oscar, Isaac Newton and Leander O --- were the second, during October of that year.

Isaac Newton McKinley, who moved from Greenville to Oklahoma ca. 1905, provided an account of the family's arrival in this letter, published in The Chariton Leader on Oct. 10, 1912:

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Boynton, Okla., Oct. 7, 1912

Mr. H.W. Gittinger:

Old Friend: I got a copy of the Chariton Leader a few days ago. It called my mind back to days of other years. I thought of the home in Iowa where I spent the best part of my life. I stayed 57 years in Lucas county. When I left there seven years ago, I was the oldest resident in the county. I had lived longer in the county than any other person.

On the 17th of October, 1848, I stood on the east bank of the Mississippi river and looked across and saw Iowa for the first time. On one of the many hills that skirted the Iowa shore was a little village called Burlington. The capital of the territory was laid out by White and Doolittle in 1834. The last time I crossed there I looked across from the east bank of the Mississippi in 1903. I saw a city up and down the river as far as the eye would reach until the view was lost in the smoke of the factories and the fog of the river.

I crossed the line of Lucas county near the northeast corner of what is now known as Washington township on the 25th day of October, 1848. I came into the county two days after the first land entry was made, so I was there at the beginning, and I still have a warm place for old Iowa. I want to come back there again while life lasts, but not in the winter again.

It was in Lucas County that we saw the Lamp of Life go out in the ones we loved. In Lucas county are the graves of our father and mother. When I look over the pages of the Leader, I see this one and that one has passed away, names and faces I knew so well. In a few years more they will all be gone. In a few years at most we, too, will be consigned to the narrow confines of the grave. We will go down to that voiceless silence of that dreamless dust and cease to exist through the endless ages of Eternity.

(signed) I.N. McKinley

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Not long after Samuel and Mary McKinley arrived in Lucas County during 1848 from Indiana, his father, William McKinley (1767-1850), and four of his brothers --- William A. (1801-1873, buried Ragtown), James H. (disabled, did not marry), John (1811-1882, also buried Ragtown) and Abner (1813-1896, buried Gowrie, Iowa) --- arrived, too. 

As a result, Lucas County has done its part in populating the world with McKinleys and many, many descendants still live here --- all descended, not from Samuel and Mary, but from his brothers. 

Samuel's and Mary's only daughter, Zerelda, died on Jan. 3, 1855, age 19, and is buried in a marked grave at Greenville. That's her tombstone, upper left. We're not sure what became of son Oscar, but he reportedly died July 28, 1862. The three remaining sons all married and had families, but moved elsewhere at various points in their lives; none of their descendants were (or are) Lucas Countyans.

The patriarch of the McKinley family, William, probably was buried at Greenville when he died in 1850 and the disabled James probably is, too. But there are no marked graves or surviving stories about them. Samuel McKinley, who among other distinctions served as Lucas County's first treasurer and recorder, died on Nov. 19, 1864, and was buried in Greenville, too --- in a grave that never was marked. Twenty years later, Mary McKinley joined him at Greenville Cemetery at the age of 81. Her grave, too, is among many unmarked final resting places there. All of these unmarked graves probably are located near Zerelda's tombstone.

We're fortunate, however, because Mary was the subject of a lengthy obituary when she died on March 17, 1884 --- an obituary written and signed by Henry W. Gittinger, son of Peter and Sarah (West) Gittinger, also Greenville pioneers buried in Greenville cemetery. Here it is, as published in The Chariton Democrat-Leader of April 9, 1884:

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DIED --- At the residence of her son in Washington township on the 27th ult., after a protracted illness of over seven weeks, Mrs. Mary McKinley, at the advanced age of 81 years.

"Leaves have their time to fall.

And flowers to wither at the north wind's breath.

And stars to set --- but all.

Thou hast all seasons for thine own, Oh Death."

Mrs. McKinley's family name was Dicks. She was a native of Mason county, Kentucky. Here her childhood was spent and here she received her early training and grew into womanhood. In 1829,  she with her parents removed to Indiana, then a wilderness, where she was joined by the holy bonds of matrimony to Samuel McKinley two years subsequent. By this union there were five children, three of whom are still living, Dr. L. D. McKinley, now of Melrose, Leander O. McKinley, of Tingley, and Isaac N. McKinley.

