The Monticello Express from Monticello, Iowa • Page 27

Oxford Jet. once known as Monti cello (Iowa) Express, July 10, 1965 B-13 By MRS. LELAND BARNHART OXFORD Jet. and it's neighboring village to the south, Oxford Mills, both derived their names from Oxford township, their location in the southeastern corner of Jones county. At first Oxford Jet.

was called Garfield, but was later changed to Oxford Jet. Oxford Mills, the first to be settled, was the outgrowth of a flour mill established along the south bank of the Wapsipinicon river. The founding of Oxford a mile further north, was a natural town site at the junction of two newly- laid railroads. Pioneer Oxford Mills was founded in 1857 when a flour mill and a store was established. The town of Oxford Jet.

started with the advent of the railroad in 1872. The Davenport and St. Paul, with a station at the Mills, went into operation in 1871, with trains running into Monticello. The Sabula, Ackly and Dakota rails reached the area in 1872, connecting with the Davenport line and terminating in Cedar Rapids. Oxford Jet.

was founded at the crossover formed by these railroads. John Koranda built a house and a man named Ardman opened a store in 1872, but the business failed. In April 1874 A. Stratilek started a general store. The store is still in operation, now owned by a grandson of the original A.

Strat- ilek, Stanley Coon. EARLY BUSINESSES After the founding of Oxford Jet. growth in Oxford Mills dwindled. Two blacksmiths, L. D.

Carlton and W. P. Langan started in Oxford Jet. and in 1858 a Dr. Coon came, the first physician in the village and the township.

After this Oxford Jet. made rapid strides towards becoming a municipality. After the Stratileks had sucessfully opened their business, several other businesses followed. From this beginning, the town grew gradually until about 1879, when the division shops and offices of the railroad company were located here. The railway became the We're just a property of the present Milwaukee system.

This new development gave employment to about 300 men and as a result business boomed and the town began to spread out. The town suffered several severe setbacks. The railroad removed its shops and offices in 1889, followed by a disastrous fire in February 1889. There was a second fire in April 1898. In the fire of 1889, all of the towns early records were distroyed, so there is no record of the first mayor.

In the fall of 1888, a dip- theria epidemic took a heavy toll of lives, as many as three out of some families. Two manufacturing projects were established in Oxford Jet. One, the Lasack Brothers were the inventors and improvers of hayloa- ders. They started the manufacture of hayloading equipment in 1891. Known as the Oxford Hayloader, the company made more than 5,000 of these machines during the 47 years the plant was in operation.

The Topaz Creamery was founded by the Simpson brothers. During the peak of production, the concern operated 35 wagons, gathering cream from more than 1,700 patrons. The creamery was discontinued a few years previous to 1920. The banking business in Oxford Jet. started in 1881 in a hardware store operated by Jules Carter.

The town's first postoffice was validated in 1872 with Fred C. Erdman as postmaster. A newspaper was inaugurated in 1879 when George Crouch founded the Oxford Mirror. This has since been discontinued. CHURCH HISTORIES The Lutheran church, organized in Dec.

1861, was the first church to serve Oxford Jet. The present building was erected in 1873. In 1881, St. Mary's catholic church was built, but has since been torn down. The Sacred Heart Catholic church, erected in 1897, has been serving the congregation since.

In 1963 a new rectory was built east of the church and a building fund has been started to build a new (cont. on B-14) Oxford Junction today LOCATED in Oxford township in southeast Jones county, Oxford Junction's business district present this appearance today. The town had its beginning in 1872 and now has a population of 725. Since 1952 when you compare 100 years to six months. BUT BEST BUYS in GROCERIES and CHOICE QUALITY MEATS are a speciality now and always wMI be.

Craig Smith, mgr. of ROYAL Oxford Junction BENHART PRODUCE Has Served Southern Jones Co. with HUBBARD SUNSHINE Feeds Concentrates and We're your E6G and POULTRY BUYER BENHART PRODUCE OXFORD JUNCTION Hale had start on main line of pioneer railroad BY WALT CARSTENS HALE This Jones county village, founded in 1872, originated as a station on the Sabula, Ackley Dakota, pioneer main line railroad, which by the summer of 1872 in its course westward from the Mississippi river had reached Olin, 6 miles beyond Hale. Midway between Olin and Oxford the settlement officially was named Village of Hale, an identification derived from the township in which it is located. The township was organized in 1851, at the time J.

P. Hale of New Hampshire was a controversial figure in national politics. Uncertainty exists as to whether the railroad established a station first, or if the town was founded first. However, a general practice of the railroad was to locate shipping CARS HAVE COME ALONG WAY SINCE 1927 Our first year in business and. Chevrolet has been No.

1 with us since points at intervals of approximately 6 miles, which leads to the con elusion that the village was founded afterwards. First official records of the village, those of the postal department, verify that a post office for Hale was authorized on Feb. 28, 1872, with Arthur O. Dickinson as postmaster. A Jones county history records that the first business place, a store temporary in nature, was opened by J.

Austin in 1872 in a small shack just north of the depot. A few months later, J. C. Austin in partnership with M. M.

Chase established the first permanent general store. E. E. Sharkey set up the first blacksmith shop and George Lewis built the first residence. Lewis also was one of the pioneer merchants.

The village was platted by J. C. Austin in April, 1876. Preston's addition was made Aug. 30, 1898, by C.

A. Preston, C. W. Walston, D. C.

Merritt, and J. J. Merritt. The town was never incorporated. Industrial projects in the community included stone quarries, a lime kiln, broom factory, and a creamery.

The creamery, located immediately east of Hale and We are proud to have served Jones County for 38 years. Oxford Junction We're only 1 YEAR-OLD at Oxford Jet. MOBILE GRINDING But we hope to be around for many years to serve you with our Portable Mill and the "FEED OF FEED of CHAMPIONS OXFORD JUNCTION MOBILE GRINDING Ph. 2651 Oxford Jet. erected in 1894, was promoted by a stock company headed by W.

J. Mills and C. E. Walston. This company operated the business until 1898, when it sold die plant to a cooperative concern, which, after 2 years disposed of the property to Walston Merritt, C.

E. Walston, W. J. Mills, and A. G.

Alden, some of whom were original owners. Operation continued until July 4, 1907, when the buildings were destroyed by fire. The Hale church was built in 1874. Although intended for membership, the Methodist denomination gained and retained control until the membership disbanded and disposed of the property. The village's educational needs were attended to by rural schools until 1900, when the citizens of Hale donated the required funds for the erection of a school building in town.

The Hale district is presently a part of the Olin Consolidated school system. The Walston store, the largest merchandise operation in the village, discontinued about 1912. The building, unoccupied, was destroyed by fire in 1925. The railroad, now the property of the Milwaukee system, has discontinued the station. FOR 15 YEARS COON'S CORNER (Formerly A.

Stratflik Son) Has served Oxford Jet. with first quality merchandise. is our aim, for the future also. Varieties Groceries Dry Goods Notions 0 0 IN OXFORD JUNCTION CORNER MEWSPAPEJRI.