The Rev. James Lawson and "satyagraha"

I'm still marveling this morning at the power of yesterday's funeral service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta for U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Georgia). Magnificent tributes from four U.S. presidents --- Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton in person and Jimmy Carter, now 95, by letter from Plains; an eloquent invocation from the Rev. Bernice King of the King Center; and much more.

But the tribute I've listened to twice now, and probably will listen to again, came from the Rev. James Lawson, a towering figure himself in the U.S. civil rights movement, colleague of Dr. Martin Luther King and, at 91, a mentor to John Lewis, who was a mere 80 when he died July 17.

A retired United Methodist minister and educator, the Rev. Mr. Lawson worked closely with Dr. King to bring the Gandhian concept of "Satyagraha" --- a form of non-violent (but not passive) resistance sometimes expressed as "truth-force" or "soul-force" --- to the developing civil rights movement.

For those who care to watch and listen, here is his history lesson/tribute:

"... your turn to let freedom ring"

U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Georgia), who died July 17, will be laid to rest today in Atlanta following funeral services at Ebenezer Baptist Church, scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. (central time). Former U.S. presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton are expected to attend. At 95, President Jimmy Carter no longer travels and, of course,  the current president will not be there.

Days before his death, Mr. Lewis wrote a brief essay to be published in The New York Times on the day of his funeral. It concludes with the following:

"Though I may not be here with you, I urge you to answer the highest calling of your heart and stand up for what you truly believe. In my life I have done all I can to demonstrate that the way of peace, the way of love and nonviolence is the more excellent way. Now it is your turn to let freedom ring.

"When historians pick up their pens to write the story of the 21st century, let them say that it was your generation who laid down the heavy burdens of hate at last and that peace finally triumphed over violence, aggression and war. So I say to you, walk with the wind, brothers and sisters, and let the spirit of peace and the power of everlasting love be your guide."

You may read the entire piece by following this link.

Oatmeal with a side of Puccini

Ordinarily, Puccini cravings develop after watching a Merchant & Ivory film, but for some reason oatmeal did it this morning.

So here's a wake-up version of "Nessun dorma," that great showboat of an aria from "Turandot." The performer is German tenor Jonas Kaufmann and the occasion, one of the 2015 BBC Proms (formally, Henry Wood Promenade Concerts) --- an eight-week series of music and related cultural events centered in London.

Under ordinary circumstances, that music festival would have commenced in various venues during mid-July, but as with many other events during this summer of the coronavirus  new strategies have been required.

I'm sorry about the subtitles. They violate one of the basic rules for Americans who fancy opera ---  never expose yourself to a work in a language you understand. So just ignore them.

Picture postcard views of Chariton, circa 1950

Back in the day --- before instant photography and photo-sharing --- travelers often purchased sets of picture postcards to commemorate visits to various places. And that may have been what happened here, explaining why this set of seven cards in near-mint condition turned up in a suitcase of family photos in Kansas.

Twila Tuttle Blakely returned them to Chariton via the Lucas County Historical Society earlier this year and I finally got around to cataloging (and scanning) them yesterday, then decided the set was worth sharing although we do have additional copies of most.

Ms. Blakely wrote, "Recently I came across these vintage post cards as I was going through my parents' old suitcase of photos. The only connection to our family might have to these is that my dad's uncle, Gifford Tuttle (Aunt Bess), owned the Tuttle Hardware in Chariton for many years. My dad's brother, Lawrence Tuttle (Dora), worked for Uncle Gifford at the store for lots of years and was also a volunteer fireman for the city of Chariton."

Vehicles in the images suggest that the photographs were taken not long after World War II ended, perhaps about 1950. Note that city streets have not yet received the multiple coats of asphalt that now cover original brick and that in the view of the courthouse (top) the clock tower still has its steeple roof.

The image of the west side of the square with what now is the Chariton Vision Center building in the foreground also shows, in the distance, the Kubitshek Block, which burned during the 1960s.

The Hotel Charitone, thanks to its recent restoration, looks much the same.

As does the original 1923 block of Chariton High School, now flanked to the west and north by a variety of additions.

Woodlawn Avenue, in front of the distinctive Combs house, still was brick.

Red Haw State Park still was known by many as "Red Haw Hill State Park," but the view of moonlight on the water was as romantic then as now. "Picnic Point" looked a little different, but you can see the original version of the small shelter house that's still there to the left and a portion of the dam to the extreme right.

Robert Lucas III visits his grandfather's namesake

I got to wondering the other day if Robert E. Lucas, Iowa's first territorial governor 1838-1841, ever visited the county named in his honor --- and the truth of the matter is we'll most likely never know. Lucas (above), age 64, was alive and well and living in Iowa City on the 13th of January 1846 when Lucas County was created by the territorial legislature. But the details of his travel agenda aren't available.

In fact, we don't even know whose idea it was to name a county for him. Mr. Lucas was an honorable man with a distinguished military and public service career (Lucas County, Ohio, already bore his name; he'd been governor of that state 1832-36). But his temper was legendary and his relationship with the Iowa territorial legislature, rocky. 

We do know, however, that his grandson, Robert Lucas III (left), did visit Chariton during June of 1932, as Chariton was preparing to celebrate its 75th year as an incorporated city (Chariton was created during the fall of 1849, but not incorporated until 1857 and the gap has caused more than a few headaches for anniversary planners over the years).

Robert Lucas III (1859-1935) was living at the time in Pierce, Pierce County, Nebraska, a city in northeast Nebraska founded by his father, Robert Sumner Lucas (1832-1877) during 1870. Here's the account of the visit, published in The Leader of June 14, 1932. Be warned in advance that either the Lucas grandson or The Leader reporter --- or both --- had a less than firm grip on some of the facts when the piece was written.

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A grandson of Iowa's first territorial governor, Robert E. Lucas, paid a timely visit to Lucas county and Chariton last week as the city prepared to observe its seventy-fifth anniversary of existence.

Robert Lucas, the grandson, was en route home from a winter spent in Florida when he decided to stop and visit the county that was named after his illustrious grandfather. He stopped at the Chariton newspaper office in the afternoon and visited briefly with members of the editorial staff.

