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Shelby County |
EARLY SHELBY COUNTY TOWNS,
A special thank you to Phyllis Heller
for her painstaking efforts in providing the below |
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Some early towns became a part of other towns that are still in existence
today. Many of these towns and Post Offices were established for the location
of the county seat. When Harlan was chosen as the county seat, many of these
towns became defunct. In 1855, Route 9439 was established to deliver the mail from Adel, by Panora, and county seats of Audubon and Shelby, to Magnolia, 120 miles and back, once a week. Leave Adel Wednesday at 5. a. m.; and arrive at Magnolia next Friday at 6 a. m.. Leave Magnolia Saturday at 6 a. m; Arrive at Adel next Monday by 6 p. m. In March of 1875, Route 27254, was contracted by George Marshall to carry the mail from Harlan to Manteno once a week, a distance of 20 miles. In the fall of 1875, Route 27254 was contracted by George D. Ross to carry the mail twice a week from Harlan to Manteno and extend to the edge of Dunlap a distance of 24 miles. With the coming of the railroads it ended the work of the men who carried the mail on horseback, or by hack or stage. ALTAMONT Post office was established in 1868-1874 in the eastern part of Fairview Township, about 6 miles southeast of Harlan. BOTANY-1884-A discontinued post office in Shelby County, on the I. & S. W. br. C. & N. W. Railway. SOURCE- Iowa State Gazetteer and Business Directory for 1884-1885 Volume III R. L. Polk & Co and A. C. Danser. Botnay was listed as a post office in 1859. It was located in the northwestern part of Jackson, Township, about six miles east and a little south of Harlan. In 1882 the Botany Post office closed and all mail was sent to Tibbotsvillie. Henry Wyland was postmaster in 1860. BOTNA, Its early name was Rochdale. Its present name is an abbreviation of Nishnabotna, the Indian name of the stream that flows through the place. It meant a “canoe making river.” It was platted as Rochdale by the Western Town Lot Company in 1884, and was named from a place in England. SOURCE-The origin of station names of the Chicago Northwestern Railway-1908 BOTNA-ROCHDALE, the name given the present railway station and village of Botna when it was established in 1884. It was a flag station on the Kirkman branch of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad. There was a post office and general store Botna post office was established in the early 1880’s. A. L. Bell was postmaster in 1880. S. B. Fritz (1888), Wm J. Smith (1889), J. S. McDonald (1891-1893), Ellen W. Ramsey (1915). CORLEY was established in 1878 with the coming of the Rock Island Railroad to Harlan. The land on which it stands was then owned by Thomas McDonald. He named the new station in honor of his wife, whose maiden name was Corley. A post office on the H. branch of the C. R. I & P. Railway in Shelby County, 6 miles South of Harlan, the county seat and banking point. Grain and live stock shipped, Population 35, Exp., U. S. Mail, daily. Thomas McDonald was postmaster as early as 1878. Willard Noble (1880), Mrs. M. T. McDonald (1883), Claus Albers (1884-1888-1889), John H. Holmes (1891), Emma Schonboe (1893), Calvin Lee (1915). SOURCE- Iowa State Gazetteer and Business Directory for 1884-1885 Volume III R. L. Polk & Co and A. C. Danser. DEFIANCE-was established in January 1882, by the Milwaukee Land Company. It was at this time, the railroad said that “Defiance” would retain the name of Defiance from the former Defiance P. O. Defiance-1884- An incorporated town on the Nishnabotna River and on the C. M. & St. P. Railway, Union Township, Shelby County, 106 miles West of Des Moines, 12 miles north of Harlan, the county seat. It contains Methodist, Episcopal, United Brethren, Disciples and Catholic churches, public schools, 2 banks, and ships grain and live stock. A weekly newspaper, the Argus, is published Stages Tri-weekly to Harlan with mail; fare $1. Population 600. Tel., W. U. Exp., U. S. Mail, daily. Defiance P. O. was established about 1875 with Daniel Fry as postmaster. In 1881, the new post office was located about a mile and half east of the old post office in the new town of Defiance, Charles M. Robbins was elected postmaster and was postmaster from 1880-1885. J. B. S. Case (1885), Henry J. Brain (1888), W. J. Williams (1889-1891), John F. Loudenslager (1893). SOURCE- Iowa State Gazetteer and Business Directory for 1884-1885 Volume III R. L. Polk & Co and A. C. Danser. EARLING was established by the Milwaukee Land Company in August 1882 and