History, "Tell it Like it Was", Fayette County, Iowa This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Adelaide McBride and Mrs. David Wells July 2002 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ________________________________________________________ NOTE: For more information on Fayette County, Iowa Please visit the Fayette County, IAGenWeb page at http://iagenweb.org/fayette/ ________________________________________________________ "Tell it Like it was" is a collection of articles which was compiled by Mrs. David Wells, Mary Beman, Donna Johnson, Ferne Lenius. I have permission to send them to you for the archives. Maynard Weekly News December 18, 1889 Randalia Rambles from Mary Beman's files "Randalia is a small town situated some sixteen miles north of Oelwein, on the B.C.R and N.R.R. and as small towns goes, is doing fairly well. Situated as she is in the midst of a grand farming country, her welfare and prosperity depends on the well-doing of the inhabitants surrounding her. We have three general and one hardware store, one blacksmith shop, and one carpenter shop, one of the best conducted hotels in the country. Also a large G.A.R. and Odd Fellows Lodge, the Odd Fellows having just organized are now in a good flourishing condition. The G.A.R. post is in fine condition, socially and financially, being backed on by one of the best W.R.C. Corps in the state. Randalia takes great interest in all social and political interests of the day having its temperance lodge, reading circle and dramatic groups, which outside of the regular profession can't be beat in the state. This troupe is under the mangement of Prof. King, late of Marshalltown. They are now engaged to give one of their plays at Maynard on January 1. The G.A.R. boys are preparing to give one of their grand dances Dec. 25. The boys do not do things by halves so look out for a big time. The Sunday School is preparing for a good time Christmas Eve, with cross and ladders instead of a tree. The boys had their annual hunt Dec. 8, winding up with oysters at the expense of the defeated side. Their captains were Grant Ashby and Herb Odekirk. Adam Proctor and wife returned from Calif. He is engaged in the poultry business with his brother Will. John Proctor is a sly old coon but a pretty widow has him in tow. When is the happy date to be John? Hale and Hearty Tom Bartle, our old blacksmith, who makes the welkin ring with his sturdy blow, has all the work he can do. Joy be with you, Tom Link Bratt, our genial P.M. has a good trade, he is one of the coming men politically. Mr. Frank Dunham, one of our wide-awake merchants has just finished a nice two-story dwelling and is now preparing to move into it. he has taken in a partner in his store business, (the increase of his trade making it necessary to do so), a Mr. Harvey, brother-in-law of Mr. Dunham's being the partner. Mr. Sol Glatley is busy these days handling grain and stock. Sol is jolly. Headlines in Paper. Aug. 1906 - Alexander Wilder, mayor of Randalia dies. Buried in Dunham Grove Cemetery. Furnished by Mrs. David Wells, and submitted by Adelaide McBride. Notes and facts sent by Bill Duggan and wife Nell. "I was born in Randalia, July 1891. Hugh Mabon's father bought a store the same year I was born. Jennie Duggan ran the Post Office about four or five years before 1891. Grandfather Duggan (Wm. Duggan) ran the Livery Barn. Drove the stage from Randalia to Fayette every day. He had this even before I was born. My father worked for him. In fact they had a big sign "Wm Duggan and Son Livery". Al Thompson had the hardware store. George Mabon, Simers and Randall each had a grocery store and general store. Parrot ran the hotel. Beman was the depot agent. Will Fortney ran the dray line for years. Otis Henderson had the meat market. My folks moved from town on to the Teets farm (Mother's folks) north of town. Then Hanchetts (Vernon, Robert and Ruby's parents) moved onto the farm and my folks moved to the farm east of town. They always tell about a fire while a dance was going on. I think it was over a hardware store. They had a hard time keeping my mother from going back upstairs to the dance floor to get her new hat. Note this is not included in any of this, but his mention of a fire in Randalia, reminds me of writings of LaVerne Carpenter ( lived in Indanola, Iowa before his death.) He wrote about a Brooks settlement which was just east of what is now Randalia. It intrigued me, but I can't find anyone else that remembers it, and I believe that he said that he couldn't find any official records of it. A very few people say that they remember a building or two that were over in McFadden's field, but that they thought they were probably old barns or other farm buildings. But to get back to the fire. He said that buildings of Brooks burned at the same time. The east street of Randalia, which then was the main street, and where the first buildings of Randalia were built, and many burned, and when they rebuilt they moved west to what is now Main street. I don't know whether his wife is still living. He had daughters, but I don't know their names or where they lived. Now back to Tell it Like it Was. Randalia by Forest Claxton "Anything I may say will not be exactly a History of Randalia, but rather my own experiences and memories, especially from my earliest memories and during the years that we remained on the farm. Yes, Randalia was our home town. It was there that we tied our horses to the "hitching post" while we traded eggs for groceries or did other necessary errands about town - it was there that we attended the two-year high school. Yes in addition to the church and store, blacksmith, creamery, hotel, I.O.O.F. hall, lumber yard, elevator, depot with a real live railroad, and of course several grocery stores. The names of A. Beman, Earl Beman, Al Thompson, Ern kelly, A.D. Simar, A. F. Randall, Gus Parrott, A. J. Ramsey, J. S. Briggs, Billings of the tandem and whistle, along with many others will never be forgotten. Harvey Nutting and his bicycle. Mr. Whiteford and his stage to Fayette were of course items of that day. In addition to those named, we must not forget all those fine citizens in and around Randalia who, by their unceasing efforts contributed largely to it's worth-while existence. Memories by Vera Spatcher Goodman I have many fond and cherished memories of Rndalia. To mention a few are: My father Art Spatcher, became a barber (no schooling required for training at that time) and owner of an ice cream parlor