OCHEYEDAN.

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 town of Ocheyedan was started in the early fall of 1884, after the coming of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad. The first building of the town was a temporary affair for the use of James Wood while a more substantial structure was being erected. James Wood, Charles Woodworth, William Smith, Kout Brothers and L. B. Boyd were on the ground in the fall of 1884 with stores of general merchandise. During the same fall Dr. C. Teal put up a building and occupied it with a stock of drugs and at the same time practiced medicine.

Thus was the beginning of a clean and enterprising little city. It has a beautiful location on a high ridge, which affords good natural drainage. It has well graded streets, substantial brick blocks and an excellent high school. It owns its water system and has a volunteer fire department. It has fine shade trees along the streets and in the yards, beautiful lawns and as good residences as can be found in towns of larger population. It has two strong banks and several stores in brick buildings. It looks as one approaches it like a ready-made city set on a hill.

Instead of the few business houses, as in 1884, it now has the following: The Bank of Ocheyedan, under the efficient management of James Porter, president; William M. Roth, cashier, and Charles Morton, assistant cashier. It does a general banking business and negotiates farm loans. The postoffice is held by Mrs. Underwood. Mr. Underwood, who edited the Ocheyedan Press for many years, was postmaster until the time of his death, a few years ago, when Mrs. Underwood was appointed to take her husband's place. It is understood that J. B. Callender is to succeed Mrs. Underwood at the expiration of her term. The Ocheyedan Press is now managed and edited by E. E. Roland. M. S. Gole has a stock of general merchandise and millinery goods. C. A. Cook is the popular druggist and pharmacist. Albert Fritz runs a general butcher shop. Alesen Brothers are clothiers. The town has two cream stations which are well patronized by the farmers. Fred Meyers is a blacksmith. Furniture and undertaking wants are supplied by William Marshall. Mrs. L. M. Hamilton runs a raquet store. Philip Cleveland has a hotel and restaurant. Metz is the barber. Peter Graves operates a hotel and restaurant. George DeFries runs the saloon. The Harris Auto Company is managed by Stahly & Son. The Porter Company is managed by J. N. Kuntz. Slade £ Shuttleworth also run a lumber yard. Mr. Slade is the local man, while Mr. Shuttleworth resides in Sibley. The Farmers Elevator Company is managed by Fred Bremmer. The F. A. Brown & Company elevator and the Gregg Zeemer elevator are well managed concerns. The stock buyers are John Ward, Perry Harmel and A. C. Bowersock. Charles Spencer is a blacksmith. Fred Berands handles wagons, buggies and all kinds of farm implements. The livery barn, formerly managed by Mike Welsh, is now an automobile garage and under the control of the Ocheyedan Auto Company, with Albert Stewart as local manager. Christ Gardner conducts a meat market. On this same side hill is found the office of Dean & Broderick, extensive land owners and dealers. In the i same office is Ezra Cleveland, who has been for many years justice of the peace. Callender Brothers manage a pool hall. The McGowen Mercantile Company occupies the corner where the elder McGowen, who died a few years ago, succeeded Kout Brothers, one of the original firms. R. J. C. McGowen, the elder, was succeeded by his son, Bert McGowen, who now conducts the business in a fine two-story brick building. Chris Wassmann runs the livery and feed barn. The Ocheyedan Savings Bank, after a varied experience under different managers, has settled down to a thrifty and careful banking business under the efficient management of C. R. Richards. Doctor Kinney is the only dentist of the town. C. A. Cook manages the telephone exchange. The Ocheyedan Hardware Company is managed by Miller £ Cobb. Hanforcl Produce Company has a cream station here, managed by William Noehren. Doctors R. S. Hamilton, Ely, Lass and White are the practicing physicians. S. Schmidt is the harness maker. Harly Cleveland cleans and presses clothes. J. L. Packard handles hardware. August Arends deals in boots and shoes. Mary Graves has general merchandise and farm implements. Frank Graves and daughter are the photographers. The Farmers Co-operative Creamery is managed by Frank Lintner, president of the company. Charles Timmons is a land dealer. The Ocheyedan opera house is managed by the Callender Brothers. A. M. Randall handles apples direct from the Ozarks. John Armstrong and wife are carpet weavers.

Ocheyedan has two rural mail routes which cover fifty-two miles and serve two hundred patrons. The graded school and several churches will be mentioned in the school and church chapters. The present city officers are as follows: H. E. Dean, mayor; William Roth, August Arends, Chris Timmons, C. R. Richards and Bert McGowen, councilmen; Charles Morton, clerk; C. H. Callender, assessor; T. A. Cramer, marshal.

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