named after Albert J. Earling, who at one time was president of the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railway. Earling-1884- A newly established town formerly known as Marthan on the east br. of the Mosquito River, and on the C. M. & St. P. Railway, in Westphalia Township. Shelby county, 125 miles west of Des Moines, 12 miles northwest of Harlan, the county seat and 6 miles south of Defiance, the nearest banking point. Grain and live stock are shipped. The town is growing rapidly. Stages daily to Harlan and to Dunlap 15 miles northwest; fare, 75 cents to each. Population 460. Tel., W. U. Exp. U. S. Mail daily. Earling post office was established in 1882. Joseph H. Kuhl was postmaster in 1883, Ed C. Brown (1885), Joseph H. Kuhl (1888-1889), Robert Ford Sr. (1891-1893). SOURCE- Iowa State Gazetteer and Business Directory for 1884-1885 Volume III R. L. Polk & Co and A. C. Danser ELK HORN-1884-A village on Little Indian Creek, in clay Township, Shelby County, 16 miles southeast of Harlan, the county seat, 12 miles northeast of Marne, on the C. R. I. & P. Railway, the nearest railroad station, and 15 miles northwest of Atlantic, the nearest banking point. Settled in 1876, it contains a Lutheran church, and ships cattle and produce. There is a Danish college located here with a number of students. Stages twice a week to Kimballton and Audubon, 20 miles north; fare, $1; carries mail. Population 50. Elk Horn Post Office was established in 1867 and was located in the northern part of section 15, Clay Township, about three miles southwest of the present town of Elk Horn. It was later removed to the village of Elk Horn. Postmasters were Lorenzo L Winters, William S. Wilmarth, (1880) James Madison (1883), Nils Larsen, George James (1885-1888-1889) Rasmus Hansen (1893), Nils Larsen, Andrew Berggreen, and John A. Petersen. SOURCE- Iowa State Gazetteer and Business Directory for 1884-1885 Volume III R. L. Polk & Co and A. C. Danser. FISCUS post office was first located in Audubon County, later moved to Shelby County. While in Audubon County, the postmaster was Jonathan C. Oard from 1889-1893. The post office was established in 1898 with William Littell as postmaster, other postmasters were; William Hight, Martin Fabricius and Peter Hilgaard. The post office closed in 1908. HANSON HEIGHTS was listed on the Shelby County map of 1921. HARLAN was named for Justice James Harlan of the supreme court of the United States. It was laid out and made the county seat in 1858. SOURCE-The origin of station names of the Chicago Northwestern Railway-1908 Harlan-1867-Harlan the county seat is situated a little south of the geographical center of the county, within half a mile of the Nishnabotana and just below the confluence of the middle and west branches of this river. It contains a population of less than 200 souls. There are three stores in the place, two taverns, a harness shop, a blacksmith shop, a school house and a tolerably commodious two-story frame Court House. The whole number of buildings in town does not exceed twenty. The town stands on the “second bottom of the Nishnabotana, affording a fine view up and down the valley, while the hills of the high rolling prairie beyond seem to rise in the distance like mountain till they touch the sky. On the north and west the hills protect the town, to some extent, from the fury of the prevailing winds of autumn and winter, which was probably one reason for choosing this location. Railroads or no railroad Harlan is destined to become a place of no inconsiderable importance. SOURCE-1867 DAILY IOWA STATE REGISTER Harlan-1884- This enterprising town, the judicial seat of Shelby county, in the centre of which it is located, on an elevated plateau overlooking the West Nishnabotna river, a stream from which power is derived. It dates its existence from 1858 and in May 1880, was incorporated as a town. It is the terminus of the H. br. of the C. R.. I & P. Railway, 13 miles north of Avoca, 40 miles northeast of Council Bluffs, and 100 miles west of Des Moines. The chief business features of the place are 2 flour mills, 2 grain elevators, a steam plow factory, wagon and carriage shops, a brick manufactory and a creamery. There are 2 banks doing a good business. The press is represented by 2 weekly newspapers, the TRIBUNE (Dem.) and the SHELBY COUNTY REPUBLICAN. There are 4 churches, Baptist, Methodist, Congregational and Christian and the public school system is well organized. Large quantities of spring wheat, corn and hogs are raised in the vicinity and with cattle form the chief shipments. Stages twice daily to Kirkman