Rubio Early History and Notable Pioneers Summary
Rubio is a small Iowa town founded 1902 along the Milwaukee line from Davenport to Ottumwa. It features early businesses including Coffman’s store, J. J. Fleig’s post office, Strickland and lumber yards, and a bank. The Friends church began 1905 and a 1906 church anniversary is noted. Lifelong locals W. L. Ireland and J. J. Fleig dominated early commerce, with Fleig running the second Rubio store and post office for decades.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Arthur Lambert
Rubio
Milwaukee Railway
Davenport
Ottumwa
Chicago
Kansas City
Richland Creek
Skunk
John Fleig, Jr
Charley Leppert
Otro Bosworth
Coffman
Earl Coffman
J. J. Fleig
Frank Strickland
Rubio Lumber Company
Rubio Savings Bank
Floyd Hickson
Dillon
Rubio Church
Friends Church
Rubio School
W. L. Ireland
J. J. Fieig
Ireland
Milwaukee Railroad
Anderson Hotel History Near Marion Avenue
George C. Anderson opened the Farmers hotel in August 1868 south of the square on Marion avenue. He renamed it Anderson House and offered it for sale in 1869. Advertised a stable for sixteen horses. It is now known as the Anderson hotel.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
George C. Anderson
Farmers Hotel
Marion Avenue
Anderson House
Anderson Hotel
An Old Cemetery Believed in Grace Hill Area
Dave Ferrier recalls the Todd cemetery one mile southeast of Grace Hill, a pioneer resting place for Able Todd and other early settlers including Nancy Todd Zekiel Olliver Elizabeth Olliver Edward Stultz Josephine Stultz Mr and Mrs Waldrich and their son Timothy Stucker Bernard Brown Marcus Keiting James Brown and Timothy Brown The Revolutionary soldier buried there was moved to Elm Grove cemetery where a bronze monument was erected.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Dave Ferrier
Able Todd
Washington County
Grace Hill
Todd
Nancy Todd
Zekiel Olliver
Elizabeth Olliver
Edward Stultz
Josephine Stultz
Old Landmark Home on Southwest Trail in Washington
The red brick house at 305 South C Avenue in Washington, home of Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Kurtz, marks an old trail known as the Southwest Trail later White Way and Primary Highway No. 2. Built before the Civil War, the stair railing bears S. G. Barrett’s name from the 1850s and the door bell is dated 1860.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
J. F. Kurtz
South C Avenue
Washington
S. G. Barrett
Pioneer Evidences Still in Highland
Mrs. Frank Mincer reports an old building on the Mincer farm, once a White Ash grocery and post office, and a nearby graveyard where relics were dug from Indian graves. Three marked graves remain, of a Lee family father, mother, and Chad.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Frank Mincer
Journal
East Highland
Mincer
Montgomery Clark
White Ash
Columbus Junction
Lee
Chad
First buggy drew crowds and bridal rides in Burrell tale
Reed brought the first buggy to the area described as a great curiosity that excited more interest than an aeroplane would today. Any man proposing matrimony would arrange a bridal ride with county clerk and a minister, and the buggy accompanied every extra occasion like Mary’s little lamb.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Reed
Mary
Burrell
Lawyers Here Stood High in Washington County History
A historic survey lists prominent Washington County lawyers from 1839 onward. Notable figures include W. J. Case, Mills, Harrison, Conklin, and Dinsmore, with postwar leaders Judge Sampson, Winslow, Cook, Blanchard, Lewis, and Scott. The 60s featured J. F. McJunkin, Gov. Hiram Scofield, Joseph R. Lewis, and Granville G. Bennett, among others. The roster grows through the early 1900s with many names such as H. M. Bicher, C. J. Wilson, J. L. Brookhart, and Eardley Bell.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington County
W. J. Case
George Vincent
Washington
Mills
Harrison
Conkling
Compton
Dinsmore
J. F. McJunkin
Hiram Scofield
Joseph R. Lewis
Granville G. Bennett
Lewis
Bennett
McJunkin
Iowa
Norman Everson
A. H. Patterson
Sam Russell
Burrell
J. F. Brown
Lawyer
H. M. Bicher
C. J
C. C. Wilson
W. Livingston