"My grandfather was a brigadier general in the War of 1812," Lucas stated. "He was the same type of man as was Andrew Jackson, whom he greatly admired.

"It was at the Democratic national convention in Baltimore in 1840 when Jackson was a candidate for president that my grandfather first took an active part in the political situation in America.

"At that time there were two wings of the Democratic part, one of which was led by Calhoun and the other by Jackson, who was my grandfather's candidate.

"My grandfather was made chairman of the convention, during which time the two thirds rule was first adopted," Lucas said.

When Jackson turned his influence to Van Buren, the latter was elected president of the United States.

General Lucas went to Ohio in 1798 from Virginia, where he served two terms as territorial governor. It was during his stay in Ohio that he felt the weight of the emancipation movement and freed all his slaves. "Even today, in Ohio, there are large numbers of negroes bearing the name of Lucas," Lucas said.

In 1836, Lucas wanted to come west and Jackson prevailed upon Van Buren to appoint him governor of Iowa. At that time, Burlington was the capital of the state. It was later transferred to Iowa City and thence to Des Moines.

Lucas's uncle, Col. E.W. Lucas, a brother-in-law of Governor Kirkwood, has one son living in Iowa City, Clark Lucas. Governor Lucas is buried in the Iowa City cemetery and an imposing monument marks his burial place.

Robert Lucas, the grandson that came to Chariton last week; his cousin, Clark; Mrs. Florence Horton of San Diego, Calif., Virginia Couzens of Berkeley, California, Lee Lucas and Geraldine Lucas, of Jackson, Wyoming, are the only survivors of General Robert E. Lucas today.

It was during the time of Lucas's administration that the southern boundaries of the state was fixed. "It was partly the influence of my grandfather that this strip of land was made part of the state of Iowa instead of Missouri," Lucas said.

Grandson Lucas was born in Iowa and left here when he was 10 years old. He went to Nebraska in 1870 when most of that state was still "wild west."

Lucas County, Ohio, was also named after General Lucas, his grandson said.

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Contrary to a statement attributed to his grandson, Robert E. Lucas presided over the Democratic Convention in Baltimore during 1832, not 1840, and had been active in politics for years before that.

Robert E. Lucas, contrary to his grandson's statements, never owned slaves. His father, William, had owned slaves while living in Virginia but influenced by his Quaker principles freed them, made provision for their future as free people and then moved his family to Ohio, where slavery was not permitted.

But yes, Gov. Lucas and his counterpart in Missouri, Lilburn Boggs, were responsible for the Honey War of 1839, an odd little standoff that produced no fatalities but did contribute in a way to the eventual settlement of the Iowa-Missouri border dispute.

Robert E. Lucas died in Iowa City on Feb. 7, 1853, age 71. He is buried in that city's Oakland Cemetery and his home, Plum Grove, is a state-owned historic site.

Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" and the coronavirus

One of humanity's redeeming social values is our impulse to make music --- no matter the situation, including the challenges presented by the coronavirus. So I've been enjoying the various virtual ensembles that have been assembled during these days when physical gathering and group singing are unwise.

So for Sunday morning, here's a presentation of Leonard Cohen's secular hymn, "Hallelujah," released in 1984 and performed during 2020 by Jamie Brown-Hart and a Canadian Virtual Choir.

I'm partial to versions by k.d. lang and Rufus Wainwright, but will gladly settle for this one.

The unfortunate Mr. Workman shouts from his grave

Find a Grave assures me that this is the tombstone of Andrew J. Workman, age 26, who rests in Millers Chapel Cemetery north of Keosauqua in Van Buren County. Lichen, however, has accumulated to the point that the inscription is almost illegible. For the record, the unfortunate young man was born during April of 1860 near where he died on the 7th of July 1886.

One of many children of John A. and Harriet Workman, the young teacher and attorney arrived in Chariton during 1882. The Democrat-Leader of Nov. 2, 1882, reported: "Mr. A.J. Workman of Keosauqua arrived on Tuesday at noon, and having formed a partnership with Major Woodward in the land, loan, law and abstract business, he has hauled his coat and settled down to hard work. Mr. Workman is a young attorney, well learned in the law, active, energetic, and will no doubt meet with the success here that such qualifications merit."

Mr. Workman probably came to Chariton because of his close friendship with E. Bates Manning (1861-1888), son of Keosauqua's Edwin Manning, whose banking and mercantile empire extended to Lucas County through the partnership of Manning & Penick. Bates Manning arrived in town at about the same time to work in his father's enterprise and the two young men were roommates, sharing quarters over the kitchen in the rather grand G.J. Stewart home on North Grand Street.

Newspaper reports 1883-1885 suggest that Andrew was a very social young man, moving within a group of Chariton young people who most likely would have described themselves as Chariton's best. His partnership with Emmett Woodward continued into 1884, but then was dissolved and A.J. established an independent law practice on the square. During midyear 1885, for unknown reasons, he moved back to Keosauqua.

The news of Mr. Workman's death reached Chariton during mid-July of 1886 and The Herald reported, discreetly, in its edition of July 15: "Mr. A.J. Workman, formerly a resident of Chariton, died at his home in Van Buren county on the 7th inst. and was buried on the 8th. We did not learn the cause of death."

Sam King, by now editor of what had been the Democrat-Leader but now was just The Democrat, was not so discreet. His report of July 15, headlined "Another Wreck," commenced with a reprint of a news item from The Keosauqua Democrat:

"We regret to learn of the death of Andrew J. Workman, which occurred at 2 o'clock yesterday. Deceased was 26 years of age. He possessed a very good education, taught some, was admitted to the practice of law, and engaged in the practice at Chariton and later at Keosauqua. He was bright and smart, and of pleasing address and agreeable manners. He had many friends, and a bright future. But unfortunately a passion for stimulants marred and finally completely blighted a career that would undoubtedly have been creditable alike to himself and his friends. The funeral took place at 2 o'clock today (Keosauqua Democrat)."