and tri-weekly to Defiance and Dunlap. Telephone exchange,. Exp. U. S. and Am. Tel., W. U. Population 2, 500. Mail daily. SOURCE- Iowa State Gazetteer and Business Directory for 1884-1885 Volume III R. L. Polk & Co and A. C. Danser. Harlan Post office was established in 1858, with William Henderson as the first postmaster. Following were William A. Gray, D. H. Randall, H. C. Holcomb, N. W. Babcock, and S. P. Kinsey. B. Q. Kinsey was postmaster in 1883. Benjamin I. Kinsey (1880-1885-1888) Jonathan B. Stutzman was postmaster in (1889-1891), Joseph H. Reynolds (1893). IRWIN, was named for E. W. Irwin, the original owner of the town site. It was established by the Western Town Lot Company in 1881. SOURCE-The origin of station names of the Chicago Northwestern Railway-1908 Irwin-1884-A town on the Nishnabotna River, and on the I. & S. W. br, C. & N. W. Railway, in Jefferson Township. Shelby County, 125 miles from Des Moines, 14 northeast of Harlan, the county seat, and 12 miles southwest of Manning, the nearest banking point. Settled in 1882. Ships grain and live stock. Population 350. Tel., W. U. Exp., Am. Mail Daily. SOURCE- Iowa State Gazetteer and Business Directory for 1884-1885 Volume III R. L. Polk & Co and A. C. Danser. Irwin post office was established in 1879 and was first called Tibbottsvile. The first postmaster was G. B. Thompson, following, D. S. Irwin, J. C. Piper, W. W. Gibbs (1883), H. D. Lacy (1885), E. J. Trowbridge (1887), James A. Harmon (1888-1889), Leroy L. Granger (1891-1893). ITAN-A defunct village that was located near L. D. Sunderland’s home. The village was staked out by Mansel Wicks. It was short lived. JACKSONVILLE was established in 1897 and is located in Jackson Township which was mostly settled by Danish people. It had a post office with Jokum F. Jensen as postmaster in 1897, Mike Christensen (1902). The post office was discontinued in 1905 with mail then being sent to Harlan. KIRKMAN, was named for Marshal M. Kirkman, an officer of the railroad company. It was located by the Western Town Lot company in 1880. SOURCE-The origin of station names of the Chicago Northwestern Railway-1908 Kirkman-1884-A village on the Nishnabotna River and the present terminus of the I. & S. W. br. of the C. & N. W. Railway, in Douglas township, Shelby County, 85 miles from Des Moines, 7 north of Harlan, the county seat and nearest banking point. Settled in 1880, it contains a Methodist Episcopal Church, and ships grain and livestock. Stage daily to Harlan; fare, 50 cents. Population 250. Tel. W. U. Exp. Am, Mail daily. SOURCE- Iowa State Gazetteer and Business Directory for 1884-1885 Volume III R. L. Polk & Co and A. C. Danser. Kirkman post office was established in 1881 with James W. French as its first postmaster. James W. French was postmaster in 1880-1883-1885-1888. David Carter (1889), F. O. Muckler (1893) Samuel B. Slates (1897 to 1907). Following were, A. D. Ames, C. H. Burnham and Nels F. Nelson. MALLORY-A village established in 1870 in Greeley Township in the northwest part of Shelby County. In 1883 the post office at Mallory was discontinued. Astor, in Crawford County was then the nearest post office to the late one at Mallory. James Ivey was postmaster in 1880. MANTENO-1884-A village on Mill Creek in Grove Township, Shelby County, 106 miles west of Des Moines, 20 miles northwest of Harlan, the county seat, and 4 miles east of Dunlap, on the I. div. C. & N. W. Railway, the nearest railroad station and banking point. It contains a church of the Latter-Day Saints, a public school and ships grain, live stock and walnut lumber. It is on the tri-weekly mail stage route from Dunlap to Harlan; fares to Dunlap 25 cents, Earling $1.00, and Harlan, $2.00. Population 75, Mail daily. SOURCE- Iowa State Gazetteer and Business Directory for 1884-1885 Volume III R. L. Polk & Co and A. C. Danser. In 1867, Manteno contained a saw mill and a dozen dwelling houses. Manteno was listed as a post office in 1853. The Manteno Post office in Grove Township was discontinued in 1898 with all mail going to Dunlap. Lawrence G. Tubbs was postmaster in 1857, Warren E. Brown (1860), F. M. Hill (1880), George Greenwood (1883-1885), Charles A. Reed (1888-1889), George Greenwood (1891-1893), Mrs. E. Allen was postmistress in 1896. PANAMA- was established by the Milwaukee Land Company in April 1882 and is located in Washington Township. This area was also known as the Crandall settlement. Panama-1884-A new post office on the C. M. & St. P. Railway, in Shelby County, 12 miles northwest of Harlan, the county seat, and 11 southwest of Defiance, the nearest banking