Clippings from the Washington Gazette
1869-1906 (ongoing)
Formatted for internet by Norma Jennings
updated 4 Mar 2013

(These tidbits have been republished in the Washington County Genealogical newsletters over the past few years.)

12 January 1869
Real Estate Transfers (Exact spellings as printed in the paper)
"Reported weekly especially for the Gazette, by W. R. Jeffrey, dealer in improved and prairie lands, examiner of titles, &er."

C. C. Newton, to Stites & Winter, forty acres
Franklin township    $100

J. C. Brown to Wm. K.  Wallace, eight acres
Oregon township    $2,200

Chas. Eden to Franz Boskirk, fifty five acres
Highland township

Columbia White to B. C. Field, forty acres
Lime Creek township   $400

Jastice N. Terry to G. H. Deyoe eighty acres
Seventy-Six township     $1,680

T.J. Stanley to Amos Hart, thirty-five acres,
Clay township       $700

E. Crooks to Goldsmith Gregory, forty acres
Seventy Six township    $360

E. Crooks to J. W. Tallman, forty acres,
Seventy Six township     $360

Ezekiel Eddy to John Stephenson, twenty acres
Brighton township      $300

J. S. Tipton to Joseph Spirrik, forty acres
Brighton township       $300

B. F. Snyder to Zebulon Johnson, forty acres
Clay township     $800

Mary S. Eky to Jas. McCullough, eighty acres
Cedar township   $2,500

J. C. Conger to N. L. Babcock, eighty acres
Jackson township    $1,240

Jas. A. Stewart to J. McCleery, eighty acres
Washington township    $4,500

Luther Pratt to Sam'l Edwards, eighty acres
Oregon township    $2,000

Mathew Nichols to B. F. Thurman, eighty acres
English River township    $800

E. J. Abbott to C. C. Newton, forty acres
Washington township     $1,200


22 January 1869
We advise our German fellow citizens, and all others to call on Joseph Wolf, the stove and tinware man. He will sell as cheap as the cheapest and converse with you either in German or English.

Farmers! Take your butter, eggs, poultry and game of all sorts to C. F. Chester, at the United States Express office, and get the highest market price for them.

8 Feb 1869

Washington Brass Band--What has become of it?  Has it died a natural death, or simply waiting for one with energy to give it force?  In a city like Washington we ought to be able to support a first class band. It is not for lack of talent surely; should we make such a confession, we would lower our city in the estimation of everyone. What we most need is someone to take the lead, who has snap and vinegar enough in him to make it a success. Our citizens ought to at least give the subject a moment's consideration.

12 March 1869
Ainsworth Items--We are indebted to O. M. Holcomb for the following items relative to school matters at Ainsworth.
    The election for school officers in Independent school district of Ainsworth, Washington county, on the 8th inst. resulted as follows: Wm. H. Livingston, President; O.M. Holcomb, Vice President; Geo. Hunter, Secretary; F. Tustison, treasurer; H. Cool, Director.
    The meeting levied eight mills for school house purposes; five mills for teachers fund; and three mills for contingent fund on the taxable property of said district. The assessable property was reported as over $66,000. Very good, we think, for a district only one year old.
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2 April 1869 -
Iowa Township, Yatton, Iowa -- March 24, 1869
To the Editor of the Gazette
    Sir--Perhaps some of your readers would like to hear whether Iowa Township has played out, or whether it is still up with the front rank. We are entering the busy season for farmers. Seed time has again arrived and our farmers are busy sowing their wheat. Several sowed on the 23rd last. I believe there will be more wheat sown through this section than last year. We have as good soil along English valley as anywhere in the county. We have some excellent farms with good running water therein, and plenty of timberland, which would have no little effect on the sale of land. English River is in a low stage at present, especially for this time of year, fishing time will soon be here which will afford plenty of profitable sport.
    Yatton is our largest town, which is not behind any village of this size. We have three stores. The principal one is kept by Jo. Critz, who has a large assortment of dry goods and groceries, boots and shoes. The next is kept by Mr. Woodburn, who has an assortment of dry goods,  in tinware and groceries.  He is in charge of Uncle Sam's epistolary department in Yatton.  The harness shop is run by William Younkin. There are two blacksmith shops, one wagon shop, one cabinet and repair shop.
    Mr McConehey has sold his property to Dr Ott. The Yatton folks are flattering themselves that they are sure of the railroad since Dr. Ott has bought in Yatton. We welcome the Doctor back. Dr. J. Rousseau is securing for himself a large field of practice.
    We are blest with one church and cursed with one saloon. We have eight school districts in our township. Schools have been taught in all of them during the winter.  District No 2 gave an exhibition at the close of the term, which was undoubtedly the best of the kind ever offered in this township. E. A. Rose was the teacher. Miss Wilson's school, in Yatton gave an exhibition at the close, which was very good. The little folks enjoyed themselves highly. The Gazette is ever welcome with us.  Tyro.
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26 March, 1869
Dutch Creek  Items
The bell now occupying the belfry of the Baptist Church no longer gives forth its clear sounding tones, the bell was not made of good metal and has cracked so as to become unfit for use. The officers of the church are making arrangements to obtain a new one.