Unwilling to allow the report from Keosauqua to speak for itself, Mr. King, somewhat  prone himself to hysteria if not to "stimulants," then added his own paragraph:

"Deceased was well known in Chariton where he resided for two or three years, and was for a while a member of the firm of Woodward & Workman in the abstract and loan business. He was a young man of considerable natural ability. But unfortunately he came to man's estate without having learned the necessity of curbing the evil passions and controlling the consuming appetites that beset us. Thus he soon became a wreck, going to his untimely grave shouting back to us the awful warning that "the wages of sin is Death."

Yikes. They just don't write obituaries like that any more ....

Stephen and Susannah Threlkeld mark 40 years

I wrote yesterday about Stephen and Susannah Threlkeld in relation to 1886 portraits of the couple shared by Scott Threlkeld. That post was getting a little too long, so I didn't include the following account of their 40th wedding anniversary celebration as reported in The Chariton Patriot of June 24, 1885.

It really doesn't contain any new information --- and a little bit of misinformation. The couple arrived in Lucas County during 1855, for example, rather than 1856; and some of the spelling is a little dodgy. 

But I was interested in the gift list, in part because two of my aunts, Annie and Addie Myers, and an uncle, Quiller (Aquilla) Davis, were among the givers. It would be interesting to know if any of these items became family heirlooms. Here's the report:

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A large number of the relatives and friends met at the residence of Stephen and Susanna Threlkeld in Chariton, on Saturday last, to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of the wedding of this venerable couple. It was a glad surprise to them, prepared by the children and neighbors, and was highly appreciated and enjoyed. If to have lived a life of industry and uprightness, to have crowned "a life of labor with an age of ease," and to be surrounded by loving, dutiful children, and hosts of friends, who, with willing hands and kind hearts, came to express their high esteem and lifelong friendship, increase the sum of human happiness, surely our good friends find their declining years peculiarly blessed by the honest regard of those who have known them longest and best.

Forty years ago Stephen Threlkeld and Susanna Holman were married in Jackson county, Indiana. Removing to Illinois, where they lived a few years, they came to Lucas county in 1856 and settled on the farm now owned by them, and have lived here ever since. By industry and economy they have built up a fine estate, enabling them to live out their days in comfort and peace.

The friends gathered round while Judge Dell Stuart, in well chosen words of hearty sympathy, presented the many substantial tokens of affectionate regard in the name of all who had thus come to express their good will. Over a hundred invited guests, comprising relatives and friends from abroad as well as at home, sat down to a bountiful dinner. The occasion will be remembered with much pleasure by all present, especially by the worthy people in whose honor the event took place. The following is a list of the presents and names of the donors:

Reclining and easy chairs by the children, I.N. Threlkeld, J.B. Bryan and wives and Miss Bettie Threlkeld.

Double lounge, A. Goforth, William Fredrick, S.G. Threlkeld and wives, of Liberty Center; Mr. Houston, Austin Threlkeld,  R.A. Hasselquist, A. Davis, D.H. Rowland, A.F. Miller, Joel Adams,John Threlkeld and wives, and Misses Anna and Eva Threlkeld, Nelson Threlkeld and Quiller Davis, of Russell; T.B. Thompson, D.Ozenbaugh, Mr.  Harvey, Wm. Moore, Wm. Hunter, Nathan Jewett, A.A. Tompkins, Mr. Brough, W. Smyth and wives, and Mr. Shockley and Miss Elma Moore, of Chariton.

Elaborate and handsome Bible by Annie and Addie Myers.

Silver napkin rings by Judge Dell Stuart and wife.

Silver butter knife, Fannie Howard.

Large mirror, Mrs. Wayland and daughter.

Walking cane, cup and saucer, G.A. Lockwood and wife.

Wash bowl and pitcher, Mrs. J.H. Perkins.

Glass cheese dish, Mr. Peterson and wife.

Glass fruit dish and dress pattern, Mrs Sallie Simmons, Island City, Mo.

Sofa tidy,  Mary Breese.

Pair lace chair tidies, Bettie Threlkeld.

Bed spread, Mrs. Fannie Smith and mother.

Photograph album, by the grandchildren.

Set of gold band dishes by nieces and nephews: Reuben Holman, Boone Holman, Theodore Holman,  Frank Boothe, James Burke, George Roberts,  James Cunningham, Thomas Crabb, T.B.Jones, Wlliam Huston and wifes, and Mrs. Jane Armstrong and Miss Viola Burke, of Roseville, Illinois.

The portraits of Stephen and Susannah Threlkeld

I'm grateful to Scott Threlkeld, who about a month ago shared these wonderful portraits of his ancestors, Stephen Weakley and Susannah (Holeman) Threlkeld, patriarch and matriarch of one branch of Lucas County's extensive --- and widely known --- Threlkeld family.

You really do need a guide book to sort the Threlkelds, many of whom settled during the 1850s east of Chariton in a three-mile stretch along what now is U.S. Highway 34 commencing at the top of the hill just east of the current fence line of Red Haw State Park.

But all descended from Moses Threlkeld (1777-1845) and his wife, Elizabeth Weakley (1781-1874), Virginia natives who lived in Shelby County, Kentucky, before settling in Jackson County, Indiana, where Moses died. They had 13 children, including Stephen (born Dec. 13, 1813, in Kentucky). Stephen brought his young family to Lucas County during early 1855 from Warren County, Illinois, accompanied by his widowed mother, Elizabeth, and other kinfolk.

Several other children of Moses and Elizabeth either preceded or followed the 1855 party into Lucas County, including Washington Threlkeld (1803-1860), Patsy Threlkeld Wayland (1811-1896), Eliza Threlkeld Adams (1814-1897), Noah Threlkeld  (1820-1882) and Sarah Threlkeld Davis (1822-1917). 

The matriarch, Elizabeth (Weakley) Threlkeld, survived the trek to Lucas County by nearly 20 years, passing in 1874. She is buried in Ragtown Cemetery, southeast of Chariton in Benton Township, as are Stephen and Susannah and many of their relations. Later generations are buried in the Chariton Cemetery.