point. Population 25. Mail daily. SOURCE- Iowa State Gazetteer and Business Directory for 1884-1885 Volume III R. L. Polk & Co and A. C. Danser. Panama post office was established in 1882. J. W. Kleeb was postmaster in 1883. Following were William H. Mytinger (1885-1888-1889), C. M. Wilder (1891-1893), William H. Mytinger, B. M. Howland, F. K. Miller, L. H. Crane, J. F. Eich, and Bernard McAlllister. POMO-Post Office was established in 1881, at Trim Pratt’s place in Grove Township. It began receiving the mail that was formerly sent to Shelbyville. James Laing served as postmaster in 1880. Pomo 1884-A discontinued post office in Shelby County, 16 miles northwest of Harlan, the county seat. Send mail to Westphalia. SOURCE- Iowa State Gazetteer and Business Directory for 1884-1885 Volume III R. L. Polk & Co and A. C. Danser. POPLAR- In 1892, a new post office was established just over the border in Audubon County, named Poplar. In 1893 the Poplar post office was listed in Audubon County with Christ Christensen as postmaster, Peter S. Peterson (1898), Andrew Vithen (1903). The post office was discontinued in 1911. PORTSMOUTH is situated ten miles from the county seat Harlan. It was platted in 1882 by the Milwaukee Land Company. William Williams sold the land to the railroad and the land company PORTSMOUTH-1884-A new post office on the C. M. & St. P. Railway, in Shelby County, 15 miles southwest of Harlan, the county seat, 6 miles northeast of Persia, the nearest banking point. Population 25. Mail daily. SOURCE- Iowa State Gazetteer and Business Directory for 1884-1885 Volume III R. L. Polk & Co and A. C. Danser. Portsmouth post office was established in 1882 with George Walters as its first postmaster. George Walters (1883-1885), P. J. Korth (1888), George H. Sims (1889-1891-1893), Jacob Korth, Isaac Houghton, Simon A. Bendon (1915), Frank Tracy. PRAIRIE ROSE, A hamlet in Monroe Township, Post Office from 1899-1904. At one time, Prairie Rose had a general store, blacksmith shop and a creamery. RAVENWOOD-was a post office in 1857 with James H. Adams as postmaster. RANOUT-A place in northwestern Clay Township, According to the Shelby County, Iowa maps, Rantout was in existence from 1862-1874. RED LINE a small village located at the edge of Merrill’s Grove in Polk Township, with several homes, a general store and a church. There was a Post office from 1903 to 1905. ROACH. A Milwaukee railway station in the northern part of Cass Township in the early 1880's. It had a post office from 1880 to 1882. D. F. Paul was postmaster in 1880. RORBECK was located in Clay Township and had a general store and blacksmith shop in the 1915’s. ROCK RUN was located in Cass Township, listed as a post office on the 1875 map. SAMISON-Post Office was established in Cass Township in 1880 at the residence of William Askwith. In 1882, the post office was discontinued with all mail being sent to Shelby. SHELBY is located near Silver Creek and is on the main line of the Chicago, Rock Island, & Pacific Railroad, 32 miles from Council Bluffs. It stands on the land of an early settler, James Hawkins who sold the land to B. F. Allen a banker of Des Moines, who platted the town in 1868. Shelby-1884-An incorporated town on the C. R. I & P. Railway, in Shelby Township, Shelby County. 108 miles west of Des Moines, 32 miles northeast of Council Bluffs, and 17 miles southwest of Harlan, the county seat. Contains Methodist, Lutheran and Presbyterian churches, a graded public school, a bank, a flour mill and ships grain and live stock. A weekly newspaper, the NEWS, is published. Population 600. Tel., W. U. Exp., U. S. Mail daily. SOURCE- Iowa State Gazetteer and Business Directory for 1884-1885 Volume III R. L. Polk & Co and A. C. Danser. H. Harrod-served as postmaster in 1875. Joseph H. Shively (1880), Reuben D. Prouty was postmaster in 1883-1885-1888-1889-1891-1893. SHELBYVILLE-1855 This is the name of the county seat of Shelby County, lying north and east of Harrison County, which is laid out upon one of the most beautiful sites that can be found in our most delightful country of all the states of the union. Shelbyville besides beauty and loveliness of the locality possesses superior advantage respects, otherwise over many towns rapidly springing into being over the fertile prairies, romantic woodland and fairytales valleys. The whole region around is one of the most lovely formation. The Prairies are high and rolling, but nevertheless fertile almost to a fault, the valleys are gentle convex slopes, formed seemingly on purpose, that clear cold, springs may gush forth and musical rivulets flow down