Old Additions to the site

The site has been under construction since July, 2001.  Check here to see if there is anything new that you have missed!  
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2006

December

MERRY CHRISTMAS from the Odebolt History Pages  - Step back in time to Christmas 1951 and 1916 as our gift to you!

November

The Kuhl Letters from WWI, 1918-1919 (Correspondence of the Kuhl family and their enlisted son, John, which reveal conditions during the war and give us a look back at Odebolt in 1918-1919.)

December 7th, 1941 Was a Day of Infamy for Iowa’s Six Patten Brothers.     

October

Odebolt Old Timers - from a circa 1950 clipping featuring Mr. & Mrs. Jake Anderson, Dr. L. H. Jones, Gus Freese, and Bill Horne.

PHOTOS FROM WARREN HANSON
(Please help us identify early Swedish people in the Odebolt area from these photos!)
   - Photo of a gathering honoring Mr. & Mrs. Montana Anderson
   - Panoramic photos by A.W. Dahlstrom, scanned in sections that can be enlarged. 
     1914 Mission Covenant Church Members
     1917 Mission Covenant Church Congregation

Odebolt Observer, October 5, 1881.  B. Ekse continues transcribing from the original issue which was missed when others were microfilmed.

August - Memoirs of Oscar F. Peterson, first installment, taken from a booklet he wrote in 1952 of his life.  This portion includes information about his Swedish family and upbringing, and an account of his immigration journey to the United States.

June - Interview with Jack Krusenstjerna about family and Odebolt history.

May - Obituary on Angus McCorkindale (1912) & Death of Edward McQuistan (1906) on
         Kintyre Connections Obituaries page

         The Scottish Festival - an account of a "Burns Supper" held in the Odebolt opera hall
         in 1906 with Sac and Ida County Scots attending. (1906)

         Excerpts from The Chronicle, May - August 1912

April - Obituary on John McKinven who died March 20, 1952

         Old railroad water tower razed, 1952

2005

December  Merry Christmas from The Odebolt History Pages!

Christmas Past in Odebolt, Step back in time

November

Photos of the Jacob B. Meyer family - can you help identify them?

Letters from Messer family relatives in Germany, scroll to the bottom.

August

The Dirty Thirties, an article about farm life during the depression by Odebolt native Howard Johnson.

July

 - Memories of Cook #7 by Duane Thayer
 - Mummey/Smith family photos and information

June

- Anders Myrell, Blacksmith, 2 school photos on the bottom of Small Collections page
- Thelma Dresselhuis Writes ... (memories of Odebolt)
- Early Odebolt football team - postcard scan sent in by former Odebolt resident, Mike Peterson
- Duane Thayer helped identify the children in a 1936 photo of country school, Cook #7.  Thanks, Duane!

May
 - Ulysses S. Hill Family ..... Ice Skating in Odebolt
 - 2 new photos on the Small Collections page - looking south down Main St., and buildings which stood where the present dental office stands.
 - Jan/Feb 1918 Odebolt Chronicle news

2004

Dec 20 - Merry Christmas from The Odebolt History Pages - Christmas Past 1904

Dec 5
 - Obituaries:  1903 Scott, Mrs. J.J .... Stevens, Josiah ... Iler, John ... Younie, Mrs. Jane ... Mills, Lyman.  Also 1964: Carlson, Charles
 - Kintyre Connections - a collection of information on families that originated in Kintyre, Argyll, Scotland that had Odebolt connections.
 - Excerpts from The Chronicle, March through July 1903

Dec 4
 - 1885 Odebolt Reporter Excerpts including an article on the Cook Ranch.
 - Odebolt Observer - September 28, 1881. (Since this year of the Observer has not been microfilmed, Bonnie Ekse continues a mission to transcribe important items about the people and happenings of 1881 in Odebolt.)

Nov 30 - Added "Small Collections" to the photo gallery; updated other photo pages

Nov 22 - 1886 Businesses from the Odebolt Reporter.

Oct 7 - Cloid H. Smith and the New State Telephone Company

Oct 6 - Smith Family Obituaries - Martin W. and son Cloid Smith; Deantha (Work) Smith; Elizabeth (Wrede) Smith.  Submitted by Fred "Bud" Frevert.