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Stephen's and Susannah's son, Isaac Newton Threlkeld (1852-1940), was three years old when he came west to Lucas County with his family and nearly 80 years later wrote a long and detailed account of his pioneer life as he and his wife, America "Mate" (Bryan) Threlkeld, were preparing to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary. The entire account may be found here, in a post entitled "Isaac N. Threlkeld has his say," but here are the paragraphs describing the 1855 journey west to Lucas County:

When I was about three years of age, my father traded an eighty acre Illinois farm for a tract of land in Lucas county. Here he decided to establish the family home at a time when this was considered the frontier. Consequently, in the latter part of January or the early part of February, 1855, two covered wagons started from our old home near Roseville, in Warren county, Illinois, on what, at that time, was a long, long journey. Some said it was "among the Indians," but there were no Indian camps in this immediate vicinity at the time. Not far to the west, however, there was an Indian settlement. I never learned just where it was located, but occasionally Indians came through this section.

The wagons in which we came west were the old fashioned, wide track, linch-pin wagons. They had no iron skeins with taps to hold the wheels in place, as we have on the wagons today. Instead, the wood went through the hub, with a hole in the outer end in which to insert an iron pin to hold the wheel in place. From this the name "linch-pin" is derived, the name by which this type of wagon became known.

Part of the regular equipment on all of these wagons was a tar bucket. This was a container which swung from the coupling pole and held what was always referred to as "tar" but which, in reality, was some sort of lubricant used for greasing the wagons. It cost about five or ten cents per gallon. No wagon was complete without it. When the tar supply was exhausted, travelers made an emergency grease by mixing flour and sorghum molasses.

The wagons that came out of Roseville were pulled by four yoke of oxen, the driver walking by the side with a long whip to keep them speeded up. The members of our party, so far as I can recall at this time, all of whom were moving to Iowa, were my father and mother, my grandmother Threlkeld, my half-brother Oliver, my sister Betty, and myself. In the second wagon (there were two wagons in our train) were Anna Wayland, Lisa Wayland, and Oscar Wayland, all of whom were our cousins. With them were Uncle John Davis and family, and a few others whose names I do not now recall.

We left the old home in Illinois early one morning and crossed the Mississippi at Burlington the next evening. There was no bridge and the ferries could not operate until the ice went out in the spring. We crossed on the ice. The weather had been a little warm for a few days, and water was running on top of the ice in places. It looked rather dangerous, but if we waited it might get worse, so we concluded to make the crossing that night. The outfits were strung out some distance apart in order to distribute the weight. We camped that night in Iowa. The next morning we resumed our journey westward toward the new home in Lucas county. We were several days on the road.

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Find a Grave Photo

Stephen W. and Susannah Threlkeld lived in Lucas County for nearly 35 years before death claimed them, Stephen on Dec. 9, 1890, and Susannah, a few months later, on May 24, 1891. Here is Stephen's obituary from The Chariton Herald of Dec. 11, 1890:

Died, at the residence of his son, I. N. Threlkeld, in Lincoln Township on Tuesday morning, Dec. 9, 1890, of heart disease, Stephen W. Threlkeld, near eighty years old.

Mr. Threlkeld was an old and highly respected citizen of the county and enjoyed the friendship of a larve circle of acquaintances who will sadly miss his familiar countenance. He had been troubled with heart disease for several years, and to his intimate friends his death was not unexpected. He and his bereft companion were staying for a time at the home of their son. On Monday he was apparently as well and cheerful as usual when he went to bed that night, as also in the after part of the night when he had occasion to get out of bed, but when his companion, who occupied the same bed, awoke in the morning at 7 o'clock his body was cold in death.

The funeral services will be held at the residence of his son at 11 a.m. today and the remains will be interred in the Ragtown cemetery. Uncle Stephen was a kind husband and father, an accommodating neighbor and a good citizen the loss of whose companionship will be mourned by many. The bereaved family and friends have the sympathy of many warm hearts in this time of sorrow.

And here is Susannah's obituary, from The Herald of May 28, 1891:

Died on Sunday night, at the home of her son, I. N. Threlkeld, in Lincoln Township, this county, Mrs. Susan Threlkeld.

The funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon, conducted by Rev. Hughes, of Lucas, after which the remains were laid to  rest in the Ragtown cemetery by those of her companion, S.W. Threlkeld, who preceded her to the haven of rest about five months ago.

Mrs. Threlkeld was about 70 years old and had been sick most of the time during the past year. But the final summons came and tired nature sank peacefully to rest in the cold arms of death and the freed spirit sped its joyous flight to join the angelic company in the regions of the blest, there to greet the loved ones who had gone before. The bereaved sons and daughters have the warm sympathy of a large circle of friends in their sorrow.

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Henry Hiester

Scott Threlkeld adds an interesting footnote to the Threlkeld portraits, which date from 1886. Although neither bears a photographer's mark, Scott points out that Henry Hiester, perhaps the most celebrated pioneer photographer among those who worked in Chariton, offered a very special deal to Lucas County pioneers during July of that year, as advertised in The Chariton Democrat on July 15:

"Hiester, Chariton's photographer, who several times has given the babies a benefit, now makes the following liberal offer to the old settlers of Lucas and adjoining counties: Between the 15th of July and the 15th of August he will make and give to each person over 65 years of age who will give him a sitting, a fine cabinet portrait, free of charge. Don't be backward, he means it, and will be glad to see and photograph you all."

It's hard to believe that Stephen and Susannah would  not have taken advantage of this offer and these beautiful portraits certainly meet the high standards of this highly skilled photographer. Here's a link to a post describing Mr. Hiester's years in Chariton.

Morning with Farmer Richard at Hall Hill Farm

As citizens of the U.S. scream and holler at each other via the social media, I take brief refuge most days at Hall Hill Farm in County Durham by tuning into Farmer Richard's daily video report. 

I'm partial to the Highland cattle, the sheep, the landscape --- and Farmer Richard's regional accent.

Hall Hill is a working farm in far northeast England, but also a tourist attraction aimed largely at youngsters and their parents. It reopened on July 18 as Britain got a grip on the coronavirus crisis and began cautiously to relax the restrictions that made progress possible.

Ann Darlington, a second-generation owner, is tourism manager; her brother, David Gibson, runs the working farm; and Ann's son, Richard Darlington, is both shepherd to the farm's large flock as well as the farm's public face via social media.