They resided in Indiana until 1848, when they were induced to come west by the glowing accounts of the country beyond the great father of waters. They founded their home in Washington township, this county, and endured all the privations of the early pioneer, reared their family, and dwelt happily until November 1864 when her worthy husband was stricken down by the cruel hand of death, since which time she has lived with her son, I.N. McKinley, on the old homestead, cherishing her own sorrow in solitude until the trump sounded that called her from the shores of time to sleep the sleep that knows no wakening, beside her husband in the Greenville cemetery. She was followed to her last resting place by a large concourse of friends on Friday.

This is only another example of the frailty of the human frame. Apparently she suffered from no disease in particular, but her time had come and she was called to go. No eulogy of her life is necessary, and when she was called on to render up her life she did so without reluctance. The earth is constantly being replenished; generations give rise to generations who in turn are buried by posterity after posterity. Such is life and such is death. Joined by a brittle thread.

(signed) H.W. Gittinger

Historical Greenville Cemetery

 

Sunday, August 23, 2020

A baptizing and an old log Greenville school reunion

I've been working on a project focused on the old Greenville Cemetery, southeast of Russell in Washington Township, that should be ready to launch in a day or so (that's the title page above). So the last week's been spent immersed in all things Greenville. This 1896 map shows where the cemetery is located some distance off the road at the end of a grassed track.

Among the items I've come across is the following "Greenville News" column from The Chariton Patriot of Oct. 29, 1903. It begins with a few typical news items, then launches into the main event --- a report of a reunion of teachers and scholars at the original Greenville school, in use from 1853-1863.

Several of us who know the territory and are old enough recall the much later Greenville rural school, some distance to the south alongside the Mormon Trail road. The original school seems oddly located, but it needs to be remembered that the Mormon Trail was not confined to a surveyor's grid, but meandered at will, following the easiest route for ox-drawn wagons to follow. So in 1853, when the log school was built, the trail most likely passed nearby.

In any case, here's the report --- a snapshot of life in the Greenville neighborhood during late October 116 years ago. And yes, that baptizing in Mr. Evans' pond may have been a chilly affair.

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The baptising at Mr. Evans' pond Sunday was attended by many. James Gittinger and wife are visiting with old friends in this neighborhood. Leslie Hancock came home Friday evening. He has been cutting corn for O.H. Evans. George Ruark and family and George Raider and family attended a family reunion at Mr. Green's in Wayne county Friday.

The picnic for the reunion of the old scholars and teachers that attended school in the Greenville log school house which was held at Nathan Gilbert's Saturday, October 24th, was a grand success. The dinner was spread on a long table and served in the same manner their picnic dinners were when the old log school house stood on the hill.

After dinner, a program was first carried out by the old scholars, I.N. McKinley making the principal address giving a full history of the old school. After the old school finished their program, another representative of the school of today, of which Miss Maude Foster is teacher, formed a part of the interesting exercises.

Only three of the teachers who taught in the old log school house are living. They are Wm. West, Miss Sheeks of Wayne county and Mrs. Clayton of Bloomfield. The scholars that attended the old school who were present were, Nathan, Malisa, Amos and Elizabeth Gilbert, Mrs. Woods of Moravia, Sarah Milemon of Marshfield, Ind., I.N., S.C. and A.P. McKinley, James Gittinger of Seymour, George Sears, N.W. Kendall, Mrs. King and Mrs. Adams.

The old school house stood about eighteen rods south and three rods west of the Greenville cemetery. It was built in the summer of 1853 and torn down in 1863. The school was not run as our schools of today are. There were no taxes to run this school. Every scholar had to pay a tuition fee. It was known as a subscription school.

After the picnic was over the Greenville baseball team picked a couple of the best players from the Mound scrub team and played the crack team of Washington Center. The game stood 2 to 22 in favor of Greenville.

A brief visit to Greenville Pioneer Cemetery

Here's a brief video slideshow about Washington Township's Greenville Cemetery, using photos I shot during a November visit several years ago. This is one of my favorite Lucas County cemeteries, commenced on Aug. 5, 1849, with the burial of 46-year-old Nancy Payne whose death was the first among Washington Township pioneers.

A majority of the marked graves here date from the 1850s and 1860s; the last known burial took place during September of 1902. The Russell Cemetery, established during the spring of 1879 some 12 years after the town  itself was founded in 1867, became the favored place for burial in Washington Township after that.

Greenville never was tampered with, however, and degrees of maintenance varied over the years. About 2001, the Lucas County Pioneer Cemetery Commission assumed responsibility for it, installed a new fence, repaired broken and fallen stones  and continues to maintain it. Lucas County also made minor improvements to the grassed public right-of-way.