Sept 29 - Patten Brothers are Remembered after 62 Years, a recent article written by the Patten brothers' nephew, Dale Sporleder.

Sept 14 - Memories of Elaine (Dannenberg) Raasch

Sept 2 - Items from The Chronicle and The Odebolt News, 1913-1914

Sept 1 - Items from The Chronicle, 1902-1904
Items from The Chronicle, 1911;
Library History

Aug 31 - Three issues of the Odebolt Observer from September 1881.  This newspaper has not been microfilmed and Bonnie Ekse continues her mission to transcribe important items about the people and happenings of 1881 in Odebolt. 

Aug 14 - The 1881 Schmitz Building on Main Street

Aug 3 - 1882 summary of the town of Odebolt, and some biographies on early settlers in the Odebolt area from the HISTORY OF WESTERN IOWA

July 30 - Biographies from the history book, Sac County, Iowa, by William H. Hart - Gust Hammerstrom, Anton E. Gunderson, Charles W. Ballard

June 14 - Odebolt Attorneys

June 13 - Excerpts from 1903 The Chronicle: Rattlesnake in Odebolt, Gas ranges & lighting come to Odebolt, Obituaries of George H. Turner & J. W. Mertz, 2,750 lambs for W.P. Adams, Brookmont ships 500 head of steers, Ingleside and Women's Literary clubs arrange for entertainmers and more.

June 10 - George W. Dresselhuis

April 30
 - 35 Odebolt Area Farms Demolished by Tornado on May 18, 1944
 - The Princess Theater Opens, 1913

April 29
 - Obituary on Samuel B. Smith (and photo).  S.B. Smith was George (Kelly) Smith's father.  "Kelly" Smith was locally known for his work with Kelly's Colts of the Fire Department.

 - G.A.R. page - GAR organized in 1882; Women's Relief Corp organized in 1887

March 31 - A web edition of the booklet "BROOKMONT, A Souvenir of "The Finest Farm in the World", complete with many photos.

March 30 - added photos to Cook Ranch (Brookmont Farm) Photo page

March 29
 - Photos of people from Odebolt's past
 - 1903-4 Opera House Program
 - Photos from Richland country school #6
 - Article honoring Dr. August Groman on his 90th birthday
 - More history on "Adams Ranch"
 - Added group photo to 1910 Agricultural Tour
 - Added photo of A. B. Harding, first mail carrier; Post Office history.

March 15 - Biography on J. H. Orcutt, Early Odebolt High School Principal

Feb 29 - Langle Dairy ... Orcutt (Mason) Family Photos

Feb 28
 - added photos from Wesley Berg to Ballard biographies - Chas. Ballard & wife, 1880's Union Restaurant
- 1918, 7th Grade Class (all children identified)
- Wesley Berg Photo Collection
- Photo from 1956 swimming pool (at bottom)

Feb 27 - 1887 Graduating Class photo - from Chuck Hanson, via Fred Frevert, from a daughter of Lorraine Searight Littlefield.

Feb 20 - Photos from Keller Collection II - scans from Harvey Keller's personal collection showing scenes around Odebolt from various years

Feb 18

1944 Main Street
Rev. Jesse Helsell Obituary
Floyd Patten Obituary
Effie Cherry death (scroll to bottom of page)

Photos:
East side of Main St. - 1910
1910 Visit from Cedar Rapids Businessmen
Joseph Mattes home; A. H. Hatch home; Ralph's Billiard Parlor; Interior of Selby-Potteiger Drug Co.

Feb 6 - Charlie Larson, long-time restaurant owner in Odebolt.

Feb 4 - 1884-1885 Odebolt Business Directory

Jan 30 - The Odebolt History Pages are undergoing an extensive revision.  We are in the process of catching glitches.  If you should find things that are not working, please let me know via email.  THANKS!