Here's Farmer Richard's encounter earlier this week with a new and unexpected arrival. Relax and watch.

What's the matter with kids today?

Rural Iowans, or at least the older ones, always have considered their bits of bucholia superior to those dangerous cities just over the horizon, as illustrated by this editorial cartoon published on the front page of The Chariton Leader of July 22, 1920.

The cartoonist was Magnus Kettner (1890-1963) whose work was distributed among small-town newspapers nationwide by the Western Newspaper Union, an outfit that provided economical "canned" content at a time when subscribers were plentiful but news often was scarce.

But trouble was brewing on the streets of this Chariton River city during those hot July days a century ago and, wouldn't you know it, those danged kids were the cause --- out-of-control 6-year-olds, a serial hugger and --- watermelon thieves!

In what traditionally was the lead spot on The Leader's front page of July 22 --- just to the right of the cartoon --- was a short story headlined, "Youngsters take horse and carriage." Here are the shocking details:

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Three Chariton youngsters indulged in a joy ride Tuesday afternoon that kept the officers, the youngsters' mothers and some of the citizens on a merry chase for about three hours before the trio was apprehended. The joy ride was with a horse and carriage, the property of J.T. Crozier of Chariton.

The horse was hitched to the rig and had been left at the rear of the Crozier store. When the owner discovered the horse was gone he inquired and learned that the boys had been seen driving away with the outfit. the town was searched for the youngsters, but it seems that they eluded their pursuers for some time by driving up and down the alleys of the city and avoiding the main streets.

the oldest of the trio of youngsters is nine years of age, and each of the other two are six. The horse is older and should have known better than to be a party to such an escapade, especially on a day as warm as Tuesday. 

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Elsewhere on that front page was the following story headlined "Young ladies meet hugger." Authorities today probably would take such assaults more seriously, but other reports suggest that the whole business was considered to be something of a prank. A suspect never was apprehended.

During the last month several of our young ladies have been attacked on the street after dark by some chap whose caliber is of the "Jack the Hugger" variety. No less than five different cases have been reported.

In nearly all of these cases the victims of this cowardly attempt were within a short distance of their homes and near enough a house that their first calls for help could be heard. In several instances the assailant received such rough treatment upon his first move that he was forced to make a hasty retreat to the nearest ally or hiding place.

Sometimes, it is reported, he has first been seen coming from behind a building or out of an alley onto the street; other times, he has been met on an open stretch of walk.

It is indeed a lamentable state of affairs which such a menace exists. In no instance yet has bodily injury been done though that much is no excuse for the tolerance of such a thing as this. We have received from a reliable source the statement that if an apprehension is made, the young ladies who have met this fellow will help in no uncertain way to bring about the proper disposal of this offense.

The latest report of this offense was last Saturday night when a young lady met the hugger near her home just off the public square. Her screams brought immediate help and the assailant fled.

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And finally, a week later, on July 29, the Herald-Patriot reported upon the first major watermelon heist of the season, an escapade that did not go well for the perpetrators in large part because railroad detectives got involved:

About half a dozen boys will be arraigned before the juvenile court next month, charged with stealing watermelons which were consigned to J.A. Evans, commission dealer, and which were standing on the "Q" tracks near his place of business. The car had not been released by the railroad company, and when the theft was discovered the "Q" detectives got busy and soon located the boys. the lads say they did not break the seal of the car, but gained entrance by crawling through a small aperture. It is said that some of the boys have been guilty of similar misdemeanors before.

Lester "Bud" Ambelang's World War II letters home

I spent a hot afternoon in air-conditioned comfort over the weekend at the Lucas County Historical Society Museum dealing with a time-consuming task that had been postponed --- sorting into order by date and then by year four years' worth of World War II correspondence. For the most part these letters were written home to his mother, Mary, 1942-45 by the late Lester "Bud" Ambelang, 1919-2014.

These were added to the collection some time ago, along with insignia that probably were removed from the uniform Pvt. Ambelang wore home after his honorable discharge from the U.S. Army during late September 1945. There are more than 200 letters in the collection --- and we're grateful to the donor for making sure the archive survived and found a safe home. Mr. Ambelang and his wife, Twyla Colene (Reid) Ambelang, left no children to carry the stories of their lives forward.

No, I didn't read more than a few of the letters --- just enough to allow me to track Pvt. Ambelang's path from Fort Des Moines, where he reported for duty on Jan. 6, 1942, through training assignments in Texas and Florida to Langley Field in Virgina; then during Novermber of 1942 to North Africa, then to Italy and finally home during August of 1945. The service bars once attached to his uniform, five of them, each represents six months overseas.

The round patch identifies his unit, the U.S. Army Air Corps' 15th Air Force; the triangle with golden gear shows that he was assigned to an engineering unit --- the 55th Service Squadron to be exact. And the hat pin indicates his service with a unit that included glider-borne combat units.

Pvt. Ambelang's specialty was somewhat obscure in the grand history of warfare, but vital to the effort. He was a parachute rigger, a specialized field that involved servicing, repairing and repacking the parachutes of the units he was detached to. This was not the sort of assignment that led to medals, but it was a job that saved thousands of lives.

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The letters also provide a modest history lesson in the nature of World War II correspondence and V-Mail (or Victory Mail), a strategy developed by the military to condense letters to and from home into the most compact form possible in order to free cargo space for other vital materials.

Most of the letters written during 1942, when Lester still was stateside, are packaged in conventional envelopes. Once in North Africa (he served in Tunisia and Morocco), then Italy, V-Mail is most prevalent. V-Mail forms were provided to troops, who wrote messages on them as instructed that then were sealed and mailed.

Depending upon circumstances, some of these sealed forms made it home to the United States. But most upon arrival at collection points abroad were opened and microfilmed. The microfilm then was transported to collection points in the United States where small images were exposed onto photographic paper and placed in special V-Mail envelopes for the remainder of the trip home.

All correspondence from the field was supposed to pass before the eyes of a military censor to ensure that no sensitive information related to the war effort was shared inadvertently or otherwise.

