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Audubon County |
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  Kimballton 35 Years Ago KIMBALLTON, AND HOW IT GREW(From hearsay--historical accuracy not guaranteed)It's a long time ago, but we are still proud of those horse thieves; it's our one wild and woolly episode; and although we know the story by heart, we still like to hear one of our old timers relate it with embellishments (more or less accurate). We like to hear over and over, how, when their horses gave out just after crossing the bridge, they fled on the back of one horse that a farmer careslessly happened to be driving on the "highway." Two on one at break-neck speed was too much for the farmer's slow moving steed. It carried them to a grove three miles south of the bridge, there it petered out. The criminals made the best of the grove and kept their pursuers at bay for many hours. Wagonload after wagonload of wild-eyed farmers armed with guns arrived hastily; they surrounded the grove and as the hours passed the circle was drawn ever closer, cautiously, but unfalteringly. The thieves felt the ominous band tightening around them and tried to sneak out. It cost one his life. The other was wounded. On the way to the county jail, he was taken by force from the sheriff and vengenance was meted out to him swiftly and unrelentingly under the beams of a bridge not far from the grove where he was captured by his irate pursuers. It was at about this wild time that Kimballton had a wandering banker--Frank Richardson they called him--a lonely old soul who wended his weary way over the prairie, loaning money cautiously, but at reasonable rates of interest, which was the exception rather than the rule at that time. However, in addition to the interest charged, he always managed to visit the people who owed him money at meal times, and being debtors, the unfortunate ones dared naught but make him welcome as long as he cared to stay. Many years later, Richardson, starting out one day as usual, disappeared and was never seen again. It was the opinion of the pioneers that old Frank Richardson had been done away with, possibly by someone who had first robbed him; possibly by an ungrateful debtor, who would rather slay than pay. This brings us up to about 1883 when an epoch-making event took place. KIMBALLTON IS PLANTED Hans J. Jorgensen
Mr. Jorgensen was a friend to man and he and his "house by the side of the road" had an active part in the development of the little new town. As the years went by he held many and various offices, and was at the time of his death, vice president of the Landmands National Bank, which he was in large measure instrumental in establishing, and in which he was a heavy stockholder. But, getting back to the post office. A store was quickly erected to house the important filial of the United States Post Office, and Lars and Nels Hansen became the first merchants in Kimballton. |