 

Jan 21 - August 31, 1881 Odebolt Observer  ............The Wright Block

Jan 12, 2004 - Photos and information on Prof. J. H. Orcutt, the 2nd Principal of Odebolt School

2003

Dec 24 - Christmas Past in Odebolt - 1930 & 1949

Nov 25 - Excerpts and photos from the book, The Family of Henry Hanson and Augusta Mathilda Ekblom; A Genealogical and Biographical Record, by Henry Lewis Hanson

Nov 18 - Odebolt Observer, August 24, 1881 ......  Obituary, George Waggoner, early settler

Nov 16 - Ground Observer Corps and Tower from late 1950's

Oct 31 - We now have a wonderful view of the early days of Sac County with excerpts transcribed from the Sac City newspaper, the Sac Sun.  Included are hardships endured, such as grasshoppers and diphtheria, descriptions of the farms, early settlers & settlements in the county, the progress & excitement of the coming of the railroad, news from townships and even some recipes!  View the excerpts from the Sac Sun, laboriously transcribed from microfilm by Bonnie Ekse. 

Sept 24 - The Chronicle, VOL. I. NO. 2. June 3, 1887 - [Excerpts from the oldest extant issue of The Chronicle]   ...............  Obituary: Prof. J.H. Orcutt               

Sept 18 - list of 1953 Odebolt Businesses ... Those Old Fashioned Saturday Nights, by Howard Johnson.

2003

Aug 30 - Bonnie added to "My Family in Iowa" - the Groman home ... the school, sidewalks and a few photos.
Aug 27 - J. W. Burnside Obituary ...   Odebolt Observer August 17, 1881
August 26 - added photos to Godberson, Goreham, Gosch biographies
August 21 - Odebolt City Park History (formerly Hanson Park)
August 5 - Added photos:  Boyer Methodist Church ... Brookmont Farm (Cook Ranch) Photos ... Leota post office and Schoharie post office & stage stop photos ... S.E. Smith photo  ... William Stanzel photo ... Richland Church winter scene (bottom of page) ... Henry Hanson & wife photos  ... Centennial Biography photos "A" through Fox, Marshal ... misc. other photos.

July 7 - Pioneer Days series is complete. Added Mrs. Lucinda (Taylor) Sutton ... A.B. Waggoner ... Andrew E. Johnson ... William Quirk ... E.D. Peck .  The Chronicle, 1926 Decoration Day
July 6 - August 10, 1881 Odebolt Observer ..... Pioneer Days series: John A. Nordeen .... A.J. Hovendon .... Col. A. S. Teaquist
July 5 - added to photo pages - Tokens and Greetings ........ Arthur Postcards ...... added a few photos to Postcards from Odebolt's Past II  ..........Gronemeyer Store
June 9 - added to Pioneer Series:  M. C. Barkley ...  W. E. Kutz ... Mayor and Mrs. J. E. Einspahr ... 
Knights of Pythias Band ... Harry A. Waggoner 

May 31 - added photos received via email from Anders Samuelsson in Sweden of the family of A.P. Nelson and his son John Nelson
May 21 - Pioneer Days series - Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Olney ... John Williams ... Mr. and Mrs. S. E. Smith ... Hans Bonnichsen .   Cook and Wheeler Farms, 12 Aug 1887 Chronicle .......Many stories from the 1903 Chronicle 
Addition to "My Family in Iowa", by Dorothy Groman Ellis - The Groman Home
May 20 - finished scanning photos for Century Farm biographies:  William Meyer .... Jacob Miller ..... Wm. T. Neville ... Profit (Mummey, Smith) .... Henry Rabe, Sr. .... Fred Schultz (Conrad Meyer) .....Peter Weitzel
Scanned photos for Ballard, Henry & George ... Berg, Bettin, Bernhardt, Bonnichson ... Brynteson, Buehler
May 16 - scanned photos for Century Farm biographies on Fertig, Fox, Frey, Gunderson-Goreham, A.E. Johnson, Leonard (Hiram B. Smith) Farm, Mandernach