But one of Lester's letters home, apparently transported outside the military mail system, broke those rules so that he could reassure his mother. We have no idea exactly how it got home to Iowa, but here's the text:

Bastia, Corsica

May 12, 1944

Dear Mother,

I have a chance to send you a letter telling you a few things I couldn't say in my other letters. It's just a way of telling you how I am really getting along over here. I guess you know I am still working in the parachute department. Our work is easy as well as very clean; We usually get a building so we can keep things as clean as possible.

We do not jump in parachutes. Just repack them once a month and repair them if needed. A lot of our chutes have been used and have always worked fine. We do not have an officer in charge of us. Just the five of us. We are quite a bit our own boss, which we like fine. Out of the nineteen months we have been over, we have been with our outfit six months; in other words we have been on detached service a lot which is very nice for we get out of a lot of work being away from the squadron and our officers.

At present we are set up in town close to the Red Cross where we get ice cream, coffee, and sandwiches. We are also close to several of the movies in town. I think I have a pretty nice job anyway. I don't know of one I would like better even if I am a private and only draw $60 a month.

I guess you worry all the time about me. Well this isn't necessary for we are always a long way from the fighting. We have to be to operate successfully. Our only danger is air raids, which don't usually amount to much. I have been in several; the longest one lasted an hour; this was at Bizerte (Tunisia). They only dropped a few bombs.

Some days we don't do anything a lot of the time --- We have about half a day's work so you see we aren't working too hard.

We stay in bed until they call us to breakfast; when we go back to the outfit we won't be so lucky through.

I don't have any idea when I will ever get home; when one does get there he stands a good chance of going to the Pacific which is one thing I sure don't want for I am sure we have it better over here. So I'm not complaining too much although it would be nice to get back for a while.

You might not get this for a long while, but guess it won't hurt just so you get it. Well this is about all I have to say for myself now, so take care of yourself and I will do the same. 

Your loving son, Lester.

Staring at the "Stargazer" by dawn's early light

I happened to be at the museum very early Friday --- because we'd neglected to make sure that the trash cart was at curb the evening before --- and spent a little quality time by dawn's early light with this double "Stargazer" lily in the garden.

Why "Stargazer"? Well I looked that one up. A variety of the "Oriental group" of lilies, Stargazers were developed as hybrids during 1974 to ensure that blossoms faced the sky --- rather than the ground, as most lilies do.

So there, you know, too (if you didn't already). And that's all the useful information I have to share this Sunday morning.

"If not us, then who?"

Here's a favorite quote among many from U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Georgia) published overnight as a grateful nation recalls this giant of the civil rights movement who passed yesterday, age 80, of pancreatic cancer.

He was recalling during 2004 how --- as a child --- preaching to the chickens on his family's farm near Troy, Alabama, prepared him for life in Washington, D.C.

"I say now, when I look back on it, some of these chickens would bow their heads. Some of these chickens would shake their heads. They never quite said 'Amen,' but they tended to listen to me much better than some of my colleagues listen to me today in the Congress, and some of those chickens were a little more productive. At least they produced eggs."

This reference is lifted from an excellent National Public Radio report that may be accessed here.

An organizer of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, youthful keynote speaker during the 1963 March on Washington, bloodied on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, Selma, Alabama, on Bloody Sunday 1965, Mr. Lewis was a fighter until the end, among other gestures declining to attend the inauguration of our current president after that sad little caricature of humanity began his descent into the hell of full-blown racism.

May we all continue to draw inspiration from John Lewis's example during the days that follow.

Dr. Leib sings Lucas County's praise back in 1851

Charles Leib in 1862

Chariton, founded during September 1849, was just beyond its second birthday in December of 1851 when Dr. Charles Leib headed back to his native Pennsylvania armed with a hickory walking stick that he planned to present to James Buchanan at Wheatland, Buchanan's home near Lancaster, on behalf of Lucas County Democrats.

Dr. Leib, an enigmatic character to say the least but with clear political aspirations, probably had arrived in Chariton earlier that year and didn't stick around long. By 1854, he'd headed for Kansas. But during his brief residence, he did his part to put Lucas County on the map.

Whilst arranging his visit to Wheatland, Dr. Leib checked into Reed's Hotel in Lancaster and set about during a little promotional work for his adopted home beyond the Mississippi.

He placed an advertisement in several editions of The Lancaster Intelligencer for his pal Henry Allen, owner and operator of Chariton's first hotel, land agent, surveyor and hatter --- not by any means a colonel, as the title Charles awarded him in promotional literature implied.

And then he wrote the following and had it published in The Intelligencer of Dec. 23, 1851, singing the praises of Lucas County. It may not be Lucas County's first prospectus, but it certainly is among the earliest.

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In another column of the Intelligencer will be found the card of Col. Henry Allen, of Chariton, Lucas county, Iowa, who offers his services to persons holding land warrants, to locate them on the public lands in that state, to pay taxes on lands for non-residents, and to "transact all business connected with a General Land Agency." Col. Allen has resided on the frontier for a number of years, is intimately acquainted with that part of the State, as he has traversed it in the character of a surveyor, and is well calculated to locate warrants. He is a strict business man, and as I believe him to be worthy of all confidence do not hesitate to recommend him to those who hold, wish to purchase, or locate lands, as being a faithful and efficient agent.

There is no portion of Iowa which offers greater inducements to persons desirous of emigrating to that State, than does Lucas and the surrounding country, and indeed all the counties in the Southwestern portion of it. The soil cannot be surpassed in point of fertility, the climate is genial; and, both timber and prairie, can be had at the nominal price of $1.25 per acre, the market is excellent, our people being enabled to sell every pound of produce at high rates at their doors; the country is well watered and timbered and is fast filling up with emigrants, the majority of whom are from Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania.

But a few years ago that portion of Iowa was  uninhabited, save by the Indian; but the wigwam has given place to the log cabin, the sturdy oak and the slender sapling have alike fallen before the keen axe of the hardy pioneer, and at every stop the marks of civilization are to be seen.  It may almost seem incredible, yet it is true, that in two years more than 1,000 persons have settled in Lucas county. It is one of the most western organized counties in the state, and lies between the Des Moines River and the Missouri State line, being one of the second tier of counties north of it. The main divide leading from the Mississippi to the Missouri river passes through it, and it will be but a few years until there will be a railroad constructed from the mouth of the Des Moines to Council Bluff, which must necessarily pass through the heart of it.

