June 2022
Mary Abbott — A pioneering woman
PAST TIMES A supplement of the Times-Republican dedicated to celebrating our history
Times-Republican | Marshalltown, Iowa | Sunday, June 19, 2022 | Past Times | 2
Past Times Publisher..................................... Abigail Pelzer Copy Editor...........................Stephanie Bowers Past Times Writer..................... Robert Maharry Past Times Columnists Dorie Tammen ..................... Riverside Cemetery Michelle Roseburrough Halverson......... Marshall County Historical Society
A time to recharge
Past Times is a monthly magazine published by the Times-Republican, Marshalltown, Iowa with offices located at 135 W. Main St., Marshalltown, Iowa 50158. Past Times is inserted into the Times-Republican monthly. For more information, please call or write:
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My childhood was basically “The Sandlot,” right down to me being as bad at baseball as Smalls was when he first moved to town. By ROBERT MAHARRY TIMES-REPUBLICAN
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As a kid, I spent my sum-
mers like most everyone else: doing everything I could to unlearn all of the lessons I’d been taught in school and Robert spending Maharry as many waking seconds as possible either at the pool or on a baseball field. It always went by too fast, but I always got irrationally excited for the day school would be out, wishing, as Alice Cooper said, that one
of these times it would be forever. Of course, school is permanently out now that I’m entering the heart of my 30s, and now I’d give anything to be back in fourth or fifth grade and preparing to spend every day in the sun. Time changes everything, and summer has a new meaning once we hit adulthood. Now, I see it as a time to learn more, to recharge the batteries and to better myself in some way, as big or small as it may be. It’s been the perfect time to discover the trails of Marshalltown, just to go out for a walk/ run (in my current shape,
more walking than running, but I’m working on that) and see how many people are out and about on a given day makes me excited about the future of this community. We’ve had a lot of great news coming out of the area over the last two months, and it’s hard not to feel like some sort of a Renaissance is underway — have you seen all of the live music options, too? Marshalltown is a destination once again, and there’s so much more to come. I don’t have any grand point to reach toward other than an observation that as this city and this area are
reborn, the summer season can provide similar opportunities for such rebirth on a personal level. It’s never too late to set a goal for the rest of the year or to start on that project you’ve been putting off for the first six months of 2022. There’s still time to get back in shape. Hope springs eternal. I’m not a young kid with no responsibilities anymore, and I’m glad I look at summer differently now than I did back then. It’s not a time to forget; it’s a time to learn even more. I do think I was on to something with the pool, though. I’m due for a trip very soon.
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3 | Sunday, June 19, 2022 | Past Times | Times-Republican | Marshalltown, Iowa
Then & Now
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The Masonic Temple building at 26. S. First Ave., pictured in 1925 at top, is still home to the same organization today just across the street from the courthouse to the east. It also hosts Radiant Complexions dermatology, Central Iowa Bookkeeping, two attorneys and Claudia’s Beauty Salon.
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THEN PHOTO VIA MARSHALL COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY/ NOW PHOTO BY ROBERT MAHARRY
Times-Republican | Marshalltown, Iowa | Sunday, June 19, 2022 | Past Times | 4 timesrepublican.com
Preserving the past Historical Society of Marshall County
Mary Abbott — A pioneering woman By MICHELLE ROSEBURROUGH HALVERSON
The archive of the Histori-
cal Society of Marshall County houses a treasure trove of firsthand accounts written by early settlers of the region. The Historical Society was in fact created in 1908 by early settlers to document and preserve the stories and objects of those first pioneers of the county, who came to the area when any territory west of the Mississippi River was considered the “far west” and wanted to be a part of westward expansion. Marshall County’s Early Settlers Association was organized earlier in June 1873. An archive of their accounts is stored at the State Historical Society of Iowa, with a copy available at our archive at the Frances Rhoades Library at the HSMC. This group of original pioneers held reunions annually as late as the 1930s and were instrumental in the construction of the Memorial Log Cabin at Riverside Park. Objects donated to the Historical Society were displayed in the early years at the Marshalltown Public Library and at the courthouse. The richness of our history lies in the stories. Whether dark or light, whether accurate genealogical detail or simply what ended up in the newspaper, the stories are what we pass down to future generations. This is our history. Many of our early historic resources were the women who braved the uncharted territory of Iowa as young brides with young children in those early years. Many of our books and photos capture the biographical detail of their husbands and their business ventures, but thanks to these women, we also have accounts of their experiences and perspective. One of these women was Mary Watson Abbott, who came to Marshall County as the 20-year-old bride of Albert C. Abbott in 1860. Her obituary in 1920 shared that her husband
