CHAPTER XVIII.
TOWNS AND VILLAGES. (CONT'D)
From History of Audubon Co., Iowa (1915)
by H. F. Andrews
AUDUBON. (CONT'D)
FATHER OF AUDUBON.
While the town was laid out and owned, primarily, by the railroad company, the genius who presided over it, directed and promoted its rise and progress was Ethelbert J. Freeman. He was born at Flatwood, Pennsylvania, September 22, 1840, and was reared a farmer until sixteen years of age. In 1857 he went to McDonough county, Illinois, where he worked two years as a carpenter. He returned and remained in Pennsylvania one year, and then went back to Illinois. On May 24, 1861, he enlisted from Vermont, Illinois, as a private in Company A, Sixteenth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served in the Second Brigade, Second Division, Fourteenth Army Corps, under Gen. John M. Palmer, and Generals Pope and Rosecrans. Mr. Freeman participated in the battles of Blue Mills, Island No. 10, Tiptonville, Farmington and Stone's River. He was discharged for disability, February 5, 1863, returned to McDonough county, and engaged in farming.
Ethelbert J. Freeman was married in McDonough county on September 23, 1862, to Nancy L., daughter of Daniel L. and Mary (Hamilton) Leighty. In 1867 he moved to Exira, and the following year settled on and improved a one hundred and sixty-acre farm in section 24, Leroy township. In 1878 he established his home in Audubon. He was justly styled "father of the town," if any one was ever entitled to such an appellation; and has been so regarded to the present time. He was first and foremost in most public, social and political affairs; at least one of the most popular men who ever lived in the county. His influence was extensive and controlling in many ways. He was prominent in the incorporation of the town, and was its first mayor, without a dissenting vote; and was very efficient in establishing the schools at Audubon. He was agent for the sale of the railroad lands and the town lots; assisted in the establishment of lodges; the Grand Army post, the band and drum corps, the fire department, county fair; and in installing the water works and the electric light plant.
Mr. Freeman was county treasurer in 1882-5. Andrew F. Armstrong and Mr. Freeman were owners of the Citizens Bank from 1885 to 1893. For many years Mr. Freeman was manager of the waterworks and electric light plant; chief of the fire department; member of the band and drum corps. He was a member of Veritas Lodge No. 392, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; Amity Chapter No. 92, Royal Arch Masons; Godfrey Commandery No. 44, Knights Templar; Allison Post No. 34, Grand Army of the Republic.
At the National Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic, at Minneapolis in 1906, Mr. Freeman was elected president of the National Association of Civil War Musicians, and was afterward annually re-elected until the encampment at Rochester, New York, 1911, when he was elected to the same office for life. This is an unique society, composed of veteran drummers, fifers, buglers and bandmen, of the Civil War, from all over the United States; who play the same old tunes after which the Union soldiers marched from 1861 to 1865. Mr. Freeman has marched with his musicians at the head of the parade at every National Encampment from Denver, in 1905, until the present time.
PHOTO COMING SOON - VIEWS OF AUDUBON
PHOTO COMING SOON - BRICK AND TILE WORKS AUDUBON
PHOTO COMING SOON - CANNING FACTORY AUDUBON
THE STUART FAMILY.
Another prominent patron of the town was Capt. Charles Stuart. He was born in West Barnet, Vermont, June 7, 1826. On December 23, 1852, he was married to Lois Gray, of Ryegate, Vermont. He was reared a farmer. In 1848 he established a general store at South Ryegate. In 1855 he went to Chicago, where he was employed by Fairbanks & Company, the famous scale manufacturers. During the same period he opened a farm in Elmira township. Stark county. Illinois, near Neponset, which he owned until after coming to Audubon county. He was founder of the town of Stuart, Iowa, where he was a large landowner, and conducted an extensive business. Before the town of Audubon started he and his son, William G. Stuart, were owners of several thousand acres of the best farm lands in Audubon county, which they put under a high state of cultivation; stocked it with horses, cattle, hogs, etc., and conducted farming on an extensive scale. Charles Stuart was captain of Company B, Nineteenth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He enlisted on July 30, 1861; resigned July 15, 1862. He was full of activity, progressive, public spirited, and generous. His name stood foremost as a business man in Audubon county.
To Ethelbert J. Freeman, Capt. Charles Stuart, the railroad company and the Audubon newspapers was largely due the credit for the removal of the county seat from Exira to Audubon.
Charles Stuart & Son were among the first and ablest promoters of the town. They were the leading dealers in grain, lumber, lime and coal, and erected the largest grain elevator in the county, and built one of the finest brick offices for that kind of business in the state of Iowa. They extended branches of the same kind of business to Exira, Gray, and other places in Iowa, outside of the county. Mrs. Lois Stuart was the most wealthy person who has lived in the county, and was the most generous patron of the Presbyterian church, at Audubon. Captain Stuart and his wife and their son, William G. Stuart, are all buried in the cemetery at Audubon.
EARLY OFFICERS.
The town was incorporated in 1886.
