Town of Jameson
In June, 1871, the St. Louis, Chillicothe & Omaha
Railroad had been completed as far as where the present town of
Jameson is situated. A surveying party from Chillicothe surveyed the
town and completed the work on Saturday, June 12, 1871. It is
situated on a beautiful eminence, with a magnificent agricultural
country surrounding it, consisting of both prairie and woodland with
industrious farmers in possession. The town company appointed
Benjamin G. Kimball as agent, and they commenced on the following
Monday to dispose of town-lots at about $100 per lot. The ground.
upon which Jameson stands was originally entered by Charles Cravens,
October 2, 1854, and a year later the portion joining it by Ark
Briggs. The land is known as the east half of the southeast quarter
of section thirteen, township sixty of range twenty-eight. At the
time of the location of the town, the land was the property of Henry
Briggs. His residence, built for a farm house, and where he now
lives, was erected in 1868. At the time the survey of the town was
completed, the railroad depot was about finished and the stockyards
fully so. A public square was laid out with an area of between two
and three acres af land, and located just south of the residence of
Mr. Briggs.
The first building erected was by Herbert D. White, a small frame
building used for a grocery, confectionery and restaurant. The
second was the store of a Mr. Threlkeld. Others believe the second
building was a store house built by James F. Hamaker. Business, for
a new town, opened out lively; bustle and activity prevailed. E. H.
Hubbard put up the first hotel so that man need not starve. It is
now called the Jameson House. J. M. Wannamaker started the first
blacksmith shop, and as he was an excellent wagon-maker he did a
large repairing business in that line. He has since removed to
Trenton, in Grundy county.
William McCoy, with a few fast horses, some excellent buggies, a few
fancy whips, in the meantime, built a livery and feed stable.
Putting all these things together and Mr. McCoy was ready to furnish
the young bloods with a handsome turnout. It certainly helped the
cause of church going as the young men went after the girls and
brought them to church, which they reached in good time, but were
generally terribly late in getting home.
Dr. William Allen opened the first drug store, and
was the first physician located in the town. Messrs. Leeper &
Grapler started the first lumber yard.
The post-office was called " Feurt Summit," but was afterwards
changed to Jameson." The first postmaster was John A. Brown. In
November, however, Dr. Walker became the postmaster. Threlkeld &
Tucker opened a very fine dry goods store in July, or near the first
of August. At all events, they were under full headway the first
week in August, 1871.
The first court ever held in the town of Jameson was held by Squire
Scott, one of the justices of the Grand River township. A first
class-saloon having been opened in. the town of Jameson, of course,
this made business for a justice's court at once. It is a sort of
corollary to a justice court anyway. Captain Mike O'Horan donated
six dollars and Pat eight dollars, Pat's other name being missing,
and a third candidate for a donation proved he was innocent, and so
Jameson opened with $14, at the first session of her court as a
contribution to their school fund.
Business
That some idea may be had of the business of Jameson within the
first six months of her existence, the railroad company's books show
that there were twenty-four cars of grain and fifty-three cars of
stock shipped from that 'point during the months of October and
November, 1871. A large number of buildings were put up and
business, for the short time that the town had existed, was immense.
The merchants boasted of a large trade; the largest of any in the
county. Perhaps they were a trifle enthusiastic in their figures,
but they undoubtedly did a large business.. Besides being a
convenience to the surrounding country, Jameson became the starting
place on the cars for the good people of Harrison county. The people
not having anything like cars in that county at that time, were
somewhat new to rail-road traveling, and would occasionally make
some rather innocent mistakes from the amount of rural simplicity
they carried around with them.
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