was also an active pioneer and businessman, founder of Abbott & Son hardware store and involved in other manufacturing projects in early years. Mary was involved in many clubs, social activities, and charities. Among those were the Historical Society and Witenagemote Club, of which she was a charter member in 1875, which was formed to study the history and customs of the nation in preparation for the following year’s Centennial celebration. Mary Abbott prepared the following account of her experience as a young Iowan pioneer woman for the Historical Society and the Early Settlers Association in 1913. “It takes time to make history, and the few here tonight who have made our history are few. Still, we can or I can congratulate all here that it is their greatest pleasure to be today, reaping the benefit of those sturdy pioneers who came to this beautiful town over 50 years ago. View Main Street at that time. I lived where Mr. Painter has his store. The only sidewalk consisted of three boards in front of my door. No foundation or cellar. All passing must make the few boards a scraper for their boots. This mansion had three rooms, no double windows, and small wood stoves. No cupboards or butler’s pantry, no water except a well which would withstand a cordless engine to back the water. Our only church stood on the corner of Church and First Avenue. To the honor of the inhabitants, I will say you must go early to gain a seat. The courthouse stood where Cooley has his store. This building was used for everything. I remember attending two funerals and a large dance in the hall in one day. Young blood was with Biblical injunction. There is a time to weep as well as dance. We had one log hotel which stood where the First National Bank stands. The Abbott store
was the first brick block built in Marshalltown. Our young farmers would stand for hours and watch the laying of bricks with curiosity. Doctor Statler lived in the rear of the First National Bank. A humble cottage stood where the Temple of Economy is. J.L. Williams lived there, the county clerk. He was much envied as he had the only rag carpet on his parlor floor in town. Candles were our only light. I have walked across lots many times over where we are building our new hospital. Where Mr. Kirby lives today, also Mr. Howe and Mclean’s were very far in the country. We only had one poor school building that stood where our library is today. Webster Hill, where we have a palatial high school at present, was our only park. The corner of Church and
Third Avenue mostly always had a large pool of water which would freeze, making a skating pond for our sons. The old Abbott home had a town well where the travelers and stage would hitch and water their horses. After two years of pioneering, we had a chance to purchase this lot for $100. We purchased this lot from Mr. Jones and the father of our present citizen, Tom, and their poor father regretted until the day of his death that he sold this lot so cheap. We built a fiveroom cottage, quite palatial for those days. Will you pardon it, a regression. I am so very happy when we can reminisce and remember this was 50 years ago. The happiness of those days when a real live engine whistled and puffed into the small town where I had lived for two years Mr. and Mrs. Albert Cutler Abbott, circa 1858.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
ing stores, buildings, and barns. In the year 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected president. 1861 was the beginning of the Civil War. The first 40 miles of our first railroad track was laid. The next two years, we must build 35 miles more. Could it be possible to accomplish this at such a time? This was accomplished, and our first train came to our town in 1862. Marshalltown was now the most western town. Stage lines ran to Des Moines, Council Bluffs, and Fort Dodge. Freight shipments were heavy from the start. This road became the Chicago Northwestern, now one of the finest built roads in the state. To make this occasion of great importance, of course, we must celebrate. We had a grand holiday. A committee was appointed and many celebrities came from points along the road. Representatives from Chicago Board of Trade, some prominent lawyers and bankers. A meeting was called and Henry Anson was chairman. I have already told you he was our Beau Brummel. He announced the road would give an excursion way out to our very town. As their hotel was so small, they must all be entertained. Mind, we were not solicited. It was a case of necessity; a committee of the whole was the right thing. It was unanimous. All homes must be opened. Think of it. You, with your spare rooms and baths today. This first train with ten coaches crowded with passengers dumped into the town was a tax on our Marshalltown citizens, while from that date this Marshalltown has never failed in any undertaking, especially in hospitality. A board sidewalk from the depot to the adjacent boardman residence was the first attempt at making any kind of sidewalk laid. The people anticipated a good time, and they were not disappointed. Parts of two bands, one from Albion and one from Eldora, enlivened the occasion with what the committee was pleased to call music. It was estimated that there was not less than 5,000 people present dressed in their Sunday garb, ready for whatever