Be warned that some of the informational slides contain a little too much information to be read conveniently as the video progresses. If interested, just hit "pause" to read at your leisure, then proceed.

representative of the school of today, of which Miss Maude Foster is teacher, formed a part of the interesting exercises.

Only three of the teachers who taught in the old log school house are living. They are Wm. West, Miss Sheeks of Wayne county and Mrs. Clayton of Bloomfield. The scholars that attended the old school who were present were, Nathan, Malisa, Amos and Elizabeth Gilbert, Mrs. Woods of Moravia, Sarah Milemon of Marshfield, Ind., I.N., S.C. and A.P. McKinley, James Gittinger of Seymour, George Sears, N.W. Kendall, Mrs. King and Mrs. Adams.

The old school house stood about eighteen rods south and three rods west of the Greenville cemetery. It was built in the summer of 1853 and torn down in 1863. The school was not run as our schools of today are. There were no taxes to run this school. Every scholar had to pay a tuition fee. It was known as a subscription school.

After the picnic was over the Greenville baseball team picked a couple of the best players from the Mound scrub team and played the crack team of Washington Center. The game stood 2 to 22 in favor of Greenville.

To see video please go to www.lucascountyan.blogspot.com 

Russell's place in automotive history

 

I've used this vintage image of the intersection of Maple and Shaw streets in Russell before, but the emphasis then was on the old bank building on the corner. The attention this morning shifts two doors west to the Huston livery barn with, of all things, an automobile parked in front.

Ruben "Rube" Huston (1854-1925) operated a livery business here from the mid-1880s until about 1920 but in one of life's oddities was piloting an automobile rather than a horse back in August of 1910 when he became the defendant in a case alleging reckless driving after his vehicle allegedly scared G.W. Sims' team of mules off the road and through a fence.

The resulting lawsuit was, according to The Chariton Herald at least, the first resulting from an encounter between this dangerous new form of transportation and horse- or mule-power. Here's the report from The Herald of Aug. 25, 1910:

The first law suit, so far as we know, that has taken place in Lucas county over an automobile meeting a team on the highway, was held before Justice Seward last Saturday. G.W. Sims of Washington township was the complaining witness, and Rube Huston of Russell was the defendant.

The case was a state case, Sims claiming that Huston had met him on the highway and scared his team of mules so badly that they ran through a hedge fence and dragged the carriage containing his family through after them. Mr. Huston, who had Homer Caughlan and wife, with his sister, Miss Kiser of Ottumwa, in the auto with him, contended that he was not running at a dangerous or scary speed, that Mr. Sims was standing beside his mules as the auto approached, and that though they ran through the hedge, it was through no fault of the auto or of himself, and no damage of any nature resulted from the scare.

Justice Seward concluded after hearing a long list of testimony that Mr. Huston was right and gave him the verdict, assessing Mr. Sims with the cost of his own witnesses and assessing Mr. Huston's witnesses against the state. Even though Mr. Huston was found innocent, the fact remains that some auto drivers in Lucas county, and a few right here in Chariton, are driving their autos at a dangerous speed, and they should hold themselves within the limits of the law before some terrible accident occurs and saddens the whole community.

Russell Historical Article from the Lucas Countyan, Frank Meyers

 Thomas and Rebecca Hellyer

Thomas E. and Rebecca Hellyer were pioneer settlers in the Greenville neighborhood southeast of Russell, but moved into town and retired during 1906, leaving their farm in the care of a son. As Thomas neared the end of his life during the summer of 1910, he sat down to write an account of the four years he spent as a young man chasing gold in California.

Born during 1828 in Ohio, Thomas had moved west with his family to Schuyler County, Illinois, about 1839 and was living there when he and others joined an expedition headed west again, this time across the prairies of Iowa and beyond to "El Dorado."

Sixty years later, Thomas turned his manuscript over to Henry Gittinger, then editor of The Chariton Leader, and Henry published it in his edition of Aug. 4, 1910. Thomas had been a friend in the Greenville neighborhood of Henry's father, Peter Gittinger.