The school districts Nos. 5 and 10 have been consolidated.

Mr. Brinkley has sold his farm, containing 100 acres for $3000. The soil of this township always brings a good price.
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2 April 1869
Washington Gazette
BOHEMIAN BALL---V. Houdeck gave another lager beer party last Monday night at Corette's Hall. The party was well attended but not quite as profitable as some, only eight kegs of beer gently flowed. It is said the entertainment passed off in good style. The dance was kept up until broad day light. Very early Tuesday morning the and serenaded the Lord Mayor. Query: Did they simply serenade or were they not escorting the Mayor home from the Ball?
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7 May 1869--Agents for the Gazette
(Washington Gazette, 7 May 1869)

Nimrod Lease, Crawfordsville
O.M. Holcomb, Ainsworth
Dr. J. Rousseau, Yatton
Dr. J. B. Storch, Richmond
W. Kirkpatrick, Pilotsburg
M. D. Story,  Lexington
Robert McCaleb, Dutch Creek
O. Gowen, Brighton
Noah Bowman, Seventy-Six
W. E. Hawthorn, Davis Creek
Rev. B. Eicher, Marshall

18 May 1869--
    Large Shipment of Gold--A Bohemian last week received directly from the old country, per express $36,000 in gold. Most people may not know the fact, yet it is true, that we have a very large settlement of Bohemians in the north part of the county, and constantly increasing by emigration. This class of people generally are very industrious and attend strictly to their own business. They have brought with them from Europe quite an amount of wealth, mostly in the shape of gold coin.
    Their clannish disposition, and perhaps their national peculiarities induce them to settle in colonies. As in this county, so perhaps it is all parts of the United States. When they once locate they buy up all the land around them that can be obtained. The large shipment of gold made last week, we learn was for the purpose of purchasing more land in this county. Such being the case we can expect an influx of these hardy yeomanry during the coming summer.
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21 May 1869
PILOTSBURG--is situated in teh midst of a very fertile regionm, about four miles southwest of Richmond. The country surrounding this burg is admirable, and the class of people are generally wealthy farmers. The burg principally consists of one dwelling and one business house. The position it occupies on our county map is more imposing than the real village. Wm. Kirkpatrick, a very kind and gentlemanly personage is teh proprietor of the only business house to be found in that vicinity.He is cunning with good success a small dry goods and grocery store,managing to keep a little of most everything needed by the farming community. the citizens of that vicinity have arranged matters as to get their mail once a week from Richmand. The gazette, we are glad to say, reaches them the same day it is published.
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28 May 1869--
Indian Relic-- Our esteemed fellow citizen, Robt McCaleb, of Dutch Creek township, brought into our office a few since, an Indian axe or tomahawk which he found on his farm this spring. To one who has never seen anything of the kind this is quite a curiosity. It is hewn out of old granite, and as neatly done as though it were executed by our best sculptors. It weights nearly four pounds and looks as though it might have seen much service.
    Tradition tells of a fierce encounter which took place many years since, between the dusky tribes of the wilderness in that immediate vicinity. Who knows but this tomahawk may have been one of the implements of warfare and used in this battle? It is ugly custom, and in the hands of a skillful person cold be wielded to great advantage.
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29 October 1872
Poor Farm--The Board took no action in egard to the purchase of a Poor Farm and the furnishing of an Infirmary at the session last week. Of course, the special session was called to canvass the vote, and not to do general business that could be postponed. still would it not have been well to provide for bids for a suitable farm, and made provisions to house applicants for charity on said farm this winter? The bulk of the pauper bill is contracted during the winter. The Board will not meet again until the first Monday in December. We are not advised what action in the matter they will then take.