pleasure might offer. Our oldtime professor with his band of Sweet Singers was on hand and made the day joyous in the use of a program of well selected vocal music. They led the crowd up to the new Woodbury building, which was just finished, where feasting, speeches, toasting recitations with vocal and instrumental music made the day pass very pleasantly, until about midnight or after. Everybody seemed greatly pleased with the result of the celebration. When our guests left, the usual vote of thanks was given, including an invitation for a return free ride to the Great City of Chicago. Well, we all worked day and night with preparation for this. Our grand excursion. We went in high glee. Many of us had never rode or seen a railroad or car or engine before. We took our glee and not a brass one sang along the road, ate our lunches. Every little while, our leading tenor would give us a solo. John J. Sacks, being an old schoolmate of Henry with a little inward assistance would join with the song and applause. We all stopped at the Sherman Hotel with our own importance, proud of our appearance. Move. We returned. We paid our own hotel bill. Many an amusing incident occurred. One of our prominent ladies in the rush to see the first train come in was so excited she determined to take a little ride, jumping on the rear car. She sat on the step. She rode so far before stopping and found herself several miles away. A farmer taking pity on her brought her back a somewhat wiser woman. A daughter of her old friend A.J. Cooper, relates an incident. A young man came from one of our farms, met Mr. Cooper on Main Street, shook hands exclaiming goodbye. He was asked why are you going away and he answered, ‘I’m going to take a trip east. I am going on the cars.’ Wait till a grand. He felt a six mile ride on a train was a great event. Another incident. The mother of Mrs. Cooper with three children started for Illinois on a visit. She saw the train coming and immediately started to run. The engineer and conductors saw this family
stop the train. Mother and children boarded this train, vowing they would never be late again. This family had many a laugh over this escapade in after years. Passengers were few and far between in those days, and the engineering conductor were very accommodating.” Mary finished her program singing the praises of life in Marshall County in 1913, entreating her audience. “Compare us today as 50 years ago, our paved streets or electric lights, our streetcars with real New York aristocratic pay-as-you-enter way. Our large department stores, no place of our city size, have better dressed ladies and more beautiful homes. Schools are not excelling in the country. We both have sent more successful young men out into the world than any other city of our size in the state. When I told them in New England, our farmers had steam bathrooms, electric light and above all, rural delivery of mail as well as autos, and wore fur coats instead, as in the olden times when they wore their wives bed quilts, they are too polite to doubt my word, but I think they are a little incredulous. Still. I added of course we were a city with all the conveniences of goods, roads, as well as good railroads. I wish some of the conservative Yankees could come to see what people can do in 50 years. We have four banks and six movies, an Opera House, French in name as well as appearance and oh, our courthouse. I see in a vision a square with wagons hitched all around. The poor woman must rely on the stairs for rest. Now the restroom, so comfortable. The Masonic building, with its doctors. Enough to supply, and the church is hard to find an architect. Fine enough for our present days, In the days of only one church, we had only one Orthodox doctrine. Today our clergymen excel in comfortable ideas for our eternal future. Our lawyers are above the average, and our teachers, especially the Superintendent, it is hard to say enough good for them. Surely, we are growing better as our subscription to the YMCA sur-
prised all. We also had our poets who did good work ever ready with contribution, and our amateur performers. Many show great talent, every little while old Woodbery Hall would be filled with home entertainments.” This esteemed Midwestern pioneer woman concluded her program on an interestingly political note for 1913. “I have told you what we were 50 years ago and what we are today. Let the good work go on and if they prove aviation is best, why, we will organize another convention as of course we will have the votes of women by that time and they do love to fly. We had our Carrie Nation 50 years ago. Our women felt as they do now. When the first saloon was opened, they started, headed by Mrs. Howard, who afterward confessed she was awkward and handling an axe and she was always proud, claiming she busted the first whiskey barrel.” I am delighted for Mary to know that when she died on Jan. 29, 1920, she had lived to see the 19th Amendment passed by Congress the year prior, though it wouldn’t be ratified until later that summer, preventing her from her obvious ambition to exercise women’s newly achieved right to vote. Mary was also a clear advocate of prohibition, which was in place in Marshall County at the time of her presentation, years prior to national prohibition. This is clearly a transcript dictated by someone present at the delivery of her program, evident by the syntax and grammar that suggests that Mary was speaking in her normal colloquial manner, rather than a written account. Considering her testimony in this light is valuable in its own right, as it provides almost as much insight to how folks spoke at that time as an audio recording would. Also evident is Mary’s pride in the community that she and her husband were instrumental in building. Originally the site of an elementary school, the last legacy of the Abbotts is a quaint park on Linn Street bearing their name. Theirs is but one of the pioneer stories that comprise our rich local history.