The narrative is extraordinarily well written and filled with detail --- so we can be grateful to both Mr. Hellyer and to Henry for preserving it. Here it is:

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I am now 82 years of age, being born in 1828. Wife and I celebrated our golden wedding anniversary a few weeks since, most of our family being present. My son George was here from Ault, Colorado, and my brother, George, from Illinois. While I was never very rugged I am less so this summer than ever. I have been down to the farm but once this season and seldom get out of the yard. Yes, I often think of the early days in Lucas county --- and of the old neighbors --- almost all of them gone. It is pleasant to reflect on these times and live one's life over, although there is sadness in the thought that these associations exist only in memory.

Your father (Henry Gittinger's father, Peter) was a few years older than me. He was a man of much experience and never settled down until after middle life. We often talked of things common to us both. He went to California in 1848, he being in the regular army at that time and was serving under Fremont. I did not reach the golden Eldorado until two years later. I was then a young man of 22.

A party of us, attracted by the stories of great wealth, started overland for California from our home in Illinois in March, 1850, traveling by ox team, reaching Reno City in September of that year. It was slow traveling but most enjoyable never-the-less. We crossed the great river, traversed the broad prairies of Iowa, thence across the Missouri into the then unknown country with the American desert in advance. As we journeyed others added to our train until we presented a formidable appearance, rendering attacks from hostile Indians less probable. Sometimes these trains would have misunderstandings, and break into fragments and then it was pathetic to see them illy equipped with provisions launch out to brave the dangers alone. But ours proved to be harmonious all the way through and as luck would have it we never lost an oxen or met with any serious mishaps. Our cattle grazed on the herbage as we journeyed westward, and frequently we would make extra camps in order to conserve their strength. One day we were overtaken by a train of mule teams traveling much faster than we possibly could and they hailed us with:

"If you have any friends in California we will carry word to them and tell them that we saw you."

But in after days we returned the compliment, as they so often had to turn out of the trail to pass the trains and travel over rough prairie that their mules became exhausted, while our oxen, in their slow, plodding way, were almost as good as at starting.

We were fortunate in having a man as captain of our train who had previously crossed the plains and knew the routes for the best water courses, grass and wood for camping purposes, so we experienced but little trouble from these sources. We traveled slowly, hurrying only across the dry and barren stretches, making the best provisions possible before the venture.

Finally we reached the desert beginning at the Humboldt Sink. here the water pours out onto the sands of the desert and for sixty miles beyond it is, or was, a barren waste which me must cross. Fed by the waters which spread out over quite an area, there was formed an oasis on which there was a luxuriant growth of vegetation. Here we rested for a time, mowed and loaded a couple of wagons with grass, filled what vessels we had with water, then launched forth for the navigation of the desert with our fleet of prairie schooners. It was hard, slow traveling, the wheels sinking into the sand and the heat was intense. Of course our provender lasted only a fraction of the distance and was dealt out sparingly but without that provision we never could have made it. Finally the mountain stream was reached, bordering the desert, which we had to ford, and as our teams were so thirsty there was danger of them drinking themselves to death, so as many men as possible waded in by their sides and goaded them along. Soon we reached the opposite shore, which proved to be a land no less promising than that sought by the ancient children of Israel, and by degrees the oxen were permitted to enjoy the refreshing waters and the nutritious herbage.

Here we rested and recruited stock for some time before we passed into the mountain trails.

Gold seeking has its allurements, usually only one in perhaps fifty meet that success we read about. Little is said of the man who fails. This will apply to all our undertakings.

After reaching the Eldorado, we sometimes worked for wages, receiving six, seven and eight dollars per day, moving from place to place as fortune seemed best. I remember on one occasion several of us concluded to try sluice mining, so we gave a negro who had "pay land" skirting a stream $100 apiece for a mining right and then invested a thousand dollars in lumber with which to build sluices. The lumber was miles away and we would have it hauled to the top of the mountain and carry it, or drag, to the place, both exciting and perilous undertakings Some times would have a streak of good luck and the sluice boxes would be rich in gold dust, then of a sudden play out. At one of our works we were making $35 or $40 a day apiece and we dreamed of millions. Suddenly the wealth played out and we moved on. At times we would grow weary of the uncertainty of hunting for the golden treasure and return to wage earning, which usually proved the more profitable. I remember on one occasion I worked steady for six weeks at $8 per day before gold fever struck in again.

I was in the "diggins" four years, finally returning home, perhaps having no more money than I would have had had I cultivated an Illinois farm during that time. We did not return home as we went, but took passage down the coast, crossed the Isthmus of Panama at Aspinwall, thence to New York. We would have returned by way of New Orleans, but we heard that the cholera was raging there so took the longer route. From New York we came by way of Buffalo, Detroit and Chicago.

