Snapshots of History
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Towle’s Boot & Shoe Store about 1892.
This week’s picture was posted on Facebook and I lifted it without recording who posted it.
The photo has great historic value because the people pictured are identified and I know the location of the building, 107 S. Fillmore in Mount Ayr.
Dr. William Horne is seated at far left in the photo. To the right we see William Towle, owner of the boot and shoe store, then George Allyn, President of Mt. Ayr Bank. Next is John Lester, a shoe repair artist, and John Lineburg, a retailer who later ran the Adams Express Office for several years. Finally, on the far right is A. Nash and sitting on the sidewalk is a small boy named Arnie Cattern.
So, we get a good look at a building that burned in February 1894. That right, a fire took out this store and several others. But, the editor of the Mount Ayr Journal Newspaper, J. S. Shepherd, took his readers on a tour of the square in the December 21, 1893 edition. We will examine his description in this week’s Snapshots of History.
First up, at 100 W. Madison is A. B. Wilson with his bakery and restaurant.
When bakeries and restaurants are combined, they are often called confectioneries, and served hot meals, plate lunches, pies, cakes, candies, etc.
Upstairs was the firm of Bevis Bros., which dealt in abstracts, insurance, deeds, farm loans, and real estate. As the Ringgold County population was nearing its peak in 1893 and farm acreage was considerably smaller, land transfers were very common and there were many such businesses as Bevis Brothers.
Also, above Wilson’s was the Whitaker photograph studio managed by I. R. Shroyer. Mr. Shroyer’s reputation was such that he filled in for or managed many other photo studios.
Next door west, at 102 W. Madison, was M. E. Freeland’s clothing and dry goods store. Mr. Freeland opened here in January1891 and stayed until 1933.
Of course, we have been speaking of the Timby building on the northeast corner of the square.
To the west of Freeland was a building still under construction, that being the pharmacy of Dr. J. T. Merrill. Next door to that was also a building not yet completed being owned by the Sellards Estate.
At 108 W. Madison, was the harness shop of L. C. Shepherd. This recently completed shop sold new saddles, harnesses, whips, robes, and blankets, as well as used and custom made equipment for horse owners.
Moving west, at 110 W. Madison, was the meat market of J. H. Seevers and Jacob Rabb. They were the first to rebuild after the April 1890 fire, making this the oldest building on the north side of the square. They opened in July 1890. Mr. Seevers was involved in many business ventures while Mr. Rabb may best be remembered for his son-in-law, Dr. F. C. Smith.
The house at 106 W. Jefferson Street and the business building at 109 E. Madison were built for him in 1905 and 1907, respectively. All three buildings are still standing.
Across the alley west was H. H. Wilson’s Grocery. This building was erected in 1891 and Wilson moved in his new brick building in December of the same year. Mr. Wilson was extremely successful in all his businesses ventures putting him in a position to build the brick house on Shellway Drive. The family moved to their new home in February 1915.
Above Mr. Wilson’s grocery store was the law office of M. A. Campbell and W. W. Askren in the south rooms. In the north room was photographer M. G. Maxwell and his studio. Mr. Maxwell was a prolific photographer and much of our history was recorded by him in pictures.
In the basement of 112 W. Madison was the tonsorial parlor (barber shop) of C. R. Stearns and R. F. Morford. There would be a barber shop here for decades and decades.
Well, we didn’t make it very far around the the square, but there is always next week.
