An Old Soldier Recalls the Dark Days of the Civil War
The reminiscence recounts Charley’s Civil War enlistment in 1865 from Indiana, family farewells, Libby Prison, and postwar life. He describes moving to Clinton Illinois, meeting Iowa Dutch families, settling in Pella, and building a life with his mother and sister Josie.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Thad
New Jersey
Clinton
Josie
Charley
United States
Murfeesboro
Tenn
Clinton, II
Libby
South
Pella
Iowa
Mother
Mount Pulaski
Springfield
Ill
George G. Crams
Missouri
Ottumwa
Betzer
Jim
Tom
Erie
Alexander
Illinois
Grandma Betzer
Main Street
Enoc
Snow & Huber
Frank Prouty
Alex
Tom Betzer
Charles N. Cole
Mrs. Betters
Susan
Elmer
Old Mud Hole on Main Street Recalled by Pella Resident
A long reminiscence from a Pella native recalls the mud hole on Main Street by the foundry, early schooling in Doedyns and the south part of town, family shifts, and prevailing local businesses. The narrator details transport, coal mining runs from Coalport, and names several merchants and tradespeople from Franklin Street to the square.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Pella
Doedyns
Luella Shaw
Viersen
Mary Forysthe
Stallard
Carrie Davenport
C. C. Cory
Tontje Muilenburg
Lew Wheeler
South Main
Case Noteboom
Pete den Adel
Gerrit Vander Wiel
Jake Andeweg
Des Moines
Coalport
C. Rhynsburger
Franklin Street
Dick Gosselink
Vandermeulen
Brinkhoff
Ulrich’s Meat Market
Slob Bros. General
van Stigt
Pete
Remembrances of a Pella childhood and Sioux County move
A spring 1888 move to Sioux County near Orange City note recounts a 28 year farming career on To 243 and 80 acre plots in Iowa. The author, now widowed with ten children, recalls classmates H B Slob Rene Van Nimigen John Wormhoudt Ina Kelly and others, visits to Pella, church memories, and plans to return this summer while cherishing old friends and memories.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Chicago
Doctor Howell
Webster School House
Martin
Doctor Scarff
Mr. Waechter
Frank Prouty
Mr. Detwilder
Brown
McClintic
Edmand
Babcock
Shull
Whiting
Eller
Canine
Pella
Chas. van Doren
Springfield
Iil
Pollie Lorena
Sioux County
Orange City
Towa
Jennie Popma
H. 8
Slob
Rene van Nimwegen
John Wormhoudt
Ina Kelly
Ottumwa
H. Rempe
Leighton
John Rempe
First Reformed Church
E. Winter
Moertijk
Blommers Mill
Heeren
Isaac Gaass
John
James Jansma
George Thomassen
John Oggel
Volksfriend
Way Back When Youngsters Had Quite a Full Program On Sunday
H. E. Wormhoudt recalls a Des Moines childhood with Park school days and teachers from Miss Boswell to Miss Higgins. He describes Sunday routines at Second Reformed and First Reformed churches, family hymns, Sunday school in the balcony, and youthful flirtations after services, ending with a note on penny candies and developing conscience.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Park School
Public Square
Miss Boswell
Harve van Gorp
Jay Kempkes
Everett
Washington
Charles “Sorrell” Thomassen
Dr. J. Sybenga
Jeanette Gosselink
Bess Vander Zyl
Sally Martin
Jennie Rhynsburger
Albert Ver Ploeg
Webster
Carrie Edmand
Mair
Garber
Willard Lyon
Knoxville
Second Reformed
Herman Bousquet
First Reformed Church
Dominic DePree
Dominic Veldman
Isaac Overkamp
G. Vander Zyl
James Jansma
H. DeBooy
Dena Vander Pal
Pella’s early merchants and schools recalled in reminiscence
Narrator recalls G. A. Vandermeulen Co and others as principal merchants, John Nollen at Pella National Bank, Ed Cassat at a southeast square bank, Buerken’s Wagon Factory and Pella Stacker Co as main factories, Hendrik Van Maren’s implement store, and tiles along the street. He mentions learning railroad and telegraph basics from J. M. Cox Tom W. Cox and Ben Viersen, and notes many figures have since passed away while he fondly revisits youth in Pella.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
G. A. Vandermeulen
Phillips Petroleum Co
J. M. Cox
Tom W. Cox
Ben Viersen
Pella
Reed
Tme
Memory of Early Ministers and Teachers
A letter from an Iowa born settler recalling life in Pella Nebraska memories from the 1800s. The writer mentions local schools, early teachers John Stubenrauch Barbara Jenkens and Professor Cory, the Holland colony voyage, and leaving Pella in 1877 to pursue science and teaching. References 8020 N 31st St Omaha Nebr.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Zanesville
Ohio
Pella
Keokuk
Iowa
Ohio River
Mississippi River
Atlantic
John Stubenrauch
Barbara Jenkens
Cory
Old-fashioned roots of a Pella town recall cherished youth
A reminiscence cherishes early ministers and teachers who carried truth in Pella. The author laments horse and buggy days, notes personal quirks, and fondly recalls Main street families like Keens and Scarffs, praising the town's spirit and heritage with a blessing in Latin.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Ory
Pella
Main Street
Sinclair Lewis
Keens
Scarffs
Gardeners
Betzers
Howells
Bottsfords
Hattie Stallard
Frank
Fourteenth Century Prices In England Explained
In medieval England four certs could buy two chickens or forty eight glasses of beer, illustrating the era’s staple goods cost. The note highlights how common barter and coinage valued everyday items in the fourteenth century.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
England
Also Mentioned on This Page
Charlie van Doren
East St
Grinnell, Iowa
Union
Charlie
Vander Linden
Markel
Mr. Markel
Neal de Geest
Welle
Old Central
Lillie Viersen
Miss Viersen
Mr. Johnston
Pella Chronicle
Herbert and
Loveda
Sam Liter
Edna
Simon H. Douwstra
Elizabeth Gosselink
Huber William Hurt
Theodore Kaldenberg
Helen M. Kruidenier
Anna Lea Rhynsburger
Herman Thomassen
Wilhelmina van der Linden
Jennie Magdalene Vander Zyl
John Vander Zyl
Elizabeth Ada van Nimwegen
LeRoy J. Young
Martha Lena Ver’ Heul
Gerrit H. Waechter
Waechter
Garrison
Reverend Stonaker
Middlekoop
Doctor Dunn
Kruger
John A. Muilenburg
Orange City, Iowa
CHIX
Ramseyer Hatcheries
Oskaloosa, Iowa
H. E. Wormhoudt
Des Moines, Iowa
Ella Stallard
N. 31St St
Omaha, Nebr
Durham
Joe F. Denburger
Paul Boertje
North Broadway
Ulrich
Cpt
Pella Cly Rey Dp
Pella Bologna
Brussels
Ulrich’s
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!