M. W. Bailey
S. W
J. L. Brookhart
W. H. Butterfield
C. A. Dewey
E. D. Morrison
Mort Keeley
Clifford Thorne
J. J. Kellogg
A. S. Folger
Peter Hanley
Eardley Bell
J. F. Henderson
BH. J. Harmeier
S. W. Livingston
Edward C. Hicher
T. A. Michels
Edmund D. Morrison
George Morrison
Edmund D. Morrison, Jr
Richard A. Stewart
L. J. Kehoe
Wellman
E. L. Edmondson
Brighton
Hidden Havens for Runaway Slaves in Our County
Nathan Littler reports in his 41879 1880 history that no formal depot existed here for runaway slaves yet several sites in Clay Crawford and Washington townships sheltered them. Washington hid fugitives at Kendall home and near John Young's west of the brewery, while John Kilgore stored them in his smoke house. S EK Rankin cared for them at Crawfordsville. Henry Hannah, a young Black boy, brought to the county in 1846 by Ed Clements, became the first American of African descent to reside here.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Nathan Littler
Clay
Crawford
Washington
Kendall
John Young
Western
John Kilgore
S EK. Rankin
Crawfordsville
Henry Hannah
Ed Clements
Our County
Diverse Settlers Shape Washington County Community
Washington county owes much of its growth to a mix of settlers from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana and beyond. Bohemians, Welsh, German Mennonites, Amish and early Germans in Dutch Creek shaped culture and economy. Today all groups blend as equal citizens contributing to county life.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington County
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Indiana
Jackson
English River
Highland
Iowa
Crawford
Oregon
Noble
Wayland
Marion
Lime Creek
Dutch Creek
Bohemia
Wales
Germany
America
Lizzie Marshall Opens Select School in 1866
Lizzie Marshall opened a select school in the rear of Meafarland's grocery in 1866, establishing early local education efforts.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Lizzie Marshall
Mefarland’s
Infamous 1930 Wash County slaying linked to Chicago gangster
A long recount notes the 1930 murder of Sheriff Fred Sweet and Night Marshal Aaron Bailey in the Washington County sheriff’s office. The killer, later identified as Chicago gangster Jack Klutas, escaped, sparked the largest manhunt in local history, and was killed by Chicago police on January 5, 1934 after years on the run.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Fred Sweet
Aaron Bailey
Court House
William Bailey
Washington County
Washington
Chicago
Jack Klutas
Klutas
Oldest Cedar County Buildings Possibly 1840s Era
W E Page states a house and barn in Cedar township may be the county’s oldest if verified. The structures were built by his grandfather Michael Page between 1840 and 1850, seven and a half miles north of town. Henry Horning resides on the farm and Jay Carris lives nearby to the south.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
The
Journal
W. E. Page
Cedar Township
Michael Page
Henry Horning
Mr. Page
Jay Carris
Badger Family Pioneers of Clay and Franklin Townships
William and Joseph Badger arrived in Washington county in 1840 settling in Clay township near the Congregational church and cemetery. William farmed 80 acres later known as Waterman. ill health forced sale. Joe helped organize Clay Congregational church in 1842 and served as deacon ten years before moving to Franklin township where he farmed 120 acres. Joe and David McConaughey helped establish Franklin Church in 1852 and deacons for about 48 years. Joseph Badger moved to Washington Iowa in 1890 and died in 1899.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
R. L. Badger
William Badger
Joseph Badger
Washington County
Clay Township
Clay Congregational Church
Clay
Waterman Farm
Joe Badger
Franklin Township
Andy Augustine
Franklin Congregational Church
David McConaughey
Badger
Washington
Iowa
Also Mentioned on This Page
Wy Centennial
Yazash
Journal Carrier Boys
Gerald McGaffey
Raymond Miller
Robert Rohrer
Hubert Reed
Edward Bidwell
Arnold
Sunshine) Smith
John Bidwell
Richard Baker
George White
Charles Sutton
Charles Foster
Robert Crosset
Verne Dawson
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!