in conjunction with the "Barber Shop". In later years when larger towns could offer more advantages and his eye sight became less he installed pool tables and sold soft drinks. In his last few working year's he was care-taker of the Dunham Grove Cemetery. My mother Mary Ann (Mate) was president of the church "Women's Society" for many years. I remember the "Blacksmith" shop, Sid and Hardy Rubyor's store, the Drug store and Babe Bronn's grocery store. Bill Whiteford had a Livery Service to Fayette twice a week, a horse drawn surry. My dad always let us go via the service to my aunts in Fayette and attend the Summer Stock Shows. Later Bill still had the Livery service by automobile but we did not go that way as he scared us to death going over bad roads and hille!!!! As a child I remember the large "Limousine" with a uniformed chauffeur coming to Randalia every summer to visit relatives. This was a big event for small town children: The lady always had beautiful straw hats and georgeous silk scarfs. Little did I know then that the man that rode in the back seat beside the lady was the man who started and owned the Parker Pen Co. in Janesville, Wisc., for whom I worked 25 years. The year I started first grade was the first year the learning "Phonic Method" was introduced by our superintendent K.W. Buehl. By the way, he was the man who was a pioneer and first made our school a consolidated school. When the roof was blown off our school in a bad storn K.W. Buehl came back to Randalia to view the damages. These are a few of the memories I have. Good luck and God Bless..... Love ya all......Vera and Toby. THE OLD HOTEL vy Ethel Vaughn Clark A long drawn wail, like an exhausted runner signaled to the little town of Randalia, the arrival of the one exciting event of the day. The Rock Island combined frieght and passenger train. At the conductor's "All out for Randalia" many passengers who had boarded the train in the early morning hours at the terminal in Cedar Rapids, began assembling their luggage for the short walk from the depot to the Randalia Hotel where they were sure to find cleanliness and tempting meals. The Hotel was owned by Augustus Parrott of French descent, who had stopped off in Randalia on his way to Oelwein. Liking the area he soon arranged for his family to join him and soon the doors were opened to the Randalia Hotel. Gus, as he soon became known to his new friends, had a large family, five daughters Mert, Louise, Jennie, Rose and Florence and one son, Clarence. The Mother, Catherine, passed away, when Florence entered high school. She and I remained friends, she moving to Oelwein and Calif. The family now consisted of Gus and daughter Rose, who was hostess and housekeeper for a Senator from Clarion who represented Iowa in Washington. When Rose arrived home at the time of her Mother's death she took over the care of her Father and the management of the Hotel. Gus was no business man, he would rather play pinocle. his one contribution to prosperous growth of the business was a lovely garden. He was also a wine maker, following the French custom of always having a plentiful supply stored in a dark corner of the basement covered with gauze until it--------. With only the help of myself (I was telephone operator) and sister Nell, increasing business made extra help for food necessary. Besides transits there were several regular boarders whose names may still be familiar: Dr. Gray, our one M.D. A. J. Ramsey, druggist, Carl Mittlestadt, lumber and coal, Earl Beman, hardware, Lula Bemer Whiteford, Supt. of our school, several small groups such as Bill's Dance Band and several groups had regular dates. When the hotel could not accomodae the over flow, private homes gave them lodging with the hotel serving the same delicious foods. In due time, the older business places were torn down, among the last being the Old Hotel leaving only memories for we older friends to ponder over. STORY OF THE STORY FAMILY by Mildred Bronn and Aubrey Story The year was 1913 in late February. Aubrey and I with our mother, with an assortment of luggage, many packages from friends who saw us off at the depot in Fairfield, Iowa for our trip to N E Iowa, Fayette County to a new home in Fayette. After a long trip on the train, we arrived in Randalia on Saturday nite, on the late evening passenger train. We inquired at once for transportation to Fayette, but the Depot agent, Geo. Tripp and Mr. Teen Cannell the Hotel owner told us not good to take the stage at nite--so the gentlemen helped us with our luggage and packages to the Randalia hotel. Aubrey was 9 years old and I was 12. This was a new and first experience for a hotel. We had a room upstairs and the three of us slept in the bed. Mother wouldn't consent to have us somewhere else in the Hotel. Mr. Cannell told us he would get some one to take us to Fayette Sunday morning. Which was Mr. D.N. Holmes who took us and left us at the Fayette House Hotel. Our Sunday morn breakfast was pancakes and the Cannell's daughter Jaunita was getting ready for SS, and three other girls came, Letha Whiteford, Luella Tripp and Gladys Potter. The girls asked Aubrey and I to go to Sunday School, but we couldn't for we were going to Fayette where our father was to meet us as he had come by car on the train with our household goods, the team of horses, our family dog, a crate of chickens, etc., and had arrived also Saturday nite via the Milwaukee to Fayette. After we settled at the Fayette Hotel, Mother and us kids proceeded to go to the Railroad Station to see if we could find Father. Yes, he was patiently waiting in the box car with the horses, dog and our possessions. This being Sunday, no way to start unloading the car until Monday morning. When Mother had us up, we went to see our new school first thing. Mr. Teen Cannell was owner of the Randalia hotel at this time. Rose Parrott had owned before Cannell. Later the hotel was no longer used as a hotel, but used as a dwelling. The following families called it home: Forrest and Ella Odekirk, George and Myrtle Bronn, Mr. and Mrs. Tatro. Then Mr. and Mrs. Robert Story bought the building and made this their home. After they were gone, it was torn down and the hotel was no more. In the early days---there was a Barber shop and a Bar in the cellar part of the Hotel. There was a barn west of the hotel next to Ruth Whiteford's place and a barn and another building north of the Hotel. The one building was used to make liquor. There were ropes in each room to be used as a fire escape.