April 30 - misc. photos:  Emil Olson farm auction ... Cook #9 photo ... Wheeler school, Section 16 on Neville farm .. Circus wagon on Maple ... S.M. Linquist 
April 29 - Searching the 1880 Sac County Census ...... Businesses scanned from Trojan Yearbooks - 1954 - 1955 - 1959 - 1962 & 1963 - 1962&1963 Page 2.
April 25 - added C.M. Johnson, John Younie, Conrad Meyer, to PIONEER DAYS series.  Obituary - Robert Buist
April 13 - Centennial Biographies - Petersmeyer, Reuber, Rhule, Robinson, Roth, Schramm, Shaw, Siebrecht, Simon, Asa B. Smith, Sonksen, Teaquist, Umbarger, Waggoner (I am happy to report that ALL Centennial biographies have been typed and added!  It was a large project.)
April 12 - Centennial Biographies - Hans Godberson, Joseph P. Goreham, John H. Gosch, Juergen P. Gosch ..... Adam Halboth, Henry Hanson, Nels Hanson ......Valentine Henrich, August w. Hokansson, John A. Huldeen  ......Henry Kessler, Sr., August Kluckhohn, Charles Krusenstjerna  ...... George Landgraf, John M. Larson, Charles Leonard, August Link
April 11 - Bonnie has done it again!  She found a series of articles on microfilm of The Odebolt Chronicle on early Odebolt area pioneers, called  PIONEER DAYS .  Added today: M. D. Fox, J. G. Anderson, and Jacob Anderson.  More will follow as time permits.
     Also from April and August 1926, Piano Recital; and Cracker Jack Adds to Holdings.  
     Also more centennial biographies - John Einspahr, Eli Ellinger and John Erickson ... Gustav Freese and John Fuchs
     And a bio found on the web on John W. Erickson.
April 10 - Lightner, Francisco, Stanzel deaths .... 12 January 1911 Chronicle ....... 1970's Softball Team photos ....Photo of Railroad Water Tower, 1949

March 28 - Odebolt Chronicle, Jan. 1925 - Oldest Odebolt Women; Mrs. Lonnberg & Mrs. Lundblad 
March 20 - addition to "My Family in Iowa" - The Groman Home; Biographies on August Dannenberg, Charles L. Davenport, Thomas W. Down, Sr. & Oliver Duncan

Feb 24 - Hedberg family obituaries
Feb 20 - added some Obituaries
Feb 14 - Z.W. Sparks Dies,  News Articles from The Odebolt Chronicle, 1890's, 1914, 1916  (An easy winter; Wheeler "caned" by friends; John Fuchs Barn Dance, A corn palace, 1890's Decoration Day, 1890 Census, Henry Hanson sells grain business)
Feb 11 - Excerpts from Dorothy Groman Ellis' book "My Family in Iowa, 1878-1949";   A new main category - Recollections and Memoirs 

Jan 11 - Century Farms - Fertig .....Fox ..... Frey ....Neville... Profit .... Quirk .... Rabe .... Schultz ... Weitzel
Jan 10, 2003 - Thanks to Dale Sporleder for information on his uncles, the Patten Brothers, and a photo of the family.
Century Farms - Gunderson.... Andrew Johnson..... Leonard..... Mandernach..... Meyer..... Miller

2002

December 22 - Merry Christmas!  See Christmas Past in Odebolt
December 6 - Century Farms - Babcock ... Buehler  ... Crook/Youngquist ... Dinges;  Biographies - Cowlham ... Cranston
November 22 - began an Obituaries page;  
November 21 - Teachers in Country Schools ....Excerpts from 1871-72 Sac Sun
November 14 - Excerpts from the 1877 Sac Sun, with descriptions of western Sac County and its new towns.
             July 28, 1880 Odebolt Observer (a trip to Wall Lake) .... August 11, 1880 Odebolt Observer (a trip to Grant City) 
November 13 - 1914 Bird's Eye View of Odebolt taken from the water tower by A.W. Dahlstrom, with enlargements.
November 12 - 1977 Centennial biographies on: Berg, Bernhart, Bettin, Bonnichsen, Bryntesen, Buehler, Carstensen, Chandler, Collenbaugh
November 11 - August 3, 1881 Odebolt Observer  ........Biographies now typed from previously scanned images on:  C.E. Allen, Marcellus Bartlett, David Correll, Oscar Draper, Oliver Perry Dunkin (Duncan), M.D. Fox, L.M. Gray (Gray, Babcock & Seers), Joseph Mattes, A.B. Smith, and C.W. Sutton, from Biographical History of Crawford, Ida & Sac Counties, Iowa, The Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, 1893
November 8 - Arthur, Iowa Postcards from Judy Bauer Collection
November 7 - Postcards from Judy Bauer Collection (I have never seen many of these - including some new "overviews"! 
November 6 - 1915 Aurora (first Highschool Yearbook); 1914-1915 Calendar and photos;  1917 "Popper" Senior & Sports Photos
November 5 -  War Prisoners at Fairview Farm
Ocotber 23 - Biographies and family photos:   Adam Messer ... Johann & Joseph Konradi ... Henry Leget from Judith Bauer.
October 20 - Odebolt Observer, July 27, 1881 
October 7 - Articles from The Odebolt Chronicle about the Cherry Sisters and the lawsuit,1898-1901
                   - CHERRY v. DES MOINES LEADER et al., 114 Iowa, 298,  86 N. W. 323, (Supreme Court of Iowa.  May 28, 1901
                     (NOTE: rather heavy reading but WELL worth it for the story it contains!)
Sept 30 - Photos:  1905 and 1907 Graduating Classes;  and 1909 Kindergarten
Sept 29 -An on-going project -  Country Schools (Sac County rural school information and photos of some of the township schools near Odebolt). 