Already have the people of the counties east of us commenced building a plank road, which is to be extended to our county seat, so that ere long we will be connected with the Mississippi river by means of not only a plank road, but all the Des Moines river which is being improved at this time with a view to steamboat navigation. Lucas county is watered by the Chariton river, and by Big and Little White Breast, Wolf, Otter, English, Cedar and Squaw creeks, all of which are bounded by timber of the best quality.

Chariton, the county seat, is situated about a quarter of a mile from the Chariton river, on the Mormon trail, and has improved rapidly during the last year. During the year 1850 more than 7,000 emigrant teams passed through it, going west, while about 5,000 passed through this year, many of them bound for the western portion of the State, while others were on the road either to California, Oregon, or Nebraska.

Corn is worth 50 cents per bushel, Potatoes 75, wheat 75 to $1.00, Pork $3.50 per hundred, Beef $2.50 to $3; everything else in proportion, and so great is the emigration west, for years produce will command these prices at the door of the farmer.

The counties which surround Lucas are in an equally flourishing condition, and it is to this land of promise and plenty that we earnestly invite the enterprising young farmers of Pennsylvania. With one-third the labor that is required in Lancaster county to till the soil in our state, the land yields a crop equal, if not superior to the best ever produced in this "Garden of Eden."

I feel confident that there are many in this county who are looking to the "great west" as their future home, and it will afford me pleasure ere I return to Iowa, which will be in about two weeks, to give them all the information with regard to it in my possession.

Charles Leib

Reed's Hotel, Lancaster, Dec. 20, 1851

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Obviously, Dr. Leib overstated Lucas County's case a little. The plank road project never quite got off the ground, the railroad did not arrive until 1867 and the Des Moines River was some distance away from the county's shores and never was developed into a reliable navigable stream.

Beyond that, Lancaster County farmers would need to break the prairie sod before farming it; and Chariton actually was a very small and rather grubby frontier village.

But I was interested in the number of emigrant wagons that in Charles's estimation had passed through --- 7,000 in 1850 and 5,000 in 1851. Emigrants actually were Lucas County's first cash crop and supplying and feeding the thousands who traveled the Mormon Trail west was a principal source of income during those earliest days.

Andrew J. Gwinn remembers fire on the prairie

Graves of Andrew J. and Mary Gwinn, among others, at Gwinn Cemetery near Humeston.

"At least we don't have to worry about prairie fires," I said to myself yesterday after finding a brief letter to the editor from Andrew J. Gwinn, published on Oct. 19, 1911, in Henry Gittinger's The Chariton Leader.

Mr. Gwinn, who was 63 at the time he wrote this and living near Lucas, was a native of Greenbrier County, (West) Virginia, who arrived on the prairies of far northwest Wayne County, Iowa, with his family when he was about 7 years old, in 1855.

After his marriage to Mary Sayers during 1870, the family lived in both Union and Jackson townships, Lucas County.

He died at 77 on Feb. 8, 1926, and is buried with Mary in the Gwinn family cemetery just northwest of Humeston. Here's the text of his brief letter:

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In early days prairie fires was the worst danger to the settlers. People generally would plow a large square or round strip around their house and stable and keep it burned off or plowed often to break the fire, and then it was very dangerous. I remember once we saw smoke away in the northwest about Osceola or beyond. The wind was blowing a gale from that direction, and we knew that it wouldn't be long before things would be hot round there.

Our cattle were a short ways off. Father hurried them into the pen inside the braking and went to the house, got fire in something as we had no matches, then hurried to the northwest corner of the plowing and fired the grass. Then, the main fire wasn't over three miles away. In a few minutes the fire was upon us. It swept round us, and the whole country was a seething sheet of flame. the fire didn't strike us, but the smoke and heat did, and you had to lay on the ground flat, face down close to the ground to breathe and keep your clothes from catching from a spark. In ten minutes it was all over, and had left the earth a black dismal waste.

Such scenes as these are never effaced from the record, and I have seen fires running over these prairies faster than a horse can run, and no man or animal could live in one of them. The Indians would save themselves by back firing, and the wolves and deer fled to the water holes for protection. They have been known to run right into men's houses when hard pressed by fire or other enemies.

Well, it is time to go to the mill and  post office. Someone or  maybe two of the neighbors would take grists for the whole settlement, go with ox teams at that. The post office was at Eddyville, and the mills was at Red Rock and Pella, and not a darned bridge on the whole route. Sometimes they would be gone a week, and then breadstuffs would be getting mighty shy in these diggins.

If it was in the winter time, three or four men with teams would take shovels and shovel the snow drifts out so they could pass through. The winters in the early days of Iowa were more severe than they are now. I believe the winter of 1864-65 was harder than the last four have been all put together.

As this article is getting long and it is moving day for Brother Gittinger, I will ring off.

 A.J. Gwinn

Chariton's United Brethren Church, beginning to end

The old United Brethren in Christ (later Evangelical United Brethren and finally Christ United Methodist) Church at the intersection of North 8th Street and Roland Avenue in Chariton was taken down last week --- 115 years after it was built --- following years of neglect that had turned it into a wreck and a public hazard.

It was a sad but inevitable ending for a nice old building constructed during 1905 by an optimistic new congregation.

The United Brethren denomination itself --- the oldest specifically U.S. protestestant denomination --- traced its beginning to 1767 and a great evangelical meeting held in Isaac Long's barn in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. During that meeting, Martin Boehm, a Mennonite preacher, told his story of becoming a Christian and a minister. The testimony moved William Otterbein, a German Reformed pastor. Otterbein left his seat, embraced Boehm, and said loud enough for everyone to hear, “Wir sind bruder” --- "We are brothers," hence the name. 

Organized formally in 1800, the new denomination was Wesleyan in polity and theological outlook, but served for the most part during its earliest days German-speaking people who failed to find a home among English-speaking Methodists. Soon, however, it became a mainline English-speaking denomination with a highly effective evangelical organization that spread rapidly across the upper Midwest and into Iowa and beyond.