The following named men have served as mayor of Audubon: Ethelbert J. Freeman, J. Mack Love, John D. Holmes, Charles Bagley, Andrew F. Armstrong, Henry W. Hanna, Ransom L. Harris, John A. Nash, Robert C. Spencer, Halleck J. Mantz.
The first postmaster was Arthur L. Sanborn, appointed February 15, 1879, succeeded by Emerson H. Kimball, Elkanah S. Foster, Robert M. Carpenter, Ed. B. Cousins, William H. O'Connell, George B. Russell, Harper W. Wilson, Robert C. Spencer.
The Northwestern railroad came from Carroll, by way of Manning and Troy, to Audubon, in 1882.
The waterworks was established in 1882. Ethelbert J. Freeman was the superintendent for many years, and was succeeded by Benton L. Darnold, the present manager. The town is now supplied with water from an artesian well made in 1913-14, two thousand five hundred feet deep, at the cost of elevent [sic eleven] thousand dollars.
The electric light plant was installed in 1891, by Ethelbert J. Freeman, and was transferred to Nancy L. Freeman in 1897. It was superintended many years by Mr. Freeman; and was transferred to W. G. Wieland, the present owner. It furnishes electric lights for the towns of Hamlin and Exira.
The business interests in 1888, were as follow: Attorneys--H. F. Andrews, John M. Griggs, H. W. Hanna, Nash, Phelps Green, Henry U. Funk, A. F. Armstrong, Charles Bagley, E. H. Hurd, Frank E. Brainard, Theodore F. Myres, E. E. Byrum. Physicians--John D. Halmer, John F. Cloughly, Charles W. DeMotte, James M. Rendleman, Alfred L. Brooks. Jewellers--William H. O'Connell, William H. Cowles. Hotels--Walker House, Stuart House, Grant House, Weston House, Northwestern. Restaurant--William Rosenberg. Banks--Audubon County Bank, Commercial Bank, Citizen's Bank. Drug stores--Alex. H. Roberts, O. J. Houston, William Cloughly, John F. Cloughly. General stores--Russell Son, Benjamin F. Howald, John Van Scoy, R. Lenox. Grocers--John F. Consigney, Frank Gleason, Emiel Bilharz, Fisher Brothers, Will D. Forbes, T. S. Francis, W. Talbot. Clothing--John H. Kate, Evan Davis, D. C. Abrams. Hardware--Jones McKarahan, John Rinemund. Furniture--Scott Brothers. W. H. Miller. Boots and shoes--J. Forbes Son. Millinery-- Miss Dix, Miss Walker. Photographers--C. C. Harper, T. B. Mendenhall. Opera house--George B. Russell. Harness makers--David E. Soar. Harper W. Wilson. Shoemakers--John Ott, John Both. Blacksmiths--James Pound, George Keen. H. B. Wilson, H. A. Jump. Liverymen--Joseph P. Tharnish. Isham Brothers, Charles Benton. Meat Markets--Prather Brothers, Doak Company. Marble works--H. W. Van Gordon. Flourmill--Kuhn, Culver Company. Machinery and implements--McFarland, Dickey and Company, Clark H. Cross. Grain dealers--Charles Stuart Son, George Gray, Wilson Burnside, Henry Gravesmuhl, Herbert Johnson. Lumber dealers--Charles Stuart Son, Green Bay Lumber Company. Brick yard--Charles Tramp.
HOMES IN AUDUBON.
Some of the best residences in Audubon are those of: Belle Arnold, Alex. H. Roberts, Charles Van Gorder, Charly S. White, Robert C. Spencer, William J. Laubender, Daniel L. Freeman, Charles Bagley, Joseph H. Ross, Alfred L. Brooks, George A. May, George W. Weighton, Ed. B. Cousins, Arthur Farquhar, Ed. S. Van Gorder, George W. Hoover, A. C. Harman, John Weighton, Frank O. Niklason, Mary Plaehn, John Ebert, Joseph Kopp, Lois Asby, Ed. F. Bilharz, A. S. Culver, T. H. Turner, R. G. Wieland, George W. Preston, Mr. Hermansen, Samuel A. Graham, J. J. Ruhs, Levi Kopp, John Wagner, Frank M. Rice, Ed. F. Johnson, C. L. Christinsen, Lewis C. Bagley, Charles Ping, Anna Fancher, George Scott, I. P. Hansen, Mike T. Foley, Ed. A. Bates, W. S. Hansen, M. O. Kingsbury, William Layland, Frank C. Miller, William G. Wilson, W. H. Cowles, William Berg, Elmer E. Bailey, Fred A. Buthweg, James E. Griffith, Charles Reynolds, F. S. Stone, C. H. Wilde, R. F. Childs, Fideler Schmidt, George Wever, P. A. Rasmussen, Ed. A. Beason, Sarah Munson, J. J. Haals, Owen Davis, Anthony N. Detwiler, Thomas J. Stafford, Samuel Weaver.
During the current year, 1915, the city is installing a substantial, up-to-date sewer system, at the cost of about thirty-five thousand dollars.
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Transcribed by Cheryl Siebrass, November, 2018, from History of Audubon Co., Iowa (1915), by H. F. Andrews, page 271-275.
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