Sept 22 - Found through search engine - pages taken from "THE HISTORY OF WESTERN IOWA, published in 1882".  Although not located on the Odebolt History Pages, I thought you readers would enjoy knowing about it.  See the pages on the town of Odebolt .  See biographies from Odebolt.  Biographies include the following names:  F.R. Bennett, C.D. Boardman, J.C. Bodine, S.H. Bowman, J.W. Burnside, Frank L. Dennis, Henry Dockstader, Alfred G. Erlenborn, C.E. George, Dell Coy, A. Groman, M.D, Henry Hanson, W.A. Helsell, Martin Keck, W. Van Dusen (Van Duesen), Joseph Mattes, J.H. Kitterer (Ketterer), C.S. Lee, E.A. Moody, Frank A. Ross, H.F. Warneke, H.C. Wheeler, John Wright, N. Wright, R.U. Wheelock, Mr. Rehterberger (Rehberger), and John M. Zane.  

Sept 21 - Added a biography on Billy Hamilton, Odebolt's long-time newspaper editor.
Sept 20 - Recollections of Frank Kelley, Pioneer Editor................History of Hanson Blvd
Sept 18 - Odebolt Observer, July 20, 1881 (scroll down the page);  Mother Mummey (story of An Aged Woman)
Sept 3 - Odebolt Observer, June 29, 1881 (scroll down the page); Red Front Fire, The Chronicle, 1894; Congregational Church, 1893
Aug 19 - Odebolt Observer,  June 22, 1881 (scroll down the page),  Odebolt Observer,  July 13, 1881
Aug 6 - Odebolt Observer,  May 25, 1881 .....June 1 and June 15, 1881 (look for the date headings on the pages)
July 25 - Congregational Church - Cook Township,   John W. Nelson and Blanche (Benson) Nelson obituaries
July 24 - Additions made to "The Patten Brothers" - 7 brothers, sons of  Floyd Patten of Odebolt who served on the USS Nevada
               Added and obit on Emmett Starner - (scroll down the page)
July 7 - added to May 18, 1881 Odebolt Observer  (see bottom of page starting at "Cook Township")
July 3 - Celebrating the Fourth of July in the Early Years
June 27 - more news from May 18, 1881 Odebolt Observer (bottom of page)
June 26 - Photos of 1938 Businessmen, page 2 ....Postcards from Odebolt's Past II
June 22 - May 11, 1881 Observer News,   (scroll down page to May 11) ....List of Mayors added to Town Hall history
June 19 - June 1, 1881 Observer News .... Who Works for Whom in Odebolt, 1944
June 14 through 16 - ODEBOLT QUASQUICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION - see photos at www.odebolt.net!
June 11 - Freshman Class of 1918 ... The Patten Brothers - 1940
June 7 - Odebolt Library History  ........... WW I Civilian Draft Registrations; Persons born in Odebolt
June 3 - A Brand New Story of How Odebolt Got Its Name !
May 30 - Odebolt Observer News - April 13 and 27, 1881;  May 4, 1881
May 29 - Odebolt Observer News - April 6, 1881
May 14 - Index of 1938 Odebolt Business
May 10 - Biographies on the following:  A.P. Nelson, Alfred Nelson, B. Pearson, Solomon Peterson, Herman Raasch, Henry Reinhart, John Schmitz, Seymor Selby, Martin W. Smith, Nicholas Thies, John G. Wagner, Michael B. Wolf, Peter Youngren, John Ziegmann
May 9 - Biographies on the following:  Swan Anderson, Lowe Barkley, William Buehler, David Correll, B.A. Coy, William C. Field, Jocob Fleuhr, August Groman,  Conrad Hausman, John Hix, John Hoefling, Sr., Adam Kennedy, Alfred G. Krusenstjerna, Caspar Luft, Andrew Lundell, Oliver Mackey, John Mandernach, Joseph Mattes, John Mattes
May 7 - Index of Early Odebolt Businesses..................Recollections of 1878 by Frank Kelley
May 4 - Miscellaneous Facts from the "Fifty Years of Progress" edition of The Chronicle