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they be when we are the terminal?” Moving on to stories of the first railroad, clearly a significant event in our local history, Mary continued. “When Marshall County was organized in August 1848, there were no railroads west of Buffalo. Chicago, then a small town, was commencing to build railroads, it was so anxious for this western trade. A railroad built to LaSalle, also one to Rock Island and one to Iowa City Jan. 1, 1856. This was Iowa’s first railroad. A company was organized at Cedar Rapids, called the Chicago, Iowa and Nebraska Railroad Company. This company built a line from Clinton to Cedar Rapids. Inducements were offered to Cedar Rapids to form a new company and build west from Cedar Rapids. Marshalltown was then only five years old, consisting mostly of prairies, woods, and cornfields. The population of this whole county was less than 6,000. Cedar Rapids, not a large town, had enough energy, work, and grit. They realized the only way to obtain a railroad was to build it. From Cedar Rapids to Marshalltown is only 70 miles per hour. Marshall County citizens started a movement by calling a convention in the different counties. And sending delegates to Cedar Rapids, June 11, 1859, this convention met and organized a company calling it the Cedar Rapids and Missouri Railroad Company. At all of their meetings, some of our Marshall citizens were always present. Our venerable old settler, ever public-spirited G.M. Woodbury, remained there most of the time, sending home occasionally for helpers, always meeting with willing response. It was now 1860. Marshall was the county seat. Our men were always ready with their subscription papers. A thorough canvas was made, many signed from the county, all signed agreeing to this condition they would pay in working or grading. Those men, we must give the name immortal. Engrave their name on the record of our historical societies. Mr. Woodbury was the most active man at this time when the work was commenced in 1860. Our town had only 30 buildings, includ-
5 | Sunday, June 19, 2022 | Past Times | Times-Republican | Marshalltown, Iowa
with only one mail a week. Often, we would go many days with no news. At one time we were three weeks with no news from the outside world. Needless to say, this was one of Iowa’s famous blizzards. Can you imagine the suffering of those that had given husbands and sons to serve in the terrible Civil War that we today can enjoy our beautiful country? Not asundered but reunited as one family. Patriotism is stronger than ever. Well, we had great times in those days. We felt we were a great people. Our population was about 1200. So, you see at our gatherings there were great audiences and such great experiences and above all, great fun. Somehow the world has grown more sedate. Things that happened in those days could not possibly happen again.” Mary then shares a little more personal memories of her husband and herself. “I remember in 1860, a young man who had imbibed a little Horace Greeley noted saying no one ever heard that he included women. Nevertheless, there was one young wife and mother with two sturdy sons that followed that young man, boarded a miserable train filled with soldiers, leaving comforts behind to come West. She too had heard great things, like growing up with the country. We could only come so far as Marengo at the rate of 15 miles an hour. From there, we must take the stage, traveling at the rate of four or five miles an hour, stopping only for rest and food for our horses. Traveling one night and two days, we arrived at Marshalltown, landing at the log hotel corner of Center and Main. From this poor building has devolved our First National Bank. This energetic man was sent to take charge of a hardware store which stood in a cheap frame building. Mr. Wilbur occupies this spot, not the building, with his palatial furniture store. I think the happiest event in that young wife’s life was announced one night after a hard week’s work that the sales had amounted to $50 in one day. Calico was $0.50 a yard in those days, visions of a new dress danced through the wife’s head. Oh, both exclaimed. If sales are so large now, what will
Times-Republican | Marshalltown, Iowa | Sunday, June 19, 2022 | Past Times | 6 timesrepublican.com
History is alive at Riverside Dorie Tammen
Fred Wood, firefighter
