Dysart’s Legacy Named For Town Founder Joseph Dysart
Hon Joseph W Dysart of Huntington County Penn born 1820 rose from Dickinson College valedictorian to Hillsboro and Aberdeen academies. He taught in Mississippi and Illinois, edited a Vinton newspaper, served as county judge and state senator, and became Lieutenant Governor. The town of Dysart was named for him. he funded a park in 1889 and died Sept 7 1893 aged 73. His descendants, Wayne Rowan and Dorothy Reeder, continued local ties into the 20th century.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Joseph W. Dysart
Dysart
Huntington County
Penn
Dickinson College
Carlisle
Hillsboro
Maryland
Mississippi
Aberdeen
Lee County
Esther Wayne
Georgetown
S. c
Ilinois
Vinton
Vinton Eagle
Conklin
State Senate
Benton
Tamar
Clark Township
Tama
Poweshiek
Joseph Dysart
Iowa Agricultural College
Ames
Esther
Tacoma
Wash
Wayne Dysart
Illinois
Western Reserve College
Iowa
Grace Tussey
Pennsylvania
Evanston, Ill
First Post Office Locates in Dysart In January 73
Dysart's postal history begins with early services before 1863 in Benton county and the Wood post office. A weekly, then semi weekly service followed by the Ettie post office in 1869. On January 3 1873 the post office moved into a new town building at Wilson and Main Streets and later became a money order office in 1875. By 1913 rural carriers started, 1937 brought the Star mail route, and today postmaster Robert M Manley notes receipts over 36000 yearly serving nearly 2500 patrons.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Dysart
Benton County
Wood
Squire James Wood
Vinton
Loughridge
Oskaloosa
Garrison
Clutter
Back
Robert M. Manley
Dysart Newspaper Debut in 1878 Chronicle
Dysart began without a press. T. N. Ives issued the first edition on March 22, 1878, using Traer Star press forms. The Reporter changed hands multiple times, facing early town rivalries, before O. E. Lathrop and later R. L. Ross, Merle Olson, and Robert Schlotterback led the paper by 1951.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Dysart
T. N. Ives
Traer
Traer Star
Washington
E. E. Taylor
Taylor
Reporter
Read
Belle Plaine Union
Dysart Library Organizes in 1882 Meeting
The Dysart library association completed its organization with Prof. Caldwell as president, E. F. Sult as secretary, and Dr. B. S. Louthan as treasurer. Books will be kept at the doctor's office on the corner of Main and Wilson streets.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Dysart
Traer Star
Our Library Association
Prof. Caldwell
E. F. Sult
B. S. Louthan
Main
Wilson Streets
Dysart Cattle Feeders Export Beef to England in 1907
Dysart livestock shippers sent beef steers to England as British buyers paid premium. Huey and Tensen shipped 125 and Fred O 90 head with J T Bell sending 36 head to Liverpool on the steamship Englishman, sailing from Portland Maine December 19 after cattle were loaded December 12. Attendants included Will Taylor and others. cattle stopped at Blue Island Illinois Toronto and Montreal for feed. Ship reached Liverpool shortly after New Year. Subsequent shipments grew to 250 and 300 head, with 1908 Jan shipments and a 17 carload March 1908 to Manchester aboard the Terrence. Head counts included 91 bought Omaha and 225 from local feeders. F T Jensen led the trip with S M Endicott.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Dysart
England
Chicago
Huey & Tensen
Fred
J. T. Bell
Liverpool
Portland
Maine
Blue Island
Toronto
Montreal
Canada
Will Taylor
Frank Jensen
Dan Lally
Emil Puck
Martin Thiessen
Wm. Meggers
J. O. Willmore
Ft. Dodge
Manchester
New York
Terrence
Omaha
F. T. Jensen
S. M. Endicott
Traer
Early Dysart Mayor Terror Brings Street Justice
In 1882 Dysart faced street fights on Main Street. Six were named in a dawn affidavit before Mayor Rice, four appeared, one fined 50 cents, jailed fifteen days for lacking funds, two left $25 for the treasury, and two more were to be heard from. Mayor Rice, described as a terror to evil doers, promised justice.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Dysart
Traer Star
Traer
Main Street
Earth tremors felt in Dy Sart Community across years
In June 1909 the Dy sart Community felt light earthquakes, uncommon for the Midwest. Minor tremors recurred in the summer of 1968 and fall of 1972, with no reported damage in any instance.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Midwest
Dysart
Dysart in 1874 A Growing Tama County Town
Star editor reports Dysart as a thriving railroad town in 1874. Located in Clark township Tama county sixteen miles west of Vinton, it boasted a population near 250 with Grain Elevators, Dry Goods, Drugs, Hardware, Lumber firms, a postmaster, two schools, and ongoing building including a two story dwelling. Prices quoted: wheat 1.00 1.01, corn 48 50, oats 35 36 cents.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Traer Star
Dysart
Traer
Star
Clipper
Clark Township
Tama County
Vinton
J. W. Crisman
Jos. Dysart
Pacific
Belle Plaine
Brown, Doty & Co
A. Smiley
W. Davidson
S. Hansen & Son
J. C
Dysart's J. B. Jensen A Pillar Of Local Business
J. B. Jensen, born 1854 in Germany, built a lifelong Dysart business career from lumber and coal to grain. He led Tama-Benton Grain, helped found Dysart’s Lutheran church, and influenced the town’s economy for decades before his death in 1938, with his wife Mary Meggers Jensen surviving him. The 1931 Star-Clipper noted his enduring leadership as Dysart celebrated 50 years since incorporation.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
J. B. Jensen
Dysart
Tama-Benton Elevator Company
Jensen
Tama-Benton Grain Company
Traer Star-Clipper
H. P. Jensen
Germany
Mr. Jensen
Carsten
Catherine Jensen
America
Scott County
Towa
Davenport
Tama County
Herman Schlapkohl
O. H. Schlapkohl
Feddersen & Dethlefs
George Meggers
Wisconsin
Frank
Jenser
Charles Degner
Traer
Dysart School From Wagon Shop to Modern Structure
The Dysart public school history begins in 1873 with a leased wagon shop as the first classroom. It recounts land purchases, bond issues, multiple expansions, and the 1966 merger with Geneseo, culminating in a modern Dysart Geneseo system and a 1971 open house for the new high school.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Dysart
Dysart-Geneseo
Geneseo
Dysart School
Gordon Griffin
Nutt
Geneseo Area
Charles Gonnerman
Robert Reed
Harold Plank
Richard Raub
Don Brandt
Dean Elliott
Harold Foss
Robert Hadachek
Robert Higgins
R. V. McLaren
Robert Minkel
Howard Went
Milne Memorial Park Opens After 1999 Dedication
Milne Memorial park spans 41 acres about 228 miles north of Dysart. Deeded to Civic lame in 1347, land saw a 1973 look at a golf course with social functions dating to 1966. FHA loan of 98000 funded construction, park opened June 8, 1999.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Milne Memorial Park
Dysart
Also Mentioned on This Page
K. Burdine
Daniel Puckett
F. Rhode
Belle Davidson
Rhode
George Alexander
Arthur Sewall
John Crisman
Walter Schafer
Nettie Hill
John Caldwell
W. E. Johnson
Frank J. Brown
W. H. Brown
H. O. Bateman
H. G. Braden
Puckett’s Hall
Puckett's Hall
Dysart Savings Bank
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!