April 20 - The Odebolt History Pages site has gotten quite large and  is running out of space.  It is presently on my personal NetIns free web space and I am only allowed 20 MB.  I do not have funding to buy more room so we have had to find space elsewhere.  The site will be in a gradual, ongoing process of moving to Rootsweb under the auspices of the Odebolt Historical Museum Association.  

I have moved the picture directories, since they take up the most room.  If you notice that there are errors in linkages, or links to photos, PLEASE let me know as this is a complex undertaking and I will no doubt make mistakes.  Thank you for your patience while this move is made to a permanent home at Rootsweb. - Barb

April 17 - Town Hall and The Post Office;  Paul Wagner, Chronicle Publisher
April 9 - Moved the Odebolt Guestbook to odebolt.net and added Odebolt History and Genealogy Message Board to the Odebolt History Page, to give a place for people to post and respond to questions and queries.
Mar 26 - 1886 through 1919 Odebolt High School Graduates (144K)
Mar 21- Birth, Marriage, Death records from Faith Lutheran Church
Mar 19 - Odebolt Observer, March 30, 1881 (bottom of page)....Odebolt News
.....Letter from Frank Kelley....added S-Z to 1908 Sac Co. Index of Patrons shows name, business, Section, Township, Post Office and year the person came to Sac County. To be used to find farming families on the 1908 Sac County Township Maps
Mar 18 - 1910 Agricultural Tour.....The Boys of Company B ....D. Correll Farm Auction.....4th of July 1907 ...
Mar 12 - Billy Hamilton and the Cherry Sisters
Mar 11- W.E. "Billy" Hamilton and the Early Days of the Chronicle. 
Mar 6 - History of Odebolt, the Popcorn Center of the World!
Mar 5 - Photos of the Earliest Days in Odebolt, showing businesses and people.
Feb 28 - added Odebolt Observer March 23, 1881.......Military History 
Feb 27 - Added Emmett Starner, Adam Stueckrath, Henry Stueckrath (w/Photo);  Samuel McFarland
Feb 24 - Odebolt Observer Feburary 1881, and March 9, 1881 ; Odebolt Area Farm Photos
Feb 19 -  John McLean biography and photos; "Sac County" from Dec.15, 1880 Odebolt Observer 
Feb 16 - added Post Offices in Sac County to Abandoned Towns in Sac County
Feb 12 - Odebolt Swimming Pool;  Biographies on William C. Paul, and Francis Story
Feb 9 - Early Banks and Bankers
Feb 5 - Progress in Odebolt is as Nations ..... 1891-92 Building Boom
Feb 4 - Added May 1881 and August 1881 "Tidbits from the 1880's Odebolt Observer"
Feb 3 - Added a biography and other items on Cook Ranch
Feb 2 - Tidbits from Odebolt Observer - March 1881
Feb 1 - Donald McCorkindale, Jr and Angus McCorkindale biographies, added to Alexander McGeachy, added to Donald McGeachy
Jan 25 - 1880 Businesses from the 1880 OBSERVER (Thanks to Bonnie Ekse for a monumental job of reading microfilm and typing!)
             Added 1881 article to Odebolt Cemetery page;  Pioneer Biographies
Jan 20 - 1953 "Progress Edition"- letters from Paul Wagner, and former Chronicle editors, HB Hook and Charles Wieser
             Added biographies on Alexander McGeachy and Donald McGeachy;  biography on John Currie/Jeanette McGeachy
Jan 14 -Added photos to Newspapers in Odebolt
Jan 8 - Added a few photos to Portraits of Businessmen and Postcards and Scenes