their follower-decked slopes. There is within a short distance of the town site a splendid quarry of Blue limestone, and excellent specimens of Stone Coal have been found in the county. The town is laid out upon a plan, at the same time airy, pleasant and convenient. Each block containing eight lots, divided by alleys at right angles, so that each lot is accessible upon three sides. The town is within one mile of the largest grove of timber in Western Iowa, known as Garland’s Grove, and containing some nineteen solid squares miles of timber of the best quality in the state. Although the county is becoming well settled, there is a large amount of government land, that may be entered at $1.25 per acre; land that one acre is really worth ten of the poor, rocky, sorrel-fringed pine and hemlock lands in the East, that are counted worth one hundred dollars per acre. Several fine mill streams meander through broad, rich, flower-spangled bottom lands in this county, which maybe made of immense service to the advancement of the country, and also to increase the wealth of the proprietor. There are numerous herds of elk, deer and smaller game in the groves and valleys and in the streams fine fresh fish are abundant. A number of buildings are already erected and many in contemplation. Shelbyville; will ere long, be an important and beautiful town, far outstripping many of higher pretentions at the present time. Its peculiar advantaged will recommend it to the attention of many who seek a quiet home in the West and its many advantages will too soon attract the attention of the speculator and land dealers. SOURCE-1855 COUNCIL BLUFFS BUGLE By 1867, Shelbyville was a defunct village. This ancient resort for the dispensators of justice once contained a store and dozen dwellings. But the historic village is now in ruins. There is nothing to mark the spot, save a row of gooseberry bushes, a clump of cottonwood trees, a well covered with a few rotten logs and an old hitching post. Some of the houses had been moved to Harlan, others to Manteno and a few were taken to the country. Shelbyville had an existence from 1854 to 1860. SOURCE-1867 DAILY IOWA STATE REGISTER Shelbyville P. O. was listed as a post office in 1853 and discontinued in 1881. Michael Doyle was postmaster in 1857. William Hinkle was postmaster in 1860, Samuel Webster (1878). SIMODA- This village was platted a mile and half east of Harlan in 1857. It was situated at the forks of the two branches of the Nishnabotna River, on high rolling ground. After losing the bid for the county seat and soon went into decay. The buildings were sold and Harlan or adjoining farms. It was a post office from June 19, 1858 to July 16, 1858. TENNANT 1900-A new town called Tennant was laid out on the Chicago, Great Western Line on the Nathanial Lawson farm. It is located between Silver and Keg Creeks. Tennant Post Office was located in the Fullerton Lumber Company and the post master was Carl Langland. Frank L. Hansen was postmaster in 1915. Tennant post office closed in 2001. TIBBOTTSVILE-In 1880-A Village and Post Office was established fourteen miles northeast of Harlan close to the present town of Irwin on the Botna River. J. B. Thompson was elected as postmaster. D. S. Irwin was postmaster in 1880. The post office was in existence from 1880 to 1882. UNIONBURG Post Office was located in Cass Township in 1870. WESTPHALIA is situated in Westphalia Township. The village was platted by Emil Flusche, June 1874. It derives its name from the German Province of Westphalia. Westphalia-1884- A small place in Shelby County, 7 miles northwest of Harlan on the H. branch C., R. I. & P. Ry, the county seat, nearest railroad station and banking point. It contains a Catholic church and a public school. Stages tri-weekly, with mail to Harlan and Dunlap. Population 60. SOURCE- Iowa State Gazetteer and Business Directory for 1884-1885 Volume III R. L. Polk & Co and A. C. Danser. Westphalia post office was established in 1875 with Joseph H. Kuhl as its first postmaster in 1875. William Flusche (1880-1883), Michael Wilwerding from (1884-1885-1888), John Kohles was postmaster from (1889-1891), Joseph Rueschenberg (1893), Joseph Zimmerman, Peter Goeser, Ferdinand Kuehnel, and Caroline Heese. |
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The above is a partial list of postmasters who served in Shelby
County. SOURCES: Annuls of Iowa Vols. XVII & XVIII. The 1889, Biographical History of Shelby and Audubon Counties. Official Registers of the United States Post Office Department and the Postal Service. Various newspapers and history books. |
