Snapshot of History
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BY MIKE AVITT
This photo is so historically important, it is described on page 60 of “The Early History of Ringgold County,” by MaryAnn Lesan. It is the earliest photo of Ringgold County I’ve ever seen.
The photo is said to have been taken by Ed Hatch in 1869. I read somewhere the photo was taken in 1873 and I’m prone to believe that because I can’t find any mention of Ed Hatch until 1873. If there were Mt. Ayr photographers before Mr. Hatch, I am unaware of them.
The description of the photo is given by George “Gum” Kirby. Mr. Kirby came to Mt. Ayr in 1867 as a child, the son of John Kirby, a pioneer retailer in Mt. Ayr. Gum had a famous uncle too, George Roby who co-founded the Ringgold Record newspaper in 1865. Gum had a successful career dealing in dry goods before moving to Buffalo, N. Y. in 1904. He then returned to Mt. Ayr in 1937 to establish the annual Ringgolders Reunion with Randolph Beall.
The first building on the left was the law office of W. T. Laughlin. I can just make out the words, “LAW OFFICE,” on the front of the building. Mr. Laughlin had many claims to fame including being a Civil War veteran. I will also add he was the father of Lora Laughlin, Mount Ayr High School’s first graduate in 1884. W. T. Laughlin was a lawyer, judge, and Superintendent of Schools.
The next building to the right was the grocery business of John Kirby. John’s sisters married W. I. Berkey and Major D. B. Marshall. They were a successful and well-respected family.
Next door to the right was Whitman’s Grocery and Bakery, later owned by a Mr. Harvey. This is the lot that eventually came into the possession of William Timby and he built a two-story brick building on this lot in 1880. E. J. Pratt and George Slentz leased the building for their dry goods business. Slentz soon bought out his partner and, in 1903, moved to 108 S. Taylor.
The next building south was the feed store of William Harvey. To the south of that was a store operated by Jowett Bastow. I was unable to discover the nature of Bastow’s business. The Mount Ayr City Hall was built on this lot in 1918.
The retail scene in Mount Ayr expanded greatly in 1869 when Afton got a railroad. Before that, merchants had to travel to St. Joseph, Missouri or Ottumwa, Iowa to get supplies as those were the nearest railroads. And it was about 1869 that Mount Ayr got its first bank.
Mount Ayr prospered during the 1870s but without a railroad, Mount Ayr would only go so far. The rails came in 1879 and Mount Ayr was a boom town again.
BY MIKE AVITT
This photo is so historically important, it is described on page 60 of “The Early History of Ringgold County,” by MaryAnn Lesan. It is the earliest photo of Ringgold County I’ve ever seen.
The photo is said to have been taken by Ed Hatch in 1869. I read somewhere the photo was taken in 1873 and I’m prone to believe that because I can’t find any mention of Ed Hatch until 1873. If there were Mt. Ayr photographers before Mr. Hatch, I am unaware of them.
The description of the photo is given by George “Gum” Kirby. Mr. Kirby came to Mt. Ayr in 1867 as a child, the son of John Kirby, a pioneer retailer in Mt. Ayr. Gum had a famous uncle too, George Roby who co-founded the Ringgold Record newspaper in 1865. Gum had a successful career dealing in dry goods before moving to Buffalo, N. Y. in 1904. He then returned to Mt. Ayr in 1937 to establish the annual Ringgolders Reunion with Randolph Beall.
The first building on the left was the law office of W. T. Laughlin. I can just make out the words, “LAW OFFICE,” on the front of the building. Mr. Laughlin had many claims to fame including being a Civil War veteran. I will also add he was the father of Lora Laughlin, Mount Ayr High School’s first graduate in 1884. W. T. Laughlin was a lawyer, judge, and Superintendent of Schools.
The next building to the right was the grocery business of John Kirby. John’s sisters married W. I. Berkey and Major D. B. Marshall. They were a successful and well-respected family.
Next door to the right was Whitman’s Grocery and Bakery, later owned by a Mr. Harvey. This is the lot that eventually came into the possession of William Timby and he built a two-story brick building on this lot in 1880. E. J. Pratt and George Slentz leased the building for their dry goods business. Slentz soon bought out his partner and, in 1903, moved to 108 S. Taylor.
The next building south was the feed store of William Harvey. To the south of that was a store operated by Jowett Bastow. I was unable to discover the nature of Bastow’s business. The Mount Ayr City Hall was built on this lot in 1918.
The retail scene in Mount Ayr expanded greatly in 1869 when Afton got a railroad. Before that, merchants had to travel to St. Joseph, Missouri or Ottumwa, Iowa to get supplies as those were the nearest railroads. And it was about 1869 that Mount Ayr got its first bank.
Mount Ayr prospered during the 1870s but without a railroad, Mount Ayr would only go so far. The rails came in 1879 and Mount Ayr was a boom town again.