These are incidents of sixty years ago, but I am growing reminiscent. I have resided in Washington township over fifty years, removing to Iowa from Illinois.

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Thomas came to Lucas County during 1856, a single man age 28. He married Rebecca Caster, 15 years his junior, during 1860 --- when she was 17. Together, they produced 10 children.

Thomas died three months after his memoir was published, on Nov. 22, 1910, at the age of 82. Rebecca continued to live in Russell for the next 21 years, passing herself on March 25, 1931, at the age of 88. They are buried in the Russell Cemetery.

Citizen's Bank History of Safe

From Frank Myers Lucasctyan, Dec 5, 2018

A vintage Russell bank and the beast in the basement

You never know where interesting stuff is going to turn up --- like this postcard view of a building still standing on the north side of Russell's main street that began life in 1916 as Citizens State Bank. I found the image at Digital Grinnell, a Grinnell College service that you may access here if you'd care to browse yourself. Look under "Historic Iowa Postcards" for more like this.

If you look carefully at the building you can see in the front window at right this safe, which I call the "beast in the basement," now located at the Lucas County Historical Society Museum in Chariton. And, yes, the publisher of the postcard misspelled "Russell."

Citizens State Bank went belly-up during 1931 and its assets were sold. Lucas County acquired the safe and moved it to the courthouse for use by the county treasurer. In 1983, it came to the museum and was installed in the lower-level Coal Mine Gallery. The beast weighs a ton, literally --- I can't imagine how much effort it took to move it, or consider ever moving it again.

This little account of the bank and its building begins with a report found under "Russell News" on Page 5 of The Chariton Leader of Feb. 24, 1916: "C.S. McKinley has sold his vacant lot just west of his store building for the sum of $1,000. On this site will be erected the Citizens State Bank which will be a one-story brick building 25x60 feet with basement. This will be quite a desirable location and the work will begin soon."

The new bank opened its doors for the first time on Saturday, July 8, 1916, as noted on the front Page of The Leader of July 20:

CITIZENS' STATE BANK

"The new Citizens' State Bank at Russell has opened for business and has erected a brick building of its own and equipped it with all the modern furniture and equipment necessary to be abreast of the times. This is one of the most prosperous communities in Iowa, and this financial institution has a good business future. P.F. (Percy) Sprague, cashier, and Atlee Winsor, his assistant, are alert in business activity and the institution has good men behind it. The officers are: President, E.G. Latham; vice-president, W.A. Elliott; cashier, P.F. Sprague; assistant cashier, Atlee Winsor. The board of directors are the president, vice-president, cashier, together with H.D. Calvin, Sherman Lockridge, J.A. Vinsel and C.S. McKinley."

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The bank did indeed prosper for more than a decade, then those times it was attempting to remain abreast of caught up with it. The Leader of June 2, 1931, reported as follows:

RUSSELL BANK CLOSED TODAY

Citizens State Bank Now in Hands of State Banking Department

"The Citizens State Bank of Russell was voluntarily closed this morning, and its affairs are now in the hands of the state banking department. D. L. Johnson of the state department went to Russell this morning to assume charge of the bank's business.

"Frozen assets was given as the cause of the closing of the institution, and it was stated this morning that in all probability the bank would pay out with very little losses to the depositors. W.A. Elliott was president of the closed bank, and P.F. Sprague was cashier."

The process of dismantling the bank and paying dividends to depositors in small increments continued until September of 1934 when Chariton attorney Darl Ambelang bought for $720 more than $30,000 in outstanding bills receivable as well as the remaining furniture and fixtures. It appears that the safe already had been sold and I couldn't determine just how much the failed bank ended up losing. After that, the old Citizens State building was turned to other uses.

No, there's nothing in the safe now. And, yes, we do have the combinations written down --- somewhere.

Prof. Goltry's scholars By Frank Myers

     I think I'm in love --- with this faded old photograph of Prof. Charles F. Goltry's scholars at Chariton  Academy, taken during 1896. (I was unable to get this photo.  If you wish to see it contact the Lucas County Genealogical Society at email:  lucasgene@hotmail.com) Wish it were in a little better shape. The surface is scratched and it has faded during the last 117 years. And of course everyone shown here is long dead.

     But unlike the content of many photos from this era involving many people --- subjects arranged with military precision staring into the camera like so many deer caught in headlights --- there's life in the faces of

the young people grouped rather informally here. Will Gookin (far left in the second row down from the top) looks like trouble, for instance, and Lillie Woods (fifth to his left) looks as if she had eyes principally for Will Gookin.