By 1904, when the Chariton congregation was founded, there were three strong rural congregations elsewhere in the county --- Otterbein to the south, Norwood to the northwest and Bethel to the east --- but none in Chariton itself.

The founding minister, whose enthusiasm was largely responsible for the new congregation, was the Rev. Jacob H. Yaggy, who arrived in Chariton during 1904 fresh from the Yale University Divinity School. Although he had served as a supply pastor for various Methodist and United Brethren congregations during his years as a student, the Chariton circuit of the United Brethren Church was his first full-time charge.

He found considerable support for a mission in Chariton from his rural congregations, especially --- according to my family, present for the creation --- at Otterbein. Uncle John Rosa, for example, reportedly mortgaged 40 acres in order to help fund construction of the church building in 1905, and was a member of the congregation's first board of trustees along with H.H. Borton, J.H. Streed, Frank Chambers and H.A. Erickson. Once the Chariton congregation was on a firm footing, Uncle John returned his attention full-time to Otterbein.

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Development of the congregation began during August of 1904 with a series of tent revival meetings a half block south of the southwest corner of the square conducted by the Rev. Byron J. Clark, of Webster City, accompanied by R.R. Mohn, who led the music. Here's a report on those meetings from The Chariton Leader of Aug. 11:

The tent meetings which are in progress near the southeast corner of the square under the auspices of the United Brethren denomination are attracting large crowds and will undoubtedly result in great good. Evangelist Byron J. Clark is a pleasant speaker and preaches powerful sermons. Prof. R.R. Mohn, the singing evangelist, has an excellent voice and is a young man of great ability. A stereopticon is being used to illustrate the hymns, duets, solos, etc.

On the 8th of September, The Leader was able to report that:

In view of the fact that there are many United Brethren in and around Chariton, and on account of the renewed interest resulting from the recent tent meeting, a church of the United Brethren denomination has been organized. Up to the present time 28 persons have been received by letter and on profession of faith into full membership and two as associate members. The charter will be held open until next Sunday, for there are still a number to come who wish to come in as charter members. The services will for some time be held every Sunday morning on the third floor of the Penick block in the rooms used by the A.O.U.W. lodge. The Sunday school will be organized there next Sunday morning at 10 a.m. and preaching services following at 11 o'clock. Prayer meeting will hereafter be on Thursday evening at 7:30 and will at present be held in the assembly room of the courthouse.

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The new congregation, with financial backing from the rural congregations and its new members, purchased property at the intersection of North 7th Street and Roland Avenue during the spring of 1905 and began construction of a church building soon thereafter. That building was dedicated on Sunday, Nov. 21, 1905, and was described as follows in The Leader of Nov. 23:

The new edifice is a beautiful and substantial structure, and one of which the members can feel proud. All will rejoice that they have such a pleasant place of worship. It is a frame building with a large high basement. The main auditorium facing the rostrum on the south is 40 x 50 feet; on the north of this is the lecture room 32 x 18 and tower, 10 x 10; on the south is the pastor's study, 12 x 20. The basement extends under the entire building and is divided into two rooms, one small room for coal and kindling and furnace, and a large room well lighted which will be used for social gatherings of the church.

The memorial windows have for the most part been placed by individuals or societies.The two large windows in the auditorium were donated, one by the Ladies Aid Society and one by the traveling men through Mr. J.A. Streed. The large window in the lecture room is placed by the Y.P.C.U. in honor of the pastor, Rev. J. H. Yaggy.  Of the smaller windows, three were placed by the following individuals: Mrs. M.J. Pim; Chas. Gartin to Phoebe Gartin; J.A. Streed to Albert Streed. A fourth small window was placed by the ministers of the Iowa conference.

The church is papered throughout with ingrain paper of ecru color, plain ceiling with Grecian border. the pews are of circular form and are of the best red oak finish. Among the fixtures is a fine new organ purchased in Louisville, Ky. The pulpit and choir chairs were purchased of N.S. Melville who also donated six of the choir chairs.

The room is magnificently lighted by electricity. A 12-light chandelier is suspended from the center ceiling. This in addition to the wall brackets light the building well. The heating plant is a hot air furnace. the church will seat quite comfortably 500 people. It is well and substantially built at a cost, including the grounds, approximately of $6,000. Lyon & Krysto were the contractors for the building and Robt. Osborne for the foundation.

The United Brethren church was organized in Chariton on Septemer 11, 1904, at the close of a series of meetings. The number of charter members was 38. The present pastor, Rev. J. H. Yaggy, organized the class. Since that time a number have been added to the list, there now being a membership of 59.

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The congregation continued to prosper well into the 20th century and became the Chariton Evangelical United Brethren Church during 1946 with the merger of the United Brethren in Christ and the United Evangelical Association --- another Wesleyan denomination that had originated among German-speaking people. A parsonage had been constructed just south of the church in 1910.

During 1968, the Evangelical United Brethren and the Methodist Episcopal denominations merged to form the United Methodist Church and the Chariton congregation was designated Christ United Methodist to differentiate it from Chariton's First Methodist Church just two blocks to the west.

Christ United Methodist continued for 25 years, but closed its doors just after Christmas 1993 when the two Chariton congregations were consolidated.

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The church building sat empty for two years, then was remodeled by Chariton Realtor Les Neisemier, who during 1995 opened L & D Antiques & Collectibles there with his partner, Darrell Kinner. During their tenure, the building acquired a coat of lavender paint with darker trim that would have surprised its builders but actually looked quite nice --- until it began to peel.

Neisemier, who just died in Omaha this past March at age 88, and Kinner moved elsewhere soon after the turn of the 21st century and I believe that they were responsible for the removal and sale of most of the building's stained glass, a move that diminished the building's marketability.

Other barriers to redevelopment were the sheer size of the building and the fact that the floor in the main auditorium had been built with a fan-shaped downward cant ideal for auditorium seating but a challenge to those who wished to use the area for other purposes.

Various people had various ideas for its redevelopment, but none were carried out --- and that was why the building deteriorated to the point that it was necessary to demolish it 115 years after an optimistic congregation built it.