Month: April 2024

Status Report on the Dayton Industries

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The following is from The Ottawa Free Trader, June 2, 1888, p. 8, cols. 2-3

Dayton

Times are a little livelier now in this vicinity than they have been for some time past.

The paper mill has started up again, and is getting a number of car loads of baled straw.

The tile works are running right along and are shipping a considerable quantity of drain tile of the very best quality. They are also shipping a lot of fire clay, having received an order for one hundred tons to be shipped immediately to Chicago. Users of clay are beginning to learn that we have the very best quality of fire clay in the county, and no doubt in the near future Dayton will contain a number of good substantial fire clay manufactories.

The roller mills are running on custom and merchant work as usual, and are manufacturing a first class article of straight grade roller flour. Try a sack and be convinced.

The horse collar works have cut down on their working force, as this is their usual dull season, and are manufacturing fly nets. With good crops this season, this firm anticipate a good trade during the fall and winter.

The old woolen mill property which has been run as a pressed brick factory by the Chicago and Dayton Brick Co., has been sold to an eastern firm who are putting it in shape for manufacturing purposes. We have not learned yet the intentions of the new company, but hope they have sufficient capital to do an extensive business.

The town is full of fishermen at present, and Landlord Timmons, of the Dayton Hotel, says he has had a good run of custom during the past two or three weeks.

Harding turned out a good sized fishing party last Saturday.

Mr. and Mrs. T. H. Green, and Miss Winnie Childs, of Morris were in Dayton over Sunday.

Mr. Bert W. Stadden and Miss Taylor, of Chicago, were in Dayton a few hours Sunday afternoon.

The river is a little higher on account of the late heavy rains.

Mr. William Hewitt is greatly improving the appearance of his piece of property by a coat of paint.

We find there is considerable interest taken in our extracts from California letters among various readers of your valuable paper in the county, as this information is reliable and not highly colored like the usual real estate men’s information. We wrote Mr. Butler of Puryn, Place Co., California, in regard to the fruit business being overdone in that State, and will give you his reply and other information: [content of letter not transcribed]

Occasional

The Flood was the Big News

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From Dayton

Dayton, Ill., Feb. 11th, 1887. – The little Fox became the raging Ohio during the flood of last Tuesday. Never since 1857 have we had such a heavy run of water and ice. The ice commenced running Tuesday morning, and run two hours; just before noon it run two hours, and in the evening it run five hours, making nine hours, run. And contrary to the usual manner, the last ice running, instead of being the lightest, was the heaviest, some of it being two feet thick. The fish chute was carried out, but no damage was done to the dam. One of the gates at the locks was broken, and the feeder bank was washed nearly through for quite a distance. The water was so high it ran over the locks and the surrounding embankment. The trestle work of the second span of the new bridge was carried away Monday night, and during the heavy run of ice Tuesday evening, the stone were all knocked out of the noses of the piers, leaving them in a very battered condition. The water alongside of the piers was nearly twenty feet deep. The paper mill lost six hundred dollars worth of straw, which is quite a loss to them, as it is difficult to replace it at this time of year, on account of the bad roads.

Mr. Uriah Miller, of Ottawa, and his two nephews from Salt Lake City, Utah, visited our town last week.

We understand there is to be a wedding in town next week. Will give particulars next time.

The Progressive Euchre Club met at the residence of O. W. Trumbo, last week, and had a very enjoyable time.

Mr. James Green made a second consignment of honey this week to Haven & Green, commission merchants, at Fort Scott, Kansas.

Mr. S. Hippard is building a residence on his land south of the paper mill.

The paper mill has been fitted up with new calenders, and expected to start up this week, but cannot do so on account of high water.

The rolls for the flour mill still have not arrived yet, but the mill is running on cotton work right along.1

  1. The Ottawa Free Trader, February 12, 1887, p. 4, col. 6

Fidelia, youngest child of David and Elizabeth Hite

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Fidelia Hite was born in 1844 in Licking County, Ohio. She was the 6th and youngest child of David and Elizabeth (Stickley) Hite. The family moved to Dayton township in 1848 and lived on their farm on Buck Creek. On April 26, 1870, she married 22 year old Benjamin G. Babcock, a substantial farmer from Wallace township.

Benjamin had to certify that they were both of marriageable age, as shown below.

They lived on the farm until around 1885, when Benjamin decided to go into business with his brother Calvin, who arranged the purchase of an implement store in Schuyler, Nebraska. Soon after that, Benjamin moved his family to Schuyler. Later he was a representative of the Lightning Hay Press Company of Kansas City. By 1902, he was afflicted with rheumatism and retired, moving to Council Bluffs, Iowa. In 1904 he served as the janitor to the Thirty-second Street school building, at a salary of $40 per month. Benjamin was active in the Republican party, while Fidelia was a member of the W.C.T.U.

Their home was a frequent gathering place for family. In 1903 it was the site of their daughter Cora’s marriage to E. M. Hill. In 1908 Fidelia’s nephew Calvin Hite and his wife Henrietta, from Ottawa, Illinois, spent the Christmas holidays and their honeymoon with them in Council Bluffs.

Benjamin and Fidelia had six children:
Elizabeth, born about 1873, in Illinois
Albert F., born June 9, 1875, in Illinois
Jennie Fidelia, born December 3, 1877, in Illinois
Maude G., born March 26, 1880, in Illinois
Cora, born March 1883, in Illinois
Olive E., born December 1888, in Nebraska

Fidelia died December 30, 1909 in Council Bluffs and was buried in Walnut Hill Cemetery in Council Bluffs. Her obituary appeared in the Evening Nonpareil, December 31, 1909.

Mrs. Fidelia A. Babcock, aged 65 years, died of cancer of the stomach at 7:45 o’clock Thursday evening at her home, 2531 Avenue B. She is survived by her husband, B. G. Babcock; five daughters — Mrs. A. M. Swart, Mrs. W. L. Smith, Mrs. E. M. Hill, Miss Olive Babcock, all of this city, and Mrs. P. J. Clatterbuck of Marsland, Neb. — and one son, A. L. Babcock of Schuyler, Neb. The funeral will be held from the family residence at 3 o’clock Saturday afternoon, but no further arrangements have been made.

Benjamin died February 19, 1930, in Richmond, California. He was buried in Walnut Hill Cemetery beside his wife.

An Anniversary

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John Green
Jesse
Joseph Green
Joseph

Today, April 2, is the 175th anniversary of the day John, Jesse, and Joseph Green started for the gold mines.

Californians

At least fifty persons from this county, left this place during the past week for California. The company from Dayton left on Monday, on board the Timoleon, which boat we understand they chartered to take them through to St. Joseph, on the Missouri river. All Dayton precinct was down to see them off, which gave our landing altogether the most crowded and bustling appearance we have ever seen it bear. The company is composed of as good men as there are in the county, and we are sorry to lose them. May their brightest anticipations be realized!

Our Ottawa boys, although there is quite a number of them, have been leaving for a week or two, in parties of two or three. There are among them some of the best of men, and a few whose loss we shall probably be able to survive. May they all have the best of luck, and come back with gold enough to improve the river to Ottawa, and build a bridge across the Illinois!1

1. The [Ottawa IL] Free Trader, April 6, 1849, page 2, col.2