     Better yet, everyone in the photo, with one exception, is identified. It came to the Lucas County Historical Society from Carrie Williamson back in 1969, but who took the time to write all the names on the back isn't known. Here they are, beginning with the back row (right click on "open in new window" and enlarge for a better look):

     Back row: Nettie Troxel, May Hamilton, Lillie Douglass, Edith Walker, Maude Rickey, Margaret Taylor,  Lois Molesworth, Alice Powell and Josie Barger.

     Second row down: Will Gookin, Alfred Nelson, Adda Callahan, Ida Yont, May Huntley, Lillie Woods, Burdette Rodgers, Elsie Courter, Della Arnold Anderson, Ira Wells, Nora Teas, Mary Briles, Wilma Nelson, Albert Kennedy, Lloyd Courier and Emory Parsons.

     Third row down: Prof. Goltry, Bert Plotts, (unidentified), Virgil Scott, Thede Lemley, Fred Goltry, Joe Morrison, Enos Anderson, Emmet Carr, Jay Colegrove and Clarence Williamson.

     Fourth row down: Cora Buffington, Mrs. Goltry, Vernie Bond, Roy Douglas, Mable Black, Harry McNeely, Lilly Fain, Rena Logan, Oscar Stone, Ida Patterson, Adda Clouse, Carrie Hamilton, Sadie Dale and Viola Staker.

     Front row: Tom Black, Alice Howard, Jessie Hopkins, Cora Combs, Lizzy Troxel, Carrie Barger, Mable

Price, Dora Clouse, Mary Linstrom, Ina Champlain, Minnie Vannoy, Olive James, May Renolds, Bessie Whitcome, Lura Staker, Fanny Snuggs and Tessie Courter.

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Lucas County Notes & Shakin’ the Family Tree Volume 19 Issue 2 April-May-June 2014 Page 33

     Charles Fitzgerald Goltry, whose students these were, was something of a renaissance man --- and I've

relied upon his obituary, posted at Find A Grave, and a biographical sketch in the 1896 A Memorial and 

Biographical Record of Iowa for details.

     Born during 1863 in Cedar Township to John and Barbara Jane (McGill) Goltry, he started teaching rural school in Cedar Township at age 20 after completing a course of study at an academy in Shenandoah, then in 1885 entered Drake University in Des Moines, where he excelled and earned his degree in classical studies during 1889.

     After three years as principal of the Russell schools, he enrolled in a special course in chemistry and chemical analysis at Indiana State University, then accepted a position as professor of ancient languages at Central Christian College in Albany, Missouri, and a year later moved to the Humeston Normal College to teach physics and chemistry.

     During 1892, Charles married Clara E Crim and two years later, during November of 1894, they established the Chariton Academy together. The academy was described as "a school for students desiring to fit themselves for teaching or for special business." By 1895, enrollment had grown from 11 to 62.

     During November of 1896 he was appointed to serve, too, as Lucas County superintendent of schools, then re-elected to two additional terms. He also served for a time as superintendent of Chariton schools.

     During 1902, however, Charles moved his family to Chicago and took up the study of medicine, graduating from the osteopathic physician program at National Medical College during 1907 and receiving his M.D. degree a year later from Bennett Medical College, also in Chicago.

     Dr. Goltry began his practice in Cody, Nebraska, then moved to Westboro, Missouri, and in 1922 returned home to Russell where he practiced medicine until his health failed during 1949, when he was 86.

     He died a year later and was buried in the Chariton Cemetery near his first wife, Clara, who had died during 1909. Charles had married during 1925 as his second wife the widow Effie (Anderson) Raines, some 20 years his junior. She lived until 1975, then was buried, too, in the Chariton Cemetery.

60 years Ago

From the Chariton Herald-Patriot, April 10, 2014

First place in the "Teen Time" talent show went to Dayton Kendall of Russell, singing "Oh!My Papa!". Other placings were: Second place - saxophone quartet, composed of Beverly Brown, Mary Sullivan, Carol McDowell and Donald Gartin.  Third place went to Nancy Hayes with her solo, "Our Heartbreaking Waltz."  Fourth place went to John Kissinger of Melcher with a saxophone solo.  Fifth place went to the vocal trio of Myrna Slykhuis, Elba Poppings and Norma Friddington of Dallas.