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16 May 1888
The Elm Grove Cemetery will put down a sidewalk from C.S. Miller's residence to the cemetery. Many improvements have been made in the cemetery this spring. Trees have been planted and new walks are being laid out.
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30 Jan 1891
Clay--As we seldom see anything in your paper from this part of the county, perhaps a few items this week would be appreciated by your readers here. The principal occupation at present is putting up ice and sawing wood. The men of this neighborhood are noted for their large wood piles and large grub-piles, while the ladies are endowed with a know-how to get away from  the former and prepare the latter, so as to give best possible results...A.B. you are "in the soup".... Tom Hart, our local Nimrod, hunts the gay and festive rabbit with an old shot-gun, with the barrels tied  on to the stock with a small piece of rope. Nevertheless, he hits them every pop (some pops)....Susie Meacham, our efficient organist, has a good music class here. She gives instruction on either piano or organ....W.J. Alter has gone to Union Co, on a visit to his sister, Mrs. C.W. Ingham. He will have charge of the Clay cheese factory this season...The Clay Cheese Co. have just closed a very satisfactory seasons business in spite of the drouth, under the management of  E. R. Alter...Taxidermist Wes McCarty, the mainspring of the republican party in this township has gone to Keokuk to serve as a juror in the Supreme Court of the State of Iowa.  This is evidence complete that the republicans know how to appreciate good talent..In a law suit last week before Squire Alfred Meacham between Mr. Briar, and the Iowa Central Railroad about the killing of a heifer, judgement was withheld on account of a slight technicality, but it is considered that Briar has the best case.......The Franklin and Clay Congregational ministers exchanged pulpits last sabbath....The fine mild winter we are having is very acceptable to farmers here, as some would be short of hay and grain, with such severe winters as Iowa is capable of producing.

27 March 1891
The old buildings on the southeast corner of the square are being torn out to make room for L. Smouse's new brick block, a great improvement on that corner. Another new building is being erected on the lots just across the street from the Rink. Win Smouse will put up a brick for a photograph galley, to be occupied by David Cole of  Brighton. Washington is bound to have a building boom this summer.
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25 October 1895
Riverside--We had the pleasure of calling on McIlree in his office at Riverside last week. He has a monopoly on the newspaper business in the beautiful town of Riverside. The folks there are happy since they got the big bridge east of town. Capt. Frank Critz ("be firm Casey!") is doing a good business at the bank. Yeager & Orris have a good run in the livery and John Mentzer keeps a good hotel, but was growling at Washing because McElroy took away their beer, and we were about to eat him out. The scenery around Riverside is very picturesque. The road down east of the south side of the English River and on the Iowa is a very interesting one. Perhaps the scenery cannot be equaled anywhere else in the state. The bluffs on the west are very high and almost perpendicular and one can look over the trees and level stretch beyond for miles and miles. No more handsome view can be seen.
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1 May 1896
The Washington Buggy Co. has just completed a fine 8 seated canopy top spring wagon for the Iowa Soldier's  Home of Marshalltown.
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Feb 1906--
    W.W.Wells of Dutch Creek, came to Iowa in 1839 with $9 and now he is worth half a million dollars, but he did not make it all by toil of the soil. He like many wealthy mean, probably earned enough by his physical labor to make his living and the present possessions represents what he has made by mental effort and opportunity.