Iowa has about 20,000 firefighters serving in 871 fire departments who respond to over 40,000 emergency calls per year. Most of them are members of the Iowa Firefighters Association (IFA). That organization was first begun in 1879 under the name “The Iowa Firemen’s Association.” IFA members have been working for many years to recognize and honor Iowa firefighters across the state. One of their accomplishments was to create the Iowa Firefighters’ Memorial in Coralville, the first memorial in the nation to honor firefighters. Last year, IFA members from Traer who have been researching the group’s history were looking for the grave of Fred Wood. Fred had served on the Traer Fire Department in the early 1890s and was elected fire chief there in about 1893. He also served as Secretary and Vice President of the Iowa Firemen’s Association before he was elected president of that group in 1895, 1896, 1897 and 1898. He continued to be active in the association in the following years. One of the regular activities of the early Firemen’s Association was a tournament held in a different community each year, during which “hose companies” from towns across the state would compete for speed and accuracy in various firefighting skills, such as coupling the hoses. Fred Wood was apparently a master at coupling and even broke the world’s record in 1894. The IFA didn’t know where Fred Wood was buried until they did a search online and discovered he was buried at Riverside. They contacted the Historical Society of Marshall County, who contacted us at Riverside. We did a little research and found some additional information about his life. Fred was born in Grundy County in 1865. He was married to Ida May Kinsey, who was born in Eldora in 1865. The couple had five children: Lena, Edward, Katie, Walter and Zetta. Sadly, Katie drowned while swimming in the Cedar River in
1901 at the age of 12. In 1904, Walter attended Glick Elementary School here in Marshalltown. While playing a game called “pom-pom pull-away” on the school grounds, he seriously injured his legs. He was hospitalized at St. Thomas (later Mercy) Hospital for several weeks before dying of blood poisoning. Like his sister, he was just 12 years old. Both of the children were buried in Union. IFA members met the family at the train depot here as an expression of sympathy, sent flowers, and attended Katie’s funeral, which happened to fall while the annual IFA tournament was being held in Marshalltown. Fred was unable to participate in the tournament that year because of his daughter’s death. Fred worked in various jobs during his lifetime, operating a feed mill and then an electric light business in Traer. Later, he was part owner of an electrical supply business in Cedar Rapids. For a while, he traveled for a California-based electrical supply company while his family continued living in Marshalltown. One of the most interesting stories we found about Fred Wood was an experience he had in California in 1906. Some readers may recall hearing of the terrible earthquake that struck San Francisco in the early morning hours of April 18 that year with an estimated magnitude of 7.9. More than 3000 people died, and 80 percent of the city was destroyed. It is still considered to be one of the most devastating earthquakes in US history. The Marshalltown Evening Times-Republican reported on the aftermath of the quake on April 30, 1906. According to that report, three adults and two children from Marshalltown were missing and presumed dead. The story also reported that Ida Wood had received a letter from her husband. He was well, but the building he’d been staying in was destroyed and he had escaped with just the few clothes he’d had on. He’d lost nearly everything he possessed, including his shoes. The earthquake caused a massive fire across San Francisco. A
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Fred and Ida Wood’s grave marker.
captain of the San Francisco Fire Department was killed fighting the flames. Remarkably, Fred Wood was appointed to take the captain’s place “because of his long experience as a fireman,” according to the TimesRepublican. Fred Wood died in Seattle on Feb. 8, 1925, at the age of 59. Ida died in Marshalltown in 1930. Curiously, Fred wasn’t buried until July 7, 1931, over 6 years after his death, and almost a year after Ida’s burial in the Kinsey family plot at Riverside. In what was a very rare practice during the early 1900s, Fred A. Wood, firefighter and past president of the Iowa Firemen’s Association, had been cremated. Fred’s grave at Riverside will soon be decorated with the insignia of the Iowa Firefighter’s Association, courtesy of members of that organization. –––––– The Riverside Board of Trustees and staff would like to take this opportunity to thank members of the Marshalltown fire and police departments for their time and hard work recently to clean the World War I and World War II monuments on the Riverside grounds. They did a wonderful job, and it is greatly appreciated.
A sketch of Fred Wood during his tenure as president of the Iowa Fireman’s Association.
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