ASHTON.

The chapters below are from the 1914 book, Past and Present of O'Brien and Osceola Counties of Iowa and contain histories of the towns and townships of the county.

The land department of the Sioux City & St. Paul Railroad Company laid out the town of Ashton in 1872. It was first called St. Gilman, but in 1882 the name was changed to Ashton. The town has a fine location on the west side of Otter creek. The ground gradually rises until it reaches quite an elevation, on top of which stands the large Roman Catholic church and school. Ashton is a thrifty town surrounded by territory that for productive soil is unexcelled in the state. There are no more thrifty class of farmers anywhere than those tributary to the town of Ashton.

The first building placed on the town site was moved there by T. J. Shaw and still stands and is used as a pool room and lunch counter. Mr. Shaw first erected this store building on section 32, in Gilman township, before the town of Ashton was laid out. Mr. Shaw left Osceola county in 1888 and moved to Oregon, where he is reported to have died a few years ago. The next building to be erected was a warehouse in 1873 by Brown & Roundsville. Then followed a blacksmith shop, run by Charles Miller, who sold to John Lee, and in 1878 Lee sold to I. B. Lucas, who continued the business about as long as he was able to work. Mr. Lucas was always a prominent man and took great interest in all public affairs until the time of his death. Soon another store followed, then a milliner store and an ever-present saloon. Then followed the grasshopper scourge, when all business at Ashton gradually dwindled away. The storekeepers sold what they could and silently drifted away. The hotel man had no customers, the saloonkeeper no patrons, millinery goods were not in demand and no grain came to market; stagnation was complete.

J. D. Billings was the first justice of the peace and one of the first school officers. He later moved to Sheldon. His daughter, Mary, was the first child born in the town.

In 1883 Nick Boor moved to town and opened up a grain, coal and lumber business. About the same time A. and O. W. Patterson (father and son) came and brought some money, which they commenced to loan. This loan business developed into the Bank of Ashton, which was always a help to the town. A. Patterson is now dead and G. W. Patterson is in Worth-ington, Minnesota. From this time the town has continued to grow and prosper, until now it is thrifty and prosperous.

The Ashton State Bank, with W. L. Benjamin as president and principal stockholder, and R. M. Yappen as cashier, has thirty-five thousand dollars paid-up capital and is doing a safe and profitable business. It is one of the sound financial institutions of the county. Among the commercial and mercantile establishments are Nick Klees, harness shop; Angie Melcher, milliner shop; Frank Holmes, meat market; Aykens & DeBoer, general merchandise; Dries & Krogman, implements; Simeon Miller, cream, poultry and junk, and S. J. Gallagher, garage and auto livery. F. J. Gallagher is the dentist and J.; M. Cadwallader is the only physician and surgeon. The Hotel Ashton is managed by Mr. Adams. This hotel has had a hard experience, there being scarcely patronage enough to maintain as good a house as is demanded. Mr. Adams is striving to keep a house that will meet the requirements and it is hoped by the inhabitants of the town that it may prove a financial success. J. H. Carmichael, druggist and pharmacist, is one of the substantial men of the town. Jake Keul runs a pool hall and billiard parlor. George Bathen is a merchant. E. A. Balzell operates a barber shop. The moving picture industry has a room on the main street. A new brick block is occupied by Ed. Gaster, postmaster and a meat market. The grains and coal business is conducted by A. Streit. Val. Dries is the stock buyer. North of the depot is the Farmers Elevator, managed by R. C. Yappen. John Jackley has a garage and auto livery. John Johannes has a hardware store. Winchell & Hoffman run a pool hall and lunch counter. Frank Jackley, a general store. Charles Seivert has a furniture store, and Anton Hintgen a clothing store. William M. Busch is the rural mail carrier. John DeGroot and Elmer DeVries are draymen. Gustavus Ehlers conducts the cream station. There is also the usual number of masons, painters and paper hangers.

The public schools and churches will be mentioned in the proper chapters. The city officials at present are as follows: Mayor, J. E. Townsend; clerk, J. W. Clark; councilmen, W. Benjamin, R. M. Yappen, Joe Reis, A. Streit and Charles King; treasurer, R. C. Yappen.

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